Visions in the Dark

(Illustrations may happen someday)

Ham and Mon'Fargret step out into the dim light of the main passageway and move cautiously toward the side passage where the scan broadcast was detected.  After a few seconds' pause, Mey'Luskar gathers her wits and follows, Dabid not far behind.  They arrive at the corner, and Ham looks at his scanner just in case.

Nothing.

"I don't think anyone's there," whispers Mey'Luskar.

"Allow me, my lord," says Dabid, and he steps into the entrance of the passage without waiting for a reply.  "The lady is right.  There's no one here.  But someone was here.  I can still see heat tracks in the cement."  He moves a short way into the passage and says, "There are stairs going down to a lower level.  Our visitor is down there.  But wait..."  He goes further in.  "This also connects with another side passage, and there are tracks there, too.  More than one set."

"We're surrounded," says Mey'Luskar.

***

The priestess resumes her tranquil smile.  "Well, telling me what you saw might help ensure that the mind-screw doesn't happen again."

Lirassa's lip curls.  Then she rubs the back of her neck, and her demeanor becomes calmer.  She takes in a deep breath, lets it out slowly, and begins.  "I saw what looked like a brown dwarf star, spectral type L.  I've seen dozens of them.  But this one..."  She takes another deep breath.  "Something about it just guadet me.  Especially when it turned into a great, big eye!  And that face...it...uh..."  Her breath catches.  A puzzled look crosses her face, and she taps the back of her neck.

"Your implant won't stop the fear," retorts the priestess.  "It's too much a part of what you are.  I know what you saw.  My sisters and I have seen it, too.  I don't know why you were made to see it.  Did the face speak to you?"

Lirassa shivers.  "Yes.  Something about gathering the true, or wha..."

"What language did it speak?" interrupts the priestess.

Lirassa glances at Nekshi.  "Yangae!"  She turns to the priestess again.  "It was speaking Yangae!"

The priestess gestures understanding and looks at Nekshi.  "You saw the same vision, didn't you?"

"But they don't use that language!" protests Kuluf.

"This one does," replies the priestess gravely.

Arrivals

The van sets down on the landing area, and immediately the guide lights dim.

Four figures approach the van a bit warily. Two of them are priestesses. With them are a boy and a girl in acolyte robes, both apparently in their teens and rather disgruntled looking.

The investigator immediately gets out of the van and faces the four. No words are spoken. They simply bow to each other, palms pressed together prayer-style, and then look at each other for a time. Then the investigator opens the middle door of the van and invites the party to disembark.

"This is where we part," she says, "at least for now. I'm told the senior priestesses are occupied. The junior priestesses here will look after you. Your rooms are ready." Then she looks at Granite Spear thoughtfully. "Shurian...right. You need moisture."

She and the priestesses look at each other again. Again, no words are spoken, but the priestesses clearly react with uncertainty, even horror. They stare at Granite Spear, look at each other, and then look at the investigator again. They bow in perfect sync.

The investigator turns to Granite Spear and says, "I'm told both the pond in the garden and the main bath are open to you if you like. But if you use the pond, please don't eat too many of the fish."

Constable Pal'dun, who has also stepped out of the van, says, "Here's where I take my leave, too. Promise me that you'll do what you can to protect her." Then he bows Hergoth-style and intones, "May the Entity smile on you." The investigator echoes the greeting. Then the two Peace Forcers reenter the van.

As the van rises into the sky again, the two junior priestesses approach. There is a moment of awkward hesitation before one of them bows Hergoth-style and says, "Um, welcome to the Yanda Branch Temple. Your rooms are ready." She gestures toward a nearby building that is obviously a dormitory. Then she and her partner look at each other strangely. After a few heartbeats she turns to the party again and adds, "If you'll follow us, please." Then she glances at Granite Spear. "Um, or do you...want to go straight to the pond?"

***
When Ham's scanner beeps, Dabid practically dives back into the way-nest.

Confronting Ham (rather like a small, purple deer confronting a grizzly bear), he hisses, "What are you trying to do? Advertise our position to the whole damned tunnel?"

"They already know," retorts Mey'Luskar quietly. "That's what that noise was, wasn't it? Someone scanned us, didn't they?"

Revelations

Without waiting for an invitation, the Farbett who identified herself as Gek'nork plods right over to the alcove where Widjgleeby is waiting with Zeton and Ham. Sticking her head in, she rattles off a steady stream of very cheery-sounding Somekh. Then she pauses, scrutinizing the way-nest's occupants with her eyes and sniffer.

"Well, how interesting may is!" she says in very awkward-sounding Her-Galad. "So this one is biggest Hergoth I ever saw definitely!" She sniffs some more. "Doesn't smell Hergoth, but." Then she looks at Ham, thinks for a minute, and says in Yangae, "This one is Ibitonian!"

"This one is definitely Yangae," puts in her friend, nodding toward the other alcove where Mon'Fargret is just now peering out. Then, after looking at Mon'Fargret intently for a few seconds, she bows Foldorian style (which looks decidedly odd in the person of a Farbett) and says, "This one wishes the lord good evening! Is the lady okay?"

"Mm?" hums Gek'nork. Then the two have a "quick" conversation in Somekh, after which Gek'nork bows, too. "Oh! This one didn't know she was in the presence of a Manager! We beg the good lord's forgiveness!" Righting herself again, she adds, "So what brings the lord and lady down here to the tunnels, anyway?" Then she looks at Dabid and huffs. "Come to think of it, why is this whole lot down here, anyway? This just isn't right! I mean, really! Are you lost? Or maybe hi-ding?" Then she gasps. "Oh, my! You're not down here robbing Farbetts, are you? Or is this a purge? Nola-haya! Widjgleeby, manedama-messa-dendama-sobabamut-messa-dendali-fakaborg?!?"

"No, we're with Widjgleeby!" says Dabid defensively.

Gek'nork eyes him warily, and then she says, "But no one comes down here! Except the workers, of course. Oh, and the Farbetts! The only other ones down here are only here to cause trouble...or run from it! Either way, it's not very agreeable, is it?"

"Unless they're with that Cleaner fellow," suggests her companion, "or his bunch."

***
(Illustrations pending)

The van circles around and approaches Erweina from the south. The mountain becomes an ominous-looking form as it blots out the lights of downtown Mul'ein, black except for the steady beacon of the temple on its crown.

"The arrangements have been made," says the investigator. "Accommodations are ready for you. It won't be luxurious, but you'll be safe and comfortable. Most of the staff have bedded down for the night, but there are people there to look after you. You won't need to worry about anything."

"Except maybe my sanity?" mutters Lirassa. She heaves a long sigh and leans on her elbow against the window.

The investigator glares back at her. "You have nothing to worry about! I promise that you'll be left alone!"

"The problem is going to be getting the others here," says Pal'dun. "If they're with her, they've gone deep into hiding."

The investigator pauses. "Indeed. Very deep." She closes her eyes. "She's in pain, too. And afraid. She has opened her senses, which means her companions know her secret."

Pal'dun clicks his tongue. "You can sense all that yourself?"

"No," replies the investigator, "but we can." With that, she reaches under her collar and pulls something out. A brooch on a chain.

A brooch of a low-ranked priestess.