Change of Edict Page 17

  After their earlier session, Baindan had been cleared by Porda to join the others in their accommodations. He hadn’t needed to return to the healing level, as they didn’t have any belongings there that they needed to take with them when they joined the others. But Baindan had come anyway.

  ‘I won’t stay long,’ he said as the sound of the door opening alerted Siray to his presence. ‘I know Nafren wants you to get some more rest.’ He turned to look over his shoulder for the healer as he said his name, obviously wary of being accused of keeping Siray from doing just that. He glanced back down at her and smiled. ‘But I did want to say thank you again. For understanding. And for giving me a chance to explain and apologise to Deson and the others.’

  ‘How did it go?’ she asked.

  Baindan tilted his head as he considered. ‘Deson’s still angry, but I don’t think he wants to kill me anymore. And the others are coming around.’

  ‘Definitely an improvement,’ Siray joked, smiling. ‘Now, get out of here so I can get some rest before my amazing healer assails you.’

  Baindan nodded and started backing towards the door. ‘See you tomorrow,’ he called out just before the door swished closed behind him.

  Siray let out a long sigh of relief. What a day. She hoped tomorrow held nothing interesting for her at all.

  CHAPTER FIFTEEN

  ‘WELL, SWEET, you are free to go.’ Nafren smiled at her.

  Siray raised her eyebrows, barely registering the fact that she could manage it without any pain now. ‘Really?’ she asked. ‘Great!’ She slid off the bed and gave the kind healer a big smile.

  Nafren nodded his head to the door. ‘There’s a guard there waiting to escort you to the others.’

  Siray grimaced, which Nafren, of course, saw.

  He smiled, understanding. ‘It’s the only way you’ll be able to move around, unfortunately, until you get your own pass.’ He crossed his arms and put on a strict voice. ‘Now, off you go! Quick, quick!’

  Siray grinned at him a final time and, activating the door to the room, stepped through. Just as he had promised, a guard was waiting for her on the other side.

  ‘Follow me, please.’ The guard spoke in clipped tones and didn’t smile.

  Siray’s good mood sobered a little, and she nodded in acknowledgment, falling into step behind the male. This must have been how the others had moved between the levels over the last several days.

  The male stiffly led her to the risers and, finding a free one, escorted her onto its platform, punching something into the device at his side.

  When the doors of the riser opened again, Siray saw a new sign, which read ‘L & R’. ‘What does that stand for?’ she asked as the guard motioned for her to follow him into the level.

  The guard responded as they turned right into the hallway leading from the bank of risers. ‘Living and recreation.’

  Makes sense. Siray continued to follow the guard as he turned left at the next corner. They marched down the length of the strange hallway, which had doors spread out at intervals, and finally stopped right at the end, where the hallway turned to the left again.

  The guard indicated a door which had the number twenty-two and a large ‘R’ painted on it. ‘This is yours. Twenty-two red. If you wish to visit the healing level or the therapy room, you’ll need to talk to the guards by the risers first.’ With that, the guard made a precision turn and strode back down the hallway.

  Siray watched him go, both amused and taken aback by the guard’s unfriendly attitude, then turned to the door and activated it. With a familiar swish, it opened, and she stepped through.

  ‘Hey!’

  Siray turned towards the sound of Jorgi’s voice and was almost knocked over by the force of his hug as he threw himself at her.

  When he let go, he said, ‘Don’t tell me—you escaped from the healing level? Should I be worried?’

  His gaze moved quickly to her scars before flicking away, but she grinned at him, too happy to care. ‘Good to see you too, Jorgi.’ She had missed his jokes.

  Tamot was just behind him. ‘Welcome back,’ he said, clapping her on the arm. ‘It’s been odd only having part of the group here after travelling together for so many days.’ Tamot also glanced at her face, but he seemed unconcerned by her altered look.

  Siray nodded. ‘I know. Of course, it helps that the guards are so friendly,’ she joked. A laugh, which sounded oddly like Wexner’s, broke out from farther in the room, and Siray moved forwards, intrigued. She didn’t think she had actually heard Wexner laugh before, but her hearing proved accurate as Siray spied her former sparring tutor sitting on one of two couches that were pushed against the farthest two walls in the room, his face turned towards them.

  She also saw Deson, kicking back on one of the bunks to the side, and Baindan, lying on the floor on the opposite side of the room, with his feet up against the couch.

  ‘Just wait until you visit the mess hall,’ Wexner said. ‘You’ll get a welcome there that will more than make up for the guards.’

  Siray raised an eyebrow. ‘Why is that?’

  ‘Because,’ he explained, leaning forwards, ‘the ratio of females to males here is … a little low.’

  Genlie, who was sitting on the couch beside Kovi, flicked her fingers at Wexner. ‘It’s not that bad.’ She turned to Siray. ‘They’re very strict here about not chatting while on duty, but in the mess and recreation areas they’re a lot friendlier.’

  Kovi grumbled something about the males being ‘too friendly’, and Genlie tried to elbow him in the ribs.

  ‘This lot is having some trouble adjusting to being the “newbies” here,’ she explained, giving Siray a meaningful look. ‘They don’t fully realise how interesting we must be to everyone else.’

  Siray was beginning to get an idea of what she would experience, and she appreciated the warnings of the others, and Genlie’s subtler one.

  ‘By the way, Siray,’ came Jorgi’s distracted voice as he dug around in a box nearby for something, ‘I like your new look.’

  Silence fell as quickly as if someone had managed to mute all sound in the room.

  Jorgi sensed the sudden tension and glanced up from his box at the stunned faces. ‘What? I do. It’s unique, and Siray and Wexner kicked that creature’s ass.’

  Still no one moved, and even Loce looked wary.

  And then Genlie giggled. ‘Told you, Siray.’

  Siray broke into a giggle of her own and shook her head, the tension in the room dissipating. ‘Thanks, Jorgi,’ she said to him, smiling warmly.

  Jorgi flushed, looking relieved and gratified.

  As the others returned to their various conversations, Siray moved towards the five pairs of bunks lining the wall.

  ‘I’m guessing that you’ve already chosen your own bunks, so what do I have left to choose from?’ she put to the group in general.

  Tamot was closest, so he came across to point out the free bunks to her. ‘That one,’ he said, directing her attention to one that was on the far left, ‘and that one,’ he said, levelling his finger at another on the far right.

  ‘Okay …’ Siray said, deliberating.

  ‘Here,’ Genlie called.

  Siray turned and watched as Genlie stood up from the couch to saunter over.

  ‘Let me make this even easier for you.’ She gestured to the bed on the far left. ‘Loce has picked the bottom bunk of that one, but more importantly, Jorgi would be your neighbour.’ Genlie turned to flick her fingers at the bunk on the far right. ‘I have the bottom one over there, but the top is free.’

  Siray chuckled as she remembered how Jorgi snored. ‘Done.’

  ‘And,’ Genlie continued, ‘I have these for you …’

  Siray watched as Genlie strolled across the room to her bunk and pulled items out from a cupboard there. As Genlie held out a pile of something to her, she identified what it was. Clothes. Real clothes.

  She smiled in appreciation as Genlie handed the clothes to her
. ‘Thanks.’

  The female shrugged. ‘I’d want something different from a healer’s pants and shirt too.’ She nodded her head towards the door. ‘Follow me and I’ll show you where the washrooms are.’

  ***

  Genlie led Siray out the door of their accommodation and straight down the hallway before them. Then she took a left where another long hallway intersected theirs. As they walked, Siray tried to build a map of the floor in her mind. She would have to do more exploring, but it appeared that, like the other floors, this one was laid out in a simple pattern of squares.

  Shortly after they turned left into the central hallway, Genlie activated a door marked ‘F’. ‘This is it. Our bastion of cleanliness away from the males.’ She gestured for Siray’s benefit to somewhere farther down the hallway. ‘Their washroom is at the opposite end. Everyone on the floor shares these washrooms, bar those of command rank, who we think have accommodations on another floor.’

  Siray nodded. ‘I plan to have a good wash, and then maybe you can show me the rest of this place?’

  Genlie nodded. ‘Yep. Just come back to the room after. The others might want to come along to visit the recreation rooms as well, as there’s not really much else to do yet.’

  Siray frowned at her friend, a question about that last remark forming on her lips.

  Genlie saw her look and waggled her finger. ‘Bathe first, questions later.’

  Siray snorted. ‘Genlie, have you ever considered being a healer? I think you’d be perfect.’

  The lean female started backing down the hallway. ‘What? And miss out on all the excitement? Nah!’ She grinned before spinning on the spot and walking around the corner.

  Turning around to the washroom entrance, Siray stepped through the door, which had remained open. Yet once she had proceeded a couple of paces inside, the door closed by itself, and she looked around. The washroom was large and strictly organised, with taps on one side and private areas on the other side for personal needs. The middle of the room itself had a continuous bench arranged in a large square, and around this bench smaller taps were spread out at intervals. Siray approached the bench and ran her hand across the surface as she slowly moved along its length. It appeared to be made out of solid rock that had been brushed smooth.

  Not something that was installed quickly, or for use in a temporary sanctuary.

  And Nafren had said as much the other day, that the whole facility had been here a long time.

  The sudden sound of voices from outside intruded on her thoughts, and she glanced up as the washroom door swished open to see two unfamiliar females walk in.

  They had been chatting quietly together but stopped when they saw her standing there.

  ‘Uh, hi,’ she said, feeling awkward. ‘I’m Siray.’

  The two females looked at each other before one offered, ‘I’m Kinna. And this is Melora.’ Kinna had a soft, friendly voice, and she smiled in a welcoming way.

  Melora just eyed Siray up and down, her curly brown hair bouncing over her shoulders. ‘You’re with the new group that came in, aren’t you?’ she asked.

  There was a slight undertone to Melora’s words that Siray couldn’t identify, but she nodded. ‘I’ve been on the healing level for several days and have just come down today.’

  Kinna nodded. ‘We heard that two of you came in with severe injuries.’ The female’s eyes were warm, and short black hair framed her sweet-looking face.

  Melora snorted, and although she was stunning to look at, her personality appeared to be the opposite in nature. ‘Yeah. Couldn’t hold your own against a patrol, apparently.’

  Kinna threw a frown at Melora, but Siray just raised her eyebrows at the comment, deciding that she would have to better inform this female. ‘It wasn’t a normal patrol; we were outnumbered.’

  Melora just gave a cloying smile that didn’t reach her brown eyes. ‘Mmmmm. Or maybe they just don’t train recruits the same way. Which wouldn’t be your fault, of course,’ she continued, her voice implying the exact opposite.

  Siray was stunned. It seemed like this female was deliberately trying to provoke her. She didn’t even know what to say to that comment, so she didn’t reply.

  But Melora wasn’t done. ‘Though, I guess it would be harder to train second-rate recruits up to an acceptable standard.’

  ‘Melora.’ Kinna’s tone was disapproving.

  Melora smirked, her freckly nose wrinkling, and turned away. ‘Well, see you around.’ She moved past Siray to close herself into a privacy area, and the faint sound of a tap running broke up the awkward silence a little.

  ‘Sorry about that,’ Kinna said shyly. ‘Melora’s very competitive.’

  Siray shrugged, affecting an indifferent attitude. ‘It’s alright. I’ve dealt with worse.’ Yeah, amongst the enemy, she thought. Picking up her pile of clothes again, she smiled at Kinna. ‘It was nice to meet you, though.’

  Kinna smiled and gave a small wave of her hand, also turning to move into a private area.

  Siray moved towards the tall wash taps on the far wall and, spying a bench close by, placed her pile of clean clothes there. Like most washrooms, the tap area was open with no privacy separations. If you wanted privacy for more intimate needs, then you used the areas that Kinna and Melora had gone into. But then Siray noticed that a wall nearby had an activation pad—just what she had been looking for.

  Stepping up to it, she activated the mechanism, and a familiar wall of light popped into existence behind her to block out all else but the immediate space around her and the taps. Any other female could, of course, step through the wall to shower at another tap, but it separated the wash area from the rest of the space—and anyone who happened to walk past the open washroom door. Smiling, Siray went about undressing, tossing the shirt and pants the healers had provided through the wall of light to the bench where her new clean clothes were. Turning back around, she activated the tap, and clean, warm water began flowing out in a wide fall. Siray closed her eyes as she positioned her head underneath the flow, and for a long moment, she just stood there, letting the water pour over her head, face, and body.

  Finally relaxed, alone, and without anything else to focus on, recent memories began flashing through her mind.

  The desert.

  The fight.

  Blood welling across Baindan’s chest and falling after the blow with the sword.

  The pain in Deson’s eyes when he knew he had to ask her to push on.

  The faces of her friends.

  She let the memories run their course and didn’t try to examine them or push them away, but just accepted them. After a while, she swallowed dryly and then pushed her hair away from her face.

  She was fine, she reminded herself. They had all made it. And now, they could fight once more with the Resistance.

  Siray turned into the spray from the tap and scrubbed eagerly at the uninjured side of her face, hoping the motion would also wash away the painful clarity of the memories.

  When she had had enough, and long after she was actually clean, Siray deactivated the tap and stepped away from the shallow pool of water still draining near her feet. Reaching up with her hands, she wrung out her long hair, moving her hands downwards from her neck through to the ends just above her waist, causing more water to drip down. Shaking her hair out from its wet twist, she peered about her for a towel to wipe herself off with. Not seeing one where she was, and slightly annoyed that she had overlooked placing one nearby before her wash, Siray carefully stuck her head through the opaque wall.

  With relief, she saw that the private areas that Melora and Kinna had occupied were now empty, leaving her alone in the washroom. But she still couldn’t see anything with which to dry herself. Pulling her head back through the wall, she decided she would just have to use her old clothes to dry herself off with, and walked over to the activation pad to deactivate the wall.

  That’s when she saw that there was actually a second activation pad below the first. It
was of a different shape and was marked ‘V’.

  Siray sighed. These people loved their letters. Looking at it, Siray shrugged and decided to activate it. A whir sounded below and above her, and just as she looked up in alarm at the noise, a warm wind began to gust around her, the now-open vents in the ceiling and floor funnelling in air.

  Siray’s alarm rapidly faded as she realised that the ‘V’ stood for ‘vent,’ and, reaching up, fluffed her hair some more so it could dry faster. A moment later, she was completely dry. Squinting through her billowing hair, she reached forwards and pressed the same pad. The vents above and below her whirred closed and the air stopped moving, allowing her hair to drift down around her in red waves. She smiled to herself. That was an experience she could happily enjoy each day.

  Ducking her head through the glowing wall again, she observed that the space still remained quiet, so she deactivated the wall and moved across to the bench to where her clean clothes awaited. As she traversed the moderately sized washroom, a reflection in a large mirror on the central wall caught her eye.

  Toned, fit, and slim, the mirror showed her how much her body had altered since she had faced her Change ceremony nearly a quarter of a cycle ago, and her long red hair shone as it rested on her shoulders and flowed down her back.

  But what really drew her eyes were the scars that now stood out on her browned skin.

  On her side near her waist was a scar that showed where the arrow had pierced her. It was large and round, both due to the arrow itself and because the healers had had to work so hard to remove it.

  Siray ran her hands up her waist and across to the upper part of her left arm. This scar was a thick white line on the outside edge of her arm that started halfway up and finished just below her shoulder.

  And then there was her face. She supposed she would get used to it eventually, but for now, the white scars that crossed over and beside her left eye were still unusual to her, especially as her blue eyes stood out so starkly in comparison to them.

  Bereft of a comb, Siray quickly ran her hands through her dry hair, detangling any snarls and then letting the red mass fall loosely behind her shoulders. Pulling on the fresh clothes Genlie had given her, which included new chest bandages and, thank the Mother, clean undershorts, Siray gave her reflection one last glance before she padded out of the washroom in her bare feet.