“The reason that it is easy to tell you don’t have spikes is because of the way that spikes gather field energies to themselves, or the way that they bend fields, both passively and in operation. When only passive, they are still more forceful than a natural field. In order to disguise this fact, you’re going to have to push your field. Most people won’t bother to try and perform any scans, and if they do they will be easy enough to fool, but sensory field generators are hard to fool, and you need to be able to fool them if you want to remain safe. So… the best way to learn how to camouflage yourself is to sense other people’s fields. There is also another advantage to this. If you can pretend to have spikes, it means that you can channel a strength that is not unlike the strength spikes give to those who have them. Of course getting to the point that you could actually output as much as someone with spikes is a long road, but… well, this is the first step on it. On top of this, if you can learn multiple array kinds, then that is a foundation from which you can learn to manipulate fields in the manner of each of those field generators – and begin to experiment with the manipulation of multiple kinds of fields. So! To begin with, I am going to cycle through a series of spike arrays, and you are going to try and identify them.”

At this Erid gestured for Kaleb to stand near him, and then stood, his hands in his pockets, and nodded to signify the commencement of the study. Kaleb looked attentively at Erid… and felt nothing. So, he very carefully bled his field out into the world. He still couldn’t feel anything. It was as if he was trying to see through a particularly thick mist. There was some impression… something that was impacting on the mist, but he couldn’t see it directly. He tried to force his way through, but no matter how he strained, he couldn’t get a clear vision of it. It was as if he were simply circling around what he was trying to approach directly. Kaleb slowed down, and closed his eyes. Maybe he was approaching it incorrectly. Instead he watched the feeling of the noise that was blanketing him… and there! He felt something! Something shifted through the noise. He let out a sharp breath.

“See it?”

“I saw something.”

“Hmmm, okay. I guess you’ve not done this before?”

“No.”

“Alright, I’m going to build up more charge.”

Kaleb waited and watched. There! This time he felt it. There was a strange pooling in the imaginary cloud of mist, something growing and expanding. He could most definitely detect something! He felt around for any defining feature, but was again rebuffed as if he were trying to walk upward against the parallel field.

“I can feel it, but I can’t really tell what it is.” he said

“Mmhmm. Well, the best way to learn difference is through variety. I’m going to switch now” And then Kaleb felt a curious sensation, not like any he had felt before. The thing he was observing– Erid’s field– sucked itself up in various places, expanded in others, and flowed out into something different. Yet, when Kaleb tried to look closer, it felt just the same as the first. Even though he knew it was different, had felt it change, knew that things were flowing in different ways around it; he just couldn’t feel the difference itself.

“I’m not sure…” he said, feeling frustrated.

“Don’t worry, it takes some time to develop sensitivity like this. If you had a sensory array you’d easily be able to distinguish between noise and signal, between fields and interference… but if you can learn to do it manually you’ll never have to worry about all the difficulties and weaknesses of such things. I’m going to change to another”

The field altered again. Kaleb could most definitely feel it change. But it was as if someone was pouring water from a different teapot, and all you had to identify the teapot was the stream of water that came from it.

After two hours, Kaleb’s brain was on fire. So was his body. It wasn’t the same effort as using his windsuit, but it was definitely a kind of exertion, and he could feel his nerves aching rather than his bones and muscles. Clearly the kind of effort that this sensory exercise required resulted in different strain on his body. Finally Erid, who to Kaleb’s consternation seemed totally unaffected by the cycle’s activities called a halt to their work, and let Kaleb go with a sad smile.

“We’re going to start again later,” Kaleb nearly fainted. “lie in bed for a while. Don’t try anything out. We’re going to get you ready to travel. Essan is planning on leaving sooner rather than later. Truth be told, he could be ready tonight – but he’s going to stay until you’re ready to move out. You’ve got to be good enough to fool a sensory field generator before we leave, or we’ll be in big trouble.”

Erid came and extracted Kaleb from his room later that cycle, not for more training –not yet– but instead because Essan, who had left earlier, had returned and was making food. Kaleb gingerly walked on feet that felt every grain of dirt beneath them. Every light seemed too bright. He felt horrible. But at least the dull ringing was subsiding. They sat down to eat.

“Well, as I expected there are guards all around the place” said Essan, laying out bowls – some full of leaves, some strange fruits or vegetables that Kaleb hadn’t seen before, and others with beans and grains. He sakily filled his plate with these, and raised small forkfulls to his mouth. They burst on his tongue with sweet refreshing taste, and he felt instantly greatly improved. The pain was still there, but the magic of food had captivated him. “They are all from the underground, the legitimate enforcement seems to have taken a hike. I still think that the mistships are the best way for us to move unobserved, as they have people stationed all around the exterior of the pillars. It seems that someone new has either moved in, or moved up. I recognise a few of the people, so I think a promotion of one of the division leaders in Arleigne’s organisation is most likely. They also seem to be out for blood. I’m not sure why exactly… you said you didn’t kill anyone?”

“Yeah, that’s right”

“Well, their response is not quite in line with that. I know Arleigne is dead, but it seems there has been some other loss… nothing else would explain the extent nor widespread dedication of the group. I suspect that their quick response and its extent is for retribution. They also searched the empty warehouse districts, so it’s good that you made your way up here when you did, or you’d have been in a difficult situation. Somebody more dangerous would have noticed if you’d had to wipe out the underground here. At the moment, I still think our best bet is to leave within a week. The longer we remain here the greater the risk. Or rather, I would prefer that we take one brief and big risk than have to endure the ongoing and persistent risk of remaining.”

Kaleb noticed that Essan wasn’t particularly concerned about the danger posed by the underground itself. Between Erid’s demonstration with the tea and the cup and Essan’s light take on a group that would terrify Kaleb just by the looking, he was beginning to feel the scales turn in favour of the claim these two made to being brethren, as incredible and bizarre as he found that.

“Yeah, alright. So we’ve got one week then? We’ll probably have to get on board separately though, I’m sure they’re looking for people matching our descriptions too – what do you think the best way to avoid that is?”

“Yes, one week. As for a plan” Essan looked pointedly at Kaleb “How’s training coming along?”

Kaleb grimaced

“It’ll be a struggle” said Erid honestly, “but not impossible”

“It’ll be a huge help, they’re scanning the crowds, but they’re doing it obviously, with occasionally spot checks. They’re stopping a fair number of people. We will probably have to get new masks, or give our old ones a paint job. Did they see your face?” Essan directed this last one to Kaleb

“Ah… no, I don’t think so.”

“Well that makes it easier. If we can throw them off with different clothes and different elements we may be able to make things work in our favour. We probably won’t be able to travel together though. We’ll split up and reconvene at the next town over. They probably have eyes there too, but I’ll give you directions and then we’ll be able to meet and get away from there.”

“So I’ll have to travel by myself”

For some reason, Kaleb felt extremely scared by this possibility. It was, he thought, probably because of all the attacks he had endured during his last journey.

“Hmmm… well, since our relationship is not known, I will travel with you, but you won’t be able to speak to me. I’ll only reach out to you if something goes truly wrong. I’m afraid that it is probably better this way. We could all travel together, but the presence of two people together who vaguely match the description of two assailants would be enough for those people to descend on you.”

“Ah, I see.”

“Anyway, after this, let’s get you some fresh clothes – unless you have another jacket and backpack in your things?”

“Ah… ah no.”

Essan laughed “I didn’t think so.”

So Kaleb was obliged to go through all his things and set aside all those that he had worn when he had been accosted by the organ donors. Then Essan went somewhere and returned with a set of clothes that were in his size – though they somehow altered his form enough for him to seem to resemble someone he wasn’t – they were thinner and emphasised his slight frame. He also got a new backpack. He was reluctant to let his old pack go – he’d prepared it especially for this adventure of his. But Essan only smiled and said that he could always get it back again later. Though when he would be coming back, Kaleb had hardly considered – and after everything that had happened in this settlement, he wasn’t sure he wanted to.

And then it was time for the afternoon’s training. Once again, Erid had Kaleb trying to detect what kind of field he was generating. To save him from trying to find out which one did what, Erid simply suggested that he designate each one with a letter and then attach the nature of the mock-spike array to it after he knew what they did.

“Uh… ‘a’ I think.”

Erid switched the field again

“‘c’, no!... ‘d’”

And then again

“‘f’”

“Alright, it seems you can do it with the field charged. Now I’m going to reduce the charge to the level of only a passive capacitance and see if you can find them out.”

Immediately, the glimmering indications that Kaleb had been relying on disappeared.

“Oh no”

“It’ll get easier,” said Erid, chuckling slightly. Kaleb kneaded his forehead, where a fresh headache had started, and tried his best to detect, among the common spike variations Erid was going through, which one this near undetectable field might resemble.