The Semblance of the Thing, Part 3

Posted on Mon 28th Jun, 2021 @ 3:10am by Lieutenant Damion Ildaran

974 words; about a 5 minute read

Mission: Waging Peace
Location: Tram 707
Timeline: MD3, 0750

Previously, on Starbase 109:

"I'm afraid we'll have to disagree on magic however," Aradia said. "I'm curious as to what has given you the idea it doesn't exist except as unknown science. That's a very mature, but in this case mistaken, concept."

And now...

"It is every sophont's right to be mistaken," Six said. Her tone gave no doubt which of them she thought was, in this particular case, in error. She stood, settling her bag across her body, and called to the two girls staring into each others' eyes, "Aiko, Yucholl, school!" A moment later, the tram began decelerating, and Six nodded politely to the blonde woman. "And this is my stop. But you knew that, didn't you?"

Aradia laughed, "I did, but that didn't take magic, just observation and knowing the layout of the base. Have a great day and learn something about magic."

She is going to be a little manager when she grows up, Damion thought, amused and more than a little impressed that Six was not only observant but was assertive and mature enough to look out for clearly distracted friends. She also seemed to have sized up the Aradia woman pretty well. He watched as Six exited the tram with her schoolmates. As the tram resumed its ascent, Damion debated with himself for a moment and then moved closer to where Aradia sat. "Good morning, Ma'am. Do you mind if I join you?"

"I suspect I have no choice," the unusual woman replied, "but actually, no I don't mind at all. I've noted you observe a great deal. That either makes you a writer or a detective of some sort. Intelligence or Security?"

"Of course you have a choice. I'm not a complete boor." Damion smiled. "But thank you." He sat down beside her. A glance showed that many of the passengers had left the tram, but a few remained relatively close. He lowered his voice. "Actually, I was looking out for Six. When she mentioned you watching her day after day, I grew concerned. You don't act like the type of person I feared, though. In fact, I don't know what to make of you. The talk of magic was fascinating to me."

Aradia was amused and felt no threat from this man. "If what we suspect about the Addamses is true, you've undoubtedly experienced their magic for yourself at some point. Six is quite clever, and it's hard to know if she truly doesn't believe in magic, or if that's what she's educated to say to others outside the family. In any case, magic exists, and I've not known an Addams who wasn't steeped in it. Do you mind if I touch your arm?" she asked.

"I might," Damion said. "Why do you want to do that? I've not even introduced myself yet." It was ironic, he thought, that he'd willingly allowed Renato Solis to see the truth of him, but with this woman he was cautious. Perhaps it was because magic was an unknown quantity, and a lad from the tunnels was raised to be wary.

"It will tell me if you have any magic yourself, or if you've been involved in any, that's all," Aradia said, completely honestly. "I revise my initial opinion. Definitely not a writer, so it must be intelligence."

Damion smiled and offered Aradia his arm. "So far as I know, only the magic of loving someone. And my name is Damion Ildaran, by the way. Pleased to meet you."

The woman touched the bare skin at his wrist bone with the first two fingers of her right hand. She left them there a few moments as she concentrated on the rift waves. He, himself, was not magic, though she could sense the deep connection he called the magic of loving someone. She could also sense he had been involved, with that someone and perhaps a number of others, in magic of a type which changed universes. Interesting. And I am led to think of only one family aboard this starbase who could access that depth of magic, not once, but twice.

Releasing his arm, she said, "I do sense a deep connection from you to another on the base ... but she isn't quite ... human?"

Damion's eyes widened. There was no way that this woman could know that about Elizabeth by merely touching his arm--no normal way, at least. "She's human enough for me," he said. "What is it you're trying to learn from Six?"

Aradia shrugged, "Whatever I can. It's my task here, to study the Addamses in this generation, and Six as well, and see where they fit on the scale and timeline kept of magic and magicians. Six is a part of things, because she's an Addams, even if by an unusual methodology. Mostly, I was sounding her out, and she's definitely an Addams, no question.

"Something I said to you created a disturbance wave. Did I alarm you in some way?" She thought it was related to the woman he mentioned, but she wasn't positive, because he was more-than-average at dampening his reactions and emotions. An interesting man, and if she had more time, she'd spend some of it to study him, as well as the Addams Family.

"Only that I would appreciate you keeping to yourself the information that someone isn't entirely human."

The witch nodded, "Ah, yes, secrets. I'm a huge repository of them, no need to worry. I never tell."

"Much obliged," Damion said. The tram was slowing at Deck 100. "Here's my stop. I hope we meet again, Miss Aradia. I admit to being a bit curious about magic, and I'd like to learn more, if you wouldn't mind talking to me."

 

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