Oracle at Large

Gwendolyn looked up at her guard. Mica she knew. People never had to tell her their names. It was one of the more useful parts of her power. Yeah, she had a power and no she was'nt happy about it. All her power had gotten her was here.
Here was a very depressing institute for the paranormal. It was built on a (for now) uncolonised planet. All around her was green grass, clear blue lakes and flowers. The institute buildings were white as ivory and build in esthetic circles. But beautiful surroundings couldn't cover up the truth. She was a prisoner. She hadn't done anything. She just had the power to foresee.
"We should go back." Mica said, "It's almost time for your reading."
Gwendolyn stood up and left. Mica followed as always. Gwendolyn didn't speak. Only at readings. Then she told the directors of the institute what she saw and they recorded it to verify. Once subject OG1-253 had been the most talented in the institute, but her power had been fading recently. Maybe she just acted it. Mica couldn't be sure.
The walls of the institute were a soft kind of yellow expanding the actual size. Mica especially liked the plants in all sorts and sizes arranged in small waiting areas throughout the hallways. He wondered why she couldn't be happy she was here.

Gwendolyn stepped inside the small room. It was white with only a small hard bed and a mirror-wall. They'd be watching her of course. She assumed the lotus position because they wanted it and it would be over the fastest when she used that position. They brightened the light suntil she had to close her eyes. Once her eyes were closed the images would follow. She couldn't ignore them where the energy lines of the universe came together.
This time however she didn't see the same vague things she always saw. She saw herself running. She gasped for air. Her visions always came true. At least the visions that she had for real.
"What do you see subject OG1-253." a metallic voice asked.
"I see nothing." she said, "absolutely nothing..." she tried looking sad.
Her visions had gotten more blurry. But not as much as she pretended. They would have to lose interest in her. Thinking she was harmless.
Mica came for her. She was tired, exhausted like always when she had been in that room. He supported her and led her out.
"Mica!" a voice suddenly called.
"What?"
"We need you inside."
Mica led Gwendolyn to a bench and sat her down. "Wait here. I'll be right back."

"What is it?" he asked back in the laboratory.
"Is she faking this?" the researcher asked him.
"I don't know."
"She did see something. Her readings were clear enough. She had a vision, but she did not tell us."
"Subject OG1-253 has never lied." Mica told the researcher.
"Maybe we just haven't caught her yet."
Something about this conversation set Mica's brain in action. There were too many things wrong with the way of working. It wasn't just one researcher, it was all of them. Acting like they were using animals.
"Do you know her name?" Mica suddenly asked..
"Subject OG1-253."
"No, her real name."
"She has never had one."
"Oh."
Mica left. He knew for a fact subject OG1-253 had a name. He had heard her saying it. Chanting it over and over: 'I'm Gwendolyn.' She hadn't known he was out there of course. But he had seen her light burning and had heard her crying. That had gotten him thinking. If she was only an orphan happy to have found a home here she wouldn't be crying like this, and she would speak. But there was always this tiny possibility that she had problems...

Gwen was sitting on the small bench. She was tired, but she couldn't rest. She had seen herslef running. She would escape. She knew she could. She had done this before. Once. When she was a baby. It had drawn their attention toward her. A small baby appearing out of thin air in a family home one day. They had told her that, thinking she'd try it again. Ok, they had won.
They wouldn't be able to track her if she went far enough. And she knew where she was going. To the plains she had been running on. There she would see what she needed to do next. Gwen smiled. For a moment Mica appeared in her thoughts. No, he wouldn't be blamed. This was all her doing.

"Where are you?" Mica asked.
There was no answer. Gwendolyn wasn't where he had left her. He looked through the hallways but she wasn't there. He went to her appartment but she hadn't been there. She couldn't be anywhere else. He had to face the fact that she was gone. Maybe still on the planet but gone. He'd have to report this. Mica sat down. This would have to be the time he made a decision for real.
"Where is she?" someone asked.
"I don't know." There went his choice...
"Well don't sit there." the man raced out of the appartment and was probably well away alerting he authorities before Mica got up.

"We have her!" one triumphant voice yelled. The team of 12 had done what had never been done before. They had made brainwaves into an image. Mica watched the screen. He saw a hazy image of a woman running over a desert-black planet.
"Do we have a name for that planet?"
"Yes, the computer labelled it to be SV-241 or 'Desert's Demise' with 99.5% guarantee."
"I'll go after her." Mica said before they could send anyone else.
"Are you sure we can trust you?" the man asked.
"You called me back not me." Mica answered. He was angry.
"Ok, you can. We'll have subject PG2-654 teleport you. Catch her and wait at the rendezvous point."
"I'll be there."

_________________________

Gwendolyn saw him come closer. No. It couldn't. She had been so careful.
"Careful Gwendolyn." he said as he was approaching.
"Oh now I'm not subject OG1-253, am I?"
"The numbers are just for recording purposes, like a social security number."
"And how did you find out my name?"
"You told me."
"I certainly did not!" She took a step back. He wouldn't get her alive.
Mica saw her pulling back. This wasn't happening. He had vowed to protect this one and over the years it had become more than a vow, it had become a way of life, a way of redemption.
"Nooo!" he yelled.
"What?" she asked.
"You can't die."
"Why not?"
"I need you."

Gwendolyn still wasn't to sure about Mica. The way she sensed he wasn't all to sure about himself either. He was struggling with something, something he kept well hidden. He had taken her to a camp site on the huge sandy plains. Nearby were the first trees of a forest. A black forest with strange dented trees with hanging branches and leaves.
"Why here?" she asked.
"This is the rendevouz point."
"So you are taking me back."
Mica felt the resentment in those words. "I have to." he said.
"No, you could leave me be and return without me. You can say you lost me again."
Mica considered the words, but he wasn't sure yet. "I can't."
Gwendolyn sighed and sat down. This boy, a boy because he was younger than her, had her confused. He longed to save her, to save himself and then he wanted her back. And she still couldn't get to his secrets. Without him knowing she assumed a lotus pose and opened her mind. She searched the universe for powerlines and hoped one would lead her to him. It had been so long since she had tried this. Afraid they would use her more.

_________________________

"Are these the ones who you want us to bond?" the black Wyld Geperna asked his Purple companion.
"Yes." She said using the human way of speaking.
"Why won't you think it? We'd be quieter." The black one reminded his fellow Geperna. The purple had made quite a show of coming closer unseen. Waiting till sundown and all.
"Shh, She will here us."
"Oh, one of those, is she?" the black thought still taunting the purple.
The purple turned and looked her black companion in the eyes. The flash she sent him was brief and hostile, not at all like her normal self.
"Calm down." he said, finally using the human way.

Gwendolyn looked at the horizon.
"What?" Mica asked.
"I could swear I heard something."
"You can't, we're here all alone, but not for long anymore. The transport ship will be here in an hour."
Mica flinched under the look she gave him. He shouldn't have reminded her of her state of captivity. He wondered what she thought of him. He needed to be liked by this one. He had felt a change coming on to him long ago. Steadily he had began questioning the motivs of the Institute and he had grabbed this opportunity with both hands.
"They told me you were dangerous." he said.
"Am I dangerous? Have I hurt you?" she asked, looking hurt herself.
"No, but that was all I needed to find out."
Silence returned and Mica focused on the horizon. He couldn't see anything there. Her senses were probably going wild from being isolated like this.
"Not Isolated." She interupted him, "Free."
"You can read my thoughts?"
"Some of them." she shrugged and resumed drawing in the sand.

A lot closer the black and purple looked through the heavy vegetation of the forest. It was an odd forest, even for their standards.
"You still haven't told me how you got us here." the black said.
"Shh, I felt her."
"You felt her? Just like that?"
"She used her power and now be quiet."
Still remembering the earlier showdown the black one silenced his thoughts and voice and sat down. For the first time he looked at the man of the two lone travelers. His companion had found her bond, but was he ready to give up his Wyldness for this human? The man was staring at the horizon. Quietly Black filled into his soul. A short and brief contact, just to see what would happen.

Mica jumped up. He had felt something.
"What?" Gwendolyn asked.
"I felt something."
"No-one's here."
Mica looked around confused. What was happening here? Was the air poisoned? He turned around and suddenly spotted it. A hint of purple in the blackness of the strange forest.
"There!" he said pointing and moving toward the forest without thinking.

Black jumped out of the forest. Roaring. He couldn't let this man hurt his companion. Not Purple.

Mica turned round and ran back. What creatures were this? Why hadn't they seen them earlier? They sure didn't seem friendly. He would have to get Gwendolyn and get her out of here. He had taken a vow to protect her.
"Get up! We've got to run!" he yelled and grabbed up some things while he ran past their primitive camp.
Gwendolyn giggled. God, she has gone mad. he thought.
"No silly, I'm not crazy, look at them!"
Mica turned and saw the two creatures. The purple was hitting the black.

"Hush you! You've ruined our chances!" Purple shouted inside Gwendolyn's head.
"Why can I hear you?" she asked.
"Because I wanted you too, now help me calm down my friend." she said.
"They're friendly!" Gwendolyn yelled at Mica, "I can hear her."
"Her?"
"Yeah the purple one. She's quite funny."
Suddenly Mica saw the black one stopping. Those words had had an impact on him. The soft touch in his head returned. A sudden bolt of fear flashed and then died down as the voice into his head said:
"Women!"
"I couldn't agree more." Mica said and looked at Gwendolyn.
"What are you?" Gwen asked.
"We are Gepernas." The purple said, surprising the humans by speaking their way.
"You can talk?" Mica asked.
"Why wouldn't we?" Black asked.
"Have you got names?"
"Now we do. I'm Gweai'Urdi.."
"And I'm Miuah'Kyil."
 

STATS  -  STORY  -  GWEN's GEPERNA  -  MICA's GEPERNA

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