Log 1 Matter | Antimatter (25 page)

They all shuffled a little uncomfortably.

“And that’s why we like you, Jesran.” Caleb
laughed. “Isn’t that right, Ara?”

“I didn’t think you cared about the
Inferors,” she snapped.

“No offence to anyone but I don’t care about
the Inferors. I do care about the Eighth Race, of which Jesran here
is.”

Ara was at boiling point now, but more
embarrassed by Bel’s words and watched as Jesran placed the sword
on the ground again.

“But we do care about our legal system.”
Terzon gave Cal a hard look.

Of course they do. Ara tried to calm herself
and felt Maya nudging her again. “For goodness sake!”

They all stared at her.

“Sorry,” she mumbled.

Caleb was rubbing his face thinking he was
getting Ara into a tizz. “How do we get out?”

“I thought you knew.” Terzon stared at his
brother.

“It’s not one of mine. We’ve been here for
two hours. I thought it was yours.”

Ara threw her arms up in the air and placed
her palms onto the smooth walls. The males quieted down. She spoke
while searching. “I’m following the energy fluctuations.” She moved
to her right. “There’s more energy here, yes, there’s a link to
outside. But, hello—” She followed the golden energy stream.

“Why didn’t you check the energy before?”
Caleb complained. Bel looked annoyed.

She turned back to the wall. “Caleb, you felt
this wall and after you jumped down my throat for checking a spot
you had already checked—”

Bel nodded. “That’s right, I remember that
now.”

“Yeah, well.” Caleb picked up Ara’s sword.
“Can you get us out?”

She shook her head. “No, but we can go
further in.” Ara leaned against the section of wall and butted her
head against it. A hand touched her back.

C. Maya?

A. Yes

He rubbed her back and she turned, grateful
for his support. They all looked at each other. Terzon
shrugged.

Ara made the decision. “Okay, let’s go.” She
moved and rested her hands on the wall again.

Caleb moved next to her. “Can you really see
energy?”

First-Gen minds were a bit thick, Ara
decided, having already shown him. Admittedly, they were nine at
the time. “Yes. Can’t you?”

He grinned at her teasing. She was getting
back at him but since she held out her hand he forgave her. He took
it and their minds linked. She showed him what she was seeing now.
“That’s fantastic!”

But while holding his hand she saw he was
more interested in kissing her than remembering previous
conversations. That pleased her just a little.

They all wanted to see energy streams. Jesran
hung back.

She looked at him. “Come on, I can show
you.”

Caleb scowled a little as he hovered behind
the six foot, muscular Avatara. Ara ignored him. Jesran placed his
hand around hers.

She showed him. “Can you see?”

He nodded, pleased.

She moved him to one side and then pushed at
the wall. The wall seemed to disintegrate into particles with a
tunnel that cleared before them. Jesran pulled her back, taking her
sword from Cal, and started in. He missed her frown. Evidently, so
did Caleb as he was right behind him. Terzon was shaking his head
and indicated for her to go. “You can actually see where you are
going but it’s not for me to stand in the way of competition.”

Bel laughed until someone was yelling above
them, so he shoved them both in.

She entered and saw the two males fumble
around. She shoved her way through. “Excuse me. Coming
through.”

“Hey, Baby.”

“Get back, Monkey. This is PuG business.”

She led the way, turning on a tiny torch her
guard had given her, they were always considerate with little
gifts. They stood up as the tight beam revealed a high ceiling. She
was hunching because Jesran and Caleb had. After frowning at them
both—and they were looking sheepish—she walked upright. They walked
for several minutes.

Her nose then forehead then lips hit
something. “Ouch!” She rubbed at her nose. “The light doesn’t show
this wall. That was rude.”

She heard muffled laughter behind her. She
put her hands in front on the wall and pushed hard. Again, the wall
disintegrated and, when the particles cleared, they saw light
ahead. They all piled out, laughing, when they entered what looked
like a courtroom in session. It was bowl shaped and they were at
the bottom gazing up. It was bright, with rich fittings. Ara felt
another surge from Maya and then she left her alone. That was rude
too.

“Hey—” Caleb grinned, turning around, taking
a good look “—this is neat. What program is this?”

C. Shit Ara, is this what Maya needed to
see?

A. I think so; those barriers were
unique

C. And it’s in my dad’s library

A. Hmmm, maybe

He glanced back at her.

C. Another dimension?

Ara shrugged.

“I wish I had my equipment.” He stared at the
central dais where a cage of sorts was positioned. It was quickly
sinking into the floor. A mist appeared; someone began to yell and
someone else screamed. Terzon’s smiled disappeared but it was Bel
who picked up on the painful truth. He whispered, “Um, I don’t
think this is a program.”

Ara could see all the exergon, plasma
streams, and one in particular drifted over to her, and hers met
his. Kavela was in here somewhere. The plasma streams embraced like
old friends and spiraled around each other with his strand getting
closer and closer. She didn’t think he did it deliberately, but she
was basing that on the fact that often her streams would work
independently and branch out, feeling their way.

And it was a little creepy too, which is why
she didn’t access her “energy sight”. Caleb had tried to help her
find a cool name for it. Masked faces were looking down at them.
They heard mutters from those in the tiered seats. Guards swarmed
in, Kavela’s stream broke off, and they were carted away down
several stone-walled corridors to separate cells. Ara stared around
at her almost empty cell and wanted to laugh, not cry. She sat on
the stone bench and was hungry, cold and miserable. She seemed to
be waiting for hours but only minutes went by. She began to pace.
If she leaned onto the black, cold rungs, pressing her cheeks
tightly against them, she could see down the passage. The cells
were all on one side.

C. Baby, are you okay?

Relief!

A. Yes, this is odd

B. I suggest we go along with whatever they
dish out

T. What are you saying?

B. That we’ve seen something we shouldn’t
have, let’s just get out of here

T. What about Jesran?

C. Ara, see if you can reach him

She sensed some pre-annoyance; if she could
what would it mean?

T. That she’s a Pure-Gen and stronger than
us

C. Shit, I hate ArT and short ArT

*Laughter

A. Jesran?

She put a hand on the wall to search and
reach out. Having just touched his mind to show him the energy
streams made it easier for her to find his energy.

A. Jesran?

J. Ara!

A. Don’t say anything. Just think it

J. Okay, what’s happening?

A. Bel said to just go along with whatever
they say

J. Can do

After a few more minutes, Bel was the first
to start the charade and Ara played along. Bel said, with laughter
in his voice, “Come on, you lot. It’s just one of the old programs.
End it already!”

“Dad’s?” Terzon offered.

“Yeah, they were young once too. This isn’t
funny anymore.” Caleb’s voice was suitably annoyed.

They all grumbled.

“I hope we get out this time, I’m hungry,”
Ara wailed.

C. Don’t overdo it

T. You’re a terrible actress, Ara

She sulked but kept her mouth shut for all of
two minutes. “Caleb, you said there were panels to access the
controls, should I be looking in my cell?”

“Knowing our luck the panel is in your
cell.”

“What does that mean?” she shrieked, clinging
to the steel rungs. “You monkey arseh—”

The guards came so Ara snapped her mouth
closed and stepped back. She was released with the others. Caleb
looked a bit red in the face. They continued pretending to shut
down the program, even pulling at the guard.

“He feels solid,” Ara said, trying not to cry
now.

“It’s hard light, you moron,” Caleb
drawled.

C. Suck it up, PuG

A. Plug it, FiG

They almost laughed at the guard’s confused
look. Hard light was a term in a comedy they all watched. After
several comments from the guards and her dagger looks, they fell
silent too. But the guards let them go, shoving them along the
passage and then out. Soon they were standing back in the library.
Caleb shut down the program and they left the palace, aware of
being watched. “Where shall we go?”

They all wanted to talk.

Terzon said, “What about the Boat Club? It’s
a ten-minute drive and that’s where Jesran and I met for
lunch.”

They headed there for lunch and lined up with
trays. The Boat Club was mainly for the royal households but anyone
with an interest could join. As they sat outside on the grass,
sailboats bobbed up and down gently on the blue, sparkling water
and they talked of mundane things, watching other boats sail by,
but they occasionally laughed about the stupid program because, as
Bel said, “We wouldn’t NOT talk about it, would we?”

T. How they hell did we access that
place?

B. My guess is that it was because Ara is a
Pure-Gen

C. Were they Pure-Gens?

Bel nodded slightly but looked at Ara.

“I agree and lunch was delicious.” She
unwrapped her cake.

A. They were but I didn’t recognize some of
the others there

She felt an odd reluctance to mention
Kavela’s name. They talked further but it was mainly guesswork.
They all felt a little worried though.

B. We’re going to be watched. I suggest we
act normal and put off our Dressian Gates
investigation

A. I agree. Is there somewhere else we can
go?

C. What about the Saringtons?

They looked at her. She grumbled.

A. I’ll check with Tekko

J. I might research those weapons; it could
give us another clue

A. Good idea

C. How are you joining us?

Jesran looked hurt. Caleb flushed red.

C. Sorry, Jesran—I’m an idiot

Ara didn’t say anything.

C. It is a good idea

Jesran must have felt sorry for him because
Caleb’s shoulders had slumped.

J. Thanks, Caleb

A. Remember Inferor is about matter units
and energy, not about—

Terzon coughed and Ara saw Caleb’s face,
which he turned away from her. Damn it, she’d humiliated him now.
She was annoyed at herself, why couldn’t she have just dropped it?
They went for a short walk down the promenade, and Ara took Caleb’s
hand, whispering, “I’m sorry, Monkey. That was stupid.”

He smiled lightly but Ara still saw the hurt
in his face. Terzon and Caleb left them to go home in Terzon’s
roader, and they took Bel to get a lift back into the city. As she
and Jesran walked back to the car park where Jesran left his jeep,
Ara apologized for the comments.

“I’m used to it, Ara.” Jesran opened the door
for her.

“Not the kind of thing a friend wants to
hear.” It disturbed Ara that he was used to that while she
struggled with the terms applied to the different races feeling
that somehow she was better than them when she knew she wasn’t for
all her connection to the Maya.

He shrugged his broad shoulders. “I’m living
on a planet of mostly Superors and Aryans. We’re treated different
as the Modernus, mostly because of what we’re doing to Earth.” He
closed her door and walked around, waving as Terzon, Caleb, and Bel
drove by. He got into the driver’s seat and started the jeep.

And Pure-Gens made up such a small percent of
the overall population of sixty billion. She was sure the figures
for PuGs were around four million.

“I think it sucks you don’t have wings but
only because you can’t have fun.” She grinned wickedly at him,
teasing.

“I have fun, Ara.” He turned onto the main
road and headed out towards her home.

She looked at him, hearing his invitation.
She really saw him for the first time, his forest-green eyes,
tanned skin, and brown hair, cut short. He smiled at her, pleased
by her reaction. They chatted about the next group project and
after they arrived Jesran refused her offer to stay for a drink.
“I’ve got to get home.”

Homestead

She nodded and waved as he drove down the
long driveway. Ara headed up the steps and stopped as the Cardinal
Unit sent a data burst. “Nuts!”

Ara called Caleb.

Beep.

He picked up his Voice. “Hey Ara, want to
meet?”

He said it casually, almost as if he was
bored, but she wasn’t fooled. She studied the range of vehicles
under the homestead and grabbed a small two-wheeler. No one was
home so she didn’t bother with the boots, gloves, helmet, or
jacket. She sat on it and backed up, kick started the engine,
pulled the clutch in, tapped her foot for first gear, and released
the clutch while revving the throttle. Dirt scattered behind her as
the back wheel slid out. Hurtling over the hills, trying to fly
over the bumps distracted her from the log that she had received.
She reduced the throttle once on palace grounds and waved gaily to
one of the guards driving along the perimeter. No doubt, they
already knew she was coming.

King Delario’s Palace Grounds

Ara rode along a path and saw Caleb ahead.
She stopped, killed the engine, and leaned the little motorbike
against a tree. The cool forest was a relief and she grinned as she
tried to tidy her hair.