No, I haven’t, Kuja realised, then ducked his head to hide his blush. He would be lying if he said he’d never tried to grow a rainforest from nothing on an arid world, only to fail when his thoughts took him elsewhere.
Fei really must do something special with those simulations, he thought.
Kuja stepped forward, putting himself between his friend and the scientist. ‘Bagara is younger than many other sub-level gods, it’s true. He has time to learn, though. He is a god.’
‘If he really was a god he’d know it all by now,’ Lorena said with a biting laugh. ‘The Creator God knows everything since he made everything. He’s the one you should be worshipping!’
Inesh simmered. ‘A god who never loves or tends to his people will lose them.’
‘Lose them to what — your sad way of life?’ Lorena gestured wildly at the nearby huts. Her hand froze into an awkward claw, fingers bent towards the sky, when she realised just how many people were closing in on her. Her voice took on a much sweeter quality. ‘I suppose it’s not for everyone, though it seems to work well for…some people.’
‘Since when were you so devout, Lorena?’ Gerns asked, her body swinging from side to side as she marched over, her tentacles wound around her midsection. ‘Not you, no, I seen it myself. You can’t expect our hosts to ditch their god just because you don’t like him. It’s pointless. And kind of rude, given that we’re getting free booze — now me, I see that as a definite plus in this Bagara’s favour.’
‘If I’d known that alcohol would sway your opinion,’ Inesh said seriously, ‘then I’d’ve just got you all drunk instead of blowing up the hoverpad in that lab of yours.’
Kuja opened his mouth, but it was too late.
The uproar had begun.
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
Fei dashed over and hastily inserted herself between both human and Jezlo moments before it occurred to her that this was probably a bad idea. Gerns’ tentacles were brandished now, the suction cups glistening with the poison that her species kept in reserve for those moments when they felt threatened. Inesh had barely moved, but his dark eyes were like bolts itching to be shot out of a lasgun.
Fei swung a helpless look at Kuja.
Please, please, be my voice, she pleaded silently.
Kuja stepped forward and laid a hand on her shoulder. ‘I think Fei has objections to us turning this celebration into a fight.’
‘This human has set us back weeks!’ Gerns exclaimed.
‘Bagara does not want you here!’ Inesh hurled at her.
Kuja’s voice was soft but it carried an echo that made Fei think of a snarling Bagaran Tiger, a rare but deadly predator. ‘Inesh, we have talked about this. Bagara hasn’t spoken directly on these matters, so we can’t assume what he wants. Gerns, will you hear me out before you do anything?’
‘I said to myself just then, I said, “Gerns, I respect Kuja”.’ Gerns aimed her tentacles at Inesh. ‘Even if you didn’t tell me it was your buddy here that destroyed the lab.’
‘That’s not what I asked.’
Gerns’ tiny eyes fixed on Kuja. ‘Then you better start talking before I wrap this man up in my embrace. Now me, I don’t think he’s gonna enjoy it.’
‘Very well.’ Kuja lifted his chin. ‘Yes, I knew Inesh was responsible. He won’t do it again. If he tries, or even so much as thinks about doing it, I will stop him. And believe me, I can.’
Overhead the sky rumbled, dissatisfied by the scene presented to it. Kuja was still speaking but his words, powerful though they were, hovered like a dead heat, never landing, never settling. They wouldn’t be enough to convince his listeners.
Fei moved her hand to Kuja’s waist and squeezed. He dutifully silenced.
Somewhere in the distance rain began to roar, the sheet of droplets drawing closer with each passing moment. Thunder growled, threatening anyone who dared to speak out of turn.
Everyone’s eyes were now levelled at Fei.
She cleared her throat. ‘Um. Hi. I work for TerraCorp, but I guess most of you know that already. So when I…alright, I’m going to talk about one of our most important rules. When I’m writing the code for simulations, the ones that get used to terraform worlds, I have to include the wishes of the local populations.’
‘Fei, you need to pause and take a breath,’ Kuja advised her in a murmur.
She gasped, glad that he’d interrupted, because she had been running out of air. When she was able, Fei went on, ‘I have to appease both our clients and the rest of the people on the planet they want to change. If you have a follower of the Desine living there, you need to let them have some desert so they can still connect to their god. It’s, you know, a compromise.’
‘A compromise — our lab was destroyed!’ Gerns’ tentacles snapped into straight lines. ‘And we’re not trying to change or damage this planet, we just want to learn from it! The lab will be gone the moment we are, I promise you that.’
Fei nodded repeatedly. ‘I know. I know. The lab’s destruction affected me too, because now I won’t have those new plants to include in my next simulation. Inesh, I like you,’ Fei said, glancing at his stony expression. ‘You gave me a chance. I don’t think you regret it. So please try to do the same for my colleagues. And maybe tonight we can all drink together and, um, find some common ground. If we can. I don’t mind if you get angry again tomorrow, but I’d rather not go through that right now, especially…’ Fei offered a shy grin to Kuja whose emerald eyes sparkled in response. ‘Especially since I’m here with a date and wouldn’t mind scoring at some point.’
The square erupted into cheers, fed from both sides of the waning fight. The burdened clouds rumbled again, causing some people to tilt their faces skywards, their tongues extended in anticipation. But the worst of the downpour was elsewhere and only tiny pinpricks of rain were their reward.
Fei turned to Kuja just in time to catch his fervent kiss. When he broke away, he said, ‘You should get a good spot near the statue. I have to go do something.’
‘But…’ Fei trailed off.
Kuja pressed his lips to her cheek. ‘You don’t need me, or my voice, just now. But if you call me, I will come to you. No matter what. Is that alright?’
‘More than alright,’ she said, watching as he walked away.
With nothing better to do, Fei moved towards the stage along with everyone else. She scrunched up her face in worry when she found herself standing between Gerns and Inesh, who were still shooting suspicious looks at each other. Fei forced a laugh when one of them made a joke, then quickly transferred an explanation to her other companion to make sure they knew it wasn’t an insult. Within seconds all three of them were chortling and holding their bellies, even though the joke hadn’t been that funny to begin with. But it was something. It was a start.
They silenced when the air inside the village grew charged and seemed to vibrate around them. An eerie yellow light fell from the sky, filtered through the heavy clouds, smearing over every exposed patch of skin. This must have been a cue of some kind because the Bagathians knelt, one by one, onto the muddy earth, looking expectantly at the statue.
Fei found herself holding her breath.
‘Is the starking thing going to start walking?’ Gerns asked.
‘Walking? No.’ Inesh snorted from his position on the ground. ‘You better listen well because Bagara only blesses us with his voice once every year.’
‘Once a year, huh — then he can’t have told you to blow up any labs!’ Gerns exclaimed.
Inesh bowed his head. ‘True. That was my choice.’
‘Now me, I think you need to make better choices. Or let your god make them instead.’
‘I am sorry for my actions,’ Inesh grumbled. ‘But I won’t be if you keep talking.’
Fei let her head drift to the side, reaching out with every sense she possessed, trying to feel the arrival of Bagara. There were some birds twittering nearby, but soon even they quietened. She wondered if the creatures were onl
y following the lead of Bagara’s worshippers or if they too understood that their god was coming.
Fei had to quickly lower her eyelids when the statue was struck with a blinding beam of light, as though the atmosphere had been rent apart, exposing everyone in the village square to the nearest star. Bagara’s effigy thrummed with power and then grew in size, casting a shadow over them.
My people, I come to you now, said a low, measured voice, one that seemed oddly familiar to Fei, just as I did over five decades ago. There are those that remember that time, but there are those that don’t. Since then I have learned much about you and what you need from me.
‘Never heard anyone so eloquent,’ Gerns remarked. ‘Waste of words, if you ask me.’
Fei shot her a look of warning, then relaxed when Inesh said under his breath, ‘Yeah. He’s usually too busy to ramble on like this.’
The statue continued to conduct the voice of Bagara, heedless of this exchange. I want to give myself to you, the way you have given yourselves to me. From now on, my voice will come directly to you when you need it, to guide you — and not just you, anyone who needs my help, anyone with questions. Even if they do not intend to worship me.
‘Even me?’ Fei wondered out loud.
Even you, said the voice and she shivered, not sure if those words was directed at everyone or her in particular. I freely offer myself, my guidance and my love. What you choose to do with that is your own concern.
Spread my message. Tell others to ask for me. I am not a god who demands that temples of stone be built where they are not wanted. I understand that free will only works so long as you do not punish those who make use of it. And unlike the Creator God, I do not leave casualties.
I am Bagara. If you have questions, if you need help…you need only speak my name.
With a great sigh, the statue deflated, losing both height and importance. The sky had blackened at some point during Bagara’s speech, but the clearing was now lit with twinkling solar lights that swayed in the gentle breeze. Those gathered before the stage seemed stunned, unable to move or speak. Then, slowly, the villagers raised their hands to the stars, murmuring their thanks and praises. Some of the scientists even bent down and joined the Bagathians on their knees. Others, like Dr Lorena Hackett, rolled their eyes and headed over to the buffet tables that groaned beneath the weight of assorted food and beverages.
Gerns was one of those who knelt. Fei quickly joined her.
‘Now that, that is impressive,’ Gerns said. ‘This Bagara sounds like my kind of god.’
‘I thought you were a staunch follower of the Creator God?’ Fei asked, feeling dwarfed as the people around them began to stand, their knees covered in mud. She knew the dress she was wearing would also be dirty when she got off the ground, but since she knew it wouldn’t bother Kuja, she decided it wasn’t going to bother her.
Gerns’ tentacles drifted, distracted and unaimed. ‘Now me, I follow the Creator God, because I inherited him from my mothering circle — and because them at TerraCorp will only hire you if you worship the Creator God, you know that. But Bagara’s right — there are casualties.’
Fei watched Gerns’ skin darken, the alien woman’s light grey colouring transforming into something more akin to coal. Fei wasn’t sure what that meant for a Jezlo; Gerns might simply be sick or something much worse could happening to the botanist.
‘Gerns?’ Fei prompted, worried.
‘Got a few things to say, I do, but not out here,’ Gerns said in an undertone.
The Jezlo rose without another word and, ignoring the colleagues that offered to get her a drink, lumbered away, disappearing behind a nearby hut. Fei followed her.
Once they were far enough away from anyone who could overhear them, Gerns said, ‘My Severs, I loved her and I told myself I’d never let her out of my sight, but she just had to go and join GLEA while I was at university. It’s what she wanted, so I told her to do it, we’d call each other on the Web every night. But the agent she got paired with after she finished her training, now that lout made her think she was a terrible person for talking to me when she could have been using her free time to go to the temples. He said to her, he said, the Creator God wouldn’t like that she put me first.’
Gerns broke off and made a low, globbing sound. Fei didn’t know what she could do or say to comfort Gerns so she just stood there awkwardly. After a while, the Jezlo’s skin took on its usual translucent hue and Gerns was able to lift her large head again.
‘Severs took her own life rather than disappoint me or the Creator God,’ Gerns continued, her voice flat and controlled. ‘I told me, so I told me, “Gerns, TerraCorp will fire you if you stop worshipping the Creator God, but stark him if you ever get a better offer”.’
Fei tried to keep her silence. But the drums from the festival were back, slowly and steadily finding their rhythm, forcing her blood to throb in her ears. She had to say it. She had to.
‘Gerns, don’t work for TerraCorp,’ she said. ‘You need to leave.’
Gerns’ tiny black eyes darted around Fei’s face. ‘Why? You’re still with the company. Now me, I wouldn’t call taking a holiday funded by them at TerraCorp “leaving”.’
Fei rubbed her forehead, trying to erase her growing headache. ‘They wanted me to find a reason to keep working for them. And since you showed me all those plants and made me see how wonderful it is to create life, I thought…’
‘You thought they put me up to to it?’ Gerns shook out two tentacles in apparent agitation. ‘Nah, just trying to focus on the good stuff in my life, since there’s not much of it. So tell me, Fei. Why should I stop working for them? I don’t need me much reason to leave as it is.’
‘I don’t have proof. It’s not…it’s not…’ Suddenly Fei felt like she was back in the basement at TerraCorp with Moz advancing on her, his shadow encasing everything in its path. She let her gaze fall to the ground. ‘Forget I said anything.’
‘You got this far, you can’t stop now,’ Gerns told her.
Fei bit her lip. ‘But you’ll quit your job if I tell you. I can’t…I can’t be responsible for that.’
One of Gerns’ tentacles fell onto her shoulder, but it wasn’t heavy and neither did the Jezlo apply pressure. It was more of a comforting weight. ‘Yes, you starking can. You know something. Now me, I’ll be real unhappy if you don’t tell me what it is.’
‘TerraCorp was created to fund GLEA — Gerns, they’re the same thing!’ Fei blurted, then dragged in several long, laboured breaths.
Gerns’ alien face darkened again. ‘TerraCorp is GLEA. Now that’s more than enough for me to wobble my way out of their clutches.’
‘I don’t even know if I should tell people,’ Fei agonised. ‘I don’t have the files that can prove it. No one would believe me. And even if they did, do I want them to go to other terraforming companies? TerraCorp is the reason poorer planets have any protection from criminals, because they fund GLEA which lends out its services for free. I won’t be responsible for endangering lives.’
‘Now me, I think you should tell people.’ Gerns removed her tentacle from Fei’s shoulder and tapped one of her many chins. ‘I’d rather have the truth so I can make a choice about whether or not I want to be mixing business with religion. But that’s enough for tonight.’ The tentacle dropped to Gerns’ side. ‘Go back to your date before Lorena gets her claws into him. Kuja’s quite good-looking, or so our Dr Hackett tells me. I never can tell with you humans.’
‘What will you be doing?’ Fei asked, dreading the answer.
Gerns’ triangular mouth shrank into a small circle. ‘Tendering my resignation.’
‘But Gerns — ’
‘Fei, sometimes you gotta say things because they need to be said,’ Gerns told her. ‘Some of us aren’t meant to make waves. But you? You’re gonna cause a tsunami on Enoc, on Gerasnin, maybe all across the galaxy. If I don’t see it, now me, I’d be surprised.’
Fei held up her hand in farewell, bu
t Gerns was already walking away, headed towards the gate. Worrying her lips together, Fei returned to the festival where she found enough smiles and laughter to wipe away the sadness and regret that had filled her stomach like bad wine. She was just thinking about looking for Kuja when he suddenly appeared at her side, as though he’d been there the entire time. He captured her hands in his and dusted kisses over her knuckles, gazing up at her in that way that made her heart jump.
‘Kuja, it was wonderful, did you hear him?’ Fei asked, squeezing his fingers to keep him from leaving again. ‘It was as though Bagara listened to all of our conversations and wanted to address our concerns.’
There was a mysterious twist to Kuja’s lips. ‘Perhaps Bagara did listen to us. Now, Fei, we could talk about this or we could find other things to do with our evening.’
The shiver started at the nape of her neck before travelling lower, much lower. ‘Do you mean dancing? Because I could maybe do that for a bit…’
‘We can start with dancing, if you’d like,’ Kuja murmured against her ear.
Fei leaned back, trembling. ‘Kuja…I don’t want to say this, but…but…’
‘If all you want to do is dance, then that’s fine,’ Kuja assured her.
‘It’s…it’s just that Zareth never asked me what I wanted in bed, he just assumed and did whatever made him happy and — I’m better off doing it alone,’ Fei finished in a mumble.
Kuja’s hand slid down her side then nestled against her hip. ‘What if there was someone willing to take the time to learn from you, the master of your own body?’
‘Then I would wonder why we’re not dancing already,’ Fei whispered.
His chuckle rumbled in his chest as he pulled her into his arms. Other dancers near them began partnering up as a slower song filled the square, the accompanying drums now as steady as a heartbeat. Kuja’s lips found the hollow of Fei’s throat and she lost any words that might have escaped her.
The Twisted Vine Page 12
