by S. G. Basu
“Because, to them, a delay would be better than an annulment,” Oliena replied. “In all honesty, I do not know why the Xifarians are so keen on this contest. I never understood the need for it in the first place.”
“They’re using the Initiative as a cover,” Nafi blurted. “That’s why they keep pushing for it. That’s how they can get their spies into our territories, just like they got the team from the SDS into the Converter Galley.”
“Let’s keep our suspicions to ourselves,” Oliena suggested.
“Yes, but—”
“We have been assessing the situation, Nafi,” the premier interrupted. “I like to think that the Xifarians do want peace. They also need to locate this artifact they have lost. Our assistance will be valuable to them. We have expressed our sincere intention of supporting them in this endeavor, so helping us would help them.”
Maia debated if it would be prudent to tell Premier Oliena about the true nature of the artifact, that if the Xifarians got hold of it, Tansi would be doomed forever. She had scarcely opened her mouth to say something when a warning glance from Kusha and a sharp tug on her sleeve from Dani made her pause. The premier left soon afterward, leaving the gang immersed in thought. Her visit had brought up more questions than answers.
“You can’t tell her about Sophie,” Kusha said. “Don’t you see that there’s no open conflict yet? If you expose your connection to Sophie, that makes you vulnerable. Who will protect you when that happens?”
“Besides, we’re not sure enough about the shards,” Dani added.
“But . . .” Maia started and stopped right away, she barely had strength to continue. “Do you realize what might happen if the Xifarians have everything they need to put the Capsule together? They’ll kill our sun.”
Maia paused to take a bracing breath. “Sooner or later, they’ll find a way to restore the Capsule. And then, everything comes to an end. We all die.”
For quite some time, no one spoke a word. They all knew the terrible prospect, Maia was sure. Everyone was grappling with the truth, but each in their own way.
“No. No, no.” Ren shook his head vehemently. “They don’t have everything. If they did, they wouldn’t have taken Bikele. They took him only because they need more information. So . . . I’m pretty sure they won’t be able to destroy the sun, not just yet.”
There was a sliver of quiet and then everyone rushed to agree with Ren.
Nafi nodded eagerly. “Makes sense to me,” she declared.
“Hmm . . .” Dani muttered. “I think you’re right.”
“Yes. Why else would they grab Bikele?” Kusha was the last to go.
Maia looked at their faces. Her friends were all smart, and each capable of rational thinking. While Ren’s reasoning had merit, there was always a chance that he was wrong. Yet, no one was considering that very obvious likelihood.
Maybe they’re afraid to face it.
Maia looked at their faces one more time and decided to contain her own panic. She could not blame them—it was natural to seek an easy refuge from the terrifying alternative. It was also true that she could not keep on fearing—she had to find hope, she had to keep on living.
There will be a way to stop the Xifarians and save Tansi. And I have to find that way. I cannot let my mother down.
“And I’m so sorry, Maia.” Kusha’s regretful voice yanked Maia out of her thoughts. “Seems like what you saw was not a silly dream after all. I feel stupid now, for laughing at you when you warned me.”
Kusha related Maia’s dream to the rest of the team. When Maia told them about the one she had of Bikele and how she had chosen to ignore it, everyone gaped. Nafi spoke after the longest pause.
“I wonder if those guys really wanted to damage the condenser boxes. Or was it just a front to find Bikele and Gibbon?”
“It might’ve been a diversion to get Gibbon or maybe they planned to do both,” Kusha said. “And now we know what the Timiti was there for—it was a conduit to pick up thoughts. Must’ve been how they found out about Gibbon’s eyes . . . remember the chatter Remii was talking about? But it was weird how Maia reacted to the Timiti every time. That whale was strange too. First it showed up in Maia’s Saska, and then it attacked her and let me pass. Why?”
Nafi tapped her chin thoughtfully. “I think I know why,” she declared. “Maia sensed the Timiti when no one else could’ve even imagined its existence. No spy would like that to happen to them, right? I’m sure the Timiti didn’t either. So, whenever it got a chance, it tried to hurt the one person who knew of its presence.”
They sat quietly, lost in thought. As always, Nafi’s explanation did make sense.
“Seems like we won’t see each other in a while,” Maia broke the taut silence. “I wonder how long the Initiative will be delayed.”
“We’ll see each other soon,” Kusha asserted. “Remember the council at Miorie Premier Oliena spoke about? We can all travel there and meet up even if there’s no contest until then.”
“I don’t have any excuse to be there,” Ren said with a sigh. He flashed a quick smile when he saw faces darken around him. “But maybe I can figure out a way.”
“Not a very lawful one I’m sure,” Nafi commented wryly.
At this point, the whole group found themselves involved in a loud discussion about the various not-so-legitimate ways of Ren’s possible travel to Miorie. The debate did not go on for too long—with Kusha’s much-needed rest in mind, the team called it a night.
58: Back in Appian
It was time for the final results to be announced. Core 21 made it to the final round, but finished a distant ninth. Top honors went to Core 13, the second place to Core 34, and Core 7 was in third place. Maia and her teammates had been penalized for their failure to make the trip to the Karnilian Caves together, which explained their rather dismal ranking.
Although, given the circumstances, it was not too disappointing to come in ninth. Maia was thankful that Kusha had recovered well and none of her other friends were hurt. There was no news of Bikele or Gibbon, and Keiki had not been found either. The installation of the hydrothermal converter in the Karnilian Caves was completed one day, and all the teams were escorted down below in special, ultra-secure Aqumobs. It was strange to find the caves teeming with security guards clad in full armor, strolling every path and corridor.
There were no announcements about their departure schedules or the much-awaited news about the final phase of the Initiative. While Maia and the gang knew very well that there were too many things going on for the contest to continue without any hiccups, some of the other teams who did not know the details were curious and worried. About a week after the results were announced, a harried Palak called the ten remaining teams into his room.
“The third leg of the Alliance Initiative has been postponed indefinitely,” he declared when everyone had gathered around him. “We know it will happen, we are not sure when. So, you are free to leave for your homes and await further instructions.”
“However,” he resumed as the groups broke into restless murmurs, “we have decided to arrange for some supplementary sessions for you should you choose to stay a while longer with us here. It is entirely up to each of you—we are honored to be your hosts—but we will also understand if you need to leave. Let us know of your decision within the next two days so we can notify your family in time.”
Ren hardly took a moment to decide that he was staying.
“I’ll stay. I wasn’t planning to be home for more than a couple of weeks anyway.” He grinned at a rather surprised Palak, who definitely did not expect an answer so soon.
“Maybe I will too,” Nafi said meditatively.
Maia did not know what to do. While the offer was undoubtedly tempting and she wanted to be with her friends, she also wanted to visit her family. She wavered for a day, trying to pick between the quiet and peaceful monotony of her sleepy village and the excitement of the dazzling underwater city.
Ren and Nafi
were both wildly excited and that did not help making her decision any easier. To top that, a very attractive set of activities were announced the next day that Maia felt was downright cruel to everyone who had decided to leave. Every time she convinced herself of the benefits of the supplementary activities, a picture of three faces waiting eagerly for her in a little house in Appian flashed before her eyes. And Maia knew she could not be happy if she stayed. The only good thing was that Kusha was leaving as well, not that Kusha was any happier than she was, especially since he was not expecting a warm welcome from his father after his bold action at the Council. However, Maia was glad she had some company on her ride back home.
***
On the day Maia and Kusha were set to leave, Joolsae stopped by. She was all smiles, as usual. The members of Core 21 hardly cared about her anymore and promptly ignored the girl, but Joolsae decided to hang around anyway. She continued to shower praises on the team’s achievements and apologize for her earlier behavior. This went on and on until Nafi could not take it anymore.
“Okay, Joolsae.” Nafi looked the girl squarely in the eye. “We forgive you. Can you please leave us alone now? Or is there something you need from us?”
Joolsae stared for a moment, gulped and stuttered to life. “Y-yes. I mean . . . c-could you write me a . . . note of thanks? Please? It would help get those extra credits. I did take care of you . . . every now and then, didn’t I?”
“You must be out of your mind,” Ren guffawed.
“You’re the most selfish and rude person I’ve ever come across,” Dani snapped. “Just go away, Joolsae, or I’ll file a complaint instead.”
Joolsae blinked rapidly, as if unsure of her next move. Then she stomped away. The team, disappointed yet again, spent a while discussing Joolsae’s shameless behavior. Before long it was time for Maia and Kusha to leave.
***
Aerika came to bid them good-bye at the terminal. She looked very different from the day the teams had arrived at Zagran, more than six months ago. She was smiling, speaking to everyone, and even looked sad at times. Maia and Kusha stood together on one side waiting for their Aquiccela to arrive. Dani was there with them; she had not started on the supplementary activities that Ren, Nafi, and almost everybody else had, because she planned to spend some time with Hans instead. She was speaking freely again, and Kusha on his part looked quite happy and carefree too. But Maia sensed uneasiness—a remnant of their past disagreements lingered, making them strangely uptight with each other. This went on until the time they were about to board the Aquiccela.
“Thanks again, Kusha,” Dani said after she had hugged Maia farewell. “Thank you for helping Hans.”
“No problem,” was all Kusha could say after smiling rather bashfully.
Dani took a hesitant step toward the boy, Maia presumed to give him a goodbye hug. Kusha seemed frozen; he stood awkwardly as Dani embraced him lightly and stepped away in a hurry.
“See you soon,” Dani’s voice was barely audible.
“Yes, soon,” Kusha replied hastily. He almost ran away into the train and slumped on the nearest empty seat.
The Aquiccela left soon after. It took them to the Fringe Port where another journey, one toward different destinations awaited. Maia made a solitary trip back home as Jiri and Anja, who usually accompanied her on the pod trip, had both stayed back in Zagran. It was late in the evening when the pod touched ground at the Troughs. The pale golden rays of the sun illuminated the farms in a dim glow. The cold days of winter were almost upon them, and the bare trees and the rusty grasslands looked morose and sad. But it was liberating to be under the open skies once again, to breathe the free air and feel the warmth of the sun. As soon as the stairs rolled down, Maia rushed out and ran toward the tall figure that stood next to a carriage on one side of the road.
“Herc!” She flung herself at the man who laughed and patted her head affectionately. Soon they were on their way to Appian.
The sun had dipped below the horizon and the pale moon was up in the sky when the carriage pulled through the gates of the farm. The lights were out, except for a small one shimmering in the kitchen where Emmy sat waiting for them to arrive.
“Dada has already retired for the night,” she informed after Maia had released her from a tight embrace. “He . . . hasn’t been feeling very well lately.”
Emmy did not seem to know or would not tell what was ailing Dada. “He’s getting weaker” was all she said. Maia hardly had any interest in dinner after that news, but she lingered on, trying to do justice to the fare Emmy had painstakingly prepared for her.
***
Later that night, Maia snuggled under her blanket, unable to sleep. After staring listlessly at the ceiling for hours, she decided to do something else. Grabbing her coat, she reached into its pocket and pulled out her mother’s journal. Until now, Maia had found it hard to even think about reading it, but this night, with a heart already leaden with worries about Dada, she did not feel the least bit afraid.
The cover of the notebook was a matted gray, its numbered, faded yellow pages were filled with writing, and most of it was the same words or sentences over and over again. Maia thumbed through the pages, immediately noting the opulence of the word “five.” There were some small sketches that snuck into the rows and lines of “five” as well, some of an orb, some of a set of weapons, including a long dark sword, and another that looked much like the famed Seigvard. There were also a few sketches of a house—a flat-roofed structure with two small trees on both side, and a mountain that rose like a spire from right behind it. None of the pictures were of anything Maia had seen before.
And then, there were a million places where the name Asiyaah appeared—it filled every nook and cranny of the notebook. It was quite distressing to see this book after seeing Sophie through her memory six months ago. Maia wondered how her mother had managed to capture that perfect piece of memory if her mind was indeed as hazy as it seemed from her scribbling.
She flipped over the pages one more time, stopping to linger on a word or a scrawl that stood out. Maia was about to close it and try getting some sleep when something caught her eye. It was one word, the tiniest little word carefully hidden along the central seam of the page. At first glance, it had looked like ornamentation around the center, but as Maia held the book closer to the flickering candlelight, the word jumped out at her.
It spelled “out,” the lettering different from the sprawling and convoluted scripts that filled the rest of the page. Somehow, there was no incoherence in the penmanship of this word. Nothing else on the page resembled the scripting of the “out,” and nothing looked as poised and graceful. Maia wondered if the word was written by Sophie, or if someone else had put it in later. She flipped through the pages again, paying careful attention to the seams and the borders, looking twice as closely at every embellishment she came across. After a breathless search of the next few pages, she came across the word “soul,” hidden in the body of the elaborate sword that seemed to entice Sophie so much.
“This can’t be an accident,” Maia whispered to herself, leaning so close to the candle that she singed a hair. She went over page by page, but she came back to the same two pages with the words “out” and “soul.”
Maia groaned. “Two words. That’s all you could write.”
She flung herself back into her bed, lightly caressing the page number “35” etched on top of the long sword. Maia flipped back to the page she had discovered the first word. Before her eyes could trace the center again, it fell on the page number—twenty.
A sudden idea swept through her mind, and Maia sat up with a start. Frantically she flipped the pages over to the one marked five. She pored over every little marking on the page until she spied the word “Five” hidden in the sketch of a cloudy sky. With a squeal, Maia skipped over four more pages, and as expected, she found the next word spelled backward near one edge of the tenth page.
This is a book of clues! Clues about what Maia wa
s not sure of, but every fifth page held a word. Taking a piece of paper, Maia jotted down each word she found, until she had come to the end of the book. Four lines, strings of words that were far from senseless, lay complete on the piece of paper.
Five gems carved out of the soul
Each part of the luminous whole
All is empty but the light is alive
And free until the dark claims its life
Her mother must have written this in a perfect frame of mind, Maia thought, or during the brief sessions of clarity that Bikele had mentioned. Maia did not know the meaning of the words, but as she stared vacantly at the verse, she wondered about their significance, or if there was any. Did Sophie mean the shards? Did her mother break the heart of the Sedara into five pieces? If two pearls from her necklace were the morphed pieces, maybe the rest of the pearls were shards as well? But then, where were the rest? Whom did Sophie give them to? And what exactly was empty?
Maia did not remember when sleep made her eyelids heavy. As she slept, the candle kept burning, its golden flames flickering over the journal a young woman had held close to her heart many, many years ago, and the peaceful face of a girl lost in her dreams. The light swayed joyfully, forever darting between the two, binding them in an everlasting bond. Outside the house, as the night grew older, a new day slowly came to life.
***
About the Author
Shatarupa G. Basu is a telecommunications engineer with a passion for writing. The first ideas for this story came to her on a blustery winter's evening, while watching the setting sun and realizing how vital it is to our existence. As she dwelled on the central premise, characters joined the fray, each with a voice that would not be denied. And so grew their tales, unfolding over several episodes. This is the beginning of their adventures.
Ms. Basu resides in Maryland with her husband and daughter.