Chapter 36: Unable to Wake

Time...

It seemed like he was always waiting for other people. Waiting for them to finish their business, waiting for them because they were so slow...

Then again, I’m just that much faster.

Friendly brown eyes altered colors briefly.

I know you’re there.

He could feel dark blue pressing in on him, trying to sense his movements, trying to see what he’d do next...

But at this point, that’s all you can do, isn’t it?

A quick surge of mental focus ended the watching. It would be back later, but until then, he would wait for the appropriate time.

Time...

~

All eyes turned to the medical lab door as it melted completely. Sara stepped through calmly, pointing at Celia, Fraydon, and Thendat. “If you have anything here, gather it up quickly. Our ship has been located and we’re just waiting for Darren to finish up what he’s doing here.” The lights flickered and Sara glanced up. “Ignore what I just said. We’re leaving now.”

The lab assistant cheered up considerably. “So does this mean we’re all going to die?”

“Yes.”

“No.”

Celia and Sara glared at each other. Sara eventually shrugged and walked out the door, clearly expecting the others to follow. After a moment’s hesitation, the others headed after her. The doctor blinked a few times. “Well...that was interesting. I guess we’ll just...stay here then.”

Thendat caught up with Sara in the hallway. “Where are we going and what are we doing?” Sara ignored him and quickened her pace.

Fraydon walked on Sara’s other side. “What happened, and what were the soulcries I heard?”

Sara glanced at her with a look of frustration. “I don’t completely understand it myself. The only thing Darren showed me was what happened on Vearid.”

They walked in silence for a minute or two before Thendat ventured a quiet “And what happened?"

Sara’s smile left a bittersweet taste in her own mouth. "He learned who he really was."

The hangar spread open before their eyes as the hallway transitioned into a large room similar to the hanger on Destiny. A single ship waited with engines warmed and waiting. Darren leaned out and waved them all forward. "We need to get going, or they'll try to shoot us down."

Celia looked around. "Where's that guy...the one who didn't like Sara...Acerin, right?"

Sara glanced at Darren. "Are we going to wait, or can he handle himself?"

Darren smiled. "He'll be here in a bit. I sent him to retrieve a couple things I didn't want to lose."

Acerin strode into the room holding a purple bag embroidered with gold. Tim entered hard on his heels, voice raised in mock-hurt. “Nice of you to fetch me, Darren...but really, I could have been a little more useful.” Acerin tossed the bag to him and entered the ship without a word.

Darren glanced inside the bag and nodded, satisfied. Turning to Tim, his smile changed to a grin. “There will be plenty of things for you to do if you keep traveling with me.”

Sara followed Darren inside the ship quietly. The rest filed in and found places to sit. The alien ship was not unlike their own, save for the language used. Sara, Darren, and Acerin entered the cockpit while Tim met the others. Darren waved Acerin over and pointed to various parts of the screen. "Understand anything?"

Acerin stared at the fast-moving array of words and numbers. "Some. It's mostly data on Destiny."

Darren nodded. “We’re going back.”

~

Venom stood atop a small hill, covered with soft grass. A small dip about a quarter-mile in length stood between him and the next hill. This continued in every direction as far as he could see.

Leaning slightly into the wind, he pitched forward and ran down the side of the rise. Down, down, down into the valley, a moment of level ground, and then up...just him, running through constant scenery in the bliss of speed, with nobody watching.

He liked it that way.

A distant figure appeared on the horizon, facing away from him. Venom shaded his eyes against the setting sun and squinted to make out the outline even as he sped towards it. There shouldn’t be anyone in the ISP room...it was against the rules at this time. Thankfully, he’d learned how remote accessing worked...and also dug up a fair amount of dirt on most high-ranking officers because of it.

The distant shadow turned to face him and Venom’s heart sank. The commander waited as the hills behind and to the sides of both people disappeared, replaced with a wall. He’d already blocked the escape routes Venom had put in place. There was nothing to do but keep going towards the commander.

But something had changed. There were still only two of them in the simulated plains...so why did it feel different? With every stride Venom took towards certain doom, his senses told him something was definitely off. The faint whisper of running feet through grass reached his ears and he glanced quickly over his shoulder, almost tripping once he saw the third person.

“Darren!?!”

The transparent being smiled and faded within seconds, but that short glimpse was enough to change Venom’s strategy entirely. Strengthening his will and diverting all available memory into himself, he created a circular warp in the commander’s blockade.

Garcia laughed as Venom drew closer. “You don’t realize just how powerful my control of the ISP room is, do you, little hacker?” The warp changed shape to an oval. “Rather than being your escape, it will become your prison! Only by adjusting me could you possibly adjust this place!”

Venom laughed quietly as his running took him within ten paces of the commander. Lowering his voice until Garcia could barely hear him, he never wavered as his path headed straight for the warp - and Garcia blocking it. “That’s just what I plan to do.”

Venom collided with the commander, knocking him through the warp. His momentum also pulled him through, but by then it made no difference. The commander’s blockade dissipated, the hills were gone, and Venom opened his eyes to find himself in front of his laptop in his own room. But soldiers would be there in minutes. He had to get out of there as quickly as possible.

Tossing the laptop into a shoulder-bag, grabbing a backpack from the closet, and throwing on his favorite pair of faded shoes, he headed for the door. He was always prepared for something like this, though he didn’t actually expect it to happen. Flinging open the door, he walked out hurriedly and stopped.

Soldiers lined the hallway in both directions as far as he could see, guns trained on his doorway – and now him. Approaching footsteps could be heard down one end of the hallway. Crap. They’ve done some preparing of their own.

“Venom! Ah, I finally meet you in person...the illustrious hacker who has caused countless problems for me – and certainly Destiny - in mere months. It’s an honor to meet you.”

Venom glared directly into the commander’s eyes. “The honor is somewhat diluted on my part. Nice to see your little regime of control and fear is still in place...though that’s not too surprising; it’s far easier than simply trusting or helping people out, don’t you think?”

Garcia’s eyes darkened. “I’m doing what I think is best for the people.”

Venom laughed. “Don’t tell me...you’re quoting Hitler. Wait, Stalin. Hussein?”

“Disrespect will get you nowhere, impudent boy!” The sound of readied weaponry echoed throughout the passageway. “You’re only alive as a formality, so people can feel the full effect of an execution in front of their faces, rather than a dead body on a screen.” Venom noticed new cameras in the hallways, all trained on him. “You see, boy...you’re more of a liability than we can afford now. We can’t have that...so you’ll have to be terminated. Goodbye, Venom.”

Venom half-closed his eyes and tensed as he waited for the tell-tale signs of shots. Instead, a thunderous crash rolled throughout the station, knocking everybody to the floor. Garcia was up first, shouting at various officers and swearing in three different languages. Venom strained his ears. Is that German?

As the station steadied, the guns pointed once again at Venom. But a low rumbling could now be heard...much different than before. This rumbling wasn’t the station shaking...this was something shaking the station. And the noise was growing constantly.

Darren flew down the hallway past them all, led by a beam of light and followed by a rapidly growing cone of fire. Strangely enough, the fire didn’t scorch or melt anything, but clung to the walls and burned without fuel. Laughing as he flew, Darren extended a hand and sent lightning into every camera in sight. Sparks showered down and temporarily blinded all present. As expected, all the soldiers followed him once they could see, with Garcia trailing and yelling something about keeping him out of the control room.

Venom chuckled as he ran the opposite way, towards the hangar. Better get off Destiny before something explodes. It took longer than expected to get there; people were running about and screaming like they’d never seen an emergency before. When he came to the hangar, he stopped and looked around, taken aback.

Most of the ships were ready and waiting to launch. Sara waved to him from one of them. “Hey, Venom! Over here!” Venom shuffled over and looked up at her questioningly. Sara smiled and nodded in response to an unasked question. “We’re getting everybody off Destiny. Darren’s orders...and right now, I don’t think it’d be a good idea to go against them.”

Venom grinned. “No...I would think not, judging by the way he sped past me. Saved my life, too...so I guess we’re even. Are all of these headed back to Shirn?”

Sara shrugged. “Most. We weren’t able to access the navigational systems of each one, so we’re also telling people how to reprogram those. Heading out?”

Venom nodded. “Might as well. There’s nothing left for me here...I’ll be better off on Shirn, though the technology there is...somewhat lacking, I hear. Anyways...that one looks good.” He pointed to a vacant ship at the far end of the hangar. “No time for goodbyes, so...I’ll probably run into you guys back on Shirn. See ya.” And he was gone before Sara could say another word.

~

The commander entered the control room alone. The soldiers outside had asked, pleaded, and even begged to come with him...but he knew what was going on. There were only two reasons for this...and one was now out of the question. Garcia touched the pistol concealed inside his coat for comfort and reached the top of the platform, where everything on Destiny was seen and recorded. The low crackling of white noise on every monitor proved Darren’s words to him: Destiny wasn’t his to control.

“Commander Garcia. I would advise you to leave Destiny immediately and seek shelter on Shirn.” Darren stood with his back to the commander, staring out the large clear panel that Garcia had looked through so many times before. Garcia pulled the pistol slowly from its hiding place and pointed it at Darren’s head, which bowed slowly. “I wouldn’t do that if I were you, commander.”

A shot rang out and the commander fell to the ground, clutching his side. The cold metal floor seemed warm compared to the ice creeping through his side. A moment later, the left side of his jacket began to turn a dark red. Garcia struggled to his knees and glared up at Darren. “You used my own weapon against me.”

Darren turned on his heel and looked down with expressionless eyes. “Actually, I didn’t. I only reflected the shot. I didn’t think of where it would reflect to...it’s a sad, yet poetic justice, don’t you think?” A snarl from his opponent was the only response. Darren sighed and offered his hand. “Come on. Shirn is the only place left to go now. In half an hour, Destiny will be nothing more than a lifeless shell, floating aimlessly among the stars. Don’t let your body be among the debris.”

Garcia knocked away his hand and crawled over to the nearest control panel. Sitting with his back against it, he smirked up at Darren. “There’s no self-destruct sequence on Destiny. There aren’t any explosives. How do you plan to destroy this place, hmm?”

Darren held out a palm and let a small flame spring to life. “Remember this? I spread these all throughout this space station. When I feel the time is right...” The flame suddenly split, assumed a consistency similar to a metal, and extended in two directions, piercing a monitor and a chair with no resistance.

Garcia’s smirk slowly disappeared, replaced by the look of a man who has no other options. “But...why? Why would you destroy Shirn’s only chance at technology, at freedom?”

Darren smiled. “A fair question. My answer is that Shirn’s chance at technology is a chance at Pandora’s Box. Hard work and long hours make better men than sitting all day with your feet up. History itself has proved this. Technology will only lead to Shirn’s inevitable destruction. As for freedom...the Laecans aren’t attacking Shirn. They’re trying to help it by using their advanced knowledge to save them...from themselves. Once Destiny is gone, the Laecans will withdraw and leave forever. There won’t be any more space travel or needless deaths up here.”

Garcia sighed. “You know you what you believe. Just like your father, you have a reason for everything...and now with your hair, you even look like him. Unfortunately, I see it differently. Do what you have to do; I won’t leave here. This is my Destiny.” He chuckled at his own use of irony.

Darren smiled sadly, repeating his earlier words. “‘A good leader goes down with his ship; is that it?’”

Garcia’s half-hearted chuckle led to a coughing fit that left him breathless for a few seconds. “...No...a good leader doesn’t go down with his ship. A...a good leader wouldn’t let his ship be destroyed in the first place.”

Darren bowed his head. “Commander, please leave this place. For Sara’s sake, if for nothing else. Despite all that has happened, she will feel the pain of your death.”

Garcia nodded. “That’s right. And she’ll need someone to blame for that...”

Darren felt anger kindle inside him. “You would use your own death, your last act as an immortal being, your soulcry....you would use that to separate a happily married couple?”

The commander’s eyes softened briefly and he held Darren’s gaze. “Darren...I tell you now from experience: you will feel incredible pain and anguish because you married a mortal woman. Because you share closeness, as she ages and you do not, you will feel her pain as well as yours. When younger women realize you don’t age and Sara will eventually die...they will pursue you, and it will wear you down.”

Darren stared at Garcia for a solid minute as his resentment diminished. There was no lie in his voice, his eyes, or his demeanor. After a while, Darren spoke slowly. “Regardless, I hold to my vows.”

Garcia closed his eyes and leaned back. “Then go. I have said my piece; there is nothing else I can tell you. Go.”

“I’ll make sure a ship is left behind just in case you change your mind.” With that, Darren bowed in respect and left through the door, speeding past the soldiers as they yelped in surprise.

Commander Steven Garcia pulled himself up against some controls to get a better look out the clear panel at the stars. “I’ll make sure a ship is left behind...just in case you change your mind...” He closed his eyes again as his mind replayed Darren’s last words to him over and over. “Just in case you change your mind...” Was he being mocked? Did Darren doubt his resolve and willingness to die? If he chose to go to the hangar, would there even be a ship, or would Darren watch and laugh from the last one?

“I’ll make sure...” No. There’s no deception. Just an act of kindness...after all I’ve put him through, after all the backstabbing, lies, and betrayal...he still extends a hand. What integrity...what forgiveness...

Garcia opened his eyes and watched the stars became blurred circles of light. Faint “plinks” could be heard every few seconds as the tears streamed down his face and fell to the metal floor. He shows great mercy, even to the enemies he knows, allowing them the chance to escape death. However...

The tears slowly stopped and the commander’s face relaxed. A peaceful air settled over the ruined control room. Death is also a great mercy.

~

Darren spent the next twenty minutes racing around Destiny, dodging soldiers and gathering friends and allies. Thomas and Diana were given charge of loading people onto ships, and were then loaded onto a ship themselves along with Daniel. One by one, ships were launched from the hangar and fell to various places on Shirn.

Sara glanced at her watch nervously. Twenty-three minutes. Darren was doing one last check to see if any soldiers wanted to leave on the second-to-last ship. Some did, and eagerly clambered aboard. The rest proudly filed towards the control room to die with their leader. Darren passed them on his way back and saluted briefly before taking Sara by the hand and entering ship 56, shutting the door behind them.

Celia was in front of him instantly. “With all of your group plus me and Tim, it’s a little cramped in here. Why can’t we take the ship next to us?”

Darren glanced at Sara before replying. “The commander may change his mind and decide to leave. I left that ship there just in case.” It took a moment for Sara to grasp what he was saying. The many questions on her lips died as she turned to him and saw his pain-filled eyes. “I’m sorry, Sara. I tried to convince him to come...but he’s so hardened in his ways that he hopes you will blame me for his death here. Even now he tries to come between us...even now...I’m sorry.” He sat down in a corner and leaned back against the cold metal, closing his eyes.

A few seconds later, he felt warmth on his cheek and reached up, touching Sara’s hand. She sat down next to him, turned his face towards hers, and kissed him slowly. “Darren...that man may share DNA with me, but he is not my father. The man who raised me in Silver Lake and died years was my father. Commander Garcia was a cold, calculating, deceiving man who tried to separate us numerous times and failed...all because of you.” She kissed him again and stared deeply into his eyes. “Don’t ever think you killed him...because until the end, you gave him a choice.”

Darren nodded slowly. “Thank you.” After a few moments of quiet thought, he turned to Celia and Tim. “We should go now. Sara, if you would pilot, it would help the journey greatly.” Sara nodded, kissed him one last time, and headed for the front of the ship.

Darren stood and turned towards the rear of the ship. There’s still time, commander...there’s still time...

Destiny was out of sight in less than a minute. Darren sighed deeply, weariness filling his voice. “Time is up for Destiny.” Concentrating briefly, he sent a mental detonation towards the almost-empty space station, wincing as the feedback registered on the ship’s instruments.

Tim looked up from his navigational panel. “Darren, shortly after you spoke, there was a small, brief energy surge from the station. It’s over...Destiny is now adrift.”

Darren nodded tiredly and reached into a nearby compartment, drawing out a gray traveling cloak. Rolling it up and using it as a pillow, he laid down in the same corner he’d been sitting in. “Wake me when we’re about to enter Shirn’s atmosphere.”

Sara glanced back. Fraydon and Thendat noticed her eyes soften, but said nothing. Celia and Tim talked in hushed tones while Celia stole glances at Acerin, who seemed to be watching everybody in the room at the same time. Countless minutes passed without anybody thinking or caring about what time it was.

The ship tilted unexpectedly and then straightened out. “Can’t you at least keep a steady hand during re-entry?” Celia yelled over her shoulder.

“I’m doing the best I can!” Sara returned. “But there’s a bit of a problem with stabilization...this ship wasn’t made to be an escape pod!”

Tim looked back at Darren’s corner. “Shouldn’t somebody shake him or something? He did ask to be woken up...”

“Well, when I said I wanted to be woken up, yes, I meant for somebody to shake me.” Darren rose, gathered his cloak around himself, and walked up to where Sara sat. “You didn’t have to shake the ship.”

Sara turned towards him, about to apologize and deny that she’d done it on purpose, when she saw his smiling face and sleepy eyes. Heart melting, she leaned up and kissed him gently. “Good morning. We’ve just entered Shirn’s atmosphere.”

He chuckled. “I had no idea.” They both winced as the ship tilted again, this time to a sharper angle. “You’d better focus on getting us all down alive.” With that, Darren headed back to his corner and shielded his head from the hard metal walls with his cloak.

Sara gritted her teeth as they began to descend faster and faster. She could only level out so much before gravity took over and pulled the nose of the ship down again. It was more than a little bit different than the complete maneuverability she was used to.

A sudden jolt rattled the ship and Sara glanced back. “Sorry. Bird.” Darren’s quiet laughter eased her heart.

The jolts became more frequent as the ship continued to plummet towards the ground. Sara braced herself and advised others to do the same. Trees seemed to rise towards them faster than she’d ever seen or ever wanted to see. Thinking of the people onboard without any self-protective skills, she summoned a powerful wind to push against the ship in hopes of slowing it down.

But the strain of mental focus and force of multiple Gs caused her brain to cloud. Her head lolled to one side as the room began to blur. She could swear someone was calling out her name...

Sara blacked out just before ship 56 hit the ground in a shower of metal, wood, and earth.

- posted by Nick @ 1/10/2005 10:43:00 PM