Nova

by Lora E. Rasmussen

  “Lieutenant Z’arr, I assume you are not sleeping?”

  K’llan opened her eyes to see a familiar burly Human man standing before her bars, arms held loosely at his sides. He was dressed in the Human Navy’s more casual, every day uniform of iron gray and dark royal blue, with his shirt sleeves rolled and snap–buttoned up, displaying impressively muscled arms. Her training and parentage meant that she knew enough about Humans to ascertain that many of his own species would find him to be attractive, in a rugged sort of way. Professionally speaking, if his bulky frame and scars were any indication, it was clear he was battle tested.

  Turning to the guard on watch, he ordered “Please give us some privacy, Sergeant.” The younger Human female nodded, offered a swift salute, and then exited, leaving the brig empty except for the two of them.

  “I am Commander Marcus Perez, Executive Officer of the QS Excalibur. Captain Serros asked me to update you as to our status and see to your comfort. I am to be your liaison while you are aboard.”

  Despite herself, Z’arr felt a tug at her emotions at the mention of the Quorum Shield Operative’s name, as well as a ping of disappointment that Serros had not come herself. Shaking the sentiment off like a wet shroud, Z’arr focused on the officer that she identified as one of the Shield’s prime squad members, an individual that seemed to be held in particular trust by the Human Captain. “Yes, thank you, Commander; I remember you.”

  “Captain Serros has ordered our Senior Operations and Intelligence Officer, Lieutenant Commander Adeline, to conduct a full investigation into the appearance of the Karukai presence on Ophere as well as Proconsul Far’allyn Tanad’s connection to them.” His eyes, a rich tone reminiscent of deeply polished sandalwood, seemed to study her with the force of an iron hammer trying to break into a delicate eggshell. “At the same time, she has asked Adeline to predicate her investigation upon the assumption of your innocence, and Captain Serros has already made contact with military legal advisors she’s acquainted with on Sigil to do the same.”

  Meeting his gaze, K’llan reigned in the rush of relief and reassurance she felt at the realization that yes, as promised, the Shield Operative would indeed aid her. “Thank you, Commander. I am very grateful for Captain Serros’s efforts.”

  “Mm.” Without any apparent sense of self–consciousness, he continued to intensely stare at her for several moments that slid uncomfortably into minutes, looking for something while she remained quiet. Finally, he asked “And do you deserve her efforts?”

  His words were quiet and facial expression relatively neutral, but to her Vosaia–born empathic senses, his sentiments certainly were not. K’llan could feel the swell of powerful emotions surge with his question. Respect, protectiveness, affection, trust, devotion, and attachment; all were evident. This Human loved Captain Serros deeply, and quite clearly, he would do everything he was capable to safeguard and support her. Implicitly, K’llan also knew that Commander Perez’s question was a test. An assessment that she could feel was important not only for the investigation that in all likelihood her freedom and very life rested upon, but also, given the… unusual link between herself and the Human Captain, the query was potentially critical on another level entirely.

  Stifling dozens of reactionary responses, K’llan deliberately met his piecing gaze with one of her own and answered simply. “Yes.”

  After a few more tense moments of scrutiny, he stated “Be sure of it.”

  “I am.”

  “Good.” His energy almost visibly mellowed and stance relaxed. Pulling up a stool, Commander Perez sat right next to the bars then, while keying his CPA, announced “I need you to tell me every detail of your mission, from start to finish. Include data, initiation, parameters, and contacts, etc.”

  “I understand and agree, Commander.” K’llan responded, and the two got to work.

  *

  Marcus found himself spending the majority of the next two days in the company of the Vosaia detainee, pouring over every detail of Lieutenant K’llan Z’arr’s mission to transfer the Arcatech X research to her supposed legitimate drop person, Proconsul Far’allyn Tanad. He found her to be incredibly astute, detailed, and organized. Her insights were carefully thought out and presented, yet she didn’t shy away from expressing ideas or willingness to expand her own perceptions. Additionally, though he could tell the situation caused her a great deal of distress, especially when news reached them that a full Quorum Tribunal was being assembled on Sigil to determine whether her actions had been treasonous or not, Lieutenant Z’arr bore it well.

  As they finished going through the facts as well as their findings and analyses while he ate a late dinner, by the end of their second day, Marcus felt the two had accomplished as much as they could with their current information. Stretching his neck until he felt a satisfying crack of joints and tendons, he finished off his third cup of coffee that evening in a single swallow. Completing the stretch, Perez rested his portable data–pad on one knee as he shifted position on the hard chair he’d become only too well acquainted with over the last couple of days.

  “We have to remember that as far as the investigation pertains to you, all we really need to do is provide reasonable proof as to a lack of deliberate culpability.”

  “But will that be enough?” Z’arr asked him, her tone measured as always, but he could hear genuine worry in her voice as she sat back in her own chair behind cold durexium bars.

  “We’ve done good work, and Lieutenant Adeline and the lawyers have done even more. In the end, there’s no actual evidence of you working with the Karukai, and a decent trail indicating that you were faithfully following orders.”

  She nodded, but then with an openness he’d not seen before, remarked, “I hope what we have will be sufficient. I fear that politics will lead my own people to push for harsh sentencing, evidence or no.”

  Curiously, Perez asked “I’ve never thought of the Vosaia as a harsh people. In fact, their reputation when not at war is that of galactic ambassadors. Is their response really likely to be so hardnosed?”

  “Unfortunately, yes, and for many reasons.” Z’arr answered, stifling a resigned sigh. “The majority of Vosaia despise the Karukai for their addiction to non–consensual Feeding on sentients and their slave system. We also abhor the Karukai’s militaristic societal structure predicated upon expansion through conquest. Yet, perhaps even more importantly, Vosaia also greatly fear the galactic community ever equating the Vosaia and Karukai as one and the same, or even similar.”

  With a somewhat self–deprecating smile, Z’arr added, “Anything that could even remotely cast doubt on the carefully protected and projected image of Vosaia culture, especially restraint, wisdom, and self–control, causes the Consulate to move immediately to eradicate such notions. Finally, the entire situation is being heated by a small, yet growing number of Vosaia who believe unification with the Karukai is the best course for galactic peace.”

  Shaking his head, Marcus couldn’t help but say “But, your mother was the one responsible for creating the serum that allows your people to control their… biological needs; totally opposite from the Karukai. That has to win points in your favor.”

  “My mother will certainly attempt to exert her influence, but due to her very role in creating Vitani Serum and the fact that she is a living symbol to my people, many will actually react even more severely than if my parentage was different. So you see,” Z’arr continued in a quieter tone, “our evidence may not be adequate.”

  Marcus smiled a bit tiredly but he knew his voice was confident as he shrugged his shoulders and offered, “According to the Captain, we just need to know exactly where you were set up, not why or by whom.”

  “Let us hope she is correct then.”

  “Don’t worry; she usually is, though sometimes she can be pretty irritating about it.” He said the last with a small laugh.

  Smiling back at him, Marcus saw that Z’arr internally fought about whether to ask her next ques
tion, and that her desire to know got the better of her.

  “You have served with Strategic High Risk, Intelligence, and Enforcement Operative Serros for some time?”

  “Over eighteen years. At her recommendation, I took the post of Junior Tactical Officer when she became EXO aboard the MS Niobe, just a few years after the Battle of Arden Secundus.”

  Perez could tell she was closely considering his words, actually biting a blue–blushed lower lip in concentration. “My people know of the Battle of Arden Secundus. A large force of Karukai slave raiders attacked the Human colony, laying siege to the city Knossos. She… she was a leader in that engagement, yes?”

  “Yep.” Marcus responded, hiding an inner grin. It had taken her the full two days but now that they were at the bottom of the ninth, so to speak, it seemed the Vosaia was finally going to ask about the one topic she seemed to go out of her way to avoid almost as much as she clearly wanted to address: Avara.

  “After Captain Vai was seriously injured,” Perez continued, “and Executive Officer Lutoi was KIA, then Lieutenant Serros took command and was able to lift the siege. She completely broke the attacking force. Over twenty–thousand Human non–combatants owed her their lives on that day, not to mention soldiers. In recognition of her actions, at only twenty–three, she was given a VS Commendation and granted the Primus Star. A little less than three years later, she was promoted to Executive Officer of the MS Niobe, which was quite a coup under Captain Vai, let me tell you.”

  Shifting in her seat, Lieutenant Z’arr absently tugged at the stiff neckline of her borrowed clothes, Ministry Naval casual wear. “I had heard her name before, of course, but until Captain Serros informed me of who she was on Ophere during our chase, I had not connected the face with the name. After, I performed some research to confirm her identity. It was then that I knew something was amiss about my mission.”

  Marcus nodded, seeing the reasoning. “Captain Avara Serros is currently the most decorated officer in the Human Ministry Navy, and the youngest Human Shield to ever be appointed by the Quorum. It’s hard not to wonder when a person like that is telling you something’s off.”

  Z’arr brought a single leg up, foot on her chair, and then after slinging arm across knee, followed up with, “You said Captain Serros recommended you for the post aboard the Niobe. That means you knew her before?”

  “Yes. For many years.”

  “If it is not improper, may I ask how you met?”

  Over the last two days, Marcus felt he’d begun to know their Vosaia prisoner, and realized she had a certain pattern to her speech. The more uncomfortable she was, the more formal she became. He wasn’t entirely certain if it was a Vosaia thing or simply a part of Z’arr’s character, but her reaction held meaning. At the same time, though he wasn’t sure how else to describe it, he also knew something had… shifted inside of Avara down on the planet of Voss within the Medex complex when she’d been in the company of this STF Agent. Given that Lieutenant Z’arr acted almost as if she was poking at a sore tooth that she couldn’t quite let alone whenever Avara was mentioned, he guessed it was a two–way thing.

  As Z’arr continued to look at him with those large, beautiful violet eyes, he realized he’d probably been silent too long when she shifted once more to an upright position and said “I meant no disrespect, Commander Perez.”

  Following his gut and making a decision in that moment to trust her, Perez responded “No, no, it’s fine. I was just thinking about your question. I met Avara Serros when my family moved from Aracruz to Port Tien on Kylos. I was eight years old; she was ten. We grew up together, went to the Academy together, and obviously served together. From primary school on, we’ve been in more scrapes than you can imagine. Not to mention more than one ‘adventure,’ as she calls it. Like her madré, I usually just call it trouble.” With a throaty chuckle, Marcus added, “Though I admit, I’m usually laughing when I say it.”

  In response, Lieutenant Z’arr half–smiled herself, as if at some recollection, and Marcus Perez again wondered what exactly had taken place between the Avara and Lieutenant Z’arr. “That explains the connection I have sensed that the two of you possess.” Z’arr commented slowly, nodding as she chewed over his words and he realized, in a very real way, probably his emotions at the same time.

  Watching her, he could feel that there was another question she wanted very much to pose, but this time restrained herself. As the silence between them expanded, Perez was unsure of what exactly to say, but he did realize that he liked this sincere, sometimes overly formal, intelligent Vosaia.

  He stood up, stretching with the movement. “I think we’re as prepared as we can be on this end. On Lieutenant Adeline’s side, we’ve ID’d some shady financial activity connected to Tanad, and we’ve begun to craft a trail linking her to Nanzai C’lann, your murdered mission handler. Things seem to be piecing together.”

  Moving to her feet as if standing to attention, Z’arr inclined her head in a formal fashion, yet her tone was genuinely friendly. “Thank you, Commander Perez, for all of your efforts and the efforts of the crew. Please convey my gratitude to your Captain.”

  “No worries, Lieutenant, just doing our job. I’ll check on you tomorrow.”

  “Thank you again, Commander.”

  Just as he was about to exit the brig, Marcus turned to the Vosaia, still stiffly standing in her cell. “Captain Serros also wanted me to inform you that she won’t be able to check on your status in person for the duration of our trip. Given what Major Hadarr accused on–planet, she felt it would be best for your case if she did not.”

  Just for a moment, Perez could see warmth suffusing those lilac eyes, then she masked the emotion behind another formal bow of her head. “Gratitude once more, Commander.”

  *

  “Captain Serros, I simply do not understand why your squad is so obviously exerting continued efforts to prepare a defense for K’llan Z’arr. If you and your crew have so much spare time, then it would be better spent trying to ascertain if there are any other collaborators involved. The data has been recovered and the traitor has been captured; our mission is complete.” Goyan Hadarr’s voice actually rose a fraction from its normally steady setting, indicating her genuine annoyance over the situation.

  The QS Excalibur was less than two days away from making the Quorum capital of Sigil and Commander Marcus Perez knew that this final argument between the two Shield Operatives had to be addressed and settled. But still, that didn’t mean he had to enjoy it.

  Sitting across from her fellow Quorum Shield Operative in the Excalibur’s Strategy Room, Perez could tell that Avara was struggling to mask her own irritation at Hadarr’s questioning and refusal to look outsize the narrow box of her own perceptions. “Operative Hadarr, I assure you that as part of the investigation, we are most certainly exploring possible Karukai agents. Additionally, as a Shield, I believe it is my job to acquire surety in regards to the guilt or innocence of any person we present to the Quorum.”

  Hadarr raised her hand as if gesturing her incredulity to the universe. “Captain, with all respect, that sentiment is unbelievably idealistic and naïve. Our responsibility is to do what the Quorum cannot to keep the Aligned Quorum Systems safe. The moment we could have extended that directive in regards to Lieutenant Z’arr has passed. Now she is the Tribunal’s responsibility.”

  Marcus could see Avara’s night–blue eyes turn molten at Hadarr’s mention of “moment” and “directive,” knowing full well that the Vosaia Shield was reminding the Captain that if she’d had her way, K’llan Z’arr wouldn’t be alive so there would be no need for a Tribunal at all.

  “We must simply agree to disagree, Major Hadarr.” Avara answered levelly. “In the end, what does it matter to you that I intend to be thorough in my investigation and that I believe the findings do not support guilt on Lieutenant Z’arr’s part?”

  The Vosaia’s turquoise eyes widened at the Captain’s statement as she leaned over and clasped
her hands on the top of the sleek, black–glass topped conference table and HUD. Perez almost absently noted that her pale blue facial swirls were different than Z’arr’s, both in pattern and their more muted coloration. “Captain, we were jointly given this assignment. What each of us does reflects upon the other and, like it or not, we are a team in this mission. I feel it would be much more appropriate if we are in alignment when we present our findings.”

  Obviously recalling Delegate Sweetwater’s emphasis on the diplomatic importance of the assignment, Captain Serros offered peace with a smile. “I agree with your sentiments, Major. I don’t think we have to be seen as in opposition to one another in this matter. We can present the compiled data and our individual opinions when asked.”

  Watching the Vosaia Shield Operative’s expression, Marcus could tell that though generally stubborn and marginally prejudiced against ‘the inferior, shorter lived races’ or no, Hadarr wasn’t immune to his best friend’s charm. If it had been up to Marcus, he would’ve already launched one at her pretty jaw.

  “Captain, I am pleased you understand my point of view, but we still disagree as to Z’arr’s guilt or innocence and so are not in alignment.”

  “But Major, based on the actual, quantifiable evidence, is that statement accurate?” Serros asked reasonably.

  Lieutenant Commander Adeline took advantage of momentary silence to shore up the Captain’s case as she volunteered, “What we know for certain is as follows: One, STF Agent Handler Nanzai C’lann gave the assignment to Z’arr to recover the Arcatech X research data from ApexArcatech. And that the Proconsul Far’allyn Tanad had been cited as her drop–off contact. Two, we have obtained proof via transportation records that Tanad was on the planet Thalia and in the capital city of Allune the same day C’lann was found murdered in the city.”

  Barely pausing for breath to maintain her typical FTL rate of speaking, the highly competent Intel and Ops Officer keyed two commands on her CPA. The few retrievable feeds that the Squad possessed of the disguised Karukai and Tanad silently streamed on the HUD. “Three, during the exchange between Z’arr and Proconsul Tanad, Lieutenant Z’arr was clearly attempting to achieve veracity as to Tanad’s legitimate authority to pick up the data as is evidenced by her use of the data–pad ID set. Four, Z’arr notably became suspicious as to the identity of the then unknown guard since she demanded that the commander remove her helm for identification.”