An Unlikely Friend. part 1

Chapter 29: Now to Execute

Iona

“This afternoon, Natina will throw a fuss over her ceremony arrangements,” Grebson says to Sosimo and the children who are seated around a kitchen table in the loft above Sosimo’s Sunta candy store. “She should get authorization tomorrow morning to send out a Borukin servant to pick up more help. She’ll also have him pick up one of the Erohsian solar system projections everyone is crazy about these days.” Grebson turns to Sosimo. “I’m assuming you’ve made the modifications and sold it to the shop we discussed.”

“I have,” Sosimo says. “It’ll drain the children’s Aether and project different biometric signs for the Erohsian sensors so they’ll register as four random children. Have Natina ask for a pink sun, it’s the only one in the shop of that color.”

“Good and I sneaked in the rest of the equipment, including the new Erohsian Moltrik ID talismans. Are you going to tell me what special favor you promised your friends in order to get those talismans along with their assistance?”

“Nothing at all,” Sosimo says. “They were surprisingly willing to help. Perhaps they saw this as a good time to field test the talismans but they could have any number of their own motivations.”

“Who are your friends again?” Iona asks.

“Just friends,” Sosimo says. “You’ll meet them after the mission.”

I wish he’d just tell us.

Grebson stands up. “I’ll see you children tomorrow. May Stone’s courage flow through you, Marks’s blade guide you, and the Lost blood nourish you.” Grebson turns form the table and leaves.

Sosimo sits back down and sighs. “This should be an interesting rescue mission but I think we can pull it off.”

“What did Grebson mean by all that?” Ryder asks.

“It’s an old saying we still use. It means: may you have the courage, the skill, and the strength to finish the task ahead. It dates back to the Age of Creation when King Stone and the human leader Jezebel Marks fought to free us from the Creators.”

“What about the Lost Race?” Iona asks.

“The Lost Race was the first to rebel against the Creators, it was also said they were the closest race to the Creators image, a perfect race. There was a great bond between the humans, Borukins, and this race; nothing was impossible when they were together. However, they were responsible for the near destruction of the world at the end of the second age and so, they were some how removed from the world and the history books in what was called the Great Purge.”

“How is that possible?” Iona asks. “Did they kill them?”

Sosimo shakes his head. “It’s a fuzzy time so no one is entirely sure what happened. They simply ceased to exist.” Sosimo stands up. “I’ll make us some lunch and then we can go over the plan one more time.

Thea clutches at her chest once Sosimo leaves. “I’m so nervous.”

Iona nods and drums her fingers on her thigh.

“Yeah, so am I,” Ryder says.

“Me too,” Korbin says.

All the children look at him in surprise.

“What?” Korbin asks.

“You never admit to being nervous,” Iona says.

Thea jumps up. “Yeah. Like never never.”

“This is serious now… It’s the real thing.” Korbin looks around. “We could get in real trouble…”

Ryder pats Korbin on the back. “We’ll be alright Korb. We’ve never practiced so hard in our lives.”