Vai

"You broadcasted that?" Captain Axa sat in the captain's chair on the bridge. My dad and I - and Warpaint - stood next to her. El stood nearby, but did not interfere with the conversation. The others were opening the light in the rest of the bridge crew - including the two officers that had stood guard outside before Captain Axa's scream had brought them inside. "I don't think that was wise," she said.

"It might not have been," my dad said, "but the Miasmids are making their move faster than those who know about them can stop them. The people have a right to be warned."

"It might initiate a panic among the people," Captain Axa said. "They might start killing people without the Miasmids because they think they are infected."

"I will do more broadcasts," my dad said, "to explain how to identify them, what they are, about the light, etc."

"The Gathering Council might cut off all communications with the G.E.F.," Captain Axa said.

"I can bypass that," my dad said easily.

"I need to know everything," Captain Axa said, "about the light, how you all came to have it - ." She paused and looked at my dad. "You don't have it. Why don't you have it?"

Other eyes in the room turned to look at us with her words.

"He doesn't need it," I said. I hadn't shared with my friends that my dad didn't want the light and why he didn't want it. It seemed too personal and I wasn't sure the others would understand. "He's been able to protect himself all these years without it."

"But still," Captain Axa said.

"I don't need it," my dad repeated my words. The other eyes turned away from us to go back to releasing the light in the others and explaining to each of them individually about the light.

"So what's the next step?" Captain Axa asked. "I think the G.E.F.'s task just changed from exploration. Are you the only ones in the Gathering with the light? I haven't heard of it before you and your friends started giving them trouble," she said directly to me.

"We are the only ones in the Gathering," I said. "Esther brought it to us after the Corruption killed everyone on the Lion of Judah Research Station. They found an ancient alien who had the light."

"That seems familiar," Captain Axa said, "but I can't quite grasp it. I've been trying to recollect the Miasmids plans, but it's a haze I can't get through."

"There is another Awakened One," I said. "Esther thinks she found his coordinates. He can help us. We will get rid of the Corruption onboard the Gathering Exploration Vessels. We will open the light in everyone on the ships and then find the Awakened One. That's the first step."

The captain nodded. "Right now, you and your friends are the only experts on the light. I know Shel took the test and graduated early. I think you should all take the test and graduate early. I think your time will be better spent as experts in the light and advisors in this fight against the Miasmids."

I looked over at Esther. Owen was next to her. They smiled at each other. The people in front of them experimented with their newly acquired light.

"Esther just started going back to school," I said quietly. "She likes it and still has a year of school to go." I sighed. My dad and the captain waited. "I'll ask the others," I said, "and leave the choice up to them. I'll take the test though to graduate early."

The captain barely smiled and nodded.

"Do you know where those with the Corruption might be hiding out now?" I asked. "I doubt after the broadcast they will wait quietly in their quarters for us to come."

The captain thought about it. "There was somewhere we were supposed to meet - I can't remember."

"She might not have the Miasmids inside her anymore," El said and finally stepped closer to us, "but that doesn't mean she won't be their spy."

"I severed their connection," I said.

"I know," El said. "I know her need for them is gone, but that doesn't mean she is trustworthy. She's worked for them for too long."

"She's not - ," I started to say, but Captain Axa stood up. She changed from the calm she just was to the intimidating commander that made people scurry to do her commands - very much like my dad. My voice caught in the back of my throat and died away.

"I would never choose a race that invade the thoughts - that give pain until they are obeyed - that take your free will so completely," her voice was quiet, but terrifying with how much venom it held as she faced El.

"Well received, sister," El said in Bundu-Jo.

Every Gathering alien language was taught in school so I understood. El didn't speak her native language to keep the rest of us in the dark, but to let the captain know she understood on a deeper level.

"We will go find those with the Corruption," El said. "We'll deal with them." She looked at me with her last statement. "You can heal them if we get the chance, but it might not be possible. They will fight to not let that happen. We may have to kill them."

I nodded to let her know I understood, but really I would do anything to heal them first. I didn't think killing was an option now.

"Can you use your light to find them?" Shel asked me. I hadn't realized he and Minmin had come back to stand by my side. When Owen saw them, he brought Esther back. Everyone on the bridge now had their light opened. They went back to their stations. The ship still had to be run after all.

"Maybe," I said. "If they were right in front of me I would be able to see the Corruption inside them, but I don't know if I can find them through multiple decks of people."

"You've already done a lot today," Owen said. "A miracle really." He looked at the captain. "Don't push yourself too hard," he said to me. "We'll find them."

"If I can find them faster, I should try," I said.

"You'd better sit down then," Owen said.

"Sit in my chair," the captain said.

I was sure I heard wrong. She grabbed my arm and guided me to the captain's chair.

"Sit," she said.

It seemed wrong to sit in the captain's chair. I would rather have used a crew member's chair. My dad waved a hand towards the captain's chair. He was probably imagining me as a captain from the little smile at the corner of his lips. I sat.

The bridge and it's crew stretched out in front of me so I had the perfect view of what was happening. I closed my eyes. I used my green light to lift out of myself. A wave of panic washed over me. This was the first time I had done this since before I had died. I had been without a body for so long. My heart calmed when I saw I was safely tethered to my new body.

I left the bridge and stretched my green light out to touch those on deck 1. There weren't too many people on this deck. I moved on to deck 2. There were a lot of people on this deck. I stretched my light out to touch the people - to find any signs of the Corruption. There was a child who had fallen and bruised their knees. Someone else who had diabetes. There was a heart murmur. Asthma. More bruises. Small burns. Scrapes. Arthritis.

I couldn't differentiate people or ailments. They seeped into me wanting to be healed. For a brief moment, I got lost in the need to heal. I forgot who I was. It was too much. Too many people. Too many ailments to heal from small bruises to blood clots. My light stretched out in all directions until I was too thin. My tether to my body told me my body had fallen out of the captain's chair in convulsions. It wasn't a conscious decision when I snapped back into my body. My heart calmed. My shaking stopped. My rapid breath stilled to a steady one. I opened my eyes.

"Are you all right?" Owen asked me.

They all bent over me, but closest was my dad who had a large hand on my chest.

I sat up. "It is too much," I said. "I want to heal everyone and I got lost in the need. I couldn't get passed deck 2."

"Don't push yourself," Shel said. "We'll find them the old fashion way."

A couple of them helped me up, I wasn't sure which ones. I was disappointed that I wasn't able to help. It was probably because I was a clone. I was lacking. Original Vai would have been able to do it.

"Do you need to rest?" Esther asked me.

"No." I stood up to my full height. "I'll go with you to help you find them."

"I'll keep you updated if we learn their location from here," the captain said.

We left the bridge and got into the elevator.

"Should we split up?" Shel asked.

"Let's go in two groups," El said. "I'll take Shel, Minmin and Lieutenant Tanpo and we'll start at the bottom. Lieutenant Commander Ma'amaloa can take Vai, Owen and Esther and start on deck 3. If you hear anything let the other group know."

The elevator stopped at deck 3 and my group stepped off. I was tempted to stretch out with my light again, but my dad must have sensed it because he shook his head at me.

"Let's go," he said.