The Cycles of Revelation Series
Artifact of the Dawn: Discord (A Queer Sci-Fi Adventure)
Episode 34: Druyndar returns with a large group of Aria’asharra, who threaten to attack the Rahn’naa with nothing but spears and arrows
Ten days later, they had revived over half of the Athla’naa in cryostasis, and they now had to rotate the use of the dining hall. While everyone had a food replicator in their quarters, many enjoyed the camaraderie of eating with friends. When Jevan and Ardyn traveled through the now bustling corridors, everyone greeted them warmly.
They had just gotten another group settled when Takyra summoned them to the primary control room. “I wonder what’s going on now? It’s too soon for the ship from Aria’naa to have arrived,” Jevan wondered.
As they entered, they were both surprised to see Aelrynd, Taeglyn, and Mathias already there.
“You asked to see us?” Ardyn asked.
Takyra nodded. “We felt you needed to know what’s going on. This morning we completed repairs to our external sensors, and after we brought them back online, we detected a large group of Athla’naa life signs heading toward the Rahn’naa. They are surrounding the forcefield around the observation tower.”
“It seems we may have underestimated Druyndar,” Aelrynd said with a frown.
“We detected his life signs, so we know he’s among them,” Aerys clarified.
“How many are there?” Ardyn asked.
“Between two and three thousand,” Aerys said sternly. “We can easily keep them at bay, but it would be unwise for us to have a protracted stand-off.”
“Do you have a plan?” Jevan asked.
Aerys nodded. “The first thing I did was reprogram the forcefield around the observation tower. It will prevent any life form from getting through. At least that will slow them down.”
Takyra looked at the elders. “Now that we have blocked them from gaining entry to the observation tower, and all other points of entry are buried or locked down, how would you recommend we proceed with Druyndar?”
After speaking in hushed tones with each other for a moment, Aelrynd looked at Takyra. “If he’s gone this far, then Druyndar will not see reason, but many of our people will. Let us try to appeal to them.”
“I’ll need to reconfigure the shields before you can go out there,” Aerys said. “Currently it can block life forms, but not inorganic projectiles, like the arrows they are armed with.”
Ardyn remembered when he and Jevan had tried digging under the forcefield, and Jevan’s shovel had easily broken through the barrier. “The forcefield can’t stop arrows or spears, can it?”
“It can, if configured correctly,” Aerys replied. “While the ship travels through space, the forcefield has to protect the ship from any potential hazards, including any debris or asteroid fields it may fly through.”
“Aerys, summon a security detail to meet us in the observation tower, and then reconfigure the shields,” Takyra ordered. “Jevan and Ardyn, please accompany us.”
Once they reached the observation tower, they had a rough plan. The Athla’naa elders would be the first to appeal to those gathered, using their full authority as members of the Triumvirate. If their words couldn’t sway them, then Mathias and Takyra would join in, hoping to appeal to their better natures.
Through the windows of the tower, they could see the throng gathered around the entire perimeter. They were throwing rocks and spears at it, the air rippling with each impact against the otherwise invisible barrier.
Ardyn stopped and stared at them for a long moment. Jevan placed a hand on his friend’s shoulder, knowing that among the attackers were those he considered friends and even family. He hoped they could reason with them, and that this wouldn’t end in bloodshed.
A few dozen security techs joined them, one of whom approached Jevan and Ardyn, handing each of them a rahn’ora. “Here. Aerys thought you might want to defend your elders.”
“Aerys, how are you coming with the forcefield?” Takyra asked through a communicator.
“I have completed the reconfiguration,” Aerys replied.
“Wait here for a moment,” Takyra said before she made her way into a side room. She came back with several devices, handing one each to Aelrynd, Taeglyn, and offered one to Mathias. “Use these when you speak. They will amplify your voices so all gathered can hear you.”
Looking at each other, Aelrynd and Taeglyn nodded. “Thank you. We must try to appeal to our people. This cannot continue,” Aelrynd said, her head held high, while gripping the staff of her rank as the leader of the Triumvirate in her hand.
“Alright, let’s get this over with,” Takyra said, leading the group outside. They remained on the metal platform outside the tower, while their attackers were held back by the forcefield at the tree line.
The cacophony of voices as they emerged from the tower rose in volume, with words like traitors and defilers being hurled at them. As they approached, the Athla’naa who saw them momentarily halted their efforts.
“Athla’naa! Lay down your arms and hear us! Druyndar has misled you,” Aelrynd addressed the gathered force, speaking into the device she was given. Her voice boomed through the valley from loudspeakers on the tower. “This tower behind me is not some ancient temple honoring our ancestral dead. It is a ship that brought our people to this world from across the stars!”
Aelrynd paused as a hush fell over the crowd.
“They have shown us the truth of where we came from. The truth of why we are on a world where we do not belong. Our ancestors betrayed us all.”
Taeglyn stepped forward. “Our ancestors left nearly five thousand Athla’naa for dead inside of this ship. Look at them!” He pointed at the gathering of security techs behind him. “They are our kin. They did not deserve to be abandoned.”
Druyndar emerged from the crowd and began screaming. “Do not listen to these traitors. The evil technology within that tower has brainwashed them! I have seen it with my own eyes. It’s unnatural and should never have existed! Athla’naa, continue your assault!”
Doubt clouded the faces of those who could hear Druyndar’s words. The rest looked at Aelrynd and Taeglyn in confusion.
Aelrynd continued. “You have always relied upon your Triumvirate for guidance. We may be divided, but I assure you, it is Druyndar who is the traitor here. He refuses to listen to reason or hear the truth. His personal fear of technology clouds his judgment. Elder Taeglyn and I had our doubts, but they have opened our eyes to the truth. We are still your Elders. Put down your arms and listen!”
Jevan saw some step away from the barrier and lay down the spear or bow they held. Is it working? He hoped. Maybe we can end this peacefully.
“Our homeworld is called Aria’naa,” Aelrynd said. “Our ancestors left Aria’naa looking to build a better life on a new world. This land, that we named Baaru’nor, was not the world our ancestors had intended to colonize. Instead, a traitorous faction arose and crashed this ship into this world instead, not realizing that the Medellans existed here on the far continent. This is the Medellans’ world, not ours.”
A discontented murmur arose from the crowd.
“Lies!” Druyndar shouted again. “There was never another world. Before our ancestors nearly destroyed this one with their vile technology, they built this temple as a refuge for the last of our kind. They remained within for centuries until the land had healed itself. That is when our ancestors emerged and deemed this part of Baaru’nor to be forbidden, so our people would never again destroy this land!”
The crowd around Druyndar became agitated again. Several of those who had laid down their weapons picked them up, and Jevan had a sinking feeling that this was far from over.
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