Heart Of The Sun (10 page)

“Get away from me!” Alan yells. “I should have known you were a Karalian spy!” He fights to get away, his feet scrambling on the ice. Vash grabs him again and they both slip over. Alan is on top and he punches Vash. “I can’t believe I trusted you!” he screams. He’s warm now, sweating underneath his clothes As Vash fights back and gains the upper hand, rolling on top of Alan and pinning his hands down to the ice. The ship turns around and swoops back over the lake, rushing over their heads as they wrestle on the ice.

“I... am not... a spy!” Vash gasps. “You have to... trust me!”

The ship spots them and stops, hovering above the ice before slowly descending. Alan stops struggling against Vash and watches it set down gently on the ice. 

“That’s not a Human ship,” Alan says, despair in his voice. “But it’s not a commando drop-ship, either.”

A cargo bay door opens with a whirring sound and then a platform descends with several Karalians on board. They are heavily armed, but look far more disorganized than the rigid commandos. Alan tries to get up, but Vash holds him down.

“Vash?” Alan asks helplessly. The Karalians march up them, pointing their guns at Vash and saying something in Karalian. Vash stands up, saluting them and they lower their guns.

Sensing an opportunity, Alan pulls himself up, scrambling for purchase on the ice and starts to run. The Karalians raise their weapons but Vash raises an arm and they lower them.

“Alan, you have nothing to be afraid of!” Vash yells, but Alan isn’t listening.

There’s a cracking sound, like bones snapping and the Karalians rush to safety. Vash sees the ice cracking beneath Alan’s feet and he falls, plunging into the water.

“ALAN!” Vash yells. He looks behind him to see the Karalians beckoning, then forward again to see Alan flailing in the water. He puts one foot forward carefully, testing the ice and then another, moving slowly to Alan’s position. Alan grabs for the ice but it breaks away in his grip and he’s struggling to remain afloat as the bitter cold water slows his reaction speed.

I could just go to sleep,
he thinks.
Just close my eyes and I can forget that Vash has betrayed me. Better to die here than as a Karalian prisoner.

Vash finally reaches the hole in the ice and reaches a hand out to grab Alan as he slips beneath the water. He pulls him up with all his strength. The ice crackles nervously beneath him, threatening to plunge both of them back into the icy water. He closes his eyes and summons green light. Ice shoots from his fingers, filling the hole and the cracks in the ice. Alan is unconscious, cold to the touch and he resists the urge to run across the ice to the Karalian ship, instead taking his time and making the trip with care so that the ice doesn’t fracture again.

The Karalians shoot Vash an odd expression and mutter as he brings Alan to the elevator. Alan comes around momentarily to find himself slung over Vash’s back. The upside-down view of the Karalians makes his head spin and he passes out again.

Chapter Ten
Sacrifice
Day Seventeen
Rinax, Karalian ship
“Val’tala”

Alan wakes to find himself in a dimly-lit room, covered in blankets. He can tell he’s on a ship from the steady hum of the engines. He’s hooked up to an intravenous drip which he eyes with suspicion, sitting up. The text on the bag is written in Karalian and he can’t understand it.
If they’re keeping me drugged, they’re not doing a very good job of it,
he realizes. He moves to pull out the needle when the door slides open and Vash appears.

“Do not remove that,” Vash says. “You were dehydrated as well as hypothermic. You need to rest.”

“Are you finally going to tell me what’s going on?” Alan asks. “Am I a prisoner? Where are we going?”

“No, you’re not a prisoner,” Vash says. He walks over to a panel and hits a button, and the whole wall moves across to reveal the stars through a floor-to-ceiling glass window. “Alan, what I was searching for on Rinax was the Karalian Resistance. Their location is a closely guarded secret, their base so private even we are not even allowed to go there. That’s why... That’s why I crashed the shuttle. I wanted to go back to Earth with you, but I cannot. Not while my people still need me.”

Alan sits in silence for a few seconds, processing Vash’s revalation. He jumps to his feet suddenly, grabbing Vash by the throat and pinning him up against the wall. “Two innocent soldiers died in that shuttle crash!”

“That was regrettable,” Vash says. “I never wanted to kill anybody.”

Alan lets go, stepping back and taking a deep breath. He shakes his head. “You could have just told me what was going on. We could have found the Resistance together. Why all the bullshit? Why the angst about a potential Earth life you never planned on living?”

“The Humans at the base did not need to know about the Resistance,” Vash says. “and be aware that they were listening in our every word. Your people have the worst information network I have ever seen, compromised by over a dozen Karalian spies. If the Resistance base on Rinax is found by Humans, the entire universe will know of its location. I could not risk alerting Macey to its existence.”

“People died for your secret,” Alan yells. “Are you happy now?”

Vash bows his head. “I must help my people, Alan. I must stop their suffering. I’m sorry that I didn’t trust you, but I can’t risk the Resistance being discovered. This tiny movement may be the only hope Karalia has left.”

“Why did you have to get me involved?” Alan says. “All I wanted to do was go home and see my family. My shipmates. Earth. I never asked to be a part of any resistance movement!”

“You are
kast’ka
too, are you not?” Vash asks. “I thought you would help us in our struggle, so that our oppression might end.”

“So that your oppression might end,” Alan says. “My planet is perfectly accepting of us. You could have built a life there and we could have lived in peace.”

“How can I have peace knowing that my brothers and sisters are being infected with this vile weapon, Alan? How do you expect me to sleep at night?”

Alan walks to the window, dragging along the drip and holding onto the roomy white robe he was dressed in. “How do you think I can sleep knowing my squad-mates are fighting for Earth without me? I never asked to join your war, Vash.”

“Then we will take you home.” Vash’s voice is filled with disappointment as he turns and walks away. Alan almost asks him to stop but he can’t let go of his anger and bitterness at Vash’s actions enough to say the words. He simply watches as Vash leaves and the door slides shut behind him.

Alan walks back to the bed and slumps down onto the side of it.
Perhaps it’s best if I just go home. What I said was right. This isn’t my war. Mom, Dad and Chester need me on Earth. Vash is special to me, but we have different goals. It’s time to let him go.
There’s a pang in his heart as he thinks that, but he pushes it down. Seeing little else he can do in the room, he lies back down on the bed and falls back to sleep.

* *

It’s late ship’s time when Alan awakens again, indicated by a clock on the wall that shows both Human and Karalian time, presumably for tactical reasons. He stands up, his head pounding and he realizes he’s hungry. Alan pulls out the needle in his hand and holds his robe against the small hole in his hand until it stops bleeding. There’s a small red stain on the robe now but he doesn’t care. He walks to the door and it slides open for him. Vash is heading up the corridor towards him with a plate of food. He hands it over wordlessly.

“Thanks,” Alan mutters, but Vash hands him the plate and moves to leave. “Wait!” Alan says, not wanting to be alone again. “What am I supposed to do? I can’t talk to anyone on this ship.”

Vash turns and heads back towards him, his expression softening. He reaches into his pocket and pulls out the translation jewel, still attached to its strap. “I repaired this a few nights ago,” he says, attaching it around Alan’s throat with tender hands. “Consider it a gift. Now you should be able to understand Karalians, and they will be able to understand you. It is a treasure of my people, so do not lose it. Our magic does not work nearly as well at tasks such as translation.”

“Th-Thanks,” Alan says. Vash bids him goodnight and walks away. Alan takes his meal back to his room and enjoys it. It’s some kind of synthesized steak but it’s been cooked to perfection and he downs it hungrily, barely even pausing to chew. Looking around his room afterwards, he notices a basic outfit left inside the wardrobe, a grey t-shirt and pants. It fits him well enough after he rolls up the pant legs and he heads towards the door, feeling more daring about exploring the ship now that he doesn’t look like a medbay escapee.
The door isn’t locked, and I can understand the Karalians now. Perhaps I’ll learn something. Beats staying here, anyway.

He walks down the hallway to the elevator, looking at the floor map and wishing he could read Karalian. He presses his hand to it in despair and it speaks to him, making him jump with a startled “oh”.

“Please state the facility you are looking for.”

“Um. Observation Deck. If there is one.” 

There was a pause. “Observation Lounge is on Deck Three. Would you like the elevator to take you there?”

“Yes,” Alan said, stepping into the elevator. It started to descend with a whirring sound and stopped gently, the doors sliding open with ease.

“Go forward, take a turn left, and it is the last door on your right,” the voice says. “Happy
Nivelsa
!”

“What’s
Nivelsa
?” Alan asks, but the computer remains silent. Shrugging, he goes on his way, stopping when the doors to the observation lounge slide open. Whatever he was expecting, he realizes this isn’t it. 

The room is glass all over, even the floor and ceiling. Alan takes a deep breath before he allows himself a tentative step onto the glass and vertigo overwhelms him at once. He falls to his knees and tries again, slowly getting to his feet.

“You get used to it.” The female voice startled him and he turned around too quickly, intensifying his vertigo. The woman was clearly Karalian and quite a beauty; red hair on top of white with startling green eyes and red marks across her face like Vash. He saw her swollen belly and realized she must be pregnant with a tiny “oh”.

“I’m sorry I startled you. You must be Alan. I don’t get to see Humans very much. My name is Valeria.” She offered out her hand and took his, leading him across the floor and over to the window. Alan rediscovered his manners and pulled a chair over for the woman. She smiled and sat down. She clicked her fingers and a chair moved by itself, coming to sit next to hers. Alan sat down, looking out at the stars, wondering what he should say.

“You keep looking at me oddly. I assume it’s the pregnancy?” Valeria asks, catching Alan off-guard again.

“Yeah,” he says.
There’s no keeping secrets from this lady.

“I heard that on your world, women do not die in childbirth,” Valeria says. “It must be nice.” There was no bitterness in her voice, only sadness. “Worse is that I did not choose this fate. I am a
kast’ka
. The commandos caught me, only the worm did not take. They left a different kind of parasite inside me instead.” She looks down at the invisible floor.

“I am truly sorry,” Alan says, not knowing what to say.

“You don’t have to apologize. War is a terrible thing, with terrible consequences. Of which I am just one.”

“There are other solutions, you know,” Alan says. “You don’t have to die.”

“That is not my way,” Valeria says. “I have made my choice and accepted that any day may be the end. Fate is a cruel thing, but it is what it is.” She shakes her head. “You and Vash... both
kast’ka
, yes?” Alan nods. “Tell me, is it true that the Humans accept
kast’ka
?”

“Yeah,” Alan says proudly. “Yeah, we do. On our ships, too. Which is good, because I haven’t been home in seven years.”

“Seven years. It must be a long time to be away, especially in a short Human life. Vash says you plan to return. A shame. We could use one like you, but I understand.”

“I want to see my family,” Alan says. “I wish that I could stay and help, but it’s not my war.”

“It is okay. You do not have to explain.” Valeria stands, then clutches her stomach. “It is time,” she says sadly. She pulls a communication device from her pocket and pushes a red button. “Go,” she urges Alan. “I do not wish for you to see this. They will be here in moments. Do not fear for me.”

“I can’t just leave you,” Alan says. He takes her hand and holds it tightly. “Let me help you.”

Medics show up at the door and pull Alan away. He sees Vash at the door wearing a grave expression and walks over to him. “Vash, there has to be something we can do!”

“There is nothing,” Vash says. “This is the way of our world. We are born of blood, death creating new life. I would not have you see this, Alan. Please come with me.” he puts his hands on Alan’s shoulders, gentle and reassuring.

“No,” Alan decides. “No, I can’t. I have to see for myself. I have to know.” He walks across the room. Vash follows, but makes no attempt to stop him, simply follows in his footsteps as he approaches the medics. They move aside, and Alan kneels down beside Valeria, whispering something in her ear.

“Okay,” Valeria says. “Forgive me for the nightmares... oh!”

Alan squeezes her hand as she splits open like a rotting fruit. She screams and Alan squeezes her hand, but he’s no longer sure who he’s reassuring. The medics pull at what’s left of her, trying to extricate the child within.

“Give her some pain relief or something, by the Gods!” Alan yells at the medics, but they shake their heads.

“It is not possible, Alan,” Vash says. “Our bodies are not like yours. Any magic or medicine will kill the child. Surgery does not work, either. It seems our lives are based on magic, and that magic must be taken from the mother or the child shall die. See, she does not die just from the brutality of the birth, but from the passing on of her magic, her life essence. The shell only splits because it is no longer needed.”