I've just spent 10 minutes searching for a shirt I was wearing. What's the government going to do about that? Nothing I expect. Instead of solving real problems like socks going missing, and my shirt amnesia, they do other stuff. I say stuff because I have no idea what the government does except take my money. Well they would if it wasn't for my complicated tax evasion scheme. Now I've got that off my chest it's time for me to randomly write more insane drivel about nothing of any consequence. For example people ask me why I talk to myself all the time. I tell them it's because everyone else is a liar. Now a lot of you will deny this. Proving my point really. Everyone lies. They lie all the time. Without lies society would cease to function. You can't go around telling people the truth. They don't like it. Most of us hate our boss. We don't tell our boss we hate him though. We pretend not to hate him. Hope he doesn't see through our mask of lies, or discover the number of ways we've thought of killing him. Children learn to lie before they can walk or talk. The primates, who are the closest relatives of man, such as chimps lie to. It's a survival strategy. Those who don't know how to lie end up dead very quickly. The people we lie to most of all are those we associate with the most. Our family, our friends and our work colleagues. In that order. We love lies. Every movie, even the ones based on true stories, are full of lies. You get hit by a bullet you don't fly across the room. We even lie to ourselves. The weird thing is most of the time we believe it.
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(The copyright t this mage is the property of Medium.)
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After a tiring but extremely pleasant interlude in one of the longboats, Jake and Scarlet surfaced. Straightening their attire as it were. The fact Jake couldn't remember if he'd been on top would indicate they'd had a very nice time there. The two of them looking at one another in a dreamy state of satisfaction. Something, a noise or a movement made them glance. It appeared they had an audience. Fetu, Sade and Pip were grinning at them. Well Fetu's expression was hard to judge. His nod did all the talking for him.
"I thought you two were taking it slowly." Pip arched her eyebrow.
Jake tugged his shirt down and tucked it into his pants.
"I'll have you know I put up quite a stiff resistance." Scarlet nudged him, smirking. "I resisted her blandishments with all my might. Then I gave in 5 seconds later. My resolve worn away by her persistence. Scarlet was relentless. You know what she's like. Once she gets going there's no stopping her. Is any of this innuendo getting through? Why are you looking at me like that?"
"Your fly's still open and Scarlet's blouse is buttoned up wrong." Sade advised him.
"We were comparing tattoos." Scarlet stated. "I've no idea what Jake's on about. Nothing happened. It was all perfectly innocent. He's just kidding about. Tell them Jake."
His head twitched. If that was the way she wanted to play it he could only comply here.
"Yeah I was just kidding about. It's like Scarlet says we were comparing tattoo's. I think hers are lovely. All of them."
"How many has she got?" Poppy inquired as she stepped out of the shadows.
That was a good question. He was tempted to check with Scarlet, but that would seem suspicious.
"I didn't count them. I looked at them. They were all very nice."
Sade pursed her lips as she bobbed her head.
"That's so incredible it could be true." She paused. "If it wasn't for the fact Scarlet hasn't got any tattoos."
"Yes I have." Scarlet insisted as she began unbuttoning her sleeve. "Oh no wait. I had them all removed. Busted."
"We knew you were humping away." Pip informed the couple. "From the way the longboat was rocking. We came looking for the captain, but we didn't want to interrupt. So we left you to it. Why did you lie about it? We're happy for you. Now that your taking it slowly. Not rushing into anything."
"I was trying to be stoical." Scarlet protested defensively. "That was before I realized I was gagging for it. Forget what my doppelganger was up to. I haven't had any for years. The longest drought I've been through since puberty. I needed a drink before I dried up. He's as much to blame as I am. In fact more so. Why aren't you criticizing him?"
At first Jake thought he could be hallucinating. They had been fucking like rabbits after all. No, he wasn't imagining anything. Most of the crew was on deck. Morag came into the dim light.
"We aren't criticizing either of you." The redhead soothed. "You're being hard on yourself here."
"I thought I'd be able to hold out longer, if I'm honest." Scarlet admitted. "I was sure I could. Despite spending all that time alone. And I didn't want to do anything to break my probation. After all that shit I did to everyone my instinct was to lie low for while. Settle back in. Slowly ease my way back into everyone's good books. Me boning the captain five minutes after I get back doesn't really look good, does it?"
"We're not bothered." Fetu announced, as Herman and few more of the crew came into view. "It's great having you back."
The Wanderer held up a hand as Scarlet was about to respond.
"Hold on second. Is everyone here? Are you fuckers selling tickets?"
There was a chorus of laughter as the rest of the crew came into the light. Grinning from ear to ear.
"It was quite entertaining." The boatswains mate admitted. "Especially as we weren't expecting it. But we thought if you wanted to keep it covert, who were we to argue. Your secret's safe with us."
"The entire crew?" Scarlet looked around at all the familiar faces. "You haven't broadcast it to the entire fleet yet. I suppose that's something to be grateful for. Thanks everyone. This means more to me than anything else in the world."
"Awww thanks." Jake responded sarcastically. "There was me thinking I'd rocked your world."
"Well you rocked the longboat at least. I might be able to hold out for another few years, thanks to you."
He chortled.
"Now correct me if I'm wrong, but didn't someone say they were looking for me?"
"Indeed we did." The Amazonian engineer declared. "Princess Sonora sent a messenger over. Gork I think his name was. Or Gurk? Anyway they've hit a bit of a snag. Seems their red selenite crystals are running low and they said you told them we might be able to help them out."
He looked at Scarlet questioningly.
"What do you think? It was partly our fault they had to hold that gate open for so long."
"You're the captain. You decide. Unless you think they're going to use them to breed you with their orcs."
That got a few funny looks from the crew.
"I could probably go again after a bit of a rest." Jake riposted.
She shoved him teasingly.
Decide he did. Handing over half a kilo after putting it to the crew for a vote. The messenger, who'd been waiting patiently for the best part of an hour, was in awe. He'd never seen that big a chunk of crystal. Gork seemed reluctant to take it. The squat Emojun, for that was their true race, gawped at the lump he held, his eyes glistening. On the point of tears. Long seconds passed before he set off. Returning after a few paces to salute Jake then head off again. He headed back to his cabin. There he found Pip asleep in his bed. A smile on her sleeping face. Having a pleasant dream he hoped. For all he knew she could be dreaming of slaughtering millions of innocents and enjoying the mayhem.
The elves worked throughout the night. So next morning, having collected Scarlet, the Wanderer found himself witnessing the wonders of elven architecture. Solid, ornately carved buildings with glowing filigree adorning every surface. The fine wires stretching between the structures. Catching the light from the sunrise. Shimmering with rainbows of dancing sparkles. There was barely a straight edge in sight. Graceful curves on every roof and ornamentation. It was like a fairy tale. Though only if that wasn't offensive to these folk. One had to be aware of these things. Somewhere out there fairies possibly existed. He still hadn't given up on finding hobbits. Tolkien must have been onto something with his fantasy.
The buzz in his head told him Hermes was communing with Morag. It entered his mind that it was unfortunate the AI couldn't take over this body. It would greatly complicate things though. Shore leave was something he had to consider. Though it didn't appear there was much to enjoy. Even the original settlement hadn't had anything resembling a tavern, restaurant or diner. Whoever had occupied those houses hadn't been party minded. As they stood there, Daisy came up beside them, glowing radiantly. Serene again, thanks to that link with the Well being renewed. She hugged both of them. Bringing to mind something he should ask about. Now might not be a good time.
"Can I ask you a question you might not be able to answer for several different unconnected reasons."
"I think I'll cope. Unless it's one of those imponderable philosophical ones. Which I very much doubt. If it was her doing, I can't guarantee anything."
She looked her usual confident self, apart from that shadow in her eyes. The one cast by the other.
"What exactly were you and Daisy doing at the Simbri embassy in Harrowmist? Daisy doesn't remember anything at all about it."
The answer when it came was not anything like the one he expected. If he was going to get one at all.
"Oh that's easy. When I came through to the Never originally, one of the few things I had on me was a message from you along with a locked and encrypted message cube. The note instructed me to drop the cube off at the embassy. Stating a time and date. I did try to decrypt it I admit. Daisy can't remember it because the message also told her to make sure she blocked it off."
"I really wish I wasn't such a devious bugger with myself. What was my motive to do that?"
The Matriarch drew their attention.
"This is only a theory, but it almost fits. I think the Wanderer understood that I needed to return to my people. That he was becoming more and more estranged from Scarlet. You both know there are things you mustn't remember. Just as I have things I don't want to. They would shift your paths and change the tale, possibly fracturing time. The Simbri message was intended to bring us to Far Palamar, where we would discover the underground city. Which triggered something hidden within both Scarlet and myself to head to Fafindi. Where the Wanderer had placed the Ustraski star ship. I believe the revolt in Fafindi was an unforeseen but possibly fortunate complication. All you wanted was for me to commune with Ugo. Bringing together the two main lines of the People and producing a new Matriarch to replace me. Using the data the Ustraski had collated you could find the Centrum. I think you may have been seeking it for a very long time."
They all looked at one another.
"It sort of fits." Scarlet admitted. "There are still a lot of holes and contradictions. What do you think? Has it awoken anything for you."
He took his time mulling it over.
"Not really. I don't believe anything would fit. Those holes and contradictions are caused by the two of us. There will always be paradoxes and unsolved puzzles where we're all concerned. There is one thing however that makes me sure it's at least partly the explanation."
"What's that?" Scarlet asked.
"How bloody convenient it is that Ydrie disappeared. I think I'm reaching back into now from the future. Subtly changing things. Wanderer Central isn't the whole of me. It can't be. It doesn't include you. You're as much a piece of the Wanderer as I am. Without you he can't exist. And the more I think, the more I think about it, the more I suspect your alternative personality is based on that dichotomy. It's entirely possible we're looking at this all wrong. Where we are now is really the beginning of who we are."
"I know it's not the end." His wonderful lady breezed. "That's all that matters to me."