Forever Bonded

            So, this was the capital… a huge city full of palaces, gardens, administrative buildings and garrisons for the Emperor’s Sardaukar.

            Clovis was now part of the Guild Delegation that was received by the Emperor; discussions regarding budget and some services’ payment. He was permitted to assist these meetings… maybe Merkab had some specific role for him, but nothing really happened.

            The Suns set for the fifth time over the city-palace, and Clovis watched this again and again. Another day, another sunset… This day had been especially exhausting for him: some routine meetings, some running around the city like a delivery-boy, and then hours and hours spent learning Guild documents, reading contracts “just to get accustomed” with the procedures.

            Clovis laid on the bed and looked through the room. It was lavishly decorated. That held enough riches to grant him a life-time of pleasure back on Earth. So much gold, so many things exquisitely-crafted. The whole city was a jewel, a marvel of engineering, a marvel of architecture, a piece of art. His eyes shut as he remembered the beauties he saw that day, and he finally went to sleep.

            In the sleep’s dark void Clovis’ mind awakens. He tries to move, but the body won’t obey, and he starts to panic. He tries to speak but nothing moves. Clovis tries to focus all his power into shouting but only the mouth opens silent as a grave. He tries to open his eyes but again his muscles betray him… he manages to move his arm, as he gained partial control over some of the arm’s muscles. His fingers remained still, unable to be contacted by the nervous flux the brain broadcasts through the body.

            Using his hands as claws, Clovis tries to open his eyes, but all he sees is still the black void of the sleep, though he could feel on his skin the night’s pale light.

            He panics and desperately tries to do something, but his mind tries in vain as his body is still paralyzed.

            All of a sudden he sees something. It is him inside him. He sees some kind of larva inside him from a bird’s eye view. He also sees his chest cavity from inside – it is hollow. Ribs and muscles isolate the larva from the outside.

            He cannot comprehend this… could it be a vision of some sort? But he cannot control himself any longer and panic takes over. All went blank again and Clovis can hear himself screaming, shouting. He then felt his body and he could identify a rocky surface beneath his feet.

            Light appears.

            He is now able to visualize a cold, grey granite surface forever stretching beneath a cold black sky… so where does the light come from? Maybe from him… who knows? This universe he now first experienced seems to shunt the laws of physics.

            So there he was, dressed in his uniform, in the middle of nowhere. Though the space around him seemed infinite he started to feel another presence.

            He slowly turns, thinking he would see an alien, an energetic being that had to invade the privacy of his mind. But it looked like photons gathered to a point behind him… faster and faster until a shape could be distinguished. It still was too bright for him to see what it was, but at least it seemed humanoid.

            Slowly he could distinguish the being - it was human – a woman. As the image became clearer he could see a familiar face, it was Laura, dressed in a very official grey suit. She seemed scared too when she opened her eyes, but at least his image comforted her a bit.

- At least I can dream you now I’m ill. She whispered. This surely is a hallucination.

            - I think I’m hallucinating… I’m so far away, and so many strange things happened that I’m now ready to believe everything. He replied.

            - Are you real?

            - I know I am… but, on the other hand, we both could be as real as this place.

            - What is this place anyway? It seems huge.

            - I don’t know… I fell asleep… I had some strange dreams and then I ended up here.

            - It doesn’t matter… now we’re together.

            - You’re right, if we’re both here nothing else matters.

            They talked a little bit more, they shared love and cared for each other. After a while Clovis asks:

            - You said you’re ill?

            - Here I feel fine… but I’ve got a cold, maybe a flu, I don’t really know… I think I’ve been unconsciousness ever since. Maybe days have passed. I really don’t know. But this doesn’t matter! Do you think we’ll be able to meet again here?

            - I think your health is more important than our meetings in dreams.

            - Maybe, but what’s my health good for when you’re not by my side?

            - Don’t you talk like that! We’ll meet again, I promise you that!

            - Clovis, I think that is a promise that you won’t be able to keep. You have been reported missing in action, you’re dead to almost all who knew you… By the way, where are you now?

            Clovis starts to tell hey the story from the dogfight onwards, he described Merkab, the Guild, Kaitan and the capital. A fascinating world was discovered by Laura through Clovis. How could she believe a dream? A hallucination caused by fever.

            Hours passed as the couple talked and talked fearing this might be their last meeting. None of them could explain all that, but they were determined to exploit that opportunity to the maximum.

            There they stood: two souls in infinite. Their minds were of no use in this parallel universe. Here all they could do was feel not to explain, to live the moment not to think. The saying “Carpe Diem” passed through their minds as they feared that the dream could end as strange and sudden as it started. They held on desperately to the moment as they felt that that dream was a boat in an ocean of cold sanity; a very pleasant and illogic thing just like love.

            Some steppes were heard by them, but no one came. The sound was distant and badly distorted, but even so Clovis could recognize the unique way of walking of the Sardaukar.

            - Something is happening in the building I’m in… I must leave you now Laura, I can feel danger in the air.

            - When will you be back?

            - I really don’t know… we’ll meet again… I can assure you…

            His body lost cohesion as he spoke and the photons that made his body spread around into the dark.

            Laura now stood alone in that “alter-mundi”.

            - Laura! Laura wake up!

            Laura slowly opened her heavy eyes. The light was too powerful.

            - What? Who is it?

            - It’s Anna… you called me, remember?

            Laura smiled and tried to lift herself off the couch but her powers were drained. Her head ached as well.

            - How many days have passed, Anna?

            - Days? I was in the bathroom when you called so I rushed over here… you called fifteen minutes ago.

            - That can’t be… I talked to Clovis for hours…

            - Clovis is missing in action. Have you read this letter?

            - Yeah. Oh! My head hurts so badly!

            - You have fever… let me call a doctor. Poor girl she’s hallucinating. Anna whispered to herself as she dialed the doctor’s number.

            “Was I dreaming? Was it all caused by the illness? Doesn’t matter! I’ve found out that Clovis and I are bonded forever – it’s written in the stars.”

            In the other universe Clovis was waking up in a dangerous situation.