by Seven Steps
The doors opened again, the aged metal groaning in protest.
Arees stepped out and walked up to several enforcers.
They bowed. “My Czarina.”
“Take me to The Countess,” she ordered.
One of the enforcers led her down a long hallway, through a metal door, and into the belly of the prison.
They walked past cramped, dark, silent cells, only wide enough for a prisoner to stretch out and touch each wall with her fingers. They stopped at the last door on the right side of the hallway.
The enforcer knocked. “Countess Jun-Su, the Czarina is here to see you.”
A voice came from inside of the cell. “Tell the tyrant to rot.”
Arees made her voice warm and pleasant, knowing that Jun-Su would hear it for what it truly was—taunting.
“Now Jun-Su, I would be very careful of what I said if I were you.”
“Thank goodness I’m not you,” Jun-Su said.
“Jun-Su, you have to play nice,” Arees said. “After all, I hold your life in my hands.”
“My children are gone. My life is over. No matter what you do to me, my life is over.” Jun-Su’s voice broke into a sob that rattled the walls. “How could you, Arees? How could you kill two innocent children? My children.”
“I never intended to hurt them but you forced my hand. I only intended to use them to make sure you were loyal to me.”
“I was loyal to you, and then you used my own children against me! How could you ever have called yourself my friend?”
“What else was I supposed to do? You turned on me, tried to kill me, then called in Praxis to attack me. I had to retaliate.”
“By killing my children? You were there when they were born. You held them in your arms. You named my daughter and kept the secret of my son. You are a wicked, vile woman. They were innocent! They loved you and you killed them.”
Arees flexed her jaw and narrowed her sharp green eyes at the door. Jun-Su would not make her feel guilty.
No, it was Jun-Su who turned on me first, Arees reminded herself, rolling back her shoulders. Jun-Su is at fault. Jun-Su hurt me. I am the victim here, not her.
“No one is innocent, Jun-Su. You of all people should know that.”
“You are a monster! How could you let me eat with you, and confide in you, and then take my children away? I should have known. I should have known all along that you would turn out just like your mother, that thieving, treacherous wretch. She got what was coming to her, and you will get what’s coming to you!”
“My mother was a visionary! And where she failed, I succeeded. You of all people should be able to see that. After all, you are the one on the wrong side of a jail cell, aren’t you?”
“Only until he saves me.”
“He’ll have to contend with me first.”
“You don’t have the power to stand against him.”
“True. But when I get the eye of Mungogia, I’ll have all the power I need.”
Jun-Su’s laughs echoed through the prison. “You foolish, foolish woman. You are going after the eye of Mungogia? I hope those beasts tear you apart.”
“It’s too bad you won’t live to see it.”
“He’ll come for me Arees. I know it and you know it. That’s why I hear the fear in your voice. You know he’s coming.”
“I fear nothing. If anyone should be in fear, it’s you. You left him, and took his two children I might add. Even after he offered you everything, you fled him. What makes you think he’s even still coming?”
“He’s coming because he still has love for me in his heart.”
“And do you love him, Jun-Su? The last I heard, you hated him so much that you were ready to kill every man on this planet so that nothing could remind you of him.”
“Just as you are killing every woman on this planet so that they cannot remind you of me?”
“You are a foolish woman. A liar and a betrayer. You know, in some ways, this is really all your fault. If you hadn’t attacked the slaves, then Nadira and I wouldn’t have quarreled. I would be in power, you would be my second, and everyone would be happy.”
“I would never have been your second.”
“And now you will die for it. Goodbye Jun-Su.” Arees’ face contorted in anger as she walked away. “Make sure she dies slowly. I want to hear her screams of suffering. I want to hear her beg for mercy, and when I refuse it, I want to see the regret in her eyes. Then, and only then, will I allow her to die.”
CHAPTER 17
The Omni
“They look so peaceful,” Helena said, running a finger over the hyper sleep chamber. “I can’t believe they’ll never wake up.”
Emon didn’t reply.
Their last day of food had run out. The ship’s life support would fail soon.
How could things have gone so wrong? Emon wondered. How could everything have changed so suddenly?
She walked over to the last of the two hyper sleep chambers.
“It looks like you’re next,” she said, her gaze rising to meet Helena’s.
Tears filled Helena’s eyes as she stared at the chamber. “Are we sure they’re not coming back?” she asked.
“If they do,” Emon said, “then your sleep won’t be long.”
“And what about you? If I go into hyper sleep, you’ll be alone, with no food. What will happen to you?”
“I will keep watch for any ships that may be close enough to hail.”
“And how will you do that?”
“Simple. I’ll grab a space suit and go for a walk.”
“Alone? But that’s against protocol.”
Emon smirked. “Well, when we get back to Venus, you can prosecute me.”
Helena gave her a small smile. After everything, Emon was glad to call the woman her last friend.
They stood in silence, remembering their lives, and making peace with the Mother Goddess. Finally, Helena spoke up.
“Permission to stay with you, ma’am.”
Emon’s eyes opened wide. “What?”
“Permission to stay with you.”
“Why?”
She shrugged. “I believe that no one should die alone,” she said.
“I can’t promise you that it’ll be pleasant.”
“I know,” Helena said. She reached into the pocket of her jumpsuit. “That’s why I brought a deck of cards.”
Emon couldn’t help but smile.
“I do love cards,” she said.
Together, the two women walked to the flight deck. The darkness of space pressed in on the large front window. There were no signs of life, only stars, planets, and the occasional comet. They sat on the floor in front of the window, crossing their legs underneath them. The smell of burning flesh mixed with smoke permeated the ship. Emon blocked it out, instead choosing to focus on the way the ship creaked and groaned with each passing second. Each creak could be the ship’s last, and she promised herself that she would face death head on. She preferred to look at the taker of her life, whether that be a ruptured wall, a blaster, or the back of her eyelids as the air permanently escaped from her lungs.
Helena dealt a hand, and they played in earnest, neither knowing which game would be their final one.
“What do you regret?” Emon asked.
“Ma’am?”
“In life. What do you regret?”
Helena examined her cards carefully while she considered the question. She then threw out a three of hearts, and met Emon’s gaze.
“I regret that I never had children, and that I never went off world. It was always my dream to see the vastness of the universe, but the closest I came was hiding out in this ship. I would have liked to see other places, meet new people. I feel like I missed out on that.” She reshuffled the cards in her hand. “What about you? What do you regret?”
“I regret that I never told my daughter that I was sorry. The last time we spoke, we argued. Something silly really. I wanted her to take a position as a Councilwoman, and
she wanted to go to Beta Sector to look after the trees. I told her that no daughter of mine would be a dirt scratcher. Then, everything fell apart.” She sighed. “I wish that I could tell her that she could be whatever made her happy.” She shook her head. “I guess what they say is true. You never know what argument can be your last.”
Helena frowned, and threw out another card.
“I’m sure she loves you,” she said.
“I know,” Emon replied. “I know.”
They played until they could no longer stand it, and then they played some more.
The air in the ship grew thin.
Emon mused that life support must be down to less than five percent but she didn’t bother to check. Whether they had a minute left or an hour, what difference did it make? They were about to die.
Suddenly, Helena’s shot to her feet, and she jumped excitedly, pointing out of the window.
“What?” Emon asked. “What is it?”
“A ship!” Helena cried. “And it’s heading this way!”
Emon jerked her head to the window. Sure enough, a blue ship zoomed through space, speeding towards them at an astonishing rate.
“Who is it?”
“It’s them!”
“What?” Emon examined the ship. “How do you know?”
“Because I’ve been praying!”
Helena ran out of the room and into the cargo hold. Emon ran behind her. By the time they reached the cargo hold, the ship was already docking.
Emon and Helena stood ready.
The cargo hold door opened, and out stepped their former prisoners.
Emon ran to them before she realized she’d done it, squeezing Nadira between her meaty arms.
“We thought you’d forgotten us,” she said, tears stinging her eyes.
“We promised,” Nadira said. “And when we make a promise, we keep it.”
Emon turned to Helena. “Wake the girls from hyper sleep,” she said. “We’re going home.”
CHAPTER 18
The Jewel
The ship approached the Venian Porticoes.
“Warrior? I’m no warrior!” Dell Una squeezed her hands together to try to stop their shaking.
“The Magistrate believes in you, Dell Una.” Nadira sat across from Dell Una, hiding her trepidation with a gentle smile.
“I’m just a liaison,” Dell Una said. “A babysitter for empty-headed ambassadors. Why would she choose me for this?”
“I’m sure she has her reasons,” Nadira said.
“Oh no! This is bad,” Dell Una cried. “I’ll be killed. Or worse, I’ll fail and won’t be allowed back home. Oh why would she do this to me?”
“Dell Una, pull yourself together!” Nadira shouted. “An entire planet is depending on you. You have to be strong for us.”
Her eyes glided to the women crammed together in the back of the ship. The entire crew of the Omni, all eighteen who were left plus Helena and Emon, had joined them for a one way ticket home.
Dell Una wondered if it would have been better to take them someplace else, but really, where would they go?
“You ate the seed thing,” Eva pointed out. “That must be worth something.”
“The fire seed. I ate the fire seed. I have the fury.” She calmed a bit and looked out the window as if seeing space for the first time.
Through the window, one of the stars appeared closer, more brilliant. The Milky Way galaxy’s sun. Around it, millions of stars twinkled, white shimmers in a sea of blackness. Dell Una had never seen this sun before. Come to think of it, she’d never seen anything outside of the Specumium before. With this mission, she became one of the few Zenithians to ever leave Zenith. The only others were the ambassadors who resided on under developed planets, and the ambassadors to the other Forger Keepers.
Who would have thought that a lowly ambassador liaison would ever leave my home to come here? Why am I worthy of this great privilege? She frowned. Or is it a great folly? Entire planets go to war every day. Billions of creatures are murdered throughout the universe, and yet Embrya rarely intervenes. What makes this planet so special? Why is she intervening now? If Arees wants to decimate her world, then let her. Taking a deep breath and blowing it out again, she gazed upon the brilliance of the sun again. Then again, I suppose that every species deserves a chance to live. But why this one? What makes the Venians different?
“I never thought we’d be able to travel from one end of the district to the other without hyper sleep,” Kiln said. “This ship is fast.”
“How are we going to get past the Porticoes?” Lex asked.
Everyone on the ship turned to look at Dell Una, and she felt her cheeks heat.
It begins.
Dell Una placed a hand on the window, her breath fogging the glass. Space was so beautiful. She hoped that this wouldn’t be the last time she saw it.
Setting the fury firmly in her mind, she blinked her third eye.
The Portico opened.
“You’ll have to tell us how you do that one day,” Eva said.
Dell Una wiped her small, sweaty hands on her bare knees and stood, determination settling onto her face. If she was going to die, then she’d better get on with it.
CHAPTER 19
Venus
“Beta is mine!” Arees cried from the steps of High Council Hall. “And now, to finish off my enemies!”
The crowd before her cheered, “Czarina, Czarina, Czarina, Czarina!”
“Bring up the prisoners!” Arees cried.
Several enforcers went to retrieve the enslaved women. The rest stayed and selected their spots for the executions.
Within seconds, women were marched up from the jail beneath High Council Hall, the Countess stationed at the rear. She held her head high, keeping her eyes directly in front of her. There were no tears or screaming. The other prisoners followed her lead, controlling their emotions as best as they could.
Arees smiled.
It’s happened. The last threats to me are standing for execution. I am surrounded by loyal enforcers. This planet is mine, and once I have the Mungogians behind me, I will make Venus into a weapon-making machine. It’s only a matter of time.
Arees marched to a platform opposite the death barrier and sat in the center chair, relishing the continued chanting of her name.
This is turning out to be an excellent day.
The women were led to the front of the death barrier. The enforcers barked at them to turn and face the Czarina. They complied without hesitation, without fear.
Arees stood, clasped her hands together, and smiled. “Welcome all!” she sang. “I’m so glad you could make it to the first day of my new regime.”
“You will never get away with this,” Jun-Su spat.
“Oh, but Jun-Su, I already have.” She turned to the head enforcer, Bragnia. “Go by rank. Leave the barrier down ... for now.”
CHAPTER 20
The Councilwomen’s courage fled them as they watched their sisters bodies explode all over the crowd. The time for bravery had passed. Now was the time to panic.
The enforcer’s cheers drowned out the terrified screams of Councilwomen as they were dragged to the stage.
Only Countess Jun-Su and Tagnia Bimosa were left on the platform. Jun-Su stood with her back poker straight, her eyes cool. Even when she heard the interrupted screams of the dying, she did not flinch.
Tagnia, sister to head enforcer Bragnia, was not as calm. Her straight blue hair frizzed around her pale face, and her thin body shook with fear. Her once spotless blue suit was now soiled and wreaking of urine. Tagnia had become a Councilwoman only a month ago.
Three executioners lined up, heavy weapons on their shoulder. They aimed at the four women chained to the stage.
“No!” screamed Empress Sierra Dashmount, her usually perfect blonde hair now matted to her high forehead with dirt and sweat.
“Ready!” Bragnia shouted.
“No, please, I’ll give you anything!”
The enforcers lowered the thick, double handled black tubes from the shoulders.
“Aim!”
The blasters hissed as they booted up.
“I pledge my loyalty to the Czarina!” Empress Sierra screamed, her body doubling over in agonizing terror. “I pledge my loyalty to the—”
“Fire!”
Lasers exploded out of the blasters.
The prisoners shuddered a moment before their bodies burst, splattering gore and guts onto the first three rows of enforcers.
The crowd cheered, throwing the bloody pieces at each other.
“All who oppose the Czarina must die!” Bragnia cried.
More cheers.
Tagnia fainted, her long blue hair fanning around her pale face.
Jun-Su continued to look straight ahead.
“Wake up, Tagnia,” Arees sneered. “You wouldn’t want to miss—”
The rumble of engines roared around them.
Arees and her crowd of supporters turned.
Embrya’s ship landed in a field outside of High Council Hall.
The crowd muttered amongst themselves.
“Who dares disturb my justice?” Arees demanded.
The ship’s door opened, and Dell Una stepped out, Nadira, Eva, Kiln, and Lex behind her.
Dell Una gasped at the sea of enforcers staring back at her.
Nadira nudged her forward.
Closing her third eye, Dell Una took a deep breath, and with all of the courage she could muster, said, “Czarina Arees, the Magistrate orders you to step down immediately.”
The Czarina’s eyes grew wide. “Who are you?”
“I am a representative of Zenith,” Dell Una said. “I am here to tell you that your reign over this planet, as short-lived as it was, is over. Step down.”
Arees lips twitched into a threatening smile. “My reign over this planet is eternal.”
Enforcers ran to surround the travelers.
“You make a grave mistake,” Dell Una warned, her confidence building. “Step down peacefully and no one will be harmed.”
“Who’s going to make me?” Arees asked.
“I am,” Dell Una replied, striking a proud pose.