by Linda Mooney
“Oh, Kyber…Kyber…my love.”
Rolling herself into a little ball, she gave in and allowed herself to shed a few tears, until a lassitude overtook her. She was about to doze off when her cell door opened, and a different Seneecian warrior appeared in the entrance. He was not the one who’d been bringing her food. In addition, this one brandished a weapon.
“Come.”
Wiping her face, she got to her feet without question. It didn’t matter where he was taking her, or why. It was an opportunity to get out of that cell.
She heard him sniffing. Giving him a side glance, she saw him trying to keep a stoic face. Silently, she laughed. Considering how long she’d been forced to wear the same uniform, unable to bathe or wash her hair… She reached behind her head to touch the braid. Her hair was so dirty and oily, plaiting it was the only way she could stand to wear it.
The warrior ushered her into a large room where several Seneecians were seated around an oval table, one of whom was D’har Duruk. He pointed to the single empty chair that was just inside the doorway.
“Sit.”
She dropped into the chair. Her guard exited the room, but she made a bet with herself that the man remained out in the corridor, ready to escort her back to her cell when they were done. She also noted that she was alone. None of her fellow shipmates, or any of the Seneecians who’d been on the planet with her, were present. It made her wonder who and how many had sat in this chair ahead of her.
A vid wall rose from the center of the table, running from one end to the other. The screen flickered, and three Seneecian faces appeared. The men surrounding the table rose to their feet and bowed their heads.
“Be seated,” one Seneecian seated at the table ordered. As soon as the others resumed their chairs, he spoke again. “D’har Duruk, you may continue.”
A bright spotlight highlighted her. Fortunately, it didn’t shine directly into her eyes.
“Give us your name.”
Not sure if she should stand or remain seated, she opted for more formal decorum and got to her feet to respond, forcing herself to retain a stoic face.
“Lieutenant Kelen Chambliss, former pilot of the Terran military space craft, Manta.”
“Tell us your version of how your ship came to crash on the neverwylde planet.”
Kelen stared at them for a moment in stunned silence. “Pardon me. On the what?”
“On the neverwylde planet,” Duruk repeated.
“Pardon me, D’har, but we thought the planet was called Ganj.”
“That may be,” Duruk stated. “The term ‘neverwylde’ is what we call that form of spacial phenomena.”
Kelen stared at them wide-eyed. “What kind of phenomena, if I am allowed to ask?”
“Any planet that has undergone any sort of cataclysmic catastrophe, yet is somehow able to continue to sustain life.”
“Our scientists have been trying to study such worlds for decades,” commented one of the other Seneecians seated at the table.
Kelen latched onto that bit of information. More importantly, on the undisguised interest the Seneecians displayed regarding it. By golly, Dox had been right all along. It wasn’t so much the name of the planet, but what type it was.
“We are waiting for your statement,” Duruk reminded her.
Taking a Parade Rest stance, she assumed as diplomatic a face as she could muster. “We were ordered to patrol the Bav Tor Orris sector of the Plamof Nebula.”
“You do know that sector is under Seneecian rule, do you not?” another man at the table remarked.
She nodded. “It’s where Seneecian, Bav Torian, and Corrividite space intersects. We sometimes refer to it as the Plamofian Triangle.” She paused, waiting to see if anyone had anything to add to her comment. When no one did, she continued.
“We entered Bav Torian space. At that time we observed a Seneecian warship trespassing, in clear violation of the Plamofian Treaty. We attempted to make contact with the warship, but we received no response. We tried a second time, and that’s when the warship fired on us and took off for Seneecian space.”
“How far into the Bav Torian sector were you when you encountered the ship?” a fourth Seneecian queried.
“Less than two parsecs.”
“What happened after the Seneecian warship supposedly fired on you?” Duruk asked.
“We followed the ship to make certain it re-entered Seneecian space. It continued to fire on us. It was then that Captain Arvey ordered us to fire back. We continued to chase it, when we encountered what we now believe was a wormhole. It appeared without warning, taking the Seneecian warship into it. I tried to steer our ship out of its pull, but was unsuccessful. We were swallowed into it, where, eventually, we crashed on the planet at the other end.”
She noticed that none of the three faces in the holo view made any remarks, although they tended to display questioning expressions, or the occasional frown.
“We are interested in learning more about this supposed alliance between Terrans and Seneecians. Who proposed the truce?” the first man brought up. Kelen mentally dubbed him as Tiger, due to his dark bronze and brown striped pelt. How do I address these men? Are they all D’hars? She chose to play it safe and use a generic form of respect.
“I did, sir.”
By the surprise on their faces, that was not the answer they were expecting or had anticipated.
“Go on,” Tiger ordered.
“We encountered each other in one of the temples on the planet’s surface. We were on the verge of attacking each other when I brought up the point that we all were survivors on this world. And if any of us expected to survive long enough to be rescued, we’d need to rely on each other.” She felt the tug of a smile on her lips. “While I was arguing that point, we were attacked by a large group of indigenous creatures, which we managed to fight off. It was then both sides decided on a temporary truce and to ally ourselves with each other until which time we were able to leave the planet and resume our regular lives.”
There were some murmurs exchanged, after which the second Seneecian, whom Kelen secretly dubbed Spot, spoke up.
“Do you have specific knowledge of how Por D’har Kyber Nau Kil was able to wrest his promotion from D’har Plat audo Reen?”
“Yes, sir, I do.”
“Tell us about that.”
“D’har Plat, along with a few of his crewmen, met up with us. Plat insisted on negating the truce between species. Kyber refused. Their argument escalated to the point where Kyber was forced to fight him as per the rules of Tooth and Nail.”
“And D’har Kyber won,” Tiger noted.
“He did.”
“It is D’har Plat’s claim that Kyber drew a weapon on him, which violated the rules,” the third Seneecian she’d thought of as Mr. Chocolate brought up.
“It was Plat who took the rifle away from one of our men and pointed it at Kyber because he was being bested. He tried to fire the weapon, but the gun failed, and Kyber was able to divest him of it. Because of Plat’s actions, we were forced to place him in restraints and keep him under constant guard.” There was a whole lot more to the story than she was letting on, but she was given the impression these men liked the answers brief and to the point, without the elaboration.
Mr. Chocolate sat up in his seat and cleared his throat. “We were also informed by D’har Plat that you would lie about the incident.”
“No doubt you were,” Kelen responded with a touch of sarcasm.
“I have a question for the prisoner,” a fifth Seneecian with yellowish fur said. Kelen named him Buttercup. Turning in his chair to face her, he took a few seconds to glare at her. “D’har Duruk informs us that D’har Kyber claims he has taken you as his Confirmed.”
“That is true.”
“You admit that you are D’har Kyber’s Confirmed?”
“Yes.”
This announcement didn’t sit well with any of the Seneecians. In fact, a few looked repulsed by the idea. It w
as Tiger who asked for clarification.
“Explain to us how D’har Kyber did that.”
She didn’t try to hide her puzzlement. “How he did what? Are you asking for specific details regarding the Commitment, the Cleansing, and the Confirmation?”
Mentioning all three steps of the ceremony seemed to verify their worst fears. Spot almost spluttered.
“Yes,” Tiger answered. “We want the details.”
Squaring her shoulders, Kelen gave them her best stern look. “I’m sorry, sir. I can’t do that. That is personal, between just me and Kyber.”
Their shocked expressions told her all she needed to know. She’d flatly refused an order. She, a lowly skint, a species hardly worth being allowed to live, dared to tell them no.
Kelen knew she’d made a grievous error. She just didn’t know how bad a mistake she’d made.
Not then. Not yet.
Chapter 8
Interrogation
“The Triumvirate is ready to hear you.”
Kyber slowly got to his feet to follow the guard to the main conference room. Since his release from the medical lab, he’d been confined to his quarters. Packets of emergency rations were delivered to him, rather than allow him to eat in the commissary with the rest of the crew. For the time being, he was a pariah. Maybe Duruk thought he would taint the rest of the crew with his acts of heresy.
He was also required to have a daily body scan to check for any aftereffects, and to make sure he was regaining his health. With proper meds, food, and rest, his body was finally able to heal. But his mental and emotional health continued to suffer.
He would have given anything to go back to Kelen and ask for forgiveness. He wished he could take back the hurtful words he’d spoken because she may not have understood why they had to separate.
More than anything, he needed her in his arms and in his life, for however long they could be together. They had managed to survive on a planet that had tried repeatedly to kill them. Surely, after that kind of ordeal, they could find a way to survive being rescued.
He walked automatically through the long, winding corridors, not paying attention to where they were heading. Every warship was built identically. Doing so enabled crewmembers who were reassigned to be able to easily find their way around, and not spend valuable time having to relearn the ship’s schematics.
Midway there, he stopped, alerted to…something. Unconsciously, he took a deep breath through his nose. Immediately his body went on alert as Kelen’s scent filled his lungs.
Either she was here, or she had recently been this way.
His heart squeezed the breath from him and continued to constrict within his chest until he gasped from the pain. The guard turned to see why he was holding back and saw Kyber pressing a hand to his sternum.
“Are you not well, D’har?” There was no compassion in the man’s voice. Only irritation that Kyber was taking his time.
“I am fine. Keep moving.”
Kyber continued to test the air as they neared the chamber. As much as he didn’t want to admit it, he wanted to see her. He needed to see her, yet he feared coming face to face with her. How would she react? How would he? His heart sped up in anticipation, but as he drew closer to the meeting room, her scent dimmed, meaning she was no longer present. She’d been here, but no more.
The guard paused in front of the door. Kyber entered where the six magistrates sat around the conference table. Hovering in holo form above its surface were the members of the Triumvirate. In the back of his mind, Kyber realized how the Law of Three from the planet continued to pervade his life. He’d never noticed it before, but these past months, after being forced to be aware of such relationships because their survival often hinged on it, he’d become more cognizant to similar coincidences.
Although he knew Kelen wasn’t there, he scanned the room anyway as the door closed behind him. There was a chair strategically placed behind him, but he chose to remain standing.
D’har Obbleest began the interrogation. “State your full name and rank.”
“D’har Kyber Nau Kil, once of the warship Ist Umberu.”
“You were assigned to the Ist Umberu as a Por D’har. How did you come by your new rank?”
“I bested D’har Plat under the Law of Tooth and Nail.”
“And a weapon,” D’har Gormuc interjected.
Kyber frowned. “No, I did not use a weapon.”
“D’har Plat said you pulled a weapon on him. He states you used one of the weapons a Terran was carrying.”
“No, I did not. It was Plat who grabbed the weapon and aimed it at me in order to prevent himself from losing the fight.”
“And you have witnesses who saw this?” D’har Jeha sneered.
Kyber gritted his teeth but responded, already knowing where this was leading. “Yes. There were witnesses.”
“Who have already been ordered to lie for you,” Jeha remarked.
From that simple comment, and by the corresponding expressions on their faces, Kyber understood what the outcome to this meeting would be. These men were taking Plat’s word over his, and it didn’t take two guesses to figure out why. Sooner or later, the inevitable question would arise, but until then these men would play with him like a hunter with its catch before they decided to end his suffering.
They had already tried him and convicted him. All they lacked was the formality.
“Tell us the circumstances to you landing on the neverwylde planet,” Duruk ordered.
Kyber paused. Noticing his brother’s questioning look, Duruk grinned. “Surely, as D’har, you would be knowledgeable about such planets.”
“As Por D’har, I was not made privy to that information. And, unfortunately, once I obtained my ranking, I was not given any additional training by my predecessor.” It was a major effort not to sound disrespectful in answering, even though the comments made to him were scathing. “If I may inquire, what is a neverwylde planet?”
“A planet that has suffered a cataclysmic event, yet continues to maintain the ability to support life,” D’har Trant offered.
Kyber lifted his chin slightly. “We were patrolling the edge of Seneecian space near the Plamof Nebula.”
“On whose orders?” Duruk challenged.
“On D’har Plat’s orders.”
Gormac leaned forward. “You were not outside the boundaries and encroaching on Bav Torian space?”
“Not to my knowledge,” Kyber responded.
“But is that not your job? To know your exact location at all times?” Duruk questioned.
“At the time I was assisting in the engine room, again on D’har Plat’s orders. I had not been on the bridge for several hours when the fighting began.”
“What fighting?” Jeha asked.
“We were fired upon by a Terran warship. At that time I hurried to the bridge to find us fleeing from further confrontation.”
“D’har Kyber, did you not find it unusual to be fleeing a measly Terran warship instead of directly engaging it?” D’har Obbleest wondered.
They continued to refer to him as D’har, even though they believed he had not legitimately earned the title.
“Yes, I found it unusual, but I did not question my D’har.” He had followed strict protocol. He couldn’t be faulted for that.
“What happened next?”
“I heard the alarm go off, signaling an anomaly. That was when I saw the wormhole opening and knew we were inevitably going to be swallowed up inside it.”
“What did you do?” D’har Bluv asked.
“I ordered for communications to send out our coordinates and signal for help. I then instructed everyone to abandon ship, and to go directly to the lifepods.”
“What did D’har Plat do?”
“That, I cannot tell you. He was no longer on the bridge at that time.”
“Are you telling us he abandoned his own ship before you gave the orders?” Jeha questioned.
“I am telling you I do no
t know where Plat was at that time. Only that he had left the bridge soon after the wormhole had been detected.”
“Do you realize you are accusing Plat of desertion?” Trant narrowed his eyes at him.
Kyber dodged the obvious trap. “I accuse him of nothing. I am only stating the facts.”
The men took the next minute or two to discuss his testimony among themselves. They were too far away for him to overhear, but he doubted any of it was positive.
Nothing he did now could exacerbate what he knew their final decision would be. Which was why he chose to pursue his own inquiry.
“D’har, if I may.”
“No, you may not,” Duruk stated. The man didn’t raise his face to look at him when he answered.
“We went through a wormhole. How did you find us? Did you receive our emergency beacon?”
It was Bluv who finally gave him the courtesy of responding. “Initially, we received your emergency signal. Its location told us you had come in contact with a tegris. Do you know what a tegris is?”
“It is a phenomenon, usually a wormhole, that remains in an exact location. The problem with a tegris wormhole is that it is not stable. It appears and disappears infrequently. It cannot be predicted. Not when it appears, nor how long it remains open. Considering your question, I will assume that is what we fell through. But, in all honesty, I did not know we were anywhere near a tegris designated sector.”
“I would think not, since you did not direct your ship into that area.”
“But Plat did,” Kyber countered. “He knew the moment it appeared what it was. Has this tegris been explored? Is that how you managed to find us? Because you knew the neverwylde planet was on the other end?”
“You ask too many questions,” Jeha commented.
Kyber smiled to himself. That was his answer. Once rescue entered the wormhole, it was a simple matter to track the signal from Dox’s device to find where on the planet they’d landed.
“D’har Kyber.” Duruk finally looked directly at him. “To your knowledge, were there any other Seneecian ships in your location?”
“No.”
“So, to your knowledge, no one else, other than us, is aware of where you have been these past few months.”