Atlantis Rising (42 page)

erri stared at Jon, who was standing there in shock. He held his
sword loosely in his hand. He couldn’t believe he had just heard his sister ask
him to kill her. He would rather kill himself than to do such a thing. Terri
stood up and approached her brother, tears rolling down her cheeks.

“Jon, you have to kill me. It’s
the only way,” Terri said.

“I don’t believe that,” Jon said.
“I refuse to believe that!” Jon took steps back from his sister, and dropped
the sword.

“Jon if you don’t, they will kill
you,” Terri said. “We, I, would have gone through this for nothing.”

“If I kill you, all this was for
nothing, anyway,” Jon said. “The Ga’sahde won’t have their leader, and I will
have lost someone I truly love. I can’t kill you. You’re one of the few things
that keep me going. You keep me grounded in these trying times; you’re my voice
of reason.”

“I’m already the leader of the
Ga’sahde,” Terri said. “By their laws this is the last step to confirm you as
the supreme ruler. If you die, I have to choose another. If I die the rule
defaults to you, until the Ga’sahde find a new leader. This is your test, not
mine.”

“But, they said it was your final
test,” Jon said.

“No, and yes,” Terri said. She
scooped up the sword Jon had dropped. Her tears had dried up and she had a
determined look in her eyes.

“Enough talk, finish this,” the
voice said.

“You can just shut up! Who in the
fuck do you think you are?” Jon said.

He yelled it loud enough for it
to echo across the room. Jon was looking around the room for the source of the
voice.

“Jon,” Terri said. She was
offering the sword to him. “Do it, please.”

Jon’s eyes turned back to his
sister and he started shaking his head. “I’m not going to! I refuse! If you
give me that sword I’ll kill myself.”

“You would be willing to
sacrifice Deatra and everyone else for me, one person?” Terri said.

“I couldn’t live with myself,”
Jon said. “Just the thought of it makes me numb.”

Terri cocked her head and gave
her brother a small smile and then her face took on a serious look. She flipped
the sword so the pommel was in her hands. “Have it your way,” Terri said. “One
of us has to die. There is no other way out.”

“I don’t believe that for a
second,” Jon said.

“Doesn’t matter what you think,
silly boy,” Terri said.

Terri charged Jon, sword raised
in a classic deathblow fashion. Jon got wide eyed and stumbled as he dodged the
swing. The sword lightly contacted his arm as he dodged leaving a light cut and
a little blood.

“Terri?” Jon said.

“I told you, one of us will die.
If you don’t have the balls to do it, I do,” Terri said. Her voice was a growl
that Jon had never heard.

She swung again at Jon who
managed to dodge the blow only to catch a foot in the side of his head. It sent
him reeling as the room swam from the impact. Jon stumbled and shook his head,
to get only enough of his senses back to dodge the next slash.

Terri spun in a dance like
fashion as she hacked at her brother. Tears had started again as she slipped
deeper into the swordplay. Jon dodged another misplaced foot and the sword
slashes that followed.

“Terri, STOP!” Jon said. He was
starting to get a bit winded as he dodged his sister.

“I can’t and I won’t,” Terri
said.

“Terri, please,” Jon said. “I
love you.” Jon dodged another kick and missed the sword that followed right
behind it. The sword tore into his leg making him fall and roll to dodge the
stomps from his sister.

“Too easy,” Terri said. She
backed off and paced as she watched her brother collect himself and stand up.
She walked over and kicked a sword, which was lying on the floor, to him.
“Fight back.”

Jon kicked the sword across the
room away from him as he spoke, “No, I’m not going to fight you.”

“Then,” Terri said. “DIE!” She
launched herself at him again this time the swordplay was much faster and Jon
took multiple impacts from her feet, arms, and hands. Her sword would flash in
and nick Jon every once in a while.

Jon was starting to tire a lot
faster, and was laboring to dodge the attacks.

“Terri,” Jon said. “I don’t
understand why it has to be this way.”

Terri stopped her assault and
backed up. She began to pace, and showed a lot of rage to Jon.

“What don’t you understand?”
Terri said. “You caused this. This is what you wanted and now you can’t follow
through. Or maybe they’re right and you’re weak. Maybe everyone else in this
Galaxy has it wrong and you’re not the person you appear to be. Just like back
on Earth where everyone pushed you around and I had to protect you there too.”

“Terri, stop,” Jon said.

His eyes were starting to tear
up.

“Weak and pathetic,” Terri said.
“You know our parents never understood what was going on. I always helped you
hide the fact you couldn’t stand up for yourself.”

“Don’t,” Jon said. “You’re just
trying to make me angry and I’m not going to let you. I know you don’t mean it
and I still love you.”

“Then I’m sorry,” Terri said.
“Time for one of us to die.”

Terri charged Jon and engaged him
with a flurry of blows that had him working hard to avoid the sword slashes.
Terri lashed out with her hand and caught her brother in the throat hard enough
to make him gag. She then grabbed Jon by the back of the head and leaned her
forehead on his.

“I love you,” Terri said. “I’m
sorry for everything. It will be okay. Don’t judge them too harshly, you need
them.”

Jon tried to talk but could get
nothing out. His eyes widened as he realized Terri had reversed her sword and
from the outside, it looked like they were struggling. She reached up and
kissed his forehead as she pushed her full weight on to him and the sword. The
sword suddenly sprouted from her back and Terri gagged as blood sprayed from
her mouth, covering Jon’s face.

Jon and Terri fell to the floor
in a pile. Jon scrambled to his knees and pulled the sword from his sister’s
chest. She gagged as blood flowed from the wound. Tears poured from Jon’s eyes
as he tried to help her. Unable to speak he was mouthing the words he was sorry
and he loved her.

Terri reached up, rubbed the side
of his face, and smiled.

“I will always love you,” Terri
said.

Her eyes closed as she gasped her
last breath and became still.

Jon leaned his head back and
screamed as he began to cry uncontrollably.

“This trial is over,” the voice
said.

Jon’s head was resting on his
sister’s chest as the voice spoke.

He raised it up and in a hoarse
voice said, “Fuck you! I will slaughter every last one of you for this.”

“You might,” the voice said.
“But, you have gained our support and we ask you think about what has happened
before you make a rash choice. We will return you to your ship, now. You’re
free to stay in orbit as long as you need. We will send a representative to you
shortly.”

“Fuc…” Jon started.

“You!” Jon finished as he
appeared on the bridge of the Atlantis. Jon collapsed from the stress and
strain. The last thing he saw before he passed out was a teary-eyed Deatra, and
a somber Sa’oliq kneeling over him.

Jon woke with a start and sat up
in the bed. Sitting not far away, Deatra and Sa’oliq were involved in a quiet
discussion. Both of them stood up and rushed to Jon’s side when they saw him
wake up.

“Doc!” Deatra said.

Jon started ripping leads off his
body and he started getting out of bed. “Where are we and how long have I been
out?” Jon said.

“Lay back down, Jon. I haven’t
cleared you yet,” Andie said.

“Andie? How did you get here?”
Jon said.

Deatra laid her hand on Jon
stopping him from getting out of bed. “We’re at Ghost Station,” Deatra said.

Jon pushed her hand away and he
continued to get up. “Why?” Jon said.

“Jon lay back down,” Andie said.

“No, I have things to do,” Jon
said. He had gotten fully out of bed now, and was looking around for his
clothes.

“Jon, I’m ordering you to lie
back down,” Andie said.

“Where are my clothes,” Jon said.

He ignored Andie as he continued
to search.

“I have them, and you’re not
getting them back until I release you, medically,” Andie said.

“Fine! The gown it is,” Jon said.
He started for the door. “
Atlantis
, prep for departure.”

“Yes, Sir,” Carla said over the
intercom in the room. “How long?”

“We will be leaving when I get
there,” Jon said.

“Sir, I’m not showing you released
from medical yet,” Carla said.

“He’s not,” Andie said. “You’ll
belay that order and stand down.”

“Yes, Ma’am,” Carla said.

Jon whirled on Andie as he spoke,
“How dare you?”

“Jon stop and think a second,”
Deatra said.

“How dare I?” Andie said. “How
dare you usurp my authority as CMO? You put me in this position, and if there’s
anyone on the station that should be listening to me, it’s you! You’re supposed
to set the example.”

Jon’s eyes showed his grief as he
spoke, “Andie, they killed Terri. They have to pay for that. I need to go,
before they run and hide again.”

“You need to calm down before you
go off halfcocked, and get yourself and others killed,” Andie said.

“I’m going to have my revenge,
and no one will stop me,” Jon said.

It was clear to everyone in the
room that Jon was not thinking straight and grief was ruling him at the moment.

Deatra reached out through the
link they shared and tried to calm him down.

Jon felt the touch and spun on
Deatra.

“Get out of my head!” Jon said.

“I’m sorry, I’m just trying to
help,” Deatra said.

She pulled back from his mind as
she spoke.

“I don’t need help,” Jon said.
“I’m taking my ship and I’m going to get my therapy.”

“I won’t clear you and I’ll call
control and make sure they lock
Atlantis
down. You need time to heal,”
Andie said.

“Fine,” Jon said. “I quit and I’m
pulling the
Atlantis
out of the ADF. Have fun doing whatever it is you
people think you’re doing.”

“You can’t quit,” Sa’oliq said.
“You’re needed and you know you’re needed.”

“Watch me,” Jon said as he
stepped through the door.

Jon stalked down the hallway
towards the
Atlantis
as stunned people parted to let him pass.

“Carla, clear all personnel off
the
Atlantis
,” Jon said.

“Sir?” Carla said.

“Don’t ‘Sir’ me,” Jon said. “I’m
not your commander any more. I want all personnel off my ship by the time I get
there.”

Suddenly a bulkhead door closed
in front of him as Ghost appeared.

“Open the door, Ghost,” Jon said.

“I’m sorry Commander, I can’t do
that,” Ghost said.

“It’s an order,” Jon said. “Open
the door.”

“I’m sorry, Sir,” Ghost said.
“You no longer command on this station as it is an ADF station.”

“Oh, really?” Jon said.

Jon rattled off his command codes
and cycled the door open.

Ghost followed him, walking
beside him.

“So, now you just use people however
you want, and the hell with everything else?”

“Yep,” Jon said.

“I thought you were a bigger man
than that,” Ghost said.

“You thought wrong,” Jon said.
“Don’t you understand? Those people killed my sister?”

“I’ve seen the recordings,” Ghost
said. “What I saw was her giving her life to protect her brother.”

Jon stopped and looked at Ghost
as he spoke, “She was forced to do what she did by them. She didn’t have a
choice. They murdered her regardless of whether it was by their own hand or
not.”

“Your sister wouldn’t want you to
do this,” Ghost said. She followed Jon as he started back down the corridor.

“How do you know,” Jon said.

“I loved your sister as much as I
love you,” Ghost said. “She gave her life so that you may continue doing what
you need to do.”

“What I need to do right now is
kill the people who caused her death,” Jon said.

“So, you’re after revenge?” Ghost
said.

“Yep, it’s a plate best served
cold, or so I’ve been given to understand,” Jon said.