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Sacrifice
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Chapter
Twelve “John,
I have been summoned to Vandir. You
and your family are welcome to come and visit my world.
It is a beautiful planet,” Dreel said, sitting down across
from the exhausted nur-human.
“The life you have chosen is not that bad, I assure you.
I believe that some rest will help you feel better.
It has not been peaceful for you these past ten days.” Sighing,
John shook his head. “I
appreciate the offer, Dreel, but I feel the need to return to the
griforis’ world. There
should be a resolution for those people.
But if you will give me the coordinates for your world, I would
like to visit in the future. I
would also like to see if there are still some records stored away
somewhere, records that would help us locate our solar system.
Then we might finally find Alpha Centauri,” John paused and
leaned back in his chair. “I
suppose you are right. I’m
extremely tired right now.”
================================
“Dad,
Dad! Guess what I
found!” Penny’s voice cut through his sleep.
John jerked awake and found himself staring at the most
biliously greenish-orange colored creature he had ever seen.
Although snake-like in shape, being sinuously long with no
legs, it had fur covering its entire body.
There were long, slender horns sticking out from the top of its
head. John blinked as it
gazed at him with its metallic blue eyes. The
journey from Blandor had been interrupted for a planetary stop to fix
damaged components in the life support system.
This planet had a pleasant climate and beautiful topography.
The sun shone brightly, but the temperature was not too hot;
the rain that fell was brief and light, although frequent.
When it was not raining Don, the Robot and, part of the time,
even Smith worked on machinery that was dragged out of the crowded
cargo bay. Despite
permission to land, they all felt an urgency to be done and gone. But
though John found that he wanted to help, his internal body clock was
changing. He simply was
not able to stay awake long during the day.
He made adjustments in the computer, moved damaged machinery
and reinstalled rebuilt parts into the bio-systems at night, but he
found himself missing the camaraderie of the others.
Maureen and the children tried to stay up with him at night,
but they were no more able to maintain a night schedule than he was
able to maintain a day one. After the second night watching his two
youngest children yawning incessantly, John hustled Will and Penny off
to bed, admonishing Judy and Maureen to do the same. “Dad!”
Penny repeated. Sitting
up in the flight chair, he came more fully out of his torpor and
stared intently at the animal. “What
in the world is that thing?” was the first question he asked.
“You’ve collected strange animals in the past, Penny, but
this has to be the homeliest creature I’ve ever seen.
Is he safe?” John teased. “Oh,
Dad! Of course, I made
sure he was safe. Don and
the Robot both checked it out. And
he’s not that ugly. He
can’t help it if his fur is a funny color.” John
laughed. “Darling, just
don’t put it in front of a mirror.” “Oh,
Daddy!” she said and dashed toward the elevator.
He watched her run off, a slight smile on his face. That
night he sat in the galley, an empty glass still in his hand, the soft
metallic sounds of the ship the only thing breaking the silence.
His hand turned the glass around and around, his eyes watching
it, but not seeing anything in the real world. Penny
stood in the shadows watching her dad as he had made himself a late
night meal. She had
watched him slowly drink it, feeling a slight twinge of nausea at the
sight of her father drinking blood.
Quelling those thoughts, she felt ashamed of herself, knowing
he couldn’t help his physiology.
Even in the dim light of the galley, she could see that he
disliked being alone, disliked feeling so totally different.
She could feel his unspoken desire to be normal again.
It was a feeling that she was able to pick out of the air, it
was so palpable. Penny
felt the power of his decision, his sacrifice. “Daddy?” she
whispered. “Do you want some company?” He
turned abruptly, gazing at her. She
had in her hands Tigger, her favorite stuffed animal, and the only one
she had been able to bring with her on the voyage.
Her braids, hanging across each shoulder, her slightly too
short pajamas, her large expressive hazel eyes made her look like a
female Christopher Robin. “Of
course, princess. Your
company would be most welcome. Do
you want to sit here with me or go topside?” “How
about a walk outside?” she asked.
She saw Dad gazing at her feet, noticing that she already had
her outdoor shoes on. “I kind of wanted to see what it looked like
at night. Especially
since we’re taking off tomorrow.” “At
night there are many shades of black and gray,” he said
philosophically. “But I
don’t mind a walk with my favorite youngest daughter.”
Getting up, he threw the cup into the recycler.
Together they went up the elevator and walked down the ramp.
Soft night sounds greeted them and warm gentle breezes caressed
their bodies, sending them signals of aromatic fragrances.
“What’s
that scent? I don’t
think I’ve smelled that before.” “Really?”
John asked. “It’s
been quite heady the past few nights.”
They walked over to a bush where large whitish-yellow blossoms
danced gently in the glow of the planet’s two setting moons.
“Oh,
Daddy, they are so beautiful. The
moon gives them a heavenly glow.” John
had to admit that they were beautiful.
They walked to a grass covered clearing and sat down to watch
the moon set. After a
while, Penny looked up at the now dark sky and studied the stars.
Suddenly her hand shot up, pointing.
A bright, glowing nebulous cloud shone almost right over their
heads. “Do you see
that?” she asked, her voice a bit higher in her excitement. “Hmm,”
was all John said, watching the stars with her, feeling some of her
excitement, enjoying the happy lilt of her voice.
“I
see a star cluster near the horizon.
I can’t believe how much there is to see in the sky.
You find something, Dad. What
do you see?” John
looked upward, gazing, pondering, wishing.
Night creatures murmured or called to each other.
“I see a turquoise sky, bright orange sun and verdant green,
grassy hillsides,” John murmured.
“What,
Daddy?” Penny asked, confused. Shaking
his head, John brought himself out of his reverie.
“Nothing, princess.” They
lay on their backs watching the bright stars twinkling above them for
a long time. John heard
Penny’s soft breathing next to him and thought she might be asleep.
“Daddy?”
“Yes,
darling?” “You
know that ‘moon glow bush?’ “Yes,
the one with the large flowers.” “That
bush doesn’t have any flowers during the day, they bloom only at
night. I guess there are
some things more beautiful at night, some things you can only
experience after dark. That’s
an awesome thought,” Penny said.
John
said nothing; he was struck by his daughter’s insightful words.
They continued to lie there for a while longer until Penny did
indeed fall asleep, nestled against his side.
Brief vignettes of past nightmares made quick visits in his
mind, but he brushed them away, and enjoyed the stars wheeling quietly
above him and his daughter sleeping peacefully next to him.
=========================== Judy
stood before him, her hands on her hips, looking for all the world
just like her mother. “Dad,
I don’t think you will get anywhere with the griforis alone.
You know how they feel about Vandir, and to them you are a
Vandir. Besides, I want
to visit Miris.” “Do
you remember what happened the last time I let you and your mother
talk me into letting you both go with me?
Your mother was hurt and you both could have been killed,”
John said in exasperation. “No,
and that’s final.” Maureen
just stood to the side watching her husband and her daughter, not
saying anything. “You
aren’t going to get their permission.” “Let’s
find out first.” The
beginnings of atmosphere flashed past the observation window of the
Jupiter II, then came the steady bright wash of exosphere.
Within a short time the ship had landed near the spot where
their recent adventures had begun.
Sitting at the communications console, John keyed in a call to
the griforis underground city.
Soon, he was greeting the Leader.
“What
do you want, John Robinson? It
was our understanding that you had left,” the leader said tersely,
his whispery voice filled with anger.
“I
wish to come down to your city and talk with you.
There were some things that were not resolved the last time I
was here,” John answered. “We
want no contact with your kind, Vandir,” the leader hissed.
“Leave us.” “There
is no need to die underground when the reason for your exile is no
longer a threat,” John responded fervently.
“As
long as there are Vandir in the galaxy there will always be a threat.
I do not want to take the chance that you are only here to
provide nourishment for your family, all of whom are undoubtedly
Vandir by now,” Leader said vehemently, his voice raised a bit in
anger. “None
of us is Vandir except Dad and I’ll come with him and prove it,”
Judy burst out. John
jerked his head around. “No!”
he hissed. “I will not
have you in harm’s way again.” “But
Dad…” “No,
they may have their defenses working again.
I forbid it!” John’s
voice rose as his agitation grew.
After his outburst there was a silence that became oppressive.
He turned to see the griforis leader watching him intently.
The visage showed some curiosity.
The silence deepened as the griforis continued to study him.
John became nervous, but couldn't think of anything to negate
the previous few moments. “John
Robinson, I will allow you to come down to our city to meet with me.
But only if you bring your youngest child, your son.” “What?”
John asked in shock. “No. Absolutely
not.” “That
is our stipulation, Professor Robinson.” I
don’t mind, Dad. I
really don’t. It’ll
be okay,” Will added. John
gazed intently at the griforis, then at Maureen.
Her eyes gave him messages of fear. He glanced at Judy and saw
deep disappointment. Turning
back to the alien on the screen, he said. “If I come, how do I know
that you won’t activate your defenses as we are traveling down the
corridor?” The
griforis leader gazed intently back at him.
“We will only turn on the defenses if we see indications of
anyone following you.” “I
will go, too,” Maureen said suddenly. “No,”
John said, his voice almost a moan. “It
is not necessary,” the leader said.
“Just the two, no more.”
“You
don’t need my son in order to talk to me,” John tried again.
“We
need insurance against any Vandir duplicity,” Leader said tersely,
his eyes flashing. John
jerked back in surprise at the force of the leader’s hatred.
Finally he leaned toward the screen and asked softly, “What
insurance do I have against your duplicity?” “One
of our people will come to the surface and stay on your ship until you
and your son leave our city,” Leader explained.
“She will be at the entrance at the setting of the sun.
That will be in nine of your hours, I believe.” “Give
me some time to think about it.” “No,
decide now. I am only
doing this because I am intrigued, and because I know how protective
you are of your kindred. I
want to see if, indeed, you are the only Vandir on your ship.
Then, perhaps, I will see validity in your words.” John
looked around at his family. Maureen’s
eyes showed the fear that seemed to have become an integral part of
her life recently. But
she didn’t shake her head, she only walked over to him and placed
her hand on his arm. “If
you feel it will be safe, John…” was all she whispered to him. Feeling
defeated, John just nodded to the leader and cut the communication.
He felt the helplessness of lack of control.
He gripped the edge of the console until his knuckles were
white. “You
don’t have to go though with this, John,” Don said.
“We can just leave now.” “No,
Don, we need to at least try to convince them that the nur-Vandir
won’t harm them. We
need to at least give their race a chance to survive.”
John felt Maureen’s hand on his shoulder.
Her touch soothed and comforted him.
He reached up and enveloped her fingers with his own.
The warmth of her hand also comforted him.
“And somehow I felt no deceit in the griforis’ leader.”
End
Chapter 12 |