The Portal
Disclaimer: The standard words that someone else owns all of the main characters in this story.
Rating: R (Where's the fun, if you can't push the boundaries a little further.)
Chapter Six
[Author's Note: Like several of the characters, I assume many of the readers don't read Latin or Ancient Greek. So the readers can follow the dialog and still know which characters know what is being said and which ones don't, I am implementing the following simple method: " Text " = English "L text " = Latin "G text " = Greek
Now on with the story.]
They walked out of the temple, momentarily blinded by the bright sunlight. Without large modern glass windows or electric lights, the interior had been darker than they realized.
As they stood on the top step waiting for their eyes to adjust, Clark said, "If we are going to the baths, what about my pack? Is it safe to leave it unattended with all of the gold coins?"
"Hmmm," said Chloe while shading her eyes, "probably not. The best thing to do would be to swing over to the magistrate's palace and drop most of it off in their strong room. Most of the upper class have a lockable storeroom for valuables, wine, and so forth. Plus usually a couple of guards."
While she was talking she had the feeling there was something she had forgotten. Watching the lines getting steadily longer at food vendors, she realized what it was. Looking at the sky she said, "I guess it has been a long time since I have been here. I just remembered that the baths typically don't open until well after lunch. We have a couple of hours to kill, so we might as well look for some shoes and other supplies before heading over to the palace to drop off Clark's backpack."
As they headed down the temple steps to check out some of the side streets Lana asked, "Shouldn't we be careful about speaking English in front of others?"
"Nah," said Chloe, "the Roman Empire is probably one of the few times or places where speaking an unknown language is perfectly safe. The Romans used a lot of mercenaries in their military and were continually moving them round the empire. So long as you have money in your pocket, no one is going to care what language you speak."
On the third street they tried, they found several cobbler shops. They had an assortment of sandals and boots, but none in Clark's size or a good fit for Lex. After chatting with several of the shop owners one of them agreed to make custom boots by the next day.
While the guys were being measured, the girls each picked out several pairs of sandals. Lana held up several different styles, "These are a little more practical than my old high heels, but still I don't want to walk miles in them."
Chloe looked up from the pair she had been trying on. "Hopefully, it won't come to that now. If it turns out the professor isn't in this town, I am sure I can get us some transportation. Have you ever traveled by sedan chair?"
"You mean like the ones that we saw in front of the government building? No, of course not. Chloe, did you own slaves like those guys carrying the chairs?"
Chloe got a pensive look on her face. "Did I own slaves, yes. Did I own slaves like the ones we saw, I tried not to. Slavery was common practice in this time. It would have been impossible to blend in without owning slaves. However it takes a lot of mistreatment and abuse to end up with men like we saw. I would never tolerate that kind of treatment on my estates."
"Is that because of your upbringing in Atlantis?" asked Clark as the shop keeper finished his measurements and started showing him the available types and colors of leather.
"Actually, I am not from the traditional Plato's Atlantis. It just seemed easier to start my story with a place you had heard of. My civilization existed about ten thousand years before Atlantis. The 'real' Atlantis as the last great ice age civilization. When the glaciers melted, most of it ended up underwater."
"To answer your question, my hatred of slave abuse was of a more personal nature. I had some really bad experiences on the receiving end of the equation." While she was saying this, Clark was holding up some black leather for the new boots, but shaking her head she pointed to the red leather.
"You were a slave?" asked Clark with startled look on his face as he tried to imagine a subservient Chloe.
"Unfortunately, more than once."
"Do you want to talk about it?" Clark continued with his usual 'jump in with both feet and save the day' tone of voice.
"Not really," said Chloe with a shake of her head. "Perhaps some other time when I am in a more melancholy mood. It is too beautiful today to think about such depressing things."
"Perhaps we should talk about how to find the professor," said Lex, as he took his turn being measured for new boots.
"What's your rush, Lex?" kidded Chloe. "Do you have a hot date? You do realize that with the time machine effect we can return thirty minutes after we left whether we are here for an hour, a day, a week, or a month."
"A month?" exclaimed Lana with an unhappy look on her face and a quiver in her voice.
"I understand how the time travel concept works," said Lex selecting black leather for his own boots.
Chloe interrupted, "Lex, what's the thing with all black anyway? I bet if we could find a black toga you would be happy."
Lex gave her a dirty look. "Don't try to sidetrack me. Getting you all home is my responsibility. The longer we stay here the greater the risk somebody gets hurt or killed. Well, all of us except, apparently, Chloe."
Clark thought, 'and me.'
Lex continued, "Sometimes I think you have been having too much fun since we got here."
For a moment Chloe gave him an incredibly hard stare and for the first time Lex knew in his gut that she was much more than a normal 16 year old girl. Then the moment passed and Chloe said with small shake of her head, "You are probably right. You would think after all of these years I could be more adult and take things seriously, but then my sixteen-year-old hormones kick in. You should try being stuck in a sixteen-year-old body for thousands of years. Perhaps you too would live in the moment."
"As far as plans to find the professor," Chloe said looking thoughtful. "When we get back from the baths I'll talk to Marcus and the local magistrate. If they can't help, you and Clark can check out some of the local taverns tonight. Doubtlessly, the guards we saw out by the entrance to the canyon will hang out at one of them. I am sure with a little of the Luthor charm and some gold coins, you will be able to find some information."
When the others nodded in agreement, Chloe continued, "If we run into any likely candidates, we can start our questioning at the baths. And speaking of the baths, if we head to the magistrate's palace now to drop off Clark's bag, the baths should be open by the time we get there."
Clark walked over to Chloe, crooked his arm like he would if wearing a tuxedo, and said with a small bow, "May I be your escort?"
Chloe grinned and looped her arm through his, "Why certainly, sir." Then she looked at Lex and lifted an eyebrow.
Lex got the message and crooked his arm towards Lana. Together the four of them set off for the magistrate's palace.
As they started walking, Chloe quietly asked Clark; "You've had an hour or two to let it sink in. Are you okay hanging with an older woman? Is my secret going to wreck things between us? I am still the same Chloe and have the same feelings for you now as I did yesterday." As she finished speaking, she watched his eyes to try and read his reaction, although it was difficult as her eyes were tearing up in fear of his reaction.
Clark got this cute frown on his face, as he thought hard about his feelings and what he wanted to say. Sure Chloe's revelation had been a complete shock. 17,000 years was a number beyond comprehension. If she had said 200 or 300 perhaps he could comprehend. Maybe even 2,000 since they were that far from home. But to think that these distant Roman days were only a small fraction of Chloe's life. What all had she experienced in her life? How many men had she loved?
Clark's response to Chloe's question took her totally by surprise. "How did it feel to finally reveal your secret?"
Chloe wondered why that would be Clark's first reaction, but she owed it to him to be honest. "Truthfully, it feels like a two hundred pound stone has been lifted from my shoulders. You don't know how hard it is to have no one to trust 100%. It has been almost five hundred years since I told anyone the complete truth and that's a long time to feel deep down inside, that you are totally alone. So actually, I am glad I was forced to tell you the truth. And I don't mind too much about Lana knowing as she seems trustworthy and it would be fun to have a friend like her for some serious girl-talk. I am a little less comfortable with Lex knowing. Oh, there won't be any problems with him before we get home, but with all his schemes, like this portal device, at some point he is going to want to try and exploit me like a lab rat. But before we reach that point I will find a way to put the appropriate 'fear of Chloe' into him. If you ever have to bet money on Chloe vs. Luthor Corp., I would go with Chloe." The last part was said with an expression that said Chloe ALWAYS won in the end.
Clark made one of the biggest decisions in his life so far. "Chloe, I also have a large secret I would like to share with you. Like yours, my secret is dangerous to know, so perhaps we can find some time alone to talk. Like you, I would prefer to avoid telling Lana and Lex, if possible. The fewer people who know, the fewer who will be in danger." When Chloe gave him a sharp look, he continued, "My parents know my secret. Like you say, it really helps to have someone you can confide in. But remember when my dad was put in jail and charged with murder?" Chloe nodded. "It was part of a blackmail attempt to get at me. Fortunately, that time my family came out okay. But the more that know, the more that are at risk."
Chloe wondered what in hell Clark's secret could be. "Clark, you sure know how to pique a girl's interest. This conversation didn't turn out at all the way I expected. I was certain you would be all freaked out and maybe even afraid of me. I will certainly keep my eyes open for an opportunity to talk."
They had almost reached the palace, but Clark stopped and gave Chloe a quick hug and a kiss. Even though he hadn't revealed his secret yet, just the commitment to tell her already had him in a lighter, happier mood than he had felt in a long time.
Lex and Lana, who had been trailing along several yards behind the others, wondered what had brought on this sudden reaction.
End of Chapter Six
Disclaimer: The standard words that someone else owns all of the main characters in this story.
Rating: R (Where's the fun, if you can't push the boundaries a little further.)
Chapter Six
[Author's Note: Like several of the characters, I assume many of the readers don't read Latin or Ancient Greek. So the readers can follow the dialog and still know which characters know what is being said and which ones don't, I am implementing the following simple method: " Text " = English "L text " = Latin "G text " = Greek
Now on with the story.]
They walked out of the temple, momentarily blinded by the bright sunlight. Without large modern glass windows or electric lights, the interior had been darker than they realized.
As they stood on the top step waiting for their eyes to adjust, Clark said, "If we are going to the baths, what about my pack? Is it safe to leave it unattended with all of the gold coins?"
"Hmmm," said Chloe while shading her eyes, "probably not. The best thing to do would be to swing over to the magistrate's palace and drop most of it off in their strong room. Most of the upper class have a lockable storeroom for valuables, wine, and so forth. Plus usually a couple of guards."
While she was talking she had the feeling there was something she had forgotten. Watching the lines getting steadily longer at food vendors, she realized what it was. Looking at the sky she said, "I guess it has been a long time since I have been here. I just remembered that the baths typically don't open until well after lunch. We have a couple of hours to kill, so we might as well look for some shoes and other supplies before heading over to the palace to drop off Clark's backpack."
As they headed down the temple steps to check out some of the side streets Lana asked, "Shouldn't we be careful about speaking English in front of others?"
"Nah," said Chloe, "the Roman Empire is probably one of the few times or places where speaking an unknown language is perfectly safe. The Romans used a lot of mercenaries in their military and were continually moving them round the empire. So long as you have money in your pocket, no one is going to care what language you speak."
On the third street they tried, they found several cobbler shops. They had an assortment of sandals and boots, but none in Clark's size or a good fit for Lex. After chatting with several of the shop owners one of them agreed to make custom boots by the next day.
While the guys were being measured, the girls each picked out several pairs of sandals. Lana held up several different styles, "These are a little more practical than my old high heels, but still I don't want to walk miles in them."
Chloe looked up from the pair she had been trying on. "Hopefully, it won't come to that now. If it turns out the professor isn't in this town, I am sure I can get us some transportation. Have you ever traveled by sedan chair?"
"You mean like the ones that we saw in front of the government building? No, of course not. Chloe, did you own slaves like those guys carrying the chairs?"
Chloe got a pensive look on her face. "Did I own slaves, yes. Did I own slaves like the ones we saw, I tried not to. Slavery was common practice in this time. It would have been impossible to blend in without owning slaves. However it takes a lot of mistreatment and abuse to end up with men like we saw. I would never tolerate that kind of treatment on my estates."
"Is that because of your upbringing in Atlantis?" asked Clark as the shop keeper finished his measurements and started showing him the available types and colors of leather.
"Actually, I am not from the traditional Plato's Atlantis. It just seemed easier to start my story with a place you had heard of. My civilization existed about ten thousand years before Atlantis. The 'real' Atlantis as the last great ice age civilization. When the glaciers melted, most of it ended up underwater."
"To answer your question, my hatred of slave abuse was of a more personal nature. I had some really bad experiences on the receiving end of the equation." While she was saying this, Clark was holding up some black leather for the new boots, but shaking her head she pointed to the red leather.
"You were a slave?" asked Clark with startled look on his face as he tried to imagine a subservient Chloe.
"Unfortunately, more than once."
"Do you want to talk about it?" Clark continued with his usual 'jump in with both feet and save the day' tone of voice.
"Not really," said Chloe with a shake of her head. "Perhaps some other time when I am in a more melancholy mood. It is too beautiful today to think about such depressing things."
"Perhaps we should talk about how to find the professor," said Lex, as he took his turn being measured for new boots.
"What's your rush, Lex?" kidded Chloe. "Do you have a hot date? You do realize that with the time machine effect we can return thirty minutes after we left whether we are here for an hour, a day, a week, or a month."
"A month?" exclaimed Lana with an unhappy look on her face and a quiver in her voice.
"I understand how the time travel concept works," said Lex selecting black leather for his own boots.
Chloe interrupted, "Lex, what's the thing with all black anyway? I bet if we could find a black toga you would be happy."
Lex gave her a dirty look. "Don't try to sidetrack me. Getting you all home is my responsibility. The longer we stay here the greater the risk somebody gets hurt or killed. Well, all of us except, apparently, Chloe."
Clark thought, 'and me.'
Lex continued, "Sometimes I think you have been having too much fun since we got here."
For a moment Chloe gave him an incredibly hard stare and for the first time Lex knew in his gut that she was much more than a normal 16 year old girl. Then the moment passed and Chloe said with small shake of her head, "You are probably right. You would think after all of these years I could be more adult and take things seriously, but then my sixteen-year-old hormones kick in. You should try being stuck in a sixteen-year-old body for thousands of years. Perhaps you too would live in the moment."
"As far as plans to find the professor," Chloe said looking thoughtful. "When we get back from the baths I'll talk to Marcus and the local magistrate. If they can't help, you and Clark can check out some of the local taverns tonight. Doubtlessly, the guards we saw out by the entrance to the canyon will hang out at one of them. I am sure with a little of the Luthor charm and some gold coins, you will be able to find some information."
When the others nodded in agreement, Chloe continued, "If we run into any likely candidates, we can start our questioning at the baths. And speaking of the baths, if we head to the magistrate's palace now to drop off Clark's bag, the baths should be open by the time we get there."
Clark walked over to Chloe, crooked his arm like he would if wearing a tuxedo, and said with a small bow, "May I be your escort?"
Chloe grinned and looped her arm through his, "Why certainly, sir." Then she looked at Lex and lifted an eyebrow.
Lex got the message and crooked his arm towards Lana. Together the four of them set off for the magistrate's palace.
As they started walking, Chloe quietly asked Clark; "You've had an hour or two to let it sink in. Are you okay hanging with an older woman? Is my secret going to wreck things between us? I am still the same Chloe and have the same feelings for you now as I did yesterday." As she finished speaking, she watched his eyes to try and read his reaction, although it was difficult as her eyes were tearing up in fear of his reaction.
Clark got this cute frown on his face, as he thought hard about his feelings and what he wanted to say. Sure Chloe's revelation had been a complete shock. 17,000 years was a number beyond comprehension. If she had said 200 or 300 perhaps he could comprehend. Maybe even 2,000 since they were that far from home. But to think that these distant Roman days were only a small fraction of Chloe's life. What all had she experienced in her life? How many men had she loved?
Clark's response to Chloe's question took her totally by surprise. "How did it feel to finally reveal your secret?"
Chloe wondered why that would be Clark's first reaction, but she owed it to him to be honest. "Truthfully, it feels like a two hundred pound stone has been lifted from my shoulders. You don't know how hard it is to have no one to trust 100%. It has been almost five hundred years since I told anyone the complete truth and that's a long time to feel deep down inside, that you are totally alone. So actually, I am glad I was forced to tell you the truth. And I don't mind too much about Lana knowing as she seems trustworthy and it would be fun to have a friend like her for some serious girl-talk. I am a little less comfortable with Lex knowing. Oh, there won't be any problems with him before we get home, but with all his schemes, like this portal device, at some point he is going to want to try and exploit me like a lab rat. But before we reach that point I will find a way to put the appropriate 'fear of Chloe' into him. If you ever have to bet money on Chloe vs. Luthor Corp., I would go with Chloe." The last part was said with an expression that said Chloe ALWAYS won in the end.
Clark made one of the biggest decisions in his life so far. "Chloe, I also have a large secret I would like to share with you. Like yours, my secret is dangerous to know, so perhaps we can find some time alone to talk. Like you, I would prefer to avoid telling Lana and Lex, if possible. The fewer people who know, the fewer who will be in danger." When Chloe gave him a sharp look, he continued, "My parents know my secret. Like you say, it really helps to have someone you can confide in. But remember when my dad was put in jail and charged with murder?" Chloe nodded. "It was part of a blackmail attempt to get at me. Fortunately, that time my family came out okay. But the more that know, the more that are at risk."
Chloe wondered what in hell Clark's secret could be. "Clark, you sure know how to pique a girl's interest. This conversation didn't turn out at all the way I expected. I was certain you would be all freaked out and maybe even afraid of me. I will certainly keep my eyes open for an opportunity to talk."
They had almost reached the palace, but Clark stopped and gave Chloe a quick hug and a kiss. Even though he hadn't revealed his secret yet, just the commitment to tell her already had him in a lighter, happier mood than he had felt in a long time.
Lex and Lana, who had been trailing along several yards behind the others, wondered what had brought on this sudden reaction.
End of Chapter Six