Chapter 33

ARAZIS

His home was destroyed. She didn’t know, and it changed things for her. She knew now how desperate they were. There was no chance they would have ever joined Kadesh. The deep seeded need to avenge their fallen Kushan was not something anyone would be able to talk them out of, she understood that.

Her wrists still hurt, and the wound on her face was no longer bleeding, but she was still covered in her own blood from it dripping down her face and onto her clothes. It was odd though, despite all the tragedy, the boy called Mark still appeared joyful.

“Don’t you care about all those lost today?”

“Well of course I do! That’s a weird question.”

“Then why do you appear and sound so happy? How?”

And then his smile faded to nothing. “That’s the thing, Arazis. I don’t know If I’m capable of being truly happy ever again for as long as I live.”

She let the words sink in, but had no response.

“So it’s not that you don’t care, it’s that you can’t?”

“How could I possibly care?” This was a much darker side of Mark Soban than she had seen so far. A polar opposite of who he was only moments ago. “I have lost nearly everything in my life to an enemy I hardly know. The only people I honestly give a shit about are my close friends, and I don’t have a lot of those. And one of them, one of them was the lead pilot of the squad that you yourself shot down before we began our chase to the derelicts. Jeroll was one of the best of us, he never lost his cool on anyone for any reason. We made a bet with each other, and a promise post-mortem. I intend to honour that promise and lead us all to Hiigara.”

“Right.” She said looking away from his cold emotionless eyes. “I know it means nothing, but I am sorry. It is simply that I’m used to everyone knowing everyone else onboard. The Amun was more or less a giant family. If you didn’t know a person, you were willing to. And so to lose all of them, I am struggling to figure out what I should be feeling.”

“I do not hate you, Arazis Restona. You killed Jeroll, yes. But you were doing your duty to your own. I can’t fault someone for that. And now you know why I do know exactly how you’re feeling in this moment. I was never even meant to be here. If I wasn’t, neither would you and maybe Mothership would have lost its prior battles. People keep saying I am a sort of natural born leader or something just cause my dad’s a big war hero and his mother before him, and so on all the way down the lineage to Soban the Red himself who founded our clan. While true most Soban are not by blood, as it is in our very nature as a kiith to be accepting of any who wish to join be they from any clan at all including ones we despise. There is no judgement of past ties once one takes the red. Us Sobani, we are the warrior kiith. If someone needs extra protection, it is us they come to first. We are leaders in wartime because the Soban are always engaged in warfare and militant combat regardless. I know my heritage very well. And I plan to use it as much as necessary until this mission’s success and that Taiidan Emperor is dead at my feet so I can step in his blood like the dirt it is.”

“So then, what will you do moving forward?”

“Same thing I’ve been doing. Leading us home. I have seen Hiigara in a dream as vividly as I see the drying blood on your face right now. It was breathtaking. It was inspiring. It was worth dying for. Those I told this to prior to our battle against the Taiidan fleet agreed with that much. We believe in divine fate. If we fail, it was meant to be. We defeated the Turanic, it was meant to be. We defeated the Taiidan fleet, it was meant to be. We defeated your kind, it was also meant to be. If I am a prophet for Sajuuk who has given me sight of the destination, then I will serve the Maker all I can to ensure our people’s continued existence. If I show even a hint of doubt in our ability to win, they will stop believing it too. I might never show my fear, but believe me, I’m constantly scared as hell about everything, about all of this. I never go into combat expecting to make it out alive. And yet somehow, every time I do.”

She saw now, he was just a normal boy. Not truly special, not made of any kind of divine greatness. And yet, having listened to him, she too found herself wanting to believe in him. Maybe Sajuuk did choose him to lead his people home, maybe it was just a dream he imagined up. However, gods are arrogant and full of themselves. Based on his absolute honesty over how he actually felt that no one gets to see, this is not the work of a god at play. She was confident in that much.

She went to wipe the blood from her face, but it had already dried up. “Here let me help,” he said. The interrogation room table had a faucet and apparently a cloth in the sink. He used the now damp cloth to wipe the blood away entirely. She saw him fake a smile again, or perhaps this one was genuine. She smiled back, the one thing she wanted to be able to do since she came aboard, as it tuned out.

MARK

After cleaning her face of the blood, Mark went back around and sat in the chair.

“So, what happens to me now?” She asked. It was a question he did not want to answer, but felt he should to prepare her.

“You’ll be taken prisoner with the others. It isn’t likely they will treat you the same way as they would a Taiidan or a Turanic, however. I can’t promise that though. You are also of Hiigara, after all. And besides, your people really did us no wrong. We entered your territory. You didn’t light an atmosphere on fire. Mostly all you guys did was get in our way.”

“So my people now live in servitude to yours then?”

“No, not exactly. It’s just we can’t exactly send you back to the nebula as the hyperspace modules on our capital ships are far slower, less accurate, and less reliable than Mothership’s core.”

“The difference being?”

“The hyperspace core discovered at Khar-Toba is a device of near mystical properties and power. So complex in fact in order to even understand it and use it in any meaningful way requires computational power far beyond anything but the brain itself. And therefore why Karan S’Jet is linked up within the hyperspace core using her very powerful S’Jet mind to navigate us home. She was nearly denied her request to volunteer by her father the S’Jet-Sa, which is the head of the kiith, but Karan apparently was the most compatible mind to the core that anyone knew of, putting her as the obvious first choice.”

“So the modules in your other ships are just like the ones in our Needles and frigates you mean? How much better is this core?”

“Well, we’re already outside the nebula.”

“That’s not possible.”

“I assure you we are no longer within the borders of Kadesh.”

“But the Origin Nexus is almost in the centre of the Garden! That would be, I do not know the math to compare, but for sure more than ten times faster than anything we know of.”

“The core is, as I said, strange and almost magical. It seems to not follow the known laws of physics doing what it does, but it indeed works as here we are, talking together. Kharak is so far in the outer rim that it is almost not even inside the Galaxy at all.”

“That would have taken millennia with even our fastest hyperdrive.”

“And to think the Khar-Toba’s hyperdrive was probably no better than anything you have.”

“So you mean, your part of the convoy spent actual thousands of years longer than we did travelling to a wasteland?”

“Pretty much.”

“I don’t have words. Again.”

“It’s best not to think about it because it doesn’t make a whole lot of sense even to the smartest among us.”

“Huh?” Her attention was drawn to something behind me. I turned, and an odourless gas was filling the room.

“Oh fun,” he said standing to his feet. She joined him.

“What’s this?”

“Gas. I guess the interrogator must’ve gone whining to someone.” They backed to the far corner of the room, but there was no use. “See you when we wake up, I guess.”

“Wait, what?” She said, but he heard nothing of what followed.

Falling away, he could feel it all at once.

ISABELLA

The hangar was dimmed to night mode and all pilots and friends were gathered around on the though-pass between the main bay and the capital bay. It was not just a funeral for Jeroll, it was a funeral for all who’d been lost. The pyre was lit, and the service began. It was a sad one, she didn’t remember seeing so many people this upset since the funeral after returning to Kharak to see that absolute devastation.

“Jeroll was’t just a skilled fighter pilot, one of our best, he was a good person. Always a smile on his face, knew exactly how to cheer just about anyone up,” the speaker began. “He was my squad lead, but most importantly he was my most trusted friend and the first person I’d seek advice from.”

There were many nods.

“Jeroll recorded a message before we entered the nebula, one meant for his rival, Mark Soban.” He played the message for all to hear over the loudspeakers.

“Well I guess that’s it then, Mark my guy, you win this bet. If you’re hearing this it means I’ve been killed in action. Sad, I know. But so what, man. So many more important and relevant people than I are dead already because of this massive expedition. And look, I too really wanted to see Hiigara with my own eyes to know that paradise is as real as the Gaalsi profess. But what’s happened cannot be undone. This was my fate in the end, it can’t be changed. So now that you’ve heard my final message, do this one for me okay? Lead us home, Mark. Lead us all home. I’ll be watching and rooting from Balcora. So long, my friend.” On his last words, many began to cry, others saluted him on his way.

“Speaking of, where even is Mark?” She asked. “I know that guy, there’s no chance he’d miss this unless he was physically incapable of getting here.”

“He’s not in his room?” Jasiid asked.

“No, I checked on my way over.”

“Well, I know where we can start looking, probably,” Johan said.

“Where’s that?” She asked.

“Well, last we seen him he was interrogating that Kadeshi girl, right? And forced that interrogator out with all the guards.”

“You don’t think he’s being held, do you?”

“It’s a good bet,” Jasiid added.

They allowed the silence to continue a few minutes longer before she took the speaker’s position. “I know I’m not the friendliest, or the kindest. I’m rude and irritable, someone that not a lot of you actually like,” she began. “I knew Jeroll before this voyage began. Not well, only really in passing. But it was enough. And I know this too, he’d hate us all for being here today,” she said. “So with that said, I have a personal request. Mark’s not here, as I’m sure you’ve noticed. Don’t know where he’s at, but we guess he’s being detained for saving a poor Kadeshi girl from being beaten to death.”

“Wait, he’s arrested and that’s why he couldn’t make it?” The first speaker asked.

“Again, I have no idea but it’s a good bet.”

“That’s maddening!”

“It is, yes. So here’s my little request, I need the biggest most muscular, outright scariest looking of us present to come down to detention block with me. Cause if he is being held, it is our duty to bust him out.” And she handed the microphone back and started for the hangar exit. Behind her, not a single one of them wasn’t following. They wanted to arrest their leader, they’d have to arrest all of them too.

ARAZIS

She woke feeling the worst she ever had. All her muscles ached, and she felt pain on one side of her head. She looked around, and noticed she was in a metal cage. Mark was on the ground not far away.

The next thing she noticed was the heat. That and the dryness in the air. So much it felt like it was stealing the moisture from her throat. Even swallowing felt like sandpaper.

She rushed to his side and tapped his face a few times to wake him. “Hey, Mark. Mark! Wake up!” It did not take him long, but he too appeared to be in pain from the experience.

“Oh, Sajuuk that sucked,” he said before sitting up.

“What happened?”

“We’re in a cell. Probably being detained until we wake up.”

Being contained in the metal box allowed her time to think the last day through. All the thoughts flooded back. She wanted to cry but could not. It was too hot and dry for tears. The detention block was silent save the whimpering from others of her kind who were afraid and alone.

“What was that?” A guard said to a booming noise from down the hall. She saw a few others run that direction too past their cell. The two of them stood up and gave each other confused glances. There were a few clanks and something hit the deck.

“Mark!” She heard a girl’s voice call out.

“Over here!” He shouted back.

The group that ran over was one of more than two dozen. The one standing beside the girl had a metal pipe. That must have been that loud clanking sound.

“Wait, hold on, you?” She said to Arazis with a recognition in her eyes. “You’re the Kadeshi girl?”

“I am, and I’m sorry if I killed anyone you cared about.”

“I don’t care if you’re sorry, actually.” She said.

“Hey, wingman, watch your tongue.” Mark said to her.

“You just keep on coming back! It’s infuriating!” She continued.

“I-I’m sorry.”

“Why? Just leave us the hell alone!”

“Calm down, Isabella it’s okay. She’s a friend.”

“To you, maybe. That look in her eyes out there? No. That was pure insanity.”

“It was, okay!” Arazis shouted them all silent. “My mind suffered such a scarring in that first encounter it broke in half. The Red Ship I saw as a challenge, a match even. No matter how hard I tried he seemed just as good if not better than even I was, and got carried away.”

“Here, found it on one of the guards.” Someone came to join them and handed the key to their cell and unlocked it.

“Okay let’s go, we probably shouldn’t be sticking around here longer than we need to,” she said.

The group of them made their way for the exit passing by the unconscious guards on the way. She was out, she was free.

As they were leaving the detention block, Mark spoke. “I want to tell you all my plan, but no time. Observation deck.”

“You have a plan? Since when?” She said to his laugh.

“And by the way, cut the attitude towards Arazis,” he said.

“Fuck you, she killed Jeroll and who knows who else,” she relied without turning his way.

“The code we live by, Isabella. Say it with me.”

“Death is peace, yeah whatever.”

“We invaded their home. Not the other way around. We were the aggressors this time not her people.” She hated it, but he had a point.

“I’m still not trusting her as far as I can throw her,” she said.

“I’m not asking you to trust her, I’m asking you to trust me.”

“Okay, fine. Do whatever it is you’re about to do.”

The observation deck was empty, and opening the door let out a rush of far cooler air. The thick walls must have kept it cold. What struck her was the absolute darkness ahead of them and all the pinpoints of light in every direction.

“No way,” she said.

“Huh?” Mark asked.

“Every single one of those pinpoints, don’t tell me they’re all stars.”

“Oh yeah, I guess you’ve never seen actual space before. The Galaxy is a very big place,” he said. He pressed a few controls, and the view screen stretching the length of the front wall switched, revealing what she recognized immediately.

“There goes home,” she said.

ERIC

Waking up the next morning, he saw that she had fallen asleep at his desk and went to wake her up. “Oh morning,” she said.

“I was only planning on taking a nap, but I guess we were both pretty exhausted.”

“No kidding,” she said. The two of them left his quarters for the mess hall.

“Well, I see we are being followed,” he noted.

“Surprised?”

“No, just interesting is all.” They were passing the commons lounge when its screen flicked on. On it was Mark and the red haired pilot from the battle the days prior. Behind them, was the nebula. And the two of them held hands.

“This message is being broadcast to all ships of the fleet without permission,” he began. “What you see in front of you, this is how it should be. These Kadeshi are not your enemies. I understand the bitter resentment and anger towards them, but if we continue treating our fellow brothers and sisters of Hiigara as I have witnessed, we are no better than the Taiidan we seek to destroy. We invaded their home and they fought us out of fear to protect their own. You should all be able to understand that one.”

“To the Kadeshi, I am Arazis. Captain Jeremiah has tasked me to lead us all to our birthright, the same one as is the birthright of these Kushan. The Taiidan are the Emissaries we have been hiding from all these uncountable centuries. They are mortal same as all of us. They hurt, they bleed, and they die. These Kushan invaders have more than proven that, as their carrier ship is a captured Taiidan one. The very same one that attacked their previous home and destroyed it as well as the rest of their kind.”

“Look to the person next to you. Now, if they are Kadeshi, what do you see in their eyes? Look familiar? It is to me. That pain is the same pain we’ve all had to cope with since Kharak’s burning. They are now kiith Kadesh. Treat them as such. As for myself, I take in this moment a claim to the title of Soban-Sa as my father before me, and his mother before him. If there are others of the Soban who disagree with my claim to the title, you are more than welcome to challenge me over it.” The feed cut out.

“So, that was Mark?”

“Yeah, that was Mark alright. Soban-Sa, eh? Oh man, he’s not messing around this time is he?” Eric said. “You go, Red Leader.”

MARK

“They cut the feed,” Jasiid said.

“Doesn’t matter, I was finished anyway.” They all stared at him in shock. He didn’t tell them what he was to say.

He knew a few of those present were also Sobani, but none seemed to disagree with what he’d said. Some gave him encouraging nods of approval.

“So, what’s a Sa?” Arazis asked.

“It is the title given to the leader of a kiith.” Mark replied.

“There is much too it,” Robert said. “Are you sure you are up for the task as someone so young?” He asked.

“It does not matter if I am ready. I will do what I must,” he replied.

“Then lead us home, my kiith’sa,” he said taking a knee.

“Please uncle, no kneeling to me. As warriors we are equals. I am not your superior.”

“Your father…” he continued standing once again.

“What of him?” He asked.

“Your father would take immense pride watching you here today,” he said.