Questions

I couldn’t stop shaking. We were going back to Earth, back to The Big Apple. It had only been a few days since I’d first met Nallen and already I couldn’t even imagine living without him. I knew that simply wasn’t happening - that Nallen needed me even more than I him. But what if Daddy didn’t like him? Tried to make me ‘see reason’ and give him up? I still didn’t know how Nallen was going to explain himself, he just didn’t make any sense in terms of Earth culture. At least I hadn’t missed my usual weekly call with Mom, she would have gone insane with worry if that had happened.

Aneeka rubbed my shoulders, trying to calm my racing nerves, only partially successfully. How would I explain Aneeka? Would either of us even try?

My thoughts threaded to spiral out of control again. I tamped down on all these unproductive thoughts. I patted Aneeka’s hand where it still rested, I doubt my attempt at a smile reassured her, “Thanks.”

Wanallee paced back and forth, worried for a different reason. Nallen and I were going someplace thaumaturgy wouldn’t work, someplace none of us could even legally go armed. I think that last concerned her more than the first. She was used to carrying weapons as a matter of course, that it was a basic part of being a citizen rather than slave; Nallen wouldn’t even legally be able to carry a reasonable knife. It would be different if thaumaturgy still worked, then he could have any number of weapons just a thought away. It would be easy to fake the papers but if a cop stopped us and actually ran them there was no way the right entries could be entered in the computer databases ... that would be worse than not being armed in the first place.

Wanallee was present to provide the return gate. She would place the doorway in the hall in my apartment, in fact right at the entrance to the hall; It would remain unless disturbed. There was no reason to expect any such disturbance but just in case she would also place an alarm on this side. If something happened to that door she would know instantly. Doing it like this would block access to both my apartment’s bedroom and bathroom but that seemed like a silly concern, returning to Allland would be much preferable for sleep anyway. I had asked about placing it at my apartment’s main entrance but gave that up when told then anyone could come through, this way they would at least have to be in the apartment first. Unlike Nallen Wanallee didn’t have the power to create the door instantly. The creator had to remain in Allland, Nallen could create such a door but if he went through it would wink out.

It was Twoday morning and we were doing this from the Fort Lascall great-room. Things would be so much easier if thaumaturgy worked on Earth, even a little. Then it would simply be a matter of showing Daddy Nallen’s power. Showing the power that I, too, was slowly learning to wield. I couldn’t even show him that I had become an expert pistoleer in these few days. The good news was that I had two copies of the main thaumaturgic gene, both of my parents had to be carriers! All we had to do was get them back to my apartment, through that door. All would be explained.

“Ready?” Nallen stepped up beside me. It took me a moment to realize Nallen had used the English word.

Hearing English again was a different shock, particularly coming from Nallen. Of course, he would want to speak with my parents - especially my father! Of course, he had used the teacher! Thankfully I had been correct about not forgetting. It felt very strange, having both Betwan and English rattling around in my brain. I might start thinking in one language and switch to the other mid-stream. And it wasn’t a matter of just dropping in a word or two for color. Aneeka had previously learned English to help me along, Nallen had not in order to force me to acclimate.

He took my hand, interlinking our fingers. He was holding my left hand, my left hand where just this morning he had placed a diamond ring. Nallen had personally made that ring, even assembling the diamond from raw carbon, such were not a custom of any country of Allland. Rings here were generally loci of power - not just symbols of power but actual conduits for that power. Mern’s Sislonno signet ring, for example, could channel the combined power of every citizen in his lands. It had other functions as well, I knew it served as a call-plate; I was sure there were others I’d not been told. Alllanders didn’t need external symbols of a marriage bond, there were changes to a paired couple’s quantum signatures that were unmistakable.

Wanallee’s door wavered then glowed with a steady blue light. She gave us each a quick hug, “Go! And hurry back!”

It felt very strange being back on New York city streets, I’d still not been out in public in Londrail. There simply hadn’t been time yesterday after finishing my shooting lessons and then our time with Aneeka. I walked huddled against Nallen’s side even though I was the native and he the visitor. Thankfully the way he kept staring around, curious I’m sure, was easily mistaken for threat assessment and we weren’t accosted - not even by vagrant panhandlers. We’d also avoided the worst of the morning rush so there was plenty of room on the subway. Then it was time to leave, out the door and back up to the street.

I still had a key-card to my parent’s building, even their apartment. Though I didn’t plan on using that one! It was a quiet ride up to the thirty-fourth floor. I pulled Nallen to a stop in the hall before we reached my parent’s door. He looked concerned for a moment, until I drew him down for a brief kiss, a somewhat longer hug.

I had to take a deep breath while facing their door. Nallen stood behind me, not pushing me, his very presence a comfort. I giggled, hearing something crash moments after ringing the bell. It took time for the locks to disengage, the knob to turn. My heart was threatening to hammer out of my chest.

I think Mom was surprised with the ferocity of my hug. That first day on Allland my parent’s reaction to my disappearance was a major component of my thoughts - when I was given time for any thoughts. I pulled back, looked at her for a few seconds then pulled her in for another tight hug.

‘I’m not going to cry,’ I kept telling myself, ‘Dammit, I’m /not/ going to cry!” somehow it worked.

I left Nallen shaking his head in the outside hall, dashing past Mom into my parent’s apartment.

“Daddy!” I rushed over, having to bend down. Daddy was still in his wheelchair, not having bothered putting on his prosthetics yet. He had played lite-novel-hero about ten years earlier. He had saved the five year old girl but it had cost him, cost him both legs below his knees. That incident is actually why neither needed to work and I had such a nice apartment - condo actually. The girl’s father had been /very/ thankful, he had handed them a small fortune and simply signed over the unit - my parents had been embarrassed, they hadn’t planned on asking for anything.

Debbie still worshiped Daddy. Worshiped Daddy in a way Mom wasn’t entirely comfortable with, it had been cute when she was five but fifteen’s a very different matter; Seventeen would be even worse. I’d actually talked with the girl about it - no way was Mom broaching that topic; Debbie had definite dreams about Daddy being her first. Those dreams didn’t necessarily extend to a life together but she very much wanted to reward her prince. The fact I’d also still been a virgin had drawn us much closer together than we might otherwise have been. If Nallen and I were to do the big-wedding thing Debbie would /have/ to be one of my bridesmaids. Actually, I couldn’t think of anyone else I would even /want/ as a bridesmaid. Aneeka didn’t count, she would be another bride, regardless of Betian law. Although I also couldn’t really imagine the whole big wedding thing, my life was going to be here, on Allland; Betians didn’t really have the concept, weddings here were private declarations to both sets of parents. My parents certainly weren’t close with our extended families.

I realized then I had left Nallen at the door; I rushed back across the room to his side.

My mother was looking very surprised now, I realized the level of her gaze was rather low.

My cheeks burned, I wanted to hide my hand behind Nallen’s back like some naughty child caught with their hand in the cookie jar. I forced myself to bring it out where she could see.

The stone was very impressive, if it were solid it would be at least five carets It wasn’t natural, no way it could be, couldn’t fool a gemologist for even a moment ... Nallen had used his power to make a diamond of absolutely perfect carbon. But more than that, it wasn’t solid. Internal fractures caused it to refract even more light than if it /were/ solid. Like a fun-house maze made of partially translucent mirrors.

“Mom, Daddy, I’d like you to meet”...

Nallen stepped forward, “Ma’am, Sir, I’m Nallen t’Laptrour.”

“Heh, no need to be so stiff. I know the grief Lin would give me if I tried running you off. Not to mention Martha. ‘Sides, not like she’s still in high school ... or even college. I’m David Piance. Come in, come in, don’t stand out there like a Jehovah’s Witness or Amway salesman.”

I tugged at Nallen’s hand, he finally entered their apartment. He shook my father’s hand first, then just like Mern had with me he raised the back of my mother’s fingers gently to his lips, bowing very slightly.

“Damn, Lin, baby, where’d you find him? That was smooth.”

“He found /me/.”

“Okay, spill. How’d you two meet?”

Nallen smiled while looking at me, then turned back to my father. “It was actually at her work. I’d been having some business taken care of - thankfully not by her boss - she was on break, seemed unhappy about something. We started talking.”

It was all I could do not to choke. Sure I was usually a bit unhappy at work - who wouldn’t be working for a pig like Grant Collins the Third (Turd?)? - but we certainly hadn’t met there! Good thing, there was a policy strictly prohibiting fraternization with customers I wouldn’t have dared disobey.

I waved away my mother’s concern, mouthing ‘Collins’, she nodded understandingly - I’d told her about the advances the man-shaped-pig made.

“There’s something at Linda’s place you both need to see.”

“Can’t you just tell us? It’s a PITA getting over there.”

“No, Sir. Only seeing it will have any impact.”

“Linda? A hint?”

“He’s right, Daddy. No hints, not a word.”

Mom had already moved behind the wheelchair. “C’mon, Dave. Not like we had anything planned today and you know it. You can grouse later if this isn’t worth it. Besides, when was the last time Linda actually wanted us to visit?”

“Alright, alright, woman. Lay off!” They were both shaking their heads, this banter was nothing new.

Nallen was standing next to the picture wall. I was telling him about the various photos on display when Daddy walked back in. My father’s new prosthetics were amazing! He no longer needed a cane, could go reasonable distances without needing to sit down. Flights of stairs were still impossible but maintenance on both our buildings was kept up-to-date so the elevators always worked. All this is to say we didn’t need to call a wheelchair-capable taxi, wait however long for it to show up and then do the reverse when my parents were ready to go home. Assuming they even went home. We still needed to use a cab - way easier than my father getting down to the subway - but at least it could be any normal car.

Daddy was still grumbling wondering what could be so important when I unlocked the deadbolt. Nallen swept his arm, inviting both of my parents to precede him.

Nothing appeared out of place, Mom was peering around, trying to find whatever it was I had been so insistent that they see. After re-setting the locks I took her arm, leading her back towards my bedroom, Nallen followed Daddy in case he stopped when we disappeared.

It was different from using the doorways from the Allland side. On Allland there was a glowing slab in the very air telling you something was about to happen. Here there was nothing to see, the apartment hallway looked just as it always did. One step we were on Earth, in New York, the next we were back at the Fort Lascall great-room. I’m just glad that otherwise it was like any other door - no dizziness, no feeling like a bowling ball sucked through a straw or any of the other descriptions of dimensional travel you read about in science fiction. Taking that step I did wonder how Nallen had done it, originally grabbing me - he could not have gone to Earth!

It was also amazing, feeling the thaumaturgy return as a faint buzzing at the back of my mind. I hadn’t noticed it before returning to Earth, or even its absence while there, but I definitely noticed it now. I think it had originally built up slowly enough that I simply hadn’t noticed - I had plenty of other things keeping my mind occupied, too many things right in front of me demanding immediate attention. Same with being back on Earth. I’d been worried about what my parents would think, about being away from Allland, Aneeka most of all.

Mom stopped, shocked. Or tried to. I kept moving, tugging on her arm - I didn’t want Daddy to run into her if he was only a step behind. She stumbled along behind me, not really aware of what she was doing. I turned, waiting. It seemed like it took forever, when Nallen appeared he was supporting my father, his neck under my father’s shoulder, an arm around my father’s waist.