Curtain Fall - Chapter 13

Itimori and De’elen moved steadily through the lush environment, proceeded by a lightly clothed protector armed with his standard combat pole-arm. Following was a second who was tasked with pulling supplies via a wheeled pack. The remaining two were flanking the women out of view.

Other than weaponry there was little machinery in evidence. It had been concluded that the ability to recharge any powered transportation or device might be problematic, so it had been decided to go without until they might acquire such from the aliens.

“Why didn’t we just step out of the lands and quickly capture a couple of the aliens and make them help us with their transport again?”, asked De’elen.

“Since Hi-mother Kadrapah has started capturing and collecting, it has been noticed that the aliens have become more alert and aggressive. It was decided by the Mistresses of Strategy that avoiding the alien protectors surrounding our people would avoid danger. Once away from them, we can find and collect some aliens more easily.”, Itimori explained with a sigh. “I know neither of us are used to traveling like this, but better this than having to fight unnecessarily!”

“I know,” De’elen replied sulkily, “It’s just harder than I thought it would be...”

Itimori laughed at this, “I know we were told this would be perhaps one of our greatest challenges! Try to think of this as a part of our adventure! Admittedly a horribly hot, tiring and often boring one, but still adventure. One where we will save a princess from this barbaric wilderness.”

De’elen chuckled at Itimori’s acknowledgement of how unpleasant this “adventure” was so far and suppressed further whining.

Once free of the likelihood of discovery, they made their way back to the main river and pressed east. They made certain to avoid being seen by smaller ugly river vessels that appeared to have strange weapons, looking like the ones carried by the alien protectors but larger, they continued down stream.

When the day waned, they made camp and dined on way-bread and meat that protectors caught and killed. Afterward, they relaxed and the women gazed at the strange stars above.

De’elen glanced at her companion, “Do you think we’ll ever find any more of the people taken from us? I mean, if we’ve found that Asha is here, might we find more?”

Itimori could feel loss and grief coming off of De’elen and she let her feelings of loss out as well to show she understood. “I don’t know, De. I miss them all too! It has been almost a year and I miss my sister and even my brother more today than when the Ripping first came! I sometimes feel like the loss of so many has hollowed us out.” She turned to look at De’elen’s glistening eyes. “Perhaps finding and saving Asha will be a step at least in healing the pain.”

The girls slid into each other’s arms and snuggled in shared loss; gaining what solace they might in the shared pain...

The days saw them uneventfully traveling along the river until one afternoon they espied a larger non-protector vessel on the river. As they watched, it pulled closer to their bank of the river and anchored! Shortly a smaller powered vessel holding somewhere in the neighborhood of a dozen individuals made to the shore where the passengers were helped onto land by a small handful of uniformed men. Fascinated by this they watched unobserved as the men led them about explaining things to those they escorted. The passengers, for their part, looked about with great interest (if little understanding) and used strange devices that they would periodically orient towards objects or areas of interest. If they listened carefully they could occasionally hear a strange buzzing/clicking sound.

Pulling back, De’elen and Itimori conferred and concluded that this must be a pleasure excursion with the uniformed men acting as guides and protectors! Other than large knives none of the men were armed and the women decided that this group of pleasure seekers and guides might be ideal to approach.

Paulo had been minding a small family of Americano’s comprised of a husband, wife and two children as they wandered about in this “safe” area of the rainforest. Other that the little boy’s habit of wanting to wander out of sight they’d been no trouble. They were certainly more pleasurable that some Americano’s he’d had to deal with. Speaking of the wandering boy, he’d just vanished into the jungle. Paulo went dashing into the growth working to catch up to the boy when he heard to little boy give an exclamation of surprise, “Woah! You ladies are real pretty!” He himself then stepped into a small clearing to see two impossibly beautiful women kneeling in front of the boy. One of the women continued crouching next to the child smiling and speaking in a language he’d never heard before, “Vedui' ai er; lle naa lisse'! lle sana aminaya lle atara?” (Greetings little one; you are sweet! Could you take me to your mother?)

The other woman slowly stood as she watched Paulo slow to a stop. As she looked at him a slow grin grew on her.

It took little effort on Itimori’s part to captivate Paolo. She found these aliens quite susceptible to emotional influence and Paolo was soon completely ignoring the fact that Itimori and her companions had appeared out of nowhere and didn’t speak any language he’d heard before. It took little time for the girls to be ushered back to the man in charge and shortly they and their protectors were brought aboard the riverboat.

Very quickly they were brought before the captain. His distrust of the 6 of them was quickly reduced as De’elen and Itimori who were closely monitoring his emotional state, managed to foster sympathy in him and his command crew when the girls expressed frustration at her inability to speak in a language they could understand. The fact that she did know and speak a few words, names really, pertaining to America, convinced the captain to match them up with a number of the Americans when the sightseers returned.

The two day return trip proved quite helpful and shocking to De’elen and Itimori. While still mostly ignorant of the language, they did learn enough to satisfy very basic needs. The women also made great efforts to draw the Americans into their sphere. Since the families were open and friendly, and the women had no need at this time to demand anything they’d likely resist there was no need to force a bond and control them. The eagerness of the women to simply learn and befriend simply warmed the families.

Through sign language and what pidgin English they had been able to pick up the managed to get the message across that they needed professional tutors for English and were assured they would get help upon arriving at the port.

In addition to learning to communicate they also tried to learn a bit about the society they were entering. An aspect of it that shocked them was the submissive behavior of the women with regards to their men! With disgust at the affront to the natural order they came to discover that males were primarily the dominant force in the alien society. This provoked fierce discussion between De’elen and Itimori, and they finally came to the conclusion that since these aliens largely possessed no powers, certainly none like the people possessed, that the fact that alien minds were isolated combined with simple physical strength had to be the deciding factors. Females, being weaker and unable to truly see and share emotions had difficulty controlling the males or resisting force.

This aspect of the culture arose late the first night when the man they’d first met, tried to draw Itimori into a liaison. When rebuffed she had to contend with Paolo becoming aggressive. This threatened assault was easily dealt with, however, when a protector was quickly called. He rapidly drove him back with only bruises from a single strike to Paolo’s chest that launched him 15 feet down the corridor. The strike combined with Itimori forcing a healthy dose of fear drove Paolo away. Itimori could likely have dealt with it on her own, but she had no desire to compel or damage him mentally. Forcing it might have bound him to her and she had no desire to waste the effort on such an unimportant male. And that was what a protector was for anyway!

Another thing they discovered over the days of travel was that even pleasurable emotions passively shining from these outsiders was not nutritious! Unlike their own people who could easily feed and sustain them, trying to take sustenance from these aliens was like eating a sweet. Their was simply not right. This made them doubly grateful for the presences of their protectors.

Coming to understand this only deepened their concern for Asha. “Oh De! If Asha is alone, she is likely starving! We will need to share the men with her.”

De’elen thought about it and cautioned, “We will have to be careful, Iti! If she’s been months without N’dmi me'a (mind’s light) she may not be able to help trying to drain one of our protectors and leaving him a husk!” Itimori agreed about the danger and they vowed to be alert to the possibility.

Arriving at the city of Manaus was also a true revelation. The immensity of the city was humbling and a little terrifying! They could never have conceived that there could be so many beings in the world, much less in one city-state!

The family they had most attached to took them under their wing and took them to the local university. Once on campus they were escorted to the language program and introduced to a professor of English.

The family husband introduced Itimori and De’elen to professor Diego and explained that they desperately needed to learn to speak English. The girls thanked the husband and encouraged him to go back to his family.

As he left both girls focused on Diego and sensed his sympathy for their need, but also sensed his hesitancy to help them. They glanced at each other and then by unspoken agreement decided that they needed him and his help. They indicated that he should wait for a moment as they talked.

“This male has knowledge we need him to teach us and he hesitates.” De’elen stated in frustration. “What should we do? I think we should claim him! We could easily bend him to our will and gain a servitor to guide us in this unknown land.”
Itimori considered the proposal, and raised objections, “We already know that collecting him will not benefit us via N’dmi me'a, however. What if collecting him not only doesn’t nurture but is also a drain?”

While the girls talked in their native language, Professor Diego listened with increasing amazement!. These women were speaking a tongue which bore NO resemblance to any he’d been exposed to before. The fluid quality contained no language roots he’d even ever read about! Where were these women from? As he listened raptly, he noticed the women registering his fascination and their conversation died out. The women quickly gazed at one another again and the taller of the two turned to face him again while the smaller simply closed her eyes. Smiling coyly, she pointed at herself, “Itimori.” Then she gestured at the other, “De’elen.” Finally she pointed at him, “Dee-aygo!”

Seeing his eyes widen as he understood she’d named them, she pointed from him and shifting the finger to herself said, “Lle istima lye,” finally doing the gesture in reverse, “Lye istima lle?”

His excitement grew enormously and he pointed at himself, “Lye... Me?” He then almost giddy continued, “Lle... You?” Seeing her eyes light up she slowly nodded with a small smile growing.

“Yes. Yes I will teach you! Ah, Lye istma lle!! Diego istma lle!”

Itimori smiled and moved over to Diego and pulled him into a tight hug saying, “Diola lle.” Diego, at this point, was filled with such a feeling of happiness that he he broke into laughter he almost forgot where he was. What he could learn, the fame he might eventually gain from discovering a new living language made him giddy! If he had to take the time to teach them English, he would consider it a trade well spent!

De’elen stood watching the two embrace and sported a secret grin. It seems they wouldn’t need to take possession of him after all! Just using gentle pushes in an area he was already interested in brought him to a state similar to a huan (dog) begging to play fetch!

Diego immediately began teaching them. By the time he stopped the sun was approaching the horizon. He didn’t want to stop, but as the town became dangerous outside at night, he felt they should head back to their place of rest. He quickly found out that neither they nor their male friends had arranged for a place to stay he invited them home where he could continue teaching.

They arrived at his home and strangely finding it more important to teach and learn from the women than go to work he spent the next couple of weeks immersing them and himself in the languages. While this was happening he was amazed at the rapidity with which they learned. They seemed to almost instinctually grasp meanings and their recall was phenomenal!

By the end of two weeks, the women had a firm grasp of English; and while not conversational, would be able to readily make their way. In addition, by spending time with his wife and children they’d picked up the basics of Portuguese as well!

He was in awe of them and in spite of her initial objections his wife Marie had also come to care for them as well.

When the time came that Itimori announced it was time for them to venture forth he and his family objected. But the women and their quiet and polite male chaperones were firm. They explained that they needed to travel to the city of Albuquerque to meet a family member. When explained the requirements of international travel they were distressed. They explained it essential that they not come into conflict with authorities as they needed to “rescue” the family member and “powers” might be enlisted to stop them.

Understanding that government was often corrupt and wanting to help Diego, with misgivings, explained the nature of the underworld and how they might be enlisted to arrange such travel. Diego had even heard of human smugglers who might help! With Diego’s hints and instructions they thanked him and moved on.

Seeing how they’d easily drawn Diego to serve them they left with confidence about the next step in their journey...

———————————————

Time passed quickly and as the anniversary of the Curtain Fall approached Jill began to see red ribbons draped about or worn by individuals with white roses pinned to them. It had become a sign worn by an increasing number to show that one had lost one dear to them. Jill found it a beautiful and solemn indication that many found the events almost a year ago still fresh and painful.

Jill had even bought a ribbon herself, but hadn’t had the strength to wear it yet. Until now, Jill had done her best to avoid thinking about Tom as her way of coping with the loss of a man as close to being a brother as she’d ever had. But avoidance was becoming difficult.

In the past weeks she’d found herself remembering how he’d pulled Gill back from the brink of giving up as he mourned the deaths of his family and fiancé. She thought of his steadfast quiet support and patience. Tom become a true brother to Gill who was always there; ready with a lift or just a smack to the side of the head for a reality check. The pain of his disappearance had become a sore she was no longer able to shove aside.

Carol had felt the grief coming off of Jill and she made a point to stay as close as she could, so that Jill could feel how essential Jill had become to Carol and how every bit of her being was was now Jill’s.

Jill could also feel similar loss radiating from many surrounding her for their own loved ones. Carol remarked she could feel the echo of that awareness through the bond and assured Jill she was so proud that she’d offered to be present at the city sponsored vigil that was scheduled for the anniversary. “You are doing a good and necessary thing honey. We need... The whole city needs to honor and move forward.” She squeezed Jill in a hug, “You need this too! If by speaking, you can help others, I know you’ll be able to start properly grieving as well.”

Jill leaned into Carol and smiled weakly, “Hopefully you’re right, my angel. If I can help those I speak to, I think you might be right.”

The Vigil was scheduled to take place at the city center and as Carol and Jill drove to work each day they could see preparations in progress. Great red banners with the images of white roses hung from pillars and banks of seating were being assembled. A raised podium stage was also being constructed. Expected crowds ere expected to measure in the tens of thousands. “Oh Carol,” Jill gasped as she imagined the mass of humanity that would be here, “I don’t know if I can do this! There are supposed to be thousands here in a few days. What should I say?” Jill looked haunted and continued, “I know I’m supposed to be this ‘super hero’, but don’t have a magic wand to bring everyone back to us.”

Carol thought a bit. Then she quietly responded, “You’re right; you can’t. You can’t wave a hand and just magically wipe away a year of mourning either. All you can do, really, is show them that you understand their pain.”

As they pulled into work Carol parked the car and hugged Jill. “I read somewhere, that pain shared is pain halved. I think that is what you need to remind them of, my heart.”

Fortified with Carol’s love, Jill decided to work on this concept at work. She made made concerted efforts to touch those workers who showed pain inspired by the coming anniversary and to show her understanding. Much to her amazement Jill found that it did help! Simply offering an understanding smile and hug and consciously sharing her feelings of understanding and tenderness lessened her own grief and was occasionally transforming to the individuals she shared with.

On the day of the ceremony Jill asked for as many of her co-workers as was convenient to come so that they might be on hand to offer support to her and those about them. Of course, they wouldn’t “know her” but she’d take comfort in what was likely to be a wrenching time. Many assured her they’d come.

A few hours later “Lady Adrasteia” stood next to the Mayor of Albuquerque and David out of sight, behind the podium. She was dressed in her signature red gown with armor. In addition, she wore the ribbon and rose. The crowd was listening to to the proceeding speaker, Archbishop Anders of the Santa Fe Archdiocese.

The mayor turned to Lady Adrasteia, “I would like to thank you again, my Lady, for coming here for our ceremony. Your presence and what you’ve done to help others lends strong gravitas to this event!”

Jill could feel the mercenary glee in the mayor and responded acerbically, “I’m sure you think having me here at your request won’t hurt your political career any either.” Jill floated until her head was noticeably above the mayor and continued as she stared down, “Let me assure you that if I discover you try to use my presence as validation of you and your politics I will be quite displeased. This event is not about politics! Do we understand one another, Mr. Mayor?”

The politician who found himself staring into the face of an annoyed force of nature. his eyes widened and he visibly paled and found himself nodding vigorously, “No! Uh, of course not! I wouldn’t think of it!”

David, who was watching this exchange, opined, “And she’s not even angry with you Paul. To paraphrase the Hulk, You wouldn’t like her when she’s angry!” He turned to the Lady and continued, “Just focus on why we’re here Lady Adrasteia. We are here for them.”

Jill nodded irritably and calmed herself. The Mayor and David then walked up onto the stage. The offered their speeches and between the two of them presented information on support organizations. Jill noted in passing that the Mayor was notably not using his prepared speech, “Making sure not to anger me..”, Jill noted with dark amusement and an accompanying mental snort from Carol. Finally, the two introduced the heroine to the audience.

All those present could feel the roar of voices as Lady Adrasteia silently floated into view. Gently floating above the podium stand she drew the head mike into her hands and placing it on her head, she began to focus on the crowd arrayed before her. Saying nothing, Jill opened her perceptions and extended herself out into the crowd as the crowd roared to see their very own superwoman.

She stayed quiet. Simply floating and looking, searching through those attending. Soon those yelling began to quiet; puzzled at her lack of response. She wasn’t behaving as someone in the public limelight normally would. She wasn’t preening at the adulation. She almost looked reproachful! She continued to them until they became silent. She glanced down to compose herself and then looked up and out at people before her. Out amongst the thousands she could feel almost limitless points of terrible loss. Their pain was almost beyond her ability to stand and she felt tears begin streaming down her cheeks.

Jill glanced at one man, “There are times when I feel like I’m drowning. I think of the man who was my brother and it feels like I’m sinking in a bottomless ocean. I wonder if I could just give up, open my mouth and breath in the water and it might all go away. Perhaps then, I might finally rest.”

She turned to a different man, “There are other times when when deep in my chest there is a hollowness, as if what was most precious has been ripped away. The pain of that hollowness consumes me till little is left but ash.”

She looked to a woman now, “There are times when I’m left feeling so alone. No one could ever see or understand silence of a house without the one I loved.”

“It often becomes all I can think of.” She gave a cheerless laugh as she felt disbelief rising in many, “Is it really so hard to believe? I have power, yes, but I still love, hate, fear and anger as much as anyone. I understand.”

She then raised her arms and cast around, “Look to your left. Now look to your right. Look in front of you. Every one of you knows this loss, this hollowness. YOU, are not alone in it.”

As she spoke she could feel them. Many thousands of them. And in each, she could feel the pain being brought to the surface. Tears began now flowing down most every face. She floated over the edge of the platform and down to a woman who was trembling and sobbing. She gently gathered her into her arms. Quietly she urged, “Hold me, share my pain and I’ll share yours.”

The woman let out a wail and held onto Jill as if she were the sole support of the world. Jill answered the wail with a gasping cry and choked, “I understand. I understand.”

Unable to see through the tears she reached out blindly with an arm to the man standing near and pulled him in as well. The contact with the two felt like a live wire of shared pain. “Everyone!”, she called with a strangled voice, “Share with your neighbor! He, she, YOU need it!”

Others moved to Jill and touched her, and with each additional touch she could feel the intensity of the pain shift and change. It was if though contact they understood that they really weren’t isolated and alone.

Soon a sense of wonder started to appear. Wonder that others understood and could help. Jill, gave a choked laugh and called out, “See? You aren’t alone. Others understand! Together we all can move forward. Eventually we can move on...” Then she felt a sense of gratitude and she felt hearts and minds focus on her and on the others nearest them. The tidal wave of wonder and gratitude was beyond anything she had ever felt and she felt as if her very blood had turned to liquid sunlight. In a voice that felt like thunder from the divine, she urged those around her, “Share this understanding with others. Help them understand that they are not alone...”

Carol who like all Jill’s friends and many co-workers had been in the audience in the front and watched as she gathered the woman in. Carol saw and felt what was transpiring and was almost completely overwhelmed. If it weren’t for feeling like she were plugged into a high tension line she’d have collapsed from the bleed over from Jill. She could also sense that Jill wasn’t in control of what was happening now! Fearing things were soon going to go pear shaped, she unsteadily staggered over to the crowd forming around Jill and pushed her way to her lover. She found even resistant individuals easily pushed aside as if they were nothing but reeds in a field until she could grasp her lover.

Jill, feeling the touch of her other half broke her concentration away from the crowd and looked with supernaturally shining eyes at Carol. With a voice that seemed almost to echo Jill said, “My love! You were right! I can help them!”

Then her expression took on a puzzled cast and she said, “C-Carol? I f-feel sort of funny...” With that her eyes rolled up and she went limp in Carol’s grasp. Knowing the danger of the crowd seeing this and panicking, Carol swept Jill up in her arms as if she weighed nothing and rushed to leap over the barrier and behind the stand..

Itimori and De’elen stood robed in the gathering, shocked to their core, and surrounded by thousands of the aliens. They could feel the blazing fire of their emotions. The raw pain they felt made them feel a strange kinship with them. For all their stunted nature, they still felt the same loss she and hers had at the Ripping! What had made the power of this revelation pale, however, was Asha! Initially they had thought she must not have been alone, as seeing her levitate could only have been accomplished by an handful of their males working cooperatively. Then she had done the unthinkable! The impossible! She, an immature child, had acted as a nexus on a scale never imagined and had gathered unbelievable amounts of n’dmi me'a into herself. Asha had drawn so much that she reached a point where she shown in Itimori’s and De’elen’s ‘sight’ so brightly that she was painful to focus on.

By the time they could focus, however, the force to Asha’s presence had cut off she had been pulled from sight.

Still blinking painfully watering eyes De’elen gasped, “Iti! What happened?!? Where has she gone?!? We can’t let her disappear! What, what ever has happened to her; what ever she has become, we have to find her!”

When Carol leaped over the barriers with Jill she could see the area was filled with a relatively small number of men and women who in a state of complete confusion. Apparently what ever Jill had done to the crowd had not been limited. All discipline had been abandoned and the majority were dealing with the same emotional tumult that the main audience was trying to handle. She could see the mayor sobbing into the arms of a matronly woman. DD Feber, while not helplessly sobbing as well, had clearly been deeply moved. When he saw Lady Adrasteia unconscious in Carol’s arms he rushed over to help. Together, they gently lowered to a clear space on the ground.
Jill, for her part, was still unconscious. In spite of Carol’s frantic efforts, Jill remained unresponsive. Then as she fretted over her love, Jill’s body suddenly became rigid. Her back arched and her clenched teeth bared in an unreasoning grimace. White foam began to seep from between her teeth and Jill’s body began to convulse.

“Someone get a doctor!”, David yelled as he realized the heroine was entering into a Grand Mal Epileptic-like event, “She’s having a seizure!”

An EMT rushed and knelt by the convulsing figure. “Hold her and keep her from thrashing and hurting herself!” The medic yelled out, as he reached into one of his kit compartments. Pulling out something that looked like an unusually thick tongue depressor he worked to open her mouth enough to place it in to press her tongue down before it could pull back into her throat and interfere with her breathing.

Carol felt a soul deep terror take hold of her as visions of Jill dying came to mind. A wail sounding like a soul falling into hell welled up and poured from Carol as she lunged forward to press her head against Jill’s breast.

When she was in full contact her own world went white. Power, unreasoning and uncontrolled energy flooded her perceptions and mind. Barely holding onto any awareness she dimly recognized that it felt similar to the “healing” Jill had done to Carol, but this had no direction. No focus. Left to itself, she knew it could act like an unrestrained sandblasting. If not controlled or released away from Jill’s psyche it could bast all that she was away!

“No. NO. NOOOOOO!”, she mentally wailed, and not knowing what else to do she mentally screamed Jill’s name and reached out with all her need and longing.

Vaguely she felt a response and feeling just a spark of hope, focused on mentally holding her hands out to the response. Again she felt it, and then felt it reach back! Carol and Jill’s minds made contact and Jill grabbed onto Carol with a desperation she’d never felt before

Suddenly Carol heard, “Carol? I can barely feel you through this... Hold on to me!!”

“I’m here love! Always and forever!”, Carol called out. “I’m your anchor. We’ll ride this out together!”

David and the EMT had seen the woman who had carried Adrasteia cry out with such despair and then launch herself on the heroine. Before either could respond the woman started shaking as well and the view of the two became distorted. The distortions almost looked like waves of heat rising from a hot tarmac on a summer’s afternoon.

The EMT made to pull the stranger off and David stopped him. “No! Don’t touch them. Can’t you see something dangerous is happening? It’s as if Lady Adrasteia is radiating some energy. Something is strongly and negatively affecting this woman. Until we understand this we can’t chance touching either of them...”.

David, the EMT, and a police officer Who’d pulled himself together stood helplessly watching when 6 new figures made an appearance. David turned to warn them back and froze as he looked into the faces of women of the same race or species as Adrasteia. His eyes widened in shock as one of the women stepped forward and gazed in shock and determination between the women laying on the ground and David.

Grimly, the woman declared, “Asha anta lye elhep. Vano n'alaquel!” (Asha needs our help. Step back!)