Episode 19
Welcome to the cereal serial version of Octave of Stars! Episodes will release every Monday and Thursday. If you’re finding this story for the first time, be sure to start at Episode 01 for maximum comprehension, or check out The Index for all available Episodes.
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"What I want to know is how in the bloody blazes she got hold of that key card?" a distinguished gentleman asked.
A deep voice answered. "According to Yin's statement, he dropped it when she sprayed him in the face with ink."
"And where did she get a bathtub full of ink?"
"That, we're not sure about, Mr. Frost."
"I thought I ordered the water to the room be regulated, and shut off at night?"
"You did, and, it was. I checked with the utility crew. You could try asking her about it, she's been compliant since the attempt."
"Hmph. That's a tactic, to be certain. She'll play nicely for now and you'll lower your defence, then she'll try something again. Just you watch, Rand."
"I understand, Sir."
"We simply have no time for this. If she won't cooperate, it could set us back weeks, even months!"
Rand wasn't sure what to say, but instead the elevator door opened. Rand stepped off first, as was procedure, followed by the expertly dressed, well-coiffed Mr. Drake Frost. The short styled hair on his head was dark black, but his trimmed moustache and beard were gray. It was as though he wanted to exhibit elderly wisdom and youthful vitality at the same time. Today's ensemble consisted of one of his favorite navy blue suits, with a crisp white shirt and black tie.
Frost walked with his hands behind his back, following Rand down the corridor. His dark blue eyes scanned the hallway; some of Rand's dirt was ground into the carpet, the walls were stained with black ink, and the firehose reel was missing a handle. Frost's sense of order told him it needed to be repaired, or he risked getting a violation from the fire marshal. His sense of business made a note to increase the bribe to the fire marshal.
Yin sat in a folding chair outside the door, sullen. His clean gray dress shirt lacked ink stains, but the stains on his mood mirrored those on his face. He stood when his superior approached. "Mr. Frost, Sir," he greeted, unsure of the response.
Frost gave him his cool glare. "Yin," he said flatly.
Rand checked over the intact outer door. "Nice job, by the way," he said to Yin.
"Thanks..." He breathed out moodily.
Rand smirked as he put his hand over the card reader. "Did you secure her?"
"Yes," Yin said, then went back to sulking.
Frost confirmed on the control panel that this was so, then nodded to Rand, who opened the doors, overriding the inner door so he and his employer could stroll right in to the suite.
Cascadia sat on the bed, a deep scowl on her face. Her hands were cuffed behind her back, despite her earlier attempt to wet her wrists with ambient moisture and slip them off. When Frost entered the room, her eyes grew wide for a moment, then her frown intensified. She hoped the ink stains on her face made her look more fearsome.
"Well well," Frost began. "Miss Dewlenser, it's a pleasure to finally be able to meet you." Rand pushed the chair in position so Frost could sit down across from her. Once he was comfortable, Rand turned and left the room, closing only the outer door. "I apologise that I wasn't able to get here sooner, but I've had nothing but troublesome meetings lately. Running a multi-national corporation is no easy task, I'll say." He held his hands clasped in his lap, and applied a less-cold, nearly warm gaze to her.
Cascadia wasn't swayed. "I'd like to speak to my lawyer."
"I'm sure you would. But, unfortunately, that won't be an option quite yet. You see, I still have a lot of—"
"I'd like to speak to my lawyer," she said, more intensely.
His gaze got colder. "Now, see here young lady."
She all but screamed. "I'd like to speak to my lawyer!"
"And tell him what?" Frost said sharply. "That you were kidnapped by a powerful company due to your ability to control water? Exhibit A, a bathtub full of ink. Exhibit B, putting out a trash fire with no bucket or hose? It seems you've already been found guilty."
Cascadia tried to keep a straight face. They knew, they had been watching her after all.
"And before you try to deny or hide anything, yes, we know about your dear Mr Grisarco. It's quite touching, really, if a bit tragic."
She tried to hide the pained expression as soon as it surfaced. "I have nothing to say."
Frost arched an eyebrow. "Your resolve is admirable, my dear, I will give you that. So, since you haven't got much to say but 'no,' then I will do the talking instead." He adjusted himself in his chair. "I shall waste no more time, since mine is quite valuable. Our world is heading into an energy crisis. Finite resources cannot be replenished, the demand for energy is higher than ever. Oh, that's right." He said, putting his finger to his chin. "Of course, you know all this because you wrote a university paper on it. And were not particularly glowing in your review of the company. My company."
Cascadia shook her head. This was becoming ridiculous.
"And while current alternative energy sources are developing well, they ultimately fall short. What we need is something powerful and effective, and we need it quickly. And that is where you come in, my dear." He paused to let the uncertainty sink in. "You have a rare ability, and I mean that not only in regard to humanity in general, as you have known your whole life, but also among our smaller society of Stars."
She could hear the capitalization of that word. So, that was what they were called. She immediately thought of the church near her home and prayed: 'Ave Stella Maris.'
"The last known Water Star died over fifty years ago. If any were alive in the twenty-five years between then and your birth, they never made themselves apparent and I never found them. Now, for the heart of the matter. I have been developing a device, an engine of sorts, that should be able to solve all the world's energy problems, and then some. If it functions as designed, we would even have enough surplus to begin space exploration within the decade. But I cannot do it without your help."
Cascadia's heart flowed in different directions at once. Solving the energy crisis? Only she could do it? Her childhood dreams came in on the tide of her memory: Cascadia, Princess of the Oceans, saving the planet alongside her companion, Ash of the Gray Arches. She still had the hand-drawn comic book in a box in the garage. But adult Cascadia, college student and budding author, knew better. Everything sounded good at first, but then came the catch. The drawback. The price.
She decided to speak, but her voice came out much weaker than she hoped it would. "Why kidnap me? Why not just ask me to help?"
"Would you have listened? Would you have hung up the phone call or torn up the letter? We know who you are, Miss Dewlenser. We've been watching you for far longer than you would like to know."
She shivered.
"Also… the device is, as yet, untested. My employees," he gestured behind him to the hallway, "are willing to do whatever it takes to accomplish this goal, in addition to doing whatever I say, despite the risks. The legal red-tape required to develop the machine, get the permission of the participants, undergo medical testing… doing it in the open would take years."
"The machine requires… me?"
"Yes, indeed." His gaze turned even colder. "According to my research team's calculations, we would be able to generate enough energy to power the country for over a century. Unfortunately, you would be… indisposed for at least… ten years or so? Your family would of course be compensated handsomely for your absence."
She was right. It had been too good to be true. She closed her eyes, buoying up her courage, then took a breath. "Here's my answer." She spat in his face.
Cascadia was not particularly proud of her ability to do this, as it was pretty gross and completely unladylike. But it had also proved useful in various odd situations, such as this one. She was able to fill her mouth with a good quarter-cup of her own body's water in the space of a second, and launch it from her mouth with alarming velocity. She hadn't thought much beyond the initial attack, maybe she could pin him down or threaten him somehow and force the guards to let her out. But it didn't get that far.
No sooner had the unsettling projectile left her mouth than she blacked out. Cascadia was still conscious, but she couldn't see anything, worse than just closing her eyes. Utter blackness. Just as her body tensed from the panic, the blackness was gone. She blinked, grateful she could still do so. Lying on the floor between them was a golf-ball sized chunk of water, frozen solid.
Frost sat there, looking displeased, as Yin burst into the room holding something long and thin, Rand following with bare fists clenched. Both wore odd sunglasses with light gray lenses.1 Their employer raised his hand, and the two enforcers relaxed. Frost sighed. "I knew the diplomatic route would never work. But never let it be said that I did not try." He stood up and moved towards the exit. "Thank you Miss Dewlenser, I've had a wonderful chat, but I need to be going. I have to prepare for an important social event tonight. My associates will remove your handcuffs after I've gone. Good day." With that, he left.
Yin removed his glasses and made sure his employer left the room safely, while Rand approached Cascadia. "You know it's not polite to spit," the taller man spoke, peering at her over the rim of his pair.
Cascadia said nothing in reply.
"Yeah," Yin said, ambling toward her with a tiny key in his hand. "Totally unattractive. Ruins the whole deal." He grabbed the metal that encircled her wrists, unlocking it deftly and pocketing the cuffs. "Be good, little rusalka."
She only clenched her teeth in reply.
The two men commiserated in the hallway while locking up the suite. Rand sighed. "Will you quit already?"
Yin crossed his arms defiantly. "What? She's pretty, I can't help it."
"Yes, you can."
"Hmph." He ran a hand down the back of his head. "You're just jealous because you're all tied down."
Rand sighed. "I am not." He jabbed a finger at him. "You just be careful, or you're gonna end up drowned."
Yin considered this for a moment, as if judging its merit, but just chuckled.
Rand put a hand to his forehead. "We never figured out how she got all that ink. There was only just the one pen from the drawer… I need it for the security report."
"I know how she did it," Yin said, smoothly sitting down in his chair.
Rand waited for the rest. "And…"
Yin smirked, putting his arms on top of his head. "When they were cleaning up the room, some books had fallen off the shelf. The maid told me that all the pages were blank. I checked it out, and every book had blank pages." He raised his eyebrow.
"She washed the ink… out of the books, in the bathtub," Rand said slowly.
"And then hid underneath it when I came in the room."
Rand spoke first. "She's good."
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Oh God, what just happened? What did I just feel? I can't stop shaking, even with the blanket wrapped around me. I can barely hold the pencil. Not because of the creepy guard, or that ball of ice on the floor.2 What kind of power does Frost have? Is it actually ice? No, the room didn't get cold when he used it, it got Dark. Capitalized to show how intense it was.
And not that kind of darkness, either. It didn't feel like that time there was some kind of presence in my bedroom at night and I shot Holy Water at it until it went away. No, this was just darkness. Nothing demonic involved.
So, let's work this out. Light is good, right? Sunny days are joyful and happy, basking in the sun is positive for most animals, us included. Vitamin D is beneficial to your health, it's good to get out and get some sun.
Logically then, the opposite must be true. People have always avoided going out at night throughout history. Humanity has always had some way of dispelling the darkness, from campfires to candles to light bulbs. If a prisoner is kept in the dark, they go crazy. Same with explorers lost in caves. What if it wasn't the higher activity of predators in ancient times, or the lack of social and sensory interaction with the others? What if it had to do with the darkness itself?
In physics class, we learned that light is a type of energy, and darkness is the absence of that energy. But what I felt in that room was definitely a presence. Something was there. It was thick, obscuring, chilling, smothering. It blinded my eyes and gripped at my heart. It felt like cold tendrils had snaked into my soul, and they're still there. Many Saints talk about periods of spiritual aridity, and liken it to darkness. Maybe they weren't being entirely metaphorical. Maybe they met someone like Frost, too.
But why don't more people know about this? Night time isn't terror-filled like it used to be, but there are also thousands, maybe millions of lights in the city. Maybe it was the amount of darkness, or the concentration. If light can be focused into something like a laser, then why can't darkness also? But then there would be a dark laser. A daser? Maybe there is. Maybe the reason no one talks about it isn't because it's impossible to make.
Maybe it's because whoever made it was so disturbed they never tried it again…
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The opposite of sunglasses must be moonglasses
I like how she just leaves it there. But so do they, so…