The Phoenix Requiem (The Phoenix Conspiracy Series Book 7) (54 page)

“It’s time,” said Rafael, nodding toward the cockpit’s door.

“You’re right,” said Calvin. “But I think I should handle this alone. You stay here.”

“If you think that is best,” said Rafael. “But, tell me, why?”

“I’m trying to build a rapport with Ozumire, I don’t want to get information from him through intimidation; I want him to feel like he can trust me. Like I’m his only friend in this situation. Or, if that fails, that we can make some kind of quid-pro-quo arrangement.”

“You mean, like, his freedom for his information?” asked Rafael.

“Perhaps,” said Calvin, wondering if he was willing to be so deceitful. He had tried a similar tactic on Tristan when they’d first met, and it had not worked out well. “I haven’t decided exactly what I will do or say,” Calvin continued, “But Ozumire and I did begin a dialogue before coming aboard this ship. I think he is more likely to continue that dialogue with as few people around as possible.”

“In that case,” said Rafael, “I know the perfect spot. Back out through the converted cargo bay, there is a tiny nook with a hatch. Through that hatch is a
very
small engine room, I think that is the where you will get the most privacy.”

“Thanks for the tip,” said Calvin, thinking that sounded perfect. Just as he was turning to leave, Rafael caught him on the shoulder.

“One last question,” he said.

“Go ahead,” replied Calvin.

“Are you sure you’ll be safe, just the two of you?”

“I can handle myself,” said Calvin, “Besides, I’ve got my sidearm.” He patted his holster, “And Ozumire is bound behind his back. What could go wrong?”

Rafael seemed to accept this begrudgingly. “If you say so, sir.”

“In the meantime, you stay here and man the controls,” said Calvin.

“There’s not much manning required on a direct course through alteredspace,” said Rafael, “But I take your meaning.”

“Thanks,” said Calvin. “And, after I get what I can out of him, I promise to share the intelligence with you. All of it.”

This seemed to make Rafael happier.

Calvin exited the cockpit and, to his surprise, found himself face to face with Nikolai, who was so broad and the corridor so narrow, Nikolai completely impeded Calvin’s path, whether by accident or on purpose.

Nikolai gave him a knowing look, as if he had figured something out. “You go to ask questions now, yes?”

How’d he know that? Calvin wondered.
Did he overhear us through the cockpit’s hatch?
Unlikely. The thing was almost assuredly soundproof.

“Yes,” admitted Calvin. “So, if you’ll kindly stand aside and let me through…”

“Of course,” said Nikolai, not moving. “We go ask questions together now, yes?”

“No,” said Calvin. “I think it would be better if it was just me.”

“You talk of craziness. Would not be safe you and him. Alone.”

“I’ll be plenty safe,” said Calvin, “I promise.”

“No, I must come too,” insisted Nikolai.

“But I don’t want you to come,” said Calvin. “I don’t want Ozumire to feel intimidated.”

“Do not worry; I ask him no questions.”

“That’s not the point,” said Calvin. “If it’s just me, the conversation will be private. If you’re there too, he might be less likely to share what he knows—about anything, for that matter. Now please, stand aside.”

“I stand aside,” said Nikolai, and he did. But, as Calvin progressed forward, Nikolai followed him. “But,” the bald soldier continued. “I still go with you.”

Calvin stopped and turned around, annoyed.

“Nikolai, you are
not
coming with me.”

“I understand,” said Nikolai. “I come too.”

“No!” replied Calvin, wondering where this insistence was coming from.

“Nikolai, you will remain with the passengers on this vessel in the converted cargo hold; that is an order. Is that clear?”

“Clear, yes,” said Nikolai. “Remain? No. I come too.”

At that point, Calvin was unsure what to do. He didn’t want to cause a ruckus by ordering the other soldiers to restrain Nikolai. Nor could Calvin, himself, keep Nikolai from following him. After all, Nikolai was too strong for Calvin to attempt to tie up, and it wasn’t like Calvin was going to shoot him. So, with some reluctance and a great deal of frustration, Calvin relented and accepted the fact that Nikolai would be there also.

“Fine, you may come,” said Calvin. “But you’d better be damned sure you keep that big mouth shut; is
that
clear?”

“Of course!” said Nikolai.

Calvin returned to the converted cargo hold and approached Ozumire, telling the soldier watching him to, “Stand down.”

“So, the curious one returns,” said Ozumire, quickly adding, “I believe certain promises were made that have not been kept.” He nodded toward the restraints behind him.

“I’ll honor the agreement,” said Calvin, “But first, come with me, please.”

“Where are we going?” asked Ozumire.

“Does not matter,” said Nikolai. “Just come.”

Ozumire examined Nikolai, who was nearly as tall as he was, and stockier.

“Don’t mind him,” said Calvin. “Pretend he isn’t here. Now, this way, please.”

Calvin led the way, followed by Ozumire, who, in turn, was followed by Nikolai. It proved to be a very short distance to the hatch that Rafael had spoken of. Calvin punched the button and the hatch slid open. “After you,” he gestured.

Ozumire entered first, followed by Nikolai, and Calvin entered last, sealing the hatch behind him. At last, some privacy, he thought.
Well
, other than
Nikolai
.

It was a rather small space for an engine room—it seemed more like a walk-in closet, except the walls were bulkheads except for one, which appeared to be a bunch of machinery. Calvin recognized none of it.

“Well, here we are,” said Calvin. He remained near the hatch, facing Ozumire. Nikolai stood somewhat between them, but out of their direct line of sight to each other. In his hand was a pistol, he held it at his side. Calvin thought to ask him,
do you really need that?
But then decided Nikolai would simply say
yes
and that would be the end of it.

So Calvin decided to proceed, also trying his best to pretend that Nikolai was not there. “When last we spoke,” said Calvin, “You were beginning to teach me about the Truth.”

Ozumire didn’t say anything right away. His face remained as expressionless as ever as he looked from Calvin, to Nikolai, then back to Calvin. “I am unsure this one is worthy to learn of the Truth. Indeed, perhaps, it is better that I not share it at all. You are both drotha, after all.”

Calvin shot Nikolai and extremely angry glare, as if to say, “Take the hint, you are ruining this! Go on, get out of here!”

But, whether obstinate or simply oblivious, Nikolai remained exactly where he stood. Saying nothing.

Calvin spent a few seconds trying to figure out how to get rid of Nikolai, so Ozumire would not rethink his willingness to open up to Calvin—who desperately wanted his information.

Then, before Calvin could think of what to say or do, Ozumire spoke again. “Very well, this one may stay,” he said, much to Calvin’s relief. “Provided that he do what was promised and remove these restraints. They are uncomfortable.”

“You heard him,” said Calvin. “Remove the restraints.”

“Remove restraints?” asked Nikolai, as if he had just heard something so confusing it had been in a foreign language. “But…I said it is unwise.”

“Just remove them,” said Calvin. “As quickly as possible.”

“But…is not safe,” said Nikolai.

“
Not safe
?” said Calvin. “There’s two of us here and we have guns! There is only one of him and he is unarmed. What is he going to do? Besides, where would he run to even if he did manage to incapacitate both of us?”

“Very well,” said Nikolai. He holstered his pistol just long enough to remove the restraints, then he returned to his position, like a dutiful sentinel, and held the pistol at his side once more.

Ozumire stretched out his arms and moved them about, no doubt feeling a great deal of physical relief. “Yes, this is much more agreeable,” said Ozumire.

“Now,” said Calvin, “About the Truth.”

“As I was saying, I can only agree to give you the smallest taste of it,” said Ozumire. “I cannot promise that you will comprehend it. Your mind is, unfortunately, limited.”

“I would like to try anyway,” said Calvin, still using the friendliest tone he could muster.

“Hmm…” said Ozumire, as if mulling it over. “I suppose you would not be the first drotha to be taken by the One True God and thrust into the Truth; however, like the other, you could never be the same again.”

“I welcome change,” said Calvin, hoping that was what Ozumire wanted to hear.

“The discovery of the Truth began long ago, in your frame of time it was ancient. Perhaps when your forefathers had first discovered the usefulness of stone. The Progenitors were far more advanced then, even far more advanced than the Polarians and the drotha are now. They so honored the One True God, that they were rewarded with the treasures of knowledge and wisdom beyond your ability to comprehend.”

“Who were the Progenitors?” asked Calvin.

“They were the forefathers of the Polarians and the Skotadi,” said Ozumire. “Eventually, there was a split. With two branches of offspring that differed.”

“A genetic mutation?” suggested Calvin.

Ozumire looked at him with annoyance. “Typical human. Always trying to explain away the miraculous with the mundane. No
not
a genetic mutation, a divinely-guided separation. Such that the offspring of the Progenitors were born either as Polarians, which you already know much about, or Skotadi, such as I am. Although the Polarians use a foul word by which they call us Qi’laqin…they hate us so, not only did they banish us, and slaughter us at every opportunity, they also insult us with their primitive command of language. Such is the attitude of the elder brothers toward the younger…”

“You say you are obviously physically different, yet you look identical to a Polarian,” said Calvin, knowing that had been because this Dark One—this Skotadi—had deliberately taken the form of one of the Prelains in order to infiltrate the Council. Still, he hoped his comment would prompt some kind of description of what Skotadi looked like in their natural form.

“I took this form as a great sacrifice,” said Ozumire. “But it is not relevant to the Truth, nor to the Divine Plan for the galaxy.”

Calvin nodded. “Please continue.”

“Eventually, all the Progenitors died,” said Ozumire. “When that happened, the Polarians—threatened by the Skotadi, perhaps because of our abilities—fought a war against us and ultimately cast us out, ever banishing us to the Nether Space and beyond.”

Calvin assumed
Nether Space
referred to the even more mysterious space beyond Polarian Forbidden Space. An area of the galaxy that was unexplored, but known to be saturated with quasars, neutron stars and, most importantly, black holes—some of which had planets orbiting them. Whatever lay
beyond
Nether Space, Calvin truly had no idea.

“We were exiled, banished forever from our homeworld, Novobella, which is the True name for the planet you call the
Forbidden Planet
.”

“So the Dark Ones—excuse me,” said Calvin, “the
Skotadi
originated from the Forbidden System alongside the Polarians?”

“Yes,” said Ozumire. “Though the Polarians have since denied it, claiming now to have come from some other world.”

“Polaris,” said Calvin.

“Yes that is the one. But it is a lie, much like their religion. Brought forth by the Master of Lies…but I am getting ahead of myself. After the war, and the expulsion of all surviving Skotadi from Novobella, many years and centuries passed by. The Polarians forgot the ways of the Truth, perhaps as punishment for what they had done to us—their brothers. And so they became quickly seduced with the False Ways. The rites, rituals, and ceremonies given to them by the Master of Lies.”

“Who is the Master of Lies?” asked Calvin.

“Like the One True God, he has no name,” said Ozumire. “Yet he is not without power. Such as a planet must have a night and a day. All truths must have a lie; and a lie a truth. All things that stem from the Truth have their counterpoint in the great Fountain of Lies. The Polarians drink from these fountains, unholy stars that change their color to blue, and, in so doing, transfer all manner of False knowledge into them.”

“But not the Skotadi,” said Calvin.

“Of course not,” said Ozumire. “We have remained loyal to the One True God, just as the Progenitors would have wanted. It is a shame they loved us both; perhaps that was their sin, I do not know, but had the Progenitors destroyed the Polarians in their infancy, while they still could, then there would not be the vitriolic poison of the False Ways, belief in the so-called Essences, ubiquitously spread throughout the entire swath of space claimed by the Polarians. The One True God will not suffer such blasphemers to prosper as the Polarians have done. The time for their fall is nigh, as you shall soon understand.”