by Donald Swan
The Captain knelt down to check Arya’s injuries. His brow furrowed deeply when he noticed a small mark on the back of her neck, barely visible under her hairline. His movements almost frantic, he brushed her hair aside, revealing a dark green triangular mark on her neck amidst the lighter splotches that covered her skin.
“It can’t be!” Argos exclaimed in disbelief. “It’s not possible!” Argos stared down at the unconscious Arya, his jaw tense, his eyes blazing.
Karg gasped and jerked back at the sight of the mark on her neck.
Nick didn’t like the sound of things. Worried that something was horribly wrong with Arya, he struggled to see around the Captain. “What? What is it?” His gaze darted from Karg to the Captain. “What’s wrong with her? Will she be alright?”
Argos picked up the med-scanner he had brought with him from the bridge and held it near a wound on Arya’s forearm. The display on the device began listing her genetic traits.
Species: Arisian.
Gender: Female.
Eyes: Green.
Height: Average.
Third Continent Ancestry.
Strong Frontal Lobe Development Expected.
Skin Pattern: A-1.
No Apparent Defects.
His brow furrowed, Argos quickly punched a few parameters into the device’s on-screen keyboard, and it responded by displaying a rectangular green box with the words Genetic Match Verified. Argos almost dropped the scanner as his arm fell limp. “It’s true then. My God! It’s true!”
A faint sigh from Arya refocused everyone’s attention.
Arya slowly moved her head and then opened her eyes, immediately squinting from the harsh glare of the bright overhead lights. She frowned as she peered up through her half open eyelids at everyone leaning over her. “Why is everyone looking at me like that?”
“Are you alright?” the Captain asked in a softer tone than normal.
“Yeah, I’m fine. What’s going on?” she asked as they stared down at her. When no one answered right away, she became testy. “What the frek is wrong with everyone? I said I’m fine.”
Nick still had no idea what all the commotion was about. Was she going to be okay or not?
The Captain lowered his head slightly, his eyes still wide with astonishment. “Arya? Queen Arya Nuraku of Aris?”
Nick looked over at the Captain and back down at Arya again. What the hell was going on? Had everyone lost their mind? Nick shook his head. “Hold on a minute. What do you mean, Queen?” he asked, perplexed.
The look on Arya’s face revealed the answer.
The Captain and Karg got down on their knees and bowed their heads.
Karg glanced over at Nick then reached over and pushed his one upright knee down to the ground. “That’s the lost Queen of the Arisian Empire,” he whispered, motioning for Nick to bow his head along with them.
Nick took a look at the two of them bowing in respect and fumbled to assume their posture. He snuck a quick peek at Arya, his mind racing to figure out what all this meant.
Without lifting his gaze from the ground, Captain Argos addressed the newly discovered Queen Arya. “We are your humble servants, your Highness. My ship is at your command.”
Arya sighed. “Frek.” She shook her head, apparently displeased that her true identity had been uncovered. With another sigh, she looked back up at the Captain kneeling before her. “Thank you, Captain. But how did you know?” she asked with a baffled look.
Argos replied respectfully. “The Royal Mark, Your Highness.”
Nick mouthed the words silently to himself as he knelt there. Royal Mark? He peeked over at Karg, who was staring hard at the floor in front of him, looking petrified.
Arya rolled her eyes. “I feared the mark would give me away one day.”
Suddenly, the room became uncomfortably silent. The awkwardness had Nick, and everyone else, speechless. Seconds ticked by like hours until the Captain finally spoke.
“Your Highness, please allow me to escort you to medical,” Argos humbly requested.
As Arya began to stand, Argos reached out to help her up. “I’m quite capable of making it there on my own, Captain. Besides you have a ship to command.”
“Yes, but your safety comes first, Your Highness.”
Conceding, Arya stood up tall and straight, her royal upbringing now clearly apparent in her graceful, stately posture. She looked at the three males standing before her. “This cannot leave this room. Do you all understand? No one else must know. You will continue to only refer to me as Arya.”
They all stared at Arya. Nick’s mouth quivered with a question, but he managed to stifle it.
Argos nodded with respect. “Yes, Your…I mean, yes, Arya. We understand.” The Captain peered over at Karg and Nick with his commanding look. “Right?”
“Absolutely, Sir,” Karg answered. His eyes were wide and filled with wonder, like a boy who had just found out his mother was really a superhero.
Nick also agreed. “Yes, Sir. Not a word, Sir.”
Argos offered his arm so Arya could steady herself as he escorted her out of the bay. Nick and Karg watched as they left. Argos looked almost stately as he walked, like he was at a Royal Ball or something. Nick cocked his head in wonder and then glanced over at Karg, who was now on his feet again.
Karg’s eyes flared as they met Nick’s. “I’m so freked,” he said.
Nick scrunched his eyes as he assessed Karg’s demeanor. The poor guy looked like he’d just been caught with his hand in the cookie jar.
“The things I have said in front of her…to her. I’m doomed.” Karg shook his head in distress. “I’m just doomed.”
Nick himself was still stunned by the fact that Arya was actually some lost Queen. He could only imagine what Karg was feeling. Still, it was difficult to find words that would make Karg feel better. “Uh, I’m sure it’ll be fine. It’s still Arya, right? What is the Royal Mark, anyway? Are you talking about that spot on her neck?”
“The Royal Mark is hereditary. Only the Royal Family bears the mark.”
Nick puzzled over the latest events. “I don’t understand. If she’s a Queen, how did she keep it a secret? And for that matter, why would she?”
Karg walked over to a small metal crate positioned off to the side of the hangar bay and sat down. The crate creaked and groaned under his massive weight. “She has good reason to keep it a secret. The way I understand it, when the Mok’tu invaded Aris, their Queen was killed. Naturally, the power then fell to the next in line for the throne, Princess Arya, but she was missing in the chaos that ensued. Many people continued to hold out hope that she was still alive somewhere, but no signs of her survival ever surfaced. Eventually, everyone assumed she had died in the attack, along with Queen Amorosa. If the Mok’tu knew she was still alive, they would hunt her down. They would want to make an example of her to keep the Arisian people broken and without hope. Not that there is a lot of hope for the survivors these days. I suppose there’s not much of an Empire left for her to rule over anymore. Millions dead, and her planet enslaved and all.”
“But how did she end up here?” Nick wanted to know.
“We picked up her life pod several sectors away from Aris, near the small moon of a barren planet. She said she was a refugee that tried to escape the war on a freighter. We never had any idea who she really was. She gave us no indication of her true identity. Since then she has been a huge help in organizing the Resistance. Who would have guessed she was the Queen?” Karg shook his mighty head as he stared at the floor in thought. “I should have seen it in her gracefulness. Even for an Arisian she had an unusual elegance about her. How could I have been so blind?”
“Wait a minute. Why didn’t anyone recognize her? Somebody should’ve known she was the Queen.”
“The heirs to the throne are not allowed to be seen in public. It would be…disrespectful. They stay sequestered in the Royal Palace until they take the throne,” Karg explained. He gave Nick a long look the
n said, “Sometimes I forget that you are not from around here.”
If Nick wasn’t so curious about Arya and this new Queen business, he would have taken Karg’s last remark as a compliment. But he had too many questions now to even think about how quickly Karg had integrated him into their team. Arya hadn’t said much about her people. In fact, she seemed to avoid the subject most of the time. Nick had assumed it was just too painful for her to discuss, and left it at that. But now…now he knew better.
“What else do you know about the Arisians?” he asked Karg.
“Only that the Arisians and their Queen are highly regarded, even among my people. They are known for their great wisdom and compassion. I’ve never actually been to their home planet, but I hear it’s beautiful.” Karg paused, looking off into thin air as if dreaming of the Aris he had heard so much about. After a moment, he glanced back at Nick. “The Arisians were the ones that saved many of my people before the Mok’tu arrived. I was aboard one of the last Arisian freighters to escape. They could have just run, but instead they stayed to help us.”
“They sound like a wonderful people. I hope we both get to see Aris someday.”
Karg seemed willing to talk as long as Nick was willing to listen. And Nick was definitely willing to listen. The two talked until late in the evening, Nick learning everything he could about the Arisians and also Karg’s world, before finally heading back to his quarters for some much needed rest. But Nick was doubtful he would get much sleep after the events of the day. Too much was happening too fast. His brain couldn’t keep up. He’d seen more action in his short time in space than his entire lifetime on earth. It seemed weird now. Earth seemed so far away, so long ago. He’d adapted so quickly to this environment. It was amazing really. He longed to know more about these alien races, was determined to help, but still longed to be home in his comfortable bed, daydreaming about what it would be like to travel into deep space, to discover what lay beyond.
“And now I know,” he muttered as he settled into his bunk. “Sort of.”
He laughed out loud, just a short laugh. Discovering all these wonders for the first time really sucked considering he’d been plopped down in the middle of a war zone. He wished he had more time to learn the good things and less time spent trying to save his carcass and everyone else in the known sector.
“Fate is a funny thing,” he mused. He pulled out his lucky coin and rubbed it between his fingers. “Which side will you fall on tomorrow?”
Nick fiddled with his notebook. He wasn’t sure whether his daily entries would ever be of any use, but he kept on writing them anyway. It seemed to ease his anxiety a bit.
‘Days have passed with few signs of life. The Captain continues to push farther into Demented Space. The new Arisian crewmember has gained strength but is struggling to fit in. I’m sure it will take him some time to overcome what he’s been through. At least the downtime has given Arya a chance to study the energy device we retrieved from the planet. When she isn’t busy helping with the module repairs.
It has been difficult for me to overcome the technical challenges that face me here. The electronics of this world are so different that I have to map out the schematics of each individual integrated circuit chip from memory. Needless to say, progress is slow.’
Nick finished his entry and flipped his notebook closed. Things sure hadn’t been easy for him since his arrival. Having to recreate the module’s circuits using alien technology, and all from memory, was frustrating at best. It was time for a break.
He set the notebook down on the table, gulped down the last of his gorban juice, and headed out to find Arya. A few minutes later he found her right where he expected her to be: in the lab.
“Hey, Arya, how’s it going with the crystal thing?” Nick asked as he entered the room.
Arya scrunched her nose, lost in concentration. “Huh? Oh, it’s frustrating. My scans don’t seem to penetrate it. The energy signature is unlike anything we have on record. At times it almost reads like a life form, but then….” Arya sighed and sat back in her chair. “I really don’t know any more about it than I did back on the planet. I can’t even tell you what the freking thing does.”
“How ‘bout taking a break?”
“Sure. I could use one. I have to stop by the bridge to give the Captain an update, anyway. Want to come along?” Arya turned off the scanner as she stood up and headed to the door.
“Yeah, fine. Argos wants a report on my progress with the module, so I might as well tag along.” Nick hustled to catch up to Arya. She walked so darn fast. Sometimes it made him feel like a child, always lagging behind her. “By the way, how’s the new kid?”
Arya cocked her head and shrugged her shoulders as she walked. “He’s okay I guess. Just been through a lot. It will take him awhile, but I have a feeling he’ll fit in fine with the Resistance. It’s been a home to many of us refugees. How about you? How are you doing?” Arya glanced his way as they stepped into the lift tube.
“Me? Oh, I’m thankful to be a part the Resistance. These monsters need to be stopped.” Nick glazed over for a moment as he considered his role in the Resistance.
“But…you miss your home.” Arya frowned. She recognized the homesick look in his eyes.
“Yeah, a bit. It’s the little things. Like, I’d give anything for a soda right about now.”
“What’s a so―”
The doors of the transport tube opened onto the bridge, and they stepped out into a conversation between the Captain and an unfamiliar figure on the vid-link. Nick rubbed his closed eyes then opened them again to make sure he was seeing properly. Yep, the figure on the screen looked like…a…talking…toad. “I’m not in Kansas anymore,” he muttered under his breath.
“You may have a problem, Captain,” the odd amphibian-like creature said.
“What kind of problem?” Argos asked.
“I can’t tell you over the link. I am en route to you now. I will tell you everything when I get there. And Captain, I need you to have the entire crew meet me in the hangar bay. It’s important for everyone to be there. I wouldn’t ask if there were any other way.”
The Captain paused as his brain processed the odd request. “Of course, Admiral Onaka. We’ll be awaiting your arrival.”
“Good. Admiral Onaka out.”
As the vid screen went blank, Argos turned and noticed the two standing there.
“What was all that about, Sir? The Admiral is coming here?” Arya inquired.
“Yes, you heard him correctly. He’s headed here and he wants the entire crew present in the bay when he arrives.”
“What’s so important that he would risk coming here?” Arya persisted. “This is outside of protocol. Something must be really wrong.”
“I wish I knew,” Argos answered. “Round up the crew, he’ll be here shortly.”
“Even Arnon, Sir?”
“Yes. Everyone.” Argos seemed tense and worried as he turned and walked through the door into his ready room.
“Yes, Sir.”
Arya turned to Nick as the door of the ready room slid closed. “I guess we better get to work.”
She walked over to a console and made an announcement to the crew. “Attention all crewmembers, you are ordered to assemble in Bay One in thirteen point six minutes.” She repeated the message and then motioned for Nick to follow her to the transport tube.
Minutes later, they stood among the chattering crew as they gathered in the bay. Everyone was wondering why the entire crew had been ordered together. Nick overheard at least a dozen different speculative scenarios as he stood next to Arya.
The cacophony was suddenly interrupted by a voice ringing out a command. “Captain on deck!”
Everyone immediately stopped talking and stood at attention.
Captain Argos walked out in front of the group. “You have been gathered here at the request of Admiral Onaka.”
Murmurs of surprise rippled through the group. Argos paused to determine wh
ere the voices had come from.
“You will keep your comments to yourself. Is that understood?”
“Yes, Sir!” erupted from the crowd.
The hangar door slid open, revealing a sleek gunship en route to the bay. The crew nervously awaited the Admiral’s arrival. Their apprehension had Nick on edge. Whatever was going on, it had to be big. Bigger than anything he’d already been through. And that scared the hell out of him.
Nick studied the formidable gunship as it moved through the force field and settled down on the floor of the hangar. The ship was downright amazing, a sight to behold, so technologically advanced that it left a lump in Nick’s throat. Back home, people would crap if they saw something like that landing on earth. A hiss emanated from the ship, signaling that a seal had been opened. The crew responded by standing even straighter. One minute later, Admiral Onaka emerged from the ship and stepped down to the deck. Onaka was stout and had a slight defect in his gait that suggested he’d been wounded in battle. His gaze was stern, his demeanor serious, and his commanding presence raised the tension in the room to an almost palpable level.
Argos immediately saluted his superior, standing even more erect than usual. He waited for Onaka to respond to the salute before he relaxed his raised arm. “Welcome aboard, Admiral.”
“Thank you, Captain.” Onaka gave him a curt nod then turned his attention to the assembled crew. “You are all no doubt wondering why I am here, so without the usual rhetoric, I will get right to the point.” He eyed the crew with severity. “We have reason to believe that you have a spy on board,” the Admiral announced in a deep, powerful voice.
Following the Admiral’s remark, whispers echoed through the bay. The crewmembers began to glance around the room, studying one another in confusion. A few let out a low laugh, mumbling that there were no spies on board this ship. With a hard look from the Captain, the room fell silent again.
Admiral Onaka stepped forward to address the crew. His round, short physique was plump and every bit as frog-like as he’d appeared on screen. He faced the troops with his hands clasped behind his back, total ease and confidence oozing from him. His large amphibian eyes sized up the crew for a few moments before he began. He seemed in no hurry to speak. He was obviously accustomed to being in front of a crowd and giving orders. When he finally did speak, his words came slowly and deliberately. “We have recently learned of a new plot by the Dragorans to plant a spy in the Resistance.” His deep voice boomed through the bay. “The brilliance of their sinister plan is that the spy doesn’t even know they are a spy. To accomplish this, the Dragorans capture a subject and replace their normal nanites with specially developed ones. Then they wipe all memory of the abduction from the victim and release them back to the location from which they were captured. The subject wakes up unaware they were ever abducted. Usually the Dragorans prey on the drunk or battle-injured, the weaker of us, to gain their foothold. The victims are never aware they’ve been captured, and even if they notice a lapse in time, they simply think they blacked out or dozed off and are none the wiser. The spy nanites, as we call them, then sit in the victim’s brain, listening and capturing information. Waiting. The compromised person can go to sleep at night and wake up in the morning totally unaware anything is wrong. Yet, while they sleep, their body is free to roam about under the direction of the nanites in their brain, committing treason, sabotage, even murder. These nanites are programmed for self preservation. If the host is threatened, the nanites take control, cutting the host’s conscious brain off from the body. The host is then trapped inside their own brain, unable to do anything but watch as the artificial nanite intelligence takes over. Someone compromised in this way is extremely dangerous. Remember, the person won’t even know they have been compromised and therefore could be anyone.”
