Andrea’s heart was still beating slightly faster than was normal as she continued mulling over what Niles had told her in his cabin... and then what happened after.

Niles is a guardian? she wondered. No he’s not a guardian. But he has the same powers as they do.

She realized the moisture she’d perspired during the moments inside the Captain’s quarters were beginning to dry on her skin as the cool evening breeze moved over her. She needed a bath.

She signed off the cargo manifest to the city agent as James, Walter, and Andrew moved past her disgorging The Dusty Maiden’s hold.

“Your payment should be along shortly,” the agent said.

Andrea only nodded absently without responding. There was so much to cover over what had happened only minutes ago. Aliens from another world came to this planet and now they were coming back! She wanted to know why. What did they want? Niles hadn’t told her everything and probably didn’t have the whole picture himself. But one person did. Jon. She felt a roiling sensation inside her stomach. She was excited to see what would happen when the beings from off planet returned. But she was scared at the same time. Where would Kate and Joey be when they arrived?

She recalled Niles had said something about Jon needing his help to stop them. But how would Jon, even with Niles’ help, stop them from coming back?

They probably have technology thousands of years ahead of whatever the guardians have, she told herself.

The Captain of a cargo hauler and his crew, even with two guardians at his side, wouldn’t stand a chance at stopping a star faring species. It seemed impossible. Crazy even. And there was Niles... the son of a guardian. She wondered if this fact was putting ideas into his head. Did he think he was going to save the world now?

She turned to the sound of footsteps immerging from the companionway. Speak of the horde, she thought as Niles appeared on deck. “Hey,” she said. “Cargo’s just been removed from the hold and the payment is on its way.”

Niles nodded absently without saying anything. He was probably still thinking about everything that had happened like she was. Her head had practically been spinning after what she learned inside the cabin. “Strange that you have a guardian angel who’s been watching out for you all this time who turns out to be your father’s best friend, huh?”

Niles didn’t answer.

“Hey, are you alright?” She asked.

He turned toward her as if seeing her on deck surprised him. “Yeah I’m fine. Just... everything. It’s a lot to take in.”

She tried to smile affectionately. It wasn’t hard. “I know.”

Niles turned to the prow of the barge where Jon and Emma were standing. “What do you think?” he said, nodding in the direction of the two guardians.

“About what? You being the son of a guardian?” she whispered, “or Jon’s crazy save the world thing?”

He half chuckled. “The second thing.”

She glanced toward Jon and Emma. If there was a chance to stop an enemy from coming back to this planet they had to take it, no matter how small the chance of actually succeeding. It was better than standing around and pretending it wasn’t going to happen. But she wondered if it really would happen. “Well, if it’s really true...” She left the rest hanging.

“Yeah.” Niles paused for several seconds. Then he said, “Come on.”

They started to move across the main deck. She thought Walter seemed curious.

“What’s going on?”

“Sorry, Walter,” she told him, “maybe later.” As they moved toward the prow of the barge, Andrea started to wonder if this was the best place for the sort of conversation that was about to take place. Then she spotted James and Sidney on deck. They were probably loud enough to keep anyone from hearing what was about to be said as they argued about the winning hand in some card game they were playing.

“Do you even know how to stop these aliens?” Niles asked Jon’s back.

That’s one way to open a conversation, Andrea thought. Niles had asked the question with a slight edge in his voice. But she couldn’t blame him for that.

Jon and Emma seemed to have been having a conversation about something important but they dropped it as soon as Niles spoke. “I believe so,” Jon said.

Andrea stepped closer. “How?”

Jon glanced around for eavesdroppers. “I was the director in charge of research on concerning the artifact the order found.”

“Artifact?” Niles said.

“Yes. An artifact built by them.“ He emphasized the last word.

It’s entirely possible, Andrea thought, beings from off world aren’t coming back. Maybe Jon’s crazy. The things he said seemed to make sense so far, but it was still possible he was some sort of madman convinced he had to save the world. He could be making it all up. The idea could easily be chocked up to the ludicrous delusions of an insane old man. Andrea raised her hand. “How does this help us?”

“The artifact is a weapon,” Jon said. There was a moment of silence, and then he continued. “A massive weapon designed to destroy entire worlds.”

Andrea saw Niles’ eyes widen. “So you think...”

“Yes,” Jon said, “we can use it against them.”

The artifact as a weapon began to make much more sense in her mind, therefore leading her in the direction to believe Jon actually wasn’t crazy. Not that she thought he was, but there was that chance. A chance she would rather not take when Kate and Joey eased their way into her thoughts. If she became an outlaw she might never see them again.

What If there really is aliens coming back? she wondered. What if I do nothing about it when there could have been something? She had to believe everything Jon was saying could be real. It was the reason she had encouraged Niles to listen to the guardian in the first place.

But I won’t make it easy for him, she told herself. She put her hand on her hip. “Wait a minute. Why do you even need us? Why hasn’t your order already used this weapon?”

“As I’ve already told Niles, the order wants to lay low during all of this.”

The guardian order—protectors of the free world—were not going to do anything about an invasion against humans? Andrea felt the pressure in her face increase. “Why the hell not?” she barked, flourishing her hand dangerously.

“Because they don’t yet know how to use the weapon,” the guardian said. “It could take months to learn how to operate. And... there isn’t much time,” he finished with a dire tone.

“How much time do we have, Jon?” Niles asked.

“A month...”

“A month?” Andrea croaked.

“Maybe sooner. I don’t know.”

“So why isn’t your order rushing to find out as much as they possibly can about this weapon?” Niles said.

Andrea fought off the urge to walk off in a huff.

“The high council is afraid that if these beings return to find their weapon has been under the scrutiny of this planet’s inhabitants, they will surely wipe us out.”

Andrea repositioned her weight onto her other hip. “Like last time.”

“Yes,” Emma said, speaking for the first time. “But this time they will surely complete their task.”

“So, the order hopes they’ll find their weapon untouched, maybe overlooking mankind in the process?” Niles said.

Emma nodded and said, “Precisely.”

It made sense, but Andrea could hardly believe the guardians wouldn’t do anything. They were always so controlling. Power hungry. “Cowards,” she said disdainfully.

“What do we have to do—I mean, if we decide to join your little save the world escapade?” Niles said.

Jon smiled wryly. “We use the weapon against its makers.”

“There’s some kind of catch isn’t there?” Andrea asked.

Jon nodded, confirming Andrea’s question.

“Always is,” Niles said. “So what is it?”

“In order to activate the weapon...“

“And you know how to do that?” Andrea said doubtfully.

“I’ve been studying their language close to a decade now,” Jon said. “I’m a linguist if you recall.”

“Right.”

“I believe I can activate the weapon. Though the catch, as you call it, is that we must first find the command room.”

If this command rooms even exists... Andrea thought. “Well isn’t that just great.”

“The order knows where it is,” Emma said.

“That’s true,” Jon said. “We’ll have to acquire the information from them.”

“And when you say acquire...” Niles said. “You mean steal?”

Jon shrugged. “Yes.”

“Does that mean we’re going to have guardians on our tails the whole time?” Andrea asked.

“Probably.”

“Why do we have to steal it?” Andrea said, crossing her arms. “Can’t you just walk in and find out for yourself. You said you were in charge of the project—you are a senior guardian, aren’t you?”

It was a good question Jon would need a good answer for. “The council pulled me off the project after they decided to end it. They said I was too fervent about a plan that was contrary to the order’s wishes.”

“So what’s your plan?” Niles said.

“We have to capture a member of the order who knows the whereabouts of the command room,” Emma said.

“That sounds easy,” Andrea said making no effort to hide the heavy note of sarcasm in her voice.

“While we were in the temple, Niles,” Jon said, “I took a moment to peruse the database for any outgoing or incoming barges that may have been involved at the dig site where the command room was discovered.”

“So it has been discovered then?” Niles said.

“We just have to find it. And once we do we can activate the weapon. It should be easy seeing as how the council has ordered the evacuation of all dig sites involving the research off world species.”

He’s definitely trying to sell his plan, Andrea told herself, sweetening the deal by making it sound so easy. It wasn’t like they could cruise right in, grab what they needed, and just fly right back out so they could save the world. Everything was always harder than it was made out to be.

Niles glanced at Andrea as he ran his fingers through his hair.

Does he want my opinion? she wondered. She wanted tell him that it was all a terrible idea and that Jon had evidentially slipped on the deck and hit his head. After immediately hearing what Niles had told her she thought it could have been real. But she wondered how it could be. Why had these aliens not wiped them out the first time around? The horde was a good excuse for their having tried, but Andrea thought it easier to believe they came into existence by genetic manipulation. They were supposed to be a bio weapon after all. It made sense.

It may have been a mistake for her to accept what Niles had told her as soon as he’d said it. It was hard to distrust the Captain. The whole guardian angel watching over him thing seemed to make sense, and Jon had proof of that. But what about this? Niles had evidentially seen the proof of Jon’s testimony concerning the past and the return of these... off world beings. But she hadn’t.

Then Andrea felt a sudden roil of fear in her stomach. What if it’s true? she asked herself. The two possibilities seemed to be fighting each other, taking turns possessing her to do their wills. Is it my own self doubt and fear controlling me? “Niles, can I talk to you for a moment,” she whispered before stepping away.

“What is it?”

“I need to know the truth. Is this real? Will it happen?”

She hoped that he’d tell her it wouldn’t happen, that it was all the delusional fantasy of a crazy old man. Then Niles could kick the two guardians off his barge and they could go get a contract that suited them traveling north.

“Andrea, you trust me, don’t you?”

“Yes.”

“Then I need you to trust me, here.” He put a hand on her shoulder. “Okay?”

Niles was smart. If he believed Jon then she would too. But not for him, even though that was nearly reason enough. No, she would do this for Kate and Joey. “Alright, Niles... I’m with you.”