After a few minutes, Rokar said, “Hm. Rocky, please display the documentaries on the Terran progression through the Alliance.”
The display shifted, flattened, and against the wall, a documentary played about the first Terran Champions, the initial members of the Sector Guard, their involvement in jump technology research, and their links to royal families around the Nyal Imperium and the Alliance. From there, the details swelled.
Time whirled past as she watched vid after vid about the Terrans, and it was only when Rocky announced, “You need to rest now, Adelheid. Rokar-Iratho will return in the morning.”
Her guest-host rose to his feet and smiled. “He is correct. I will return tomorrow, and if you wish, I can take you for a tour of the area.”
She wrinkled her nose again. “I have seen it.”
“Not from the air. I will see you tomorrow. It was nice to meet you, Adelheid.”
She sighed, “Please, call me Addy.”
“Addy then. Good night.”
He walked to her, took her hands, squeezed them, and then left before he did something else. She had no idea what he was thinking of, but she really wanted to know. As he left through the airlock and headed toward the repaired outer door, she supposed that some things would have to wait for another day.
Chapter Five
With the thought of flying in her mind, Addy braided her hair the next morning. She also kept breakfast light, just in case.
“He will be arriving in a few minutes.” Rocky’s voice was low, so as not to surprise her. It was a tactic he had taken on when he realized that the normal speaking volume freaked her out in the morning.
“Thanks. How do you know where he is?”
“Technology and reality. I have monitors all over the area, and his mind is mine. This is when he would guess you were awake and ready.”
She chuckled. “Far less arcane than what I imagined.”
“Most things have a simple explanation.”
Addy was already in her exo suit, so she paced and finally asked, “What are you doing today, Rocky?”
“Following up on the transmission that was sent to Terra yesterday evening. It is not a direct connection, so it will involve requisitioning relay stations and such. Very boring communication stuff.”
She snickered at his mimicry of her speech patterns. The word stuff was a very new addition to his vocabulary.
“Thank you for making the call.”
“You are most welcome. He’s here.”
The shift in conversation sent a ripple of adrenaline through Addy, but she kept it contained.
She took the helmet band and clutched it in one hand as she watched the entry door.
It swung open without announcement. Rokar stepped inside with confidence. “Good day, Adelheid.”
She inclined her head. “Good day, Rokar-Iratho.”
“Just Rokar, unless he is speaking.”
Addy nodded, “Rokar then.”
“Are you ready to fly?”
She lifted the helmet band and smiled. “Ready.”
“You won’t need that. I would recommend that you attach it, but keep it turned off.”
“Okay, how do I do that?”
He came toward her, took the band, and settled it into place. With the flick of his fingers, she went from being in a wind proof setting, to feeling the warmth of his hand on her skin.
“There. Now you can enjoy with Iratho has to offer.” He extended his hand toward her, and raised his brow. “Shall we?”
She inhaled, exhaled slowly, and nodded, heading toward the exit. Addy wanted to see Rokar’s wings in action. The vague memory wasn’t satisfying at all.
The air outside was still. The storms bubbled along the horizon but didn’t approach.
Addy’s fingers clenched as she tried to keep from triggering her mask. She felt a light curl of wind on her cheek, but she managed to remain serene as Rokar stood next to her.
“I will have to touch you in order to take you on the tour. May I?”
“Yes.”
“If you feel unwell or nervous at any time, let me know, and I will bring you back to your base.”
“Thanks.” She kept her mind blank as he wrapped his arm around her waist and pulled her against him. His wings opened, and he didn’t even have to bend his knees. When she watched his face, his eyes went gold, and they lifted smoothly off the ground and gained altitude swiftly.
She got up the nerve to look downward, and she was shocked. “What is that?”
“Your island. It is suspended on a gas cloud, which gives you your peculiar weather systems.”
“They aren’t mine, they are yours, Iratho.”
He chuckled. “Iratho is flying us, but I am in control of my mind and body. Confusing, I know.”
“I thought the eyes were a giveaway.”
“Do they change? I feel that they do, but I never stare in the mirror while flying.”
“They do. I was expecting your voice to change.”
“It only happens when he controls everything. Not often. For the most part, he lets me live my own life, such as it is.”
She stared at the wide crevice that surrounded her island, as they flew over it through a gust of hot air. Their trajectory didn’t change; they continued to fly out over the landscape, leaving her home behind.
Four hours of exploration and views of completely empty landscapes and they were taking a break on the mountain ridge of the island.
“So, when does the population arrive?”
Rokar quirked his lips slightly. “Pardon?”
“This world is getting ready for fish, plants, animals, and sentient beings. Everything you have shown me is for the incoming personnel. When do they arrive?”
He sighed. “They will be here within the month. I insisted that you be settled in before anyone arrived. I know you would never forgive yourself if you caused an injury.”
She smirked. “Right. That.”
“Can you focus it?”
Addy frowned. “What?”
“Can you focus your talent? I know you can control it, but can you focus it, and project it?”
“Frankly, it has not been a priority to find out.”
“Try it.”
She stared at him in shock. Their perch on an outcropping of the mountain range suddenly seemed less secure.
“Now?”
“Is there a better time? You are relaxed, a little hungry, and your body is at peace. Try it. Aim for the blue mountain in the distance, and see what you can do.”
She twisted her lips and got to her feet, walking to the edge of the cliff that supported her. The feeling of tension, the rumbling, ran through her, and she held it back until the ground under her feet was humming.
With a thought to the comics she used to read, she raised her hands and tried to let the tension peel off her skin and come out through her hands. The rush of energy left her staggering, and as Rokar caught her, she watched to see what happened.
“I think I missed.”
The mountain in the distance flexed and blew apart.
Rokar chuckled. “No, you hit it. Well done. Now, we will go and check the damage.”
He didn’t ask her if she would give him permission, he simply wrapped an arm around her waist and they were off.
The check of the strike zone made her ill. “That hole is bigger than the town I grew up in.”