Race to the Light (2)

One week later...1

Jadzemi stood close to a towering tree, it's pale green skin draped with a twisting flowered vine. The blooms were huge, nearly the size of her fist and gave off a heady rose like scent. She reached to brush a delicate white petal, inhaling deeply the rich smells of the foliage around her. It was astounding, just a week before she'd been hunched in front of computer screen, doing tedious research for a group of scientist in the frozen north. She shook her head, amazed at the turn of events. Before her a lush valley spread, vibrant green with vegetation, beautiful stone buildings clustered near the bright ribbon of silver that was the river Losas, the life’s blood of Io's capital city. There were many bridges that arched over the river, like fine lace, suspended effortlessly above the rushing crystalline waters. The buildings too had many spires and bridges, connecting the warren of architecture. The place looked like it belonged in some fairy tale, not on a supposedly inhabitable moon!2

She sighed, feeling an overwhelming sense of alieness, in spite of the equally intense feeling of familiarity. Doytac had helped her to remember her past, her life as an immortal, and her beloved sister Tess. The memory of her smiling face caused her pain, she feared that she'd never see her again. She shook her head again, forcing her thoughts away from her imperiled sister, and as they were want to do of late, they sought out Doytac. She could feel his mental presence as a faint pleasurable buzz at the back of her mind, and if she focused on it, she could zone in unerringly to his physical presence following her link like a homing beacon. She did so now, letting the panoramic view before her waver as she practiced the breathing exercise she'd been taught preparing to find the enigmatic man that had sought her out just one week before3

"No need love, I'm right here." Immediately her senses were filled with him, the spicy, musky scent of him, and the soothing feel of his hands as they slid around her waist. She let out a sigh, leaning her head back to rest it against his chest as he hugged her, a low rumble in his chest as he laughed silently. She could feel it through her skin, and a rolling echo through the link they'd established. An answering smile tugged at her rosy lips. She shut her eyes and just spent a moment reveling in the feel of him warm behind her, and the captivating scent of him. She turned in his arms reaching around to hug him, and said softly.4

"I don't know if I can do this." Doytac just reached out and tenderly smoothed her raven locks with his palm, his face gentle as he answered her.5

"Of course you can, you must." She swallowed, biting her full lower lip,6

"But-" She told him pulling back to look into his earthshaking blue gray eyes. 7

Sudden images of the destruction she'd seen, and the sound of her sisters screaming filling her. He shushed her, moving to cup her cheek tenderly, his eyes full of understanding as he told her.8

"No Jadzemi, you CAN do this, I have faith in you." 9

Along with the words came an overflowing sense of reassurance and love along their link, it washed over her in warm soothing waves, leaving a tingling sensation on her skin in their wake. Her breath caught in her lungs, and she half shut her eyes, her left hand moving to slide up to the back of his neck, as she gently pulled him down to her. His eyes were wide, almost panicked, but she could feel his desire pulling their link tight, and setting it humming. She licked her lips and slowly moved to brush his lips with hers. It was electric. She thought the sense of him in her mind was powerful before, but this kiss doubled and redoubled it. Suddenly he was all she could feel, all she could smell, all she could sense. Her every sensibility and thought were filled with this handsome man, this healer and diplomat of Io. His lips were soft, and after a tiny hesitation his hands moved to tangle in her hair at the base of her neck, kissing her back with ardor. Passion flared incandescent as they breathed in each other, kissing like they'd never stop. The moment was shattered when they became aware of the sound of someone clearing their throat noisily. With sincere and immediate regret they parted enough to look over at a castle guard, his homely face bright red as he held out a rolled dispatch, his eyes averted. He saw they had stopped kissing and clearing his throat again told them both quietly.10

"This just arrived from Saturn, it was marked ultra priority, I thought you'd want to see it right away." Jadzemi pushed a lock of hair behind her ear and straightened her tunic as she took a half step away from Doytac her thoughts still singing with the sense of him. He nodded slightly and told the guard.11

"Just so Captain, thank you." A clear dismissal.12

"The poor guy" Jadzemi thought as she watched the still-blushing guard skulk away back to the main castle. She herself was still a bit red, both from being surprised in such a manner, important however it may have been, as well as from the intensity of the moment with Doytac. Doytac had the scroll in hand and was reading it, but did take a moment to look up for a moment and pass on a secret smile. He had been rather surprised by the whole situation himself, not having given into to such feeling since Jadzemi had been taken from them all those years ago. He had put all his feelings for her aside all those years, yet always hoping that such a moment would arise...13

"We have to go to the King. Tess has fallen into some sort of..."14

"Coma!" Jadzemi suddenly felt a shock of pain rush through her entire body. It literally felt as if Tess had been plugged into her and now the cord had been forcefully ripped out. 15

"She's Gone!"16

Doytac steadied her as she nearly collapsed before him. "We will leave now..." They climbed on his trusty speeder (why have a horse when..) and flew off to the castle.17

Tess lay on the floor of her chamber. She had collapsed from her state of rocking. The only slightly positive thing that came of this was that she had let the stone to which she clung like a dying child, fall from her gaunt and tremulous hands, leaving it to come to the floor in a tremendous thud. Yet it remained unbroken.18

Suddenly the world of Io had disappeared and she was back in the lab. The stone was no doubt the key from world to world and without the stone she would never be able to save Tess!! What would she do without help. The room was dark except for the flickering computer screens lining the large room. I must get back ... her thoughts raced in her head...my love help me!19

Where was the stone?20

She was getting frantic?21

She could feel her sanity slipping away and she knew she must get back to Io..before...before it was too late...Help me her mind screamed!!!!22

The disorientation was terrible. Two lives of memories fought in her brain, with conflicting recent images of her lab and the solarium mixing with the lush gardens of Io. She felt on her hand for the stone, but did not find it. Had it changed size again? No where in the dark lab did she see the plaque-sized object she had first seen. She snapped on the light, but the tablet was no where to be found. She sat down heavily in her chair, and considered. Was this just a psychotic episode? Was she going mad? Had any of this actually happened? She sat there for a while, head in her hands, when her terminal beeped.23

On the screen on her terminal was a message. She opened it up and read:24

Jadzemi -- just received word that your ride will be arriving withing the hour -- do you need help with your luggage? Security Front Desk25

She stared at the message. What was going on here? Had the whole world gone insane? What ride? She wasn't going anywhere? What luggage? What were they talking about? As she sat there in bewilderment the printer came to life, rolling out a small, colorful strip of paper. She picked it up. It was a ticket, issued by Artemis Spacelines, in the name of Jadzemi Bokhari. She looked down further and saw that it had been paid for in cash at the San Francisco office by one Dotyac. The destination was Io Orbital Complex.26

She was completely packed and outwardly calm when the security watchman showed up with a handcart to help her with her luggage. The flier was idling in the garage, dripping water and slush on the concrete floor. By this time it was early evening. She had no close friends in the research center, and no one there to see her off. The flier taxied out the clamshell doors and lifted off into the night.27

Poker Flats Spaceport had never been very large, and in the last fifty years had seen only modest growth. The new MRL drives did not have a large footprint, however, and the craft waiting for her was quite modern, painted in the livery of Artemis SpaceLines. She had been orbital twice before, so the liftoff procedures were not new to her. She mechanically allowed the flight crew to tuck her in along with the other ten or so passengers, and she watched almost numbly as the Yukon fell away beneath her, her thoughts drifting forward into the unknown future.28

When she arrived at Artemis Spacelines Terminal three, in MEO, she quickly went through the customs checks and easily obtained her luggage from the baggage check. From there she was directed to her connecting flight. Her first glance out the thick air-tight glass window at the new ship finally brought her back a little bit to reality.29

"I'm not getting in that thing," she muttered to herself.30

"You don't have to, Jadzemi," someone said, and Jadzemi turned around to see the apparition of Dotyac. "Come back."31

"I can't. It's not possible. I don't have the stone," she cried.32

"You don't need the stone to get here. You only need it to cure Tess. Come, it is possible. Relax, take a deep breath and just will yourself to Io and back here with me," Dotyac coached.33

Jadzemi did what he said, and found herself on top of him as though she had knocked him over.34

"That was clumsy," he laughed and kissed her lightly.35

Jadzemi blushed and them got up slowly, then helped Dotyac.36

"I though the stone was the key to me getting from Earth to here," She said.37

"No, silly, you are immortal and can travel time as if it were nothing. Space is not important. You could will yourself to the other side of the galaxy or even Universe in just one thought. The stone is the key to saving Tess...only you can unlock it's secret," Dotyac finished, and kissed her a little more deeply, sending pleasant shivers up her spine.38

How heavenly one kiss could be, she thought. She withdrew, knowing she had her task now in front of her.39

This was going to be a terrifying quest for them both. Jadzemi knew there were some places that her supernatural powers would not work. Dotyac would also be helpless where they were going.40

The Caves and Taverns were unlike any on earth. The held the bodies of the dead on Io! Each one holding the sacred bones of different types of beings. These beings could have been anything in life! Wizards, witches, priest, scared men, sinners, and the list goes on and on.41

These spirits still had a hold on Io roaming these caves and capturing the poor living that may have unwarily passed by one of the openings by mistake.42

Tess had to be there by accident, there was no way she went to a cave on her own accord. A great traveler as her ,,knew better!!!43

Some of these spirits have been on the other side for hundreds of years and their powers were greater in death than in life.44

Her supernatural power could go beyond a few of them but over more than six great deeds she held no power! She wish she was a stronger being.. so much more like her great aunt Xiona. Why she could go anywhere do anything! Xiona was in another galaxy ...battling for new living space. To ask for her help would mean Jadzemi was weak.45

Jadzemi mind was filled with many thoughts as she followed Dotyac up to the first cave on the mountain of Io.....46

Together they found a craggy opening in the face of the mountain, a mere crack leading into the Ebony depths. They had lights, but still the unwavering light only reached so far, and the many mineral formations cast weird shadows along the jagged stone surfaces. As soon as they were inside, all sound from the outside was swallowed by the endless caverns, all was still except for the distant sound of water dripping in the distance. There was also a sensation tugging at the edges of Jadzemi's awareness, a faint, but persistent call. It took her a moment to even focus on it, but focus she did, and once she realized what it was she was feeling, she swayed on her feet. Dotyac reached for her and gratefully she leaned into his strong form, letting her self be soothed by the amber glow of his feelings for her along their link, and the heady spicy scent of him. She swallowed, then spoke softly, her voice echoing in the chamber they stood in, "I'm, alright, I'm OK, it's just, it's Tess I can feel her, she's here somewhere..." 47

Her voice trailed off as Dotyac hugged her.48

"We will find her Jadzemi, we will, and we'll all go home." She nodded against his chest before taking a deep breath and pushing away from him, and saying with only a little false brightness. "Well then we best be at it shouldn't we!" he nodded and took her arm as they pushed deeper into the dark cool cave.49

It was the sound they became aware of first, a faint moaning that was easily explained as a whisper of wind across another cave opening, but soon it intensified, deepening and growing in volume and timber. An awful aching, abysmally lonely cry. Together they searched for the hateful noise, but could find no trace of the source of the sound. Louder still it grew, until it seemed they had a banshee there in the domed cavern with them. They stood together, their fear pulling their link taut. Jadzemi stood on balls of her feet, prepared for an attack, suddenly their lights flickered and then went out completely. They were plunged into inky blackness, with only the haunting moan for company. She held her breath, her eyes straining to see, something, anything. She almost didn't see it until it was too late, a pair of glowing red eyes that came at them from above, they raced towards them and Jadzemi cried out, diving to the side as razor like talons raked the space she had just occupied. 50

She crouched on the ground, "Dotyac?"51

She called in her mind, and his presence sounded warm and bright in her mind as he answered.52

"I'm here, and unhurt, but we must be very careful, I've heard of these creatures, and they are very dangerous-" His thoughts were interrupted as the red eyed monster made another pass a barely perceptible flapping of enormous wings indicating it was air born.53

Suddenly Jadzemi's chest tightened with terror as she felt razor like talons pierce her shoulders, she could only gasp at the icy agony. It took her a few moments to realize that she wasn't  injured, but was feeling Dotyac's pain through their link, she heard him call out to her.54

"Jadzemi! Run, get out of here, I'll distract it, but you must find Tess! Go NOW!" The last was a clear command, accompanied by harsh metal shove, and as much as it killed her, she was compelled to comply.55

She stumbled into the darkness, winching at the icy fire she could feel burning in her lovers shoulders, and felt the grim resolve as he battled with the enormous creature, trying desperately to by her time to escape. She ran until she could run no longer, stumbling along with a hand on one wall, falling many times and forcing herself to rise again. She could feel the contact with Dotyac begin to fade, although whether from distance or something else she couldn't be sure. Finally she stopped, her side aching, as she took out her light, and tried to catch her breath. The pale beam illuminated stone walls identical to all the other ones she'd seen, suddenly there was a piercing call from Dotyac that screamed down their link, a brief flash of intense pain and fear and then nothing. It was as if he had ceased to exist. She gasp then fell to her knees and cried out in hoarse agony.56

"NO!"57