Keeper's Knowledge (Balancer's Soul cycle) (59 page)

Connor and Sarah
followed the Elder around to the side of the building. S
he led them
to a
large
metal garage door that lifted from the bottom on rollers.
To a few feet from the garage was a lone picnic
table.
She knocked on the metal door and made it rattle.
She announce
d
“The
y’re
all here, my l
ove.” Sarah
turned to see everyone
else
follow
ing them
and stop
ped
once
they
did. The door open
ed on a track
and
they
received a glance in
side
the bustling kitchen. T
en
speedy
staff members
were
all cooking up a storm.
Sarah
also realized this is where they restock their
large quantity of
supplies.
In the doorway
stood
Elder Alexander and
what towered
behind him shocked
them
all
.

Behind
the E
lder
waited
a gigantic
and tantalizing
six
tier
ed
cake. The bottom piece was
over six feet across and two deep
. There weren’t any candles, but this cake didn’t need it. Elder Adela began speaking
to Connor
. “Since it is your birthday, Child, I made this for you and the others as well. The cake is chocolate on the inside as is the frosting on the outside. The larger bottom pieces had to be baked in quarters and then put together.
I designed the patterns like the waves of the sea because you are a Liquid Balancer.” In her mate
’
s hands were eating utensils and a roll of paper towels.

Sarah
could feel Connor’s excitement
growing
. He walked straight up to Elder Adela with open arms and stopped. “I’m sorry, but should I ask to give you a hug or will I get in trouble?”

“Go ahead. I’m not
that
uptight.” She opened her arms and Connor picked her up like a toy doll. She giggled as Connor twirled her in the air. Her mate watched Connor with a cautious eye, but he smiled as well.

He finally sat her on the ground and looked down into her eyes. He smiled happily and said “I cannot believe you remembered my birthday. I am deeply touched by your sincerity
and graciousness. I don’t know what else to say…”

“That hug you gave me said everything I needed to hear.”

Connor looked behind himself and asked playfully “Do you want a hug as well, Elder Alexander?”

The Elder began to laugh softly and then shook his head. “I am perfectly happy without a hug. I am just pleased that you like it.”  He looked up at the top of the cake and said “Go ahead and all of you go sit down at the table.
I’ll bring everything over.
”

Their entire group
all made
their way to the table and Sarah
had to jump just to sit on the b
ench. Once Veronica sat beside her
and the others sat, Elder Alexander carted out the cake.
She
looked at the top of the table and saw large plates
already
on the table with real silverware for utensils.
Sarah
lost sight of
the Elder
for a moment as he disappeared by c
oming close to the table. Then she
felt him summoning his energy
and
they
all
realized that he
i
s a
master
Pressure Balancer. Both he and the cake began to rise until the cake’s bottom cleared the top of the table. It slid onto the edge of th
e table without the cart. He wa
ved
goodbye
and dropped down and shut the garage door to the building and departed inside.

Connor bro
ke their
train of thought and said “Alright every person gets a section and Sarah and I will share the bottom.”

“Brother, we
each
get a
tier
?” Connor nodded and Kara beamed.

Veronica was the closest and
Sarah
could tell she
remained
a little perturbed. She gave the top and smallest section to her son, he said his thanks anyway.
He ate it in three semi large bites.
Veronica asked if she could have the second largest and Connor said she can have whatever she’d like. Once
she
finished
giving everyone a tray
she slid the
bottom
level
over to them
. The
flat
metal bottom rattled
as she slid it in front of Sarah
, but didn’t let the cake touch the ground. After
they
shared
the
cake the others had shaken off the tension and everyone became more relaxed and sociable.
Each sweet chocolaty bite was better than the last. Elder Adela stopped by with a tray of mugs filled with milk
which complimented the sweet chocolate
. This was the breakfast of champions.

The birthday b
reakfast had ended
all too soon
and
they
had to
make
their
way
down to level four. During that time Head Elder Damian spoke with Keeper after Keeper and listened to requests
and other matters that were brought up from individual’s of their species.
Most o
f the day has gone by and it had
felt slow.
T
he youngest hatched Keeper
,
that Connor met before
,
walked to the center of th
e room
, stood upon the raised marble in the center of the stage
and
s
he introduced herself
to the audience.
H
er
mother was a first time parent and she received the title of Honored Mother. A room full of Keepers roared in pride at her achievement.
Sarah
could tell
that
that
family wa
s truly happy.
Veronica was easy to spot because she was at the end of the line a
s
she was the only one who held an egg.
The reflective wrapping made it easier to identify.

When it was
finally
her turn to approach H
ead
Elder
Damian
said
“You may have your turn to speak now.”
Veronica slowly made her way up the steps with her head held high, chest out, tail swinging side to side and
she shone with
confidence. Connor’s impulsiveness
paid off
for she n
o
longer showed any
of the
weakness she revealed earlier
. She walked thirty paces and stopped in the very center of the room. She bowed to the Elder Changers, then to the Ba
lancers and one last time to her
Head
E
lder.
“Ah, Honored Mother, Veronica. It is a pleasure to see you again and you have my condolences for the loss of your mate.”
Veronica bowed and returned to her prideful stance.
“
What is your request?”

Her mind was clear and precise as she said
“It is in our laws that two parents
must
raise a newborn up to their mature
d age and
I lost my mate before his child could come into the world. I request a
new mate to help raise this child properly.
That is all I seek from you.
”

The female E
lder to the left of the H
ead
Elder leaned forward and said
“We will honor your request if you are still capable of bearing more young. Step closer to me so that I may judge your breeding quality.”
Without further instruction Veronica proudly walked forward with her egg in the curve of her left arm. The purple eyed Elder raised her hand for Vero
nica to stop and she did. Then Sarah
felt that Keeper summoning her energy and her eyes began glowing. A second later
she
felt the rapid pulses of the Elder using her sonar
to see inside Veronica’s body. The pulses ceased a few seconds later and she sat up straight again.
“I have looked inside and have judged you worthy of continued reproduction. I have counted a total of seven hundred
and eleven
viable eggs that you are
still
bear
ing
. I must congratulate you young one. I have only seen that many eggs in two other Keepers
during my time
. Was your mother by any chance Nidival?”

“Yes she was. May I ask why you have asked me that? You know all bloodlines of each Keeper in this room, do you not?”

“No you may not ask, young one.”
Veronica didn’t flinch.
“
I ask another question. What is that thing you have on your egg?”

“This was a gift from my friends. It is known as a space blanket. It is human technology that allows my egg to remain warmer for five times longer rather than warming it up every hour. My friends have been very good to me and I even owe them my life and that of my child
’s
.”

The Elder considered her words carefully and then said “
We will look at the bloodlines and see who will be your best match for you to choose from. You are dismissed. We will call
upon
you when we have a proper selection gathered.”

Sarah
looked over to see Connor grinning at the
E
lders for some reason. She
elbowed him in the ribs and his smile vanished. “Are you going to tell me what you are up to
yet
?” He showed her only
a tightlipped smile.
Her
mate was hiding something important.
“Will you
at least
tell me some day?”

“I’ll do one better. I’ll show you
soon enough
.”

The
n
H
ead
Elder Damian stood and said
“We are dismissed for today. Tomorrow we will continue with the Changer
’
s audience.”

They
met up with Veronica
back
on the first level
over an hour later
. She waited for
them
along with Clarein and Firon.
The moment she saw Conner and
Sarah
walking to her she mindlessly handed her egg
over
to Clarein. She about ran up to
them
and
Sarah
heard Connor say “Oh great. This is payback huh…” Veronica swept with her arms to pick
him
up like a toy and she
clutched
him
tightly
to her chest.
T
ears
began
trailing down the sides of her
scaly
face.
Sarah
couldn’t help but laugh along with everyo
ne else. It was the first time she
ha
s
ever seen Connor look so small
before
.

Veronica
sat him back down and used the back of her hand to wipe away her tears. She dropped to her knees and her
large
gold eyes
were still moist.
“Connor, what you di
d this morning gave me the very strength
I needed. Thanks to you
,
my child will have a chance at a full
and proper
life. How can I ever repay you for all that you have done for me?”

Connor said clearly “Veronica, you don’t owe me anything. Friends do things because they want to or have to. When you said you owed me your life
earlier
, I revoke all ties and now it is your life to do with as you please.” He touched her forearm and said
gently
“Each of us only get
s
one
chance at
life. We do what we want to do with it. I can control your life as well as I can control how you think, feel or even love.
In other words I can’t control you or what you want.
Might I suggest you something first?” She nodded eagerly. “Keep your pride and strength. And if I ever see you doubting yourself and getting dep
ressed again, I swear I’ll kick
you back to your senses.”