Mind Over Psyche by Karina L. Fabian Page A

reatening.
    Joshua moved over to the wall and looked out. He whistled. “That is some view. Ocapo, is that an actual, like active, volcano?” He pointed to a mountain that had a red dish glow.
    Ocapo followed his gaze and nodded. “There are many in this area. This mountai n is one.”
    â€œWhat?” Both humans shouted together.
    Ocapo laughed. “Tasmae has taken care of it. Its fires lie dormant, waiting for her command. We have more earthquakes now, but she takes care of those.”
    Joshua turned to face them, leaning on one elbow on the low wall. “Okay. Someone needs to expl ain this.”
    Deryl said, “That’s the primary talent of the Miscrias. They control weather.”
    â€œWeather,” Joshua repeated. “Like earthquakes and v olcanoes ?”
    â€œRain, too,” Ocapo said. “When the Barins come, she will shroud the Maz e in fog.”
    â€œHow?” Joshua started, then shook his head. “Never mind. I don’t think you could explain it. But for the whole planet? I can’t even imagine how much power that wo uld take.”
    â€œWhat happened to ‘faith the size of a mustard seed?’” Deryl quipped, but a horrible idea struck him. Ocapo , he teleped, how do the Miscrias die? Do they ever give all their life energy to Kanaan?
    Ocapo responded with a psychic shrug. He only knew children’s stories about Kanaan’s Caretaker.
    Joshua had taken his barb seriously. “Do you think it could be that easy? Hey!” He laughed as a green everyn with yellow streaks on its cheek crests landed on his shoulder. “There you are. Deryl, meet Cochise.”
    â€œCochise, eh?” Deryl reached out to touch the creature, and tried to hide his surprise that it was settling itself comfortably on h is friend.
    â€œYeah, he likes me. Probably because I gave him a cool name. Tasmae named Ocapo’ s ‘Spot.’”
    â€œSPOT?” Deryl asked, turning to the mottled dragon now perched on Ocapo.
    â€œMM-hmm,” Joshua said, scratching Cochise under the chin. “So Cochise is named for a warrior, while poor Spot is named—“
    â€œSPOT: Satellite Probatoire d’Observation de la Terre ,” Deryl whispered. This was Tasmae’s solution to his s uggestion?
    Joshua dropped his hand. “She named him after a French s atellite ?”
    â€œBetter than a lame dog’s name like you were thinking. I must have told Tasmae about aerial observation…” He closed his eyes, remembering. He’d been reading about the history of air power. The Miscria hadn’t asked him about it specifically, but so much modern warfare strategy depended on commanding the skies, and that had gotten him interested in satellites. But that was last Spring, and Ocapo said she had come to his people two years ago.
    â€œWe taught her, as well,” Ocapo said. “The Barins do not understand about the Greater Beasts, so they consider the everyn and the…wolves?...mere animals. That means, they can wander around the battlefields or even the compounds, part of the scenery, and spy.”
    â€œThat’s brilliant,” D eryl said.
    â€œIt has saved our tribes more than once. Sometimes, a group or commander will ‘adopt’ a Bondfriend as it s mascot.”
    â€œSo they think they’ve got a pet, when in fact, they’ve got a spy.” Joshua snickered.
    â€œOr a chaperone,” Deryl said, with a pointed look a t Cochise.
    â€œKnow what? If it makes people more comfortable, I’m cool with it.” Joshua scratched the little dragon lizard behind the cheek crests. It turned its head into the caress an d trilled.
    Ocapo smiled, and Deryl felt relief emanate from him. “I am pleased to hear that, friend Joshua! So, my work is complete for now. I hope we shall meet again.” He bowed and left.
    Joshua watched him until the door folded shut behind him. “Okay, then!