“Granted. But I have no real use for this thing,” he was saying–walking back to his dresser and opening the top drawer. “But you’re welcome to stop by for a visit any time you want. My door will always be open.”
“You’re sweet, Bayen. But that would just lead to more unwanted complications.”
Bayen turned around in that moment to look at me. “I’m not asking for the world, Isis. I haven’t had the opportunity to be in the company of a pretty young woman such as yourself as of late.”
I blushed, thinking that was the most endearing thing he’s said of me since we first met.
“I appreciate that, Bayen. But I don’t want any of your ex’s breathing down my neck if word got out on the happenstance that you and I were, well…dating.”
“Are you talking about Leona?” Bayen questioned lightly. “Is that who you are worried about?”
“Your mom may have mentioned her name once or twice–yeah.” I said, slightly defensive about the whole thing.
“Well, I wouldn’t worry. Leona and I are old news. She’s actually seeing another guy by the name of Gravis last I knew.”
“Really.”
“Really-really.” The sky dancer assured me. “I haven’t spoken to her in about a week since my last match at the Arena–but she’s doing fine as far as I know.”
“I seem to remember your mom mentioning that to me. But she wouldn’t go into grave detail about it.”
“Mom’s not the most agreeable person–true. But I fight in the Arena to help the store out and get a few things off the side. In fact, what you see here is the end result of my winnings.”
I looked at him stupidly. “All of this…? You bought all of this with your own money?”
Bayen nodded. “Of course. Mom refuses to give me anything for free unless it’s an unbridled emergency. But usually I give her money for the art and the supplies and the rest goes into my own savings account.”
My mind was completely blown by this news. I always thought of having my own savings account to be something of a pipedream, but those fanciful ideas got burned the second Calis told me that he would be taking over as my financier and sponsor many years ago.
I couldn’t have any of my own money because there wasn’t that much left to save or spend. I was literally living on the edge these days–despite my standings.
My head started to spin at the ideas of having so much when I had to contend with so little. It was a bit overwhelming to say the least.
Bayen noticed my distress and asked me what was wrong.
I just shook my head in obvious embarrassment.
“It has nothing to do with you, Bayen. It’s more me.”
The older man took a step forward in response, but I just waved him off.
He stopped mid-stride and looked at me.
“What is it?”
“I don’t know…!” I blurted out angrily. “Everything’s just piling up right now. This trip, me being here, what happened in the kitchen, the money, everything…”
Bayen nodded in quiet sympathy. “I’m sorry. I didn’t realize you would be affected by so much all at once. That’s my mistake.”
I looked at him strangely. “How can that be your fault?”
“I wanted to get to know everything there was about you, but in my quest, I never took into consideration how you would feel about it.”
“Bayen…” I whispered. “I’m…it’s not that.” Then I stopped for a moment and began again.
“I look at this world and I’m so overwhelmed by it. By the extravagance. The sheer opulence. It’s…more than I can handle at this moment.” I answered with brisk honesty.
“I see.”
I stared at him in response and then shook my head.
“Don’t think it’s your fault, Bayen. It’s just…I never expected such things to exist. I’m used to a world of hardship and poverty. Coming up here has rattled me. But it’s not because of you. You’ve been nothing but kind, gentle, passive, a good listener–”
“–why thank you, fair maiden.” Bayen offered with a short bow of his own.
I giggled then, but I knew that he was just trying to put me at ease.
I hugged myself in turn. “You’ve been so wonderful. I’m just not sure where it will lead.”
Bayen nodded quietly. “That’s usually how relationships start, Isis. Though I’m not always the one who does the initiating. Leona–my ex–caught me by surprise when she turned around and kissed me fully on the mouth in the heat of the moment. I think it was during one of my earlier matches–which had been brutal–but I managed to win that one on a fluke and a technicality. Then as we were just standing there, talking, one thing led to another and–” he was saying to me at length, before I rushed him then–taking a hold of his face and kissing him in return. It was such a spontaneous moment, I didn’t know where to begin. But I had to get this persistent feeling of attraction over him off my chest.
I just had to.
There was no small amount of protest from Bayen as I kept kissing him, the hot tears running down my face. Then I broke away and sobbed quietly–feeling like the whole world had come crashing down upon me with a terrible vengeance.
Bayen had no visible response to my situation–other than to reach out to me and hold me close.
“It’s going to be okay, Isis. It’s going to be okay.” He was telling me at that point.
I shuddered violently from the ongoing stress and raw nerves and I continued to shake and shiver, while holding myself and wishing for all the world that my problems in life would just go away.
“Bayen…” I said softly, reaching out for his hand at the same time.
“I just don’t want to be alone. Not tonight.”
The sky dancer nodded. “I’ll be right here. I’m not going anywhere.”
I nodded mostly to myself in a trance, thinking that’s what I wanted. What I desperately wanted. I can’t even believe that I kissed him! Right out in the open like that! Without hesitation or warning!
I shivered some more, thinking about my lips pressed against his–not caring if it was done right or wrong.
I started crying some more, weeping like a frightened little girl from the days of old–a girl who just had her father ripped from her life forevermore and could never understand the injustice of it all.
Even though it’s been years, my thoughts would always linger on the exact moment when I found myself screaming my father’s name as he was being led away and it would always fill me with pent up misery and heartache.
But Bayen was anything if not understanding in my moment of need. He didn’t need to say anything in return as he comforted me, held me, made me feel like I belonged to something greater than life itself.
That’s when I made the decision. It may have been a foolish one, but it was my choice nonetheless.
“I want it.” I told him flat out.
“Want what again?” He repeated in confusion
“The shard. I’ll take it. Keep it in my possession.” I said, turning around and thrusting my hand out towards him.
“You sure?”
“Don’t make me second guess myself.” I told him abruptly.
Bayen nodded quietly and went back to his dresser drawer and came back with the wrapped shard in return.
“Here.” He offered up, holding it out to me.
I took it and pocketed it in my dress pocket–now that this thing had pockets.
“Thank you. Now…about dinner?”
Bayen nodded. “I managed to save you a platter. But it will have to be reheated in the warmer.”
I nodded with some relief mixed with guilt. “I’m so sorry. I should have never brought that book out to begin with.” I apologized then.
“It’s okay. Nobody could have foreseen that one coming. Especially mom. Boy was she freaking out afterwards. I’ve never seen her so upset in my life since the day I stole something from Old Man McGreevy.”
I stared at Bayen with some newfound
appreciation since our first shared kiss together.
Okay. It was my first kiss. But–
“–you? You stole something from someone?”
The sky dancer nodded sheepishly. “Awhile back. Long time ago in fact. About the same time my dad was alive and still around and serving in the Praetorial Guard.”
I looked at him suspiciously. “Dare I ask what it was?”
“It was a power stem flow converter. One of those light up models you see in the machine shops lining Level 1657.”
“I’ve seen one of those before. A few years ago when Calis was surprising me on my 15th birthday. But his didn’t light up. It was too old for that.”
“Probably an earlier model.”
“Yeah.” I said with a bit nostalgia in my voice. “It was. Destined for an Ice Panther G-2 auto-frame.”
“I’ve heard of those auto-frames. Very fast, very quick.”
“Almost on par with my Viper X-1. What it lacks in suitable armament, it makes up for in speed.” I said with a bit of pride. “But they are a rarity in the circuit.”
“I can imagine. How is Louis Geller doing by the way?”
“Old Lou?” I echoed in surprise. “How do you know about him?”
“I talked with him the other week–catching up on a few things of grave importance.”
“Like what?”
“A wedding dress for one of his nieces living in Oakes Platte.”
I looked down at myself, seeing possibilities other than the shimmering red dress I wore.
“Would be nice to wear one.” I mused sadly.
“Why? What you have on right now suits you just fine. Matches your red hair.”
I sighed. “You wouldn’t be saying that if you knew the truth, Bayen.” I said, showing him the end of one of my tresses.
“See?”
Bayen stepped forward and looked.
“Hmm…your hair has turned into silver starlight.” He informed me at that juncture.
“Silver?” I said with shock. “Not white?”
“Well, it’s hard to say in this kind of mood lighting. I’d have to go and get my glasses to be sure.”
“You? Wear glasses?”
The sky dancer nodded. “I may play the role of a fighter during the day, but I am a mild-mannered reporter for the Business Telegraph by night.”
“Ha. That was so funny. When you become such a gifted comedian?”
Bayen grinned at me. “Since about five seconds ago when I decided that you spent enough time moping.”
I rolled my eyes placidly. “I think that is called crying, you big dummy.”
“Perhaps. But I think we can better spend the rest of our evening in the company of good friends over a nice meal–don’t you agree?”
“So who did you invite?” I challenged good-naturedly.
“Just us. Mom went to her room after treating you–against the wishes of the healer.”
“Why would everybody be against treating me? I thought Fran said I would be covered in that department.”
Bayen sighed.
“It’s a long story.” He told me. “Best told over dinner. Would you like to come?”
My stomach growled in response then. A fierce and long growl to beat the band.
“Sure.” I said–allowing him to take my hand and lead me out of his room.
~29~
The lighting in the living room was a bit more subdued–gauging the time on the living room’s set clock face in the wall next to the darkened vid screen.
“I guess the night waits for no one.” I said as a passing joke and a reference to The Timely Frost Maiden–one of my mom’s only prized literary possessions and a book that I positively lorded over in my early teens for easy reading.
Bayen nodded of course, picking up on my unspoken reference.
“Yes. At this time of night, everyone is sleeping. There’s not that many people out right now. Unless you count all the midnight rave parties down at the Zero 76 night clubs.”
“Rave parties?” I queried with some curiosity on my part. “I don’t think I’ve heard of those all that often.”
“Part of the music scene. Very big and popular with my generation.”
“I don’t suppose we could go to one, could we?”
“Not right now. They usually started at ten and last until about five in the morning. There’s a lot of food and drink to be had–some of it illegal.”
“Like my Uncle Edgar’s moonshine still?”
Bayen looked at me in surprise. “You know about that?”
I laughed. “Of course I do. I was also known to sample the stuff when it came out of the distillery out from behind his barn–when I thought I was in the clear and nobody was looking. One hundred percent proofed, vacuum distilled alcohol. Would knock you on your ass in a heartbeat. Especially when it was given some ice liqueur flavoring on top of it.”
“It sounds like you got caught a few times,” Bayen observed blithely.
“A few. I won’t argue that. But it was well worth the buzz I got from drinking it straight from the tap.” I argued lightly, as he led me through the living room and out back towards the kitchen area.
The lights came on almost immediately and I looked around for good measure–not finding anything out of place. The table had been reset for the morning, the counters were spotless and clean, the only thing that remained a reminder of tonight’s little episode was those flash burn marks on the floor which darkened and blackened the smooth tiling.
“Feels weird being here by myself.” I muttered softly.
“It’s okay. I know where everything is.” Bayen sought to reassure me then, going to the massive fridge and opening the door.
I took my customary seat at that point and waited for Bayen to do the honors.
He came back with a bowl of noodles and a few other plates–including one that still had half a loaf of baked bread.
He set everything in front of me like it was a personal banquet of sorts and then disappeared for another plate and some utensils.
After which, he set those in front of me while he went to go reheat a pot of fresh water.
“Tea?” He offered to me in passing.
“Please.” I said with an eager look of my own. “I’m so thirsty right now. I feel completely drained of my energy reserves.”
“Going through that phase must’ve been terrible on you.” The sky dancer remarked with a personal observation of his own.
“You have no idea…” I breathed out with transparent nervousness. “I feel like it’s going to happen again at any second now.”
Bayen looked up from what he was doing with both tea cups.
“Now?” He ventured guardedly.
I shook my head. “I don’t know. But I feel somehow connected with what’s going inside me. It’s the first real indication that something bigger than life is about to happen and I’m going to be at the center of it all.”
“Well, you look perfectly normal now.” The older man sought to point out gently.
I laughed despite myself. Despite my internal misgivings.
“Thanks. I appreciate the vote of confidence. But I’m serious, Bayen. What happened in the span of a couple of minutes had my mind open to things I didn’t think were possible.”
“I think that’s a given with anything we may encounter in life.” Bayen said to me then.
I shuddered in that moment, feeling cold.
“I don’t think you would be saying that if you knew what I knew, Bayen.” I mewed softly.
“No matter,” he said with a fatalistic air. “We’ll cross that bridge when the time comes.”
I snorted softly, unconvinced. “By then…it may be already too late.”
A hot cup of tea appeared right before in a flash, set on a saucer and complete with a slice of lemon and a spoon. A small bottle of Grade A honey also appeared as well as an afterthought.
I glanced at the offering in that one second and smiled gratefully.
; “You certainly know how to spoil me, Bayen. I could never be this pampered back home.”
“Be our guest, be our guest…put that notion to the test…” the sky dancer responded in song.
I chuckled. “Now don’t me started.” I fired back playfully.
“It’s better to be happy than sad–right?”
“I’m not sad. Just stressed out.”
Bayen pointed to my cup. “Drink some of that. It’s one of my mom’s special blends.”
Picking the thing up with both hands, I eyed it speculatively.
“What is it? It smells–wonderful. Like a forgotten flower from so long ago.”
“Lavender, naturally grown ginseng, and chamomile.” Bayen told me.
“All my mom has on hand is spiced apple blossom and dark cherry tea.” I revealed to him, while taking an experimental sip.
“That’s pretty good.” I said, before picking up the bottle of honey and uncapping it with a flick of a thumb.
Pouring some of it into my cup, I took the spoon and started stirring before sticking the end in my mouth and sucking on it lavishly.
I guess nothing tasted better than tea and sweet honey added to it–after the day I’ve had.
At this point, I couldn’t wait to crawl back into bed and fall asleep for real. I was both wired and drained at this point. But I was also hungry as well.
“I don’t suppose you have any coffee on hand, do you?”
“No. Just tea. You’ll need something to relax you for a spell. The healer recommended it before he left–just as you passed out in fact. My mom was still arguing with him even after that. It was quite the sight to behold.”
“I still don’t understand why it’s a crime to treat surface dwellers.”
Bayen agreed. “New laws recently enacted. Don’t ask me why. Before you came along, we had no way of knowing that someone from the surface would finally make it up here. There had been a few close calls over the past ten years. That much I can tell you.”
I looked at him curiously. “Are you people that afraid of us?”
“Fear has only a small part in it. The rest is superstition and paranoia I’m afraid.”
The Starchild Page 22