Seeker's Light

by N. I. Snow

  Most of their missions so far had ended with the Tazalian fleet confused about how one of their own ships had gone down with no warning. However, their last mission had not gone so well. Their targeted warship had become aware of Connell's and Vemque's presence. The pair barely had time to escape with that ship’s prisoners and Resistance members, leaving Lamor with little time to destroy the warship before other ships of the fleet appeared to aid the distressed warship. Thankfully, the commanding officers of the other ships believed that Lamor's warship was responding to the call as well. The event, however, had left the entire fleet in a high state of alert.

  Connell and Vemque knew the risk of attempting to infiltrate any more warships at the present time, but they were insistent that the cause was worth the risk. The more warships brought down, the better chance Earth's forces had against the Tazalians. Something was wrong, though. Lamor could sense it.

  His fears were confirmed by an incoming transmission, “Air Raid to Earth Ship.” Lamor shut his eyes as if he were in pain. It was Connell, “Do you hear us?”

  “Clearly, Air Raid.” Lamor spoke loudly in the bridge knowing that the techs had opened the outbound line.

  Lamor's eyes caught sight of a plasma beam flashing through the air towards the Resistance's ship. He braced himself as the beam collided with the hull causing the entire ship to rock. He was nearly knocked to the ground as alarms began blaring through the bridge. Over the noise, he could barely hear Connell, “They know who you are.”

  Lamor winced as he righted himself, “I can see that. How are you and Vemque?”

  Connell's voice increased in urgency. “We are making a run to the escape shuttle with the prisoners and Resistance. Listen. Commander Tofoda has ordered for your ship to be destroyed. You need to evacuate immediately.”

  Lamor bowed his head. “Understood. We will meet at the rendezvous point. Gaia protect you, Connell.”

  Another plasma blast buffeted the ship as Connell's voice echoed the hull, “You as well, Lamor.”

  Lamor turned to face a dark-skinned human sitting at a com panel to his right. Lamor spoke with a strong authority to the man, “Open communications to the ship.”

  The man nodded and did as he was told. Lamor turned to face the all those present on the bridge. Tazalian and human alike had their attention on him. On their faces he saw not only fear but also a strange defiance, as if they dared death to take them.

  Lamor spoke calmly, looking at each of them, “We all knew that this day would come and we have all prepared for it. Though it may seem that we have done little, we have given Earth's forces a better chance of fighting back the Elders' armies. You have all done your part well, but now it is time we join arms with the Quadrant armies. Corporal Franks.”

  The dark-skinned human he had addressed earlier stood up, “Sir?”

  Lamor turned to face the man, “Lead them out of here.”

  Franks gave the tan Tazalian a puzzled look, “What about you sir?”

  Lamor turned back to the viewport, “Do not worry about me; just get them out of here.”

  Franks nodded and gave Lamor a salute before turning to the others, “You heard him; let's get our feet back on the ground.”

  Humans and Tazalians alike did as the corporal told them. They filed out of the bridge, some throwing Lamor a worried look before exiting. Lamor kept his eyes on the warship that continued to fire on his. The shields were doing their job at taking most of the force of each blast, but they wouldn't hold for long. With a deep breath Lamor sprang into action. Leaping over to the weapon controls on the far wall, he worked furiously to return fire.

  After a few blasts, Lamor leapt over to another control panel to check the status of the shields, they had dropped to about fifty percent. With a quick motion of claws he diverted all power from the rear shields to the front, buying the evacuees more time to escape the doomed ship.

  The transmission came to life once more; this time it was the voice of Vemque, “Lamor, there are other warships on their way. Get out of there now.”

  Lamor bounded over to the communications panel. Pressing an image he quickly responded to Vemque, “Everyone is leaving now. How are you and Connell.”

  “We are on the shuttle and leaving now.” Lamor looked up at the viewport to see the pinpoint of Connell's and Vemque's shuttle break away from the warship.

  “Good. I shall send word when all personnel have escaped the ship.” With that Vemque quickly closed the line.

  The Resistance leader hurried back over to the weapon's control and continued his barrage on the Tazalian warship. The continued buffeting of his own ship seemed to go on for hours before a transmission came through from the escapees, “Lamor, this is Corporal Franks. Everyone is safely aboard the escape ships. We are just waiting on you, sir.”

  Lamor looked around the empty bridge with a pensive look in his eyes. He glanced over at the panel displaying the current condition of the shields. Soon they would be gone and the ship torn to shreds. He would never make it out, “Launch each shuttle, corporal.”

  “But, sir, what about you?” Franks deep voice did nothing to hide his concern.

  “Just do as you are ordered, corporal,” Lamor growled.

  Franks paused before replying grievously, “Yes, sir.”

  Lamor walked over to the center of the bridge. His red eyes showing calm acceptance of his fate. He had built his resistance from the wreckage of injustice brought upon his fellow creatures by the claws of Salianos. Four hundred and thirty five years ago he had lost his little cub to the Seeker selection. He and his mate had the most perfect little bronze female any parent could wish for. Too perfect. Lamor had been forced to watch a cloaked Seeker steal his cub away. Shortly after that horrific moment, his mate passed away, brokenhearted. From that day on, he promised that the Elders must be held accountable for their misdeeds. He gathered together those who had suffered as he had. They had waited patiently for the moment when they could strike against the Elders' forces. Now that the wheels of the Resistance were turning, Lamor knew he could search for his mate in the afterlife. Perhaps, had his little cub had not been turned into a monster, she would be waiting for him there as well.

  The alarm that filled the bridge changed to a more rapid blast, announcing the failure of the shields. The fearless Resistance leader watched a single blue-green bolt of plasma come rushing towards him. He smiled and closed his eyes. Silently he spoke, May the Gaia have no mercy on you, Salianos!

  Connell stared blankly at the ruined city around him. Somewhere to the north the sounds of battle could be heard, but to the lieutenant it seemed worlds away. He was still processing what Corporal Franks had told him and Vemque. Lamor was dead. He had sacrificed himself to insure that everyone made it out. They did. Each shuttle had arrived at the rendezvous safely. Everyone was accounted for except Lamor.

  “We still have a war to win, Connell.” Vemque's voice spoke from behind him.

  Connell turned to face the dark-blue-scaled Tazalian. “Right, let's gather everyone and move out. Sounds like there is a battle going on nearby. Let's go lend them a hand.”

  Connell's auburn eyes looked over his small, ragtag army. The nearly thirty former human prisoners stood side by side with the fifteen towering, thin Tazalian Resistance members. He knew that most of the humans had been soldiers, save for a few citizens, and that each Tazalian was a strong fighter, although none of them looked like it. Lamor had told him that he made sure that his resistance members looked like nothing more than technicians in order not to draw suspicion. But, thin as they all were, they had the same determined look as their human companions.

  They knew the road ahead would be perilous, but he could see that they were all willing to tread it. He did not know how many of them would make it to the end, but they had to take the chance. Lamor had given his life so that they could all seize that moment. It was time to take the fight to the next level. They would do whatever it took to make sure his death wasn't in vain. T
hey would drive the Tazalian forces back no matter what the cost.

  “Do you think Kahluna and Jonah have had any setbacks?” Vemque asked Connell quietly.

  Connell voice was as hard as steel. “I don't know, but I do know this. If they did, they would keep fighting.”

  “You are a fighter. Aren't you?” The brazen voice came out from the depths of darkness. He didn't care where it was or who it came from. His mind was too lost in the torments of his tortured body to care, “It will all be over for you soon. Shortly you will be able to thank that adorable little cub sister of yours for ending your suffering. I am sure that whoever that conceited Seeker sells you to will be gentler to you than I will be to her.”

  Jonah was worn down to his very soul and even though he may not care about what was happening to him, he still cared enough about Emma. The thought of her in this monster's claws was still more horrific than the tortures he endured. He would hold on, he had to hold on, for her. Tears rolled down his cheeks despite his unwillingness to shed them. Yeah, that's right, Jonah, the tortured youth chided himself. It will be over and then you can rest your torn body while the sister you failed to protect takes the fall.

  Emma's gray eyes flashed wildly as she quickly ducked the gray-clawed hand that swung towards her face. Her expression was of pure concentrations as she quickly leaped over the tail that threatened to trip her. Rolling along the ground she quickly stood to look at the gaunt-faced Seeker.

  Zaharak smiled at her, it was nearly warm hearted despite there still being emptiness in the depths of his golden eyes. “You are getting better.”

  “You as well,” Emma replied.

  The smile faded from Zaharak's snout. Emma wasn't surprised. It was still difficult for both of them to adjust to the gray-scaled Tazalian's willingness to display any emotions. He was indeed getting better. It had been three weeks since the encounter with Shadonel and Soforin, and Emma was starting to believe that Zaharak might be getting an idea of how it felt to be, well, happy. Despite how strange it still was to the girl, she was slowly growing accustomed to the new Zaharak.

  The Seeker motioned silently with his head towards the large viewport at their side. Time to rest. The pair walked over to the viewport and sat down beside each other. Zaharak's blank eyes gazed out towards the cloud-filled viewport while Emma looked cautiously at the Seeker’s bare scarred back.

  Emma bit her lip before tentatively asking, “How did you get those scars, anyway?”

  Zaharak rolled his shoulders then curled his tail on his crossed legs. “The scar on my right shoulder blade I received from Shadonel. She had taken the other cubs and me above ground to observe the Tazalian citizens interact with one another. During the trip I noticed Tazalians being paid by butchers for their hunt. I asked Shadonel why Seekers were not paid for their work. When she told me that our loyalty to the Elders was unquestionable, that our reward was our title, I argued that we were worth more than that.”

  Zaharak shifted his body. His snout turned into a contemplative frown. “That was the first time I tasted pain. I may not be able to feel any now, but I still remember how it felt. I remember screaming out with agony not having the training to repress my emotions. I remember nearly fainting from the loss of blood. I remember the look of horror and shame on the snouts of the other hatchlings. That day I vowed to never look that weak again. I ignored the throbbing agony as the wound began to fester before it finally scarred over. I made sure that Shadonel never again read a single feeling from me, until now.”

  Emma looked over to see that his golden eyes had misted over, lost in thought. She spoke softly, “Do you hate her?”

  The edge of Zaharak's mouth twitched, “I don't know.”

  A heavy silence fell over them. Emma looked out towards the slow drifting gas clouds of the universe's center. She never realized just how little she actually knew about the Seeker. She had never really bothered to think about how he had become the emotionless, coldhearted killing machine she had known him to be.

  “The other two scars along my back came from Salianos himself, but I never lost my sense of self worth. Hunters, mercenaries, they all got paid for the work that Seekers could do with ease. Why weren't we? Many times I was taken before him. However, I learned to quickly move from his claws until he grew too annoyed to bother with the punishment.”

  “Too bad the same strategy won't work here,” Emma sighed.

  Zaharak bobbed his snout in agreement, “He will never give up the chase until he either has you in his claws or he is dead.”

  Emma sighed once more before asking, “So what about the scar on your chest?”

  “I received that one on the day I died.” He caught the shocked look on Emma's face from the corner of his golden eye. “Yes, as I told you, the day I heard the song of the Gaia, that’s the day I died.” His gaze returned to the soft pink and violet clouds outside the viewport. “The final test for Seekers from Tarline is the removal of our hearts. To watch as our life passed away beat by slow beat in front of our eyes. Over the years all the other tortures I have been through seem to have happened to someone else, except that one. I will always remember vividly that that heart was mine.”

  The silence returned. Both Emma and Zaharak gazed off into the galaxy's center, thinking. It was not long before Emma asked Zaharak, “What was it like, to die?”

  Zaharak's voice was oddly quiet, “It felt like I was alive and that living was more like death. I felt like I was a part of the universe itself. I did not want to return, but I knew that it was not my time.”

  Awe swept over Emma. The calm in Zaharak's guttural voice coupled with how he described his own death banished any fear she had of the coming week. Emma spoke softly, “Then maybe if things go bad, if something happens to you and Jonah, maybe the best thing for me is to leap out of a plasma barrier into space.”

  A chill ran down her spine as Zaharak's calm eyes shifted into a dark, almost rage-filled gaze. His normal husky tone was edged with anger, “Nothing will happen to you. I promise.”

  Emma realized she had seen that same look before. Kahluna had the same at one time—a steely determination to do what they swore to do. Even though Kahluna had failed in her goal, Zaharak's look and tone was full of certainty. He wasn't going to fail her.

  Twenty

  The air was full with the cold electricity of anticipation. It circled around the pair like a thick blanket as they watched the sleek silvery shuttle slowly hover its way into the hangar bay of the abandoned station. Emma was on edge. She tried to remain calm, but as the shuttle loomed closer it became more difficult to calm herself.

  Beside her stood Zaharak apparently as emotionless as ever, his blank eyes barely visible underneath the rim of his tattered black fedora. The Seeker bent down to whisper in her ear, “Stay calm, and, remember, do not let any of them see the dagger.”

  Emma nodded, keeping her eyes on the shuttle as its landing platforms lowered with a hiss of air. Emma's breath caught in her throat as she watched the passengers exit. This was it. The moment she and Zaharak had been training for the past two months. She felt like she was going to be sick.

  Zaharak was unaware of her pale skin turning nearly white; instead he focused on Salianos walking down the ramp way followed closely by two cloaked Seekers and Yahrik. The group walked towards the girl and Seeker with Salianos grinning like a demon at Emma. Emma wanted nothing more than to sink away from those hungry, violet eyes. But she remained still.

  The group stopped a good four meters from the pair. Salianos continued smiling at Emma as his voice rasped out, “There you are. After all that running, I finally have you back.”

  “You seem to be missing two. Have you forgotten my terms, High Elder?” Zaharak's husky voice filled the hangar.

  Salianos’s smile faded into a frown as he turned his gaze on the pretentious Seeker, as if just noticing he was there. His voice was now lined with annoyance, “No, I have not, Seeker. Tarline should be out shortly.”

 
The High Elder could not have been more correct. Soon after he had spoken, Tarline stepped down the ramp way dragging a near unconscious Jonah by one of his arms. Emma's eyes widened with shock at the sight of her brother’s bruised and battered form. She had to place both of her hands over her mouth to stifle a horrified cry. His short, dark-red hair was matted with dried blood, scars and new wounds could be seen on his deathly pale face and arms. His torn clothes were stained with red blood, his blood, not Tazalian blood. His foggy, green eyes were half-lidded and seemingly unaware of what was passing before them.

  Tarline dragged the young man past his traveling companions and dropped him carelessly in the space between the Elders and the Seeker and Emma. The scarred Elder addressed Zaharak in a bored manner, “There you go, Seeker. He is still in one piece.”

  Zaharak’s cold, golden eyes looked down at the boy. His husky voice was emotionless as ever, “I better still be able to fetch a good price for him, torturer.”

  Tarline frowned at Zaharak. “As I said, he is still whole. Nothing is missing,” Tarline smiled cruelly. “His mind may not be whole, but I'm sure there are those who don't mind a slave who is already broken.”

  “You monster,” Emma yelled at the bronze Tazalian.

  Zaharak flicked her gently with the tip of his tail as a warning to stay quiet. Tarline laughed at her outburst, a dark, evil laugh that made the girl shiver. “Oh, you will learn soon enough, cub, just how right you are.” A gleam shone in his emerald eyes, a shimmering gleeful anticipation. “I have so many plans for you.” He gave the boy a strong kick with a booted foot. “Did I not tell you, boy, that your dear little sister would take your place.”