21.Changing priorities

The Tilted Spire Timetable
 
Fureva-Yung sat passively as Temila and Nox treated her acid burns as best they could. From her collection, Temila pulled out an ointment that stopped infection and encouraged healing. Nox using Marius’ first aid to wrap out the wound to help keep it clean. As she worked, she wondered about the intelligence that was Fureva. Was it still sleeping? Did it still exist at all?
 
Finishing her work, she reached out her mind to the intelligence that Furevea and found a jumbled mess of random thoughts. Like leaves in the wind, they whipped around without purpose or meaning, and it was hard to determine if the mind that owned the memories was asleep or as broken as their thoughts. In the time and space between minds, Nox hung, trying to make sense of it all. A more vivid memory caught her attention and, with a thought, drew herself to it. Like a rip, the memory pulled her in and into its depths.
 
It was a clear day, and the air was full of quiet expectant talk. All around her, the amphitheatre was filled with beings from across the galaxy. Some species she recognised, some she didn’t. It didn’t matter. They were all part of the great Ferrian Compact. They and everyone in the amphitheatre were in the slate grey and dark blue of the Ferrian Galactic Navy. It only heightened the feeling of belonging and being on the brink of some great enterprise. She looked to her right and saw her friend’s insectoid face reflect the same feeling she had.
 
A blast of horns and the crowd hushed as uniformed beings decorated with gold walked out onto the stage. Her uniform was currently unadorned, as was everyone in the crowd, but she knew that wouldn’t be for long.
 
“Newly enlisted,” Started the most gaudily decorated of the beings on the stage, “Thank you for doing your part in protecting the Ferrian Compact!”
There was a pause, and the crowd cheered. Thousands of voices shouted their agreement as one, and sent a shiver of pride up her spine.
“Ever since the Sacristans unjustly attacked our colony, we have been taking the fight to them. You will drive them back by your brave sacrifice on the frontlines of this cause! We have already laid claim to dozens of worlds they unjustly asserted control over!”
Applause, cheers of congratulation and roars of celebration…
 
The memory faded, and Nox felt herself fall back, landing sharply on her butt. The community of the Spire resolved itself around her. She blinked, remembered she wasn’t a member of the Ferrian Compact and focused on Fureva-Yung’s thoughts in front of her.
 
Pride. Regret. Confusion. Emanate from the slow mind of Yung before, Drink water. Eat cup.
Nox sighed. The thoughtful Fureva-Yung was missing. I’ll talk to you later, She said to herself.
 
Marius had not given up working on the door leading to the circular room. Now with the inner workings of the door exposed, it was easy for him to lift a latch and push the door across. Beyond it, a three-metre circular shaft rose into the darkness above his head. He could see the faint outline of three other doors like the one he stood at, equidistant from each other. He looked down and saw the top of a capsule approximately two metres from the floor he stood on. The capsule looked angled into the side of the capsule as if it had fallen a great distance to finally lose control, landing wedged into the shaft wall. Where the capsule tilted into the wall, Marius saw the outline of a hatch. A possible way in, with a little applied strength. It was time to see how Fureva-Yung was.
 
He found her moving metal sheeting for a group of community members planning small permanent housing.
“Hey Furry, I have a job with your name on it,” He said to the scarred and burned back, “Are you sure you should be working so hard?”
“Must lift heavy things,” Yung replied to no one in particular, “Yung lift, Yung strong.”
“Err, yes, you lift…over there,” Marius turned to Nox, watching from a short distance away, “She all right?”
Nox thought a moment. No, their friend was not all right, but neither was she unwell, “The wise part of her has…gone to sleep.” She replied with a shrug.
“Shock, simple shock,” Marius diagnosed as they watched her, seemingly without thought, grab a loose canvas and tear a hole in its centre. She stuck her head through the hole and covered her torso with the makeshift poncho.
“Hey Fureva, if you’re not doing anything we could sure use your help,” Yitti called, and Yung turned slowly in response.
“I help,” She said and lifted a metal panel that two men were struggling with over her head.
 
“O-kay,” Marius now turned back to Nox and Jaden, “I need you two to look at this.”
“Not the acid bubble, I think we need to leave that alone for a while until we have a safe way to siphon it off,” Jaden said, her eyes straying to what Yitti and the others were up to.
“No, it's the shaft...” He started before Nox interrupted.
“You got it open!” She squealed in excitement before running back into the shadows of the Spire.
 
Jaden followed, and Marius took up the rear, taking the opportunity to find a good metal pole and a coil of rope from community supplies. When he arrived at the shaft, Nox was already scanning the capsule and confirming what he’d already suspected.
“The capsule has pushed the wall out and is wedged in place. I wonder what’s beyond it? How far do you think this shaft goes down?” Nox flipped over and looked up the shaft, “Do you think it goes all the way to the top of the Spire?”
“Only one way to find out,” Marius replied, tying knots down the length of the rope. Nox scrambled out of the way, and he lay the pole down on the ground in front of the door and tied the rope firmly to it. The walls on either side of the pole kept it from being pulled into the shaft and allowed the rope to hang down to the capsule below.
 
With Jaden’s spear and Nox’s floating light, Marius climbed down the rope to the roof of the capsule. Now he could see the capsule was crushed into the wall, the hatch crumpled and bent shut. It would take more than just his strength to get it open. Huffing and puffing from above told him Jaden was on her way down. She looked at the capsule's damage on its last trip down.
 
“I don’t think I can fix this thing,” She admitted, “but if we can move it out of the shaft, I could probably rig up a manual platform, possibly something with magnets?”
“Hmm,” Marius looked up the shaft. They couldn’t go down, not yet anyway, “From your bits and pieces, do you think you could make a grappling hook?” He asked Jaden.
She nodded, “Made a few in my time with less.” She climbed back up the rope and went scrounging through the supplies the community had sorted through. Then she saw what Yitti and the other were ‘building’.
 
“Hi Yitti, “ She called to the builder's makeshift foreman, “What do you think you are making?”
“Jaden. Could sure do with your expertise,” He admitted, looking in over his head.
“I can tell,” She nodded, putting together the scrap she selected for the grappling hook and joined the working bee, “You’ve done well to stop it from falling on your heads thus far.”
 
 
They’re trying to do something good, Jaden, Nox commented in her mind, Be kind, be nice.
 
Jaden’s stiff back suddenly loosened as the thought of a job being done badly was replaced with the more generous thought of how proactive the dritmen and other residents of the Buckles were.
“Have you any bracing planned to stop those walls from falling outwards on you?”
“They won’t hold themselves in place?” Said Yitti, whose experience in building was confined to the winding passages of the Dritvein Quarry.
“Like a house of cards, sure. You have the right idea, though. Can I?” She gestured to the partly constructed dwelling.
“Sure,” Yitti replied, relieved and made room for Jaden in the discussion group.
 
Nox looked on as the building crew seemed to find a second wind and soon had two standing walls with a third on the way. Unfortunately, even with Jaden’s guidance, they were not fast enough for Yung. Her focused doggedness to move the large sheet of metal had caused a backlog right where the first building was going up.
“Um…Fureva-Yung, I wonder if you could dig a hole for us,” Jaden suggested, “Say, a trench from the lake to the village?” The lake was several kilometres away across the roll green fields of the valley, and even Yung’s mind baulked at the task.
“Marius is good digger, she should dig,” Was Jung’s reply.
“R-ight…” Jaden stretched out the syllable while thinking of another task Fureva-Yung could do. She then remembered the grappling hook in her hand, “Here, a very important task. Take this into Marius.”
 
Fureva-Yung dropped her latest piece of metal with a clang and took the grappling hook in her huge hand. Without a word, she started back inside the rooms discovered only that morning. Nox went to follow when she saw Temila grab a basket of food and follow after Fureva-Yung. Shadowing Temila, Nox contemplated the relationship between Marius and Temila. Temila was one of her dearest friends, a person that not just her but the whole community relied upon. Marius, on the other hand... She saw how hard he worked to be someone other people wanted him to be. But in doing so, she wondered if he ever let anyone really know him.
 
“Hey, good looking!” Marius said as Nox came around the corner. He’d just noticed Temila and the basket, and his face had lit up at the sight of her. Doubts over Marius dissolved in Nox’s mind. In some things, he was stupid. But, he’d never intentionally hurt Temila, of that she was sure.
“I brought lunch,” Temila’s face lit up in return as she proudly presented the simple meal of fresh greens, herbs and spiced insects.
“Hey, dinner and a show!”
Stupid, Nox thought before saying out loud, “What sort of show do you think Temila is?”
Marius realised he’d said something offensive but wasn’t sure what.
“She’s so good-looking,” He qualified, which wasn’t much better.
Nox caught Temila’s eye and was glad to see a spark of mischief and shared sisterly knowledge. Somewhere at the back of Nox’s mind, another doubt dissolved away as she realised that no matter what happened between Marius and Temila, she and Temila would always be friends.
“I’m flattered…I guess,” Temila's look returned to Marius as they sat down to share the meal together.
You’re safe…for now, Nox thought to Marius, making him almost choke on his crickets.
 
While the others ate, Yung stood looking down the cylinder at the capsule stuck two metres down. With a step, she leapt from the doorway and landed heavily on the top of the cylinder. If nothing proved the capsule was stuck fast, it was almost half a tonne of Fureva-Yung landing on it. The shock of her landing did jar a wall panel loose from higher up the cylinder. With a clanging smashing roar, it tumbled toward Yung. She casually stepped aside and allowed the panel to smash into the capsule. The bell shape rang, echoing down the cylinder and into places unknown. Yung now had a handy metal bludgeoning device that she used repeatedly on the twisted hatch.
“Ur…Furry. You better stop that,” Marius called between ringing metal clangs against metal.
Maybe she’ll break into the capsule, Nox thought, looking over the edge to watch Yung at work. Unfortunately, Yung's efforts led to only dents, and Marius gained her attention enough to hand down his crowbar.
“Temila, is there anything medicinal you can do for Fureva-Yung?” He asked, describing the fugue state she now exhibited.
Temila shook her head sadly, “In cases such as this, there is no treatment but time.”
 
A wrenching scream of metal echoed up from the capsule before the bright sound of snapping metal. Nox, who had been watching Yung progress, clapped once in congratulation for getting the hatch open. She forgot about her lunch and stood up.
“Fureva-Yung, catch me,” Without a hint of doubt, she jumped off the edge and into the hole. Fureva-Yung caught the slight figure of Nox easily and placed her down on top of the capsule. Together they looked into the small empty room below them.
Sitting on the edge of the hatch, Nox swung her feet into the hatch, “Lower me down?” Nox asked, and Yung took her outstretched hands and gently lowered her to the capsule floor.
 
With the tilt of the Spire going one way and the wedge capsule sloping the other way, the floor in the capsule was almost level. The tiny room, less than two metres wide, was empty except for a door buckled and bent open. Leaning her weight against the remaining door, Nox stared into the darkness below, scanning ahead to see what her eyes could not. The cylinder stretched away beyond her senses could reach. More doorways appeared at regular intervals hinting at the floors yet to explore. And that was it. Hints, glimpses through cracks and potential discoveries. With a grudging acceptance, Nox asked to be pulled up, and Yung sent down the chain.
 
Meanwhile, Marius had taken a section of the knotted rope and grappled it to the lip of the next door up. He stood on a plank angled across the cylinder as he’d been straining to open the door. Nox shimmied up the rope beside him, eager to see if any progress could be made on higher levels. She scanned through the door to a new unexplored room with hints of movement. More of the metal lobsters, no doubt.
“Are you sure you can’t see the door's locking mechanism and unlatch it with your mind?” Marius asked once more, to Nox’s frustration.
“No.”
“Maybe I can bring some more of that acid up on my diamond glass….”
“And burn yourself like Fureva-Yung?” Nox sighed, “I think we have to face it. Right now, we can’t get any further up or down. Maybe when Jaden has time to get the power running again?.”
They both looked at the door, the walls and the capsule below them and silently agreed. At least for the time being, exploration of any sort would have to wait.
 
Outside, the first building of the new community was finished. Jaden, Yitti and the construction team were standing back admiring their work. It was a very simple dwelling with two rooms, windows and a door. But it was well built and would keep two couples or a family warm and safe from the elements.
“Say, what happened to Fureva-Yung? We could have done with her strong back,” Yitti commented, looking around.
“I gave her something to give to Marius. She hasn’t come back,” Jaden replied, making notes on how they could improve the next cabin.
“Marius skiving off all the work, again?” He laughed, knowing if there was work to do, Marius was not afraid to get stuck-in, “When we’re making such strong little cottages.”
 
Jaden warmed herself in the pride she heard in Yitti’s voice and the comments of the people around her. It had been a whole community effort. Even those not directly involved in putting up the walls or roof of the cabin were busy making furniture or providing food and drink for the workers. It was the first concrete step towards normalcy for a group of people exhausted by travelling, deprivation and hardship.
 
From out of the gloom of the Spire, Jaden spied Marius and Nox, downcast and silent. Fureva-Yung, empty-eyed and directionless, followed along behind. Nox wandered off towards her father, making chairs, while Marius headed towards her and Yitti.
“Speak of the devil, and he shall appear!” Yitti quoted welcoming Marius into the group, “Got bored of exploring the tower?”
“No,” Marius confessed, “We can’t get any further without power to unlock the doors. We’ll have to put exploring the rest of the Spire on hold until Jaden has some free time.”
“Great, that means you and Fureva-Yung can help us. We’re about to start on number two.”
 
Livaanar sat in the sun stripping thin saplings. He used the sapling wood and strips of green bark to make stools, small tables and even frameworks for beds. It was a job his clever fingers were well suited to, and for once in Nox’s life, he looked like he was enjoying his work. Maybe because nothing was expected of it except to work. It didn’t need to show originality or complex knowledge of his craft to the glory of Erinai. There was no one to impress except himself. Nox joined him, stripping the bark from the saplings with her sharp worm's tooth knife and curling it ready for use.
 
Back in Cerelon, Nox had been unable to deal with her father’s expectations for her. As a result, she'd fled their home at every opportunity. The threat or disapproval of Erinai had been a physical presence in their home. He had gone to great pains to impress upon her the importance of gaining the devotee and, therefore, Erinai’s favour. Now though, as they sat in amicable silence, Nox was reminded of that unseen presence and wondered if Erinai weren’t one of the beings they’d met on their way to the Spire.
 
“Father,” Her curiosity finally overcoming the last of her timidity, “What do the Erinai look like?”
He didn’t answer straight away. Nox refrained from reading his mind but was sure the slight smile on his lips and the shine lighting his eyes that her question had pleased him.
“Erinai is one. A being or spirit that protects machines and lives throughout the datasphere.” He said gently, making sure not to make eye contact with Nox, as she used to prefer it.
“But what do they look like? Are they spirits, or do they have human form?” She persisted, and her father’s small smile disappeared.
“The devotees protect such information about Erinai jealously. Only those trained into the priesthood know such things.”
“But you worship Erinai. Don’t they teach you anything about them?”
“A great deal about the history of the order, their purpose and something of the nature of Erinai. As to how they look, it’s not considered important for…lower ranked members as they’d never get the opportunity to meet Erinai personally.”
 
Nox scrunched up her nose at such bullying tactics. Withholding information to make yourself seem better or more impressive reminded her too much of Cerelon of old. Silently, she vowed that if this was a new community, there would be a new way of thinking about information.
 
Excusing himself from the heavy work of building cottages, Marius joined Livaanar and Nox making furniture. he chatted sociably with Livaanar as he set to work on a chair that followed the sloping ground inside the Spire. With two short legs at the front and two long legs at the back, the chair sat level and kept its sitter from falling back down the slope. Or at least that’s what Marius said. No one else could see a use for the ridiculous little chair while the third cottage on flat ground was going up. Of course, where Marius was, Temila soon showed up with the evening meal of wild greens, venison and a small amount of boiled wild grains.
She looked out over the three cottages, a happy expression suffusing her entire being.
“It feels nice here. We’re going to have a home.” She said, glancing over at Marius, much to Livaanar disapproval.
“Maybe we’ll get back to Cerelon,” Marius commented.
Temila shook her head, “Right now, I don’t mind if we never go back. There’s a real feeling that we’re building towards something here.” She leaned to Marius, “This will be our town.”
 
Nox moved away to eat her food, a habit of old made more useful when she could no longer endure her father’s silent judgment of the burgeoning romance. She was going to have to do something about that, and she may have if she hadn’t been distracted by Risina sitting beside her. Nox hadn’t said more than a dozen words to the woman since their watch before joining the two caravans. She knew such a woman would not do anything without an ulterior motive and waited in silence for Risina to start the conversation.
 
“You’re friends with Temila, aren’t you?” Risina asked, eventually breaking Nox’s train of thought. She was sure Risina wanted to know Marius’ plans for the Spire and what he hoped to find. Instead, Temila had somehow caught the great woman’s attention. Nox wondered what could be Risina’s plans for Temila.
“Yes, for the longest time, she was my only friend…beside Jaden, “ She replied innocently as her mind tried to get ahead of this woman and her machinations.
“What sort of person is she?”
“She’s smart. Zin always said she knew more about plants and their uses than he did at her age,” Nox replied, thinking back to the old apothecary that had taken Temila on as apprentice several years previous, “She’s kind. She was kind to me when others didn’t bother, but it’s more than being kind. She cares for others regardless of their position or money. You may know she delivered treatment to the ill up in Highside Redoubt but did you know she did the same for those down in the Buckles? I think she’s going to be very important to people here. Her healing skills, her knowledge of what is good to eat in the wild and how to prepare it. I don’t know what we would do without her.”
 
Risina listened politely, and when Nox looked to have finished, thanked her for her opinion and made to leave.
“Why? What is Temila to you?” Nox asked, and Risina slow sat back down, her eye darting left and right, looking for a response.
“Why…I agree…she’s essential to our little community, and…I’d like to get to know who our future leaders are,” She replied brokenly in a way unlike her usual smooth and practised poise. It was a red flag to Nox, who instantly searched the woman’s thoughts for the real reason behind her interest.
 
It sounds like she could be a good match for Marius…
 
Nox sat back, thrown harder by the thought than she had by Fureva-Yung’s memory. Suddenly a thousand different incidents, phrases, and actions all made sense to her and rolled out of her mouth before she could stop them.
“Are you his mother?!” It wasn’t a question.
“Why, child, what would make you think that?” She said, smoothly falling back into her condescending attitude.
“When the automatons attacked, and the North gate was broken, Marius leapt across the heads of automatons to get into Highside Redoubt. He never said why he needed to, but we all thought there must have been someone he cared for. But who? He was the union leader of the Dritmen who hated the Highsiders.”
"Oh, and your last names are the same only turned around! Why didn't I see that before?!"
“And then his mother’s sword, the sword he was so proud of. He nearly died to keep that sword, but when we fought the worm, he just handed it to you, knowing you would know how to use it better than he did. How did he know?”
“And then, when the worm swallowed him, you attacked it like…him…or maybe like a mother seeing their son eaten by a worm. You even look a little alike when he’s not covering himself in make-up…” The stream of facts stopped abruptly when Nox realised she’d mentioned something she’d promised to keep to herself. But, if his mother knew, then maybe she knew why he felt the need to use it.
“Do you know why he does that? Why does he hide?”
 
Risina was equally as struck by Nox's leap of intuition and stared at the young woman in open surprise.
“You…are very clever….look, could we talk in private?” She leaned in as if to suggest a whispered conversation. Now pleased to have surprised such an influential person as Risina, Nox did something she’d never done outside of her few friends.
Yes, this is private, She opened a link to Risina and spoke into her mind.
 
If the older woman had been surprised by Nox’s announcement of Marius’ parentage, she paled as she heard the young woman in her mind. To her credit, Risina rallied.
Ah, yes, this will do. Marius doesn’t know I know who he is, and I’d like to keep it that way. I’d appreciate it if you keep our little conversation to yourself.
But why the make-up?
It’s all part of it. He is hiding from his mother.
Hiding from everyone, Nox rolled her eyes at ease with this woman of power and influence.
 
Over at the furniture-making station, Marius kissed Temila and stood to go. As usual, he walked out into the darkness alone, and Nox drew Risina’s eyes to his departure.
In some things, he really is quite stupid.
No kidding.
 
Jaden walked through the camp, enjoying the feeling of a good day’s work. It wasn’t something she’d felt for a long while, even before travelling, but now her knowledge and skills were being tested, and they were not found wanting. She saw Yung passed out on her back beside one of the campfires. She’d had a big day, and it would be only a matter of time before they knew what damage the acid had done. Until then, sleep and time were Fureva-Yung’s best treatments. She saw Nox talking animatedly with Risina. She wasn’t sure what to think of that and was about to head over when she noticed Marius leave Temila alone. A mischievous spark lit Jaden’s mind, and she walked over and sat beside the apothecary.
“I wanted to talk to you about natural dyes. What plants should you find and how to use them to dye something…say…pink?”
“What an interesting thought,” Temila considered, “Can I ask what it’s for? It may make a difference to the results if I know what you’re thinking of dying.”
“How about a half-tonne woman in a canvas poncho?” Jaden replied, gesturing back to the snoring Yung.
Temila laughed, “Okay, but after I give them to you, you didn’t get them from me. Fureva-Yung scares me.”
“Deal,” Jaden grinned.
 
Later that night, Yung awoke with a start. Alton was on watch then, and they spent the time arm wrestling. Alton was not fit for cabin building the next day.
 
Nox spent the night under the stars mulling over all that had happened that day. In front of her, the Spire reached into the night sky, a black wedge against the stars. They had been stymied today, but tomorrow or maybe a week or month from now, she would find out what mysteries lay behind those stubborn doors to the Spire.