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Theoris and Akila sat in the smaller office while Honute was left alone in Theoris’ office. Akila seemed uneasy. She swayed side to side from nervous tension. Theoris paced the length of the office. “I’m not liking how this is developing.”
Akila nodded in silence.
“Ferruk breathing down my neck is unacceptable.” Theoris said. “If this project wasn’t so..."

2025-01-25T02:55:59Z

Created page with "{{TplBlessedLandsEgyptChapter|title=Chapter 14|chapter text=<center>Chapter 14</center> Theoris and Akila sat in the smaller office while Honute was left alone in Theoris’ office. Akila seemed uneasy. She swayed side to side from nervous tension. Theoris paced the length of the office. “I’m not liking how this is developing.” Akila nodded in silence. “Ferruk breathing down my neck is unacceptable.” Theoris said. “If this project wasn’t so..."

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{{TplBlessedLandsEgyptChapter|title=Chapter 14|chapter text=<center>Chapter 14</center> 
 
Theoris and Akila sat in the smaller office while Honute was left alone in Theoris’ office. Akila seemed uneasy. She swayed side to side from nervous tension. Theoris paced the length of the office. “I’m not liking how this is developing.” 
Akila nodded in silence. 
“Ferruk breathing down my neck is unacceptable.” Theoris said. “If this project wasn’t so important I’d sabotage it.” She looked over to Akila and stopped pacing. 
Akila stared back. 
“Don’t worry. We’ll have to deal with this professionally.” She started pacing again. After several moments she stopped and turned to Akila again. “What do you think of Honute?” 
“Doctor, what exactly do you mean?” 
“What are your feelings about him? Your gut feeling?” 
Akila stopped swaying and pondered for a moment. She was having emotional feelings for him, but she didn’t think it appropriate to have them or even voice her feelings to Theoris. Akila assumed that the Doctor meant first impressions and objective observations. “I think he is a nice guy. He seems to really like his job and the short time I have been able to chat with him has been very pleasant.” 
Theoris nodded solemnly. “But what are your feelings for him?” 
Akila blushed. 
“My young prodigy, I have watched you around him. You’re feelings are a bit transparent.” 
Akila blushed deeply and for an instant was mad. Theoris had seen through her veil. She really tried hard to keep anything clinical and on the surface, but apparently, at some point, her deep feelings buoyed to the surface. “I like him and I find him intriguing. He is a dichotomy.” There, she said it. 
Theoris stood in silence for a few moments. She nodded after a time and said, “Yes.” Then she asked, “How were you affected by this afternoon?” 
Akila replied. “A little bit hurt, more angry. I wasn’t sure if it was at Priest Ferruk for posturing around us or at Honute for being in the position of having to be postured at. I was embarrassed for him and that kind of pissed me off.” 
Theoris nodded again. “Yes, that display nagged at my sensibilities. Do you think Honute is right for this research?” 
Akila cocked her head to one side. “Right? As in perfect subject?” 
“Right as in, right person to give this ability.” 
Akila thought for a moment. “I don’t know. I don’t know enough of Honute to know how he will react. I can only guess at how it will change him mentally, if there is a change.” 
Theoris stood silent. 
“I had requested a search in the repository for some background data on Honute. It came in but I hadn’t had a chance to look at it. I had it saved to my Inbox.” 
“Really? May I look at it?” 
Akila nodded. “Of course, Dr. Theoris. I’ll bring it up on the system?” 
Theoris nodded. 
Akila sat at the desk and tapped away on the keyboard. She frowned. “It’s asked me for a login and pass code.” She tapped something out. “Mine doesn’t work.” 
Theoris walked to the desk. “Let’s try mine.” And she typed out her login and code she used to access her office computer. After a second hesitation she hit the enter key. 
 
Theoris held her breath as the document decompressed and opened. It intrigued her that a mere humble priest’s records would be encoded. Akila’s access clearance was high enough to access anything she needed to perform her duties and research. That should have included opening a regular citizen of the Blessed Lands’ dossier. The document opened up and a splash page with the Royal Family’s seal was on it. At the bottom read the statement that only authorized individuals of the Blessed Lands could read this without prosecution and threat of death. Theoris swallowed hard. Akila’s swallow was just as audible. She tapped the page down button on the keyboard. The next page had a brief bio and photo of Honute. He looked considerably younger and he had a disarming smile. It was hard to tell how long ago the photo was taken, but the youthful lack of lines, smoothness in his skin, and the shine in his eyes was enough to guess at least twenty years ago. Both women looked at each other for a brief moment and went back to reading. The bio stated that Honute had served with honors in Pharaoh’s Royal Army. He had twelve tours of duties against the Peoples of the Cursed Land across Ra’s Resting Ocean. He was highly decorated and received Pharaoh’s Scarab on three different occasions. Theoris couldn’t remember a time that the Scarab was awarded to anyone alive. Now, she had a war hero sitting in her office. “This changes a few things.” She said out loud. 
Akila had been reading the bio but could hardly understand that the Honute-now was the same Honute-then. Her stomach knotted up as she tried to make sense of the whole thing. “Doctor, what could have happened to him?” 
Theoris shook her head slowly. “I don’t know. He is clearly someone special.” She tapped the page down button several times. A page titled INTREGRATION came up. Both women scanned the page quickly. It was amazing Theoris thought. Honute had survived until retirement, but because of the nature of his background had to undergo extensive and intensive behavior and reflex modification. Up until last year he had been visited monthly by an Integrations Officer for evaluation. He was considered a success and visitations would occur once a year by recommendation from the Eval Officer. Theoris was floored. She read more and more. 
Akila had a hard time keeping up with Theoris’ reading pace. She figured what she did miss Theoris would fill her in or would allow her to read later. Then Theoris stopped on a page titled PSYCHE EVAL. Honute was rated high and potentially powerful. The report also stated that his ability was innate and inert. 
Theoris said, “This is good and bad news.” 
Akila nodded. 
“Do you have the baseline test results?” Theoris asked. 
Akila nodded. “They’re in my Inbox under the directory Subject Honute.” 
Theoris went back to the Inbox, find the directory, and opened all results pertaining to Honute. “Grab a sit Akila. This might take a while.” 
“Yes, Doctor.” She said while grabbing a chair from the other side of the desk. “What about Honute? He’s waiting in your office.”
Theoris pressed her lips together. “We’ll look at this for a few more minutes. Okay?” 
Akila nodded and sat down. She hoped Honute had a limitless well of patience. Who knew when Dr. Theoris would be satisfied enough to act. Suddenly, Akila was afraid of Honute. She was right, he was definitely a dichotomy. He was one that could kill them both and probably not lose any sleep afterwards. She hoped that her feelings about him being kind, gentle, and caring were correct. Akila wondered when the last time Honute got angry who got killed. Then she shuddered. Was he super violent and was that the reason Hypatia was divorcing him? Life got complicated and she didn’t like that. 
 
Honute sat on the couch and sipped tea. He thought over events that happened during the last several days. He viewed this bit of time as an introspection of his life thus far. There were several things that were established. Hypatia left him, he was in love with Akila, and he would be physically changed - which was what he was being told. Whether any or all three things happening were a good or bad thing was a point of view. Today, it was a good thing. Tomorrow? He shrugged and sipped again. 
Several moments passed and he sipped the tea again. It was cold and the bark taste bit harshly. He had been waiting for the last hour and Dr. Theoris and Akila hadn't returned. He got up and stretched his body. Since he started this whole magick stuff he stopped his morning exercise routine. In the mornings he would wake up about two hours before Hypatia and go through a whole series of body dynamic stress positions. He actually liked the fact that his body stayed rock solid, even after years of being away from the Royal Army. While his fellow priests expanded their waist line and got heavier, he stayed trim and fit. But today he felt bloated and lethargic. 
He stepped to the middle of the floor, tied the bottom of his robe in a knot and slipped out of his tunic. Then he stood on his tip toes, and stretched the palms of his hands to the floor. He locked his knees and bent at the waist. Then, with his palms flat and solidly on the floor he lifted his legs and straightened out his hip. The bottom of his robe bunched down to his waist. He ignored it. 
Honute pointed his toes to the ceiling. He stiffened his back, arms and legs. He took in a deep breath and lifted himself up on his finger tips. Then he lifted one hand away and made a loose fist with the other. He concentrated to hold his balance with the remaining hand. Only his thumb, index, and middle finger held him up. He relaxed his mind and imagined himself as a straight metal pole. His personal best was one hour twelve minutes. 
Akila and Theoris stood at the doorway mesmerized as they watched Honute handstand on only three fingers. After several seconds, Theoris coughed lightly. 
Honute looked up, smiled, and slowly brought his feet down. He straightened out and untied the bottom of his robe and placed his tunic back on. He shrugged and said, "I didn't know how long it would be, so I started occupying my time." 
Theoris nodded. "I see. I would have never imagined priest training to be so rigorous." 
Honute blushed. "It's not. That was from another period in my life. The only good thing about it was that it got me into peak physical conditioning." 
Theoris looked him up and down. Akila did the same. Both remained silent for a moment. Theoris cleared her throat. "Well, Honute, please have a seat." 
Honute sat back on the couch and waited. 
Akila elected to stand at the doorway. 
Theoris tapped on the keyboard and watched the monitor. “Your test results are in.” 
Several moments ticked by. 
Honute leaned forward, “Yes?” 
Theoris sat back. “Honute, please forgive my sometimes clinical demeanor. I occasionally get caught up in the moment. The truth is, I could not have asked for a better subject.” 
Honute said, “That is good news then?” 
Theoris nodded, “Yes and no.” 
“Pardon?” Honute said. 
“Well, it’s good in the way that we’ll get near maximum yield in our testing. It’s bad, because you are not a good representative of the rest of the Blessed Lands.” 
Honute just said, “Oh.” 
Theoris nodded and continued. “You’re in the small percentile group of zero point zero one. That’s about one in nine thousand. 
Honute nodded. “Sounds more bad than good.” 
Theoris forced a smile. “We’ll manage well enough.” She leaned back into the chair trying to look and feel comfortable. Her stomach ached and her head spun slightly. It felt like her mind raced to catch up with itself. She cleared her throat and said. “Well, Honute, how are you feeling?” 
“I’m doing okay. Nothing much to complain about.” He smiled and Theoris recognized the smile, with added character lines, as the one in the photo. “I’m sensing that this day has been a bit taxing on you. Am I correct?” 
Akila felt a chill run down her back. 
Theoris slowly nodded. “Yes, but not to worry. We will move forward in the research. Tomorrow begins the trials. We’ll start off with a small dose and begin testing.” 
Honute nodded. 
Theoris looked at her timepiece. It was nearly six pm and she had a date with Hypatia. The pain in her stomach increased and see broke out into a light sweat. She looked over to Akila and said. “Akila, I won’t be able to take Honute home today, would you mind using one of the University vehicles to take him?” 
Akila nearly froze. “Sure, Dr. Theoris.” Then added, “May I use the department gas card? You know the tanks in those things are never full.” 
Theoris nodded and reached into her drawer. She pulled out the gas card along with a debit card. “Here, you two have a nice dinner on me. The limit is set to 500 per day..” She tried to make her smile look natural. 
Akila reached out and took both cards. “We will.” She intended to get fat tonight and maybe drunk. She hoped Honute liked beef and spirits.
Honute nodded in agreement. “Thank you for your kindness Theoris. May Isis watch over you tonight.” He bowed slightly. 
 
 
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Blessed Lands Egypt Chapter Fourteen - Revision history