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THE AIR in the cabin felt thick as the jet sped along the runway. Just as the jet began to ascend into the air, Ivory announced: “First stop—Aboreal!”
“Now, Calla,” Valcas said. “Shield your eyes.”
I immediately slipped the travel glasses on my face.
Through them, the windows to the jet glowed brightly. I waited expectantly for a landing, for the jet’s wheels to make contact with the ground. Nothing like that happened. Instead, the white glow from the windows faded and then darkened into a violet-blue haze.
“Home sweet home,” muttered Ivory as she removed her helmet and opened the door to the aircraft. “Okay, crew, welcome to where we will briefly train. Valcas, I expect that you’ve visited here before. Ray and Calla, this world is where I grew up. The Uproar is powerful, but slow, so if it is still following Calla, this place will buy us some time.” She grinned. “I hope you enjoy your stay.”
I removed my glasses and stuffed them in my backpack. Once out of the jet, I opened my eyes to Aboreal, the world where Valcas’ mother Sable was also born.
Ivory had landed the jet in an open field, presumably controlled by the TSTA. I looked up at the violet-blue sky. It was moonless, starless and sunless. I couldn’t tell whether it was night or day. The similarities between this world and the White Tower ended there. Like Earth, Aboreal had green trees, green grasses and brown soil.
Ivory led us to a nearby village, the buildings of which were made of materials that I recognized as timber, brick and stone.
“Aboreal does not orbit a sun,” Ivory explained. “Here, there is no such thing as day or night. If you need a nap, you take a nap. If you need to eat or drink, then you do that. We don’t schedule or plan what Earthlings would consider normal day-to-day activities here, but somehow everything seems to get done.”
While walking, I noticed that the village was well populated. I quickly learned that it wasn’t the environment that made Aboreal so strange, as much as its people. Aborealians of various ages and flesh tones, both male and female, sauntered lazily along the streets. I watched as a small girl, approximately six years old, plucked a white dandelion. Long, straight, white hair blew in the breeze along with a stream of white dandelion puffs. A small black puppy followed, timidly staying near the girl. I smiled as large silver eyes looked up at me through frosty white lashes. Just as Ivory had said earlier, everyone had either white or black hair, nothing in between.
Ray pointed out additional animals that meandered along paths of green grasses and polished stone. There were rabbits, squirrels, and an assortment of feline creatures, all one of two solid colors—the darkest of night or the brightest of snow.
“So if this is where we’ll be training,” I said, “am I going to be learning how to fight?”
“Over my dead body,” replied Valcas. He’d somehow managed to match my stride and was walking uncomfortably close to me.
“Settle down there, Papa Bear,” taunted Ivory. “So business minded, both of you. What ever happened to just taking in the scenery?
“To answer your question, Calla, you will undergo mental preparation rather than physical training. You already know how to run away. It’s not like an Uproar can be shot, pummeled or slain.”
Valcas stopped walking and gestured to Ivory, some kind of open-handed signal that I didn’t understand.
Ivory responded in a similar fashion.
“Of course,” Valcas said. “I have something that I need to attend to while I’m here. Please continue, Ivory. I’ll meet up with all of you later.”
I raised an eyebrow at him, wondering what was happening. He walked away without meeting my eyes.
Ray and I exchanged a glance and then looked expectantly at Ivory.
“Sorry, you two,” she said. “As much as I’m sure we’re all going to miss Mr. Grumpy Pants, we’re just going to have to do without him for a short time.”
I snickered as we continued walking. “If this is your home, then where did you get all of the Earth sayings?” I asked. “Home sweet home, Papa Bear, Mr. Grumpy Pants? Do they talk like that here?”
Ivory pinched her shoulders into a shrug. “English is a common language as well as the official language of the TSTA. I learned many languages while in the Aborealian forces, and I studied the TSTA-Vision back at TSTA Headquarters. I wanted to be able to chat with the American Earth-borns on the mission. And from what I can tell, you two could use a refresher on the more humorous sayings.”
“You mean the television in the guest room? I couldn’t find a show in a language I could understand. It was just channel after channel of children in black and gold robes singing in a strange language.”
“Same here,” said Ray. “Could those have been Aborealian stations, Ivory? Was the TSTA trying to prepare us too?”
“Yeah, probably,” she said, her eyes darkening. “Let’s hope you don’t see that concert while you’re here, though.” She frowned. “The black and gold robes are reserved for funeral choirs.”
I opened my mouth to say something and then shut it again. A brief shudder passed along the back of my neck as I tried to remember what the children in the robes looked like, specifically whether or not they had either snow-white or jet-black hair. I couldn’t remember. A funeral choir? Suddenly I wished Valcas hadn’t left.
“So, what did Valcas need to do?” I asked, looking back even though I had no expectation of seeing him anywhere behind us.
“Nothing you need to worry about,” Ivory said, smiling. The smile looked forced. “Explaining all of the local customs would take too long, especially given how quickly we’ll be leaving again.”
Great, I thought. More secrets. Suddenly uncomfortable, I considered taking Ray’s hand. I pushed back that idea. Given how attentive he’d been, I figured he probably wouldn’t mind, but why would I even think of doing that? I hesitated, letting the moment pass.
Several more minutes into our journey, Ivory stopped at a fruit stand attended by a vendor with slick black hair and eyes of orange-gold tourmaline.
“Picnic peaches,” Ivory whispered.
The vendor’s eyebrows lifted, but he didn’t offer any fruit.
“Please follow me,” replied Orange-Eyes.
The vendor gestured to a nearby woman with hair and eyes that matched his. He motioned for us to follow him.
As we walked, I noticed that Ivory and Ray had positioned themselves close by, one on either side of me.
The vendor led us to a brassy building fronted by a fountained pond. The water sparkled clean and clear, much like the waters of Earth. We stood silently as our Aborealian guide rang a doorbell. He hadn’t spoken the entire way. I fidgeted, wondering where we were going and why everyone was so quiet all of a sudden.
When the door opened, I gasped.
Valcas’ mother, Sable, stood in the doorway. Her olive skin and shining black hair radiated beauty no less vivid than what I’d seen in Shirlyn’s photo album at the Halls’ Estate. Tall, regal and handsome, Sable glanced at each of us with emerald green eyes—first at Ray, then Ivory. Lastly, her penetrating gaze settled on me.
“You must be Calla,” she said. She grabbed a long piece of scarlet fabric that had fallen over her shoulder and threw it behind her back. “Please come in, all of you. We have much to discuss.”