Day 00010 Mission Nilex
Ayla stepped onto the Garden level and looked around the antechamber.
«Lina will be here shortly, Ayla.»
"Thank you, Canaisis." She looked down at herself and rearranged her robe and sash.
A faint sound emanating from the transit tube made her pause and cock her head. It sounded like a long, drawn-out scream as it grew louder. Curious, Ayla stared at the opening.
"What is that, Canaisis?"
«Lina. Don't blame me—it was her insistence. Three seconds to arrival.»
The scream ran out of air, and Ayla felt Lina's approaching fear and excitement. Her journey to the Garden level ended with a sudden, stiff-bodied halt, her eyes and fists clenched tight.
Worried, Ayla stepped closer. "Lina?"
Trembling, Lina cracked one eye.
"Are you okay?"
The eye focused on Ayla standing before her. Then both eyes snapped wide open as Lina took in a huge gulp of air, the wave of relief and exhilaration almost overwhelming Ayla. Lina managed a shaky half-smile as she floated forward and stepped onto the floor. Ayla grabbed her arm to steady her.
"Whew! What a trip!" Lina patted herself down as if to check that she was still all in one piece, her hair a windblown mess, and her Laaj barely hanging on around her neck. "Thanks!"
"What happened?" asked Ayla, her voice high-pitched with concern.
"I told Canaisis to get me here as fast as possible." Lina straightened up, stable on her feet, so Ayla released her.
"I don't understand."
"The ship tried to warn me, and I told it I didn't care. I never expected I'd go that fast." Lina drew a deep breath, exhaled, and looked at Ayla. "Damn, that was fun." She inhaled a second time and let it out more slowly. "But I'm never doing that again."
Sighing, Ayla shook her head and stepped through the blast door to the long hallway, not saying a word. Lina followed, and by the time they reached the huge Garden door, Lina had rearranged her robe appropriately. But for a few unruly wisps of hair sprouting from under her Laaj, no one would have been able to guess the trip she'd just survived.
They stood and waited as the door opened before them. The fresh smells of plants and damp soil greeted them as they squinted their eyes at the bright light spilling onto them. Ayla pulled Lina inside by the hand and followed the trail through the trees and vegetation. In some areas, it was dense and filled with ground overgrowth, in others it was dim from the canopy of trees overhead, the undergrowth scarce. Eventually they emerged onto the grassy area, and there stood the picnic table and Oak tree.
Ayla paused at the sight of it, and Lina watched her closely.
"Are you sure about this?"
Ayla drew a deep breath to gather herself. "Yes, I'm sure. I have to deal with this sometime." She felt a gust of wind blowing in the back of her mind, then... nothing.
"I'm here to listen whenever you're ready, Ayla."
Ayla felt Lina's touch of reassurance on her arm, but it did nothing to chase away the emptiness that filled her being. She turned to Lina, and Lina paled at the blank expression on her face.
"Ayla," Lina's voice was stern, "if I think for even a second you're going to have a relapse, then I'm dragging you out of here by your feet. I'm not going to listen to Ahmid lecture me about how stupid I was in letting you come here!"
Ayla forced herself to smile. "It's okay, Lina. It is. I can handle it. The Gift won't take me unless I let it. But that doesn't change what I saw, and that's something I have to deal with."
Lina stepped in front to face Ayla and grabbed the sides of Ayla's arms. "Remember this, Ayla. The Captain lived it... and he seems to have dealt with it. You can too."
"He gave himself no choice—he accepted a mission."
"Mission?"
"Yes, the preservation of Humanity. That's what he's been doing all these years, fulfilling a mission. It's what keeps him going."
Lina nodded thoughtfully. "His Soul Stone... Well, we have a mission too, you know. Learn from his example, help me tame our new home. It's not going to be easy, and we need everyone, especially you."
Ayla smiled for Lina's sake and nodded.
"Now, what is it you're here for?"
Ayla's smile grew sincere at the question. "I don't know. I just didn't want to go back home." She side-stepped to break Lina's hold, but Lina held onto her.
"I can't let you touch that Tree, Ayla." Lina's pleading voice had a finality to it.
"We're not going to the Tree—we're going to the back of the Garden. Look, you can walk between me and the Tree if you want. We'll stay far away from it."
"What's there, Ayla?"
"You'll see. Do you remember the swim lessons we had as children?"
"Yes, but what has that got to do with anything?"
"Listen."
Lina cocked her head, eyes roaming. "What's that sound?"
"Come on, find out."
Ayla broke Lina's hold this time when she stepped forward. Lina stepped beside her and as agreed, she stayed between Ayla and the Oak tree as they circled it, crossing the grassy area. They entered another trail, and when they emerged from the trees on the other side, Lina's jaw dropped. She looked around with round eyes, from the streams of water falling to the lagoon that stretched out before them.
"This is incredible."
Ayla observed Lina's reaction with amusement. "It is, isn't it? And more importantly, the Captain said we could make use of it."
"Use of it?"
"To swim, of course."
"You mean this is for swimming?"
Ayla nodded. "What else do you think it's for?"
"Then it's even more incredible! Uhh," Lina squinted at an area of water closer to them, "how deep is it?"
"I'm told it's not deeper than our heads if we stay at this end. Want to try it?"
"Is it cold?"
"I don't know. Go stick your toes in and find out." Ayla pushed Lina toward the stone-looking metal divide. She stepped to the edge, knelt down, and reached a hand into the clear water.
"It's warm!"
Ayla laughed as she sat down next to her, took her shoes off, and pulled up her ship pants. "Good. That takes away your last excuse to back out." With that, she dropped her legs down into the water and closed her eyes in bliss. "Oooh, that does feel nice. Come on, you've got to try this."
She kicked a foot up, sending water drops Lina's way. Lina dodged backward and fell onto her rear end, laughing. She took her shoes off, got back on her feet, tied up her skirt, and rolled her pants up over her knees. Then she sat next to Ayla and dropped her feet in. Together, they leaned back onto their elbows and swished their feet, enjoying the comfortable silence.
"You said we could swim in this pool?" Lina asked after a while.
"I supposed we could. The Captain gave me permission."
Ayla looked up at the ceiling far above them, the memory of her last being here vivid in her mind. Gareth had held so much concern for her, yet he hadn't pressed her. He'd only given her his company. He'd offered her his pool, and then left to give her space.
She remembered the sight of thousands of butterflies floating and fluttering down around her after he'd left. She'd been lying flat on the grass, looking up...
Deep within, the wind blew a cold hard gust, and her mental walls trembled. Instinctively, she withdrew from it and focused on her surroundings, leaning forward to warm her hands in the water. To hide her feelings from Lina, she looked across the lagoon at the rocks where the towels had rested the last time she was here.
«Is it alright if we swim, Canaisis?»
«Of course, Ayla. I will announce anyone attempting to enter the Garden. If you look to the right of the waterfall, you'll see an opening. Towels and a blanket are within.»
«What is the blanket for?»
«To lay down on the grass, if you wish.»
«Thank you so much.»
Ayla spotted the opening in the silver rocks beside the waterfall. It was just at the edge of the lagoon, the size of a small locker. She elbowed Lina. "Hey, see that hole?"
Lina looked at where Ayla was pointing. "I don't remember that being there."
"Go get two towels. And bring the blanket, too."
Suspicious, Lina eyed Ayla. "I can tell when you're talking to the ship, so stop showing off."
"Her. When I'm talking to her. And it's no different from talking to you, just less annoying."
"Okay... Her. Tell her I meant no offense."
"She can hear you, you know. Now go get the towels and blanket." Ayla pulled her feet out of the water and stood up.
Lina stood up as well. "How come I'm the one who's got to get them?"
"Because I'm the one who told you where to get them... and because you're the one who asked about swimming."
"Okay, but only because." Lina made her way around the lagoon and returned with her arms full.
Ayla took the blanket, whipped it open, and let it settle on the grass. Puzzled, Lina just watched until Ayla set her folded sash and robe on the blanket.
"Good idea," Lina rushed to disrobe as Ayla started removing her ship clothes.
They both turned to the water and then looked at each other.
"You first," said Ayla.
Lina took a couple of steps to the ledge. "Why me? You were invited first. It wouldn't be right, so I insist."
Sudden mischief came over Ayla, and she surged forward to shove Lina. Lina let out a little shriek as she fell feet first into the water, only to end up with the water just below her shoulders. She spun around to face Ayla.
"What did you do that for?"
"I wanted to see how deep it was." Ayla looked down at Lina with an innocent expression. "Now I know." A grin grew on her face.
Lina splashed two handfuls of water at her. Ayla stood still to take her punishment, the warm water soaking into her undergarments. She jumped in to make a big splash, but Lina submerged her head to ride out the wave. When Lina came up, they swam and waded back and forth by the bank. Ayla floated on her back to the metal wall, savoring the sensations of the water.
"I'm going to check out those waterfalls," said Lina.
"Okay." Going in over her head wasn't something Ayla felt confident about. "I'm going to stay right here and relax."
Lina waded through the water until it reached her nose, and she had to start swimming. She headed for the middle waterfall first and treaded water underneath it. Then she made her way to the one on the right.
"Eek!" she exclaimed when it splashed her. "This water is cold!"
"You're a big girl. Tough it out," Ayla called back, amused at Lina's antics.
Lina shot Ayla a scornful glance and swam under the cold cascade. It only took a moment for her to decide she had enough. She disappeared underwater to reappear swimming a distance away, passing through the middle one, on the way to the falls on the other side.
Ayla watched as she drifted backward with her chin submerged until she bumped the edge of the wall. She rested her head back and stretched out, hands slow-paddling the water.
Floating on her back was so calming and peaceful that she couldn't help closing her eyes. Images came to her mind in flashes.
Dara holding up her sketch of a sailing ship and an angel filling the sky.
Gareth's suit lights illuminating seven acorns in his gloved hand.
Canaisis above her in the starlit black sky and plunging down to become a fiery meteor, cutting across a dead world.
Dara, still holding her drawing, but her eyes seemed to look into Ayla's soul. The wind deep within Ayla's mind started blowing, forcing its way through the cracks in her walls. She couldn't stop herself from crossing her arms across her chest, shivering from the sudden cold.
She was no longer aware of the water cradling her. A burst of wind and ash carried her mind away. She was somewhere else, where broken buildings formed a jagged horizon. With the knowledge that a storm was coming, fear gripped her...
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