Borne On Wings of Steel (23 page)

"Elise,” Mother chided.

"Well, I am!” Elise shouted. She stared defiantly back at the view-screen. “And I've found that some of your boys-only junk wasn't really needed. I mean, why are you holding back some of these stupid things from me anyway?"

Jaric and Kyle gazed mutely back.

"Like, why didn't you want me to see the remains of Guardian? Were you afraid that I'd..."

"What!” Kyle and Jaric shouted together.

Both Jaric and Kyle's expressions changed—a fierceness came over their faces and a hardness in their eyes.

"I told you to never go into the engine room!” Kyle lashed out.

"Why?” Elise shouted back. “Shouldn't I know, or see him? Shouldn't I know how he died? Shouldn't I know about the human race—my people?” Tears stung her face. In a flurry of motion, she ran from the room.

Both Kyle and Jaric shook their heads. But it was Jaric who spoke.

"Mother, you could've stopped her—Guardian is something, well, personal with us. You knew we didn't want her, or anybody, to go back there."

"There was no longer a reason, Jaric. And you have seen her grow both emotionally and intellectually—in all ways. I felt it time that she knew how our friend died. And I related to her much about that day."

"You told her?” Jaric asked in disbelief. “Without asking us?"

"She deserves to know her own history, her own heritage."

Jaric threw his hands up in frustration and reached for the console before him.

The view-screen suddenly went blank

BACK ON THE
Aurora
, Kyle sighed as he rolled his eyes. He looked at Jaric. “Well, remember what you said just the other day? Right after you had that huge fight with Elise."

Jaric froze. He looked down as he shook his head. “Oh man, I don't know why I lose my temper so easy when it comes to her. I wanted to apologize to her again today when we first started talking, and now I've just insulted her again.” He looked up with a pained expression.

"Maybe we should get all of this right with her before we try communicating with any other humans?” Kyle asked with a thoughtful expression. He sighed. “I guess Mother was probably right too. It's been long enough. And except for the bad memories, there is no real reason to keep everyone out of the engine room—even her."

"I guess so.” Jaric looked down at the view-screen controls. He started to reach for them.

"Why don't we do it in person, first thing when we land. It will be more personal that way. And honest,” Kyle advised. “Not over an open communications channel where everyone can listen in."

Jaric nodded agreement. “We'll make our peace with her, Big K. And we'll let her go with us to Mermoona."

BACK INSIDE THE manta-ray-shaped starship, Mother reviewed the latest argument between her three human children. Krinia and Jysar voiced their own frustrations before they left, telling Mother in no uncertain terms that the intolerable situation between Elise and the boys had to be resolved once and for all.

They agreed unanimously—they needed to encourage the boys and Elise to get together first thing and sort out their harmful feelings. Once that was done and they reached a mutual respect for each other—it was too much to hope for the beginnings of friendship—then the three of them along with their Mewiis, Hrono and Kraaqi friends should catch the first ferry to Mermoona and seek out the humans.

But alone in the darkness of her room, Elise cried—her heart broken once again. Deep inside, she had hoped so much that Kyle and Jaric would finally accept her—just accept her as a fellow human being if nothing else. But it seemed like acceptance would never happen, much less a real friendship between them.

After their previous argument, Elise had hoped beyond hope that Jaric would realize how badly his words hurt her—insinuating she wasn't really human. She remembered the look in his eyes that last time at RahajMr; she really thought for a moment that Jaric was going to apologize in front of everyone and set matters right once and for all.

She wanted it so badly—yearned for it with all her heart and soul. She waited for Jaric to speak and show he cared. It had filled her whole being in that one moment.

All she wanted to know was that Jaric and Kyle cared for her feelings—cared for her as a friend. That's all she really wanted—nothing more.

All she wanted was to be friends with the boys.

But Jaric had left without saying a word.

It felt as if her heart was being ripped right out of her chest—but she had stood there and not shed a tear in spite of her inner agony.

Suddenly, Elise was fighting back the tears that filled her eyes now, blinking hard as her body tensed with a pain as if someone had just struck her. She felt the heavy, black emptiness inside her soul where her heart should be. And she felt a dull aching weight pressing upon her shoulders, weighing her down like some incredibly heavy load had been strapped on her, and she was doomed to carry it all through her life—forever.

She groaned.

And now tonight, he once again insinuated she was nothing more than ... a
nothing clone
.

Elise cried out with a sorrow that tore at her heart. For long minutes, she sobbed alone in silence.

A thought came to her out of the blue—a brilliant idea. And it would once and for all time endear her to the boys. She would gain their friendship at last. She knew it would work!

Hurriedly she dried her eyes and began freshening up. After all, they were having a starlit dinner with the Mejadic in just a little while. And now there was something she needed to ask them.

Elise smiled at her reflection in the mirror.

"You're going to find a way to get to Mermoona by yourself, aren't you?” Elise said to her reflection with a wry smile. “And when Kyle and Jaric land, I'll have the humans here to meet them. Won't that surprise them!"

Elise laughed with joy at her plan. She looked at her reflection with a conspiratorial gleam.

"And we won't tell anybody, will we—not even Krinia,” Elise whispered with a wry smile. “And not even Mother."

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KRINIA, JYSAR AND Elise dined next to a roaring fire as they sat with their new friends on the Bridal Veil beach under the star-filled sky. As the ocean breeze tickled the flames, sparkling embers swirled into the air above them then suddenly flashed away like miniature shooting stars. The Mejadic grilled a feast before their very eyes as they shared their stories about Meramee and its many islands.

Of course, they started with their underwater civilization and how it developed and expanded and progressed over the ages. They explained to their avid listeners how their people developed into a technologically sophisticated race and, after they had spread their modern cities to every section under the shallow seas, how they first set foot on dry land.

After the Mejadic explored the land surface of the islands, they quickly conquered the air—adapting their underwater ships in order to travel across the skies. They set aside the pristine islands as vacation spots and determined to keep them as natural as possible. For like most races, the Mejadic went through an industrial revolution and had inadvertently polluted large sections of their ocean home before they learned to use their new technology without damaging the environment. But this took many decades. Still, they learned from their mistakes and resolved to maintain the clean, pristine state of the islands that now served as their vacation get-aways.

Finally, the Mejadic conquered space.

Shortly afterward, solely because Meramee was near one of the great trade routes between the S'tarst and Mrad systems, they encountered another alien race. Within a few more decades, they were building their own hyperdrive starships and traveling to distant worlds.

Meramee's fame spread even more quickly.

Alien beings of other worlds began to visit beautiful Meramee, the most beautiful island-planet ever discovered. The ocean world became a unique balance of strictly developed eco-tourism set among the natural vacation delights of sea and island. The Mejadic complemented this with imported food and beverages from hundreds of worlds. All of this enabled Meramee to become the number one vacation destination within twenty sectors.

"It's great that you've been able to keep the islands so natural and still allow millions of visitors every year,” Krinia exclaimed.

"Every day there are processes we oversee which keep this natural beauty intact and still enable our visiting friends to enjoy the vacation of a lifetime,” Olana answered. “We carefully monitor everything in order to keep technology and the natural cycles of this planet in perfect balance."

"Do you allow visitors to your underwater cities?” Jysar asked hopefully. “I would love to see the natural setting of a technologically advanced race who originated under the oceans. You are the first such race I have met in person."

"You can apply for a visa to visit one of our cities. I would recommend Cirrill, my ocean's capital,” Stazal said with pride.

"I will look into it tomorrow!” Jysar said with a smile.

Elise continued staring into the roaring flames, her meal barely eaten. Krinia leaned closer to her. “You've barely eaten. Don't you like the food?"

"I can prepare something else,” Olana said quickly. She too had noticed the untouched portions on Elise's plate.

"No, it's fine. I'm just not very hungry tonight,” Elise said mildly.

"You must swim more,” Stazal said with enthusiasm. “Swimming will give you a good appetite."

Elise smiled at him. “I'm sure it will. But I've been enjoying the conversation immensely. I'd love to hear more about Meramee."

"What would you like to hear?” Relan asked. “Perhaps more about the islands of the Maiden Isles?"

"I love it that the vast coral reef systems are the reason for the variety of different colors on your beaches,” Elise said with a smile. “It's so cool."

"Yes, the Royal Islands with their deep purple sand beaches are due to their close proximity to the purple coral called Shinar,” Olana explained. “But the western current of the Emerald Sea brings enough here to the Maiden Isles so that we get just enough color for our Bridal Veil beaches—violet sand mixed with our native sugar white sand. The waves work them into gentle folds, the violet sand adhering together naturally."

"The solitary islands that lie between the borders of the great oceans many times have multi-colored beaches, if they are at the right juncture of the underwater currents,” Stazal said. “In the eastern hemisphere, the coral is dominated by the red coral reefs we call Atkar. But there are also great reefs of orange Osfor, blue Janadace and yellow Yala coral."

"Do you live among the coral reefs?” Krinia asked inquisitively.

"No, that is for the natural animal life. Our cities and farms are built on the sandy floor just beyond the great reefs out to the edge of the deep sea floor,” Olana replied.

"How many islands make up the Maiden Isles?” Elise asked.

"One hundred and five."

"And most are accessible only by boat or ferry?” Elise waited expectantly.

"Yes, especially islands like Mermoona. They contain a more delicate cycle of life for the indigenous animals and plants that are native there. We limit tourists to a precise number that can visit at any one time. And only by boat.” Olana smiled.

"How often does the ferry leave Leyloi for Mermoona?” Elise grew very still.

Olana reached for her data pad and accessed its tiny keyboard. She looked up. “The first one leaves at sunrise every day. There are two more—at noon and at sunset."

"Is it easy to register for a visit?” Elise held her breath. “I'm—” she began. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Krinia and Jysar both look up at her with questioning expressions. She swallowed quickly. “I mean, we're hoping to visit there soon. Maybe you can show me how to register and I'll share it with the others.” She smiled sheepishly.

"Yes, I can show you the process on my data pad. Come sit beside me."

Within a few minutes, Elise figured it out.

A short time later, the group decided to go for a moonlit walk on the shores of the Emerald Sea. Elise begged off, explaining she was now hungry. The others walked off into the darkness and the sound of breaking surf. While she reheated her untouched food, Elise picked up Olana's data pad, which she had left behind.

Elise registered herself on the first ferry to Mermoona the next day.

Krinia and the others returned just as Elise finished off the last of her food. They spent the rest of the evening in meandering conversation as they whiled away the hours under the twinkling stars and the soothing sound of the breakers.

THE NEXT MORNING, while everyone else was still fast asleep, Elise quickly dressed and began walking to the exit on the lower level.

"Why are you up so early?” Mother's voice asked from the nearest speaker.

"I wanted to watch the sun rise over the ocean.” Elise looked away from the optic, realizing she had told Mother a half-truth. But if she told her the true reason, she'd never let her leave.

Nobody trusted her.

"Please don't go far, Elise. The boys will be landing around midday. I'd like for you all to talk about what happened last night. I think it's time you all came to an understanding."

Elise looked away in silence.

"Okay.” Elise still couldn't bear to face the optic from where Mother observed her. “Can I go now?"

"I guess so. I will send Krinia for you when breakfast is ready."

But Elise barely nodded as she stepped quickly outside the door.

Inside her circuits, Mother reviewed the biological readings she had taken of Elise as she left. Both her heart rate and her breathing were higher than normal. Her other body functions also seemed to indicate a high state of emotions.

The utilization of Mother's processors increased steadily.

Within seconds, she awakened Krinia and asked her to go after Elise.

Something wasn't right—and it was causing her internal processors an inordinate amount of utilization as she tried to determine why Elise was in such a highly emotional state.