by Dale Furse
Nell hit his arm. ‘Thanks a lot.’ She ‘thought-moved’ the brushes and combs into the basket and handed it to Sam.
‘Show off,’ Sam said.
CHAPTER THREE
NELL SPOTTED PART OF THE SMALL SPACESHIP AMONGST the nipa palms and other foliage adjacent to the brackish mangrove waters. The gold metal glinted in the sunlight. Corl-made skarks were the alien equivalent to cars. A bigger version of the Corls’ bracelets, they made their own wormholes. Travellers programmed their destinations into the skarks on Corl and they must return to Corl before leaving for anywhere else. The skark disappeared as they walked closer. It stayed hidden until they rounded a large-trunked tree. The ship sat with its rounded bottom resting on the sand at the end of a well-worn path.
The skark was as sleek as a sports car with its shell made from golden metal called okfor.
Striding up to the oval ship, Nell said, ‘Dar-Nellen from the family Dar.’
A portion of metal slid open revealing a hole the size of a small doorway.
‘I love saying that,’ she laughed.
‘Corls are supposed to be the smartest people in the universe,’ Sam said, gazing at the skark. ‘But they’re tall so you’d think they would have made a higher entrance.’
Mekie said. ‘I never thought about it before but,’ she beamed at Sam, ‘you’re right.’
Nell walked straight inside the skark. ‘It the perfect size for me.’
‘And me,’ said Mekie, standing with her back to a seat.
The first time Nell had travelled the Corl way she had sat on the floor. Mekie told her after the journey that she should have been killed because she wasn’t seated. The skark’s seats grounded passengers and protected them from the effects of wormhole travel. The G-forces should crush organic bodies, but all Nell had experienced was a cyclone of colours where everything and everyone around her morphed into weird shapes. Although she wasn’t harmed then, she now always chose to sit in a seat. The rapid journey from Earth to Corl was more comfortable – no legs melting into the metal beneath her, no wavy Mekies or Sams.
Sam had duck his head as he stepped through the doorway. As soon as he was in place, Nell said, ‘Sit.’
All sat at the same time and, in that instant, colours swirled before Nell’s eyes. She immersed her mind into the colours and within a few moments, they reached Kafir, the capital of Corl. It was the city where the Three World Council had sat regularly and now the newly formed United Council sits.
Nell was the first to stand, triggering the door open. ‘I guess we’d better let Dar-Seldra know we’re here before we do anything else.’
Although it was morning when they had left Earth, the orange Corl sun had turned pink and was setting behind the city walls of Kafir. The ship-park (that’s what Nell had decided to call the spaceship landing areas) was high above the tallest building and the hues of pink and red sky filled Nell’s view. She didn’t take her eyes off the horizon as the sun set. A few seconds later, it was gone and only the palest of pinks remained as she stepped behind Sam and Mekie onto the moving walkway that would take them to the elevator.
They stepped out of the elevator into an empty corridor. The tall buildings loomed above them and appeared much darker than the last time she had visited Corl. If it weren’t for all the brightly coloured doors, Kafir city would have looked desolate.
Sam frowned. ‘Where is everybody?’
‘Trade commences tomorrow,’ said Mekie.
‘That’s okay then,’ Sam said, grinning.
‘It is quiet without the traders.’ Mekie said, as they ambled along the corridor.
‘Sure is,’ Nell said, looking around. A sense of emptiness filled her. She shook her head. By daybreak, all the corridors would be full of beings from different worlds. They would have set up their colourful stalls like the markets at home, returning the streets to their noisy, bustling selves.
Once inside the elevator that would take them to Dar-Seldra’s house, she turned to face the doors. Something flickered in the corner of Nell’s eye. She turned her head.
The deserted outdoor café across the street shimmered with a dim light as if The Invisible Man had walked in front of it.
She shifted her focus and found herself gazing into bottomless, pitch-black eyes embedded in a long, snowy-white face not more than an arm’s length from her own face. Its head and body was enshrouded in a long black cape. ‘There is another Wexkian,’ rumbled a man’s voice in her mind. She blinked. The empty café looked as bleak as a ghost-movie set but it had stopped shimmering. Whatever her imagination had dredged up this time had disappeared.
The elevator doors closed. ‘I think someone else wanted to get into the lift,’ she said, a slight shiver tingled her scalp.
‘I didn’t see anyone,’ Mekie said.
‘Me either.’ Sam raised his eyebrows at Mekie.
‘I could have sworn ...’ Nell shrugged. ‘Never mind.’ Either she was going mad or she was the only one who could see the thing. But why? And why had he said nearly the same thing as the crocodile the first time she had encountered him? She frowned. It could have meant Shahs or there could be someone else Nell didn’t even know about.
As the doors opened, Mekie said, ‘It might have been a Caren; they’re a fast and scatty people who prefer not to be seen.’
Disembarking, Sam mussed Nell’s hair. ‘Or it could be that imagination of yours. It seems to run riot in this part of the universe.’
Nell groaned, ‘Ha, ha.’ He was right, of course. Corl did have a strange effect on her inner soul, but this vision, or whatever it was, was different. ‘No. I think Shahs is really close.’
‘If that’s so, we’ll find out soon enough. That is, if you’re nice to my uncle,’ Mekie said.
‘Okay, if I decide to meet him, I’ll be nice,’ Nell drawled. Trying to look innocent, she gazed out of the hall window. She could do polite if she had to, and that was close to nice. Nell did want to meet Shahs but now she had another book to find as well.
Nell hadn’t heard any doorbell music. She turned around. Her cousin was combing her hair.
‘Hurry up,’ Nell snapped. There was no time to waste. Her father could return to Corl anytime and she wasn’t sure about his reaction to her being on Corl let alone trying to see Shahs.
Mekie shot Nell a petulant look and gave her hair a final stroke with her comb then jabbed the keys on the lock code. Musical notes sounded and the door opened. They stepped into Dar-Seldra’s house. ‘Mother?’ Mekie called. No answer. Going to the dining table, she picked up a note, scanned it, and said, ‘Mother had to go to work and we have to go to Tish’s house.’
‘Tish?’ Sam asked.
‘She’s Kandar’s life partner,’ Nell said. ‘You’ll like their son.’
They took the elevator up two floors and passed several apartments. The doors had plaques stating who lived there. They were going to the House of Kandar but as the trio passed the House of Nadar, Nell fell back. Nadar was still incarcerated at the Kafir restoration and she wondered if he would ever recover. It was her fault his mind was so jumbled. She was the one who couldn’t control the mind connection when they fought. Nobody was completely sure what she had done but some doctor’s believed her telekinetic powers had disrupted the synapses, changing Nadar’s neural pathways. Nell hadn’t understood most of the words the physicians used, but she knew she had hurt Nadar’s brain.
Shahs had killed Nadar and Kandar’s mother, but insanity wasn’t a foregone conclusion for every Wexkian. Nell frowned. Shahs might not even be Wexkian. She trailed her fingers over Nadar’s door and a ripping sensation tore through her brain. She cupped her head in her hands. Although it was more irritating than painful, her skin went cold.
A vision of Nadar reading loose sheets of paper appeared. Concentrate, Nell. She was certain it was a vision of the past because Nadar was reading those last pages of The Book of Wexkia. He did know where they were, but how was she going to get him to tell her? Even if
he wanted to help her, he was still incoherent.
Nell hurried down the hall. ‘When do you think Nadar will be well?’ she asked before Mekie could knock on Kandar’s door across the hall.
Mekie and Sam backed away from the door eyeing Nell suspiciously.
‘Why? What’s wrong?’ Sam said.
‘I was just wondering that’s all.’
Mekie narrowed her eyes. ‘The physicians say he is progressing and they hope he will heal soon.’ She and Sam exchanged a glance.
Nell threw her arms up and stepped toward the door of the House of Kandar. ‘Don’t ask.’
Grabbing the loose material on Nell’s back, Mekie said, ‘You saw something just now.’
‘It was nothing.’ She had to turn around to shake her cousin off.
‘You don’t trust me.’
‘Don’t be so silly. Now isn’t the time,’ Nell said. ‘I’ll tell you later.’
Sam put his arm around Mekie’s shoulders and gave a short squeeze. ‘Come on, Mek. She said she’d tell us later.’
Nell’s chest tightened at the intimacy of his act. Mekie smiled into his eyes and Nell squashed her lips together. The tightness spread to the base of her throat. Confused, she swung back to the door and knocked.
Kale, Kandar and Tish’s son, opened the door. He was short, even shorter than Nell, and his skin was jade-green with fine, almost-black lines creating a mosaic pattern over it. He wore a blue, velvety suit instead of his usual kaftan-type garments Nell had seen him wear on previous visits. Dar-Seldra must have told him Sam was with them. He’d asked Nell more than once if she could bring her Human friend to visit.
Small, sharp teeth erupted in a wide smile. ‘I’m glad you came,’ Kale said, and gazed over Nell’s shoulder at Sam.
‘Hi, Kale. That’s Sam.’ Nell moved aside. She crossed her arms and watched her friends. Of course, Sam liked Mekie. So did Nell. She was the one being silly. They were all friends, nothing more. Sam was right, this part of the universe made her emotions go haywire.
In Human fashion, Kale held out his hand. Sam accepted the invitation and the young Corl shook his hand vigorously. ‘I’ve been looking forward to meeting you.’
‘Yeaaah, meee too,’ Sam said, exaggerating the shake in his voice.
Kale stopped shaking his hand and let go. ‘I apologise,’ he said, looking worried.
Sam laughed. ‘It’s okay, mate. I was pulling your leg.’
Kale regarded his legs in puzzlement.
Nell giggled. ‘Don’t listen to him, Kale.’ She patted his arm. ‘He’s weird.’
Also giggling, Mekie gazed at Sam, her eyes made it plain that she didn’t think he was weird at all.
Sam smiled back.
What? Heat filled Nell’s veins. She would think about them later. Trying to ignore the array of emotions washing through her mind and body, Nell focused on the introductions.
Tishamenta, a robust, lemon-coloured Corl, served a wonderful, though strange, dinner. Plates of salads and prawns, sat between plates of green, brown and orange mush, black seaweed chips and chunks of yellow, sugar-covered bread.
Tishamenta had told Nell the first and only time they had met that she was to be called Tish. She had made it clear that she would answer to no other name.
‘Thanks, Tish,’ said Nell. ‘That looks yummy.’
Tish moved the plates around the table.
‘Ma,’ Kale said. ‘Stop fussing and sit down.’
‘I’m not fussing. I’m trying to look after our guests.’ Tish scanned the table with tight lips.
Kale glanced at Mekie and they both giggled. Nell made a mental note to ask what was so funny. With a heavy sigh, Tish sat at the end of the table.
While Sam ate with his usual gusto, Kale asked him about his home on Earth. Nell was convinced her cousin purposefully waited for Sam to slow down before speaking to him.
Mekie held up a jug of lemonade. ‘Would you like some?’
He nodded and Nell’s chest tightened again at the blush of colour that spread over his cheeks as he swallowed. Although Mekie was a full year older than Nell, Nell saw a child. At least, that’s the way her cousin acted most of the time. Nell decided she would have to let her know how much of a flirt Sam was.
Growing tired of Sam’s silliness, Nell asked Tish, ‘How many worlds have joined the United Council so far?’
‘Twenty-one,’ she said. ‘Mink and Crydal have asked to be admitted.’
‘And Grarlon?’
A flash of concern swept over Tish’s face.
Sam stopped chewing and waited for the answer. Mekie seemed to have no interest in the conversation and kept buttering her roll, but Kale stopped a spoon of green mush halfway to his mouth.
‘Is the council going to let them join?’ Nell persisted.
Tish put down her two-pronged fork and gave a slight shrug. ‘That is why Kandar and Dar-Tern travelled there. Many meetings will be held with the royal family and the government.’
‘Grarlon has a government?’ Sam asked.
‘Yes, their politics are similar to some of Earth’s regal lands. However, the Grarlon royal family are the true rulers.’
‘Is it now safe for visitors there?’ Nell wanted to know.
‘Kandar said it was, and for his sake, he had better be telling the truth.’ Tish’s hands closed over her fork. ‘King Randlo invited them to stay at the palace.’
‘That’s a relief,’ Nell said. ‘What if the UC rejects Grarlon as a member? They won’t tell them before Kandar and Dad get back here, will they?’
‘No. Tanat has assured me of that.’ Tish smiled a rare smile that had Kale relaxing and returning to his plate. ‘They should be back in a few days at the most.’
Although Orenda was their friend, Nell had no misconceptions about other Grarls. Last time she visited Corl, she had witnessed a disagreement between a Grarl spellbinder and a gnome-like trader. The Grarl had raised his arms above his head and when he dropped them down, the little trader had disintegrated. The Corl authorities had to enlist ten reluctant Grarls to overcome the angry spellbinder.
Nell frowned. She had to stop finding trouble where there was none. Orenda had told her that she was close to the royal family.
Tish served lashings of ice-cream for dessert; at least that’s what she called it. The stuff tasted like vanilla but it had the texture of putty. However, it was cold and melted in Nell’s mouth. Close enough.
Tish retired to another room, leaving everyone else in the sitting room. Kale hurried to sit with Mekie on one of the large, red sofas and Nell joined Sam on the other.
‘What were you and Mekie giggling at before dinner?’ Nell asked Kale.
‘When?’
‘When you told your mother to stop fussing.’
‘Oh,’ Kale nodded slowly.
Mekie gave a little giggle behind her hand.
‘Ma said she was looking after her guests but what she cares about is how the table looks.’ He smirked at Mekie. ‘I guess there must have been a colour missing in the setting somewhere.’ He and Mekie burst out laughing.
‘I don’t think you should laugh at your mother,’ Nell said. ‘You should think yourself lucky you have one.’
Kale stopped gurgling. ‘I’m not laughing at Ma, just the way she thinks. She can’t stand not having everything around her as artistic as possible. You’ll find out if you spend more time with her.’
‘Ignore her, mate,’ Sam said. ‘She’ll get over it.’
Nell opened her mouth to retort, but Sam said, ‘Drop it. You get bent out of shape over the dumbest things sometimes. We have other things to talk about.’
Plopping into the back of the sofa, she stared at the painting on the opposite wall. It was a picture of Kandar’s mother, identical to the one his brother, Nadar, had hanging on his wall. She had eyes like Kandar, twinkling emerald-green but that’s where the similarity ended. Nadar had inherited her other physical traits. She was stout and her grey skin was a bright g
rey, alive, not dull and wishy-washy like Nadar’s skin.
Kale asked Mekie about her studies and Sam leaned in to listen so Nell stood up and wandered around the room. It was so large that Tish’s art studio fitted into a quarter of the space. A gigantic sculpture of an angry gargoyle hunched down on its many-toed feet glared at her from the other side of the room. She moved closer and counted the toes; six on each foot, all the same size. Although the stone was a pretty shade of pink, the mythical creature appeared dangerous. Its protruding face, frozen in a snarl, exposed three elongated teeth erupting from the lower jaw on each side of its mouth. It had no front teeth and a tongue so red it might have been bleeding. Yuk.
She strolled toward an easel that housed a multi-coloured painted canvas. But when she moved past the monster, she caught her breath and turned. The monstrosity’s black eyes followed her. Huh? Taking a deep breath, she marched up to it. Its eyes reminded her of her crocodile back home. She placed her hand on the stony head. There is another like you, a male’s warm voice said inside her head; the same voice she had heard in the elevator and...
She thought about the first and only time the crocodile had talked to her in Cape Hollow. That was before she knew she was an alien of Earth. Her horse had shied out from beneath her causing Nell to fall hard onto the sand and into the rising tide. Once she could move, she spotted the crocodile bobbing in the water close by. She had tried to back away from him but terror had sapped her strength. She froze as he moved in closer and touched her skin above her sock. He looked at her then.
‘Good morning, Dar-Nellen,’ the crocodile had said in her mind with the same voice.
A tiny squeak passed through her lips. She shook her head. What did he call her? Nothing, numbskull, she thought. Crocodiles can’t talk.
‘You are correct,’ he said. ‘Crocodile’s can’t talk. However there are some who can find other ways to communicate.’
‘So, you’re not a crocodile?’ she said aloud.
She now considered what he had said next. ‘I am at this time.’ That phrase only confused her then but now it told her much. What species can take over living animals and inanimate objects? And why had a member of that species wanted to talk to or just watch her as a crocodile, gargoyle and whatever it was outside the elevator? Why wouldn’t it just be itself?
