Nova (10 page)

“Exactly.” Serros remarked, as if she could hear the Vosaia’s
thoughts.

 
And perhaps she could
, Z’arr mused, for she could
still feel the Human’s cognitive and emotional presence as a steady thrum in
her being, like a heartbeat.

Without thinking about it, K’llan extended her hand to the Human
Shield Operative. “Tell me Captain Serros, what is it about you and glass?”

Casting a quick look at the room’s devastation, Serros
chuckled, a somewhat crooked half–smile playing about her lips as she replied,
“My mother would call it my personal brand of creative expression.”

“That is not the term
my
mother would use.” K’llan rejoined
with an answering smile.

“Thanks.” Serros said as the Vosaia helped her to regain her
feet.

“Consider it a fair return.”

Helping to steady the Captain’s balance, the Vosaia realized
for the first time that she had come to the Human’s aid without question. It
was a thought that was quickly followed by a conscious and acute awareness of
their proximity. Both of her arms were around the tall Human’s armored waist, and
the Shield’s left arm was draped around the Vosaia’s shoulders. Inky black hair
spilled across Serros’s smooth forehead. K’llan had to halt the sudden impulse
to touch the curling strands, push them away from those unusual, dark blue eyes
framed by long, soot colored lashes. The two were of similar height, the Human
only an inch or so taller, and as such, Z’arr could taste the air that Serros exhaled,
so close were their faces.

“Interesting.”

Despite her injuries, Captain Serros’s reflexes seemed
undiminished as she quickly drew her pistol and spun, muzzle trained on the
speaker.

With her dark armor covered with dust and, obviously due to
some rough physical activity, blue–silver hair askew, Major Goyan Hadarr stood
half a dozen paces away, her pistol held at the ready, its barrel focused on K’llan.
Looking into those fixed, blue–green eyes, K’llan held no confusion whatsoever about
the other Vosaia’s intent.

“Captain Serros. It is good you reached and located our
target. Now please step away.”

“No.” The Captain responded, and seemingly without conscious
thought, used the arm still slung around K’llan’s shoulder to protectively push
the younger of the two Vosaia behind her. “She has agreed to surrender into my
custody to be brought before the Quorum.”

K’llan was a bit startled at the Human’s announcement and
gesture. True, she had been
about
to place herself in the Captain’s
custody, before the attack, but had not actually said so.

“Has she indeed?” Major Hadarr asked, her eyebrow quirked
inquiringly, tone somewhat bemused yet rolling with hardness. “She is a
traitor.”

“No, she is not.” Serros declared, voice certain.

“Captain, there are Karukai present and Lieutenant Z’arr
intended to give these Karukai the Arcatech data.” Hadarr proclaimed, and
K’llan could tell that the Major was attempting to be reasonable, yet her tone
was irremovable. Interestingly, K’llan could sense nothing from the woman and
was left with only vocal inflection and delivery to ascertain Hadarr’s
emotional state. The empathic silence was most unusual given that they were
both Vosaia.

“Shields are granted full autonomy and the power to act as
they see fit in any given situation, Captain Serros. All with the express recognition
and support of the Quorum. Our
very purpose
is to deal with threats to
the Quorum Aligned Systems that common soldiers and politicians are not able to
contend with due to the potential for failure and catastrophic outcome.”

Slowly moving towards K’llan and Captain Serros, pistol
still extended, the Vosaia Shield Operative finished her argument with, “As I
said, Agent Z’arr is
a traitor
, and I intend to exercise my Shield
authority in this matter.”

“You mean you intend to commit murder, without proof or
trial.” Captain Serros answered, and K’llan could feel Serros striving to keep
her rage in check, struggle to keep the situation civil.

“I mean I intend to do my duty and eliminate a significant
threat.” Hadarr returned.

“STF Agent Z’arr did not know that the Karukai were
involved, and I know for a fact that her intent was not treasonous.”

“You
know
, do you?” Major Hadarr asked, eyes flashing
as she attempted to burrow into her fellow–Shield’s meaning. K’llan was not reassured
by the predatory gleam that suddenly lit those hard eyes.

“Ah. You
know
. I see, with no proof at all. Captain
Serros, I submit this is not a judgment call you are fit to make.” Hadarr
asserted, looking the Human up and down, followed by glancing at K’llan then
back again at Serros. “You are
Shartah
. You have fallen under this Vosaia’s
influence, a victim of our abilities. You will recover in time, yet it is clear
to me you must remove yourself from judgment in this matter.”

K’llan could feel Serros’s mental wince at the older Shield
Operative’s words, the emotion quickly submerged as she responded evenly, “No.
My will is entirely my own. I know you’re aware of my Arca Microtech
Enhancements and as such, you also know that one of them is a Synergy
Enhancement.”

Major Hadarr cocked her head in silent acknowledgment of Serros’s
assumption of Hadarr’s diligence and preparation for her assignment, including
in–depth research of her mission partner.

“I have seen this woman’s
nya
.” Serros continued,
using the Vosaia word for life–energy, spirit, and soul combined. “I know she
is innocent of treason.”

The Major’s nostrils flared and eyes widened slightly at the
other’s proclamation.

K’llan was equally pulsed by Captain Serros’s knowledge of
Vosaia culture. Though given that she could
still
feel the psychic link
humming between them, Z’arr was much less startled at the Human’s ability to
read her than she would have been otherwise.

Once more, K’llan could feel Captain Serros deliberately
project her belief, her sincerity towards another, this time Major Goyan Hadarr.
Though it was clearly a strain, she also maintained her connection to the other
Vosaia so that K’llan would comprehend what she was trying to accomplish. Through
Captain Serros, K’llan was granted a window into the empathic communication. Unlike
with Z’arr herself, however, there was no release of barriers, no complete
meeting and connection with Shield Operative Hadarr. Major Hadarr’s own
cognitive and psychic barriers remained fully drawn. Still, K’llan knew that she
was receiving the message.

Minutes passed as the two Shield Operatives silently
regarded one another, the Special Task Forces Agent observing their exchange
yet also a participant. In some strange way, K’llan Z’arr felt like she and
Hadarr were on opposite sides of a pendulum, each balancing against the fulcrum
that was the Human woman who literally and figuratively stood between them.

That precarious equilibrium was unexpectedly shattered as
several others arrived, all clad in silver and royal blue armor, the Human Ministry’s
blue sun–symbol evident even though their species varied. K’llan noted two Humans
and a Braxien and Gorath male. The Vosaia recognized them as the same team members
who had helped Captain Serros track Z’arr through the city night roof–tops and
glass factory the evening before.

“Captain?” The dark haired, burly Human male asked, taking
in the tableau before him.

“It’s all right, Marcus.” Serros replied, eyes still locked
with Hadarr.

“It is?” The ebon–furred Gorath rumbled.

The entire group of newcomers took in the scene for the
space of a single drawn breath, then as one, their assault rifles all raised to
point at Hadarr.

Interesting. Absolute, instant, and unwavering loyalty.

K’llan’s thought was promptly smothered as the tension in
the room became almost unbearable, the varied group of people locked at the
precipice of unleashed violence, seconds ticking by.

Finally, Major Hadarr announced, “I do not know if you are
correct, Operative Serros; indeed, I fear that you are not.” With her eyes
never wavering, the shorter haired Vosaia quietly lowered her pistol. “However,
I do believe that
you
believe.”

K’llan watched as the Major started to walk away, then stop
and cock her head back over her shoulder towards the Captain. “I also believe
that you are a remarkable Human, Captain Avara Serros.” Then addressing the group
as a whole, the Vosaia Shield Operative added, “Well, we should be on our way.
I can already hear the Peace Keeper alerts ringing though the Medex grounds,
and your Captain has been injured.”

“Can’t leave you alone for a second, Captain!” The Gorath
commented, rapidly moving over to Serros and taking stock of the blood
dribbling out of the grape–sized hole in her silver and blue armor that at
least two bullets managed to penetrate. K’llan could sense the Gorath’s obvious
concern and affection for the Captain in his grumbling tone.

“Yes, well, you know me; I always attract the best sorts,
Ca’rrakk.” Captain Serros responded, dry humor ringing in her voice.

“Harrumph! Maybe for a
Human
.” Ca’rrakk complained,
nodding at the Captain to spur her to key–in the heavy–armor’s control sequence
on her CPA. Within moments, the armor had fully collapsed and retracted into
itself and lay still on the ground in its T–Frame, leaving Serros clad in a black
and dark blue skinsuit.

“I see you’ve managed to damage a perfectly serviceable piece
of equipment again.” The Human male,
Marcus
, commented, the worry in his
eyes belying his flippant tone.

That concern increased as the Captain’s face drained of
color and, K’llan could tell, without a conscious thought, Avara reached out
and grasped K’llan for support. It was a support that K’llan had simultaneously
and unhesitatingly offered.

“Your armor’s automatic dispensation systems applied Salu–Salve
to staunch the wounds and Adrenix to keep you on your feet, but we need to get
you back to Dr. Argos to remove the bullets and properly seal the wounds.”
Ca’rrakk declared, inspection complete.

“Understood. Rygel, prepare to meet with our approaching
storm of locals; cite Shield authority.” The Human ordered, seemingly unruffled
by her state of injury, as if such was quotidian to daily existence.

“You got it, Captain.”  

“Marcus, please take Lieutenant K’llan Z’arr into protective
custody.” Serros told the caramel skinned Human. “She is to be treated with all
courtesy.”

The last held a double meaning K’llan picked up on
immediately; Major Goyan Hadarr would not be allowed to visit the prisoner.

“She is, huh?” Marcus Perez asked, glancing back and forth
between Serros and K’llan. “I must have missed quite a bit.”

“You did. Prepare for an immediate debrief after I visit Jenna.”
Wearily turning her head about the room, Serros said, “All right Nova Squad.
Let’s get to it.”

CHAPTER 7

Consumed with pacing the small confines of her room for the
second time in the last hour, K’llan Z’arr forced herself to stop her
ambulation and return to the wall–bunk and sit down. She found herself wishing
it was as easy to order her thoughts as her body as she breathed deeply and
began to execute the centering and calming exercises of macti that she had been
practicing for an entire Human lifetime.

As far as prisons went, her accommodations could have been
far worse. The
QS
Excalibur’s
brig was small but clean and even
comfortable, though spartan in design. An undersized writing desk, chair, bed,
toilette, and of course durexium bars comprised the room’s major features.
Needless to say, K’llan had exhausted the possibilities of her new quarters
rather quickly. By her reckoning, she had been aboard the primarily Human
vessel for just under a day and except for a humorless and silent duo of guards
that brought her Vitani Serum and a change of clothing, she’d had no contact
with any other person.

With a flash of frustration that threatened to splinter her
efforts at meditation, K’llan thought that the isolation might actually be for
the best, given how off–balance she felt and the very real gravity of her
situation. For the first time in her over two–centuries of life, she felt
utterly out of control regarding her own fate. She held no doubt that not only
had it been intended from the start that she fail her mission to safely deliver
the Arcatech data, but also that she serve as the unwitting executor of High Treason
against the Consulate and the Quorum. What she did
not
know was who the
orchestrator of the scheme was, and if she was traveling right now to be judged
by the very person or people who wanted her branded a traitor.

The potentials were many, yet her instincts prodded her
towards the three people that by involvement and position were the most
plausible suspects. Obviously, the now dead Proconsul Far’allyn Tanad was all
but a given. However, her apparently deceased Mission Operations Handler, Nanzai
C’lann, as well as Shield Operative Goyan Hadarr were also not to be ruled out.
For all Z’arr knew, the three could have been operating in collusion.

Despite their legendary diplomatic accomplishments and
innate empathic gifts, Vosaia tended to be very absolute and unwavering in
their hard–edged views of any act against the interests of the Vosaia people. Z’arr
feared that
especially
because of who she was or, more precisely whose
daughter she was, any issued judgment would result in even harsher ruling. This
would be especially true in the face of the present political climate within Vosaia
society. In fact, she may have been chosen to fall
because
of the
rampant debates running through the Vosaia Consulate and rippling into the
wider galaxy’s affairs.