ROTU: Chapter Six

After Lyons departed headquarters to return to college, Jalena and Shamira took their time in the first several months to research more in-depth about the behaviors and cultural customs of humans around them. In between their studies, they spent their time training in their new simulation room. The two soon mapped out a plan to search for the Conduits and begin interacting with humans more as they explored the cities nearest their hidden home.

During one recent trip, the two took a break from their shopping to have lunch on an outside patio at a busy restaurant, where they could effectively observe the multitude of people around them.

"Collectively they are still very caught up in surface behaviors and appearances," Shamira said. "I feel so foreign here."

"We are foreign here," Jalena replied with a smile. "At least we are blending in better than I thought we would." She looked into one of her shopping bags. "It is quite a different life—living undercover—especially wearing something besides a cloak and uniform most of the time."

"I know. We won't ever be able to blend in fully. It's like constant pretense—humoring them by talking of things we are not really interested in." She sighed. "Is surface life the extent of their thoughts? Do they not want something deeper?"

"If you are unaware that something more exists, then you will not reach for it. They reach for the best version of the world that they believe to be capable." Jalena looked around. "It mostly involves seeking value outside of themselves through the achievement of success and obtainment of goods. It is just what most of them know as Lunara said. Besides, pretending that we are human is part of the mission."

"I know. It just makes me happy to be aware of something else—something I don't want to forget."

"We will have to rehearse our basic teachings here, remembering that the conditions that surround us do not dictate our success. As we move forward, I think belief and patience are what will lead us to where we need to go, so it won't be easy. I feel there is a good chance our progress will be slower because of the perception of time here. We have been spoiled with quick results in other missions." She gestured around her. "Since this place is designed to train you away from your inner truth in order to be more easily controlled, it would take a strong spirit to combat the norm. In Alsar, the entire society is evolution-eager, whereas here they have been trained to fear or reject change and, as a result, it slows their progress. Thus, ours will likely be slow as well."

"You're right. Since we were raised in an environment that values the integration of the whole, it is very odd to observe people who compartmentalize and bury themselves within their own system." Shamira activated Relasu and watched a muscular man walk by. "Their energy is blocked—fragmented."

The man did a double take as he caught Shamira's eye. He grinned. "What's up, girl?"

Shamira shook her head. "Not much," she replied simply. "Have a good day."

The man's grin faded. "Whatever…bitch," he added under his breath.

"Then they attack others for not giving them the external validation they are seeking after they have blocked the connection that validates who they really are," Shamira said loud enough for the man to hear as he stalked away.

Jalena chuckled. "Buried or not, some can still feel you use Relasu to scan them, which by the way, you should be doing at a minimum. What happened to low profile?"

Shamira scowled. "I know. Sometimes I just want to, you know—warrior. It feels weird going directly from battle and then back to just training and researching. It's like we are in between missions, but not. Exploring this city without any progress is getting old. I don't know. I guess I'm just…"

"…bored," Jalena finished.

Shamira nodded.

"I feel it too," said Jalena. "So, let's go abroad. Maybe there will be a lead overseas."

The next several years passed slowly for the two. The mere size of the population made their search seem impossible. Despite their continued worldly travels and investigations, there was still no lead as to where the Conduits were, nor was there any unusual activity linked to Ralian or Drasúl. The mission became more daunting, especially without the ability to freely utilize their full power to study the different types of energy around them. The warriors' current methods, which relied mostly on intuition, had done little to advance their situation.

Upon their interactions with other humans, both Jalena and Shamira agreed with Lunara—that it was as if they had gone backward in time. Much of what the humans were currently studying or on the brink of discovering, Elsarians and many other species already understood. However, as instructed by Lunara, neither Jalena nor Shamira took action to interfere in the evolutionary progress of the planet or correct any misconceptions that hindered it. To do so would risk drawing unwanted attention.

As the time on Earth drew longer, the warriors' hope that their efforts were leading to something significant began to wane, and Jalena's skill in emotional control was tested more than ever before. She found herself longing for her father's encouraging words and regretted that she did not have a recording of his voice or simulated classroom teachings from Malik and Master Jabari.

She practiced thoroughly each day at keeping the mission at the forefront of her mind and her frustration at bay. The stress of the entire experience hit her the hardest at night and in the early morning hours, however, when dreams and memories of Gyan still swam freely within her mind. The glow beneath her Lumsigne would light the walls of her room when the thought of him drew her from sleep.

Running the trails in the mountains helped alleviate her heartache, which she often did before Shamira woke in the morning. Occasionally on her run, she would glimpse her white wolf friend watching her from a distance. His presence quickly became an expected comfort, especially as the state of the mission took its toll.

Their lack of advancement seemed to amplify the heaviness of living in lower vibrations, which strained Shamira's ability to maintain emotional and mental alignment. Her frustration with their situation surfaced one evening after training.

"I can't take this anymore, Jalena," she expressed, breathing hard as she paced along the soft grass of their simulated Elsarian setting. We have already spent over two years here and we have no leads! I feel like we're just wasting time." She took a deep breath. "I'm trying to be okay with all of this, but I'm not." She gestured to their surroundings. "I miss home so much that even these simulations are getting old. I feel like we are just wandering in the dark. Not being able to communicate with the team regularly makes it worse."

"I know how you feel," Jalena replied. She looked around. "We can't give up…not yet."

"Your determination reflects why you are a queen light key as Jarek says and I, thankfully, am not. We should at least try and contact Sir Malik through the Stone of Echoes."

"Lyons thinks the stone is too powerful for the shield to hide the signal."

"It is highly probable that he is correct, Master," Kana's electronic voice interjected. "It is something that I cannot guarantee."

Shamira crossed her arms. "Screw, Lyons. We need answers!"

"I agree. We need to do something before you get any crankier."

Shamira laughed. "Sorry," she cleared her throat, "it just feels like we have been here forever without any movement."

"Rather than contacting Sir Malik, I feel it will be less of a risk to contact the ship and see if Sade is available to immediately receive the signal and communicate freely. We can get an update on Elder Master Nyhra too. The only transmission she had left at the ship was that she had arrived safely in Cambodia. Hopefully, she has made contact with the Lumaña by now."

"Sounds good to me. Any news is better than nothing."

The two left the simulation room and entered the office.

"Please send a signal to the Xita-8, Kana, and then see if Sade is available for direct correspondence," Jalena said as the two stood before one of the large monitors on the wall.

"Certainly, Master. Let me make the necessary adjustments to mask the transmission." After several moments, Kana spoke again. "The signal has been received by the ship and is now being re-routed—"

"Master Jalena?" Sade's voice broke through.

Shamira closed her eyes. When she opened them again, they were shining with tears.

Sade's smile met Jalena's as his face appeared before her.

"Took you two long enough," he teased. "Master Shamira, are you crying? You're not in trouble are you, because you say the word and I'll burst through the Earth's atmosphere like one of their rockets going backward."

"No, we're not in trouble, but you are a sight for sore eyes, Sade," said Jalena. "We are relieved to see you. After being down here this long without contact, it was beginning to feel like everything was just a dream."

"Well, it's not or I wouldn't be orbiting above you, studying the ends and out of this space station, the galaxy, and the different species here—biding my time until we return home."

"Have you heard from Elder Master Nyhra?"

"The last message was that she had found the Lumaña and was safely in the Inner Realms, but that was probably six months ago Earth time. How are things there? Any lead on the Conduits' or Drasúl's whereabouts?"

Jalena shook her head. "No leads yet, despite our constant searching. To use an Earth phrase, it is like attempting to find a needle in a haystack."

"Well, we are all in this together, so don't forget we have your back. Everyone is safe here at the station."

"Do you know if the masters made it out of Realm of Illuse?" Shamira asked.

Sade smiled. "I believe they did…not too long ago. It seems as if Brogan was the first to break the spell, followed soon after by Hoshi and Lorcan. The rest were only about a day behind those three."

Jalena and Shamira shared a smile.

"Next time don't go so long without contact because I'll worry. I can send updated transmissions to the Xita-8 about what is going on over here, so make sure you check in periodically, and I will receive your updates too if I can't contact you directly."

The two nodded.

"Thank you, Sade," Jalena said. "Hopefully things will change soon."

"With you two leading the way, I'm sure something will give."

The warriors bowed and Sade signed off.

"Better?" Jalena asked Shamira.

"It helps to alleviate the feeling like we are stuck here without our people, but it also just makes me want to go home even sooner."

Jalena nodded. "A large part of me wants to just hunt Drasúl, so we can get this mission over with. I feel like looking for the Conduits has limited rather than helped us. I know Lyons says he is working on something to help with that, but it isn't easy to be patient here."

"Then let's take off for a couple of weeks."

"What do you want to do?"

"I don't know…Swim with the dolphins, cliff dive, zip line, learn to fly—basically try and have fun without feeling like we are working all the time. I mean, we can scout for Conduits, but relax at the same time."

Jalena smiled and shook her head. "You've really thought this out."

Shamira gave her an innocent look.

"Okay."

"Okay?" Shamira raised her eyebrows, her voice tinged with excitement. "Really?"

"Yeah, I feel like if we keep going at the rate we have, then we are going to explode with frustration—you first and then me."

Shamira smiled. "Just like the humans. It's why they should take more time off."

"Three weeks, then we get back to work."

"As you wish, Master. For now, we spend the rest of the evening packing."