Pilot: Chapter 10

Chapter 10

Elena followed Siobhan to the library. They arrived to see Riko sitting comfortably in one of the leather chairs and stirring a cup of coffee taken from the tray set off to the side. Elena had not realized the woman had left the dining area. Siobhan took another of the seats and gestured for Elena to take a third. The butterflies were once again swirling in Elena’s belly and she wished she hadn’t added quite so much waffle to their dance floor. She politely declined another offer of coffee. Riko stirred her cup while Siobhan poured for herself. The small silver spoon made little clinking noises as it circled through the black liquid and Riko’s eyes were focused on Elena. When Siobhan was settled she smiled at Elena.

“The Calling is hard upon a Pilot,” she began softly. “A difficult choice, do you risk your crewmates or do you forsake the only life you’ve had. Many choose the risk.” She paused to take a sip of her coffee.

“Easier to build a new life than to justify the possible deaths of friends.” Elena said. Whatever they thought, walking away hadn’t been brave. She hadn’t even told the other crew members or the bulk of her family why she was leaving. She told her grandfather as she was legally required to do, that’s it. She then skulked off and tried to pretend that part of her life had never existed.

“Who diagnosed you?” Riko asked, her voice low and hard.

“I diagnosed myself,” Elena replied. “When the Calling started it was easy to ignore, the longer they whispered the greater the urge became to follow them. So I left.” Riko and Siobhan exchanged glances. Elena shivered thinking of the whispering voices in her head urging her to take her ship off the established pathways and strike off into the unknown black. They were nerely irrisistable. The last trip Elena knew she had to step down as pilot. In the middle of the night she had awoken to find she left her bed and moved to the helm preparing to change course. She swallowed hard, thinking how close she came to listining to the voices.

“There are many who study The Calling,” Riko said, inturupting Elena's thoughts.

“Are there?” Elena asked, unsure where the conversation was going.

“Yes and many things have been learned,” Siobhan added. “Such as once the Calling manifests, a pilot will start having dreams they can not remember and awakening with a very nasty headache.”

“So I have learned,” Elena commented. Both older women nodded.

“As you have also learned that caffeine will dull the throbbing of these headaches nearly instantly, with hot caffeine working better than cold caffeine.”

“I hadn’t tried the cold caffeine,” Elena stated.

“We have also had those who study dreams and the subconscious working with some of the pilots experiencing the calling,” Riko said. Siobhan smiled.

“We are also getting quite adept at sifting through actual usable knowledge and idiocy regarding suppressed desires.” Siobhan added with a mocking lilt to her voice. Elena absently wondered how esoteric some of the subconscious sciences had gotten. Picturing the council consulting an info-mercial psychic made her smile.

“I see,” Elena said cautiously, her gaze shifting between the two of them.

“There are now two schools of thought about The Calling. Some maintain that it is, as it has always been, an affliction that more often than not grounds our best pilots.” Riko said as her gaze focused on Elena, her eyes catching her like a snake. Elena was unsure if she would be capable of turning away. In the weight of Riko’s gaze she didn’t feel like she could even blink. “Many before their time,” she concluded, breaking her gaze. Elena let loose a breath she hadn’t realized she was holding.

“Others,” continued Siobhan, her gaze no less piercing than her fellow council member’s, “have come to believe that it is a natural process. An evolution of ability if you would.” She set her empty cup down on the end table with a soft click.

“A study has been done on the pilots known to be affected and it is as Riko has said. Usually it is the best pilots afflicted with the disorder. We believe the headaches may be brought on in much the same way as growing pains are during the teenage years. They seem to be increased as a result of the pilot’s fighting the process. Many of the grounded pilots have started paying attention to the dreams, noting down images, trying to remember, trying to figure out what the dreams could mean.” Siobhan tilted her head to the side. “They haven’t found the meaning of the dreams yet but the headaches have lessened as a result of their not shunning them. Perhaps that would be of use to you. In addition, the more they write down, the more of the dreams they remember.” Elena didn't really care about the dreams but thought about the pain of the eye blurring morning migraines.

“Less pain is always appreciated,” she answered. Both women smiled.

“Would you keep track of the dreams as you pay attention to them?” Riko asked. “Your impressions, your gut feelings as well as the actual images when you can remember them? A good pilot often steers on instinct as much as learned skills.”

“I will do my best,” Elena said.

“Good,” Riko said. “That is all we can ask.” Both Riko and Siobhan stood and Elena scrambled to her feet. The two council members started towards the door.

“Another side effect of paying attention to the dreams might be of benefit to you Elena,” Siobhan said.

“Oh?”

“The pilots who paid attention to the dreams found their urge to strike off into the black and away from the safe channels at the urging of the Calling greatly diminished. Many of them are no longer grounded.” The two council members left Elena standing stock still in the library. She no longer saw her surroundings and the events of the past few days faded in importance. Slowly she sunk back into her chair. The effects of the Calling diminished. She would be able to pilot again. Just by paying attention to her dreams. She shook her head.

“Crazy,” she whispered out loud. “It can’t be that easy.” Still deep inside hope flickered. One cold thought nearly blew the flame out, “The council doesn’t give something for nothing,” she whispered. And they had given her quite a bit. “What could they possibly want from me?”