Rediscovering Home

What Else is New?

3rd Person POV

"Astra!" Zaiavira exclaimed in relief and the liquids that were suspended in midair came splashing down to the ground before she rushed over and caught JJ in a tight hug leaving everyone confused, evidenced by Dylan's questioning in an unsure tone,

"Is she cool then?"

As soon as JJ returned the hug and even tried to lift the girl up in a twirl, Ash sighed in relief and answered,

"I think so..."

Before JJ pulled away and Zaruk got a good look at her face, even with the reflective visor still on, and explained to the others,

"Zaiavira Jekcir, she was one of Lorinia's 'students' before she was set to go to the training camps. You were going to head to the secondary camp right before the invasion."

Directing the last part of their statement to Zaiavira who finally pulled her sight off JJ to look in the others' direction as she smiled ruefully,

"Yeah... our camp managed to get to the ships in time to escape Thanos but then we got hijacked by Kryjer once we made it out of our galaxy."

"And you've been here this whole time?" Ash questioned in a concerned voice but her eyes were squinted just a bit in suspicion as she gestured to the ship.

"Yeah I'm the only one from my ship they didn't sell to Sakaar."

"N-not to sound insensitive but why spare you?" Bruce questioned echoing his daughter's slight wariness.

"They needed someone to watch over this one, they saw my records of being exceptional in healing, so go figure." Zaiavira hooked a thumb behind her to the body on the table revealing it to be another Chrysinthean with grayish-cyan skin with light gray hair in an unkempt style and wearing a traditional Chrysinthean jumpsuit similar to Zaruk's but in more blues and grays.

"Jabazi?" Zaruk stepped forward and put a hand on his shoulder but he remained motionless as the monitor beeped monotonously.

"OK who's he now?" JJ asked a bit over all the new faces and info dumps.

"Your uncle."

"WHAT?!" Ash and JJ hiss-exclaimed in unison before Zaiavira explained while leaning against the table lightly knocking her fist against the surface,

"He's your mum's brother and it was his research in Alculan metal history Kryjer used for everything these past couple of years since Chrysinthea was wiped out." Seeing the hesitant looks on their faces, she told Ash and JJ, "He didn't have a choice, they forced him to make the Core extractor before using it on him so he couldn't fight back, the body and mind can still operate and be read without our soul but it requires constant upkeep.. which is where I came in..."

"If it's his research, wouldn't he know how to stop whatever it is Kryjer's planning to do to the Orinix?" Dylan questioned and Zaiavira tilted her head as she asked,

"You all don't know the plan? He's been going on about how 'everything is falling into place' and 'soon they will be turned to the truth' so I woulda thought..."

She trailed off when she saw the mixture of blank and slightly terrified faces from hearing familiar words and she exhaled through her nose while putting a hand to her forehead as she muttered,

"Way ta freak'em out Z..."

"Can you please just tell us what it is?" JJ asked her impatiently, getting seriously tired of all the riddles.

"OK long version short; he plans to use all the Cores he's managed to collect from Earth and other planets Chrysintheans were found on, use them along with the gravitational pulls of all the moons timed to pull away the protective 'veil' around the planet before exposing the Orinix before using a ray to destroy it."