60. Seeds of truth

“Hi, what can I do for you?” Cousin Carver pushed himself off the wall as Fureva stepped up.
“Cousin Rafi sent me.” She said in a low voice, “He’s in…trouble.”
“Ha!” Cousin Carver laughed, “When is he not?”
“We need information on the spores.”
“Yeah, he’s fixated on those things. He hasn’t dragged you into this obsession, has he?”
“Yes. He ate one.”
“He…actually got his hands on one?” This caught Carver’s attention, “I never thought he’d actually get some. You say he’s in trouble? The guards are looking for him?”
“I do not think they will find him,” Fureva replied simply without explanation.
“They’re thorough that lot. It won’t be long until they do.”
“Regardless, Cousin Rafi is safe for now. What we need to know is about the spores.”
 
Carver returned to leaning against his wall, thinking, “I don’t know much about the spores. That was all Rafi’s thing. Him and the Aegis, of course.”
“What about them? What can you tell me about them?” Fureva asked Carver as she shared with the telepathic network, What if these Aegis become the flowers? Enjoy the spores' benefits for a short time until they finally turn into adult plants.
“What’s to say? They’re good at their jobs, tough and strong.”
“Are they always the same people that keep the peace around here?”
“They do tend to get very barky as time goes on. It can make it hard to tell them apart, but you get used to seeing the same old faces.”
“And they’ve been around for years?”
“Yeah. I wish they had swapped around more often. The ones around here all know my face.”
“How many Aegis would you say there were?”
“Enough,” Carver’s eyes darted up and down the market, “Look if you’re going to start asking questions like that, let's have this discussion somewhere more private.”
“Sure,” Fureva agreed.
 
Carver pushed himself off his piece of wall and led Fureva through back streets and accessways. Nox, watching and keeping contact via the link, followed along behind.
Don’t worry, Fureva. I’ve got your back.
Eventually, Carver stopped at the back door of a large building. Like all the others, it was white adobe mud over crystal bricks. Around doorways and windows, the bricks were left exposed, providing scintillating strips of colour. Carver opened the door to reveal a set of stairs heading into a basement. He gestured for Fureva to enter, and he followed, closing the door behind him. Outside, Nox waited a few minutes before trying the door herself. Locked.
I’ll just walk around outside, She thought, There may be another way in,
 
The stairs led down into a dark basement area full of crates. Makeshift beds lay scattered between the crates, like tiny caves. Besides Carver and Fureva, one young person slept on one of the beds, and another, playing with a piece of Numenera, sat against a wall.
 
“We can speak freely. We’re safe there,” Carver assured Fureva, “Did he say how he got in?”
“He did not,” Fureva confessed.
“Shame. It would have made a great story. And you say he’s safe.”
“From the Aegis.”
“You say that with such certainty. They’re bound to find Rafi sooner or later if he's in town.”
“He is currently hiding with friends.”
“Do I know these friends?”
“You do not. But I assure you, everyone has his best interests at heart.”
 
That seemed to satisfy Carver, at least for Rafi’s safety. “I just wish he’d stolen something more valuable than a spore.”
“They are not worth money?”
“You can’t tell them. You can’t break them up for Numenera. Even having them makes you a target for the Aegis.”
Fureva changed tack, “Does everyone here eat the flowers?”
“Well, sure, there’s so much of it. It’s in everything. It’s a staple food, especially for the poor.”
“Could I take one back with me? It may be useful to our attempts to help Rafi?”
“You can buy them anywhere, but they don’t last long. You won’t get them to your town before they go slimy and disgusting.”
“Okay, so tell me about the dome?”
“The dome? Well, it’s always been there, here, long before NiQuantin. The Aegis own it and only let in a few people they trust. You won’t get in without their say so.”
“So, you’ve never seen inside?”
“No. And that’s the only place the spore could have come from.”
 
Meanwhile, Nox discovered that the building Fureva had walked into was the back of a Numenera shop. She looked in the window at the shinies on display and was disappointed. From on the street, she could see that most of the items displayed were oddities or weak cyphers at best.
 
Behind a counter full of labelled draws sat a man with a thick waxed moustache and a red conical hat. Every time his moustache twitched in sleep, his hat slipped further down his face. She smiled at the silly man and pushed open the door. A bell tinkled, and the owner started from sleep, catching his hat and sticking it back on his head.
“A customer. Welcome to Talook’s fine Numenera Emporium. Is there anything I can help you with today?”
“Yes,” Nox smiled excitedly, “Where do you keep the good things?”
“My dear, young lady, these are some of the finest Numenera in all of NiQuantin.” He pointed to flashy trinkets and baubles that Nox dismissed as nonsense.
“No, stuff like…” She rummaged in her satchel and retrieved a propulsion cypher, “...this.” She placed it down on the counter for the shop owner to examine.
He looked it over critically before his eyes flicked up, examining Nox instead.
“Ur…what is it?” He asked, but Nox thought he knew more than he was letting on.
She smiled and rolled her eyes at the silly adult, “You know. It makes you go fast. You can wear it like a backpack, but if you were clever, you could attach it to a vehicle.” She was sorry to see it go, but of the cyphers she had, she felt it was the least useful, at least to her.
 
The shop owner reassessed the slim little creature before him, “I can see you are a discerning young woman.”
“I’m not concerning,” She replied, misinterpreting his compliment, “I just like Numenera.”
“I think I have just the thing for you,” He said, turning to his shelves and pulling down a jar of tiny bugs. The bugs scampered around each other like living black liquid.
“Not for the squeamish of heart, but these little creatures, if allowed to burrow into your skin, can make you very fast for a time.”
Ohh! How much? Marius, who was somewhere across town,exclaimed at the thought of the speed cypher.
“And for you, I’ll give them away for one hundred shins,” said Talook with a huge grin.
Nox made a face at the price, “A hundred shins? I bought my cloak for eleven shins just today, and it will last a lot longer than your bugs.” She looked at the propulsion cypher, “How much would you give for that?”
“This?” Talook looked at the cypher again as if he hadn’t seen it before, “Thirty shins.”
“Oh well,” Nox sighed, “I don’t have any shins, so I guess I won’t get that.” She started looking around the shop again, particularly down low and in corners.
 
She noticed that Talook liked to put things up high that he thought were worth good shins. Now that she was in the store, she could see all sorts of interesting bits and pieces sitting forgotten on bottom shelves and in the gaps between.
“Oh. Window shopping,” Talook said, resigned and put the jar back on the shelf.
“Oh no, I don’t want any windows. Just Numenera.”
“Well, how about this wonderful hat or this stone that stops you from sweating,” Talook tried, but Nox had spotted something more interesting. Propping up a rod-like device that seemed to emit a beam of light and beside a mug that boiled any liquid placed in it sat a visage changer. Nox recognised it from the one Fureva-Yung had used to make herself look like a woman in the Akavel bar. It seemed to Nox that Mr Talook didn’t know what he had sitting on his lowest shelf.
I could use that, Marius said, and Nox grabbed all three items.
What are you going to do with the other things?
Temila can have the mug. I would think she could find a good use for it. I was thinking the light could be given to Yitti. He needs help keeping his wall straight.
I could find a use for the light. I could attach it to my purgespitter, Fureva said during a lull in her conversation.
 
She placed all three items on the counter, “Could I trade these three for the propulsion cypher?”
“I think we have a deal,” said Talook, and they shook hands. Nox placed her new possessions in her satchel, and Talook took the cypher.
“Is there anything else I can do for you today?”
“Yes, what’s with all those big flowers they sell in the market?”
“What about them?”
“Why do they call it flesh, not petals? Fleeesh. It seems odd, doesn’t it?”
“I guess it does.”
“I made you think, didn’t I.” She giggled, watching the shopkeepers face go through a bunch of expressions.
“You don’t come from here, do you?” He finally decided.
“No.”
“Where do you come from, if I may ask?”
“Ohhh,” Nox’s eyes lit up at the chance to tell her tale. She’d marvelled at people like Rafi, Marius and Jaden at their ability to spin stories. She’d been practising with her friends, but hadn’t tried her skills on a complete stranger before, “I come from the Cliffs of Numenera, under forest and through crystal caverns, over fields and by a lake. I come from the Tilted Spire, more days away than you can walk.”
 
Talook stared at her as if not sure what to make of this odd young woman.
“Well, for such an auspicious visit and as a token of my appreciation, I would like you to have this gift,” Pulling open a small draw to one side of his counter, Talook pulled out a cube. Each side was a different colour. It was a pretty thing. Nox scanned it and instantly understood it was some sort of beacon. Obviously, there would be another device that would allow someone to follow anyone carrying the cube.
“Thank you, it’s so pretty!” She said to Talook, putting it in her pocket.
I’ll stick it in the pocket of someone outside, She told the others with a telepathic smirk.
Keep it, and catch the tracker, Marius schemed, making Nox smile mischievously, Then you would have both parts.
Good thinking! She said, patting her pocket.
 
She left the shop, noticing that Mr Talook turned his open sign to ‘Closed’ as she stepped out into the street.
 
Fureva had run out of questions for the ever-helpful Carver. She was about to leave when a large man with a glorious black moustache and ridiculous hat descended the stairs. He spoke to the young man playing with the Numenera and handed them a small device. The young man nodded and ran up the stairs and out the back door.
Your follower has just been put on your scent, Fureva said, providing a detailed description of the would-be thief.
With thanks to Carver, she left and followed the tracker out into the market. Ready to spring their trap.
 
Meanwhile, Marius and Jaden had found the Aegis office. Like much of NiQuantin, it was adobe mud over the crystal bricks. The only difference was that almost everyone inside had the woody complexion of an Aegis about them. Seeing so many in one place, it was easy to see a transition from a light barky complexion to a heavily lined wooden appearance, the latter seeming taller than average.
“Good day,” Marius opened the conversation with a lightly barked individual at the reception counter, “We are from a recently established neighbouring township. We hope to talk to someone in authority about opening trade negotiations on a community-wide level.”
“Certainly, could you give me some idea as to what you’d like to speak about so I can inform the minister?”
“Specifically, we have come to understand you have a food plant, practically famous for it. We are also led to believe correctly that using the plant can provide strength and toughness, as demonstrated by your good selves,” He gestured to the receptionist's face.
“Of course, I’ll just inform the minister that you’re here,” The Receptionist responded and quickly moved through a door to another room.
 
Jaden shook her head. She was humouring us. She knows they have no intention of talking seriously about the spores.
I’ve done what I can. You can head things from now on if you think you can do better, Marius smirked, sure Jaden was right.
Don’t mind if I do.
 
The wait was not long. Soon, a three-person reception party came through the doors and ushered them into a private room. Two were the heavily wooded Aegis, but the spokesperson was a shorter, clear-skinned human.
 
“We are so grateful you could see us in such short notice,” Jaden began, picking the human as the aforementioned Minister.
“It is a pleasure to meet new neighbours,” the Minister replied, gesturing to his two companions. Azumia and Fiscus are my associates and are interested in helping in any way they can. What can we do for you?”
“We are a new community of The Spire, some days' walk away, and we’re interested in establishing ourselves and looking after the welfare of our people. We learned about your wonderful city from the Thanan’ik traders who passed through. We heard about your excellent police force and this abundant food supply, which are both things we would be keen to discuss. But, it’s also good to get to know our neighbours.”
 
“And what would your Community of the Spire offer in exchange?”
“We are a small but industrious community made of professional Numenera salvagers and engineers. We have an established fungus farm that supplies our basics, but another staple food, especially going into winter, wouldn’t go amiss besides being a nice change for the pallet. Our greatest achievement so far has been the construction of an automatic water supply that efficiently sucks the moisture out of the air to provide drinking water for the whole community.” Jaden’s smooth tongue slipped over the facts, making them shine.
 
“Well, it’s good to know there is such a new vibrant community within…how far did you say?”
“Several weeks by land,”
“I see,” the Minister said solemnly. We’ve not had much success trading the flower flesh with outlying communities. It is the nature of the plant. A week out from harvest, it becomes inedible.”
“Is it the nature of the plant or the rough travel that causes the difficulty?” Jaden asked, her problem-solving mind captured by the obstacles involved, “Pickling or drying perhaps?”
Marius tried stepping in to get the conversation back on track, “Possibly we could purchase seeds?”
“I’m afraid that is out of the question,” The Minister answered Marius’ request quickly as if expecting such a request, “But I must admit we’ve done little to try preserving the flower flesh. It is available year-round, so we’ve had no reason to.” He closed his book as if completing the interview, “If you feel you can preserve the flesh, I’m sure one of our traders in the market district could be of service, but I’m not sure what I can do to help.”
 
 
Marius was now taking in Azumia’s features, almost staring and making the Aegis uncomfortable.
“There is still the natural armour and strength you provide your defence service with,” Jaden said. Be in a cypher or additive food additive, we are a small community open to the surrounding wilderness. Defence is an issue at the forefront of any negotiations. Marius here is the Spokesperson for our main workforce, the Dritmen. He can inform you of our needs in that area.”
 
Marius lit his light gloves in response, wincing as something sparked ominously.
“We do not share the tools of the Aegis. They are vital to our defence,” The Minister stoutly refused.
“What if we told you we are in contact with a young man who claims to have eaten one?” Jaden added, and the minister made a doubletake.
“He ate one?! Who is this? Where is he?”
“One of our young people brought him home. She seems quite taken with him....”
Taken with him? It was now Nox’s turn to exclaim, Why…what made her say that?
“…as are we all, and we’re a little worried for his welfare.”
 
“But…he was taken out of NiQuantin? How? Where is he now?” There was an urgency to the Minister’s enquiries. He may well be interested in keeping their town defence secrets, but he did seem truly concerned for the unnamed Rafi.
“Now you have me concerned, Minister. Is he a danger to my people? Is he infectious? A contamination risk?”
“No, nothing like that…but he is at risk.”
“Anything we can do?”
“The safest place for him is here.”
“He has reason to feel he would be mistreated. I won’t force him to return if he doesn’t want to.” Jaden turned up the heat.
“What if he shares these seeds with someone else?” Marius stirred the pot.
“What symptoms are we looking for?”
 
They watched as the Minister stewed. It was clear he didn’t believe Rafi was safe, but he wanted to keep control of the information.
“Thet….they may be prone to wandering off and not coming back. They may go out looking for Numenera, “ said the Minister, guarding his words carefully.
Besides his winning wit and tall tales, that had pretty much summed up Rafi.
On the network, a buildup of silence from Nox told them she was listening to this discussion intently.
“We have seen something like that in the young man,” Jaden admitted.
The Aegis looked at each other, “That will happen. He is not safe.”
“You must understand, “ The Minister continued, “He will be afflicted by the seeds for the rest of his life.”
“He’s looking for Numenera? What would happen if he found a concentration?” Jaden leaned in.
“It would be the end of his life.”
 
Nox had been happily walking through the markets, keeping tabs on her tail and listening in on the machinations with Jaden and Marius. That was until the moment Rafi’s life was threatened. She turned sharply down a side street and leaned against the wall, focusing all her attention on the conversation on the other side of town.
 
“We have biologists and other scientists who may be able to separate him from the seed,” Jaden offered as she felt a tingling in her head. The scientist in question was trying to contact her through the Needle and Thread.
The Minister’s face darkened at the thought of scientists studying the seeds, “He must be returned to us and our experts.”
“I understand. Unfortunately, I, too, am in an imperative situation. Do you have a toilet or other such facility nearby?”
The Minister nodded, and one of the Aegis showed the way. When alone, Jaden pulled out her Needle and Thread.
“Trilly?” She called into the fog of the ether used by the communication device. Trilly’s form coalesced out of the mist.
“Jaden. The young man, Rafi, has appeared to have snuck out.”
“Oh no. He’s hunting for Numenera. Don’t let him near the black mould.”
“I did send someone out that way, why?”
“The water is saturated with Numenera particles. It could kill him.”
“I can understand this Aegis organisation wanting him back, but why insist on him being “Safe in NiQuantin”? What is it about that city?”
“That's a Good question. Maybe we can find out.” Jaden closed the call and rejoined Marius and the Minister.
 
Hey Rafi! Nox called through the telepathic link , It’s Nox, where are you? As soon as Jaden had returned from talking to Trilly she’d been searching Rafi’s telltale mind among tens of thousands. She was blind and deaf to her own situation, all she could think about was keeping Rafi safe.
Hi Nox. This place you left me is a…
Akavel is a dump, I know, but why did you leave the library?
I…wanted to find Numenera…I’m up against a big black wall, do you know how to get through?
Rafi, listen, you have to come back home to NiQuantin. The spore is going to kill you.
You’ve been talking to the Aegis, haven’t you? She could see his rakish smile spread over his face, They’d say that, wouldn’t they?
But you’ll die! She was almost hysterical trying to make him realise the seriousness of the situation, I don’t want you to die, Rafi!
Hey, Rafi, which way did you travel from the library? Marius asked, a voice of calm reason.
Um… southeast. Are you sure I can’t get through this wall…I can smell the Numenera…
I’ll come and find you! I have to go find him, but I don’t know where anyone is, Nox broadcasts to everyone.
I am here, Fureva said
Rafi’s thought suddenly turned foggy and unfocused, Oh, that’s interesting, He said before breaking the connection.
Ah! I have to go! Nox cried.
Go! Go! Replied both Jaden and Marius.
 
In the market, Fureva was ten metres behind the young thief sent to follow Nox. Every once in a while, they’d look into their hands and adjust their direction. Fureva was also listening to the chaos of communications coming from Nox.
I’ll come and find you! Fureva heard Nox say to Rafi before adding to the group, I have to go find him, but I don’t know where anyone is.
I am here, Fureva assured her turning into a quiet side street she’d seen the thief duck down moments before. Not ten metres ahead, the thief was going through the bag of an unresponsive Nox leaning against the wall. It took nothing for Fureva to quicken her pace, eating up the last few metres between her and them. She placed one hand on the thief’s arm, the other on Nox’s shoulder.
Oh, that’s interesting, Came a distant message from Rafi before his end of the link disappeared.
Ah! I have to go! Nox cried in Fureva’s mind while standing still and silent under Fureva’s hand.
Go! Go! The other two exclaimed as Fureva quietly added her message into Nox’s ear.
“I am here. Go!”
 
In the chaos of telepathic discussion, Jaden had calmly returned to the interview room. Marius was discussing a truncated version of events with the Minister.
“Well, we will be sending a representative to retrieve the young man and return him as soon as we can. If you will excuse us, we will go back to the markets to make contact with our agents.”
“Good, “ The Minister and the other Aegis stood, “We will expect your return.”
 
They left the office of the Aegis just as Nox and Furva bamfed away, leaving them stranded in NiQuantin, weeks away from home. Marius took a moment to check where the cypher for his light gloves had been grafted. All that remained was scorched skin and pieces of Numenera falling out of his sleeve.
“That one lasted a while. What will you do without it?” Jaden asked as they walked towards the market.
“Nox saw a replacement in that Numenera shop that will do just fine.”
 
Fureva, Nox and the thief bamfed into the centre of a large empty clearing in the centre of Rubbletown. Looking around, Fureva recognised it as the old soup kitchen site they had fought the Redboots only a few weeks before. The thief looked around stunned, barely registering Fureva's firm hand on their arm. Nox, oblivious to everything but the importance of finding Rafi, shot straight into the air, and headed east for the wall.
“You, with me,” Fureva commanded before throwing the thief into their shoulder and sprinting for the wall.
Trilly! Nox contacted the scientist as she scanned the land around her for signs of her friend. It’s Nox. Rafi said he was at the wall. Is there anyone who can help find him?
Nox? Ur…I’ll send word out, Trilly replied, surprised by the communication.
Thank you, Nox said, all the while trying to reconnect to Rafi and spot him in the throngs of Urendi below.
Rafi! Rafi! Rafi! Rafi! She repeated, until the attempts at linking were vocal as well as in her mind.
“Rafi! Rafi! Rafi!”
 
By this time Fureva had made it to the wall, but could see nothing from the ground. She took the free moment to drag the thief off her shoulder, letting them hang by their clothing before for serious six-eyes expression.
“Wh…where am I?” The thief wailed as soon as they caught their breath.
“With me. You have something. Give it to me,” Fureva held out her free hand.
“What are you going to do to me?” They handed over the tracking device, realising their danger.
“You can stay with me. This is Urend, and not a place to find yourself alone.”
“I did feel like I was in the shit,” The thief laughed nervously as Nox flew down the wall towards them.
 
“I can’t see him, Fureva. I’m going to fly higher,” she said, shooting even further up into the air. At this height, she was visible to any Redboots on the wall or looking up almost anywhere in Northern Akavel. Still, as she scanned along the wall, she saw a small something, a bulge in the wall, wearing clothes the same colour as Rafi’s.
“That way!” She pointed out to Fureva on the ground, “Leaning up against the wall.”
 
Fureva threw the thief back onto her shoulder and sped away ahead of Nox. The land before the wall was clear of the makeshift housing that comprised most of Rubbletown. It made for an ideal track for Fureva as she bounded along, her legs springing her high into the air to land with a shudder. Within seconds, she could see what Nox had spotted from the air: a human figure leaning its head and hands against the wall. Within another bound, she could see what Nox had not. Tendrils like roots had extended out from Rafi’s bark-roughened forearms and feet, burying themselves into the surface of the solid rock wall. The roots were breaking through rock, seeking a path through the structure. Given time, Rafi would be able to achieve the same as the wall breaker vine Trilly had designed.
 
She slowed and listened to Rafi’s almost imperceptible mutterings as she reached the spot.
“I can…smell it..almost taste it, it’s so close…if I could just get through…”
“Rafi?” Fureva called as she reached out a hand to touch the young man. She thought she could probably pull him from the wall, but what would that do to him? His head turned at the touch, and he saw Fureva.
“I can smell it, Fureva. I just need time.”
“Is it far?” She asked as Nox swooped in from behind.
 
Bamf!
 
All four of them were in the alleyway behind the marketplace. Nox was wrapped around what she could of Rafi, and Fureva held both Rafi and the thief. Rafi stood still and watched as the root, still curled around lumps of the wall, retreated into his arms and legs. The rocks dropped to the ground in front of him.
“I….what…?” Rafi said as he slowly watched his limbs returning to his own, to Fureva and Nox.
“See! You weren’t right in the head,” Nox cried, tears streaming through the rock dust that had settled on her, “You weren’t you anymore, but the stupid spore!”
“It..it was…all consuming…” Rafi confessed.
“You can’t do this all by yourself,” Fureva said, letting go of Rafi and the thief. Now free and sure of where they were, the thief ran, only to be replaced a few moments later by Marius and Jaden.
“They’ll lock me up. All I wanted to do was to see the world.”
Nox slowly let go of Rafi and slipped the cube into his pocket, “But you don’t have to do this by yourself. Do you think there is nowhere you can go that I can’t find you?”
“Look, you have two things in your favour,” Jaden said, watching as the boy broke down and started crying himself, “Trilly still has your spores and may find a way to help that the Aegis have never thought of. And Nox is right. There is nowhere they can stick you that she can’t get you out of. Let’s give the Aegis a chance to prove they're not the monsters you’ve always thought them to be.”
“But why do I have to come back here. Couldn’t get help at Tiltspire?” He asked, one last attempt to escape his fate.
“You have your mind back. Maybe there’s something about this town that holds back the process.”
“Maybe the dome?” Fureva thought.
“Come on,” Nox wiped her nose on her forearm, “Let’s get you some help. I promise I won’t leave you alone. We’ll be with you.”
“I get bored easily,” Fureva confessed, “I will leave.”
“All I wanted to do was have an adventure, “ Rafi lamented finally and turned with the group to join the waning crowds at the marketplace as the sun set over NiQuantin.
 
In silence, they walked through the street back to the Aegis office. Inside, Jaden spoke for Rafi before the minister and the two Aegis members.
“This little adventure has put a scare in our young Rafi. He has come of his own free will and asks only that the Aegis be lenient.
Hey Nox, Marius interrupted through the telepathic network, Do you think I could have that cypher you traded for?
What? Are you going to change your face again? Be something you're not? She chided as she handed over the device she’d found.
Well, yeah. That’s why I wanted you to get it.
She also gave the laser pointer to Fureva, who spent the time trying to attach it to her purgespitter.
“Out of respect for NiQuantin and its secrets, we want to keep in touch with him and his welfare, and I assure you, we will be in touch.”
 
They took him away to a cell.
They say they’re going to interrogate me, Rafi said, sounding scared and alone.
I will always be as far away as a thought, Nox encouraged, making Jaden and Marius share glances. Once back outside and walking back through NiQuantin, they shared their thoughts out loud.
 
“You know, you’ll need to cut him off from the network when we go on a mission,” Marius spoke up first.
“Why?” Nox reply sounded innocent enough, but there was an edge of steel to the single syllable that gave Marius pause.
“He’s being interrogated. It would be in his best interests to tell what he knows. It would only be for a few hours.”
“You could connect with him in your downtime,” Jaden added, “When it’s safe.”
“Or maybe on my free days? How about holidays?” Nox’s replied, her voice low and serious, “No. We put him there. We said he wouldn’t be alone, so he won’t be. If you don’t want Rafi to know something - don’t say it.”
 
There was nothing they could do. Nox controlled the telepathic network, and there was nothing besides disconnecting themselves or knocking her unconscious. Conversation was stifled after that, and it wasn’t until Fureva remembered to buy a flower for Trilly to study that they started talking about where to buy one.
 
Most sellers sold the flower flesh processed somehow, either just in strips or cut into chunks. Whole flowers were available, it was all a matter of finding someone who had one for sale so late in the day. It was while they were looking for such a stall that a body came flying through the door of a bar and collided with Fureva. The sudden collision sent arms and legs in all directions as Fureva and a man fell to the dusty NiQuantin street.
“No freeloaders allowed, do you hear me?” Said a man from inside the bar who turned and stalked away, unconcerned about the chaos they’d just created.
 
Fureva stood quickly and helped the man to his feet. Everyone noticed he was wearing a worn and tattered Warden Militia uniform from Cerelon and didn't look very steady on his legs.
“Hey, I remember you…” Jaden said, trying to match a name to the very ordinary face of the man, “You used to have a patrol around my shop. Jaden Ventrisen? Remember?”
“Jaden…? I’m Corak. Corak Tores,” The man, who was not drunk, as they’d first thought, but malnourished and in rough shape. He focused on Jaden, “I do remember…but…what are you doing here?”
“We were on a fact-finding mission. How did you end up here?”
“When the servitors went insane, we headed south to the river. A small group of us volunteered to scout upriver. One of us died of starvation, another deserted. I made it here, but I've barely kept myself alive. You wouldn’t happen to have any food on you?”
“I always have a crust or a few nuts,” Nox offered, and Corak scoffed them down greedily.
“You didn’t find any work in NiQuantin?” Marius asked as he washed down the dry meal with a little water from a canteen.
“I looked around, but I didn’t know who to ask.” Corak shrugged.
“Well, we have a small community of refugees from Cerelon. You can come with us,” Jaden offered, and the Corak relaxed.
“Is it far?” He looked ready to drop.
“A step, but first, we have a little shopping to do.”
 
The flower was bought, a large spongy textured thing much like a huge mushroom, and then it was off to their last stop, Talook’s fine Numenera Emporium.
“I’m looking for a cypher to provide a little help,” Marius asked as he gained the interest of Talook from behind his counter.
“Help, you say. I have these excellent blue pills. All my gentleman clients swear by them,” Talook opened a drawer to revel sheets of synth-wrapped pills.
“Er…no, I was looking for something to help move faster.”
“A man of refinement. You know a good cypher when you see one. Here,” Talook pulled down the jar of bugs, “One hundred shins, and they’re yours.”
“Do you take io in trade?”
“Trade? There seems to be a lot of that today. Yes, I could let them go for a reasonable amount of io, depending on what it is.”
 
Marius withdrew his stash of io, a pitiful comparison to what was in Bellyache, but even that made Talook’s eyes bulge.
Don’t let anyone know what’s in Bellyache, Jaden commented as the deal was made.
What’s Bellyache? Rafi, who was listening in, asked.
My belly, Jaden replied quickly, covering the slip, It aches and feels something wretched. It’s time to go home.
 
Moments later, they were in the communal eating area of Tiltspire, and dinner was served. They found some Ward Militia and other Cerelon locals who remembered Corak to look after him before making one last trip.
 
Back to Akavel.