Chapter 2: The Unfinished Taelon
Da'an met Liam and Renee at the small launch pad where the crew had prepared a custom shuttle for Da'an to travel. Waiting for her was another Taelon in a dark blue uniform with short snow-white hair. Da'an was certain she was female, but there was something odd about her features. She also looked very familiar. Where had Da'an seen this Taelon?
The captain of the crew walked towards Da'an with Liam and Renee by his side to introduce the strange Taelon.
"Da'an, this is Mi'en," the captain said. "She is one of our best pilots, and she has sworn her allegiance to escort and protect you on your journey."
"Thank you captain, but I would prefer to go alone," Da'an said. "I mean no offense to you, Mi'en."
"None taken," Mi'en replied in a voice that sounded more like a young boy's than it did a woman's. "However, I fear your ordeal from the ritual may have exhausted your strength. Your Major Kincaid and Miss Palmer agree with my assessment. I am able to protect you, my skills as a pilot are exceptional, and, as a fellow Taelon, I will be able to travel with you without looking conspicuous."
"She also knows the territory well," the captain said. "As a former pilot on the Mothership, she has been to many of the same places you have. She is well-trained in defensive and aggressive flight maneuvering techniques."
"I knew I had seen you somewhere before!" Da'an exclaimed. "Mi'en…Mi'en Ha'phereon. You are T'than's younger sibling."
Mi'en hung her head low. "Correct," she said solemnly. "If you know that I suppose you know—"
"Mi'en, please," Da'an said putting her hand up affectionately. "If it bothers you in any way, you do not have to speak it."
"Thank you, ma'am," Mi'en bowed. "I am aware of your reputation as well. It would be a tremendous honor to escort the former North American Companion."
"I…suppose I could use help," Da'an considered. "All right, Mi'en."
Mi'en bowed once again and left to make final preparations for the shuttle.
"We have stocked the shuttle with supplies at Nye's discretion," the captain said. "Our prayers are with you. We hope you find what you are looking for."
"Thank you for all your hospitality, and see that my friends return to Earth safely," Da'an said.
"It is our highest priority," the captain said. "Larish'na, Amo'qui."
"Larish'na?" Renee repeated.
"It's an old word often used in Taelon prayer," Liam explained. "It has several different meanings spanning from an ending to a prayer like 'amen' to a common salute like the way he's using it."
"What about Amo'qui?" Renee asked. "What does it mean?"
"In your tongue, I believe the translation is 'of the nobles,'" the captain said. He bowed to Da'an and left.
"Good luck," Liam said to Da'an. "Take care of yourself."
"Yeah, don't do anything stupid, okay?" Renee said. "You've been through too much as it is."
"I promise I will return to you safely," Da'an said. "I will send you a message prior to my return. You two must be careful as well. Based on the fact that your departure was around the same time as mine, Zo'or will be watching you both like a hawk."
"He doesn't scare us," Renee said. She took Da'an's hand and then she pulled her in for a hug.
Liam was quick to do the same. Da'an nodded to them and walked towards the shuttle. And so they went their separate ways each with reason to worry and hope at the same time.
"I remember you, Mi'en," Da'an said as the shuttle raced through interdimensional space. "You were one of the pilots in the war before our planet was destroyed. I did not want to put you on the spot. I did not mean to. I know what happened."
"Everyone knows," Mi'en said. "T'than practically disowned me after it happened. Whenever he came to the Mothership, we barely knew each other. He would not even acknowledge me as his sibling. I was a mistake of nature to him. I was one to all of them. That was why I transferred to Colony Ma'an. I could not take their judgment, their criticisms, and their leering eyes. But I remember you never looked at me that way. You always saw me as an equal, not some despicable half-breed."
"I admired your skills. I still do. Your appearance always surpassed that. I am just sorry that I never got to know you personally," Da'an said.
"I did not expect you to," Mi'en said. "You were a diplomat after all. You were ranked too highly to mingle among us commoners."
"Is that how you see yourself?"
"It is how I have been treated."
"You should not think so lowly of yourself. You have accomplished so much. Your skills are legendary."
"It's nice to have at least one admirer out there," Mi'en smiled.
"How did you come to join Nye's sect?"
"Nye held my skills in high regard as well," Mi'en said. "Technically, I am not a part of her sect seeing as I have not undergone the ritual. I was never strong enough for that, but Nye said it did not matter. She gave me a home, a job, and she allowed me to live among people who did not judge me. I have been piloting her ships for about ten years now. I regret I have never seen Earth. Tell me, is it as great as they say it is?"
"There are many beautiful aspects of the planet, and many horrible nightmares," Da'an said. "But overall, the good outweighs the bad, and it is filled with so many different cultures and colors."
"That sounds nice," Mi'en said. "What about the atmosphere? It is really poisonous?"
"In the long run, yes."
"I…heard about your…"
"You can say it. As long as we are removing skeletons from the closet…"
"Yes, but from what I hear it is just a rumor. Nobody actually believes it. I was going to ask you if it was true."
"It is."
"Oh, I'm sorry."
"I am over it now. There is nothing more to be sorry about. I have past it."
"I must've been horrible to be a slave to a substance."
"Sadly it is common among humans."
"What madness would drive them to such measures?"
"Depression, loneliness, pain—many of the same things that drove me. You do not feel so alone. It makes the pain go away, and the world does not seem like such a cruel place."
"How did you get past it?"
"I spent ten days close to death battling my old demons and the priests."
"Oh. I see," Mi'en pondered. "I admire and respect your courage."
"I admire yours as well."
Mi'en nodded and let them sit silently for a moment to wonder. Then, when she was ready to break the silence, "What do you plan to do once we get to the Ma'hatu Galaxy?"
"We will not go to the Haru System," Da'an said. "Not just yet. I want to go to Xanatu first."
"Why there?"
"It is a mercenary stronghold. It is where we used to hire our mercenaries when we were fleeing from the Jaridians. If anyone knows how to locate someone, they do, and they can offer us some additional protection while we search."
"I remember that area and those people," Mi'en said. "I used to escort supply convoys through there to escape Jaridian hunter ships. Who do you plan to hire there? We have no money."
"True, but if I know the man I am looking for, he will not require money from me," Da'an said staring at that charm.
Mi'en and Da'an both took turns watching the ship as it piloted itself through space. They also spoke more about themselves and their lives.
Their conversation centered mainly on the one person they had in common. Mi'en and T'than were never close, but T'than broke all relationships with her when she confessed her shameful secret to him. What little meetings they had always ended with a barrage of verbal abuse on both of their parts. Mi'en's exceptional piloting skills were all that won his respect, and all that kept him from exposing her problem, not that he had to. Everyone knew about. They were just too afraid to confront her about it, afraid more for themselves than for her.
Da'an and T'than had met in the Citadel after her first Synod meeting. He had been egotistical from the day they met. He had come to Da'an with a proposition to discount a bill that was passing through the Synod at the time, a bill both he and Da'an mutually disliked. After working together, Da'an could always count on a visit from T'than. The result was a collision of interests, politics, and subterfuge that Da'an was a little ashamed to admit to Mi'en, but Mi'en was sympathetic.
"At least you got his attention," Mi'en said. "He would not give me the time of day, especially after he found out about my…problem."
"I do not think there is anything wrong with it, but at a time, I might have," Da'an said. "I am glad I met you now and not before. I probably would have agreed with T'than."
"I admire your honesty," Mi'en said. "It takes a lot to admit to your faults especially to someone like me."
"Actually, admitting anything to you does not cause problems for me," Da'an said. "I feel comfortable speaking to you."
Their conversation was interrupted by the tug of the ship coming out of ID space.
"We've reached Xanatu," Mi'en said turning to reclaim control of the helm.
"Land on Xanatu City in the northwestern quadrant," Da'an said.
Mi'en nodded.
The tiny shuttle landed on a space station inside a vast and futuristic metropolis. Before leaving their ship, Da'an and Mi'en put on some brown hooded robes to give the illusion that they were nomadic refugees. Nye's sect had also given them false identification.
Da'an gathered what supplies they needed while Mi'en registered their ship with the officials. After their supplies went through customs and they were immunized, Mi'en and Da'an started walking. They both had to drop their façades. It was too out of the ordinary for these people.
"I hope they take good care of it," Mi'en said looking back at the shuttle.
"It'll be fine," Da'an said light-heartedly.
"So who exactly are we looking for?" Mi'en asked.
"Shape-Shifters gathered in the Horatu building the last time I was here," Da'an said. "That's the best place to start looking."
"You did not answer my question."
"Initially, we are searching for a Shape-Shifter I met before Nye took me. In reality, I am looking for my brother."
"You have a brother?" Mi'en asked.
"I did," Da'an said. "Hopefully, I still do."
They walked casually to a tall greenish black building. Initially, the inside appeared to be a normal office building with several different types of species and classes walking around going about their lives. At the farthest corner was a barely visible staircase that led to a dark room. Da'an led Mi'en down the staircase, which came to a tiny lounge. In the lounge were several people playing what looked to be alien gambling devices. There was also a large circular table at the center of the lounge with a drink and food station at the center with a vendor selling the sustenance.
Da'an walked toward the vendor.
"A Taelon," the vendor said. "We have not seen the likes of you for fifty stellar cycles, but I must say, there is something different about you. Yes. You are no ordinary Taelon, are you?"
"What is that supposed to mean?" Da'an asked.
"There is a word for Taelons like you. Taelons who have lost their way. Yes, a lost one. You are a Lost One, are you not?"
"A Lost One?"
"An Espelon," Mi'en explained. "You have been isolated on the Mothership for far too long, or else you would know about them. The Espelons are the Taelons who refused to come to Earth. For disagreeing with the mandate of the priests, the priests dismissed them all from the Commonality as punishment. The Synod was told they had either died or had become mindless beasts, and no one spoke of them again."
"That was what Nye was referring to when she told me about the Taelons here," Da'an realized. "She was referring to those Taelons that had survived."
"Not just survived. Evolved," Mi'en added. "The priests were amazed to learn of Taelons who had found a way to maintain their forms without devolution. After they survived, they all scattered. The priests deemed them Espelons or lost ones, and never told the Synod about them in fear that the information would relay to the Taelons still under their control."
"Interesting word," Da'an said unenthusiastically, "but I am not here to discuss the evolutionary patterns of the Taelon species." She placed the silver charm in front of the vendor.
"Ahhhhh, looking for a mercenary, are you?" the vendor said. "You must be a Synod member."
"I used to be," Da'an said removing the hood.
The vendor looked closely. "Mistress Amo'qui! I know who you are! Your reputation is boundless. Trey has spoken to me about you. He said he was expecting a visit, but I never imagined this soon. I can set you up with him, but of course, I will require the usual sum."
Mi'en's heart jumped. Da'an placed her hand on Mi'en's back to calm her.
"You are aware that Taelons do not use money in that sense," Da'an said to the vendor. "However, I can offer you something better yet less tangible than money."
"And that would be?" the vendor asked.
Da'an motioned for him to come closer. The vendor complied. Da'an whispered something to him in a strange language. The vendor smiled immediately and nodded. "You truly are Mistress Amo'qui. I will see to Trey. He will meet you at the entrance to the arena in three hours. While you wait, any hospitality you require is on us."
"Thank you," Da'an nodded. "Mi'en would you care for anything?"
"Uh, something strong for energy beings," Mi'en said.
"I have just the drink," the vendor said. He poured a purple liquid into a clear glass. "The kurkatsu drink. Enjoy it."
Mi'en took the glass. "I'm half-expecting this to be poisoned."
"How can you half-expect something?" Da'an asked humorously.
"I thought it was a figure of speech," Mi'en said.
"That doesn't make it logical," Da'an retorted.
"Oh, stop it. You know what I meant," Mi'en said.
"You will be fine," Da'an said. "Drink it. It is impolite to not use something that was given to you."
Mi'en shrugged and drank the ale. "I am glad I cannot taste this.It's probably horrible."
"Which is also bad for Taelons because you do not know how drunk you are making yourself."
"What does that mean?"
"Humans believe that an individual knows he is drunk when themind-altering beverage starts to taste good."
"Really? I just know when ugly people start looking pretty."
"Keeping in mind that there has never been a record of a Taelon ever getting'drunk.'"
"You are right. The evolution of the shaquarava's ability to absorb energy and mind-altering substances put an end tothat.What did you tell him, by the way?"
"He asked me about a fee to determine if I was truly Da'an. The Synod has an old verbal code we use amongst the mercenaries to obtain business. He knows I am legit."
"What made him suspect you in the first place?"
"He was expecting a Taelon named Da'an, not this Espelon you speak of."