Kyra nodded. Von acceded. Tom flickered larger than life, a reflection of fear and power, of fate knocking on wood exposed to the universal fire of might. His command carrier stood locked on Tranquility as hammer to nail. Only a nod remained between his view holding metal and life or stars and memories.
“Hello John.”
“Hello Tom.”
“How’s Cait?”
“Good. She’s good Tom.”
“And Ariel? How is she?”
“Good as gold, as always. And Tom Jr.?”
Tom shrugged. “More like his mom than his old man. Still time.”
“And how are you Tom?”
Tom sighed, his eyes bright in a face of chiseled stone. “I’ve got a boarding party. Lower your defenses.”
John looked at Krya. She shook her head with hands clasped behind her back. “Can’t do that Tom.”
“I’m asking you to reconsider. This is the best way John. Trust me.”
“It’s not that I don’t trust you Tom. It’s actually that I trust you implicitly.”
“You give me too much credit. However, this time you wouldn’t be wrong. Now I’m asking you one last time. Lower your defenses.”
“And if I don’t—”
“Execute my orders. Duty bound. I have no choice.”
John looked toward Von. “Cut the screen.”
“John!”
“What!”
“Don’t do this. There is a better way.”
“You have your orders—“
“My orders are Deleo per Extremus.”
John held his hand to Von.
Tom held the glowing seal before the screen. “Deleo per Extremus, John. Potentatus. I think you understand the gravity of the situation. I have no choice.
John stood mute as stone. Kyra glanced Von, which was the same as looking at the wall.
“John?” queried Kyra.
“Tell her John. You owe her the truth.”
John felt vised between past and present, between letter and law, heaven and earth.
“The truth John. Tell her.”
“Tell me what? asked Kyra.
“Tell her John.” Hesitation. “Or I will.”
“He has plenipotentiary orders for our complete and utter annihilation.”
“Tell her how you know this?”
“What?”
“Tell her John. Tell her how you know this.”
“Don’t do this Tom.”
“On your "rescue mission" of the fair Hynerian, what were your orders?”
Kyra stared at John. John stared into oblivion, bitterness rising as wisps above the rank brew.
“Orders?” asked Kyra.
“Deleo per Extremus.”
10 comments:
I need to read this again when I'm in a better mood. Right now, it just makes me feel like crying. Full moon hormones, I guess.
If you need a shoulder, I have two. If that doesn't work, I made some fudge caramel brownies this afternoon. Improved my mood. :-D
Cliffhangers were always another of your fortes, :-), am on the absolute edge of my seat in anticipation of what happens next. I have great faith in Kyra and the crew, that even if they do not adhere to Tom's orders, somehow, some way they will be able to escape the very real danger that he poses or at least die trying to use a well-known phrase. Certainly don't want that.
But Tom sounds very certain, certain that he unlike John would be able to carry out those orders, whether he is bluffing so to speak, I do not know. Presumably he is not alone but has a crew with him, it may be that once there is face to face contact he may lay all his cards on the table. Given his life is back on Kulmyk, wife, son, it couldn't be the case that he was planning somehow to jump ship and trick his own crew members so that they all could make an escape. Mind is spinning trying to come up with scenarios where everyone wins. :-)
From what I can see at the moment, there are only two options, but I haven't the imagination or creativity that you have, and these would be either they manage to escape and either keep running or as the most adept of contact sport players, manoeuvre around and somehow reach their intended goal anyway. Make that three. They manage to escape and run like hell. Or they go back with Tom. Or, someone else gets involved. Four. LOL, I guess that if I came up with four outcomes, though without a complete idea of how to get to them, then there are probably very many possible next steps.
On more personal levels, there is the parallel here of John having to wrap his mind around the possibility that Tom is willing to follow those orders and that they were issued in the first place, towards not just him, but his wife and daughter, by people that he once was very directly involved with, friends perhaps some of them, who knows.
At the same time, he has to look at Kyra now, who is dealing with the same knowledge, both better and worse for her, depending on how one looks at it given he never executed those orders.
My oh my, was not expecting that last piece of information. Absolutely thrilling chapter in every way, very, very well written, I particularly liked the small talk between John and Tom amidst it all. So appropriately out of place. :-)
This story gets better and better for every chapter.
I kinda liked that small talk too. Doesn't look like much on paper but in my mind, acted out, it was an interesting exchange.
Tom is coming onboard with a crew. What he has to say is going to be very interesting and perhaps we will learn a bit more of the backstory that helps make this chapter make a little more sense.
I have several ways I can go with this one but I like where my mind is headed. :-D
I would say more but my eyes are too heavy and I want to sleep on the possibilities. Let's just say Tom is as much at risk as John. ;-)
Ooooh
that's all I'm saying. :-D
Sweet dreams of Annie, my lovely, H
The mystery deepens.Foretells some fateful action!
Killing off a character is the hardest thing I know in the writing of this story. A shame for Kieran that we didn't know him better before the virus struck. :-D
Decisions, decisions. This is a crossroads when I wish someone else was writing the story so that I could be surprised at what happens next and have no responsibility for the turn. :-D
Thank you both for reading. Means more than I know how to say.
Sweetest, I think I may have just uncovered why Rog has been treating Mairi so poorly: Jealousy. Go to May 8th and read Close Your Eyes. I have a feeling Yul shared with him what Mairi did, basically saying she took me places you never have. :-D
I don't think this is the only factor, but I have a suspicion it could be what is fueling his attitude. ;-)
I think I need to find me a Mairi. :-D
Shoulders will work admirably, as will brownies of any flavor when mood improvement is the goal. You need a Mairi, I need ... sugar and calories:)
Well, I've been called sweet before. Maybe I can help you and me at the same time. :-D
Post a Comment