{"id":178,"date":"2012-05-27T00:00:57","date_gmt":"2012-05-27T04:00:57","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.embklitzke.com\/e557\/?p=178"},"modified":"2012-05-24T18:57:51","modified_gmt":"2012-05-24T22:57:51","slug":"chapter-twenty-two","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.embklitzke.com\/e557\/?p=178","title":{"rendered":"Chapter Twenty-two"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n

Gods and monsters, kings and pawns, saviors and slayers.\u00a0 Strange how the paths to become all of the above can be so similar.<\/h3>\n

— attributed to Ryland LeSarte, circa <\/em>4850 PD<\/h3>\n<\/blockquote>\n

 <\/p>\n

10 Novem, 5249 PD<\/strong><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/em>Ezra stared at Alana as Alana stared at realspace.\u00a0 They were drifting quietly just out of sensor range of Anduril\u2019s installations, looking like just another piece of debris in the field that stretched from the edge of the system inward.\u00a0 He wondered about that as a piece of what was once a larger ship drifted past the viewport.<\/p>\n

\u201cThey leave it all here to deter traffic,\u201d Alana said softly.\u00a0 \u201cMost of the debris has been here since the last war or longer.\u201d\u00a0 She gestured to the drifting shell of metal that they were easing past.\u00a0 \u201cThat\u2019s from the Theodosius<\/em>.\u00a0 Her crew mutinied in 5229.\u00a0 They sent a squad of five to deal with the problem.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cFive ships?\u201d<\/p>\n

Alana shook her head.\u00a0 Her metal hand twitched, as if she was snapping someone\u2019s neck with a touch.\u00a0 Ezra winced.<\/p>\n

Five people.\u00a0 And she was one of them.<\/em><\/p>\n

She smiled tightly up over her shoulder at him.\u00a0 \u201cIt\u2019s not a time in my life I\u2019m very proud of, Ezra.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo,\u201d he murmured softly.\u00a0 \u201cI guess not.\u00a0 I\u2019m sorry, Alana.\u201d<\/p>\n

She shrugged slightly, half turning to see if Brendan or America were awake.\u00a0 Brendan was out like a light, unmoving.\u00a0 America was out, too, but she was sleeping more fitfully than the pilot.<\/p>\n

Nightmares, probably.\u00a0 I\u2019d have them, too.<\/em>\u00a0 Ezra exhaled slowly.\u00a0 \u201cDo you want me to wake him?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cLet him sleep a little longer.\u00a0 Rather have him rested in case he has to actually do<\/em> something on this leg of the op.\u201d\u00a0 She didn\u2019t seem too worried\u2014not from her tone, anyway.\u00a0 Not yet.\u00a0 Of course, there wasn\u2019t much to read in the flat, almost dead tone of her voice.<\/p>\n

Sometimes, he wondered how much she buried, how broken and jagged she was inside.\u00a0 Everyone worried about Brendan and Lindsay, worried about me.\u00a0 No one worried about you, Alana.\u00a0 No one even thought about it.<\/em>\u00a0 Ezra reached down and squeezed her shoulder.<\/p>\n

She started to reach up with her metal hand.\u00a0 She stopped herself and switched to her flesh and blood hand. \u00a0\u00a0Her fingers covered his and she squeezed his hand gently.\u00a0 Her eyes never left what was beyond the viewport.\u00a0 \u201cThanks Ezra.\u201d<\/p>\n

He shook his head slowly.\u00a0 \u201cYou don\u2019t have anything you need to thank me for, Alana.\u201d<\/p>\n

She didn\u2019t protest, though he knew she considered it.\u00a0 She just squeezed his hand again.\u00a0 For a few long moments, they were silent.\u00a0 Alana finally cleared her throat.\u00a0 \u201cShould I give you or Meri a weapon to cover the door with?\u201d<\/p>\n

Ezra took a deep breath.\u00a0 \u201cI can cover the door.\u201d<\/p>\n

She finally looked up at him, almost squinting.\u00a0 \u201cAre you sure?\u201d<\/p>\n

He hesitated for a moment before nodding.\u00a0 \u201cI shouldn\u2019t have to use it.\u00a0 We\u2019ll be parked out in the middle of nowhere.\u201d<\/p>\n

Alana inclined her head.\u00a0 \u201cOut here, y\u2019never know.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ezra grimaced and hoped for a moment\u2014only a moment\u2014that he wouldn\u2019t have to use it.\u00a0 After that moment, he decided that he\u2019d better save his hopes for more important things.\u00a0 Like Alana keeping herself alive\u2014and safe.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou think too much, Ezra,\u201d Alana said softly.\u00a0 \u201cDon\u2019t overthink.\u00a0 Feel.\u00a0 Go by touch.\u00a0 Safer that way.\u201d<\/p>\n

He wasn\u2019t so sure about that.\u00a0 Alana nudged the controls.\u00a0 \u201cI hope he\u2019s feeling up to flying when he wakes up,\u201d Ezra mumbled, glancing back toward the bunks.\u00a0 America\u2019s sleep had quieted, perhaps deepened.\u00a0 Either way, nightmares plagued her no longer, at least for the moment.<\/p>\n

\u201cNothing you can do about it if he\u2019s not, Ezra.\u00a0 Just have to hope.\u00a0 Nothing else to do.\u201d\u00a0 Alana shrugged slightly.\u00a0 \u201cWe do what we have to do.\u201d<\/p>\n

What we have to do.<\/em>\u00a0 \u201cAlana\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDon\u2019t say it.\u00a0 That\u2019s not something you have<\/em> to do.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ezra sighed and squeezed her shoulder again.\u00a0 \u201cOkay.\u201d\u00a0 He let go, turning away, moving toward the bunks.\u00a0 He\u2019d check on them, then prepare himself to maybe kill someone today.\u00a0 Her voice made him pause.<\/p>\n

\u201cEzra?\u00a0 Thank you.\u201d\u00a0 She didn\u2019t look at him.\u00a0 Her eyes were looked on the control boards, on the debris outside.<\/p>\n

He smiled.\u00a0 \u201cYou\u2019re welcome.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u25cf\u00a0\u00a0 \u25cf\u00a0\u00a0 \u25cf<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Brendan slowly pushed himself up on an elbow as he came awake again.\u00a0 The ship shuddered gently as Alana settled it into a clearing amidst a thick copse of trees and a stony rise.\u00a0 His eyes weren\u2019t hurting anymore\u2014an improvement, to be certain.\u00a0 He glanced across toward America.\u00a0 She was still down for the count.\u00a0 He sat up a little further.\u00a0 His vision swam, stomach twisted, then settled.\u00a0 A dull pounding rose again behind his eyes.\u00a0 He groaned softly, rubbing his face.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhatever you gave me is helping a little, Ez.\u201d\u00a0 He slumped against the wall, half upright.<\/p>\n

Ezra turned from where he was standing near Alana.\u00a0 \u201cGood.\u00a0 Was hoping you\u2019d wake up.\u201d<\/p>\n

Brendan grunted.\u00a0 \u201cWhere are we?\u00a0 Anduril?\u201d\u00a0 If we\u2019re at Anduril, that means I slept the ten hours between the correction point and here.\u00a0 That might be why I feel better.<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re about three klicks north of target, yes.\u201d\u00a0 Alana was securing the console, kicking engines to standby and checking sensors.\u00a0 Brendan straightened up a little more, pausing to let his vision normalize and his stomach settle.\u00a0 \u201cIt looks like there may be some weather in the area, but we shouldn\u2019t have to worry about that, I don\u2019t think.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHope not,\u201d Brendan murmured, rubbing his eyes.\u00a0 They didn\u2019t hurt, per se, but they ached a little.<\/p>\n

She was looking at him.\u00a0 \u201cWill you be able to fly?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNot sure.\u00a0 Maybe.\u201d\u00a0 His stomach growled.\u00a0 He reached gingerly for the half-eaten packet of rations next to his pillow.\u00a0 \u201cHopefully not in inclement weather and hopefully not anything too fancy.\u00a0 Not sure I can stand up right now, let alone deal with either of those things.\u00a0 Significant g-forces would be murder at this stage.\u201d\u00a0 He began to chew slowly on a corner of jerky.<\/p>\n

\u201cEating\u2019s a good sign.\u201d\u00a0 Ezra brought him a filled water bottle.<\/p>\n

Brendan grunted.\u00a0 \u201cProbably.\u00a0 Thanks.\u00a0 Sleeping helped, too.\u00a0 A lot, I think.\u201d\u00a0 The thought of reaching for Lindsay still brought a faint thumping pain to his temples, though.\u00a0 It was too far and his brain was too scrambled.\u00a0 Even as soothing emotionally as the touch might be, the physical toll would be too high.\u00a0 \u201cWhen are you going, Alana?\u201d<\/p>\n

She finished at the console and stood, checking her hand and then her other weapons with the certainty and speed of long practice.\u00a0 \u201cIn five.\u00a0 It shouldn\u2019t take me longer than a few hours.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAssuming you don\u2019t run into complications.\u201d<\/p>\n

Alana glanced at Ezra, then at Brendan, then back to Ezra.\u00a0 \u201cRemember what I said before?\u201d<\/p>\n

Ezra nodded.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat was another example.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ezra looked confused for a moment, then blushed and shook his head.\u00a0 \u201cRight.\u201d<\/p>\n

Alana twisted her hair up into a tight coil and tugged on a hood to hold it in place, hide the flaxen color, and keep it out of her way.\u00a0 \u201cDouble click on the comm means I have him.\u00a0 Short long short means problems.\u201d<\/p>\n

Brendan winced.\u00a0 \u201cWe don\u2019t have any backup to send you, Alana.\u201d\u00a0 Just Ezra, but that\u2019s not going to happen.<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cI know that.\u201d\u00a0 Her voice was soft and for some reason, that left him shaken.\u00a0 They stared at each other for a few long moments before she turned away and headed for the hatch.\u00a0 \u201cDon\u2019t try to call.\u00a0 Let me call first.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cRight.\u201d\u00a0 Brendan was pretty sure the statement was aimed at Ezra.<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd don\u2019t let America start worrying, either.\u00a0 At this range, their connection will be reestablishing itself and I don\u2019t need Commander Channing distracted.\u201d<\/p>\n

Brendan stared at her.\u00a0 How does she know this stuff?<\/em><\/p>\n

Ezra touched Alana\u2019s shoulder as she cycled the hatch.\u00a0 No words passed between them.\u00a0 Alana smiled tightly and was gone.<\/p>\n

What was <\/em>that all about?<\/em>\u00a0 He wasn\u2019t sure he wanted to know.\u00a0 He slumped against the wall took a long swallow of water.\u00a0 \u201cShe\u2019ll be fine,\u201d he said finally, staring at Ezra.\u00a0 \u201cThis is Alana we\u2019re talking about.\u00a0 She\u2019s the most deadly person we know.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah,\u201d Ezra murmured.\u00a0 \u201cI know.\u00a0 I\u2019m just worried about what this is going to do to her.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAnyone who tries to lay a hand on her will be dead before they hit the floor.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI know.\u201d\u00a0 There was a mournful note in his voice.\u00a0 \u201cThat\u2019s what I\u2019m worried about.\u201d<\/p>\n

My brains are more scrambled than I thought.\u00a0 <\/em>\u201cShe\u2019ll be fine, Ez.\u201d<\/p>\n

He exhaled noisily.\u00a0 \u201cYeah.\u00a0 You\u2019re right.\u00a0 She\u2019ll be fine.\u201d<\/p>\n

What\u2019s gotten into you, Ez?<\/em>\u00a0 Brendan swallowed the last of the ration packet and slowly straightened a little further.\u00a0 His head swam a bit, then the vertigo passed, at least momentarily.\u00a0 \u201cYou okay?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah.\u00a0 I\u2019m fine.\u201d\u00a0 Ezra was still staring out the windshield, as if he was still watching Alana, who\u2019d already vanished.<\/p>\n

Brendan opened his mouth to ask, then closed it again, deciding that maybe he didn\u2019t want to know.\u00a0 A faint throbbing rose in his temples, which was peanuts compared to everything else lately.\u00a0 He stared at the ration packet in his hands, squinted.\u00a0 He couldn\u2019t quite bring it into focus.\u00a0 \u201cHey, Ez?\u00a0 What did you give me, again?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cKelteminaphine, why?\u201d<\/p>\n

Great. \u00a0<\/em>Brendan grunted.\u00a0 \u201cCan\u2019t fly.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cCan\u2019t fly when I\u2019m on KT.\u00a0 Fine motor skills and focus go to shit.\u00a0 Can\u2019t pick out fine details.\u00a0 Reaction time drops.\u00a0 I thought you knew.\u201d\u00a0 If I had a functioning implant, it might not matter, but that shuttle\u2019s already left the dock.<\/em><\/p>\n

Ezra mumbled a curse and stared out the viewport again.\u00a0 \u201cI knew.\u00a0 I just didn\u2019t think,\u201d he said finally, then sighed.\u00a0 \u201cSorry Brendan.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cApologize to Alana, not me.\u00a0 I get to stay horizontal this way.\u201d \u00a0Brendan started on the rations again.\u00a0 I\u2019m just grateful I don\u2019t want to unscrew my head and set it on the floor next to me.\u00a0 I\u2019m going to feel like crap on a cracker when it wears off, though.<\/em>\u00a0 \u201cApologize when it clears my system and I feel like shit.\u201d\u00a0 Because it\u2019s not going to be pleasant.\u00a0 I know that much.\u00a0 <\/em>He paused.\u00a0 \u201cIs there something different you can give me?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah, I think so.\u00a0 Might not be as effective.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s fine.\u00a0 If the kelteminaphine clears my system fast, I might be able to take the controls.\u00a0 Maybe.\u201d\u00a0 He took a deep breath and exhaled it slowly.<\/p>\n

Ezra was more terse than he\u2019d ever seen him before.\u00a0 Brendan\u2019s brow furrowed.<\/p>\n

What the hell is he\u2014<\/em><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Oh.<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019re worried about her.\u00a0 Why the hell are you so worried about her?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019d have thought it was obvious by now.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNot really.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ezra sighed, not bothering to look at him.<\/p>\n

Brendan grimaced.\u00a0 What have I not been seeing?<\/em>\u00a0 He started in on the packet again, chewing slowly, thoughtfully.\u00a0 It finally struck him.\u00a0 \u201cHas something been going on between the two of you while I\u2019ve been sleeping?\u201d<\/p>\n

Ezra shook his head slowly.\u00a0 \u201cShe\u2019s not the inhuman monster you think she is, Brendan.\u00a0 That\u2019s all.\u00a0 There\u2019s more to her than just the killing machine.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ll believe that when I see it,\u201d Brendan mumbled, mouth half full.\u00a0 \u201cShe only shows the killing machine.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ezra shrugged, staring out at the trees and grass.\u00a0 Brendan fell silent, concentrating on eating.\u00a0 Eventually, he went back to sleep and left his friend alone with his thoughts.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Gods and monsters, kings and pawns, saviors and slayers.\u00a0 Strange how the paths to become all of the above can be so similar. — attributed to Ryland LeSarte, circa 4850 PD   10 Novem, 5249 PD   \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Ezra stared … Continue reading →<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":false,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[3],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-178","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-the-last-colony"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p25yjF-2S","jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.embklitzke.com\/e557\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/178","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.embklitzke.com\/e557\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.embklitzke.com\/e557\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.embklitzke.com\/e557\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.embklitzke.com\/e557\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=178"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"http:\/\/www.embklitzke.com\/e557\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/178\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":179,"href":"http:\/\/www.embklitzke.com\/e557\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/178\/revisions\/179"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.embklitzke.com\/e557\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=178"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.embklitzke.com\/e557\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=178"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.embklitzke.com\/e557\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=178"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}