“Chuck’s right and I agree with Kitty,” Reader said. “There has to be something we can try, something we haven’t thought of or can cobble together.”
Grentix shook her head. “We need a way to shoot something that will destroy this parasite or superbeing or whatever it is or is becoming without also destroying the star itself. We have nothing like that and, even if we did, no way to get it into the star without it burning up well before it reaches the target.”
“The shooting the ship might be able to do,” Drax said. “We need to figure out the what first, or the how doesn’t matter.”
While the others brainstormed ideas for what to toss at the sun, I tried to come up with some crazy plan. Nada. Knew we were all thinking about this wrong, but couldn’t say why.
My music changed to “Too Fast for a U-Turn” by Lit. Stopped fretting and focused on the song, because it seemed totally out of left field. So, what was Algar trying to tell me or make me think?
Well, if I thought about the song’s title and related it to our trip, we’d been going too fast to stop and help this system earlier. But that had been because Naomi had wanted us on Cradus first.
But why? This situation seemed far more dire.
Got distracted by Christopher suggesting we treat this like we did the other superbeings, Mephistopheles in particular. Heard that get shot down, since we didn’t have any self-contained nukes laced with alcohol on hand. Though I kind of figured I could get one out of my purse if I asked nicely enough.
Was about to chime in and support Christopher’s idea, when a new song came on. “Dear Enemy” by The Exies.
Considered this message from Algar. Had to be about Mephistopheles, and not just because Christopher had just mentioned him. So, thought about Mephs. He’d probably given me a clue somewhere in my dream. Not the obvious clues or answers, but a hidden one.
Got distracted again by Serene saying she felt she could create whatever explosives we might need, and everyone discussing how blowing up the star was just as bad as it turning into a black hole.
While Serene patiently explained that she wanted to create something that would target the parasite, specifically, realized that I desperately needed to talk aloud. And there was no one around who could hear what I needed to say.
Was tempted to grab Algar but, since he was in the mess hall with us, couldn’t come up with a smooth way to get him alone that wouldn’t seem just too odd to everyone and probably identify Algar as the DJ for Siler. But I needed to run my mouth with someone who could answer and also add in.
My music changed again, to Barbra Streisand’s version of “Life On Mars,” and I considered what Algar was suggesting. Well, why not? Per Mephistopheles, he, like me, was on a Fix Everyone Else’s Mess life journey, too.
Got up and went over to Wruck. “John,” I said quietly, “I need the Martian Manhunter. Can I speak with you in private?”
He nodded and got up. Everyone was really into the brainstorming— since Brian was suggesting creating a probe with the remains of the Eknara and A-C hyperspeed—though we got a couple questioning looks. “Want to try something,” I said to those so looking, “and only have John witness it if it’s a stupid idea. Be back shortly.”
We headed out and I headed us for the good ol’ supply closet. Interestingly, my music stopped playing once Babs was done doing a great cover of a Bowie classic. We didn’t speak until we were inside.
“What’s going on?” Wruck asked me.
“I need to talk to someone. Well, really, I need to talk at someone, but have that someone add in. And what I need to talk about can’t be shared with the others. Any of the others.”
He cocked his head. “I’m intrigued. And I promise not to share whatever it is we talk about with anyone else, not even Benjamin and Malcolm.”
“Great! Because I want to talk to you about all the dead people who talk to me.”
CHAPTER 79
WRUCK STARED AT ME for a moment, then sat down on some boxes. “Alright, I’m now officially intrigued.”
“Super. Um, where to start . . . people visit me in my dreams a lot. And not via the DreamScape which I only discovered existed at the beginning of our latest Foray O’ Fun.”
“All dead people?”
“Oh, no, just ones I know. And, in one particular case, killed.”
“Who would that be?”
“Mephistopheles.”
Wruck looked thoughtful. “Interesting. Why him?”
“Because he likes me. Seriously. And, honestly, by now, I kind of like him.” Gave Wruck a brief history of the Heartwarming Me and Mephs Story Coming to a Hallmark Channel Near You. “So, I know there were clues in what he told me, clues specifically for this situation, but I don’t know what they were.”
“Alright. But you said ‘people.’ Is there someone else?”
“Yes, only she’s not dead. Well, not really dead. Dead as far as everyone is concerned but not. Unless that made sense.”
“Somewhat. I know the history. Of the women who’ve died that you were close to, I would have to guess that it would be one of the Gower women.”
“Yes. Naomi. Gladys visits me in my dreams. Occasionally. Mephs is, realistically, my most reliable dream interrupter.”
“Paul and Abigail’s sister is not dead? Does Charles realize his wife is alive?”
“No, thank God, he does not, and this is one of the big ‘tell no one’ things I was referring to. Besides, as I’m about to explain, she’s dead to us for reasons.”
Wruck nodded. “I won’t say anything to anyone. But, explain what you mean.”
Heaved a sigh and described what had happened during Operation Infiltration. “So, she’s a superconsciousness now. And I’m really sure she was at the controls when we were sent from the Eagle Nebula to Cradus.”
“She’s not the only powerful force working with or through you, is she?”
“No. We have ACE. We have Sandy. There are others.” Managed not to say that Wruck was rooming with one of them. “But I’m pretty damned positive that Naomi was at the controls when we went from Nazez to Cradus. And I’m positive she sent us on an erratic path so we’d go past this system, solely so we’d pick up the Eknara’s distress call.”
“Then why did we go to Cradus first?”
“See, now, that’s why I need you. Because, while that is the question of the hour, I don’t know. The situation there was, for the Cradi, dire, but it’s nothing compared to what’s going on here. And yet, Naomi sent us to Cradus first and didn’t give us any help in figuring out how to get back.”
“Which was why we got to know the Cradi so well.”
My brain nudged. It was there, it was right there, but I wasn’t able to grasp it. “Right,” I said slowly. “So, the question is—why was it important for us to go to Cradus first? And stay a lot longer than we’re probably going to in this system?”
“Because of what we learned there?” Wruck suggested.
“Possibly. Probably.” My brain nudged harder. “Maybe because of what we . . . got there?”