The Faarian Chronicles: Exile

by Karen Harris Tully

  Good job, girl-child. Your mother is proud of you, as am I.

  “Wait, can you talk with her, like instantly?” I asked.

  We are always in touch, she replied, still humming.

  “Well, what’s happening? Why isn’t she back yet?”

  Have faith, girl-child, and bury your kill. She turned and walked away.

  “Have faith? What? That’s not even an answer! And what happens when faith isn’t enough?” I called after her. “What happens when she needs help? No one’s invincible, you know!”

  She regarded me curiously over her shoulder and shook her head as if the idea of my mother needing help was a foreign concept. Bury your kill, girl-child, she repeated and walked off, no longer singing.

  Chapter 27: Research

  After the traditional burying of my haratchi (Thal cheated and helped me with the, also traditional, manual digging) I found out that when a trainee gets their first haratchi kill, they’re given the rest of the day off, which was great because my ankle was really killing me again. If I wasn’t careful, I was going to do long-term damage. I already hadn’t been able to practice gymnastics on it since running from the now-dead Anakharu. People would have to get used to seeing me walking the Kindred halls on my hands and whatever else I could think of to work out one-legged. At least the bite on my hand had healed cleanly to an ugly patch of pink scar tissue.

  I had to wait for the others because I wasn’t supposed to go off on my own, but I didn’t mind. It was hot out, as usual, but there was a breeze and the suns felt nice, like I was soaking up their energy.

  When I was sure they were all busy burying the mounds of uneaten haratchi - what they weren’t taking back to feed the piranha - I called John to find out what I could about the Molinidae justice system.

  “Sunny, are you okay?” John asked right away as his little two-inch hologram popped up from my link.

  “Shhh!” I hissed. “Volume down.” I turned the tractor chair away from everyone. If someone looked over, they could see I was still there, but hopefully not what I was doing.

  “Hey John. I’m fine, but people around here aren’t real happy with me.”

  “I saw what happened on the news. A rogue Afflicted attacked you! They can’t think that was your fault?”

  “No, but I should’ve been able to protect myself, and then Mom was arrested for protecting me and no one seems to know what’s going on or when she’ll be back.”

  “Ah, so you’re linking me to see what I’ve heard.”

  The phrase “linking me” still sounded stupid, but…. “Yeah, basically.”

  “Well, it’s not good. The news is saying she murdered your attacker because she hates Afflicted people, not to save you.”

  “But that’s ridiculous! The guy was about to bite me and suck my blood!”

  “Yeah, well it doesn’t help that she doesn’t allow the Afflicted into your Kindred, or even to stay in Kindred territory. I know for a fact that my family is some of the only Molinidae she allows to visit there.”

  “But you’re not Anakharu!”

  “No, but Sunny, the affliction is a Molinidae disease. All Afflicted are Molinidae.”

  “Oh.” I paused. “You couldn’t catch it, could you?”

  “No.” He smiled. “I was born Molinidae. The affliction can only happen to new converts.”

  “Oh,” I repeated and digested that. Okay, so no “converting,” check. Not that I knew what that meant. Focus, Sunny. “Anyway, what I can’t figure out is who called the police. That doesn’t seem like something anyone around here would do.”

  “Um,” John cleared his throat. “Your attacker probably called the police himself. In a way.”

  “What? How is that possible?”

  “Um, a lot of… Afflicted people… are able to communicate telepathically,” he finished in a rush.

  “What? So you’re saying he mentally contacted the police?”

  “Yes, and told them your mother was trying to kill him. Then the police showed up and found him dead. Did anyone else have access to the body?”

  “Not that I saw. Micha was trying to get to him, jumping up on the casket, but once it was opened she seemed disgusted and gave up.”

  “Wait. Micha, she’s your mother’s Ahatu, right?”

  I nodded. “I saw the whole thing through an upstairs window. Micha was seriously peeved. Then one of the police opened the casket a bit and put something shiny inside and then Micha just stopped and walked away. It was the weirdest thing.”

  “Did anyone else see this?”

  “Other than the police? Not that I know of. Penthe came up a few seconds later, checked the body and pronounced him dead.”

  “Sunny, you need to talk to Micha. Can you do that?”

  “Well yeah, I guess. She talked to me twice today, but she kind of freaks me out. She’s so big and, you know, a tiger.”

  “Get over it. She won’t hurt you, but you need to ask her if the Anakharu was alive in the casket, in healing stasis.”

  “Stasis?” I asked.

  “Yes. If he were just badly injured he would have entered stasis for his body to recuperate. He would have woken up again hours or maybe a day later. You need to talk with Micha,” he repeated. “You two may be the only ones who saw the actual murder.”

  ***

  “But why?” Thal asked later, trying to keep his voice soft as the Kindred filed into the Great Hall for dinner. “Why would the police want to kill Drazen instead of arresting him?”

  I shook my head. “The only thing I can think of is that the boss Drazen mentioned paid them off to keep him from talking.”

  “Hmmm. So what did Micha say?”

  “I don’t know. I haven’t been able to talk with her yet.”

  Just then, Alten stood and called for everyone’s attention, her big belly and maternity clothes looking out of place next to all the dusty fatigues in the room.

  “Considering everything that’s happened lately,” Alten said, “Veridian’s first haratchi celebration will be postponed until the General returns, tomorrow with any luck.” A palpable sense of relief swept the Great Hall and the crowd cheered, but all I heard was that her return had been delayed again. "Tomorrow, with any luck," was not reassuring. But I was glad they weren’t celebrating my success without her. That would’ve felt wrong.

  “But please, let’s all congratulate Veridian on her first adult haratchi kill. She showed courage and promise today and I’m sure the General would approve of the Council’s decision to promote her to full trainee.” Alten clapped and most of the crowd applauded again, led by the people at my table and almost all the warriors.

  Myrihn and Great-Aunt Nico’s table were noticeably silent. Clearly I hadn’t won over everyone. Although I still wasn’t sure quite how I’d done what I’d done. Instinct had taken over my brain.

  “Usually,” Ethem’s voice made me look up to find him at my elbow, “the person being honored gets to choose their favorite dish for dinner, but since we were short on time and I don’t know how to make,” he consulted his link and the text he and I had exchanged earlier, “veggie gyoza and spicy tofu, I made your mother’s favorite instead.”

  I looked skeptically at the large baking dish he held as he whipped off the towel covering it with a flourish.

  “Vegan lasagna!” he said. “She brought the recipe with her back from Earth.”

  “Really?” I gasped and clapped my hands, suddenly ravenous. “Does it have cashew cheese?”

  “Of course, what else?” he replied and squeaked with surprise when I jumped up and hugged him.

  “Thank you, Ethem.” I found I had to swallow the lump that was suddenly in my throat. “A taste of home. That’s the nicest thing I can imagine right now.”

  “Well,” he said. Was it me, or did he have a little tear there? “If you can teach me how to make your um, gyoza, we’ll have that after your mother returns, yes?”

  “That would be great.” I smiled at him, de
ciding that Ethem wasn’t all that weird after all.

  ***

  After dinner, I wanted to go back to my room to crash, but Teague and Sarosh made me stick with them.

  “Um, I’m just going to head back to the apartment and do some of the reading I’m supposed to do. Don’t worry about me,” I told them.

  Teague exchanged a look with Sarosh and shrugged. “We might as well do it now then.”

  “Do what now?” I asked.

  “We’re moving you to a different room while your mother’s away. Let’s go pack up your stuff.”

  “Moving me? Why?”

  “Because your mother sent us a text and asked us to,” Teague replied in a tone that told me not to argue.

  I sighed. “Fine,” I said, even though it wasn’t. Was that really necessary?

  They waited in the living room while I packed up my stuff and helped me move it to an empty interior apartment. The new place was almost identical to the old one, still sparsely furnished, but with a feel of disuse, and no windows or fish tank. I tossed my stuff in the corner of my new room before flopping down on the couch.

  “I get the other bedroom,” Teague said.

  “Fine,” Sarosh huffed. “I’ll take the couch.”

  “Wait. Don’t you both have families or something?” I asked, starting up the holo-internet on my link. Did I really need bodyguards inside the compound?

  “They’ll be fine. The General told us to stay with you, we’re staying with you,” Teague growled in that same tone as before.

  “I thought you were going to do your reading?” Sarosh asked with one eyebrow raised as BLIN appeared and gave his customary address, greeting each person in the room by name.

  “I’m just looking something up first,” I replied, annoyed, grabbed my link, and went into the windowless hole of a bedroom. Sheesh! This thing didn’t play anything good anyway, and besides, it was easier for me to have the reporters tell me about things than to read about them myself.

  “Government approved garbage,” Teague grumbled, echoes of my mother in her voice.

  I rolled my eyes. Could I not get any privacy around here?

  BLIN squawked, wavered, and generally acted like he was in an earthquake until the link settled on top of the dresser. He straightened himself out before asking his usual question: “What would you like to know today?”

  “Vampires,” I replied.

  He seemed to think for a moment, searching his database. “Do you mean the Anakharu of ancient legend…?”

  I cut him off. “No. Current day.”

  “Ah. Do you mean rogue Afflicted persons?”

  “Yes, them.”

  “Then based on your profile, the following has been determined to be your best fit.”

  “Fine, just play.” I briefly wondered what profile he could have on me as BLIN faded out and was replaced by a news talk show desk that looked to be copied directly from The Daily Show, complete with a stylish middle-aged host behind the desk who reminded me of a female Jon Stewart with long, surprisingly chestnut hair.

  “And now, here to talk about her groundbreaking new book, What’s a Little Blood Among Friends? please welcome a woman who holds my utmost admiration, Founder and Director of The Macawan Foundation, Dr. Nereus Souchie!” The audience applauded politely, and I was surprised to see the same polished older woman who’d come to visit on my first day here stepping onto the stage, her silvery green hair and silvery suit making her gleam under the lights.

  “Welcome to the show,” the host said, standing to shake arms before they both sat on either side of the desk. “Let me say, it is such an honor to have you here Dr. Souchie. The Foundation does absolutely incredible work to help people from all walks of life. Why, without you and The Foundation, over half of us on this planet would literally not be alive today.” She paused for the somewhat increased applause, expertly quieting the audience before it could peter out into lameness.

  “Just in case there are any young people in the audience who don’t know this,” the host continued, “I’m talking of course about the fact that you, as a young scientist, were the one who discovered how to duplicate the chlorophyll mutation in people who hadn’t mutated naturally.

  “You started up The Foundation to ensure that it was available to everyone, not only the rich or privileged. And,” the host paused for the ensuing cheers, louder than the previous polite patter, “you and your husband, may he rest in peace, personally adopted or supported through scholarships, countless young people orphaned by the oxygen deprivation tragedy, a tradition that you carry on today. Kids who otherwise wouldn’t have had a home or an education.

  “Looking around the studio, a majority of us in one way or another wouldn’t be here today without you. And I just want to say,” she all but dove across the desk to grab the older woman’s hands with sincere, yet comedic, enthusiasm, “thank you.”

  The young audience, finally catching on to who this old woman was being interviewed on their favorite show, burst into cheers and stomped their approval for several minutes before the host could get them to quiet down. The sage-haired scientist nodded graciously through the applause, smiling and humbly thanking the crowd.

  “Now, Dr. Souchie,” the host finally continued, “you’re out on the forefront of the Anakharu equal rights movement, and I have to say, I don’t quite see the connection. Saving lives to Anakharu rights. To ask a potentially stupid question, what am I missing? How did you make that leap?”

  The doctor laughed, looking completely at ease.

  “It’s no leap at all,” she replied. “We are all connected after all, and The Foundation’s mission is to make this world a better place to live. So, first off, I need to correct a common misconception here. The proper term for people with this disease is the Afflicted. The Anakharu were an ancient Earthan myth about soulless, blood-drinking demons. So, the only similarity between the Afflicted and that ancient myth is the need to drink a bit of blood. Cloned or freely donated blood, I might add.” She took a pill bottle out of her pocket and shook out two bright red horse pills and held them up with a flourish. “Which now comes in convenient, on-the-go capsules.” She smiled charmingly and the audience laughed for her. “Other than that, the Afflicted are just like you and me.”

  “But, what about the stories about an… Afflicted person… going crazy and attacking someone, here in Glass City say, and sucking their blood out with pointy teeth?” Yeah! I wanted to yell. And what about the one who attacked me?

  “Well, I won’t claim that it’s never happened, but those stories are greatly exaggerated. Afflicted people are still the same person they were before the disease. They don’t want to bite another person any more than you or I. The crazed state you describe is only possible if the person goes off their hemoglobin supplementation program for a prolonged period of time. And, even if that were the case, they will still not be drawn to chlorophyll blood, which most of us have nowadays.

  “That is the reason Afflicted persons are not allowed in the domed cities, in case they have stopped taking their medication and come across… a naturalist.” She motioned politely to the host.

  “You mean a Brown-Hair,” the host replied with a grin, running a hand through her own gleaming chestnut locks.

  The doctor laughed. “Just so. So, Afflicted people pose no threat to the general public whatsoever. The vision of the Afflicted running around attacking people is preposterous.”

  I snorted. Yeah right. Preposterous. Except this doctor seemed really well-liked and respected. Could everyone be right? That they weren’t really a threat, except to me and non-chlorophyllated people?

  The door opened and Micha strolled in. She sat down beside me on the floor on her haunches and rested her huge head on my lap. I stayed perfectly still, not knowing what to do. The thought kept running through my head that she could probably amputate my leg with one bite.

  You could hurt me with your weapons, girl-child, but you won’t. The thought entered my hea
d along with a reassuring purr. I tried to refocus on the holo-show in front of me.

  “So, you’re saying that they’re no more likely to be murderers than anyone else out there,” the host continued.

  “Precisely. We can’t allow ancient myths and misconceptions about this disease to split us apart. We’ve only got one world and we all have to live in it together. The Foundation is doing all it can to find a cure for the Afflicted, but in the meantime, everyone needs to know the truth.”

  I hesitantly put my hand on Micha’s head and began to timidly finger comb her coarse ruff as I listened. Micha started to purr, and then her muscles relaxed all at once as she, with a great huff, became a big, flabby puddle of fur. Geez, her head was freakin’ heavy! She chuckled at me.

  “First, the affliction is a rare symbiotic brain imbalance. It is not contagious from person-to-person contact. You can be close with an Afflicted person, breathe the same air, eat off the same dishes, kiss, do more than kiss,” she winked and the audience laughed again, “without worry. Afflicted people can do everything anyone else does: work, go to school, play sports, and anything else, all with perfect safety.

  “Second, there are effective treatments available. If the disease is diagnosed early enough, there is no reason for the person to suffer any of the symptoms commonly associated with the affliction. The facial scarring, the mismatched eyes, the odd cravings, none of these are necessary. So, if you or anyone you know starts to exhibit any of the following symptoms after conversion, go see a doctor immediately: fever, nausea from everyday foods, aversion to vegetables, cravings for raw or bloody meat, or changes in eyesight. These are all symptoms that should not be ignored.”

  After conversion? What sort of conversion had he done that had made him go all chompy chompy?

  “And third, if you are diagnosed with the affliction, take your medication as directed. We at The Foundation have worked tirelessly to make sure that this disease is entirely treatable. No one needs suffer from it.”