Genesis - the Battle Within (Pillars of Creation Book 1) (32 page)

Chapter 27              the SINAI

It had taken a full hour to dock and ascend through the security systems to the hall outside the Chamber of Elders, but finally they’d arrived. They now sat outside the circular sealed doorway that remained as the final passage before their Sacred leaders would see them. The small group waited nervously for Sladdent to return and give them the go ahead.

Zariah could sense the power permeating through the solid nano-titanium door, shifting impatiently on the large marble bench as she grew tired of waiting. She flicked her hair off her face irritably as she looked over at Gladarch, who shrugged and went back to staring at the floor. She could tell they were all anxious, more so than normal when coming before the Elders.

She was also still irritable from the trip down and was unsure what had gotten to her more … that she had concern for Genesis or that someone else knew.
If only we hadn’t been posted on the last assignment together, and if only he hadn’t needed saving so often
. She cursed her stupidity in allowing another to get so close to her.
It wasn’t like I screwed him, or worse, had feeli
—

She couldn’t even finish the thought. No they were just acquaintances, nothing more. That was it, she had a damn slathen acquaintance and because she never had one so nearby before, it had confused her. That was all, she convinced herself.

Zariah crossed her legs for the fifth time since sitting down, the cold bench biting through her nano-built robes, making her feel even more uncomfortable. She shifted the nanos so they warmed her a little better.

Yet she didn’t really mind the cold, comfort wasn’t something she was used to, even before she’d joined the Immortal program, so she’d gotten accustomed to such minor discomforts, and it even sometimes helped when she needed to deflect what was going on around her …
or on her
.

Zariah cursed quietly. She couldn’t keep her mind in check, her past seemed to be bubbling up more than usual of late. She hated coming to the SINAI; it always made her like this, somehow she lost her defences and remembered her history, and then her
feelings …
got out. Zariah scolded her mind and forced it back to the present.

Failing miserably, she reflected that she’d gotten quite good at deflecting her issues and scars – by the time she’d moved on to a better life, within the Order, not much of her prior self remained.

Being here, where she’d first been re-created for her new life, reminded her of her past and vaguely of the time when she was back on Earth.
Where at one stage I’d tried to be a
normal
girl, even trying on the
little princess who would be saved one day
role, or having a
normal
life with a caring—

Zariah quickly bit her lip at the thought, helping to stop it effectively. Yet annoyingly, a second later she was back at it.

Yes, and what a train wreck even that had turned into,
she circled back to the memory.

She knew her background gave her a warped view of any relationships and even her own feelings. She knew that the whole relationship thing never really worked for her, thanks to her past.
But it shouldn’t be a real problem now, in my line of work, should it; and anyway, really, did I ever miss it?

She rolled her eyes as some horrific echo from her past crept up, and she was reminded of her tarnished feelings that caught her off guard at times like this. Like with the mention of Genesis and the strange curiosity she had about him. It unsettled her greatly to think others were onto this ….

Despite this, and giving her quick relief from this
feeling,
Zariah went back into her memory and shell, as she continued to feel the discomfort.

Apparently
– from others’ accounts – even back then, in her blossoming youth, she was quite attractive. The few boys she did have
real
relationships with though, didn’t like having someone out-perform them in almost every way.

Zariah smiled at the thought –
and without their strength over a weaker vessel, what did they really have? Other than their dick … which was what led all the boys I knew to me anyway.

Back then, they all saw her as a possession they could take when they pleased, and before she was put to work by her father she’d made sure in due course they’d also get their arses kicked for it too; for trying to push things too fast, too often on her – or more literally, in her. For in the end they all tried … except Genesis.

He seemed to be the only exception, and bizarrely was coming up a lot in her mind since their last assignment together; even now Zariah wasn’t sure why. She guessed it was because he never tried to laud his power or make advances towards her. He was different, almost shy, never knowing what to say or do around her. Zariah liked this effect she had on him, and often exploited the way it embarrassed the inexperienced emotions of the young Immortal.

But she spotted similarities too. They both guarded themselves well, although Zariah recognised that Genesis seemed to purge his emotions more effectively. She, on the other hand, just hid them exceptionally well. Likely so well she no longer recognised them. Which would say a lot about the tatters Genesis likely had left of
his
. Yet this too was the other reason she picked on Genesis and enjoyed it so much.

Due to his excessive training time, and the decade he spent frozen in their infusion process – he’d taken a full twelve years longer than the others to survive – he actually still did seem immature … and in truth, he was. Especially emotionally. She recognised their similarities – he with no courtships or associations with girls, her repressed emotions and scarring – or at least emotional familiarity. It didn’t make sense, but in a funny way, she understood her fascination with the boy.

He’d started off so pathetically in their Order, and she’d been the only one to, sort of, help him. She’d watched over him a little, even becoming a bit protective. He reminded her of herself at an earlier age. And over the years, although she’d treated him severely and harshly, in reality she was, deep down, curious about his innocence and purity.

She wished she’d been that pure – but yet again – she also knew that for her it wasn’t a choice. After her early teen years, her bastard father made sure of that. Seeing how others desired her, the monster had put the …
skill
– or more like curse – to his use. At fifteen, he sent her to work paying the debts he owed and giving her the scars that never healed.
The damned, cursed, dead, bastard
.

And if it hadn’t been for the SINAI she would have remained there in the whoring districts of Earth’s slums, dying as a used up old slut and mistress to men’s desires and whims, nothing more than a ghost in a shell.

Yes, Genesis and she were alike in that sense, and it was why she knew she was drawn to him. Zariah almost laughed at how bad
them being alike
sounded. Genesis was the opposite of a whore, not even having experienced those sorts of desires of the flesh. But she knew what she meant; they both came from horrific pasts, and were both broken and relentless in their effort to succeed. She would never tell him that of course, nobody was allowed to know her, or her past – it was her closest and most guarded secret.

With a loud thud, making her flinch, the massive cogs finally clanged and the whining of rotors and gears precipitated the movement of the massive doors in front of her. The doors receded entirely into the recesses of the floor, allowing safe passage into the room beyond. Sladdent appeared from the gloom and motioned them forward before exiting and giving the all clear.

Abandoning all prior thought, Zariah stood with the rest of the group and moved through the entrance, the dull light of the overhead panelling lighting the way poorly. She pulled her long hair back and banded it with a sliver of nanos as she shook it to drop the braid down her back – tying it tightly for practicality.

“Sacred, here we go,” she breathed to herself. She hated this part of being an Immortal – the Elders, through no fault of their own, reminded her of everything that she used to be – and she hated them for it. She took a deep breath and stepped in. They entered cautiously into the Chamber of Elders, the heart and mind of the SINAI thumping all around them through the seemingly thickened air full of supremacy.

µ

Osiris had gotten a hold of himself again and noticed Zariah pulling back her hair, something she did before going into battle or speaking with someone she didn’t like. He gave her a reassuring nod and led the way forward. He’d recovered from his earlier vision, but even now the strange appearance of Zeal, which he didn’t dare bring back to mind, and the pain of what he’d had to do that day, decades ago, was still far too much for him to confront at such a dire time. Osiris started forward, welcoming the interruption of the meeting ahead of him.

The room beyond was dim, but from what he could see, not much had changed since he’d last been here, only two years prior. The circular room was devoid of objects, the walls and floor completely smooth, mirrored and bare, with not a rivet showing. The ceiling was also far off, so far in fact that he couldn’t see it, and all in all not supplying very much he could use to distract his busy mind. The area was considerably dull he noted, considering it was a deity’s inner sanctuary and most important chamber.

No matter, the four moved into the centre of the room, hearing mechanical noises ringing from up high, followed by a precise clicking of interlocking seals – twelve compartments he counted in all – from the furthest edges of the room. The compartments slid off their mirrored surface and folded down to the floor, leaving the dark openings behind them. Osiris shifted nervously as twenty-four eyes glistened into the darkness from these awnings, showing the presence of their Sacred Elders, but keeping the faces and bodies hidden.

As each turned in sync, the Elders spoke in one powerful voice, startling the four Immortals before them, who were rooted to the spot in the centre of the circle.

“My children, it is good to see you safe.”

Osiris replied on behalf of their small group, “And it is also good to see you my Elders and brothers—”

“Many questions do you have, but only some shall we be able to answer … we will speak now and you shall listen.” The Elders paused for a brief second before continuing.

“As we already know what you are wanting to know we will start with the topic at hand and at the forefront of your minds.

“Yes, it is true a portal has been found and a new Temple is the cause of its opening. We have a ship stationed above the new planet with many re-enforcements soon to be joining it. The ship stationed there is the frigate
Aspire
and Admiral Herodes Antipatros has gone ahead to investigate its attributed Temple. He has also engaged another Seekers of Truth frigate, and has as a result damaged one of our Immortals … which we know you all already conclude is your Immortal 05.”

Zariah’s hand flinched as she interrupted, which was likely not visible to anybody except Osiris, who stood next to her.

“
And what has become of Genesis my Elders?
”
she blurted without thinking.

The Elders suddenly lost synchronisation, and began speaking in a rabble, “
This one speaks out of turn …”

“
She interrupts us when we are trying to explain
.”

“
The
little one must be silent if we are to talk to you, our lesser subjects
.”

The Elders slowly joined back together and spoke again, irritably,
“You will need to quieten your mind beloved Zariah, we cannot answer effectively when we are disturbed. Much our minds have to do and hard it is to communicate in this, our most primitive form.”   

Zariah released her hand and fell silent, but still looked anxious as the Elders continued.

“Now to Genesis. He has survived, but his sacred armour and body has been severed from us and the SINAI’s relay. We can no longer see his presence. We believe he encountered a Tel’nagara and the creature somehow interfered with his AI and has stopped his suit from linking to us. From what little we can see, the Tel’nagara was lost in the resulting explosion and destruction of the Seekers of Truth’s vessel; Immortal 05, however, somehow escaped this blast.

“We ascertain this from the report prepared by Admiral Herodes Antipatros, which states that Genesis is physically intact. But due to the nature of his encounter he will be leaving his assignment immediately to undergo analysis and repair. He will do this upon Gomorrah, where he will be required for joining a session of faction-wide diplomacy over the new appearance of the portal.”

Without pause, the Elders continued, “Gladarch and Zariah, you will also facilitate the liaisons of our diplomatic parties there, which will soon be meeting on Gomorrah. You will explain to them in full the nature of this portal and will request support of all factions of the SED.”

Gladarch looked up, surprised, “But, my Elders, I don’t know what the nature of this portal is! How can I poss—”

The Elders again sounded irritated by the disturbance, however they kept their synchronisation this time as they cut back in.