Title: The Crucible
Disclaimer: I don't own anything
Author's note: Thanks for the reviews. Again, you may want to review the list below.
Okay, just a reminder of who the major players are:
Tess and Larek, of course
Alex-Tess's son, named after Alex Whitman
Audin-diplomat to Larek from the planet Byor
Arya-the regional ruler from the province of Tel'ai, which is the capital province on Antar. She was recently deposed by Khivar
Khai-main general and leader of the Resistance, Rath's younger brother
Sria- the original Ava's best friend, one of Larek's advisors, and a native of the planet L'so
Lotho-general of Larek's army (like Rath was for Zan), married to Kani, killed by Khivar's army.
Kani-married to Lotho, she is one of Larek's closest friends and advisors
Tunia-a Resistance spy killed by Khivar, most likely set up by a traitor
Resistance members with smaller roles: Radim, Trell, Zyith (Zyith killed by Khivar's army)
Resistance members introduced in this chapter: Shalimar, Sirch, Nasada
Places of importance:
Tel'ai-capital province of Antar, has Dimaras Rock, where Zan met Ava. The Triaji Desert, the Cortai Jungle, the Landra River, and the Fel Mountains are all located in this province as well.
Antar-the capital city of Antar has the same name as the planet.
Sab and Drasu-cities in Tel'ai that Khivar attacked and decimated, no adults were left alive in either.
Mt. Sinai-a mountain in Tel'ai, it's name means (in Antarian) 'mountain of fate'
Daila: The capital city of Larek's planet.
Lexan: A city on Larek's planet.
crucible: an object made stronger as it is passed through fire
Chapter Twelve: Trial by Fire
Day 11
Tess closed her eyes for a moment and inhaled the scent of cinnamon in the air. She smiled softly, relishing in the simple pleasure of a quiet meal. Having spent the past week eating only in hurried moments while she was running from one meeting to the next, she had almost forgotten what it was like to actually sit down to eat.
"I take it the oatmeal pleases you?" Shalimar asked dryly, watching Tess with amusement.
Tess opened her eyes and stared at the other woman. "It pleases me very much," she replied honestly, taking a bite of the hot cereal. "What is in the flavoring?"
"Cinnamon, saffron, aela, and curtamin," Shalimar replied, taking a seat in front of the hybrid. Tess raised an eyebrow at her, and she said, "I know they don't have aela and curtamin on Earth. They are just another type of spice, native to Byor."
Tess swallowed the spoonful and took another bite. She ate it thoughtfully, tasting the spices on her tongue. She missed so many of the simple pleasures…eating while sitting down, walking out in the sun, sleeping without nightmares…
"What did you think of Zan?" Tess asked abruptly, pinning Shalimar with a appraising stare. She could not get the conversation she'd had with Sria two days ago out of her mind, and she wanted to know if anyone else disliked Zan.
Shalimar seemed surprised by the question. She paused, her eyes shuttering slightly as though expecting a trap. At last, she said in a slightly guarded tone, "He was the rightful king."
"I know that," Tess replied, waving her hand impatiently. "What else did you think of him?"
"He was like any king. He made some good decisions, and some bad decisions," Shalimar replied, her response still hesitant. She tilted her head to one side and said honestly, "He wanted what was best for Antar."
"But you disagreed with what was best," Tess said knowingly, nodding her head. "You thought he was trying to do too much, and do it too quickly. Change takes time." She stopped suddenly, and her mouth dropped open in surprise. She had absolutely no idea where that had come from.
Shalimar seemed surprised as well, although she hid it quickly. "Yes…" She drew out the word, thinking about Zan. "He made mistakes. But he truly wanted what was best for the people. I'll give him that much."
Tess nodded, accepting Shalimar's words. There was a silence while Tess ate some more of the oatmeal, then the petite blonde asked, "And Khivar?"
"What about him?" Shalimar questioned.
"Does he also want what is best for Antar?"
Shalimar spun to face Tess so quickly it startled even herself. "What?" she demanded harshly, incredulously.
"I was told that the idea that the king serves the people is so ingrained into the social mores of Antar that no one would dream of taking power for themselves. And that the people would never accept a ruler who did not work for them, for their interests," Tess explained patiently. "But Khivar has taken power, and the people of Antar did accept him. Well…most of them, anyway," Tess finished. She took a bite of her oatmeal, swallowed, and asked, "Why?"
Shalimar hesitated, then said, "Yes, he wants what is best for Antar. And he really tries to do what he thinks is best for the people."
"So why did he overthrow Zan?" Tess pressed, thinking about all the lives that had been lost and the cities that had been decimated during this war.
Shalimar bit her lip, then said hesitantly, "He is racist."
Whatever response Tess was expecting, it was not that. "What?"
"He thought that people of one race where superior than people of another. Zan did not agree with that, and Khivar blamed him for much of the economic recession that befell the planet shortly before Zan's fall. He said if Zan had realized that segregation was a better way to organize the society, the economy would have been doing do much better. Subjugate the needs of one group to the desires of another… He had a lot of support as well because people were scared, the recession had hurt them and they were afraid of losing livelihoods. After Khivar deposed Zan, he managed to turn around the economy, and people believed what he told them…that one race was superior…He believed it himself." Shalimar sighed and closed her eyes for a moment, thinking. Finally, she continued, "Many of the Antarians who joined the Resistance are of the race that he considers inferior."
Tess pondered what Shalimar had told her, then asked, "What race did he support?"
Shalimar gave a bitter laugh and said, "The race of people that looked like him."
Tess suddenly heard Arya's voice echoing in her head, repeating the words she had said several days ago.
It is only human arrogance that assumes democracy is the only way to rule a country
Was it also only human arrogance that assumed that only humans could be racist?
"Ava? Are you with me?" Sria asked, frowning at her friend.
Tess glanced up and rubbed her eyes. Sria had come to talk to her about the latest battle between Radim and Khivar…most of Radim's army had been wiped out. But Tess couldn't force herself to pay attention. She was too wrapped up in what Shalimar had told her earlier that day.
"Sorry, Sria. I've just got stuff on my mind. A lot of stuff on my mind." She stood up and stretched, then began to pace the floor of her room. "I just hate being cooped up in here," she admitted. "The only glimpse of the sky I've seen since I got here is from the balcony."
Sria nodded. "We've been busy," she agreed. She hesitated for a moment, then said, "Do you want to go outside? We could talk there. Walk in the gardens?"
"Aren't we keeping my presence a secret from everyone?" Tess asked, confused. "If I go outside, won't they see me?"
"If we stayed in one garden, Larek could give orders for it to be emptied," Sria replied. She thought about the plan for a moment, then nodded and said, "I'll talk to Larek. I can get Shalimar or Sirch to watch Alex for a little while." She walked over to the door, instructing Tess, "You wait here, I'll be right back."
"Where are we?" Tess asked, glancing around the garden. The garden was fenced in by a tall brick wall, covered with moss and ivy. All around her, gnarled and twisted trees reached up towards the sky. The bark was a dark maroon color. The leaves were a pale green, and they contrasted sharply with the trees flowers, which where the same maroon of the bark. The ground was carpeted in tall blue-green grass, so tall it reached Tess' knees. Shrubs dotted the small garden, large shrubs with brilliant pink flowers, and tiny shrubs with yellow leaves.
"One of Larek's favorite gardens," Sria replied. "It's on the outskirts of his palace. Beyond that wall," she nodded to the northern wall of the garden, "is the city of Daila."
"So…Radim's army was destroyed?" Tess said quietly, walking through the grass and staring at the flowers, enjoying the feel of the sun on her face.
Sria nodded quietly. "We don't know if Radim survived. Not many did." She looked away for a moment, her green eyes weary, reflecting her haunted and troubled thoughts. "They'll be a report soon, from whoever survived, and we'll know then…"
"Where is Khviar's army now?" Tess asked.
Sria frowned. "We aren't sure. We believe that some of it is still at the sight of the battle. But a contingent may have broken off to scout ahead…"
"So Radim's army did not buy us much time after all?" Tess mused, more to herself than to Sria. She bit her lip, thinking over Sria's information.
"What were you and Shalimar talking about this morning?" Sria asked after a moment, curious as to why Tess was so quiet today.
"Zan, Khivar, economics, and racism," Tess replied. She lapsed into silence, not elaborating any more.
The two of them walked for a while, just listening to the stillness that had fallen. A bird trilled a note overhead, and a gentle breeze drifted through the grass, causing a rustling sound. Tess bent to examine a small blue flower on one of the bushes, and found that it smelled like a mixture of lavender and lemon. Sweet and sour.
Sria observed her friend thoughtfully, watching the emotions that flashed through her blue eyes. She thought back to the other Ava she had known, thought ahead to the long battle that they all faced, and silently prayed that everything would work out in the end.
Although some part of her knew that her prayer was a futile one.
This war came with sacrifices. All wars did.
"Do you smell that?" Tess asked abruptly, looking around in confusion.
"What?" Sria replied, turning to Tess in bewilderment. "Do I smell what?"
"Smoke," Tess replied, walking towards the gate at the northern end of the garden.
"Ava?" Sria called, standing up and walking after her friend. She did not smell anything, but she could tell by the look on Tess' face that the hybrid could smell it quite strongly. "What do you mean? Where is the smoke coming from?"
"Outside," Tess replied simply, not wasting time explaining. She reached the gate and fumbled with the lock, unsure how to open it. When it refused to give in to her attempts, she used her powers to melt it away and pushed the door open.
"Ava, no!" Sria cried out, surprised. She grabbed the hybrid's arm in fear. "If you go out there, you'll be in the city. The citizens will see you. You can't be seen!"
Tess shook her head, recognizing the sense in Sria's words but feeling the inexplicable need to find the source of the smoke. "No…I need to see…" She couldn't explain it, but she knew something big had happened, or was about to happen, and she needed to see it. She needed to witness whatever was about to happen.
Sria opened her mouth to respond, but Tess had already yanked the door open and stepped onto the street.
It was a side street, almost empty. Tess had expected a grand plaza, like the one in front of the White House, or Buckingham Palace in England. Instead, it was just a small side street. In front of her, Tess could see a few people milling around several blocks ahead, and to her right two woman and a child were leaving a store.
Nothing big, nothing fancy.
Nothing particularly foreign.
It looked like a side street in any big city on Earth.
Sria grabbed her arm and pulled her backwards towards the gates. "Ava, what are you doing…" Her words were cut off by the sudden sound of an explosion.
Both woman spun around to watch in horror as two of the buildings to their right caved inwards. They glowed orange with fire. The air was suddenly filled with acrid smoke which hung heavily in the air. Shards of glass littered the streets, mixed with pieces of brick and other rubble. The fire raged, spreading rapidly across the ground and quickly catching the surrounding buildings in a blaze. The sounds of screams, of shouting, of panic sobs filled the air.
Tess saw fleetingly in her mind's eye the pictures of Drasu after Khivar had destroyed the city.
The two woman and the child had been caught in the thick of the fire, and the child screamed n panic and horror, his tiny voice barely audible over the crackling of the flames.
Without thinking, Tess started running towards the three figures. Sria cried out a warning, but she ignored. However, the redhead quickly caught up with Tess before she'd gone more than a few steps and grabbed her arm.
"You can't be seen!" Sria hissed, moving in between the others and Tess. "And if you run into the fire…"
Again, her words were cut off as another building collapsed. The falling bricks littered the ground around Sria and Tess, and Sria lifted a hand and conjured an energy shield to protect them.
"The boy…" Tess whispered, staring in horror. The two women had both fallen unconscious to the ground, but the child was still alive. He was leaning over one of the women, sobbing. Although he was still far enough away that she could not clearly see his features, Tess could hear the fear in his cries.
"This isn't ordinary fire," Sria said abruptly, pulling Tess away from the street and back towards the garden.
"What?" Tess asked, confused, tearing her eyes away from the boy.
"This is weapon-fire," Sria replied. Seeing Tess' confused look, she elaborated, "It is used by armies. It spreads faster than normal fire and is more deadly." She was now practically dragging the hybrid with her as Tess stared helplessly at the people she could not help.
"By armies…?" Understanding leapt into Tess' eyes and she twisted to look at Sria, pausing in the street. "Khivar's army is here?"
"Yes!" Sria cried. "And if they see you, if they recognize your essence, everything is lost. You need to get inside. Now!"
"But the boy? The women?" Tess asked almost piteously, unable to comprehend leaving them.
Sria turned and looked back at the other three. A crowd of people were appearing now, running down the side street. Buildings were catching fire all around, causing people to exit them in a mass stampede. The street was rapidly filling with people until the boy and his family were no longer visible.
Sria prayed silently that no one would recognize Tess. They were still far enough a way from the hybrid Queen, and there was so much panic and fear in the air, that they probably would not, but the longer the two remained in the open…
She needed to get inside, now.
"The people…" Tess whispered, watching as more buildings collapsed. Now several people were trapped in circles of raging fire, caught underneath broken beams and buried below piles of bricks and stone.
Sria swallowed and looked away, meeting Tess' haunted sapphire eyes. The people… the people caught in a fire that would kill everything it touched, that spread so quickly it was almost unstoppable except by a few elite fire-fighters trained for this particular situation, a fire started by Khivar and his army… "The people are as good as dead, Ava," Sria whispered, her voice hoarse.
The smoke around them was making Tess choke, and Sria continued to drag Tess to the garden door. The walls of the garden were impervious to this type of fire, if they could just get within the walls they would be safe.
And then the building next to them exploded.
Sria reacted on instinct, shoving Tess to the ground and lifting both her hands to create a shield. The stone hit the energy shield, the fire smashed up against it, spitting sparks and heat at the barrier, but Sria managed to hold her shield long enough to yank Tess to her feet and run towards the garden. At the last possible moment, her strength gave out and the fire nipped at their heals, the flying debris pelted them mercilessly, but Sria shoved them into the garden and slammed the door shut, locking it in place with her powers.
Tess looked down at her body. Her chest and arm were covered in blood, and she could feel a dull throbbing. Nothing was broken, she knew that right away, but everything still hurt. She was also splattered in mud, dirt, and dust.
Sria took a few breaths and said, "We need to find Larek, Ava. He needs to know you are safe, and then we need to talk about what the plan of counterattack is."
"But…the people…" Tess murmured, not listening to Sria's words.
Sria grabbed Tess' arm, her grip tight. "Ava, listen to me!" she spat angrily, trying to get through to the distraught alien. "Those people out there…they're dead. Nothing can save them now. Nothing! And if you had gone to them, they would have seen you, would have recognized you, would have known. They have seen you for all we know. What if Khviar's army was there, Ava? You need to think about that. You need to think before you do anything."
"But all the people…"
"Will die," Sria finished Tess' phrase grimly. "This is today's lesson about being Queen," Sria gasped out, her voice harsh but not unkind. "You may be the people's servant, but there are times when you life is more important that theirs could ever be. Sometimes you have to let them die."
Tess met Sria's gaze for a moment, then whirled around and raced towards the door leading to the inside of the palace, and then into the hall. Tess sprinted along the passage way and up the stairs, making her way through the twisted labyrinth to her room. She flung the door open, and it slammed back against the wall, the crash reverberating through the room. The door then swung shut behind her, and she ran to her bed, tossing herself face down on the comforter. Ignoring the fact that she was supposed to meet with Larek now, not caring that she was tracking mud, dirt, and blood onto the bedspread, disregarding her own injured and bloodied arm and chest, she buried her head in her pillows and sobbed.
Next Chapter: Again
Due: Alright, people, here's the deal. This officially starts finals week for me so my schedule is a little busy. I have the next chapter almost finished, and will be able to post it on Wed or Thurs (12/21 or 12/22). But I won't have time to answer the reviews. In fact, I probably won't even have time to read the reviews before I post the next chapter. So if you don't want to review, just don't. While I am always more than happy to get review, I really can't ask anyone to do it since I myself can't respond to them.