The War Revealed - 3rd Novel in the Shadow Series

Chapter 9 .

Minmin

Lieutenant Commander Ma'amaloa made a signal to Warpaint. Warpaint immediately began to pull the people off Vai.

"I know you are all grateful," Warpaint said, "and you should be. My master Vai is pretty amazing, but give him some space now."

Lieutenant Commander Ma'amaloa started to make his way over to Vai. Shel was still sitting on the floor close to Vai. He scooted over to him and tried to help him up, but Vai's eyes drooped heavily and his head fell onto Shel's shoulder. Shel let out a long sigh and looked to me as if to ask what he should do. I shrugged my shoulders. Vai was exhausted. He needed to rest after all that healing. El had been too extreme, but she was correct that Vai couldn't heal everyone. Healing six people had made him this exhausted.

El stood from the spot where Warpaint had thrown her earlier. She didn't seem hurt or even bothered. She gathered around Vai, Shel and Warpaint just as Lieutenant Commander Ma'amaloa also reached them.

"Sir," Warpaint said, "you shouldn't sleep on your friend. If you are that tired, I will carry you." He lifted Vai up as if he weighed nothing and tossed him over his shoulder. Shel quickly stood now that he was free.

Vai struggled against Warpaint's grip and said, "Put me down, Warpaint. I'm awake now." Warpaint put Vai back on his feet, but despite Vai's words, his eyes were still heavy. He needed sleep.

The rest of us gathered around them as El said to Lieutenant Commander Ma'amaloa, "I can't get through to the captain. She needs to destroy that shuttle."

Lieutenant Tanpo frowned at this, but didn't say anything.

Lieutenant Commander Ma'amaloa placed a call to the captain, but it wasn't answered.

"They are getting away," El said impatiently.

"Computer," Vai's dad said.

"Yes," the computer answered immediately. Not a lot of people spoke directly with the computer, but he was the chief science officer and I heard he had worked on the programming for the computer.

"I need a direct connection with Captain Axa. Now."

And there were even less people who could demand a direct connection with the captain.

"Yes," the computer said.

There was a momentary wait, but it wasn't long before the captain's voice said, "I'm busy, Lieutenant Commander. Didn't you understand that the first time I didn't answer your call?"

"You need to destroy that shuttle," Lieutenant Commander Ma'amaloa said. "They are getting away."

"No," the captain said.

All of us tensed except Vai. His eyes drooped again and he partially leaned against Warpaint's white, metal frame.

"What do you mean 'no'?" Vai's dad demanded.

"Bring the light specialists to the bridge and I will tell you all what is happening," the captain said.

The computer ended the connection. All of us looked back and forth between each other before Owen finally said, "Light specialists?"

Vai's eyes flashed open and he stood up straight. "That's us," he said. "She wants us to graduate early like Shel and be specialists in the light as we are the first to have it. We are the only ones to have met the Awakened One."

"Let's go to the bridge," Lieutenant Commander Ma'amaloa said.

He led the way. Vai stumbled over his own feet. He was too tired to walk straight. His mechatronic swept him off his feet and carried him princess style.