The Significant

by Kyra Anderson

  Kailynn sat upright, her eyes wide, glued to the screen, her breath caught in her throat.

  “Holy shit…” she choked.

  “We understand the concerns of the public at allowing Trid non-citizens to become legal citizens of Tiao,” Remus continued. “However, all Trids will be afforded a medical exam, given a PIM chip, offered schooling opportunities to reduce the illiteracy rate, and housing within the southern districts of Anon. Other programs will allow for Trids to travel to other portions of the planet to work in these operations.”

  Kailynn turned to Isa, who was watching Kailynn’s reaction with a small smile on her face. Kailynn let out a shuddered breath and leaned back down to Isa, kissing her passionately, small tears gathering on her lashes.

  “As Trids become citizens, they will be informed of the laws under Venus and will be expected to conform to those laws. They will be subject to full penalty of the law should they not assimilate into Tiaoian society,” Remus concluded. “This program will take effect on the seventeenth of next month. In that time, all of Trid will be informed of this offer.”

  Isa flinched and backed away from Kailynn, her face twisting slightly as she tried to move out from under the former Significant.

  “What is it?” Kailynn asked. When Isa tried to wriggle out from under Kailynn, her face still contorted in discomfort, she stood, allowing the Elite to turn over and go to her hands and knees on the floor. “Isa?”

  “Kailynn,” Isa started, trying to get to her feet, “I’m sorry.”

  “What? What are you sorry for?” Kailynn asked quickly, starting toward the Elite, worried. “Are you alright?”

  “Don’t touch me,” Isa said quickly, backing away from Kailynn, her hand over her heart as she continued to cringe. “Shit…” she choked. “You can’t touch me, Kailynn. Wait for this to be over.”

  “For what to be over?” Kailynn hissed.

  Isa let out a pained groan and sank to her knees. She started curling forward, her hand twisting in the clothing over her heart. Her breath came out in labored pants around clenched teeth. Kailynn watched in horror as Isa curled forward until her forehead was pressed into the floor.

  Suddenly, Isa let out a cry of pain, falling to her side and rolling onto her back, her eyes tightly closed and her teeth set against screaming. Her back bowed off the floor and her body began convulsing violently. Isa screamed in agony as she writhed against the cold floor.

  “Isa! Isa! What’s wrong?!” Kailynn cried. She tried to start forward, but Isa let out another scream and a high, whining feedback sound came from the alarm system in the house. The lights flickered, surging with a buzzing noise. The television flickered on and off rapidly. Kailynn looked around in horror, not sure what was happening.

  Isa contorted, freezing in positions occasionally, every muscle in her body tensed, her veins bulging under her skin, her hands clawing at her chest. The Elite let out pained screams in sporadic bursts.

  Kailynn started forward once more, kneeling to turn the Elite over, but Isa saw her hands coming closer and she quickly shied away.

  “Don’t!” she barked.

  “What am I supposed to do?!” Kailynn yelled, frightened tears rising to her eyes.

  Isa did not respond, her body snapping forward as a choked cry escaped her throat that turned into a loud wail. The lights surged to life, blinding Kailynn briefly until a loud pop cracked the air and sparks flew down from the light fixtures.

  Isa screamed, her throat raw and the sound causing her head to nearly explode.

  Kailynn crawled over to her phone, grabbing it shakily and, with shaking fingers, pressing the number for Rayal. She shoved the earpiece in, adrenaline coursing through her body angrily.

  “Kailynn,” Rayal said. “Is she with you? Did you hear—”

  “Rayal!” Kailynn cried, the tears choking her. “Something’s wrong. I don’t know what to do!”

  “What do you mean? What’s wrong?”

  “I don’t know!” Kailynn sobbed. “Isa’s screaming and having a seizure or something on the floor. The lights are popping, I don’t know what the fuck is happening!”

  Isa’s scream pierced the air again and the tears quickly fell down Kailynn’s face. She flinched away from the noise.

  “Kailynn,” Rayal said quickly, “I’m on my way out to you. I’ll get Dr. Busen and Remus, okay? We’ll be out there as soon as we can.”

  “She can’t wait that long!” Kailynn screamed.

  “Yes, she can,” Rayal said. “Even if we were there, there is nothing we can do to stop this. It has to take its course.”

  “What is it?!” Kailynn wailed.

  “Venus is punishing her for granting Trid’s citizenship, I’m sure,” Rayal said. “I have to hang up, Kailynn. But stay with her. Once she stops moving, you can touch her. Until then, don’t move her. Don’t do anything other than make sure she doesn’t hit any furniture.”

  “I can’t just—”

  “You have to, Kailynn!” Rayal barked. “I’m on my way out to you. Just stay with her.”

  He hung up the phone and Kailynn’s heart fell.

  Her eyes went to the writhing and screaming Elite on the floor. The feedback on the alarm system was grating to her ears, but she did not care to unplug the system. She could not turn away from Isa.

  She could not process what was happening in front of her. Isa was being punished for granting citizenship to Trids. Venus was causing excruciating pain for the Golden Elite, and there was nothing anyone could do to help her.

  Isa’s scream made thousands of knifes pierce Kailynn’s chest. She closed her eyes, flinching away from the noise. Isa screamed again, her body snapping fiercely. Kailynn pulled her knees into her chest, her body shaking in fear and pain at seeing Isa suffer.

  She watched Isa writhe in agony for six hours, the tears tumbling down her cheeks as Isa’s writhing slowed and her screams became quieter with exhaustion. Her body sporadically shook, her eyes fluttering as her breathing became strained.

  It seemed to be in slow-motion for Kailynn.

  Isa’s eyes slipped shut and her body went lax.

  For three seconds, Kailynn did not move.

  She crawled forward slowly, listening to Isa’s exhausted, strained breath. She placed her hand on Isa’s shoulder, seeing the sweat gleaming over Isa’s skin. The Elite had finally passed out.

  Kailynn gathered the Elite in her lap, hugging what she could of Isa, the tears falling faster as the fear slowly abated.

  When she felt she could stand again, Kailynn walked around the house, violently unplugging and deactivating everything in the house she could. She did not want Venus finding them, furious at the computer for putting Isa through such torture. Kailynn then ran into the bedroom, pulling all the blankets off the bed and bringing them to where the Elite had fallen unconscious.

  She placed a pillow under Isa’s head and then piled blankets on top of her to protect her from the chill of the room.

  She then wrapped her arms around Isa, pressing her chest to Isa’s back, hoping to keep the Elite warm.

  She vowed to help Isa take down Venus however she could. She could not bear to see Isa in such agony.

  Chapter Thirty-Seven

  Kailynn was gently roused by a hand on her shoulder. She opened her eyes and saw Rayal above her. She looked around, feeling uncomfortably hot, and saw Dr. Busen walk forward, Paul behind him, and Remus behind both of them.

  Dr. Busen pulled the blanket from them both and Kailynn slowly untangled herself from the unconscious Golden Elite.

  Isa’s face was pale and there was a sheen of sweat over her skin.

  “Let’s move her to the bedroom,” Dr. Busen murmured. Remus walked forward and scooped Isa up in his arms, walking toward the bedroom as the doctors followed. Kailynn took Rayal’s offered hand and pulled herself to her feet. He hugged her before she was hugged tightly by an excited, worried Tarah.

  “How are you?” Tarah asked.

  “I’v
e been better,” Kailynn murmured, glancing in the open bedroom door. “…I’ve never seen anything like that,” she whispered.

  “I’m sure that was terrifying,” Rayal said. “She must have thought that Isa was at the Syndicate, and was trying to send a message to all the Elites.”

  “There has to be a way to keep that from happening…” Kailynn said, clearing her throat. She walked into the bedroom, where Dr. Busen was walking around Isa, checking her over carefully, asking Paul to take notes of different things.

  Remus turned to Kailynn when she entered the room and nodded once to her.

  “Have you seen that happen to her before?” Kailynn asked, crossing her arms over her chest as she stood next to the Silver Elite.

  “Yes,” he said quietly. “I understand how painful it is to watch that happen and being unable to help.” He sighed and closed his eyes. “She was concerned that Venus’ reaction would be violent.”

  “You announced it to the people without her knowing before?” Kailynn murmured, surprised.

  “Her system is so clogged with viruses right now that we can actually keep information from her. But anything that is publicly broadcast, she has access to.”

  They both watched as Dr. Busen undressed Isa’s chest, stopping when he opened the front of her uniform, his eyes going wide.

  “Holy shit…” he breathed.

  “What is it?” Kailynn asked worriedly, starting forward and climbing on the bed next to her. She looked over Isa’s chest and saw strange patches of red skin that splayed across her chest in wavy patterns. “What is that?”

  “Burns,” Paul said quietly, his expression pained. “Michael, we have to find a way to stop this. Venus will destroy her from the inside out.”

  “Remus,” Dr. Busen said, looking at the Silver Elite, “can you jam the signals from this processing unit at all?”

  “I can try,” Remus said. “I probably won’t be able to interfere with all the frequencies,” he admitted. “And we’ll have to watch her closely to be sure we don’t cause arrhythmia in her heart.”

  “If you can work on a jammer, anything would help,” Dr. Busen said, standing straight. “Paul, can you get my bag?” He pointed to the living room and the other doctor went to obey, walking by Rayal and Tarah, who were watching from the doorway.

  “Is she going to be alright?”

  Dr. Busen sighed and glanced at Kailynn apologetically.

  “I have never seen an attack leave her with burns before,” he said. “It must have been truly excruciating.” He looked back down at the Golden Elite. “She’s dehydrated, undernourished, and clearly in pain. But she managed to last a very long time, it would appear.”

  “Why didn’t the EMU come here?” Kailynn pressed. “I’m sure her emitter chip was firing.”

  “The safe house has been completely blocked from all transmissions,” Remus said, shaking his head. “She didn’t take any chances with your safety.”

  “In any case, it’s best that this does not get put in record at any hospital. We don’t need anyone hearing that the Elite is severely ill when we’re heading into negotiations with Gihron.”

  Paul returned to Michael’s side, handing him the bag. The older doctor opened the bag and pulled out various vials and syringes.

  “If this is occurring while you are in negotiations with Gihron,” Paul started seriously, “we are all going to need to keep a very close eye on her. She’ll be weaker, and more susceptible to manipulation.”

  “You mean like what Colonel Amori did?” Kailynn asked.

  “Perhaps,” the doctor said with a nod.

  Everyone stood around Isa as Dr. Busen treated her as best as he was able. Once he was finished with her treatments, they took various seats around the room, waiting for the Golden Elite to stir. Kailynn sat with her on the bed, holding her hand tightly.

  They only had to wait an hour before Isa cringed and opened her eyes. She looked around her, flinching away from the shooting pain that sparked on every moving muscle. When she met eyes with Kailynn, she forced a tired smile and squeezed the former Significant’s hand.

  When her eyes caught sight of everyone else in the room, her eyes slowly closed.

  “I guess I really scared you,” she breathed.

  “You were like that for six hours,” Kailynn choked.

  “How are you feeling, Isa?”

  “I don’t know, yet,” she muttered, turning to Dr. Busen. “It’s never been that intense before.”

  “No, I would think not,” the doctor agreed. “I’ve never seen an attack like that leave burns on your body.”

  Isa lifted her other hand and looked at her arm, seeing the wavy patterns of red and dark brown skin. She sighed heavily again and closed her eyes.

  “I’m sorry…” she whispered.

  “Don’t apologize,” Remus said. “You did nothing wrong.”

  Kailynn gently squeezed Isa’s hand, unsure what to say. Isa swallowed hard and cringed, moving her body in an attempt to get comfortable. She let out a short breath, flinching in pain.

  “That hurt?” Dr. Busen asked.

  “It was less painful to suffer through the Pulse Virus,” Isa groaned, her eyes shut tightly.

  “Isa, I’m going to work on a transmission jammer,” Remus said. “What series transmitter do you think I should use?”

  Isa sighed, her eyes remaining closed as she tried to think through her pain.

  “Probably a Series Seventeen.”

  “Not Eighteen?”

  “Eighteen has the metered connection rate,” Isa reminded him. “It will shut down automatically at these levels.” She took a deep breath, opening her eyes. “The car Kailynn had here should have a Series Seventeen transmitter. Use that one.”

  Remus nodded and left the room. Tarah and Rayal walked in when the Silver Elite left, standing worriedly at the Golden Elite’s bedside.

  Isa took a deep breath, looking around the room.

  “Do you need to go back to the hospital?” Isa asked Dr. Busen. The older doctor chuckled.

  “No,” he assured. “I’m technically not employed by the hospital. I’m employed by the Syndicate exclusively for your care. I just work at that hospital to keep busy when I’m not working with you.”

  Isa chuckled, cringing as the action sent pain through her. She turned to Paul, who smiled and pointed at Dr. Busen.

  “I just follow him around,” he chuckled.

  Isa smiled, taking slow, even breaths.

  “Isa,” Paul started, catching her attention, “when are you starting negotiations with Gihron?”

  “Next week,” Isa answered. “The diplomatic convoy left Gihron several days ago. They should be here in about six days.”

  “I’m going to insist that you rest for the entirety of those days,” Dr. Busen said strongly. “You need to be as strong as possible for negotiations with Gihron, and I’m sure that Venus will not attack you when you are hosting another diplomat, particularly in this delicate situation.”

  “We do not know for sure if General Decius is coming to the planet,” Rayal said. “It’s possible that he will remain on Gihron and send others in his stead.”

  “Let’s hope that he does,” Paul said.

  “The fact that they’re insisting on negotiations on Tiao is a red flag,” Dr. Busen mused.

  “They want to show us the lengths they are willing to go for a peace agreement,” Isa murmured. She let out a strained laugh. “They must think I am an idiot,” she groaned. “They came these lengths for war to begin with.”

  The group let Isa sleep, knowing that they had to return to Anon soon. Kailynn sat with the others in the living room of the safe house, discussing warning signs to look for if Isa was in danger from any of the diplomats from Gihron. Kailynn listened intently. Even though the subject had not yet been raised, she was firm in her decision to return to Anon with Isa.

  When the subject did come up, Dr. Busen said that he would have to change her emitter chip, which
was still disabled, and make sure that Venus could not locate her. However, no one protested Kailynn’s return to Anon.

  They knew Isa would need all the support possible.

  Late at night, they woke Isa and tried to get her to eat, though the pain in her body made it difficult for her to keep food down.

  Kailynn remained in the bed with Isa as the others stayed in various spots throughout the safe house, making up beds with any blankets and pillows they could find.

  Remus remained awake the entire night, programming and building a small, box-like device on the table in the living room. He was intensely focused on the jammer, so much so that he did not realize he had spent seventeen hours building it and everyone was waking the next morning when he finally finished.

  Kailynn watched in fascination as Dr. Busen and Remus worked together attaching the device directly to Isa’s skin, just below her left breast. They inserted nodes into her ribcage, feeding them into position by using a portable scanner to see into her chest cavity. Kailynn watched the process with fascination and horror. She could see that there was a relatively large, metal device in Isa’s body, frighteningly close to her heart, and she was concerned that one false move would cause Isa’s heart to stop beating.

  However, the two finished attaching the jammer to Isa’s ribcage and secured it with an adhesive bandage that hardened against her skin.

  When Isa dressed again, no one could see the device through her clothing.

  They decided to leave the safe house that night. Rayal and Tarah returned first, agreeing to take the shortest route to Anon. Remus left three hours after them, taking a different way, a much longer one that would allow him to enter the city from the west. Isa and Kailynn took Isa’s car back to the capital the same way Rayal and Tarah had, both of them quiet as they left close to midnight.