Chapter 7 #2
She secured her light and began descending with practiced skill, her movements sure despite the minimal illumination. Lunar could have simply flowed down as shadow essence, but maintained his semi-solid form to remain near her, ready to assist if needed.
When they reached the bottom, the air changed noticeably, becoming cooler and moister. The sound of running water reached them, a soft background murmur that would help mask their own sounds from pursuers.
"This way," Poppy directed, leading him along a narrow ledge beside an underground stream. The water reflected her red light in rippling patterns, creating complex shadow displays that Lunar found aesthetically pleasing.
Above them, faint vibrations indicated continued movement in the upper chambers. Lunar expanded his senses, monitoring the search patterns. The pursuers were thorough but cautious, suggesting they understood the potential dangers of the cave system.
After several minutes of careful progress, they reached a larger chamber where the stream widened into a small pool before disappearing into a rock wall. Poppy directed her light upward, revealing a ceiling studded with stone formations that hung like frozen raindrops.
"We should rest here briefly," she said, keeping her voice low. "The water masks sound."
Lunar extended his shadow awareness throughout the chamber, confirming her assessment. "Your knowledge of defensive positioning is impressive."
"When you work with animals that humans have pushed to the edge of extinction, you learn about hiding places," Poppy replied, settling onto a dry rock ledge.
"You protect endangered species," Lunar observed. "Even against your own kind."
"Some things are worth protecting, even when it's inconvenient for humans."
The statement resonated with Lunar in unexpected ways. Lunaris philosophy did not include the idea of protection rooted in inherent value rather than utility. The needs of the shadow territories had defined his entire existence.
"You never answered my question," Poppy said after a moment. "About what you're going to do. About your mission, about Earth, about us."
The directness of her question deserved equal directness in response. "My official report will be incomplete," Lunar stated. "Certain observations will be omitted."
"Meaning?"
"Meaning I will not recommend Earth for resource acquisition or strategic deployment," Lunar clarified. "Regardless of its objective value to the shadow territories."
Poppy studied him in the dim red light, her expression serious. "Because of me?"
"Partially," Lunar admitted. "But additionally, I have noticed aspects of Earth's existence that deserve preservation, like the balance between light and dark, the ability to adapt to change, and the freedom of self-determination."
"Things your world doesn't have," Poppy concluded.
"Things the shadow territories specifically lack."
"What does that mean for you personally?" Poppy pressed. "When Galaxy Brides comes back, will you leave with them?"
The question required Lunar to confront contradictions in his operational parameters.
His loyalty to the shadow territories was absolute, ingrained through generations of genetic and cultural programming.
However, his experience with Poppy introduced new factors that could not be easily reconciled with a simple return to his previous role.
"I do not know," he answered truthfully. "The optimal course of action remains unclear."
Poppy studied him for a long moment. He wished he could read inside her thoughts. Finally, she said, "Well, I guess first we need to survive Milano's hunting party. Then we can worry about interstellar travel plans."
A faint vibration traveled through the rock above them, followed by the distant sound of mechanical equipment. The search was expanding.
"Do you feel that?" She touched the rocky ground. "We should get moving."
She led him to the edge of the underground pool, where the water disappeared into the rock wall. "This is where it gets tricky. There's a submerged passage here that leads to another chamber. It's not long, maybe fifteen meters, but you have to swim through completely underwater."
Poppy dug inside her pack, pulled out a plastic container, and put her cell phone inside.
Lunar assessed the challenge. His shadow form could navigate the passage without difficulty, flowing through the smallest openings regardless of water content. But Poppy would face significant risk.
"No. This creates unacceptable danger for you," he stated.
"I've done it before," Poppy assured him. "I mapped this system last year. The passage is wide enough, and I know exactly where the air pocket is on the other side."
Despite her confident tone, he detected a shift in her energy. She was scared.
"The presence of Milano creates additional variables that you did not face when you mapped the cave. If they detect us, you could be trapped.
"Got a better idea?" Poppy challenged. "Because this is the only way to an exit that comes out in a completely different area."
Lunar considered alternatives. "There is another option. I can transport you through the passage."
"Transport me? How?"
"By extending my shadow field to encompass you," Lunar explained. "It would allow you to move as I do, through spaces that would normally be impassable."
Poppy's eyes widened. "You can do that? Turn me into a shadow?"
"Temporarily," Lunar clarified. "It is not without risk. No human has experienced the shadow state before. The effect on your biological systems is unknown."
Poppy considered this for only a moment before nodding. "Let's do it. Better than drowning if something goes wrong in the underwater passage."
"The process requires complete physical contact," Lunar informed her. "My energy field must fully envelop yours."
Without hesitation, Poppy stepped closer, placing herself directly before him. "I trust you, Lunar."
He extended his arms, drawing Poppy against his shadow form. His energy field expanded, flowing around and through her physical body like water surrounding a stone. He felt her initial tension, then conscious relaxation as she surrendered to the process.
"Your heartrate has accelerated," he noted, monitoring her biological responses carefully.
"It feels incredible," Poppy whispered, her voice taking on an echoing quality as the shadow energy enveloped her more completely. "Cold but not unpleasant. Like being underwater but still able to breathe."
Lunar completed the energy transfer, fully incorporating Poppy into his shadow field.
To an observer, they would appear as a single shadow entity, her physical form indistinguishable within his dark essence.
He could feel every aspect of her biology now, the flow of blood through her veins, the electrical impulses of her nervous system, the exchange of oxygen in her lungs.
"Can you still hear me?" he asked, concerned about maintaining her consciousness during the transition.
"Yes," her voice responded from within his field. "It's like we're the same being. I can feel you everywhere."
"We must proceed quickly," Lunar advised. "Maintaining this state will drain your biological energy over time."
He moved them toward the underwater passage, flowing like liquid shadow across the surface of the pool. When they reached the submerged opening, Lunar simply continued forward, his shadow essence passing through the water as easily as it moved through air.
The passage twisted through solid rock, occasionally narrowing to spaces barely large enough for a human body to pass.
Within Lunar's shadow field, such constraints meant nothing.
They moved as a single fluid entity, navigating turns and constrictions that would have been impossible for Poppy in her physical form.
Lunar monitored her biological functions continuously, noting increased stress markers but nothing approaching dangerous levels. Her consciousness remained stable, her mental patterns indicating wonder beneath her fear.
They emerged into a larger chamber beyond the underwater passage, where Lunar gradually withdrew his shadow field, returning Poppy to her normal physical state. She stood unsteadily for a moment, her expression dazed as she readjusted to independent existence.
"That was," she began, then shook her head, apparently unable to find adequate words.
"Disorienting," Lunar supplied. "The transition between energy states often creates temporary sensory confusion."
"Amazing!" Poppy corrected. "I could feel everything you felt. The world looks completely different through the shadows."
Lunar had not anticipated this level of sharing. Typically, transported entities stayed aware of their own identity but did not have direct shadow perception. Poppy's experience suggested an unusually deep integration.
"Your adaptation was exceptional," he acknowledged. "Most beings resist shadow integration, creating friction that limits perceptual transfer."
"I told you, I've always been drawn to the dark," Poppy replied with a small smile. "You know, I have to ask. Did you learn our language from kidnapped astronauts or something? The way you say things is very scientifically precise."
"No. I have an implanted translator that makes my words understandable to you. I am saying things how we say them on my planet, and they come out in a way you can understand."
"Just curious." The corner of her mouth twitched at the side.
The chamber they had entered was larger than the previous one, with a ceiling high enough that Lunar could not detect its upper boundaries. A faint current of air suggested a connection to the surface, and the ambient temperature was slightly warmer.
"Where are we now?" Lunar asked, allowing Poppy to orient them in the unfamiliar space.