Chapter 11: Discovery
The next morning was full of nervous anxiety, no one knowing what the day would bring. Naosha wished Trazu and Varcanna luck, Tzosha only giving Trazu a hug and a kiss before they took off.
There was an uneasy silence between the siblings. Trazu himself was anxious about what they will find at the coordinates, however he sensed that something else was bothering his sister.
"What's wrong?" He asked as they neared the outskirts of the city.
"Nothing." Varcanna said sharply.
"You're lying." Trazu retorted. "Something's bothering you."
There was a tense moment of silence before she spoke. "I know what you two did last night."
Trazu felt the heat of a blush rise to his cheeks. "I didn't think we were that loud…"
"I didn't hear you…I felt it."
He felt even more embarrassed now, yet in a way violated as well. "You shouldn't have been snooping then…" He said, a bit bitterly.
"I wasn't trying to." Varcanna snapped. "You project your emotions rather strongly brother."
"Something like that is not so easily…controlled….when in the heat of the moment. Besides, how was I supposed know something like that could be sensed by you?"
Varcanna sighed. "You couldn't have known…neither of us could have." Another sigh. "It's just that…it…hurts….knowing that…" She shook her head, unable to force the words out, but Trazu got what she was trying to say.
"You're jealous of us…"
"More like envy…but yes…can you blame me?"
Trazu thought carefully for a moment, considering what he knew about her and his people's society among other things. "Surely there's someone…."
Varcanna laughed. "Don't be naïve. Yes males may be vying for my attention now…but once they find out am a 'dead end' in terms of continuing one's bloodline their interest will switch off faster then a grav shadow yanking ones ship out of hyperspace."
"You're assuming all males are like that…" Trazu said, feeling slightly insulted.
"It's a fairly safe assumption…brother…"
There was no point in continuing the argument for he could tell she was firmly set in her belief that she will never find a mate of her own. So they continued on in silence until they were drawing close to the coordinates.
"We should be seeing something up ahead by now." Varcanna said, sounding baffled. "But I don't see a thing. Maybe it's underground?"
"Could be, but from the amount of distortion on the map it seemed more likely it's above ground structure." Trazu replied, peering at the horizon intently, looking for any sign of a structure. Then he spotted something off to one side. "I think I see something." He said, pointing.
Varcanna turned her speeder in that direction and stopped beside what looked like a radio antenna. "Odd place to put an antenna" She said.
"Doesn't even have safety lights…" Trazu muttered as he climbed out of the speeder and approached it. "But I guess it's not tall enough to be a threat to low flying space craft."
He started walking around the structure, inspecting it. His only indication something had happened was when he suddenly sensed Varcanna was distressed. He turned around to look at her to see her standing stock still looking around intently for him. "Varca I am right here." He said, but to his surprise she didn't seem to hear him, but he could hear her calling for him. Thinking he needed to give her a good smack on the head, he approached her, only for her to suddenly jump back in total shock.
"How'd you do that?" She demanded.
"Do what?" He asked, puzzled.
"You disappeared completely, then reappeared out of thin air."
"I did? Curious…" He turned back around and experimentally stuck his hand out in front of him: his hand and part of his forearm disappeared. "A hologram…must have sound dampening qualities as well, as you didn't seem to hear me while I was behind it."
"Something must be hidden in there if they are using this much camouflage technology. I take it you didn't notice anything?"
"No, I was too busying looking at the antenna. Let's go in shall we and find out."
Varcanna nodded and slung a bag full of different items she thought they might need over her shoulder. For a moment they just stood there, a brief spell of fear of the unknown taking hold. Then with a collective sigh they took the plunge and gasped at what they found.
Before them were ruins of an old temple, much of it's decorative décor having decayed long ago and the walls showing signs of extreme erosion, large blocks of stone littering the ground around it.
"Man…an archeologist would have a field day here." Trazu said as they circled the ruins. "Who knows how old this is."
"I can see one thing that isn't very old…" Varcanna said, pointing at a standard electronic door at the main entrance. "Someone's using this place for sure. Bet you it's Tnossok."
"But what was he keeping in there?"
"Only one way to find out." Varcanna said as she took out a set of tools and knelt by the door controls.
"One of many talents I see."
Varcanna chuckled and cracked the first smile he'd seen since they left. "Warrior, pilot, mechanic with a little engineering on the side." She bragged as she removed the control panel and started fiddling with the wires. "You never know when such skills would be needed."
"And saves on paying for a locksmith should you lock yourself out of the house." Trazu said with a chuckle.
"Well...I can't break into say…one of the Sykir faculties. That's too complex for me to break into."
"Sykir?"
"One of the sci/tech Clans. Father currently has an alliance going with them and I wouldn't be surprised if they were the ones that provided him with those." She gestured to the antenna. "They specialize in military and espionage technology, though the latter they wouldn't admit officially."
"Like the merchant Clans that deal in smuggling…"
Varcanna nodded. "The Sykir have a reputation of being a bit brutal toward competitors; even practice rather inhuman interrogation tactics according to rumors." She added with a sour note in voice. "That's probably why father likes them so much…"
She finally hit the right wires and the doors opened, only for both of them to be suddenly overwhelmed by a very distinctive odor.
The stench of death….
