Supernal

Chapter 23

10:15 pm Wednesday, 4th July 2029

Main Assembly Bay on the OCF

Mutu and Sasha returned and manoeuvred themselves back to the group on the floor. The lines on Toby's screen smoothed out as Sasha gradually calmed down.

"I think he likes it," Toby said to Jayal.

"So does Aliya," Jayal agreed. "Only Sara is still anxious, but I'm sure she'll be okay with more practice. I want them to be comfortable with being weightless. Our vessel has no artificial gravity."

The two girls still refused to wear the head caps so Jayal announced she would try something else.

She began reciting a mantra in a strange language. Her voice was soft and monotonous but Tony found it strangely alluring. He focused on her lips, watching the light glint off her perfect white teeth. She was very beautiful, he thought. Her dark hair was pulled severely back and held in a short ponytail which only served to emphasize her high cheekbones and almond eyes. Toby snapped himself out of his reverie and looked at the screen. Each of Sasha's readouts had changed to long looping waves, scrolling steadily across the window.

Toby glanced at the others. The three children and Mutu all had their eyes closed. Then, without warning, Toby felt his mind flooded with a feeling of serenity. All the tension in his body relaxed and he was overcome with an inner calm that seemed to flush away all his cares. He realized that Jayal was using a hypnotic technique but couldn't fight it. He surrendered himself and entered into a dream world.

#

Toby awoke in the darkness of his room and glanced at the digital clock on the wall. It read 05:30. He had never slept so well and he felt full of energy. Then he realized he wasn't alone. A slender naked body was entwined around his own, breathing softly against his cheek.

Memory began to flood back. He remembered Jayal fastening the head caps on the girls' heads and sending them flying on their own while he and Jayal sat close together and watched their wave patterns on the notebook computer. Mutu seemed to be deeply asleep, sitting cross-legged on the floor with his eyes tightly shut.

The children had lost any remaining fears about flying in zero gravity. They swooped and spun around the bay, laughing and squealing with pleasure.

Jayal had slipped her arm around his waist and it felt the most natural thing in the world ... or off it.

She had turned to him with a look of delight.

"You see? With a little help, they can be just like any other children."

Toby couldn't take his eyes off her lips. He had kissed her and was thrilled when she responded passionately.

After that, things became a little blurred. He remembered catching the kids with much hilarity and taking them to their rooms. Mutu had been like an automaton, obeying Jayal's instructions without question. He had gone off to his own cabin when told to do so.

Then they were in his cabin and falling on the narrow bunk in each other's arms. He remembered Jayal's sinuous limbs and the smooth texture of her skin. She had pulled him to her and they had made love, frantically at first, and then again, more slowly.

#

After luxuriating in the memories of their lovemaking for half an hour, Toby started to worry that Mutu might discover Jayal missing from her room. He hated to disturb her so early but began to shift his position. Jayal immediately woke up, yawned, and stretched like a cat against him.

"Good morning," she whispered, tickling his ear with her breath.

"Good morning," he replied.

"It was lovely, last night, wasn't it?"

"Incredible. I still can't believe it."

"You must think I'm shameless, taking advantage of you like that."

"You took advantage of me?"

"Of course. You were in my power. I entranced you like a sorceress."

"I think you're more of a goddess."

"Do you remember everything that happened?"

"Not really, it all seems very hazy," Toby lied.

"In that case, we'd better do it again, so you can remind yourself," Jayal suggested.

"What about Mutu? He might go to your cabin and find you're not there."

"Don't worry about Mutu. I gave him an extra blast of my mesmerism. He won't wake up until I let him."

#

"What are you looking so pleased about?" Rob asked when Toby sat down with his breakfast. "You look like the cat that got the cream."

"I got some great results last night ... from the neurological head caps, I mean. Plenty of good data for the Mayo."

"What're you doing today?"

"We're going to record the kids' brain activity when they're doing their own thing. Sara playing her keyboard, Aliya solving equations and Sasha drawing."

Rob nodded and scratched his beard.

"Do you think I'd have a chance with Jayal if I shaved this thing off?"

"No chance. Jayal told me she's already in love with someone. You might as well leave it and keep your ugly mug to yourself."

"Damn," Rob sighed. "I never have any luck with women."

"Maybe you should give men a try? Mutu's a very good-looking guy," Toby teased.

"It may come down to that," Rob responded wryly. "But, not Mutu. The way that guy snored last night was enough to wake the dead!"

#

Toby spent the morning recording data from each of the kids in turn. Jayal said it would be better to keep them separate as distractions might skew the results, so Charlie and Mutu were enlisted to help. Toby hoped that he might get some time alone with Jayal but Mutu stuck to her like glue.

At midday, Toby decided he had enough brain wave recordings to satisfy the Mayo. After all, they wouldn't know how cooperative the children had been. He called a halt to the tests and took the neurological kit back to his cabin.

He sat on the bunk and reflected on his time with Jayal. He had no doubt he was in love with her but he knew they might have only a few more days together.

He was determined to spend as much time alone with her as possible but how could they escape the constant presence of Mutu? Toby was sure he had been told to keep an eye on her by Velan.

Mutu was now aware of Jayal's hypnotic mantra technique so that would only work if he was willing to listen to it.

Toby went to his locker and lifted out the medical bag the nurse had given him. He opened it and took out several small packages of drugs he'd never heard of. Then he saw the Midazolam and recalled what the nurse had told him. He contemplated using it to sedate Mutu but dismissed the idea. Too risky if the Manitan found out.

He lay down, trying to conjure up the feeling of Jayal in his arms, and racking his brains to come up with a way to sidetrack Mutu. Eventually, he gave up and went to find something to eat.