Andrew found himself locked in a concrete isolation cell. He was standing there, arms crossed, staring through a glass wall at Linnie whose stance matched his own. Linnie's cheeks were a mosaic of zigzagging lines of trace salt and a few of them still wet. Her eyes were puffy and her mouth was tense, her lips had almost disappeared from the pressure her scowl put on them. She would open her mouth occasionally, only to shut it again, her lips seemed to magically disappear more and more as her frustration grew.
After a few iterations of this, Andrew started to subconsciously tap his foot. His tapping came to an abrupt halt when her head snapped down to glare at the tapping foot. With a sigh, she pinched the bridge of her nose before finally meeting Andrew's eyes. The storm of warring emotions he saw caused him to unconsciously take a half-step back.
"No, Andrew I can't opt out at this point! Even if I wanted to that is. Plus, I doubt they'd allow it, and for a good damned reason too! Humility aside, you know I'm by far the most knowledgeable person on our folding tech. You know the most likely part of the ship to break is the folding engine. So, I can't imagine how you felt it was okay to ask me that. Also, how little of me you must think if you expect me to leave the crew to their fates, knowing the dangers that they might face." The glass was too thick for the sound to get through, and instead, her voice came through his implant.
Andrew's jaw clenched, his teeth mimicking the sound of creaking wood, and his eyes narrowed but before he could open his mouth he was brought up short when she raised a hand. Hand still raised, she took a moment to take a deep breath and let out a sigh.
"Andrew you also know our best theories of the Hring's fate revolve around possible issues with their folding engine. So while a large part of me might want to stay and be here with you, it would be more than a little selfish for me to back out now. Just two days before we jump! If you got your ego out of the way you might be able to see that you're asking me to risk over 10 million lives so you and I can be together. Hell, even if our marriage weren't on the rocks that seems more than a little childish. So again I ask. How could you, knowing all that, even think to ask me to back out? "
A vein on Andrew's forehead pulsed as his knuckles joined his teeth in creaking, "I know you're going for all the right reasons, Linnie, I do. But I asked you to stay because I love you and can't imagine my life without you. Not even for a day much less for two years. Though apparently, I might be the only one of us who feels like that. I mean shouldn't I be not ok with you being gone for two years? Especially while you are in such danger and on a ship full of people who want to get in your pants. I just feel if you even remotely felt similar to me then you'd be open to staying here with me and if not you'd at least understand why I am asking you that. "
"That's unfair Andrew and l am floored you're just doubling down on the pressure, knowing what is at stake. I get you feel trapped, but you got yourself into a bad situation, one I specifically warned you not to. It's clear you still don't trust me either or you wouldn't be worried I'll cheat on you. Let me try something different Andrew, if you were still allowed on the mission, or stuck on the Hring, would you want my alternate overseeing your way home?"
This last comment seemed to deflate Andrew if only slightly. "No, I definitely would not want Frank as my lifeline home. It's scary to think that Frank will be the best Yuta will have after you leave. That he might be the only chance I have to come save you. I just don't love the idea of not being able to be there with you. Being stuck here on Yuta while you have an adventure or struggle of a lifetime without me. I feel that's the reason you really won't say no, because you love the potential of adventure more than I do. "
"That's not true Andrew and you…Wait, why is this about me? I didn't get suspended from the mission. I didn't ignore my spouse's sage advice and go to that side of town instead of staying focused on mission prep. But did you listen? NO, and now here we are having to say goodbye, for YEARS with a glass wall between us, and as usual, you want to blame that on ME?" Linnie stomped her foot for emphasis.
Andrew stepped back up to the glass his pointed finger almost breaking as he stabbed the glass with it as he spoke. "Linnie, you were pretty brutal last night unless you forgot. So I was mad and hurt and needed to calm down. So, I started watching feeds hoping they might distract me from the horrible things you said. One on the south zone did exactly that. Mostly because it seemed so much like pure propaganda that I got curious if that area is as bad as the news makes it out to be. Also, I wanted to break some of those silly rules you've been putting on me, Linnie. So of course that's where I went. Almost like you forced me there. How I ended up here makes no sense though. I should have been in no danger. I never left the car. I never even rolled down the windows. Much less interacted with anyone. How was I supposed to know this would happen? " Andrew said in exasperation, gesturing to his cell.
"So you going there is also all my fault? Classic Andrew, not able to take fault even when it is clearly his to take. Did I force you to go there? Seriously grow up. To answer your other question, It happened because yet again you let your anger drive your actions instead of realizing that even a small risk is a risk, and by taking it, you put our vital mission and millions of lives at risk!"
"Again? When has anything remotely like this happened before? Sure I let my anger slightly cloud my judgment, but seriously nothing should have happened. I was safe!" Stomping his foot in time with the last word.
"Obviously not!" Linnie screamed, before she paused and sighed. Raising her hand again, she took a few deep breaths before she continued, "Listen to us Andrew, we're arguing, instead of talking. Yelling, instead of connecting. I don’t want to leave things like this. I don't want both of us worried the other is done with this relationship and having to worry about what they're doing while the other is gone. I love you and while we have been having a rough patch I want you to know I still want this," as she said this she put a hand softly on the glass, " So I'm going to put down my guns and just say mistakes were made and hope you do the same," she took another long deep breath before continuing, "You know what I'm sorry about most? That we couldn't have the tomorrow we've talked about since getting together. I really wish we had been able to make it happen, but it should only be 2yrs or less! It will likely be over before we know it, and then we can do all of that stuff, but as a homecoming. It will be even better because we can do all of that stuff as we reconnect and catch up on our adventures. By then maybe, we'll both remember what really matters and how much we mean to each other."
Disarmed, Andrew touched the glass where Linnie's hand was, "I wish we could touch one more time and not say goodbye like this." pausing for a moment to attempt not to shed the tears which threatened to flow, before continuing, " I want you as well, more than I probably show you. I'm not in this relationship out of convenience no matter what Jack says. I wouldn't have reacted how I did if I didn't care. I will be waiting here when you return and if you don't"
Linnie cut him off, " Don't say what I think you were about to. If something were to happen don't waste your entire life waiting to move on. I love you too deeply to have you be alone for the rest of your life pining over me or how you should have been there with me or worse doing something crazy to try to come rescue me. Don't worry though we will come home. Hell, like I said maybe a break will be good for the two of us. Time to reminisce on the good times and give each of us a chance to forget those old wounds and remember what we like about each other. " The last word trailed off after her phone beeped and she looked at it. The sides of her mouth rose slightly before the somberness of the moment retook her face and she looked at Andrew once more.
"Let me guess, Jack?", Andrew said crossing his arms.
"Sorry, yeah it's Jack, and don't start. He just texted because there's a mandatory meeting over the staffing change. I really hope John isn't as bad as you think he is. Especially as he’s going to be filling your role on the crew now."
"Truthfully, he's not I just don't like the way he looks at you, it reminds me of Jack."
"John is gross and again Jack is not after me. He's got a serious long-term girlfriend."
"A girlfriend who is staying on…," Andrew uncharacteristically stopped himself and took a breath before he continued, "You know, you're right this isn't how I want to spend our last moments together either. So I'll stop. You know how I feel about him and nothing I'm going to say will change anything. What might help things out is that I've put a few videos in your secure drive to help you remember some of our good times. To be clear while most of them are of our adventures, though some of them are definitely for your eyes only. I hope they are enough to keep me in your thoughts for a few years," Andrew paused to wipe away tears before continuing, "Linnie, I love you more than I know how to express, I really have no clue how I'll manage without you in my life for the next two years. So, please don't fall in love with anyone else and more importantly please come home safe. "
Linnie met his gaze her eyes blurry, and the neck of her shirt was damp from feelings that were on display rolling down her face. "Andrew, don’t you go find anyone else either. I want to have you to come home to after all. I know it's two years, but don't worry, with everything going on, it will all go by faster than we think," she said choking back tears and then added, "I really do love you too. I will miss you, Andrew, a great deal more than you know. I really can't wait for our reunion!" With that, she kissed the glass and left. Pausing only a moment in the doorway before continuing out.
********
Andrew awoke lying on his back, he started to open his eyes only to quickly clamp them shut again to avoid the daggers of pain the omnipresent light gifted him. From just that glance it felt like those daggers joined the pressure already in his head to attempt to release the pressure through his sinuses. From what he saw during that brief glance, he could tell that there was a wall arching over him, made of that white granite stuff. The stuff he had hoped was in his dreams and not his reality. Based on the slope of the roof and the fact that he could feel the wall on his left side he assumed he'd be placed on the bench in his cell. How he got onto the bench he wasn't sure.
This bench is more comfortable than any bed I've ever slept on so I guess it's not all bad. I mean I'm a prisoner to an alien race who have stone golems, but at least the benches are amazing. It does make ya wonder if their beds are in some impossible way better. I bet the beds would magically ease this migraine. While this bench is nice and all, I was hoping00 I'd wake up back on Yuta, next to Linnie, and find out that this was all just a crazy dream. Ziggy annoying me with all my morning pop-ups before I even opened my eyes.
A slow thumping sound could be heard from somewhere deeper in the ship.
I can't believe how much I miss that stupid Kata interface right now. I used to loathe how it would do that and now I miss that feature. Even more, I miss being able to ask Ziggy to dull this raging migraine and I might have a clue what that elf did to me to give me such a horrendous headache. At the very least I'd be able to know how long I've been unconscious and in this cell.
Thump, Thump…………..Thump Thump………..Thump Thump……….
GAWWWHHH I really wish that sound would stop. Worse migraine of my life and I am stuck in a cell with a rhythmic beat. I wonder if it's some kind of torture device that can only be heard from the cells. If so it's definitely working. It must be working if I'm reminiscing about that cell back on Yuta.
Andrew rolled to a sitting position and pinched the bridge of his nose in a futile attempt to ease his aching head. When this attempt failed, Andrew sighed and then muttered to the room, " Sadly Linnie's not here to tell me how I screwed up this time. I miss you Linnie, I hope this isn't what happened to you or the previous missions "
Andrew was startled to attention when a calm melodious voice responded, "What previous missions do you speak of?"
Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.
As his eyes slowly opened, taking the time to adjust, he found that the voice belonged to the elven captain. The one who had appeared as a hologram to Chogan and Andrew. This time she was standing in the main room looking very much real and staring at Andrew in a way that made him feel as if his soul would like to leave his body and find a place to hide.
Andrew was opening his mouth to respond when the calm voice of Captain Rostron came from his left. Andrew flinched and quickly scanned the room to see who all heard his musings. To his embarrassment, he found that his cell was now full of the male members from his crew and from what little he could see of it. It appeared that the female members of his crew were in the adjacent cell. They were all staring at him, except for Chogan who was nowhere to be seen.
Man Lather, next time you're going to whinge on about something at least make sure the whole crew isn't listening.
"We once dispatched a colonization vessel, known as the Hringhorni, or simply the Hring for short. Its mission aimed to establish a third colony for humanity, thereby safeguarding our species against the perils of a single catastrophe. Regrettably, we suspect that the Hring's journey was marred by sabotage. When it initiated its jump, it veered off course, and we couldn't pinpoint the exact destination. Our advanced AIs eventually intercepted puzzling signals from the ship. The coordinates they transmitted were millions of light-years astray, and astonishingly ancient. Despite these perplexing revelations, once we located the message and its enigmatic coordinates, we launched a second mission to investigate. This second expedition, however, vanished without a trace, and no communications ever reached us.
In light of the numerous souls who had gone missing, our government decided to make one final attempt to retrieve our fellow citizens and bring them back home or at minimum learn of their fates. That last-ditch effort is represented by the individuals present here. Truth be told, we weren't supposed to arrive in this system just yet. An unforeseen incident during our testing led to an untimely jump into this territory. The sudden stop upon arrival resulted in injuries to many of my crew members.
Might I inquire, about a few things? Can my crew expect medical assistance? What was the object we inadvertently collided with? Does the debris field we observed belong to our missing ships ?" Captain Rostron responded in a slightly monotone voice.
Andrew surprised by the wordy and open nature of this Captain's response, spoke up, "Sir, don't you feel we might be sharing a bit too much with the enemy?"
The elven woman turned to Andrew and calmly snapped "Silence, you will not speak unless addressed. Trust me we're not your enemies, your race bears no threat to us and if we wanted to erase your species from our Galaxy it would take less than one of your lifespans to get the job done."
Andrew immediately felt compelled not to speak.
The elven woman turned back to Captain Rostron, "No you may not inquire anything at this time. I am the one asking the questions and you are the one answering, so please tell me what planet are you from?"
Captain Rostron quickly replied, "We hail from Yuta, madam."
The Elven woman's eye twitched a bit "You shall address me as Captain Lach, and I'm not familiar with this Yuta was it?"
Rostron replied "Sorry ma….Captain Lach, no offense intended, and indeed, we are referring to Yuta. Yuta is the second celestial body within the ER28-0652 system, and as such, it's often colloquially known as Yuta 2."
Lach queried "And which government was responsible for creating these ships you have spoken of?"
Rostron responded "Captain, They were commissioned by the United 19."
Though her expression didn't change much, Lach seemed unhappy by this answer "Even with all they have done to your race, you humans have become allies of our ancient enemies?"
Rostron perplexed, answered, "Captain, I must apologize; I'm not entirely acquainted with the specifics of this 'Ancient enemy' you mentioned, nor the actions they've taken against us."
Lach tilted her head slightly, her eyes narrowed slightly before they widened again. Her eyebrows raised ever so slightly, "You're not lying. You really don't know of the dirty little bearded ones and their disgusting soot-spewing machines. Nor that they enslaved your race so they could perform research on your species and its peculiarities. It does leave one question, why your government is named after their sacred number?" Lach said in a contemplative voice that sounded more like she was thinking out loud and less like she meant to speak.
In a slow voice that had an almost robotic feel, Rostron replied, "Sorry ma…aptian, I'm afraid we're not acquainted with the group you're referring to, and we're as puzzled as you as to why they hold the number 19 in such reverence. For us, it symbolized being the ones who rolled up our sleeves and accomplished tasks while others benefited from our efforts, rich or poor. I would wager it's a quirk of fate that your historical adversary and our group both happen to have a connection to this particular number. In the end the number symbolizes the group who left our home planet of Earth for our new planet Yuta to make a better life for themselves and their progeny. Maybe your ancient enemy has a similar societal reason for it. "
Every other human looked on as if they knew they should stop the captain, but couldn't muster the will to act. Andrew could empathize, it felt as if a weight was hanging over his head. One which would utterly crush him should he utter a single sound.
Lach waited a moment before responding, "Is the United 19 part of the hidden tribe of runaway slaves? We know they were able to free a number of you primitives. So did that wretched tribe help you?"
"Apologies, Captain, but we're not familiar with these slaves nor their tribe, We are of the United 19 a human government based on Yuta. If there are indeed other humans in this galaxy, we would appreciate an opportunity to speak with them," said Rostron with some pride, though the last part was said as an entreaty.
“Sorry, while there most definitely are a large number of you abominations infecting this galaxy. I see no path forward where you will be allowed to speak with anyone who is not part of the Unesisa Rada, or under our control, for the foreseeable future Mr. Rostron,” Lach responded coldly.
Lach seemed to be contemplating something when Rostron spoke up again, "May I inquire about the destiny that awaits my crew?"
Captain Lach responded with an icy edge to her voice, "No you may not. While I lapsed on this a moment ago. As I have previously said, you will not speak until you are addressed."
Rostron started to speak and with a small gesture of Captain Lach's hand, Rostron was silenced and fell to his knees in pain.
Both amazed and appalled by the treatment of his captain, Andrew pushed through the crush of feelings compelling him to be quiet.
"Hey, Captain Karen. How exactly can we understand you?" Andrew said straining to put on the best impish smile he could muster. Only in succeeding in a grin that looked like it wanted to be impish, but the wearer was in the middle of a deadlift and trying to be funny.
Captain Lach turned to scowl at Andrew. Doing so, seemed to release the captain from whatever she had been doing to cause him pain. Through gritted teeth, she growled, "By my will of course. Thank you for reminding me of what I came in here to accomplish. As I, and others of my species, find it demeaning and beneath us to interact directly with your primitive brains I came here to fix that issue. It was kind of you to volunteer to go first in rectifying this burden. "
While Andrew was happy that distraction had worked and his captain was free. He was also filled with dread at what she meant when she said he volunteered. He tried to look unphased, but his eye betrayed him for in them the fear was very apparent.
Before he could fully comprehend her full meaning. Captain Lachs looked at Andrew in a way that reminded him of a telekinetic in a bad old movie, but true to form he found himself somehow paralyzed. She flicked her left hand and he felt himself lifted off the ground by an unseen force until he was hovering horizontally a meter off the ground. With another small gesture of her hand, Andrew was pulled by some unseen force through the barrier. This time it seemed to open just enough to allow his body to pass through. It quietly reconstituted immediately upon his passing. As he desperately tried to find a way to end this nightmare, he was floated across the middle room and over to the wall opposite the cells. As he reached the wall, a bench stretched out from the wall. With another small motion of Lach's hand, whatever force was keeping him afloat ended, and he was roughly dropped face-up on the bench.
Damn it Lather you couldn't keep your damned mouth shut, could you? Nope not me I have to do what's right and always open my damned mouth. Now she's probably going to do some weird brain surgery and make me a eunuch while she's at it!
Lachs, a predatory grin on her face, approached a blank section of wall just above his head. As she started to extend her hand, a small arterial-looking aperture opened and a shelf extended from the opening. On it was a small fish tank of sorts with an instrument tray next to it. Lach's hand finished its extension just as the shelf finished her expansion. Her hand perfectly over the tools. A pair of exotic tongs magically floated up and into her outstretched hand. Andrew felt a bit of relief as she moved to use those tongs, not on him, but something in the tank. It was then that Andrew focused on the tank he noticed it was slightly backlit, but what he could see moving between him and that light chilled him to the core. The relief he had just felt died as quickly as it appeared as the tank contained hundreds of writhing worms.
Captain Lach returned Andrew's previous impish grin, "I've been told this procedure is mildly displeasing. Please refrain from screaming and whimpering too much."
Andrew had seen and read far too many stories, so he was reasonably sure he knew what was coming next. The thought of a brainworm drove him to internally rage against whatever force was paralyzing him. He was rewarded with him gaining the ability to move a finger.
Well, that's not much, but it's a start. Now let's get these other piggies wiggling.
Lach's eyes went wide when she saw what she thought was a tiny movement from the corner of her eye. She peered at the finger he had wiggled imperiously trying to grasp what had just happened. When she saw it move again she smirked with amazement.
"How did you accomplish this?" She asked and Andrew felt his mouth become able to move again.
A snake-like grin grew on his face, “By my will of course. "
Unamused Lach's eyes focused on Andrew and narrowed slightly. Andrew wilted inside at the realization that he was no longer able to move any part of his body.
Lach turned once more to the tank and retrieved one of the wriggling critters from the tank. What she retrieved looked like the love child of a sandworm from Dune and a grabboid from Tremors but in a micromachine form factor.
I really have to stop doing this to myself. Locked in a magical elf prison and even then I couldn't be bothered not to mouth off to this magical elf lady. As a reward for my cleverness, I'm about to be turned into some stooge by an alien brain worm. Come to think of it, there is no way this is real. I mean come on this is too much like Wrath of Khan to be real. I bet I'm still on Yuta and I fell asleep during that scene. My weird brain just replaced Ricardo Montalban with a willowy villainous version of Galadriel in an elegant frumpy dress.
Lachs placed the worm, little grace, just below his left eye.
Except that went into his ear and there were no elves.
Andrew was unsure what he was expecting, but the worm was shockingly cold. Andrew was forced to watch as the worm glacially inched its way up his face towards his eye. Lach looked on in amusement, and was that a bit of glee in her eyes? When it touched his eyelashes, his tension broke into a full-born panic. Mentally he thrashed against whatever mental force was suborning his will. Andrew was silently elated as he felt that force crack. Unfortunately, only his left arm seemed to be free, but that should be enough to allow him to discard the worm and hopefully distract Lach enough to break the rest of whatever was holding him there. He wasted no time in trying to quickly snatch the worm before it could complete its horrible mission, but just before Andrew's hand contacted the worm, its motion was arrested by the steely grip of Captain Lach.
With a look of profound horror in her eyes, she forced Andrew's hand back down to the bench which responded by growing over his hand securing it in place. Bound mentally and physically, Andrew was forced to watch in horror as the worm began to crawl tentacles first into his ocular cavity. Each tentacle bringing with it a pain seemed like what he would imagine touching a pepper to his eye might feel like. Andrew pushed again against the force holding him down. This time freeing both arms, yet it was useless as apparently, while he was distracted, the bench had enveloped not just his left hand, but also his right. In his panic, he tried to thrash and dump the worm, but his efforts were too little and too late. He felt as the worm crawled around his eyeball, dragging that burning sensation along with it. This continued for an excruciating eternity as slowly the worm got to what he guessed was the back of his eyeball. A sharp pain followed by half a second of blindness was the last thing he felt before all of the pain brought by the worm abruptly stopped.
He was struck by the most disorienting feeling he had ever felt. Like vertigo and nausea teamed up together with exhaustion. This feeling caused him to close his eyes to try to stop the vertigo. After a long moment, it all faded and when he opened his eyes again he could see faint glowing purple lines of ghostly energy floating out of Lach's head and way in multiple directions. Hundreds of them, so many it looked like a villainous tentacled crown of magic. More importantly one seemed to be going into Andrew's head. These purple lines pulsed in seemingly random, but definitively rhythmic ways. While most of the pulses seemed to be heading to Lachs, he saw one that was pulsing faster and moving away from her. When he followed that one, it went to the wall and appeared to continue through. However, he realized there was no way to know. When Andrew looked at the wall he was distracted from the purple lines as he could now see rainbow energy running through the veins of the marble walls and the various elven items that were about.
Captain Lach smiles, " Ahh it appears it is attached; can you still understand me?"
The first thing he noticed was her dubbing seemed to be much better. If just ever so slightly still off.
The second was the purple line going to Andrew's head changed slightly and he found he could speak.
"Hey, what the hell was that worm thing and what did it do to me? What is the purpose of making me see these purple lines everywhere?" Andrew quickly blurted out while reaching towards his eye in the futile hope of being able to pull the worm out. There was a flash of pale tan energy which emanated from her hands a millisecond before he was hit with it and the wind was knocked from him.
Andrew was almost missing the annoying messages from his kata. He could imagine it saying.
[You have experienced trauma again because you can't learn to shut your mouth, please refrain from opening it in the future.]
Ioma, ever so slightly annoyed answered, "That is Captain Lach to you, I will not say it again and if you continue in your insolence, you'll find that I have been calm to this point. Don't worry, all that little worm is doing is translating what I am saying so what you consider a brain can understand it without my having to implant the meaning myself. You will find It will do so for any dialect known by the Unesisa Rada. Each of us has one and your languages were added almost a century ago." Then as if just comprehending what he said she continued in a skeptical voice "What exactly do you mean purple lines?"
As she said it the purple line going from her head to his grew significantly brighter.
Andrew, without thinking responded, "Like the one that is going from you to me or from you to it looks like many other people it seems you are contro….."
Again, a pale tan glow came from her hands almost instantly slamming into his chest. This time lifting him off the bench slightly. Again, the wind was knocked out of him.
Andrew groaned "How is that tan light hurting me?"
Ioma looked perplexed and then one of the purple strings going out into the wall pulsed repeatedly multiple bursts going out and then multiple came back. A new wall opened, and another male elf entered the room. The purple line that pulsed, and continued to do so, was the one going to his head. The male elf was wearing a similar uniform but it was somehow distinctly more of a guard's uniform than hers.
With a pulse of another purple line, the worm tank retreated into the wall, and she turned to Andrew. "You can follow me on your own or I can make you." With yet another pulse of a different line another valve door opened. Andrew, seeing it as the only way to retain a shred of dignity, followed.
He saw one of the purple lines flare and he followed it back to Rostron. Before the door shut, Captain Rostron yelled "Andrew tell them anything they ask you, and don't hold back or they might kill us all!!". Just before the aperture closed, Andrew saw Captain Rostron looking as if he didn't understand why he said that.