Heart Of The Sun (11 page)

Alan sees green light in the air, coming from Valeria and swarming into the squalling, bloody child that the medics hold up. Valeria’s hand is still in his, but he’s no longer conscious and he thanks the Gods silently. He checks her pulse and feels it slowing until it comes to a stop. He reaches across and closes her eyes. His whole body shakes as he struggles to stand, Vash supporting him. He turns into Vash’s arms, his whole body shaking with rage at Valeria’s cruel fate and the universe that brought her to this. Vash holds him in a tight embrace, holding him up as his shaky knees buckle.

“We should go,” Vash says softly. “There is nothing more to be done.” He lets go of Alan, taking his hand and carefully guiding him away. Alan stops about midway down the hallway, turning and hitting the wall.

“It shouldn’t have happened!” Alan yells. “She was a
kast’ka
! The commandos raped her! She didn’t even get a choice in the matter!”

“Now you understand why I had to come here,” Vash says. His eyes are filled with tears as well, his voice tight. Why I brought you with me. Karalia can have no peace with the Humans until this barbarism against my people ends. It won’t be over until the High Council is unseated. Most of them are my family members. I am responsible for this injustice, and I will bring it down.” He stalked to his room, pressed a button to open the door and stepped inside.

“Vash, were you... born the same way?” Alan followed.

“I was. I did kill my mother, as every Karalian does. The Humans had an answer to our problem, but that answer has been sealed by the High Council. Only a few know that the High Council is not only responsible for the persecution of the
kast’ka
, but the persecution of every woman on Karalia as well. Before I defected, I learned what that secret was. The Humans had an answer to our birth problem, Alan. A half-Human, half-Karalian child that could be grown in a tank. Their prototype survived to adulthood, and was normal in all other ways but one; the child had no magical power. The High Council deemed the project an insult to our culture and sealed the records. That’s what started this war, Alan. That’s why, when they knew I was
kast’ka
, they hunted me down ruthlessly. They couldn’t let somebody who knew their darkest secrets defect. That’s why I had to find the Resistance, to pass along my secret. To put an end to this. But that’s only the beginning, Alan. We have to get the Karalian people to know about the injustices perpetrated against their own, and believe it.”

“This is my war, isn’t it?” Alan says, sitting down on a chair. His tears were drying, his mind coming out of shock and back to him. “The end of this government will save my world as well.”

“Perhaps,” Vash says. “It is possible that any new government installed will not be receptive to peace with the Humans, however.”

“I can’t stop thinking about Valeria,” Alan says. “So much has happened. There’s so much cruelty on your world. You’re right. I can’t leave. I am
kast’ka
too. What they did to her, they did to me and you as well.” He closes his eyes, finding Vash’s arms and taking comfort in them. “Vash, I’m sorry I ever doubted you.”

“You had reason to doubt,” Vash says. “I killed two of your people, and did not explain my reasons to you.”

“Now I know,” Alan says. “I know why you had to keep this a secret.”

“Soon, it will be a secret no more,” Vash says. “The worm, the children, the rapes, the persecution of
kast’ka
and women... We will blow Karalia’s secrets wide open. Together.” 

* *

Vash takes Alan back to his cabin and they settle down to sleep, Vash falling to sleep almost instantly. Alan stares up at the ceiling, unable to find any rest.

“Are you okay?” Vash stirs and whispers in his lover’s ear.

“I need you,” Alan whispers, and Vash understands, tracing a line down Alan’s chest as he leans in for a gentle kiss. Vash’s hand stirs his cock into action and Alan moves to pull Vash’s leggings down, exposing his cock to the air. They move together in the dark, their cocks held together by Vash’s hand, rubbing against each other until the friction is too much to bear and they come, gasping for breath. Alan gets out of bed and walks to the window. A dot catches his eye out in the stars, a ship dropping out of light speed. 

“Vash, something’s coming in.” Just as he says it, an alarm sounds and the ship’s shields rise.

“Get dressed. Let’s go to the bridge,” Vash says, cleaning himself up and pulling on his leggings.

“You’re allowed on the bridge?” Alan asks.

“I’m the son of a high ranking Council member. I could run the Resistance if I wanted,” Vash says. “In time, that may come to pass, but first I must earn their trust and respect.”

They dash from the room and into the elevator, where Vash barks a command and the elevator rises. It opens to a scene of chaos. A Human ship is onscreen, firing several shots. The
Val’tala
rocks as the laser blasts connect. A Karalian yells out a damage report and the commander turns in his seat to greet the new arrivals.

“Zor’Vina, now is not a good time,” the commander yells.

“Let Alan talk to them,” Vash says. “He may be able to negotiate.”

“Me?” Alan says. “I’m not sure they’ll listen, but I’ll try.”

“Open a channel!” The commander yells. Alan’s mouth falls open as he sees a familiar face on the screen.

“Martin? That’s not possible, you’re...”

“Dead? No, not exactly,” Martin says. “It’s been quite entertaining, watching you grow.”

“Grow? What do you mean?”

“At first I thought the World Government was losing their minds, having me leak you information about the worm. A more loyal soldier you won’t find, I told them. Apparently I knew little - because just a few months later, there you were at my base, with Karalian in tow. I had a little facial modification done and called myself Macey so I could learn that he’d told you all you needed to know, connected the missing pieces that linked the Karalian punishment worm back to the Human biological weapon. Now you had sympathy with him. Truth is, we could care less if the biological weapon story gets out. Like I said back then, Humans don’t care. We could nuke Karalia and nobody would give a damn.”

“Then what was the point?” Alan asks.

“We knew Zor’Vina was looking for the Resistance and we knew you would lead us right to them, one way or another. We had no idea the Resistance had their base on Rinax, but now it’s just a matter of time before we find and crush it, thanks to you. How sweet your little story has been, Alan. Crash landing on Rinax and falling in love with the enemy! You’ve played your part perfectly.”

“Why do you care about finding the Resistance?” Alan said. “Karalian internal politics are none of your concern!”

“Ah, but they are,” Martin said. “You see, the High Council and the World Government have made a deal. Under the table, of course. You see, war keeps both Humans and Karalians conservative, afraid of change, reluctant to mix and crossbreed. Not to mention all the lucrative weapons contracts that come out of it. A state of war benefits all of us, Alan. Well, except for the women and the
kast’ka
, but really, who gives a fuck?”

“You son of a bitch.” Alan watches a dozen more ships appear on the radar. “Kill the connection!” Alan yells and the screen goes black. He turns to Vash. “This is bad. Really bad.”

“I’m assuming command,” Vash says. The Commander doesn’t even object, just gives up the chair. Vash strides to it. “Prepare for battle,” he says. “Ready laser cannons.”

“We can’t fight all of those ships!” Alan yells.

“I know,” Vash says, turning to Alan. “That’s where you come in. I need you to go down to the escape pods and take one. One pod falling to Rinax won’t even be noticed in the heat of the battle. Once there, find the Resistance base and tell them everything I told you. Take Valeria’s child with you.”

“What are you going to do?” Alan asks.

“I’m going to stay and fight for my people,” Vash says. “Alan, this is goodbye.”

“You can’t do that!” Alan yells. “Someone, stop him!”

To Alan’s surprise, the Commander steps forward and pulls a needle from his pocket, thrusting it into Vash’s neck. Vash slumps forward in the chair as the Commander turns to Alan. “Take him with you. Zor’Vina is the future of the Resistance. I cannot allow him to die here.” He helps Alan pick up Vash’s prone body and he walks to the exit with Vash slung over his shoulder as another blast rocks the ship.

“Fire at will!” The Commander yells, taking his seat. He nods to Alan who tears himself away from the view-screen and leaves the bridge.

Alan hurries through the ship, heading to the medbay where he retrieves Valeria’s son and supplies for their journey. He holds the boy in a sling on his back and Vash in his arms as he staggers to the escape pods, guided by civilian members of the Resistance who are waiting for him at every turn.

“Keep them safe,” one old Karalian woman said. “Our future rests with you.”

How bravely you face the future,
Alan thought.
You are all sacrificing your lives for this information. I swear to deliver it, and keep Vash and this child safe.
He straps himself in and the escape pod launches. He watches with sadness as the
Val’tala
puts up a valiant fight and eventually succumbs, sinking as fires reach the main engines and exploding in a blaze of glory.
All those souls, gone. Dead for this information, which in the end may mean nothing. If my people have sold us out, the research may already be dust. There may be no hybrid beings to create, no answers to be had. Regardless, the High Council and the World Government must be brought down.

Vash stirs as they enter Rinax’s atmosphere. The baby squalls at the change of gravity and Alan soothes him.

“Where... What... Alan, what is happening?” Vash sits up sharply. “Alan, what have you done?”

“Saved your life,” Alan says. “The Resistance needs you, Vash. The Commander knew that as well. That’s why he drugged you. We’re all that’s left of the
Val’tala
now. We must find the Resistance base on Rinax and deliver the information. Those people died so that we could do this.”

Vash looks up at the wreckage floating around them. Rinax’s atmosphere grows thicker and it fades from view. Alan holds onto the child as the escape pod makes a rough landing.

* *

Opening the door, they climb out of the pod to see ice all around them. Alan holds the baby close to him as they start to walk in silence. He thinks about making a joke about the number of crash landings they’ve lived through, but the
Val’tala’s
loss leaves a heaviness on his chest that makes joking feel inappropriate.

Soon they’re so cold that even the baby grows quiet. Vash builds a fire and they sit around it, warming the Karalian child until he cries again. Alan feeds him formula from the supply pack as Vash wanders away. Alan rocks the child to sleep and carries him over to where Vash is standing.

“We may never find the base,” Vash says. “We may well freeze to death out here, and all their sacrifices will be for nothing.”

“I know,” Alan says. “We have to at least try. The base is here somewhere, I know it.”

Vash pulls Alan into his embrace. “Thank you for saving me,” he says. “Truth is, I do not wish to die, but I felt like it was my responsibility to stay.”

“Your responsibility is to get us through this so we can deliver the intel,” Alan says. He leads Vash back towards the fire and pulls a blanket over them. “Rest for now.”

Chapter Eleven
Shooting Stars

Day Eighteen

Rinax Forest Clearing

Night is drawing in when Nina decides to take a walk. There are times when the Resistance base could feel far too cooped up. 

She stops walking when she sees a dot fall into the forest nearby. She pulls her furs around her and runs back to the base, screaming in Karalian. “A shooting star falls!” Within the hour, a dozen Karalians are ready to go on an expedition into the forest. They trudge through the dark and the ice, ready to put down any enemies that might have found them.

It was later that night when the first Karalians reached the campsite. Tiptoeing into the camp, the one beckons the others to come over. Lying on the ground, huddled under blankets was a Human and a Karalian, holding a baby between them. Ice has formed in their hair and their faces are blue from the cold. The head of the expedition thinks they are all dead until the baby lets out a cry and the Human opens his eyes and starts to shiver violently. He gasps and shakes his Karalian companion who rises at once.

“It’s okay,” Alan says though chattering teeth. “We mean no harm.”

“State your business,” the expedition leader says.

“We have information,” Vash says. “Take us to the Resistance leader. Please, Valil.”

“How do you know me? Wait. Zor’Vina, son of Vandash? Is that you?” The Karalian looks at him oddly. “I had heard rumors of you going into exile, but...”

I am
kast’ka
,” Vash says proudly. I’ve come to fight for my people with my mate, Alan. Now take us back to the base. We have much important news to discuss with your leader.”

* * *

The Resistance gave them furs, which made the trip much easier. They were led to a normal looking patch of ice out on the snowy plains, which slid open to reveal an elevator. They stepped in and were taken down into a series of passageways. A doctor took the baby from them and away to the medbay and Alan was relieved that his tiny burden was safe at last. 

They seemed to walk forever until they reached the center of the facility and were finally led to a small office where they were frisked for weapons and ordered to sit. They sat in silence for a few minutes. Vash moved his hand across to Alan’s knee and Alan squeezed it. 

Finally the door opened and a figure strode in wearing a black cloak. The hood was up and Alan couldn’t see the person’s face. The figure was short for a Karalian; about five-six and skinny. The figure sat down in the chair.