“Do you fear me?”
She sat forward and took his hand. “Yes.” Her eyes met his. “I’m hoping the artist wins over the warrior inside you.”
Chapter 19 – Mira’s Secret
Mira sat alone in the dressing room behind the stage and looked into the mirror. She stood up to check her dress. Her white gloves felt right, she looked perfect. She heard Brian outside warming up for their rehearsal. She posed in front of the mirror. Her left arm faded away as she watched her glove fall to the ground. Not now! I can’t have this happen while others are around! Mira started tearing up as her arm reappeared. Brian opened the door, surprising her.
“What’s wrong? You don’t look so good.” he asked, She wiped away the tears and composed herself.
“I’m fine Brian,” Mira’s voice quivered, “I was…just thinking of the past.”
He put his hand on her shoulder. “I sometimes get than way to. Let’s get this rehearsal going.” He turned and headed back to the stage. She checked her left arm closely before putting the glove back on and following him onto the stage.
Brian bounced all over the stage with muted rakna blades. “One more week and we’re on. I can’t wait.”
Mira smiled. “Your improvements have been incredible. I never thought you could do what you’re about to with three months of practice.”
He sheathed his weapons. “I want to earn my rank so I can leave the ship. We’ve been in port for months now and I haven’t had a chance to see anything.”
“It’s a wonder to see. The entire planet is covered in cityscape. Buildings stretch to the sky, and every race imaginable resides on Dega Jul,” she explained.
“It sounds like the perfect place for a human like me. Well my lady, are you ready to begin?” He offered his hand as he asked.
She smiled and took his hand. “Sure.”
The pair began performing the twelve Songs of Kali that led up to the solo act of the Maigar. Most of the songs were hymns or chants in style. Brian’s primary role in this ritual dance was of support. He sang very little and most of his movements complimented Mira’s while his blades made most of the music. Brian used his armor’s HPS to give depth and background to the music, as well as vivid imagery detailing the stories of each song. They reached the eleventh song, a difficult dancing technique requiring them to touching hands and dance together. During a crescendo, Brian grasped Mira’s left hand as it disappeared. He was left holding her glove. He stopped the song and noticed she was upset. Did her arm just vanish? He asked himself. Mira knelt and grasped her left arm. He went to her as she turned away with tears rolling down her cheeks.
“What’s wrong?”
She wiped away the tears and stood up. “I don’t feel good today Brian. Let’s try this again tomorrow,” she said with tears as she ran away. Her arm disappeared right in front of me. What’s going on? He thought as he took the glove with him as he headed back to his quarters. There’s something wrong here, Mira wouldn’t just run out on me if it wasn’t something important.
* * *
Mira ran to her quarters, a small room she shared with her friend Jesela. She ran to her side of the room and desperately tried to turn on the computer next to her bed. Jesela was just waking up as she saw her friend run in with tears in her eyes.
“What’s wrong Mira? Did Brian say something to upset you?” Jesela asked.
Mira turned around, still upset. “I wasn’t…feeling good Jesela. I want some time alone please.” She divided the room using a curtain. Jesela looked at the divider with concern as she dressed for her shift in the engineering room. What could have upset her this much? I’ve never seen her act like this. As Jesela left the room, she looked back at the curtain. I’ll have to ask him after my shift is over with.
* * *
Brian walked into his quarters and placed the white glove next to his computer terminal. He quickly removed his exoskeleton armor and swords. I’ve been working with Mira for almost three months now, and when I think about it, I don’t really know anything about her. She never talks about her past. He sat at the computer and turned it on. Her left arm really did disappear before my eyes. Thankfully we’re in port at Dega Jul. I can access the database of the Kein Independent Academy. He began searching the records for information on Mira. He sat back after a while with frustration in his eyes. Nothing, I can’t find anything about her. It’s like she never existed. He stopped near the bottom of the search when he noticed an old Kalaidian news story. He read the article. Galaec Kein, the famous Rakna Maigar, had a daughter named Mira Kein. She died in an accident while on transport between planets. She was a musical prodigy. He focused the search on information regarding Galaec Kein. After a several hours of hard reading, he stopped and tried to absorb all the clues. In his final days in public, Galaec Kein spoke of his hidden treasure. He said it was the greatest song he’d ever composed, a living being of music, love, and imagery. It’s unknown what he spoke of, but many searched for it. He searched through the Avoni’s database for information about Mira. She joined the Avoni three years ago, and has done all of her medical checkups herself since she boarded. What happened three years ago?
* * *
Mira sat alone in the dark, crying. I don’t want to disappear! She looked at her arm as tears fell. Why was I ever born! She turned on the monitor. An image of Mira Kein from a hundred and fifty five years ago was displayed. The image looked exactly like her with a different hair style and clothes. It’s not fair, why do I have to be the copy? Mira cried until she fell asleep.
* * *
After her shift was over, Jesela went straight to Brian’s quarters. She stood outside the door for a few minutes confused about what to ask him. She pressed the com, “Brian, this is ensign Jesela. I’m Mira’s friend and roommate. I need to talk to you about something.”
The door opened. Brian stood silent for a second. “I know who you are Jesela, I’ve seen you with Mira quite a bit. Come on in.” He motioned for her to join him at a small table near the front of the room.
“Umm… I…” Jesela said. “I don’t want to stay for long Brian. I just wanted to ask you something. “What happened with Mira earlier? She came back crying, scared. I’ve never seen her look like that.”
“We had a spill during rehearsal today, and she seemed out of sorts. I was going to talk to her in a little while Jesela,” he answered.
“Thank you. I just wanted to ask you what was going on,” Jesela said as she turned to leave.
He escorted her out and put a hand on her shoulder. “Don’t worry Jesela. Tell Mira I can help her with the problem she‘s having. She’ll know what I’m talking about.”
“Okay, I’ll do that Brian,” Jesela said as she left.
* * *
Mira woke up later and stared at the dark ceiling. Did he see my arm disappear? Why didn’t he say anything? She sat up and turned the monitor on. She closed out the image of Mira Kein and sat at the edge of her bed. Maybe he didn’t see anything, that’s why he didn’t ask any questions. The door to the room opened and Jesela walked in.
“Is that you Jesela?” Mira asked as she pushed the dividing curtain aside. She could see a serious look on her friend’s face.
“Mira, I went to see him a few minutes ago,” Jesela said.
Mira stood up. “What did he say?”
“He said that he can help you with the problem you’re having. Brian said you’d know what he’s talking about.”
Mira’s eyes widened. He knows about me! What am I going to do? She started shaking.
Jesela hugged her. “Mira, I don’t know what’s bothering you, but I know I don’t like seeing you like this. He wants to see you…go to him.”
“Okay, I’ll do that right now.” She smiled and looked her friend in the eye before leaving the room. She ran through the halls of the Avoni, still wearing her white dress and lone white glove on her right hand. Does he know what I am? How can he help me? I’m so confused, but I want to see him again. Bein
g with Brian comforts me, I…I just want to be with him. She thought as she left her quarters. She stopped to catch her breath before pressing the com button.
“Brian, its Mira.”
The door opened a second later. He smiled. “Come in, we have to talk.”
The door closed behind them once inside. The room was dimly lit, with the monitor turned on. She stood in silence with fear in her eyes. He embraced her tightly.
“It must be hard for you Mira,” he said.
She started crying again. “You know, don’t you?”
“You’re the song Gaelic spoke of in his final days, aren’t you?” He smiled at her.
“No!” She tried pushing him away. Instead of letting go he held her tighter. “I’m not a copy! I’m Mira!” She stopped fighting him. “I’m alive; I’m not…just an illusion.”
“That’s right Mira, you’re alive. He didn’t create you to replace his daughter…he wanted you to live and love, just like anyone else,” Brian replied.
“I’m scared, I don’t want to disappear.”
He gazed into her eyes, still smiling. “You’re not going die Mira. I know the secret to Galaec’s Song. The matrix holding you together has degraded over time. I think I know how to fix it. But to do so I need to know where you keep your interface.”
She stepped back, still scared, but she complied with his request. Mira took the earring off her left ear and handed it to him. “This is the interface. Please help me…I don’t want to disappear.”
He took the earring and went to his computer. He recalled the information on advanced holographic technology he’d found under Gaelic Kein’s files. She stood next with worry in her eyes. Brian pressed a tiny switch on the earring before connecting it to the computer.
“It looks like the program keeping your body matrix whole has degraded Mira. If I adjust a few things the problem should be fixed,” he said as he began reprogramming her earring. After an hour of intense work he was finished. He removed the earring from the computer and handed it to her.
“Everything should be fixed now. Luckily we caught this problem early. It would have taken about a year for your body matrix to be completely ruined,” he explained as she put her earring back on. “By the way, when were you born?”
Mira check her body. “Six years ago I was salvaged off an old Kalaidian ship. I was activated shortly afterwards by a group of Reiki scientists. They didn’t know anything about me. I escaped from them a year later and enrolled at the Kein Independent Academy. Three years ago I joined the Avoni as the second ranking medical officer.”
He embraced her again. “Don’t worry Mira; I’ll keep your secret safe.”
“Can I stay here tonight?” she asked. “I’m really tired.”
“Sure, I wouldn’t mind.”
Chapter 20 – Seles’s Confession
With sleep still in her eyes, Seles left her quarters for the mess hall. She walked in and saw the usual morning crowd. Along the way to the buffet line, she heard many snippets of something to do with Brian and Mira. After getting her morning meal, she headed for the table where her subordinates were eating. They were talking and laughing. She sat down, ready to enter the conversation at some point.
Meldi, an ensign with short blue hair turned to Seles. “So lieutenant, have you heard the news?”
“No, I just woke up a few minutes ago,” Seles answered. “What’s everyone talking about?”
Kaela, an ensign with long green hair answered. “Mira went to Brian’s room last night.” Each of them blushed while Seles looked stunned.
Seles shook it off. “Are you sure about this Kaela?”
Kaela nodded in confirmation. “I walked by his quarters this morning and saw her leaving. She looked as happier as ever.”
Meldi piped in. “Do you think they…you know?”
They blushed and giggled while Seles silently tried burning her meal with her eyes.
“Is something wrong lieutenant?” Myli, an ensign with short red hair asked.
Seles looked up from the remnants of her meal. “Nothing’s wrong…I need some time alone.” She quickly left with a thousand things in her mind at once. What should I do? What am I supposed to say to him? What about Mira? Seles found herself at Mira’s quarters. Maybe she’s here, and I can talk to her. Seles buzzed the door. A few seconds later, Jesela opened it up.
“Seles, I wasn’t expecting to see you.” Jesela saw something was wrong by the expression on Seles‘s face. “Maybe you should come in for a minute.”
“Sure,” she said as she followed Jesela inside. “Did Mira stay with Brian last night?” she asked.
“Yes, she didn’t come back last night after she went to his quarters,” Jesela said. “Mira came back yesterday upset. I went to see Brian about it and he said he needed to see her. He said he could help Mira with a problem, but didn’t tell me what the problem was.”
“That doesn’t sound like Mira at all. She’s normally upbeat,” Seles said.
“I thought the same thing Seles. I wanted to talk to Mira about it, but she went right from Brian’s room to the auditorium.”
Seles thought for a moment. “I’ll see him later today. Jesela, please look after Mira.”
“Sure,” she said. “I hope what I said helped.”
“It did,” Seles said before turning to leave. I’ve got something special in mind to get his attention.
* * *
Valis sighed as she entered the bridge. Daes stood at her console and crunched numbers. Baed and Zae sat at their stations.
“I wonder if they did…you know,” Baed said.
Zae looked at her. “Wouldn’t it be gross? I mean, he’s not Kalaidian.”
“I suppose. But he looks a lot like us. Maybe it would be fun?” Baed asked.
“Baed, Zae, what are you talking about?” Valis asked.
Both stood up and saluted. Baed stepped forward. “Mira stayed in Brian’s room last night.”
“Are you sure about this?” Valis asked.
“Yes,” Baed responded.
“I saw Mira leave his room earlier,” Zae said.
* * *
Brian and Mira were on their way to the bridge as she held onto his arm. Both noticed the blushes and giggles as they passed. When they came to the bridge everyone stared at them. He walked up to the door and hit the com.
“It’s Brian. I’m here as requested.”
“Come in,” Valis said. He went in with Mira in tow.
“I’ve heard about the news about you two,” she said, glaring at Brian. “I thought we cleared this up.”
“What news?” he asked.
“Mira, did you stay with him last night?” Valis asked.
“Yes,” Mira answered.
“The whole crew knows she stayed in your room last night. What I want to know is why? And what happened?!” Valis ordered angrily.
Brian stepped forward. “Nothing happened.” He looked to Mira. “We’ve been practicing something special for the Cou don e Kali, and we’ve both made our share of mistakes. Mira needed some emotional support last night, that’s all.”
“Is this true?” Valis asked as she looked to Mira.
“Yes. I’ve been really stressed out lately, so I needed to see him.”
“Valis, we have no reason to lie about this. If you want, I‘ll submit to a physical to prove that nothing happened,” he offered.
“I believe you.” Valis closed her eyes and sighed with relief. “So what’s this special something you’re preparing for the ceremony?”
“I’m going to perform some Terran style music for you and the crew, something I’m sure you’ll like,” he said.
“Is that so?” Valis asked, again looking to Mira.
“He showed me a month ago what he has in mind,” Mira said. “It’s different from what we’re used to, but it’s something to see.”
“I’m glad you’re willing to do this. You may go now.” Valis said.
Both saluted before leaving.
“No wonder everyone was staring at us,” Mira said.
“I didn’t think your people gossiped about things like this,” Brian said.
* * *
Brian and Mira finished their rehearsal for the day. There was only one day left before the blade dance ceremony.
“It looks like everything’s coming together,” Mira said as they left the auditorium.
“Thanks for all the help, especially the singing part,” he said.
She hugged him. “Thank you for helping me.” She blushed and took a step back. “I think I’ll sleep in my own quarters tonight.”
He laughed. “That’s a good idea. Let’s not give the crew any more to talk about. See you tomorrow,” he said as they parted ways.
Brian went back to his quarters. As he walked in he could tell something was out of place. He looked around the room and saw a Kalaidian uniform hanging on a chair. What’s going on here? He asked himself.
“Welcome back,” Seles purred.
He saw her at the door to his private bath. Seles wore a skimpy, translucent outfit. Her hair seemed to shine. Her eyes focused on him intensely. Brian stood dumbfounded while admiring the beautiful image standing before him. I always thought Seles was cute, but this…is different. She’s glowing, sexy, and seductive. He looked closer. She’s wearing a little lip gloss and some kind of flowery perfume. Is this a dream?
She walked up to him and gazed into his eyes. “What’s wrong? Don’t you like how I look?” she asked.
“No Seles…that’s not it at all,” he said with his eyes locked on her. “I wasn’t expecting to see you in this kind of get up. For someone who’s never known about men you sure know a lot.”
“Celi held meetings with the crew about you. I wanted to see how it works.” She tried unfastening his armor.
Heaven Saga 1: The Lost Hero Page 10
