"The Orb."   By Elena Fe Walker. (c) 2000

Thirty minutes later, Tala sat staring at the computer screen; heart pounding, legs shaking, palms sweating. One minute she'd been planning the latest phase of her escape and the next he'd been in her head. All other thoughts shoved aside, he'd pulled her towards his body. She slammed her mind shut, gasping for breath. What the...?

That's when she'd noticed the globe. It was glowing at the edge of her desk. Her eyes had been drawn to a subtle halo emanating from the orb and she was transfixed. It was an ornament: A trifle her grandmother had left behind when she'd passed over. Tala wasn't even sure why she'd stuffed it in her travel pack as she'd left. "Too heavy!" she'd thought but grabbed it all the same. Now it looked exactly as it had for the past forty-odd years of her life: A cold, swirling lump of multi-colored glass. A paperweight. The radiance had passed soon after the vision.

Was that what it was? Her grandmother had visions. She'd died when Tala was young and all talk of her since had been in the most general terms. Tala had heard whispers but nothing anyone discussed openly. An aunt once said she was very like her grandmother but Father had angrily forbidden it from ever being mentioned again.

And now this.

Living on the other side of the galaxy and hiding from the Regent's Enforcer was not exactly how Tala had planned to spend her life. Rael was a quiet enough planet, its denizens keeping to themselves and allowing her to do the same. But Tala realized it was only a matter of time before the combined conscious thought that was the Enforcer, tracked her down, as it had so often before. That's why she kept contact with other beings to a minimum. The Enforcer's strength lay in its limited ability to manipulate dream and emotion. It sensed rather than knew things but any hint of suspicion could lead to it's quarry and the Enforcer was persistent beyond all reason.

Tala was lonely: An occupational hazard of being an escapee. It was the isolation she'd been unprepared for as the months had settled into years. Without warning, the pain of her self-imposed exile would occasionally overwhelm her control and unappreciated tears would flow. Today she'd been planning her route to a settlement on a nearby moon when the sadness had returned. She'd need to find transport and con someone into giving her free passage. Her mind had been turning over the possibilities. There were few settlers and she could hide in the mountains only visiting the encampment when necessary. She suddenly realized what an ache that thought caused. She longed for the luxury of nurturing companionship!

Tala lifted the orb and gazed into its depths, thinking about the man her mind had concocted. He was dark: A stranger. There was a fierceness, a desperation, a passion for...something. Tala found herself concentrating on his feelings. The orb began to glow: She didn't notice.

He was sitting at the console of some command station, his head buried in his hands. She could feel his confusion. "You came back". The voice cut through her thoughts. She tried to draw away but something in that voice held her. She waited for him to speak again.

"Wasn't that what you wanted?" he hissed. She could see his shoulders rising and falling as he drew deep breaths. "What?" She'd thought the word but was shocked to hear it echo in her head. "You came to me," his thought whispered through her mind. "I thought you wanted me." Tala's mind raced as she tried to make sense of this conversation. "For what?" she asked.

The man turned and looked at her: He was exploring her thoughts. Exposed, she panicked, subduing all emotion and blocking her mind. She sensed rather than heard him cry out, "Wait!"

Tala dropped the orb and ran to the other side of the room where she cowered in a corner. It didn't make any sense. She didn't know this man and yet there was an intimacy between them: She could feel an understanding. Tala shuddered. The orb started to glow again. "I'm sorry". The words pressed gently against her conscious. "I thought you knew."

Tala gazed towards the globe lying under the desk. He was bending over her, concern in his eyes. "Who are you?" she ventured. It was a strange sensation and took much concentration but he seemed to hear her. "Your pair," he whispered. He offered no further explanation. In spite of her usual cautiousness, his gentleness eased her fears a little and she relaxed against the wall. She felt a calm settle in him as well. "Commander!" Another voice cut through and he was gone. The orb lay sullenly amongst the dust balls.

Sleep didn't come easily that night and she was disturbed to find herself waking again in the early hours of the morning. She'd been dreaming but had no idea what about. No Enforcer's nightmare: There was no aftermath of horror. "Tala," his voice sighed. She sat upright, pulling the bedclothes round her body. The room was dark. Under the desk, a faint aura shone. "I won't hurt you," he whispered. "I just want to talk."

Time became irrelevant, words unnecessary. The concepts flowed in and out of her mind. Occasionally, she had to ask him to repeat something to be sure she'd heard him correctly but mostly his intent was crystal clear. At times the communications seemed made of words while at others she just felt what he was thinking or feeling. Eventually she realized he'd stopped talking and guessed he'd fallen asleep. Before allowing herself to drop off again, Tala rescued the orb and placed it back on her desk.

The next morning, she had little time to think about anything other than her escape. On waking, she'd sensed the Enforcer's approach but not how close it was. Her first stop was the public information booth at the local market where she checked out transports currently in dock: A couple of passenger ships and a trader, no freighters or military. So he wasn't on Rael.

Tala leant back against the booth, steadying herself. He was a Commander. She'd forgotten about him in the stress of the situation. But Commander of what? She checked the lists of Rael's military movements but everything seemed either under repair or off-planet, fighting the rebels hidden somewhere on one of Rael's five moons. Certainly nothing within range of her limited mental abilities or any personal communicators she'd ever known.

She wandered amongst the market stalls, examining the produce from a distance. Her mind was racing. If he was truly a Commander, securing passage off-planet may be easier than anticipated. An unknown ship commanded by a man she had some sort of link with. Tala caught herself imagining fantastic scenarios and chided herself for creating false expectations; that could be a fatal error. Slowly she turned the previous night's events over in her mind. All of it seemed dreamlike and unreal.

Piercing pain shot from the base of her neck and across her skull. A tightening band of terror inched its way around the circumference. Instinctively, she slammed her mind shut. The Enforcer!  Tala pasted a pleasant smile on her face and strode purposefully towards the nearest buildings, weaving amongst the other shoppers. The pain splintered any possibility of true calm. The Enforcer was close! Too close!

Reaching the shelter of a lane, Tala scurried towards her rented room. She had to leave! No time for further planning. Slowly the pain ebbed as she put some distance between herself and the shadow that followed.  She fell against the room's door as it slid open. All was as before. The Enforcer wasn't that close yet but it was only a matter of time. She grabbed her travel pack and shoved her few belongings inside. The silent orb was the last thing to be stuffed into an outer pocket before she scrambled out the door.

The rest of that day was a game of cat and mouse. Tala would find some refuge only to be sent scurrying by the agonizing pain. The Enforcer was definitely on Rael and probably somewhere in the nearby settlement of Marjiah. Sunset saw her crawling through barren wasteland to caves she'd discovered nearby: An abandoned mineshaft, it was well hidden. The solid rock afforded her some protection but would also mask the creature's emissions if it crept up on its bounty.

It was worth the risk to rest! Tala leant the pack against the rock wall and slumped against it. She was so tired. The pain always left her nauseous so there was no hunger yet but thirst had begun as soon as she'd left the town. She'd have to find water soon. A patch of warmth against her back drew her attention. It was coming from the pack's front pocket. The orb!

Tala pulled it out. "Help me," he groaned as she focused her mind. He was hurt. She could feel his pain. Not like her own: It was more a knowledge of burning, an awareness of sensation rather than the intense pain of the Enforcer. "What's happened?" She sensed his weakness. "Attacked." Silence. The orb died.

"Commander!" Tala reached out. "Commander!" She could feel nothing, hear nothing. She shook the orb before realizing the futility of the action. Something was wrong. She tried again but the sphere wasn't co-operating. Maybe he was unconscious; Or dead. "No!" Her mind screamed. It had to be something else. She didn't have anyone else.

The rock! The rock was blocking their communications. She scrambled to her feet and started inching her way toward the mine's entrance.  Holding the orb in front of her eyes, she kept scanning it for any hint of radiance. Nothing! Nothing to be aware of until she was almost outside and then, that dull ache at the base of her skull.

She stuffed the orb into its pocket, throwing herself to the floor of the shaft. The pain was light but definitely there. Tala crawled back the way she'd come. The Enforcer was out there, probably searching. Her pulse raced. How? The cave walls were thick; it's entrance hidden from sight behind bushes at the foot of a canyon. Night had begun but lack of light made no difference to a creation of pure thought. Tala didn't think it was close enough to be in the actual canyon. Probably scouring the surrounding hills. But how did it get so close so quickly? She'd had no contact with anyone and taken care not to be seen leaving the settlement. It hadn't had any minds to feed off!

Slowly a doubt wormed its way into her conscious. The only communication she'd had was with the Commander. One doubt became a tumult of questions which blended into one searing fear. How did she know he was real and not just a figment of the Enforcer's imagination?

Tala knelt in the dirt as another wave of nausea hit. The floor was wet! Her attention diverted, Tala ran her hands along the ground and up a nearby rock face. If she concentrated, she could hear dripping water. Pulling at rocks and loose dirt, Tala scraped her way through to another cavern. A pool! She scrambled across and tested the water: By all that is merciful, it was pure and fresh! Gratefully, she threw herself forward and drank. She allowed herself the luxury of splashing her face. It was too dark to see where the water was coming from so she couldn't tell if it was fed by a spring or was a gathering of condensation: No sense wasting it until she knew. Hunger would have to wait.

Tala was too far from the mine's entrance to see if it Rael's moons were rising. The cavern was pitch black and she had no light source. Tomorrow she'd have to risk a visit to town for food and supplies. For now, she'd have to be content with rest and water. She lay down and tried to think clearly.

There'd been nothing in what the Commander had said to support her doubts but nothing to dispute them either. He'd told her he was on a ship passing Rael. He'd tried to tell her the ship's name but she'd been unable to grasp what he'd said. He claimed they were on a peaceful mission but she'd heard that one before; used it herself, several times.

She'd told him a little about herself: Her role as a Diplomat, her dissatisfaction and decision to leave the home world. It was far too complicated to try explaining that she had, in fact, escaped. So she left that out. Details would have to wait for later. She'd explained that Diplomats were highly prized among her people, having inherited their ability to manipulate both conscious and unconscious thought. She didn't tell him that she was being forced into marrying the Regent's heir, an arrogant and cruel ass of a man! The memory made her skin crawl. Try as she might, Tala couldn't think of anything she'd said that might have given away her present position.

The travel pack cradled her head as she finally dozed. Images swirled in her mind; some made of memory, others of fears both real and imagined. Warmth against her cheek woke her. It was still black inside the cavern but from beneath her face the pack glowed.

Tala reached into its pocket and drew out the orb. "Where have you been?" he asked. His voice sounded weak but he was alive. Tala's pulse quickened. "Asleep." She hesitated. "Are you well?" "As well as can be expected." he said sullenly. She waited. "Where are you?" he asked. "I can't see you." Tala laughed. "It's night." "But I should still be able to feel you," he insisted. "And I can't. You're distant. Something's wrong." Tala employed an old Diplomat's trick. "I'm wondering if you're real or whether you're just some fantasy I've dreamed up to pass the time." Half-truths. She reached out with her mind but couldn't feel any panic in his response. "I wish I wasn't real at the moment. My muscles are killing me!" he laughed softly.

"I'm serious," Tala continued. "I've no idea how this is happening." The Commander sighed. "True. Your people and mine were once one. Only our dreams join us now as any past lore has long been forgotten. That orb you carry must be one of the few left." Tala cradled the shimmering ball in her hands. "My grandfather told me about them," the Commander continued. "He claimed to have given one to a woman of your people but I didn't believe him. Until now." At that moment, the orb was illuminating the entire cavern. "What is it?" she whispered. "It's a Coupling Orb," the Commander said. "Used to bring men and women together so our races could maintain their link." He fell silent.

Tala played with this concept in her mind. It was possible. She'd heard stories of such matters but had dismissed them as childish morality tales: Only the best behaved Diplomat children were supposed to be chosen for the honor of joining another race. Of course, being created by the collective minds of her people, the Enforcer would know this too. The next time the Commander spoke, his voice seemed very close. "My grandfather said you'd come. When you needed me most."

Tala's neck prickled. Something was wrong. "I've got to go," she hissed. "Not yet," the Commander insisted. "Our ship's collecting supplies on Rael. I'll be at the market in Marjiah. Meet me there at noon." Tala stuffed the orb into the pack and waited. She concentrated on an ache beginning at the top of her spine. It was out there!

She couldn't be certain how close. The rock could be masking the effects. Slowly she crawled in the direction of the hole she'd dug from the main shaft. The ache remained dull but constant. As she neared her exit, she saw that the mine was lit by the grey stillness of dawn. It must be well into the morning outside. Tala waited beside the hole. No change in the ache's intensity. She crawled into the tunnel. Mist hung over the bushes outside the entrance. Tala leaned against the rocks and caught her breath. Her stomach was protesting it's neglect. 

The cold light was entering the mineshaft at a different angle, enabling Tala to see beyond yesterday's explorations. It would be too easy for her to get trapped here. She'd needed to use it before she'd had a chance to map out the intricate tunnels. No telling how far back the main shaft went and she hadn't found another exit. Time to move on.

Slowly she crept toward daylight; her mind focused on her neck. Nothing changed. The dull ache remained as she stood beside the entrance. No difference. She stepped into the silence beyond, careful to remain hidden behind the scrub in case any humanoid eyes were watching. Still nothing. Tala rubbed her neck, wondering if this were just normal discomfit caused by sleeping on the pack.

A searing pain brought her to her knees, screaming round her skull and piercing her eyes. Tala grabbed her head and fell forward, cradling herself in a fetal position. It must be almost on top of her! She tried desperately to wash all thought from her mind but the pain was intolerable, making conscious effort impossible. The Enforcer must be focusing its strength on forcing her to reveal where she was. Tala bit down on the pocket of the travel pack. It was warm.

"Relax," his voice urged. "Stop trying to block it out. Think of something else." A fresh spasm of pain took her breath away but his voice continued. "Think about me. Think about coming to me. It can't hurt you if you're not aware of it." Tala shook her head. What was he talking about? Every Diplomat child knew that you couldn't escape the Enforcer.  What was the good in having a disciplinarian if you were able to escape its discipline? "Tala," he begged. "Trust me."

But wasn't that what the Enforcer would want her to do? Drop her guard so it could manipulate her into revealing herself. "Focus on Marjiah. Focus on me." His words became a sort of litany that she grabbed on to. He was lying on a bed, his hands covering his eyes. "I need you to come to me," he was saying. "I need your help." The Commander needed her.  She imagined him as he was the night before, saw his injury and felt his pain. And now she could sense his need of her. It went beyond the need of a man for a woman: It was the need to be one, to be complete.

She sensed his arms around her, cradling and comforting. "Without you, I can't succeed," he was saying. "It will all have been for nothing." She woke startled, the pain gone. She hadn't been aware of sleeping. What did he say? Cautiously, Tala stretched her mind out. Nothing. The Enforcer was gone: Moved on to the next hillside perhaps. She'd have to stay alert.

In her mind's eye, the Commander waited. "How did you know?" she whispered. "Why are you being tracked?" he asked. Tala stayed silent as the inevitable wave of nausea stole over her: She was still shaking. "I escaped," she admitted. "I'd refused to obey my Regent. He ordered me to execute my siblings and their young." She was too weak to lie. It was the Regent's desire that only his grandchildren should inherit her unique diplomatic gifts: It would certainly have cemented the future of his dynasty. Tala knew the Enforcer wasn't here to kill her: It had been sent to retrieve.

She reached out to sense the Commander's reaction but he was screening his thoughts from her and she was too tired to press further. It was awhile before either of them spoke. "We'll be reaching Rael soon and I'll have to leave for Marjiah. " The Commander spoke so softly, Tala had to strain to catch the words. "I know what I'm asking you to do is dangerous but without your help, we'll never pass through this region. Tala, I need you and my people need your skills. I cannot promise your safety but the strength of two as one will afford greater protection than what you have now. All I ask is that you trust me." Then he was gone.

Tala struggled to her feet. The sun had climbed much higher since she'd emerged from the mine so she'd have to move quickly to reach Marjiah before noon. She set out, carefully scanning the walls of the canyon. The Enforcer had probably been above her, at the canyon's edge. Close enough to have an effect but not to sense her position. As she walked, she considered the risk she was taking. If she hadn't needed to get food and supplies so desperately, her time would have been better spent checking the mine's tunnels.

So, why was she walking into what was probably at best a fantasy, at worst a trap? It wasn't a question. More an observation or criticism: She wasn't usually this naive. But Tala had realized a new aspect of herself, something she'd never had the luxury of acknowledging before. Diplomats weren't allowed to love or be loved: They simply obeyed. And Tala had just discovered that she wanted to love; even more than to be loved. To have someone who needed her for that rather than merely using what she could do for their own benefit. The idea was intoxicating! She'd take the risk if it meant any possibility of being able to give because she wanted to.

The sun was at its zenith as she entered Marjiah's marketplace, scanning the sea of faces for any hint of recognition. Her skull had started to ache fairly soon after leaving the canyon. Keeping constantly alert, she bought the supplies then sat at the edge of the plaza, eating a loaf of bread and dried fruit. The sun passed overhead. Military personnel were everywhere. Not surprising as the dock was nearby, surrounded by warehouses, barracks and installations. The Enforcer would be unlikely to cause any altercation here: It would draw too much attention.

Tala stayed as long as she dared. Too long and she wouldn't make it back to the safety of the mine before nightfall. No one had approached her all day. At one point, she thought she'd caught sight of him. A tall man in a strange uniform, surrounded by others in similar clothing but the group had been greeted by one of the military's high-ranking officers and led away. Visiting dignitaries she guessed. Not exactly what she was expecting, having concluded that he must belong to one of the rebel packs that were fighting against Rael's autocracy.

Finally, Tala away from the settlement, the weight of the fresh goods slowing her progress. He hadn't come. She'd pulled the orb out many times but it had only ever been a lump of glass. A sense of desolation was eating into her. Where there had been hope, now there was only disappointment. This was to be her life. There was no future. Only herself and the endless running away.

She crouched down under a rocky outcrop and scanned the horizon. What was the point? "Tala," his voice broke into her grief. "I'm sorry. I couldn't get to you. We were detained." Tears tracked through the dust on her face. "Don't cry," he begged. "I promise I'll get to you. Somehow." Pent up anger stirred in her gut, frustration at finding she was still vulnerable. "Forget it!" Her words sounded harsher than she'd intended. "Just tell me where you are," he begged. "I'll come to you." "No!" her mind howled. "You're just an illusion!" She slammed him out of her thoughts, grabbed the pack and set out again. In the distance of her mind she could sense him calling out her name but she pushed him even further away.

The sun had almost set when she reached the cave. Tala was numb; exhausted with effort and tired of the fight. She made her way back to the pool. In the light of her new beacon she could see the tracks she'd left the night before and something else: Fresh marks in the mud around the water. Animal tracks. She wasn't alone in here. 

Lifting the beacon she scanned the walls. The cavern was small, accessed only by the hole she'd created. The creature would be sure to return and there was no way to escape if necessary. Tala knew little of the local animal life and didn't want to learn through firsthand experience. She made her way back to the main shaft. More tracks here as well.

Moving quietly, she crept further into the mine. Dark shapes opened up on either side of the tunnel; one delivering a gust of wind. Tala followed it, constantly scanning her surroundings. Fresh air meant the possibility of another opening. The tunnel seemed to climb and she often skidded on loose gravel: It would be an uncertain means of escape in an emergency. Uncertain how far she'd come, Tala was surprised when she was suddenly confronted by a gap in the cave's ceiling. Wide enough to climb through, she could see two of Rael's moons hovering among the stars. Shifting the pack's weight, she dragged herself through the opening and on to the plateau above the canyon. No pain indicated it was safe for now. A light breeze lifted damp hair from her face. It was a relief to be outside.

Tala sat down and pulled some bread from her pack. As she ate, her mind turned to the day's events, better able to think clearly now. She'd spoken too soon, reacted too hastily. He was probably hurt by what she'd said. But how could he possibly understand what it had been like? The years of shattered idealism and crushed hopes. To choose to reject the very core elements of your culture and society, leaving everything and everyone you'd ever known or loved without the comfort of an explanation or excuse. All to do what was right by her own estimation. How could he conceive of the pain that caused?

Tala considered what the Commander had been asking her to do. Use her skills for a new people.  The idea of a Diplomat 'choosing' to do anything was intriguing. An idea the Enforcer would never suggest, even in dreams and manipulations. Her people may have many undesirable characteristics but they were always consistent: It would never occur to them that a Diplomat could control their own resources. The very concept of using a Diplomat to benefit the many was foreign to the elite who owned their abilities and controlled the Enforcer! This Coupling Orb was no Enforcer's fantasy.

And there was the Commander: Her pair. This time she would use her skills by her own choice and for the benefit of those she loved. She would choose to love these people. It didn't matter whether they appreciated her efforts; she would be doing it for him. Because he needed her to and that was enough for her to do whatever was required. He would come to her. If he'd been detained, it suggested Rael was unsafe for him yet he'd still been willing to come. Without realizing it, she had already grown to love this man. She sensed his honor and honesty.  She would go to him. His people would be hers and she would make a life with him. The "strength of two as one" would be a formidable force. Whatever happened, she had already survived much: Their unity and work would provide her with a reason for surviving more and maybe even thriving. She allowed herself a few fantastic scenarios: Achieving impossible negotiations, defeating the Enforcer, getting his people to safety, a mating and maybe even a son. Anything was possible. This would give her a future: Someone and something to fight for.

She had to reach him. Apologize. Tell him she would come to him, that what mattered, was being with him. Sharing his life and facing whatever happened together. The Commander hadn't contacted her since she'd returned to the mine. Maybe he'd believed what she'd said and given up! Or been attacked again. Tala reached inside the pack's pocket. The orb wasn't there! She tipped the pack up, spilling the contents on the ground. It was gone!

The pain shot unexpectedly up her spine and gripped her brain. Tala gasped, scrambled for the hole and fell down, leaving everything behind. She rolled down the tunnel, coming to rest at the end of an incline. Sharp ice-pick pains stabbed behind her eyes. "Concentrate!" a voice hissed. "Block it out!" Tala shook her head. Now she understood. Diplomats were taught to try to block it out so the Enforcer could focus on the intensity of their thoughts. She got up and stumbled forward.

If only the Commander were here, if only she had the orb! Then he could talk to her and keep her mind off the beast. Without her beacon, she slammed into the tunnel's walls and fell over rocks. The shale gave way constantly and she kept losing her footing, uncertain whether she was falling away from or towards her worst nightmare. "Concentrate!" it hissed. The tunnel was completely dark but a patch of greater density hovered beneath the gap she'd fallen through.

A long wail filled the air, followed by the scurrying of feet. Howling tore the silence as a shape hurtled towards her from the opposite direction. Tala instinctively rolled aside as it roared passed, leaving an impression of claws desperately tearing at already raw skin. The creature was glowing from the inside out. "Tala!" The Commander's voice sliced through her pain.

The Enforcer hesitated as the huge animal bore down on it. It's concentration broken, Tala was able to regain some control as the pain eased. She forced all her thoughts into concentrating on the Commander and their future. The maddened creature threw itself at the gap in the cave's roof, claws scrambling in the air as it tried to escape the fire in its belly. Using the full force of its mind, the Enforcer twisted the animal in mid-air and hurled it against the rock wall of the tunnel but not before the creature had shredded the dense matter that gave the Enforcer form.  A terrifying shriek split the air as the combined thoughts of Tala's people deserted the body and returned to them.

Tala lay on the floor of the tunnel, gasping for breath. It was gone. It would take time for them to contruct another: They would need to regain their strength first. "Don't leave me," his voice begged. She could feel his fear. "I'm here," she murmured. A glow came from the base of the rock wall: The animal's body was torn open. The orb had rolled free of its stomach. "I can't do this without you," he said. "You won't need to," she replied. "I'll come to you as soon as I can find a way."

She slept as soon as the nausea subsided, her hand clutching the now cold orb. The next sound she heard was footfalls on the shifting stones. Too weak to move, she waited, eyes shut; not noticing that the globe had started to glow.