by M J Dees
“What? When?”
“Just before I left for the ceremony. Ron and Ay-ttho had seen it twice before. An image just like you, or your uncle, or your father. We tried to communicate, but the signal disappeared.”
“Where was the signal?” asked Ozli.
“We saw the image on a monitor here on the bridge.”
“You tried to communicate with it?”
“Yes, but it did not respond.”
“It’s strange.”
“Yes, and I didn’t believe it until I saw it myself.”
“Are you still searching for the signal?”
“Yes,” said Ron and Ay-ttho in unison.
“But you don’t know from which star system the signal originates?”
“Not yet.”
“I wish I could have seen this signal.”
“I think you would have been better placed to decipher it that us.”
“Did the signal stay long?”
“It went almost as soon as it arrived.”
“It stayed longer than that,’ Ron and Ay-ttho protested together.
“Not when I saw it,” said Sevan.
“I’ll watch it if it returns,” said Ozli.
“I’m sure it will,” said Sevan.
“I hope it is my father’s image.”
“It will return,” said Ron.
“Then I will stay and keep watch until it does.”
The others sensed that Ozli wished to be alone and left the bridge.
“This is not a good sign,” they heard Ozli muttering. “Something bad is about to happen.”
*
Fenris Kader and his sister Zarah were alone in Fenris’s quarters while he made his last preparations to leave.
“We have transferred everything to the ship, I’m ready to go. I need this change in star systems, I can’t stay in this one any longer,” said Fenris. “Goodbye Zarah. Make sure you message me to let me know how you are.”
“I will.”
“Regarding Ozli, I know he likes you and you like him, but be careful, Zarah, nothing will come of this.”
“How can you be so sure?”
“Perhaps he loves you now and his feeling are honest but he is next in line to the presidency, Zarah, and he may not make choices of his own. They won’t allow him to decide his union, they will decide his partner based on what is best for the future of the Republic, not based on what he wants. If he says he loves you, you realise that, even if this is true, it is not within his power to do anything about it.”
Fenris made his way towards the exit, then stopped and turned back to Zarah.
“Think about how you will feel if you listen to his advances and really fall in love with his uncontrolled harassment. Be afraid, Zarah, fear his advances and stay away from him, keep your feelings hidden.”
“I will listen to your advice, Fenris. I know you only have my best interests at heart. But do not tell me how to follow the proper way and then live your life without listening to your own advice.”
“Don’t worry,” said Fenris, turning back to the exit. I have already stayed too long, our begetter is coming. I will say goodbye to you both.”
“Come on, Fenris,” Kellen said as he paused in the corridor, waiting for Fenris. “Your ship is ready, the crew are waiting for you. Let me give you some advice before you leave. Zistreotov may be a star of change for you, but do not speak your thoughts, Fenris. Be friendly, but only with those whose worthiness you have already tested. When you find someone you trust, do not squander their hospitality. Listen to them but keep your opinion to yourself, listen to the opinions and criticism of others but hold your judgement. Live as well as you can, Fenris, but do not overdo it. You can often judge an individual by the way they live and in Zistreotov there are many generous and friendly individuals, but I warn you, Fenris, not to get involved in lending or borrowing credits because you’ll find that those who were once your friend may not be any longer. Be true to yourself, Fenris, and don’t be false to anyone else. Have a safe journey, Fenris.”
“Goodbye, begetter.”
“Goodbye, Fenris.”
“Goodbye Zarah. Remember what I told you.”
“I will remember.”
“Goodbye,” Fenris left.
“What did Fenris say to you?” Kellen asked Zarah.
“It was about Ozli.”
“I understand Ozli has been paying you more attention recently. Be careful, Zarah. Tell me what is happening between you.”
“He has expressed his feelings towards me.”
“Feeling? Hah! You are so naïve, Zarah. Do you believe what he tells you about his feelings?”
“I don’t know what to think.”
“I’ll tell you what to think. Think of yourself as a child and imagine that his advances are not honest, he is just playing with your affection.”
“He has been honourable in his advances.”
“Honourable, you call it.”
“I believe what he says.”
“It is a trap, Zarah. I should know. Don’t believe a word he utters. His desire may produce the most beautiful words but don’t trust any of them. Be less open to him, Zarah, talk about higher things than love. Ozli is young, but his position ties him. What he wants to offer you is not his to offer. He might make you many promises Zarah, but they are not his to give. You will be better off ignoring him. Don’t waste your time, Zarah.”
“Okay,” said Zarah.
*
Sevan entered the bridge and found Ozli still on watch.
“Are you still here?” Sevan asked. “Are you not tired?”
“I’m fine,” said Ozli.
“No sign of the signal?”
“Not yet,” said Ron.
“It was around this time yesterday that Ron first picked up the signal.”
Outside the hangar, fireworks exploded in the sky.
“What is that?”
“They are still celebrating the union of the President with my mother. There is a very large feast going on.”
Sevan wished Ozli had invited them all to the feast, rather than have them sitting on the bridge, waiting for a signal that might never appear.
“Is it usual to celebrate this way?”
“Yes it is,” said Ozli, as if it was an unfortunate thing. “It is more observed in the breaking of the rules of celebration than in observing the rules of the celebration itself.”
“How do you mean?”
“They will consume a lot of pish tonight, Sevan, and it has less to do with the President’s union with my mother and a lot more to do with the fact that it’s another excuse to get drunk.”
Now, Sevan really wished he was taking part in the celebrations.
“To be honest, Sevan,” Ozli continued. “It is an embarrassment to the Republic that we encourage these drunken feasts. Other regions of the galaxy look down on our base practices. They call us drunkards and slander our good name. It distracts from the achievements of the Republic and reflects badly on those of us who are above such activities.”
Sevan didn’t feel it would reflect badly at all. He would be happy for others to know him as one who indulges in sizeable amounts of pish and wished he had smuggled some out of the ceremony or off the shuttle.
An alarm, which began flashing on one of the control panels, interrupted their reflections.
“The signal has returned,” said Ron.
CHAPTER 3: THE MECHANICAL BOWMEN
“Look!” said Sevan. “The signal.”
“Save me from the better place!” Ozli exclaimed. “It is my father.”
Ozli moved closer to the crackling monitor where the image shuddered.
“Is it a ghost that has returned from the better place?” Ozli wondered. “Speak to me, my begetter, answer me. What should we do?”
“I’m getting more of the signal this time,” said Ron. “I think I might be able to decrypt some audio.”
“What is he saying?” asked Sevan.
&nb
sp; “I can’t hear anything,” said Ozli.
“Listen.”
“Ron, can you patch the audio into my vehicle?”
“Yes, connect one of those terminals.”
A mechanical hand emerged from Ozli’s vehicle and connected the terminal cable.
“How strong is the signal, Ron? Can you clean the audio?”
“I can hear something,” said Ozli.
“I’m filtering the audio,” said Ron. “It should sound clearer now.”
“Shhh, I'm listening,” Ozli complained.
“Okay, be quiet, Ron,” said Sevan.
“You be quiet too,” Ozli uncharacteristically raised his voice. “I can hear my father’s voice.”
“He sounds desperate to hear his father,” Sevan whispered to Ron.
“Grab a terminal, I’ll patch you into the audio as well,” Ron whispered back.
“Thanks,” said Sevan, attaching a terminal to one of his antennae. “What is this all about?”
“We’re about to discover,” said Ron.
“Speak to me, begetter,” said Ozli.
“Listen to me,” said the image.
“I’m listening.”
“I am about to die.”
“What? Are you not already dead?”
“Don’t be sad for me, just listen carefully to what I am about to say.”
“I am listening.”
“You must revenge my death.”
“What?”
“Revenge his murder.”
“Murder? What happened?”
“He has commissioned the mechanical bowmen, to diffuse my existence into the atmosphere. To assume the presidency himself.”
“The President?”
“He has desired to dispose of me so he can take my partner and the presidency for himself. The mechanical bowmen are my doom, commissioned by him so that no-one would suspect my death was anything more than a tragic accident. Do not allow this crime to go unpunished, the Republic must not shelter this criminal. You must not allow him to enjoy my position. You must take revenge, but however you do it, I ask you not to harm my partner. I must go now. Please remember me.”
The screen and audio crackled into static.
“For the sake of the better place, I will remember you. I will get revenge. Against the President, against my co-begetter. This is why he sent me to Waterfall and why he attacked Trinculo; he wanted to kill me along with the rest of the dignitaries.”
“For the love of the Giant Cup!” said Sevan, not quite believing what he had just heard.
“Ozli?” said Ron.
“Ozli? Are you okay?” asked Sevan.
“So that’s that then,” Ozli sighed.
“Ozli?” Ron asked again.
“I’m fine,” said Ozli.
“Are you sure?”
“Who are the mechanical bowmen?” asked Sevan.
“Very good,” said Ozli to himself.
“What is good?” asked Sevan.
“No, you will tell someone.”
“Not me.”
“Or me,” said Ron.
“You can keep a secret?”
“We can,” said Ron and Sevan together.
“There is a villain in the Republic.”
“We don’t need a mysterious signal to tell us this,” said Sevan.
“Yes, you are right,” Ozli agreed. “I think I better leave you.”
“Are you sure you are okay?” asked Sevan.
“I’m sorry, I don’t mean to get you caught up in all of this.”
“There is no need to apologise, Ozli.”
“Yes, there is. You need not concern yourselves with this signal. Promise me one thing.”
“What is that?”
“Do not tell anyone what you have just seen and heard.”
“We won’t,” Ron and Sevan said together.
“Swear.”
“I swear on the Giant Cup, I will reveal nothing,” said Sevan.
“I swear too,” said Ron.
“Upon your circuitry?” asked Ozli.
“Upon my circuitry.”
The screen crackled to life again.
“Swear,” said the image on the screen.
“Ha ha, there you go,” said Ozli.
“What can I swear on, other than the Giant Cup?” asked Sevan.
“Never speak of this,” said Ozli.
“Swear,” said the image on the screen, which then crackled and faded.
“This is weird,” said Sevan.
“There are more things in this universe and beyond than we can imagine,” said Ozli, “And there may be more strange things to come. You must both promise me that if you see me behaving oddly, you will not reveal what you believe the cause of my odd behaviour to be. Swear.”
“Swear,” said the audio. The screen remained blank.
“Why is the signal still trying to communicate,” wondered Ozli.
“I wondered that myself,” said Ron. “I’ve been analysing the signal and the message was pre-recorded.”
“So, my father is not alive.”
“I’m afraid not.”
“And it was not a ghost.”
“No.”
“Then how was he able to answer me?”
“It just seemed like he was answering you, but actually it was just a recording.”
“But what about the end where he was repeating my request for you to swear?”
“I think that was just coincidental,” said Ron.
“Who are the mechanical bowmen?” asked Sevan.
“The mechanical bowmen are a troop of elite mechanised troops, often used in assassinations, they are the Republic’s special forces. I am not surprised the President used them to murder my father. Do you understand why I rely on your silence, no matter how you might see me behave?”
“Yes,” said Sevan and Ron.
“Good. In that case I will leave you for now, speak of this to no-one.”
Ozli left the bridge.
*
Kellen Kader had parked his vehicle by the control panel in his stateroom in the presidential palace.
Beside him parked Kader’s assistant, M'Nosi.
“I have transferred you some credits to give to Fenris,” said Kellen. “And some messages.”
“I will make sure he gets them,” said M'Nosi.
“You would do well, M'Nosi, to observe his movements before you visit him.”
“I intended to do so.”
“Find out for me what the representatives of our rival regions are doing and saying in Zistreotov. Find out who funds them and who they mix with. Make sure your enquiries are ambiguous enough so you do not reveal the true purpose of your questioning. Do not reveal your relation to Fenris, imply some distant knowledge of him, you know his begetter, for example.”
“You can rely on me, sir.”
“Make sure Fenris is not getting into trouble, other than that you would normally expect for one of his age.”
“Gambling?”
“And drinking, fighting, swearing, whoring.”
“But sir, that would dishonour him.”
“We must avoid a scandal, make sure he is not getting carried away in any of these pursuits.”
“But sir?”
“I have spoken.”
“Yes, sir.”
“If you have to lie then so be it.”
“Very good.”
“And then...in the name of the better place, what was I going to say? What was I just saying?”
“It’s okay to lie.”
“Yes, because in spreading a few gentle lies, you may find that leads you to the truth, and that is what we seek, no matter how roundabout the way we must go to find it. You understand?”
“I understand.”
“Good. Then have a safe journey.”
“Thank you, sir.”
“Be like him. Observe his ways.”
“I shall.”
“And let him go his own way.”
“Yes, sir.”
“Goodbye.”
M'Nosi made to leave and, as he did so, he needed to let Zarah pass as she entered the room.
“Zarah, how are you? What seems to be the matter?” asked Kellen.
“I have just witnessed something terrible,” said Zarah.
“What has happened?”
“I have just seen Ozli. He was behaving strangely. His vehicle was moving in the most erratic way. It was almost as if he had lost his sanity.”
“Mad for your love?”
“I don’t know. Do you think so?”
“What did he say?”
“He was very aggressive, and he inspected me. He even held my vehicle with one of his tools and he gave a sigh, so long and piteous that he seemed shattered. Then, he let me go and turned away and left.”
“Come with me, I will go to see the President. If this is the madness of love destroying him, it might lead to desperate deeds,” Kellen led Zarah from the room. “Have you said any harsh words to him lately?”
“No, and as you advised, I have not been replying to any of his messages.”
“That might have maddened him. I am sorry that I had not paid more attention and observed him better. I thought he was just playing and intended to seduce you. Curse my jealousy, though I’m afraid that is common for my age. Let us seek advice from the President. If we keep this secret, it might make matters even worse.”
*
President Man and Ozli’s mother were within their contraptions in the great hall of the presidential palace when Tafazolli and de Wijs entered.
“Welcome, dear Tafazolli and de Wijs,” said the President. “Apart from the fact that we have longed to see you, that we have a task for you provoked us to send for you immediately. You were such wonderful friends to Ozli when you all studied together. Have you heard the reports of his strange behaviour? He does not seem to be the Ozli that we all know and love. We worry that it can’t just be the death of his begetter that has promoted this radical change in mood. What else it could be, I can’t imagine? I ask you both, seeing as though you know him so well, having grown up with him, to accept our hospitality and stay here in the palace so you might offer him some companionship and gather as much information as you can to find out whether there is something we are unaware of that is affecting him. If we can find out what is troubling him then we might help him.”
