The Cycles of Revelation Series
Artifact of the Dawn: Execution (A Queer Sci-Fi Adventure)
Episode 50: Ardyn stands witness as five of his people are murdered, before he’s dragged onto a platform to face the same fate.
Once the middle of the room was clear, a large table laden with food and refreshments appeared. A cheer rose as they gathered around the table to help themselves to food after hours of confinement.
Ardyn escorted Cylaen and his daughter to the table, where her mother handed the child a piece of fruit. “How are you both doing?” Ardyn asked.
Staring at him for a long moment, she gave him a little shrug. “We’re holding up alright,” she replied. “Why did Jevan ask for you specifically, and not for our elders?”
Ardyn’s ears dipped and his face heated. “He’s a friend of mine. Jevan is the Medellan that explored the Aria’una with me. We’ve saved each other’s lives and have become very close.”
“Tell me more about him,” Cylaen said as she helped herself to some food.
While they ate, Ardyn related the story of how he and Jevan met, and all their adventures together. Cylaen appeared genuinely interested in everything Ardyn had learned and asked many questions.
Even Myria occasionally interrupted with questions of her own. “Are there any children on the Rahn’naa?”
Looking down at her, Ardyn shook his head. “Everyone we revived are young, unmated adults. Takyra told us that children don’t do well in the cryopods, so colony ships recruited younger adults who would mate and produce children once they had established their colony.”
“Oh,” Myria said, her ears drooping sadly. “I was hoping to meet new friends to play with.”
“I’m sorry, little one,” Ardyn smiled, ruffling her hair.
“Where do you think we are?” Cylaen asked.
“I have no idea how we got here, but based on what Jevan said, I think we may be on board the Pah’ora,” Ardyn said. “That was the name of the spaceship they were sending from Aria’naa.”
“They named it killer bird?” Cylaen asked. “That wasn’t enough to keep you from cooperating with them?”
“I didn’t want to,” Ardyn admitted. “Taeglyn and Takyra were both convinced it was best to cooperate until we knew more of their intentions. None of us knew they had this kind of technology that could take us like it did. I know Aerys was worried that they might try to attack, which is why he had been working to strengthen the forcefield around the Rahn’naa. We were not prepared for this.”
“It seems our people have come far in their development of technology since our ancestors left their homeworld,” Cylaen said, looking down at a yawning Myria. “Now I think it’s time this little one takes a nap. I’ll speak with you later, Ardyn.”
Watching Cylaen lead Myria off to a quiet corner of the room, he realized that was possibly the longest civil conversation he’d ever had with her. Knowing that Jevan was well, and that they were working on a plan to get them released, Ardyn finally relaxed, his eyelids starting to feel heavy from lack of sleep. So, he followed Cylaen, who was joined by his parents. He sat and leaned against a wall near them and curled up, intent on getting some rest. Wrapping his arms around himself before drifting off, thoughts of how much he missed Jevan crossed his mind.
Ardyn woke abruptly when he heard a scream come from across the room. He hadn’t even blinked the sleep from his eyes when two sets of hands roughly grabbed and pulled him upright and tied his arms behind his back. Struggling against those who sought to restrain him proved futile, and he was soon dragged out of the room and down a dim corridor of the ship, along with the others.
“What is going on?” Ardyn demanded to know, only to be punched in the gut, making him double over in pain.
“Shut up or I’ll vaporize you where you stand,” one of the armed men threatened, pointing a nasty looking rahn’ora at him. Based on the indicator, it was on the highest setting.
Shutting his mouth, Ardyn allowed himself to be led with the others down the long corridor. This means Takyra must have failed to get us released. Are they still alive? Ardyn wondered. Would they kill Jevan as well, or let him go?
The armed Athla’naa made them line up along the corridor in small groups, before herding them into a smaller room. Along the far wall was a platform with five circles. They dragged the five people in front of Ardyn onto the platform, each one on a separate circle, forced them to their knees, and then secured them in place with a forcefield. Once the field was active, it seemed to immobilize them.
Those on the platform looked terrified as the armed Athla’naa stepped away from them. Their gaze turned up toward a control booth that overlooked the room and faced the platform. Another Athla’naa wearing a black uniform had stepped up to the controls and a moment later, the platform was ablaze with light. Those trapped within the forcefields screamed in agony for a brief second before turning into piles of ash, which were quickly suctioned away into the floor below.
Dropping to his knees, Ardyn screamed as tears streamed down his face. He had known two of the people since childhood. Still crumpled on the floor, the armed men dragged Ardyn and four others up onto the platform, kicking and screaming. They forced him back onto his knees before immobilizing him with a forcefield.
Ardyn’s heart hammered in his chest, terrified of what was about to happen. So many regrets flashed through his mind, as his eyes flicked up to the figure on the platform above who was about to murder him.
I am so sorry, Jevan, he thought.
Jevan, that kind, patient man, who would never see him again. The man who would never know the depths of how much Ardyn had come to care for him. He wouldn’t even be able to say goodbye.
After all of them were confined into their forcefields, the armed Athla’naa backed away and Ardyn watched as the one above approached the controls. Tears continued to streak down his face as he braced himself for the end.
