When he regained consciousness, he was in a sitting position, on some sort of pillows. The room was small, even smaller than his previous prison. He was not alone. Sitting across from him was a woman. She could not be described as anything else. Her clothes were so translucent as to be transparent. Her skin was a very soft white, almost glowing. Gentle muscle built her body. Even her face was rather magnificent. Yes, she was definitely one of them. But somehow, she was more. Her eyes were so light blue; they were almost transparent. He wondered if she was blind.
Except she was watching Tristan with the curiosity, similar to a lion watching a gazelle. They were in a fish tank in the middle of the ocean again. He already knew that he was no match to the strength of these people. He was not going to move. He was so enthralled watching this woman, it took him a moment to realize that he was completely naked. Tristan felt utterly vulnerable and very embarrassed. He grabbed one of the pillows and covered the little dignity he had left.
“What are you doing here?” She asked. Her lips moved, but the words landed in his brain like blows. He cringed.
“I…” He started to answer.
“You followed them. You are now in our land. You want it. I can see the craving in your face. You want our lands, our products, our resources, don’t you?” She asked.
“I mean nothing but respect,” Tristan answered.
She laughed. In Tristan's brain, the images of the women he hurt and the one he killed bounced in his head. He tried to control his thoughts, but it was as if someone was sifting through his brain like a file cabinet. He felt excited at the images. It was probably not what he should be feeling, but he felt it. He attempted to find regret. It wasn't there.
“Tristan,” she said in the bubbled gurgle of their tongue. “What a strange name.”
The images stopped bouncing around in his brain. He settled back into the pillows and closed my eyes. When he opened them, the woman was standing over him?
"Where are my clothes?" He asked, afraid he might be taken advantage of by a super-strong fish woman. This was so absurd; it was like a cartoon. It was like a science fiction B movie. It was ridiculous.
"You don't want me?" She said, laughing.
Tristan thought of all the possible answers, and all were stupid. He heard her laugh again as she returned to her seat.
"In my land, we never, ever take someone against their will. Hurting another is the most unforgivable crime. Sometimes, we get aberrations, but we deal with those swiftly. I have been around for a thousand years watching over my people. You are nothing. You are not the first human to attempt to take what is ours. We even attempted trade in my predecessor's time. It was a failure. Too many like you. You take and take, and you give nothing back." She said.
“May I have your name, ma’am?” Tristan asked.
“You don’t deserve my name.” She answered.
“Why don’t you just kill me, or better yet, send me back?” he asked.
“You have a part to play in this,” she said. “It is written. Sometimes the insignificant have their place in history. Your place is still to come.”
“I’m going to be famous?” Tristan asked, suddenly filled with complete joy.
"Oh, yes, famous. Very famous. Does that make you happy, Tristan?" She asked.
“Yes,” he answered.
“It is good to get what we want,” she said quietly. “You still have broken our laws and caused a great disturbance with my people. I know you are following your people. My instinct says you should be allowed to live.”
Tristan relaxed because he would live. Tristan would be important and famous. What would be better than that? He was so involved in his own thoughts that he almost missed the last part of the conversation.
“You need a fitting punishment for your acts. You care more than anything else in the world how people see you. It is only fitting that your punishment would affect the respect you crave. And tomorrow, AA001. Yes, this is the only way.” As she said it, she stood up and touched the walls making the tunnels return.
As she was about to leave, she turned around and said, "You are free to wander. You hurt someone, and you will die. I would try to find Geoffrey and Emily. They leave tomorrow. You should go with them."
She walked out the door. Tristan stood to follow and remembered his nakedness.
“Hey, where are my clothes?” Tristan screamed her way.
She looked at him from his hair to his feet, spending some quality time in what Tristan considered to be the significant bits. Then she smiled and walked away.
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Emily watched the small Anica children, playing and studying. Her eyes filled with tears. They were beautiful. She trailed behind her new friends, asking a thousand questions. She saw the Anica making the cloth and wanted to get closer to see how it was done. There was too much to see and not enough time. The tunnels appeared and disappeared with one touch. She saw them working in the water and traveling through the water, melting into it as if they were one. Emily saw the endless sea life, each animal entirely foreign for anything on Earth.
She found herself holding onto Geoffrey's hand, walking through the tunnels. He held her as they watched the children learning in what must be school, but it looked so different from anything she knew.
“Where are your children now?” Emily asked.
Manaii and Saai turned towards Geoffrey curiously.
“I thought you couldn’t…” Saai began.
Geoffrey interrupted, "I don't have biological children. Bastards like me cannot be repeated accidentally. I have taken many children as my own because I loved their mothers. I saw them grow. They called me father, and they are all gone now. Time always wins in the end."
“That is terrible,” Emily said.
“One of the few privileges of my life is getting to know my fellow bastards. I think it is time to go see her. You will like her.” Geoffrey answered.
They turned away and walked in a completely different path. The four were alone walking through appearing and disappearing passageways. The light changed. It became dark. The tunnels glowed a gentle blue glow allowing them to continue. Geoffrey knew the way, even though Emily was utterly lost. If there was a map or order to the city, it was completely hidden from Emily.
Emily was exhausted as they reached a large room completely furnished and lit in blending and moving colors. She didn't see at first the woman sitting on a couch. The woman was Anica. When they entered, she stood and walked awkwardly towards Geoffrey. She took him in her arms, and he encircled her with his. They stood there for a long time. Emily felt as if she was invading an intimate moment. She felt jealous and resented the feeling. Hatred towards the woman filled her, even though everyone she had met had shown nothing but kindness.
Geoffrey pulled away from the hug and held out her hand to Emily, "Emily, this is my dearest friend, Agandana."
The woman grabbed Emily's other hand. No other Anica had touched her. Her skin felt dangerously soft. Emily found herself staring into Agandana's eyes. The pale blue disarmed her. Agandana's hands touched her face. Emily let go of Geoffrey's hand, wanting to pull away from the intensity of the inspection. The more she felt being drawn into Agandana's stare, the more grief she felt. She fought the tears, filling her eyes. Agandana kissed Emily's forehead and let her go.
She turned to Geoffrey, “It will break her. She is too hurt. She needs time.”
“I don’t have time,” he answered.
“What are you talking about?” Emily answered.
"You haven't told her," Agandana said in a quiet whisper. Emily felt it wasn't meant for her. It arrived at her head as an accident.
“Told me what?” She asked.
Agandana studied her again, “That wasn’t meant for you, child.”
"In time, she will know," Geoffrey said.
Agandana laughed, “It is your arrogance that always gets you in trouble, friend. It is your arrogance that has kept you like this
for so long. It is the source of your pain. She should hear it from you.”
"I know what I am doing," Geoffrey answered, almost sounding like a pouting five-year-old.
Emily felt the words burn into her mind, “Don’t let him bully you. You get what you want first.”
Emily laughed. Geoffrey looked from Agandana and Emily unhappily. Manaii broke the tension.
"I am so happy to see you well, Agandana," Manaii said respectfully. "Let me get the food, and let's sit for a feast to celebrate the visit of our dear Geoffrey."
Geoffrey garbled something in their tongue. Saai took his arm and led him to the couch. Emily felt Agandana take Emily’s hand in both of hers and led her to sit next to her.
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This whole new world with endless possibilities of business awaited him. Tristan was having problems deciding. He was still sitting on the cushions. He could walk out into the city with nothing on, or he could stay here forever. The latter felt preferable. He had to do something. It would drive him insane to continue on this path. He could take a pillow, maybe two pillows. He stood up and worked on tying two pillows around himself like a kind of wrap. Once he was sure it would hold, he set out to the city.
He felt confident in his choice until he reached more population. As he passed, people stared. The bolder ones laughed. Mothers covered their children's eyes and led them away from the spectacle. He had no idea where to go or how to return to his little room. There was nothing to help him find a way to survive. His dreams of big business were collapsing as he wandered aimlessly. Eventually, he gave up walking and sat at an intersection huddling against the wall.
It was dark. The blue glow of the tunnels allowed Tristan minimal vision of his surroundings. His eyes closed. A hand touched his shoulder. He opened his eyes. A set of kind dark eyes looked down at him. They extended a hand. He took it, and he was on his feet. The person motioned for him to follow. They reached a series of rooms decorated simply. He was handed an old robe but still made from the silk-like material. He put it on and removed the pillows.
The other members of the family entered the room; one was a woman, and the other was a small child. The woman offered him food and made a bed for him on their couch. Tristan couldn't understand them, but he was grateful for their kindness. Warmth and gratefulness filled him. It was so unfamiliar and uncomfortable he shook himself off the emotion. He was sure that they did this because they wanted something in return. They were probably told they had to keep him there. The weird fish woman had ordered it. Once he rationalized their actions as selfish, he felt better. Tristan laid down on the sofa and looked up at the gentle moving water above him. Slowly, he fell asleep.
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Not far away from Tristan, Emily sat awkwardly at the edge of a bed. Somehow it had been decided that she would share a room with Geoffrey. Now she wasn't sure what to do. He didn't appear awkward, but it was Geoffrey. He didn't really express anything and was calmer. There was no desperation to destroy himself. He was wearing one of their robes, and it fitted him. He felt more ethereal, somehow. Geoffrey always felt more like a god than a man. A robe suited him.
“There will be no destruction tonight,” Emily asked.
He smiled, “No.”
He sat on the bed next to her. He touched her hand.
“I can’t give you what you want,” he said.
“You don’t like me?” She asked.
He laughed.
She pulled her hand away, “Don’t make fun of me.”
“How could I possibly not like you?” Geoffrey said.
He took her hand and laid her down next to him. Emily felt him next to her. She fought the tears and failed. He put his arms around her and held her.
“I promise it will be okay soon enough.”
He kissed her gently, and she responded much more passionately. He continued to kiss her neck. His hands gently moved the robe out of the way as he circled her breasts. She found his lips again. They continued gently playing. At some point, Geoffrey stopped.
“Why?” Emily asked.
“It is not time,” Geoffrey answered, pulling her close to him.
Chapter 10
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Emily opened her eyes to find Geoffrey tangled up next to her. He was fast asleep. She was still wearing her robe. So was he. She knew nothing had happened. He had not let it happen. She was utterly confused, and it made her angry. She didn't like the uncertainty. She didn't like losing control of a situation, and this definitely felt like losing control of a situation. She untangled herself from Geoffrey and got out of bed. He mumbled something in his sleep. He looked almost normal, fast asleep in a bed.
If it wasn't for the fish tank in the middle of the ocean, it felt like an old couple getting out of bed. She saw food on a table and went to get something to eat. She was enjoying some sort of tea when Geoffrey joined her.
“What are the plans?” She asked.
“You sound angry.”
She shrugged, “I am confused. I don’t like being confused.”
"Let me show you what I have to show you, and then I will explain," Geoffrey said. "Trust me with this."
“I don’t trust anyone with anything, but I will give you a couple more days. I want to hear every detail instead of the stupid inuendoes that make no sense.”
"I promise," he extended his hand as he said this. Emily shook it.
“The food isn’t half bad,” she said.
“AA001,” he answered.
She looked at him, waiting for more.
"We will be heading to that planet today. It is, without a doubt, the most important planet in the universe, and one that you should see for yourself. After you see and understand a little bit more about AA001, then I will explain everything. I promise." Geoffrey continued.
A little while later, they were still wearing their Anica robes but standing in a room leading to a rockface in the ocean. Saai, Manaii, and Agandana were with them to say goodbye. Their goodbyes were extensive. Emily was surprised at the emotion they showed towards Geoffrey. It felt like a final farewell. She was uncomfortable witnessing the emotion.
“Where is the gate?” Emily asked.
“Where do you think it is?” Agandana asked.
“Over by the rock face, almost at the top of the ledge,” Emily answered, unsure of how she knew.
“Yes,” Agandana answered.
“So?” Emily asked again.
"We swim," Geoffrey said, smiling in a way that said this was better than Christmas morning.
“I die,” Emily said.
Geoffrey laughed, “I am not going to let you die.”
He walked to the end of the room and touched something on the floor. The floor moved, revealing an opening into the water. Then Geoffrey stood up and took off his robe.
"Oh, wow," Emily mumbled and turned away from him. She saw Agandana was watching him with appreciation.
"It will hold you down, and you won't get to the gate fast enough," Geoffrey said.
Emily closed her eyes and took off the robe feeling utterly self-conscious. She followed Geoffrey to the opening. She sat down next to him and put her legs in the water. Thankfully, the water was warm. She felt the splash as Geoffrey jumped into the water.
"I can't do this. I am not even a good swimmer. I am going to drown before I reach the other side." Emily said, terrified.
She saw that Saai had gotten into the water with Geoffrey.
“I will swim with you,” she said.
Saai extended her hand, and Emily took it, pushing off into the water. She saw Agandana watching them and waving goodbye. Emily saw tears falling freely from Agandana's eyes before she turned away. Emily took a big breath as she felt Saai take her by the waist and swim at incredible speed through the water towards the top of the underwater cliff. Emily tried to kick, but her legs weren't cooperating too much. She saw the cliff shake and knew they were ge
tting close. Her lungs were protesting and didn't think she would last much longer without passing out. Geoffrey was swimming next to her. He extended his hand, and she took it. Saai let go with one last push towards the top.
As soon as Saai arms released her, the water disappeared, and she was standing on something. The air felt thick. It was completely black. Everything was shaking around her. The noise was unbearable. She held on to Geoffrey for dear life. She saw no images this time. She was taking deep breaths and trying not to panic.
“Relax your breathing. We are almost there.” Geoffrey’s voice sounded so far away.
Dance of Life: The Belief Chronicles: Book One (Chronicles of a Planet's End) Page 11
