The Elephant Ep2.19: Sacrificial Tendencies P1: Indirect Approaches

The mist was all around her. She could barely see a metra in any direction. Chiana stepped forward blindly and heard the crunch of pebbles under her boots. "Where the frell am I?" There was no answer. But then again, there wasn't much of anything around here. Moving forward, the Nebari spotted something dark on the ground ahead. "Who's there?" It was the voice of a man. Chiana reached a gloved hand downward and flipped him onto his back. "Carle?" He smiled. A red streak was running across his cheek. It wasn't blood. Something else. "It's good to see you again Chiana." Before she could respond, a bright light caught her attention.

He watched from behind the cold bars of the door. Her beautiful face looked so innocent while sleeping. Almost childlike. D'Argo pushed the thought aside. It brought back too many painful memories. Whenever he saw her like this, all the anger left him. He wanted nothing more than to go to her. Chiana's lips formed a smile then quickly slid into a frown. "What are you dreaming about?" As if on cue, her body began to shake violently. Arms rose to block her face from some unseen opponent. "Chiana!" Without thinking, the Luxan pushed open the door and was at her side in seconds. She opened her eyes and looked at him. The smile returned with less enthusiasm. "I've been spending way too much time with Zhaan."

"What is it Pilot?" She ran out of her cell and towards the den. Coming around a corner, Aeryn almost crashed headfirst into John. "Hey, what's the rush?" She tried to ignore the human but he turned and followed. "Pilot says he's getting a signal from nearby. Another leviathan." Everything became clear for John. "Talyn." The ex-peacekeeper shook her head. "Something else." Together, they reached Pilot's console and saw the confused look on his face. He glanced up at them and attempted a smile. As usual, Aeryn dispensed with the pleasantries. "Tell me."

Pilot's claws moved quickly over the console. At the press of a button, an image appeared before them. The ship was small but its design was unmistakable. "It started transmitting just over an arn ago." John and Aeryn looked at each with equal amounts of concern and suspicion. They had fallen for traps like this before. "It is a leviathan?" The creature looked at her and nodded. "I've never seen one like it. It couldn't be a transport vessel. I imagine only a few people could fit inside." Curious now, Aeryn studied the picture. "The signal was meant for Moya?" Pilot nodded. "There is something else though. The message states that Moya not come directly."

<<<<>>>>

The marauder flew swiftly into the ship's large hangar and touched ground. An entourage waited silently outside for the visitors to exit. Captain Grisham shifted nervously in his stance. He had never met the esteemed scientist before. This was very exciting for him. To the right, Lt. Ness stood solidly without a trace of emotion on his face. Truthfully, he had his own problems to deal with now. "Were there any other instructions?" Ness shook his head obediently. The same question had been asked of him several times already. The marauder's door slid open and a leather-clad monstrosity stepped through.

Scorpius smiled as he left one peacekeeper ship to join another. The Artanis was a science vessel. He hadn't been on one for many cycles. It felt good to be back. Below, two men in command staff uniforms waited for him. He recognized one of them. "Captain Grisham, it's good to finally meet you." The man's hand shook slightly as he took it. Scorpius hid his disappointment well. It was never wise to work with amateurs. The other man eyed him suspiciously. "It is an honor Scorpius." Grisham looked over at his second in command. "This is Lt. Ness." They nodded at each other.

General Hallin walked out and saw the scene unfold before him. He allowed himself a moment of calm before continuing forward. It felt good to be among allies here. Being on the Artanis for only a few moments, he could already see the difference between it and the Velorion. "General Hallin, welcome." The captain's face showed signs of admiration. "I'm glad to be here." The two men stood there for a moment before speaking. Things left unsaid were still floating around inside their heads. The general spoke up first. "I need to make a secure call. Would you direct me please?" Ness stepped forward. "I'll take him sir."

Grisham and Scorpius watched the other two men disappear down the hall in silence. The hybrid looked around the room before saying anything. "Is it true what they say?" The captain's eyes widened when his companion smiled. "That depends on what you are speaking of." Scorpius motioned for him to start walking. He followed close behind, waiting until they were away from outside listeners. "Wormholes? Is that what you were referring to?" Grisham nodded excitedly. This could be an amazing opportunity for him. "Captain, you and I have much to talk about."

<<<<>>>>

Helen stepped down from the carrier's open hatch and touched ground on the Velorion. The massive ship was home for her. It had been for almost a cycle. "Madam Counselor, how was your trip?" The waiting assistant stood with an eager smile on his face. She waved him away and continued forward. "Have the prisoner taken to a cell. I'll deal with him soon." Up ahead, a familiar face appeared from the darkness. Sil entered the room quietly and took a place beside her master. They exchanged glances. Nothing more was needed. Things were on schedule.

The cold metal handcuffs were locked down around his wrists. "Take it easy." A sharp pain in the back of his neck shut him up. Tom felt himself pushed forward by the soldiers behind him. They had their pulse rifles trained on his back. The group left the hangar and walked down a dark hallway. Other men and women dressed in black passed by. He watched them all with growing dread. "This was a great idea." Sounded like something his mother would say. "Shut up boy!" Tom obeyed. There was something eerily familiar about this situation. But this ship was not the Hyperion.

"Bring him up here." The sector warden stood up from behind his desk and eyed the prisoner. Tom stared back angrily but said nothing. "Number?" The guards looked at one another with confusion. Nothing had been said to them about identification. This time the human spoke up. "0377." The warden nodded and entered it into his computer. To the right of him, a squadron of prowler pilots marched down the hall. "Heavy security status. That's a different sector." The lead guard shrugged. "I was told to bring him here." One of the prowler pilots stopped marching. "I'm headed that way."

Tom's cuffs were unlatched and he was shoved towards the waiting pilot. "Get him there as fast as possible. High Counselor Raynor doesn't tolerate mistakes from us grunts." The soldier nodded vigorously and then saluted. The two figures moved down the hall and away from the annoyed guards.

"Are they still watching us?" Tom heard the words but he didn't know what to make of them. He turned around and looked at the warden's post. "No, they're gone." Without a word, the pilot grabbed his arm and tossed him into a juncture between sectors. "What the hell." He lost his footing and slid to the ground. Above him, the soldier removed his helmet. It wasn't a he. "Next time you pull a stunt like that, consider what I have to go through." Meryl ran a hand through her damp hair and growled. "I hate wearing those things." Tom could hardly contain himself. "How did you-?" She covered his mouth.

<<<<>>>>

Hallin struggled to keep alongside the anxious lieutenant as they walked. He wasn't used to physically exerting himself. Generals were not the first line of defense in most cases. "Would you mind slowing down?" Ness turned around and bowed his head. "Forgive me General. I-." He never got a chance to finish his sentence. A hand reached out from the dark corridor beside them and grabbed the older man. Hallin felt pressure on his throat and looked down. There was a woman's hand wrapped around it. "Zelaya! What the frell are you doing?" Ness was too late. His superior officer was pulled into the darkness.

The crunching sounds were loud enough for him to hear outside. Ness reached a hand down to his waist and touched the handle of his gun. No one appeared to be watching when it happened. He stepped into the corridor and looked around. She was sitting on the floor with a prize in her arms. Hallin lay still with blood caked on his skin. Ness felt bile rise up in his throat. "Was that really necessary?" Zelaya looked up into his eyes and smiled. The decision to let her out had been a mistake. "I know what you're thinking. My purpose will show itself soon enough." The Ferrian bit down on the general again. "Ness, my meal is ticking."

He rushed to her side and listened to what she was talking about. There was a light ticking sound coming from within Hallin's chest. The two of them looked at each other in mutual realization. "Why would he do this?" Zelaya shook head angrily. He wondered if she knew something about this. "Very soon, you and I will have to leave." She stood up and dragged the body along with her. Ness watched the grotesque scene with disgust. He followed anyway.

<<<<>>>>

The miniature leviathan floated aimlessly in space before them. John and Aeryn had taken one of the transport pods to meet the curious vessel. Better not to come in with weapons showing. "Who do you think is in there?" John's question went unanswered for several moments. His companion was too busy taking in the sight. Aeryn finally looked up at him and shrugged. There was distraction in her face. He knew that she would rather be somewhere else. Helping Meryl get Tom back. Not chasing signals from unknown senders.

"Have they tried communicating yet?" Her sudden question caught him off guard. John had forgotten to check. "Hold on." The screen in front of them came to life as he moved his hands over the console. Someone was on the other line. Aeryn tried to make out the figure through all the distortion. "Hello! Can you hear me?" A small boy appeared on the monitor with a serious look on his face. Beside him, a Nebari in torn clothing stood quietly." Neither of them was sure what to make of the others. John initiated the conversation. "Who are you?" The boy smiled.

"My name is Kithara. I am looking for Chiana." That got their attention right away. Aeryn didn't understand why anyone like him would be looking for Chiana. "What for?" The boy directed his attention to her. "I have a message for her." Both parties waited for the other to respond. John stood from his chair and walked towards the screen. There was something about the Nebari that jarred his memory. "Aeryn, I know that guy." She glanced up at him in confusion. "How could you possibly-." The look on his face made her stop. "Who?"

"It's Nerri, Chiana's brother." The man nodded his head slightly. He eyed them both suspiciously before leaning down to speak to the boy. "You are friends of Chiana?" John nodded right away. Aeryn just stared forward. He nudged her shoulder roughly. "Um, yes. We are friends of Chiana." Nerri and Kithara smiled.

<<<<>>>>

"It's an exact replica of the machine you were building." Scorpius stared at it in wonder. The design was almost perfect. Only a few small modifications would be needed. He turned to his guide and smiled. "Captain Grisham, there is something we need to discuss first." The Sebacean looked back at him nervously. "Of course." They stepped back from the machine and towards the large windows that surrounded the lab. Scorpius stared into the other man's eyes. "There are certain figures in High Command who wish to see me dead." Grisham looked surprised. "But why? After all you have done?"

The hybrid tried to hide his annoyance. It was not difficult in front of this man. "The growth of our organization is being stunted by our more conservative leaders. Generations of xenophobia threaten to destroy us." He paused for dramatic effect. His listener was more than captured. "Before coming here, I was taken prisoner by High Counselor Helen Raynor. Do you know her?" Grisham shook his head. "I have heard many things." Scorpius nodded. "She wishes to see me dead. But with your help I can survive. The knowledge I have collected can be used." The captain was ready to do whatever he asked.

"If we could create a functional wormhole using this machine, it could save the both of us." Grisham stood and walked over to the device. It had never been used. His mission to recover wormhole information had failed thus far. What the scientist proposed could make him an enormous success. "You know how?" Scorpius grinned maliciously. "I have the means.

<<<<>>>>

Meryl stepped out into the hallway and looked around. There was no one coming from either direction. She motioned for Tom to follow. "Come on. This might be our only chance before the new shift arrives." He nodded obediently and walked over to her. They moved forward and ran down the corridor as quickly as possible. Before they had gotten even more than a few metras, an alarm sounded. The speaker system came on with a loud jolt. "Intruders in sector 17. All available forces move to intercept." The voice sounded familiar to Meryl. She couldn't quite place it at the moment.

"Meryl, in here." She broke away from the thought and looked over at Tom. He was ducking into a small room as he spoke. Holding her gun ahead of her, Meryl followed him inside. Blinking lights assaulted her from all sides. He had already begun to close the door as she passed through it. Safely inside, the two of them dropped to the ground. "You came for me." She nodded slightly. "It was my turn." Tom wouldn't let her get away with a simple remark. "Your mother is here." The voice outside was immediately matched. "So I've heard."

Tom looked around the room and spotted a computer console against the wall. The design on the monitor reminded him of something from Earth. "What is that?" Meryl glanced over at it and sighed. "It's an archiving station." The human stood and walked over to it. Unfortunately, he couldn't tell what any of the symbols meant. "Come over here." She got up and stood beside him. "Are you thinking what I'm thinking?" Meryl shook her head. "I doubt it." He pointed at her and then at the computer. "Oh no."

<<<<>>>>

Aeryn stepped through the threshold and into the small leviathan ship. Everything looked just like Moya except for the size. There were no DRDs buzzing around her feet either. "Hello? Is someone there?" A doorway somewhere down the hall opened up and the boy was standing there alone. "You are Kithara?" He nodded and smiled. "And you are Aeryn Sun." She was immediately confused. How did this boy know her name? "Ask the Delvian. You are as beautiful in person as through her eyes." Aeryn said nothing.

He stepped through the open doorway and saw the awkward scene come to a close. "Hey, what's wrong?" Aeryn turned to him with a strange look on her face. John frowned. Before he could say anything, Kithara interjected. "I have something for Chiana. Can you take me to her?" The human kneeled beside him and smiled. "I think we could manage that." Kithara nodded happily. "That's good because I no longer have a means of transportation." They both stared at him and then at the ship. "What do you mean?"

Nerri stepped out from behind the door with a more relaxed look on his face. The suspicion had apparently died down. "I assume you know who I am." John nodded right away. He had seen the man in Chiana's DNA message. "I thought you'd be taller." The Nebari did not get the joke. "My friend here has donated his ship to the cause. You will have to take him with you." That didn't make sense to John. "Don't you want to see your sister?" Nerri shook his head sadly. "More than anything. But we each have bigger things to worry about now."

<<<<>>>>

Scorpius thought about all the times he had been in this situation. Sitting at a computer console, typing in the sequence. Only to be thwarted again and again by outside forces. This time would be different. He could feel it. "Is it almost ready?" Grisham came up behind him and looked at the monitor. The hybrid growled. "Each time you ask it takes a bit longer. So leave me the frell alone." The captain stepped back, wounded. With a final keystroke, Scorpius leaned back in his chair. He looked up at his companion and smiled. "There you see. All done." The giant machine before them began to hum loudly. The process was beginning.

Zelaya and Ness left the hangar as quickly as possible. For someone to see them together now would be disastrous. "My ship is over there. We're going to need it soon." The lieutenant shook his head angrily. "Stop playing games and tell me why." She didn't get a chance to answer. The Artanis began to shake violently as a beam of light shot from its side. Through the glass windows they could see everything. An immense wormhole opened up in the space alongside. Ness couldn't believe what he was seeing. "They did it?" Zelaya was not as amused. "Yes, and now they're all going to die."

"Frell." The wormhole was stable and waiting for a passenger to venture inside. Scorpius patted his companion on the back and smiled. "I told you. Once High Command hears of this, you and I will be untouchable." Grisham opened his mouth but said nothing. His greatest hope realized in under an arn. What happened next allowed him to speak. A huge, brown ship rocketed from the wormhole and towards them. Five more followed right behind it. Scorpius's hand dropped from the captain's shoulder. "No!"

The Regulator ships poured out the wormhole they had been traveling through. Somehow, a breach had been formed by outside forces. For them, this meant one thing. On the Artanis, all hell had broken loose. Most of the soldiers on duty had left their posts to watch or escape. Scorpius moved toward the window in front of him and growled. "What is that?" Grisham joined him. A black cloud erupted from the hangar. Prowlers, marauders, and other assorted vessels were evacuating at a tremendous pace. "They've heard the stories. Seen the carnage for themselves. I cannot blame them." Grisham's words were barely audible among the confusion.

"We are leaving now." Zelaya switched directions and pulled her companion along. Ness watched in horror as the escaping ships were shot down by the brown behemoths above. He didn't understand why she wanted to go up there. "We'll die. They'll shoot us down." The Ferrian shook her head. "Not us. Not my ship." He was slowly beginning to understand. "These are the people you work for?" She didn't answer. The small brown ship she had brought along waited ahead. Fleeting thoughts of duty raced through the peacekeeper's mind. Survival was the only one that stood firm.

<<<<>>>>

She entered her name into the computer and its files began to speed across the screen. "This is a waste of time. We should be watching out for patrols." Tom saw the reluctance in her eyes. Then again, he also remembered the despair of not knowing what her father had been talking about. "That message you got from your father. He said something about what you did. You didn't know. Why?" Meryl looked at him angrily. This was not his business. Maybe it should be. She opened her mouth slowly. "Something happened."

"You saved your mother?" Meryl nodded solemnly. "When I told you she had died. That was the truth. But the opportunity came. I had to take it." Tom said nothing and looked back at the screen. Despite their situation, he wasn't angry at her. He probably would have done the same thing. "Are you mad?" The question shook him. There was a certain vulnerability about it. She was seeking his approval. "No, I understand." The computer beeped. A series of files came up on the screen. Meryl and her mother's file appeared. Below them, a man's name was written. She did not recognize it. "My father?" Meryl clicked on it.

<<<<

It was a large room with peacekeeper banners hanging from the ceiling. A stage had been set up with rows of chairs in the remaining areas. On the platform, two tables were erected. The highest one was seated with High Counselors. Their uniforms held the rank insignia in red and black metal. Below, the admirals sat side by side. Helen Raynor sat there. A look of both anger and sadness filled her face. She seemed to be detached from what was going on around her. The roar of the crowd jolted her back to reality. A ceremony was beginning.

The spectator area was filled with soldiers of every rank. The sea of black sat perfectly still as the proceedings began on stage. A single man in judge's cloak stepped up onto the platform. He removed a sheet of paper from his pocket and raised it before him. "General Rowan Tekulve, you have been convicted of conspiring against High Command. Do you accept this decision?" The figure before him looked pitiful. Meryl's father had been inserted into a severe-looking, metal device. His limbs were stretched across it. The look on his face was that of pain. "I did what I did for-."

An assistant rose from the crowd and turned a wheel on the device. Tekulve shouted in pain as his body was beat into submission. He fell silent. The judge glanced over at the High Counselors. They remained quiet. "Very well. You are hereby disavowed from the peacekeepers. There is only one way for this to be accomplished." The man turned to look at his superiors again. The one in the middle nodded slightly. Helen stood up from her place at the admiral's table. "It is my duty to-." The judge stopped her in mid-sentence.

"Admiral Raynor, your position does not allow you to take part in these proceedings. Therefore, another must be chosen." A soldier rose from her place in the crowd. Moving swiftly, Meryl was beside the judge in seconds. "I am Lt. Raynor. The duty falls to me." The man looked her over and nodded. "As you wish.

>>>>

They watched the vid in complete silence. Tom cursed himself for pushing the matter. Now look at what he had done. Beside him, Meryl never moved her eyes from the screen. Her mouth had dropped open at some point but he wasn't sure when. "I'm sorry." She didn't answer. The screen went black again as the file ended. Her eyes closed just as a flow of tears left them. Tom didn't expect her to say anything. Meryl had just killed her father. Well, not exactly. The message had shown that he was alive somehow. "Remind me." Her mouth choked up as she spoke. "Remind me why it is that you love me. I need to hear it."

<<<<>>>>

"Should we try to escape?" Grisham could hardly speak clearly at this point. His voice was shaky and difficult to understand. In front of him, the hybrid watched the scene with a strange detachment. He had faced death before. But this was his moment. He had created a perfect wormhole. The one thing that could save him from Helen Raynor and the others. "There's no point. We would never get clear in time." Something outside caught his attention. A small brown version of the larger ships. It was speeding away. "Not like this."

The Regulator ships ran circles around the Artanis. The decisions was still being made about it. Despite their presence there, the wormhole was still open. One of the vessels flying closest to the peacekeeper science ship noticed something. Their scanners picked up an organic object floating in the area beside them. The image came up on their screen. A Sebacean, thrashed and eaten. Confusion spread quickly among the regulators. They had not done this.

Scorpius felt the rumble and looked up into the space above him. A giant explosion had ripped through one of the brown ships. He smiled despite the futility of his situation. This changed nothing. Pieces of the destroyed vessel soared downwards and crashed against the Artanis. "HULL BREACH!" The automated voice repeated its message in vain. There was no one left to hear it but them. Grisham slid to his knees. "Why did you do this to us?" Scorpius turned to him. "I didn't know."

The Artanis was destroyed in a massive fireball of flames and flying debris. The surviving Regulator ships let loose with all the power they had at their disposal. Maneuvering through the debris, Zelaya's ship left the area. Ness ran to the window and watched his last home disappear. He looked back at his traveling companion. "You meant for this to happen?" She tried not to look him directly in the eye. "Yes."