Dominion (3 page)

He stared at her for a moment, then glanced at the others seated around the carpet.  It would have been hard enough for him to comprehend and accept all that she was inferring had she been using regular English words, but now it was all the more difficult for him as he tried to break down the meaning of the alien words scattered throughout her explanations.

“By the way, the person seated to my right is one of our most honored space scientists, the Demigod Ploy,” she added.

“Let me get this straight,”
Hawke said, turning to Kashuba, “Cheronook are people like you and me.  And these Cheronook don’t live here with people like them – the Shomani.  The Shomani have spaceflight capabilities, but the people like you and me lack any sort of… well, we lack any form of technology as though we were part of some third world country?”

“
I don’t know what a third world country is, but yes, what you say is correct otherwise,” she said, turning to the others and translating all that Hawke had been saying.

The one who Kashuba had referred to as “
Orlo’s wife” spoke rapidly; looking at Hawke the whole time.  He looked at Tutanza, understanding nothing of what she said but making sure she knew that she had his attention.  He wondered now if the horns along the jaw line were one of the differences between males and females among the Shomani.

“She is asking if you are from the frozen continent.  The ancient stories of the
Shomani speak of a secret society of Cheronook who live beneath the ice of the unnamed northern continent.  Some stories state that they are far advanced beyond that of even the Shomani,” Kashuba explained.

“Tell them that I don’t believe I am from this planet at all, but I really don’t know for sure.  The planet I come from is called Earth and there are no
Shomani there,” he replied.

She quickly translated his statement to them.  Gasps and discussions rose from all around them as
Hawke suddenly became aware of others all around them eavesdropping on the group.  Orlo said something, then nodded for Kashuba to translate it.

“
As odd as your statement sounds, he finds it believable based on the craft you came in.  Demigod Ploy was the one who inspected your ship and claimed it to be very old based on the dirty, pockmarked hull.  But he also claimed it to be oddly futuristic based on the lack of thrusters for your engines,” she said.

“I designed that engine, but if you were hoping to share in that advanced technology, I regret to inform you that there w
as a significant flaw,” he said, shrugging to those around him, “Not to mention the fact that it doesn’t operate by burning combustible fuel in the conventional sense.”

She continued to translate while he spoke.

“It was a gravitational-reflex engine that was supposed to shrink the distance between the stars by a thousand; a million; a billion fold and I think it did exactly that.  Shores and I had programmed a test jump into the guidance computer that should have taken us to one of our outer planets.  We ended up somewhere far beyond our star system instead.  Without inspecting my ship or the engine however, I can’t readily tell you what caused this fatal error,” he said.

“
How can you speak of such nonsense about being from another planet?  Lies will not help your cause any.  You’re Cheronook,” Kashuba translated Ploy’s animated reaction, “You even speak the same language as the Cheronook.”

“I can’t explain that, my friend,”
Hawke replied, “I wonder, perhaps, if this could be the planet that I once called Earth, but that wouldn’t explain the presence of the Shomani or the loss of my own people’s technology.”

Ploy leaned forward and folded his hands, staring at Hawke in a way that he couldn’t read.  The expressions of the Shomani were very subtle due to the taut appearance of their skin.  Hawke only hoped that these people would be able to read him and see that he wasn’t bringing them a load of lies.  He could only imagine the methods of torture this alien race reserved for liars from an enemy land.

“You are a thinker like me, and willing to look at all possibilities,” Ploy replied, “This is good.  Our records go back for centuries upon centuries however, showing a long history of the Shomani living here on this planet.  Archaeologists have uncovered Shomani cities dating back more than five thousand years.  As far as we can tell, the Shomani have always had a presence on this world.  It’s our only home.”

Kashuba continued in her role of translator, keeping up well with the conversation.

“I’d hate to believe I’ve been asleep for that long and find it highly unlikely anyway that my ship would have maintained a body in cryostasis for more than a hundred years,” he muttered, “I really don’t know how to explain any of this.”

“Can you teach us the technology of your interstellar engine and allow our scientists to help try to discern what caused the distance prediction problem?” Orlo asked, “We would provide you with many servants and peacekeepers to meet all your needs even after you have
assisted our people.”

Kashuba didn’t meet his eyes as she translated this for
Hawke.  Something in her demeanor changed in that moment and he caught on immediately.

“
Peacekeepers
… like you, Kashuba?” he asked.

“
We serve the purpose of the-”

“People aren’t supposed to be used in this manner,” he said, “And
now you’re telling me that there are others who have accepted this way of life too?”

His hosts continued to talk silently amongst themselves.  Kashuba gestured to his hosts with a quick tilt of her head, though still refusing to meet his eyes.

“They are beginning to get curious about what you are saying to me, Hawke.  I wish not to repeat your disrespectful words, so I am going to lie,” she said.

“Wait,” he said,
raising his hand quickly to stop her, “Tell him I didn’t understand you at first but now that I do, explain that I don’t need any more peacekeepers or slaves or whatever he calls them.  And yes, I’d be willing to assist in sharing the engine technology.  First however, they need to understand that it will require significant quantities of some heavier lanthanide and actinide elements.  I’m not sure what the Shomani capabilities are when it comes to nuclear technology.  Oh, and they need to understand that I refuse to be treated as a prisoner of the Shomani.”

She st
ared at him for a moment, then her gaze fell down to the gold bracelet on his wrist.  He followed her gaze and then started to ask her what it was.  She cut him off abruptly by translating what he had said for the others in the room.

The room
exploded in overlapping conversation all of a sudden.  He couldn’t tell if it was excitement, anger, or confusion.  He slid closer to Kashuba, trying to avoid the questions directed at him from all directions.

“There is some argument over what you are meaning by ‘heavy
actinides and lanthanides’ and ‘nuclear technology’,” she explained, not bothering to translate any specific person’s words, “It seems they fear you are trying to make it so you don’t have to help us.”

“Tell Orlo to bring me my ship and I can show them firsthand what it is made of,” he argued, “The fuel rods in the reactor would most certainly be depleted, but there could be little doubt
as to what they are made of.”

“Your ship is gone,” she stated matter of fact.

“Do you mean it’s still in space or you blew it up?” he asked.

She turned to Orlo and said something.  Orlo replied to her, invoking a
firm response back.  Both appeared a little frustrated as they continued back and forth for several minutes.  Finally, she turned to Hawke.

“Your ship disappeared one night – presumably stolen,
although there were no witnesses.  The Demigods had it hidden in a warehouse near the piers,” she said, “Tensions are currently high between the Shomani and the Cheronook, so you can surely understand if you are not granted complete freedom.  That is not to say that you would be a prisoner of the Shomani at all.  Just kept under watch to an extent.”

Hawke
held up his wrist and showed her the bracelet, “What is this, Kashuba?”

She turned to the Demigods.  Tutanza stated something, then pointed to
Hawke.

“It is a proximity bracelet.  It keeps you from going too far,” she muttered.

“So, I
am
a prisoner,” he said.

“No, you have been given some freedom and this freedom will be extended further as they grow to trust in you,” she replied, showing that she wore no bracelet on her wrist, “Soon, you will have no bracelet at all.”

“Dear Lord,” he groaned.

Three

Orlo, Ploy, and Tutanza dismissed them, recommending that Kashuba show Hawke around the local grounds.  Ploy insisted upon meeting up with Hawke the next day to discuss what would be required of the Shomani in order to gain the new space faring technology.  The Demigods didn’t seem up to discussing Hawke’s present circumstances as a guest and a prisoner.

It didn’t take
Hawke long to permanently dismiss the fact that he was on a future version of the Earth.  Once they stepped outside into the cool early evening, Hawke was presented with a blue sun just above the horizon casting an eerie glow across the wide alien trees nearby.  If the blue star and the foreign trees weren’t enough evidence, the ringed moon directly overhead closed the case.  No version of the Earth, no matter how far into the future, circled a blue giant or had a ringed moon.

He stopped on the stair, gaping at the burgundy moon above him.  It appeared no larger than a half dollar floating above him, but he knew
by its ability to hold onto a series of rings that it must be readily as large as a typical planet in the Earth’s system.  He wondered for a moment if perhaps the planet beneath him was actually just a moon orbiting the ringed marble in the sky.

“Captain’s Blood,” she said, “That’s the name of the moon.  It’s not good luck to pay it the honor of staring.”

“That’s an unusual name for a moon, but then again, Rain is an unusual name for a planet,” he offered, returning his attention to the odd trees nearby, “How does this bracelet hold me prisoner?  Does it alert them if I run?”

“No.  It heats up as you near your appointed limit.  As you go further and further, it heats up more and more,” she said, taking his hand in hers and fingering the bracelet, “But you don’t have to worry about anything because everything you need is fully within your appointed barrier.”

“But I’m a prisoner, Kashuba,” he said, “Don’t you understand this?  I am supposedly an honored guest, yet I’m treated as a prisoner.”

“No,
Hawke!  You don’t understand.  If you hadn’t asked about it, you would never know its purpose because it would have never heated up.  You have no need and you will probably never have a desire to stray far while you are the guest of the Demigods,” she stated, “You will learn soon enough that you are here in a tangible version of paradise that most Cheronook will never experience.”

He
watched her as she gazed upon the bracelet she was fingering.  Her expression was one of sincere happiness, unaware of just how worried he was at the moment.

“Let me show you to
the home you will being living in while you stay among the Shomani,” she said, taking his hand in hers.

. . . .

She had led him through a humble village of small wood buildings lining a street of cobblestone.  Each building was unimpressive, with only a single door and very few windows.  If the structures were homes, they couldn’t have housed more than two people. 

After traversing two roads and one dimly lit alley, she brought him to a two-story
brick building that resembled a typical Earth structure.  She opened the tall door for him and let him lead the way inside.  She then gestured to the stairs and smiled.

“Welcome to the guest quarters.  We get the upstairs,” she said, nudging him with her hand.

“We?” he asked, leading the way up the stairs, “There can’t be much more than a single room up here.”

“One room and one bathroom,” she said, “You don’t need a whole lot of space for sleeping,
Hawke.  Are you dissatisfied?”

He stood at the top of the stairs looking into a dark room.  She reached past him and switched on the lighting.  There was a large bed, a chair, a
wooden chest of some sort, and a door in the corner that presumably led to the bathroom.

“The
re’s only one bed,” he muttered, examining the small room.

“
There’s… well yes, of course there’s… I don’t take up much space as I’m sure you’ve noticed,” she whispered sadly, “You really
are
dissatisfied.”

“No,
” he turned to her, resting a hand upon her shoulder, “No, I’m definitely not dissatisfied.  I’m just trying to get accustomed to the ways here.  Please don’t let my questions and comments keep hurting you.”

“Then,
you are satisfied with the room?  You are satisfied with me?” she asked.

He turned to her and looked at the woman he originally took to be fragile, small, and much younger than the creases near her eyes
had suggested.  He didn’t even know this woman, but he felt so responsible for her situation, whether she accepted that situation freely or not.  At every turn, it seemed he was hurting her and crushing her expectations.

He surprised himself as he drew her in to an embrace.  He held her for a moment, hoping he wasn’t doing something she would deem improper.

“Will you please stop concerning yourself with me and do whatever it is you want to do?” he asked, “I am already satisfied with you, Kashuba, so if you want to go hang out with your friends, or take a bath, or maybe sleep, or whatever it is that Cheronook do, please feel free to do that.”

“I’m a peacekeeper and you are my charge,
Hawke.  What I wish to do is to take care of you and ensure that none of your needs go unfulfilled,” she said, wrapping her arms around him as he held her, “You accepted me when I put the bracelet on you and I am yours until we pass on.  I will forever make you happy and you will forever make me happy.”

He drew back from the embrace and looked down at the woman in front of him.  She smiled up at him.

“You understand that I am from a different world, right?” he asked.

“Yes, of course,” she replied.

“Well, we have different customs that I find hard to break away from.  I accept you as you already seem to understand, and I think you’re very lovely.  As a matter of fact, I’d really love to get to know you better,” he said with a grin, “But that is where our cultures appear to differ.  My people don’t get intimately involved unless there are some deeper feelings between them.  Deeper feelings come when people discover a lot that they really enjoy about each other.”

“Sholiska,” she said, “The
ongoing desire that comes after people discover the enjoyment of physical intimacy.  I understand.  In our culture, once two get together in this way, they almost go crazy for each other for weeks, months, or even years.  Sholiska is what we call it.  Your culture seems to try to discover that first while my culture discovers it afterward.”

“
No, I don’t think that is the same word we would use for love.  Love is more than just physical enjoyment and desire,” he tried explaining, “I’m not really sure how else to describe it.”

“Is it the feeling you get when-” she started to say, before pressing her lips against his and kissing him tenderly.

He accepted the kiss, startled at first.  Then he realized he was returning it as generously as it was given.  He pulled back with a sigh.

“It’s certainly a good feeling,” he whispered, “But no, that isn’t love.  If you’re not in
too much of a hurry, maybe we can discover it together.  For now, I’d really like it if we took it slow.  Please understand that I just lost my fellow pilot, my family, and every person I ever knew.  It’s just not the right time for me to be as emotionally open as I would need to be.”

She nodded, then stepped out of his embrace.

“I understand.  My culture honors mourning and I think I may have forgotten the situation you are in,” she said, “We will take it slow.”