Ashlyn Chronicles 1: 2287 A.D. (43 page)

***

With help from Tomlinson and Brooks, Steven built a small, prefabricated house and placed it within Eden at the top of the knoll that looked down into the valley. Though intimate contact between them wasn’t possible, their love and appreciation for one another, deepened moment by moment.

The last weeks took a devastating toll on Steven, as he was forced to watch Renee’s hair turn gray and the color of her skin turn ashen. The vibrant life in her eyes dimmed a tiny bit each day and her strength waned.

Ashlyn sat with Renee several hours each day, not only making sure that Renee’s needs were attended to, but also giving Steven the time necessary to spend with the children—and get some much needed rest.

In the final days, as Renee slipped away, she and Ashlyn were inseparable. They spent much of their time together, alone in private, serious conversations—but it was also a time of lightheartedness as Steven overheard them frequently laughing—Renee telling stories of Steven’s youthful shenanigans at the Academy. They used the time to draw close, to bond, and Steven was happy that Renee had such a friend.

On a cool summer evening, as the suns were setting below the mountains, Renee asked Steven to leave the room—needing a final private moment with Ashlyn. Only minutes passed, before Ashlyn calmly and quietly came to get him.

Kneeling beside her bed, Steven’s eyes filled with tears.

“I love you with all my heart, Steven,” her feeble voice uttered as her frail hand tightened around his. “And more than anything I don’t want you to grieve for me—or feel guilt.” She inhaled deeply, the act of taking a single breath draining her of strength. Her voice grew faint. “I’ve been blessed with two beautiful children and the love of a kindly man.

“My last request is that you give the love you have given me, to Ashlyn. I like her, Steven. She’ll be a good wife to you and a good mother to our children.” Her grip abruptly tightened as she experienced a stab of pain. “It will now be through her eyes that I will see my son turn into a man and the day when our daughter marries—and I will see
you
happy again.” Her eyes closed. Struggling to reopen them she said, “Call Ashlyn, now!”

Steven turned around to see Ash standing in the doorway. She quietly moved around to the other side of the bed and knelt at Renee’s side. With more strength than Steven thought Renee had remaining in her, she tore her hand from his and reached over to grasp Ashlyn’s palms. Their eyes locked, Ashlyn’s eyes closed. Renee took a last gasping sigh of breath and exhaled. Her chest did not rise again. When Steven looked back to Renee’s ashen face, he saw that her eyes had closed.

He bent over, kissed her forehead, and then buried his face in hers. The grief in his broken heart overwhelmed him.

She had been his friend, his lover, his wife.

***

Early the next morning, rays of sun breaking through the branches of the white-flowered tree that had given Steven and Ashlyn their Gift of Knowledge, Steven dug Renee’s grave. There beside the little house atop the knoll, beneath a layer of stones, she would have a memorial for all time. It had been Renee’s favorite view of the valley’s great beauty. Upon his knees, he thanked her for the love she had brought into his life and for the children that she had given him. He promised her that he would protect them and raise them in a manner that would make her proud. Placing a single red rose atop her grave, he wept.

***

Later that day, as Steven went in search of Ashlyn, he found that she had left Eden. It was only after he’d spoken to Brooks, that he’d discovered that she’d asked to borrow a transport for a few days and flown away. She had asked Brooks to trust her, giving him no details as to where she was going, or when she would return.

Three days later—before the sun had even risen, Ashlyn came and dragged Steven out of bed, reluctant to give him a moment to slip on his clothes.

She’d even brought along a sleepy-eyed nurse from Defender’s crew to babysit. Taking Steven by the hand, she led him to a Dolphin transport.

“You have to wear this!” she said, pulling out a black, cloth blindfold from her jeans pocket. “Or you don’t get your surprise!”

Minutes later, he heard the twang of the skids as they lowered into position and touched down. As Steven reached for his blindfold, Ash swatted his hand. “Not until I tell you!” The transport’s door opened with its accompanying
purr
. “Don’t take it off until I call you, and no cheating.”

Listening intently, he heard the sound of the wind rustling through the branches of nearby trees.

Steven, you can come out now,
came the call in his mind.

Ripping off the blindfold, he bounded to the door.

To his left was vacuous desert, but to his right, lay the oasis that Ashlyn and he had discovered on their sojourn. Each step toward the water raised his anxiousness. His eyes locked upon the waterfall, and almost as if it were on cue, Ashlyn’s hand reached out, and with her
middle
finger, she beckoned him.

A heavy gust of wind rustled the branches. A few leaves dropped. Steven shed his clothing and waded into the pond. As her hand disappeared, he dove under the fall, reappearing on the other side. As he swept his hair back, he saw Ash, bare shouldered and submerged up to her collarbone. The glints of shimmering cleavage below the rippling surface was entrancing. A sexier smile upon her, he had never seen.

“What’s all this about?”

Ashlyn smiled sweetly. “Let me explain. Please—keep an open mind. That first night when Defender arrived, Renee requested to speak with me privately. The vision she’d had back at Sea Base, told her far more about our future than she’d let on.

“She had seen her death, here on Hades. The grave you and I saw in the vision was hers. It was her that you were weeping for.

“More importantly, she saw my empathic abilities, and you and I having this conversation. From it, she learned that the three of us had a mutual destiny. That was why she was content and settled, when you and I said goodbye to her at Sea Base.

“When she told me about the accident and her sickness—I began to formulate a solution. When I mentioned my idea, she said she already knew. She had seen it in our future. She made it clear that I was not required to help, and that I had a choice. But, in all honesty, it was perfect for her, for me, for you—for us.

“So, together, Renee and I agreed upon a course of action that would see us through to completion. That’s the reason that Renee and I spent so much time together during her last weeks.”

“I’m not following you, Ash. What are you talking about?”

Ashlyn took a half step back, wanting to give him room to reflect. “Renee and Ashlyn, each decided to sacrifice their own individual identities in order to become one, new individual. They were two individual threads that found they could be woven together, becoming both different and stronger than they were before.

“When Renee’s body died, it no longer contained her consciousness. Renee is inside me, as Ashlyn is inside me.

“Their duality of memories are now my memories. Their love, desire, emotions, passion, knowledge, even their cravings—all of it is me, a new individual. I am a singular person, a new person created by the two of them.

“That’s why I’ve been gone these last days—I needed time to integrate. I needed to be alone—and have quiet.”

Steven was astounded—he’d never dreamed that such a thing was possible.

“Do you remember Renee’s last words to you?” asked Ashlyn.

Steven nodded. “It will now be through her eyes that I will see my son turn into a man and the day when our daughter marries.”

Ash added, “And when I will see you happy again.”

“I didn’t realize she was being literal. Why didn’t you just tell me?”

Ashlyn crinkled her nose impishly. “Renee wanted to spare you from disappointment, if it didn’t work to the depth we’d hoped.”

“So—do I call you Ashlyn or Renee?”

“I prefer Ashlyn, since my physical appearance is hers. It will also make it easier on the children. Maybe someday, when they are older, we can tell them the truth.

“If you need time to take this all in, I’ll understand. The concept is not an easy one to accept, but know that I love you as never before, for the love I carry, is the love borne by the two of them.”

Steven was still for only a moment before he drew Ashlyn close. “It’s wonderful, Ash. What you did for Renee, for me—beyond self-sacrificing.” When her arms wrapped around his neck, he gave her a long, hard kiss, his touch making her feel secure in the decision. His hands grabbed her buttocks, pulling her tight.

Feeling him throbbing against her belly, she slid her hand between their bodies and grabbed him. “You have no idea how desperate I am right now—it’s hard to explain, because while I have their memories and cravings, I have none that are unique to me, to the person that I am now. I know everything, but don’t feel like I’ve experienced anything.”

“I can barely grasp the concept, let alone the logistics,” said Steven. “It doesn’t surprise me that you have some things to sort out.”

“I don’t understand all of it yet, either,” agreed Ashlyn.

Ashlyn turned around and wiggled her buttocks against him. Leaning her head back atop his shoulder, she took his hands and put them on her breasts. She moved his hands around, letting him savor the feel of her slippery breasts and nipples against the palm of his hands.

Looking down over her shoulder, entranced, he watched the droplets of water blending, forming heavy trickles that ran around the swells of her cleavage. Her hair was wet, stringy, enticing. Steven found the moment to be incredibly erotic.

Ash leaned forward, placing her face and shoulders against the smooth boulders, her hands bracing her wide stance. Moving with finesse, her breath heaving, her voice sighing to his every touch. Rising above the noise from the falls, Ashlyn’s panting gasps were loud, ragged.

The world around them stilled—nothing else existed.

Hours later, their passions abating, Ash straightened and threw her head back atop his shoulder. Every moment together was as the first. It was a reward without compare.

Their minds as tired out as their bodies, they lay quietly upon the silver thermal blanket, Ashlyn cuddled tightly at his side. Steven thought of the strange circumstances that had made it possible for his life to change in so many ways.

Together, they stared upwards at the beauty of the three rising moons which radiated brightly despite the late afternoon sky. The sight was breathtaking.

Deep in thought, they both realized how much they were going to miss Earth’s moon. It had been the inspiration of mystery, romance, and man’s quest for knowledge for countless ages.

“Steven, I’d wanted to ask you—how do you throw the energy orbs?”

He chuckled. “I really don’t know, either. I just knew that I could. Tynabo should have included an instruction manual for us.”

“Steven.” Her fingernail stroked him. “I have one more surprise to show you.”

As her touch aroused him, Ash interjected, “Not that kind of surprise. Come on, we have to go!” Ash bounded to her feet. “Come on, bum—you showed me how to navigate by the stars, now I’m going to show you the universe!”

They boarded the shuttle and lifted off. Steven sat in the co-pilot’s chair as Ashlyn began to explain, “There was something in the vision back at Sea Base that I’d not been able to explain. It was me standing before The Keeper, speaking with him in private—a conversation that I’ve now had.

“I was asking him about the three circular symbols, the orbs upon the Cherubim’s pedestal. My question triggered the revelation of one last secret that he was holding back.

“He was really excited to have gotten the question and he said it was his final Gift for us.”

“Where are we going?” asked Steven.

“That’s a really big question,” said Ash, the gleaming twinkle in her eyes denoting that she wasn’t going to tell him.

As the shuttle made a sudden turn, aiming them at the nearest of the three moons, realization dawned. “The three moons—they’re the three orbs?”

“And I bet you always snuck a peek at your Christmas presents too, didn’t you?” said Ashlyn.

She saw Steven’s grin. “I thought so!”

“That’s why the Keeper couldn’t track us sometimes,” said Steven. “His sensors are on the moons. It’s so obvious. I should have realized it. How are we for EPS suits if we need them?”

“We have them, but we won’t need them,” answered Ash.

He flipped a switch to open a channel. “Defender, this is Admiral Sherrah, aboard the Dolphin transport, Mayorta. I’m taking Commander Parker on a short sightseeing trip. No need to be concerned. We’ll be back shortly.”

“Aye, aye, Admiral! Enjoy the ride!”

“Did you detect a pun in there?” asked Steven.

Ashlyn grinned as she hit the thrusters bringing up the speed of the Dolphin.

It wasn’t long before they approached the nearest moon. “Scans are negative. No energy outputs, no structures, no bulk alloy composites,” said Steven.

“Well, Eden doesn’t show up on the planetary scanner either,” commented Ashlyn. “Let’s make a lower pass.” Ashlyn’s piloting skills were impressive. She nosed the craft down so that they were bobbing and dipping just meters above the surface. As they moved around to the backside, weaving round craters and spires, and small canyons, Steven tensed a bit.

Ashlyn never slowed—it was as if she knew the terrain intimately.

“Ash—I’ve got it. Circle round the northern hemispheres 19.5 degrees latitude as viewed from Hades.”

“Constructing grid—locking in.” Pulling the nose of the Dolphin up sharply, exiting over a canyon wall, she turned them around. “Thirty second ETA.”

Moving along Steven’s coordinates, it wasn’t long before a bright beacon of light pierced the darkness before them. It emanated from a small cluster of stacked stones that stood like a fossilized sentinel. The skids of the Dolphin transport touched down beside it. “Praise the lord! We’ve been shown the light!” Ash rendered in her best Southern Baptist Minister’s impression.

An alarm chimed. Steven studied the readouts. “Gravity is strengthening—a full atmosphere is developing.”

As they waited, staring out the forward window, a small outpost shimmered into existence. They watched as the familiar blue canopy, like the one that enclosed Eden, enveloped the outpost, covering it from end to end. Pulsing yellow lights in the ground appeared, outlining the walking path they were to follow.

The alarm chimed. “We have full atmosphere,” said Steven.

“Think of what a great caterer The Keeper would make, Steven. He can blend a drink that gives eternal life, prepare a food that gives you the power to shape-shift, and turn a desolate moon’s outpost into an oxygen-rich habitat, all in two minutes flat.”

Steven agreed. “The Keeper is impressive.”

Ashlyn pressed the green button on her console that opened the side hatch door. Exiting to the ground, they were greeted by The Keeper’s familiar voice.
“Welcome, my friends. Follow the lights to my command center, where I may share with you the grand future that awaits you.”

Along the path, they passed by several smaller, windowless buildings, most of which were arrayed with large antennae.

The path ended at the largest of the nine buildings. As they neared it, a small portion of the wall dissolved. Stepping inside the dark room, it illuminated, revealing two very ordinary looking pedestal chairs in the center.

“Enter, my friends.”

“What is this place?” Steven took note that the wall again sealed seamlessly behind them.

“You would call it an orientation room. Please be seated.”

Sitting, the room dimmed into darkness. Before them a blue shimmering containment field appeared. Coalescing in the center of the field was the figure of a youthful looking man, hands folded together, his head bowing in respect. It was The Keeper, in the image of an Anunnaki. He wore the standard white robe and had white hair with silver-blue eyes.

“Hello, Lord Steven and Lady Ashlyn. What questions do you wish answered?”

“I haven’t told him anything yet. I left that for you, Keeper. It was always your Gift to give,” chirped Ashlyn.

“It is my Gift, for both of you,”
corrected The Keeper.
“This place is designed to guide you, allowing you to move on to the next phase.”

“Next phase?” said Steven.