AWOL

by Traci Harding

  Lucian looked to Taren, who appeared guilty as charged.

  ‘Which did not include interrogating our captain,’ Taren pointed out.

  ‘No,’ Prochazka agreed. ‘I shall leave it to you to meet the rest of the details of our treaty. Give me my hostage and I shall go.’

  ‘Hostage?’ Lucian was wide awake now, and glaring at his wife.

  ‘It’s all right, Captain.’ Ringbalin placed a hand on his shoulder to calm him, and Lucian smiled, then passed out, collapsing back into the unit.

  ‘Give her your stone,’ Prochazka insisted.

  Ringbalin removed the band containing his Juju from beneath the long sleeve of his T-shirt and handed it to Taren. ‘Maybe you’ll create a few new weird and wonderful species while I’m gone?’ He made light of their parting, but Taren could barely breathe through her sorrow.

  ‘Balin,’ she went to speak, but choked on the words, as a psychic restraining device appeared, clamped and locked around Ringbalin’s ankle.

  ‘I know you’ll miss me, but that’s just my thing.’ He shrugged and smiled. ‘I don’t take it personally, you shouldn’t either.’

  Taren shook her head; it was more than psychic expertise that made everyone adore him.

  ‘Take care, kid.’ Swithin ruffled Ringbalin’s hair as the healer moved past him, and Mythric pulled him up.

  ‘Enough already!’ Prochazka objected. ‘All this fucking sentiment is making my brain bleed!’

  The two men just smiled at each other as Prochazka hauled Ringbalin over to join her Valoureans, who all towered over him.

  ‘I want regular reports,’ Prochazka stipulated.

  ‘I want regular visiting rights,’ Taren demanded back.

  ‘Quid pro quo?’ Prochazka suggested.

  ‘Done,’ Taren agreed.

  ‘I shall be seeing you, Princess,’ Prochazka sneered as she vanished with Ringbalin and her soldiers.

  ‘Oh fuck, what have I done!’ Taren immediately began hyperventilating in the wake of the confrontation.

  ‘You did what you had to do to get our captain back.’ Mythric grabbed hold of her, hoping to calm her down. ‘Ringbalin will be fine, you know that.’

  ‘No, I don’t! He’s never been without his gift before!’ Taren shook off the comfort, feeling she did not deserve it.

  ‘At least you can rely on him not to do anything stupid,’ Swithin posed. ‘Which makes him a better choice than either of us.’

  ‘This isn’t a joke!’ Taren blasted.

  ‘After where I’ve just come from, don’t you think I fucking know that?’ Swithin replied soberly.

  ‘And it’s not just Ringbalin,’ Taren stressed. ‘I’ve saved your lives only to place them all in future jeopardy!’

  ‘What … like they aren’t anyway?’ Swithin reasoned. ‘Truces get broken all the time, don’t worry about it.’ He waved it off. ‘Saving one hostage is nothing compared to the jailbreak you just pulled. For now we have what we need, everyone is safe, mission accomplished.’ He drew his hands apart in finality to imply that was the bottom line.

  With a few deep breaths, Taren pulled herself together, confident that when she was rested enough to have her brain functioning, she might see the situation in a better light.

  ‘Let’s get the captain back home, hey?’ Mythric was eager to leave this place. Too many bad memories were stored in this crypt for his liking.

  She really wasn’t looking forward to explaining this truce and Ringbalin’s absence to the rest of the crew — she was going to have a couple of really distressed Phemorians on her hands and that was never a good thing.

  Prochazka appeared before Satomi’s throne, unannounced, as the Qusay was awaiting her return.

  ‘How did you fare?’ Satomi queried, remaining seated in her chair of state. ‘Did she agree to our terms?’

  ‘Of course,’ Prochazka reported. ‘It is always easy to agree to terms you have no intention of keeping. But I demanded a hostage to hold in good faith, to ensure the deal did not look suspiciously sweet.’

  ‘Which crew member?’ Satomi was curious.

  ‘The gardener,’ Prochazka said. ‘He seemed the least trouble to maintain.’

  ‘Don’t let Mr Malachi fool you,’ Satomi advocated. ‘He could charm his way out from beneath even you, General.’

  ‘He is restrained,’ she advised, not worried.

  ‘But Malachi is regarded fondly by the crew, and so was a good choice,’ Satomi awarded. ‘He’ll serve our purposes nicely.’

  ‘Of course, Spyridon Vidor was with your niece. Clearly his allegiance lies with her.’ Prochazka appeared to have a sour taste in her mouth.

  ‘Fortunately, we were counting on that.’ Satomi was pleased to turn a betrayal to victory. ‘He did exactly as I predicted. And if he hadn’t, we would not have been able to implant a spy amid their ranks.’ She smiled pleased with the payoff. ‘So, from now on no more trust required, no more lies or betrayals. As soon as my rogue son shows up with my granddaughter, Khalid, and his curse, we will know of it.’

  PART 4

  UNIFICATION

  15

  INTERCONNECT

  Mission Log — Day? (Feels like the same day, but it probably isn’t.)

  This place is like a living, breathing dream, constantly changing to suit the observer’s will, both spoken and thought.

  Telmo was right, this is not so much a different plane of existence, as a buffer between the world we left behind and another world that preceded ours, that is again slowly manifesting — although only certain aspects of that manifestation will be evidenced in the physical world in the form of the nature and habitable atmosphere. The civilisation of Karmandi will only be able to be accessed by the souls residing in our physical plane of existence when they have evolved to a point where their consciousness and vibratory rate is in harmony with that of the Dropa. Those humans will find themselves drawn to Oceane, and only they will be able to tolerate the vibratory frequencies of this place. At that time the Dropa will guide those souls towards the Eternity Gate, and on to the next stage of their cosmic journey in the next universal scheme in the ascending spiral towards oneness.

  ‘Much like Shamballa of Earth in the universe parallel,’ Telmo had noted. Not I, or any in my party, can see Karmandi as it truly is. For, as advanced in consciousness as we like to think we are, the home of the Dropa is beyond our comprehension, and they deliberately present themselves to us in a form we can fathom. Clearly, even the Zagriata have a lot of growing to do.

  The sudden appearance of the captain’s spirit here, news of his death, the AMIE vessel’s destruction and the incarceration of the crew on my mother’s orders, is deeply shocking to all of us, and only hardens my resolve to seek out the ousted Qusay Clarona in the celestial city of the Phemoray. In order to do this I must shed my physical form and astrally project myself to them, a feat that is one of my wife’s talents, but was never one of mine. Yet the nature of this place is to grant my desire, and on the next semi-causal level of existence, Aurora and I are one being, Sammael, hence my perceived disability is as illusory as our physical separation. On a purely causal level we are one with all the Zagriata, in the form of Azazèl-mindos-coomradorchi, the being overseeing the development of life on this planet; this means every one of us has access to the talents of all our soul-group. Telmo taught me this back on Kila; that’s how the timekeepers managed to shift their consciousness back into past life incarnations, by tapping into that pool of skills and combining them.

  As much as I wish to head straight home and aid Tory in combating my mother’s attack on our crew, this is a rare opportunity to make contact with the occupants of the Phemorians’ celestial city and find out exactly how they feel about their banishment and the current developments on Phemoria. Perhaps they can advise us how to deal with my mother’s revolution?

  I am also aware that we are currently residing in a time-warp of sorts, and that there is no measure to calculate how long any sidetrack
might delay our return to the physical realm. I would have sought the captain’s counsel, only he vanished shortly after delivering his news. I feared his soul had left for his next incarnation, but the Dropa assure me that the captain has merely returned to his last one. Just like my mother, he has been resurrected and will hopefully remember our meeting and advise the timekeeper of our situation. Yet, in order for the captain to be restored to the land of the living, several members of the crew are needed. Was the captain mistaken about the capture of the crew at the hands of the Valoureans?

  Acutely aware that the more I procrastinate the more time will be flitting away back home, I must choose a course of action.

  Like waking from a dream, Zeven found himself in a much smaller, dimly lit space, where several beds were laid out before him. He looked about to find most of his company appearing just as disorientated.

  ‘This feels real.’ Zeven looked to Telmo for comment, wondering if they’d been returned to the physical world. He hoped not, as Khalid was missing.

  ‘What is reality, but a perception?’ Telmo said with a smile, taking a seat on one of the beds. ‘We need somewhere to leave these bodies while we travel to the celestial city, so I guess you decided we are going.’

  ‘I did?’ Zeven was unsure. ‘I know for a fact I was considering going alone.’

  Telmo observed the situation. ‘Then why are there three beds?’

  ‘I gather you’ve decided you are coming?’ Zeven looked to his wife, realising it wasn’t only his will being served here, this was a group manifestation.

  ‘As a matter of fact, yes.’ Aurora took a seat on the last of the beds, leaving only the one Zeven would use. ‘I thought I could guide you out.’

  Zeven folded his arms, not opposed exactly, more sceptical. ‘And how do we find this place that none of us have been to?’

  ‘The once Qusay, Clarona.’ Telmo grinned and so did Zeven.

  ‘We finally know someone who is there,’ he concluded happily. ‘And who shall watch Thurraya?’ Zeven wasn’t game to leave his daughter by herself in this realm.

  ‘Ahura,’ his daughter said, pointing to the spirit who manifested alongside her. ‘We are going adventuring.’ She held up her bright little kitten to include it in the group.

  ‘I don’t intend to be long,’ Zeven said, going down on one knee before her. ‘So don’t wander too far, okay?’

  Thurraya found this very amusing. ‘Oh, Dad … nowhere is too far here.’ She kissed his cheek and vanished with her spirit guide and her pet.

  ‘Time is of the essence,’ Telmo said from his reclined position.

  ‘But what about Khalid?’ Zeven came and sat down, unwilling to depart without his charge.

  ‘I doubt very much that his presence would be beneficial to this particular quest as it is unclear how much these Phemorians know about Khalid. Yet, it is clear that a rift still exists between them and the Dropa,’ Telmo outlined. ‘We will be the first masculine consciousnesses ever to enter the celestial city, which is going to put enough pressure on our quest as it is. Remember these souls have been forced into spiritual exile; they are not ascended to that state of being by their own enlightenment. So, even though they are spirit, they can still demonstrate hostile behaviour.’

  Zeven was still not comfortable with the arrangement. ‘But Khalid —’

  ‘— has not been home for a very long time,’ Telmo spoke up over the protest, eager to get on. ‘He obviously has other business to attend here. So, let us trust that these ascended beings have a better grip on the plan than we do, and just get on and do our part. If Khalid was meant to be here, he would be.’

  ‘You’d better be right about that.’ Zeven finally laid his body down.

  ‘Am I ever wrong?’ Telmo retorted.

  ‘There’s always a first time.’ Zeven resented how cocky he was, but Telmo only grinned.

  ‘We could lose weeks, months, years, while you two resolve your power struggle, or I could get on with my tutorial?’ Aurora posed.

  ‘Go right ahead.’ Telmo gave her leave. ‘I’ll wait.’

  ‘You know how to do this?’ Aurora assumed.

  ‘Of course he does, he’s Taliesin!’ Zeven overstated.

  ‘Pardon?’ Aurora frowned.

  ‘Never mind.’ Zeven waved off a trip down memory lane. ‘Please continue.’

  Aurora explained that there were a few stages to the technique to having an out-of-body experience, and the first of these was to completely relax both the body and the mind by focusing on one’s breathing.

  At stage two they entered the state bordering sleep, and Aurora explained the easiest way for Zeven, as a beginner, to avoid collapsing fully into this state was to hold a forearm upright — as his arm would fall and jog his consciousness back to a more alert awareness within this semi-hypnotic state.

  At this point, stage three, light patterns formed in the blackness behind Zeven’s eyes. Aurora advised him to ignore these, as they were simply neural discharges. Instead, he was to sink deeper into his relaxed state and become aware of a vibration that would now beset his body. This vibration could be used as a tool to aid separation of his light-body from his physical form, and to utilise it Aurora asked him to mentally push the vibration into his head, then down to his toes, and to repeat this several times until he felt a wave-like motion up and down his form — he was now ready to leave his body.

  All attention focused on floating upward, Zeven waited for the vibration to pool at his toes and caught the wave on its upwards rush, which propelled his light-body right out of the top of his physical form.

  A flare of light. The sensation of a warm breeze blowing against him. Sunlight on his face, warm and revitalising. The smell of dewy undergrowth mixed with sea spray and fresh air. The crashing sound of waves on a shore, and sand between his toes.

  Khalid opened his eyes to drink in the view that was reflective of the paradise they’d left on Frujia. All his senses were amplified, acutely tuned into the present moment. There was an exchange of energy flowing between himself and everything around him, and he felt like he’d come ‘home’.

  ‘As close as you can come, still hindered by that form.’

  To one side of him was the spirit of Dorje Pema, which transformed into an apparition of a human female and solidified into a physical form.

  To Khalid’s eyes she was the most heavenly creature he’d ever laid eyes upon. Her white flowing dress sparkled in the sunshine and billowed on the breeze, her long dark hair also.

  ‘You are my Qusay?’ he managed to say without stammering or drooling.

  ‘More a manifestation of her energy,’ she smiled, turning a circle to show off her creation. ‘Is it pleasing?’

  ‘Beyond expression,’ he replied. ‘And your name?’

  ‘We have a name, but to hear it would surely spark memories that would draw you back to us before you achieve what you will. To see us, or remember us, as we truly are, you must first shed that body,’ she enlightened. ‘And as you cannot come to us yet, we come to you.’

  ‘I am most grateful, but …’ He tore his attention from her, to note they were alone. ‘Where —’

  ‘They have gone to the celestial city of the Phemorians …’ she advised. ‘So you are at liberty to remember the one thing you seem to have forgotten during your time away.’ She held her hands out to him, palms up, and Khalid was compelled to rest the palms of his own hands against hers.

  Her mauve eyes, so reflective of the royal women of Phemoria, were mesmerising and held his gaze. ‘What have I forgotten?’ His heart welled with an ache that almost choked him.

  ‘How much you are loved.’ She leaned in and rested her forehead against his, and through these points of contact streams of pure joy poured into his essence. The tsunami of energy washed through him, cleansing every dark corner of his mind and being, filling it instead with the memory of a higher state of actuality. His heart felt to be exploding in his chest, his gut filled with butterflies, his s
pine tingled and his entire body was vibrating so fiercely, it brought tears of relief to his eyes. In his mind’s eye all he could see was light — golden, bubbling cascades of it, that had no coherent memories attached, just a sense of happiness, belonging and a complete absence of limitation.

  ‘This is home,’ she said. ‘And it awaits your return with great anticipation.’

  When she took a step away Khalid was left reeling and for a moment couldn’t open his eyes as he wished to dwell in this blissful state a while longer. There was no telling how long before he would experience it again.

  ‘There is something else we wish to tell you that we feel is a vital truth that will aid your quest.’ She did not appear so joyful about it.

  ‘Any aid you can give, I would greatly appreciate.’ Khalid gave her permission to bring him back down to earth.

  Her look was mournful. ‘It concerns the night you were conceived …’

  Zeven had seen himself leave his physical body behind, yet it seemed that no matter what body a soul was wearing, it felt as solid and realistic as the plane it inhabited. He wasn’t too sure what he expected a celestial city to look like, perhaps changeable, semi-transparent and filled with spirit types. But it wasn’t like that at all.

  In answer to his desire to join the Qusay-Sabah Clarona, he and his company had found themselves in an elegant room that opened onto an enclosed bridge that extended out and joined this building with the next of the mega ghost city — but the view!

  The ethereal metropolis was far more impressive and remarkable than the city that concealed it. The hidden city appeared to interpenetrate the existing Phemorian city capital, which had been named Tonissia, which meant ‘twin’, or ‘twofold city’. Here the celestial city and its occupants appeared solid, and the physical city of Tonissia appeared less so. What was rather disturbing was how fast the physical world and its inhabitants appeared to be moving, by comparison to its etheric counterpart — a day and night flashed by in a moment.