Nhoth's jaw hadn't completed dropping when the image melted. I broke out in laughter. Sini glared at me. "I don't see anything funny," she said. "They're trying to take advantage of me."
"I know," I said. "But the look on his face was priceless. It'll be interesting to see what he and the Assembly do next. Nhoth and his cronies won't take this lying down."
"As far as I'm concerned, they can take a one-way ride to the deepest pit in the blackest Cavity."
"Ah, but will you pay for it out of the Treasury?"
Sini burst out in laughter. I hadn't heard her laugh so hard since her parents deaths. She didn't stop until her vid-con beeped again. She grimaced. "What toady has Count Nhoth conned into calling to lecture me on why I should reconsider."
"Take it," I said, "and then tell the Vhirko to hold all calls for a deci."
She nodded. "Commence transmission."
My mother's holo appeared. She stood in what looked like an amphitheater and wore her ceremonial Sibyl attire: the single-shouldered vermilion trumpet gown of Tirano's High Sibyl. With her shoulder-length, glossy black hair, ivory-yellow skin, and gown, she looked like a child's holo-doll.
Sini glanced at me and arched her eyebrows. "I have no idea," I mouthed.
"Good morning, your Highness." Mom curtsied to Sini. Mom had to be on her portable commpad because I didn't recognize the amphitheater. "And to you too, Kuinsi."
"High Sibyl Caykondra," Sini replied. "I just terminated Count Nhoth's call. Surely, you're not calling to support the Assembly's ridiculous budget."
Mom's nose wrinkled. "Of course not, dear. You know the Count's family and I aren't on the best of terms. I have something more important to discuss with the two of you. Something I should have done long before this." Mom pulled her fire opal pendant from underneath her gown. "Please signal your Vhirko not to disturb you for a deci."
"I intended to do so anyway." Sini pushed the do not disturb icon on her vid-con.
I gritted my teeth. "Mom, did it ever occur to you that we might be in the middle of something important. If you've waited until now, surely you can wait a while longer."
She pointed her pendant away from her. "Look at the wall underneath Mhikhel's portrait."
Despite my annoyance, I turned toward the portrait. A bright flash of light erupted and Mom stepped out of the light, her pendant still in her hand. The light evaporated. "Mom, we don't have time for any new holo tricks," I said not trying to hide my irritation.
She gave me her all-knowing smile and walked to me. She simultaneously kissed me on the cheek and grabbed my hand. I felt solid skin. This wasn't a holo. "How?"
She turned to Sini and grabbed her hand. Sini's pupils widened. "What are you doing?" Sini snapped at her. "Trying to show me how easy it is to breach my security?"
"Oh, Sini. I didn't mean to upset you." Mom released her hand. "I'm the only one left who can show you what your father would have. Something to increase your security; something that the Vhirko must not be aware of."
I shared Sini's irritation. "Mom, you've made your dramatic entrance and have our attention. Now, tell us what this is all about."
"I'm trying." She pointed at the conference table. "This will take some time and some of the memories may not be pleasant, so perhaps we should sit."
Sini sat in her vine etched muhrwood chair. Mom sat next to her and motioned for me to sit beside Sini. "It started when your grandfather was assassinated in these very quarters. You've heard how the Sisterhood sheltered your mother and father immediately afterwards."
"Of course, we have, Mother. You've told us hundreds of times. Colonel Nhoth declared martial law and wanted to appoint a regency. You had then Captain Kiptani's chopter transport Zhun'Mar, Mirae, and Tarnlot to the middle of the Rwohn Steppes, where you whisked them away to safety. Then, the Sibyls sheltered Zhun'Mar while you helped Tarnlot destroy the Radani Armada during Phargon and the Blitz at Tirgot III."
Mom giggled. "That's a little short on the harrowing details, but isn't a bad summary." Her fingers rubbed her pendant and she fixed her eyes on Sini. "Haven't you ever wondered how I managed to snatch your parents and your Uncle Tarnlot from the middle of the Rwohn Steppes without Colonel Nhoth's troops being able to find any trace of us despite their intensive search?"
I wondered if she intended to waste our time with a history lesson. "Mom, everyone knows Kiptani brought you time by staging a fake crash. They were searching for dead bodies, not live ones."
Mom didn't take her eyes off Sini. "That made a good cover-up. Neither the Koah nor Vhirko Command wanted to acknowledge that the Sisterhood had somehow managed to make Zhun'Mar vanish without a trace and then transport him undetected over 1,500 kilometers.
"Sini, your father knew immediately what had happened. That he'd traveled from the middle of the Steppes to the Sisterhood's Gathering Dome using hyperspace."
Sini shoulders moved up and down. She was silent for a moment. "I can't believe he never told me?"
"He, like the Sisterhood, understood what would happen if the ability to manipulate hyperspace fell into the wrong hands. He agreed, and made the others agree, that they would never reveal what had happened."
My mind raced at the concept of instant transfer to any place on the planet through another dimension. "Awesome. That means you Sibyls can transport any place you want at any time."
Mom finally took her eyes off Sini and turned towards me. "It's not that simple. To travel through hyperspace involves two variables: existence of two portals, one to enter and one to exit, and the knowledge of the oscillation factor between those two portals. It takes several cycles of uninterrupted continuous work to create a portal, and just as long to ascertain the oscillation factor to determine when transport between the portals is possible."
Sini pulled on her ear. "Then, how were you able to construct a portal in this room?"
"You never knew your Uncle Tarnlot," Mom said softly, "but he was a determined man who couldn't be stopped once he set his mind to something. After Tarnlot and I returned from Tirgot III, he insisted that I create a hyperportal here and one at Arvor Castel. Tarnlot didn't want Zhun'Mar to be trapped in his quarters and assassinated the way their father had been. He wanted Zhun'Mar to have an escape route in such a situation.
"The Sisterhood debated for over a loop, and Tarnlot hounded me constantly to begin. Finally, we consented to the creation of two portals, one here and one at the Castel. Outside the Sisterhood, only Zhun'Mar, Mirae, and Tarnlot knew of their existence. The plan was that Zhun'Mar would tell you after your investiture." A tear formed in Mom's eye. "Unfortunately, the Tamok kept that from happening."
Sini closed her eyes and her lips quivered. Mom took her in her arms. Sini began to sob. "It's okay," Mom said softly.
"Cayko," Sini said between sobs. "Without Father's wisdom and Mother's strength, I don't think I can bear it any longer. I am so afraid. You and Kuinsi are all I have left."
The two of them stood there embracing with tears flowing and Mom murmuring, "Go ahead, dear one, let it out."
I knew Mom was right, that a good cry on Mom's shoulder would help Sini. While Sini sobbed, I reflected on Mom's revelations. Some key questions remained. How could Sini access the portals? Where was the exit portal? What happened if the entry and exit portals' oscillation factors weren't in synch, would Sini be trapped?
After a few milli, Sini stood back, and with the back of her hand, wiped her cheeks. "Mom would never have let her emotions overwhelm her like that. If only I could be iron-willed like her."
Mom grabbed both of Sini's hands. "There is nothing wrong with acknowledging your emotions in private with those you trust."
Sini sobbed again. "I'm afraid I've let my temper get the best of me in public a couple times recently. Ask Kuinsi."
Mom tilted her head. Sini and I hadn't told her previously about the nightmares, and knowing my mother, if I to
ld her, she'd spend the remainder of the spin quizzing me about my research. I wanted to keep the discussion on the portals. "She's had a tiring few spins and has been a little irritable."
"You do look exhausted." Mom patted Sini's hand. "Make sure you get a good sleep tonight."
"I'm trying," Sini replied in a monotone.
Sini's lip quivered and I was afraid she'd bring up nightmares. "Mom, you haven't explained how Sini can access the escape portal."
Mom glanced at her chronometer. "There's no time. The Vhirko will check on Sini at any moment. I'll be back at the same time tomorrow."
She pointed her pendant at Mhikhel's portrait. Bright light flashed on the wall. Mom stepped into the light and disappeared. The light evaporated.
Before I could say anything, the chamber door swung open. Two Vhirko crouched at battle ready stood in the doorway. They split, each circling half the chamber's great room, heads pivoting to scan every minim of the room. They met in front of the bedroom door. They nodded at each other. One placed her back against the wall, the other darted into the bedroom. The bedroom was on the other side of the wall where Mhikhel's picture hung. My breath lightened. Had Mom ended up in the bedroom?
Footsteps crossed the bedroom's muhrwood floor. What would happen when the Vhirko saw the High Sibyl in Sini's bedroom? How could we explain that? The Vhirko reappeared at the doorway. "It is secure," the Vhirko in the bedroom shouted. She stepped out and the two Vhirko marched out of the chamber. The door closed.
I took a couple deep breaths to calm my thumping heart. "Was that a coincidence or did they suspect something? They looked dreadfully serious."
Sini shook her head. "You know better. You've seen it before, and it's the same every time. They're always so stone-faced that not even Ghaeah could tell what they're thinking."
I shivered. "Well, it gives me the willies."
Sini pointed a finger at me. "You wonder why I'm cracking up? On top of not being able to sleep, I have someone bursting into my room every deci."
"We've another deci, so let me see the Ring."
-4-
Rwohn Compound
Planet Tirano
I stood at the window and tried to stand still and look at the vineyard that cascaded down the hillside. I couldn't. For at least the hundredth time, I paced back and forth between the window and my desk. The day had been one of the most frustrating of my life. Mom leaves all of the important aspects of the hyperspace portals unanswered. I inspected every grape on the Golden Vine Ring's cluster, and each was composed of the same precious opal stone. Then to top it all off, Cellar Master Moheix was ill and Sini and I had to postpone inventorying Zhun'Mar's wines. When I said goodbye to Sini, she'd never looked so miserable. I felt responsible because I couldn't figure out what was causing the nightmares.
Because I was wound so tight, I knew the only way I could calm down and begin to think straight was to prepare what Dad called "the honorary fifth P," risotto. Not only is it a soothing form of comfort food, its preparation let me take advantage of my hyperactivity. I grabbed an onion, chopped it into fine pieces, dumped the pieces in a sauce pan, and sautéed them in oil. When the onion became limp, I added a cup of short grain rice and stirred to coat the rice with oil. After a couple milli, I poured a small amount of white wine and listened to the sizzle. After the wine was absorbed, I poured in enough chicken stock to barely cover the rice and onions. The key to good risotto is to stir continually and as the rice absorbs the stock to add just enough stock to keep the rice barely covered. After twenty or so milli, the risotto started to become creamy. I added some finely grated hard cheese and continued to stir for a few more milli. I tasted, the risotto was the way I liked it, slightly past al dente.
The risotto, some crusty bread, and a glass of a white vehoner wine performed their usual magic. My muddled mind could concentrate again. Because the Golden Vine Ring's cluster contained only precious opal and Sini slept with the Ring off, then only one viable explanation existed. Something else was transmitting the nightmares to Sini's implant.
Since the nightmares had begun, Sini had only slept in two places: her private chambers at Arvor Castel or Rwohn Compound. What would happen if she slept somewhere else? If no nightmares, that meant something in her rooms had been rigged to transmit. I'd have Sini find a reason to change sleeping quarters. If that worked, she wouldn't sleep in her rooms again until I'd torn them apart and found the culprit.
I looked at my chron. Even though I wanted to race to Sini's quarters and get started, I couldn't. Given the late deci, unless there was a state emergency, the Vhirko wouldn't let me pass, and unfortunately, I couldn't access the hyperportal. I did, though, have the secret way of contacting Sini by semaphore.
I crossed to my desk, actuated my companel, and hoped Sini hadn't turned off her vid-con. I typed in my code name, "Zinfandel," and then Sini's, "Warrior Princess." In the message block, I typed: "I've got an idea. Send a Vhirko to get me. Zinfandel." I pushed the transmit icon.
If Sini's vid-con was activated, she'd see the message immediately. After a quarter deci, I realized she must have turned it off. Hopefully, that meant she was resting. I couldn't do anything more until morning.
If I couldn't see Sini, at least I could view a chapter or two of the novel. I grabbed the archive, my reader, and headed into my bedroom. I laid back on my pillow and activated the reader. A rainbow of colors swirled until Aos Whey-ki's image formed. "Rewind to two lacti before where I stopped last night," I said.
A slight blur and then her eyes focused on me. "I am Aos Whey-ki. My story begins decades ago on Terra prior to the onset of the Precession of the Equinoxes Cataclysm. I'd been summoned to the Royal Palace at Amphora."
-5-
Royal Palace
Amphora, Gondwana
The prestigious academic journals refused to publish my article, Precession of the Equinoxes Cataclysm. They called it unverifiable speculation, not empirical research. One rejection even referred to me as the Sibyl of Doom and suggested I would have better luck if I submitted my work to the Soothsayer Journal. Out of frustration, I posted the article on the Gondwana National University Open Forum.
The article was posted for two weeks before anyone opened its site, and then no more activity. Imagine my surprise when a week later the Imperatora of Gondwana, Mari Khang, invited me and my two children to Gondwana Castle the next day to discuss my "research." She also suggested that I pull the article off the Forum. I did so immediately. One does not refuse the Imperatora's invitation or suggestion.
I didn't sleep all night. The Imperatora of Gondwana didn't invite university professors to the Castle to socialize. And why would she insist that my children accompany me? I didn't know the answer, but my gut told me to expect the worst.
Gondwana Castle sat on the peak of Mt. Erebus. Surrounded by the greenery of Mt. Erebus' virgin alder forest, the ivory castle seemed to float above the encircling plains. From the lookout of its central turret, the Imperatora enjoyed a 360 degree view of sprawling Gondwana City with its ten million inhabitants.
No roads or trails for ground transport traversed the Mt. Erebus forest. Gondwana Castle could only be accessed via air skimmer. The Imperatora ordered us to wait at the forest's southern taxi-port for one of her personal skimmers. While I paced on the tarmac, Kwenerra and Ahrtzor sat on the bench playing a compchess. The petite Kwenerra looked like a child but was 16 going on 40, while the lanky Ahrtzor was just 12 and still possessed the joy of childhood. Their composure surprised me. I hadn't said anything, but they were intelligent enough to understand as well as I did why Khang ordered them to accompany me. They were the pawns she would use to force me to accept whatever she intended.
The whine of a skimmer engine descending broke the silence. I stepped next to the bench. The skimmer floated into view. "Look Mom," Ahrtzor screamed over the whine, "the Imperatora's skimmer really is made of gold
."
Kwenerra wrinkled her nose. "Do you know how many years the cost of that skimmer could support research to find ways to survive the Cataclysm."
"I don't care," Ahrtzor replied. "I want one just like it when I grow up."
The skimmer touched down and the side door flung open. Kwenerra and Ahrtzor rose and we held hands. A chubby-faced man in an ivory robe lowered a ramp and waddled toward us.
"I've never see a eunuch before," Kwenerra whispered in my ear. "They really are chubby midgets."
The man stopped in front of us and dipped his head. "Professora Whey-ki, I am Grand Eunuch Rohfek." He pointed toward the skimmer. "I am to pilot you and your children. Please follow me."
When I entered the skimmer, the opulence overwhelmed me. I'd never seen so much silk and gold etching in my life. The goose-down seats were as big as my bed, and softer.
"Please be seated," Rohfek said as he waddled to the pilot's seat.
"A eunuch has no use for such a bed," Ahrtzor said with a wink. "Give me a bed and I'd put it to good use."
Kwenerra looked horrified. "Get your mind out of the gutter," she hissed.
We didn't have enough time to enjoy the luxury. The flight to the Castle's rooftop port lasted only a couple minutes. When the skimmer's engine stopped humming, the eunuch waddled to the door and lowered the ramp. "Follow me. The Imperatora awaits."
I stopped at the end of the ramp to marvel at the view from the Castle's rooftop; a view that an ordinary citizen like me normally could only see on vids. White marble houses with terra-cotta rooftops lining palm-lined boulevards of Amphora City spread below for as far as I could see. After the awe wore off, I wondered why the Imperatora would not at least try to prevent the destruction of a civilization that produced such grandeur?
She would try; she had to, I thought. She'd realized my conclusions were irrefutable and had summoned me in order to find out what could be done. She'd put all of Gondwana's resources into finding a way to salvage as much of Gondwana as possible.