Chapter Two
A creaking sound echoed through the ancient ship and another groan resonated far off in the distance. The wide mirror in one of the many sleeping quarters on board began to ripple, the surface resembling flowing water. A bright light burst through it without difficulty and floated towards the centre of the room. It slowly came to a stop and hovered a moment longer before definable shapes emerged. Two young girls returned to solidity as did the Kiros bird that accompanied them.
Murata stooped as her feet hit firm ground. She took a moment to steady herself before she looked around. The room was lavish and yet had a subtly to it. There was a fireplace across from where she currently stood, the grate already burning hot with a fire. Beside it, Murata could see that the door was different than on her ship. The hinges alone proved the age of the ship. Behind her was where they'd come in and she noted the silver spiralled frame that housed the reflective surface. The flooring was a tan carpet that was threadbare and old and the walls were white and bare. A few feet from them was a small, wooden table and two armchairs that had the same texture as the carpet.
The Kiros bird settled on Murata's shoulders as Me'lan glided past them, settling into the armchair nearest the fireplace. In a single wave of her arm she made an ample silver tray appear on the table as well as gesturing at the other armchair. Murata vaguely shrugged before walking over and taking the seat. She looked towards the tray and saw that it was laden with a round pot that matched the tray, steam pouring through the spout. Both cake and cookies sat beside the pot, each on their own plate, along with a knife and two forks.
For the second time, Me'lan waved her hand and the knife rose into the air and easily sliced through the cake, creating a generous piece. It was placed on a plate and pushed to one side. The plate of cookies was then moved closer to Murata before the pot of tea lifted up and the hot liquid went into each cup.
"That is for your pet," said Me'lan, indicating the cake.
Murata opened her mouth to correct her but decided against it as the Kiros bird didn't wait a second before pushing of Murata's shoulder and flying over the table. It landed softly and perched itself on the edge before digging into the cake with zest, no longer interested in the actions of the other two. When the drinks were poured, Me'lan picked up one with her hands and offered it to Murata who took with a nod of thanks. One sniff told her it was tea. Me'lan then picked up the other and took a sip, Murata quickly doing the same.
"Sugar?" asked Me'lan sweetly.
Murata shook her head. "No, thank you," she said politely. "So... you live here?"
"Yes," said Me'lan quietly. "I have lived here for as long as I can remember. It's been a long time since I've had company."
"Is that why you came onto my ship?" asked Murata curiously.
For spilt second Me'lan appeared alarmed as though something were wrong. "I scanned you before I entered," said Me'lan, voice now even quieter. "I hope I didn't frighten you. It wasn't my intention."
"No, no," said Murata quickly, raising a hand. "It's fine. I was more than a little surprised at seeing someone on my ship but I do enjoy meeting new people."
"Excellent," said Me'lan, a faint smile gracing her pale, delicate features. "Tell me about you and please have a cookie, unless you'd like a piece of cake..."
All of a sudden, Murata felt overwhelmed but as she put her tea down, she shook her head and picked up the cookie sitting closest to her on the plate. "No, a cookie is more than enough, thank you."
Murata took a petite bite. It was crunchy and sweet tasting, the combination working well with the tea. Murata put the rest of it beside her tea cup and leaned back in the armchair, getting herself comfortable before she revealed her past to a stranger. It almost felt a little strange but Murata knew it wasn't the first stranger she'd spoken to like this.
"Well, let's see..." murmured Murata. "I was born on Tanquilla Beach. It's a shadow port. I'm an only child. Both my parents are deceased. They died when I was five. It's just been me and my droid since. The ship I fly belonged to my parents. I picked up where they left off."
"Tanquilla Beach... sounds familiar," interjected Me'lan dreamily.
"From what I remember it's a beautiful place," said Murata.
"Forgive me for asking but... you are human, correct?" asked Me'lan hesitantly.
For a moment Murata couldn't imagine why such a question would come up but then she noticed that Me'lan looked between her eyes and the top of her head. "Oh, yes, I am," said Murata with a small chuckle. "My mother wanted a unique child so they had me genetically altered to have pink hair."
"Does that fact make you angry?" asked Me'lan with a slight frown.
"No," said Murata honestly. "I know that if they hadn't done anything I'd have brown hair, like they both had. There was a point where I almost felt separate from them but it doesn't anymore. I do feel unique, compared to other humans anyway."
There was a pause between them as Murata finished her cookie and drank a little more of her tea. After Murata put her cup back down Me'lan poured more tea into each. Me'lan then continued to sit up straight in her armchair, her pose rigid and awkward. Murata glanced at the other girl beside her and the questions mounted. For years she flown all over the galaxy but this was the first time she'd met someone like Me'lan.
"I'd like to know more about you," said Murata gently.
"I'm afraid there is not much to tell," said Me'lan sadly. "I have forgotten much of my own history. I cannot recall the last time I spoke with somebody."
"Then tell me what you do remember," said Murata. "I've noticed you have powers."
"I do not know where they came from," said Me'lan in the same sad tone. "I'm alone and have been for eons. The only clue I have to my past sits on the mantel above the fireplace."
Murata looked to the mantelpiece and saw a framed photo sitting on top it. Murata got to her feet and walked over. In the photo were two male and two females along with Me'lan. But in the photo she looked different. Me'lan's hair was still long but hung around her loosely and the colour looked more vibrant. She was also wearing a simple yellow sundress that had a pale yellow ribbon wrapped around her middle, the ends bound together into a flower. There was a smile on the young girls face and Murata smiled faintly while she looked at it.
"So, you don't know who these people are?"
"No," said Me'lan, coming to stand beside Murata, making her jump. "I've always assumed they were my parents and sister but I'll never know for sure." Me'lan paused for a moment before asking, "Would you like to try on the dress I'm wearing. I think it would suit you."
Murata opened her mouth to reply but it was already too late. She looked down to see that her clothes were changing. With wide eyes she looked up. Me'lan was holding her arm out, hand facing upwards and swinging it in a circle, counter clockwise. The feeling on her body shifted and Murata looked back down. Her clothes were gone and she was now wearing the same yellow sundress that Me'lan had on in the photo.
With the photo still in hand, Murata dropped her arms and approached the mirror, both eyes going wider still. The dress fit her incredibly well and she turned on the spot, keeping her eyes on her reflection. When she was done she took a step back and turned, noticing that Me'lan was doing the same thing with her arm but this time going clockwise. The dress came off quickly and soon she was back in her own clothes.
At feeling herself again, Murata lifted the photo and looked at it again. Part of her had hoped that maybe she'd recognise someone but none of them looked familiar. The older male was tall with white hair and a long white beard that easily reached the middle of his torso. The hard eyes were turquoise and he was dressed in a sleeveless pale blue robe and a pointed hat that matched in colour. Beside him was a young woman with long teal hair and vivid green eyes. Her skin was pale white and she wore a dress of white and gold, the head piece matching.
A little distance between them was another male. This one was younger with pallid white skin that was marked with red stripes on his bald head and face. The red eyes gave him an evil appearance as did the black armour he wore that seemed to cover him completely. The other female's appearance was simple in comparison to the others. She seemed tall and was beautiful with long, straight blonde hair and silver eyes that shone through the photo. She was also dressed in a unadorned but classy, pale green robe.
Murata hummed to herself and she put the photo back before she went to sit down. Me'lan silently trailed behind. Murata ate another cookie and finished her tea. She realised Me'lan had finished before her and was staring at the far wall, daydreaming about something. Murata almost wished she knew of some way for Me'lan to remember who she was but at the moment she felt powerless to help.
"Must you leave straight away?" asked Me'lan when Murata stood up again.
"I suppose not," said Murata with a faint shrug. "Did you have something in mind?"
"I could give you a tour of my ship," suggested Me'lan, standing.
"Alright," said Murata, smiling. "Come on, Mralkara. You can have some more cake later, if you're good."
The Kiros bird squawked once before it launched into the air and flew towards Murata, landing easily on her shoulder. Murata then turned and watched as Me'lan opened the door with a simple flick of her wrist. Then, together, they left the small bedroom.
The cockpit of the Red Dwarf Stinger was overcrowded as everyone watched Radquao work at the computer on the console, her slender fingers moving effortlessly. There was barely a sound as she worked, the odd clicking of Sukin's tongue or the short, amazed gasps from her own mouth broke the silence.
Most of the others seemed interested with the exceptions of Sukin and Nalrana who both lingered at the back, their demeanours relaxed. Umyd stood to the side, arms folded over his chest, his face lined heavily in concentration. Deep down he was curious but not once did he let it show. Yeraq stood a few feet from their mentor, his fingers twitching together in a fearful manner and both Neash and Keing were crouched low beside Radquao, oddly fascinated by all the information coming up.
"I don't... wow..." muttered Radquao.
The tapping of the keys suddenly sounded loud in her ears as she continued to work, her eyes widening with each new thing she learned.
"It's not possible..." she breathed, clearly exasperated by something.
"Are you gonna share or not?" barked Sukin impatiently.
"There's no need to be rude," snapped Keing, turning on him.
"Oh, I'm sorry," said Sukin sardonically, pushing off the wall to approach the group. "I thought we were in a hurry, that finding Murata was important."
"It is," said Keing. "But the situation needs to be looked at properly and the rudeness isn't needed."
Sukin opened his mouth to respond but their mentor cut across him. "That's enough, from both of you," he chided. "Radquao, what have you got?"
The group's attention went back to the console where all the information was. As though uncomfortable, Radquao shifted in the chair, knowing that all eyes were on her and all of them were waiting to hear what she had. A deep sigh escaped her before she spoke.
"There's no trace of the ship," she started, leaning back in the chair. "It has no energy, no output, nothing."
"What are you saying?" said Umyd quietly.
"I'm saying that the ship is dead and it doesn't exist," clarified Radquao.
A noise of derision sounded in the cockpit as Neash moved towards the viewport and pointed out with her index finger. "What do you mean it doesn't exist?" she asked incredulously. "I can see it!"
Radquao shrugged. "I can't explain it."
Silence surrounded them again as no one was sure of what to say or do next. A few exchanged looks went around but it provided no solutions to their problems.
"So what do we do?" asked Yeraq quietly.
"It's simple," said Nalrana, stepping forward. "We go aboard that ship and find her."
"That sounds..."
"Awesome," said Radquao, finishing Yeraq's sentence. "Imagine what we could learn just being onboard that ship. All the wonders it must carry."
"I was going to say scary but alright..." said Yeraq, still fidgeting.
"It's a good idea," said Umyd after a moment's thought. "We cannot just wait here and see what happens. As I said before, whatever entity is among us is not evil. I do not believe it will bring us any harm. You should be safe. You'll split into pairs. Radquao, you'll go with RA. Sukin and Nalrana, Neash and Keing and-"
"I am not going," said Yeraq, clearly flustered, not caring that he interrupted his mentor. "Say what you will but I will not step one foot on that ship."
"Fine," said Umyd coolly. "You can stay on board with me. The rest of you must get prepared. Take nothing with you except glowrods for light." He paused to look their young faces and at their nods, he gave one too. "Radquao, connect to the ship."
Leaning forward in her chair again, Radquao went to another part of the console and she flicked and operated the controls with expertise. As soon as her fingers stopped, a new sound reached them. The umbilical mechanism kicked into life and shot through space, honing in on the airlock. It snapped together easily and by the time they got to the locked hatch, they were ready to depart.
With a soft tug, Umyd opened the hatch and one by one, they walked inside and headed for the mysterious ship. The door on the other side opened with a hard push and cautiously, they stepped on board. Once they were all on, they stood huddled together, glancing at the various directions they could go in from here.
"Is this a labyrinth or a ship?" asked Sukin, taking a few steps forward.
"Do you even know what a labyrinth is?" asked Neash with a cheeky grin.
"Alright," said Radquao, before anything else was said. "We don't have time to waste. Pick a corridor and follow it. We'll meet back in an hour."
Nods and murmurs went through the small group but they soon separated and headed in different directions. As each of them disappeared down one of the many corridors, the glowrods were shaken and the cylinder shapes glowed with bright, neon colours.
The yellow glowrod shone brightly in Radquao's hand as she and RA made their way down one of the centre corridors. They passed several doors, most of which wouldn't open and at the first one that did Radquao poked her head around to see inside. The room was small but empty, causing her shoulders to droop a little in disappointment.
They kept going down the corridor but Radquao slowed again at seeing a wooden framed mirror hanging on the wall, surrounded by two landscape paintings of places that she didn't recognise. At coming to a stop she held the glowrod up higher to see them a little better. The wood was plain and smooth, shaped simply to fit the mirror.
"I doubt any of these exist anymore..." she uttered to herself.
The gears of RA filtered through her ears as he turned back and stood beside her. "We must keep going," he said, a trace of desperation in his voice. "My mistress could be hurt or worse..."
The sentence was left unfinished as RA was unable to utter the words he dreaded the most. But he didn't need to finish them as Radquao turned and nodded, understanding that he was right. Despite the situation they were in, she still made mental notes for later, knowing that this is probably the only time she'd get an opportunity like this.
On the far left side of the ship were Neash and Keing. The white and neon pink lights from their glowrods shimmered along the white walls, creating an enthralling pattern. Their shoes echoed all the way down the corridor but when a new sound reached them, they stopped, letting silence encircle them once more.
"What is that?" whispered Neash.
"Probably just the wind," said Keing, attempting to calm Neash as well as herself.
The thumping noise became louder, making both of them jump. The noise then seemed to move. Both Neash and Keing looked up at the ceiling as it seemed to pass overhead, continuing down the corridor. When the noise vanished altogether, they exchanged looks of relief before they kept going.
In a corridor nearby, Sukin and Nalrana explored, their glowrods of white and green lighting up the area easily. Sukin ran both hands down each side, noticing the roughness of the walls. Nalrana followed just behind him, trying each of the doors that they passed to see if they opened. At halfway down, none of them did so far.
In a flawless and metal framed mirror at the end of the hallway, Murata and Me'lan appeared. On a single glance around Murata saw familiar face. It seemed they were situated at the end of one of the many corridors and it was the same corridor that Sukin and Nalrana were exploring.
Sukin had both arms stretched out to the sides, his hands running down the walls as he walked and Nalrana walked behind him, her arms folded over her chest while she bit her bottom lip nervously.
"Why is it so dark?" said Nalrana tetchily. "We need something better than glowrods."
"Well, you're stuck with it, so deal with it," snapped Sukin.
Nalrana made a face at Sukin's back before she held up the glowrod she was holding to try and see better. Me'lan watched, her face steeped in curiosity and a small smile then came over her face. Just as Sukin passed the mirror, a flood of lights came on around them, making Nalrana jump.
It was then that Nalrana froze, her eyes focused on the mirror. A feeling of joy passed through her. "Murata..." she uttered, surprised and confused to see her friend in a mirror, standing beside a ball of light. At turning she saw no one behind her and it was then that she realised. She was in the mirror.
"Sukin!" she shouted, running to catch up with Sukin. "I found her!"
Sukin turned, clearly unimpressed and sighed. "What are you talking about?"
Nalrana grabbed Sukin's arm and pulled him back towards the mirror. "I found Murata. She's in the mirror."
"Right," scoffed Sukin, wrenching his arm free. "I think you better lay off the alcohol."
Nalrana didn't find the comment funny and she watched him walk away, down the next corridor but she didn't follow. Instead, she went back to the mirror but at standing in front of it again she found it empty. The confusion within her grew and she approached the shining, reflective surface. But nothing happened and no one was there anymore.
The mirror in Me'lan's room shimmered once again, the surface looking like rippling water and two bright balls of light emerged. They soon solidified back into themselves and Murata couldn't suppress the laugh that rose up within her. Me'lan watched her curiously, seemingly captivated by something.
"What is funny?" she asked, not understanding.
"Did you see the look on Nalrana's face?" asked Murata through her laughter. "It was priceless."
Me'lan gave a smile that made her eyes twinkle and when Murata's laughter subsided she looked to her new friend, plan already in mind.
"We should do that again," said Murata happily. "I'm in no danger but they don't know that. We should have a little more fun while we can."