Engineer Zero: The Waves Trilogy: Book One Read online

  ENGINEER ZERO

  Brandon Lee Alsup

  Copyright © 2018 Brandon Lee Alsup

  All rights reserved. No part(s) of this book may be reproduced, distributed or transmitted in any form, or by any means, or stored in a database or retrieval systems without prior expressed written permission of the author of this book.

  ISBN: 978-1-5356-1474-0 (ePub)

  ISBN: 978-1-5356-1475-7 (Mobi)

  For Lila and the youngone

  ONE

  Aris

  My feet maneuvered deftly over the furrowed soil through golden-topped wheat as I made my way towards the river crossing - rows I walked daily ever since I left the arms of Pa.The wheat harvest will be light, I thought with a tightness in my chest – they will demand a new sacrifice soon enough - as I exited the field, which was already browning despite the late rains. I passed over the rock bridge leading to the path that wrapped around our village, hugging it tight like a wall. Up ahead, Wu-wei ducked out of the low threshold leading to her leaning cabin. Ah! She is already on her way to commence lauds. I spun around and tried to hide behind a post that could not have hidden a corn stalk.

  “Drifting in the fields again, Aris?” I stared dumbly at her, as usual unable to think of a smart response to her authoritative air. “You had better make haste, youngone. I will not delay the lauds on your account, and tell your pa, today is a new day to praise the gods.” The flickering wick of a candle, held beneath her chin, burnished her slender sheeplike face. Her words sounded foreboding, but this was my almost daily admonishing from the high flamen.

  “I will be there, Flamen Wu-wei, ‘just as the sun crests,’ as the Persuasions state. I will pass along your invitation to my pa…again,” I said, quickening my steps away from her along the path. Our home hugged up close to the tree line on the edge of the rowed village. Further out, past the tall pine trees, was the Unnamed— a dense forest separating our village from the still-smoldering, cleansing embers of the age of Naram-Sin. An age when the disappointment and rebellion of humans was not to be suffered by the gods. They destroyed all their tarnished creations and delivered us, the chosen people, to the pure lands of the Nether. That was so many generations ago and the line of Naram-Sin, the blameless, lives on in our high flamen. Simmering pine tea and the toothy smile of Pa greeted me as I kicked my boots off on the bottom step leading up to the porch.

  “Lovely air this morgen. Was your walkabout pleasant?” His beard held mist like a spider web, and his voice was the timbre of an old oak tree creaking in a storm.

  “Truth, it was,” I replied and leaned against the smooth rail that lined the porch to pretend to look at whatever he was looking at.

  “What did you witness?” Pa asked.

  “The breath of the gods bringing movement to the wheat, but I imagined it was my breath swaying the tops.”

  “You are more correct than you know. The air has energy residing within,” he said with his usual calm. “But it is not a goddess who causes the wheat to lean.” He chuckled and handed me a red clay mug that released the scents of the forest. We stood and watched the dew ascend back into the sky. Time always felt different on that porch, gazing and listening to the land.

  “You are trying to tell me I am not a goddess?” I said jauntily, jabbing my elbow into his side.

  “You always joke when I am trying to be serious. I feel things when I am alone in the fields, in the quiet. Tiny as a single drop of water in the river, but also gigantic, as if I could reach around the whole village, or further!” His eyes gleamed with a more intense orange. I let my hand drop to the railing with a sigh.

  “Ci, movement is not from them.” He pointed a finger up at the dawn sky. “I am sure of it. Discussing the causes of the wind will have to wait. I suppose you had better not be late again or Wu-wei will whip up the anger of the gods against me.” He swirled his tea and ran his hand over his glistening beard, shaking drops into his mug. “It is good not to waste the water,” he said and winked.

  “Wu-wei sends her daily invitation.”

  “Persistent old illiterate,” he mumbled.

  “I like her. She treats me like a femina.” I straightened my back to my full height, barely coming up to the shoulder of Pa. “She reminds me of Mother, or what I remember of Mother anyway.” I tipped my cup up and finished the tea. “Pa, will you tell me more about her?” I asked, not sure why I did because I already knew the answer. He would hardly mention her since they took her. He stared at the grey fields with not even a shrug. “I am to pass the Solis Ortus ceremony in three days’ time,” I continued and set the mug on the rail with a hollow thud. Does he think I do not miss Mother as much as he does? Does he think he is sparing me pain by sparing me details?

  “Truth, and after the ceremony, you will be able to choose to follow the Persuasions or not. If you decide to continue with the faith I will not stop you,” he said, without raising his voice.

  I said, too loudly, “Everybody whispers about you. The Pa of Aglaonike has asked me to place the mark of a heretic above our door.”

  “Did he?” He turned to face me with feigned seriousness. “Tell him to leave family out of it and take up his true quarrel with me.” His tree-trunk chest rose in mock offense. “Once one of them, even the flamen, can state the Persuasions as I can, then they may chastise me for neglecting the gods. In truth, Aris, I never forget the everpresent watch of the blue eyes.” He motioned again to the paling sky, stars still visible behind the three orb eyes of the gods. “They are watching.”

  “Hmm,” I pretended to ponder his words.

  “Once you pass the Solis Ortus ceremony, we will have space to speak about my views upon the gods and goddesses and your mother. The village will have little say once you are past your seventeenth annorum.” He took his calloused hands, brushed my hair from my forehead and looked intently into my eyes. “I know it is trying, but we will wait.” His voice pressed warmly around my cheeks and moved down to my shoulders then my arms. “Your mother and I knew, from the moment you were conceived, that you were destined for more than laboring in fields and worshipping gods. You will soon know the true power you have at your fingertips.”

  The blood drained from my hands, leaving them more chilled than before. “I understand,” I said numbly, though his words only swirled ominously in my head, something about them bothered me. Recently he had been spouting off strange things that did not make sense, as if he had become one of the characters in the stories he told me around the night-fire, trying to prepare me for some epic quest in the Wave Wars or something. It made me feel uncomfortable, as if there were shadows in Pa that went against the teachings of the Persuasions.

  “We will follow the way of the Persuasions for now.” His dark eyebrows slanted gently with his smile. “You had better make haste, Ci, or you will be thrown into the pit by Wu-wei for being late! I will see you after the dark arc; I must labor in the far fields today. They have lain barren and need to be reborn.” He took my mug and went inside, returning with a grip of oat and olive flat-grain.

  “Vale,” I said, gratefully tucking the flat-grain into my inner coat. I pulled on my boots, then ran through the village with the sun rising in front of me. As the light began to round the mountain peaks, I fell to my knees at the back of the congregation and laid my prayer square on the tamped dirt in time for the commencement of lauds. Wu-wei spotted me between the bowing heads and scrunched her long face into an awkward smile. Collin Iactura glanced back at me with a silent chuckle.

  “Alta pax vobis,” the congregation intoned in unison and lightly touched their noses to the small square of soft weave lying in front of them.

&nbsp
; “Cursus unda,” Wu-wei and the other ten flamen responded. The congregation lifted their heads and straightened their backs.

  “Alta pax,” the congregation replied and bowed again.

  “Fluentem aeris, fluentem aeris,” the flamen incanted, raising the congregation.

  “Alta pax.” We did not know the exact meaning of the words, but we knew it brought us closer to divinity to praise in the language of the gods.

  “Quies terra, quies terra, quies terra.”

  “Alta pax.”

  “Viridis argo.”

  My body relaxed as the prayer finished. Wu-wei cleared her throat. “There are some who do not find peace knowing the gods watch over us. We must be patient with them but not complicit,” she said in her clear, flamen-like voice. Once again, between all the heads she peered at me. “The Persuasions may overcome a person at any moment, for any reason. Do not be shy to share with those who stray. Change is coming, and we must all be prepared.”

  I remained kneeling and could not help but think the gods spoke through Wu-wei directly to me – change is coming. The motion of kneeling and bowing and reciting usually had a calming effect on me, but today as the words of Pa rattled about inside my head, I felt pulled between his curious hints at a revelation after my seventeenth annorum and truth of the Persuasions calling to me. The whole congregation folded their prayer weaves at a subdued pace while Wu-wei blessed water from the seeds of the trees then flicked it upon our heads. Everyone moved their flattened right hand across their eyes, then the three fingers of their left hand across their belly, and finally a single finger of the right hand across their chests — the sign of remembrance. We departed in the first rays of the sun, grateful that Creo, the creator of all, had given us another day.

  TWO

  The Gods

  SECURED SPAN: WATCHERS TO COUNCIL FOR HOMO SAPIENS AFFAIRS

  Data delivered via secured quantum tunnel:

  The councilors’ minds met in a boundless space. A watcher communicated via thought: “A low-level wave variance in sector two has been detected by micro-drones, but nothing to suggest waver activity. Survs are in place and the homo sapiens population remains on its devolutionary path. Fiftieth-annorum analysis indicates within fourteen generations, the population should stabilize into semi-nomadic tribes of no more than one hundred and fifty; in line with Dunbar’s number. The land area allotted remains sufficient for proper genetic diversity to flourish.

  Preliminary samples of this annorum’s genetic data show no anomalies in progress; atavist alleles continue to be present in greater quantities. The genetic harvest takes place in three rotations. The genetic material will provide necessary diversity for ascending-tier development and increase Jiao’s capacity.”

  “Xièxiè Watchers. Concise as always,” Council Member Oma spanned to the other members.

  “Before we break connection,” interrupted a gruff voice through the present minds, “these low-level wave variances ‘we should not worry about’ have been reported with peculiar regularity…around whom or what are they occurring tck?”

  “Agent Guo Ziyi, the Watchers hardly need—”

  “Xièxiè Council Member Lee, Agent Guo Ziyi is simply performing his duty and being cautious.” The watcher’s voice cut a sharp melody in high and muted tones. “Agent Guo Ziyi, the data obtained is generic given that implants were discontinued in homo sapiens seventeen generations ago. There have been no disruptions, therefore the Watchers and Council did not allocate such resources to give us a microwave map of the area.”

  “tck Due to the curious regularity,” Agent Guo Ziyi broke in once again, “I believe these variants should be investigated by agents. We know there are still tck wavers in hiding and we would not want the Wave Wars to erupt anew––lest I need to remind you all of the destruction even a single waver can inflict.”

  “The terror caused by wavers is a relic of a barbarous past. We know the wavers better than any—”

  “That is the problem! You are too tck close to wave tech and data,” Agent Guo Ziyi growled, cutting off the watcher. “You preach a desire for a cosmos of pure data, yet the Watchers maintain tck secrets! Even your identity is unknown!”

  Council Member Lee placated, “Both Watchers and Agents are essential pieces of society’s stability. There is no need for such posturing. All is in the datastory and all is known.”

  “I assure you all,” the watcher asserted, “any wave activity is carefully investigated and the Watchers, protectors for over two thousand annorums, will continue to maintain peace. A slight wiggle is not a battle cry.” Council members’ laughter bounced around the void.

  “The Watchers are matchless in their ability to protect against wave cogipulation. The details of the genetic harvest will be spanned to the relevant project developers,” finished Council Member Lee.

  SECURED TUNNEL COLLAPSED.

  THREE

  Aris

  “The gods give on this morgen. Agreed, Aris Mozi?” The singsong voice came from behind me.

  “What was that, Collin Iactura?” I shouted back without looking or slowing down.

  “Beautiful, the lauds and the morgen sunrise, I mean.” The first day of olive harvest meant a long and grueling day of labor. How was he so happy?

  “Truth, Collin Iactura. The gods have given on this day,” I said with as much pep as I could muster. “Are you laboring in the outlying fields?”

  He fell into step with me. “No, I am leading a tilling today near the holy square.” His chest puffed up, and I could hear him grinning without having to look at his face.

  “You?” I started but then noticed his arms and neck were thick. Though his shoulders rolled inward, and his beard was thin and patchy, he was not the youngone I had grown up with; he was a vir now. His jaw had lengthened and slimmed into a perfectly curved chin, and his lean body stepped with strength. “You should be proud. To be allowed so close to the feet of the gods is an honor,” I said, giving him a respectful nod.

  “They let most youngones lead a tilling before their seventeenth-annorum ceremony. I got a little blessing, that is all.” He took a few steps in front of me and blocked my path, making me stop. He eyed the ground and fussed with his bag. I fiddled with my sleeve. He stood a head taller and easily weighed twice what I did. His black hair wrapped neatly around the back of his head with a few loose strands falling to his shoulders. When did Collin grow to be so handsome? I felt myself blush.

  “Umm…you…” I began, but he hurriedly interjected.

  “The Solis Ortus ceremony is in three nights, or three days, or whichever it is. It is happening soon.” His wide, round eyes met mine and then narrowed in the weak light. He held up a hand to block the sun.

  “This is truth.” What was he trying to say? I wondered.

  “Most others, other youngones, I mean, have selected their first-bearing partner,” he stammered.

  “I assume so,” I returned, and now I knew what his intent was. “I am considering my options.” He backed up, turned away from me, and began quivering. He cannot be truly upset.

  “Options.” A raucous laugh burst out of him, and he doubled over with mirth.

  “Funny, is it? I will have you know I have many suitors!” I hit him with my shoulder as I passed by. “I have options! And they are all far better than you!” I spun around and blurted, “Look at me, you beardless…” His dark-orange eyes held big drops, and the laughter played at the corners of his thin lips. His face was uncanny in that it could disarm anyone who thought ill of him. “What if I chose to be a flamen?” I softened my tone. “I have felt the calling ever since I can remember. Since my mother…”

  His mouth dropped to a more caring position. He timidly reached for my arm. “Aris, I am sorry. I understand this is a decision not made in haste. I did not know you had such strong feelings for the gods. You—”

  “Truth,” I sighed and gave a shrug. “I do not always show my devotion but learning the ways of a flamen seems to be a path
for me, to be available for all the Nether. To be there for those who are chosen…” I could not finish, and I looked up to him. He patted my arm sympathetically. I was glad he did not try to tell me what an honor it was to have my mother called by the gods. What a blessing it was to watch my mother rise in flames and stinging black smoke. Her charred remains ceremoniously removed from the Crimson Rock and placed in a basket of woven leaves and flown by four larks to Apatè, to the light. Even though at the time I was only in my fourth annorum, I knew things would not be the same.

  “But I have not decided yet.” I reached for his dense forearm and gave it a solid squeeze. “You have grown strong and are a true friend, but why would you want to be with me? Surely others desire you for their prime. Is it pity?”

  “Pity!” He scoffed and straightened his posture. “Every morgen in lauds, I ask Creo, creator of all, and Apatè, bringer of light, that I get to lay sight on your face and that you would give me the chance to show you why I want you to choose me to be your prime.”

  “You take me for a fool? Are these words your own?” I asked and crossed my arms in front of my chest. He nodded shyly, turning red-cheeked.

  “Others admire you from afar but are fearful of you and your pa. I witness energy and life swell within you, like the opening of the apple blossoms.” His chin quivered. “Well, I had better be getting on.” He moved his eyes skyward. “Takes a lot of faith to be a flamen after what happened. That is the kind of piety that will reap a harvest the gods will surely reward.” His hands clenched the sweat-stained handle of a tilling staff, and he moved ahead. “Labor well,” he shouted over his shoulder.

  “And to the gods the glory,” I replied. I straightened my laboring civvy and headed toward the orchards. Did I really want to be a flamen? It had come out so naturally — as if I had been thinking it my entire life. Could I be a flamen after what the gods did to my mother? Maybe I am nervous about the ceremony or shocked by Collin’s proposal. I scraped my boots along the well-trodden path. My stomach felt like I had eaten soil.