Part 6- Carmine
THE TEMPORAL BEAM is usually a smooth ride, five seconds of flashing lights that feel like nothing. But it’s different when clinging to a second person. And it’s worse with the fear of doing something wrong. We bring artifacts lost in time, not people.
Yet here I am, arriving back at the loading dock while clinging to the sexiest guy I’ve ever known.
Prince Kurun clings to me as we appear on a platform of light.
Above us is the blue glow, and electric halo, an integral part of the temporal beam.
I take a deep breath and step back from holding Kurun.
After giving him a once over, I nod, content in knowing he’s in one piece.
Then, I check my scanner and review the historical timeline.
When I read that nothing has changed with the Xing Dynasty, my shoulders sag in relief.
Kurun doesn’t exist in the time we came from, and his brother is—was?
—always Xing Kirin the kickboxing prince. Our gambit actually worked!
“Mei ye ses? Ngoi dei bin do?” My relief is interrupted by Kurun’s words.
I shake my head and give him a finger to have him wait.
I readjust my universal translator, a round blue device that fits into the palm of my hand, then tap him in the neck with it.
In moments, his words slur and morph into our universal language.
“What was that?” he asks.
I beam. “Now I can understand you. And more importantly…” I grab him by the shoulders. “We made it.”
He laughs in delight, takes hold of my hips, and leans his head in. We kiss, right there in the loading dock, without a care in the world. For the first time in my life, I feel complete.
When we pull back to take a breath, he gazes at me in concern. “Wait. Are you sure we did not destroy all of time?”
I shake my head. “Nope. So far, history has remained, and your brother rose to power.”
He bites his lip, despondence overcoming him. “Oh.”
I wince. “Is that bad? I’m sorry if—”
“No, no.” He rubs my arms and smiles. “I agreed to this. I am just…he is the only person I am going to miss. I was much closer to him than father, so…”
Sympathy fills my heart. “Hey, maybe we can borrow a temporal beam to bring you back to visit a week after we left.”
He ponders my words, then shakes his head again.
“No, Carmine. I wanted a new life, one of adventure.” He turns and gazes out at the loading dock: bright blue orbs illuminate the high ceiling.
Personnel walk by, gazing at their scanners.
Some have robotic appendages, and some ride on antigrav karts.
Everything probably looks fantastical and bizarre, even if he was born before the 23rd Century, let alone the 6th. “And now with you, I have it.”
Watching his eyes fill with wonder sets my heart at ease.
I take his hand and lace his fingers with mine.
“Me, too.” He looks at me with a grin. “I know we just met, but you make me feel alive. Like I have a purpose, someone I can really connect to. Of course, we’d have to go on dates to see if we really make sense with each other. ”
“Dates?”
I chuckle and nod. “Courtship.”
“Ah.” He strokes my face. “I will be most honored to do dates and courtship with you. Carmine Listo.”
He leans in to kiss me, but a voice clearing their throat stands before us. We break apart to see my friend Leslie standing there. The glow of her wrist scanner bounces off her blonde hair. “I hate to interrupt,” she says with a smirk.
“Leslie!” I say, straightening my back. “Um…” I put my hand on Kurun’s back. It is at that moment that, while we’re all wearing the normal, dark blue agency uniforms, Kurun is still in his red-and-gold robe. He sticks out like a sore, anachronistic thumb. “This is Prince—”
“I don’t wanna know!” Leslie interrupts, wincing. “David wants to talk to you.”
“But…I haven’t even filled out my debrief or returned my artifact.” I tap my knapsack.
“Doesn’t matter. The boss wants you, now.” She taps her scanner, and an antigrav kart, big enough for exactly two people, flies up to us. “The less I know, the better,” she mutters.
Ten minutes and one antigrav kart ride later, I’m at David’s office.
The glass door closes, and suddenly, the noise from outside the office is cut off, rendering our area silent.
He motions for us to sit without looking up from his typing, and we do.
My throat turns to sandpaper—am I going to be fired?
Kurun and I sit and wait for two long minutes as David, second in command to The Chief, types away. I exchange glances at Kurun, but he seems to be fascinated by the glowing orbs above. It would have been easier for fall for someone post-electricity-invention.
But no, I like Kurun the way he is. And I’ll fight for him.
David shuts off his holographic computer and places his hands on his desk. “Carmine.”
I sit up straight, ready for a fight. “David,” I say with equal sternness.
“Can you tell me why—” he gestures at Kurun— “This…person is here?”
“I am Xing Kurun,” he says with a smile. “Prince of the—”
“Uh uh uh,” I say interrupting him and waving my hand. I look David in the eye, unwavering in my choice. “My mission was to bring the artifact back in complete working condition, was it not?”
David doesn’t flinch. “He is not the artifact,” he says in a deadpan tone.
“No, but he is integral to the artifact. Watch.” I take out the sphere and poke it. “This exists to reverse entropy and fix that which is broken. But it does nothing unless…” I nod at Kurun. “Unless he’s present.”
I lean over and whisper, “Show him your scar.”
Kurun lifts up part of his shirt, showing the pelvic hexagon mark.
When I tap the orb to his skin, both the mark and the orb light up.
I place the orb on David’s desk and sit back down.
When my boss picks it up, the Astral Jade Sphere dims, and I know I proved my point.
Probably. “There is no Astral Jade Sphere without Kurun here.”
David scrutinizes the sphere, then the two of us. After a long pause, he takes a deep breath in and out. “You really slept with a historical prince and brought him here? Do you realize the temporal ramifications of this?”
My cheeks warm, and I nod. “I considered the risks, but look it up in any scanner. History hasn’t changed. In fact, I think he was destined to come here.”
David studies me, then turns hologram computer on. I power up my scanner and send him the latest historical files. Much to my relief, the history of the Xing Dynasty is the same as it was a few minutes ago. I can see on his holographic computer that Kirin is still the emperor.
“Our job is to go back in time, secure anomalies, and fix history,” I state. David shuts off his computer and stares me down. “I think Kurun here is an anomaly, someone who was meant to come with us all this time.”
“An anomaly sounds…not good,” Kurun whispers.
“Shh,” I murmur to him.
David looks between us. “And what was your plan? To keep an entire human locked up with the other artifacts and anomalies?”
I shake my head and glance to my right at the prince, my prince. “No. I’d like him to be an agent.”
“Seriously?”
“His combat skills are top-notch. You won’t find a better swordsman. Plus, he knows about roughing it in a pre-industrial world. You’re always saying that agents don’t want to do fieldwork, but Kurun has the instincts and skills.”
“Agents can’t just sleep in the docking bay.”
“He can stay with me,” I reply. I turn to Kurun. “I’ll…take good care of him.”
Kurun takes my hand. His slight smile carries so much warmth, like a candle in a snowstorm. I will protect you.
David glances between us again, then wipes his face with a tired sigh. “I can’t believe I’m letting this happen,” he mutters.
“Really?” I ask, trying to cool my disbelief.
“But he has to go through all the physical and psychological examinations.”
I squeeze Kurun’s hand and he grins. “Of course,” I reply.
“And you’re sharing a salary.”
I wince. “Fine.”
“And he’s your responsibility. If I even smell a temporal anomaly coming from him, I’ll launch your boy toy back to his time faster than you can say ‘Dishonor’.”
I nod quickly and wipe my palms on my thighs. “Yes, sir. You won’t hear any problems from us.”
“I better not,” he mutters as we stand up. He hands me the orb. “Now take this back to debriefing. I want a full report.”
“Right away, David sir.”
“David, I want to thank you.” Kurun bows slightly before smiling at both of us. “For giving me this opportunity.”
David quirks a skeptical eyebrow. “Yes, well you boys aren’t the first couple this month to break the whole ‘no fraternization’ rule. I might have to start holding a school for time-displaced recruits.”
Huh. Other agents have fallen for charges across time? I should ask him about it, but right now, I want to dash out of the room before he changes his mind. “Now get out of my office,” he says in a deadpan tone.
“Yes, sir, David, sir!” I say with a grin, practically dragging Kurun out of there.
Two hours later, we’re back at my apartment. Kurun diligently waited as I spoke to the debrief team and filled out paperwork. Their office collected and secured the Astral Jade Sphere, and I promised I would return with Kurun the next day. Of course, I was in a rush to get us alone.
And here we are. My quarters are humble, a small living room with a couch, a separate enclave for the bathroom, kitchen, and bedroom. I’ve never needed much because I didn’t enjoy having others visit my space. Until now.
Kurun walks towards the glow of the window.
The stars sparkle, heavenly bodies floating outside my room.
As he stares through the glass, I stand next to him, a man who’s become so important to me in less than four days.
The charge between us grows as I study his handsome face.
He’s dark eyes, long hair, and lean muscle wrapped in a perfect, manly package.
And now he’s all mine. I clear my throat. “So…you’ve made it to my time. My present, your future.” Kurun turns to me and I continue, “How are you feeling?”
“I…have many questions.” He takes my hand and chills go up my spine. “But I am most pleased to be here with you, Carmine.”
I smile. “You…probably want answers. Where would you…like to start?”
His lips crash into mine and we tumble back onto my couch. I giggle around his mouth as we wrestle to get each other’s clothes off.
I’ve spent years traveling through time, seeing iterations of Earth that historians could only dream of. But here, with Kurun, the ancient Chinese warrior prince, I know the greatest adventure of all time is about to begin.
The End…