Ben Archer and the Toreq Son (The Alien Skill Series, Book 6): Sci-Fi Adventure for Teens by Rae Knightly

Author:Rae Knightly [Knightly, Rae]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: PoCo Publishers
Published: 2021-03-03T16:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER 24 Playing by the Rules

Ben couldn’t concentrate on the meeting.

General Zoltar made a tedious opening speech that gave the Quratis plenty of time to focus on Ben. He didn’t notice it right away. He thought the bird was scanning the attendees, but no, it was looking at him. Only at him.

A cold sweat broke out over his brow. There was something fundamentally unnerving about the creature. Ben found he could not look at it directly in the eyes because there was an immensity lying within them that his human brain couldn’t handle. Even more, he felt that if he looked too long, he would be swallowed into that gaze, never to return.

He focused on Zoltar instead, but that only made things harder because even out of the corner of his eye, he could sense the creature watching him. There was something odd about it, too. Maybe it was the ruffled feathers, the faltering hops it made on the branch or its stooped posture.

It’s in pain…

Goosebumps rose on his arms.

Was the Quratis asking him for help? Why didn’t it speak to him, then?

The idea was terrifying because he instinctively knew that the bird’s mind would swallow him whole if he tried to connect with it. There was nothing about it that Ben comprehended, only that it was ancient and wise and powerful. It was like a stray lion that had been mistreated by its master, but if Ben reached out his hand to help, it would lash out at him before he even had time to say a gentle word.

“Tomorrow, thirty star-rises will have passed,” Zoltar was saying. “It is the day we have agreed to meet with the A’hmun leaders, should any of them still live. I have asked Captain Olin to send a team to Earth to pick up these leaders.” Zoltar’s hands began to glow. He half-closed his eyes and seemed to enter into a trance. Above him, the bird swung from side-to-side on its branch.

Ben sweated profusely. Even while averting its gaze, he could feel the Quratis’ blue eyes piercing him. Unable to control himself, he found his attention shifting from Zoltar to the bird again. Their eyes locked, and…

Zoltar woke from his trance. “After consultation with the Quratis, it is decided that we will hold the meeting with the A’hmun leaders on the Qu’Tué tomorrow. Are you in agreement, Captain Olin?”

…Ben saw…

“Of course, General,” Captain Olin said.

…an explosion of a terrifying magnitude. The Qu’Tué ripped apart in a catastrophic blast. Pieces flying through space, followed by an aftershock that expanded as brilliant light, swallowing the whole warship…

“NO!” Ben shouted, his cry echoing around the dome.

Attendees swung their heads around and stared at him, confused.

Ben looked from one to the other, eyes wide with terror. Don’t they see? Don’t they know?

“Benjamin?” Mesmo said beside him, startled.

“The Quratis! That’s not what it said!” Ben said in alarm, the skill vibrating in his hands. “Zoltar’s lying!” He hadn’t meant to speak out so loudly. Gasps of outrage rippled around the room.

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