by Bianca D'Arc
“Is this Ki?” Agnor asked aloud, stepping a pace forward into the chamber.
“Ki is here. Ki is all around.” The main speaker had stayed near.
“I am Agnor, a scientist from a world called Geneth Mar, which is home to the Council.”
Agnor tugged on Bet’s hand, and she stepped closer, moving next to him. “And I’m Bettsua, also from Geneth Mar. I’m a Specitar, like Agnor, but my power is telekinesis.”
“What does that mean?” the robed man asked.
“I can move things with my mind,” she explained. Maybe these people used different terms for that Talent. But if the crystal was somehow translating or interpreting, why wasn’t there an equivalent term?
“Can you demonstrate this power?” the man asked. Bet nodded, and he pointed to a plain rock—not one with crystal on it—near her feet. “Please lift that with your mind, to waist height.”
She did as he asked and realized every eye in the room was on her. “What would you like me to do with it?”
The man started, shocked out of his reverie. “Please place it over there.” He pointed to a clear spot about five feet away. Bet complied with his request and placed it neatly in the spot he’d asked for.
“Do you need to rest?” he asked solicitously.
“No, thank you. I’m fine. I lift more than that every day. It doesn’t tire me. It’s part of my job,” she tried to explain. The men in the room looked impressed.
“And do you share this power, Agnor?” He spoke Agnor’s name as if it came with difficulty to his tongue.
“No. I am a telepath. I speak mind-to-mind with others who have the same ability.” Agnor seemed to realize these guys needed explanations. “I can speak to one or two minds that are strong enough, on nearby planets. When I’m on my homeworld, or any Council world, where such Talents are common, I can speak with many people who share this gift over vast distances.”
“We are aware of such skills,” the man confirmed. “But nobody on Ipson has such abilities. It is forbidden by Ki.”
“Because of the way Ki influences such Talents,” Agnor said quietly.
“Yes,” the robed man answered quickly, with new respect.
“Then, may I ask why Ki allows the crystals to leave this world and go to the collective?” Agnor dared to ask the question burning in Bet’s mind. “The blue crystals are used to enslave Talented minds so that only a small number of masters rule them all. The control scepters allow armadas to attack peaceful planets and claim them for the collective. And once under control of the collective, Talented children are stolen from their parents and forced into servitude, their Talents usurped by the masters. It is a horrible way to live and one that I believe no human being would seek, given the choice.”
“Ki brings order, but for some time now, those of us who serve Ki have wondered about the representatives who come here, seeking Ki’s favor. Their minds are blocked to Ki, and their words have begun to ring false with us, Ki’s servants. We wish to know your truth, as you see it.” He cleared his throat uncomfortably. “Ki would like to commune with your minds so that it may read the truth of your words for itself.” The man looked uncomfortable. “This is something that is seldom, if ever, done, and among our folk, it leaves a person permanently changed…not for the better. But our minds are not like yours. You have powers that we cannot fully understand. Perhaps it will go better for you.” He shrugged. “Either way, it is up to you. Ki cannot change paths if truth is not discovered.”
“I’ll take the risk,” Agnor said almost at once. “The crystals are killing innocents. If I can convince Ki to stop allowing the collective to mine here, I would gladly forfeit whatever I have to.”
“Wait.” Bet almost hated to speak, but she knew her time had come to act. “You’re too important, Agnor. This is something I can do. I’ve touched the mind of Ki before.” She moved forward, stepping in front of Agnor.
She knew she had to move fast, before he could stop her. Taking a deep breath, Bet dropped her shields and allowed her mind to touch that alien entity she had made contact with once before. And…she was subsumed.
Agnor raced to catch her as she fell. Bet had collapsed, and if he hadn’t been so close to her, he wouldn’t have been able to grab her before she hit the ground. As it was, she’d landed in his arms—just barely. The robed men encircled them, but that was the least of Agnor’s problems. He worried for Bet. She looked very pale.
He held her gently, worry riding him hard as the minutes dragged on. He knew she was communing with the alien entity and he didn’t even want to consider the great risk she was taking. Each second was an agony for him as he waited for her to come out of it. To come back to him.
Would she be whole? Or would she be damaged in some way? Perhaps her psyche might even be damaged beyond repair. It didn’t bear thinking about.
He held her, searching her face for some sign of waking, though her eyes were closed as if she was asleep. But he knew it wasn’t a natural sleep state. For one thing, the usual background hum of her consciousness was…elsewhere…at the moment. He didn’t really know what that meant, since it was something he’d never experienced before, but it added to his worry.
He didn’t know how long the moment lasted. It could have been mere minutes, or it could have been the agonizing hours it felt like, but eventually, she stirred. Her consciousness returned from wherever it had been, and a few seconds later, her face twitched in a way he thought adorable. As if she’d been tickled in her sleep and was slightly annoyed by it. Slowly, she came back into her body and rose from whatever altered state she had gone into when she attempted to communicate with Ki.
Her eyes blinked open and focused slowly on him. Thank goodness.
“What happened?” she asked quietly.
“Ki has gained understanding,” the spokesman for the robed men said from over Agnor’s shoulder.
“What does that even mean?” Agnor looked over his shoulder at the man, his temper frayed by the possible damage done to Bet.
“It means we can speak with you directly now,” said a voice in Agnor’s mind. A telepathic voice with a feel to it of vast power, tempered by will. “We learned the way from your mate’s mind. She has an orderly mind with great power. She will be fine. She was not harmed by our touch.”
Agnor rose from his crouching position, taking Bet with him. He steadied her for a moment, looking deep into her eyes, before finally letting go. She seemed no worse for the experience, though her energy levels were a little lower than they had been before. No doubt the experience of communicating with the crystal entity had taken some toll on her endurance, but given enough rest—and maybe a little special healing time spent in pleasure together as soon as they were alone again—he hoped she would recuperate quickly.
Bet stood on shaky legs, moving out of his embrace. She sent him a small smile that went a long way toward reassuring him. She seemed to get steadier with each passing moment, much to his relief.
“I’ll be okay,” she said, reassuring him. “You need to talk with Ki.”
There was a boulder behind her, and she leaned on it. He sent her a doubtful look, but she made a pushing gesture with her hands, as if she was pushing him toward the crystal entity, encouraging him to talk with it.
That was why he’d come here, after all. To learn all he could about the crystal. And here he was, closer to it than ever before, but he was torn. He wanted to be absolutely certain Bet was all right. Everything else—everyone else, in the entire universe—was secondary to her. And that thought gave him pause.
It was at that moment he knew for certain. She was his perfect match. His life mate. The only woman he would ever love and want to spend the rest of his life with… If she would have him.
He would spend the rest of his life convincing her, if he had to, but he had to get this mission done first. Then, he could devote all his energy to earning the love of his lady.
He turned back to the center of the vast crystal chamber. A
nd then, he opened his mind…
CHAPTER ELEVEN
Bet had no idea what passed between Agnor and Ki, but she understood a bit more about the crystal than she had before. It was, as they’d thought, alive. It had rummaged through her mind, examining her past, her thoughts, her experiences. It had learned her. And it seemed to have taken the parts it needed to understand how to ‘path, though that wasn’t one of Bet’s true abilities.
Like most children on Council worlds, she had learned the basics of ‘pathing in elementary school. All children were taught about all the various forms of Talent, since many would either grow up to be a multi-Talent or have friends who were. It was considered basic education to understand the way of it and to recognize its use in others.
Ki had been interested in those memories especially, and it had learned fast. Bet had little education in alien life forms. It wasn’t one of her interests. Now, she wished she’d paid a bit more attention in those lectures. Something in them might’ve allowed her to understand what Ki was a little better.
Though, she felt confident she’d done her part. She’d facilitated the communication between Ki and Agnor. His was the bigger role here. Agnor was the diplomat, the scientist, the adventurer. He would do his part for Geneth Mar. He was the captain.
She was only a crew member. A cog in the beautiful, high-tech wheel that was the Calypso.
She sat on the rock and waited. She might have napped, she wasn’t sure. Everything since dropping her shields to Ki was a little blurry and unreal.
She was aware of the robed men watching them with keen interest, though they made no moves to interfere with Agnor or herself. They observed, and one or two had frowns of what looked like concern on their faces.
She must have dozed off—or maybe even blacked out—because the next thing she knew, a woman, wearing the same robes as the men, but in a lighter color, touched her arm. She must have shaken Bet awake.
Agnor was still standing where she’d last seen him, but the number of men in the chamber had thinned considerably. They were still stationed around the huge room in a loose circle formed around Agnor, but there were less of them.
“Lady, will you come with me? I have laid out refreshments. Your man will be some time talking with Ki, and you should be comfortable.”
The woman had a tiny sliver of the crystal embedded between her eyebrows. It glistened in the sparkling light of the crystal chamber.
“I’m not sure I should leave Agnor…” Bet began, but the woman smiled and pointed toward a fissure in the rock, similar to the one they’d walked down to get here. It was another tunnel.
“We are only going into the antechamber that is five meters beyond this cavern. It is often used as a retiring room where priests can eat and drink between duties. You will not be far, and you can see your man from the opening. There is a chair positioned just for that purpose, so that one priest knows when to take over from the last.”
Bet looked from the opening to Agnor and back again. She was torn. She didn’t want to leave him, and trusting these people was hard. She had only this strange woman’s word. It could be some sort of trap. Maybe they wanted to separate her from Agnor for some sinister reason.
And Bet couldn’t let down her shields here. Not with the power of the crystal so close. She would probably black out again, which would leave her in an even worse position.
“My name is Lara,” the woman said, smiling again. “I am a priestess of Ki. All the men you have seen here are Ki’s priests, as well, of differing ranks and experiences. Ki signaled us all to come on this most momentous of days. Ki would want you to be comfortable while you wait. Ki’s understanding of time is not the same as ours. That’s why there are so many of us.”
“How does that work?” Bet asked quietly. She didn’t really understand what the woman was driving at.
“Come with me, and I will explain more, where we can talk without the possibility of disturbing them.” Lara gestured toward Agnor. He hadn’t moved. He was still communing with Ki. “The priests will watch over your man and intervene if he seems to be in distress.”
“Is that likely?” Bet got up and walked slowly toward the opening in the rock the woman had indicated. She kept one eye on Agnor, worried for him.
“If he were like us, then yes, it is probable. But we’ve already seen that you are both different. You have what Ki calls orderly minds. Ki is best able to communicate with that kind of mind, but also determined that nobody of that kind should live on this planet or serve as a priest.”
“That seems…” Bet thought about it for a moment, and finally realized what a few Talented minds in the collective had managed to do with little pieces of this crystal. “Oh. I see.”
Lara smiled softly. “Ki has only communicated with one other mind like yours in the time I have served as a priestess. A blue-skinned man. We all took his coloration to mean something special, since Ki is also that particular shade of blue.”
“Everyone from Liata is blue-skinned,” Bet said, thinking aloud as she sat on the stone bench where she could still keep Agnor in sight.
“So it wasn’t a sign? There is a whole world of people that color?” Lara asked uncertainly.
Bet nodded. “Liata is an agricultural world with a unique sun. I believe something in the spectrum of light emitted by its sun caused the people there to develop a blue coloration. They are all various shades of blue, from what I’ve heard. I’ve only seen a few Liatans in person. Most seem to stay on their homeworld. From what I hear, it’s a lovely place, though the collective tried to invade a while back and managed to inflict a lot of damage on the surface.”
“What is the collective?” Lara looked suspicious.
“Agnor and I…we come from a group of worlds ruled by the Council. It is a form of government where a large group of Talented people rule as a group. The Council makes laws and policy for all the worlds under Council control. Our biggest enemy is the collective.” Bet wondered how much she should say and decided honesty was the best policy since it was likely that Ki already had seen everything in her mind already. “The collective is ever-expanding and frequently attacks Council worlds, trying to take over. Every few years, there’s a different incursion and many Council citizens are either killed or captured if the invasion isn’t stopped in space.”
“That sounds awful,” Lara murmured, giving Bet a mug filled with what looked and smelled like some kind of sweet fruit juice. “What do they do with the captives?”
“The collective imprisons any Talented mind and steals their power. The non-Talented citizens are mostly left alone, though they have to adhere to collective laws and policies—which includes a yearly tithe of people. Young Talents are taken away from their families, and their minds trapped. Others are taken for the collective’s vast army.”
“They steal children from their families?” Lara frowned.
“Sadly, yes. I know for a fact that Agnor’s friend, Jana, was stolen from her family when she was just a teenager. Her parents were murdered, and her sister, Jeri, ran away, evading capture. When the collective invaded Liata, Jana was leading the armada. She was completely under the control of the collective’s puppet masters.”
“How does that work? Did she not realize what she was doing?” Lara asked.
“The collective doesn’t allow independent thought among those minds it imprisons and uses. Only a few minds are free in the collective, and they direct the rest. Jana testified before the Council that she heard what she called the Voice of the collective in her mind at all times and was only free of it at short intervals.”
“That’s…” Lara seemed at a loss for words.
“Yeah, it’s pretty terrible,” Bet agreed.
“Ki brings order, but if it is not by choice, it is a grave misuse of Ki’s innate power. We know this is the will of Ki. We know some of the dangers Ki can be for unprotected minds. Your minds. Not ours. We don’t have the right kind of order for Ki’s power, which makes it both harder, a
nd safer, for us to serve.”
“Well, we came here because Jana discovered where the collective had been obtaining the crystal. She had a control scepter in her hand when the armada she was leading in attack on Liata exploded. Jana now has many splinters of that crystal embedded in her skin, and her mind is finally free of the collective’s control.”
“Why didn’t she come here herself?” Lara wanted to know.
“Jana has been through hell,” Bet said honestly. “She is only just experiencing freedom for the first time since she was a teenager. She is also newly mated and reunited with her little sister, Jeri. I can’t blame her for wanting to stay with her family, now that she finally has one again. Besides, Agnor is a Specitar—a scientist. As are most of the crew of his new ship. It was decided that they would be the best able to deal with whatever we might find here.”
“Are you also a scientist?” Lara asked.
“Oh, no. I’m the Loadmaster of the ship. I’m responsible for the balance, distribution and inventory of the cargo. I’m also…” She blushed, having never admitted this aloud to anyone. “Agnor and I are lovers. It was his Executive Officer who foresaw that both of us should come down to the planet. She has the ability to foresee possibilities for the future.”
“Such skills are beyond us,” Lara admitted, “but seem wondrous. And you can move things with your mind. I saw what you did. It was very impressive.”
Bet was about to reply when she saw Agnor stagger and then move clumsily. A priest ran forward to catch him before he fell, and Bet was on her feet and into the cavern before Lara could say anything. Bet ran over and put her arm around him, supporting him on one side.
“Are you all right?”
“Fine,” Agnor said, breathing heavily. “I’ll be fine in a minute. It was just a lot to take in. Almost an overload, but I’ll be all right. Ki understands our minds better now, I think.”
