Lies and Manipulation

Chapter 23 - Test Authorization (Year 5620)

It seemed to take forever before A’dan could find a few hours to search more into Marie’s possible family. However, two hours into his search and A’dan had not had a single clue related to her. Some of these people had such underreported travel itineraries that made it impossible to discover what kind of business they conducted or what relationships they might have had. If he knew what the length of relationship her parents had, he’d know he could eliminate based on time spent in one area.  However, he didn’t even have that and wasn’t sure he could get it.  Maybe Marie was right. He didn’t see much hope in figuring this out before Tlas attacked anyway or even know if it would help if he did.  On the other hand, he had a sense that she was very alone. Having Karitan skill amid the world of others could be very lonely.  If he could give her a family and heritage, it might be enough to push her towards trusting him with things she rather keep to herself. 

When Ra’nun walked in, humming softly, without buzzing--of course, A’dan didn’t look up.

“Missed a good dinner.”

A’dan shook his head. “I’m sure. Is Li’la ready to leave on the next shuttle do you know?”

Ra’nun nodded. “Seemed it.”

“Are you going with them?” A’dan rubbed his eyes wearily. and sighed. With all the reports coming from Colony-10, he knew he needed to send his family away. He couldn’t evacuate the base yet, because it would cost far too much money and too much of a political back lash if he was incorrect, but he could at least make sure he could focus on that when the time came.

When. When had he realized the attack was going to happen? When did he realize that nothing anyone did or said could make a difference? With the exception of--of course--Marie. He wondered momentarily how much her cooperation could make a difference in this impending fight.

“No,” Ra’nun said. “I think it’s better if I stay here.” 

A’dan blinked at him. “Ra’nun, we are talking a full scale attack on our base. Military attack. I’ve been in a few of those and you can’t--“

“Don’t tell me what I can or can’t do.” Ra’nun snapped. “If you are going to have a full scale attack, what a better place than here for me? Someone is going to need to monitor the space to determine if or when you can fire the radiation cannons. You might as well use me if I’m here.”

“We have computers for that,” Adan said.

“Computers are only so good. And I can see far more than a computer can and sometimes faster.”

“You--“ A’dan squeezed his nose. “I don’t know if you’ll even be able to walk anywhere if it came down to it, Ra’nun. The gravity starts going all crazy and it’s typically the first thing to quit. It’s not easy for most people. Even me.”

“Don’t tell me what I can or can’t do.” Ra’nun’s eyes blazed with anger. “Don’t go there.”

A’dan closed his eyes. How couldn’t he go there? Ra’nun almost died once trying to be a hero. Trying to prove a point to others. And A’dan helped him do it, by giving him the fake name and passport. Their mother would kill him if he let Ra’nun do something this foolhardy again. Especially if it actually took Ra’nun’s life this time.

Then again, they both knew Ra’nun was stubborn, difficult and would not change his mind. A’dan almost wondered absently why he had such a hard time with Marie when he grew up with someone just as stubborn if not more so. 

“Besides, you need a person that you can de-stress with and think up solutions to the serious problems.” Ra’nun grinned.

A’dan shook his head. “You are worse than Marie.”

“Is that good or bad?”

A’dan shrugged.  “She’s all determined that her father is dead and that I’m wasting my time trying to find him. But if he is dead, then he had to have been a part of some rogue sect, because no one on my list was off planet and died at the correct time. I have a few who are dead, but not anyone that would have made it impossible to meet her.”

“Can I see the list?“ Ra’nun asked.

Adan shrugged and tossed the list over to him. “Don’t think you’ll recognize any of the names, seeing how you weren’t around any of these people.”

“No. Probably not.”  He scrolled though the list. “You took me off.”

A’dan nodded. “I know what happened with you there, so I know you can’t be.” 

Ra’nun gave him a small nod, but A’dan did not have to be brothers with him to know that the removal of his name made him sad. 

“Ra’nun, you said yourself that Char told you your daughter died. That she didn’t lie. There is no way then that Marie could be your daughter.”

Ra’nun sighed. “I know. Still... it seemed so perfect. She’s right about the right age. She is right about the right mental strength.  She’s half Karitan, which also matches. And... she has the right first name. I know it seems vague and  impossible but--well, maybe it is possible though. After all, I did eventually find Char on Tlas. That’s what I would call more than circumstantial evidence.”

A’dan rubbed his leg thoughtfully. “Then you are saying that Char got a lie this large past you.” 

“My theory is not perfect, but Char doesn’t handle surprises very well either. And Marie’s skills, if she did get them, would have been a huge surprise. Something she would not have liked at all. So maybe... something happened. I don’t know. I was recovering still and barely got permission to fly out at all.” 

A’dan could still see many problems with the theory, including the fact that Char probably had not died yet, but Ra’nun looked at him so pleadingly, so hopefully, the he just sighed. “If you want, I’ll authorize a DNA test between you and her to see if it is even possible. Just to rule that out.”

Ra’nun blinked. “You will? Just like that.”

“It’ll be easier than convince you that you are probably wrong.”

Ra’nun grinned and it was such a relaxed grin that it practically confirmed in A’dan’s mind that he made the right choice, as a brother even if not as a major.