by S. H. Jucha
“Alex would say they’re chatting,” Olawale replied, grinning. “Swei Swee are sentient, and they communicate through whistles, warbles, and tweets.”
“Alex understands these sounds?” Aputi asked.
“Understands and speaks them,” Lucia replied. “Actually, after the SADEs, Alex is the quickest to master alien languages, their nuances, and their mannerisms. Renée says that he has a most cunning tongue.” Her last remark was enough to set everyone laughing.
“Well, Captain Lumley,” Ophelia said. “You take all the time you need to sail to Hyronzy Station. This is proving to be a most entertaining trip.”
Unfortunately, for Ophelia it didn’t start that way at all.
When the fleet exited the system, the view shields were closed, and the ships transited.
Like a few individuals, the action made Ophelia ill, and she lay in bed for nearly two days.
Esteban waited until Aputi exited Ophelia’s cabin with the remains of her evening meal. She’d consumed most of the liquids but little of the solid food. He tapped lightly on the cabin door and entered when Ophelia called out.
“Good evening,” Esteban said.
Ophelia, who had just lay down, struggled to sit up.
“If I might have some of your time, Commandant, I might be of some assistance,” Esteban said gently.
“I’m listening,” Ophelia replied, although her head ached, and she felt like doing nothing of the kind.
“You’re an empath like Kasie,” Esteban said.
“Is that a question?” Ophelia asked. Despite the buzzing in her head, she fought to focus on the SADE.
“A question isn’t necessary,” Esteban replied.
Ophelia’s first thought was to argue the idea, but her experience with Esteban had taught her that underneath the SADE’s polite manners they were exacting individuals. “Yes,” she admitted.
“In fact, you’re considerably more powerful than Kasie,” Esteban continued. “I would imagine this is common knowledge on Pyre. Why are you circumspect in your answers with me?”
“I don’t know you or the rest of the visitors,” Ophelia temporized.
Esteban didn’t accept Ophelia’s answer as truthful, but it wasn’t the reason for his visit to her cabin, so he ignored it.
“How can you tell I’m more powerful?” Ophelia asked.
“Our avatars are unique in many ways,” Esteban replied. “We’re able to detect and record a broad range of signals.”
“Including brain waves, I take it?” Ophelia inquired.
“Including those,” Esteban agreed. “How do you refer to your capabilities and their operations?”
“As you’ve detected, I am an empath and much more powerful than Kasie,” Ophelia said. “We sense emotions and can sway them in others.”
“Any limitations, as to sentient species?” Esteban asked.
“None, so far, and we’ve met most of the alliance races,” Ophelia replied.
“We can adjust our receiving and sending by opening or closing what we call our gates,” Ophelia continued. “The power to affect others derives from the strength of our own emotions and the capability of the empath.”
Esteban and Orbit communicated briefly, examining what they’d learned and applying it to their theory. The time absorbed by them was unnoticeable to Ophelia. She’d blinked during that moment.
“I would surmise your gates have been open the entire time that you’ve been aboard this ship. You’ve been trying to read every human, Omnian and Earther, you contacted. Am I correct?” Esteban asked.
Again, it seemed futile to Ophelia to challenge the SADE. If he could sense her empathetic abilities, he would know she’d been exercising her powers.
Rather than wait for Ophelia to respond, Esteban said, “I believe you’re hypersensitive to not only our ship’s transition but our travel after the transit. A simple solution might be to close your gates as tightly as you can.”
Ophelia thought the cure for her disorientation couldn’t be that simple. However, Esteban was correct in one respect. She’d had her gates wide open the moment she stepped aboard the traveler while it was planetside. The Omnians weren’t easy to read. They tended to be a calm group of humans.
Willing to try anything, Ophelia shut her gates. It was a disconcerting moment for her. She couldn’t recall the last time she was required to forgo the aid of her power.
Immediately, the drumming in Ophelia’s head ceased and her nausea diminished.
“Oh, for the love of Pyre,” she uttered. It was accompanied by her first smile since the transit, even if it was a weak one.
“To what extent are your gates closed?” Esteban asked.
“Completely,” Ophelia replied, sitting up more fully. “Why do you ask?” She was suddenly suspicious of Esteban’s question.
“Your delta brainwave frequencies have diminished considerably, but there are still emanations in the thirty-eight to forty-two Hertz range that are above norm for humans,” Esteban replied. “Do you have other abilities that you aren’t admitting to me?”
Ophelia was silent, unsure of what to say.
“I must tell you two things,” Esteban said. “First, I’m not human. By that, I mean that I’m capable of maintaining absolute privacy on any conversations that are so requested. Second, as an Omnian, I consider it my duty to protect my companions. If I believe your ability is dangerous to them, I must inform Olawale and Patrice.”
“Those two things are in direct opposition to each other where it concerns enticing me to answer your question,” Ophelia pointed out.
“True,” Esteban admitted.
“How can I be sure that you’ll keep my secret if you deem it benign in regard to your companions?” Ophelia asked.
“You can’t be certain,” Esteban replied. “As you said earlier, you don’t know us. If you did, you’d have the answer to your question.”
Ophelia sighed. The longer they talked, the better she felt. For that, she owed the SADE. It seemed she had no choice. “I’d like to request your discretion for the remainder of this conversation,” she said.
“It’s given,” Esteban replied.
Reluctantly, Orbit ended his link with Esteban. A SADE’s agreement to privileged data was absolute, as Esteban had said.
“I can read thoughts ... sometimes,” Ophelia reluctantly admitted.
“Define sometimes,” Esteban requested.
“One in a hundred individuals, but only humans and only when their emotions peak,” Ophelia explained.
“That’s the sum of what you feared to admit?” Esteban inquired.
“Yes,” Ophelia replied.
“Why?” Esteban asked.
“Pyreans have a dark history of being frightened by what they can’t understand. That includes aliens and empaths,” Ophelia replied.
“Fear, without founding in fact, is the bastion of the ignorant,” Esteban said. “I see no need to share your secret. It’s harmless to my companions.”
Ophelia was surprised by Esteban’s opinion. “Why do you consider this ability nonthreatening?” she asked.
“As you’ve learned, Omnians carry implants in their heads,” Esteban replied. “They share their thoughts as easily as you breathe. You’ve only to ask one of them for what they think, and they’ll tell you the same thing they’d easily share with Omnians. Your people are either afraid to speak what they think, or they wish to deliberately conceal their thoughts. It’s understandable and regrettable that your people would be astounded and frightened to learn of your skill, as elusive as it might be.”
Ophelia sat quietly, thinking through what Esteban had said.
“How do you feel now?” Esteban asked.
“Much better. Thank you,” Ophelia replied.
“You’ll need to keep your gates closed for the entire trip, including the transit outside the Hyronzy system,” Esteban instructed. “After that, you’l
l be fine until our return trip.”
“I’ll follow your advice, Esteban, and thank you for your concerns and your respect for my sad secret,” Ophelia said.
“I’ve offered little, Commandant,” Esteban replied. “Omnians choose to help those in pain or trouble. And, as to the latter subject, we don’t fear diversity. We embrace it.”
Ophelia wanted to ask more questions of Esteban, but he swiftly left her cabin.
The next morning, Ophelia joined the crew for morning meal. She was truly moved by the number of people who greeted her. They touched her shoulder or arm and expressed their pleasure at seeing her feeling better. Esteban’s words about Omnians repeated in her head.
“There’s been a great deal of discussion while you were laid up, Commandant,” Olawale said, after Ophelia was seated at the head table. “We’ve decided on the price that Pyreans must pay for our services.”
Ophelia was caught off guard by the pronouncement of payment. Her mind reeled at what the Omnians might propose. What’s the cost of a life, she wondered. Furthermore, she thought this critical subject should have been discussed with the president.
A server stood beside Ophelia and requested her order. The commandant had no idea of her choices. She gazed around the table, pointed at Lucia’s tray, and ordered the same.
“What did you have in mind, Olawale?” Ophelia asked carefully.
“We require selections of each of the fruits in your drinks and the recipes you employ to make them,” Olawale replied. He wore a solemn expression.
Unexpectedly, Ophelia was engulfed by the table’s laughter. She noted that Aputi was desperately trying to conceal his own. She nodded her head several times, and she smiled, accepting the jest. The tense coil in her guts unwound. She’d just been initiated into the Omnians’ midst, and it felt like a safe place to be.
“I owe you one, Olawale,” Ophelia warned, with a grin, “and I’ll endeavor to make sure that you’re paid in full!”
* * * * *
Lucia, who remained aboard the Rêveur, waited for the right moment to talk to Jess. She didn’t know what she would say, but she was tired of feeling as if she was being torn in two directions. She thought she would appreciate that Jess had chosen to respect her coolness toward him and keep his distance, but now she wasn’t sure that was what she’d wanted.
The opportunity came for Lucia when she crossed Jess’s path in a corridor.
“Commodore,” Jess said respectfully, as he made to pass Lucia.
“Jess,” Lucia said hesitantly. She figured it was the wistful tone in her voice that caused Jess to pause and turn toward her. “Could we talk?” she asked.
“Certainly,” Jess replied. He took stock of their location and said, “My cabin is on this deck, if you’re comfortable with that.”
Jess led the way. He counted doorways after he passed a smaller door that opened to a storage compartment. At the third full-sized door on the left after the storage unit, he tapped the entry pad and the door slid aside. He was relieved to spot his clothes on the bed. White noise dominated his brain. He was calmer fighting insectoids than he was at this moment.
When the door slid closed, Jess offered Lucia the seat at the desk, and he sat on the bed, after shoving his clothes aside.
“What did you want to talk about?” Jess asked guardedly.
Lucia was afraid the conversation was going to start like this. She’d initiated it, which put the onus on her to speak first. That’s exactly what she didn’t want. Her rising frustration got the best of her, and she began in the worst possible way.
“Why did you pursue me?” Lucia blurted. “It’s not like I’m the most amenable person to be around.”
Jess’s mouth fell open before he managed to close it. Taken aback, he replied, “I thought I’ve treated you respectfully after you gave me the impression that you weren’t interested in me.”
Lucia waved away that response. “You did. I mean before that,” she said quickly.
“Why is it an odd thing for me to have wanted to get to know you?” Jess asked. “Is it because I’m not Omnian, or because I don’t have an implant, or because I’m not one of the beautiful people?”
“Don’t say things like that!” Lucia demanded angrily.
“Then what?” Jess asked, in confusion. “Why am I any different from the others who’ve been interested in you?”
Lucia replied so softly that Jess was unable to make out her words. “What did you say?” he asked.
“You’re the first one,” Lucia repeated, in a whisper, but this time, Jess understood her.
“That can’t be true,” Jess said. He believed he was missing something important. His mind shouted to be still, to be quiet, to be patient.
“All the others took my hints,” Lucia said. When she raised her head, her eyes burned with tears.
Jess felt his heart squeezed by Lucia’s pain.
“Why didn’t you stop?” Lucia asked. She hadn’t asked it, as she did her first question, which was spoken in anger and demanded an answer. This one was a plea for a release so she could retreat into her comfortable shell again.
Jess eased off the bed. He knelt on his knees at Lucia’s feet and gently grasped her hand.
“I didn’t stop because I think you’re a wonderfully complex woman,” Jess replied. He wished he’d said something more poetic or, at least, something more complimentary.
“Wonderfully complex,” Lucia repeated, releasing a brief choke of laughter.
“Perhaps, not my best line,” Jess admitted, a small smile on his face. “Don’t forget, I’ve been surrounded by Sylians for years. I haven’t had much time lately to practice.”
“I’m sorry I ruined the opportunity for you and me,” Lucia said quietly.
“Is that what this is ... an apology that we’re done?” Jess asked.
Juliette’s advice played in Lucia’s implant. She’d finally shared her deep dark secret with a SADE, of all individuals. Now, she was presented with the opportunity to put the past behind her, and she took it.
“Not necessarily,” Lucia said. She used her free hand to lightly trace the features on the back of Jess’s hand.
“You’ll talk to me?” Jess asked. “You’ll tell me when something bothers you, whether it’s me or something else? You won’t just turn off?”
“I can’t promise that, but I’ll try,” Lucia replied.
Jess watched Lucia’s eyes entreat him. He stood and gently pulled on her hand. She momentarily resisted, but then she stood. It was hard for him to believe that the uncertain woman who stood before him and refused to look at him commanded warships. He could only think that someone had hurt her badly, and a part of him wanted revenge.
“I look forward to getting to know you, Lucia Bellardo, if you give us time,” Jess said and released Lucia’s hand.
Lucia was torn. On the one hand, she wanted to make for the cabin door, content that she’d salved their wounds. On the other hand, she wasn’t satisfied with ending their conversation where it stood. She thought about what more she wanted to say, but nothing came to mind. Then she realized that words weren’t what she needed.
Lucia’s head came up. She gazed into Jess’s face. His gentle eyes expressed concern for her.
Maybe you’re the one I deserve, she thought. She laid a hand along Jess’s cheek and kissed him gently. It lingered, and she appreciated that Jess let her decide when to end it. She gave him a quiet smile and left the cabin.
Jess gazed at the open doorway. “How can I be more bewildered than I was before?” he asked the empty cabin. He wished his sister was present. He would have loved to ask her advice. She was better at things like this.
-23-
Hyronzy Station
When the expedition fleet exited into the Hyronzy system, Esteban made contact with Juliette. He apprised her of their position and approximate time to the moon’s station. Then Juliette unlocked her avatar, picked up the comm relay, and joined the administrators.
“I can’t wait until we’ve a true three-D map of the alliance systems,” Kasie declared. “I’m tired of working in the dark ... no pun intended.”
“I’ll make that our next project, if we have the time,” Juliette said. “Any other requests?” she added, with a deadpan expression.
The group broke into laughter, each with his or her brand of sound. While Juliette had replied tongue-in-cheek to Kasie’s remark, the administrators believed that would be exactly what the SADEs would do given the opportunity.
Two days later, the Tridents decelerated, as the Rêveur closed on Hyronzy Station. Esteban contacted the station for Olawale.
“We’ve been expecting your arrival,” the shuttle traffic control operator replied to Olawale’s hail. “We’ve prepared a bay to receive your shuttle.”
The operator went on to give Olawale the station’s orientation, the approximate position of the receiving bay, and the signal lights that would direct them.
Meanwhile, a Hyronzy dome shuttle docked on its assigned terminal arm next to its gantry. Juliette and the administrators exited the craft. She was still burdened with the comm relay, attracting the stares of other passengers, who marveled at what they believed to be a slender human female easily carrying an obviously heavy piece of equipment.
Once inside the bay housing the traveler, Juliette handed off the comm relay to Esteban. She quipped, “Here. You take it. I’m getting tired.”
Juliette’s comment had everyone laughing but Ophelia and Aputi. They didn’t get the joke. However, when Esteban hopped aboard the traveler carrying the comm relay, the two Pyreans stared open-mouthed at Juliette.
“Maybe not that tired,” Juliette remarked. She had Tacnock chittering until he hiccupped.
“This is your territory, Commandant,” Olawale said, grinning as he gained Ophelia’s attention. “We’ll follow your lead.”