The Secret - Book One of the Marcus II Series

by Bonnie Somerville

  As they approached a fenced in area they noticed a male villager carrying a harness and bridle walking toward a group of horses. He tried to hook up one of the horses and it shied away so he went on to the next who allowed him to hook up the harness. Jaaza explained that if the horses refused to work no one forced them. In no time the horse was fastened to the buckboard and headed toward the field where a large number of villagers were gathered after their morning in the field tending and weeding crops. Jaaza motioned for Steph to follow and they both jumped on board. “This is our idea of public transportation.” Jaaza said giving her most winning smile and winked. Steph was a little surprised at the playfulness of Jaaza’s demeanor. She also noticed that Jaaza was stunning when she smiled. Her hair shone in the sunlight with strands of gold and red. She had noticed previously Jaaza was an attractive woman but seeing her in this new light, friendly and relaxed made her think that there was so much more to this young woman than she first thought.

  The wagon went up to the field where several villagers were waiting after finishing their work for the day. When the buckboard slowed in front of them they all piled in. Jaaza and Steph moved over to give them room. Jaaza squeezed in close to Steph and had to put her arm around her back to steady herself. Steph could feel the warmth of Jaaza’s thigh against hers and smell flower scented soap and something else she couldn’t quite name. Steph found she liked being close to Jaaza and that in spite of their initial uncomfortable encounter she could very easily learn to like their interactions. Eventually the wagon pulled up to the town center and stopped. The villagers hurried to dismount raucously joking and laughing on their way over to the shower and eventually to the dining shelter. Jaaza jumped down and held out her hand to steady Steph as she dismounted.

  They hopped off the wagon and went over to the cookhouse where Cook herself, an older well rounded woman came out and handed Jaaza a basket. “There is one more thing I wanted to show you this morning Stephanie, if you have time.” Jaaza said while turning and walking toward the large river. Steph caught up easily and they made their way to the river bank where Jaaza spread out a blanket and laid out the food from the basket. There was a container of fruit juice, fresh crusty bread and cheese, along with several varieties of fruit. Some fruit Steph recognized while others were completely alien. They sat cross legged on the blanket facing the river. Jaaza told Steph that the river was teeming with fish. Fish were one of the few animal sources of protein the villagers occasionally consumed but they were careful not to take more than the population could easily manage.

  With their meal complete Jaaza lay back and relaxed a while to let the food settle. Steph decided that this was as good a time as any to rest and chat with her tour guide. She found out that in spite of her age, which she estimated to be in her late twenties Jaaza was not in a relationship nor did she seem particularly interested in the notion.

  The town consisted of a center square that Steph had seen the previous evening at the celebration. The main road snaked along the course of the river. Moving away from the river was another road that held public buildings, Cookhouse, Clinic and General type store. According to Jaaza they used no currency and people just took what they needed, most times using the barter system. If you made furniture, pottery, woven rugs or blankets, whatever the commodity, you and your family received store credit. No records were ever kept, no balance sheets used. The “store” if you could call it that was more of a place for people to pick up what they needed, congregate and gossip, joke and laugh and make plans.

  The store was a place to display objects in a central location. There were metal pots, pans, coffee pots and plates on shelves on one wall. There were rugs and blankets, articles of clothing and jewellery. In a corner were farm implements and tools. There was also a place to display artwork, wood carvings, paintings and sculptures. On another wall there were hand painted clay tiles, metal hinges and wall hangings. The last area was dedicated to personal products such as hair and tooth brushes, homemade toothpaste, soaps, salves and ointments. In the back room was a storage space for large items, mostly it was used by Cook as overflow storage for the kitchen with flour, root vegetables and spices.

  Outside were storage bins with fresh fruit. People would just come by and take what they needed. From there you could see administration offices where Queen Catherine and her staff could be found if any of the villagers needed her. She was a very accessible kind of leader and gave much of her time working and helping people. Anyone and everyone were allowed to see and talk to her about anything with the exception of her home, when she was there no one bothered her… she was off duty.

  Multi-generational homes followed the path of the river, it seemed like practically everyone wanted a view of the river named after the communities founder Moira Murray. The Murray River was spectacular, each home faced it and each home had a large wide verandah where people would sit and chat with neighbors after dinner. The majority of the homes were made from Cob: a thick mixture of clay and straw formed into large bricks or loaves. That type of house allowed buildings to be built without the disastrous effects of deforestation. The only drawback was Cob did not lend itself well to second stories although some houses did have lofts. Each cottage was unique and quaint with rounded rooms, each of which was cozy, organic and seemed to fit seamlessly into the natural environment.

  Jaaza’s next stop was her favorite of all, Artisans Row. Steph saw all the things one would expect in arts and crafts. The potters who made the necessary wares for the community also were extremely adept at making figurines of all kinds, humanoid, animals and even mythical creatures. The Black Smith and metal workers kept the machinery working but when they had free time they made ornate gates and wall hangings. The glass blowers made the most exquisite and naturally tinted glass for windowpanes and decoration. Woodworkers made furniture, each piece unique and carved with intricate designs.

  They stopped at the carved figure of a naked woman outside the carpenters’ workshop. It was an exquisite homunculus almost three feet tall. It was a perfectly formed miniature human being with a rich smooth surface which almost invited one to reach out and touch. Steph reached out but at the last moment stopped herself, not sure if touching it would cause the Artisan to take offense. A soft deep voice came from inside the studio. “You may touch her if you wish.” He said. Through the door came a tall mountainous man with a broad smile. Steph reached out and caressed the figure. The wood was warm and incredibly smooth. Jaaza laid her hand on top of hers and caressed the figure along with her.

  Steph smiled at the sensuality she was sharing with Jaaza. The more she spent time with her the more she wanted to spend much more time with her. “Steph, this is our most talented wood carver Joshua.” Jaaza said. The carver was a hulk of a man, well over six feet tall with broad muscular shoulders. His hands looked strong but could obviously carve objects with the most intricate and delicate details. “During the day he makes beautiful unique furniture but in his spare time he creates magic.” Jaaza remarked. “This is the best work I’ve seen in many years. How much do you want for it?” Steph said before she remembered money had no value to these people.

  Joshua stepped up to look more closely at the stranger. “She is not for sale.” He took one more look at her and shook his head before returning back inside his studio. Steph felt foolish that she had made such a foolish mistake trying to offer money to someone who had no concept of it. “Don’t take it personally.” Jaaza said bumping shoulders with Steph and putting her arm through the crook of her elbow and pulled her along. The rest of the tour went well. The sun was high in the sky and the heat was becoming almost unbearable. Jaaza returned Steph to her house. “I’m sorry, I have a few things to do and then find a cool place to wait out the rest of the sweltering afternoon.” She winked and added. “You might want to do the same. Dinner will be served at the cook house maybe I’ll see you there. Oh don’t forget to drink lots of fluids and tell you team as well.” With that Jaaza gave a little w
ave and disappeared around the corner of another building.

  Steph spent the rest of the day helping set up the equipment and workstations to start to test the samples they had already collected. When she returned to the site they would use for their labs the tents had already been erected. The tables, chairs and workstations were assembled and ready to go. They had asked and been given permission to continue to use the house for their living quarters to allow for more space in the tents and containers for their equipment and activities.

  “Hello my friend, how are things coming along?” Steph asked Sara. Sara was a scientist but as was the case with most of the scientific team she had expertise in more than one field. She could analyze objects using the Scanning Electron Microscope but her specialty was data analysis. She was the one who took all the seemingly random bits of information from all the different departments and made sense of them. She was often the one who, using her intelligence, experience and just a touch of intuition would come up with a plan to help resolve whatever problem they found.

  “Good! The survey reports didn’t do this place justice. It’s damn near a Garden of Eden. I wonder why someone hasn’t come along and stripped this place clean by now?” Sara said barely looking up from her station. “I’ve seen the same reports you have plus a few that aren’t common knowledge. There has practically been a Do Not Disturb sign on this planet for well over a hundred years. Just the kind of place I’d like to hang out on for a while.” Steph said dreamily. Sara looked at her knowingly. “I know you haven’t had a great time of it these past few years. I agree you need to be here to clear your head and lick your wounds. Forget about her once and for all.” Sara suggested. Steph squinted at her and then turned to return to the work of unpacking.

  Jaaza arrived at dinnertime to escort them to the cookhouse and adjoining picnic area where everyone gathered for meals. When she entered the tent she was amazed with the progress the group had made at getting their gear assembled. Most of the equipment she recognized but there were a few gadgets she didn’t recognize. They might have been living on this isolated primitive world for generations but that didn’t mean they were Neanderthals. The original settlers were scientists for the most part. They needed to make this enterprise a success. They did their research before arriving and came equipped for any contingency but that only went so far. They would have had to adapt to any and all previously unforeseen situations. To do that they brought as many pieces of the state of the art equipment they could taking into consideration they would need equipment that would continue to work long after the transport ship left.

  Before being escorted to dinner Steph promised Jaaza she would show her all the equipment. Steph knew Jaaza’s background and personal knowledge of the planet was extensive and as any good leader she intended to recruit Jaaza’s help whenever possible. Her knowledge of the planet was second to none and just as importantly to Steph she was more than pleasant company and gorgeous to boot. Now where the hell did that come from?

  On the short walk to the cookhouse Jaaza explained that Catherine wanted Steph to join them for dinner, Steph graciously agreed. She had some things she wished to discuss with the “Queen”. The dining hut was covered with a grass roof and inside had rows of tables and benches. Jaaza and Steph took their places at Catherine’s table where two plates of roasted vegetables and drinks were placed in front of them. Everyone at the table joined hands to give silent thanks for their food. “It never hurts to be grateful for the abundance we’re given here.” Jaaza said and they commenced eating. Steph was hungrier than she realized, the food was delicious. “I notice that much of what you eat is indigenous. Is there a reason for that or a preference?” Steph inquired.

  Jaaza received a slight nod from her mother so she replied. “When the climate changes started we found that varieties of vegetables brought from Terra were not adequate for sustaining our people especially at certain times of the year. We’ve had to depend more and more on what grows around us. Luckily we’d been here long enough to have become very familiar with the local vegetation. Unfortunately, or fortunately depending on how you look at it more and more of our meals are local.” Jaaza explained. “My daughter thinks that there’s something about the genetically modified vegetables that has given it a distinct disadvantage and makes it more susceptible to the changes.” Catherine added.

  Steph nodded as she chewed. “That brings me to my next question. I was hoping that Jaaza would be available to work alongside my team. Her knowledge might help us find your answers more quickly. Rather than blindly fumbling about I’d like to review her research and see where that takes us. Perhaps we could follow up her research using our newer equipment. Looking into her hunches with new eyes could give some insight.” Steph suggested. Catherine looked at Jaaza who smiled and nodded enthusiastically at her mother. “That would be fine, I’m sure my daughter would love to have the opportunity.” Queen Catherine added. Steph turned to Jaaza and said “We’ll start first thing in the morning please bring your notes.” Jaaza nodded. Steph turned back to her meal very much looking forward to tomorrow morning. Catherine recognized the look on Steph’s face. She was interested in Jaaza, and not just for her mind. ~

  Chapter Three

  Jaaza woke up just as the sun was breaching the horizon. She was the youngest of five children and was far from the assumed lineage expectations. Every person born on Marcus II had the potential to become the next Queen but the Murrays were the only ones who were formally trained from childhood. Her older sisters were expected to follow in their mothers’ footsteps and become good administrators and one day possibly to take over as “Queen”. They were taught at a very young age how to be diplomatic and friendly and to hold their opinions internally until they had a chance to discuss it with their Mother or Elders Counsel. Jaaza on the other hand didn’t know how to hold her tongue even from an early age. When she saw what she perceived to be injustice she spoke up and said whatever came to her mind. She was honest to a fault and no amount of training or discussions with her Mother had been able to break her of that annoying character flaw. She knew it was a bone of contention amongst her siblings so she stayed clear of them and instead turned her attention to learning everything the Elders had to teach her about the old ways. From them she learned to appreciate the old ways and the tried and true methods of doing things. They taught her that The People must become and continue to think of themselves as part of the natural environment. They taught her that the community was like the human body, each part needed to function optimally and no one part was any more important than the rest. Each person depended on and was responsible to the others in their community and this fact was always at its root. The same philosophy could be adopted concerning The People and their beloved Home world.

  Jaaza rolled over and stretched, she could see her sister Viva’s silhouette in her bed across the room. Viva was Jaaza’s closest and favorite sibling; both had been allowed to live in the dorm style house many of the younger adults shared. Viva stirred. “You were snoring like a bear in the woods.” Jaaza said playfully. She stood up and stretched some more. “At least I don’t talk in my sleep like some people.” Viva teased. “I do NOT talk in my sleep!” Jaaza said gathering her notes. “I hate to be the one to break it to you little sister but you do.” Viva said yawning. Jaaza looked at her sister and chuckled. She continued to get dressed in her hand woven shorts and a T-shirt, slipped on sandals and strode out into the living room. “I guess you don’t want to know what you were saying in your sleep?” Viva hollered from the bedroom. Jaaza shook her head thinking Viva was continuing her good natured teasing. From the other room she heard her sister say in a breathless voice. “Oh Stephanie you smell so nice.” Viva crooned. Jaaza’s face suddenly looked very serious. Now standing in the doorway Viva’s smile faded too knowing she had taken the joke one step too far. She knew that her sister was very sensitive about her personal life and feelings. “I didn’t say that… did I?” Jaaza asked. Viva was tempted to
continue joking but instead said “Don’t worry I was just teasing you, you spent the whole day with a beautiful strange Doctor lady. Even you must have noticed how sexy she is.” Viva confided. Jaaza smiled and said. “She is cute… and smart… and I’m looking forward to spending more time with her.”

  “It sure was nice of Mother to arrange that date for you and the good Doctor.” Viva said as she pulled on her trousers. “It’s not a date! We’re going to be working together and in case you’ve forgotten this project is important to the entire community!” Jaaza said in an exasperated tone. “Mmhmm” Viva said putting on a clean white blouse. “It’s very exciting, new people and new equipment. You know I’ve been working on this project for years. It’ll be nice to see if Steph has any new insights, maybe she has seen or heard of similar circumstances on other colony planets.” Jaaza realized she was babbling. “Oh sister you got it bad.” Viva teased. “Shut up!” Jaaza knew that protesting would just fuel her sister. “I’ll see you later.” With that she gathered her notes and went to wake Steph.

  When Jaaza reached the researchers house she knocked gently but there was no answer. She opened the door and entered. The room was dimly lit and no one was in sight. She walked to the bedroom doorway and peeked in. Steph was still in bed obviously sleeping in the nude. The blanket covered most of her from the waist down but the top half of the blanket had slipped down revealing lightly tanned shoulders, one breast peeking out as if to greet her good morning. Jaaza couldn’t help but stare. She could see a light sheen of perspiration across Steph’s upper chest. The room was heating up as the sun rose higher in the sky. She smiled to herself. “Now that would make a wonderful sculpture.” Jaaza thought. Steph stirred and Jaaza was suddenly aware how this might look. She backed out of the room quietly and opened the front door. Without actually going back out she knocked harder this time holding the door as if she had just stepped in.