Caged Animals
Her hands felt cold and stiff when she woke. She found herself sleeping on the very edge of the bed with most of the quilt off her. A cool light poured from the window, revealing every line, crack and imperfection in the room and on her body. Delta turned around as her eyes peeled open to Anobus, who lay with his mouth hanging open and body wrapped around the layers of blankets. She reached over and tugged at them, making him jump and open his wild eyes.
“You took most of the blankets,” she croaked as she inched closer to the centre of the mattress while pulling more from him.
“Don't touch me, you're freezing,” his hoarse voice sounded like someone returning from death.
“Whose fault’s that,” she growled, but knew the more she pressed further to the centre, she became more comfortable, and more likely she would return to sleep – and Sorren would not accept that as an excuse to miss work.
Delta's flicked her wrist phone on and searched for the time. “We need to get up.”
Anobus groaned, and he twisted to his side to face her. “Not after sleeping in this bed, I don't know how you can leave this thing every morning.”
“Tell that to Sorren and the new head scribe,” she mumbled looking at the various unopened messages and newsletters.
His eyes widened as he suddenly sat up. “I don't have a spare change of clothes,”
“Just use your garb from yesterday and throw it in the photon-shower, it'll get the smell out for sure,” Delta said as her fingers scrolled through her device.
“But I don't want people to assume we...” his cheeks flushed and looked away.
“Oh, you don't want people to gossip that you spent the night at my place,” her eyes narrowed, and her lips curled into an evil smirk.
“You know how people can assume the worst,” he growled.
“Calm yourself, inter-familial relationships aren't a big deal anymore since people started living longer and having fewer and fewer children,” she said as she rose up and patted his back.
“Give me a break, Del,” he said as he kicked the blanket off and hurried to the bathroom.
“Only if your reactions stop amusing me,” she called to him as she lifted herself from the bed. A'gesh flew in, her chirps made Delta's ears ring as she begged to be let outside for food and relief. Sliding the window to the side, the bird made no attempt to be graceful as she scampered out the opening. As her mind lifted from the cloud of sleepiness, Delta replayed the events of last night. Her emotions were running high as she replayed yesterday’s events, everything she and Anobus had discovered at the hospital and the truth about Basra's tragic past. The guilt of feeling so much disdain for the old woman flooded her chest. She thought about what horrors had the magi put her through – and that herself was nearly a part of. She rushed over to the main room. The fireplace had long been extinguished and the tablet and bag were sitting on the table beside it. The moment she touched the device, it immediately switched on, but dark circles appeared around the edge of the screen, where her fingers accidentally pressed in.
“No, no, no,” she whispered as she looked through the downloaded files, most of which were missing and corrupted from the damage it took. Her heart raced as she looked through the backup data crystals, some of which had little information uploaded and certainly not the entirety of their voyage to the magi hospital. She wanted to yell, she wanted to scream and curse to the universe for betraying her, but what was done was done.
“What are you ‘no, no, no-ing’ about?” Anobus said as he emerged from the bathroom.
“The files, most of them are gone when I cracked the tablet!” she yelled while spinning over to him.
His face dropped as he looked between the damaged device and her. “You cannot be serious, after everything we've gone through was for nothing?”
“There's still some unhindered files left, but I wouldn't know if they would be even related to the stuff we saw,” she sighed as she rose to her feet.
“Pity it wasn't connected to the aether,” he said as he reached out for the ruined device, “you could pull some of the hospital records out from the aether-network, though I'll need to give you permission to access some of those files.”
“Hm, not too worried about your career so much anymore, Anobus?” she said with a smirk.
“Of course, I am, but I see that this is bigger than me and bigger than you,” he said matching the same smile, “hurry up, we don't have all morning.”
Upon entering the photon-shower, Delta had a nasty surprise of realising that Anbous had the machine dialled to its highest possible setting when she switched it on. The bright light made her wince, while her skin felt like it was cooked under the sun as smoke emanated from her flesh and white flakes began peeling off. She had no time to scream or hesitate from the pain as she towelled off her parts into the waste-breaker basin. Her ears picked up Anobus opening the door for a squawking A'gesh. With a hasty change into her woollen winter garb, the three of them made way to the library.
As they were navigating to their office through the crowds, Anobus lent into Delta's ear and said: “Have you noticed that there aren't many off-worlders anymore?”
Delta nodded. “They've been slowly getting out of here, but there's no media coverage on why. Mayen had said some vague things about it for the last few years, but I never understood it – I don't think she even understands it.”
“Will she ever be back?” he said keeping pace.
“I hope so.”
The scribe door was cracked open. Anbous slid his hand through and pulled it wide enough for them to enter. Sorren and Ebesi looked up upon their entry, but she had a frustrated and saddened expression written on her face, whilst his eyes narrowed between the two.
“Is that the only attire you have in your wardrobe, Brass?” Sorren said placing his hand on the anti-grav granite table.
Anobus' cheeks flushed as he tried to press for a confident and amused smile. “Only if I don’t get a pay rise,”
Sorren wasn't amused, but fortunately, Ebesi's frustration melted for a moment.
“Delta, you have not submitted your report from the phasing laboratory,” Sorren said.
Her heart sped up with the sudden realisation. “I was hoping to get a second set of geo-phasing information from my father, he used to work in the same laboratory.”
“That is not how we do things here, as you should be well-versed in by now,” he said.
“Forgive me head scribe, but I know Durun Ungbrahe on a personal level, and he has far superior knowledge on geo-phasing than anything our scribes could pick up at those locations. It would be unwise and adverse to our work if we neglected this opportunity,” Anobus said.
“You and my replacement can add your personal methods, but not until I am gone,” Sorren's eyes were now like daggers before he turned to Delta, “however, I was instructed to divert the scribes to a new temporary project of energy generating.”
“Can't they just make up their minds already what we ought to do? We just started with phasing-,” her words were cut short as Sorren shot his hand up to silence her.
“There is no debating. You will go to the power plant north of Capihul and gather data from there, I expect you to have both reports completed and ready for publishing by tonight,” he looked to Anobus, “a few words with you, councillor.”
Anobus stiffened as he glanced to Delta. His eyes were wide with fear as he followed Sorren out of the artefact chamber. She gave him a small nod and a pat on his elbow before finally exiting the room.
“This is beyond annoying,” Ebesi said leaning over the desk with both arms.
“That can’t be repeated enough,” Delta said walking over beside the desk.
“Why didn't you finish the phasing report? Could've asked me if you were stuck on it, Sorren berated me for the last hour before you two came in,” she said.
“Had other things on my mind, my half-sister left suddenly last night, and I don't know when she'll be back,” Delta said as she flopped the pocket dimension bag on the desk.
“So, you didn't want to be alone or something?” Ebesi said with a sly wink as she took the bag and slid it open.
“Don't be daft, I haven't seen Anobus in years, and we had a lot to catch up on,” she eyed Ebesi's hand pulling out the damaged device, “I need to take that for repairs, the phasing data has already been transferred. Please, don't tell Sorren.”
“From the way he spoke to me this morning? Wouldn't mind not seeing him for the rest of my life,” she said as she examined the dark circles on the edge of the screen, “they look like fingerprints?”
“They're mine,” Delta mumbled as she slid the bag from Ebesi.
“I don't even know what you two were doing to cause that,” she said.
Delta snatched the tablet from her hands as her cheeks started to flare. “You certainly don't!”
Her wrist vibrated again, but she didn't even need to look to know there was a new message from Olanta.
“You need to get that?” Ebesi said as she swung the bag over her shoulder.
“Later, let's just get this thing done,” she said as she turned to the door. A'gesh had her own plans as she skipped on to Ebesi's shoulder.
“Hello, pretty thing,” she said as her finger scratched under her beak.
Delta rolled her eyes as she slid the door aside and made way to the ports with Ebesi closely following behind.
“I'm surprised that your father wasn't at the laboratory, if he was, he would've been the one to meet us there instead of Yunn,” she said, brushing past the many visitors.
“Sometimes he works from home,” Delta said as her hand extended to the alcove's panel and typed in the coordinates.
“Yunn said he hasn't been in for some time. I picked up sadness from him when he started talking about himself and your family,” Ebesi said as she stepped into the alcove.
“Well, they go back long before I was born, there's too much history between all of us,” Delta said glancing at A'gesh nuzzling her beak against the Alkhemite's black braids.
“If you say so.” she said before a beam of light encased her body that phased out and finally disappeared, leaving an empty pad. Delta bit her lip as her mind ran through the possibilities. She glanced at the bracelet with a symbol of a fresh message shining on the screen, she wanted to open it, but there would be another time. With a heavy sigh, she redialled the coordinates and stepped onto the pad. She glanced around the many happy faces in the library before being engulfed by light and pulled through into the ether.
~
“You must be Del-un,” the woman said with her forearm extended to hers.
“Correct, I didn't catch your name,” Delta said as her hand gently gripped the woman's slender arm.
“Call me Rocai, I am the executor of Power Plant Nine, or as we like to call it: Rose City,” she said. Her painted red lips curled into a brilliant smile along with her sharp hazel eyes. Rocai's dusky skin and tight cocoa curls, pleasantly pined on the side of her head accentuated her already domineering height over Delta and Ebesi. Delta couldn't pinpoint what nationality she was, but considering Rocai's features, she was perhaps a mix of many different peoples that produced a stunning woman, that even surpassed Olanta's physical beauty.
“Why Rose City?” Delta said looking into the woman's dreamy eyes.
“In the heart of the plant, light always emits a vibrant rose colour, even the tubes that gather from the centre to the subterranean battery are rosy,” she said. Her long-manicured fingers were expanding with every passing description, “adore your bird.”
A'gesh bounced on Ebesi's shoulder as she cocked her head to the side to look at the executor.
“Thank you,” Delta said with a proud smile, “she won't cause any troubles for you.”
“That's quite alright, we've been told ahead of your arrival. She must be well trained and controlled,” she said as she motioned toward the purple bird, but A'gesh shifted further back on the archivist's shoulder.
“Apologies once again for the last-minute call from the library, we've had a sudden change in our projects,” Ebesi said.
“It's rather delicate timing, but we understand you had little choice in the matter. Please, follow me,” she said with an elegant flick of her wrists down the sterile silver and white halls.
“Why's this time so delicate for your operation?” Delta asked walking in pace with Rocai.
“Truth be told, it's been rough for many years. We've been receiving pressure from the interstellar community, global leaders, those who own the power plants and those who have a monopoly over the energy we generate. The list is endless,” she said as her flowing white and electric blue robes billowed about her ankles with every step, “Fortunately, the Federation has stopped badgering us about our work, so that's one stress lessened.”
Delta considered the last few words Mayen had spoken: 'we are alone.' “Why were they hounding you so much?”
“Shouldn't speak so loudly about politics here, but,” Rocai slowed and leaned into them, “you know how they are, they're self-appointed interstellar police trying to push their ideas on to the younger races about what we should or shouldn't do. And when they don't get what they want: they leave. Unable to compromise,” she said as her hands made a flicking motion to the sky.
“Doesn't explain why off-worlders are leaving in droves, they're not mind controlled,” Delta said as her brow rose.
“With enough pressure in the right places, you can make anyone do whatever you want,” Rocai smiled before spinning around and continuing the trek down the hall, which finally led to a sizeable silver door. Her fingers grazed against the panel before the door metal teeth cracked open. Therein lay a circular control room with over a dozen engineers, scientists and mathematicians crowded near desks and computers, all chatting quietly to each other or through the screens.
“This is the brain of the facility, and one of the safest areas. It's protected by exotic minerals mined from distant worlds and combined with the best and brightest metal-workers on earth,” she said.
“You want us to only stay in here and not tour the plant?” Ebesi said.
“Best not to. Your connection to the aether-network won't be cut in here, but it will be diminished. You can begin collecting data at your convenience, though I won't be able to be with you, you can ask one of the others for any assistance,” Rocai smiled once again before stepping out of the chamber.
“I don't like her,” Ebesi whispered as she eyed the closing doors.
“Is she too pretty for your liking?” Delta stepped a little closer with a smirk.
The archivist rolled her eyes and sighed. “There are a million layers underneath. On the surface inside her mind, everything is fine and almost too well ordered. Her emotions are a little strange for a human; that is all I'm saying.”
“If you of all people think something is amiss, then it probably is,” she glanced at her replacement tablet, files being streamed flew across the screen as she searched for anything that sparked her curiosity. Many files appeared on the screen titled 'Kyline crystals'; her finger hadn't needed to touch the surface when the document opened. Her eyes scanned the information on the time of their discovery, the celestial system they were mined from, some of their history with off-worlders using them as source of power and ancient worship, and so on. There was mention they were implemented as power source in Atlantia a few decades ago. They were being used well before the energy crisis became an issue. However, it didn't say what they were being used for before the crisis.
She bit her lip as she clicked into more documents about these exotic crystals: how much energy output they produced in certain pressured environments, there was even mention on how they reacted to psychic intervention that also managed to generate power. She read through testimonies of those exposed to the Kyline crystals who had their minds expanded and were able to cognitively process at far higher rates than regular people. The information about these crystals was extraordinary, she was about to turn around to share this with Ebesi but was halted when her wrist began to vibrate.
Delta pulled up her sleeve, expecting to see another unread message from her mother, but Anobus' name had popped up on the slick screen. Upon opening the message and reading its contents, her heart felt like it was either going to sink or explode or both.
Just left Sorren's office. He asked me to investigate two supposed 'scribes' that broke into Markarta Healing Centre.
Without hesitation, she responded. Doesn't sound like he knows their identities. Hoping that if the message was being read by a third-party, it wouldn't implicate them immediately, unless it was already too late.
I need to focus on this. Don't ask for any help for a while from me. He had the same idea. However, disappointment sunk in when she couldn't get access to the hospital's computer from the library.
There's another time to worry about this, she said to herself before glancing back at the tablet. Her eyes flicked through more technical jargon, but as she scanned the next set of documents, she noticed that there were no extra files on the Kyline crystals. She frowned as she focused harder on finding more through the stream and saved downloads, but there was nothing more than what she had already read. Strangely, their whole civilisation and globe had heavily relied on these naturally forming batteries for nearly every conceivable use, but there was very little information on them, she thought. Whatever the answer was, it was unlikely she would get it from the control room.
Delta turned to see the archivist. Her face was buried in her tablet, as her eyes were periodically glancing at her own wrist phone.
“Are you looking at the Kyline crystal files too?” Delta whispered.
She looked up; her brown eyes blinked for a moment. “There's not many, is there. I've seen more files on who works here and how long these power plants have been around than about the crystals.”
“Does every power plant have more than just one?” Delta asked.
“One crystal in all thirteen facilities, that's hard to believe considering how much power we use, but then again, this crystal's energy output is enormous – the numbers are off the screen,” she replied.
Delta bit her lip as she glanced at A'gesh, who had a sudden urge to clean her tail feathers. “Ebesi, why did Sorren and the higher-ups want us to start focusing on energy gathering?”
“From what he told me; the library has some conflict of interest with the new management change-over. The new folks want more insight on what's happening here than any other branch,” she said as her neck extended away from A'gesh, trying to give her more room to groom herself.
“That's nice and vague,” she said looking around the chamber. The others were too preoccupied on their work to notice them.
Delta strode over to the desk with multiple screens showing the mechanics of the plant, their power usage in certain wards, how well the protection levels were in the walls… a-ha, an illustrated map of the facility. She leaned in a little closer, trying to keep her appearance semi-interested in what was before her as her fingers scrolled through the circular coloured map. An option lay in one corner of the screen that offered to view selections of the multi-levelled building; she tapped through them, searching for the crystal chamber. The next button down and a flash appeared on the screen of a giant rosy-coloured blob sitting in the centre of a room. Unlike the neat lines of walls, doors, and stations, there were no borders around the shimmering circle.
Delta turned and stepped back to Ebesi. “Stay here with A'gesh and keep recording.”
“Where are you going?” she frowned.
“Going to have a look around this place, I'm going to see if I can gather more info on the crystals from the crystals themselves, or at least try to,” she whispered.
“Out of the question, I'm coming with you,” Ebesi said stepping towards the doors.
Delta sighed. “Don't be silly, if Rocai sees both of us stepping out of line-,”
“Oh, for universe's sake, Del, I'm your handler. Get that fact through your skull already,” she said as she waved her hand over the panel beside the doors, immediately commanding them open.
Delta smiled as she followed the Alkhemite into the winding corridor. They lingered for a moment for any sign from the workers acknowledging their departure, but fortunately, the only sound they heard was the sliding of metal doors closing. With the map's image firm in her mind, she began stepping down to the right halls leading to the crystal chamber. Delta noted there were a few signs and directories on the silver walls pointing to various places, but there were few symbols showing where the inner chamber was as if they were trying to hide them from their own employees.
“My skin feels like it's prickling,” Ebesi whispered while her black braids bounced with each step.
“Mine too,” Delta looked to her forearm and saw the thin transparent hairs on her skin standing on end. This was the same energy she had felt when she was in the Mage Tower.
Another turn and there it was. Two wide, curved doors with hydraulic tubes and gears plastered on the silver surface with a soft rubber-like seal between the cracks. They were wider than two people with outstretched arms and taller than two people standing on top of one another. Delta and Ebesi glanced at each other, looking for answers.
“I think there was another way around,” Delta said as she closed her eyes, re-imagining the map.
Ebesi paused as her eyes widened. “There doesn't need to be, someone's coming,” she whispered.
Before she could muster reasoning for their being outside the doors of the crystal chamber, the silver doors slid open revealing two scientists having whispered conversations. They glanced toward Delta and Ebesi, their glassy eyes and purple sockets gave them a ghastly appearance.
“Are you scribes?” one said.
“We are,” Delta said as her body tightened, ready to sprint through the door and grab Ebesi’s arm with her, silently cursing herself for admitting the truth.
The scientists looked to each other. “Don’t worry,” said one. The other nodded and continued down the hall.
“Thank you, what’s your name?” Ebesi said, stepping into the doors, but Delta hesitated for a moment before following her through.
“Did Rocai tell you to leave the control room?” he said.
“No,” Ebesi said before Delta could make a sound.
“Fine. Keep going down this walkway, you’ll find it and be quick about it – Rocai will be back to the control room in the next few minutes. We didn’t see you,” he said as his hand waved over the panel, forcing the doors shut.
Delta looked at Ebesi, her heart still racing as the pores in her skin began pouring sweat. “I presume you knew they were going to let us through?”
Her archivist smiled. “Empathy is still a form of telepathy. They’re terrified of the crystals, but I didn’t see why.”
Delta took Ebesi by the elbow, dashing down the halls following the signs. With every step they drew closer, her heart accelerated. She could even feel the roots of her hair tingling with energy. The curved halls landed them into an antechamber with narrow metal walkways to a white sphere sitting in the centre. She observed silver tubes protruding from the ball’s surface and extending to the outer walls in the room. There were several scientists and engineers facing away from them. Their attention was focused on the computer screens, too busy to notice their presence. A’gesh gave a small chirp as she huddled into Ebesi’s collar when they began walking across the bridge. Her eyes stung as she looked around at the rosy light leaking through the cracks of the tubes and doors. Time felt like it had slowed as her perceptions heightened before extending her hand to the inner silver door.
“There are no door control panels to open this thing,” she said as her eyes scanned for levers, knobs and gears across the surface.
“Turn that lever all the way around,” Ebesi whispered over her shoulder, “take a second too before going inside.”
“You’ve been in here before, Ebesi?” Delta questioned as her brow shot up.
“I just know it,” she said as her dark eyes widened. It was as if she was listening to something inside her mind.
Delta gripped the hot metal lever in the centre of the door. She was surprised to feel so much resistance from it as she twisted it in full circle. A click and then a release of pressured air broke from the edges of the door as a brighter rosy light brimmed from inside. With a deep breath, she pulled the door towards her to see a tiny stepladder heading towards a spherical gap in the centre.
“Get inside, quickly!” Ebesi breathed as she pressed her back inside the spherical room.
It took her a moment to adjust to the powerful light in the middle to see a faint outline of a semi-transparent blue shiny mineral suspended in mid-air. Its light intensity grew with each step they drew towards it. Delta was enchanted at its otherworldly presence. She couldn’t rip her eyes from it, but it also felt like it didn’t want her to. As the door slammed shut, A’gesh gave a squawk. She flew to the floor beside the only way out of the chamber, too afraid to venture closer. But Delta couldn’t stop herself from inching towards it. She was caught in its glow like a moth to a flame.
She watched its frequency change, transforming its colour from a rose to vibrant orange, almost making her eyes shut from the brightness. A thought crept into her mind: it was reacting to their presence as if it were an angry beast trapped in a tiny cage. She stopped a couple of feet before it. The crystal's energy slightly dimmed but the harsh aura around remained.
“What in the universe have they brought here?” she whispered.
“Delta,” Ebesi's eyes had begun to water, “it's talking to me!”
“Is it some sort of an ancient alien data crystal?” she asked as her eyes travelled to the silver nodes around the hovering stone.
“It was never made by anyone; it was born inside the cold black crust of a dead world, Kyline. I can feel it being torn out by metal clamps and hooks...by us,” she whispered as her palm extended out to the crystal without touching it, “it was so afraid, but now it just hates.”
“Impossible, minerals can't have emotions unless they're consc-,”
“It is conscious, all of them are, and they know it. They're alive,” she said.
Delta stared at the transparent mineral; a slight twitch rippled in its surface as Ebesi suddenly pulled away from it. “What is it telling you now?”
“I don't understand, all I'm getting is just raw emotion, nothing tangible,” the Alkhemite shook her head as her eyes closed, “they're talking to each other, regardless of distance, but they're feeling alone, and all of them hate us!”
“The ones that took them from their homeworld?” Delta said.
“All of us on this world, from putting them through this misery, all organics,” she said.
“What do you mean misery?” she bit her lip, dreading the answer.
Ebesi's eyelids scrunched as tears leaked down her face, her hands gripping the sides of her forearms, her nails clawing into the fabric of her clothes. “The scientists here are constantly pumping electricity through them, without relief, forcing more energy out of them through their pain. I feel like they're being tortured.”
“This isn't us,” Delta whispered as she took several steps back, but her knees felt weak as if she were ready to die in the chamber, “how far have we fallen to do this to another creature?”
Ebesi exhaled, her cheeks growing redder by the second. “They all know about it, but they won't stop.”
“We've got to get out of here,” Delta whispered as she rushed over to A'gesh, who had her wings wrapped over her head, and embracing her under her breast, “Ebesi, do you sense anyone knows out there we're still in here?”
Ebesi shook her head as she wiped away her tears. “Not yet, but I feel Rocai is already looking for us.”
Delta pressed open the door and rushed back outside onto the walkway, with Ebesi shuffling behind with her mind in a daze after connecting with the Kyline crystals. As they bounded down the halls, Delta’s thoughts rampaged. There's too much thrown at her, too many evils thriving in the dark corners of the world to shine a light on, too much to overcome in one lifetime. She wasn't the one to break, even in her darkest moments, but this was something else. Mage Goru's words echoed through her mind 'we're stronger after we've been broken,' but what if there was nothing more than ash? Was it even worth pushing anymore?
Her forehead and upper lip glistened with sweat as she was approaching the entry to the control room. Delta glanced towards Ebesi as she lurched forward. “I'm going to be sick.”
“Come, there's an exit out here,” Ebesi said as her arm interlocked around Delta's and hoisted her up. A few more steps passed the alcove ports she saw sunlight leaking through the clear windows of the wide ornate doors.
With her hand out pressed against the surface, a lovely voice called from behind them. “There you are.”
Ebesi violently spun around, almost causing Delta to collapse onto A'gesh. Rocai's smiling red lips dropped when her eyes landed on them before inching closer with her hands outstretched. “Are you unwell?”
Delta's words slipped from her tongue. “Apologies, Rocai, I think I might've ingested something I shouldn't have,”
“We have a healer on sight if you need relief,” she said.
“Some air would do her well,” Ebesi said.
“You don't look well either,” Rocai said as the corner of her lips curled in concern.
“Empaths pick things up from everyone, whether they like it or not,” she said as she looked away.
“I see, well we have a healer on sight if you wish to continue your work here,” Rocai said as she pulled up her sleeve exposing her wrist phone.
“No need to bother, I think I'll return to the library for the day,” Delta said as she pulled her arm from Ebesi, “would you be able to come with me?”
“The archivist will be needed to be here a little longer to collect more data, I'm afraid Sorren insisted,” Rocai said.
“Let me know when you get back,” Ebesi said giving her a pat. Delta sighed as she stepped towards the alcove. She turned to see Ebesi giving a longing stare as she continued down to the control room. She typed in the coordinates for the library. The lights flickered on as the teleporter made a deep hum.
Rocai rubbed her fingers along the edge of her sculpted jawline as she followed Delta to the pad. “I'm surprised to hear Sorren is around the library, would've imagined he would feel lonely now that so few Xannians are still on earth.”
“He just wants to make sure that everything is in place for the new head scribe,” Delta said shooting her a smile.
“Well, the new scribe and I are old friends. When you do meet him: send my regards,” she said with a warm grin.
“Certainly,” Delta said as she stepped on to the pad, “lovely to meet you, Rocai.”
She nodded as the light wrapped itself around Delta's form, but she had enough clarity to see Rocai's smile immediately fall and be replaced with a wave of cold annoyance, something Olanta would often give her. In a fraction of a second, she was pulled through to another alcove with an entirely different room before her. Delta hopped out of the teleporter as another person pushed their way into it. A'gesh clawed her way back onto Delta's shoulder, her beak was clicking as she opened her wings for a stretch.
“How do we end up falling in one disaster to the next, A'gesh?” she whispered as she made her way to the scribe's office. She glanced at her wrist phone and tapped a message to Anobus, asking him to meet her alone as she elbowed her way into a dark room. Her hands slid the door closed, her heart felt like it was ready to burst from her chest; cool tears poured down her hot face as her knees, once again, began to buckle. A'gesh took to the air before landing on the desk. The feathers on her head shrunk as her piercing eyes locked on her.
Delta called out but she had trouble breathing. Her hands pressed against her mouth and her frantic breaths broke through her fingers. She hobbled over to the desk and slumped over its surface. She ripped the pocket dimension bag from her shoulder and tossed it across the table, knocking over some standing artefacts and computers. She picked up the stool beneath the desk and twisted its metal legs before sending it flying across the room; it crashed against the wall before clanking against the floor. With a defeated breath, she slapped her forehead against the granite. The sudden shock of cold rippled into her grief. A'gesh chirped as her talons clicked against the surface as she hobbled to her. Delta ran her fingers through her sweaty hair as she heard the door slide open. Anobus' form appeared. His face was heavy with concern when he met the scene before him.
“We need to talk,” he said slamming it shut, “Sorren knows about what happened at the hospital, common knowledge is that there were two impostors that broke into, but what's not known is that they were responsible for a worker’s death in there – unfortunately he knows that part too.”
“That doesn't matter right now,” she said as her eyes drifted to A'gesh.
“I think he knows their identities as well, Del, this is seriously bad news,” he said wiping his forehead, “aren't you listening to me? This can end our careers in an instant! Potentially sending us to behavioural rehab for several years!”
“Maybe that's the place to be, away from all the crazies and be locked up with the sane ones,” she whispered.
Anobus swooped in and grabbed her about the shoulders meeting his wild eyes with hers. “Come back from astral travelling! We need to do something about this and do it fast. He's asked me to push this issue to my boss. He's waiting for me and you to do something that'll implicate us!”
“The answer's simple: only you should go talk to the new head,” she said as she shook herself from him.
“My boss is very well connected. He would find out what anyone is doing and has done in this entire country just like that,” he said clicking his fingers.
“Can he?” she said.
“What in the universe is with you?” he said and took a step back. His eyes glazed passed her shoulder to see the desk in disarray and the broken stool at the back of the hall. “What happened?”
Delta bit her lip as tears began filling her eyes again. She turned around and pulled her tablet from the dimensional bag before shoving it into Anobus' palm. His eyes glazed over the screen. They twisted from confusion to terror in mere moments before he glanced back to her. “I don't understand – Ebesi's still there?”
She nodded. “What confuses you exactly? The part that we have living crystals of unimaginable power that we're siphoning from to perform our ludicrous experiments. Or the part that they're conscious and in a constant state of pain to get said energy and that everyone knows about it and just doesn't care to do anything about it?”
He gently placed the tablet on the desk before taking a deep breath. “We can't solve everything in one day.”
A defeated chuckle escaped her throat. “It makes sense. All of it. Why the Federation has been hounding humanity for so long about these crystals, why so many don't do anything about it because they don't know the nature of these things and why I ultimately became a scribe. Just to get to this and do what? Mayen is gone, and I'm lost.”
“If we're still breathing, we can do something about it. I think what you discovered might be able to solve some of our problems,” he said pulling a stool between his legs and resting on its surface, “if we bring this up to my boss, tell him all our concerns and suspicions and bring all collected data to him. His hand will be forced to relay this in the right ears of those that can stop this.”
“So, your plan is to throw us into rehab after he finds out it was us,” she said crossing her arms.
“No offence, Del, but what was your plan after collecting all this information against the magi and on the Kyline crystals?” he said as his brow furrowed.
A sharp exhale came from her mouth. “I assumed I could pass this onto Mayen and bring this up to Sorren and eventually upload it to the aether-network.”
“Well, it's not going to be as easy as that,” he said.
Her mind spun so much that it tightened the muscles in her temples. She pressed her fingers at her forehead as the image of Ebesi appeared in her thoughts. “I'll message Ebesi, ask her to probe the thoughts of the scientists there and get her to gather more data.”
“Right, and?”
“And once we've collaborated and put it all together, we can put it to your boss,” she said. Her fingers were as fast as lightning as she pushed through the message to the archivist, “but that's just half of it. Once she gets back, we'll ask her to upload all the data we got from Markarta Hospital and everything else Mayen and I pulled together about the magi from one of Alkhem's servers. That way, it's unlikely going to get traced back here if that's passed along before uploading.”
“The magi are too powerful, they'll eventually find out it was us,” he said as his fingers ran along his chin.
“Their power lies in secrecy. Unleash the global and interstellar community on them and this will be their distraction for a while,” she said with a smirk.
“I'm relieved you're on our side,” he said matching her smile.
Time slipped through her fingers as she pounded on the holographic keyboard. Her eyes only stung when she realised, she hadn't blinked in minutes and her back strained with every slight movement. A'gesh had grown sick of being locked inside the chamber and had flown out to be with the other birds in the library and feast on the many grubs that made the indoor tree trunks their home. The report from the phasing laboratory had long been completed. She and Ebesi had long speculated what its role was, how was its part of the magi’s plan. Whatever it was, Delta only had ugly ideas.
“Here,” Ebesi said as she placed a cup of steaming hot sage tea beside her computer, “it's been a while since we hydrated.”
“I thought I was meant to be the one to bring you the drinks and food, archivist,” Delta said with a smile as she gently pressed the warm ceramic cup to her lip.
“I like yours and Anobus' plan, but when do you expect this to be done? Sorren will see those reports and if they get uploaded as they do in Alkhem, he and this institute will know we've been involved,” she said settling on a stool flicking her computer screen on.
“Valid concern, which is why I'm writing a dual dissertation as if a third-party uncovered this fact,” she said.
“Alright, then how will people know this anonymous person is credible to believe this?” she said.
“That doesn't matter too much; the current political climate is as stable as steam. Sure, there'll be people stepping up to defend the magi and whoever else, but most will want to find someone to blame their woes, and it's much easier if there's a face to their problems,” Delta said taking a moment to glance over to Ebesi's screen, “are you working on the crystals?”
Ebesi sighed as she nodded. “After you've left, Rocai suddenly decided to personally assist me with anything I wanted. Course, I still managed to slip away from her eye a couple of times to question one of the engineers who worked side-by-side with the Kyline crystals.”
“What did they tell you?”
“Enough to regret asking. They know about the consciousness behind those crystals, but they're pressed by Rocai and above to push them harder. If anyone complains or strikes against proceedings, someone else will just do it for them. So, they comply,” she said.
“Not too unlike the pylon prototypes, hm?” Delta said. She felt her bracelet vibrate, Olanta flashed on the screen with a new message. The number of her mother’s attempts to reach her was almost comical. She wagered that those messages would probably be filled with verbal abuse of every degree to random catchphrases that well-known entertainers would spew.
“Was that Anobus? Has he reached the new head scribe yet?” Ebesi said leaning over to her arm.
“No, just my mother,” Delta whispered before returning to the screen.
“When was the last time you spoke to her?” she asked as her fingers flashed across the keyboard.
“Can't remember,” Delta said.
Ebesi rolled her eyes as she turned to her. “I know you didn't have the best relationship with your family, but is it your plan to push them so far back that they forget you? I'm sorry to be the bearer of bad news, Del, but they're not-,”
“Why do you care so much if I speak to them?” Delta said shooting a side-glance to the Alkhemite.
“Because one day you won't have them anymore to be sending you messages and all you'll be left is your guilt and messages on their phones which will never be read,” she said.
“We don't get along, and you know why,” Delta said as she leaned away from the screen, “you have a great relationship with your parents. They're not passed into the next life yet, so why do you talk like they have?”
Ebesi stopped as she pressed her hands to her eyes. “My parents are well and live on the fringes of the river to the far north of the city, that's where my family home is. They reside in the massive and ancient house, built by the Alkhemite precursors. At least four generations lived together at a time.”
“Lived?” Delta said.
She pulled her hands from her face; her eyes were reddening and glassy as she looked up. “When I was twelve, my aunt, uncle and their four-year-old daughter lived with us. Ela and I would play every day, even when I was supposed to be studying, I would sneak off and play in the clay houses she, and I made. One day, we thought to take a trip to the river's edge. I remember us laughing as I pulled her hand through the black mud, I let go for a moment to get my balance, but when I turned around, she was gone. The laughter died as I saw her body drifting up the currents. When I called for help, she was so far out that I couldn't see her anymore. We took her to the hospital to get her lungs pumped and revitalise her, but the clinic wasn't...”
“They didn't have the power that day,” Delta said.
Ebesi shook her head as a loose tear fell to her lap. “My aunt and uncle moved out, so did some other family and in time the older ones died. It was just my parents and me. Since then, I just threw myself into school, my grades got better, and my parents seemed less furious.”
“That's horrible, no one should ever go through that guilt. It wasn't your fault, Ebesi,” she said as her hand pressed against her bare shoulders.
Ebesi shook her head as she waved her hand. “I don't blame myself anymore, but I'm saddened that I'll never know what she would've done with her life. Since then, I've always hated death for taking someone so undeserving away,” she rubbed her eyes before meeting Delta's, “before we go and I ruin my life by supporting you and Anobus, I need the complete truth from you.”
“Go on,” she said raising her brow.
“Since I can't read your mind, I have to ask: did you kill that old woman?” she said glancing with her dark eyes that were digging into Delta’s like daggers.
Delta didn't dare break eye contact, she forced her muscles in her face to ease, but the slight perspiration from her underarms began to tingle on her skin. “She died of a heart attack when she came after us,”
“Alright,” she eased back on the stool and softened her stare. “I may be young, but I'm no fool. I understand her intentions were poor – to say the least, but we've got to be better than the ones who would do this to us, you know?”
Delta nodded. She wanted to agree with Ebesi's views, she wanted to help fight the fire, but the young archivist didn't understand the horrors in the world. No doubt, Ebesi would probably find out the truth about Basra, but Delta couldn't afford to lose her support – not yet.
“I was lucky to have Anobus there when she attacked, I don't know what I would've done if he wasn't,” she said, but her thoughts travelled to a darker place at what she would have done to the old hag if he wasn't there.
“You owe him for that,” Ebesi said with a smirk as she popped data crystals into her computer.
“I owe him a million more times. I don't know how I would've turned out if Anobus would've died,” Delta said as she rubbed her eyes, “we met at our greatfather's funeral, and it was hate on first sight. We got in a fight beside the waterfront where the threshers came in to lay their eggs, and I pushed him in the water.”
Ebesi cocked her head back as she burst into laughter. “And that sealed a life-long friendship between you?”
She smiled and shrugged her shoulders, her wrist vibrated as an incoming call appeared on the screen. “Speaking of,” she said as she tapped the volume loud enough for Ebesi to hear.
“I've spoken to my boss about our concerns with the energy crystals, said that we need to give him everything before he can decide what to do and who to call next. He was beside himself when I mentioned it, never sensed him so frightened and furious in my life,” he whispered as his holographic muscles twitched under his cheek.
“That could be in our favour, Rocai mentioned they go way back so he could press her,” Delta said, “does he know about the Markarta break-in yet?”
A deep sigh came through the device from the other end. “He already knows vague details about it, but still doesn't know that Sorren wants it looked into,”
“Well Ebesi, now you know your time frame,” she said.
“Fine, fine, I'll finish the power plant report tonight before uploading,” she said leaning over the bracelet, “I'll pass it through to Sorren and then the new head by tonight.”
“Better hand it over in person to my boss, Sorren is getting too close. I sensed his mind trying to push through when he saw me,” he said.
“You're doing great, Anobus, stay away from him for as long as you can. Humans are no match for Xannian telepaths,” Delta said.
“Don't I know it. I'm inside the library’s eatery, the one surrounded by all the trees – I can see A'gesh from here. She and I are waiting, but please don't be long.” he said.
“We're almost done here, see you in a few,” Delta said before tapping his image off-screen.
“I'm ready,” Ebesi said as she plucked the crystals from the computer and rose from the stool, “I need to say one more thing, a kind of inspirational thing ancient warriors would say to each other before a battle…”
“Oh universe, do you have to do this now?” Delta said as she pulled her computer and crystals into her bag.
“When we met, I remembered you from a past life. Had some extreme doubts about you and was quite afraid of you, but I've never been happier to be wrong. You've come a long way, Delta,” she said.
“Thank you, I wish I could remember you back then too,” she said, desperately wanting to believe her friend.
Ebesi scoffed. “No, you wouldn't want to.”
The sun had begun dwindling on the horizon; its orange and purple hues swept through the polished floors and slick walls of the library. Her thighs started to ache as she marched to the cafeteria by the indoor garden, while her eyes sought for Anobus and Sorren – one of whom she dreaded to run into. Ebesi lightly jogged behind, her sighs behind Delta's back began to spring a small irritation. She looked up to see A'gesh flying over the canopies of the emerald trees, playing with the other birds or potentially hunting for her early dinner. Her heart thumped knowing they were close.
Beside one of the carved pillars, a screen with an old man's holographic face flashed on. Delta had to revisit the view when she realised that it was her father's face with a caption of 'illness' and 'retirement' in the subtitles before the screen transitioned into another story. Delta stopped, almost making Ebesi run into her.
“Why did you stop?” Ebesi hissed as she turned to the direction she was staring at.
“I need to see something; can you go on ahead without me?” Delta said.
“We don't have time right now!” Ebesi said as her black bangs waved about her forehead.
“Please, it'll only take a moment,” Delta said as she handed over the tablet to the archivist, “you've met the head scribe before, right?”
Ebesi nodded, still irritated.
“Good, then you can begin without me. Anobus will help fill in the blanks if you can't,” she said.
The Alkhemite growled as she brushed pass Delta and speed-walked into the cafeteria. Delta made way to the nearest section of the library across the eatery. There were several priceless pieces of art levitating around various displays from across the world, some collections were from Atlantia, Alkhem, Necropan, Ilyria, to the misty green east, all the way south to the forbidden red-sand land. The room smelt of old images and sculptures depicting ancient struggles of nations and tribes. The few people were treading silently to view the pieces. The secluded spot was ideal.
Delta flicked her wrist phone on before searching for the last news story. Her heart sank as she saw the decrepit holo-image of Durun Ungbrahe that was taken almost two years ago. She scanned through the article:
One of the pioneers of geo-phasing, Durun Ungbrahe, had finally taken his retirement this week after suffering from cellular degradation, a disorder he had suffered from most of his life. His illness had been triggered in the last several years due to his long and fruitful career in the geo-phasing laboratories. He will be spending the remainder of his years with his partner and xeno-delegate, Olanta Ungbrahe, watching the prosperity of humanity from his and his ilk's work. Humanity is thankful to Phase-master Ungbrahe for his contribution and sacrifice he has made for the world. Thank you and may you pass on to a better and higher world in the next life.
Acid crawled up from her belly as she flicked off the story. She couldn't figure whether to laugh at the absurdity of a ’disorder’ or cry from the ignorance of the reporters. Her father was dying, and she found out about it through the news. Delta looked to her wrist phone to see hundreds of messages from Olanta, a sharp cold spike felt like had entered her heart when she realised. Regret almost drowned her at that moment, she wanted to bolt to the teleporters and whisk away to her family mansion and drop on her knees to beg their forgiveness.
She couldn't, not right now. Delta took a breath so deep that her lungs felt like they were going to tear, she tapped the bracelet off and glanced around the quiet room as she turned to face across the eatery. There were still several crowds of people travelling through the main corridor, most of which were emptying to the alcoves. Her eye caught Ebesi and Anobus' faces in the distance. Her boot stepped out into the hall just as someone crashed into her side. Frazzled and immediately apologetic, Delta looked up to see the face of the stranger that had just walked into her. Sorren stood surprised for a moment.
“Sorren, I didn't see-,” she spluttered as she felt her underarms beginning to perspire and her heart feeling like it was ready to jump out of her throat.
“I know,” his face turned stoic as his arms crossed behind his lower back, “there are a few things we need to discuss immediately.”
“I can't right now, I've got some work to do-,” she said.
“Yes, you do. I have been looking for the new counsellor, but his interests in the investigation on the Markarta incident has fallen on his end, no doubt he has informed you because of your close relationship,” he said as his sky pointing brows shot up.
“I did hear about that. No doubt the party responsible will be discovered soon,” Delta said as she straightened to match his posture.
His eyes narrowed. “Indeed. However, there is another more urgent matter I need from you. I asked you this morning about the two reports you were meant to submit-,”
“Understood, they will be uploaded to your computer by tonight,” she said.
“If you will let me finish,” he growled, “I do not need your reports, only the data you and Ebesi have collected from Power Plant Nine. Unfortunately, the archivist has not been returning my calls. Do you have the crystals on you?”
“I do,” she said as she tried keeping a steady breath, “there was a lot that was uncovered while we were in there, much that I think many need to know about.”
Sorren tilted his head to the side. “I agree. Much that needs to be known by your kin, especially by those that are pushing towards your kind’s demise.”
She watched him open his palm out to her. “It wasn't the institute that pushed for our sudden project change, was it Sorren?”
He didn't say a word, but she knew the answer. Delta bit her lip as she looked at Sorren. His steely stare compelled her to investigate her bag. Her hand dug in and felt around for a moment before emerging with a data crystal that she passed into his open palm.
“What are you going to do with it?” she said.
“At this moment, we are living in the far future and ancient history, Delta,” he said holding the milky crystal up into the gentle light as the faintest smile appeared on the corner of his narrow lips, “this is why we became scribes, to remember the past failures and to overcome the same ones in the future. When I leave, my expectations are that you honour the truth.”
Her chest felt like it weighed a ton from his words. “Tell Mayen I miss her.”
Sorren nodded as he pushed passed her shoulder, making way to the teleportation alcoves. She looked to the bright, high ceiling; her eyes were searching for the stars appearing in the violet heavens. Her focus turned back to Anobus and Ebesi, their forms were seated in multicoloured cushioned seats. As she approached, their attention was on a figure sitting across from the small round table. Anobus' eyes drifted to hers, instantly lighting with excitement. A wide smile rose to meet her.
Delta couldn't help but match his joy when she glanced towards Ebesi and the dark stranger who was seated before them. This man with a polished chocolate scalp, handsome round and masculine features housed two perfect blue eyes that twinkled as if he had told a joke as he turned to look at her. Delta froze mid-step, her insides dropped as her muscles felt gelatinous. Adrenaline kept her from passing out as she watched the man stand and raise his strong forearm to greet her as Anobus stepped beside her.
“Nice to finally meet you, Del-un,” his smile flashed perfect white teeth, “my name is Goru: I'm the new head scribe.”
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