"I'm sorry," was my weary reply. "I'm a bit of a restless sleeper." Her face relaxed but she continued to study my face, drawing a hand toward it as if to touch me.
"Your eyes…they're beautiful," she whispered. My own hand flew to my face. No solar glasses. Had I left them in the food lab? I remembered Professor Baal asked me to remove them, but I couldn't recall grabbing them when I left the lab with Ajax. It didn't matter. Without looking, I knew I had several pairs stacked neatly in one of my drawers. My mother would not have forgotten to bring my supply, but Coach Renier couldn't expect me to sleep with them, and I wasn't going to hide from my own roommate. It would have been much simpler if I had gotten back to the room in time to warn Tory about my sleepless nights and odd color eyes.
"Thank you," I answered, gesturing for her to take a seat on my bed. I scooted over a bit so she had room to sit cross-legged in front of me. "Do you want to talk or can you fall back asleep?"
"Talk," she answered with a firm shake of her head. She pulled a pillow toward her and settled it across her lap then continued to stare at me silently. Her eyes were full of intelligence and curiosity, and I could sense no feeling of unease in her.
"Okay," I answered, "Tell me about Tory then." We smiled at each other. I knew she wanted to know about me, but I wanted to know about her. How did a girl, a little thing like her, get chosen to be on the most prestigious Crusade team on the planet? It was a curiosity I wanted to unravel and we sat in silence for several moments, each sizing the other one up.
"Okay," she conceded, "I'm Tory Keevah. I come from the Aquila Grid, and I am the youngest of nine children. We are a family of horticulturists."
"So you're an elite horticulturist?" I raised an eyebrow at her. She chuckled at my joke and some of her hesitation receded.
"The Aquila Grid is in the middle of the continent," she continued her story, "There are many flatlands, and also forests. An extensive animal population once thrived there. Crusaders have made great strides in coaxing the animal population back to life, but first the land had to be made safe, right?" I nodded and she went on.
"I've always had an affinity with animals. I feel drawn to them. I can sense them." Her cheeks colored at this admission and she lowered her eyes. "Do I sound ridiculous?"
"Not at all," I answered, fascinated by her candor. "Can you sense people the same way?"
She shook her head. "No, not even close. I have four brothers and four sisters, and their energy has always been one big jumble to me. Our house is a bit chaotic and there's never a chance for alone time. Just to find some peace and quiet, I started to slip out after our evening meal to go and sit in the fields far from the house, all by myself. I knew the grasses would conceal me, and I could be alone for as long as I wanted. I would sit there for hours, and then one day, I realized it wasn't even quiet out there. I could hear the animals. I could tell where they were and if they were watching me. I could sense if they were frightened or hungry. I know it sounds unbelievable," she added, lowering her eyes again, too sheepish to continue. She had no idea who she was talking to.
"It doesn't sound unbelievable, it sounds amazing," I encouraged her. "I can sense people in much the same way." My confession was a surprise, even to me, but if I wanted her to trust me, I needed to trust her.
"You mean you can read my mind? Like a Descender?" She widened her eyes, alarmed by the prospect.
"No," I laughed, "No. I can't read minds, and neither can they. It's more like what you can sense about the animals. I can often tell how a person is feeling. I can read their energy, not their mind."
"Can you sense what I'm feeling now?" she asked, curious. I could sense she was skeptical.
"Yes," I admitted. "You want to confide in me, but you aren't sure if you can trust me. Also, you're not sure if you believe me."
Her cheeks flushed again, but she laughed easily. "Okay, I believe you. How did you learn to do it?"
"I don't know," I shrugged. "Part of it is, I'm a trained Athlete and we work extensively on controlling our minds and emotions. But truthfully, I think I've always had the ability."
"Can all Athletes do it?" She looked shocked at the notion.
"No," I answered quietly, "But I think they could. I think any human could. We have the ability, we just need to learn how to master it. We're getting there." She stayed silent for several moments processing our conversation. Perhaps she understood my capabilities were extraordinary compared to other humans, but she alluded to some interesting ones in herself. "How did you learn to do it?" I questioned.
She shrugged and thought about her answer before speaking. "It wasn't something I was trying to do. At University, they teach us to try and quiet our minds and listen. But it isn't easy. It's difficult for me to quiet my mind in the midst of so much noise. But when I went out to the fields, I was searching for quiet and realized the Descenders were right. When you learned to still your mind, you could hear everything a whole lot better. I simply learned how to clear my mind and listen to what was going on around me. And maybe because I love animals so dearly, and have worked with them since I could walk, I felt more in tune with their feelings than with human feelings."
"Somebody must have figured out what you could do," I prompted her to continue.
"Yes," she answered, nodding her head in agreement. "My brother, Tim. He's my closest sibling. When he noticed I was missing night after night, he started to follow me. He watched me and saw how the animals came to me. They would sit all around me, even the dangerous ones, and I could be with them, pet them, hold the ones who would let me. Tim kept my secret, except he told my brother Tobias. Tobias is several years older, and he also trained with Professor Baal. He's on Danu now, with the other Crusaders who've graduated." I sat up a little straighter as her story came to the part where she ended up with me at the University.
"Tim didn't exactly know what was happening with me, but he knew it was special and knew I would jump at the chance to leave the Aquila Grid. I've never been outside Aquila in my life. So Tim told Tobias.”
“One night, I was sitting in the middle of the field with a bobcat at my feet. She was purring contentedly and I was drifting off myself. It was a beautiful evening and my cat was nice and warm next to me. I think I had just about fallen asleep when I felt the cat's body tense, and I was startled awake. Professor Baal was standing over me right in the middle of the field. She scared the heck out of me!"
"You didn't sense her coming?" It was a shame she couldn't sense human energy. Perhaps she could learn.
"Not at all. I only knew something was amiss because of the cat. And even the cat didn't sense her until she was upon us. Professor Baal walked right up to us and somehow her presence went undetected."
Yes, I thought to myself, Professor Baal had some pretty amazing capabilities. "What did she say?" I asked.
"First she asked if anyone besides Tim or Tobias knew about my gift. Then she asked if I would like to come to the Orion Grid and train with the Athlete, Kaia Robi."
"She said that?" I was completely taken aback. "Why would she think you would want to do that?"
"Are you crazy? Of course I would want to train with you! To even be considered to join the same team as an Athlete is a huge accomplishment, right? Every child waiting to start their Crusade would probably kill to be in my shoes right now."
"Really?" My voice sounded small compared to her huge expectations.
"C'mon Kaia, we all grow up wanting to be Athletes. There's something unique about you and it shows. I've always been curious about you, wondered what you're like. And now, here I am. And I know your eyes are purple."
I didn't say anything. I sat thinking about what she said as I stared out the window. The sun still hadn't crested the horizon, but any minute night would fade into day. "Yes, my eyes are purple, and I can sense human emotions. You can sense animals and we're on the same Crusade team. We're the only girls. We have to stick together, Tory. I'll protect you and you protect me."
"We'll stick together," she agreed, "We'll keep each other's secrets."
She would be my friend and I would be hers. A friend at the University was something I could definitely use and Tory's sincerity made me believe she would be loyal, as would I. Our eccentricities helped us to bond and I looked forward to cultivating a new friendship.
After our talk, her eyes began to droop and her chin fell to her chest. Once I assured her I would be fine, she settled into her bed while I dressed quickly and stepped out into the hall, leaving her to sleep.
* * * *
Outside, the sun peeked over the horizon. As it rose, it chased away the gray shadows, highlighting the leaves and their slow metamorphosis from green to gold, and all colors in between, before their final descent to the ground. There was a crisp quality in the morning air and a hint of frost as the promise of winter lingered around the corner. My breath was visible in the chill of the morning. The solar roofs sprang to life, expanding to meet each precious ray as it hit the Earth.
With the rising sun, I was grateful for my solar glasses. As I made my way to the track alone, they provided something to hide behind. The campus was nearly deserted, and I began walking briskly, warming my legs in preparation for a run. I picked up my pace as the track came into view, hitting my stride as the football players trickled onto the field from the Athletics Building. While I circled the track, I let the steady beat of my footfalls calm my nerves. Cool air rushed past my face and my mind wandered with no particular focus except the rhythm of the run and the feel of the breeze on my cheeks. I could hear the players warming up but didn't let their calls distract me while I pounded out my course in an elliptical pattern.
After a while, I heard the steady beat of feet behind me. The runner quickened his pace until he fell into step beside me, matching my stride. I glanced over, recognizing the strawberry haired football player Ajax had pointed out yesterday. His eyes were green with hints of gray, reminding me of moss upon a stone. We ran in companionable silence a few more times around, before slowing and coming to a stop at a small set of bleachers.
"Hello," he spoke up, once he finally caught his breath. He bowed his head and introduced himself. "I'm Caden Rua."
"I'm Kaia Robi," I answered, dipping my head slightly in return. I regarded him with suspicion, thinking it bold of him to join me on my run, but when he smiled, the gesture transformed his features in the friendliest of ways and I found myself smiling back. We sat down together on the benches.
"Where are you from?" I asked, and listened while he spoke. Caden described his life in the Fornax Grid, about two hundred kilometers to the southeast of the University. An only child, he didn't try out for the football leagues, though he was a decent player, because he didn't have the heart to leave his parents, even if it meant he could generate stores of energy for them. His face was tender when he spoke of home, and I found myself liking him immensely. Being an only child meant his family probably did not have stores of energy, yet he carried himself in a way that suggested he felt inferior to no one. When he spoke, he looked me directly in the eyes and didn't appear fazed by my status as an Athlete. He was only a few centimeters taller than me, but he was broad and fit, and I already knew he was quick on his feet.
"How did you catch the eye of Professor Baal?" I wondered, after hearing a bit of his history.
"Actually, it was her husband who found me, the solar engineer, Caius Baal. My father is also a solar engineer, and I often work with him. Mr. Baal headed an emergency visit to our grid last year after a solar breakdown in our system. All of the cells malfunctioned. He was impressed with the way I handled the emergency and could manipulate the cells despite having no formal training. We worked together many long hours, and he said he admired the way I continued to work until the job was done. He submitted my name to his wife and she accepted me." I was impressed. He must have done some amazing things to get recognized in such a way. "Professor Baal accepted me as a solar engineer, and if I can pass her physical requirements, I'll remain on the team," he finished, and then he focused his attention squarely on my face. "Tell me about Kaia now," he prompted.
I looked toward the football fields. "I'm sure you already know about me," I murmured. In response, he tilted his head to the side and considered what I said. He didn't speak until I looked at him again.
"I know you're a tennis player. I know you left the tour even though you were number one in the world. I know Professor Baal wanted you to come here, but you could have stayed on the tour a while longer. I don't know how you feel about it all."
"I wanted to come. My brother left last year and it was the first time I was without him. It wasn't the same. Anyway, I've been playing tennis a long time and I'm ready to stop. I can play here and not be on the monitors anymore."
"You don't like being on the monitors? You're very fun to watch, all that jumping and yelling."
"Thank you," I smiled at the compliment, "but no, I don't like it. It's difficult, and people have all sorts of expectations about you even though they don't really know you. They just think they do because they see you have a familiar face. It's a lot to bear."
"And now you don't have your brother to shield you from the spotlight." It was a statement rather than a question. I thought about my reply for a moment.
"Right now it's difficult because Professor Baal took my mailbox away and it feels horribly isolating. One day I'm at the Tennis Academy surrounded by people I have been with almost my entire life, and the next, I'm at the University and know virtually no one. I feel cut off from the whole world. Did she take your mailbox away?"
His pale skin colored with anger. "Yes, and I have a girlfriend at home and I haven't been able to talk to her. What must she be thinking? I don't understand…" his voice trailed off and his pained expression offset a bit of the irritation I felt at his words. A girlfriend? Resentment flared up in my gut but the melancholy feel of his emotions surrounded me and I tried to squelch it. He felt alone here and I understood loneliness. What I couldn't understand was how he found the time to form such a relationship in the first place. Athletes worked from sun up to sun down and fell into bed exhausted at night. Didn't other children have to work the same way, even if they weren't Athletes?
"A girlfriend, huh?" I tried to smile, but my attention was diverted when I saw a flash of black streak past my vision from the direction of the field. My head whipped around and I jumped to my feet, hoping my eyes hadn't deceived me. Sure enough, I caught sight of a football player dressed in black, a fellow Athlete. He stood apart from the others, eyes scanning the area until they settled in our direction. My heart soared. I wasn't the only one; there was another Athlete here! And he was wearing solar glasses. The tension eased from my shoulders, but as it did so, it seemed to settle upon Caden's. His posture stiffened beside me, and there was no longer a smile on his face.
"I guess it was inevitable," Caden muttered beside me. I turned back to him, confused by his change in attitude.
"What is it? What's the matter?" The Athlete began to walk toward us.
Caden spoke quietly. "He's been waiting to meet you," he answered, his voice grim.
"Of course he has. Are we the only two here?"
Caden could only nod as the boy drew nearer, stopping when he was directly in front of me. We regarded each other silently for several moments, each trying not to appear too overjoyed by the presence of a fellow Athlete.
"Hello, Kaia," he broke the silence between us, giving a slight nod in my direction and pushing his solar glasses up on his head. "I'm Atticus." With dark hair and dark eyes, Atticus might have been common looking except for the way his eyes sat wide apart on his face. Instead of common, he had an unusual look, accentuated by a full mouth and long dark eyelashes. His arrogance was evident in the haughty way he held his chin up while paying attention only to me without acknowledging Caden. I'd witnessed the look in many Athletes, who were told, endlessly, of their superiority to other humans.
"Hello, Atticus," I ans
wered, dipping my head just as slightly as he had dipped his toward me. Atticus Martin; I knew the name. He was a famous football player and must be nearing eighteen and ready to complete his Crusade. "Have you met my friend Caden?" They were both football players at the University; they had to be acquainted, but Atticus made no move, gave no sign of recognition; he only pulled his solar glasses back down across his face, and crossed his arms in front of him.
"Would you like a tour of the University?" Atticus asked, ignoring the question completely. His steady gaze stayed firmly planted in my direction.
"Oh, too bad," Caden snapped his fingers. "We were just heading to breakfast."
We weren't just heading to breakfast, but I let it slide, caught at the moment between loyalty to my fellow Crusader and a fellow Athlete.
"What's going on here?" I asked in an attempt to clear the air.
Neither said anything for several moments, but it was Atticus who broke the silence.
"Did he mention his girlfriend?" He kept his expression serene, as if the question was merely casual, but I got the message. Athletes never had time for boyfriends or girlfriends and it stung each time we learned something new about the life of Students. Hadn't I also bristled when Caden mentioned her to me? But, were we to take offense at every luxury the Students had and hold ourselves apart, separate and angry? I didn't want to isolate myself from the Students, but I was glad to have another Athlete around to commiserate with. We could discuss such things later, assuming we'd get a chance to be alone, because I didn't want to take sides in his scuffle with Caden. I wouldn't speak out against my fellow Athlete, and I wouldn't offend my fellow Crusader.
"Let's all go, shall we?" I mediated, and began walking without waiting for an answer. It wasn't long before they fell into step on either side of me.
The campus was brimming with life. It was still early, but there were Students swarming all over the great lawns across the southern end of campus. These stretched between the rows of buildings that housed the majority of the classrooms and laboratories. Even at a distance, I could make out the molecular science, physics, solar engineering, and water production buildings. I remembered them all and their locations from the countless hours I spent exploring with Ajax when we were little. As I watched, Student engineers scaled the solar building to study the cells. Horticulturalists worked on the living roofs, and along the center of the lawns, students worked on physical fitness. Some were practicing maneuvers against the Virtual Guards, and others worked through complicated obstacle courses. There was a flurry of activity wherever I looked, and the buildings crawled with Students studying anything and everything they could get their hands on.
The Energy Crusades Page 6