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(Jenny sat back, stunned. She had known that Ynni would probably come into the picture at some point, but she had not expected it to be so soon in Lizzie’s journey. This meant that it was likely that the first photo Lizzie had sent her of the two of them, Lizzie and Tarafau, had probably also included Ynni with her reflection turned off.
Knowing how close her own relationship with Chidwi had become, almost instantaneously, she could relate to the awe and wonder Lizzie was experiencing at this time in the journal pages. However, she couldn’t begin to imagine how this would affect her ongoing training.
It was late, and she had hardly budged from the chair all day. It was in keeping with her Alliance doctor’s orders to rest for the coming weeks, but she felt somewhat guilty. She had been so incredibly active during all of the upheaval of the past year that it felt almost indecent to be just sitting and reading when she knew so many in the Alliance were tirelessly working to free dimensions from the tyranny of the Insenium empire.
Nevertheless, she might as well do this as any other restful activity, and she was learning so much from her aunt’s journey through the Alliance training program.
Maybe just another hour or so before she went to bed. After all, she could sleep in tomorrow morning...)
Lizzie didn’t really much care for being the center of attention, but there was no help for it. Even with Ynni riding quietly on her shoulder with her reflection turned off, she knew rumors about her incredible new companion had already spread.
For one thing, in the dining hall special arrangements for Ynni’s dietary needs had to be made, and Ynni couldn’t eat with her reflection turned off, so other diners had been very attentive to the little linkling’s activities, watching her antics with delight and more than a little speculation about what this meant.
Liliath had been delighted when Miriha presented Ynni to her upon their return to the training administration building the day before. She had greeted Ynni with warmth and respect and had immediately assigned a staff member to see to her needs, whatever they might be.
Rather than objecting to Lizzie’s keeping Ynni with her at all times, she encouraged them to become a partnership, intimating that this might qualify Lizzie for some special assignments, later on.
“It is a rare thing, but not unheard of,” she explained. “In addition to linklings, there have been other symbiotic companionships within the Alliance agents’ admissions. Ynni will be welcomed at most places. Of course, her ability to hide herself when necessary is also a great asset, especially with her particular talent for reading the minds of those around her.
“Linklings are known to be very discreet about this, however, and she will only ever use this talent in cases where you might otherwise be in danger. You will learn the best way to leverage this as you go, and your instructors will be happy to help you work it out over time.”
Lall had met them in Liliath’s office and was obviously excited but not disconcerted by this addition to his pod.
“This won’t be the first time we’ve had a symbiote amongst us. Your podmates will adjust over time, but don’t be surprised or concerned by the different reactions to Ynni. Part of your training is to encounter and adjust to unusual circumstances and individuals in your assignments. This will be a good test at how well your podmates, and the other trainees have been paying attention in Fin’s classes.”
Lizzie had chuckled at that. Fin was continually stressing the importance of leaving cultural judgments behind and adopting an attitude of acceptance, or at least tolerance, for the quirks and mores of other beings.
So, off they had marched to the pod, with Ynni sitting on her shoulder with her reflection turned off. Most of her podmates had returned from their holiday and were sitting around chatting in mindspeech when they had entered the pod building.
“Welcome back,” Lall called out to the group as they entered. “I hope you had a good break, because we’re about to work you harder than ever.” This was sent with a good-natured tone, and they all chuckled. Lizzie was pretty sure Lall wasn’t joking, however.
“I expect Mang and Negoth will be along in a few minutes. There will be more than a few changes in your schedules and assignments over this section of your training. All of this is building up, of course, to the time when you will begin to have guided assignments in the last half of your training. You will be getting to know much more about your podmates in this section and we will be moving more towards evaluation as opposed to pure training over the next six weeks.”
At this point, Negoth and Mang came through the door to the pod, obviously in the midst of a mindspeech conversation.
“Come in you two,” Lall greeted them with a wave of his hand, indicating they all seat themselves in the training area.
“Now we can begin. As I was saying, we have a lot more in store for you this section of training. Besides Lizzie, how many of you are from non-member dimensions?”
Feth and Geln raised their hands.
Lall nodded. “You all come from special circumstances, but it still comes down to this. Each of you will have the opportunity to both visit other dimensions and host agent trainees in your own dimension at the end of this term, after which you will have your next break. Professor Baird will be pairing you up for these excursions.
“During this term, you will be doing many gate travels to different environments to acquaint you with some, but not all, of the conditions you may face as an agent. Understand that there is no possible way for us to allow you to experience every possible situation you may be placed in, so over this term we will be exposing you to a lot of different and sometimes stressful situations to allow you to test your mettle.
“During this time, you will learn more about teamwork and test the extremes of your stamina and endurance.”
He gestured for Lizzie to stand. “And now for the first of many surprises of this term: you now have a new podmate. Lizzie, please introduce us.”
“Um, yes, of course, Lall. Everyone, this is Ynni.” And without any coaching by Lizzie, Ynni turned her reflection on.
A few gasped, and some leaned forward in their chairs to get a better look. Ynni sat up straight and looked each of them in the eye, one by one.
“Ynni is a being known as a linkling. She has bonded with me in a way I don’t yet completely understand. She is not a native of my planet. She connected to me while I was on my way to visit the Gatekeeper, Miriha. She can turn her reflection on and off, so even though you may not see her, most of the time she will be with me, either on my shoulder or nearby. Say hello, Ynni.”
“Hello, podmates,” Ynni sent immediately. “It is nice to meet you all. Ynni is linked to Lizzie and will always be here for her. Lizzie’s friends are my friends also.”
“Well said, Ynni. Welcome to the pod.” Gi sent warmly, at which point the others chimed in, their various mind voices blending into a chaotic chorus of the sentiment.
They had a celebration of sorts at the dining hall during which Ynni had been admired as she daintily ate the fresh greens, fruits, and vegetables that Miriha had evidently provided from her own planet. The dining staff member had happily assured Lizzie that an adequate supply for Ynni’s needs had been provided and in future would be delivered via gateway on a regular basis.
Geln had been somewhat quiet during most of the meal and finally piped up with this: “Lizzie is linked. How does that compare to a joined mind?”
Lizzie was somewhat startled by the question, but Ynni answered, “Your mind is one and not one. For us it is more a joining of hearts. Our minds remain separate, but we can speak via the link in different ways than just mindspeech. But our link is new, and much must be learned before it has grown beyond the need to speak.”
Geln had turned all three of his heads to focus on Ynni as she answered his/their question. They frowned slightly, as if trying to take it all in, and then nodded in chorus.
This was as much news to Lizzie as it had been to Geln. She hadn’t considered the exact nature and deeper meaning of the word “link” to describe this new relationship. She had assumed it was much like the imprinting of a baby bird on its mother or a very strong bond of friendship. This would require further consideration, and Ynni was right. Lizzie still had a lot to learn.
After a good meal and some catching up, listening to each relate how they had spent their holiday, they retired to bed. Lizzie lay there a long time, Ynni curled up next to her on her pillow.
The invisible sound barriers between the beds, another technological marvel she would have given anything to understand, made the silence around her absolute. She didn’t think she snored, since Thumble would have probably gleefully informed her back on Earth, but she hoped her nightly stirrings would not affect Ynni’s sleep.
She had asked Ynni if she needed special sleeping arrangements, but evidently Ynni was used to sleeping in a pile of linklings and was fine with sleeping with “my Lizzie,” as she often called her. Lizzie’s mind went round and round as it often did before she could settle enough to sleep. Finally, the incredible happenings of the day calmed to whispers and she drifted off to dreamless sleep.
She awoke to tiny warm hands gently patting her cheeks. “Lizzie slept well?”
“Good morning, Ynni. Yes, I did. And this is good, as we have a long day ahead of us.”
Her other podmates were stirring, and it was obvious that the sound shields had been lifted. Lizzie had determined her first week that there was some kind of autonomous timing mechanism turning them on and off, as none of them had any idea how they worked.
With nervous anticipation, she was looking forward to her first day back. There had already been a bit of angst about what was coming next, and adding Ynni to the mix seemed a little much at this point.
Nevertheless, she had determined, as she reflected on her holiday experience, that she would attempt a more positive attitude this term. Unlike a new term at the college, she had no idea what to expect next, and this was a mixed blessing. The one thing she knew absolutely: she would not be bored.
The morning run was longer today. Lall had added new obstacles that required them to work together to make it over, under, or around them. By the end, they were all sweating and panting, many holding stitches in their sides.
“In this stage of your training, stamina is the focus of our morning run; and, like every other course you will begin today, working together as a team will be vital. Over the next six weeks, you will find yourselves faced with challenges you may have only imagined until now,” Lall told them as they nearly staggered to the pod to shower and change for breakfast.
Ynni had stayed in a tree near the pod while Lizzie had worked out. “Lizzie needs to focus on her work, not on Ynni, this morning. I will be waiting when you are ready for breakfast.”
True to her word, when Lizzie had emerged from the pod Ynni had leapt happily onto Lizzie’s shoulder. Already this was beginning to feel normal to her. She admitted to herself that during the run, Ynni’s absence had felt somewhat uncomfortable, almost like a shoe on the wrong foot.
Breakfast was a quiet affair, little conversation going back and forth as they fueled up for the day. They had all been more than a little stunned by the intensity of today’s workout, and each was deep in their own thoughts. Lizzie guessed that they were probably thinking, like her, that if this was just the physical part of the new term, what were the rest of the classes going to be like?
Her fears were confirmed with each class. In Lulindu’s class, they would be studying the Alliance Interdimensional Trade and Warfare Agreement, a complex document that laid out the governing principles of The Dimensional Alliance. Unlike the United States Constitution, this document was ancient and, as such, about as long as War and Peace which Lizzie recalled was over a thousand pages.
In Fin’s class, they would be meeting various Alliance council members from different dimensions who would be explaining their cultures and giving practical demonstrations of the correct way to do various things from how to dress, to behavior at formal events, and even sporting practices.
Meta’s class wouldn’t be held in the lab but would consist of using the gateroom in the basement of the admin building to transport to different dimensional environments to acquaint the agents with the various pieces of equipment in their MDPs and the science behind them.
Evidently, the presence of that particular gate had been the reason for putting the agent training compound in this area in the first place. With only a few exceptions, this gate was not for general use, but for training purposes.
In Baird’s class, they would begin a new stage in presentation. They would be given an assignment to approach a delegation (played by various training staff members) from another dimension on one of several topics: trade, military aid, or various cooperative philanthropic projects. The aim was to train them in diplomacy skills and hone their ability to act rationally under pressure.
In addition, besides defense practice that would be branching out to hand-to-hand fighting, each of them would be spending private time with Liliath several times a week for the mental disciplines.
There would be little time for much of anything but working out with Lall, studying, and taking care of basic needs. Every fifth day would be a rest day, with two rest days per ten-day week. Considering the thirty-seven-hour days, Lizzie wasn’t sure how they would have survived otherwise.
Rest days implied, they could use their time as they wished on an individual or group basis, but Lizzie knew that more than a little of that time would be spent in studying and preparing for the next four days. If Lizzie had thought the ten-day week of thirty-seven-hour days was intense before, she realized she had very much underestimated how much could be packed into that time frame.
For perhaps the first time in her life, Lizzie felt real pressure in her studies. The first term had only been a warmup. In every class they moved from theory to application, and in every class they noticed a renewed passion in the attitude of their instructors.
Lizzie was grateful for Ynni, perched happily on her shoulder. The bond between them was a conduit for energy and encouragement. From time to time, Ynni also provided a new perspective on the increasingly complex situations the students were exposed to.
When they did their sparring matches in the afternoon, Ynni sat on the sidelines, not only cheering Lizzie on, but also warning her about oncoming attacks that Lizzie might not have otherwise noticed. This was a good thing, as Lizzie had still not come into her own where staff fighting and hand to hand were concerned.
She was only adequate at defending herself from the attacks of her podmates and had never developed the enthusiasm or intensity necessary for effective attacks. She had the physical strength and agility, but this was her least favorite part of the physical training. The morning and evening runs were becoming easier for her, but she just couldn’t stay motivated where the defense lessons were concerned.
She was doing well in the technology classes with Meta and was becoming more competent with controlling her facial expressions in Baird’s classes. With Ynni’s help, she found that Fin’s classes were her least difficult. It was like having an extra brain. Ynni easily remembered names and details that sometimes slipped past Lizzie.
She was encouraged to know that she wasn’t the only one who was challenged by the increase in the pace of their instruction. By the end of the day most days, as they prepared for bed, none of them lingered long before “hitting the sack,” as her dad would have put it.
