Thunder or lightning
Something frightening
Dance Magic Dance - David Bowie
Chapter 21: Thunder and Lightning
- LOGIC -
Amanda shouted but it was unintelligible over the sound of warping stone. Logic kept moving, leaning forward as the floor now sloped steeply upwards in his direction of travel. Amanda thumped his shoulder. Logic glanced back at her and she pointed to the short pathway. He shook his head. Not that one.
One more step upward and the few lights remaining in the passage above him flared out. The now dark pathway disengaged from the junction with a sound like metal tearing. The darkness took on a deeper black as the void formed across the entry.
Unable to process what had happened he took another step forward. Amanda tugged him backwards, one hand pulling at his robes, her void damaged hand still firmly grasped in his.
The void! What was he doing, dragging Amanda towards another void? Logic stopped moving forward and looked around them. The junction was collapsing around them, Amanda would be crushed if she stayed here.
This time he allowed Amanda to tug him around and lead him to the remaining door. He pushed Amanda past the threshold out of immediate harm. Logic did not know what caused him to be wary but he could not make himself enter after her.
Gazing rapidly around the shaking junction, Logic sought once more for an alternative. There was none; the mindquake had indeed removed all other options. Amanda's unrelenting grip gave a sudden pull and he stepped over the threshold. There was a significant decrease in the noise and shaking but no event of concern. He released a breath.
The threshold creaked in warning as the twisting junction strained its moorings.
"Run!" he shouted.
The pathway was too narrow to travel side by side. Amanda took the lead, her hand reaching back to hold his outstretched one. Together they gained speed even as this pathway began to shake. Lights dimmed, spurts of dust fell from the ceiling, a collapse was imminent.
A sudden jerk of the floor sent them flying apart. He stumbled into the wall. Amanda fell forward onto her knees with an exclamation of pain.
Larger streams of dust fell and many flickering lights went dark. Amanda rose and made a couple of pained steps before falling again. Scooping her into his arms, Logic broke into a sprint.
A piece of brick stuck his shoulder. A second glanced off his back. Amanda yelped and her body flinched in his arms. She curled up tighter and he leaned forward to provide what protection he could. He ignored the debris that continued to strike him.
The last ceiling lights flared out above them but it was not complete darkness; ahead, the light of day illuminated the shape of a door and the path immediately in front of it.
The pathway shuddered again and the wall alongside them fractured. A huge slab of it broke away and toppled inward in front of them. Logic bolted up and over it. He sprung off the far edge of the slab and hit the ground on the other side at a run. A boom followed as the slab hit the floor. Dust obscured the air.
As Logic stepped into the light the hairs on the back of his neck stood on end. There was a mindshield across the exit. Logic's apprehension grew. There was something important, something he should -
The noise from behind them magnified to a painful crescendo as the remaining ceiling and walls thundered down. Nowhere else for them to go.
Logic stretched out his mental protections so they completely encased Amanda. His skin crawled when his protections met the shield. But once he took a step into the barrier, it wrapped around him and forced him through in a rapid blur.
They emerged to a shock of hot dry air. The blinding red light snapped his inner eyelids shut. Even so, it was still uncomfortably bright. Amanda moaned softly and threw one arm across her face to shield her eyes.
The sand around the vicinity of the door quivered as the pathway it anchored to continued to twist. Logic continued his sprint away from the exit across the hot sand, the footing becoming more steady with each step.
Towering red dunes surrounded them in all directions. Logic ran towards the nearest one. As he began his ascent up the steep side of the dune, loosely packed sand resisted his motion. Logic put increasing amounts of energy into his sprint to maintain it. A burning pain started at his feet and spread into a cramp at his calves. His lungs strained at the exertion in the thin dusty air.
As he gained height, Logic observed more of the territory. A desert erg lay before him. Windblown dunes of massive height stretched out in all directions. They lay unnaturally close together with thin shadowed valleys between them. Above them, the red sun blazed in a golden sky. The horizon was hazed orange by suspended dust and wavered with heat haze. To the West, the sky was a solid red. A sand storm in progress. An electrical discharge flashed illuminating the storm from within.
Logic recoiled. Not a storm, the Storm.
They should never have come.
Logic whirled around. If he could force their way back through the barrier, get past the rubble then -
Dust and debris exploded outward from the passage. A shockwave of cool dusty air washed past them. The image of the door wavered in the air as the seams of the mindscape sealed around it. Not even a void was left behind.
The moment the doorway vanished, Logic's connection to the conscious mind shattered in an agonising burst.
Cut-off, cut-off, cut-off!
Logic fell to his knees and lost his grip on Amanda. She tumbled out of his arms onto the sand. He pressed both hands to his head in a futile attempt to dull the pain.
Hands gripped his shoulders. "Logic?" Amanda called. Other sounds followed but they had no meaning.
His corporeal form started to disintegrate. Logic collapsed back on the hot sand as his lower body lost integrity. He screamed and writhed as parts of his body were violently torn from him.
A soothing coolness flowed through his cheek. As it swept through his body, the sensation of being ripped apart ceased. His body still shook with pain though not with the same level of agony as before. It took him some time to recall how to open his eyes. When he did, Amanda's worried face peered down at him.
"Are you alright?" Amanda asked, a hitch in her voice.
She had at some point lifted his head onto her lap, the fingers of one hand rested on the meld points across his cheek.
"I - do - not - know," Logic panted out. His breathing continued to come in small gasps. He could not control it, he could not control anything. A small cry escaped his lips.
"Just breathe, I've got you," Amanda promised. "I'm not letting go. Now breathe in," she inhaled, "And out," she exhaled, then repeated the process.
Following her instructions, his inhales and exhales gradually came to match hers. Some control regained, he calmed. Lifting his head he checked for damage.
Though it throbbed with pain, his right leg appeared to be missing. Logic attempted to twitch his right foot and the sand stirred where it should lie. Completely transparent, it would not bear any weight. His left leg was translucent, the sand partially visible through it. His upper body appeared more solid but still lacked complete opaqueness. Examination complete, he let his head sag back down in Amanda's lap.
It appeared that he was trapped between his corporeal and incorporeal state without sufficient energy to shift to either. This was concerning on its own, but he could sense that the painful transition had only been suspended. If Amanda released her hold on him it would resume.
Logic had always found the transition to incorporeal form difficult, and, unlike subconscious aspects, he could not change instantly. But it had never been painful, certainly not like being torn limb from limb. This involuntary transition had been destructive and it was improbable that he would have survived.
Amanda had halted the progression but he did not understand how. Knowing the mechanism and being able to control would be vital to his continued survival and, given the danger present here, Amanda's as well.
Lifting a shaky hand he placed his fingers against Amanda's cheek seeking answers. The light passed through his semi-translucent arm making it glow green. When his weakened arm trembled, Amanda pressed her other hand over his holding him steady.
Logic focused his mind on her. He discovered a thin thread of connection between them that was transmitting a minute amount of energy. It was just enough to keep him in his current state.
It was not the proto-bond, this weak thread connected Amanda directly to Logic. That was not something Amanda should have been able to initiate. So how?
Logic traced the energy and was initially confused when it focused most intently on his person. Locating the source, he lifted his other arm. His sleeve slid back revealing a blue gem.
Of course! The sapphire had been a part of Amanda's psychic form and was now a part of his. He had forged the connection and used it to find her. It now tied his aspect directly to her.
The sapphire had accumulated a small reserve of power. He drew on it and the gem glowed a brilliant blue. The arm that bore it regained full opacity from his fingers to his shoulder and all pain there dissipated. He wiggled the fingers testing them. Full motion.
"That seemed promising," Amanda said looking down over first his arm then the rest of his body. "Can you finish it?"
"No," he rasped.
The gems reserves were emptied. Cut off from his own source of energy he was now completely reliant on Amanda. With adequate time the thin connection might provide the energy to reverse his fading. But every second spent in this region risked discovery. They could not wait, he required a stronger connection.
Logic leaned up on his solid elbow and with effort, pushed himself up to sitting. He wobbled. Amanda's released his hand and wrapped an arm around his back providing enough support to keep him upright.
"Amanda, I need - strengthen link," he croaked, sentences unusually difficult to form.
"Alright," she consented. "Whatever you need."
When he opened up the connection, Amanda gasped and her flinch knocked their temples together. He grabbed her wrist with his good hand to prevent her from releasing his meld points.
"Hurts," she whimpered.
"Forgive me, you are - sharing my pain, it will be - temporary. I need -," his words faltered the concepts he wanted to explain too difficult to express in his current state.
" 'Kay," she agreed between clenched teeth. "Do it."
As he began the process of strengthening their tie, Amanda made small cries of pain but did not attempt to pull away again. The connection contracted, centring on Amanda's cerebral cortex. Amanda began to sob.
He flexed his fingers, prepared to withdraw. He could not do this to her.
"No, keep going," she ordered him through clenched teeth, "You need to finish this."
So he did, though he regretted her suffering. The connection focused sharply and the new link sent its roots through Amanda's frontal lobe. As it made connections the link between them began to flow. The gem let out a brilliant flash of blue that illuminated them both. The pain ceased as his body regained full solidity and much of his prior strength. The gem continued to glow with a pale light.
Logic released his fingers from Amana's cheek and his hold from her wrist. Amanda sagged against him with a sigh. Drawing her limp form close against him, he kissed Amanda's temple. Her mouth curved upward in a wan smile.
"Have what you need?" Amanda asked wearily.
"I do. When the pathway sealed, my connection to Sarek's consciousness was severed. The link between us is providing energy for me to continue functioning," he explained.
"Good. I was afraid I was going to lose you for a bit there." Amanda closed her eyes.
On the horizon, another flash of forked lightning lit up the horizon. Thunder rumbled towards them increasing in intensity. The small hairs on the back of Logic's neck stood up as the sound washed over them. If the thunder was audible, the Storm had moved closer.
"We must leave this place," he urged as he staggered up to his feet. "The Storm is approaching we are too exposed here." He offered Amanda his hand and began to pull her up. Her legs collapsed under her in the loose sand. Logic caught her before she fell.
"Logic, I can't," she whispered, her distress and exhaustion etched into her face.
Logic picked her up once more. Cradling her in his arms he began his way down the side of the dune.
"Bad?" she questioned tiredly, glancing over his shoulder at the Storm.
"Extremely. We must find a route out of this area, or at minimum, a shelter from the wind and electrical discharges the Storm will bring."
He was uncertain where such a place would be, but they could not linger here. Perhaps the collapse of the pathway had attracted it or possibly it had sensed them. Regardless of the reason, the Storm headed this way and it must not find them.
As he descended the dune, Logic mentally mapped out the route he intended to travel. The dunes here were reshaped by the ever-blowing wind on a timescale not possible in a real desert erg. Travelling would require navigation of a dangerous maze of shifting sand. Keeping his bearing would be difficult and require periodic checks of their position. They must also continue to check for shelter and track the progress of the Storm.
Reaching the valley between two dunes he entered into the thin ribbon of shade the dropped the temperature several degrees. The sand was denser here than on the slopes and he commenced a swift jog.
Amanda yawned. "Rest now," he told her. She laid her head against his shoulder and closed her eyes with a small sigh. Her drowsy mind shifted snuggly against their connection before settling into a deeper sleep. The flow of energy shifted further towards him.
So trusting. So willing to share all she had with him. It had always been so with her. With regret, he realised that the same could not be said of him.
At their very first meeting, the Katra had recognised her as k'hat'n'dlawa, its other half. It had stirred from the bonding nexus and reached for her. The Beast immediately yearned for her. The Warrior vowed to protect her. Will found a renewed purpose that had been lacking since their bondmate died. The Healer had to be reminded to utilise bio-controls. It was Shon-ha lock. 'Love at first sight', as Amanda would call it.
But Logic had resisted the engulfment.
It was not that he did not care for Amanda or found her in any way to be unworthy. Logic greatly valued Amanda's companionship, had rapidly come to respect and admire her. He would cherish her as a bondmate. But from the beginning, he had predicted that she would not remain his. Either she would leave him, finding some aspect of Sarek's Vulcan nature incompatible, or his family would compel him to leave her.
When T'Pau had forced Sarek back to Vulcan, Logic had not thought to see Amanda again. Logic could not have anticipated that Amanda would find a way to follow him to Vulcan and convince T'Pau to allow their bonding. The others had not doubted. Will had called her, and she had come.
Logic had made so many errors in judgement and held so much back from her. All based on the false premise that Amanda would not remain part of his life. But Amanda had proved her commitment.
Amanda would not leave him. She would never give up.
Amanda was his.
The knowledge soothed him and his doubts faded. The engulfment rose up once more and he willing let it claim him.
He was hers.
A simple assertion, yet it changed everything.
Logic finally understood why Amanda had entered the meld with so little chance of saving him. Understood why she had repeatedly refused to leave. Understood why she continued to risk everything.
He would do the same for her.
Logic gazed down at the woman sleeping in his arms. Covered in dirt and sweat, exhausted, injured all on Sarek's behalf. He must do what he could to be worthy of her.
A rumble of thunder drew his full attention back to his surroundings. The sound was louder despite the extra distance he had travelled. He waited for the echoes to die down then climbed up the shaded side of the nearest dune. The soft sand slipped down the slope where his feet disturbed it.
The Storm obscured a great deal more of the sky, it was nearly at the clearing already. Even if it did not yet know of their presence, they could not indefinitely evade the Storm in its own territory. They must locate another way out of this region as soon as possible.
The dunes which they had traversed almost concealed the clearing from which they had come. He turned in a circle and found nothing but more dunes. If there were other exits they could well be hidden. Locating one did not seem likely.
Will would have been more capable here. He could alter the mindscape to his whims especially in the subconscious. When he wanted changes, Will assumed what he wanted was there and it was. Perhaps Will could have created a doorway to another region. At the minimum, he would have been able to form a shelter.
In the conscious mind, something was either there or it was not. Things could be shifted, the balance changed, but creation from nothing was impossible. A conscious aspect like Logic could not comprehend the change inherent in the subconscious and could not manipulate it.
But perhaps Amanda could. She often favoured intuition and was exceptionally creative. If she could somehow be brought to think what they sought was already there…
Simply explaining the situation to her would not be sufficient. She would need to believe without reservation for the changes to take place. Deception on his part was not an option either. Amanda would recognise any prevarication especially with the link between them.
While he did not know there was a shelter, he could accept Amanda could create one. He would not be lying if he told her she would find one. He disliked withholding the information from her but, in this instance, it appeared to be necessary. He would explain all once they were outside of the reach of the Storm. An acceptable compromise.
"Amanda, wake up now," he called gently, tugging mentally on the link between them at the same time.
Her eyes opened into a squint. "Hmm?" she questioned sleepily.
"I require your assistance in locating a shelter or a pathway out of this region. There will be something suited to our purpose nearby," he explained with care.
Amanda lifted her face from where it pressed against his shoulder and shielded her eyes with one hand. "It's difficult to see anything in this bright sun," she muttered. Squinting she kept searching. "All I see is a lot of sand. Logic are you sure there is something out there?"
This would not work if she remained sceptical. "You should see a place of safety nearby," he confirmed, sending his conviction that she would find it down their link.
As Amanda returned her gaze to the dunes, Logic closed his eyes so his own impressions did not lock the mindscape in place. Logic felt the energy between them shift back to Amanda.
"No, I - Wait, maybe. There's something over there," Amanda said. As her hesitancy approached certainty, he felt the energy they shared rush outward. Something was happening.
"How does it appear to you?" he asked, his eyes still closed.
"There are rocks jutting out behind those dunes maybe a mile or so off. It might offer some protection from the wind at least. Is that what you were searching for or should I keep looking?"
Logic opened his eyes and followed her pointing finger. If he had been a different aspect he would have smiled. He had only a partial view, but the standing stones had not been there before. She had done it.
"That is precisely what we require. We will head to the Stones. I will return between the dunes now, there is some shade there."
Thunder rolled over them as he clambered down the loose side of the dune. Again, the sound had increased in intensity.
Amanda shivered. "The thunder sounds odd."
"How so," he asked curiously.
"It sounded almost like, well like laughter," she answered awkwardly.
Logic felt a sudden chill down his spine, particularly odd in this heat. The Storm may have sensed the change Amanda had made to its territory and if so would be aware of their presence and perhaps their current location. It would delight in hunting intruders.
He considered what Amanda might be capable of doing, what changes she might make. It was doubtful she could influence the Storm in any way to their benefit, it was far too powerful. It was more likely that she would inadvertently draw its attention directly to them. As further changes should be avoided, some information was in order.
"The Storm, like everything here, is a part of Sarek's mindscape, it is not a mere weather phenomenon, Amanda," Logic informed her.
"You mean it's like you?" she asked incredulously.
"In a sense. It is not of the same order as an aspect, it is less complex being. I would refer to it as an instinct."
Amanda went still. "What kind of instinct takes the form of a storm?"
Logic hesitated. He preferred not to acknowledge the Storm's nature yet she deserved to know what they faced. "It is a destructive instinct. It seeks the end of all things," Logic explained neutrally.
Amanda was quiet for a time and he was concerned that he had frightened or repulsed her. He made it to the valley floor and began to jog, his best pace noticeably slower than before he had climbed the dune.
"Humans may have something similar," she offered quietly. "I remember learning about the death drive in my psychology class. It's supposed to contribute to both aggressive and self-destructive behaviours. I never expected to be meeting the Vulcan version."
"I would prefer that you did not," Logic replied. "If I had been aware of where the path led, I would not have brought you here."
"There wasn't much of a choice at the end Logic, I understand that. But I think you knew something was wrong, you really didn't want to travel this way."
"I sensed something, but I could not determine what. The Storm was contained around the same time I was formed, I have only vague impressions of it and have never had cause to seek it out. There was also a shield securing the exit that may have prevented a clearer reading."
Amanda was quiet again. Finally, she asked, "So what now?"
"The Storm is still some distance away and it may not know our position," he offered. "You have located a region of safety to which I am heading. For now, you should continue to rest."
"Okay," Amanda agreed though with some unease. She lay her head back down but remained awake her eyes narrow slits.
Logic wound around dunes, heading directly as possible towards the standing stones. Amanda's use of energy to change the mindscape had reduced what he had to work with. The jog he had started was now reduced to a brisk walk. Even this slower pace was taxing.
The wind gave a hot blast, knocking sand from the tops of the dunes. He crouched low, directly behind the dune that showered them further with sand.
"Logic -" Amanda began before a flash of lightning and a boom of thunder sent her shivering in his arms.
This time, he heard the laugh amidst the rumble. There was no doubt now, it was coming for them. Logic let out a long slow breath and attempted to project calm to Amanda.
"I anticipate that we will not make the Stones before the Storm arrives. At its approach, the wind will increase and be heavy with sand," he murmured to her. "It will soon be difficult to breathe and the blowing sand will damage your eyes. If you have means to cover your mouth, nose and eyes, do so."
She lifted herself at the waist so she could pull out the sash that belted her dress. She shook out the cloth, sending dust flying, then wrapped it around her head several times before tying the two ends in a knot behind her head. "What about you?" Amanda questioned, her voice slightly muffled through the layers of fine cloth.
"I have natural protections," he explained. "My inner eyelids are already closed and I have extra membranes in my nose that act as filters. I have our route memorised and should be able to follow it even when the visibility drops."
"And when we get to the stones, what then? They didn't seem like much. I don't see how they will protect us from a sand storm unless there is more to it than I could see."
"We will have protection there," he promised. "We should also be able to gain assistance it is the -" his explanation was cut off by the wind as it changed pitch from a low moan to what was undeniably a scream.
The howling wind ended the possibility of further conversation and whipped the tops off of the dunes, obscuring the air. Logic continued walking till he became uncertain which direction to take next. Climbing a dune was a risk with the Storm so near, but so was wandering blind. He must regain his bearings.
The wind hurled sand at him as he climbed up the side of the dune. Twice he backslid several feet down the precarious slope. As he reached the top, the air was a little clearer. it was difficult to pinpoint the Storm, the whole horizon was obscured with sand. The area around them was partially visible, enough to make out the major features. The dunes had shifted sending him too far North, but they were close. Logic committed the new path to memory.
As he started down the opposite slope a flash of lightning illuminated them against the sky. He sensed the eye of the Storm focus on him and several more flashes of lightning lit up the sky, one after another. Thunder boomed in waves. The Storm front was far closer than he had projected and moved rapidly towards them obliterating dunes in its wake.
"Hold on," he commanded Amanda at a volume loud enough to be heard over the wind. She grabbed his robe and he held her with only one arm as he half ran, half slid, down the steep slope. He barely avoided a tumble and hit the ground at a sprint, pushing through his building fatigue.
The Storm shrieked. The small hairs stood up on his body as the air saturated with charge. The dune he had just stood upon exploded as it was struck by lightning. Logic diverted from his path and ducked behind a dune as shards of hot lightning glass rained down where he had been.
Thunder pounded them two seconds later, painful in its intensity. Amanda flinched against him and he suspected she might have screamed though he could not discern her voice over the noise of the Storm. He dodged around dunes until he found the clearing.
In the centre stood a ring of twelve standing stones. Groups of three supported the weight of lintel stones laid horizontally upon them. The pairs that marked the Northern, Southern, Eastern and Western entrances had no lintels. The Stones were sacred ground and if they could just get within the boundaries, the Storm would not be able to follow.
The clearing was wide, and he paused at the last dune to catch his breath. With the Storm so close open ground would expose them but to remain between the dunes was not an option.
One last push then he could rest. He bolted over the sand with all the speed remaining to him. Without the dunes providing a wind-break, the sand-laden air pelted him, abrading his skin. Amanda curled up smaller against him and buried her face in his chest.
His feet pounded across the hard-packed sand of the clearing. The pillars of stone grew steadily larger but the wind turned against him. As the wind increased in strength it sapped his own. He slowed to a walk. Then, as the wind increased further, he leaned into it and staggered forward. The air was almost opaque but the outline of the stones was just visible. Only a few more steps.
The Storm screamed in fury and the surge of wind from the side nearly knocked him from his feet. The hairs all over his body rose.
Anticipating what was coming, he threw Amanda forward with his last remaining strength. She tumbled through the air between the two pillars that marked the Southern entrance and vanished from his sight.
She was safe. He smiled, allowing it this one time.
The gem at his wrist cracked, its light extinguished. All strength gone, he fell.
Lightning lashed out towards him with an ear-splitting crack. It struck him before he hit the sand sending pain lancing through his nerves.
But she was safe.
He could rest now.
Authors Note: This has taken me a lot longer to write than I ever could have anticipated. Essentially I got stuck. I knew where I wanted the story to go but couldn't seem to get there. It got so frustrating that I put the story aside for a while, I just wasn't enjoying writing. I picked it back up several times, each with a new idea, only to get stuck again. A few months ago I worked out what was going to happen and got a rough draft. I've probably written about 10x what you see here to get it to this stage. I am finally happy with this chapter and hope you have all enjoyed it. It's not what I originally planned, but I think its actually better and incoperates a lot of the random ideas I have had floating around in my head. I have also made so minor edits/corrections to the previous chapter so it fitted better with what is written here.
Going forward I have worked out all the major plot points that are going to happen. I am also on break for the summer, so hopefully this time it will actually get finished. I am planning to write at least a rough draft to the end of the story and then see whether it should be broken into one or two chapters. It has been started.
I want to say a big thank you to the people that commented or messaged me during my hiatus. You are the reason I picked the work back up so many times and did not give up on it. It really moved me that you wanted to see this story continued. Special thanks to LORIOVER50, NaginiFay, Uhura the 9th, and all the guests that posted on the last chapter.
For those that are interested, the Death drive is part of Freudian psychology but it isn't widly accepted. I found the concept interesting and made it has part of my story. Another instinct will feature in the next part as well as few familiar characters.