The Energy Crusades (5 page)

"I just want you to hit the ball back," he explained, "We
'
ll let them work on whatever aspect of the game they want, and you can serve as a backboard for them, okay? We
'
ll have some fun and you can earn your energy for the day." I agreed to do it and faced each Student one by one. I hit to their backhand or forehand, whichever they were working on, practiced my serve as they practiced their return, or returned their serve so they would know to get ready once the ball left their fingertips.

Finally, Ajax stood across from me. Coach asked us to play a whole set against each other. He wanted to see what Ajax could do.

"He
'
s taller than you, and he
'
s fast. I
'
m betting he
'
ll get everything back," he appraised Ajax while he spoke. "Pick on his backhand. And you," he pointed a finger at Ajax, "Don
'
t make the mistake of hitting anything short to her forehand. She
'
ll make you pay for it. She is an all-around player, so you need to get your fist serve in and try to find a weakness."

Ajax was also a lefty. As we played, Coach called out various tips for each of us. He directed us to the other
'
s weaknesses, forcing our games to improve. It was a rare treat to play against another left-hander and Ajax provided more than enough of a challenge. He returned everything I sent his way, and we battled for each point. An hour passed before our set was complete and I only won by a single break of his serve. On the tennis court, I exuded confidence; it was my domain, but I had worried about finding a decent hitting partner at the University. My concern was needless as Ajax showcased his capabilities with the sport.

When our match ended, Coach motioned for us to shake hands across the net. I was reluctant to face Ajax, but no matter the opponent, tennis players had to shake hands after a match. When I began to walk in his direction, Ajax simply nodded at me then left the court without coming to the net, leaving me alone with my Coach. "He doesn
'
t have very good manners, does he?" Coach observed, recognizing the flush of anger upon cheeks.

"Maybe he wasn
'
t raised right?" I tried to make a joke of it but the rejection stung. Coach placed a hand on my shoulder.

"You
'
re going to have to get used to him. Just don
'
t take it personally."

I sighed heavily and fiddled with the strings on my racquet. "Why did she do this? Why didn
'
t she let me train with my brother? I hate this."

"Give it time, Kaia. She has her reasons. I wouldn
'
t have let you leave the Academy with Tiergan anyway, and the truth is, she had to do a lot of coercing to get you here this year."

"So I have you to blame for this?" My voice wasn
'
t as light as I wanted it to be but Coach didn
'
t take offense.

He tugged on my braid and shooed me off the court. "Go on now, get changed and keep your chin up. You
'
re an Athlete, and you need to remember to leave your emotions out of it."

I bowed to him and headed for the locker rooms to shower and change before heading to wherever else I was meant to be. The day grew longer, and I was feeling the weariness creep up on me. I
'
d traveled nearly five hours to get home, had little to eat, and had just exercised intensely. While in the shower, I let the warm water cascade over my shoulders and stepped out a bit rejuvenated. Tory had gone on without me, and I felt the loneliness settle in once again.

When I stepped out of the locker room, Ajax stood leaning against the wall, waiting for me. His hair was wet, but this time it was from the shower, rather than from the heat of the tennis court. It bothered me the way my heart leapt into my throat at the sight of him. Mentor not friend, I reminded myself again, then held all of my emotions in check while I studied him.

"Professor Baal would like to see you in the food lab," he said. His eyes met mine and he didn
'
t look away.

"Yes, sir," I nodded respectfully and brushed past him, ready to leave him behind and finish my day. Had I been braver, I would have asked about dinner, but his slight on the tennis court still stung and I didn
'
t dare.

Once outside, I paused and looked toward the football fields. I could see the players out practicing on the fields, passing the ball among their feet, lightning quick, and shooting at the goal. Their practice gear was not unlike tennis gear: long sleeved gray shirts with solar reflectors across the sleeves and back, and shorts hitting just above the knees. The only difference was the knee high socks covering shin guards and black cleats for ease on the turf. Boundary lines for the football field were active, though the players were only practicing. Practice or not, their feet moved swiftly while they flicked the ball back and forth in total concentration as they approached the goal. My feet itched to join their game where I might lose myself in the activity rather than have to face Professor Baal again. Tiergan would have appreciated my willingness to play football as an escape from the food lab.

"Do you see the red head? The one racing toward the goal right now?" I nearly jumped out of my skin when Ajax spoke up right next to me. He
'
d followed me out of the Athletics building and I hadn
'
t noticed. My heart pounded in surprise as he pointed toward a Student fitting the description. The player in question was a bit stocky, but quick with his feet.

"His name is Caden. He
'
s also on our team."

"Okay," I answered, glad for the information. When I continued on my way, I knew Ajax kept pace with me. He walked just slightly behind me, but I knew he was there. He didn
'
t say another word as we made our way across campus and back to the food science building.

Food Science

Ajax and I crossed the campus over rolling hills, making our way back to the food science building. It was several kilometers from the tennis courts and our route took us downhill at first, then slightly on an incline as we approached our destination. The building, like many of the other buildings on campus, was two stories high and solar powered. A living roof dripped with greenery and provided both a garden for the food labs and insulation for the building. Rainwater was captured and recycled making the building completely self-sufficient.

The structure was laid out in the shape of a long L and situated atop a hill, so one end of the building appeared higher than the other. On the first floor were the staff offices while the second housed the laboratories and classrooms. Numerous Student accomplishments plastered the walls, showcasing great strides made in areas such as water production and reuse, preservation and packaging, and research and development. The Students at this University worked tirelessly for the betterment of the planet.

We walked upstairs and into the food production lab. Long u-shaped workstations lined the far wall of the room, three in all. The counters were stainless steel and equipped with large, deep sinks. Above the stations were two rows of shelves that ran the entire length of the wall and held every type of dry ingredient imaginable. Along another wall were the refrigerators, freezers and climate controlled storage.

Professor Baal stood and greeted us as we entered. She was alone in the lab, working on something in the middle station. I bowed to her as she approached, admiring the way her blue energy suit, while just as utilitarian as anyone else
'
s, looked elegant on her lithe frame. Silver cuffs encircled her wrists marked with the same type of engravings present on Ajax
'
s necklace. Jewelry was what linked families or mates together. My brother and I wore matching leather cuffs embedded with stones, but mine rarely showed. I wore it beneath my sleeves rather than over them.

"Good evening," she welcomed us, gliding through the lab with an easy, graceful manner. Ajax moved somewhat the same way, but wasn
'
t quite as sure footed as she was.

"Good evening, Professor," I kept my head lowered until she touched my shoulder.

"Come and join me. I
'
ve prepared a meal for you both. I
'
m sure you
'
re hungry after a long day." I was hungry, and I was relieved she was going to feed us and I wouldn
'
t have to go to the cafeteria alone. On the counter in her station, she
'
d laid out a small feast of apples, different types of nuts and cheeses, and brown rice with vegetables. Looking at all the beautiful food made me weak with hunger. Ajax and I filled our plates and sat together across from her.

"So, are the two of you are getting along?"
s
he asked after we
'
d been silent awhile, enjoying our meal. I kept my eyes on my food and didn
'
t say anything. Unless she asked me directly, I wouldn
'
t say a word. Ajax spoke up when the silence stretched a bit too long.

"Yes, Mother," he sighed, letting the annoyance creep into his voice, "Everything is fine." Ajax looked directly at her when he answered. She narrowed her eyes at him but said nothing more on the subject. We finished our meal in silence.

"Thank you, Professor.” I bowed to her again.
“
I was hungry, and the meal was delicious." I stood and began to clean up. Ajax joined me and we went about tidying the lab, working together side by side without speaking.

"Did you earn your energy for the day?" she asked. We scanned our arms at the reader in the lab, watching as the monitor came alive. Our energy balances for the day were positive and we
'
d consumed enough nutrients to sustain us until morning.

"Coach Renier kept us on the courts for about three hours. I
'
d say we earned our energy," Ajax answered. He sat on a lab stool and crossed his arms over his chest.

Professor Baal looked directly at me. "Did your coach have anything to say about your solar glasses?" she asked.

"He made a general comment about them, encouraging their use and reminding us how Athletes always wore them to protect their eyes from the solar rays." I shrugged, as if it meant nothing to me, but Coach knew I hated being the only one to wear them.

"I bet tomorrow a lot more Students will be wearing them," Professor Baal insisted. Her voice was gentle as she reached out a hand to guide the glasses off my face. "The color is remarkable."
I stood still until she released my chin and turned to Ajax.

"You may leave now
.
" She nodded at her son, but before he could do so, I took a chance to beg for some privileges.

"Will I be allowed to leave campus? I don
'
t have any of my
personal
things and I would like to go home for a while."

"Your mother is taking care of your things, Kaia." Professor Baal
'
s answer was firm. My stomach fell with disappointment, and I lowered my head before she could read it on my face.

Ajax started for the door. "I
'
ll see you later," he said. I looked up but his face still betrayed no emotion. His words seemed gentler than they
'
d been and I sensed a bit of understanding in him. I lowered my head acknowledging my mentor.

"Thank you for showing me around and for playing tennis," I answered. If he could feel some sympathy for me, I could certainly feel some for him. Neither of us was in our ideal situation. He said goodbye to his mother and left the lab, and I breathed a sigh of relief. Once he was gone, it was easier to relax in Professor Baal
'
s presence.

Professor Baal led me through a series of tests in order to measure how far along I was in my studies. We toured the lab, while she questioned my knowledge of various ingredients, natural preservatives, and functional foods. As an Athlete, I had a pretty firm grasp on food science. It was imperative for me to understand the way foods worked in the body, which ones would provide energy, which would help me sleep, and which would aid my performance on the courts. As a crusader, I needed to understand edible plants, foods to eat or grow in different climates, and which had healing properties.

As the evening wore on, we stood next to each other in the middle lab as she tested me on food preservation and packaging. She made sure I was proficient in detecting rancidity and sterilizing food containers. While she tested me, I couldn
'
t help but admire her silver cuffs. The intricate carvings seemed to beckon me and just as I had wanted touch Ajax
'
s necklace, I wanted to touch her cuffs too.

"They
'
re beautiful," I whispered. She stopped what she was doing and held one out to me.

"You like them?"

"Yes," I was fascinated. The markings appeared to move as I stared at them.

"Go ahead, touch it. Tell me what you see." It didn
'
t occur to me her words were a little off. I could think of nothing else but feeling the bracelet beneath my hands. I curled my fingers around it and felt up and down the markings with my thumb. Images began to fill my mind. They floated across my vision in quick secession. There was a high, rocky cliff with waves crashing violently at its base. Caves
…
I saw many, many caves. Great expanses of space with a vastness to them I could hardly understand. Two women, their heads bent together as they carved jewelry. One had hair as black as ink, the other as white as the purest snow. An object was in front of them, a cylindrical box, the same strange language blanketing its surface, but I couldn
'
t get a clear view of it with their heads in the way.

I pulled my hand away from the bracelet. "Your sister," I said, incredulous at what I
'
d seen. "You made the jewelry with your sister." I was sure of it.

"What did you see, Kaia?"

"I saw a cliff. Caves. I saw the two of you together."

"How do you know she
'
s my sister?"

I
didn
'
t know how I knew. I just did. "She
'
s dead?" I asked, remembering the stories I had heard about her. Abra, I recalled, was her name.

"They say she threw herself off a cliff." My Professor
'
s voice stayed even.

The memory flickered across my brain. Abra was despondent over watching too many of her children die, and she leaped to her death in the wake of another tragedy. All of it happened before I was ever born. I could feel the pain of the events washing over me. Despair filled my heart as if it was I who
'
d lost a child. I clutched my chest to ease the pain, unsure if I was feeling Astrid
'
s pain or Abra
'
s. Beyond the shock of the pain I felt something else. Hope?

"The etchings…they mean something?" I asked, once the ache retreated. The image of the cylindrical object filled my mind. Professor Baal reached out and touched my face. Her fingertips grazed my cheek and a new wave of emotions washed over me.

"They mean everything," she answered. I closed my eyes and focused on the feeling of her hand upon my face. This time I felt hope, most certainly, a feeling of promise and of all the good yet to come. I saw Ajax and Cadmus, young and strong. Alive.

"I can feel you, Professor," I whispered.

"Yes," she whispered back, still with her hand on my cheek, "my girl." I opened my eyes and looked into hers. The image of Ajax stayed with me.

"I
remember
him," I told her, knowing somehow it was what she wanted from me. I wondered if I heard her right, if she called me
'
her girl
'
, but the feelings inside me shifted rapidly. All I could see now was Ajax. His blue gray eyes floated in front of mine, demanding my attention. The necklace at his throat appeared to be glowing.

"What do you remember of your childhood friend?" she asked.

"Everything," I answered, and it was the truth. I remembered even the tiny details, like the feel of our little hands together as we scampered from place to place. Or the way the sun caught in his hair, making it look blue instead of black. I remembered being fascinated by the strange blackness of his hair and the way I would tug at it as if to get his attention when really I wanted to feel it between my fingers. Then he would tug back at my hair, unraveling the braid that flowed down my back, and I would have to chase him, and him me, until we were no longer sure who was chasing whom. After a while we
'
d call a truce and run off together to pester our brothers.

We also spent a lot of time at the house next door to mine. Derek Bussey lived there, a neighbor boy who
'
d lost his parents and was cared for by both the Baal family and my own. Derek was older than us, older even than our brothers, but always had the time to play, to show us his latest invention, or read to us from books he
'
d salvaged from pre-war days. Books made from paper were hard to come by, so many of them were destroyed in the Oil Wars. Electronic versions could still be found, but reading for pleasure was a luxury few could afford. Derek
'
s house was a treasure trove of things from bygone eras, and he
'
d enchant us with stories of boy wizards, elves, werewolves, and vampires. Even the stories of
'
regular children
'
were so farfetched, we
'
d sit mesmerized by the foreignness of children who did nothing but attend their version of University, talk on their mailboxes, and play games in front of a monitor. They never had to earn energy. We found those the most incredible of all the stories, and demanded to see the print where the words were actually written to know Derek wasn
'
t just making it all up.

Yes, I remembered Ajax. I remembered all of those things and more.

"Why doesn
'
t he remember? Why did you choose him to train with me?" Those were questions I would have never dared ask under normal circumstances, but there was a spell between us, and I felt our emotions were linked together. She smiled at me, her hand upon my face and her eyes blurring in my vision as Ajax
'
s stayed in my thoughts.

"He remembers you, but he is angry at me. He didn
'
t expect the way he would feel when he saw you again."

"How?" I asked, longing to know the answer. She pulled her hand away with a swiftness I didn
'
t expect. As soon as she did, I heard the door to the lab open. Her emotions retreated and I felt her attempt to clear my head of the memories.

"It
'
s almost midnight, Mother," Ajax
'
s tired voice called out. "Are you going to keep her in here all night?"

Midnight? How many hours had we been sitting in the lab? My professor stood up and I jumped from my seat as well, the formality falling back into place between us.

"We must have lost track of time. You did well today, Kaia. It
'
s obvious you excelled in your studies at the Tennis Academy and I
'
m confident you have a firm grasp of food science." Our eyes met and I heard her words, but there was more to them. She continued to try and clear my head of what we
'
d shared but I closed my mind against the intrusion. I smiled at her, and shook my head, ever so slightly. I wouldn
'
t let go. I would remember.