by Eric Black
Babel thought very carefully how he was going to answer. She was a beautiful woman. And it was not that he minded her being naked in front of him. Quite the opposite. But in the end, his chivalry won out. “It would not make me more comfortable but it would be more of what I’m accustomed to.”
“Very well.” Triana answered. She took another sip of her coffee, then went into her bedroom and came out dressed in shorts and a t-shirt. “Better?”
Babel nodded half-heartedly. Sometimes chivalry was a curse.
“So what did you have in mind for today?” Babel asked.
“Today we will go see my uncle. He is familiar with the Chokka as a professor of history. There you will also meet my family.”
“Sounds good. Will your uncle also be able to tell me more about the Keeper?”
Triana nodded. “After breakfast we will go. You haven’t eaten yet have you?” Babel shook his head. “Good. I have an egg recipe that I’d like to make for you. It was something my mother used to make for me.”
After breakfast, Babel showered and made himself ready for the day. They left Triana’s apartment and Babel observed his surroundings. In the daylight everything seemed different. It also seemed very familiar. “What is the name of this city?”
Triana looked at Babel strangely. “What do you mean? This part of the city?”
Babel realized that not knowing the name of the city he was in must seem crazy. “Yes, that’s what I meant. What part?”
“This is the Elder Quarter.”
“The Elder Quarter?” Babel questioned. “Look, pretend I know nothing about this town. Pretend I am visiting here for the first time. What can you tell me about here?”
Triana was not sure why Babel was asking her this but decided to humor him. “Very well. This is the Elder Quarter. This is the oldest part of Orleans. In fact, this is the original city. When the Chokka first came, some of these buildings were already here.” She waived her hand at one of the buildings to emphasize. “No one is sure who built these buildings or who was here before. There are no records. The first Chokka Császár…”
“Császár?” Babel interrupted.
“The elected leader of the Chokka and the world.” Triana answered, still thinking that Babel was secretly putting her through some kind of private inquiry (although she wasn’t sure why). Babel thought for a moment and then nodded for her to continue.
“The first Chokka Császár built the original Palātium…the palace of the Chokka,” she added for Babel, “right here in the Elder Quarter. The building still stands but is now used as a headquarters for the Klopph.”
Babel thought on Triana’s words as she spoke. Orleans. Elder Quarter. Now he understood why everything looked so familiar. The city was a replica of New Orleans. “And Orleans is the capital of the world?”
“Of course. It is a big job being the Császár and the ruler of the world. After all, there are over six million people in the world.”
Babel almost laughed at the thought of only six million people in the world. Atlanta alone had that many.
They continued to talk as they walked, and as they did, Babel took in the city around him. From what he understood, most of the people lived in Orleans. Triana described the rest of the world outside of the city as very dangerous. Many of the lands were barren and the people who lived in those Outerlands were described by her as inconnu, whatever that meant.
They walked for about thirty minutes and finally Triana turned to Babel. They had entered the Garden Quarter and now stood in front of a very old, large house. “This is where my uncle and his family live.”
Babel nodded and followed her up the steps. They knocked on the door and her uncle answered. When Babel saw her uncle, his knees almost gave out from under him.
CHAPTER TWENTY
Triana’s uncle looked just like John, Babel’s father.
“I’m Quentin.” her uncle said. “Welcome to my home.”
Babel started to stick out his hand to shake with Quentin but remembered that shaking hands was not the custom here. Instead, he nodded. “Thank you for inviting me.”
Quentin nodded back. Then, he hugged Triana and moved out the way so they could enter the door. Inside Babel was introduced to Abby, Quentin’s wife and his five children. “It’s a pleasure to meet all of you. You have a beautiful home.”
Abby offered Babel cookies a cup of coffee which he accepted, both of which he accepted. The cookies weren’t quite chocolate chip but were similar. He didn’t want to ruin it by asking what was in the cookies – sometimes it was better not to know. As he sipped his coffee, he was trying not to stare at Quentin. The resemblance to his father was remarkable.
They exchanged casual conversation at first and then, Quentin gave Abby a look that Babel guessed was the sign. Abby stood and looked at her niece. “Triana, would you help the kids and me in the backyard? We’re planting our garden today.” Triana nodded knowingly and helped her aunt herd the five young children into the kitchen and out of the back door.
When they were gone, Quentin looked at Babel. “Two Chokka in a week’s time. This so many years after the Chokka were all killed.” Babel looked at Quentin but did not speak. He was not sure if Quentin was asking him a question or if he was just watching his reaction. “Do you know the name Chokka?”
Babel looked at Quentin cautiously. He was Triana’s uncle but he did not know Triana that well and did not know Quentin at all. Something in Quentin’s eyes told Babel that he could trust him and he didn’t see how he could reach the Keeper without help; so he put it out there. “Your niece mentioned the name but no, I do not.”
Quentin exhaled and nodded. “I thought as much. How much does Triana know?”
“She thinks I am different but I have not told her much about me or where I am from.”
“So where is it you come from? We have not seen a Chokka here in quite some time.”
“I come from a world outside of this.” Babel paused and watched Quentin’s reaction. He seemed not to waiver at Babel’s comment. “I can’t explain how to get to my world. In fact, I really can’t explain how I got here from my world. It was as if something inside me told me how to get here and so I came.”
Quentin considered Babel’s words and nodded. “My father worked for the Chokka.” He could hear Babel’s breath as he inhaled in surprise. “He was the Minister of Science for your grandfather. He developed the portal between our worlds. The portal is called the Bejárat.”
Babel was not sure how to answer. He was silent for a few moments, deciding how to react. Quentin let him gather his thoughts. “Do you know how the portal works?”
“I have never worked the portal but I have my father’s notes.”
“Do the Klopph know about your father’s notes?”
Quentin nodded his head sadly. “They have discovered several of his papers.”
“Why have they not come to you looking for his other papers?”
“When the Keeper was rising to power, my parents sent me away to live with distant cousins in the Outerlands. I was not with my parents when they were killed by the Klopph. The Keeper does not know about me, which is why I am still alive.”
“I’m sorry about your parents. Did the Keeper not know that your parents had a son?”
“My parents forged documents of my death. I changed my name and took on a new life.”
Babel looked at Quentin seriously. “Can I ask you a personal question?”
“Sure.”
“You look just like my father. How is that possible?”
Quentin smiled. “I knew your father as a boy. We were friends. The Ministry assignments were for life. When my father became the Minister of Science, it became who he was. But not only was my father in service for life but his family also. It’s quite a commitment. I became the decoy to your father. I would fill in on occasions when your father had ceremonial duties as the son of the Császár. It’s an honor like any other. Anyways, I couldn’t exactly fill in for him i
f I didn’t look like him. Modern science.”
“So your life was to be dedicated to serving my father?”
“Yes, I would be his Tanácsadó, his advisor and fill-in as he moved into position to become the next Császár.”
“Wow.”
Quentin smiled. “I’m not sure exactly what that means but thanks, I guess.”
Babel laughed. “So now what do you do?”
“I work for the college as a history professor. I have taken up my father’s science in private.”
“Do you think you can create another portal?”
“The portal is always there. It does not go away.”
“So how do we find it?”
“The portal can only be accessed by those who know how to control the Bejárat.”
“Do you know where the controls to the portal are?” Babel asked.
“Of course. They are within you.”
“What do you mean?”
“The portal was designed for the Chokka to use. It works on your energy.”
“My energy? I don’t understand.”
“Everyone has their own energy. Each energy is unique to that individual person. The Chokka share an energy among themselves, which make their energy stronger. Because of this strength however, the energy takes longer to change into other forms of energy. Chokka energy has existed for years beyond the deaths of the Chokka.”
“So you’re saying I can control this portal.”
“Yes, I’m saying you can. But not yet.” Babel looked at Quentin. “The Keeper has dedicated many years of science to the portal. I do not know if he has the ability to call and control the portal but I believe he is close.”
“So he could enter my world?”
“He could. He has a massive army with many sophisticated weapons. It would be difficult for anyone to defeat them.”
Babel thought on the militaries around his world. He had already seen that the technology here was more advanced than is his world. There was no telling what type of weapons they had. He did not know where the portal would enter his world, he guessed India. They could conquer and recruit and build quite an army. The Keeper might not defeat everyone in Babel’s world but he would kill many people. There had to be a way to stop him.
“So what can we do?”
“It must be you. People will listen to you.”
“I’m just one person. And a wanted person if the Klopph know about me. I don’t want this to happen but what can I do?”
“You are a Chokka. The last of your family.”
“I’m not the leader of the world.”
“Listen to me: the Császár was elected by the people but there was no doubt that one of the Chokka’s children would be the next elected ruler. People here only elect a Chokka as the ruler of the world. You are the last remaining Chokka. If the people learn of you, they will follow you as their leader.”
Babel looked at Quentin seriously. “I came here to find my father. Now he is dead. I don’t want the Keeper to enter my world but I have a life my world. I didn’t come here to be the ruler of this world.”
Quentin looked back at Babel just as serious. “It was not a coincidence that Triana found you. It was also not a coincidence that I am Triana’s uncle, the one person who can help you. It’s more than coincidence.”
Babel had considered that as well. “I need some time to digest this.”
Quentin smiled. “I think you are saying that you need time to think about this?”
Babel smiled and nodded.
“Very well. We can talk more about this later. Come, let’s go see my new garden.”
CHAPTER TWENTY ONE
The Cancellarrii checked the signal again. The energy was still there. He had explored many of the energy sources in the early years, finding secret meeting locations that had been used by the Chokka. Over time, however, the energy faded and for years there had been nothing new that had warranted his attention. The new signal changed that.
Most of the old energy sources had been stationary. This new signal was strong and it was moving around the city, having already moved from the Elder Quarter to the Garden Quarter.
The technology of the tracking device did not give him an exact location but it came within a mile of the energy source. The wide range was due to the constant movement of the energy in specific areas. Once he was in the area, however, he could track down the strongest point of energy in that location, which was the source.
He had first checked for the energy on a hunch at the cemetery. He had never heard of anyone fighting the Pishacha with fire. When they attacked, there just wasn’t time.
He came back after the initial investigation and checked the energy readings. They were ten times of any other previous reading. He recalibrated the device to make sure it was not malfunctioning and then rechecked the reading. It came back the same.
“How is this possible? All of the Chokka are dead and the Chokka we captured was never in the cemetery.” He pondered over the question for some time and came to the conclusion that there was another Chokka. “Where would another Chokka come from?”
After debriefing the Klopph who had been in the other world for twenty years, he discovered that the Chokka had a son. “Of course, who else could it be?”
He took the new information back to his office and had just settled behind his desk when there was a knock on his door. He sighed. “Enter.” His top officer, known by the rank of the Kaptajn, entered.
“I’m sorry to bother you, sir.”
“Are you really?”
The Kaptajn smiled. “I am.”
The Cancellarrii suppressed a smile. “Very well. What news?”
“We followed the energy of the Chokka to the Garden Quarter.”
The Cancellarrii could tell by the Kaptajn’s tone that the news was not going be what he expected. “And…?”
“And, sir, the energy dissipates in many directions and we are unable to find the source.”
“How is this possible?”
“I’m not sure. We have always been able to track the source before. It’s almost as if something is blocking the signal, or at the very least deflecting the source signal so that we can’t identify the exact location.”
“But you’re sure of the general area?”
“We are.”
“Have you asked the Physics Team what might be disrupting the signal?”
“I have and they are working on an explanation.”
This was not the news that he wanted to receive but at the moment there was nothing he could do about it. “Very well, keep me posted.”
The Kaptajn nodded and left the office, closing the door behind him.
After he was gone, the Cancellarrii beheld his office. The door behind his desk led to his personal quarters. As the Erőd was originally a palace of the Chokka, the building was laced with housing. Many of the rooms had been converted to offices but the senior members of the Klopph lived in the Erőd. The Klopph were forbidden to have families or even relationships (there was always an abundance of women that were available for the mortal needs of the Klopph). The Klopph grew their numbers through recruitment at a young age and their lives were completely dedicated to the service of the Keeper. Most of the Klopph kept homes in the various Quarters of the city depending on their assignment.
He checked the notes on his desk to make sure there was nothing he needed to do before retiring for the evening and found there was nothing that could not wait until the morning. He rose from his chair and stretched off the long day before entering his living quarters. Inside was the finest of everything. Anything he wanted, the Keeper provided for him.
The Cancellarrii had been in the service of the Keeper for over thirty years. He was there in the beginning to help organize the Klopph for the Keeper. It was he who led the Klopph against the army of the Chokka. He was the Keeper’s most trusted advisor.
He read as he ate his dinner. After about an hour of reading, he set his book down, took his
plate and glass into the kitchen, and retired to his bedroom. He knew the next few days would be long as they searched for the missing Chokka. It was earlier than he was used to going to bed but he knew his body would thank him for it the next day.
Once under his sheet, he closed his eyes but found he couldn’t sleep. Determined not to give up, he concentrated on falling asleep, attempting to hypnotize himself so that his mind would shut down, allowing him to sleep but it didn’t work. Something was bothering him.
For a long time he stared at the ceiling in the dark room, trying to define the gnawing in his gut. Something about someone from the past. He recalled hearing of a scientist many years ago who was working on energy patterns – on a way to control them. Who was this scientist? His mind wouldn’t allow him to grasp the name. The Ministry of Science came to mind.
He felt sleep staring to come over him and was grateful. Slowly he started to slip away. Then, the face came to him.
He opened his eyes. The scientist worked for the Chokka. His memory had served him well – it was the Minister of Science. The Minister was killed during the takeover by the Keeper but the Cancellarrii had questioned him before he was killed. He had mentioned a son that died.
That got him thinking. How did he say he died? He couldn’t remember.
The Cancellarrii filed these thoughts away. In the morning he would dig deeper. See what he could find out about what had happened to his son.
With that, the Cancellarrii drifted to sleep as he prepared his body and mind for a new day.
CHAPTER TWENTY TWO
Babel excused himself from the table filled with empty plates of what had been noodles and broth. Babel was not entirely sure of what the broth consisted. It had a flavor unlike anything he had tasted before but overall the meal was one of the best he’d had.
He took his plate to the kitchen before attending to the restroom. “I’m so glad they have toilets here.”
While he was washing his hands, he stopped to check the mirror to make sure there was no food in his teeth. What he saw in the mirror what not what he anticipated. His face seemed to be many colors and none – just like the people of that world.