Near Disaster
Dr. Marshon completed his update call. Dedra and the analyst worked nonstop monitoring what they believe to be the route of the lost Dérobé. With their information, Eath and Relo made course adjustments in hopes of intercepting them.
“She told me she spotted a strange-looking vehicle sitting beside the trail about twenty kilometers ahead. She says the framework with seating for four and six wheels are visible, but she can’t find the occupants. They back up the video hoping to learn who drove the unit. We need to get to the spot fast.”
They speed on their way, and the doctor’s communicator buzzes, and he answers. “Strange—I wonder where the others are.” He listens. “Oh, I follow—may well be the circumstances.” Again, he pauses. “Thanks, keep me updated.”
“One person operated the vehicle. She believes the driver to be Jadan, and the rest are still back at the cliffs,” the doctor says.
“Is he okay?”
“She says he got out of the unit and lay down under a shrub. She can’t tell if he’s injured or asleep.”
“We should arrive in about half an hour. Ask her if they spot any other movement—such as patrols?” he asks. “I don’t want to run headlong into a surprise.”
Soon, Marshon says, “The way is clear. We’re the singular movement.”
Relo rounds a corner, crests a hill, and almost hits the remains of Dérobé-1. He swerves hard and runs off the path and into a thicket before stopping. He backs Dérobé-2 and trailer on the course and stops. “He is over here.” The sound of the near collision woke him.
Both men jump out and rush to him. “What happened to the others?” Eath asks.
“They’re about fifty klicks back concealed by a rock outcrop. Water please—I’m so thirsty,” he says.
Twenty minutes later, Jadan is fed and hydrated and is ready to go. “The camouflage skin for Dérobé-1 is hidden beside the trail at these coordinates. The motor in her is about shot and fails to perform right since a creature turned the unit upside down.”
“We are in possession of the covering, so we’ll blow up the rest. The engine’s the other thing we don’t want to fall into the hands of the Annunaki. Press and hold the two red buttons on the motor for ten seconds and the self-destruct countdown starts. We’ll get fifteen minutes to move as far away as we can before the thing blows,” Marshon says. “Let’s set the device and get out of here.”
“Not so fast—the explosion will bring troopers from all over, and also destroy the trail. Let’s get the remainder of them and demolish unit 1 on the way back. Meantime, let’s hide her under this bush,” Jadan says.
They get underway, and Marshon calls Dedra. “Can you spot us?” he pauses and listens. “I suspected such. We’ll reduce speed and check if the debris still identifies our location. I’ll contact you in a half hour. Slow down—the dust and flying rubble might make us visible to the satellite.”
Soon they pull Dérobé-2 under the rocky outcrop and shut off the engine. Kia rushes to Jadan with open arms. “I worried you didn’t take any food or water with you—you might be dead from exposure or dehydration.”
“My actions proved to be stupid—the decision put all our lives at risk,” he says. “I didn’t retain the right, but Dr. Marshon and Relo rescued me. I wouldn’t survive another day if they didn’t arrive.”
“Okay—everybody get plenty of rest—we’re leaving at dawn, and with a little luck, we’ll be home day after tomorrow,” the doctor says with reassurance. “Who is this?” he asks, pointing toward Chisai.
The briefing takes the next several hours getting everyone up to date.
With the aid of Dedra and the other analysts, the group starts home. They activate the device on the abandoned Dérobé-1, and the team enjoys an uneventful trip back to a huge welcome home.
OFGRAT COMMISSION HEADQUARTERS SEVERAL DAYS LATER
Kia, Jadan, Riah, and Chisai are in a room at the center of operations. The twins presented their requests to the membership board in person. They request immediate acceptance and full protection for themselves and the little one. He tries to appear confident and optimistic while Riah paces the floor. She sits on a sofa with him on her left, and the little one pressed against her right side. Jadan’s arm is around Kia’s shoulders as he twirls a lock of Chisai’s hair. They detect the muffled sound of loud voices.
Inside, debate is raging. The initial vote ended in a tie. Association requires a majority of the thirteen-member board. Eath finds maintaining an orderly meeting difficult. He is the chairman, and he holds the power to break a deadlock, but he does so in rare cases. He acts as a neutral third party. On this delicate occasion, he appears more compelled than normal to withhold his participation. The other twelve members of the panel must come to an agreement.
Riah listens to the gavel rap three times. The buzz around the room grows silent. He glances at Jadan with melancholy and shakes his head. “They’re not going to grant us membership.”
He can’t respond. The door opens, and Kaamren steps out. “I need you to come in as the advocate for the petitioners.”
He bends over and kisses her on the cheek. “All will be okay,” he says as he gets up and goes in.
He closes the door behind them. “Take a seat at the table. This is going to take a while,” says Dr. Marshon. “We’re deadlocked. At this point, I choose not to cast the deciding vote. I want to maintain my role as the neutral moderator. To keep order, I’ll recognize each member of the board one at a time. The one, who is given the floor, will be granted twenty minutes to ask as many questions as he or she wishes. You should make the queries as clear and succinct as possible. I’ll identify members, and I’ll switch between the pros and cons. I’ll begin with you, Seth.”
“Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Jadan, did your relationship with Kia cause a delay in your membership to The Conversant?”
“Yes.”
“What did you do to bring about acceptance?”
“I threatened to withdraw from Opaque.”
“Why would they care if you withdrew?”
He pauses and stares into Seth’s eyes. “Mind telling me why I’m being grilled with such an intensity? Is my status being challenged?”
“Of course not—I want to establish the deep emotional connection between you and Ms. Nuggen.”
“Well let me save you some time and energy. I’m in love with her. I proposed, and she accepted. Connections can’t get much deeper—next question.”
“Tell us about the servant. Many of us are concerned. She isn’t human. You do understand membership is limited…”
“Writers of the bylaws assumed members would be human, but the condition isn’t spelled out in detail. This isn’t to suggest Chisai isn’t human—I submit a point of order and clarification. Why don’t you define for the panel and me what makes one human?” Jadan asks.
A long pause hangs in the air as the entire group stares at Seth. “Well—uuh—to be considered. One must be intelligent, possess the ability to reason, the capability to fabricate tools and utensils to make life easier, the skill to create art, and language. I believe those are the major ones.
“Which point or points do you challenge?”
“Well, for one, she can’t speak.”
He turns to Dr. Marshon and asks, “May I bring her in?”
“Do you think she’s relevant to the question?”
“Yes, sir, I do.”
“You can.”
“Thank you.” He walks to the door and asks her to come in. With visual fright, she enters the room. He takes her by the hand and leads her to a position in front of the group. “Her race is born with speech capabilities—complete with vocal cords like you and me. Soon after birth, they are muted with laser surgery.” He tilts her head back and points to the scar on her throat. Every one of her kind at Raefell’s mountain compound shows a similar pockmark.”
“I yield, but I reserve the right to use the rest of my time later,” Seth says.
“Dedra, you’re next.”
“May I examine her closer?”
“By all means,” he says and takes the girl to her.
“Tell the panel the price you are paying for being in love with Kia.”
“Nuggen put a contract on my life. The reward is 10,000 script points for the person who can make my death appear an accident. To date, I survived three attempts.” He explains the failures to the group. “The kill order is still in force.”
“How are you so sure a pact is on your life and not three instances of being in a dangerous place at the wrong time?”
Jadan clarifies how Riah obtained the information, confronted the paid killer, and confirmed the contract. Gramps told them he would call off the assassin, if they moved into the mountain compound.
“Why is he so opposed to your romance?”
“She comes from a pure Annunaki bloodline. The NEX and all Annunaki in power are Bloods. He is willing to do anything to keep Kia’s heritage pure—including making her a prisoner and committing murder, if necessary.”
“How do you understand this to be a fact?”
“He and some of his associates kidnapped her and her brother and, against their will, and took them to the compound. He arranged for all their possessions to be taken away, and their residences closed in Abydos. He canceled her communicator account.”
“I yield for now,” Dedra says.
Eath moves to the next individual opposing the admission.
“By your own testimony, Raefell Nuggen will stop at nothing to get his way. My fear is keeping his grandchildren will ignite a severity of attacks the resistance can’t withstand. I’m interested in your response,” the man says.
“I don’t think he or the government is holding anything back at present. Bloody as the revolution is, we need further to solidify our forces and increase our supporters. To back away from the NEX will weaken our image among the masses. I believe granting the three memberships, and protection is beneficial to the cause. What better way to show defiance and resolve than to allow them membership, and permit them to speak out in public against the cabal of terror.”
“I don’t find living in luxury at the mountain compound to be incarceration.”
“The size or amenities of the confinement area are irrelevant. Limit a person’s ability to move about or travel without restrictions, I consider imprisonment. Will you define for us what dimension and limitations you use to constitute a penal complex?”
“I’m not sure, but I can’t envision the compound as a prison.”
“Are you finished?” Dr. Marshon asks.
“No.”
The discussions, sometimes heated, continue for the next two hours. Jaan is the final panelist to question Jadan.
“I understand how Riah and Eight-Seven—I mean Chisai rescued Kahnn, Renny, and you. Who recovered Kia? Would you please explain to the group and me?”
“Let me make this clear. He didn’t rescue us—he accompanied her. She planned and orchestrated our escape. Renny panicked at the small tunnel, but on the spot, she made a decision and ordered Betta and me to go through the burrow. She gestured for the others to follow her. What I’m telling you now is what Renny conveyed to me. She took them back into the maze. Many of the passages required them to go through on their hands and knees. They reached an area where she motioned for them to sit. She pecked on the wall. A short time later, a male servant appeared with the number 88 branded on his neck. They exchanged a series of hand signs. The young man disappeared back into the passageways, and she sat down across from them.”
“About twenty minutes passed, and Eight-Eight reappeared with Kia and vanished back into the labyrinth. She led them out of the compound through another exit, which opened into the woods and brought them to the place we exited the tunnel.”
“I’m finished,” he says.
Jadan turns to Dr. Marshon and says, “With your permission, may I add something else.”
“You can.”
“Thanks. Ladies and gentlemen, Riah and Kia gave up a life of luxury and ease because they hold the same belief system we do. Chisai is a further example of the control and cruelty of the NEX. Their futures are in your hands. Is Eight-Seven a human you ask? I submit she, and her race pass the test in every possible way. They are born slaves, muted at birth, and allowed to use a few rudimentary hand signals. They are punished if they are caught using other than approved ones. In spite of all, they developed a culture. They created a sophisticated language of hand signs. The secret passageways and the maze throughout the complex serve as testimonials to their ability to reason, to make plans, to communicate, and to implement multifaceted projects under the most adverse circumstances. Our failure to grant her association and protection, we are signing her death warrant. Humanity owes her kind the opportunity for life, liberty, and the pursuit of happin0ess. She symbolizes one more major reason why the NEX must be overthrown, and the government be elected by the people. Thank you.” Jadan leads her to the table, and they sit.
“Is anything else relevant before I call for a vote?” An extended silence follows, and Dr. Marshon says, “You’ll make your wishes known. All who are opposed to granting the three petitioners membership and full protection signify by raising your right hand.” The members of the panel glance at one another, but no one raises a hand.
“Jadan, will you and Chisai call the others in, and I’ll allow you to tell them the outcome of this meeting. Are we all invited to the Unification Ceremony?” The doctor asks.
“Yes, by all means,” he says as he takes his radiant smile to the door. For the first time since the proceedings began, a bright beam covers Chisai’s face.
“Kia would you and Riah step in here and meet some of your new brothers and sisters?” The frowns of anxiety melt into huge smiles as they enter the room.
Three doors down the hall, with Kedraleona looking on, Professor Keena takes a pen and begins writing his first translation of the CoPa, the language on the ancient scrolls. “In the beginning, God created...”
THE END
(for now)
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J R Simpson, Author