Ephemeral: Chapter 4
Clara wasn't sure the temperature actually dropped once the hovercraft passed into Agilis, but something about the city's blue light chilled her. She zipped her spacesuit up to the collar and sat with hands interlocked as they left rural darkness for the shining metropolis. The closer they flew toward the city center, the more Clara realized how downright foolish her expectations for living in the colony had been. Agilis was no more a settlement than the Vitae Conglomerate Capital itself. The interns blushed when they recalled the flimsy tents and vacuum-sealed camp food they'd packed for the summer – like bringing sleeping bags to stay at a palace.
Cylindrical, black skyscrapers at least a two hundred feet tall dominated the cityscape. Their sheer height made Clara gawk in awe as she viewed their glowing blue tops against the night sky. She could not imagine how the colonists had managed such an architectural feat. She felt not unlike a tourist learning the Egyptians had built the pyramids without the benefit of modern machinery.
The hovercraft glided over several open air plazas dotted with trees and small rectangular pools lying between the columned buildings. Then Clara thought she heard something oddly familiar – something like a horn's brass call …. now a blaring horn … now more than one! Surely they don't have traffic! Clara thought. But she was wrong again.
As soon as their vehicle veered around the next building, the interns stared agape at a network of elevated, intertwining roads branching out in all directions. About three feet above their smooth surfaces floated a river of squat hovercraft moving caterpillar-fashion. They wound their ways in multiple planes along tubular streets, creating a more organic than mechanically-engineered impression. The scene reminded Clara vaguely of fish swimming in a coral reef – especially amid the skyscrapers' blue ambiance. Why don't they all fly away instead of staying glued to the streets? Clara wondered.
Honk! Honk!
Commander Ballitor turned toward the right to bypass the congested roadways. Apparently civilian hovercraft were somehow bound to the streets and did not enjoy the same freedom of flight. Like the ancient trolley cars, Clara thought. Or maybe the craft use magnets to propel themselves along?
The commander finally landed in a white-stoned open forum about half a mile long and a quarter mile wide, illuminated by a series of suspended blue globes strung about the perimeter. These reflected their blue light in a shimmering pool a hundred yards long at the forum's center. In the middle of the pool stood a twenty foot monument of a man standing akimbo with a large medallion about his neck. Some master sculptor had captured the veins in the man's powerful arms, the individual curls in his hair, and the proud look staring from his chiseled stone face. Something about the elevated chin and the barely perceptible sneer playing on the cold lips made the statue look more like a dictator than a hero. But perhaps in this culture, those two were the same thing.
Clara didn't like it.
“Is that thing a god?” Darian asked quietly.
“Not of any religion I know,” Raven said.
The commander rose from his seat and gestured toward the monument. “That statue is a likeness of His Eminence. We built it over two hundred and seventy risings and settings ago when he assumed his position. Come. On to the Grand Assembly Hall where His Eminence gives counsel.”
The interns humbly nodded as they stood to file out of the hovercraft. Clara felt stiff from the long ride and watched the soldiers exit the other hovercraft. They drew out their metal compacts and turned them in a clockwise motion. The centripetal force extended the staffs once more, and the unlocked ends hummed afresh with blue energy.
“Come!” the commander repeated.
The interns followed the commander single file, flanked on both sides by slate-gray uniformed guards. Their heavy footfalls echoed against the white stone as they trooped after the commander toward the column opposite the reflection pool.
Clara now felt uncomfortably warm and unzipped her spacesuit as low as she dared without attracting attention. Not that the guards seemed much concerned; each one stared straight ahead through tinted visors. Each one marched in time with the other soldiers. The idea of the Earthlings escaping (to where, exactly?) was absurd. Even so, Clara's heart pounded in double-time to the rhythm of her feet. Since she stood at least three inches shorter than everyone else, she had to take more strides to keep up the military pace. At least the exercise loosened her tired muscles.
After crossing the forum's length, the company marched up the white stone steps to the column's curved black base. At this proximity, she could faintly see her reflection in its seamless surface. She could also clearly see the stone's intricate marbling — rivulets of cobalt flecked with copper flowed in serpentine patterns throughout the black stone. What she could not see was an entrance; the building seemed as impenetrable as a granite cliff. How do we get in?
At the front of the line, the commander tapped something on his arm band and ...
WHOOSH!
Clara stepped back as a fifteen-foot section of wall glided upward into some hidden compartment like a well-oiled portcullis.
The soldiers held their staffs upright and gestured the interns forward.
Clara did not want to get swallowed by the black building. Fresh sweat beaded on her forehead. As she crossed the threshold, she glanced up and hoped the hidden door would not come crashing down prematurely. But she made it into the building in one piece. Once everyone had passed through, the hidden door lowered quickly, cutting off any means of escape.
The interns blinked at the interior's surprising brightness. Judging from the solid rock outside, Clara had expected to enter a dark, foreboding place. Nothing had prepared her for the spacious area in which she now stood. The floor was made of the same white stone found in the forum, though here it had been polished to a shine. Several potted trees with willowy branches and lavender flowers overshadowed a dozen metal benches, making an island of color in the great white room.
Clara looked up at the towering ceiling two hundred feet above her head. About twenty open air floors with metal guard rails ran around the building's interior. A series of lifts, ramps, and stairways connected the different levels. I wonder if this is what an ant hill looks like from the inside, she thought.
But when Clara and the others evaluated their surroundings more closely, they realized something that defied their view of matter itself. The black exterior walls – the thick ones they'd just passed through – now looked completely transparent. The government headquarters had morphed into a massive atrium.
Clara rubbed her eyes in disbelief. The walls had been perfectly solid and opaque outside; how could she now see the blue-haloed cityscape so clearly through solid rock? What was this geological miracle that allowed both light and strength to flow through the same medium? The other interns also noticed the change and stood blinking in astonishment.
“Move along,” gruffed a guard, his helmet muffling his voice as he urged the group to cross the floor.
At the other end of the room, the commander swiped at a screen on his armband. Again, another door – previously invisible to Clara’s eyes – rose upward like the first, only this one led to an empty hall. She followed the others past the two sentries and looked over her shoulder to test a hypothesis. Sure enough, the wall through which she'd come now stood transparent. She shook her head in wonder. Black on one side; transparent on the other. It must be some trick of the light.
Given the shifty nature of Agilis walls, Clara wondered what manner of rooms lay on the other side of the supposedly-empty corridor. Could there be offices with administrators typing, taking calls, and sipping coffee? Or were there dungeon cells holding prisoners of all stripes, doomed to await their fate at a future trial? Would she become such a prisoner? She squinted at the smooth wall, but found no clues. The only thing she could make out was her own quivering image.
Raven suddenly stopped in front of Clara as the company halted before what looked like a dead end. Clara had been so focused on the walls, she nearly ran into her friend.
The commander turned and addressed the students, tapping his helmet to reveal his face through the visor. “Do not speak unless spoken to, and keep your answers brief and direct. Understood?”
“Yes, sir,” the interns said sullenly as the commander turned from them and tapped his armband. This time, two doors – each about fourteen feet high and forming a Gothic point where they met in the middle – opened slowly like normal doors instead of rising upwards. The room beyond lay shrouded in darkness.
Clara looked to her companions for some assurance, but found none. Aliyah wrung her hands together and looked ready to cry. Tristan needlessly adjusted his glasses and sniffed. Even Darian looked somber as he studied the white stone floor. Only Raven seemed calm as she stared directly ahead, but Clara noticed her hands trembling as the guards nudged them toward the doors.
The moment Clara stepped through them, she sensed she'd entered a vast, solemn space not unlike a cathedral. She also saw the room was not entirely dark; overhead lights beamed upon a white stone dais at the building's far end about a hundred yards off. In the radiance of those distant lights, Clara could dimly make out two rows of Corinthian columns rising fifty feet to the ceiling above. Perhaps the space looked inviting when Elpis' light shone through the tall, rectangular windows placed at regular intervals around room's curved perimeter. But now the dark hung close and made Clara feel small.
The commander led the interns past rows and rows of curved, high-backed benches which sat facing the dais as the soldiers' clumping footfalls echoed against the white stone walls. Clara mechanically flowed forward with the company's momentum. As she drew closer, she saw that the lights centered on an ornately-carved black stone chair in dais' center. Across from the dais sat a raised, two-tiered seating structure which reminded Clara very much of the Vitae Conglomerate Supreme Jury box. Perhaps that's where the aforementioned Grand Assembly met when in session.
But what drew Clara's attention most was the illuminated white stone relief carved into the wall beyond the stone chair. Three panels divided the wall into three scenes under which were engraved Latin words: Almitas, Silex, and Silva. In the far left panel stood a young woman under a fruit tree wearing an embroidered dress. She stretched out her right hand toward fields of grain while horses, sheep, and cattle grazed on foothills in the background. On her hand she wore a curious ring with a large gem.
In the far right panel, a middle-aged man with high cheekbones and long hair wore a bow and quiver on his back. He held his left arm high and wielded a hatchet. Behind him, a crystal-laden cave opened at the base of a snow-capped mountain. Unfamiliar four-footed animals stood in the background against the trees – some with long necks which reached the canopy.
Finally in the center panel, a proud man stood with arms stretched overhead in victory. He wore a stone pendant on a chain around his neck. The man from the reflection pool! Behind him rose Agilis with its columned sky-scrapers and branching hovercraft roads. Clara's eyes widened in wonder. Three fully-developed societies in so short a time … it's unprecedented.
“Halt!” ordered the commander once the company had reached the dais.
His voice jarred Clara from her musings. She heard another unseen door open from beyond the dais. The soldiers on either side of the interns immediately dropped to one knee with their helmets bowed and staffs held upright at their sides. They each placed their right fists across their chests and touched their left shoulders – apparently a gesture of respect.
Clara stood for one awkward moment with the other interns before also descending to the stone floor, head bowed. She wondered whether she should also put her fist to her shoulder when she heard brisk footsteps striding directly toward them and forgot all else. Her pulse quickened as she heard the steps ascend the dais and stop.
“Really, Commander Ballitor,” a man's voice grumbled, “could this not have waited until Elpis rising?”
Clara kept her head down, but heard the commander stand upright. “Your Eminence, we found these extra-Elpis intruders in Silex territory within moments of landing. No weapons were found on their persons or vessel, but they're prisoners of state nonetheless.”
There was a brief moment of silence.
“Prisoners? Intruders? For pity's sake, Ballitor! Have you no concept of diplomacy?” The man cleared his throat and now addressed the interns directly. “My interstellar guests, please rise. You must excuse the manners of my military chief; he is unused to visitors.”
The interns lifted their heads and cautiously got to their feet.
His Eminence looked about thirty-five years old with the same curly hair seen carved both on the white-stone relief and on the statue outside — except this man had a jagged scar running across his left cheek which had kindly been omitted from his icons. His black button-down shirt hung open at the top, and dangling just below his collar bone hung the largest ruby-red gem Clara had ever seen. It sparkled brilliantly, seeming to have a light of its own. But something about the way it glinted seemed unnatural – as if it manufactured its own light rather than reflected it. Were her tired eyes starting to invent things?
Clara squinted. Then her eyes shot open – something inside the stone most definitely moved while its wearer had not. A subtle, writhing light cast a faint scarlet glow about His Eminence's face as he looked each intern up and down. The calculating way in which he evaluated them made Clara's shoulders tense under his gaze. She dropped her head and studied the tops of her white boots. Despite the fact His Eminence had also come from Earth, he seemed far more alien than all she'd seen thus far.
“Welcome to Agilis, capital city of the Silex tribe.” His Eminence's lips creased into a smile, but there was little warmth in it. “I am Captain Lucas Karnak, Prime Counselor to the Agilis Grand Assembly and most usually addressed as His Eminence. I understand you are academic interns from Earth. What brings you to Elpis 7?”
Clara and the others looked to Raven as she stood closest to the dais.
Raven turned slightly toward Commander Ballitor. He nodded permission for her to speak. “Your Eminence,” she began, “I am number 6,456,415,026, graduate student of the Vitae Conglomerate University, Raven Ulric, age twenty-four. We've come to study various aspects of this new colony so we can earn advanced degrees back home. The V. C. University awarded us interstellar research internships as per the educational clause of the Interstellar Charter.”
At the mention of the charter, His Eminence's knuckles poked nearly through his skin as he gripped the throne's armrests. But he kept his expression neutral. “How do you plan to get back to Earth?” he asked.
Something in his tone seemed cold, like the polished stone beneath Clara's feet.
Raven answered, “There’s another wormhole scheduled to appear near this planet in forty days. Our automated ship will retrieve us at the coordinates where it dropped us off.”
Captain Karnak digested this information for a moment or two. “Tell me,” he said, “do any others from Earth plan to visit Elpis 7?”
Raven shook her head. “Not to my knowledge ...”
Commander Ballitor cleared his throat and glared at Raven.
“... Your Eminence,” Raven added.
“Does the Vitae Conglomerate still enforce the Rite of Passing?”
“Absolutely, Your Eminence.”
A smile flickered on Captain Karnak's lips as he settled more deeply into his chair. “Excellent.”
The sound of doors opening behind them made the small company turn. Captain Karnak lifted his eyes, then frowned as a tall, middle-aged man in a dark gray suit and navy blue necktie walked into the chamber absorbed with a collection of documents. Though gangling in appearance, the stranger walked with singular purpose and managed to avoid the rows of columns and benches even as he stared at his papers. His angular cheekbones and bearded chin vaguely reminded Clara of a famous historical figure from the ancient American era.
Who was it?Abe … Able Lincolnham or something? She frowned in consternation. What was the point of having a history minor if you couldn't recall names when needed?
The man in question had almost passed the dais when he suddenly looked up and stopped. “But what is this, Your Eminence?” he asked, almost reproachfully. “Holding court while the Assembly is in recess?”
His Eminence pursed his lips. “Not at all, Governor Solidus. We merely have some visitors from Earth – hardly worth bothering the Assembly about. I was just clarifying the nature of their visit.”
“Earth! You don’t say!” The Governor closed the distance to the interns in a few brisk strides. He grinned broadly. “Welcome to Elpis 7! I'm Governor Jason Solidus of the Silex tribe and member of the Agilis Grand Assembly. It is a pleasure to meet you.” He bowed from the waist. “You have the honor of being our very first interstellar guests! What are your names?”
Clara and all the other team members exhaled at this warm contrast to their cool reception thus far. Each one also bowed from the waist and responded with the standard Earth introduction including their number, occupation, name, and age.
Governor Solidus listened politely, then asked, “Is all well with our mother planet?”
Raven smiled – her first since making landfall. “Thank you, Governor. You are most considerate. All is well on Earth, thanks to the Vitae Conglomerate. We are finally in global accord and have achieved the healthiest, wealthiest living standards in human history. We are honored to be here and quite struck by what we've seen of Elpis 7. This colony has made impressive advancements in such a short amount of time.”
The governor cocked his head slightly, as if confused. Then he smiled. “You are too generous. Elpis 7 is nothing to Earth, though we are making progress. What brings you all to our humble colony?”
Darian answered, his confidence returning now he wasn't facing a pulsing staff, “The V. C. University awarded us internships to study colonial life from several different angles.”
“Oh?” asked Solidus. “Do you wish to make maps of our colony? Because we have several on file if you like ...”
“Oh, no. I mean, thank you. But ...” Darian backpedaled. “I meant we'd study things according to our academic specialties: economics, politics, medicine, sociology, and … Tristan, what are you studying, again?”
“Environmental science.” The carrot-topped grad student pushed his glasses up his nose. “More specifically, I'm hoping to help catalog some of Elpis 7's flora and fauna. Raven's studying political hierarchies, Aliyah's focusing on genetics, Darian's researching business, and Clara wants to study family structures. We're thankful for the educational clause in the Interstellar Colonial Charter. This is a great opportunity for us.”
At the mention of the charter, Governor Solidus' face tightened as if in pain. He addressed the students, but flicked his eyes toward Captain Karnak. “The Interstellar Colonial Charter protects our society's freedoms. We must not stray from its guidelines if we are to retain these gifts. Would you not agree, Your Eminence?”
The pendant's red reflection in Captain Karnak's eyes seemed to flame more intensely. Clara felt the tension in the room rise like a violin string tightened just beneath breaking point.
Governor Solidus stood firm and held Karnak's gaze. “Would you not agree, sir?” he repeated.
Captain Karnak smiled mirthlessly. “Of course. Which is why I intend to give these students unrestricted access to our city until their internship ends.”
“Very good,” said the governor.
“In fact,” Karnak continued, “I'll have my personal secretary arrange an itinerary for them. Connecting them with mentors, and so forth.”
“Thank you so much, Your Eminence,” Raven said with a bow. “You are most gracious.”
Aliyah – who till this moment had tried to remain as invisible as possible – sighed with relief and nearly lost her balance. Raven caught her elbow right before she bumped into an armed guard.
Governor Solidus observed this and turned back to the man on the throne. “Your Eminence, Elpis has set. I'm sure our visitors are tired from their long journey. You must put them up in the Sapphire's best suites for the duration of their stay – compliments of the Grand Assembly. These are important diplomatic guests, and I expect them to be treated with every possible consideration.”
Captain Karnak's eyes narrowed. “I'll be sure to inform the Assembly of their lavish compliments at our next meeting.”
“I'm sure you will.” Governor Solidus turned his attention to the interns. “Don't hesitate to contact me if you need further assistance with your research. You are welcome here, and we are pleased to have you.”
“Indeed,” echoed Captain Karnak. “Now, don't you have some documents to file before court tomorrow, Governor?”
“Sadly, yes, or else I'd personally escort these travelers to their new quarters. But I have my duty, and I know where its boundaries lie.” He met eyes with Captain Karnak again before bidding adieu to the interns. “Till we meet again!” He bowed, then exited through a side door.
“Well then,” Captain Karnak said as he stood to his feet. “I think we're done for now. I will send someone to you shortly after Elpis rising with further instruction regarding your internships. Commander Ballitor, have your men escort our guests to the Sapphire Hotel and see they have the best of everything.”
“Yes, Your Eminence.” The commander bowed with his right fist again going across his chest to meet his left shoulder. Then he nodded to his second-in-command and retained his own post by His Eminence as the rest of the company turned and headed back toward the Gothic double doors.
It seemed surreal to go from being prisoner to princess in a matter of minutes, and Clara could hardly process this turn of fortune. She felt the metaphorical anvil which had been hovering over her head disappear. As relief flooded her comrades' faces, she let out a long breath and realized she'd effectually been holding it for hours. She felt emotionally spent, yet grateful as the guards led the way out of the grand assembly hall.
But when she looked over her shoulder to steal a glance at Captain Karnak, she saw a scowl tugging at the corners of his mouth. Her stomach tensed; she doubted they would have received such hospitality had not the gentle governor arrived. But for now, it was enough to exit the grand hall and look forward to sleeping in a hotel rather than a tent.
As soon as the Gothic doors closed behind the small company, Captain Karnak spoke privately to his commander. “They said their ship would not arrive for another forty risings-to-settings?”
“Yes, Your Eminence.”
“And they didn't seem upset?”
“No, sir.”
“Then they don't know?”
The commander shook his head. “It would appear not.”
Captain Karnak's burning eyes danced. “They will be no trouble, then. But to be on the safe side ...”
“Yes, Your Eminence?”
Captain Karnak gripped the throne's armrests. “See that they are monitored.”
So what do you think?
Any guesses as to what our team doesn’t know? Ever looked back on a situation to realize you were completely oblivious to something pretty important? Share about it in the comments below!
Earth time takes much longer on this outpost!
Loved this line: What was this geological miracle that allowed both light and strength to flow through the same medium? I keep reading to find answers to all my questions.