Tales of the Citadel # 32 - Core Charge Read online

  “You sound very sure of that.”

  “I have lived long enough to recognise the reality when it looks me in the eye.” He chuckled.

  “Will you tell me how you came to be here?”

  “That is a tale for another day. Today, these are your quarters and mine are next door if you need anything. Rest. Recover. Become comfortable in your own skin. Once you are up tomorrow, we can go for a meal and you can exercise your control.”

  She nodded and stumbled into the open doorway. A desk, bed, doorway that probably led to a bathing room and a relaxation space with a vid screen were all in front of her. She turned and Stop bowed low before wishing her good night and disappearing behind the closing door.

  Sighing, Gwiette stripped out of her new suit and headed for the closed door in her chambers. It was indeed a bathroom, and trial and error saw her through the evening procedure.

  The shower was a little more complicated, but she managed it as well before heading to the bed with a grateful groan.

  Her suit was just as comfortable the next morning. She tugged it into position and stretched before working her hair into a loose knot at the back of her head. Dawn had just crept in through the skylight, so she wanted to get in some work on her ability to summon the power, hold it and then send it off. When it coursed through her the night before, she had felt the potential for control, and she wanted to make it a reality.

  She walked through Fixer’s workshop, expecting to find it empty. Fixer was sitting and whistling as she worked on a bodysuit over a dummy.

  “Morning, Gwiette.”

  “Um, morning, Fixer.”

  “Heading for a workout?”

  “Yes.”

  “What were you planning on trying?”

  Gwiette blushed. “Bolts from my hands and fingers.”

  Fixer grinned. “Come here for a moment. I can help with that. Your suit is non-conductive unless the contacts are exposed, but you need something on your hands if you are going to try and actively blast bolts.”

  A series of wires were measured and laid along the outside of her gloves. By the time Fixer was finished, the suit didn’t feel different but Gwiette had seen the metal go in.

  “Let me know how that works.” Fixer returned to the suit.

  “You don’t want to monitor me?”

  Fixer shook her head. “Whatever you need to work out, you need to do it yourself. I am not your instructor. I have no basis for judgement on what is going on.”

  Gwiette nodded and waved as she turned to leave. The hangar opened at her approach and closed behind her.

  Gwiette stood on the central dot and focused, sending a bolt out of her fingers and into the first pylon. It was thin and nothing more than a tickle of power, but she had done it. With focus, she managed to fire stronger bolts until the crack of power had the tower humming.

  Her stomach growled, and she flexed her fingers. She had been working for over an hour and she was ready for breakfast.

  “Well done, Gwiette.”

  She jumped and looked at the cage where Stop was emerging. “When did you get in here?”

  “Five minutes after you started. I stopped time and slipped into the safety of the cage. From there, I watched your progress. Come on, you need to eat. I can hear your stomach from over here.”

  She took a few steps out of the circle before she turned and fired at the furthest tower. The crackle and snap of power rang through the air.

  Stop paused for a moment and then resumed his approach. “Are you done now?”

  “I am.” She watched the suit seal around the conductive bands, and she smiled brightly at him.

  “You are looking better today.”

  They walked to the hangar door and it rolled back at their approach.

  “I am feeling a bit better. The idea that I can control what rolls and rages inside me is a refreshing one.”

  They walked through Fixer’s workshop, but she wasn’t there.

  “She is having breakfast with her family. It is a lengthy process from what I have observed.”

  Gwiette left that alone for a moment before she asked. “Why is that?”

  “Their youngest can insert objects into others, including his least favourite foods into his sisters’ meals. The fights are legendary around here.”

  “How does their mother manage it?”

  “She sets them all to the same food, but some of the staff provides their favourites with treats inside the meal. The girls never know if it is a present from friend or foe.”

  They were in the halls when she asked, “Why do the staff provide the treats if they know there is going to be a fight?”

  Stop laughed and waved for her to precede him into the dining hall. “They like to watch.”

  He put his hand on her left shoulder and whispered, “Just walk with me and fill your tray. They won’t move until I let them go.”

  Gwiette looked around at the still room full of folks ducking under thrown food and others who were caught with laughter showing in every inch of their postures. “You stopped them?”

  “I did. Let’s get you set up, and then we can have breakfast in that calm corner over there.”

  “So, your contact with me is keeping me moving?”

  “Yes. If I let go, you freeze in place until I release you. For now, take advantage of the silence and enjoy the lack of lineups.”

  Gwiette let him steer her through the food fight frozen in time as she gathered her breakfast and her tea. Even the food wasn’t giving off heat. He had locked it all in that one moment.

  He guided her to a table and chair far out of the way, and he waited until she was settled before he raised his brows. “Are you ready? I will get my meal and join you before you know it.”

  “I am ready.” She set her hands on the table and nodded.

  He winked, and a moment later, he was sitting across from her, holding her hand. “If you are prepared, I will let them resume.”

  “Please. I am ready.”

  He closed his eyes for a moment, and when he opened them, the room erupted into motion and sound.

  Gwiette jumped a little, but smiled. “Thank you. I don’t think I would have made it through that unscathed.”

  He chuckled and settled in to eat his meal.

  She was halfway through her selections when a small body pressed against hers.

  Gwiette looked down and a peculiar face looked back at her. “Hello, little one.”

  “Hello. I am Junior. You are warm. You feel good.”

  The little person snuggled against her side, and Gwiette looked around the room for the child’s owner.

  Stop grinned, “Junior is the child of the Avatar of Morganti and Star Breaker. Junior has not yet chosen its gender, so Junior is the nickname its parents have offered to it.”

  The child smiled. “I like it. It makes me part of both of them at the same time.”

  A tall man came up and loomed next to them. “And part of me, child.”

  Junior sighed and slumped its shoulders. “Yes, Pa-Gant.”

  Gwiette put her arm around the little creature and looked at the newcomer. She looked up Avatars in her mind and recognised the contrasting swirl that was different and similar to Stop’s. “Hello.”

  The man bowed. “I am Gant, living mind of Morganti. My host, the body that I occupy, is that of Kale. Junior’s father. He is working on some research with other Avatars right now, so I am on babysitting duty. Junior got away in the food fight. It hates getting dirty.”

  Stop grinned. “Take a seat, Gant. Gwiette radiates electricity, so there is a natural draw for Junior. If it just wants to wait, it can wait.”

  Junior giggled and snuggled closer.

  Gwiette felt a pang of remembrance for when her sister was that young and ate the rest of her meal with one hand. Unlike any other child she had met, Junior did not make a move toward her plate.

  Junior whispered. “I am not supposed to eat the food of other species. It makes my tummy
hurt.”

  Gwiette nodded. “That makes sense. How did you know what I was wondering?”

  “You whispered it in my mind.”

  That cooled Gwiette’s affection instantly.

  Junior’s expression grew sad. “You don’t like me anymore.”

  Gwiette had to console the child. “Where I grew up, those who could hear your thoughts used them against you. It makes me wary when folk can read my mind without my knowing about it.”

  “But, I just told you.”

  Gwiette blinked and laughed. “Right. I suppose that puts you in a category all your own.”

  “I am one of a kind, so far.” Junior beamed. “Just like you are.”

  She could not fault that logic and finished her breakfast with a smile on her lips.

  Gant jolted slightly and flexed his fingers. His eyes turned toward the child and Gwiette. He smiled, his manner relaxed and easy. “Well, Junior. Are you ready to head out to greet Mommy? She is on her way down.”

  Junior jumped up, kissed Gwiette’s cheek and patted her shoulder. “I will see you later. You feel good.”

  Junior jumped into Gant’s arms.

  He turned to Gwiette and extended his hand. “I am Kale and you have already met my singular brood. Welcome to Morganti. We are glad to have you here. Learn and grow, we will help where we can.”

  With his child tucked in his arms, he walked out of the dining hall.

  She looked to Stop. “There are two minds in that one body?”

  “There is the mind of Kale and the touch of Gant. A body can only hold a fraction of a world, but they can be a voice when it is necessary. A thinking world without an Avatar is helpless. They can and do steal a body to speak, but the result is rarely favourable.”

  “How do you know that?”

  “Because my parents were Avatar candidates who fled their positions. They ran from their worlds, and it cost them their lives.” He finished his tea and raised his eyebrows. “Care to practice again? I have another exercise for you.”

  “Lead on. I am curious to see what you think I can do.” She smiled, and he grew flustered for a moment before he offered her his hand.

  He didn’t stop anyone in the room; he simply held her hand as they returned to the hangar designed with her talent in mind.

  Chapter Five

  Stop smiled and wheeled out a peculiar device. It had four sides sloping upward to a large globe at chest height.

  She walked around it and poked at it a little. “What is it?”

  “It is a transformer. It will turn your biological energy into useable power. You can recharge a transport battery, light a hospital in a blackout, whatever you like.”

  “Will it hold me in place?”

  “No. You can supply as much or as little power as you wish. I will stand back, but do whatever you wish.”

  He took a few steps back and left her alone with the ball.

  Flares of aggression had driven the bolts. What would it take to bring static to her hands and use the touch to tap into more?

  She touched the cool metal and scowled. Direct contact wasn’t going to work. She needed to see the power.

  She stroked the surface and felt the cold radiating up into her skin. That was what she needed, the air in between. The suit shifted, and she heard the light crackling as power exited her palms and entered the small obelisk.

  The globe under her grip began to glow softly, increasing in brightness as she worked the charge into something useable.

  Stop watched her the entire time. “How are you feeling?”

  Gwiette looked at him and kept the power flowing. “Fine. I could increase the charge, but it seems to be doing well as it is.”

  She began to pass her hands over each other, enjoying the crackle of energy over her skin. The suit was lined with the silver streaks, the sub-webbing that let her energy go from soul to skin without hesitation. Fixer had done an amazing job.

  When the orb glowed bright white, she pulled her hands away. “I am guessing it is fully charged.”

  He chuckled. “Yes, it is. Would you care to continue?”

  She rubbed her hands on her thighs. “Sure. What is next?”

  “Take the power back and hold it.”

  Gwiette blinked. “What?”

  “Your body is designed to work with energy. You can exude it, now take it in.”

  “I don’t know if I can do that.” She bit her lip.

  “Try. Put your hands back on the orb, recognise your power and pull it back inside.”

  She swallowed and flexed her hands. “Are you sure I can do this?”

  “I am. Look for your power and your power only. You will know how to pull it when you find it.”

  She placed her hands on the orb with the same hovering touch, and she tried to seek out her energy. Gwiette jerked as power seared her skin through the suit. “That isn’t me.”

  She settled her shoulders and tried again.

  Her touch was lighter as it skated over the surface. She put a light charge into her hand and smiled when it attracted like for like. Once she had located the feeling, she reversed the charge and began to draw it inward, filling her body with the energy it had spun away.

  Once she had the flow coming inward, she pulled on it and drained the orb, unravelling the power into her. That was the point, her energy coiled into a ball for use. Strands of power needed to be unravelled in the opposite direction from their holding pattern.

  When she had pulled all the carefully extruded power back, she stumbled away from the orb, stretched out her arms and vented the energy into the towers.

  As the last bit of power drained from her, she staggered.

  Stop was at her side in a moment. “Are you all right?”

  “Sure. Just a little drained. Heh. Get it? Drained?”

  She swayed alarmingly and he caught her, lifting her and carrying her to the bench set against the wall.

  “I apologize for asking you to over-do it.” He left and brought a glass of water back for her. “Here you go.”

  She drank greedily and sighed when the water was gone.

  He was looking at her with a serious gaze. “Do you think you could try again and hold it for more than a few seconds?”

  Gwiette gave him a serious gaze in return. “Why?”

  “If you take back your energy, you might not want to put it back in the system again.” He grinned and pointed to the orb that was glowing brightly once again.

  “Well, hell.” She sighed. “Where can I put it?”

  “That is for you to find. If I were you, I would use small bits of power to find the exit spot.”

  “Thanks for the hint.” She groaned, got to her feet and stretched.

  Stop stood next to her and frowned. “I didn’t mean right away.”

  “It’s all right. I had a good breakfast.” She patted his shoulder, and he jumped in surprise.

  His robes flared out and then settled.

  “How do they do that?”

  He chuckled. “I can wear Masuo, but it is affected by my talent, so it moves more slowly than it would otherwise.”

  “So, your clothing is alive?”

  “Yes, and temporally out of sync.” He smiled. “Now, would you care to try again?”

  She laughed. “I believe I would.”

  She straightened her posture and walked to the obelisk once again. She flexed her fingers and tried again. She jerked back when she grabbed the energy from the wrong end and sighed. It was going to be a very long day.

  It took her three hours to find the exit point for the energy. It was the bench where Stop sat her down after every wobbling episode.

  Once she was able to leech the power off through the ground, she knelt and yelled in triumph.

  Stop came up to her and offered her his hand. “Well done. Time for food.”

  She grinned and got to her feet with his help. “You could have told me.”

  “I will not always be there to guide you. You need to wor
k it out for yourself. I have faith in your ability to find the outlet with greater speed or to hold in the power until you can find a safe place to release it.”