Eye of the Ocean Book 3 Ji'jin Station

Eye of the Ocean – Book 3: Ji’Jin Station
was muted or better under control. And the arrogance, he decided. “What do you
hope for now?” he asked.
“Cassa said now or later, there was no difference.”
“Yes, she did.”
Garm looked past him to the nearest pavilion. And smiled. “You realize none of
it really happened. This time or with Simitta.”
“Something happened.” He reached to the side and lifted the cover from the
closest of the plates. Two slices of plain brown bread, with a red ant crawling on
the top slice. He put the cover back over. “Besides, I don't intend it to be a
contest of any kind.”
“It isn't.”
The annoyance that had led him to start this bantering had disappeared into
the mental fog he couldn't seem to shake. Was there a balance he could reach in
how strong the drugs had to be to keep his pattern sense damped down, yet not
make him feel his mind was wrapped in wool? He took another sip of water then
started coughing, spilling what was left as he put the bowl down, pushing the
closest plate aside.
Ants were under the plate as well, crawling up and through the strands of
wicker. A line of them on the rug scouted around a rose bud. And in the blankets?
He felt itchy where he hadn't a moment ago. Under the other plate cover were
grapes and one small apple, no insects.
Even thinking about eating made him tired. He pushed the fruit plate towards
Garm and changed the topic to something safer than Cassa. “How much have you
learned about...”
“You mean did you exist here?” Garm bit into the apple. “The histories I’ve
been able to reach here are very complete...,” he said with a full mouth, then
swallowed. “And very limited. I think that this jump to Ji'jin Station was planned
even if many of the others weren't. There were records waiting here for Rilla, the
request apparently sent from the Station where we picked up our escort.” He
looked up. “The Station wasn't the origin of the message that Rilla shared.
Rigyant was.”
“The Piltsimic loom-master Council.”
Garm studied the apple. “Access to these records was too easy, there will be
others we weren't told about. Obviously, Rilla wanted us to know that she has
support and the magnitude of that support. I don't know what coding she used on
her request for information but whoever she eventually reached had very high
level authority and was very quick in their response.”
“Would they have been waiting?”
“Oh yes, I think so. Very definitely so.”
“But Rilla couldn't have known what kind of response her query would get.”
Laurel Hickey www.2morrow.bc.ca