Chapter 12
The morning brought a hard rap at the door, and a guard’s voice yelling; “make yourself decent, we’re throwing in some warm clothes.”
She scrambled to cover herself, and in a minute the bolts slid open and in was thrown a thick pair of fur-lined pants and a thick white jacket.
“What’s this for?”
“You said you would show us where the vessel was, didn’t you?” asked Richard.
“Why should I?”
“We could threaten you. We could turn the machine on to full. Or you could just realize that staying here would be interminably boring, and choose to do this for us. Your conditions would improve immensely if you helped us in this.”
She picked up the pants thrown at her, which reeked of a foul, musky odor. “Fine, I’ll do it. Can someone at least wash these clothes?”
The door was slammed shut, and Richard’s faint voice could be heard saying; “the arrogance of an Archsussa knows no bounds.”
Just as the first sun crept over the distant horizon line, Melissa set out on her first sled-ride. A pack of ten charaks pulled two sleds over an ocean of shifting white. They were smelly creatures, who panted and growled as they pulled their cargo over steep hills and down low mist-shrouded valleys. A few complained about their stench, particularly after hard exertion, but Melissa found it warm and quaint, a welcome change from the clinical nature of the ship of the scientists.
Richard led the group, and with them rode Daria, three guards and Vincent. Melissa gathered Vincent was a late addition, and only after a prolonged argument with Richard was he allowed to join them. As for Daria, Melissa learned Daria was the closest thing Richard had for a friend. She prattled on as they rode about how he was such a precocious youth, how the many technological advancements he discovered allowed them to live in relative comfort.
Daria was tall – taller than Richard. She had pale skin with a lot of acne on her face, and long, stringy brown hair that looked as if it hadn’t been washed in several weeks. Her teeth were yellow, her cheeks puffy and her eyes wide apart and Melissa knew if she lived on the levitating cities she would be one of the uglier girls around. But out there, in the cold wilderness, Melissa could appreciate her sparking personality, and thought she was prettier and prettier with each moment spent.
As she listened to Daria, she also felt a twinge of jealousy. When she lived on Imathrin, she had a crush on a neighbor’s boy who was also smart and intelligent, and suddenly she felt an extreme longing to see Asil.
“So what do you think of Richard?” asked Daria, as they waited for the charaks that pulled their sleds to be fed and rested. Melissa smiled as she understood why they were called ‘ charaks,’ as after every bite of food they would utter ‘charak, charak.’ It was unseasonably warm, allowing them to sit unprotected around a small fire to talk.
“Well, seeing as I’m his captive, I have a rather low opinion of him.”
“Ouch -- that’s kinda harsh!” cried Daria. “I mean, I heard they were a little rough with you at first, but you’re out here now, aren’t you?” She took a deep breath of air, and nodded with approval. “Free to lean back and drink in the fresh cool air.”
Melissa couldn’t help but smile. “You’re different than the others.”
“Yeah, well, they all take themselves a little too seriously. I mean, life can’t always be about studying and crap like that.” She pointed to Richard, who was tinkering with a small metallic device. “Just look at him -- don’t you wanna just push him up against a wall, and plant a big one right on him?”
“No!” squealed Melissa. “Besides, I don’t think he’d know what to do.”
“Exactly -- that’s why you’d do it!” cried Daria, as she pushed back the thick tan hood to reveal more of her face. She was very light-skinned, and Melissa noticed for the first time the dozens of red freckles that clustered around her mouth, nose and eyes. “He’d go all red, and you’d finally wipe that insufferably smug smile off his face.”
Melissa nodded, relaxing a little, happy to talk like she did when she still lived on Imathrin, with nothing to worry or upset her.
“You ever kiss him?” asked Melissa.
“No -- almost,” she said dreamily. “About a year ago, when we were out exploring the metal ships, we got trapped in a shaft for a few minutes. We said a few things, and just as we almost got close enough . . . bam! The door slid open, my dad hugged me and helped me out, and that was that.”
“You never did anything since?”
“No,” she said with a sigh. “And I’ve tried every trick! When my father got sick, and I was upset, I purposefully cried a little more in front of him to try to get him to hug me and spend time alone with me.”
“You didn’t?” cried Melissa with glee.
“Yeah, yeah, I know, it’s lame, but it almost worked. He hugged me, and it was one of those long hugs, when I could even feel his heartbeat.” Daria sighed. “I tried a couple of more things like that, but none of them worked. He’s too important now, too focused on all the discoveries he made. Sometimes . . .”
“What?” asked Melissa.
“Sometimes I hate science. Don’t get me wrong, I love my friends and where I live. But I can understand why so many people for so long have let you Archsussa do all the hard work. I mean, to be freed of so much work, so many worries? I’ll bet if Richard and I had grown up in a world like that, we would’ve been together a long time ago.”
“Yeah, well, after the Second Apocalypse, you two might alo be dead.”
“But wouldn’t it be glorious to die together?”
Melissa was about to respond, as Daria’s tone worried her, when Vincent came and plopped himself down next to Melissa. She suddenly stopped caring about Daria, and started brushing back her hair and sitting up a little straighter for Vincent.
“You talking ‘bout Richard again?” he asked, obviously irritated.
“No -- don’t be jealous!” squealed Daria. “What’s it to you, anyway?”
“I dunno. You sure you won’t try some glleli when we get back?”
Daria wrinkled up her nose. “You know I don’t go for that sort of stuff.”
“What’s glleli?” asked Melissa.
“You can’t have not tried it?” asked Vincent arrogantly, affecting airs. “I mean, you have schools up there in those levitating cities, don’t you?”
“Yeah.”
“And what do you do when you just want to get away, but you can’t go anywhere? When you just want to forget?”
Melissa was confused for a moment, then ventured; “we have sussa. It can give comfort, for times like that.”
Vincent sneered. “Well, we only have science. Snow and science! And there are sometimes you just want to feel warm and safe, sometimes when you don’t have a friend and you just want to feel like you belong. When we get back, and if they let you out, look me up, and I’ll let you try some.”
“She doesn’t want any of that stuff!” yelled Daria, pushing him.
“She just lost everything she knew, and is stuck with us, out here, looking at the wrong ends of a lot of guns.” Vincent laid a soft hand on Melissa’s knee. “If you ever want to feel like you’re back at home, safe, then try what I’ve got.”
“Come on, everyone!” yelled Richard. “Time to get going again -- we’ve got a long way to go.”
Vincent got to his feet, and extended a hand to Melissa. “Well, come on my Archsussa, can’t let our lord and master be kept waiting too long.”
It took a full hour to harness the charaks back into the sleds, but Melissa enjoyed the hard work. Though strong, with vicious teeth and intimidating eyes, the charaks were actually docile creatures who liked to have their lone ear massaged and scratched. Daria showed her how, and Melissa quickly got the hang of it, making one of them coo with delight. As she worked with the charak, Melissa noticed Richard’s eyes kept straying to her.
“I think he notices you,” said Daria.
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“I think he worries I’ll get free. I see how he speaks to you -- he always lowers his voice, and it’s always softer and less harsh.”
“Maybe,” shrugged Daria, as they got back into the sled. “Maybe it isn’t too late for us after all.”
“What about Vincent; what’s his deal?”
Daria shook his head. “He’s the younger brother, and lives in Richard’s shadow. I think all the attention focused on Richard has made Vincent bitter. He was never into glleli when we were younger.”
“Is he . . . is he seeing anyone?”
Daria grinned from ear to ear, and Melissa blushed. “You like him, don’t you! Well get in line -- he’s got a lot of girls hunting for him. It’s just none of them ever caught him.”
They rode on, pressing the charaks hard, crossing over dozens of dunes. More than once Daria commented on how long it was, and was amazed Melissa covered all that distance on her own in such a short span of time.
Melissa herself was amazed at how long it took, but instead of reveling in her strength, she was impressed by the dedication of Richard and his scientists. No matter how cold or tired they get, they still press on. And they do it not for more power or wealth, but simply to learn more, to understand more. I can see why they prefer to live alone, and why they would never ally themselves with Toby. Daria can’t be the only one who has dreams of the life on the Levitating Cities.
Finally they arrived at the spot Melissa knew to be the resting place of the first vessel she explored. Only a small hump of metal could be seen, as the snow had once again smothered its form. Melissa offered to move it with her sussa, but Richard smiled wryly, and said; “I think science can do it just as well.”
As Richard rifled through the supplies, Melissa couldn’t help but scan the skies for her mother’s platform. Daria came beside her.
“I heard you have your own platform. Can you see it?”
“No,” said Melissa wistfully, “and I’m kind of glad I can’t.”
“Why?”
“Because it would make it all the harder to leave it again. Richard isn’t going to let me go. He’s going to squeeze every last bit of worth out of me, then throw me in a cell and lose the key.”
Daria squeezed Melissa’s hand. “I’ll see what I can do. Sometimes I can change his mind.”
Richard came back with a bright-copper metal tool. He fiddled with some buttons on the top, and aimed it at the buried vessel.
“Witness my latest invention!”
“Oh great,” said Vincent snidely, coming beside Daria, “another wonderful invention from the glorious mind of my brother. Oh, please show us your intellectual magnificence.”
“Why’d you even come along?” demanded Richard, lowering the tool. “I mean, you have no interest in these planes -- no interest in science at all!”
“Maybe I want to be around to see you finally look the fool.”
“The fool?” demanded Richard.
“This cute Archsussa showing you something you’ve never seen. I think it’s hilarious.”
Melissa blushed, as all she heard was that Vincent thought she was cute.
“Can we get on with it?” yelled Daria. “It’s too cold and we’re too far from base for this kind of bickering.”
“Fine,” spat Richard. “Now stand back!”
A beam of cloudy yellow light fanned out from his tool, almost to the exact width of the vessel. The snow melted quickly where it touched, becoming white vapor. After a few minutes, most of the vessel was revealed, and Richard turned it off.
“That’s amazing,” said Daria, as she came to his side to examine the device. “How did you come up with something like this?”
“I knew at some point we would need to quickly excavate one of these vessels, and wouldn’t have the manpower to do it.” He walked to the side of the ship, where in large black letters was written: Arial. “At least we know the name of this ship. Let’s go inside, and see what our heathen has led us to. Guards; establish a perimeter, and radio me if anyone comes near.”
“Yes sir!”
“Come on, Daria. Let’s take a look.”
“Oh I’ll just wait out here,” yelled Vincent with scorn.
“Come on,” said Melissa, grabbing his hand. “No need to be the outcast.”
The four of them went inside the ship, and Melissa remembered it well. In her mind, she could see the hlenna spinning in the chairs, laughing uncontrollably. And she remembered sitting at the terminal with Asil at her side.
“Do you think we can turn them on?” asked Daria.
Richard pressed a few switches. “No, looks like there’s no power-flow.” He hooked a wire from the large metal box into a port under one of the screens. “This should do the trick though.”
The screens came to life, and Melissa cooed with delight. “You made it work! What can it do?”
“It can teach us. Arial; state your name.”
“A . . .” said a voice faintly from somewhere around them. “Ari . . . Arial.”
Melissa suddenly became scared, but Daria calmed her down. “It’s like our radios, except this is a machine mimicking a human’s voice.”
“And each ship had its own name for its system,” said Richard. “Now, Arial; where are you from?”
“This ship was built in the Curungghal shipyards, orbiting the moon Mankla.”
Richard nodded, impressed. “None of the other systems I’ve come across have been able to say this much. Their mechanisms had deteriorated too greatly.”
“What will you ask it?” asked Daria coming closer to him.
Richard thought. “Why are you here?”
“The Arial was damaged, and crashed.”
“Why were you near this planet? State your mission objectives.”
In an instant, the screen changed, as several images flashed as the Arial spoke.
“Mission objectives: travel back in time to destroy Novan. This is to be accomplished with the three Buiron Devices. Detonation of only one will merely cause global devastation and knock Novan off-axis. Detonation of all three will obliterate Novan entirely. Target coordinates should place reentry at one-thousand years before any significant technological development, to minimize risk.”
“In the event of Overman interference, a failsafe can be activated that will shift the devices back further in time to a random point, to minimize the possibility of discovery. Once shifted, they will immediately detonate. There is a risk that the temporal field generated will encompass nearby ships and maroon their crews in the distant past of Novan, possibly even to a point where the world was called ‘Iqui.’ The failsafe should only be used as a last resort, when all other options have failed.”
Melissa stewed in her chair, confused, watching as Richard leaned back, digesting what he heard.
“What did that all mean?” she asked. “‘Novan?’ ‘Overlord?’ It all seems like some fairy tale.”
“We’ve seen those words before,” said Richard excitedly, “but never had the proper context to put them in! Now, so much makes sense. The First Apocalypse, ‘sussa,’ even the climate that now controls this world.”
“Then tell me,” begged Melissa.
“Tell us,” said Daria with a wide smile, “I’d love to know too!”
Richard sat back, taking obvious pleasure in being the purveyor of knowledge, while Vincent, despite his disgust with his brother, leaned forward with the rest, intrigued. “These ships are warships, built to fight a foe that must have, or will be, terrible and beyond our conception of powerful. The Centric Spheres were constructed to explode in some way, and destroy this world. But before it could be accomplished, they were attacked, and the Spheres were sent back further in time. Something must have happened, because only one of them exploded, and that explosion was the First Apocalypse.”
“And sussa?” asked Vincent. “How does this explain sussa?”
Richard shrugged. “I don’t know. The Sphere is a unique thing, and
whatever is inside must have contaminated our ancestors when it exploded.”
“Contaminated?” asked Melissa, feeling a little stupid, as she didn’t understand any of the words Richard said, and hated to ask more, but she could feel this was vitally important.
“It’s as if what was inside the sphere rained on people around where it exploded, like a storm. Those droplets of whatever was inside changed the people it fell on, hence your ancestors being different than mine.”
Then what is the Centric Sphere? thought Melissa. Is it an unexploded ‘Buiron Device’? And where is the third? Melissa sighed, and felt depressed. “I feel so . . . useless. I feel so stupid. There’s so much here you two know, but I just don’t understand.”
“Don’t be sad,” said Daria. “I’m sure if you explained to us the many things you’ve learned to be an Archsussa, we’d feel stupid too.”
“Then set me free,” begged Melissa, turning to Richard. “Trust me, I won’t hurt you, but I need to feel whole.”
Richard sneered. “How will that help us? It’ll only help you, and they would think less of me if you escaped.”
Melissa sighed. “But I need to understand -- I can help you, but I need to know.”
“And your sussa will help you do this?” asked Daria.
“Yes. I’ve read many things, and I believe so.”
“Come on, big brother -- give her a chance,” said Vincent.
Daria grasped Richard’s hands and squeezed. “Trust her a little. You can keep your hand on the device, but she led us here, and this ship has a great deal to give us.”
Richard sighed. “I never could say ‘no’ to you. Very well.” He held up the box. “If this is a trick, you’ll pay for it.”
“Trust me,” pressed Melissa. “Take a chance on me.”
“Alright. You’ve given us much information by leading us here.” He pressed a button. “Can you feel it?”
In an instant, she ignited a firesphere. “Yes, I can.” She focused on his mind, and felt she could do more than ever before. “Hold still, Richard.”
She held up her hand, and extended tendrils of sussa to his head. She worked them inside his dense, complicated mind, reading his thoughts. In an instant, she understood about science, and what the voice in the machine was speaking of.
“What did you just do?” he asked, as Daria sat in awe. “What just happened?”
Melissa leaned back, aghast. “You . . . liar . . .”
Richard leaned back, crestfallen. “Somehow, you have seen inside my mind. You have seen all I have hidden.”
“What could you have hidden?” asked Daria.
“You haven’t learned all you claim to have,” said Melissa. “You discovered something in wreckage, when you were twelve, and it was nearly perfect?”
“I knew it!” screamed Vincent. “All these years, lording over us little people and you were a liar!”
“Shut up, Vincent. Let him speak.”
Richard flashed a hateful glance at his brother, but quickly cooled. “Yes, I discovered something. It apparently was the toy of a being who lived on one of those ships. It was a learning tool, and the concepts that were meant for someone around fifteen years of age advanced our scientific understand immensely. Year after year, I would introduce them to my people, by understanding a new piece of equipment found or explaining the concepts behind a device. This box,” he said, holding up the device that nulled her sussa, “wouldn’t have existed if not for what I found.”
“Why did you do it, rather than share it with us?” asked Daria, beginning to cry. “I believed in you!”
“I wanted power,” pleaded Richard. “I was tired of living in the cramped underbelly of that damaged ship -- I wanted to taste the food and the sweet air of the upper decks! I wanted to have girls like you look up to me, instead of down at me cleaning the lower decks.”
“You little shit,” spat Vincent. “All this time, feeling like nothing next to you, all this time having people look at me like I was the stupid one, like Holis skipped over me, and here you were lying to everyone?” Melissa looked on in amazement, and Vincent began to cry. “What happened to us, brother? What happened to our friendship?”
“I wanted this more.”
Vincent stormed out, without responding.
They all sat in silence for a while, then Daria said; “what you did to Richard, do you think you could also do to that machine?”
Melissa looked at the screen with images on it. “I don’t know -- I might damage it. But, it also might save a great deal of time.”
“Sussa again,” spat Richard. “It only gets us into trouble!” He pulled up the box. “I should just shut you down and leave it on.”
“No!” yelled Daria, as she slapped the box out of his hand. “Don’t punish her just ‘cause she caught you in a lie. Try and access this ship, Melissa. I have faith you’ll share everything with both of us.”
She nodded. “I will.” She extended the tendrils again, and worked them into the fabric of the machine. Slowly, the lights inside the ship turned on, and faint whirring sound could be heard. Melissa began to absorb the information contained in the machine, learning it was called a ‘computer,’ and that she was reading it’s ‘databanks.’
So much . . . so many things . . .
It was badly corrupted, for it had been lying damaged and dormant since the First Apocalypse. But she could see the foe they fought, the race of gods called ‘Overmen.’ She could see this ship flying through what they called the ‘void,’ could see from whence it came.
She absorbed all she could, and pulled out. For several moments she sat and contemplated all she had learned, as Richard and Daria looked on.
“Something tells me we’re gonna feel stupid,” said Daria.
She laughed, suddenly in awe of all they had learned. “So much of what you have deduced is correct, my scientists. You and your friends are truly remarkable people.”
Richard bowed. “Thank you. So . . . tell us what you know.”
“I will do better than that. Let’s go outside.”
“What is it?” asked Richard, as his finger went to the metal box.
“Have faith in something other than your science. Come on.”