[FIC] Choices (part 3D) {Chapter 43}
Posted: Sat Nov 01, 2003 10:05 pm
The lights were flickering again. It was becoming very annoying. It adversely affected his mood. If they didn't finish their testing and get the small nuclear reactors on line soon, some technicians would find themselves cut up for chum. The islands here supported a wonderful variety of sharks and other sport fish.
The stocky dark-haired young man cursed as he walked down one of a series of tunnels cut into the dark volcanic rock. A string of temporary lights ran the length of the passageway. The already dim light was diminished by someone's idea of a joke, or somebody's need to add a spark of color to the bleak depths of the dormant volcano. Tiki lights and festive globes cast colored lights amongst the shadows.
As he walked, the ill-tempered mercenary skewered random globes with his dagger. Yes---that would be something to do later---he would find out who hung these ridiculous globes. Were it one of the few women voluntarily present on this island, she would afford him some perfumed release before she left this world. If it was a man, he would serve as a suitable live test subject for some of the new weaponry on his Arm Slave. He smiled. Maybe the lights weren't so bad after all.
Suddenly cheerful, he whistled a lively tune. It was time to herd sheep. He hadn't visited the scientists or doctors today, and he didn't want them to think he had stopped caring. He also hadn't checked in on the human crop his benefactors were so interested in. Business before pleasure.
The lighting in the roughly hewn cavern was significantly better. Large power cables crossed the floor like sleeping pythons. Some led to a thermal energy plant drilled deep into the earth's core. Others led to gasoline powered back up generators. Work crews were busy laying new larger cables that would run to the small breeder reactors.
As was his habit, the dark haired man flicked random switches on and off as he passed by large banks of computers, chemical analysers, and esoteric medical equipment. He pushed over a coffee maker, and roughly shoved a technician off of his stool and on top of it.
"Your coffee sucks. Get something better. Before next time." The frightened man left quickly. Why did he have to do all of the important things himself? The shadow group he was on loan to certainly was lax in its discipline, or inept in its choice of personnel. Quite possibly both.
The laboratory guards saw him coming. He could almost taste their fear. These were the men chosen to keep the Whispered safe? These were ex-soldiers and choice mercenaries, paid to watch over the busy research team? He laughed loudly, stopping only when he needed to catch his breath.
He pulled one man's rifle from his grasp, and turned to shoot him in the foot for his mistake. What? The safety was on?
"You had the safety on? What if a commando team came rushing into this room. No matter, you have reason to rejoice---you will serve as a shining example to your comrades. You are today's lesson." The safety now off, the angry young man shot the guard in one of his eyes. With satisfaction, he noted the other guards flick their safeties off.
A number of the cadre members had been in the room, and one of them rushed up when he saw what happened. "What the bloody hell do you think you are doing, you maniac!!! Your superiors reassured us that you would keep yourself under control. You are here as a specialized guard, part of the island's defence force. We are at more risk from your actions than from any enemy." The man was enraged.
"I am working on defenses. A bad guard can cost you more than you can afford to lose. As for my superiors, when they direct me to change my approach, I shall listen." He smoothly changed the subject. "Just which of you big wigs are indespensable?" The man's curiosity was nearly a malevolent entity in its own right. His question carried ominous portent.
"W-we ALL are" the cadre member put in quickly, the look of fear imprinted in his eyes. "But that is none of your concern."
"True" the mercenary admitted. "Until you no longer serve my bosses' needs." He smiled. The other man did not want to know what he might be thinking.
"Uh...I wouldn't be so quick to rush to judgment, if I were you. The project we are working on will make US the masters, and your group would do well to stay on friendly terms with us. With ALL of us." The man had some spark in him after all.
"Yes, I see." He knocked the older man aside, dropping a small object into his coat pocket as he passed. If the cadre member was vigilant, it would save his life and gain the mercenary's respect. If not, another unexplained death would occur when the gas capsule degenerated a few hours later. The stress of this project was rough on cardiac health. Or so the smart doctors would say. Those with a desire for self-preservation.
Of course---he reminded himself yet again---he must be somewhat discrete, patient. If the cadre lost too many leaders, guards, or technicians too quickly, his job might be in jeopardy. It was good to keep them wary, as long as they thought they needed him. It would be perilous if he caused them to become too frightened of him.
He had finished most of his first assignment. His bosses must be quite pleased with that. He and his men still needed to guard the Whispered, making certain that the cadre did not try to make them disappear permanently when they were through sorting through their secret knowledge. If he could not accomplish that, the first task would be moot.
He cursed the technicians and their short-sighted supervisors as he strode past them. They were only looking for certain types of information. A wealth of knowledge was pooling at their feet, and they let it lay fallow. It would have been much simpler to pirate any information that they might store away, if only they had chosen to do so. Fools! Fools for not tapping the wealth in their midst. Fools for making his job so much harder.
It would prove difficult enough to kidnap the Whispered from their abductors if the cadre's plans went awry. If the cadre were successful in their plans, his own mission might end in failure. They were fools once again, not knowing that their greatest threats walked among them. He smiled.
The mercenary kept his hand on a small receiver in his pocket. It was set to vibrate whenever he walked by an active transmitter tuned to a specific low band frequency. As he walked by a series of holding cells, he made certain that the unconscious occupants all still had the transmitters he had injected into them.
One of the test beds was opened, its glass canopy oriented upwards. The doctors led a struggling subject towards her cell, preparing to inject her with a strong sedative.
"Wait. I will speak with this one. Give me the auto-injector. Now!" Seeing who it was, the frightened physicians immediately complied. "You may proceed on to your next duties!"
Yes. The young Japanese girl. Kaname Chidori by name. She was attractive and worth his attention. Not as attractive as many of the more mature women, true. But, she had THE connection.
"Miss Chidori, it is good to finally see you awake. I have been awaiting this opportunity." He smiled. It was not a frightening sight, this time.
"W-what?" She shook her head, still disoriented after the procedure. "W-Why? W-who?" She was slowly regaining perspective, trading the Whispered world-within-a-world for a much simpler reality.
"Lets return to your room and get you comfortable. We will have plenty of time to talk... this visit." Kaname did not like the way the stranger had said 'this visit.'
He led Kaname back to her cell, a cold and unsymmetrical room sloppily carved from long hardened lava. She sat down in a chair, and the man sat on the edge of her cot.
"My name is Andras. That is all you need to know now." The man's look was nearly predatory.
"Where am I? What am I doing here? Someone took me against my will!" Suddenly, Kaname was almost as angry as she was scared.
"No, but that will come some day soon." At first Kaname did not know what the young man was hinting at. His look was lustful, and she blushed when she caught his implication. "Conscious, or not...you are at my mercy. Don't think that the doctors or their scientific brethren will care, or will try to intercede on your behalf. They have learned to ignore what they see. At least, the survivors have."
Kaname stood up, preparing to run. But where was she? Where could she go. The man's mood changed quickly, his face becoming furious. "I do NOT like stupidity."
Andras pushed Kaname roughly back into her chair. "I could just take you now, I suppose. If you stop interesting me. You might also turn out to be one of the freaks who die on the machine while they are being tested. The cause, of course, will never be proven!" His look was frightful now.
Scared---and repulsed by the man in front of her---Kaname's curiosity still outweighed her emotions. "Why w-would you find me interesting?"
The man stood again, and walked to stand by Kaname, carressing his hand down her hair and alongside her jaw. "The first reason should be self-evident. An attractive young lady, just coming into the full fruit of her womanhood." He forced his finger inside her mouth. She wanted to bite it with all her strength, but remembered his threats. For the same reason, she did not flinch, did not pull away.
Laughing, the man brushed his lips against her neck, and fleetingly ran a hand down along her thigh. "Your name is neither Hestia, Athena, or Artemis. Only they had the power to resisit Aphrodite's charm. You will come to desire me in time, will you not?" His eyes glowed with unholy desires. "Or, you will come to desire Death more!"
Kaname shuddred. "Sousuke" she said quietly, involuntarily.
"Yes," Andras said "The penultimate reason I am interested in you. Young Sagara." Kaname was surprised. Both by the mention of 'Sagara,' and by a man near Sousuke's age calling him young.
"W-why?" Kaname managed to croak out.
"Ah-h-h-h, not feeling jealous are you? I will pay plenty of attention to you, my dear. Do not fear. Perhaps you may even prove to be my Shamhat."
Seeing Kaname's perplexed look, he continued. "Gilgamesh's friend Enkidu, the wild man, lost much of his power after laying with the harlot."
As Kaname's face showed no recognition of the old Akkadian myth, Andras sneered and continued.
"Never mind that, you'll have no such power over me. Your young friend...and lover, perhaps....?" Correctly reading Kaname's expression, Andras changed his thought in midstream. "Ah, so I shall no doubt have you before he does? I shall certainly hate myself, doing that to a young man who has done me such a great service!" He chuckled evilly.
"S-service?"
"Yes. As I was saying, before I so rudely interupted myself." He broke out into near hysterical laughter, amused at his own joke. "Sergeant Sousuke Sagara removed an irritant from my life, a man whose very existance caused me great discomfort and dissatisfaction. I had tried numerous times to do the deed myself, but the bastard proved hardier than a cockroach!"
"W-who?"
"Who? Why my father of course, may his soul burn in the hottest fires of Hell! It took Sagara long enough to succeed, but the final results are what count, are they not? For that, I owe your young friend more than I can ever possibly repay."
Kaname feverishly tried to figure who Andras was referring to. Memories of her previous kidnapping filled her mind. It did not take long before she had a strong suspicion. She mouthed the word Gauron.
The mercenary was adept at lip-reading. "What? Gauron? You knew of my father? You knew my father? Tell me!"
"Uh...I..."
"TELL ME!!!" The look on Andras's face was enough to stop a man's heart cold. Fortunately for Kaname, it did not have that same effect on a young woman.
Kaname told all that she knew of Gauron, trying to leave her own name out of the telling as best she could.
Andras smiled. Then he laughed quietly. Then his maniacal laugh returned. "Splendid. Oh, that is so very splendid! I can sense you played a bigger role than you want to admit. No matter. I am so glad to hear a more in depth rendering of this tale."
The look he turned on Kaname was calculating. "Yes-s-s-s. You may be worth much more attention than I originally thought. My...my...my. Yes, I will save you for later, I think. With the proper drugs, you may serve as a suitable concubine. The woman who helped finally put that man down for good!" Then, the haunting laughter yet again.
"S-Sousuke?"
"Do you mean what will happen to him? What my attentions are? Where you come into play?" Andras smiled.
"Yes."
"Ah-h-h-h, you are such a sparking conversationalist. Hopefully we can work on that later. But, I think I should give you a taste of history, since you were kind enough to provide me a fuller tale of my...father's...demise." His voice dripped with contempt at the mention of 'father.'
"I can't be sure just how many brothers and sisters I have, or ever had. My father left his seed many places, and made certain it had a chance to grow. Prostitutes. Captives. Wives of people he worked for. Daughters of people who worked for him. He was a lustful man, it seems...and a man with great power and few fears." There was almost a touch of respect or envy in his voice.
"He wanted to have some tie to the future, but he never wanted to know much about his children. Sometimes, some infernal instinct brought him by to see me. Eventually, through means I am not proud of, I convinced my mother to tell me of him. I will not share THAT tale with you! My mother's three sisters had come across his wake as well. Some of my half siblings were my cousins as it turned out."
"We all grew up angry and hateful. I made certain of that. We had a common goal, and swore a common oath. My half-brother Kimaris was brave and fortunate. He made an attempt on our father, but failed. I let him escape with his life. I inflicted few injuries of my own...he was talented, and had my father's good fortune." There was a strong undercurrent of respect in his voice.
"My half-brother Zepar was a different story. He had been formed of weaker stuff. His nerve broke when he had our father in his sights. His neck broke when I had it in my hands."
Andras was quiet, reminiscing. His smile was pure evil when he recounted his half-brother's fate.
"My half-sister Paimonia." Andras's look was strained, as various emotions warred with one another. "We shared tender moments in our youth. Those moments helped to turn her into a different type of weapon. She planned to seduce our father, then poison him. She failed, and he sold her into prostitution. She was a frail girl, and by reports did not live much longer." Another reason to hate his father.
Kaname was struck by how much Andras reminded her of Gauron. Wisely, she said nothing of that. How could a son that hated his father so much turn out so much like him? Quite possibly worse than him!
She wished Sousuke was there with her now.
"But, it seems I have been a discourteous host. That's SO unlike me...." He chuckled, and wiped a smack speck of spittle from his mouth. "Young Sagara. I have heard much about him. Not only has he done me the greatest favor anyone ever has...he might prove to be a worthy opponent. Aside from my father, I have never had one." His eyes glassed over slightly.
"An Arm Slave match with him---our machines are roughly equal---now THAT would be something to dream of. I am sorely tempted to let him know of your whereabouts, just to draw him here." That laughter again. A number of scientists walking by heard the strident sound, and quickly headed back in the direction they came.
"Y-You don't think he could defeat you?" Kaname was worried about more than just herself now.
"Who can say? THAT'S what would make it so exciting, so worthwhile!!!" Sanity returned to his eyes. "But, I suppose I should be patient. When my mission here is complete, I can take you with me---they should grant me that much. We could then seek out Sagara and write our epic!"
Yes, Andras treasured epics, embraced things larger than life.
"We all need challenges, don't we? I shall go to the great forest and kill Humbaba the Terrible! I will even do it while he is wearing all of his armor. I may even spare him when he is down at my knees, unless my Enkidu appears and urges his death." He thought a moment, his smile growing feral. "Of course, with a great sweep of my sword, I could remove his head and gain great and widespread fame!"
The man's barely controlled bloodthirst and reconstituted insanity were more frightening than anything Kaname had ever faced.
Andras walked over to Kaname and slowly looked her up and down. He smiled a crooked smile. "After Gilgamesh defeated Humbaba, he attracted the sexual attention of the goddess Ishtar. Perhaps you could be MY Ishtar."
Kaname felt naked before that gaze. She couldn't help her reaction. She shivered and shook her head. "Sousuke" she whispered.
Andras laughed, seeing her fear. "Of course, Gilgamesh refused and insulted her. He knew the fate of her countless mortal lovers...they all met with dire fates at her hands. Ah-h-h-h. Yes. Perhaps that is the way I shall repay young Sagara. By keeping you away from him, I save him from a fate he is too naive to be wary of."
The look that the maniacal mercenary turned on Kaname was devoid of humanity. "Of course, that means that I shall have to make certain to destroy you utterly, if it ever seems as if he might win!!!"
He looked at his watch then. "I must apologize. I do not have any more time to spare for you today. Besides, this has been too much excitement for you. I am interested in your well-being, am I not?"
Andras picked up the auto-injector. "Pleasant dreams. Perhaps we'll meet each other again---there." He gave Kaname the sedative.
Kaname's vision faded to black. Her consciousness obediently followed.
The young mercenary left Kaname in her chair. His interest in her would remain dormant for the rest of the day. As he continued on his appointed rounds, his thoughts stayed strongly focused on Sousuke.
He thought of a tale his mother once told him, a taste of her Gypsy inheritence.
A great dragon once appeared and lay waste to the earth. Nicholaos arose to stop its destruction. He forged himself claws of iron and wrapped himself in the hides of seven oxen. Thus equipped, he called the dragon down and challenged it...but NOT to a test of strength...to a test of luck!
The wager? Their skins. The dice were thrown and Nicholaos lost. In went the dragon's claws, and off came an ox's hide. And Nicholaos called for the dice.
Again the dice were cast. Again Nicholaos lost. Another hide came off...Nicholaos called for the dice...and the dragon began to sweat.
The dice were cast once more, and this time Nicholaos won. In went his claws of iron, and off came the dragon's hide. The dragon died, and Nicholaos was left with a lovely souvenir.
Andras laughed at the message: it was better to be lucky than to be good!!!
Of course, he was lucky AND good. His luck was the one thing he never regretted inheriting from his father! And, he would not rely on luck alone. He hoped with all his heart that he would be able to meet Sagara some day. If he was so fortunate, he would make certain to bring his own oxhides.
************************************************************
*T?*
@Te?@
#T? T? T?#
%Tes?%
&T?&
+T?+ - T?-
*Tess?* @Tes?@ $Te?$ & T?&
*@#Tessa?&%*
Even drugged, the Whispered mind recieved the communication. The small young woman---platinum hair disheveled and hospital gown soiled---attempted to make sense of the mesage...attempted to respond.
"W-w-wh..." was all that her mouth could voice. The doctors and technicians monitoring her were puzzled. Why was this one trying to speak? The brain wave monitor indicated she was still asleep. The intravenous pump still had sufficient sedative in its reservoir, and the infusion rate was properly set. They chalked it up as an aberrant physiologic event and turned their attention to other test subjects.
<*<*< TESSA!!! Teletha!!! Little flower!>*>*>
>@>@> I...I...I...I sense. I...I...I...can sense. I...I...you. I can. Can sense. You. Can sense you. I...I...I can sense. You. I can sense you<@<@<
<*<*< Yes, you can, Tessa. Can you comprehend? Will you remember what I send to you?>*>*>
>@>@> I...I...I...Tessa. I Tessa. I Tessa I Tessa I. I...I...I<@<@<
<*<*< TESSA!!! T*E*S*S*A!!! !T!E!S!S!A! You MUST comprehend. You MUST remember>*>*>
>@>@>W-wh-wh-w-who?<@<@<
<*<*<Just RECEIVE, Tessa! REMEMBER! No questions.>*>*>
>@>@>I receive. I remember<@<@<
<*<*<Good. VERY GOOD! You know me. You will recognize me when you wake. You will show NO recognition. We will speak as strangers, but will find ways to communicate. You will attempt no further communication by mind. Our link is too close, our patterns too similar. You must earn life>*>*>
>@>@>REMEMBER! Remember. Will. Live<@<@<
*************************************************************
The tall slender man, carrying a notebook and a medical bag, made his way to the holding area. Some of the captives were awake, sitting morose, depressed, or unhappily ignorant in their dark and dank cinderblock cells. Small space heaters fought valiantly against the omnipresent chill and draft. Malodorous buckets served a centuries old purpose.
There were no agitated or active captives. That was not allowed. The guards were not concerned about the additive adverse effects of sedatives. They were given simple tasks to perform and they performed them to the letter. Thinking was left up to the eggheads. Decisions were left up to the big bosses. Their tasks were simple. No one escaped. No one injured themself or any other captives. Shouting, screaming, excessive motion, and untoward actions were not permitted.
She would be in one of the last cells. Out of the general view. He had made certain of that, tampering with the cell assignments through untraceable computer techniques. There was still a camera whose angle of viewing he was familiar with. There would still be hidden microphones. Gas vents were present and could not be readily blocked.
The small underground holding area was modeled after modern gulags. Camps on the Russian mainland, unofficially housing North Korean workers---secretly indentured to pay off thier country's massive debts---were not better built than this temporary facility.
He shook his head. The cadre members were certainly pragmatists. Not a penny was spared in the research and medical areas. The weapons and technologies areas also were lavishly overbuilt. The living quarters were decidedly less well provided for. The holding cells bordered on the barbaric.
She was awake. She was not looking in his direction yet. Her threadbare hospital gown was worse for wear, and her leggings did not look much better. There was actually straw in her cot. There was straw lining the floor. This looked more like a stable than any place fit for human inhabitants. He had told the cadre members that psychological tactics would gain them nothing extra from the Whispered. While they did not state it outright, it appeared that they were of the opinion that the prisoners were already dead but didn't know it yet. Why should anyone care how they were treated?
He signalled to the guard to unlock the door. The guard complied, muttering under his breath. At the sound of the jangling keys, clunking lock, and squeaking door, the captive lifted her head, her red-rimmed eyes taking in the sight of her newest visitor. She did well. There was no sign of recognition. No flash of emotions, good or bad.
"Under truth agents, you gave your name as Teletha Tesstarossa. That matches with the name supplied by intelligence operatives and the harvester team. Is this correct?"
She nodded her head sullenly. "And your name?" Her voice was weak to the untrained ear. There was a subtle rise and fall in intensity, a personal Morse Code they had created as children, united against the tyranny of their parents. She was prepared for any hidden facts he was willing to provide.
*Her first clandestine query was: ' you bad? good?"*
"You should be clever enough to know that I will not tell you that. But, it seems to be a natural instinct for hopeless captives to try and acquire pointless information."
*His answer: "interpretation."*
Tessa frowned. Same old Renardo. "Would it hurt to ask where I am being held. Certainly you can do me that courtesy?"
*"please."*
Same old Tessa. Even her secret messages sounded plaintive. "It would not hurt to ask. I must apologize again, unable to give you any answer. Beisdes, what possible good could it do you?"
*Coordinates: "75 N. 61 E."*
His voice was so haughty, so damn superior. The longitude and latitude would place this location somewhere north and east to Siberia.
"Then, unless I am mistaken, you will also refrain from telling me why I was kidnapped, drugged, and dragged down into this godforsaken place. And no doubt you will not tell me just who you are working for, or who could possibly have an interest in me?"
*"How find me? Who boss?"*
She should be able to do better than righteous indignation! "Regrettable, but true. I am but a simple servant, performing an important task I was contracted to. Mt superiors must remain anonymous. Professionally, I am beholden to keep our current allies' identity secret as well. I am certain that an intelligent young woman like yourself can see the appropriateness in that approach."
*"Pakistan. Over-reach. Mind. Whisper trace. No tell."*
Arrogant. Selfish. Wrong-headed. Again! "Why are you here to see me, if you can tell me nothing? What possible purpose can I serve you, after the countless times they have drugged me, placed me on strange machines, and caused my mind to spin strangely with numbers, smells, sounds, and things I cannot put a name to? Why do you have that pad and that bag?"
*"Don't be father." "Gloating?" "Why?"*
Bitch! He was NOT being like their father! She needed to remember her place. Did she think she was his equal? His voice became angry, without any acting.
"You had best remember your place! I am here to question you. Answering, and answering honestly and with respect, may gain you nothing...answering falsely, or behaving in a disrespectful fashion, may gain you things you never knew you did not want. My agenda belongs to ME...no one else. You, at this moment, also belong to ME...it would be best that you remember that simple reality!"
His anger was real. She had certainly struck a sore spot. He was intent on putting her in her 'place' again.
*His demand: "Don't push. Don't expect. Don't mistake. Horse mouth."
Was he insulting her? No, not likely. Don't look a gift horse in the mouth? Probably. What was he thinking? What was he offering?
"I understand."
"Good. It is refreshing to see someone who knows their place!" Well sister, how do you like that one?
Renardo picked up the notebook and leafed through it. "They have been thorough in their description of your examinations. It would be good to see if anything has changed significantly. We would not want to lose you before we tap your full potential. We do not wish to waste a single drop of knowledge. Who knows what simple fact or equation might provide the key we are searching for?"
*"Play along. Tools. You change side. Family again."*
Tessa saw her brother rummaging through the medical bag. He was not a trained physician, but had learned a lot of medicine from texts. Hopefully he wasn't planning on doing any procedures on her! Changing sides? Was he asking her to join his unknown agency? He was dangling the possibility of being a small family again as bait?
"I have no choice but to submit. I know I cannot ask for specifics. But, can you please tell me something about what you are trying to accomplish here. In a broad scope, naming no names. and telling nothing of specific intentions. It would also be good to hear someone talk. It is so quiet and so lonely here. Surely there can be no harm in talking to a captive with no ability to escape?"
*"Why change? Why not you? I part family team."*
"I will consider your request in a moment."
He removed a sphyngnomanometer from the doctor's bag. He adeptly used it to mask another object from the camera's view. The potential of the small device was clearly not lost on his sister, given the flicker of her eyelashes. She would be curious why such a device might be needed. He would let her think about that question.
The cuff in place, Renardo started to inflate it. Reaching for a stethoscope, he blocked the camera's view of Tessa only momentarily. At that very moment he placed the ultra-high frequency emitter against the back of his sisters necked and discharged it. That should render the injected transmitter--put in place by a cadre doctor secretly working for his organization--inoperative.
He continued to perform a cursory medical examination as a suitable misdirection.
"Well, will I live?" Tessa asked when he was done.
Renardo smiled. "What man or woman truly knows their time? The only thing you can do is hope. I cannot tell you if that hope is warranted...."
*Is not*
"...but it is all you have now. I would not dwell on that question if I were you. It can serve no purpose. And I acnnot and will not offer any promises or reassurances."
*I only key you.*
He put all of his equipment away. Walking carefully around the disgusting bucket, he sat on a small stool in the rear corner of the room.
"I suppose I can spare a few moments of discourse. If you are capable of listening, perhaps you will learn something." He smiled as he said that.
*This time*
"What purpose can you serve? What good might your secrets do? Let's see, how can I explain this to you? Do you know anything about Titans and Giants?" His voice was confident.
*My side big*
"I know a little something from contemporary mythology." Tessa was curious to see where he was going with this.
"That will have to do, I suppose. What are Titans and Giants? Why should we bother with them? How might we relate to them? Some of the questions require doing rather than reading, so I cannot give you all of the answers that countless men have been chasing after for so long."
Tessa was alerted to watch for hints between the lines in addition to their secret code.
"As one might expect, answers can be found in ancestral mythic tradition. In the ancient stories, we discover how the roles of gigantic forces developed in the eyes of historic man. Worldwide, there are three classes of primal stories about such beings. I will use European sources as a working model for many such stories in many cultures."
European based. Worldwide in its reach. Developed from older better known groups. But mythical, not proven.
"Titans and Giants are essentially spiritual beings, no matter how some fables or nursery rhymes describe them. Their bodies often conform to zones of the planet or continents...or of the oceans, mountains, volcanoes, and vast weather patterns. This is why tradition attributes tidal waves, earthquakes, eruptions, and storms to the actions of Titans or Giants."
Working for another group wanting to control the world. With the ability to harness the weather and geophysical events.
"The first class of primal stories are the creation myths. In those stories, the bodies of those vast beings are dismembered or willingly sacrificed to create the world. Mir the Ice Giant, whose skull makes up the vault of the sky in Norse myth. The dismemberment of Ra in Egyptian myth. The ancient Kabbalistic tradition of the Adan Kadmon or universal being. All these tell the same story in different ways. And there are countless similar examples."
His group will attempt to sacrifice the other. Perhaps use the other group's discoveries to recreate the world in their own image. But there are many different prizes to be won.
"The second class of stories describe mentoring. Such myths have been given less attention over the years, but are still important today, if we seek to consciously work with natural forces to redeem the damage done to out living planet. In many cultures and stories, the larger beings are described as mentors of humanity---teaching arts, sciences, mathematics, music, agriculture, and so forth."
He offers to be her mentor, something he had refused over the years. He wants to repair the damage he did to their relationship.
"A typical mentoring myth is the ancient Greek---or pre-Greek---story of Atlas, the Titan who founds Atlantis, and whose sons become kings of civilization. Another is found in the Old Testament, and in the book of Enoch, wherein giants inter-marry with humans, and teach skills, arts, and magic. In Celtic tradition, certain immortals or semi-divine beings came into the world and taught humanity the arts of civilization. They are often described to be of giant size, such as the members of the Tuatha De Danaan...though they were of lesser significance than others."
If the other group shrugs the wrong way, the world will fall. There is more than one group with access to Black Technology. Mithril is by no certainty the mightiest of such groups. If Tessa crosses over to the other side, perhaps disasters can be circumvented.
"Another example was the Welsh Titan Bran, who---according to the legend told in the Mabinogion---wades into the Irish Sea and carries poets and musicians upon his sturdy back as he bridges a mighty river with his body. The father of Bran was Llyr, the god of the Atlantic Ocean and the Celtic equivalent of Poseidon, who was the Greek god of tidal waves and earthquakes. His trident was not the only power he had over mankind."
The weapons at the cadre's disposal could make Trident missiles and other weapons of mass destruction useless. The Whispered are sought as a bridge, as bringers of needed science.
"The third group of myths are the destruction myths. These serve to balance the creation myths, with the mentoring myths assuming a role at the center, the place of greatest peace. You no doubt no the Norse Myth of Ragnorok, one of the many stories sung about in various operas. In that story, the Giants try to bring the Fimbulwinter that ends the world, toppling the gods and goddesses of Asgard. A similar theme is found in ancient Greek legends, which tell of the Titans who raise storms, earthquakes, and tidal waves in their war with Olympian dieties, whom they are said to oppose. We find similar tales in Celtic mythology, which while more obscure, still has some significance. Warring and destructive Giants are found in those stories."
The nerve of him! Making reference to her visit to the opera to see Gotterdammerung. The cadre is opposed to the current world order---and of course, their less than exalted place in it---and would rather risk seeing the world destroyed than allow things to continue as they are. He is implying that Mithril's capabilities---while not insignificant---are not as likely to avert world catastrophe as those of his group.
"Now, we must be careful in our interpretation of some myths---some tell of one form of religion replacing another, and that is often a form of propaganda. For example, in Celtic tradition, the Gaels in Scotland and Ireland told that the Faery races were angels that had fallen out of Heaven with Lucifer, only to become embodied in the earth. This is a Christianized retelling of an older tradition, similar to that of the Titans. Such stories, and many other older tales worldwide, tell of spiritual forces that move between the planets of the solar system affecting life here on earth, possibly going as far as to alter the earth's orbit or its relationshop to the sun."
Do not assume his group's goals are evil in themselves, simply because they have found less savory methods to serve them best. And, the threat currently facing the earth is of Biblical proportions. Misused, the titanic powers could spark a life-ending solar catstrophe.
Tessa gasped, and placed her hands over her mouth. She began to chew on her fingernails.
Renardo nodded. Yes, this is serious business.
"So, what more can we say about Titans and Giants? Myths about Titans and Giants are not simply unsophisticated tales trying to explain why we have eathquakes, volcanoes, and tidal waves. They are models of relationships. They tell us how tremendous forces can shape humanity. And, we all live on the land that forms this planet, and that land and this planet are changed by our actions."
You can work with me, sister. We can help shape the future of this world. We can prevent the destructive actions of nations and of power hungry madmen.
"Mankind has tampered with the weather, by means of pollution, industrialization, and other means that ignore long-term consequences in favor of short-term greed. We have altered telluiric patterns through underground and undersea nuclear explosions. The relationship between humanity and the forces embodied into Titans and Giants is changing, and changing for the worse. In our folly, man has taken the knowledge brought to us through the Titans, and had perverted it to serve his selfish and unethical desires. We must learn to understand the lessons we have been shown, before it is too late for us all."
He hates what big business, governments, and national pride has done to the world. He realizes the problems that face the world, but is powerless to do anything on his own. He has cast his lot with a dangerous crowd with questionable methods, but considers any means to be acceptable if it preserves the world for everyone's benefit.
Tessa could not help herself. She wrinkled her nose as if she smelled something foul. She made a big show of scratching herself. "I hope I haven't gotten fleas. I am not a dog."
Her message was clear. If one lies down with dogs, one wakes up with fleas.
"Being alive with discomfort certainly beats the alternative. And, some dogs have a good life. Better than some people."
His message was clear as well.
"Where was I? Yes, we must learn our lessons before it is too late. What the world needs is a sense of humility. It requires a sense of perspective. As it stands now, the nations of the world think we are going faster and getting better. Instead, we are moving closer and closer to the brink of destruction."
She should not be so proud as to overlook his truths. He has seen the bigger picture and knows what needs to be done.
Renardo was certain that his sister had gotten the points he had put across. His next words would be mainly for the benefit of the camera. And, the inflection changes would pass along some final thoughts to his sister.
"The group I work for is not blind to the problems of the world. In that very way, we are allies to Titans and to Giants. But, in a more concrete sense, we are allied to a group of visionaries who want to bring wisdom to mankind. They wish to create a better world if they are allowed the chance. They wish to serve as mentors, showing the people of this planet the proper path to travel down. But, if necessary, they will bring destruction for man's sake. You, and those like you, may contain the very keys needed to help those visionary Giants bring peace, wisdom, and knowledge to mankind as a whole. In a very real sense, the world is counting on you. I hope you keep this in mind while you are waiting here, selfishly worrying about your own fate. That is all the time I can spare. I cannot say if I will speak with you again."
*"No. Cadre garbage. My group good end. You help. No selfish. Choose.*
"I see. That was ceratinly a lot to comprehend. I need time to think on this. There are always two sides to every story and the most certain of men are not always the most correct. The end is not the only thing, and sometimes the price is too high. Oh...listen to me blathering...I haven't talked to anyone for days now. Maybe I just like to hear myself speak. I apologize. I must be quite an unpleasant sight."
*One lose soul can also lose sight*
Renardo stood and stared at Tessa wordlessly for a few moments, frowning. Then, pushing his hair back, he quickly left the room without looking back.
Tessa collapsed upon her cot, exhausted physically, mentally, and emotionally. She had a fair understanding of why she was here, and for a brief moment considered ending her own life, in order to keep whatever knowledge remained inside her head a secret. But, that was not the way. Besides, her observers would likely thwart any such attempt, and she would no doubt be placed in a straight jacket or some other worse contrivance.
There was so much to think through, none of it good. Deadly alliances. Secrets within secrets. The world at great risk. And her brother.
He had offered her choices, and there was some logic in what he said. But, Tessa had no desire to walk dark paths in order to deliver light. Those who walked dark paths most often embraced the dark, not the light.
Someone who wants to see something badly enough can often convince himself that the thing is actually there, or near at hand. Her brother had always been too gifted for his own good. He dedicated so much time to his intellect and physical gifts, that he allowed his wisdom and common sense to atrophy.
He could no longer see far enough beyond himself. Thinking himself too clever to be a pawn, he made himself a powerful puppet.
Tessa still had hope. If not for herself, then for the world. She was one of the few people who knew of one of Mithril's 'small' successes with Black Technology. Not every breakthrough could be measured solely by the size of its product. The TDD-1 was miraculous. So was Arbalest. But something much smaller might prove the miracle that the world needed.
When Mithril had started to rescue, guard, and trail the Whispered, Tessa had a fortunate confluence of events. One Whispered had contained knowledge leading to the design and construction of ultra-small transmitters, difficult to detect physically. Their signals could not be detected or traced by normal means, but could easily be followed by means of the complimentary technology. While she was brainstorming such discoveries, a fierce toothache had led her to her dentist, and had left her with a new filling.
Two seemingly separate events soon became one. The transmitters could be hidden in teeth. Most individuals visited the dentist somewhat regularly. Those who might not could still be brought to the dentist by means they would not remember. There was a dentist on the TDD-1 and another one at the Pacific Base. Dentists under Mithril employment visited different cities just the way Mithril's soldiers did. A large majority of the Whispered that Mithril knew of now carried the transmiters---unknowingly.
No interrogation process could reveal a fact the Whispered did not know. Without similar Black Technology, the transmitters would not be found. Tessa had built a mental wall around her knowledge of the project. The wall might not prevent discovery of that fact, if someone knew how and where to look. But, she would know if the wall was breeched. So far, it remained intact.
Yes. She still had reason to hope.
*************************************************************
The stocky dark-haired young man cursed as he walked down one of a series of tunnels cut into the dark volcanic rock. A string of temporary lights ran the length of the passageway. The already dim light was diminished by someone's idea of a joke, or somebody's need to add a spark of color to the bleak depths of the dormant volcano. Tiki lights and festive globes cast colored lights amongst the shadows.
As he walked, the ill-tempered mercenary skewered random globes with his dagger. Yes---that would be something to do later---he would find out who hung these ridiculous globes. Were it one of the few women voluntarily present on this island, she would afford him some perfumed release before she left this world. If it was a man, he would serve as a suitable live test subject for some of the new weaponry on his Arm Slave. He smiled. Maybe the lights weren't so bad after all.
Suddenly cheerful, he whistled a lively tune. It was time to herd sheep. He hadn't visited the scientists or doctors today, and he didn't want them to think he had stopped caring. He also hadn't checked in on the human crop his benefactors were so interested in. Business before pleasure.
The lighting in the roughly hewn cavern was significantly better. Large power cables crossed the floor like sleeping pythons. Some led to a thermal energy plant drilled deep into the earth's core. Others led to gasoline powered back up generators. Work crews were busy laying new larger cables that would run to the small breeder reactors.
As was his habit, the dark haired man flicked random switches on and off as he passed by large banks of computers, chemical analysers, and esoteric medical equipment. He pushed over a coffee maker, and roughly shoved a technician off of his stool and on top of it.
"Your coffee sucks. Get something better. Before next time." The frightened man left quickly. Why did he have to do all of the important things himself? The shadow group he was on loan to certainly was lax in its discipline, or inept in its choice of personnel. Quite possibly both.
The laboratory guards saw him coming. He could almost taste their fear. These were the men chosen to keep the Whispered safe? These were ex-soldiers and choice mercenaries, paid to watch over the busy research team? He laughed loudly, stopping only when he needed to catch his breath.
He pulled one man's rifle from his grasp, and turned to shoot him in the foot for his mistake. What? The safety was on?
"You had the safety on? What if a commando team came rushing into this room. No matter, you have reason to rejoice---you will serve as a shining example to your comrades. You are today's lesson." The safety now off, the angry young man shot the guard in one of his eyes. With satisfaction, he noted the other guards flick their safeties off.
A number of the cadre members had been in the room, and one of them rushed up when he saw what happened. "What the bloody hell do you think you are doing, you maniac!!! Your superiors reassured us that you would keep yourself under control. You are here as a specialized guard, part of the island's defence force. We are at more risk from your actions than from any enemy." The man was enraged.
"I am working on defenses. A bad guard can cost you more than you can afford to lose. As for my superiors, when they direct me to change my approach, I shall listen." He smoothly changed the subject. "Just which of you big wigs are indespensable?" The man's curiosity was nearly a malevolent entity in its own right. His question carried ominous portent.
"W-we ALL are" the cadre member put in quickly, the look of fear imprinted in his eyes. "But that is none of your concern."
"True" the mercenary admitted. "Until you no longer serve my bosses' needs." He smiled. The other man did not want to know what he might be thinking.
"Uh...I wouldn't be so quick to rush to judgment, if I were you. The project we are working on will make US the masters, and your group would do well to stay on friendly terms with us. With ALL of us." The man had some spark in him after all.
"Yes, I see." He knocked the older man aside, dropping a small object into his coat pocket as he passed. If the cadre member was vigilant, it would save his life and gain the mercenary's respect. If not, another unexplained death would occur when the gas capsule degenerated a few hours later. The stress of this project was rough on cardiac health. Or so the smart doctors would say. Those with a desire for self-preservation.
Of course---he reminded himself yet again---he must be somewhat discrete, patient. If the cadre lost too many leaders, guards, or technicians too quickly, his job might be in jeopardy. It was good to keep them wary, as long as they thought they needed him. It would be perilous if he caused them to become too frightened of him.
He had finished most of his first assignment. His bosses must be quite pleased with that. He and his men still needed to guard the Whispered, making certain that the cadre did not try to make them disappear permanently when they were through sorting through their secret knowledge. If he could not accomplish that, the first task would be moot.
He cursed the technicians and their short-sighted supervisors as he strode past them. They were only looking for certain types of information. A wealth of knowledge was pooling at their feet, and they let it lay fallow. It would have been much simpler to pirate any information that they might store away, if only they had chosen to do so. Fools! Fools for not tapping the wealth in their midst. Fools for making his job so much harder.
It would prove difficult enough to kidnap the Whispered from their abductors if the cadre's plans went awry. If the cadre were successful in their plans, his own mission might end in failure. They were fools once again, not knowing that their greatest threats walked among them. He smiled.
The mercenary kept his hand on a small receiver in his pocket. It was set to vibrate whenever he walked by an active transmitter tuned to a specific low band frequency. As he walked by a series of holding cells, he made certain that the unconscious occupants all still had the transmitters he had injected into them.
One of the test beds was opened, its glass canopy oriented upwards. The doctors led a struggling subject towards her cell, preparing to inject her with a strong sedative.
"Wait. I will speak with this one. Give me the auto-injector. Now!" Seeing who it was, the frightened physicians immediately complied. "You may proceed on to your next duties!"
Yes. The young Japanese girl. Kaname Chidori by name. She was attractive and worth his attention. Not as attractive as many of the more mature women, true. But, she had THE connection.
"Miss Chidori, it is good to finally see you awake. I have been awaiting this opportunity." He smiled. It was not a frightening sight, this time.
"W-what?" She shook her head, still disoriented after the procedure. "W-Why? W-who?" She was slowly regaining perspective, trading the Whispered world-within-a-world for a much simpler reality.
"Lets return to your room and get you comfortable. We will have plenty of time to talk... this visit." Kaname did not like the way the stranger had said 'this visit.'
He led Kaname back to her cell, a cold and unsymmetrical room sloppily carved from long hardened lava. She sat down in a chair, and the man sat on the edge of her cot.
"My name is Andras. That is all you need to know now." The man's look was nearly predatory.
"Where am I? What am I doing here? Someone took me against my will!" Suddenly, Kaname was almost as angry as she was scared.
"No, but that will come some day soon." At first Kaname did not know what the young man was hinting at. His look was lustful, and she blushed when she caught his implication. "Conscious, or not...you are at my mercy. Don't think that the doctors or their scientific brethren will care, or will try to intercede on your behalf. They have learned to ignore what they see. At least, the survivors have."
Kaname stood up, preparing to run. But where was she? Where could she go. The man's mood changed quickly, his face becoming furious. "I do NOT like stupidity."
Andras pushed Kaname roughly back into her chair. "I could just take you now, I suppose. If you stop interesting me. You might also turn out to be one of the freaks who die on the machine while they are being tested. The cause, of course, will never be proven!" His look was frightful now.
Scared---and repulsed by the man in front of her---Kaname's curiosity still outweighed her emotions. "Why w-would you find me interesting?"
The man stood again, and walked to stand by Kaname, carressing his hand down her hair and alongside her jaw. "The first reason should be self-evident. An attractive young lady, just coming into the full fruit of her womanhood." He forced his finger inside her mouth. She wanted to bite it with all her strength, but remembered his threats. For the same reason, she did not flinch, did not pull away.
Laughing, the man brushed his lips against her neck, and fleetingly ran a hand down along her thigh. "Your name is neither Hestia, Athena, or Artemis. Only they had the power to resisit Aphrodite's charm. You will come to desire me in time, will you not?" His eyes glowed with unholy desires. "Or, you will come to desire Death more!"
Kaname shuddred. "Sousuke" she said quietly, involuntarily.
"Yes," Andras said "The penultimate reason I am interested in you. Young Sagara." Kaname was surprised. Both by the mention of 'Sagara,' and by a man near Sousuke's age calling him young.
"W-why?" Kaname managed to croak out.
"Ah-h-h-h, not feeling jealous are you? I will pay plenty of attention to you, my dear. Do not fear. Perhaps you may even prove to be my Shamhat."
Seeing Kaname's perplexed look, he continued. "Gilgamesh's friend Enkidu, the wild man, lost much of his power after laying with the harlot."
As Kaname's face showed no recognition of the old Akkadian myth, Andras sneered and continued.
"Never mind that, you'll have no such power over me. Your young friend...and lover, perhaps....?" Correctly reading Kaname's expression, Andras changed his thought in midstream. "Ah, so I shall no doubt have you before he does? I shall certainly hate myself, doing that to a young man who has done me such a great service!" He chuckled evilly.
"S-service?"
"Yes. As I was saying, before I so rudely interupted myself." He broke out into near hysterical laughter, amused at his own joke. "Sergeant Sousuke Sagara removed an irritant from my life, a man whose very existance caused me great discomfort and dissatisfaction. I had tried numerous times to do the deed myself, but the bastard proved hardier than a cockroach!"
"W-who?"
"Who? Why my father of course, may his soul burn in the hottest fires of Hell! It took Sagara long enough to succeed, but the final results are what count, are they not? For that, I owe your young friend more than I can ever possibly repay."
Kaname feverishly tried to figure who Andras was referring to. Memories of her previous kidnapping filled her mind. It did not take long before she had a strong suspicion. She mouthed the word Gauron.
The mercenary was adept at lip-reading. "What? Gauron? You knew of my father? You knew my father? Tell me!"
"Uh...I..."
"TELL ME!!!" The look on Andras's face was enough to stop a man's heart cold. Fortunately for Kaname, it did not have that same effect on a young woman.
Kaname told all that she knew of Gauron, trying to leave her own name out of the telling as best she could.
Andras smiled. Then he laughed quietly. Then his maniacal laugh returned. "Splendid. Oh, that is so very splendid! I can sense you played a bigger role than you want to admit. No matter. I am so glad to hear a more in depth rendering of this tale."
The look he turned on Kaname was calculating. "Yes-s-s-s. You may be worth much more attention than I originally thought. My...my...my. Yes, I will save you for later, I think. With the proper drugs, you may serve as a suitable concubine. The woman who helped finally put that man down for good!" Then, the haunting laughter yet again.
"S-Sousuke?"
"Do you mean what will happen to him? What my attentions are? Where you come into play?" Andras smiled.
"Yes."
"Ah-h-h-h, you are such a sparking conversationalist. Hopefully we can work on that later. But, I think I should give you a taste of history, since you were kind enough to provide me a fuller tale of my...father's...demise." His voice dripped with contempt at the mention of 'father.'
"I can't be sure just how many brothers and sisters I have, or ever had. My father left his seed many places, and made certain it had a chance to grow. Prostitutes. Captives. Wives of people he worked for. Daughters of people who worked for him. He was a lustful man, it seems...and a man with great power and few fears." There was almost a touch of respect or envy in his voice.
"He wanted to have some tie to the future, but he never wanted to know much about his children. Sometimes, some infernal instinct brought him by to see me. Eventually, through means I am not proud of, I convinced my mother to tell me of him. I will not share THAT tale with you! My mother's three sisters had come across his wake as well. Some of my half siblings were my cousins as it turned out."
"We all grew up angry and hateful. I made certain of that. We had a common goal, and swore a common oath. My half-brother Kimaris was brave and fortunate. He made an attempt on our father, but failed. I let him escape with his life. I inflicted few injuries of my own...he was talented, and had my father's good fortune." There was a strong undercurrent of respect in his voice.
"My half-brother Zepar was a different story. He had been formed of weaker stuff. His nerve broke when he had our father in his sights. His neck broke when I had it in my hands."
Andras was quiet, reminiscing. His smile was pure evil when he recounted his half-brother's fate.
"My half-sister Paimonia." Andras's look was strained, as various emotions warred with one another. "We shared tender moments in our youth. Those moments helped to turn her into a different type of weapon. She planned to seduce our father, then poison him. She failed, and he sold her into prostitution. She was a frail girl, and by reports did not live much longer." Another reason to hate his father.
Kaname was struck by how much Andras reminded her of Gauron. Wisely, she said nothing of that. How could a son that hated his father so much turn out so much like him? Quite possibly worse than him!
She wished Sousuke was there with her now.
"But, it seems I have been a discourteous host. That's SO unlike me...." He chuckled, and wiped a smack speck of spittle from his mouth. "Young Sagara. I have heard much about him. Not only has he done me the greatest favor anyone ever has...he might prove to be a worthy opponent. Aside from my father, I have never had one." His eyes glassed over slightly.
"An Arm Slave match with him---our machines are roughly equal---now THAT would be something to dream of. I am sorely tempted to let him know of your whereabouts, just to draw him here." That laughter again. A number of scientists walking by heard the strident sound, and quickly headed back in the direction they came.
"Y-You don't think he could defeat you?" Kaname was worried about more than just herself now.
"Who can say? THAT'S what would make it so exciting, so worthwhile!!!" Sanity returned to his eyes. "But, I suppose I should be patient. When my mission here is complete, I can take you with me---they should grant me that much. We could then seek out Sagara and write our epic!"
Yes, Andras treasured epics, embraced things larger than life.
"We all need challenges, don't we? I shall go to the great forest and kill Humbaba the Terrible! I will even do it while he is wearing all of his armor. I may even spare him when he is down at my knees, unless my Enkidu appears and urges his death." He thought a moment, his smile growing feral. "Of course, with a great sweep of my sword, I could remove his head and gain great and widespread fame!"
The man's barely controlled bloodthirst and reconstituted insanity were more frightening than anything Kaname had ever faced.
Andras walked over to Kaname and slowly looked her up and down. He smiled a crooked smile. "After Gilgamesh defeated Humbaba, he attracted the sexual attention of the goddess Ishtar. Perhaps you could be MY Ishtar."
Kaname felt naked before that gaze. She couldn't help her reaction. She shivered and shook her head. "Sousuke" she whispered.
Andras laughed, seeing her fear. "Of course, Gilgamesh refused and insulted her. He knew the fate of her countless mortal lovers...they all met with dire fates at her hands. Ah-h-h-h. Yes. Perhaps that is the way I shall repay young Sagara. By keeping you away from him, I save him from a fate he is too naive to be wary of."
The look that the maniacal mercenary turned on Kaname was devoid of humanity. "Of course, that means that I shall have to make certain to destroy you utterly, if it ever seems as if he might win!!!"
He looked at his watch then. "I must apologize. I do not have any more time to spare for you today. Besides, this has been too much excitement for you. I am interested in your well-being, am I not?"
Andras picked up the auto-injector. "Pleasant dreams. Perhaps we'll meet each other again---there." He gave Kaname the sedative.
Kaname's vision faded to black. Her consciousness obediently followed.
The young mercenary left Kaname in her chair. His interest in her would remain dormant for the rest of the day. As he continued on his appointed rounds, his thoughts stayed strongly focused on Sousuke.
He thought of a tale his mother once told him, a taste of her Gypsy inheritence.
A great dragon once appeared and lay waste to the earth. Nicholaos arose to stop its destruction. He forged himself claws of iron and wrapped himself in the hides of seven oxen. Thus equipped, he called the dragon down and challenged it...but NOT to a test of strength...to a test of luck!
The wager? Their skins. The dice were thrown and Nicholaos lost. In went the dragon's claws, and off came an ox's hide. And Nicholaos called for the dice.
Again the dice were cast. Again Nicholaos lost. Another hide came off...Nicholaos called for the dice...and the dragon began to sweat.
The dice were cast once more, and this time Nicholaos won. In went his claws of iron, and off came the dragon's hide. The dragon died, and Nicholaos was left with a lovely souvenir.
Andras laughed at the message: it was better to be lucky than to be good!!!
Of course, he was lucky AND good. His luck was the one thing he never regretted inheriting from his father! And, he would not rely on luck alone. He hoped with all his heart that he would be able to meet Sagara some day. If he was so fortunate, he would make certain to bring his own oxhides.
************************************************************
*T?*
@Te?@
#T? T? T?#
%Tes?%
&T?&
+T?+ - T?-
*Tess?* @Tes?@ $Te?$ & T?&
*@#Tessa?&%*
Even drugged, the Whispered mind recieved the communication. The small young woman---platinum hair disheveled and hospital gown soiled---attempted to make sense of the mesage...attempted to respond.
"W-w-wh..." was all that her mouth could voice. The doctors and technicians monitoring her were puzzled. Why was this one trying to speak? The brain wave monitor indicated she was still asleep. The intravenous pump still had sufficient sedative in its reservoir, and the infusion rate was properly set. They chalked it up as an aberrant physiologic event and turned their attention to other test subjects.
<*<*< TESSA!!! Teletha!!! Little flower!>*>*>
>@>@> I...I...I...I sense. I...I...I...can sense. I...I...you. I can. Can sense. You. Can sense you. I...I...I can sense. You. I can sense you<@<@<
<*<*< Yes, you can, Tessa. Can you comprehend? Will you remember what I send to you?>*>*>
>@>@> I...I...I...Tessa. I Tessa. I Tessa I Tessa I. I...I...I<@<@<
<*<*< TESSA!!! T*E*S*S*A!!! !T!E!S!S!A! You MUST comprehend. You MUST remember>*>*>
>@>@>W-wh-wh-w-who?<@<@<
<*<*<Just RECEIVE, Tessa! REMEMBER! No questions.>*>*>
>@>@>I receive. I remember<@<@<
<*<*<Good. VERY GOOD! You know me. You will recognize me when you wake. You will show NO recognition. We will speak as strangers, but will find ways to communicate. You will attempt no further communication by mind. Our link is too close, our patterns too similar. You must earn life>*>*>
>@>@>REMEMBER! Remember. Will. Live<@<@<
*************************************************************
The tall slender man, carrying a notebook and a medical bag, made his way to the holding area. Some of the captives were awake, sitting morose, depressed, or unhappily ignorant in their dark and dank cinderblock cells. Small space heaters fought valiantly against the omnipresent chill and draft. Malodorous buckets served a centuries old purpose.
There were no agitated or active captives. That was not allowed. The guards were not concerned about the additive adverse effects of sedatives. They were given simple tasks to perform and they performed them to the letter. Thinking was left up to the eggheads. Decisions were left up to the big bosses. Their tasks were simple. No one escaped. No one injured themself or any other captives. Shouting, screaming, excessive motion, and untoward actions were not permitted.
She would be in one of the last cells. Out of the general view. He had made certain of that, tampering with the cell assignments through untraceable computer techniques. There was still a camera whose angle of viewing he was familiar with. There would still be hidden microphones. Gas vents were present and could not be readily blocked.
The small underground holding area was modeled after modern gulags. Camps on the Russian mainland, unofficially housing North Korean workers---secretly indentured to pay off thier country's massive debts---were not better built than this temporary facility.
He shook his head. The cadre members were certainly pragmatists. Not a penny was spared in the research and medical areas. The weapons and technologies areas also were lavishly overbuilt. The living quarters were decidedly less well provided for. The holding cells bordered on the barbaric.
She was awake. She was not looking in his direction yet. Her threadbare hospital gown was worse for wear, and her leggings did not look much better. There was actually straw in her cot. There was straw lining the floor. This looked more like a stable than any place fit for human inhabitants. He had told the cadre members that psychological tactics would gain them nothing extra from the Whispered. While they did not state it outright, it appeared that they were of the opinion that the prisoners were already dead but didn't know it yet. Why should anyone care how they were treated?
He signalled to the guard to unlock the door. The guard complied, muttering under his breath. At the sound of the jangling keys, clunking lock, and squeaking door, the captive lifted her head, her red-rimmed eyes taking in the sight of her newest visitor. She did well. There was no sign of recognition. No flash of emotions, good or bad.
"Under truth agents, you gave your name as Teletha Tesstarossa. That matches with the name supplied by intelligence operatives and the harvester team. Is this correct?"
She nodded her head sullenly. "And your name?" Her voice was weak to the untrained ear. There was a subtle rise and fall in intensity, a personal Morse Code they had created as children, united against the tyranny of their parents. She was prepared for any hidden facts he was willing to provide.
*Her first clandestine query was: ' you bad? good?"*
"You should be clever enough to know that I will not tell you that. But, it seems to be a natural instinct for hopeless captives to try and acquire pointless information."
*His answer: "interpretation."*
Tessa frowned. Same old Renardo. "Would it hurt to ask where I am being held. Certainly you can do me that courtesy?"
*"please."*
Same old Tessa. Even her secret messages sounded plaintive. "It would not hurt to ask. I must apologize again, unable to give you any answer. Beisdes, what possible good could it do you?"
*Coordinates: "75 N. 61 E."*
His voice was so haughty, so damn superior. The longitude and latitude would place this location somewhere north and east to Siberia.
"Then, unless I am mistaken, you will also refrain from telling me why I was kidnapped, drugged, and dragged down into this godforsaken place. And no doubt you will not tell me just who you are working for, or who could possibly have an interest in me?"
*"How find me? Who boss?"*
She should be able to do better than righteous indignation! "Regrettable, but true. I am but a simple servant, performing an important task I was contracted to. Mt superiors must remain anonymous. Professionally, I am beholden to keep our current allies' identity secret as well. I am certain that an intelligent young woman like yourself can see the appropriateness in that approach."
*"Pakistan. Over-reach. Mind. Whisper trace. No tell."*
Arrogant. Selfish. Wrong-headed. Again! "Why are you here to see me, if you can tell me nothing? What possible purpose can I serve you, after the countless times they have drugged me, placed me on strange machines, and caused my mind to spin strangely with numbers, smells, sounds, and things I cannot put a name to? Why do you have that pad and that bag?"
*"Don't be father." "Gloating?" "Why?"*
Bitch! He was NOT being like their father! She needed to remember her place. Did she think she was his equal? His voice became angry, without any acting.
"You had best remember your place! I am here to question you. Answering, and answering honestly and with respect, may gain you nothing...answering falsely, or behaving in a disrespectful fashion, may gain you things you never knew you did not want. My agenda belongs to ME...no one else. You, at this moment, also belong to ME...it would be best that you remember that simple reality!"
His anger was real. She had certainly struck a sore spot. He was intent on putting her in her 'place' again.
*His demand: "Don't push. Don't expect. Don't mistake. Horse mouth."
Was he insulting her? No, not likely. Don't look a gift horse in the mouth? Probably. What was he thinking? What was he offering?
"I understand."
"Good. It is refreshing to see someone who knows their place!" Well sister, how do you like that one?
Renardo picked up the notebook and leafed through it. "They have been thorough in their description of your examinations. It would be good to see if anything has changed significantly. We would not want to lose you before we tap your full potential. We do not wish to waste a single drop of knowledge. Who knows what simple fact or equation might provide the key we are searching for?"
*"Play along. Tools. You change side. Family again."*
Tessa saw her brother rummaging through the medical bag. He was not a trained physician, but had learned a lot of medicine from texts. Hopefully he wasn't planning on doing any procedures on her! Changing sides? Was he asking her to join his unknown agency? He was dangling the possibility of being a small family again as bait?
"I have no choice but to submit. I know I cannot ask for specifics. But, can you please tell me something about what you are trying to accomplish here. In a broad scope, naming no names. and telling nothing of specific intentions. It would also be good to hear someone talk. It is so quiet and so lonely here. Surely there can be no harm in talking to a captive with no ability to escape?"
*"Why change? Why not you? I part family team."*
"I will consider your request in a moment."
He removed a sphyngnomanometer from the doctor's bag. He adeptly used it to mask another object from the camera's view. The potential of the small device was clearly not lost on his sister, given the flicker of her eyelashes. She would be curious why such a device might be needed. He would let her think about that question.
The cuff in place, Renardo started to inflate it. Reaching for a stethoscope, he blocked the camera's view of Tessa only momentarily. At that very moment he placed the ultra-high frequency emitter against the back of his sisters necked and discharged it. That should render the injected transmitter--put in place by a cadre doctor secretly working for his organization--inoperative.
He continued to perform a cursory medical examination as a suitable misdirection.
"Well, will I live?" Tessa asked when he was done.
Renardo smiled. "What man or woman truly knows their time? The only thing you can do is hope. I cannot tell you if that hope is warranted...."
*Is not*
"...but it is all you have now. I would not dwell on that question if I were you. It can serve no purpose. And I acnnot and will not offer any promises or reassurances."
*I only key you.*
He put all of his equipment away. Walking carefully around the disgusting bucket, he sat on a small stool in the rear corner of the room.
"I suppose I can spare a few moments of discourse. If you are capable of listening, perhaps you will learn something." He smiled as he said that.
*This time*
"What purpose can you serve? What good might your secrets do? Let's see, how can I explain this to you? Do you know anything about Titans and Giants?" His voice was confident.
*My side big*
"I know a little something from contemporary mythology." Tessa was curious to see where he was going with this.
"That will have to do, I suppose. What are Titans and Giants? Why should we bother with them? How might we relate to them? Some of the questions require doing rather than reading, so I cannot give you all of the answers that countless men have been chasing after for so long."
Tessa was alerted to watch for hints between the lines in addition to their secret code.
"As one might expect, answers can be found in ancestral mythic tradition. In the ancient stories, we discover how the roles of gigantic forces developed in the eyes of historic man. Worldwide, there are three classes of primal stories about such beings. I will use European sources as a working model for many such stories in many cultures."
European based. Worldwide in its reach. Developed from older better known groups. But mythical, not proven.
"Titans and Giants are essentially spiritual beings, no matter how some fables or nursery rhymes describe them. Their bodies often conform to zones of the planet or continents...or of the oceans, mountains, volcanoes, and vast weather patterns. This is why tradition attributes tidal waves, earthquakes, eruptions, and storms to the actions of Titans or Giants."
Working for another group wanting to control the world. With the ability to harness the weather and geophysical events.
"The first class of primal stories are the creation myths. In those stories, the bodies of those vast beings are dismembered or willingly sacrificed to create the world. Mir the Ice Giant, whose skull makes up the vault of the sky in Norse myth. The dismemberment of Ra in Egyptian myth. The ancient Kabbalistic tradition of the Adan Kadmon or universal being. All these tell the same story in different ways. And there are countless similar examples."
His group will attempt to sacrifice the other. Perhaps use the other group's discoveries to recreate the world in their own image. But there are many different prizes to be won.
"The second class of stories describe mentoring. Such myths have been given less attention over the years, but are still important today, if we seek to consciously work with natural forces to redeem the damage done to out living planet. In many cultures and stories, the larger beings are described as mentors of humanity---teaching arts, sciences, mathematics, music, agriculture, and so forth."
He offers to be her mentor, something he had refused over the years. He wants to repair the damage he did to their relationship.
"A typical mentoring myth is the ancient Greek---or pre-Greek---story of Atlas, the Titan who founds Atlantis, and whose sons become kings of civilization. Another is found in the Old Testament, and in the book of Enoch, wherein giants inter-marry with humans, and teach skills, arts, and magic. In Celtic tradition, certain immortals or semi-divine beings came into the world and taught humanity the arts of civilization. They are often described to be of giant size, such as the members of the Tuatha De Danaan...though they were of lesser significance than others."
If the other group shrugs the wrong way, the world will fall. There is more than one group with access to Black Technology. Mithril is by no certainty the mightiest of such groups. If Tessa crosses over to the other side, perhaps disasters can be circumvented.
"Another example was the Welsh Titan Bran, who---according to the legend told in the Mabinogion---wades into the Irish Sea and carries poets and musicians upon his sturdy back as he bridges a mighty river with his body. The father of Bran was Llyr, the god of the Atlantic Ocean and the Celtic equivalent of Poseidon, who was the Greek god of tidal waves and earthquakes. His trident was not the only power he had over mankind."
The weapons at the cadre's disposal could make Trident missiles and other weapons of mass destruction useless. The Whispered are sought as a bridge, as bringers of needed science.
"The third group of myths are the destruction myths. These serve to balance the creation myths, with the mentoring myths assuming a role at the center, the place of greatest peace. You no doubt no the Norse Myth of Ragnorok, one of the many stories sung about in various operas. In that story, the Giants try to bring the Fimbulwinter that ends the world, toppling the gods and goddesses of Asgard. A similar theme is found in ancient Greek legends, which tell of the Titans who raise storms, earthquakes, and tidal waves in their war with Olympian dieties, whom they are said to oppose. We find similar tales in Celtic mythology, which while more obscure, still has some significance. Warring and destructive Giants are found in those stories."
The nerve of him! Making reference to her visit to the opera to see Gotterdammerung. The cadre is opposed to the current world order---and of course, their less than exalted place in it---and would rather risk seeing the world destroyed than allow things to continue as they are. He is implying that Mithril's capabilities---while not insignificant---are not as likely to avert world catastrophe as those of his group.
"Now, we must be careful in our interpretation of some myths---some tell of one form of religion replacing another, and that is often a form of propaganda. For example, in Celtic tradition, the Gaels in Scotland and Ireland told that the Faery races were angels that had fallen out of Heaven with Lucifer, only to become embodied in the earth. This is a Christianized retelling of an older tradition, similar to that of the Titans. Such stories, and many other older tales worldwide, tell of spiritual forces that move between the planets of the solar system affecting life here on earth, possibly going as far as to alter the earth's orbit or its relationshop to the sun."
Do not assume his group's goals are evil in themselves, simply because they have found less savory methods to serve them best. And, the threat currently facing the earth is of Biblical proportions. Misused, the titanic powers could spark a life-ending solar catstrophe.
Tessa gasped, and placed her hands over her mouth. She began to chew on her fingernails.
Renardo nodded. Yes, this is serious business.
"So, what more can we say about Titans and Giants? Myths about Titans and Giants are not simply unsophisticated tales trying to explain why we have eathquakes, volcanoes, and tidal waves. They are models of relationships. They tell us how tremendous forces can shape humanity. And, we all live on the land that forms this planet, and that land and this planet are changed by our actions."
You can work with me, sister. We can help shape the future of this world. We can prevent the destructive actions of nations and of power hungry madmen.
"Mankind has tampered with the weather, by means of pollution, industrialization, and other means that ignore long-term consequences in favor of short-term greed. We have altered telluiric patterns through underground and undersea nuclear explosions. The relationship between humanity and the forces embodied into Titans and Giants is changing, and changing for the worse. In our folly, man has taken the knowledge brought to us through the Titans, and had perverted it to serve his selfish and unethical desires. We must learn to understand the lessons we have been shown, before it is too late for us all."
He hates what big business, governments, and national pride has done to the world. He realizes the problems that face the world, but is powerless to do anything on his own. He has cast his lot with a dangerous crowd with questionable methods, but considers any means to be acceptable if it preserves the world for everyone's benefit.
Tessa could not help herself. She wrinkled her nose as if she smelled something foul. She made a big show of scratching herself. "I hope I haven't gotten fleas. I am not a dog."
Her message was clear. If one lies down with dogs, one wakes up with fleas.
"Being alive with discomfort certainly beats the alternative. And, some dogs have a good life. Better than some people."
His message was clear as well.
"Where was I? Yes, we must learn our lessons before it is too late. What the world needs is a sense of humility. It requires a sense of perspective. As it stands now, the nations of the world think we are going faster and getting better. Instead, we are moving closer and closer to the brink of destruction."
She should not be so proud as to overlook his truths. He has seen the bigger picture and knows what needs to be done.
Renardo was certain that his sister had gotten the points he had put across. His next words would be mainly for the benefit of the camera. And, the inflection changes would pass along some final thoughts to his sister.
"The group I work for is not blind to the problems of the world. In that very way, we are allies to Titans and to Giants. But, in a more concrete sense, we are allied to a group of visionaries who want to bring wisdom to mankind. They wish to create a better world if they are allowed the chance. They wish to serve as mentors, showing the people of this planet the proper path to travel down. But, if necessary, they will bring destruction for man's sake. You, and those like you, may contain the very keys needed to help those visionary Giants bring peace, wisdom, and knowledge to mankind as a whole. In a very real sense, the world is counting on you. I hope you keep this in mind while you are waiting here, selfishly worrying about your own fate. That is all the time I can spare. I cannot say if I will speak with you again."
*"No. Cadre garbage. My group good end. You help. No selfish. Choose.*
"I see. That was ceratinly a lot to comprehend. I need time to think on this. There are always two sides to every story and the most certain of men are not always the most correct. The end is not the only thing, and sometimes the price is too high. Oh...listen to me blathering...I haven't talked to anyone for days now. Maybe I just like to hear myself speak. I apologize. I must be quite an unpleasant sight."
*One lose soul can also lose sight*
Renardo stood and stared at Tessa wordlessly for a few moments, frowning. Then, pushing his hair back, he quickly left the room without looking back.
Tessa collapsed upon her cot, exhausted physically, mentally, and emotionally. She had a fair understanding of why she was here, and for a brief moment considered ending her own life, in order to keep whatever knowledge remained inside her head a secret. But, that was not the way. Besides, her observers would likely thwart any such attempt, and she would no doubt be placed in a straight jacket or some other worse contrivance.
There was so much to think through, none of it good. Deadly alliances. Secrets within secrets. The world at great risk. And her brother.
He had offered her choices, and there was some logic in what he said. But, Tessa had no desire to walk dark paths in order to deliver light. Those who walked dark paths most often embraced the dark, not the light.
Someone who wants to see something badly enough can often convince himself that the thing is actually there, or near at hand. Her brother had always been too gifted for his own good. He dedicated so much time to his intellect and physical gifts, that he allowed his wisdom and common sense to atrophy.
He could no longer see far enough beyond himself. Thinking himself too clever to be a pawn, he made himself a powerful puppet.
Tessa still had hope. If not for herself, then for the world. She was one of the few people who knew of one of Mithril's 'small' successes with Black Technology. Not every breakthrough could be measured solely by the size of its product. The TDD-1 was miraculous. So was Arbalest. But something much smaller might prove the miracle that the world needed.
When Mithril had started to rescue, guard, and trail the Whispered, Tessa had a fortunate confluence of events. One Whispered had contained knowledge leading to the design and construction of ultra-small transmitters, difficult to detect physically. Their signals could not be detected or traced by normal means, but could easily be followed by means of the complimentary technology. While she was brainstorming such discoveries, a fierce toothache had led her to her dentist, and had left her with a new filling.
Two seemingly separate events soon became one. The transmitters could be hidden in teeth. Most individuals visited the dentist somewhat regularly. Those who might not could still be brought to the dentist by means they would not remember. There was a dentist on the TDD-1 and another one at the Pacific Base. Dentists under Mithril employment visited different cities just the way Mithril's soldiers did. A large majority of the Whispered that Mithril knew of now carried the transmiters---unknowingly.
No interrogation process could reveal a fact the Whispered did not know. Without similar Black Technology, the transmitters would not be found. Tessa had built a mental wall around her knowledge of the project. The wall might not prevent discovery of that fact, if someone knew how and where to look. But, she would know if the wall was breeched. So far, it remained intact.
Yes. She still had reason to hope.
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