Blade of the Lucan: A Memory of Anstractor Read Online Free PDF

the cave. The Deijin pulled open a large hatch and they descended a flight of stairs. They did not go a long way before the stairs opened up into the living area of a large house, and Marian’s thoughts were interrupted by her surprise at how warm and welcoming the house felt.
    “I say ‘we,’ but I have never doubted you, Marian,” Blu said to her as he led her to a couch and poured her a glass of spiced, sour berry ale. “When Rafian brought you in, he told us that you were his heart. From that day on, from what I remember, you outfitted us, healed us, and bled with us as a sister. No-one can question your sacrifice for our fight, especially now with you rallying us together to help the people on Talula. But men are jealous and angry, Lady Raf. You left us in our most desperate hour, and it caused a lot of speculation and anger.”
    Marian wished Rafian were there to hear Blu’s story so that he could realize what he had caused with his sudden departure from Luca. She had always warned him that his rash decision to jump back to Anstractor would mean dire circumstances for Tyhera, but he had been too concerned with the fate of his own people. She couldn’t blame him for the choice he made, but she didn’t like the fact that she was the one to take the brunt of the blame from the confused Deijin.
    “Well, I am here to help set things right,” Marian said. She sipped on the ale and grimaced as the sour after-taste did a number on her taste buds. The thick liquid reminded her of bitter aloe mixed with the greenest limes. She made a face when she swallowed it, and the Deijen—who stood watching her, as if he expected the reaction—chuckled at her as he pointed playfully to the bottle.
    “Happy to hear it,” Blu said suddenly. He clapped three times, which woke up a service android who Marian noticed for the first time when it stood up gracefully and walked towards one of the walls while swaying its hips.
    “That’s a bit of a sexy walk for an android, Blu,” she said as she watched the android begin its work. “I know I’ve been gone for a while, but I don’t recall androids having the ability to move like us.”
    “Oh, I modified Rita to walk like that,” the giant man said to her. Deijins didn’t really smile, but she could feel the pride that he had in his work beaming from his stoic face.
    “I’m going to hope that is all the modification you did to that thing,” Marian said and forced another sip from her glass.
    The android touched the wall and it shimmered and opened up to another room. Marian could see that a number of men and women were seated around a table in there. She counted seven men and three women, some hailing from other planets and the majority being natives of Tyhera.
    Blu announced to them: “Ladies and gentlemen of the resistance. Warriors, survivors, and future kings of Luca. Please welcome a friend of the resistance, the wife of my eternal brother, Rafian.”
    The people stood up and began to cheer as she walked into their midst to shake hands and hug the familiar faces that were there. It was a warm welcome, one she was not expecting, especially after what Blu had told her, but she took it in and gave them her warmest smile before taking a seat at what could be considered to be the head of the table.
    Marian took in the numerous faces and tried to see if she knew any of them. She recognized a few faces but she wondered if they remembered her. If any of them were to become suspicious, they would no doubt question her loyalties now, even as she stood: a proud Phaser, wife to the most wanted man in her galaxy.
    She began to second-guess every move she made while sitting amongst their number. When a declaration of action was made and they all cheered in agreement, she tried to see herself from the outside – did she really look like she was one with them, or did she seem to be acting? After a while, she began to clam up, her paranoia getting the better of her.
    “How many of you