Looking to the projections that hovered in front of his father, Candor could see that they were passing twenty-nine-thousand feet. He was amazed how anything this magnificent could ever be constructed. Yet he was also sad, because even though his race was gifted technologically, they still hung at the very precipice of extinction.
All this, he thought, and we still might not be able to save ourselves.
As they drew near to the first tower, Candor realized that the silver band was a docking ring, with decorative columns that divided each section. Between them, monumental statues of Penticorians draped in ancient robes stretched out their arms in invitation.
“Seiss Sador,” said the voice of the Tulacoss City Interlink. “Approach vector eleven-point-three-three-five has been confirmed. Traffic pattern engaged, slowing to ten feet per second, estimated time to dock, five-point-seven minutes. Do you wish to proceed with the docking maneuvers as outlined?”
“I do,” said Candor’s father. “And thank you.”
The Interlink made no reply. Candor wondered if it was designed to feel emotions like Jinx, or Amron. He supposed that for what it was designed to do, feelings would not be necessary. Or even desired, thought Candor. The last thing you want is a moody sentient construct deciding to cutoff your air, food, or water supplies, because it didn’t like something you said.
Three silver bands expanded in the viewport until Candor could only see two, then one. A vast array of transports dotted the scenery, and Candor felt his excitement rise as he saw the tunnels for the Intra-City Transport Shuttles. The gold tracks glimmered in the sunlight, disappearing into the docking-ports, where vertical tunnels opened at regular intervals.
“Oh look! There goes a Transport Shuttle now!” Candor pointed as an oblong silver shuttle raced up the side of the tower, travelling at lightning speed through the bands from the loading-ports inside the dome.
“Amazing, is it not?” Janesska asked rhetorically, as she peered over Candor’s shoulder.
Before Candor could follow it with his eyes, the shuttle disappeared through a tunnel in the first band, only to reappear just as swiftly. It shot up with a fluid ease of motion, and then faded from sight as they approached the port on the lowermost band. Their transport eased into the docking station, touching down with no perceptible vibration. The door retracted, and Candor’s father stepped out, escorting his mother onto the pad below. Candor followed, and a moment later an arm extended from the floor below the transport. Lifting it up, the arm placed it securely into the honeycombed storage facility above them. His father told him that each band was a quarter of a mile in width, and seeing it from the inside, Candor believed him.
He was speechless, watching as thousands of Penticorian’s populated the vast complex. They stood on a deck that overlooked a deep cavern that was designed with beautiful walkways, and intermixed with floating orbs of light. At its center, Candor noticed the outer wall of the tower was little more than a series of glass-lined windows, with multicolored lights to illuminate their surroundings. He gazed in wonder at the photonic signs that directed foot traffic, or announced the various departments of the government offices that lined the Great Hall of the Senedos Seiss.
“This is amazing,” said Candor. Meanwhile, his mother joined arms with both him, and his father.
“Yes,” she replied. “I don’t get here as often as I would like. Before I bonded with your father, my family lived here.”
Candor knew this, he spent a great deal of time studying the line of his family. After all, it made no sense for him to know the history of Penticore Prime, only to fall apart at a family reunion. Unfortunately, Candor discovered that both sets of his grandparents had passed into the arms of Eos, some two-hundred years before his birth. At that point, his mother had the option of keeping the family manor in the tower. However, she was fond of Shuveen Manor, so she relinquished ownership of her ancestral home to her only sister, Kessa Takaar.
Kessa was younger than Janesska. Yet unlike her sister, Kessa decided not to take a husband. Candor hoped that he would meet her someday, although he knew that it might be some time before the opportunity presented itself. Since they lived for such a long time, it could be anywhere from fifty to one-hundred years between visits. However, even though his mother didn’t speak of it openly, Candor got the impression that relations between them were strained. Jinx told him that Kessa was with his sister, Vesspa, when she died. Candor decided that it was better to drop it, rather than to unnecessarily open old wounds. However, he hoped that they could reconcile someday, because Penticorians regarded family as the cornerstone of their civilization. Their race was hardwired to love and cultivate those relationships, and drawing strength from one another was one of their most endearing characteristics.
“Do you think we will ever visit with Aunt Kessa?” Candor asked.
Janesska looked to her husband, obviously she wasn’t over whatever happened. Candor’s father cleared his throat before telling him. “I do not think that the opportunity will present itself, Candor.”
Candor nodded in acceptance as he thought. They’ve been alive for over fifteen-hundred years. Who am I to question them.
Candor knew it was true, thinking about the nightmares that continued to plague him. He remembered his human body, a body wrinkled with age; with sore joints and a nasty case of arthritis that kept him up most nights. Yet he also remembered that with age, his wisdom increased. Or more to the point, he realized how little wisdom he had as he got older, gaining the ability to defer his opinions and judgments. To compare that small number of human years to a Penticorian was an absurdity. If he gained wisdom and temperance in his human nightmare, he realized that where his parents were concerned, he couldn’t even begin to scratch the surface.
They walked together, arm-in-arm through the bustling throng of citizens. Along the way they passed several shops that were filled with items from across the continent of Ruxoss. Candor still had trouble understanding the trade system, as instead of money or gold exchanging hands, the currency of the realm was something called a duosk. The duosk was a system of credits, or chits. Since all the citizens of Penticore Prime had well established family houses, the diversions of life were more comfort and entertainment oriented, than functional. Citizens worked for the good of the whole, and to bring meaning and purpose to their lives. This meant that poets, scholars, artisans, and tale-smiths like Candor, were regarded as a cultural necessity.
In the strictest terms, there was no social class separation. Technicians employed Construct Healers to maintain and repair the infrastructure. While physicians like Zyphon, and the governing body of the Senedos Seiss, were equally invaluable to the survival of their species. In that environment, there was no need to amass wealth or power. And that philosophy led to the creation of the duosk system. Which simply stated meant that each time Candor released a moritainyoss iesuss, he was assigned credit by the Tulacoss City Interlink. If his work spread to other cities, he gained additional credit, with criteria that included attendance, popularity, and a host of additional factors designed to help him improve his work.
In contrast, his father earned duosk’s by working in his laboratory. While technicians and physicians gained credit by completing specific tasks surrounding their professions. Such as servicing the thousands of carbon dioxide harvesters throughout the city, or successfully rejuvenating someone. It was a little confusing at first, even though it made perfect sense. Each citizen was charged with nurturing the wellbeing of his or her race, and earned what were basically luxury credits simply by performing tasks that preserved their species. But it was more than that, because everyone Candor met had enough credits to stop working if they chose. So, what made Penticorian civilization a marvel, both technologically and socially, was that the duosk system was an afterthought. Candor even surprised himself, realizing that when he could have anything he wanted, what he wanted was very little. In fact, citizens thrived on interaction, more than on material items that
lasted only a few decades. That intellectually, and spiritually, it was more stimulating to accomplish objectives that were honored by your fellows. Or to cultivate the relationships between family and friends, with bonds that spanned centuries.
This represented a fundamental shift from everything that Candor understood as a human. It was also a source of continued consternation, because Candor preferred the Penticorian social structure, to that of his nightmares about humanity. His memories of the past were an unwelcome guest in his thoughts. Dark memories where power was everything, along with a complex system of controls meant to divide people, not bring them together. For a time, he considered asking Zyphon if the Healers were capable of erasing memory at the subconscious level. It was only after his last experience that he decided against it. As he continued to search for his lost memories, Candor allowed Zyphon to administer another treatment following his rejuvenation. It was an incredibly unpleasant experience, like being drilled in the back of his skull by a jackhammer, and with an itching sensation that left him with a staggering migraine.
No, he thought. Whatever is going on with me, I’m just going to have to deal with it. Zyphon said it himself, eventually my mind will repair itself. I just hope that day comes, soon.
As they were walking by one of the shops, Candor caught a glimpse of someone. She was a vision of such beauty that he could barely keep himself from stopping altogether. He was awestruck, his heart racing as he tried to get a better look. Candor didn’t know who she was, but he knew that she was young, because of the clothes she was wearing. Matriarch’s, such as Janesska, always wore elaborate gowns when venturing outside their houses. Whereas younger generations wore less formal attire, unless they were in a situation that required it. This female wore a simple form-fitting black gown with gold lace. His pulse quickened as he imagined the touch of her velvety blue-gray skin against his, followed by the silky texture of her luxurious brunette hair running through his fingers; a shining black mane which cascaded in gentle waves that captivated his attention.
She turned, sensing his gaze. Candor looked down, embarrassed, and he wondered if he’d been broadcasting his thoughts. Penticorians were not true telepaths, what they possessed was the ability to read the thoughts and emotions of others when in direct physical contact. However, even when touching, the act of reading someone else’s mind was a choice, not an involuntary reflex. On the other hand, Candor knew that there were others who evolved telepathically. Citizens who after centuries of rejuvenation and Healer modification, gained the ability to hear stray thoughts. Especially from individuals who were emotional, or passionate. He supposed that eventually they would evolve into telepaths. It was part of the reason for strict laws governing the appropriate use of what was known as, the mind gift.
As a Penticorian, he could join his mind with another if invited. Physicians were allowed a broader range of discretion, especially when the patient required rejuvenation, or arrived in an unconscious state. Of course, no one felt invaded if another citizen received an errant thought, as it was the equivalent of shouting at someone from across the room. Yet reading someone’s thoughts to gain information is an egregious crime. So Candor didn’t worry, even though his mother’s arm was touching his. It was the reality, that when everyone around you can read your mind, no one does. Not for fear of reprisals, but because of tradition, and an honorable code by which all Penticorian’s lived. What interested Candor even more than the mind gift, was that some individuals were said to possess a mild form of telekinesis. After some tests Zyphon administered, Candor discovered that he could read thoughts, but unfortunately, he could not move objects.
At least not yet, he thought, determined to push the limits of his mind.
He looked up, and she was still watching him. And even though Candor was almost out of sight, he vowed never to forget the delicate contours of her face, or her brilliant golden eyes. She smiled at him, or smirked, Candor couldn’t tell which. But that was the extent of it. She turned away, and a moment later he was around the corner, and she was gone.
“What has you so distracted, little one,” said Janesska.
Candor knew that his mother noticed the exchange by the smile on her face. He shrugged, unsure how to respond since he’d been caught red-handed. Then he blushed, which flustered him even further. Because it wasn’t only his face that turned crimson and dark green, but his arms, his chest, and any other skin that was exposed.
Janesska pulled him close as she whispered in his ear. “She was quite beautiful, little one. I’m surprised that you didn’t stop to engage her in conversation. Neither I nor your father would have minded.”
Candor’s reply was both immediate and earnest. “I wouldn’t dream of it, Mother. Father has placed a great deal of faith in me. To bring me to the Great Hall of the Senedos Seiss is an honor, and I will not disappoint him in any way.”
Janesska adored his loyalty, convinced more than ever that she was making the right decision to protect him. She looked at Sador, who only stood taller, and she knew that he was proud of his son. After passing through the outer ring of offices and shops, they came to an open corridor that took Candor’s breath away. Above them was a series of monumental stone colonnades that towered in the distance. While at its heart, a large dome rose far above the crowd. It was more than twice the size of any sports arena he had ever seen, and if it weren’t for his mother’s prodding, Candor could have stood there for hours.
The thought of the sports arena gave him pause, and he chastised himself for thinking like a human. Yet the feeling passed as he examined the stone statues which soared above the eggshell colored dome. He counted fifteen in all, one to mark each of the Senedos Seiss. They were gargantuan, so much so that Candor felt intimidated by the grandeur. Fifteen stately Penticorian figures, dressed in ceremonial robes, guarded fifteen entrances. Each statue leaned forward, its arms stretched up over its head. While at the center, and directly over the apex of the dome, each hand rested against the stone ring of infinity.
The pattern in the floor changed as they approached. From the cool caramel of the tower’s exterior, to black polished marble, inlaid with pulsing gold stripes, and emerald circles. Candor noted that the stripes emanated from the entrances at the foot of each statue, splaying out like the spokes in a wheel. While between each of the lighted paths, monolithic fountains trimmed in precious stones and silver rose heavenward; and controlled jets of water changed colors from the deepest red, to a spectacular neon blue.
Passing beneath one of the statues through a wide corridor, they arrived at the top of an amphitheater. It was an impressive structure, one that dwarfed the grandeur of the Roman Coliseum. And whereas the Roman arena was said to house up to fifty-thousand people, the Great Hall of the Senedos Seiss could accommodate ten times that number. As they drew closer, Candor saw that the rim of the floor was lined with boxes of luxurious seating. While directly in the center was a great stone dais in the shape of a half moon. At its top, there was a crimson colored shelf, or table, with fifteen high-backed chairs evenly spaced behind it.
What captivated his attention was not the grand staircases, with row upon row of seating. Nor was it the vast dome above them, cast in a photonic projection of the night sky. What made Candor’s blood pump faster was the image of Penticore Prime’s Sun, the representation of the Goddess, Eos. It hung like a brilliant orb over the spectators, who took the immense splendor for granted. As the sun rotated slowly on its axis, plumes of filamentary plasma jetted out from the surface, as sunspots dotted the fiery landscape.
“It looks too real to just be a representation,” Candor said to his parents.
“The orbital observatory’s keep a vigilant watch on the Goddess. What you see is Eos at this very moment, even considering the time it takes for the light to reach us,” replied Sador.
“Amazing,” said Candor.
His eyes remained on the magnificent three-dimensional image, as Janesska prodded him down the path towards the floor of
the Great Hall.
“Candor,” called a voice from below him.
Candor found Zyphon approaching them. “Zyphon, it’s good to see you. It’s been a few days, and I was beginning to worry that you weren’t going to try and talk me into more treatments.”
Zyphon smiled as he took Candor by the shoulders, a common form of greeting that was much like a handshake. “Don’t think that you can get away from me that easily,” he said. “I plan to visit the manor tomorrow, but since you’re here, we can proceed now if you like?”
They exchanged glances, and Candor almost believed that Zyphon would start checking him over right then and there, until a grin creased his lips and they both began to laugh.
“So, what brings you to the Great Hall of the Senedos Seiss?” Zyphon asked.
“My team and I have made a significant breakthrough for the In-World Faction. I have asked my son to stand by my side, at what will most certainly be a historic occasion,” replied Sador.
Something about Zyphon is different, thought Candor.
“Seiss Sador,” said Zyphon, embarrassed that he’d forgotten his manners. “Lady Janesska, it is an honor to see you.”
Sador reached out and clapped Zyphon on the shoulder. “Your care of our son has been exceptional. We are in your debt.”
Zyphon flushed a pale crimson as he bowed once more. “It is my honor to serve the noble house of Shuveen.”
“Little one,” said Janesska. “Your father and I will leave you two to talk. The session will begin soon, so don’t be too long.” With that she kissed him on the cheek, and then departed.
Penticore Prime Page 11