War of the Innocents

by Michelle Breon

  “Wait. You all do not use money?”

  “Aiy. Tis no monetary system on Llanelyn. Everyone is equal.”

  “Which is why you cannot pay me,” he stated.

  “Aiy. Though I am surprised that you were willing to come here for no pay.”

  “A chance to travel and not be restricted, that alone was enticing. And Dr. DeWitt offered to help with the rest of my education. That will be pay enough.”

  “You like to learn.” Gillian made a mental note to discuss that cost with Jason.

  “Yes. And if you really think that blending in with the locals will be fine, then yes, I will change clothes before I leave the house.”

  “I do apologize that the hotel is full right now. I know you wanted a room away.”

  “That’s fine. The room you provided is very comfortable.”

  Gillian suspected that it was much larger than he had back home. “I’m glad.” She nodded towards the pile. “Not to mention carrying that load between here and the hotel twice a day would be a chore.”

  Ian nodded. “Is that everything you wanted to talk about?”

  “Just one more thing.” Gillian looked him straight in the eyes. “If you need anything, whether for your work here with Angel or for yourself, please do not hesitate to ask.”

  Ian read her sincerity easily. “Thank you.”

  Gillian stood. “Goesh nicht, Ian.”

  “Good night, Cerato.”

  Gillian left the room, leaving Ian to his thoughts.

  After several days of absence from school, of which none of the teachers would discuss with her friends, Nik volunteered to check on Angel. The others let him, hurrying to their respective tasks as soon as the school day ended.

  Nik knocked on the door to Angel’s house after school. Her mother answered his knock. “Aiy?” Mary tried to smooth her slightly mussed hair.

  “Is Angel at home?” Nik asked. He noted the flash of fear that flitted through her hazel eyes.

  “Aiy, but she is busy.”

  “Her friends and I missed her at school. We just wanted to be sure she was fine and to give her the notes for the missed classes.”

  Mary smiled at him. “Danku, but Angel won’t be returning to the school.”

  “May I speak with her?”

  “She is busy, but let me check with her.” Mary closed the door.

  Nik was puzzled. Usually Angel’s mother asked him to step inside. He could hear voices inside, including a man’s voice with a strange accent. Then Angel opened the door and stepped outside, closing it quickly behind her.

  “Nik, what a pleasant surprise.” Angel tried to keep her voice steady.

  Nik knew Angel well enough to know that she was hiding something. “Why were you not at school? Everyone tis worried that you were sick or something.”

  “I’m fine. But I won’t be back. Please tell everyone that I miss them. They can stop by on Sunday to visit. I’ll be free then.” She rubbed her temple as if she had a headache.

  “Angel, what’s going on?”

  “Nothing really. I’m just helping Grandmother with something important. Why do you ask?” She looked up, hoping that she gave nothing away. Her grandmother had warned her not to tell anyone that she was being tutored by an off-worlder.

  Nik searched her eyes and knew she was not being entirely truthful. He lowered his voice. “Tis not the whole story and well you know it.”

  Angel grinned at him, relieved. “I told her twouldn’t work. I can’t talk right now. Can you come over after supper? We can take a walk and talk then.” Nik started to object. “Please, Nik. After supper, about eight.”

  “Aiy, Angel. I’ll be here at eight.”

  Angel nodded and slipped back inside the house. Nik stared at the closed door a moment longer before turning away. Something was definitely wrong and he would find out everything tonight.

  Angel went back to Ian. “Danku for the short break.”

  “What?” he asked, unsure of her words.

  Angel grinned at him. “Danku is our way of expressing gratitude.”

  “Ah, you mean ‘Danku’ is ‘Thank you’ in your language.”

  “Now who is teaching who here,” Angel teased, thinking how cute he looked when he smiled.

  Ian nodded. “I really must learn your language.”

  “I can speak both English and Llanelyn. My grandmother insisted that my mother and I learn both as we grew up. Though I still do not understand why. She had learned Llanelyn well before I was born.”

  “Shall we return to our discussion,” Ian said, his tone indicating a command more than a question.

  Angel sighed. “I hate history. Past wars and politics are even worse.”

  Ian grinned. “Sorry. Your grandmother insisted.”

  As Angel cleared the large wooden table for supper, she begged for the evening off. “My head hurts from so much so fast. I can’t learn anything if I can’t concentrate and tis where I am at right now.”

  Ian agreed with her, so Gillian relented. A few hours in the evening might benefit everyone. While Angel appeared to thrive on the fast pace, Gillian noticed that Ian had reviewed last night’s lesson with her longer than normal. Tonight, Ian looked drawn and Angel had asked for headache medicine earlier. Though when a knock sounded on the door at eight and Mary announced that Angel had a visitor, Gillian was hardly surprised.

  Nik knocked on the door promptly at eight. He planned to get Angel alone. When Mary answered the door and saw who was there, she smiled at him. “Un minuto.”

  Angel came out a minute later. “Nik. I’m so glad you came. Just one second.” Angel opened the door a bit and stuck her head in. “Mama, Nik and I are going to walk down to the lunch area. Is that alright?”

  Mary agreed and Angel quickly closed the door before her grandmother could object. She turned to Nik. “Let’s go quickly,” she said.

  Nik matched her rapid pace through the village to the lunch area, crossing beneath the pergola structure that defined the marketplace, and past the sandstone houses on the perimeter of the village. She looked straight along the rock pathway, ignoring the blooming gardens surrounding each house. “Angel, slow down a bit,” he said once, but she shook her head.

  Finally on the other side of the hill well outside of town, Angel stopped. She turned, her breathing labored by the strenuous walk. But whether that caused the catch in her voice as she spoke or something else, Nik was not sure. “Oh Nik, I’m so scared and confused that I don’t know what to do.”

  Taken aback, Nik hesitated before asking gently, “Angel what’s going on?”

  “I can’t tell you.”

  Nik simply stared at her in disbelief. “Then why did you run me all the way out here to tell me that? Angel I’m your friend. You can trust me.” Frustration added a bite to his tone and he forced himself to calm down. Angel needed compassion, not demands.

  “I do trust you, but . . .”

  Nik picked up her hands and noticed she was shaking. “But what? I can’t help if you don’t tell me what tis going on.”

  “Tis nothing you can do to help.”

  “I can listen as a friend should.” Angel sighed, a sound so troubled it tore at Nik’s heart. “Angel, tell me.” He waited patiently, noting the weakening of her grim smile.

  Angel weighed her grandmother’s warning not to tell anyone against her personal need to confide in someone. And this was Nik, her quietest and most trustworthy friend. He had always been there for her. “What I say can go no further than this hill,” she said, her voice barely above a whisper.

  “Aiy.”

  Angel sat down, pulling Nik down with her. “I don’t know where to start.” She sighed again, trying vainly to find the right words. “Several weeks ago, I . . .” she started, then stopped, lowering her voice to a whisper. “I had the Cerato dream.”

  “Are you sure twas real?”

  “Aiy,” she shuddered. “Twas real. You wouldn’t believe the images in my dreams since I confesse
d to Grandmother that I had the dream. The Gods keep sending me dreams of . . .”

  “Of what?” Nik prompted.

  “Of war and people I don’t know and . . . and death. Tis horrible.” She shivered.

  “But why the secrecy? I thought the Cerato had to visit the Gods to get instructions.”

  “Aiy, but Grandmother had a dream as well that she had to prepare the next Cerato. Yet she wasn’t told what to prepare them for.”

  Nik shook his head. “But you are not at school to learn.”

  “Grandmother brought a tutor out from her home planet, Earth, to teach me. She thinks that I will need to know things that are not taught in our school. Things about other people and other worlds. I couldn’t keep up with the extra studying and the school work, so she pulled me out.” Her voice broke again, hinting at the turmoil inside her. “Nik, I’m scared. What if I fail? Everyone could die if I mess up.”

  Nik pulled her to his shoulder and held her a moment. “Tis not in you to fail, Angel. The Gods would not have picked you if they thought you might fail.”

  “But I don’t understand war or strategy or anything like that. I love the math that Ian has taught me, but the history lessons are so dull.”

  “Who is Ian?”

  “Oh, he is the tutor.” She pushed away from his shoulder. “I’m not supposed to tell anyone about this, but I had to tell someone. You can’t tell any of our friends.”

  “They will ask tomorrow since they knew that I was coming here this afternoon. What should I tell them?”

  “Just tell them that I am fine and Grandmother needs my help for a few weeks.” She sighed again. “I wish twas just a few weeks. But I have the bad feeling twill take a long time.”

  “You know that I will listen if you need to talk to someone again.”

  “Danku, but I shouldn’t pass my problems on to you and then ask you to keep them secret. It’s not fair to you.”

  “What are friends for?” Nik asked. “You can trust me. I don’t mind listening.”

  Angel nodded, staring out at the distant stars. Silence reigned for several minutes before she spoke again. “I need to get some sleep. Grandmother keeps me at the books every waking hour.”

  Nik stood and helped her up. “Then let’s get you home.”

  As they walked slowly back to her house, Nik told her the happenings at school and among her friends, trying to distract and relax her. Back at her door, he whispered, “If you need an ear, let me know.”

  She nodded. “Goesh nicht, Nik.”

  “Pleasant dreams,” he replied, winning a smile from her.

  Angel went inside and closed the door softly. No one was in the main area, as they had all gone to bed. Angel went quietly to her room and stood staring down at her bed distastefully. She instinctively knew it was not time to tell her grandmother of the continuing dreams, the vivid images of fire, destruction, and death causing her to shudder involuntarily. Resolutely, she undressed for bed, asked the Gods not to send any more dreams, and tried to fall asleep.

  Stars flew past at a dizzying rate. Then they suddenly stopped, winking just beyond the viewport. Fighter ships zipped past the viewport, engaging other fighter ships. Explosions. Colors swirling. Then spiraling down to the surface of the planet below to see children first laughing, then asleep. Uncle Jason standing over the children, then over some adults. He touched the injector to a person and she was sucked into the injector, swirling down again, surrounded by red and black streaks. And the image changed again to a dark and filthy city. Smoke filled the air making her gag and retch with each breath of the noisome air. Various races of beings crowded the dirty streets. Many of the beings had open sores and other obvious injuries. Tall, dirt encrusted buildings lined the crowded street. A group of tall beings strode forward and the crowds parted as if in fear. On they came, faces shrouded by the heavy cowl of their robes. The lead one threw back his cowl as he lunged for her. A prominent bony ridge stood out on his forehead above beady black eyes, and a small flat nose. He snarled and lunged again … and Angel awoke drenched in sweat.

  Two days later, his decision made, Nik headed to the town center to find the Apaugallas. To be near Angel and to share her inner circle, he would need to be one of the Apaugallas. His dreams had been troubled the past few nights, full of images of Angel on distant planets among strange people, alone, and in tears. Then finally last night, seeing her facing a man dressed all in black alone was more than he could endure. She would not be alone, he vowed. His parents would object, but eventually they would understand.

  Nik saw Mischka come out the side door of the Meeting Hall. “Elder Mischka, may I speak with you for a few minutes?”

  Mischka assessed the thin youth. “Aiy, what do you want?”

  “I want to join the Apaugallas.”

  “And you are?”

  “Nikolatai Landis.” Nik saw Angel exit from the same door, closely followed by her mother. Without looking around, they headed in the opposite direction towards their house.

  Mischka noticed the distant look in the boy’s eyes and followed his gaze. The look in his eyes spoke volumes to Mischka, reminding him of himself many years ago. “Why?”

  Nik tore his gaze from Angel. “I had a revelation that twas where I was supposed to be.”

  “Are you a friend of Angel’s?”

  “Aiy.” Nik wondered if her grandfather had guessed his true motives.

  “Come with me.” Mischka headed for the training center, knowing that Tashi would be there. Tashi Broccoti trusted few, and fought tougher than Mischka. “Are you not a member of the Agricultural Guild?”

  “Aiy, that I am. But my future lies elsewhere, so I have been told.”

  Mischka continued to question him as they walked. Nik never once wavered from his story of a revelation nor did he once acknowledge anything more than friendship for Angel. At the training center, Mischka motioned him inside an office. “Wait here.”

  He left to find Tashi. “Goesh taggen, Mischka,” Tashi hailed him from the other end of the long hallway.

  Mischka indicated Nik inside the office. “We have a new recruit.”

  “Tis a bit thin.”

  “Aiy, tis a field hand wanting to switch jobs.”

  Tashi made a rude noise. “And how does he think he can do this?”

  Mischka explained his suspicions quietly. “I want you to push him through the beginning exercises now.”

  “Why?”

  “I want to see what he is made of. If tis as I suspect, he will be rough, but he will not break down. I believe him to be committed to this path. But if he does break, twill be best to find out sooner rather than later.”

  Nik watched the two men discuss him, knowing that his sudden change of guilds was the main topic under discussion. While he might convince these two of his sincerity, his parents might still not understand. Nik contemplated how to tell his parents until the door opened.

  “Come with me,” Tashi said.

  Mischka had left. Nik knew Tashi was the same age as Mischka. Unlike Mischka, Tashi remained lean and tough from years of sparring with the new recruits. The few gray strands that dared to thread through his short black hair stood out defiantly, as if trying to proclaim his age.

  Tashi led Nik to the changing area. “You should find a training suit to fit you here. Join me in the main area when you are changed and ready.” He indicated the racks of one piece training suits and the small wooden cubicles next to them where Nik noticed normal clothes were neatly folded.

  Tashi left and headed for the training area. He set up the equipment and the mats, knowing that both of them would be sore by suppertime. Years of training had kept him in good physical condition, but his age was catching up with him. He wondered if he should retire and turn the lead trainer position over to someone younger, like Andrei or Aemil.

  Soon Nik arrived and Tashi began the basic explanations, surprised to find his new student a fast learner. He touched all topics as he would with any new
recruit, both the good and the bad, before beginning the hand-to-hand defense training. As the physical combat wore on, both became tired and winded. Finally, Tashi pinned Nik to the mat face down, one arm pulled behind his back for leverage.

  He leaned close and whispered, “Is she worth it?” as he pushed hard against Nik’s neck causing pain. Though pushed beyond what most trainees could withstand, the scrawny youth did not wince or cry out.

  Nik pushed aside the pain and forced every muscle he had to the task at hand. With his single free arm, he pushed himself up from the mat, dislodging Tashi from his back. Tashi let go and rolled clear. “Aiy.” Nik breathed deeply controlling the pain in his back and neck.

  Tashi noticed and began a short lecture on pain control and meditation. Soon Nik’s pain eased and Tashi called it enough for the day.

  “How did you know?” Nik asked as they cleared away the training equipment.

  “A lucky guess. But do not think you can hide the truth from her family for long.”

  “I’m sure that you will tell her grandfather.”

  Tashi grinned. “He told me.” His tone low to hide his concern, “The question is how did you know?”

  “She told me,” Nik said simply.

  “Ahhh, we thought she might have taken a friend into her confidence. She has seemed more resolved to her fate lately.” Tashi stood and offered a hand to Nik. “Think hard tonight. I will be here tomorrow if you are sure. If you do not show, I will not think less of you. Time to shower and change out of the training suit.”

  Nik nodded and they left the training area. After a quick shower, he dressed in his own clothes, all the while dreading the evening. The hardest part was yet to come at home, convincing his parents. Tashi said good night in the middle of the village and Nik headed towards home, hurrying despite his soreness. He entered his house and greeted his mother.

  “We missed you in the fields today,” she said, her concern obvious in her voice. “Are you alright?”