Chapter 28: The Lover's Warning

After catching up with Granny Justinia, I'd left the briefing room to allow Edwin and the others to talk. I told them it was to check on the bridge but I headed for the Commander's quarters first. I needed a shower before going to see any of the others. When I got there I locked the door and started slipping out of my clothes. Getting shot a few times with paintballs ruined my t-shirt so I just threw it in the wash. I'd spent last month getting all of my things transferred from my old dorm. I was missing my posters and old clothes. As much as I liked my new uniform I still had to wear something comfortable at night.

After a ten-minute shower, I put on some pants and dug into my fridge for something to drink. Today's beverage was a sports drink. They oddly enough helped the most after getting my ass handed to me by Seraph. Though that wasn't the most pressing issue at the forefront of my mind. Plopping right down on my brain I tried to sort my thoughts as best as I could.

Granny Justinia calling us for business wasn't a good sign at all. In the months we haven't seen the Arcana Order, everyone on the council was getting worried. Even though it was fifty years ago, the Prime System could be invaded again. Those five could've been anywhere watching our every move and waiting for a chance to strike. Then there was the off chance the Order was searching for something else in the Prime System right up under our nose.

Then there were the very members themselves. Lucian and Karn were obvious threats, the former was deadset on fulfilling his ambition while the latter seemed extremely loyal. Then there was Arjun, the bastard that killed Clarke. I didn't even want to think of Laufey considering when Edwin described her it made even Andrew shiver.

Then there was Haumea, who seemed the most out of place among the bunch. It'd been weird that I couldn't get her out of my head since we met. I mean, yeah she was cute but she was still an enemy. However, it didn't seem like she wanted to be there.

My thoughts would be interrupted by the sudden flickering of the lights. It wasn't possible to have small electrical problems on the Asterism. As I sat up I began to get this strange feeling as if I wasn't alone anymore. I checked outside first making sure no one was there, something I'd be right about. But just when I had to think it was a part of my imagination I had to turn around.

What I'd find... Or rather, who I'd find, was Haumea herself. She'd been seated on my bed as if she'd been there for a long time. What made it worse was that she was barely wearing anything other than a jacket, shorts, and a tank top. If she wasn't one of my enemies who tried to kill me before this wouldn't be so bad. My gut was screaming to draw my piece but I had to ignore it for now.

"It'd be bad if you listened to your gut," said Haumea. "I promise it's not going to be of use."

Another thing to worry about, like Satomi she had the power to read my thoughts. Though I thought that no two powers were too similar. So I decided it would probably be better to align my thoughts with what I was saying.

"How'd you get on the ship?" I asked, "There's no way you could've just bypassed every soldier on board. Then there's Edwin, Claire, and I. We wouldn't have missed you boarding the ship."

Haumea tapped her finger against her temple, smiling as she did. "You're absolutely right Soran. There's no way I could've gotten on the ship without anyone knowing. Your security is pretty decent even by an Arcadian's standards."

So that only meant one of two things, both seemingly impossible. Either she managed to sneak aboard the ship and hid for the past few months or she's just not here at all.

"It's that second one," she said. Standing to her feet, she brazenly approached me and raised her hand to my chest. I could feel her cold fingers gliding along my skin, which didn't make her not being here make any sense. Then she tried grabbing the towel that hung over my neck but her hand phased right through.

"How are you doing that?" I asked, a bit dumbfounded by this sudden hiccup of reality.

"The day that we met we made eye contact," Haumea explained. "Once we did, my power activated. As the holder of the Lovers, I can manipulate the subconscious mind. Since you were thinking of me, I could appear to you this way."

She brushed her hand against my chest and it continued to phase through the towel. "I seemed to have made a deep impression on you... Normally I couldn't touch the people I can communicate with."

I stepped back keeping her from touching me any more than she did. "The hell do you want anyway? Giving our position away to Lucian?"

As she registered my question, it made her giggle a bit. "Don't you think you and your friends would've already been attacked if I wanted that to happen?"

She had a point. The moment she revealed herself she gave away her element of surprise. That didn't mean that she wasn't going to give us away either. So I kept my guard up.

"I understand why you are wary of me," said Haumea. "Especially since that moron went and killed your friend."

She just had to bring that up now? Whatever form of mental attack this was I was getting sick of it. But judging by the way her playful expression morphed into a look of absolute seriousness, it seemed she had more in mind than that.

"Listen... There's nothing I can say to undo the damage Lucian has done," she spoke. "For the longest time, I've wondered if it was even right to continue serving him. That night made my decision, which is why I want to ask you a favor."

This wasn't how I thought this conversation was going to go. Yet I had this strange feeling that I couldn't doubt her. So a test was in order.

"You just told me you could manipulate the subconscious mind. What if you're trying to control me to get me and my friends to fall into a trap."

"A fair question," Haumea admitted. "If I were doing such a thing, I would've done something way sooner than now."

On that part she was right. We'd made eye contact back at Necron Arcadia. If there was ever a moment to seize control of me she could've done it then. "Alright fine... What do you want?"

"I want to defect to your side," she stated. "I want it on your authority that I'm allowed to join your crew."

That was a tall order. Not only was she a part of the assault on Albion but she also led an attack on Necron Arcadia. The Prime Council considered her a wanted criminal to be brought to justice. I still had little reason to trust anything she said, yet in the face of her exposing her ability to me, I had to at least think about it.

"Even what you're saying is true. What could you offer Nova Astra if you joined? I'd have to give the council something to convince them."

This seemed to be the question Haumea was waiting for. Holding out her hand she projected the image of a star map. This map depicted the Prime Galaxy's entirety and five other specific points including the Prime System. "You are the fifth point," she stated as she pointed to the Prime System's blip. "These other four are Arcadians that I'm aware of."

"Wait, when you say other Arcadians, you mean other than us?"

Haumea nodded, then put away the star map. "I've been secretly tracking their movements for some time now. When you awakened you took Lucian's attention off of them. With the location of those four that be enough to at least guarantee a spot right?"

It was valuable information. Though I didn't know why we needed it, it seemed important enough for Haumea to bargain for her place among those in Nova Astra. The problem was how the others were going to feel about it.

"Look... I'm grateful you wanna help. But it's not just me and the Council you'll have to impress. Your guy took away someone pretty important to us and that's never going to heal easily."

Her gaze faltered seeming to understand what I was saying. Yet in the next instant, something else popped into her head which turned her expression around. "I've got something else... I can help you in your revenge."

"Go on," I said.

Haumea didn't answer at first, She'd checked both the left and right sides as if she'd been on the lookout for something, or someone. She motioned for me to come a little closer. As I leaned in she held her hand up to whisper in my ear.

"I'm aboard a vessel right now headed for the Prime System. Arjun and Laufey have stolen a small fleet and are going to lay siege to Neo Arcadia."

I must've been knocked in the head a little too hard earlier. I'm sure I just didn't hear her say what I thought she said. I started to chuckle until I noticed she wasn't smiling.

"The hell? Why now!?"

"They want some glory and to wipe out the competition," she explained. It's mainly to capture you all amid battle while also wiping Neo Arcadia off of the planet."

So not only was Arjun coming to harm more of my friends but he was even threatening innocent people. Big mistake, one I hoped he got to pay for with his life. As I turned to face the door I felt Haumea tug my arm.

"What is it now? I gotta warn the Council."

She shook her head seeming a bit frantic. "You have to let Arjun think he's catching you by surprise. He may be a colossal fool but even fools can tell when they're getting played."

Meaning her cover will get blown immediately destroying any chance we may have to gain an advantage. Lives were more important but it wouldn't matter if Lucian got what he wanted. There had to be a way to be prepared for Arjun's assault while not blowing Haumea's cover. Something so out of the box that even Lucian wouldn't think of it.

Wait a minute... Out of the box...

"Haumea... I'm gonna ask you to do something stupid. It has a lot hinging on the fact that I can convince everyone else to follow through with the plan."

The mix of confusion and annoyance in her eyes was enough of an answer. But she shrugged and waited for whatever I was going to say.

"Great... Then you'll have to do everything I tell you to do.