Race to the Light (3)

Jadzemi's first instinct was to return to Dotyac, but his command still rang in her ears, and even if it hadn't, her headlong flight had left her lost. Her light again flickered and died, and she switched it off, staring in terror back the way she thought she had come. In the darkness there was no sound but her own breath. She tried to reach out with her mind, but there was no contact, none of the now-familiar touch. She turned around and cast ahead with her mind, trying to contact Tess, but still nothing. As she did so, however, she noticed a glow from ahead. She stopped trying to reach out with her mind, and tried to make out the glow with her eyes. As she did, it faded. After a moment in the dark, she turned back around again and tried to reach out to Dotyac. Still nothing, but then she noticed the glow again. When she stopped trying to reach her love and tried to see it, it again faded. On a hunch, she focused her mind on the glow. After a moment, it came back, stronger than ever. She could see now that it was a stalactite, or rather a strange stain on a stalagmite. When she stopped focusing on it, it stopped glowing. She focused her mind tightly, and the glow returned, illuminating the cavern. From around several other stalactites also glowed.1

"There's something on the stalagmites that glows when I focus on it," she realized. 2

She approached the stone pillar and touched the part that glowed. There was a cold, wet feeling under her finger, and a warm, fuzzy sensation in her mind. It was some sort of plant or animal, alive and aware of her presence. It was happy she was here, and in a small way that comforted her.3

"Can you help me?" she thought at it. 4

There was an urgency in her mind -- she could hear, or at least thought she could hear -- small sounds coming from the dark, as if whatever had attacked them earlier was coming back. 5

There was no answer from the glow, but neither did the glow diminish. She reached further out with her mind, feeling for Tess or Dotyac or anyone, but still felt nothing. An idea hit her, and she gingerly reached out mentally for whatever creature had swooped out of the dark to attack her and Dotyac. At first there was nothing, but then she could feel them -- small, hard minds, with simple ideas and feelings. There were no words, but they knew she was there, and they could feel her reaching for them. Surprisingly, there was no hatred or anger, just fear and surprise. They had attacked because she and Dotyac had disturbed them.6

Jadzemi was emboldened by her success. She gently, slowly opened her mind. There were other living things in these caverns as well -- she could feel them. The sensations came so easily it shocked her. How had she not realized that she had these powers, all those years in Alaska? She could almost see them -- small insects, blind fish in deep pools, molds growing on cracks, some animal she had no classification for at all. She squeaked when something feathery and multi-legged brushed her bare ankle, then smiled in wonder as she touched its mind and felt its surprise also. And there was something else here too ...7

The caverns were legendary for housing the spirits of the dead, a fame that she would have scoffed at back in Alaska. But she hadn't believed in mental powers either, so she reached further out, probing with her mind. Faint images of light flicked far away, but she couldn't grasp them. She focused, but the images only flickered away, like a bead of mercury when pressed on. Frustrated, she felt her concentration slipping. She opened her eyes, and gasped. The cavern was flooded with light. From every surface something glowed; red, green, blue and orange light filled the cave. She could see she was in a dead end. She could also see a path out. She thought of Dotyac, and began to run.8

Her feet seemed to fly across rocks and water,, faster and faster she traveled.. The lights bright in her eyes ...like a lamp to the outside! Her heart leaped as the lights began to dim.. slowly ... Faster she told her feet!9

"Run Faster" she whispered.10

Before the lights were completely gone she saw the end of the tunnel before her. Her breathe was rasping but some how she reached the end. She fell forward through the opening.. Her breathe hard in her chest she cried. Why did she cry? She cried in frustration, in despair, in relief and in pain. Pain for her sister and Dotyac for they were lost to her. 11

The sun was bright on her body and soon her sobs started to end. She could feel the warmth of the sun and in all of her sorrow , she slept. Her mind was open to it's full potential in her dreams. She was in the cave again. But it was not the same cave, for it was a different cave. She walked to a opening in the cavern floor and looked below. Inside the deep hole of the floor she saw Tess. She was wrapped in a bubble... almost a glass ball. The color of the bubble had a black sheen to it and was suspended from the rock by thin silver strand. Tess looked beautiful! Her skin was pale but flawless. She was so mesmerized by Tess that she had to take back control of this dream.. She pulled her eyes up to gaze at the surroundings she needed clues to find her way to this place in her waking hours. But what she saw as she gazed upward was amazing......12

Jadzemi awoke suddenly, and was greeted by a blast of cold wind from over the rocky slopes before her. She was shivering violently, but not from the cold; in fact she was sweating. Fear sat in the pit of her stomach like a portal to an abyss, a dark space she couldn't fill, could never fill. Her mind shied away from the memory of what she'd seen.13

There was a light knock at the door of the palace observatory. After a brief pause with no response, an aid entered in cobalt livery. Star charts covered the walls alongside physical maps of Io. In fact, this room was given various titles depending upon it's current use; it was classroom, observatory, war room, and most recently the living quarters of King Charmont. He sat at a round wooden table in the center of the room which was also covered in charts and documents, most of these being letters received in reply to the Kings tireless search which had now become interplanetary. A large convex lens was set into the middle of the table, about three feet in diameter, through which images of Io and the surrounding cosmos flickered continually. King Charmont stared at it intently. The brightly dressed aid coughed gently. There was no response.14

"Your pardon your Majesty. There is visitor to the palace who professes information regarding the Queen," said the aid.15

Irritation registered briefly on the Kings face. After the first round of international fortune hunters promising to know where Queen was being held, all such visitors were now screened by the Kings advisors. 16

"See to it Avros," said the King softly.17

"Of course we would not normally concern you with such things, but in this case..." the aid named Avros let it trail off. The King did not look up. "He spoke of the Greenstone."18

Exactly eight minutes later an older man wearing a short graying beard and green robe belted at the waste was ushered into a windowless room adjoining the Kings private chambers. The room was bear but for another round table and two chairs. King Charmont stood pensive at the side of the table. Avros left quietly closing the door. For a moment the two men stood looking at one another, the King grimly assessing, the older man calm, polite. His green eyes did not waver.19

"Please," said Charmont softly, motioning toward one of the chairs. The older man bowed slightly and sat gracefully. Charmont took the other. "You'll pardon me if I've forgone the usual introduction and ceremonies. I find I have little strength and even less patience for such things these days."20

The other nodded sympathetically. "My sincerest condolences for your sufferings King Charmont. I can only convey that news of your loss has reached farther than you can possibly know."21

The King wiped his eyes wearily. Strain and lack of sleep had left his face drawn and pale. "Your sentiment is appreciated," he said. "I don't believe you've told me who you are sir."22

"My name is Minoch," said the older man.23

Charmont ceased rubbing his eyes and looked at his guest. "There is a traveler of the same name who's reputed deeds are well known to these parts," he said after a moments pause.24

The old man smiled slightly.25

"Indeed, news has traveled far," said the King removing the Band of Office from about his forehead and pushing back his dark red hair. "If you are who you profess to be, I must bid you welcome to my house."26

"You are most gracious your Majesty. I only wish we could meet under more happy circumstances, and that I could bear better news."27

The King looked grave...too grave indeed.28

"Sit" he told the old man as he sat, as an old man would.29

Minoch thoughtfully spoke "I know the wear abouts of your beloved Tess."30

"Do not tell me lies or I will have your head!" The king roared.31

The aid ran to the king's side alarm on his face.32

"Please, hear me our King Clarmount."33

"I will try" the king said as he slowly regained his composure.34

Slowly the King sipped from the goblet that the aid presented to him. He waved his hand for Minoch to continue. Minoch had heard that the king was drinking heavily , he knew he had arrived just in time.35

Minoch spoke choosing his words carefully....36

"I have seen your wife in a deep underground cavern, almost like a whole in the world of Io.37

She is alive and really in perfect health, except.."38

The king said, "Please tell me more"39

Minoch nodded, " I hesitate here your highness as I know the next part I tell you , will be hard for you to take."40

"I don't' care I MUST know where she is and how she is, and who has done this to me, my life, my love , my people!!!" the king replied.41

Minoch bowed his head and began to go into a deep trance... When he looked at the king again his face was as that of someone different and his voice vibrated off the walls..42

Minoch began...43

“1777 Empire Galactica; Ellisian Sea, Axis1 of our Galaxy, The Milky Way, two hundred twenty-three years to zero hour.” The old man’s voice had indeed changed. It was hollow now, not even recognizable as his own.44

The King interrupted. “Where is-,” but Minoch proceeded as if he could not hear him.45

“It has been one year since the abduction of our hope, the Child, Jhona. He was stolen from his bed in the third month of his life by one as yet unknown to us. We search even now but for the moment it is to no avail.”46

“Despite this tragedy, we, the Gomen Cast, have formulated a plan to help ensure the presence of a Nova Child on the Garden Seas at Zero Hour. While our grief is boundless we have refused to be crippled in apprehension of the future. Guardians stand at the bedsides of the twins keeping constant vigil, though their best protection remains their anonymity. This anonymity will be the basis of our stratagem hereafter.”47

“The twins will be separated. Just as none but the Gomen now know of their existence, so will none, not even the Gomen know their whereabouts, they will not know each other. They will not know themselves for who they are. They will live as our children, human beings, engaged in personal pursuits, under the surveillance of the Guardians. After a predetermined period of time they will be relocated, their memories altered, new lives established, their powers and identities suppressed. We will rely on the Guardians for their protection and return, at a time they alone will know.”48

“Our celebration of Jhona’s birth lays responsibility for his abduction on our own heads. This is our last Garden. We will salvage this crop, but we will plant no more.”49

Minoch continued on at some length. At times his voice would change, his countenance alter slightly, as records and histories were revealed from ages past. Then there was silence.50

King Charmont sat quietly staring accross the table; the color had gone from his face. Who was this man who brought the voices of legend to bear weight in his world? The story of the Gomen was not new to him. Immortal and all but omnipotent, they were the husbandmen of the Universe, the galaxies their gardens. Legend held that they planted and nurtured and harvested life, order, beauty, love, faith and hope. Humans were their creation, embodying all of these as well as their opposites in varying degrees: hate, pessimism and despair. The Guardians were their servants, of mythical proportions, being characterized by their loyalty alone.51

He would gladly discount what had transpired but for the simple fact that he could not, in the same way that he could not deny his love for Tess; he knew what he had heard to be true, for it spoke to him in the most quiet corners of his soul. Tess...52

At length, the King spoke. “I am overwhelmed Great One,” said Charmont in a choked voice, “and I do not understand; why have you brought me into this circle? Why am I given to know these things?”53

Minoch had closed his eyes. Now he opened them. He spoke gently. “You will accompany me in the search for your beloved,” he said simply. He was once again the man (or whatever) that had entered the room minutes before. “At this moment her safety is paramount.”54

Charmont sat a few moments in thought. Then he sent Avros out of the room to prepare for their departure. An hour later he stood in the courtyard of the palace with Minoch and provisions for the journey. Avros was making one last inventory check in the Kings packs before shouldering his own.55

"Avros," said Charmont to the old man, "may he accompany us. I value his advice highly and his skills as a warrior cannot be disputed. Though he may serve in my house, I count him my friend."56

Minoch nodded absently. "If he were not to accompany us I would not have allowed him to remain."57

So he laid there on the stone floor, bleeding, and just listening to the whirl of thoughts and watching the corresponding display of lights bemusedly. Soon though the thoughts stilled, only one remaining, “She comes.” T58

hey all breathed in awe and wonder, the light of the room brightening and coalescing into a blazing white brilliance, so bright in fact Dotyac had to shield his eyes. From out of the brilliance stepped a lithe figure. It was a woman, a beautiful woman with alabaster skin, flowing colorless locks, palest blue eyes and a gossamer white gown that floated around her. Her face held a timeless beauty, an ancient wisdom in her eyes and a supreme love for all those around her. The air in his lungs caught and would not escape, he was so stunned and for a moment even his pain was forgotten at the sight of this astounding presence. The glow of the room faded from blinding white to cool blues and greens. She took two steps towards him, her face serene and gentle as she looked at him. As she drew closer her aspect too changed, the lights along the wall warmed and brilliant color dotted the fresh green, while earthy brown covered the floor. Her gown slowly mutated from snowy white to palest yellow to green while her hair went from colorless to the hue of morning sunlight. She opened her mouth and spoke to him. Her voice was soft and yet reverberated in his skull, filling him with her serenity as she spoke gently.59

“My son.” She called him, reaching out one slim hand towards him. Unthinkingly he took it, and was filled with warmth and sweet peace, his pain and injury completely forgotten in the light of her love. Somehow he was standing and she embraced him. Never had he felt such absolute and complete unconditional love from another being, utter acceptance. He was reluctant to release her. As a guardian he had spent nearly all his life caring for the well fare of his charge, seeing to his physical needs as well as emotional, teaching and molding him. Now though for the first time he felt the tender regard of someone that cared for him as totally as he cared for his young charge and he melted in it’s warmth.60

“Jhona is here.” She said simply.61

Dotyac was stunned, immediately he felt the heady rush at the prospect of seeing his charge, and at the same time a terrible sadness, knowing that even though he was unable to totally displace his fierce loyalty to the boy, he could no longer serve him. Jhona had made the choice long ago, no matter the vows he’d made as sacred guardian, no matter the measure of gomen blood in his veins, he could not serve chaos, not and live with himself. He shook his head, as she went on.62

“He is here and it is he that has our beloved Tess.” That took came as a shock, he knew the Greenstone had twisted Jhona, but he never would have believed he was the one behind her disappearance, not Jhona, not her own brother.63

“He has her my son and plans unspeakable evil for her and all of us.” Dotyac shook his head, unable to believe it, not Jhona, not his Jhona, but at the same time he could not hide from the truth. 64

The man that held the Greenstone now, was not the wondrous boy he once knew, but a man completely twisted by chaos, the light and love within him smothered or transformed in to darkness and ugliness. He felt like his chest was in a vice and it was hard to breathe. The look on her face mirrored his own, never before had the ultimate culmination of creation, a nova child been changed the way Jhona had, never had the universe seen such a perversion, and even this lady, the mother spirit of Io herself trembled in fear and revulsion of him. She reached out a hand to the conflicted Dotyac, placing it gently on his shoulder. His mind exploded with a vision of Jadzemi, she was in the observatory speaking with Charmont, her lovely dark hair falling to partially obscure one green eye. The sight of her made him ache and he suddenly wanted nothing more than to feel her reassuring presence in his mind. 65

Instead Io spoke, her voice gentle but unyieldingly firm. “He has plans for her as well.” 66

At which point his vision again turned and he saw Jhona and Jadzemi, his love screaming in agony, while his former charge did unspeakable things to her. He flinched and was nearly sick so strong was his revulsion and fury at the sight. Io touched his cheek, turning him to face her squarely. Her aspect back to the vibrant colors of spring.67

“He must be stopped, and you must help do it.” In spite of the rage he felt at the idea of Jhona touching Jadzemi, and as utterly repugnant the thought of him in power was to him, he could not stop the surge of loyalty he felt to him.68

As his guardian he was inextricably bound to him, and he hated himself for it. Io looked understandingly at him. “I know my son, it will be the hardest thing you’ve ever been called on to do and goes against your very nature, however, with out you we will fail, the whole of creation will perish if Jhona is allowed to continue.”69

He nodded, tears in his eyes.70

“We will help you all that we can.” She told him, gently touching the wounds in his side and shoulders, healing them in a second. “If you have need of any help just call on us, and we will do all that we can. Take our love with you my son, and do not fail us.”71

With that she again touched his cheek tenderly, before dissipating and vanishing as she’d never been.72

High on the eastern slope of Mithra Tull, the Mountain of the Dead, a tiny speck of light could be seen interrupting the the matt darkness of the mountain’s mammoth outline. Above the menacing silhouette no star shone in the sky. It was as if this sky were not open as other skies were. Only the crescent of the Great Giant Jupiter seemed able to break through the opaque darkness to any degree, and it's titanic curve stretched from overhead to beyond the horizon. Jadzemi huddled deeper into her jacket and edged a few inches closer to her flare. Night descended cold on this mountain, winds rising and lashing the craggy slopes relentlessly.73

This was her first night on the mountain side, and she didn't like the idea of repeating the experience, but... 74

Jadzemi cast a fleeting glance at the cave opening that gaped wide before her just a few feet away. The cold emptiness in the pit of her stomach almost hurt. How could she go back into that place, knowing that what lay within threatened to undermine her sanity? How could she abandon Dotyac? How could she abandon Tess?75

"I wouldn't worry too much about Dotyac.” It came from beside her. 76

Jadzemi jumped to her feet and whirled to her left to see the source of the voice. For a moment, she couldn’t speak. On a large rock about nine feet away a young boy sat leaning forward on his hands with his feet dangling over the side. He looked to be no more than twelve or thirteen. He had short dark hair and a largish nose, and sat casually watching her with the twinge of a smile playing at his lips. 77

“He’s in good hands right now and wont be injured more.”78

Jadzemi sucked in her breath at the familiarity of the voice. It brought to her a flood of emotions she couldn’t explain. She knew this boy, but didn’t know him at the same time, like when you forget the name of your best friend. She strained to remember. 79

“What...what are you doing here,” she stammered blandly, placing her hand over her eyes.80

“Well it would seem you’ve again demonstrated that you can’t live without me,” said the boy, his eyes glinting. 81

“Mysterious apparitions appear to me all the time,” he continued, feigning a sweet feminine voice, “so it’s no big deal. I’ll just follow him to a desolate, unstable moon, climb a mountain with him, and forge on into a dark, menacing cavern with big nasty birds I can’t see. I’ll be ok because I’m a good person.”82

She could hear him grinning and for some reason it made her smile in spite of herself. Jadzemi knew she should be watching the stranger like a hawk, listening for others beyond the light of her flare, grilling the new arrival for his reasons for following her up this gods-forsaken mountain... but for whatever reason: real familiarity, fatigue, or her wavering grip on reality, she just held her eyes, dizzy, and slowly sat down on the ground. Through the rushing in her ears she heard the boy hop down from his rock and walk toward her. Was he...? He was rummaging through her pack. Awhile later she felt gentle hands helping her to sit up. She opened her eyes and saw the young man kneeling next to her, smiling a very familiar smile. He jerked his head to indicate that her bedroll was waiting for her. With his help she made her way to rest.83

Before she closed her eyes for the last time that night, she turned to look at this new arrival who’s presence here was ludicrous...but infinitely natural at the same time. He sat on the ground next to the flare with his back against his rock. He was staring upward, throwing a mango fruit up and catching it. 84

“What’s your name?” she asked wistfully, as one who has forgotten. He paused and looked over at her. Then he smiled sardonically, and it looked strange on his young face.85

“Josh,” he said simply. “Go to sleep.”86

Jadzemi slowly ascended out of a dreamless sleep. She became vaguely aware of a rather unpleasant smell. Something was burning. She sat up with a start, and judged by the events of the last few days that something had to be amiss; and it was. Flames were rising out of a pan placed over the camp flare a few feet away and black smoke was filling the small clearing where she had made her camp.87

She was about to get up when suddenly a young boy came leaping down the surrounding boulders and rushed past her. He kicked the pan over and began stamping at the fire, cursing under his breath all the while.88

"Breakfast smells delicious," said Jadzemi sleepily. She was rubbing her eyes; she stopped and looked at the boy again, frowning slightly. "Who... Who are you?"89

"I told you," he said absently, "My name’s Josh." He extinguished the last of the coals and began picking up the pan and flare.90

Jadzemi frowned and shook her head. Memories didn’t come quickly enough and it frustrated her. "No," she said. "But I can’t remember."91

The boy who called himself Josh just shrugged. "You never could pronounce my real name anyway." 92

He scraped the burnt remains of what was never destined to be breakfast off of the pan and kicked it down the slope. "And your memory will clear up gradually. Be patient. Mango fruit?"93

Jadzemi shook her head slowly. 94

"I’m very tired. I think...," she broke off. 95

Then she jerked upright. 96

"Dotyac! I have to... He’s still in there!" She kicked her roll away and got to her feet, swearing. 97

"He could be dead, and I wasted all night because I was too damn... Throw me that flare," she ordered stuffing assorted items into her open pack.98

"Yah, you could do that,’ said Josh throwing her the flair, "especially as you know those caves so well, I’m sure you could find your way directly back to the place you lost him, no trouble, and then I'm sure those birds have migrated by now--."99

"Look!" said Jadzemi angrily, "I don’t know who you are or where you came from, but the only friend I seem to have in this world I left bleeding and alone at the mercy of some dumb, freakish nightmare, and I wont SIT here any long--,"100

"AND," broke in Josh, "that would obviously be better than just waiting for him here where we’re all going to end up anyway. And he doesn't bleed," he said biting into a smooth orange mango.101

"What are you TALKING about?" she asked incredulously. "Somehow I can't believe that he’ll come walking out of this cave in any moment, hale and hearty with a smile and say--."102

"Hello Jadzemi."103

She spun around and stopped, open mouthed. Then she made a sound that was a laugh, a cry and a sob all in one. Dotyac was stepping carefully down the incline from the mouth of the cave. He reached the spot where Jadzemi was standing, shaking slightly, and put his arms gently around her. She just stood and let him, resting her face on his shoulder, which made him wince slightly. After a moment she returned the embrace.104

"How...where did you...?" she trailed off shakily, still holding him.105

"I had a rough night," he said smiling, "but I learned a few things I needed to know." Now he looked up at the boy who was descending the path from the top of a rock the size of a large room. Jadzemi turned slightly to look the same way.106

"This is--." She was cut off.107

"Have they reached the mountain yet?" asked Dotyac of the boy. Jadzemi looked from the boy to Dotyac and back again.108

"They rounded the far slope about an hour back,’ said Josh hopping the last distance to the ground, "but they’re taking their sweet time about it if you ask me. Old timers," he finished, his eyes twinkling.109

She stretched with her clasped hands over head, hearing her back pop alarmingly, before slumping back down, her fingers of her left hand rubbing the back of her neck wearily. her right moving to pinch the bridge of her nose. It was late, and she should be safe in bed with Dotyac, slumbering peacefully, but sleep alluded her. Ever since Dotyac’s appearance from out of the mouth of the cave her whole world was once again turned on its ear. She sighed before picking up the tablet in front of her. Even after having things patiently explained to her, her emotions and thoughts had been in a helpless swirl, hardly able to pick a coherent thought out of the maelstrom. So she fell back on her school days when lectures of quantum physics would leave her head in a spin, she wrote. She managed to get her hands on a writing tablet and stylus and she wrote well into the night. Doing what she could to make sense of what she’d seen, done and heard. Now it was approaching morning and despite her exhaustion she still couldn’t seek the welcoming warmth and comfort of Dotyac’s bedroll. One more time, she promised herself, she’d read through what she’d written and try and get it all straight in her own mind just one more time. She sat up straighter, tucking a sable lock of hair behind her ear and started to read.110

“I thought it was strange when an old man appeared to me in my lab back in Alaska, a man I came to learn was not in fact an old man, but someone closer to my own age and living on an uninhabitable moon of Saturn. Io, a place he swore I belonged, and amazingly I believed him. I came here to Io, a rock that science asserted was a frozen wasteland, but was in fact a lush garden realm. A realm that much to my surprise I recognized! How could this be? I’ve asked myself a thousand times how it is possible for any of this to be true, and I can’t come up with any sensible answers. I’m crazy? Perhaps, overworked? Certainly, but I don’t think I’m hallucinating, it was all too vivid, the remembered pain of losing Dotyac still too fresh in my memory. I was certain I’d lost him, that the only man I had ever loved had died trying to protect me.” She stopped her reading, to look over at his still form. 111

He was easily exhausted as she was, more she surmised, he hadn’t told her what had happened in the caves while they were separated, but she could tell it was big, whatever it was had left its mark and left him drained. She studied his face, the timelessness of it, the smooth tanned skin, chiseled jaw, dark lashes, just the sight of him did unspeakable things to her. To say she’d been surprised when she met him in the flesh was an understatement. She still didn’t quite understand what had made him appear to her as an old man initially, when he was clearly much younger. She shook her head again, forcing her self to look away and go back to reading.112

"I came to far off Io not once but twice, once by mystical means and once a more mundane shuttle, I came here, and fell in love. I’ve fallen in love with not only Dotyac, but with this place, these people that were intensely involved in the lives of their leaders and mourned with me at Tess’s disappearance. I love them with a fierceness that surprises me. That’s not the least of it thought. I have a full set of memories from my life on earth, growing up, attending college then graduate school. I have friends, and a whole other existence millions of miles away. I came here because someone said I was needed. I came to Io and suddenly I remembered. The flood of memories of my time before washed over me, cascading in front of my eyes like a waterfall of sensory impute, I nearly fainted so over come was I... I still get a head ache thinking about it. I remembered, my sister, my home, my powers, how could I have forgotten? Just how could I possibly have forgotten what it was like to connect with another person mind to mind? The thrill and shear joy of the sharing? How could I have forgotten such beauty as was all around me here on Io? How could I? Even after they explained that my memories had been taken from me, that I’d been put on earth so that I could be kept safe, I still feel betrayed. What right did they have to steal that which was most precious from me? How could someone rob another person of the most basic part of themselves- their memory? I still shake when I think of it, torn between confusion, and gratitude that I was protected and savage fury that they stole my life from me. I don’t know what to think, and the fact that Dotyac knew, he knew about everything else and he hadn’t told me was worse of all. I have a brother damn it! You’d think that is the sort of thing that would come up in conversation! I have a brother... I still can’t wrap my mind around that one, I remembered Tess almost immediately, she was one of the first things that came back to me, but a brother, how could I not known I had a brother? And to think that he might be the one behind the pain and sorrow here on Io was unthinkable. Still I couldn’t deny what had happened to Tess," she thought.113