Sanctuary Falling by Pamela Foland Read Free Book Online Page B

remain as calm as possible. I’m not going to lie to you, this could be very serious, or maybe it’s a simple metamorphosis. I can’t tell yet. The important thing to remember is that you need to stay calm. I’ll do my best to keep you comfortable. For now I’m going to make you sleep.”
    Yllera felt a warmth spreading through her from somewhere near her shoulder. With it came a pessimistic sort of peace and an indefinite state of consciousness which faded rapidly into a strange and troubled sleep.
    - - - - - - - - - -
     
    Angela paced around the conference room, glancing from the clock to her children, Mario and Maria, and back to the clock. The twins were the pictures of relaxed patience. It took a lot to upset either of them. They had so much of their father in them. Or maybe it was that neither of them felt the pressure of time and duty upon their shoulders yet. They almost took life as a game, and that scared Angela, seeing as they were both already going out into the field with their father, on small field trips.
    Angela used the wasted time to look at them both carefully.   They seemed younger than Erin and Caroline were at their age, but older than Evelyn and Stephen. They also seemed more distant. Sure, Mario and Maria seemed interested in what she did now, but that would probably fade with time, just like it did with Erin and Caroline. Neither would stand up and take the weight from her shoulders. Angela could see it in their eyes, neither of them would be chief after her. Angela glared at the clock like it was at fault for her lack of successor. Then she glanced at her preparations, there were only four chairs. Two were occupied by her children and two left empty to see who would fill them. Other than the chairs, the clock and the transport pod, the room was empty.
    Finally the door chimed.   “Come on in, we’re ready here,” Angela said, a little too quickly and a little too eagerly for her own tastes. Mario raised an eyebrow and smiled at her. He was too much like his father.
    At Angela’s word, Sinclair entered with a boy, and Niri entered with a girl. Angela raised an eyebrow. Catching Niri and Sinclair’s eyes carefully, she glanced at the clock. “Welcome, please make yourselves as comfortable as possible.” Angela said flatly.
    Sinclair grimaced and nodded, gesturing for his boy to take a seat. Niri smiled a tenuous greeting. Her girl glanced at the one remaining chair, then sat without need of gesture or chair. She sat nimbly on the floor in front of the chairs, folding her legs and looking up at Angela.
    Sinclair, all bluster and preamble, stepped forward, “This is Anthony Simmons, he’s expressed an interest in becoming a factor, and I feel he is uniquely qualified. He’s a Tanerian Agurian hybrid with an Everett rating of 1686. Three of his older brothers are currently running solo in the field acting in the capacity of tertiary factors.”   Angela nodded in Sinclair’s direction then glanced at Niri.
    Instead of hearing from Niri, the girl leapt up to introduce herself. “Hello Mrs. Daniel’s, My name is Annette Peterson. I’m basically human,” The girl glanced at Sinclair then back to Angela, “I don’t have a measurable Everett rating, but I do have a brother who’s working in the field with his wife as a tertiary factor. Not that what he can or can’t do really tells you about me, because he’s briaunti. The dark did something to him on our world before the factors came and brought us here. Personally, I want to be a factor, because you help people who need it, and I may have been young, but I remember what it was like to need help.” The girl fell silent and sat back down on the floor.
      Angela examined each of them carefully. Anthony, seemed only marginally interested in being there. Annette on the other hand couldn’t have radiated more intense interest if she had an amplifier on. Angela rubbed her temples, and sighed.   The twins took that opportunity to