The Persephoni Log User 2400-1

  Sileao Silano Translated by Noe Rom

  Since the invasion my older brother doesn’t speak much. He gets mad sometimes that I’m still training to run in the first gauntlet on this new planet. We’ve had several heated “discussions” about it, but he can’t change my mind. Sometimes he looks at me like I’m broken. I know that look well. I give him the hard stare back neither of us wants to bring up the past. Still everywhere I go I see someone or something that reminds me of Severin.

  Chapter 2

  The ominous sound of thunder woke Sileao that afternoon. He was trying to rest after his night outside on the cold ground. What was it with this planet that was so endearing and yet so formidable, he wondered, as a bolt of lightning flashed illuminating the underbelly of his room. The sudden light made shadows on the ceiling. They could have had a more interior apartment, but Sirus liked to be close to the outside world. Close Sileao thought, still he reached out and touched the pane of reinforced glass that made up the entire back wall of the pocket apartment. Not close enough. The apartment looked out over the countryside beyond the city. Sirus hadn’t; come home yet. He was probably on night patrol around the compound entrances Sileao hated being alone. Most of all he hated being alone here. He could barely wait for his next patrol and for the "Gauntlet". Some nights he didn’t come home. Most of the time he was careful not to let Sirus think he’d been out at night alone. He’d say he was training and was going to stop at some surface dwellers home or another compound member’s apartment afterward. If he was caught, he hated to think what the consequences might be if the council found out.

  He poured every waking hour into training or flying. He was nineteen now and too old for basic studies. His mother and Sirus thought it time for him to commit to a career. For Sileao though, there was only the Gauntlet. He could not give up the idea of winning it. Of flying in it, of running in it. It was an obsession that kept him going. The tightness came again in his throat as the next thunder clap boomed. The familiar sadness. He felt out of place in his life in his skin, and yet so uniquely in sync with everything around him. He was a pawn. A pawn fighting for a dream some thought he should have buried a time long ago on the way to adulthood. He dosed off...When he woke again he was crying out. He was Crystalizing in tracks of shiny bright silver cream. Sirus was there he must have heard him, how embarrassing.

  “The dreams again?” Sirus asked. Sileao nodded wiping his cheeks with his forearm.

  “You need to go to sleep therapy again it’s been too long, I should have made you go sooner.”

  “I don’t want to go back.” Sileao heard himself say but it was hollow

  “Get up. You’re going.” Sirus said.

  “It doesn’t help.” Sileao said getting up and walking over to the window to watch the storm. It was calmer now and the rain came in quiet drumming streams. Flowing silently down the panes of glass, like. The drops, turned to streams of silent rivulets that seemed to synchronize with the pace of ones Sileao felt inside. Streams that started in his mind like pinprinks and dripped in and through his arms and chest, until his heart ached and his eyes betrayed him. It was pain, that was not pain. A pain he had to hide everyday of his life. Pain others could not share.

  “You're going.” Sirus said and that was the end of it.

  ***

  Noe Liked Midweek it was Solumn and reflective. Everyone gathered in the chapel right outside the compound near the beginning of new Hari. A few songs were sung and a few reflective passages were read and then people were usually encouraged to do a good deep or come forward and light candles or saw prayers. Noe found he always got strange looks during service. He noticed the many of the guantlet runners sitting together on the benches toward the front of the room as he sat with Krauffen, Aleuka, Amberelen, Kor and Lia. Aristo slipped in late on the end whispering

  "Sorry...Sorry." as he sat down and the other folks all turning their heads to stare. The Hari had a god for each clan and usually each clan liked their god the best. Although the god Tula for which the Rom's clan was formed was considered the leader or head of all the rest. That was why the turtle shaped brithmark on the underside of Noe's left arm had been so startling to Danteji when he'd first seen Noe. To offend Tula was an unforgivable act. Noe turned his arm up and studied the mark. brown splotches that somehow looked like what they imaged Tula to be like. Noe called it a turtle. In fact he thought each of their gods resembled or had an E'arth animal equivalent. Although not exact to simplify the clans and remember them Noe had taken to referring to them in his head as the animals each clan's god resembled. There was Moa clan that resembled a long stick or a snake run by Kilti a man just as straight and snake like. There was Monant -Danteji's clan that was what Noe thought of as the monkey clan. Sileao's clan Lira seemed like a large cat of some kind. Eloph was very Elephant like the clan leader Kira Koata was the only female on the council and Noe had heard she sided with the queen's grandfather almost always. There was Noritanta which might have been a unicorn or some kind of horse. Rho which looked very much like a cute bunny, Zillis, let by Zoran a kind old book loving soul and Ide or the bird clan as Noe thought of them. There was also Codentati but that was a clan for the criminals and underbelly of the Hari society that did not get a vote on the clan council

  "Now on Calana day remember to do a good deed. As sister Calona was always doing good deeds. And remember to be faithful to those you love whether friends or family. Faithfulness is very important in life, although it maybe very hard." The chapel speaker was saying. It seemed very scripted and yet somehow applicable to multiple different things.

  "I'm hungry." Lia said "Hush." Aleuka said it will be over in a minute. The choral group did another song and then it was over the choral group music was beautiful and sad at the same time a compilation of notes on top of notes and sounds on top of sounds with a few Hari words interspersed here and there that gave it a very epic feeling. The music was always Noe's favorite thing about Mid-week. After the service was over Krauffen turned to Noe.

  "I had something come up with work. Your Mum is tired. would you like to go to the cafeteria with the other kids or come home. Lia is going home and I need Kor in the lab. Amberlene said she'd like to go to the cafeteria so you could go together. Noe peered around Krauffen as he said this to see Amberlene's face. She made a face at him and mouthed something Noe didn't quite catch but he could get the idea.

  "Yeah, I'll go with Amberlene he said knowing that he'd essentially be going alone. Krauffen nodded.

  Noe joined the alien children as they headed for the cafeteria as soon as the service ended and the rest of the family had departed. Amberlene made a show of staying with him only until their parents had rounded the bend in the hallway and could no longer see them. The cafeteria was a hub of activity during the day. Today it was raining outside, a dreadful driving rain. Noe stopped to watch it momentarily through the huge glass Cafeteria windows. Five stories of glass to the metal roof. Noe rubbed his stomach wishing Krauffen hadn't had work. Even after six years of being the Rom family pet human Noe still got stares everywhere he went. Only a few other families had specie pets as the Hari called them. All around Noe faces that looked human except for the runes on their faces arms legs neck. They might have been just a bunch of humans except for the liquid they drank, their inhuman strength and sometimes their strange abilities. The runes on their bodies swirled in intricate lines that glowed neon green when they laughed or were angry or embarrassed.

  “Howdi again.” Kiega said as he bounced up to Noe. He edged his way into the mile-long food line. It wasn’t a mile but it felt that way to Noe with his stomach growling.

  “Hatii.” Noe replied noticing that Kiega seemed truly glad to see him. Noe swiveled his head to look again at the line which didn’t seem to have moved.

  “So you know that today is?” Keiga asked. Noe tried to think,

  “Be a push over day that’s what.” Said a gangly boy behind them with golden hair and a wide grin.

  “Kileaf, don’t’ let the speaker hear you say something so wicked.” Kiega said slapping Kileaf’s arm

  “You don’t want our Huma friend to be misinformed about our religion do you?” Kileaf asked with a hint of mischief in his voice.

  “Noe it’s do a good deed day and this is my cousin by the way he’s very melodramatic” Keiga announced still bouncing up and down as if he couldn’t possibly get enough energy out of his little body. He seemed fully recovered from the scolding he’d received the day before.

  Noe looked at Kileaf again if these two were cousins it was hard to tell. Kiega was short and cheerful with short dark air and bright hazel eyes that looked like ponds of murky water.

  There was a rune on his left cheekbone a tiny floret of green, the nearest Noe had ever seen one to anyone’s nose. Kileaf on the other hand was around 5.10 with golden brown hair and green eyes and a seriousness to him that was lacking in Kiega’s cheerful cheekbones. The only resemblance was possibly the mouth which for both of them was rather large.

  “You mean Calana day?” Noe asked.

  “Yes, Keiga, Noe was in chapel with us” Kileaf said to the younger boy. Then he turned to Noe again

  “Do a kindness day for those of us who apply to the old way. Keiga here has decided to participate.

  “How does one participate?” Noe asked.

  “Well,” said Keiga “Say I pay for someone in the line behind us to have lunch. That would be doing them a kindness or a good deed.

  “By the way who’s in the line behind us?" Keiga asked turning to his cousin.

  “Meri.” But she doesn’t; count because she’s my sister and you know her.” Kileaf answered. Meri was a lightbrown haired girl with brown eyes and tan skin. She was in her school clothes. So she must have changed in-between ritual and the cafeteria.

  “I don’t see how that makes a difference. Who’s behind her.”

  “Kelli she doesn’t count either because she’s looking around waiting for someone to preform her good deed for as well.”

  “I don’t see how that even matters Keiga said pouting

  “It doesn’t count because she’d expect it and she doesn’t really need help her father gives her all the money she needs.”

  “Well who’s behind her then.

  “Get out of my way pea brain. I told you I was here first and if you don’t believe me I’ll make you wish you had.” Kiega shook his head.

  “No way. “ he muttered looking back at the furrowed brow of the six foot-two scowling face of Narvi Sol.

  “I heard they let him out of solitary confinement earlier today.” Kileaf said grimacing. “If it’s any consolation he probably needs the food.

  Also in his case it would be a kindness as he loves to eat. He also loves the choco kirsh but he never has any money for them. I bet he’ll short the lunch lady on the credit for his meal too. The only way he gets away with it is that the lunch attendant will take it up with Heloani who will end up covering it.”

  Noe had reached the counter now and was facing a dumpy lunch lady who looked at him crossly.

  “Huma, you know I don’t have much on the menu you can eat and today I don’t think there is anything.”

  “Please just give me anything I’m starving.” Noe said

  “Anything could kill you." The lunch lady replied sarcastically

  "Janice bring this poor Huma boy, the cold spaghetti your friend Safron left in the fridge yesterday. Krauffen’s gone and forgotten to feed him again.” She shouted. A frightened looking huma girl hurried to the counter with a plate of spaghetti. “Hey, Noah" she said looking down and then only for a moment in his eyes directly.

  "No charge, kid since its leftover and its Calana day." She said and turned to her next customer. Which was Kiega.

  “What can I do for you baby.” She said in a disinterested manner. Putting on her best fake smile.

  “See the tall boy with white hair and blue runes Keiga asked conspiratorially. “The one with the sciv scar on his chin.”

  “Narvi!” the lunch lady fairly shouted exasperatedly. Everybody knows Narvi! Keiga.” The lunch lady said exasperatedly refusing to be in on the scoop or whatever conspiratorial mood Kiega was trying to strike.

  “Well I’d like to pay for his lunch and add some choco kirsh to his order as well as whatever he wants to drink besides heckonate. It’s on my credit tab. It being Calana and all.” Kiega said and swiped his comlink bracelet barcode for payment.

  “You have got to be kidding me Narvi Sol?. Calana day huh.” The lunch lady said shaking her head. Kiega smiled at her and took his tray of selected food to sit down.

  Noe watched Kileaf come up behind the counter after Keiga had departed the lunch lady looked put out

  “You going to pay for somebody else too.” She asked wiping her wide beaded brow.

  “Naw. I keep Calana in my heart these days how about I leave you a couple of dollars as a tip on behalf of my idiot cousin and the two girls in navy behind me." Kileaf said pulling a couple actual dollars from his vest pocket and placing them on the counter in front of the cook who gave him the first genuine smile Noe had ever seen cross her features. She is always cross with him and Kiega’s exuberance seemed to make her irritable, but she smiled for Kileaf when he handed her the two measly dollars barely worth more than a few pieces of candy in the Hari economy and said

  “Aren’t you the handsome one.” Noe watched as Kileaf then moved his hand again and took back the two dollars of credit he'd extended in flattery while the lunch lady still smiling rang up the rest of his order. What a sneaky trick Noe thought, but also balsy, very balsy. Noe thought

  He was sitting alone, when Kiega and Kileaf moved away from the counter. They sat down next to him as if some sort of agreement had been made between them. Sankanija Floren Kileaf's girlfriend joined them.

  Keiga picked up his is Jui Ji drink and began sipping then he took a bite of his galactic burger but before he could take a second, a fist slammed the table beside him making the table wobble and Kiega’s elbow propped on the table jiggle till his hand dropped the sandwich back onto his plate.

  “What is this? You think I need your charity!” A tall pale skinned white haired blue eyed god with a scarred chin and bandaged wrists said holding up a tray of food as if in protest.

  His face Noe noticed was blue around the edges all the way up to his ears where his runes were glowing with the intensity of his emotion. Narvi dropped the food tray on the table in front of Keiga and slammed the table again with his fist. Narvi Telan, or Narvi Sol was not well liked. He was not even technically Hari although he was a part of their sister clan. His clan had almost decimated the Hari when the Hari had tried to seek refuge on his planet. Thirteen years ago when Narvi was three or four he'd been that's when the Hari had left Tybrinth Narvi's home planet and the queen had taken Narvi with her. Noe really didn't know the whole story just that there was some complicated circumstances that surrounded Narvi and that he always seemed ticked off. Personally Noe tried hard to stay out of his way.

  “If you don’t’ want it I guess I can take it.” Kiega said meekly. Narvi stood still for a moment before he scooped up the tray. As he was about to walk away his eyes narrowed looking straight at Noe then focusing on Kileaf.

  “Be kind to misfit’s day is it.” He said in Kileaf's direction and stormed off to the other side of the cafeteria.

  Kileaf Laughed. “my gods he can’t even say thank you.” See you just did a kindness for someone who needed it and didn’t understand it Kiega.”

  “I guess.” Kiega said swiveling his head to look around for Narvi who had a roundtable by himself near the back of the cafeteria. He was wolfing down his food like there was a five second rule for eating. Kiega looked back at Kileaf

  “He used to be your friend right?” Kiega asked Kileaf furrowed his brow.

  “He's still my friend, he's just forgotten that I'm his." Kileaf said sadly.

  Noe looked at the ground. Maybe Narvi was right maybe Kileaf and Keiga where only being kind to him as a way of getting points for their religious holy day.

  After scarfing down his cold spaghetti Noe headed to history. After history he made his way to his job at Stargauge. Stargauge was the central hub of communications for the Hari people. They had little interspace communication since coming to earth but within stargauge all the interplanet communication was regulated. Business deals phone calls or holocalls. Landing and take off notifications. Information on the huma workforce ect..Noe worked mostly in running and monitoring the simulators used by those practicing flight maneuvers for the gauntlet. All year round Hari aging from 12-25 trained for the rigorous race which would determine who’s clan got the most elected members on the council for the next year. It was a democratic system. The race was a race of physical prowess and it was not un-common for opponents to cheat although if it could be proved you cheated it was severely punished. Koa of house Tor had cheated against Sileao the first year he’d run. Noe didn’t know what had happened but he knew that because of it Sileao had missed winning the race by a hair and become partially deaf in his left ear. Noe often heard people lament “Cloud Ryder’s signing voice.” Which had apparently been beautiful. Hari valued singing and were often able to sing many notes at once flawlessly. Such had been the case with Sileao.

  Dortani was known to break into song in the hallways at even closing ceremonies. Ko had been banned from ever flying again after the incident because there had been so many witnesses since that day he had become bitter. Noe concentrated on the simulators and pushed all other thoughts from his mind. The two who came in first were Kileaf and Sankonija. Kileaf said hellow to him which was a first. Sankonija acted as if he didn’t exist. They listened to his voice in the sim though, which was all that mattered.

  “Your cutting to hard Sankonija, fighters on your left flank trying to beat you to the finish line. They are from Ortheos so they will use their firepower against you.”

  “Ill cover you.” Kileaf said lining up his gun.

  “If you help. You will leave yourself unprotected. Let Sankanija get ride of them with some fancy flying maneuvers and you see if you can increase your speed or you’ll find yourself getting shown up by Nimferi jets.”

  “You’ve never even flown Noe how can you know if we’re are doing something wrong?” Kileaf asked

  The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.

  “I’ve flown the sims a hundred times. I even got to help the programmers with the holo placements in a few of the screens. I’ve been fixing jets for the last three years.”

  “Okay, Okay. I won’t underestimate you.”

  “Of course you will but they won’t let me play a sim against you so it doesn’t matter.” Noe said

  “Then play one against me.” A voice not on the headset said at Noe’s shoulder.

  “Dortani, Noe stiffened

  “Noe?” Kileaf said raising his voice as fighters come at him from both sides.

  “Noe. He said again but Noe had frozen. Dortani continued to speak to Noe moving steadily up behind his seat with the headset

  “I said play the sim with me.”

  “I’m working Dortani.” Noe said. Trying to be emotionless

  “Noe stop talking to that lout and talk to us Sankanija said addressing him directly for the first time Noe could remember.”

  “I have to finish their sim Dortani.” Noe said turning back to the screen.

  “Fine after then.” Dortani said waving his hand and stepping a few feet away.

  “Sankanija pull up, Kileaf bank right and then use the nose dive.”

  “Its no use I’ve already taken too many hits. I am going to kill Dortani.” Kileaf said as a final hit to his engine put him out of commission. Sankanija managed to pull her ship out safely but placed last out of the fighters in her unit. They had been playing against the computer but neither of them were pleased. They exited the sims as Noe yanked off his headset.

  “Dortani.” Both of them said at once. Seeing the grinning bastard propped against the control station.

  “Why did you have to ruin our training time.” Kileaf said.

  “Its not my fault the little pet is so afraid of me, and so polite too.” Dortani said winking. “I came in as he was boasting he could fly a sim better than both of you and I challenged him to a sim race.

  “He’s not allowed Dortani, he’s on work duty and he certainly wouldn’t be permitted to have a go against us even in a sim.”

  “Its fine. I say its fine so it is. What do you say Nowah?”

  “Noe, say No.” Sankonija says empirically.

  “I don’t think it’s a good idea.” Noe managed

  “What’s the problem taking back those bold words. Why I bet you crash in the first frame.”

  “Fine I’ll do it.” Noe said pushing down his fear of the repercussions as his chance to actually show the guantlet racers that he did know how to use the controls in one of their jetwings as well or better than they did.

  “Okay, no headset.” Dortani said turning a warning look on Sankanija and Kileaf.

  “Fine, as long as you promise not to kill me when you lose.” Noe said feeling something tighten in his gut.

  “Don’t worry, I won’t lose.” Dortani smirked and jumped inside his sim which shaped like a giant green egg. Noe got in to the pod next to Dortani’s which looked identical except that it was blue. Noe’s palms were clammy as he waited for the door to lock in place. He’d run through the sims a hundred times but never against an opponent.

  “You pick the landscape.” Dortani said over the connected commlink in the pod.

  “Dune’sand.” Noe said punching in the frame.

  “Fine by me, eat my exhaust.” Dortani yelled pushing his throttle down hard.

  Noe heard Dortani’s sand scooter roar to life and slowly coaxed his sim throttle into action.

  The two fighters on screen shot off into the sandscape. It was bare except for a tall treelike growth every hundred yards or so and the occasional cacti. Dortani remained ahead most of the run. Noe let him inch ahead little by little. He knew more about this these simulations than almost anyone as he’d helped Alko build them. Alko was a genius with tech and although she’d said Noe's brain would be too slow she’d insisted to Krauffen that she needed someone like Noe to help her after the first few weeks of him hanging around to watch her work after sim work detail. He'd learned everything he could and eventually been promoted to coms. He couldn't wait till sleep therapy was over and he got his first live lesson in a Jetwing. Noe fell further behind but remained calm. Even knowing how to there was a shortcut just ahead and Noe knew just how to jump through it. Dortani continued along the flight path while Noe’s holo launched to the left over the barren dunes.

  “Haha told you you were no match for me couldn’t even keep your scooter on the scape.” Dortani’s laugh stopped abruptly as Noe’s holo launched in front of his own on the sandscape

  “How did you do that?” Dortani yelled angrily. Just then there was a voice over the com

  “Guys!”

  “Kileaf. I said no headset Dortani barked.

  “Guys council members just walked in. I think you should stop.” Kileaf said again in an anxious tone.

  “Nonsense, we will finish the Sim.” Dortani retorted launching ahead of Noe who felt the blood freeze in his veins. He made a show of giving chase but fear gripped him. His heart was no longer in the race. If the council saw him win against a guantlet racer.... Noe accelerated and stayed on course forgoing any fancy maneuvers or strategy that might have given him the upper hand. He finished close but not ahead of Dortani’s holo.

  “Well I told you I’d beat you, Huma scum. I told you you’d eat my exhaust.” Dortani said all smiles as he exited the sim. His father and Kilti were not smiling.

  Dortani had the audacity to grin at them. “Hi da.” He said Noe knew better than to say anything

  “Dortani.” Danteji said in hushed tones that spoke of control that was having a hard time reigning itself in.

  “Just what do you think you were doing in the sims with a Huma.” Kilti the other council member and head of Moa clan asked addressing Dortani in a hiss “And you Huma are you not in violation of your job code.” He finished through his teeth.

  “Dortani told Noe he had to race him.” Kileaf said

  “Dortani, let’s go forget about training for the rest of the day. You violated code and therefore you’ll be on watch duty till midnight for the rest of this week.” Danteji said gruffly

  “What about him.” Dortani said angrily looking at Noe

  “I think the fear he has of you is punishment enough. You knew he could not help but get in trouble. Whether he refused you and you broke something or he acquiesced to your request and someone punished him for violating code. You are clever but it’s a good thing I am your father and know what you’re about. Danteji said smacking Dortani lightly on the back of the head now get home watch duty starts in 4 hours.”

  “Alfron will not take it lightly if the boy receives no punishment for this.” Kilti said after Dortani has gone, and they’d left the Stargauge conference plaza for the cold tubular hall outside.

  “Then you won’t mention it will you.” Danteji said

  “I don’t know what your playing at but it won’t change anything Rom has got to learn a lesson sometime.” Kilti said angrily "The Huma are not blessed like we are among the people's of the stars. We can't have people thinking that they are." Kilti finished.

  “Just give it time, I’d hate for the tears to start prematurely. If you get my meaning.” Danteji said

  “I think I read you.” Kilti said smiling slyly. Donteji smiled back.

  ***

  Noe was in sleep therapy dreaming he had something in his hands. He smashed something against a tree. It splintered and suddenly there was music a strange and familiar music not like the Hari music he'd just heard the day before.

  Suddenly he was running again, the concert hall loomed in front of him and then Dortani’s father Danteji with the Axe. Noe woke in a cold sweat to a clicking nose the pod opened without the researchers and the controls all blinked. The room around Noe was completely dark. There were usually walkway lights and a few lights on the wall but for some reason there was no illumination of any kind.

  “Hey, he said into the dark and then noticed sudden green runes glowing as another pod opened.

  “Hey yourself." said a voice Noe recognized as Sileao's."

  "Is that you Noe." Sileao asked pulling his head out of the pod.

  "Yes." Noe said

  Sileao threw his legs over the side of his pod. Noe couldn't believe it it had been a long time since he'd seen Sileao in sleep therapy.

  He and Sileao had been buddies in Sleep therapy a few years ago, but then Sileao had stopped coming and Noe had had to continue coming off and on over the years. Every now and then someone was here but most of the time Noe was alone when he came.

  Noe and Sileao had been to the surface a few times together. Sileao of all the Hari that Noe had met seemed to be the most curious about humans and their way of life before the invasion.

  “What's going on?” Noe asked.

  “Blackout." Sileao said It happens sometimes.”

  “Is no one here?” Noe asked

  “Its late they’re probably sleeping in the back. During a blackout the pods open automatically. It’s a safety feature that’s super annoying but I wouldn’t want to get stuck in one of them. Come on this way. Sileao said exiting his own pod walking further back among the pods until he found one was much bigger than the ones they'd been using. Noe climbed into one side Sileao slid into the other side lowering the lid until it was only open halfway.

  Sileao's runes pulsed and grew brighter until Noe could dimly see the space and the spirals on Sileao’s cheekbones glowing green.

  When they weren’t glowing, they looked just like light gray tattoos on his face, his arms, and legs. Sometimes they were so faint Noe imagined they weren't there at all. When Hari had emotions like anger or sadness or happiness their runes would glow brighter and when they were just feeling normal they remained grayish on top of the skin tone. Hari could also choose to turn them on like Sileao was doing right now.

  “So what were you dreaming just now?” Sileao asked

  “O, its always the same.” Noe said giving a slight shrug of his shoulders. I mean there was something new this time. I was playing well an instrument. As he said the word Noe marveled. While he’d been dreaming and even after he’d woken up he hadn’t known what he’d been holding or what he’d smashed against the tree.

  Sileao looked puzzled as well.

  “It has to do with music like the shop.” Noe said referencing a mostly intact music shop they’d found together a few years back. Sileao had been interested in the place and had asked if he could take Noe out to the surface one day randomly. When Kruaffen had agreed they’d gone to the shop and found a Jeep parked in the back that still played CDs and a stereo system in the shop that worked as well. Sileao really liked human music he said. Especially classical. Hari music was beautiful too, but it was different. Everyone had their own song and could sing more than one note at once. At least almost everyone. Sileao used to be one of the best singers in his age group-until his first Gauntlet when he was twelve. There had been an explosion which had been meant to kill him. Sileao had been skilled enough to pull himself out alive but the explosion had caused damage to his left ear drum. He couldn’t sing after that. Dortani’s older brother Ko and several of the others thought to be responsible for the explosion had been barred from ever entering the Gauntlet again. Typically the rules were clear no foul play was to be involved but the stakes were high for winning. You got to pick someone from your clan to sit on the council and if you won several years in a row you could have more than one representative from your clan. The more representatives from your clan the more votes you had toward policy and change. There were limits and the Princess or ruling entity always had veto power over the councils decisions but the clans were always jockeying for position and power in the ranks and the race was a great way to highlight the abilities of the younger generation while lining the pockets and boosting the careers of the older Hari.

  “What do you dream of?” Noe asked to divert from himself for a moment.

  “The past mostly. Our life on Sergio sometimes.”

  “Was it beautiful?”

  “Not like E’arth, but it had its own kind of beauty. Tell me more about what you dreamed tonight I like music.” Sileao said abruptly changing the subject.

  “I don’t know I was holding it or playing it and then I smashed it against a tree.” Noe said

  “You did not like the music?” Sileao asked confused.

  “I don’t know it, it made me feel something. But then I started the loop all over again going to the concert hall looking for something. Blacking out-seeing Danteji. And then just coming here with no memory. Its been six years I’m so tired of sleep therapy and I’m no closer than when I started. To understanding these dreams from my the past.

  “Did I ever tell you about how the gods chose the people?” Sileao said suddenly

  He’d been listening to what Noe had been saying, so Noe just went with it.

  ‘No.” he said

  "It was along time ago when the people were very weak they lived on Esmera and were naked and small." Sileao began looking at Noe for a moment and then continuing.

  "They grew things but then one day the things stopped growing and the ground no longer watered for them. Esmera grew brittle and thorny. Many people got sick for the first time. Then the gods looked down from Seh'erbles and took pity on the people. They came to the people in the guise of animals and taught them. They taught them better ways of farming and helped them learn the secrets of star travel. The most compassionate of the gods was Tula, but he was also the most feared because to go against him was to despise all the compassion he’d ever shown you and be offered none in your hour of need. Danteji could have killed you. He was supposed to have killed you. Krauffen couldn’t stop him, but the birthmark on your arm looks like Tula does it not? And Danteji was so startled by it he told Alfron you were blessed by Tula himself and to Kill you would have been a great evil not just to himself but also the the Hari people.”

  “What did Alfron say.” Noe asked

  “Alfron was not very happy. He said that it was not possible that you or anyone else who wasn’t Hari could be so blessed by the gods. But I think there is more to it. I think you are blessed by the gods, still I think tomorrow we should go to your concert hall.”

  “Why the concert hall.” Noe asked

  “You keep dreaming it. Perhaps it will help to see it again with fresh eyes. Its still there.” Sileao said

  “I’m not supposed to go out.” Noe countered raising himself on his elbow.

  “I can get you out. Meet me at the gym after your classes tomorrow. The festival is the day after but I can go tomorrow." Sileao said

  Just then the lights came up in the room. A sleepy researcher came to the door and flipped the switch to light the floors and the pods twice and motioned for them to go back to their individual pods. Noe rolled his eyes and Sileao smiled shutting off his runes.

  “You will both have to come back next week. The power grid has been damaged temporarily last night so it set the data back a little, so sorry. The girl at the front desk said as they filed out of the sleep pod room in the morning.

  Noe walked toward the door as quickly as he could. Amberlene was waiting in an irritable mood as usual.

  ***

  Noe had found Sileao exiting the Gym the next afternoon but only after jostling through five to six other gauntlet contestants that all looked at him like.. why are you here.

  “I thought you had decided not to show.” Sileao said as he climbed off the walking lift and grabbed a bottle of hekonate. They walked discretely to the compound door at the back of the Medi-wing on the south side. There Sileao stood plastering himself against the wall and made a show of talking Noe’s ear off till the coast was clear. Then Sileao began to put in the combination. Once they were outside the air was brisk but not freezing. Noe felt oddly naked. It was the first time he’d been outside in six years without Krauffen or Aleuka’s knowledge. He felt as if he were waiting for something to beep and alert the Hari to his misbehavior but there was no sound as they left the long tube system that was called the “Compound” behind. The Compound ran all over the outside of the city. The City had several Hari living in it now alongside the Human’s or Huma as the Hari called them. The outside world looked different than in Noe’s dreams, but he had a hard time knowing how much of what he thought was different had really changed. Clouds of smoke rose around them as soon as they got closer to the downtown of the city. The monorail roared by overhead. The Hari had built it above the ruined highway that had been torn apart in several places during the invasion. Green overtook the parts of the city that were broken and untended. Humans were everywhere peering at them as they clambered over the rubble.

  “Come on.” Sileao said its about three miles walk downtown and with the rubble piles between here and there its going to feel like six.”

  He was right the going was slow. Sileao had found a hoodie somewhere that he produced from the inside his of alien cargo running suite the minute they'd stepped out of the compound. He used it to cover everything except for his face. Noe wondered where he’d gotten it. Clothing from before the invasion was not common among the Hari but they did sometimes trade for it. The Huma resented the Hari but the Hari paid well when there was something that interested them. The problem being very few Hari were ever interested in the Humans, or what they had to trade. Noe wondered what Sileao had given to get the hoodie, but he didn’t dare bring it up.

  They walked past the Hekonate fountains bursting with magenta liquid. And newly planted magnolias and Azalea bushes into the boarded-up roads and alleys behind the new glass sky rises built by the Hari. Noe wished they weren't out here alone he wished he didn't feel like someone was watching his back but he shook it off. Noe had packed a backpack with a few snacks and his journal. He watched Sileao walk smoothly over the rubble and then the pristine empty streets, he walked behind him with his back hunched and his head down although technically there was no need for him to hide who he was here. Noe wore a jumpsuit like the other street workers and poor. Noe could feel the eyes on them as they climbed rubble heaps between third and second street. He searched the broken glass and toppled brick but he couldn’t see their faces. They reached fifth street without incident. Two blocks from where they came out, he saw it. The Theatre Palace loomed large and magnificent even more vivid than in his dreams. The white stone and the enormous steps. Sileao bounded up the first flight of ten of which there were four.

  “Wait.” Noe called but it caught in his throat. Sileao didn’t hear him, he was already up the steps. Noe followed at a distance. At the door he looked down at the carved gold handle. A wolf roared cut into the brass. He pulled the handle and walked into the building the entry hall was as Noe remembered only the chandelier that had hit him in the head was just a pile of ashes brushed to the far corner away from the door.

  “Sileao.” He called softly looking around for his friend. When Sileao didn’t answer Noe began climbing the stairs to the second floor. There was no way he was going to yell here. He was afraid the echo alone would give him a heart attack if there was one... That’s when he heard the music. A Violin. He knew instinctively although he didn’t’ know how. He imagined it had something to do with his dreams. He climbed the stairs to the balcony and skipped down a row of seats virtually in peak condition other than the holes left by rats in the red velvet cushions and here and there a dirty scrap of paper. he peered out onto the stage. There was a girl with her back turned to the audience so that he could not see her face. Her long black hair hung down to her shoulder blades. A plaid skirt hung to her ankles and she wore a topaz shirt to match the blue lines in the skirt. Beneath the skirt she had a shoe that was a cross between a combat boot and a hiking boot however she was so far away all Noe could tell was that the boots were tan.

  Something dropped on Noes head and he looked up to see Sileao sat in the balcony above him dropping paper fragments torn from an old program. He smiled and pointed at the girl and then cupped his hands around his good ear and mouthed what is this.” Abruptly a young man a few years older than Noe ran up the aisle toward the girl. The music stopped

  “The patrols are coming. We have to go.” He said frantically. He was tall, with sandy blond hair and jeans ripped nearly to shreds. He jumped on stage. The girl was thrusting her instrument into a case lying on the ground beside her. She had no music to play from Noe realized. She’d been playing from memory. he realized too that he had recognized the tune. It was a sad song about lovers who would never meet again. Yet even in its sadness it felt familiar alive in a place like this that carried and created sound. This place felt familiar. Like a home he’d long forgotten. Home what had that word been to him.

  “What was that.” Sileao asked from above when they’d gone

  “That was a single voice.” Noe said smiling.

  “A voice.”

  “An instrument, something we can use to make music with. Together many different instruments used to preform here. Together they played in what are called Symphony’s.”

  “Symphonies?” Sileao said quizzically as if exploring the word in his mouth and his head at the same time.

  “Yes beautiful songs with many kinds of voices.” Noe replied

  “I wish to hear these symphonies. The music this girl played was beautiful even if it sounded like a voice that was weeping.” Sileao said

  “Don’t you think we should get back. They mentioned a patrol when they ran out of here.” Noe said feeling that they should perhaps leave the concert hall as quickly as possible. Even if it did feel familiar. Without the music, it was eerier and lonelier than before.

  “We’ll be okay but yeah we should probably go let’s take the back door into the far alley.” Sileao said

  “You’ve been here before?” Noe asked surprised.

  “A couple times.” Sileao said eyes twinkling mysteriously

  They met on the balcony stairs going down toward the main foyer where they’d come in and silently exited the back door into the alley behind the concert hall.

  “I liked the voice we heard.” Sileao said after they’d been walking for a while in the direction of the compound. “Lets go to the music shop and see if we can find any way to listen to the symphonies?” Sileao said.

  “Hey stop.” A voice called Sileao looked back.

  “Its my brother, run.” Sileao said and grabbed Noe’s hand. Hari could run fast but Sileao attempted to match Noe’s pace pulling him along and over rubble so quickly sometimes Noe felt like his arm might be pulled from its socket.

  Noe was winded when they at last arrived at the compound door and Sileao punched in his wrist band code. Sileao and Noe looked around the entryway. No one was there at first and then Narvi came around the corner and stared at them.

  “Nice look.” He said looking Sileao up and down. Then he looked at Noe as if it was the first time he’d seen him.

  “Your friend looks sick, Sil.” Narvi said and walked away Noe vomited the moment Narvi was gone and Sileao pulled the hoodie off his back with a rueful face.

  "Narvi has his own issues he's not likely to tell on us." Sileao said and then looked at Noe's shirt

  “I’m sorry, here. Sileao said handing his hoodie to Noe to change into. Noe threw his own shirt in the first wall receptacle he could find. Sileao walked with him to Noe's family home and signed the code to open the door and walked away toward his brother Sirus's apartment on the security wing. Noe walked into the living room and the entire family turned.

  “Where have you been?” Amberlene said angrily.

  “Its alright he’s here he’s safe.” Krauffen said coming from the couch to Noe and hugging him to his chest. He whispered into his ear.

  “Where were you?”

  “What's going on, what's wrong. I … Just..” that was all Noe could get

  “Honey, there’s been an accident.” Aleuka said from the couch rubbing Lia’s hair. Aristo sat in the corner locking his fingers and relocking them.

  “I was with Sileao.” Noe said looking around.

  “Well now we know he’s alright I’m going home.” Aristo said rising and walking out of the family apartment.

  “What happened?” Noe repeated. His voice sounded small in his own ears.

  “Mono rail explosion blew into the holo offices of the compound. Several of the folks operating the holos are dead along with council member Zoran who was visiting the Simlab. Aristo went to look for you but you weren’t there. If you weren’t at school or work this afternoon where were you and Sileao?” Alueka asked her voice trembling with fear.

  “Noe, the Humans did this.” Krauffen said-at least thats the official report right now. "There is going to backlash on the council. Getting through patrols is going to be much harder and there’s going to be an investigation."

  “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to worry you Sileao…wanted.”

  “If you can’t tell me where you two were I am forbidding you to go anywhere with Sileao Silano until you can be truthful. Get some sleep.” Krauffen said rubbing his eyes. He looked older than Noe remembered the lines in his forehead stood out and it worried Noe in a way he couldn't explain.

  ***

  That night Noe dreamed another dream while in his bed in the sector. He held a violin and it made the most awful noise when he tried to play. His teacher an old man looked over at him sadly.

  “Are you sure your practicing?”

  “Yes.” He cried exasperatedly

  “You know what I think.” the man said sadly. “I think you’re not trying.”

  “But I am Noe protested.” Then the scene changed and he heard his voice shouting.

  “I hate violin lessons.” Then there were figures without faces behind him and he was again smashing the instrument. This time he smashed the delicate wood of the violin against a very large oak tree only it looked much different from the one in the old grave yard. Still Noe knew somehow that that is what it was. The splinters of the violin flew up and pierced his chest and shattered everything around him. He woke with a start, shoving the covers from his body. He shook as he saw himself as he had been in the dream with the shard of the violin poking threw his chest as the life blood gushed from his heart and out of his body. He screamed and then felt his chest and realized nothing was there. His eyes focused he was in his own bed in the bunk he shared with Kor. He was awake and he was fine. He was not bleeding. Then he heard it sirens in the hall and the alert over the speakers.

  "Shelter in place. Everyone remain inside repeat remain inside."