PASSION FOR TINION (WIP Novel 120,000 words)
© Cupideros, October 21, 2006
CHAPTER 12: A SECOND ATTEMPT
RaydGalil stormed thrugh the parking lot for his car. A man grey slacks and white dress shirt followed him, "Wait. Wait, RaydGalil. I need to talk to you."
"Go find a fresh dug grave and lie in it," yelled RaydGalil walking rapidly and approaching his car.
"You don't understand, RaydGalil," said the man catching up and walking beside him. "I can help."
RaydGalil opened his car door, but the man pushed it closed again. "Le me help."
"You're one of them aren't you?" RaydGalil said categorizing the guys looks, clothing, and his sick I'm-up-to-something smile. You creeps don't show normal happy smile. You have icky smiles. Smiles no non-security person can match in its arrogance.
The man turned his face away from the Slith headquarters windows and said quietly, "Listen TelGara's my sister!"
"What! I might cuff you and arrest you on the spot." RaydGalil looked for a second like he would do just that. He balled up his fist. Then the man stepped back, "I'll only say you asked me to get you out of the country. Who do you think they'll believe?" he motioned his head back toward the Slith building.
RaydGalil thought for a second. "Get in."
"Nah." the man shook his head. "Your car is bugged with nonotechnology and wireless sound and visuals."
RaydGalil scrutinized his car.
"You can't see nanotechnology. If you were a shaman, you could sense it with your feet and hands." The man nodded to another sports car. "My car is safe."
"How can you be sure?"
"I'm counterintelligence. I have a clearance to all the debugging equipment." He stuck out his hand. It was a strong one, but missing the tip of his ring finger. My name is Sean Nardino. Lucky is what they call me. Because of my hand--A story of how I escaped from a Quoardian Military base in the Capacitator. It's a device of torture using the reflexology and your hand.
"How you'd--"
"Happened at birth."
"Yeah!" said RaydGalil disbelieving.
They both got in Lucky's car. "Never repeat anything I say, not anywhere. Sensors buried in the sidewalks, trees, grass, poles, desk, just about anywhere you can imagine dust being, there might be sensing and hearing equipment. Slith has hundreds of thousands of spies. In Rome, they use to have a spy on every corner. Silth have outdone Rome. If they're following you, they send people walking up the street in front of you, as well as having people following behind you walking the streets."
"Okay. Where are we going?"
"Now where in particular. "How's...?" and Lucky smiled mischievously as he drove down the street shifting back and forth into the rear view mirror.
"She's doing fine from her last letter, but still."
". . . has a mole right above her tush--a half-moon on her lower back."
"Yeah. That's right. Still you could have agents around her."
". . . was under constant surveillance for the first three years I was missing. It should have relaxed now. They were protecting them, in case, they held me ransom. She's still obsessing over Romeo and Juliet I guess."
RaydGalil laughed. " . . in denial about the lack of love in the world now."
"How so?"
RaydGalil said, "We don't have forced propagation."
"You don't?" said Lucky sarcastic. "You put aphrodisiac and fertility drugs for the women in the water systems."
"From the Slith perspective the women are obligated to produce sons and daughters. Therefore they won't mind the responsibilities placed on them," said RaydGalil.
"Yes. Still you're population shrinking like ours. Do you know in 20 years we won't be able to fight this war!"
"I've heard projections like that before," RaydGalil said dejected.
"They are true."
"What does it matter, Nardino. Get to the point. I got a nagging feeling we're being followed."
"We picked up another as we came off the last street. My suggestion to assign you to the front."
"You bastard! What if I'm killed?"
"Good that's a good reaction," Nardino said, "Okay we lost them. Your arguing expression will make them think I'm trying to make you come around to our side."
"Then what you said is not true, Sean?"
Nardio shook his head and laughed, "Of course it is." He turned to RaydGalil and said, "If you value your life, you'll go to the front. This way the Slith will feel you've been sufficiently punished. They are not going to let you go. Knowing what you know about the Silth."
RaydGalil grew very quiet.
"Sorry, that's the way of this business, RaydGalil. Trust no one. Never tell the truth, unless it is a lie."
"But you just said--"
"I told you the truth which is a lie, as far as Slith is concerned. I'll put in a plan to get you out of the country to . . . . I need to tell you one more important thing."
***
At night when TelGara didn't sleep until she sent a thought to RaydGalil, "Stop trying to figure out how this is going to work, RaydGalil. I'm doing the figuring, you play along if you can."
When TelGara woke up in the morning she realized today ended her childhood. Her last day of freedom and the party tonight an apt celebration for many reasons. Every one would be there. Anorfiviel, Isorfirà, of course the Propaganda Office in force and the catered food from the Castlia De Aroma Restaurant. TelGara wanted this substitute for her Prom since she'd leave before her high school term officially ended. Of course, she graduated with honors.
The chattering and clinking of wineglasses and soft Bach music, TelGara's favorite symphonies played on the stereo mp3 player. People milled about chatting and shaking hands. Men with medals on the lapels attended in force to honor TelGara's father, Thrylas.
TelGara saw Isorfirà and pushed her way through the throng. "Isorfira! Isorfira! You made it. And you brought Anorfiviel with you." TelGara said hugging Isorfira. "See you and Anorfiviel been playing rough." She giggled. She touched the remainder of her disappearing black eye.
"Tennis ball, answers your first question. I never go anywhere without my better half, my Romeo. No. Haldur tried to stayed home with a cold." She leaned closer and whispered in TelGara's ear. "He doesn't like boring office parties." Isorfira and Haldur laughed.
"I'm so jealous," said TelGara enthusiastically, "You think I'll find my lover in the army?"
Two or three people overhearing their particular conversation, said loudly, "Love can be found anywhere!"
"I like your haircut, a young officer," said three star General Drago. "If you want a command in the Army, consider it yours. Your Dad was a fine Air Force officer. You're made out of good stock."
Megyra said, "General Drago, you remember this girl. She'll make a fine officer!"
"Thank you, General Drago, but I'm going where the action is. Where I can see the enemy," and TelGara squinted her eyes, "Eye to eye" as I thrust my blade into their guts."
Thrylas move quickly as TelGara pushed out her celery stick toward the stomach of General Drago a second time. "I'm afraid, General Drago," my daughter has taken to heart those war propaganda films she's been working on." He nodded. "For the war effort."
"That's fine work you do." General Drago continued, "We can't have a proper war commitment without propaganda."
"We are all agreed on that," Megyra said to TelGara and Isorfira together.
"We can't have a proper marriage without propaganda too," Isorfira slip in, gawfuling.
Thrylas did not like this comment, "Isorfira marriage is both an obligation and a personal commitment. True love is possible in Quoardian marriages."
"Dad, don't take Isorfira's statement the wrong way. She jokes around. You know."
"I considered that, but I take marriage seriously." Thrylas tried to guess the statement’s effect on the General, Haldur, and Anorfiviel.
"And I do not?" said, Isorfira. "I could have married for love. Held out for two more years."
"Isorfira. That's not what Dad, meant."
"He meant women should be as eager to do their duty for the Quoardian as men. Just because we love a little bit more doesn't not mean we are less loyal, Thrylas." she pulled Haldur toward her side. "Haldur and I have as good a sound marriage as you and Megyra."
Thrylas backed off, "Yes. You did marry and that is enough for the cause."
TelGara used this moment to extract Isorfira from any further verbal scuffles. "Isorfira, let me show you my dress collection."
TelGara pulled Isorfira away from the growing crowd of listeners into her room. "Here we are, Isorfira," and TelGara closed the door. The quiet settled in. "Isorfira, don't you get drunk on me."
Isorfira giggled and took another sip of red wine. "I won't I just hate the fact that women are not given shinning medals of honor for marrying dullards and having children before our time." Isorfira sat on the bed staring into her drink.
"Isorfira I'm depending on you to keep believing in true love. Therefore," and TelGara went ceremonially to her closet. "I'm giving you my entire wardrobe."
"Evening wear too?"
"Eveningwear, daywear and even my secret lingerie stash I've been buying for RaydGalil."
"You’re buying lingerie in the hopes he might see you?"
"On vacation in Gian, silly."
"Oh!"
"It's all yours because you're my best friend ever!"
"Don't they wear lingerie in the military?"
They both began laughing.
"No Isorfira, they run around buck naked fighting the enemy." TelGara made some stabbing motion with a handy compact umbrella.
"That must be why the fight lasted for 110 years!"
"Yes," TelGara said seriously, "The truth of the Eternal War is it really an old fashion Club Med."
"Isorfira bottomed up her wine glass and sighed. "Yes! Yes! Yes!"
TelGara encouraged her rowdy mood. "They are not fighting; they fucking each other."
"Our men and their women." Isorfira burped, "Their women and our men."
"Wait!" said TelGara. "I'd better become an officer right away so I can keep those girls off RaydGalil!"
Together they burst out laughing, as TelGara tossed garment after garment on Isorfira who was laughing her head off.
After Isorfira and TelGara settled down, TelGara said, "I probably won't see you again, if I die?"
"You're not going to die, TelGara"
"But I could?"
"You have to see, RaydGalil first."
"Yes, that's right. I won't die. I cannot. Not right now, Isorfira. His last letter didn't have a passage from Romeo and Juliet. That means they are on to him."
"And?"
"I don't dare write again." TelGara started crying. "I have to find him, Isorfira. I can't give him up. I can't lose him like I lost my older brother Lucis."
"You never mentioned an older brother?"
"I never knew I had one. Until today that is. My parent let me see the footlocker with all his pictures, letters, and awards. He was in counterintelligence."
"RaydGalil is in Intelligence."
"No, their Intelligence Slith wanted to recruit him but he turned them down."
"And so they sent him to the front. Bastards.
"It's not so bad, Isorfira," TelGara said slowly. "It's possible I..."
"You could"
"I can't tell anyone, Isorfira."
"Why not?"
"Our Intelligence hates their Intelligence and that what's keeping this Eternal War going. They don't believe in anything higher than themselves. No obligations except to one's country and president. Worship your country first, not the Goddesses or Gods."
"Like life's purpose is to fight wars."
Secretly, TelGara, I believe in religion. "We have a higher purpose than just fighting, eating, dying in this war. We live like animals. To truly believe that a country is worth the evolution of the soul is preposterous.”
“Just preposterous."
"What can we do, Isorfira?"
"We can privately go on believing something will end this war. Some sense will hit the leaders of the Intelligence Corps who keep the trouble stirred up, inspire the chaos for their private profit."
"We can believe in love too."
"Yes, TelGara, I believe in love. That's the only reasons why I did the 'forced propagation' because one day, I believe our children's children will have a time of peace and they deserve that!"
"Isorfira, I agree our soul evolution important. We can't take our country with us to heaven."
"Life goes on and is a grander objective than war. No country last forever and all countries die eventually."
"All countries are mortal."
Isorfira tried on a sleek black evening dress. As she turned around, TelGara said, "Fits you perfectly."
"Shoes included?"
TelGara said, "Sure."
Isorfira lifted her foot behind her to slip on the low heel black pump and TelGara saw it on her sole.
"You're a Rose and Dagger!"
Isorfira grew serious. "Did you join?"
"Joined the OGR division."
Isorfira relaxed and walked in her new outfit to TelGara. She gave her a solemn hug. She stared into her eyes, "TelGara, now the real work begins."
"When I returned from the Order of the Golden Rose meeting. I felt shock, awe, admiration. I felt tiny. This changes everything. Oh my . . . if I only knew. All these years, I've drifted out of touch with reality. Oh my . . . . and you--"
"Three years."
"I'm not going to asks how or why. The OGR amazing." TelGara didn't know if telling who the leader of the OGR was a good thing. They both sat down on the bed. "I saw the leader's face."
"You did! How?"
"You told me to go at a certain time to that place and this woman gave me a seat number."
Isorfira stared straight ahead. "I've never sat in the front."
"I--"
"No. Don't. I don't want to know. Some desires are dangerous. I'm out there on the front lines, it’s for the best I don't know."
TelGara sense sadness in her friend’s face. "At first I wasn't even going to go. I didn't know if she joining the OGR fit into my plan. Afterwards, I knew it felt right. I got this destiny feeling. Like no matter how obsessed want the war; we, the OGR can stop the madness. They didn't ask me to do anything but stay alert and they asked her a little about my job at the Propaganda Office. I told them I might join military. They women didn't seem fazed by any decision she might have made." TelGara stood and waved her hand in front of Isorfira. "You listening."
Isorfira smiled trying to be her cheerful self again. She got up to try on a flower print long dress. "Go on. Haldur would like this. Remember what Madam Rose said about long dresses."
They laughed and said together, "Fertility."
"Seriously Isorfira, no matter how many people they keep adding to the war; believing if they just add more people they can win; if they keep trying and trying. I realized the other night at the meeting. The war is over."
"The war is over!"
"The madmen cannot win. They've lost their hold over the people in both countries."
"Real hearsay coming from someone working in the Propaganda Office," Isorfira laughed.
"I'm telling you, the war mongers failed. It's just a matter of time."
"While we wait for this time to surface, we go on doing our parts. You in the OGR political wing, I in the Rose and Dagger and I in," she giggled. "The fertility department."
Isorfira I thank you for helping me to grow up and mature. I'm a totally different woman."
"What are best friends for?"
They laughed and giggled on throughout the night.
end chapter 12
This page was last updated: August 30, 2009
