Publius Cornelius Tacitus - "The hatred of relatives is the most violent."
[I'Rak Prime, Vaek'Riov Itsak tr'Sahen's estate]
"You don't look pleased Itsak." Hanaj smiled, the bright orange glow of the fire reflected off his soft features tinting his olive skin a slight shade of amber. As the dancing flames flickered in his eyes Hanaj watched his commander. It was hard not to wonder what thoughts were flowing through Itsak's mind- the man was a closed book. His emotions and reactions varied as much as the winds of I'Rak Prime shifted directions but Hanaj found the mystery refreshing. He enjoyed surprises and he enjoyed challenge. Working for Itsak all these years had given him both. "I assume the meeting with your cousin went foul?"
Blue- a vibrant blue liquid shifted casually in the crystal glass as the Vaek'Riov twisted the shimmering thing in his hand. He watched it absently- his mind focusing on Hanaj's question. He had broken his façade, allowed the Vulcan to rile him- he had gone too far. Finally he stopped toying with his drink and sipped the luscious poison "have I spoke of her much?" Itsak wondered aloud. He shifted his gaze and looked at Hanaj, one of the few officers in the Galae he trusted with his life.
"Shiarrael?" Hanaj smiled, his teeth were white as ivory and sharper than any Kaleh Itsak had ever seen. He stepped forward and rested a hand on the back of Itsak's chair "twice that I can recall. Once when we were on our first assignment and you had been sent to find her when she abandoned her home and once again, recently, when she had been exiled."
"Yes," Itsak whispered, he remembered now- that night.
Water beat on the windows. The estate was dark save for the random flashes of lightning that illuminated the interior. Thunder rumbled often shaking the stone walls. He waited, and waited. Finally another rumble shook the walls but it was not thunder. The main doors burst open and a cloaked figure slowly crept in. It was then when the room illuminated. Standing next to Itsak was a tall proud Rihannsu woman. She would have been beautiful had her face not been decorated by a scowl. Servants rushed in but instantly seeing their master in foulness they bowed and scurried away to the safety of other places. "Shiarrael" the woman's voice echoed deeply through the ancient and cavernous halls "what have you been doing?"
Two hands reached up grabbing the edges of the cloak's hood and pulled them tighter "I have been out studying with my friends." A voice replied, the clone defiant as her face was hidden beneath the grey shroud of the cloak's hood.
"Do you think I believe that Shiarrael?" Lady Nhasaen t'Rehu was a fearsome woman. She had served in the Rei'Krannsu for five decades before retiring to her estate. Itsak watched her in wonder at her grace and sheer tenacity. Nhasaen's right hand reached over and grasped the wooden railing. Slowly she walked down the steps "you have been fighting again, haven't you? That thuggish Komerek!" She was seething "how dare you defy me when I told you to stop? Do you want house Rehu to be known for such things? What would your father think? Or your grandfather- elements bless him!" She stopped on the last step and turned to look at Itsak with a terrifying expression "go remove her cloak; I want to see her face."
Itsak nodded hesitantly and walked down the steps past Lady Rehu. When he reached Shiarrael he grabbed her cloak. She fought him as he tried to pull the hood off; finally, she shoved him back and slammed her palm into his face. Itsak recoiled and fell backwards against the first railing. He covered his nose as a river of blood began to stream forward.
"Shiarrael!" Nhasaen shouted loudly but the retort from Shiarrael was louder.
"No! Everything has always been about following in father's footsteps. I don't want that, I never have! You're right, I've been in another Komereck match- and I won!" She pulled the draw string out of her cloak and let the soaked thing fall to the floor. Her face was bruised and bloodied "I enjoy it and I don't need your permission!" She spun and darted into the driving rain.
Nhasaen shivered in rage "how dare you be so insolent!" She looked at Itsak "go after her and bring her back!"
Itsak stood up, wiped the blood onto his uniform, and ran into the rain after his mad cousin. Thunder and lightning rippled through black clouds obscured by the darkness of light. He ran towards the large gardens shouting her name. It seemed almost futile- where could she be? Tendrils of lightning spread through the clouds feverishly as the rain and wind picked up. Suddenly he recalled one spot that Shiarrael enjoyed as a child- her grandfather's garden. Running up the hill he made his way towards the bench that now stood in its place. Sitting there in the driving rain was Shiarrael. She looked up at him with her mother's feral eyes. He frowned "what are you doing? Are you insane? Your mother will be furious."
She scoffed and turned away. The lightning illuminated her features- she was no longer that little girl but she still acted like a child "I don't care- let her fume. It's all she ever does when she's not terrorizing the help."
"Why are you so rebellious? You have everything!" Itsak gritted his teeth, blood still dripped from his crusted and soaked nostril.
"I have everything?" Shiarrael echoed mockingly "what do I have? I have a legacy I am expected to follow- I have no life! I have no freedom! At least you can choose your path in life!"
"How can you be so selfish?! Freedom! Who has freedom in this universe?" He reached out and grabbed her arm "now go home!"
She pulled away "no. I want my OWN life. You don't understand!"
"Because I am half Vulcan?"
"No- not because of that- it's because you've never been imprisoned by expectation!" She pulled free of his grasp "screw my father and screw you Itsak!" She turned and sprinted towards the forest.
Itsak started to chase but he simply stood there watching her silhouette move closer to the forest with each flash of thunder. "Expectation?" He stared ahead, silent; no one ever expected anything of him. No one cared enough. "I envy that Shiarrael…" he whispered into the stormy night.
The sound of shattering crystal shook him from the memory and he realized he had dropped the glass of ale. He started to push out of his chair to gather the shards but Hanaj's hand grabbed his shoulder "let the servants deal with it Itsak." Hanaj grinned "you seemed to have been lost in thought?"
"I was simply recalling the first instance you mentioned, nothing more." Itsak leaned back in his seat and pushed Hanaj's hand away "the meeting was sour. I must find way to patch this matter. It will be inconvenient if she suspects something amiss."
"So it would." Hanaj agreed slowly returning his hand to his side "she has children- those half-breeds. Why not give her a gift for them? There are plenty of fvai running loose on this estate. Surely they will enjoy such a gift?"
"Yes, I suppose they would." Itsak had forgotten about her children- half-breeds…like him. "Have the servants find the tamest and I will personally deliver it to the Charon via shuttle." He smiled at his friend "you are more thoughtful then I expected."
"I am clever- thoughtful? Likely not." Hanaj smirked "which ships do you want me to have follow the Charon? I hear the Vulcan woman already arrived."
"Any four will do- we will also pursue them aboard the Endless Sky." Itsak said, his voice growing an edge "and that Vulcan is no concern to me."
"And what is it the agency thinks they will lead us to?"
"A prize." Itsak replied coldly "tend to these matters Hanaj. I will remain here until the shuttle is ready."
"Ie, Rekkhai." Hanaj bowed and left.
Alone in his room Itsak's mind focused on another matter, it was neither Shiarrael nor the agency that now dominated his thoughts. He could smell her scent, taste her almost, and fell the softness of her hair. That Vulcan woman- he wanted her- she aroused him like no other. It drove him mad that he couldn't simply take her- not yet at least.
[to be continued…]
