Void's Psionics (32 page)

River Skipper opened up and out came Sparky,
Rose and Renee levitating her partner’s tactical black Drake armor.
Oliver watched as the pair seemed to be glad to be home as they
kept taking deep breaths of the clean, cool air and humming with
their eyes completely closed. It made him wonder if ever he found
his home if it would make him feel nostalgic upon returning. As he
watched he heard Renee say “Papa, We made it safe and sound… I
will… Love you too, Papa. I’ll let you know when we learn
anything.”

“
Our young await in the
gathering hall. This way.”
Sparky informed
and led them across the landing area closing up for the night. Some
watched them cross, especially Oliver who wore his full armor,
mainly for the helmet to disguise his eyes. Not for the imposing
aspect it created. Chatting with large Hunters did help a little
and holding Renee’s hand had made the daunting look seem more
approachable.

A spiraling granite ramp was used to wind the
pathway down to lower areas. Passing Drakes kindly greeted new
guests and had the kindness returned. This was one of three
mountains that hold councils, but this one was quite populated. It
was also the same mountain both Sparky and Rose were born and lived
for most of their lives. On they went down the tunnel till reaching
a large open greeting area filled with an underground glowing
forest. Some Drakes were glowing too, especially a huge group over
a ways by an underground lake. Long arched necks lifted arrow
shaped reptilian heads grew more like curved stalks of multicolored
arches.

Rose picked up her pace as
the other group approached. She said
“I
missed you, My Younglings.”

“
Mother.”
“Grandmother.”
And so on was common
thoughts as loving caresses of face and neck rubbings were given by
male and females to Rose. Sparky joined in being called
“Father.”
And so on as
well. Females rubbed against him, but males didn’t touch one
another in this society, they lower their heads in respect to him.
Like Rose, most females were close to half the size of their large
and more bulky male counterparts. The love they had for the pair
showed as their scales began to illuminate outward from within.
Females were much more brightly colored than darker males. Most
being yellow, pink, red, baby blue, orange and so on. Males tended
to be varying dark shades of green, blue, brown and
black.

Oliver began to notice only half the group
came and took in different features and attributes. Not having
direct relation to Sparky and Rose except through their mates. It
was a Drake tradition to be greeted in such a way.

When all of their children
and descendants, more than two hundred in all, had been greeted
Sparky loudly slapped his wings against his side to gain attention
and asked in a fatherly way
“Where are the
hatchlings I’ve yet to meet?”

“
One moment, Father. They
are timid and have heard of the countless stories and were afraid
of the patriarch of our clan.”
A lovely
female, a shade darker than her mother, turned and made a reptilian
grunt. From the other group, ten timid and tiny baby Drakes not
even a half meter to two meters long came crawling over. The group
moved away and Sparky, to not seem frightening, he laid down in the
cool luminescent azure grass. Rose’s talons dug into the ground to
not bounce with joy at them although she sent her emotions out as
how she was already in love at how cute they were.

“
What stories?” Oliver asked
as quietly as he could beside the others.

Renee chuckled. “Sparky was once one of the
best warriors of the Drake people before he retired as an Elder and
humans arrived. He led packs of other warriors which defended homes
from the Tarantulas that live in the deep, dark valleys. I’ve still
yet to hear all the stories. Especially whenever Keptl dropped in.
Sparky was always the first to dive headfirst into battle. Drakes
hate Keptl, but fear the overgrown spider Beasts, but not him. He’s
renowned as a cocoon breaker. Only the bravest go so deep into the
webs just to reach the nests where Tarantulas’ lay their eggs. It
proved how fearsome he is to a peaceful society. They might be
aggressive predators like us, but they usually tend to defend, not
go on the attack. Most times their people must be conditioned to
lose the fear to hunt Beasts. Sparky is among the rare few who has
a special condition that he was born with. He has no fear. And I
mean that literally. He never felt it till he bonded to me and my
alien mind influenced him just enough that the only thing he fears
is losing me. He has no other fear.”

“
But if he has no
fear…”

“
Yeah, those few born like
him don’t tend to live long.” Renee nodded as she knew where his
thoughts were leading. “It just goes to show you just how much he’s
looked up to and feared in a respectable way. Him being so old and
alive has never happened in their history.”

“
Greetings, Little Ones.
Come forward so I may know you belong to me.”
Sparky’s mental touch made the ten little Drakes pause till
their parents gave them a nudge to their rears with a snout. They
stopped and made adorable squeaks before going silent as Sparky
came down to take in their scent.
“You are
indeed of my line.”
Rose followed after,
doing the same, but licked them each in a gentle way that had some
shy and other think it was a game to jump on her head, their little
wings beating hard to stay on. When the first few pounced, it was
like others took it as their cue to do the same on the matriarch
when she barely made her version of a cheerful laugh.

New mates were greeted and Sparky made
introductions to the bipedal company he had brought. Rose moved off
with the three mothers responsible for the hatchlings to play and
dote on them as much as she could in a little time. Many were extra
kind to Renee as her being the rider of one of their most well
known people was a great honor. Many Drakes can only hope to find a
human rider to bond with. Some asked why Oliver kept his helmet on
and were politely told to leave the subject lay. It was.

Much of the night was spent at the reunion.
Raw meat was provided to everyone, but both Renee and Oliver
declined, making Piranha Beast into a dozen pill size pieces that
will feed them for a good month. Only Stone, Satellite, Visor and
Steven made a fire to cook by the underground lake. Sometimes they
would all go swimming, enjoying the algae that lit up the lake
bottom.

Eventually though it turned out to be a long
day and the reunion ended for the night. Sparky had contacted
someone and led them to a set of doors where they all got some
sleep. Four rooms were supplied. Each were gratefully accepted.

“
The council is ready for
you now.”
A black Drake in silver armor
announced several minutes after another pair was seen about
something early the very next morning.

Oliver and the others stood and moved to a
set of guards who entered their minds to check for any threats.
They found none and let the eight of them passed through a
soundproof door that closed behind them. It was clearly manmade
like most doors here, but the chamber they entered was
untouched.

A flat shelf of rock stood three meters off
the ground that had been rubbed smooth over countless years of
daily use. Being in the upper part of the mountain made it chilly
so there burned a hearth. The ceiling was blackened with soot, but
regularly swept to not catch fire on built up creosote. The room
was etched in ancient Drake writing that had been changed to
English as it was more accurate than their own. Their writing was
based off the mind of the past Elders who guided their race fairly
and justly. In the platform that was Spartan were the eldest living
Drakes. The only comfort was fire for warmth. And the Elders didn’t
lay on padding or sheets, but on granite as their predecessors had
for as far back as they knew. It was to not allow time to waste
when others had need of council. Since it was the windy season is
why they were able to be seen so soon.

It was slow days in comparison.

The council numbered nineteen, led by the
eldest living Drake on the planet. A true and rather larger than
average ruby red female who’s scales were so shiny they were nearly
polished. Each were well over two millennia old. Since humans found
a way for making Drakes immortal, new council Elders were no longer
named till another dies by accident or in combat. Judging by the
sharp stare of the council, it didn’t look like any of them planned
to go out by accident any time soon. Each male and female looked
ready and able to die fighting.

Sparky, as eldest among the
group dipped his chin in respect as did others who bowed.
“Greetings, Wise Ones.”

The ruby female’s mental
voice was soft, but clear and strong as the most unbending
steel.
“Well met, Elder Sparky. It has been
ten human years since you came to us with your young rider who I
see here. It has been a long time, Old Friend. Even for us ten
years is long.”

“
So it has, but time passes
quickly with humans who cannot sit still for two seconds. It is not
easy to be far from my people for so long either, but I have loved
seeing the many worlds with my rider.”

“
I hope you would share some
of it with us should your needing a full council be swiftly heard
and decided on. Over a nice hot drink that warms the belly and
eases the mind like old times after we defeated our enemies of old.
I have truly missed your sense of humor.”

Steven barely managed to hide his laugh in a
cough. Sadly it echoed, but no one other than Renee paid attention
and shot him a warning look.

“
So too have I missed our
native drink.”
Sparky offered a crinkling
around the eyes.

The leader looked over the
others to think
“Greeting to the rest of
you. If you need to name me, I am called Alandra or Wise One. To
whom will this group be needing our judgment?”

“
That would be me, but I
defer to Sparky to speak on my behalf.”

“
Your name please.”
She looked towards the tallest and most
intimidating figure in the room with slit reptilian rusty
eyes.

“
My name is Oliver Void,
Wise One.” Oliver bowed curtly again.

“
Very well. Sparky, please
tell me what you require.”

The emerald Drake took a
deep, steadying breath before slowly letting it out.
“We come seeking for ancient knowledge you may
have to aid our quest in searching for the ones who make it
possible for both Humans and our people to evolve into free
thinking entities.”

Confusion had the other
leaders looking to one another. Alandra said
“We know less than you I’m sure about them. I’m still not
through listening to the computer one called Alleia you uncovered
has spoken of.”

“
But we have private new
knowledge the Tower of Loke was actually a Solarian nursery. A
place of birthing. But below it we uncovered proof of five planets
that was told to have stored information in castles upon those
planets. I too concur with the visuals… that one of the castles was
established upon Drakken Prime, this very world.”

The council went still,
especially Alandra. Eventually the silence aside from the crackling
fire was broken.
“Do you know
where?”

“
No, Wise One. Our home has
been scanned by the humans too many times and we have looked over
every mountain yet I know not of any dwelling, but Solarians were a
very advanced people and already on two occasions we discovered
human technology cannot locate certain things. I was hoping the
eldest council might know of any stories no other knows that may
help in our search. The only option left is to search are the
valleys and ravines, but without any help you may have we will be
forced to search each and every crack… which shall take many, many
years.”

“
Even if we did know where
to narrow the search, you could potentially be sent too deep into
danger, danger we won’t permit even one such as you to undertake.
Even should Solarians have a nest here, it has been twenty five
thousand years. Surely nothing would be left behind.”

“
Maybe, but we have stories
of them being our friends during our hatching of remembered
history. We know they made life possible here for us. Anything
you…”

“
They are anxious, Sparky.
They
do
know
something.” Oliver said.

Eyes all turned to Oliver.
Especially Alandra who’s lids narrowed.
“Be
silent. You gave Sparky the right to… how are you doing
that?”

“
Doing...”
a thin male three on her left suddenly had his
eyes flying open.
“Desist your intrusion at
one, Human.”

Oliver had taken all
Sparky’s telepathic lessons to heart, especially in how to disguise
intrusion by matching his own emotion to another’s so that they
think their feelings are normal. Camouflaging telepathy was near
impossible to master, especially doing nineteen at once since
Fracturing allowed for psionic multitasking. “But I’m
not
human.” He admitted
matter-of-factly while pulling away from feeling their emotions.
“What are you hiding?”