Page 2 of Kenan's Mate
An earsplitting alarm sounds, and the overhead lights flash red. The captain announces something over the intercom, but I can’t discern his shouted words. One of the strange ships sends a series of white blasts over theStargazer.
Panic sets in. Weapons. The five ships blocking our course have weapons. As far as I know, theStargazerisn’t armed. It’s a passenger ship, like all the other crafts built by Celestial Enterprises.
I stand at the window, trying to wrap my brain around what’s transpiring. In the midst of my burgeoning fear, a vast sense of awe rises. Beyond the panic and shock, I understand this is an historic incident—the kind of event humanity will eternally discuss and ask questions like, “Where were you and what were you doing when you heard the news?”
Will I live to answer that question?
Another series of white blasts zoom over theStargazer. Are they supposed to be warning shots? Or are they aiming at something else? The wormhole rests directly behind us. But why open fire at the wormhole?
Terror makes my blood run cold. Whether the five gray ships have human or—God forbid—alien crews, I have a very, very bad feeling about this encounter.
The shrill alarm pounds against my skull like a hammer. I wince and cover my ears. My stomach flips when the five ships change their configuration to form a triangle.
Then all chaos erupts.
Countless white beams impact theStargazer. I fall to my knees as the power of the blasts shake the ship. The hull groans. When I look up, I see nothing but blinding white outside the window. It hurts my eyes and momentarily steals my vision. The ship shudders for another minute, but then the blasting ceases. Smoke fills the air.
Suddenly, a voice comes over the intercom. I can’t tell if it’s the captain speaking, or someone else, but the panicked announcement sends a chill down my spine.
“We’ve been boarded. My God, we’ve been boarded.”
Boarded by whom, my mind whispers.
Coughing, I crawl toward the door. It doesn’t open automatically like it’s supposed to, and even when I frantically press buttons on the panel, it remains shut. By now, the smoke is burning my eyes and I can hardly breathe.
I’m suffocating. I’m going to die. Everyone on theStargazeris probably going to die.
My life doesn’t flash before my eyes, but I do think of my family and friends back on Earth. Their faces appear in my mind, one by one, as if they’ve come to say goodbye.
Mom. Dad. Aunt Mabel. My best friend Sheila. Cousin Tammy, and so many more.
I inhale one last painful breath before my world goes black.
Chapter Two
Everything hurts.
I’m floating in that murky place between sleep and wakefulness. It’s warm and there’s nothing to see, but I hear voices. Deep voices, in a language unfamiliar to me. Have I died? Is this the afterlife?
No matter how hard I try to wake up fully, I can’t force my eyes open. It’s as if bricks are piled atop my face. The agony seizing my body intensifies. Though there’s a certain seduction in the promised warmth and safety of oblivion, I don’t surrender to sleep. I can’t.
The desire to understand my true surroundings becomes stronger and stronger, but the more fiercely I fight, the heavier my bones feel.
A breeze caresses my face and blows my hair around. Someone is carrying me; of that I am certain. A fiery pain stabs through me with each breath.
I whimper and turn my head. The heat of the sun hits my cheeks. At least I think it’s the sun. If only I could open my eyes. I must be on Tallia. I wonder how many passengers and crewmembers survived the attack.
The spicy, masculine scent of the person carrying me comforts me in the midst of the sharp pains continually shooting through my limbs. I’m cocooned in the safety of his strong arms. When I try to speak, only a strangled moan escapes my burning throat.
God, I’m thirsty. How long has it been since I lost consciousness?
At last, my eyes flutter open, but the sunlight blinds my vision. I stop trying to look around and instead bury my face against the man’s chest. He’s probably a medic taking me to a hospital. Tallia has one medical center, situated amongst the hotels, restaurants, and shops catering to wealthy tourists in Capital Acres.
The warmth of the sun disappears, along with the breeze on my face. Every muscle in my body protests as I shift in my rescuer’s arms. We must have reached the hospital.
Without the sun blinding me, I’m finally able to force my eyes open again.
I gasp. This can’t be real. I blink again and again, but nothing changes.
