by Daniel Huber
"If I recall, even when they are here to paint their own you do most of the painting, Kitrina," he said. Trina laughed, knowing it was true, and her father reached out a hand to touch her hair, examining the lock that he held between his finger and thumb, then looking at her with a raised eyebrow. She glanced away, avoiding his unasked question, remembering why she'd come to talk to him in the first place.
"Father," she said, turning to grasp the wooden rail along the bridge, looking down to see the colorful fish that swam in the pond beneath them. "If a person of the kingdom was in need of help, but was too proud to ask for it, how would one persuade him to let go his pride, and request assistance?" The Keystone leaned on the rail and stared at his daughter, waiting to see if she would continue. When she did not, he spoke.
"Assistance is available to all of Bethel who require it," he said simply, knowing more of the story had to reveal itself before he could offer the advice that his daughter needed. "Of course we make no judgment of who they are or why they request it. These are things you already know, my daughter."
"I know," Trina said, thinking on what words to use. "But if he still would not ask, how would one make him ask?"
"Perhaps he is not truly in need."
"No, he is in need. One wouldn't camp in the woods if he weren't in need."
A silent minute passed and Trina looked at her father, wondering how much to reveal, wondering if she'd already revealed too much. She studied his kind face, his dark eyes, searching for the power that he held that she could somehow not find within herself.
"Father," she began again, "you're able to persuade anyone to do what's right, and what's best. I've never been able to capture that ability, and I need your help in learning it. Otherwise I fear that I won't ever be the leader fit to stand next to you to guide these people of our kingdom. Show me how to do this, how to help those who are in need, few as they are."
"Kitrina," Aushlin said slowly, "you must first be able to discern what is right for each person, or each kingdom or planet, before you can expect to lead them in the correct direction. Everyone's needs differ, and you must be able to accept this fact before you can offer your guidance." He sighed and ran his hand over her hair with affection, noting the frustration on her face at his answer. "Listen to their words," he continued, "listen to hear if what they speak is truth. If it is, and you will know the truth when you hear it my daughter, for the truth is spoken from the soul, then you will know if they are in need of your help, or simply in need of your support. Or perhaps even your non interference."
The last word that he said caught Trina's ear, the way that 'interference' sounded more like 'anterfreeance' from the inflection of his accent, and she almost laughed. His wisdom seemed too simple still, but she felt as if she should concede for the time being, since she didn't have the right words to continue the challenge.
"If you want we can speak of the matter at greater length when I return. Or perhaps by then you will have answers of your own," he said, planting a gentle kiss on top of her head. "But now I must prepare for my journey tomorrow, and get some rest. I've an early morning, and much to do before I leave, my Trina."
"I know," she replied, looking back to the sky. "That's Maylyn there, isn't it father? The bright star burning beneath the blue star of Norrd?" Aushlin craned his neck back and looked up to where she pointed.
"I see you remember your galactic charting lessons well daughter, that you can place the tiny world of Maylyn. That is indeed where I'll be. Will you wave to me from your bedroom window tomorrow night after the sun has set?" She laughed.
"As always when you travel, father. That and a prayer for your safe return is my usual routine."
Keystone Aushlin Val-Vassu hugged his daughter close to his side, and watched the night sky with her for a few minutes longer, reveling in the moment where he was simply a father, and not his usual position as the most powerful figurehead in the entire galaxy. For with all the power and all the prestige he carried, none of it meant so much to him as this young woman who stood beside him, the young woman who was his only child.
CHAPTER 6
The Bet/Kos leyline ended and its nexus point thrust Quade’s ship into open space where he was almost instantaneously greeted by the welcoming sight of Bethel. The planet glowed with an ineffable charm and specter, the swirls of white breaking through the lush, cool palette of green and blue spotted with patches of deep, rich brown. Quade stared, lost for a moment in the overwhelming love of his home world and the profound relief of finally being back.
It would be night by now in Sigh City he knew, and looked to his planetary timekeeper. Deep night, in fact. Following the planet's trajectory he sank closer, through the atmosphere, and the land began to take shape just as he crossed the solar terminator and crept into darkness.
As he closed on his destination and sent out his landing hail, he thought again on what he planned to do. The memory of what he'd seen near the Kos/Cal nexus had haunted his mind ever since he'd left the sector. It was ridiculous, he thought to himself, but the nagging inclination of knowing he had to do something about all that he'd seen, whether it was real or imagined, was enough to make him follow through. He'd do a little investigating, ask a couple of questions. Seek those closest to you, the creature had said. Seek first the one who will give you vital information about P'cadia. Quade shook his head and sighed. There was no such place as P'cadia. He'd checked into all his galactic maps and referenced all the known planetary charts for the place he'd been dreaming about incessantly for months, and he'd found nothing. Still, he felt compelled to at least mention it to the two people closest to him. It was probably ludicrous, but at least he'd have it out of his system by tomorrow afternoon.
The usual automation recognized his ship over the com and cleared him to land. He passed off the manual controls to Sigh City's central hangar and it locked him in a tractor beam. As soon as he felt that well-known grab, sank back in the pilot’s chair. Home at last.
His ship docked, Quade grabbed his pack from the floor and scanned the cockpit quickly to make sure nothing was left behind. He jumped from the entry hatch and keyed his remote to request signal for public transport. Waving briefly to the hangar chief, he ran across the expanse of the large, cavernous structure, and by the time he reached the exit archway a land transport already waited. He slid into the back of the shuttle, tempted to relax and finally get some rest, but resisted, knowing he had more important things to do.
"Kadashamrian forest," he said, "southern outskirts, near the creek."
The transport pilot looked briefly over his shoulder with a questioning glance. "No more particular than that? Just the southern outskirts near the creek?"
"Yeah," Quade replied with a grin. "I can walk from there."
Perched high atop a plateau, the Castle of Sighs overlooked a verdant valley to the east, hills that hid the Kadashmarian Forest to the south and west and woods that led to the Sterling sea on the north. No history predated the castle so common belief reasoned that the gods had seen fit for their charmed central planet to have a fortress to protect its ruler. Quade smiled as this school lesson memory crossed his mind, thinking of all the years he’d been scaling its wall.
It was a familiar foothold, the oblong grey stone at the base of the trellis on the south wall of the Castle of Sighs. Quade's gloved fingers grasped a thick branch of twining grapevine to set his mark then he was on his way, climbing with speed and skill, his boots finding odd rocks that jutted out from the wall, his hands grabbing the sturdy slats of lattice and the occasional overhang on the façade. He could do it in forty paces if it was a good night, and tonight was a good night indeed. The moons shone brightly in the sky, one full and one in half-eclipse just off to the west, giving him the glow to see by, and the shadows to blend with. At last his hands fell flat upon the ledge of the wall walk, and he hoisted himself over the edge.
The tall glass balcony window was slightly ajar, a welcoming invitation. He slid inside, leaving the window open w
ide, a cool breeze sweeping through the soft drapes and billowing them out like the sails on an old fashioned boat.
The still serenity of sleep filled the room, and Quade paused to pull off his jacket and boots, watching Trina's curled figure beneath the covers on the bed, obscured by sheer curtains that hung around the four posts. Walking slowly, he pulled his gloves off, discarding them and his shirt to the floor. Standing at the edge of the bed he parted the curtains and slid beneath the blankets.
She hadn't awoken yet. His hands found the swell of her hips, lightly pulled her back against him as he planted a trail of kisses along the nape of her neck, under the pricking tickle of her hair. She stirred and stretched, acknowledging his familiar presence.
"You don't have to do that you know," she said sleepily, leaning back into him as he wrapped himself around her.
"Do what?"
"Climb through the window like some thief."
"It's past midnight…and you know how Aazrio hates it when I come calling at this hour."
"I don’t care. He isn't my keeper."
"Actually," said Quade, "he kind of is."
"No, he's not.”
"Well then," he whispered gently, "Forget about Aazrio. Let's just say that this and all my other wall bound journeys are acts of mystery and romance." Trina laughed.
"Romance?" she rolled to face him and wrapped her arms around his neck, tangled her fingers in his hair. "This is romantic? When you scale the wall and come crawling into my bed to ravage me in the middle of the night? I think you need to redefine your thinking." She was chiding him, and he knew it. His lips found a tender spot on her throat and attached themselves firmly to it, making her breath come in a sharp inhale as her head tilted back.
"I don't see you fighting me off."
"Yes, well," she replied with a dreamy sigh, "it's been a long day." It was his turn to laugh.
"A long day? It's Seventh Day. You've likely spent the afternoon wandering around Sigh Marketplace with Clea handing over money to those you deem in need."
"Yes, well a long day of searching out those in need takes its toll on a person." Trina ran her nails down his spine, causing him to pause and catch his breath, and his reaction made her smile. "And what did you do today? Or this week for that matter? How was your time out there among those soulless beasts?" He laughed, and held her tight.
"Well but for the absence of this."
Trina pushed him back and rolled atop him in one swift move, pressing her legs tightly at his sides to keep him in place. Finally her lips found his, and she kissed him hard and hungrily.
"I've missed you," she breathed through the kiss, the playfulness escaping her voice. "I thought you were coming back last night."
"I tried," he replied. "Didn't you get my message?"
"What message?"
"I sent you a message last night, from the Calacomest space station."
"I didn’t get any message." The tone in Trina's words showed only vague interest in the conversation at this point as she twined her fingers in the length of his hair.
"I got stuck dealing with the Venrey's erratic schedule, and then this morning I couldn't get through the Kos/Cal nexus. Something strange going on out there. Not sure what it is. I would've sent another message, but I was so far out it only would've arrived a few hours before me."
He looked up at her in the moonlight, the top of her head as she moved over his chest, the sound of her lips as they kissed him. "Gods love, I haven't slept for two days but I couldn't wait to see you, so I came here before I even went home." Trina looked up from under her stringy bangs, the moon's glint playing off her light lashes, and smiled, moving back to kiss his mouth again.
Home and this, thought Quade just before giving himself up to the moment. As long as there's home, and as long as there's this, anything is possible, and whatever it was that he'd experienced in his travels could be handled now that he had peace of mind. The sounds of the sneaking night breeze through the room and the gentle chafe of skin against skin were all that occupied his mind, and all he needed for now.
CHAPTER 7
Deep in space far away from the sheltering arms of Bethel, far from the comfort of any planet in fact, the passenger transport ship Valiant cruised on its charted path, toward a nexus point that would take it out of the Develon sector, Macvaladen Livius’ area of space. Its crew consisted of three people: Kirin, ship’s helm, Elena, ship’s communication, and Fredrick, the captain. Fredrick nodded contentedly as he glanced over the ship’s manifest. It was a good day, as he had a full load of passengers.
“Everything looks good,” Fredrick observed. “Take us into the nexus, Kirin.” She nodded at his command.
“Sure thing chief.”
Valiant slowed its speed upon approach to the nexus point, readying for the natural pull that radiated from the entry into the leyline.
“Wait!” called Elena her voice staggered, panicked. “Something’s not right. Communications are getting overwhelmed and I’m seeing a spike in radiation coming from the nexus point!”
“On screen,” snapped Fredrick.
The viewer flickered to focus on the nexus point. Its usual light green throbbing glow was absent. The typical melodic pulse, normally inviting and welcoming, was now a pulsing sickly heartbeat, deadened gray in color, distorted and ugly. It swelled, nearly filling the whole of the view screen. In an instant, the nexus point expanded three times its size and burst apart.
The shock wave sent Valiant tumbling backward in space, slamming Fredrick against the wall and forcing Elena to her knees. Kirin grabbed the console to hold herself in her seat, gasping as her crew mates tumbled on the floor around her. Fredrick’s voice called from behind her:
“Bring the nexus point back into view.”
Kirin’s hands moved deftly over the control panel, guiding the ship in the direction of the nexus point when suddenly the power fluctuated and she lost control. A drain surged throughout the systems and the lights on the bridge flickered. Kirin felt an otherworldly force surround her, magnetic, static. It rippled down her spine, causing her to sit up straight, shoulders back, flooding through her body, her blood consumed by a new presence, sensation. Her eyesight went hazy and she blinked, once, twice. Had the captain said something? Power to the ship had, in an instant returned to normal.
Rising from the floor Fredrick repeated, “Let me see the nexus point!”
But something different commanded her thoughts. Kirin turned the ship in the opposite direction, plotting a course deeper into the Develon sector, back to Macvaladen Livius’ sector of space.
“Did you not hear me Kirin?”
When she didn’t respond, Fredrick walked over and put his hand on hers. Kirin casually looked at the hand that was trying to stop her then gave him a vague glance of recognition. She took her free hand and calmly placed it flat on his chest.
Fredrick’s mouth opened to scream, but nothing came out. Where she touched him, his skin discolored, and his eyes sunk into their sockets. With the sound of a breath, his body disintegrated and fell to ash on the floor.
Elena screamed. Kirin looked over to her with the same deadened gaze, grabbed her own armrest and effortlessly ripped it from her chair. She hurled it at Elena, striking her on the head and silencing the annoying shrieking as Elena slumped unconscious to the floor.
Kirin punched up the passenger log. A full load. A very good day indeed, she thought. Her hands flew over the buttons, cutting all communications on the ship and locking all doors of passenger cabins, sealing them inside. She charted a new course to Livius’ command ship. Rising slowly, stiffly, she walked over to where Elena laid, reached out her hand, and placed it flat on her chest.
CHAPTER 8
Mist rose in gently climbing clouds along the stone gray walls of the Castle of Sighs, and spread across the kingdom in a blanket of quiet haze, the morning sun threatening to dissolve its thick cover with every passing moment. Dawn was always a serene and enchanted time and throu
gh the gloaming, the mist gave way and beginning flutters of life started to emerge; the sweet coo of mourning doves, the rustle of tiny mammals that crawled through the grasses and crept up the trees. Occasionally, the clean scent of the ocean carried on the light wind, whose currents weaved over the wood and across the thickly carpeted hills that spread throughout the land.
A slight chill swept through the serenity of the bedroom, still quiet and heavy with the drowse of sleep, still gray with the shadows of predawn, since it faced away from the rising sun. A stirring, nearby. Quade awoke from the best sleep he'd had in over a week to the sense of something looming close over his head. He willed his eyes open just a bit and smiled contentedly as he found himself face to face with Trina's bare belly. He could hear her now, stretched over him and reaching up in an attempt to pull the curtains shut around the bed, and he slowly snaked his arm around her waist to pull her close against him, pressing his lips into the flat slope of her stomach. It had always been a particularly fond place of his to kiss, partly because of the delicate sheen of white peach fuzz that stood out against her tawny skin, but also because he always thought it was interesting and mildly strange that she had no belly button. There was a spot for it, a dimple at best; but though her belly dipped into what it seemed to be aiming for as a navel, there was actually no evidence of a navel there. He growled sleepily as he nuzzled against her, happiness and contentment washing through him. This is what life was supposed to be. Close to Trina, wherever she was.
"Quade," she protested quietly, now reaching behind herself to draw the curtain, which probably wouldn’t do much to keep out the cold from the breeze anyway. With one last tug the sheer draping was closed, and he pulled her down next to him. She shivered as she wrapped the thick blankets around her shoulders. "You left the windows open again."
"Sorry," he murmured, already drifting back into sleep. He thought of something briefly then. "You're not getting up now are you?"