by Michael Berg
“How goes your moments Arthren?” Valeena wanted to interrupt him from his trance.
“Hopefully as yours go Valeena. I sense a tone in your voice.”
“It happens every moon shadow fall. This is number nine now. Just two days remaining.”
“Time calls for our clarity more than ever. We must be in true mind and heart when Beth emerges.”
“I am beginning to see it clearly Arthren. Do you know what this could mean for us? We could have Vindor at our finger tips.”
“I have no purpose in abusing my role as accomplice Valeena. Power is not my thing.”
“Imagine the power with Beth though. If we show her the way to glory, Vindor could rule this sector of the galaxy. Why evolve to just become passive?”
“It is not about being passive Valeena. It is very active, just not aggressive. Even the pride of Vindor as it stands now is aggressive.”
“I’m not being aggressive!”
“Aren’t you Valeena? I have noticed a change come over you. Is it over losing Beth?”
“I’m not losing Beth. Where is she going?”
“Once she is queen and our work as accomplices done, circumstances will not return to how you and her had it before you came to meet me.”
“Do you think I am stupid Arthren?”
“I would not dream of it Valeena.”
“The why ask questions as if I am? Anyway, I am quite capable of taking care of myself by myself.”
“I know you are. My concern is where you might be going with it.”
“What do you mean? I have no place I…”
“There is something in you I know was not there…or perhaps it was. Anyway, something in you not in me. Our time here at the spring has been revealing. Have you discovered truths of yourself?”
“Yes I think I have and my truths are clear enough.” Valeena’s eyes said much more than her words and Arthren knew trouble was looming. She was becoming gravelly in speech as she avoided deep penetration into his vision whilst preventing his into hers. Her voiced rasped now and then as if she had taken on a hard edge.
“You can drink the gold Valeena.”
“I would rather hold it.”
“Why the temptation? It will get the better of you.”
“I am not coveting this or anything else.”
Arthren knew she was lying. Everything told him Valeena was not in true presence, perhaps still battling those last elements of negative ego preventing discovery of herself unbridled through such drawbacks. He was already watching very closely, noticing her subtle nuances and variations of expression and speech, without her realizing his study.
Losing Bethany to this process…procedure…birthing was not at all present in her emotions or thoughts. She was almost feeling entirely the opposite seeing it to her advantage and how she could become consort to the queen in presence. Excitement ran through her as if pulses of electricity were jumping from the many spherical renditions of Vindor culture and technology in space and time. They fed her cosmic satiations driving her sense to hunger for yet more in a relentless passage to an irreverent place.
Valeena knew this was no mere sense of individuality only – the position of accomplice had opened her to infinite possibilities. She had to decide on one as visions of glorious outcomes flashed through her mind.
She could see Vindor as the central reigning planet for this section of Aduna – the great galaxy. How Earth would bend to her whims then, and Bobby too. She could extract him at leisure, extract from him at leisure, and place her dominance over the Steward of Earth Defenses. He was an upstanding soul type – she had wanted him for this before she had ever met him.
Arthen was by way of chance, her stead, her mount, her platform to this uprising. He had willingly answered her call knowing there was a great bounty waiting at the end. Yet unlike Valeena, he had emerged from the platitudes of ego and dispensed with desire of will and greed, to realize his true place as an accomplice.
Valeena would not permit him to extend these fortitudes upon Beth – she was to become her queen and she would bring such melee to those authorities including Froend at Vindor central city. With the passing of moon shadow fall, she had less than two days before she would begin. Time now pressed her to make decisions and take those fatalistic steps.
“Perhaps some of your fine stewed fruit will help us relax as Beth nears passage back into time.”
“Great idea Arthren. Let’s see if we can find any Vindor galaxy fruits. The sweet and sour combination adds an extra tang to the stew.”
“I thought I saw some new ones just two shadow falls ago. They looked on the verge of ripening, so perhaps they are ready by now.”
“Lead me there.” Valeena knew of a special method for brewing the potent galaxy fruits.
Under skies of rich hues from purple, through ochre orange and burnt red, to the sparkle of late day’s golden glow, Valeena steamed the pot of stewing fruits as Arthren tended the chrysalis containing Beth. He insisted on keeping it clean, adamant her first entry back into time’s place befit her role through her surroundings. In a garden of plenty, adorned with golden cascading waters, Arthren felt he could love Beth.
He felt love for her as her male accomplice, yet something else was urging him – his thoughts would turn to erotica and how magnificent love would be in unison with her as Vindor’s ascended queen. Deep inside her, she would hold the connection to the eternal creation, and for a man to penetrate such a sacred place, surely must be more than any man could ever experience through the many mundane acts of common love seeking sense of such essence. Many were too busy acting love out of ego anyway, as were their partners. They were desperate and so turned inward to self through pride as an outward rejection of others in a competition to seek personal pleasure and to be the one to give pleasure.
She could see Arthren’s mind wander as he tended the chrysalis. Valeena knew men enough to gauge when they were lusting after women. His eyes gave him away. She laughed quietly to herself. He was projecting an image of a man in meditation as an accomplice, yet he was still derided by his own dark carnal thoughts. She gave the pot of fruit stew a few vigorous turns as the heat raised enough to break down the galaxy fruit and release its wonders.
“It is still hot. Give it time to cool and then have some.”
“It smells amazing Valeena. The galaxy fruit is so strong.”
“I have a way of brewing it Arthren.”
“Did you find some level mind state during cooking? I was hoping…”
“I do see clearly Arthren. I know what is to be done. Most important is Beth’s preciousness. We must take the best of care.”
“I’m glad to hear you say such words Valeena. For a time there, I was wondering if you might have lusted after gold…”
“Lust. I see lust Arthren. It shows in the eyes. They betray normal consort.”
Valeena’s eyes told him she was speaking both to him and of him. He conceded his lust of Beth, un-nerved at having been so obvious to Valeena. She was here as accomplice, so her insights would be beyond the measure of normal people.
When it was cool enough and star clouds of skies normally seen from many different planets now gathered over Dealas, Arthren sampled the finest fruit stew he had ever tasted. It was smooth, sweet yet bitter in its invigoration - soothing to a tested mind. He immersed himself in the flavours just how Valeena had hoped. He savored the taste before swallowing just as Valeena had hoped, and he ate until his bowl was clean. She offered him a second helping and so he took a little more, eating it in the same way.
“Are you having any?”
“I have a small bowl. I’ll eat more later.” Valeena had extracted a small bowl of the stew to eat with Arthren, prior to adding the galaxy fruit. She wanted him to experience the entire wonders of Vindor’s most sacred food. Her method was sound and soon Arthren would become at one with the taste of the galaxy Aduna.
Just after midnight, colors began to wash through the setting. They
flowed through the trees within the grasses and enveloped the spring as its gold waters sparkled more brightly than ever. Forms took shape…faces, places, planets and spiraling galaxies, huge pulsars so bright as to be universal diamonds of the sky, and great clouds spanning light years enveloped the scene, so majestic was their presence. Emotions ran high through wormholes transcending feeling casting souls to the cosmic winds. An eagle’s eye bore close, examining, looking to hunt, before drawing away finding no prey lurking.
Such creatures were true of the many planets – their spirit carried forth across time and dimension, linked to the great creation seeking renewal. Times past and those yet of the future amassed bombarding concepts of placement, of tact, and of resonance. Energies within tethered to the eternal aroused, enticed, enthralled, and through the waters came to face with self. Moments in solitary company where companionship prevails through connection to the many, to the one, and to nothing, were the times. Mechanisms of control offering platitude, sanctity, and mystery were open to choice, taking… from need or through necessity. Wholeness in alignment as the experience sent senses senseless exulted to new pathways of paradigms, ushering light and darkness of light on a plight…
Valeena watched Arthren fall into a deep sleep. The galaxy fruit sent him on a psychedelic trip into the dimensions casting his presence energies to the heavens and deep into sub-consciousness. He would remain in those worlds between worlds out of time like Beth, until she had emerged when Valeena would be the sole accomplice to guide her.
She had no need to sleep, instead choosing to watch the celestial jewels move across the sky thinking of the possibilities once Beth was awakened. As dawn approached, she felt her own hunger, both of body and of want.
Arthren lay peacefully. He looked at ease and comfortable lying on the lush green and gold grass immediately beside the spring in a position where one hand dipped slightly into its precious waters. His face reflected this connection of content. Gold in its form, the universal metal of conductivity, electricity, and creativity, streamed through his mind, his body, and onward into his projections.
Valeena could not know of the transformation she had commenced for him – she thought he did look a little too comfortable for the state she assumed he was experiencing. Her mind then wandered and soon the idea was lost as she again thought of Beth.
The chrysalis evoked her needs. Within it she saw a realm of outcomes she could create now she had the chance to coerce Beth’s naivety. Together they would bring Vindor to its place as resident supreme world. There was nothing else a planet driven by such self immersive pride could do other than to evolve to a status undeniably an improvement on present circumstances. She would rid the planet of its need to find another home by restoring equilibrium in their red star. Valeena truly believed she could do this and so then render it stable for thousands of Vindor generations to follow.
She herself would give birth to progeny of special privilege as council to the golden queen, where a king too would be born – an heir from her own egg, her own seed, and from whomever she chose. Together, the regal couple would evolve Vindor to bring forth an age of gold, of conquest, and deliverance of those without circumspect.
Valeena’s feelings took her to Bobby. Nobody else came as close to him. He had given her seed and he had killed their seed. She was not hateful at him for this, instead forgiving in the knowledge of seeing her destiny with him was much more than some offensive war mission dreamed up by her superior Froend. She longed for Bobby’s touch and his place inside her. She could feel it emotionally and she knew a part of her was missing – a part only he could fill when he came to her. Her flesh tingled as she shuffled unable to resist moving her hips. She touched her lips ever so gently with her tongue tasting salty, sweet, and sensual, ‘Mm, love I lust you.’ Valeena was Vindor in all her being. Desire, self, pride and appreciation…she could live so much more than those fools like Froend she was glad to have left behind.
When moon shadow fall occurred for the tenth time, Valeena was within a day, as was Beth. Inside the chrysalis, she had begun to wake. It was a slow process Valeena could see as Beth stretched now and then causing the egg to bend and flex with her movements.
Arthren had not moved and so all was in place for upon the next moon shadow fall where Beth would emerge for her position as queen with Valeena at her side ready to begin instruction of how she was to awaken fully to her role.
Chapter 15
“Our lives, our density, unfold as they do. We might see chance, see too much convenience, or see it as arduous and testing. In all respects, each experience leads us to find ourselves and then deliver to our own hearts, our bodies as accomplice to a greater need than self. Our understanding of the universe makes us unique.”
“Fine wise words Miss Candice. This Vindor whiskey seems to bring out your…”
“Oh it is not the whiskey Mister Livingston. It is the moment, the consideration, and the time to step away seeing the wider view.”
“I must thank you for teaching me those virtues Miss Candice.”
“Do not mention it Mister Bobby. You are our shining light taking us beyond ourselves. You already have this and it is we who are grateful.”
“It is an adventure I was waiting for Bobby.”
“About to take its next turn Jonathon.” Bobby indicated with his eyes. Two men had just entered looking to be the most likely candidates they had encountered since warding off the assailants back on the road.
“I’ll keep an eye on them for a while before I test the waters.”
“Best to ensure our safety Mister Livingston.”
“Of course and especially yours Miss Candice.”
“All of us are in this together, so I am no more pertinent to protection than any of us.”
“There are four near empty glasses. I think it is time I brought us a refill.”
“I will help you Jonathon. Maybe we can both see these two from another angle and glean something.” Bobby felt an automatic duty bound sense in leading the group, forgetting for a moment of having assigned this role to Jonathon.
“Relax a little Bobby. I can sense your being tense. We have to be a little ramshackle here, otherwise someone will become suspicious from the energy about us.”
“It is just a little hard to relinquish at times.”
“Don’t even think of it. I tend to see myself as acting out a role in these types of situations. It helps, and removes you from yourself enough to convince others.”
“Weston and Miss Candice are out of sorts, yet being so may well be an asset.”
“Everything is so new to them in contrast to our perspectives. Sure, this place is very foreign, but the times and the acceptance through our knowledge and experience of this strange planet, helps us and yet hinders us. We have a good mix of personalities and presently nothing like an operations team on a mission. We have at least one advantage going our way.”
“Hey you two. We saw you looking at us. You had better bring us those drinks. Your friends over there can wait.”
“What makes you think we were looking?”
“I saw enough to tell me I am right. Those whiskies look tasty and my friend and I are in need of a fine malt…”
“You could just buy one.”
“Don’t get smart. You know why. Come and sit. You have some explaining to do.”
Jonathon reluctantly led Bobby over to sit with the men as Miss Candice and Mister Weston watched proceedings from their peripheral vision.
“You two don’t look like you have been here before. I can see the by the way your friend looks around. He’s nervous.”
“I’m not nervous. He thinks I am nervous Jon...”
“A notion easily considered as somewhat ridiculous.”
“Something is going on.”
“You might be mistaking nerves for love. My friend here is falling in love with the woman in our company. You know what love can do to a man.”
“I’ve been struck with the b
ug, but something tells me there is more.”
“We are new here. We’re just looking to make some currency. You know how it is.”
“Where are you from?”
“We arrived here from the central city through Alencsha.”
“You’re not some authority group are you? People of such ilk tend to be killed around here.”
“You can be sure we are not anything to do with them. As I said, we are looking to make some currency. We all thought it would be a better option for us to live here in Masquerdon for a time than to hide on the fringes of the city. It gets to you after a while.”
“Why do you expect any more freedom here? People might not take a liking to you leaving you no better off than some official.”
“A chance we are all willing to take. We prefer to make a life ours instead of suffering at the hands of those idiots who spend most of their time looking in mirrors.”
“You had better check your own mirror to see who you really are. Life in Masquerdon is not what you might expect. People are tough and they won’t hesitate to kill if they see value in it for them.”
“We are good with defense,” Bobby added.
“You will need it.” The only one of the two men to have spoken suddenly rose from his chair to make a move and strike Bobby in the face. His friend immediately followed directing his efforts at Jonathon. Cumbersome as they were, both assailants were on the floor being stood over before they knew what was happening.
“I told you we are good with defense. Two men like yourselves found out on the road today just like you have. Maybe we could threaten you just a bit more to keep you away. Where’s the ray gun?”
“Here it is,” Jonathon replied leveling the weapon at the two men. “Which one goes first? This thing sure would have a sting…perhaps enough to kill a man.”
“Look, we just thought you might be some special operations team out here on assignment. Since the awakening has begun, there is tension in the air. People can see change coming and a lot of them won’t like it.”
