"Not great."

Six weeks later. . . .

Miss a Chapter?

For the full story of Rayn, start with this handy guide to past installments:    More Stories Rayn: Episode Seven - On the Dark Side of the Moon Rayn: Episode Six - On the Bright Side of the Moon Rayn: Episode Five - Buried, Live Rayn: Episode Four - Underworld Chit-Chat One: Arayna Two: Din of Iniquity Three: La Musique de Guerre

Four: Underworld Chit-Chat Five: Buried, Live Six: On the Bright Side of the Moon

Seven: On the Dark Side of the Moon Eight: Predator, Now Prey Nine: Where Everybody KnowsYour Name

The news is out.

They have to leave Myles’s place on Ganyra. Still just rumors, but spreading like fire in a sun-parched wood. Rumors of a very valuable woman with a very high price on her head. Word of the sighting at the nearby transport station. Ganyra one of the five possible destinations. Petty thieves, criminals, mercenaries and treasure-seekers filling bars and corners, asking questions, looking. If the post-war records had been better they would have tracked her to the home of the man who served with her for three years. Instead she had hidden there in darkness and night for weeks. Until the break-ins began, systematically, house by house. Then Myles and Rayn knew it was just a matter of time.

They leave, traveling by the old, slow, mostly ignored plasma-rocket shuttles. It was Myles’s idea to move in, back through the system, back towards their home planet Teran.

"They’ll assume you’ll try and get as far away as possible. They won’t expect you to come back here. Hopefully."

Being with Myles provided much safer cover than the hoods that hid her face and long dark braids. They are looking for a woman without a friend in the world. Not a couple. And that’s what they were pretending to be.

Myles also convinces Rayn of one other thing.

"We need help."

~

One week later…

The Din, Mark 2.

Noma’s new place revolves around Teran’s sister planet G-Nar in an old asteroid mining colony turned post-war crossroad outpost. All kinds came through looking for a little action, a little fun, a little deal on the side. Perfect place for Noma and her Din, both of which could supply everything and then some.

Even Kindra was there for a while, between things, helping Noma set up.

Kindra greets them when they enter, "I’m surprised to see you two . . . together."

Then Noma sees them and with her ruddy face beaming her puffy arms engulf Rayn in a suffocating hug. "My girls! Used to think you two wouldn’t survive each other! Then I didn’t think you’d survive the war! Glad I was wrong on both!"

For the next ten days, Noma’s black-market surgeons and engineers do batteries of tests and scans. Trying to find the key in Rayn’s blood, brain, cells -- to unlock it and set her free.

Kindra draws another vial of a wincing Rayn’s blood, "So, immortality? Does this mean you can’t die?"

"How would I know that? There’s no good way to test that!"

"I can think of one." Kindra grins and brushes her hand over her weapon.

Rayn smiles. "Funny."

Noma looks over the scans. "Don’t think that’s how it works. There’s no evidence she’s invulnerable, maybe stronger, heals quick but--"

"Plus then they wouldn’t worry so much about taking her alive." Myles smirks at Kindra. The obvious stated.

Kindra, face red, "Oh yeah. Right."

~

Two weeks later. . . .

Rumors become myths. A woman worth more than any treasure, the key to power, money and somehow long life. A story whispered and passed from person to person at bars, in lines. Eyes beginning to look out from every face. The Din grows too dangerous, full of too many eyes coming and going.

In one night, TriSenate security, two religious sects, three loners/probable mercenaries, and even a group of Peacekeepers had asked about her, flashing around her holo-picture. Myles and Rayn needed to go. They needed more sophisticated medical equipment. They needed sanctuary. Fortunately, Kindra and Noma new just the place.

One week later. . . .

Rayn had never though she would set foot back on Teran, and yet here she is.

The new TriSenate’s scientists, formerly of Council security, had devised a bacterium to devour the materials used to build the domes and the foundations of the levels and towers. Much of the world is still piles of ruins with people living like rats in the chinks and holes. But in some places where there were once just single-level agricultural domes, the land is mostly clear. There, now, grow small communities, burgeoning farms. There, now, is Sanctuary.

Sanctuary -- a refuge for the sick, feeble, injured, crippled from the war. Run by healers, gypsies, Meena.

Meena jumps into Rayn’s arms. "I knew you were coming!"

"You dreamt me again?"

"Often." Meena hugs Myles, then grabs both their hands. "Our souls are of the same circle. The destiny of each will forever be linked to the others."

As they go inside Myles asks, "Can you help her?"

Meena and Rayn’s thoughts answer in unison, I don’t know if anyone can.

Meena’s healers test Rayn, exchanging information with Noma’s people by scrambled code and Kindra as courier, searching for answers. Finally, they find some. A bio-genetic mutation chemically embedded in her DNA. And a chip in her brain.

Meena explains, "In your blood is the key, the experimental launch pad. It could take decades to reproduce, especially if it was created by accident. Decades more to develop into a drug or vaccine. And who knows what side effects--"

Myles looks up, "And the chip?"

"Don’t know. Regulate the mutation? Keep it all from killing her? It does seem to have a large cache of unused memory."

Rayn, her voice cracking slightly, "Can you get it out of me?"

Meena sighs. "The coding is helix level. The chip is inoperable. As long as you’re alive--"

Rayn swallows hard. "It’ll be part of me."

~

Two weeks later. . . .

Myths become legends. Legends of a woman who walks among them, who is the key to immortality. Lost treasures of wealth and eternity for anyone to find. Even at Sanctuary she isn’t safe. Meena suggests one other place. A small farm in the middle of nowhere. But before they leave Meena takes her aside, alone.

"I still dreamt of your betrayal."

"Not surprising. I can’t trust anyone, yet I’ve had to trust everyone."

"It’s someone of your circle. A friend."

Rayn looks over at Myles.

The next day, Myles and Rayn arrive at the farmhouse door.

Krachi opens it. He doesn’t smile or speak. He just gapes at them with his unpatched eye.

Myles, "You know what’s going on?"

Krachi nods. Rayn moves forward.

"Once you save a person’s life, you’re responsible for them forever." She looks straight into his eye. "Do you still believe that?"

A moment. Then he lets them in.

They spend two weeks with Krachi, helping his children and grandchildren in their struggle to build a small farm in some image of their prewar manor estate. Krachi reminisces with them, but only about the few good times. His wife Karu always sews, rebuilding great gowns she used to wear before the war, always chatters, but with a mole under her lashes that makes it hard to look her in the eyes, to tell what she’s really thinking.

Myles believes they can hide and settle nearby. That it could blow over. But Rayn knows it wouldn’t last. She can feel someone watching her in the trees, the shadows, the bushes, just behind her. She can sense it. There’s someone after her, and it’s someone she knows.

Tyran enters his father Onar’s chambers. He is asleep as always. Tyran turns to his sister at Onar’s desk.

"My agent has finally come through. I think we have her."

Shi jumps up. "Hurry then! If we’ve found her, someone else might have, too."

"Have you ever stopped to think what it will really mean if we find her? Aren’t you scared for us?"

"Yes. But we don’t have a choice. We never did."

Rayn stands outside looking at the yellow-green grass and young trees. New life on an old world. But she can still feel someone watching her. Krachi and Karu are on the porch. The children in the fields. Peaceful.

Myles joins her. She turns away, not wanting him to see the fullness in her eyes. She asks him, "What would you say was the most important thing in life?"

"Peace. Quiet. A chance to reflect on life, beauty, enjoy them."

"Krachi said safety. Karu, security. Meena, love. Noma, freedom. Kindra, power. I asked them all over the weeks, as I began to face where this was going." The fullness starts to spill from her eyes down her cheeks. "I used to think revenge, justice, truth, then just to be left alone. I can’t have any of those now . . . but one."

"That may not be true. But which one?"

"Power. You said it yourself once. This is something too powerful for any one person or group to have. I can take it away from them."

"How?"

She turns her tear stained face to him. Horrified he grabs her arm and shakes his head, "No!"

An armed council transport roars up the long road towards the farmhouse. As it does, figures, armed mercenaries, rise from the treeline a few hundred yards away and charge. Two groups, two betrayals. Who would get her first?

The children scream. Karu doesn’t look up. She continues to knit. Rayn looks to Krachi. She can see it in his eye. One betrayal, and for money! His solitary eye looks down and away, ashamed. Karu smiles.

Myles goes to grab a weapon, when he turns back she’s gone.

"Rayn?! Where are you?"

Next week - Episode 11: The First and Last Night