The
War – Chapter 7
*~*~*
On Earth the resistance had decided to
take a break. Augur had birthday and they had decided between 'big party' and 'pub-crawling'
to spend the evening with watching videos.
Molly and Kathryn set all wheels in
motion to get the latest Star Wars movie. With zeal they now tried to explain
the events of the first seven episodes to Da'an and Zo'or.
After Da'an had made sure Zo'or was in
good hands with the two he slipped away to the kitchen. He had become
acquainted with Luke Skywalker, Obi-Wan Kenobi and Yoda together with Boone.
From the kitchen door he glanced back at Zo'or who was listening wide-eyed to
Kathryn who was describing her favorite heroes as if she knew them in person.
The kitchen was in a hopeless mess. Lili,
Liam, Augur and some other members of the liberation were trying to reach an
agreement about which toppings were necessary for a good pizza and which weren't.
J and Jade looked like they had fallen into a barrel of flour. Apparently they
were responsible for the dough. Mithril and Jazia were fighting against the
already finished dough, who were resisting successfully to be rolled out to an
even nearly round form. Everywhere were standing open cans, bowls and dishes,
filled with a variety of pizza toppings. Behind Da'an Crystal forced her way
into the kitchen and cleared herself some space to put down her bags.
Lili immediately started examining their
contents.
"More tomatoes, mushrooms, ham, salami.
Spaghetti? Well who likes something like that… Anchovies and tuna. Bah. And...
strawberry jam?!?"
"Jep! That's mine!" Trinity grabbed the
glass and danced through the kitchen.
"You put strawberry jam on your pizza?"
Fear looked at her dumbfolded. Okay, Trinity was…unusual but this was new.
Lili shuddered. „Where is the cheese?"
"Oh sh#t! Back soon!" Crystal
whirled around and rushed out, this time knocking down Da'an. "Sorry!" and she
was gone.
Now Lili had spotted the Taelon, too.
With sticky hands she walked over to him to kiss him.
"Can you please open that can for me, Da'an?"
She pointed to a can with fruit salad. Da'an
walked over to the table and looked around searchingly. In passing Mithril put
a can opener in Da'an's hand. Da'an looked at it critically for some seconds
then he tried to open the can. After some unsuccessful attempts he presented
Lili the open can.
"Hm? Oh, thank you, Da'an. There are some
more cans." Fully concentrated she covered her pizza in artistical patters with
mushrooms, ham, salami and fruit.
While Da'an was fighting with various
other cans J and Jade started a flour fight behind him that soon spread.
Minutes later nobody knew what had caused it but all persons present could have
been send to the local army of ghosts without any problems.
When the pizzas were finally in the oven
and the kitchen halfway looking like one again the kitchen crew marched like a
parade of desert convicts through the living area to spread to their rooms and
change clothes. Only Crystal who came back later with the cheese looked halfway
normal.
Then they all made themselves comfortable
in front of the TV with their pizzas. Trinity and her Strawberry jam pizza
where in the center of attention. She enjoyed it and refused to let anybody try
her creation.
"About trying..." Lili remembered.
"Da'an and Zo'or, you get nothing out of
our pizzas. It's really a pity that Taelons don't eat."
"But I can try it anyway." Da'an said with
a grin and offered her his hand.
Lili looked at the hand for a second in
puzzlement, then she saw daylight. She touched Da'an's palm and then took a big
bit off her pizza.
Da'an's face lightened up.
"That is... most interesting. I think I
like pizza." He said then.
Lili looked directly at Dru and then
shook her head in Zo'or's direction.
Dru blushed.
"Uhm, Zo'or?"
Shyly she offered him her hand.
Zo'or darted Da'an a funny-horrified look
but Da'an only nodded approvingly.
"Try it, Zo'or. It… tastes… very well."
He turned around to Lili.
"Do I get another bite?"
Zo'or and noticed the amused looks of the
others and glanced undecided at Dru's hand.
'I just won't get myself down by a bunch
of humans,' he thought. Without hesitating much further he grabbed Dru's hand.
She looked up with surprise. Then she
relaxed, grinned and too a bite. She closed her eyes and concentrated on the
taste of tomatoes, cheese and pineapple. When she opened her eyes again she saw
Zo'or smiling at her.
You were right. This… tastes like more."
It was far beyond midnight when Augur
switched off the TV. He looked around. Everywhere ere used plates and glasses.
Lili had fallen asleep on the couch and Dru had leaned herself against Zo'or's
shoulder and had disappeared into dreamland, too.
Zo'or sat stiffly and kept his eyes on
her. Sleeping humans were creepy. Taelons could go into a sleeplike state
during the samhaad (sp) or lose consciousness, but they didn't dream. But Dru
did and by her touch he could sense snatches of her dreams. And what was even
creepier: she was dreaming about _him_.
He looked at Da'an who was crouching on
the floor in front of the couch with closed eyes and held Lili's hand. He
looked peaceful and satisfied, as if he had reached a long searched treasure.
Zo'or wasn't sure, but it looked to him as if they were wrapped into a faint
light.
Augur smiled at Zo'or while he picked up
a blanket and covered Lili with it. Then he went for another one and wrapped it
around Dru and Zo'or before leaving the room and turning off the lights.
The next morning all were busy cleaning
up the headquarters after the party when Lili's global beeped. The screen
stayed dark and the voice that spoke sounded distorted.
"Hello Earthlings. This is E.T. speaking."
Ter'kozz named the prearranged password.
"I've got good news for you. My sister
and her friends have told me that the Jaridian people are ready to revolt. Now
that Fa'loth has left the planet the people dare to reflect his reign. The
resistance is close to making the people overthrow him. But they still fear his
power. If we can eliminate him a new government will take over. This government
will possibly start negotiations with you. And perhaps with the Taelons, too."
"These are great news! Why don't you
attack him now? Apart from you there are other members of your resistance on
the ship, aren't they? You can beat him!" Lili suggested.
"We will never attack and kill one of our
own species. That is below our honor. Not only the honor of the assassin would
be violated but the honor of our whole people. The last time one Jaridian
harmed another was a long time ago."
"But the way Fa'loth acts he _is_
violating you codex of honor. He…"
"He still is a Jaridian," Ter'kozz
interrupted. "I don't expect you to understand this. It is known to me that
your people don't act on a codex of honor as we do. We will not attack him. If
you want to be accepted by our people you'd better act the same way."
"This causes major problems."
"It conflicts my people, too. But honor
is our highest law. And we are not going to break it."
"Then we will have to find another way,"
Lili promised.
*~*~*
Lili had just closed her global when
Augur rushed in.
"Lili! Have you heard the latest news?"
Lili followed him into the next room,
where the TV showed the news at full blast.
"...the Jaridians had delivered an
ultimatum. If all Taelons who are still an Earth haven't returned to their
mothership within 24 hours the Jaridians will attack the embassies in all
countries. The governments concerned are very worried about the safety of their
people. Nobody knows if civilians may be injured. We haven't succeeded in
contacting the Taelons at the embassies. There are rumors that the Companions
have found refuge with some resistance cells. The governments appeal to these
groups: extradite the Taelons to the Jaridians before humanity will be involved
in an intergalactic war! I repeat: …"
"What do they think? We are already
involved in this war. Do they really believe that if we are well-behaved and
crouch before them the Jaridians will leave us alone? I've never seen such
naivety."
Lili foamed with anger.
"If we give in to Fa'loth's demands only
once he will have the upper hand." Liam said. He and some of the others had
watched the news, too.
"We have to do something!" Lili agreed
and reported about what Ter'kozz had told her.
Liam walked up and down the room for some
minutes, then he turned to Augur.
"Contact the Canadian and European
resistance. Tell them to prepare the Taelons to return to the mothership. I
have an idea how to trick Fa'loth."