Lives of Future-Past (The Chronicles of Max Gunnarsson Book 1) (20 page)

     “Hey Jennie, did you ever watch any old movies, like from Earth?”
     She looked at him curiously, and asked, “You mean when people actually performed?”
     Max nodded, as he smiled, feeling glad that she wasn’t ignoring him anymore. “Yeah, back then.”
     By the mid-21
st
century, computers were doing all of the work for entertainment, and Hollywood film actors, as they were called, had gone the way of the dinosaur. On Azul, the only actors that existed were people who performed live, in front of audiences, and then only did so out of a love for the art, as they were required to memorize long lines and display great skill in portraying their characters without having the luxury of being able to stop and start over again repeatedly. Needless to say, it was not something one did for a career, as no one could ever earn enough pesos or dollars to make it worth their while.
     “Yeah, I saw a few. Hard to believe people were actually paid incredible amounts for doing that, huh?”
     Max laughed and said, “There was this movie about these two idiots, Bill and Ted, and they had a time—”
     “Oh I saw that one!” she interrupted, excitedly. “They kidnapped figures from throughout history for their report! It was actually pretty funny. Come to think of it, can we go back in time, once you learn 4D slipping, and maybe train with Genghis Khan?”
     They both burst out laughing, practically rolling on the ground on which they were seated.

     “You know, you’re getting scary-good. No vampire is going to last long around you - especially smelling like that. Speaking of stink, I wonder what cannibals fight like?”
     Jennie looked over, knowing that her natural perfume was less than desirable at the moment, and gained a slight grin.
     “Yeah Gunnarsson, I’ve been wondering the same thing. You think maybe Draagh could set us up with a sampler?”
     Max thought for a second, and then said, “Hey, let’s go ask him. Stand up!”
     The two young officers rose from their seated positions on the grass, where he slammed the staff to the ground, instantly slipping them to the main hall, surprising Draagh, who was seated at his table. It was a complete mess, covered with manuscripts, books, candles and some archaic-looking devices, all most probably with magical qualities. As soon as the pop sounded that designated their arrival, Draagh started waving his hand out in front of his nose.
     “My hall smells of the ripest of lycans. Dear Jennie, I do so hope that you have fit a bath into your busy schedule”, he called out, with just a touch of sarcasm.
     “Hey Draagh,” Jennie asked, with a hopeful look on her face, “Can we go kill some cannibals?”
     Draagh looked at her aghast, and replied, “Oh my dear, no, Jennie. Why would you want to do that?”
     “Well,” added Max, “they’re the enemy, right?”
     Draagh gave them a sad, pitying look and said, “It is not of their fault, and as long as we can keep them from harming others and adding to their population we do not kill them. It is really quite tragic, as they lose a good deal of reason when they are infected. We only kill when attacked, and never, ever out of pleasure or for sport.”
     Jennie looked at the old mage, and had an expression of complete understanding. Max also wore a face of remorse for having even considered it, as he delicately placed Draagh’s staff on the table next to Primulus. Then Draagh stood and took his staff in his hand.
     “I must meet with Krynos over some matters of the utmost urgency. Shall we meet for dinner? It is Donus’ birthday today, and it is sure to be quite a celebration.”
     Both of them looked at Draagh as their eyes lit up, with Jennie quickly responding, saying, “Ok, that sounds great - but hey! Where’s my katana?”
     Draagh looked back briefly as he went to exit the main hall, saying, “Oh, I haven’t finished with it yet. May I return it to you in the morning?”
     “Ok, that’s cool. Thanks!” replied the beautiful, but sweaty and malodorous lycan girl.
     Suddenly, Max ran over to his departing grandfather, saying, “Draagh, just a minute,” and then whispered something in the old mage’s ear. Draagh got a slight grin and nodded, turning away and continuing his exit from the room.
     With an extremely inquisitive look on her face, Jennie asked Max, “Hey Gunnarsson, what was that about?”
     “Oh, you’ll see,” he said with a devilish grin.
     

     Both Max and Jennie returned to their respective quarters to clean up for the party. Jennie spent and substantial amount of time scrubbing down in the shower, as she had spent the majority of the day in battle form, and this tended to really create a strong scent. Max also showered, but was able to spend time going over some manuscripts, before visiting with hid grandfather so he could pick up what was a very special request.
     About an hour before Donus’ birthday celebration was about to begin, Jennie heard a knocking on her door. Max’s scent was in the corridor, and, dressed only in a plush towel, she opened the portal to see what it was he wanted. To her surprise, Max was standing in the hallway in an all-white, commander’s ceremonial uniform from Azul Military, with another uniform draped over his arm. She almost gasped when she saw him, having never seen him dressed like that before. She had always seen him as his usual unkempt self – nerdy and down to business, or in ill-fitting battle armor. But this time he was
dressed to the nines
, as they used to say. Although unwilling to verbally admit it, she found him rather attractive, and also felt that the uniform made him look much manlier than usual.
     “Jennie, I assume you didn’t bring your dress whites either?” he asked, fully expecting a negative response, to which she slowly shook her head with a little smile, still visually scanning the young commander up and down.
     “Ok then,” he said, “take this and get dressed”, handing her the uniform and officer's slouch hat he had earlier asked Draagh to conjure. We’ll show these puppies what real uniforms look like.” He then gave her a quick wink and burst off back to his room.
     Jennie carefully shut the door, turned around and softly fell back against the dark wood of the portal, staring off with a look of wonderment on her face as she slowly slid downwards into a seated position, her supple legs bent in front.
     “Wow,” she whispered breathlessly, “he’s kinda hot. Totally. Damn.”
    
     Donus’ birthday party was already in full swing by the time the two off-worlders entered. It was the lycan commander’s 123
rd
birthday, and as such, he was considered quite young for his leadership position. Draagh was seated at the high table with Krynos, and although Donus had a seat of honor with them, he preferred to remain on the main floor with his soldiers and compatriots, where they played a game that consisted of smashing each other in the face with large legs of cooked venison, while maintaining their balance on precariously stacked wooden blocks.
     “Lycan Jenga, “joked Max, as he was referring to an Earth game of stacking, and then removing small, wooden blocks. Jennie had no idea what Jenga was, so she simply returned a quizzical expression as the two stepped into the hall. Suddenly, the entire party came to a near stand-still, as almost everyone looked up to the main entrance stairs to watch two figures slowly descend to the main floor, dressed in the most impressive white uniforms with orange trim they had ever seen. As the two walked the main thoroughfare between the rows of tables, lycans – soldiers, administrators and their spouses – watched the two, who were basically aliens, majestically enter side by side with their heads held high and hats held properly at their sides. Whispers began throughout the crowd, and even Krynos looked on with great admiration, never having expected these two to show up in such fine garb.
     Draagh smiled with a gleam in his eye, quite proud of his two pupils, and also quite pleased with his apparent matchmaking skills, as it seemed that they had come to some sort of mutual understanding - an agreement that he hoped would eventually lead to something of a more permanent nature.
     The two stopped in front of the high table, with Max taking a step forward, bowing slightly.
     “Lord Krynos, Commander Maximilianus Gunnarsson and Lieutenant Jennifer Escalante hereby make a formal request to attend this great celebration - with your permission, of course.”
     Krynos looked at them with feigned apprehension at first, and then broke out into an incredible smile. Standing up, he spread out his arms and said loudly, “Donus, would you have these two fine military officers visiting us from a far-away world attend your birthday celebration?”
     Donus, wearing an equally giant smile, looked out at the massive crowd and yelled, “What say my brothers and sisters?” to which the entire crowd roared with approval, prompting Donus to run up and embrace the two, taking great care not to stain their perfectly-white, almost angelic-looking uniforms.
     “My friends,” he exclaimed loudly, “when you first arrived I was unsure of your ability to not only fit in, but to also even complete a single run on the obstacle course. Not only did you surprise me, you have made me incredibly proud. So proud that I shall call you my brother and sister from this day on out.”
     The crowd applauded and howled, with many of the attendees going to pat the two on their backs. Then, as Max and Jennie turned to take seats somewhere in the expansive crowd, Krynos called out to them, “My friends, young pups. Please be seated with us at the high table. Your efforts and successes have more than earned you the privilege,” to which Max and Jennie looked at other with grins, and then bounded up the stairs to take their places with the lycan king and their teacher.
     Enjoying the raucous festivities, with various soldiers bashing each other with the closest thing they could get their hands on – sometimes other lycans – Max and Jennie sat and chatted with Krynos and Draagh, telling them about their training earlier in the day, especially where Max was slipping throughout the training field, with Jennie trying in vain to blast him with her wand. Max even admitted that she had managed to singe his posterior on more than one occasion. Further, he recounted how he had slipped into that poor youth’s room at the precise moment of the lad’s self-discovery, which brought tear-laden laughter, and almost caused Krynos to choke on his fortified mead.
     There was music, quite similar to what one would expect to hear in the middle ages of Earth’s past, but Max had an idea. Whispering into Jennie’s ear, he asked her a question, to which, at first she timidly shook her head no. After a bit more apparent pleading, she nodded approvingly. It was then that he bounded down into the main area and raised his arms, calling for everyone’s attention. The crowd quieted down after a minute, as it was incredibly difficult to keep lycans soundless during a party.
     “My friends, King Krynos, Draagh my grandfather, and especially Donus, whose incredible hospitality truly has touched me deep in my heart – as you all know, our common ancestors are from Earth, but Earth of the distant past. That being said, I am proud to say that all of you - even though we are here on the home-world of mankind, and not on Azul - are our future.”
     The crowd roared with great fervor, as Max continued, “However, we were not born of this planet, and although we are lycan, we do have differences, and it is one these differences we would like to demonstrate for you here tonight – as a birthday gift for our brother Donus.”
     This caused numerous faces to show a bit of confusion, but Max’s great smile kept this to a minimum. Then, suddenly, the young mage looked as if he were concentrating, and with his hands out in front, brought up an infoscreen, similar to what Draagh typically used. Gasps emanated from the crowd, with small bits of clapping, followed by numerous hushes. Then, Max looked up to the high table with a soft smile.
     “Lt. Escalante, would you please honor me with your presence?”
     Smiling, the stunning young lycan walked down the stairs from her place at the high table to accompany him, while he appeared to touch his infoscreen, causing accordion music to begin to play. As she approached Max, Draagh waved a finger around, and her military uniform gracefully and magically transformed into a white, tightly-fitting,  mid-length dress with a sunken neckline, open at the sides, and revealing her gorgeous legs, while her shoes simultaneously converted to high heels. (*14*)
     The crowd was used to seeing occasional magic from minor-mages and even Draagh, but Jennie’s transformation was on a completely different level. She seethed with beauty and sensuality, and everyone felt it from their heads to their toes. No less than 10 men dropped their goblets, which caused more than a few to get backhanded and/or punched by their female companions.
     Tango music, indigenous to their Argentinean ancestors, played throughout the hall at perfect volume, as Max and Jennie expertly performed one of the most difficult, yet powerfully sexy dances ever devised by man. Men stared (at Jennie’s legs), and women were on the verge of tears of joy at seeing this incredible display of sensuality translated into a dance between two amazingly attractive people - two people who shared a chemistry that was apparent to everyone in attendance - except for the two Azul military officers themselves. Max would step back, with the alluring Jennie matching his steps precisely in a forward motion, eyes locked and both wearing mischievous grins, as their bodies seemed to navigate as one over the dance floor.
     If one didn’t know any better they would have believed the two were going to drop to the floor and begin to make love in front of everyone, but the beauty of the dance was that it left everyone on the edge of their seats.
     At the triumphant end of the performance, Max held his dance partner close, bent forward and low, and holding her back mere centimeters from the floor, with their lips nearly touching. The crowd burst to their feet, applauding and cheering. Then they started throwing things (heavy objects, not roses), because that was what lycans would do when they showed appreciation.
     Max simply waved his hand and conjured a protective shield as he held Jennie close, keeping their white clothing from becoming stained with the various airborne meats and goblets.
     After bowing in all directions, they headed back up to the high table, where Krynos exclaimed that every lycan should learn this
tango
dance, as it reflected the true beauty and grace of their people. Max and Jennie looked around, watching as various goblets, chairs, shields and food (as well as a most unfortunate servant) sailed across the room.
     Looking at each other, they snickered as Max quietly said to the girl, “I think we need to help them work on the grace part first.”
     After having taken their seats, Max happened to see his lycan skills trainer, Alea, walking through the party, dodging various airborne objects with great ease. Not having noticed her before, he wondered how Draagh was faring from her nightly visits to his quarters, but decided not to ask. According to rumor, he had a very particular set of skills when it came to pleasing women, despite his advanced age, and to ask him might have welcomed some unwanted, descriptive details.
     Alea had not approached Max since he had turned her down in his room, and for this he was glad. He had much to accomplish, and his relationship with Jennie was, well – it was complex.
     As the festivities continued for some time, Max later noticed Alea at a table, seated with some support staff, when the rarely seen resident mage of the castle, Siegfried, approached her and whispered something into her ear. She gave him a look of surprise, but Max paid it no further attention, and turned to his friends, now that Donus had returned to the high table and was telling tales of epic battles.
     Alea looked around nervously, and then left the dining hall. Walking down a dark, barely-lit hallway in the castle, she again encountered Siegfried, who motioned for her to enter into a room. He closed the door behind them and flipped back the hood of his cloak, which he always wore over his head. Upon doing this, Alea suddenly detected the scent of vampires, and backed away, completely alarmed.
     “Do not be afraid, Alea. I bring you good news.” Alea studied him with a precautionary glare.
     “Nothing good comes from those who smell of death, o-minor mage.”
     Siegfried made a
tsk, tsk, tsk
sound as he slowly paced around the room.
     “Ye of little faith, have I not assisted you in the past?” he hissed.
     Alea gave him a sullen look and agreed that he had. Siegfried then looked at her and said, “Your husband yet lives, and I can help you to secure his release, but you must also help me.”
     Shocked, her jaw dropped, and she stammered, “Morgus lives? B-b-but, what must I do?”
     “Listen to me carefully. If you follow my instructions, Morgus shall be returned to you unharmed,” said the devious minor-mage.
     The party was soon coming to an end, but Max was enjoying his discussions with Donus and Krynos, explaining the various technicalities of hook drive mechanics. Having become tired and bored, Jennie bid them good night, and Max stood, asking if he could escort her to her room, to which she declined – not because she didn’t want him to, but because she felt he was having an excellent time, doing his
male-bonding
thing with the guys.
     The four men continued their animated discussion as Jennie left. She rounded a corner and was going through a corridor when Alea suddenly approached her, seemingly out of nowhere.
      “Jennie, I know we have not really had the chance to visit, but could I speak with you for a moment?”
     Jennie graciously declined. She just wanted to go to bed, feeling a bit tipsy from the ample quantities of mead she had consumed.
     “Hey, I’m sorry, but I’m really super tired and want to sleep.”
     Not even saying anything else, Jennie passed by Alea and continued down the hall toward her room, failing to notice a black-robed figure lurking in the darkness.