by Lesa Corryn
She spit in my face and grabbed me by the collar of my shirt thrusting me against the wall. “Traumatic, you don't know anything. You think searching through the archives for random scraps of information can tell you anything about a person.” Flik went to grab a guard, my good arm raised up to stop him.
“You want to know what is traumatic, Thurman? Being raised by a man who thought your mother was a toy. Huh? Did you know that one?” I had no words. “He ferried my mother in on a slave ship. Bought and paid for her. She was exotic, her hair golden like the wheat fields and her large brown almond eyes. He liked her lean body, I suppose, the arrogant pig. He never took much notice of a girl with meat on her.” Flik lowered his head. I grew light headed, my breath caught in Allouette's grip, but I didn't care. I deserved this.
“She was definitely a toy, but the kind of toy you don't want the other kids to see. Everyday he locked her in the house, sealing the windows, closing the shutters tight. When I was born, he was furious. I, proof of his dirty secrets, lived everyday beneath his fists. That's how I learned to fight.” Her grip tightened, my arm strained. “The only pleasure I got was mother's strawberries. She was able to sneak out one day and pluck a plant from the field just outside the house. She only dared to do it once and when father got home he knew she sneaked out, but he never knew why. She kept the pot hidden beneath a hole in the floorboards. It was a deep hole, one that took us a month to dig, but it was worth it. During the day we pulled it out so the sun could shine and nourish it.” Her grip weakened and her eyes watered. “Then father wondered why it always smelled of strawberries.” She released me and I gasped for air, Flik stood frozen.
“He always thought it was the fields, but when winter came around and it still smelled of strawberries, he found our secret. And then he took her away.” She slumped against the wall and held her face in her hands. “When I saw her body lying there, him standing over his lifeless puppet, I knew I would be next. So I took the pot and smashed it against his head. It was so heavy, but I worked hard to protect mother, to gain strength. Still in the end it could only save me.
“Then I ran, the best I could, given I had mother on my back. I was a teenager then and her weight wasn't too much for me. Once I felt far enough away and safe, I dug a shallow grave and buried mom beneath an old oak. Then I went to the city and applied for the fleet. He couldn't get me then. I belonged to the government. He tried, but since he never registered me as his child, I was safe.” She looked up at me, her face streaked with tears. “Tell me Jek Thurman, why would I harm the ones who saved me from him? Who let me live my life so my mother's wasn't in vain?”
“I'm sorry.” The words weren't enough, but they were all I knew to say.
Chapter 29
Sunrise
Silence. Flik shifted his weight and the quiet resumed. Sorry. That was all I had. Sorry. Did I even tell her that? So busy with wallowing in my own grief did I even think to apologize to Yanda? Never. At least I could tell Allouette that, at least the words could hit her ears even if they fall short of mending the break. But Yanda, I never apologized to you and I'm sorry.
“You're a fool,” she said.
The bright white of the room faded away and the golden hue of an Earth sky flooded into vision. I slipped back into the field where the strawberries lay plump in the grass. The sun was golden, hovering above the horizon.
“Is it rising or setting?” I asked. There was no fighting these mind games. It was my arm I suppose. The strain, it was pulling at my nerves and shocking my system. How long had we been sitting in Allouette's cell? Had I fallen asleep? Perhaps. They'll wake me up, I thought. Until then, why fight it?
“You tell me.” Another voice to my right. There were two, since when? One stood just beyond a stone marker, beneath the silhouetted willow. She stood loose, her hands clasped behind her back, her face uplifted towards the sun. The other sat in a patch of strawberries, picking up one at a time. Plucking them, a crisp snap as it left its leafy bed. She pinched, her nails cracking the red skin, its juices dripping down her hand.
“Setting I suppose,” I replied.
I pulled myself up and wiped the dew from my pants. Which one to approach, who do I follow?
“Why do you say that?” The one beneath the tree turned to me, her face masked in shadow. “Do you believe night is coming?”
“Or is it already here?” I looked, the other to my side, she's turned from me. A pile of broken strawberries sat beside her, staining her light cotton dress.
“The night hasn't come, nor should it be feared. The stars will light the way, we are never completely lost.” She danced around beneath the tree, her hand gliding along the stone. She hummed to herself. The other continued to mash the berries, her hands sticky and red. I went to her and held her still so the berry laid peaceful in her palms.
“You see Jek, the sun will rise,” the girl called from the tree. She stepped from behind the stone, her spring dress flapping in the wind, the sun lighting her face.
Yanda.
“We've gotten word from our government. Madame Glade wishes to speak with you now.”
My eyes popped open. Flik walked over to Allouette to help her up, but her eyes watched me. Not with malice or anger, but curiosity. Did she see it too, I wondered. We walked back up to the elder's chambers, not a word spoken between us. If the guard noticed the tension, he was smart enough not to say anything.
The top floor was dark, lit only by paper lanterns dangling from the ceiling. A warm glow washed over the flowers and bushes giving them life in the night.
“My apologies, in regards to your capture,” Edel said bowing, “we had only hoped to learn more from a Bendalurian about the reasons behind the attacks. You had an air of a leader about you and one of our soldiers thought it best to bring you in. We beg your pardon and extend peace to you and the Union.” Flik and I turned to Allouette, neither of us sure how she would react. Despite her behavior in the cell, she bowed before Edel and returned an offer of peace. Then Edel relayed the events after Allouette's capture and brought her up to speed about the spy.
“Now you have spoken with your government about who the contact is?” asked Allouette.
“Yes,” said Madame Glade, “they are just as confused about the whole situation and since we have been deceived for so long we are not sure how helpful our information will be.”
“Anything, Madame, will be of great assistance,” said Allouette. Her voice, calm, collected, nothing like that in the cell. Her eyes large, a wet sheen amplifying the desperation behind them.
Flik poked me in the ribs and I turned. I had been staring directly at Allouette since the conversation started and the elder's eyes seemed to be watching me though it's hard to tell the focus in the eyes of Edel's kind. But I felt them.
“Yes, well,” Madame Glade continued, “we received the first transmission from our contact on the day of what we believe you call the L-47 incident. We are aware that battle was a fluke. A lucky toss of the dice. Your people were stronger than us, faster. We'd never been in space for real combat before, but your soldiers did not know that we were a well built fleet. Our surprise led to our victory, but we knew that would not work for us again.
“We were scared, certain that our world, our lives would be engulfed by what we thought to be the Union at the time. Then our prayers were answered. A race claiming to be part of a force working to find independence against the Union, wished to help our cause.”
“Did they begin giving you information right away,” asked Allouette.
“No,” she responded. “They said they wanted to know more about us before helping. They wanted to make sure we were a right match to join the rebellion. That's when we informed them about the Bendalurians taking over our world.”
“Did you tell them your home was in the field?”
“Yes,” she told us. Flik and I exchanged glances. Someone other than the Bendalurians were out to fight the Union. Not only fight, but break it as well. “They
got back to us in about one month. They said they had researched the situation and trusted us to join them. That's when they started to give us information about the battle plans.”
“Which only I would know,” muttered Allouette. She bit her lip and rubbed her hand against her chin. Her eyes searched the floor.
“You were not the only one. Remember, you thought for a time it was me. There were others that knew.”
“Well, of course, all the pilots and soldiers eventually would know the plan, but there would not have been enough time to inform the Agerians so that they could prepare.”
“I'm not talking about the soldiers. There were others in that room,” I said. The claw marks in my cell. The anger left etched in the walls in the time of war. A prisoner desperate to break free from captivity.
“No.” Allouette cupped her face in her hands, massaging her forehead. “Shit.” She snapped up and threw her chair against the floor before moving to a window for air.
“Not Gith,” said Flik.
“No not the Captain, there was another,” I said looking at Edel. His head cocked and his antenna clicked but neither of the Agerians said anything.
“That stupid Alladian cur. I told Gith I didn't trust him.” She paced back and forth, ignoring the various plant life that whipped against her face. “He was even a prisoner in our own ship. He had been a prisoner of war in our own damn ship and she still thought it right to have him as Commander.” She slammed her hands against the wall, her palms resting on either side of one window's frame. Her face peaked out so the air wrestled with a few locks of hair.
“Do you know what your contacts looked like,” I asked turning to Madame Glade.
“We are not sure, only once has a contact visited our planet. They had wished to see what damage the Bendalurians had done, though now we suspect they were sizing us up so they may one day do the same thing. Only one of our kind was to accompany them and they wished their identity to remain secret. We didn't have time to find the original guide, but one of our soldiers said he had seen them in passing. He was on guard duty when the contact's ship docked. He didn't see much but said he was amazed to see the contact had a short pointed tail and skin that gleamed in the light.”
“Shit,” I muttered. I knew it. I knew the truth I just couldn't accept it, but there was no doubt, the Alladians wished to do war with the Union again. No other race had such markings.
“What do we do?” asked Flik turning to me, but looking past my shoulder at Allouette.
“We have already attempted contact with your people in space. Right now all ships are at a stand still. We believe they do not trust our claim, but are still debating the matter since we have not tried to attack. We will not attack unless provoked. We will still defend ourselves, but we truly hope your Union will listen to our words.”
“Union law states we cannot fire unless an action is made against us,” I said. “That is until war is declared, then the law is lifted and we will fire if an enemy is targeted.”
“So war not declared yet,” said Flik.
“I imagine they are debating that now,” said Allouette. She now sat slumped up against the wall, her eyes closed, her face warming in the glow of the lanterns.
The night hasn't come, nor should it be feared. The stars will light the way, we are never completely lost.
“Will the war bill pass,” I asked.
“I'm not sure,” said Allouette, “The Alladians and the Bendalurians are looking for war, though independently of each other. They are both powerful races in the Union, they may sway the vote.”
“We need to get off this planet and stop them,” I said. I turned to Madame Glade. “Please, if we were to request a ship could you take us past the field?”
Allouette stepped in before the elder had a chance to answer. “With what proof do we have? Yes we can prove the Bendalurians have been trying to extinguish a race and claim a planet. Which we may or may not be able to prove was for war, but the Alladians will get away free. We have no solid proof and they made sure to cover their tracks in case the Agerians were to become the wiser.”
Madame Glade bowed her head in agreement and mine dropped below my shoulders. How could we know so much but still be helpless?
“Pardon me,” said Madame Glade, “but is it right to believe that earlier you thought to have known who a particular spy was on your ship?”
“Yes,” said Flik, “Commander Nemis, an Alladian.”
“If you were to capture him, would you have proof,” Edel continued.
“We'd have a much better chance than if we didn't,” said Allouette, “we'd at least be able to hold him in suspicion and interrogate him.”
“Well, then perhaps there is still some light on this dark path.” I rose my head and again I felt Madame Glade's warm stare against me. “Our government informed us of one more thing.”
“Yes,” said Allouette, her head rising.
“A large ship was reported to have crashed close to a village just past this mountain range. It could only be your ship. We have yet to approach it. There were many races present outside the ship and since the Bendalurians are the only other race we've ever met, we were of course cautious. One of the races reported was said to have scaly skin and a tail.”
“Nemis,” I muttered.
“We'd be happy to ferry you over so that you may reunite with your crew,” said Edel.
From behind, a laugh broke the quiet of the elder's chamber. It rolled against the stone walls and reverberated in our ears. It was not loud or angry, but strong and dangerous.
“Drayo, I've been waiting for this.” Allouette rose to her feet, her hand swiping the loose hairs from her face and a smile curling along her lips. “Well, we better get going. It's time I took Drayo up on his words. It's time I tasted battle, instead of planning it.” Her figure stood stark against the window. Silhouetted by the rising sun.
You see Jek, the sun will rise.
Chapter 30
Return
The airship's shadow soared across the treetops as we rose higher above the mountain range. Edel, Flik, Allouette and myself sat in the cabin as our pilot navigated towards the wrecked Hera. Soon we'd reach the majority of the remaining crew. Perhaps Captain Gith would be there, maybe even Sergeant Queba. My arm tensed and my stomach knotted. I had no doubt that Queba would have stayed on the ship. There's no way she'd evacuate in a battle. She would have been neck deep in Hera, fixing damages and holding the ailing ship together. But given that, she could easily have been crushed in the ship's innards or thrown in the ship's landing. This whole time I told myself she would be fine, but that's because I doubted I'd ever know the truth. But now, the answer laid before me and I feared my optimism would be in vain.
“What's wrong Thurman, don't back down now,” said Allouette. Her eyes too, watched the ship's shadow as it rippled against the dark green of the forest below.
“Absolutely not Lieutenant.” Both Flik and Allouette turned to look at me, her gesture more subtle than Flik's gapping mouth. “Something wrong Flik?”
“Uh, no,” he mumbled. Flik sat beside me, Allouette seated across from him. Before me was Edel. I looked up to catch his eye. I turned right back away, foolish to think anything could be seen in his expression. But the ticking of his antenna told me the tension was not lost on Edel.
There wasn't just the fear that Queba didn't make the landing, but also the guilt that I did not think of her more. So absorbed was I in Allouette that I'd forgotten the Aveslor Sergeant who sprung me from the brig despite how angry she was with me. Never once did she question my arm, my skill. She gave me a rough time but always with the love of a mother. My nails dug into my side and the pain pulled hard in my arm.
“We're over the crest, the wreck should be visible,” said Edel. I felt his eyes on me but I ignored them.
At the base of the mountain a monstrous metal whale lay beached amongst burnt forest and scarred land. So large, it appeared to be an ancient city marked with wa
r and battle. Black figures floated around the outside of the metal beast, mainly staying in groups and never straying far from the wreckage.
“Where will we land?” asked Allouette.
“Not far from the wreckage, they'll certainly know we've come,” said Edel. And so we did. Soon the ship glided down to the mountainside and the black figures took form and color. Tunics of every kind gathered food and supplies, others sat in circles watching as the ship hovered over an empty patch of land. One figure sprung to his feet and ran inside Hera, soon returning with the queenly figure of Captain Gith and not far behind in the shadowy recesses was Commander Nemis.
“Don't act too fast,” I said to Allouette. She didn't respond.
Those near the ship stood up and formed a line behind Gith, who began to approach with cautious steps. Nemis chose to remain just outside the ship, his figure fading into the shade of the violet sun. Others ran from the surrounding areas and joined the mass, some pulling out guns. Allouette stepped out first.
“Good to see you Captain,” she said. The joy of seeing Gith again pulled at her words but her eyes could not leave the dark mark in the shadows of Hera.
The mass of tunics sighed with relief and guns returned to their holsters, though many hands still hovered near them. Gith looked relieved but her stance stood hardened.