Flower Readings

by Lilliana Rose

  Triena chewed her bottom lip. Where to start? “We have to leave. Can you help us?”

  “Of course.”

  The last thing Triena wanted to do was to go off with Braklen and be on the run with him. While there was a romantic tone to the idea, with the chip in her arm, and his stubbornness, their history, this wasn’t going to be fun.

  “You really don’t need to keep pointing that at me,” said Braklen. “I surrender.”

  “Yes, she does,” said Triena.

  Salene handed her a particle gun, old school style. It was better than nothing. Triena pointed the weapon at him. “Why would they have an ad out of us before the Queen died?”

  “Within minutes of the explosion, it popped up on my screen.”

  “You’re an informant?” asked Braklen to Salene.

  “No. I have all sorts coming through my hostel. It’s better that. I know who to send packing.”

  “You didn’t send me packing,” said Braklen.

  “Yeah, it’s not a fool-proof system.”

  “Someone in town must be an informant,” said Triena.

  Salene nodded.

  “Or the Queens had this planned.” Triena didn’t want to consider that possibility.

  “No. The Queens are our saviors. They wouldn’t manipulate us like this,” said Braklen.

  They could, thought the rabbit.

  “Why not? It’s too suspect Salene got news of us being the next most wanted.”

  “I refuse to believe it.” His voice didn’t have the same conviction as earlier.

  The rabbit bounced out from the barrels of beer and stopped at Triena’s feet. The bastard was going to leave me.

  Don’t you like him?

  Not so much now. But, we need him.

  We do not. Triena could see he’d changed over the years, and she wasn’t so sure she liked what she saw, but then again his body made her respond in ways she didn’t want to admit to. He looked like someone worth exploring further, someone who she wanted to get personal with.

  “Come on, I don’t need two guns pointing at me.”

  “Salene, can I have your shoes?” Triena felt herself flush from her daydream.

  “Sure thing.” Salene bend down and began untying her boots.

  “Strip.” Triena pointed the gun at Braklen.

  He stood still, his eyes wide at the request.

  “Triena have you lost your mind?” asked Salene. “I mean I would love to see him naked and all but really I think you’ve gone too far.”

  “Get it all off and hurry up.”

  “I’m sure we can get up close and personal later …”

  “You’re probably bugged. Get your clothes off.”

  “Fuck the Queens.” Braklen ripped off his shirt. Buttons flew across the room. Triena could see his tight muscular torso, and she held her breath trying to suppress the heat rising in her own body. He unbuttoned his belt and pants and they fell to the floor as both ladies gasped. Braklen flushed red and turned his back. The view of his tight arse was just as pleasing.

  “Bit of privacy, please,” said Braklen. He stood in his black jocks while the ladies stared at his strong body.

  “Strip means to take everything off.”

  “Fuck, no.”

  “If you’re bugged, then they probably can still hear us.”

  “I’m pretty sure that they haven’t bugged my undies.”

  “You spent time with an unknown woman lately, a bit on the side during your recent travel? A gift from someone?” asked Triena.

  “No …”

  “You don’t sound so certain, honey,” said Salene.

  Braklen turned around, his face red. “Well … there was …”

  “Braklen. I thought you were a man of honor,” said Triena.

  “A man accepts a gift like that.”

  “Fuck the Queens. Strip.”

  “Oh I’m going to enjoy this,” said Salene.

  “You got clothes for me?”

  “Depends,” said Salene. “Might want you like this for as long as possible. Besides sounds like you are a rather obliging man in these sort of, um, sticky situations.”

  “Close your eyes.”

  “Hurry up.” said Triena.

  Braklen’s torso expanded as he took a deep breath, put his hands around the elastic of his jocks and then in one swift movement pulled them down and stepped out of them.

  “Oh my,” said Salene. “Now that is worth looking at. Damn I don’t have my Com to take a photo.”

  “You’re meant to have your eyes closed.” He looked back over his shoulder at Salene with an angry glare.

  “Can you take care of his clothes? Destroy the bug?” asked Triena.

  “Sure.”

  “They’ll know you helped up now,” Triena lowered her voice.

  “I know, but don’t worry. I’ll think of something.”

  “Come with us.”

  “No, though it’s a tempting offer when looking at him like that.”

  “Watch him.” Triena bend down and put on the shoes. They were a little big, and her skin hurt from the warmth of the socks.

  “I don’t have transport for you,” said Salene. “You’re on your own once you leave here.”

  “We’ll be fine.” A knot in Triena’s stomach pulled tight causing her to flinch. The newly absorbed energy of Pernally’s was proving helpful to find new ways to use the Energy. If only I could learn about their plans for me. But, if that information had been in her aura, it wasn’t available to Triena. She hugged Salene. “Thank you.”

  Turning, she glanced at Braklen. “Come on,” She scooped up the rabbit and secured him in the pack Salene gave her.

  Be careful with me. And hurry. We have to get off this moon.

  “Be safe,” said Salene.

  Triena forced herself to smile.

  “See ya, honey. You can visit me anytime.” Salene winked at Braklen.

  “What about some clothes?” Braklen stood naked, shivering, cupping himself in an attempt to not fully expose himself to the women.

  “Sorry, don’t think you’ll fit into mine,” said Salene.

  “We’ll get something on the way,” said Triena. “Come on.”

  “Like hell …” began Braklen.

  “Wait,” said Salene. “I won’t be long.” She ran up the steps and out of sight.

  We should go, said the rabbit.

  “I wish I’d turned you in,” said Braklen.

  “I’m starting to see why the Priests are encouraging a rebellion,” said Triena.

  “Why?”

  Triena wasn’t sure how much to say to him, especially since it was likely that he’d been brainwashed. A few things were starting to make sense to her. The new faith with the Queens was as power-hungry as the Priests. They weren’t the saviours they claimed to be.

  “Here, quick,” puffed Salene as she came back down the stairs. She dumped a full Peacekeeping uniform on the ground.

  “That will get us caught,” said Triena.

  “Best I could do.”

  “How?”

  “Washing day.”

  Braklen began to dress.

  “Be safe,” said Salene. The women hugged again.

  Triena led the way up the stairs.

  “Where are we going?” asked Braklen.

  “Out of here.”

  Chapter 6

  Triena squeezed through a gap in the fence and walked hunched over down the dark lane, in an attempt to remain inconspicuous. “Now, where is that pod of yours?”

  “I don’t think it would be wise to take it.” Braklen followed her, his tone low.

  “We need to get off this moon. What about another ship?”

  “Let’s go to the docks.”

  “Then what?”

  “You get us to the docks and I’ll find us a ship.”

  “That’s the obvious place they’ll look for us.”

  “It’s all we got.”

  Triena knew
he was right. First things first. Get off of Oberon. She made a mental note in hope it would settle the conflicting thoughts in her mind.

  “Come on.” Braklen gripped her arm, stopping her from moving. “We have to work together now.”

  “I know. Can you manage it?” She felt a fire light in her eyes. Bit late for him to want to work with me now after risking my life.

  “Truce?”

  “For now.” It was the best she could give him. Besides if she could get rid of the chip, she’d dump him and go out alone. She reckoned she’d have a better success rate surviving without him. Maybe it will be easier now that we got rid of the tracking bug on him. She hoped they left the device bug behind. Fuck, Salene might be in serious trouble.

  Braklen sighed. “Fine then. We’ll talk later, but I expect you to be honest.”

  “We left honesty behind a long time ago.”

  She remembered the start of the flower reading. There was something she saw but couldn’t quite remember. Later, I’ll think about it later. “Come on, let’s get out of here.” First she wanted to go back and get at least some of her dried flower stocks. Triena took a few steps in the direction of her damaged home.

  You can’t go back that way, thought the rabbit.

  Triena sighed. Years of collecting dried flowers and all she wanted to go was to get her stocks. They wouldn’t take up much room.

  Too risky, thought the rabbit.

  “If only I could take them with me,” said Triena.

  “What?” asked Braklen.

  “We should go a different direction.”

  They moved in the shadows of the side streets. The streets were dusty and narrow as they made their way to the docking station, which was a few miles north of the town. Thirty thousand people lived here, but there was a transit population of about the same, all in a confined space of the town, away from the desert-like land of the moon. Most trying to hide and some seeking a new start.

  The town was built on a flat area of the moon. A region of little water, lots of dust and no matter how hard everyone tried, no trees. A few spinifex grasses grew on the outskirts of the town, but inside, it was only houses that appeared to grow up from the infertile soil.

  Some drunks celebrating a successful trade turned into the alley. Triena and Braklen ducked into an alcove and waited in the shadows for the drunks to pass.

  “Doesn’t anyone sleep here?” asked Braklen.

  “Shhh.” Triena could feel his frustration bouncing around in the energy making it hard for her to relax.

  “Why aren’t there any Peacekeepers on patrol?” asked Triena when it was safe for them to continue moving through the dark alley.

  She was surprised how many people were out in the early hours on the morning, though considering the type of trade that occurred in Oberon, this time was probably when the best deals were made.

  “Dunno.” Braklen shrugged his shoulders as he followed Triena. “Maybe they think we are secure in the cellar?”

  “I didn’t think the Peacekeepers would be that relaxed.”

  “No.”

  “This feels wrong to me.” A tight constriction extended around her chest. She expected to see a Peacekeeper around every corner. She didn’t know if the energy was playing tricks on her or if her own ability was unreliable. This made her feel uneasy and unanchored. The rabbit was strangely quiet and wasn’t offering any help either, which made things worse for Triena and she tried not to panic.

  She stopped at the next intersection, houses extended outwards in four directions. A mix-mash of materials held together with mortar, iron nails and lots of faith, formed homes. The constructions were a blend of the past and present showing a balance of survival. Even out here where at first glance there didn’t look like there was anything was worth living for.

  “Just keep moving.” He put his hand on Triena’s shoulder and waited for her to indicate which direction to go. Crouched low to the ground close to each other Triena detected sparks of agitation in Braklen’s energy as he waited. It made it harder for her to make a decision. She shivered in the cool of the night air. She wished she’d asked for Salene’s coat. At least her feet were now warm. The problem was she didn’t know what way to go. She needed to use the Energy to help her. Normally, that wouldn’t bother her, but today was strange. With Pernally’s energy, Triena wasn’t sure trying to connect would be a good idea.

  “Triena?”

  His hot breath tickled her cheek. Her aura swirled making the choice even more difficult. Triena swallowed and collected her energy towards her third eye. She had to do this. She slipped into the Energy. She felt into each of the directions in the Energy Field. Ahead made her stomach contract painfully and going back the way they had come caused her to feel dizzy. Triena reached to the right. Her skin crawled, as if hundreds of beetles were running over her.

  One direction to go, she turned her attention to the left. A sense of peace flooded around her. She knew that way was longer. Straight ahead was a more direct route but it felt wrong. She didn’t want to go the long way to the docks, but it looked like they didn’t have much choice. Triena decided to take a risk anyway. The energy wasn’t like what she’d experienced before. She stepped straight ahead in the Energy Field. Energy struck her like lightning, pushing her out of the field and back into her body.

  She rubbed her temples. “Let’s go left.” The energy had been clear not to go straight ahead. It meant they were going to take longer go through a rougher part of the town. She moved quickly, preventing Braklen from protesting and he had to run up to catch up.

  They weaved through the streets. The derelict houses looked down on them with dark windows. Triena shivered and kept moving. A few dogs barked at them, causing the rabbit to tremble violently inside the pack. She’d only come to this part of the town when she desperately needed to replenish her dried flower stocks. To see Rangit. And she only came during daylight.

  She stopped suddenly. They were a block away from the docks, but she detected something in the shadows ahead. She could just make out the shape of a person sitting in the gutter about two meters ahead.

  Braklen pulled her back down a side lane before she used her energy to see if they could continue.

  “Stop,” said Triena.

  “I know where to go now. This way.” He forced her down the street as she tried to get out of his firm grip.

  “No, it’s wrong. Something is wrong.” But, he wouldn’t listen. Triena pulled back on Braklen’s grip.

  “Stop it, we’re nearly there.” Braklen yanked on her wrists harder. Triena dug her boots into the dry dirt, but couldn’t find purchase. She kept trying. His hands slipped over hers and he lost his hold on her. She fell hard on her arse as he stumbled forward into the street. The street she’d avoided.

  “Stop.” A spotlight beamed onto Braklen.

  We really have to get him to listen to us.

  Triena felt the rabbit moving around in the pack as she tried to stand up.

  You should get more personal with him. Use your feminine charms to make him more malleable.

  Shut it. Triena turned from the street and ran. There was no way she’d hang around to see who stopped Braklen. At a guess she’d say it was a roadblock by the Peacekeepers.

  Triena only walked a few meters before she felt the chip cutting into her skin. She forced herself to take a few more steps before she doubled over in pain. It was like the chip had thorns which sliced her muscles.

  “Get him.”

  “She can’t be far.”

  “Keep them alive.”

  The voices drifted in the crisp night air. Guns fired and she could hear someone running towards her. Triena tried to take another step.

  The Queens really want you, thought the rabbit.

  Well, they had their chance long ago. Triena clenched her hands against the pain and tried to keep moving away from the racket.

  I guess the truce between you two had a limited life span.

>   Triena groaned against the pain and sunk down to her knees. She crawled along the ground refusing to give up.

  The pain of the chip eased. He’s coming. She stood up, the pain stopped her from running, but at least it wasn’t as intense. Maybe, they’d make it out of here. She had to keep trying. The more the Queens wanted her, the more she wanted to escape. The next few steps were easier.

  Then a hand covered Triena’s mouth from behind, an arm wrapped around her body preventing her from moving. Triena tried to scream, but the hand pressed hard into her mouth. A man held her in a strong embrace. He stank of crude oil.

  “Hey, get your hands off her,” yelled Braklen. There was a thud and he went silent.

  “Is he with you?” asked the man who held Triena.

  She nodded. She didn’t think she could endure the pain from the chip. “We have to stay together.” The man crushed her close to his body and Triena worried the rabbit would be suffocated.

  “Take him with us, boys.” He spoke soft but with command.

  Great, now they will ransom us off to the Queens. Triena was carried out of the street. They slipped into the shadows just as the Peacekeepers arrived.

  “Where are they?”

  “High Commander’s going to have our hides.”

  Triena struggled to keep focused against the stench of the crude oil from the man holding her. She swallowed the rising mucus. Her legs gave way a few times, but he forced her to keep walking.

  The man took her into a house, down some stairs and then they weaved through a warren of underground corridors. He was average height, with broad shoulders and thick arm muscles, and not someone Triena would ever want to fight against.

  This is it. It’s over. I’ll never see light again. Triena felt her body go cold. She wasn’t getting enough oxygen.

  It’s fine.

  Triena didn’t know how the rabbit managed to keep so calm. You’ve been seeing something in the energy all day. What is it I’m missing?

  “Look what we found.”

  Triena was pushed forward into a square concrete room. Without a hand over her mouth, she took some deep breaths to re-oxygenate her body. It was some sort of bunker, a secure location, a place where no one would hear her screams.

  “I don’t think you’ve found me much.”

  Triena recognised the voice. Rangit. Her skin prickled.