Shadows of Mars (Broken Stars Book 1) by I.O. Adler (best inspirational books .TXT) 📕

but was unable to stretch out the fingers. The hand was red and beginning to swell. Carmen had the wrappings but didn’t know where to begin. He winced even before she touched him.

“I don’t know exactly what to do here.”

He spoke through gritted teeth. “Wrap it around the hand. Tight but not too tight.”

She nodded and went to work. But as she bound the hand he cried out. She flinched, brushing his thumb, which resulted in another yelp.

Even as she worked up the courage to try again, She Who Waits’ surface pulsed and rippled. Two thin tentacles pushed through the sandy murk and translucent shell.

“Get…get away from me!” Agent Barrett screamed.

The tentacles withdrew but wriggled before them. The swirling mass beneath the alien’s shell appeared to hold more moving shapes. Carmen wondered how many more tentacles lurked inside.

“I am trying to assist,” She Who Waits said.

Carmen reached over and touched one of the tentacles. She felt a slight tingle and the hairs on her arms rose. A tentacle quivered and tapped her finger.

“It would be best if I did this alone,” Carmen said.

She Who Waits retracted her limb. The glassy sheen of her suit calmed and the sandy swirls resumed their churn. She backed off.

When Carmen tried again with Barrett’s hand, he sneered. “How about you wash up.”

“If She Who Waits meant to hurt us, she’d have done it earlier.”

“We have your kind in our agency, you know. People who actually think the Big Wipe was some horrible mistake. Just remember that if they knew there was the possibility that this could have happened, these refugees could have warned us. Or they could have held their meeting in another solar system instead of dragging their trouble into ours.”

“I’m sure it was a mistake. We make them all the time, don’t we?”

“A mistake. Right. Well, this was it. This was our chance for our world. You’ve blown it. We don’t know these aliens. You can’t assume they think like we do. She Who Waits wouldn’t take this ship back from us, but that doesn’t mean the others you’re in a hurry to go meet won’t grab it and kill us just because they can.”

He winced as she cinched the dressing around the hand. She had no idea if it would help, and worried as the entire hand was growing dark.

“I’ll check it later,” Carmen said curtly.

He cradled the hand and reclined onto his couch. Jenna closed the wall as they departed.

She Who Waits lingered near the doorway to the corridor. Had Agent Barrett’s reaction surprised her? Or offended her?

Carmen set the remaining bandages back in the box. “You say you’ve been watching us. Any surprises for you now that you’ve met us face-to-face?”

“All my interactions have been informative.”

She laughed. “That’s very…diplomatic. Is there anything else you can tell me before we meet with the Cordice caretaker? I realize we haven’t put our best foot forward. We’ve stolen their property, we’ve shown you we can be violent, but can you help us tell them that we come in peace?”

“I will assist in communicating your thoughts to them.”

Jenna’s voice broadcast loud from the bot. “Hey, Car? The ship is recommending we start our deceleration if we wish it to cause the least amount of discomfort. It says we need to get on our couches now. We shouldn’t wait any longer.”

Carmen had a hundred questions for She Who Waits and a hundred more after that. How had they been watching Earth? Why hadn’t they made contact? And even more to the point, had the translator spoken with her mother? But the questions would have to wait.

She needed to rest and collect her own thoughts. Because whoever these Cordice were, she couldn’t assume they’d be anywhere near as polite or accommodating as She Who Waits.

Chapter Twenty

The ship’s turn and deceleration made Carmen’s stomach churn as she was once again pressed into her couch. Her bones ached. She fought the urge to pass out. Wanted to keep an eye on Jenna even as her sister’s body lay still and silent. She was still plugged into the ship and no doubt busy.

As the pressure continued to build she clutched the couch and knew how much worse it would be if she didn’t have it to cushion her body against the forces at work. It went on and on. Was this normal? Was Jenna doing it right? She couldn’t breathe enough to ask.

Sometime during the maneuver She Who Waits had departed and the door to the corridor had closed. The bot that Barrett had hit with the bullet continued to stand nearby, its lights out, its shattered face looking like a broken window.

What if Agent Barrett had used his weapon on one of them? What if his bullet had put a hole in the ship? Even more disquieting for its implications, what if he had killed She Who Waits? Whatever enemy was out there would have company, as Earth would have declared war with a single pull of the trigger.

Time for anger later.

If she survived her sister’s attempt at turning her into jelly during deceleration, Carmen still had to think of what to say to the Cordice. Again, she was overthinking it. But she wasn’t sure “play it cool” would suffice. And her mom’s path of excelling at all costs had contributed to Carmen’s current dilemma.

She dozed. When she woke up the sensation of pressure had vanished.

“Jen, are we done?”

Her sister moaned from the couch next to hers.

Carmen rose and went to her sister’s side. “Are you okay?”

Jenna’s eyes fluttered. “It’s so much…overwhelming. I just…”

“Take a breather. Relax. Do you need anything?”

“Sleep. I have to sleep.”

Jenna was out. Carmen sat with her for a moment. Could only imagine being plugged into the ship for so long. Had