The Sarpeidon Chronicles Part 6

The Ever-Moving Shadow

Chapter 2

The thirty-five captives stood in a vaguely military formation, silently awaiting his inspection. Removing his helmet, Valas answered the salutes of his men with a nod, then briskly strode forward.

He saw at once that they were a disappointing bunch, mostly pasty-skinned and thin-limbed Terrans with a few other humanoids and apparent hybrids mixed in. Tall even for a Romulan, Valas towered over almost all of them. To his surprise, none of them flinched or betrayed the slightest fear as he moved slowly past them. That, of course, would change soon enough.

"Perhaps you are not entirely clear on what has happened today," he announced when he finally came to a stop. "If not, I will now explain it in simple and clear terms. Your colony is forfeit; I hereby claim every living thing and standing structure on Gamma Aurelius as the property of our invading force, its disposition to be determined by our most honored Enarrain. You are hereby commanded to accept our leadership and authority, and surrender your goods to our cause. If you do not, your lives are forfeit as well."

"In other words, you simply want to come in here and take away everything we've spent years, decades, building with our own hands." One of the Terrans, a saggy-faced old man with an incongruously stubborn chin and steely eyes, suddenly flared with anger. "Well, I, for one, don't find that acceptable at all. I'd sooner burn this entire colony to ashes than hand one sliver of it over to you."

Valas motioned to his subordinates. Two of them moved to flank the old man, disruptors pressed to either side of his head.

"In general, weak and aged prisoners like you are deemed a liability. Perhaps I should compel you to convince me otherwise."

"I'd like to see you compel me to do anything," the old man shot back.

Eyes narrowed, Valas pulled his own weapon from his belt and began to raise it. Just then, a woman broke from her place in line and flung herself in front of the old man. "Elias founded this colony almost single-handedly! He has every right to feel the way he does, and the truth is that most of us agree with him."

Valas could only marvel at this impertinence-so typical of humans, according to everything he'd heard about them. Such recklessness was nothing, however, compared to that of a much younger man who suddenly moved in front of both Terrans as if to shield them with his body. Valas' grimace deepened when he spotted the telltale hints of Vulcan ancestry in this one. What an irritating race he had always found them, with their smug notions of morality and their quaint belief in their own superiority.

"Maybe you have the weapons, but we won't sacrifice our dignity." The woman was still railing on, despite the Vulcan's whispered attempts to silence her. "We'll die ourselves before we'll let you harm anyone here!"

"That can easily be arranged." Valas pointed his disruptor toward the Vulcan, who paled and extended his arms protectively in front of the others. "This imprudent fool is your son?"

"No. Jarrod is my-" At last, the woman seemed to perceive the threat. A worried look came over her reddening face, and she quickly lowered her voice. "My husband."

"Oh? How entertaining. You defend this useless old one with your life, yet under cover of darkness you, too, prefer much fresher specimens."

A flash of her former defiance returned. "I prefer this one, yes."

Valas was about to order all three of them volatized when the men behind him began to murmur with excitement. "Look," someone-probably one of the prison recruits, who never had much sense of protocol-said aloud. "Enarrain is coming,"

Then the mumbling ceased, the troops falling back into hasty formation. And, sure enough, when Valas turned he saw a second group of soldiers just rounding the nearest knot of cottages. Walking in front of them was the Enarrain, their commander, the only man whose anger the men feared more than they feared Valas' own.

Valas, too, knew enough to stop what he was doing and offer a proper show of respect. Their Enarrain acknowledged his salute, then looked quizzically at the three prisoners still held at bay by the disruptors.

"These humans are making trouble, Enarrain Selyk. I believe it would be most expedient to kill them at once," Valas explained. Then he paused, unable to interpret the expression that suddenly came over his commander's face -- and, he thought, the Vulcan's. "Enarrain-do you know this man?"

After a brief but tense silence, Selyk shook his head. The jagged scar that slashed across his cheek crumpled into a serpentine curve as he scowled. "He reminds me of someone from my past-but no, I do not know him."

"Shall I proceed with the termination?"

"Not yet. Perhaps I will have more success in enlisting their compliance. Lower your weapons. Prisoners: if the three of you are so determined to meet your deaths this afternoon, perhaps I can do little to dissuade you. I can also do nothing to protect you unless you give me your allegiance. Being a leader is both a privilege and a curse, as you might know, old man. I prefer not to have my burden increased if I can avoid it. I find executions unpleasant, though sometimes necessary."

"This is a scientific colony," Jarrod said after the three of them had exchanged glances. "We don't especially care who we work under, as long as we can continue with our research. But we will not be enslaved."

"A commendably flexible attitude. In fact, we have a greater need for scientists than we do serfs. Perhaps Valas neglected to make that clear."

"Perhaps so, Enarrain," Valas said stiffly.

"Let the humans remain in their dwellings while I inspect our new property. Post a guard near each door if it will make you feel better, Valas." The scar changed shape again as his smile widened. His gaze swept the rows of neat cottages, interspersed with well-kept greenhouses and storage huts. In the distance, fields of tufted grains fluttered like gold sheets on the breeze, and brightly colored fruit trees sagged under their fragrant yield. "These surroundings please me. I think we will be comfortable here."

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The single room in which Spock had passed the previous three weeks was spotlessly clean, sparsely but adequately furnished, and even supplied with a few old-fashioned books to provide a modicum of entertainment. If not for the fact that the fourth wall consisted of a transparent but impenetrable force field, it might have looked like an ordinary hotel room or furnished lodging for rent.

Zarabeth thought it one of the most hideous rooms she had ever seen.

Spock stood beside the desk while security showed her inside and reactivated the force field.

"Are you well?" she asked him, cautiously, when they were alone again.

"I am not uncomfortable. The Embassy provides for my basic needs. I have never required many luxuries, as you know."

"They're still sending me your earnings, too. So you don't need to worry about that, even though T'Rhan might object."

"Naturally they would be required to do so; I have not been officially removed from my post. Being in protective custody does not require suspension from duty. For the moment, your position is secure. T'Rhan cannot and would not attempt to change that."

"They've also posted some extra security around the house. Perhaps they thought I wouldn't notice. But I did."

He nodded. "A sound precaution , considering that the charges against me involve espionage. Any additional officers are there to protect, not merely to observe."

"There hasn't been much to observe. We live quietly these days. Just going through the motions, really. There is one piece of news: Adonia has been granted leave, so she'll come to see you as soon as she gets here. I never did hear anything back from Jarrod. For all I know, he never got my communication. Don't worry, there was nothing in it that hasn't become common knowledge by now."

"Sensible. You, of all people, can appreciate the value of political discretion."

"Yes, I do. And while we're on that subject...." Her voiced trail off. She looked quizzically at him and then at the wall.

Spock nodded. "T'Rhan has ascertained that this general vicinity is devoid of concealed listening devices. You may therefore speak freely within this enclosure."

Relief washed over her with such force that she had to turn away. She knew he would not approve of the raw emotion on her face, never mind the long-suppressed tears that suddenly flooded her eyes.

"In that case, the first thing I want to tell you is how much I hate seeing you here. Maybe you can tolerate it, but I'm miserable at home. I don't sleep, I can barely eat...Spock, please. I've gone along with you on this until now, but just let me tell them what I really know. The truth is that neither one of us wanted Selyk as a son-in-law. No one would blame you for driving him away, and you can't be punished for choices he made. You're no more guilty of treason than I am. I'll even say it was my idea, if that would help."

"You know very well that it would not. In any case, their main contention is that I revealed Therov's location to Selyk. That information was to remain classified. Yet Selyk knew enough not only to locate, but to liberate him. Since I was one of the few who knew those details, it is reasonable that they would suspect me."

"But you never revealed that even to me. If I added that to my testimony-"

"The fact that I did not share my knowledge with my wife does not mean I did not entrust it to Selyk when he told me of his planned rescue attempt."

This time, she didn't bother to disguise her frustration. "What am I supposed to tell your father? He's written several times, wanting to know if T'Rhan is making progress. He doesn't trust me as it is, and now I have to tell him that she considers me the enemy, too?"

"The content of the hearings is confidential; no one will know what has transpired unless you reveal it. My father is aware of that. He will not press you for details."

"I told you from the beginning that this was a terrible idea . Bad enough I had to stand by and see you arrested, but having to testify against you...! The prosecution couldn't have compelled me to do it-only you could, and I wish I hadn't let you."

"You did what I asked of you. There is no cause for self-recrimination. For the moment, we must remain estranged. If I am to discover the true identity of Selyk's informant, it is necessary that I come as close to conviction as possible. "

"But Spock, what if you are convicted? Have you thought about that?"

"If so, I will alter my strategy accordingly." He paused suddenly, as if noticing her stricken expression for the first time. "As you must be aware, it is a question of serving the greater good. If I am disgraced, or worse, I am confident that you will endure. You are part of this time now; you no longer require my assistance to secure a future for yourself."

"And what makes you think I want one without you?"

Before he could respond, a security officer appeared on the other side of the force field and turned it off to admit T'Rhan herself.

"Why are you here?" she demanded when she saw Zarabeth.

"Spock is my husband. I have every right to see him."

"Debatable on both counts. In any event, I must insist that you leave at once. My client and I have legal matters to pursue, and I have no intention of doing so in front of a prosecution witness."

Zarabeth made a visible effort to control her outrage. "Very well. Spock, I will convey your messages to the children. And I will return if I find it necessary."

T'Rhan fixed her with a frosty look until she moved out of sight down the corridor and the force field hummed back to life. Then she moved to the desk and brusquely began to set up her computer.

"I can see that her betrayal disturbs you, Ambassador. Understandable, I suppose, but counterproductive. If you wish, I can restrict your visitors."

"Unnecessary. We had a minor domestic affair to resolve but have now done so. Let us move on."

"Very well." T'Rhan seated herself at the desk. "She has good reason to be contrite. I cannot deny that her testimony damaged your credibility, though at this point it is difficult to determine how much. And I must remind you that you are making my task immeasurably more difficult by refusing to present a defense. I can see that it is a matter of pride, but it is hardly sound legal technique."

Spock folded his hands behind his back and gazed at the wall behind her. "At the moment, I have not been charged with any specific offense. Therefore I maintain that it would be premature to contemplate a strategy for acquittal."

T'Rhan allowed herself a most un-Vulcan sigh. "Your father warned me that you'd be like this. But very well. I will focus my efforts on showing that the Federation has insufficient cause to indict you in the first place. I trust you will not come to regret this decision."

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From the window of their shared cabin, Leila and Jarrod watched the pack of mercenaries fan out across the colony. Small groups of them searched every building they came to and used both padds and old-fashioned paper to inventory their booty.

"They're probably disappointed at not finding any weapons," Leila said.

"Don't worry. I'm sure they brought plenty of their own."

"We saw a few of them up close, didn't we? Incidentally, thank you for coming to my aid out there. My temper could have gotten us killed."

He shook his head. "I think Selyk has other plans for us. He chose this landing spot for a reason. I did want to ask you, though-why did you tell them that we were married? You've always been dead-set against the idea."

"I...I was afraid they'd separate us. And I didn't want them thinking you were my son, for obvious reasons. I suppose it is a little strange, trying to look respectable in front of a crew of ex-cons and Romulan pirates."

"Well, Selyk knows exactly who we are. His little act didn't fool me for a moment."

"I don't even think it fooled his friends. Still, we'd best worry about that later. Right now we have work to do."

He nodded and they moved to the makeshift greenhouse they'd added onto the back of the cottage. There, amidst a jumble of lighting fixtures and twisted, liquid-bearing tubes, lay several tender rows of purplish seedlings.

Leila sighed. "I devoted my life to my studies long before you were born. I guess we'll find out soon enough if my efforts were worth it."