129 CHAPTER 128

"Get hold of yourself, boy." Clare said, beating the edge of her pipe, preparing to refill them, "we have more pressing issues at the moment."

There was a sharp look that crisscrossed the woman's face when she said that. But as Ham tried to study them, they disappeared as though they were never formed. The calmness on her face was a glamour that was all too familiar. Ham hated it when people hide their true intentions behind smiles. It was one thing about the Happy-Tech he was never acquainted with.

"Nothing is as pressing as my stomach," Matt said. The edge of his lips parted with a small smile as he set the plate on the table and wiped his mouth, "This food is better than what Boze and Xerta had given me. You said they are made from metals; can you teach me how to make them."

"Remind me your name again," Clare paused from refilling her pipe, looking at Matt now.

"Martins Zonna. Why?"

"Martins, hmm, I see." The woman nodded and continued pushing the black powder into her pipe. "Martins among the Miens means, too inquisitive. I would have been surprised if your name was something else."

Ham laughed despite himself. The woman truly knows how to make a scene. As the case may be, it turns out the Miens have a word for almost everything. They could say one thing and mean another. Even the way one looks at things. Body language and gestures were also interpreted with much sensitivity than Ham had thought. Even gazing at something for a long time has its own meaning. Before they had set out, Kira had warned him to be wary of the way he looked at people. The way of the Miens was a lot different from the people of Anadan.

Matt and Clare had dived into a discussion about food and ethics. Ham was not paying any attention at the moment. Kira was still in the inner room. She had not been out since she went in through that door. Is she alright or has something bad happened? Ham excused himself from the two who were arguing at the moment. He sauntered into the inner room, hoping his actions do not have any unique meaning in the ways of the Miens.

The stench of tobacco hung in the air, blending with the evening wind that steered gently from the open window. There was no chair in the room. Two tables sat side by side, and Kira leaned on one of them—with her pipe releasing tiny threads of smoke—and staring blankly at the window which revealed the world of sand and heat. She held the same expression she had when they first met. Hopeless and mean expression. Ham wonders if the girl would ever smile again. The worrisome looks were surreal, but they seemed to etch on every corner of her pinky face, giving her eyes a soulless aura.

"Are you okay?" Ham asked after some time.

"I wish I can say otherwise," Kira said without looking. She sucked from her pipe, letting the smoked air mingle in her mouth for sometime before releasing them.

Ham rubbed his nose. He was beginning to feel his stomach churn. Until he came to this world, he hated the stench of tobacco. But now, he was not so sure. Everything about Kira was making his heart sink with ecstasy. Could it be that he… No, it can't be. I shouldn't.

Ham shrugged and leaned away from the girl as she released another smoked air.

"This is the smoking room." She said, still not looking at him, "I will not apologize."

"Smoking room? Everywhere is smoking at the moment." Ham said, still rubbing his nose. If the girl can put away the smoke for some time, perhaps he would have a breath of fresh air.

"I have the weapons ready." Kira said weakly, "Too bad we have not had wars for a very long time, but I will oil the rusty parts when I am done."

"What is bothering you?"

"Don't want to talk about it" Kira said. She bit the butt of her pipe, trying to contain the anger that seemed to be eating her.

"Then stop acting like a kid. Why show your anger if you want to keep them within and not share?"

"Acting like a kid is good. You should try it sometimes." Kira said.

"Fine," Ham grunted. He leaned away from the table, making his way to the doorway. "You can brood for all I care. Just get those weapons ready before the sun falls."

Why am I angry? The thought seemed to linger in his head as he returned to the room where Kira and Matt were still discussing food. Their voice was rising over the roof, but Ham was could not hear. 

Kira is just too secretive. Why was she acting like a bird that is learning to fly? Maybe Clare had said something harsh, warranting the odd behavior. It was hard to place a finger on anything right now. Even thinking about it made Ham want to jump out of his ski. He should be planning his escape. He should be weighing the odd and not bothered over some pink colored skin, whose mood could swing like a bag of free dust in the wind.

"How long?" Ham said, but none of the two seemed to hear, so he repeated himself, much louder this time.

"Huh?" Matt asked, turning his eyes to Ham as if that was the first time they had met.

"To Vudga's palace, I presume," Clare said. She picked up her walking stick and rubbed the end, hoping to get rid of the dust that had settled on it.

Ham nodded. The old woman has a way of voicing the thoughts in someone's head. That must be because she was a seer. She must have seen everything and how events would be shaped.

"Do you think we are going to succeed?" Ham asked.

The question was a direct one, and it made Clare shift on her chair as if she had already predicted the question and had an answer on her sleeve.

"You will succeed, but that's left for you so desire. Fate is the wheel that shapes events, but the action is the potter that makes events. What will be and not be, is predetermined by the role you play on the wheel of fate."

Ham shared a confused look with Matt, who was also looking at him as if begging for an explanation. 

"Your action determines your fate," Clare continued, unperturbed by the question that lingered on the face of the other two, "You will get to Nebula and you will cease it. But I want you to promise me one thing. You must promise to destroy Nebula as soon as you set the coordinate for your world"

"Destroy Nebula?" Ham scratched his head, "But why?" It was for a selfish reason, and he knew it. The thought of not coming back to this world, the thought of not seeing Kira again, gave his stomach a heavy tug. It was strange. He barely knew the girl, yet it was as if they had known each other for ages. A part of him was screaming at his foolishness, but the other part just wanted to enjoy every bit of it. Why will I destroy Nebula? I can't do that.

"That's the only way to prevent Vudga from transporting our food to your world." Clare said as if reading his thoughts, "It's the only way to restore the vigor that the people once had. It is growing worse every day and at this rate, everything would be wiped out if a drastic measure is not taking. So you must promise to destroy Nebula."

"The people are doomed to starve if Nebula is destroyed,"

All heads turned to the door as Kira walked into the room. She dropped the brown bag she carried on the floor, using her free hands to brush the hair away from her face. Seeing her made Ham smile. He couldn't tell why, but it felt good, seeing the cheerfulness on her face again.

"Why will that be?" Clare asked.

"It would only prompt the building of another machine, more powerful than Nebula." 

"That's ridiculous Kira." Clare chuckled, "No one has built a new machine for the past decade. Hungry makes you think less."

"All the reason why we should not destroy Nebula. If we do, Vudga would have the people wrapped in his claws. Since he controls metal food, the people will do his biddings just to have a taste. He will direct their every activity and will use their weakness to build something more dangerous than Nebula."

"But what other option do we have, Kira?" Clare said. She sucked from her pipe, looking as relaxed as ever.

"Sorry to interrupt," Matt said, "But do you people ever suffer from lung cancer?"

"Only those that have lungs suffer from such disease," Clare said and turned her attention back to Kira.

"By the heavens," Matt exclaimed, but Ham was no longer paying attention to the boy.

Kira had walked towards Clare now and they were talking in a very low tone. Ham strained his ear to hear, but the escaping words were nothing but gibberish, which made little or no sense.

"Fine," Kira said, leaning away from Clare. 

The black Mienins lining her face was folding to a huge frown. Whatever Clare had said was not what she had expected to hear.

"Here is the plan," Clare said. "You three will attack the Vudga's palace tonight.