The Habitation wing was eerily empty.
Doors ripped open from their sliders, Rynard’s claw marks scratched into corners and floor tiles.
Xant followed after the Captain’s footsteps, observing the destruction the former Ranger had left during the emergency.
As the Captain and doctor approached Laandi’s office they began to hear Jasmine’s voice. Thankfully not the dreaded Howl, but something Xant had not heard from her in [weeks].
“She’s singing…” he marveled.
“Is that a good or a bad thing?” Rynard asked, hoping for clarification.
“She has not sung since the enclosure,” Xant confessed. “She explained that it was a means of expression, to communicate emotions,”
“Huh, so we’re in for some major pulses.”
“Most likely”
Rynard took point as they got closer. This was the first time Xant was able to hear the human sing with a translator, while the sound files he had listened to had translated the words, it was something else to hear it with Freq entwined. It rose and fell with an even rhythm, enticing yet stung with a bitterness even filtered through the military hardware.
As they stood outside Laandi's door he couldn't help but take a moment to admire the synergy.
Rynard activated his comm link.
“Lockdown deactivate,” he ordered the computer. Red lights changed to blue and the hydraulic locks hissed.
“Executive Director Salhor Laandi.” The door cheerfully informed them. Rynard waved his tail over the sensor and they heard Jasmine's song as the door opened. The human’s presence was muted thanks to the suit; she felt like a normal Citizen. What was more of a shock was the state of Laandi’s office. Xant had been in abandoned ruins less decrepit. Clothes and plates were strewn across the white-tiled floors, furniture upended and scattered, food smeared and splattered in places.
Jasmine’s armour stood empty next to the wash facilities. Her unitard tossed on the floor by its feet.
The Captain and the doctor were dumbfounded.
‘(Friend Xant!)’ Sieglinde’s jovial voice bounced upon the Zenthi Frequency and along with her four-legged step. The golden retriever bounded toward them, but skidded to a halt when she saw the walking fortresses.
‘(Friend Sieglinde)’ Xant greeted, pulling off the claustrophobic helmet to calm the creature. His senses were immediately assaulted by the stench of ethanol; Xant’s worries for Jasmine’s condition increased.
‘(Friend Xant)’ Sieglinde’s happy smile returned upon seeing the friendly alien’s face. She stood in front of them, one of Laandi’s decorative scarves tied around her neck, a fetching pale green silk. ‘(You can help the Namegiver!)’ She spun in a circle excited. ‘(The Namegiver gave a sad howl, Friend Spades is sad too, I tried to help them…)’
‘(Yes,)’ Xant comforted Sigi ‘(I am here to help them, but we must be gentle, understand friend?’
‘(Yes Friend, Come! The Namegiver is this way!)’
Sieglinde trotted to the end of Laandi’s office, over and behind to a stool that had been pushed in front of the grand window. Jasmine’s head was barely visible, Spades’ tail swept from side to side from underneath a deep wine cape, draped over the stool like some sort of primitive shelter. Jasmine’s voice filled their air, and now, given a moment to listen, Xant could finally make out the words she chose for her melody.
“Treasure maps, fallen trees, operator please, call me back when it’s time...”
“(Treasure maps fallen trees operator please, call me back when it’s time)...”
“Stolen friends and disease, operator please, patch me back to my mind,”
“(Stolen friends and disease, operator please, patch me back to my mind,)”
It wasn't just Jasmine's voice singing, but the echo of another, harmonised with her memory. Xant had only heard such a thing once before, during his time with Zenthi One priests. She called from her memory another voice, distinctly male, the same detached, almost lost emotion in his song. It spoke through her translator as clear as if he was the in the room with them.
Jasmine sat on the floor with her back up against the stool, Spades’ head in her lap as she petted him, singing to the window of stars.
“Oh can it be?”
(Oh can it be?)
“The voices calling me, they get lost in out of time.”
(The voices calling me, they get lost in out of time,)
I should’a see the glow but everybody knows that a broken heart is blind...
(I should’a see the glow but everybody knows that a broken heart is blind…)
That a broken heart is blind…
(That a broken heart is blind)…”
It was strange to hear a human song through the translator, to understand the weight of the emotions weaved into the words. The melody was different, alien, the notes were unevenly drawn out in places and a single word could hold more than one note. Xant doubted he would be able to recall the song after only one listening, but the Freq would stay with him always.
Jasmine stopped singing, her song finished and with it came a throbbing pulse.
Thud.
Thud.
Thud.
Xant’s chest ached.
His insides ached with a dull but all-encompassing pain, as though someone had a hold of his internal organs and was slowly crushing them from within. The song had blocked this pulse, or, she was redirecting the pain with the melody, either was plausible. He considered returning his head to the confines of his helmet, but she spoke before he could complete the action.
“I was wondering when you guysss were coming, figured I’d just wait until you did…”
She made no attempt the move from her position, comfortable on the floor. Content to stay staring at the stars. “Sssorry I made a bit of a messsss,” Jasmine waved a hand above her head gesturing to the unkempt room, flicking her wrist with an uncharacteristically slack motion. Her arm jangled with the decorative arm bands Xant knew to belong to the Director. “It started with the mojitos and then I got hungry and the dogs were hungry…” She paused briefly, struggling to think straight. “Do you think Laandi will mind I went through her wardrobe? She’s got some good ssstuff but I’m not a size zero so none of it fit.”
“Did you try on the Director’s clothes?” Xant asked softly, not wanting to upset Jasmine further. He looked to Rynard, who gave him the nod to move forward.
“Key word there is try,” Jasmine chuckled, tiredly “I got it half way up my thigh and realised it was a lost cause. The capes are awesome though, I like the blue one.” She picked at the hem of the gossamer cut blue cloak. “It's all fluttery and ssstuff, I like blue, managed to make a toga out of one of the capes.”
Xant dared to take a step closer, peering over the stool. Jasmine had taken one of Director Laandi’s politician capes and had wrapped around her body in a hasty manner. Presumably it was a human fashion, wrapping not only around the body but tied in a knot behind the neck, her right leg exposed up to her thigh...
She turned to face him finally, her blue eyes now bloodshot, swollen and puffy. Her lips curved into a wide grin, pointing at him.
“You got a sssssuit!” she exclaimed, a waft of ethanol on her breath. “It looks sooooo coooool!”
“Yes.” Xant nodded, inching closer to sit on the edge of the stool. “After you unleashed your Freq-bomb, the Director decided it was necessary I be properly equipped to handle any more of your pulses.”
“Freq-bomb? Yeah, I’d call it that,” The human let her head slump on her shoulder, eyes unfocused, blinking slowly. “Once a human starts wailing, it will make anyone else in hearing range want to cry, and that’s without Freq.” She chuckled, as if the dire situation they were in was amusing. “I figured you guysss would be in trouble if you stayed in the room, strong emotions being a weapon to you guysss.” She sniffed and returned eye contact. ”If it’s any consolation, I won’t be letting a burst off that strong for a while a loooong while, I’m on empty ha ha.”
Jasmine’s speech was slurred, she kept repeating phrases, her inner voice was strangely silent.
“Empty?” Xant queried, unfamiliar with the turn of phrase.
“Yeah, I let it all out!” She threw her hands up in the air, bearing her teeth in a wide, Rynard-like grin. “Cried and cried until there wasn’t anything left, now I’m just, emotionally exhausted? Or numb, numb’s a good description.’ She raised a hand to rub her throat. “Throat hurts like hell too, although that could be the moonshine mojitos, it’s like drinking sandpaper...”
Ethanol and min’chta, Xant’s nose still twitched with the strong scents. How much did the human consume? At a glance he saw at least 2 bottles of the antiseptic, quick calculations put her digestion rate at [300mls].
“Jasmine,” Xant moved to sit beside the human, kneeling down in the metal suit proved to be a challenge. The scraping of steel on ceramic wasn’t pleasant to anyone’s ears. “Kimiko said the Howl was for when a Namegiver loses a friend, were you grieving Jasmine?”
Sieglinde sat happily between the pair, nudging Jasmine’s face upon mention of her name.
“Yes” Jasmine looked down to the happy dog, returning her own dopy smile. “Sigi told me, when she was abducted, Oskar, her owner, was with her. He was holding her when they got engulfed in the light.” She patted the golden retriever's head, her own slumping over on her shoulder. “If the Rajava picked her up, they must have picked up Oskar, they would have picked up my friends as well…” The smile faded away as Jasmine explained her thought process “Sigi is from Germany, Spades here is from the old US of A and Kimiko, pretty sure she's Japanese. Why would they bother to pick up three dogs and a human from different corners of the globe? If they're using us for organic parts, then there’s no way they wouldn’t have picked up Katy and the boys.” She exhaled, a pulse of pain ebbed through the room. “But they’re not here, and neither is Oskar, or Beau or any of Kimiko’s owners. So they’re either dead or worse.” Even though she had no more tears, it was still painful to say. “So, yeah, the first time I am proactive and start asking questions I find out my friends are probably dead at the hands of genocidal psychopaths, heh just my luck huh?” Jasmine’s smile cracked, her face twisted in agony. “Fuck, they didn’t deserve that though, no one deserves that…”
The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.
Xant wanted to curl into himself, he wanted to lie down and let the nothingness consume him. Jasmine sniffed again, burying her face in her hands. Rynard’s heavy footsteps broke her descent into despair, he gave a short pulse of his own, dispersing the Freq the human accumulated.
“Rynard?” she blinked, “Did you get taller?” She tried to force herself into levity.
The Captain looked down at the Human and returned the smile. “Nah, the room got smaller,”
That made the human laugh, the emptiness vanished, replaced with a warm tickling of familiarity. Spades and Sieglinde both responded to the human’s mood, and Xant was left wondering if their sense of humour was warped from conception or experience.
“Thanks Rynard, I needed that.” The Human reached for a bottle, sipping the unnerving concoction. Xant watched the physical reaction take place, the tiny hairs on her skin stood up on end and she shuddered, taking a short sharp cough in turn. “Fuck this stuff’s awful!”
“Then why consume it?” Xant asked.
“It’s a tradition of sorts,” the human elaborated “Drink until you don't feel sad anymore, remember the good times we had together, rather than dwell on the loss. It's a tradition as old as the drink, passed down from generation to generation, in the cultures that drink anyway.” She took another swig for good measure. “So, I guess I better ask, what do you guys do to honour the dead?”
“Their names are recorded, their belongings and body passed onto the state, affairs taken care of-” Xant began.
“No, I don’t mean the legal shit, I mean,” the human once again pause to form a sentence, “What’s an alien funeral like?”
Xant and Rynard looked to each other. The Captain shrugged, leaving Xant to begin explaining again.
“For Citizens, you are given the day off to mourn your companions passing,-”
“That’s it?” a look of confusion glazed over Jasmine’s face.
“Is there supposed to be more?”
“Jesus Xant, that’s sad,” she shook her head, “Not exactly surprising though,”
“Not much different in the Rangers either,” Rynard shrugged. “All though we do get to do a lot of chants and let off a little steam. Extra time in the training rooms. Names and numbers are shouted over a loudspeaker and we welcome the new recruits with the calling.”
“I suppose there’s not much I can do for them out here,” Jasmine thought out loud, rising up from her position on the floor. The cape fluttered behind her, falling gracefully down her body as she swayed to her feet. “No body to bury, I can’t remember what you’re supposed to do for a body in space, I think it falls under maritime law, a funeral at sea.” She turned her head to the window, caught in the stars as her voice carried on with her thoughts, “An ocean of stars. All I can do is have a toast and say a few words…” Jasmine raised the drinking container in her hand up above her head and announced to the collection of witnesses before her.
“Katy, Chamkov, Warren. You were the best friends a girl could have,” she closed her eyes reciting their names, speaking to the memory of her friends. “I’m sorry for being a pain in the arse. Save a spot for me up there, I don’t know how long I’ll be, but the least I can do is buy you a drink when I get there… ” she smiled, a confident sigh escaped her nose, if she was going to do this, she was going to do it right. For her friends, new and old.
“Katy, you were my best friend since primary school, without you and my nona I never would have become a chef. You were always encouraging, striving to be the best you could be and wanted me to do the same, it was your (*****) to open the B&B, I’ll make it happen Katy, even if I have to open it on a moon somewhere,” she raised the bottle and took another swig.
Xant’s ears stood up on their ends as a shiver ran through his body.
The translator rung in his brain, a shot of electricity he had never felt before.
Xant shuffled closer to the human, ignoring the pain for the sake of a new and unknown concept. He wanted to ask what the new word was, what new idea that humanity possessed that couldn’t be found within the GC. But, the time was not now, Jasmine’s heart began to race, a warm, comforting radiance escaped her as she spoke of her friends, of the life from which she had been wrenched.
“Daniel Chamkov, you were the sweetest human being on the planet, and in a perfect world you’d be living in a little cottage writing poetry and cooking fresh food from your hobby farm. You were my favourite hipster, and I won’t let anyone speak ill of you.”
She took sip, and prepared to complete the ritual a third time, the confidence and pride growing with every recollection.
“Warren,” when she spoke is name a fire lit inside her, her heart pounded in her ears. “I've never met a guy with more stubborn determination in my life, you had the best stories about your fucked up life but would always take the time to listen to other people's problems.” She closed her eyes and confessed, “I should have kissed you when I had the chance. God, I was a coward.” She raised the bottle higher and this time, her head raised with it. “Who Dares Wins!!” She shouted with the volume of a Commander, and threw her head back to finish the rest of the drink.
The Aliens began to feel the invigorating effects, an energy was creeping into them. Rynard’s tail was wagging, Xant nodded his head, agreeing with every statement Jasi was making. The human let out triumphant shout, throwing the empty bottle to the side. Fist bumping the air with both hands.
“Whoo!” She laughed, the dogs barked with her. “Who else?!” She asked no one, “Mum! Oh god mum. Thank you for naming me after your favourite flower, thank you for driving me to hockey practice and for not getting rid of the piano like you wanted. Thank you for giving me the confidence to look past my failures and for every hug you gave me.
“Dad, thank you for supporting my decisions, even when they were the wrong ones, I treasured the knives you bought me and I’m sorry for giving up the guitar. I know you were always behind me, and I know you’ll always be with me.” Jasmine raised her hands to her chest, feeling the beat of her heart, “Thank you for giving me the love of song, I think that's just what I need right now. This one's for you dad!”
The human took a deep breath and prepared for her performance, invoking another voice from memory. But what came forth was not the soothing melody of before, but a declaration of power, her voice loud enough to address a battalion.
“I’ve got another confession to make,
(I’ve got another confession to make,)
I’m your fool,
(I’m your fool,)
Everyone’s got their chains to break
(Everyone’s got their chains to break)
Holding you
(holding you)
Were you born to resist?
(Were you born to resist?)
Or be abused?
(Or be abused?)...”
Xant bore witness to the power of human song, to the infectious power of their emotions. Even within the military armour Xant was compelled to stand up beside her. Rynard had forgotten all about the possibility of Jasi being hostile, gathering around to become a part of the audience. Then something changed, Jasmine reached the chorus of the song but a she let out a long bellow, it wasn’t like the howl, it was controlled, but the secondary voice fell away, and Jasmine’s inner voice shone through. Her eyes watered and her voice began to crack under its own weight, but she pushed on, she sang through the physical and emotional pain. She unleashed it all, the full manifestation of her Freq, a glory even Rynard had to take a knee for.
“Has someone taken your faith (life's meaning)?
It’s real, The pain you (I) feel.
The life (my life).
The love (my love).
You've (I’ve) got to heal (Can’t stay like this).
The hope! (The future) the stars! (The universe).
The broken hearts! (My friends/family/all humanity).
Your trust! (My decisions) You must confess! (Don't hold back!)
Is someone (Are they friends/family/humanity) getting the best (morality),
the best, (physically)
the best (sincerity)
the best of you? (loyalty)
Is someone (The aliens, the dogs, the universe) getting the best (hope)
the best (courage)
the best (love)
the best (intelligence) of you (me)?”
The Freq pulses were strong, as strong as they had been through her howl, but this time, there was no pain. The fire and lightning from her presence filled his veins and rushed his mind. Xant felt he could fight, he could take on an entire armada by himself, that they would bow to his will and the universe itself was his to command. The stars existed to be held, time could be tamed, death was no obstacle to him in that moment.
Her hands fell to her sides, and her eyes pulled down from the universe to them, to Xant, she sang to him, to Rynard, to her User companions. Her voice softer, but no less powerful.
“I've got another confession my friend(s)
Just for you (I'm a fool)
I'm getting tired of crying again (Starting again)
Because of you, (Somewhere new)
Were you born to resist? (Will you stand up for what you know is right?)
Or be abused? (Will you let the Ravaja rule you with fear?)
I swear I’ll never give in (I devote my life to this cause)
I refuse (I would rather die)
Is someone (Am I) getting the best (Your smarts)
The best (Your kindness), the best (Your ambition) of you? (Xant)
Is someone (Am I) getting the best (Your strength) the best (Your charm) the best (Your Loyalty) the best of you (Rynard)?”
She was Commanding an answer from him. Would he be strong enough to follow her? Would he cast aside obedience to the Company for her? Would he stand in the face of uncertainty, would he push through the fear and rage for her? Xant knew now why the Arvas bestowed the title of Grace upon her, why the title of Princess was deserved and even beneath the being who stood before him. The song ended, and with it, the Freq force of a burning star faded away, but it was not an emptiness that was left behind. The hollow despair they had first felt was gone, replaced with hope, determination and conviction.
“You know what? I’m done.” she announced “I literally can’t cry anymore, and I'm sick of crying!” she kicked an empty bottle from her path, “I want to have some fun, I want to run a mile and punch something, I want to sing another stupid song at the top of my lungs! I’m in space for god’s sake! With real aliens and fucking talking dogs! I’m, ha, I’m going to be meeting with an alien general.” She ran a hand over her stubbled head and laughed, a genuine laugh. “I’m alive, so very, very alive…” She sniffed, wiping away the tear residue from her face. “And my friends wouldn't want me to sit around moping for the rest of my life.” Jasmine turned to the window. Staring up at the stars. “As long as I am alive, I can ensure that no other human has to go through this shit. As long as I am alive, there’s a chance I can set things right, I can make a difference and maybe even kick some Rajavan ass!” She turned to face her new friends, eyes red and puffy but a huge toothy grin. “As long as I am alive, I can live.”
The revelation of those words was freeing. The heat gave away to wave of calm, as though his entire body had been submerged in water. The worries of her future, the pain of her past and the uncertainty of her present melted away. For in that moment, she knew who she was and what it was she must do.
“I can’t do it alone though…” Jasmine admitted, a single hand reaching out to the aliens “So what do you say? Are you guys alright with putting up with my emotional ass for a while longer?”
This organism of compassion and inspiration, of emotion and determination.
This being of such enormous power and potential offered her hand to him, for help.
Humility, honesty, courage in the face of astounding odds.
Was this what it meant to be Human?
“Yes.” Xant answered, more sure of himself than any answer he had ever given, he would stand by her side, come the Ravaja or the void itself. She granted him courage, the power to feel again and drive to seek the unknown. He would follow her command.
Jasmine lunged forward and wrapped her arms around Xant’s neck, letting out a cry of joy.
Rynard unleashed a roar of his own, the very walls and furniture moved with his proclamation. The Captain filled with a power he hand not felt since his youth.
“Come Death, Come Blade, Come Shame or Fire!” the Captain roared the chant of the Rangers, thumping his chest and tail. “Suk was right! You make an excellent Commander!”
Xant allowed himself to hold the trembling, intoxicated human.
“Thank you,” she whispered.
“No, thank you,” was all he could offer in return, what answer could he possibly give that was worthy of her?
“Another, another!” Rynard begged her, “ANOTHER SONG LIKE THAT!!”
“Well!” She pulled back, hands on her hips. “What kind of song do you want? I know thousands!”
“SING THE BEST ONE!” The Captain roared enthusiastically
“The best one?” Jasmine’s Freq bounced an octave, spinning around to take up her position, striking a pose. The dogs barked with glee beside her, their Namegiver was back and filled with life. “THIS IS THE GREATEST AND BEST SONG IN THE WORLD…” Jasmine proclaimed to them and to the universe.
She granted him courage, the power to feel again and a drive to seek the unknown. He would follow her command, even against Akira, the Universe and the One. A bold statement to make but Xant had no doubt in his mind the human would guide them through, away from the safe and secure labs of Esaander, treading paths they were never meant to walk.
This was his decision.
His choice to follow her into uncertainty and oblivion.
And only time would tell if he was worthy of this calling
End of Book One, continued in Transcripts: Zero.