by Douglas R.
In a crazy way it puts a smile on my face. Trainings are always uptight but this one is different. I don't have a laser trying to tase me into smoke. I don't have to fight drones or have my memory temporarily blocked. I swim through in my orb. Thrusting forward and gliding back. Circling, swirling. Up and down. Like a zero gravity dance.
Orbing has never been so easy. I glide back to the epicenter of the bulb where the battle between the colors is the most intense. I linger like a little red ladybug on a leaf, wondering when they'll release me.
"Rhiannon, I think I'm done with my training (done with my training). I've orbed pretty well, (I've orbed pretty well)," my voice sounds three times louder in the bulb. When there's no reply I give it a second shot. "Is Thea supposed to come (Is Thea supposed) give me flying lessons?(give me flying lessons?)"
All that responds to my echoes is more blue and more red, lighting up.
"Rhiannon, this isn't funny (this isn't funny). Why aren't you responding? (aren't you responding?)"
The colors flash rapidly as I float toward the center. I absentmindedly spin upside-down towards the heart of the entire bulb. Suddenly, the entire room is transformed into space and stars.
"Holy shit!"
I'm in the middle of a live 3D galaxy. The stars are swirling around me like the fish I see out at night as the display flows in circles. The beauty of stars. The horror of darkness.
I am stolen.
The stars zoom closer to me and I can almost touch them if not for my orb. There's a sensation to it. A warm tickle up my spine. The feeling doesn't last long when it's invaded by my shock of the stars bursting into sparks.
Waves of sparkling chunks of light crash over my orb and slide off the energy field like pyrotechnics exploding in space while hiding in a bubble.
When the sparks fall to the bottom of space, battleships break into the scene. Hundreds of them speeding past me. Out of the red stardust and into the war. It's all happening around me. Lasers exchanged. Glimpses of fire burst and disappear in snaps.
In an instant the scene changes to a man's face. A terrifying hologram so big it could swallow me. His red dreadlocks could swat me away like a bug.
"I'm afraid it's the only way," he says. His bloodshot eyes are alarmed and they make my heart race. My Kronite seeps into my clothes.
"I must do this to save Pandor and the Universe."
I peer closer and realize his eyes are aimed behind me. I make a quick turn and there's no one there expect for the metallic walls of a battleship, an extension of the panoramic hologram.
"Tell my people that I love them," he says. His face turns around and the image zooms out that I can see him standing on a steel platform, facing a small window. The floors and walls in the projection are silvery grey.
The scene is washed away with stars again. Chasing themselves around me. This time they recede. I squint in the darkness and notice a black whirlpool spinning up my head. The battleships swirl in the circles. They closer they get the smaller they become. The ships right outside my orb are the size of paper planes.
Everything gets sucked from the bottom of the bulb and enters the whirlpool. With an eruption of great white light, the Golgorians are gone. There is no sound. Just empty space.
My eyes hold the images of what I've just witnessed, pulsing in and out of focus as I try to project it in the dark. Without warning, the blue and red flicker again to signal the end of the show. A door opens in my exist. I float down the white tube and de-orb once my feet hit the ground.
The images I saw still sparkle in my sight. I land my palms against the walls because it's making me a little dizzy. The door slides open and I try not to trip as I come out. Phoebe is the first person I see. Behind him Rhiannon is wearing his you-did-a-good-job smile and Cinder, as usual, on the Nanotop. In the peripheral Thea is smiling back at me but it doesn't make me feel smug.
"Your flying was good. But I have a question for you," says Phoebe. "Do you know who you saw in the bulb?"
"Capricorn."
"And do you know what he left you?"
"His three laws."
Phoebe brings his hands behind his back, "State."
"The First Law of Capricorn: Peace is an illusion and the leaders have power over that illusion.
"The Second Law of Capricorn: Protect the most important life, everyone else is expendable.
"The Third Law of Capricorn: If caught, a Lebra must commit suicide to preserve the secrets of Pandor."
"Right there," Phoebe points out. "Capricorn died for us. And we've enjoyed peace for more than a hundred blue moons."
"And now you want me to die too?" I blurt. When Phoebe beams at me I realize it wasn't the smartest thing to say. It's something we've been going around for a long time. The possibility of what will happen when the enemy captures me.
"No," he clears. "I want you to obey the laws."
"And you know what the laws say," I counter.
"We are not hoping for that situation."
"Phoebe!" my voice is up a notch. "This isn't about hope. Stretaka is behind our blue sky. Waiting for a breach."
"A breach that will never happen. Our security has taken care of all our concerns," Cinder cuts in.
I press harder, "Am I ready to fight Stretaka? What does your data say?"
"You have more training to do. What do you think this is?" says Cinder.
"I've been training for blue moons!"
"It takes more than just training!" Phoebe blares. His voice echoes throughout the room, reverberating across the concentric rows of desks. Everyone falls silent, watching us from behind their Macrotops. He beams down at me again, so close that I can see the swollen veins in his forehead. "You're not ready."
Making that clear he heels away. Thea is silent in the corner and Rhiannon slowly walks up to me.
"He's here for me." My voice shrills. Battle scenes haunt my mind.
"He will never take you," Rhiannon takes my hand.
"If you stopped lying to her so much she'd probably believe you," says Cinder.
"Cinder!" Thea casts him a glare but it's too late. I'm already storming out of the room. And I think I'm crying. There is a boy I love and a life I can't live. How do you make the two work?
21
I want to kiss him again.
I'm home now and there are no mind sensors to stop me from reliving my night from different angles. The way he backed me up against that tree. The way the leaves fell as his lips synced with mine. The way I freaked out when he came in and how I got used to it in the process. This is my first kiss on replay. And the next ones that followed down my neck. It was like a dream in a dream. Like a moment in space and time detached from all the other moments of life. Like a piece too big for a puzzle that you have to put it aside where you can see is separately. And beautifully.
That's what I'm doing right now. Standing in the shower and feeling my face and lips and neck. I wish I hadn't been scared. But then again, it was my first. And I'm so anxious to do it again. Maybe this time I'll take the lead.
The prospect of it makes my insides stiff. All that natural lubrication between my guts has gone and I'm carrying rocks in my stomach.
Rocks, rocks, rocks.
I know it's quite crazy to carry on with a relationship. Especially with all that's happening. But you never get a second chance at a life like this. So why not give it all you got? Sometimes you need to come out of the cage and attack life with both hands.
I get to my room to change into something suitable. Dip back shorts and a T. I reach for the iPod under my pillow beside the camera (holy crap I'm supposed to take pictures with that!) when the buzzer rings and the automated voice fills the house.
Rhiannon wishes to Teleport.
What does he want now?
"Permit." I slide the iPod back under and walk out to my living room. But Rhiannon is not there.
That's odd! He's supposed to be here by now.
I head to the Teleportation Chamber and stand
a foot away from the plastic curtain.
"Rhiannon?"
"Myla!"
It's not his voice.
The Kronite shoots up and before I can act a hand jumps out the curtain and drags me in. I'm about to scream before another hand cups my mouth.
"Relax. Relax," whispers the voice. "Don't move."
I wriggle my arms out of his grip and spin around. I sweep a kick and the man catches my leg in midair.
"Myla, it's me!"
I reach for his collar and back him up against the wall. He let's go of my leg. I raise my arm, ready to fist him down until it hits me: he's not fighting back.
"Myla!"
"Who are you!"
"It's me... take a step back."
I keep my fist in the air, breathing rapidly, contemplating whether it's a good idea. His face is shielded by the darkness. I can barely see him. But he's not attacking. I decide to step back to the opposite side of the chamber where a band of light falls across his face.
"Dad!"
He nods his head, "Yes, hun."
"You're not supposed to be here," I whisper. But I'm overjoyed he is.
"Listen up. Rhiannon and Thea did me a favor. The mics are temporarily off but only for a moment. I came to give you this."
Out of his khaki jacket he pulls out what you'd call an ostrich egg at first glance. But it's something way more precious than that.
"A spore!"
He places it in my hands. It glows instantly, like a little fairy waking up inside a snow-globe.
"Now we can talk all we want. Cup it in your hands until it calibrates to your thought waves."
"Gosh, dad! You know how awesome this is!"
He kisses my cheeks and forehead. "Why don't you tell me on the call. I've got to go now. Take care, Myla. And one more thing: I believe in you."
He pulls me in for a tight hug. I want him to hang out with me longer.
"I must go now. I love you. Goodbye my dear."
I step out of the Port, one hand holding my spore. The other waving at him as a zap of light steals him away from me.
He's gone.
And I have a spore!
I rush to my room where my other valuable gifts lie and jump on my bed. I cross my legs and hold the spore in my hands, smiling. The light inside grows brighter and then fades down a little, getting acquainted to me.
"Hi, there! I'm Myla. Welcome to my home."
I chuckle at myself.
When it responds to me like a friend, my heart jumps with joy.
Hi, Myla. Give me a name. I am your spore.
It can feel my thoughts and hear my voice.
I'm tempted to use Blake but wouldn't want any suspicions. I want to keep him safe and way out of Pandor where they can't hurt him.
"How about I call you Xena. Like my friend."
Xena... thank you, Myla. I like that name. Calibration complete. You have only one contact: Dad. Wish to add more?
"No. Thank you, Xena."
The light fades out and Xena is off. Elated with rainbows in my chest I fall back onto my bed and reach under my pillow. I want to listen to more music. I want to touch the stars again. I want to forget my life. I want to escape into streams of sounds, electric echoes and heart pounding beats. The excitement. The magic. The ecstatic emotions that travel through the buds, into my ears, awakening a deeper part of me I lost a long time ago.
But my hand finds the camera and Blake wants pictures. A mischievous grin conquers my face.
I think I know a way to do this.
22
I'm standing over a bridge overlooking the beach—a long stretch of sand connecting the horizons. And curving in.
The paths are currently full of people walking home, some cruising on their Air-Scooters. They’re a culture that doesn't trust Teleportation technology and would rather use traditional means. A group of school girls giddy behind me as I lean forward against the railings.
They must be from their Engagement classes.
I remember when I used to have those with Xena. Everything was so simple then. I didn't have to worry about some monstrous, whirlpool of darkness hovering in space, waiting on me.
Life was a breeze. Like the coconut tree swaying over my head. Life was like the ocean, crashing on the beach without a price to pay for it. The tides that hit home and roll back into the waters, as if nature's elements had ways of talking, kissing and making jokes to each other.
I hold the camera in front and isolate the sounds of kids playing behind me to focus on the picture I'm about to snap: the balls bouncing on the beach, girls and boys running around and the houses floating on the ocean ahead as the waves smash against their glass walls.
A light escapes my camera and the photo is in. And I'm wearing a smile. It's not because I'm taking pictures for Blake (or his friend). It's because I've finally broken the leash and gotten myself out here where it's okay to be carefree and run loose. It's okay to be normal. To be me. Or to at least find out who the hell that girl could be.
She may be beginning to become a free bird in a few ways. But she's still a lost pearl. And as the clock keeps ticking with heavier training sessions underway, I may not have all that time to figure out who I am.
And I don't want Stretaka to help me with that either.
I take a couple more photos as I walk along the bridge. It's a good thing nobody notices me. I bet most have never seen me ever since the day I was chosen. And I was really young then. I easily stroll through the crowd and view the hills and the jungle.
Blake would love to see it.
What's the best vantage point?
I look up at the sky—dammit!—Thea flies over in her orb. My head is down and I pretend to be tying my shoe laces...I think she's gone. I look up.
Close one!
The Major Tower stands nearby, spearing through the clouds. I think I just found the best vantage point. It's a risk I'm willing to take. And the pros are persuasive. The tower is guarded by clone soldiers, not real ones. And all I need is one trip through the Vine to my next photo shooting spot.
I'm going for it.
One good thing about being a Lebra is that I have instant access to any place in the Major Tower. Once I'm at the entrance the doors split into five to let me in and I'm sauntering through two lines of soldiers.
It's the first time I'm doing this without Rhiannon and there's an awesome feeling of independence to it. The glowing elevators are straight ahead and I'm spinning up the Vine in no time.
There's a chance they will know I came here today. I could easily say I wanted to do some more practice. It may not be convincing but I got my lines if they ever ask why I left home. I got that big question all taken care of.
Damn, talk about being a bird who wants out!
When I'm finally on the right floor it's only a few twists and turns until I get out to my Outdoor Training platform. The only outdoor platform on the Tower I've seen so far.
I run to the railings and stop before I slip my ass off the Tower. I get my camera out and tap it on. The lens zooms. I steady my feet for a great panoramic photo.
I turn around, capturing the rolling hills, the glowing pyramids on the mountains, the translucent dome of Arius, our sister planet, arching over the beautiful jungle like one giant cookie in the sky, outlined with a nice silver edge like on a crescent moon. The tip of the planet is a belly button of clouds swirled together, moving so patiently as I stare. I turn the camera towards the extremely tall trees on the far end that make the sky and clouds on that section turn green.
I switch to video for a more personal take. I move to the far left corner and record as I walk along the length of the railings.
"Hey, Blake! Welcome to Pandor. This is Doris. My home city."
As I walk I tell him about the Elder's pyramids, the jungle and how the trees grow so high in the distance. When I approach the end there's a bright glowing dome hunched in between the jungle, close to the beach.
"... and that little dome is
way bigger than it looks. It's where I have my Amnesia Trials. Inside of it is a replica of Doris. Half of it is built underground. Amnesia Trials aren't my favorite trainings but what can a Lebra say? I'm forced to fight under conditions of not knowing who I am.
"My trainer, Rhiannon, says I have to do it so the enemy doesn't get me on their radars that sense my thought waves... or something like that. Which I think is stupid because I'm already fighting them.
"Anyway, love, that's the end of our little tour. Hope you like Pandor. But I hope you don't come here. It sucks ass. Believe me. Love you, Blake. I love you so much!"
I press again to end the recording. I sigh and let my arms drop on the railings.
That was amazing!
My gasp of awe is interrupted when I hear the door sliding open. In a jolt the camera is back in my pocket. The footsteps come and my intuition already knows who it is.
"Cinder." I don't even have to turn my gaze away from the stars that have just started to appear in the sky.
"What are you doing away from home?"
"Enjoying the view. What are you doing here?"
"Looking for you. And whatever lies in your pocket. I ask you again. What are you doing here?"
I turn around. I guess I wasn't quick enough.
"I'm not doing anything wrong."
"You're supposed to have dinner in five minutes and this is where you are. We've been looking for you. You have any idea how much trouble you just caused for yourself?"
I raise my hands and it's like wind rushing up my arms. Two orbs form around my hands. "I think I can take it."
Cinder raises his hand and the veins in his face pop along his forehead as he fights to produce an orb. It comes out small and flickering.
"You know that I orb way better than you."
As soon as the words are out of my mouth I realize what Cinder is doing. My orbs shrink as his enlarges. Bit by bit. I close my hands to end the game. Our orbs disappear. "Smart move."