“I don’t think he meant any harm. He didn’t try to access any earlier personal logs with Netul and Callier, I know that much. I think he wanted to see what I did to rescue my woman, was astounded and wanted to show everyone else what I did. If he had tried glimpsing deeper in the recordings I would have personally dealt with the issue. Take care.”
Stephanie waved and as the three men left she tapped her com beneath the skin of her ear. “Babe, can you come visit me for a…” the door cut off her next words.
Chapter 7
“I’m piss free!” Steven announced his arrival to find Oliver floating in a meditation sitting arrangement above the pool of water in the tenth floor that housed the entire level as a large training area where the crew could exercise and hold challenges. And he wasn’t alone.
Stone floated in a mirroring position along with a levitating Satellite as Hunter companions had telepathy and a limited form of telekinesis to aid them for different gravitational and atmospheric differences. Steven looked closer to find Stone had been seen by a medic as his entire hands were tightly wrapped in bandages that were known to adjust from ice cold to comfortable warmth to promote healing, reduce swelling and most of all, to make sure the injured area didn’t get worse.
Oliver opened his smoking golden eyes and smiled with humor. “Good to know. Care to join us? Fair warning, we’re under seven gees.”
“Sure. You coming, Buddy?”
“Certainly.” Visor kicked off and flew. Steven noticed the moment his bird entered an isolated change in gravity as he dropped six meters in almost an instant before he flapped his wing with more force and a surge of psionic energy.
Steven flew up behind and the five of them meditated in levitation while the force of gravity fought with them to try and be sucked beneath the surface of the eight meter deep pool of crystal clear water.
They all silently held position and their extreme hearing picked up others coming and going, but stayed away from whatever they were doing.
An hour later Satellite chirped “That is plenty for today. Tell us, Oliver, with all the power you command, is it effortless to do things with your psionics?”
“Easy?” Oliver barked a dry laugh. “Easy is not a word I would ever consider to use. Even difficult is too light a word. It’s more demanding than when Renee was waiting for me to Fracture by depriving sleep.”
“I find that hard to believe after what I saw on the vids.” The falcon stated his personal opinion.
“You have no idea just how powerful I am. I can’t be currently humanly categorized. I’m so strong I’m scared of myself.” Oliver shook his head as they all glided to the ground, him chipping into the gravity controls to gradually lighten it up for the four others mostly. Ten gees were his ideal comfort.
“Then explain it so we may be able to share the burden. You’re not alone anymore, Brother.” Stone said as a truly honest person. Flint black eyes were warm rather than cold.
“What could I say that could help you to understand… using half and above of my power is easy, but below that number is like you lifting every drop of water in this pool” He gestured to the liquid. “and sucking out a stream the size of a pinprick under fifty gees. One minor stray thought to concentration could end in catastrophe. I’m the heavily contained water who wants to gush into the empty pool and can only let out the tiniest streams. I’m like a deep breath held and you can only let out a molecule of air at a time. I’m proficient at telekinesis as it feels like an extension of my arm but electrical discharge is… would you two like to see the difference between a thousandth of one percent and point nine of the other percent of my strength to compare?” they all nodded. “Then back up.”
When they were sufficiently away he carefully created a kinetic sphere in each hand after rising off the ground. Hands stretched out to look like a cross. One ball of light exploded into being larger than the next inside the room. The larger percent reached half the height of the room and the tenth of that percent less was about two meters smaller overall. The air hummed a low sound that could make a person’s teeth want to vibrate.
“That would make one hell of an explosion… I’ve never seen a kinetic ball gather so fast so big before.” Steven gulped as the pair made the room hum several more seconds before Oliver absorbed the spheres back into his own body. Had he discharged even one, the ship would not have stood a chance of survival. The excess was funneled into the Valek.
“No wonder you told us you were afraid of yourself. Control must be difficult as those were the largest I’ve ever seen a person create before my eyes.” Stone admitted as Oliver landed again. “Is there anything we can do to help?”
“Yes, actually. My Creelin friends had this game they teach their children when they first learn to use their gifts.”
“You talking about Zalie?” Visor asked.
“Indeed I am.” Oliver told the eagle standing on nothing midair though to his glowing vision Visor was upon a pair of discs, talons curving over the surface.
“Before we do it, I need that promise fulfilled.” Steven pulled out the lance that grew to full length as well as the flail. “Stone, you sit this one out.”
“I’m not going to fight you with Star-sabers.” The largest among them made it clear.
“Yes you are, Brother.” Steven didn’t smile. He was completely serious about it. “The added danger will help more than us using unbalanced training equipment.” He threw a thumb over to the wooden weapon racks filled with every sword, stick and blunted weapon imaginable. “And what better way to get me accustomed to my new toys than to put them to use. Push me and only hold back from killing blows. I doubt I’ll win, but I’ll try my damndest to knock you on your ass.”
“When my hands heal, I will ask it of you too, Brother.” Stone admitted coolly.
“Alright, but we go slow and Steven, don’t use the flail till we gradually speed up… otherwise I’ll not help. You know my speed and my swordsmanship has been sharpened after learning to fight two ancient Creelin. A Beyleez and a Bezlin to be precise. I’ll hold back as much as I can, but…”
“I get it. If you fuck up and kill me I hold no regrets. It’s part of the life as a Hunter I chose. All I ask is if I die, end Visor quickly. Neo-animals can’t handle life without their partner. Humans can as we give a part of our brain cells to form the mental link so we can eventually recover. Hey can’t. Make sure he doesn’t suffer.”
“I know the Hunter laws. And you have my word he’ll feel nothing.” Visor gave Oliver a look of thanks as the large man drew the curved sword and shield.
Steven holstered the flail and readied the lance into a firm stance, legs spread for solid balance. Small plates around the suit collar unlocked and rearranged into a plated helmet with only dark eyelets to see through.
Going slow as promised the spear tip came forward without any form of shake because of steady and mastered hands. Oliver moved slow too, reacting as he would have if done at combat speeds. He leaned in and dropped his right shoulder to let the tip slide right over and raised the shield to deflect the deadly blade up while bringing around the cutlass to Steven’s middle, the sword just as steady.
Steven brought his free left arm under the right holding the lance being lifted and held up a stiff palm. Oliver watched as invisible fields of psionic energy pushed from the palm into a curved miniature barrier. The cutlass didn’t hit the middle of the curve, but the shape funneled it into position as it changed shape into an encircling grip, all the while Steven’s helmet stayed locked onto Oliver’s. Some sparks flew as the sword hit the barrier, but a minor channeling down the sword dispelled the barrier’s grip to allow him to slide it back.
It really wasn’t a surprise because Steven had used the same maneuver before, but now Oliver could see exactly what happened this time. Previous sparring sessions often with Steven ended up being disarmed. Besides, one didn’t want to get into a brawl with Steven Metts. He was a deadly martial artist atop of being a hundred and n
inety centimeters tall and solid throughout his body that wasn’t completely disguised by the battered armor.
Slow exchanges gradually increased in pace, but was still slow to Oliver. Then they got up to adequate speeds where Oliver gave the nod to let Steven use the flail which didn’t hesitate to join the clash of metal on metal. The flail certainly made up for the lance’s lack of maneuverability as it was mainly a thrusting weapon which its long shaft was ideal for blocking, but the flail’s chains added flexibility to the exchange. The pegged ball rained upon the shield and struck it like a tuned bell. Each blow was surprisingly heavy while the lance was fast and precise. Sometimes Steven would retract the lance into a shortsword to change the tempo of the back and forth session in which neither sustained injury, not for Steven’s lack of trying. He knew Oliver was toying with him. Oddly it wasn’t infuriating.
The session grew to full-on battle for Steven, but Oliver hadn’t broken a sweat nor left any openings for his defense was uncanny because of heritage and hard work.
“Enough, Brothers.” Stone called and Oliver’s sword paused a fraction of a centimeter from Steven’s wrist and Steven was about to stab through a foot. “Steven, well done. Those weapons are much better than the originals you’ve carried for so long. Rest and recover.”
“Don’t twist my arm.” Steven said as the helmet broke down into a collar to wipe his sweaty brow. He sat straight on the soft ground to catch his breath. He shook his head to see Oliver still fresh after all that. “Let’s play a little Zalie.”
The three men spread out far and wide, their sharp hearing able to cross the distance without need to rely on coms or yell. Roughly standing a hundred meters apart in a triangle, being watched closely by the birds of prey.
Zalie was shown by the Creelin to humanity to share how they let their children play and develop control of powers at the same time. A game similar to the egg toss, but a bit more tricky as it had rules and a scoring system. Zalie required three individuals set in a triangular position. A person could not hold a ball of water for more than five seconds and must throw it out to another before time is up or risk starting over at zero. The person with most after ten minutes wins. The way to make points is doing acrobatic tricks with the water by reshaping it, returning it to a ball and sending it back to another always to the left, In Oliver’s case being Stone. Stone would send to Steven who would in turn launch it to Oliver. The game hones psionic speed in addition to the body. Getting wet results in penalty of ten points even by one drop so maintaining shape of the water was also an added challenge. Only ten proper moves were allowed in the game, each scoring one point more than the next and also increasing in difficulty.
One point is given successfully where the water is turned into a ring the person jumps through it like a loop. Gets up and sends it.
Two points go to someone who makes another ring, but horizontal and must be done by levitating themselves in a summersault three times.
Three go to a person able to form a tunnel five meters long and jump through it backwards, feet first.
Four goes to a person able to devise five staggered rings and fly through it.
Five is awarded for a successful dancing fountain that splits ten ways and the person must dance. This one allowing the only bend to the five second rule, but only for an additional three seconds.
Six is to make it into a five pointed star and punch through all five sections before jumping through the center.
Seven points required splitting an incoming ball of water ten ways with the eyes closed and guiding the streams behind the back of the person and blindly throw it while doing a one footed spin on the non-dominant leg.
Eight needed the person to stand on the water and make it pressurized to lift the person all without sustaining any droplets.
Nine’s difficulty centered on forming water into ten different animals in five seconds completely clear enough to identify it by all three players.
The most difficult was in turning water to steam, chilling it into fog by removing heat and air with a barrier so tight that when it spreads out it makes a vacuum as well as removes heat before slamming heat and air to condense it back into water and go. And the key to five additional points is to keep the sound below seventy five decibels.
The men activated their cameras to record as the ten minute game was fast. At normal, a person gets sixty chances if it comes to them every ten seconds. More if the game is faster. And the number one rule is no physical touch, due to going back to zero again because a droplet counts.
Stone started them of as he was closest to the pool. His bandaged hand stretched out and up came the measured ten liters. Since he didn’t need to touch, he was able to play. Oliver and Steven hunched over, arms low and spread. “Satellite, ten minutes starts at your call.”
The falcon placed a talon on a timer zeroed out and set for six hundred seconds. Ten minutes. “In Three. Two. One! Start!” he pressed down and the count began.
Stone began with a six point, making a star, punching and jumping. As soon as his feet cleared the star collapsed and whipped in Steven’s direction before Stone even managed to hit the ground.
Steven closed his eyes for a seven point as the lobbed H2O separated without looking, gathered and he spun on his left leg once and threw it.
Oliver, still new even after playing for three months after being introduced went for a three point as he hollowed out the incoming projectile and jumped up enough to spin and let the water slide over his feet, gather back just above his head and threw it to Stone upside down. Thankfully he remembered to change out of the cape or it would have been soaked and he would have started out without change.
Stone captured it and jumped up to make it a geyser to rise a meter and made a kicking motion while falling to send it to Steven for an additional eight points.
The water flew round and round, never stopping. Stone and Steven competed for points, but they began to notice Oliver went for simpler and strived for accuracy. They also saw how hard he concentrated by expression, never overdoing anything. They began to understand he was releasing minute quantities rather than go for the bragging rights. It was fun, but also a necessity to see him learning limits for small things. Precision was difficult for him with so much power at his command.
“Time!” Satellite called out just as the area buzzed by a ringing of metal on a bell.
“Alright guys, I’m going to chip into your recordings and view from all three of us.” Oliver’s eyes unfocused as Steven held a hand up to keep the water afloat. His mind flew through the images of five minutes and examined it all in three to four seconds. “Steven, you win at sixty two points. Stone you got sixteen. On your twenty ninth attempt you got a splash to your left calf muscle.” Stone looked and noticed a little moisture. “From each of your views I managed only five points. My second to last splashed three droplets to my left cheek.”
“How many resets?” Steven asked.
“You had one. Sixth pass. Stone had two and I had thirteen throughout where my points zeroed out.”
“Why do you sound happy you made so many mistakes?” Visor voiced.
“Because my average is usually in the thirties for little mistakes.” Oliver brushed his hair back with his fingers. “Guess a sound sleep does me some good. Let’s keep going and see if it’s not a fluke. Satellite?”
The falcon dipped his little head. “Three, two…”
Renee smiled as she walked down the hall alongside her large Drake who also seemed fully at ease as she was wanting to do a surprise when they both could tell Oliver was preoccupied.
She paused at the door till feeling a spike in his emotions to know it was anticipation and flung open the door to yell “SURPRISE!!!”
Oliver’s concentration slipped as the water-ball was in his possession and its momentum continued as the liquid left his barrier.
Incoming water had Renee gasp and freeze for just a moment before ten liters slammed directly in her face and soaked her c
hest. She was knocked back into Sparky’s broad chest by the sheer speed, force and shock before losing footing and slipped hard on her rump.
“Direct Hit!” Steven crowed.
The hellcat reared her head as anger replaced shock and embarrassment.
“Uh oh.” Steven’s cheer changed to dread, knowing that look. “Run!!!” he ran.
Emerald irises vanished behind blazing evergreen as she lifted herself off the ground as if wind had lifted her like a leaf, glanced at the pool and lifted all its contents to slam it into Steven’s retreating figure. To make sure the point came across she lifted a hand and shot a bolt of lightning, but suddenly an even greater force snuffed it out midflight. She glared to the source to find a solid mountain staring right back. “That’s enough, Red. I won’t let you electrocute him, no matter how mild you made the bolt.”
“No one makes fun of me.” Her anger had full hold of her. “Not even you.” She raised her hand but suddenly his hair shot up and blindingly went golden. His eyes blazing.
“You calm the fuck down right now, Renee. You cannot bully me. You can be mad, but harming others for a comment no matter how well timed, isn’t justified to do it. It was your own fault for breaking my concentration. Settle the fuck down before I am forced to do it for you.”
Determination and the cold command was nothing comprehend to the disappointment she felt emanating through the link he had placed upon her. Renee never wanted to feel such a profound emotion come from him by her own actions and that is exactly what happened. Her nickname hellcat was crushed by the weight of guilt she had just disappointed him with and she bit her quivering lip. Her hand lowered and she didn’t bother running like a scolded child. She held still and watched as his hair returned to normal and his eyes dimmed to the neutral soft glow.
Sparky said nothing, many times scolding her temper in a similar way.
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