by Selina Brown
A. Why is there a bedroom here? That’s creepier than the noise
B. It’s not simulated, I already said that
A. I was a little busy at the time
A. Hey, we make ABC in short ArT!
Bel nudged her, mentally. He said, “Dork.”
Caleb laughed and then shrugged. “I don’t—crap. Run!”
They ran out through another door and each yelped as they dropped, falling onto a smooth floor. The air from Ara’s lungs whooshed out as she hit the floor. “Damn it.” Caleb helped her up, but then rubbed his own elbow. They looked around as they straightened their clothes.
“I almost fell on my sword, that’s so dangerous.”
Caleb rolled his eyes at Ara’s chiding tones. There were no doors so they began to touch the walls.
Caleb cursed. “This is one of Terzon’s traps. We’re in the simulated part again”
“How do we get out?”
“We can’t until he turns them off.”
They were stuck. For two hours they tried to get out.
“This is ridiculous!” Ara flopped down, annoyed. She drew her sword over her dark pants.
Caleb looked embarrassed. Bel was having a snooze.
“Can you hear something?” Bel opened one eye and then sat up. “There’s someone—”
They heard screaming and saw two more bodies fall in.
Sub-Log XVIII
Ara saw how similarly they were all dressed—dark pants, soft, quiet shoes, and dark tops. Good for hiding in dark places?
Caleb stared and then laughed. “Hello, Terzon. Jesran.”
Bel helped them stand. “What are you doing here?”
“What are you doing here?” Terzon demanded, trying to get his breath.
They all stared at each other.
“Research.”
“History lesson.”
“Programming lesson.”
“Fun.”
They shook their heads. Terzon, who had said “fun”, said, “No one wants to tell the truth. I think, though, we might be here for the same reason if Bel heard the same thing I did at that meeting.”
“What meeting?”
Bel flushed. “The anti-human meeting.”
Ara turned on him. “I thought—”
“I am but the best way to find out what they are doing is by going to the wrong meetings.”
She couldn’t argue with him there so she turned to Terzon, disappointed. “And you?”
“You’re not my mother, Ara.”
Her eyes narrowed.
He relented. “Father asked me to attend.”
Caleb pretended not to know anything about it. Great.
“Anyway, I asked Jesran about the Dressian Gates—”
“Why do you know?”
Jesran grimaced at her tones. “I’ve been studying ancient battles and Earth is in the 1500s, lots of battles. With swords.”
She grumbled saying, “And there are some great playwrights as well.” She tossed down her weapon, which clanged until Jesran picked it up admiringly. “Nice.”
“Anyway, Ara, we came to see if what the Avatara are doing really is legit. I am Avatara, a Modernus. Inferor. If anyone has the right to be here I do.”
They all shuffled a little uncomfortably.
“And that’s why we like you, Jesran.” Caleb laughed. “Isn’t that right, Ara?”
“I didn’t think you cared about the Inferors,” she snapped.
“No offence to anyone but I don’t care about the Inferors. I do care about the Eighth Race, of which Jesran here is.”
Ara was at boiling point now, but more embarrassed by Bel’s words and watched as Jesran placed the sword on the ground again.
“But we do care about our legal system.” Terzon gave Cal a hard look.
Of course they do. Ara tried to calm herself and felt Maya nudging her again. “For goodness sake!”
They all stared at her.
“Sorry,” she mumbled.
Caleb was rubbing his face thinking he was getting Ara into a tizz. “How do we get out?”
“I thought you knew.” Terzon stared at his brother.
“It’s not one of mine. We’ve been here for two hours. I thought it was yours.”
Ara threw her arms up in the air and placed her palms onto the smooth walls. The males quieted down. She spoke while searching. “I’m following the energy fluctuations.” She moved to her right. “There’s more energy here, yes, there’s a link to outside. But, hello—” She followed the golden energy stream.
“Why didn’t you check the energy before?” Caleb complained. Bel looked annoyed.
She turned back to the wall. “Caleb, you felt this wall and after you jumped down my throat for checking a spot you had already checked—”
Bel nodded. “That’s right, I remember that now.”
“Yeah, well.” Caleb picked up Ara’s sword. “Can you get us out?”
She shook her head. “No, but we can go further in.” Ara leaned against the section of wall and butted her head against it. A hand touched her back.
C. Maya?
A. Yes
He rubbed her back and she turned, grateful for his support. They all looked at each other. Terzon shrugged.
Ara made the decision. “Okay, let’s go.” She moved and rested her hands on the wall again.
Caleb moved next to her. “Can you really see energy?”
First-Gen minds were a bit thick, Ara decided, having already shown him. Admittedly, they were nine at the time. “Yes. Can’t you?”
He grinned at her teasing. She was getting back at him but since she held out her hand he forgave her. He took it and their minds linked. She showed him what she was seeing now. “That’s fantastic!”
But while holding his hand she saw he was more interested in kissing her than remembering previous conversations. That pleased her just a little.
They all wanted to see energy streams. Jesran hung back.
She looked at him. “Come on, I can show you.”
Caleb scowled a little as he hovered behind the six foot, muscular Avatara. Ara ignored him. Jesran placed his hand around hers.
She showed him. “Can you see?”
He nodded, pleased.
She moved him to one side and then pushed at the wall. The wall seemed to disintegrate into particles with a tunnel that cleared before them. Jesran pulled her back, taking her sword from Cal, and started in. He missed her frown. Evidently, so did Caleb as he was right behind him. Terzon was shaking his head and indicated for her to go. “You can actually see where you are going but it’s not for me to stand in the way of competition.”
Bel laughed until someone was yelling above them, so he shoved them both in.
She entered and saw the two males fumble around. She shoved her way through. “Excuse me. Coming through.”
“Hey, Baby.”
“Get back, Monkey. This is PuG business.”
She led the way, turning on a tiny torch her guard had given her, they were always considerate with little gifts. They stood up as the tight beam revealed a high ceiling. She was hunching because Jesran and Caleb had. After frowning at them both—and they were looking sheepish—she walked upright. They walked for several minutes.
Her nose then forehead then lips hit something. “Ouch!” She rubbed at her nose. “The light doesn’t show this wall. That was rude.”
She heard muffled laughter behind her. She put her hands in front on the wall and pushed hard. Again, the wall disintegrated and, when the particles cleared, they saw light ahead. They all piled out, laughing, when they entered what looked like a courtroom in session. It was bowl shaped and they were at the bottom gazing up. It was bright, with rich fittings. Ara felt another surge from Maya and then she left her alone. That was rude too.
“Hey—” Caleb grinned, turning around, taking a good look “—this is neat. What program is this?”
C. Shit Ara, is this what Maya needed to see?
; A. I think so; those barriers were unique
C. And it’s in my dad’s library
A. Hmmm, maybe
He glanced back at her.
C. Another dimension?
Ara shrugged.
“I wish I had my equipment.” He stared at the central dais where a cage of sorts was positioned. It was quickly sinking into the floor. A mist appeared; someone began to yell and someone else screamed. Terzon’s smiled disappeared but it was Bel who picked up on the painful truth. He whispered, “Um, I don’t think this is a program.”
Ara could see all the exergon, plasma streams, and one in particular drifted over to her, and hers met his. Kavela was in here somewhere. The plasma streams embraced like old friends and spiraled around each other with his strand getting closer and closer. She didn’t think he did it deliberately, but she was basing that on the fact that often her streams would work independently and branch out, feeling their way.
And it was a little creepy too, which is why she didn’t access her “energy sight”. Caleb had tried to help her find a cool name for it. Masked faces were looking down at them. They heard mutters from those in the tiered seats. Guards swarmed in, Kavela’s stream broke off, and they were carted away down several stone-walled corridors to separate cells. Ara stared around at her almost empty cell and wanted to laugh, not cry. She sat on the stone bench and was hungry, cold and miserable. She seemed to be waiting for hours but only minutes went by. She began to pace. If she leaned onto the black, cold rungs, pressing her cheeks tightly against them, she could see down the passage. The cells were all on one side.
C. Baby, are you okay?
Relief!
A. Yes, this is odd
B. I suggest we go along with whatever they dish out
T. What are you saying?
B. That we’ve seen something we shouldn’t have, let’s just get out of here
T. What about Jesran?
C. Ara, see if you can reach him
She sensed some pre-annoyance; if she could what would it mean?
T. That she’s a Pure-Gen and stronger than us
C. Shit, I hate ArT and short ArT
*Laughter
A. Jesran?
She put a hand on the wall to search and reach out. Having just touched his mind to show him the energy streams made it easier for her to find his energy.
A. Jesran?
J. Ara!
A. Don’t say anything. Just think it
J. Okay, what’s happening?
A. Bel said to just go along with whatever they say
J. Can do
After a few more minutes, Bel was the first to start the charade and Ara played along. Bel said, with laughter in his voice, “Come on, you lot. It’s just one of the old programs. End it already!”
“Dad’s?” Terzon offered.
“Yeah, they were young once too. This isn’t funny anymore.” Caleb’s voice was suitably annoyed.
They all grumbled.
“I hope we get out this time, I’m hungry,” Ara wailed.
C. Don’t overdo it
T. You’re a terrible actress, Ara
She sulked but kept her mouth shut for all of two minutes. “Caleb, you said there were panels to access the controls, should I be looking in my cell?”
“Knowing our luck the panel is in your cell.”
“What does that mean?” she shrieked, clinging to the steel rungs. “You monkey arseh—”
The guards came so Ara snapped her mouth closed and stepped back. She was released with the others. Caleb looked a bit red in the face. They continued pretending to shut down the program, even pulling at the guard.
“He feels solid,” Ara said, trying not to cry now.
“It’s hard light, you moron,” Caleb drawled.
C. Suck it up, PuG
A. Plug it, FiG
They almost laughed at the guard’s confused look. Hard light was a term in a comedy they all watched. After several comments from the guards and her dagger looks, they fell silent too. But the guards let them go, shoving them along the passage and then out. Soon they were standing back in the library. Caleb shut down the program and they left the palace, aware of being watched. “Where shall we go?”
They all wanted to talk.
Terzon said, “What about the Boat Club? It’s a ten-minute drive and that’s where Jesran and I met for lunch.”
They headed there for lunch and lined up with trays. The Boat Club was mainly for the royal households but anyone with an interest could join. As they sat outside on the grass, sailboats bobbed up and down gently on the blue, sparkling water and they talked of mundane things, watching other boats sail by, but they occasionally laughed about the stupid program because, as Bel said, “We wouldn’t NOT talk about it, would we?”
T. How they hell did we access that place?
B. My guess is that it was because Ara is a Pure-Gen
C. Were they Pure-Gens?
Bel nodded slightly but looked at Ara.
“I agree and lunch was delicious.” She unwrapped her cake.
A. They were but I didn’t recognize some of the others there
She felt an odd reluctance to mention Kavela’s name. They talked further but it was mainly guesswork. They all felt a little worried though.
B. We’re going to be watched. I suggest we act normal and put off our Dressian Gates investigation
A. I agree. Is there somewhere else we can go?
C. What about the Saringtons?
They looked at her. She grumbled.
A. I’ll check with Tekko
J. I might research those weapons; it could give us another clue
A. Good idea
C. How are you joining us?
Jesran looked hurt. Caleb flushed red.
C. Sorry, Jesran—I’m an idiot
Ara didn’t say anything.
C. It is a good idea
Jesran must have felt sorry for him because Caleb’s shoulders had slumped.
J. Thanks, Caleb
A. Remember Inferor is about matter units and energy, not about—
Terzon coughed and Ara saw Caleb’s face, which he turned away from her. Damn it, she’d humiliated him now. She was annoyed at herself, why couldn’t she have just dropped it? They went for a short walk down the promenade, and Ara took Caleb’s hand, whispering, “I’m sorry, Monkey. That was stupid.”
He smiled lightly but Ara still saw the hurt in his face. Terzon and Caleb left them to go home in Terzon’s roader, and they took Bel to get a lift back into the city. As she and Jesran walked back to the car park where Jesran left his jeep, Ara apologized for the comments.
“I’m used to it, Ara.” Jesran opened the door for her.
“Not the kind of thing a friend wants to hear.” It disturbed Ara that he was used to that while she struggled with the terms applied to the different races feeling that somehow she was better than them when she knew she wasn’t for all her connection to the Maya.
He shrugged his broad shoulders. “I’m living on a planet of mostly Superors and Aryans. We’re treated different as the Modernus, mostly because of what we’re doing to Earth.” He closed her door and walked around, waving as Terzon, Caleb, and Bel drove by. He got into the driver’s seat and started the jeep.
And Pure-Gens made up such a small percent of the overall population of sixty billion. She was sure the figures for PuGs were around four million.
“I think it sucks you don’t have wings but only because you can’t have fun.” She grinned wickedly at him, teasing.
“I have fun, Ara.” He turned onto the main road and headed out towards her home.
She looked at him, hearing his invitation. She really saw him for the first time, his forest-green eyes, tanned skin, and brown hair, cut short. He smiled at her, pleased by her reaction. They chatted about the next group project and after they arrived Jesran refused her offer to stay for a drink. “I’ve got to get home.”
Homestead
&nbs
p; She nodded and waved as he drove down the long driveway. Ara headed up the steps and stopped as the Cardinal Unit sent a data burst. “Nuts!”
Ara called Caleb.
Beep.
He picked up his Voice. “Hey Ara, want to meet?”
He said it casually, almost as if he was bored, but she wasn’t fooled. She studied the range of vehicles under the homestead and grabbed a small two-wheeler. No one was home so she didn’t bother with the boots, gloves, helmet, or jacket. She sat on it and backed up, kick started the engine, pulled the clutch in, tapped her foot for first gear, and released the clutch while revving the throttle. Dirt scattered behind her as the back wheel slid out. Hurtling over the hills, trying to fly over the bumps distracted her from the log that she had received. She reduced the throttle once on palace grounds and waved gaily to one of the guards driving along the perimeter. No doubt, they already knew she was coming.
King Delario’s Palace Grounds
Ara rode along a path and saw Caleb ahead. She stopped, killed the engine, and leaned the little motorbike against a tree. The cool forest was a relief and she grinned as she tried to tidy her hair.
“Have fun?”
She nodded. But he understood why she was so excited and fearful. As soon as he took her hand, she shared her latest.
CARDINAL Unit 9 (CU) Cycle and Logs
1117317627853882
Results from CU scan at Matter/Antimatter +0.72
Total difference Matter/Antimatter +0.22
MONITOR returned to date 57.7% feasible data
PURE-GEN responsible
COLLATE data
COMPARE data
Prepare Chaos Unit and Proxy Unit
End check
C. That’s a big increase from the last one
Caleb looked worried.
C. 57.7%
“I know.”
C. That court meeting
A. Pure-Gen were responsible but what’s the Chaos and Proxy Unit?
