Kingdoms Away 1: Jorian Cluster Archives (17 page)

It was due to these studies and investigating
into Trimadorians SpyNet that she began to see another Joiran
Cluster. One that was not so shiny. Dangerously, she began her own
discreet enquiries into his dealings. Only those trusted and known
to her helped her. It began the day after that council meeting.

Why did he not want her to share sovereignty?
Why did he not want to offer land? Those two questions were added
to a list of others from over the years. Now she was investigating
into past activities. It was getting difficult to juggle everything
around. As recommended by her trusted Guardars, she had an escape
plan. They had even practiced the plan until it ran smoothly. There
was no point in an emergency plan full of problems when an actual
emergency would present its own set of exertions.

She ran her hand through her soft,
sandy-colored hair; it was still slightly waving with the moisture
of the season. Many had called her beautiful, which she had laughed
at, as she had always been frustrated with her looks. Almost all
her family were tall, blond and athletic. They were the horse
masters of Dragon’s Eye. Her father was the Port Master of the
space port that had been named after a rock formation on a plateau
close to the plains. It was in a shape of a dragon’s head and a
large section looked like an eye. Erianna’s father had taken his
small daughter up to the plateau and they had gazed along the
formation.

“See, Erianna, there’s the shape of the
dragon’s head, and there’s the eye.”

A young Erianna struggled to see the beast in
the mottled rocks. She couldn’t make out the head but she thought
she could work out the eye.

“Are there really dragons, Papa?”

“No, pet, but there are flying reptiles on a
number of dinosaur planets that look like the fantasy dragons of
Earth.”

“Fantasy? You mean they’re not real?”

“That’s right. Just like that new show you
watch, what’s it called?”

“Agnus and the Bear.”

“Agnus is based on something real but the
differences make it fantasy.”

“If dragons aren’t real then how do we know
the rock,” she pointed, “looks like a dragon’s eye?”

“Pet, the eye is over there, see now?”

Just like her dad, always pointing out her
mistakes in that voice she hated so much. She had felt embarrassed
but her father hadn’t noticed and continued to try and make her
see. The problem was the more he went on the more she got
flustered. In the end, she had just nodded. Many years later, she
had returned and hovered over the rock formation in her new
airvehicle Colt. She could now see the dragon and its eye. It
looked rather spectacular and had found out that the only way to
see the shape was to hover above, and this was the first time she
had realized her father wasn’t perfect.

Erianna remembered that moment of realization
and her father’s reactions when she had parked the vehicle in his
garage. He had interrogated her about where she had been, using
that belligerent voice she hated so much. It was the same
condescending voice her husband used on her in front of others. For
a long time she had believed herself to be deserving of it, but a
kindly man pointed out to her that no one needed to be subjected to
that treatment. She had puzzled over that comment and when she went
to seek him out again, she discovered he had been sent off
planet.

She sipped her cooler coffee, enjoying the
sweetness sitting on the bottom. Even now she couldn’t rid herself
of her sweet tooth and so had to work harder physically to
accommodate such luxuries. Both of her parents were tall and blond,
and her brothers and sisters were tall and blond. She was small and
had sandy hair just like her uncle Thomis. Ed followed her gene
pattern and was small with sandy hair. He had the larger bone
structure of his father and green eyes of her uncle Thomis.

Erianna put the cup down and swiveled back to
face her cluttered desk. After shuffling a few things around, she
found the mock-ups of the Eventus and completed her final check. It
was time to go to the press and release news of the discovery and
the Trimadorian treachery. A summarized version of the punishment
was publicized, along with the changes of command.

The restrictions on Trimador would now hamper
her own investigations. But she had received some good news. Ard,
her contact, was now the attaché to one Admiral Tzand. She had met
Ard when he was beginning his career in engineering. Her husband
had allowed her to go off Erus since he had pressing business in
the Moth system. Of course, no one knew he had withheld permission
in the past or had the means to keep her quiet.

She had been both excited and full of worry.
It was the first time Ed and she had been separated. Ed was excited
as well and hid his worry well. He would be staying with the twins
and their huge family. Only because Erianna knew them so well and
that Ed would benefit from the atmosphere did she allow herself the
luxury of burying the worry to allow the excitement to take over.
She gave her Guardar strict instructions and left the planet on a
ferian. She waved down at the decreasing size of her son and the
twins. They were standing on the visitors’ balcony of the
spaceport, Star Isle. They were waving as madly as she was, and she
ignored the looks of well-travelled people. As they went higher the
island grew smaller and the star shape became clearer. It was
beautiful, and the planet was rich in plants and animals. It was
why she had originally come to Erus. That and the fact the Elysians
were said to have favored the oceans of Erus.

The Guardar, sitting opposite, was also a
close friend and grinned. “I read in the Media Archived documents
once that the Earth royals were subdued and overly controlled.”

“Stuffy, you mean.”

“Some were.”

“I feel sorry for them; the only reason why
they were stuffy was because if they behaved like our royals it
would be splashed all over the news.”

“Well, in your case being a royal in charge
of the most influential media offices in Erus prevents any wild
allegations.”

“Wild allegations, oh yes, let’s see,
‘Sovereign’s wife loses control as she madly waves at her son from
the window of a ferian bound for Kimba in the Vespa system.’ I
can’t see that making any news here, or on Earth. However, I heard
some of the media would fabricate and sensationalize simple
situations so perhaps the breaking words would be like this,
‘Inexperienced wife of Darcerus Sovereign discards dignity, which
reflects badly on the economic climate of the upcoming Joiran
Coalition’s new stance on Royal Etiquette.’ What do you think?”

“No, that’s far too long, needs to be shorter
and snappy.”

“Immature wife of Sovereign lacks
dignity.”

“Better.”

“Why were you studying Archived Media?”

“It was part of one of my minors. Boring.” He
grinned at her again and scanned the other passengers.

“I studied the topic as well but will
tactfully refrain from my opinion for the very reasons we discussed
above. I wonder why no one ever goes back to Earth?”

“I’d rather go to the Black than to Earth.
Besides, Earth has probably changed beyond recognition now. Rumors
are it’s dead now. It’s what, well over two and a half thousand
years since Renuen had been founded.”

“That sounds about right. Why are you so
chatty today?”

“To keep you from worrying about your son,” a
young Guardar sitting next to Erianna quipped.

The dirty look the tactless Guardar received
from Turim made Erianna hide a smile behind her hand. But the
distraction had been spoilt now because, despite herself, her eyes
were drawn back down to the jewel of a planet.

Erianna made some important discoveries and
contacts on Kimba. The young engineer had at first been reluctant
to speak to her about anything aside from the Convectional Gravity
Drive she had come to discuss. Her persistence paid off and she was
able to gain his trust by providing him with some vital information
for his investigations. Disappearances, it seemed in the Joiran
Cluster, were few and always from new colony planets. The
information she provided included detailed articles from other
media sources on all planets. He provided her with information on
her husband’s dealings. It was exactly what she needed and what she
read she hated.

On the trip home she considered that now she
would continue to build her Death Portfolio, piecing together the
life of a man she now realized she knew nothing about. She lived
with a stranger, slept with him and pretended to be his devoted,
docile wife. She gazed out the window once more, standing up and
stretching. It had been no mistake she chose Media as her major;
she knew from her studies what power that career could hold. How
she longed for the day she could do what she really wanted. To be a
Horse Master, like her mother and compete in the Conglomerate Games
around the Cluster. This wasn’t the time to follow her dream. She
had obligations to Ed. And now that she knew more about her
repulsive husband she knew the threat to their lives were real.

“Just leave.” The words were so simple and
yet she still could not bring herself to do so. Why? Why? She then
saw her Helmet of Kara, which she had placed in her office to help
with combating the dangerous cycle of despair. Her fingers ran
along the markings, remembering the good times, and so before
despair could overshadow her completely she grabbed up the Eventus
and strode out. It was no longer a matter of just her and Ed; it
was a much greater issue which threatened the fabric of the
Cluster’s society. Rot was spreading in the form of slavery and she
had to find out how to stop it and who was responsible. Only the
Trimadorian SpyNet could help her. Erianna had duties, and she had
to be all she could be to help those without power, without
control.

Ed finished tidying up a chest he started.
Juner worked beside him, having just completed another stool. Parax
had gone home already, coming down with an autumn allergy. He
hadn’t taken his medication as told to by his mother.

“Is your mother picking you up today?”

“Yep, she should be here soon.”

Juner poked her pale blonde head out the
door. “Hello, Mistress Varak. Been at the Eventus?”

Ed grinned. Juner was as forward as a
chipmunk.

“Yes, it’s been a long day. Have you finished
up?”

The small woman came in to the workshop,
smelling the wood scented air. Ed walked over and nodded to
Juner.

“See you in a couple of days. Tease Parax for
me.”

“Always do.” Came the lilted reply.

They said their goodbyes and headed out.

Ed ran back into the workshop holding a fresh
copy of Eventus.

“Thanks.” She began to read while absently
tidying up. Master Trent came in and growled at her. She laid down
the paper on one of the many sturdy benches which he promptly sat
on picking up the paper to read. After a few comments from the
cheeky girl Master Trent read the article out loud:

***

It was announced today that the Trimadorians
were responsible for the attack on the Cruise Ship Anamoth. They
claimed the attack was a result of discovering the Saxe Genetics
Council withholding information regarding hope to fight the Fourth
Hostility, wanting to make a point that they would not tolerate
secrets from the Council. SGC responded with threats regarding
Trimador own SpyNet. The Joiran Coalition has set unprecedented
action in mediating between the two by severing communication as a
starting point.

Along with two genetic samples a little girl
had been kidnapped which caused quite a stir with the SGC, who had
kept her identity secret up until now. The largest search ever
conducted in the Joiran Cluster has been ongoing for years. The
Joiran Coalition has met and is deciding on the course of action
against the SGC and the Trimador Nest. See Page Four for full
details on the corrective and disciplinary action.

Serafina, the only female Reos to survive
countless experiments, was to be the Ambassador for the Joirans and
represent them to our protectors, the Elysians. The girl, Serafina,
a genetic creation from the original Professor Reos, was to speak
to the Elysians regarding invasion concerns. The Sharith threat is
mounting, the Illudere are growing increasingly bold as the Fourth
Hostility is on the way and gloom begins to wield its mighty power
over the cluster as the Trimador Nest ruin a possible hope for
Joiran kind. See Page Two for full details.

{[JOIRAN CLUSTER] [Science Vessel, Sordes]
[Oriri]

[917355/2583/157/space]}

Robin began to cry after reading the Eventus.

William paced up and down. “The fools!”

Their private monitor came to life and
William ran over to it, seeing Donaven’s name appear. He pressed on
the “Open Comms” icon.

“Donaven, have you seen—?”

“Yes, but don’t despair. You have a friend it
seems with clever intelligence.”

William collapsed on the chair and Robin
rushed over. He clasped her hand and said to Donaven, “I don’t
understand.”

“By opening up the entire affair the players
in view and hidden lose some leverage. It will buy us … err, you
precious time to find Serafina first.”

They glanced at each other, coming to an
understanding. William said, “Will you help us?”

Donaven’s eyebrows raised and mouth popped
open.

Robin nodded and pleaded with him. “You’re
the first to contact us. You’ve provided us invaluable help and
leads. You understand how the game is played. We don’t.”

A smile broke across the face, teeth white
and contrasting with the dark lips and skin. “It would be my
pleasure. Are you sure? I know my reputation precedes me.”