Rivalry (The Two Moons of Rehnor, Book 12)

by J. Naomi Ay

  In the meantime, Katie had bolted from the bed, and now stood calmly over us, holding her Glock.

  "Oops, I did it again," she said, the gun at Luka's head, while he weakly lifted a hand trying to block her shot.

  "I shall return," he wheezed. "I will always be behind you. You will never be safe in this life or any other."

  "I'm not worried," Katie replied. "Your brothers have got my back. See you in the next life, Luka. By the way, I never loved you. I always lied."

  Katie pulled the trigger one more time, leaving a large hole in the center of Luka's forehead.

  "Let's go, Dave!" She reached for my hand, as I clambered to my feet. "Is the pod ready?"

  "I think so. Actually, I dearly hope.”

  "Good. It was hell trying to mask all the noise that thing was making."

  Together, we scrambled from the room and hurried down the short hall to where the pod contentedly hummed and blinked. Pressing the button to open the door, I climbed through the hatch and took a seat.

  "I'll be right back," Katie murmured, turning around.

  "Where are you going?"

  She had already disappeared, gone for only a minute or two. However, it seemed like eons as I waited for her return. Staring at the pod's console, twiddling my thumbs, and counting the seconds, I began to pray for a safe departure, and hopefully, an equally safe landing.

  I wasn't normally a praying man. In fact, it had been years since I had done anything of that sort. Yet, right now, it seemed like the most logical thing to do.

  "Save us, please?" I offered to the air. “I promise to…uh…be good, and…pray more in the future. I’ll also donate my extra bicycle to charity when I get back.”

  Surprisingly, I received a response right away. In the second pod seat, the one which Katie would soon occupy, I discovered what appeared to be…well…the Emperor sitting there.

  I wasn't certain, although it looked like him. I had never seen him in person, but his pic was quite often on the vid.

  His looks were unique, those eyes, that strange tattoo, that arrogant and all-knowing expression on his face. He was transparent, almost like a ghost, or a hologram projected by a cellphone. He was also shiny and there were some large feathery things glistening from behind his back. Apparently, Katie wasn’t kidding when she said he was also a bird.

  “Uh…hello?” I smiled, and bowed my head, uncertain how one should normally greet an imperial supernatural being. “I thought I was calling to God, and now, there you are.”

  “You never know who is going to answer God’s calls,” the Emperor replied. "Take care of her, Dave, until I am able to return."

  "I'll try," I swore and shrugged. “You can count on me.”

  "I shall depend on you,” he clarified sternly, as if I had no choice.

  Then, as quickly as he appeared, he was gone, and Katie was climbing through the door.

  "Let's get the hell out of here," she ordered, activating the pod's ignition.

  "I just saw…” I began, as an explosion violently rocked the spaceplane. This was followed by a series of percussive bursts.

  "I set the plane on self-destruct. We've got to go. Tell me what you saw later."

  Now, she fired the rockets which sent us propelling out into intergalactic space. We were tossed end over end for a moment, before the little craft steadied, and evened out.

  Then, we were upright, weightlessly rocking, floating freely amongst the stars, as the debris from the exploded spaceplane drifted past our window.

  “Let’s find a planet.” Katie summoned up the navigational charts. “There’s got to be somewhere close by where we can land.”

  “Good plan,” I agreed. “Breathable air would be a plus.”

  Katie concentrated on driving the craft, while I calculated the odds of our survival.

  Later, when her hands weren’t so tense, and her body began to relax, I turned to her to ask, “What are they, Katie? Why do you all have so many different names?"

  At first she didn’t answer. Instead, she looked away. The pod briefly shook, and an asteroid wobbled past us. In the distance, I saw a comet whizzing by.

  "It's complicated," she said after a time. "These things always are. Trust me. You don't really want to know the answers to your questions."

  "Are they really brothers?" I persisted. "Were you really married to one before the other?"

  "No, Dave. I’m just an ordinary human like you. Everything else he said is nothing but a lie.”

  The pod rocked a bit more, and something flashed outside. Something clanged against the wall, and the window rattled. Bits of twisted metal, plastics, and fabric rained upon us. A cloud of oddly colored smoke temporarily obscured our view. Then, a moment later, it was all gone, and we were alone amongst the stars.

  Several days later, we began our descent to a tiny planet. It was green, and blue indicating water, oxygen, and probably, life. We were in the outskirts of the Black Eye Galaxy, a place neither of us had ever been to, nor cared to go. We had no choice, as no starship arrived to rescue us.

  However, Ordinary Dave was given a task which I meant to complete. I was ordered by Whomever He Was to take this ride, and protect her. Ordinary Dave would become Extraordinary and keep her safe for as long as it took. He’d be back to collect her, but in the meantime, it would be my pleasure, and mine alone.

  Chapter 24

  Kinar

  It was the snow which finally extinguished the fires. However, the stench never went away. For a while I continued to attend to my business. Each day, I diligently arrived at my office, checked for messages, and processed the few requisitions that were necessary to keep what remained of the Empire running.

  Some people needed to be paid. There were guardsmen who patrolled the grounds, a few maids which still cleaned the Big House, and a handful of other staff who came as I did, having no better place to go.

  I began to sell off assets to raise funds for their wages. A candlestick here, a crystal vase there, a string of pearls from the Empress's collection, which she never liked anyway, would keep all of their families from starving this week.

  I didn't keep anything for myself. It was only me at home, and the Emperor had taken care of me well over the years. I was far more concerned about the children of our employees. The future depended upon them.

  Not the future of the Empire, per se. I wasn't sure the Empire would ever return, at least not as it had been. I doubted the proud Rehnorian crest would ever again span the distance of ten star systems, our beautiful ships patrolling a dozen parsecs, billions of people living in peace, and content in their lives.

  What would happen to my home, the planet Rehnor, was my biggest concern. Already, Mishnah was dividing into bickering political factions. Some were Saintists, just like in the old days, who wanted all Karuptas, Lighties, and the Darks banished from our heritage lands. Others were New Rehnorians, immigrants from the former outer planets who had no regard for the Saintists, our religion, and the traditions we held in such esteem.

  There was this new group which claimed affiliation to someone called Rosso. Out of nowhere, and seemingly overnight, they had come and now they were everywhere, dominating parts of our society.

  Their ways were different, and in some cases, clearly at odds with the rest of us. They had rituals at strange hours, required special foods in the supermarkets, and wore clothing which hid their limbs and faces.

  Whether or not we could all live peacefully together, I had my doubts about this too. For the first time ever, I was glad my son's family was fictional. I would not want to worry after grandchildren in this new and changing world.

  As for me, I thought about retiring. I thought about moving to Rozari. I had always wanted to return there. Years ago, I had loved living in Takira-hahr. I felt a calling to the land of my ancestors, and after all that had gone on, it seemed a fitting place to spend my final years.

  Maybe the Empire would be reborn on Rozari. Or, maybe Rozari would, like Rehnor, e
rupt again into strife. There were no guarantees in this world, not without a man like Sehron de Kudisha, who had the power and the strength to keep things right.

  One night, I was walking through the courtyard en route to the pub which I frequented after work. The Seven Nags was gone, but just down the cobblestone street at the base of the Palace, a new establishment, The Last Hope had recently opened.

  As I passed the Icicle Fountain, I realized it had finally turned off. Despite the wreckage and ruin surrounding it, for months now it had continued to spew brilliantly colored water. No one, not an engineer from maintenance, nor anyone else on staff were able to figure out how to shut the damn thing off, until now. It was silent, cold, and empty.

  Except, it wasn't empty. Someone was standing next to it, light snowflakes drifting down upon his thick, black cloak. My heart raced a little when I saw him. He was the same height and his shoulders the same breadth. The cloak looked familiar, his head obscured by a fur-lined hood.

  I know, I was blinded by the desire of what I wished to see. I projected all these wishes upon him as I approached. Already, I was thinking how he would save us.

  My footsteps softly crunched upon the snow laden ground as I made my way to the fountain, and his side. I hesitated. I could not speak. For a moment, my tongue was unable to move.

  "Hello Kinar," he said, after a time.

  "Sir." I finally managed to choke out.

  There were so many questions I wanted to ask, so many plans that needed to be made. Yet, I paused and awaited his instructions. He knew I was his to command.

  "It is pathetic, is it not?"

  "Indeed, Sir. Can it be repaired?"

  "No. 'Tis well and truly dead, and I am not certain I have the strength to build another.”

  I nodded, surprisingly bereft of hope. An icy chill crept down my spine. Perhaps, it was only caused by the snow, for I began to quake and tremble. My teeth chattered, and my knees knocked. I pulled my cloak tighter around myself, my skin already growing numb.

  "I best get along," I whispered, the words struggling from my lips.

  "Goodbye Kinar," the man replied, turning away from me. He proceeded across the courtyard of what once was, and might not ever be again.

  “Will you come back?” I called, my voice rasping in my throat. “If you don’t, Evil has well and truly won.”

  “I can’t do it alone,” he replied. “I am weak and I am worn.”

  “If not you, then who?” I begged. “Who can save us from ourselves?”

  To this, he did not respond. He turned to me, and in the dim light of that winter evening, I saw his face. Amongst the snowflakes that glistened as the fell upon us, I witnessed what I had never before seen, his eyes were now bereft of silver light.

  Epilogue

  Tuman de Kudisha confessed to the crime of Murder in the First Degree for killing the old woman on the streets of Old Mishnah. He was sentenced to twenty-five years in prison to be served in the quarries of the Child Moon. While there, he went through rehabilitation for his alcoholism and drug addiction.

  Tuman believed the sentence was just, even though the crime was not committed by his hand. He blamed himself for Hannah's wickedness. In fact, he went so far as to believe that had he been the one to marry her all those years ago, Hannah would have never turned out the way she did.

  He figured his time on the moon was his penance for never accomplishing what he was meant to do. He had disappointed his father, and all his family, and disgraced the people of Karupatani as their High Priest. He would also never forgive himself for allowing his brother, Lehot to be murdered.

  Tuman was, of course, very wrong about Hannah, for she had sold her soul long before they had ever met. Nothing he could have done would have changed her destiny. In fact, had he married her instead of Steve, all those years ago, Tuman would have found himself in prison even earlier.

  After miscarrying the baby in the hotel, Hannah was too weak to call for help. A maid discovered her several days later, whereupon she was rushed back to the SdK Hospital in Old Mishnah for a hysterectomy and a blood transfusion. While in the hospital being tended to by Sainted Ladies, Hannah had an epiphany of sorts. Evil was right. All she really ever wanted was to be alone.

  As for young Marik, he had left Karupatani even before his mother. Hitching a ride to Mishnah, he joined a street gang dealing drugs in the worst parts of the city of Turko. By the tender age of eight, he was well on the way to becoming a murder, and a first class thug.

  After the grand adventure to Spacebase 22, Jim, and all the Mattsons returned to Kalika-hahr. Shelly, having discovered that Senya and Katie were still alive, gained the patience of a saint when it came to Tim. She was certain Senya would return shortly, and help Tim to regain his faculties.

  However, Tim was perfectly content to remain how he was. In his mind, he had plenty enough faculties, maybe even too many. He preferred to keep them hidden from Shelly, and enjoyed pretending that he was still an Admiral lost in space during the glory days of first the Alliance, and then, the Empire.

  Gwen, upon deciding to move in with Todd, leant her half of the manor house to her grandparents, so that they might once again live together.

  After Rosso's no show on Spacebase 22, a heartbroken Napu tendered his resignation from the Mattson's service. Instead, Shelly, who had a habit of picking up and caring for lost waifs, decided to formally adopt the Luminerian. This pleased Napu beyond measure as for the first time in his life, he had a real family. Even though, he still waited on them hand and foot, he now called them Mistress Mom, and Master Pop, Master Nephew Jim, and Mistress Niece Gwen.

  Jim was asked by the board of directors to return to the helm of SdK. Although the company was in dire straits, they believed he was the only one capable of rescuing it from the muck. Jim developed a workable business plan which included selling off unprofitable units, consolidating operations, and modernizing facilities in an effort to control costs, and to get the budgets back into balance. With a healthy salary and bonus plan, stock options, and a company spaceplane, Jim planned to donate Jimmy's Chariot to a charity called, Spaceplanes for Kids, who would retrieve it from his backyard, running or not, in most cases.

  After the Imperial Council meeting on Spacebase 22, when no one but the Imperial Princes attended, all star systems which had belonged to the Empire, issued formal proclamations revoking their affiliation. Only the planet Rehnor remained tenuously under the control of the Princes while the others elected new Kings and councils and returned to the politics of old.

  Steve and Rent agreed that the best course of action was to consolidate their efforts and energies on what they had. Although money was short, they opted to return two starships to operational condition despite the lack of crew to man them.

  Much of the SpaceNavy had been from the outer Empire, while now they were only left with a few loyal Mishnese and Karupta, as well as expensive mercenary spacemen. Steve decided to personally command one of the vessels as it set out to locate his lost mother in the Black Eye Galaxy. Rent stayed back at the Palace to run the sinking ship of state, both hoping for and deathly afraid of his father’s return.

  Janet became Etan's primary therapist and nurse. She worked with the boy nearly every day, rarely taking a break. Using the techniques Ron had perfected back on Rozari, Janet encouraged the boy to find new ways to control his limbs. Under her stewardship, he was able to flex his hands, and later, his legs. Within months, Etan began to sit upright. He was eventually able to utter a few words, and swallow liquid nourishment.

  While spending so much time at the patient's house, Janet struck up a friendship with the boys' grandfather, Bud. He appreciated her clever wit, and down to Earth common sense.

  Bud arranged to chauffeur Janet daily from her apartment to the house. He took her fishing, and for walks through Loveland's lovely parks. After a while, they decided to go out for dinner, followed by a drink or two. The next day, they added breakfast, which thrilled them both.
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br />   Zak was also thrilled to have his little brother back, even if Etan wasn't entirely the way he had been. The younger boy would smile when his brother approached, and make an excited gurgling noise in his throat. Sometimes, Etan would tightly grasp Zak's hand, and not let go. Then, he would open his eyes, and stare at Zak, still clutching him until the older boy wriggled his arm away.

  There was one thing about this which confused Zak immensely. Before the accident, Etan's eyes had been a medium hazel brown. Now, sometimes when Zak approached, Etan's eyes would fly open, and shine at him with an icy, orange-gold light.

  And, on we go.

  Katie is lost in the Black Eye Galaxy with Dave, while a weak and worn Senya wanders the streets of Old Mishnah too ill and disheartened to stop the onslaught of Evil Rosso and his minions.

  Can Steve and Rent save the proverbial day and what remains of the Empire?

  And, who the heck is Arsan, and what is he doing here?

  The Two Moons of Rehnor, Book 13

  Thirteen

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