Academy Alert

 The first break of the Academy term was only days away.

Solin was counting the hours.

Not because he disliked the Academy.

He didn't.

He had friends now.

He had professors who respected him.

He had discovered that the library contained entire sections that were older than several civilizations.

And, of course, there was Nerys.

But he wanted home.

He wanted Pretty Bayou.

He wanted the porch.

He wanted the smell of Bettie's cooking.

Most of all, he wanted real food.

Academy cuisine was technically nutritious.

Solin considered this a personal insult.

"I want something that once had a mother," he told Marcus at lunch.

Marcus frowned.

"What does that mean?"

"I don't know."

Jarek laughed.

"I think he means meat."

"I mean food."

"You've been away too long."

"Tell me about it."

Nerys smiled.

"You talk about home constantly."

"Because it's home."

She understood that.

More than she let on.

She had never talked much about hers.

Solin was about to ask her when the Academy alarms exploded into life.

Every student in the dining hall froze.

Solin closed his eyes.

"Oh, dear Lord."

Marcus looked at him.

"What?"

"Please don't let it be Dad again."

Jarek laughed.

"Does he do this often?"

"Enough."

The building shook.

A tremendous shadow passed across the windows.

Everyone rushed outside.

Solin stared upward.

A ship was descending over the Academy.

Not a shuttle.

Not a diplomatic vessel.

A massive warship.

It settled onto the Academy's sports field with enough force to flatten half the grass.

The engines screamed.

Students scattered.

Faculty members began shouting orders.

Security forces appeared from every direction.

Then the ship opened.

The first armored figure stepped out.

Then another.

Then another.

Humanoids.

Heavily armed.

Their armor was dark and ceremonial, marked with elaborate insignia.

Solin's hand instinctively went toward the resonance point beneath his ribs.

Varek stepped forward.

His posture changed completely.

The joking student Solin knew disappeared.

The Kethari warrior emerged.

His mandibles tightened.

His eyes narrowed.

He reached for his weapons.

"Stay behind me."

Solin looked at him.

"Varek?"

"I will take the heads of many humans before they reach you."

Solin blinked.

"That's a little extreme."

Varek looked at him.

"It is an appropriate response."

"Maybe wait until we know who they are."

Varek hesitated.

"That is reasonable."

Nerys was trembling.

Solin turned toward her.

"Nerys?"

She couldn't answer.

Her eyes were fixed on the approaching soldiers.

Tears began running down her face.

Solin moved toward her.

"Hey."

She shook her head.

"No."

"What?"

She grabbed his arm.

"We have to leave."

"Why?"

She stared at the soldiers.

"You don't understand."

"Then explain."

Before she could answer, the Academy alarms abruptly stopped.

Silence.

The soldiers parted.

And a procession emerged from the ship.

They weren't soldiers.

Not exactly.

They wore magnificent clothing.

Jewelry.

Ceremonial robes.

Insignia of ancient houses.

They walked with the confidence of people who had never once wondered whether they belonged somewhere.

At their center walked a woman.

Tall.

Elegant.

Beautiful.

Terrifying.

Solin recognized her immediately.

Lady Morgan.

He had seen her before.

Everyone had.

She had appeared in broadcasts.

Diplomatic gatherings.

Interstellar ceremonies.

And, once, in one of his father's stories that had ended with Barry saying:

"Never trust anyone who smiles that much."

Lady Morgan descended the ramp.

Her eyes swept across the Academy grounds.

Then stopped.

Nerys made a sound somewhere between a sob and a gasp.

She whispered:

"Oh Mother..."

Solin turned.

"Nerys?"

She was staring at Lady Morgan.

Her face had gone white.

Solin looked back at the aristocratic procession.

Then at Nerys.

"That's your mother?"

Nerys nodded.

Very slowly.

"Lady Morgan is my mother."

Varek lowered his weapons slightly.

Solin stared.

"You're kidding."

Nerys shook her head.

"No."

Lady Morgan stopped at the bottom of the ramp.

Her gaze moved across the students.

Then she smiled.

When her eyes found Nerys, her smile widened.

"There you are."

Nerys grabbed Solin's arm.

"Please don't let her take me."

Solin looked at her.

Then toward Lady Morgan.

He didn't understand.

Not yet.

But he understood one thing.

Nerys was afraid.

And that was enough.

Solin stepped forward.

Lady Morgan's eyes settled upon him.

For a moment, the entire Academy seemed to hold its breath.

Then Lady Morgan smiled.

"Solin Nightwater."

Solin frowned.

Lady Morgan laughed softly.

"Oh, my dear."

She looked at Nerys.

Then back at Solin.

"Your attire has improved since our last meeting. Stage 4 now? Two more stages?"

Behind Solin, Varek quietly moved into a fighting stance.

And somewhere above the Academy, the great ship's engines began to power down.

The aristocrats had arrived.

And Nerys Vale was no longer simply the lonely girl at the table.

She was the daughter of Lady Morgan.