Race to the Light (4)

One moment she had been in her chamber and the next she and her husband both had been hit by fire from the sky and disappeared entirely. We were all in shock, unable to even move, but some how Dotyac knew what to do.1

He grabbed my hand and told me quietly “Trust me.” 2

He looked so deeply into my eyes, I knew I’d do anything he asked. I felt him probe my mind, not the gentle touch of a lover I’ve come to expect, but something else as if he were looking for something. He must have found it, because almost immediately I could feel him reaching. Not for me, but for something else-for Tess. The feel of her in my mind suddenly blossomed, he was doing something, something that was using my link to my sister. He held onto my hand so tight it was painful but I hardly noticed so wrapped up in what was going on. A fine sweat broke out on Dotyac’s brow as he concentrated, struggling with his task. I could see he was failing, the feeling of my sister that had been so strong just a spilt second before was fading fast. Finally he spoke again, through clenched teeth “Help me!” 3

So I did, I still have no idea how I did it, but I joined myself with him, joined him more completely than even our lovemaking had joined us. I felt the moisture on his brow as if it were my own, the breath in his lungs rasping as if it were my own, and then I too reached, seeking Tess and through her Charmont. Almost immediately I felt her, the sense of her mind sharp and clear. I could feel Dotyac exalt, we had found them! He did something else I found completely incomprehensible. All I knew was one moment I was reaching out with my mind for my sister and the next she was in the room with me. She just appeared prone on the stone floor, as if she’d just collapsed there, a split second later Charmont appeared, equally still, but breathing and alive; to bring her back like that only to lose her again. It still twists me up inside as I think of it, some how convinced that there should have been something I could have done, something to keep her safe from harm...4

If only she hadn’t ever found that damn stone! I will forever curse the day that thing came to Io. The Greenstone they call it, a very ancient relic, so ancient they assure me that it goes all the way back to creation, or perhaps shortly before or after. It’s made up of the same dense matter that the universe was spun from, ultimately powerful stuff, that in and of it’s self was amazing, but the real kicker was that apparently it held with in it a fine strand of chaos. Only the stuff of creation could house such a force. I had never thought of chaos as a tangible thing, but apparently it is, or something remarkably similar, a raw portion of the stuff that predated order and creation. It was life’s antithesis, a complete opposite to everything I had known and had experienced. Chaos, that was what had ensnared my beloved Tess, it had been that measure of chaos that had driven her to the brink of madness and perhaps beyond. It was chaos that had just as certainly twisted my brother Jhona. For now the cursed stone was under lock and key, mundane and magical while they searched for Tess. Them... I still couldn’t quite call them ‘friends’ even though Dotyac and even my own gift affirmed their loyalties. It was just too much, I just can’t do this right now. All I can focus on is that they said they could help find Tess, I can’t believe the other, not on top of everything else. Instead I’ll just think of them as allies, allies that swore to help find her sister and after that, well after that I’ll give myself some time to think about it. For now all the matters to me is finding my sister and insuring that Jhona didn’t get the stone. I’ll leave the saving of the universe to other more capable hands...”5

Her thoughts were still in a welter, but now at least there was some semblance of order. She believed enough to accept the help of these strangers. She understood enough to have faith that she was on the side of right. She trusted Dotyac and for now that was enough.6

Io Orbital Complex is never entirely empty, nor does the traffic there entirely stop, but there are hours of the day when the traffic falls to a minimum. It was at such an hour that a small craft docked and discharged a single passenger, who proceeded simply and directly to Customs. The officer there glanced only cursorily at the arrival's ID and did not look up when speaking.7

"Yes, you may proceed to your next flight, Dr. Ialenta," she said, punching through a boarding pass on a small surface flier. 8

The sole figure nodded and passed along. The Customs inspector then lapsed into a strange, immobile inactivity until the next passenger arrived.9

"Your ID?" she asked, blinking rapidly as if awaking from sleep.10

The passenger offered the ID, but the clerk's hands could not seem to work, and after several minutes the passenger was still waiting. Finally he addressed the clerk.11

"Is there a problem? I notice that you processed the last passenger much faster ..."12

The clerk looked up, puzzled. "What passenger?"13

The man Jadzemi knew as Dr. Ialenta stepped out of the flier into the stale air of Port Powell on twenty-first century Io, and sniffed disdainfully. He paused, head cocked, as if listening for a distant voice calling him. He closed his eyes slowly, as if to better aid his concentration. After a moment a slight smile graced his lips.14

"Dr. Ialenta?" a voice called to him. His eyes opened, violet light swirling briefly in their depths just as he opened them.15

"Yes?" he replied as a young man hurried up to him carrying a pad.16

"I'm Porter Johns, and I have your reservation here. If you'll just sign, we'll get underway. We have your room ready in the West Cavern, and a rail car waiting to take us there."17

The man known as Ialenta nodded, taking the pad in one hand and motioning to his luggage with the other. He dangled the pad neglectfully, not touching it, while the younger man gathered up the one small case Ialenta was traveling with. When the porter straightened, Ialenta simply handed the pad back, and the porter examined it briefly. He smiled.18

"You have such nice handwriting, Doctor. I guess what they say about doctor's handwriting just isn't true, is it?" Ialenta nodded, smiling as if at some inside joke. 19

"Well, let's go," the porter continued, and Ialenta silently followed him to the waiting railcar.20

The West Caverns were a system of crystal-lined caverns on Io that had been charted and converted to a small hotel. Ialenta barely recognized them with his eyes as they arrived, but his mind knew them intimately. He followed the porter down the sterile corridors to his room, tipped the young man, took his luggage, and locked the door behind him. He discarded his useless clothing onto the bed and opened the suitcase. What emerged was not underwear or papers, but a glowing cloud that immediately diffused into the room. Ialenta folded his legs under him and assumed a relaxed, meditative posture. A flare of violet light grew in his eyes as he slowly closed them to the world he could see, as his mind began looking for the world he knew was there on Io, but could not see. Soon his whole body stilled. Anyone who looked in at that moment would have seen no movement from his frame, despite the fact that his body was hovering at least an hand breadth off the floor.21

The agent that was Ialenta passed through the dimensions, headed for the world where Jadzemi and the others were gathered.22

The whole party was shocked at the arrival of Dr. Ialenta. One minute they were planning on just how to storm the caves and find Tess and the next he arrived as if out of thin air. For a moment Jadzemi thought she was hallucinating, that the stress of the last while had finally caught up with her but when she felt Dotyac’s surprise through his link, she realized she wasn’t the only one seeing him. Finally she stuttered out.23

“Doctor?” He just smiled hugely at her, as if delighted he’d caught her off guard. He bowed at the waist slightly before answering her.24

“Ialenta will do for now although I assure you I am a trained medical professional.” At which point he smiled an enigmatic smile and said under his breath “Among other things.” Dotyac shook his head and then stepped forward, totally recovered and extended his hand.25

“Ialenta glad you could join us.” The stranger took his hand and shook it warmly before telling him,“Thank you, I’m glad I could be here too.” 26

Something seemed to pass between them much more significant than simple pleasantries and a handshake, but Jadzemi couldn’t for the life of her think what. After they shook hands Dotyac stepped back and told Ialenta.27

“Shall we?” Jadzemi had had enough, she spoke up as she raised both her hands.28

“Excuse me, but first off what the Hell are you doing here!” She demanded of Ialenta and then turned on Dotyac “And just what do you mean ‘shall we’? You may recall we’re in the middle of some very important business!”29

Dotyac took a step closer to her, reaching out with his hand and mind, wanting to sooth and reassure her.30

“Leshoya.” He began and she immediately bristled at the Ioian term of endearment, not wanting to be soothed. Ialenta stepped forward, interposing.31

“Jadzemi to answer your question, I am here to help, I can’t explain how I knew or just exactly how I’ll be of assistance, but believe me, I want to find Tess just as much as you do.” 32

The sincerity in his voice and look in his eye reassured her somewhat, but it was when he placed an gentle hand on her shoulder and looked her in the eye she knew he was speaking the truth. It wasn’t quite the same as her link with Dotyac, not as open or easy, but it was there, he was letting her see the veracity of his words. She gulped, suddenly exhausted, but willing to accept any help that was offered. Words were suddenly difficult so she just nodded, reaching out for the warm strength of Dotyac with her hand and mind, gratefully leaning on him as she tried to take it all in.33

Ialenta stepped back, breaking the mental link. "As I'm sure you will start to remember, I am, as is Josh, an old friend of the family. Like you, I have been dimensionally displaced for quite a long time. Unlike you, however, I have been aware of who I am for the entire time. I have been waiting for word from this dimension, so that we could continue our search." 34

With this he turned to Dotyac. "So -- the signal is given then?"35

"Yes," Dotyac replied. "The way has been cleared." 36

He turned back to Jadzemi. "The reason you were sent to the other dimension to 'sleep' in another life was that Thought Troops had been sent out by those who had imprisoned Tess, with the sole purpose of keeping you from ever finding her. We had to assign our best men, our best mental warriors, to fight and defeat these troops. While this battle was being waged we did not want to risk any breaking through and attacking you, so you were hidden from them and your powers suppressed. These memories, like your memories of Ialenta, will return in time. Suffice it to say that, although the battle was fierce, and the casualties were high, we did prevail, and the way is now clear." 37

With that he glanced down at Josh.38

"Him?" Jadzemi gasped.39

"He was an adult when you left," Dotyac commented.40

"And will be again, when I heal," he remarked. "And then we'll have lots of fun, won't we?" 41

Jadzemi saw a half-familiar twinkle in his eye, one that she felt she should beware of, and yet which did not quite inspire a sense of dread in her. She tucked the thought away in her memory for future reference.42

"And so, again, shall we get started?" Dotyac said. "We have a woman to rescue."43