by Edward Lake
“No, it’s okay. I understand.” She smirked and shook her head.
“What’s so funny?”
She waved a hand at me. “Nothing, Zena.”
“You’re laughing at me, aren’t you?”
Her eyes grew wide, and she blurted out a big laugh. “Okay, now I am. But I wasn’t before.”
I chuckled and shrugged. “I wish you were laughing at me. My brother Declan once told me that sometimes it’s good to laugh at yourself. Because taking yourself too seriously can make you bitter and old.”
She glanced at me, her eyes shifting. “You’re a strange one.”
I smiled. “Perhaps I am.” I fixed my eyes on the fire and stared as we shared a long silence. Finally, I saw visions of Sadie. Her stunning green eyes, that charming smile that she flaunted so naturally. I wanted to be with her and escape the war. Maybe then we would have a chance to build a life together.
Honestly, Sadie turned out to be nothing like I thought she would be. But I was okay with that. I wanted to grow with her and see where our affection for each other took us. I hoped it would lead to a happy ending—a place far away from madness and chaos. I beamed as I pondered what she might say when she woke up. It had only been a short while since she saved my life and disappeared, but it felt like an eternity.
“Ada…I need to know where Jax is keeping Sadie. Can you please tell me?”
She ignored me, her hands over the fire.
“Please. I need to know.”
“Don’t worry, Zena. You will be seeing her soon.”
Suddenly, a call popped up on her communications device. It was Jax. “How’s our famous fighter holding up in the cold?”
“So far she’s managed to keep her teeth. They were chattering so hard it sounded like she had broken them into pieces.”
He chuckled. “Stay warm, Zena. Help is on the way.” He cleared his throat and raised his voice. “Zena? Can you hear me?”
“Yes, Jax. I can hear you.”
“Get some rest. We need to prepare you for the fight.”
I glared at the device, wishing I could pull him out of it and strangle him. “I told you already, I’m not doing it unless you can provide proof that my family is alive and safe.”
“I’ve got the evidence, Zena. I’ll show you when I arrive.”
Part 2
Newfound Family
4
Pastor Saros
How could I let something like this happen? I had been humiliated by Zena Ezra, a vile, disgusting slave woman who somehow wooed my daughter, Sadie. Vengeance was the only thing on my mind. Slow, painful, degrading revenge. I wanted to torture Zena and her family. I wanted to see them cry until their eyes hurt. I wanted to hear them beg for mercy until their voices became raspy and meek.
However, my wife Agnes had other plans. “Killing them would be too easy,” she whispered, lying in bed with me.
We were aboard my grand space station, Station Four, enjoying each other’s warmth. I draped my arm over her and kissed her head. “Tell me what you have in mind.”
She raised her head up and stared at me. “I want to bring them here. The real Declan Ezra. The grandmother and the two younger ones.”
I looked her up and down, puzzled. “Bring them here for what?”
“To use them against Zena.” She turned her head and looked up at me. Even in the dim light, she was just as beautiful as she was when we first met. “That imposter took our daughter. In return, we’re going to take her entire family.”
Her wickedness aroused me. In amazement, I shook my head and bent down low for a kiss. When our lips touched, a strong sensation took over my body. Agnes boosted herself up and pushed me down. She climbed on top of me and swung her long black hair to the side. We made love off and on all night before finally falling into a deep slumber.
Hours later, when the sun rose, we woke and bathed together. After drying ourselves, we dressed and went to the dining hall across from the central command center. Our servants had prepared a nice early dawn meal for us. Tender, chopped-up meats, fresh vegetables and a clear drink that tasted sweet.
Right on schedule, Station Four landed near the main tunnel of the Stadium of Sodus that led to the stage. Since Evander’s betrayal, I had appointed Captain Otto Slate as the new leader of the Holy Guard. So far he was fitting into his new position rather well.
He met us at the ramp of my battle station and escorted us down the tunnel. When I arrived at the podium with Agnes, I smiled and waved to my followers. Nonetheless, unfortunately, ever since my daughter’s shocking downfall, I had noticed a change in the crowd. Some of them cheered and waved back at me, while others looked on with blank stares.
I was appalled by this. God’s teachings are law. No man or woman is above the law, not even my daughter. She had kissed a woman, exposing herself as a disgusting savage. The penalty for her crime was death. Those who opposed me would be imprisoned or enslaved—sent to the North Star for the rest of their days.
I reached out and calmly patted the air in front of me. “Settle down, everyone. Please, let us all settle down, so that we can learn about God’s grace.” When the stadium silenced, I set my hands on the edge of the podium and scanned the crowd. “Actually…I’d like to begin with something different today. You see, I’ve noticed a shift in the air, my people. I look down at some of your faces, and I don’t see the happiness you once showed me.”
I calmly held my hand out to them. “Do you see me as some kind of monster for planning to kill my own daughter? Have you forgotten the laws of God?”
Wisely, no one challenged me. Still, I hoped someone would be brave enough to come forward, so that I could make an example out of them. “Please, Sodus, don’t be afraid! Come forth, and tell me I am wrong! Tell me that you disagree with the laws of our Lord and Savior!”
I stood there and waited, my hand shaking, yearning for someone to come forward. But no one did. Cowards. Anyone who dared defy me or God’s teachings would be slaughtered. Deep down, I believed those who secretly opposed me understood that I was not to be challenged.
In the crowd, I saw a few of their faces—the weak ones who needed to be ruled by fear. I grinned and set my hand on the edge of the podium. “God is good, Sodus. Don’t ever forget that.” I exhaled and looked down at my ancient book. “Abe spoke to God, generations ago, and God told Abe the truth about the galaxy.” I looked up and found a young girl in the front row. Her hair was long and black, and she reminded me of Sadie.
My eyes began to water. There was still a part of me that loved her. But she had lost her way. Zena had brought the devil within her soul to life. I sniffled and wiped my eyes. Curse that woman!
I wondered what she had done to Sadie. My heart bled to punish them. I had foreseen the moment of their deaths so many times. Soon, I prayed, it would finally be done, so Agnes and I could have peace.
Whispers erupted from all around. I paused and waited until the chatter stopped. “I want all of you to think about your place in the galaxy. Think about the blessings God has given you.” I made a tight fist and held it out to the crowd. “Our enemies wish to destroy us. All of us! Now is the time for the Holy Empire to fight back!”
Roaring cheers rocked the stadium, yet there were still several empty stares looking up at me. I felt sorry for those who questioned my preaching. There would be no dissention in my congregation. One by one, every skeptic would be identified and eliminated. It was my duty to protect God’s place in the galaxy. At all cost.
Agnes praised my words and threw her hands up to the sky. I jumped up and down and waved to my congregation. “Let me hear it, Sodus! Let God hear it! Praise our Lord and Savior, shout your love to the ruler of the stars!”
It was one of my most satisfying sermons. It reminded me that no matter the odds, with God on our side, nothing could stop us. Now and forever, the galaxy is ours!
Afterwards, Captain Slate took us back to Station Four. Commander Vault was aboard, waiting for the thre
e of us at the central command center. When we arrived, I entered in haste and went right over to him. “Any updates, Commander?”
Towering over me, he gradually turned and stared at me. “No, My Priest.”
Agnes circled Commander Vault, tracking him with every step. “Let me ask you something, Commander. Do you like breathing? Because if you do, then I would advise you to do your duty and find the spy.”
He ambled to the other side of the room, his hands held behind his back. “Threatening me won’t bring your daughter back. Or win the war.” He spun around and faced her. “I promised you a victory, and that is what I will deliver.”
I paced the room, glaring at him. “Take us to the North Star, Commander. We have plans for the Ezra family.”
Without hesitation, he gave me a bow and turned to the control panel. “As you wish, My Priest.” He quickly plotted a course for the North Star and let the space station do its work. In a flash, we zoomed into interstellar speed and arrived at the horrid planet. Vault landed outside the prison on District Four and opened the space station.
I took my wife’s hand and led her to the door. “Stay here, Commander. We shall return shortly.”
Vault bowed again and stood there like a tall tree in an open field. He seemed more obedient than normal. Perhaps he knew that his time as commander might be coming to an end. Or maybe this was his way of apologizing for his failures. Regardless, if he did not deliver the spy to me soon, I planned to do much more than take his position.
At the main docking station, Captain Slate led us down the open ramp. I had not been to the North Star in years. When the hot sun hit my arms, I finally recalled how dry and uncomfortable the wretched planet was.
By the time we got to the thirsty soil, Agnes had already begun to sweat on her brow. After a few more steps towards the prison, we were all sweating. I wiped my hand across my forehead and flicked the perspiration to the ground. Inside the prison wasn’t any better. I looked around at all the patrolling soldiers and wondered how they survived the heat in those bulky suits.
The walls were filthy and soiled, and right away, an awful smell attacked my nose. From end to end, echoes of slaves coughing and wheezing filled the air. Soon, the heat, stench and sight of it all became unbearable. I bent low and covered my nose and mouth.
Agnes reached out and rubbed my back. “Come on, Linus. Keep it together. The sooner we find the Ezra family, the sooner we can leave.”
I shook my head. “No! I need a mask!” I stood up and shoved Captain Slate. “Give me your mask, Captain.”
He promptly fumbled with his armor and yanked out a small handheld gasmask. He handed it to me, and I snatched it from him.
I jammed the mask over my face and slowly calmed. With my free hand, I pointed at the other Holy Guard members. “My wife needs a mask, too.”
Agnes waved off my request. “I’m fine.”
I shrugged and took her hand. Step by step, we walked down the long hallway and found the nearest patrolling soldier. “You there.”
The man left his post and hurried over to me. He squinted his eyes and realized who I was. “Pastor Saros?” He bowed his head, then looked up and widened his eyes. “My Priest, what brings you to the North Star?”
“The Ezra family. Take us to them. Now.”
“Yes, sir.” He spun around and marched down the tunnel. Using his communications device, he typed in the name Ezra and found their location. “They should be just a few cells down.” He slowed his pace, then stopped and turned to the cell on our left side. “Right here.”
I let go of Agnes and slowly sauntered to the bars of the cell. My chest pounded faster and faster as I scanned every inch of the blackness they lived in. I saw an older woman, sleeping in the corner with two small children nestled under her arms. In the center of the cage, I saw Zena’s brother, the real Declan Ezra.
“Open the door.”
The soldier used his device to unlock the door. I pointed at the grimy, rusted bars of the cell, which gave him the signal to open the door. The man opened the door and stepped aside, giving me a clear path to Zena’s weakness.
I glanced at Agnes to read her reaction. She looked on with a furious stare, neatly holding her hands over her chest. I hoped she was praying for me, because when I looked back at Declan, I wanted to kill him. I wanted to kill Zena’s entire family. She had taken Sadie from us, our only child. But that would have been too easy. They needed to suffer. So that Zena could suffer.
I stepped forward and knelt beside Declan as he slept. My hands shaking, I reached out and grabbed his shirt.
He woke in a hurry and widened his eyes. “Who are you?” He coughed and leaned his head back. “What’s going on?”
“Surely you’ve seen me before, Zena.” I roughly pulled him close to me. “Or should I call you…Declan?” The endless possibilities of what I could do to him ran through my mind. The pain. The torture. But most importantly, the anger and sadness it would cause Zena. The tears she would cry. The screams she would shout. I stayed there for a moment, staring at him, my face trembling.
The old woman and children woke and shuddered at the sight of me strong-arming Declan. “Who are you? What is the meaning of this?” the woman cried.
I glared at her, sickened by their existence. “I am Pastor Saros, High Priest of Starlight.” I let go of Declan and slowly rose to my feet. “The four of you are coming with us.”
Captain Slate and his troops secured the Ezra family in chains and dragged them to Station Four. They took them down to the lower levels and locked them away in one of my chambers.
Agnes and I headed to the dining hall to enjoy the midday meal our servants had prepared. The small, cozy table we sat at had a polished, golden tint. The chairs matched, too, as did our plates, cups and utensils.
I sliced into my roasted meat and took a bite. It was tender, sweet and salty. I smacked my lips and went to the sauce-covered vegetables. I ate them in a hurry, then let out a soft belch. “What shall we do first, dear? Lash their backs? Ten lashes for the adults. Five for the children?”
Unlike me, Agnes was a slow eater. So far she had only eaten a few vegetables and a tiny sliver of meat. “You know, Linus, I’ve been thinking. If we really want Zena to suffer and feel the same pain we do, there is only one way to do so.”
I narrowed my eyes. “And what would that be?”
Agnes leaned forward, her eyes connected to mine. “Turn them against her.”
Turn them against her? I nodded. “Tell me more.”
She leaned back and patted her lips with a silky napkin. “Zena turned Sadie against us. She played with her emotions, which fueled the devil within her soul. That is why Sadie became a savage.” Her eyes misted over. “That is why she betrayed God.” Agnes wiped her eyes and breathed out a long sigh. “I want one of the Ezras to betray Zena. Maybe it will be her older brother? Or perhaps the younger sister?”
I had not been this attracted to Agnes in years. It was like being young all over again, when we first met. Sneaking out of the academy to travel the stars with our friends, not worrying about how much trouble we would be in when we returned to Sodus. “Yes, that is what we will do.” I quickly finished the rest of my food and stood up. “Let’s get them cleaned up, show them what wealth feels like.”
Agnes beamed and stood up. “Excellent idea. I’ll take the old lady and the young girl. You tend to Declan and the boy.”
Right away, we left for separate quarters of the battle station. I ordered Declan and the younger brother to be brought to me. Inside one of our large, vacant guest rooms, I waited for them, sipping a tall glass of brew. It was a sweet drink that burned a little when I sipped it down.
Finally, once they arrived, I put the glass down and walked to the entryway. “Declan, welcome.” I clasped my hands and looked down at the young one. “And what is your name?”
“Turk.”
He was a handsome boy who looked a lot like his older brother. Four, maybe five years
old.
Declan nudged him. “Don’t talk to this man. He plans to use us to get to Zena.”
The boy seemed confused, scratching his head, his face upset. “But you and Grandma said Zena left to save you.”
“She did save me. She saved me from the war. Don’t let Saros trick you.”
The boy stomped his foot and folded his arms. “No! Zena should not have left us. This is her fault!”
“That’s enough, Turk! Grandma and I have explained this to you already.”
“I don’t care! I never wanted Zena to leave us.” His face sank into a weepy mess. “I wanted us to stay together.”
Declan huffed and shook his head. “I know. I wish we all could have stayed together, too. But it’s okay. We can make things right.”
It was interesting to hear the young lad talk this way about his older sister. I made a mental note of the boy’s anger as I stepped closer and looked into Declan’s eyes. “You’re wrong about me. This isn’t about tricks or games. I brought you here to ask for your forgiveness.” I crossed my arms and paced the room. “I know you probably hate me. But that’s okay. You come from darkness—you don’t know any better.” I stopped and stared at him. “My servants are going to get you two cleaned up.” I pointed to the bathing room on the far left side, with two maids standing by the door.
Surprisingly, Declan did not resist or give the boy any ridiculous instructions. Together, in chains, they wobbled to the bathing room and went inside with the maids.
I took a seat in the lounge chair located near the transparent screen that projected from the ceiling. “Commander Vault! Come in, Commander!”
The screen came alive and buzzed like a laser zipping through the air. Within seconds, Commander Vault came into view. He was in the central command center, monitoring a region of Sodus. He turned around so that I could see his face. “Yes, Pastor Saros.”
