Valhai (The Ammonite Galaxy Series, Book 1)

Chapter Twenty-five

Chapter 25

EIGHT HOURS LATER nobody was laughing. The mask packs were running out and Diva privately thought that they would be in danger of asphyxiating within two further hours. It was evident that Mandalon hadn’t taken their threats seriously.

The new apprentices they had saved were huddled together in a corner; they had not asked to be rescued in the first place, didn’t believe that the Sellites had been going to kill them in the second place, and thought that Arcan was some sort of physics experiment that had gone wrong in the third place. They were not happy, and didn’t care who knew it. If there had been anywhere for them to go then they would have gone.

Six and Diva were keeping themselves busy, each privately determined to carry on as if nothing was happening. Diva had badgered Grace into helping, to stop her mind from dwelling on her mother’s operation. The three of them were busy tying the medicines Vion had brought they into handy packages, just in case they needed to be transferred to a safe place by Arcan.

So when an orthobubble appeared again the only people who saw it were the three of them.

“Arcan!” Diva jumped up to sign on the outer skin of the bubble. “Have they agreed?”

“Arcan!” Grace ran over, signing furiously. “And my mother?”

“Your mother is still alive, but I know no more, Grace,” Arcan signed back. “And I am afraid not, Diva. But I have had a thought. Maybe we should give them a taste of their own medicine?”

“How?”

“I thought I could transport a few of them into the lake, with just the air they have around them for company.”

“Great!”

“Grace, would you like to come along to translate?”

“Yes please.” They waited as the bubble swirled around her. Then, without feeling any movement, she found herself back in the Valhai Voting Dome.

There were some twenty of the most important Sellites there. Mandalon was in the centre of what appeared to be a heated debate. As the bubble appeared they all looked up.

On this occasion, however, Arcan did not give them time to make their comments. The bubble simply absorbed all twenty of the Sellites, and transported them to the lake, where they abruptly found themselves.

Mandalon swiveled to confront the teenager, and took a step towards Grace. Instantly another bubble formed, separating her from the rest, protecting her. It was just thin enough for them all to hear each other.

“You are a traitor to Sell!” screamed Mandalon. “You will be executed for your part in this!”

Grace was shaking, but she hoped it didn’t show. “You will run out of air very quickly in this bubble,” she said. “And Arcan can transport the whole population of Sell here in a flash. You decide. Give the walls a tap when you are ready to come to an agreement.”

“Your whole family will be excommunicated!”

Grace stared at the man. “I have done nothing wrong,” she said with dignity. “It is you who were killing innocent Sacrans. Neither Arcan nor I have perpetrated any violence on anybody. If that is wrong, then I don’t want to be part of your culture.”

“You have brought us here. What is that if not violence?” The man was furious, spittle forming at the sides of his mouth as he spoke.

“We have hurt nobody … yet,” said Grace. “If you do not re­connect the oxygen to the 256th skyrise, well …” she let her gaze fall away for a moment, and then moved it back to the leader of Sell, “… I am afraid that we will have been responsible for your deaths. I can live with it.” She hoped she sounded fierce enough for them to believe her.