Eye of the Ocean Book 3 Ji'jin Station

Eye of the Ocean – Book 3: Ji’Jin Station
Garm quickly looked for Cici. She was still there but the argument was over.
Armed guards had come in from three points, acting in unison to form a wedge to
separate her and the two others. With their appearance, energy fields had flooded
the commons, feeling like warm moist air pressing on him. Sparkling blue teased
from the back of his eyes, he couldn't blink it away.
He tried a last time to reach the girl through the Net and still couldn’t. Then
made a request in the commons' domestic for a bag of the muffins to take with
them. And got an instant response. So, he was allowed that much. “I could have
warned her,” he said to Eunni. Even from the angle and distance, Cici's confusion
and fear were obvious.
“They'll hold the flitter for us,” Eunni said as she stood. “We might as well all
go together. Is there a crystal that goes with that book?”
He touched the carry case. “I've got it here.”
The server came at a run, six legs down, holding the bag in the remaining two.
Garm signed his thanks and put the bag on top of the books. Cici was already out
of sight, towards the flitter bay, he supposed. Ji'jin Station guards had appeared
at the mouth of another corridor, the Temple guards were dragging the Zimmer
girl that way. She looked unconscious. He hadn't seen what had happened to the
boy.
Their guards circled as though to herd him out but he didn't move. Eunni came
to stand next to him. “Let's go,” she said softly, one hand on his shoulder.
“Why all this? It wasn't necessary.”
“It was going to start somewhere. Tension on the Station has been building
since we arrived. This wasn't planned but...” Eunni looked down at the scene for
what he thought might be the first time, at least with her own eyes.
The Station guards had separated and were about to enclose the two Temple
people holding the Zimmer girl. Suddenly, the Temple guards stopped a few feet
short, then as abruptly turned, taking the girl with them. Three more Temple
guards, all ti'Linn, crossed their path and stopped, weapons drawn to prevent the
Station personnel from following. Shouts were being answered by rapid clicks.
And barrier warding now, unmistakably bright blue light flared from under them
and the more generalized field dissipated.
Eunni pulled at his arm. “Let’s go.”
“Who gave the order?” he asked. “Rit?”
“I think so. He would.”
“It didn't have to be Cici.”
“Garm, it could have been worse, much worse, and still could be. We've got
what we weren’t sure we’d get: active support from the Temple ti'Linn ti'ti'sinici
Circles, and not just the ranking Priest. Maybe the Station Circles... “ She frowned
at him. “You have to know this.”
Laurel Hickey www.2morrow.bc.ca