“And yet you’re caring for one of the most significant beings in the known galaxy.”
“Is she really? Significant, I mean?”
“If she’s truly one of the Keys...” Faith trailed off, her gaze distant. “The Vault is more than just treasure. It’s knowledge. It may be the key to understanding who the Precursors were and what happened to them. Entire civilizations have risen and fallen searching for it.”
“Doren said he’s been looking for it most of his life.”
“He has. It’s practically an obsession with him.” Faith’s expression grew thoughtful. “Though I suspect his reasons are more complicated than simple greed. Athtar thinks he’s trying to prove something to himself or to his father or maybe even to the universe.”
“His father rejected him.”
“I know. Athtar told me.” Faith met her eyes squarely. “Doren doesn’t share easily. The fact that he told you about his past is significant.”
She didn’t know how to respond to that, so she changed the subject. “Did he tell you that Ari activated an artifact?”
“The Precursor disk? Yes, he sent us a message about it while you were in transit.” Faith’s eyes lit up with scientific interest. “I’d love to see it in action, if you don’t mind. The implications if it’s genuine?—”
“It’s genuine.” She reached into the bag she’d been carrying and pulled out the small metal disk. It was inert now, just a circle of dull grey metal with strange symbols etched into its surface. “When Ari touched it, it lit up and we heard... a sound.”
The word was inadequate for the resonance that had filled the cockpit but she didn’t have a better description.
“What kind of sound?”
“I don’t know.” She turned the disk over in her hands. “But it felt like it filled all of the surrounding space.”
“Fascinating.” Faith shifted Ari to one arm and reached out to take the disk with her free hand. She examined it closely, tilting it to catch the light. “The craftsmanship is exquisite. These symbols—they match other Precursor artifacts I’ve studied. If this really does respond to Aurelian touch...”
She held the disk close to Ari, who immediately reached for it with eager fingers. The moment her small hand made contact with the metal, the disk blazed to life again, the symbols glowing in shifting patterns before the same resonance filled the room, until the entire building seemed to echo the song.
Then the sound died and disk went inert, just as it had before.
“Fascinating,” Faith said thoughtfully. “You know that sound, or something like it, could be what the Silver Key is supposed to activate. The Seven Key Species were supposed to be the inheritors of the Precursor legacy. There are theories that they were engineered specifically to interface with Precursor technology—that their DNA contains a kind of genetic key.”
“So Ari is like... a living password?”
“More than that. She might be the only being in the universe who can actually use this device.” Faith’s expression turned serious. “No wonder the Grorn want her. If they could control her, they could access every other artifact the Precursors left behind.”
“We have to protect her,” she said fiercely.
“We will.” Faith reached out to squeeze her arm with her free hand. “Whatever it takes. You’re not alone in this anymore. It’s possible?—”
Before Faith could continue, a heavy body thudded against the door. Emma jumped, but Faith only laughed.
“I think Precious is worried about me.”
“Precious?”
Faith grinned and opened the door to reveal the largest, ugliest animal Emma had ever seen. It had large, bulbous eyes set in a broad homely face with only thin slits for its nose and ears, and its skin was a mottled muddy brown. The animal looked from Faith to Emma and then to Ari and its whole rear half started to wag. Emma’s heart immediately melted.
“This is Precious. She’s very fond of children. And very protective.”
Ari seemed equally fascinated, cooing happily as she reached for the animal.
“I see you’ve met Athtar’s baby,” Doren said dryly as he appeared in the open doorway with Athtar right behind him, effectively blocking the doorway.
Athtar snorted but ignored the comment. “You both need food and rest. Especially you.” He jabbed a massive finger at Doren. “You look like fucking death warmed over.”
“Your hospitality is overwhelming as always.”
