Heaven Four: Book One

HEAVEN FOUR

PART 1:    THE GIFT

         “So aliens aren’t alien?”
         “Nope.”
         “So what are they then?”
         “Earthlings.”
         “Aliens are Earthlings, but Earthlings are alien to us.”
         Kila sat in silence, regarding the fractured image of straight dark hair and yellow-y tan skin speaking in the clear voice of her mother, Gwen.
        “So what’s my birthday present?”
        “That’s what I’m currently researching.”
        “I think I’m getting it.”
        “You’d better, heiress.”
        Someone rapped on Kila’s bedroom door.  The door swung open, revealing a tall slender woman wearing a black uniform and pillbox hat. 
      “Hey, Edith, com say hello to Mother!  Mother, it’s Edith. Mother was just telling me how aliens aren’t.”
      Edith rolled her eyes and walked over to the bedside where Kila sat cross-legged in front of a rusty brown laptop computer.  “Good evening, Ma’am.  Giving her the ‘ol research lesson, I hear? Oh, dear, that screen...”  Edith bent over the computer and adjusted some knobs.  “There we are.” 
      “Good to see you again, Edith.  Yes, in fact I was.  Keeping her out of trouble?”
        “Keeping her out of the barn is about all I can manage.”
        “But I want my present!” Kila dropped backward onto the plush pillows behind her.
        “Enjoy the last…what, 15 hours? Of being 12.  You’ll make it.”  Gwen said.
        “Let’s hope curiosity is only lethal to cats.”
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        A sliver of white light cut through the murky darkness.  What the…?  There was a faint sound of metal rattling underwater as the light narrowed and disappeared.  Some distance away, under the same waters, something or someone grumbled and squawked.  In front of her, translucent eggs with angular wings rolled around in mid air.  No!  Wake up!  You will wake up… She focused on her leg.  Move, just a little.  Her leg twitched, setting off the sound of more metal rattling, but this metal was above water and rang through to her mind’s depths, startling her awake.  Her head jerked upward and immediately slammed the ground.  She struggled to stand, but her body met with same force abruptly knocking her to the ground.  Not one inch of her was capable of movement without being forced back into place.  What’s happening?  Where am I?  She looked around.  Thin cracks of white light formed perfect rectangles on three sides of her, admittedly the only three she could view.  The earth…no, the floor… beneath her was solid and cold.  She was still too numb to get an accurate feel for the tethers pinning her to the floor, but judging by the rattling moments earlier, they were likely metal chains.  The air was thick with the smell of rust.  The white light that had wakened her reappeared.  She felt a sharp pain in her neck and fell asleep. 
        When she came to, she was still contained and tethered to the ground.  This time, the floor was warm earth, the light yellow and the rectangles formed by the cracks of light were larger and less precise.  The yellow crack at the bottom rectangle to her left slowly widened.  She growled.  No more; I’m done with this!  She strained against what she assumed to be chains again, but to no avail.  The crack had now widened to a bright flash.  Her third eyelid blinked in reflex to protect her quickly narrowing pupil.  When her eye facing the light adjusted, the light revealed her wooden container filled with dead grass.  Will I meet the grasses fate? Where the largest of the three rectangles had been, she could see gentle hills of bowing grass and blue-green mountains beyond.  Between her and the grassy knolls, were three erect figures of varying colors approaching her, the smallest decidedly more animated than the others. 
            “Oh he’s the most beautiful dragon I’ve ever seen!” The smallest figure piped.  “And really big, why’s he so big?  Oooh, I’m going to name him Sudan!  That’s the country we’re studying in Earth Studies.”  The small one paused to giggle.  “He’s the only thing interesting about it!”
            “I thought you liked Earth Studies, Miss Erdberg,” said the one with the most black coloring.
              “Oh, I LOVE it, but some places are less interesting.”
            “Well, don’t be too disappointed, Kila,” said the largest, the only male.  “He’s a she.”          
              “Well, that’s alright.  Hey! Let’s see how she likes her new home!”
              “Very well, dear.  Malik, will you do the honors?”  The three figures stepped outside the container as a fourth walked from one side to the other. 
            Darkness rolled down from the top of the container as it closed.  As her eyes readjusted to the darkness, her chains loosened.  She shook them free and lifted her head.  Her head felt heavy and off-balance.  She tried to stand, but stumbled sideways against the wall.  Behind her, light slowly entered the container again.  Another door rolled open, revealing not rolling hills of grass, but tall trees and the smell of fresh meat and water.  Salivating, she slowly walked out of the container in search of the aroma’s source. 
            “She appears inebriated, sir, if I may say so.”
            Recognizing the voice, Sudan quickly looked around to see the same figures loitering on the other side of hexagonal bars.  This time, the fourth was with them. 
            “Yes, the young are rather sensitive to the effects of tranquilizers.  As I comprehend it, she merely required a second dose during transport. I suspect she’s quite dehydrated and disoriented.  She’ll be herself after a good night’s rest.”
            “Ooh, can I ride her tomorrow!  Please, daddy, please!” The smallest said.
              “Haha!  You are eager, aren’t you?  No, you’ll have to continue riding lessons on Raxar until this one is properly mannered.” The male grinned. “She may be your birthday gift, but riding her is next year’s gift!”
              “Aw, but that’s no fair!  Can I at least help Malik train her?” 
              “I suppose he can train you to train her; you’ll need that knowledge one day.  But no direct contact for now.  It’s getting late.  Edith, please prepare super.” 
              As the trio departed, Sudan stumbled into the arbor in search of hydration.  The pool she found amongst the towering broad-leafs was just deep enough to bathe.  Beside the shimmering azure water lay a freshly dead goat.  Sudan ate and drank her fill and slept. 

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            “Oh, Edith, but I can’t wait for all the adventures I’ll have once I learn to fly her!”  Kila was jumping up and down on her bed.
            “Well, you’ll have to.  You’ll also have to quit ruining your bed.”  Edith turned down the plush covers to Kila's four-post bed and slapped exposed sheets.  “Come now, it’s time for bed.”
                Kila bounced into the indicated area and nestled under the cotton sheets.  Edith sat on the edge of the bed beside Kila. 
                “And just what are you going to do?”  Edith asked.
                “Well, I’m going to fly into the Faraday Mountains for one.  But what I really want to do is join mother on her expeditions.  We’ll go to distant Heavens together and explore Earth and other planets!”
                Edith gave Kila an exaggerated frown.  “And I’ll be left in the cold, I should wonder!” 
                “Oh, no, Edith! Never!”
                  Edith’s look was doubtful.  “Yes, I can see it now.  Kila Erdberg, famous explorer: can’t dress herself in the morning!” 
                  Kila spread her arms out wide and fell backward onto her pillow, saying, “I intend to explore in luxury!”  She looked at Edith and they burst into laughter.
                  Edith stood and bent over to cut off the bedside lamp then walked to door.  “It’s time for bed, Kila.  Sleep deep.”
                  “Edith…I would, you know…travel in luxury, I mean.”
                “I know you would dear.”  Edith cut off the overhead light and closed the door. 
                Kila awoke the following morning to the dim light of the morning sun pouring through shear drapes, casting a bluish hue across the room.  Kila, still in her nightgown jumpsuit, leapt from the comfort of her bed and ran barefoot down the long hallway; she was going to meet Malik at the barn for her dragon’s training.  Kila turned the corner to the exit and bumped into something firm, knocking her backward to the floor.
                “Edith!”
                “Miss Erdberg, it appears you really can’t dress yourself in the morning.”  Edith ushered Kila back to her chambers. 
Once in Kila’s chambers, Edith opened a large ornate wardrobe to aid in the matter of Kila’s inappropriate garb.  She pulled black leggings from one end of the wooden wardrobe and an above-the knee grey dress with an uneven hemline from the other end.  She closed the double doors to the wardrobe and bent down to open its bottom drawer, from which she pulled a black cowl. 
“Now let’s get you dressed.  There’s a bit of a chill this morning, so don’t forget your cloak.”  Kila handed Edith the lacey off-white jumpsuit she usually slumbered in and slipped on the leggings and dress Edith had chosen.  “Now, turn around so I can zip the back of your dress.  Don’t grunt at me, you were a morning person not ten minutes ago.  Your father will be expecting you at breakfast; it’s been weeks since you’ve seen him.  The chef is cooking imtrex eggs and pallow bacon for his arrival.”  Edith knelt to straighten Kila’s dress.
                “When will mother be home again?  It can’t be too long, can it?”
                  Edith stood up, placing her hands on her waste and looking down thoughtfully.  “I’m not sure.  I suppose it can’t be seeing how she sent you your birthday present.  It could only have got here a few years ahead of her…assuming she left for home the same time.  I imagine she’ll have you taking on the family business by your sixteenth birthday.  That’s what I’ve been told anyway.”
Edith guided Kila down the long hallway and into a large dining room containing an ornate fireplace and dining table.  Kila’s father, Jonathan Erdberg, was already seated at the head of the table enjoying some breakfast biscuits.  By now, Kila was ravenous. 
                  “Good morning, Daddy!”  Kila tried not to sound distracted by the prospect of aiding Malik in training Sudan. 
                  “Good morning, Kila!  I hope you slept well.  Thanks for joining for my first breakfast back; I know you must be in a rush to meet Malik.” Jonathan stood up to hug Kila. 
                  “How was your trip home?”
                    “Home home or here home?  Both ways were fine.  It was good to see my mother again.  She sends her love, by the way.” 
                    “I’m so envious!  Can’t I go with you some time?  I’ve never been to Earth!”
                    “Well, unfortunately, it’s not like it used to be.  The pictures and documentaries you’ve seen about it’s astounding beauty and organisms would now be….greatly exaggerated.  The conservation exodus took so many samples, there’s hardly anything left.”
                    “I’d still like to see it.  Won’t you take me?” 
                    “Perhaps when you’re older.  Or maybe Mom can take you; she’s on her way; she’ll be here any year now.”  Jonathan chuckled to himself.
                    “What’s so funny?” Kila asked.
                    “Well…I never thought I’d say that with a straight face,” he grinned, his eyes twinkling. 
                    Kila laughed at his jest.  “What year will she be here?”
                    “Oh, I don’t know…I guess three more years?  It will make her very happy to see you on the dragon she gave you as well as how your riding skills have progressed.”
                  “You know, I’m off for a few weeks, why don’t we give Malik some time off?”
                  “Sounds good to me!”  Kila said excitedly. 

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                    Sudan awoke from deep slumber filled with bizarre dreams.  With the dizzying confusion and hallucinations over, she could concentrate upon orienting herself to her new environment and, if necessary, escaping.  She flew above the towering trees, directly up into the sky only to find a barricade.  She twisted to evade the angular bars and landed on the container’s roof.  She surveyed the surrounding area.  She was in a dome enclosure formed by hexagons.  Beyond the hexagonal barricade lay several other enclosures of identical design.  She hissed her displeasure to herself and twitched her tail in irritation. 
                    A rumbling snort sounded from the terrarium to her right.  Sudan fled to the cover of the trees and peered toward the sound’s origin from behind the thick trunks.  The producer of the startling sound emerged from the neighboring container.  An elderly dragon with horns erupting from every protruding joint and scars everywhere between stretched in the brightening morning sun.  He was a dull grey from an impending shed, flakes of skin slowly peeling away.  The old one sauntered to the bars and leaned against them, dragging his bulk across their edges such that large flakes shed away from his dermis. 
                  Just as the ancient resident was shuffling out of visibility, two erect beings similar to those from the previous evening materialized.  Sudan observed them warily, though they were currently taciturn and stationary.  These bodies closely resembled the others, however the male was black and white and the small female was predominantly grey and black.  Today’s little female also had furry lower limbs. 
                 “Eeheehee!  I’m so excited, what do we do now, Dad?” Kila asked. 
              “Sshhhh…remain calm and quiet.  We just need to observe and study her for the moment.  Dragons generally require an adjustment period.” Jonathan whispered.  “We’ll be feeding her to make the adjustment more toothsome for her, but we don’t want to progress too quickly; even the tiniest mistake we make now will only complicate and lengthen the training process later.” 
              Hours passed with the pair occasionally communicating in hushed whispers and the female fidgeting from time to time.  Eerily similar pairs of creatures repeated this behavior each morning for several days until it seemed to be a ritual.  Sudan acclimated to these rituals and came to ignore them. 
                One early morning, the same female from the second morning and the same male from the first evening arrived and perambulated around the outside of the terrarium.  These two were more communicative than the other pairs.  Sudan listened closely to their sounds and gestures as they tread the perimeter, noticing a bemusing trend linking all the pairs together; they all sounded and moved the same, with the only distinguishing difference being their coloration below the neck.  Could they all have been the same creatures?  Were they skin changers?
                  After pacing the perimeter several times, the curious pair entered the terrarium leading a goat behind them.  They traipsed to nearest tree and tied the goat there before their egress through the same doorway.  Sudan watched the goat, a fat white male with long black horns curling out of his skull.  She crept toward the intended prey, sniffing at it cautiously.  She paused a moment to look around and, seeing no one, pounced on her hapless victim. 
                    This day commenced a new ritual of the strange couple, whom Sudan had concluded was always the same couple, offering food every other morning.  Sudan’s muscles no longer tensed at the sight of the erect beasts. 
Week by week, the ritual altered to some degree, sometimes barely noticeable until eventually Sudan was surprised to discover she enjoyed the pair’s company and being stroked by their clawless paws.  However, even more startling was the weight suddenly dropped upon her back. 
                    The female…Kila, she had learned by now, was petting her muzzle, distracting her from the whereabouts of the male, Jonathan.  Startled to have Jonathan’s bulk situated between two of her ventral horns, she bolted around the enclosure, twisting and spinning to throw him off, but to no avail.  Sudan dove into the arboretum in a final attempt to dislodge the parasite before crashing into the earth.  Her eyes widened as her jaw dropped to see her failure white-knuckled and scraped up on her back. 
                    “Wow, I thought she’d lose you for sure in the trees.”  Kila said.
                  “Nah.  I have a gift for hanging on when I should let go,” Jonathan responded.  “It’s important to have the first ride be a success or they’ll learn they can just…” Jonathan paused to make a throwing gesture, “toss ya!” They laughed, though Sudan didn’t understand what they found so amusing; being jumped upon was hardly an amusing affair.  Sudan’s heart sank the following morning when they taunted her in this manner a second time. 
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                    “Would you like an escort to the shipping base, Dad?  I’d love to see you off!”  Kila said on a cool spring morning. 
                    “I think that will be fine.”  Jonathan replied. 
                    Together, they made their way to the dragon pens to prepare for the morning’s ride. 
                    Kila gently tugged at Sudan’s reins, leading her through the container and into the open plains.  Kila was riding her beloved dragon daily now, flying for miles over the grassy steppes. 
                    Sudan was interested to see her old neighbor outfitted with dark brown tackle for Jonathan. 
                    “Hey, neighbor! Ready for a long flight?” The old one said.
                    “Um..hi.”  Sudan replied.  “Um..I’ve see Kila riding you a lot…you must be Raxar.
                      “You shouldn’t keep to yourself so much.  Come chat some time.” Raxar said. 
                      “Any clue where we’re headed?” Sudan asked.
                    “Eh…the master’s got some sort of thing.  We’re taking him to the shipping base to catch a lift to another planet.”
                    “You’ll be going with him then?” Sudan asked.  Her scales prickled at the term “master.”
                    “No; I’ll just come on home and get a good night’s rest.”
                    “If you don’t mind, who’s coming back on you?”
                    “Nobody, that I know of. I’ll just mosey on back myself.”
                      “Why wouldn’t you just escape?”
                        Raxar’s eyes hardened and darkened.  “I did escape.” 
                      Sudan’s heart quickened, then settled at the sight of Kila.  She’d never actually been grateful to be ridden before now. 
Jonathan and Kila climbed into their respective saddles and issued to their respective dragons the command to fly.  As they flew, Sudan purveyed the planet beneath them, seeing nothing but miles of grassy hills and the distant mountains.  The only planet she’d ever known seemed strangely alien.  Her mind wandered onto Raxar’s strange reply.  What would these creatures do if she attempted an escape?
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                After several hours of flight, the quartet arrived at the shipping base. Large metal, streamlined buildings were perched in rows, each one crawling with various passengers and crew. 
                “That’s the one!”  Jonathan said, pulling Raxar slightly to the left. 
                The dragons landed in front of a small transport vessel lined in chrome.  The gangplank was down, giving the vessel a gaping appearance.  The interior had plush red velvet carpets and white furniture.  To the bow of the ship was a large bay window. 
         Kila dismounted and stepped over to her father. 
         “I’ll miss you,” she said, giving him a hug.
         “You too.  I won’t be gone more than a year this time.  You’re mother should be back by then.  Send her my love.”
         Jonathan turned to Raxar, “I’ll miss you too, old man. Go on home now.”  Raxar slowly turned away and took flight for home. 
         Kila stayed to watch her father board the ship before turning her dragon toward home.  They flew in silence for some time before Kila sighed and said, “I do miss him, but…let’s go have our own fun, Sudan!”  Kila leaned toward the Faraday Mountains, steering Sudan in that direction.  “What do you say we see something other than grass?”
         Sudan’s solar plexus tingled and her wings gained strength as she glided toward the unknown reaches of the mountains.  Let’s go, indeed!
         As they approached the rounded mountain peaks, the air grew cooler and pine scented.  Beneath them, the grassy terrain gave way to wooded foothills, which in turn gave way to the thickly forested mountains.  The chattering of the birds rising up from below were no longer  the familiar calls of prairie larks and steppe grouse, but other species as yet unfamiliar.  Despite the  cloudless sunshine, the scent of rain met Sudan’s nares and she wondered if Kila smelled the distant storms as well. As they swooped between the peaks into the valleys, thunder rolled in from the other side of the mountain range.  If Kila hadn’t smelled it earlier, she heard it now.
         “We’re going to need to take cover. Keep a keen eye for caves.” Kila said.  They flew further and further into the mountains, keeping down between the heaps of earth on either side.  The dark clouds above them were pregnant with rain, threatening to have their water break and crash on the helpless fliers. 
         Sudan spotted a large dark area on the side of a mountain ahead of them.  She raced for the opening, hoping it would be a cave large enough to house her and her rider.  She landed on a cliff adjacent to the hole just as water droplets began rolling down her wings.  The cave most definitely large enough to contain the two travelers.  Sudan crawled inside and shook herself dry.  Kila jumped off to search the cave.
         “Looks uninhabitated.  Ooh!” Kila jogged to the side of the cave, picking up a large branch and breaking it over her knee into several pieces.  She held the end of one stick up to Sudan.  “Light this, will you?”  With a lit torch, Kila  stepped carefully to the back of the cave.  She discovered there was none.
         “Sudan, it’s a tunnel, I think.  I don’t know of any cave being this long.  It’s as good a time as any for spelunking.”  She continued to creep along the rock walls, watching her footing on the uneven floor.  Behind her, lightning flashed, temporarily aiding her vision.  Sudan followed.  They walked on in silence for a long time. 
         Kila yawned, “I think we should call it a night.  We’ll see where this goes in the morning.” 
         When they rousted themselves from their dreams, they could only assume it to be morning, for no light reached this section of the tunnel.  After lighting a second torch, they continued their long trek through the damp tunnel.  When Kila blew out the torch to sleep in the cave once more, the cave glowed blue.  Kila looked up to see bioluminescent worms weaving their way across the cave ceiling.  They curled up for sleep under the worms’ dim glow. 
         The third day in the tunnel, a faint light could be seen.  Once in the open air, Kila filled her lungs with the warm, salty air and took a gander at the scenery.  The mountains quickly gave way to grassland again, but this land was flat with only the occasional knoll.  This flat terrain rapidly dropped off as bluffs overlooked a blue sea.  Behind one of the uncommon knolls, smoke ascending into the air as though from a chimney.  Kila looked at Sudan, who seemed to have caught site of it as well.  Sudan looked back at Kila, who took it to mean, “Let’s go see what that’s about.”
         In the air again, they could see the smoke was indeed rising from a chimney.  A small stone cottage with a thatched roof sat a few hundred feet from the cliff’s edge.  Outside the cottage, Kila noticed a garden. Sudan noticed the pasture of goats and cows.
Sudan landed just to the mountain side of the cottage.  Kila hopped down to the ground and went to knock on the door.  There was no response.  Sudan issued a deep squawk.  Kila looked at her and then followed her gaze.  Unable to see over the slight rise in terrain, Kila climbed the knoll for an improved view.  She could see a hunched over figure in loose grey robes sitting on a bench close to the cliffs.  She approached  the person, wind ripping at her dress and cowl. 
        “Hello?  I’m sorry to disturb you…” Kila started.
        The taciturn figure turned, revealing dry wrinkled skin and light blue eyes.
          “I suppose this is your abode?” Kila asked.
          The person on the bench sighed.  “Yes, it is.  How did you find it?”
          “Accidently.  We were caught in a storm in the mountains and sought refuge in a tunnel.  We followed it here.” 
        “Yeah, I figured I should have blown that thing up.  No TNT left, though.” The voice was  harsh, but feminine.  She turned toward Kila again.  “I’m kidding, girl.  Have a seat.”
          “My name’s Kila, my dragon is Sudan.”
          “Name’s Vaalo.  I live here alone, but there’s plenty of room if you need to spend the night.  I haven’t seen a human in years.  It’d be nice to have some company…or irritating, but you know, we’ll find out.“
Kila’s eye widened.  She looked to the vast sea.  “Ok…I guess…” 
            “What are you look-“
          “Ssshhh…look…” Vaalo shifted her weight forward, bending her knees further.  Her blue eyes widened as her face wrinkled further from the contraction of zygomaticus muscles. Vaalo’s gaze lead just a hundred yards from the shore below where soft sprays of white foam erupted from the sea.  Black bodies with varying dorsal fin sizes rapidly followed.  One blew after the other in quick succession, nearly simultaneous.
          “What are they?” Kila asked.
          Vaalo gasped.  “You don’t know?  Oh, honey….they’re the most wonderful things…killer whales. They were most fearsome predator in the oceans of earth.  I made sure to transport them here to save their species.  Just sitting here, you’re exchanging 12% of the air in your lungs with each breath.  Watch them breathe…90% in an out in a fifth of a second,” Vaalo leaned toward Kila and snapped her fingers, “just like that.” 
            “Huh.  That is cool.”  Kila sat in silence for a moment.  “How many did you bring from Heaven One?”
          “All the ones I could.  It was a dangerous and stressful process for all of us, especially the dolphins.  Of course, I had to get their prey here first.  I have several populations in different areas to keep their cultures as in tact as possible.  My home sits so I can reach each population by boat in an hour or two when the weather fairs.”  Vaalo thumbed to indicate the stone edifice behind them.  She sat in silence until the blows were no longer visible.
            “I’m sorry, you must be hungry.  Let’s go inside and you can tell me about yourself.”  As the women approached the cottage door, Vaalo turned to Sudan.  “Have a goat, little one.” 
            The inside of the bungalow was warm and dry.  Firelight flickered and danced across a large, bare wooden table surrounded by six stools in the middle of the cottage.  On the opposite side of the fireplace was a small door opening to a small cozy bedroom full of books and warm colors.  In the distant corner sat a royal blue wingback chair with flattened purple cushions. A yellow throw blanket draped over the chair’s tall back.