“I’m ready when you are,” T’Hargen offered in such a suggestive tone that inappropriate images of him naked, glinting oil defining every solid, carved muscle, crowded her mind.
“What?” she gasped on a startled breath.
Amusement sparkled in T’Hargen’s eyes. “To follow your drone’s instructions to unlock the computer.”
Oh, right.
She stamped down hard on the disappointment sucking at her and asked TL for the code. He trilled a reply.
“Tap the grey screen to the sequence he pipes,” she directed.
“Very well.” T’Hargen moved to the holographic console. “Stand behind me.”
“Why?”
“Because, my dear Kathryn, you may trust this artificially intelligent individual, but I do not. g’Nel knows this could be a trap.”
She ignored the ‘my dear Kathryn’, not to mention the corresponding little wiggle her heart gave. “To do what?”
“I don’t know. That is often the nature of traps.”
Whatever. Knowing T’Hargen wouldn’t proceed until she complied, she stood behind him. Despite his leaning over the console, his broad shoulders and back filled her gaze, his sheer size engendering a feeling of security. TL hovered at her shoulder.
“Closer.”
She shuffled forwards a half step.
“Closer.”
Any closer, and I’ll be in your back pocket.
She reached out a hand and placed it on his waist. Warmth leaped to her palm.
“Mmmm,” he murmured. “That’s it.”
Suspicion pricked her mind.
Is this payback? Does he know how unsettling I find this?
TL trilled a Morse code-like sequence of notes. T’Hargen’s right arm moved as he no doubt imitated the series.
“Ah! That’s got it,” he articulated very clearly. “Now—”
She removed her hand from his back.
“No, Kathryn, stay where you are.”
She glowered at him.
“I can’t feel you.”
Heavens above, he almost said that in singsong.
His form remained motionless before her.
“Kathryn.”
Fine. She placed her hand on his hip and dug her nails in.
“Excellent.” Seething annoyance boiled at his tone of approval.
Payback’s a bitch.
His shoulder blades moved and his back muscles rippled. She leaned a little closer and peered around him. His hands seemed to dance across the now backlit smoky screen, stabbing at curly icons in what appeared a random manner. But what did she know?
TL swooped around to hang before him, hooting and burbling advice in a distinctly patronising pitch while pointing out T’Hargen’s mistakes.
“Yes, thank you, I think I can manage,” T’Hargen murmured, obviously comprehending the tone if not the actual communication of her friend, and herded him away with a big hand. “There. I think that’s got it.”
A modulating buzz filled the air. She looked over her shoulder. The viewing frame flickered. For a half second she glimpsed bright light, an impression of deep perspective and uniform lines too straight to be natural. The artificial image of the rock wall re-established then vanished.
An image appeared of an enormous cavern strewn with buildings hewn from rock, like Petra below ground. She stared in utter astonishment. Gigantic, rounded columns graced many structures’ façades. Huge stalactites glowed from within like geological chandeliers shedding soft, white radiance throughout the vast space.
“I think it’s okay if you release me know, Kathryn.”
Hmm?
The same sea-green tiles as she’d seen in the tunnel defined a wide thoroughfare leading arrow-straight away from them. She marvelled at the clarity of the image. Everything seemed so real, so immediate, so three-dimensional.
“That’s not a screen.” T’Hargen’s voice seemed to tap on the edge of her awareness. “That’s a doorway.”
Chapter 4
Oh my stars!
Excitement coursed through Kat on a flood of breathless anticipation. When she’d decided to explore her new home world, she hadn’t expected to discover an underground city. She rushed forwards, TL’s beweebling encouraging her on. She tried to encompass every new detail at once.
The solid length of an arm wrapped around her waist and hauled her to a halt.
“Not so fast.” T’Hargen’s lips brushed the hair by her temple. “You can’t simply rush in. You don’t know what you might encounter.”
His soft, warm breath feathered across her skin. A shiver rippled down her ear canal. She ignored it.
Sort of.
“I wasn’t about to rush in, T’Hargen, I just wanted a closer look.”
She stood by his side, shoulder-to-bicep, on the threshold of the viewing frame. Long, wide steps of lustrous, pale-grey stone led down about thirty feet to a remarkably level, reddish-brown rock floor. The ruler-straight, green-tiled pathway cut a sharp line towards a vaulted pointed arch some distance away, beyond which lay another cavern redolent with light. A complicated, round, stone-looking maze bisected the thoroughfare midway along its length. From its centre, a tall, dark column towered.
“I want a closer look at that,” T’Hargen said in a low, determined voice.
Kat turned to him. “Anything in particular, or the whole shebang?”
Gaze trained straight ahead, a harsh expression emphasised the cut precision of his cheekbones. “That pillar.”
She studied the maze, about a quarter-mile distant. The walls looked tall, possibly even of greater height than T’Hargen. “Well, from up here we can at least map out the correct route through it.”
“Yes, or I can . . .” He held his scanner, tapped the screen a few times then turned it towards her, showing a representation of the maze with a course plotted from entry to exit.
“Where’s the fun in that?” Besides— “What if the walls move?”
He frowned at her. “I doubt we’ll find much fun here, and the scanner will calculate any alterations in the arrangement of the maze.” His sombre and wary tone puzzled her, so at odds as it was with the thrill of adventure before them. “Kathryn, you must remain in this cavern.”
She snorted. Yeah. Sure.
The discovery of a lifetime and he wanted her to sit on the sidelines.
Not gonna happen.
She arched an eyebrow and gave him a how-successful-do-you-think-that’s-going-to-be look. His lips compressed and she could see the fight going on behind his eyes to persuade her or accept her presence. She recognised the point when he accepted convincing her would be futile.
Resistance often is.
She repressed a grin in respect to his unaccountably grave demeanour.
“Very well,” he conceded. “Remain close.”
“Where’ve I heard that before?”
“I am in extreme earnest, Kathryn.”
“I’ll stay right by your side.”
“I have detected no life signs. However”—his glance flicked to TL—“can you rely on it to provide protection?”
He has already, but if I tell you that . . . “Yes. He’ll look out for me.” Whether he’ll look out for you, I’m not so sure.
T’Hargen took a half step then halted. “Kathryn, if I give you an instruction, obey it immediately.”
She eyed him calmly. I think you’re being overly protective, with a definite tendency towards secretive, however, in the interests of amity . . . “As you wish.”
She grabbed her backpack then offered him a radiant smile.
“Let’s go see the wizard, then.”
He turned from her and muttered in the solemn tone of an oath, “One
day I shall truly comprehend the words you speak.”
Don’t count on it, Grasshopper.
She followed him down the beautiful, smooth steps, excitement a tingling fizz in her veins, with TL holding position by her shoulder. Interest and delight bounced her gaze around like a Super Ball off corrugated iron. The place was immaculate, nothing where it shouldn’t be. No dirt, no litter, no deterioration. A little disappointment seeped into her enthusiasm.
Perhaps it’s not old after all.
Statues of strange winged and finned animals, so beautifully sculpted in some bronze-like medium they seemed to vibrate with energy, dotted the narrow alleyways between buildings. She hoped the memory in her camera held up. Every time she stopped to record the frescoes in wondrous, vibrant colours of peaceful lake scenes, the chaotic convulsions of nature spewing lava and lightning, and grand vistas of snow-capped mountains that enlivened the dark-rose rock of flat-sided building walls, T’Hargen growled at her to keep up.
The entire place exuded such an air of presence that she could almost hear the hum of conversation, expected at any moment an individual or two to appear, chatting in lively debate about the finer points of some contemporary ideology.
“Any idea what makes the stalactites glow, and so vividly?”
“No doubt some natural form of mineral luminescence.”
That sounded amazing to her. For rocks on Earth to photoluminescence they needed UV rays to react, yet T’Hargen seemed to regard it as commonplace, or at least not worthy of appreciation. Was it so? Or did his current preoccupation colour his perspective? She cast a concerned glance over his alert and striding form.
What about that column troubles him so?
The occasional squeak of the polymer soles of their boots on the smooth surface of the tiles shot through the cavernous silence like an audio spear. The closer they approached the maze the more the central column slipped from sight behind the solid rock walls.
T’Hargen’s gaze remained constant on their target, and she wondered at the driving force behind his intent focus, at how he could ignore the magnificent mystery surrounding them.
“Do you recognise it? The column?”
“I’ve seen its like before, yes.”
Oh. Her excitement deflated a little. Perhaps this wasn’t quite the discovery she’d imagined.
“What about all”—she swept her hands in a broad wave—“this rock-cut architecture? Below ground?”
His gaze actually flickered for an instant to the wonders they walked by.
“No.”
Her spirit soared again to the wind of discovery. She itched to explore the insides of the buildings, see if the murals were emulated in the interiors, what style of design they employed. Discover if she could garner any hints of the form these people may have taken. She settled her gaze on T’Hargen.
I can wait. At present, his need is certainly greater than mine.
A fine, high-pitched tinkling, like the chiming of silver shells, glided into her ears. She cocked her head, seeking the direction from which it came, then turned to her left. Vertical jets of water shot in rhythmic pulses onto a thin, silver square balanced horizontally above a cinnabar-tiled fountain. Its melodic and visual beauty enchanted her and she barely held her feet from turning towards it. With more determination than she thought she’d need, she directed her attention forwards.
“Where have you seen the column before?”
T’Hargen turned a sombre gaze to her. “In data streams on Bluthen computers.”
Shock and surprise widened her eyes. She stared at the awesome splendour of the city then at TL.
No way.
“This can’t be Bluthen.”
“I didn’t say it was, but there is a connection and I intend to discover what it is.”
Okay.
“How?”
“To start with, by getting a closer look at the writing on the pillar.”
“There’s writing on it? Has it been deciphered? Do you know what it says?”
“If our translation is correct, the segments I’ve seen speak gibberish, but I hope an in situ appraisal might provide more insightful answers.”
They drew near the maze and Kat admired the restful beauty of the smooth, dappled rose-and-grey stone. Petroglyphs of intricately carved vines flowering geometric shapes bordered the crown of the ten-foot walls. At sporadic intervals water ran in a smooth wave down the face of the rock and she marvelled at the lack of lichen or algae growth.
“Keep moving, Kathryn.”
T’Hargen’s tension cast an uneasy shadow on her enthusiasm and she sighed.
Damn, this has turned from an exhilarating exploration to an investigation into exposing a possible enemy threat. What a bummer.
She hitched her backpack into a more comfortable position and jogged after him into the maze, TL a comforting hum at her back.
~ ~ ~
The walls did not move and it took very little time to navigate their way through the labyrinth to emerge into a round clearing. As though reaching for the largest, most radiant, stalactite, the granite-like pillar rose at least twenty feet above them. Kat tilted her head back and stared at the etched hieroglyphs scrolled across its four flat-edged sides.
Hmph. I travel God knows how many light years and what do I find on the other side of the Galaxy? Cleopatra’s Needle, or at least the local equivalent.
“What do you say, TL, any idea of the meaning behind this?” She jerked a thumb towards the pillar.
He warbled a string of staccato notes.
“Well?” T’Hargen demanded.
“No, he doesn’t know the purpose behind this monument.”
T’Hargen turned away, but she caught his muttered, “Unhelpful contraption.”
TL’s lasers glowed and she rushed to admonish him with a whispered hiss. T’Hargen turned back to her.
“Is there a problem?”
She plastered as innocent a smile as she could muster on her face and opened her eyes wide. “Nope, no problem.”
She stepped back a few paces to give T’Hargen room as he made a circuit around the column.
“Anything jump out at you?” she asked.
He flicked her a frowning glance. “No.”
And we’re not happy about it. Can’t blame him. He obviously feels it’s of paramount importance and probably is if the Bluthen are interested in them.
She took a turn around the clearing, ran her fingers over the cool, polished rock of the inner maze, and marvelled at the utter smoothness of floor and walls. A glint caught her eye and she hurried forwards. A small alcove, about a foot high, eight inches wide, and a foot deep, framed by a slim line of gold, contained a pale-blue holographic image of a humanoid figure embellished with wings. Beside it, a profile view of the same image showed a ridge of sharp, multiple-pointed fins lining the back of the lower legs.
“T’Hargen? Check this out.”
T’Hargen came to her side, bent a little, and inspected the holograms then straightened.
“Most likely a representation of those who built this place.”
“Possibly, but don’t you find it curious that this is the only location we’ve found such an image? I admit we haven’t exactly done a comprehensive survey, and it could be coincidence, but . . .” She lifted one shoulder. “Maybe we should take it into our considerations. It’s the only feature here apart from the column itself. That might signify some importance.”
His regard of her seemed troubled with a mixture of speculation, pride—or had she misread that?—doubt, and a few other emotions that flashed too quickly through his eyes for her to identify.
“I’d be honoured to accept any insights you might have, Kathryn.”
You would? Oh. Well . . . oh.
A very pleasant sensation preened in her chest. “As of yet I don’t have any.” She sent him a vibrant smile. “But when I do, you’ll be the first to know.”
He inclined his head towards her then turned back to the column. She stared at the impressive expanse of his broad back and shoulders. Appreciation, and admittedly a little delight, at his sincere recognition that she could add to this investigation, warmed her.
Don’t get too excited. This sudden change of disposition could revert at any time. It’s happened before with other people, all too many times.
Either because of her skin colour or her gender. Or both. Racism or sexism would raise its ugly head when she’d express a viewpoint other than that of the speaker. Their scornful disregard would challenge her perception of her worth. Make her feel like she was nothing better than garbage that spoke. It hurt terribly, especially when it came from a quarter she didn’t expect, or someone she admired. The disparaging comments had once had the power to slice her self-esteem to shreds. She’d fold in on herself, hide from the cruelty.
She’d fought hard to get past that, and had no particular wish to put herself in a vulnerable position again, but she couldn’t deny she looked forwards to working with T’Hargen, no matter how dangerous that might be for her heart, or her self-respect. She shook her head in resigned incredulity.
I must be nuts, professionally speaking.
She turned back to the hologram and studied the figure with interest. He seemed trapped—no, encased—in a transparent, three-dimensional pyramid, his wings protruding from the upper slopes of the structure, the tips aligning precisely with the apex. Tiny striations marked the slopes of the pyramid at different levels. It . . . reminded her of something. She tilted her head to one side.
Alien, Awakening Page 7
