Chapter 14: Tecna
I have decided that now the time is right to try to contact Tecna on the matter of Stormy. Darcy has finally agreed to accept my plan to seek Tecna's aid in assessing Stormy's condition and, hopefully, to determine whether or not there is any real hope for her progressing beyond the mental state of an eight-year old. It took a lot of arguing and persuasion from both Alysoun and me but, in the end, it is an appeal to Darcy's sisterly love for Stormy that wins over old prejudices and she concedes.
Knowing that the cyborg Faerie requires little sleep and is often up late into the night and early morning, I choose to contact her just after the midnight hour hoping to have a private and quiet conversation with her. I go to the book vault where there is a comm, erect an extra secure privacy shield, and then punch in Tecna's calling sequence.
"Tecna here. I am listening. What do you want?" demands a voice in clipped High Alfean.
"Easy, Icy, easy," I have to remind myself when, for a moment, my temper starts to rise. "She is not being rude. This is just her manner of speaking. Let's not start things off on the wrong foot. Note that she is using non-aggressive pronouns and medium honorifics."
"Who...?" asks Tecna, puzzled as we find ourselves staring at each other across the comm screens. She has not seen me since I bobbed by trademark high ponytail and stopped wearing any heavy makeup and I have not really had a good look at her since she attained her Enchantix status. "Well, well, well!" I'm thinking. "It seems that our ugly duckling techno-geek has been transformed into a beautiful Enchantix swan. Some day soon I will have to check this out."
"Tec?" demands a sleepy, reedy voice from somewhere off-screen. "Who is calling at this early hour?" There is some shuffling and then the unmistakable face of the Faerie of Music appears in the screen, and while the cyborg Faerie is still struggling to put one plus one together to arrive at one-naught, even half asleep, Musa has one plus one making two in a flash.
"Icy!" shouts Musa angrily. "I (aggressive, nasty, and in-your-face) know that's you (she who is without honour and worthy of only my utmost contempt and distain)! You have a lot of nerve/chutzpah calling here!"
"Icy?!" says Tecna. "What is it that you want?" she asks, still employing non-aggressive forms and polite, medium honorifics.
"She wants to cause us trouble, that's what," interrupts Musa. "Tec, just disconnect and have nothing to do with that witch. She's only up to no-good!" and I see her hand reaching for the switch-off button but Tecna grabs it, preventing Musa from breaking the connection. "Enough, Musa," says Tecna coldly, "this is a private conversation and your butting in is rude and unwanted. Now, I can handle this myself so just shove off."
I see that my hoped for quiet conversation with Tecna is rapidly going south because of Musa's presence but to disconnect now would be suspicious and Tecna would probably then erect a firewall of some description to prevent me from ever calling her back. I take a deep breath and go for telling her the main reasons for my call as quickly and succinctly as polite conversation allows.
"I see," says Tecna after contemplating on what I have said for a few moments. "I can provide you with the scans of Stormy's brain you want but any analysis you will have to have done by someone else. I do not have access to any database that contains information on the physiology and anatomy of a normal Storm-Witch brain."
Meanwhile, Musa continues to be a distraction sitting on the bed behind Tecna still within the view of the comm screen scowling and signing behind Tecna's back. "Go way, Icy!" she signs vehemently to me. "I hate you, witch!" I try not to let this faze me but, when Tecna's face is turned from me for a brief moment, I sign back to her, "Musa, be polite or need I come over there to box you ears?" Tecna is again facing me but Musa is signing behind her back, "Just come and try it, broomstick! I'll be waiting."
"Can you come to Cloud Tower?" I ask.
"Yes," replies Tecna, but my kind of magic cannot work efficiently in an environment full of negative energy. I could do it here at Alfea College but I doubt that you and Stormy can get past Miss Faragonda's reinforced barrier."
"Some neutral ground?" I suggest.
"There is a park just outside Alfea Collage and in the middle is a blue gazebo with gold trim. I need to do some preparation before doing this so meet me there in three days at two hours past midday."
"Agreed," I tell her, "and thank you."
"Tecna! Have you fried a circuit?" shouts Musa. "It's a trap. I know it."
"No, Musa, it is a reasonable request for help for someone in need," replies Tecna. "I have no reason to withhold help and, besides, I will not be alone."
"Darn right, Icy, she'll not be alone," shouts Musa into the comm screen. "We'll all be there with her to protect her so if you dare try to harm my girl Tecna I'll..." and then the connection cuts off.
I am standing there blinking from the sudden cut-off and then I realize that I am stinking worse than a lathered dragon and that my clothes are soaked and my hair is dripping with perspiration. But I have my meeting with Tecna. The question now is whether or not Stormy, Darcy and I can pass through the barrier surrounding Cloud Tower.
