Legion World Forums LEGION OUTPOST Bits o' Legionnaire Business Dream Boy and the Amazers - Prophets and Heretics

This follows on from the 'what happened to Dream Boy?' fanfic.

Briefly, for those who haven't read the previous story - Dream Boy, following a vision, arrives on Xanthu, meets the Amazers and the Tamaran Quantum Queen. They join up and defeat the League of Assassins only after a hard fought battle in which Insect Queen in killed. James Cullen and Dream Boy start a relationship.

There was quite a bit more to it than that but you'll have to read it for yourselves to find out - I don't want to give too much away!

As always any comments are appreciated.

Cxx

It had been exactly a week since the Life Eradicators had been defeated.

Still Rol felt bad about it.

He hadn't had a single vision about the galaxy wide threat that had hit so many planets so badly, and he knew that quite a few of his fellow inhabitants at Amazer's Spire were wondering what good having a pre-cog on the team was when said pre-cog couldn't even see a potentially galaxy wide extermination event. He didn't tell them but apart from short range visions while taking the unarmed combat class he hadn't had a single vision since they had defeated the League of Assassins a month ago. He even heard someone sat behind him in the canteen ask in a quiet conspiratorial voice why they hadn't asked him to rejoin the Legion since he had obviously not mentioned the threat so the Legion could get the credit. Rol hadn't turned around to confront the enqisitor, partly because he was worried that it would start an official inquiry into his tenuous membership to the group, but also because James' flinty glance had told Rol that whomever had made that comment would be remembered and dealt with. Rol didn't want James to lose his popularity within the ranks because of him. They were still getting to know each other, they didn't need this!

The Amazers' did nothing to help defeat the virtual monsters, not one glance at them let alone decisive battle. Even worse, the Earth Govs Young Heroes team had collapsed and potential members had rallied to the Legions' call rather than the Amazers'. All of this added to the chagrin of the Xanthu Tribune's Office of Meta-Human Affairs which meant that the Amazers were put under the scrutiny of the Tribunes High Office. Rol had let the team down, he didn't need the Government or the Amazers to tell him that, he saw it in his own eyes reflection every morning in the mirror.

Even though no-one had said anything directly to his face somehow this made things worse for Dream Boy. The military discipline within the Amazers team made such direct confrontations highly unlikely. It also made small sideways comments, casual unexplained avoidances and unwillingness to make eye contact all the more painful.

James Cullin had told Rol in no uncertain terms to stop worrying and get on with it, that these things would be forgotten in no time. The hand to hand combat class that Rol had set up for the trainees had lost the majority of its attendees and as it was not one of their many compulsory training events he had no authority to challenge the members who avoided him. Of all the trainees and full team members who initially had keenly attended only the Lamprey, Typhoon and the Vygran insectoid Gates had remained. Even the Seperator and the sweet natured Captain Marvel had bowed out with quiet comments about work load increasing and too many commitments. Their apologies had been hollow to Rols' ears but he accepted them with some graciousness and reminded them that they had a duty, to team as well as themselves, to keep training to the best of their abilities.

To add to Rol's embarrassment the Monstress and Dragon Mage had casually mentioned they would start attending the class. Rol knew they meant it as a show of support but somehow it only added to his frustration.

Bloody Life Eradicators!

The training class had gone well. Lamprey had finally learned the Alto-Judo throw that Rol had patiently been showing the class for the last forty five minutes. She had flung him nearly twenty five feet into the air with her enhanced sea born strength. Dragon Mage's spell had cushioned him before he had made painful contact with the ferro-concrete ceiling.

Once returned safely to the ground, with a proud grin on his face Rol complimented the small trainee and called an early end to the class. He didn't want to tell them but the success of the Lampreys throw had been due in part to his distraction by a minor vision; a feeling, an urge that pulled him away from the here and now. Rol knew he would have to tell James before he acted on it and his excitement at the prospect of actually doing something other than mope around the Spire feeling sorry for himself was almost overpowering making him giddy.

He would persuade James to join him and it would all be good!

Bloody James!

Bloody bloody James!

Too sprockin' busy my ass!

Rol's thoughts screamed between disappointment and anger. He didn't ask for much, just a few days together with the man who was supposed to be his partner. James himself had said he was overdue a break, but oh no, not until Psyche returned to the Spire to agree the time off.

Well sprock Psyche and her mysterious mission with Atmos and James' sister Jasmin. The Amazers were big enough that they wouldn't miss James if he joined him on a break.

At least, a darkly cynical part of Rol's mind interupted, he didn't say he had to stay just in case the Life Eradicators returned!

Rol stomped to his quarters, threw his clothes into an unseemly pile on the floor and stomped straight into the steam shower. He knew that things would be fine in the long term, that if he could only get through this with at least his dignity intact then all would work out in the end.

The vision that took him over while stepping into the shower didn't confirm or deny this life long held certainty from Rol, it did though show him that he was in for another adventure on Xanthu. One that would cement his place within the Amazers.

"Rol, I'm sorry. You do understand don't you?" James looked upset as he spoke, his eyes on the floor, shoulders beginning to hunch in embarrassment.

"James, you and I still have a lot to go through together so don't worry. This is something I need to do, me going is not about you or us, it's me. Trust me I need to do this. I will be back you know, you'll see me soon." He gives the Quantum Kid his biggest smile and they hug fiercely.

"Call if you need me okay, promise?"

"Stop it James, you'll see me soon."

Dream Boy musters his resolve and steps into the transport tube, smiling once more before asking the Spire's resident AI to take him up to the shuttle bay and his one man Legion craft. He doesn't look at James as he gets gently lifted by the anti-gravs but can feel his lovers eyes follow him.

Three days later, as Rol wandered through the small towns market searching for the whatever it was that drew him here he wished he's given James another hug and tried just a little bit harder to reassure. Still, why waste time on the past when the future is always available. Somehow the Naltoran saying that was somehow supposed to bring comfort didn't ring true to Rol. He had spoken to James everyday, he'd even had a 'call from the Monstress and Lamprey asking him how he was, but the draw of a prophetic vision was always hard to explain to those travelling in the limited space of Now-Time.

Still, here he was on East Continent of Xanthu, by far the least populated place the young Naltoran had ever been. There were literally thousands of clicks between the small towns, something that had blown Rols mind when his one man crafts' auto 'bot had explained it to him. Thosands of clicks between towns! While Naltor wasn't as densely populated as earth it still had very little open wild country, the earlier Xeroxian settlers utilised virtually every scrap of useable land in their efforts to convert their new and previously virginal world into a place that their Seers had foretold would one day be a centre for scientific excellence.

Rol smiled to himself as he remembered Naltors strange history. Only Naltor could claim, in all the scientific community of the United Planets, to have been settled through a mystical time warp by 15th century sorcerors and witches from across Old Earth. It had taken centuries for the population to fully renounce their magical past and accept scientific process and for the earlier mystics spells cast on those who had taken the strange journey there to spread the so-called Seer Seed to the whole planets population.

In the seven centuries that Naltor had been settled there had been more radical sociological changes than on almost any other planet settled by Earth humans.

While the Central Continent was a bustling metropolis East Continent was far more sparsely populated with several areas devoted entirely to the traditional lifestyles translated to this far off world by the original Earthfolks who had settled here five centuries before. For the first time in his life Rol had seen houses made from traditional materials - mud, wood and stone from local quarries. The animals that apparently ran free were a delight, though chickens still confused him - apart from eggs, which could be synthetically produced far quicker and easier, he could not understand why anyone would want to keep such an irritating animal. They called when the sun rose - the first time he'd been awoken by one he thought it was some klaxon portenting a natural disaster! And with their ungainly flights to roof tops and fences and squabbling... yuck, no, Rol thought, the appeal of keeping chickens would remain a mystery to him.

He'd discovered that while placing himself into the lightest of meditation he could ride the camels that the tribes folk used as transport with as much skill as any native. Of course he didn't tell them that he could foresee each bump and turn so was reacting a split second before the potential embarrassing act occurred. Goats were fantastic creatures he thought; inquisitive, fearless, affectionate. Okay, so a few had tried to chew on his clothes, one even started to nibble on his hair in one village, but their basic nature still appealed to the young Naltoran.

And the silver and black Kente cloth robe he had bought in a small market on the edge of a dark forest had been one of the most comfortable articles of clothing he'd ever worn. Rol was starting to enjoy every moment, almost resenting the interuption that James' call would bring to his journey. He didn't know exactly were he was going but as he travelled he felt the comfortable sense of purpose - his subconscious had already seen this path he was following and he relaxed himself into an easy pace of travelling further away from the more populated areas into the Tribeslands that surrounded the huge central massif, partly forested, often rough scrub ground that he knew would turn to a large open desert as he travelled north.

Of all the new experiences the one that would stay with him the longest was the range of amazing smells! The warm earth beneath him radiated an aroma of comforting solidity. The plants swept the air with a riot of signature scents, the animals were unique. Every new smell delighted the young man as he travelled further towards his destiny.

He had been away from the Spire for twelve days when it happened.

For the previous two days he'd been in the lands of the Afar, a people he learned who had originally came from the old earth geo-political nation called the Ethiopian Danakil Desert. They were a surprisingly wary people, not as open or chatty as the previous tribesfolk. Their towns had small central squares were local marketstall holders would stare at him wide eyed and whisper conspiratorially to each other as he approached. Rol smiled and graciously played the stupid tourist for them, though he begain to worry that he may have somehow missed a local tradition or custom that made him appear stupid or even rude.

On this morning he learned why. He knew the guards were coming for him before they arrived so made sure all his possessions were in order, his robe rubbed free of creases and his face washed, his biggest smile ready for the two men in their dark grubby armour with outdated weapons to hand. Well, they were going to take him one way or another so why not make it a thoroughly more pleasant time for all, and as he thought this he remembered his mother. She would have approved of this approach to his situation. Grace cannot be bought she often said.

He walked out into the dusty street, waving a friendly goodbye to the landlord of the hostel and asked him to hold onto his camel until he returned just as the guards approached. Several children played, two women carried supplies in baskets and several old men sat under a tree talking. No-one looked directly at him he noticed, something that screamed louder than a banshee to him that there was trouble coming.

"Ah, there you are!" His exclamation made the two men uncomfortable but they didn't ask him how he knew that they were here for him. Instead one stood behind him while the other led him through the streets to a parked Vikken antigrav tub. The first hi-tec transport Rol had seen for days, even if it was a 29th century model that looked as if good will and spit held it together. Without being asked he gracefully jumped into it, landing comfortably on the wide seeat within. They need not know his flight ring had made that manouvre possible he thought with a small smile. The guard who followqedhim tried to make the same leap but crashed into the seat with a loud cry of embarrassment. Rol silently helped pull the guard out of his crumpled position with stateman-like aplomb before sitting back down and staring down the small path that led out of town. The first guard chuckled as he sat in the drivers seat and started the engine.

They drove in silence for nearly an hour, the countryside become wilder with every mile. In the distance Rol could see patches of trees with silhouetted forms of what he thought must be vultures. The legendary Earth scavengers that had become extinct on their home planet four centuries before. The tall scrubby grass that lined the roadside occassionally broke to show the wider plains. In these quick glimpses Rol saw animals that he would never have believed still existed. The diaspora that brought these people here had also brought much of the peoples' native flora and fauna; Giraffes with a clownish stature frollicked, two rhinos stood as if guarding precious stones stared at the road, monkeys scrambled over trees and rocks, and other animals that Rol could only guess at.

They stopped with a suddenness that suprised Rol. Thankfully he had a split second warning he relaxed himself enough that, unlike the guard in the back seat with him, he was unhurt as he tumbled into the front of the vehicle. Standing in the road before the battered vehicle stood a huge water buffalo with majestic horns and the gait of a ruler.

The guard in the front cursed, tooted a horn and waved his arms in an effoert to move the animal from the road. With casual indifference it stood still and lifted it's wide head to stare at them like they were rude guests in it's front room.

"Allow me." Even as Rol said it he knew what he would have to do. The guard beside him tutted and pulled his weapon up to remind Rol that he would not get far.

With a casualness that belied the trepidation Rol felt at approaching such a huge wild animal he strode up to it, right hand outstretched as if to shake hands.

"Now then, what if I asked you politely to move, what would you say to that?" As he said it Rol casually placed his hand on the creatures head and concentrated on his flight ring, not enough to generate true flight but enough to lighten the animals head, disorrientating it as he pushed the beast with his left hand towards the side of the road. The water buffalo staggered as if obeying him, momentarily going down on it's front knees as if bowing before staggering off the road.

"Thanks awfully, we won't be long and you can have your road back."

Rol casually walked back to the guards vehicle and once again elegantly leaped inside.

Fighting the urge to say "home Jeeves," Rol smiled at the driver and nodded down the road.

Both guards looked shocked and remained still for several seconds before driving off.

Another twenty minutes passed before there was sight of another human being. Rol estimated they had travelled three hundred clicks since the guards had picked him up that morning. In he distance he saw smoke and heard noises that made him realise they were finally approaching a town. This was where he was supposed to be!

The town was a mixture of rural farmsteads and concrete pre-fabricated housing blocks. Rol noticed very few children or animals on the streets. Dominating the skyline was a building with cathedral like windows and buttresses. Without being told he knew that this was the place he was being taken to.

As the transporter lunched to a halt Rol vaulted out and landed softly on the packed earth below. He extended his arm to help the guard down. The guards response was a few well chosen curses before he jumped clumsily to land beside Rol. The driver remained in his seat grinning.

"So where to now?", Rol kept his chin up as he asked, refusing to allow the guard to see any doubt or concern.

A grunted reply seemed to indicate Rol walk over to a large barn-like door. Smiling Rol walked, around them other people appeared, some dressed in the same dark guards uniform, other Rol imagined were servants. All of them were looking at him as if he were an assassin.

As they approached the large doors a small woman appeared, her dress and turban ornate compaired to the others. Rol estimated her age at 50 though she had obviously worked hard during those years. In her left arm she held a staff of blackened wood with a small pizo-electric cell atop that cast a strangely green light. By the way crowd watched her at least as much as they watched Rol he knew this was the person he needed to talk to.

"Hi there, my name is Rol, I believe you wanted to speak with me?" He keeps his tone light knowing that whatever the issue is here it has still to be resolved so best not jump in too hard too fast.

"You will save the princess! As foretold the Silvered Seer has arrived to guide our children and their children!" The womans voice was rich and strong, her staffs green tip pointing to Rol as she spoke though never once did she look directly at him.

The guard who had reluctantly sat beside Dream Boy began to speak, "The water buffalo bowed to him, he can control the wild beasts!"

The crowd started to chant and within seconds their numbers doubled as people streamed out of buildings to see the new arrival. More and more joined in the chanting, "The Silvered Seer! He has come! The Silvered Seer! He has come! The Silvered Seer! "

Oh bloody Nass, Rol thought, they think I'm a Prophet!

Wonderful work, Caron. I could see and smell the unspoiled nature you described. The bit about chickens made me laugh out loud, and you've made me think twice about goats. Rol is an immensely likeable protagonist.

I look forward very much to the next installment.

And, OMG, Captain Marvel in the 31st Century -- I love it and I can't wait to see where you go with that in future stories.

You really went wild on the sensory descriptions, with a strong emphasis on scent and a subtly sensuous description of the feel of the Kente cloth.

I love your command of the language. I love seeing words like silhouette and aplomb and diaspora, and then there's casual use of 'clicks' to denote distance, which creates a bit of 'specialized language' to remind us that we're in a different time/place.

The little background elements sneaking in, such as Rol thinking of an admonition from his mother that 'grace cannot be bought' are awesome. I like how you don't force them (a weakness of mine, to go all Exposition Lad in my writing) but let stuff like that flow. I'd lose my focus and go off on some flashback-tangent about his family at this point, while you just took the exact snippet you wanted to convey what you needed for this scene, and then moved on, without losing or misplacing the momentum.

Wow! Thank you both, your comments are truly appreciated! Seriously, it makes my day to find out some actually took the time to read and comment on my writing.

I only wish that I could spell 'silhouette' correctly I knew it was wrong but was possessed by the ghost of writings future at the time.

Thanks Stealth and Set, as I enjoy bothof your work it means a lot

Cx

Five days before.

The Princess Rabecka, Shining Light of the House of Afar, First in Line to the Golden Throne, Daughter of Sheyneyna Queen of All Deserts and all round spoilt royal brat had gone on a two day safari trip with three loyal guards and her handmaiden Elizabori. The first the royal family had known of any shennanigans happening was when the ID chip status lights for the entire group had vanished from their family info grid. As if by magic the princess and her retainers had simply vanished. A small army led by Prince Orik, her esteemed uncle, had immediately set out to find the missing Princess.

They found two of the guards. Or peices of them anyway. Small bloody peices of them, more rags than flesh. DNA analysis has confirmed the identy of what was found.

At the same time Anagastru the Crone, Temple Seer and Advisor to the House of Afar had fallen into a trance exclaiming the arrival of the Silvered Seer. This seer would bring peace and prosperity to their peoples it was foretold. He would tame wild beasts with a touch, find his way through the deadliest of mazes, rescue a princess, heal the Great Divided tribes and ultimately ensure the peoples of the continent, so long ignored by their more techno-savvy cousins on other continents and worlds would regain their rightful place within the race of Man.

As Rol heard this he started to curse himself for a fool. He knew with a nagging barely conscious certainty that he would have to help the Princess somehow and that he would have to do it without the aid of the Amazers. Damn precognition, he thought, for telling him that although the team could be here in under an hour and probably solve this problem in as long, his role here was not to be a team player - it was to be a leader!

As he was being told this tale the old woman, whom he now realised was in fact the Temple Seer Anagastru the Crone had led him through the large doors and into a maze of corridors that took then through the bowels of the castle. Any staff they had encountered enroute had backed into doorways with heads bowed and eyes closed or turned and fled. Rol had a feeling that his small guide was a considerable political power within these walls.

At the bottom of a tightly spiralled stairway she bundled Rol into a small bathroom and told him to wash quickly, he was away to be presented to the Queen.

Rol hurriedly splashed steaming hot water on his face, then drew of his raiments and splashed the hot water over his chest and under his arms. There was no soap or cologne for him to disguise the smell of his days travels but at least the smell wasn't quite as robust a few minutes later when he rejoined Anagastru.

The stairwell led them up several flights before she led him through a long well lit corridor and stodd before an ornately carved door. Squaring her shoulders Anagastru knocked on the door with her staff. They waited thirty seconds before the doors opened without a sound.

Inside was a library. A library that contained leather bound books - real books. Printed and complete, neatly in row upon row upon row from floor to ceiling, stretching all the way around the large room. Rol was in awe! He felt his jaw drop as his gaze took in the sight before him. It took nearly twenty seconds for him to realise that in a corner there was a woman sat at a desk watching him with mild amusement on her face as she waited for him to see her.

"Please come in Rol Purtha, former Legionnaire and current Amazer. Make yourself comfortable." She indicated a high backed chairopposite where she sat and waited for him to sit before continuing.

Rol felt awkward and clumsy, thrown off balance by the treasure trove of paper that surrounded him.

"you are dismissed Anagastru, though your son may join us shortly, tell him to bring a fresh pot of tea. Thank you." The woman at the desk looked tired as she spoke to the old seer, but the genuine affection in her eyes was evident. Anagastru bowed her head and left the library quietly, the carved doors closing quietly behind her.

"I'm sorry, I'm a bit... ummm"

"Don't worry Rol, we know who you are and how you have travelled for the last two weeks. You may relax here, this room is where we have come since our earliest childhood to find peace. It is a magical sight, no?" Her arm swept round the room indicating the many inviting volumes of knowledge bound within leather and paper upon the shelved walls.

"You have still to learn the ways of the peoples here on Xanthu, something only a true native could know so, I guess it's best we forgive you for not bowing before sovereignty, eh?" The mischievious glint in her eyes gave her tease away though Rol still blushed.

"Forgive me your... umm majesty, I have never been in the prescence of royalty before so... ummm." Again Rol's awkwardness shows.

"Of course, the Tamaran Quantum Queen, Typhoon of the Ancient and most Imperial House of Hemmil-Gotha-Rex-in-Exile and Princess Projectra have never excercised their royal priviledges before you have they?" Again the teasing look, making Rol feel almost as if he was a ball of string for a bored cat to lazily swipe at.

"You seem to know a lot about me my Lady but unfortunately I'm rather in the dark about... all this." Rol echoes her sweeping arm movement.

"Of course, forgive our presumptions. You are addressing Queen Sheyneyna of the House of Afar. We are happy to name you royal guest in our... meagre home." Her smile is a quick warm flash. "You arrive at a rather difficult time as our daughter has vanished under worrying circumstances. We hope you understand that there are things that are difficult for us to fully explain to an... outsider. Our good friend and advisor Anagastru believes that we should not inform the planetary Science Police and instead put our faith in the Princesses return fully in you. You do understand that puts us... me... in a rather difficult position." For the first time he sees the sadness and worry upon the queen's face. A hint of anger in her voice alerts Rol to the steel within her character. Her royal bearing may be polished and urbane but Rol realises that here in front of him is a woman of extraordinary strength and character.

The queen meets his eye and continues, "Our daughter has always been... willful is perhaps the best word. She left us five days ago for a jaunt out to visit some of our outlying villages in the company of dear Elizabori. They have been friends since earliest childhood. They took three guards and had enough resources to evade or even fight their way from a small army. We may be a provincial people Rol but we are not niave. When they're signals were lost we assumd they had foolishly set up camp within the Great Caves of the Oranthrax. My late husbands brother, Prince Orik led a team to return them here but only found the... the remains of two of our daughter's guards. We were immediately on alert, but for Anagastru, our most trusted advisor we would have called in the aid of the Central Continent's police. She persuaded us to await your arrival. So tell me, why areyou so special Rol, your career so far has been interesting but far from exemplorary. So, why you Rol? What makes you so special?"

Wonderful as always, with vivid characterizations.

Waiting on pins and needles for the next installments.

Outside the castle Anagastru had spoken to her son, the driver of the vehicle that had brought Rol to this small town.

"You remember what I told you, yes? You must do it even though you might not want to. Your place in Xanthu history will be assured!"

The thin man looked crestfallen as he agreed with his mother.

"Go now, take the brew to our Queen and the outworlder prophet. Don't let them talk between themselves for too long."

Saved by a knock on the door!

In walked the old womans' son. Rol wasn't exactly surprised that it was the driver that had brought him here.

"You majesty, honoured guest, here are refreshments." With bowed head he laid the plain wooden tray on the small table beside the Queen and started to pour two fine china cups with a steaming amber brew.

The Queen motioned for him to pull up a chair and join them at the table.

"Your majesty, please allow me to introduce myself to our guest." He turned to Rol and put his hand out to shake. "My apologies if we seemed... eager for you to join us earlier but we need your help."

"No problems Tre, that's fine, your gracious Queen has just explained."

"How did you know my name is Tre?" His eyes wide in shock. Rol was not about to say that he had had a brief precognitive flash of the young man saying exactly that, instead he smiled cheekily and gave a quick shrug of his shoulders. Queen Sheyneyna gave a throaty laugh before turning a stern face to the shocked young man and said "Are you going to join us?" her head nodding towards the nearest chair.

"So, your daughter, Princess Rabecka, needs found and returned. I'm sure with the help of this young man I can give that a go." Rol had indicated the silent Tre who now suppressed a splutter of tea as he realised that he would be be travelling with Dream Boy. He started to answer but was cut off by the Queen, "You are very confident for one so young Rol Purtha. We have our own Seers here, your people were not the only mystics to leave Earth, and not even Mama Anagastru is so certain. What guarantees can you give?"

"None your majesty, only the certainty that I have foreseen my own future and it does not involve failure." Rol spoke with casual confidence, though his own doubts were buried just out od sight of the Queen's probing look.

"If I can have two hours in private to prepare we can leave just before dusk sets in and be at the last place you knew your daughter was before midnight. No time like the present eh?" Rol gave a small laugh at the Naltorian disdain for that saying.

"Do you need anything, any weapons or...." Tre asked before quickly falling silent before his Queen.

"Thank you, a warm shower and a place to meditate for an hour please. I'd like to think we won't need any weapons though. If worst comes to the worst we can call for back up I'm sure."

"Make it so Tre, show Rol to the Old Alchemist suite on the North Wall please. After you finish your tea of course." There is warm gratitude in the Queens voice, the implicit peaceful resolution in Rol's dismissal of taking weapons obviously reassred her.

"Thank you your Majesty, I'll go now and freshen up before I meditate on our journey. Thank you." Rol has just enough knowledge of Royal protocol to wait for the Queen to rise before standing up himself. She offered her hand and wished them both success.

She may not have been quite so comforted had she known that as Rol walked out of the room he was thinking "Bloody grife! Why do I always get myself into these impossible situations?"

Casual history of Naltor (1)

Naltor was seen by the greater United Planets populace as a highly advanced scientific planet.

And it's true to say that in the large part that assumption was true. But it wasn't the whole picture. Originally settled by mystics from Old Earth who were part of a radical sect that believed it would one day produce a scientific solution to their home planet Earths problems. These original settlers were later joined by refugees from the Gemworld and even later by Xeroxans. The initial problems of taming the lifeless, tectonically unstable world were resolved through high magicks and low-tech solutions. The three continents were evenly populated with traditional clans of magical users being fairly evenly split, the idea being that too much of a concentration of a single field of mystical study would take away from the prophesied scientific growth that they had set out to achieve.

Over centuries Naltoran mystics battled with the previously alien logic of science, and with a judicious use of precognitive magicks had learned and then excelled in these disciplines. By the 28th century they had established the scientific community that the original settlers had foreseen. Not that all magicks was overlooked or dismissed. Despite the lack of formal mystical training many families had kept the oral training alive through the generations and Sapphire City in the Great Northern Sea had a galaxy famous museum of magical paraphernalia. As a child Rol had visited the museum with his mother and been strongly attracted to many of the bizarre exhibits on display. His mother had mentioned that her great grandmother was said to have known several spells herself though as she only had male children would not pass the knowledge onto her family before she had died. Rol, with a childs natural openmindedness towards the supernatural had immediately understood this logic.

Two years later at the age of 11, when he had passed the initial tests for Pre-Commando training, he requested that one of the courses from the optional lists he was required to choose from was 'understanding basic magickal theory.' There had been only five of them in the class: himself, NIeru Mkaan - a stubborn, rude girl with amazing pigtails and a love of turning every conversation around until it focussed firmly on herself, Shabeesa Ding- a narcoleptic with shifty habits who was thrown out of the class, and later the Pre-Commandos for her habit of acquiring objects in a thoroughly unlawful manner, Professor Nijedulla their tutor, and Simeon the grey lazy cat who barely contributed a yawn, let alone a full throated meow for the entire course. For a 12 week term during Rol's first year of training, every Third- and Fifthday he had spent a literally magical couple of hours learning about the history of his own race, the various fields of mystical research and the strange logics in manipulating the very unscientific energies that these fields involved. After the academic term had ended, and much to considerable teasing by his peers, he had been awarded the college's Purple Nebulae award for his skill in this subject. Not that he had cast a single spell in this time, but at least he was the first student in living memory who had firstly attended every class in this section, and secondly never once fallen asleep in Professor Nijedulla's presence.

Despite the teasing Rol felt proud.

Rol was shown into a low ceilinged room. Stark stone walls with several hanging banners depicting alchemetic symbols hung over windows gave it a gloomy feel. Apart from these there were only three large wooden benches and an open fireplace that looked as if it had not been tended in decades. Rol walked over to one of the banners and examined it. Tre stood at the door, unsure if he should follow Rol into the room or not.

"Do you know about the Alchemists dream of transmuting lead into gold Tre? It was not, as many assumed, driven by greed or materialism. Each element had an associated state of existence given it. Lead was seen as the most mundane- it was associated with a humdrum, dull life, one filled with drudgery and hardship, while gold was almost angelic, it was the element of saints and royalty. So to transmute one to the other was as much to change ones life to the better, an aspirational transformation. It was only later, during the First Terran Reinaissance and the rise of Italian families like the despotic Medici's that these desires were altered to become so much about greed and gross materialism was encouraged. Alchemy, despite it's reputation was originally a very spiritual art."

Tre stood at the door, still unsure. Rol turned, smiled at the young man and asked that he be left undisturbed for two hours.

After the guide had gone Rol locked the door and opened up his back pack, took out a silver tube and teased a small cone of incense from it. The lid of the tube gave a small spark and a sweet smoke slowly rose to fill his senses.

Reaching into his pack Rol pulled out his Amazer Belt and flipped the magnetic sensor button. A hologram materialised before him. James!

"Hi James, hows things?" Rols weary smile ached with real happiness as he spoke to James Cullen.

"Missing you Dreamy Boyo, when are you going to come back home? Or do you want me to join you? We've got a full compliment of members at the Spire so if you want...?" There is something close to guilt in his voice as he makes the offer.

"Give me two days then if you haven't heard anything come looking for me, I've been kind of roped into helping..."

"The missing Afar Princess?" James smiles as he interupts.

"You spying on me?" Rol laughs before continuing, "Yes, I'm helping out here but should be done in a day or two. We're going to the Caves of Oranthrax tonight, do you know anything about them James?"

"They're supposedly haunted or have some nasty gene-spliced beasty living there, whatever it is they have a bad rep so be careful okay?"

"Of course, you don't doubt me do you? See you in two days okay?"

"Believe it boyfriend!"

After they had spoken Rol felt as if a weight had been lifted from his shoulders. For all their teasing Rol knew that James was one of the most reliable people he had ever met. If he said he'd be here in two days then he would be.

Rol went back over to the table and blew into the coiled plumes of smoke from the incense he'd lit before taking a deep breath of the sweet smoke. He used his flight ring to float above the smoking cone and slowly relaxed himself into a lotus position and meditated.

Rol dreamed.

A cavemouth surrounded by bulbous red berries. A stench like he could never have thought existed, even in his dreaming state his body started to retch.... Smears of red across his cheek, his clothing, Tre covered in red, red, red... Blind rats the size of horses.... A cave, dark and mysterious, twisting back upon itself in mobius patterns, a wooden cage, a dual, a ecstatic flight... the images were overlaid by phrases and sounds, screams of rage and the clash of battle. James! James is there, fighting and barely holding his own...

He was awoken by a polite rap at the door.

"I'll be out to you soon Tre, we'd best get going if we are to be at the Caves of Oranthrax by first light tomorrow."

Carrying his pack Rol followed Tre down to the old Vikken vehicle. The didn't try to see the Queen before they left, she'd let Tre know that she sent her best wishes and would pray for their safe return. At the vehicle though stood a small party of locals headed by Anagastru. She held onto her staff as if seasick Rol thought and her eyes looked feirce, bright and fragile, like distant galaxies. Her knowledge and use of Blood Magic had weakened the woman he realised. He remembered his lessons from his first year at the Pre-Commando Academy about the cost of magicks and silently wished the older woman as much strength as she needed.

Without a word she hugged her son and turned to Rol, "You will bring them back safe, you might even be the Prophet we need. Tre has an imaging implant so can send for help if you need it, remember that young man and go with all our wishes for your successful return." Without thinking Rol suprised himself and also hugged the woman. He was shocked at how thin she felt beneath her volumous robes.

"Keep a light on in the northern tower so we can find our way back."

With that he lept into their transport and called for Tre.