Thanks to Winona for the review. :) Makes me happy and want to continue when I know people are reading this.
It took him around twenty minutes of fiddling with the switches, and a lot of trial and error, before he got the power at just the right level so the floating device lowered and stopped next to the platform. It turned out to be a large chunk of floating rock with metal straps built around it and two handles on the top.
Trace turned and gave Melody and smug half smile.
She glared. "Bragging is very unattractive."
"I didn't say anything," he informed her.
"You didn't have to. You inflated like every male does when they prove a point."
"And you get agitated like every female when they've been proven wrong."
She didn't have a witty comeback for that, so Melody settled a snort and a dramatic turn of her head as she walked past him toward the rock ship. She was about to climb on when he grabbed her arm.
She gave him a cutting glance over her shoulder. "I'm really getting tired of you doing that."
"Where do you think you're going?"
"I'm going to ride the rock to the other tower," she said and frowned. "Okay that sounded wrong, but you know what I mean."
"If anyone is going, I am."
"No way," she protested. "That's not fair. You got to fiddle with the console. It's my turn to do something."
"What if Sirrus is over there?"
"I seriously doubt it and if he is, so what? I know how to handle him."
"You are a woman…"
"Your powers of observation are incredible."
He scowled. "You cannot handle a man."
Her eyes flashed. "Would you care to repeat that last statement?"
"If Sirrus attacked you, you would be no match for him."
Trace watched the temper flash like lightning in her eyes and her hands went to her hips. He sincerely hoped she would not see how much her irritation amused him. He valued his limbs and didn't want to lose any of them.
"Are you suggesting I am weak?"
"Physically speaking…" he started, but was interrupted.
"It won't come down to a physical fight," she insisted. "I can outsmart Sirrus. I've done it before. You are merely plan B."
Trace arched an eyebrow. "Are you saying I'm here for intimidation?"
"Exactly."
"And Achenar?"
"With Achenar you are the only plan. While you keep him busy I look for Yeesha."
"And why didn't you inform me of these plans of yours?"
"Because you are much more agreeable when I spring things on you at the last minute."
Trace studied her for a moment, then shook his head. "I give up trying to understand how your mind works. It is too much effort. Alright we'll face Sirrus together, but I am going across first. If I don't send the ship back for you right away, you'll know Sirrus is there and not cooperating."
Melody sighed. "I'm telling you, Sirrus is not a physical confrontation man. With him it will be a battle of wits."
"And you're saying I can't beat him at mind games?" Trace asked, then glared at her silence.
Melody watched him climb onto the rock ship and push a button. It must have signaled something on the other side because the ship began to move slowly toward the other tower. She folded her arms and tapped her foot. At the rate that ship was moving, she would be lucky to get across before she needed a walker.
Frustrated, Melody began to pace. Stupid he-man thought he knew everything.
It was then she noticed something that she hadn't seen before. A metal pole with what looked like thin footholds. She stood under it and saw that it lead to a trap door to the floor above them.
"Melody?" Trace called. "What are you doing?"
"Exploring," she answered and began to climb.
"Melody, don't go anywhere with me."
"Alright I'll let you know what I find."
"Melody!" Trace called in warning.
"Can't hear you!" By that time she had reached the trap door and found it unlocked. There was another ladder immediately in front of her, but she decided to see what was around that level before heading farther up.
To her left was a large archway with large floating boulders anchored with chains to create a pathway. To her right was what looked like a garden with a long metal table with equipment on it. On the table were several experiments with crystals as a light source and as a kind of telescope. Each was only partially complete, making Melody wonder if Sirrus had abandoned them out of frustration or if ever finished the things he started in the first place.
As she examined one of the experiments, which looked like a miniature version of the floating conductors, the necklace glowed with a memory.
"Remarkable. No change to its molecular structure. No build-up of illumination inside. As long as the crystal remains grounded, electricity just passes straight through it. Interesting…"
Melody frowned. Whenever someone like Sirrus said the word interesting, it usually turned out to be very bad.
He had been talking about a room temperature super conductor. From everything she had read in her old world, such a thing was basically the holy grail of modern science. Such a thing would revolutionize the world. It was said to be impossible. Super conductors could only function at temperatures close to absolute zero.
She wondered if Atrus had known about the crystals. Probably not. They had a hard time getting him out of his study now. Considering the possibilities of what he could have created if he could have conducted experiments on a room temperature super conductor, Atrus would have never left Spire.
Further down the table, beside several pieces of twisted scrap metal, Melody found a book.
Told you so, she thought smugly when she realized it was a journal.
It appears that I have underestimated him. I did not think he could be this devious. He always said Spire was dangerous, but I assumed he meant its people were violent. Violent and potentially xenophobic – the perfect combination with which to orchestrate a coup. But there are no people here. No prosperous civilization for me to rule. I see now how his linking panel fooled me. Congratulations Father. This hand goes to you.
I have established a temporary encampment near the vegetal cavern. The food I brought with me should last a month – after that, I will be forced to grow what I eat. The plants here are neither delicious nor overly abundant, but I have tasted several and find the nutrition is there.
Turning now to the question of escape…
I believe there may yet be a Myst linking book here. The simplest way for Father to have disposed of it would have been to jump off the palace as he touched it. There are other ways of course, but I cannot ignore this possibility. I must at least attempt to reach the ground.
This is fast becoming unacceptable. I have slid down every odd-shaped 'wind pipe' in this Age and have yet to see below the second cloud layer. I was fairly certain that at least three of the passages would prove successful, yet even they dead-ended inside a magnificent sealed cavern full of crystals.
The crystals themselves are curious. Something about their inner matrix makes them susceptible to a build-up of negative charges – when I touched one, I received a terrible shock.
Oh gee, Melody thoughtsarcastically, how terrible. I hope it hurt you jerk.
At the same time, the faint light that had been emanating from the crystal faded and I heard a very curious hum which ceased as soon as the crystal's charge was expanded.
I should like to study these crystals more thoroughly and will institute a plan to mine the cavern extensively.
Last night, I saw lights flickering in some of the other palaces. It occurred to me that I might not be alone. What if this Age is like Stoneship? Father never could explain how Emmet and Branch just 'appeared' there. He said the Art was always surprising him. Could it be that the lights I saw flickering were made by other people?
What would I give to discover this is true! After all these months of solitude, just to have another person to talk to…
About the floating rocks:
There is a phosphorescent green mineral running through much of this Age which exhibits strong diamagnetic properties. At least, that is the most workable hypothesis I have devised that can explain how the rocks I see outside my garden are able to float.
This has given me an idea. If I can capture one of the larger boulders, I should be able to turn it into a vessel, and thereby 'sail' across the clouds to the nearest palace.
The most difficult obstacle to achieving this will be maintaining the necessary altitude. I have noticed that these rocks float higher than the highest point on that palace. Forcing my ship to float lower than it prefers will take some doing.
For the past few weeks, I have been watching storms move through the second cloud layer. They appear as flashes of light inside the strata. The violence of these storms does not reach me in the garden. I encounter no rain. Barely feel the wind. I am completely safe here, nestled between layers.
It is times like these when I think of other things. Of the past. Of Mother. What is she doing at this moment? Was she ever able to escape Riven, or does my Grandfather still hold her captive? Perhaps Father was able to rescue her. Perhaps that girl helped him.
I see her face in my mind sometimes. Hear her voice asking question after question.
She is part of the reason I am still here.
What was her name?
Melody… that was it… Melody…
Melody couldn't help but shiver a little. She wondered how long ago this passage had been written. According to Catherine, Sirrus held no animosity toward her. But was that the truth?
She felt again the feeling of relief that Trace had come with her on this adventure.
I do not know how this is possible. How could Father have created a world which exhibits so many scientific impossibilities? He never did explain how to write an age. He never taught Achenar and I the Art. I wonder now if I should have insisted.
It's good you didn't, Melody thought. Sirrus had been dangerous enough without that kind of power.
But once again someone was assuming that Atrus created the Ages he wrote linking books to. It made Melody wish that Atrus had written some kind of disclaimer in the front of the book explaining that. It would have saved them a LOT of trouble.
The crystals I mined from the lower cavern are really quite remarkable. There seems to be no limit to the amount of electricity they can store.
Unfortunately, this makes working with them difficult. So long as a charged crystal is isolated, the energy inside it remains trapped in its matrix. But the moment the crystal even brushes against a grounded object, the stored charge flows out, producing a most amazing song. I should like to capitalize on this 'singing' ability if only as a pleasant diversion. It might be nice to hear some music in these caverns.
Regardless, I believe the crystals can solve my rock-ship problem. By affixing them to some of the floating rocks, then casting them back into the clouds, I should be able to harness enough of Spire's natural electricity to fuel an electromagnet. The attractive force of the magnet, combined with the smaller magnetic fields of the lightning conductors, should be able to lower the ship and guide it to the nearest palace.
It is definitely worth an attempt.
Another storm is brewing as I write this. I can feel the hairs on my arms starting to rise. I am almost crazed with anticipation, waiting to test the first conductor. Is this what Father felt, every time his hand hovered above the panel of a book he'd just written? Did he feel this much excitement as he stood poised to learn if his theories had worked? Why did he never share this with me?
If he had, perhaps things could have been different between us…
Melody snorted as she read. Because he could tell you were becoming a power-crazed psycho.
But at the same time she realized that it wasn't all Sirrus' fault. From what she had read in Catherine's journal, it seemed that after the death of his grandmother Atrus buried himself in order to deal with the pain. He rarely made time for his sons and, consumed with grief herself, neither did Catherine. The brothers must have grown up believing their parents had rejected them, never understanding that all of them should have dealt with things together as a family.
The next few pages spoke of his failures and the modifications he made to the rock ship and the conductors.
Melody skipped to the final bit of writing.
I am close. So close to reaching the nearest palace. And from there, maybe, accessing the ground.
I only hope the linking book still works.
Once again Melody felt that annoying twinge of sympathy. He sounded so desperate and she could understand that. Spire was a very interesting place, but certainly no where she wanted to stay for days, much less ten years. And with no one to talk to? No wonder he had been talking to himself a lot.
His journal was informative, but not very enlightening. He hadn't written anything overly malicious. In fact, he seemed to be thriving in the problem-solving atmosphere that Spire provided. Melody admitted, reluctantly, that Sirrus actually was a genius. Whether or not he was an evil genius remained to be seen.
Something else that was strange : he hadn't mentioned Atrus and Catherine making the linking chamber. There was no mention of their visits, about his feelings for them or of Yeesha for that matter. The whole thing seemed… incomplete was the only word she could think of. Had Sirrus kept another journal that was hidden somewhere? But why would he keep a separate journal? Why not write everything in one?
As usual, these were question that would most likely be answered as she explored and learned more about the man that Sirrus had become.
Curious, she moved toward the garden area. The first thing that caught her attention was a statue that had been carved out of green crystal. It was in the shape of a woman, holding a basin with a white flower inside. The necklace glowed as she approached.
"Your faith in me is truly amazing Mother. How long before I kill this one?"
The flower. She had seen that type of flower before in Catherine's study. She must have given it to Sirrus to grow. Why? So she could have something to share with her son? From the way Sirrus had spoken, he wasn't having much luck. Seeing as how she couldn't touch a plant without killing it, Melody could understand what Sirrus had meant.
As she examined the statue holding the flower, she was struck by a realization.
The figure had been carved to look like Catherine.
Yet another example of an element of sweetness Sirrus had seemed to have developed. So did Sirrus actually have feelings for his mother after all?
There was nothing else of interest in the garden, so she decided to see where the anchored floating rock trail went. It ended at an elevator that, surprise, didn't work. She ignored it. She had to finish her exploration of this area before Trace came back and yelled at her.
On the other side of the ladder she had come up, there was another break in the rocks that led to an area beyond. This turned out to be Sirrus' living area. There was a bed that had been carved out of the rock wall, a basin of water, a table with a chess board on it. When she approached the chess board, the necklace glowed.
"What kind of a move is that?! You had me Father, you totally had me! Now you leave your queen wide open?! Getting the Nera chess pieces from you was more of a challenge than this."
Melody studied the board. Evidently Atrus and Sirrus were playing a chess game? She remembered a chess board set up similar to this back in Tomahna, but how could they be playing together? They must be telling each other each time they moved a piece. That made for a really long chess game. And what was stopping Sirrus from lying about his moves?
She didn't understand it, but it did tell her some interesting things.
Number 1: Sirrus had wanted Nera chess pieces from Atrus for some reason. The way he had spoken, it was obviously for a reason other than playing chess.
And number 2: Sirrus was not a good chess player. Even Melody, a novice, had played against Atrus enough to see the trap he was setting for his son on the board. If Sirrus had tried to take the queen, Atrus would have gotten his knight by Sirrus' king for a checkmate. This implied that either Sirrus didn't think things through before he did them or that he wasn't good at seeing a plan behind a plan, which was ironic considering his devious ways.
Something else that was strange. The black pieces, Sirrus' pieces, didn't look the same. It was like some of the pieces were made a different material than the rest.
Without feeling the slightest bit of guilt, Melody picked up a piece and threw it on the ground. It shattered against the stone floor. She picked up another piece and repeated the motion. This one did not break.
Just as she'd thought. Some of the pieces were made of Nera, others had been carved from crystal. It didn't make sense that Atrus would have given Sirrus only a few pieces made of Nera. He would have given him the whole set.
The question was: where were the other Nera pieces?
On a desk nearby, she found several lengths of wire, some lights made from the green crystals and shelves cut into the wall containing samples of different materials. Melody noted pieces of black rock, quartz, blue crystal and green crystal. The black rock was the same material that the breakable pieces of the chess board were made of.
She found pages upon pages of notes on experiments that Sirrus had been doing about the molecular structure of the different materials reacted to different frequencies of sound. She also found sketches of some kind of machine that she hadn't seen yet. He had noted repeatedly that 20 units of power spread across three cables was needed for… whatever it was that he was trying to do.
Not far from the desk, Melody found another crystal slide, which Sirrus had referred to as a 'wind pipe' in his journal. She had tossed a leg over and was just about to slide down when a voice stopped her.
"Freeze!"
Melody froze, then looked over her shoulder at a highly annoyed Trace. She smiled sweetly. "How was the ride?"
"Do not even attempt to be cute," he warned her. "What is it that is disconnected from your ears to your brain that makes you do the opposite of what you are told?"
Melody shrugged. "I have issues with authority."
"Issues is an understatement."
"Wanna hear what I found out?" she asked.
"If you think you are going to change the subject…"
"Sirrus sucks at chess," she said, waving a hand to the board.
Despite himself, Trace looked, walked over to the board and studied it seriously. He snorted. "I am assuming white is Atrus. He set up a simple trap. It looks as if Sirrus is not so smart after all."
There was no response.
Trace' gaze darted back to the wind pipe.
Melody was gone.
"Melody!" Trace growled.
Echoing laughter answered him.
Yeah Trace has his hands full with Melody lol. Anyone want to wish him luck?