The Giving-part 7
Disclaimer in part 1
Trance stood on the command deck. She was silent and had a very worried expression on her face. She was so deep in thought she did not notice when Rev Bem entered command and approached her.
"Why so quiet?" Rev asked, causing Trance to jump slightly.
"Oh, hi Rev. I was just. .thinking."
"About anything in particular?"
"Not really. I am just worried about Beka."
"Why are you so concerned Trance?" Andromeda's hologram form inquired. "Is there something about the Palorians that you didn't tell Dylan and the others? If there is you should really tell us now."
"No there isn't anything. Well not anything that would be important. At least I don't think it would be important. And its not like I know for sure. Just rumors and stories and and stuff." Trance was rambling and she knew it. She wanted to tell them but what would she say without making them even more suspicious of her than they already were.
"Perhaps you should tell us what you know and let us decide whether it is important or not." Rev said. "If nothing else it will make you feel better knowing you did everything you could to help get Beka back."
Trance was silent for a moment as she considered what Rev said. She really didn't want anything to happen to Beka. Making up her mind she began talking.
"Alright but you have to understand that what I am saying is simply stories I heard as a child. They may or may not be true. I have no proof of these stories and we aren't even certain that those people are the Palorians."
"We understand that Trance." Andromeda replied. "Just tell us what you know."
"What Harper found in the archives is essentially true. But the archives left out some details. The Palorians didn't simply use up a planet's resources and then move on. They stole the very life source of the planet. After the life source was depleted the planet became uninhabitable. No crops would grow and the water and air would become poisoned. The technology mentioned, the energy source you couldn't identify, was a type of magic."
"Trance there is no such thing as magic." Andromeda interrupted. "I am sure that it is simply a form of science not yet identified."
"Do you want to hear my story or not?" Trance asked.
"Please continue."
"As I was saying, the stories claimed it was magic that the Palorians used. Magic stolen
from the very core of the planet they were living on. The Palorians were very bad people.
They had many beliefs and ceremonies that offended anyone who heard of them. Beliefs that included the sacrifice of livestock as well as other living creatures. They performed rituals that were an offense against nature itself. The Palorians were said to live very long lives. Because of their magic they were nearly impossible to kill. So about one thousand years ago another race of people decided to put a stop to the horrors the Palorians were performing. My.. The other race destroyed the source of their magic as well as the knowledge to reclaim that power." Trance hesitated a moment as if not sure she wanted to continue. Neither Andromeda nor Rev mentioned the little slip of the tongue she had made but both had noticed it and filed it away for a later date. "Then they took away all the female Palorians ability to reproduce."
"But if that is true then the people down on that planet could not be Palorians. Unless, Trance when you said they lived long lives, just how long did you mean?" Rev asked.
"Thousands of years." She replied quietly.
"Then those could very well be them. But that would also mean they have found a way to recover this, magic, as you called it."
"Yes and that is exactly why I am so worried."
Tyr was actually having problems keeping up with Dylan. Dylan was barely watching where he was going. All he was concentrating on was getting to the village as quickly as possible. Tyr finally caught up with him and pulled him to a stop.
"I think a little more caution may be warranted." Tyr said.
"There may not be any time for caution if the information Andromeda relayed about Trance's theory is correct. If these people are the Palorians Beka may be in danger."
"If these people are the Palorians then that is all the more reason for caution. We will do Beka no good if we get ourselves captured or killed. I will not needlessly risk my life and neither should you."
Dylan wanted nothing more at that moment than to argue with Tyr but he knew he was correct. They needed to assess the situation before they went barging in with swords drawn. But he could not stand the thought of what may be happening to Beka while they took their time getting to her.
After several minutes of silence he answered Tyr. "Fine we will move slower and with more caution. But when we find her all bets are off."
He then turned and began making his way toward the village again, this time staying within the cover of the trees. After a brief hesitation Tyr followed him.
Pello and his companions waited, hidden from sight on the side of the road. His scout had returned only moments ago. The Goddess' two companions would arrive within minutes and Pello would be ready to greet them.
Beka wished they would just kill her. It would be much kinder than the torture she was enduring at the moment.
"Neffa how much longer must this go on?" she pleaded to know.
"We will be there within the half hour Lady Beka." Neffa replied turning around on her horse to look at Beka.
Beka groaned aloud. It was bad enough that she was forced to ride this smelly beast when her entire body was already bruised and sore from the crash. But to be forced to do so in this horrible dress was simply too much.
"If I survive this trip I am never coming planet side again as long as I live." She thought to herself. "And if anyone tries to make they will die a horrible painful death."
Disclaimer in part 1
Trance stood on the command deck. She was silent and had a very worried expression on her face. She was so deep in thought she did not notice when Rev Bem entered command and approached her.
"Why so quiet?" Rev asked, causing Trance to jump slightly.
"Oh, hi Rev. I was just. .thinking."
"About anything in particular?"
"Not really. I am just worried about Beka."
"Why are you so concerned Trance?" Andromeda's hologram form inquired. "Is there something about the Palorians that you didn't tell Dylan and the others? If there is you should really tell us now."
"No there isn't anything. Well not anything that would be important. At least I don't think it would be important. And its not like I know for sure. Just rumors and stories and and stuff." Trance was rambling and she knew it. She wanted to tell them but what would she say without making them even more suspicious of her than they already were.
"Perhaps you should tell us what you know and let us decide whether it is important or not." Rev said. "If nothing else it will make you feel better knowing you did everything you could to help get Beka back."
Trance was silent for a moment as she considered what Rev said. She really didn't want anything to happen to Beka. Making up her mind she began talking.
"Alright but you have to understand that what I am saying is simply stories I heard as a child. They may or may not be true. I have no proof of these stories and we aren't even certain that those people are the Palorians."
"We understand that Trance." Andromeda replied. "Just tell us what you know."
"What Harper found in the archives is essentially true. But the archives left out some details. The Palorians didn't simply use up a planet's resources and then move on. They stole the very life source of the planet. After the life source was depleted the planet became uninhabitable. No crops would grow and the water and air would become poisoned. The technology mentioned, the energy source you couldn't identify, was a type of magic."
"Trance there is no such thing as magic." Andromeda interrupted. "I am sure that it is simply a form of science not yet identified."
"Do you want to hear my story or not?" Trance asked.
"Please continue."
"As I was saying, the stories claimed it was magic that the Palorians used. Magic stolen
from the very core of the planet they were living on. The Palorians were very bad people.
They had many beliefs and ceremonies that offended anyone who heard of them. Beliefs that included the sacrifice of livestock as well as other living creatures. They performed rituals that were an offense against nature itself. The Palorians were said to live very long lives. Because of their magic they were nearly impossible to kill. So about one thousand years ago another race of people decided to put a stop to the horrors the Palorians were performing. My.. The other race destroyed the source of their magic as well as the knowledge to reclaim that power." Trance hesitated a moment as if not sure she wanted to continue. Neither Andromeda nor Rev mentioned the little slip of the tongue she had made but both had noticed it and filed it away for a later date. "Then they took away all the female Palorians ability to reproduce."
"But if that is true then the people down on that planet could not be Palorians. Unless, Trance when you said they lived long lives, just how long did you mean?" Rev asked.
"Thousands of years." She replied quietly.
"Then those could very well be them. But that would also mean they have found a way to recover this, magic, as you called it."
"Yes and that is exactly why I am so worried."
Tyr was actually having problems keeping up with Dylan. Dylan was barely watching where he was going. All he was concentrating on was getting to the village as quickly as possible. Tyr finally caught up with him and pulled him to a stop.
"I think a little more caution may be warranted." Tyr said.
"There may not be any time for caution if the information Andromeda relayed about Trance's theory is correct. If these people are the Palorians Beka may be in danger."
"If these people are the Palorians then that is all the more reason for caution. We will do Beka no good if we get ourselves captured or killed. I will not needlessly risk my life and neither should you."
Dylan wanted nothing more at that moment than to argue with Tyr but he knew he was correct. They needed to assess the situation before they went barging in with swords drawn. But he could not stand the thought of what may be happening to Beka while they took their time getting to her.
After several minutes of silence he answered Tyr. "Fine we will move slower and with more caution. But when we find her all bets are off."
He then turned and began making his way toward the village again, this time staying within the cover of the trees. After a brief hesitation Tyr followed him.
Pello and his companions waited, hidden from sight on the side of the road. His scout had returned only moments ago. The Goddess' two companions would arrive within minutes and Pello would be ready to greet them.
Beka wished they would just kill her. It would be much kinder than the torture she was enduring at the moment.
"Neffa how much longer must this go on?" she pleaded to know.
"We will be there within the half hour Lady Beka." Neffa replied turning around on her horse to look at Beka.
Beka groaned aloud. It was bad enough that she was forced to ride this smelly beast when her entire body was already bruised and sore from the crash. But to be forced to do so in this horrible dress was simply too much.
"If I survive this trip I am never coming planet side again as long as I live." She thought to herself. "And if anyone tries to make they will die a horrible painful death."