Transmission Lost

by Stefan Mazzara

  The ship's radio crackled as Sami began maneuvering for a landing area. “Samesh te'la rean ke zalete a' mar'e re kash.”

  Sami looked to Aria. Aria leaned forward, between her and Jack's chairs, and she responded. “Cha. Me'lia kan ra'ale reshta kere.” She let a note of command creep into her voice. “A'kre mera kule'are, shoka.”

  “Krisa za'na aril de na.” The radio went silent.

  Aria nodded to Sami, who continued with her maneuvers and angled the ship towards the planet's surface. The ship rumbled and shook momentarily as it hit the outer limits of the atmosphere, then the ride smoothed out as they penetrated deeper. Before long they were skimming the tops of the trees, approaching a city that Jack could see in the distance.

  “What's that?” he asked, pointing towards the buildings rising up among the trees.

  “Ar'bre. Government center for Arbaros. Is civilian spaceport there, where we go.” Aria ruffled Jack's hair. “Someone meet us there, my orders say.”

  “Fair enough,” Jack said. He looked over at Sami. “Well, welcome to home for the next...however long. At least it has a nice view.”

  Sami managed a smile, keeping her eyes forward and steering the ship. “Yes. Beautiful. Like home garden.” She glanced over at Jack and Aria. “Father still not like. Angry. Want to stay home.” She flipped the tip of her tail, smiling just a little.

  “Set in his ways,” Jack mused. “Can't really blame him, can you? He grew up on Lirna and lived his whole life there, and now he's being forced to move away for who knows how long. It would be enough to make anyone upset.”

  “Yes,” Aria agreed. Looking back at her, Jack could tell that she was upset as well. He knew that she didn't like uprooting her family like this, but he also knew that it was for the best. Aria's mother had already demonstrated a willingness to use violence against the family, so keeping them all together was the best way to keep them protected. “Will work out.”

  They continued flying, getting closer to the city, until Jack could see an area where the trees had been thinned out. He was surprised to see that the spaceport looked like it was suspended in the air, with large landing platforms seeming to hover free all by themselves. But as they got closer, he saw that they were actually held up by struts which attached to the trunks of massive trees, and the spaceport facilities looked like they were built into the trees themselves, not unlike some of the pictures Aria had shown Jack before. Deftly, and with Jack's assistance, Sami directed the ship towards one of the unoccupied landing pads and set it down. Once the ship was powered down, everyone gathered at the exit ramp and walked down to the landing platform.

  When they got to the bottom of the ramp, Jack took a deep breath of the air. The planet smelled glorious. The air tasted thick and rich, full of oxygen even at the high altitude of the trees. He could smell the fresh scent of the trees, very similar to a pine forest although the trees looked like they were all broad-leafed. He thought he could catch a hint of flowers as well. Looking around, he saw little birds flying here and there, most of them looking no larger than hummingbirds. The temperature was pleasantly cool to Jack, but looking at the Ailians standing around him he could see all of Aria's siblings and her father shivering in the breeze, their fur bristling out from the, for them, cold climate. Even Aria looked a bit uncomfortable, though she was dressed in her uniform and more prepared for the temperature.

  Movement caught his eyes, and Jack looked across the landing platform to see a group of Ailians walking towards them. Four of them were dressed in paramilitary uniforms, appearing to be soldiers or local police of some kind. They were arranged in a square formation around two other Ailians, one male and one female. The female was middle-aged, around the same age as Aria's father, and dressed in shimmering green-and-gold robes. The male was younger, wearing normal clothes, although they were the same color as the female's. Both of them had dark blue fur with gold striping. The group kept approaching until they were close to them, and then they stopped. The female in the center stepped forward, looking very regal and respectable.

  “Captain Aria Me'lia? Welcome to Arbaros, and to the city of Ar'bre,” she said, speaking English, to the surprise of Jack. What was more, she spoke it with almost no accent, quite perfectly. By now his association with Aria was widespread knowledge in the Ascendancy, so she was probably speaking the language solely for his benefit. “Her Majesty Empress Solan sent word that you would be arriving. I am Miri Amani, Royal Governess of Arbaros.”

  The name immediately rang a bell in Jack's head, but Sami got to it first. “Amani?” she said, her eyes lighting up. “Lady Li'ren Amani?”

  “I am her mother, yes,” Miri said, fairly beaming with a look of pride on her face. She inclined her head towards them in a minor bow. “I am very pleased to make your acquaintance. My daughter has told me about your family. She admires you very much, Captain Me'lia, and she speaks highly of the strength of your family.” She nodded to Sami and the rest of Aria's sisters and brothers.

  “Thank you,” Aria said, bowing to the governess. She turned to her family, sweeping a hand back. “My father, Arn Me'lia.” Aria's father bowed to Miri. “Sami, my sister. Also, my sisters and brothers, Ana, Sana, Jin, Mari, Lem'a, and Raya.” They all bowed in turn, and then Aria moved behind Jack, placing her hands on his shoulders. “And this is Jack Squier, my mate.” She curled her tail around his waist, leaning down to nuzzle at the top of his head. Jack couldn't help turning a little red.

  The other Ailians with the governess looked slightly awkward, but if Miri Amani felt anything at the display of affection she covered it with diplomatic skill. “A pleasure to meet all of you. Li'ren has spoken particularly of you, Mr. Squier, and of you as well, Sami. She admires the way you were able to keep your family together during your sister's hardship.”

  Sami looked surprised, and the orange fur on her cheeks fuzzed slightly. “Me? Ah...Thank you.” The younger Ailian looked at the ground, seeming embarrassed, but smiling all the same. “Not do anything, really.”

  “Don't sell yourself short, my dear. It takes a lot to keep a large family together. I should know.” Miri looked to Aria. “Captain, you've had a long trip. I imagine your family would like to rest. At Her Majesty's instruction, living quarters have been prepared for you. We have plenty of room at my official residence, so I do hope you will accept the offer to stay with me. Considering your assignment, I believe that will work out for the best in any case, yes?”

  “Is very generous,” Aria agreed, looking astonished at the offer. She bowed deeply again. “Thank you, m'lady.”

  “Of course.” The governess gestured to her entourage. “If you and your family will come with me, Captain, you'll be shown to your new home. Someone will bring your things later. Once you've all settled in, there are some matters I wish to discuss with you in private.”

  ******

  Jack and all of the Me'lia family were escorted from the main landing pad to a smaller one, where the family boarded a shuttle which whisked them all away. After a short ride through the towering forests in Ar'bre, the shuttle settled down at the apex of one of the treetop highrises. They were all led from the shuttle to a staircase, which took them down into the building to the governess' residence. Jack found it every bit as impressive as he would have expected. Though not as richly decorated as the interior of the palace on Lirna, there was still a certain air of royalty to the home. The walls were finished in a beautiful, polished white stone, and the floors were carpeted with regal blue which matched Governess Amani's fur nearly perfectly. Paintings and wall art decorated the corridors, many of them clearly very old. There to greet them, once they arrived in a spacious room which seemed to be some sort of greeting hall, was a very familiar face.

  “Ah, Aria, Jack!” Li'ren Amani said, rising from a plush armchair with a broad smile on her feline face. “My mother said you would be arriving today. It is very nice to see you again.” She walked over to Jack and Aria, clasping hands with both of them briefly. Jack
noticed that she wasn't wearing the same white diplomatic robes that she had when she was living on Lirna. Instead, she was wearing the same sorts of clothes that a normal Ailian might wear, a wrapped top and skirt that exposed her belly, though they were made of a thicker cloth to match the cooler climate of Arbaros. Now that she was home with her family, away from her official duties, she didn't have to worry about appearances.

  “Lady Amani,” Aria said, bowing to her. “Is nice see you.”

  “Hello, Li'ren,” Jack said. “You're looking good. Hope you've been having a good time here with your family.”

  Li'ren laughed lightly. “Oh, yes. Very much. I have not been to Arbaros in some years, and it does feel nice to visit. Though I hope to be home on Lirna very soon.” She looked momentarily wistful, but it passed after a moment, and she turned to Aria's eldest sister. “And Sami, so good to see you as well.”

  “Yes, Lady Amani,” Sami said, looking rather breathless. She took the consort's hand, bowing also.

  “I must say, it is nice to see fresh faces,” Li'ren admitted. A sheepish look made its way onto her face, her pointed ears twitching backwards. “Kri'a seems to think my life may be in danger, so on her direction I have not been allowed visitors. If it is alright with my mother, I would very much like to show you around. You are to live here, after all.”

  Miri, standing behind them, shook her head in the affirmative. “I would not mind in the slightest. We must be good hostesses to our guests.”

  Suddenly clearing his throat, Arn said something to Aria that Jack didn't quite catch. He looked distinctly weary, as though he hadn't slept much in the past few days. He had been quite standoffish during the journey, and Jack couldn't really blame him. Only a week before, he'd found out that his mate was alive, and leading an open rebellion against the government of the Ascendancy. On top of that, he was brought thousands of light-years away from his home to live with strangers, even if the rest of his family was there.

  “Ah...,” Aria said. She looked between the governess and Li'ren. “Is nice offer, but family tired. We maybe take tour later?”

  Li'ren looked disappointed, but she reluctantly nodded. “Of course, Aria, how thoughtless of me. This is a trying time for you all. Certainly, I can have someone show you to your quarters so you can get some rest.” She nodded to one of the Ailian guards who had accompanied her mother. “The officer will show you to your wing of the residence. We have rooms prepared for all of you.” She offered a diplomatic smile. “I certainly hope you all enjoy your time on Arbaros. Su'te kanme a arbaros re'laare.” The last sentence was for the rest of Aria's family, who seemed relieved to finally hear their own language again.

  “Um...I not mind tour,” Sami said hesitantly. She looked among the rest of the people in the room, her tail twitching uncertainly. “If...If is okay.”

  “I would love to show you around,” Li'ren said enthusiastically. Jack thought she was genuinely pleased to have someone take her up on her offer. Li'ren looked to the governess. “Mother, would you care to come as well? You know far more about the residence than I do, after all.”

  “I am afraid not, Li'ren,” Miri said apologetically. “Captain Me'lia and I-” She stopped as a door opened on the other side of the room.

  A girl walked in, a human girl, dressed in the same green color as the governess. Dark-skinned and with ebony hair, it took Jack a moment to realize that he had seen her before, though it had been back on Lirna. She was the slave girl Jack had met his first day on Lirna, and then run into again in the royal palace: Brooke. As she came into the room, she froze. The young slave clearly hadn't expected for so many people to be present.

  “I...I...F-Forgive me, mistress, I didn't mean to intrude,” Brooke said quietly, looking at Li'ren fearfully. “I-I-I just...”

  “It's alright, child,” Li'ren assured her. Noticing Jack's attention to Brooke, she explained quickly to him. “When I came to Arbaros, Kri'a insisted I bring her with me. She seemed to think I would need someone to serve as a sort of lady-in-waiting. The girl has proven quite indispensable, she really is quite wonderful.” Turning back to Brooke, she smiled encouragingly. “Is there something you needed to tell us?”

  “Yes, I mean...f-for the governess,” Brooke said. She looked to Governess Amani. “A call for you, m'lady. They said it was urgent.”

  Miri rolled her eyes, sighing. “The burdens of my office. If you will all excuse me. I won't be a moment. If you wouldn't mind waiting for me, Li'ren, Captain Me'lia. In the meantime, the officers will conduct your family to their rooms.”

  The governess left, one of her guards following after her. The other three guards and the male assistant showed Aria's father and her siblings out, much to their apparent relief, but Jack chose to remain with Aria. That left the two of them alone in the room with Li'ren, Sami, and Brooke. Li'ren bid them all to sit, and they sat around, passing the time chatting until the governess returned. While Li'ren, Sami, and Aria conversed in their own language, Jack took the opportunity to catch up with Brooke.

  “So,” he said to the younger girl. “It's been a while, Brooke. What's it like for you, being all the way out here? You haven't been off of Lirna since you could remember, right?”

  “No, I haven't,” Brooke said. “It's...It's okay.” She looked over her shoulder, towards where Li'ren was. “I was surprised when Lady Amani brought me here. I like her mother. She has been very kind to me.”

  Jack grinned. “Good. Looks like your luck is holding out, a bit.” He glanced around the room. “Not as rich as you're used to living, eh?”

  Brooke even laughed at that. “N-No, no...I guess not. But I like it better here. It's not as big. I don't get lost in the governess' residence.”

  “Well, we'll be living here together,” he pointed out. “Sami over there will be getting the tour from Li'ren soon. Maybe you could show me around later, if you have a free minute sometime.”

  “If...If m'lady allows it,” the dark-skinned girl agreed. “It would be nice to have another human to talk to. There are no other slaves on Arbaros, at least none that I've seen.” Which was news to Jack. He'd assumed that slavery was omnipresent throughout the Ascendancy, but from what Brooke had just told him that might not be true.

  A few minutes later, the door opened, and Governess Amani walked back in. She looked slightly shaken, her eyes wide and her tail hanging limply behind her. Li'ren stood up as her mother came into the room, smiling.

  “Mother, what was the call about?” she asked. Then she saw the look on her mother's face, and her smile faltered. “Mother? Is something wrong?” Everyone else stood up as well. The mood in the room had suddenly shifted, and there came the sense to all of them that something was very wrong indeed.

  Miri took a moment to answer. When she did, her voice was trembling and quiet. “A call came in on the emergency line. There has been terrible news.” She looked around at all of them. “The rebels have attacked the homeworld. They struck less than six hours ago with a massive force, and the fleets are in retreat. And there's more, the...” The elder Ailian put a hand to her chest, as though she felt a pain there. Her ears were laid back as low as they could go. When her voice came back to her, she looked at Li'ren with a great sorrow in her eyes. “The Empress is dead.”

  In the silence that followed Governess Amani's news, the only thing that could be heard was the sound of Sami catching Li'ren as she sank to the floor.

  - 7 -

  When Miri returned to the greeting room some hours later, the mood was deeply in contrast to the cheery, colorful decorations that were present. Li'ren was gone, carried out by one of the governess' guards after she had fainted, and the slave girl, Brooke, had been dismissed as well. Jack and Aria remained, both of them still reeling from the news that had just been received, and Sami was also there, looking lost and out of place. Tea had been brought for everyone, but the cups still sat on their silvery serving tray on the table, untouched and by now cold. Few words had been exchanged; they were a
ll still too stricken to talk much. For Aria and Sami, it felt much like they had lost a family member. The Empress, for all of her controversy, was a beloved figure to all Ailians and a symbol of their people. If she were really dead, that would be a severe blow to the morale of anyone loyal to the Ascendancy. For Jack the mood was different. He had no particular love for the Ascendancy, quite the opposite in fact, but his feelings had shifted somewhat in his time with Aria. He knew that the decade-long war was not as black-and-white as he'd been taught to believe, and it seemed that Ailians were not so different from humans. There were jerks and saints among them just the same as with humans. And Jack had met the Empress, and if she wasn't exactly saint-like she had at least tried to lead her people as best she could, and she had been trying to end the war. If the news of her death was the truth, he was sorry to hear it.

  Miri took a seat opposite Jack and Aria, near the table where the tea was, sweeping her tail to the side to keep from sitting on it wrong. Blankly she picked up a cup and sipped at it, and her ears laid back as she grimaced at the cold drink. Then she set the cup down again, growling and rubbing her eyes with one hand.

  “Pa'ka le mar'eshka,” the governess cursed under her breath, baring her teeth as her red eyes blazed. Jack could see that the fur on her cheeks was slightly matted. With Li'ren being her daughter and being mated to the Empress, it really was losing a family member for Miri.