A Next Island Love Story by Pope L’Brung
Book 4, Chapter 1
At First-Wave Settlement there is a moat with some small wooden bridges that cross to various terminal centres. PK and I walked along the paths looking for our contact, Lee Davies. We had no idea what he looked like. We asked a group of people on the bridge if they knew where to find him and they just shrugged their shoulders and continued taking photos of themselves. Damned tourists.
The terminal centres looked like ampitheatre bandshells. Tall, concave structures that enclosed banks of various interactive terminals. PK suggested we use one of the storage terminals to store our excess gear. He appeared to put some stuff into storage and take some stuff out - I didn’t really pay attention. I packed lightly and didn’t have any ‘excess gear.’ I opened my storage terminal anyway and was delighted to find 3 pec of shrapnel. It’s the small, simple victories in life that keep me going.
“Pope,” PK whispered to me from the next terminal over. “Look at that view.” He motioned by nodding his head toward a viewing area outside the terminal structure. We walked out onto a platform that overlooked an amazing sight. Lush trees and waterfalls framed a footpath that led downhill to sparkling ponds nearly 100 metres below us. Beautiful and breathtaking…like Jihkanna. I wished she was here to see this with me.
I noticed a gentleman to our left. He was standing next to a stack of crates and didn’t look like a tourist. He was wearing armor and appeared to be military.
“Excuse me,” I said to the man as we approached him. “We are looking for someone called Lee Davies. Do you know where we might find him?”
“I am Lee Davies,” he kindly replied. He seemed to be expecting us. “I have heard about you and your exploits. How are you liking this crazy planet so far?”
Book 4, Chapter 2
Lee Davies was kind and talkative. Very talkative. He seemed to be a low-ranking military guard and he spoke to us as if we were military too. He told us that someone called General Beckman wanted us to deliver a package to the Haruspex people. Apparently, they accidentally hacked some private data regarding portal technology and wanted to return it to the Haruspex leader. Returning the data would establish an effort of good faith and prevent the information from being leaked to opposing factions, primarily N.E.O., Stel, or Resa. He assured us that the intent of this mission was to co-exist peacefully with the Haruspex.
Stories of warring factions always bothered me. Luckily, I grew up in an area where diversity and integration were commonplace. Our biggest foes were rabid mobs and the occaisional thief. Our community had no enemies and people weren’t judged by their ethnicity or origin. I was naive to hateful discrimination.
Lee Davies continued. He informed us that Operation ‘Meet the Neighbours’ would send us north to deliver the data to a Haruspex leader. Our mission was to meet with the leader and return the hacked portal data as an act of peace. He handed me a small electronic device. I took it willingly and placed it in my pocket. He gave us a waypoint and then dismissed us as if we were soldiers.
PK didn’t waste any time. He quickly summoned his Sleipnir. “Hop in, kid.” he ordered.
We flew northbound toward the provided waypoint. I gazed down at the beautiful Haruspex land below us, spotting the occaisional cluster of travel trailers. I wondered if she was down there.
We arrived at the waypoint within minutes and we both exited the vehicle.
In front of us was a Haruspex apparition. It was similar to the one we saw when me met Ayinde at Tanzanite View. A voice spoke gently as if from the echoing corners of my mind. “Hello humans, why have you sought us?”
Book 4, Chapter 3
PK and I arrived at the waypoint given to us by Lee Davies. There were a few Haruspex buildings and trailers circled about. In the centre was a green, glowing apparition that hovered in mid-air. It spoke to us, almost telepathically.
“Hello humans, why have you sought us?”
I looked around for Ayinde. This would be the perfect time for a Haruspex guide. He was nowhere to be found.
PK nudged me forward. I guess I’m taking the lead on this one.
“Hello,” I stumbled nervously speaking aloud. I wasn’t sure exactly how to comminuncate with it. “We are here to return something that belongs to you.” I took the small data device from my pocket and held it up toward the green glow. “This contains a data log that was taken from your people by colonists. We were asked by these colonists to return it to your leader.”
The apparition spoke. Again, it seemed to be telepathic. “Thank you human, but we have no leader as you speak of. You have much to learn. I cannot take your offering but I can send you to another to hear your tale and assess your information.”
Ugh, a dreaded chain mission - I silently thought to myself. I wondered if the Haruspex apparition could detect my thoughts?
I looked to PK for instructions. He just winked and pointed his finger at me as if to unhelpfully say, “You got this, kid.”
“O-Oh-Ok,” I stuttered, returning my attention to the Harsupex apparition. “We are happy to help. Where shall we go?” I aksed.
The Haruspex guard provided us a waypoint and cautioned us about the various sects that new colonists were joining. It thanked us and stated that it was hopeful for the future of humans.
PK again summoned his Sleipnir and loaded the new waypoint into the sat-Nav.
What do you know…back to Tanzanite View.
Book 4, Chapter 4
I was learning the lore and getting a history lesson about the various factions here on Next Island. As waves of colonists arrived, some of them formed tribal sects. Territorial possessiveness and power over resources seemed to be the driving factors. These divisions slowly grew to become oppositional. Time passed and tensions grew. Small skirmishes turned into small battles. Causualities added up and lines were drawn. Each faction was now trying to defeat the other. They tirelessly fought in raids against each other while also attempting to recruit new arrivals to join their ‘cause.’ This was a side of Next Island unseen by the tourists.
As PK and I flew back to First-Wave Settlement, I took a moment to think. I was happy to be helping the Haruspex. They appeared to be the ‘peaceful’ faction here on Next Island and Jihkanna was a part of their community. I found myself being willing to do anything to keep in their good grace.
That doesn’t mean I wasn’t skeptical. I was still unclear as to why we were being sent on a wild goose chase. Surely, these simple tasks could have been completed by someone more capable than us. Why did they need us to play courrier?
“You Ok back there?” asked PK from the Sleipnir comms headset.
“All good,” I replied while staring down at the beautiful scenery below.
“What do you think is on that data device?” he asked. “Lee Davies said it contains portal information. Do you think it has to do with time portals?”
“Dunno,” I mumbled into the headset. I hadn’t even thought of it. I just wanted to find Jihkanna. I wasn’t a courrier. I wasn’t a soldier. I wasn’t a time traveller. I was a miner from Calypso that fell in love with a Haruspex girl. I only wanted to hold her in my arms again. Everything else was secondary.
We touched down at First-Wave Settelment. We exited the Sleipnir and used the portal to teleport to Tanzanite View.
Ayinde was there waiting to greet us.
Book 4, Chapter 5
“Greetings, my friends!” exclaimed Ayinde as he walked up between us and placed his arms on our shoulders. “Well done, both of you!”
I wanted to ask Ayinde why he had left us and where he had gone. Honestly, I was more grateful that he was here and just hugged him back.
I told him about the data device and our conversation with the green Haruspex guard. He seemed to already know.
“I want to introduce you to the Elder,” said Ayinde. He tugged on our arms and lead us over a grass knoll and toward a tree. Hovering in mid-air was a purple globe apparition. This is what we saw Ayinde speaking with earlier. “Don’t be scared, my friends.” Ayinde assured. “The Elder is peaceful and is expecting you.”
A powerful voice overwhelmed my psyche with a calming wave.
“Greetings humans. One hopes you are well.”
I bravely inhaled and returned the greeting the Elder. I offered the data device from my pocket and relayed the information given to us.
“You are remarkably direct for one of your kind, terran.” the Elder replied.
Terran. I think that’s what they call humans.
The Elder took the data device and thanked us for its delivery. I heard Jihkanna’s voice whisper “thank you” in my ear. I turned quickly to see her but she was not there. Only PK and Ayinde.
The Elder again thanked us for our honesty and spoke optimistically about the relationship between humans and Haruspex. He then attempted to abruptly excuse himself stating that he had a pressing security concern.
“A security concern? Anything we can help with?” interjected PK confidently.
I rolled my eyes.
The Elder informed us of an imminent attack organised by the Stel using mutated beasts.
PK volunteered the both of us. I felt like we had completed the mission and I wanted to find Jihkanna. I didn’t want to fight.
“Please,” I heard her voice whisper.