Nightfire Warriors - A Space Opera

55. Revenge

JT can't believe the amount of luck I have. It's almost killing him inside. I can tell, all the jealousy he thinks he's so clever at hiding. No doubt he's going to have a very lengthy argument with Ryan about this later. I'm not sure if he thinks I'm about to replace him on the team, or if he thinks I'm stealing his crush, or perhaps he just thinks I'm coming in and taking the spotlight. But whatever it is, it's definitely jealousy. Pretty soon, however, he's going to savor my downfall because my luck is eventually going to run out.

Not that Jace doesn't want to go with me through the warp gate, but it's because he can't. His General badge can only take him so far. "Lily invited me to the Christmas party," I mention to him. "Now I'm upset if I'm not going to make it."
"I hope you do," Jace says. "Who knows? Maybe you'll only be on Earth for a week."

I shrug. "Maybe..."

When I'm about to step inside, Jace calls out for me.

"Sag..." he says, his dark brown eyes full of concern. "Try to have fun while you're there. You're going back to your home planet, you know? A lot of us don't have that opportunity. I hope you have a good time."

"Thanks."

There is undeniable evidence it's going to rain soon in this chilly, winter air. As Ryan and I hastily jog through the wet savannah, towards the warp gates, water fills the bottom of my combat boots. The travel there isn't very talkative. I make a comment about the weather, and he replies with a sluggish, "yeah."

We finally make it to the warp gate, and there's a long line waiting to use it.

"Getting to Earth has a lot of security," Ryan explains. "You'll need my fingerprint, too."

The line is moving pretty fast. I'm already ten people behind the front. "This is far as you're going to take me?" I asked, a little nervously, and he nods. "W-where's the warp gate going to take me?"

"The hangars," he replies. "You're not going to see any Seekers because they're not even allowed in that area. But A'Dimsyte, maybe Abigail, will be waiting and also your brilliant competitors." He's sarcastic on the word.

Once I'm at the front of the line, Ryan uses his Brigadier badge at the computer, uses his fingerprint for a DNA matching, and the warp gate turns on. The ring fills with a clear, spiraling wormhole. Beyond lies victory where I will be safe for at least one more week. Not sure what Earth is going to be like after all these months, but hopefully, I will feel closer to home. Something I haven't felt in a long time.

"Get going," Ryan says.

The warp gate takes me to Seeker Headquarters, but to a completely different section where not even Seekers are allowed, except of course, A'Dimsyte. Technically, I'm not supposed to be here right now. If I do run into anyone here, they'll either be a competitor or someone from Nightfire with a Brigadier and higher ranking. Everybody else is trespassing.

This room looks darker compared to the others, at least since the last time I was here. Almost spooky. Wherever I am at Seeker Headquarters is isolated from the main station. I can see it out the window. Outer space is an inch away from me! I can see the planets orbiting at their winter coordinates around the sun. And out the window, just below me, I see the space docks. There is only one spacecraft unloaded and ready for takeoff. That must be Athena!

I don't see anyone else around, but I assume that's where I have to go. Maybe I'm the first one here. Then again, competitors might already be inside. According to Danny, the race doesn't officially end until I'm inside the Athena.