by Andrew Mack
Ocatvious took a step forward and softly said, “I am aware. I hear that from all the miners.”
There was another pause as if Felicia was pondering what to say. She took another breath and said, “We sometimes argue because my field stone is blue, my passion is the Quill. Sterling’s is orange, although he doesn’t use his stone the way that you do.”
Octavious quietly responded, “Few of us exist anymore. If the Council found out we were teaching our children our Quill, and not the Belinean Quill, they would come for our heads.”
Felicia looked at him for a second and very softly whispered, “Red Ring Rise….”
Octavious, reluctant to ever admit such a title, nodded and whispered, “Yes….”
Felicia took another breath and said, “And the Majavkee? They believe you twist the Quill. That you use your power for weapons.”
Octavious asked politely, “You believe they have faith?”
Felicia replied, “I do not know. They appear to be loyal servants of the Quill.”
Octavious replied, “A facade. I doubt any of them have set foot in a Temple. But they certainly preach like they do. It allows the Belineans to choose sides.”
Felicia replied, “There are different variations, but we all believe the same Quill principles. Why would the Belineans and the Council not back you?”
Octavious answered, “Greed. We would fight them, while they see the Majavkee as allies in their pursuit to mine as much Vait as possible, regardless of what it does to our planet. “
Felicia was emotional. “I see children dying. Innocent people slain. They say in the name of the Quill, but who wins? The Majavkee seem to get richer, and we are no better off. We are trying to make a better place for our children, for Nix….”
Octavious interjected, “So am I….”
Felicia said, “But how does killing Belineans and Majavkee do that? The more of them you kill, the more of us they kill. It never ends. And there are more of them, and less of us. If they only care about the Vait, why not give it to them so we can live in peace.”
Octavious replied, “It is not that simple….”
Felicia replied, “Why not? What makes it complicated?”
Octavious did not know what to say. Felicia began to cry. He stood in silence for ten seconds, trying to articulate his next words. “If the Council and the Belineans stopped their aggressive mining and restored the Guild, I would no longer fight. If they left us free to practice my religion with my family, I would not fight. But they will not stop, nor will I.”
Felicia, in tears, interjected, “You threaten the children in our homes….”
Octavious, tilting his head, said, “It’s my home too!”
Felicia looked at him for a second, wiping a tear from her face. Octavious continued, “And they do not play by our rules, they have no moral compass or faith. I am fighting for my home. I am fighting so your children will still have a home, long after we are gone.”
Felicia looked at him, tears still rolling down her face. A few seconds passed. She took a small breath and said, “Then win.”
Octavious’s eyes got a little bigger. The door opened, and Sterling walked in. He said, “Ready?”
Octavious nodded and put a hood on over his head. He walked over to Felicia and grabbed her shoulder. He looked at her and waited until she was looking back at him. He whispered, “I will, or I will die trying.”
Octavious then walked out, with Sterling right behind him. Sterling caught up and got to the lead. Sterling asked Octavious, “You alright?”
Octavious replied, “I am fine. Where are we going?”
Sterling half smiled and “Time to pray….”
Octavious asked, “You do not have to help me.”
Sterling said, “I am aware.”
Octavious stopped. Looking at Sterling, he asked, “Then why do you?”
Sterling replied, “I do not know. I am not sure if I believe in you or not. But Balerra does, and I believe in her, and my faith.”
Sterling pivoted to walk, and Octavious followed. They turned at another block and continued four more blocks, closer to the center of town. Octavious said, “I thought we were trying for a low cover?”
Sterling responded, “We are, just right under their noses.”
They passed a couple of Majavkee Security Officers in the street. They then turned one more corner, and in front of them was a Quill Temple. Octavious looked at Sterling and said, “You are joking, right?”
The two walked into the Temple. They saw the diamond shape figure on the wall, and both bowed their heads. They began walking down the middle aisle. Approaching from the back was a Quillsar, that met them at the front of the aisle, underneath the Diamond-shaped emblem on the wall. Octavious gave a small bow as he said, “ My Quillisar...”
Balerra was a very old lady, her red Quillisar Priest cloak looked ragged and used. Octavious bowed, as Balerra had no time for pleasantries. She said, “Come with me, my child, your face is far too recognizable.”
Octavious followed Balerra behind the wall of the Temple. As she was walking, she continued talking, “We evacuated most of your soldiers, but you will be a bit trickier.”
Octavious replied, “My soldiers are already out?”
Balerra had turned a corner and came up to a small dressing room, where she began rummaging through a closet. She replied, “Yes, with the help of an old friend. They are easier to hide because the Majavkee are not looking for them; they are looking for you.”
Octavious was still slightly confused. Quillisar Balerra shoved a Red Priest Cloak into his chest. She said, “This is from Quillisar Yovollo. He was killed in the bombings. It might be tight, but it should work well enough.”
Octavious looked at Balerra and said, “You want me to be a Quillisar Priest?”
Balerra looked at Octavious and replied, “Really, Octavious? We need to get you out of here.”
Octavious looked at her and said, “I have done many terrible things, Balerra, but pretending to be a Quillisar feels like a sin.”
Balerra looked at him and said, “The goal is for you not to talk, but on the off chance you do, The Blue Code 17?”
Octavious looked up, trying to recite it. “Out of the mouths of our children, the sacrifices and offerings yet to be disposed, the energy has prepared the body for existence, one that has taken no pleasure, one that has committed no sin, but only a voice that cries, the energy is now folded into all of us.”
Balerra added “Although, in these troubling times, I prefer ‘So also the tongue is a small muscle, capable of the strongest things, how great a forest can be set ablaze, by the slightest of fires.’”
Octavious nodded and said, “The Orange Code 11, one of my favorites.”
Balerra grabbed his cheek and said, “Octavious, I have known you your entire life. You know as much as any Quillisar does. Let the energy come for me and take me away if this is a sin. Now, put the damn red cloak on.”
Octavious put the red cloak on and covered most of his head with the hood. Octavious looked up, before looking down again, and said to Balerra, “Following you.”
Quillisar Balerra began to walk out the back of the Temple, Octavious following in his red cloak, Sterling a few steps behind. They walked down to the playground area. Even though it was just nightfall, some of the older children were still playing. They found the entrance where a woman was standing. A voice came out, “Alright, children time to go.”
Octavious recognized the voice, but continued to keep his head down. He whispered, “Syren?”
Former Ambassador Syren was ushering the children out of the playground. As she was waving her arms, she quietly whispered to Octavious, “Do not say another word.”
Syren said much louder now, still waving her arms, “Come along children, right this way.”
Syren, Ste
rling, another adult caregiver, Balerra, and Octavious began walking with ten children towards the landing pads that were two blocks away. Once they got there, it was a rock area, flat, made up of six pads. Three aircraft were parked. A beat-up transport, with Quill markings on the side, had a door open. It was clearly the Quill shuttle. Two armed Majavkee Security and two AuFa soldiers were guarding the landing pad facility. The AuFa guards were sitting down, having a drink, while the Majavkee soldiers guarded the entrance.
As they came through, Syren began guiding the children through the entrance, towards the beat-up transport shuttle. The Majavkee soldiers said, “Hold on, where are you all going?”
Syren replied to the Majavkee soldiers, “I am Ambassador Syren, let us through. We are taking the children to the Bosa Temple for the night.”
One of the Majavkee soldiers said, “We will need identification for everyone.”
Quillisar Balerra walked up next to Syren and said, “These are children, and I am their Quillisar. The children have nowhere to stay tonight. “
The other Majavkee soldier said, “I do not give a shit who you are. We need to see everyone’s identification.”
Syren looked over at the two AuFa soldiers, who had now got up and started walking over. Syren politely yelled at them, “Excuse me…”
The two AuFa soldiers came up next to them, and one of them said, “Can we help you?”
Before Syren could say a word, Balerra walked up to the AuFa soldier and said, “Would you like to explain to your Quillisar back home about how you roughed up some children and Quillisar’s on Avola? Perhaps if I told Quillisar Prill of your actions, he could speak to your Commanding Officer about your bravery.”
The one AuFa soldier just said, “Quillisar, what is the problem?”
Balerra looked at the Majavkee soldiers and said, “Them.”
The AuFa soldiers turned and looked at the Majavkee soldiers as well. One of the Majavkee soldiers said, “We need to see their identification, we have orders.”
The other AuFa soldier said, “Are you kidding? Them?”
The other Majavkee soldier pointed at Sterling and said, “What about him?”
The other AuFa soldier looked at Sterling and asked, “Who are you?”
Sterling whipped out his identification and said, “Sterling Oppenmeadow. I am a Miner, Crew Supervisor in Lowell Province. My Quillisar asked for help.”
Nobody looked at his identification, though. The AuFa soldier just looked at the Majavkee Security and said, “This is why they hate you guys. The Valmay burned up in those caves. There will be no survivors. But you two want to harass a couple Quillisar’s, some children, and a miner because they pose a threat?”
The other AuFa soldier had already opened the gate and started allowing them through. He said to Balerra, “My apologies Quillisar, please come through.”
As everyone was now walking through, Balerra looked up at the AuFa soldier that was letting them pass, and said, “When was the last time you went to Temple?”
The AuFa soldier gave a small smile and replied, “Over a week ago, Quillisar. At the Sun Offering.”
Everyone had passed through and was now boarding the shuttle. The engines had turned on, and a little dust had popped up. Balerra looked at the AuFa soldier and said, “Then make sure you come to Temple this week. You can come to mine. It’s a couple of blocks away. And bring these two (looking at the Majavkee soldiers), they could use the guidance.”
The AuFa soldier just smiled and said, “Yes, Quillisar.”
As Balerra was walking to the shuttle and being assisted on to it by Sterling, she could hear the AuFa soldier behind her talking to the Majavkee soldiers. “Seriously, what is wrong with you two? Octavious Killian is dead, and you want to mess with the clergy and children too?”
As the transport shuttle took off, Balerra and the other caregivers said to the children, “Settle down children, you will only get a reward if you behave.”
Syren sat down next to Octavious, while the transport was already flying away. Syren said, “I did not expect to see you alive. We heard about the attack on the Processing Center and the base being destroyed. We were shocked. Do you know about Kaya?”
Octavious said, “She is alive, correct?”
Syren said, “From what we know, yes. Lord Argo wants to trade her life for yours, but he believes you are dead.”
Octavious said, “Oh, I will give him that trade if he wants it. Where are we going?”
Syren just looked at him and said, “Home.”
The transport shuttle took a small banking turn and headed across the desert rock.
Belinea 7.4
Avola
AuFa Base Six
Lord Argo walked into the control room. Around a large screen, table were several AuFa officers, including Captain Leahy of the SS. Lord Bialos and Lord Evander of the Majavkee were behind an old miner, who was at the center of the table pointing. Argo walked up to the screen table and said, “Status?”
Everyone turned and looked at Argo. Leahy, pointing at the screen, was the first to say something. “My Lord, the Valmay Group was chased here, to the Cataco Mines in the Bosa Province. The AuFa made their way down each of these shafts, leaving a company behind at every entrance, here, here, and here. Based on some newly mined debris, we believe the Group went down this abandoned tunnel, number eleven. They were likely trying to hide and ride it out. But we sent in a smoke team, pouring flamethrowers down the tunnel. It has yet to clear of the smoke and fire, but without protective gear, which they did not have, there is no way they survived.”
Argo looked at the screen and replied, “When the flames subside, get a team in there and verify the bodies, whatever is left of them.”
Lord Bialos replied, “My Lord, is it safe now to get the Vait shipments to the AuFa ships?”
Argo answered, “Yes. It will take some smaller transports since we blew up the big ones. But that is the price you pay for peace. Send out a final call, process it here. I want all the Vait on the Battle Cruiser that will return with me to Belinea tomorrow.”
Lord Evander spoke, “The price we agreed upon, my Lord?”
Argo just tilted his head. “Lord Evander, the price we have always paid. Be thankful I am not taking the Vait for free after all the shit you guys have created for us, miserable pricks.”
Lord Evander was taken back and said, “My Lord, I meant no disrespect.”
Argo turned around to walk out, “No, it’s just your native tongue.”
Argo kept talking as he was walking out, and said, “I do not care if it is char-broiled. I’m not leaving this shithole until someone brings me the body of Octavious Killian.”
Belinea 7.5
Hovron
The Frigate was on a landing pad at the AuFa base on Hovron. It was a small base, with about fifty AuFa vessels scattered around. Alexis was standing in the doorway on top of the ramp, which led inside the ship. She was looking around to make sure no one was watching. Nick finally came walking up the ramp. Nick said as he walked up to Alexis, “Message sent, although it doesn’t make any sense.”
Alexis answered, “I know, but it will to her.”
Nick shrugged his shoulders, and said, “Alright, what now?”
Alexis answered, “Kimmel got back from the Control Tower a couple of minutes ago. I believe he is inside gathering a couple more things and saying goodbye to Tunsall.”
Tunsall and Kimmel were standing inside the quarters of the ship. Kimmel took a breath and said, “The plan after graduation still involves you becoming an officer in the AuFa….”
Tunsall snapped back and said, “That was always your plan...not necessarily mine.”
Kimmel responded, “So now you want to be a pilot in this incompetent security group, chauffeuring Ambassadors to and from? Did Trujillo put you up to this? He is the reason
for you not graduating first in your class, and now this.”
Tunsall rolled his eyes a little bit and responded, “Trujillo did not put me up to this, and he is not the reason I am not graduating first in my class. We still want to fly Sirator’s. We are just looking at all our options.”
Kimmel looked at Tunsall and said, “And you can fly Sirators, in the AuFa, I can arrange that.”
Tunsall asked “And Trujillo?”
Kimmel just tilted his head and said nothing. After a few seconds, Tunsall said, “I never asked for your help. Regardless of what happens, we prefer to do it on our own.”
Kimmel took a deep breath and said, “Understand there is no future for this DAG security force. Joining it would be a huge mistake.”
Tunsall responded, “And it would be my mistake, not yours.”
Kimmel took another deep breath and said, “After graduation, there are things we need to discuss at home, alright?”
Tunsall nodded and said, “Sure….”
Kimmel hugged Tunsall and said, “Despite my misgivings, I am proud of how you have handled this assignment Salvador, with honor.”
They embraced for a couple of seconds before Tunsall finally said, “Thank you, father.”
As they let go of each other, Kimmel said, “Trust Devanoe, he will get you there safely. No communication with anyone until you get to Belinea, understand?”
Tunsall nodded and said, “Yes, sir.”
Kimmel walked out with Tunsall behind him. When they got to the ramp that led down to the ground, Trujillo, Alexis, Nick, and Ambassador Bird were all there. Kimmel looked directly at Bird and said, “I am using my best judgment and not turning you over to the BRG, as I should. I hope we have an understanding that you, in turn, will not try to communicate with anyone until you get to Belinea.”
Bird looked at him for a few seconds. “I trust my assistant, and it is what she recommends as well. I am grateful for your assistance, and will let your commanding officers know what you have done.”
Kimmel gave a crooked smile, “Thank you, Ambassador, but it’s better my commanding officers know nothing about this.”