Talent Lord of the Geeks

The spoken- fire & ice

By Lord of the Geeks | 2005

Part One

Confrontation

“It is my argument, that humanity, and Vampyre, has proven their irresponsibility with this knowledge on numerous occasions. Case most recently made to point, the Eden affair.” Sam’s voice was flat in the cavernous space. The single light that fell from high above reflected dully on the oiled black leather of his ceremonial garb. The blood red Celtic cross emblazoned on his chest and the matching ribbed patch on his right shoulder gleamed with a light of their own. “At the fall of the Golden age, it was decided that this knowledge was to be destroyed, and many good Shepherds gave their lives to do so. I stood by that decision then, and I stand by it now. Nothing has proven otherwise.” As he strode back out of the light, the open skirting of his priest-like coat flapped gently.
“Rachel, Turn blood of the Line of Lillith, late nineteenth century,” Inanna’s clouded eye floated, luminous, in the folds of her heavy hooded cloak. She leaned over the dark alter-like bench as she stood, her hood falling back, revealing the withered face of a crone, but her voice was still strong. “You have called this council together falsely, to satisfy your own greed. We have dealt with this issue before, and you in your short years cannot compare to our wisdom. Simply by suggesting this idea, we find you to be a danger to the flock, and to be eliminated immediately.” There was a sharp bang as Inanna brought down a sphere. Rachel screamed as the floor fell out from beneath her, and she found herself sitting up in bed, soaked with sweat. The bang from the door came again.

“Rachel! Wake up! It’s time to go to the Gather.” Sam’s voice was kinder than usual, and her door was still standing. He was in a rare mood.

“Just a second!” Rachel leapt from the bed, and pulled on the dress clothes she had laid out the day before. She had meant to style her hair, but a simple bun would have to do. She twirled her hair up as she stepped into her heels. She pulled open her door to find Sam leaning one arm above his head on the door frame. He was wearing his usual jean jacket and muddy green t-shirt.
“Ready to go?” He smiled.
“I thought you said this was a formal Gathering.”
“It is. We have to hurry, or we’ll be late.” Sam hurried her along, her heels clicking on the linoleum of the medical floor, as she put in her earrings.
“Won’t you tell me anything about what’s going to happen? I’m at a complete loss.”
“I told you already to not worry about it.”
“You can’t do that.”
“Do what?” He said, the alien tone in his voice could have been mirth.
“Just tell someone not to worry about something, when you know far more about it than they do.”
“Why not? What more do you need to know than you need not worry? Don’t you trust me?”
“No further than I could spit you.”
“Well, we’ll experiment with me in your mouth at a later time if you insist. For now just go on up to the car. I’ve got to stop and piss. I’ll catch up.”
“Grrr.”
“Oh and Rach,”
“What?” She stopped and turned.
“Really, don’t worry.” He said as his head disappeared into the restroom.

“They rode in silence. Rachel had meant it as a show of displeasure, but as the drive went on she could tell that he hadn’t noticed and seemed to be simply enjoying the act of driving. Suddenly he turned the old Jeep off the main thoughofare and into a parking lot.
“What are we doing here?” Rachel asked as Sam shut down the engine.
“We’re here for the Gather.” She slipped the key from the ignition.
“It’s here?”
“This is where Inanna said to come.”
“Really?”
“Yeah.”
“But… This is an Applebee’s.”
“Yeah. I think she’s addicted to the Riblets.”
“But...”
“Comeon, You called this Gather.” He said as he pushed his door open with a squeak.

“Lillith!” Rachel waved over the shoulder of the drugstore Indian that stood beside the front door, Sam entering behind her. Lillith’s head turned and she waved back. Rachel and Sam followed the hostess to the table.
“Rachel, how have you been child? Dressed up aren’t we?” Lillith said; herself dressed in a midriff shirt, and hip hugging jeans.
“Well, someone wouldn’t tell me what to expect.”
“What did you picture? Some big dark room, blinding lights, and ancient robes?” Lillith’s nose wrinkled as she smiled.
“Kinda.”
“Sorry.” Lillith said, still looking over the menu. Sam disappeared behind his own.
“Do you have any idea what Inanna will choose?” Rachel said to a half listening Lillith.
“Probably the Riblets, why?”
“No, about the weapons.”
“Oh I don’t know.”
“What about you?”
“I was thinking about the bourbon street steak.”
Rachel blinked for a second, “No.... the weapons.”
“Oh, I figure it’ll be fine. As long as we keep them to ourselves, I mean we need some edge. What do you think Sam?”
“I was thinking about the orange chicken... think they’d replace the stir fry vegetables with fries... or maybe onion peels...”
Lillith made a face, “Oh please, no onion peels... not unless you plan on spending the night alone in a sealed container.”
“Oh like I have a huge social calendar.” His resonating voice all that emerged from behind the menu.
Lillith laid her menu down, folding her hands over it as she leaned forward to speak, “I’m telling you, we need to fix that. I know this girl... granddaughter of one of my brood, she needs a man almost... now remember it’s almost, as much as you. I mean you need a woman more than she needs a man... not that you need a man... although I don’t know... you ever thought of swinging the other way?”
“No.”
“No to which?”
“No to both.”
Rachel broke in, “Sam, have you put any thought into the weapons?”
“Well Rach, they really aren’t weapons, they’re tools. How they are used away from that end may hamper your efforts to figure them out.”
“So you say yes?”
“My name is Sarah, I’ll be your server.” Came a sickenly cheery voice. “Can I get you anything to drink to start off?”
“I’ll have a Bud light.” Lillith said.
“Skyy blue, and a Mountain Dew.” Sam answered.
“And you Ma’am?” Sarah asked after a pause.
“Oh... ummm... just some water.” Racheal said, a little lost.
“Alright, are you ready to order now or are we still waiting for someone?”
“Still waiting for one more.” Lillith said.
“Ok, I’ll be back.” She turned and left.
“One more?” Rachel asked.
“Ninus and Astarte already called Inanna and told her their decision.”
“They’re not coming?” Sam asked; the smile impossible to keep from his voice.
“Nope.”
“Sweet.” He chuckled.
“Did you just use sweet as a descriptive term, not related to a flavor?” Lillith said, the menu down again.
“Yeah, why did I use it incorrectly? I’ve been working on assimilating the current vernacular.”
“Oh well... don’t do it again without some warning, I thought you had had a stroke or something and had gone retarded.”
“Retarded?” His menu lowered as hers raised.
Rachel turned back to Sam, “What was it you were saying?”
“I was saying that I’m not retarded… and we probably could have just ordered Inanna Riblets, and had stuff on its way. I’m starving, and she should be here anytime.”
“No, about the technology.” Rachel was getting very irritated.
“Oh that, yeah whatever. Have a field day; just be sure you do some good with it. This stuff is being dug up and used whether we approve or not, so we need some fire to defend against the fire... That Eden thing proves that...” He frowned, “Think we could get onion peels as an appetizer?”
“If you get onion peels, I’m not giving that girl your number.” Lillith said.
“What girl?”
“The girl… the granddaughter... You know, the desperate one.”
“Why would you give her my number?”
“Oh please Sam, if I gave you her number, by the time she heard from you, she’d be able to beam over.”
“That’s not funny.”
“You’re right. It’s a truly sad state of affairs; that must be rectified.”
“Fries with the orange chicken, and Onion Peels as an appetizer it is.”
“Then you are most definitely not invited to the slumber party.” Inanna said from beneath her hood.
“Well.... If it is anything like the last one, I’d have stayed away anyway. That was a mistake.” Sam said, looking up at her; then standing to let her slide into the booth beside Rachel.
“You two were happy for a couple centuries, so it wasn’t a complete loss.” Inanna said as she drew back her hood, revealing the fine lines of an intensely feminine face. Rachel’s breath caught for a second, as her mind reeled, realizing that she had been expecting the crone from her dream. Inanna’s delicate hands peeked from inside her cloak to untie the neck. The cloak fell away; Inanna left it lying on the ground. Her form was long and lithe. Her raven black hair was smooth and long, nearly hiding her swan like throat, its tips brushing her red bodice top which cupped, and displayed her heavy cleavage. Her skirt was made from neckties that had all been sewn together. Rachel’s view stopped at Inanna’s distinctly Asian eyes, one painfully green, the other clouded like a rain heavy sky. Rather than detracting from her beauty the blind eye seemed to intensify it; reminding the viewer that she was real, and flawed... if her only flaw was the eye. Inanna smiled at Rachel, the grin turning her face angelic, “Hello girl. You must be the researcher. It’s a pleasure to see you for myself.”
“You aren’t what I expected.” Rachel said, and blushed.
“I know. You expected an ugly old witch. Dreams can be funny things.” Inanna smiled, as ducked under the table popping up and sliding into her place. Sam shook his head as he sat.
“How’d you know that?”
“The same way I know that you guys didn’t get my Riblets when Sarah was here and that for a change, Sam was right when you should have gone ahead and ordered them.” Inanna unwrapped her napkin and removed the spoon. “I’m hungry... And don’t worry about giving that girl his number Lil, if she actually met him, she’d never ever trust you again.” Inanna breathed on her spoon, and sat back as she stuck it to her nose. She folded her hands over her flat stomach as she slid down slightly and smiled at Rachel again around the handle of the spoon.
“Quit worrying the girl Ina.” Lillith said, setting down her menu, and turned to Rachel. “You know that Inanna has been given second sight... well this is what she does with her incredible powers.”
“I like to freak people out.” Inanna said and smiled broadly, while rolling her eye madly. The waitress arrived with the drinks that had been ordered. “Hello Sarah,” Inanna said, “I’ll go ahead and order for everyone. He’d like the orange chicken, replace the vegetables with fries, She’d like a bourbon street steak, very very rare, ranch on the salad, I’d like a double order of Riblets, and a strawberry daiquiri.” She winked at Rachel, “And she’d like the tequila lime chicken, with another strawberry daiquiri.”
“Will that be all?”
Sam grunted.
“Fine,” She sighed, “and an appetizer of onion peels.” She looked around the table, “Try to eat them before he does.” She looked back at Sarah, “and you should put it right out of your mind. You’re not pregnant, you just have a bladder infection, and your period will start tomorrow. Be prepared, it will be heavy... and I’d ask Tom about who Jessica is.”
Sarah’s face went first pale, then flushed, “Uhhh... ok?”
“Go on now I’m hungry, and I’m a great tipper.” Sarah started to say something else, but was shushed, and shooed by a still spoon clad Inanna. Sarah went on to put the order in.
“Ok guys, I think we should go on and let missy here have her say before she ruptures something.” Inanna said.
“Really?” Rachel ask. Inanna nodded, almost losing her spoon. “Ok, the way I see it... is that we are slowly losing the battle. I mean we’ve kept up great, but the numbers are against us. We are too few and far between to maintain order through the status quo. Now that we have been presented with this opportunity to research and develop a technological edge to make the numbers irrelevant.”
“Why not simply invest in genetic manipulation, to produce better trained, and more powerful torches, and telekinetic? Or to advance current technology? Why tap into this ancient resource that once nearly wiped out mankind?” Inanna asked; the serious tone edged on insane in her mouth.
“Because we are hampered by the views of this age. We need the insights that were once explored.”
Inanna smiled, “We? What do mean we are hampered? My dear, the three people sitting at this table with you are among the oldest living beings on this planet. We are older than, and walked beside the grandfathers of those who created these things. We know about them, we half remember how they work. They are very very dangerous things. What you propose is to allow Magic back into the world, into a pile of very untrained hands.”
“I don’t expect to be able to replicate the ancient devices. I only hope to use them to give us ideas. To see what’s possible.”
“Good.” Inanna pulled the spoon from her nose, and slid a key and an ID badge across the table as Sarah brought the appetizer and daiquiris.
“What’s this?” Rachel said, seeing her own face smiling from the badge.
“Thank you.” Inanna said to Sarah, and took a draw from the red slush before answering Rachel, “That is the key to your office and the pass badge to allow you entrance to the research facility in New Mexico.”
“This says I’m the Director of Research...”
“Would you like a different title? Omnipotent poobah? Grand potentate maybe? Ooo.. I do like the sound of Poobah.”
“You mean I’m in charge?”
“Uhuh... We purchased the caves around the cache, and have spent the last five months installing a research facility. You have a staff of engineers and mathematicians, some biochemists, regular chemists, and you can get anything else your giddy little heart desires that will bring us results as quickly as possible.”
“Really.”
“I swear on my forthcoming Riblets. The vote was unanimous five months ago.”
“Wait... you guys decided five months ago that this would happen and nobody told me?”
“We had to make sure you were in it for the right reasons.” Lillith said, sipping her beer. We trust you a lot. You are one of the youngest of the group, and therefore closest to this age. We consider you to be our link.”
Inanna continued, “We know that we get settled in our ways, and things out pace us. We...” she moved her hands in an ineffectual communication. “Are the oldest of the old men who sit on the porch and talk about the old days. But we do try to keep modern.”
Lillith nodded to Sam, “Even when it worries us that one of us might be sick.”
Sam finished drinking half of his mountain dew, and poured the Skyy into it, “What we’re saying is that we can never see things as you do, so we trust you. However, be that as it may, don’t come asking us for advice on any of it. Our knowledge of what it used to be for would hamper you as well. I mean if we told you that little metal balls were used for a game, that’s all you’d ever see in them... a game... you might never think to stick a hundred of them together and use them for ball bearings.” He darted a hand out with Vampyre speed to snatch an onion peel, Inanna still caught it with a sharp slap as it returned.
“If you start farting at this table, I swear I’ll beat you with your own shoes.” Inanna said, growling deep in her throat.
“I’ll try to restrain myself.”
“Oh and I have a job for you too Sam.” She released his hand, “I know you’re getting bored out there in the woods, shitting with the bears... don’t deny it. Anyway, during our preliminary inspection of the Cache, there were records found that seemed to indicate three more similar caches scattered around. One most likely is beneath the Antarctic ice cap, another might have been destroyed by the eruption of cracatoa, and the third is well up north, near Tunguska in Russia. This Russian site appears to have a complex of some kind built very near it, most likely an old missile complex from the cold war, but who knows what it’s become since then. It was dormant for awhile, but recently has been seeing a lot of activity. We’re thinking that the clan that started the Eden affair must have some source of information. Either this is that source, or their source has led them here.
“It’s out in the middle of nowhere, nuke the damn thing... what do you want me to do?” Sam took a drink under the inquisitive eye of Inanna, “Why are you looking at me like that??”
“Just nuke it and walk away? Sam I’m surprised at you... A chance to go out in the middle of nowhere, away from cities, into the wilds, and then... to fight... And you aren’t interested. I must say you are getting old and soft there big boy.”
“I just don’t see the point.”
“Well... for one... we don’t know that all these caches have the same things in them... These guys might have something that we don’t know about... second of all... this is an ex-military silo... hardened military base? Immune to nuclear attack... hello?” She waved a little hand at him. Besides you need to go...”
“You sure?” Rachel had never heard Sam use that tone of voice before... it was low... and secretive, almost afraid.
Whether she meant to, or she was simply mimicking, Inanna lowered her voice, and sounded stone serious as well, That note of insanity creeping in again “Yes, you have to be there then. You must leave today.”
Sam paused, and looked almost sad. “So then, I get all the onion peels I want.” He reached out and pulled the basket to himself.