Reality's Plaything 4: Savants Ascendant

by Will Greenway

  Wren leaned close and lowered her voice. “You haven’t gotten away yet.”

  Sindra frowned at her. “Certainly, you don’t hold any grudges against us. We’re friends.”

  “Oh Sindra, that still doesn’t stop me from wanting a nice friendly rematch now.” She laced her fingers and gave them a crack.

  The elder tilted her head. “Wren, I can think of much more entertaining things to do with that gorgeous new body of yours.” She wiggled her eyebrows. “Give us a little private time and we’ll be glad to show you.”

  “Not what I had in mind,” Wren said with a frown.

  “Hey, is that offer open to me?” Azir asked, bouncing on his toes.

  Wren elbowed her brother.

  Sindra raised an eyebrow and looked him up and down. She bit her lip. “There’s only one way to find out.”

  Wren’s father Vanidaar cleared his throat.

  The young man looked over. He coughed. “Well, maybe some other time.”

  “A few decades from now,” Euriel said with a frown.

  “Well,” Cassin said rubbing a finger on her golden cheek. “Annawen and I still have duties to perform. We’ve become the engineering team. We’re still tweaking the T’Evagduran subnet.” She looked back to Queen Kalindinai. “Unless you have new duties for us?”

  “Let me come with you,” Kalindinai said. “I have some more ideas that we can work on together.”

  The Queen and the four twins walked off.

  Ryelle and Janai stood with Daena who still appeared a little lost. The King put a hand on each of his daughter’s shoulders and looked at auburn-haired girl. “How is the prodigal feeling? It seemed like the all-mother gave you quite a jolt.”

  The girl swallowed. “I—I’m still sorting it all out.” She rubbed Janai’s shoulder. “I’m feeling much better though.”

  “Were you feeling bad before?”

  “I was—angry.” She looked over toward Sarai. “It wasn’t justified or deserved, but the feelings were there.”

  “And you’re okay now?”

  She drew a breath. “I was so anxious, so—so desperate. Gaea helped me to realize how silly that was. I was frantic to possess something, as if owning that thing would validate me.” She pursed her lips. “It was foolish.”

  The King leaned close. “You do possess something. You are my daughter’s One.”

  Daena colored and bowed her head. “Yes, Dom’Ista.”

  He turned to Bannor. “This place where you are going. It is not dangerous is it?”

  He looked to Wren. The blonde savant shook her head.

  “Well,” the King said. “I suppose my daughters will be safe enough. They both have shaladens in addition to you and Daena. I can summon you home if needed.”

  Both Sarai and Janai bowed.

  Bannor sheathed his axes, the battle knives, and the Kriar weapons. He gave Sarai a kiss. “Guess I’ll be right back. It sounds like we’re just going to go grab these things and return.”

  “Less than a quarter bell,” Marna promised. “Homeworld isn’t the safest place for me until the Daergons in this coup are rounded up.”

  “Vatraena,” Eclipse said. “Nothing will touch you. Not with us around.”

  Marna nodded. She looked to Quasar. “You know, you’re going to have to be punished. Wren’s mother had every right to want you prosecuted. Even though it didn’t end up being what we thought, your intent to let hostiles into Homeworld remains.”

  “I don’t want her locked up,” Euriel said from the back of the room. “That would be a waste. She’s too good a fighter.”

  “I concur,” Idun said with folded arms. “She didn’t injure either of my grandchildren or put them at immediate risk. She should do some other penance. For now, it is best for her to assist Eclipse. They obviously work well together.”

  “Indeed,” Marna said. “Then we’ll table that matter for later discussion.” She looked around. “Bannor, Desiray, are you ready?”

  The two of them stepped close and nodded.

  Dulcere, Eclipse, and Dulcere gathered close around Marna. In a heartbeat, Bannor felt the universe compress around them. Threads whirled and converged into a single probability; a moment of darkness, and then a flash as they appeared in another place.

  They stood in the confines of what appeared to be an interior corridor looking at a pair of large red doors with a flower pattern painted on them. Windows further down the passage appeared to look out into the vast expanse of Homeworld’s interior. The air did not have that sterile scent that he had begun to associate with the inside areas of the Kriar living spaces. Instead, there was an odor vaguely like dry needleleaf mixed with some kind of spice. An odd rhythmic sound came from overhead that Bannor guessed was some strange kind of music.

  “The privileges of rank,” Quasar noted. “Straight in access. Why are we at Eladrazelle’s domicile?”

  “Because there is little doubt there are enemies three ranks deep around mine,” Marna said.

  The Vatraena stepped up to a crystalline panel on the wall near the door and pressed something. A heartbeat later, a female Kriar, somewhat older looking than Marna appeared in the crystal. She spoke in the singsongy Kriar speech which Bannor understood as a greeting. Marna responded and the doors swung inward for them.

  The six of them stepped in. Eclipse and Quasar stood by the doors until they had completely closed. A short distance away were another set of identical doors.

  The Kriar lady that Marna called Eladrazelle greeted them in the entranceway after the second set of doors.

  The Kriar woman was small for her kind, a spry and wizened imp with the energy of a lady far younger than her apparent age. Long black hair brushing the floor, seamed hands glittering with jewels, she bowed to Quasar and Eclipse with apparently sincere regard. She greeted Desiray with pressed together hands and a nod, black-black eyes glistening with stars. She turned to Bannor and froze. She raised an eyebrow.

  the elder Kriar said taking a step back with hands on hips and looking up at him.

  Marna said, using thought speech. She turned to Eladrazelle.

  Eladrazelle looked up at him, her creased golden face quite attractive despite its apparent age. She pursed her lips. she asked him. She glanced to her colleague.

  “Wasn’t much talking to it,” he admitted. “I looked at the body, saw what it could do.” He shrugged. “And transferred to it.”

  Eladrazelle said with a nod.

  Marna nodded.

  She turned. she asked as they walked out of the entry way and down a flight of marble steps. Open arboretums opened off to either side, the areas more like small dense forests than interior gardens. Flutterbugs and birds flitted through the branches and what looked like rays of sunlight filtered down through the canopies.

 

  Eladrazelle scoffed. They came to an intersecting passage and turned right down it. Glowing windows looked out of the passage into what appeared to be some kind of underwater display. Huge fish, rays, and crustaceans swam, drifted, and crawled in the views of a half dozen different circular windows. Desiray like him peered at the sights with obvious interest, unlike the five Kriar who hardly seemed to notice the displays.

  Marna said.

  The older Kriar stopped and looked u
p at Marna.

  The Vatraena nodded.

  Eladrazelle pursed her lips.

 

  The other Kriar’s jaw dropped open. She blinked those big dark eyes.

  Marna responded.

  They were led to a giant laboratory and introduced to Octavia, a level twenty mecha physician. Like Eladrazelle, Octavia was rather small and unassuming. One wouldn’t have known the creature’s power simply by looking at her. Pale and thin with a shock of blood-red hair, the only truly unusual thing about the mecha was her eyes. They were larger than normal and constantly changed color, cycling through a rainbow of hues. Her pupils were quite strange as well, rather than being round, they looked something like a cat’s eye doubled with one pupil turned at a right angle to the other, forming a kind of cross shape.

  The mecha frowned at the mention of her host being moved, and looked as if she would refuse to do the task. Then Marna told her that the project would be making a body for Gaea, and that the creation would be performed in Starholme Prime. The mecha needed no more persuading and led them straight away to her host box.

  They stepped into the secure vault holding Octavia’s host.

  Having seen Wysteri’s host, he knew what to look for. The knowledge wasn’t necessary, Octavia’s host box took up most of a wall, easily ten times the size Wysteri’s had been. It was taller than he was and easily twice as wide. “Ummm, that’s, uh, big.”

  “Not a problem,” Desiray said. “My cloak can hold twenty of those if we need to.”

  “Those must be some pockets in that thing,” he said. “I saw you pull swords and things out of there, I didn’t realize the magic was that powerful.”

  With the other Kriar assisting, the mecha’s host was disconnected and made ready for transport. When it was ready. Desiray gestured and her white cloak seemed to come alive like one of the boneless sea creatures they saw in the windows on their way here. The cloth stretched out, gathered around the huge device and in a hiss it disappeared.

  Eladrazelle said. She looked toward Marna.

  Marna said, giving the smaller woman a hug.

  The mecha frowned at Marna and sniffed. Her voice was soft but had a little edge to it. “I am certain it will not be overly difficult.” She leaned over and kissed Eladrazelle on the forehead. “I will be back directly, Mother. I will record everything in detail so you can review it.”

  Eladrazelle said.

  They gathered close and in a few heartbeats they were standing back in the council chambers in Kul’Amaron. As he looked around for Sarai he located her sitting with the other savants at the huge conference table set on one side of the room. Several large baskets filled with loaves of bread, wheels of cheese and fruit now sat on the table, and the remainder of the team Gaea had selected to go to Starholme were busy indulging their appetites.

  Eladrazelle’s physician, Octavia glanced around the environment with mild interest, her shimmering rainbow eyes glinting in the torchlight. She brushed at her blood-colored hair as she peered around. Her gaze stopped on four figures near the hall entrance.

  Bannor focused to see who it was. Cassin and Annawen seemed to be having a discussion with Wysteri and Mercedes. He was somewhat surprised that Bronawyn’s physician was still being allowed to wander about. He wondered what turn of events had made that possible.

  Wysteri and Mercedes seemed to feel Octavia’s attention. They looked over. Wysteri turned her head to one side, apparently curious. The placid Mercedes stiffened, her jaw dropping in apparent dismay. She put a hand on Cassin’s shoulder to stop her from talking. Octavia raised her chin.

  For the second time, he witnessed Mercedes doing something out of character. She patted her clothing and brushed at her hair like she was under the scrutiny of a visiting dignitary, which Bannor guessed, among mecha physicians, Octavia probably was. Wysteri practically worshiped Mercedes who he had heard was a level twelve. They were told Octavia was a twenty. So, this physician was as far above Mercedes, as the elite physician had been above Wysteri.

  “Vatraena,” Octavia said in that cool voice. “Will you be needing me immediately?”

  Marna looked around and found the source of the mecha’s interest. “No, it looks like there will be a little time before we leave.”

  Octavia nodded. Hands behind her back she strolled over to the flustered and wide-eyed Mercedes. He watched the mecha’s studied grace, the set of her shoulders and the line of her body. They might not be born creatures, but they certainly had every other aspect of sentient creatures—especially ego.

  “Come sit for a bit,” Wren called to them, gesturing them over. “One bad thing about these bodies is you’re always hungry.”

  The six of them walked over. Desiray went and sat in her husband’s lap and began teasing him, snitching pieces of cheese and bread out of his hands. Dulcere went and settled with languid grace next to Corim, who was there with Senalloy.

  Bannor sat with Sarai and rubbed her shoulder. She smiled for him, brushing at her silvery hair, and enjoying a piece of bread.

  “So,” Wren asked as she bit into a large red crunchfruit. “Who’s the new girl?”

  “Octavia,” Marna answered.

  “Another mecha like Mercedes?”

  “Yes, the most skilled on Homeworld.”

  “Whoa, you’re taking this pretty seriously.”

  “While the Kriar reside here, Eternity is our universe too. Since it appears we won’t have one to live in if something untoward happens to Gaea, it is wise to use the best tools available.”

  “Can’t argue with that.” She looked around. “Marna, I hope you don’t mind being transport. I don’t think Des or Cassandra can take this many.”

  “Not to worry,” Marna said. “I rather prefer the responsibility. I feel I am taking my life in my hands every time I let you youngsters handle the transport.” She tilted her head. “Where exactly are we going?”

  “No place specific actually, we just need a big open space away from civilization. I can handle getting us the rest of the way there.”

  “I finally get to see one of these keys opened,” Cassandra said with a frown. “I’ve managed to miss every other time one was opened.”

  “It’s pretty wild,” Desiray said with a grin.

  Marna turned to Quasar and Eclipse. “You two should rest while you can. I will be safe with Dulcere and these youngsters to protect me.”

  Eclipse bowed to her and Quasar nodded. Together the two of them glided off. Marna watched them go. “I’m glad those two are back together. I was beginning to fear something drastic would be necessary to bring Quasar under control.”

  Dulcere said twisting a finger in her long hair.

  Together with the others, Bannor enjoyed a small repast of bread, cheese, and fruit. That was one of the things about the synthetic bodies provided by Marna. He didn’t realize how hungry he was until he started eating, then it seemed like he couldn’t get enough.

  Sated, he pushed back from the table along with the others. />
  Wren rubbed her hands together and walked to the center of the council chamber. “Let’s do this thing.”

  “Take care of Corim,” Senalloy told Dulcere with a grin. “Sarai, Janai, behave. I’ll look out for Ryelle.”

  The two princesses nodded to her.

  Bannor rose to follow, noticing that Octavia’s audience had grown in number. Several other mecha had also gathered around and they along with Cassin and Annawen were listening to whatever she was saying.

  “Octavia,” Marna said.

  The physician looked up and sighed. She nodded to the other mecha, said some words of parting and walked over to join them.

  “So, where are we going exactly?” Marna asked.

  Wren shrugged. “Anywhere, as long as it’s big and open with no one around. The gate is pretty scary.”

  “Most of the places I know are Kriar installations,” Marna said. “Hmmm,” she fingered her lower lip. “Ah yes, I know a beach here on Titaan that will serve. Prepare yourselves. Three—two—one.”

  The council chambers flickered around them. In a tingle of collapsing universal threads they fell through reality into another location. Kul’Amaron’s pastoral silence was replaced by the rumble of ocean breakers. They stood in an expanse of sand about fifty paces from the tide. The smell of salt and kelp came strong on the senses carried on a cool ocean breeze. Late afternoon light shone on the rocky beach, the horizon just starting to tinge toward orange behind gray ridges of clouds. A headland rose in a steep ascent behind them, the rocks striated in deep reds and oranges.

  “Oooh, nice spot,” Cassandra complimented looking around. “It’s been too long since I’ve been to the beach.”

  Bannor took in the scene with a somewhat sour sensation in his stomach. The last time he’d been near the ocean in a place like this he almost drowned. He noticed from Sarai’s expression that the same memory impinged on her. She and Wren had nearly killed one another in a brawl amongst the breakers.

  Wren looked out into the ocean waves for a moment, a far off look in her glowing blue eyes. She brushed back her blonde hair and turned away. “Let’s go a little further away from the water,” she said. “Our traveling companion doesn’t like wet stuff.” They moved up the beach a dozen steps and Wren pulled Gaea’s device out of her pocket. A narrow loop was made to go over the index finger, while the lower half was bent so as to fit between the thumb and forefinger. A wide flange stretched to the center of the palm ending in a flattened grayish hemisphere about the size of a coin. Around the back of the hand, the metal became thicker and formed an irregular oval. In the center was a large amber gem that pulsed as she slid it onto her hand.