A Most Unusual Day
Dear Journal
Today, hopeful, was the strangest day of my life. Well I guess I should start at the beginning. My name is Matia, daughter of queen Matis and Lithan, born in the year 2783. When I was old enough, mother began training me to take over her position of Ruling Queen in the rare event of her death. And so I studied hard until my seventeenth year: the year that began our great sleep. We were scheduled to wake in the year 2900 so you may ask why I'm writing this in the 2856. Well this was my day…
In a small sleeping camber on the wraith vessel infiltrated by Major Sheppard's team a young female begins to stir awaken by her mothers screams though I did not know it at the time. I stretch, flexing long unused muscles. The musty scent of the small room fills my nostrils. I swipe my hand across the small panel near the door opening it. I stumble out and trip on my dress. After resting so long my legs are not use to working. Then I hear a gasping scream.
I pick up my skirts and run to one of the many integration cambers. When I arrive, I jump back into the safety of the corridor in shock. A human male holds one of our weapons and has stabbed it though Mother. I glance away from the gruesome sight. I wanted to run to her rescue but instead duck deep into a corridor hoping the human did not see me. There was nothing I could do, I know that, but it did not make things any easier. I peered into the camber watching as mother spoke her last. She glances at me eyes sad. "Matia, they are Atlanteans." She tells me mentally then closes her eyes forever. "Good bye." I whisper fighting the tears.
The man runs away with another of his kind. "I promise if I ever see you again, human, you will die a most reached death." I growl. Suddenly, explosion goes off sending me sprawling on the floor where I stay for a while hands coving my head protectively. Finally the groans and bangs of the explosions stop. I look up in shock. A male stands before me wearing the distinctive outfit of a scientist. I am help up by him. "What wound you have us do, my queen?" he asked. "Go after them, do not let them escape. They use the power of our great enemy. If you can, capture one of there weapons or them." The group of males that has gathered bow then went to there tasks. "Are you alright, my queen?" The scientist asks.
"Yes, I'm fine," I say through my teeth, "Come the ship will need repair. You and your fellow scientists shall work on that." He bows and leaves. I walk to the control room were preparation are already being made to leave. Sub-space transmissions are being sent to the other ships to warn and awaken them. I walk over and carefully sit in Mother's-my throne. I press my hands into the soft panels on the arms. Quickly a mist scene appears displaying the skies above the planet. The pilots have followed my orders well. Using the telepathic network, I give directions. I have they advantage of seeing all angles.
"The ship is cloaked, look for the heat signature. Keep the gate guarded no matter what." I remind. I freeze engrossed in the battle unfolding before me. I fell back into my throne as the Round ship made it trough the gate. My hand covers my face as I sigh in defeat. "Did anyone get the gate address?"
"No, my queen, but would it not be the same as in the Great War? That ship was surly Atlantean." Answers some of the pilots together. I stand and walk the whole of the ship to see if everyone had awakened and the progress of the ship repair beckoning a group of ten drones to follow me. I walk down one corridor then another and another, counting those who would never wake. The hibernation cambers disappear into the ship as I pass opening up the space and blocked corridors. The ship is a maze if you do not know where you are going.
Finally I reach the last corridor. The doors are not opening even when the awake wraith try to open them. The manual panel on this side of the corridor was enacted so I try it. No luck of course it can not be that simple. The only thing to do is to manually open each chamber. I begin the slow process of releasing the trapped wraith. I continue down until I found one with a small wraith inside. It was my brother, Kadesh, I could tell by the lock of hair that stuck up even in his silhouette. He is only five. I did not want him in the way so I would let him out last. I have two younger brothers and a myriad of older and half ones.
I release each one of the wraith and then return to Kadesh. I watched as he came out talking of course. "Mother, why did you- Your not mother!" He crossed his arms and frowned.
"No, I'm your sister, Matia, Kadesh. You remember me right?" He nods.
"But where's mother?" he asked starring at me with innocent eyes.
"We'll talk about that later. Come with me I have to do some things."
"I'm hungry, Matia." He begs, "Aren't you gonna feed me?"
"Yes, in a little while." I retort not having time for childish questions
"But I'm hungry now." He whined. 'Was I like this at his age?' I wonder.
"I know you are hungry now but I can not take you to go get food right now. You can wait." I say sternly hoping to end the conversation.
"But I've haven't eaten in years." He groans.
"I haven't ether. Now come." I say pointing to the ground as though he is a pet. "No, I won't. Not till you feed me." Kadesh crosses his arms and puffs up his lower lip. In another context this would have been funny even cute but not now.
"What did you say?" I growl my patience warring thin.
"I won't." he retorts.
"I am your elder. You will come with me right now or you will be locked back in your camber until I have time to retrieve you." I say crossing my own arms. He quickly drops out of his sleeping camber and grabs my hand. I race along already behind schedule.
"Stop your going to fast!" he says bouncing along behind me.
"Oh shut up!" I hiss picking him up and balancing him on my hip running down the hallway to check the repairs. What I sight it must be! A half grown female dressed in a thin white dress and no shoes caring a young child also dressed in white plants and shirt with no shoes running down the hall.
"My queen?" I am stopped by the voice of a pilot. "Yes?" "Um." He says starring at Kadesh who has now buried his head in my long hair, "We found some thing I think you should see." He stammers. I set Kadesh down,
"Stay here. Do not follow me, understand?" I order him. "Yes" he whispered. "Watch him." I command my guards. "Matia" yells Kadesh now half hidden behind the leg of my guard," Are you coming back?"
I smile," Yes." I reply.
"A wise decision, my Queen." Says the pilot leading me. We turned a corner and there lays my father, dead as I had expected. Next to him my younger brother three year old, Latius. They had died in and explosion. 'At lease it was quick,' I ponder. I bend down examining them. 'Father must have been trying to save my brothers.' I wonder. My young brother clutches a stuffed toy untouched by the explosion. I gentle lift it from his cold hand then turned to head back to Kadesh and my duties. This will be the way I would honor my family. I will run this hive and keep our people together. I will have children and carry on the secret line. I came around the corner and see Kadesh standing there waiting for my return.
"Here I have this for you." I say handing him the toy. It will be something for him to play with while I am busy. He hugs it closely as I pick him up and continued on my way. The repairs are going well and soon we will be airborne, yet there are still a few things that need to be taken care of. I received many strange looks from those doing the repairs. They were surprised to see the child on my hip knowing I was just too young to have a child. I took Kadesh to the nursery area where a small amount of solid food was kept for the young. I myself am still classified as a child still three years from being an adult but now that mattered not. I am in between the change form solid food to other forms. I can be subtended on a meal of solids or by one human for twice as long.
I sit Kadesh down in a chair and give him an apple to eat. He grumbles but began to eat it any way. I cannot take the time to eat now and merely sit by Kadesh. "I need to talk to you." I state
"Oh ok." He says in his innocent little voice. My innocence has long since vanished "You have learned about the great enemy right?" He nods. "Well today they snuck into our ship and killed mother." I say rather bluntly not knowing of a way to soften the blow. "Killed?" he says stopping with a slice of apple haft way to his mouth. "Mother is dead." He stares at me not knowing what to do. "Dead" he cried the tears coming down his face. "What about Father and brother?"
"They were killed to." I tell him lifting him onto my lap. "I know it's hard." I whisper to him finger combing the tassels of brown hair. His arms are wrapped around my neck his tears wetting my clothing. I wish I could stay and comfort him. Two young females come in to watch Kadesh while I was busy. These females have very little brain and their main purpose is to watch the young and keep the males happy. I gently transfer him to one of them. "
Don't go sister!" He begs his hand reaching out to me.
"I have to. I'll be back." I tell him leaving. I walk up to the control room and sit in my throne coordinating the preparations to the best of my abilities. During the rest of the day, many came to me asking questions and wanting answers or directions. Finally at the end of the day, I leave to prepare for my families' funeral.
I slipped into my long black dress and first time in the day black heels. I despise black. I pulled my hair back and tie it up. I stare at my self in the mirror. I look the same as I did before I went to sleep, but I am not. When I went to sleep I was a carefree happy girl. Now I am a busy leader of my people who is exhausted after only one day's work. How can I lead? I 'm just a girl. A girl who just happens to be next in line for the throne. Now more than ever my people need a strong experienced leader. But what did they get? A weak little girl. Then I hear my mother's encouragement in my mind. "You are the chosen one, Matia. That's what your name means. Thrust in this, and yourself. You are destined to rule. Follow your heart. It will not lead you astray." "But how do I follow my heart?" I ask the air. I quickly come out of thoughts a go to get Kadesh.
He is dressed in a small version of the black leather outfits worn by adult males but still crying. I pick him up giving him a hug as I carry him out the ship. I can hear him try to holdback his tears. Why must an orphaned child not cry? I question the ancient wisdom of hiding emotions.
I walk to a clearing of the scrubby forest that covered the planet. In the middle, two pyres have been created. One was large and has many bodies on it the other was small but higher with only three bodies: my mother, father, and brother. In the middle a small fire crackles quietly. By it, lay six touches. All on my ship but the drones have assembled here. I walked up to the raise platform of ground before them.
"We gather here to honor those who lived among us and to those who died for us. We pray that they make it to the afterlife safely. We will all miss them. But let us never forget them and the sacrifice they made. We face an uncertain future. The rumors you have heard are true: The Atlanteans have returned. Next time we meet them in battle we will fight all the harder knowing that they have taken from us: mothers, fathers, and brothers. We must always remember there sacrifice." I declare. I backed up and retrieved my touch as well as my brother's. I lit them and hand Kadesh his. I led him over to our family pyre and help him light it. Finally I let the tears come joined by many others. My high pitched wailing sounds so strange against the deeper voices of the men around me. Kadesh falls asleep in my lap and I placed him on a small bed of ferns. Many gave there condolences to me. Some congratulate me on my new position. I stay well into the night until everyone had left and there were only smoldering coals.
"Well, mother you trained me for this. I hope I'm ready. I'll make you proud. I promise. And I'll look after Kadesh and keep our Family's Secret. Good bye." I whisper to the sprits. I say a small prayer hoping my family will find happiness in the after life.
I lifted Kadesh into my arms caring him back to the ship. Most were resting from the hard day I placed Kadesh in his bed removing his small trench coat and wrapped him in his blankets. I kiss his forehead lightly as mother did with me.
My work is still not done. I began the process of moving my things form my cambers to the Queens. I knew I should feed but I did not feel like it. After packing my things I went to the queens cambers and began to move out mother's and father's things. I would put them in my old quarters for the time being until I could sort them. I am amaze at the things they had kept like small thing I had made them when I was very little. I move as much as I can before resting.
Finally I lay down in the soft double bed. Everything hurts. My legs ache and there are small cuts on the soles of my feet. I had not hibernated with shoes and in the chaos of the day had no time to put some on. My back and arms hurt from hold Kadesh so long. My throat stings and burns from the fire and I have a headache from the stress of the day. It feels nice to finally sleep.