Chapter 65

The Bonding Chamber

“So ladies, what do you think?” asked Bella as she gestured to the massive room around her. Her voice echoed subtly as it made its way through the cavernous room.

Shaela’s eye were wide as she scanned her surroundings “Its… Enormous. And empty”

Bella nodded, “This is a simulation room Shaela, anything you need can be created by thought.”

“Whoooa!” was all that Leyva could say. She stood there, mouth open and slack-jawed as she turned around slowly in complete awe of the room.

“This is amazing Bella!” exclaimed Nakaia.

“Whoooa!”

Bella shrugged, “All in a days work.” She turned to face Shaela, Leyva was still distracted by the room, “This is where you will spend most of your time with the princess. There’s living quarters back through that door, you saw a part of it but there is so much more. You can discover that on your own when Nakaia and I leave.”

“Whoooa!”

Shaela stepped forward, “We’re to live down here?”

“Of course. You need to spend the entire time together, it’ll be just you two down here.”

“This is bigger than the one on Xaabos.” Leyva finally stated.

“And more powerful too.” Bella replied. “You can be done with your Bonding in just over a years time.”

Nakaia shook her head, “You never cease to amazing me Bella. Can’t cook to save your life, but boy can you engineer a miracle!”

“We were expecting to be here for two years. What happens if we stay in here for two?”

Everyone turned to face Shaela. She’d  had asked a brilliant question, one that Bella didn’t know the answer to. “I- I have no idea. It can be done, I just need to program it in to computer – but be warned that the once the time is set, it can’t be changed.”

“Is it dangerous?” asked Nakaia, concerned for her friends.

“It could be. It’s never been tried before because this is the first of its kind.”

“I’m not sure I like the sound of this Bella.”

“Leyva should choose.” stated Shaela, stopping an argument between the two women before it even began.

“M- Me?”

“Yeah, you’re the princess.” Shaela laughed.

“This is incredibly overwhelming. Must I choose now?”

Bella nodded her head.

“Very well. I agree with Red, we stay here for two years.”

“Okay, give me a moment to change the parameters. I’ll leave the pin-code for the simulation room out on the table, Nakaia and I will leave you two in here to… Get acquainted with the place. Make sure to take breaks from time to time, that is what the living quarters are for.”

Leyva and Shaela were only barely listening. They were now walking the perimeter of the Bonding Chamber and talking in hushed tones.

“Let’s go.” whispered Nakaia, “The sooner they start, the sooner we can go home.”

Bella led Nakaia out of the chamber, dropped a tablet with all the security details the two needed on the counter, and back through the first security door. She could sense the worry, and the anger in the Orrix.

“Relax Nakaia, I’ll check in on them every now and them, I can still enter the living quarters.”

“How could you suggest they stay there for two years!” Nakaia was furious, she wanted to get home, to deal with Korv. Having to wait two years when they were given a perfectly good opportunity to half that time was more than annoying.

“If you recall, it wasn’t me that suggested it. It was your Helsian friend in there.”

“True. I’m sorry, I guess all we can do now is wait, and hope.”

Bella smiled, and tried her best imitation of old Emperor Zorr “Hope is for the weak.”

“Oh shut up you!” Nakaia laughed as she followed Bella back up to the surface.