As Above, So Below

"Hey Brenna." She says. She looks younger than you remember, less gray in her hair and a little more full of life.

"I'm looking for... the oracle?" You ask, hesitantly.

"You just missed her." Marty says. "Shrine time is all done for Hekate, but you can help me clean up." she offers in a tone you recognize as one used to dealing with three boys. You follow her into the tunnel where she is deconstructing Hekate's altar.

She has several plastic tubs open with labels in sharpee - cloth, candles, props. You go to work, carefully wrapping a mirror in cloth and setting it in one of the tubs, while trying to figure out what to do next.

"So, what is new with you, Brenna?" Marty asks. Is this the past? Do you need to play a part? You don't remember helping Marty clean up at Spring Mysteries but it was over a decade ago. You rub your forehead absentmindedly.

"Um, I'm on a trip right now... to go see a friend. I'm about to go on a trip, to go see a friend. I think he needs my help."

Marty gives you a measured look.

"A boyfriend?" She asks coyly. You blush.

"Yeah."

"Does Ryan know about this?" She asks with a note of skepticism.

"Of course." You say defensively. She nods, packing up one of the boxes.

"Then what's the problem?" She asks. You sigh, picking up the incense holder you saw earlier and nestling it inside one of the tubs.

"I'm worried about the journey. Will I be able to get there safely, will I be able to help, how can I get there fast enough?"

Marty purses her lips and thinks.

"Do you know where you are going?" She asks.

"Yes."

"And you know how you are getting there?"

You consider the multitude of ship options and smile.

"Yes, definitely." Marty shrugs.

"Well if you know how you are going to get there, and where you are going, then you should be able okay. Brenna, you are a capable woman, if you are able to help your friend, you will find a way." Marty shrugs and picks up one of the tubs.

"Here, help me carry these to the car." You pick up the packed box and the two of you make your way out of the bunker and along the gravel path towards the woods.

"You know, I've been re-reading some Joseph Campbell recently," Marty begins, "and the part that stuck with me was about the return."

"Yeah?" You ask, awkwardly balancing the box on your arm as you try to keep your cloak from dragging in the wet grass and gravel.

"The Return." The way she said it, you felt it should have capital letters. "It's part of the Hero's Journey but we don't really talk about it much in western culture. Like Perseus goes out, outsmarts the gray ones, gets his shield and winged sandals, kills Medusa and rescues Andromeda. Roll credits right?"

The two of you meander past the merchant hall, you see glimpses of people inside the windows but no one you recognize and never for more than a moment.

"But there's more to the story. The hero has to return. That's actually the most important part. Perseus needs to return to Argos, his home island, overthrow the king and marry Andromeda. But we don't focus on that part of the story. It just gets glossed over in the retelling."

"Like the scouring of the shire?" You offer.

"Exactly! That's so important to Frodo, Samwise and the rest. They come home and use the skills and wisdom they have gained on their journey to heal the Shire. It brings their story full circle and gives it completion."

"And that's the part they cut out of the movie." You say.

"Yes! Because in the Western world, we just want to see the heroes triumph over evil, but the battle is not the point. It's part of the journey but the real catharsis, the real work, is when they get home." The two of you make your way past the bunk houses.

"This is something that does not show up in the stories of eastern cultures. If you read Chinese or Japanese folklore, often the hero comes home and settles down to become a mentor for the next generation of heroes. And that is part of the story."

You smile. "I'm sensing a moral to the story." Marty grins.

"Yep. My car's over here." You make your way to the little parking lot next to the dining hall, still amazed at the lack of people. Was the festival over? Could the inner world not sustain anything more than just Marty? You realize that she was still talking.

"So maybe spend some time sitting with that feeling, Brenna. Ask yourself, what are you truly worried about and once you help your friend, what will you do when you come home? How will you bring those experiences and wisdom back into your own life - to build something new and better?"

She pops the trunk of her minivan and the two of you tetris the boxes into the back. She closes the hatch and adjusts her circlet, looking down at you with love.

"You have already traveled so far, Brenna, and I know your friend will appreciate all you've done for him. Just make sure you've thought about what happens next, okay?"

She gives you a squeeze on the shoulder.

"Don't worry, you've got good people around you. It will be fine." She looks beyond at the Apollo theater and points.

"Speaking of which, I think your friend is calling you. I can do the last couple of boxes on my own. Alex is supposed to stop by and help."

"Are you sure?" You look at the doorway of the theater and see... someone... in a cloak. Maybe Esme or Jamie? It's hard to tell.

"Brenna!" They call out.

"I'll be good. Go on." Marty says. You smile and even give her a little curtsy before heading off towards the theater.

As you approach, swishing over the wet grass, your friend withdraws into the dark entrance way and you lose sight of them. Blinking, you enter the building waiting for your eyes to adjust.

Squinting, you peer around at the sandstone benches of the Oracles hut. Arven stands, extends his hand,

"Are you alright Brenna?" He asks. You shake your head, looking back at the beaded curtain from where you left.

"I... I think so?" You say, uncertain. "I was just... I saw an old friend..." Arven shakes his head.

"The oracle's revelations are yours and yours alone. Come, it has been many hours, let us eat and reflect."

As you make your way out of the temple, the Red Woman catches your eye and gives you a knowing smile.

###

The meal was delicious, from the very first bite. Arven had brought you to Typhe's Tower, which was not actually a tower but a series of interconnected, room-sized baskets, hanging over the canyon above a market place. Each basket was rimmed with flower boxes filled with the most vibrant flowers you had ever seen, sweet smelling and dazzling. Small, iridescent beetles flitted from blossom to blossom but never seemed to bother the tables of food that swayed in the soft desert breeze.

Your meal is a yellow curry with some sort of root and leafy green over chewy, marble-sized grains and right from the first bite, it was filled with flavor. A deep, earthy spice that filled your nostrils and exuded out your pores without ever making your eyes water.

Arven watches you with warm delight as you dive into the food, his metal arm fresh polished and gleaming in the afternoon sun.

"Lia said you are all packed up and moving out, where are you going next?" you ask.

"There's a convoy of soldiers heading out to the N'Layne System to provide security for some colonists. The settlers have been dealing with some outer rim raiders and need a few more hands." He shrugs. "I've got at least one to help."

"Is that what you want to do?" You ask. He pokes at his meal, some roasted animal with purple carrot looking vegetables as garnish.

"For now, yes. I've... realized some things recently. And I need to figure them out."

You give him a patient look while you finish off the last of your curry. He sighs.

"I have been living under a shadow for too long. The shadow of the life that was. You... you helped me realize that, helped me move on."

He holds up his glass. "I do not have the sacred water but I do toast to you, Brenna the Artist,"

His intense blue eyes hold you, fiercely, and you feel the weight of his words.

"Thank you. For setting me free." His smile fills your heart with love and you toast with him in joy and peace.

"This job will give me some time to figure out what I want. What i want to do or be. It's peaceful and I think that's for the best."

"If you are happy, then I am happy for you." You say with love.

"I think... I think I will be." He replies.

"What about you? Have you secured transport to the Abhaile Cluster?" You laugh.

"What? Is there something humorous about that?" He asks.

"No, no. I've just got so many offers, I need to decide and that's the hard part."

He gives you a curt nod.

"You are a clever woman, I know you will make the right decision for you."

"Thank you. I think so."

###

After the meal, you and Arven take a leisurely stroll through the market, where you acquire a few more trinkets for the kids, stuffing them into your Jakitta pockets, before walking Arven towards the moorage where his ship will depart. All the time, you are hanging off his human arm, occasionally nuzzling his neck or just squeezing against him and feeling his body.

Finally, you reach the rattlecart at the base of the canyon that lifts to the moorage. This cart departs a crowded intersection, filled with musicians, merchants and people milling about. You look to Arven, unsure if this is where you will say goodbye or if you are to take the ride up with him but you see he has a peculiar smile on his face. It makes you nervous and excited.

"Get in." He says firmly. You give a little shrug and step inside as he slides the metal bars closed but does not activate the lift. Instead, he moves behind you. You feel his hands on your shoulders as he takes off your coat and setting it gently on the unmoving rattle cart floor.

"What are you doing?" You ask but he does not reply, turning you back around to face the crowd.

"Put your hands on the bars." He says gruffly.

"Oh!" You say, feeling a surge of excitement.

He places his arms around your front, metal and human, and calls out to the crowd.

"Behold!" he says, his voice carrying across the square. "The most beautiful woman in the universe!" and with that, he rips the front of your shirt open, exposing your breasts to the air and the crowd.

There's gasps and cheers of appreciation. You try and cover yourself, blushing furiously but he holds you fast with his metal arm, his human arm tugging at your skirt, pulling your panties to the ground.

"Wait, hold on!" you squirm but there's no resisting him as he rubs your clit fast and strong.

"Fuck." you moan and the crowd begins to cheer. You feel their eyes hot upon your skin, your body exposed and open as he presses your legs apart. You grip the metal bars in front of you and gasp as he slides his thick cock inside you.

"Agghhhh!" You moan but all you can see is the sea of faces looking back at you with lust and desire. Arven punches the button and the rattle cart lurches into movement, slowly lifting you into the sky.

You moan lustily and push back into him as he fucks you thoroughly, giving you nice deep thrusts.

"Ugh! Ugh! Ugh! Fuck Brenna!" He cries out, lost in the sensation of you.

You feel your body building to a crescendo. You reach down and stroke your clit as the crowd below watches intently.

"Yes yes! YES!" You scream your orgasm as it hits you, clamping down on Arven and feeling that shuddering release. The crowd breaks out into applause as they diminish below, the intense eyes fading to sea of dusky brown figures.

Arven gives your hips one more powerful thrust and empties himself inside of you, rope after rope of hot cum coating your insides. You shudder, pushing back against him and holding him tight till his completion.

Finally, he releases you and you immediately whirl around, covering him with kisses and pressing your chest against his.

"You jackass." You whisper in his ears.

"You loved it." He mummers back as the cart clatters along towards the moorage.

"Don't worry," he says, pulling out a fresh shirt from his bag, "I planned ahead."

You laugh and laugh, hanging off his shoulders and peppering him with kisses until the cart arrives at the top of the canyon. Arven kisses you properly, full and deep, then gives you a final squeeze and walks off towards the ships.

You sigh, putting on the shirt and then realize, oh shit. You have to take the cart back down into the square. You blush furiously and pull the Jakitta hood up hoping for the best.

###

You watch through the porthole as Twee Bon begins to recede beneath you as Dragon Fucker 7 powers out of the atmosphere and into open space.

Malix is in the pilot's chair, blasting some sort of synth-rock music while Jasper is watching a series of controls showing the cargo. They had picked up some depleted Quine-Ducks, which you gathered were not actually ducks but empty ammunition shells. They were radioactive, but could be melted down at the factory into new weapons so Malix and Jasper bought them on the black market and were transporting them to a munitions factory near the Abhaile Cluster.

Negotiating transport was surprisingly easy. Both boys seemed eager for your company, so they requested some currency for fuel and promises that you would help out. You suspect they meant cleaning the mess hall which was currently living up to its name, but hey, it's a four day journey, that leaves plenty of time to clean some dishes.

The living accommodations aren't glamorous. There was no extra bunk room in this garbage scow but they converted a utility chamber into a makeshift bedroom and it has enough privacy for the short journey. Plus, it is not like you have much luggage.

The ship runs relatively warm, so you are able to hang up your Jakkita and travel about the ship in just a light shirt and skirt.

Both boys have been pretty flirty, with suggestive jokes and definitely eyefucking you a bit but they keep it light and friendly.

After about half a day of sub-light travel, you reach the first HavenConduit. The massive structure hangs in space, slowly orbiting a blue-green ocean planet. Surrounded by a throng of ships, it's immense size makes the spaceships look like no more than scattered toys next to the giant substructure.

You notice two OCC battlecruisers but neither of your shipmates seem on edge as they smoothly position the Dragon Fucker into the queue.

"Do you ever get in trouble with the OCC?" You ask. Jasper shakes his head.

"Rarely. We keep our shipping license up to date, they can usually detect the radiation coming off of us, so they don't want to do a surprise inspection, so they wave us through and we are on our way."

"Dude, don't jinx us." Malix said, patting the busty woman carving glued to the top of the pilot's station. "Today could be the day, and after all, we are harboring a fugitive."

You laugh. "Okay, fair enough. Need me to go hide under my covers?"

"Only if you hide under my covers." Malix shoots back with a salty grin.

"No, you should be fine. Sit tight for a moment." Jasper says as the ship pulls forward towards the front of the line.

The comm box crackles and a bored sounding voice exchanges details with Jasper. For a moment, you are reminded of waiting in line at Peace Arch.

Finally, your moment comes. Jasper gets the final approval and Malix positions the ship directly in front of the massive structure. Electricity crackles throughout the huge ring as you inch towards it and then

BZZZZT! The energy grabs ahold of the ship and hurls it through space. You watch the stars become streaks and you have the distinct impression that it is not you that is moving but rather the universe that is bending around you. A twisting, fluttering sensation in your gut. A brief displacement, like right before the elevator stops and then there's a jolting bump and you materialize next to a large red giant star.

"Thaptos IV, here we are." Malix says, deftly maneuvering the garbage scow out of the line and towards the red giant. You glance out the back porthole to see another ship, a sleek red hotrod, materialize where you had been just moments before.

"Do people ever crash?" you ask. Jasper shakes his head.

"Not that I've ever heard. They've got protocols in the gates that keep people from appearing on top of each other. Maybe when they come out of the gate but I haven't seen it."

Jasper turns to Malix. "You've got the course?"

Malix nods. "Already spooled up, a few minor planetary systems, a very pretty nebula on day two and then a binary star right before the Cluster. Should be a pretty peaceful journey."

He reaches for the big lever to start the sublight engines when a big green button on Jasper's controls lights up.

Beep beep beep! The electronic alarm bleats out politely before taking a pause. Then beep beep beep.

"Jasper, my dude."

"Yes Malix?" Jasper looks at the flashing green button in irritation, as if trying to will it into silence.

"I think someone is calling us." Malix says.

"I can see that." Jasper is now punching buttons on his panel but Malix is craning his neck to look out the front porthole.

"Who?" You ask.

"Uh... Jasper?" Malix says. "Why is Tombstone's ship preparing to dock with us?"

"Fuck me. Fuckity fuck!" Jasper swears. "Okay, everyone shut the fuck up for a moment." He punches the green button.

"Hello?"

A gravelly voice, full of distortion, comes blaring across the channel.

"JASPER." It says. "WE NEED TO TALK."

"Tombstone, hey dude. I didn't expect you to see you out here."

"I KNOW. DOCKING NOW." The channel cuts out abruptly.

"What the hell is he doing here?" Malix shouts.

"I don't fucking know, dude." says Jasper. "But I gurentee, this isn't a fucking social call." Jasper hops up, grabs a gun belt off a hook next to the door and loops it around his hips.

"Well?" He says to Malix. "Are you coming? Because I'm sure he'll want to see both of our ugly asses."

Malix nods and grabs his jacket.

"What should I do?" You ask.

Jasper turns, your presence momentarily forgotten in the hubbub. CLANG! The whole ship shakes as Tombstone's warbird locks onto the garbage scow, docking at the top airlock.

"Um... " Jasper scratches his head.

"If you think I'm letting you go alone, you've got another one coming." You snatch up your ReelNet and follow Jasper down the hatch.

"Uh, I'm not sure that Tombstone will be okay with you... uh.. " Jasper fumbles for words but Malix cuts in.

"Look, he never said we COULDN'T take on passengers." Malix counters, kicking some trash out of the way as the three of you make your way to the airlock.

"Don't worry, I'll stay out of sight and cover you." You counter.

The three of you enter the holding bay. Jasper points you towards a large ventilation fan where you have a vantage point as the two men descend to the airlock access.

You hear a hiss, a groan of machinery as the airlock opens and from your perch, you can see your two ship mates, standing hands close to their belts, as a hulking figure bathed in light enters the ship.

He's almost eight feet tall, muscular, bald and shirtless. His skin is a deep gray and he has four arms. One normal set and one coming out of the side of his chest, all thick like tree trunks. He's wearing military cut sea green pants and has a wide belt. His face looks humanoid enough but the eyes are a brilliant violet.

With him are two other creatures, crawling, gollum-like on their hands and knees. They look frail and small beneath him. One female and one male, wearing little more than loincloths. They skitter around his feet, looking for all the world like irritated cats.

"Tombstone." Jasper acknowledges. "What's going on?"

"WHAT? NO SMALL TALK? Tombstone rumbles, his bass voice shaking the ventilation unit next to you. "YOU ARE NERVOUS."