The Dispossessed, Jared/Jensen, 10/14
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Chapter Ten: The Temple
“Jared of Vosk! Jared of Vosk, you must awaken!”
Jared blinked. Blue feathers flashed through the air in front of his face. He rubbed his eyes and looked at his comm. It was coming up on the hour.
“The Governor has finished celebrating his birthday. He is anxious to use the pearls.” Trill’s voice was high and nervous. “You must arise. Immediately!”
Jared raked his hand through his hair and looked up. Trill looked exasperated, her feathers oddly ruffled. She must really be nervous. Remembering where he was, he glanced quickly over at Jen’sen. The man wasn’t in his bed. Jared rose in alarm. “Where is he?”
“Your slave is kneeling by your side. I thought it prudent that he be dressed and ready for departure.”
Jared glanced down, and sure enough, there was Jen’sen, head down, kneeling to the right of Jared’s chair. The new clothing Jared had picked out complemented his chains perfectly.
[[ I’m right here, Master. ]] Jen’sen’s lips didn’t move. He wasn’t even touching Jared.
Jared flinched and thought back at him. {{ You okay? Can you hear me? ‘Cause all of a sudden I can hear you. }}
[[ I told you the bond would grow stronger. Good timing. ]]
{{ Jen’sen, I am so sorry. I thought I could keep you safe, but I fracked it all up. I don’t know how Keyjjo even knew about the pearls. }}
[[ I do. Our saucy Deneebian on Palish was doing more than selling whiskey. She was spying for opportunities for herself. You couldn’t have known. ]]
“This way, sir. We don’t want to keep the Governor waiting!” The Vorton waved a feathered hand forward.
{{ I’m not losing track of you this time. }} Jared clipped Jen’sen’s golden leash to the chains crisscrossing his chest and urged him up. {{ You okay to do this? }}
[[ Never better. ]] Jen’sen rose, a cocky smile on his face before it was replaced by the placid façade of a slave.
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They arrived at the base of the temple shortly before the Governor and his men, much to the relief of the nervous Vorton. “Very good, very good. And you have the pearls?”
Jared nodded. His hand patted his stomach. “Right here.”
A few minutes later the Governor and his entourage of guards and advisors approached.
Samte licked his lips as he surveyed Jen’sen kneeling at Jared’s feet in his new blue-green vest. It barely stretched around his chest, his nipple rings and chains clearly in sight. The patterned blue-green translucent panel that hung from his hips pooled beneath him, like a reflection of the sea floor.
“Mmm,” was all the Governor said, gears obviously turning. Jared sensed, given the slightest opening, he would take Jen’sen as his own. The stun gun snug against his lower back was a small reassurance.
They filed onto the hover pad: the Governor, four of his men, Trill, and the two of them. It was a tight squeeze.
“Pearls you have?” the Governor rumbled, and Jared nodded. “Good. Good. Maybe we make these things sing, no?”
“Hopefully, your Eminence.” Jared bowed his head.
The hover pad flight went quickly. It stopped at an open archway at the top of the temple exactly as Jen’sen had described. It would take a hardy climber to get here on their own steam, the stone tiers over four meters high, each with no steps or handholds. Visitors trying to explore the temple below were barely able to climb more than one tier.
They walked through the archway into the altar room. There were no openings or windows other than the one they came through; the ceiling was open to space above. As relics went, it wasn’t all that impressive, just roughly-carved gray stone. Even the altar was only a rough stone outcropping which rose from the floor like a wave. On top of the wave were two hand shaped indentations. In each were six circular impressions, obviously spots for the Otec to sit, one beneath each fingertip and one under the palm.
The Governor rubbed his hands in obvious glee. “Show me pearls,” He ordered, stepping up to the altar.
The guards stepped back. Jared, with Jen’sen a pace behind, slid past the guards to stand beside the Governor. Jared reached inside his shirt and pulled out the terrellium belt case, laying it on the altar. He quickly entered the encryption key and the six compartments sprang open, revealing the twelve Otec nestled inside. He stepped back, making room for the Governor.
The Governor rushed forward and, like a child playing with its toys, slipped each Otec into its shallow niche. Jared closed the now empty case and clapped the Governor on the back companionably. “Good luck, Gov-” All the Kreeg guards instantly trained their weapons on Jared. He raised his hands in surrender. “I just wanted to wish the Governor luck. No offense, your Eminence.”
The Governor chuckled and waved the guards to put their weapons down. “Much luck needed. But if I can’t make work, maybe slave can? Hmm?” The Governor eyed Jen’sen kneeling demurely at Jared’s feet, a speculative look in his dark eyes, before turning back to the altar.
Samte gave his hands one more nervous rub, then set them into the handprint indentations on the panel.
Nothing happened. The Governor lifted his hands again and slammed them down. Nothing again. “No, no, no, no! You will work!” the Kreeg roared and pressed his hand again into the slots. He picked up a stone and randomly switched it with another and tried again, obviously agitated.
“Vogresh gree pahhhh!” he cried, kicking the altar.
His men retreated, making as much room as they could for their leader to vent his rage.
He wheeled around, with a speed unexpected from a 600-pound, seven-foot creature, and grabbed Jen’sen by the throat, hauling him in the air. “You, Ocacean! We have you try.”
Jen’sen dangled there, unable to breathe, grasping uselessly at Samte’s huge fingers.
Then Samte flinched and dropped Jen’sen unceremoniously to the floor where he curled into a fetal position, coughing and gasping for air. Samte staggered back, his hand clamped on his chest, gasping for air. His other hand flailed for purchase, finally landing on the edge of the altar with a thud. Stones went flying.
“What’s wrong!“ Trill’s shrill voice came from the back of the room as she flapped her wings to see over the guards. “It looks like he’s having a heart attack. Maybe the stress?”
Samte gasped, his dark gray skin gone pale, obviously unable to speak, and slumped to his knees. “We have to get him to the doctor immediately!” the Vorton screamed. “He could be dying!”
That finally seemed to jolt Samte’s guards into action, pushing in to shoulder the Governor and rush him over to the hover pad. Trill forced her slender body onto the now overflowing pad and stared at Jared in confusion. Jared waved them to leave. “We’ll join you on the next trip. Go, go, go!”
A guard activated the pad, and they started the descent.
Jared returned to the altar room and helped Jen’sen to his feet. A ring of bruises was already forming around his neck. “You okay?” he asked, his hands drifting over the purpling flesh. “What can I do?”
[[ Stand back, ]] Jen’sen said with grim determination.
Jen’sen quickly gathered the few fallen Otec and dropped them into their cradles. He glanced back at Jared, who had moved to the far corner of the room. [[ Wish me luck. ]] Jen’sen winked and placed his hands into the two indentations.
Nothing happened at first-but then a low humming started to grow in volume until the whole altar room began to shake like a mini-earthquake. A blue beacon of light shot up through the open ceiling into space, blazing all around them, shining out of the main archway into the open air. So bright that Jared almost couldn’t see as the walls of the chamber came to life.
One second it was a poorly-illuminated stone room-then suddenly everything was alive! The altar panel morphed into an undulating wave of water that seemed to constantly move, yet hold its shape. The indentations became finger pads floating on the top of the wave. The interior walls of the chamber glowed blindingly blue. The rumbling finally subsided, and the light dimmed enough to make it easier to see. It was like the lights Jared had seen inside his chest on the scan. The walls of the chamber slowly coalesced into a blue-tinged wireframe of the galaxy. More blue sparkles traveled up from the altar into Jen’sen’s arms until he was completely encased in a blue glow.
**Attending** a booming voice echoed in Jared’s mind.
Jen’sen glanced back at Jared. [[ You heard that, right? I’m not imagining this? ]]
Jared shook his head, {{ No! It’s real, all right. }}
**Attending** the voice repeated again.
[[ What are you? ]] Jen’sen asked, looking at the moving star charts around him.
**Attending** ** Ark 41096, crèche class **
[[ A crèche for what? ]] Jen’sen asked, curious.
Jared moved to the archway, the sudden light drawing attention from the partiers on the floor. “I think we need to speed this up, Jen’sen. They’ve noticed the light.”
**Attending** ** To populate this Ocacean analog world when atmosphere settles to within habitable tolerances.**
[[ The whole planet? ]] Jen’sen couldn’t help but ask.
**Attending** ** This is my purpose. To terraform the planet with Ocacea’s gifts. What I was designed for, Ocacean strain 0001, Genetic strain: Kah.
How may I help you? **
Jen’sen blinked in surprise. How had it known who he was, WHAT he was? He shoved down the questions arising like bubbles from a sea sprout and focused on his mission for now. [[ We’re looking for the Crown of Vokar. There are legends of it being stolen from our planet a millennia ago. We want to use it to re-start the Great Barrier. ]]
**Attending**
The star maps on the wall began to move, the walls panning through galaxy after galaxy at a dizzying rate.
Peeking out of the central archway, Jared watched Kreeg forces assemble. “Jen’sen, the hover pad is on its way!” Suddenly he had an idea. {{ Ark 41096, can you turn off the power on the rest of this base? Stop the hover pad from reaching here? }}
**redirect** The power suddenly went out throughout the pyramid. The hover pad floated slowly back to the floor. The only illumination remaining came from lanterns on tables down below and the blue glow from the altar room.
[[ Je Ga do! It listened to you, Jared! ]]
Jared grinned.
**Attending** Human 7633/Ocacean 0001 hybrid paired by Otec genetic map 0035 directive. Please specify if you do not want me to take his orders, Kah. **
Jared’s grin dimmed as he watched Jen’sen’s expression grow increasingly concerned.
[[ No, no, it’s fine, it’s great. Keep doing what you’re doing. ]] Jen’sen shook his head in wonder. [[ Um, can you talk while you search, or will it distract you? ]]
**Attending** I have over a trillion processors dedicated to this search task. Conversation barely requires .002 percent of one. Please ask your questions. **
[[ When you said: paired by Otec genetic map 0035 directive, what did you mean? ]]
**Attending** ALL Otec have preprogrammed base directives. One of those is to encourage optimal pairing when advantageous genetic matches occur. **
Jen’sen’s face went pale.
[[ You mean Jared and I aren’t meant for each other? That our souls aren't bonded, as Ocacea’s and Vokar’s were? ]]
**Attending** Ark 41096 is unfamiliar with any local lore that has collected around Otec bonding. **
[[ If soul bonding isn’t real, what is? Were we not created by Ocacea? How do Arks play into this? ]] Jen’sen had the look of a man whose whole world view had just shattered. Jared’s heart went out to him.
**Attending** Ocacean strain 0001 was Ocacea’s first attempt at life. Her proudest moment. From her initial test results with your people, she went on to seed many planets with variants on your species. Thousands of Arks such as myself still wait to be activated by circumstance. **
[[ So you’re saying Ocacea seeded all the known worlds? That would make her a god, correct? ]]
**Attending** Ark 41096 is unfamiliar with any local lore that has collected around Ocacea as a god.**
At the controls, Jen’sen’s head sagged between his shoulders, Jared could see fine tremors running down his arms.
[[ And what does Vokar’s Crown do? Does it even exist? ]]
**Attending** When energized in combination with twelve Otec, the Crown activates the Great Barrier designed to keep invasive species out.**
[[ Such as the Kreeg? ]] Jen’sen's thought was a ragged whisper.
**Attending** The Kreeg were long known as a destructive force. Ocacea considered eliminating them completely, but Vokar convinced her there was a place for everything. **
[[ We want to re-activate the Great Barrier. Are we correct in thinking we need the Crown? ]]
**Attending** Yes, the two must be used together.** The maps on the wall began to change more slowly. Jen’sen hoped that meant the Ark was closing in on its target.
**Attending** Vokar’s Crown located. It was moved to a higher grade facility in the Ombalic sector. Guardian 004 can direct you further when you reach the facility. **
[[ Wait, what facility? Where? ]]
**Attending** Background information and supporting files downloading now.**
Jen’sen’s whole body arched as if an electric shock had gone through him. His eyelids slammed shut, and his mouth opened in a silent scream that seemed to go on forever as the Otec particles swirled around him. Jared watched helplessly as Jen’sen literally floated above the floor in a swirling blue cloud.
{{ Stop it. You’re hurting him! }} Jared screamed at the Ark.
With no warning, the swirling particles stopped, and Jen’sen was gently lowered to the ground.
**Attending** Information transfer complete.** No permanent damage has been done to Ocacean designate Kah’Jen’sen ** Any further questions for this unit?**
[[ Yeah. ]] Jen’sen bent over, panting, at the altar controls in obvious pain from whatever the Ark had done to him. [[ Know a way to get out of here other than the front door? ]]
**Attending** A section of the floor behind the altar slid back to reveal a hover pad.
**This will take you to the ground floor where you can exit from a concealed hatch**
**Attending** Good luck, Ocacean designate Kah’Jen’sen.**
Jen’sen sucked in a ragged breath and forced himself to stand. [[ Thank you, Ark 41096. ]]
And like a switch being thrown, the lights in the control room went out. The altar turned back to rough stone, and the projections on the walls disappeared. No trace of the magnificent Ark intelligence remained.
“Sho-der! What the hells just happened?’’ Jared said as he rushed to Jen’sen’s side. “You okay?” He touched Jen’sen’s head. He was burning up.
[[ M’okay. I think that download just wiped me out. Let’s get the frack out of here. Before they figure out how to turn on the lights. ]]
Jared grunted in agreement and rushed to stuff all the Otec back in his carry pouch and shove it inside his shirt. He slung Jen’sen’s arm over his shoulder, and the pair staggered over to the secret exit.
They boarded the platform, and a guide rail rose silently up behind them.
Jen’sen slumped against it, clearly exhausted. “So we don’t tumble to our deaths, very nice,” Jared deadpanned as he took firm hold of both Jen’sen and the rail.
The trip down was jaw-droppingly fast. Jared could admit to a bit of stomach trouble by the time they stopped.
“Okay, let’s not do that again anytime soon,” he muttered as he groped in the pitch-black corridor for a door. Ahead, a panel snicked open, and they made their way outside the pyramid. The whole dome was still in darkness, lit only by lanterns and flashwands. Guards were yelling, people crying. Sticking close to the perimeter of the dome, Jared worked his way back to the Dodo’s docking bay. He almost couldn’t believe their luck, that there were no guards posted at their ship. The Kreeg must not have put one and two together yet.
He bundled Jen’sen in through the hatch and climbed in, closing and locking it behind him, just in case. He carried Jen’sen to the console, slipped him into one of the command chairs, and was buckling his safety harness when he heard a voice behind him.
“Going somewhere, lover?”
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