Chapter Nineteen

[You desire to board me, Ter’suline Rel?]

Rel let out a soft sigh in response to the ship’s fearful tone. Its glowing tendrils wavered in its holding tank, every glowing part of its body flickering in unease.

“We are trying to figure out how to get you and Elara out of this system in one piece,” Rel explained gently. “To do that, I need to know your capabilities, your layout, capacity, food source, defense systems, and so much more… We are far from Syldra, and the gate is not yet repaired.”

[You doubt my usefulness,] the ship mourned.

“Quite the opposite!” Rel exclaimed. “You are beautiful and clearly powerful. For the sake of our queen, I must know more about you. I promise that I will not pry your storage banks for information on Elara’s past.”

[You have not sworn yourself to my queen. Why should I trust you?] the ship sniffled.

Rel stared at the ship, aghast. Having to court Elara’s ship in addition to the woman herself was the last thing he expected. “I would swear myself to Elara now if she would allow it. However, she isn’t ready and hasn’t made a decision yet. I believe in respecting that until outside interference forces my hand.”

[She has made her decision, she just doesn’t know it yet.] The ship made an odd warbling sound that sounded vaguely like a ‘humph.’ [Fine. Ter’suline Rel and Jysel may board me. The others must wait outside. Sal’aphel will make certain they do as instructed.]

“How do we—” Rel began to ask, but his question was cut off by black energy enveloping him and Jysel. His heart pounded as the inky, starred blackness faded away from them in what appeared to be some manner of transportation hub. Soft lights flickered on overhead, illuminating the layered floors and numerous empty portal frames. That was like the energy Elara called around us… I thought she was using a strange element of some manner, but did she almost transport us to her ship by accident?

Jysel crouched down, rubbing his fingers over the intricately carved floor. Cyan lights sparked from deep within the carvings, casting multidirectional light throughout the room. While many Syldrari inscriptions used to adorn smartplating followed the triangular paragraph structure, these were entirely foreign.

[You are standing in the palace transport room. The public transportation centers are much larger. What do you want to see first?] The originally hesitant ship now sounded proud and excited, eager to show its guests around.

“Palace?” The twins asked. Jysel continued, “Our species deviated from palaces long ago. We found they bred jealousy. How long ago was your city designed…?”

[After the Syldrari of Syldra deviated. We don’t care what the people of Syldra think or do. Our goal is to make certain our queen has a proper sanctuary. Somewhere distant and silent has always been her preference. We designed it with that in mind. Her mental health is more important than misguided attempts to avoid jealousy.]

They have a point. Rel looked at his grimacing sibling.

Jysel shook his head faintly. “With or without a palace, people will seek to steal you from Elara. All living ships our species have encountered thus far are easy to ‘hack.’”

“We need to make certain your defenses cover more than physical threats,” Rel finished.

[I am unknowable to your kind. I will be fine.]

“Unknowable…?” Rel frowned. “Then, which sector of space do you hail from?”

[None that you have a name for. To put it in terms you understand… If the universe is an ocean, Syldra and Creshe are both located in the shallows.]

“To think a few centuries ago, Creshe was considered ‘deep space’…” Rel murmured uncomfortably. His gaze flicked to the left when a door retracted, presenting an opening.

[Please inspect the city from the balcony in the garden. You will find it if you follow this hallway straight, then take your fifth right.]

Rel and Jysel exchanged uneasy glances before following the path as instructed. Both men eventualy began to relax as the natural atmosphere, combined with fragrant flora, filled their senses before even reaching the gardens in full. A barrier of water met them at the doorway, and Jysel hesitated.

“Your city is filled with water? But the weight… How can you fly?” Jysel ran his fingers down the invisible barrier.

[My species consumes and recycles aether to live. The city and other ship components were designed to work fully off magitech since my species are masters of aether.]

“You can manipulate the air or space around you?” Rel inquired in disbelief. “I’ve read theories, but never seen anything confirmed! If you’re capable of carrying an aquatic city, then why is the palace dry?”

[Each building is an airpocket. Other such pockets exist where I think Elara will want them, or where the work requires it. Citizens will be able to opt-in to air pockets for their homes as desired.]

The twins hesitated, probing the water barrier, before stepping through it. Both took a moment to acclimate to the change in temperature and align themselves within the sphere, allowing their aquatic senses and organs to take over. Once comfortable, Jysel glanced to Rel.

It’s warmer than I expected.

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Rel nodded, shifting to drift down the hall backward for a moment. “What made you choose this temperature?”

[Everything is calibrated with Elara’s bloodline and origins in mind,] the ship answered vaguely, a tinge of concern entering their voice. [Is it…unsatisfactory?]

“The opposite, we had expected cold,” Jysel answered in a reassuring tone. “The closest we’ve seen to Elara’s coloration are people from arctic or reef waters, so our guesses were either frigid or very hot waters. This is much more comfortable than either.”

The ship made a warbling noise that the twins had learned meant ‘happy.’ [Please, hurry to the gardens!]

Not wanting to leave the excited ship waiting, the twins swam down the hallway, past ornate growbeds filled with flora from Syldra. When they exited the palace through an intricately carved arch, they stared at the “gardens” in stunned silence.

Acres of various trees, shrubs, flowers, and other plants sprawled before them. While they recognized many of the species from regions of Syldra and adjacent star systems, there were others entirely foreign to them—such as a translucent tree whose bark looked like glass, and its sap glowed a bright purple inside it.

Paths wound through the almost wild gardens, past a section marked for herbs and vegetables, to a small orchard, and then up to a hill beside the palace, which appeared to have a filigree-like building built around a large tree.

Not sure what to expect, Rel and Jysel swam to the ornate fence that rimmed the retaining wall.

“This is…” Rel stared down at the city below in shock.

Below, twisting buildings of metal, glass, and stone spread throughout the dome. Here and there, metal curved through the city, in what Rel could only assume was some form of monorail system. From the suburbs to the city center, the buildings were like works of art. Many buildings utilized colored glass, creating a brilliant sheen to the overall city.

Large gaps between buildings served as gardens, parks, and even farms. Whomever designed the city clearly did not have the same goal of compact construction as shipwrights did.

Jysel grasped the railing to steady himself, his eyes wide. “This…this is more capacity than either of our cityships! Swimming from place to place…”

[Unnecessary. There are public transport systems in addition to fabricators that will print vehicle designs for personal or family usage. Everything Elara and her inevitable clan would need were designed for her before she came of age.]

Rel’s chest tightened with uncertainty. Who would have had the power and foresight necessary to make such preparations, let alone be capable of nurturing a living ship for her? Was it a parent, or someone else?

“What about food, supplies…” Jysel trailed off, overwhelmed.

[All necessary designs and systems were already loaded into my databanks, and I can receive more at any time. I’m equipped with scrubbing protocols to prevent interference from outsiders, and to remove outdated, useless, or unused designs.]

“I have to ask…did one of Elara’s family members arrange this?” Rel asked cautiously.

[No.]

“Then…who? This is more care than I’ve seen anyone display for another person, be it for a family member or lover.”

Jysel frowned, nodding. “We wouldn’t want to upset or offend someone with this kind of ability and forethought. If we’re intruding…”

[Elara is precious to more than Syldrari. We will keep her safe.]

‘We.’ Do you think the ship is referring to its species, and not whoever Elara’s Syldrari ties are? Jysel looked at Rel, then down at the city again.

Rel remained silent for a while, before finally answering, I think we’re in over our heads but it’s too late to rethink our stance. We’re too attached to Elara to withdraw. This…place, it’s more advanced than any Syldran tech I’ve seen. If it’s from the Depthwalkers, I have to assume their culture hasn’t stagnated like ours. The Abyss Father may be alive and pushing progress as Zafir suspected.

Jysel closed his eyes briefly. Even if it were an option, I wouldn’t withdraw my investment in Elara. She’s kind and she’s powerful. The kind of woman we never thought we would find.

Even if she turns out to be more than a mere Depthwalker? Rel inquired, narrowing his eyes at his twin. If she is, we may never be able to return to Syldra.

Jysel nodded. I don’t care who she is or where she’s from. Not in that way, at least. I’m curious, and if it would help us protect her, then I would like to know. Otherwise, it doesn’t matter.

Good, then we agree. Rel pulled himself over the railing, then twisted to look back at the palace itself. The shapes of the spires made him wonder if it was based on some plant he had never encountered before. “If I can ask…aside from wishing to give her a sanctuary, why was Elara given a palace?”

[Because we understand her potential. We do not believe true reform would resemble past Syldran culture in any way. We wished for her abode to reflect that, even if she chooses not to fix the homeworld.]

“How much of this did Elara know before her memories were removed?” Jysel asked, earning a pained look from his twin.

[Nothing other than knowing she may be a queen. Given the…circumstances, she willingly agreed to let me ‘eat’ her memories and protect her here. When she is in great physical or psychological danger, I try to ‘take her place’ but it has been difficult since the Resonance Incident. Kuhir-dal makes her mind hard to access…]

“Then, that, at least, is truly caused by the Incident.” Jysel hung his head, clutching his aching chest. “If only I had…”

“In that case…is the dark, starry power Elara exhibits yours?” Rel swam a little further from the palace, taking in the delicate spires and carved domes.

[No. We have some similar abilities, but she has never used mine. Without conscious knowledge of my existence and centuries of training, she cannot draw on me in that way. If it helps you understand…I am her ship, her home, her companion, and her royal guard. My abilities, friendship, and safety are at her disposal. If she wants a more direct connection, I would consider it. But she has much to learn before we get to that. It is dangerous to connect that deeply.]

Jysel shifted his attention away from the city when a message popped up in his peripheral vision. Skimming it, he looked to Rel with a grimace. “We need to be getting back, Casair and the others have reports for us. Inspecting the systems here will have to wait.”

[You two are welcome anytime.] The ship informed them happily, transporting them outside with no prompting. [I like visitors. I would like residents more. Flying together will make me very happy.]

“Soon, I hope, soon,” Rel stated with a small smile.

After bidding the ship goodbye for the moment, the twins made their way out of the large containment area and walked toward Jysel’s base. Several minutes passed before Rel looked at his brother, eyeing his downtrodden expression. “What’s wrong?”

“I…was just thinking that it’s odd for me to feel so strongly about working with and protecting Elara. I haven’t gotten to spend as much time with her as you have. And, how I originally treated her… I just…” Jysel sighed heavily, shoulders drooping. “Seeing the extent someone would go to make sure Elara has everything she needs makes me feel inferior and unworthy.”

Rel gave his brother a lopsided smile. “I know what you mean, but we need to consider Elara’s feelings too. She doesn’t understand how special she is. All she knows is who and what she likes or finds attractive.

“How about I let you know the next time she comes over? If you need more time with her, that should be easy to arrange. You could also try messaging her.”

Jysel quickly shook his head. “I won’t risk messaging her. I hate to admit it, but that Y’serdyn is right. We can’t trust even Syldrari technology right now.”

“Hmmm… I wonder…” Rel glanced back the way they’d come. “Next visit, we should ask if their designs include neurochips and communications systems. If we can gain an edge…”

Jysel grinned. “That’s something I can get on board with.”