Disclaimer: I don't own Andromeda
Copyright: I own Cadoris so ask me if you wish to use him.
The Relic's Story
Cadoris let go of Tyr and sat down on the table. He looked as if he had just seen a ghost. "I have been frozen for 3000 years," was all he could say.
"It is not so bad. I was frozen in time for 300 hundred years and I have found a reason to live," Dylan said softly.
"There is a difference though Dylan. I have no family now and no friends. Even their names might have been erased from the ranks of humans in that time," Cadoris said coldly.
"I know how you feel," Dylan started when Cadoris stood up.
"You know nothing. You people from what I understand don't even know what the letters on the shuttle stand for. The letters USA," Cadoris said wanting to change the subject.
"Well you know I would like to know what those letters mean if you know what they are," Harper said with a glint in his eye thinking that he was about to learn something.
"Those letters stand for The United States of America. It was my country back all those years ago. We were one of the most powerful if not the most powerful country in the world," Cadoris said, as he was lost in his memories.
"Dylan I think we should find out what his crime was that they froze him and sent him out here into space," Tyr said with a hint of anger in his voice for he had never been so humiliated before in his life.
"You are right Tyr. Cadoris what was you crime that sent you out here," Dylan asked.
Cadoris gave a half-smile as he looked at them all. He knew once he told them they would try to subdue him for the authorities but he would tell them anyway. He wasn't ashamed of what he had done. He had done it for a reason and his reason was accomplished.
"My crime was something that none of you will like. I killed a dozen of the world's leaders. You see I was an assassin for the USA and then something happened that threatened the whole world. The twelve most powerful countries thought that they were going to start World War III. If they would have then Earth would have been destroyed. I couldn't allow that to happen," Cadoris said as his mind went back over all those years.
"I assassinated those twelve world leaders. I killed them all including the President of the USA the leader of my country. On each body I left a note that said, If the next leader wants a war then his fate shall be death. There were no more talks of war after that and then I turned myself in," Cadoris said distantly for he was thinking back to that time and the pain he felt at having to kill them.
Cadoris looked around at them and saw the look of horror on the faces of Harper and Beka. The others masked their feelings well but he could feel that they were nervous around him. Beka spoke up and said quietly, "Why did you turn yourself in."
"My honor code made me. I killed to save Earth but their deaths were wrong and truly undeserved for they had done nothing but talk of war. I turned myself in to save my honor and to accept punishment for what I had done," Cadoris said.
"Ok so you turned yourself in to salvage your honor. What was your sentence then," Dylan wanted to know.
"My sentence was to be frozen and sent into space. I was to remain there for a dozen lifetimes, one year for each world leader that I killed. After that time if I was needed then they would find me for they said I would have to kill again. That would be the only time that I would be allowed to be thawed," Cadoris said.
"Ok so you have done your sentence and then some. I think that you wouldn't have killed without god reason and it sounds like you had good reason. I don't think that we will turn you over to the authorities," Dylan told Cadoris.
"Thanks but I have to say that even if you turned me over they wouldn't believe anything that you told them. I am a relic. A warrior of a time long past with weapons that are older than any of you. They would just laugh at you and say I have suffered enough," Cadoris said as a smile split his lips.
"I think that we should leave him alone so that he can rest," Trance said as she looked around at everyone. They nodded their heads and left the room leaving Cadoris to his thoughts and his misery. They didn't know that leaving him alone was a torture in itself for he had been alone for 3000 years.
* * * * *
The crew was in the gym talking as Tyr was lifting his weights as he always did with his time off. "Well crew tell me what you think of the man," Dylan said in his Captain Hunt voice.
The first to speak up was Tyr, which was no surprise; "I like him. He reminds me of myself a bit. He surprised me, and that is a feat in itself. He is a warrior as well which is nice to see, and he seems to be a man with whom one could trust." His views surprised the rest of them for they thought that he would be angry and being held like a hostage by Cadoris.
Tyr smiled at their looks and said, "You were expecting me to be angry with him for beating me but you are wrong. We Nietzcheans like a strong person."
Next to speak up was Beka who of course let everyone know her mind. They knew she would because she was just that type of person who would tell you what she thought with out without permission. "I think that the man is dangerous. He just seems to be dangerous to me. I also think though that with all of the problems that we have with enemies he might be a good addition to the crew. We can always use another person who knows how to fight," she said in her practical voice.
Harper was next and his voice was one that held a bit of pleading in it for reasons that they all knew. "I think that he would be good for the crew too. He seems to know things that have been forgotten for thousands of years. We can't just let the chance to learn from him get away. We need to find out about a time that we all think of as mere myth," Harper said with feeling. "I especially want to know what earth was like all those years ago. If it was a good place to live or if it was like I remember it now."
While they were talking about Cadoris he had a visitor.
* * * * *
Cadoris was in the medical room still when a woman walked in. He knew the second she crossed the room though that she was not human but something else. She didn't have a scent and that gave her away. She was beautiful though he had to admit. He stood up when she entered the room and said, "Hello my lady."
She stopped and looked at him. She then said, "I have scanned you and you are not like anyone that I have ever encountered before. What are you if you don't mind my asking."
"I don't mind for I have come to terms with what I am. Before I tell you though would you please tell me who you are," Cadoris said.
"I am the physical representation of the AI of the Andromeda Ascendant. Everyone just calls me Rommie though," Rommie said to Cadoris.
"Well I have to keep my word now. I am a person who has changed due to many experiments that were done to me. Scientists used formula after formula on me trying to find one that would increase my abilities. Some of them increased my strength and others my speed and intelligence. Still others gave me enhance senses and other such things. I still don't know everything that had been done to me though neither did they. Every time they used one on me they wanted me to tell them if it worked. I lied every time because I didn't want them to use those formulas on other people," Cadoris said to Rommie.
"I see that is all that I really wanted to know though I would be happy to answer any questions that you have about anything," Rommie said.
"Well good because I have quite a few questions," Cadoris said.
* * * * *
Back in the gym they were still talking about Cadoris and this time it was Rev who spoke up, "I am not sure what to think of the man. I said a prayer for his spirit and then he awoke when we all thought that he was dead for sure. It was as if he was just laying there listening to us talk about him. I think that the Divine had us find him for a reason and we should keep him around to see what the Divine has in store for us and for him as well since he is lost in this world much like you were Dylan."
"Point taken Rev and I see everyone's point so far. I too think that he would be a good addition to the crew. He seems to know things that could come in handy at times. He also as a man who lived in a time long gone would make a great addition to the Commonwealth. If he would join then that could show other worlds what we mean," Dylan said as he was thinking of asking Cadoris to join.
They had forgotten about Trance and she surprised them when she spoke up. "Guys I think that he is lost. Remember what you felt when you awoke Dylan imagine what he feels like knowing that everything that he knew is gone. Dylan you were only frozen in time for 300 years but he was frozen for 3000 years. You thought that you had change but he has seen change like you could only dream of. When he was frozen Earth didn't even have the ability to travel to other planets much less other galaxies like we can now. I think that we should give him time to adjust," Trance said feeling sorry for the man named Cadoris.
At that time Rommie came into the room and said that she had something to tell them about Cadoris. She told them about what he had told her and she told them about she found when she scanned him. They were all curious about him after that and they headed towards the medical facility where they had left him.
* * * * *
Cadoris had found out about some of the different races in the galaxies. He had found out about the races Maggog and the Nietzcheans since one of each of them was on the ship with him. He liked to know about his friends as well as his foes because it gave him an edge over them.
Cadoris liked Rommie since she was so nice to him even though she knew nothing about him. She had helped him learn about this new life that he found himself in. He smiled to himself as he thought about it. He didn't really miss his old life since he had no one that he had loved or cared about. His family had been dead and his sister had married. He had been alone since that time learning the ways of the assassin and other such things. He had learned martial arts and other ways of fighting.
Cadoris walked over to his bag that was frozen with him. It contained all his weapons and his outfit that he wore as an assassin. After Rommie had left he had went over to his weapons and pulled each one out of the bag. His swords were there and in perfect condition. His throwing stars were there and well as his throwing spikes. His knives and other weapons were all there.
He was not happy that someone had been playing with his sword but he could deal with it. He just wanted the people on this ship to feel that he was not a person who you feared. He was tired of being a man people feared. When he was back on earth his name made even the bravest man tremble in fear. He hoped that he wouldn't get that reputation now that he was awake again.
Cadoris lifted his sword and smiled at the titanium blade with its razor edge. It was his favorite weapon and he and it had been parted for too long. He needed to practice and so he reached down and picked up the blade's sister sword. He then moved his bag of weapons aside and took his shirt off. He then launched into his shadow fighting. He lost himself to the sing of his blood and the blades cutting the air. It was a joyous feeling for him and he loved every second of it.
He practiced and reveled in the feeling of free movement. It felt great to be able to do something. He then stopped and heard clapping. He turned and saw the crew standing against a wall. He knew that they had watched him practice but he didn't know how long they had been there. It unnerved him to know that he had lost himself so completely to his practice.
"That was interesting to watch. I have not seen such a primitive weapon before or how it was used," Dylan said smiling.
"It may be primitive to you but it will kill a person just as easily as any gun," Cadoris said as he sheathed the swords in their scabbards. He turned back to the crew then and said, "Is there something that you wanted."
"Well as a matter of fact I do have something that I would like to ask you. I would like to know if you would like to join my crew and become a member of the Systems Commonwealth," Dylan asked in his formal voice again.
Cadoris cocked his head at Dylan. It was an old expression of his and he used it when he was ready to kill his opponents but here it seemed fitting somehow. Cadoris didn't think that there was any reason that he shouldn't join after all he had no life now. He owed his life to these people and so he felt obligated to help them in any way that they asked. He decided that joining them would be better than roaming space and so he said, "All right I will join you. I have nothing better to do."
"All right then we need to get you set up with a rank and a force lance. We also need to get you quarters. I will work on getting you a rank and Trance can get you a room," Dylan said.
"Okay Dylan," Trance said in her usual happy voice.
"Fine," was all Cadoris said?
Dylan and Trance left to do what they were assigned and then Tyr spoke up, "I look forward to sparring with you sometime."
"Same here Tyr. I hear you are one of the best fighters around and I wish to see if my old self can stand up against you," Cadoris said smiling.
Tyr then left the room as well. "Welcome to the crew on behalf of everyone. Tyr is just a little distant but once you get to know him you will like him I am sure. As for me I look forward to getting to know you," Beka said, then she too left the room.
"Your joining our crew is surely what the Divine wanted Cadoris. I am glad that you are with us," Rev said.
"The Divine? What is that? The only religion I was familiar with was Christianity. Also you said a prayer over me earlier what was that all about," Cadoris asked.
"You were awake at that time and our instruments couldn't tell. That is amazing," Harper said.
"Yes I was awake and I heard someone playing with my blade. I heard Trance talking and I heard all of you talking about selling me. I didn't allow you to know I was awake because then you would have changed the way you acted and the best way to find out a person is to be there without their knowledge," Cadoris said quietly.
"Well the Divine is what shelters us all. It watches over us all and let's us know that we have a reason for existence. I said the prayer thinking that you were not going to live and so I felt that you should have the chance to go to the Divine," Rev said and he left the room to think on what Cadoris had said about not knowing about the Divine.
"Well Harper ask me what you want to because I know you have a question it is all over your face," Cadoris said smiling.
"I was wondering what Earth was like when you lived there. Was it like hell or was it a good place to live. I was born there and I think that it is nothing but hell now," Harper said.
Cadoris sat down and decided that he was going to have a difficult time of telling Harper about how Earth used to be in the old days.