As Related by His Most Puissant Sentience Lucius del Eden’d, Nuncio to the Combine of Sentients
Davy’s flyer is fast. We’ve made up a lot of lost time, so the team with the mecha hasn’t been waiting for us for very long. The problem is that there’s no safe place to land.
« Paratroopers, » Mickey suggests. « We’ll leave a small crew on the flyer to go back and pick up Tommy, Chase and Rand. Then they can stay on standby until we need pickup. The rest of us can go down into the mountain. »
Ace’s team has had only a little time for exploration. It looks like Molly didn’t set a random explosive just to destroy access to the temple. There’s a hole in the mountain which seems to lead into a system of caves.
« Did Molly think she could hide from us? »
« No, » says Manan. « There’s something down there. Something important. »
« Sure is, » says Davy.
« What? » Ailann demands, exasperated.
Davy shrugs. « Stuff, » he says. « Everything. »
« How long before Malachi gets back to New Merenis? » Ailann asks. « We really need him to explain Davy to us. »
« Hours, » says Evan. « It’s on the opposite end of the continent. »
Ailann sighs. Even his sigh is a manly sigh that sends shivers through my leaves. Sometimes I wish he’d notice me more, even though I know I shouldn’t be so greedy: I’ve got Mickey and Lens and Valentine. I couldn’t ask for better buds. I wish Mickey and Valentine would hurry up and do the quest achievement. I miss being able to share their experiences.
« All right, » says Ailann, « Stephen, you take the flyer; Evan goes with him. »
« The flyer has an autopilot, » says Davy. « Anyone could fly it. You don’t need Stephen. Although I maybe shouldn’t have said that. Go ahead. Send Stephen. »
« Aw, Davy, don’t be like that, » says Manasseh.
I hear a faint snort – it’s Dermot. « Just think how much relationship drama we’ll have to catch up on, » he says. « I’m glad I’m not the only one. »
« Actually, » says Patrick, « why not have Stephen sub for me in the mecha? I have no experience piloting whatsoever. »
« No, » says Ace, « have him sub in for Ari instead. »
« Stephen will take Patrick’s place, » says Ailann firmly.
« But Ailann…» Ace begins.
« Absolutely not, » says Ailann. « I know what you’re getting at, and it’s unfair to expect that of Patrick. Besides, if you carry a loaded gun, you’re more likely to use it. Now tell us the shortest route to victory. »
« Into the caves, » says Ace. « We need to have Manasseh and Suibhne with us. I can’t see more than that. »
« What about you, Lens? » he asks.
« There’s something deliberately blocking my view, » Lens answers. « I get the sensation that there is something down there important enough to be hidden. A secret. »
« Then let’s go. Evan, take the flyer with Ellery. »
« Ailann! » cries Ellery.
Ailann ruffles Ellery’s hair. « There’s something big and bad going on here, » he says. « We can’t risk the Heart of Ashtara. Just wait for us, and if anything bad happens, go with Chase and Tommy and Rand back to Merenis. »
Ailann nods authoritatively. I can feel my sap rising in response.
Davy pulls up a seat cover. There’s a parachute concealed below. Was that always there, or did Davy just make it now?
The rest of us follow suit. Balin helps me with the pack; I’ve never gone parachuting before.
« If you’re unrecognized, be careful, » says Ailann. « This sport is not without its risks, especially on a steep mountain in the middle of inclement weather. »
I land a little roughly, but Ace is there to steady me. I slip free of the straps just in time to give a hand to Driscoll. Suibhne hits the ground and darts off into a dark tunnel without even dumping the pack. « Wait for me, » says Manasseh, running after the dragging chute.
It’s so dark that I can’t see where they’ve gone. I concentrate until my body is surrounded by cavitation bubbles. I may not be able to use mind-control from within the pleroma, but I can at least generate some light.
« That’s a good trick, » says Balin.
« Hey, look what I found! » cries Manasseh.
He’s in a cave with a raised platform on the floor. The platform holds nine stone jars in a three by three array. The lids of the jars are shaped like people or animals.
« They’re alabaster, » says Valentin.
« They’re Canopic Jars, » says Driscoll. « They were used by ancient Egyptians to store the viscera during the mummification process. »
« Canopic like Canopus? » asks Manasseh.
« Actually, yes, » says Dermot. « There’s a connection between a city of that name and the worship of Osiris in the form of a human-headed vessel. »
« I wonder if there’s anything inside? » says Manasseh. He pulls off the tallest lid, a hawk’s head with an elaborate Egyptian crown.
A steel blue orb of energy flies out of the jar. It spins in the air for a moment, then flies off down a darkened passageway.
“St. Manasseh del Eden’d. 27th to emanate, 47 in the color scale, resonates to 211. 1.684 meters tall, cock size 15.85 cm when erect, apparent age 25. Prophet. Totem is Amelanchier arborea, the downy serviceberry, fixed star is Miaplacidus, placid waters. Esoteric symbol is the Etruscan letter 
. Dessert is honey muffins with nau’gsh fool. Function is analytic gravity, proto-conscious tendency is sweetness, designated Stupid-Sweet-Candy. Blazon is deep thistle, a smiley face, or.”
« We’re just gonna call you Pandora, » mutters Lorcan.