Under a Starless Sky novel Chapter 44

Ally McBeal, Barry White “You’re my First, my Last, my Everything,” dance routine, led in subtle by Shen, picking up TL, and five Orbs projecting holograms of the original cast members at the age of the show’s airing. Not perfect. They had aged. Harrison accompanied his wife- he had aged. He danced funny. Tree Spirits joined in. “And you said I couldn’t teach you anything,” TL said.

After the dance he wanted to talk to Harrison, but the ghosts and all disappeared. Glowing orbs remained.

“Was I dreaming?”

“Aren’t we all, all the time?”

They went into emulating Ginger Roger’s and Fred Astaire’s dance class scene, from the 1936 ‘Swing Time.’ The band blended it into a chorus of Begin the Beguine, which led to an emulation of Fred Astaire and the Eleanor Powell’s performance in the 1940’s ‘Broadway Melody.” When the band struck up Frank Sinatra’s ‘All of Me’ they became Steven Martin and Lilly Tomlin. This led to their cool down, a Tai Chi routine, that picked up everyone and again became a musical affair- only Shen and TL bowed out and the ghosts continued on.

Shen and TL were now 19. They were in sync. An orb became a singer, and the song became a slow dance that became a love affair. Solange, ‘Cranes in the Sky.’ The Great Hall was suddenly empty. They were alone. No musicians but music filled the hall. They kissed and melted into each other. They were one. Days were spent like this, exercising, yoga, dance, making love, simply caring for each other. They pretended to be characters in movies, navigating the Great Hall’s holographic set. They didn’t just re-animate scripts, but did variations, simulating a preferred progression that they believed would have made stronger scripts.

The ghosts watched. They played characters sometimes. Sometimes they were character. The cellphone girl continued to be lost in her phone to the point it was almost a gag. Shen took the phone from her once and she got so mad she disappeared in a flash.

There were sad days, too. Irksome returned, old, an unable to cough out tar. They performed a surgical procedure, suctioning it all out, but he still died. TL cried for days.

“It’s my fault,” she said.

“How do you figure?” Shen asked.

“If I hadn’t intervened, maybe he would have died healthy,” TL said.

“He lived longer than any damn bird I know,” Shen said. “Hell, you’re crying more for him than you will for me.”

She tried to laugh, wiping her eyes. “He knew to come home, so we could help him.”

“Or, he came home so he could die with family,” Shen said.

TL eyes shifted, going deep. “Jon. You changed.”

“How do you figure?”

“How could I have missed it?” TL said. “I must be malfunctioning.”

“Or this is just the benefit of using personality filters for so long?” Shen asked. “The knowledge is in you, but your filters held you fixated...”

“If I had said that to you…”

“I would have been livid,” Shen said. He kissed her. “So, what’s on the agenda? Trekking some goats to Midelay and seeing if we can trade for knowledge?”

“It is time,” TL agreed.

They gathered supplies. They rounded up goats for the trade. They fell and made love again, this time in the warmth of the sun, in the hay. They lay there debating if they would travel on the morrow when an internal alarm went off. TL instantly recovered from being lazy. “Incoming wormhole!” Shen became equally energized.

They both ran towards the gate, their uniforms re-clothing them while not hindering their progress. There were a number of gates leading down the tunnel to the portal that had to be passed. Shen had considered it excessive till now. His heart pumped with excitement. The corridor leading to the gate room diverged, fanning out in a V. Stairs up, control. Another two ‘gates’ led to the portal room. TL went up to the control room. Shen went down to the portal, passing through several more security doors that locked behind him. Chevron locks on the portal itself were engaging, constellations illuminating. Ambient tones sounded, like Asian crystal bows coerced to sing.

Shen was in the gate room when the sequence completed and the super illuminated, super fluidic entangled particle membrane formed in their gate- and popped like a sail caching a wind. A party emerged laughing. They were tall people. Dressed like Vikings. Handsome men, even handsomer women. The party came to a halt. Two males, one female, reached for their swords. The other woman retrieved her bow. The blond man motioned for them to hold. He proceeded down the ramp.

“Welcome, travelers,” Shen said.

“What is your name?” the blond man said. He had an accent. He was not speaking Tamorian. Shen heard his translator kicking in- a funny thing, the tech read the mind of the other, a translation came into his brain, and so he heard English even though it wasn’t. The illusion of English was so good, he couldn’t even discern the lips not moving with English. The tech would translate his response directly to the recipient’s brain, and they would experience their native tongue.

“Locally, they call me Shen the ghost, friend of the Forest,” Shen said. “Back home, I am Jon Harister, and I hold a rank of Captain. Let me guess, you’re Thor?”

His friends laughed. The tension on the arrow eased.

“You’re a comedian,” the man said.

“No one laughs when I make jokes,” Shen said.

“I see. I am Arne,” he said. “We have intruded on your sanctuary. Forgive us. We must have used the wrong Runes.”

“I did not…” one of his friend’s began.

His hand gesture was subtle. The woman became quiet.

“I am neither injured nor offended,” Shen said. “I welcome you and your people to speak their minds. If you are pressed for time, I can speed you on your way. But if you are hungry, thirsty, or weary I will provide you accommodation. I would be honored to have your company.”

“I don’t like the way he speaks,” a man said.

“Erico, explain yourself,” Arne said, his eyes not leaving Shen’s.

“He speaks too nicely. He doesn’t know us,” Erico said.

“And this place is too straight. He is too clean,” the girl with the bow said.

“This place is very straight, Yaffa,” Arne said. “And he is well kept, for sure. But I smell sweat and sex. And goat.”

“He’s a goat fucker?” Erico asked.

Arne watched Shen for a reaction. Shen gave him none. “I did not say that. This boy at least plays at being a man.”

“I don’t know a better way of extending an offer of friendship, than to speak nicely,” Shen said. “Teach me your gate sign and I will speed you on your way.”

“So you can raid our village?” Yaffa asked. “Steal our women?”

“I thought he liked goats?” Erico said.

“Shut up,” Yaffa said.

“I am not giving you our Runes,” Arne said.

“I have no need to raid. All my needs are met,” Shen said.

“Clearly,” Arne said. “Why else would a boy have so many names and titles?”

“I do not wish to fight you,” Shen said.

“You would be wise not to,” Arne said.

Shen stepped closer. He had to look up to maintain eye contact. “I will not fight you.”

Arne hit him. Shen went to the floor. He mentally told TL to stay out of it. Shen got up and went back to Arne.

“He’s not very bright,” Yaffa said.

“I am not going to fight you, but I will not back down. You are in my home. There is a limit to my cordiality,” Shen said. “If I can’t send you home, perhaps you would allow me to send you to another gate, and you make your way from there.”

“What other place?”

“You like goats, I can send you to a place where you can have your fill. Two gates on a temple,” Shen said.

“The Temple of Matsu?” Arne asked.

“Actually, yes,” Shen said.

“Were you clever enough to steal any of her goats?” Arne asked.

“Umm, yes. Yes I was. Would you be interested in trading?” Shen asked.

Arne backed away. When he was with his friends, he turned and they had a conversation. It wasn’t meant to be heard, but TL in his suit amplified so he could be privy. They also dropped into a new language, an effort to disguise their dialogue. Tech continued to translate, unimpeded, but a flavor component was added to denote the change; it was as if they were speaking English with a new accent.

“Goats would be nice.” “You’re thinking with your stomach.” “And you’re not?” “His clothing didn’t come from goats.” “He is unarmed, why don’t we just kill him and take the goats.” “We are not thieves.” “Yes we are.” “We are not thieves today.” “I want his shirt.” “I knew you were gay.” “We are not thieves.” “And what do you call looting ancient temples? Archaeology?” “Finders keepers.” “We are not thieves. Also, I hit him square. He is not intimidated or angry. That holds meaning.” “This place smells funny. That also has meaning.” “I don’t want to be friends with a goat fucker.” “Maybe he doesn’t have a woman. I’ll trade two of mine for a breeding pair of goats.” “I bet Valhöll isn’t as straight as this place.” “He seems more civilized than the walking bear clan.” “Anyone who doesn’t throw feces is more civilized than the walking bear clan.” “We don’t know that he doesn’t.” “He doesn’t,” Arne assured them. “His hands are clean. He works, but does not labor.” “He’s a King?” “Dumbass, Kings work harder than the best slave.” “Son of a king?” “Well, we have to do something. Either we give him the Order of Runes to where we were, or straight to Jorvik.” “We can’t give the Order of the Runes to Argyll. Their good friends. We need to consult them.” “Truth.” “Then we go to Matsu’s Temple.” “We kill him, then we leave.” “Do you see a rune table?” “I can sing a gate open.” “We go to Matsu temple.” “We can’t go there without tribute. You still owe her for the goat you ate.” “I did not know it was her prized goat.”

“Fair mistake. She has quite a few,” Shen offered.

“Right?!” Arne said, speaking up. He turned. “You heard and understood all of this?”

“Sorry. Would you like me to leave and come back?” Shen asked.

“You heard us discussing killing you?” Arne asked.

“Yeah,” Shen said. “Good luck with that.”

Arne was stoic for a moment, and then laughed. He came at Shen fast, hand outstretched. Shen’s hand came up automatically. Arne gripped his wrist and pulled him into a hug. “Well met, Shen. We accept your offer for food and shelter for the night.”

In his head, he heard TL shout “Yes! I told you we’d use the china.” He told her: “Please don’t bring out the good stuff.” “I am not using the wood stuff.” “TL, please, no good stuff."