Change

by Tony Corden

  “Left. Attack in fifteen?”

  “Yep, what are you thinking?”

  “If I can climb the tower I will, otherwise I’ve grenades which should bring it down.”

  “There is a ladder at the back of each tower.”

  “Then I’ll climb. I have a blaster and my Nano Sabres.”

  “Best make it twenty then. On my mark … Mark.”

  Leah began moving slowly and carefully toward the base of the left-hand tower. She reached it after twelve minutes and saw the ladder which hung from the top. It stopped four metres short of the ground. She was glad she was wearing the powered inner suit and took a few steps back and leapt for the rail. Her right hand reached up, and she caught the second lowest rung. She slowly climbed the tower and with two minutes to spare reached the top, only to find a locked grill. She carefully took out her Nano Sabre and cut a hole in the grill. She poked her head up just enough to see two soldiers in armour standing beside a large calibre blaster and watching the far hill where Leah’s team continued to fire the occasional shot. She waited for the countdown, then snuck onto the platform and using the plasma blaster she had found the day before, she fired one shot into the back of each soldiers head.

  She looked over at the other tower and could see both soldiers alive and watching the firefight on the far hill. She searched for Spider and saw him on the ladder but caught by the grill. She moved the dead soldiers out of the way and manoeuvred the large blaster until it was aimed at the other tower. She took a deep breath and held down the trigger. The top of the tower disappeared. She swallowed, wondering what had happened to Spider, but saw him standing at the base of the tower glaring at her.

  Ten minutes later the team arrived. Spider explained what had happened as he and Leah climbed back into their suits. Tungsten said, “This next bit is the easiest, it’s just we’ve never had enough bodies to finish it. We’ll split into two teams. I’ll lead one. Red, you take the other, you take Star, Atherleah, Linda and Ben. I’ll move through to the residential quarters and get the Scientist. You take and hold the exit. The shuttle will land three minutes after I give the signal. Let’s be in and out in ten minutes if we can. Go!”

  Tungsten blew the front door and rushed ahead, down and to the left. Red led the way straight ahead and then down to the right. They moved quickly, killing everyone they saw. Eight minutes later they arrived at a large cavern with several shuttles and other ships. Red said, “We need to get to the control centre and open the exit shaft.”

  Leah kept behind the others as they assaulted the central room and took control of the hanger. While Red looked for the controls, Leah looked around the control centre. She then sidled up to Star and whispered, “Star, is there any reason we don’t steal some ships?”

  Star turned to her and said, “What?”

  Leah pointed and said, “Those cards there look like the keycards for spaceships. Why don’t we grab them and try them out on the spaceships and shuttles in the hanger? I can fly one, and I assume several others can as well.”

  Star hurried over and had a whispered conversation with Red, who turned to look at Leah before nodding. There were three keycards, and after explaining what was happening to Linda and Ben, they ran out to test the cards. By the time Tungsten arrived, they had changed the ownership of two of the spaceships and one shuttle. Red opened the exit shaft, and the three ships blasted out to make their way back to the Station. After docking, they all congregated at Red and Star’s while Tungsten dropped the Scientist off to the authorities.

  When he returned, he gave everyone high fives and said, “We’ve finally done it and it has opened a long-term quest. We have a contract to meet with an Ulturian Admiral and infiltrate a Gorgian base. Atherleah, you are welcome to join us.”

  “Thanks guys, I appreciate it and this was fun, but I already have a quest. It’s not from the game but one of my own. It’s probably going to take most of my time for the next few months.”

  “What’s your quest?”

  “Sorry guys, operational security and all. Thanks for today though, that was fun.”

  “Fun! Girl, that looked easy only because you changed it up. We were in a rut, doing the same thing again and again. We all have another few hours in the game, so drinks are on me, but only after we divide the spoils. We earn one platinum each and then shares of the spoil. I told Atherleah she had two shares but think she probably deserves more.”

  Leah said, “Two is plenty.” But she was shouted down by the rest. Tungsten sold the three small ships for a total of two Rhodium and ended up dividing it by twelve and giving Leah three shares. So she received 500 Platinum. She arranged for Red to store the suit for her until the following day when he would return it to the school. She wanted John to have training in its use. Leah went with them and watched while they drank and danced for a few hours. After being escorted back to her hotel, she logged out and had an after midnight feast before hurrying back to get to Dunyanin.

  Diary - 4 December 2073

  What a difference a day makes! It was amazing being able to play in Cosmos Online without thinking of all the ramifications of my actions. It reminded me of the first few days in Dunyanin before Jackson and Meredith made it real. Carefree, I was carefree for a while today, and it felt wonderful. I think it relaxed me. I wonder when mum and dad last did something carefree without wondering how it would play out in the future. I can’t even imagine Jimmy doing something just for the enjoyment of it. I wonder if people, as they get older, still need some time away from the stresses of life. There was that lady who lived on the floor below us. She had a son with Down Syndrome. She loved him with all her heart, but the constant care she provided slowly became too much. What if all she needed was for Conner or I, or some adult just to give her a break occasionally? Maybe they wouldn’t have had to hand him over to the government to put in an institution. Maybe she wouldn’t have died of a broken heart. I must check with mum if there are people in the Switch like that, people who just need a small break from the pressure so they can stand tall again.

  Merideath needs to be stopped. Releasing the slaves was another bonus for the day. I should ask for more information on where they come from. I wonder if the Kodomans have a master list somewhere with the location of all their slaves. That’s what we need to look for. We need to find some way to find all the people who are trapped. I wonder if Eli is coerced. I think he is, in fact, I’m sure of it. But what can I do about it without proof? I need to contact Elsa and see if she has any ideas.

  I wonder what name Tungsten and his team would have come up with for me. What do people think of me? Do I care? Of course I do. But only what the people I care about think. Is that selfish of me? To only worry about the opinion of friends. To ignore the rest. But I don’t ignore them, not really; I treat them with respect until I know more. I liked Tungsten and his team. It was great to relax with them at the end; I suppose that’s why dad likes the occasional night at the pub ‘with the boys’.

  CHAPTER FIVE

  December 5, 2073

  Leah walked through the portal to Dunyanin at nine, local time, and found herself lying on the bed in her room. She rose and headed downstairs to see who else had already arrived. Thad was the only one she saw, and as she walked toward him, he smiled and then leaned down and gave her a long slow kiss. When he released her she was about to demand another one when she heard some snickering behind her. She turned to see Amy and Wisp standing in the doorway. A little embarrassed she said, “Good morning Amy, good morning Wisp.”

  Amy said, “Is that what that was? A good morning?”

  Leah smiled but ignored the comment. Rana entered and said, “Good morning sister. Did you travel to other worlds as you slept?”

  “Yes, Rana, I did. I travelled to a world where people live in the space above the planet. I was in a team which rescued a scientist from a rebel base. It was enjoyable, and I earned some good coin.”

  Thad said, “Whose team? We tried that a few times and a
lways got killed.”

  “The leader was a guy called Tungsten, and there were Red and Star, Ben, Linda, and Spider and several others that I didn’t really have much to do with.”

  Zack wandered in and said, “What, you went with Tungsten’s Team? They is good people Atherleah, good people.”

  Thad said, “Speaking of Cosmos Online, we’ll be entering 55 Cancri in about eighty-two hours. We need to meet and plan what we are going to do. Say tonight, midnight?”

  Leah replied, “That’s ok with me.”

  She then said to Rana, “What should we wear to tea?”

  “Do you have a nice dress?”

  “Only an evening gown.”

  Amy said, “You have an evening gown! When do I get to see that?”

  “Later! Maybe? Focus! Why a dress, Rana?”

  “The Father here is very old. I did not meet him, only his son. He was very traditional. It disturbed him that I was without a chaperone.”

  “Really! Well then, no dress for me. I’m travelling. He’ll have to put up with these clothes.”

  Thad said, “Leah, just because he’s prejudiced doesn’t mean you should offend him. When you're at the boutique, why don’t you get something nice and simple? You’ve met goblins, dragons and vampires half-way, surely you can do that with an old man stuck in his ways.”

  Leah frowned at Thad for a moment and then said, “You’re right. I was wrong. Thank you.”

  Rana, Leah, Amy and Wisp gathered their things, and Thad drove the carriage into the centre of Ticareti and promised to pick them up at two. Gèng had done the research and projected a map onto Leah’s vision to the Boutique owned by Yvette. She led the way and was first to enter the exclusive looking shop. A young woman greeted her and said, “Welcome, my name is Helene, how may I help you ladies today?”

  Leah said, “Good morning Helene, my name is Atherleah, and these are my friends Amy, Wisp and Rana. I was invited to visit the Boutique by Yvette, is she available?”

  “Yvette is my mother, and she has mentioned you and shared your promise to visit. Unfortunately, she isn’t well at the moment. The healers are unsure of what ails her. I will tell her you visited.”

  “May I see her? I would like to pay my respects.”

  “Let me just go and see if she would mind. You ladies have a look around the shop.”

  As Helene went out the back, the four friends began looking through the various dresses and accessories that were available. Soon Helene returned and said, “Mother would love to see you, but the healers have asked that you keep the visit short.”

  Leah followed Helene out the back and to a substantial dwelling built behind and above the store. She was shown into a bedroom where Yvette lay in a large bed. A female mage and two others wearing the robes of healers were standing on one side of the bed. Leah approached the other side and said, “Hello Yvette. I’m sorry you’re not feeling well.”

  Yvette smiled and said, “Not to worry, I’ll be on my feet soon enough. Mage Jillian is one of the best healers in Ticareti, and I’m sure she’ll be able to help soon enough. It is good to see you. Did you deal with those horrible slavers?”

  “I was successful against some of them but still have to deal with the ringleaders. I’ll get to them after I visit Durustfuar, I’m heading to see him when I leave Ticareti.”

  “Well, I’m glad you visited me first before seeing that grouchy old dwarf.”

  Suddenly Yvette hunched forward and coughed violently for some time into a handkerchief. Leah could see spots of blood, and then a faint smell reached her nostrils. Ever since she had been changed, she had grown increasingly sensitive to the presence of blood, and for some reason, something smelled strange about Yvette’s blood.

  She turned to the Mage and said, “Pardon me, but is Yvette’s sickness affecting her blood?”

  The mage replied, “Why do you ask?”

  “I have a sensitive nose, and something is not quite right in her blood.”

  The healer took the handkerchief and examined it and after a while said, “I can sense nothing strange. Please have a look and see what you think.”

  Leah replied, “May I get my friend from the shop? She has greater experience with issues involving blood.”

  The mage nodded and said, “At this point, I will take any help I can get.”

  Leah made her way back to the shop, and after a brief explanation to Rana, they both made their way to Yvette’s bedside. As Rana entered the room, she gave a little grimace and stopped. She said, “May I examine the cloth?”

  The mage examined her closely and then handed her the cloth. Rana had brought it halfway toward her nose when she stopped and said, “This lady has been poisoned. Somehow she has ingested some Katamite Seed.”

  The mage said, “Katamite, that is almost impossible to detect, and it is impossible to ingest accidentally. How can you tell simply from that small sample of blood?”

  Leah said, “Mage Jillian, might I speak with you in private? I will explain how but I would prefer to keep the information confidential.”

  Before Jillian could answer Yvette said, “Please, Mage Jillian, I trust Atherleah and will vouch for her.”

  Jillian motioned, and the other healers left the room. When they were alone, Leah said, “Will you agree to keep this in confidence?”

  Both Jillian and Yvette agreed, and Atherleah said, “My friend Rana is a vampire and has been for many years. Their connection to blood makes them particularly sensitive to its changes.”

  Jillian stepped back, but before she could do anything Yvette said, “And you Atherleah, how did you detect it?”

  “Well, I’ve recently been changed into a vampire as well. I haven’t had a long association with blood but imagine that will grow over time.”

  “But dear, you’re a half-breed, I know you can’t be a vampire, and you’ve only the wood account.”

  “That’s true Yvette, but it has happened, and it was a difficult experience. Nonetheless, it is true. Jillian, regardless of your feeling toward vampires, can you treat Yvette now you know she’s been poisoned?”

  “Firstly, I apologise for my reaction. I understand how vampires are made and I’ve reacted badly. My excuse is the bad reputation you have but that is no reason for my bad behaviour. To answer your question, I'm not sure, because one property of Katamite is it resists magic, even healing magic. I’ll need to consult with the natural healers. Please wait here with Yvette, and I’ll go talk with them.”

  Leah encouraged Rana to return to the Boutique while she sat and talked with Yvette. She told her stories of the adventures she had had, and Yvette told her about her family, particularly her grandchildren. Finally, Mage Jillian returned and said, “They have heard of a cure, but none knows the specifics. They say it has something to do with the Lenthario flower, but they don’t know what else.”

  Leah said, “Please wait, let me check something.”

  She grabbed Falsi’s book from her bag and quickly began to skim the pages. It was almost ten minutes later when she said, “Here. I’ve a diary of herbs and potions, and there is a description of a Poison Remedy using the Lenthario flower. The skill is well beyond me and it requires both a healer and a practitioner of life magic.”

  She passed the book to Jillian who read through the page and then flipped through the book and said, “Atherleah, this is a priceless work. Where did you get this?”

  “I was given it by a friend who trained under the healer Harika.”

  “Then it is truly priceless, and with that pedigree, this will work. I will send for all the ingredients and will search for the particular life spell it mentions. I will need to send word to my old master at Sihirbazlari. He may know of it.”

  “Before you do, I have another volume of spells, and I would like to check it first.”

  Leah removed the Book of Life Spells she had recovered from Lord Y’sam Ejderhasi. She soon found the spell. She said to Mage Jillian, “This Spell Book has the spell, although it
is written in the language of dragons. I can translate it into common tongue if you wish as I am still not at a level to perform the spell myself.”

  Jillian looked at the book and said, “You have a priceless Book of Herbs and Potions and an even more priceless Book of Life Spells from a Dragon Master. I am tempted to have you stolen away to Sihirbazlari so we can copy these.”

  “I will be there soon. I have a plan to visit Mage Jonathan. When I am there, I will gladly allow a copy to be made.”

  Jillian laughed and said, “Atherleah, no one travels to Sihirbazlari. It is somewhere you must be taken.”

  Leah smiled and said, “So Jonathan mentioned, but trust me when I say, I shall travel there.”

  “I find it hard to doubt someone with these books. Let me have the ingredients brought, and we will make the potion here. While we wait, you can translate the spell for me, and I shall copy it down.”

  Altogether it took over an hour to find the ingredients and translate the spell. Jillian lay everything on a bench that had been brought and said, “I will now prepare the potion as I chant the spell. Please do not distract me as speed is necessary, not just in the preparation but also with ingestion.”

  Leah said, “I have one suggestion, Mage Jillian. I think it would help if you used my Mortar and Pestle.”

  Jillian said, “Why would that be? Mine are perfectly suitable.”

  Leah reached into her bag and brought forth hers and said, “Because mine once belonged to the Elven Sage Samarie.”

  Jillian trembled as she reached for the famed pair. She said, “I believed I’d reached my limit of surprises for today, but now you have surpassed even the last ones. Yes! These will help.”

  The healers and Leah stood by and watched as Jillian mixed the various ingredients. All the while she was whispering the words of the spell and directing her mana into the mixture. Leah could see the strain showing on her face, and her arms began to tremble. Finally, she finished the spell and looked to the mixture. In a small voice she said, “Almost, but not quite, it still needs more power. Leah equipped Merdiven and pushing her mana into it she said, “Please help!”