Planet Sand (Planet Origins Book 5)

by Lucia Ashta

  “How could I forget?”

  “Good. So you understand. Now let’s get moving.”

  I let Ilara lead me toward the entrance of the condenser, where Yudelle was talking with some men stationed there, men who did have guns. Men who looked much like the ones that put two holes in me. I was focused ahead when I heard the man with the attitude behind us. “Who are these high-n-mighty people that they’re letting inside when we can’t go in? She-Ra, He-Man, his twin, and their jolly friends?”

  A wave of subdued, uncomfortable laughter swept across the crowd we were leaving behind. Even Ilara chuckled but kept moving, pulling me along.

  “What’d that mean? What the guy said?”

  She shook her head, amusement lighting her eyes. “It doesn’t matter. But I’m pretty grateful this particular tourist speaks English. It’d be a shame to miss out on commentary gold like this.”

  I only allotted a second to trying to figure out what she meant, what he’d meant, because then there were important things to think about. Yudelle had finished talking with the men that guarded the entrance of the condenser and walked inside, with Narcisse half a step behind her, without even a glance to make sure we were following. I believed her now. If I’d chosen to walk here, she wouldn’t have waited. She might even have disappeared forever and left me with no way to trace her.

  She left her driver stationed at the entrance with the guards. She’d allowed him to hear our conversation in the van, which meant he knew she wasn’t from this planet. I wondered why she left him behind.

  Lila went in next, barely limping anymore. Her viper bite was healing faster than my wounds. She looked less mousy, finally free of her one-piece lab outfit, though she insisted on carrying her collection of mystery vials in a bag strapped across her chest. In what Ilara called jeans and a tight shirt and with her hair free of its omnipresent tail, she looked more like a woman than a she-dragon, or a padlune bear. With quick steps in new boots, she slipped behind the guards and disappeared from sight.

  Kai stopped at the doorway to wait for us. I gestured that it was all right to go ahead, and he ducked and the darkness of the doorway swallowed him.

  My arms back around Dolpheus and Ilara’s shoulders, I said, “I’ve never been in a condenser on Origins.”

  “Neither have I,” Dolpheus replied, though of course I knew that. We didn’t do everything together, even if we did lots of things in shared company. But something as significant as entering a condenser, we would’ve done together, or at least told the other of it.

  “Seriously?” Ilara said. “You have them on O and neither one of you’ve even been inside? That’s weird.”

  “Why’s that weird?” Dolpheus said.

  “Because it seems to me that you guys are usually where the excitement is, and hence also where the danger usually is. I mean, I don’t know much about condensers, pyramids, but I do realize they must be a big deal. So it surprises me that you’ve never been drawn to them before.”

  “It’s not a matter of whether or not we wanted to get inside a condenser,” I said. “It’s not like they let just anyone inside one.”

  “And since when are either of you just anyone?” She grinned.

  “Fair enough.” Dolpheus and I didn’t abide by many rules. If we had the option, we wouldn’t abide by any of them. “But your father, the King, doesn’t let anyone that I know of inside the condensers.”

  “Really?”

  “Yes, really. It’s not that we’ve never wanted to go inside, it’s that we’re forbidden from going inside.”

  “And you never tried to sneak in?”

  “We might’ve. When we were teenagers. But we didn’t make it in.”

  “Hunh.”

  “What does that mean?” Dolpheus asked. “Just ‘hunh?’”

  “Nothing.”

  “Nothing always means something when a woman says it.” And Dolpheus would know.

  “Usually. I’m just surprised you never got in, that’s all. That you have pyramids on Origins, and you don’t know much more about them than I do.”

  “Well, we know some things about them,” I said.

  “Like what?”

  “We know they’re used to emit energies that balance the light and dark in the world. We add our bit to the universal balance.”

  “That’s what my, uh, father says about it?”

  “Yes.”

  “What else?”

  “Well, that’s it really. Every once in a while we can see great beams of light coming from them, the energies being balanced.”

  “Aye,” Dolpheus added. “The condensers are far away from the royal city. They’re out in the middle of nowhere. Not even rebels settled around them. But we can see the light beams as if we were standing right next to them.”

  “Hunh,” Ilara said again.

  “Would you speak instead of giving us these grunts?” I said. “How are we supposed to have a conversation if all you’ll do is grunt?”

  “And you trust that the King is telling you the truth? You trust him?”

  At first, I didn’t have an answer. I had believed what the King told his people about the condensers. But I didn’t trust him, I hadn’t for a long time. So why hadn’t I ever stopped to question what he said about the condensers before? It was suspicious that no one was allowed inside them...

  Dolpheus didn’t answer either. I presumed he was thinking what I was. Why hadn’t we been inside one of the condensers? There were few barriers that could keep us out if we wanted in badly enough. Hadn’t we managed to sneak into Brachius’ splicing lab and the royal palace? We could’ve at least tried with the condensers, once we had the experience and skill to do it.

  Ilara said, “I see. It looks like we’re all in for a surprise then.” And then she ducked out from under my arm and walked inside the condenser, leading the way with those swaying hips I’d follow anywhere.

  Dolpheus and I looked at the guards at the entrance, and then squinted into the sun at the van full of Yudelle’s men, the ones who’d ridden behind us, closing in, pushing the crowds back.

  “I guess there’s no wanding at secured entrances here,” Dolpheus said. “One point for Planet Sand.”

  Some of the guards raised their eyebrows at his words.

  “Come on,” I said. “Let’s get inside.” Before we said something we really weren’t supposed to. And before Yudelle had the chance to try to leave us behind.

  If condensers might not be for the purpose we believed them to be, then I wanted to be right at Yudelle’s side when she powered it up.

  With my best friend at my side, I stepped into the darkness and let the cool air draw us inside.

  28

  Yudelle hadn’t spared a minute to wait for us. Already she was circling the walls of the dark chamber, and directing Narcisse to do the same. “It’s got to be here somewhere,” she said to him, ignoring the fact that the rest of us had joined the conversation. She pointed a light source Ilara called a flashlight at the four inclined walls that met in the center and their corners.

  “What’s got to be here somewhere?” Lila said.

  “A control panel of some sort, some way to power up and direct the condenser.”

  “You’re right. There should be.” Lila started moving too, searching the plain walls and worn joints between stones.

  “Can we talk about this a bit first?” I asked. “It’d be good to know something more about these condensers before we even start looking for the way to power them up.”

  Yudelle stopped moving just long enough to say, “I never thought you’d be this indecisive and hesitant. I thought you’d grow into a man of action, like your father.” Then she was on the move again, circling the relatively small space, looking for something that didn’t appear to be there. “I don’t want to wait any longer. I’ve grown sick of waiting. If I hadn’t known better and I’d bought into Sanders notions of aging, I wouldn’t even have been here when Aletox finally arrived. If you want to wait, Tanus
, you’re welcome to. Just step outside and let the rest of us do what needs to be done.”

  She didn’t even see the dagger she threw at my heart for what it was, but I caught Narcisse looking at me. He was the only other one with a flashlight, and I thought I saw sympathy in his eyes—maybe even understanding. I didn’t want it, not when I was trying to hide the wound Yudelle poked at, and I was quick to look away.

  Ilara leaned against my side, her head against my shoulder. I struggled even to accept her silent support. What had I done to deserve parents who barely cared for their son?

  I focused my thoughts where they might make a difference. “Should I not—” I was going to phrase my words as a question, but readjusted. I was no boy who needed to ask his mother’s permission for anything, most especially when her impatience propelled us toward the uncertain, far too rapidly for wisdom. Dolpheus and I’d moved too fast for caution plenty of times, but always when there was a good reason for it. I failed to see one now. She’d waited for centuries to do this. What was a few more minutes to align us on the right course?

  “I should reach out to the princess by mind speak first. There might not even be a need to power up the condenser if she answers.” I dropped my cheek to Ilara’s head. I hoped desperately that I’d receive no answer from any woman other than her.

  Yudelle spoke, but still didn’t slow, flashing her light dizzyingly across the pitch dark space. “You can mind speak to her once we have the condenser going. It’s the only way to be sure she’ll hear your message.”

  “But now we’re on the same planet. She’ll hear me if she’s here. She’s used to hearing me.”

  “Maybe. Maybe not. Things are different here on Sand than they are on Origins.”

  I waited for more. They hadn’t seemed that different to me. Sure, they had cameras and flashlights where our devices that served similar purposes were different. But the air felt the same, and the sunshine of one sun felt akin to that of our two. My body felt better now, on the dirt of Sand, than it had across space. I felt anchored to the land here much as I did on Origins.

  “Time here might be affecting her in ways we aren’t anticipating.”

  “It doesn’t appear to be affecting you unusually,” Lila interjected. “If you’ve been stranded here for four centuries, you’ve dealt with it pretty well. You don’t seem to have aged more than you would have on O. You look to be moving well, to have adapted to the environment.”

  Yudelle finally stopped moving to study Lila. She even pointed her light beam at her. “What you say is true. But I’m different than most people, and I’ve taught Narcisse to understand that we create our possibilities through our minds. Most Oers wouldn’t be able to overcome the aging or weighing down that this planet has on its people.”

  I took offense at her implication. “Princess Ilara is no ordinary Oer. She’s far more capable than you,” I said even though I didn’t know if this was true. The princess was incredible, open-minded despite the King’s guidance that sought to position her precisely beneath his thumb, capable of exceeding nearly every expectation Oers tried to set upon her.

  But was Yudelle? She was my mother, or she had been once. But she’d left when I was too young to formulate an objective assessment of her.

  “We’ll power up the condenser and then you can try.” Yudelle thought the matter settled.

  But I sure as fuck didn’t. I hadn’t crossed galaxies to submit my will to hers. And I didn’t bother telling her that.

  I told Dolpheus and Ilara, “I need to sit.”

  “Where?” Ilara asked. “Over by one of the walls?”

  “Probably.” I didn’t want to admit it, but I was struggling to remain standing, and I’d need whatever energy I could muster to call out to the princess. I’d settle this matter before we blasted Planet Sand with technology we didn’t know how to use.

  “What’s that in the middle?” Dolpheus asked, loud enough for Yudelle to hear.

  “Oh, that? Sanders say it’s a tomb. That these condensers, pyramids, were used for burials. That stone box is supposed to have housed a dead body.” She laughed. “Can you imagine that? Dead bodies in a condenser! It’s absurd.”

  But I had no idea. Maybe King Oderon disposed of dead bodies by the thousands in the condensers on O. I wouldn’t know the difference. He certainly killed enough people to have bodies on hand.

  “Just help me over to the wall,” I said, leaning nearly all my weight on Dolpheus and Ilara as they helped me down.

  “Can I sit with you?” Ilara asked.

  I hesitated a moment too long.

  “That’s okay. I don’t have to.”

  “No.” I reached for her hand, pulling at the staples in my chest. “Sit with me. I only hesitated because I was debating whether it would interfere with my ability to reach out to the princess.”

  “And it won’t?”

  “I don’t think so. It might even be better. You’re most likely the princess, anyway. That way, when you hear my mind speak, all you have to do is lean over and whisper in my ear that you’re the one, and only one, for me.” I smiled even though I didn’t think she could make out my face in the dark, and even though there were holes as big as craters in my explanation. This Ilara might hear my mind speak and there still could be another version of her out there, the true princess. Or maybe she was the true princess and there was still another holographic version of her out there somewhere, if I believed Aletox. Maybe I was connected to every version of Ilara across the expanse of the universe.

  I felt as if I should be as I pulled her down by the hand and encouraged her to sit close enough to me that I could feel her body along my side.

  You all right, Tan? I heard Dolpheus’ words in my mind with relief. If he and I could mind speak inside a condenser on another planet, then chances were good that Ilara would be able to receive my message.

  Aye. I’m going to call out to the princess right now. I don’t care what Yudelle wants. If we don’t need to power this thing up, I don’t think we should, at least not before we learn more about it.

  Agreed on that. It kind of creeps me out that she’s so intent on doing this. We’ve barely arrived, Aletox hasn’t even woken up yet, and already she’s trying to power it up.

  I’d been worried about the same thing. Everything was moving too fast—unnecessarily.

  I don’t think it bodes well, Tan. I really don’t.

  My gut pinged in resonance with Olph’s. His gut spoke as loudly as mine, and circled the truth as much as mine did.

  Should we stop her?

  If we do, asking her won’t be enough.

  I don’t give a damn whether she likes our ways or not, if we have to stop her, we will.

  Dolpheus didn’t say anything.

  What do you want to do, Olph? You make the call on this one. I might be too close to it all. And by that I meant that this woman had birthed me, and so much of what she did nettled deep wounds and pissed me off. The best decisions are always made from a place of strength.

  Aye. Then, Go ahead. Let’s see what you come up first. If you reach Ilara, it’ll be easier to get her to stop.

  Good. I’ll see you on the other side then.

  Only then, I didn’t realize I meant what I said.

  29

  I felt Narcisse’s gaze from across the room with its slanted walls that seemed to push in on me. But he didn’t say a word to Yudelle, that I was settling in to do what she didn’t want me to. He kept silent, and even though he might not realize what I was about to do, I wanted to think that he chose my side. That he might become an ally—perhaps even a true brother. Was that something I might want?

  I already had a brother, one I’d chosen for myself, and he stood right in front of me, his stance a clear message to anyone who looked for it. He was on my side, not Yudelle’s, not anybody else’s if it meant neglecting his allegiance to me.

  In the safety of Dolpheus’ protection and the warmth of Ilara’s body, I closed my eyes. I was no
stranger to having to focus and find stillness in the midst of distraction. When situations were urgent, their circumstances were rarely ideal. I’d grow old and die, even if I fulfilled my thousand year lifespan if I waited for ideal.

  I pushed out Yudelle’s frenzied movement. I allowed the darkness to absorb the jumpy sweeping of her light beam. I blocked out Lila, who attempted to help, looking for this holographic control panel that they said must exist on Origins. But we weren’t on O, and I allowed Narcisse and Kai to fade away too.

  Last to go were my friend and lover. But a piece of them would remain with me, even if I pushed away their bodies.

  I pulled my focus deep within myself until I no longer felt the warmth of Ilara’s arm and hip warding away the chill of the room. Until all that was left was me and my love for a woman, for that spark that lived deep within the shell of her body, the one that would survive long after her body left this world or any other.

  I fell into rhythm with my breath, without identifying it as such. I let my heart beat, me along with it. I became an observer of life and of essence, and nothing that defined either. I was man, but I wasn’t. I was spirit, but I wasn’t.

  I simply was.

  I experienced myself going deeper the way I imagined it’d feel if I were deep underwater, here in this space where nothing was defined. Where I didn’t need to pump my arms to stay afloat. Where the living and the dead were on equal footing.

  The pain from my wounds was absent. The pain of my heart, gone too. All that remained was existence and the love that made it worthwhile, worth falling and getting up, an infinite number of times.

  I sensed a rumbling far above, one that seemed somehow related to me, but I couldn’t hold on to it. Everything I tried to hold in this place slipped away like water through fingers.

  A sense of vibrations building flitted past before it, too, dripped through the sieve of my awareness.