The Light-Field (10 page)

‘What is it?' Zanthie wondered, until Aurora pulled a laminate from the singlet she'd been wearing.

‘A little memento.' Aurora admired it.

‘What is that?' Zanthie climbed off the bed to take the pass from her and gasped as she viewed it. ‘Shit! Where did you get this … Doltrice?' She read the name and gasped again as she read the rest of the details on the government pass. ‘This belongs to the
president's private secretary
!'

‘Cool, huh?' Aurora grinned.

‘Cool? What in the name of Sermetica did you get up to last night?'

‘I just used that pass to drive them home.' Aurora shrugged. ‘We didn't get caught, I won't do it again, no big deal.'

‘Are you telling me that you're not going to try to use this pass to see him again? Come on!' Zanthie wasn't buying it.

‘I'm not going to see him again,' Aurora advised solemnly, turning back to get her coffee and drink some more.

‘Lie,' Zanthie decreed.

‘I know he's dangerous,' she admitted, ‘and I am
way
out of my depth with him.' Aurora was filled with sadness, and Zanthie saw this.

‘Something bad happened?'

‘No,' Aurora shook her head, ‘more like, too good to be true. I don't trust it.'

Zanthie was stunned. ‘Are you mad! He is gorgeous! The man of your dreams shows up in real life, and —'

The door chimed and the girls looked to each other, puzzled. Zanthie ventured to check the little surveillance screen on the back of the door. ‘It's him!' she shrieked back at Aurora in a whispered panic.

‘Oh damn.' Aurora ran for her closet to grab a few items and then to the bathroom. She'd been so determined that she would not risk seeing Starman again, but now that he was at the door, it was excitement and not fear that gripped her. ‘Stall him!'

Aurora heard the door chime again from the bathroom, as she dressed with all possible haste.

‘Just a minute!' her flatmate called to their impatient visitor.

As Aurora splashed her face clean and patted it dry, she heard Zanthie open the door.

‘Hey Starman, what's happening?' Zanthie announced as if she'd known him all her life. ‘Come in. Rory's just in the bathroom.'

‘And you would be Aurora's flatmate?' he queried, as Rory brushed her hair and then shook her head about.

‘Zanthie.'

Aurora heard the chime on the control panel that indicated the front had locked closed.

‘You haven't been trying to get my dear friend into trouble, have you, Starman?'

Zanthie's query sent Aurora racing to the bathroom door. She opened it a crack to see her flatmate holding out the government pass so that Starman could look at it.

He appeared puzzled, but smiled and stated in his own defence, ‘None that I couldn't get her out of.'

‘You know what?' Zanthie found his comeback amusing. ‘I actually believe you.'

‘So are you here to arrest me?' Aurora emerged from the bathroom, dressed and semi-refreshed.

‘Why would I want to do that?' Starman replied winningly and smiled broadly upon sighting her.

‘So you must be here to thank me for putting myself at risk to get you home safely?'

The pilot grinned and, like a magician, produced a large bunch of fresh flowers from behind his back and handed them to Aurora. ‘I thank you, very much.'

‘How did you do that?' Zanthie was baffled that he'd managed to conceal the flowers from her detection. ‘I swear he didn't have them when he came in.'

Aurora was delighted. ‘You really didn't have to buy me flowers. Driving the Borealis was worth a thousand such risks.' She breathed deep of their fragrance, as she accepted the flowers from him.

‘The Borealis is right out front, if you'd like to go for a coffee?' he offered.

Aurora felt a little swept off her feet an instant, until Zanthie relieved her of her flowers. ‘She'd love to go,' she told Starman on Aurora's behalf.

‘Really?' Starman didn't look so sure of himself for a second.

‘I would.' Aurora decided that there was really no reason not to explore their association a little more — she just wouldn't tell him about her dreams.

 

The first thing Aurora noticed about Starman was that he was a lot more polite when he was sober, but at the same time more distant. They exchanged some polite chitchat until they had hot coffee in front of them, whereupon Starman brought up what was really on his mind.

‘About last night,' he began awkwardly. ‘You might have noticed I was a bit tipsy —'

Aurora suppressed a laugh. ‘Sorry. Yes, I did notice that.'

‘So some of my queries might sound a little odd, but please humour me.'

‘Okay,' Aurora agreed.

‘Have we ever met before?' he asked in all seriousness.

Aurora was startled. ‘Before yesterday, you mean?'

He nodded.

‘No.' She gave half a laugh, and thought to remind him she'd found him through a news article but he was already onto the next question.

‘Did I perhaps say anything about being involved in government work?'

‘Secret service?' Aurora guessed this was what he meant, and Zeven gave a nervous laugh.

‘I was joking, of course.' He grinned and seemed pained to continue with his interrogation. ‘Did I say anything that might get me into trouble with the PMD?'

Aurora frowned, surprised he would ask about the Psychic Monitor Database in a public place. ‘It would hardly matter if you did, as I hear that there is a bill of rights going through parliament that will limit the influence of that organisation on this planet.'

‘Look, I am sorry if this seems like an interrogation,' Starman forced a smile, ‘but did I mention the boss to you?'

‘Your boss?' Aurora queried and he nodded. ‘No.'

‘Or did I say anything about my Juju, the Juju?' he queried hopefully.

‘You've lost me.' Aurora chuckled, but Zeven was perturbed and seemed miles away. ‘Is there something wrong?' She reached out to place her hand on his arm, but he moved to avoid her making contact. ‘You can trust me,' she told him, retracting her wavering hand.

‘But you should not trust me,' he said in all seriousness.

The warning caught Aurora off guard. ‘Why not?'

‘We shouldn't meet again,' he said, ‘it's not safe for you.'

There was something malign in the tone of his warning, but Aurora ignored her rising dread. ‘I don't mind a little trouble, really,' she countered. ‘I can handle myself under —'

‘No,' he said gently and put money on the table for the bill and a cab home. ‘But thanks again.' The pilot moved to stand, but Rory blocked him.

‘Not so fast.' She grabbed his sleeve and sat him back down. ‘Don't I get a say in this?'

‘No.' He was more insistent this time.

Aurora was stunned by his blunt response, and another thought occurred to her that she had not considered before now and her eyes welled with tears. ‘Is there someone special in your life already?'

His stance softened a little and he shook his head. ‘If I'm too dangerous for you, Aurora, I'm too dangerous for anyone!' he complimented her wild child nature and she appreciated that. ‘It was an honour to meet you, and I hope our paths cross again in the future.'

‘Somewhere among the stars?' She recalled his prediction for her, if she kept up the study.

‘Sounds good.' Starman smiled and without so much as touching her, he rose and left the café.

Aurora's welling tears of disappointment finally flowed down her cheeks, and she brushed them away. She didn't get any of her answers,
and in reality she couldn't ask the questions without exposing the dreams she'd had about the man.
Better that it remains a mystery than I end up in prison, or dead!
She breathed deep to regain her sensibilities, paid the bill and went home.

 

Two days later, Aurora awoke from an after-lecture nap, distraught. Her dream hung over into her waking state to taunt her: she saw Starman getting very cosy with twin beauties and the prospect that he'd lied to her made her furious!

She jumped out of bed to wake herself properly. ‘It was just a dream!' She gripped her gut, which seemed completely convinced that something was not right with him. The feeling was not jealousy, she realised; it was more like panic that was urging her to seek him out. ‘No!' She insisted she was not going to chase him, when he'd made it perfectly clear he wanted her to stay away.

Under the pelting heat of the shower, Aurora calmed a little. Her thoughts turned to approaching Starman's unconscious form the night she'd driven him home and the memory of touching him invoked the same euphoria and attraction as it had at that moment. Yet the day he'd said goodbye in the coffee house, she'd not felt that same inexplicable attraction — why?
I must just like him better drunk than sober,
she figured.

It was a week night, no gig, and Zanthie was on a date, but Aurora was
not
going to Zeven's place! She was in the gig van with her government pass on the seat beside her, but she was
not
going risk using it again. Against all of her better judgement her vehicle was headed toward the government checkpoint, when she spotted Zeven's unique convertible heading into the public sector with a couple of female passengers enjoying the ride with him.

Despite how close she was to the checkpoint, Aurora did an illegal U-turn to pursue him.
I just hate being right all the time
. She was back to feeling jealous, furious and a tinge scared, upon realising that she was still having dreams about Starman.
Why him? Why
this
guy?
' Why was
she having visions at all?
What if Zanthie is right: what if I do have one of the Powers?
Even thinking it made Aurora uncomfortable and she felt sick in her gut.
Either I confront Starman about these dreams and risk arrest, or I continue dreaming about his exploits for who knows how long!
Aurora didn't think she could take that, not if she was not allowed to be involved with him.

The Borealis entered the car park of a luxury apartment block, so Aurora found a street park for her van. She then dashed toward the foyer of the high-rise, and through the glass she spied a couple entering the lift containing Starman and his two cuddly companions. Aurora waited for the lift doors to close before moving to observe the lift stop on the fourth four, and then proceed all the way to P level at the top. Recapturing the glimpse she'd had of the two fashionable creatures Starman had in the car with him, the penthouse seemed a fitting destination for them.

Aurora was in the elevator speeding her way toward the top floor before she realised she had no idea what her next move was? What in the world was she going to say to him? Even now, with no plan or reason, why was her gut still compelling her to stay her course?

The doors parted on to a very elegant and modern foyer, containing only a few plants, a beautiful floor mosaic and a door. As the elevator doors threatened to close once more, Aurora's instinct compelled her to step into the foyer, whereupon the elevator left her stranded there.

Given a moment to observe the mosaic on the floor more closely, she realised it was of a sword crossed with a quill and this depiction had particular significance.

‘The symbol of the Sermetic royal family!' Aurora gasped and looked to the door before her more warily. ‘Are you shitting me?' Her instinct urged her forth, but her rational mind overruled and she backed up toward the elevator doors once more. The lift was all the way back at the ground floor, and she pressed the button several times in the futile hope of getting it back sooner.

‘Can I help you?'

Aurora looked to the only door to find a woman — very tall, very beautiful and very well armed — heading her way. ‘I was just looking for an ex-friend of mine,' Aurora ventured, knowing she'd made a mistake — maybe he'd got off on the fourth floor? ‘He goes by the name of Starman.'

Aurora expected a perplexed reaction from the woman, but instead the beauty grabbed her arm and began leading her across the foyer toward the penthouse door.

‘What are you doing?' Aurora protested, but did not resist — the Sermetic royal family were well loved since Anselm had become president and she didn't feel she would be harmed.

‘I'm taking you to your ex-friend,' the security woman replied. ‘Why,
ex
-friend?'

‘He
is
here?' Aurora was stunned, but thinking that would not do her cause any good, she tried to collect herself.

‘Do I look like a liar to you?' The femme fatale stopped and looked down upon Aurora.

‘Absolutely no', Aurora assured her, and she was led into a security office and assigned a chair.

‘What is your name?'

‘Aurora DeCadie.'

‘Sit there and don't move,' the woman instructed, and as she left the office the doors locked shut.

Aurora immediately released her pent up panic.
He's part of the royal family!
She freaked out at the worst case scenario.
Or maybe he's just visiting?
Her racing heart calmed a second, but panic prevailed in the end. ‘Who am I trying to kid, I don't have a hope in the universe with this guy!'

A
NSELM AND
V
IDOR

Zeven was really enjoying drinks by the pool with Rada, Rebi and Anselm — it almost felt like family, but if that were the case then there was someone missing. He may have been growing fond of Anselm, but he still missed Taren every day and more when he was with her father; it seemed to make it all the more obvious that she wasn't around. Zeven was hoping that Taren was the reason that Anselm had wanted to see him in the private sector this evening.

‘I have something for you,' Anselm announced, motioning to the blonde twin, Rada, who was more than happy to fetch the item in question.

‘A gift? What this time?' Zeven couldn't think of anything he needed, but he did like surprises.

‘You may not like this delivery as much as the last.'

Zeven grew wary. ‘How could you top the Borealis?'

‘Speaking of very fast things.' Anselm held up a finger. ‘I heard from Hunzo earlier today, and his revised stealth vessel will be ready to test in two days' time.'

‘Two days!' Zeven sat up on the deckchair on which he'd been reclining. ‘But I'm still on leave!'

‘You can add a couple of days onto your next leave?' Anselm suggested. ‘Of course we'd like you to be the one to test her.'

In truth, Zeven didn't really mind. A few days of his own space had felt like moving in slow motion; he was craving the kind of adrenaline hit that he only got on the job. ‘Mythric is going to be pissed.' Zeven noted Tyra striding toward them with Rada in tow, appearing confused.

‘Starman, there is a woman by the name of Aurora DeCadie here to see you,' Tyra informed and Zeven went into mild shock.

‘She's
here
?' He stood, alarmed and excited.

‘Is that not what I just said?' Tyra replied dryly. ‘She claims she's an ex-friend of yours.'

‘An ex-friend?' Zeven noted warily, and as he made a move to follow Tyra to the security office he asked Anselm, ‘Is this the surprise you had for me?'

Anselm shook his head. ‘But mine will keep.'

‘Is she the one you've been pining about?' Rebi asked curiously on his way past.

Zeven gave a hesitant nod and kept going.

As they crossed the living room, the chime on the front door sounded and Tyra unlocked her room via remote so that Starman could enter. She then moved to see who was at the door.

As he entered Aurora stood, appearing angry, but he smiled all the same. ‘How did you find me?'

‘You lied to me!' she replied, venomously.

Zeven knew he didn't have a hope of remembering what she was talking about and so aimed to just be polite about it. ‘I know I was very drunk the night you drove me home —'

‘Not then, that night was rather wonderful.' Aurora waved off the fond memory of touching him. ‘I'm talking about the day after that, when you took me to coffee, gave me the third degree and then told me you didn't want to see me anymore, remember that?'

‘No?' Zeven was perplexed; had he lost another day somewhere?

‘What do you mean, no?'

To his memory, that day he'd argued with Mythric about whether he should seek out Aurora, and they had decided that it would not be wise. ‘I wanted to find you and thank you, but I would have been subjecting you to undue risk, so I never did.'

‘What?' Now Aurora was not only mad, but concerned as well. ‘I was there, Starman, you took me in your unmistakeable car for coffee. You asked me a whole lot of questions about what you'd told me about your line of work, your boss and something about voodoo?'

Zeven gasped and nearly startled Aurora out of her wits. ‘Juju?'

‘That's it,' she confirmed despite being startled, her feelings all in a jumble — if what he claimed was true then he'd never told her that he didn't want to see her again!

Starman looked like he wanted to swear, but was refraining in case he scared Aurora again. ‘I asked you about the boss and the Juju?'

Aurora nodded very firmly.

‘Oh shit,' he stated, repressing his inner horror as he backed up toward the door.

‘Something is wrong. Tell me what it is?'

‘Stay here and don't go anywhere.' Zeven was in a flurry.

‘Am I in trouble?' She appeared concerned and he smiled at her fears.

‘Not with me.' He opened the door, still in turmoil, but he would not allow her to see it. ‘I think you just did me a massive service, actually. So please, wait here?' He requested more than demanded this time. ‘I'd really appreciate it, if you would.'

‘Okay.' She smiled at last, despite how confused and even frightened she might be. ‘Don't forget me,' she requested as she sunk to a seat again.

‘Impossible,' he stated and then, closing the door, he turned to confront Anselm, Tyra and two policemen. ‘What's going on?'

Anselm fronted up to explain. ‘Apparently, your ex-friend —'

‘No, we're friends again now, I think,' Zeven corrected, looking hopeful.

‘— your friend, did an illegal U-turn just outside the government sector and these policemen have pursued her here to question her about the incident and charge her.'

‘Not a good idea,' Zeven advised warily.

‘And why is that?' Anselm wondered.

‘If I may speak with you in private, I am fairly sure you will agree with me.'

Anselm decided to hear Zeven out. ‘Tyra, would you get these policemen some coffee?'

‘This way, gentlemen.' Tyra motioned the officers to the kitchen and they seemed to have no objection, especially when they saw Rada and Rebi waiting to serve them.

The president beckoned Zeven to follow him deeper into the house.

As Zeven followed he considered the questions that he'd apparently asked Aurora, on the date he never attended, and those taboo topics he'd raised very few times — only with Mythric when they'd met and in the last few days.
I've been bugged
, he thought.
Something I've received recently and take with me everywhere?
Zeven gasped as he whipped the car key card and his apartment key card from his pocket. ‘One moment,' he called Anselm to a halt, as he headed back to see Tyra.

Zeven pulled the security guard aside, then held his hand up and made a handwriting gesture across it.

Tyra nodded, pulling a pen and paper from a nearby drawer.

Starman scribbled a note and gave it to her, holding a finger to his lips when she went to answer the question he'd asked her on paper. Tyra bit her tongue and nodded, whereupon Starman give her his key cards and, giving her the thumbs up, he backed up to speak with Anselm.

 

In Anselm's private study, Zeven brought the president up to speed — Anselm was disturbed by what he heard and Zeven was furious with himself.

‘Me and my mouth. Why do I have to be such a showoff all the time? Thank the universe that Mythric and I speak in code or all of the boss's plans might have been exposed. I should have listened to him.'

Anselm felt Zeven was being hard on himself. ‘Those keys came through my office, they should have been scanned then! But, by the same token, it might be wise to exercise a little more caution in future.'

‘Caution is useless, Khalid knows I exist now.' Zeven was perturbed.

‘You are going to have to do a disappearing act,' Anselm agreed, ‘that much is certain. But we'll have to time it so he doesn't know we are onto him … if indeed Khalid is behind this.'

Tyra knocked, entered and closed the door behind her. ‘All clear now.' She tossed Zeven his keys. ‘I removed and deactivated the device that was in the car key.'

‘Shit.' In his mind Zeven attempted to recall everything he might have said to Mythric since he'd taken possession of his automotive treasure.

‘Our adversary knows your taste.' Anselm raised both brows to state.

‘He sure does.' Zeven gave a deep, heavy sigh.

‘Thank you, Tyra,' Anselm excused her, ‘tell the officers that Miss DeCadie was on urgent government business, and offer to pay any outstanding fine on her behalf.'

‘Yes, sir.' She departed and closed the door.

‘At least we know we can speak freely now.' Anselm sought a bright side.

‘Can Khalid shape-shift?' Zeven wondered how he'd been impersonated.

‘Not to my knowledge,' Anselm replied, ‘but that doesn't mean he doesn't have someone working for him who can.'

‘Now Rory is in danger.' Zeven was very annoyed about that.

‘But if you hadn't bumped into her, we would not now know that someone is already onto you.'

‘I owe her big time for this one.' Zeven considered how many times in the long gone future that Aurora had saved his butt.

‘Then the kindest thing you could do is let her go. It is only her connection to you that places her in danger,' Anselm pointed out. ‘Were you to perish in, say … an accident …'

Zeven's downcast gaze shot up to meet Anselm's, not liking the sound of that suggestion.

‘… then, I doubt very much that anyone will have any further interest in her,' Anselm concluded.

‘Not the Hunzo interceptor?' Zeven couldn't bear the thought of so much research and ingenuity being destroyed in a cover up.

‘Hardly,' Anselm assured him. ‘No, we'll find some other less extravagant vehicle for you to kill yourself with.'

‘And so, due to no fault of our own, it all ends badly once again. I am so
not
meant to be with this woman!' Zeven threw his arms in the air in frustration.

‘You know it has to be done. We have no choice if we are to keep you hidden. And I will personally see to her protection,' Anselm offered. ‘There is an upside to your imminent death.' He pulled a missive bearing the royal seal of Sermetica from his pocket.

‘What is this?'

‘It's a royal summons from the Dowager Duchess, Lady Vidor,' Anselm explained.

‘I told you I wasn't interested in seeing her,' Zeven objected.

‘Well, she wants to see you. That is a royal command, so, should you fail to meet with her, she'll have you arrested and dragged before her.' He shrugged in conclusion. ‘Sorry.'

‘Just great!' Zeven rolled his eyes.

‘The upside is that the summons is for Friday,' Anselm noted. ‘So I have already sent word that you will be otherwise employed on government business that day.'

Zeven looked to Anselm with an expression that implied that was not very comforting.

‘I regret now that I stuck my nose into your past, Starman.' Anselm humbled himself as he rarely did. ‘I truly thought I was doing you a favour and I didn't think my ageing relative was going to be so damned insistent. She hasn't issued a royal decree for decades!' He emphasised his surprise. ‘So I shall attempt to stall her until we arrange your timely death.'

‘But I was just starting to enjoy life —
shit
! I mean, where am I going to go now?'

‘I suggest you pose your query to the boss,' Anselm said and Zeven's spirits immediately lifted and then waned.

‘I'd rather not tell her that I have blown my cover so quickly.' Zeven had lost his vibe for a reunion now.

‘Chances are it was blown before we even left Maladaan.' Anselm was disappointed too.

‘That bloody news article,' Zeven hissed. ‘I should have considered that I'd be missed, but it was so long ago to me that it didn't seem to matter, we had way bigger problems to worry about.'

‘Yes, you did,' Anselm agreed. ‘The fault is just as much mine. I should have brought you here in complete secrecy. Khalid must have got wind of your arrival on Sermetica with me; he was bound to get curious. Which is why I sent him to Phemoria on a diplomatic errand, but he does get around, as you know.'

‘Do you think it's wise for me to visit the boss then?' Zeven wanted to see her but not at the risk of exposing her.

‘No one can track you psychically due to the Juju.'

Upon being reminded of this, Zeven was relieved that he'd get to see Taren after all. ‘When then?'

‘After we see to your friend,' Anselm suggested and Zeven nodded.

 

Aurora did not take well to the news that she was now under presidential protection and would be moving her life and studies into the presidential apartment for her own safety.

‘You're joking, right?' Aurora stared blankly back at Zeven, although he could sense her anger silently rising.

‘Aurora, it wasn't me you spoke to the day after we met,' he stated in all seriousness. ‘It was a shape-shifter most likely, hoping to siphon you for information about me. At present we don't know who that was, or if they might try to use you to get to me again.'

‘
Who are you?
' she demanded, unleashing her temper. ‘Why use me to get to you, when I barely know you?'

Starman open his mouth to answer but Aurora was on a roll.

‘I drive you home
once
and for that little service, you want me to give up my entire life!
No fucking way!
What about my music? My friends? What about what I want?'

Zeven gripped Rory as she was getting hysterical, and it pained him that he'd caused her grief yet again — but then he'd not asked her to steal his key. ‘Do you want to run the risk of being brainwashed, or kidnapped, or worse?' Zeven shocked her into taking a breath. ‘I'm so sorry this happened … I never expected to run into you so soon.'

Aurora suddenly appeared curious and Zeven knew he'd phrased that wrong.

‘Why were you expecting to meet me at all? Who am I to you?' She folded her arms to get an answer, but did not attempt to break free of his grasp — he let it loosen and fall away.

‘How do you mean?'

‘You speak as if you already know me?'

‘As do you,' he challenged.