A Simple Darkness (The Young Ancients: Tiera) (35 page)

About six hours later the man next to her woke, stretching for several minutes, moving into the back to do it, clearing the space of seats with a few thoughts and actually moving to the floor for it. After he finished he made a small room on the right hand side and went in. A restroom, no doubt. When he came out, ten minutes later, he stared out the window, not speaking.

Tiera rolled her eyes, knowing that this was some kind of Ancient thing. He was proving that he was too old to be bothered with normal social conventions or something like that. Making a face she snorted at him, getting a slightly curious look in return.

"We should be there in a few hours, three at the outside. It's been light enough for me to use landmarks for the last few hours, so I think I'm on course. So... why do you think I'm a monster exactly? I was thinking about it and, seriously, loads of people are angry a lot. I don't even go into combat rage. I guess that doesn't mean I'm naturally a sweet person, but it isn't like other people don't have to deal with similar things." If the man imagined that he was really getting out of the conversation, he shouldn't have trapped himself in a little box with her. He was more than old enough to know that too, so it wasn't a mistake on his part, she didn't think. No, he'd done everything on purpose, for some reason.

"They do, except for the fact that you don't seem to feel fear. That's also something that a few others have to deal with from time to time. Mainly men, but it does happen. The combination of high levels of aggression, combined with lack of fear isn't good. It's a recipe for the worst kind or person. On the good side you're intelligent and have a chance to learn control. I know it's a good bit to dump on you right now, but at the rate you've been going I have to try something. Otherwise you'd be going on killing sprees within the next few months, most likely."

She... could see that. It was too easy and tempting to just get rid of people she didn't like. If she did it right who could stop her? It was the lesson she learned from Count Morris and his people. Even Sandra, if from the other side. When she was careful and thought things out, it was really hard to stop her. She had good weapons and was willing to use them. Sandra had that going for her too, but her target had been nearly equal to her and mobile. It made a huge difference. If Tiera had just been killing people she could have taken out most of the Morris military, as well as the Count and possibly Sandra too. That last would be closer, since she'd adapt and seek help from her friends, but it was possible, if she caught her off guard.

The only thing that had stopped her from doing that was what her parents had taught her about human life and how it was all very valuable. If not for that, she probably would have already been slaughtering people. Maybe thousands of them.

"Right. Well, I'll try not to do that. Next time you want to dump horrible truths about me like that try to stay awake for a bit will you? A girl might just want to chat about things like that." It came out sounding almost peaceful, if a little bossy.

There was no response at all, the good looking man just staring out the window his eyes locked on the horizon. It was eerie and more than a little strange, the total silence like that, which didn't end for over an hour and a half. When he did speak it wasn't in response to anything she'd said, but did come with some pointing.

"Thought so. We're nearly there. See that outcropping? That should be the entry point. Move toward it slowly and it should open up. If not, then we wait. I doubt they've gone anywhere however. Unless they've reactivated the lunar base." He didn't explain what that was at all.

That kind of thing would get old, of course. She could work it out, since she knew that Lunar meant it had something to do with the moon. That didn't explain anything though, not really.

"So, is that the name of the place, or is it really all the way up on the moon?" She tried to make her voice polite, but it came out a bit snooty. It was totally the wrong tone, but the Count just shrugged.

"Both. If they do have it up you should go and check it out. It's built on a similar model to this place. Largely under the surface, powered using alternative techniques. Instead of using animal power for most things, or running water. Some of those things can be dangerous, so try not to touch anything that looks too odd to you here, without asking. Blue won't label anything. You're supposed to know, or not be here."

He gestured as the gray side of the low mountain slid to the side. It was dark within, but some lights came on, showing a smooth floor, also in a practical gray color.

Tiera didn't wait to be told to go inside, that part was obvious. She moved in slowly, landing in a small box that had been drawn on the floor in blue, since the other craft inside were. That seemed to make sense to her and Count Lairdgren didn't suggest otherwise. He got out without waiting for her to do the same and started walking to a wall on the left. There was no one in sight and she couldn't see a door at all, but there was a nice flesh colored glow in that direction.

That meant heat. It was normally too faint to see, but her breath steamed in great clouds, meaning that the whole place was freezing. She didn't feel it, so magic seemed to work here. That was a good thing. Not that it
wouldn't
have, but Blue was strange and if anyone could block things like that, she'd be the one Tiera would pick for it. The woman, who was
also
a man, or so she'd heard, was both brilliant and strange at the same time. Cold and remote. All the Blue's were like that, except Cordes Blue. She was different. That had to do with her having the mind of an ancient king in her head or something, as well as her own mind. Tor had the same thing. Same king and everything. It was a strange connection, but one that almost made sense. After all the man had so badly wanted to save his land, Noram, that he'd found a way to make copies of himself just to do it.

Only, it hadn't been needed and Green had taken on the job of protector, and done it for over two thousand years. Count Lairdgren.

He stepped in front of the wall and spoke, his voice calm and peaceful. Almost placating.

"This is Green. I've come to deliver a magical device made by Torrance Purple, that will prevent Larval Assassins from being on this continent. It does not kill, it only drives them away. Is this acceptable?"

There was no answer, but a slot opened in the wall. One big enough for a regular amulet, but not much else.

Tiera poked at it, or at least started to, then remembered that she wasn't supposed to touch anything she didn't understand. That pretty much left the floor in this place. It seemed almost like a magical palace, changing like that to make a hole, but it didn't feel right and had made noise as it moved.

"The box it's in is bigger than that. About two feet high and three wide. It does have an amulet with it...
Here
." She didn't ask if she should get it out of the back, just doing it. It took a bit, but she had an odd feeling that no one was going to let her in. When she got back she had to push the chest into place, balancing the amulet on the top of it. That would keep it from going anywhere if not moved manually.

"So, open up further and I can push this in?"

Nothing happened for a while, and she was about to suggest they just leave, when the wall changed again, making a cubby just big enough for the thing to slide in, with only a tiny fraction of clearance on either side. It was clearly meant to keep them from putting anything else in with it. As if they couldn't have just hidden things in the chest?

"Well, I'm Tiera. I don't know who's listening, but... Hello!" She tried for bright and cheery sounding, since no one wanted to open the door to some angry or sullen person did they? The wall swallowed the box and then nothing happened at all.

Lairdgren walked away a half minute later.

"On to Afrak then? Too bad, but it seems no one is home. I was looking forward to filching a bite to eat. Nothing for it but to travel on however."

"I... Why won't they let us in? Do they think that..." Tiera didn't see it. Not letting a person in was considered pretty rude, if you didn't have a real reason. It was saying that you didn't want them in your home, that they weren't good enough. It was an insult, and as far as she knew there was no need for it. Hadn't they all left on good standing and as friends? More than that.

Family.

Shrugging the Count smiled.

"They aren't in at the moment. The automated system took the package for us, probably recognizing me from the last time I was here, which was a while ago. You're an unknown to it however, so it would go to a default setting and give only minimal aid. If needed it would probably heat this space and provide food and water, but it can clearly understand that we don't need such at the moment."

That led to a long description of what a computer was, and how some of them were actually quite brilliant. Tiera had to learn a lot of new words, but thought she had the basic idea after a few hours. She let him fly, since it was her turn to sleep. Unlike the Count, she decided to actually make a little bed in the back, and managed a good few hours lying flat, a nice pillow under her head. It was rare for her to sleep much more than six hours herself, but she tucked in for nearly eight, since there was little else to do. It was that, pilot, or chat and while there were a lot of things to talk about, she wasn't sure she really liked her grandfather all that much. It was a response to what he'd said earlier, naturally.

It had hurt her feelings and that made her want to lash out at him a bit. It was simpler not to talk about things than to fight for hours with a person that probably didn't really care that much about how she felt, except the parts he didn't like.

After moving back to the seat next to him, her mouth gummy and foul tasting, her stomach grumbling due to prolonged lack of food and feeling the lack of drinking water, for all that the ocean under them looked inviting, she saw it. A river that flowed through the air headed inland. Looking to the left Tiera saw another one. This had to be the place then.

Neither of them spoke about it. That was one thing that was nice about the Count, he kept the small talk down to a minimum. It was nice at times, to hear another voice, but chattering just to have noise would be oppressive in the tight confines of the space. That meant that, when he did speak, she jumped, smiling, even though he sounded serious.

"There have been some problems with Gray lately. I'm hoping that I can manage her and that she'll respond well to you. She doesn't care for men, in the main. She... Her basic pattern is like yours. Not identical, but she has a lot in common with you. You'll see. Remember though, she isn't a role model for you. The people that created her meant well, but they held to ideas that are too different to remain operational, compared to what the rest of us live by."

"I heard she was a bitch. Is that what you mean about us being similar?" There was a bit of sourness in her own voice, but she lightened it with a chuckle. She didn't want to be that way, it was just hard to help.

"It isn't exactly like that, but she can be difficult for some to deal with. The important thing is to stay calm and not engage if you can help it. She should be fine with you however. You're basically her. You'll see."

The city was so different that it was hard to see it at first, it was green and had paths, but instead of houses there were low lying hills. It wasn't until she noticed that a few people were walking in and out of them that she understood that those were the places people lived and worked. They lived surrounded by trees and bushes, plants and even grass. It was lovely, like a park though, rather than a farm. There were people outside collecting fruit from trees and tending to plants and in the distance she noticed that there were several small herds of goats and possibly sheep.

There was also a large crater in the middle of it. It seemed out of place and fresh, and looked to be the work of an explosive weapon. There were lines of force that radiated out, where a hand had shaken as it held it. She'd seen that before, while she trashed County Morris.

"Well, that's not good, is it?" Her voice was low and she got her own weapons out, even as they came in for a landing in front of the space.

"Indeed. This was Lara Gray's personal home. It has been for centuries. I wonder what happened."

The sound that came from behind them was nervous, and Tiera nearly killed the four women standing there instantly. They were all of a type, except one, who had orange eyes, ones that reminded her of Regina, except they were slit like a cat's, and bright blue hair.

They were all also armed. With sticks. After a second Tiera realized that they were tools. Strange ones but meant to till the soil, rather than do anything damaging to a person. The one in the front sounded worried, her eyes looking at the man at first, but then focusing on her, as if
she
were clearly in charge.

That worked for Tiera, but then the woman ran to her, and gave her a hug. Rattling off something in Afrak. She didn't know the language, but understood that's what it was, since, obviously, that's
where
she was. The Count spoke to her then, his voice soft, trying to set the women at ease. The brightly colored one with her dark skin, a color that neared a blue black, didn't let her go at all.

She did answer him though. After a few exchanges Lairdgren turned to her, very obviously.

"She thought that you're Laurie, your mother. I explained it to her however. There's been an attack and Gray is missing. Two giants, a man and a woman, attacked about a month ago. They're missing as well, so no help there. No one knows why they came, but they were clearly after Lara and went out of their way to not harm anyone else."