The Forgotten Shrine Read online

  “Well, did you, B-wad?”

  “That’s beside the point!” Marco shouts.

  “So you did,” Bad Breath says. “Then, there’s no issue. The admiral will be here tomorrow with the other cadets. Now get out of my room!”

  “I don’t think that’s such a great idea,” I say. “We need more time. There’s stuff going on here that we need to figure out first. We really don’t want the other cadets arriving on Alkalinia until we have a full understanding of—”

  “Stop your paranoid ramblings, cadet. My friend Seelok and I spoke with the admiral together this afternoon. It was his suggestion as an act of cooperation and diplomacy.”

  “Your friend Seelok?” Marco asks, barely holding back his laughter.

  “You mean the Alkalinians already know the other cadets are coming tomorrow?” I can’t believe this. Bad Breath is so stupid. Seelok totally played him. This basically kills any chance of delaying their trip without raising a huge red flag for Seelok and the other Alks.

  “That’s right, B-wads. So do me a favor. Turn your pathetic little selves around and go back to your pathetic quarters and play some pathetic video games for the rest of the night. In other words, leave me alone!”

  Mira breezes by me out the door.

  Marco looks at her, then raises his eyebrows at me. “Are we just going to—”

  “Yes!” I say. We should have known Bad Breath would screw everything up. We have to take matters into our own hands now. I grab Marco by the sleeve and pull him from the room. “Thank you, Officer Johnson. Have a great night with your . . . uh . . . friends.”

  14

  ONCE THE DOOR SHUTS BEHIND us, I turn to Mira. “Did you get it?”

  She reaches into her pocket and withdraws a clear disk: the SIMPLE.

  “Miss Mira, you rock,” Marco says. “Let’s head back.”

  The first thing we do when we reach our quarters is hand the SIMPLE to Cole. I ball my hands into fists and squeeze, barely able to contain my frustration with Bad Breath. As soon as Cole affixes the SIMPLE to his tablet screen and gives the thumbs-up, I spill the story of what happened.

  “How long before Bad Breath realizes the SIMPLE is gone?” Lucy asks.

  “He may never notice,” Marco says. “He’s got a lot of distractions in his quarters.”

  “Not that VR again.” Lucy rolls her eyes.

  “Three of them,” Marco says. “One dressed up as a Stellar Ranger.”

  “Original or second series?” Cole asks.

  “Only you would ask that, Wiki,” Marco says.

  “Did you hear what I said?” I ask. “The admiral is bringing the other cadets here tomorrow!”

  “We have the SIMPLE,” Lucy says. “Let’s just call the admiral back and tell her not to come.”

  “It’s not that easy,” I say. “Bad Breath said he contacted the admiral with Seelok, so the Alkalinians would know if there was a change in plans. That means they’d be onto us.”

  “Onto us that we’re onto them?” Lucy asks. “Is that really such a big deal?”

  “It is if we want to figure out what’s actually going on,” I say.

  “If there’s anything going on,” Marco says, “other than the Alks being a bunch of sketchy dudes who like to eavesdrop. If there is, the admiral bringing the other cadets is not such a bad thing. We’ll have a much bigger army to defend ourselves if anything goes wrong. And anyway, we found the occludium tether like the admiral asked. She knew there might be issues, and this is what she wanted accomplished before she came.”

  No, no, no. This is all moving too fast. I wish there were something we could do to delay the other cadets. To delay Addy.

  “Okay, so let’s review,” Lucy says. “We know where the occludium tether is. The other cadets are coming tomorrow. And we’re still somewhat convinced that there’s more going on.”

  “Somewhat convinced?” I say. “Did you see the way Steve looked at me in the Frog when you were dumb enough to mention the brain patches? He knew about them! It proves something else is going on!”

  “I didn’t mention the brain patches, Jasper,” Lucy huffs. “I just hinted at them. So what’s the plan?”

  “Wait until the admiral comes,” Cole says. “We’ll report to her what we know, and she can decide what to do. We completed our mission.”

  “That’s not enough!” I say. “They’re spying on us, they know about the brain patches, and they kept us in here for a week!” What I don’t say is that I think Mira cried out for help in her sleep, because I only heard it in my mind. I could have been dreaming. Everything that happened in our quarters is kind of foggy.

  “How about this, Ace?” Marco says. “We kick off our own spying mission and get to the bottom of what’s really going on. We can do it while the admiral and the other cadets are here.”

  I think about what Marco is proposing. It may be our only option. I don’t see how we stop what Bad Breath already put in motion with his friend Seelok. “At least that’s something. We can’t just pretend like nothing’s happening.”

  While we talk, the banquet table emerges from the wall, piled high with delicious foods. The smells alone threaten to derail my thoughts. We all drift closer to the table, like we wouldn’t be able to stay away even if we tried.

  “Maybe the Alks are just really big on hospitality,” Lucy says. “That could explain why they kept us comfortable in our quarters for so long, and it definitely explains the food. Speaking of which, I’m starving.”

  “I’m down for a pod investigation,” Marco says, plucking a mozzarella stick off the buffet table and stuffing it in his mouth, “but right now I’m down for a pod eating contest. And let’s just say I’m the top contender.”

  “After dinner we can play a gladiator round in Evolution,” Cole says as he loads his plate with chicken fried rice. “I’m basically a shoo-in for the title, but you can fight for second place.”

  I turn my eyes to Mira. What do you think?

  She takes a plate piled with chips and salsa to the piano bench. I need some time alone.

  No one wants to talk to me except the fresh-from-the-oven pizza that’s beckoning me to the buffet. I guess that settles it. Time to dig in.

  Once I’ve devoured an entire pepperoni pizza and a sleeve of chocolate vanilla-cream cookies, I claim the beanbag next to Cole and power up my avatar. Cole’s playing an aerial combat level. I join in but crash almost immediately. My avatar is incinerated in a giant fireball. I’m just too tired to play.

  “I’m headed to bed,” I tell my pod mates. No one responds. Marco and Lucy look like they’re already asleep.

  I drag myself into my room and stumble for the bed. My eyes are closing as I kick my feet under the covers. I slap the light switch by my pillow, and the room goes black.

  Why am I so exhausted? What is happening? . . .

  Jasper! Jasper!

  The lights are blinding. My eyes are open and I can see, but I can’t move a muscle. Three Alks hover over me.

  Jasper! Jasper!

  Mira?

  One of the Alks checks a monitor next to my bed that’s blinking and buzzing. He clicks and hisses. Another Alk comes to my side with a syringe and injects something into my arm.

  As I fade, I hear Mira calling . . . Jasper! Jasper!

  I jerk up in bed. The fake sunlight streams through the window.

  The memories rush in. The bright room. The Alks. The syringe. Mira calling my name.

  Was that a dream? It felt so real. I run my fingers along my upper arm. The skin is tender. Or am I imagining things?

  There’s pounding at my door. “Wake up!”

  The room spins when I try to stand. I’m so exhausted. I feel like I didn’t sleep at all.

  More pounding. “Jasper, wake up!”

  I stumble to the door. When I open it, Lucy rushes in. “Do you have any idea what time it is? The rest of the cadets will be here soon.”

  The other cadets? I shake my head and press my eyes
closed, trying to focus my brain.

  Oh my God, that’s right! Addy is coming today!

  Lucy is saying something. I know I should pay more attention to whatever it is. And I should probably try to figure out what the deal is with my Alk dream. But all I can focus on is the fact that my sister is coming.

  I shoo Lucy out the door, warning her that I’m seconds away from changing my clothes (which sends her fleeing on her own). Then I grab my dailies and rush to get dressed.

  When I emerge from my room, all my pod mates except Mira are gathered around Cole’s tablet and the SIMPLE we swiped from Bad Breath yesterday. The webs are turned up full volume outside the SIMPLE range, probably so the Alks don’t get suspicious about why they can’t hear us talking.

  “Where’s breakfast?” I ask.

  “Not here yet,” Marco answers. “And breakfast might not be the best name for it.”

  I look at my pod mates. Something isn’t right. “What do you mean? What’s going on?”

  “We’re in your camp now, Jasper,” Lucy says. “There is definitely something strange happening.”

  “We slept in again,” Marco says, “and I mean way in. It’s nearly three o’clock in the afternoon.”

  “I thought someone was going to set an alarm,” I say.

  “I did,” Cole says, hanging his head. “But I slept through it.”

  “We’re lucky the admiral arrives today,” Lucy says. “We need to talk to her.”

  The dream from last night comes rushing back into my mind. The Alks. The syringe. Mira calling my name. “Where’s Mira?”

  “I knocked on her door, but she hasn’t come out yet,” Lucy says. “I tried the handle, but it’s locked.”

  My heart jumps in my chest. I dash for Mira’s room and pound on the door. “Mira! Wake up! Mira!”

  Marco hollers across the room, “Cool it, Ace! I’m sure she’ll be out in a minute.”

  “You don’t understand! The Alks were doing something to us last night! I saw them!” I can almost hear the echoes of Mira’s calls in my mind. She must be in trouble!

  Lucy lifts a finger to her mouth and waves me back to the SIMPLE. “What are you talking about? All of us were here last night. I found you in your bed this morning.”

  “I don’t know how to explain it,” I say once I’m within blocking range. “We were in a really bright room. They had me hooked up to machines. They were running some sort of tests. I could see them, but I couldn’t move. Mira was there. She was screaming for me. Not out loud, because we were paralyzed, but in my brain.”

  “That’s one crazy nightmare,” Marco says.

  “It wasn’t a nightmare! I swear I—”

  The door opens, and Mira peeks her head out. She looks awful. There are dark circles under her eyes, and her blond hair has pulled free of its braid.

  Time?

  “It’s almost three o’clock,” I tell her. “Are you okay? Do you remember anything from last night?”

  My mind swells with a sense of questioning. She doesn’t know what I’m talking about. Last night, I tell her. The Alks had us. You were calling for me.

  A look of confusion passes across her face, and then she lifts a hand to her brain patch. Her eyes shift, like she’s about to access the memory. Just as quickly it passes, and she shakes her head.

  I start to describe what I saw, but when I get to the part about her calling for me, the door flies open, and Steve glides in.

  Cole quickly flips over his tablet, deactivating the SIMPLE.

  “Greetingsss!” Steve says, circling the room on his flying throne. “It’sss time to go. The other cadetsss have crosssed into our atmo-sssphere.”

  My story will have to wait. It’s time to see my sister.

  When we arrive at the siphon port, the passenger craft has just touched down, and the robots wipe off the residue from the pink smoke.

  Apparently, a lot more formality is in store than when we arrived. Seelok and his honor guard are lined up in front of the craft. Most of them are draped in velvet robes and jeweled crowns. Even Steve has a crimson velvet stole around his shoulders.

  Seelok sits atop a double-wide flying throne upholstered in blue velvet with silver thread. He reclines against one side and swishes his tail. The slippery skin around the tip is studded with emerald-green jewels. He wears a crown with matching adornments.

  Behind Seelok and his entourage, fifty Alks on low scooters stand at the ready. They’re like the ones we saw the first day. Instead of cyborg arms, they each have three little lizard limbs on each side of their snaky bodies. Steve waves us in and instructs us to stand to the side.

  “I’m feeling a bit underdressed,” Lucy says. “I should have at least switched up my ribbons for something a bit fancier.”

  “Can you say ‘over the top’?” Marco says.

  Next Bad Breath enters. He’s covered head to toe in flowing gold lamé fabric. Over his shoulders is a purple velvet robe with gold embroidered trim. He wears heavy strands of rubies and sapphires around his neck.

  “Oh my God,” Lucy whispers.

  Marco bursts out laughing. Lucy jabs him with her hip. I cover my mouth with my hands to keep from cracking up. It doesn’t help that Mira is practically radiating with sparkly laughter.

  “What on earth is he wearing?” Cole asks.

  That sets Marco and me off again. Lucy gives Cole the evil eye. Then she glares at the rest of us.

  Bad Breath strides past us without a greeting and marches to Seelok’s side. I can’t hear what they’re saying, but it’s clear that Seelok is humoring Bad Breath—making him feel important, valued, special, regal, basically everything he’s not. It’s easy to see how Seelok manipulated him. I wonder how much Earth Force intelligence Seelok managed to extract from Bad Breath thanks to his fake admiration and flattery.

  The ramp to the passenger craft lowers, and a dozen Earth Force officers descend. I recognize most of them from our prior tours, but none of them are aeronauts. They’re combat soldiers. They don’t look like they’re carrying weapons, but I’m sure they have something concealed. They’re probably ready to spring into action the second there’s a hint of a conflict.

  Next the admiral’s honor guard exits. The last four guards stand at the top of the ramp and descend as a group. Their formation hides a fifth person—the admiral herself. Once they’ve reached the floor of the landing port, their ranks split and the admiral emerges. She walks straight through her ranks of officers to stand alone in front of Seelok.

  “Greetingsss, Admiral Eamesss, Earth Forssse offi-sssersss,” Seelok hisses. “Welcome to the Alkalinian Sss-seat. We are mossst honored by your presss-enssse.”

  The admiral nods. “Thank you for your hospitality and stately welcome, Seelok. We look forward to a productive visit that will solidify the partnership between our races.”

  “Of courssse. But you mussst be weary from your travelsss. We will sss-show you to your quartersss for ressst and nourissshment.”

  “Thank you,” the admiral says. “That is gracious, and I will accept your invitation on behalf of the cadets who have traveled with me. However, I would like to proceed directly to our chamber session. We have much to discuss.”

  Bad Breath steps forward. He glances at Seelok, who nods. “Admiral, if I may suggest that you visit your quarters first—they are most comfortable. The Alkalinians have prepared refreshments for you and your crew.”

  The admiral looks at Bad Breath as if she’s seeing him for the first time. She takes in his ridiculous clothes and gaudy jewels. Her gaze slowly travels from Bad Breath to Seelok and back again. “Thank you, Officer Johnson, but we decline. You, however, are free to return your quarters.”

  “Uh . . . no . . . I mean, I will accompany you to your meeting with Seelok, sir.”

  “That won’t be necessary,” Admiral Eames says to Bad Breath. “Thank you for your service, Officer Johnson, but you are the one who looks weary. I believe rest is in order.”

  She turn
s her back on Bad Breath and nods to her guards. The one closest to the ramp signals the craft, and seconds later a group of aeronauts emerges, including the one and only Maximilian Sheek.

  Sheek is here? When are the cadets going to get off the craft? I can’t wait to see Addy.

  The admiral waves Sheek to her side.

  “Seelok, allow me to introduce Captain Maximilian Sheek. Perhaps you are familiar with him.”

  “Of courssse,” Seelok says, sitting up a bit straighter on his throne. “Everyone in the sss-starsss knowsss the face of Earth Forssse. We are beyond honored to hossst you here at the Alkalinian Sss-seat, Captain Sss-sheek.”

  Sheek tips his head and smiles, his signature pose. “The pleasure is all mine, Regent Seelok.”

  “Sheek will be joining us in chambers,” Admiral Eames says.

  “Admiral,” Bad Breath sputters. “I must object! I should be the one to accompany you. I’ve been at the Alkalinian Seat for more than a week working on relations between our planets. I’ve prepared a detailed briefing.”

  Admiral Eames turns to Bad Breath and eyes him coolly. “Consider yourself on leave, Officer Johnson, effective immediately.”

  Bad Breath opens his mouth, probably to object again, but then closes it. He takes a step away from Seelok and stares at his shoes.

  Marco leans over. “I bet he feels pretty silly in that gold getup now.”

  Lucy shakes her head. “Rubies will never look the same again.”

  “We need to catch the admiral before she heads to chambers,” I say to my pod mates.

  The admiral exchanges quiet words with her guards, and Seelok hisses at his entourage. Seconds later Steve glides to Bad Breath’s side and escorts him from the room. Seelok flies his throne toward the exit, flanked by two of his men. The admiral and Sheek follow close behind.

  The admiral stops when she reaches our pod. She smiles and thanks us for our service.

  “Admiral, could we speak to you in private?” Lucy asks. “It’s important.”

  The admiral pauses, and a flash of concern washes over her face. I cross my fingers it’s enough to make her stop.