The Light-Field (31 page)

So he watched Kalayna lapping up the acclaim she so rightfully deserved, knowing that this wonderful twist of fate would bring their association to an end. Still, deep inside, it felt like this past year was
meant to unfold as it did. Kalayna had taught him how to study and he had led her to the destiny she always should have had. Hopefully, this new and exciting path forward would lead her to the one soul who would complete her, the way that Aurora completed him.

 

‘Do you believe this?' Kalayna was bursting with excitement by the time the assembly ended. ‘I mean I know they probably only did this to get us out of pod-link, in case we cause any more trouble, but,
shit yeah
, I'll take it!'

‘It's going to be awesome for you,' Zeven affirmed, trying not to be a killjoy, but Kalayna picked up on his choice of words.

‘But not for you?'

Zeven shook his head.

‘Why not?'

‘I can't accept that scholarship,' Zeven was out with it, ‘I have a daughter now and I'll never get to see her if —'

‘You're giving up the space program to play house? Kale, that's fucking nuts!' She was completely stunned, and he guessed he could understand that. ‘This is the
space program.
Only the elite of the elite get this kind of opportunity —'

‘And I'm happy for you, Kalayna, you are elite', he acknowledged.

‘So are you!' she appealed like he was a five-year-old and didn't get it.

‘I don't want to be elite right now.' Zeven appealed for her to listen. ‘In the future, yes, but right now I have an opportunity that I will never have again, not with Thurayya.'

He could see that for friendship's sake Kalayna was trying to understand, but at the same time she was shaking her head, like she knew he was making a massive mistake.

‘Just come meet them,' Zeven said, but Kalayna was backing away and still shaking her head.

‘I'm not going to give my consent for you to throw a promising future away.'

Zeven did his very best pleading face. ‘Kalayna, come on —'

‘
No
,' she decided, turned and stormed off in a huff.

‘Nuts.' Zeven cringed. ‘Ah well, it was going to end anyway, it just ended a bit sooner than expected.'

 

Back home around the dinner table at the beach hut, when Zeven explained what had gone down at work today, Aurora was stunned.

‘But maybe she is right, Zeven … the space program is so you! Are you sure you want to pass it up? I don't want us to stop you doing anything that you want to do … as long as it doesn't involve having sex with another woman,' she clarified.

Now Zeven was the one looking shocked — she was so different from the Aurora he'd known before, always holding him back. ‘I think the temptation to show off and get big-headed will be far too great out there. And there's another reason …' His eyes turned to Mythric, who was perplexed a moment. ‘I haven't had the chance to talk to you about this yet …'

‘Oh dear.' Mythric suddenly knew what was coming, and although the idea made him gasp a second, after one glance at his granddaughter, he nodded to agree.

‘What are you boys up to?' Aurora was wary.

‘Well,' Zeven plucked up his courage, ‘and I'm not talking right away, but when she's a little older.'

Aurora's mouth was gaping in shock before he'd even made the suggestion. ‘You want me to leave Ray here with you two?' She tried not to sound so horrified about that idea as to offend Zeven. ‘Um?'

‘On long assignments you'll only leave her with a nanny anyhow,' Zeven reasoned — she'd told him so herself.

‘But the twins are proving to be great nannies,' she argued, ‘and the thought of not seeing her on a daily basis …' This was obviously stressful at present.

‘The
twins
are minding our daughter?' Zeven objected. ‘That does
it, she's definitely coming here before she can comprehend what “line-of-credit” means.'

‘Oh, Zeven, they aren't that bad.' Rory laughed off his objection.

‘Who are the twins and why haven't I met them?' Mythric wanted to know.

‘They're a couple of man-eating shopaholics, is what they are.' Zeven hammed up his view, and Aurora would have argued, if she hadn't been giggling in agreement.

‘Sounds interesting,' Mythric said. ‘Why don't you send them along with Ray, to help out?' His wriggled his eyebrows up and down, to emphasise how keen he was on that idea.

‘Oh no, not here,' Zeven begged. He was finding it hard enough to stay faithful. ‘They never wear clothes, those girls.'

‘Hired!' Mythric slammed his hand down on the table and Aurora just lost it.

‘You guys are a couple of clowns, baby raising is a serious business.' Aurora demanded they think through what they were asking. ‘And look at where you live!' She pointed to the water washing up onto the doorstop. ‘Take your eyes off her for a second and …'

‘Yeah, Rory, I know that, but we could start small,' Zeven suggested.

Aurora was perplexed as she looked to Mythric, hoping he'd be more of a realist. ‘I had my chance at parenting stolen from me,' he confessed. He was all for it. ‘I've worked as a strategist for the secret services for over twenty years, I know how to be vigilant.'

‘Well, I guess that's true, given that you've managed to keep Zeven out of trouble all this while.' Aurora's mood lightened.

Zeven pulled her onto his lap. ‘Who aced his program today, huh?'

‘Always the Starman, hey, my love.' Aurora kissed him, and in the hush of the moment they heard the knock on the door.

‘Kalayna!' Mythric announced, and the lovers came up for air.

‘So sorry to interrupt.' Her eyes were upon Aurora and her smile was genuine and not at all forced.

‘So glad you did.' Mythric got up to greet her, whereupon she pulled a bottle of mescaline from her bag and handed it to him. ‘That's my girl.' He kissed her forehead for the gift, and then kissed the bottle.

‘That stuff is evil,' Zeven objected, as Aurora stood and freed him to greet his friend.

‘Only in the hands of amateurs,' Mythric assured, wandering into the kitchen to find some glasses.

‘I'll pass.' Zeven was never going there again — ever.

‘I'll find us something a bit less lethal.' Aurora headed into the kitchen after Mythric, sensing that Kalayna and Zeven needed to talk.

‘How did you get here?' he wondered.

‘I caught a water-taxi,' she explained, feeling awkward. ‘I was a total jerk today —'

Zeven waved off her apology. ‘Forget that.' He grabbed her hand and led her toward the bedrooms. ‘Check this.' He took her to where Thurayya was sleeping, and Kalayna was overwhelmed with delight as she viewed her.

‘Oh Kale, she
is
gorgeous.'

As the baby's eyes opened, she looked directly at Kalayna. ‘Who is that then?' Zeven noted her interest as he picked her up, and still Ray was focused on the stranger.

‘Hello, sweetness.' Kalayna brushed her cheek and Thurayya frowned, like she was going cry, but didn't.

‘That's not Mum, is it?' Zeven humoured the baby. ‘Where's Mum then?' He made a move to take Ray to Aurora. ‘Where's Mum?' He stalled, as he was in transit — the baby's frown ever growing — and he hadn't made it to the bedroom door when Ray vanished from his hands.

‘Shit!' he gasped, horrified, and then looked to Kalayna, who was even more horrified. ‘Shit!' he repeated, not knowing what to tell her.

‘Kale!' He heard Mythric yell from the kitchen, and so Zeven bolted out there to find Ray in her mother's arms.

‘Fuck me!' He gripped his head amazed.

‘Kale?' Aurora frowned at his language.

‘You shouldn't be screwing around when we have company,' his father stressed in a whisper.

‘It wasn't me, I swear!' Zeven defended. ‘I just asked her where her mother was?'

Kalayna had wandered into the room, as she knew she'd just witnessed something she wasn't supposed to. ‘You have Powers.' She was stunned, and everyone in the kitchen stared blankly back at her, not knowing what to say. ‘I'm not freaked out by that stuff but …
wow
, just give me a minute to process.'

Zeven wasn't about to tell Kalayna that her way with machinery was a Power too, she'd find that out in her own good time. ‘No one can know, Kalayna, and I mean
no one
. Not even Trayan.'

‘I get it.' She nodded.

‘Drink?' Mythric offered up a shot of the strong stuff.

Kalayna waved it forth. ‘Definitely.'

Mythric took the bottle and two glasses and led Kalayna out onto the front veranda, as clearly Aurora and Zeven had a lot to talk about.

As soon as they were alone, Aurora turned to Zeven to resume the topic of their daughter. ‘Maybe you did it by accident?'

‘No,' he shook his head, ‘not with Kalayna in the room next to me, and I would never put Ray at risk like that, I swear!' His horror turned to pride and he took his daughter back in hand. ‘She's got her daddy's skills.'

Aurora was frowning at this.

‘I know that's a bit of a nightmare,' Zeven agreed, ‘but not if Mythric and I are her babysitters, there is nowhere she could zap herself to that we wouldn't find her.'

‘There is that, I guess.' Aurora had to admit that if Ray did have PK there was nowhere safer than here for her. ‘Okay,' she agreed. ‘When she's off the breast, we'll give it a shot.'

‘That's the best news I've had this life!' He kissed Aurora, and Ray objected to the crush and broke it up. ‘You won't regret it.'

‘I know,' Aurora said. ‘And as I can see you both from anywhere, at anytime, then I shouldn't miss too much.'

 

Kalayna had slugged back a couple of shots and still felt stunned to the core. ‘Is it all of you, or just Kale and the baby?'

‘Best not talk about that,' BA suggested. ‘He's harmless, so what else do you need to know?'

‘That's how he got to me so quick that day.' She finally figured it out. ‘But then why take such a beating?'

‘It's a secret,' BA whispered. ‘No one can know, so he would've had to have killed them all, wouldn't he?'

‘And he could have.' Kalayna suddenly realised and understood that with great power came great responsibility. ‘Wow, that's even more impressive really. In his place, I don't think I could have been so restrained and selfless.'

‘Yeah,' BA agreed. ‘But Kale was not always so masterful and his heroic tendencies have near got him killed on many an occasion.'

The man Kalayna had thought she'd known better than anyone, she realised she did not know at all. ‘I guess that explains why he'd rather avoid the space program?'

‘Yes, again.' He raised his glass to her.

Now she'd seen the love of Kale's life with her own eyes, Kalayna had to agree that the woman was a knockout, and their baby was very beautiful, although scary, too. ‘So, if it runs in the family, and you are Kale's father, then …'

‘Don't go there.' BA poured Kalayna another glass, to distract her.

‘You're harmless,' she adopted his previous stance on the matter. ‘Right?'

‘I wouldn't say that.' He clinked his glass against hers and served her one of his deviant grins.

‘You're a worse flirt than I am,' Kalayna noted with a laugh.

‘I'll drink to that.'

‘You'll drink to anything,' Kale commented, as he and Aurora joined them on the balcony.

‘Hi Kalayna, I'm Aurora.' The lovely blonde on Kale's arm held her hand out to Kalayna. Kalayna took hold of her hand, glad to make her acquaintance, and felt the same deep spark of recognition shoot through her being that she'd experienced when she'd first met Kale. The event made them both smile.

‘Great to meet you,' both women said at once and then laughed at the synchronous moment. Kalayna could tell right away they were going to get along, which was a shame really, as a week from now she'd be in space.

The idea seemed so surreal, especially without Kale, but seeing him with his daughter, his girl and his father, clearly his place was here. She'd heard Aurora call Kale Starman right before she'd knocked on the door. Kalayna considered it such an apt nickname for him, as he'd certainly helped launch her into a career among the stars and for that he had her eternal loyalty. She would forget his secret when she left this day and would never speak of it again.

AMIE was a huge craft comprised of six interconnected modules of a squashed sphere shape. One module sat atop the vessel, one module beneath, and the four remaining modules comprised the mid-deck level. The top module (Module F) was the command module and would house the flight deck and the docks for their air and land exploration craft. The four modules that clustered around each other in the centre housed the offices and living quarters for the staff (Module A), hospitality (Module B), the greenhouse (Module C) and recreation (Module D). The module on the base of the vessel was the marine department and sub bay (Module E), which would launch the submersibles. Module E was a submersible itself, as was the entire craft. Each module featured a ring of windows around the outermost rim of each sphere, which from the exterior appeared completely black. The remainder of each module had a smooth exterior finish, which turned a pearly pale pink tinged with gold in the light. With AMIE's exterior lighting off and the shield windows drawn, the highly reflective surface would camouflage their vessel in space and render it virtually invisible.

During the years AMIE was being built, Taren continued to write the scientific papers and theses that she would have, had she been attending university. She was painfully aware that her research had a major role to play in the further development of AMIE and it was imperative that she still got the information out there for the consideration of other scientists. Originally, she'd been published through the University of Esponisa on Maladaan, but since Maladaan's falling out with the United Systems over the psychic rights bill, Taren had no chance of having anything published there. The psychic revolution that was now taking place on Sermetica and Frujia, however, had come out of the closet on Phemoria as well. This meant that Taren's theories about photon-light being the great communicator behind all life, and a key player in her Grand TOE, were being more openly accepted and considered. She sent articles to publications on Sermetica mainly, although the theories found their way to publication on other planets as well. Taren made especially sure that her work on morphic fields and biophoton emissions — which in layman's terms meant cell coordination and communication — made it into the scientific botanical publications on Heavens-Gardens. And just to make sure the message got through to the right recipient, she personally mailed a copy to Ringbalin Malachi.

In her previous time line, Taren had found a low-intensity electromagnetic field that was communicating the growth pattern of the cellular body at a quantum level — weak light emissions that she suspected were orchestrating body growth in living organisms. She posed that this light field was responsible for getting proteins to cooperate with each other and carry out the instructions of DNA. From using her photomultiplier, Taren had found electrical fields in the seedlings of plants that resembled the eventual adult plant.

Now, where the MSS had taken this research and turned it into a means to hunt psychics on their planet, Ringbalin Malachi — a young unassuming biologist, who had mastered in bonsai — had used Taren's research and her photon counter to measure the photon emissions of
plants. He discovered a living system must maintain a delicate equilibrium of light; any excess was rejected, for too much light could inhibit the ability of cells to do their job. Photon emission varied from one living organism to another, depending upon its position on the evolutionary scale — the more complex the organism, the more photons it rejected as more light was being produced internally and maintained by the cells of the body. Armed with this knowledge, Ringbalin was able to identify a strong healthy plant in its seedling state. This aided his work with bonsai, and in developing miniature bio-domes to grow them in. These tiny self-contained eco-systems, which Ringbalin had yet to even unveil to the world, would become the basis for AMIE's Module C.

 

One year out from the due launch date of AMIE, the external shell was complete. The internal structure was bare bones and ready to be outfitted for life in space. It was time to start chasing up their crew.

The first concern was Module C — the greenhouse, nursery, biology labs and fishery. Its conception had been timed to perfection, as in return for Taren's steady supply of scientific theories, Ringbalin had sent Taren reports on his developments and invited her to Heavens-Gardens to see his bio-bonsai any time. Yet, he'd no doubt been rather shocked when she and Professor Gervaise accepted his kind offer.

‘So how did this meeting go last time you had it?' Taren queried Lucian, as they caught a cab from their hotel in Heavens-Gardens to the restaurant.

It took a second to think back that far, and he grinned. ‘Well, last time around, we had invited him to a meeting, so he at least had some inkling we were approaching him about a position, and he was keen. This time, he's invited us … so he probably hasn't got a clue why we are really here, and it's difficult to predict what his reaction will be when he realises.'

‘I think just the premise that we've flown all the way from Frujia might be enough to get him thinking?' Taren suggested, but Lucian disagreed.

‘You forget how modest Ringbalin is. And as you plan on being so open with him about our aspirations, well … I suspect this proposal might be a little more shocking for the lad than it was the first time around.'

‘Everyone will have to know sooner or later,' Taren said, as their cab pulled up at their destination.

‘I'm not questioning your methods,' he replied, and paid the cab driver.

It was true: Taren intended to be more open about AMIE's sub-agenda with their crew for, unlike in the previous time line, AMIE was to be more than just a research vessel. It would be the secret operations base for the Zagriata, whose aim was to protect Oceane and Azazèl-mindos-coomra-dorchi from discovery at all costs. Therefore, for the first five years of the project's existence it would run on a skeleton crew, as it had in their original time line — post being declared outlaws — and every member would be Zagriata. Good food was a primary requirement for an extended life in space, and so Ringbalin's involvement was imperative. Not only because he was a brilliant biologist and horticulturalist, but because Ringbalin possessed a rare power that made his green thumb absolutely foolproof. Able to impress his emotions onto others via skin contact with them, his hatred could kill and his love could cure any living thing, no matter how damaged it was. He much preferred plants to people — they didn't mind having their emotional states controlled to their own benefit and good health; plants did not freak out and interpret their healing as an unnatural phenomenon. Ringbalin was well aware, as Taren was, of the healing power of positive intention — for intention directed the light field that was the orchestrator of absolutely everything in existence.

Taren had reserved a small private room within the restaurant for their business lunch, with a lovely view of the tropical exhibit here at Heavens-Gardens.

When Ringbalin arrived wearing a clean white shirt and dark trousers, clean shoes, skin, and hair tied back neatly in a ponytail,
Taren barely recognised him. She'd never seen him so clean, and just couldn't wipe the amused delight off her face. He was carrying a rather large box, which he placed on the table.

‘Pleased to meet you at last, Ringbalin.' Taren rose from her seat and merely bowed her head to him, as did Lucian. They knew that offering to shake his hand would put Ringbalin in the awkward position of having to make up an excuse as to why he could not. ‘In all the pictures I've seen of you, you've been much grubbier.' She motioned their guest to a chair on the opposite side of the table, and again took a seat beside her husband.

Ringbalin saw the humour in Taren's comment. ‘This is indeed the cleanest I've ever been, apologies if I am a little hard to recognise. I am very honoured to meet you both, and went to every effort to make a good impression.' He raised the box on the table to reveal one of his bio-bonsai domes.

‘
Allocasuarina torulosa
,' Taren identified the species of tree featured on the top of the grassy island, surrounded by a mote of water inside the glass tube. It was not that Taren had any great knowledge of trees; this had been the very gift that Ringbalin had given her when they first met the last time around — although this specimen was smaller, having had six years less growth.

‘Forest Oak, that's right,' Ringbalin said, winningly. ‘Please accept it as my gift to you for your hand in its invention.'

‘Thank you so much.' Taren clapped her hands together in front of her heart, admiring the gift — it was a lovely sunny day inside the bio-tube at present.

‘You're more than welcome,' Ringbalin replied.

‘But you know, Ringbalin, you made a sterling impression on us, long before today.' Lucian poured their guest a glass of water, for he rarely drank anything else.

‘I am glad to hear that.' The young biologist smiled, with an inquisitive expression — his blue eyes peering over the rim of his glasses. ‘I am, however, still yet to fathom what prompted you,
Dr Lennox, to send me your fantastic research, when I had yet to even complete a degree?'

At that moment a waiter entered to take their order, and Taren could almost feel Ringbalin mentally holding his breath until the conversation could resume.

As soon as the waiter left, Taren looked to Ringbalin to put him out of his suspense. ‘At great personal risk to myself, I am going to answer your query, Ringbalin, because I believe you should know.'

He frowned, curiously. ‘Whatever the reason, you have my word I shall not repeat it.'

‘It is easy to trust someone, when you already know they will never betray you,' Taren admitted, to take a little of the tension out of the air, but Ringbalin was puzzled.

‘How do you mean?'

‘Do you know what precognition is?' Taren asked by way of an answer.

Ringbalin was stunned to an awkward smile. ‘The ability to see the future.'

‘I am precognitive.' Taren smiled winningly, and Ringbalin's face went completely blank in shock. ‘Long before you had completed your degree, or invented your bio-bonsai system, I knew that system would become the basis of our project's greenhouse in space. Thus, we are here today to offer you the opportunity to step up to that destiny.'

‘Ha!' Ringbalin found his expression and grinned, as he caught his breath. ‘You are offering me a job, in space?'

Taren and Lucian both nodded.

Ringbalin was overwhelmed. ‘I am completely honoured that you would consider me for the position, but I …'

‘You are now feeling discomfited by the reason why, and wondering just how much else I know about you?' Taren concluded.

Ringbalin nodded, appearing a little pale. ‘Are you telepathic too?'

Taren grinned. ‘No … but I will know people who are.'

‘You're so open.' Ringbalin finally voiced his concern.

‘Only with those I know I can trust, and only in an environment I know is completely safe,' Taren replied. ‘Believe me, this is rare, but a very necessary risk.'

‘Necessary, why?' Ringbalin seemed almost too afraid to ask.

‘I think you know why.' Taren phrased her response as delicately as she could, but Ringbalin was spooked and rose immediately.

‘Excuse me, won't you?' He turned and fled the room.

Taren looked to Lucian. ‘Do you think he's coming back?'

The waiter entered carrying the entrées and Lucian shrugged, unsure. ‘Well, he has three courses to lose his fear. Let's see how long it takes?'

Taren grinned; knowing Ringbalin was a champion on the inside, she had every confidence that he'd be back sooner rather than later.

The waiter was on the way out when Ringbalin came rushing back in and managed to duck inside before the door slid closed. ‘Sorry about that.' He sat down. ‘I realise the subject matter is no longer taboo on this planet, but I have —'

‘Trust issues, I know,' Taren assured him. ‘I did, too, once.'

‘Same here,' Lucian added with good cheer, and shocked Ringbalin yet again, only the lad's smile was warm this time.

He gave a nervous laugh; almost too afraid to believe he was actually having this conversation. ‘Who are you people?'

‘We are your chance to collaborate with fate,' Lucian said as he handed over the first draft plans for Module C to Ringbalin, and then tucked into his food.

Once Ringbalin looked over the specs there was no way he was handing the opportunity back. ‘Wow. So what's the catch?'

‘There is no catch.'

‘Unless you have a problem with psychics,' Lucian added, as a casual afterthought.

‘There is that,' Taren warranted, turning back to Ringbalin to explain. ‘Every member of this crew will have a Power, which they will be expected to use to the benefit of the project and their fellow crew.'

‘I'm stunned that you would risk telling me so, at this early stage?' Ringbalin stalled as he weighed up his lifelong fear of exposure against the greatest opportunity of his life.

‘That's how sure we are that you are our man, Ringbalin,' Taren ventured to say.

‘That would also tend to indicate that you believe I have a Power?' Ringbalin pointed out nervously. ‘What if I don't?'

Taren shrugged. ‘You will. It is inevitable.'

Ringbalin was struggling. ‘Then, how do I know that you guys have not been just manipulating me for years to join some secret undercover operation that's going to land me in the shit?'

‘That's exactly what has been happening.' Taren shocked him with the answer. ‘Only hopefully we can avoid landing in the shit this time around. The mission is to save Maladaan from being swallowed by a black hole in six years' time. Are you up for it?'

Ringbalin's mouth was gaping open, although his funny bone had been tickled as he gave a couple of nervous laughs of disbelief. ‘You say that like you've already lived this once before.'