Page 42 of Devin
“It’s four times the size of the old lab!”
“You will not be working here alone.”
“Yeah, yeah.” Odette investigated the lab. Val just stood there with her hands crossed, afraid to touch anything. Even back in high school, she hadn’t spent much time in science class actually using up to date equipment. Most of it had all been done virtually. It was safer and cheaper than doing real lab work.
“All right, let’s see the bedroom, but if there’s any gold scale lamps, I’m dropping them off the balcony.”
“The furniture from home hasn’t arrived yet,” Athen stated. He had a slight upturn to his mouth. Odette punched him in the chest.
“Do you know what his mother has decorating her house?” Odette turned to ask Val. “Dead Suhlik. It’s everywhere. Gruesome.”
“I’ve never seen a Suhlik for real before,” Val said. Oh there had been plenty of artist renderings and computer simulations, but there were very few humans that had ever seen one of the golden creatures.
“And pray you never do. Most people only see a live Suhlik once. And then they die.”
It was a somber note to step back in the elevator on, but a moment later they were whisked away to a penthouse apartment with a large attached outdoor patio.
“Plenty of space for plants,” Athen stated proudly. The space was big, the top floor of the tallest building. The view overlooked the whole city. There was a large staircase that led up to a rooftop patio as well. There was enough room to grow a whole garden up there if Odette wanted to. The rest of the apartment was spacious with meeting and gathering spaces. Itwas designed for social visits and all the meetings that a warlord and his wife might need to have in the course of operating a city.
The walls were clearly embedded with the latest Mahdfel tech, and not that knock off stuff they’d get on Earth. With a simple computer request, the colors could change, seats could emerge, vids could play across the full surface of the screen. She could make a call home almost as easily as if she were on Earth. Except she had no one on Earth to call.
“It’s great. I can’t wait to make it a home… without the lampshades,” Odette said. She gave Athen a kiss.
“Let’s go see Val’s new place,” Jane said.
“I- uh-” Val stammered.
She couldn’t think of a reason not to, so a moment later they were whizzing back through the elevator and once again, opened to another apartment, this one on the opposite end, but it was not part of one of the buildings. It was actually carved back into the mountainside. Despite that, it was not dark and gloomy, but filled with light, mainly because the whole front of the apartment was one large force wall, so it looked as if they could just step off the edge and fly over the city. Running down the right side of the apartment was an actual waterfall, but it had been so cleverly placed, there was no sign of damp or the thunderous sound of pounding water.
“When everyone else sees that waterfall, they are going to be so jealous,” Odette said. She stuck her hand out and brought it back in, wet.
“And it’s the opposite side of the city from Kave's place,” Jane remarked as she pointed down below. “I mean it’s still a minute by lift, but if he changes the access codes, it’s pretty secure and isolated.”
Val could see the whole city below, drones still crawling over it, updating and completing it with ruthless efficiency. She could also see little bald green heads gathering around a center point.
Athen looked at his communicator. “It is time.”
A minute later they were stepping out of a lift that opened onto the plaza where the Mahdfel had begun to gather. Their mates, all humans, stood beside them. No one wore black, except for the warriors in their short shorts who always wore black. Apparently that wasn’t a thing for space funerals. Val didn’t recognize many of the people, but it was clear there was a space for her in the group up front, next to Devin, who stood staring at the center statue grimly.
Athen took his place next to Kave, and Odette actually winked at Jane as a procession came from the camp. Supported by two women, and wearing a full black veil, no one could possibly deny who the widow was. Charlette limped along, weeping under her outrageous hat and veil that came down to her knees.
Anyone else, and Val would have felt sorry for her, but knowing that Charlette really didn’t like her husband that much, and knowing she was going back to Earth a rich woman meant that her tears were probably more for effect than actual grief.
Athen nodded once everyone was in place, and the sculpture that they had all gathered around, split into two and folded into the pool at its base. From the center rose a pyre big enough for a whole body, but in this case, only held a white cloth big enough to cover the piece of him.
Kave stepped forward into the ankle deep water. “Haxit, warrior of Etlon, mate of Charlette-” At this point he was interrupted by a loud wail and flutter of said mate. “Slaughterer of Suhlik too many to count. We honor you now with this promise. There will be no rest until the golden devils are rooted from their dens and slayed to the last one.”
“To the last one!” The Mahdfel shouted together.
“You are at rest now, Haxit. Find your peace when we cannot.”
He waded across the pond to the pyre, and with a simple touch, the thing erupted in blue and green flames. Even from here she could feel the heat of it. For some reason she could not explain, she entwined her fingers with Devin and held his hand tightly as the flames devoured the small fragment left of the strong warrior that she’d known.
Three or four minutes later, and the flames died down, leaving nothing but an empty platform. A small jar popped out of the base. Kave presented it with solemnity to Charlette.
“That’s it?”
Kave seemed confused by the question. “It was only his arm,” he whispered loudly.
