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The cacophony of voices all talking over one another reigned until I called it to a halt with a piercing two-fingered whistle. All faces turned to me except for the four supplicants. They were writhing on the ground in pain, arms wrapped around their heads protectively. I had forgotten how intensely loud noises affected them. Sampson, Sherry, Mica and Jovi had each moved to the side of one of them and were offering them comfort.
“Bea, issue four sets of noise-cancelling ear protection to our guests right away until we can come to a more permanent arrangement.” She hustled off to obtain the gear. Returning my focus to Mica, I pulled my comm device from my belt again and set it to record the conversation. “Mica Chen, please explain, in as great detail as you are able, the specifics of which you referenced regarding the four Minsa here with us,” I said formally.
She cleared her throat and stood stiffly as if presenting a formal report. “In Chinese religious history, there have been four figures which were prayed to, worshipped or otherwise identified as having god-like qualities,” she began. “They are represented by astrological symbols visible within Earth’s sky. Their names are Zhi Ming, Ling Guang, Meng Zhang, and Jian Bing.”
Pausing, she looked around for comment or question. Everyone sat immobile in rapt attention. “They represent the cardinal points north, south, east and west respectively. They each have an animal character as well as a color, season, and elemental association. North, or Zhi, is the Black Tortoise which controls water, and is the winter spirit. From the south, Ling is the Vermillion Bird, sometimes mistaken for the Phoenix which controls fire and is the summer spirit. East is Meng, the Azure Dragon which controls earth and is the spirit of spring. West is the White Tiger which controls air or wind. Jian is the spirit of autumn.”
She was flushed after finishing her recitation and all four of the little old ladies were standing passively side-by-side. Each wore an indecipherable expression which might have been elation or awe.
“Do you know anything about this?” I asked them.
Ling spoke first. “For several hundred cycles now, we have individually had dreams or visions of creatures with elemental powers. We have never spoken of them to anyone until we met and became a pod. We believed until now they were the main reason Central Service considers us aberrations.”
“Would it be possible for us to see a representation of these creatures?” Zhi asked Mica.
“I’ll be right back,” Jovi replied as she quickly made her way toward the Command Center.
“There have been no seasons to speak of on Marsingna which any memory can recall. I do remember hearing of a time when the temperature turned colder and warmer before the protective net covered us,” Jian offered.
Meng had been watching her sisters in puzzlement and now spoke. “Sisters, do you not recall how easily I can form a compartment in a tree?” Turning to the entire group, she explained. “I have been blessed with an affinity for green plants. Many Minsa live in trees and I have shaped hundreds of protections for The People. Do you not comprehend? It fits with what Mica said about the Dragon. It has control over earth.” She was glowing in her exuberance and as excited as a young child upon discovering a butterfly in chrysalis.
“True. Zhi has always been able to find water without needing one of the Service fountains,” Jian replied. “Even with the rains, she has always seemed to have a way.”
“I cannot speak of fire as we have no need for it,” Ling said. “Even on the rare occasion when a fire starts accidentally, it is quickly extinguished by Central Service.”
“Yes, but recall the day nearly two hundred cycles ago?” Meng asked. To the room she continued.”We had just discovered our bond and were meeting in the forest away from prying eyes. An unscheduled weather event, completely out of CS control, caught us unprepared.” She watched as each sister nodded, remembering the event. “The wind was violent and the fire from the sky struck a tree. It burst into flames right overhead. You calmly looked up at it and the fire extinguished.”
“The flood of rain coming from the sky quenched that fire and nothing more, sister,” Ling replied.
Jovi reappeared with a viewing screen upon which she had called up Taoist images from the database. In turn, she showed each of the sisters an image of their namesake’s animal character. Each in turn blanched and began to shiver uncontrollably when they saw the images. Once again Sampson, Sherry and the two assimilated crew calmed the four supplicants when it seemed they would fall into a mental fugue.
“This is the exact image I have seen many times in my visions,” Jian murmured. “This is called a White Tiger? It looks ferocious.”
“It is indeed a mighty warrior, according to legend,” Mica replied.
“The Azure Dragon of my visions also appears powerful,” Meng added.
“Indeed, they are all creatures of substantial ability,” Jovi confirmed. “And the fact that you have seen visions of them without ever knowing what they were is just...inexplicable.”
“Oh, there’s an easy explanation if you care to consider it,” Sari interjected. When everyone was quiet and waiting, Sari finished. “These four ladies are messengers of God.”