Chapter 9: Artificial Dance

The ship slowly hovers underneath a blue grid of energy just above it.

Alecia slowly leans towards the window with her narrowed eyes staring st the grid above. After a moment, she leans back into her seat.

"Mom, what is it?" Renata said with a wide-eyed look as she stares up at the field of energy.

"I don't know, sweetheart." Elerah said, leaning in for a look as well. Her eyes brgin to show curiosity.

"No ships can go through it." Booker said, looking ahead with a calm look on his face, while he gently controls the ship.

"No one can go in, no one can go out." He slowly accelerates faster within the narrow tunnel.

A few moments go by...

Crowds of people are seen standing near small colored tents of red, green, and yellow.

The one tent has adults and a few children standing by it. Their clothing vary in color. The one tent has a rifle mounted on the railing,, with a small girl is seen shooting with the fake weapon within the tent. The crowd of people around the parade muffle any sound coming from the toy-gun.

On the far right of the tents, is a small stage with blue curtains laid out from behind. On the stage, a man Is seen on the wooden stage, dressed in a black coat with a royal-blue suit underneath. Men and woman stand across the stage and watch him on the stage as he is seen showing smooth gestures of his hand.

"Gather round ladies, and gentlemen, girls and boys!" He shouted out in a charismatic tone.

Alecia, and the others are seen walking in the back, only for her look at the man on the stage with a curious expression on her face.

She side-steps into the crowd.

"Priestess, where are you going!?" Booker called out as Elerah and Renata stops behind him. Alecia continues to cut through the crowd.

"Wouldn't you all like to see something interesting!?" The man on the stage called out and the crowd shouts with a "Yes!."

"I can't hear you!?" The man calls out, and cuffs his hand over his ear.

"YES!' the crowd shouts out once more, which urges Alecia to frown while looking around at the smiles on the people's faces.

"Alright then!" He shouted out with his hands in the air.

"Now, let the show... begin!" He takes out a small device from his pocket, and with tension in tthe air, he press the one button.

The floor opens up, only to watch the crowd of people to gasp in awe with their eyes wide-open, a woman, with brown clothing which leaves little room for anyone to imagine. Her skin dark purple, almost gray. Her hair being a darker purple. On her forehead, and under her eyes are glyphs that have a lighter shade of purple.

"You probably never expected this!" He called out with a grin on his face, and turns his gaze to the womsn beside him.

"If you haven't already known, she is part of a species known as gins." He slowly steps around her back. Still with her head slightly lowered and her eyes closed.

"She is very talented in what she does." He stands with his hands behind his back. He turns his gaze to her with a smirk.

"Go on, show them." He said with a calm tone in his voice.

The silent woman slowly turns her head to face him. She opens her eyes, which has dark shade of orange.

"Show them...?" she said in a calm tone, with a frownful look.

She turns her gaze to the crowd, only for her eyes to scan across them.

"Show them what?"

The man narrows his eyes, he steps behind her, and leans in with his lips near her ear.

"Don't act foolish..." he whispered in her ear. He steps aside, and stands beside her.

"Now come on!" He shouted In a cheerful tone while his hands gesturing out.

"Don't be shy now!"

The woman glares at him for a moment as the man stares down at the crowd.

The crowd remains silent. Alecia, stands among them, she glares at the man on the stage.

She flicks her gaze to the woman, and stares at her for a moment, only to see a black colar around her neck, which has a red blinking light on it.

The woman breaths in, and exhales.

"Very well." She said, with her eyes closed, only for her to open them once more, she raises one of her hands. She tilts her hand with her palm facing up.

Her pupils start to glow into a dark blue color, which urges the people to whisper amongst themselves.

Dark blue flames slowly start to appear out from the palm of her hand, as it gently ripples.

Alecia widens her eyes slightly as they reflect the light coming from the flames.

The woman throws the flaming sphere into the air above as the people lock their gaze on it.

"It looks she can do what you do." Booker said silently from behind Alecia.

The sphere bursts, the energy begins to sprinkle into particles which gently falls on the crowd. They would open their hands to catch the glowing particles while looking up with smiles on their faces.

The flames condense into another sphere and forms a circular flaming disc. Along the flaming disc, bright symbols start to appear within it. The crowd of people gasp in awe at the sight they're seeing.

"What is that?" A man's voice said within the crowd.

"It looks like symbols of some kind." A woman's voice said from behind the crowd.

"Since these people are clueless about those symbols." Booker said with a curious look in his eyes. He places his hand on Renata's head which urges her to frown.

"You read a lot don't you?" He looks down at her with a smile.

"Enlighten us."

Renata takes his hsnd off her head and shoves him away.

"I can't!" She said with a frown, and adjusts her hair.

"Okay, sorry." Booker said, shaking her hand and looks up at the flaming disc once more.

The charismatic man on the stage continues to talk in boastful comments, while Alecia continues to stare at it for a brief moment.

She narrows her eyes.

"Come-" she begins to cough out, before she could say another word. Booker turns to her attention with a frownful gaze, which urges Alecia to look at him, and lets out a final cough.

"Excuse me," She said, lowering her hand and continues to look up at the disc, which has long since disappeared.

Her gaze lowers, she sees the light on the colar around the alien woman's neck turn from green to red. Alecia frowns as she slightly turns her head, her gaze still fixed on it. Just then, she catches the gin woman looking down at her with a calm gaze, causing an uncomfortable feeling to emerge in her chest.

"Sorry everyone!" The man said, gesturing his one haf out.

"It appears she's not feeling well enough to perform today. The show's over." He turns around with the alien woman, and walks into the curtain, the crowd sighs in disappointment.

Alecia slowly steps aside while keeping her gaze on the stage with a thoughtful look in her eyes, as each person passes in front and behind her.

"Alecia." Booker said, which urges her to turn to his attention, only to see Elerah and Renata standing behind him.

"Let's keep moving." He signals with a nod to the side.

Alecia walks towards Booker, and starts walking with him.

"Woh, I have never seen a gin in person before." Renata said, with a cheerful smile while gazing at the brick road.

"She was truly amazing." She looks up at her mother.

"I know." Elerah said, with a gentle smile.

"We're very fortunate to be here." She looks down at her daughter.

They continue to walk with the crowd of people while passing a few others, who are walking the opposite direction. In the distance ahead of them in tbe sky, fireworks are seen exploding into different shades, from winged animals, to figures with wings spread outward, as well as symbols.

The muffling sound of man's voice is heard in the distance where the fireworks are.

"Do you think that's where the empress might be?" Renata said with an intrigued look in her eyes.

"Probably so." Elerah said, staring ahead as well.

Booker turns his gaze to Alecia for a moment.

"Hey, I almost forgot about your sister." He said.

"She would be here somewhere, wouldn't she?"

Alecia looks at him with a stern gaze.

"Can you stop with my sister, already." She said looking ahead of herself, and continues walking.

Booker frowns with a stunned look on his face.

"Oh, excuse me then." He said.

"I was only trying to make conversation. You haven't talked much since we arrived!" A hand graps onto his arm which urges him to look over his shoulder, only to find his mother to be the one holding his arm.

"What?"

Elerah shakes her head gently with a reasonable look on her face.

"Don't take it personally." She whispers.

"Just give her space."

"What are you saying?" He said taking her hand off his arm.

He looks ahead, and continues walking, with Alecia walking in front of them .

Alecia stops and turns her gaze on her left to see a few people gathered together, with a few desks with blue neon lights on the sides of it. On the top reads 'Holocopy'

The one woman scans the one man from top to bottom, and behind her, a blue holographic image of him is seen behind the woman on the middle desk.

The small girl with light brown hair, dressed in a black dress is seen holding onto him.

"Look daddy, it's you!" She said in excitement by grabbing hold of his hand and moving it.

"It sure is, Calliope." He said holding his arm around her while looking up at his holographic model doing a verity of animations, from waving to crossing arms.

Alecia forms a gentle smile on her face while she watches.

"Amazing, isn't it?" Booker's voice is heard beside her which urges her to look at him with a fading smile, only for her to look ahead of herself once more.

"Yeah, it is." She said with a calm quiet tone in her voice.

Booker stares at her for a moment with a calm look on his face only to look ahead as well.

"We could even have two holograms." The woman with the scanner said in a cheerful tone.

"Is there a couple here that we could use as a volunteer!?" The woman looks around at the people before her, and locks her gaze on Booker and Alecia.

"You two look like a lovable couple." The woman walks towards them with her hand reached out.

"No, no, we are not-" Alecia said with a stressful tone in her voice while looking over her shoulder, and at Booker who's looking away from her.

"Don't worry, you don't need to pay, it's perfectly safe." She said, and places them near the middle deak where the hologram is.

"Just hold still."

Alecia lets out a sigh and keeps still along with Booker.

The woman scans them from top to bottom, she walks to the desk and presses a button, followed by the holographic model of both Alecia and Booker standing beside each other.

Alecia has her gaze averted for a moment, only to gaze up the holograms once more with a frustrated look.

The holograms look at each other, only to reach and hold each other's hands, which urges Alecia to widen her gaze.

"Let's go." Alecia said turning away.

"Wait miss!" The woman called out, which urges Alecia to look over her shoulder at her.

"You're going to miss the next part."

Alecia sighs, and stands near Booker once more.

Slow music starts to play, Alecia tuens her gaze from one side to the other and carries on watching, the two holograms turn to face each other, Booker's hologram places his hsnd behind Alecia's hologram's lower back, with Alecia's hologram having her hand on his shoulder with the other holding his hand, only for them to start dancing in slow steps while rotating in a circle.

Alecia slowly steps back with a wide-eyed look, where Booker just stands while rubbing his forehead.

The woman in the crowd sigh with a smile on their faces, which urges Alecia to turn away with her hands shielding her blushed face from view.

"Let's get away from here, Booker!" She said taking his hand and pulls him away with her as she walks away from the cheering crowd.

Alecia and Booker continues walking for a moment, and stops, followed by Booker. She takes a deep breath and exhales while moving her hands down both sides of her face.

"That was awkward." Booker said, looking over his shoulder, and back at Alecia.

"Awkward?" Alecia said with a raised eyebrow.

"It was embarrassing." Just then she starts coughing for a moment with her hand cuffed on her mouth, only to let out a final one, and clears her throat while looking blankly ahead.

"Are you okay?" Booker said, stepping in front of her with a worrisome look on his face.

"I'm fine." She said, showing a smile at him, and continues walking ahead.

"Hey Booker!" Renata said in excitement from behind him and leaps into his back with her arms around his neck.

"Did you see that hologram projector!"

"Yes." Booker said in frustration as he moves her off his neck.

"Where's she?" Elerah said, walking to them with a curious look on her face.

"She's walking ahead." Booker said,and begins walking with his mother and sister following from behind.