Episode Seven

[Velociryx]

(I was on a roll today, what can I say....) :-)
-Enjoy.....

Episode VII
Lady Deidre Skye

“My lady, it is too dangerous.” Minister Shenn told her earnestly. “They’ve already killed your Constable, what makes you think they’ll not kill you?”

Deidre stared thoughtfully into space and nodded absently. “They might, but....it is a risk I must take.” She sighed deeply. “The answer is not in more police....that was a mistake on my part....what the people need is leadership....they need courage.”

“But M’Lady, I cannot....”

“My decision is final. I would ask that you make the necessary arrangements for me to speak with them.”

Minister Shenn fell silent, knowing all too well that it was his infrastructure program that had caused their current troubles. Knowing further, that his infrastructure program might very well spell the Lady’s death. He shuddered to think about that, and what might happen to him afterwards. “I shall do as you ask, M’Lady.”

She nodded and left the room.
***

Kevin was amazed at how far they had run, and how long it was taking them to get back to the Colony. He was beyond tired, and even more amazed that Velociryx did not even appear fatigued. Then he remembered his cybernetic enhancements and nodded to himself in understanding. That made sense, but....there were so many questions.

He had seemed almost spiritual at the Monolith....like the High Priest of some bizarre religion, and the Mind Worms were his Acolytes? His brow creased as he thought it over. And he called them (the Worms, he had to conclude) his brothers.

For the first time since they had brought The Stranger into the colony, he began to worry that perhaps they had made a mistake with him. Perhaps by taking him in, by making him self-aware and teaching him, they had done more harm than good. Unbalanced him in some way.

Then there was Gayle. She’d still be alive if they hadn’t gone out to watch Vel play at the stupid Rec. Commons. She’d still be....

No. That wasn’t fair, and he tried to shake the feeling off entirely, but it was hard.

He cared about her. More deeply than he had realized while she was alive, and it hurt.

He sighed deeply as they finally entered the city gate.

What he really needed was a hot shower and a bed. A strong sleeping pill and a few days of rest should dull the pain at least to the point where he could....

Something caught his attention. A movement high atop the flanking city wall.

He looked, and Velociryx looked with him.

The recognized her immediately.

The Lady Deidre.

Velociryx growled deep in his throat, and ran off toward the section of wall she was climbing.

“Wha...Vel.....wait! Where are you.....what’s wrong?”

He didn’t look back, but his words in response were unmistakable. “I lost one of them....I couldn’t live with myself if I lost them both....”

Kevin understood that, and took off after him as fast as his weary bones and muscles would allow.
***

The PA System had been hastily rigged together, but no matter. It would work well enough. She had to be seen. To speak to her People. She knew that now. Why it had not been so clear to her before, she was uncertain. But she knew it now, and wanted more than anything to put things right.

The crowd below was filled up with hisses and boos, and there was an almost tangible angry buzz moving through it. Her People, reduced to this? It terrified her, but even as it did, it strengthened her resolve. She grabbed the microphone and took a deep breath. One way or another, she was about to radically change things in the Colony.

“Citizens of the Landing....hear me.”

She waited a moment, and the surging mass below her began to settle. They were at least willing to listen, that was a good sign.

“Hear me.” She repeated, and the crowd grew quieter still.

Her confidence grew.

“Is this what we have come to? Rioting in the streets? Wanton violence against our friends and neighbors? Have we sunk so far as that?” She grew silent for a moment, letting those questions sink in, then she bowed her head.

“If we have, then I have failed you, and you anger should be directed at me and me alone....not at each other....”
***

Velociryx scanned the crowd with his tracking implant, searching for the weapon. He wanted to find out just how much danger Deidre was in.

***Handgun located....fifty-six meters, north by north-east.***

He measured with his eyes.

That put the gunman up close to the wall. Almost directly beneath Deidre.

With a grim, icy determination, he began pushing his way through the crowd.
***

“....I ask you to give us time....plans are in the works to correct some of the things you have concerns about, but they will not happen overnight, and they cannot begin until we can heal this city.....please....help me start that.....let the healing of our People begin....”

She could sense it in the crowd. They were responding to her. Yes, there were still a few angry elements mixed in, but the mood of the crowd in general had calmed greatly. It almost made her want to smile.

She took another deep breath. “If it is the will of the People, if the dissatisfaction has truly become unbearable, then I will step down from leadership of the colony. We are an imperfect People attempting to build a perfect world, and mistakes have been made....sometimes terrible, tragic ones, like the ones that brought us here, and if it is your will, I will hand myself over to the mercy of the courts.....I will put myself and my fate in your hands....”

Her speech was interrupted by a curious popping sound. She fought the instinct to flinch when she realized what it was. Strength was important, and she would not appear weak before her people.

She scanned the crowd, looking for the gunman, grateful that he had missed and given her the opportunity to at least see the face of her assassin. Reason told her she should seek cover, but she found herself unable to do that. Her course was set, and she would play it out.

In a moment, she saw him.

Velociryx had seen him too, apparently.

He bulled his way through the crowd to the gunman as he was lining up his second shot. He seemed to be moving almost in slow motion, and the Lady noticed that he seemed to be clutching his sides with one hand while holding the pistol with the other. Perhaps that was why he....

Before the man could squeeze off his next shot, Velociryx was on him. He put the gunman in a headlock and hammered his arm hard enough to make him drop the pistol. In one graceful motion, and without breaking the headlock, he stooped enough to pick the pistol up, and put it to the gunman’s head.

Deidre could see his lips moving as he talked to the man, and could feel the anger emanating from him, but was too far away to hear. She began coming down from the wall. Drawing closer.
***

“....let you live the first time, and you’d better start talking fast if you want to convince me not to kill you right here.” Velociryx’s face was flush, his eyes narrowed to mere slits. He could feel his Psi-Defenses whirring at levels high enough to make him giddy, and it felt good. The rush. The power. He smiled grimly.

“I....please....don’t kill me....”

“Why? You killed Gayle....you tried to kill Deidre....why shouldn’t I do you right now?” But even as he spoke the words, he felt something twitch and then shudder inside him. This wasn’t right. This wasn’t how it was supposed to be. The gunman was helpless. Defenseless now, and terrified. True, he could not be trusted....he’d already amply proven that, but that didn’t warrant a death sentence.

He looked up, and found himself staring into Deidre’s beautiful, wide eyes.

The anger, and his Psi-energy left him, and he let her calming presence work its way inside him.

Yes.

Calm.

Peace.

That was exactly what he needed. So hard to know the right thing to do when anger had him in its grip, but now....

He flipped the pistol around and clubbed the gunman in the back of the head. Hard.

The man slumped forward, and Velociryx eased him to the ground, then stood and offered the pistol to Deidre. “M’lady, he will be no more trouble to you....though I suggest you call the constable and have him put in a holding cell.”

She regarded him for a long moment, and then sighed. “You and I have many things to discuss....among them is the death of Constable McDonnaugh, and my desire to see you take his place.”

He looked startled, and was about to speak, but Deidre put a finger to his lips. “No....do not give me your answer now. We will talk later. For the moment, I pronounce you Acting Constable, and ask you to take this man to a holding cell. We will talk later this evening, yes?” She handed the shredder pistol back to him and patted his hand.

Velociryx studied her for a long moment, and nodded. So many conflicting emotions. Too much happening too quickly. His music, Gayle’s death, and now this. He felt almost dizzy. Confused. Overwhelmed.

Somewhat stiffly, he tucked the shredder pistol in his belt, hauled the prisoner to his feet, and slowly made his way toward the town jail.