After her words, she touched the pyre and closed her eyes. Though she wasn’t as spiritual as her sister, Justina, Helena hoped Cispius was enjoying a life beyond this one. The innocent boy had earned it.
In turn, each family member followed Helena’s motions until they formed a ring around the pyre. Calator ignited the torch and smiled one last time at his son in the flesh before setting the pyre ablaze.
Through the years, Helena had attended and spoken at many funerals. However, those other funerals seemed like the faint light of the stars behind the growing pyre flames. The family’s grief choked the air as much as the smoke from the pyre. Why was she unable to block their feelings from invading her heart? What was so different now?
Perhaps she was more sensitive because she was on the precipice of something monumental. Whatever the outcome of her mission to Terra, the course of her people had been altered. She wanted to tell the family that everything would be made right. The Humans and Proxans would pay for their crimes, as Valeria had said at the war council. However, Helena felt her words would be hollow. No amount of vengeance could fill the hole in their lives now. Success or failure, Cispius was extinguished from their world.
After the fire had faded to a smoldering glow, Paulina sat beside Helena and said, “Thank you, My Lady. Those were very kind words. We all thank you for staying with us to the end.”
Without looking into the grieving mother’s eyes, Helena said, “I always remain until the end.”
It is only proper, she thought.
“You are so important,” Paulina said, “to us all. We understand if you must return to the palace or to the hospital.”
“Your son was my last patient,” Helena said distantly, “for quite some time, possibly.”
“Oh,” Paulina said, her mind embattled between curiosity and protocol. She knew she wasn’t allowed to ask a question out of curiosity alone.
Helena decided to spare the woman. “I am leaving for the Human homeworld of Terra soon,” she said, “to negotiate peace. My father wishes to end the suffering to our people.”
“The emperor is wise,” Paulina said.
Before she saw her, Helena sensed Terentia approach. The family rose to their feet, eyes open with wonderment.
“My sister,” Terentia said, “I come on behalf of the emperor.”
Helena stood and accepted her sister’s greeting in the formal way. “Welcome to our somber ceremony, my sister,” she said.
Terentia turned to Paulina and handed the grieving mother a bouquet of crag roses. “From the palace,” she said. “Know that we all mourn with your family.”
Helena’s heart swelled. Her sister had transformed from a bratty kid into a poised young woman. Perhaps her father was right. In the end, Terentia must be spared. The rest of them had fallen into some trap of nobility or adulthood. However, Terentia embodied all that was pure about youth and royalty. She was the shining beacon amongst the daughters of Agreios, though she didn’t realize that fact herself.
“On behalf of my entire family, we thank the daughters of Emperor Agreios,” Paulina said.
Terentia smiled and said, “If you’ll allow it, may I sing for Cispius’ soul?”
Calator stepped forward to put an arm around his wife. “We would be honored.”
Renowned for her singing voice, Terentia hummed an inspirational tune from the ancient days of Antares. Some of the gathered family members recognized the melody and wept quietly to themselves. Peace settled over them as Terentia’s notes carried into the streets and above the nearby buildings.
Helena defocused from the song and concentrated on her next ordeal. Was she ready to leave her planet and conceal her intent towards the Humans long enough for success? What if she was discovered? Were a funeral pyre and song of lament already waiting for her in the near future?
Chapter 4
Helena sat in front of her mirror. Using a gima-wrap, she tied her black hair into a single tail as was customary for diplomatic sessions. Streaks of silver marred the perfect darkness of her hair, but she didn’t mind. Her mother had silver hair.
“No, Helena.”
She attempted to push the memories of her mother aside again, so she focused on her gima-tattoos.
As she painted the sweeping blue marking across her face to signify her station, she recalled the story of her people and the Gima. If nothing else, the diversion kept the memories of her mother buried.
The first tribes to settle Antares arrived on crude starships. Originally from the same planet – according to their legends - the Humans, Proxans and Antarans were forced to abandon their dying world. Unified at first, the massive fleet of ships sailed towards the promise land – an Eden in the stars. But as decades turned into centuries, the people began to quibble and splinter. Two large factions arose from the infighting and the Humans were the first to settle. They found a planet much like their home world, but with more tropical temperatures. Then the Proxans settled on a hard, rocky planet. The remaining settlers were left to live on their ships or suffer on inhospitable planets. The Antarans settled for one such desolate planet.
Too close to a red giant, Antares was a brutal place to live. The first Antarans - named “Gima,” for the little fleet’s flagship - found themselves altered after a few thousand years on the surface. Their mental discipline formed into a religion of science and engineering. They discovered a way to calm the red giant and return it to a life-giving star.
Through the millennia, the astro-psychic effects of the planet had subsided. Only a few bloodlines were still strong in the discipline, and Helena’s family possessed the same level of power as the ancient Gima.
Today, two weeks after the crash, the ambassador from Terra had arrived on Antares. Following tradition, Helena wore the blue facial tattoos and ceremonial robe of a Gima heir. According to Gima customs, off-worlders weren’t permitted to directly gaze upon royalty.
Helena reached for her white silk gloves. Her mother’s gloves. As she slid the ends to her elbows, she focused on her diplomatic mission. Everything rested on the outcome of her actions. She couldn’t allow room for failure.
Helena joined her sisters at the senate house. Marked with the gima-tattoos, Helena thought they looked impressive. All seven of them rarely gathered in one place. The emperor was also adorned in the trappings of the ancient Gima and he quieted the crowd by raising his arm.
An older Human man sat next to the emperor, and Helena looked to one of the praetorians behind her father. She sensed the guard’s tensed muscles, ready for action at an instant. Her father’s personal guards weren’t relaxing.
Then, she spotted Captain Connor. Dressed in a dark blue uniform with shiny medals, the captain appeared much different than when Helena met him at the hospital. With his wounds healed and face shaven, Helena suppressed the natural attraction she felt for the off-worlder.
As the emperor welcomed their guests, Terentia leaned close to Helena and said, “Did you see them?”
Lowering her voice Helena asked, “You mean the Humans?”
“Yes. They are… different.”
Helena nodded. “I met one of their captains at Olympus Hospital. Very interesting people.”
Terentia giggled and Helena logged a mental note to reprimand her younger sister at a later time. This was not the venue for foolery.
“One of them is very cute. Strong too, like the pictures from our legends,” Terentia said.
As Helena gazed at Captain Connor, she decided the encounter with the off-worlder wasn’t entirely unpleasant. She scanned his surface thoughts and found his mind suddenly on alert. He looked in her direction. Confusion followed by recognition flooded though his mind and he smiled. Was he smiling at her?
Helena looked away and whispered to her sister. “Listen to father.”
After a few more pleasantries were exchanged between the emperor and the Humans, Terentia leaned towards Helena again. “Did you study this game called chess?”
“Yes,”
Helena said, “I reviewed the material sent to us by the Humans and found the game simple.”
“You can win?”
“With minimal effort, I believe,” Helena said, surprised to find Captain Connor looking in her direction again. She sensed his mind filling with pleasure when he looked at her. These Humans were simple creatures.
“And now,” Emperor Agreios said, “my daughter and heir will present the terms of our offer.”
Helena stood as the eyes of the gathered senators, dignitaries and Human visitors turned in her direction. Before she began, she noticed surprise in Captain Connor’s mind. He didn’t expect her to be of such high station. Possibilities ran though his mind at such tremendous velocity, she couldn’t keep pace. Why did she focus on him?
Clearing her thoughts and betraying no emotion on her face, she said, “Welcome old friends, new friends and family to this remarkable day. The proud Antaran people offer a formal request for alliance with the Human Confederation. In exchange for protection, the Antarans offer exclusive mining rights to the ores on the dark side of the planet. We also offer the wisdom of our people to help in the war against the Proxans. My sisters, the emperor and I hope this will begin a new era. One where Human and Antaran call each other friend.”
Nods of approval returned from the gathered crowd. Helena delved into the Human ambassador’s mind and she found amusement there. He thought the Antarans insignificant and not worthy of consideration.
“I understand,” Helena said, settling her gaze upon the ambassador, “that the Human Confederation will accept our offer upon a condition? Please state that condition now.”
The Human ambassador, Bergem, rose from his chair and smiled at Helena. She sensed his annoyance with the whole affair. He wanted to return to whatever task he was focused on before his detour to Antares. But Helena couldn’t discover the details of that unfinished task. Dealing with the Antarans wasn’t important to him. Helena didn’t smile back and she imagined what his face would look like after he learned of the destruction of his fleet. Perhaps then, the Antarans would be the ones making the demands.
Bergem said, “Honorable Heir, Emperor and gathered senators – we are most pleased to discuss an alliance with the Antarans. However, we already mine from Antares, as we do not recognize the Antaran claim of sovereignty. I speak for my leaders when I say we cannot commit forces to protect Antares – the war consumes all our resources. However, if the Antarans can prove the validity of their claim that their tacticians are of value in our efforts against the Proxans, then we will open ourselves to further discussion on Terra.”
Helena had her rehearsed question ready, even though she knew the answer. This show was more for the senators and dignitaries. Her father had already negotiated this deal.
“How can we prove this claim?” Helena asked.
“Human captains are picked from amongst the brightest officers,” Bergem said. “They have mastered tactics and this expertise can be tested in a game we call chess. If an Antaran can defeat a Human captain in this test of tactical skill, we will open ourselves to further diplomacy.”
“Thank you, Ambassador,” she said. “We have received your data on this game of tactics, and we are prepared to prove our claim. After dinner.”
The Humans, senate chiefs and high dignitaries joined the emperor and his daughters at the head table. Helena noticed her sister, Terentia, glance at Captain Conner from time to time. Had Helena not taught her sister, she would’ve thought Terentia possessed as little self control as the Humans.
“This is fantastic,” Captain Connor said as he popped another red potato in his mouth. “Much better than on Terra.”
Helena sensed the captain was telling the truth. Interested in learning more about this man she said, “Do you have potatoes on Terra?”
“Yes,” he said, “we do have potatoes, but it’s more of a forced agricultural experiment than an actual food.”
“That’s interesting,” she said.
“I might have to take some of these home with me,” he said, still focused on the nourishing red orbs.
Amused by the captain’s childlike enthrallment with his food, Helena smiled and said, “I’m sure my sister will not charge you for them.”
“Claudia is quite proficient in the palace gardens.” Agreios said, “I believe these are yours, my dear. Correct?”
Claudia smiled at Captain Connor. Then she nodded and said, “Yes, Father.”
Had all her sisters lost their discipline while in the company of the off-worlders? Perhaps Helena was too lax in their studies. She decided to address the matter, if they survived their dangerous missions.
“Helena, right?” Captain Connor asked as he addressed the emperor’s eldest daughter again.
Turning her eyes to the captain, Helena said, “Yes, Captain?” Her heart flinched when his eyes stared back at her. His face was alive and curious.
“We met at the hospital?”
Helena nodded.
Captain Connor traced circles in the air in front of his face and said, “I recognize the… the markings.”
Helena sensed panic in his thoughts. Why would he panic? “That is very observant of you,” Helena said, not certain what he was trying to achieve.
Valeria huffed. “My sister has a talent for stating the obvious,” she said. “I am Valeria, High Vizier to the Palace and daughter of Emperor Agreios. We welcome you to Antares.”
“That’s quite a title,” Captain Connor said.
“Do you mock me?” Valeria said, her eyes as cold as the dark side of their planet.
“No… I-”
“Valeria,” Helena said, “the off-worlders mean no disrespect. They do not know our ways.”
Hoping her sister could contain her anger towards the Humans, Helena prepared to interrupt Valeria at the slightest sign of impropriety. Before the summit, Valeria vowed to challenge the Humans on their war policy which resulted in countless Antaran deaths. The emperor forbade Valeria from confronting them and jeopardizing the mission. Now, it appeared Valeria was ready to defy her father.
Helena attempted to read her sister’s intentions, but Valeria had prepared the requisite mental blocks. She couldn’t pierce her sister’s mind. Valeria sensed the attempted intrusion and shot a barbed glance at her sister.
“Do you think,” Valeria said, “that your war has not affected us?”
“What Valeria means,” Helena said, “is we assume you have weighed the Antaran cost already paid as a result of your war. If you require specific numbers, my office can provide those for you.”
This time, Helena was able read her sister. Valeria fumed.
“We don’t need your numbers,” Ambassador Bergem said. “What you forget is the Human Confederation claimed this planet before your ships landed. Be thankful we have no use for the settled side.”
“That sounds like a threat,” Valeria said, her ire now directed at the ambassador.
“No threats,” Bergem said. “Merely observations to take into consideration.”
Helena turned her attention to Ambassador Bergem, who had only poked at his food. His mood revolved around boredom and annoyance and he didn’t like Antaran food. True, most everything grew in the rocky soil, so variety of flavor wasn’t as prominent as it was in Human food. As Helena probed further into his mind, she sensed he wasn’t just an ambassador. Something more sinister lurked in the shadows of his subconscious.
“Be careful, Ambassador,” Agreios said, “the old tiger who lay in the grass should not be provoked. He still has teeth.”
Captain Connor turned to the ambassador and said, “Aren’t you on a diplomatic mission? This is no way to treat our hosts.”
Ambassador Bergem slammed his napkin on the table and said, “Emperor, we thank you for your hospitality, but I must get the captain and his men home. Let us skip to the match and we’ll be on our way.”
Helena focused more intently on the ambassador but couldn’t penetrate his thoughts. His rudeness m
ade little sense given his diplomatic mission. What was he hiding?
With his eyes on Bergem and his voice steady as Mount Olympus, Agreios motioned towards Helena and said, “Your opponent is ready whenever you are, Ambassador.”
Chapter 5
Prisca approached Helena and asked, “Do you think you’re ready?”
Helena nodded. “Yes. However, something bothers me about the ambassador. I’ll need everything I’ve got to focus on the captain. Keep tabs on the ambassador’s mind. I don’t trust him.”
Prisca, Helena’s anchor in times of need, nodded and eyed Bergem. Helena smiled to herself as she watched her sister probe the off-worlder’s mind. Though the second youngest, Prisca was a natural prodigy when it came to reading minds. Helena taught her sister everything she knew, and then Prisca taught Helena a few tricks.
“I will discover his secrets,” Prisca said, her eyes still locked on Bergem as she took her seat.
Dependable Prisca. Helena wished she could have Prisca at her side on the diplomatic mission to Terra. But her sisters needed time to deepen their training before the mission – a final focus study before their plan was executed.
“Very well,” Marcella said. “If everyone would kindly take their seats, we can begin.”
Marcella enjoyed the spotlight. Sure, she was beautiful beyond words, but she was also quite empathic. Her ability to read a crowd’s shifting emotions made her the perfect mistress of ceremonies and public relations officer for the emperor. Even Helena couldn’t resist her urge to smile when Marcella was talking. Her melodious voice brought joy and comfort.
“Captain Connor from Terra,” Marcella said, motioning her hand towards the off-worlder. “And Heir Helena. A duel of wits is in accord, with the fate of the Human-Antaran alliance in the balance. Heir Helena has never been defeated in Jocca, but this game is called Chess – a Human game. Captain Connor is undefeated in the game to be played. Captain Connor is also a decorated ship commander in the Human Confederation Navy. Bets are not allowed for this match, as the highest wager is already in place.”
For Duty (Antaran Legacy Book 1) Page 3