The Forever Journey by Paul F Gwyn Page B

sound became clearer, quieting when he moved his head back up. It was definitely not imagined. He got up from the cot and looked at Arnaud. How in heaven’s name could he sleep through it? Thinking of Arnaud’s long time in the depths of Ceres, Nathanial supposed Arnaud had slept through worse.
    He kneeled down, peering into the darkness underneath the cot, and reached an arm out. The only thing that he felt was Arnaud’s leather satchel. Indecision wrought his mind. He did not wish to pry into his friend’s possession without permission, but the humming was definitely coming from within the satchel—he could feel the vibration through the leather. He could not help but give in to the intrigue; he blamed the scientist in him, always wanting to know the answer. Having no desire to disturb Arnaud, Nathanial took the satchel over to the workstation and, glancing back at the Frenchman to confirm he was indeed still sleeping, proceeded to slip open the clasp of the satchel and remove its contents.
    His first thought was that it must be some sort of joke. Rising off the table and floating in front of him was an inch thick, hexagonal plate. Recognition brought with it an unwanted memory. His first trip to Mercury last year, and similar plates formed around the body of Professor Fournier—an image that left quite an impression.
    Without thinking, he made his way across the room and shook Arnaud awake. “What is the meaning of this?” he asked, still shaking him, ignoring the look of shock on Arnaud’s tired face.
    “ Que l’enfer ? ”
    “How could you, Arnaud? You know exactly what the plates are. You fool!”
    Arnaud’s grogginess dissipated and his eyes enlarged as he regained his senses. He looked first at Nathanial, then around the room until his gaze fell on the desk where the plate still floated. He closed his eyes and sighed. “It is not so simple, mon confére ,” he said, eyes still closed.
    “It is very simple,” Nathanial scoffed. “This explains everything: the weird dreams, the hearing things, everyone acting oddly. It’s all to do with these plates. They are nothing but trouble. You were there, Arnaud. You know what they are.” He stepped away from Arnaud, his mind running through everything that happened on Mercury. “What if Hermes is here, on this ship, trying to manifest again?”
    Arnaud looked at Nathanial in worry but his expression changed to one of hope almost instantaneously. “No, remember, the souls of the dead merged with Hermes. They would not let him manifest in such a manner as before. There is just no way that they could let him trick and torment anyone like he did on Mercury.”
    Nathanial wanted to argue back, but saw logic in what Arnaud was saying. Nonetheless… “Let us hope to God that what you are saying is true. It would not do well for Hermes to come back. I do not think he is overly fond of us anymore.” He grinned momentarily at Arnaud, before regaining a stern façade . “We have side-tracked. Why on Earth are you carrying that plate? What could have possessed you to endanger yourself…to endanger Annabelle in such a way?”
    Arnaud looked around the laboratory as if trying to find something to help him. He gave up and sighed again. “When you left Mercury, I missed you more than I had anticipated. I carried on with my research, and hoped every day to see you again. No matter what I did, my thoughts always returned to you.” A sad look fell upon his face, as if he was remembering those times.
    “I decided to go on long walks to take my mind off your absence. So unlike me, oui ?” he added with the usual twinkle in his brown eyes. “ One night I was returning from one such walk, and I thought I heard your voice. I rushed in to my laboratory, thinking you had returned. Instead, I found a ghost of you flickering in front of me. It vanished before I could talk to it. I knew straight away it was caused by the plate that we had studied. That it must have somehow