by Neal Jones
He shrugged and drank his coffee.
The door chime interrupted Laura's response. Marc frowned as he glanced at the chrono on the dispenser's panel display. He walked into the living room. "Come in."
Mariah entered. She was in civilian clothes, and she stopped short at the sight of Marc in his pajamas. "Oh. Sorry. Did I wake you? I figured you would be up and dressed by now."
"It's the weekend, Mariah. I slept in."
"Really? That's a first."
"Is there something I can do for you, or did you just come to comment on my sleeping habits."
"I had a couple of things to review with you about Ilkara's press conference." She handed him a compad.
Laura appeared from the kitchen. "Hello, commander."
"Doctor."
Laura reached for her jacket. "I'll see you this afternoon, Marc." She nodded to Mariah on her way out the door.
The commodore glanced at the pad's screen and promptly handed it back. "We already covered this in yesterday's staff briefing."
"We did?"
"You just wanted to see if Laura spent the night. Did you follow us on our walk from the restaurant?"
"Marc, don't be ridiculous." She turned to leave.
"Oh, hell no!" He stepped forward in two quick strides to block the door. "You've been acting weird ever since that day when we were having lunch in Grax's, and I told you about Laura. Are you jealous?"
Mariah laughed. "Don't be ridiculous!"
"Now you're just repeating yourself."
"I'm not jealous."
"Yes, you are." Marc crossed his arms and watched his science officer's expression. His eyes narrowed. "You're not just jealous. You're surprised."
"Yes, I'm surprised. I would never have guessed that you had once been involved in this kind of serious, committed relationship."
"And why is that surprising?"
"Marc...I'd rather not have this conversation."
"Too bad. Answer my question."
"Fuck you."
"We already did once, remember? On Kelatia."
She didn't say anything for several moments, but her expression turned cold. "This isn't funny anymore."
"I never said it was. You have no right to judge me."
"I never judged you."
"Yes, you did. That night when I came to your quarters, right after we first arrived here, and I wanted to talk."
"We did talk. I rejected you. You just haven't been able to deal with it."
"Oh no, I was fine with that. I'm happy with our friendship just like it is. But ever since Laura's been here, you've been acting jealous and judgmental."
"All right," Mariah sighed, "I'll accept the jealousy. You're right." She paused, choosing her words carefully. "It's not so much Laura as it is Jeanette. That was very, truly... surprising."
"Well, duh. It was a bit of a shock to me too."
"I know. I didn't mean it like that." She turned away, scowling, as she tried to sort out what she really wanted to say. She finally shrugged and turned back. "I never pictured you as a family man. That's why I rejected you that night. Well, that and the fact you were drunk. I couldn't picture you being a father to Joshua. When I knew you eleven years ago, you were arrogant, brash, and egotistical. You slept with at least half of the female officers on the Tokyo. Paul and I always had a bet going whenever we docked at a starbase for crew rotation. It never took you more than six hours to memorize the personnel dossiers as well as the assigned quarters of the new female officers. I was sure that at least four would turn you down within a week. Paul said that you were never rejected more than twice in a week. He was usually right."
"Yes, that's right. And even you couldn't say no to me that night on Kelatia."
"No, I couldn't. And I've regretted that ever since."
"So, what's your point, Mariah? Now that Laura and Jeanette are here, you have proof that I can be more than just a cliché? That I could have been a husband and father? Is that really that surprising to you?"
"Yes! I only knew you for those couple years that I served on the Tokyo. And that first night after we arrived here, when you showed up at my quarters drunk, I didn't see that you'd changed one bit. But for what it's worth, these last few weeks have been a pleasant surprise. I've learned some things about you that I would never have guessed in a million years."
"And that's what I wanted to avoid."
"Why? Why didn't you tell me about her?"
"There's nothing to tell!" He started for the kitchen.
Mariah followed. "That's not what I've heard. It sounds like the two of you had a very complicated relationship."
"Yes, we did. And I've already spent the last three weeks hashing it over and over with her, and I'd rather not get into it all again with you. We were never right for each other, and yet we couldn't live without each other. That's it." He sipped his lukewarm coffee. "Talk about clichés," he muttered.
"I see." Mariah ordered two fresh cups of brew from the dispenser. She handed one to Marc and then sat in the same chair that Laura had vacated minutes before. "So it sounds like the two of you haven't really come to any closure."
"No, we haven't." Marc started to sit. "Wait a minute. I don't remember inviting you in for coffee."
"I thought you wanted to talk about this."
"Yeah, nice try. We were discussing your jealousy."
"And I admitted that I was jealous."
"Good. Have a nice day. I'll see you at the press conference." He left the kitchen and headed for the bedroom.
Mariah just shook her head and sighed as she sipped her coffee.
Chapter 12
____________________
( 1 )
THE BLADE SLICED THE AIR WITH a sharp hisss, which became a dull thhulk as soon as it embedded itself in the attacker's skull. Blood, flesh and bits of brain matter splattered Saveck as he yanked out the sword and, in a motion that was too fast for the alien to parry, he drew the blade across the monster's throat. Blood gushed in frothy, bright green, and Kralin stepped back to give his assailant room to fall. There was no time to celebrate the victory because two more soldiers were charging into the clearing, and the Chrisarii paused long enough to wipe his blade on his sleeve before raising the weapon and adjusting his posture in preparation for the onslaught.
The battle was heated but quick. Both aliens went down in a matter of seconds, bleeding as badly as their comrade. Saveck turned slowly to survey the forest, his sword at the ready. In the aftermath of the battle, the woods were mostly silent, with the occasional caa! caa! of a jungle nightbird echoing above the convoluted and tangled vegetation.
"Kralin?"
The Chrisarii officer spun on his heel and Kaylem nearly lost his head. The curve of the Kali'Fhan blade stopped within a centimeter of his neck.
"Is this a bad time?"
Kralin shook his head. "Computer, freeze program." The Hiver - which was a word created from the anagram of Holographic Virtual Reality - responded with its customary bleep and the jungle environment turned completely silent and still.
"I'm sorry to interrupt." Kaylem glanced around for a fallen tree and settled himself.
"It's all right. I've been in here long enough anyway." Kralin walked to the other side of the clearing where his tunic was hanging from a branch. He wiped his chest and forehead with it before putting it on and then sheathed his sword.
"Erimos has been pestering me all morning. He wants to know why you weren't present at the celebration last night."
"I didn't feel like celebrating."
"You watched your father's message?"
Kralin nodded. "Since when does Erimos care whether or not I show up for a religious function?"
Kaylem shrugged. "I'm just the messenger. I think he was more concerned with the photo opportunity. You've seen the size of the journal squad that's been following Aliira since her... 'rebirth'."
Kralin gave a disgusted snort. "I had enough of those when President Enkaro was here." He didn't s
ay anything more, and Kaylem allowed him the silence. With the simulated environment frozen, it was eerily quiet.
Kralin sighed and looked down at his sword, running his fingers slowly along the engraved lettering that ran the upper length of the sheath. "You remember when we chopped some branches from the haavis tree in my backyard to make Kali'Fhan swords?"
Kaylem snickered. "Your father wasn't happy about that."
Kralin's smile faded. "He was always unhappy. If it wasn't something I did, it was something mother said. If it wasn't that, it was a conflict with one of his workers. Or the business finances."
"You're not going home."
"I'm trying to convince myself that it won't be worth it."
"But your mother..."
Kralin nodded and sighed. "Did you have anything to do with him recording that message?"
"No. My visit was unannounced, but I think it was your mother who convinced him to write you."
The major winced, nodded again, and then stood. He hesitated for a moment, and Kaylem watched him expectantly. He had left Garrt province before Kralin, and he wasn't sure what had happened to his childhood friend afterwards, only that it had driven him to the Beta-Erendii colony to live with Jran and his family.
Kralin's jaw tightened, and his eyes narrowed. He stripped off his shirt, hung it on the same branch as before, and then unsheathed his sword. "Computer, resume program. Initiate level four."
The Hiver obeyed, and a thunderous crashing came from all directions. Kaylem jumped up and said quickly, "Computer, show exit." A thick tangle of vines disappeared, revealing a gray door that slid open upon Kaylem's approach. Beyond it was a station corridor.
He left his friend to battle his demons alone.
( 2 )
Commodore Gabriel entered the security office, and Commander Navarr rose to greet him.
"She's in room one."
"You've already taken her statement?"
Navarr handed the commodore a compad. "I have two officers on their way to arrest First Cleric Tajek."
The statement was only a page, and Gabriel sat in one of the chairs in front of the desk as he read. Lieutenant Dynyl confessed to a conspiracy to murder Aliira N'Lyn. A power conduit in the corridor outside the observation dome was supposed to have been rigged with a time delay detonator. Lieutenant Dynyl was going to set it off just as Aliira passed through that section of the corridor during her tour. The night before she was to set up the detonator, Dynyl experienced a change of heart and chose to not go through with the act.
"That's it?" Gabriel tossed the pad on Navarr's desk. "She just decided not to go through with it?"
"Apparently so. It's nice to see that not everybody is as fanatical about their religious beliefs as Doctor Lom or Tajek."
The commodore nodded, scowling. "Tajek," he repeated. "Didn't we question him after Lom's suicide bombing? She was part of his congregation, right?"
"Yes. He claimed he had no prior knowledge of her actions, and Lom mentioned no one but herself in her suicide recording."
The commodore nodded again, and his scowl deepened. "And, yet, here we are again, but this time we got lucky because the bomber decided to confess her sins. So what happens now? What do we charge her with?"
"They'll both be charged with one count of conspiracy to commit murder, and Dynyl will face a court-martial hearing – or whatever the military equivalent is for the Chrisarii. Then they'll both spend a year - maybe two at the most - in a prison cell on their homeworld. I haven't yet informed the Chrisarii district magistrate of this, so I'm not sure how soon all of that will play out."
Gabriel shook his head, disgusted, as he left the office through the right rear entrance and marched the length of the corridor that led to the interrogation rooms. Dynyl was in room one, sitting at the table with her hands folded, her gaze serene. She was staring at the wall, and Gabriel watched her for a few moments from outside the room via the viewscreen next to the door. She looked almost bored, as if being held for questioning was a tedious formality, and the sooner she could be done with it the better.
Navarr came up behind Gabriel. "Are you going to talk to her?"
"Yes. Stay out here."
He entered the room and Dynyl glanced up. She stood and came to attention, but Gabriel didn't return the salute. "Sit down," he ordered tersely.
She obeyed. "Sir, I -"
"When I want you to talk, lieutenant, I'll ask you a question."
She nodded.
"Why did you change your mind?"
"I..." Dynyl started, but then faltered, frowning to herself as if she had forgotten something important. "I'm not sure, sir, and that's the honest truth." She looked up at him. "I believe that Onng Le'Roh is the true God of the Chrisarii, and it is His teachings that are the salvation of our people. The Varashok are false gods, and their followers are false prophets. They have led our people astray for centuries now, and I pledged my life long ago to the service and to the light of Onng Le'Roh."
Gabriel closed his eyes and bit back his revulsion at this statement. How many times were he and his crew going to have to dance this waltz? He glared at Dynyl. "Spare me your religious bullshit. I don't care what you believe. I only care why you chose to rat out your co-conspirator and not take the life of someone you believe to be a false prophet."
"Because I am an individual, and I have the power to make my own choices." Dynyl stated this more forcefully than Gabriel was prepared for, and her gaze held his without flinching or remorse. "When I was first approached by Tajek with this plan, I already had doubts about the actions of my fellow believers. Doctor Lom was one of us. Her actions on that day were a stain upon all of us, and I was not prepared to give up my life for this cause."
"And yet..." Gabriel prompted.
"And yet, we are taught that sometimes great sacrifice must be asked of all of us. That sometimes such a sacrifice can lead to the salvation of unbelievers. For that is the ultimate goal, the ultimate purpose, to our lives. We are mere servants, and our testimony must bring glory and honor to Onng Le'Roh. And if this means that we destroy a false prophet - Aliira N'Lyn, in this case - then so be it. The longer that she is alive, the more poison she is allowed to spread among the masses of unbelievers."
"But that doesn't explain why you chose to save her life."
"I'm getting to that." Dynyl paused. "When the war with the Federation began, I was a young girl living in Dirn province. My mother told me that this war would be a great one, that it was a sign of the coming of the End of Time and Days, that final period before the second coming of Onng Le'Roh. She was a fervent and devout follower, and she pressed her beliefs upon me as soon as I was old enough to walk and talk.
"And she was right. The Beta Erendii War was the longest and bloodiest in our history, and many believers thought it would bring about the fall of the Chrisarii Alliance, something that is hinted at in one of Seraudu's first prophecies. Rynn Seraudu was the one to whom Onng Le'Roh revealed Himself in the Second Age. Seraudu is the author of The Gospel Of Onng Le'Roh, the book upon which our faith is based. One of his early prophecies said that there would come a time when a great war would rend the heavens, and that many would be cast into darkness. For us, the Beta Erendii War seemed to fit that prophecy.
"Seraudu also spoke about a false prophet who would emerge from this time of great conflict and turmoil. He specifically refers to this prophet as a woman, which is why the supposed 'rebirth' of Aliira N'Lyn has caused so much controversy among the Chrisarii. Surely you have seen some of the debates on the newscasts over the last few days. It's only going to get worse."
Dynyl paused once more to gather her thoughts. "That's why I believed that killing Aliira was necessary, and why I agreed to Tajek's plan in the first place. But the more I thought about it, and the more I searched the scriptures of Seraudu's teachings, I began to wonder if this was truly the right path for us. There has been so much death and bloodshed recently, and I didn't want to be the cause of more. This has to
end somewhere, and even though I know that someone else will take up this cause, I at least can sleep in peace at night, knowing that I did the right thing by turning myself in."
Gabriel watched her for a minute or two. A part of him didn't want to believe her, and yet she sounded utterly sincere. She was right in one respect: there'd been plenty of bloodshed on Exxar-One due to mistrust and prejudice fueled by religious dogma and fanatical teaching.
She also had a point about there always being someone else to take up the cause.
The last time the commodore felt this tired was when he had woken up in the ICU after suffering at Serehl's hands. His hand brought itself to his chest, searching out the scar beneath the fabric of his uniform. He abruptly turned and left the room.
"Put her in a cell," he barked to Navarr as he strode past. "Neither of them has visitation rights, and tell the DM to expedite this case. I want those two off my station by Monday."
Navarr, startled by Gabriel's abrasive attitude, could only reply, "Yes, sir." Decev's right, she thought. He's not coping well with all of this. But then again, given the pressure he was under these days, as well as what he'd been through three months ago, who could blame him?
Her commlink beeped and she tapped it. "Navarr."
"Lieutenant Seagrave, ma'am. We have First Cleric Tajek is in custody, and we're almost to the security office."
"I'll meet you there. Navarr out."
( 3 )
"Ladies and gentlemen, thank you for being here today." Gabriel paused, glancing across the sea of faces that crowded one side of the wardroom. He, Ilkara, Major Saveck, Commander Decev, and Doctor Sysko were standing on the other side of the table. A quartet of cameras hovered above the crowd like miniature starships orbiting an asteroid field. "As you all know, approximately five months ago we discovered an alien artifact drifting through the Ontaar sector. It turned out to be a gateway that served as one end of an artificially created wormhole. The gateway on the other end led us to an outpost that had long ago been destroyed and abandoned. Beneath the surface we discovered a control center that housed a chamber in which Ilkara" – he motioned to the Erayan – "was suspended in cryogenic sleep. For three months it was here at Exxar-One, undergoing several rigorous medical tests and procedures. For the last two weeks it has been on Galadreon-253 undergoing further testing. Included in the statements released to all of you three days ago, its unique physiology and biochemistry has given us the cure to several diseases, as well as other significant breakthroughs in the medical fields and biological research.
