GABRIEL (The Innerworld Affairs Series, Book 4) (16 page)

Shara thought of a biting retort but instead she looked at her own reflection and said, "All right,
Beauty,
based on your analysis of the environment, plant life and atmospheric conditions, could we be in First Province on the planet Norona?"

AFFIRMATIVE

"Obviously, you didn't program it for friendly chatter," she said to Gabriel. "Beauty, what is the date?"

15761.52 NORONIAN

That was the date in their own time.

Gabriel explained, "Its internal clock wouldn't have been affected by our time-hop." He took the recorder back and asked, "Is there a concentrated group of life-forms in the area, evolution level five or above?"

YES

"Locate."

19.8 KM

A flashing arrow appeared below the numbers. Gabriel held the mirror parallel to the ground and slowly turned clockwise. When the arrow stopped flashing, he halted and pointed at a hill in front of him. "That's where we want to head. But we need to change clothes first. The object is to try to be as inconspicuous as possible. Any minor differences can be gotten over by claiming we're travelers from another province. Beauty, show me the style of clothing worn by the average male and female rebels on Norona in the year 5750."

Instantly a holographic image of a man and woman appeared before them. They were both wearing lightweight material draped loosely from the left shoulder to about midthigh and gathered with a braided rope at the waist, and sandals with toe and ankle straps. Gabriel asked Shara, "Did you bring anything that you can make look like that?"

After her lack of preparation for the Frozen Era, she was proud to show him that she had made some provisions. She opened her bag and pulled out a length of thin white fabric bunched together in the middle by a gold brooch. "I did do
some
research."

"Good. Now put it on." The mere fact that the temptation to watch her change was almost overwhelming convinced him to turn his back while he unearthed his own garment and put it on. He attached Beauty to a thin strip of leather and hung it around his neck, then transferred the paralyzer rod from his special jumper to the hidden sheath he'd designed into a fold of his tunic.

Since the tempometer belt might attract too much attention and was too bulky to hide beneath either of their tunics, Shara buried it beneath her clothing in the bag.

Shara thought that the simplicity of the covering seemed appropriate to the goals of the rebels but she was used to covering more of her body even in the privacy of her own residence. Accustomed as she was to wearing long pants and shirts or full bodysuits and jumpers, she felt uncomfortably exposed. After tying a length of gold braid around her waist, she rearranged the material to shield her sides, but she still felt underdressed.

Gabriel turned around and gave her a look of approval that had more to do with his being a man than a historian. His grin would have made her nervous even if he'd been fully dressed. As it was, she was staring at an awful lot of perfectly developed male flesh and it was impossible not to think about how it felt pressed to hers.

He picked up her bag and strapped it to his floating satchel. "It sounds like we have quite a hike ahead of us. No sense in carrying a burden when you don't have to."

Ignoring the jittery feeling in her stomach, Shara said "Thank you" and they started toward what they hoped was civilization. After a few minutes of silence, she asked, "How do you feel?"

He glanced sideward at her. "Fine. And you?"

"Fine. No noticeable aftereffects." They walked a bit farther before she asked the question that was really on her mind. "How long do you think it will be before we, uh, can tell whether or not the, uh... the
problem
was taken care of?"

Gabriel had the devilish urge to make her explain the
problem
just to see her blush again, but since her blushes tended to stir his desire to touch her, he asked for her scientific evaluation instead.

As long as he put it that way, she found it somewhat easier to discuss the subject that was making her so abnormally nervous. She just wished she could stop tripping over her tongue every time she tried to say anything remotely personal. "Based on the timing of the two... incidents... following the first... coupling, it should be safe to assume that if twenty-four hours passes without any, uh, significant metabolic fluctuations, the fever has been neutralized." She felt her cheeks flush in spite of her attempt to pretend she was speaking of someone else's body.

Except for his offer of a Caress, neither of them attempted to maintain a conversation during the subsequent hours while Beauty kept them on course. Even when they had a meal break about four kilometers from their destination, their individual thoughts remained private. A short time after that break, they were standing atop a high ridge looking down on a peaceful valley.

There was only one concentration of life below and it appeared to be a small but productive farm. Several large wooden buildings were surrounded by rows of crops. Cows, goats, woolies and horses grazed together in one fenced area, and pigs, chickens and farbits were in pens near the buildings. A number of people were performing chores outside.

"Record," Gabriel said, touching Beauty. "Note the absence of any mechanical equipment or vehicles."

Shara had simply thought the idyllic scene was pleasing to the eye. Gabriel was working. As they descended the grassy slope, she accepted the fact that it would be to her advantage to follow his lead until she became acclimated.

Several men and women stopped what they were doing when they caught sight of Gabriel and Shara approaching. Gabriel raised his arm in a friendly greeting.

Instead of any return gesture of welcome, two arrows cut into the earth, inches ahead of their toes.

Chapter 8

"State your business," a female voice shouted at them.

Shara traced the order to an attractive young woman with curly blond hair, who was perched on a high branch of a tree a short distance away. She was dressed in the traditional rebel garb and aiming a bow and arrow at the two trespassers.

"Hello," Gabriel called back. "We are weary travelers seeking a new way of life. We heard that we might find Friends in this place."

The dozen workers to whom Gabriel had waved formed a circle around him and Shara. They were a fit-looking group of adolescents, several of whom held long-handled tools that could double as lethal weapons. Shara thought Gabriel seemed awfully relaxed under the circumstances.

A tall woman with masculine features stepped forward and scrutinized Gabriel's face and body. She wore a leather helmet over her hair and an owl was perched on a leather pad on her shoulder.

"Artemis," the woman called to the archer in the tree. "Do you know this man?"

"No, but he looks familiar," Artemis replied.

"I would think so, since he could pass for your twin brother." The woman with the owl turned back to Gabriel. "I am Athena, mentor of this commune. Are you of Artemis and Apollo's family?"

Gabriel smiled at the woman. "Not that I'm aware, though I have been told before that I bear a resemblance to that distinguished man and it flatters me."

As soon as Shara had heard the names Artemis, Athena, and Apollo, her heart picked up its rate. From her studies she knew they were three of the leaders in the Noronian rebellion. She and Gabriel must have made it to the correct time!

"My name is Gabriel and this is Shara, my mate-to-be."

Shara's eyes widened. Why would he say such a thing? His next words were even more surprising.

"We have vowed not to be joined until the cause of freedom is won. Have we found the Friends we have heard so much about?"

Athena's expression remained stern. "If you heard so much, then you must know of a sign that would identify you as a true Friend."

Gabriel tapped his left breast with his right fist two times, then extended that hand, palm up, toward her. After she repeated the gesture to him, he lifted Beauty off his chest, turned in a full circle, and said, "To friendship, peace and love."

Everyone around him reached into the tops of their tunics and brought out triangular-shaped pendants made of a variety of stones and woods. "To friendship, peace and love," they all returned to Gabriel and Shara, as smiles replaced their threatening scowls and their postures relaxed. Athena introduced each of them and told of their contribution to the commune. Though most of this group tended the crops and small animals, others not present were shepherds, smiths and hearth tenders.

"Have you traveled far?" one of the younger boys asked.

As Gabriel related the background information he and Shara had previously decided upon, she had to admit once again that having Gabriel along was to her advantage. Despite her studies of the period and his numerous stories, there were still small details, like the hand sign and three-sided pendants, that she hadn't known about. She wondered how many other important pieces of information he had forgotten, or neglected to mention, in all their talks. Could he have left them out intentionally to ensure her continued need of him?

She felt her heart begin to race from the anger that instantly surfaced. He had no right to—She cut off her own thoughts as she realized what a strong reaction she was having to such a small thing. It had been
her
responsibility to be prepared, not his. There was no logical reason for her to be so upset about it. But logic seemed to have abandoned her lately.

Cold fear stabbed at her stomach. Was that overly emotional reaction a sign that the fever was still with her?

The group was most interested in how the newcomers' baggage remained in the air. Gabriel showed them the degrav and modestly told them it was the only antigravity device of its kind because he'd invented it.

"We have forsaken modern technology here, Gabriel," Athena said somewhat testily. "If you wish to be one of us, you will have to make adjustments."

Gabriel immediately lowered his burden to the ground, removed the degrav and slipped it into an outside pocket of the satchel.

With an approving nod, Athena said, "Your timing is excellent. The Friendship Summit will take place on schedule at sunrise tomorrow. Representatives of factions from all over Norona have been arriving here throughout the past week. There is more than enough room and food for you to stay with us."

"Wonderful," Gabriel said with a broad smile. "We were hoping we would not be too late to observe the meeting."

"You are welcome to do more than simply observe," Athena assured him. "One of our beliefs is that everyone's opinion is of value, regardless of their birth condition. The Ruling Tribunal's decision to colonize Terra must be overturned before the ships depart."

"When are they to take off?" Shara inquired. The curious expression on Athena's face and the frown on Gabriel's told her she had asked a question that she should have already known the answer to.

"I'm afraid long days of traveling combined with the delay of our joining has my
shalla
a bit confused," Gabriel explained. "The first day of the second season is a date everyone is talking about."

Shara didn't have to stretch her limited acting ability to look embarrassed over her forgetfulness. His calling her his
shalla,
the intimate term for soulmate, and referring again to their joining had her quite flustered.

Athena was apparently convinced. "We will have two sunrises after the Summit to force the Tribunal to see our point of view."

"Force?" Gabriel asked, as if he didn't know what the future held. Athena stared at him with eyes that seemed to be trying to read his mind but, of course, even if she had the ability, his jammer would prevent it.

After a second, she frowned and said, "The Friends will do whatever they must. Come, let us go to the lodge."

Without the degrav, Gabriel had to drag his satchel along the ground by the guide strap.

"Allow me to assist," an auburn-haired young man named Misha said, and the satchel rose off the ground and hovered in the air.

At the same moment Shara realized Misha was using his mind to lift the satchel, she felt a mental intrusion and instantly blocked it. There was no way to tell who had attempted to read her without opening up to it however, so she simply determined to keep her guard up against all of them.