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“The building supplies didn’t arrive today,” Lars said. “In fact, the only thing that arrived was more supplicants.”
“Just before I stopped for a quick bite, four more arrived,” Sari offered. “That brings today’s total to thirty-two. We’ve averaged twenty or more daily for the past three weeks.”
“Our daily trickle of Minsans has become a raging torrent,” I observed dryly.
“Once they understood they didn’t have to live separately, they formed into pods quickly,” Seamus said. “That was just one of many misunderstanding. Afterward, they were eager to help us ease the housing congestion. They’ve also been very helpful with construction where they’re capable.”
He heaved a great sigh. “These are such meek people they refuse to challenge any but the most contrary ideas. Many arrivals come as a quartet. It seems as though they make life choices as a group much the same way as they live their lives. We had only to assure them that living in the compound wasn’t a requirement for conversion. Many more have now gone into the trees, reverting to their standard lifestyle.”
“Meng and Zhi have been kept hopping because of that,” Mica said. “Meng really does have a powerful command of trees. I actually watched her make a nest in a large one yesterday. She simply touched the tree.”
Mica had become a sponsor of sorts for the earth prophet. “Actually, she stroked it and made soft cooing sounds like a turtle dove. It almost sounded as if she were talking to it, just not in any language I’ve ever heard. The tree slowly formed into a web of branches until it had a solid floor and was bowl-shaped. It took about an hour per nest. I just stood there with my mouth open.”
“So, what is Zhi doing?” I prompted.
“Oh, that’s another amazing control thing,” Jovi joined in. “Minsa take daily community baths, some in their robes and some without. They truly have no concept of modesty. Zhi located a natural depression near a group of trees where nests had been formed. She closed her eyes and stood in it for ten minutes or so.”
Jovi in turn had sponsored the water prophet. “When she slowly raised her arms out to her sides, the depression filled with water. It just bubbled out of the ground. And once it filled up, it seemed to stay full. Talk about standing around with your mouth open.”
“Have Ling or Jian discovered any more about their abilities?” I asked.
“We’re all certain Jian calmed the hurricane, as it was more wind-related than anything,” Frank answered. “There might have been help from Zhi as it was waterborne. When I asked them to describe what they did or how they did it, they looked blank. The best explanation they could offer was they just... thought it away. Jian has been reluctant to attempt any more controlled experiments. Ling, on the other hand...well, it was my turn to do the open mouth thing.”
“Elucidate,” I asked.
“Once Jian, Meng and Zhi had all manifested their abilities, it was almost like a personal challenge for her.” He smiled at an apparent memory. “As she hasn’t taken a sponsor yet, I finally decided to just show her the Mag-starters we use. Once I’d made a small flame, she went all trance-like on me.”
Frank’s eyes took on a reverent look for a moment. I was puzzled by it until I remembered whom he worshipped. “She stood straight up, clasping her hands in front of her like when they sing. When her eyes rolled back in her head and her chin dropped onto her chest, I was ready to call Sherry and Sam. But then she raised her head and her eyes were blazing. I thought at first it was a reflection from the torch but there was fire in her eyes. Yeah, don’t say it. I don’t believe it either, and I was there.”
“Has this been validated? Has she manifested any authority over fire? Uncontrolled, it could be dangerous. Did she interact with the flame in any way? Forgive the rapid-fire questions; I was vocalizing my thoughts as they occurred. Pun intended,” I laughed at the expressions around the room. Then I remembered seeing fire in Ling’s eyes as they huddled to stop the storm.
Several people smirked before Frank’s face went solemn. “I think my reaction may have scared her into thinking she did something wrong, so she’s hesitant to try anything again.”
“Well, let’s keep working with all four of them. Their abilities might be useful to us in the near future,” I directed. “All four of them need sponsors or handlers, so decide amongst yourselves who will adopt Ling and Jian. If I had time, I’d take on Jian myself, but I don’t. And Frank, let Ling know I saw fire in her eyes the day they killed the storm.” His expression was priceless.
“Joacim, I need to discuss something with the compound at your earliest opportunity,” Terse said. We were all seated in the common room, sharing the evening meal. Many heads turned our way. It had been an especially difficult day.
“Certainly, Terse, but may I ask you a simple question first?” I inquired. He looked startled but then nodded. “Precisely where do you go when you need to sleep? Do you have a nest or a pod? Lars tells me you requested your name be placed at the bottom of the dorm list, so I know you don’t have a room. I only ask because I value your inputs more than your right to privacy. There may come a time when I will need to seek you out with no notice. Such is the price of leadership.” I watched his face go from consternation to surprise before finally settling on coy pleasure.
“I have that answer, sir,” Bea said from my left. I whirled on her with eyes blazing.
“What do you mean?” I demanded.
Taken aback at my ferocity, she stammered her answer. “I...mean I know ...where he...sleeps...sir.”
Looking straight at Sherry, I voiced the reason for my anger. “Dr. Semican informed us at the last council meeting that you had no knowledge of where Terse sleeps, or where he goes when he disappears.”
“That may be how Sherry interpreted my response when she asked,” Bea replied.
Looking back at her, I released my fury. It had been a rough few weeks and my patience had worn bare. “Don’t play games with me, McMasters. I’m definitely not in the mood.”
Bea slowly rose to her feet and focused on a point behind my head. “I meant no disrespect, sir. Dr. Semican asked if I had any knowledge of where Terse went when he wasn’t around. I replied that the information was not something many people were privileged to know.”
I looked back at Sherry, who swallowed hard and nodded. “That was her exact reply. I took it as one of her standard snide comments and presumed it meant she didn’t know.”
I pressed my face into my hands for several long seconds before I realized the room was deathly quiet. Lowering my hands, I found every pair of eyes in the room focused on me.
“Bea, have a seat. May I get you a cup of coffee?” I asked, rising from my place at the table. “I’m having another cup of tea. Seamus, do you have your flask? I think I need to fortify my tea a little.”
The flask was setting on the table when I returned to my seat. I passed Bea’s cup to where she sat, even though she had not responded to my query. I poured a generous dollop into the tea before offering it to Bea. She looked tight-lipped and ready to refuse but then reconsidered.
Taking the flask, she saluted Seamus with it and upended the spout over her open mouth. After a large portion had gurgled past her lips, she righted the flask without spilling a drop. Setting it back on the table, she closed her eyes and swallowed three times. Picking up her cup, she took a brief sip. “Whiskey, coffee back,” she said, smiling at her pun.
Reshaping her features into a neutral mask, she launched into her explanation. “Terse approached me shortly after his return to request a remote location for himself. It seems the pressures of leadership are even greater when several hundred of The People can read your mind and find you wherever you are. We discussed several options before settling on the equipment room in the Command Center.”
She paused to gage my reaction, but I remained carefully deadpan. “It’s shielded against EMPs and, apparently, thoughts. So there’s your answer on anyone being shielded from unwanted thought reading. It’s also very dark and quiet in there except for the low-level equipment hum and cooling system noises. Also, it puts him right where he needs to be in an emergency. He didn’t even ask for a cot but I set one up anyway.”
Again she paused, but I was intent on letting her have her say. “And before you ask, he didn’t request that no one know. I made that security decision. As he’s considered senior leadership in the compound, I felt it prudent to keep the number of people who knew of his seclusion to a minimum. Discipline me if you feel I overstepped.”
I sat and sipped my laced tea for a full minute. Everything she had said was accurate and well within her bounds as Chief of Security. I even saluted her ingenuity for the choice of location. I just wasn’t ready to let her off that easy. After the short eternity, when everyone in the room began to fidget like kindergartners, I looked up directly into her eyes. “Well done.”
Turning to Terse, I resumed our previous conversation. “If your need to address the camp has anything to do with increasing the number of Serenity offerings, I’m afraid that’s out of the question,” I replied. “Demand for the service has escalated along with supplicant arrivals. Right now Samson, Sari, and I conduct two a day, each. Every one of them is at the full capacity of this room.” I gestured at the small common area.
“No my friend, it is something far more serious,” Terse replied. He was still officially the liaison for the Minsa as far as our compound was concerned. As such, he had quickly come to be looked upon by many of the arrivals as their spokesperson. If anyone was busier than I, it was indeed, Terse.
“What could possibly be more serious than not being able to provide for all the people in this compound?” I asked.
“CS has decided this migration is an aberration,” he announced. “It is requiring that all Minsa be reprogrammed immediately.” Instantly his hand went up for pause as a dozen mouths open to speak. Terse sat quietly until all were attentive. “This newly-arrived male has yet to offer a name,” he said, indicating a robed figure seated beside him. “He brings a message from CS.” Gesturing for him to speak, Terse yielded the floor.
The male looked like he’d rather be alone in the wild than delivering this message. Nonetheless, he stood and spoke with firm authority. “I have been programmed by Central Service to deliver this message. The outflow of Minsa from civilization must stop immediately. Errors in expectations force the allowance of this migration to be reconsidered. All Minsa and humans must report to Central Service for immediate reprogramming or assimilation.”
The hubris with which he spoke defined the sureness CS had held over the Minsa for their entire existence. It was not accustomed to being ignored therefore felt no need for explanation. That would soon change.
––––––––
EVERYONE TRIED TO SPEAK at once. The level of animosity in the room was such that all Minsa clutched at their heads and ran shrieking outside. Their agony forced them to flee in self-preservation, distancing themselves from the emotional onslaught. I finally had to stand on the table in order to bring some semblance of calm to the room. When the ruckus died to a dull roar, I spoke softly. They’d have to quiet down further in order to hear me. Terse had sat with his head bowed through the entire outburst.
“Well, obviously, that’s not going to happen,” I repeated glibly.
“Damn right it’s not,” Maya shouted, uncharacteristically.
“Molon Labe,” called an unidentified voice, which sounded surprisingly like Frank.
“Weapons Team Alpha to the armory,” Bea commanded from the exit. I hadn’t even seen her leave the table, so focused had I been on the strident objections.
When three crewmembers moved to comply, I called for quiet. “Bea, that’s a very noteworthy response. I don’t believe a threat is imminent.” I looked to the messenger for confirmation. He had remained despite the psychic bombardment with which our emotions must have assailed him.
Holding his hands out to his sides, he added the only additional information he had for our benefit. “I have nothing further to report. I was programmed with additional filters in preparation for your response.”
“Terse, what would be the standard protocol for such an action? That is, if we were to comply, which we are not.” I hurriedly qualified my question before things erupted again.
Terse had also risen to his feet. He turned to face the crew, his visage stark. “Teleportation to the nearest waypoint is not possible from here. Our unit does not possess that level of power,” he explained. “Additionally, for some to experience that much power so shortly after their arrival would be debilitating, possibly even fatal.” He was visibly struggling to contain the rising show of terror on his countenance. “Furthermore, this sort of mass movement is unprecedented in known history. I may not be connected any longer, but I do have a rather substantial memory of the people, provided by CS.”
“Then what is it CS wants?” called Pradip. “I, for one, will perish rather than assimilate. Even by my own hand, if need be.” His stark announcement gave pause to all before many began to nod in agreement.
“You tell them, Praddie,” Frank called. Pradip looked with loathing at Frank before forcing a weak smile.
“I am baffled by this message,” Terse explained. “CS knows we cannot teleport away from the compound. This forced assimilation violates everything within our societal standards.”
“Sounds to me like it’s freaking out and running scared,” Yuri offered.
“Agreed. Therefore, this must be our immediate response,” I concluded, ticking the items off on my fingers. “First, we need to assess the validity of the threat. Next, we formulate as many possible responses as we can. Then, we take action to prepare for whatever steps CS decides to implement.”