Delah stood proudly with Mistress Kharma, Yal, Hann, and Bashii. She was to spend more training time on the Centrex, which proved more grueling than before: learning customs and how to retrieve information from other worlds to communicate, not only with the translator, but also with appropriate gestures, protocol, and manners.

“Since you have the gift to speak what the Centrex says over all the other students, our gracious dignitary, Betha-busa, has chosen you as our erudite,” Mistress Kharma said, gracefully waving her skeletal hands toward Delah. “Bow before the Gracious Councilman Ulandis-de-a-Yal, who has served our city under prodigious leaders worthy of worship. For this a great honor bestowed upon you. Always remember your place.”

Delah bowed before the old bones and Councilman Yal. Delah wasn’t sure, but she thought he winced, probably at Kharma’s bones as they snapped, crackled, and popped. He winked his eye when Delah looked up from bowing.

“Princess Delah,” Yal said, clenching his hands from behind. “I am honored to be a part of your training.” He shook his head and held his hand up. “There is no need to speak.” Yal turned to the mistress. “Thank you for attending, Mistress Kharma. You are dismissed.” The old woman bowed slightly, stiffly turned, and left without another word spoken.

The training began with Hann and Bashii showing the mechanical terms of the Centrex and placed a chip in her hand.

“Swallow it!” Hann exclaimed.

Delah looked at Yal.

He nodded. “Do it.”

She followed the strange command given by Hann and swallowed the chip and rubbed her throat. While observing the strange creature before her, a sharp tingle started in her stomach and shot to her head. Keeata! It made her feel loopy.

“See, better, yes?” Hann blinked.

“What did you do?” Delah asked, jetting up from the chair. “I was supposed to learn languages not eat metal things.”

“Shhhh!” The guardian placed his stubby fingers to his wide lips. “It takes time. Itsy, bitsy neural links are running, running through your veins now. They’re having fun!” The creature clapped his huge hands.

Yal put his hand on its shoulder. “Hann, I made sure everything is secure in here. Watchman Eyetna and Betha-busa won’t be listening in. You can speak and let Delah know what you’re doing.”

The creature inched close to the girl and put a nubby finger to her forehead. “You will know many things that are secret, tucked away from many people here. You will learn more than Betha, Betha. Yes you will. You will see far away places and beyond where Eyetna can’t go.” He smiled and the balled knots at his temple moved as his eyes crinkled around the edges.

“You’re getting me in trouble. I’m not supposed to know these things.” Delah pushed away from them and escaped to the other corner of the room.

Hann ambled toward her, feet plodding, making dragging noises. “You are doing good. Don’t trust anyone. Don’t trust Betha-busa and Eyetna and Kharma. But you can trust us. We help, we help you.”

Delah didn’t know what to do. They were staring at her, Yal and that prodding creature.

“You’re wrong. You’re both wrong. Go away!” She screamed with her fists clinched, nails digging in her fleshy palms.

Yal strode toward her, “We’re right and you are wrong. You have been cheated like me. Long ago my memory was taken. I can’t even remember my past life, only flashes here and there come back with the Centrex. I’ve found Betha-busa did all this. Excuse me for not using her full title. She doesn’t deserve it. I may appear a fool sometimes, and not know why I fear her so much. But I do know I’ve been tampered with. All this time, I’ve been searching for some clue. And Hann and Bashii have placed it right before my eyes.”

“What are you doing to me? What is this?” Delah didn’t like the buzzing in her head, the angst beginning to form of the need to know more information—to be filled with it.

“The chip hooks you to the Centrex and enables you to receive more information than any of us. As long as you’re within Araidia’s shield, you are an extension of Centrex.”

“Is this the mindling?”

“No.”

“You’re not lying, are you? Because I’ll be in more trouble.” It was her Shatarian customs that bound her to believe the mindling was blasphemous.

“Trouble? You will have the greatest advantage above all of us. You will be able to open doors not seen by Eyetna or anyone else.” Hann and Bashii were shuffling making sputtering noises. Yal’s smile was calm, serene, as if he’d found peace in the two creatures’ presence. “Well, they are the keepers,” turning toward the two creatures, “so they see also.”

Were his eyes the portal to his soul? If so, then she could be calm and serene also. How did this all begin? She wanted to know, but she was only twelve.

“Do you want to be invisible?” Yal asked, stole toward her and restrained her by her arms.

Delah kicked, scratched, screamed, and bit Yal.

“Get away! No! Everyone’s lied. You all killed my mother! It’s your fault!”

Yal tried to hold her, but her bite seemed to almost paralyze his arm as he held it. Good! Then he can’t get me, she thought. She took this moment and tore herself away and ran to another corner, pouting, and crouched on the floor with arms holding her legs.

“Arise!” Yal said, voice resonating with authority. “Your royal imminence, the Princess Delah from the House of Molanar, be worthy of your crown.” Yal advanced toward her, his voice booming with every word. “Never ever cower. Don’t you ever show them fear. And never show them you’re crying.” He towered over her, dark, strong, but not cruel.

Yal knelt before her, cupped her face with his hands. “Child, never…” Delah whimpered, trembled. “I know, I know.” He embraced and rocked her. He waited for her to calm. “Are you ready to learn more?”

Delah rubbed her eyes, roughly wiped away her tears, and nodded.

●

The Centrex had called Yal away, announced he had to prepare for guests coming the next week. He left the rest of Delah’s training for that day to Hann and Bashii.

“Hann?” Delah sat up from the slab covered with instruments, gadgets, and helmets for any jobs the two guardians needed.

“Your Highness?” Hann asked, scratching one of his sores on his side. Bashii was about thirty feet away, managing some city traffic gone awry.

“I hate that. Call me Delah. Anything but that awful title. Do you keep records of slaves and where they are?”

“Yes, yes, Centrex knows. Why do you ask?”

“Please help me locate Pertz’s people.”

“I can do better. I know who you speak of. But look. See the schedule for dockings and guests?” She nodded. “There’s his people’s signature DNA. They’re visiting next week.”

“But I thought there were slaves here; I mean Pertz’s people.”

“No, no. No more. Centrex said they died long ago in the mines. Maybe someone had known they were coming.”

“But how do slaves know about incoming guests?”

“You will learn many, many hidden things when you’re bigger, little one.”

--End of Chapter