Being of the Field (11 page)

‘No, the air itself is intense,’ he corrected. ‘Everything a thriving planet needs. If I put this stuff in my greenhouse the plants there would outgrow Module C in a week!’ he said excitedly. ‘I’m surprised you’re not pregnant from just breathing it in!’

Taren grinned at the comment, considering how close she’d come.

‘I’ll have to bonsai the tundrell to keep it alive. If this is the atmosphere that is required to sustain it, it would use all my current greenhouse resources in no time at all! It’s a good thing we’re heading back to Maladaan. I’ll leave it with the labs at the institute. They are going to be—’

‘Wait a minute…we’re heading back to Maladaan?’ Taren was disappointed at this news.

‘The captain gave the order about five hours ago.’ He was surprised she hadn’t been informed already. ‘Don’t worry about the time it will take out of your assignment. They’ll add any time lost to the end of your stay, so you’ll actually gain time aboard AMIE.’

‘That’s not my concern. We’re going to miss the anomaly’s departure—a once-in-a-lifetime event.’

‘Relax. The captain deployed several satellite probes before we left Oceane,’ Ringbalin advised her. ‘They’ll relay images of the event, so you won’t miss it completely.’

‘Thanks, Balin. I’ll catch you.’

Inside her lab, Taren was greeted by an explosive situation. The gas sample inside the bio-containment room was visibly excited within its transparent tube.

‘It’s furious,’ Kassa explained as she crouched against the back wall of the lab. ‘It wants to know why we are moving away.’

‘
I
want to know why we are moving away.’

The instrumentation in her lab was going berserk, although normally the being had only communicated through the FFRD—this was a show of strength.

‘Captain.’ Taren hit his number on her communicator.

‘Dr Lennox,’ he responded at once.

‘There’s a situation unfolding in the lab that you should see.’

‘How fortunate that I am right…’ He walked in and was stunned by the chaos he witnessed. ‘…here.’

Kassa gripped her head as the confined being endeavoured to voice itself through her. ‘Ahhhh,’ she wailed and when Lucian moved to assist her, Taren held him back. Then Kassa threw herself back up to standing to confront them .

‘Why do you retreat without returning our parts to the whole?’

The voice speaking through Kassa was clearly not her own. It sounded like numerous voices all speaking at once, and the words were slow and laboured so as to be understood. But its volume was almost deafening.

‘Are your crew and machines not safe?’ it appealed to Lucian.

Lucian, absolutely speechless, nodded.

‘We humour you because you are ignorant and fragile. Release us immediately or we will free ourselves at a fatal cost to you.’

‘I will have you released from containment at once,’ Lucian assured it, his voice sounding soft and tiny by comparison. ‘But the other small portion that is en route to our home planet cannot be released until it arrives at its destination in ten days, time.’

Kassa’s eyes narrowed as the entity stewed on the information.

‘We will refrain from using force at present, but we will not be responsible for the consequences should you not take action before we must depart. Is it not better to lose one man than to risk the entire population of a planet?’ it asked.

Lucian stewed on the question. He greatly respected the mind and work of the man this entity was suggesting he sacrifice, and as far as he knew, Kestler wasn’t aware he was carrying the explosive cargo. But he was obviously an MSS sleeper agent if he’d done tests on the sample for Amie and her Master.

‘I have already lost one of my chief scientists. I do not wish to lose another.’ Lucian made his decision. ‘I will ensure that my people on Maladaan release the sample immediately upon its arrival.’

‘We hope the timing works for you, as for us it makes no difference. We move on, regardless of the constraints of any given universe.’

Suddenly, Lucian realised the magnitude of experience that the being before him must have had. He had merely crossed a few solar systems, whereas this being jumped universes and dimensions! He didn’t feel that now was the right time for a question-and-answer session, however.

‘Clear the vacuum trap and jettison the contents,’ Lucian ordered Taren.

‘Yes, Captain.’ She was stunned and a little heartbroken by the sudden turn of events, but moved to the control panel for the bio-containment lab. ‘Before you go…’ She looked at Kassa, who turned to give Taren her undivided attention, and the way the being stared at her was a little off-putting. ‘Do you have a name?’

‘Azazèl-mindos-coomra-dorchi,’ it replied.

‘My name is Taren Lennox and it has been my greatest honour to meet you.’

Azazèl-mindos-coomra-dorchi observed her a moment. ‘We know you. You are special, Taren-lennox. A twelve-tone organism is a very rare find in a physical dimension, so the honour is ours.’

Kassa bowed low, which so overwhelmed Taren that tears streamed down her face. Once Kassa straightened up, she smiled, closed her eyes, and collapsed on the floor.

Lucian ran to her aid. ‘Release it!’ he commanded. The close encounter had him spooked.

Taren turned to view the contained part of the mighty being one last time, wishing she had the grace to ask it what a twelve-tone organism was. ‘Peace go with you, Azazèl-mindos-coomra-dorchi,’ she
said, hitting the release button on the vacuum trap that kept the sample contained.

The coloured gas drifted out into the bio-containment area, spreading out and shimmering more brightly—clearly it was joyful.

And also with you, Taren-lennox.

Taren’s eyes sprang open when she heard the being’s voice in her mind.
Telepathy!

How many Powers are there?
the being asked.

But my question was, what did you mean, I am twelve-toned?
She attempted to mentally convey this and as an answer was forthcoming, Taren assumed that the being heard her.

I understood your query.

Her delay in jettisoning the sample caused Lucian to spring to his feet and do it for her. Everything inside the containment area was immediately ejected into space and Lucian closed the exit hatch doors.

‘Are you all right?’ he inquired of Taren.

‘Yes,’ she replied, shaking like a leaf.

‘You don’t look all right.’ He guided her to a seat.

‘Is Kassa hurt?’ Taren saw her on the floor and snapped out of her trance-like state.

‘By all appearances, no,’ Lucian replied. ‘But I should get her down to sick bay.’

‘I’ll help.’

‘No, you rest,’ Lucian ordered.

‘Have
you
had any rest, Captain?’ Taren thought to ask, although he didn’t look at all weary.

‘Given the number of times my world has spun around today, I don’t think I’ll ever sleep again!’ He squatted down next to Kassa.

‘I’m so very sorry to have brought all this—’

Lucian held up a hand to stop Taren apologising and stood. ‘I made some unfounded accusations earlier and I couldn’t have been more off the mark. You didn’t bring this trouble upon us. You’ve weeded out the trouble that was already here and I could not be more grateful.’ Lucian nearly broke down, but managed to hold himself together. ‘And there is still more to deal with.’ He drew a deep breath, boggling at the enormity of the task.

‘Anything you need from me, just ask.’ Taren’s heart went out to him. She suspected Lucian had seen more misfortune and sadness in the past few days than he had in his one-hundred-year career!

Lucian lifted Kassa up. ‘I most certainly will do that. Until then, you are on R and R. I’ll have Aurora introduce you to the recreation module and—’

‘I’m sure she has work to do. I can find it on my own.’ Taren recalled that the last time she’d seen Aurora, the woman had not seemed very well disposed towards her.

‘I insist,’ said Lucian. ‘Some of the rec equipment is a little hard to figure out how to operate.’

‘Okay.’ Taren resigned herself to the confrontation. Perhaps it was for the best. She really liked Rory and didn’t want to be off-side with her or anyone on board—a task that seemed to be becoming increasingly difficult. Still, she did seem to be back on-side with Lucian, which was a huge step in the right direction. If she could just figure out how to get Zeven uninterested, she’d be home free.

Taren arrived in the lovely foyer-cum-waiting room area of Module D ahead of Aurora, and was thankful to be able to collapse onto a lounge and take a deep, quiet pause for a moment. There was some wonderful relaxing, watery-sounding music wafting through the room, which was decorated in earth and sea shades: lovely calming blues and greens.

The rollercoaster had finally stopped! The magnificent being who had briefly entered her life was now gone, and she mourned the lost opportunities to learn from the inter-dimensional intelligence.
I thought I had more time,
she rationalised her non-action.
And with the thief, a murder, and getting stranded on an alien planet…is it any wonder I got sidetracked?

The double entrance doors to Module D slid open and Aurora thudded in, wearing an attitude and chewing gum very loudly.

‘Do you want to eat first?’ she queried Taren without looking at her, then headed straight over to the other set of double doors that gave entry into the large recreation area.

‘Rory?’ Taren appealed. ‘Stop.’

Aurora turned around, rolling her eyes in the process.

‘You’re angry at me because you think something happened down there on Oceane.’

‘Well, did it?’ Aurora shot back, her anger still evident.

Taren didn’t like her tone, as it was really none of her business. ‘I’ll be happy to give you a full account of what happened, if you will calm down and reserve judgment until I’ve finished. Deal?’

Rory took a deep breath, not ready to give up her fury. ‘If you are just going to tell me how much you love him, then—’

‘I’m not,’ Taren interrupted.

Rory’s clenched jaw finally loosened up a little. ‘In that case…I’ll listen,’ she growled, plonking herself on the lounge.

Taren started with the crash, with Zeven unconscious and having to brave the outside believing it was up to her to get them home. ‘So when Zeven woke, I was just so glad to see him that,
well…
things got a little out of hand—’

Rory gasped, horrified.

‘In a
clothes-on
kind of way,’ Taren added, to take the sting out of it. ‘And the encounter was brief and, as it turns out it, not entirely our fault.’

‘What!’ Rory was upset again.

‘The atmosphere of Oceane is like breathing a pure aphrodisiac. Ringbalin tested it.’ Taren smiled to reassure Rory. ‘I am truly not attracted to Zeven. He’s a lovely guy and very heroic, but just a little too wild for my taste.’

‘Not mine,’ Aurora grinned and sulked at the same time. ‘He’s been making goo-goo eyes at you since you got here,’ she grumbled. ‘He’s got a thing for older women.’ She began to blow a bubble with her gum.

‘Do you want my advice?’ Taren queried, though she thought the girl was probably not going to like it.

Aurora nodded, her bubble growing bigger.

‘Well, if you really want him, I suggest you get with the program, Rory, and grow up.’

Aurora’s bubble burst.

‘He’s looking for a sensual woman, not a rebellious chick,’ Taren explained.

‘It doesn’t matter how grown up I try to be, Zeven still sees me like a little sister or something.’

‘Rory…’ Taren looked over the girl’s hairdo of the day. ‘Your hair is bright pink, right?’

‘So? Your hair has a couple of purple stripes,’ she retorted.

‘But if I let my hair down, you can hardly see them at all…so I can be conservative or a little wilder, depending on circumstances.’

‘But I like standing out,’ Rory brooded. ‘I want him to like me the way I am.’

‘I don’t think this
is really you
,’ Taren replied. ‘I think it’s a bit of a performance because you are afraid that the real you might be boring, or go unseen.’ The look on Aurora’s face told Taren she was on the right track. ‘The simple truth is, the true you is far more likely to attract your true love.’

‘Wow,’ Aurora choked out, holding back her tears, ‘that’s pretty profound, Doctor.’

‘Well, often it’s easier said than done,’ Taren confessed, thinking about the psychic skills she kept hidden because of what society thought.

Aurora pulled out a tissue and wiped her already red nose and then sniffled. ‘I’ve been pouring energy into being
Rory
for so long, I don’t know that I’ll be able to find the true Aurora…she’s been well buried!’ She forced a laugh, and wiped her nose once more. ‘Would you help me?’

‘Ha! I’m hardly a fashion guru,’ Taren said in amusement, but when she saw Aurora’s downcast appearance, changed her tune. ‘Look, when we get back to Maladaan, we’ll go shopping, and maybe we can help each other out?’

Aurora’s face lit up at the suggestion. ‘That would be wicked.’

Taren could see that Aurora was going to need to change in more ways than just her dress sense. ‘That would be wonderful, marvellous, splendid, lovely, or even sensational, but not wicked, rockin’, killer or neat.’

‘Awesome?’ Rory attempted to find the middle ground and Taren cringed a little. ‘Superb,’ Aurora put on a posh voice and sat up straight.

Taren winked. ‘Now that’s more like it.’

Lucian was really not looking forward to having this conversation. He had no real proof of his brother’s involvement in any of this, only the word of Dr Lennox, who he barely knew but greatly admired. With all he’d seen of her in the past few days, he was inclined to believe Dr Lennox was an innocent victim, but maybe she was far more powerful than she was letting on—their inter-dimensional guest had seemed to think a lot of her?

Swithin, however, was another story altogether. His brother had been something of a wheeler-dealer in his time, but since he’d become interested in exploration and they had started this project together, Swithin appeared to have put his hustling ways behind him—until yesterday. Still, Lucian wasn’t going to jump to conclusions. Amie could have been working for the MSS when Lucian had met her, and both he and Swithin may have been deceived by her from the start.