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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A blue-eyed lady heard a knock at the door and looked up from her Bible. The light above the frame was red, and after a few seconds it turned green.
Rand's voice came from the speaker. "I brought what you needed, Miss Dewlenser. Please don't hesitate to ask if you need something else."
"Oh, thank you!" she called, marking her place in the book and going to the closet. Just as promised, a plastic shopping bag contained several boxes of sealed, highly absorbent feminine pads. Perfect. She smirked, then stopped, not sure if there was a camera inside the tiny room as well. "I really appreciate it," she said through the door.
Rand had made to sit down in the hallway chair again, but decided to stand for a minute. He hardened his courage, putting the final stone in place. "Could I tell you a story?"
Cascadia's first reaction was to make a snide comment about how she was a captive audience, but stopped herself. "Sure, okay," she said, walking to the bed, setting the bag on the floor as she did.
"I can understand if you don't want to talk to me, we haven't exactly been… the most gracious of hosts."
"That's true, but you've been nothing but kind to me so far, Mr. Stonearm. You didn't have to get these for me," she gestured to the bag beside her. "And when I tried to escape, you didn't pick me up and toss me back in here or anything like that."
Rand chuckled. "This is a very odd conversation. And please, call me Rand." He paused. "Mr. Frost may give the orders, but I want to make sure they're carried out properly. Which brings me to my story, in a way."
Cascadia nodded. "Okay."
"…Once upon a time, a boy was digging a hole, searching for buried treasure. You know this is what boys do, since you have a brother."
It was still unsettling they knew that, but Cascadia kept quiet.
"And this boy was getting tired, and was so frustrated his hole was so small, that he yelled at the dirt to get out of his way, so he could find the treasure. And do you know what happened?"
"It obeyed you," Cascadia answered at once.
Rand nodded. "And then that boy grew up, got a degree in archeology, and wanted to spend his life unearthing treasures around the world. But instead, he attracted the attention of Mr. Drake Frost, and learned about a way to change the world instead, requiring nothing more than his unique ability." He put one arm against the wall and leaned on it. "During the search for a Water Star, the boy, now a man, got married and started a family. His children are still young, but he has them play outside as much as possible to see if any new holes or hills appear in the backyard. And when they grow up, where will the world be?"
He waited for a few moments to let his words sink in to the soil of her mind. No sound came out of the speaker, though.
"By now you've guessed that this is an impassioned plea for you to change your mind and assist us with the Prism Engine. Mr. Frost didn't mention a few other details, since he… had to leave so quickly. Due to the design of the machine, it only requires four people to operate: you, me, Yin, and Mr. Frost himself. Ash wouldn't be required, neither would any of his friends. They would be safe and free to enjoy the world we would create for them."
At the mention of Ash's name, Cascadia felt a soaring in her heart, a cresting wave of happiness, but at the mention of his friends, her face fell and the wave crashed. Nobody else that either of them knew had talents like they did, unless they were hiding too, or unless he got help from other talented people, but then did Rand know she didn't know about Ash's friends?
She let go of the sea-colored fabric she had been gripping, smoothing her dress back out, and remembering Rand was still waiting on the other side of the wall. "Thank you," she said in a quiet voice. "That was a lovely story."
"Thank you for letting me tell it to you," Rand said, then turned off the speaker and went back to his chair.
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A spread of fabric straps, plastic pieces, and wires lay across Lumina's kitchen table. Ash pored over the design sketched out on a piece of notebook paper. It just wasn't coming together, despite his best efforts. He couldn't figure out a way to get the valve to trigger without spilling all the gas out the front, which would have been a spectacular blaze but not good for a long mission.
He set down the igniter assembly he had been fiddling with. "I think I need a break. I can't get this to work, anyway." He pinched the bridge of his nose. "I'm gonna need some help."
"And what is the purpose of this little endeavour?" Lumina asked, lowering her newspaper. "I understand you want to surprise Azalea, but I'm a bit too old for surprises."
He gathered the parts into his backpack. "I'm making tiny flamethrowers that'll go on my wrists. I figure I can hide them in the sleeves of my nice jacket for tonight, and use them for other missions later. When we fought against Rand in the warehouse, I managed to get a piece of wood, which worked great, but I can't rely on that. If I had a way to go on the offensive, then…"
Lumina set down her tea, and her hands were shaking more than usual. "Ash, I admire your resolve to be a better asset to your team, but please be aware that a Fire Star talking about bolstering their offence is somewhat… worrisome." She looked up at him with imploring grey eyes. "You know full well how your emotions are tied to the efficacy of your talents, it is the same for all of us. But your power is unique in that a fire you start burns long after you have applied your heat to it."
Ash stood silently, adding her words to the embers of his mind.
"I know we have only known each other for a few days, but believe me when I speak from experience of having met many different Stars of all varieties. I have seen more strange and wonderful things than you could ever imagine. And I have seen just as many choose the path of treachery as the path of justice."
He sat down next to her.
"You must remember, above all else, God gave us our gifts to be used for His good, and for no other purpose. He did not create Drake intending he would hurt so many in his life, that was Drake's choice. You have the same choice. Use your power to protect. Save Cascadia, keep others from the same fate. But never forget who you are, and who He meant you to be."
"I understand." He nodded. "I promise I'll do that."
Lumina drained the rest of her teacup. "Don't promise to me, I'm not the one you have to answer to."
He finished gathering his things and took some bread and dry sausage from the pantry for a road snack. Lumina had got up from her seat and was preparing another kettle for tea.
"I should get going, though," he said, shouldering his backpack. "The bus should be coming by pretty soon, and I can be back here in time for tonight."
"Oh, don't worry about the bus, it has fewer stops on Saturdays. Just take my car." She gestured to a rack by the door that held, of all things, a car key on a fob.
Ash asked the obvious question. "You have a car?"
"Of course," she said. "What if Gayle has to go away and I need groceries? Or what if I want to go down to the club to play bridge with the old biddies?" Her brow furrowed. "That is something American women do, isn't it?"
Ash laughed. "Umm… Maybe? I'm not sure." He had never head Lumina joke around like this, it was refreshing. She had always been serious. Kind, but serious.
"So please, be my guest. It's in the car park across the plaza, on the fourth floor on the north-west side. I'm certain you'll be able to recognise it," she said, winking.
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"Oh my gosh, Gayle, your hair looks amazing…"
"Aw, thanks. Yours is lookin' fine too."
The large, roughly circular space was ringed with restaurants and food counters, the middle filled with tables for hungry shoppers. They were on the second floor, the escalators leading to the mall entrance occupying the open end of the circle. On a Saturday afternoon, they were in the company of hundreds of others, families and children, young couples and older ones, and individuals determined to brave a space like this.
Azalea sat down at the metal table next to her second favorite person in the world, setting her bowl of frozen yogurt in front of her. Gayle had already seated herself, making sure to be careful with her new hairstyle. Her straight, flaxen hair had been transformed into an elegant, sculpted knot atop her head, the ends curled into a spray resembling a bird's wing.
"I cain't remember the last time I've been gussied up like this," she said, making sure she kept her head as upright as possible. "I'll hafta be careful when I get in the car."
"I'll help you," Azalea said, smoothing down her new straightened hair and making sure her pins were still in place, some with little flowers on them and some with tomatoes. "With your dress, you are going to look fabulous!"
Gayle glanced at the clear plastic garment bag draped over the empty chair beside them, the pale, blushing color of the shimmering fabric shining through easily. "We'll see. It's been an even longer while since I wore somethin' like that."
Azalea swallowed a bite of her treat. Strawberry flavor, covered with assorted berries and other slices of fruit. "Probably since your wedding, huh?"
Gayle poked at her bowl of vanilla swirled with chocolate, topped with nuts and butterscotch sauce. "Yeah, that'd be right." The memory floated back to her, arrayed in all her finery, one she didn't want to let go of, especially since it only existed in her head now. "This thing cain't hold a candle to my weddin' dress, though. It was real big, with ruffles up the sleeves," she moved her free hand up and down her arm to illustrate, "and big ol' shoulders. I was a sight and a half in it."
Azalea admired her friend, imagining such a scene.
"Too bad I cain't show you any pictures of it, or… it, neither," she said, then shrugged and gazed up at the tall windows near the ceiling. "It's here and gone, just like the wind." She had gone too far and felt the back of her hair move. "Uh oh."
She looked down again while Azalea giggled. "What the heck is up with hairstyles, huh? As soon as you get used to it, your special whatever is over and you don't need it anymore."
Gayle took another bite. "Ain't that right."
Azalea grinned at how Gayle's casual jacket and jeans didn't really match the elegance of her hairdo. As she scooped up another spoonful of berries, a group of girls around her age walked by, gabbing about something or another. She didn't know them, she didn't even think they went to her school, but they were still her people. Or, she wanted them to be. Azalea looked after them wistfully, her heart-flower wilting a little. It had been doing that a lot lately, not being able to make up its mind on whether she should be happy or sad. She didn't even realize she had let out a little sigh until Gayle spoke.
"You alright, hon? Somethin' botherin' you?"
"Oh, you know," she said, waving her free hand. "Teenager stuff."
"Still miffed you cain't go tonight?"
"No… well, yes, but…" She set down her spoon, sinking back into her seat and breathing out heavily. Seeing the other girls had triggered her defense mechanisms, but she remembered who she was with and how honest she could really be. "Okay, yes. I'm sad I can't go, and I'm mad I can't just be a normal teenager, and yes I know I shouldn't use that word, but I still wanna be hanging out with people like that, and I have to be constantly watching out for creepy guys in suits who might want to capture me and turn me into Prism food, and that has a lot to do with how I'm angry because I know the real reason I can't go tonight is because I'm the weakest member of the team." She let out a breath, admitting it felt good.
"Now, let's not start that up again," Gayle said, pointing her spoon at her young companion.
"But it's true, you know it is," Azalea said, sitting up and holding the seat of her chair in her hands. "You're so powerful, and so is Lumina, and probably Cascadia too. You can all do amazing things, and I'm stuck with…" She waved her arm. "Magic tricks."
"First of all, I'm twice your age, you'll learn a lot when you live all your years over again. Second, you're somethin' else with your seeds."
"Yeah, but that's it, I hafta have seeds. Without them or without a… I dunno, a ficus or something, I'm stuck!" She was getting a little loud, but she didn't care. It wasn't like Frost or anyone would try something in a crowded mall, and especially not when Gayle was around. "I can't just fly away, or burn everything up, or blind everyone with sparkly lights."
"Alright, that's true," Gayle conceded. "But think about last night, what did the most good? Was it blowin' things around, or burnin' 'em up? Or was it a big ol' mess of weeds?"
Azalea pushed a straight lock behind her ear. "Well, I guess so."
"For the body is not one member, but many," Gayle quoted. "We all work together, that's what makes our team."
"So why can't I be part of the team tonight?" Azalea tried not to whine.
"'Cause it ain't that kind'a mission," Gayle said. "Ash and me cain't keep track of the party and you at the same time. There won't be any other littles there, so you'd stick out like a lamb in a herd of goats. But that don't mean bein' young is bad. Why, you know you have somethin' none of us both had when we were young, right?"
"Who, you and Ash?"
"Yep. None of our folks were there for us like yours are. We didn't have someone like Lumina who knew everythin' there was to know about bein' a Star. I didn't have someone who was always lookin' out for me, neither." She held her hand across the table and Azalea took it readily, feeling tears forming in her light green eyes.
Gayle felt the curious tingling that meant Azalea was trying to make her feel better, or turning something into a vegetable. "Who was that French gal whose book you were readin' a while back, the one you got on your bag?"
Azalea sniffed. "Saint Thérèse of Lisieux?"
"Yeah, that's her. She said somethin' you really liked, what was it again?"
Azalea's voice dropped. "It is my weakness that gives me strength."
Gayle let go of her hand, then snapped her fingers.
Azalea met her mentor's eyes, different shades of green reflecting the care they had for each other. "Thanks Gayle," she sniffed. "You're like, literally the sister I never had."
Gayle picked up her bowl and smirked over it. "Well, that'd be kinda awkward for one or the other of our folks, huh?"
That did it. Azalea's heart-flower perked right up, and she couldn't help but laugh.
"I know life can be hard," Gayle continued, "but we just gotta trust in the Lord, right? He's got a plan for us, otherwise He wouldn't have given us the gifts He did."
Azalea closed her eyes and clasped her hands in front of her. "There are different kinds of spiritual gifts but the same Spirit, there are different forms of service but the same Lord, there are different workings but the same God who produces all of them in everyone. To each individual the manifestation of the Spirit is given for some benefit. To one is given through the Spirit the expression of wisdom, to another mighty deeds." She opened her eyes. "First Corinthians, chapter twelve, verses four through eight, and part of verse ten." She nodded and unclasped her hands. "I memorized that a long time ago."
"Good work," Gayle said, grinning. "If Catholics are memorizin' their Bibles, we're better off than I thought."
"And another translation of verse ten says, 'to another, miracles.'"
They were both silent for a few moments, mulling over the truth of the Words. Gayle set down her empty bowl. "I reckon that's right."
Azalea couldn't stop her heart-flower from wilting completely, but she could still enjoy the afternoon. She checked her watch, which had a little cartoon rabbit on the face, which was okay, but also had carrots on the band, which was great. "Darn, we've gotta get going already. I was hoping we could catch a movie before we had to go back."
Gayle stood up and deposited her bowl in the trash bin before collecting her dress, draping it over her arm. "I'll give you a rain check on that one. What did you wanna see, anyhow?"
"The animated one about the kids with the nature spirits on their farm."
Gayle looked up at the windows again. "I heard that one was real good."1 She offered another prayer for the girl who had recommended it. "Hey, what about the new shootin' up one with that cutie actor?"
"I couldn't even get into that, I'm too young!"
"Aw, maybe we'll get it on video and watch it at Lumina's. What are sisters for, anyhow?"
Octave of Stars is currently airing on Substack for free, with two of the 45 total posts per week. It’ll be fully released at the end of April 2024. If you don’t want to wait that long, you can get the entire story right now, in either Ebook or paperback. Every purchase supports the ZMT Books mission of family-friendly entertainment.
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She really did. See Episode 03 —Ed