Click to keep this site free.

WAR

The late morning sun dappled across the glen. Under a scrounged collection of tents and awnings, the men, and a number of women, lay sleeping off the party. Luke having remained behind at the rebel camp, a few had stumbled up to ask Dante for a head or stomach potion, then collapsed back to sleep.

Dante leaned back against a tree, stripping a sugar stalk for Blueberry. The juvenile's snout wavered in anticipation. He showed it a future where it munched on the sweet treat. Blueberry snorted.

Dante glanced at the sleeping prisoner. At least he hadn't asked about women. The men who returned from the party had spouted on about their own good times. Dante found his silence meant they put their own dreams and conquests onto him, assuming he had disappeared to spend the night as the preferred Adonis for nun after nun; not to sleep as they had found him, alone by the fire.

Trevor and Dedalus, with guards and retinue, walked into the camp.

"Hello," hooted Blueberry.

"Hello Blueberry." His half-brother smiled at the juvenile. "Amazing." He pulled a small yellowing book from inside his jacket and said, "When Spells Go Wrong. Did you find my book useful?"

Dante looked up, his face blank. Caught stealing. The rod. His stomach clenched. Damn transpo coward. Would he never get over it?

He thought the fetching of the book had been discreet. While wandering about the rebel camp between the opera and the dance, he had noticed it through the door of Dedalus' hut, on a shelf among a number others. He had fetched it after a nightmare had woken him up at dawn. A total disappointment, it had held nothing but didactic warnings, no answers on how to control his magic at all. The Red shine had returned it on its way to perform some duty for Baba.

"You only have to ask," said Dedalus. The older man eased himself onto a fallen log. "We need a good, learned Mage. There's been more than enough of the other kind. There's no need for you to sneak knowledge. I can guide you to the useful books, instead of this piece of propaganda intended to frighten new ‘prentices. Yvonne, Francis, myself, we'll give you any book, any work you want. You should know that."

I don't, thought Dante. Canvas flapped in the silence.

"I've come to ask you if you'd like a tour of the military installations," said Trevor. "Have a look at what we have and what we're up against."

And talk me into giving up my magic. The nightmare flooded back, the reflection of what his unconscious had figured out.

He knelt against a statue of Gaia, his knees aching on the rough floor. He dropped his forehead onto her cold stone feet and wept and raged, but deep inside. No voice or gestures, no tongue, no magic to create a hand from a stump, impotent in all ways..A scarred and broken slave.

From behind Martha's voice said, "Wordless?"

She stood in the half gloom, her face full of love and concern. He rose, shambling and shuffling towards her, his rag covered stump held out, his voice an animal moan. Her eyes grew large, terrified. Reba. Reba full of scorn. Reba with the nasty laugh. All the women at the dance, laughing and whispering behind their hands and fans.

"Zombie, zombie, zombie"

Dante stood up, straightened, and crossed his arms in front of him.

"Fine," he said and sent Blueberry to find Friend, Jerome and his own body guards.

Dedalus led the way to the camp. They passed around tents and huts empty of soldiers already up and on duty. New recruits, including some of his own men, marched across the parade ground. Nuns and monks cooked and washed clothes in the open air. Some sewed, some tended the sick. A group of acolytes and postulants sat at the feet of Bishop Francis, discussing a reading from a green book. Dante drifted up to the edge of the group. They fell silent and looked to Francis.

"Please join us, Your Highness," said the Bishop.

"I'm on a tour," said Dante, longing to join them.

"Continue Geoffrey," said Francis.

"The Order of Noah say that we shouldn't even cure disease because germs are the least of her creatures. It seems extreme to me."

"I can see avoiding killing flies and bugs and things, as long as they mind their own business. And some germs are good," said a nun.

"What about hunting?"said another, glancing at Dante.

"What about the war? Do we just let things go on as they are?" asked an acolyte.

"Gaia forgives when you do what's necessary," said Dante. They all turned to look at him. He hadn't intended to say a word.

Francis smiled. "And how do we know when something is necessary?"

"Just something I worked out myself," said Dante in a low voice. "In the jungle," Who could he quote? Shaman? They would never understand. Francis looked expectant so he said the first things that came into his head. "The creatures in the wild kill to survive. That's how it is. Leaf worms seem to kill the bushes but then lizards kill them and the trees start to grow again. Gaia set up the world that way, in a balance."

"So we can do whatever we want?" asked Geoffrey.

"No. Hita don't torture or murder each other. They only kill to survive."

"Aren't humans killing to survive when they go to war?"asked a nun.

"Sometimes," said Dante. "Sometimes they want everything and everyone, like a magdragon that gathers stones and sticks, any bright thing, way beyond making its nest. I've found them dead from their junk falling on them."

"I've never heard of such a creature," said Geoffrey. "Joseph of Palan stated firmly that nobles must be above killing. I should know, he was my thesis. Lowers us to slaves and commoners. Makes everything we do illegitimate."

Dante pursed his lips and took a deep breath. If he spoke, he would kill the young monk, proof enough. "I have a tour to finish," he said, the words exhaled in smoke. He turned on his heel.

"Dan, stay," said Francis. "Geoffrey, an apology is in order." Geoffrey looked confused.

"You idiot," said the nun. "Why don't you listen and think on the words of the Bodhisatva instead of shooting off your mouth?" She spoke as to a young child. "Lowered to slaves. Illegitimate. I question why you're here if you don't believe in the new order."

Geoffrey blanched. "I'm sorry. The words just came out. I'm so sorry, Bodhisatva."

Dante looked at him. "You're very learned." He turned his gaze on the young nun. "At least he's honest."

"Old attitudes die hard," said Francis. "These are postulants. They haven't had your life experience. They make mistakes. You can help them understand."

"Please. What's a magdragon?" asked another young nun.

"It's a lizard that lives along the desert shore of the great inland sea. That's just my name for them, I don't know if they have a proper scholar's name." Dante shrugged.

A young noble woman sat with a stricken look. She rose, came over to him and curtsied then tried to speak, but the words choked. Dante waved his hand over her bowed head unsure what to do.

"Please Holy One. My name is Grace, Lady Grace. My sister loved a transpo. Her music teacher," she said. "She got pregnant and they ran away but guards stopped them at the New Alabama border. Prince Yevgeny used them as an example. My Anastasia. Burned, the baby in her belly. And we were forced to watch. Then they tortured Michael to death with the rod."

She sobbed and Dante found his eyes stinging. He laid his hand on her head. The faraway sounds of soldiers' drilling drifted in the silence.

"Yevgeny's rod killed the only man who was a father to me," said Dante, his own voice thick. "May Gaia comfort you."

The postulant who had reproved Geoffrey came and hugged Grace. "You see we believe in a new order. An order where there are no slaves or transpos. Where everyone is free."

"Yes," said Dante.

"We should continue the tour," said Dedalus from behind.

"Come and see me this afternoon," said Francis. "I have some books for you. And tomorrow you can join us properly. You give us something to think about."

The nun led Grace to sit down again and handed her a handkerchief. The discussion began again.

"The parable of the magdragon can be interpreted so many ways," said Geoffrey. "Greed. The pollution that's destroyed the old world. People owning people until they rebel."

"It's like when dead call out for Adonis and make our world a barren desert," said another.

"No that's all wrong," said the nun.

Dante wondered if he could ever debate with them. To speak and disagree without the killing anger rising. He remembered with shame Francis patiently listening to his excited ignorant rambling over his few tattered books. To offer him texts, the Bishop must know about the piece of ‘prentice crap. He sighed. What did he know about the snarls of sophistry and rhetoric anyway? He turned away to continue the tour.

The tour group walked a little way into the jungle, up to a barrow overgrown with undergrowth. A rock moved aside at Dedalus' touch and command.

"It's not magic. A new computer voice and palm print recognition system," said Dedalus with touch of pride. "At a certain point, technology and magic look the same, at least to me. If Yevgeny should ever find the rock, the fact that you don't enter by magic would confuse him for an hour or two. He's magic dependent. One of his weaknesses. Arrogance is another," As if in answer to Dante's unasked question, he continued, "Myself, I've cared too much about my studies and research rather than the real life consequences. Science and magic without morals are abominations."

Dante frowned. He was the abomination. His half-brother gave a small smile. "Don't assume I'm talking about you. "

"Hard not to."

"Yes." Dedalus pursed his lips.

They entered a downward sloping tunnel. Lights flicked on, turned off as they passed.

"Motion sensors. Useful little things," said Dedalus. He pulled out a pistol and a machine gun in a metal harness lowered from the ceiling, floating back up when he put his gun away. "The sensors don't like magic either." He grinned. "Another invention."

They entered a claustrophobic elevator and descended. The sound, the feel, the smell of the ship and where down led. Dante willed himself to stand still, not cower in the corner. Only the tremor of his hand betrayed and everyone stared straight ahead.

The door opened to a cavernous room busy with soldiers, monitors and machinery. Voices buzzed, machines hummed and clacked. The female soldier from the dance came up to them, sent Dante a quick, warm smile and saluted. What would such a brave person think of someone afraid of an elevator? He pushed down the bitter anger.

"Your Highness, I missed you," she said. "One minute you were dancing with Princess Beatrice, the next -- gone. You must have had a good night." She smirked and raised her eyebrows.Dante said nothing. "I wanted you to meet my husband, he was on patrol and arrived late."

Dante thought, "Married. That explains a lot."

"How goes the battle, Captain?" asked Trevor.

Her face became grim. "The Imperial fleet sits outside the ring of moons. Yevgeny's going to speak on all channels at noon. Botany's surrounded but I'm sure he's not telling us he's surrendering."

"More like the final gloat," said Dedalus. "Though this whole mess can't have Father pleased." His face gave a wry twist. "He hates spending large amounts to put down insurrections."

"And you're enjoying every moment," said the Queen with a sneer as she walked up to them, Beatrice, Baba and a lady in waiting with her.

"Cold comfort. We're all dead in horrible ways if we lose," said Dedalus. He tipped his head in Dante's direction. "Except maybe little brother here." Everyone looked at Dante. Baba shook her head and Dedalus raised an eyebrow. "He knows the score, don't you?"

Dante crossed his arms. "My bodyguards have orders to shoot me."

Baba gasped.

"We have poison if you prefer," said Trevor. "I'm not going to be paraded about, forced to humiliate myself then die by the rod. Neither are the other transpos."

Dante glanced at Jerome who said, "The hita and I will make sure you're dead before I take my poison." Dante nodded.

"Come this way, Excellency," said the Captain, avoiding his eyes. "You must see The Heart of Adonis. " The hita and Jerome moved up around Dante as he followed the soldier to a panel at the far left end of the room.

The partition drew back. In the middle of a small room carved out of the rock sat a crystal the size of a hita egg resting on a gun metal tripod. A shaft of sun from the hole in the roof fired the facets, red fire leaping within. Friend showed him an image of the light crystals in the caves of home and Dante acknowledged that he had never seen one as huge as this.

"Comes from the moon belt," said Dedalus."Biggest ever found."

"The hita in the outback use such crystals. But they are very small."

"Then you have an idea of how it works?" said Dedalus.

"The shamans use magic to make them shine and light the caves."

"Have you done it?"

"Many times."

"Constance channels the magic,"said Dedalus. "I make it stick. The magic that can fill this crystal. Incredible. We've never even got it a quarter full. I've adapted the stone so the gathered energy can be transferred up along a light beam to a receptor on the ships. The magic dissolves the wards around the imperial ships and strengthens our own. Takes a lot of work of a lot of magicians. If our army fails, the crystal's also a laser weapon."

Baba came up beside Dante. "And our fleet is failing. The Mage has put strong magicians on the two cruisers. We don't have enough magic to fight back. Except for you. Bea feels a tremendous force in you. Enough to strengthen our fleet."

"Maybe," said Dante. Friend nudged him, showing destroyed longhouses. He sighed. "Let's do it."

"You have to be willing," said the Queen. "I can't channel your magic unless you want me to."

Dante shrugged. "Get out a correction rod."

"That's very unfair," snapped Baba. Dante narrowed his eyes and stared at the crystal. She crossed her arms and straightened."I'm sorry for your pain. We all have pain. You have fear. What do you think we have? There isn't time to build your trust. Either help us or slink back into the jungle and wait for Yevgeny to hunt you down like a dog."

Friend showed Dante a vision of the hita protecting him if he ended up drained of magic, even killing him before the humans could hurt him. Jerome said, "The men are here for you. We'll protect you."

Constance pushed Beatrice forward. "When this is over, we want you as Mage. I saw how kind you were to my daughter, that you seem to like her. We have hopes you might take her hand in marriage to bring the houses together."

The Princess stared at the floor. Dante glanced at the Captain who gave him a big grin and a nod.

"I hardly know her."

"You've met, that's more than I could say for my arranged marriage. Like every woman here, she has a crush on you," said Constance. Beatrice blushed. "You're a good man, a religious man. More than we hoped for. My husband wanted her married off to one of his old perverted cronies."

"Is this what you want?" asked Dante. The Princess gave a small smile at the floor and nodded.

Constance placed Beatrice's small trembling hand in his. Suddenly Dante wanted to protect her, protect her from all that happened to Martha. He reached out his invisible fingers and brushed the crystal. It glowed at the touching spot..

"I don't need you," he said.

"You do. It's Dedalus who makes the magic stick and work with the machines. It must travel from you through me to him." She put her own hand in place of the Princess. Dedalus took her other hand then moved round the crystal and placed his palm on the jewel.

"Close your eyes, relax, let me work," said Constance.

Dante closed his eyes and thought about protecting Beatrice and the noble woman with the murdered sister, the Captain, Blueberry, all the baby hita bouncing free. Nothing happened.

"Open your mind. Like when you do a hard bit of magic," murmured Constance.

Dante thought about the bubbling spring and the leaves and the stone turning to a rose. He felt the magic moving, like a wisp of smoke, curling out along his arm. He tested to see if he could stop it. The wisp froze. The magic belonged to him, to give or keep as he wished. The wisp drifted again. The crystal hummed at the edge of his hearing. Dante opened his eyes and stared into the depths of the crystal. It glowed deep red. The Heart of Adonis.

Yevgeny's voice shattered the concentration. "I come before you today with great news. The Mage has sent two battle cruisers and a fleet to rescue us in our hour of need. The hita attacks, the massacres of nobles, the slave rebellions are over."

Dante turned and looked at the huge screen in the next room. The murderer, ten feet high, in living color, his black beady eyes shining with delight. Yevgeny stroked his beard.

"We know the location of the killer, Trevor Xian, and his traitorous, negligent master. You may think that holding my Queen and my daughter hostage will save you. The many slaves led astray, including my own dear lost transpo, will live if turned over with them. I hate destroying property unnecessarily.

"We'd rather die," said Constance.

Yevgeny glanced down. "I don't see any calls coming in. I know you're listening, we're beaming right to you. Perhaps a demonstration would help your decision. Are you letting my transpo watch this? The hita captured him for a time, I understand. What a difficult time he has had. The satellite found a huge nest . As a gesture of my good will to him, I will have it destroyed on his behalf."

First the planet like a map, then the side of the mountain and the jungle, the caves. The terrace appeared on the screen. Longhouse Shaman, Redhair, Feathers and the others lolled in front of the entrance, basking in the sun. Friend and Blueberry clamored in Dante's head.

A flash of light blinded. A rumble shook the room. The screen cleared. Through swirling dust: no ledge, no entrance, no hita, only a pile of broken rock and rubble.

"No!" screamed Dante.

His invisible hand slapped against the crystal, "Black, red, white, show me the ship." Dante's shout thundered into the stone. Constance moaned. Her grip loosened and fell away. He glanced at her slumped on the floor then stared into the red throbbing glow of the crystal. "Shine help me."

Electric wind roared down the rock chimney, over his body and through his magic hand into the crystal. The red glow engulfed him. A beacon of fire exploded from the crystal. Dante felt himself rising, three others familiar yet not, part of him yet not, rising with him. We are shine. They boiled straight up, higher until the blue transformed to black and the stars, rushing into the ring of moons.

Small fighters harried a monstrous gun metal pentagon. A glow flourished around it and the tiny fighters vanished. The shine laughed at the ship's puny power and blossomed, a deadly flower with black buzzing fangs. It bit and crunched and enjoyed. Then moved to the ship behind. Slabs and chunks whirled to join the moons.

Four petals fell to earth, floating back into the crystal, returning home. Dante collapsed to the floor.

Return to Main Page