Chapter Seven: Beloved
Mi'en had been pacing around the soldiers' quarters waiting for some word from Da'an or Tay'jay. However, nothing had come through.
"Mi'en, I'm all for exercise, but if you could just quit pacing like a damn pigeon waiting for me to throw breadcrumbs at you!" one of the humans cried.
"Can it!" Mi'en shot back.
"Ooo. Someone's getting awfully angry," the same human taunted.
"Give her a break man," Darius told him. "You don't know about her?"
"Know what?" the human asked.
Darius whispered into his ear. Then, the soldier nodded and told Mi'en to disregard his last statement.
"I'll admit Mi'en has a point," a female Espelon said. "We haven't heard from Da'an or Tay'jay all morning."
"Maybe the negotiations were really postponed," a Jaridian soldier said.
"I doubt it. Someone from the higher ups would've told us something by now," Darius said.
"What are you thinking?" a Taelon asked him.
"I'm thinking about calling those squadrons we sent out this morning on perimeter back here," Darius said. "There may be a problem with the negotiations."
"I would not be surprised if the negotiations never took place," Mi'en said anxiously. "Something foul is going on here. I think we should try to radio Da'an again."
"We've tried five times now. All we get is static," Darius said.
"What about Tay'jay or Mr. Urick?"
"Same deal."
"Something is wrong. We need to get to the high council building now."
"I agree with her," another Jaridian said. "We have not received word from Balvak or Geris in over six hours. I know they would have radioed us if the negotiations were starting. That is why they asked us to stay here. They wanted us to secure the meeting room and the representatives."
"Well we've gotta do something," Darius said.
"Oh, I don't think you'll be doing anything," a Jaridian from afar cried.
Several soldiers of the warlords poured into the entrance of the quarters and forced the entire group to get down on their knees and place their hands on their heads.
Darius sighed. "So, it was a trap. You guys are a piece of work."
"We had nothing to do with this," one of Balvak's soldiers said.
"In the name of the high council and the governing warlords, you are under arrest," the leading Jaridian warlord said. "You will be confined to quarters until such time when the Lillian Contract is signed under our terms."
"Your terms?" Mi'en inquired. "You have no authority to redraw that treaty. The high council was forced from power. All the members were court-martialed. They have no status."
"In a few hours, that will be of no concern to you," the warlord told her.
Da'an gazed deeply into Ar'ron's eyes, but she found nothing. She found no face, no voice and no identity for this man. He was a total stranger to her.
"Da'an…" Ta'lay said, "…this is Ar'ron."
"Do you know this man?" Geris asked her.
That name! She remembered him from Tay'jay's ship. But there was something else…something distant. She could feel bits and pieces of memory surfacing, but they made no sense to her. The more she tried to sort through the pieces and form a coherent memory—a face even—the more lost she became. She had to stop. "He is Tay'jay's commander."
"Is that all you remember?" Ta'lay asked.
"Am…I supposed to know more?" Da'an fabricated.
Ar'ron sighed. "No…I guess not. We weren't properly introduced last time, and since then, I've never had a chance to speak with you alone. I'm Ar'ron Catadan. I was Tay'jay's best friend growing up."
"It's a pleasure to meet you…finally," Da'an chuckled, trying to make some sort of humor out of this awkward situation.
Da'an went on to introduce Geris and Auger to Ar'ron. When they shook hands, the mood turned more urgent.
"I thought you were supposed to be at the negotiations," Ta'lay said.
"The negotiations have been cancelled…forcibly," Da'an said.
"A bunch of soldiers of the Jaridian warlords took us and hauled us into the bunker," Auger said. "Da'an could only teleport me and Geris with her."
"I am aware of the current extent of Da'an's teleportation powers," Ta'lay said sharply.
"We believe that these soldiers will confine ours to their quarters as well," Da'an said. "We need to free them."
"The soldiers were split into squadrons this morning by Balvak's commanders," Ta'lay said. "Most of them are out in the field."
"The warlords will round them up as they come," Geris said. "It must be what the warlords are waiting for. We can use that window to warn those on the field of the situation and free the current detainees."
"I do not think that is what the warlords are waiting for," Da'an said.
"What do you mean?" Geris asked.
"The warlords have no authority to redraw the Lillian Contract, but the council members do, especially if they are freed and reinstated," Da'an said. "The warlords are waiting for the council members to rewrite the contact."
"And they could also be waiting for more reinforcements," Geris realized. "Our soldiers are everywhere in the Citadel. They will not back down without a fight."
"Then, a battle is ensuing on the steps of the Citadel," Ta'lay surmised, "a battle that I do not believe we can win. With the insurgents and the warlord's soldiers by their side, the high council will trample us. The civil war will start all over again."
"I'm sorry," Geris told Da'an. "I never should have dragged you into this."
Da'an shook her head. "We may need to do away with the warlords and the high councilmen. However, I am not ready to do that, and I am especially not ready to force you and your people to do that."
"Let's focus on freeing our soldiers and the representatives," Geris told her. "We will consider that option again when the situation becomes more desperate."
"How do we free them?" Auger asked. "The warlord's soldiers are all over this place."
"Well that's easy enough," Ta'lay said. "Create a diversion and draw the soldiers away from quarters."
"Did you bring your holographic technology?" Da'an asked Auger.
"Are you kidding me? I bring everything," Auger said.
"Then it shouldn't be a problem," Da'an told him with a grin. Auger shrugged and raced into his room through the adjoining door to grab his stuff. Da'an gave Ariel to Ta'lay. "I don't know exactly where I can send you both that is out of harm's way."
"There is a secret military installation on the third moon," Geris said. "My wife is there. She will be happy to take you both in."
"I didn't know you had a wife," Ta'lay said.
"In order to keep her safe, I tell few about her. The location of the shelter is uncharted. One of my people will fly you there when we free them. Until then, remain here, and let no one in. If we need you, Da'an can teleport here."
"We will be fine," Ta'lay said opening the door for them to leave.
Auger returned with his things and locked both adjoining doors in Da'an's room. Then, he quickly patted Ariel on the head and followed the others outside.
"Be careful," Ta'lay told them all.
"Lock this door behind us, Ta'lay," Da'an said firmly.
Ariel was reaching for Da'an the whole time. Long after Ta'lay had closed and locked the door, Ariel was still reaching for her.
Auger stopped Da'an as they were rushing down the emergency exit stairs of the high council building.
"So is that why you were considering leaving her here?" he panted as he followed her. "Because Geris told you about his wife?"
"It was one of the reasons, yes," Da'an said in a low voice.
"You still thinking about it?" Auger asked.
"She is safer there, and she is guaranteed a family that will love her and cherish her," Da'an said. "Of course I am still considering it."
"She can get that just as well with you. Da'an, she wants you. I can see it in her eyes. Whenever you leave, she gets all teary-eyed. Whenever you come back, she turns goofy-happy."
"This is not the appropriate time or place to discuss this," Da'an said waving her hand to indicate they were finished.
They stopped at the bottom of the stairs, more so to let Auger catch his breath than anything else.
"How do you all run that fast that long?" he huffed, staggering as he tried to remove his gear.
"I am a soldier, Auger," Geris said. "It's what they train me to do."
"So what now?" Ar'ron asked Da'an.
"Can you create a holographic projection of us?" Da'an asked Auger.
"You mean some kind of holographic simulation of you guys to throw the Jaridians off guard?" Auger asked, still trying to catch his breath. "I'll be able to once my legs stop shaking."
"Then, we will use that to lure the Jaridians away from the cells. If enough follow our holograms, freeing the prisoners should not be a problem," Da'an said.
"But…" Auger huffed, "there's one problem. My travel tech only works in short distances. We'll have to put the projection somewhere close to the soldiers, too close maybe."
"That will not be a problem," Da'an told him.
"What if not enough soldiers follow the bait?" Geris asked.
"I do not know," Da'an said uneasily.
"You don't know!" cried Geris.
"Listen, I will grant you that I am smart, but I am not omniscient," Da'an said firmly. "I don't have all the answers. If I did, I would do this all myself."
"Oh great," Geris muttered. "Well, I think we should at least have a backup plan in case this flops."
"You do have a backup plan," Ar'ron said. "Me."
Once Auger had completed the holographic image, he handed a portable projector to Da'an. Outside, they dodged the guards by ducking in and out of dark sidewalks behind buildings. The entire Citadel was swarming with the warlord' militia. In the sky, they could see ships bringing more and more troops and their warlords. Perhaps that was what the council was waiting for. They did not want to make any provisions on the contract until all the warlords had arrived. However, anyone's guess on exactly what the warlords were waiting for was mere speculation. Everyone had their theories, some better than others, but the tactics of the warlords were full of uncertainty. It was almost as if they were purposely taking long to intimidate the captured representatives through anxious anticipation. They could only guess on the status of the soldiers outside the Citadel, but it was clear that another battle was about to begin on the streets of the Citadel. The Lillian Contract would be signed over blood. Perhaps it was appropriate.
When they made it to the soldiers' barracks, Da'an was the first to go in. She crept down the halls with her back against the wall to avoid getting attacked from behind. In her hands was the projector. She finally came to a large group of Jaridian soldiers. She knew this was where the prisoners were being kept. She had to use her telekinetic abilities to push the projector on the ceiling. It floated high above the guards and finally wedged between a set of pipes about ten feet from the entrance. Then, she called the others to meet her at her location.
When Geris, Ar'ron and Auger met her, they rushed into an empty room.
"Those guards are stupid," Ar'ron said. "They all crowd around guarding one area when they should be guarding every nook and cranny of this building."
"Their numbers are too few to do that right now," Geris said, "but if more soldiers are arriving after the ships that landed outside, then soon there will be soldiers guarding every nook and cranny of this entire Citadel."
"All right," Da'an said. "We are still quite far from the prisoners, meaning that this is going to be close. Auger, can your remote reach the holo-projector from where I placed it?"
"Let me check," Auger said, carefully sneaking outside the room. He pressed a button on the remote. It was far away, but Auger could see a tiny red light indicating the projector was on and ready for use. "I got it."
"Keep the door open and activate the hologram," Da'an said.
Most of the guards were bobbing their heads trying to keep boredom from ensuing. Suddenly, four people—a Jaridian, a human and two Espelons—yelled at them and fired shots at them. The general sent ten of his guards to follow them. It worked. The ten guards blazed past the real group that was still hidden in the room and continued their blind pursuit down the hall.
"I can't believe they fell for that," Da'an said, still not believing it as she said it.
"Not bad either," Ar'ron said. "You cut the number down to half."
"Auger, stay here," Geris told Auger firmly.
"Hey, I may not be used to fighting, but that doesn't mean I can't," Auger said.
"Do as he says, Auger," Da'an said. "We need a look-out just in case the other guards return."
Auger nodded reluctantly. "All right. But be careful." He reached outside and deactivated the holograph before it could loop back to the beginning.
Ar'ron, Geris and Da'an rushed outside and fired at the rest of the guards.
"What treachery is this?" cried the warlord.
"I'd prefer the term 'deception,'" Da'an said lightly.
The warlord felt a huge force strike him in the stomach and on the ground when Da'an thrust her hand forward. The other guards lifted their weapons to fire when Ar'ron, with a loud yell, smashed his fist into the ground. A tectonic wave shook the ground under the guards and forced them on their backs. A giant dent was left in the floor where Ar'ron's fist had hit. Geris wasted no time running in and knocking the guards unconscious with his shaquarava one by one. The warlord tried to stand but was thrust upward. He found himself suspended in the air with no one holding him and no strings attached to him. When he looked down, he saw the one who had knocked him down grinning at him with her hand in the form of a grip as if she was holding someone.
"You are a psychic!" he cried. "You deceptive little cold-blooded reptile!"
"Considering your complexion, I believe the last thing you should be calling anyone is a reptile," Da'an said. "You look like a reasonable warlord, so I will make you a deal. You will remain suspended in the air. I will begin crushing you. When you get the urge to tell me where the members of the high council are and what they are planning to do with the Lillian Contract, yell 'mercy,' and I will stop."
"You dare to try to intimidate me, you worthless Taelon scum?" yelled the warlord. "You do not have the nerve. You are far too intelligent to reduce yourself to that level."
"This may surprise you, Jaridian, but even we Taelons are capable of frequent lapses in judgment. So if anyone asks, this was one of those times." With that, Da'an slowly and stiffly closed her fingers into a fist.
The Jaridian felt his whole body become stiffer and more compact. This strange, unseen force was crushing his bones. A strained yell came from his lips, but no cries for mercy.
"You know, I can wait just as long as you," Da'an said, over the yells.
The painful sensation reached his neck and began strangling him. He instinctive tried to place his hands around his neck as if that vain attempt would shield the powerful force. Da'an pushed his will as far as she was willing to let herself, and still he didn't break. She released the strain on his neck, but she refused to let him go.
Mi'en saw Da'an in the battle of wills with the Jaridian. As she got closer to her friend, she heard a limb of the Jaridian's snap.
"Da'an!" she cried.
Da'an shook her head and released him. "I'm sorry, Mi'en. I had to try."
"It's okay," Mi'en said smiling. "We'll get the information ourselves."
Ar'ron finished clearing the rest of the prisoners out. They were following Geris outside of the barracks.
"Da'an, what's going on?" he asked, eyeing the warlord, who was struggling to stand.
Da'an rolled her eyes, sneering at her own pity, and went to help the warlord stand. "You are coming with us," she told him firmly.
"I knew you didn't have it in you to kill me," the warlord said. "You pathetic Taelons are all the same. Weak and spineless!" He pulled out an energy knife hidden under his clothing and stabbed Da'an in the shoulder.
"You son of a bitch!" Ar'ron yelled. He tackled the Jaridian warlord and struck him with all his strength. When the warlord had yet to lose consciousness, he hit him again. "You think it's funny to pick on Taelons? Did you find that amusing!"
Mi'en tried to pulled Ar'ron off the Jaridian. "Stop it, Ar'ron! You'll kill him!"
"You sha'bra! You slimy piece of intergalactic sha'bra!" Ar'ron yelled, striking the Jaridian with all his might. The Jaridian had long since lost consciousness.
"Ar'ron, get off him! He's not worth it!" Mi'en yelled. "You are a Taelon! You're civilized! You can't do this! You're better than this!"
A strange memory struck Da'an during all the commotion. There were two Taelons practicing their climbing skills for the kaar'paaj ritual. The mountains in this range were nowhere near as tall as the range used by many Taelons for the kaar'paaj ritual, but they were good enough for practice. The Taelons reached a cliff that was about a thousand feet from the peak and they sat to take a rest.
You are going to be a strong Taelon.
How do you know that?
You've been doing the kaar'paaj ritual since you were old enough to start. Anyone who can successfully conduct the ritual annually like you is destined to be strong.
I think you are strong too.
I am not nearly as strong as you, Ar'ron. I was never built to be athletic.
You do not have to be athletic to be strong.
That is not what you told me when I was three.
I was a kid then. What did I know? The kaar'paaj ritual is about renewing an inner strength, not a physical strength. You are strong inside, even when you do not believe you are or others do not believe you are. You have endurance and stamina. That is why you will make a great leader.
Ma'el thinks so too.
You know you should not worry about him so much. He is going to be fine.
You do not know him as I do. He is afraid of something. I know it. He will not tell me what it is. He says that I should just enjoy my time with you because…
Because what?
Because I will never have it again. That is what he said.
What does he know? It is not like he can see the future.
No…of-of course not.
I think we will have a fine future together.
Warriors do not mate with diplomats.
But Pa'dar warriors do, and that is what I am going to be.
It takes years of training and mental concentration to become a Pa'dar warrior. You have to have a quiet dignity, a maturity that enables you to know when and when not to use physical violence. It takes a…
Strength from within, right?
Right.
You do not think I have that?
You could if you had patience.
I can learn patience from you. You seem to have enough for the both of us. That is why I know we have a bright future together, right beloved?
"Beloved…"
"Ar'ron, let him go!" Mi'en pleaded.
"Beloved!"
Ar'ron stopped what he was doing immediately and faced Da'an.
"Please…let him go," Da'an told him quietly. "Look at him. He is too cowardly to die."
Ar'ron was still panting from the immense rush that had pushed him over the edge. He turned to face the Jaridian to get a good look at what he had done, but his vision was blurry. All he could see was the Jaridian's blood all over his knuckles.
"Patience," Da'an told him.
Ar'ron was stunned when he heard that from her. "You…remember." He took a deep breath, stood on his feet and backed away from the Jaridian.
Mi'en dropped on her knees to examine him. His nose was clearly broken, and the lacerations and bruises covered so much of his face that he was barely recognizable. Mi'en checked to make sure he was still breathing. It was shallow, but she could hear it. "He's alive."
Da'an and Ar'ron both sighed.
"We need to get him to an infirmary," Mi'en said. She glared at Ar'ron. "You stupid fool! We needed him! We could have gotten information from him or at least names! You shouldn't have done this!"
"I'm sorry," Ar'ron said. "I don't know…what came over me."
"You're a Pa'dar warrior! You're taught discipline and patience! You're only supposed to use violence in self-defense, not aggression!" Mi'en cried angrily. "You're reckless. You have forsaken the names of hundreds of disciplined warriors who took years out of their lives to learn dignity and grace."
"Mi'en, leave him alone!" Da'an defended. "It was an impulse. It could happen to anyone. Just be glad he's still alive."
"I cannot believe you're defending this man," Mi'en said. "Where's your sense of respect for those warriors?"
"My brother is one of those warriors. Don't you dare tell me about respect!" Da'an said aggressively. "Take him, and let's leave before the other soldiers return. Where's Auger?"
Auger was standing in the distance with a stunned look. They knew he had seen everything. He slowly walked towards Da'an and helped her stand. "Uh…you should…get that looked at."
"I will be fine," Da'an said. "Ar'ron, take him. On your feet, Mi'en."
She rose and watched Ar'ron heave the fallen Jaridian over his shoulders. "You know, Ar'ron, if the Taelon species had nothing else, at least we had discipline."
"What discipline? You mean your passive-aggressive strategy to slowly dig your heels in the human race and turn them into a bunch of puppets? Was leaving us on our own fallen planet to die like wild dogs what you define as discipline? This bastard may not deserve to die, but we can at least give him credit on one observation: the Taelons are and always will be spineless, lying, cheating, vile, cowardly scum, who flee from their enemy only to ravage lesser species like swarms of locusts."
A loud thud silenced them both. Da'an had fired a bolt of telekinetic energy into a wall in frustration. "Let's…go…now!"
They followed Da'an in the direction Geris had fled with their soldiers.
"He was really gonna do it, wasn't he?" Auger asked Da'an.
"I can't say that I blame him. With a Jaridian that ego-centric, I was ready to do it too," Da'an said.
"But you didn't. What's the deal between you two anyway?"
"I don't remember," Da'an said.
Auger paused for a moment in complete confusion, but he shrugged it off and ran to catch up with them. Geris was waiting for them at the exit with the other soldiers.
"What took you all so long?" he asked.
They all stared at each other and then at Geris. "Nothing," Da'an said for them.
"Nothing? Then, what happened to the warlord?" Geris inquired. "And what happened to your shoulder?"
"It was nothing!" they all said sternly and simultaneously.
Geris put his hands up innocently and let it go.