So far, the only alternative that had appealed to her didn’t seem to be anything the Tree could, or would grant. This was for the responsibility to be handed over to someone else—after she had quietly settled a few personal scores, of course.
The minutes passed, and no new ideas came to her over the wind. What did arrive, was a crawler, picking its way over the broken terrain and entering the plaza. She brought her manoculars up and when she focused in on the machine, she immediately recognized its occupants.
Jan bar Daala was driving, and she was accompanied by the young Marine that she and Sarah had encountered during the raid on the Lida Labs, as well as Grammy, and Celina. From their position, it was clear that they would be coming in to the Tree through the northwestern tunnel.
Maya hurried over to the edge of the ramp and flashed another message down to Jeena, alerting him. Right away, the neoman and the others scurried to position themselves at the mouth of the tunnel. It was a given that Grammy and her group had alerted the Conversâzi to their presence the very instant that they had driven through the ring of sentry ‘bots. There was no telling if they would be coming in alone, or shadowed by agents that no one had spotted yet.
Maya dearly wanted to run down and join her companions, but she stayed where she was. Someone needed to keep watch from the high ground.
Her decision to remain at her post proved sagacious. Not more than ten minutes later, a second crawler came into view. This time, there were only two passengers inside; Sarah’s mother, Lilith, and her new wife, Ingrit. In addition to seeming like a fairy tale come true, the entire situation was also taking on the aspects of a cosmic soap opera. If nothing else, Maya certainly wasn’t bored.
***
Grammy didn’t flinch when a sword blade flicked out in front of her, stopping just a hair short of her neck. She had no reason to, given who was holding the weapon.
“Hello Sarah,” she said pleasantly, “How nice to see you again. I see that you have been reawakened.”
Immediately, Sarah relaxed and lowered her weapon. “I have,” she said, “and I see that you brought Celina to us.”
“Indeed,” Grammy replied, gesturing towards the woman who was even then being led into the chamber by Jan and Kaly. “The Three are here.”
Celina, who had been gaping up at the Tree during this exchange, suddenly swayed unsteadily on her feet. “Oh my,” she exclaimed. “I feel quite dizzy.” She started to collapse and Jan came over and helped her to sit down.
“It must be all of this excitement,” the musician explained. “It’s all so—incredible. Oh, I wish that Clio was here to see this! Please tell me that she’ll be okay.”
“She will be,” Grammy promised. “It’s just as I explained. The field around this place is affecting her. As soon as we’re gone, she’ll be back to her old self, so stop worrying. We have to get to work and we don’t have much time.”
She turned to Kaly. “Kaly, would you be a dear and signal to Maya to come down and join us? We need her down here and I think you would serve us much better up on the high ground.”
Nodding, Kaly gripped her rifle strap and started up the ramp, pausing only to send the signal to Maya. As she climbed up and away from them, Grammy got down on her haunches and drew mysterious symbols on Celina’s forehead while crooning reassurances into her ear. By the time Maya had joined them, Celina was herself again, and back up on her feet.
She looked at Maya. “Are you the User?” she asked.
“I’m Maya,” the young woman replied curtly.
“Yes, yes,” Celina agreed, a little taken aback, “Of course you-are—I mean--I’m so pleased to meet you--Maya.”
Maya frowned. “And you’re Celina. Well, now what?”
“Now we walk over to the pool,” Jan answered. “Celina sings the Song, I guide you, and you use the Tree.”
“Sure thing. Right away, “Maya retorted. “One little detail; how do I do that?”
“You have to step into the pool,” Jan replied. “That’s where you do all your work.”
Maya looked at the depression doubtfully. “Yeah, I know. But it was filled up with some kind of water in my dreams. It’s drier than dirt right now. Any idea how to fix that, oh wise and powerful Guide?”
Jan gave her a wry smile, and offered Celina her hand. “You’ll see.”
She led them over to a spot near the empty pool. The floor there was incised with a simple design; three perfect circles joined together by a triangle. Each circle was large enough for them to stand in. This was a feature that had not been in Maya’s visions, and the marks reminded her of a magical diagram that some sorceress might use in an occult ritual. Which, in a way it was, she reflected. Only they were the sorceresses.
At Jan’s direction, each of them took their place, with Maya occupying the circle that was nearest the empty pool. Then they linked hands, making the entire affair seem even more esoteric than ever.
“Celina?” Jan said. “Sing it. Sing the Song.”
The musician took in a breath, started to open her mouth, and then stopped. “I can’t believe it,” she exclaimed. “I actually have stage fright! I haven’t felt this jittery since the first time I sang for my class in primary. Give me just a moment will you?”
“Certainly,” Jan replied patiently. “This isn’t the kind of concert that you normally give.”
Celina smiled in gratitude, and closed her eyes. After a few seconds she reopened them, drew in another breath, and began to sing a capella.
Even though her performance lacked electronic accompaniment and sophisticated imagery, Celina’s beautiful voice lent the Song all the power and majesty that it deserved. Each note that came from her throat was clear and pure, and the magnificent melody filled the gigantic chamber.
Everyone, even Maya, became so entranced that they almost didn’t notice what was happening in response. The glyph that the three of them were standing in had come alive. It began to glow with a strange blue light, and there was the sound of flowing liquid, faint at first, and then increasing in volume. As one, they looked up, but to their credit, none of them broke ranks, and Celina did not falter, but kept singing.
A silvery fluid was running down from the top of the tower, flowing through deep grooves that had been cut into the edges of the great ramp. It moved with an unnatural swiftness, and in mere seconds, it had reached ground level, and found additional channels that had been carved into the floor. Then it began to fill up the pool at the base of the Tree.
When it was barely a fingerbreadth from the top, and Celina had reached the very last note of the Song, the flow ceased completely.
The substance did not go still however. Instead, it shimmered with little points of light that danced within it like Zommerlaandar Alfs. They moved through the fluid almost playfully, and with no apparent pattern or purpose.
Meanwhile, on the far wall of the pool, another glyph had appeared. This was just as simple as the one that marked out their places, and equally as enigmatic. It was another triangle, with something that looked disturbingly like an unblinking human eye set in its very center. The eye pulsed in the silvery depths, as if it were a conscious thing, waiting for Maya to take the next step.
“Your Song certainly seems to have done something,” Grammy noted. “Maya, I believe that your turn has come ‘round.” She inclined her head towards the pool. “In you go.”
Maya hesitated. Seeing it now, as a real thing and not a part of some dream, she wasn’t afraid to admit the truth to herself. She was absolutely terrified.
“Okay. So how am I supposed to breathe?” she asked Jan. She wasn’t some ancient alien slug that could live under water.
Jan answered. “The Watchers showed me. You’ll be able to do it. Go.”
Maya turned to leave, but Celina grasped her arm. “Maya! Wait! If this thing is what I’ve been told it is, you have to be careful. You have to choose the right thing! Please—when the time comes, think carefully! For the Goddesses’ sake choose
good!”
At that precise moment all that really mattered to her was completing this strange ritual as quickly as possible, and returning to something that resembled a normal life. But seeing the sincerity and deep concern burning in the other woman’s eyes, she lent all of the comfort that she could to her reply.
“Don’t worry,” she told her. ”I will.”
Then, before her courage could desert her, or something else contrived to create another delay, she started towards the pool. She was only centimeters away from entering it, and finally confronting whatever awaited her, when a voice filled with anger made her stop. It was Lilith, storming into the chamber with Ingrit in tow.
“Grammy!” Lilith shouted. “Enough of this foolishness! You need to come home with me. Now!” She was so furious that she was completely oblivious to the utter strangeness of their surroundings, and marched straight up to her without giving any of it even the slightest glance.
Grammy regarded her with a patient smile. “Why Lily! How nice to see you! I’ll be along just as soon as we finish up here.”
“No Grammy!” Lilith rejoined. “We’re leaving right now! Kat is up above us in the Athena. This entire area is a classified operations zone. It’s not safe to be here.” Then she realized that Sarah was also standing there.
“You? You’re involved in this too? I can’t believe that you would let yourself be taken in by such nonsense!”
Sarah shook her head. “Mother, it is not nonsense, and I think that leaving right now would be inadvisable. This is probably the safest place for all of us to be at the moment.”
“Besides,” Grammy added. “We certainly can’t go until we’ve taken care of our business here.”
Lilith blinked in dismay. “Our business?! What business? What in all space do you think you’re going to get done here? Now, come along! I have a transport waiting that will take us all back to Zommerlaand.”
Grammy folded her arms stubbornly, and neither Sarah nor any of the others made any move to intervene. “No, not just yet, Lilith” the old woman replied. “First we finish what we were sent here to finish. Then we go.”
“Grammy—“Lilith started to say, and then she stopped herself and addressed Bar Daala instead. “Ensign? Help me get these people clear.”
“No, Admiral,” Jan said. “I’m sorry, but I can’t do that. Your Grammy is right. There’s important work to do here and we can’t leave until it is complete.”
Lilith’s eyes widened in astonishment. She was now absolutely certain that Grammy had managed to infect all of them with her madness.
“For the Goddesses sake!” she spluttered, “All of you, take a good look around! There’s nothing here! This is just an old pile of stone!”
“It is much, much more than that, Lilith,” Grammy returned calmly. “This place is a device, left behind by the Drow’voi, and we are here to use it.”
Lilith shook her head. “Grammy, there is no Drow’voi ‘device’,” she said firmly, “This is just an old ruin, and we need to leave it.”
“The device is right here in front of you, Lilith,” Grammy replied. “My three friends here have been sent to activate it.”
“You’ve all gone mad,” Lilith declared. “Stark, raving mad.”
“And you look like someone who needs a cookie,’ Grammy said. “It just so happens that I brought a batch with me from the farm.” To Lilith’s utter amazement, she fished through her carry sack, and brought out a plastic bag. It was filled with them.
“I don’t want a damned cookie!” Lilith yelled. “I want everyone to come with me right now!”
Grammy sighed deeply and turned to Jan. “Well, then perhaps you’d better explain this to her,” she suggested. “In your own way. You tell the story a lot better than I do.”
“Yes, I think you are right, Grammy, “Jan agreed. Without any warning, her eyes rolled up in the back of her head, and she began to sink to the floor. Skylaar and Sarah caught her up, and something hit Lilith in the chest. She staggered backwards with a strangled cough.
Two presences suddenly occupied her mind. One was her own and the other was Jan bar Daala. Lilith clawed at her head, futilely attempting to eject her.
Please don’t struggle, Vice Admiral, Jan’s mind-voice told her. It’s much easier if you just relax and let me show you what you need to know.
Goddess! Lilith thought in alarm. My mind has been taken over by some kind of alien organism—
No, Lilith, Jan answered. Not an alien—well, not exactly. But I promise that I won’t hurt you. I’m sorry I had to do this, but just let me tell you why we are here. After that, I’ll leave. I swear it.
The voice in her skull was so like Jan’s, and sounded so genuine, that Lilith was tempted to cooperate. Then she marshaled herself and renewed her resistance. Get out! she told her. Get out of my head!
I will, Jan told her. Just as soon as you hear what I have to say.
Realizing that she had no choice, Lilith decided to acquiesce—if only until she could dream up an effective strategy to evict her unwanted guest. She felt Jan smiling tolerantly at this, and hated the woman’s presence all the more for it. She didn’t like being so out of control.
Watch and listen to me, Jan thought. When I’m done you can make up your own mind.
The same images that she had shown to Kaly, came into Lilith’s consciousness, and as they scrolled by, Jan explained all about the ancient struggle between the Drow’voi and their Enemy, what the Tree actually was, and why the Galaxy Mind had sent them there.
At first, Lilith refused to believe any of it, but as Bar Daala continued, she began to reconsider her position, and finally, she came to believe what she was being told. The Jan-Presence left her at this, and once more, she was the sole tenant of her own mind.
Jan’s eyes fluttered open, and Lilith looked at her in awe. In addition to everything else, Jan had also revealed her true origins. Lilith had witnessed the manner of her creation, and also the Watchers who had crafted her from the cells of her former human body.
“I believe you,” she finally said. “I don’t believe it—but I actually do believe you.”
“Well it’s about damned time!” Grammy declared. “Heilaage Kekk, but you are a stubborn one!” Then to Jan, “Thank you, Jan. You don’t know how long I’ve been trying to pound some sense into that thick scull of hers.”
“Excuse me” Maya interjected, “I hate to break this up, but we have to get moving. I’ve had this stuff rattling around in my scull for way too long, and I want to get it over with.”
“Yah,” Grammy agreed. “You’re right. It’s well past time.” She gestured toward the pool, and Maya placed a foot into the fluid.
“Wait!” Lilith cried. “Shouldn’t we study this thing first? Call in some experts?”
“We are the experts,” Maya told her firmly. “Unless you’ve got a little Drow’voi hiding somewhere in your pockets.” With that, she took another step. The liquid lapped around her ankles, and the little motes of light brightened and gathered around her.
Lilith started to utter a protest, but Sarah placed a restraining hand on her shoulder. “We must trust them, mother. The Galaxy Mind wanted them, not us.”
Lilith gave her daughter a look that was the very epitome of all misgivings, and Ingrit stepped around and gently grasped her arms.
“We’re just the audience now, Lily,” her wife said. “We have to have faith that everything will work out.”
Hearing this, Lilith realized that Ingrit had known all along what Grammy had been up to. She didn’t resent this however. Not after being let in on the Secret. There was too much involved for such a petty response to play any part in this situation. But they would talk about it later, she resolved. In private.
“There is also something else that you should know about, Mother,” Sarah added. “We are in grave danger.” She went on to reveal what she knew about Angelique bel Thana, the Conversâzi, and their sinister objectives.
Lilith
was duly horrified, and when Grammy quietly pressed a cookie into her hand, she absently accepted it, and took a bite. Grammy had been right, she decided. It really did seem to help.
USSNS Pallas Athena, Battle Group Golden, Topaz Fleet, In Orbit, Ashkele, Hallasa System, Frontier Zone, Xee Protectorate, 1049.03|09|08:04:13
Angelique was trembling with rage, and just then, she didn’t care how ungainly this made her seem. She had just viewed the surveillance footage sent over from the Artemis, and when she had recognized Grammy riding in the first crawler with Celina, she had become alarmed. But when Lilith ben Jeni had been identified, her panic reached its absolute summit.
As a routine precaution, she had had Sarah’s family investigated, and this had naturally included her in-laws. In the process, Grammy’s past involvement in the Orgón par Avaní Extér had come to light, but the files had clearly indicated that the woman had never made it past the level of trainee.
Now Angelique knew differently, and she was appalled that she had been fooled by such a simple deception. Helga Mariasdaater was more than just a failed applicant. She was an active agent, and the OAE had clearly not accepted their reduced role in the Sisterhood’s intelligence community.
Worse, they had somehow managed to involve the Navy in their subterfuge. There was no other reason why Vice Admiral ben Jeni would be in the same operations area with a member of the OAE. Clearly, the Orgón had gotten wind of the Secret somehow, and they were working with the Navy to take it for themselves, and supplant the RSE.
Then, an even darker realization dawned on her. Josette, who had been sent out to chase the Marionite hackers, had been missing for far too long. It was quite possible that she had switched sides, and was working with Ben Jeni. Angelique had never fully trusted her sibling, and now her doubts seemed to be completely justified. It was the only way that the OAE could have learned about the Secret, she decided. Josette had turned against her own blood. She was a traitor.
Summoning up every remaining ounce of her self-control, Angelique schooled her features into a semblance of false calm, and quietly signaled for her sister Silvi to join her in the Vice Admiral’s former office. Silvi had come upside as soon as the Athena had arrived in-system.
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