Transmission Lost

by Stefan Mazzara

  The chief weapons officer on duty moved to carry out his orders. -It's not in optimum range yet, Admiral, but our weapons are locked on its approach vector. Opening a channel now. You can speak whenever you're ready, sir.-

  Te'rou cleared his throat. -Unidentified patrol ship, this is Admiral Te'rou on board the Krisa'la. Identify yourself and state your intentions or you will be fired upon. You have five seconds to respond.-

  Three seconds passed before the response came over the channel. -Admiral, this is the...ah...actually, I'm not sure of the name of this ship,- a female voice stated. -Please do not fire. My weapons are offline and I have no intention of powering them on. My shields are up because I was half sure you were going to fire on me as soon as I arrived. This is Lieutenant Aria Me'lia, and I would appreciate being given safe passage down to the planet's surface.-

  His eyes widening, Te'rou exchanged a surprised glance with Admiral Grelen before muting the channel. -Sergeant!- he barked down to the crew deck. A head turned at his shout. -Lock a tractor beam on that ship immediately, and bring it into our main hangar bay. Have a squad ready to greet it when it arrives.- Without waiting for the acknowledgment of his order he unmuted the channel. -Lieutenant Me'lia, you have a lot of explaining to do. For one thing, I'd like to know where you've been for the last week and why you've decided to come back.-

  -I understand, Admiral. With all due respect, I'd like to save that until I can speak with the Empress.-

  Te'rou resisted the urge to let out a laugh. -And just what makes you think the Empress will see you?-

  -She'll want to hear this, and I want to deliver it personally. I have information regarding who is behind the rebellion.- There was a pause, and then Aria's voice came back, sounding subdued. -I...I know this is an improper request, Admiral, but please. I need to do it this way. You'll understand later.-

  Te'rou leaned back from the railing, clasping his hands behind his back. His mind was still trying to catch up with this unexpected development, but there was something in the lieutenant's voice that grabbed him. The emotion sounded genuine. Coming to a decision, he looked over his shoulder at Admiral Grelen.

  -Admiral, send a message down to the planet informing Her Majesty of the situation. Request a meeting with her. At her convenience, but please express the urgency of the matter.- Ignoring the shock on Admiral Grelen's face, he turned back to the viewscreen. -Very well, Lieutenant. I hope you know what you are doing. Power down your engines and prepare to be brought into the hangar. You're going to be placed into custody and I expect you not to make any trouble for us, is that clear?-

  -Very clear, Admiral. And thank you. It's good to be home.-

  ******

  Hours later, Empress Kri'a Solan leaned back in her chair in her palace meeting room, trying to absorb everything that she had just been told. The assorted military officers and counselors sitting around the conference table, including Admiral Te'rou, were in the same state of shock that she was. Though the ceiling-high windows in the room were letting in the bright, hot Lirnan sun, the mood was dark. After hearing everything that Aria had just recounted to them, none of them knew quite what to think. While they had already known that all of the Outer Colony fleets were arrayed against them, none of them could have thought that the Pteryd, their ancient enemies, would be allied with the rebels. Knowing that some humans had chosen to join them was something of a shock as well. Most of all, they were shocked to learn that Ara'lana Me'lia was still alive after three years of her death being common knowledge. None of them could have anticipated just how dire the situation was, when it had already seemed so bad.

  -Is there anything else, Lieutenant?- Kri'a asked, just to have something to say. She was still reeling from everything that had been thrown at her.

  Aria shook her head. She was flanked by armed guards, there to protect the Empress from one who was still, technically, under charges of being a traitor. -No, m'lady. I think that's everything. I managed to steal the ship I returned in, and I spent the last three days traveling back to Lirna. I knew I had to get this information back to you as quickly as possible.-

  With a loud growl, the Empress stood up from her chair, turning away and walking to the window. She looked out in silence, gazing down at the palace gardens. Her eyes drifted up, looking past the palace grounds to the city of Hayikwiir, with its tall metal buildings shimmering in the desert heat. The view from the palace was spectacular, as always, but her heart was little comforted by the beauty of her home. She felt angry, betrayed, and above all terrified at the disaster that she was facing. Now she knew what the Empresses of centuries ago had dealt with, when the first civil war had struck the Ascendancy. This was worse, though, because back then they had not had to face the combined forces of three races.

  -I always knew there was a reason I disliked Ara'lana,- Kri'a finally said. -My mother warned me about her before she died, even though she considered her to be a loyal servant. But to think she could be capable of such treason...I never would have seen this coming.- She turned back to Aria, managing to offer the hint of a smile. -Lieutenant, you did well to bring this information to me. And I'm sure that the ship you brought with you will offer even more information.-

  -I was only doing my duty, Your Majesty,- Aria said, inclining her head and staring at the tabletop. -Anyone here would have done the same.-

  -I'm sure,- the Empress said, looking among the other Ailians in the room. She gazed intently back at Aria. -You could have joined your mother and fought for your heritage. You know that returning here means your trial must continue. You are still under charges of treason, Lieutenant. And even knowing this, you have still decided to come home. With the ship you stole, you could have gone anywhere. I must admit I am curious, so I must ask: Why did you return?-

  Jerking her head up, Aria looked at the Empress in surprise. -What else could I do?- The lieutenant straightened up in her chair, her eyes filled with a fierce pride. -When I graduated from officer training and took my commission, I swore an oath to serve you and the Ascendancy until my dying day. My honor demands that I do no less. What my mother has decided to do does not change that. I loved my mother, m'lady, but I love my people more.-

  Nodding slowly, the Empress returned to her seat. Her smile had grown while Aria was talking. -I can see now that I was very right to put my faith in you, Aria,- she said. -I could ask no more of a loyal soldier of the Ascendancy. You have proven yourself most admirably.- She turned her head slightly. -Would you agree, Admiral?-

  Admiral Te'rou stirred in his seat. He glanced at the Empress, and then looked at Aria with a grudging sort of respect. -I suppose...-

  -Then I believe that settles at least one matter.- The Empress waved a hand to the guards flanking Aria. -You may go. You are no longer needed here.- The guards bowed to her and exited the room. -Lieutenant. Stand, please.-

  Not sure exactly what was going on, Aria stood up from her chair. She looked around the room at the admirals and councilors, seeing a mixture of emotions on their faces. A number of them had much the same expressions of pride that the Empress wore, while some of them refused to meet her gaze. She looked at each of them in turn, and then she looked back to Kri'a. For the first time since coming back to Lirna, Aria felt ashamed of the state of her uniform. She still wore the same clothes she had been wearing when Major Tal'in had abducted her from her trial, and they were dirty, stained with Pteryd blood, and torn in spots. Aria wished that someone had thought to bring her a change of clothes before coming to see the Empress.

  -Lieutenant Me'lia,- the Empress said, pulling Aria away from her thoughts. -You have demonstrated loyalty and bravery above and beyond what can be expected of an officer of the Ascendancy Navy. Your courage serves as an example of what an honorable Ailian should strive to be. In accordance with this, and in recognition of what you have risked to bring us this information, it pleases us greatly to dismiss all charges against you.- Kri'a beamed at her. -You are a free woman, Aria.-

  For a moment
Aria wasn't sure that she had heard the Empress correctly. As the meaning of her words started to dawn on her, she felt her knees go weak, and she sank back into her chair. She tried to find her voice to say something, anything, but the feeling in her chest was keeping her from getting any words out. Aria was ashamed to discover that she was crying, and she covered her face with her hands. She felt like two months of pure stress had been lifted away from her in an instant, and now that it was gone she couldn't fathom how she had managed to survive. Was this what it was like to feel whole again?

  -Furthermore,- Kri'a continued, glancing sidelong at Admiral Te'rou, who was looking rather sour at the moment, -in my capacity as supreme commander over the military forces of the Ascendancy, I hereby reinstate you to active status and promote you to the rank of captain. Congratulations, Captain Me'lia.-

  Moving her shaking hands underneath the tabletop where nobody else could see them, Aria looked up at her Empress. She knew that she should get back to her feet, but she didn't trust her legs enough right now to keep her upright. -Thank you, m'lady. I...I don't know what to say. You have given me my honor back...-

  -You never lost it, Aria,- the Empress said. -I only hope that you can forgive me for allowing your ordeal to go on as long as it did. If I could have had a reason to dismiss the charges earlier, I would have. You have earned your freedom, Captain, most impressively.- She lowered her head in a brief bow of her own to Aria. -And now, I believe you have a family who will be delighted to see you again. I am sure you are most eager to see Jack.-

  Aria nodded once, feeling her heart leap. -Yes, Your Majesty. I am.- She paid no attention to the way that Admiral Te'rou bristled at that admission. The Empress had declared that she had committed no crime. Whatever anyone thought of her and Jack now was immaterial.

  -I imagined so,- Kri'a said, a little chuckle to her voice. -And now that you can be a bit...more free, it might be nice for him to experience more of what our world has to offer beyond your family home. Just a suggestion. I believe he has earned it considering everything he has had to endure.-

  -Yes, m'lady.-

  -And now, if you have no more information for us, I will have someone conduct you to your home. I am sure a week's leave to spend with your loved ones is the least you are owed by now. I have a new assignment in mind for you that I believe you will enjoy, but that can wait for a short time. You are dismissed, Captain.-

  ******

  Early afternoon was usually a quiet time in the Me'lia household. For Jack, he had taken to spending the afternoons with Sami. She had recently taken up her hobby of painting again, having lost her taste for it while Aria had been home and had been preparing for her trial. Jack had been the one to suggest she give it a try again and she was finding that it was doing wonders for her mental health. She hadn't painted much of anything special, but just having the brush in her hand again was enough. The young Ailian was remembering all of the old techniques. The time she spent painting was also a wonderful opportunity for her to continue her English lessons with Jack, and for Jack to continue working on his rudimentary understanding of the Ailian language.

  Currently, Jack and Sami were in a room on the second tier building of the estate, one set aside as a sort of painting studio for her. While Sami was brushing away at a canvas, Jack had a book printed in Ailian, doing his best to muddle through the difficult alien script. He looked up from the book, feeling like his eyes were slightly crossed, and addressed Sami.

  “What are you painting today?” he asked her.

  Sami kept her eyes glued to the canvas, as the tip of her tail twitched slightly in concentration. “Flowers,” she mumbled. “From garden outside.”

  “You're painting from memory then?” Sami nodded in response, and Jack got up to have a look over her shoulder. “Impressive. I never had any talent for drawing, not that I really tried all that much. But it seems like painting from memory would be difficult.”

  “Not so hard,” Sami said, looking away from the art for a moment to smile at him. “Just need practice. Easy.”

  Jack snorted, going back to his chair and opening the book again. “If you say so. Now, reading in Ailian, that's hard. How you make sense of these squiggly lines, I'll never know. I can still only get a few words here and there. At this rate, I'll be fluent in speaking the language before I can ever read a full sentence.”

  “Really. Human words much harder. Aria show human book once. Strange.” She made a face. “Blocky letters. Small. Strange.” They both had a laugh at that.

  A knock came at the door, interrupting their conversation. The door opened and one of the family servants came in, bowing to Sami when she was inside. “Lak ma sami, meri a're relen sa tek'shme.” The servant waved a hand towards the door.

  “A're?” Sami asked, looking quizzical. “Sure me le'ri tekra?”

  “Da'la're,” the servant said, shaking her head. “Dak ze'la tere me son ke ra'nale de'a'kreme. Sa'resh rea'l mote delan.”

  “Ah...Sute. Me'e re ke son.” The servant left, and Sami looked to Jack. “Need me at main house. Not sure why. I come back when done.”

  Jack got up from his chair again, stretching his back and feeling joints pop. “Don't bother. I'll come too. I've been sitting down all afternoon, I could use a chance to stretch my legs.”

  “Alright,” Sami said. She laid her brush and paints down, standing as well. “Come, then.”

  They both walked out of the room, leaving the building and making their way through the garden to the back door of the main house. When they got in, they could immediately hear a commotion coming from the front entrance hall. For some reason, Jack felt his heart rate increase. He had the feeling that something very important was afoot, though he had no idea what it might be. Sami seemed to have the same feeling, because she increased her pace, making it difficult for Jack to keep up as they moved towards the front of the building. When they came in to the entrance hall, they saw all of the Me'lia siblings, and their father as well, gathered in a group around someone. Standing to either side of the front door were two Ailian soldiers, watching the spectacle impassively.

  “A-...A're kere son le...,” Sami said, covering her mouth with one hand as she realized what was going on. She rushed to join her family, but Jack was two steps ahead of her, pushing his way into the group with all the strength he could manage.

  When he got to the center of it all, he found himself grabbed up by two arms and pulled into a fierce embrace as he heard a familiar growling purr. He hugged back just as tightly, feeling a wave of relief as the top of his head was nuzzled tenderly. “Aria, you made it back!” he exclaimed, his voice muffled as his face was pulled against her chest. “Where the hell have you been?”

  “Long story,” Aria purred. She put a hand underneath his chin, lifting his face up and looking at him with shining golden eyes. “I tell later, yes?” The Ailian touched her lips to his, kissing him. “So good see you again. I miss you, se le ch'aa ara.”

  “This definitely feels like a dream,” Jack agreed, grinning from ear to ear. He kissed her back. “Welcome home, Lieutenant Me'lia.”

  “Captain,” Aria corrected him, beaming. “Ah, remind me...” She looked over her shoulder, gesturing to the soldiers standing at the door patiently. “Suresh le me're za renle.” The soldiers both saluted her, pivoting on their feet and leaving out the front door. Aria looked back at Jack, winking. “Not want them here all day.”

  Jack gave her a confused expression. “I must be missing something,” he said.

  “Like I say, long story.” Aria looked past him to Sami, reaching a hand out to take one of her sister's. “Sami, is there food? Not eat much for past week...Starving!”

  Clearly curious about the circumstances behind her sister's return, Sami took the lack of forthcoming knowledge in stride. She nodded, squeezing Aria's hand tightly. “I make something. But you tell story, yes?”

  “Oh, yes,” Aria agreed. “For you cooking, I tell anything.” With a hand firmly and possessi
vely on Jack's shoulder, she followed her sister towards the dining room, the rest of her family in tow.

  ******

  Later that night, Aria slid into the water of her family's bath house, sighing as she felt the heat through her bare fur. The candlelight inside the bath house created a relaxing, flickering atmosphere that was quite pleasant, and just what she needed. The evening had been a long one, and one that had been just as uncomfortable as it had been cathartic. Over an early dinner, Aria had recounted to Jack and her family everything that had happened since she had been abducted from her trial. They were all overjoyed to hear that all of the charges against her had been dismissed, and everyone was proud of her promotion to captain. The joy was severely tempered, however, by the news that the matriarch of their family, Ara'lana Me'lia, was still alive. The revelation had hit Aria's father, Arn, especially hard. He had only recently come out of mourning for his mate, and everything had come flooding back now that he knew she had not died three years ago. The whole thing had been made ten times worse with the knowledge that Ara'lana was responsible for the rebellion, the news of which was just becoming known to the general public.

  Aria tried to banish those thoughts from her mind as she surrendered to the atmosphere of the bath house. She dipped her arms into the water, cupping her hands in the heated liquid and bringing them up to let it drip over her head. She was a free woman again, and she wanted to at least try to enjoy breathing the free air before she had to worry about the war once more.

  Footsteps behind her made her turn her head. Aria smiled as she saw Jack coming up behind her. “You not supposed to be here,” she reminded him. “Females only.”

  Jack smirked. “I can leave if you really want me to,” he said. “But I figured you might like a little company. It's not like this is the first time I've walked in on you taking a bath, after all.”