Another detail all but forgotten was the fact that Commander Steg was of
the same biological imprint as Styne - they had been born from the same
hatching. In all probability, perhaps this unknown Commander had come from
the same clutch. With the Sontaran race reproduced by cloning, it was
perhaps inevitable that certain characteristics would be common to each
hatching. Could it follow that memories might also be shared? That
certain definitive moments could touch a Sontaran brood? Styne was
prepared to accept the possibility.
But now he was forced to accept something of far greater concern. That a Sontaran would murder one of its own kind, then attempt to cover up the crime. If Styne accepted this, then more questions opened up before him. What was on that audio recording? Could its contents have damaged the Empire in some way? But then, why conceal the crime? The more Styne thought about it, the more he realised that to find the answers he wanted, he would have to dig much deeper.
Over the next few days, Styne exhausted numerous sources to learn more about the Tiger Moth incident and the murder of an unnamed Sontaran Commander. Of the former there was a wealth of information which Styne sifted through methodically. But of the latter there was scant material available. A preliminary search revealed just how thorough the cover-up had been, so he had to avoid going through official channels.
There was only one option left.
*****
Long ago on Sontara, there had been an uprising. When the scientific breakthrough of cloning Sontaran warriors had been introduced, many raised violent objections. The main concern had been the loss of individuality. Arguments for both points of view were put forward, tossed back and forth, until there was deadlock. Though many agreed to the process, others refused. They became known as Purebloods, allowed to live their own lives. Without the benefit of the cloning process, the Purebloods mutated, grew taller and gained more humanoid features. Their former brothers turned away in disgust. Pureblood was a name to be quickly forgotten - officially they didn't exist. But they continued to scrounge a meagre existence and in later years became known as the Myo.
And in a long forgotten quarter of the city, it was the Myo that Styne now faced. A dozen of them surrounded him, all dressed in threadbare robes of sackcloth. Faced with their imposing stature a lesser person might have run, but Styne knew the ritual and waited.
"Who approaches the Myo?" called their leader.
"I do," Styne intoned.
"State your business," the leader declared. "Then we will decide if you are worth our time."
"I am Styne. I seek information. I seek . . . " he faltered, but only for a moment. "I seek the truth."
A hush fell across the group. Then the circle parted, and the leader stepped forward. The cowl he wore was pulled back, revealing an almost human face. Only the grey pallor and high forehead testified to their Sontaran origins. "You seek truth, Styne," he noted. "What truth?"
Styne had been expecting such a question. "The truth that has been lost. The truth of honour."
The leader smiled. "Then you are welcome. I am Lar. Join us here, and tell your story." Styne joined the group, sitting among them. It was strange. He felt more relaxed here than he had ever known. It made telling his experiences of the last few days that much easier to relate. He left nothing out; from his first feelings of doubt to the reports he had uncovered and the answers he had so far obtained. When he had finished, Lar's face was troubled. "I had never thought our race would fall so low."
"You speak as though you fear the worst," Styne observed.
"As you yourself must also believe," Lar answered, "or you would not be here now."
Styne nodded. "It is true. That is why I have come to you."
"Make your request and we shall do all that we can," Lar promised.
"The report on the unnamed Commander refers to an audio recording."
"Supposedly destroyed."
"That is what I need to know," Styne decided. "That recording, if it exists, may hold the answers I seek."
"What will you do with the information?" Lar wondered.
"That will depend on what the information is." Styne rose to his feet. "I must go now." The next words were foreign to a Sontaran. "Thank you."
He walked away then turned back. "Lar, a question. How can you live here?"
Lar smiled. "We exist, we survive. For us, that is enough."
Styne nodded. "I wish it could have been enough for me."
*****
The next few weeks were tortuous for Styne. Outwardly, he was a model Commander, carrying out his duties. Inside, his mind was in a turmoil, waiting for answers that may or may not come. Further meetings with the Myo helped to ease the waiting - meetings which stripped away half-truths and retoric, revealing a knowledge of a forgotten strand of Sontaran culture. Over time, the Myo had rejected war and instead lived a simple life of peace and contemplation. That was not to say that they disregarded the use of technology altogether. It was through this that they maintained their covert network of contacts, occasionally called upon to investigate certain 'irregularities' within the Sontaran heirachy. But they never interfered - unless someone like Styne openly approached them. That was their life.
It was now that Styne appreciated his dwelling even more. Before it been an imposition, a slight upon his command, but now it was a welcome haven from the world outside. He had changed much, and welcomed those changes.
On the next day the vid-link screen activated. An encoded message, audio only. "I hope this is what you wanted," came Lar's voice, forestalling any reply Styne might have offered. Then came a pre-recorded signal. Styne recognised it at once. He would need to move quickly.
*****
In the forgotten quarter, Styne waited impatiently. Dressed in a similar robe to the Myo, he blended in well with the surroundings. But of the Myo there was no sign. Something was wrong.
A slight movement on the ground ahead caught his eye. As he moved towards it, Styne recognised the figure lying there. "Lar!" He bent down to see if there was anything he could do, but the troopers had been very thorough.
"Styne." It was no more than a whisper, but Styne reached for Lar's hand and held it tight. He leaned forward to hear the words. "Do not fear for me . . . the Myo are safe . . . "
"Lar, why did you sacrifice yourself?"
"Because what you hold in your hand is worth more than my life." Styne didn't understand immediately. Then he opened the hand that held Lar's, revealing a wrist communicator. Quickly pocketing the item in his robe, Styne turned back to Lar, but it was too late. The leader of the Myo was dead.
A range of emotions coursed through the Sontaran Commander, many that had never been allowed to surface before. But this one act of violence against someone who was once a brother Sontaran filled Styne's heart with feelings he had previously seen in humans, and was now experiencing them himself - shame, anger and ultimately a pain deep inside that would never leave him. Styne finally understood the feeling of grief.
"I shall honour you, Lar," Styne promised. "On my oath as a Sontaran, you will be avenged!"
To be continued . . .
But now he was forced to accept something of far greater concern. That a Sontaran would murder one of its own kind, then attempt to cover up the crime. If Styne accepted this, then more questions opened up before him. What was on that audio recording? Could its contents have damaged the Empire in some way? But then, why conceal the crime? The more Styne thought about it, the more he realised that to find the answers he wanted, he would have to dig much deeper.
Over the next few days, Styne exhausted numerous sources to learn more about the Tiger Moth incident and the murder of an unnamed Sontaran Commander. Of the former there was a wealth of information which Styne sifted through methodically. But of the latter there was scant material available. A preliminary search revealed just how thorough the cover-up had been, so he had to avoid going through official channels.
There was only one option left.
*****
Long ago on Sontara, there had been an uprising. When the scientific breakthrough of cloning Sontaran warriors had been introduced, many raised violent objections. The main concern had been the loss of individuality. Arguments for both points of view were put forward, tossed back and forth, until there was deadlock. Though many agreed to the process, others refused. They became known as Purebloods, allowed to live their own lives. Without the benefit of the cloning process, the Purebloods mutated, grew taller and gained more humanoid features. Their former brothers turned away in disgust. Pureblood was a name to be quickly forgotten - officially they didn't exist. But they continued to scrounge a meagre existence and in later years became known as the Myo.
And in a long forgotten quarter of the city, it was the Myo that Styne now faced. A dozen of them surrounded him, all dressed in threadbare robes of sackcloth. Faced with their imposing stature a lesser person might have run, but Styne knew the ritual and waited.
"Who approaches the Myo?" called their leader.
"I do," Styne intoned.
"State your business," the leader declared. "Then we will decide if you are worth our time."
"I am Styne. I seek information. I seek . . . " he faltered, but only for a moment. "I seek the truth."
A hush fell across the group. Then the circle parted, and the leader stepped forward. The cowl he wore was pulled back, revealing an almost human face. Only the grey pallor and high forehead testified to their Sontaran origins. "You seek truth, Styne," he noted. "What truth?"
Styne had been expecting such a question. "The truth that has been lost. The truth of honour."
The leader smiled. "Then you are welcome. I am Lar. Join us here, and tell your story." Styne joined the group, sitting among them. It was strange. He felt more relaxed here than he had ever known. It made telling his experiences of the last few days that much easier to relate. He left nothing out; from his first feelings of doubt to the reports he had uncovered and the answers he had so far obtained. When he had finished, Lar's face was troubled. "I had never thought our race would fall so low."
"You speak as though you fear the worst," Styne observed.
"As you yourself must also believe," Lar answered, "or you would not be here now."
Styne nodded. "It is true. That is why I have come to you."
"Make your request and we shall do all that we can," Lar promised.
"The report on the unnamed Commander refers to an audio recording."
"Supposedly destroyed."
"That is what I need to know," Styne decided. "That recording, if it exists, may hold the answers I seek."
"What will you do with the information?" Lar wondered.
"That will depend on what the information is." Styne rose to his feet. "I must go now." The next words were foreign to a Sontaran. "Thank you."
He walked away then turned back. "Lar, a question. How can you live here?"
Lar smiled. "We exist, we survive. For us, that is enough."
Styne nodded. "I wish it could have been enough for me."
*****
The next few weeks were tortuous for Styne. Outwardly, he was a model Commander, carrying out his duties. Inside, his mind was in a turmoil, waiting for answers that may or may not come. Further meetings with the Myo helped to ease the waiting - meetings which stripped away half-truths and retoric, revealing a knowledge of a forgotten strand of Sontaran culture. Over time, the Myo had rejected war and instead lived a simple life of peace and contemplation. That was not to say that they disregarded the use of technology altogether. It was through this that they maintained their covert network of contacts, occasionally called upon to investigate certain 'irregularities' within the Sontaran heirachy. But they never interfered - unless someone like Styne openly approached them. That was their life.
It was now that Styne appreciated his dwelling even more. Before it been an imposition, a slight upon his command, but now it was a welcome haven from the world outside. He had changed much, and welcomed those changes.
On the next day the vid-link screen activated. An encoded message, audio only. "I hope this is what you wanted," came Lar's voice, forestalling any reply Styne might have offered. Then came a pre-recorded signal. Styne recognised it at once. He would need to move quickly.
*****
In the forgotten quarter, Styne waited impatiently. Dressed in a similar robe to the Myo, he blended in well with the surroundings. But of the Myo there was no sign. Something was wrong.
A slight movement on the ground ahead caught his eye. As he moved towards it, Styne recognised the figure lying there. "Lar!" He bent down to see if there was anything he could do, but the troopers had been very thorough.
"Styne." It was no more than a whisper, but Styne reached for Lar's hand and held it tight. He leaned forward to hear the words. "Do not fear for me . . . the Myo are safe . . . "
"Lar, why did you sacrifice yourself?"
"Because what you hold in your hand is worth more than my life." Styne didn't understand immediately. Then he opened the hand that held Lar's, revealing a wrist communicator. Quickly pocketing the item in his robe, Styne turned back to Lar, but it was too late. The leader of the Myo was dead.
A range of emotions coursed through the Sontaran Commander, many that had never been allowed to surface before. But this one act of violence against someone who was once a brother Sontaran filled Styne's heart with feelings he had previously seen in humans, and was now experiencing them himself - shame, anger and ultimately a pain deep inside that would never leave him. Styne finally understood the feeling of grief.
"I shall honour you, Lar," Styne promised. "On my oath as a Sontaran, you will be avenged!"
To be continued . . .
