Chapter 13
Jack made to stand up but then thought better of it.
"If this is a joke, it's not funny."
He regretted his words immediately. John's shoulders slumped forward slightly. He sighed.
"It's no joke. Is he still showing up?"
"Yes. But not as often as he used to."
John stared at the fire for a long time before he spoke again.
"We can't wait much longer then. Can you leave now?"
He turned to face Jack for the first time. He looked ten years older.
"I need to arrange a few things with my staff here first. I can be ready first thing in the morning."
John nodded. All of if felt surreal. He had expected John to argue.
"You can use your room. Do you need any food?"
Jack stared at his companion's face He could have sworn his eyes were watering. Or maybe it was just the light.
"That would be nice. I'll see you in the morning."
Without further ado, he walked away and out, leaving Jack in a state of utter confusion.
The first light of morning brought back the rain. Jack was exhausted and wished he could just lie in bed. He'd spent the night taking care of business and the few hours he'd had form himself had been spent lying awake in the dark. He still didn't know if he believed John or not. knowing the man, maybe this was just an elaborate plan to get back at him. He couldn't say he didn't deserve it. However there was this lingering feeling in his stomach that weighed on him, making him feel uncomfortable. Truth be told, he was terrified. John's appearance was discomforting. But what really scared him what the fact that the fight seemed to have gone out of the man. In spite of himself, Jack had always enjoyed their banter, even if it tended to end up in either sex or blows. he didn't know the man who'd shown up at his door the night before.
John was waiting in the drawing room. He'd change from his usual attire into a loose grey tunic and white flowy trousers. The clothes hung loose on his frame and Jack realized he had underestimated his friend's emaciation. John walked up to him and handed him garments similar to what he was wearing. the tunic, however, was red.
"You will be cold at first but I have arranged for furs to be ready for your arrival."
Jack stared at the clothes for a moment without taking them. He looked at John's eyes. The light had gone from them. He took the clothes from his hands and dropped them on the nearby chairs. He grabbed John's wrist and felt the his time bracelet through the tunic.
"John. Where are you taking me?"
"Peribat nebula, third quadrant of the Timor system. A small colony on the third moon of Anima."
Jack frowned.
"There are no habitable planets in that system. The moons are nothing but series of barren mountain ranges."
"There is life. If you know what to look for."
He let go of John's arm.
"You have the moonstone?" Jack nodded "Good. Now change. They're expecting us."
Jack felt the lurch of the traveling device. The cold wind made him shiver before he even opened his eyes. He took a quick look around. Nothing but mountains for miles and miles except for that staircase carved out of the rock at the bottom of which they stood. He turned to John. The man was standing straight, staring at the top of the stairs. Jack spotted two men in dark blue tunics coming down. One of them was carrying some kind of bundle. He felt John tug on his sleeve.
"Let's go."
They met the men at the midpoint. They didn't say anything but handed him the bundle which turned out to be an over garment made of soft fur. He put it on, noticing that none had been brought for John who shivered next to him. the two men turned around and they followed them. There was something strange about their appearance. They looked like the earthling that would come much much later, when all the different ethnic groups had finally intermarried enough that there was no such thing as "race" anymore.
Jack struggled to keep up with the group, trying to take everything around him in. Despite the cold people were milling around, going in and out of stone huts, tending fires and working different crafts. They all had similar features. As they noticed them, some started to bow to them in respect. Jack turned to John but the man was looking straight ahead. The village was much bigger than Jack had expected for a barren place such as this one and by the time they reached a sumptuous wooden great hall – where they had managed to get wood was a mystery– he couldn't feel his feet nor his fingers anymore. Their two guides turned to face them and bowed before leaving them at the bottom of the rocky promontory on which the hall was built.
"What now?" asked Jack, his teeth chattering.
"We wait for the Elder. He should have sensed our arrival."
As if on cue, the doors of the building opened and a man dressed in an all white robe stepped out. From his neck hung a saucer sized moonstone.
"Welcome, Jack."