The Court Martial – Chapter 10
The morning held the promise of a typical day in the desert—hot—as Alan's feet sunk into the sand churned into a pile at the base of the EATTS. The cool air of the vehicle was an odd contrast at his back as the dry heat smacked him in the face. Despite the aid of the bill of his cap providing some shade over his eyes, he blinked rapidly against the brightness of the sun. He kept his breaths shallow as he walked away from the opening, Mauser following.
"I am sorry for the blindfold on the trip, but…."
"Everyone keeps secrets, Mauser. I determined the best course of action was to leave the base. I don't need to see the operation of the vehicle. I find no fault with that," Virdon interrupted.
"Proceed several clicks northwest to reach the location of your arrest, sir," the android pointed. "Since that encounter, the hybrid city…."
"Alba."
"…Alba…," Mauser corrected himself, "has boosted their active surveillance of their perimeter to at least three miles out. Chief Williams does not want to escalate the situation by moving into their controlled territory. The base isn't looking for conflict. He just wants to ensure our primary orders are followed."
"Protection of The Pile."
"Yes, sir. Your reinforcement of that order provided validation. Promoting Williams to base commander once you were vindicated didn't hurt either," Mauser said with a grin.
"And congratulations on your promotion, Staff Sergeant," Virdon gestured toward the new patch on his sleeve. "Well deserved."
"Thank you, sir. We haven't had a shuffle in leadership or a promotions list in a few hundred years. You caused a bit of a …."
"Kerfuffle?" Alan chuckled.
"If that means the kind of unexpected chaos we have not experienced since, well, since the last time an organic was in charge, then yes, sir. You caused a bit of a kerfuffle." Mauser's eyes danced while keeping his face serious.
"It's the least I could do," Alan smirked. "And Williams is more suited to lead in your changing world. I have every confidence the new Chief, elevated to permanent status, will find ways to utilize his men, including Schwartz."
"Here," Mauser handed Virdon the pack he was holding on his shoulder. "I am allowed to provide you with these supplies now that we are out of the EATTS. You have water and rations and a one-man heat deflection puptent if you need a break. There's a utility knife in the exterior pocket. Oh, and you may need this." The staff sergeant gave Alan a belt clip equipped with a compass. "Hold steady at northwest. Should be an uneventful walk. We didn't detect any of the Desolation Spawn nearby."
"The Shedim. That's what the Rephaim named them."
"The Spawn are travesties of human flesh. The remains of what managed to survive the radiation fall-out. Too many to exterminate. Your Rephaim are another breed of genetically engineered hybrids."
"These gorillas are not your enemies, Mauser, although I can't make that statement for every ape out there," Virdon chastised gently as he pulled the knife from the backpack and put it in a more accessible pocket of his camouflage uniform pants. "This kind of devastation doesn't breed a desire for warfare. It teaches survival first and the need to protect your own against attack while establishing trust with those willing to barter to fulfill mutual needs.
"Kirtland has an important mission to never allow those weapons of destruction to be used again, but I hope that you will come to see that the war you were fighting didn't end from any declaration of victory. Instead, the world was crippled and never recovered. Generations have passed since your last contact with Supreme Allied Command, and those living here now know nothing about that previous world. Besides the Shedim, we don't know what else emerged in that desolation. What other dangers may be out there somewhere. Given what I saw of your needs at the base, it might just be in your interests to negotiate with a group who found a way to survive and have no taste for war."
"And I suppose that's why you promoted Chief Williams," Mauser suggested with a raised eyebrow.
"I suppose it is. But the decision is in his hands."
Mauser nodded at Virdon's statement. "Colonel, it was an honor serving under your temporary command," the android extended his hand, presenting one of the oblong, black data devices.
"What is this?" Alan asked as he accepted it.
"The reason you came to Kirtland. All the historical data on the development of the FLT drive conducted at the base. Goes back to the early days of testing. Focus moved away from space exploration and concentrated on both potential offensive and defensive capabilities as the conflicts were less and less about borders and more and more about ideologies. The Eugenics War was a global firestorm that spread rapidly when the attacks used not only conventional weapons but highly targeted technologies. The FTL drive and its development was still considered valuable and highly classified. The engineers here were working on ways to weaponize it and recognized the danger if it fell into enemy hands. Most of that latter information and all the relevant prototypes were relocated during the early stages of the genetics conflicts. We were located too close to the hybrid development center run by Eureka Genomics, what you call Alba. The interstellar configuration data including early test results remained here. Mostly due to historical interest."
Virdon was dumbstruck, staring at the device laying in his open palm. "Where?" he finally croaked. "Where did they move it?"
"Top secret. Classified well above my pay grade, sir."
"And this?" Alan lifted his hand slightly, indicating the data box.
"Well, no one told me not to give it to you."
Virdon tried to wet his dry lips. "Thank you, Mauser. Thank you. I…I…I thank you for your trust in my discretion. I won't betray that trust."
"Thank you, sir. I hope you find it…what you are searching for…the answer if your way home exists." Mauser continued, not giving Virdon a chance to speak. "And while I was researching the case, I found this. You have the full version, too, but…here." Mauser pressed a button on the devise. The holographic image played above the black box. Virdon immediately recognized the over the shoulder recording of a pilot in flight; and thought he was looking at the instrument panel of the one-seater X-15 model. The voices were scratchy and slightly distorted but audible.
Warning signals were sounding at a high and continuous frequency until the pilot flipped a switch.
"Flight, we're reading some elevated numbers here. Do you need to abort? Over."
"Base, I've got room to maneuver. Let's not waste it. Over."
"Flight, sensors show max capacity and moving into red zones. Over."
"Base, sensors don't show what I see. Continuing Mission. Repeat: Flight is Charlie Mike. Over."
"Flight, Base Command wants estimate of outside parameters for mission success. Over."
"Base, there are no parameters if we want to control our destiny. Scratch that. Disregard transmission. Tell Command that Flight has reached 2999.93 with potential for at least 3100. It's right here. Let me take it across the finish line. Over."
Scratchy sounds and the high hum of engines stressed to their maximum reverbed through the speakers. The cockpit shook. The pilot's hands gripped the controls fighting to steady the stick shuddering violently beneath his clenched fingers.
"Flight, Command grants Flight request. Continue mission. Charlie Mike. Over."
"Good, since I was gonna do it anyway," the pilot uttered, then he spoke louder, "Base, Affirmative. Proceeding on current course. Over."
The image broke from the active flight cutting to a scene of the jet, motionless, the runway visible through the canopy windshield. The pilot began unhooking the helmet with oxygen tube attached.
"Flight, Final recorded top speed 3213.72, 4.2219Mach. Welcome to the record books, Captain Burke."
Pete dropped the helmet in his lap and glanced back at the camera over his shoulder with a mischievous grin as he raised his eyebrows saying, "Let's do it again."
Mauser paused it; Pete's infectious smile caused Alan's lips to sneak upwards. God, he was so young. And then it struck Alan it was only about six years ago. He was still damn young.
"August, 1976," Mauser was saying. "That flight remained classified even though the Air Force publicized achieving Mach3 the month before at Beale. Our archives say it was purposeful to keep the Russians in the dark at the height of The Cold War. I included two other test flights that had been archived. They used it for training purposes with test pilots for years. Interesting footage. Exciting, actually.
"Your Major Burke, Captain then, was one helluva pilot. Made some pretty dry reading of his service record jump off the page. "Daredevil" and "Risktaker" seem kind of mild compared to watching the test flight videos. The recordings were upgraded into the latest zelton format. A little blurred since it had been upgraded so many times through a lot of formats, but I guess everyone along the way knew they were watching mastery in motion. Cocky bastard, though."
"Confident." Alan grinned at that old argument he made so many times in Burke's defense. "And loyal. One of the best officers I ever had."
Mauser dropped his eyes. "I, um, put something else in your bag. For you or, umm, maybe Major Burke's friend. It was obvious they were close. After reading about his work on the FTL drive and watching him fly, I thought his work deserved to be commemorated. I packed his flight jacket. The CDS had the official production code. I am truly sorry that it had to end the way it did for him."
"You don't know Pete. A regular Houdini when dodging disaster. I think I'll just give the jacket to him. He will be thrilled to have it." Virdon tucked the data disc into the backpack before adjusting it across both shoulders.
"Of course, Colonel," Mauser extended his hand. Virdon opted to ignore the look of pity the android tried to hide as he shook his hand. "Godspeed, Colonel Virdon. Perhaps we will cross paths again."
Virdon watched as Mauser entered the EATTS vehicle, the hatch lowered but he had to turn his back as they lifted off causing whirlwinds of sand in its wake. Alan brushed at the particles that clung to the sweat on his face. He exhaled deeply, checked the compass, and began the long walk to Alba. As hard as he tried to deny it, his thoughts were lost in the turmoil of how he could face Galen and Zeke as he felt the pain and burden of his own guilt over Pete's newest injury while pushing away any acknowledgement that the blow had been fatal.
He had walked maybe two hours, his mind blissfully shut down against the tragedies he was not ready to face, as the heat drained him from above and below. He kept the compass in his palm and checked it regularly for fear of wandering astray in the featureless landscape.
Alan rolled his shoulders at the prickly sense tickling the back of his neck. When it wouldn't relent, he finally glanced behind him then spun around. Although still some distance away, the flat ground afforded him an all too excellent view of three creatures loping toward him and gaining. He spun a full 365° scanning the terrain. There was a rise in the desert, or at least he hoped that it wasn't a mirage, but a promise of a place he could make a stand and ran toward it, pulling the knife from his pocket, flipping open the blade. Although he knew the best course was to simply run, he couldn't stop himself from glancing back only to see the creatures drawing near enough to take humanoid form. The Shedim. He decided the base needed to do some upgrades in their sensors and he needed to run faster.
The sun glared across the sand making it difficult to see the terrain in front of him. There were rocks appearing beneath his feet giving him hope for higher ground. He could now hear the grunts and cackles of the creatures along with his heaving breaths. Another peek revealed that they had gained within yards of his position and would overtake him soon. Clamping his jaw shut but sucking air through his mouth, he churned his arms and legs with all the power left in him.
"DOWN!"
Alan wasn't sure where the voice came from, but the familiar accent caused him to dive belly-first onto the sandy ground. Rifle shots blasted, more than he could count, followed by high pitched squeals and guttural moans. He pulled himself to his elbows, twisting back to look for his assailants. He sprang to his feet. All three had fallen but two continued to drag themselves towards him, threatening snarls and snapping jaws clearly communicating that they hunted still. He was suspended in a state of rigidity as he stared at the humanesque faces with sunken eyes, noses flattened to slits, large jaws with pointed teeth, mottled skin with tufts of coarse hair on their misshapen skulls and angular shoulders. When he felt someone run past him, he slowly drew his mouth shut, pulling himself back into awareness of his surroundings. Six gorillas, a Rephaim hunting party, descended upon the creatures with long, curved blades slitting their throats then driving the blades into their skulls.
Unable to move, Alan watched, his mind not completely processing what he witnessed. One of the gorillas readjusted his rifle on his shoulder then slid his blade into its sheath as he approached.
"Are you hurt?" he asked.
"Ahh, no. I'm fine," Alan struggled to recall speech. "I'm fine."
The gorilla pulled a waterskin from his belt, holding it out. "Sit. Rest. We must secure the Shedim and then we can talk." Virdon took the water, nodding, dropped his backpack to the ground and lowered himself to sit on it. Taking sips of the warm water, he watched mesmerized as the Rephaim proficiently used sand to soak up the blood then secured the dead creatures on long poles.
Alan pushed himself to his feet as the group concluded their work and gathered around him. "Thank you. I didn't like my chances with a three-inch blade." He flashed the knife in his hand.
"Little one claw," one of the shorter gorillas chuckled.
"A meal waiting to be served here in the desert if that is your only weapon," another ape laughed.
"You are the friend of The Shulmanu, yes?" the first Rephaim asked. "The one who was lost in the desert?"
"Well, yes," Alan acknowledged. "Galen, the one you call Shulmanu, is my friend. And I was taken in the desert…."
"The Halqu," several of the gorillas murmured, an air of excitement spreading through them. The first one nodded to his friends before returning his attention to Alan.
"We did not expect to discover you, Halqu, but it is our honor to return you to the safety of the village. We always thought The Halqu and The Sadu were one but now we see Botis meant there were two. Fear not, as Botis foretold, the spirits will guide your other friend, the one who was fallen."
Alan didn't think his dry throat could close any tighter. His heart shattered and scattered into dust. The androids had told him. And now the Rephaim. Words of the Prophecies could be misleading and confusing, but he could find no other meaning in those words. The spirits will guide the one who was fallen.
Pete was dead.
xXxXx
The excitement of the first mission to use the newly devised LDC—Long Distance Communicators—attached to the flak jackets of the assigned crew quickly lost its glow when Oshra of the Council of Elders mustered enough of a following to force a review of her proposal. Zeke's ears still flushed red at Levi's tirade. His normally calm avi remained detained in closed session with the Council as debate raged on Oshra's Emergency Security Intervention recommendation that the team leader of any away mission must consult with a designated quorum of the Council of Elders using the LDC to receive consent for any decision that might affect Alba, adverse or otherwise.
"Of course, they can make immediate tactical decisions, but we must have a voice in how they choose to react when those consequences affect the city," she had written in her summary. Zeke was surprised they couldn't hear the shouting as the away team waited near the hovercraft so that they could deploy as soon as the final vote was reached.
He surreptitiously glanced down at Pete who begrudgingly agreed to sit in a chair under the shade of the awning provided for the servitor reception area while they waited. He decided not to tease him about drifting asleep where he sat knowing by rights, he should be in his bed back in the medical center. That had been a whole other argument.
Pete insisted that he knew better than anyone in Alba how the minds of the androids worked. He was—is—USAF and the structure and expectations were ingrained in him.
"We have improved radio communication if we need your expertise," Levi shot back.
"Untested over distances," Pete argued. "It's great that you have some of the Rephaim hunting parties wearing LDCs to expose them to different conditions and distances but it's still a brand-new set-up. These are cute little babies just taking their first steps and I need to be where you can talk to me in the moment if they decide to take a nap."
"And a day ago you were almost lost to us, Pete."
"Miriam will be there to keep an eye on me. She's got me encased in binders and elastic-wrap to keep everything where it belongs. I'm so airtight, I might as well be the Boy in the Plastic Bubble. And I'm still the best driver you've got. Me and Harriet have a relationship. Even if we are going the long way around to avoid the Rio Grande Leap, I know more about piloting than anyone in Alba."
Finally, acceptance that only involuntary confinement would keep Pete away from Alan's rescue mission, along with the merits of his arguments, convinced Levi to agree to his inclusion. Levi agreed with the caveat that Pete had to remain in the hovercraft with someone assigned to prevent him from leaving and jumping into a developing situation. And it couldn't be Galen or Zeke—you two are like putty in his hands—so Levi designated Miriam. The experience of Jed's loss was too fresh, and the Head of Security wanted her non-combatant role to be behind the lines of any potential conflict. The increased security of the LDC gave them improved ability to maneuver and she could guide Kezia, a trained med tech on his security team, through any needed medical interventions until they were brought back to the hovercraft.
"Galen," Zeke hissed when he saw the chimpanzee exiting the tent set up for the away team to complete final preparations. He was dressed in body armor but carried no weapon. Galen nodded and hurried to where Zeke waved him over. "Keep an eye on Pete for me, will you? I want to go check some things in the hovercraft."
Galen looked down at Pete's slack face with a tender smile. "How is he today?" He followed Zeke's lead, keeping his voice low.
"Well, I wish he was back in bed for the next several days, but he had other ideas."
"Welcome to my life," the ape commiserated. "Stubborn does not begin to describe that streak." Galen glanced back at the nearby hovercraft. "You want to make sure Pete will be comfortable."
A red blush rose along Zeke's neck into his cheeks. He shrugged. "He wore himself out arguing to be here and then when we were delayed, I think the phrase is, 'he came unglued'? I just want to make sure he can rest."
"Go. I am always happy to watch over him."
Zeke patted Galen's shoulder as he took firm steps along its side to the open door of the nearby hovercraft. He paused before entering, hearing a female voice speaking, taking a moment to place it as Leah from the medical center. From his viewpoint just outside the door, he could see she was checking off a container of medical supplies with Josh.
"…to be a great guy. I can see why Zeke fell so hard for him." The angel leaned forward enough to realize that she was looking at Pete, still dozing, through the front window of the craft, Galen's protective hand on his shoulder. "He's my patient. Look, but touch only as required in the line of duty. I was lucky. I had line of duty as an excuse for touching." She flashed a wicked grin. "And what's your excuse, Josh?"
"My excuse?" he squeaked, looking up then quickly back down at the container.
"Fortunately, not everyone is my patient. No touching restrictions."
"Well, no one cares much what we touch as a Builder. Putting parts in the right place is all that matters."
"I bet you find all the right parts to touch to make things hum."
Zeke rolled his eyes. Did his little brother really not see that the girl was flirting with him? He coughed loudly before Josh had a chance to fumble the opening he was given and would guide him in her direction later. He stepped into the hovercraft with a quick greeting.
"Last minute load ins?" he asked.
Leah smiled broadly at him. "Miriam added some supplies for Pete and for the late start. Levi told her you may be camping on the far side of the old city before approaching Kirtland due to the delays."
"Can you make sure that there are some extra blankets and pillows?"
"On Miriam's list."
"And I installed a few of those reclining seats we talked about," Josh waved toward four chairs on the left side of the craft. "With the blue upholstery so you can direct Pete into one of them," he added. Zeke grinned.
"Thanks, achi."
"Miriam was pleased, too. We left room for the healers to provide treatment for anyone who needs those accommodations. I'm making it standard on the new models along with built-in connections for medical hook-ups."
"Let's have Pete get settled in before letting it slip that the seats have special accommodations, huh?" Zeke requested. The angel opted to ignore the infatuation wave coming from Leah's direction as she glanced back out the window. He noticed that Pete was awake and talking with Galen. They both reacted at the same time he and Josh heard the message sounding on the LDCs they were wearing.
"Priority: Away Team1, Hawk1. Departure in 0.45 Firm. Locked in your seats. I say again, Departure in 0.45 Firm. I will leave your asses behind. Out," Levi's voice popped loudly in the confines of the vehicle.
"What do you think happened?" Josh wondered.
"Hawk1 got his way in the Council vote," Zeke smiled.
"How can you tell?" Leah asked, surprised.
"He didn't say 'goddamn asses'. You two better finish up. He's not kidding about keeping to the time schedule." Zeke spun and left the hovercraft. He saw Pete struggling to get up with Galen's assistance and he intended to make sure Pete's ass was in the right goddamn seat.
xXxXx
The Rephaim set a hard pace toward Alba, whether to return the procured meat back to their village or to return the so called Halqu, Alan wasn't sure. Baru, the hunt leader, declined to discuss the Prophecy further, saying only that Grul, The Keeper, would share the words of Botis upon their return. Alan's last meeting with Grul resulted in a drug-induced vision of Sally telling him to let go of his former life and discovery that he was The Ashima, the man out of time who fell from the stars, toppling dreams and smashing hopes, leaving a trail of despair and death in his wake. Pete had argued with him that he could be The Ashima, but if Alan had any doubts, they had evaporated in the heat of the desert as he made the journey back to his new home.
If it was his home. Baru told him that Halqu meant The Lost One. He had to admit that Botis had hit that one on the nose as well. Alan drifted behind Baru, the unique odor of the Shedim, hanging like curtain swag with the clawed hands and feet tied to the poles carried by the remaining hunters, wafting around him. Those lost souls donned no clothing, their skin a waxy texture of mottled gray, whites, and browns. Descendants of families who once thrived in the city of Albuquerque. People who Alan may have met when he was stationed briefly at Kirtland. Did his family line now walk the earth in a similar macabre state? Botis should have warned him that he would be a victim of his own toppled dreams and smashed hopes, lost in the trail of despair and death he had created as befell these once vibrant people, although no sane person could call them human anymore.
The people of Alba had welcomed him, aided him in his drive to rediscover a way to his past, forgiven him for Jed's death—Darius, the healer's avi telling him that he carried no blame. But Alan had never forgiven himself. And now, his best friend, his last connection to the life he lost and ached to find again, had died due to decisions Alan had made. But Alan knew Pete felt compelled to follow him even when it wasn't a direct order. And Alan never dissuaded him from that support even though he knew Pete disagreed with his views, thinking his goals were forever out of reach. He didn't think he could have made it through this crazy world alone. He knew he couldn't knowing the times Pete risked his own life to save his. The images of Pete from his trial, from the video that nestled in his backpack, and those that swirled up from his memory chewed at his gut. He had an obligation to return to Alba to face Galen. Zeke. And to ensure that the Entropy mutation did not enter the city's distribution system exposing them to the same death sentence he gave his junior officer. And to say good-bye.
Good-bye to Pete. Maybe good-bye to Alba. Miriam. Maybe Galen would follow him to Houston if that was the path he followed. Likely it was just another trail of despair and death but at least that was not his doing. When are you going to give up that pipedream? Pete's voice echoed in his head.
When I see my family, Alan had insisted. He held his eyes shut for several steps wondering if all that was left to him was the de-evolved remains that hung on posts in some apes' firepit. His hope sizzled into a blackened detritus.
Maybe he would just go back to Kirtland. At least there he could claim a purpose. "Not gonna happen, Al," Burke insisted, his voice full of determination and finality. But Pete wouldn't be around to stop him this time.
The excited grunts and hoots of the apes jerked Virdon's eyes out of his dark thoughts. Alba stood before them, the dome glistening in the sun, glaring in their eyes as the afternoon moved silently along. He was surprised to see the amount of activity surrounding the city walls as the heat usually drove rational beings under cover. As distinct shapes came into view, Alan could see an odd formation of numerous sandcastles stretched outward from the walls into the desert. Several groups, Alban and Rephaim moved among them. And children? Dozens of angel and human children played with the gorilla young. Alan had never seen so many humans outside the shelter of the underground city.
The Rephaim were speaking rapidly causing Virdon to lose some of the accented words in their rush, but he heard "Village of The Sadu" and "truly as Botis foretold" and "The Sadu must live" followed by "The Garradu has come". He was too tired and his throat too dry to ask what they meant.
His eyes were drawn to the hovercraft—Burke's Harriet—positioned outside her hangar with a flurry of activity in and out of her open door. Seeing their approach, crowds gathered at the outskirts of the assorted sand constructs. It threw him back to the nightmare he had his first night in Alba: he watched as Sally and Chris faded into the sand and Burke, his chest splattered red, had walked away from him, never looking back. He buried those memories and walked like a zombie, seeing nothing but haze. Until she appeared before him.
"Alan," her voice was soft, but solid. Something real in a whirling storm that spun out of his control. A gentle hand pressed against his chest. "Are you…are you all right?"
He dropped his eyes, a churning blue of turbulent water, as his despair, desolation, sorrow both flooded and drained him. Her brown eyes reached for him, surrounded him, pulling him to her.
"We were coming to get you, Alan. I was coming. I came over to help when one of the children fell," she glanced behind her as his silence stretched. "You are safe..."
Alan stared at her, unable to move. A lone tear rolled along his cheek as a piece moved in his heart. Like a jolt, it struck him that he didn't want her because Sally wasn't here; he wanted her. He leaned in, embracing her, and then found his grip tightening as the torrent of grief ripped through him. Miriam's firm arms around his back seemed to be the only thing holding him in place.
He wanted her. He placed his mouth over hers and kissed her. Maybe because he believed the losses that emptied him could be filled in her arms. Maybe because of the fire that flared from the broken husks of his past when her kiss deepened, lighting the way toward a new place where he could belong. Maybe because he didn't want to the The Lost One anymore. He dropped his head to her shoulder and allowed his body to shudder, releasing some of the anguish that had been building since he awoke in a forgotten bomb shelter turned into a secret cave and began to realize his life was forever changed.
"Come, let's get you inside." Miriam turned within his arms and lead him through the crowd who parted for them. He could hear whispers among the Rephaim telling one another The Halqa had returned. Alan followed her, unable to take charge. He felt more lost than at any other moment in his life. And for one of the few times in his life, he allowed another to lead. He wiped his sleeve across his eyes, keeping them down until he could re-exert control in the maelstrom that whirled around him, willingly accepting Miriam's steady grip to guide him.
"ALAN! ALAN!"
Oh, God. Galen. He tightened his hold on Miriam's waist. I'm not ready for this.
Miriam had no choice but to stop near the entrance gate into the city as Galen trotted up to them and butted Alan's chest with his fist. The nearby hovercraft was emptying of humans, angels and gorillas wearing flak jackets. It slowly dawned on him that both Galen and Miriam were wearing body armor, too.
"Alan, you're safe!" Galen gushed. "Another daring escape to add to your misdeeds?"
"No. They let me go," Alan shook his head slightly, his voice flat. His eyes darted up as he caught sight of the top of Zeke's head, his brown wings opening across his shoulders as he exited the hovercraft making his way through the crowd in his direction. A chill washed through Alan. Pete—Pete—had confided in him how difficult Jed's death had been on Zeke, a death which Virdon felt responsible for. Alan talked with Pete every day about everything and nothing. He helped get Pete and Zeke together. And now— I am not ready for this!
His voice grew hoarse, turning back to his chimpanzee friend as he tried to find the words, "When…? How did it happen...?" his voice broke. "They weren't able to save him…?"
Galen tilted his head to one side and Miriam stepped into Alan's clenched embrace, her hand reaching out to press against his heaving chest.
"Are you asking about…," the chimpanzee started to ask.
"Pete…," Alan blurted as the crowd parted. Pete approached Alan taking short strides, his dark hair accentuating his ghostly pallor. Zeke hovered over him like a true guardian angel. Galen moved aside as Pete stepped in front of Virdon, a familiar grin contrasting the blackened circles of his tired eyes. Burke laid an affectionate hand on Alan's shoulder and squeezed.
"Al, damn," Pete's voice dragged with exhaustion despite his bravado, "I should have known better. You didn't even need my help to kick some android ass. And I was looking forward to doing it with you, too."
"I thought…everyone said…," Alan stuttered then grabbed him into a bear hug causing a whoosh as Pete was pressed against him.
"Watch the stitches," Pete hissed. "I already feel like Dr. Frankenstein's practice dummy," he complained, making Alan squeeze him harder.
xXxXx
The eastern sky was a deepening black as the west flared with the colors of a sunset. The Village of The Sadu teemed with laughter, conversations, and play. Torches lined the grounds preparing for the festivities planned for the evening. The smell of cooking fires preparing assorted stews, soups, breads, and vegetables to be shared wafted on the desert breeze. Tables filled with trays of sliced meats, vegetables, fresh fruits and sweets from the few assorted restaurants inside the city were available as buffet offerings. The Rephaim wisely kept their preferred meat dish brought in by the hunters yesterday at a more discrete location. Games, music, and storytelling sprouted up throughout the area.
"Security Head Leviticus. Security Communication Center calling, sir," Enoch's voice buzzed though the LDC Levi wore on his tunic.
"Hmpf," Mal grumped from where he stood next to his eeshi along the western wall in full view of the growing spectacle. "You and your new toys. The link bracelet works just fine at this distance the last time I checked."
Levi shrugged. "We're still working out the bugs. And after our little Council debate yesterday, I find I like the idea of a secure channel not attached to the shared central link." The communicator buzzed again causing Levi to slap it, saying, "What?"
"Sorry to disturb you, Levi. I thought you might want to handle this. Kirtland is on the line. Asking for you."
"Hold, Enoch." The security head tapped at the communicator, muting it. "Yes Mal?" Levi's undercurrent tone of vexation was not hidden as he responded to the raised eyebrows of his spouse.
"You were expecting them to call, weren't you? That smug feeling of yours can be quite annoying, you know."
"In fact, I was. The day of our first contact, I received a second message later in the day alerting us not to dispose of Major Burke in the fusion chamber and they would accept his remains. I could only assume that they meant it as an offer of good faith."
"An offer of good faith you kept to yourself?" Mal challenged.
"They didn't offer to help Pete survive, just to dispose of his body and their toxin to avoid exposure within the city. I suspected not everyone would have regarded that as a demonstration of their good intentions."
As they talked, their eyes scanned the pathways between the assorted sand structures. On the southside of the area, Eliana, Nethaniah, Kezia and others interested in testing their skills were engaged with the Rephaim hunters in wrestling matches, knife throwing contests, and the raising of waterskins that doubtfully held water. On the western edge of the sand village, Alan walked with Miriam, holding hands, their interest in the direction of the sunset. Closer to the Rephaim Village, Tirzah and many other Albans intermingled with the Rephaim around the fires and tables set up for the festivities, engaged in lengthy chats. Galen, joined by Misha and Farsha, had their heads bent together over a pot at one of the cooking fires to which the chimpanzee was adding carrots and onions and arguing about the proper spices needed for vegetarian cuisine. Grul stood behind them dressed in the regalia of the Keeper. The retelling of the Prophecy of The Sadu—absent the usual specially prepared pipe smoke—was the planned highlight of the evening. The librarians, Elias and Aadina, were discretely setting up their recording equipment for the first presentation of The Prophecies for the Albans. Standing in front of the Rephaim Learning Center, Josh gestured broadly to the pretty girl from the medical center—Leah? By the excited glow to his face, they assumed he was chatting about the plan to embed security team members with Rephaim hunting parties to learn desert survival skills which he had proposed based on his observations and interactions with the apes. It had become all too apparent that the city-born were far too dependent on their technology and needed to learn the ways of the Rephaim if they were going to safely venture out from the isolation of the city. Only a few feet from them, four little Rephaim boys were bounding around Pete and Zeke as they built a new sandcastle. Every time Pete reached for a bucket or a shovel, one of the boys grabbed it first, claiming they promised to help The Sadu. Pete had begun a futile chase as one of the boys circled the castle holding a shovel in the air out of his reach until Zeke snatched Pete at his waist bringing him in for a kiss and the boys resumed their important work at their feet.
"Fortunately, we can sometimes find good whether we intended it or not," Mal observed.
Levi tapped at the A-shaped LDC on his chest. "Enoch. You may continue with your message."
"Levi, Chief Master Sergeant Williams of Kirtland wants to establish a dialogue with you regarding the feasibility of opening communications with the city. Would you like me to patch it through?
"Why, yes, Enoch. I think I will accept that call. I'll be right there."
xXxXx
*~*~* EPILOGUE *~*~*
The door to his lab slid shut with a swish but still sounded like a bang in Raziel's ears. He quickly decided, as he did with most things in his life, to set it aside. He often felt alone—his reasoned voice unheard, the quality of his ideas ignored—within the increasing confines of the city of his birth. He unconsciously flapped his wings reminding himself that if he was of weaker character, he might succumb to the ignoble manifestation of anger, but choose instead to settle into the solitude of his superior mind.
He thought perhaps he could be flattered that Head of Security Leviticus appeared himself, not sending a subordinate, to seize his carefully secured quarantine boxes containing the EKL, most deceased, some in dormancy. The Council of Elders had agreed to the Kirtland base offer to destroy the remains of the genetically engineered creatures they referred to as Entropy and a security team had a rendezvous with base personnel to pass the remains to them. He could be flattered but despite his herculean efforts to identify, understand and establish himself as the Alban expert on the creatures, no one asked him to present his opinion to the Council. And he was excluded from participating in the transfer or any thought given to allow him to go to the base to observe and learn from the process. He did ask, but Council Head Malachi's response was that the Council had no intentions of pursuing any involvement with the use of the entity, or any such creation, recognizing the dangers of genetic manipulation at that level, and the drastic consequences of such actions.
In fact, those exclusions had prompted him to withdraw his name for consideration of Chief Healer. Raziel had no misconceptions that the Council of Elders would make a true impartial ruling granting him the position. Miriam had managed to ingratiate herself with Malachi, Darius, and others on the Council, and he doubted they could see past her susceptive charm versus his own objective analysis. He refused to allow himself to become her subordinate in any matter and stepping back to the privacy and seclusion of his research lab was his preferred option. His wings jerked. He even opted to ignore the apparent sighs of relief when he forwarded his letter of withdrawal.
Raziel busied himself with a mundane study for the next hour to settle his thoughts and to ensure that he was truly forgotten. He keyed the door to the lab to secure it and then entered the containment closet. On one of the back shelves, he shuffled behind sealed containers pulling out a nondescript box. Tapping in a series of codes and then affixing his fingerprint, a clicking sound caused his lips to twitch into a grin. He removed a clear quarantine box holding a thin black blade inside and opened it.
Raziel gripped the hilt of the blade, closed his eyes, and allowed his senses to travel through the connections of the metal into the porous places embedded into its structure.
"Yes. There you are. Seven of you. Shy or slow? Young or old? Simply not properly exposed to the host's blood to awaken you, hmm? No matter. You did not join your brethren when the blade was deployed but fear not. Your purpose has not been lost. And I am not entirely convinced that all your kin died within that host. I hope to discover a way to test that theory. In the meantime, we will get to know each other much better once I find a proper host for you. There is still so much to learn about you."
*~*~* END *~*~*
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