Liana's Ship (#ONC 2021)

18. Zan: Takeover

"Not yet,” I said, “The mission was to open the pods by any means."

"And you haven't opened a single one." He stated, "and is there anyone on this ship apart from you that isn't an abomination?"

"There is one human female," I said.

"One? Is that all?” And have you formed an alliance yet?"

"It is early, she has only been here for less than fourteen rotations.”

"And the other Xerans?" he said, wobbling as his platform shook. A strike from the attendant settled it, “what of them?”

"Left," I said, "or they succumbed and reside in the Great hall of the red sun."

"Don't sweeten bad news with the lies of the afterlife, Zanthric. I am not senile yet.” These falsehoods have confirmed that  my decision is the right path for us."

"You cannot!"

"It is too late, it has been decided,” he said, “Lives have been lost, Zanthric and let’s not forget you’ve stolen a ship. A warrant for your arrest has been declared. However, I am offering you a choice.” 

“So Father, What are these choices you have for me? I'm itching to hear them!" Oh sarcasm sounded so good! No wonder it was used by so many humans to express disgust. I folded my arms for good measure.

"The board has agreed your freedom on these conditions. You surrender our property and in return we will give you a new identity.” He said, “You will be given sufficient finances to do whatever you desire."

"Sounds too good to be true, Father." I replied, “what’s the catch?”

"How observant you are," he said with no emotion. "Of course I will play my part in the deception. Only the board and the family will know the truth. To the masses, you'll be nothing but a mourned son. You will be given a proper memorial with all the rites." He saw my face, "Don't look at me like that, Zanthric," he lowered his voice, "you must know that I can never appear with you in public again after what you did. Deep down I wonder if you ever were part of this family. Are you really upset at the prospect of never seeing me again?"

I wasn't, but deep down everyone wants approval from their parents, no matter how much they deny it. To give up Thera was unthinkable, even after knowing her time was limited, if she'd exhausted myself growing a ship for Liana to escape. I sent a message to Thera to reduce her functions to life support and growing the ship. She informed me the ship was almost ready.

I breathed a sigh of relief, "tell Liana to go to the ship" I mentally said to her.

"With my children? Betalaina and the unborn?" She said, then I felt her confusion, "I can't find them anymore. I'm, I'm shutting down, Zanthric."

She was losing cognitive function faster than I thought. Growing the ship had taken the rest of her energy. Yet she did not deserve to be destroyed.

"I'm sorry Father,” I said, or Perhaps it is Lord Dascan, now you've made your intentions clear. My decision is final, I cannot let you have the ship."

My father laughed, "Is that what you are thinking? That I want your ship? It’s a diseased ridden relic! It's the pods we want.”

"You won't be able to open them, without a coupling." I said in a vain attempt to defend them, "no seeds, no genes."

My father laughed again, the sound cut through me like psychic knives, "Did you not think we have been doing research? We have found a way to grow Xera Bioships that can be controlled. A certain cut, made to sentient plants when they’re young and they became fully compliant. No Scions, no pilots and no emotions. To think that was all that was needed all along. We will open the pods eventually, then the trials will start.”

No. Not like this. They were going to make them nothing more than mindless puppets. "I can't let you destroy them. I won't give them to you."

"I knew you would say that," he sighed, "that's why I sent scouts to scour the ship for the pods,” he gave a nod and armed guards filed in surrounding me, "arrest this man and escort him from this ship." The man who was once my Father commanded.

I was cuffed and restrained. One guard jerked me to move. I complied, there was no point I had lost. The pods would be found, Betalaina would be executed and so would I, after a long sensational trial. The worst, the Bioships would become extinct.

There was a shout from one of the guards but it wasn't a command. It sounded like the shouts of repulsion. 

Liana was dragged in holding the last two pods. They were both covered in the brown black of the rot.