by I. Christie
JG felt tingling shivers run up and down her arms when both feet were on the steps of the porch. A strong gust of wind pushed her forward out of the weather, and further onto the porch. Behind her, waves of rain washed across the open garden, flattening any fragile plant that might be standing, and drumming on the porch roof. It created a din so any nearby noises were masked. However, she could hear the clanking of wooden wind chimes further down the darkened porch. She shook her arms out, trying to get rid of a crawling feeling.
When she was three strides from the front door it swung opened. Peering inside the dimly lit room, her breath caught, and without another thought, she entered.
"Gods," she whispered.
The room appeared to be a meeting hall without furniture. Statues bigger than life held up the ceiling, glowing from an unknown soft light source. As she walked down the hall, looking this way and that, she felt as if the statues were watching her. At the end of the hall there was a pool of water fed by a trickle from the wall. The wall spout looked like a conical seashell. She turned and studied the room lined with the formable posts. It had the feeling of a place of…
Do you recognize any of them?
"I won't ask how long ago that was…probably before my mother's time," she noted, only to flinch when her voice echoed, mixing with the ominous rumblings from the weather outside.
She inspected rooms, cupboards, and stairways. Someone visited regularly enough to keep it clean, and stocked with fresh supplies. The doors and windows were properly sealed against the weather, though not locked from entry. Only the fact that it had many rooms with private quarters, and belongings neatly stored in closets, told her it was not deserted. Various sleep areas similar to most guest quarters on military bases had four beds per quarter. The footlocker at the foot of each bed contained fresh smelling linens and pillows. Toilet and bathing facilities were next door. Whatever this place was, it was hospice to more than one species ranging from very large to very small.
Tired, she decided that until either daylight or better weather prevailed she was going nowhere. Removing her underwater clothing, she folded it into a small package and stored in her backpack. From her pack, she pulled out appropriate travel wear and laid it across the neighboring bed for quick access. For nightwear, she wore dark clothing incase she needed to make a quick escape.
Sleep came quickly.
Returning to consciousness was gradual, not like she was used to. First the sounds… muffled rumbles of thunder, rolling away and returning as if going up and down valleys; then the smell of wet foliage, mud, bruised blossoms, and rain. She liked this weather, though not to be out in it for long.
Colorful images out of her childhood played across her mind's eyes. Young residents in the dorms at the Sister's house on Prime IV on rainy days, surrounded the older warriors who told stories as they sat close to the fireplace. And then a few hours later, dressed for mock battles, they slopped through the mud and cold to see who would capture the most weapons. Those days' battles did not mean death or maiming but rather bruised egos and lost rights to desert for a day.
Suddenly JG sat up, remembering where she was.
Looking around quickly she noted it was still dark. However, the walls around her were discernable and the longer she stared, the more she could see the features of the doorway.
"I fell asleep as soon as my head hit the pad," she objected in mock indignation.
Stepping out of the shower she toweled dried her hair then paused to listen to the wind blowing hard against the building.
JG headed for the section with the kitchen, carrying her food preparations with her. Though the kitchen cabinets were stocked with food she did not want to take anything unless she was offered. JG rubbed her arms between bites. The energy in this area was especially strong.
Finished with her meal, she returned to her cot. Repacking was done quickly, and efficiently, learned from years of traveling. Restlessly, she moved back through the building and squatted near the open doorway. Using her new abilities, she reached out to sense the building's surroundings. Peacefulness settled in her. JG wondered if that was from the power that was still emanating from what she was now calling a monastery.
Images of the land in her mind's eye moved rapidly forward and then in a circular pattern around the grounds, just as if she was physically making a security sweep of the parameter. She spotted creatures huddled under protection from the weather. Pausing near a boulder, she studied a large wild cat that was calmly reclining. It reminded her of a leopard. It stared directly at her, as if it could see her. This was the closest she had ever
been to a live one. Not only were they carnivorous but tended to be territorial. It's mouth opened in a big yawn, revealing sharp teeth, and then she felt herself quickly returning to her body unharmed. Rising to her feet, she stretched her legs out and moved to another doorway.
On her first recon through the building she had found a dojo, a workout arena.
The door opened as she approached it and lights blinked on. It was long and wide with the usual fighting staffs and swords neatly stored along one wall. It was the glassed cabinets that had her attention. There were dozens of wrist bands laden with stones on each shelf. JG could not figure out how to open the cabinet to look at one closer.
An image of how to use one came to her as she rested her fingertips on a door.
Not something JG was interested in. Glancing back at the floor, she could see workout dummies of various shapes and sizes were scattered in one area. Pads on the ground were in another area. In the center of the hall was a long cleared area, marked by a different color flooring that ended at the far wall with targets. Now with more time to study it, it occurred to her that it did not seem right to have this type of dojo in a peaceful place.
"I thought Arnica's citizens don't practice violence," she muttered puzzled.
JG walked down the room, daring to touch some of the weapons.
She found arrows stored in neat circular racks. Pulling one out she found the ends were blunt. The bows were of different models and sizes, reflecting the various species they were crafted for.
Send telepathic messages to the planet of origin to come get their citizens? They have to learn how to handle their own problems. This…" a rising panic made its way to her consciousness in the form of physical pain.
JG bent over as if something hit her in the chest. She fell to the floor and rolled on her back panting. Closing her eyes, JG concentrated on her breathing to escape from the painful grip that held her heart tight.
"What happened?" she whispered hoarsely, when she was able to speak.
JG looked along the wall again. "Oh. So maybe there's more to this room than the obvious. They work off their stress. Bloody moon," she muttered, rolling to her feet.
She began her workout, starting with the breath exercises the Sha'Kar had taught her, feeling better by the time she moved into the more vigorous kata movements. After two hours of sweating through her routines she moved to weaponry practice. She borrowed different weapons from the racks to practice skills she had not used in years.
Three hours later she broke off satisfied with her physical agility. There were definite advantages to the energy of the place. It gave her more vigor than she knew she should be experiencing. A shower and a nap were her rewards.
JG opened one eye and then the other, looking around startled. The interior of the dorm was gray as the weak afternoon light filtered in through the doorway. Small birds were chirping and other sounds from the wildlife around the building told her it was no longer raining. As she rose from the cot the room lighting came up. Looking above her, she could see the ceiling revealing a blue cloudless sky.
"Now the lights work. Nice view."
The doors that slid open when someone approached them, the room temperature that adjusted when she worked out, and the water temperature that was just right, gave her clues that Arnica was not technologically backwards, as the officers on EmperorsLast Chance assumed were.
She pulled on her footwear, and threw a cloak over her shoulders, picking up her pack on her way out. Standing in the entrance, she looked out over a well manicured yard undamaged by the rain. She followed the covered porch to a covered gate. Past the cultivated land was the edge of a forest. She closed her eyes and sought to extend her senses, as she had done this morning, just to see if it was all a dream.
The cry of a monkey type animal attracted her attention. A berry was snatched from its hand by a bigger member of its species. Effortlessly she reached up for another berry and handed it to the smaller one. The feel of it's touch was so real, she rubbed her fingers together, feeling the dust from the fruit after it was taken from her. She moved on, higher into the treetops, searching for someone.
Alexandra!
Her heart filled with love and the feeling was returned, bringing tears to her eyes as she held onto the feeling.
Suddenly the feeling changed.
"You must hurry to the Island of Albason. I will meet you there. Talk to no one!"
JG looked around her anxiously. "What…what happened?" She slapped her thigh in exasperation. "How in Helgas moon do I find Albason if I talk to no one. That makes absolutely no sense."
The Sha'Kar who had left to investigate something returned quickly.
JG peered up at the late afternoon sky. Dark clouds were moving as if pushed along by an unseen hand. Sniffing the air, she noted it was still heavy with the smell of rain, wet dirt, and fauna.
"It was Alexandra. I know that was her…at first…then it changed. Someone got between us." Impatiently she gestured at the sky. "I don't know what the weather patterns are like here. But according to one of their practices, they have respite shelters scattered along the public roads, and public campsites for travelers. I have a tent that can keep out the weather, plenty of supplies if I feel I need to stick to the campsites. I think staying away from the public until I get a feel for them is best."
JG took a deep breath, letting go of the heaviness that she had not realized was weighting her down. For a few moments, she let the peacefulness of the place resettle her.
Ahh.
Suddenly, feeling an urgent need to start her search for her lifemate, JG returned to where she left her belongings, lifted her bag and slung it over her shoulders. Over the bag she pulled her cloak. She turned to the barely discernable shape near her shoulder.
You know, I never asked you your name? It's rather embarrassing.
JG rubbed her forehead where a slight headache was occurring, probably from so much of this unfamiliar energy.
The two visitors left their shelter, taking a well-tended path into the forest. The forest path connected to a roadway. One traveler passed her a short time later, whom she nodded at, giving the hand signal that travelers used to wish the other good will. Other than that, all she saw were vehicles that moved a foot above the ground without wheels or driver. If she jogged, she would be able to keep up with one to see just what it was about, however, she had something more important to do. She could be a tourist later when Alexandra and she had more time for themselves.
Aside from the one traveler, she saw no one else. Where the main road was veering off to the right, away from the mountains, a smaller one branched off to the left.
Stepping onto the dirt path was like stepping into a coliseum during an event. Sounds, colors, scents, feelings of nearness, pushed at her and nearly overwhelmed her.
For the next few hours the Sha'Kar helped her decide what to filter out and h
ow to use what she did focus on. Those few hours were exhausting and required a break. JG
chose a particular rock to sit on taking comfort in its energy. Pulling out her canteen she sipped the cool water, letting her awareness of its properties dim. She needed to focus on priorities. It was less strenuous than being aware of all the 'noise' that was going on around her.
Finding Alexandra is the end goal. Primary goal is information on a path to takeup to the mountain. I can also gather information from the locals about the colonists and figure out just where Alexandra may be headed or is already at. The general said she wasreturning colonists to their village… but the map showing colonists' settlements andwhere Alexandra's bios was last seen are a long distance apart. What is she up to?
JG turned to see Onogla's colorless form beside her. She was seeing more of its form lately and something told her it was not due to her enhanced sensitivity.
"Onogla, if you become more solid does that mean you are no longer a Sha'Kar?"
"Something to do with vibration of the cells that make up all matter. Wait a minute. That means the more I call you Onogla the more grounded you become into a solid form. Why would you do that? How would you find your...you think your friend is a shamedian now?"
"Why did your friend take up this journey?"