Minds on Fire: Book I - The Revelation

The Ten Winds Bar

Avizina entered the Ten Winds Bar. It was a tavern with a rustic charm. She liked that, but her polished outfit made her feel out of place. The small room was filled with scoundrels, though no one paid attention to her. They were laughing and drinking and having a good time. She did not enjoy crowded places, but this one put her at ease. No one cares who I am here, she thought.

The tables were packed with sentients that she did not recognize and the air smelled of cigars. She dreaded that smell, it reminded her of the Pope. Her stomach rolled in queasiness.

She was tired and the loud chatter made her head pound. What's so special about this place? In the transmission lady S. sounded frightened. She did not give Avizina any details, which frustrated her. With a sigh, she made her way to the bar and sat down. The bartender was a robust and goofy-looking droid. He was just as out of place as Avizina. She laughed to herself.

"What can I get ya?" he asked in a deep voice that did not match his body.

"Melomiel, please," Avizina said amused.

"That will be 5 centi."

Prices are cheap in this part of the galaxy, she noted. She paid him and took her drink to the end of the counter. The music was pleasant; it was coming from a small corner where a man was playing folk. He was playing a weird instrument, a type of lyre with three strings. The sound was raw and mesmerizing. Ancient. Avizina focused on the sound to drown out the chatter.

It transported her to a time when life was simpler, when there was just music and community. Something about the energy of the place seemed familiar. Why do I feel like I've been here before?

"The instrument is called farokszőr hárfa," the bartender said as if reading her mind. "It's a very old harp native to planet Dünyä, invented roughly 1,500 years before the Arrival. The bow used to be made from lószőr, that is hair from the tail of an extinct breed of horses. Now it is made from synthetic fibers. There aren't many left who can play this instrument, but Dida's family has kept that tradition alive."

Dida must be the player. A man of about 45, with long hair and a worn-out face. Avizina couldn't take her eyes off the harp. Maybe I can ask him where I could buy one.

After ten minutes, the song was finished and people raised their glasses in silence as if not to disturb the ancient spirits that had come through the strings. This also made Avizina snap back from her trance. Lady. S. That's right. She's late. We specifically agreed on 5 before sundown.  After waiting this long, she was getting annoyed. I hate late comers. 

She got up to leave but at the same moment, a hooded woman sat next to her hastily, clearly out of breath. "Sorry I'm late. I had to avoid some... uh, unwanted attention. These roaches are everywhere lately. I asked Komozoi if Dünyä was safe and he assured me it was. Yet when I got here, there wasn't a spot that wasn't crawling with these fuckers. I have to be honest I almost bolted. But that would not make a great first impression, would it?"

The woman had an Antiochian accent. She was about Avizina's age, with a dark complexion and kinky hair. Her earlobes were stretched with red earrings and her lip piercing was glimmering under the ambient lights of the bar. "She's one of the privileged ones," she thought, noticing the expensive attire concealed beneath her cloak.

"You can say that again," the woman replied, half shouting.

"I-"

"I'm Sunflower," she interrupted. "That's not my real name. That was the name my father used to call me."

Avizina heard her voice break.

Noticeably, she wore a sunflower in her hair. "I have a terrarium on my ship where I grow them so it's always fresh!" She said with a smile.

Avizina smiled; she loved flowers. Such a familiar soul, this one.

"I'm Avizina."

"I know. Why do you think I contacted you?"

"I don't know," Avizina answered, annoyed once more. "I got your transmission. What's so urgent?"

The woman ordered a drink and took an excruciatingly long time to answer. "You used to live with the Red Sect, didn't you?"

There was an uncomfortable pause. "I used to. I don't like to talk about it."

Sunflower leaned in and whispered. "They're planning something big. I've heard troubling rumours. They have a new weapon! It has no name, but one survivor called it 'Death From Above.' I don't know more about it. I fear my mother is involved, too."

"Your mother?"

"The Chancellor of Dakka."

What the fuck is going on? Avizina remembered how the Federation treated her after she escaped the Sect. That made her angry, but tried to keep calm. What have I gotten myself into? "Dakka is located in the outer easter rim," she told Sunflower. "That's too far from Antioch. Why would your mother be involved?"

"We can't talk here."

"Then why did you ask me here?"

"You don't remember?" Sunflower paused. "Of course you don't remember."

"Remember what?"

"We used to go here," Sunflower answered. "This used to be a university and this bar was part of it. We used to be friends!"