by F. Habib
Rana didn’t falter in her writing as she looked up.
‘I'll dictate and you transcribe,’ she pushed a second tablet to Beth, but held it back for a moment, ‘don't make a mistake’.
Beth nearly regretted her offer. She clasped the slim screen and settled on the floor next to her daughter. Rana spoke quietly, but rapidly. Beth’s fingers started to burn as she struggled to keep up.
‘Can you slow down a bit?’
She looked up to see Rana writing different formulae at twice the speed on her own tablet. She clamped her lips shut and re-doubled her efforts as her complaint had only pushed her further behind. Without her eidetic memory, she’d have been lost.
Perun and Galen sat with arms linked and watched.
Kade stared at Rana. ‘Is there anything I can do?’
‘No,’ she said.
He slumped into a chair.
Rana didn’t lift her gaze. ‘Your time is not now.’
Mimi and Decker arrived laden with coffee and doughnuts. A television was wheeled in by a soldier.
‘We are making all the headlines folks!’ Mimi’s eyes shone. She waved her phone at the group. ‘I swear Oprah is going to call any second now!’ She flicked on the screen and every channel blazed with images of Rana crunching down the car stack or bounding through the air.
Then Beth’s face filled the screen.
‘Hey, Honey B, you’re on MTV. Who’d have taken that bet?’ Mimi lifted a doughnut, examined it, then dropped it like a bug.
It was odd to see yourself, knowing millions of people were seeing it too. Beth quelled the urge to cover her face; too late for that. A voice boomed out when Mimi found the volume.
‘Elizabeth Jane Irving was a reclusive young math prodigy and cosmologist who went missing over ten years ago from her home in Cambridge, England. Her obvious familiarity with both the alien and the military has many speculating that she’s been in the governments’ employ in a covert operation involving extraterrestrials or at the very least some sort of genetic engineering program. Her father, himself a Nobel prize-winning chemist denies all knowledge of her whereabouts.’ The screen flashed up her father’s front door as he tried escape the cameras. ‘I haven’t seen her in years and this has nothing whatever to do with me. I know nothing, now leave these premises or I shall be forced to call the police.’
Seeing him was like a hand in her face. Startling, but not painful.
Beth turned back to her tablet. The television died with a pop.
‘Hey!’ Mimi narrowed her eyes at the group.
Galen smiled. Decker laughed. Khoen sat down next to Beth as she finished her transcription.
‘What are those?’
She followed his finger to the large screen. Rana was rapidly sketching what looked like hundreds of geometric diagrams. Beth shook her head and looked at the bowed silver head.
‘They’re from the crystal,’ Rana said. ‘They represent the locations of the molecules that must be rearranged to attain the required DNA sequence. This will be Paul’s undertaking.’ Rana glanced over to Perun and Galen. ‘Your first task is to assist Paul’s focus.’ They nodded and Perun rose to fetch him from his exhaustive examination of the plane across the hanger.
Paul looked only at the floor and his arm twitched every few seconds. Galen moved closer and the jerking motion eased, but he kept making half-turns as if to leave. Rana approached, stood to one side and spoke past him.
‘Is it possible to unweave the twine of life?’ She slowly reached a hand to tilt his face to the screen, but his eyes remained fixed to the floor. ‘Certainly anything can be done in the eternal moment. It is more interesting to wonder if it can be done in an hour, twenty minutes, ten minutes.’ After a long pause, Paul’s gaze flicked to the geometry and away. No one moved, but his half-turns had stopped. Just when Beth thought he’d never do it, his gaze flicked again to the large screen. It stayed. Rana pushed her tablet into his palms, walked away and nodded to Perun and Galen. They sat a short distance from Paul, but faced each other.
Beth stepped back to watch the screen as it began to scroll so fast the images blurred. How was he supposed to sort this? It was like a million-piece puzzle of varying shades of grey.
‘How can he possibly know how to do this? One misplaced molecule could spell disaster and he doesn’t know anything about DNA.’ Beth said to no one in particular.
Khoen stared at the screen then closed his eyes and lay down on the floor. It probably gave him a headache. She reached out her feelings toward him. He was relaxed. She could feel him gently sucking energy into himself from the ground beneath him, the hum of it tingled her fingers and toes. She dearly wished she could recharge her batteries too.
‘You’re assuming the symbols are a biological code. I think they represent a language.’ Mimi was perched on a fold-up chair. ‘It’s a logographic system like hieroglyphs. Logographs were man’s earliest writing systems and they,’ she flicked her fingers at the others, ‘told us the spirits and intelligences communicate through 3D images. It’s the only way this is working.’ She drew her gaze from the screen to meet Beth’s frown.
‘Remember when Rana cremated herself and she did that weird chant? It was a language or code and I think it’s the same here. The components of most codes are fixed in a hierarchy of regular patterns. In alphabetic language, a finite number of letters forms a larger number of words, which are organised into sentences with syntactic consistencies. Jackendoff proposed comparable structural regularity in music. Codes – human ones at least - can be described as layered organisations of isomorphisms. I think Shuffles is seeing the similarities in the diagrams and sorting them into their respective layers.’
Beth blinked. ‘Oh, ok.’
Her respect for Mimi, unable to grow higher, rounded like hot dough. ‘That’s a very good point. Thanks.’ She shifted in her seat, ‘Ahem – Rana, can we recap the process for everyone while Paul works? I just want to see if anyone else can think of new questions I may not have considered.’
Rana turned from her place near Paul and sank cross-legged in front of her mother. They were still face-to-face. Beth was certain she’d grown again since they’d arrived here. Galen had said it was genetic, a possible side effect of Apep’s code as it had started only after the crystal was assimilated into her physical form.
Beth took in her daughter’s huge violet eyes and surreal beauty; her heart squeezed the breath from her lungs so that she had to look away.
Rana’s long fingers rested warm on her hand like sunshine. She glanced back and saw the reassurance in her gaze. She knew she was forgiven; she just needed to forgive herself. Perhaps she could earn it.
‘Between us - Galen, Perun, Khoen and I - we have the force of will to control the formation of the particles in the DNA, we're just missing the algorithmic blue-print which Paul will draw out. Jemima is correct that it is somewhat musical. My temperature regulation will help modulate the required frequencies that will shape the molecular architecture of the code.’
‘Ok, so can you describe-’ Beth paused as Rana raised her palm.
The scrolling stopped abruptly and Paul sat up a little straighter. Every eye was on him, but he didn’t look up. He placed his hand on the tablet and with two quick movements wiped all the information from the screen pulling gasps from the group, except for Rana.
She rose and crouched to stand nose-to-nose with Paul and after a long-drawn moment placed her forehead to his. Beth suspected it was a download and after a few seconds Rana lifted her face away like a leave-taking lover. She smiled at him, but it wasn’t returned. He held her gaze for a fleeting second and nodded repeatedly as he turned full circle towards the exit. Thomas hurried after him.
*
Khoen, Perun, Galen and Rana stood in a wide circle. Beth thought they might hold hands or something but they just stood there, eyes closed. Were they meditating? Rana had explained that the task was to persuade the particles to transform in accordance with the algori
thm she would convey acoustically.
Beth looked around. ‘So what matter are you going to transform?’ Surely it’d make sense to have it in the middle of the circle.
‘We need a volunteer.’ Rana didn’t so much as open an eyelid.
‘What do you mean a volunteer?’ Beth’s horrified gaze flashed to Mimi and then the others. Her heart quailed. Mimi’s mouth was wide with incredulity.
‘Well, we could try making him from thin air, or some other DNA based life form, but a fully grown human would give a significantly improved chance of success.’
‘Are you crazy? You’re asking for a human sacrifice!’ Beth’s outrage was dwarfed by her dread.
Rana frowned and opened her eyes.
‘If we don't do this, there will be no humans nor anything else left in Tela. It won't hurt and you won't cease to exist. Your consciousness will move to a different form and the Lightshapers will greet you. There is nothing to fear in this. We are just going to reuse your DNA. You will be permitted to re-embody if you choose. If Alamgir wipes the slate clean, there will be neither life now, nor any after-life as you call it. All the energy in Tela will shift to a higher register.’
The silence stretched like pulled gum. No one moved.
Rana frowned. ‘This is not a difficulty we planned for. So many humans are keen give their life away for the unimportant.’ Rana looked at Decker directly.
‘Please give me a break, Joshua. You're willing to die for your country, but not for humanity? Come on, there must be a religious person nearby willing to be the next saviour of mankind. I would do it myself, but I can't do both parts.’
‘No way.’ Mimi jumped up as Decker stepped forward, his face shuttered.
‘Thank you.’ Rana nodded at him. ‘Let's begin.’ As Decker moved into the circle, Perun grasped his arm and stepped in his place.
‘No!’ Galen’s shout tore a sob from Beth’s tight throat.
What’s happening? This couldn’t happen. We’re supposed to be winning here.
‘Please don’t leave again.’ Galen wasn’t crying. His pain looked too big for that. Perun clasped his son close. Beth covered her face with shaking hands and sank to her knees. Khoen’s presence touched her though he hadn’t moved an inch. She could feel him reaching around his jealousy, trying to comfort her grief for his rival. She knew Perun wouldn’t come back. The thought of Galen’s loss closed her throat.
‘I’ll be nearby.’ Perun’s cheek rested on Galen’s head. ‘I sought my purpose my whole life and prepared for its arrival. I had not expected it so soon, nor in this form. But life is not suited to expectation. It is suited only to acceptance of the moment. I’m astonished by all that you are, my son. You manifest peace in a way I could never hope to learn. Giving harmony to mind, body and spirit may be your purpose.’
‘But you’re afraid. I can feel it.’ Galen thrust the words at him. Beth desperately wanted to cover her ears but that required uncovering her eyes. She couldn’t risk it.
‘Of course. I’m human. But as you so sagely pointed out, we like to be brave. Makes us feel all grown up.’ Perun smiled at him. ‘You don’t have to kill my fear for me. I must control it myself. Use yours gifts as you’ve been asked. I will do my part from within the circle.’
Beth wondered how you willed your own annihilation at the cellular level. She gulped down air and wondered if she’d ever know real bravery. Strength born not of anger or fear, but peace. She wondered if Christ himself had trembled before the cross. She cracked apart her fingers and braced herself for what was to come.
Decker had his arms wrapped around an ashen Mimi. The circle of death and rebirth had formed once more, heads bowed as though in prayer. Rana started to hum then sing softly. Her bowed head lifted and then fell back.
Beth wondered for a moment if they should have done this in the sunshine, but remembered the global clamour for their location. When nothing happened, she lowered her hands further, focus fixed on Perun, standing so still. His eyes suddenly opened to capture her gaze, their sweet green awash with an unrequited devotion that broke Beth’s heart. The precious moments of shared affection, first love, laughter and loss lit clear in her mind. His eyes flashed farewell. Then she remembered the rainbow bouquet he’d gifted her before she knew him, and a silent downburst of tears soaked her.
‘I’m sorry. I’m sorry.’ She whispered uselessly and pressed her hands into her stomach.
Then she gasped as Rana’s song changed. It was no longer musical. The sounds she made were so peculiar it took Beth a second to grasp they were coming from her at all. She grew brighter each second as her body glowed with light and heat. The spiking temperature dried Beth’s tears and shoved her backwards. She crawled behind a fallen chair and saw Decker flip the coffee table to push Mimi behind it. The sounds were mechanical; or were they electronic? There were odd chirps and clicks overlaid with buzzing and the low boom of a gong.
Perun closed his eyes and his body began to shake. He crossed his arms over his chest and his head dropped, the trembling so pronounced that for a moment she thought he’d fall. He didn’t.
It was as though the noise itself was holding him up. The heat abated and Beth shielded her eyes with her hands as she emerged from her hiding place. Tears poured down Galen’s cheeks though his features remained calm and Beth knew the change was underway, Perun had gone and someone else was taking his place.
Perun’s clothing altered as the figure inside grew to fill the cloth and tear beyond it. Taller and taller, Beth gaped as the shaking form took shape, every fibre of her being tensed in anticipation of…what? Perun had said this life was not suited to expectations. Beth didn’t know what to expect of the face of the Creator. The clicking slowed, the heat was gone and Rana opened her violet eyes to look up at him.
Before them stood a slim giant. His skin was patterned in the familiar honeycomb, hair fell to his waist in soft mahogany waves. His head remained bowed as the last shudders left his body.
The silence was complete. Avireri slowly lifted his face and took in his audience. Every human in the room gasped.
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Her mind spun like a muddy wheel. Avireri was a boy. A giant boy, but a boy nonetheless; at least his body had taken such form. Surely it reflected something of his essence?
His delicate, outsized features were almost feminine; he looked about sixteen. Patterned skin cleared at the inverted triangle around his eyes and mouth. A narrow line of shimmery blue feathers marked the bridge of his nose and fanned out against the centre of his forehead, flicking jewelled light at them as he looked around. Fierce golden eyes held a depth of knowledge and emotion beyond her ability to grasp.
He smiled.
‘There is nothing better than an anomaly in action.’ His voice was smooth and warm as a balmy breeze.
Beth’s gaze flicked to Rana and the others. They didn’t appear to have a ready response either. His smile widened and he lifted long fingers to Rana’s face.
‘So unexpected. It is interesting to see where your deviance will lead.’
Is he mixing his tenses by accident? Does he see the future?
He turned his head to Beth and her heart quaked before she could rally her courage. He stepped towards her and bent low to bring his golden gaze level with hers; it filled her vision. His irises shone as though cloaking the sun and awe poured through her. She wrestled down her wonder, worried it would blind her. She suspected her soul was being dazzled, like a Mormon in Vegas.
A low rumble vibrated through her bones and she blinked. He was laughing at her. There was no noise, but she felt it. She stepped back and saw the twinkle in his eyes.
‘Gia did extraordinary work, by any standards. Even her mistakes are reaping rewards.’
Beth gasped at her mother’s name.
‘You did not think the credit was all yours, did you? Your strength of mind was gifted to you. It is a gift she couldn’t afford to give away, but she did it anyway, easily. Her generosity
of spirit is something you shall develop, for it is the route to your destiny.’
He straightened. ‘I cannot tell the future beyond a certain point. Uncertainty is a core value that cannot be bypassed. However, I can see that you are more than your parts indicate; the effect of your existence reaches far beyond Tela.’
He tilted his head, studying her so intently she shifted. ‘Your questions are larger than you know, Elizabeth. You will not always enjoy the fruits of your curiosity, but you will be unable to resist.
So it is for every Eve.
She represents disobedience, intelligence and ambition within the All. She is “the other”. The first divergence that enables self-awareness. The rule-breaker, original sinner, seaker of knowledge and change.
You carry the spirit of Eve and are destined to use that power in ways yet unknowable.’
He brushed Rana's hexagonal scar. The skin over the crystal changed to a shimmering purple. She looked like she had a jewel embedded in her forehead.
‘It will help.’
He turned to Galen and cupped the top of his head with the curve of his palm and brushed a huge thumb across his forehead. Galen's eyes closed and he slipped to the floor unconscious. Beth rushed to his aid with a small cry. She shot Avireri a fierce look. He nodded.
‘He will be fine, Mother. Let him sleep a little. It is time for Alamgir. He is by.’ He grinned wide then, filling Beth with both deep relief and a jab of concern. Mischief, anticipation and excitement blazed in those sparkling eyes.
‘You’re leaving? Will that affect us…humans?’ Khoen said.
‘I am in you, as you are in me; but now that I am returned, evolution will adjust. The process will remain, but the drive will differ.
As beginners, your awareness will continue on from this matter-space and assimilate a non-matter perspective. Endeavour to maximise your experience here by noticing it fully while you can, otherwise you will not move beyond this material device. You have far to go, but have circumvented so much so quickly, your progress will shock the Watchers. I wonder if even the Apex is beyond your reach.’ His mouth twitched and Beth could feel the mischief bubbling under his words.