Freedom Saga 2: Freedom's Bell

by Marcus Johnson

  “Should we join them?” Dreka asked.

  “In a little while, I prefer the silence right now,” Grigon said.

  The two birdmen looked at the docking area of the Columbia base. The six ships were parked in their usual spots. What they noticed was the dock had been enlarged since they were gone. Four more slots were open for additional ships.

  “Looks like they finally completed the first bay,” Dreka said.

  “We’ll start construction on the second soon,” Grigon said. “In a few days everything will be back to work, work and more work.”

  “I know you like it that way old man,” Dreka said.

  “I do,” Grigon said. “It keeps my mind off the difficult things life brings.”

  “I understand the feeling,” Dreka said. “By the way, how many docking bays are projected for the bases?”

  “Ideally each base will have four or five,” Grigon said. “But Heaven’s Light has a budget to worry about, so we’re taking out time. Not to mention its difficult refitting all the ships that’ll be in here soon.”

  “We’ll manage,” Dreka said. “We always do.”

  * * *

  After Mira’s concert Brian found himself wandering around the ship alone until he reached the stairway leading out. He walked outside and noticed Dreka and Grigon at the other end of the dock discussing something. As he walked by the Avoni he noticed Valis leaning against the entrance to her ship, almost like she was waiting for someone. As her eyes met his he went to her.

  “It’s been awhile,” Brian said.

  “There are a number of ways to interpret that,” Valis said.

  “I was purposely vague,” he said.

  “Did you have something in mind?” she asked with a funny smile.

  “We’re two consenting adults, so let this go where it may,” he said.

  “I’m glad I didn’t have to go hunting this time,” she said.

  “There was something in your eyes last time we talked that told me you wanted this,” Brian said. “You’ve figured it out, haven’t you?”

  “I left to find myself,” she said. “And I did.”

  “I’m glad,” he said.

  “Let’s go,” Valis said as she took Brian hand and led him inside the Avoni.

  At the foot of the Freedom Seles and Mira watched the exchange between the two. As they went inside Seles sighed.

  “It looks like he’s busy tonight,” she said.

  “We both figured he would be,” Mira said before sighing as well. “You’re right though, this relationship thing is strange.”

  “We could still clone him,” Seles suggested.

  Mira tapped her earring. “I have a better idea.”

  “Let’s see this idea then,” Seles said.

  “It’ll take me a few years to see if it can become real,” Mira said. “Until then, it’ll have to remain a mystery.”

  Epilogue

  A few days later Grigon knelt before a grave outside the city of Jerikai while rain fell. The celebrations had given way to the return of everyday life for the bird people as their new leaders met to find a way to govern. While wearing his exoskeleton Brian walked up to Grigon. He stood silently next to the grey feathered birdman for a while before Grigon stood up.

  “Saying a prayer for her?” Brian asked.

  “For Rikai, and all the others who died,” Grigon said. “I tried doing the right thing, but Zaris wouldn’t let me.”

  “He chose to run rather than face the future,” Brian said. “We must always do the opposite of that.”

  “Are we to do so even if it kills us?” Grigon asked.

  “Heaven’s Light was created to change Alden,” Brian said. “Even if we’re destroyed, the people will be better for it.”

  Grigon looked at the sky. “They will come, won’t they?”

  “They’ll attack within a decade,” Brian said. “All the evidence we found during the sojourn affirms those suspicions. I hope we can avoid major fleet battles from here on and move to the small scale. Precision does us better than brute force right now.”

  “We can’t afford to lose any more military might,” Grigon said.

  “No, we can’t,” Brian said. “Because when they strike they’ll go for our heads first.”