Falcorans' Faith Read Online Free

a portal and somehow allowed them to be seen!  And not just any portal either.  No, it couldn’t be a portal to a primitive world, or Onddo, or even Earth.  It had to be Jasan.  The one world that currently posed the biggest threat to the Xanti.  The only world in the history of  the Thousand Worlds to formally declare war against them.
    Xi-Kung began pacing in an effort to help himself resist the nearly overwhelming urge to exit his makina .  If he did that, he would give in to his rage, and go primal.  Then he’d destroy the captain, and quite likely every other officer that had been on the bridge at the time of the current disaster.  The confines of the makina forced him to remain in one place, effectively inhibiting his anger, and sparing his officers.  But if the captain didn’t get back to him very soon, and with a good explanation for what had happened, he’d toss him out an airlock.  In pieces.
    “Commander,” the captain said, his voice calmer through the speakers in the makina .
    “Speak,” Xi-Kung barked.
    “Our Blind Sight system must be defective, Commander,” the captain reported.  “I’ve reviewed everything.  Blind Sight was activated, yet they clearly saw us.  It’s the only explanation, Sir.”
    Xi-Kung relaxed a fraction.  Someone had made a mistake, and he’d find out who.  But that someone hadn’t been his captain.  Therefore, he didn’t have to kill him. 
    “Locate the closest service ship,” he ordered.  “They’ll have to come to us since our Blind Sight is suspect.”
    “There’s one that can be here in three days,” the Captain replied, revealing that he’d already checked.  Xi-Kung was glad he hadn’t killed him.  “The escort is one of Queen Narliq-Li’s battle cruisers, commanded by Orq-Nunq.  I’ve already summoned them.”
    “Good job, Captain,” Xi-Kung said.  “Keep an eye on Terien.  If they show any signs of awareness of our presence I want to know immediately.”
    “Understood, Commander,” the captain replied.
     
    ***
     
    “You see meta-space,” Landor said, not even trying to contain his shock.
    “Yes,” the woman admitted reluctantly.  Apparently it wasn’t news to her.  “What I don’t understand is why couldn’t anyone else see that ship?”
    Landor shook his head as he tried to decide how to handle this.  What this small, human woman had just done was unbelievable.  Miraculous even.  If he scared her away, he doubted he’d soon be forgiven.  “May I ask your name, please?”
    “Faith Myers,” she replied.  “I’m here to visit a woman named Hope Bearen, at a place called...,” the woman frowned and reached into the large bag hanging from her shoulder.
    “Dracon’s Ranch,” Landor filled in for her.
    “Yes, that’s right,” Faith said, her eyes narrowing suspiciously.  “How did you know that?”
    “Arima Hope and her Rami are my cousins,” Landor said. 
    “Oh, small planet,” Faith said.  “Anyway, I missed my shuttle to the spaceport.  Can you tell me when the next one will be?”
    “Not for another hour,” Landor said.  “Miss Meyers, if you don’t mind, I’d like to contact my cousins.  They can be here in about three seconds, so it won’t take long.”
    “Did you say three seconds ?” Faith asked doubtfully.
    “Yes,” Landor replied.  “They’re the Bearen Consuls, in charge of Planetary Security, and I’m sure they’d like to speak with you.  I can ask them to bring Hope with them, if you like.”
    “Sure, that’s fine,” Faith said. 
    Landor smiled, then tapped his vox and made the call.  As he waited for Clark Bearen to answer his vox he wondered if Miss Faith Meyers was an Arima.  With her ability to see meta-space, he thought it likely.  He couldn’t help feeling disappointed that she wasn’t his Arima.  He and his brothers had babysat their adopted nephews, the Owlfen boys, several times, and it had them aching for a family of their own.  Miss Faith