Refuge: The Arrival: Book 2

by Doug Dandridge

  * * *

  “You have done well,” said the Conyastaya Priest of Yanon, bowing slightly.

  Beate Terbourg returned the bow and added a smile. “I didn’t do that much,” she said, looking over at the ward of patients, all of whom were over the hump now. They would all survive the night, throwing off the God sparked disease. And surviving the night they would be up and about in two or three days. She felt very satisfied at that accomplishment, especially when she looked at the young children, always among the first to succumb to death from contagion.

  “You did much to comfort the sick while we and the human healers worked on them,” said the Elf, the image of a cat on his breast. “I think you will make a powerful priestess, and a great healer.”

  “Lord knows we’re going to need them,” said Doctor Heinz Oppenheim, walking up to the pair while he pulled the rubber gloves from his hands. He looked over at the Priest and smiled. “I think I might want to take a course in healing from your God as well.”

  “There is no course to take,” said the healer with a grin. “It requires devotion to the God, and many hours of prayer and meditation.”

  “And I’m not so sure I would want to actually change my religion,” said the doctor, shaking his head. “Are there any other magical means of healing? Maybe practiced by the mages?”

  “There are such means,” said the Priest, Killiastofa. “They are not as powerful as those of the Gods.”

  “But perhaps we could find new means of magical art,” said the doctor, looking back at a table filled with medical apparatus. “Like the other scientist are finding with combat magic.”

  “Perhaps,” said the Priest, his expression showing his lack of interest. He looked over at Beate. “Perhaps you could show me those wonderful animals again. And we could work on your connection to the deity.”

  Beate nodded her head and led the Priest out of the tent and toward her own tent in the nearby refugee city. She knew that the way to healing power was long and hard, though Killiastofa had told her that the God, on the command of his wife, the Goddess of all Life, had ordered that the newcomers be fast tracked through the process. The man had not thought that decision wise, but he would obey his God and do his bidding, and hope for the best. He had explained it to her and then went on to teach her the meditation needed to connect with the God.

  The tent city was busy this evening. People stood in long lines to get food from the kitchen tent. Children ran and played, under the watchful eyes of older refugees, while their parents still worked, or got them food. Beate hoped that Gerhardt had gotten her something already, though she wasn’t sure he would be back from his work with the science committees.

  But Gerhardt was there, outside the tent, sitting in a lawn chair with the cat box next to him. He smiled at Beate as she walked up, then gave a hand wave to the Conyastaya. “I have some food for you, my dear,” he said to Beate, waving to the tent which had started life as two U S Army shelter halves. “I’m afraid I didn’t get any food for you, father. But I’m sure we could hunt some up at the kitchen.”

  “Don’t worry about me, my son,” said the Priest, who seemed to have caught on to human word usages very quickly. He tapped the pouch hanging from his belt. “I have rations with me, and will eat when I am ready.”

  Beate looked at the slender Elf, who could put away more food than any human she had ever seen, though in smaller individual feedings. The Priest had explained to her that the Elves had high metabolisms, and small stomachs, so they ate ten meals a day. Every couple of hours they took in high energy and calorie food.

  “Master Killiastofa would like to see the cats,” said Beate, moving to the box and looking in at Gertrude and the kittens. “He is fascinated by them.”

  “Perhaps you would like one of the kittens,” said Gerhardt, looking at the box.

  The Elf shook his head as he looked into the box, then picked up one of the small felines. “I would love to have one,” he said, looking into the eyes of the tiny creature. “Perhaps when there are more of them I can have one for my temple. Or a pair. But right now it is important that they stay with you humans where they can get at each other and multiply.”

  “These aren’t the only ones,” said Gerhardt with a smile. “I can tell you that for sure. I saw a pregnant orange tabby earlier today, as well as a trio of toms stalking the camp. And a man on the other side of the camp has a Siamese and her kittens. Purebred.”

  “That’s wonderful,” said Beate, who had already seen some other cats herself. I worried so much that there would not be a sufficient gene pool for them to survive, she thought. One of the Elves had told her that would not be a problem, that God magic could solve that lack. But the natural way was still a good way.

  “We really worked hard today,” said Gerhardt, picking up another of the kittens and cradling it in his hands. “And made a bit of progress.”

  “The Dwarves?” asked Beate, looking at her lover. “They have helped, yes?”

  “They have helped,” said Gerhardt with a nod. “And we have helped them as well. They have more practical knowledge of rocks and strata than all the professors back on Earth put together. But they have no inkling of the atomic structures of the minerals they work with. Together I think we will accomplish great things.”

  “Of course you will,” said the Conyastaya. “As will all of us. Now eat, friend Beate, and we will work.”

  “I’ll eat later,” she said, looking over at Gerhardt. “Keep the food safe for me, and I’ll eat after we are through.”

  “OK,” said Gerhardt, smiling at his woman. “I won’t let any of the critters get into it. Have fun.”

  Beate smiled back and followed the Conyastaya Priest out of the camp and into the nearby woods.

  “Sit and prepare your mind,” said Killiastofa, gesturing to a flat area under a large oak.

  Beate sat and got her body into the meditation position. The Elf moved her a bit, making sure that she was in the prescribed stance, then sat down next to her. He started to say the words of concentration, loudly enough for her to hear. She repeated the words, stilling her mind and calming her heart as the Elf had taught her. While her breathing slowed she felt the relaxation coming over her. A voice cried out in the darkness of her mind, a voice sweet and seductive. She sat and said the words over and over, feeling the passage of time in her mind that was much swifter than that of the real world. Hours seemed to pass, though she knew it was only about ten minutes, a gift of the God. The image of the God, a beautiful elfin face, began to form in her mind, a holy light building behind it. And then in wonder she was looking into the eyes of the God, and felt the love encompassing her. And the healing power of the God running through her. Fatigue left her, and she felt a oneness with the Universe she now inhabited. A closeness to divinity such as she had never experienced.

  “That was wonderful,” she said when she opened her eyes and looked into the smiling features of the Priest, himself glowing with holy power.

  “Look down at your hands,” he said with a smile.

  The woman looked down at her hands and sucked in a breath. Her hands were glowing with the same holy light, and the healing words resounded through her head.

  “This is just the beginning,” said the Priest with a smile, helping her to her feet. “Just the beginning. But what a beginning. Now you should get some food and some rest. I have a feeling that tomorrow will be a big day.”

  Beate nodded her head and followed the Conyastaya Priest back into the camp. She had that same feeling about tomorrow, though her feeling was accompanied by an underlying sense of dread. She looked around the camp as she walked to her tent, waving goodbye to her mentor, again taking in all the positive activity, and dismissed that feeling as her overactive imagination.

  * * *

  Master Sergeant Paul Baurieth felt the smile stretch across his face as he communed with the Goddess through his trance state. He sat in the open woods, totally secure in the knowledge that the Forest Dwarv
es protected this area. Nothing natural or unnatural could enter this area without their knowledge, and the Gimikran people, with the aid of their priests, could fight them off. So Paul wasn’t sure why there was an underlying feeling of dread through the connection.

  What is going on? he thought, knowing that his thoughts would go directly to the mind of the deity known as Arathonia. He could feel her love coming back through the connection, as well as her concern. So what the hell is going to happen? he sent through the connection.

  Baurieth had been into transcendental meditation for many years, along with his martial arts training in Tai Chi and Kung Fu. He thought of opening a school on this world once he was established a Priest. What better to teach priests who doubled as warriors? So the meditation came easily, clearing his mind and going into a trance state. It had surprised the Priest of Arathonia, Girison Tortural, that he already had such a grasp of the basic skill of a priest or mage. But the surprise had been two way. Paul had never experienced a direct connection with a deity before. He had heard people talk about their direct relationship with Jesus, or Yahweh, or Allah back on Earth, and had never really understood what they were talking about, since Buddhism, despite his family’s Christianity, was as close as he came to religion. But here he did have a connection with something extremely powerful, which transmitted a holy feeling of love and compassion. And so far he was very happy to have accepted the invitation of this deity’s Priest to grow close to her.

  Images now came back through the connection, the precognition of the Goddess telling him why he should be concerned about that underlying tension. He saws images of fire and death. Of smoking bodies lying on a scorched sward. Of vehicles and the remains of tents smoldering in the background.

  What is the cause? he sent back through the connection. “What does this, and where?

  More images came. Of great red monsters flying through the air, balls or streams of fire coming out of their mouths and hitting unerringly on their targets. Paul felt a deep fear run through him at the sight of the monsters, which he personally had not yet encountered. Magical fear, came the response through the divine link. Something that made it even more difficult to fight the monsters.

  Where? he thought. Where is this going to happen?

  Where you are strong, came the response.

  And when?

  That is not revealed to me, said the thoughts of the Goddess. Much like your uncertainty principle, by your scientist Heisenberg, visions can be very clear in some respects, and offer nothing in others.

  Baurieth nodded his head while the Goddess communicated with him. He sometimes forgot when dealing with the emotional aspects of the deity that she was also an intellect vast and cool. And that the Gods of Death were just as intelligent, even if their motivations were sometimes those of children.

  It will be within the next three days, came the thoughts of the Goddess, who ignored his thoughts about childish nature. He had found that the chief deity of the Pantheon was much more mature than her followers, sometimes having to act like the mother to a pack of precocious children. That is all I can tell you. Now go and tell your mentor, that he may tell you what to do next.

  And then the connection faded, and Baurieth felt like a small child who had lost his mother. Confusion warred with sadness and despair. Then he woke from the trance and looked over at his mentor. The Dwarf gave him a look of concern.

  “The communication was not as smooth this time?” asked the Dwarf.

  “The Goddess sent me a vision,” said Paul with a nod. “A vision of death and destruction for my people.” And Paul proceeded to tell the Priest of his vision, while the Dwarf stood there and nodded his head.

  “Can we contact them?” asked Paul, pretty much knowing what the answer would be. No long range radios were left behind with him when the combined brigade moved on, and even if one had been left there was no guarantee that it would work in the here and now. He was the only Earth human for over a hundred miles, and from what he understood of the belief system of this world that would not be enough to allow Earth electronics to work. Nor did the Gimikran have any flying beasts that could make it to the Refuge valley by morning.

  “It is time to show you another power of the priesthood,” said the squat Dwarf. “I will need you to listen. Then to go to sleep and quest with your mind.”

  “Isn’t this something you should do?” asked Baurieth. “After all, you’re the Priest. And I’m just the acolyte.”

  “And your mind is much more powerful in its raw state than was mine,” said the Dwarf with a smile. “And the Goddess sent you the vision. So I am sure she will facilitate the mental exchange. Now come, and we will get to work.”

  Baurieth nodded his head, got up from the ground, and followed the short legged Priest, setting his own pace to allow the Dwarf to stay in the lead, as befitted the master. Paul thought that no matter the result of this thing the Priest intended to teach him, tomorrow was going to be a busy day for all of them.

  * * *

  Major Antwoine McGurk sat looking into the fire, his mind playing over how the day had gone. His battalion had again had its nose bloodied. He had lost five tanks and a half dozen APCs, as well as thirty-one killed and almost as many wounded. From what he had seen of the healing arts in this place almost all of those wounded would return to service. From his ammunition and fuel reserves he was not sure they would be mechanized infantry or armor when they returned.

  He had gotten his nose bloodied, but the enemy had run into a buzz saw, again. They had to know that attacking the humans within their belief zone, where the machines worked to full efficiency, was suicide. His battalion had killed at least fifteen thousand of that enemy, over a thousand of the Elves and the balance in their allies, which included some red skinned humans this time out. A well placed artillery barrage had taken out most of the retreating survivors, another ten thousand, including a number of the enemy’s magic users.

  If we had an unlimited supply of ammo we could slaughter the entire army of this empire, he thought, glancing back at his tank parked fifty meters from the fire. Armed men walked around those vehicles, while others warded the perimeter. There were also Conyastaya allies out there making sure that nothing came in unnoticed. And tomorrow they would be in the valley, protected at least for that day, until the brass found another mission for them.

  We don’t have an unlimited supply of ammo, he thought. Today had almost emptied them out, and from what he heard the Corps might have enough of a reserve to resupply one division with one basic load, and then the wad would be shot.

  McGurk shook his head and got up from the fire, waving at a couple of his company commanders who were also sitting there trying to relieve the tension of the day. “Night guys,” he said. “I’m for bed. I think tomorrow is going to be a busy day.

  * * *

  Dr. Vogel Kreigel sat around the fire trying to relax. The wolves had been moving around all evening, agitated at something that even they couldn’t put into thoughts. The unicorns had also not been their normal calm selves. They pawed the ground and moved around. If they had been horses they would have been picketed, but the Ellala riders would not hear of such.

  “Something bad is going to happen tomorrow,” said High Commander Fenris Hallanta, looking from face to face around the fire he shared with his officers and some human soldiers who were curious about the unicorn riding cavalry.

  The Ellala had been tense all evening as well, but Kreigel had attributed it to the scheduled meeting with the human General in the morning. The valley was long, and it had taken all day to ride the distance needed to get near to the command bunkers. The long plateau was now to their right, and Kreigel had been fascinated to see the ruins of the city from a distance, and listen to the history of the people who had lived there, and their ultimate demise at the hands of the current enemy.

  “Can you tell what is going to happen?” asked Kreigel, looking at the handsome officer.

  “I am no priest,” s
aid the Ellala warrior. “I will contact the Princess tonight and see what she has to say, but I do not expect too much.”

  Kreigel saw the look on the man’s face when he said the word princess. He was definitely no expert on Ellala expressions, though because he was an Ethnologist he was good at picking up the signals of living beings. He’s in love with that woman. And it hurts him to be away from her.

  “Well. We will have enough on our hands when we meet this American Commander tomorrow,” said the scientist. “I really don’t see why he wants to meet me at the same time as you. After all, you are here to offer the forces of an entire kingdom, when all I have to offer are six canines.”

  On hearing themselves mentioned the six wolves all converged on the man, sitting and looking into his face.

  “Amazing beasts,” said the Ellala Commander, his hand running down the spine of Rogue, the nearest wolf to him. “I think they will become valuable allies in the future. As much or more than any kingdom.”

  “If they breed true,” said the scientist, wondering if that would be the case with the canines of this planet. If they were Canus Lupus as well it should be no problem. But if they were a subspecies that had grown too far from the original than that might not be the case.

  “We have had canines come through from your world to my kingdom,” said the Ellala with a smile. “They bred true with our dogs, who were bred from the local wolf population. So I don’t think that will be a problem.”

  “I hope it isn’t,” said the scientist, thinking again of a bunch of canine mules who couldn’t reproduce.

  [Do not worry, friend Vogel] thought White Paws into his mind. [We will find mates and have many puppies.]

  [And what is worrying you so much tonight] thought the scientist back into the mind of the super wolf.

  [We do not know] sent back the canine, along with an emotional component of concern. [But something is going to happen tomorrow. And we will not like it.]