C6 / Graves

Posted on Mon 21st Jan, 2019 @ 6:32pm by Commander Paul Graves PsyD

622 words; about a 3 minute read

Mission: Oblivion
Location: Tivoly Gardens
Timeline: Last Week; Tuesday afternoon.

It was… a Torii gate, perhaps, or a megalithic trilithon rendered in jacinth. A clear and obvious demarcation at the top of a ridge, seperating one realm from another. Dawn Addams paused. “Do not release each others’ hands,” she reminded her companions. With a look of determination, she took the last few steps to the ridge, and passed through the gate.

The Echos had been designed to be the perfect spies and assassins. In embodied life, they had simply known what those around them knew; understood their needs and desires and purposes. In the moment when the Witch, her matrilineal descendants, and their friends stepped into the valley they had closed, the Echos turned their attention their way. In that moment, they knew who had arrived, and why. They considered the Witch’s purpose, understood her points, reluctantly agreed.

There was a flash of light, and time was rearranged, reality was changed.

For a split-second, Paul was aware of a reweaving--not of the reweaving itself, but of the desire to reweave, the feeling that it was necessary, that it had been accomplished. Then, even that awareness vanished.

---

"Hello, Chlamydia, Six," Paul said to the young girl walking in Tivoli Gardens and her mother as he carried a bag of produce home from the farmers' market. Chlamydia's daughter looked solemn, as usual, though he didn't detect sadness from her, just a sense of being a constant observer of the world. He withdrew his empathic sense as he usually did when conversing with people who were not his patients. He was 'quietly listening' rather than probing. "It's good to see you outside of the infirmary," he said to Chlamydia.

"Paul," Chlamydia said with warm welcome. "How delightful to see you!"

"Hello, Doctor Graves," Six echoed. "Have you purchased any exciting produce today?"

"Produce that would excite you?" Paul questioned. "Mm...Tomatoes and potatoes. And tapioca for pudding."

Six's eyes lit up. "Tomatoes and potatoes are both members of the nightshade family," she stated. She had the air of someone sharing a delightful treasure, rather than the superior implications of a know-it-all. "Though of course, the tomato is the fruit, and potatoes are part of the root structure."

"And the tapioca?" Paul asked with a faint smile. Since meeting Six shortly after his arrival on Starbase 109, he'd been amazed at her encyclopedic knowledge of poisons. She reminded him of the old Earth fictional character Severus Snape, who had entered wizard school at age 11 with a similar knowledge of dark magic spells. He sincerely hoped that Six would have a much better life than Snape had had. At least she had not suffered the Potions Master's dreadful childhood.

"The cassava family," the little girl answered promptly. "Which contains cyanogenic compounds. You should peel the roots well, grate them, and soak them for several hours if you don't want to die gasping for air."

"Amygdalin; it's such a fun chemical," Paul said to her wryly. "Absolutely right about the preparation. I'll be making sure to follow the directions exactly. And, speaking of poisonous things, be careful of the angel trumpet flowers that grow on the tree in my back yard, the next time you come over."

"The difference between medicine and poison is dosage," Six said, sounding as if she were quoting.

"True, and the poisonous components of angel trumpet plants are used in medicines," Paul agreed. "I always liked saying 'hyoscyamine,' which is one toxin in those flowers. You know how some words are just fun to say? I used to like to repeat that one to myself, the way someone else might like to lick chocolate syrup off of a spoon. I stopped when I realized I was annoying people."

 

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