Echo Book 2

9. Shield

We land the shuttle at the space pad and go up to Malax's office. Home seems normal. I see helicopters and planes flying around. People are driving. The transportation is working again. I love it like this.

"Kai, can you get me Photus, Aacline, and Nuduze in here? I need a meeting with them."

"Of course."

I sit at the conference table with Rye and Malax. "You're about to have a lot of meetings about that shield, aren't you?"

"Yea, it's fixed, but we need to implement it."

Kai sits down a stack of papers about 4 inches thick. "Your messages, sir. Also, the planet is ready to submit and has the planet's leaders chosen."

"Wow, they did not f**k around."

"No. They didn't. They held an emergency election right after you left. But it makes sense, the city leader and vice city leader are taking on the roles."

"That does make sense. It is pretty much their job anyway."

Rye nods. "That would only be a problem for planets who have a lot of areas with different leaders. We have 1."

I stretch. "Since they're the planet's leaders, you might want to fill them in on the changes you're making to the shields and guns and things."

"True. Can you try to get them in here too?"

"Of course."

I move to his lap and snuggle him.

"Does someone need a nap?"

"No. I need snuggles."

"I'll have to give you snuggles after the meeting, baby."

"Can I take some brains over to Cru N? I want them to learn about the ocean."

"Yea, that's fine. Use a suppra."

I kiss his cheek. "I love you."

"I love you too."

I go back up to the ship and take it to Cru N. Then I send 10,000 brains down. I get to the suppra lab and my heart about falls out. Tim's suppra is here. The 5 of us have 1 here. I forgot about these. They're lifeless dolls in boxes with their eyes shut.

But it still looks like him. His hair, skin, and face. It's almost like he's really standing there. I wish things were different. What am I thinking? I didn't even know the man. I'm marrying Malax and we're happy. He doesn't want my sister. He wants me. I can't be happier.

The brains hook me up, and I connect to the suppra on the ground.

So much more stuff is built now. There are so many houses and cabins for the teams. Offices have sprung up everywhere. The place is coming alive. The brains are huddled by the stage in the center of town.

"Learn everything you can about this planet. I also want to know if we can make aquariums on other worlds out of the oceans here? Can the fish be transferred? Can the water be transferred or is it the same salt water? Study the dinosaurs. Search for new medicine."

"Yes, ma'am." They are gone from the camp that fast. They go in every direction.

"Woman, what are you thinking?" Malax grabs my arm.

"Brought the brains to Cru N. I asked you if I could."

"I said to take the suppra."

"I am a suppra."

"I thought you brought the ship over, baby."

"I did." He stares at me. He is so confused. "There's a suppra lab on the ship, love. I brought the ship over here and sent them down. Then I connected to my suppra from the lab."

"I forgot that was there. Baby, I don't want you taking the ship anywhere alone. It's too new and scares me."

"I asked first."

"I know. I meant you could connect to your suppra in my lab and send the brains over. I didn't realize this is what you meant. There's too much that could happen on your ship. We don't know enough about it yet. Will you please wait to take it anywhere else alone? I can't even imagine you traveling through space by yourself."

I give him a hug. "Of course. I didn't mean to make you worry. I thought you knew what I meant."

"It's my fault. And you did use the suppra like I asked. Thank you for that."

"We're still in a meeting, Ax." Rye crosses his arms.

"I'll take the ship back home and connect the suppra from there. You go finish your meetings."

"Thank you, baby. I love you." I get a head kiss before they run off.

I do what he wants, then I spend a couple of hours touring Cru N. When I finally make my way back to the command area, I am staring at a shield around the planet.

"Can you connect to the planet?"

"Attempting."

I plop in the captains seat.

"Incoming connection."

"Connect it."

I'm staring at Dipak, Tre, and Tye. "How are you boys?"

"Good. Figured we would see if you were on the ship."

"I am. Nobody else is."

"Did you run?"

"No. The dumbasses put the shield around the planet and I don't know how to lower it, so I can enter. I'm currently locked out."

Tye cracks up laughing and walks away.

I nod.

"Can you connect to them?"

"Nope."

Then Tre and Dipak laugh. "It's like being locked out of the house as a kid."

"Incoming connection."

"Go ahead."

Tim looks like hell. He's with someone. I don't know who it is. It's a man. "What are you doing?"

"Trying to figure out how to knock on the door. Dipak and Tre are here too."

Tre bursts out laughing. "They put the shield up, and she's stuck outside the planet."

Dipak rubs his face. "Do you have your phone?"

"No. It's at Phade. I didn't figure I would need it to run to Cru N."

Tim nods. "I'll call him."

Dipak shakes his head. "I tried. I can't get him. Try Rye."

Tim sits there on his phone. Then he shakes his head and tries again. "Eriska, go tell the dumbasses they locked Echo off the planet."

3 minutes later, "Incoming connection."

"Go ahead."

"I'm sorry, baby. We didn't realize you couldn't connect to us. We're fixing it."

"How the hell do I get in, Malax?"

"We're working on it."

I roll my eyes so hard and the boys laugh.

Tye finally comes back. He blurts out, "At least you're not getting shot at." And leaves laughing again.

I laugh. "He does make a good point. Thanks for not shooting at me, love."

"Yea, if we start shooting at you, go back to Cru N."

Tim jumps up. "YOU f*****g i***t. I'M ON MY WAY." He disconnects from my screen.

Tre nods. "I'm sure he'll help in 14 hours."

Malax rolls his eyes. "It's taking a minute. They made the code way harder than they had to. We're having to rewrite part of it. Rye is working on the automated message with Photus. This might work. What do you see?"

"It's still there, love." A damn alarm sounds and I fall off the seat. "WHAT THE HELL IS THAT?"

"Another ship is approaching. Incoming transmission."

"Go ahead."

Tim shows back up. "NOW WHAT THE f**k ARE YOU DOING DOWN THERE?"

The man beside him nods. "We just happened to be in the neighborhood."

Dipak and Tre lose it. I hear Tye but I can't see him.

"She should be able to get through it now."

"SHOULD BE?"

"Baby, bring a shuttle down. You should go right through it."

"Ok."

"NO. I'll take it so you don't get crushed in the damn shield."

"Attention: You have entered restricted airspace. Everything you are doing is being monitored."

Tim crosses his arms. "Gonna monitor me coming down there to kick your ass."

"Incoming transmission."

"Go ahead."

A lady shows up on the screen. "Welcome to Crucorix. How may I assist you today?"

"At this point, I'm just going to sleep here."

Tim shakes his head. "I'm taking a shuttle down, Ax. Don't blow me up."

"No promises."

"I appoligize ma'am. Our communication system is having some issues today. Are you here to visit or trade?"

"I'm here because I live here."

All the boys still on the screens lose it.

Rye shows up behind her. "Echo, hold tight. We're getting communications running. Did you get the alert?"

Dipak nods. "She did."

"Good. And we got in with dispatch. Communications have connected, Ax."

A voice by Malax says, "Unauthorized entry. Approval required."

"Escort him to Phade."

Rye rolls his eyes. "He's going to have a damn fit."

The lady smiles. "Ma'am, you have been approved for entry at a heading of 13137."

"What does that mean?"

Rye rubs his face. "It's the trajectory."

"You want me to alter the trajectory in a shuttle?"

Tim walks up to Malax and punches him in the face. "She is in space alone. You idiot."

"I'm working on it."

I look at the boys' screen and Tye is sitting there with popcorn. He smiles. "That was a good hit."

"Ma'am, you have been approved for entry."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes."

I smile at the boys. "Shields are still having some issues. I don't suggest visiting when we work on the guns."

Dipak laughs. "Alright, good luck. We just wanted to make sure you got home safely. See you in a few days."

"See you soon."

I run down to the shuttle bay and jump in. I watch the shield get closer and closer, then I go through it.