Authors: Mark G Brewer
Marin stood and extended his hand "You
don't need my permission Commander."
He clasped it then turned to Sindali. "I
most certainly need your permission Mistress Sindali, I will be asked and if
you are not prepared to fill the role then we are lost."
"You go with my blessing Commander and
I apologize to all of you. It's my fault that I sat on the sidelines for too
long, and it may have cost me my children, my own life. Beria is a danger to us
all now. Please, overthrow her yes, but if you can, preserve her life."
[Ham, is the car still there?] Marin subbed.
[It's still there Marin, and Regan is on
her way.]
Marin turned to the guardsmen. "Commander,
take the car. How will we contact you?"
[I've got that Marin, I can always contact
him.]
Marin raised his hand quickly, his message
clear. "Never mind Commander, just go with our blessing, and thank you for
caring for my sister."
The doors were already opening as the
guards made for them and without another word they were gone, leaving brother
and sister alone.
Sindali put her hands to her face looking
distraught. "Mer . . . what have I done? I've betrayed her."
"She betrayed us, remember that too. I
will acknowledge her, yes, but I will not follow her. You've done the right
thing Sin; it was the only thing to do if our home is to prosper."
She wrung her hands, suddenly galvanized by
a thought. "Where has my head been? The children, where are my precious
children?"
"Ham says Regan is on her way."
"And what about Buela, and Rhine?"
Sindali's eyes were wide, appealing desperately.
"They will be with her." Marin
said it more in hope than conviction, quietly subbing for confirmation [Ham,
are they all ok?]
[Yes, they are with her.]
[Thank the stars!]
"They're coming together Sin, sit down
and rest, they won't be long."
[Marin, it may be helpful to prepare Sindali.
They are all right but Regan looks like the babysitter from hell and, well,
there's a lot of blood, it's not theirs but it doesn't look good].
[What happened?]
[Oh, you know, a body here, a body there,
blood, lots of blood, the usual thing.]
Marin gave a long sigh. "Sin, I'm
going to find something for my head, it's killing me." He walked through
to the kitchen and searched the storage drawers . . . nothing. The bathroom
likewise yielded nothing of use. Finally in the second bedroom he found a
medpac with drugs he could use. His head still pounding. he swallowed three
pills dry, and then lay on the bed, buried under the cover.
It felt like only a minute, but was
actually twenty before Sindali's scream woke him with a start and Marin ran for
the door. There, standing just inside the room, was Regan, in a bright red skintight
suit torn at the leg, blood stained and dirty, face swollen and colored black
blue and yellow, one eye partly closed, skull stained red, a child in each arm,
both bloody and battered. If he had any doubts to that point they were gone,
Ham was right. You've got to love this human!
Of the three adults, it was agreed Marin
would be the least conspicuous in public as Sindali was too well known and
Regan was too short, alien looking and bruised. They dispatched him with a shopping
list for supplies, food and drink.
Sindali focused on the children who were
soon bathed and finally asleep. It was disturbing to see them so traumatized
and numb from their experience, but they had held up well. Rhine, as Sindali
stroked him his head, talked excitedly about a man's head on a spike and she
shuddered, hoping he was exaggerating. Guiltily she dosed them from the medpac
to help them settle.
She could hear Regan in the bathroom
showering and walked to the door just as the water stopped. The door opened and
Regan, naked, stepped out looking for a towel, bringing them suddenly face to
face. The two stood there frozen for a moment with Sindali shocked at the
battered body before her. Naked, Regan looked shockingly beaten and bruised
beyond reason. Sindali embraced her and then wept with deep sobbing cries as
her own shock and fear caught up with her. Regan simply held her until finally
Sindali pulled back embarrassed and apologizing that it was she who was crying.
Regan quickly stepped into a bedroom, grabbed a sheet from the bed and then
took Sindali's arm leading her back to the lounge. Wrapping the sheet about her
she considered what to say that might put Sindali at ease. She had a story to
tell, about two wonderfully brave children and their exploits,
although
I
might miss the out blood and head stuff,
she thought.
Much later, though well fed and tired, no
one felt like sleeping. They followed the news feeds reporting on the martial
law established and listened for any news on the fate of Sarin or Brun. There
was nothing, no confirmation of their deaths or the episode at Sindali's
apartment, only that she and the children were missing and that authorities
wanted to speak to a mystery woman. They cycled a poor image of Regan entering
the council chamber which, while unclear, nevertheless revealed a stature that made
her an easy target. There were reports of a woman of a similar description
running through Central Park with two children that also left a disturbing
impression. Had this madwoman kidnapped Sindali's children? And who knows what
had become of Sindali, the Founders’ daughter? An orbital wide alert was in
place to find the mystery woman.
Ham's updates told a different story. Beria
was secure in her apartments; there was obvious dissention in the Guard.
Representations to Beria to step down had all been rebuffed and, most
disturbing of all, Ham was currently tracking two ships on a clear path to
Dahlia. Their origin he couldn't confirm but trajectory indicated they were
most likely from Cora, the most remote orbital on the edge of the system.
Regan mentally reviewed the information she
had on Cora. A tribe harvesting the asteroid belt, they were suppliers of the vast
ore and mineral supplies upon which all other orbitals depend.
[Beria's decided to dance with the devil.]
Ham suggested [Dahlia controls much of the food required in the system,
certainly food types that the others want. Maybe she's proposed an alliance
with another powerful controlling orbital, it might suit both?]
Regan and Marin relayed Ham's thoughts to
Sindali who looked doubtful.
"We're small, tiny compared to the
others," she said, "really, what have we to offer and what have we to
gain from them? No, this is about Beria securing her position. The question I
ask is what concessions has she made, without authority, to win Coran support?"
With a shudder Sindali declared they could
only be military vessels coming.
"And I have a question, who . . . is .
. . this . . . Ham?"
Marin answered first, "Ham is just a
friend, a hacker and a good pilot."
This drew a dark sceptical look from
Sindali. "Hmm, I look forward to meeting this, 'Ham'. When this is all
over you must introduce me!"
They talked for several more hours until
Regan could take no more. It would be twelve hours before the vessels would be
in range of the orbital and she excused herself, dragging her aching body to
the second bedroom.
For a long moment Marin and Sindali sat in
silence.
"She's in shock." Marin finally
spoke.
"I would say so, and in need of rest,
but something else is on your mind brother."
Marin stood and stalked the room. "She
hasn't spoken to me directly, not once, since she arrived with the children.
Does she think I care about my brothers? Sin, they were trying to attack you
and they deserved to die, I would have done it myself. Their selfish ambition
cost them their lives and I won't mourn them. My anger burns against that
witch, she's brought nothing but shame on our family and none of this is Regan's
fault. Doesn't she understand that?"
Sindali shook her head. "Marin, you
men can be so exasperating! It's not about you or what you think. She arrived
here today with blood on her head, literally, and it wasn't her own! Does she
look like a killer? Yet in defense of me she put a spear through Brun from
forty paces."
"She looked like a killer today!"
He said, remembering the startling figure in the doorway.
"Idiot!" She stood angrily. "I
could slap you!" Sindali walked to him, taking his hands. "Marin . .
. they raped her."
"Who?" he stepped back, shocked.
"Brun and Sarin. Mother gave Regan
into their hands after you went to the clinic. I argued but her guards
restrained me and they quickly left with her. As soon as I could get away I
went with my own guard straight to Sarin's rooms but we were too late. Marin, I
was there when my men pulled Sarin off her. Her face, the bruises . . . our
brothers did that to her, and far worse. Give her time brother. She's summoned
amazing strength to get this far, she will get through this I'm sure."
Lost for words Marin sat slowly back. "Thank
you for telling me, before I made a complete mess of this." His thoughts quickly
went to Ham.
[Why didn't you tell me?]
[When have we had time to talk, you needed
to focus, and would it have helped anyway?]
Marin focused on Sindali. "You should
get some sleep Sin. We're secure in here, go to Buela and Rhine, they need you
and you need them, tomorrow we will all need to be thinking clearly."
She nodded, touched his shoulder in
encouragement, and then walked slowly toward the children's room. The adrenalin
had long since worn off for her, she felt drained, exhausted.
Marin sat a few minutes more, his head
again pounding so he reached to a sleeve pocket and popped two more of the
pills. In only moments he could feel the drug soothing the pressure in his
head, but not his heart. Rising he walked quietly to Regan's room and standing
in the doorway he could see her stretched out under the covers. He shook his head,
even in rest she looked powerful. "I will get you home." He
whispered. Then he stretched out on the floor beside the bed, and let the drugs
bring him sleep.
Regan lay quietly, listening to his steady
breathing. She smiled faintly, pulled the cover tight about her and found her
own rest.
Unknown hours later, staring at the
ceiling, Regan found her mind surprisingly blank.
Flat,
she thought.
I feel flat, empty, dull, numb, nothing.
[Ham, Are you there? I need you Ham.]
[I'm here babe, and so are you, you're safe
here, you're going to be ok.]
[I'm not so sure about that Ham, not the
way I feel and I'm not going to be much use to anyone at the moment.]
[Why should you be of use? You aren't
responsible for anyone here so don't carry that around. You can and will help
again, but for now just allow yourself to heal, I'll give you a couple of
hours, and then we can get into things, ok?]
She smiled, [You have more confidence in me
than I have in myself.]
[I doubt it, I'm getting to know you, Regan
Stein, and I like you, you're one tough bird and no one is going to bring you
down. Rest up, get something to eat, then take charge, Dahlians don't think
like you do.]
Regan literally rolled out of the bed;
first
job
,
clothes
. A quick circuit of the room to find closets and
clothing possibilities instead uncovered Marin, still on the floor and snoring
soundly. She stepped over him to tap the pad on the wall and as the door slid
open so did his eyes, with Regan, naked astride his head; quite a morning
picture. Not usually short of a word Marin bit back his first thoughts.
Looking up he met her eyes, "I'm sorry
Regan, I'm so sorry."
Not the most elegant pose,
she thought. Stepping aside she crouched beside him. "Marin,
you have nothing to be sorry about. I know what you mean, and thank you but don't
worry, I'll work this out, I really will. Right now I just need clothes and
breakfast, join me?"
[I have news guys, find somewhere to sit
down, we need to talk.] Ham broke into Regan's thoughts and she could see Marin
also react; clearly they had an open channel.
[What's up Ham?] Marin was first to respond
and Regan resumed her search for something to wear.
[It'll keep Marin, but we do need to plan.
Help Regan find something to wear for goodness sake or you'll never get your
mind on the job, we'll talk over breakfast.]
The bedroom revealed nothing of use but
slipping quietly into the other room Regan found a two piece suit clearly
intended for a male. On her it fit snug and certainly met her needs. She didn't
complain.
Both she and Marin took a short while to
adjust to the three-way. Neither had engaged in three person sub-vocal
conversations before, however it was stimulating and they quickly established
natural rapport.
[There's no doubt about the incoming
vessels.] Ham continued [They are warships and they're from Cora.]