‘You, being dragged by that Grigorian into the presence of President Anselm, your captain and the Queen of Phemoria, completely naked.’ Ringbalin laughed every time he thought about it, and he didn’t laugh a whole lot these days.
‘Well, the son-of-a-bitch never gave me any warning.’ Zeven smiled, amused in retrospect. ‘One minute I’m having wonderful sex, the next I’m standing before the leaders of the galaxy in my birthday suit.’
‘I wish I’d been there.’ Balin wiped the tears from his eyes.
‘But seriously,’ Zeven appealed once Ringbalin’s chuckling came to an end. ‘I cannot bear to go on in this limbo … this waiting around to see if they ever come back is driving me nuts! And it hasn’t been a month since they left.’
A buzzer alerted Ringbalin that there was someone at the door and he moved to check the security camera to see who it was. ‘Government agents,’ Ringbalin advised Zeven with surprise.
‘How do you know?’ Zeven moved over to the screen to take a look, and saw the badge being held up to the camera. ‘Shit.’
‘Friends of yours?’ Ringbalin queried.
‘Could be.’ Zeven winced. ‘I’m supposed to be at a mission brief right now.’
‘Then why aren’t you there?’ Balin implored to know. ‘Aurora said you loved being in the service?’
Zeven shook his head. ‘I’ve never liked being told what to do.’
‘But you are a pilot,’ Ringbalin said, pointing out that he had to take orders from someone to be employed.
‘Freelance pilot,’ Zeven emphasised. ‘I used to pick my assignments, now the USSS does that for me … not quite the same thing.’
The buzzer sounded again and Ringbalin moved to speak with the agents outside through the intercom. ‘One moment, gentlemen, I have to get these plants under light,’ he stalled.
‘Make it snappy or we will break this door down.’ The man in charge was losing patience.
‘If you are planning on cutting out on the USSS, you are going to have to flee to the next universe.’ Balin realised the irony.
‘You wouldn’t be hiding illegal substances in there, would you?’ The government agent was becoming vexed as he waited.
‘I’m going to get you in trouble, I should go.’ Zeven was reluctant.
‘Back to your place, or do you mean you’re actually going to attempt this foolish quest of yours?’ Ringbalin forestalled him.
‘You want to come,’ Zeven realised, rather pleased to not feel alone in his aspirations.
Balin shook his head. ‘Yes, I do,’ he contradicted himself, having regretted his last opportunity to possibly travel beyond this universe. ‘But let’s go somewhere and talk it over first,’ he suggested, realising he was scared out of his mind, but hungry for adventure nonetheless.
‘Oh no,’ Zeven insisted as the government agents began pounding against the door. ‘We’ll talk ourselves out of it and why risk getting caught by the USSS? Nope, it’s now or never, Ringbalin, are you with me?’ He held out his fist for Balin to place his hand upon — Zeven needed to be touching Ringbalin in order to teleport him.
Ringbalin was still hesitant. ‘But what if I weigh you down, or —’
The door to the complex slammed open and Ringbalin threw caution to the wind, gripped hold of Zeven’s fist and was swept away in a blaze of quantum light.
9
PAST LIVES — FUTURE LOVES
The first sensation that registered to any of Taren’s senses was the soothing sound of water lapping against a hollow structure. It felt as if she lay on a soft cloud, and an exotic scent in the air made her smile before she’d even opened her eyes. She was aware of a body at her back, moulding into the curves of her own. Lucian. Taren’s eyes parted, whereupon she gasped at where she found herself.
It was a huge, circular white room, with horizontal oblong windows all around the rim of the large, domed ceiling, and the portholes looked out into water, where schools of fish were swimming overhead. A beautiful blue-green light flooded the room through these portholes, as filtered sunlight penetrated the water above and shed refracted rays all over the floor of the interior. ‘Wow,’ she mouthed the word quietly, then turned about to find Lucian unconscious on the bed beside her and her heart soared with elation. We made it … somewhere? She gently kissed his face and neck, and Lucian began to stir. ‘Welcome to the universe parallel, my love,’ she whispered and kissed him on the lips, to which he responded with fervour.
‘Did we make it? Where are we?’ he asked when they came up for air. He eyed over the stunning architecture, without losing the hold he now had on Taren’s behind.
‘No idea,’ Taren admitted. ‘But we’re not on AMIE any more, and this sure isn’t Maladaan with water that clear.’ She referred him to a porthole above. ‘But we are still alive and that’s something to be thankful for.’ She kissed him again and the moment became rather heated until the thought occurred. Taren pulled back to ask, ‘Do you think we are being watched?’ and the notion put an end to their rollicking.
They both rose to have a better look around the large bedroom, and as Taren viewed the architecture she began to get chills of recognition. ‘I had visions of the planet we’d find on the other side of the universal tear. It had beautiful curved dwellings,’ she recalled, extending her arm out and up as she traced, in midair, the arch of the perfectly domed ceiling. ‘And all the windows were rounded.’ She admired some of the oval portholes from directly underneath.
‘Did you see anything else?’ Lucian queried — any information might prove helpful to them at this stage.
‘I did, actually.’ Taren hesitated to voice what she’d seen but could not repress her smile as it came to mind. ‘I saw a man here.’ She looked to Lucian to be sure he didn’t get the wrong impression of why she’d come, and she found him frowning. ‘I felt I knew him, and he rather reminded me of you.’
‘Sounds like trouble.’ He grinned.
‘He seemed very pleased that we were here …’ Taren went on.
‘That we were here?’ Lucian quizzed playfully. ‘Or that you were here?’
‘Hard to say, really.’ Taren was honest. ‘But he claimed to need my help, our help?’ She shrugged in conclusion. ‘That’s it.’
‘Is that a stairwell?’ Lucian looked to where the wall of the room curved at a more extreme angle and sure enough there was a curving staircase beyond that led down. ‘Shall we?’
Taren gave a shrug and nodded; they’d have to find out their situation sooner or later.
They exited the stairwell into a huge open living area, one quarter of which was a large open kitchen, wherein a fellow was juicing fruit.
They were both taken aback upon sighting him, as the fellow in question bore more than a striking resemblance to AMIE’s botanist, Ringbalin Malachi, only this man seemed more worldly and mature.
He was fair like Balin, but his hair was cut very short and he had a tiny pointed beard in the middle of his chin and a slender, well-trimmed moustache. Although this fellow was more physically fit than the manifestation of him that Taren was more familiar with, he still appeared more like a scholar than a warrior.
With the resemblance so striking, Lucian figured that their host might be the Grigorian who claimed to be Ringbalin’s higher self.
‘Armaros?’ He drew the man’s attention from his fruit and he smiled broadly.
‘Not quite,’ the man said, ‘but I am another manifestation of him, just as you and Dr Lennox are manifestations of the Grigorian Azazèl.’
‘How do you know that?’ Taren was delighted and fascinated, as she approached the outside breakfast bar, opposite where the Ringbalin lookalike was preparing his drinks.
‘My name is Noah Purcell.’ He smiled, passing Taren and Lucian a large fruity drink each, for which they thanked him. ‘I know so much about you both, because, as you have known another manifestation of me, I have known other manifestations of you,’ he advised, causing his captivated audience to gasp with
surprise and fascination. ‘We have lived many lives and had many adventures together.’
Taren sipped the fruity drink through a thick straw and the dose of vitamins in a delicious liquid form was just what she needed, but then she suspected that Noah already knew that. He spoke their language very well and had a distinct confidence about him.
‘Where are we?’ Lucian inquired between sips. ‘If you don’t mind my asking?’
Noah was happy to oblige. ‘You are in the universe parallel to your own, on the planet Kila, which is native to this universe. You were once both very influential citizens on this planet several hundred years ago, the first Governor and Governess of Kila, Tory Alexander and Maelgwn Gwynedd.’
‘Whoa,’ Taren exclaimed.
‘That is why our current governor had you both brought here, and kept your presence on Kila a secret,’ Noah outlined, ‘because you both have many friends and family still living on Kila who would wish to see you.’
As Noah had mentioned that their soul-mind had ruled on Kila several hundred years ago, this raised a point of interest with Taren. ‘So your citizens obviously have a life span similar to our own, of several hundred years or longer.’
Noah shook his head. ‘We are immortal.’ He smiled. ‘And are psychics one and all. We do not die, but can choose to ascend into the ranks of the Grigori, as your soul-minds here have already done.’
Both Lucian’s and Taren’s jaws dropped at this point; Taren was considering the implications of these citizens trying to deal with the closed-mind mentality of those in power on their lost planet, and she suspected Lucian was too.
‘Fear not,’ Noah assured them. ‘The relations between our planet and Maladaan have been amicable so far.’
Again both Lucian and Taren gasped at the news; this fellow was obviously telepathic.
‘You’ve found Maladaan!’ Lucian got the query out first.
Noah nodded. ‘And now we have found you —’ Noah looked back to Taren, ‘— the key to the solution for getting Maladaan back to where it should be.’
Taren wasn’t sure she understood. ‘You think we hold the solution?’ She nearly laughed. ‘The Grigori told me that you would have the solution!’
Noah was a little surprised, but had to laugh and shake his head. ‘The Grigori and the Tablet of Destinies told us that it is you who hold the key to this dilemma.’
Taren didn’t know what to say as she was temporarily disillusioned.
‘Not to worry.’ Noah placed a hand on her arm in comfort. ‘We’ve never failed to find a solution in the past and this instance will prove no different.’
Taren was filled with hope upon his touch, and looked to him, stunned to find he was more akin to Ringbalin than she’d imagined. ‘I believe that.’ She returned his smile, and tried to sound as positive as she could to return his hope in kind.
Lucian cleared his throat, clearly a little discomforted by the closeness of this stranger to his beloved, and Noah quickly removed his hand from Taren’s arm. ‘Is Noah the man you saw in your vision?’
‘What vision?’ Noah was intrigued.
Taren shook her head in response to Lucian’s query. ‘No … I told you that he reminded me of you. I’m a pre-cog,’ Taren explained for Noah’s benefit.
‘Interesting,’ he said.
‘You also said that you felt you knew him.’ Lucian was subtly referring to how friendly she already was with Noah.
Noah smiled, guessing the identity of the man that Taren had foreseen meeting. ‘The man you saw was most likely our governor, Rhun. And the reason you feel you know him is,’ he paused and took a deep breath, ‘and I don’t mean to make you uncomfortable, but in your lifetime here on Kila, he was the first-born son of Tory Alexander and Maelgwn Gwynedd.’
‘Our son!’ they both echoed in horror at once — they’d been lovers barely a month, so this was a little overwhelming.
‘Was he our only child?’ Lucian ventured to ask — half relieved that the fellow would not have any romantic interest in Taren.
Noah shook his head and grinned, hesitating to offer any further information.
‘How many children did we have?’ Taren warily ventured to ask.
‘Six —’
‘Six!’ Taren and Lucian gasped on the shock.
Noah nodded. ‘Four boys and two girls.’
Taren and Lucian couldn’t help but grin, horrified but intrigued by this other life they’d led. ‘What are their names? Tell us everything!’ Taren looked to Noah, wide-eyed with wonder now.
Noah boggled at the task of telling the epic tale. ‘I can tell you some, but I have recorded many chronicles of your adventures which you are both welcome to view for yourselves.’
‘Were we really that influential?’ Taren was taken aback that her past life had been so notable as to be chronicled.
Noah was so amused by her naivety that he had to pause a moment. ‘You two cut the deal that obtained Kila for our people; you are the founding father and mother of our entire nation.’
Taren went white for a moment.
‘Too much information?’ Noah queried their shocked silence.
‘No.’ Taren shook off her stunned state and smiled. ‘Tell us everything, starting with the names of our children.’
Lucian was keen to know more also, and sat down on a stool beside Taren, to hear the amazing tales of their lives gone by.
Jahan was still sleeping off the night before when his door chime sounded to alert him to a guest’s arrival.
His head was still a little foggy and weighted from the Buhula he’d been drinking during dinner at Patrick’s — the restaurant he’d taken Ibis-Swan and Jazmay to for dinner, following their day at the beach. There, they’d met up with a few of their old friends from university days as Patrick’s was the campus hangout. Jazmay had had the time of her life meeting the locals, eating, drinking and dancing. At this stage of the game, however, she seemed far more disposed towards Ibis than himself. That being the case, Jahan felt a little discouraged this morning. On the other hand, Jazmay had certainly warmed to him and was no longer treating him like an enemy.
The door chimed again, and Jahan was forced to rise and hunt up a pair of trousers to put on before he answered. He was surprised when he opened the door to find Jazmay, alone, awaiting him.
‘Good morning, Jahan.’ She smiled broadly, having anticipated his shock.
‘Well, good morning to you, Jazmay.’ Jahan fully awoke, and stepped aside to allow her into his sparsely furnished, and thus very neat, apartment. He then scampered to the bench to grab his communicator, before he lost track of the conversation. Jahan remained very calm as he put on the communication headset, although inside he was greatly encouraged to see her. ‘What can I do for you?’
Jazmay was eyeing the place over with approval. ‘Ibis and I are going to the beach again today, and I was wondering if you wanted to come?’
Jahan’s excitement cooled a little at the news that she was going out with Ibis again; was this just an obligatory invitation? ‘Well that’s a lovely invitation.’ He considered how he might better know her true intentions. ‘But Ibis is a very fine bird, I’ll just be in the way … but thank you anyway.’
Jazmay appeared a little bemused by his response and so boldly ventured to add, ‘I would really like for you to come.’
If she was giving up a day alone with Ibis, then Jahan figured he was certainly onto something here. ‘In that case, I’ll be ready in five minutes.’ He headed off to his bathroom. ‘Make yourself at home.’ He motioned her towards the kitchen as he entered his bathroom, closed the door, looked in the mirror at his image and gave a silent scream for joy. ‘Yes!’
They met Ibis at the island as before, only this time she had a girlfriend with her, who was also of the Falcon kind, and Jazmay was not at all surprised as she was introduced to Ibis’s latest love interest. The pair hung for a little while to chat and then took off, leaving Jahan and Jazmay alone — his greatest wish come
true.
‘So it looks like you’re stuck with me for the day,’ he noted, sounding sorry for the Phemorian.
‘That was the plan.’ Jazmay brushed the sand off her hands, as she rose to stand over Jahan.
‘Surely not.’ Jahan played the sceptic. ‘Unless you’re planning to kill me?’ he joked warily, and Jazmay laughed.
‘The plan was not to kill you, but to thrill you,’ she said emphatically.
‘Really?’ He grinned. ‘That does sound promising.’
Jazmay rolled her eyes, having predicted his conclusion. ‘Get up,’ she encouraged, grinning in return.
So Jahan stood and faced her.
‘Turn around.’ She turned him about so that his back was to her.
‘It will never work this way,’ he commented seductively, as Jazmay placed her arms about his waist and pressed her body against his back — heaven!
‘Just relax,’ she whispered, as Jahan’s feet left the ground.
‘Whoa!’ he cried, as their rise got off to a shaky start; he was heavy, and Jazmay had only just got used to carrying her own body weight through the air.
‘Think, “light-as-a-feather”,’ she suggested, and as he did, they began to soar smoothly to greater heights.
‘Woo-hoo!’ he cried, as they left the beach miles below. ‘This is awesome!’
‘I know,’ Jazmay replied. ‘And if it wasn’t for you I would never have experienced this, so … thank you.’ She pressed her lips against his cheek.
Jahan wanted to turn around and seduce her that instant. Just that kiss on the cheek set explosions off in his chest; it was like being run over by a spacecraft!
Coincidentally, there was a spacecraft up ahead and it was heading straight for them.
‘Ah!’ they both cried out upon spotting it.
‘I thought you said we were out of the flight paths here?’ Jazmay squeaked.
‘It shouldn’t be out here!’ Jahan yelled back.
The Universe Parallel Page 14
