Free Lost and Sound by Viola Grace

Chapter One
     
     
    Yllin Gerocard flexed her fingers and waited for her turn at the testing unit. The Citadel was holding trials for those who thought they might have a talent suitable for working in the stars.
    Yllin rubbed her hands on her leathers and she waited. Waiting was not her strong suit, but she tried to keep herself calm while name after name was called and those around her were taken in ahead of her.
    Many of those applying had psychic talents or thought they did. Yllin had to wait for the Citadel Master who was interviewing physical and sensory talents.
    Yllin breathed deep and drummed her fingers silently on her knees. When she heard, “Yllin Gerocard?” she jumped out of her seat and was at the man’s side in an instant.
    He towered over her, and the scarlet of his skin glowed brightly. His eyes were far narrower than any person of her acquaintance, but then, she hadn’t met an alien before.
    He looked down at her with surprise. “Yllin?”
    She smiled nervously. “That’s me.”
    He inclined his head and extended his hand. “I am Combat Master Wercor. Please come with me to the testing ground, and we will see what you can do.”
    She gripped his hand in hers, and he was surprised at her grip. That much was obvious.
    “May I ask what you do for a living?” He released her hand and escorted her through one of the halls in the city centre.
    “I am a waitress. I serve food.”
    “You have quite the grip.”
    She chuckled. “It goes with the job. I get charged for breakage, so I try not to drop things.”
    The testing ground was located in the convention centre, and the maze of structures was designed to keep her from getting around with any sort of speed.
    Master Wercor stopped at a red line on the floor. “Yllin, I want you to go through the maze and pick up three of the nine orbs hidden in the warehouse. You have an hour.”
    “That is it?”
    He went to a counter and pulled out a narrow box. “Nearly. You need to wear these sensors on your forehead. They won’t interfere with your talent, but they will tell us what is going on when you use it.”
    She nodded and settled them on her skin. One on each temple and one in the centre of her forehead.
    He set his tablet and smiled. “When you are ready, I will start the clock.”
    Yllin lifted her head and she said, “Now.”
    The pulse went from her mind through the facility, reached the edge of her range and returned to her. She ran for the furthest orb of the three, and she had to tip over part of the maze to get to it. It was buried under the wall. Holding it in her hand, she ran toward the second, left, right and left again.
    She had to lie on the floor and reach behind the podium, but she found the second orb. The shiny gold ball just fit in her left hand as she ran to the third and final orb. The six in the far reaches of the space were unnecessary. She just needed the third orb.
    The third orb was hidden under carpet, so she flicked her knife open and knelt, digging a hole in the turf-style carpet that was thrown in front of the start line. The orb popped out, and she caught it between her left arm and her chest while she put her knife back in her boot.
    Yllin gathered the prizes and walked back to the line. “Anything else?”
    Master Wercor showed her a map of the facility on his tablet. “Please show me where the other six are located.”
    She tapped the screen at the locations and smiled, “The last one is tricky, there are two located there, one on top of the other.”
    The locations glowed on screen and when he tapped the page, a map overlaid her selections with bright marks.
    “You are perfectly correct. How did you make the determination?” He set the tablet down and took the orbs from her.
    “I looked for the material that appeared nine times in the field. The first scan missed those that were buried underground. Can I take these tabs off now?”
    He nodded his head. “I will have to run this past our council, but I believe