Mobius (23 page)

“As you like, Morion, but remember—impossible pursuits require impossible efforts.” I exaggerated my tender embrace with Allienora, so to let Morion know who held the upper hand.

Allienora pulled away from me. “Neither of you will enjoy my company. It seems Orsteen is the only gentleman among you.” She proceeded to lie next to Orsteen, who was sound asleep and snoring.

I saw a gelatinous-filled-sack-with-legs hopping near me and smiled deviously. I snatched it up, took aim, and launched the slimy creature into the air. It landed with a splatter on Morion’s face, who screamed in revolt.

I laughed to myself and found Allienora shaking her head in disapproval. She, too, then laughed.

The night passed.

I awoke to a shaft of morning light that slipped into the cave and warmed my face. I stood up and inspected a previously unnoticed opening, which overlooked the ocean. The cave we inhabited was within the face of the sea cliff, close to the surf. I watched the alien sun rise at the ocean’s edge, spilling an apricot light across the gentle fluxing waters. Winged creatures, like bald ferrets, flew above the water. One by one, they crashed down to catch small bundles of gray tentacles from just below the surface.

“It’s beautiful,” said Orsteen, approaching from behind me.

“Indeed.”

“It means much to you. Doesn’t it?”

“What do you mean?” I replied.

“The necklace,” said Orsteen. He indicated the cobalt-blue infinity spiral that I caressed thoughtlessly. “I can tell it’s important to you. You’ve been checking its safety more often than the narcotic in your pocket.”

“My drug is gone,” I said tensely.

“And the necklace? What’s its significance?”

“It was my wife’s.”

“Of course,” said Orsteen. “I read your biography in the
Neofrontier Chronicle.
I’ve also lost a wife.”

“I’m sorry, Orsteen. How did it happen?”

“She was supervising a mining excavation when a subterranean tremor caused a cave-in.”

I looked thoughtfully to Orsteen. “I think I understand you now.”

Orsteen tilted his head inquisitively. “How so?”

“We’re all stricken with tragedy in this life. This is part of what defines us as mortal beings. It’s how we choose to have those experiences shape our lives. After the tragedy of your wife’s death, you chose to become a leader, someone who protects those in need of protecting. From her death came something positive...
someone
positive. You’re a good leader, Orsteen.”

Orsteen placed a hand on my shoulder. “You’ve given me a different perspective, my friend. Thank you.”

I looked out to the ocean.

What of my own choices?
I wondered.
Orsteen made good with his tragedy. What did I make with mine? I closed my heart to love. Lost myself in my work.

“Are you all right, Theron?”

“This life can be cruel and beautiful at the same time. Who knows if it means anything at all?”

For a while we stood in silence, admiring the view.

I thought about Allienora. “We should wake the others.”

We found a bunch of the gelatinous-filled-sacks-with-legs hopping carelessly on Morion’s sleeping form. Orsteen and I laughed. Apparently, during the night, the creatures had made a nest of silver webbing on Morion’s chest. Thus, the day began with Morion in a rage, slaughtering the cave creatures. He crushed them against the cave walls, and those that dared to hop at his feet were instantly stomped. The rest of the creatures fled to the opening illuminating the cave. They toppled over the edge of the cliff and into the surf below.

Morion trembled. “Didn’t I tell you these disgusting hobgoblins were out to get me? They’ve soiled my clothes. I now reek of their foul secretions.”

Once Morion calmed down, we journeyed out into the alien morning, keeping a lookout for our armored pursuers.

While Morion and Orsteen looked for food, Allienora and I ventured to the far perimeters of our surroundings to assess the risk of further alien encounters. We realized we were on a small peninsula of tropical forest. Sea cliffs, like castle walls, formed the outer edge of the peninsula and protected against the ocean tides.

When we arrived at the tip of the peninsula, we discovered, to our breathtaking surprise, a floating city in the shape of an enormous teardrop. It hovered above the water, a few kilometers off shore. We could see a glowing, crimson beam of energy being shot from the base of the teardrop city and into the water’s depths.

“What’s it doing?” asked Allienora.

I found an ocular headset in my pack. Looking through it, I saw aliens traveling on walkways that wound up and around the great structure. The floating city was at least a thousand meters tall and shimmered with a golden luster.

“I don’t know what the beam of energy is, but you should see the opulence of the architecture. The finely crafted railings lining the walkways, the robust columns supporting the various levels, even the enormous windows seem to reflect the light with an abnormally enchanting flare.”

Allienora took a turn with the headset. “Quite picturesque. What one might expect from the Romans of old, had they ascended to an age of technology.”

“Picturesque indeed.” I took the ocular headset from Allienora and pointed it toward her.

“What are you doing?” she asked.

“Taking a picture. If we ever return home, I’ll need a memento.”

“I’ve never looked worse.”

“You’ve never looked better. You’re an adventurer now. The first woman to stand on an alien world.”

“I like the sound of that.”

I waved her back a step. “Quit fidgeting and smile for me.”

The sun had risen to its zenith and now began its leisurely descent.

Allienora and I returned to the cave and found Morion alone, sitting next to a small fire. He held a sharpened stick, on which were impaled a number of gelatinous-filled-sacks-with-legs. He hummed a tune as he cooked them delicately over a small flame. He turned to us with wild eyes and grinned.

“You’re just in time for the feast. I’ve taken my ultimate vengeance upon these hobgoblins. I believe if you eat them, you’ll absorb their powers!”

“What are you talking about?”

Allienora picked Orsteen’s flask off the ground. “He drank all the Neuro-Rature.”

I shook my head at the idiot in front of me. “What if you eat me, Morion? Will you absorb my powers?”

Morion’s eye widened. “Your statement has blown my mind.” He looked at the skewer in his hand. “I’ll need a bigger stick.”

“You’re insane, Morion. Snap out of it!”

He raised up the skewer of gelatinous-filled-sacks-with-legs. “Power or no power, they’ve turned out to be quite tasty. Their gelatinous centers cook nicely into a white meaty texture. Sit. There’s plenty for all.”

“Where’s Orsteen?” I asked. “Didn’t you return together?”

“Orsteen’s the insane one, not me. He decided to spy on the community of aliens we encountered near the archway. I told him such boldness could get us captured and we parted paths.”

“How long ago was this?” asked Allienora.

Morion tested the firmness of the gelatinous-filled-sacks-with-legs and then spoke through a crazy smile: “Roughly five rounds of my little hobgoblin friends.”

I gave him a fierce look.

Morion cleared his throat and straightened his posture. “At least two, maybe three hours ago.”

I attempted to contact Orsteen over the communicators, but he didn’t respond.

“Do you think he’s lost?” asked Allienora.

“I don’t know,” I said, “but he’ll have to find his way back alone. Morion’s right. We can’t risk being captured.”

“Sit and eat,” said Morion, handing us each a skewer of cave creatures and some small green fruits. “The scanner in my pack showed these fruits to be edible—however, my initial trials found them to be the cause of uncontrollable flatulence. Eat at your own risk.”

I ate scantily and told Morion of the great teardrop city, which floated over the ocean.

Finally, after hours of waiting for Orsteen to return, we gave up and slept.

In the middle of the night, Orsteen charged into the cavern, his expression that of a lunatic. “They’ve arrived! All three of the armored aliens! I was at the edge of the alien community, observing customs and routines to get better acquainted with our new neighbors. Without warning, the armored aliens arrived in the center of town, as if still in hot pursuit. They immediately sought counsel with the native aliens. At that point, I raced back here.”

Orsteen caught his breath and then snatched up one of the green fruits Morion had harvested. I grabbed desperately for it, but Orsteen devoured the fruit in a single gulp.

“We’re doomed,” uttered Morion, lying on the floor like a corpse. “Inform the aliens of my surrender.”

Morion seemed unable to filter his thoughts. I had the urge to throw him into the sea, but decided against such an indulgence. “Must you be so negative, Morion?”

Orsteen puffed out his chest. “It’s time to fight.”

“Agreed,” I said. “But how? Our plasma guns are useless against them.”

“I don’t know,” replied Orsteen.

What could we do? Our resources were limited. I became distracted when Morion started talking to himself. The effect of the Neuro-Rapture had apparently diminished, and Morion again cast paranoid looks to the looming stalactites.

“Your claustrophobia has inspired me, Morion!” I collected everyone’s anti-gravity belts and carried them to the corridor giving entrance to the cavern. I took apart three of the belts and removed their anti-gravity nodes, which I then placed around the walls of the corridor. I adjusted their emitters so they projected their anti-gravitons to the ceiling, causing the upper region of the corridor to be void of gravity.

I located ten of the biggest stalagmites. One by one, I attached the remaining anti-gravity belt and uprooted them from the cave floor with a blast from my plasma gun. I carefully positioned the stalagmites within the weightless upper region of the corridor. I then interlinked with the anti-gravity nodes and manipulated their sensors.

“At the first sign of the aliens, the anti-gravity nodes will disengage, sending the crushing weight of ten stalagmites down on them.”

“Very creative, Theron,” said Allienora.