AKLESH (Under Strange Skies)

by Samuel Jarius Pettit

  The artificial sky outside faded slowly from the opaque blues of day to the true black of space that surrounded them. Every 12 hours the false sky was programmed to change. It was beautiful to behold although most citizens took the spectacular show for granted. The one constant in the capital city’s skyline was Phrayen, which perpetually loomed like a giant red ball in the sky.

  As lovely as this event was, the Prime Minister paid little attention, his focus on other more dire matters.

  The main data drive from the confiscated mercenary ship that had illegally traveled to and from G.P. 0684 had been fully downloaded.

  In his hands he now held a private info screen that was one of the very few not linked to the main Orestian information feed. The device was untraceable, undetectable and completely illegal. It had been sent to him from one of his inside people at the O.G.S. No one knew what it contained unless they were already a part of the conspiracy, and that circle was very small.

  The information he had within his grasp could never be allowed to leak out.

  He read the partial message over again: Prince Gareth Orestes. Have crashed on unknown G.P. Please send help. Somewhere on southern continent by large lake. With native Aklesh tribe and awaiting…

  Under normal circumstances with this acquired knowledge, it was his duty to dispatch a rescue fleet right away and recover the absent prince. An extraction would be easy and the monarch would be back in his home and among his grateful people within a day. Meanwhile the Prime Minister would be commended on the rescue and there would be a great celebration.

  He hummed a little under his breath at these thoughts, then decisively deleted the message in its entirety.

  No one knew about what had really happened on the primitive planet, and Lorvan would make certain of it. Although a doctor on the expedition had been thrust before the media, it was clear she was no real threat. The trial of the mercenaries and the professor named Hess had gone smoothly. They had been sentenced to a labor planet to be forgotten.

  Of course, none of them even made it to the penal world due to an unfortunate accident.

  The Prime Minister made a mental note to send an elite mercenary squad to G.P. 0684 and finish the job that had been started. Then all possible incriminations would be settled.

  For the time being, the prince would be allowed to wait in exile.

  The likelihood that he would be discovered was next to impossible. Ever since the unfortunate incident with the mercenaries and the scandal of drug trafficking had gone public, all interstellar travel had been scrutinized harshly by the Galactic Space Council. There was too much attention being focused where it was inconvenient.

  When the hubbub died down in a few weeks, he’d make sure to take care of the prince permanently. The Prime Minister also figured if he was lucky, the prince’s natural charms might be convincing enough to bring the native people to a place where they would take care of the job for him. The young royal had always possessed a knack for rubbing people the wrong way.

  There was a signal at his chamber door.

  “Enter,” he said, casually tossing the now blank infoscreen on a small table.

  The chamber was hardly what one would consider an office, with its rich furnishings and décor, but then everything in Orestus City was opulent. This was practically by royal decree.

  A long thin humanoid in blue robs entered gracefully, as if he were underwater. It was how the people from his planet moved. The purple skin and silvery eyes were also a trademark of his kind.

  The creature had absolutely no hair.

  “Undersecretary,” greeted the Prime Minister.

  “What is it?”

  “Princess Gwendolyn Orestes is here,” said the undersecretary with a low, vibrating voice. “She wishes to speak with you immediately.” Lorvan Omato thought for a moment, then smiled. It was a politician’s smile which was all that needed to be said about it.

  “Please inform her majesty that I am at her disposal,” he instructed the minion, who bowed and glided out of the room.

  The undersecretary returned momentarily.

  Following behind him was the princess. The underling made way for her to enter the room first, then bowed and made a discrete exit.

  Her dress was more on the conservative side, which was not customary for the young woman, but still rich in gold fabric and soft cream-colored silks.

  The princess wore a pleasant smile. It reflected the Prime Minister’s own. Both knew that whatever may be said in their conversation, there was no need to be uncivil. It was a façade they were both aware of.

  “What may I do for you today, your highness?” he said while making a low bow.

  She nodded her head in acknowledgement of the formality, then took it upon herself to take a seat on one of the more ornate chairs, taking time to settle comfortably. It was also her intention to make the Prime Minister wait for her.

  With a gesture she indicated for him to sit as well. Gwendolyn was never usually this formal, but today she felt the need to pull rank. He obediently sat, even though it was his own office.

  This was all a part of the game they were playing.

  “It’s not what you might be able to do for me, Lorvan. I am more concerned for the welfare of the crown prince.” Her voice was smooth and she made it a point to use his first name.

  “I see,” said the Prime Minister. “Of course, his well being is our primary concern.”

  “As well as it is for my family. We are deeply distressed and wondered how the search for his whereabouts was progressing?”

  “Of course, we are following every lead available to us,” replied the Prime Minister.

  “Or course.”

  “But,” he continued, the tone of sincerity not changing one iota, “There has been a precedence for this sort of behavior from the prince before.

  Although we are doing our best, can you be sure that he even wants to be found? Unless you are aware of information that our vast military network is not.”

  She was, but knew it would be dangerous for her to voice it. It was a fact the Prime Minister was all too conscious of.

  “I would think, Lorvan, regardless of his past actions, every attempt would be made on his behalf. No stone unturned, as they say.”

  “If there is any neglect of the crown prince, your majesty, I assure you it has not been on our part.” They exchanged a very meaningful look, and the princess’s abhorrence of the man sitting in front of her grew ten fold. She knew what he was really saying; his silent accusation was deafening. He knew more about where Gar was, and she was certain of it. Unfortunately, there was no way of getting anything useful out of him.

  He continued. “I promise you, we are making every effort to find your dear brother. Every civilized planet will be searched until he is located and brought home safely.”

  As he spoke, something clicked in Gwendolyn’s head. It was what he said about civilized planets.

  She stood up abruptly and the Prime Minister followed suit, albeit a little more awkwardly.

  “Thank you, Prime Minister. I won’t take up any more of your time.” She put on her most charming smile and her voice was as lilting as a bell.

  “Please do not trouble yourself, I can see myself out.”

  Her sudden urge to depart surprised Lorvan, but he smiled and gestured to the door. “As you wish, my lady. I hope I’ve been of some help to you.” She nodded again, keeping up the formality while she boiled with anger underneath. But now ideas were coming into her head, things upon which she could act. “Yes, I believe you have. Thank you.” She turned and exited through the entryway, her gold train flowing behind her. He watched her go, not really understanding what she’d been after but assured she’d learned nothing useful. In the beginning she had been an ally, if slightly unwilling. But now it was apparent she planned to cause trouble. Thankfully, the princess could expose nothing without exposing herself. And in the end, she had no idea how entangled the web was that she and her brother were
unwittingly trapped in.

  These thoughts drifted though his calculating mind while his fingers drummed on the small table where the blank infoscreen had been discarded.

  ***

  Janphor had been summoned by the princess almost immediately upon her return to the palace.

  He hurried to her chambers. She wasn’t normally so insistent. Gwendolyn had been a pleasant,

  good-natured

  child,

  and

  these

  characteristics remained with her as she grew to womanhood. So, for the princess to demand his presence so urgently was fairly out of character.

  Her behavior of late had concerned him.

  After many years of attending to her, he could tell when something was wrong. In her presence he did his best to hide his suspicions. It was not his place to call out the feelings of the monarch now grown to adulthood.She was in her sitting room, perched on a small divan. Her body was rigid as she poured over an infoscreen with great scrutiny. She was so absorbed that she didn’t even look up when he entered, barely aware of his presence. He cleared his throat to make himself known.

  “Janny!” she exclaimed, agitated. “Please come sit with me. I have questions I must ask you.” He obliged, waddling over to her. He hadn’t actually sat with the princess for many years, since she had been a child. It felt a little awkward being in such a familiar posture with her.

  Although the children had never treated him in a subservient way, more as a confidant and friend, he was still observant of the great class difference between them, even if they were not.

  “You were the last one to see Gar before he left.

  Tell me everything you remember?”

  Ever obedient, Janphor did his best to recall in detail the moments before the prince had taken off in his shuttle. As thorough as he was, there was nothing that really stood out to the princess.

  When he finished she was sitting, absently chewing on a fingernail and mulling over his story. Japhor smiled at the picture, or what his kind did for smiling.

  He’d forgotten the little girl who would bite on her fingers when she was tense or thinking. That child had long since given way to the elegant lady that sat in front of him, but he coveted the memory of her innocence, not yet weighed down by the worries of an entire universe.

  She looked up after a moment of contemplation.

  “Nothing else?” she asked again.

  “He said nothing about where he was going, my lady,” Janphor replied. “Come to think of it, he was quite rude about it actually.”

  “If only we had some clue,” she said, returning to her nails to calm her anxiety.

  “Why does this trouble you so?” asked the servant innocently.

  Although the prince had been gone for almost two months, which was even a long time for him, his running off was hardly anything new.

  Janphor shuddered at what trouble the heir might be getting himself into at that moment.

  Gweni suddenly grabbed his arm rather forcefully, which was also very unlike her.

  “Because,” she whispered intently, “he is not off on one of his tears. He is not off on some wild holiday. I tell you this in the strictest confidence. He is missing and he’s in danger. Can you not remember anything that might help me…

  us…find him!”

  Janphor was surprised by the princess’s aggression.

  “If you are that certain, why have you not taken this up with your parents?”

  She let go of his arm and slid back into her original position on the sofa, a little embarrassed by her own outburst. As of recently she’d had to be secretive with her own family. Her heart sank to have been keeping things from Janphor. Still, if he knew too much, his life would be in danger as well. She phrased what she said next very carefully.

  “The depth of this goes further than you can imagine. There are those that would prefer Gar to simply stay ‘lost,’ and if they knew I was trying to actively find him, it would end up becoming…

  complicated.”

  The implications of what she said was not lost on the attendant. He’d been around politics long enough to know when strings were being pulled, and it was apparent his mistress was now hanging by one.

  “Oh, Gweni,” he said sadly, using a name he had not used in years. “What have you done?” A single tear slid down her cheek before she quickly wiped it away.

  “Nothing that I’m not more than willing to try and undo,” she said resolutely.

  The princess had shown to him in less than a half an hour sides of her personality he had never seen before and was very certain he didn’t like.

  One thing was clear: she was scared and in over her head. It would take a power much greater than herself to make that happen. He might owe allegiance to the crown and government, but he was devoted to the Orestes children. If they were in need or in trouble, he would always be the first one by their side and their welfare was his paramount concern above all else.

  He gently took her hand into his own three fingered ones and gave it a reassuring squeeze.

  “We will fix whatever it is. I promise, dear one.

  We will find your brother and he will be brought home safely.”

  The princess seemed a little reassured by his words.

  She felt as if she was little again and Janny was calming her after a bad dream. It was a nice feeling. The use of the word ‘we’ had given her heart. For once in these long months, she didn’t feel absolutely alone. There was now someone else on her side.

  Janphor scoured his memory one last time, searching for details he might have overlooked. He remembered the prince waving him off and recalled the shuttle doors closing. And he remembered seeing the prince punch in the planetary access code. At this thought his eyes brightened.

  “I may have something, your highness,” he said.

  She looked at him eagerly. “It isn’t much, but I know the first number of the planetary access code he used was zero. That’s all I could see before the cockpit hatch closed.”

  Her eyes brightened and she happily leaned over and kissed him on his scaly forehead, almost knocking off his hat. “You’re brilliant, Janny!

  Brilliant!” She then went back to the portable infoscreen and searched for the information she needed. He watched as she assessed the data that was presented to her.

  “There are only 170 planets that have a planetary access code that start with zero!” she exclaimed triumphantly.

  “That’s good?” he asked.

  “Yes, that’s very good -- 170 and planets are easier to scan than the thousands in the monarchy.” She handed him the list on the screen in her hand and he looked them over. The idea seemed a little ridiculous.

  “Half of these planets are almost entirely peopled by pure humans. If he’s on one of these, it will be like trying to find a star without using an access portal.”

  “Then we’ll start by searching the ones with non-humanoid life-forms. That will narrow our search as well,” she explained.

  “What makes you think he’d be on any of those planets, your majesty,” his tone was worried.

  “Some of them barely contain any civilized life.”

  “Call it a hunch,” she said.

  “You intend on searching all of these planets? It could take weeks to get through them, and your results would be mixed at best. And if he’s on a human-occupied system, there will be no hope at all.”

  “I’m not going to search those planets. Janny,” she said. “You are. My movements are most certainly being watched, but you can move about freely. Or if necessary, you can move about as me.” The shape shifter scoffed at her idea of impersonating anyone in the royal family, which was illegal to say the least. “At any rate, you will have more success than if I tried to venture out on my own.

  Please? Will you do this for me? For Gar?” The look on her face was one of desperation. The servant might be her last chance.

  Janphor sighed. “What about my duties here at t
he palace? Surely, I’ll be missed.”

  “You’ll hardly be missed,” she said. “If you travel via the royal access portal, I will ensure you have clearance to go anywhere you need. No one will question you. We’ll say you’ve taken a leave of absence. Make sure you do the search in another form. I’ll give you a small contingent of soldiers I trust. They will protect you should things get treacherous. Even if you check only a few planets a day we should eventually have some idea.

  Something will turn up, I know it.”

  The princess seemed quite happy with her plan, although the attendant had some doubt.

  “I’ll make the arrangements. You’ll leave first thing tomorrow,” she said, getting up. After a few steps she turned around and faced the wonderful creature who was her and Gar’s friend.

  “Thank you, Janny. Having you on my side means everything to me.”

  He nodded to her. “I will always be your devoted servant, your majesty.”

  CHAPTER 19

  Although the Aklesh planet was not his home, the young prince Orestes was starting to fit in among the strange inhabitants.

  Weeks had turned into months and the summer season was drawing to an end. The tribe was gearing up for the wet and cold season, and much needed to be done.

  For Gar it had been a great distraction fixing the hovervac and riding it.

  The vehicle lacked in comparison to what he considered the real thing, but it was something to fill the void left in his soul that had once been occupied by the thrill of actual space travel. It was also a favorite pastime, too, of Kai, Cho, the twins or any other young Aklesh who had heard about the vehicle and was brave enough to ask to go for a ride on it.

  The project had initially been meant to kept him from being underfoot among the Aklesh. They had required time to grow accustomed to his presence, especially the elder tribe members, who were unaccustomed to change. With the younger people in the tribe, Gar found his presence more readily accepted.

  Kai himself was actually learning how to maneuver the hovervac and showed a propensity for flying. None of the others were brave enough; the daunting technology alone frightened them.