Chapter 21

It was nearly midday as somber Bracken sat staring off toward the Bay of Accad.  He was sitting with Lisha and Ley on Roon's redwood sundeck.  The platform's giant beams anchored firmly to the side of the canyon held it safely suspended over the twisting gorge that led back toward Demur.  Behind them, the spacious house was quiet, most of the guests still hiding in a cloud of sleep from the memory of the previous night's crisis.   Bracken felt barren inside.  His friend was gone.  Dead.  And even with Lisha here, he still felt alone.  A loneliness only the shadows know.

"I'm sorry we had to handle things the way we did," apologized Ley, lifting his legs and plopping them over a cushion at his feet. His face was gaunt from lack of sleep.  He took a sip from the glass of tart liquid in his hand.  "But I hope you understand we couldn't let the Pirax have any idea that Silas had been using the Gem."

"Couldn't we have told them he picked one up from someone at the Sphere?" mused Bracken, his voice slightly distant, a mask of mellowed shock still lingering on in his face.  "Then at least his parents would know he didn't go berserk of his own accord."

"Perhaps," replied Os, glad that the prodding investigators who examined Silas' death the night before had been apparently taken in by the group's false story.  "But I didn't even want to bring up the subject of the stone.  The Pi have been suspicious of me for years and I am sure they'd use an occasion like this to pin me."

"You mean they don't know for sure that you're the sole supplier of the Gems?" questioned Bracken, standing and walking to the edge of the platform.  He stared down at the rocks beneath him.  "From what I've heard you've got quite a reputation.  Surely someone's told them."

"Hearing rumors is one thing," said Ley, "covering me in case like this, is another though.   They'd lock me away, if could get any halfway decent evidence.  They want to everything that defies their limited sense of reality."  Ley looked at Lisha while he talked, her delicate profile silhouetted against the blue sky.  She was pretty, he thought.  Much too pretty to just belong to Bracken.  "If they trap me, it will cut off the supply of Gems and that would be much worse than the death of all of us here.  Thanks to the Mingus, most of the Community in Accad is already discovering a positive alternative to the shallow Nerkushian life.  Another few years and half this country will feel the same way."

"I know, I know," muttered Bracken despairingly.  "It's just hard to accept that Silas isn't here.   We were so close...like brothers.  I'll get over it, but just one thing I still don't understand."  Bracken hesitated for a moment, a sudden flashback assaulting his raw emotions, as he stared down toward the terrain below.  "If the Gem's helping so many people find happiness, why did Silas die?"

"Some people can't quite handle it, I guess.  Pioneering, to the best of my recollections, has never been free of mishap.  It's a sad thing about Silas, but you've got to look at the positive side of what's happened."

"Ley's right," agreed Lisha, her brow wrinkled in concern.  She missed Silas too.  But she felt reassured.  She tried to share her comfort with Bracken.  "You've certainly found a new plateau of expression through the Gem.  Look at the way the people enjoyed your playing last night. Besides," she said, sitting up and walking over to stand cozily beside him, "maybe that face he saw was really calling him to a higher world."  She paused for a moment reflecting on their dead friend.   "You know how much I cared for Silas too.  Somehow, I feel that even though his body is dead somewhere, he's still existing.  Maybe even happier than we are."

"Perhaps," replied Bracken, a bit hesitant, not completely sure why he didn't feel comfortable with Lisha's reasons.  Ley took a final drink from his glass and then amplified Lisha's commentary.  "I've seen enough phenomena in the Mingus realm to know that there are powerful forces working out there.  They may seem strange to us.   Nevertheless, I am convinced that they are working for our good."

Bracken realized he was a novice when it came to the powers of the Gem.  "You're probably right."   Contemplating his ignorance of such matters, gradually relieved his troubled conscience.  He stopped for a moment to taste the drink he held in his hand.  It had gone untouched until now.  "I really hope to learn more about the Effect.   What I've experienced so far has been tremendous."

Lisha began to feel a deep gratitude for Ley.  "I agree.  Even in the face of Silas' death, I still feel so completely free and at peace." She smiled at Ley, hoping to encourage his benevolence.  "I hope we'll be able to try the Gem again soon."

"Me, too," added Bracken, taking a deep breath and expelling it.  "Another touch will probably help me understand better what happened to Silas."

"No doubt it will," agreed Ley.  "And I already have such an excursion in mind.  I guess the others failed to tell you, but Golden Flight is one of the main attractions at a little get together over in Accad this afternoon."

Bracken was pleasantly surprised by the thought of another performance.  "They certainly did. What sort of get together?"

"Oh, nothing much," laughed Os, a joking expression on his face.   "Just a few thousand people from the Community getting together for a little celebration.   Judging from the way the crowd responded at the Sphere, I'm sure they'd be quite pleased to hear a few sounds from you.

"When do we go?" urged Lisha, somewhat surprised by the growing fascination she sensed for the Mingus peddler.

"As soon as the others are ready," answered Ley promisingly.  "It shouldn't be long though, I've heard some stirring from the house."  Ley turned his glance back toward the dwelling.  Lisha looked closely at him for a moment, admiring him. Ley turned back and looked into her eyes.  "Accad's beautiful this time of year.  You'll love it," he said.

"Good, I'll go change then, and get ready."  Looking at Ley was tempting for a moment.  What was she doing, she asked herself. Why was she so taken with Os.  Perhaps it was his power and the power of the stone.  She loved Bracken, but Os seemed so alluring; the look in his eyes, commanding.  She felt like a child, a child who needed his wisdom. . . a child wanted to please him. She would, she told herself, even if it meant forgetting Bracken.

"We'll use the gem when we get to Accad," announced as he returned Lisha's unexpected beckoning glance, just she turned and walked gracefully back towards their room.  Bracken seemed unaware of Lisha's exchange as he stared off towards the shimmering blue surface of the distant bay.   Ley thought for a moment and then spoke to the musing Bracken.

"Could you do me a favor?"

"Sure, anything Ley."

"Roon has to Stay behind in case the Pirax come back.  He wants to make sure they don't discover anything we might have overlooked.  He was planning to take some of the group's heavy equipment in his other rig.  But now he'll need someone to take his place. Chepa is driving over.  Do you think you could ride along with him?"

"I'd be glad to help," offered Bracken, still slightly pensive.

"Fine, then.   There's just one problem.  His lift only has room for two people.  That means Lisha would have to ride in the max with us."

"That’s okay, it would probably be more comfortable for her."

"Great!" grinned Os, rising and looking back towards Roon's dwelling.  I think I see Chepa now.   He's heading up toward the rig's stall.  Come on, we can help him load the equipment."  Putting a friendly arm around Bracken Ley walked with him from the deck.  "You’ll feel better about Silas after another touch of the Mingus. Until then, just try not to think about it."

"You're right, Ley," admitted Bracken, cheering himself up with thoughts of anticipation. "I’m looking forward to the Community of Accad. I’ve always wanted to live there." Arriving at where Chepa was loading the equipment, the two helped him lift huge sound magnifiers into the spacious bed of the assist rig.  After a tedious period of struggling with the ponderous tone producers, the three completed the loading.   A weary Chepa climbed into the hauling vehicle's cab and touched the ignition switch.  Carefully watching as the propulsion readouts came up to level, he set the rig for its warm-up function.  "We should be ready to go in a few moments," he announced, turning around to examine the stability of the cargo they had just loaded.   Bracken brushed dust from his hands.  "I'll go and explain to Lisha what's happened and be right back."  Bracken and Ley walked back into the house where Lisha was chatting with several of the girls.  He quietly walked up behind and slipped his arms around her.  "I have to go ahead with Chepa.  He needs help with the equipment."

Lisha turned around looking surprised.  "Can't I go along?" she glanced behind her and out toward the idling rig. "No, there's only room for Chepa and myself.  Ley says you can ride with the rest of the group in the max."Lisha shrugged momentarily, and then turned to Ley with a look of favor. " I guess that will be O.K."  Ley's eyebrows raised slightly accenting the twinkle in his eye. "We've got plenty of room.   We'll meet at the park, then."  Bracken kissed Lisha goodbye.