A WAR AMONGST THE STARS

CHAPTER TWO

When I was a boy and the only child, father and mother had brought me along with them to the lower Isles of Mellivia. A stretch of small islands off the far coast of the golden city of Villaine.

The islands had just been hit by a massive storm, taking with it, many innocent lives. What would go down in history as the worst storm of all, it left what was once a thriving, beautiful location to visit, a place of death and ruin.

It was my first official Imperial visit as the young Prince of Vargonia and one that I would remember, forever.

As my family and I had walked cautiously over the high rubble, I gazed out upon the catastrophe, never witnessing such calamity. Bloody, injured, and disoriented, many roamed, some too distressed to function, others screaming and crying out for their lost loved ones, desperate to find them amidst the cruel aftermath.

Confused, I had asked mother why they did not leave when we offered them escape before the storm. That was when mother took my hand and looked down on me to say,"Because this is the only home they know. You can try to save them all, but in the end, you cannot save the ones who refuse to be saved."

That was my first royal lesson. A lesson that I refused to agree with. In my young mind, as I gazed upon the wake of destruction, I had vowed to myself that if ever faced with such violence again, I would do everything in my power to save them all. To save everyone, no matter the cost, no matter the burden.

Nay'ahli covers her mouth in horror. "What crimes could they have possibly committed, to be treated so badly?"

Emerlum and Cur'rav meet beside us and together, we gaze upon the first few cells that contain some of this ships' prisoners.

Cur'rav responds. "They must have done something terribly wrong, otherwise, why would they be in here?"

The horrid scent of blood, sweat and filth, mixed with a pungent odor of contaminated water overwhelms my heightened senses. Water drips, filling the stagnant puddles along the floor. The liquid reeks of poison and a chemical I cannot place. "Gloves on. No one touch the water. It is poisoned," I alert.

We all pull our leather gloves from our side pockets and place them on.

"This is wrong," Emerlum mutters. Emerlum is right. This is wrong. These beings need help. They need our saving.

"Nay'ahli, radio Doctor Senuli and his medical team. These prisoners are to be transferred and given care. I want them fed, hydrated, bathed, and treated for whatever attention they may need."

"Commander," Nay'ahli speaks. "I would like to suggest sedating each prisoner. We still do not know what we are dealing with here. They could pose a threat."

"We will see to that threat later. Right now, all I witness before me are victims in need of saving. So, that is what we will do. We will save them all and figure out what to do with them after."

"She is right, Commander Zurhen," Cur'rav agrees, and they have a point. As much as I do not want to cause further distress to these victims; our lives, and the lives of our soldiers and all aboard our vessel, may be at risk if we do not take proper action in securing them.

"Fine. Sedate each one before transfer. After proper care, we will keep them weak enough to subdue but not weak enough to resist speaking or eating. When we know that they can be trusted, then we will go from there. Alert medical staff of my commands and caution them about the toxic water."

"Yes, Commander Zurhen," Nay'ahli responds. "I have word that Doctor Senuli and his team are coming aboard for retrieval."

"Good. Have our soldiers assist in the transfer."