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44: The Abductor
"Amah, when do you think Garen will be back from Iscandar?" Constance asked absently as she finished cooking dinner for herself and Dara.
"Don't know." her mother shrugged. "They only left a couple of days ago. I believe they had planned to be gone for most of the week, if not a full seven-day."
"Ah. Okay." Constance said, then paused for a moment before saying, "So... are you going to talk to him soon?"
Dara didn't answer right away, but when she did she sounded uncertain, "I suppose so – sometime."
"What happened anyway? You two were so happy, and then... you were just... not talking." Constance picked up the finished food and set it on the table in their palace quarters.
"It... is hard to explain, neshamah sheli." Dara said, looking away from her daughter as she took her place at the table.
"Can you please try?" Constance prodded. "Maybe I can help out somehow."
Dara chuckled softly, "I highly doubt it, Connie."
"Please..." she grasped her mother's hand and peered into her downcast eyes.
Dara sighed, "Alright... Alright..." she kept her head down as she said, "He kissed me."
"But that's wonderful, Amah." Constance exclaimed happily, "Maybe he's ready to – you know – move on with your friendship."
"Yes, Connie, perhaps he is. But..." Dara turned her head away from her daughter, "I'm not."
"You're... not?" Constance asked in disbelief, "But... but I thought you liked Garen. I thought you two would be together for a long time..."
"I do like him, and we have been together for a long time – together as friends." Dara finally looked at her child, "But I can't bring myself to escalate our relationship any further. Not yet." she shook her head, thoughts of Constance's father floating through her mind like ghosts, "I... just can't..."
"Oh Amah..." Constance shook her head, "I'm sorry... I didn't know."
"I know you didn't." Dara replied, "But... now do you understand, maybe just a little?"
Constance nodded, "I do... not completely, but somewhat." she thought about it for a second, then asked, "Do you want me to talk with him when he gets back? Perhaps I can help him understand a little too."
Dara smiled slightly, "Oh, my child, what would I do without you? Yes, perhaps that would help."
Starsha stood alone in the middle of one of the palace courtyards just outside the grand building. She watched as the light of day reached midmorning's brightness, then she began to walk through the intricate fountains that dotted the area.
She sat down beside one of them and swept her hand through the fresh water that lay in a pool around it. Several birds were perched on one of the fountains just a few yards away and she could clearly see their bright blue coloring. They chirped and sang their little songs as they bathed. When they had finished, they flew away, undoubtedly to look for food to sate their giant appetites.
She had just gotten up and was about to leave when the sudden sound of footsteps behind her made her jump.
"I'm sorry. I saw you here and merely wished to... spend a few moments in your company." the voice was not so deep as Masterson's, and not so unsure as Garen's.
"Leader Desslok." She said, turning around to face the man as he came down the stone path toward her.
The man bowed, "My Queen."
Looking at Desslok once again made Starsha's heart tremble. Every time she saw his face now she saw that painting on the palace ceiling. And he himself had once told her that she was the very image of the woman found in that very picture. It both puzzled and intrigued her how this entire thing was even possible. A century old picture depicting two people who were less than thirty years of age. The chances of such a thing happening by chance were innumerable.
It was one thing that had been lingering in her mind since her fourteenth birthday. If such an occurrence was truly not an accident... then what was the meaning of that strange picture? She had reached out to Gamilon for help, and Desslok himself had come to her aid, albeit too late to save Sasha, but he had at least purged her world of that plague so that they were no longer shut off from the outside world.
Was that what the picture had depicted? Her reaching out for help in great need?
"I was... just heading back inside." Starsha finally said to Desslok.
"May I escort you back then?" he boldly asked.
Starsha nodded, "You may."
The two walked quietly for a minute or two before the Leader said, "I am... sorry we were too late... You have my deepest apologies for the loss of your sister."
"You have nothing to apologize for, Leader Desslok. I assure you, there was nothing else you could have done. Her condition was too grave."
The man seemed to take at least some solace in this and nodded, "I thank you."
"So what is your opinion of Iscandar thus far?" she changed the subject.
"It is..." he looked around at the courtyard; the harbors beyond; the Sea of Iscandar, vast and rolling; the majestic palace before them; then finally at Starsha herself and said, "The most beautiful thing I have ever been privileged to lay my eyes upon."
The young queen looked up to see his eyes resting on her. Feeling her face flush a little, she tried to recover her composure, "Thank you. Iscandar is indeed a lovely place... though I wish that she were still filled with the wonderful people who once graced her shores."
Desslok nodded, still looking at the young woman walking beside him. "Perhaps we could rebuild your homeworld?" he suggested, "After all, the Gamilon-Iscandari Alliance is still in existence, is it not? Deun's treachery did not undo your bond with us, did it?"
Starsha shook her head, "No, of course not. We would never revoke such an important alliance because of one man's evil."
Desslok suddenly stopped. Taken aback, the queen too paused and turned to face the man. Having taken a few steps up some stairs that led to a higher courtyard area, she was able to look down at him instead of having to look up as she would have, were she standing on ground level.
The Leader looked at her with eyes full of – was it compassion? Purpose? Longing? – she could not tell. He took one bold step toward her and held out his right hand which, though gloved in black seemed anything but threatening. "Come with me to Gamilon for a while." he said, "We would be most fortunate to have your insight during this time of crisis." his eyes begged her to say yes, "Will you come?"
Starsha stood speechless for a long moment, thinking. Then, she gave her answer, "Leader Desslok... as much as I would be honored to come with you, I cannot. Iscandar has suffered much in the years she has been desolate. To take one of her two remaining occupants away from her unnecessarily would place more hardship on the one remaining. I cannot come with you, but I would be glad to speak with you whenever you wish to seek my, or my sister's council. We love Iscandar yes, but we also love your Gamilon. It is not our home, no, but it has been our constant ally through many perilous times. I thank you deeply for your gracious offer, but I cannot accept it."
The Leader let his hand return to its place at his side. He seemed a bit downcast – disappointed at her response, but not despairingly so, for which Starsha was glad.
Desslok sighed and nodded, "As I thought you would say. I had hoped you would come with me. I very much enjoy your company. Even all those years ago, when you called me in the dead of night, pleading for help from a stranger, I was glad to speak with you." he paused, giving Starsha time to reply, but when she did not, he continued, "I have been most privileged to have met you, Queen Starsha of Iscandar."
"And I you, Leader." Starsha finally said.
"Please," he held up a hand, "You may dispense with formalities, my lady. I have been 'Desslok' much longer than 'Leader,' and I would be quite happy for you to call me simply by my name and be done with titles."
At this Starsha smiled and nodded, "I will do so, if you will do the same for me. No 'queen' or 'my lady,' or any other such title shall rest upon me so long as we converse."
The Gamilon ruler's eyes, though dark with his own inner struggles, lit up at her words, "I will be honored to do so, my la – Starsha." he bowed to her.
"Thank you, Desslok." she nodded to him in appreciation of his display of respect for her. "I see that we have many conversations yet to come. May they all be as constructive as this one."
"Pretorious," Aurelia exclaimed in insincere delight, "I haven't spoken to you in ages, how have you been, my friend?"
"Busy," came the guttural reply, "The Federation has had a number of setbacks in recent years, as I'm sure you're aware of, Aurelia."
The Malha nodded slightly, "I am aware of much, Pretorious, but not all. I did hear that you've had some good success with a number of new colony worlds out in your own galaxy."
"Indeed," Pretorious seemed to brighten up a bit at the mention of his successes, "We tamed a particularly unruly bunch six or seven years ago. Can you believe they expected to fend us off with planetary shields?! Ha! The fools never knew what hit them. Before they could blink they were in chains. Oh, there were hold-outs – rebel cells that would strike back at us from time to time, but nothing too troublesome."
"And the planet Guardiana – have you found it yet?" the Malha asked eagerly.
Pretorious's face visibly fell, "No, Aurelia... we haven't even begun to scratch the surface of the mysteries of its hiding place. The only hint we've found – aside from the familial history you've afforded us – is a single document. It is old and written in a language much different from our own, but we have deciphered a good portion of it. Unfortunately it appears to be little more than a child's storybook."
"Children's tales are often based upon truth, Pretorious. Do not dismiss it yet. Besides, I have something for you to do that might lift your spirits a bit – perhaps is might even inspire you in your search."
"Ah, now we come to the true reason for your call, ha Aurelia." the stout man chuckled, "What trouble do you need me to cause now?"
The Malha grinned wickedly, "Send me your best assassin. I have work for him to do."
"Hmm," Pretorious smirked, "You are in luck. He is a mere ten light years from your world. He will be there faster than you can say, 'ubiytsa.*' Is there anything else I can provide you with, my old friend?"
"A fast ship," she replied, "Armed with a company of soldiers who know not to ask questions."
Pretorious laughed, "They are on their way, Aurelia. It is always a pleasure doing business with you."
"Thank you Pretorious. Until next time."
The holographic image of Premier Pretorious Bemlayze winked out.
Aurelia turned to Fiske, "Contact Celestella and Mirenel at the palace and inform them of this. I want them to be ready to do their part."
Fiske nodded and left to call the two strange women.
Once the man was gone Aurelia sat alone, thinking over everything she had done thus far to accomplish her goals. Finding the fabled planet Guardiana was important to her, yes, but it was a secondary priority. Finding an heir to the Spirit of Guardiana was much more urgent, and if Pretorious Bemlayze of the Bolar Federation could aide her in that goal, then it was worth whatever price she had to pay to see that goal realized. In exchange for his help, she would be required to perform whatever rites the Premier required of her for him and his troops. Sometimes it was a rejuvenation ritual, other times it was an invocation of Abaddon's blessing upon a group or individual, and once she had even taught a special operations unit of the Bolar armed forces to summon the shêdim.
She didn't truly mind performing such menial tasks for the Bolars. In truth, the real price she paid was time away from Gamilon – time she desperately needed to see that her plans were accomplished.
But soon she wouldn't need to worry about remaining planet-side for long periods of time. Soon she would begin the next phase of her master-plan. Soon everything would be different.
"Come in." Constance called to whoever was asking permission to enter her and her mother's quarters. "Sorry about the mess, I –"
"There's no reason to apologize, Constance," Eliora's clear voice startled the young woman.
"Oh! Hello. I thought you were my mother." Constance said sheepishly.
Eliora laughed, "No, no. I came to bring you something – something I've carried with me since I first met you, your mother and Garen Krenshaw."
"That day in your old house?" Constance asked, laughing at the memory, "That was quite a day as I remember."
"Indeed," Eliora chuckled too. "For all the danger we were in, it is a day I will always remember fondly."
"Me too." Constance agreed, "We got to meet you – and go through those huge crates in your tunnel. That was an adventure in itself. I felt like I was going on some treasure hunt. Which, I suppose to an eleven-year-old digging into anything is a bit of a treasure hunt."
Eliora nodded, smiling at the memory, "Many of those things we found are still in use to this day. Desslok himself bears at least two of them I know. Your mother wears a pair of gauntlets that will repel any laser fire that hits them, Garen bears a compass that will always point to the Sides of the North – the Northern tip of the Universe itself. I chose to take this," the woman reached into her pocket and withdrew a familiar-looking glass box. Constance couldn't see what was inside, but she could tell that whatever it was was not very bulky.
Eliora entered the pass code and the box melted open to reveal the crowning gem that Constance had seen that day in Eliora's tunnel.
"You kept it... Even after Des – the Leader protested it."
"I did." Eliora nodded, "Talonka and Kara were my friends. The Leader might not like it, but their authority still overrules his own. It was their wish that this pass to a true princess. And today I would like to bestow this upon you, Constance Mariposa, child of Dara."
"But..." Constance stuttered, "But I am no one... I cannot take this."
"Yes you can, Constance. You are kind, generous and gentle. You see good in people, even when they aren't at their best. You offer your help freely, even when you know it will not be easy. You have earned the right to wear this crown, child." Eliora held out the glowing emerald. "Now, kneel so that I may give it to you properly."
Constance was speechless, but obeyed, still feeling completely unworthy of such a gift.
Eliora placed the circlet on Constance's head. The gem stood out against her pale skin and red-brown hair, which had turned curly in the past five or six years.
"You may now stand."
Constance got up, feeling odd with the ornament on. "Thank you..." she breathed to Eliora and stepped forward to embrace her.
The door to Constance and Dara's quarters exploded, sending shards of emerald metal everywhere.
Eliora whirled around to see what was happening, but she was too late. The bolt of energy tore through her and she fell to the ground, near death.
Constance screamed.
"Leader Desslok, we're receiving an emergency communication from Gamilon." the urgency in Masterson's voice told Desslok just how serious the situation was.
"What happened, Talan?" he asked the hologram of his friend.
"The palace has been attacked and one of the rebels was taken, Sir."
"Who was it? Your father? Dommel? Frakken?"
"It was Constance, Sire." Masterson said, his face grim. "She was abducted by an unknown assailant."
"Constance?" Desslok said, puzzled. "Why her? Why not someone more... important?"
"I don't know, Sir. He left no clues as to his identity." Masterson paused, "But... that's not all, Sir."
"What else, Talan?" Desslok asked, knowing that whatever Masterson was about to say would not be good.
"Eliora was caught in the exchange. She is in critical condition in the infirmary."
The Leader was silent for a moment, his gut feeling as though it had just been punched. He recovered enough to reply, "Prepare the ship for launch, Masterson. We're leaving."
"Yes Sir." Masterson's image disappeared.
Desslok's anger began to boil up again as he thought of Eliora – one of the most gracious people he had ever known, as well as a good and loyal friend and comrade in arms.
"If she dies," he whispered harshly toward Heaven, "I'll never forgive You." As he expected, there was no response to his threat. Adonai never answered him. No matter how harsh or caustic his tauntings, Masterson's God never deigned to respond to Desslok.
Dismissing the Deity's continued silence, the young Leader hastily packed what items he'd brought, and left to bid farewell to Starsha and then return home to attend to this most recent, and very personally troubling crisis.
* ubiytsa – Bolar for "assassin"