by K. Aten
Castellan laughed at the historical adventurist’s certainty and passion. “Well then, let’s get them translated so we can find out what it is!” They worked steadily for half an oor translating each and every letter of the encrypted documents. Surprisingly, Castellan finished first even though the document from Archeos was twice as long as the other.
Olivienne wasn’t kidding when she said that she hated the maths involved. When they were finished, she glanced at the page in Castellan’s hand. “You have the Archeos document, want to read it?”
“Sure.” Castellan scanned the page then cleared her throat to speak. Her voice was rife with wonder and solemnity while reading the words that no one of their society had ever read before. “On the sixth dae of Septa in the roto one hundred and six of Psiere, a great astaeroid by the name of Torae struck Antaeus. The resulting cataclysm destroyed our venerable celestial body and forever darkened the night sky of Psiere. The destruction hurled the pieces we call archeostones across the surface of the planet below. Antaeus was an entity of much power and as a result the fragments of the moon have the ability contained within to imbue that power to the illeo mineral found naturally all over the planet. The archeostones react with planetary oxy and emit aether into the atmosphere, and the illeostones absorb the aether.” Castellan paused to take a drink and met Olivienne’s wide eyes over the glass.
While some of the information contained within the text was well known, other parts shocked her. “A moon? How can that be? I know our written texts only go back a few hundred rotos but it seems unlikely that we would have missed something so vital. The scienteres and historians have always assumed we were a young society. But no one really knows where we came from. It’s like our past was simply washed away.”
Castellan nodded in agreement. “Then there are the Makers. Who are they, where did they come from, where did they go? We are only so advanced as a society because of what they’ve left us. Are they responsible for our lack of past? It makes no sense!”
“I suppose that is why we refer to it as the Divine Mystery. Okay, now get reading, Tosh! I want to know more.”
Castellan rolled her eyes but gladly continued. “The illeo mineral is not just found within the small stones and pebbles on the surface but is also contained within all living things. Most surprisingly it is also found within the third generational progeny or later of the sentient species of both ocean and land, thusly granting them special powers of the mind the more contact with aether they had while in utero. Because of the potential of abuse, we have gathered as many archeostones as possible and left them in the Temple of Antaeus.”
“Son of a sint!” They both spent long secs in shock at what they had learned. Olivienne was the one that broke the silence. “All the sovereigns of Psiere...we have always had a lot of power. There are two archeostones in the divine cathedra which means our mothers would always be near a source of aether.” She looked at Tosh. “But how does that explain other people with more than average channels or ability? Like you.”
“My maman was exposed, much like yours.” Olivienne cocked her head curiously. “Both my parens are in the Psi Resource corp. My father runs the Tosh family illeostone mines but my maman oversees the recharging operation at the Temple of Archeos. To emphasize the importance of hard work to me and my younger sibs, my maman would tell us stories of when she used to manually move the carts of illeostones in and out of the recharge room, while she was pregnant with me.”
The Connate’s eyes widened. “I’ve seen those carts, your maman must be tough!” She paused for a sec and realization came to her. “Oh! She would have exposed you a lot. What about your sibs, are they powerful Psi too?”
Castellan shook her head. “No, by the time she was pregnant with Tellesen, they had switched over to an automated system. I guess I’ve always been a bit of a freak with my channel strength. That was actually how I met Gemeda Shen. We were in advanced academy classes together.” She shook herself from the old memories and turned to poke at the paper in front of Olivienne. “I read mine, now it’s your turn!”
The text on Olivienne’s page was only half as long as the first message. “Perhaps the greatest discovery was that a number of rocks have been found which appear to be an amalgam of the astaeroid Torae, and the moon Antaeus. Those antoraestones hold the power of amplification. For whatever power that is contained within the illeo mineral, it will be increased by ten times over in the presence of an antoraestone. Because we have been unable to destroy such powerful artifacts, we took great pains to hide them until the Psi society is able to responsibly manage their energy and usage.” Olivienne turned a shocked face to her companion. “By the divine and sublime! To find such a stone would be amazing indeed!”
Castellan frowned. “It could also be a weapon most fierce.” The Connate gave her a strange look so the officer elaborated. “Think about what would happen if the Atlanteens had something like that in their possession. Or one of the meaner factions of our society. Imagine if someone like me or you turned to evil. What kind of damage could I wreak upon the people of Psiere if I could lift ten times my current capacity? I lifted nearly two tuns, twice within ten meens time! But ten times that...why, I could destroy a town! That sort of power is dangerous, Olivienne.”
“I see your point, but think of the good it could do as well. We could travel ten times the distance by dirigible and truly explore our world! Where did we come from and where did the Makers go, Tosh? We know about the Atlanteens, but what if there is another race of peoples on this planet? Isn’t the small risk worth the benefit in the end?”
The lt. commander thought about her many battles with creatures sent by the Atlanteens and all the lives lost on both sides as a result. But the ocean dwellers weren’t the only trouble Psierians faced. There was always one faction or another who worked toward the dissolution of the current government. Some didn’t like the idea of a royal family, some thought that the two continents should be separate countries with their own rulers.
There were many men and women who had turned their backs on polite civilization and been sent to the islands, either Aetate or Iuvenis. It was all dependent on which law was broken and the person’s intent. The punishment for a Codice Prime infraction, any premeditated action that causes death to a sentient entity, was always death. After Codice Prime, there were six other codes in the Psiere Legibus with varying degrees of punishment. A Code One infraction was premeditated action that caused permanent mental, physical, or emotional harm to a sentient entity, and the punishment for that was a life sentence on the island of Iuvenis. If anyone were caught trying to escape the island, they were immediately executed.
The Code Two through Code Five infractions called for time served at the prison on the island of Aetate with repeat offenders eventually getting sent to Iuvenis. And lastly, Code Six infractions were assigned rehabilitation. Code Five and Code Six had the least severe punishments but they were for the accidental crimes, not premeditated ones. It may have seemed harsh to an outsider but criminals were handled by Psi Codice Corp and all went through the Process of Innocence.
Five independent teams would evaluate the person who committed the crime. It was mandatory for one of the team members to have a high telepathic channel, and for the other to have a high psychometric channel. The investigators could both read the suspect’s mind, as well as touch them to obtain information about that person, though it was against the Code to read or manipulate a mind against the Psi’s will, even in the pursuit of justice. They could also touch an object and gain information that way. The investigators were thorough and in the past hundred rotos, there had never been a lack of consensus among the five investigative teams. Once hearing the results of the investigation the adjudicator looked up the crime and assigned a punishment based on the Psiere Legibus. Punishments were issued by rote, and the system worked extremely well.
It was only a hundred rotos before that, if the Psierian broke the Codice Prime, or even committed a Code One o
r Two infraction, and was too powerful or too dangerous to be imprisoned, they were tied into a boat and sent out to sea. The criminal faced a swift death by leviathan, for the Atlanteens would tolerate no one in their waters. It was a barbaric practice and had been abandoned long ago for more humane methods with the creation of the Psiere Legibus, the supreme laws of the land. Between the government and the royal family, no one would ever go without the basic necessities in life. So if someone committed crime, it wasn’t out of desperation. It was either accidental or willful disobedience.
She looked at Olivienne seriously. “Can you imagine if a Code One infractor had such power? Or worse yet, someone who would willfully disregard the Codice Prime? One of those right-wingers calling for the execution of the royal family?”
The Connate paled slightly at her words but fired back anyway. “It’s been rotos since any right-wingers have cropped up. Twenty-five to be exact. That was during the Politarian Uprising. They were all caught and sent to Iuvenis Island. I’m telling you, the gain far outweighs the risk!”
Castellan shook her head. “You read the history books just like I did and you know they were not all caught. The investigators never found the ringleader of the movement.” Castellan didn’t necessarily agree with the punishment of death but there was no other way to deal with the truly evil high Psi of their world. The use of telepathy and psychometry to definitively verify a person’s guilt before punishment was what got the laws passed in the roto four hundred and two. Because of the all-encompassing ramification of the new law structure, it had to be unanimously approved by the Sovereign of Psiere and the entirety of the Imperium.
But beyond the criminal element, there was also the danger to those who went out every dae to provide for the people. Women and men of the Stock Corp who harvested from the ocean took a risk every time they sailed beyond the Defense Corp protected coastline. They were often well armed and armored to prevent destruction by whatever beast the Atlanteens might send to do their bidding. Lt. Commander Castellan Tosh shook her head. “As far as gain and risk are concerned, we are going to have to agree to disagree. As much as the idea fascinates me, and there is a part of me that wants to find such artifacts, I hope we never do.”
Olivienne sighed. “You have always stayed well away from the edge, haven’t you, Tosh?”
“I assume you’re referring to my reluctance to subject myself and others around me to unnecessary risk? If so, then yes I agree. Risk is meant to be analyzed then mitigated or avoided. It is certainly not something to dive into straightaway without care of consequence.”
The Connate growled and poked Castellan in the chest. “You are much too brave a person to be so timid! Is the real Lieutenant Commander Tosh all talk and no action?”
With rising color, Castellan faced her sovereign straight on. “Timid?” Her voice rose in volume as disbelief filled the word, bloating it into something much more intimidating than its mere meaning. “Timid? Just who do you think you’re talking to?” She took a step closer until she was well within Olivienne’s personal space. “I am not one of your guardians you can push around or ignore as you see fit! I am a soldier, an officer in the Psi Defense Corp and I...am...not...timid!” She practically ground out the words. When she finished her tirade both were breathing hard, so close the same air filtered in and out of their lungs.
Maybe it was Olivienne who moved first, or perhaps it was Castellan, but either way tempers smoothly morphed into passion of another sort. Olivienne gripped Tosh’s waist tightly, crushing the material of the officer’s shirt within her grip. She gasped as Castellan stole the breath from her mouth and used all her fire and control to thoroughly own Olivienne’s lips. When Castellan’s mouth left hers she whimpered at the loss. “No...” Her plea was quickly forgotten as Tosh moved down to bite and suck at her neck. Feeling out of control, the Connate needed something for her hands to do so she began untucking Castellan’s shirt from the perfectly neat confines of the officer’s trousers.
Castellan pulled her mouth away. “I can do that.”
Panting, Olivienne watched as the other woman slowly unbuttoned her dark gray shirt. Her mouth watered the more flesh was revealed to her sight. When the buttons were down to Castellan’s navel, Olivienne couldn’t resist running both hands over the muscles and flat planes of the fit officer’s stomach, then across her upper chest and shoulders. All thoughts of stripping stopped at the tantalizing touch. Olivienne prompted her. “Keep going.” She got a frustrating grin in return.
“I think I’ll stop right here and let you catch up. You appear to be a little overdressed.”
“Overdressed hmm?” It took mere secs for Olivienne to focus her channel on one of the most sensual tasks she’s ever undertaken. In the blink of an eye, Castellan’s shirt was off her body and in Olivienne’s hand. The Connate tossed it across the room where it landed on a starched heap on the lounger.
The proper soldier gave the garment a concerned look. “I should...”
Olivienne never let her finish. “If you say you should fold that shirt I’m going to apport it right off the back of this railer!” With those words Castellan’s mouth snapped shut. As a reward for her silence, Olivienne apported her own shirt off next. They were left standing there in bosairs and trousers.
Castellan took charge again. “Close your eyes, ’Vienne.” Deep purple irises looked back at her in surprise. Using the tightest focus of her telekinesis, Castellan gently caressed the other woman’s bottom lip. “Trust me.” With an enormous amount of curiosity and the tiniest sliver of trepidation, Olivienne shut her eyes. The phantom touch started light at first, a gentle pressure against Olivienne’s cheek. She swayed at the sensation when the pressure turned to another caress that trailed along her neck and down her shoulder, then along her ribs and stomach, and back up the other arm. She gasped as the invisible fingers of Castellan’s channel worked their way down the center of her chest and pulled each side of the bosair until the clasps released.
She continued to tease the other woman until Olivienne was panting with arousal. “What are you doing to me?”
Castellan’s voice was suddenly in her mind. “Have you never been with a telekinetic of the highest level?” Her phantom touch got bolder and a gasp was torn from Olivienne’s mouth as she shook her head.
Olivienne’s voice eventually responded in the lt. commander’s mind. “I want to touch you too.” She reached for Castellan’s belt and unbuckled the shining metal, then she unfastened the button of her trousers.
Before she could get to the zip, Castellan stepped away and quickly removed her pistol from the holster, setting it on the desk. She turned back to Olivienne with a grin. “I wouldn’t want that to accidentally go off.”
The thoroughly aroused sovereign grinned back. “We don’t want anything going off just yet.” She crooked her finger at the officer. “Come here.” Back together, Olivienne finished what she had started. Tosh returned the favor until they stood nude in front of each other. The Royal Sovereign smirked at Castellan. “This is your last chance to say nay, though you will miss out on a royal tupping.”
Castellan stepped closer until their breasts pressed together. She paused for a sec as the sensation caused them both to sigh. “A royal tupping? Is that better than simply scratching an itch amongst us normal folks?”
Olivienne didn’t answer, but instead used her apportation to remove the pin holding the trundle bed upright against the sidewall of her cabin. Then she carefully maneuvered Castellan backward until the officer’s knees hit the bed and she gave a shove. Olivienne followed her onto the bed and sat firmly on the sprawled woman’s hips, leaning in close to Castellan’s lips. “There is only one way to find out.” A strong soldier’s hands pulled her the rest of the way down until their mouths met in an impassioned and thorough exploration. Heat flared between them when Olivienne ground against the woman below her and that was all it took for Castellan to flip her over.
Tosh held Olivienne’s hands above her
head and nestled her hips between the Connate’s legs. She put her mouth to good use nibbling every available ince of flesh she could reach. The woman below her squirmed and moaned when Castellan got to a particularly sensitive spot on her neck. Both bodies followed their natural inclination to thrust against each other. When she’d explored all she could while holding Olivienne down, Castellan brought her mouth back to the writhing woman’s lips. Olivienne struggled and spoke frustrated words against Castellan’s mouth. “Let me free.”
Castellan pulled back with a grin. “Why ever would I do that?”
“Because I want to touch you too!” The officer smirked and raised an eyebrow, prompting Olivienne to struggle more. “I’m going to give you a sound thrashing when I get loose!”
The officer laughed. “Promise?” Then as if she were acquiescing to the Connate’s wishes, she released the struggling woman’s hands. There was a moment of triumph on Olivienne’s face at least until Tosh switched and began using her telekinesis to hold her down. Then before Olivienne could threaten further, she quickly made her way down the Connate’s body until she could take a hard nipple into her mouth.
The woman on the bottom groaned with pleasure and thrust her chest upward. She closed her eyes at the sensation. “Use your teeth just a little...I like to feel it!” A bolt of arousal shot straight to Castellan’s groin but she complied with the demands of her Royal Sovereign like any good subject would.
After she worked both nipples to red and aching hardness, she moved down Olivienne’s body until she reached an area of sparse dark hair. She looked up into purple eyes gone nearly black with desire. “May I?”
Olivienne growled in response. “I swear to Archeos I’ll teleport your tongue right out of your mouth if you don’t put it to use right this instant!” The officer put her talented tongue to work and within mere secs, she had Olivienne moaning and writhing beneath her. Her head was thrashing back and forth and Tosh sensed she needed more. Sure enough after another meen passed, Olivienne was left to beg again. She struggled her hands against Tosh’s immovable Psi channel and fairly shook with desire. “I need...Tosh...”
