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Authors: Pittacus Lore
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talents.
His pace is slow as he walks. I stay silent. Finally, he stops in front of a computer terminal. He pushes a few buttons, and Ethan’s face shows up on one of the screens. Setrákus Ra turns back to me, a scowl on his face.
“Ethan is still alive,” he says, and a wave of relief washes over me.
“Good,” I say.
“Is it?” Setrákus Ra asks. “Two of the Garde escaped, and Ethan lives. We lost valuable assets, and our enemies gained a powerful weapon in Nine. I don’t consider that a victory. Do you?”
I pause. I haven’t really processed anything that’s happened, or what the repercussions of my actions might be. I know fundamentally that I chose incorrectly when I saved Ethan—I’ve been around the Mogs long enough to realize that. But this is the first time I’ve ever had to wonder about how important Ethan’s position is to the Mogs. I shake my head. “I’m sorry. I know. It was a dumb thing to do. I might have been able to capture Four and Nine if I’d left Ethan behind.”
“So why didn’t you?”
I’ve hardly had time to think about this myself, much less provide any sort of convincing answer to Setrákus Ra.
“I don’t know. I mean, Ethan’s always been there for me.”
“Ethan does what he is told,” Setrákus Ra says, leaning on his staff. “I’m sorry you have to hear it like this, but all of Ethan’s kindness and mentoring to you stems from me. He was following orders as my proxy when I could not be there with you myself. Do you understand that?”
I nod. He continues.
“Despite being held prisoner on this base, Nine’s true identity was known to very few. Mostly only officers and a few of our top scientists.”
“How could the Garde have known Nine was here then?” I ask.
“We don’t know,” Setrákus Ra says. His eyes narrow a little, and his face grows grim. “The most obvious answer would be that someone within the compound told them. Someone who had access to that sort of confidential information.”
I start to shake my head immediately. I see what he’s getting at.
“It wasn’t me,” I say. Words start spilling out. “I would never. I know I’m technically one of the Loric, but I’ve never had any communication with any of the others. I’ve been trying to help track them down for you! Check my room. Check all the security tapes and electronics I own. There’s no way I’d even begin to know how to get in touch with them, much less—”
“Relax, Five,” he says, and his voice leaves no room for argument or further comment. “I’m not suggesting it was you.”
He lingers on the last word, staring me down.
“You think it was Ethan,” I say.
“The humans are a tricky sort.”
“I can ask him,” I say. “He’ll tell me. Where is he?”
“Would he really be honest with you?” our Beloved Leader asks. “The Mogadorians have never been anything but up front with you, Five. But Ethan deceived you for a year. We wanted to take you in immediately, but he convinced us you weren’t ready. That you weren’t clever enough to see reason. We’ve been wanting you to play a more active role in our conquering of this planet, but he has always said you’ve needed more time.”
My thoughts flash back to when I had Emma in the air. Ethan saying, “He’s not ready.”
I shake my head again.
“But we’ve seen the security footage from the attack,” he says. “I’ve seen how well you can lead. I know you’re ready to move forward. I think it’s time you were assigned a mission, don’t you?”
“Yes,” I say without hesitation. “What can I do for you?”
“You know of the krauls that live in the pens here, yes?” Setrákus Ra asks. “Or lived, rather. Many of them were killed in the attack, and others still roam in the tunnels of this complex.”
“I do.”
“When a kraul is injured, do you know what happens to it?”
I shake my head. I’ve never given much thought to the gross little creatures, other than to make
His pace is slow as he walks. I stay silent. Finally, he stops in front of a computer terminal. He pushes a few buttons, and Ethan’s face shows up on one of the screens. Setrákus Ra turns back to me, a scowl on his face.
“Ethan is still alive,” he says, and a wave of relief washes over me.
“Good,” I say.
“Is it?” Setrákus Ra asks. “Two of the Garde escaped, and Ethan lives. We lost valuable assets, and our enemies gained a powerful weapon in Nine. I don’t consider that a victory. Do you?”
I pause. I haven’t really processed anything that’s happened, or what the repercussions of my actions might be. I know fundamentally that I chose incorrectly when I saved Ethan—I’ve been around the Mogs long enough to realize that. But this is the first time I’ve ever had to wonder about how important Ethan’s position is to the Mogs. I shake my head. “I’m sorry. I know. It was a dumb thing to do. I might have been able to capture Four and Nine if I’d left Ethan behind.”
“So why didn’t you?”
I’ve hardly had time to think about this myself, much less provide any sort of convincing answer to Setrákus Ra.
“I don’t know. I mean, Ethan’s always been there for me.”
“Ethan does what he is told,” Setrákus Ra says, leaning on his staff. “I’m sorry you have to hear it like this, but all of Ethan’s kindness and mentoring to you stems from me. He was following orders as my proxy when I could not be there with you myself. Do you understand that?”
I nod. He continues.
“Despite being held prisoner on this base, Nine’s true identity was known to very few. Mostly only officers and a few of our top scientists.”
“How could the Garde have known Nine was here then?” I ask.
“We don’t know,” Setrákus Ra says. His eyes narrow a little, and his face grows grim. “The most obvious answer would be that someone within the compound told them. Someone who had access to that sort of confidential information.”
I start to shake my head immediately. I see what he’s getting at.
“It wasn’t me,” I say. Words start spilling out. “I would never. I know I’m technically one of the Loric, but I’ve never had any communication with any of the others. I’ve been trying to help track them down for you! Check my room. Check all the security tapes and electronics I own. There’s no way I’d even begin to know how to get in touch with them, much less—”
“Relax, Five,” he says, and his voice leaves no room for argument or further comment. “I’m not suggesting it was you.”
He lingers on the last word, staring me down.
“You think it was Ethan,” I say.
“The humans are a tricky sort.”
“I can ask him,” I say. “He’ll tell me. Where is he?”
“Would he really be honest with you?” our Beloved Leader asks. “The Mogadorians have never been anything but up front with you, Five. But Ethan deceived you for a year. We wanted to take you in immediately, but he convinced us you weren’t ready. That you weren’t clever enough to see reason. We’ve been wanting you to play a more active role in our conquering of this planet, but he has always said you’ve needed more time.”
My thoughts flash back to when I had Emma in the air. Ethan saying, “He’s not ready.”
I shake my head again.
“But we’ve seen the security footage from the attack,” he says. “I’ve seen how well you can lead. I know you’re ready to move forward. I think it’s time you were assigned a mission, don’t you?”
“Yes,” I say without hesitation. “What can I do for you?”
“You know of the krauls that live in the pens here, yes?” Setrákus Ra asks. “Or lived, rather. Many of them were killed in the attack, and others still roam in the tunnels of this complex.”
“I do.”
“When a kraul is injured, do you know what happens to it?”
I shake my head. I’ve never given much thought to the gross little creatures, other than to make
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