The Court Martial – Chapter 4
Centuries ago, the words of Botis were spoken, his great Kai-outaim at his side. As the years passed, one Keeper to the next shared those words that all among the Rephaim would know the Prophecies.
Into the desert comes The Sadu, The Wanderer, an Emim from lands foreign to the Rephaim. His feet have taken him across harsh lands traversing the world from one great water to another. Unable to rest, he ventures onto the waters to search the mysteries of lands beyond the reach of the Rephaim. Wonders he sees but none cause him to stop his search. With no rest from his journeys, his need takes him beyond the sky where nothingness stretches beyond his reach. The Sadu is taken from the sky and returns to the lands of his birth, no longer the familiar lands he knew. Unsettled and unfulfilled, The Sadu continues to seek what he cannot find. And so, his feet wander until he comes into the desert.
There he is beset by The Eternal Beast claiming dominion over any who wander within its reach. The Beast strikes The Sadu with a stinger black as the starless night. The stinger impales The Sadu bringing the monsters of the Beast to gnaw mercilessly in his flesh. The Beast rejoices, certain in the death of The Wanderer, although The Sadu refuses to fall and fights back as the monsters attempt to consume him.
The Rephaim hear the clash of the battle, The Sadu crying out as he struggles against The Beast and its monsters.
This The Rephaim know: Once The Eternal Beast defeats The Sadu, his eyes will seek others in the desert in his endless desire to destroy any who draw near.
This The Rephaim know: The death of The Sadu is certain unless they scour the desert to bring him the weapons that will defeat the monsters of The Beast.
This the Rephaim know: To subdue The Beast, they must not let The Sadu fall.
And this the Rephaim know: To aid The Sadu, they must travel into the desert guided by the welcoming smile of the half-moon. Hearing the cries of The Sadu, they know his need is great and his need is now, and they must act, or all will be forfeit.
And so, The Chosen of the Rephaim leave the safety of the village—The Keeper, The Hunter, The Shulmanu, The Innocent—to seek what must be found. Weary, they walk through the heated sand as the chill of night wraps them and they walk until they can walk no more and fall despondent to the hard ground without a sign of where to search for the armaments of The Sadu.
xXxXx
You must wake now, an unspoken voice that spoke all the same nudged at Galen. He pulled the blanket tight around his shoulder and groaned at the ache in his back and tenderness of his calves. He felt something cold and damp prod at his neck, breath hot against his cheek, as the voice urged, You must wake now to see what must be seen.
He twisted away from the dream, not wishing to come to wakefulness and the reality of finding himself in the elements once more. It had been over four months since he had been forced to sleep on the hard ground—not since they had fallen into the ancient railway station as they ran from Urko. Not since they had found the underground city of Alba and its technological wonders.
Not since Pete died.
And was saved.
Galen shot up with a gasp. Look to the sun, Friend. The chimpanzee jerked his head around and could not see, but felt a presence rub against him and then was gone. The canvas walls of the travel yurt kept the area dark. He could hear the soft breathing of Misha next to him. Grul and the youngling, Farsha, slept in a similarly small tent spiked next to them. Misha staked strings of warning bones—Galen had added some bells from the servitor since the Rephaim needed some nudges to use the technology now available to them— around their small camp to warn if larger predators approached. Misha explained the noise also served to keep the desert predators away. He could hear the soft rings as the breeze tossed the cords. He blinked several times to clear his head of the fog.
Pete.
He had been with Zeke in the Medical Center sitting vigil with Pete when Misha entered the room. He lay a gentle hand on Pete's feverish forehead to convey his concern then turned to Galen saying, "You must come with me now."
You must wake now.
Promising Zeke he would return soon, he followed Misha to the Village where Grul directed a flurry of activity. Packs were gathered, the travel tents prepared, food and water divided, and a tearful mother held on to the hand of a young ape, certainly no older than ten. The elder gorilla demanded a recounting of the supplies in his and Misha's hearing.
"Why Grul? What is the purpose?" Galen questioned as he looked about, confused.
The Keeper of Prophecy waved his hand toward the half-moon hanging low in the increasingly darkened sky and said, "If you wish to save your friend, we must leave now."
You must wake now to see what must be seen.
With a few more words of explanation, Misha and Galen added to the travel supplies. Galen tapped a short message to Zeke through his comm-link that he had to go with the Rephaim but decided not to include the true purpose, at least partially concerned that Zeke would scoff at his following the gorillas into the desert because of a Prophecy.
And so, they shouldered the packs and walked into the night and walked until they could walk no more. They set up a camp several miles distant from Alba with no idea of where they were going or what they were looking for. Two gorillas, a chimpanzee and an ape child wandering the desert based on a story that offered a chance, a hope, to save Pete's life. After listening to the whispered murmurs of Miriam and Raziel that his sensitive ears overheard, Galen feared this may be one of the few hopes remaining. And Galen decided he would gladly follow a Prophecy of Botis if he could save his friend.
Look to the sun, Friend.
Galen's eyes grew wide as the words filled his head. He scrambled to his feet causing Misha to growl awake and pushed his way through the tent flap. He spun in place looking at every horizon to find the rising sun.
"Which way? Which way?" he repeated frantically to anyone who would respond. Misha lumbered out of the tent. Grul soon followed. The girl, Farsha, poked her head out, rubbing at her eyes.
"What way do you seek, Shulmanu?" Grul rumbled, the tuft of silver fur above his eyes bounced as his nose twitched.
"East. The rising sun. Which way?" Galen continued to spin until Misha took him by the shoulder and pointed him in the proper direction. The chimpanzee took a deep breath as he saw the sky turning gray in that direction. Grul moved passed the tents stepping over the security ropes Misha had set, his eyes locked onto the brightening horizon.
"Quite right, Shulmanu. The sun. As Botis told us." Grul held his long arms outstretched before him, his fingers stretched wide "We beseech you, spirits of the sun, show us the way that we may save The Sadu!"
Galen took a step toward Grul but a hand slipped into his, holding him back. He glanced down at Farsha staring up at him.
"Sir Shulmanu, Botis tells us this is the task the Keeper must complete," she spoke gently. "We should not interfere."
Galen nervously squeezed her hand. "Perhaps you should tell me the story of The Wanderer…The Sadu?... as we walk. I don't know Botis as well as you," he smiled. She gave a quick nod as they both turned their attention back to the east.
"I can tell you other stories, too, if you like," she offered.
"I would love to hear them."
Galen's nose twitched nervously, his stomach tying in knots as they watched the colors streak into the sky. He found comfort in Farsha's hand resting in his as he began to question his decision to abandon Pete and to disappear when they needed to plan Alan's rescue. He heard the nervous chirps bouncing in his throat when the round edge of a red sun pushed above the distant, rugged hills. He could hear Grul's almost sing-song cadence speaking to the spirits of the sun, the sky, the sand, and any other passing spirit. He added his own quiet prayer.
"Please don't let my friends die."
His heart began to thud, and his eyes burned as the sun crept into the sky, the red changing to orange then yellow then a blinding white as the orb revealed itself. His brown eyes watered uncontrollably as he fought to keep focused on the sun in search of whatever the Prophecy had promised. His educated mind raced beginning to question how he could have left one of his dearest friends as he lay dying while the other, so near to his heart, was held in danger and needed his voice to fight for his rescue. Instead, he chose to chase a superstitious tale from a likely imaginary character grown larger than life through drug-induced stories told around a fire. The wetness on his face sprang not only from the glare of the sun but from the tears that welled in his throat because he failed them both….
"There!" Grul shouted. He pointed toward a stand of cacti some yards away. Galen blinked to see something sparkling in sand. And the four of them ran to reach it while the sun still struck it.
Grul knelt in the sand gently brushing the grains aside to reveal a long, translucent strip full of colors. The Keeper reached for it until Misha grabbed his hand by the wrist.
"Be careful, my friend. My eyes may be fooling me but in all my years in the desert, I have seen this only once before. This is the skin of the barrel snake. Harmless, shy snakes that hide beneath the roots of these barrel cactus," Misha gestured toward the squat, rounded plants scattered around them. "They keep the roots aeriated and live off the insects that bury themselves beneath ground. They are unremarkable brown snakes except when the males burst with color to attract…that is, to bring as a gift to their bride," Misha glanced toward Farsha. "Once they join, the skin is molted, and they return to the sandy colors which will hide them from predators. We must gather the skin with care for it will blow away like dust if you touch it."
"I have an idea!" Farsha announced, running back to the camp then returned with a cloth wrapping. She opened it giving each a molded stick of pressed meat.
"You eat it," the vegetarian Galen grinned. "I see your plan." He dropped the cloth to the ground at Grul's feet. The Keeper clicked his teeth in concentration as he scooped under the snakeskin, picking up the sand, and laid it onto the cloth. They all stared down at the snakeskin glimmering with blues, yellows, reds, purples, and greens that danced in the light as the sun's rays continued to climb.
Galen heard Farsha's soft, awe-struck voice speaking.
"And Botis said, 'Into the day the Chosen walk, lost and unsure. The Keeper peers all around seeing the touch of the sun at every turn and beseeches the spirits to show The Chosen the way to find the armaments of The Sadu. And as he turns his eyes to the desert once more, he squints into the brightness that bursts as sparkles in the sand. The Keeper follows the trail and rejoices as he discovers the armor of The Sadu, a Shimmering Cloak to ward him, long hidden from The Eternal Beast, a gift from the ever-shining sun.'"
xXxXx
Alan rubbed absently at his uniform sleeve, a mottled pattern of varying shades of tan, gray, and blue, that appeared to be the standard issue of what remained of Kirtland AFB, circa 3087, or thereabouts. He had debated remaining in his own clothes when the airmen presented the camos with perfunctory efficiency about 0030 minutes before he was due to be escorted, manacles in place, to his scheduled appointment. The silver oak clusters attached to the collar tipped the decision in favor of the uniform for no other reason than to remind them—and him—he was the ranking officer here, even if temporarily relieved of duty, and he expected all the respect and compliance that his rank required.
His guards—they had not identified themselves and based on Williams's warnings, he did not ask choosing not to risk the chance of their refusal to answer losing whatever leverage of rank he still held—led him a short distance through the halls and placed him in a small, nondescript meeting room. He sat facing the door in one of four muted gray metal chairs with a thin padded seat at a square metal table. The room lacked any décor, but the steel door had clanked shut with the distinctive sound of a lock engaged giving Virdon an idea of the room's purpose. He allowed a loud breath through his nose as his impatience began to grow.
After being left in his assigned quarters the night before, Alan fell into a dark place allowing the events of the last month to overwhelm him once more. Beginning with Grul's drug-induced vision that found him seeing his wife, Sally, telling him to give up his search to return home paired with the Prophecy of The Ashima proclaiming he would topple dreams and smash hopes, leaving a trail of despair and death in his wake, he spiraled downward when his command of the Kirtland Mission was removed by the Alban Council. Their judgment proved to be warranted as the catastrophe of their mission found him turning against his friends in favor of the androids, ultimately leading to his own command for Pete and Zeke to be tortured, Jed's death and Burke nearly succumbing to the injuries caused by that torture. And they accomplished nothing in his search for a way home.
Pete. He resisted arrest, —that Alan could believe—sustained injury, and is presumed…. He shook his head. That he would not consider without more information.
Alan knotted the fabric in his fist causing a pinch at his right wrist to bring him back to this place. A faded scar lingered on his forearm where he had worn the communications controller—the commcon—applied by the androids connecting him with the base computer by injecting him with an overdose of chemicals that altered his physiology. He continued to struggle against a slight imbalance, both mental and physical if he was honest, from the residual effects of that exposure.
He spent the night dragging himself out of the mire he had dropped himself into and could not afford to slide back into that pit. As ranking officer, Virdon intended to have his questions answered before allowing any discussion of the charges these androids felt required kidnapping him in order to return him to base for a military tribunal. His eyes jerked to the door at the snap of the lock opening. He stiffened in his seat but forced himself to remain seated. He was under no obligation to stand at attention and planned to take this attorney to task until he got his answers.
The door opened as a soldier wearing the base uniform slipped inside, his back toward Virdon as he quietly shut the door. The lock re-engaged immediately. As the android turned, Virdon opened his mouth to demand his most pressing question, but it died on his lips. He blinked twice at the airman holding his salute.
"Mauser?" he belatedly returned the gesture allowing the airman to drop his arm and approach the table.
"Yes, Colonel. With your approval, Command Chief Master Sergeant Williams has assigned me to represent you in the Courts-Martial proceedings."
"But I saw you…," Virdon trailed off lacking the proper wording for his last memory of Mauser—a mass of white fluid and glowing components that erupted from the remains of the android's ruined face when the Albans stormed the room holding Burke and Zeke.
"Yes, sir," Mauser snapped, dropping his eyes from the stiff posture to meet Virdon's questioning gaze. "That unit was destroyed; however, the biomimetic synthetic components were reproduced, and my AI functions downloaded. I have been re-operational for a few days in preparation for your return." Virdon continued to stare absorbing the fact that Mauser looked the same as when he first saw him—a senior airman with a square jaw and black hair cut in a traditional "high and tight" of military enlisted men.
"Umm, please sit," Alan waved at the chair. Mauser nodded and took the one opposite. "You are to be my…attorney?"
"Based on my innate skills and given the circumstances of my involvement during your inva…umm, incursion into the base, the Chief felt I could better serve as your legal representative rather than a witness for the prosecution."
Virdon recalled that Mauser possessed astute lie detection capabilities which might assist in his trial if androids were even capable of speaking falsehoods within their programming. He seemed to be capable of reading emotions in general as he remarked to Alan's tongue-tied confusion, "You may speak freely in this room, Colonel. Our conversations are privileged, and I cannot be forced to reveal anything you say to me related to your defense. This is a clean room." Mauser waved as his eyes darted along the ceiling corners. "No observation cameras or audio devices permitted."
Information shared begat more questions as Alan scrubbed his face sorting through the myriad of things he needed to know, but his mind circled back to the most important, the one that had kept him restless through the night.
"Chief Williams indicated that there was an incident involving Major Burke. Provide me the details of that incident."
"With all due respect sir, we were provided a short time to prepare for your initial hearing at 1330 hours. Unless you intend to plead guilty, I believe our discussion should be focused on a line of defense…."
"Mauser," Alan discovered his command voice remained strong, "there will be no other discussion until those details have been provided to me. Major Burke."
"Yes, sir," Mauser set his jaw, folding his hands on the table surface. The android's face went blank momentarily but then engaged in a steady recitation as if drawing from a report. "The Away Team successfully set the explosion scene drawing the hybrid force including Lt. Colonel Virdon and Major Burke to the site. As planned, a stun blast incapacitated the hostiles with the exception of Major Burke who, unknown to the team, remained outside the blast radius. The team was preparing to remove Col. Virdon when the major engaged the team. His operative presence was not discovered until he activated a gun mechanism from their transport vehicle allowing him to gain access to the hostiles' holding area. He was given the opportunity to surrender but refused."
Alan did a slow blink keeping his expression blank although he wondered if Mauser could hear the roaring in his ears.
"Airman Gunner prevented the major from further interference with the operation by exposing him to an Entropy Blade. Airman Gunner sustained damage from Major Burke's assault allowing the major to escape. The team successfully returned Col. Virdon to base but Maj. Burke avoided arrest and had to be left behind. Given the introduction of the Entropy into his system, he is presumed…."
Virdon held up his hand forcing Mauser to pause. "Exposed to an Entropy Blade? He was cut? Stabbed?"
"Stabbed, sir. The Blade was not recovered."
"Beyond the obvious, explain the function of this Entropy Blade."
After another blank-eyed pause, Mauser began another recitation. "The Entropy Blade was never considered an offensive weapon, sir. Not standard issue. During the last war, the Eugenics War, the laws of engagement changed. Information and informants became critical to counteract the growing offensive strikes including chemical and biological agents. The Genetically Enhanced and Hybrids held no legal status in the eyes of the United States government; therefore, protections afforded human combatants were dismissed. As the war advanced, human subjects also became eligible for heightened interrogation techniques to obtain more immediate results. New strategies were developed with the Entropy emerging as an option near the end before nuclear entered the battlefield."
Alan forced himself to remain still despite the growing nausea in his gut.
"The Entropy Blade was developed as an interrogation tool. The blade itself was a specially designed instrument to introduce a genetically engineered creative organism capable of making simple decisions based on data/input it gathered from the host. Precision cuts introducing the Entropy into the host were made by the interrogator as the interview proceeded based on the cooperation, or lack thereof, of the enemy combatant. The Entropy possesses a rudimentary brain and organic system that excretes truth serum-type chemicals breaking down resistance, manipulating the host to cooperate. In addition to the initial bite/claw combination the organism possesses to suppress systems and damage cells as it gains entry into the host's system, it secretes pain inducing toxins which could be mitigated by the interrogator when the host complied with questioning."
"There is a countering agent? This organism can be controlled?" Virdon interrupted. "With that agent, Burke can be helped."
"The organism can be manipulated in a controlled environment, sir. I witnessed the use of this technique. The Entropy is dormant until exposed to organic tissue. Initial shock is applied to suppress the host's immune system and allow the Entropy to activate and achieve a foothold. Once in place, it is designed to adapt, reproduce, and advance until it commandeers every functioning biological system and once linked, initiates systematic shutdowns. It moves steadily; and once activated, it is self-replicating and never stops. It was used to excise information from its hosts or turn the host into agents acting on our behalf. The experience was intended to be pain driven and only the interrogator could supply relief. The interrogator was in control of the Entropy at all times, coordinating its advancement, and manipulating its use to excise information or convert the host to unit needs. Without intervention by the interrogator, the Entropy will consume the host. It was never intended to be used on a battlefield. Major Burke's exposure was considered… unfortunate. Airman Gunner will receive a reprimand for its use once he resumes duty functions."
"But you have the knowledge to stop it," Alan pulled forward in his chair.
"Had Major Burke been returned to base, perhaps. The biology is quite complex—beyond my understanding. The organism is quite robust. Having no access to the vaccine to stop the organism from spreading, the Chief said that if the hybrids use a closed system of body disposal, only a few need to survive the fusion process to infect the entire city making any future threat from the hybrids to the base nonexistent."
"What are you saying?" the colonel felt the color drain from his face. He was told of Jed's funeral service within hours of their return to Alba which included a solemn dedication to his life as the body was returned into the fusion reactor system, the dust-to-dust version of burial in a closed, underground city. "You have to send the antidote! You can't jeopardize the lives of thousands of people who mean you no harm."
"Our CDS can produce the antidote and related drugs, but it is an encrypted program. Not even the medical personnel know how it works," Mauser explained.
"Then produce some and send it! You don't know Pete—Major Burke—is dead!"
"Colonel, the Entropy is a weapon. When developed, it was clear that information about its use could never fall into enemy hands. Moderating drugs designed to slow the spread and the antidote which destroys it have extremely short viability. Only a few minutes. Long enough to draw up and inject into the exposed host once they agreed to cooperate. Unless introduced to the Entropy, the drugs become inert in less than 5 minutes. Not long enough to study. Not long enough to transport. The Entropy is a highly sophisticated, genetically engineered organism designed to bring about maximum pain to induce cooperation as an informant or agent. A weapon, Colonel."
"We can warn them! Have them bring Burke here!" Alan heard the desperation in his voice and didn't care.
"Colonel, it's unlikely Major Burke is still alive. Without the related drugs used by the interrogator to slow the spread, Entropy would have moved through his system unchecked. This is not the outcome wanted. Like you, base had ordered his arrest to face court-martial. But it is now out of our hands."
"But the exposure to the city! You can't murder thousands of people! Non-combatants! Innocents! They are no threat to you! Let me warn them!"
Mauser shrugged. "Perhaps now we should discuss your case. If we get an innocent verdict, you will be in command and can order it. Sir."
xXxXx
Her mouth dry from more than her verbal presentation, Eliana returned to her seat in the audience with a quiet sigh.
"Thank you, Eliana. That was a concise report," Malachi, Council Head Elder was saying in his rich voice that carried throughout the room. Remembering those predictive words, the dark-haired human grinned as her thoughts returned to Zeke, and Pete, in the Medical Center. Through the link bracelet, she had asked Zeke for an update on Pete's condition but had not heard a response. She glanced at her wrist. Still silent.
"Our security teams presented a consensus that these robots were disabled and did not present an immediate threat," the female Elder at the far end of the V-shaped table, left of the vertex held by the Council Head, spoke with a hint of accusation in her tone. Eliana glanced toward Levi and saw him stiffen in response.
"Your timely statement segues into the next item on the agenda, Oshra," Malachi inclined his head in her direction. "Gabriel, perhaps you can step ahead of Levi's presentation and provide your analysis of the situation."
"Yes, yes, of course," Gabe stumbled from his chair, his pale colored wings flapping nervously. He had not expected to speak, simply support, or respond to specific inquiries, during this emergency meeting. He stared at Malachi, his mind suddenly blank.
"You disabled the androids when the team exited Kirtland, but they seem active once more. Your thoughts?" the Council Head prompted as he steepled his fingers against his lips.
"Yes, the androids," Gabe found his place. "We did successfully engage a kill- switch command found hidden deep within the system. All the androids we visualized were shut down. But, this is a highly sophisticated system with a very specific mission—the protection of the weapons grade nuclear material stored at the base. A built-in system reset was considered and appears to have been verified."
Several voices spoke at once, but Orsha's overrode the rest as she slapped her palm against the table. "If the base is now active, what is our danger? What threat do they represent? They have acted against us—to what end?"
Gabe stood frozen against the rise of voices around the room. A firm hand gripped his arm and Levi pulled him aside to take the center position. The angel remained standing at Levi's side.
"I will address your concerns," the Head of Security announced. Gabe gave way with a grateful nod. "Nothing in the behavior of the androids in their recent excursion into our territory suggests a deviation from their primary mission—protection of the base itself, although it is clear that the outside world is becoming more aware of our existence which will only increase as the Village surrounding Alba grows." Levi glanced in the direction of the three Rephaim Elders given chairs adjacent to the Council Elders's table. Although not recognized as decision-makers within the Council, their presence as participants had only recently been granted. Snuffling and nodding heads of the apes encouraged the silver-haired security head to continue.
"All of these recent events have reinforced the concern that we have lived in isolation for too long leaving gaping holes in our early warning defense systems. In answer to those concerns, active development of prototypes are underway."
Taking his cue, Josh rose from his seat near the door to stand just behind Levi. His avi went on.
"First, the need to broaden our observational capabilities. The need for eyes on the ground in the exterior locations—not just that which exists in the rail and other underground locales—must be expanded. We have the technology, but we need the infrastructure," Levi waved in Josh's direction, "to provide constant surveillance. We envision improved observation through static monitors as well as mobile drone devices. Solar based. We must be able to see movement miles away, long before it reaches us. In tandem with that development, we will new trained recruits to join the security team to provide eyes on the monitors at all times." Levi glanced toward the Rephaim with a slight grin. "Fortunately, we may have a new resource to draw from for any willing to learn." The gorillas whispered among themselves with surprise, but all seemed pleased at the implied offer. Levi heard an indignant huff from Orsha which pleased him.
"Recent events have shown that we need improvements in our communications systems. They are limited outside of the city, and we must have effective, compact, and individualized tools to allow immediate response from those away from our grounds. Gabe has proposed development of a specialized device worn by our people, targeted to communication, in order to improve the distance and add a rotating frequency to all of our communication arrays to prevent it being accessed by unknown, outside entities. That we need real-time, long-distance communication was made clear by recent encounters.
"The world is coming to us, and we better be prepared to meet it. Security has an increased presence in the field, and we will be improving our mobility. Due to the success of the hovercraft, I have ordered three additional ground vehicles. Coordination of a range of vehicle alternatives are in preliminary stages. The time has come for us to take back the sky. Josh has begun work on flight vehicles in support of our natural flyers."
"With their experience, Pete and Alan's input…," Josh blurted out, caught himself and trailed off, "…will be invaluable when they are able."
Malachi lowered his hands long enough to add, "You may involve them in that project, …when they are available."
Oshra took the opportunity for her own interruption. "All these fine proposals are well and good for tomorrow's problems, Levi, but what of yesterday? Those two of our newest residents," she flicked her hand toward Josh, "seem to have an uncanny ability to bring chaos to our once quiet city. And you have avoided the immediate question: What do the androids want? And since he was taken by them, what are their plans for Alan Virdon?" Several heads wagged with similarly vocalized concerns as the Elder.
Malachi half-rose from his chair, his face stern, but Levi took a step toward Oshra and replied in a firm tone, "We cannot speculate on what the androids want but we have a confident but cautious belief that they have no intention of direct engagement with the city. Their actions seem to have been targeted to returning Virdon to the base."
"We will be retrieving Colonel Virdon," Eliana spoke up, suddenly standing between Gabe and Levi. "We'll ask them what they want when we get there." The chamber erupted with streams of protests and questions at her remarks.
Malachi pounded the rounded gavel against the table. His next words left little room for discussion. "Quiet! That concludes our business for today. Eliana, you may submit a plan for a return to Kirtland if deemed necessary by the Council."
"If?" she took another step forward, her hands rolling into fists. "It's necessary now!"
Malachi banged the gavel against several loud voices demanding to speak. "This meeting is adjourned!"
xXxXx
Levi waited outside the door of the private meeting chamber at the rear of the Council Chamber. He slipped in as the last mollified Elder slipped out shutting the door behind him. Mal looked up releasing his nose that he had pinched with his fingertips and leaned back in his chair with his eyes on the ceiling.
"What happened to the days when the most pressing issues we encountered were allocation of living quarters, improvements to our aging infrastructure and review of the most recent emergency drills?" the Elder asked wistfully.
"Lest we forget the Great Dandelion Conspiracy," Levi chuckled taking a seat in one of the padded chairs in the room.
"Ahhh, took months to bring those blowy bastards under control."
"You shuttered the Council with some unfinished business today," Levi stated. Mal lowered his blue eyes and focused them on his spouse.
"Orsha's steam was building. Enough to power one of those mobile devices you have Josh constructing." Levi tilted his head at the words. Mal shrugged. "It was only the second meeting with our Rephaim representatives. I'm not ready for them to see the ugly side of our governance. Of course, she would prefer the Rephaim stayed outside the walls indefinitely."
"Not one for change, that one, but still, her opinions need to be heard."
Mal scoffed out loud. "You can't abide the woman and her opinions."
Levi winced. "Only when we are lying in bed and no one else hears my tirades regarding stupidity and ignorance. But she does speak for many in the city. The isolationists surround us, and they must be heard, or they will take their views into a hidden corner and come out when we are least prepared to deal with their dogma."
The human pulled forward in his chair, leaning his elbows on his knees. Mal sighed feeling the argument coming.
"We are going to Kirtland, Mal. Within a day or two. I don't think I can hold Eliana back much longer than that."
The angel rolled his eyes and pushed himself to his feet. The time for pacing had come.
"You know I don't agree with the risk of sending an attack force into the base. We have already lost too much in that doomed place. And as I feared, we may lose even more. I'm not sure Ezekial can withstand another loss so soon…."
"Mal, we've opened the blinds and welcomed not only the past but our future," Levi spoke softly but the edge in his voice was undeniable. "We cannot shutter them again. A segregated community will grow stagnant and die. Exploration has always been inherently full of risk. Have you been to the school that your son built? Seen the bright and wonderous eyes, not only of the children, but the older apes who are willing to take a chance and try a new way."
"But those are apes, beings, who welcome us! They want to learn about our ways," Mal flared.
"As we should want to learn about theirs."
"Levi, the robots, as we understand them, are not the same thing! They follow programming! Dictates written by some long-dead people who likely burned in the hell they helped create!"
"First, Mal. We don't know that. We don't know how the Artificial Intelligence works in their system. And if it is as you say, that the androids can only repeat what has come before, you prove a point for me. We must expand our own world beyond our sheltered walls."
"So, you are willing to offer the lives of our children to some vision of benevolent outreach to a hostile force that sees nothing but threats from outsiders. Jedadiah was a healer, Levi! He never harmed another in his entire life! The bullet was blind to his willingness to bring healing to a fractured world," Mal's tone was harsh, the pain barely scabbed and re-opened by the threat of a new loss. They had loved Jed as if he were their own. Mal recognized he had come to love Peter, too.
"Mal, I am willing to prepare our children for the harsh realities of the world while allowing them to follow their feet to places we can't even imagine. But to your point, I am not advocating an attack force. I am demanding a recovery mission. We will not leave our people in the hands of those who may do them harm."
"Our people?"
Levi cut him a look.
"Fine. I agree that we must do whatever we can to protect our citizens. Even the new ones who took us into this mess in the first place."
"We've been through this before, Mal. Nothing which has happened is Alan's fault. He and Pete may have pushed open the doors we would have pretended not to see, but sooner or later, those doors would have swung open. Better we are the ones controlling the when and the how.
"Alan believed that the androids were acting within their design to protect the armaments of that base at all costs. And given that we don't want that potential fire power pointed in our direction, perhaps negotiations that prove we have no interest in their bunkers are in order. In fact, if they can continue to be the faithful guard, it protects us from some unseen menace. At the very least, we can be the watchful neighbors willing to leave them on their own. But they must return Alan to us. Every one of our citizens must believe that we will come for them when we are needed."
"Even Orsha?" Mal asked with a raised eyebrow.
Levi grunted. "You know she's probably the one who released the dandelions in the arboretum."
"Once those seeds were released, there was no turning back, Lev."
Levi rose from his chair, stopped Malachi's relentless pacing, and wrapped his arms around him. They held each other in silence. After a time, Mal pulled back and looked Levi full in the face.
"You're going, aren't you? You are going to Kirtland."
Levi didn't bother giving an answer knowing his husband already knew his intentions.
xXxXx
Barely back in his workshop following the emergency Council Meeting, Josh slid onto the elevator again before the door continued its slide to open. An entwined couple gave him a glance before returning their eyes to each other. He slapped the button for the floor of the Medical Center and began an anxious bouncing on his toes as if that could make the lift move faster. He glanced at his arm link, although the message hadn't changed. Miriam's text chillingly read—could text actually be chilling? But somehow it was—'Taking Pete into surgery. Zeke could use support.'
The elevator stopped to admit a lone woman rider to his quiet groan drawing quick, judgmental looks. He turned his attention to the curved transparent wall which gave a view of the busy central shaft. Josh's eyes widened as the elevator glided toward his stop. A few yards distant, he could see his brother exiting the hallway that led to the Medical Center. His wings were rising above his head as his determined steps led him to the closest landing pad.
"Zeke," he hissed out loud and squeezed through the slit of the opening door to the disapproving chatter of his fellow passengers. "Zeke!" Josh yelled as he broke into a full run around the elevator concourse, bursting past the elevator banks just as Zeke was bending his knees at the edge of the platform. "Zeke! Wait!" Josh was just able to maneuver around the billowing wings and grab Zeke's forearm.
"Zeke, wait," he said, attempting to tap down his anxiety away from his empathic sibling.
"What!?" Zeke, his face rampant with conflicting emotions, turned on Josh. His uncontained fear and anger flooded through Josh forcing him to take a half-step back.
"I was…, umm…,I wanted to…,aahh…,where are you going?" Josh flustered, clinging to his brother's arm.
"Outside," Zeke answered, his voice flat as he disengaged from Josh's grip.
"Outside?" his brother's confusion was evident. "What for?"
Zeke's wings flapped tersely, now agitated that he had to explain himself. "To build a castle." Josh's mouth moved for a moment before he found the words.
"Why would you do that?"
"I don't know!" Zeke raised his arms causing Josh to duck back. "Because Pete wanted to build a castle in the sand and I'm going to start it for him. He can finish it…," Zeke shoulders rolled over as the grief tore through his throat, "…when he is better." With those words, the angel leapt off the platform climbing toward the surface.
Josh was momentarily stunned before resuming another frantic ride on the nearest elevator. He needed to join his brother but had a stop to make first.
xXxXx
Zeke stared helplessly at the open expanse of desert that stretched before him. He had circled along the exterior wall of Alba away from the activity of the Rephaim Village. And stopped. And stared. He sensed before he felt someone come up beside him. Josh.
"I don't know what to do," Zeke forced the words through his ravaged throat.
Josh took a few steps forward and turned back to his brother. Tears ran freely along Zeke's pale cheeks, his eyes rimmed red. Josh swallowed back his own tears and held up one of two buckets filled with water.
"The central computer says you wet the sand and form the castle walls and turrets with your hands. It says moats are popular."
Zeke stood frozen, staring at his brother. He looked lost. Josh's heart was breaking. He took a few more steps into the sand and set the buckets on the ground. He went back and laid a gentle hand on Zeke's shoulder.
"Come, achi. We will do this together. For Pete," Josh spoke as he guided his brother forward. They both lowered themselves to their knees in the sand, began to drag the dry grains into an indistinct pile, then poured the water over the surface. Each began to form adjoining walls with their hands and were pleased that it was holding its form. They worked silently for almost a quarter hour before Zeke's voice, more controlled now, spoke.
"Josh?"
"Yeah?"
"What's a moat?"
"I don't know. But we'll make sure Pete's castle has one."
"Achi, this is for my besheirt," Zeke paused as he glanced over his shoulder at the walls of Alba behind them. "My brother, if a castle of sand is to have a moat, my betrothed must have at least two."
xXxXx
Alan found himself rubbing at the sleeve of his uniform again. This time it was the dark blue jacket of a service dress uniform he had demanded from Mauser when the CDS unit of his jail quarters would not produce it. If they were dragging him before a military tribunal staged in a large conference room complete with the long, elevated bench behind which sat twelve juried servicemen staring down at him, he was damn-well going to dress the part. As requested, a yellow note pad with blue-striped lines and a black pen sat in front of him on the defense table. It remained blank.
He found Mauser's presence in the seat to his right oddly reassuring. Similar to civilian trials, a table for the Trial Counsel, or prosecution, with two presenting airmen sat farther right. Alan was not familiar with either of them. One, the lead for the trial counsel, a Senior Master Sergeant by the name of Kelley was speaking. He had opened his presentation with a list of the charges— Article 85: Desertion, Article 99: Misbehavior Before the Enemy, Article 103b: Harboring or Protecting the Enemy, and the charge which resulted in the full panel of twelve to judge him, Article 103a: Espionage. It crossed Alan's mind that he had grounds for appeal given the entire panel consisted of enlisted men, but since he was the only commissioned officer on the base, he doubted they would overturn a verdict on that technicality. Given a guilty verdict of espionage would result in his execution, a technicality was an argument he'd be willing to make.
He tried to listen as the android droned on in monotone voice reciting the Manual for Courts-Martial, or MCM, word for word. They had slogged their way through the opening requirements and now a few hours in, the prosecutor was preparing to present the first pieces of evidence.
Alan found himself in a stupor, the sands raining down on his head stifling both movement and thought. The voices of the hearing room receded, and he stood in an ancient rail station, the ceiling cracked open with a small tree, bent from the roof damage, leading to the surface. Pete lay before him, impaled by rebar protruding from his shoulder and flank, his bloodied hand reaching out for him. He had listened, hidden in a stairwell as Pete screamed when their enemy, Urko, inflicted additional pain to force him to reveal his and Galen's whereabouts. He refused. He died.
But then the world spun, and the angels arrived and saved Pete's life, pulled them away from Urko and ultimately removed that gorilla from their lives, hopefully forever. Even when things had gone so horribly wrong following his insistence that they enter Kirtland, the Albans had forgiven him, welcomed him into their city. He had brought death and destruction just as Botis had warned but rather than punish him or throw him out, they had embraced him. In more ways than one. Miriam offered him warmth and tenderness, not to replace the family he had lost, but a shared understanding of adding a new love while remembering that which had been taken.
The Ashima will topple dreams and smash hopes. He will leave a trail of despair and death in his wake.
The dominoes kept falling before him as his choices led to the destruction of a paradise that had survived for hundreds of years before he brought it down. Pete, Galen, Miriam, Zeke—how could he ever face any of them again? All gone? All exposed to a deadly organism because in his hubris when they declared him their commanding officer, he accepted these soldiers as his men. And now they would judge him? The Albans, the Rephaim, two cultures destroyed if the Entropy spread as Mauser predicted and the androids doing nothing to prevent it.
Suddenly Mauser's words returned to him. "Perhaps now we should discuss your case. If we get an innocent verdict, you will be in command and can order it. Sir."
Alan straightened in his seat as Kelley presented preliminary evidence of the charge Misbehavior Before the Enemy with the current focus on 'casts away his arms or ammunition'. A holographic image played in the area between the tribunal bench and the defense table. The downward angle suggested a camera along the ceiling and showed the room where Pete and Zeke had been interrogated. The sound was muted as Kelley provided the verbal commentary. Pete, wavering from his injuries, stood before Alan, his hand outstretched. Alan placed the butt of the pistol in his friend's palm who tucked it in the back of his waistband. In the background, he could see Jed and the others enter the room going directly to Zeke's huddled form. After a pause, Alan watched as he reached for the commcon device and ripped it from his arm letting it fall to the floor.
"Pause," Kelley ordered. The picture froze: Alan's head down, Pete's arm poised mid-way to grasp his friend's shoulder, a familiar grin on his face. At the table, Alan blinked slowly, his eyes drawn to the image of Pete. He felt his heart lurch when the picture blinked out.
As the Trial counsel proceeded though the charges, additional clips were played, some with angles that suggested stationary base surveillance cameras, but others were at eye level and changed direction as if the camera were hand-held. Virdon leaned toward Mauser and whispered, "Those pictures. How were they recorded?"
The airman leaned into his client's ear and hissed back, "Unit POV cameras. We are almost always in record mode. These images were downloaded and preserved."
"I want to see them," Colonel Virdon stated. "I want access to all of them."
"On what grounds?"
"My defense. I have a right to all existing evidence that can aid in my defense," Virdon was stern. He leaned back in his chair, suddenly attentive to all activity in the room.
"I'll see what I can do," Mauser promised.
The Trial Council airmen continued taking turns laying out how they intended to prove that Lt. Col. Virdon had assisted the Albans in their assault of the base; failed to encounter, engage and capture the enemy; harbored and protected the enemy; quit his place of duty with intent to avoid hazardous duty or to shirk important service; and entered the base with the intent to obtain nuclear weaponry,—what the androids called The Pile—intelligence or other related information or systems to provide to the enemy. A long list of recitations that simply meant, these Kirtland soldiers planned to discipline him for rejecting service to this long-dead base.
Mauser made a successful argument to release access to the records Virdon sought, although the prosecutors put up an extended argument related to Virdon's currently suspended security clearance. Access was ultimately granted, effective immediately. Virdon was anxious to return to his cell and engage the computer they had provided him. The hearing adjourned in the early evening to resume at mid-day to allow the defense to review the evidence provided. Virdon's wrists were locked in the transport manacles.
"Get some rest, sir. I will join you at 0800 in the private counsel room."
Alan's blond head gave a curt nod as he was led away. Mauser reached down to remove the pad and pen for his client's later use. He paused as he read the only thing inscribed on the paper. He looked over his shoulder as Virdon and his guards disappeared through the steel door of the chamber. Virdon had written only four letters in large, block letters.
D U T Y