The Truth Beyond the Sky

Chapter 8: The Choice

By the time Zahn reached the front door, he already knew what he had to do. He also knew he wouldn't be able to sleep until he told his father what had just happened, and as he knocked on his father's door, he felt tense with anticipation.

Groggy, his father opened the door slightly and asked Zahn what was wrong.

"Dad, something absolutely ineffable has happened. Do you remember that fragment I showed you?"

"Of course."

"I found its owner. Well, its owner found me."

Zahn told his father a brief version of what had happened to him. He told him about how he'd been awoken by the tapping on his window, the strange figure, his invisible ship, and the story of how Oonak was attacked. When Zahn had finished, Vivek looked hard into his eyes.

"You are telling the truth, or at the very least, you believe it to be the truth. There is no doubt in your eyes, but—"

"Come with me an hour before dawn. Oon said he will be waiting on the beach to hear my decision."

"And have you decided? What if he's a madman? Or worse? Zahn, do you realize how tremendously dangerous this is?"

"Yes, but I think I have to go. Dad, I saw Kavi a few days ago. He's back, and he told me to always keep Mom's lens with me. He said these were auspicious times. What if he knew this visitor was coming? My intuition says to go with him."

"You saw Kavi?" Vivek processed this for a moment. "Anyway, that doesn't change this situation. I don't think you should go, Zahn. Not until we know who this man really is. How do you know that fragment was his?"

"It sort of melted back into his ship—"

"You just gave it to him?!"

"He crashed on Avani! What was I supposed to do? Anyway, it melted back into his ship which he sort of introduced me to. It's pretty impressive, actually. It can speak and—"

"That doesn't mean he has your well-being in mind."

"Dad, this may be the only chance I ever get to find out what happened to Mom. I know she's up there. Somehow, I just know it. Isn't that worth some risk?"

"Do you want me to lose you, too? Is that what you want, Zahn? Don't you remember how your brother died? He died up there, Zahn. In space! What if the same happens to you? Then where would I be? I'd be here on Ashraya, alone. Is that what you want? I can't believe you would even consider this."

Zahn sighed. He had been down this road before.

"Of course not. Just—"

"Don't leave, Zahn. Not until I can meet him, at the least."

"This is my choice! I've been a free agent ever since I joined the observatory. I didn't have to tell you all of this." Zahn paused as Vivek shook his head. "Dad, this could be our one chance of finding out what happened to Mom."

Outside, they heard a faint bird call echo across the valley.

"I'm tired Zahn. Wake me up when you're ready to meet him, and we'll see who this Oonak character really is."

Zahn found it difficult to fall back asleep when the excitement of what had just happened was still in him. After setting his alarm, he closed his eyes and tried to focus on the faint sound of ocean waves below. As he drifted off to sleep, the thought of his late brother entered his mind. He tried to recall his brother's face, but the memories were even more faded than the memory of his mother.