The Smuggler's Ascension

by Christopher Ingersoll

  Sabine watched, her face giving away nothing that she felt. The fact that the argument carried on as if she was not even there was highly irritating to her. These men seemed to have forgotten their Queen was even present, which Sabine blamed on her mother’s dislike of martial affairs. She was on the verge of launching a blistering chastisement at the assembled military commanders when she saw Kristof and Subat enter on the opposite side of the chamber.

  Seeing him standing there by the door, Sabine’s heart soared at knowing Kristof was on his way to fully recovering. Seeing him in the hospital bed had broken her heart, but now her joy was palpable. And yet she could not be as happy as she wished, for always at the back of her mind now was the thought that now that she was back on Purannis and had taken the throne, her time with Kristof as lovers was at an end. The way she found herself ignored in this meeting, however, made her start to care less about what was expected of her.

  The noise of her arguing commanders intruded on her thoughts once again, and Sabine rose to her feet and tried to call them to attention. When the argument continued to rage on as if she were still not there, Sabine drew her blaster from within the folds of her gown and fired a single shot into the ceiling. The silence that followed was deafening as the plaster in the ceiling smoked and burned briefly.

  “Gentlemen,” Sabine said, her voice dripping with sarcasm, “I think we are in need a recess to allow tempers to cool and civility to return. We will resume in one hour, and see that you return in a more seemly manner. Dismissed.”

  The assembled admirals and generals gave her looks ranging from surprise to outrage, though the fact that she still had her blaster drawn may have contributed to it. Sabine returned the blaster to its hidden holster as the room cleared, until she was alone with Kristof, Subat, and her four bodyguards. She arched an eyebrow and motioned for the guards to leave as well, which they did reluctantly.

  “Don’t worry,” Sabine told them. “I am in good hands here. Wait outside, please.” The bodyguards were clearly unhappy, but their happiness was not her concern, and finally she was alone with Kristof and Subat.

  “Your style of rule is…unique, Your Majesty,” Subat said lightly as he examined the scorched hole her blaster shot had left in the ceiling.

  “Those pompous fools are lucky I only shot the ceiling,” Sabine responded with irritation. “All they see is a little girl when they look at me, not the Queen. I just want to go around and punch them all in the face half the time.”

  Kristof and Subat shared a look that spoke volumes.

  “What?” Sabine demanded irritably.

  “Nothing,” Kristof answered with a smile. “You just reminded us of someone, is all,” his eyes saying everything as they shared a long glance.

  Sabine didn’t ask for more, she knew who Kristof was referring to.

  “They will come to respect you in time,” Subat said, heading off any change in the discussion. “Your mother was not one to insert herself into military affairs. You will have to assert your authority, and not with a blaster.”

  Sabine went to Kristof and embraced him, eager to feel his heartbeat and assure herself that he was alive. It was irrational, she knew, since he was standing right there before her, but she needed the sense of touch. The memory of almost losing him remained firmly in her mind still. Almost losing Kristof in the crash had scared her, which only made the thought of eventually having to let him go even harder.

  Subat had come to Sabine when Kristof had been in a coma still and she had been frantic with worry. Over the years, Subat had become a surrogate father to her after her own father had died when she was very young in a shuttle accident. She had fled to his arms when he appeared in Kristof’s hospital room, and he had comforted her then and helped her to calm her frantic mind.

  Shock had overcome Sabine when she learned that Subat had known what had happened between her and Kristof, until she remembered that he was Su’Tani. She accused him of knowing all along what would happen if she went with Kristof, and the man had not denied it. The reason why he had not objected, however, had shocked her even more.

  “Years ago,” Subat had begun, “my daughter came to me and told me she had seen a vision. Anasha was most gifted, and able to see far into the future. She had seen a vision of you, my dear Sabine, and Kristof together and that the two of you would lead the Protectorate into the light. She also said that Kristof would save the Protectorate from falling into eternal darkness, though she could not see how.”

  “This happened while she and Kristof were married?” Sabine asked, fearing the answer, and yet already knowing what Subat would say.

  “Yes,” Subat had answered sadly. “You had just been born shortly before. Her words upset me far more than it did her, though. Anasha loved Kristof with all of her being, but somehow she knew that their time together would end somehow and that there would be another; you. I think she had foreseen her death, though she never said as much to me and I could not bring myself to ask.”

  Subat had looked down at Kristof as he lay unconscious in the bed for a long time then, silence filling the room, taking in all of the tubes and machines keeping Kristof alive.

  “I hated this man from the moment I met him to the moment Anasha died,” Subat said sadly. “I blamed him for leading Anasha away from the path of the Su’Tani and to her death. I had even gone to Bonibus to kill him when I learned that he had survived, only to find him locked away in a prison. So I waited, knowing one day he would be free and I would have my vengeance. And then one night, Anasha came to me in a vision as I meditated. She shared with me her vision as she had seen it along ago. There is a darkness coming, and we must be ready. She also showed me that Kristof had not led her away from the Su’Tani; she had been trying to lead him to the Su’Tani path in order to face that darkness. She begged me to help him, and from then on I did the best I could.”

  Subat had then blessed Sabine and Kristof’s union, and she had burst into tears. She had cried as she told Subat that she and Kristof could never be together in the eyes of the royal court, that the court would never accept him as her consort. Subat had smiled mysteriously and told her simply to have faith, that nothing was ever truly impossible.

  Sabine leaned back and looked at Kristof now and fiercely hoped that Subat was right, and that they would find a way to be together. Pulling away from Kristof at last, she looked up to see the look of surprise in his face. She knew the surprise was due to Subat’s presence. Giving him a wink, she returned to her chair and motioned the two men to have a seat.

  “Judging from the heated discussion, I’d guess your commanders are in disagreement on how to proceed,” Kristof said after a time, wincing slightly as he eased into a seat beside her.

  “That would be putting it mildly,” Sabine answered gloomily. “Unfortunately, there’s no good answer to be found. We lack the strength to attack the Clovani navy directly, and we lack the strength to defend all of our worlds if they attack. This is especially true after the defection of elements of our own fleet under the control of the Duranis family.”

  “Why haven’t they attacked already?” Kristof asked curiously. “Surely they know that Purannis lacks the strength to resist. It’s been a month now at least.”

  “We don’t know,” Sabine answered. “My Generals think that the Clovani did not truly plan to have to take Purannis by force, and that the attacks on the colonies were a ploy to get Grand Duke Michal into position here. If I had been captured or killed, the Duranis family would have taken the throne in time and allied with the Empire without a shot being fired. For now the armada seems content to sit along our border.” Sabine looked to Subat. “Have you seen anything that may help us, Master Su’Tani?”

  Subat rose and circled the table, which featured a large monitor built into its surface. The monitor currently displayed the Protectorate and the position of their fleets, as well as the position of the Clovani fleet poised to strike along the frontier. His eyes took in all there was to see, and
then Sabine and Kristof watched as he stopped and his eyes suddenly turned white. After a moment, Subat gasped and his eyes returned to normal.

  “What have you seen?” Sabine demanded once Subat had regain his composure.

  “Your father commands the Clovani fleet, as we have known,” Subat said to Kristof. “I saw a vision of you standing before him in restraints as he grows increasingly rabid and angry, and then he orders the destruction of Purannis, after which I see nothing but light.”

  Sabine turned her look to Kristof, whose face was a blank mask but his eyes were a storm of emotion. She knew nothing of Kristof’s relationship with his father beyond what was in the records or why the mention of the man would strike him silent. Subat clearly knew something, but he remained silent as well.

  “Talk to me,” Sabine commanded. “Why is your father on the verge of invading my home? Why does the mention of your father have you looking like you’ve seen a ghost?”

  “My father and I parted on…difficult terms,” Kristof responded after a time. “It was never a loving relationship to begin with. As for why he is here, threatening invasion, I do not know, love. I couldn’t begin to guess at his motives after so many years. I was told through a vision, however, that something or someone was working through him, so it may well be there is some greater plan in motion here.”

  “Perhaps Stephan has some answers to these questions,” Subat interjected before Sabine could demand more from Kristof.

  “Stephan is here?” Sabine asked incredulously, turning back to her former teacher and bodyguard.

  “After we learned of the betrayal of House Duranis, General Mannis had him seized before he could flee the Sanctuary,” Subat replied. “I brought him with me when I made my way back to Purannis after you.”

  “How is it you managed to get past the blockade?” Kristof asked with some irritation in his voice.

  “Once you two made it back to Purannis, the blockade was no longer necessary,” Subat told them. “We were able to come here directly.”

  “I want Stephan brought before me immediately for questioning,” Sabine commanded, ignoring their side conversation.

  “I would recommend waiting until the morning, my Queen,” Subat said, returning his attention to her. “I took the liberty of having the Palace Inquisitor dose Stephan with a serum that will induce talkativeness while suppressing his ability to lie. It should be in full effect by morning.”

  “Fine,” Sabine said, not liking the delay. “Now please excuse us for a while, Master Su’Tani. I wish to have some time alone with Kristof, if you don’t mind.”

  “As you wish, my Queen,” Subat said with a smile as he bowed to her. Turning to Kristof he added, “I will see you in a few hours. We must begin your initiation into the Su’Tani ways. Perhaps the answers we seek lay locked within your subconscious mind.”

  Kristof nodded in answer and Subat headed for the door. Giving them both a knowing smile, Subat closed the doors firmly behind him as he left.

  Sabine rose and went to Kristof, who rose and met her outstretched arms. They embraced fiercely, and for a moment Sabine forget everything but the feel of him. Then she looked up into his eyes and gave him a playful smirk.

  “You’re Su’Tani now, I understand,” Sabine said lightly. “I guess that means you’ll be sticking around and you’re officially my protector now.”

  “I would have been that anyway, my love, for as long as I am allowed to be,” Kristof replied, and then he kissed her.

  The feel of Kristof’s lips on hers sparked a thousand emotions, and Sabine longed to lose herself in that kiss. Soon, though, the thought of the responsibilities of the crown and how they were incompatible with what she truly wanted intruded and she forced herself to pull away. Kristof gave her a quizzical look, to which she responded “It’s hard to feel affectionate knowing my people are in imminent danger,” the answer sounding lame and unconvincing to her ears.

  Sabine sensed that Kristof knew what truly troubled her, and she was glad that he did not force the issue. Instead, they walked together out of the war room and she led him on a tour of the palace, her guards once again in tow, while her thoughts were far away as she struggled with the choice between love and duty.

  ~*~

  ~29~

  For the first time in all the years of knowing him, Kristof found Subat dressed in something other than grey and black combat fatigues. Tonight Kristof had entered a private training arena to find Subat in a blue and white exercise suit that bore a striking resemblance to the uniforms of the Royal Guard. Then it dawned on him the as Su’Tani, Subat was a member of the Royal Guard, and he remembered that Subat was part of the Royal Secret Service as well. He supposed that after everything he had learned recently, he was a member of that guard as well, if he chose to follow the path.

  Subat had turned out the lights of the gym and instead lit what seemed to be hundreds of candles and placed them in the corners of the room. The effect cast odd shadows off of the gym equipment everywhere and it took a few moments for Kristof’s eyes to adjust to the dimness after the bright halls of the palace.

  “Before we begin,” Subat said softly, his tone matching the solemnness of the lighting, “did Anasha teach you the Forms of Se’Ti while you were together?”

  “Yes,” Kristof answered, the memories of countless sessions with her coming to mind. “She spent many hours guiding me through the forms. She was quite critical of me getting them right, and I collected a number of bruises to reinforce the lessons.”

  “As she should have been,” Subat said with approval. “The Forms of Se’Ti are the basis of not only the fighting style of the Su’Tani, but they are also a form of intense focused meditation when done correctly.”

  Motioning Kristof towards the matted area of the floor, Subat said simply “Show me.”

  Kristof stepped onto the mat and exhaled as he focused his mind on the complex set of motions that Anasha had taught him so many years ago. As he settled himself into the first stance that would begin the forms, memories of Anasha teaching them to him flooded his memory again. Exhaling, he began moving through the forms.

  “Stop,” Subat said after a while. “I see you have learned and remembered well. Yet while your body has learned the forms and performs them well, your mind and your spirit are not in them.”

  “I don’t understand,” Kristof said.

  “As a means of combat, you have mastered the forms admirably,” Subat said, falling into a lecturing tone. “As Su’Tani, though, you must be able to access your higher mind, to move beyond the physical world around us and touch the spiritual world as well. The forms, when performed slowly and mindfully, can guide you into a deep meditative trance and help you unlock your spiritual connection.”

  Subat stepped to the mat and began to move through the forms as Kristof had, except this time Subat moved through each form very slowly. The combat maneuvers now became almost a dance, a slow fluid motion.

  “You must empty your mind of everything,” Subat said quietly as he finished. “As you move through the forms this way, and if you can free your mind of the chaos of the world around you, your spiritual mind will open up and allow you to see things; the past, possible futures, endless possibilities. As you do it again and again it becomes easier, and in time your spiritual mind will remain open to you even as you move about in the normal world. It is in this way that Su’Tani are able to perceive threats to the royal family as we serve as their protectors.”

  Subat stood before Kristof and looked deep into his eyes.

  “I know that this is painful for you,” Subat said quietly. “The memory of Anasha is strong in your mind right now, I know. You must release the pain you still hold in your heart. It does you no good, and she would not wish for it to remain there. You must let it go.”

  “I will try,” Kristof replied simply.

  Subat nodded and stepped away as Kristof lowered himself into the beginning stance once more. Again, he started through the forms,
though this time he moved with a deliberate slowness and allowed his mind to drift away from what he was doing, trusting his body to remember the flow of the forms.

  As time went by, it seemed to Kristof that the room grew brighter and he began to sense images around him. Visions of Anasha and himself appeared to him from the time when they first met, and then they were swept away and he found himself looking on as Sabine trained with Subat when she was barely a teenager. These visions began to come and go rapidly, changing from times past of himself, Anasha, and Sabine.

  The light around him seemed brighter still as Kristof saw a vision of himself and his father on the day he was dishonorable discharged from the Clovani military, and his father disowning him from the family. A peculiar vision of his father speaking with the Emperor of the Clovani Empire and a mysterious, dark robed person came next, though Kristof could not tell if this was the past, present, or future. Then the vision shifted again, and he began to see things he knew for sure had not happened.

  The sight of the Clovani fleet came to Kristof next, high above Purannis, and he watched as the fleet bombarded the planet below in a hail of laser fire and plasma bombs. Another, different vison came as well, of his father’s armada launching charged iron cored asteroids at Purannis through hyperspace from illegal weapons known as mass launchers. Kristof watched as Purannis’s atmosphere ignited from the resulting impacts. As each vision ended, it grew black as a wave of darkness encompassed all. Each vision of Purannis’s end began with his father, yet it seemed to be not his father somehow. As the final vision ended, Kristof’s anger flared.

  The light that Kristof had sensed around him suddenly seemed to coalesce around his hand as he finished the last move of the forms with a sharp jerk and then the light shot from his hand and struck the wall opposite him. The light burned a hole through the wall before fading away and returning the room to its previous dimness.