Astra: Synchronicity by Lisa Eskra Page A

the
ability to go unseen. He was not a supernatural magician, yet his
power of subliminal suggestion convinced people to ignore him. The
man could murder someone in a crowd of thousands in broad daylight,
and no one would see him. Being a psion gave Magnius an advantage
over normals; he couldn't always see Tiyuri, but he did sense his
psionic presence nearby.
    A part of him sympathized with Tiyuri. Had he
been born on a more benevolent planet, his future would've been a
bright one. His unwavering loyalty would serve him well in the
Allied Fleet. He wouldn't be saving puppies, but he wouldn't be a
monster.
    Rumors of how the assassin had gone to kill
Aliane and was instead persuaded to join her cause for the honor
and justice of psions everywhere became ingrained in her lore. She
found her way out of almost any situation. After 250 years, her
notorious exploits took on a life of their own. She'd replaced the
Boogyman because she was real.
    Years ago, Magnius respected her. The most
powerful telepath in Astra saw worth in him. Potential enough to
tutor him. At the time he was too young to understand how often she
killed people to maintain her extraordinary power. And then after
what she did to his best friend's father—he still longed to forget
the terrible sight.
    After dinner, he began to pack his bags when
he asked himself why he bothered. He didn't plan to bend to
Aliane's will so her only recourse would be to kill him. If she
didn't do it right away, she would in time. That is, if she didn't
have some other heinous plot in mind.
    He browsed through the drawers of the
nightstand next to him. Lyneea kept jewelry inside, and the fact it
hadn't been touched meant she'd left in a hurry. He grabbed his
shoulder satchel out of the top drawer and tossed it onto the bed.
He'd withdrawn a few thousand dollars after work as he did every
Tuesday; the act seemed pointless at the time, but having it now
felt like a godsend. For the first time in his life, he regretted
not owning a disruptor. Only a headshot would stop Tiyuri, and
Magnius had never been proficient with the guns.
    The bottom drawer had a comtab inside. He
took it out and scrolled through the recently viewed files. Most
were books his wife planned to read. But a scrap of a notefile
caught his attention. It had the word "Kearsarge," today's date,
the address of a landing pad on the other side of the city, and a
universal time less than an hour from now. Was it possible she
hadn't left the planet yet?
    If he planned to escape, this was his best
chance. The prospect scared him shitless, but no matter the
outcome, he needed to try.
    He stuffed the comtab into his satchel in
case he needed to refer back to it and returned to the window.
Lyneea's electric commuter vehicle sat in the driveway next to the
angular black monstrosity Tiyuri arrived in. He could not risk
getting into the garage for his hoverbike so the tiny car would
have to do. He took a few deep breaths, realizing the jeopardy he
was about to throw his life into. For an instant he wished he were
a Seer to assure himself this was the right decision.
    He unlatched the window and quietly slid it
open. The warm ocean breeze caressed his face and tempted him to
stay, but he couldn't. He tossed the satchel outside and watched it
flutter to the ground. Before he managed to step onto the
overhanging roof, he felt an invisible arm wrap around his neck and
begin to choke him.
    "Going somewhere, Magnius?"
    Tiyrui's tight grip had him gasping for air.
The assassin didn't have to bring him voluntarily. Incapacitated
would do just as nicely. He loved to flex his muscles every chance
he got. If only Magnius could use that to his advantage…and before
he lost consciousness.
    As his perception began to waver, Magnius
lurched backward and slammed him into the dresser. Tiyuri yelped as
the mirror shattered, breaking his stranglehold enough for him to
slip out of his grasp and dart to the other side of the room. He
reached for the