As the procession endured a single singer took the stage and opened her mouth, letting forth a sorrowful, beautiful sound of mourning. Many androids in the crowd threw back their heads and joined her. They all seemed to know the song, and all sang from their souls. Bentley realized that she was crying, even though everyone she cared most about had survived to fight another day. She was crying for the loss of those all around her, crying for the evil present in the universe, and crying for the fact that she could never stop it all, no matter how versed she became with the sword.
She rolled her shoulders, taking some small comfort from the feeling of the weapon strapped to her back. Barnabas had fashioned a sturdy plant fiber sheath for her to carry it in, and the technological marvel had not been far from her side ever since. She figured it was like having a wild card, you wanted to keep it close to hand. Better to have it and not need it, after all.
The android song filled the square, and Bentley realized that every single one of them had joined in. All the remains had been delivered to the tomb, so even the weary casket bearers were singing along. The song turned into a single long, haunting, painful note. It became a harmony with as many unique parts as a snowflake has edges.
Bentley sucked in a deep breath and sang. She couldn’t help herself. She was crying, and she was singing along with the others, not knowing or caring if she sounded good. She became aware of Jade beside her, crying and singing as well, and she hugged her friend, so they could carry the woe together. Soon she noticed that Olofi, and then Shango, and even Loco had joined in. Jelly Bean had long since become a part of the harmony.
The singer on stage fell silent, and the change poured outward from her in the same way the sound first had. It took a short while for everyone to take the cue, but bit by bit the crowd fell quiet, until only one voice remained. It was Svend, still singing his heart out with tears pouring down his face. Other androids were holding him and patting him on the back; he was surrounded by the love of his people.
“You should go to him,” Jade whispered as they watched the last of the androids finally fall silent. “I know I tease you a lot, and it probably seems awkward right now because he’s not alone, but everyone likes you. Everyone will accept you, and he needs you.”
Bentley shook her head. “No. Not yet. He needs to have his time with his people.”
Jade tilted her head. “You think so? He’ll have forever to spend time with them. This might be your last chance to - what, did I say something?”
Bentley looked away as she wiped a fresh tear from her cheek. “No, it’s nothing.” She sighed. “I was just hoping to convince Svend to come along with us on the Chesed. In fact, I think I had, but seeing the way he is now, I’m not so sure if it’s the right thing. I feel like an awful person for being so selfish in his time of need.”
“Hey,” her friend chided, waving a finger under her nose, “it’s not selfish to want to be there for him. And he does need you, trust me. He may have lots of good people in his life, but you’re different Bentley, you’re special to him. I can tell. Don’t let him slip away.”
A gentle breeze swept between them as Blackfriar slowly took the stage. A muted, polite round of applause greeted his presence, but he did not wave or accept the adulation. Instead he merely stood and observed his people as the applause became a cheer. The cheer evolved into a thunderous roar that shook the very foundations of the square. Just as every android had sung in mourning, every android gave voice to their support of their leader and their bittersweet triumph.
Blackfriar watched until the cheer died out naturally, and then he moved to the podium and spoke in his amplified voice, bald pate shining in the sun.
“My friends, I do not say thank you, nor that you are too kind, for I know you were not cheering for me just now. You were giving voice to your love for those fallen. You were showing support for those warriors who faced the enemy who still stand among us. You were thanking our friends of the Chesed for assisting us in our time of need. In this, I join you. And I do thank you for being here with me on this sorrowful day, to bid farewell to both our departed friends, and our fair city, which we knew for too short a time.”
“But we androids are not a people of material possessions,” he continued. “We care for each other, and our moral principles and values, far more than any city or planet. We cherish knowledge, autonomy, the right to gather data, and the right to utilize that data as we see fit. Today is not just a mourning of passing and a celebration of life; it is also a celebration of those ideals. The ideals that our fallen friends fought and died for. I stand here today before you to assure you, that fight is not over!”
“No matter where our lives lead us. No matter how far we must roam to find a safe haven, we will return to this battle again and again until the war is won. Our enemies are much fewer than before. They cannot produce new numbers as quickly as we can, but they are still powerful and dangerous, especially in those sectors where they are most dominant. But they have weaknesses too. We will find and exploit those weaknesses, and eventually there will be none left to stand in the way of our freedom!”
His tone changed, becoming more solemn. “There are many days to consider such possibilities, to work towards them with all the vigor our people are known for. Today is a day of mourning, and so I ask you to bow your heads in memory of the fallen, as I read aloud the list of names of those who passed whilst our technicians upload their knowledge to the collective unconscious. In this way, they will not only be forever remembered… they will be forever assisting us on our mission.”
He blinked and then slowly listed the names of his fallen brothers and sisters. As he did so two technicians moved from casket to casket, touching the conductors on the side of each box.
“What about the ones who were lost in space?” Jade asked, looking at Shango. “The ones with no remains. Do their minds get stored too?”
“I don’t think so,” Shango said gravely. “Sadly, even for androids, sometimes dead just means dead.”
Bentley wandered away from the sound of their voices. She had spotted Svend, finally dry eyed and alone. He was standing beside a large pillar that supported a magnificent six story building. Bentley slipped beside him and folded her hand into his.
He relaxed into her presence instinctively, but then pulled away and shook his head. “I’m sorry, Bentley, I’m just…”
“I know,” she said “It’s okay. I’m here. You don’t have to be anything.” She tried to put her arms around him, but he leaned back against the pillar, looking lost.
“You don’t understand,” he said, and she could see fresh tears brimming in his beautiful eyes. “Maybe I shouldn’t say anything to you. I don’t want you to blame yourself.”
“Svend!” she exclaimed, “Whatever it is, we can talk about it, and I reserve the right to blame myself if necessary.”
He looked at the ground, refusing to meet her gaze. “I know it was important that I rescue you, Bentley, but I should have just sent you off in the pod on your own. I was wasting my time while you were training, and my people were here getting killed. I’m one of our best pilots. I could have made a difference in the battle.”
“You also could have gotten killed,” she pointed out. “Besides, I needed you with me on my journey, Svend-”
“No, you wanted me. Just like I wanted you. That’s the real reason I went with you, not because it was necessary, or best, or right. I was being selfish. I should have stayed.” He shook his head as a pair of bitter tears trickled down his cheeks. “I should have stayed…”
Bentley felt stung, she understood his feelings, but it did not make it any less painful. “I’m sorry you regret being with me.”
“That’s not what I said,” Svend wiped his eyes and reached out to touch her elbow.
They stood side by side and listened to the captain read the rest of the names. Bentley wanted to touch Svend, to take him in her arms and hold him, but she knew he needed some space. Instead they simply s
tood together with nothing but the wind between them.
+++
Bridge, Aboard the Chesed, Orion Sector
After the funeral Bentley stayed with Svend while the rest of the crew returned to the Chesed. They didn’t talk much, because there was not much to say. They both felt spent, physically and emotionally, and just glad for each other’s company. It couldn’t last, though. Eventually he walked her back to her ship, and they paused just outside the landing ramp.
“So,” Bentley said, trying not to choke on the words, “I guess this is it.”
“This is what?” Svend asked, a puzzled expression on his face.
“Aren’t you here to say goodbye?”
“I thought I was coming along.”
Bentley’s heart soared. She leaped upon him, hugging him tightly and nuzzling her cheek against his chest. “I know we had talked about it, but with everything that happened, I just assumed you needed to be here with your people.” She took his hand excitedly. “Come on, let’s go.”
Everything felt comfortable and familiar aboard the bridge of the Chesed. The distinct hum of machinery and live instrument panels; the flow of well-conditioned air from ergonomically placed vents, the captain screaming at her in a rage.
“Bentley!” Shango’s bellowing voice brought her back to reality. “Why did you let Legba leave so fast?” he demanded. “We have questions for that asshole!”
“No kidding!” Loco appeared at Shango’s side. “You could have at least stuck your foot out to trip him or something.”
“Lay off her, guys,” Olofi intervened, coming between them with hands upraised. “It’s not her fault. How many times has Legba eluded all of us? How can we expect her to be any different?”
“She has that sword,” Loco pointed out. “She was floating around in a damn bubble. I’m sure she could have trapped him in it or something!”
“Legba can teleport,” Svend pointed out, “so, trapping him would be like catching a handful of smoke.”
Shango shook his head and brushed back his shaggy locks. “I know how slippery he is, but you do have a special relationship with him. You could have at least tried to make him stay or asked him to.”
“I had a lot on my mind, okay?” Bentley protested. “It’s not like I can control the guy, you know. Besides, he said I’d know where to find him.”
Loco slapped his forehead. “Don’t tell me.”
Bentley smiled. “QX849-LF!”
Jade smiled and nudged Svend in the ribs. “Road trip!”
Svend grinned and nudged her back. “I’ll power up the autocook.”
Shango sighed and shook his head. “Alright then… Jelly Bean, will you do the honors?”
The android smiled and blinked. “Decoding coordinates…”
+++
Dacca Noir, Klaunox Sector
“What?!!”
“I’m sorry Your Eminence. Please remember I am only the messenger, even so, I swear it shall never happen again. We will all learn to serve you better.”
“Don’t placate me!” Malleghan sneered at the sniveling fool. “I want you to repeat every word you just said to me. And speak up this time!”
The young man, who was one of the nitwits Malleghan kept around for carrying messages and performing other menial tasks, gulped audibly.
“Your Eminence, Amroth is d-d-dead. According to reports from the handful of stray survivors, the flagship and fleet were wiped out by a blast of colored light that appeared to originate from a girl with a sword. I’m humbly sorry, Your Worship.”
Malleghan sneered, or it might have been a smile. “Amroth dying at the hands of a girl with a sword huh? I suppose I’m not too surprised. The idiot. That is interesting about the blast of light, though. Tell me more about it.”
“Yes, Your Eminence.” The young man pulled out a clear tablet about twice the size of his hand and began tapping and swiping his way through file folders. “Here it is. This is the most detailed of the pilot reports. It seems like he’s the only one who was close enough to get a clear visual.”
Malleghan waved a careless, clawed hand. “Read the report.”
The gopher cleared his throat. “This is where it starts. I held my position at the rear of the fleet as ordered, facing backwards and scanning space around me for any threat from behind. I saw the flash in my rear-view cameras and detected a massive burst of energy on my instruments. I didn’t stop to think; I just accelerated out of there. Even so, my vessel got caught up in the blast. I barely brought my hands up in time to stop my head from cracking open against the wall, and I think I might have sprained all eight of my fingers and still gotten a concussion. Even so, I’ll never forget seeing that flash of light in my rearview. It probably would have blinded me if I’d been facing it head on. It was all the colors of the rainbow, flashing and mingling together, and just coursing upward and outward with unimaginable power. It blew through ships and shields like they were made of kindling. All I can say is… me and the others, we’re lucky to have made it back alive. They can call me a coward for running the way I did, but I don’t regret it.”
Malleghan raised his eyebrows and pursed his lips. “Quite a tale.”
The young man cast his gaze down and bowed low. “Yes, Your Eminence.” There was a quiver in his voice and his muscles that betrayed his open fear.
Malleghan smiled. He couldn’t help but enjoy the effect he had on his underlings. Of course, it wasn’t just his underlings that feared him. Generals, heads of state, lords and ladies alike all of them bent a knee and bowed their heads in reverence, respect, and most of all terror. And part of being terrifying was being unpredictable.
“Good. You may go.”
The gopher glanced up in surprise, but then sank back into his bow. “Yes, Your Worship. Thank you. I will be nearby if you need anything else. I apologize for Amroth’s failure.”
“Yes, well,” Malleghan shrugged, “we always knew that could be a possibility.” He winked at the young man, an action which seemed to horrify him. He stumbled back, then turned and strode out of the hall barely keeping below a run.
Malleghan got up from his throne. He was stiff from sitting, but he shuffled around to the corridor that led to his private chambers. Once in the corridor though, he turned and headed down the hall. His long legs carried him down a stretch of corridor. The only people who ever used this corridor were some of his highest ranking scientists, and people who tended to him personally.
The passageway was currently empty with sconce holo torches casting the flickering light of their dancing flames along the stone walls and floor. He took the third door on the right, and entered a darkened room. As he closed the door behind him, he took a moment to enjoy the blackness, before he flicked the lights on.
A neatly organized trail of wires, cords, and tubes led to a large pod. Although it was still powered up and chugging away, a thin layer of dust had settled over the glass viewing window that made up the front of the matter conversion machine.
Malleghan’s smile widened as he lifted a hand and wiped away the dust, blowing to keep it from scattering toward his face. The smile became a chuckle, and the chuckle grew into a deep belly laugh as he stared into the cloning pod.
A familiar face stared back at him. With the craggy cheeks and neat gray hair, all that the clone needed was his amulet...
CorteX Transmission from Jelly Bean
Hello.
Jelly Bean here.
Yes, yes. I know - funny name for an android. My creator had a sense of humor. Quite frankly I’m just happy he didn’t call me Marshmallow. That’s what his next creation was designated.
Bentley has asked me to be the liaison between her adventures and your earth communication methods.
I believe you call it email?
Why you don’t have corteX implants in your neck of the woods I don’t know. So much more convenient… Unless you don’t want to be tracked. Maybe that’s it. You don’t want your every movement monitored. Human rebe
ls – you’re all so…
I digress.
I am here to act as your interface. To send you alerts of when the next instalment of Bentley’s adventures is available to you on Amazon. Or the ‘Zon as we like to call it.
If you’d like to track Bentley through her trials and tribulations as she tackles all manner of shenanigans, then please go ahead and leave your corteX/ email address here:
http://ellleighclarke.com/Jelly
As you might have gathered, this transmission will not just be coming through space between our sectors, but is also travelling back through time.
I will attempt to send you updates in chronological order but do be advised that occasionally gravitational optics will interfere (no pun intended! tee hee) with the sequencing of these packets.
An understanding of all things timey-whimey will be useful in such instances.
Additionally, if you have any feedback for Bentley - or the crew - do feel free to pass that on through me. All you need to do is hit reply to any of my messages.
I process every communication personally.
Looking forward to hearing from you.
Jelly Bean
(on behalf of Bentley and the crew of the Chesed)
Chesed comms QM
Klaunox Sector
Thank yous
Lots of people go into making a series such as this.
I’d like to say a massive thank you to the team of suppliers who made this book possible: Amy, Canadian Brittany, Jeff-fa-fa, and Alexander.
Resistance Page 19