Sacrifice

Chapter 38 - The Confession

As the sun peeked over the horizon, the South Gate opened and Kalli was the first one to pass through. With her telescope slung across her back, she headed east, determined to make good time. She had an appointment with the media just before noon.

# # #

Raphiel sat on his roof watching the sun rise. But his thoughts were not about the show of colours in the sky. The Council of Elders had been denied any parlay with Imperial officials, and they had spent the night arguing over the best course of action. A few had even suggested that staying confined to the compound was a good thing. Raphiel had shaken with anger at that ignorant statement.

A light blinded Raphiel, as it flashed into his eyes and disappeared a number of times in quick succession. He stood and scanned the desert for the source of the light. Finally, he located the small blinking light in a patch of shrubs just outside the wall of the city. It wavered a couple more times and then disappeared. Raphiel hurried over to Makiel's telescope, which his grandson had insisted be left setup, and adjusted it to look into the desert. When the patch of ground came into focus, he saw Kalli crouched in the brush, a small mirror beside her and her telescope pointed at his roof.

He watched as she glanced into her telescope then pulled a data pad from her bag. She held it up, and on it he could read the words: "We need to talk. Find something to write with."

"Makiel," Raphiel yelled down into the house, "Bring me your chalk board and some chalk, quickly now."

Helena's head poked up through the door to the roof as Raphiel heard Makiel scurry downstairs. "What is it Father?"

"Nothing for you to worry about," Raphiel answered.

Makiel navigated around his mother, lugging the large chalkboard he used to draw on.

"Got it!" he said, excited by his strange errand.

"Go back to making breakfast," Raphiel ordered Helena as he helped Makiel manoeuvre the board up the last couple steps.

Helena did as instructed with a small sniff.

Raphiel quickly scrawled on the board. "Ready. Do you know what's happening?" Raphiel handed the chalk to Makiel. "I'll read what she shows me out loud. You write it down so she knows we've not missed any."

Makiel nodded, and Raphiel pressed his eye to the telescope. He quickly grew cold as he read out loud what Kalli made appear on her pad. He seized the chalk from Makiel and wrote: "What can we do?" on the chalkboard, as Makiel looked on, face pale but set.

He read out Kalli's answer. "The guard will be removed from the Cirt compound this afternoon. When that happens, a message from Captain Adir Doran of the North Gate will be delivered to the entrance of the compound. Have someone you trust and who is inconspicuous meet the messenger. You have the rest of the day and tonight to rally your people. Come daybreak tomorrow, Adir will come and escort you and your people to the launch site of the Princely Project. Dr. Miriam Iridan has taken over as head of the project and will be taking your people to the neighbouring planet instead of the colonists. The messenger will deliver details about when and where to meet Captain Doran as well as a list of positions that your people will need to fill in order to get the ships of the ground."

Raphiel pulled away from the telescope and rubbed his worn face.

When he returned to the telescope, there were two questions from Kalli displayed on her pad. "Can you rally your people? Can you fly the ships?"

"Can we?" Makiel asked in a whisper, his eyes wide.

Raphiel wrote his answer of the chalkboard for both of them to see. "It would appear that we must."