Sang the Stray (Completed)

29. Ice Capades

"Yeah, we can hope. Then, Jade would be too busy trying to shower off the nasty to bother North," Silas mentioned.

"I don't think you can ever shower off Jade's kind of nasty," said North and the others chuckled darkly.

*****

Back in the training room we continued the testing session. Victor's lightning, properly called electrokinesis, was the same as previously. Silas got a boost from enhancing in the amount and sheer force of the water ability he could manipulate. Tsee Blackbourne said we would test the remaining abilities in the Ena near-space. We took an elevator up several floors to the Gate Lock, where we would enter the Ena. I shifted my weight back and forth, fidgeting as we rose in the large squad-sized lift.

"Don't be nervous," Nathan said, pulling my finger from my lip. I hadn't even realized I placed it there. "You'll be fine, no Ionoth or Fifth Squad member will be popping up in the area we'll be in."

Yikes! I hadn't even thought of the flesh-eating monsters until he mentioned them.

"First Squad just finished clearing this near-space of Ionoth less than a kasse ago," Sean said trying to reassure me.

The doors parted and I followed the others out of the elevator, breathing deeply and trying to mentally prepare myself.

At lunch Kota had explained to me that KOTIS was built on this island because it's a very 'torn' space. This means that there are lots of places where it's easy to get from actual space to the Ena, and vice versa. Wherever they find one of these torn spots on Tare, they build a metal box around it, with doors that only the nastiest of monsters could hope to claw their way through.

While we were waiting for clearance, Tsee Blackbourne set up a group channel or 'space' in the interface for the squad, started another mission log which would record everything we did, and said to me, "We have three objectives for this session. To test your enhancement on the talents which are only effective in the Ena, particularly Tset Coleman's and Tset Luke Taylor's talent sets. To see if there's any variation with the talents we've already tested due to the different environment. And to orient you in the Ena, since you stepped directly from your world to Muina, and you were sedated when you were transported from Muina to Tare. The Ena is a very disorienting place, visually overwhelming in places, and at the same time it intensifies the senses. Tell us immediately if you start experiencing any kind of sickness or distress. Tset Coleman and Ista Green will accompany you at all times while we are in the Ena. Don't move anywhere without them. If we encounter any situation which requires moving quickly, they will move you. Do not run. Above all, do not enter any of the gates without clearance. Do you understand all that?"

"Yes," I said, barely audible.

At this time, the blast doors we waited in front of opened, and we moved into the spacious metal box. I couldn't see any sign of visible tears in the world, but then I hadn't when I walked from Earth to Muina either. The interface obligingly drew a triangle of light in the air in front of us, showing where we should walk. Tsee Blackbourne and Kota went first and then me with Gabriel and Sean on either side of me.

There was no sense of resistance walking through the triangle, but it did feel colder. It was strange. We were still in the metal containment box, and the door was closed, but most of the walls were missing - or, not missing. It looked sort of like a drawing, where someone started sketching lines and then coloring it in. However, we were in a version of the box where the lines were there, but only half of it was colored in. Kind of. We walked through one of the uncolored parts of the wall. We were where we'd been before, but with all the people and lots of the 'textures' missing. This was the part of the Ena they call near-space, and it was truly weird.

"You alright, Sorenson?" Sean asked me. Gabriel was right. This place did make me feel more alive, like very hyper-alert and awake. Everyone was waiting to see how I reacted, so I smiled and shrugged and Tsee Blackbourne nodded and started off.

We passed several Gates to other spaces, other worlds, walking to the Space Tsee Blackbourne planned for us to test Luke's aerokinesis. There were so many Gates, and all of them potentially had Ionoth which could come through to Tare. I was starting to realize how hard the Setari job could be. We approached a gate that showed green grassy fields and stone ruins on the other side. Once again Tsee Blackbourne led the way through first.

"Try not to touch any edges stepping through. Gates can be fragile, and tearing them attracts Iono-" Kota stepped through as he spoke, lifting his feet carefully, and I noticed that passing through not only cut off the sound, but that 'no connection' had appeared in the group channel display where Tsee Blackbourne and Kota should be.

When I stepped through myself there was a soap-bubble sensation. Once everyone was through we started testing. Luke made several wind twisters that swirled all around us. We decided to call the enhanced version a wind maelstrom since it was decidedly more powerful. Gabriel and Sean had to secure us down to a broken stone pillar, the winds whipping at us. I cried out when my hair clip went flying. I was surprised when Gabriel brought it back with his telekinesis. He did grumble about how much he hated it.

Later, Gabriel worked to close one the small Gates in this Space using Ena manipulation. Everyone was especially pleased to see that enhancement helped him to almost completely close it. This was very significant, since a particularly nasty Ionoth kept slipping out of that Space. He also practiced locking the Gate into the Space which would keep it from moving.

"This Space has another Gate which links straight to Unara. Makes it easier and safer to travel through when the Gate is locked in place," Victor told me as we watched Gabriel.

We left that Space and went back through the Tare near-space to another Gate. This world was all barren rock, similar to Tare. There we tested the other talents from earlier. Everything worked the same as in the testing room. Overall, a successful mission. I was so glad no Ionoth showed up. I was also exhausted when I finally crashed into Nathan's bed that night.