Weathering Storms

by Taborri Walker

  “It is good it has taken this long for the Council to decide,” T’ri settled her slim form beside Beulah and patted her hand.

  “Why?” Sesha, Darren and Sarah all asked as they were together; the couple with her in the interior of the witness platform. They were giving her a bit of assistance on her clothing and a last moment father/mother hug and kiss.

  “It means it was harder to figure out,” Tri smiled. “Possibly a better chance of a good outcome. We’ll see.”

  They had just gained their area when the Council arrived and stood behind their seats. The First’s voice rose.

  “This is the final moments of the trial; all Beings will please quiet.” At that, lights went down almost all the way; only the Council Members were illuminated. “Accused, rise,” was the command, spoken quietly for there was dead silence in the arena despite the massive crowd and hovering Vid Cameras, broadcasting the all the worlds in the Alliance.

  A concerted gasp rose, even from the Council when Sesha released the cape to a handler, who stepped back as she stepped onto the platform. The light showed every inch of her form, clad in a specialty Aga Zero suit. A rich royal Blue, it was backless and strapless, hugging her figure and ending as shorts halfway down her thighs until boots formed at her knees, the same color encased down shins and her feet. About Sesha’s neck was the necklace given her, startling against her pale blue skin. Her hair was braided from the top of her head to the ends of her hair and coiled up for showing her back off.

  Which displayed the scars of her fall on the BrainPan room floor; her shoulder still showed the pit and scars of the projectile wound she received saving the humans. Everyone knew that medical treatment had been delayed far too long, leaving her with the constant reminders of her actions since the whole fiasco began. The rest of Sesha gleamed from the lights that fell on her; she almost seemed like a goddess, she stood so regally.

  “Are you ready for the judgment of the Court?” the words were almost stammered, since seeing the Accused so different.

  “I am, Esteemed Council Members.” She replied with dignity.

  The Ninth Member rose. There were no actual ‘first’ and ‘second’ as in ranking; all were exactly equal on the Board, all had a lot to say about everything so a randomly generated program cued whomever when that one could speak so all had a turn. This time it was ĥ~ŗŗad from Brieda Prime, a genderless Being. But clothed. All Beings were clothed out of respect to the humans, and copying Sesha’s example of previous days. It drew in a deep breath, kept an expressionless visage and spoke.

  “It is the judgment of this Council of the Alliance that Seshaph’lariminium of Nestram is guilty of all charges; she did break Interstellar rules by making contact with the Human Race of Earth, a planet specifically ruled to be avoided. This Being did also with full deliberation break many more.”

  The crowd groaned but Sesha still stood tall. Beulah rose from her chair and leaned on the railing that separated all from the far-down floor.

  “And there is the aspect of the murders she committed while planetside, a crime that is punished by the death of the Being who is proven to have performed the criminal action. And not just one Being, but ten!”

  The crowd sat back; Beulah stayed where she was.

  Yeel’naru of Phenjam took up the statement. “This Board cannot believe the amount of laws broken by this Being; given all the testimony of the Humans under Truthtell, given Sesha’s testimony under MindScan, we find that she did compound law-breaking on a daily – no, second-by-second basis,” there was another groan from the crowd, “adding to this lies and deceptions! Normal punishment for said breaking of any one law would be mind wipe, banishment to one of the moons to live out life planet-bound, working to repay fines and merely live with little pleasure but with the addition of killing, the penalty would be Death by whatever means the Council chooses.”

  The crowd gasped and there were a few screams of anguish. It was harsh punishment indeed. Many started to roar protests, Darren, Nic and Sarah rose to their feet but a siren shut up the noisemakers and T’ri put out a hand so the group sat.

  ßïnaca from Nestram rose now. “Seshaph’lariminium, look directly at me,” the Seventh Council member demanded quietly. The woman turned a bit and looked directly at her Planetary leader. While a bit of a different skin and hair color, she was otherwise identical. “In the last 5000 years of the history of only the planet Nestram, there has never been a Being who deliberately broke so many laws! Do you realize that your place in our history books will be that of the Most Prolific Lawbreaker ever?”

  “I do now, Esteemed Council Member.” She answered quietly. “I wish it was not, though.”

  “The Council – many, in fact – have never had to sort through such an incident. Tell me, young lady… is there any way you could have avoided breaking any laws? Any at all?”

  Sesha’s mind had been scanned, she had detailed everything of importance but had never been allowed to speak her mind. And this had been gone through so many times! Sesha wondered why they were asking this now, at this point. It was on record that she was guilty and punishment would be the next phase.

  Tears again filled her eyes and all the young woman could do was shake her head no, unable to speak for the overwhelming gamut of emotions filling her. Sesha’s head drooped; she tried to look up again but now tears were starting to fall and her head went back down.

  Voices started to rise all over the arena then suddenly stopped.

  “Every adult Being has received a minor shock through Wrist Gem computers. All Beings shall remain completely silent or be evicted,” Tenth’s voice rose and didn’t need any assistance from microphones. Beharin was a heavy gravity world and even their voices were massive. Flo’drex was heard clearly and silence fell.

  “Answer verbally, Sesha,” even though ßïnaca’s voice was soft, the command was there.

  Sesha struggled mightily, then looked the female square in the eyes. “No, Ma’am,” she had to draw in a breath to say the next bit. “Look over all the evidence again and as the Humans say, walk in my shoes and see if you could figure out anything different to do, given every single circumstance handed me! So finish the pronouncement and let me take my punishment or redo the investigation!” Anger was now asserting itself.

  Suddenly ßïnaca of Nestram smiled and so did all the other Council Members!

  “We have, Sesha,” in a move completely out of the ordinary, the Nestram Council member stepped away from her chair – none of them had sat, even for a moment – and stepped on a transport circle and aimed it to the platform Sesha stood on. There she took the girl’s hands. Despite the fact that Sesha was chronologically older than she, in most respects Sesha was still younger. “And we find there was no other route for you to follow. It was as if every god or goddess of bad luck was after you, that or every god and goddess of logic is after us Council Members.” With the smile she turned on Sesha, the Being used her sleeve to wipe Sesha’s face dry. “Chin up,” the whisper was so soft only they heard.

  “It is therefore my extreme pleasure to state for the record that the End Justifies the Means – the killings were in defense of yourself and the Humans, and with the unforeseen event of the breakdown of the BrainPan both in ship and shuttle, we have concluded that you had no other way open to you. Seshaph’lariminium, you are cleared of all charges! And for The Record, we give you the honor of Hero under the Amnesty Alliance of the Civilized Worlds; granting you the station of Upper Echelon with all the rights and privileges thereof!” The Councilwoman held out her hand and Sesha took it, her mind whirling as she tried to process what was just said.

  The next moment she was in ßïnaca’s arms for a gentle hug. “Our world is so proud of you, lass,” and then she was back with the line of Council, all smiling as the crowd – and everywhere else in the Alliance – rose up and roared approval.

  Suddenly her platform was grounded, then rushed – by humans and her crewmates, who carefully hugged and kissed he
r, forgot, and pounded her back or squeezed her hard. To which she almost passed out from the pain. Better as she was, it would be a long time before she was completely healed. Then fully clothed arms were around her and she was pulled against a breast she knew well.

  “I love you so much, Sesha. I would stay with you the rest of my life, if you’ll have an old woman as your companion.” Beulah’s eyes were wet with tears, shining with relief now that all would be well.

  Sesha laughed out loud and hugged her First and Best Human friend back. “Of course I’ll have you! We’ll live many happy years together.” As she kissed Beulah’s cheek, a vid-camera zoomed by and took in the scene. All over the ten-planet alliance, people of all kinds saw the gesture of love and smiled, approving.

  Ben and Ezra powered through the crowds, clearing everyone back and they wrapped arms carefully around Sesha, seeing her tottering.

  “Now what?” they asked. “You be free, we get to stay…”

  “Back to the Inn,” Harnan too was smiling and he reached over and pressed a medical dispenser to Sesha’s neck. “Rest, food, more rest and everything will flow from there.”

  The Phenjam Twins stepped in front of Sesha, holding hands while they looked up at her. Sesha knelt carefully, glad for the strength of Darren and Nic’s hands steadying her.

  A’ala and A’ana smiled now, a sunny one. “We asked Momma,” they spoke in sync, being of the same mind even though the bodies were separate. “We’re going to have your skin fixed. And since this is our planet, we want you to have our Fourth house on the Mid-continent.”

  A’ala spoke solitary, making mouths open with astonishment, “we didn’t,”

  “Ask Momma,” A’ana finished. “Our decision,” they chirped. “An’ we get to come play any time we want!”

  T’ri shook her head over this unexpected pronouncement, then nodded. “Around school and such, yes, dears. Sesha, the house has over 200 rooms and outside area that can easily be adapted for your animals. Do you accept?”

  Sesha looked at Beulah, who smiled and nodded.

  “Enough room for everyone,” Sesha smiled happily. Reality was now sinking in thanks to the medication. “We all have a home!”

  “An’ you an’ all our friends will be present in orbit for our Evolution,” the twins announced. Though she was not Phenjam, Sesha went down on one knee and did obeisance.

  “An honor we shall gladly fulfill in 8 and 1/3rd years,” was her smiled response. Then a vehicle slid up; Sesha and Beulah were put in it alone.

  “We will meet you at the Inn,” Nic smiled and gently kissed Beulah’s lips.

  “Oh, something going on between you two?” Sesha didn’t protest as Beulah pulled Sesha to lying down and nestled her head in her lap.

  “Perchance. We’ll see. In the meantime, ”The woman laughed in delight at the look on Sesha’s face, “you can’t imagine the number of offers to speak and show, just like we were told. We’re the most popular people around right now. They’ll even pay us so they can watch our children and babies while we’re away. And the livestock… my, they’re the talk of everyone!”

  Sesha sobered, though. “But… what about your religion? Your God? All the reasons you left civilization in the first place?”

  “I don’t know.” Beulah paused, thinking. “I don’t know if Earth’s God extends to planets we never knew existed, or people who never heard of Him. Maybe there’s one god or set of them whatever per world. What I think is that God saved us from a madman by your coming along, and that He wants us to be happy and fulfilled now, even if we don’t follow the Bible anymore.” She fell silent, stroking Sesha’s hair, watching as wonder upon wonder passed by them.

  “What is it?” Sesha asked as the craft landed at the Inn for them to debark.

  “I was thinking about some of the ‘fairytales’ of Earth.”

  “What about them?” The woman sat up, interested.

  “The way most of them end. ‘And they lived happily ever after.” Beulah wafted a hand in the air then laid it on her breast, smiling at Sesha.

  “Amen!” yelled the girl, hugging the woman she considered her own personal Hero.

  This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, organizations, places, events and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons living, dead, or otherwise, events or locales is entirely coincidental.