It had been a long day of battle on the Tribunal floor, and he was tired. With Aurik missing and the Tribunal split into warring factions, all anyone did was yell, scream, and blame.
Gideon was the only constant in Adan’s life now. Always there, always pressuring Adan for his vote. Adan had made it very clear that he would rather die than give Gideon his support. He would never vote to allow Gideon any measure of power beyond what he had. He had scheduled an emergency meeting with the elders of the Cailida tribe to tell them about Gideon’s intimidation. The Cailida tribe would not be bullied.
He thought sadly of the Cailida children. What would this disunity mean for the future of their tribe? Their planet? It wearied the old man to shoulder the weight of his Tribunal appointment at such a disturbing juncture in history.
Adan was relieved to have finally reached his home, until he saw it—a sealed envelope resting at the bottom of his front door, the crest of the Masters plainly stamped on the front.
“An outrage,” he said angrily, as he tore the velvet sheath open. A piece of heavy parchment fell out, covered in elegant script. He unfolded it and read it once, twice, a third time.
Adan of the Cailida Tribe,
Last chance.
Come to the Tribunal building immediately if you have decided to change your mind. Consider this my last offer and your last warning.
Gideon
“Despicable!” Adan spat furiously, crumpling the note and throwing it to the ground. For good measure, he stepped on it with his heel.
He positioned himself in front of the door, bringing his mouth close to the small microphone hidden inside. In a low voice, he spoke the door’s password, his very favorite scripture from the human Bible. Words their Jesus had spoken eons ago, so far away from here. But time and distance didn’t matter. The Light transcended both. The phrase had anchored deep into his soul the first time he had heard it.
“Be not afraid, only believe,” he said. The door sprung open for him, letting him into his darkened home.
Adan moved through the house slowly, unwinding from the stress of the day. He took time to water and prune the plants, vines, and trees that grew freely through the sandy soil floors of the home.
He finally reached his bedroom, ready to lay his weary body down for the night. He turned on the light and jumped at the sight before him.
Adan knew the pair. Emani and Dai, both Masters and advisers to Gideon. Dai lounged casually against one of the moss-covered walls while Emani sat nervously on the edge of his bed. Adan was taken aback by how striking they both were, as beautiful as they were dangerous. Even with one missing eye, Dai was still undeniably handsome. Emani, one of his own, a Cailida, was even prettier than her late mother, who was a famous beauty herself. Both wore nondescript black clothing and gloves.
“Adan,” Emani said in despair, “you are just gathering your things before you go to Gideon, right?”
“Hold your tongue, Emani. We’ve been waiting for you, Adan,” Dai explained, his whole being aglow with rash excitement. He flexed the muscles in his arms, warming them in case Adan tried to run.
“This goes beyond intimidation! To stalk a member of the Tribunal, to break into his home,” Adan said, trying to keep his tone even. “How did you even get in?”
“We had the password.”
“Only one other person knows that password. What have you done to her to get it?” Adan accused.
“I assume you have rejected Gideon’s last offer since you are not currently on your way back to him to receive your mark and pledge your vote.”
“You assume correctly. Now get out!”
“Gideon has been patient with you. Your vote could have done a great deal to sway others in the Tribunal into giving their support, but you stubbornly withheld,” Dai said mockingly.
“That man is insane. I am meeting with the Cailida Elders tomorrow to place sanctions on the Masters for coercion of Tribunal members. Both of you, along with Gideon, will have your tribal marks removed. You will become Unnamed, exiled from society. Are you willing to pay that price just to serve Gideon?”
“That’s very brave talk from someone who is outnumbered,” Dai said scornfully, pushing his jet black hair away from his one electric purple iris. He held up a small silver device, thin as his finger, no more than six inches long. When Dai clicked the end of it, a blue ray of light shot from the opposite side. “Do it, Emani,” Dai ordered.
Adan didn’t notice that Emani had moved until it was too late. She kicked his knees, which threw Adan off balance into the wall. Dai pounced on Adan’s slumping figure and pointed the end of the mechanical wand onto Adan’s temple, though careful not to bruise the skin.
“What is that?” Adan screamed, panic-stricken.
“Well, it doesn’t have a name yet, it’s just a prototype. If it doesn’t work, you’ll die. If it does, you’ll still die, just not for a few days.”
“You will never get the Cailida tribe’s vote. My people will not be bullied or bought.”
“We already have the Cailida vote. It was given to us by Cyrenia,” Dai sneered.
“Cyrenia doesn’t have the power to vote in the Tribunal. That power is mine. She is the second in command.”
“She’ll be first in command soon enough. She is at the Tribunal building right now meeting with Gideon, receiving the mark. Everyone has their price.”
“Cyrenia,” Adan uttered in horror. “She gave you the password to my home? My oldest friend!” he lamented.
After a few stony seconds, he snapped out of his stupor and started struggling again against the hands that held him. “Emani, you’re my blood! A Cailida! How can you do this?” he screamed. “Please do not squander your gifts for these evil purposes!” he begged, staring up into her eyes.
She was transfixed in the gaze of a man she had once regarded as a father. He had been the one to recommend that she and her sisters enter the Institute for Earth Research. He had encouraged her gifts. When Emani’s father and brother were banished from society and her mother had committed suicide because of the disgrace, Adan had cared for her and her sisters. He was a good man. He was innocent.
“I tried to convince you of Gideon’s plan. I tried to save you,” Emani whispered, tears welling up in her eyes. She quickly pulled out a syringe and injected a clear serum into his neck. Adan tried to fight, but paralysis was spreading through his limbs like wildfire.
Dai turned the dial on the end of the wand. Click, click, click.
“Good night, Adan, former Father of the Cailida tribe,” Dai said pleasantly.
There was a surge of heat in the middle of Adan’s brain, a fiery torment he could not extinguish. He tried again to move, but he couldn’t find his body anymore. The heat and pressure mounted to an unfathomable degree. He stared bravely up at Emani, even through the torture.
Emani stared back at him in horror. She thought she had been ready for this, but it was too much for her to take.
With a loud pop, Adan of the Cailida was dead. Blood and smoke sizzled from his nose and ears. His eyes were still boldly held wide. Dai pulled the weapon away from Adan’s temple. No mark was left.
“Clean that up,” Dai said.
“Me? This mess is your fault! He wasn’t supposed to die!” Emani cried, trying to mask her anguish with anger.
“Well, this thing still isn’t working right. I used the same setting as I did with Zen and Larkin, and they are only brain dead,” he said, tapping the instrument in his hand.
“But he was old! You can’t use the same setting on everyone! Brain damage and death are not the outcomes Gideon wants!” she screamed, inconsolable, but not because the weapon wasn’t working.
“Okay, next time, just two clicks,” Dai said coolly. “We have plenty of people Gideon wants dispatched. There’s time for practice. Clean up the blood, and we’ll put him in bed. Remember to get the note from outside,” he ordered.
Emani tried to hide her shaking hands. She hated taking orders from Dai, but he would tell Gideon about any reluctance she showed. This had been a test of her allegiance, and she had followed through.
Emani looked down at Adan one last time, lightly placing her fingertips on his eye lids to shut them, unable to stand seeing her reflection in his eyes as she destroyed the evidence.