Vai

"Well, that happened," Owen said. "Looks like we have an adult on our side and a Jo-Dinun at that."

"I really wish she was on the same ship so she could teach me," Esther said.

"At least there is an adult now with some sense," Warpaint said.

Shel had really told his mother everything. At least she was in agreement to keep it from my father. How long could we keep this from the other parents though? Esther was in Owen's room practically everyday and Minmin's mom was the second officer on the Armstar. Minmin hadn't mentioned either of her parents acting strangely so I assumed her family was still free of the Corruption.

Our okulus's buzzed at the same time. It was the list from El. There were ten people on the list including Captain Axa and the third officer. It was only people currently on the Shadow. Maybe that meant she intended to take care of the ones on the Armstar herself. But she didn't have the light or the Aether Field Prototype so I wasn't sure she could kill the Corruption. In the end, she really hadn't given us much information.

"This one might be good to get next," Esther said as she looked down at her okulus.

"Which one," Owen asked.

"Alessandra Garcia." Esther looked up at me and my heart dropped because I knew Alessandra. I said hello to her every time I went to visit my father. "She's a scientist in your father's labs."

"I guess it's your turn to lure someone out," Owen said. His cheeks went slightly yellow and I thought he might vomit. He turned away from all of us.

"This is a shipwide announcement," a woman's voice came over the ship's speakers. "If you have seen the owner of the Starrise, Adi Pines, or anyone or anything suspicious around the Starrise or Adi Pines, please contact security immediately."

"Sir," Warpaint said when the announcement was through, "Alessandra Garcia is a respected scientist. She works directly with your father. You've held me back before, but I strongly believe I should tell your father all about this and you should stop hanging out with these much younger friends."

"Why does he always emphasize that we are younger?" Esther asked Owen. "You and Vai are the same age and I'm just a year younger."

"I know, it's weird," Owen replied. "I guess Vai's father programmed him that way to be overprotective." He shrugged a shoulder.

"Warpaint," I said, "has my father ever told you not to leave me alone with certain people? With Alessandra Garcia?"

"Yes, sir," Warpaint said.

"He said Alessandra Garcia specifically?"

"Yes, sir."

"Then she has the Corruption inside her and my father knows it," I said.

"We should still confirm it," Owen said, "just in case they are mistaken."

I nodded. "We won't take her unless we see the pink in her eyes."

To Warpaint I said, "Isn't it better to be on the offensive rather than the defensive? Remember Mars and me screaming? I know you don't remember everything because my father commanded you to forget, but the Corruption already attacked me. I'm defending myself."

"Very well, sir."

I went into Owen's bathroom and got his first aid kit. I took out the cream and went to Owen.

"For the bruising on your neck," I said. I put a small amount on my fingers. The green light tingled in my fingers with the sensation of the cream. I wasn't sure why. I hadn't called it out of me. Why couldn't my light work normally like Owen's fire and Esther's wind throwback power. It came when I didn't call it and wouldn't do anything when I did call it. The sensation quickly went away. I spread the cream over the read marks on Owen's neck.

"Thanks," he said. "Esther too. I burned her skin a little when the Corruption tried to get her."

Esther tried to pull her sleeves down over the burn marks right above her wrist, but I could still see the burned skin. "I'm fine," she said.

I put more cream on my fingers and went to her. "There's no harm in getting aid," I said. I took her wrist with one hand and spread the cream over the burns.

"Thank you," she said.

"No problem," I replied. "It looks a little better already." I put back the cream and the first aid kit.

"So," Esther said, "can you go to your father's lab now to see if you can confirm Alessandra has the Corruption?"

I didn't know much about Alessandra, but I had always liked her.

"Then if she does have it, we can come up with a plan for you to lure her out," Owen said. He seemed a little too anxious for me to have a part in this. Maybe he thought it would lessen his own guilt with how he lured out Adi if I did it too.

"I'll go to the labs now," I said. But I stayed in place and sighed out low and long.

Esther placed a warm hand over my wrist. "It's going to be okay," she said. "All of this is necessary for just not our survival, but the entire Gathering's survival."

I nodded. "I'll contact you when I know for sure."

Esther dropped her hand and went to stand next to Owen. Owen waved to me. I waved back and stepped out into the living quarters. The bedroom door slid closed behind Warpaint. We were almost at the main door when it slid open and Owen's dad stepped inside.

He smiled when he saw me. "Hello, Vai. It's good to see you. Are you leaving already? I'm always grateful when you spend time with Owen. He doesn't have many friends. Especially, after his smuggling incident."

"I haven't had very many friends either," I said. I didn't add that I used to, before my father stole almost eight decades of my life. "I like Owen. He's been a good friend for me."

His smile grew wider at that. "You are always welcome. Come over anytime."

"Thank you."

He stepped aside and Warpaint and I walked through the door into the corridor. It didn't take long to reach the labs. I paused at the door wondering what I was going to use as an excuse. I could always pretend I was looking for my father, but what if he was there? Then what would be my excuse? I hoped he was on the bridge and not the labs. I hoped he was anywhere else but here.

The door slid open and I stepped inside. It was still filled with scientists at this time of day. I said hello to all of them and tried to keep my body from bumping into their stations. I noted that Alessandra was there. It would have been nice if her station had been either close to the door or my father's private lab, but she was in the middle of one of the aisles to the left of the entrance. The walls and door of my father's lab were glass so I could see he wasn't inside, but I tried the door anyway. It was locked.

I tried to make it seem like I was looking for my father in the main lab as I made my way to Alessandra's station. I purposely turned my head from side to side. I'd pause occasionally and tiptoe to look over stations even though I was tall enough that wasn't necessary.

Some of the scientists gave me strange looks, but most ignored me as they bent over microscopes or beakers or whatever else they were working on.

Alessandra was working on some type of flora I didn't recognize. It looked like a red leaf the size of my hand, but with tiny barbs all over it. She touched it delicately with her gloved hands. Her long hair was tied back in a ponytail. It cascaded down her back over her lab coat.

I paused behind her and pretended to look over her bent back for my father. She didn't notice. I tiptoed. She still didn't notice. I tried to make noise as I shifted back and forth on my feet, but nothing.

I cleared my throat in a painfully obvious way. She finally stood up straight and turned my way.

"Hello, Vai." She smiled. She held the barbed leaf in one hand and tiny tweezers in the other.

"Hi," I said. "Do you know where my father is? I can't find him."

"Did you try calling him?"

"He didn't answer," I lied.

She turned back to her station. I frowned. I couldn't see her eyes with her back to me.

"He's been on the bridge most of the day," she said. She carefully plucked off a tiny barb with her tweezers and put it in a small dish. "You should be able to find him there."

"Thank you. What are you working on?"

She spun around excitedly with the leaf and tweezers. "Isn't it fascinating? It's a leaf from the spinebush of Mazax VIII. It's been studied before, but not by me. I'm bound to find something new, right?"

I nodded. No sign of pink in her eyes.

"Maybe the K'thaktra used it in the K'thaktra war," I said. I was desperate to get the Corruption inside her (possibly) to reveal themselves. "Maybe that's how the pink smoke was formed. You know, the one that boosted them up into a killing frenzy."

Her face darkened. The pink glint was there for only the briefest of moments.

She forced a smile. "Maybe." She turned back to her station.

"Thanks for your time," I said. "I don't want to disturb my father if he's on the bridge. I'll just speak with him later."

I took two steps away from her and then a sudden thought popped in my head.

"Would you like to go to dinner sometime?" I supposed Owen's example was good for something.

Her smile was back. "I think you're a little young for me," she said.

"Not as a date," I said. "More like a preparation for a date for when I turn 18."

She nodded. "Maybe sometime." She turned to her work. "I've got to get this done today though."

"I'll contact you then," I said. I didn't think she was really interested in a date just as I wasn't. I thought the Corruption had an alternative motive just like I had. I walked out of the lab and typed a message to Esther and Owen. As an afterthought I also added El, Shel and Minmin. They were part of this now too even if they weren't physically on the ship. Was it my father who told El Alessandra Garcia had the Corruption?

«I have confirmed the Corruption in Alessandra. I asked her to dinner sometime. We'll move on her then.

I received a message from Owen right away.

«Right on. Didn't know you had it in you. Although, I guess it's not a real date so I shouldn't be excited. I kind of forgot what comes after, my friend.

Esther's message came in as Warpaint and I got on the elevator to go back to our quarters.

«Just let me know when. I'll be ready to act.

Shel and Minmin didn't respond. I knew they saw the message. Maybe they thought everyone else said everything that needed to be said. Maybe they were too new to this and didn't know how to respond.

Shel's mother responded.

«Good job. I can't be there, but it seems like you three are doing well. Keep me informed and let me know if you need me to supply you with anything.

And that was it. We had the basis for a plan to kill our next person.