Chapter 3: Memories of the Soul
She screamed. The nightmare awoke her was nothing to the reality that assaulted her. It was cold, almost bone-numbing cold. that fact coupled with the full darkness that was only found in the caves, wrenched a blood churning scream from her, 'This must be Hell!' she thought as she pulled the blanket more tightly around her.
As she settled , there was the sound of hurried footsteps. Or what she assumed were footsteps, she really couldn't tell because it was more of a clanking sound than anything. There was also a muffled twittering. One was higher than the other, possibly a man and a woman.
She shuddered for no apparent reason. Then closed her eyes. She needed to know what they were saying. She concentrated and the muffled buzz became louder, but she couldn't quite make out the words. She opened her eyes and let out a frustrated breath, "Sands lot of good that did me, learning the intruder's language. Can't even make out what they are saying." She turned her grumpy look to the view port. "I have no clue where I am, why and how I got here..."
The girl was so lost in her thoughts that she did not hear the door open. In fact, she heard nothing until a hand rested on her shoulder. "Child, you have some pretty nasty wounds. You should remain in bed." The high toned voice informed.
She suppressed a shudder at the grating across her nerves the voice caused. To her it had the quality of nails on slate, she knew it was not the human's fault, their voices were just like that. Slowly she turned her attention to the voice's owner. When they met the owner's that person asked, " Can you understand me?" with a puzzled look.
Jan was confused. The girl had been able to answer some of her earlier questions. 'Could that be because of the concussion. That did not make sense to her, but she was no med-droid. 'I still have several questions for her.'
"Yes, I understand," came a voice that was a kin to wind through the leaves, "and other than feeling like I've been hit by a pod-racer at top speed, I feel fine."
"A little less than a racer child, but more damage." She gently pushed the girl back to the sleep couch. "There are a few knife wounds on you. You're lucky they didn't have a vibro knife, or we wouldn't be having this conversation." She turned her head. "Make yourself useful Katarn, get some more bandages."
He went to get the supplies from the hold. Jan talked to the girl as she tended her wounds. "What is your name?" she asked, "I'm Jan."
"Avingale." "Ah-veen-gah-lay?" Questioned the one named Katarn as he returned with the bandages.
"Correct." he stated as her gaze shifted to the returning person. She swallowed hard. She knew this person. Heedless of her state of dress and wounds, the raider pushed past Jan. Her eyes were unfocused and distant, as if she were seeing more than most do.
She stumbled across the deck to where he stood. Her hand touched the side of her face and a wave crashed over him. The torrent of images collided together.
Smoke, blood, and death. Red hair, green eyes. His mind tried to place the images in the now, or as now as it could be, with that whole business between him and Mara.
"Master Tamsis." came the bare whisper.
The scenes clicked together like a perfect puzzle with that name being uttered. It was a memory, locked long and deep. The emotions it evoked took him to his knees. The girl with him. He heard her voice from a great distance. In his mind, the young woman spoke to him as she changed.
"The package has changed, but it's contents remain the same." Green eyes paled, turned blue the darkened to violet. Red hair darkened, turning to the color of dried blood then finally to the color of space outside the window. The body structure itself became more willowy, facial bones higher and more delicate. Her ears became pointed ever so slightly. 'This is too much like...'
A slightly mocking smile touched the girl's lips. "You know better, it is truth. Choose or refuse it as you will. I have no choice."
That said the moment was ended. The girl now named Avingale passed out, slipping in an exhausted heap to the deck plates. A mentally exhausted Kyle Katarn looked to Jan. "See to her," he shakily pushed to his feet, "then we need to talk."
She screamed. The nightmare awoke her was nothing to the reality that assaulted her. It was cold, almost bone-numbing cold. that fact coupled with the full darkness that was only found in the caves, wrenched a blood churning scream from her, 'This must be Hell!' she thought as she pulled the blanket more tightly around her.
As she settled , there was the sound of hurried footsteps. Or what she assumed were footsteps, she really couldn't tell because it was more of a clanking sound than anything. There was also a muffled twittering. One was higher than the other, possibly a man and a woman.
She shuddered for no apparent reason. Then closed her eyes. She needed to know what they were saying. She concentrated and the muffled buzz became louder, but she couldn't quite make out the words. She opened her eyes and let out a frustrated breath, "Sands lot of good that did me, learning the intruder's language. Can't even make out what they are saying." She turned her grumpy look to the view port. "I have no clue where I am, why and how I got here..."
The girl was so lost in her thoughts that she did not hear the door open. In fact, she heard nothing until a hand rested on her shoulder. "Child, you have some pretty nasty wounds. You should remain in bed." The high toned voice informed.
She suppressed a shudder at the grating across her nerves the voice caused. To her it had the quality of nails on slate, she knew it was not the human's fault, their voices were just like that. Slowly she turned her attention to the voice's owner. When they met the owner's that person asked, " Can you understand me?" with a puzzled look.
Jan was confused. The girl had been able to answer some of her earlier questions. 'Could that be because of the concussion. That did not make sense to her, but she was no med-droid. 'I still have several questions for her.'
"Yes, I understand," came a voice that was a kin to wind through the leaves, "and other than feeling like I've been hit by a pod-racer at top speed, I feel fine."
"A little less than a racer child, but more damage." She gently pushed the girl back to the sleep couch. "There are a few knife wounds on you. You're lucky they didn't have a vibro knife, or we wouldn't be having this conversation." She turned her head. "Make yourself useful Katarn, get some more bandages."
He went to get the supplies from the hold. Jan talked to the girl as she tended her wounds. "What is your name?" she asked, "I'm Jan."
"Avingale." "Ah-veen-gah-lay?" Questioned the one named Katarn as he returned with the bandages.
"Correct." he stated as her gaze shifted to the returning person. She swallowed hard. She knew this person. Heedless of her state of dress and wounds, the raider pushed past Jan. Her eyes were unfocused and distant, as if she were seeing more than most do.
She stumbled across the deck to where he stood. Her hand touched the side of her face and a wave crashed over him. The torrent of images collided together.
Smoke, blood, and death. Red hair, green eyes. His mind tried to place the images in the now, or as now as it could be, with that whole business between him and Mara.
"Master Tamsis." came the bare whisper.
The scenes clicked together like a perfect puzzle with that name being uttered. It was a memory, locked long and deep. The emotions it evoked took him to his knees. The girl with him. He heard her voice from a great distance. In his mind, the young woman spoke to him as she changed.
"The package has changed, but it's contents remain the same." Green eyes paled, turned blue the darkened to violet. Red hair darkened, turning to the color of dried blood then finally to the color of space outside the window. The body structure itself became more willowy, facial bones higher and more delicate. Her ears became pointed ever so slightly. 'This is too much like...'
A slightly mocking smile touched the girl's lips. "You know better, it is truth. Choose or refuse it as you will. I have no choice."
That said the moment was ended. The girl now named Avingale passed out, slipping in an exhausted heap to the deck plates. A mentally exhausted Kyle Katarn looked to Jan. "See to her," he shakily pushed to his feet, "then we need to talk."
