by Jacob Holo
As Sovereign, I shall take no action to actively oppose the Choir. I am sure you understand the delicate balance between capitulation and confrontation my position requires. Instead, I will leave it to you. You alone will decide how best to confront the issue, should it arise. I wish you and my daughter a joyful bonding until little Saera comes of age.
Vorin Daelus
Sovereign of Aktenzek
Your Humble Servant
Tesset lowered the d-scroll, drained by its words. She sniffled, pushed up her blindfold, and wiped at the tears tricking out near her eye-pits.
“You-you-you… you knew and you, and you, and…”
“To be honest I’d forgotten about it completely,” Seth said. His voice was so cold and devoid of feeling. “Of course I read it. A lot of stuff went through my mind when I did. Indignation at the Choir for its continued manipulations. Anger at Vorin for suggesting such a thing was possible. Denial too. In the end, I ignored your father’s warning. I believed that you and Jack, the two people closest to me, would never do such a thing. I was wrong.”
Tesset wiped under her nose.
“And now I see that I was just fooling myself.”
“Seth, I-I-I didn’t mean… Seth, I’m so, I’m so…”
“Sorry? Please, let’s not fool each other,” he said. “We never did overcome our difficulties, partly because I was never a very good partner to you. I tried in my own way, but I wasn’t very good at it.”
“Shouldn’t… shouldn’t you be yelling and screaming at me?”
“Would you prefer it if I did?”
“I… I don’t know…”
“Tesset, of course I’m angry and gravely disappointed in you. How could I not be by this?”
Cruel words came to mind, and before she knew it, she shouted, “Because you never loved me!”
Seth lowered his head. Shame welled up in his aura, quenching some of his weak rage.
“Yes, I suppose you’re right. I felt a strong sense of obligation towards you. I felt your happiness was my responsibility. But love? No. I never loved you. I suppose that’s why I feel so ashamed right now. You failed me, Tesset. But ultimately, it was I who failed you first. I suppose that’s why I don’t feel angry enough to yell and scream.”
Tesset sniffled again. “I loved you once.”
“I know.”
“But you were always in love with her.”
Seth only nodded.
“Why do you still love her, Seth?”
Emotions flickered across his aura. Grief at losing Quennin mingled with the fondness of old memories.
“It’s hard to explain,” he said. “Quennin and I shared something truly special.”
“And you still love her even after all she’s done. Even after everyone she’s killed. You can love someone like that, but you can’t love me.”
“My heart is what it is,” Seth said, his aura unrepentant. “But even so, I know you deserve better.”
She lowered her head, unable to put her feelings into words.
“But this pregnancy. This is quite the complication. It shouldn’t have happened. The medical ward regularly administers contraceptives to the crew. I take it this was not planned.”
Tesset shook her head.
“Of course not. No, it seems clear this is a result of the Choir’s manipulations. They must have rigged the medical ward to allow your condition, and this presents us with another problem. Normally, a pilot in your position would refrain from combat unless absolutely necessary.”
“I think being alone at the far edge of the galaxy qualifies as absolutely necessary.”
Seth nodded at this. “True enough, though I still find the notion disturbing.”
“I am not sitting this fight out,” Tesset said firmly.
Seth placed both hands on her shoulders and looked straight at her.
“Tesset, you have—”
“Don’t even try to convince me otherwise.”
He paused, then for some reason smiled. “I was going to say you’ve grown so much since we first met. You’ve become an amazingly strong woman.”
Tesset felt her cheeks flush. She turned her head away.
“If it is your wish to fight, I will not stop you,” Seth said. “But please take into account the precious cargo you now carry.”
“I will. You have my word on that.”
“Now what about Jack? Have you told him?”
“No, I haven’t.”
“He is the father, after all. He has a right to know,” Seth said. “I’ll leave it to you to tell him, though you might want to choose a more appropriate time. Perhaps wait for when he has time to come to terms with this development.”
“Yeah, I think you’re right.”
“In fact, I wish you’d thought of that before telling me.”
“Sorry.”
“Don’t be. It was good to get this out in the open. For both of us.”
A muddle of emotions filled Seth’s aura. He kept them under control, but Tesset could tell he wanted to be alone now, to brood in privacy. Still, there was one last question she needed to ask, perhaps the most important one of all.
“Seth, what about my child’s future?”
“What do you mean?”
“If we make it through this and get back to Aktenzek, what then? What will the Choir do with my child?”
“They clearly want control of the bloodline,” Seth said. “But it is difficult to say how extreme their actions will be.”
“I see.”
“Let me think about it. Perhaps I can find a solution.”
“You mean you’d defy the Choir?”
Seth nodded. He gestured to the Keeper sigils running down his uniform. “You forget, I have renounced my oaths to the Choir. I no longer serve their twisted machinations, and I will never be a party to their plans again.”
“Even though the child is…”
“Yes, Tesset. Even though the child is not mine.”
Chapter 12
Destinations
Jack stepped into the crew lounge, carefully balancing a steaming tray in one hand. The small circular room was located adjacent to the rec center and its basketball court, quiet compared to the outside bustle. Simulacrum screens produced an illusion of open space. Verdant hills dropped away on all sides, curving elegantly down to white beaches and crystal clear waters that stretched out to the horizon. A sun was setting in the distance, painting the sky with vibrant bands of orange and red.
Seth stared off, head resting on a hand. Jack set the tray down and pulled out a chair.
“What’s up, Seth? You look like you’ve got something on your mind.”
“Just thinking.”
“Well, you might as well eat and think at the same time. I brought enough for both of us.”
Seth glanced at the steaming tray. He frowned. “What is this garbage?”
“Pizza.”
“It has weird burnt bits in it.”
“That’s how you identify the tasty stuff. Pepperoni, sausage, banana peppers, onions, and mushrooms. But no olives, because olives are the devil’s food.”
“I have no idea what half that stuff is.”
“Oh, quit your complaining. This is the food of my people.”
“If you insist.”
Jack opened his beer and took a deep swig. Seth sipped his glass of water without taking his eyes off the pizza, as if steeling himself for the trial to come. He picked up a fork and prodded the pizza crust.
“No, no. With your hands.” Jack picked up a slice and pulled it out until all the stringy cheese broke off.
“Thanks, but no thanks.” Seth stuck his fork into the crust and dragged a slice onto his plate. “Do you have something against traditional Aktenai dishes?”
“No, not really. They just have this processed quality to them. I can tell the recipes aren’t based on real plants and animals.”
“And for good reasons. Do you know how unsanitary those creatures can be? Why
would anyone want to eat chunks off something that can defecate?”
“Honestly, I never really thought about it like that. I can get you something from the auto-kitchens if you want.”
Seth sighed. “No, that’s all right. I’ll try this.” He cut an extremely small piece off the slice’s tip and placed it cautiously in his mouth.
“Well?” Jack asked.
Seth chewed slowly for almost a minute, then said, “Not bad.”
“There. See?”
“The sauce has a nice tang to it.”
“I knew you’d like it.”
The two resumed eating. Through the door, they could hear the dinnertime bustle of the rec center.
“What’s the simulation of?” Jack jabbed a thumb towards the holographic scenery.
“This? It’s my island back in Aktenzek.”
“Your island? I didn’t know you had an island.”
Seth shrugged. “I was a spoiled kid growing up.”
“A gift from our father?”
“Yes. One of many, in fact. Now that I think about it, he might have been compensating for what he did to you, trying to getting things right the second time around.”
“I suppose that’s a possibility. So, what did you do with it?”
“With what?”
“Well, you had this island. A really nice one, by the looks of it. Did you fly your seraph around it? Set up mock battles? Anything like that?”
“No, I walked around.”
“Really? What for?”
“Relaxation.” Seth stared across the distant beaches. Calm waves lapped at the shore.
“Just… walked around?”
Seth nodded. “I suppose being cooped up in this ship for so long has made me a little homesick.”
“Huh. So you have an island. I never knew that.”
“I imagine there’s a lot about each other we don’t know.”
Jack chuckled. “Yeah, true enough.”
The two ate in silence for several minutes.
“Jack?”
“Hmm?”
“What do you think of the Choir?”
“What, you mean that bunch of self-righteous, over-manipulative, amoral, scheming corpses? The ones who should have their personalities purged from Aktenzek’s Core just before it’s blasted into a star to ensure that nothing remains? You’re talking about that bunch of idiots, right?”
Seth blinked. “Well, don’t hold anything back on my account.”
“Seth, you know how many times we’ve fallen prey to their schemes. I know you Aktenai have these deeply seeded beliefs when it comes to them. You think being elevated to the Choir is some great reward. It’s like being granted immortality. But Seth, they don’t care about you or any of us. In Aktenzek, the living are ruled by the uncaring dead.”
“We also have the sovereigns,” Seth added defensively.
“Yeah, and a lot of good that’s done!” Jack said. “Let see, what has the Choir done recently? Well, to start with, there’s the whole abducting people from the Seedings. Do you think that totals in the millions or billions?”
“Probably billions.”
“Right. Billions of people abducted, experimented on, and killed. Then we have that nasty business of using live humans for seraph parts.” Jack shuddered visibly.
“At least they don’t do that anymore.”
“Oh! The Choir also tried to create an army of banes. Though, to be fair, I shouldn’t count that one. We can blame Veketon and the Original Eleven for that plot.”
Seth sighed deeply, staring off. “Sometimes I have my doubts.”
“Oh?”
“Elements of the Choir were aiding Veketon in his war against us. That’s a fact, but I don’t know how successful Vorin was in identifying all of his co-conspirators. The Original Eleven’s plans have deep roots, and sometimes I wonder if the older portions of the Choir aren’t corrupt beyond redemption.”
“You mean, even if we kill Veketon, the Choir might try to revive his plan?”
Seth nodded slowly. “Yeah, that’s what I think will happen.”
“So… what? You think what we’re doing out here is pointless?”
“No, I’m not saying that. Just that killing Veketon isn’t the end.”
“Human beings will always be jerks to each other,” Jack said. “Doesn’t matter if they’re dead or alive.”
“True enough.”
Jack leaned back in his chair. “So what brought this on? Something must have got you thinking about the Choir again.”
“You’re right,” Seth said. “I found a Choir program in the Judgment’s core, dormant until a few days ago. I’ve had it deleted, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t more. The Judgment’s anti-aggressor virals are running searches, but even they might be compromised.”
“What was it doing?”
“I would prefer not to say.”
“What?” Jack crossed his arms. “You bring all of this up, and you’re not going to tell me what it was doing?”
“I’ve already met with the affected individual. It’s a private matter, and I don’t want this becoming public knowledge.”
“Then why tell me at all?”
Seth shrugged. “I just felt the need to talk about it with someone. Besides, you’re very good at keeping secrets, after all.”
“Well, yeah. Of course I am. If there’s anyone on this ship who can keep a secret, it’s me.”
“I know you won’t mention this to the crew.”
“If that’s what you want.”
Seth nodded absently, staring off into the simulated distance. “There’s something else I wanted to talk to you about.”
“What’s that?”
“It’s about Tesset.”
Jack’s heart skipped a beat. Literally. Hearing Tesset’s name startled him so badly his bane defenses activated, forcing him to consciously restart time in his body.
“What about her?”
“I’m concerned for her safety,” Seth said. “Lately, she’s been taking a lot of risks in combat.”
“It really can’t be helped. That’s the nature of her talents. Get close to the enemy, attack, and then fade away. She doesn’t have the barrier strength for frontal assaults.”
“I know, but that one Disciple. The one called Othaniel? She was able to spot Tesset even when hidden. I would like…”
“Yeah.”
“I want you to watch over her. Stick close to her. Make sure nothing happens to her.”
“Okay, if that’s what you want.”
“It is.”
“Consider it done, then. After all, we do work well together.”
“Yes, I know,” Seth said. For some reason, the way he said it bothered Jack.
Oh, I’m being paranoid, he thought. If Seth really knew about us, he’d have gone nuclear already.
“Your pizza’s getting cold,” Jack said, more to fill the silence than anything else.
“Ah, so it is.” Seth cut off another bite. The two continued to eat quietly. A loud cheer rose from the dinner crowd outside, probably related to tonight’s basketball match.
“Jack?”
“Yeah?”
“Have you ever thought about what you’ll do when we get back?”
“When,” Jack thought. As if we couldn’t possibly fail. That’s so like you, Seth.
“I don’t know. That’s too far into the future for me.”
“This business with the Choir program,” Seth said. “It’s started me thinking.”
“Yeah?”
“It is, as you’ve put it, the dead ruling the living. Even worse than that, it’s the dead exploiting the living.”
“Thinking we should do something about it when we get back?”
“Perhaps.” Seth rhythmically tapped his fingers on the table. “Though, I’m at a loss for what.”
“Have you hit your head recently?”
“No. Why?”
“Seth, you don’t like the status quo, ri
ght?”
“Of course.”
“So change it.”
“I know, but how?”
“Seth, you’re a Keeper! You’re almost like a religious icon to the Aktenai. The Choir fears you. And why shouldn’t they? What does the Litany of the Mission say? ‘Who will judge our worthiness? The Keepers of the Gate.’ Well, go judge them.”
“If only it were that easy.”
“Seth, I think you have a lot more authority than you realize. Push the Choir hard, and I bet you’ll be surprised how much they yield to you.”
“You make it sound so simple.” Seth let a slender grin slip onto his lips. “But you just might be on to something. I’ll think about it. Thank you.”
***
Jack stopped in front of Tesset’s quarters and palmed the buzzer.
One minute she’s all standoffish, he thought. The next, she absolutely needs to talk to me. I might as well face the facts. I’ll never understand women.
Jack waited. He palmed the buzzer again.
What the hell is she thinking? What if Seth sees me?
Wait. Just calm down. If he suspected anything, he would have come out and confronted me. Or just exploded. Either way, I’d know he knew.
“Come on in, Jack,” a voice over the speaker said.
“Yonu? Is that you?”
The door opened, and Jack stepped in to find Tesset watering her plants while humming a cheerful tune. On the other side of the room, Yonu reclined in a chair while reading a book. Not a d-scroll or h-scroll, but an actual book. It was thick and leather-bound with gold leaf designs on the cover.
“Is that Jared’s?” Jack asked.
“It is.” Yonu tossed her long braid aside and turned the page. Sapphire crucifixes glinted from her ears. Those were new.
“Hey, Yonu. Jared isn’t trying to convert—”
“Absolutely not.”
“But I didn’t even finish my—”
“I’m just educating myself so that I can point out all the errors to him.”