Ancient Hunter

The column was black in colour, which reminded me of the cavern beneath Saros. It rose until it was as high as my waist and halted. I automatically reached for my gun but didn’t draw it from my holster. Suddenly a beam of light shot out from the column. I stumbled back ending butt down in the shallow pool. The light illuminated the wall covering it with symbols. Symbols I recognised as those in the Cavern on Saros, Keeper writing from the looks of it. If it was Keeper writing then I had no reason to be afraid of it.

“Fascinating as it is,” Joyce remarked. “Come on Gwen let’s get you out of there and somewhere dry.”

I squelched out of the pond and on to the ground. Joyce, helping me out with the last part. I was a mess the lower half of me was soaking wet. Water ran down my legs and soaked the ground where I stood. As soon as I was out of the pond the column sank back into the pond.

“That’s interesting,” Joyce commented. “And certainly a point of future study but for the moment we need to get you dry.” She turned on her comms. “Elafi continue to monitor this location we’re heading back to the dig site.” She turned off her comms and gestured to the doorway. “Ok Gwen open the door and we’ll head back.”

“Sure,” I replied. Cold was seeping into my neither regions I had to get out of there clothes and into something drier.

I activated the door and Joyce walked through without a care in the world. Like it was nothing special to her. I followed her though finding myself back in the ruined city. I felt the heat in the dry dusty air it was definitely warmer here. Joyce stood beside the door watching me.

“We’ll talk once we get you dry. This way please Gwen.”

We walked to the archaeologists compound with me leaving a trail of wet muddy boot prints that even the blind could follow. Finally we halted outside a door marked ‘Site Manager’

“Take those off before you come in I don’t want to dripping muddy water over my clean floor,” Joyce said.

“What here?” I thought she was joking but I could see the seriousness of her expression.

“Why not? The Valkyrie strip off all the time.”

“I’m not Valkyrie,” I reminded her. “Beside they don’t do it where men are present.”

“You could have fooled me,” she replied. Then she smiled. “Only kidding. I’ll grab a blanket and hold it up. That’ll protect your dignity. You can change behind it.”

“Into what?” I hadn’t brought a change of clothes with me which showed a lack of planning. Then I hadn’t thought I’d be leaving the town like I did.

“You haven’t brought a change of clothes with you?” Joyce seemed surprised.

“Only a change of underwear. I did have the foresight to put a clean pair of panties in my pack. As for the rest I’d only taken essentials like food and water. Spare clothing had been low on my list of priorities.

“Still out of those wet things. I might have something that you can wear.”

Reluctantly I changed out of my clothes.

I sat in Joyce’s quarters. The flowery dressing gown was far too short and tight around the shoulders. My feet were bare I could feel the rubberised floor underneath my toes. I had my panties on display I felt self-conscious about the bright red colouring but they were all I had, Joyce had bustled away with my wet clothes and boots. It gave me a chance to look around her quarters, There was single bed, a locker, a desk with a terminal. The only other items were a couple of packing cases against the far wall. I sat at the desk the only place I felt less exposed. I was really picking up too many Valkyrie habits I guess. The door slid open to reveal Joyce.

“We’ll have your clothes dry in about an hour.”

“Good.” That relieved me.

Joyce stared at me critically. “That will give us time to talk.”

“About what?”

“About you and what’s really troubling you?” Joyce’s gaze was intense.

“Nothing,” I replied guiltily.

“Really?” Joyce paused. “You do know I will listen and not judge.” She paused then continued. “I haven’t told any one else. What you told me will remain with me.”

Reluctantly I told her about the passage behind the waterfall and how it was linked to the Landottir town. A town I didn’t know the name of to my shame. I was supposed to be one and didn’t know the name of the town the Clan had founded. I continued telling her of the town and how the Valkyrie had left the bodies where they died. I warned her about the crystals including the one I’d picked up in the passage.

“I know it’s hard,” Joyce consoled me. “We’ll mourn the dead later. It’s the living we must see to.”

I considered the wisdom of her words. Joyce was right I had to concentrate on the here and now.

“Now tell me what you’ve been up to since we last met?”

I looked at her oddly I thought I’d told her everything before I guess she wanted me to talk and take my mind off the passage. Again with reluctance I told her it all again this time in more detail. I wasn’t sure if I was doing the right thing but talking to Joyce made me feel better. By the time I had finished speaking my mouth was dry and my voice hoarse.

“Oh Gwen,” Joyce uttered softly. “I’m sorry so much pain, so much sadness. You don’t deserve this in your life. Camelia shouldn’t have done that you sending you away like that. She should have let you spend some time with your family.” Joyce grimaced. “I’ll have to remind her that people aren’t pieces on a chess board to be moved about on a whim. Granted your actions have saved lives but she should have more consideration.”

I was more than a little surprised she was on such familiar terms with Lady Broaden. Then I should have suspected that with the way she had addressed Lady Broaden when we’d spoken to her on the comms on Melanos.

Something about my face alerted Joyce to my thoughts.

“I bet you are wondering how a simple archaeologist knows Camelia so well?” Joyce smiled. “You’ve poured your heart out to me and now I’ll reveal something to you. You deserve something back.” Joyce took a deep breath. “Constantina is my niece. You know Sandra is my other niece. Constantine was my brother. I’m his older sister. Same father different mothers.”

I had suspected something but not that. That was one of those things you could never have thought of. There must be a reason why Constantine took the throne and not her. Politics not something I wanted to get involved in. A pit of vipers that would bite you without a second thought. “Ok,” I said rather lamely I couldn’t think of anything to say to that.

Joyce looked at me her expression serious. “I trust you won’t mention this to anyone else?”

“I won’t,” I said firmly Joyce knew too much about me anyway.

“Then that is that,” Joyce said then added. “Once your clothes are dry we’ll make sure you are fed. Then we’ll find you a bed. In the morning we’ll go back.”

I didn’t want to stay here I had to get back even if meant I’d be climbing over the remains of the Janari. I hadn’t planned on staying here. “Well…”

“You can’t be thinking of going back tonight?” Joyce looked shocked. She must have guessed what I was thinking.

“My camp is in the ruins of the Landottir town.” A town I still didn’t know the name of.

“I suppose we can fly you there?” Joyce tapped her lip thoughtfully. “We could do that? Yes that’s what we will do and in the morning we can look at this platform of yours.”

“We?” I had an inkling of what she was saying but I was still getting over the shock of her revelation.

“Me of course, that way I can get an early start. I’ll let my team know. I expect you’d could do with the company and two heads are better than one.”

I had a feeling this was a battle I couldn’t win. So I decided to cut my loses and give in. Despite everything that had gone on I was still enough of an Imperial to know who I was dealing with. Being a Clan Mother wasn’t even on the same level.

“Ok you win.”

“It’s not a matter of winning or losing. It’s the thrill of solving a mystery. Don’t you want to know the answer?”

Joyce was correct of course. I wasn’t going to do this on my own the logical part of my mind reminded me. It was going to be a long hard haul.