Chapter Five: Resolution — Part 5

Jun looked back toward Glyph, who had been translating for Bamboo. “You heard him, we’re getting a much needed lift.”

Bamboo raised hand, “Thank you so much Swift. I hope to repay you some day.”

“Come to my dinner table when it is time for you to die.” Swift said, gruff and dismissive.

Swift took the small party up in its telekinetic field, a field so dense that it blocked all sound and sight out from the world. They looked trapped in massive soap bubble, carried along by a tiny dot of white light. Swift moved ahead at just under the speed of sound. It would take Swift less than an hour to get them to the edge of the Gash, what would have been many days of walking otherwise. Bamboo studied Jun’s stoic face, knowing that Jun was considering a serious situation.

“Glyph is a master of hundreds of thousands of languages. He has informed me that you may be in some kind of trouble with your master, Lord-Emperor Chen.” Bamboo said. “If there’s something I can do to help, I will.”

“Chen is immortal, invulnerable. He’s also my employer. He’ll be waiting for me at the Temple of Buddha. Swift will sort it out — he always does.” Jun said.

Bamboo nodded, not fully understanding. Bamboo was tired, Zon, as a planet, held little interest to him, and though he liked Jun, he hardly saw a reason to interfere in her personal or professional life any more than was necessary for their mutual survival. A pretty woman like her probably had quite a personal life, Bamboo was certain, and he doubted she would be interested in him. Bamboo dozed away most of the trip, and Jun took the time to clean up a little more thoroughly. She had to look somewhat decent when she interviewed with Chen. Chen, after all, would not be happy that Bamboo left without meeting him.

They reached the edge of the Gash, a desolate and distinct range of hilly outcroppings composed mostly of massive mounds of slagged magma. The edge of the gash tapered out to a more mountainous region that on one side was nearly lifeless, while on the side opposite the gash harmored a powerful old-growth forest. It was unnerving how the life simply ended so abruptly. The mountains, at one time superheated and now slagged on one side, had been pushed into existence by whatever had impacted with Zon. Though Jun suspected it had been Chen’s arrival that had scarred the lands and caused the Gash, Chen wouldn’t admit to it. Jun turned her back on the scar, looking into the digital goggles of a man who not only lacked eyes, but seemed also to lack eyes for her. Bamboo held Jun’s hands, his head dropped slightly.

“Listen,” Bamboo started, “If you ever get off this rock, look me up. I’d like to get to know you better.”

“I’ll do that.” Jun said, her voice flat.

“Keep this with you. It will help you find me.” Bamboo put a small crystal in her hand. “The image inside will age at the same speed as me, and can tell me even from a clone of me, so you will always know, by putting up the crystal, who you are really talking to.”

Trapped in it was a hologram of his body, when one looked at its five cut facets, the crystal focused on various parts of Bamboo’s body, from various angles, bringing into focus the details that would most help identify Bamboo. Bamboo nodded, touched his left hand, and triggered his Snap home. For Jun, Bamboo and Glyph simply vanished, swallowed by a temporary darkness, until time and space reasserted itself, leaving her alone to face her responsibilities. Bamboo secured the digital and hereditary information Glyph had stored of Jun in his personal files for a time when he could look on it with his own eyes.

“That was kind of weird. It’s not like I’ll ever leave Zon.” She said.

“He’s and off-worlder, his thoughts are not the same as yours.” Swift said.

“I guess it’s time to face Chen.” Jun said.

She’d lost the ability to shiver, but Swift seemed distinctly chilled. “Get some rest, it’s going to take a couple of hours to get to the on called Chen’s Palace in New Amazonia.” Jun fell asleep to the hum of Swift’s ion field.

“Wake up sleepy head, We’re at your father’s home. Chen’s sent a messenger ahead.” Swift said.

Jun woke up, remained quiet. She kept her mind clear, her thoughts focused. Chen would challenge her at a game of words that they often played. This game was one often worked to a draw. Swift stayed with her, a dim glow hanging just behind her. Apparently, he didn’t want to be noticed any more than she did. She stood at the entrance to the Temple of Buddha in New Amazonia. The Temple was worse for wear, its mortared stone walls cracked by stray bombs during recent conflicts between Chen’s army and a Northward rebel force. Chen would be waiting within the temple’s darkly lit halls. Jun could feel him creeping around.

Jun had abandoned all of the desert supplies, carried nothing but her sword and her dulka, the odd flute hanging limply in her fingers. Bamboo was still on her mind, but she could lie about him easily enough. She put the dulka in its case, the dusty fluted scabbard hanging like a dagger next to her sword. The trip had been a hard one. A lone priest, her father, had been waiting for her at the guarded entry into the temple. He greeted her with a generous wave. It was hard not to recognize Jun, as she was the only blue skinned hume being on the entire planet. Her father always greeted her as if she were a stranger.

“Miss Metalsmith, welcome home. It’s so good to see you alive. Do introduce me to your new friend.” The Priest squeezed Jun’s hands tightly.

“Swift’s an old friend, actually. He’s grown so that I was sure you wouldn’t recognize him. So my bet with Swift has been won, this time.” Jun touched foreheads with her father, kissed him on the nose.

“High Lord Chen and Master Kaan are waiting for you inside.” Alon said. “Neither of them seem happy with your return.”

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