Before the Shattered Gates of Heaven by Bryan S Glosemeyer

Author:Bryan S Glosemeyer
Language: eng
Format: azw3
Tags: Far, Sci, Female, Strong, Space, Opera, Science, Fiction, Alien, Shaman, Future, Adventure, Outer, Action, Fi, Protagonist, Spaceship, Psychedelic
Publisher: Void Forms Media
Published: 2019-11-18T05:00:00+00:00

27.

THAT NIGHT, FOR the first time in her life, Sabira heard the sound of rain. All day long the air had warmed and thickened. Breathing felt heavy, almost sticky. The rain started just after a frail dusk song, tapped at the window like the first drums of ritual, and when the clouds burst open in full torrential downpour, it felt like the sky itself heaved a massive, wet sigh of relief.

Playa and Zonte slid open the glass doors of the common room and positioned the heavy drapes to allow some air to circulate through. The heat lifted, and a cool, clean air filled the Embassy. Torque and Orion-lem came in with two atmospheric composition regulators to make sure the common room remained breathable.

Torque sat on a floor cushion behind the forma couch and returned to disassembling a deactivated node. Orion sat on a nearby couch, glancing down at her attempts to pull apart the machine’s innards. “I’ll give you a hint,” he said. “All the parts fit together in the same way. Once you find how two pieces fit, you know how they all fit.”

Maia and Coraz were in Sabira’s room, preparing. Gabriel remained on the first floor, and two lems in security configuration stood guard outside. Derev, Dawn, and Rain attended to the kitchen and other chores on the second floor.

Sabira sat facing the window in her wheelchair, waiting to be purged. “Adept Hanada?”

“Just Orion. Only Oracle Del Seta calls me Adept Hanada.”

“What did you mean earlier? You said you were the first person to travel through the Shattered Gates since the Gods.”

“That is not quite what I said.”

“Did you see them, the Gods? Did you see Heaven?”

“No, can’t say I saw anything like that. I did see the fabric of space and time itself, which I personally find much more interesting. But look, don’t think on that now. Once you’ve been purged, we’ll be able to explain it all to you. Maia insists that’s the way we do it, and Gabriel agrees, so that’s the way it is. All the others, except for Dawn, have purged. I’ve done several full scans of all your vitals, you’ll be fine. Just listen to what Maia tells you.”

Sabira went to rub the chest scar out of habit, and the fetters caught her wrist for the hundredth time that day. Maia said they wouldn’t even consider removing the bonds unless Sabira purged first. She also promised to finally explain what the hell was really going on, who they were, and why they were here.

Promises of answers and explanations were less important to Sabira than getting the godsdamned restraints off, to be able to stand and walk freely. To be able to fight. So let Maia and these fools think she’s tamed, or “purged,” or whatever they want to call it.

The lift brought Rain up from the floor below. He sat on the couch beside Sabira’s wheelchair.

“It’s wonderful, isn’t it?” The old staff pointed out the window. “Nothing like it down in the Labyrinth.

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