by Martha Carr
Maggie got excited, jabbing at the page with her finger. "Do you see this? The book advanced with me. This wasn't exactly what was on the page before. It was more rudimentary and basic, but the more I learn, the more complex the instructions become." She was breathing harder, and Dexter felt her energy, standing up next to her, letting out a loud squeak and a bark.
"It's saying the pieces of the compass have the ability to give out information based on the current quest. Current quest? There's more than one?"
Bernie shook his head in amazement. "You have crept past my base of knowledge, sister. It's a good time to be a thousand year old gnome, I'll tell you that. All of this information was lost to us in the Alexandria fire. I thought it was gone forever." He looked at Maggie, lost in the possibilities, but only for a moment. "Wait a minute," he said, shaking his head. "How the hell did you get the compass? Did you at least take the big guy?"
"I couldn't find Wilmark. Where is he, by the way?"
Bernie pushed his arms straight against the edge of the table, lifting off the seat, his eyes wide. "You went alone!" A short string of bubbles popped out of his open mouth with small fireflies. The bubbles popped, setting the fireflies loose in the restaurant. A small boy pointed to the blinking lights, nudging his father.
Maggie shook her head, pursing her lips. "Of course not, I took Diana with me."
Bernie slapped his forehead with the palm of his hand. "Well, that makes all the difference. If she got close enough to wrap her tiny little fingers around just the right bone, maybe she could give them a nice limp!" He pointed his finger in the air. "I don't know, it's like you wanted to increase the number of casualties."
Maggie arched an eyebrow at him. "Careful... I'm sitting here calmly with the compass, aren't I? Never underestimate a Parker woman. It's a good way to find yourself on the losing side. Sit, already."
Bernie sat back on his seat, still breathing hard. "I'm supposed to protect the Elemental. Why does no one get that? I can't help if a twister takes off in the middle of a sunny day over Iowa, or a rattlesnake outbreak occurs in the hill country." His mouth worked for a moment with no words coming out, till they did like a geyser. "Nothing matters if the Elemental is lost!" He threw his hands out to the side.
Maggie sat back and studied him, even as the compass continued to click away. She slowly closed the book and put it back in her purse, picking up the compass and slipping it into her pocket.
"What are you doing? We need to figure out what to do next. Get the book back out. Show me the compass!" He was almost shouting.
"You were there," said Maggie, quietly watching him. "You've known all along because you were there."
"What, what..." sputtered Bernie. He shifted in his seat. "I was what where?"
"If we're going to remain friends, you can't lie to me. Ever." She let out a sigh. "Mom told me the truth, finally. I know about the battle and my father."
Bernie scrunched up his chin, scratching the growth on his face. "I suppose I knew that was inevitable, but I had hoped you could be spared a bit longer. I wasn't there, exactly. Hold on, what I mean is, I didn't see the end. I was busy fighting off a few nasty Kashgar, the tall bastards!" He punched his fist into his palm. "But when he was..." Bernie hesitated, looking at Maggie, but her determined stare made him keep going. "When he was mortally wounded, I felt it. Everyone did. A ripple of energy went across the field." He shook his head. "We should have guessed that at least an elemental was dying but at that same moment, the Peabrain was killed. I suppose we didn't know and everyone scattered. It was a dark time." Bernie put his hands together like a steeple in front of his mouth, lost in the past.
"Ready to order?" The waitress appeared at the side of their table, her notebook raised and pen in hand.
"We need a few more..." started Maggie, but Bernie waved his arm.
"Don't be hasty. I'll take the bacon wrapped meatloaf and a side of those crispy Brussel sprouts."
Maggie pushed her menu to the side. "I'm not that hungry," she muttered.
Bernie let out a tsk, waving his hands. "Now come on, that's not true." He looked up at the waitress. "She'll take the chicken and pancakes and bring extra syrup for the table." The waitress gave a long look at Maggie but she didn't look up at her and the woman eventually nodded and walked away.
Bernie reached across the table to grab Maggie's hand but she pulled it back. "Okay, I get it. It's a lot of information that reorders everything else you know."
"You don't get it."
"Don't be so sure. Remember kid, I'm not from this ship either. I have family out there in the universe. Family I actually remember from my childhood! A long time ago I had to let that go in order to be happy here."
Maggie sat there quietly, watching the gnome as he fretted.
"Enough centuries go by stuck in this orbit and a new reality sets in. This is it, over, done, kaput. This ship is now my only garden. Make peace with it, Bernie, or you are going to be one miserable cuss for a few more millennia." He let out a tired sigh, smoothing the front of his sweater over his old overalls. "I mean, I had a mother and a father and a few hundred cousins..." His words trailed off.
Maggie slowly put her hand back on the table and reached out to Bernie, taking his rough, calloused hand. "I'm sorry," she said, softly. "You're right, you do know about loss."
Bernie pulled out a yellowed handkerchief from his pocket and wiped his face, still holding Maggie's hand. "Thanks for calling us friends." He looked out the window at the night sky and the stars. "Sometimes you have to make your own family and choose to be happy with what is right in front of you."
Maggie nodded her head and squeezed his hand. "I do like chicken and pancakes."
A smile spread across Bernie's face. "Right? Who doesn't like it? I knew you would!"
Maggie gave him a crooked smile. "Tell me about your family. What were they like? Do they all talk as much as you?"
"More! I was the quiet one. There was always the sound of family talking over each other. Sometimes I'd take off for the highlands just to get a little peace and quiet."
Maggie sat back, rubbing Dexter's back and listened as Bernie went on and on about his life back on his home planet. It was as if he had been waiting a long time for someone to ask him that very question. Dinner came and she still remained relatively quiet, nodding her head when necessary or adding an, "uh huh", as Bernie would continue on his way, describing yet another exciting adventure in the tunnels off the peninsula of Reardon or a family reunion that went on for days. Her heart broke for him into small pieces and came back together, realizing how far and long he had been away from what he called home.
Chapter Twenty-One
Maggie and Bernie stood outside in the parking lot of Pinballz, looking at the dark neon sign and the closed door. Dexter was sniffing in the grass nearby. "Tell me again what we're doing here," said Maggie.
"Phase two of teaching you magic, but without taking on any more pets. You need a distraction so you're not thinking so much about how to do it."
"I'm telling you, I think I've got this. You should have seen me in that warehouse. I was rockin and rollin."
Bernie nodded, walking toward the front door. "Okay, I hear you. You put the bow-back-slappyass on them. I'm glad you had such a big confidence builder, but that was one time."
Maggie followed him, her head on a swivel looking for anyone passing by who might notice them at such a late hour lurking outside a closed business. "It was not a fluke."
"No, it was definitely not a fluke. Your powers are here to stay. Nothing can put that genie back in the bottle. But you don't exactly have control over it either." He let out a sudden belch and patted his belly with his fist, blowing out a hot breath. "Shouldn't have finished the chicken for you. That might have been a little over the line."
"I think it was the two to-go dinners you took with you and then ate one in my car. You ordered a burrito and told her to hold everything but the meat. Do you ever eat a salad?"
"Not on purpose. Aw geez, I have the meat sweats," he said, wiping his face on his sleeve. He cleared his throat and smacked his lips. "Can't tell if I'm tasting chicken or ribs." He shrugged, "guess it doesn't matter. Oh wait, ribs."
Maggie winced, shutting her eyes for a moment. "Let's get back to why we're here, in particular. This is a laser tag place."
"Exactly, it's perfect, right?" Bernie patted his belly, smiling. "Now, let me think. Okay, step one." He crossed his arms over his chest and blinked, nodding hard. Nothing happened. Maggie smirked at him and waited patiently.
"What, not even a laugh? Come on, that kills it down under with the mechanics. They love any show with magic and she lives in a bottle. Good stuff."
"I keep trying to picture what life is like for you guys, but I got nothin."
"It's amazing..."
Maggie narrowed her gaze at him, taking in a deep breath and holding out her hands as a cool thread of energy passed through her head.
"Okay, okay. No need to get all glowy on me." Bernie smoothed down the front of his sweater, bending a few of the attached flowers. "Although that was a nice display of pulling up the energy. Pretty slick. Don't want to know what intention you were setting," he grumbled.
"I was leaving it up to the Earth. I figured she'd know what to do."
Bernie let out a hoot of laughter, even getting Maggie to smile. "That is playing dirty, Maggie Parker. Hoooooo boy! Can you imagine?" He opened his mouth in the shape of a perfect 'o' and bubbles streamed out, bouncing into each other as they floated toward the door, seeping in through the cracks. The handle on the door made a loud click as the scent of strawberries filled the air. "Okay, we're good, come on."
"What about the alarm system?" Maggie looked around at the empty parking lot. "I don't want to be looking at any of my colleagues explaining why I needed to be inside of Pinballz after hours."
"Come on, I'm telling you it's taken care of. Not my first use of public spaces after hours." Bernie waved to her as he headed for the door.
"I really need to explain to you the definition of public spaces."
Bernie cautiously tried the front door, breaking into a grin as it easily opened. "I knew it!"
"You didn't look like you knew it," said Maggie, as she went past him, into the dark lobby, Dexter at her feet. "Wow," said Maggie, shining her small flashlight at all of the arcade games.
"Your mother never took you and Diana here?"
"This place isn't that old. What is pinball going to teach me? You about to blindfold me?"
"Nice Who reference. I knew you had it in you, kid. Nah, this is just the appetizer. We're here for the entrees. Right this way."
Maggie followed behind him, still looking back, her senses on high alert. Lately, nothing had gone as planned and she wanted to see it coming this time. She followed him down a hallway and through the men's room door. "What's happening here?"
"You have trust issues. We're headed to what's on the other side. This is where you can change, but you don't need equipment." He tapped the side of his nose. "I'm always thinking."
They went through the door on the other side and Maggie could instantly hear the echo of their footsteps off a cavernous room with a high ceiling. She shone her flashlight, bouncing off of segmented areas in the darkness. "This place is bigger than my house." She went in further, peering into the darkness, shining her flashlight in every direction. "What are those things?"
"Those are obstacles that normally light up in different colors." Bernie put out his arms wide. "Welcome to a giant laser tag arena! Now before you say anything..."
"No, I get it. This is a good idea." Maggie nodded her head, looking around. Dexter let out a squeak and a bark and took off to explore, diving into small openings, delighted he finally fit.
Bernie gasped in delight at Maggie's enthusiasm and clapped his hands together, patting his sweater and sending up the smell of overturned dirt. "The way I see this happening, you see if you can light up the different areas, and turn them on and off at will. Once we see you can do that, we'll go to phase two."
"Then I get to shoot you? Hang on." Maggie felt the energy already pulsing through her and her eyes were back lit in the darkness. She was taking in deep breaths easily and her adrenaline was pumping. She set an intention, smiling as her fingertips lit up just ahead of each of the sections. Blink. Yellow. Blink. Red. Blink. The green lit up, then turned off, just as the blue came back on and the red right behind it.
"Okay, very amusing. I can see it. You got a little rhythm going here. What is that, hip hop?"
"Theme from Love Boat. Okay, so maybe I do get your nostalgia, Captain Stubing."
Bernie shook his head. "If I didn't know better, I'd swear you were a Huldu."
Maggie ran behind one of the barriers, turning off the red lights around her and lighting up the yellow. "High praise!" she shouted, as she opened her mouth, shooting off a series of bubbles that zipped off, pelting Bernie.
Bernie put up his arms, shielding himself as he ran for cover. "I'm the instructor here, this was my idea! No one said anything about start."
Maggie slipped behind another row of tall cylindrical barricades and answered him by sending out another volley. "I don't think Simon is going to send an invite when he decides to ambush us. Get with the program, gnome!" She felt the magic leaning into her thoughts as she let loose another round that curved around the barricade and sought out Bernie, pinging him in the head.
Bernie brushed them aside but stood up straight, his eyes wide in the darkness. "You are a fast learner! That was amazing. Your bubbles took the turn and sought me out." He ducked just as another volley raced by him. "Aha!" But they just as neatly turned back and rained down on him. "I saw this going a little differently where I was winning at least for the first half."
He looked up in time to see one large bubble float on top of him, pushing him flat on the floor. Maggie came and stood over him, smiling at him through the translucent bubble that was flattening out his nose. Dexter ran out of the darkness and leapt on top, the bubble holding his weight and fluctuating, sending Dexter a little higher, then lower. He jumped off, barking and squeaking and ran to stand next to Maggie. "Good mouse dog," she said, reaching down to pat his head.
"I appreciate that you somehow are making it possible for me to breathe through this." His voice was muffled through the bubble. Maggie put out her finger and popped it, splashing Bernie with the remains and leaving him covered in slime.
He scowled at her, wiping his face as best he could, but just as quickly his expression changed and he pointed, slime still dripping off his face. "Look!" he said in awe.
Maggie looked down in the direction where Bernie was pointing and saw that the compass had gotten free of her pocket and was hovering in mid-air, the tiny wings whirring away. The face of the dial was lit up and was churning faster. A second arm was no longer resetting itself and had become fixed in a particular direction.
Maggie put out her hand and knew the compass would land there. The connection was getting stronger. The compass came to rest and she held it closer, looking at the dial as the face continued to break into segments and flip over, showing new information. But one very small segment lay still. "It's found an Elemental," she whispered, staring at the compass. "I still don't get how to find them or who they are."
Bernie got up slipping and sliding and cursing. "Bonus novus est," he grumbled, as a wind whipped around him and the slime disappeared. He looked carefully at the compass in Maggie's hand and looked up at her. "Of course, now it makes sense. Don't you get it? Everything is connected. It's as if the ship knew that we would need to relearn that lesson over and over again. It set up the system so that one piece requires another in order to fully work." Bernie shook his head, but Maggie was already starting to get it.
She laid it down carefully on the floor. But the compass didn't stay where it was put and the wings began to whir again, as it flew up to hover in front of Maggie. Dexter jumped up, trying to c
atch it, barking and squeaking.
"I think it's waiting for me to do my part." She opened her purse, pulling out the small sextant as the compass slowly spun in a clockwise twirl in front of her. The knight's ring slipped out with the others and she held it in her hand as she pulled out the telescope.
"I knew you'd have those with you. Is there a change of clothes in that bag? You carry everything around with you." The words whistled through his front teeth.
"Not much time with women down under, is there?"
"Sadly, no, but I'm known as the Ambassador of Dance topside, so there's that."
Maggie glanced over at Bernie. "You do that to me all the time. There's so much I want to know. I'm asking you about that later."
"I don't know why you're surprised. You've seen my moves in battle. Light on my feet. Hand me the sextant and you take the telescope. Hey, what's that?"
Maggie held out her hand and showed Bernie the ring. "Wilmark gave it to me. It's in case I need him, like a bat signal."
"Not you too. Never mind. I've seen those before. You can call any and all Godwin Knights with that. It's more of a general alarm. Don't use it unless you really need a pile of them." He rolled his eyes. "They come swashbuckling in and take over. Come on, hand over the sextant. Gimme." He held out his hand, waggling his fingers.
Maggie gave Bernie the sextant, and he held it up toward the ceiling but nothing happened. "Yeah, this is definitely an outdoors operation. Come on, you've proven you've got the basics down to protect yourself." They headed back out the way they had come, passing through the men's room. Maggie watched as the compass followed, floating just a foot away from her the entire time.
"I don't think I could lose it this time if I tried. Thanks for bringing me here. This was fun and without the threat of death or scrambling something's DNA."
"Would have loved to have gotten off a few bubbles at you, though. I've got a neat trick with some multi-colored gems that stain your hands and yell at you. Very startling. Throws most people off their game."