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Dark Sunrise, part 8 "Get that camera away from her and see if she has anything else on her while you're at it," an officer told the soldier. The seaman who had pulled Elinor from the barrel followed his orders, searching the woman and her purse for other recording devices or weapons. "Nothing else, sir." "Very well. Bring her along. She and I need to talk." Elinor was escorted down a maze of passageways until she found herself in a small room with a desk and a couple of chairs. "Sit," he told her simply as the seaman closed the door and stood guard. She felt her wobbly legs weaken and happily sat down on the padded chair. "Now, who are you and why were you hiding in that barrel?" The reporter couldn't seem to make herself say anything. Words were caught in her throat until the man snarled and repeated his questions. She let out a peep of fear and tried to lean away from the intimidating man. She squealed again when he reached out and took her purse away from her. He rifled through the assorted contents until he found her wallet. "Elinor Renee Masters. Age twenty-seven. okay, that gives me your name, but who are you really?" "I...I'm a reporter. I just--" The man cursed. "That's the last thing we needed." He stepped up to the intercom and barked out an order. "I want security down here right now. Our guest needs to have a little chat with the Queen." Elinor was terrified. What was happening? Before her mind could wrap around the events, she found herself being escorted to a boat and taken back to shore. Any hope of finding someone to help her get away dissolved when she realized that this beach was near no buildings or roads. They must have sailed to an isolated beach. Did they plan on disposing of her? More soldiers were on the beach past the sand mark. On the hard ground was a white mark spray painted to form a circle. The men stood around it protectively. No one said a word as they held her in place and waited. Then she felt the uncomfortable sensation of needing to visit the powder room. She squirmed and wondered what her odds were of being taken to a rest room. She was about to find the courage to ask when within the circle something appeared from thin air. A pallet from the grocery store stood there with the same mysterious woman she had seen before. The woman looked directly at her with dark eyes. Elinor felt as though the woman could look into her soul. Was this the 'queen' they spoke of? The woman looked away to one of the men in uniform. "Trouble?" "Yes, ma'am. She was found hiding in an empty barrel on the pallet. She's a reporter." Elinor waited silently as the woman nodded then returned her gaze towards her. "Let's take a little walk, shall we?" The men seemed ready to argue against them walking alone but the woman ignored them. They walked along the beach at a slow pace. The reporter stumbled a bit and the mystery woman gripped her by the elbow to support her. Elinor didn't know the skin to skin touch told Cierra everything important about her. "If you want, you can go to the bathroom behind those bushes over there," the stranger asked. She was glad to do so, her bladder painfully full. Elinor hid behind the thick bush and gratefully urinated while the other woman spoke. "My name is Cierra, by the way." "I'm--" "Elinor Masters, age twenty-seven, single. You have a younger brother and your father is a contractor." How did she know that? Elinor pulled up her underwear and came out from behind the bush. "How did you--" "Know that? Let's just say I have a few secrets for now." "What's going on here? Are y'all the thieves that have been emptying out stores all along the coast?" "Guilty as charged." "And that Navy ship back there. It's the largest ship I've ever seen. Why is the Navy helping you rob stores?" "It's hardly stealing if you leave payment behind," Cierra smiled, avoiding the question. "None of this makes any sense. When my editor hears all this he's going to blow a gasket." "He's not going to do a thing without proof. It's so far-fetched that he'll probably fire you. Fred hardly thinks of you as a serious reporter since you just cover the luncheons and charity events." Elinor was surprised. How did this woman know about her? "You've read my byline before?" "Nope, sorry. I've never heard of you before tonight. Miss Masters, you've stumbled into something you'd be better off forgetting. No one would believe either you or anything you say concerning our actions." "I'll keep following you until I have proof. Then people will believe me!" Cierra laughed at the threat then her face became serious. "Elinor, if you want to be taken seriously then perhaps you ought to stop playing the bimbo and use your brain. Or have you pretended to be silly and feminine for so long you have no idea of your own strengths any longer? Your parents never listened to you when you told them your ideas. They patted your pretty little head and told you to go play with your Barbie doll. It didn't matter to them that you had the highest scores of your class each year or that your IQ tests proved you were a genius. No, they just expected you to get your diploma and marry the first decent man who asked and pop out grandkids for them, didn't they?" Elinor stared in shock. How did Cierra know all this? "I'm a psychic. I know things. Just go home and forget you met us. We don't mean any harm and are actually trying to help people." "How?" "If I told you more then you couldn't go back. So go home." "Wait, what if I want to go with you?" "And do what? You can't ever tell anyone about what you learn." Elinor looked into Cierra's eyes. "I want to make something of my life. If you're truly helping people then I want to join you. My dad wouldn't even allow me to join the Peace Corps. Please, let me help." Cierra looked at the reporter and could almost see Jenny in her. Her friend had been seen the same way although not to the extreme as this woman. Jenny just needed something to focus on other than shopping and the newest trends. Maybe Elinor would turn out the same. "Alright. You're in as long as you agree to obey me as your queen. Our laws are simple really. Live for the greater good and be the best you can be." "That's all you ask? You won't ask me to do anything squirrelly like the sorority houses, will you?" Cierra laughed. "No, afraid not. I just hope you know what you're getting into. It means a lot of hard work." "I don't care. Sign me up." ******** Elinor drove to her parents' home and parked. She waited several minutes to make sure no one woke then snuck into the house. She wanted to gather a few things and leave her folks a note to explain that she would be leaving. Cierra had told her to leave dresses and such behind. She needed sturdy clothing and items that couldn't be replaced. She would pack her things and place them in her car. The sun would be up soon and she needed to do some shopping before meeting Cierra. One place she planned on visiting was the army surplus store. Cierra had suggested a list of things to bring along. Then she needed to pick up more jeans and sensible cotton shirts. Elinor left the note to her parents pinned to her clothing in the closet. She knew leaving it in the open would have them on the phone with the police. She needed the time to shop before they went looking for her. Mother wouldn't think to open the closet until she did the laundry. By then it would be too late. She spent time in a diner, ordering breakfast and lingering over her coffee until the shops opened. Elinor wasted little time. She bought her items from the surplus store plus even a few extra things just in case. She picked up several duffle bags rather than take the luggage her parents paid for. Her next stop was the store that sold outdoor clothing and sporting goods. The blonde had little left over when she was finished but didn't worry about it. Cierra said they didn't use money where they lived. Shortly after 11 O'clock, she met with Cierra a few blocks from the beach. Her new friend helped gather up her possessions then placed her hand on her wrist. "Ready?" Elinor nodded. Even though the concept had been explained and she had transported twice last night, the idea that they traveled between alternative worlds seemed amazing. All the town disappeared around them and Elinor saw only empty dunes and beach around them. "Ready to go?" a voice asked behind them. Elinor turned and saw a group of women nearby. One of them, a dark haired woman with blue eyes neared Cierra and kissed her cheek. Elinor smiled, They must be close friends. Then the two women kissed. Elinor's eyes got huge. Robbie spotted the look of shock on the new woman's face. "Damn, Cierra! You didn't tell her half the women on Mother Earth were lesbians, did you?" Cierra looked at the reporter. "I never thought of it. I guess I forgot people in different ages had different attitudes." The shaman looked at Elinor. "I hope you won't change your mind because of this. We still need your help if you want to stay." Elinor heard the comment about different ages. The queen must live in a place where it was more easily accepted if she didn't even consider her relationship with a woman to be perverted. Her first reaction was disgust but then she thought about it. These women were dedicating their lives to helping people. Could she do any less or was she a coward? "No, I am still joining you. Just don't expect me to take a page from your romance book," Elinor said firmly. The others chuckled. The tall blonde spoke first. "I'm afraid most of the women aboard the WaveDancer are gay but once we get back to the villages there are plenty of single men available. You might find a man you like. We don't expect everyone to be the same," she reassured Elinor. "But you'll find that we're a warm and caring group. Just a word of advice to save hurt feelings. A show of affection in not a come-on or flirting. We're friends and family. We expect our friends to give us hugs and such. If you rebuff someone they'll take it as rejection of friendship. You'll know without doubt if it's flirting. All right?" Elinor saw the sincerity in the blonde's sea-blue eyes. She forced herself to smile and nodded. She was taken aboard a huge yacht, larger than any she had ever seen in her life, but her shocks weren't finished. On board, Elinor looked at everything and everyone around her. To her shock, people of different races worked side by side. She saw three crewmen sitting on a bench having a meal in the shade. One was swarthy, like someone from the Mediterranean, a Negro, and a man with an Scot brogue. Elinor pried her eyes away from the scene. No white man would sit next to a Negro in her town. It just wasn't done. Cierra knew much of what Elinor was feeling. Her own mother had spoken about the 1960's when women fought for equal rights. At the same time, the fight against segregation was going on and protests about Vietnam. It had been troubled times. Their cultures were very different but she wanted to give the reporter a chance. The woman couldn't grow as a person without some bumps along the way. "Hungry? I know I'm starving," Cierra told the newest crew member. She led the group to the dining room where lunch was being served. Cierra took a tray and handed to Elinor as the others followed suit, going down the line to choose what foods they wanted. "Mama!" a child hollered, making Elinor look. She didn't know children were aboard. She saw a little dark-haired toddler waddle up to Cierra. "There's my baby! Give mama kisses," Cierra told her daughter. The little girl obliged, giving her mother a sloppy kiss. "Have you been a good girl for Jenny?" she asked, shifting the toddler to one hip. Elinor just watched silently, barely noticing food being placed on her tray. "She's always a good girl," Jenny told her, bringing her own little girl along. Cierra indicated to Elinor to sit down at a large table where others were already eating. Once sitting, she made introductions. The reporter was surprised to find out that the captain of the WaveDancer was a woman. This was certainly a day for shocks. Next Chapter |