Across a Sea of Stars

by Michael E. Gonzales

  All remained silent. The nurses within earshot were also saddened as they watched.

  Cris was first to break the moment. "What news of Tarnus?"

  "All of Tarnus's wounds were superficial. The concussion he suffered was his worst injury. He has been treated, and is in room five hundred fifty-six."

  Tattie looked up at Cris, who simply said, "Go on, honey. I'll see you there." Before she left, she kissed Capek on the cheek.

  Capek looked at Cris, who clearly understood that the robot was experiencing emotional distress. "Capek, are you okay?"

  "Epney and I spent quite some time together, working on the delay detonator for the bomb. During that time, we had several interesting conversations. Epney, despite his few free years before captivity, was a sensitive, caring young man. He was the equivalent of twenty-three of your years old. He spoke to me of his desire to be married and of the family he desperately wanted. There was yet no woman in his life, and he envied you and Tattie. He possessed a strong desire and determination to find the love of his life.

  "He had spent eight of his precious few years as an Ahs Dormis to the Sorgina, thus to Caval Du Mal.

  "Cris, I learned of love observing you and Tattie. I am now learning hate…and what worries me, is that I find it as potent an emotion as love. I begin to see how either can fill a person's resolve completely."

  "Capek, you are facing man's oldest struggle with himself. Let me tell you of what I've learned. I once hated an entire race of people on Earth because of the death of my friend. I lived with hate as a replacement for that friend. Hate is a cup you can never fill; the more you pour into it, the thirstier you become. Love, on the other hand, is a cup you can never empty. Fill your cup with love, my friend, and drink deeply from it. Beware the cup of hate, it fills with nothing but pain and death."

  "You biological life forms are fortunate in that you have a vent for grief—you can cry."

  "Capek, you don't have to make tears to feel sorrow. Come on, let's go see Tarnus."

  As the two entered his room, Tarnus, stitched up and bandaged, was sitting up in his bed and, with considerable animation, describing the events he and his two companions suffered through to Tattie. As Cris and Capek entered the room, Tarnus stopped speaking and dropped his arms to his side, looking at Capek, he said, "And there is the fellow to whom I own my life. Come here, Capek."

  Capek stepped next to Tarnus at the side of his bed. Tarnus put his good arm over Capek's shoulder, pulled him into his chest, and hugged him. Capek looked from Cris to Tattie, both of whose faces were lit with smiles. Tarnus then looked into Capek's visor. "From this moment on, you are no longer a videkanica; you are the brother of Tarnus Bogle—and any man who says otherwise faces my wrath."

  Again, Capek looked from Cris to Tattie. Tattie rose and, leaning over Tarnus, placed her hand on Capek's shoulder. "This makes you my Teaoh," she said. "We are family."

  "Family?" Capek asked.

  Cris placed his hand atop Tattie's on Capek's shoulder. "Drink deep my friend—there is no bottom to this cup."

  Capek looked at everyone, then slowly said, "I find no words in my vocabulary of sixteen languages that allows me to properly express the effect your declaration has had on my current volitional state of consciousness."

  "Capek Bogle," Tarnus said, "no brother of mine goes this long with but one hand. Go and have yourself mended; otherwise, you'll be of little use to me on the farm."

  "Had I facial features, you would see me smiling. Thank you all, and thank you—brother." Capek turned to leave. He was en route to the same facility that mended him previously, but stopped when he came beside Cris. "Cris," he said, "it would seem you are the only one in the room not family."

  Cris looked at Tattie. "I can fix that," he said, and smiled.

  Tattie lowered her eyes and smiled, too, and for the first time since he'd known her—Tattie blushed.

  ○O○

  The communications signal identifier from Caval Du Mal's escape ship had been provided to the coms station in the command center for the defense of Emer Alda. Their much more powerful equipment ensured that Caval Du Mal would not establish contact with his fleet. For all they knew, he had perished with his flagship. Long-range scanners indicated that not only had his fleet turned away, but also it was dividing up, each ship returning to its home world within the system.

  Reports were coming in that the population of Kalob had already risen up against those forces of Caval Du Mal, who did not seem to have gotten the word, or perhaps did not believe it. Clearly, if word that Caval Du Mal lives were to leave Nazer, the fleet would reunite and, in short order, put down the rebellions already raging throughout the system.

  Cris was certain of one thing—Caval Du Mal must die.

  The site where the dictator's craft set down was between two great forces on the planet, the army of the Geldneth, and the army of the Portigalweg.

  Cris and Tattie received the briefing from the commander of the Emer Alda Defense Ministry.

  "Here is my concern," the general went on. "Caval Du Mal and a majority of his followers are Portigalweg. The question now is this, is Caval Du Mal surrounded by Nazerian forces, or is he backed by an army of Portigalweg?"

  "You question their allegiance?" Cris asked. "They marched on Kurat Vara, and countless of their numbers died there!"

  "Captain Salazar, at Kurat Vara, they faced Bruckna the Sorgina. not Caval Du Mal himself. Should the self-proclaimed leader of the so-called superior race speak to them—I just don't know. It is said the dictator is very persuasive."

  "I, for one, don't believe it. I don't think they would have mobilized and fought Bruckna, knowing that a strike against her was a strike at Caval Du Mal, and then change their allegiance as soon as they hear his voice. I heard his voice and he sounded to me like a game show host!"

  "I understand your euphemism, though the words are lost to me. The point being, there is a question…a doubt."

  "Okay, fine." Cris leaned against the table and shook his head. "Do we have any idea how many are with him on his escape pod?"

  "At a minimum six: the pilot, co-pilot, navigator, the ship's engineer, and he always has two trusted guards with him, wherever he goes. At maximum, his escape pod can hold a total of thirty persons."

  "Any of them slaves we might count on in a pinch?"

  "No, all are his devoted followers. Why?"

  "Just wondering if there was anyone I should leave alive. I'm going in to take him out." He turned to Tattie. "I'm going alone."

  Tattie's eyes became larger than ever. Her pupils became mere pinpoints, and grew very dark. Cris had learned this was a sure indicator that she was angry. Her lip trembled as she spoke, and she was restraining herself. "I told you to never again ask me to leave you. I will not depart, nor see you depart. I will not speak on the matter again." She rose and looked down at Cris, adding, "I will go check on Capek—he will wish to accompany us." She left the room.

  The general cleared his throat and said softly, "I think you have lost that argument."

  "Argument, hell…I didn't even get a word in."

  Cris watched as she walked away through the door and down the hall. Just before she turned down another passage, she stopped and looked back at Cris. Her face remained stoic. Then, she walked on around the corner.

  "General, can you show me exactly where he landed on your map, here?"

  "He is here, a very remote location where none have tread in many long years. He is outside the ruins of Galdo Heirya."

  "I know the place," Cris said.

  The general looked up in disbelief. "You know the dead city?"

  "I took a nap there once."

  ○O○

  When the briefing concluded, the General directed Cris to the aircraft bay, the same place where they had departed for the attack on Kurat Vara, just over seventy-two hours ago. There were five of them then, now only four remained, and two were injured, though Cris knew Capek would be ready to go even without a
new hand.

  Cris approached the door to the hangar and it slid open. He had only taken a couple of steps inside when, to his surprise, there before him stood Tattie, Capek, and Tarnus with his head and torso covered with small bandages, and his wounded arm in a sling and wrapped in a much larger bandage.

  "Before you say another word," Tarnus said, "Tattie, here, will be arguing my case."

  "Forget it, then. Just get in the aircraft." Tattie and Tarnus smiled. As they turned to procure their weapons, Cris noticed Capek now sported a black hand and a white hand.

  "What's with this?" Cris asked.

  Capek held up the black replacement hand. "It is from an older version of my model. It works fine."

  "It doesn't match."

  "Trust me Cris, the two will work quite well together."

  Cris looked up to another surprise. The aircraft was the Meerlow.

  "Hey—it's the—"

  "Yes, Cris," said Tattie, "being undamaged, it was recovered from the fortress of Kurat Vara. But Cris, this trip, you and I fly another way." She glanced over Cris's shoulder, causing him to turn around. There sat a complete and intact Rapna. Even inside the bay, its mirror-like hull was dazzling. Its three small legs supported it above the floor, and the hatch on the top was open. When the hatch was open, small holes open in both sides of the spherical hull to allow the crew to climb in and out. But here, a boarding ladder was pushed up against the side of the ship.

  Atop the craft, a single man stood, hands on his hips, waiting. Tattie and Cris climbed the steps and soon stood on top of the hull looking down into the interior. The man introduced himself. "Captain Salazar, I am Master Pilot Ohek Machtareh. I will give you a quick block of instruction on the characteristics and operation of the Avia Rapna. With the exception of a few captured Rapna in our service, which we color green, these craft are exclusively used by the forces under the control of Caval Du Mal, so should any of his people see you out there, they will assume you are with them. In order that you should fly as they do, the flight instructions I will provide you here are those utilized by all enemy forces. Let us start with communications procedures, it's not enough you look like them, you must also sound like them."

  The instruction went on for over an hour before Cris and Tattie were allowed to climb down into the thing. Just like the crashed one he had looked into on the edge of Gala, it was extremely tight inside the sphere, mechanisms he had no understanding of were everywhere, as well as tubes, pipes, conduit, and bundles of wires. And, like the other Rapna, there were no windows or monitors.

  "How do I tell where I'm going?" Cris asked.

  "Open the console that separates the seats."

  Inside, Cris found two of those helmets that hinged at the top and completely covered the head.

  "This is your mental interface helmet. All aspects of this craft's operation are accomplished in your mind. Inside the helmet, you will be able to see all around you in any direction, all instrumentation and readouts are available to you through this helmet. Do you understand?"

  "Not really, no."

  ○O○

  Tattie picked up her helmet and looked up at Ohek Machtareh. "May I?"

  He nodded.

  "Cris, put your helmet on and watch." Tattie placed the helmet on, and Cris did likewise. "You must think in the order you wish things to occur. For example, if I tell it to fly before I have engaged the engine, it will not fly."

  "Okay, I got that." Cris was still wondering how this worked as, with his head encased in the helmet, he was entirely in the dark.

  "First I power up the craft." As she spoke the words, the Rapna sprang to life and the helmet became active. A great many readouts illuminated all around them.

  Interestingly, Cris could still see Tattie as a sort of translucent cartoon character. Other than the instruments and readouts all around his head, the Rapna seemed to have vanished. He could see the Master Pilot squatting above and behind him, see the bay and the Meerlow as if he were just standing outside.

  Tattie indicated fixed navigation points so that the pilot did not hit the exterior of his ship on objects he might pass near.

  "Now, I'll activate the engine, Cris." As Tattie spoke, Cris felt the machine vibrate, several indicators around his head began to register data about the engines' operation.

  "Now, we will hover just above the floor." It seemed Tattie was issuing orders to the machine, for suddenly, Cris felt buoyancy.

  She set the ship down and shut everything off. The Master Pilot nodded at her as she removed her helmet. "I was told you were a pilot, Tattie Bogle. How is it you know how to fly one of these?" he asked.

  "My teaoh taught me on the ruins of a crashed one near our home when I was a child."

  "I am getting the word from my chief now, so I will take leave of you and wish you both high fortune." With that, the Master Pilot bounded off the machine and rolled the steps away.

  Tattie replaced her helmet, as did Cris. She again powered the ship, but this time, she closed the hatch. She turned on the communications device and spoke to Tarnus and Capek. "We are now ready."

  "About time!" boomed Tarnus's voice.

  "I am now powered up and ready to follow you, my orbrena," replied Capek, which caused Tattie to smile.

  The outer bay doors opened and the sun's light streamed in. It was now mid-morning.

  "Take it," Tattie said to Cris. Now, Cris smiled.

  "Focus your thoughts, Cris," Tattie reminded him.

  Cris activated the engines, and hovered a few centimeters over the deck; he retracted the landing gear and slowly moved forward. As he did, he noted a virtual readout in his peripheral register, this must be a throttle indicator, or perhaps a speedometer.

  As they cleared the bay, Cris felt the ship drop just a little, but quickly recover.

  "That was because you are moving like my mother's mother," Tattie taunted him.

  Cris would not be rushed into a hasty move. He increased his speed marginally and began to maneuver. Left figure eights, then right figure eights. He climbed and dove then cork-screwed up and around the great city of Emer Alda. Once above it, he soared up to an altitude of about two point four kilometers, and set his heading.

  The distance to the dead city was not that far, so they took it slow. It was not known if any of Caval Du Mal's people were near or in the air, so, just as a safety measure, the Meerlow went ahead of them to make it appear as if the Rapna was escorting the little shuttle.

  "Tattie," Cris asked, "how many hours have you logged—I mean how much time have you spent flying one of these?"

  "Oh, I've never flown one before. Tarnus just showed me how."

  "Right." After an uncomfortable moment, Cris asked, "How do we know Caval Du Mal will still be inside his ship? It's been hours, he could have fled on foot."

  "Not Caval Du Mal. His escape pod will have everything he needs to remain comfortable. He will not abandon it for the dangers of the woods. Besides, he is, no doubt, convinced that his people are looking for him."

  Cris looked at, and considered, the various controls available to him. "I see this thing has four rama, are they loaded?"

  "Two are, but they have energy for only twenty-eight plasma projectiles remaining."

  They were closing in on the landing site, the remains of Galdo Heirya were just beyond the horizon. Cris looked down. There was the pond at the base of the rocky hill where he and Tattie had shared a swim.

  "Darling, look down at two o'clock," Cris said.

  "At two o'clock?" Tattie was looking all about, confused.

  "Sorry darling, Earth-speak again. Look right there." He pointed the pond out to her just as the sun's light flashed off its calm waters. Tattie reached over and squeezed his hand.

  Chapter 28

  Requiem for a Videkanica

  Along the side of the north wall of the old city, near the breach in the wall where they had made their exit from that haunted place, sat a gleaming white and gold object, shaped like a fla
ttened ball. Cris could see several large windows along the sides and what appeared to be four to six legs supporting the pod off the ground. It was many times larger than the other escape pods from Caval Du Mal's doomed ship. The exterior was adorned with all manner of decorations, along the lines of something on an old Baroque picture frame. The Meerlow had long since descended into the trees and hidden. Cris and Tattie, however, were about to fly directly over Caval Du Mal's pod.

  Just as they passed over the pod, they were alarmed when a completely unfamiliar voice came over their coms. "Unknown Rapna this is Rapna Stone Razor, identify yourself."

  "Stone Razor we are Rapna Dagger Thrust, we've come to the master's aid," Tattie responded.

  "Dagger Thrust, what is your flight?"

  "Flight blood flow 6-7."

  "Dagger Thrust, orbit at one kronmal from the pod and standby."

  "Tattie, what's he doing?" Cris asked.

  "No doubt, he is checking to ensure blood flow 6-7 has a Rapna called Dagger Thrust assigned to it."

  "Well," Cris said, "does it?"

  "I really have no idea," Tattie said calmly, as she slowly gained altitude.

  As Tattie followed the order to orbit, Cris was watching the enemy Rapna by setting his helmet to view the reverse angle. The enemy pilot suddenly turned toward them, lined up on their six, and poured on the speed.

  "He knows!" Cris shouted, just as six balls of plasma shot past them. "Give me control, Tattie," Cris said, his voice suddenly very calm.

  "It's yours!" Tattie responded.

  "Back home, we call this a dog fight," Cris said, and grinned.

  Cris pushed the repaired Rapna as fast as it would go, but Stone Razor was staying on their tail. He fired two more rounds at them, which Cris expertly evaded. Cris went into a tight, climbing spiral hoping to get his pursuer into a vertical scissors.

  Cris and Stone Razor engaged in a series of barrel rolls each hoping to force the other out front where he could be shot down. Cris was feeling the results of the ship's previous damage, and he knew he lacked the zoom climb necessary for a sustained climb. But he had to break out of this contest quickly.