Polished

by P. S. Power

  When he appeared, Lydia was behind the main desk, working, since part of her job was as a secretary for the IPB. She looked at him and went wide eyed.

  “Okay, that’s pretty cool. Weren’t you in Noram? I’m supposed to go and get you all in… About an hour.”

  He nodded.

  “I came from there directly. They have me in training right now, for some reason. It probably means I’m incredibly lazy and they’re getting sick of putting up with that sort of thing. I need to go and see Turner, then get myself back, from here. We’ll see you in eight hours, Noram time?”

  The girl glanced at her watch, then nodded.

  “Yep, about that. If you don’t come back sooner. That’s… I can’t do that without a node. Not yet. I guess I need to figure that out, don’t I? I’m going to start feeling useless again, if I’m not careful.”

  He shook his head, since that was just silly. Not that she shouldn’t learn to use her skills better. The more she could do that way, the better her abilities would serve her. The same was true for him, as well, of course.

  “I can’t take people with me, yet, so you get some time. That’s probably next. Sara mentioned that I can do that, I guess? Who do you need to get with to learn that kind of thing?” If it was really a thing that a regular person could learn to do at all.

  The girl stopped moving for a moment, then shrugged.

  “Avery Rome. She’s the one teaching that, though I’ll need to go and find her for it, I think. She hasn’t been around for a while.”

  Marcia Turner moved to the door of her office and nodded.

  “Good point, Lydia. Really, as soon as you get back from collecting our people later, I want you to check on her. Take backup with you, in case something’s going on in her world. I’ll let you pick who that is. Someone tough but non-threatening. Richard…” She looked at him, working things out in her own head.

  He smiled at her. She was pretty good looking, after all. Too young for him, though closer than most people around him by a good bit. That part of him was interested in her was clear when he thought about it. Not as much as he was interested in Kerry, though he didn’t let himself dwell on that. On either woman. They didn't have time to deal with his hormones at the moment.

  Focusing, he drove most of that kind of thing away, instantly.

  “Tor Baker is making me learn to use my powers properly. It’s… A lot more like teleportation now, in what I can do. Sara, our Sara, is helping him. She seems to think that I can move other people around which… Well, I just came from Noram and have to get back on my own.” He stopped speaking, the woman nodding at him.

  There was a low whistle at the idea.

  “Do that and you’ll probably become a class three, instead of a class one. Not that it will change anything for you, directly. Keep me in the loop on that. Also, on the goal of the mission… Any news on that?” It was clear the woman wasn’t using names, on purpose. There was simply too good of a chance that they were being watched at any given moment there on the base. Even in other places. So operational security was pretty much a way of life there. At least for some of them.

  Richard let his face go flat, then locked eyes with her. Brown to brown.

  “Oh, our friend is in with us. Really, she wants our help in doing it. So it was her idea. She seemed to be saying that she was doing it, even if no one would help her. I haven’t even seen her in a day, over there, so she probably thinks that I’m being lazy about the whole thing... If it ever comes up, Tor Baker is a real task master, let me tell you. I’ve never been run this hard in my life. He gets results though, I have to admit.”

  He was joking but Turner just nodded, seeming to be interested in hearing about that new development. There was no smile on her face, just a sense of focus that seemed almost sly. As if that bit of knowledge was a thing she might be able to use.

  “Good to know. I’ll keep that in mind, in case anything comes up. Around here that’s almost certain.”

  Then, almost cutely, she waved for him to leave. That portion of things was faster, since he knew where to go back to, directly.

  Chapter seven

  Richard Drake had, incorrectly, expected that going back to Noram would lead to a discussion of what to do with the new people, or possibly having to fight a bit in order to find a place for everyone that wanted to stay. Instead he was met by a familiar looking small woman that he’d seen before a few times at the IPB base in his own world. Taman Baker.

  She smiled at him, making it look nearly like a sneer. A thing that didn't really fit on her face at all. It was, Richard was nearly certain, the tiny woman trying to act tough. She was too cute for that though and couldn’t even really manage to seem merely bitchy. It was hard not to smile in return, even if it was clear he was supposed to act intimidated.

  Her older brother, Tor, stood behind her, seeming rather uneasy, for some reason. Like a little boy that had a cookie held behind his back. There was even shifting from foot to foot as he avoided looking at Rich at all.

  When he spoke, or tried to, the small woman cut him off directly.

  “This is Richard Drake.” That was all the very tall man got out before the smaller person, a very attractive brunette, waved for him to shut up. It wasn’t done with words but honestly seemed like the giant man was going to be slammed in the groin if he didn’t hold his tongue.

  “I have this, brother. You did your part already, finding what Mr. Drake needs to learn next. Standard. Go away.” Then, seeming almost like she was a bit evil, which wasn’t her normal way of behaving from the little that Richard had ever seen, Tor actually did it. Leaving both of them standing in the front room of the mansion that was used for the biological changes. The short woman waved for him to follow, holding a bag of something in front of her.

  That was small and made soft clicking noises as she moved away. Rapidly enough that it took actual work to keep up with her.

  She was dressed in what seemed like black colored crushed velvet. On her feet were military style boots, done in leather. They weren’t the most attractive things in the world and didn’t really go with the rest of the magical outfit. Her body language was tense, even if Rich didn’t really get what was going on with her that way. They might not be fast friends but nothing he’d done should have gotten her all that worked up, as far as he knew.

  Which was the real problem, no doubt. What he didn't know about the people he was working with was vast and huge beyond all consideration. They were, nearly as much as the Ysidril, aliens to him. It was very possible that he’d transgressed in a very real way to them and was about to be dressed down for it. That fit her facial expression at least.

  When they got to a side room, a very plain thing with only two hard looking black glass chairs and a small table in the twenty by twenty space, the tiny lady spoke, in English.

  “Tor used one of my pain stones to help you learn to focus, which worked. Most who have used such things refuse to touch them a second time, which you did, meaning you are stronger than many. I’m… going to teach you Standard now. I’ve been told that we have eight hours in which to work. The new system I have for that is very fast, possibly. It also might not work and will be painful, in potential. Especially if we fail. Are you ready for that?”

  The odds were he wasn’t really. Knowing more about what she had planned would have been very nice, given that. Instead of waiting for his reply, the good-looking woman, who seemed almost like a china doll come to life, held her right hand out. In it was a rock, with a glowing symbol on the surface. That was about the size of his thumb, on the top of the rough looking thing. It looked to still have dirt on it, as if recently picked up from the ground.

  Like a fool, he put his hand out to take it. The wicked look on her face, a half smile, sobered then, as the world around him altered and shifted. The light seemed to fade, with only the woman in front of him being left as a thing to focus on at all. She spoke, her voice calm and not very loud at all. It was the only thin
g he could hear, even as she nearly whispered at him. The whole thing had an unreal quality. Accompanied by a rushing sound in his ears that reminded him of waves beating against the shore.

  That part was just his heart beating, he didn’t doubt.

  Then she started to speak. First in English, then in a different, more guttural, tongue. Repeating what she’d just said, for him to absorb. Her words were quick and fascinating, on a level that left him feeling almost like he was asleep. Until the pain came. That was when he had to repeat back everything she said. Exactly, or he was hit with waves of discomfort. The rock in his hand actually throbbing, in time with his blood flow. Beating in time with his heart, which pounded and struggled to keep up with the needs of his body. His mind, he realized, since he was just sitting in a chair, not running flat out like it suddenly felt like.

  Nothing was repeated by Taman Baker at all. She glared at him, or it felt like that, as she kept speaking, listing a hundred words as if from memory, then had him repeat it all. Word for word. He didn't have to do it perfectly, but when it was his turn he felt like his spine was being twisted out of his back if he missed things by too much. If he’d been in school, he would have figured it as him passing the test with a ninety percent or better. That level left him in agony when it was time for him to recall what had been said.

  The whole thing was dream like and felt like it was going on forever. They didn't take a break, either. Not for a very long time. When they finally came up for air, Richard gasped, feeling like he’d tried to run a marathon or something foolish like that.

  Taman smiled at him, seeming to mean it, then took the glass like tile from his fingers. Richard didn't know how long they’d been there, sitting, but his behind was numb, which meant it had been hours at least. It felt like longer than that.

  Once the tile was placed back in her tiny sack, the small woman looked deeply into his eyes. Then she spoke. A bit slowly, in Standard.

  “Richard… How do you feel? Are you able to speak?”

  He replied in kind, smoothly enough that it felt almost natural. Not like he’d just been learning the new tongue. For one thing there was no sense of having to struggle for words.

  “I’m good, actually. A bit tired. I haven’t really rested in a few days. You people don’t do things half way here, do you?” He grinned at that idea. Yes, the learning hadn’t been fun but knowing that it was an option was something that he could use in the future.

  Working with the IPB had taught him that one. They never really gave a fellow enough time to learn and get ready, it seemed. Not so far, at any rate. Finding a way to get ready faster might just be important, given that.

  Reaching across the space, the small, tired seeming girl touched his hand, holding her own on top of his. If it had been done first thing, he would have thought the girl was trying to flirt with him. Now it seemed more like someone comforting a dying friend.

  Her voice was a bit subdued, when she looked up into his eyes.

  “Truly, we aren’t this harsh with most people. This was a test, to see if it could be done. I can’t imagine anyone else volunteering for it. The pain of it… I nearly had to stop several times, when you started to cry from it.” She looked away, her face concerned. Probably at the idea of a man tearing up like that.

  Richard knew that one though, from a long life. If things hurt enough, you did that sort of thing, from time to time. It wasn’t the same as crying because you were a weak sister. To that end he smiled and waved that idea away.

  “It was only pain. Which is gone now. Not that it was fun, mind.” Stopping for a second, still speaking in the new language, which felt like it was flowing very smoothly, so far, he nodded. “How’s my accent? I can tell I have one still. We should work on that, if we get a chance. Do this all again, next time we meet, only to fix the rough edges? That will be at least a week for me. I have a lot to do back home. It might be longer, even, since… Well, I can’t really tell you, I don’t think. You come to my world too often and if you knew about it, you might be killed by our enemies.” That was a little bit dramatic of him to say though it came across very nicely in Standard.

  At least Taman went wide eyed. Then she ignored the last part of what he’d said totally.

  “You’re willing to do it again, to learn how to speak without an accent? You’re very understandable as it is, truly. That took nearly six hours. I can work up a new protocol for it however, if you will try it? I didn’t… It’s very close to being abusive of me to have done it at all.” She teared up then, as if she’d wronged him greatly.

  It had hurt at times and the whole thing was like an acid trip or had been. Still, while not a game or friendly picnic, the memory of it was fading from him. Almost like a dream. Except that he was still able to speak fluent Standard. Learned in only six hours. He’d never had a particular head for languages, so it wasn’t his own natural talent at all. Rather it was the magical process that had led him to it.

  So he nodded, smiling a bit.

  “I could have simply dropped the rock, if it was too much to take, so don’t worry over that part. We should do that, with the accent. Then, if it holds, I’d like to work up other things that can be done this way… Is there a way to get you out of the picture on that? I mean, if we can just pass stones to people and have them learn complex things in a short period of time, with no teacher being needed directly, that would be amazing. Not that I’m going to recommend we use this on school kids. Still, sometimes you need to know things and don’t have two years to learn it. Doing it this way might save lives. I can see that as being valuable on a level that’s hard to explain right now.”

  For some reason the fairly short girl, who he was a head taller than, moved in to give him a hug. It was close enough and lasted long enough that it didn't seem totally like she was trying to comfort him or even just show how happy she was that he could speak her language.

  When she let go, pulling back a bit, she kissed him on the cheek. It took him a moment to recall that he looked nearly the same age she did. Anyone watching it would have found the scene sweet or even cute, without being half as creepy as it really was.

  Her voice was soft now, not stern as it had been to begin with, all those hours before.

  “I think I might be able to do that, actually. Place whole lessons into the stone like you suggest. Only for things that I know, personally, of course. So, I’d have to learn things first, then make the magical protocol for each lesson stone… That can be done, as long as what is being learned isn’t too complex. That’s not perfect but I already speak most of the languages here, which might be a good start. I’ll need to learn Fleet and Ysidril as well. I’ll work on those, soon. That or find someone who does to do the work for me. After we do the one you suggested, with the accent.”

  He nodded.

  “Customs and courtesies as well? Then we can hand any new ambassadors a couple of rocks and have them up to speed inside a week or two, instead of bumbling around like I’ve been doing here. Not that I’m on that level at all.” He didn't even have a real job title, other than IPB Operative.

  For some reason the words got him hugged again. This time he was nearly certain it was about the woman liking him, even if she was far too young for an old man like himself. His hormones cared about that factor not at all, so he stood back after a moment, smiling. It probably seemed abrupt of him, so he reached out and touched her on the arm, gently.

  “I need to find the people that I’m with here. I should also sleep, except that I don’t have time for it. Lacking that, drugs are in order, no doubt.”

  The words got a soft sigh and a nod in return.

  “Yes. Tor and I… Our whole world, has been abusing you. Can you forgive us? You and your people are heroes and we repay you by making you struggle and suffer.”

  That wasn’t exactly how he was looking at things, so Richard was able to honestly shake his head no. Which was good, since he’d heard that all the wizards from Noram could read minds, at
least a little.

  “Those are separate things and what I needed to do in order to earn the skills that I need. Besides, there are people from here that would have done what we did, if it came up in our world. In fact, it’s happened, so I know that one for a fact.” Richard hadn’t been there for it but had heard how Will Baker had nearly died once, saving most of New York City.

  That was far more heroic than his hiding in the bushes while his crew had done most of the hard work, the day before. If it had been that long before. He wasn’t truly certain on that score at all. It might be closer to two days, even.

  Taman took his arm, linked her own through his, and walked with him, the small bag she was carrying, which matched her black velvet outfit, in her other hand. They didn’t speak as they moved, since his head was reeling a bit still. Mainly from lack of sleep. That or the eerie drug trip that the magic had taken him on. When they got to the sitting room over to the left side of the mansion, they were met by a nervous looking Tor Baker and a much more relaxed Dareg Canton.

  They both looked at him closely, standing up as if he was getting out of the hospital, instead of having had a few language lessons packed into too short of a time. A few hundred, really.

  Stopping, he let go of Taman’s arm and bowed. Then spoke in their language. Smoothly.

  Nearly perfectly, except for his American accent.

  “Hello! Taman’s magical language lessons work, wonderfully. We were just going over some other things to try that way. As long as this holds out for me, we’re going to be attempting some things on other people. Volunteers, of course. There are some bugs to work out, I’m certain.”

  Dareg smiled at him, nodding hugely. A big hand moved out to slap Richard gently on the shoulder. The man was looming over him, being well over seven feet tall, though other than leaving Rich feeling like a small child it wasn’t a big deal. His black hair and good-looking face were a bit annoying for a brief second. Not as much as Tor’s were at all, since the poor man looked too soft by far. Attractive but in a way that was probably a bit broken for the real world. Richard let that fade from his thoughts, trying not to judge.