One long path in the distance, near the space between the barracks and the Keep, stretched beyond the base of the Keep and out towards the crags, where a large cave-in sight dug into the ground. In pairs, and around the collapsed hovel, Belovores were being pulled out and escorted away by the Cooper’s troops. They were being led towards a wall where they had rifles trained on them. The Forgiven had dropped their weapons, and were also being rounded up. Annalise walked up to me, dirt and soot covering her cheeks. Kayt followed behind, looking dirtier than Annalise. They smiled, and I knew they were responsible for the crumbling of the tunnels.
The lines of troops and Belovores were silent. The Belovores leaned against the wall, their eyes closed, and silenced expressions. There was something deep inside them, something I couldn’t have begun to cope with, or have hoped to understand. Whatever it was, they contemplated it as heavily as I’d contemplated a great many subjects. None of them watched Velric as he was escorted past.
But just as Velric reached an open area, he roared. The guttural sound echoed off the walls, and the streaming sunlight gave him the appearance of a statue. He grabbed his front plate and ripped it off. Velric extended his chelimbs – both of which must have been weaker than twigs – and lunged at the closest trooper. The trooper fired. He had no idea the claws would most likely have broken. The first gunshot was a burst of blue energy, and hit right where I’d shot Velric. With his chest uncovered, the energy pulse sunk into his muscles and set fire to his insides. Two more troopers fired into Velric’s torso. They must have thought their efforts helped. They had no idea that the first shot had killed Velric.
“What was that about?” Kayt asked.
“Hive mind,” I mumbled. “He’s giving control back to his people.” I blinked and tried to regain control of myself. My head swam, and the words came out without a filter. It was like I’d been drunk. I didn’t fully realize what I’d said. Only bits and pieces remained from having Davion’s story so fresh in my mind accompanied by the fire fight Velric and I’d just had – some would have said I’d been speaking from something deeper inside myself, the part easily buried by surface thoughts.
Velric lay still. The dust around his remaining chest plates rose up with a cloud, and lingered before falling back down. The troopers watched and kept a close eye on Velric, even though the Belovore didn’t move. Nobody moved. It’s like we were all afraid to. The tension in the air had dissipated. In the distance, the sun had risen on the last days of Sondranos, and the sky went untouched by clouds and crater’s edge.
Epilogue
No More Quiet Spaces
There are things you never get over. Leon Bishop had the comfort of his words. Kayt spends most of her time in her quarters, grateful she could access the black box of Sondranos’ server. She was able to pull pictures and documents about her family and life to keep her going. She spends most of her time in the silence, though.
I visit when I can. But I know she just wants to be alone for the moment. She has a larger story just waiting to be told, and she’s heading to one of those new colony planets to begin telling it. I wonder if she’ll write. Ilosa doesn’t seem like the favoured place, but she says it’s far enough away that she can start over. She also didn’t tell any of us that she was pregnant. She’s going to take Lancaster’s last name and give it to the child – Velynn. Either way, I wish her luck.
Leon’s going home. I’ve read what he’s written, and while it strikes me as his own version of events, maybe one day I’ll tell my own. We all have things that shape and define us, and I’m glad he got his out. I can hear him in the other room, pacing. He’s planning on proposing to Daniel when he gets back. Until then, he’s practicing like a madman. Don’t know if Daniel will say yes, but Leon’s fairly certain he’s not going back the man he was before.
My name is Annalise. I never got over being punished for defending myself. I never truly got over the fact that I had to get over it, either. Nobody should suffer because of who they were. I want to start again, like Kayt. I want to go to Earth with Leon. But instead, I’m going to go back to Sondranos and help rebuild. We’ve all made mistakes. But I refuse to let that city beat me.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
I would like to thank a few people in getting this story done. It’s a story about words, and all of these words had help.
First, Lianna Palkovick – who read so many iterations of this that I lost count. When Leon was skirting passive and active phrases, she always knew which should have been which, and where I’d forgotten to put something important. Without her, the magic table would still be there.
Michael Penn – for also giving advice on the beginning of the story, and a few parts in between.
Roland and Karan, for being who they are.
Julie, for not knowing how much she helped me when I finished the first draft, in December of 2013.
Sondranos: The Narrative of Leon Bishop Page 27
