by Elin Wyn
“Is that another attempt to make light of the situation?” I asked.
“Partially. That doesn’t mean it’s not true.”
“Thank you.” I gave her hand a light squeeze. When I glanced at her, she didn’t look as frightened as she had before. I probably didn’t need to hold her hand anymore. I considered letting go, but I realized I didn’t want to.
“Ask your question,” the Puppet Master commanded.
“This human female may have been exposed to your memory-erasing gas. She was not at any of the places you’ve targeted before. Have you targeted another settlement we didn’t know about?”
“No,” the Puppet Master answered. “You know everything I’ve done.”
I tried to hide my frown.
Of course, the Puppet Master would deny it regardless of the truth. It finally had what it wanted.
Our cooperation, our agreement to restrict some of our activities.
“You haven’t used your memory-erasing ability for any other reason?” General Rouhr prompted.
“One week ago, by the way you measure time, one of my vines was attacked,” the Puppet Master explained. “I applied the use of my airborne toxin to dissuade the attackers, in an attempt to avoid causing them bodily harm. It worked. I have not been bothered since.”
General Rouhr and his crew turned to look at Miri. She shrank back from the weight of their gazes.
“There must be something else,” I said.
“There is nothing else,” the Puppet Master replied.
“How do we know it’s telling the truth?” I asked the general. “We’re at a clear disadvantage. It could be lying about everything and we’d never be the wiser.”
“Are you questioning my judgment?” General Rouhr asked.
“I am simply pointing out that this Puppet Master has implied that Miri was part of the attack on one of its vines,” I explained. “Looking at Miri, do you think she’s capable of that?”
“She doesn’t even know what she’s capable of,” the general replied. “We have the facts. She was exposed to memory-erasing gas. The Puppet Master secreted gas one week ago. I don’t see an alternate explanation.”
“Perhaps we should ask the female,” the Puppet Master cut in. Once again, all eyes returned to Miri.
“How could I help?” she asked quietly. “I’m telling the truth when I say I don’t remember anything, I swear.”
She looked up at me with frantic eyes.
“We believe you,” I assured her.
“Then why ask me?”
“If she was exposed to my memory-altering abilities, I can undo the damage done,” the Puppet Master said. Miri looked away from me to stare at the massive bulb before us.
“You can give me my memories back?” She asked.
“If it is my toxin you’ve been exposed to, then yes.”
Miri looked delighted for a split second before fear worked its way back into her eyes. She stepped closer to me, her side pressed against my arm.
“How?” she asked.
“I will touch you with one of my many tendrils. The process from that point on is simple,” the Puppet Master explained.
“Will it hurt?” Her hand trembled in mine.
“It will be painless, I assure you,” the Puppet Master replied. Miri chewed her bottom lip as she considered. She looked up at me once more.
“What do you think?” she asked.
“Do you want your memories back?” I prompted.
“Yes.” She nodded. “But what if I remember something bad?”
“Everyone has bad memories,” I told her. “After what I’ve seen, I’m convinced you’re brave enough to face them.”
“What if I used to be a bad person?” That notion seemed to frighten her more than the prospect of bad memories. “What if I did attack the Puppet Master? What kind of person would do that?”
“One step at a time,” I soothed her. “Whatever we learn, we’ll deal with it. There’s no point in trying to deal with it before we’ve learned anything. We’ll be here for hours if we try.”
“Right,” she laughed uneasily. She turned back to face the Puppet Master.
“Are you ready?” it asked.
“As ready as I can be.” Miri stood up straighter.
“You’ll need to release the hand of your companion,” it told her. General Rouhr and the others glanced down at her hand, which was still joined with mine. I didn’t miss the odd looks we received. Naturally, none of them could picture me experiencing physical contact with another being, let alone one as lovely and trusting as Miri.
“Oh.” Miri’s voice faltered. She hesitated a moment before releasing my hand.
“Step forward,” the Puppet Master instructed. Miri did as she was told.
She stood ramrod straight as the Puppet Master lifted a thin, green tendril and moved it closer to Miri. I resisted the urge to pull her back to me. Her hands were trembling. She was scared.
General Rouhr must’ve seen the intent in my eyes for he stepped in front of me. He didn’t block my view of her, but it would be harder to get to her now.
A sense of dread filled me as the wispy tendril touched Miri’s forehead.
Miri
My mind lit up.
My eyelids drooped the moment the Puppet Master’s small tendril touched my forehead, its touch cold but gentle, and my mind became a canvas which my memories were slowly being painted on.
I remembered how Kanna, the herbalist in the outpost, had taken me in. Then I remembered how I’d stumbled through the woods, completely lost, my body collapsing from exhaustion. Those memories were vivid, and it felt like I was watching a highlight reel of the past few days.
The moment my memories went further back, though, all clarity was gone.
I saw myself running through the woods as a child, laughing as I dipped my feet into a cold stream, but that image vanished just as quickly as it appeared. It was replaced by a feeling of coldness, my body lying on a cold table while fear ran through me. I remembered the street vendor once more, but his features remained a mystery.
I saw that and then some more.
Crystalline insectoid creatures out of a nightmare roaming the wilderness, screams and fire, death and hunger. Aliens rappelling out of shuttles, laser rifles in their hands as they opened fire. Human soldiers joining the fray while civilians ran for cover.
My body started to shake as the memories started coming faster and faster, random images flashing behind my shut eyelids. I took it all in but, at the same time, none of the images held any meaning. I wasn’t even sure if those were my memories. They felt distant and impersonal.
I could see, but I was blind.
I gasped as the Puppet Master’s tendril finally pulled back, all those images and memories fading away at once. It felt as if high voltage had been running through my brain, and now the cord had been pulled from the power socket. My knees felt weak suddenly, and I would’ve gone down if Zarik hadn’t grabbed me, one of his arms around my waist.
“Whatever happened to you, Miri, it wasn’t caused by me,” that multilayered voice said, the Puppet Master’s thoughts somehow becoming my own. “Your memory loss was caused by a toxin, one similar to mine, but it didn’t come from me. I’ve managed to reverse the process, but the effects will be delayed.”
“How do you feel, Miri?” Zarik asked me, his voice sending a shiver up my spine. I felt his fingertips on my bare skin, on the slight bare space between my shirt and pants, and that brought me back to reality. Zarik was slowly becoming the anchor of my existence. If it weren’t for him, I’d be completely adrift.
“I feel…” I trailed off, not exactly sure how I felt. “I’m a bit nauseous,” I admitted, running my tongue over my parched lips, “but I think I’ll be fine.”
“Can you remember anything?”
“Not much,” I shook my head. “Just flashes, random memories, but I don’t know what any of it means. Everything’s a mess. It’s just so confusing.” As
I spoke, I saw myself as a child once more. Loose memories of laughter and children playing with me bubbled up to the surface, and I held on to those as fiercely as was possible. I remembered a world before war, a world on which no alien had set foot. “I... I think I remember a bit of my childhood. It’s not much, but I can feel it all coming back.”
“The memories will return,” the Puppet Master said, “but you’ll have to be patient. It’ll take time.”
“That’s a start,” Zarik said. “What about the past week, Miri? Even the slightest detail would help us figure this out.”
“No, I’ve got nothing,” I sighed, massaging my temples. I could already feel a headache brewing, the back of my head throbbing with pain. “The past few weeks aren’t even a blur...they’re a complete blank.”
“You mentioned a toxin similar to the gas you use,” General Rouhr spoke up, taking one step forward as he looked at the Puppet Master. “Do you know where such a thing might have come from? Could there be another creature like you on the planet?”
The Puppet Master didn’t say a word for a couple of heartbeats, almost as if it were thinking. More than just that, it seemed like it was hesitating. “On this planet, I’m the only one of my kind,” it finally replied. “Sentient life has existed for ages, but nothing like me. I stand alone. The answer eludes me, General, for I do not know where such a toxin might have come from.”
“Very well,” the general nodded, a formality to the way he spoke. I still didn’t understand all the politics involved in this strange situation, but it seemed like the general and the Puppet Master respected each other. Even the general’s retinue seemed to look at the Puppet Master with a sense of awe. “I appreciate your cooperation.”
“As I appreciate yours,” the Puppet Master said, his voice so powerful that it seemed to push out whatever thoughts I had inside my head. “We’re only as strong as our bond is, General. It is our duty to cooperate.”
“It is, indeed.” Turning to me, the general then offered me a benevolent smile. “How do you feel, Miri?”
“Better now,” I nodded, the nausea I had felt before quickly fading. As for the headache, that one seemed reluctant to go away.
“We’re going to use the rift again,” Zarik told me as the general instructed his soldiers to start preparing for our return. “So let me know if you feel too weak for it. I can always arrange for a shuttle to come and pick us up, although that might take a while.”
“I... thank you,” I whispered, looking up into his eyes. My first impression of him was that he was a brute, but now he was starting to grow on me. Underneath his hard shell, there was kindness. “I’m fine, Zarik. I can make it.”
“Perfect,” the general said, looking at me approvingly. “Since we still don’t have the answers we need, you’ll have to remain in our facilities, Miri. I’m sure Dr. Parr will feel more comfortable if we keep you under observation. Besides, we’ll expect you to have some answers for us when your memories finally return.”
I simply nodded back at the general, fully knowing that I had no other option but to do as I was told. Even though everyone had been kind to me, I still felt everyone’s suspicions weighing me down and there was no doubt in my mind about what my status was: I was the general’s prisoner.
“We’ll sort it out,” Zarik promised me as the rift opened, a slit of pure light stretching into a doorway large enough for all of us. “Your memories will return, and then you’ll be able to go home.”
“You can’t promise me that,” I found myself saying. “I don’t even know if I have a home. I don’t even know if there’s someone out there looking for me. I might be alone.”
“No, you’re not,” he smiled. “As long as I’m standing, you will never be alone.”
With that, we stepped into the rift.
Zarik
I should’ve had the common sense to foresee this. Of course, things couldn’t stay simple and uncomplicated forever. Miri still trusted me to protect her, but how could I if it went against my duties as a soldier? I couldn’t risk the first chance I’d ever had to regain my honor. If I messed this up, I might not get another chance. I couldn’t keep living my life like this.
A part of me that I was ashamed of, even then, hoped that Miri was up to something sinister. Then it wouldn’t matter that I was lying to her.
Even as I formed the thought, I knew it wasn’t true. I refused to believe Miri was capable of something horrible.
When I first found her, she was a blank slate of a person. As I spent time with her, she only became kinder. If she was truly inclined to be a bad person, that would’ve shown through by now.
For all the time I’ve spent in seclusion, I liked to think I was a good judge of character. Then again, people often misjudged me, so I could be completely off the mark.
At the end of it all, Miri had not been proven guilty of anything. Still, when we returned from the lair of the Puppet Master, General Rouhr pulled me to the side with a concerned expression.
“You’re not going to like this, Zarik, but I feel Miri should remain with us for the time being,” he said, and I immediately knew he was sugarcoating things.
“What does that mean, sir? She isn’t a prisoner, is she?”
“Not exactly, no.” He shook his head and, laying one hand on my shoulder, forced a smile onto his lips. “I’m going to order her to a holding cell, but she won’t be a prisoner. She’ll be our guest.”
“A holding cell? That doesn’t seem fair, sir.”
“I understand you might have misgivings, but it’s just a temporary measure.” Lowering his voice, he continued. “Despite the Puppet Master’s assistance, there’s still a lot we don’t know about Miri. And although I have no reason to suspect her of anything, we have to tread carefully, all the same. We don’t know who did this to her, and what their motives are. It’ll be safer for us, and for Miri, as well, if she remains with us. We’ll be able to keep an eye on her, she’ll have medical resources at hand, and no harm will come to her.”
“If you say so, sir,” I nodded, even though I didn’t like it one bit. Still, there was no use in going against the general, not to mention that his reasoning was solid. I didn’t like to think of Miri in a holding cell, but as long as that was for her own security, I’d be able to stomach it.
“Do you want me to tell her?”
“No, sir, I’ll do it.”
Saluting, I snapped my heels together and then marched to where Miri was waiting for me. She shifted her weight from her right foot to the left as she saw me walk toward her, and managed a nervous smile.
“What did the general want?” she asked me, a thin layer of anxiety coating her words.
“The general believes it’ll be best if you stay with us for the time being. I’ll have a holding cell ready for you and—”
“A holding cell?” she repeated, all color leaving her face. Her usually rosy cheeks had now turned pale, and her eyes had widened so much they seemed as if they were about to pop out of their sockets. “I’m going to be thrown into jail? I didn’t do anything, Zarik!”
“Listen to me,” I told her. Her eyes were wide and frantic. She wouldn’t look in any one place for more than a second or two.
“You are not being accused of anything. This is a precaution. General Rouhr would do this to anyone.”
“What’s going to happen?” Miri asked.
“I’m going to make sure you’re put in the most comfortable cell we have. I’ll arrange for a cot, clean blankets, pillows, and some kind of privacy screen to be brought down to you. I’ll also stop by the cafeteria and make sure someone brings you enough food.”
As she processed my words, her panicked breathing began to slow down to a normal rate.
“Does that sound all right?” I prompted.
“It doesn’t sound that bad when you put it that way,” Miri nodded.
“It’ll be better accommodations than the hospital bed,” I assured her. “I know the term holding cell is unsettl
ing. If it makes you feel more at ease, almost all of us on General Rouhr’s crew have spent a night or two in a cell.”
“What did you get put in a cell for?” A shadow of a smile appeared on her lips.
“Oh, I didn’t mean me. I’m a model citizen.” I smirked.
“I don’t believe you,” Miri laughed.
“I might have rigged the unit’s food storage tank with a tiny bomb filled with neon smoke,” I admitted. “This was years and years ago. It was the only time I ever did anything like that.”
“Who’d you get?” she asked.
“General Rouhr,” I chuckled.
“Oh my,” she laughed.
“You look like you’re feeling better about the holding cell,” I commented.
“You made it sound tolerable,” she said.
“Follow these crewmembers,” I gestured to two K’ver waiting to escort Miri. The panic returned to her eyes. “I’m going to go get everything set up, as comfortable as possible.”
“All right,” Miri gave me an uncertain nod. “I’ll see you soon, right?”
“You will,” I promised her.
Securing the amenities that I’d promised Miri was not difficult. I hadn’t anticipated having to fill out a detailed incident report for General Rouhr.
When I was the second engineer, Thribb handled all of the reports.
It took me the better part of two hours to finish everything. Annoying
When I completed the report, I was mentally exhausted. I stopped by the cafeteria for a quick meal. I also asked for another plate to be sent down to Miri, as well as a message from me letting her know I’d see her first thing tomorrow. It was late enough that there was a chance she’d be asleep anyway. If I was exhausted, I couldn’t imagine how tired she must’ve been.
The last thing I did was send a message to the night guards at the holding cells asking to be alerted if anything happened to Miri. When I received confirmation that I would, I finally let myself fall asleep.
I was startled awake by the wail of my comm unit. It felt like only a few moments had passed, but when I glanced at the clock, I realized it had been hours. I squinted against the darkness to read the illuminated message. It was an alert for Miri’s cell.