Echoes of Guardians

by C. S. Harte

  His career — ruined.

  His life — nearly forfeited.

  Nume did not cower from Jonas. She locked her eyes on him without blinking. “But you are alive, Jonas,” she said in a soft, soothing voice telepathically into Jonas’ mind, trying to stem the rising tide of violence cresting within his thoughts.

  Jonas’ body shook as his insides filled to the brim with rage. He felt a dangerous impulse to harm Nume.

  “Don’t! Jonas!” Whisper unlatched one of her blades.

  Kovat and Alyana stood from their chairs.

  Nume held her hand up and waved off her subordinates.

  Jonas glanced at the other people in the room. Their stares felt like glass etching into his skin. His eyes filtered everyone with a murderous red tint as his rage soaked into every fiber of his being. They’re all responsible. I NEED to kill all of them.

  He settled his gaze back on Nume. Her irises had changed from a gradient of warm pigments, to soft shades of ice blue with a tinge of green.

  A second impulse gained ground within Jonas. This one calmer, begging restraint. Jonas noticed his own breathing — heavy and loud. What am I doing? He unclenched his fists. The walls still seemed like they were closing in on him. “I need air.” He made his way toward the door.

  “Wait,” Whisper said and streaked in front of him. “Let Nume finish her story.”

  Jonas felt the restraints breaking inside him. If I don’t get out now, I will hurt someone. He gave Whisper a cold, hard glare. “I’m fine. Please move,” he said with a low, even voice, like the deceiving tranquility that preceded a storm.

  Nume touched Jonas’ arm.

  He immediately spun around to find the world had changed to black. Everything in the room vanished, along with every person. For a moment his confusion overlapped his anger. Wherever he was, this world was devoid of sight, sound, and smell. Jonas tried to move but found his legs unresponsive. Suddenly, the dam that held back his rage burst open. He released a primal, manic-filled roar into the surrounding void. When he finally poured every last drop of bitterness and removed every trace of poisonous hate in his heart, he dropped to his knees and covered his face with his hands.

  A light shone from behind, pushing away the sphere of darkness surrounding him.

  “I’m so very sorry Jonas. I’m sorry for my part in your pain.” Nume wrapped her arms around him.

  Warmth. Human contact. Compassion. Jonas had forgotten these feelings after years of imprisonment. He allowed himself to embrace it, to see if he could understand empathy. The agony, the hurt, and the scars were still raw.

  Slowly, a scene emerged in front of Jonas. He found himself in a hallway, looking out through a glass wall at a spaceship. The shape and configuration of the vessel looked familiar, but he had trouble placing it. Jonas stood and squinted as he tried to read the markings. CMS Endurance.

  “Do you recognize this place?” Nume moved to stand beside Jonas. “We’re on the Leonis Stardock.”

  “I’ve been here before?”

  “Yes. Your great leadership saved the remaining 40 crew members on the Endurance through a horrific chain of events. And you saved my life.”

  “I wish I could remember.” Jonas sighed. “Everything here is like a dream.”

  “I have something else to show you. Take my hand.”

  Jonas held Nume’s delicate hand in his.

  The Endurance vanished from sight. Fading in was a debriefing room. Nume sat at one end of a table by herself. Two other men in Fleet Intelligence uniforms were on the other. There was a back-and-forth conversation between Nume and the officers, but the sound seemed muted. Jonas could not hear a single word.

  “You are watching one of my memories. This was the first day of the debriefing.”

  “First day?” Jonas tilted his head. “How long did they question you?”

  “Weeks. These men greeted me as soon as we made it to Leonis Prime. I was not allowed to see you or anyone else on the Endurance. They kept me in a separate room, away from all human contact. I found out later they drugged my water to limit my abilities.”

  He wrinkled his brow. “I didn’t realize the conspiracy started this early.”

  “The conspiracy predates the intelligence we've gathered thus far. Think decades, maybe even over a century.”

  “What did they want from you?”

  “They wanted to know about the Red Mimic ships.”

  Jonas’ eyes grew wide. “Red Mimic ships? I thought Mimic ships were black.”

  “There’s more than one species of Mimics. Red Mimics, what we call the Bakals, and Black Mimics started out as one species before they diverged many millennia ago.”

  “This is fascinating but I still don’t see why you told them I was a traitor.”

  Nume squeezed and patted his hand. “A few months before your mission in the Telmun sector, your brother Nolan sent an encrypted message complete with a video stream of his final moments at Ostia Station.”

  Nolan… Jonas’ eyes became unfocused.

  “In the final moments of his life, he relayed important tactical information about the Mimics so we would have an understanding of them in future encounters.” She placed a hand on his shoulders. “Your brother died in his endeavor. He died a hero.”

  He was always a hero… His eyes started to water.

  “For some unknown reason, members of Fleet Command hid his true message, altering the video to make it seem like he allowed the Mimics to take over Ostia, branding him a traitor.”

  Jonas flared his nostrils. “My brother is many things, but he is not a traitor.”

  “The same powers wanted to hide what you learned on the Endurance by also branding you a traitor. This removed any credibility of your findings. In both cases, it worked as planned.”

  “None of this is making any sense.” Jonas grabbed his head. “You’re telling me that high-level members of Fleet Command…”

  “And Parliament.”

  “… And Parliament, too?” Jonas cocked his neck back. “Fleet and Parliament wanted the Commonwealth to fall to the Mimics? But that’s…”

  “Treason.” Nume nodded.

  “Why did you go along with this when you knew I wasn’t a traitor?”

  “The Fleet Intelligence officers spun my testimony to further your case as a traitor. They made me sign an affidavit. At first, I refused. Then they brought another Entrent to talk to me. We were never in the same room, so I never saw his face. But slowly, he implanted false memories inside my mind.”

  Jonas raised his eyebrows. “I didn’t know that was possible.”

  “He was a very powerful Entrent. Remember, I was a very new Entrent and could not resist his abilities. Eventually, I became extremely confused. Details of the false memories became intertwined with the truth. I signed the affidavit. Testimony from a witness, especially an Entrent, was all they needed to brand you a traitor.” Nume released Jonas’ hand.

  The illusion disappeared. They returned to the meeting room.

  “You two took your time,” Whisper said and patted Jonas’ back.

  Jonas looked at Whisper and then the faces of the others in the room. His headaches came back along with an urge to vomit. “I still need air.” He exited the room, walked half-way down the hallway, and stopped. How much of that was true? What if Nume is lying? Jonas slid onto the floor and buried his head in his hands. I’m just a pawn. My life… I gave everything to Fleet.

  Nume quietly approached Jonas. “May I sit with you?”

  He looked into her eyes, still a soft blue like the shallow oceans of Earth. From his angle looking up at her, Nume resembled his sister Saera. His mind flashed back to the day he lost her on Daxu. He felt a heaviness in his chest.

  “I’m not Saera,” Nume said softly and seated herself next to him.

  Jonas tried to empty his mind. In what seemed like minutes, he went through a gauntlet of emotions spanning from rage to sadness to guilt. Every one of his old wounds reopened at o
nce — wounds that his healing biomod could not repair.

  “I don’t blame you.” Jonas faced Nume. “If what you’re telling me is true, you’re just a pawn too.”

  “I’ve thought about my actions. I've thought about how things would've been different if I was stronger, had I been able to resist the other Entrent.” Tears flowed down her cheeks.

  “Why did you save me from Wynter Prison?”

  She wiped her tears with the back of her hand. “Because I had to. Because you saved me. Because you could be.”

  Jonas shook his head. “Lieutenant Commander Jonas Barick never left that prison cell on Wynter Station. He died long before Whisper showed up. I am someone different from him. Can’t you see that?”

  “It’s normal, even natural, to see life as a continuous line with a clear beginning and a clear end." Her eyes changed back to their rainbow colors. "The reality is far more complex. Life is a series of choices that spring from facing the randomness of chaos. Each choice puts us on a different path. The distance from the previous path to the new path is how we perceive the chaos and how greatly we mourn the loss of our old self.”

  Jonas stood. “If that’s true, I am far from my original path and surrounded by sadness and chaos.”

  Nume reached for Jonas’ hand.

  He helped her up.

  “I was a normal human girl once before the transformation and before they wiped my memories and my genetics. Now I am one of many souls fighting the corruption in our Commonwealth.”

  “Is that why I’m here?" Jonas scoffed. "You need me to join your little resistance?”

  Nume nodded. “You were one of the brightest young military minds in Fleet before they extinguished your light.”

  Jonas laughed. “I’m sorry, but…”

  The sound of klaxons filled the hallways. Red lights flashed everywhere.

  Whisper and Alyana ran to them.

  “We're under attack!” Whisper yelled.

  Alyana grabbed Nume’s elbow. “We need to get you out, Rainbow Eyes.”

  “Come with us, Jonas.” Nume pleaded with him.

  “We have to get to our ship. Now!” Alyana screamed. She pulled Nume down the hallway.

  Whisper placed a hand on Jonas’ shoulder. “I’m going with them. Whatever you do, decide quick. Good luck.” She streaked away before Jonas could respond.

  17

  The alarms continued to blare.

  Jonas heard rifle fire not far from his location. His body leaned in the direction Whisper ran. It’s not my fight. I don’t owe them anything. They freed me, but they’re also the ones that put me in prison.

  The weapons' fire sounded closer.

  Jonas ran after Whisper and Nume. He lost sight of them when they turned a corner. After what Nume told me, all I have is more questions. I need to stay alive and find answers.

  A booming explosion rocked the building.

  Jonas sprinted away from the blast, through hallways full of dead bodies in white combat suits — Nume’s personal guards. He picked up the rifle from one soldier before continuing his chase after Whisper.

  Another explosion. This time closer, close enough to leave a ringing in Jonas’ ears. Again he ran away from the conflict raging his way. Through the corner of his eye, he saw a red streak turning right at an intersection. Whisper! Jonas sprinted after her, finally catching up to the group.

  “Took you long enough,” Whisper said with a smirk.

  “We don’t all have speed mods.” Jonas scoffed.

  The wall in front of Alyana exploded open. A piece of flying debris hit her in the head, knocking her out.

  “Stay close, Nume!” yelled Whisper.

  Four soldiers dressed in black and navy blue combat suits gushed through the walls. They immediately fired on Whisper who used her blades to deflect the laser blasts.

  Jonas provided cover fire while Whisper pushed forward. He rushed to Nume who was pulling Alyana’s unconscious body away from the gunfire.

  “I’m glad you came, Jonas.” She looked at him with scarlet and orange eyes.

  “I still have a lot of questions. You need to give me answers after we make it out.” Jonas kneeled in front of Alyana. “How is she doing?”

  “She took a hard hit to the head.” Nume held up a bloody hand. “We need to get her to a medical pod as soon as possible.”

  Jonas glanced at the enemy troops. “Those soldiers are space marines. Fleet space marines. They have the star-within-a-wreath insignia on their suits,” he said to Nume.

  “They’re part of the Marshal's Division.” Nume struggled to lift Alyana. “Help me get her up.”

  Jonas shook his head. “I'm not sure we can escape if we have to carry Alyana.”

  “Listen, Jonas.” She held up her chin. “We don’t leave people behind.”

  He saw the determination in her fiery red eyes. I can’t believe this little girl is giving me orders. Jonas turned on his strength neuromod. “Fine.” Gently, he lifted Alyana into his arms and cradled her against his chest. “Where to?”

  Whisper fought all four marines at once in close quarter combat, making sure all their attention was on her. She deftly blocked all punches and kicks thrown by the soldiers as if predicting their attacks, but her torch blades seemed to have little effect against their suits.

  Jonas watched as bursts of white and blue light appeared on the enemy wherever Whisper struck their combat suits. “Their armor has some sort of shielding. Whisper can’t hurt them, but she’s doing a hell of a job holding their attention.”

  “What can we do to help?” Nume tore a sleeve off her arm and tied it around Alyana’s head.

  “This is Whisper’s fight. We need to leave her to it.”

  “What? No!” Nume shook her head vehemently. “We just had this conversation. If you won’t help her, give me the rifle. I will.”

  “Nume, listen to me.” Jonas softened his voice. “They can’t hurt her. She can’t hurt them. But they win if all we do is stay here. More will show up. I can carry Alyana. You take the rifle.” He handed the weapon to her. “You said there’s a ship?”

  “Yes.”

  “Where’s Kovat?”

  “He should already be on the ship, initializing the launch sequence.”

  “OK, good. Is there another way out of here?” Jonas panned his eyes.

  “Yes. Are you sure we can leave Whisper?”

  “If there's anyone who can take care of herself, it’s that woman.” Jonas smirked.

  Nume nodded. “Follow me.”

  One of the marines tried to pursue Jonas.

  Whisper tripped him with a leg sweep.

  “Where are we going?” Jonas asked.

  “Caldia is a pirate haven because of all the unmapped tunnels underneath the station-city. We can reach the stardock where our ship should be waiting for us.”

  Nume lead them to an unused personal quarter. She went into the sonic shower and twisted the shower head. The back wall of the shower slid open. “We’re close to the stardock.”

  Jonas followed her into a dimly lit tunnel with Alyana still cradled in his arms. “How do they keep finding me?”

  “It’s unclear if they’re here for you. You aren’t the only traitor to the Commonwealth, you know.” She gave a half-smile.

  “So you consider yourself rebels? How many of you are there?”

  Nume shook her head. “Not many.”

  “Who in Fleet or Parliament has been compromised?”

  “I don't know.”

  Jonas rolled his eyes. “Then what’s your plan? You have one right?” He stopped walking and lowered Alyana to the ground.

  “We have to keep moving.” Nume glanced at Alyana then back to Jonas. “Please, Jonas. This isn’t the time.”

  He bared his teeth as he spoke. “You want me to join your little rebellion against an unknown, unseen enemy? I need to see a light. Help me see that light. You want me to fight. I have a lot of fight in me.” Jonas brought his clenched fist c
lose to Nume’s face. “Trust me. There are times when all I want to do is hit something. But I also want to live to keep fighting.”

  “It’s not just one enemy.” Nume sighed. “I mentioned the corrupt officers within Fleet. They were the ones that took away your life and crew. But we also have the Mimics who are as great a threat to humanity if not a greater one. Then there are unknown factions who have their own hidden agendas, like Raven and the soldiers that kidnapped you. I did not see them coming and have no idea who they’re working for. It could be a splinter group within the Alliance of Faith. Perhaps King Tycho has a hidden motivation, or any of the millions of citizens that would love to collect the bounty on your head. I don’t know, Jonas.” She covered her face with a palm while shaking her head. “What I know is that if we don’t get going, we are completely lost.”

  Jonas kept his arms crossed.

  “Please trust me, Jonas. I meant what I said earlier. I freed you because I felt I owed you and because I want you to join our cause. Both are true. And I believe you to be a good person even though you think yourself otherwise.” Nume tugged on her ear.

  Saera used to tug on her ears all the time when she was nervous or anxious. But Nume can’t be Saera? Can she? Jonas picked up Alyana. “OK. I’m not risking my life by joining your cause. That speech changed nothing. You can believe what you want. Let’s just escape, and we can figure out the rest later.”

  They continued their way through the tunnels underneath the station.

  “I’m not Saera,” Nume said as she ran. “I can see you wanting me to be when you look in my eyes.”

  “Stop reading my mind without my permission.”

  “Sorry, this isn’t something I can turn on and off. It’s the same way with voices. It’s hard to tune out a voice that is talking right next to you.”

  They stopped at a steel ladder leading to the surface.

  “We need to get up there, run through an alley, and we’ll be at the stardock. Hopefully, Kovat has the ship ready.”

  Jonas struggled to climb the ladder with Alyana on his shoulders, slipping multiple times but was able to maintain his balance.

  “Thank you by the way, for carrying her.”