It wasn’t what anyone would have expected.
It wasn’t what Solomon Dell would have expected.
“This is really … quite dull.”
“It is a roof,” chided HuanJen, “they’re usually not very exotic.”
The odd pair stood on the rooftop of the Guildhall, looking out over the city. HuanJen wore a simple dark coat, while Solomon was bundled in a large, grayish cloak. With his short stature, it made the Head Rancelman appear even tinier.
“I still can’t believe how cold it is.” Dell shivered. The two blond braids that framed his elfin face swayed as he shook.
“I find it a refreshing change,” HuanJen answered, seemingly unfazed by the temperature, “I … you know we do have an odd habit of meeting on overlooks. It’s an unusual part of our … friendship.”
“We keep our eyes on things, its natural.” Dell answered, leaning on the safety barrier surrounding the roof. “I am sorry I hadn’t been in touch lately.”
“You emailed me. I was not the most accessible at the time anyway, I’m afraid. I think I even annoyed some of my regular clients, though I suspect Jade and I have done enough to make amend.”
“I was sort of avoiding you.”
HuanJen eyed the Rancelman cautiously. Dell always felt that when the mystic looked at him, he was looking somewhere behind him. “I see,” the Magician-Priest said in a way that indicated he didn’t fully.
There was an uncomfortable silence - the noiseless equivalent of a too-tight pair of pants.
The Head Rancelman and the Zone Cleric had an odd relationship. It had started with Solomon Dell running into HuanJen during an ugly incident with smugglers, and then trying recruit him into his band of customs officials and peacekeepers. This had annoyed HuanJen and Jade to no end, as both had a distaste for politics and publicity which only increased over time, despite their inability to avoid them.
Of course, HuanJen knew that the unlikely was often likely, and he and Solomon had somehow forged a friendship. Dell found the holy man to be completely odd and incomprehensible, and thus a source of new insights, and a compassionate individual who seemed to forgive his flaws. HuanJen was the kind of person who generally liked people, and found few he could talk to outside of his profession about the work he did.
It was a match made on Xai.
“The Panoramic League incident was going to be a strain on you,” Solomon continued, “and to be honest …”
“A native in a prominent position being seen socializing with a non-native involved in the ending of a native institution would be troublesome.” HuanJen’s words flowed like a river of black water. There was no malice in them, though the calm acceptance in his voice gave Dell a few pangs of guilt.
HuanJen accepted what he had done, helping to integrate a non-Guild native institution into the Guilds. Dell felt strange that he had kept so distant when HuanJen could accept it. There were, sadly, moments on Xai when you remembered that there were some divisions between native and immigrant, no matter how well the culture integrated people.
“Er, yes …” Dell looked out over the city. “Sorry. It has nothing to do with you.”
“I know. There was a time I was cautious about my meetings with you for the same reason. Fear of what others think is a snare to the ego, but it is also a factor that cannot be avoided at times.”
Dell looked up at his friend. “That’s not particularly Taoist.”
“I’m not some enlightened immortal. When I am I shall perhaps be less worldly.” HuanJen’s eyes sparkled, and he finally smiled. “I understand. Our jobs sometime require us to deal with peoples opinions because their opinions affect what we can do.”
“Tell me about it.” Solomon rolled his eyes, shaking his head. “You know that new guy, Pynn? My gods he’s smart, but what a bureaucrat. Evaluations and research and all. Has my people on edge, and with smuggling up, that’s not good. He’s a good man, but he’s … I’m talking about work.”
“As you always have. Well at least now you get the counseling for fee. Special for friends.”
“Yes.” The Head Rancelman smirked bitterly. “And we keep trying to act like friends. So . ..”
“So how is work?” HuanJen asked in a mechanical, almost comedically artificial manner.
“Good except the new Travelers’ Guild president is going to drive me insane and some idiots don’t know why some things aren’t allowed through portals.”
“How is the marriage?”
“Good. I think things are … going to last. She understands. She always does.”
Silence. Dell looked up at HuanJen after a few thoughts.
“You?”
“Work is as always, the League issue is finished, and Jade and I are happy. We also desperately need a new Zone cleric as we are currently short one in a nearby Zone and relying on me, Jade, several nuns, and a shaman who had a sex change operation to fill in. Do we have the formalities out of the way?” HuanJen’s voice was an paragon of pure straight-laced professionalism that was somehow laughing behind its own back.
Dell waved his hands as if brushing off dust. “Oh, yes, now we can relate like actual human beings.” He smiled. “I miss it when I don’t get to see you, HuanJen.”
“And?” HuanJen asked.
“… perhaps we can try and be social outside of our usual meetings as you’ve suggested.” Dell scowled. “Though to be frank, sometimes I enjoy these, outside of our usual lives. Separate. Well, separate to me, for you this is par for the course.”
“Yes, yes it is.” HuanJen nodded. “Don’t worry Solomon, I enjoy talking to you too. It is different.”
“Yeah. I know. What a pair we are. Two people desperately trying to keep the world under control.”
“The world is fine, people just need help occasionally.” HuanJen looked out to the horizon. “Though … it is easy to loose perspective.”
“I know, I did,” Dell answered the non-question, “Actually I think I keep misplacing perspective and finding it again. I … still wonder why Helena left us to Pynn. Part of me is angry. All of me understands. I want …”
“I’d leave her her privacy,” HuanJen raised a cautioning hand, “As much as you’d want yours.”
“Point taken.” Dell grinned. “Sorry, it is just nice to talk about it without listening ears. I …”
“What are you worried, about Solomon?” The mystic asked sympathetically.
The Head Rancleman straightened up, and tried to look HuanJen in the face. He failed. “Is it that obvious?”
“To me, yes.”
“I could never pull one over on you. Or Jade. How is she … wait, no …” Dell frowned. “Just worried about the fallout from the League.”
HuanJen fidgeted, then lay a comforting hand on Dell’s shoulder for a moment. “I am fine, it’s over. It is part of what I do. I admit some of the Guild feels I am a trouble magnet, but since we are as a rule attracted to such things, it is not much of an issue. I do worry Jade will blame herself.”
The Head Raceleman looked at his friend strangely. “Why? She doesn’t’ seem prone to guilt.”
“My life is much more organized since she came into it. I worry she will think my recent involvements are due to her. It is not the way she thinks, but then again, I rarely try to predict her, it’s a useless exercise.”
“No. I think trouble magnet fits. I’m the same way, Huan,” Solomon sounded bitter, “we are the kind of people who attract trouble so it doesn’t go find anyone someone who can’t handle it. Most your friends are that way, from what you say.”
There was a pause, then Dell frowned, “There’s going to be more trouble like the League, HuanJen. That’s what I’m concerned about.”
“Beg pardon?” HuanJen felt the conversation shift. He’d felt there was an unknown direction beneath the words, and tried to evaluate it. There was a mental undertow beneath the words and gestures.
“It’s why I was careful. The Guilds, the Guilds they exist so we’re all tie
d together and represented. The Guilds are native institutions that give us stability. Do you know, HuanJen, who belongs to them exactly?”
“No …” The sage drawled. He was still trying to probe the deep vortex of thoughts in the Head Rancelman’s head.
Dell ran his fingers over the small puddles on the overlook. “Some ninety-eight percent of immigrants belong to Guilds within two years. Ninety percent of natives do within their lifetimes. Our beloved native institutions contain less natives than immigrants, HuanJen.”
The Magician-Priest paused, then nodded. “I have heard some things like this discussed. Ironic, is it not?”
“Yes.” Dell sighed. “It’s a point of contention. It will not go away easily or soon. Some Guilds are more native than others, or more balanced, but there’s … “
“Guild Medical,” both men said at once. Guild Medical was infamous for having less native-born people in it. Immigrants usually brought consistent education and new ideas and had the ability to return to their own Earths. Native’s dealt with chaotic education and experiences and had few choices of where to go. The end result was a Guild where the majority, the successful majority, had never been born on Xai.
It was something not many people talked about because it was an embodiment of unpleasant realities in a world half native, half immigrant.
“Yes,” Dell continued after a smirk, “immigration issues, immigrant issues something else I have to deal with. We have to deal with.”
“I … have been aware. I’ve had to deal with some immigrants. Zone Cleric, you know. People move in and they need to be settled, or someone refers me as help because I am used to dealing with broad ranges of religion. They trust the Zone Cleric … and, besides, I am an immigrant.”
“I know.” Dell shook his head. “Sorry, the League thing made me a bit cynical. Me, watching my image. Native versus immigrant things.”
“Yes, well, as much as we may not like it, occasionally the question of our birthplaces do arise. And ,as we are people who deal with others, it affects us. If there are immigrant troubles, we will deal with it.”
“It sucks.” Solomon straightened up. “Sometimes, it seems some of us here live on a knife’s edge, to keep this world in balance. Sometimes it seems we’re just holding things up so they don’t fall over.”
“One can view it that way if one considers us outside of this world. I do not, as I said.”
Dell eyes his clerical friend oddly, then smiled. “I almost understood that.”
“Good. If you understood it all at once, I’d have failed.” HuanJen’s expression was neutral, but something shimmered in the obsidian depths of his dark eyes.
Dell laughed. “I missed you, you know. You always make me feel better. I like being just someone, just a person, just a friend, just a client. You do not take me seriously.”
“I’ve learned not to take things too seriously, and when I do, I have Jade.”
“Indeed.” Dell looked at the rain-soaked city below. “Lunch? Something private?”
“The Guildhall cafeteria has take-out. We can go to one of the conference rooms,” HuanJen answered quickly. “I got up early.”
“Sounds good.” Solomon nodded. “Now … let’s not talk work. What has everyone been up to?”
“Would you believe that Wrestling is the new thing to watch …”
” … this is one of those mysteries of the universe things, isn’t it …”
” … I strongly suspect so …”
TEASE
February 16, 2001 AD, Xaian Standard Calendar
For Jade, it was one of those quiet moments.
She had tea. She had some of those odd rice-ball cookies HuanJen made. She was sitting in the study with her friend Clairice, chatting. Had it been any more perfect, she’d have suspected someone was filming a commercial and demanded a paycheck.
“When do you think HuanJen will wake up?” Clairice asked, sipping her tea. Jade and HuanJen got the oddest mixtures, and she was glad Jade appreciated that, unlike Xaian tradition, she did not like butter in her tea no matter the blend.
“Dunno.” Jade slumped in the large chair that went with the study’s desk. “He was up pretty late last night. Guild meeting went on awhile. Hell, all the Guild meetings have been chaotic for months.”
“I heard,” Clairice shook her head, “Well once you get the combined Gendarme-Guild Medical-Guild Esoteric hotline finished, it’ll be worth it.”
“Thanks. That’s the voice of a person who isn’t directly on the other end of the hotline.”
“Exactly.” Clairice’s thin face split with a grin. “Hey, you wanted to be a Zone Cleric, you can live with the decision.”
“I suppose,” Jade looked into the distance in her own mind, “hey, it’s calmer than it’s been in a long time. I’ll take it. You know HuanJen gets worried?”
“About what?”
A fond look crossed the Vulpine’s face. “He worries since I helped his life get organized I’ll blame myself for all the crap since the Historian. You know, if his life was more of a mess he’d never have gotten into so much shit kind of thing.”
Clairice set down her cup. “Seriously?”
“Seriously. Oh, he won’t say it. I know him, he’d get in trouble anyway, I just make sure the books are balanced when it happens.”
“How you two doing?” The nurse asked suddenly.
“Good.” Jade shrugged. “Really good. Gods, I can’t believe this, I haven’t even been here two years and so much is different.”
“I still remember when HuanJen brought you to the Nax,” Clairice mused, “I wouldn’t have guessed. I mean, I figured you’d be gone in a few weeks. Then again, who’d have expected Garnet would reappear? I’m happy for you.”
“Thanks. What … about you?”
“Single, as usual. I dunno, I don’t have the time. It’s like everyone else has time to be couples, but it’s not my time. And you know, having Xianfu around is almost like having another roommate - which I sort of like.”
“Glad to hear it.” Jade felt some relief. Her circle of friends seemed to be pairing up - the singles left were Clairice, Brandon, Dealer Zero, Negative Joe, and Riakka if you didn’t count Rake who was a widower. She wondered about how some of them felt.
Then again, she was twenty-seven. It was time people start pairing up, at least in the culture of Colony. However two years ago she’d figured her pairing up would merely be the least worse choice she could draw from the men of the little clan of Vulpines on her world. Two years later she was in love with a gene-normal human Taoist Magician-Priest - she had fur, he barely had body hair.
Things changed.
“Now, stop worrying,” Clairice gave Jade a playful glare, “I’m fine. You need to relax, you and HuanJen have been going on and off since the Historian. Not to mention Slate and Garnet and … well, everyone …”
“I know, and if one more person reminds me ‘how things have been’, I’ll kill them.” Jade answered primly. “No, when HuanJen wakes up … and there’s the shower, so he’s up … we’re going to have some fun if I have anything to say about it.”
“I …” the nurse nodded, obviously unsure of what to say at Jade’s sudden frankness, “well, hope he’s … up for it.”
“Oh, he will be. He’s kinda instant-action. You know, right away … sproing.”
Clairice tried not to laugh, and a knock at the door made her turn and hide her face. HuanJen, his dark hair disheveled, peeked in. Jade noted his shoulders were bare - that in conjunction with the running shower told her that it’d be time to remind HuanJen why there were nudity taboos.
“Oh,I didn’t realize we had company,” the mystic said, “I realized I …”
“Put away all the supplies,” Jade waved off the concern of her lover-mentor, “Figured in here we wouldn’t wake you.”
“I see. Well … hello Clairice …”
“Don’t ask,” Jade warned.
“I will not. Until later.” The
cleric closed the door.
“sproing” Clairice whispered, very quietly.
“And I’ll see you at the Nax, or Friday!” Jade ushered Clairice out of the apartment. Clairice seemed reluctant to go, and Jade couldn’t blame her - Metris General Hospital put her on some odd shifts. However, as a Zone Cleric’s apprentice, Jade had to admit she had some odd times as well, so her sympathy was somewhat diluted with experience.
“Enjoy yourself, dear?” HuanJen asked from his seat on the couch. He was looking through the latest Metris Monthy, your sure guide to putting the chaos of Metris into chapters, articles, and adds.
“Yeah.” Jade leaned against the doorway. “It’s nice to get some quiet time. Hmmmm. Any plans for the evening?”
“To be frank?” HuanJen looked thoughtful. “Nothing. We can probably go to a film if you’d like, or maybe shopping?”
“Let me think,” Jade thought for a moment, “give me a few minutes, freshen up, then we’ll see.”
“Of course.”
Jade walked into hallway that led to the main bedroom and the bathroom. A quick turn into the bedroom, a closed door, and she began rummaging around in the bottom drawer dresser, where she kept a few special items.
Her sex life with HuanJen was a strange mixture of simple and fulfilling. It was fulfilling in that it was delightfully regular and affectionate. it was simple in that HuanJen was an uncomplicated man when it came to sex, which ended up meaning he was extremely open-minded - the death of the kitchen table and a rather interesting recent experience in the shower had proven that beyond the shadow of a doubt.
However, now and then, Jade did like adding something extra - namely, lingerie.
HuanJen treated her as beautiful all the time, but she admitted there was a certain thrill in dressing up. A sense of extra effort, a sense of doing something to be beautiful, and a sense that she could drive the calm HuanJen a bit crazy. A sense that he she felt beautiful as she had made the effort, and beautiful because the effort was appreciated.
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