“I’m not wearing that,” I told him.
“Actually, you won’t,” Hach remarked. “The Tonat requires something a little different.”
I looked around and found Max standing behind Grace. I saw her frown when Hach mentioned the word Tonat.
“I’m not the Tonat,” I insisted. “I have no intention of becoming a Space Jumper.” I looked directly at Max when I said it.
“But the others on the ring don’t need to know that,” Hach argued. “Remember what I said about the power of appearance? I simply need you to pretend to be the Tonat. Will you at least agree to that?”
“Pretend? Why would I would I pretend to be something I don’t want to be?”
“Because that’s our new job,” Max said, now standing to my left and looking at Hach. “Well, yours, anyway. This whole building has been designed for it. Once Ketheria is finished with the awakening, this building will become a shrine and fees will be charged so others may visit her.”
“Correct,” Hach exclaimed. “Humans are so much more observant than they give you credit for. Personally, I have no need for these fables. OIO and its teachings have no room in my life, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t plenty of individuals on the rings who feel differently.”
“And will pay a lot for the privilege to see the Scion,” Max added.
“As well as the Tonat,” Hach reminded her. “The Trading Council sees a great profit in this little charade.”
I didn’t know what to say. I just stared at Hach. Could it be true? Were we going to be put on display like animals in a zoo?
“What about everyone else?” I asked.
“Every deity needs her disciples,” Hach replied.
“Ketheria won’t go for it.”
“I would not count on that. When your sister is delivered to me, she will be well on her path to becoming the Scion.”
With that, Hach turned and headed out of the room. “Queykay will return later with instructions on preparing for the Scion’s arrival.”
“Queykay?” I cried.
“I take it you’ve met him,” Max commented.
“Although I am your Guarantor, the Trading Council’s needs supersede any authority I may have over you. They, along with the Keepers, are an integral part of this arrangement. I know you will not like to hear this, but when I am not around, Queykay is in charge. He is to be treated with the same respect you would afford me, if not more.”
“You’re leaving?” I called after him. “But I don’t understand. I thought we were working for you.”
Hach stopped at the doorway. “My new contracts require my presence on Ta. I have simply provided the building to house the Scion. You are in capable hands with Queykay. This is what’s best for everyone, you included. Please trust me when I tell you that this arrangement is far too complicated to explain.”
Hach looked at me, waiting for a response, but I said nothing. Anything that I wanted to say would only make matters worse for everyone else.
“Remember,” he added, “you could be sleeping in Murat this cycle, and eating one of those things you saw grilling in the street.” Then he left. I turned away, grinding the palm of my hand into my forehead.
“I don’t understand what’s wrong, JT,” Grace said. “I think it’s wonderful. One more rotation, and then we’re free, with Ketheria as the Scion. I can’t think of a better scenario.”
“I can think of a few,” I muttered, glancing at everyone in the room, dressed in those stupid robes. Max caught me looking.
“What? You don’t like them?” she said, smiling and smoothing out the material on her stomach. “They’re really quite comfortable.” She came over to me and took my hand. I instantly felt better. “C’mon, you have to admit this place is better than the trash belts at Weegin’s. Remember that radiation gel?”
I followed Max away from everyone else and out of the back of the room into another glassed hallway. She led me past small pools of water cut into the stone floor and stopped at a crystal bench under a yellow tree that grew right inside the building. The black windows, despite their color, provided an ocean of light, as if a beaming sun were hanging right outside.
“Are the windows lights?” I asked, pointing toward them.
She didn’t answer. Instead she grabbed my arm, pulled me close, and kissed me.
“I’ve been waiting a long time to do that,” she said.
“You can do it again if you like.”
Max leaned toward me, and this time I kissed her.
“How long is this going to go on for?” Theodore interrupted as he walked toward us. Max pulled away.
“Not long now,” I complained.
“Good, because there are some things we need to discuss,” he said, and thrust something in my face. It looked like the taps we used to get at the Illuminate on Orbis 3.
“What is it?” I asked him.
“Queykay has us handing them out all over Murat,” Max said.
“No one refuses them,” Theodore added. “Some people even try to resell them.”
I poked into the tap with my softwire. Accessing something like a tap was almost as easy as breathing for me now. I no longer thought about the mechanics; I simply concentrated on the outcome, and the contents of the device filled my thoughts. The tap contained moving images of Ketheria with the glow all about her. She was smiling and touching people softly, people who were kneeling in front of her. Some were crying, some rejoicing. It was all strangely eerie, as if Ketheria were some sort of god. This was followed by more images of crowds streaming up the walkway that led to this building. The fictitious events played out inside my head stronger than my most vivid memories.
“I don’t get it. Ketheria has never been here before,” I said.
“It’s an advertisement,” Max informed me.
“The Trading Council is going to have Ketheria hold sermons or something,” Theodore said.
“Hach knows about this?”
Max nodded.
“What does it mean? They’re using us to start a religion?”
“OIO is not a religion,” she argued.
“But some aliens distort it for their own gain,” Theodore said. “They prey on those who worship the Ancients.”
“He’s right,” Max said. “I think that’s what the Trading Council is attempting to do here, but OIO is actually a philosophy. It’s the art and science of cosmic energy. It helps you to interpret the events in your life so you might gain control. They believe that everything, even your thoughts, goes out into the cosmic soup and has the potential to affect everyone else. Through this energy, we are connected with everything in the universe, no matter how close or how far. Nagools try to master this energy, releasing only constructive energy while avoiding deconstructive energy. But even they look at the arrival of Ketheria as a messiah, as if she’s going to help them tip the scales of the deconstructive energy they claim plagues our universe.”
“They think it’s that bad?” I asked.
Theodore scoffed. “Have you seen it out there? This place is a hellhole.”
“And Hach is trying to capitalize on this?” I said.
“The Trading Council is. I’m certain of it,” Theodore whispered.
“Queykay has been the one making us hand out the taps,” Max reminded him. “I think most of Hach’s work is with mining or something.”
“You just wander around the city handing out taps? Isn’t Queykay afraid we’re going to try to escape?”
“Where would we go? This is by far the best place on the ring. Besides, our staining would make it easy for them to find us.”
I shook my head. “It doesn’t make sense.”
“Yes, it does. Hach is a Citizen,” Theodore reminded me.
“I know, but you remember him, don’t you? Remember how he acted toward that other Citizen at Odran’s party?”
Max was nodding. “The one who didn’t like knudniks much? I think her name was Pheitt.”
“Hach was go
lden.” Theodore smiled.
“I can’t picture him doing this. Why would he want to start a religion? You said he was into mining? This doesn’t make sense.”
“Well, he’s doing it,” Theodore insisted.
“Vairocina?” I called out. “You can show yourself. It’s just us.”
Particles of light pooled in front of us, and a figure began to form. Vairocina had started changing her appearance ever since she had begun projecting her holograph for us. Each time it seemed as if she was trying to look a little older. Her new look was not lost on Theodore, who always straightened up whenever Vairocina appeared.
“Hi, V!” Theodore gushed.
“Hello, Theodore. Hello, everyone.”
I looked at Theodore and mouthed, “V?” He only shrugged.
“Hi, Vairocina,” I said. “I know I’m always asking for your help, but . . . well, I need your help again.”
“You know I will always help you in any way I can.”
“Thank you. This time I was wondering if you could help us with our new Guarantor. Hach told me earlier that he gained possession of us from Charlie.”
“He did?” Max interrupted, and I nodded to her.
“Can you check and see how that happened? I can’t figure out when Charlie had any interactions with Hach. Charlie never mentioned him. It just seems strange that he would leave us to Hach. Will you see if you can dig anything up?”
“Certainly,” she replied.
“Did you ever find out how Charlie got all that wealth when he became a Citizen?” Max asked her.
“After his demise, I was certain you wouldn’t be interested anymore. I did find a trail, but it ended at the Keepers.”
“The Keepers?” I said.
“Do you wish me to look further?”
“No. You’re right. It’s not important anymore, but I would appreciate any information about Hach and how we came into his possession.”
“I’m on it already,” she said, smiling and blinking.
“Bye, V!” Theodore said.
“Good-bye, Theodore.”
Vairocina’s image mixed with the light in the room, and then she was gone.
“You like her,” Max squealed.
“I do not,” Theodore said.
“Yes, you do!”
Theodore shot me a look. “Don’t look at me,” I argued. “I mean, you do act a little . . . weird whenever she’s around.”
“Me? I’m weird? Maybe I should leave so you guys can get back to sucking on each other’s faces.”
“Theodore!” Max exclaimed, but I was nodding, hoping my friend would leave quickly.
Another entire phase passed and still there was no sign of Ketheria. I was nervous, and to make matters worse, Theylor had not sent me a single screen scroll updating me on my sister’s condition. How long does this step of the awakening take? I worried.
I was lying in my sleeper, squeezing my temples with the palms of my hands, when Theodore barged into my room. The pain in my head had been coming in waves ever since I woke.
“Come on, malf!” Theodore cried, but then stopped short. “What’s wrong with you?” he said.
“Don’t get too close,” I groaned. “I just might throw up on you.”
“We have a lot of these taps to deliver,” he complained while hoisting up a large blue sack. “How are you going to help if you look like that?”
“I can’t. You go. Queykay’s not here, is he?”
“I don’t know. He might have left already. He did ask for you, though. Max covered. She’ll be here in a sec.”
I sat up, making the pain worse, as if my brain were trying to squeeze out around my eyes. I couldn’t help but think of Ketheria and the glow.
“No,” I said. “I can’t. Tell Max I’m not feeling well or something. Tell her I’ll catch up with you guys later.”
“She thinks you’re avoiding her, you know.”
“Did she say that?”
“Not exactly.”
“I’m not doing this on purpose. I can’t control it. I go from zero to puke in a nanosecond. Can you imagine if I tossed in front of Max? Not to mention while I was kissing her!”
Theodore cringed. “No. I don’t want to imagine that.” He squeezed his eyes shut and shook his head. “Argh! Too late. All right, I’ll cover for you again. Get some sleep, but you’ll have to do them all next cycle.”
I nodded as Theodore left. Then I lay down, careful to place my head on the sleeper as gently as possible. I was aching to see Max, but not like this. I tried to avoid her whenever I felt this way. I knew it wasn’t right, but I couldn’t face the alternative. After a few moments on my back, another wave of nausea crested in my throat and I jumped off my sleeper despite the cries from my splitting head. I made it to the bathroom just before I threw up.
Satisfied that my stomach was empty and hoping that the others had already left to flood Murat with more propaganda, I set off to find the chow synth. I still hadn’t adjusted to the layout of the building, so every stroll was an adventure. The place was enormous. I swear it was as big as a space station, but I needed some water. Outside my room I saw a knudnik pulling a train of double-shelved carts filled with bowls and flowers. The alien deftly maneuvered the six or seven linked carts around the corner; none of them even came close to scraping the wall. It had been like this for the whole phase. Knudniks and construction-bots were everywhere. Queykay was building some sort of shrine in preparation for Ketheria’s arrival, but I didn’t care. It just meant that Ketheria would be here soon.
I was following the train-pulling knudnik down an enormous hallway when I heard Max and Theodore coming toward me.
“This is ridiculous. If he’s this sick, then he needs to see a doctor, Theodore,” I heard Max say.
I was trapped. If I headed back in the direction of my room, I was certain she would see me. What would I say to her?
“Trust me, Max. I saw him. He’s in no condition to see anyone,” Theodore said.
The knudnik with the carts stopped, as if he, too, were reacting to their voices. For a moment I thought about crawling into the cart, but I didn’t see anything that could hide me.
“This is stupid,” I muttered. Just deal with it, I thought.
Then the wall to my right seemed to split apart as two seamless stone doors swung open. A couple of Argandians, squat knudniks with yellow, scaled bellies, waddled through the opening. The alien pulling the carts greeted them, and they continued down the hall in the direction of Max and Theodore.
I dove inside the room before the doors swung closed.
I waited for my eyes to adjust to the light, or the lack of it. A soft blue glow arched around the perimeter, but it was not enough for me to see anything. I groped the wall, looking for some sort of control panel that I might push into, but I found only smooth stone, cold and indifferent under my fingertips. What is this place? I wondered. I walked slowly toward the blue glow. That light has to be controlled by something, I thought. I reached out in front of me, swiping at the air for any obstacles lurking in the dark, when BAM! I hit my shin on something hard and sharp. The pain bolted up my leg, and when I reached down, expecting to find blood, I struck my forehead on another stupid barrier.
“Of all the —!” I yelled, and then I was gone.
At first I didn’t know what had happened, but the rancid smell of feet gave it away. I had jumped. I hadn’t tried to jump; I just did. But how?
The smell of feet was too much for my weak stomach, and I unloaded the meager contents of my stomach onto my boots. Embarrassed, I wiped my mouth and looked around. Thankfully, there was no one watching. I was alone in an alley, except for a bunch of garbage and busted shipping crates that gave no clue to my whereabouts. As I moved away from the smell of my own vomit, the space rippled while the light closed in, forming a single point. It meant only one thing to me.
Space Jumpers.
Two of them surfaced on either side of me — tall, imposing figures clad in s
ilvery chest plates and thick leather boots. One wore a helmet that covered half of his face. Him I recognized, from my encounter last phase on Orbis 1, but the other I had never seen before.
“You again,” the familiar one grunted.
“For a group of individuals who are supposed to be banished from the Rings of Orbis, you sure do show up a lot,” I remarked.
“Here, take this,” the masked Jumper ordered. “Keep it with you at all times.”
“What is it?” I asked, holding up the smooth disc he’d handed me.
“That device informs us that it’s just you trouncing through space,” he replied.
“So we don’t have to babysit you anymore,” the other spat.
The new Space Jumper glared at him before telling me, “What you’re doing is illegal, and we have no way of telling who you are without a belt. This is for your own safety.”
“We should arrest the popper,” the surly one complained. “Let him spend a few rotations in slow-time.”
“Take it up with the Trust,” the other Space Jumper snapped at him. “You have your orders.”
“How do I get back?” I asked him.
“You’re smart; figure it out,” one of them replied, and then they were gone.
“Wait!” But there was no one left to answer. The Space Jumpers had left me there, and I had no idea where there was. I tried to jump back home, but nothing happened. I closed my eyes and concentrated on my new home, but still — nothing. I simply remained there as motionless as the metal crates that surrounded me, only feeling a little more stupid.
“Great. Now what?”
I stepped away from the crates and found myself behind a small group of trading chambers. Is this Murat? I wondered. I had no idea. I could be anywhere, couldn’t I? I mean, I had no clue how I was jumping, let alone where. Spontaneous space jumping? This is great, I thought. I knew everything about my softwire abilities but nothing about this new, uncontrollable ability to move through space. I knew that Space Jumpers were softwires, but they all used belts to jump. I also knew that the Trust trained softwires to jump, but I had no training. So how was I jumping without a belt?
The Softwire: Awakening on Orbis 4 Page 3
