Log 1 Matter | Antimatter (28 page)

She pushed him out of her way. “You’re
teasing me.”

“No, I’m serious. I heard your top guard even
refused to guard Queen Carla.”

“No way!”

“Yes, way.”

She saw the challenge in his gaze. She opened
her mouth and laughed. “I feel silly.”

“Go on, see how quickly—”

“Guard, come here.” She didn’t say it loudly
but they both jumped when a dark clad figure fell from above,
silently.

“Yes, my lady.”

She glanced nervously at Jesran who was
looking impressed.

“Um, have you been leaving me weapons?”

“Yes, are they adequate?”

“Yes.” She stared up into the dark eyes. His
whole face was covered but he was taller than Jes who was six foot
two and broad but lean. “Jesran says they’re made for me … but
silly” —she flushed— “you know he said that.” Her face sizzled but
her guard had a glint in his eyes and his body leaned toward her
slightly.

He said, “Is that all, my lady?”

“Yes … um, just call me Ara.”

“Very well … Ara.”

“Did you really refuse the queen?”

The dark eyes shifted to Jesran who was
chewing his lip. Ara felt the guard’s interest in him. That was
interesting. The eyes were back on her. “That I may not say.”

“Alright. You may leave us—I mean resume your
guarding … guard duties.”

He left via the barn door.

For the first time since Tricia’s Virgo, she
couldn’t stop giggling. They walked back to under the homestead
where Jesran’s Jaka was parked, a rough terrain vehicle high off
the ground, big wheels, and practical interior. He grinned down at
her. “Did you get my message about giants?”

“Yes, but it’s all rumors still.” Ara sighed.
Jesran was the only one who was happy to indulge her fantasy about
giants.

“There’s an old library on Xoria Prime, Caleb
dad’s planet, his permanent planet, and I was told that there’s
mention of giants in some old texts there.”

“Well, Terzon and Caleb just tease me about
it.”

“You should ask them to use the library.” His
eyes held a glint.

“I’m a bit hesitant to go … there. How did
you hear anyway?”

“I have my ways.”

“Sure.” She watched as he climbed in, closed
the door, and hung out the open window. His arm hung down and she
gave him her hand. He lifted it and kissed the knuckles. “Or we
could go giant hunting together one day.”

“Deal. Better that than fossicking around old
libraries.”

Jamie was the guard on duty for close
encounters so he dropped from the stable rails, surprising her. He
stood staring at her; never had he felt the extent of her gaze as
she tried to make out his features behind the mask. Ara had picked
up on his interest in Jesran but said and did nothing except give
him a cheeky smile. For the first time his heart tangled and he
sighed over the infatuation.

He called Simon. “It happened.”

Simon was silent for but a moment. “Did the
world collapse, are you going to resign?”

“No, but you knew I wouldn’t.”

He'd been told that such a close protection
unit would include attachment. He'd stood there saying, “It’ll
never happen.” Now he owed several people a round of drinks.

***

Jamie still had the same inner circle but his
outer circle was still continually changing, ensuring the inner
circle didn’t mess up. Over the next set of years, he watched as
Ara laughed, cried, and despaired over not being chosen for an
apprenticeship. He had kept her and Caleb’s secrets, even their
questionable illegal sexual acts. The Three Aryan Pleasures, or
TAP, had to be registered with the Planet of Law Young Adult’s
Court, the YAC. The TAP had a special program within the YAC that
taught hygiene, pleasure, boundaries, laws, and other things of
interest to young ones entering that part of their lives. But Caleb
knew Ara was different, and they tended to conceal most of their
activities, sexual or not. His job was to protect, not to
dictate.

He finished work at two am and went to his
cabin to sleep. As he grilled a fish and tossed a salad, he sipped
a low calorie beer. Every now and then he glanced across at his
Voice. “Don’t check the message, Jamie.” He turned the fish on the
grill and added a light dressing. Damn. He could see the tiny light
blink, telling him there was now more than one message. “Don’t
look. They’ll come and get you if it’s an emergency.” He set the
table, dished up the fish and salad, and sat down. The Voice
beeped.

“Shit.” He picked it up and read the three
messages. None were urgent but one irritated him. It was from
Diane. “Ara has her legal license now for motorbikes, road and
dirt. Marc has ordered her one of each from King’s Horn. Due on the
orbital station two days from now, elevator down a day after that.
Have been checked by AM.”

Jamie leaned over and pulled out a
full-bodied beer. Damn it. If Ara was riding around everywhere on
public roads on a motorbike he’d have to get a team for that too.
He smirked then; he doubted he’d have any troubles finding another
motorbike team.

***

Ara and Jesran hung out a lot in the next
twenty years. But the last few years he was away more and they
drifted apart slowly. He was currently away and had a new
girlfriend. Ara arrived home from visiting one of the wildlife
corridors and turned off her bike. She swung her leg across,
grateful, for once, for being tall and leggy especially as her dirt
bike was high. She kicked down the stand and leaned the bike over.
As she pulled off her helmet she admired her new bike; she had
destroyed the original one Marc had sent her. She still had a nasty
scar on her leg, but the bike was totaled. Ara unbuttoned her black
jacket as she hooked her hand through the open-face helmet. As she
ran up the steps, she hoped the mail was in. She was waiting for
responses to two jobs and Queen Silvia was helping her. As she went
through the door, she noted it was quiet. Dad was probably out on
the farm and Mum in the garden or in town. Ara shifted the tablets
around and found some papir envelopes. One was addressed to her,
and was fancy. Definitely from royalty. Ara put down her helmet and
ripped open the black envelope with gold piping finding a similar
looking card inside. She was dismayed to find an invitation in gold
writing. Ripping it up wasn’t an option, papir of this grade was
artificial material, supposed to endure.

“Ara?” She jumped and then laughed. “Gralten,
what are you doing home? I thought I’d hear drumming.”

He hugged her and averted his face. “A quick
break. Hey, what’s that?”

“Invitation to Caleb’s Virgo.” She tried not
to snarl too much. Startled, he turned and Ara’s mouth dropped
open. “Gral, what happened?”

He had a nasty cut and bruise on the right
side of his face. “Just a fight, Ara. It’s all resolved now.”

Ara’s heart skipped a beat. “About me
again?”

“Just some stupid rumors I dealt with.” His
dark eyes warned her not to make a fuss.

So Ara just nodded. His slender build fooled
a few people but Gralen’s abilities went beyond his music. Ara
suddenly realized all her family could fight. Was that odd or was
it because they were Aether or her protectors? But Gralen wasn’t
born in the Energy Realm, he wasn’t an Energy Being, she could
tell. How she wished she could ask them. But, considering her
Mobile Unit status, it wasn’t that surprising. She ruffled his
spiky, blond hair, finding it sticky. “Yikes, been in Sacha’s
beauty storehouse?”

He laughed and nudged her back. “Funny.”

Ara helped him with the medic kit, and they
made lunch. All the while, the invitation nagged at her.

“Are you going to go?” he asked her as he
poured them both a chilled glass of milk.

“I don’t want to.”

“From some of Marc and Ersen’s conversations,
I don’t think Marc liked Tricia’s much.”

Ara didn’t understand why Virgo was such a
big deal. She tried to remember what she’d learned at school but
all she could dig up from her memory engrams was some puzzle Bel
had sent her to solve instead.

Standing behind the trellis, watching Caleb
with a tiny, beautiful, breasty, experienced Pure-Gen made her grip
the trellis, almost knocking it over. She backed away and folded
her arms over her “puny” breasts. If she was bored and analytical
during Tricia’s Virgo, and slightly interested in Sacha’s and
Ersen’s, she hated Caleb’s.

Terzon blocked her negativity after a quick
glance in her direction.

T. Err… Ara, you’re blanketing dark
energy

A. Sorry

T. Want some help to block it?”

She nodded.

How dare he enjoy it as much as he did?
Moaning and groaning like a—like an … animal! At the reception,
Caleb faltered at her furious face and she left early. She had no
intention of ruining his Virgo and celebration but she’d be damned
if she said hello to that bitch! Feeling combative was an
understatement and ridiculous! Ara battled feelings that Aryans
weren’t supposed to feel and it produced a number of visits by her
new monitor, Sharon. On top of that, Sharon, and her mum and dad,
spoke to her.

“Ara, we are very concerned about your
dreams. They are becoming more frequent,” Dad said.

“They’re just dreams aren’t they?” But more
and more she would fall asleep and wake to find herself walking
around the Cardinal Unit, unable to access any systems to make a
few little amendments, and then would wake up terrified her life on
Saratoga was almost over. Was Maya trying to get her used to living
on the Cardinal Unit?

“Well, they are manifesting in … physical
ways.”

They prattled on and on about Aryan Dreams
but Ara lost interest and busied herself by assuring them it was
all fine and not to worry. She didn’t want to waste time talking
about things she couldn’t change. She wanted to make the most of
her life.

Beachside City

She complained to Sacha later. “Honestly,
they go on and on.”

“I know and you get more of it. I’m glad I’m
not you!”

“Geez, thanks Sach.”

“I don’t mean it like that.”

Ara sulked in the passenger side of the jeep;
Sach liked to drive around, saying it was the latest thing to get
boys.

“I just have to stop and pick up some
supplies to do Mum’s hair and then we’ll go surfing.”

“Great.” Ara chirped up a little more even
though she never actually surfed. Mostly she just lay on the board
and paddled.

They chatted on the way to the city, it was a
little busier on the highway, and they stopped outside, beachside,
and rode by bus the rest of the way. Both wore bikinis under their
pants and tops, with sandals adorning their painted toes. After a
ten-minute walk, Ara waited in the foyer of a nice looking
four-story building waiting for Sach. As she waited, she felt a
strange sensation; it was an energy signature and similar to what
she had experienced on Earth. Her heart beat a little faster.

Ara’s instincts took over, and she tried to
mute her own energy. She quickly moved to lean on a pillar and
closed her eyes. She sensed the person was close. But when she
looked, several people were coming out of the lift and down the
stairs. Only one interested her but it was his beach boy looks and
incredibly handsome face that drew her attention. Tanned skin,
strong face, blue eyes, and great body.

Ara sighed. She’d lost the signal with her
perving.

She watched the smartly dressed office
workers walk out and stand in the shade created by the balcony on
the next floor, while others disappeared up and down the precinct.
Some walked across the mall. Ara felt strangely lethargic. Mr.
Blue-eyes was just turning back—

“I’m back!”

Ara jumped in fright having been so
mesmerized.

Sach laughed at her with a box under her arm.
“Come on, sun and surf!” Sacha’s smile fell a little. “Hey, are you
okay?”

“Why?” she snapped but then smiled. “I’m
fine.”

“Just you seem a little different.” Her eyes
were blue today and seemed concerned.

Had Sacha felt the energy depletion or her
mood? Sacha’s parents, the sHe Artifacts, were of the Sawol, so it
was mostly likely Sacha was responsive to Ara’s moods. That alarmed
Ara even more. Why had her Sawol component been drained so? Ara
shrugged and pulled her arm. “Let’s go. I was having a good perve
that’s all.”

“You?” Sacha looked around. “Oooh, surfer
man?”

Ara laughed and looked in his direction. A
tall male was walking up to blue eyes; Ara couldn’t see his face as
it was averted from her. “Thought you might like him … oh, he’s
into males.” Ara lost interest in the two men; though watching them
kiss was hot.

Sacha pulled at her arm.

They had a fun time sunbathing and surfing
though Ara did more of her version of surfing as Sacha tried to
attract the attention of the males.

Homestead

The girls shared their day over dinner and
Sacha did Pen’s hair the next. Ara mulled over going back to the
office building, just sniffing around, feeling where the energy led
her but she was thinking about that surfer guy rather than her
enemy. He might be into females as well. Stupid! She wasn’t going
to ruin what she had with Caleb.

That night she dressed in black, thinking she
hadn’t been practicing her stealth skills for a long time, and
decided to go on a little adventure. Trickster would be pleased,
surely. He tried to encourage her when younger to creep around like
a mouse. Just as she was sneaking out, her guard blocked the
way.

“Excuse me.”

“Ara, back to bed.”

Her jaw dropped as she tried to see his face
in the dark. “You can’t tell me what to do!”

“I can when you are sneaking out.”