Things don't always go as you wish, especially an investigation with to many hands on the crime. the traitor has covered his tracks well, because it's the only way the planetary defenses could have been breached. there is no other explanation to be had. There is a RAT in the nest.
But now the RAT is hiding. Who ever he is has good connections to the intimate workings of the Majah-tu military. How do you sniff him out? maybe you can use really good bait, to make him try to bite. The problem was us and our own military tactics that they are unfamiliar with; I agree with the King we took the initiative away from them, and now they are probably rethinking their strategy.
Jahní moves a bit while sleeping, so I bring her closer to me and she gets comfortable continuing to sleep. I put my face into her hair and breath in her scent burning it in my memory. It's just tough to rest after all that has gone down, and my crew is calling for justice to be done for their dead shipmates.
The King and his counselors are WRONG! Damn it! They've turned a blind eye to the truth; they just can't believe that one of their own would go against them. They're steeped too much in their traditions and Majah-tu don't betray one another. Times change. The mere fact that we, the Human race is here should let them know that things are in flux.
I really need to stop thinking about all this and just focus on Jahní, since the King has allowed us to stay together for the whole night on our days. I trace my finger along her shoulder down to her arm, then down to her waist to the curve of her hips. She moves turning her head towards me. "You cannot sleep?"
"No, I can't even though I'm tired. I just am unable to stop thinking." She turns around facing me. Her silhouette is beautiful in this low light of the moon streaming through the window, and She touches my face and I close my eyes. I trace the out line of her face with my finger, then I touch her lips and the heat between us builds up.
"Only think of me." She whispers. God that's all I want to do and think of nothing else. She moves closer and She begins to Kiss me.
"You know that lately you've been the aggressive one." She smiles and continues kissing me pressing her body to mine.
"Make me yours again." She breathes softly into my ear. We make sweet passionate love again and then we rest in each others arms after, and this time I feel myself matching her restful mood and I just can't keep my eyes open.
The next morning I'm walking down the tunnel back to the Embassy feeling rested and... happy, for the first time in a while. I notice someone coming down from the other end; I stop and I reach behind me and put my hand on the plas pistol. I have to shift my weight onto my good leg, so I can hold my balance. "Captain, is that you?" Lahí, thank God.
" Yes, it's me Lahí." She walks up to me and smiles inclining her head. "Is everything well with you?" I know why she's here, but I have to be polite.
She turns red with embarrassment. "Yes, it's all well." she answers. "I must be on my way before I'm missed."
I incline my head, as she walk past me towards the palace and I shake my head. Who would've guessed that Lahí would have a soft spot for technically an older man. I get to the door and enter the Embassy, as quiet as possible so as to not alert anyone of my coming and going.
I walk up to the main level and I find the Gunny standing looking out of the window, with his hands behind his back. "Hal, everything good?"
He turns. "Good morning Skipper." His spirits seem to be up today. He's been down for a few days, and I'm worried for him. He this whole affair has been hard on him the most. "I guess you ran into Lahí?"
I put my hands up. "I didn't run into any one Hal, so it's all fine."
He snorts a short chuckle. "Actually, I was just thinking that I could get used to living here."
"Is that so. Don't you have family back home?" This is far from Earth, though I understand his motivation. I don't think I could leave either, when it comes right down to it. I don't know what my mother would think of Jahní being my wife. But, I would like to think that she would accept her as I have.
"I have no more family on Earth; no siblings, or parents. I joined the corps when I was eighteen and never looked back." He looks out of the window again pensive. "How about you Skipper?"
I look at him wondering about his extended family. "Well, my Mother still lives and I have cousins." He raises his eye brows. "My Parents were born before the one child per family law, so they both had siblings."
He nods understanding the 'cousins' part. Yeah, it was simpler then. "Well Gunny, I'm going to head to my room to and get ready for the day"
"Sure thing Skipper. I'll get everything ready for morning inspection." He salutes me and I return it. Heading quickly to my quarters I feel my head is a bit fuzzy, as if not my normal self. I shake my head and keep going to do what I need.
I feel my head spinning some causing me to lean against the wall. What is wrong with me? Why do you fight me? I turn around, who said that? No one is here just me, so who's voice was that? I am you. I continue to move on to my room until I reach my door, and I open it stepping through quickly locking it behind me.
You can't hide from yourself. You can not deny who you are. The voice seems to be in my head; I lean against the door feeling the room spin. I slip to the floor. "Who are you?" I whisper.
I am you. I am the part you have forgotten. "What? How do you forget?" This is insane! If someone were to see me right now they'd have me committed. "Just leave me alone." Very well, for now. He says in a way that I know he will be back.
My head start to feel normal again making me feel better, but the fact that this happened is more than disconcerting. I focus on my ring and think on Jahní; there her heart beat is steady and strong. I feel my own heart responding to the beat calming me down, and touching my brow I realize how much I'm sweating.
Getting up off the floor I go and shower. This makes me relax quite a bit, but I still feel uneasy. that was me; I can't believe that I was talking to myself at all. It's just crazy! I wonder if I should tell Jahní, she'll think I've lost it. Some how my gut says that I should tell her, about this incident and not try to hide it. I have to trust her always. I pick up a small comm unit playing with it in my fingers.
I click it and it chirps, and Jahní had to have heard it as well. [Ant? Is everything alright with you?] I've never called her before using this comm, so I'm sure the concern in her voice is probably justified.
"I... Think that I... need to see you." That sounded so pathetic even to my ears.
[I'll be there as soon as I'm able.] She'll be here really quickly, so I finish getting dressed. An image keeps coming to my mind. It's a face that I know, because it's me. The red eyes just stare at me every time I see them. A knock at the door snaps me out of the mental fog I'm in, and I head to it to open it up. Jahní and Lahí are there.
Jahní tremble when she sees me almost falling, but I catch her and she looks into my eyes. "You saw something or heard something; I can feel how disturbed you are." The worry on her face is so clear, that it actually makes me worry.
"Please tell me what is wrong with me... only you, no one else will I let them walk around my brain rent free." I sit down on the chair and Jahní pulls up the other one, and sits in front of me. She touches my face softly and then she moves up to my temple area and stays there.
Can you har me my love?
"Yes." She speaks directly to my mind.
She begins to search out for anything in my mind that is causing problems, to my peace and quiet. Then she suddenly stops. Who are you?
Bahsara, my love you do not recognize me? Has it been that long? I try to pull away to protect Jahní, but but my body will not respond. Leave her alone!
Do you feel his struggle? He needn't do so I would never harm you. Suddenly I feel my body relax. I don't get it, why is my body not following my commands?
Are you afraid? There is no need for you to fear me; I am you. Stop! You are not me! I'm not the leader that you wish me to be, so let me be. I was born on Earth to Alberto and Marta Valdez, and it's you who want me to go become a destroyer of worlds. I refuse to lead some kind of galactic Jihad, in the name of what?
You. Are you Voldrox of the Red Army? Jahní ask this question, which makes me want to jump out of this place in my mind. This is that old show that my father would tell me about.
Bahsara. That voice says with such love and deep affection that I feel Jahní tremble. Jahní break contact with me before we are unable to. I sense her pulling back leaving my mind , as she does the voice goes silent. I open my eyes and Jahní is holding me crying. Lahí is next to us trying to make heads or tails of whats going on.
"Jahní, whats wrong?"
"You are... That voice is you from the deepest part of your soul." What? That is my soul. "We have lead countless lives and each time we have sought each other out, and you are the oldest of us."
"Wait. I am the oldest of us?" I sit up and look into her eyes. We met out here in the darkness of space, only to find each other. We were meant to find ourselves; Jahní was just waiting for me. An image comes into my mind, from one of our many lives. We are young walking across a field holding hands like we always do, but I look to the sky and a fire flashes. A red fire.
It's the fire that begins to consume our world as the winds of the war blow through, and we find ourselves fighting against an unstoppable force. Some time has passed by since that walk. We both have the look of hardened fighters, as we sit next to each other eating a meager meal. The final memory is of us dying next to each other still holding on to our hands.
This means that We have not always been on the side of the Red Army. This time We are.
"Ant? What did you see just now?" That is question that I will not answer; at least not yet.
"I'm not sure yet of the possible out come, but I won't just destroy anything. Not unless there would be no choice. I'm still a human and not some killing machine, that is what it seems they want me to be."
"The Red Army." Lahí utters the name and she shivers at the thought. "So it comes again."
"Jahní, What do you mean that I'm the oldest one?" She looks at me touching my face.
"The legend of the Eternals, the leaders of the Red Army."