Alexa swallowed hard. “I’m doing my best, my absolute best.”
“If anyone can do it, it’s you,” replied Rachel, with more certainty than Alexa would ever feel. In the ensuing silence and still holding Alexa’s hand, Rachel looked first at Donny then Alexa, almost a child anticipating the next miracle.
Not quite knowing how to deal with it all, Alexa gave a quick smile and escaped from the bedside. It wasn’t hard to come up with an excuse to leave. Already heading for the door, she said, “I haven’t eaten breakfast. See you this afternoon?”
If she hung out nearby she could collar Donny, or put it off, since they weren’t going anywhere. But Donny surprised her when only a few minutes later he walked up to her on the temple steps and stood to receive her wrath.
Not even trying to contain her emotions, Alexa barked, “Are you out of your mind?” Hands on hips, she demanded, “What was she talking about? How did she get an idea like that?” When he just stared at the ground, she raised her hands and searched the sky for some kind of divine intervention. “You heard Callaghan. There is no way back to our time.”
Donny peeked up from under his lowered head. “I visited Rachel yesterday. And pretty quickly realized she had no idea of where we are. But I couldn’t dodge her questions.” He smoothed his hand over one of the columns, appearing to be fascinated with the grain of the stone. “When I told her about us being in the future, she went berserk.” He stopped caressing the column. “They nearly had to peel her off the ceiling. And the only thing that kept her from doing something really wrong was letting her think you were trying to fix it.” He hung his head even lower. “Maybe I am out of my mind, but I couldn’t bear to see her so upset.”
“And why exactly were you there? She doesn’t have what you stole, nor anything worth stealing.”
That sure hit home, considering Donny crossed his arms across his stomach. Shaking his head, he said, “All my fault.”
At least he realized it. Alexa sighed and turned toward the ocean, hoping for answers. She allowed herself one snort, and then declared, “I’ll start at the library. But you can guess what I’ll find.”
Hours of fruitless searching later, Alexa realized she needed to hunt for lunch. She’d completely forgotten about the breakfast that had been only halfway an excuse to flee from Rachel’s room. Lucky for her, the kitchens were still serving.
Feeling much better afterward, she was happy to come across Murdoch Callaghan, studying a palm leaf in his hand. People rushed to and fro, all over the place. She asked, “How are preparations for the conference?” It dawned how she and her friends were likely monopolizing space destined to house delegates. And none of her hosts even intimated their intrusion. “Can I help?”
“Aye, Lass, assistance would be gladly accepted,” said Callaghan. “Bridgeth knows what needs to be done.” He peered at her, and asked solicitously, “How are ye doing?” His tone was the same as when he told about her father’s search to travel back in time to her.
“Okay, considering everything,” she said. With no clue about an impossible task, one may be excused for checking everywhere. “I have a question for you, though. Do you remember anything at all from my father about identifying a method to go back in time? Even nonstarters?” Which would simplify her investigation.
He tipped his head to the side. “I am almost certain he met with a number of the religious leaders arriving.”
“So, logically, no one coming here showed him how to travel through time.”
“Not necessarily,” said Callaghan. “He may not have spoken with every group.”
“Could we identify which ones he didn’t consult?”
Callaghan considered for a moment, and said, “My assistant may be able to match your father’s messages with the attendees and identify those he did not contact.” A woman across the hall called out to him. He acknowledged her in the local language, after which she switched her attention back to the palm leaf in hand. Callaghan turned to Alexa. “Are ye thinking to pick up your father’s quest?”
She shrugged. “Even if I think it’s highly unlikely, I have to at least try. For Rachel’s son, Sammy.”
Chapter 14
By late the next morning, as faces and names blurred into a continuous stream, Alexa felt she’d acquired a passing handle on the conference attendees, considering that Callaghan had asked her to assist in greeting new arrivals. He pointed out those efforts would offer opportunity to meet the right people.
In a way, it was comforting that even a thousand years later, people remained human. One gentleman, from a religion that had developed on Varga a hundred years earlier and dressed in robes that would embarrass a peacock, groused about a lack of floating conveyances. On the other hand, the leader from a city named IbnArabi waited patiently, with wives and children nearby, while tents were added to accommodate the tribe.
As the group headed away, children skipping beside mothers, Alexa took a moment to peek at the list Callaghan’s secretary had slipped in her hand earlier. It cross-referenced the arriving groups with the ones who might have been questioned by her father. Obviously her Dad visited the group from Qumran City, because an elderly gentleman wearing a black fedora and long ringlets at the sides of his face had remarked that she looked amazingly similar to John Alden, with whom he met eight or nine years ago. “An earnest man and such an outrageous quest,” he reminisced. “John so missed his daughter. Tell him hello for me.” Alexa managed a weak smile.
It appeared from the list that her father did not meet with any Buddhists. Therefore in the process of helping the group from SriSriLanka, Alexa asked if it might be possible to talk with their leader regarding an esoteric theory. After checking back and forth with Bhikkhu Dharmapala’s secretary, who wore a length of orange cloth and leather sandals, they finally agreed a time for that afternoon.
During the negotiations Jesek had been waiting for her, grinning, and as she walked away with him he spoke low, “I have some good news for you, I think.” Relieved to be off duty for a moment, Alexa searched for a corner they could get away to. But someone called for her help, again. Jesek laughed out loud at the goodnatured face she made and offered to find her later.
She mouthed, “thank you,” before dashing away.
After lunch, Alexa allowed herself a tiny spark of excitement about the scheduled meetings: two groups the same afternoon, a third in the evening and another the next day. Maybe a way home.
One meeting ended up taking place in the tenuous privacy of a noisy crowd, which limited how much she felt comfortable sharing. The stares directed her way were not actually unkind, more utterly confused, and she managed to walk away with some dignity, though no answers. The second meeting was at the Sufi’s guesthouse and at first appeared promising because the group included a scientist. Alas, it turned out the woman distrusted much of quantum physics and wouldn’t even consider the possibility of time travel. Hardly more than nothing.
Between appointments, she alternately searched for and evaded people.
Corky dominated the avoid list. When he had arrived with the official Varga contingent, he’d tried his best to arrange for her to show him to his quarters, and only when Bridgeth intervened by assigning her a task did she escape. In the afternoon, however, Corky managed to discover where she sat and settled in next to her during a meeting. “Hello, my beautiful one,” he wooed.
A visceral repulsion nearly catapulted Alexa from her seat.
Oblivious, Corky again launched on the wonders of Varga, adding that they might leave on his lovely cruiser if she desired. Pretty quickly, he circled around to the subject of, “paying her enough to make her heart swoon for any funny little crystalline trifle she didn’t need.” She barely smiled and pointed to the speaker, implying the need for silence.
When he finally departed, required by the Varga group for something official, Alexa dropped her head back on the seat in relief.
At the top of the want-to-see list was Jesek, but the fates re
fused to cooperate. Alexa caught sight of him once in the distance and when she waved to catch his attention he began wading through the throng in her direction. However, his father next to him must have asked a favor because Jesek suddenly turned and sprinted away toward the floating baskets.
Newcastle: also someone to avoid. Or so she thought. What to do with the fact that she unconsciously switched into flirtation mode when he showed up beside her in the dinner line? A little embarrassing the way she tossed her hair and made google eyes at him.
He asked, “What do you think of our spiritual leaders? Any differences?” The man did seem to grasp her situation because he stopped before specifying differences from when.
“I’ve never been around this many religions at one time,” she said. “People have been gracious and polite, despite a few tempers this morning.” She raised her shoulders a tiny bit and dropped them. “I can’t say I’m any better.”
He laughed. “I can. I know many of these fine exponents. For example,” he turned his gaze to a lady primly picking at her food, “you would never guess she has six previous husbands, each richer than the one before. A few of them left her a widow, though everyone of them lost most of their fortune to her.” Next he moved his attention to a large man with a huge mustache and imperious demeanor. Newcastle momentarily mimicked the cleric so spot on that Alexa couldn’t repress a giggle.
She didn’t realize she’d tipped her tray until Newcastle took it from her hands. He ended up on the receiving end of hot soup down one leg.
As she moaned, “I’m sorry,” he simply set down the tray and cleaned off the soup, betraying no anger or irritation in his quiet words of reassurance.
Before they parted, the thought surfaced in her mind to agree to sell the crystal to him. At least Corky would be put off permanently. “Yes,” she said.
People flowed around them, rushing to tables or leaving the area. Newcastle seemed unsure, when he asked, “Yes?”
“The crystal.” That smile of his is a keeper.
“I want to clarify.” He bent to hear her amidst the noise, and asked, “You will allow me to deflect from you the villain of legend, by selling me the crystal?”
Alexa’s mind went blank. As people began surging past them to return to the conference, she and Newcastle received more than one look silently requesting them to please move. They shifted to the side.
She had started the process and now felt compelled to carry through. Still, the actual word “yes” wouldn’t come. She nodded mutely.
Newcastle tapped his fingers on his legs and reached for his pocket. “We can arrange everything this moment.”
“Alexa,” came her name above the crowd. When she searched, Callaghan was gesturing for her to come his way. He repeated, “Alexa, I have someone for you to meet.” She waved to indicate she’d be there directly.
Glancing at Newcastle, she knew her agitation showed. He took pity on her and acquiesced, saying, “I will find you after the meeting.”
A moment later while standing with Callaghan and talking with the representative from a religion she knew her father had already contacted, Alexa tried to ignore a doubt welling up. It’ll all be okay. Probably.
In fact, when Corky accosted her again as everyone flocked back to the meeting hall, it was easy to decide that offloading the thing would be a really good idea. Corky took hold of her arm and began guiding her away. “I understand you have a tiny crystal, quite useless to you,” he said. “I am certain you will be happy with what I can offer.”
She pulled to a stop, staying near the crowd. “Oh, were you referring to that?” In her most innocent voice, she said, “I couldn’t begin to imagine I had anything useful to you. But I am sorry, the item is promised.” After adding, “to someone who inquired before you,” she flashed a smile.
For an instant, the same meanness as on the shuttle burst from Corky. Almost a physical punch. He even raised his hand.
Before he could follow through, however, she murmured, “Very sorry,” and rushed into the middle of a group passing by. She didn’t glance back at him. Yes, it was good to hand over that headache to Newcastle.
Okay, her crystal had been important in Callaghan’s legend from Scotland. But one, that was just a story, and two, what use could the little one be without the big crystal? Settling into her seat in the midst of as many people as she could locate, Alexa allowed herself a moment of relief. Besides, she thought, with the crystal question settled, there was more time and energy available to accomplish the impossible.
She considered the remaining two possibilities. Admittedly, the group scheduled for the next day was doubtful. She’d pursued it mostly to assure herself that all potential paths had been covered. And whether the third and final meeting of today produced anything would become clear, eventually. At least, even if nothing developed, this group should be familiar.
At dusk she strolled to the group’s guesthouse close to the ocean. A middle-aged man answered the door and then guided Alexa to the back left room. In it was Swami Ramakrisna, who appeared to be one of the most elderly of all the delegates visiting Adalans. He sat on a deerskin placed over a saffron couch with a canopy of red silk above it. A brazier a few feet in front of him burned low, to ward off a slight evening chill. Without speaking, Ramakrisna gestured for her to sit on cushions near him. The assistant withdrew to outside the door.
Upon a nod from the gentleman, Alexa launched on her explanation. Ramakrisna listened intently, sometimes gesturing with his head that he understood, particularly about Rachel wanting to return to her son and Alexa to her fiancé. After some time, she relaxed. He believes me.
When she mentioned also needing to deliver an item that her meditation teacher entrusted to her, Ramakrisna inquired more about it. Realizing some feelings of trust had developed, she brought out the crystal. In her hands, it was so cool and smooth.
He cradled it for about a minute, before speaking. “In our lives, laws of nature are set, dependable, no matter where. It can happen, however, if deep silence is dominant that even gravity may be transcended. Some saints have floated. In all religions, holy men and women have discovered something beyond.” His eyes flicked her direction.
“Infinity, the state which is inside us, is source of All There Is. Indeed, it may have been by that state, or some aspect of it, you traveled here? Is it possible to return in the same manner?”
Alexa explained that anyone or anything transported through the column of light would go forward in time. “We happen to need to go backward.”
Ramakrisna nodded before speaking. “My grandfather once mentioned someone his grandfather knew, a saint. SivSatyananda, a master of masters and an adept in the secrets of sound.” The man adjusted his shawl. “Only SivSat would be able to hold the threads of infinity, and assist to transcend boundaries of time.” He smiled at Alexa. “Find SivSatyananda.”
Alexa stammered, “You think someone can truly help us?”
“Yes, yes.” Ramakrisna didn’t even seem to doubt the concept.
“Is SivSatyananda alive? From what you said, it sounds as if he would be very, very old.” The ramifications of it all began a boing-boing-boing inside her head.
“Yes, yes,” he said.
“Do you think I might be able to find him?”
Ramakrisna gazed over her head for a moment, and said, “SivSat has been known to locate the deserving.”
She couldn’t count the number of times Brahmaji also gave almost-answers like that.
The man lingered in silence, with his eyes closed. The fire in the brazier crackled and a log crumbled to dust. Right when Alexa began trying to figure out how to reclaim the crystal in order to leave, Ramakrisna spoke again. “Sound. Sacred sound. That which creates the Universe.” The swami stopped, eyes still shut.
Alexa held her breath.
“SivSat assembled many pundits,” he said, now looking at her, “and wrought great events with sound. This is part of this mystery.”
So
mething tickled in Alexa’s memory. “I remember my teacher spoke of a performance of Vedic chanting. The name of a particular chant began with something like ‘rudra?’ Useful for purifying the environment. Do you mean SivSat brought the pundits together for something similar?”
Ramakrisna inclined his head and leaned forward to hand the crystal to Alexa. “One more thing. An object has been known for more than a thousand years. A crystal lingam, from beyond. It connects all space and time and levels of existence. Enabling transformation of whomever holds it, and others. Has been protected, from those who would misuse it.”
Ramakrisna had been watching the fire. He looked in Alexa’s eyes. “A small crystal belonging to the lingam is key for locating it. The bearer of that crystal. Trusted to protect it and keep it from harm. Until the two would be allowed to reunite.” He then sat back and closed his eyes.
Transfixed, Alexa hardly found it in herself to move. She wanted, needed, considered begging for more information about both crystals. In palpable bliss, Ramakrisna didn’t appear interested in answering further questions. After a long while of quiet, she rewrapped the crystal and departed the room.
The assistant caught up with her before she exited the house. “Miss?”
“Yes?”
“Please excuse. It is my responsibility to handle matters for Ramakrisnaji.” The man paused to collect his thoughts. “The one of which he spoke? The Master?” He took a deep breath. “The last I heard of SivSatyananda, he was on Earth. He moves around. Very secret, because there are those who would try to stop him. And he disappears, without warning I understand.” The man glanced toward the room where Ramakrisna continued to sit, and whispered, “Earth. Go there as soon as possible. That is the best I can recommend. Good luck.”
As Alexa stumbled away, she glanced up at the alien stars. Can I do this?
Chapter 15
Seeking Sirius Page 8