Aria stood in the doorway, eyes widening to take in the sight before her.
The entire room was almost as bright as day. Lights were hung everywhere; they were imbedded in the walls, as they had been in the hallway; they were hanging from ropes that crisscrossed overhead; they were mounted on small stands like tiny desk lights; there was even what looked like a giant, alien chandelier in the center of the room.
As for the room itself, the only way Aria could describe it was…a laboratory.
There were desks and long tables lining the walls, all covered with reams of papers and strewn with quills. Many had vials, scales, and what even looked like ye olde Bunsen burners scattered here and there across the various surfaces. There were diagrams and notices nailed to walls and stuck to boards, and several of the walls had had cabinets chiseled into them. People were moving around with the careful, patient movements of scientists working with potentially dangerous substances.
The people themselves, Aria saw, were dressed in the same general apparel Steric was, with light leathers that covered most of their skin. In addition to this, many had goggles, gloves, and face masks on. All were wearing boots.
Both Aria and Jani glanced across the room as someone called, "Clear!" Then they both jumped as a sharp CRACK rent the air. They looked back to see what had caused the noise.
In the far back of the room there was a large, circular area clear of any sort of instruments. It was roped off, and Aria could see why. There were grooves and depressions in the dirt, as well as black scorch marks. It looked like some sort of area designated for minor explosions.
Aria turned to Steric and was about to ask what this place was, when someone called out, in a tight, frightened voice.
"Steric! Who are those people?"
The entire room froze. Every eye turned to her and Jani.
Aria tensed, her body immediately reacting to the sudden attention. For one crazy moment she was tempted to bolt.
People were dropping their quills and putting their experiments on hold to make their way over. They congregated around the door, pinning Aria and Jani down with looks like ranged from curious, to frightened, to downright hostile. Her heart, which had been beating quite fast, now skipped a beat. Even Jani looked anxious.
Steric raised his hands in a calming gesture and said, a bit nervously, "Don't worry. This is my daughter, and one of her friends. They are not here to cause trouble."
Someone, a woman who had been working with vials containing various strangely colored fluids, replied sternly. "And why does this mean we should not worry? How can you be certain that they have not told anyone else about us? Or that they, themselves, were not followed?"
There was some concerned muttering at this, and Steric swallowed a bit. "My daughter would not cause any undue trouble–"
Someone else broke in. "Are you not always complaining about your daughter's brash behavior and utter disregard for your rules?"
Aria winced and glanced back at Jani, expecting her to be riled by the comment. On the contrary, Jani looked fairly self-satisfied at the description. Exasperated, Aria elbowed Jani as unobtrusively as she could. Jani scowled at Aria, but at least dropped the grin and had the decency to not draw any more attention to herself.
Meanwhile Steric was stammering through explanations as the crowd of scientists – Aria couldn't think of what else to call them – grew more and more jilted. At last, fearing that the situation would escalate if she didn't do something, she stepped forward.
Trying desperately not to get tongue-tied, she took a deep breath and spoke. "We're sorry to have intruded so suddenly. We've noticed strange things happening as of late, and we were hoping to get to the bottom of things. We really are only here to help."
She was hit with a wave of self-consciousness as the crowd turned as one to listen to her. She fidgeted awkwardly for a moment before continuing, and tried not to stutter.
She continued, "As for anyone following us, I think it would have been extremely unlikely. I mean, we got lost on the way in here; it would have been pretty difficult for anyone to trail us all the way here when we couldn't even trail Steric properly." Hopefully that would be good enough to assuage them.
The crowd continued to stare at her as though they were one large, silent entity. Grasping for something else to say, she recall one of the main reasons they had come in here in the first place.
"We haven't told anyone else about the suspicions that led us here, and we don't intend to. That being said, we did leave the door open, so maybe someone should close that…" She trailed off, glancing meaningfully back at the hallway.
Suddenly, the significance of her words dawned on the crowd, and two of them jumped up. They jogged past Aria and Jani and took off down the hall towards the entrance.
Steric had been watching Aria as well, and now that she was done talking, turned to address the crowd again. "You see? There is no harm done. As long as they are here, I will take responsibility for them." Once more, he insisted, "They will cause no trouble; I promise."
Again, the crowd began whispering amongst themselves, but after a few more suspicious glances they began to disperse, with the exception of one.
The woman who had been the first to voice her doubts strode up to them with an expression of stern appraisal on her face. She was tall and slender, with a graceful gait. Her dark brown hair was kept short, framing her face neatly and not falling past the second vertebra of her neck. Her eyes were bright grey, and sharp as a knife. She had a strong tilt to her head. She glanced to Aria and nodded politely, but merely frowned at Jani. Jani, in typical fashion, replied with a scowl and a glare. The woman, however, was unperturbed. She simply turned to Steric and addressed him directly. "Steric, you know what could happen if word of this gets out. Are you certain that these two will not present a danger to us?"
Aria decided to remain silent this time. Steric replied nervously, "Um, well, my daughter may be a bit…difficult to manage…"
Jani, who was leaning against the wall with her arms crossed and a petulant expression on her face, merely snorted in response.
Steric continued. "…But I firmly believe that she will do nothing to actively undermine our works. As for this young lady, I have only just met her; but look at her, Kahlin. Does she strike you as untrustworthy?"
Aria wasn't sure how to respond to this, so she remained silent, twiddling her thumbs and trying not to look like a juvenile delinquent.
She glanced up to see Kahlin studying her intently. Her expression was appraising; at long last she nodded. "No, I suppose I see what you mean." Aria wasn't sure what she meant by that, but decided not to look the gift-horse in the mouth. "Very well; I suppose I can accept that they mean no harm. Still, there is always the chance that their presence here may have unintended side effects. But no matter; we will worry about that later."
Aria let out a breath of relief. At least they weren't about to be thrown into a make-shift jail or used as testing dummies in the designated explosion area. There was now someone observing what seemed to be a bright red fizzing flare in the tiny warzone. It was shooting off small sparks, and the scientist had to jump back suddenly as one of them landed on his boot.
Meanwhile, Kahlin's eyes had traveled down to Aria's side. Her slender brows creased in concern. "Are you alright? You are clutching your side."
Aria glanced down. She hadn't even noticed it, but sure enough her arm had drifted to a position to support her injury. It was really starting to ache again.
Steric glanced down at her apologetically. "Forgive me, Aria, in all the commotion I forgot." He turned to Kahlin. "She is injured," He clarified. "Perhaps before we do anything else we can tend to her wound?"
Kahlin eyed Aria's side once more, then nodded quickly. She turned on her heel and said, "Come. We have a medical station in the next chamber. Our work has been very hazardous, and we decided that it would be a good idea to have plenty of supplies on hand."
Aria's mind was buzzing with questions. They began leading her towards the back of the room, where there were a few sets of doors. As she followed Steric and Kahlin she twisted and craned her neck, trying to take in everything at once. It was a little dizzying.
She noticed that on almost every desk, there were samples of some sort of reddish, clay-like material. Wherever it was, the surrounding area was kept clear of clutter, and the scientists handled it with utmost care, as though it might explode if jostled.
She felt a prickling up her spine. Was that what she thought it was? She had never had tak described to her physically, but she figured it was worth a shot.
"Is that tak?" She asked, pointing to one of the small piles of mineral.
Kahlin and Steric both glanced to where she was pointing, and Kahlin nodded. "Steric discovered this vein about a year ago. We think it may have been unearthed when a minor earthquake disturbed the tunnels after the last growing season."
Aria nodded, curiosity piqued. "And how did you do all of this?" She gestured to the lab setup. For a bunch of villagers living in a cave, they sure did know how to build a decent laboratory.
Kahlin arched an eyebrow at Steric, who said, "Honestly, now that they've discovered us, what's the harm?"
After a moment's hesitation, Kahlin nodded and began speaking. "There were a few among us who were quite wealthy, and could afford to supply the equipment you see here. Once Steric found this place, he formulated a plan and got into contact with several people whom he believed would be able to help him. In time, that pool grew; all of us have poured time, quills, and hard work into creating this place. And at long last, Steric's goal is finally within reach."
Aria was excited. Based on all she had seen so far, she thought she knew the answer already, but nonetheless she asked the question. "What plan?"
Steric lifted his chin and smiled. "The plan to save our tribes from war. I knew that if this vein of tak was revealed to the tribes at large – it is a rather big one – they would almost certainly have weaponized it. They would have gone to war against the Lowsee in order to procure more Tryptite. At first, I considered simply destroying the mine for that reason. I did not wish to see my people turn into warmongers."
Aria started silently. He had foreseen exactly what Alder had feared. She gestured for him to continue.
Perhaps he had been dying to tell this story for a while, because Steric seemed pleased to have such an interested audience. He continued excitedly, "That said, I couldn't help but wonder if the tak couldn't be used for something else; something besides destruction."
There was another cry of, "Clear!" from behind them, followed by another small explosion. Steric nodded in its direction, as though to reinforce his point. They passed through a set of doors and began walking down a short hallway.
Aria filled in for him. "So you decided to study it."
Steric smiled approvingly at her. They reached the end of the hall and walked through another set of doors, emerging into a cozy, but spacious, well-lit room. "Exactly! However, I knew I wouldn't be able to manage all of this on my own. Not only did I have only minor scientific experience, having gone to the Bedoowan village just a few times to view their research buildings, I also lacked the funds necessary to procure any sort of equipment."
At this point, Kahlin intervened. "That's when he came to me. Begging for money, as always."
She said it sternly, but Aria could hear a smile in her voice. Kahlin gestured for Aria to sit down on a padded bench against the wall. She sat heavily, then winced. There was a man lying in a cot across from hers, arm in a sling, snoozing soundly. Kahlin said, "Wait here," and moved to one of the cabinets. She began rifling around in one, then turned her head and asked, "What kind of injury is it?"
Aria replied, "A knife wound. A long gash up my ribcage." It was now throbbing dully, but at least the fiery pain had worn off. She didn't want to pull her hand away in case it came back red. She was worried that she may have put too much strain on it.
Kahlin didn't respond, but her hands moved busily through the cabinets and drawers. After a few moments, she came back over, arms loaded with supplies. She deposited them on a small table next to the bench, then said, "I will have to take a look at the wound. Steric, why don't you go change that light? I will relate the rest of the story to her."
Steric looked disappointed. "But surely the light can wait? It isn't that important. Besides, I wanted to tell her about–"
She was cut off by Kahlin. "There is nothing you can tell her that I cannot. Now, if you will excuse us?" She was patient, but insistent. Steric looked about to object again until Kahlin crossed her arms and looked meaningfully at Aria's wound.
Steric blinked. Then he said, "Oh! Yes, of course. Yes, I suppose you can take it from here." He smiled apologetically at Aria again, who nodded her thanks. Steric glanced apprehensively at his daughter, who was adamantly avoiding his gaze. He sighed, then turned and walked from the room.
Kahlin rolled her eyes good-naturedly, then said, "Alright. Let's take a look at your injury."
She moved to help Aria take her shirt off, as Aria was moving gingerly to avoid agitating her side. A few moments later the wound was visible, though Aria made no effort to look at it.
Jani on the other hand, was staring at it in confusion. Aria noticed and asked, "What?"
Jani just kept staring, silent.
Kahlin examined it and said, "Hmm," She hummed. "It is long, but not very deep. It seems to be healing nicely, though. There is a small bit of bleeding, but nothing serious. When did you say you received this wound?"
"Yesterday," Aria replied.
Kahlin looked slightly surprised. "Indeed? It appears to be at least a few days old, at least."
Aria's curiosity overcame her, and she glanced down at the wound, twisting her neck to get a better angle. Sure enough, although it was still bad enough to make her stomach flip a bit, the injury was smaller than she had anticipated.
Jani was still glaring at the wound as though it had insulted her. Aria looked at her curiously and asked, "Uh, is something wrong?"
Jani glanced up and said, "No. It just looked worse than that when we were stitching you up yesterday."
Kahlin looked between them curiously. "Well, it seems that you are a fast healer, Aria. I will clean it up, apply some ointment, then re-bandage it for you. After that you should be fine. You will be able to take the bandages off in a week or so. Try not to exert yourself until then."
She got to work, dipping a small, clean cloth into a bowl of water she had brought over and dabbing at the laceration. Aria bit her lip to keep from whimpering. She really was a pansy when it came to dealing with pain.
She couldn't help feeling felt vaguely uneasy as Kahlin treated the wound. Had Jani merely exaggerated the size of the injury, or had it really been more serious than her current condition would indicate? Aria had always recovered quickly; she remembered the doctors remarking how healthy her immune system was when a severe case of hypothermia had landed her in the hospital as a child. After her appendectomy a few years ago, she had been able to go back to school after a mere two weeks – and that had been an open surgery.
Out of curiosity, she decided to check something else. Once Kahlin finished applying the ointment, Aria asked, "Could you look at my left shoulder? I got a scratch there a few days ago. I don't know if it needs any treatment."
She shivered a bit remembering that first encounter. It already seemed a lifetime ago.
Kahlin examined the shoulder, poked a spot and asked, "Here?"
Aria nodded.
Kahlin tapped the injury and said, "Well, it seems that the scratch wasn't bad. It's already healed." With that she walked across the room and rifled through a drawer of supplies.
Jani glared at Aria, who shrugged in return. As interesting as her troll-like regenerative abilities were, there were more pressing things to worry about. As Kahlin walked back over, Aria decided to press on. "Alright; thank you. So, what happened next?"
"Hmm?" Kahlin glanced back over her shoulder. "Oh, yes. The story."
She set down the ointment and picked up the bandages, eyeing Aria's wound as she prepared them. She spoke easily. "Steric came to me shortly after he discovered the mine. It was a good thing he did, too. He tried to approach the subject carefully, to gauge whether or not I would be a threat to his plans."
She shook her head slowly. "Honestly. 'Say, it is a good thing the tak mines were all lost. Imagine if more were unearthed! We would probably be at war against the Lowsee within months!' Glancing at me nervously all the while, fidgeting around and dropping his tea cup. If he had gone to anyone else, this vein would be in firm control of the council right now. I waited until he stopped yammering, then said, 'Steric, you need to be more careful. So that is what you have been doing in the mines all this time?' The poor fool nearly choked on his tea!"
Aria laughed. She liked this woman.
Kahlin gave a small smile. "At any rate, once I learned of the tak vein, I asked him what he intended to do. I must admit, before he told me of his intentions I considered turning the vein over to the council. As much as I detest the idea of war, my people will always come first to me. Had there been no other option, I would have commandeered the mine myself."
Aria's eyes widened in surprise. She realized how fortunate it was that it was Steric who had found the mines. He was the only person she had met so far that seemed idealistic enough to consider the idea of turning a weapon with cataclysmic potential into a lamp.
Kahlin continued. "Nevertheless, when I heard his idea, I was at least willing to look into it. I myself, possessing a small fortune left me by my parents, put much into the project. Furthermore, having more subtlety than Steric, I was able to gather more followers to join our task while rooting out those who would threaten it. It was not easy, I assure you, to find so many people who would remain wholeheartedly loyal to Steric's vision. I assume you know, by now, what his ambition was?"
Aria nodded. "He wanted to use tak as a light source, rather than a weapon."
Kahlin nodded. "Precisely. Although the Tryptite shortage wasn't quite as serious as it is now, Steric foresaw a time when it would be. I, too, saw the wisdom in this. He believed that if he could prove, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that tak could act as a viable replacement for Tryptite, he would be able to convince the council to accept it as an alternative to war."
At this point, Aria's mind was racing. "And it worked. You found a way to de-weaponize it."
Kahlin nodded again. "It is safe. It is effective. You can see the results of our labor before you. Even as we speak, more uses are being found for tak; fuel, heat, construction…we believe we may have even found a way to use it for entertainment."
Aria was bewildered for a moment before remembering the red-colored substance that had been fizzing brightly in the designated explosion area. Fireworks.
Still, she was confused. "So if you don't mind my asking, why haven't you brought this to the council yet?"
At this Kahlin frowned uneasily, her eyebrows creasing with worry. "It was only very recently that we perfected the tak-light, and we now know without doubt that it will suffice to replace Tryptite. With all the uses we can put it to, it would be unlikely to be put to use as a weapon under normal circumstances. But…"
This was what Aria was worried about. "But these aren't normal circumstances," She finished.
Kahlin shook her head as Aria put her shirt back on. "No. I'm afraid not. The Milago and the Bedoowan have become so restless, we are afraid that both of them fear attack enough that the idea of the other side getting their hands on tak will panic them. If they discover that there is a massive vein of tak lying unguarded at their doorsteps, each will move as quickly as possible to seize the mine. Things could turn quickly turn very violent, and if that happened then we would all be trapped down here. We have been waiting for things to calm down before we come forward."
Given all that Aria had seen of the tribes the last two days, she though that Kahlin's concerns were pretty viable. If things hadn't been so tense they might have been able to bring the tak-light forward at once; but at this point any faith the Milago and the Bedoowan had in each other had been worn away by isolation, the Tryptite shortage, and their constant altercations.
All three heads turned to the doors as they heard someone approaching from the hallway. The grim silence was broken when Steric popped his head in cautiously, glanced at Aria, saw that she was dressed again, and strode in with a large smile on his face. "Ah, good! Your wound is better, I hope? Perhaps now I can show you around?" He looked like a young boy who was dying to show off his science-fair project. Of course, this project was somewhat more volatile than a baking soda volcano.
Aria's curiosity concerning the tak-light was severely dampened by the new information she had just processed. Nevertheless, she forced an excited air and nodded.
Steric grinned happily. "Very well. Come! Allow me to show you the principles behind our project."
Kahlin smiled, but her eyes were grim. Jani said nothing, but made to follow Aria. Aria started walking towards the door, then turned back to Kahlin. "Thank you for taking care of my wound. And for what it's worth, you have my word that we'll do everything we can to make sure no one finds out about this place."
Kahlin stared at her for a moment, her expression troubled. Then it softened. "I'm glad I could help. And please…" Her expression became unreadable. "See to it that you do."
With that, she turned away and began cleaning up the supplies.