Kadance: Another Tale

12

Kellan feeling himself falter sits himself down uninvited, but no one cared at that point. Both Leran and Jannsen are focused on him and his report.

"At first everything went well. We inserted and set up our compound just like we planned. No troubles or problems except for some of the idiot civilians that came along decided to get in the way. Once that was sorted we escorted the miners to locations that indicated large deposits of the minerals we need. But that's when things started going sideways, any time we tried to mine it." Kellan rubs his tired eyes. 

"That's when the natives made themselves known." His words cause Jannsen to jump in his seat. The planet wasn't known to have a sentient species. Jannsen holds back his groan. If they had known about the natives they wouldn't have permitted the colonization. Now it makes sense why a company was requested to be with them.

Kellan continues, "They are a peaceful people, and had no idea how to fight. For us, their attempts were laughable. Although, they fought hard and valiantly for their planet, we were forced to kill them or capture them. We did our best to capture them, and for the most part we were successful in that." Kellan isn't able to hold back the tears now. The deaths, unnecessary ones at that pain him incredibly and he suspects they will always haunt him. Damn, he wishes that Kadance was there.

"Many, most of the prisoners actually, when offered the chance accepted payment to work mining the minerals we sought. It seems they were able to see through the illusions that plagued us. Illusions so real they could kill." It was because of the illusions that he lost both his men. He still shudders at some of those illusions.

"Their leaders, they are called Elders, are able to call up what they call Earth magic. We were able to capture a dozen of them. Most refused to join us, remaining true. What they refer to as true blood. But a few, a very few joined us," the memory of his friend makes it so he has to stop speaking and collect himself once more. "One of them became my friend and it was through him, Jenk, that I learned much about the people and planet.

"My friend, is the one that explained to me about the magic. I wanted to scoff at him when he first told me about it, but after what I've seen and experienced I no longer can do so. Jenk always knew that I didn't believe him or about magic, he just smiled a sad smile and continued telling me about Dayla and her people.

"Then my men captured the head Elder. She had the appearance of a young woman somewhere between mid to late twenties. My friend late teens perhaps." Kellan shakes his head at his own foolishness.

"I take it that they weren't that young?" Jannsen demands when Kellan falls into his revery.

"No, sir, as a matter of fact they are a long lived race that will out live us by centuries. The leader, Sareen, was in her sixth century and was still considered young, not yet middle aged. Yet, for all her youth she is considered one of their most powerful leaders ever. At least that was according to Jenk."

Jannsen looks penetratingly at Kellan, and says with disbelief, "And just where is this friend of yours?"

"We left his body looking at the valley. It was the last sight he had before he took his last breath." Kellan says, able to hold back his sob but not the tears. He wipes them away as he looks away from the Admiral to regain his composure.

"He's dead?" The Admiral says with disbelief heavy.

"Yes, sir." Kellan says softly still struggling to regain control of his voice.

"Did he die of old age or something?" The Adm. asks hoping against hope.

"No sir, Jenk was Sareen's son. He was only in his third century.

"When my men captured Sareen they stunned her, but before they touched her she doubled over in pain. They hadn't done anything to cause her pain, indeed she was unmarked physically. She was, of course, scanned when she was brought in. She was healthy, perhaps one of the healthiest people I've ever heard of, just like all the natives there. But when she awoke she started screaming in pain, the kind of screams that only extreme pain gives. The medics in compassion had to knock her out. They did their best to keep her from damaging her vocal chords. Her body showed that it was in fact in extreme distress. For more on that you'd need to talk to Dr. Bugs." Kellan shudders, her screams will likely haunt him for the rest of his life.

"The next time she woke up they gave her some pain killers to keep her from such pain.

"This time I was able to talk to her," Kellan gives a sad small smile. "She felt pity for me, for us. She told me that Dayla wouldn't allow us to remain." Kellan has to stop once more and wipe his eyes once more. He closes his eyes. "Admiral, she told me things about our history that there was no way she could know." Kellan looks directly at the Admiral, "She knew about Earth." The captain and admiral both look at him like they were sucker punched.

"That's impossible! Earth isn't even remembered by civilians at all. Not even their historians have found any mention or remember Earth. We certainly don't talk about it." The admiral retorts angrily once he gets over his shock.

"She knew. Named the planet truly. She wasn't guessing. The knowledge was there, I could see it in her eyes. She pitied us." He hesitates, "I think she knows Earth coordinates." There is complete silence in the captain's office and from the admiral's end as well.

The admiral finally chokes out, "Earth's location was lost to us centuries ago. How could she possibly know that when we no longer do?"

"I'm telling you, Admiral, she knew and she pities us because we no longer did. The natives of Dayla, they are very closely tied to their planet. She says that Jayse and Thompson know of a location to a planet that isn't sentient, but that their minds are too clouded by pain to remember the location. She said that the planet has all that we need."

Jannsen closes his eyes, "So this is how Kadance's family comes into this. Trying to talk to any of them is near impossible now. Especially since it's so close to graduation time."

Kellan stills, this is his chance to lay some rumors to rest. "Admiral, there are rumors that there are enough warriors that one or more of the dead companies can or will be reactivated." Kellan takes a deep breath before his next words. "There are rumors that Sigma will be returning and it will be made up of Kadance's family and her teams family."

All of her team members had, had children. All of them had been brought up by their parents rather than at the creche. All of them are geniuses in their respective fields, even a few pilots. Keeping them all together, they wouldn't need back up from another company or from the fly boys.

Jannsen gets an enigmatic smile on his face, "Let's just say that some rumors are true and some aren't. Have Bugs send me the medical reports and send me any video footage."

"Admiral, the dying natives need to be able to return to Dayla and we need to keep all others away."

"Send me the written report, I'll look it over. I see no reason to keep natives from returning home if that is what they wish. Now, unless there is more I need to deal with Kadance's family." They all notice the shudder that wracks Jannsen as he says this. "I can't believe it's been eighteen years..." the call cuts out.