Rivers of Orion by Dana Kelly (a court of thorns and roses ebook free .TXT) 📕

Imperium raced through the stars, headed for the Trionides nightmare gate.

◆◆◆

April and Orin walked past the brig’s control room and paused to update the guards. Upon reaching the cells, they found Frostshadow sitting on her bunk, tugging at her collar, staring pointedly as they walked by. Lafuega occupied the next cell over.

“Agent Fiero, can I have a moment of your time?” asked April.

Lafuega sat up and pushed aside her cherry-red bangs. “You ask like I’ve got a choice.”

“You always have a choice,” said April. “However, I didn’t come here to debate philosophy. I came to ask for your help.” She told her about the spheres and their probable destination, as well as BICOM’s decision to utilize Orin’s abilities. “You’re the most accomplished member of your squad, and it is my belief that Orin would benefit greatly from training under you, if you’d be willing to teach him.”

“Earth can burn, for all I care,” said Lafuega.

“Billions will die,” said Orin. “How can you be okay with that?”

Regarding Orin with a look of derision, she stood up and stepped close to the bars. “If you two honestly think training with me for a few weeks is going to give a UBA kinetic the power to shield Earth from a hundred 13-kilometer-wide asteroids, you’re out of your minds. Billions are going to die no matter what we do.”

“I’m not what you think I am,” said Orin. “I’m a multi-discipline binary.”

“Impossible,” said Lafuega. “There’s no such thing.”

“You’re wrong.” He told her every way he had used his powers up to his return from Nathaniel’s exile. “That’s why Schurke couldn’t release the dead-man’s switch. That’s how I kept Watchtower safe.”

“I’m tempted to train you just to see you eat your own words,” said Lafuega, and she smiled furtively. “If I agree to this, you should know I’m not a certified instructor. This is all going to be as best as I can remember, which means you’ll be learning all my bad habits.”

April looked hopeful. “I find your caveats to be wholly acceptable risks.”

“Good, good.” Lafuega tugged at her collar. “So, what’s in it for me?”

“The satisfaction that comes with knowing you staved off the destruction of all life on Earth?” said April.

“Assuming that’s still just as impossible as the first time you said it, I’d like to know what else you have to offer me.”

April stood a bit straighter. “I haven’t been authorized to offer you anything yet. Captain Cartwright wants you to prove yourself before, first. As to your collar, I can’t do anything about it for as long as you have active criminal charges against you.”

“I noticed how you mentioned the word ‘active,’” said Lafuega. “Are you implying your boss has the ability to dismiss my charges if I play nice?”

“She has the power to suspend them indefinitely,” said April. “We can discuss the details later. Right now, I need an answer. Will you help or not?”

Lafuega took a deep breath. “All right, I’m in.” She stepped back and offered her wrists.

“That won’t be necessary,” said April. “I’m a psychic. I’ll sense your intent long before you can act, and Orin will have no trouble shutting you down if you engage in any form of aggression.” She nodded at one of the guards, and Lafuega’s cell door buzzed a moment later. With a polite smile, April pulled it open. “After you.”

They made their way along the passageways to the forward lift and soon arrived at the entrance to the mech hangar. The Seabees greeted their visitors, and April explained what her team planned to do. “I can’t promise your ManiTow won’t get damaged, but I can promise it won’t get destroyed, and any damage will be fully repaired before it’s returned to service.”

“Why’s everyone got it out for Old One-Eye?” chuckled the foreman. “Seems like noble work, heroes. We’d be happy to help in any way we can.” He glanced at his crew.

“Can do!” said a woman in the back, and the rest of the Seabees echoed the sentiment.

They spent some time setting up the arena under Lafuega’s direction. When it was ready, the pilots walked every mech except Old One-Eye back to their bays. April climbed inside and loaded the MABAS skirmish routines into its autopilot.

Bulky in appearance, heavy steel plates enclosed Old One-Eye’s cockpit, and an armored camera turret rested between its shoulders. Painted black and goldenrod, a host of warning labels festooned its various joints and access points. Upon its chest, Old One-Eye wore a faded ManiTow company logo, and right below that, the word “Cyclops” in lightning-bolt script.

“We’re starting simple,” said Lafuega. “The first thing I want you to do is use your powers to pick up the end of that hose without using your focus.”

“My blue fire?” asked Orin.

Lafuega nodded. “Relying on a focus gives your opponent the chance to plan their counterattack. You don’t need it anyway, so get rid of it.”

Orin took a deep breath. “Okay. How?”

“Let’s start by putting your hands behind your back and concentrating on the hose.”

April sat down near the parts cage and watched as they spent hours in training. When they had finished, April and Orin escorted Lafuega back to her cell.

◆◆◆

Two days passed, and Imperium crossed the nightmare gate. Despite the powers available to Orin in his nightmare body, Lafuega stuck to her training regimen. “If you can’t project in primary space, it’s a waste of time to train it.” Her nightmare body bore ebony skin infused with flowing lava.

“All right,” said Orin. “Then what are we doing today?”

“I’m done trying to get you past using your focus. If we had more time, I’d take it, but we don’t,” said Lafuega. “Today, we’re going to spend our time on barriers, both energy and physical.” She glanced up at Old One-Eye and cast a sidelong nod April’s way.

“Execute Boxer-One-Five,” said April, and the mech animated.

It stomped toward Orin with a steel fist raised high. He caught it with a momentum nullification sphere. “Piece of cake,”