OVER THE SILVER SKY TO THE WORLD OF NEVER : Part 274 - Who Am I?

Enjoy yourself, it's later than you think

Enjoy yourself, while you're still in the pink

The years go by, as quickly as you wink

Enjoy yourself, enjoy yourself, it's later than you think

Sound advice there from the 80's group The Specials. With that in mind I am now planning to spend a few months enjoying myself by clubbing. It's going to be mostly baby seals for preference, although I might get lucky and find some baby otters or a few helpless beavers. Get your mind out of the gutter there to you filthy perverts. It's the banging beats I love so much. Banging and beating those seal pups skulls into a thin paste. Some people would then skin those baby seals, otters or beavers. I think that's unnatural so I just leave the bodies there to rot. It's the circle of life or in their case the semicircle. It's only because of dedicated conservationists such as myself that the natural order is maintained. Animals evolve. Animals become extinct. I'm doing my bit to keep the world safe. Not for the pleasure. The sexual gratification I get out of murdering defenseless creatures is purely coincidental.

(The copyright to this image is the property of Ibiza Spotlight.)

The answer to Pip's question turned out to be not yet. To start with their casually leaving in broad daylight, while strictly legal, might cause something of a stir with those who'd been waiting around for days. Kaisha and Chaska also felt obliged to at least lend a hand for a a while. After reporting the presence of bandits to Nour. Not that Jake minded. Fetu wasn't too bothered either. He was happy they were going back. Lending that hand seemed the decent thing to do. They'd comb through the encampment monitoring its inhabitants for their visa chips. The merchants and traders didn't mind at all. Obviously the presence of robbers in their midst would not be welcome. Even Daisy offered to help.

As the time wore on she was becoming less diffuse, although more confused. He and Pip kept a close eye on her. Not out of suspicion, there was little she could do in her present state, they were concerned. Despite everything there was still some affection for the Matriarch from both of them. The recordings they viewed from the hearings indicated Scarlet was the biggest liar in the Never. Her excuses fell on deaf ears. They also ran out as the recordings were played. The intention of their visit being to meet with Ugo came under question. If that were the case why had she and the others made no effort to contact him. Instead delaying for over a week while they enjoyed themselves. The scenes of her handing over the disruptor to Debara illustrated she was at least partly responsible for many deaths. Her then instructing the engineers on how to amplify the device, plus her insistence it had to turned up as high as possible to ensure Jake's death, showed no one else was really to blame.

Neither she, nor Pengelly came out of this well. They'd both told a pack of lies from start to finish. By the end of their hearing they remained stubbornly silent about everything. There was only one possible verdict, guilty of all charges. The judge had no alternative but to punish both of them with the maximum penalty allowed. They were banished from Fafindi for life. The two of them had 24 hours to depart the country. Taking nothing with them apart from their weapons and some provisions. They would be escorted to the border and expelled never to return again. Should they attempt to they would be enemies of the state and lethal force could be used against them. The two of them left the tribunal and headed back to the camp. Where they requested transport and leave to depart.

Leaving poor Ydrie to face his own trial alone. Where he learned he'd been passing valuable intelligence to Debara. Assisting him in his plan to usurp the Fafindi leadership. It didn't help that under the law he and Scarlet were now married. Her being pregnant with his child. Therefore, while they wished to be merciful, he would be exiled for 150 years. So he could accompany his wife and child. The sentence had another purpose. He was now without a clan. No other clan would accept him as a member. It was to be hoped that after a sufficient length of time this would change. The nation was about to undergo radical alterations, which would alter the entire political map. Taini, his sister, had been offered adoption into the Shucha clan. She'd accepted it. He should go now and bid her farewell. He to had 24 hours to leave. The poor bugger left the hearing shaken to the core. Just as the transport carrying his wife took off.

Daisy had watched this along with the others. It was clear much of what had been revealed was news to her. Which was why Pip and Jake took her with them as they scanned for interlopers among the merchants. None were found that day. The caravan had a governing body of some kind, which after some encouragement formed a constabulary to check the details of all new arrivals. In a a few days this wouldn't be necessary. Once the equipment was repaired all would return to normal.

By the time all this had been concluded, it was dark. The five companions, plus Daisy, set up camp as near to the border crossing as possible. They'd rest there tonight. Set off first thing in the morning. The sedately moving caravans were not for them. There was safety in numbers, but their progress was slow. At this point a sizable number of people had already passed through. There was a much smaller encampment on the other side of the Fafindi border. Meaning Jake and his fellows would have company along part of the way. They were going to return through those tunnels they'd found. Cutting days off the route through the mountain passes. Retracing their route as it were. Knowing they'd not be facing either the pygmies or too many bandits.

They sneaked away before first light. Jumping the queue before anyone else was aware. This involved a minor detour of an hour or so. During which Pip made Jake aware she was still maintaining contact with Chiro. Scarlet and Pengelly were close behind them. Their being expelled from Fafindi giving them a fast track exit. It was going to be a race to get back to Palamar. Pip was surprised at Jake's indifference to this. He could tell that from her stony faced expression. What surprised him was her acceptance of his lack of a competitive streak. As she trotted on ahead his brow furrowed. Why hadn't she scolded him? It was their thing. The only possible conclusion being the youngster had something up her capable sleeve.

For many reasons, he was now a capable horseman. His mount docile and acquiescent. Prince didn't even need a lead. Following on behind and sometimes pulling ahead. Daisy on the other hand was fighting a constant battle with her own mount. It sensed something about her had changed. This made it nervous and skittish. Before they'd been travelling more than a few kilometers it threw her. As she lay on the ground the Matriarch began sobbing. Already concerned about her, due to her condition, Jake and Pip were by her side instantly. He pacified the horse while Pip took care of the crying woman. Initially patting her tentatively before hugging the sorrow filled Matriarch. Looking over Daisy's shoulder as she consoled her, Pip gave Jake a mystified look. This definitely wasn't Daisy. What had Scarlet and Pengelly done to her?

"I find your concern for me confuses me even more than I already am. Who am I? I don't know anymore. Why do you still care?" The last asked in an accusing manner.
Pip pulled out the mediscanner. Running it before handing it to Daisy. Her eyes gaped as wide as her mouth. The shock of the revelation written across her face.
"That's not the only reason. Right now we don't know whether you're friend or foe. For the moment that doesn't matter. What really matters is that we were taught, by a very wise person, to look after those in need. Regardless of our disagreements." The blonde drew Daisy to her feet and helped dust her down.
"Who taught you this?"
Pip gave a crooked smile looking at Jake.
"You did." He replied. "Now, if you don't mind, I think you should travel with Pip and myself. I'll put a leash on this messed up horse."

Paradoxically the the revealing of her state appeared to have strengthened Daisy. Traces of her serene calmness returned. Every so often they'd catch her patting her stomach. This leached into her mount, which became less skittish. That night she insisted on taking her turn on watch. She'd stand guard with Fetu. Jake took the middle turn along with Pip. The shield sisters were more than capable of working out what to do. It wasn't rocket science. The two of them made their rounds at regular intervals until it was almost time for Chaska and Kaisha's turns. On their way back from checking the horses Pip suddenly froze.

"Shit." She exclaimed. "I could be wrong. What I'm thinking might be completely crazy." She moved in front of him.
Jake folded his arms. An amused expression on his face.
"You're rarely wrong. You're reasonably sane. Although it is 4 in the morning so you might be mildly irrational. Tell me what it is and I'll let you know if you need a psychiatric assessment."
"When we first picked up that Ashenram we visited a planet called Moondown. Only briefly. It was part of that circuitous route the captain insisted on. While we were docked we passed by a shipment of animals. I think they were bound for an earth in another dimension. Could be wrong though."
He tapped his foot.
"Is that really necessary for the big reveal?"
She shoved him.
"I'm giving context okay. I don't know if I'm being stupid here. Anyway, the animals went freaking berserk. Some of them broke free from their cages. They headed away from that thing at top speed. They only calmed down when he'd moved on." She looked at him expectantly.
"The zoo animals had good taste? I still don't see what you're getting at."
"That's how the horse behaved with Daisy. Like it wanted to get away from her. Not to the same extent. Is it possible the Ashenram has something to do with this? You seemed to think that yourself a short while ago."
" Yes and you shot me down in flames. Daisy and Scarlet's behavior began before that. It only became more pronounced after... Daisy never met it did she. They had no contact." He rubbed his chin. "So why do I think you're onto something? It doesn't make sense. Nothing does. Then there's the pygmy toxin. Did that have anything to do with this? If Daisy, who never met the Ashenram, has been affected, why not anyone else?"
She grabbed his arm.
"This is all your fault for making me rush. Pengelly and the traitor had to chase their horses down. They didn't want anything to do with them. Not until they'd been cornered and haltered. After that they weren't so bothered. Oh and it was kind of the same with the Ashenram. When we passed by the animal pens as we returned to the ship the animals loved him. His pheromones had done their job with them, I'm thinking. But then I could be going crazy. It still doesn't add up. It might be coincidence and the two things aren't connected."
"True. If you're crazy though, so am I. When you look at everything, including Scarlet's memory palace, all of them could be links in a long chain. It certainly bears investigation. Well done Pip."