Duval Dirtbag
The Stray
Ch 50 - A Time to Sow (A Time to Go)
Michael decided to face the music and call Celeste. After a few rings, she answered. “Hey Michael! Good morning!”
“Good morning.” Michael replied sleepily. Then, more resolute. “I’m ready to pull the trigger.”
Celeste was quiet for a moment. “There. Text had been in the box and now sent.” Michael could tell she was smiling when she said, “I’m proud of you, Michael. You’re doing a good thi—“ she stopped mid sentence. “Oh! They replied already. It looks like someone called the ‘Governess’ is coming today and she’s overseeing all grievances.”
Michael pinched the bridge of his nose. “Oh really? That’s how we’re going about it nowadays?”
“Yeah.” Celeste replied, cheerful as ever. “But this way we won’t have to wait for weeks through bureaucratic nonsense.”
“Yeah.” Michael replied with a vocal fry. “Thank the Empress.”
“Hey! I’m trying to do this to help you.” Celeste jabbed, audibly offended. “You’re a victim. I’m an advocate. This is how this works.”
“Sometimes the cure is worse than the disease.” Michael mumbled.
“What was that?”
“You’re right, Celeste. Thank you. I’ll see you there.” Michael said before hanging up the phone.
Celeste texted him back. “You won’t because the Governess is coming to the base and civilians without grievances aren’t allowed to join.”
Michael texted. “So no lawyer either?”
“Evidently not. You’ll do fine though! 😅”
I didn’t sign up for this. Michael thought nervously.
***
Michael was finishing packing his earthly belongings when he heard a dull roar. He felt it before he heard it. His things shifted in his LaCrosse as everything around them vibrated. He found a gap and stuffed his last handful of things and closed the door quickly, so it wouldn’t fall out.
Michael lifted his head when a shadow covered him and his car. The biggest Shil’vati brick of a ship that he’d ever seen loomed above him. The metallic indigo had gold-lined edges. There was also golden detailing if one was close enough to examine the finer details, but everything blurred at this distance.
“Yep.” Michael muttered to no one outside of himself. “That’s the Governess.”
A small—maybe regular-sized brick of a ship emerged from the larger ship. It was even further festooned in gold; surprisingly moreso gold than purple, came down and landed. Though he couldn’t tell for sure, Michael felt that they’d landed on Joph’rena’s building.
Once his car was loaded and locked, Michael started making his way to where the Governess had landed. Getting around the corner of a building between where he was and where he was going, he saw the line of people. At least part of the line of people who were on their way to Joph’rena’s door. The line extended out beyond that to the gate of the base where people were being checked by security and then more beyond that, outside of the base’s walls where he couldn’t see. And the line within the base’s walls was being marshaled to the inside walls to keep order in the madness.
“Fuck my life.” Michael complained before finding some Shil who seemed to be promoting orderly conduct. The Marine tapped on their Omnipad and waited for further instructions. They then led him to a part of the queue that wasn’t at the gate of the base, but nowhere near the beginning of the line. Once placed, he noticed that he wasn’t that far from Finley.
And then the wait began. People had come from all over northern Florida and southern Georgia to air their grievances. Michael noticed that there were varying degrees of security accompanying folks in the queue. Michael, for example, had none but he was nevertheless, stuck with everyone else. He represented about ninety percent of the people in line.
There were a few, though, like Finley, who had company. He was bound by his wrists and ankles whose chains linked in front of him. He also had two Marine chauffeurs who were unarmed, but still very much larger than he. There were a couple of those.
Though the line was initially intimidating, it moved faster than Michael assumed it would. Which might not be a good thing.
Michael eventually made it to the entrance of Joph’rena’s building. Still, the line went into unseen pathways. Michael leaned against a doorframe but was soon discouraged by the Marines who stood guard at the next entrance. Michael considered, even the lines at Disney World will let you lean or sit.
Finally he entered the Mess, where the line eventually ended at a massive gold and purple throne. He couldn’t make out any distinct features, but this Governess was not what he expected. She wasn’t a gigantic purple woman-ogre as he was used to the Shil’vati being. Nor was she decked out in clunky ornate Warhammer 40k-style armor.
The Governess looked like a grandmother. Not necessarily like Michael’s grandmother, she did have tusks after all. Yet, she felt matronly. She wore a modest lavender blush colored dress with a heather shawl that covered her head and shoulders. The closer he got to her, she had the paunch of someone who you could tell used to have a fabulous physique, like a retired NFL player or wrestler. Her hands were weathered, leathery and spotted. That said, Michael had no doubt there was still strength enough in them to wring life from him.
Michael strained to hear what happened when Finley got to her.
Finley bowed and pleaded his case. “My G-g-g-guh-governess. It is true. I have been a spy and a murderer within the Shil’vati Imperium. I do not know why I have been spared when—“ he looked back at Michael with a tear in his eye. “—others have not. I can only beg mercy upon me.” He shuddered a moment before trying to lift his hands only to be stopped by the jangle of chains. “Do please remember the good that I have done and that will come of my work.”
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The Governess looked confused. She looked to her left. Joph’rena stepped forward and whispered in the Governess’s ear. The right side of her face was healing in patches despite the nanite assistance. Her missing tusk was still more of an abnormality than her lighter patches of skin or the right eyeball that lagged in alignment with the left eye but did seem to function more than Michael had seen when she was originally injured. “Oh!” The Governess uttered in a higher tone than Michael expected. Then she smiled lovingly at Finley. “I will not have you executed.” Her eyes closed and her head shimmied with a slight but evident palsy. “But I’ll not spare you either.” Her eyes shifted with commitment. “You are a danger that I will not loose upon anyone else under the Empress’s protection.” She motioned to Finley’s chauffeurs. “Make sure he continues to do good work in the clean up efforts his damage and the damage done by the hurricane has done.” As the Marine led Finley away the Governess continued. “I’m sure you’ll continue to do good work and hard labor the rest of your living days.”
Shiiit. Michael reflected. That’s how he came into the Imperium, trapped inside a bombed out building. She’s just sent him to work clean up in bombed out buildings. That won’t crack his nut any worse than it already is.
The Governess doled out a few more fair but well placed decisions with Joph’rena’s help.
And then it was Michael’s turn. He stepped to the base of her throne and gave her more of a bow than he’d ever given anyone. “Governess. I’m Michael Greer—“
Before Michael could even state his case, Joph’rena stepped up to the Governess. “This is the one I was talking about.”
Michael was taken aback. Me? A special case? Then he was suddenly angry. “Yeah. Hi, it’s me, I’m the problem, it's me.”
The Governess gave a look of exaggerated shock. She turned to Joph’rena and said. “I see why you called my attention.” She turned to Michael with wise, kind eyes. “You are not a problem. You are a living being who cares about the wellbeing of other living beings.”
Twice now, Michael was taken aback by this Governess.
“That said, you did attempt to kill multiple Shil’vati for the wellbeing of one Rakiri.” The Governess said flatly.
“He was being…” Michael stammered to find the right words in front of this kind, old woman and under the watchful eyes of Joph’rena. “Well, I was assaulted by—“ he saw Joph’rena squint warningly at him. “By a Marine here on base.”
The Governess rolled her eyes. “Yes. The big bad aliens mistreated you.” The eye rolling caused her head to shake involuntarily. She stilled herself and looked directly into Michael’s eyes. “And then, I hear that you yourself admit that we housed you, fed you, gave you a purpose in your listless existence.”
Michael was silenced.
The Governess scolded. “Then you tried to defend someone else who was mistreated by threatening an entire ship full of my people.”
Michael could feel his cheeks getting red.
The Governess looked at Joph’rena then back to Michael with softer eyes. “I know you’re trying to do the right thing. As best as you can discern. As are we.” She took a moment to reflect. “You’ve proven yourself useful but not in the ways we value right now.” She gave a slight smile to Joph’rena. “Nevertheless, my younger sister here says that you have brought value to the base. Joy to people in the Imperium who have felt a little more ‘at home’ with your assistance.”
Michael spoke sincerely. “I don’t know where home is, but I thought that we could all use some ‘home’ away from home.”
“Yes. Well. Your home isn’t here anymore.” The Governess declared. “You may go and seek home elsewhere. In peace.”
The Marines at the doorway beckoned Michael to come their way to leave. The Governess was done with him. As he passed them, he heard the Governess say to Joph’rena, “I’m done with these people and their problems. Are you ready?” Before he could see Joph’rena’s response, Michael was guided out of the building.
***
One of the cruelest things that happens when someone close to you dies is that the world keeps spinning. This person who, despite all appearances contrary to the fact, does not actually hold gravity in place—once gone, they do not impact everyone the same way. People and preachers say their platitudes about being in a better place and keeping you in their hearts and prayers will still post their inane bullshit on social media as soon as the coast is cleared. For some of us, the coast is never clear. Could never be clear. Because that person was the coast.
And yet, the sun still sets and rises that day and the day after that. And again after that. Eventually, you, too, are forced to acknowledge that the world is still spinning. That loved one is gone, but you’ve still got to eat. Still got to sleep. Still got to go about those daily exercises that make us living creatures despite the fact that our loved one is no longer performing those exercises. They don’t have to. But you do.
These thoughts pushed Michael against his will toward the inevitable tomorrow. It made him think harder about his choices. Those he’d made and those he was about to make. And everything became crystal clear. The actions he’d taken were the only options he’d had. He could move forward only by following the path that made the most sense.
Michael had to go back to Kentucky to spend time with his mother. Hopefully he’d have plenty of years to share with his children. They’d best outlive me if that’s the way progeny was supposed to work, Michael smiled to himself.
“No, I’d better go help mom while I’ve got the time to help mom.” Michael said to himself as he put his sunglasses on.
He couldn’t help Rachel anymore. He still had the chance to help his mom.
***
A Human work crew scooped the last shovel-fulls of the debris left from the explosions and the hurricane. Honestly. There wasn’t much left. The explosions were enough to disrupt the foundations of large swaths of land along the coastline. The hurricane swept it all up into the ocean.
The Humans were glad to be working alongside the Shil’vati while using some Shil’vati tools. Though they weren’t privy to how it all worked, they were proud to be setting up the entire Atlantic coast of Florida with the capacitive roads that were as of yet only developing around where the Shil’vati had landed their bases in Jacksonville, Daytona Beach, Pensacola, Tampa, Miami and Fort Lauderdale.
The roads weren’t on yet, per se, but the potential was there. Soon Humans and Shil’vati would enjoy a cleaner means of transportation. Especially with the traffic that had been a part of travel along the southernmost coast. The people took pride in their work and the knowledge that the two peoples, once alien to one another, were now coming together in a joint project for the betterment of Life on Earth.
Above them, stars shone in the daylight. One at first, but then many others. The stars grew with a curious purple light. Mild panic ensued when the stars became visible purple bricks falling from the sky. One after another, the ships tumbled from the heavens. Eventually the bricks slowed down and settled on the recently cleared foundations. The newly constructed roads hummed to life. Still more purple bricks came down.
In the distance, as far as the eye could see, Shil’vati ships dropped down along the coastline. They formed a wall seemingly as tall. The entire eastern coastline of Florida was walled off by the stacked, brick-like, purple Shil’vati ships that had been orbiting Earth. There came a time of day when the sun was “up” but no land of the sunshine state saw it because it was blocked out by the new Shil’vati wall.
Perched on top of the wall, over Cape Canaveral, a gold-lined brick that was significantly larger than the others settled. Inside, a newly appointed Governess, Joph’rena, twisted her new gold tooth and smiled mercilessly.