CANAISIS ∞ Chronicle One: The Last Living Ship ∞ 1: A New Mission

35 ∞ Crumbling Walls

This chapter recognizes RobCloete, our first unsolicited reader!

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Day 00007 Mission Nilex

Stunned, Ayla watched the Captain leave, then continued to watch the trail he'd entered for some time after. She didn't know what to think of his actions. She didn't know if she wanted him to return or not. She didn't know if company would be good for her. But, in the past, solitude had always been the answer for her after her Journeys. She was grateful Gareth had seemed to know that.

The walls she'd hastily built quaked at the thought of him, but they held. Touching the Tree this time had overwhelmed her like never before. Thinking back, she was astounded at how much Gareth was imprinted in the Tree. The connection was like nothing she'd ever experienced or thought possible.

Her mental walls shook again as images tried to come to the forefront. Images of a destroyed world flashed in her mind, his pain so great she mentally flinched. Pain from his wife's passing, pain of seeing his world gone, pain of believing his very species dead. How could any Human still be sane? How had he kept himself moving, functioning, performing the motions of action needed when so much emotion overloaded him?

She shuddered and drew a deep breath, focusing her mind to strengthen her walls. The flickering images slowed and faded as she controlled her breathing.

"Are you alright, Ayla?"

She jumped at Canaisis' voice that came from the edge of the orange fruit trees. Then she felt foolish. "Yes, Canaisis. It's just that I'm still recovering."

"I'm sorry to interrupt you, but I thought you might like to know the Captain has left, and the door is now secured. No one can enter without my informing you."

Ayla started walking toward the pool. "It's okay, Canaisis. You didn't disturb me. In fact, I think I need to talk."

"Your heart rate and brain activity increased a moment ago. Are you sure you're okay? I can get the Captain if you like."

"No!" Then in a calmer voice, Ayla continued, "I mean, right now I need to be away from other people, but talking with you is something that would be good for me."

"I am here, Ayla. I'd like to understand what is happening. Would you tell me what happened?"

Ayla tried to sit at the pool's edge, but her mental walls shuddered as if an earthquake hit them and she lost her balance. She recovered herself and sat on the ground.

"Ayla, I'm seeing elevated activity in your limbic system. Are you okay?"

Ayla heard Canaisis' voice, but it was distant, her mind's eye was witnessing a Memory that filled her senses. Howling wind blew black ash in front of her at a frightening pace. She walked slanted into the force of it. Her legs hurt, her faceplate was scratched and abraded from the ash and she had trouble seeing.

She was wearing a helmet, she realized. A suit, she was wearing a suit. Her breathing was haggard, but the air was clean and cool. Too cool, she could feel numbness in her gloved fingers.

The ash broke for a moment and she could see. She saw incredibly tall buildings, their tops destroyed, gone as if great wind and heat had sheared them off. Every window gone, the walls scorched black like the rest of this world.

She saw her hands holding a rope stretched taut before her. She was pulling herself along the rope, her feet shuffling in the ash. They were ice-cold—she couldn't feel her toes. The rope, the rope led to the next search point. Her muscles ached with fatigue and her shoulders felt like knife blades of pain, but she kept pulling herself forward step by step.