The Book of Ominiue: Starborn (13 page)

‘You cannot lie to me Journeyman.’ Shayne’s soft and haunting tone pierced deep. The scholar’s eyes began to fade into thoughtfulness. ‘I saw the way you looked at that sword,’ Shayne added.

Kíe’s eyes refocused as he looked at Shayne, he smiled again, but instead of the fake grin, his lips morphed into a cunning little smile, his tiny canines showed and his eyes betrayed a longing. ‘Everyone dreams of holding one of those swords.’ His grin softened. ‘I would give away my horse just to hold it. Surely you have an equivalent?’

‘They do,’ Shayne acknowledged, ‘but that does not account for you being so
introverted
.’

‘It is just —’ Kíe hesitated a moment, wondering if he should express himself. ‘We have waited so long.’ He looked down at the table. ‘I often wonder if the DragonLord will ever return.’

‘And why do you doubt?’

‘I do not doubt,’ Kíe objected and looked at Shayne with determination. ‘It is just, I just: I cannot explain it.’ The expression of sadness returned, he put his hands together and just sat there in silence for a moment.

‘I am here,’ Shayne tried to encourage, ‘does that not mean anything?’ Kíe did not move from his hunched position. ‘At all?’ Shayne added.

Kíe looked up briefly, ‘I do not think you would like to know what they believe you are and what the Hama Ta’Orian’s mean to us.’

Shayne caught from this a feeling of remorse; he continued to gaze at the young scholar with his cold expression, ‘Does it mean that your DragonLord would return?’

‘Yes,’ Kíe replied with a vague nod. Shayne looked away towards the busy hall. Servants started coming from a side door with large platters of food, filling the room with the smell of marinated meat.

‘Then I am happy for you,’ Shayne said as the food approached. Kíe watched him curiously though there was no joy to be found on his face.

Kíe and Shayne were given a guest room with two beds. Shayne could not understand why they were not given separate rooms; the castle was large enough. Surely all those rooms were not occupied.

Kíe was ecstatic over the lodgings; journeymen did not experience first class treatment very often. Shayne collapsed upon his bed with his legs hanging over the edge. He was exhausted: communicating to people was very gruelling and he did not understand how people did it for hours on end. He was beginning to regret leaving the settlement. He missed the silence and space the Earthmen gave him. He desired to be alone, but even here in this room it was denied.

Shayne lay there awhile, enjoying the absence of voices. The only sound was Kíe moving about his bed, stripping the fancy bed covers so that only the under layer was left, and folding the other blankets and putting them upon a nearby chair.

A knock came from the door. Kíe opened it just enough to see the Brigadier waiting alone. Kíe looked down upon the star officer and smiled, he greeted him in English, his accent similar to a native Spanish speaker but with the deeper drawl of the lionmen.

Hanniver smiled back at him, ‘Can I speak to Shayne Forrester?’ Kíe did not understand exactly what he said but he knew what he wanted. The scholar turned back to the room. The light from the hallway lamps poured in as he opened the door further. Shayne slowly rose and headed for the hallway, closing the door behind him so he and the Brigadier were alone.

‘Sorry to disturb you,’ Hanniver said. Shayne yawned while rubbing one of his eyes, wondering if the man was sincere or not. He did not see why the Earthman would exchange pleasantries with him. ‘I know how much time the natives take from you, but I’d like to remind you to log reports when there are no other soldiers or machines with you.’

‘I intended to,’ Shayne replied, ‘but they never seem to leave me alone.’

‘I understand that,’ Hanniver added before hesitating. ‘—I just, don’t want to see the general or air vice-marshal obtain anything against you, okay? — I don’t see you as a full Starborn,’ he added after a slight hesitation. Shayne’s face hardened in suspicion. ‘—I’m not saying that you’re normal, I’m just saying that you’re; well, independent and rational. You are more rational than anyone on this whole damn colony, and I think that deserves a fair report.’

Shayne tried to see any hint of deception but he could not read the man so he replied, ‘I don’t understand.’

‘Well, I may have been born in Germany, but my grandmother was Yemeni.’  Shayne still did not understand the significance of this, that country was a part of the
Arab Molslimic Empire
but he did not see how heritage could affect who he was now, but he knew the Brigadier expected him to understand. ‘Just do your job. They’ll still allow you to pursue any insignificant interests, but only if you put your job first.’ Hanniver looked down at Shayne; he was only a few centimetres taller but it was effective enough. He gave a half lazy wave as he said goodnight and made his way to his room.

Shayne closed the door behind him; deep in thought as he leant against it. He had not expected that visit. He realised Hanniver had softened towards him. He was considered one of the more empathetic officers and everyone liked him; his temperament was the very reason he was on this mission. Shayne was becoming somewhat restless with everyone’s impending doom from this report.  He knew that prejudice would probably prevail, but no matter his direction he was still guaranteed a better life than a general Starborn soldier, which was what most of them were destined to become.

His path was most likely to lead to the subject of social sciences, and he would probably even be given freedoms for his own research. It has happened with some household robots; their programming allowed self-improvement. Open artificial intelligence could evolve with the right input and an independent machine could evolve from open learning. Such scenarios created interest within the community. These machines were awarded with citizenship; they held freedoms and rights like any living intelligent being and they were re-classed as
free machines
. The same treatment could be applied to Shayne. The knowledge he had obtained from the lionmen society would be invaluable in itself. Even if he was only allowed limited freedom for as long as the
Gateway
was under construction, those 10 years would provide him time to formulate an extensive anthropological account of this strange new world.

Shayne lay back upon the bed; he closed his eyes and put his hands on his chest. He tried to sleep but thoughts of the Brigadier and the Astronauts were racing around his head. Hours had passed before he was deep enough in thought to drift into sleep. Kíe lay there as well looking up at the ceiling. Some moonlight shone through the window and partially lit up the room with grey shadows.

‘Afra’hama?’ came a voice in the darkness, resonating through the room despite its soft origin.

Shayne stirred, he was just on the verge of sleep. He did not open his eyes as he lay there; exhausted and wishing that he was alone. ‘What?’

‘What are you a UeShádarn of?’ Kíe turned his head to look at Shayne, but all he could see was a dark mass upon the bed.

‘
Physics
,’ Shayne replied with a yawn.

‘What is that?’ the lionman inquired.

Shayne rolled over in frustration. ‘The laws of everything: of nature, the behaviour of stars and small
particles
, how things move, and, argh, what does it matter anyway?’ Kíe mentally shook his head and said it did not, allowing silence to fall.

Not much time passed before Kíe was unable to contain himself and he lifted himself onto one of his arms to face Shayne, ‘If I become your apprentice, will you teach me your science?’

‘Of course,’ Shayne replied with a quick flash of anger.

‘I mean beyond what we know; will you teach us what the Star Ta’Orian’s know.’

‘Of course I would. What is the point of teaching you what you already know?’ His alertness grew with his frustration and he knew it meant he would have trouble returning to sleep. ‘Are you going to pester me all night?’ he demanded. When no reply came he buried his head under his pillow hoping that anymore noise from Kíe would be stifled, but his actions were not required for the lionman rolled onto his back and looked out at the fading moonlight, a smile spread across his face; hidden by the darkness.

***

The general was furious. If he was fit enough to walk he would have probably torn the place to shreds with his escalating anger. Instead he had to settle with a series of swear words and insults.

‘What the smeggin’ hell do you mean?’ he blurted out to Captain Arnahell, wheeling himself around to face her. He had only awoken from suspended animation a couple of days ago and the entropy in his muscles restricted him to assistant machines.

‘We have taken the means to educate subject number 823 beyond the requested guidelines.’

‘Educate!’ he swore again his face contorting with rage towards the Astronaut. ‘Educate! That Starborn is
our
property, understand that? That means he’s ours to train and teach, not no fracking space rat of an Astronaut! They’re
Earth Empire property
!’

‘The subject in question doesn’t fit the
IDSM
criteria for the Star Born Victim. It was written in the doctor’s report that all possible avenues of pursuit should be undertaken to test and evaluate the capability of the patient. We merely have accepted our duty to help with the report and to determine the true status of the patient.’

‘
That
decision should only have been made by
me
!’ he snapped as he thrust his fist into his chest. ‘You understand that? The report was to be given to me! I and only I can determine the appropriate measures from there. You’ve tarnished a valuable asset, something that could’ve been of great use to the military!’ General Thorn Hendingson raged, but Arnahell stiffened. Normally Astronauts put up with the Planetsiders superiority and conceited behaviour. What they do with their lives was their own choice, but something in the general’s response and attitude angered Arnahell. She stood there looking back into his old grey eyes. Hendingson saw the significance of this and realised he had stepped too far and made the situation much worse.

‘You stand upon my ship General, remember that,’ Arnahell reminded the New American softly, glaring down at the old military man. ‘This expedition is a joint leadership initiative and I am the expedition Commander, which is part of our trade contract with the
Planetsiders
for colonisation of other worlds. As part of that agreement, we’re able to conduct our own experiments and research in the pursuit of science within that planet for as long as the system is
Gate-Closed
.

‘We are in the solar system of Neals Star, HIP56948. Within this star-space, I, the Leading Captain of the colonisation party maintains equal rank with you the Western Empire Chief General for the planet of Iraquis and all its Earth-race inhabitants until the completion of the
Gateway
.’ The general’s anger suddenly abated and gave way to the bitter realisation of the captain’s words. ‘The status of a Star Born Casualty states that the deregulation of class and forfeit of rights to the Last Western Front Empire government. This doesn’t imply direct ownership to the military of a classic Starborn, let alone a new and unclassified class.

‘A report has been filed with a request for re-evaluation and possible reclassification for the Star Born Victim 823. As a consequence, I the Captain of the
Oxford
colonyship declare that the subject is a questionable Starborn, with an ongoing investigation, until the conclusion can be determined back within the Empire boundaries.’ Hendingson was silent for a while; he could not believe what he had just heard. In all the years of space colonisation an Astronaut had never before imposed their authority within the legal bounds. Their nature was usually submissive, with them going about their business and the Planetsiders going about theirs. The general swallowed unable to answer.

‘The Starborn 823 will be able to pursue any interest,’ Arnahell’s voice became sterner, as if scolding a child, ‘without reprimand, unless he breaks the law. Is that understood?’  The general slowly nodded in submission. ‘You are still the authority over him, from a martial law and a military training view. Even with his education he is not able to assist us with the planet-side operations of the
Gateway
, not anymore. But he is to be given a degree of freedom; we’re interested in his actions, as I believe you are.’ With that the captain left the general where he was sitting. The general stared dumbly at the door in which she left for a moment before he wheeled himself around and left through another passageway, back towards his quarters, his anger once again rising as he had time to digest the humiliation he just endured, and from an Astronaut.

***

Shayne awoke suddenly. He had the feeling he called out aloud while dreaming but he was not sure. His heart was racing and he was out of breath. He raised himself into a sitting position with his arms holding himself up. Sweat poured from his face and the bedding was all twisted. He squinted in the darkness to see if he had awoken Kíe, but the young lionman was motionless in the pale light; lying on his side Shayne could hear the faint sound of his breath.