The Cycles of Revelation Series

Artifact of the Dawn: Separation (A Queer Sci-Fi Adventure)

Episode 48: On the day the Pah’ora arrives, Ardyn vanishes right before Jevan’s eyes, as he’s held at gunpoint by black armored invaders.

On the day they expected the Pah’ora to arrive in orbit, anxiety was running high. Ardyn and Jevan rose early to prepare for the day, knowing Takyra expected them to accompany her when she went to greet the new arrivals.

Aerys had reconfigured the forcefield to allow people to pass through while strengthening its ability to repel energy weapon blasts. As the encampment continued to grow, with more Athla’naa arriving daily, Aerys also extended the perimeter of the forcefield. It now extended nearly half the length of the buried ship, allowing the encampment to extend into the surrounding forest. Aerys also made it visible so they could show any newcomers where to set up camp within its protective canopy.

When the long-range scanners detected the Pah’ora entering orbit, Takyra signaled for Jevan and Ardyn to accompany her and Aerys to the surface. “It should take a shuttle some time to arrive,” Takyra explained as they exited the tower. “It’s unlikely they would try to land the Pah’ora, because interstellar ships are too large. Instead, they would have at least one smaller shuttlecraft to bring them down to the planet’s surface.”

The device Ardyn now wore on his wrist made Jevan frown. Ardyn reluctantly agreed to wear one, to reassure his people that they were safe. As he feared the purpose of these devices, Jevan begged him not to, but Ardyn agreed with Takyra. She argued it was best to make a show of compliance until they better understood what Denyra’s motives were, but it didn’t mean Jevan had to like it.

After they emerged from the tower, Jevan saw a young Athla’naa child run toward them shouting “Papa Ardyn!”

Scooping the child into his arms and swinging her around onto his hip, Ardyn turned toward Jevan, looking up at him with a bright smile on his face. Jevan was about to introduce himself to the child, when a bright light flashed, making Jevan squint and flinch away.

When the light faded, Jevan blinked, not believing his eyes. The entire Athla’naa encampment was suddenly deserted. All the Athla’naa wearing those damnable bracelets, including Ardyn and the child he’d been holding, had disappeared. In their stead stood a handful of Athla’naa dressed in black armor, aiming weapons at them.

“Ardyn!” Jevan cried out in distress, before shouting at the newcomers. “Where are they?!”

In the center of the new arrivals stood an Athla’naa with gold markings on her armor. Takyra and Aerys glared at those pointing weapons at them, daring them to fire as they marched toward the one Jevan assumed must be Denyra.

“Hold your fire,” Denyra ordered. “They appear unarmed.”

After they lowered their weapons, Jevan marched forward as well, standing behind Takyra and Aerys.

“Where are our people?!” Takyra demanded.

“Your people? You mean those filthy Aria’asharra?” Denyra said with a sneer. “My people beamed them to holding cells aboard my ship. I am pleased that you complied and placed trackers on so many. My people will deal with the rest later.”

Takyra seemed livid as she screamed at Denyra. “Beamed? Holding cells? Why are they in holding cells? What gives you the right? How were you able to make them disappear like that?!”

“I forget that you’re nearly as primitive as the Aria’asharra,” Denyra scoffed. “We beamed them into the holding cells using our transmat system, pending their executions. This is a direct order from the Leadership Conclave on Aria’naa.”

Without thinking, Jevan pushed past Takyra and Aerys, towering over Denyra. “Executions?! No! You can’t execute them when they have done nothing wrong!”

Unfazed, Denyra glared up at Jevan. “And what exactly are you?”

“My name is Jevan, and my people call ourselves Medellans,” Jevan introduced himself. “Now bring back those Athla’naa immediately!”

“Are your people also like the Aria’asharra? Shunning technology at all costs?” Denyra asked, narrowing her eyes at Jevan, making him glad he wasn’t wearing his old leather and roughspun clothing.

“We aren’t very advanced technologically, but we don’t shun it either,” Jevan responded with exasperation. “Now please, let Ardyn and his people go!”

Denyra merely let out a dismissive snort, turning to Takyra. “I don’t have time to deal with this athla’maakh. Tell him to go back to wherever he came from. This is none of his concern.”

Ignoring any further pleas from Jevan, Denyra turned toward her troops. She ordered them to usher Takyra and her people into the observation tower, leaving Jevan staring after them. He ran to catch up, but as they approached the tower, Tomas, Aron, and Mathias were emerging from the doorway.

“Ugh, there are more of them?” Denyra said with exasperation. “I want no athla’maakh allowed near the Rahn’naa!”

Takyra faced Denyra with an angry scowl. “You do not give the orders here! I am Chief Technician and the Rahn’naa is my ship. You do not dictate who can enter. I have welcomed Jevan and his people into my circle of confidants, and they may accompany us. Whatever it is you are planning will affect them as much as it will affect my people.”

Rolling her eyes, Denyra capitulated. “As you wish. I will allow it, for now.”

As they made their way inside, Jevan worried over Ardyn. This was the first time since their judgment by the Elder Triumvirate in Maala’naa they’d been forced apart. The thought he might lose his dear friend caused a knot of fear tightening in his chest.

Takyra led them to a room in the tower, instead of down into the main part of the ship. After the doors closed behind them, Jevan couldn’t contain himself any longer. “You can’t execute Ardyn or his people with no cause. It’s not right!” Tears stung his eyes as they crested and slid down his face, exposing his deep emotions for Ardyn. What he really wanted to do was hit something, but he knew that wouldn’t solve anything.

“Why do you wish to defend this Aria’asharra?” Denyra said with a scowl. “You should be grateful we’re disposing of them for you.”

“Why should we be grateful to you for murdering innocents?” Aerys spoke up. “I don’t understand how you could want to execute your own people.”

“They are not our people. The Aria’asharra aren’t even Athla’naa. They are lower than the lowest athla’maakh,” Denyra said, glaring at Jevan. “And they are nothing but traitors.”

Takyra clearly had enough when she stepped in front of Denyra. “They have been on this world for over twelve hundred years. Their ancestors may have been traitors, but these Athla’naa are innocent! You will explain to me exactly what is going on and why, before you even think about executing any of our people,” she demanded.

Walking over to the large picture window, Denyra stood for a moment with her hands clasped behind her back. “Perhaps you’re right,” she conceded. “There is much you are not aware of. According to our historical records, the Aria’asharra had been at the height of their treachery around the same time the Rahn’naa launched.”

As the tension in the room faded, everyone sat down around the table, while Denyra remained standing.

“Yes, their faction had been very outspoken back then and involved in many protests on Aria’naa,” Takyra admitted as she sat down.

“It was long suspected that members of their faction were the cause for the disappearance of the Rahn’naa,” Denyra continued. “Our ancestors assumed that the ship had been lost with all hands, purposefully crashed, and destroyed to send a message to our people’s leadership of the day. When the public heard the news, violence erupted across Aria’naa. That emboldened the Aria’asharra, who openly attacked those who did not side with their faction, especially members of the Baaru’dak class.”

Denyra crossed her arms, taking a pause, and looking at them all smugly as she allowed her words to sink in.

“Civil war broke out the year after your ship went missing,” Denyra explained. “It was bloody and brutal. The Aria’asharra targeted innocents, including small children, trying to unnerve the rest of the population. After several years of trying to quell the violence, they decimated our population, forcing the Leadership Conclave to make a radical decision. Total genocide.”

Jevan felt a cold chill run through him, despite not fully understanding. Clearly, he wasn’t the only one not grasping the implication as Takyra stood in shock. “You can’t mean…?”

“I meant exactly what I said,” Denyra replied. “We wiped every single Aria’asharra off the face of Aria’naa and then purged them from every single colony as well. Those alive here are the last known group. Once we exterminate this last pocket of filth, we will have finally completed the edict from the Leadership Conclave.”

“Must I remind you again, these are the descendants of those Aria’asharra?” Takyra said with a growl. “They are forty-eight generations removed from a war that happened over twelve-hundred years ago. You speak as if those atrocities happened yesterday!”

“Our people have a very long memory,” Denyra said dismissively. “These so-called descendants kept all your people imprisoned in your cryopods for twelve hundred years, didn’t they? While maintaining their idiotic fear of technology, no less. I’m willing to bet they also repressed the technological progress of these athla’maakh as well.” Denyra gestured toward the Medellans.

“They didn’t even know where they came from!” Jevan argued. “Not until Ardyn and I discovered what they hid within the Aria’una. Only the Elder Triumvirate knew, and they only knew the lies that had been passed down from their ancestors.”

“Ignorance is no excuse!” Denyra shouted. “Their ancestors nearly destroyed our world. They cannot be allowed to live! I would have thought you would understand, after what they did to you and your people. I regret making that assumption.”

While still beside himself with worry over Ardyn, Jevan was also livid over Denyra’s complete disregard for innocent life. “You say that these Athla’naa have to die because their ancestors decimated your population and deliberately attacked innocents, but can’t you see that’s exactly what you’re doing now?” Jevan argued. “How can you justify the murder of the innocent descendants from a war that ended centuries ago?”

Ignoring Jevan, Denyra turned to Takyra. “This is why I didn’t want these athla’maakh included. This does not concern them.”

Before Jevan could react to the insult, Mathias spoke up. “This very much concerns us. This is our world, and both our cultures have shaped and influenced each other over the past eight centuries.”

Denyra hesitated for a moment, a scowl crossing her features.

“Before we continue to debate this matter, give us some reassurance that those you took are still alive and well,” Jevan insisted, before pleading quietly. “Please? Please, let me speak with Ardyn.”

Looking none too happy, Denyra scanned the room and finally nodded. “As you wish.”