The Cycles of Revelation Series
Artifact of the Dawn: Target Practice (A Queer Sci-Fi Adventure)
Episode 23: In case the hunting party finds them, Takyra awakens more Athla’naa from cryostasis.
Ardyn stared at the screen, looking at the face of an ancient Athla’naa whose face was younger than his own. “Who was he?”
“Kyrael was a flight engineer,” Takyra replied. “The Aria’asharra probably chose him, hoping he knew how to pilot the ship.”
“How do you know he’s the one who helped those who crashed this ship?” Jevan asked.
“According to the records, his cryopod is empty. So, he must have left with the Aria’asharra,” she explained. “Not that it matters now. What matters is making sure we can defend ourselves. That’s why I will revive some of our security techs to assist us.”
Jevan watched as Takyra began making her selections. “How many do you plan to wake?”
“I have ten selected, all weapons specialists from the Baaru’dak security subclass,” Takyra explained. “I want to make sure we can defend ourselves if that hunting party finds a way into the Rahn’naa. Jevan, please join me in the control center. I need to oversee the revival process from there, and it’s best you aren’t the first one they see. Meeting a member of an alien species when they first wake may cause them to lash out like I did. Coming out of cryostasis, especially after so long, is disorienting.”
“What can I do to help?” Ardyn asked. “I may not look alien, but they won’t understand how I speak, will they?”
“Language shouldn’t be a problem anymore,” Takyra reassured him. “I had Cytra input how our language has evolved into their minds. They will understand you easily enough, even without the translators.”
“How is that possible?” Jevan asked.
“While in cryostasis, the mind still requires stimulation, or it will atrophy. Each cryopod has a neural interface that connects to our brains.” Takyra explained. Pulling down her collar, Takyra showed them a small opening in the side of her neck. “This provides intellectual stimulation to the mind for as long as we’re in cryostasis. One of its functions is to teach. While we were in cryostasis, one goal was to improve our knowledge in our personal area of specialization during the voyage. In fact, while you both slept, I returned to my cryopod for a short period so Cytra could input the linguistic changes to my mind as well. I no longer need to wear the translator earpiece to understand you.”
“Can your cryopods do the same thing for us?” Jevan asked.
“I’m not sure if it would be compatible with how your species’ brain works,” Takyra replied to Jevan. “However, we could outfit Ardyn with a neural interface like I have, if you would like. Until then, the earpieces should work well enough.”
Ardyn contemplated having an easier way to learn how all this amazing technology worked. There was so much he wanted to understand. Yet, the idea of getting put into one of those pods and having a small hole like that in his neck made him uncomfortable. “I’ll… think about it.”
“It’s not something we could do until our medical facilities are fully operational, so take your time.” Takyra reached out and put a comforting hand on his shoulder. “For now, please greet each person as we revive them from their cryostasis and fill them in briefly on what is going on. Tell them that Chief Technician Takyra will explain everything once we have revived all of them.”
“I can do that,” Ardyn replied with a nod.
A few moments after Jevan left with Takyra, the first pod arrived on the platform. The Athla’naa that stumbled out had the light purple hair typical of males but cut short in the manner favored by females. This took Ardyn by surprise, but he still stepped forward with a welcoming smile. “Greetings, my name is Ardyn. Chief Technician Takyra is waiting in the control center. She will explain everything.”
“Greetings, Ardyn. I’m Aerys.” he greeted in return, the tenor of his voice confirming he was indeed male. “How many have you revived so far?”
“So far, only Takyra and yourself,” Ardyn explained, as the next cryopod arrived. “She said she would revive ten security techs.”
This made Aerys frown. “What’s happened?”
“It’s probably best if we wait for everyone to be revived and let Takyra explain,” Ardyn replied.
Once the other nine security techs had joined them on the platform, Aerys turned and immediately took charge of the group. “Fall in line and follow me to the primary control center with Ardyn.”
“Yes, sir!” the group replied in unison.
Aerys led them to the control center. Along the way, Ardyn explained that there was an athla’maakh waiting with Takyra in the control center. This seemed to alarm the group, but Ardyn didn’t ask why.
When they arrived at the control center doors, the entire group tensed as if expecting a fight. Aerys opened the doors and rushed in, only to stop short when he saw Takyra and Jevan.
“Aerys!” Takyra greeted. “It’s so good to see you again, my old friend. Let me introduce our new friend, Jevan of the Medellans.”
The entire group seemed to slump in disappointment upon seeing Jevan.
“I’m sorry, was I not what you expected?” Jevan asked.
Stepping forward, Aerys greeted Jevan. “My apologies. When Ardyn mentioned an athla’maakh, I was expecting a ferocious beast, not a sentient person.”
Jevan laughed, shooting Ardyn a look. “Ardyn needs to stop referring to me as that, I think. We’ve already had this conversation with Takyra.”
Shuffling his feet and avoiding Jevan’s gaze, Ardyn stumbled over his words. “I am sorry. It’s an old habit.”
Interceding before this conversation devolved into something counterproductive, Takyra spoke up. “What we all call each other is a discussion for later. Right now, we need to be prepared to defend ourselves in case that hunting party makes their way into the Rahn’naa.”
Aerys stepped forward. “What is going on, exactly?”
“A lot has happened. I can’t go into all the details now, but we crashed onto the wrong planet, and there may be hostiles who might try to board the ship,” she explained.
“I see,” Aerys said, glancing at Jevan.
“Jevan is Ardyn’s friend,” Takyra explained. “We do not need to fear him.”
“Okay. Then, let’s go to the nearest armory and prepare ourselves. We can discuss the ramifications of what has happened later.”
While leading them through the ship, Takyra told Aerys a little more about what was going on, and who Ardyn’s people were. Aerys kept looking back at Ardyn with concern but said nothing.
They were led into a large room lined with locked cabinets, that Aerys opened with a key like the one Ardyn found. “Some of our weapons are stored here. There are three other armories like this one and can only be unlocked by the control access keys. I have one, as does Takyra. The other keys belong to the heads of various departments.”
Taking out his key, Ardyn hesitated to ask. “Is… this key one of them?”
“Yes,” Takyra confirmed. “It must have belonged to the chief of the Paahr’dak.”
How did it end up buried in the back of that small cave? Ardyn wondered to himself.
Next to the weapons lockers was a room that was used for target practice. “After being in cryostasis for so long, I think we all need some practice handling our weapons again,” Aerys declared as he handed one to each of the techs.
Takyra went back to the lockers and handed one each to Jevan and Ardyn, while Aerys gave her a disapproving look. “I think our two guests should also learn how to handle a rahn’ora.”
“Rahn’ora?” Jevan questioned. “That means deadly light, right? Why is it called that?”
“Watch,” Aerys said, as he walked behind a mark on the floor, raised his weapon, and aimed his rahn’ora at a target hanging on the far side of the room. For a moment, a bright white light appeared on the target, before a large clean hole burned right through it.
Ardyn jumped back, accidentally into Jevan’s arms. Embarrassed, he righted himself and tried to regain his composure. “I see what you mean. That light definitely looks deadly. Isn’t that excessive?”
Aerys nodded. “Sometimes excessive force is necessary. However, you can change the intensity. At the lowest setting, it will only stun someone unconscious. At the highest setting, it will disintegrate the target into a pile of ash.”
“The hunting party is only armed with bows, arrows, and spears,” Ardyn explained. “I grew up with all of them. Please, can we only use that stun setting? I don’t want anyone to die.”
“I agree,” Takyra said. “From what Ardyn has told me, they are a small party, and that the descendants of the Aria’asharra who dwell outside of the ship live primitively. There is no need for us to murder them, even if they come with less than honorable intentions.”
“You’re right, Takyra, as always,” Aerys replied with a small smile. “However, we need the middle setting at a minimum for target practice. Afterward, we can reset them down to the stun level.”
When Aerys handed Ardyn a rahn’ora, he studied it. It looked like they made it from the same silvery looking metal that didn’t rust. It was sleek and stylish, the handle of it fitting easily into the palm of his hand, with grooves perfectly slotted for his long fingers. Looking at Jevan, he had to hold back a chuckle, because the Medellan’s much larger five-fingered hand made the weapon look like a small toy. These weapons were clearly designed for Athla’naa hands.
“Hold it like this,” Aerys instructed. “Then straighten your arm and shift your body sideways. Do you see the small tab at the end? Use that to aim at your target. When you’re ready, simply press this button with your thumb.”
Following the instructions, Ardyn aimed at the target. After pressing the button for a heartbeat, it didn’t seem to do anything. Then the bright light lit up the target. Ardyn immediately stopped pressing the button. He’d struck the target dead-center.
“Excellent! I think you’re a natural,” Aerys praised.
Jevan went next and despite the awkward grip he had, still hit his target with the same precision as Ardyn.
They trained, shooting target after target, testing the various intensity settings to get a feel for each of them. Once Aerys was satisfied that his team had shaken loose the cobwebs from cryostasis and satisfied that Ardyn and Jevan could handle the weapons safely, Takyra led them to a communal area to share a meal. Along one wall was a bank of food replicators, and the room had several large hexagonal tables surrounded by chairs.
“Why is that wall made of dirt?” Ardyn asked, following Takyra to the replicators.
Looking over at the wall Ardyn pointed to, a wistful look came over her face. “The dirt is outside of the observation port. We built this ship in space, and I helped oversee most of its construction. I spent many evenings gazing through that port, to Aria’naa below.”
Ardyn tried to imagine but he couldn’t picture what it must have looked like, floating high above a planet like that. He suspected it was very beautiful.
They sat together and ate, while Takyra explained everything to Aerys. He scowled but still said nothing. Once Takyra was finished, he pushed away his plate, sat back, and crossed his arms. “This is bad, but there isn’t much we can do about it now. Let’s inform the others.”
Standing up, Aerys got everyone’s attention. “Gather around. We have something to tell you.”
As Takyra and Aerys informed them of what happened, tensions quickly rose once they understood. One of the security techs standing next to Ardyn grabbed him roughly by the arm. “We should make you pay for this, you son-of-a-traitor!”
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