“We need to protect Luna.” Si stated, his voice serious.

  “I agree.” Lukai confirmed.

  They both had a busy day.

  Lukai was responsible for preparing everything on Moon Three and in the warehouses. It was almost done, and he was sure that by the day before the agreed date, all would be perfectly ready.

  Earlier, Si had gone to meet with Domini to discuss the plan and ask for his support. It was not all; he agreed with his family on the next steps regarding the Shadows’ future as well.

  That was surprising news. Lukai was not aware Si had made his decision already. Before, it looked like he wanted to avoid it. This move marked a change of mind for him.

  Si, as if he had decided on it, was very honest. The moment they met today, he started with a sincere exchange of knowledge.

  Lukai appreciated not only what he had learned but also that Si didn’t insist on Lukai doing the same quickly. They knew each other. Lukai needed time to process. Though he was sure, he also would need to say openly what he knew very soon.

  Starting with his connection to Domini—his father.

  Lukai hadn’t contacted or met his father for a very long time. He was curious about what Si’s notions were concerning Domini’s decisions and behavior. They had much contact lately; he asked about his observations.

  “So, Domini has impossible ambitions. He wants to play and use people, but he is not trying to get to know the people he is playing with. Because of it, he is running blindly on a very thin line, and he is not sure about where it heads. I know from my mother that two or three years ago, he was sharp and focused. She mentioned he simply is tired.” Si said it very openly.

  Lukai had to think it through. He needed to understand the mistakes his father had made, both in the past and presently, if he wanted to take over…

  “Correction,” he said to himself. “Not to take over, but to change my father’s old direction to a new one. The one I had thought about for years. As Unio is falling apart.”

  Lukai was sure he was closer to executing his plans. The time was approaching. But today was not the day to share it with Si or to think in detail about it.

  “What about Luna’s device?” he asked.

  “Taj?” Si looked surprised by Lukai’s question, and he wondered why.

  A moment later he understood.

  “Taj is a person, Lukai,” Si said. “I decided to tell you, as I noticed you do not know. Crystal in which he is stored is called e.i.; you are aware of it, I know. It is a device, yes. But the one stored in Crystal is a person. You said you figured out that Taj was—is Elder from the Sect. So, he is a real person; his body has been dead for a long time, but his mind is alive.”

  Lukai listened in silence.

  Si continued. “We lost contact with him three decades ago. His Crystal went missing then. I need to add that Crystal is difficult to destroy. Taj is secure. And I also know it from my mother: Taj has his own energy; he can be charged with energy, but he has his skills and uploaded knowledge. What can be important for you to know, Lukai, is that Taj was cooperating with the Sect’s Commander very closely; they were related. He knows many things I am aware you are looking for.”

  Lukai noticed that Si gave him quite a strange look. Still, he didn’t comment on it. He listened further.

  “However, he is a person, Lukai, not a storage device. No one can unload the data he stores. I’m telling you this, and I also plan to tell you more of what I know and what we Shadows know—because we need to cooperate. Find and destroy the attackers, and then organize our reality. It is time. Do you agree?”

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  “I agree,” Lukai finally said.

  “Luna, then, we need to protect her. She said Taj will join me and you during our fight on Moon Three. Of course, if it all happens and the attackers are allured by this simple target. Though she said we shouldn’t worry about her and Taj, I am worried. Prepare additional security layers at the location,” Si said.

  It was obvious. Lukai nodded.

  “Lukai?” Si looked at him with attention. “I plan to marry Luna.”

  “I am aware. No disagreement here between us, Si.”

  They discussed the details, divided tasks between themselves, and then Si left.

  Lukai, when alone, was lost in his thoughts.

  It was the truth. About Luna, he had already decided.

  Long ago, he let go of attachment, and recently, he reminded himself of it after he needed to end one relationship that was insignificant. For her, though, it became apparent that it was important. Fenix. An ambitious and skilled woman. She was wise enough to not show her disappointment; she moved from the main camp to Planet Three and took over the management of the OFF’ camps there, joined the other partners.

  … Lukai had noticed that Planet Three had often been visited by Yura. Too regularly.

  He would need to travel there later.

  What was significant were other things. Because he would rather not engage in any relations, Luna lost her importance.

  The e.i.—it was crucial.

  What Si had said confirmed that this was what Lukai needed. If he recalled correctly from the notes he had read a few years ago, when the materials from the Sect’s Academia were still available, in fact, Elder An—Taj—was very close to Commander.

  They were lovers.

  Commander’s weapons, the way he destroyed Crystalers—it was mentioned. Commander invented a way to remotely destroy Crystals energy. It was rumored he found a way to do the same with Ability. Remotely!

  The possibilities! The power…

  Many things were mentioned that Lukai would like to get to know in detail. If they were close, Commander and the e.i., then Lukai needed to have it.

  Additionally, the notes described Crystals’ devices, like this e.i.; Lukai more or less already knew about what Si had told him. For what exactly did they create those Crystals?

  Were they meant to be used as navigations only? Lukai was not certain.

  The notes also mentioned that Elder An—Taj—was an interesting object for scientific observation. Of what kind? He recalled that there were Elders who possessed more than one type of energy in their bodies. He wasn’t sure of the names of those Elders, but what if Taj was one of them?

  How was it possible? Currently, the only ones that could combine two energies were duals. Deadly feature. However, Luna was still alive. She had said it was because of something this Taj prepared for her…

  Nevertheless, Taj, the device. The e.i.—Lukai needed it.

  But it was almost impossible to get his hands on it currently. Moreover, Lukai was aware he wouldn’t know how to release the projection. And the projection, how did it work?

  What if Taj became fully charged? Could he use his energy? Could he fight, use those weapons?

  The trap they planned, which Taj confirmed he would help with… in what way? What could he do?

  So many questions.

  Lukai then had another thought. He felt anxious, as he was sure that having the e.i. would help him fulfill his dreams. His goals.

  His goals as the son of Domini—trained to be the next ruler.

  That he decided to let it go and follow his path surprised his father. Lukai changed his name, but it was mostly symbolic, not that his father couldn’t find him.

  Unio had been heading in the wrong direction for years. Si was right; his recent and past observations were all correct. Domini was either getting tired or had stopped caring.

  He was playing this game but partially blind.

  It was rotten. The families were corrupted; they were destroying the alliance. They were so prejudiced, creating artificial divisions between people.

  Energism was a very fresh concept, but it was not the only problem. The division between rich and poor was deeper. The division between who had what parents, what roots, what skin color, and what orientation.

  It didn’t matter fifty years ago, from what Lukai knew.

  It was the families that created these divisions, making people heated about those topics. Omitting the more important ones, like corruption.

  Lukai admired Shadows. Both the current Shadows Lord and his son were politically wise. Even Si’s mother, she was a great woman, Lukai observed. They cooperated and were able to not only restore the Sect’s glory but also develop further.

  They acted wisely—progressing slowly.

  The OFF, though. It was meant to achieve what Shadows had achieved, but for Abilitiers. To restore natural energy’s glory.

  Lukai created the program; together with Yura they set up foundations years ago already. At the beginning, they wanted detachment from Crystals politics of obligatory implants.

  They wanted to stop inserting implants and go back to the old design, which, of course, needed to be changed and improved. Inbuilt into the body and miniaturized, but with a possibility to remove Crystal from the body.

  Furthermore, they wanted to give the option to refuse.

  Lukai was focused on Ability cultivation and neutral types of energy, but he also wanted to find out more about the waves. The other split, particularly.

  He needed the knowledge.

  “I require it, the e.i., this Taj,” Lukai said to himself.

  Impatience, he could feel, was growing in him.