18 (DSV Nautica) Dreams and Determination
"Aki, please get some water. Your mother isn't feeling so good."Aki ran with the bucket, the soft pat of her feet against the earth blending in with the trees all around her. She jumped over fallen trunks along the worn path to the spring not far from her village. In one quick motion, she vaulted, grabbed onto a tree in the water, swung around with the bucket low. She filled it up and landed on her feet, silently grinning and feeling a sense of superiority, having shown off for the boys up on the ledge she had never made eye contact with. The mind link was so freeing, so enthralling. She could feel the essence of her people. Of the entire planet itself around her. She felt humbled, yet she had the honor of feeling a link to something bigger. She hoisted the full bucket, not having spilled a drop on the trail."Here, Father."He chuckled and ruffled her hair. She made a pouting face at him, playing into the childish way he treated her. He knew that bugged her, but he did it anyway. The bucket began to glow with a soft teal light. The water lifted out of the bucket like a snake, lazily dancing through the air. Aki's father guided the 'snake' into a second, clean bucket the water now pure hydrogen and oxygen. He smiled and took the smaller bucket to Aki's mother, who was lying on the cot in the back. She didn't look too good. The disease was getting to her. The weavers had done all they could, but the extent of corrections to her genetic code required was simply too great. It was questionable whether or not she could survive such a procedure, not to mention the scale on which they were tampering with life itself.
"Aki.." she murmured, lifting her hand slowly, motioning for Aki to join her.Aki hurried to her side, kneeling beside her mother. "I'm here, mother."Her mom smiled and caressed her cheek. "I am so blessed...with a child. And even more so...you as that child.""Mooooooom!" Aki groaned, turning pink from embarrassment."What? Its true...." Her mother smiled and ran her hand along Aki's cheek."Don't be afraid Aki...you aren't carrying the disease I am stricken...with." She panted. Her father bit his lip and gave her some more water. Her organ systems were slowly failing all together. It was most bizarre, and they had isolated the genes. But the most they could do was alleviate the symptoms and make her comfortable.She closed her eyes and drank more of the water, sighing and hugging a pillow. Sweat beaded on her forehead, even though it was mild outside. Aki's father gently wiped her down with a cold rag, smiling softly, though there was a deeper sadness. He knew that the time would come soon.Aki wandered off onto the edges of their village. She leaned against a tree, looking up at the pale blue sky, taking deep breaths. She slowly exhaled, trying to think. It was almost time to decide her second level education. She
had to decide what she wanted to do with her life.
She sat and drew small scripts into the dirt, finishing and touching the edge of the words once finished. They glowed blue and began to rearrange themselves. Reorganizing into a new script. It was a simple will circuit that she had programmed into that patch of earth, to display her name. Nee'Ak'Ee'OhThat was what it read. Aki sighed and erased the script. The ground looked untouched, save a smear of dirt. It was so hard for her to accept her mother was dying of an incurable disease. They could do almost anything! Their will powers were almost unmatched. Half the battle was it was too hard, the other half was...its immoral? Aki stomped her foot in frustration, heading back into the woods, grabbing a long wooden slat with a groove down the middle, looking like a rain gutter.The tall evergreen trees swayed in the soft wind. She didn't feel it, the trees were too thick. But the sound reminded her of the ocean. The rustling branches and needles swooshing like crashing waves, coming and going. It was peaceful in the mountains. She had visited the other clans, yet the mountain clan was her favorite, and not just because it was her home clan.
She reached a small hot spring nested away in the rocks. She touched the end of the wooden slat, and a prewritten script activated. It hovered in the air, about a foot over Aki's head at an angle. Water arced up and landed on the slat, running from one end to the other. She had a small shower. She peeled her suit off, throwing it aside and waded to her knees in the spring. It wasn't a natural spring. Rather, she had a small keystone tucked away that diverted a small portion of the nearby river to this cave, heating it and keeping it pleasantly warm for any time she wanted a swim.The hot water helped her relax. It was as pure as you could get, too. She held her breath, sinking her form under the water. Sensory deprivation was helpful in small doses. She could hear the water swirling. Even her blood pounding through her ears. The planet of New Ayr came into view. She could see it. Sense it. It was all part of her body. She could sense everyone and everything. The ships orbiting the planet. The data libraries in the capital cities. Her family. Everyone.
Aki was in a trance, keeping her powers refreshed. Her mind had to be cleared. The cave glowed a soft blue hue, radiating from Aki's form, shimmering from the water. Her body sunk under the water in perfect stasis. She would sleep for a time. She had already informed her father she would be out. She was at peace with the environment and with the people. She would hold, kiss, and walk with her mother in their minds. Like they did when she was younger. Worst of all, it was merely a dream. She would never do this with her mother again. Only in dreams and memories.