Tablet of Destinies (27 page)

‘It's so hot.' She put her hands in the washbasin, where they were sprayed with water, and then ran her fingers through the little hair she had. Her image in the mirror made her cringe; she didn't like this butch appearance at all. ‘I'd much prefer to be a Falcon. They look far more majestic. How can it be that my kind are Chosen? And what does that mean, anyway, to be one of the “Chosen”?' Perhaps it had something to do with the strange sensation she'd experienced whilst fighting Crow? Could that be part of the supernatural hocus pocus Crow had referred to earlier? Having pondered these issues, Tory's mind returned to the only mystery she really cared about — Hawk. She stared hard at her reflection, imagining how fine she would look with long quills and white plumage on her head, and a set of matching wings.

Her imagination impressed her greatly, as in the mirror a metamorphosis took place. Quills sprouted from her scalp, and large wings extended forth from between her shoulder blades.

Tory smiled, rather fancying herself as one of Hawk's kind. Her appearance as shown in the mirror made her feeling of affinity to the captain seem a befitting reality. ‘What a shame it's only an illusion,' she muttered under her breath.

‘The things you get up to in here.' Hawk made his presence known.

He'd been coming to apologise for the uncomfortable situation Crow had created, when he witnessed the transformation in Tory take place. But as she looked at him the illusion faded away.

‘Why should you want to be anything but what you are?' Hawk asked, hoping it had something to do with him.

He hadn't had much experience with women in his twenty-seven years of life. He had been with a couple of whores and had a few one-night stands — nothing that could really be construed as a relationship. Thus, he wasn't too good at reading women and knew next to nothing about romancing one. He did know that it was against the law for any mortal to even consider a relationship with an immortal. But then, he was an outlaw and honour bound to break such laws. Not that a close relationship was in the offing at present. Swan was so mysterious and amazing that Hawk felt he'd be happy to just get inside her head for a bit.

‘You saw that?' Tory queried. ‘I thought I was just imagining things, truly.' She smiled.

‘I think that with you, imagination and reality are not so far removed.' Hawk gave expression to his confusion.

‘That's a good theory,' she granted. ‘Shall we test it out?'

Hawk started waving his hands about to slow down the proceedings. ‘First, tell me what was going on during your fight with Crow? You weren't even watching him!'

‘Yes I was,' Tory informed him. ‘I was just viewing him through my third eye … from outside and above myself.'

‘Wow … really?' Hawk backed up a step, impressed by her claim. ‘And you can do that at will?'

Tory shrugged, and then nodded. ‘Seems so.' She began searching the room for a suitable item to experiment on, and settled for a cushion that was on the bed.

‘That's incredible!' Hawk exclaimed, far more inspired than Tory was by her talent.

‘Duck!' Tory prompted, and Hawk did so, whereupon she caught the cushion she'd willed to herself. Then, casting it loose again, she began directing it to different locations in the room. ‘So, as I am the only immortal on board and the best bulletproof shield you have, do you still think I should stay behind on your next raid?'

Hawk fell on his butt, having gone weak in the knees at the display. Tory directed the cushion to a speedy collision with Hawk's head, but the captain caught it before it made contact.

‘Good reflexes,' Tory applauded, as she squatted down before him to get her answer. ‘What do you say, Captain … am I pirate material or not?'

‘I'll tell you what. Teach me some of those audacious moves you used against Crow and you're on the crew.'

‘Alright.' Tory nudged his shoulder, pleased that he'd come round. As they sat there smiling, both pleased with the deal they'd struck, Tory began to chuckle.

‘What's so funny then?' Hawk asked.

Tory shook her head, unable to wipe the smile from her face. ‘Hard to explain.' She bit her lip and then decided to have a stab at communicating what was on her mind. ‘All this seems
so
familiar to me.'

‘All what?'

‘Being stuck in these odd circumstances with you and your crew.'

‘That feels
familiar
to you?' Hawk exclaimed, wanting to be sure he had heard her correctly, because if he had, he wasn't understanding her at all.

‘It's like I've been here before — not here as in a time and space sense — but I've known this circumstance before,' Tory proffered in an attempt to clear up the confusion, but Hawk only appeared more bemused.

‘Sorry Swan, you've completely lost me.' Hawk got to his feet, and Tory rose also.

‘That's okay,' Tory shrugged. ‘I've lost me too.'

Hawk considered she had a very sweet way about her, as he laughed. ‘Look, what I actually came to see you about, was to apologise for the munitions room.' Hawk broached the subject a little shyly. ‘Crow is a compulsive shit stirrer, as I'm sure you realise, and I'm sorry if he makes you feel uncomfortable.'

‘Crow doesn't make me feel uncomfortable,' Tory informed him matter of factly. She wasn't too sure of what Hawk was trying to say here. Was this his polite way of denying Crow's implication?

‘Then why did you leave so abruptly?' Hawk wondered.

‘I left because Crow was making
you
feel uncomfortable,' Tory informed jovially, as she pushed her finger into his chest. ‘Was that not the case?'

Hawk smiled. She was quite correct. ‘Crow's very existence makes me uncomfortable,' he confirmed, avoiding her question nicely.

‘He's not as bad as he makes out.' Tory's gaze got lost in the memory of fighting Crow and she smiled fondly.

‘You're not one of those women who likes abusive men are you?' Hawk made the question sound like a joke, although he was seriously worried that she might be attracted to his brother.

‘No.' She served him a cheeky grin to inform: ‘I like gentlemen.'

As she'd earlier referred to him thus, Hawk couldn't wipe the smile from his face.

‘Captain?' Raven ventured to interrupt them from the open hatchway, ahead of serving Tory a friendly wink. ‘We have a potential target,' he advised.

T
he Governor's party set their craft down and disembarked on the night side of the dead moon, Caimah. The reason for their stopover was to avoid their craft being detected approaching Nugia. They would teleport themselves into the heart of the only established city on Nugia, Su. This stunt was possible because Brian had visited the planet before as part of a good relations tour with the members of the Pantheon, Lord Marduk and Maelgwn. On that visit, Lord Marduk's party had only been introduced to the small, upper class society of the city, and only shown a brief glimpse of the slightly larger working class community.

SU meant ‘desolate city', and was the name the Nefilim had given to the remote outpost that, by all
accounts, was fast becoming a ghost town. The Leonines had another name for it — SU-AMELU, ‘desolate city of slaves' — for rumour had it that thousands of their kind were born into slavery in the city, and never saw daylight. Only the few Leonines that excelled themselves as good servants to the Nefilim ever knew there was a world beyond the harsh, dark existence of their brethren. Some members of the Pantheon, who might have a vested interest in the alleged gold mining and slave trade that thrived on Nugia, strongly denied that any major enterprise was taking place on the planet. They claimed this was why they had only ever built one city there, to cater for the Leonines who were exploiting small mineral deposits for the profit of their planet.

The huge, gold mining industry certainly seemed to be a phantom, for Brian had not seen evidence of any major mining ventures taking place around the city. And yet, the palace of Nabu and Teshmit was adorned with a lot more riches than one would expect to find on a remote dustbowl of a planet that was concerned only with mining lesser metals and stones.

It had been a bit of a stretch for Brian to visualise a location in Su that might be devoid of people, so he picked a spot that would be so packed with people no one would notice his party's sudden appearance — the local marketplace.

Each member of the six-man team assumed the illusion of having a Leonine form, in the hope of blending in with the natives. Robes with large hoods were must-have attire on Nugia, for protection against the strong dust laden winds.

In a crouched position, Brian, Talynn, Neriada, Cadwell, Thais and Rhun first removed their thought-wave neutralisers, then joined hands in a circle and telepathically perceived their Governor's memory of their destination.

 

For security reasons, when the Governor's group materialised in the busy marketplace, Talynn immediately broke away from her teammates to follow at a distance. Thais, too, headed off on his own and would rejoin the team before sunset to report on any local gossip he might manage to dig up. Cadwell and Neriada's task was to find their party accommodation, for use as a temporary base, where they could assess their findings in safety. After dark in Su, a strict curfew was enforced by Nabu's guards, who patrolled the streets and would shoot to kill on sight. Obviously, none of the Governor's team was deterred by the threat of death, but there was the threat of exposure. Brian thought it best to keep the Chosen's presence here on Nugia a secret, until such time as it suited them to make themselves known.

The Governor and his Vice made for the slums on the outer reaches of the city, to see if they could gain any hard facts pertaining to mining ventures here.

‘Su sure isn't much to look at down this end of town,' Rhun commented quietly to the Governor.

Although there was some beautiful architecture in the centre of the city, the structures on the outskirts of town were very simple, domed dwellings made of mud-brick, which blended into the high rocky walls surrounding the city on three sides. The city had been
sited in a naturally formed basin, chosen for protection against the harsh winds and dust storms that plagued the planet for three-quarters of the year. Fortunately, Nugia was just entering its season of mild climate, and thus, conditions were hospitable. Reddish clouds covered the sky overhead, but only a light breeze swept down the baked dirt road upon which they walked.

‘In the harsher weather, they get a lot of rock slides and tumbling debris,' Brian explained, ‘so these dwellings were formed using organic sedimentation engineering.'

Rhun nodded, understanding this process very well. He'd employed the same means of manipulation of form when constructing an underground base back on Gaia over ninety years ago. It was a simple process, which involved painting an existing earthen or sand structure with a bonding agent. This bonding agent captured flying particles — in this case dust from the windstorms — and cemented them to the structure, reinforcing it year after year. The longer an OSE structure was in existence, the more resilient the fortification became. This building technique had not been perfected on Gaia until the year 2035AD. The Nefilim must have been employing it for much longer, as this city had been founded over a thousand Gaia years ago. The earthen pathways extended up the cliff face and wove through the dwellings, which blended in so well with the natural landscape that it was hard to define where the city ended and the natural rock face began.

The local Leonine residents captured Rhun's attention next, for he'd never had that much to do with
their kind. He saw that many of the Leonine males who passed them by were toying with the tuft of fur at the end of their tails. Thus Rhun fished around behind himself to grab up his tail. ‘I quite like the long nails and the wild red hair,' said Rhun, ‘but could you please tell me what this tail is for?'

‘Dexterity when climbing,' Brian replied, gazing up to where the steep rocky cliff walls were almost perpendicular. Here, pathways between dwellings were virtually non-existent and the residents just leapt from dwelling to dwelling.

Rhun began to notice that when a Leonine landed from a jump, it was its tail that twirled around in order to regain its balance. They did not use their arms as a Homo sapien would. ‘I see.' Rhun let go of his tail and attempted to get a feel for the technique, without much success.

Brian laughed at the painstaking concentration Rhun gave his endeavours. ‘I do believe it's a reflex action.'

Rhun gave up and as he looked behind himself to grab up his tail once more, he noticed a stranger ducking behind a building to avoid being seen. ‘Don't look now,' Rhun advised Brian quietly, ‘but I believe we have a tail on our tail.' He pointed the tuft on the end of his spare appendage in the direction that their mysterious stalker was lurking.

‘Well then,' said Brian, ‘we'd best head away from this public thoroughfare.' He led Rhun off into a narrow side alley on the opposite side of the street, away from where their stalker was hiding out.

Leaping up onto the curving, domed roof of the
closest dwelling and landing on all fours, Rhun got to experience the reflex action of his tail as it swung around madly to counteract his body weight. ‘Very cool,' he decided, lowering himself onto his belly and pulling himself up next to Brian.

‘Shh,' he instructed, laying low to view their stalker as he dashed across the main street and crept into the alley down which they'd vanished. ‘When I nod, we jump him.' Brian glanced aside at his nephew and saw Rhun's tail raised high in the air for all to see. Brian rolled his eyes and pushed it down.

Rhun, a tad embarrassed by his oversight, gave Brian a thumbs up for the plan.

With a nod, they leapt onto the stranger when he walked below, and overpowered him easily. Rhun had their stalker's arms pinned behind his back and held him up for Brian to question.

‘Tyrus-Leon, it is you,' said the familiar-looking stranger. ‘How did you escape Nabu's moles? We heard they'd sent you to work in the hell-pit.'

‘It's Robin,' Brian advised Rhun, rather shocked by the fact himself. Back on Kila this man headed the marine department of KEPA, along with his wife, Jenny.

Without releasing him, Rhun turned the Leonine to view his face. ‘Well, bugger me … so it is.'

‘No,' protested their captive. ‘It is I, Kesla. Do you not recognise your most trusted friend and ally?' he queried Brian.

‘Oh, I recognise you, alright,' Brian confirmed.

‘Then have your man release me,' Kesla demanded and Rhun took offence.

‘What makes you think I'm
his
man?' He tightened his hold. Rhun hadn't taken any orders from Brian in this man's presence, nor referred to Brian as a superior.

‘Is this a test, or a joke?' Kesla snarled, pained by the hold Rhun had on him.

‘Just answer the question,' Brian suggested, but was surprised when the answer came from a different source — one that was behind him.

‘All our kind are answerable to you, father.'

Brian knew he was in trouble when he turned to confront the Leonine incarnation of Cadwallon, Chief Justice of Chaliada. Cadwallon had been Brian's firstborn son during his lifetime in ancient Gwynedd. With the sudden threat of exposure, Brian wasn't too sure how to react, but was very aware of maintaining a poker face as he mulled over the situation.

‘This man has no memory,' Rhun informed them all, and Brian looked to his Vice, thankful for the invention.

Wary of where Rhun's tale was going to lead, Brian jumped in to take over. ‘I was told I had a bad mining accident.' He immediately conjured a bad scar on his head, and parted his thick chestnut curls to show the Leonine men. ‘I remember nothing.'

The Leonine who was at libertty produced a sonic pulse blaster from beneath his robes and aimed it at them both. ‘I don't believe a word of it.' He looked from Brian to Rhun. ‘Let Kesla go.'

Rhun didn't bother complying with the order, as he spied Talynn coming up behind the gunman.

Talynn dug her blaster into her target's back to make
him aware of her presence. ‘Be a nice pussycat, won't you?' she advised.

Rhun couldn't believe it when another hooded figure jumped down into the alley behind Talynn, with a weapon aimed at her.

‘That makes us one gun up on you, my love.' The new arrival drew back her hood, and it was the Governor's wife who stared them back — the Leonine incarnation of her anyway. ‘Tell me you do not recognise my face, Tyrus-Leon?' She set her sights on Brian and no one dared to intervene as she approached him.

Brian had personally known two of his wife's incarnations and met countless others via past-life regression. Beautiful she had always been, but never before had she come in the form of such a fiery little seductress. She must have been around forty years of age; the boy beside her who claimed to be her son appeared to be in his early twenties. Nevertheless, her years were not betrayed by her small, but athletic form. ‘I do recognise you, it is your name that escapes me.'

‘Come, come, I feel sure it's on the tip of your tongue.' She reached out to hold his face. ‘Allow me to aid your search.'

Her kiss was such that Rhun suspected the couple might fornicate where they stood, and as his Governor showed no sign of protesting, he thought he'd best interrupt. ‘As we're all so
cosy
, I gather it's okay for me to let Kesla here go?' He set the Leonine loose and the other Leonine gunman put away his weapon. ‘And you are?'

‘Adair,' Cadwallon's Leonine persona advised, looking perturbed at his parents' behaviour.

Rhun suspected Adair knew Brian was a fraud. Perhaps his mother did too? But if she did suspect, she was doing a fine job of hiding it. ‘How long have these two been separated for?'

‘Two years,' Adair informed and then gave a heavy sigh.

As their kiss ended, the Leonine woman held Brian's face so that his sights remained focused on her. ‘Samara-Leon.' She gave him the name that escaped his memory. ‘And we must get you out of sight.' Samara looked about, as did her comrades. The sound of marching soldiers reached their ears and they attempted to assess their direction. ‘Let's go.' She motioned one and all to follow, as she grabbed Brian's hand and led him away from the main thoroughfare.

 

Lost in an embrace, Noah slowly became aware that he was lying on a stationary surface and so parted his eyelids to see where his action had landed them. The profound beauty and splendour of the iridescent crystal structure that towered around them, lit entirely by its own illumined substance, took his breath away.

‘Rebecca,' he uttered softly, not wanting to startle her.

‘I know.' She raised her head off his chest, her eyes wide with wonder as they explored the little temple. She saw an identical disc to the one they'd left in the crumbling cavern of the dead moon. In fact, this was that same domed chamber, only now it was in perfect condition.

Rebecca got herself to a seated position and gaped at the solid gold floor of the chamber — which, upon
closer inspection, didn't really appear solid at all. The matter that composed everything herein looked to be unusually loosely bound together, and yet it felt solid enough to the touch. ‘What in the world just happened to this place?'

‘I suspect this place might interpenetrate the physical world but is not actually of it,' Noah commented, frowning as he realised there was no obvious exit — the chamber was perfectly circular, with no windows or doors, only eight or so crystal columns that supported the domed ceiling overhead. He shifted his butt from where it was now resting on top of his techo-rock and retrieved his treasure from the disk.

Rebecca applauded her husband and gave a cheer as an arched inset in the temple wall vanished. ‘Hey, you're really good at this questing business.'

Noah was flabbergasted. His only thought had been to take the rock; this development was an unexpected bonus. ‘Elementary, my good woman.' He arose and offered his arm to Rebecca before escorting her into the brilliant crystal tunnel beyond the open archway. ‘No doubt we are meant to take the keystone with us,' he surmised.