J’Anai. Try to conserve your energy,” K’Alan soothed. “Do you know where Kit and the Council of Elders are?”
“In the bunker located through the door behind the throne. Now go. Save them. Leave me to die.” Still serving the Duterian people with his last breath, J’Anai Sirrus was no more.
“You’re not giving up that easy, J’Anai. You always taught Kit and I never to give up. Don’t give up on me now.” K’Alan tried in vain to start the old man’s heart. Mario put his hand on his friend’s shoulder and shook his head.
“K’Alan, he’s gone,” Mario whispered. “There’s nothing you can do for him. We have to go look for Kit.”
“You’re right, Mario,” K’Alan said, slowly getting to his feet. “It’s just that J’Anai was so good to Kit and me.”
“I know. J’Anai was a good man. But Kit has to be your priority, Kal. She needs you.”
The two men slowly made their way to the throne room. Mario looked around, making sure the area was secure while K’Alan looked for the door to the bunker that J’Anai had mentioned.
“K’Alan?” a woman’s voice called from the shadows near the throne. A young woman came from the shadows and ran to hug K’Alan.
“S’Era? It’s good to see you!”
“Not as good as it is to see you, brother.”
“Where’s Kit?” K’Alan asked, a sense of urgency in his voice.
“She’s in the bunker. She’s in bad shape though. You’re going to have to hurry.”
“As soon as we get a clear picture of the casualties, I’ll get a shuttle down here,” Mario said.
“S’Era, how many people are down there?”
“Counting me? Thirty-three,” she said sadly.
“J’Anai is dead. We found him in the control room.”
“He was trying to bring the planetary defenses back online. He wouldn’t let anyone drag him to the bunker.”
“Take me to Kit, S’Era,” K’Alan said, doing his best to hide his fear and worry from his sister.
“Follow me, brother.”
S’Era led them behind the throne to a steel door. Mario and K’Alan helped pull the door open. S’Era took the lead with Mario and K’Alan following behind.
“I forgot how pretty your sister is, Kal,” Mario grinned.
“Stow it, flyboy. She’s still my sister.”
They followed S’Era down a long gently sloping passageway to a large concrete room. There was a group of people sitting off to one side and a couple injured people lying around. Kit was lying on her back with her eyes closed. K’Alan walked over and knelt beside his fallen wife. He put his hand gently on her face, happy to still feel her warmth.
“Don’t touch her!” an angry voice next to him growled. He looked up to see a boy no older than ten staring at him. “I said, don’t touch her.”
“Elam, that’s no way to talk to your father,” S’Era admonished.
K’Alan and Mario looked at each other briefly then K’Alan looked at his sister quizzically, a look of shock registering on his face.
“I’m a father?” he said.
Chapter 3
1.30.2136
1925
SLS White Knight
The Bridge
“ C APTAIN, we’re receiving a transmission from Mario Bonetti. They found a bunch of survivors and are requesting a shuttle,” Kath called from her station.
“Launch a shuttle immediately. What are their conditions?” Thala asked coolly.
The communications officer listened as Mario relayed the casualty information. “They have one very severe casualty. They are requesting immediate triage for her.”
“Who is it?”
“It’s the High Gentlewoman, Captain. She is unconscious and looks to have lost a lot of blood. She is as stable as she can be to transport up to the ship, but she will need immediate medical attention.”
“Understood. Tell them I’ll have Jewel herself take care of her. If you need me, I’ll be in the medbay. You have the conn, Kath.”
“Aye, ma’am.”
1.30.2136
1937
Duterius Prime
Capitol
“In the bunker located through the door behind the throne. Now go. Save them. Leave me to die.” Still serving the Duterian people with his last breath, J’Anai Sirrus was no more.
“You’re not giving up that easy, J’Anai. You always taught Kit and I never to give up. Don’t give up on me now.” K’Alan tried in vain to start the old man’s heart. Mario put his hand on his friend’s shoulder and shook his head.
“K’Alan, he’s gone,” Mario whispered. “There’s nothing you can do for him. We have to go look for Kit.”
“You’re right, Mario,” K’Alan said, slowly getting to his feet. “It’s just that J’Anai was so good to Kit and me.”
“I know. J’Anai was a good man. But Kit has to be your priority, Kal. She needs you.”
The two men slowly made their way to the throne room. Mario looked around, making sure the area was secure while K’Alan looked for the door to the bunker that J’Anai had mentioned.
“K’Alan?” a woman’s voice called from the shadows near the throne. A young woman came from the shadows and ran to hug K’Alan.
“S’Era? It’s good to see you!”
“Not as good as it is to see you, brother.”
“Where’s Kit?” K’Alan asked, a sense of urgency in his voice.
“She’s in the bunker. She’s in bad shape though. You’re going to have to hurry.”
“As soon as we get a clear picture of the casualties, I’ll get a shuttle down here,” Mario said.
“S’Era, how many people are down there?”
“Counting me? Thirty-three,” she said sadly.
“J’Anai is dead. We found him in the control room.”
“He was trying to bring the planetary defenses back online. He wouldn’t let anyone drag him to the bunker.”
“Take me to Kit, S’Era,” K’Alan said, doing his best to hide his fear and worry from his sister.
“Follow me, brother.”
S’Era led them behind the throne to a steel door. Mario and K’Alan helped pull the door open. S’Era took the lead with Mario and K’Alan following behind.
“I forgot how pretty your sister is, Kal,” Mario grinned.
“Stow it, flyboy. She’s still my sister.”
They followed S’Era down a long gently sloping passageway to a large concrete room. There was a group of people sitting off to one side and a couple injured people lying around. Kit was lying on her back with her eyes closed. K’Alan walked over and knelt beside his fallen wife. He put his hand gently on her face, happy to still feel her warmth.
“Don’t touch her!” an angry voice next to him growled. He looked up to see a boy no older than ten staring at him. “I said, don’t touch her.”
“Elam, that’s no way to talk to your father,” S’Era admonished.
K’Alan and Mario looked at each other briefly then K’Alan looked at his sister quizzically, a look of shock registering on his face.
“I’m a father?” he said.
Chapter 3
1.30.2136
1925
SLS White Knight
The Bridge
“ C APTAIN, we’re receiving a transmission from Mario Bonetti. They found a bunch of survivors and are requesting a shuttle,” Kath called from her station.
“Launch a shuttle immediately. What are their conditions?” Thala asked coolly.
The communications officer listened as Mario relayed the casualty information. “They have one very severe casualty. They are requesting immediate triage for her.”
“Who is it?”
“It’s the High Gentlewoman, Captain. She is unconscious and looks to have lost a lot of blood. She is as stable as she can be to transport up to the ship, but she will need immediate medical attention.”
“Understood. Tell them I’ll have Jewel herself take care of her. If you need me, I’ll be in the medbay. You have the conn, Kath.”
“Aye, ma’am.”
1.30.2136
1937
Duterius Prime
Capitol
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