Good Morning Antemyst

V. Natural Mystic

Once I had gathered myself, I placed a call to Captain Clarak. "What's the situation with Rowley?" I asked.

"The young man shot your clone," Clarak answered. "Or, to the seeming of others, you. He surrendered immediately, and we took him into custody."

"Release him," I said. ""He was acting on my orders."

"At once, Leader. But what will we tell the passengers?"

"That you also are acting on my orders. That I am alive and well and on my way to Cicyryxi. I will address them in the morning."

"Yes, Leader." Clarak paused. "But, if I may - you don't sound well."

"I'll be in touch." I closed the call and finished the trip in complete silence.

I met Rockelle and Micael at the next station. There was much more of a solemnity among us now, almost palpable, and we continued along the trail without saying much. Instead of switching company as we had, I took my own ship every time.

I did not call my mother at any time before reaching Cicyryxi. I could not take any more difficult news. But on the penultimate stretch, I called Rowley. He did not respond, so I called Qumenee's comms operator and asked to have him located. I really needed someone to talk to. Keeping the thoughts in my head had never suited me at all.

As it turned out, Rowley was no longer aboard Qumenee. He had transferred to Crescent and then vanished. Many apologies were given by the captains and operators of those craft. I cut them off. Apologies would not tell me where he had gone or why.

Rockelle and Micael were glad to be so nearly done. As we undertook the last leg, guiding us to a station in Cicyryxi's orbit and then 'porting us to land, I connected my comms to Qumenee's system and addressed the convoy. The passengers would be mostly rising from sleep, out of habits developed long before.

"Good morning, Antemyst," I said. The jump ship provided me with decent audiovisual communication. "By now you will be starting a new day and a new length of your journey to our new home. I hope you are adjusting and handling the travel well.

"I am on my way to Cyrna independently, with a small team, to see about a political concern on Cicyryxi. I felt it deserved my immediate attention. I am almost on-planet as we speak, and will keep you aware of any news that develops.

"On our way to Cicyryxi, my team ran into danger, and unfortunately we lost four of our people. They were brave and smart and incredible, and we are all at a loss without them." I closed my eyes for a moment. "Argent, Plura, Brennan, and Lilac, all members of Antemyst's Project Constellations initiative. I want you to remember their names."

For once, I wasn't sure what else to say. I terminated the call and looked forward. The last station was not far away. Shortly, after what had been exactly twelve hours of travel, Rockelle, Micael, and I met on the station, and ported down to Cicyryxi, where we were greeted by city officials.

Mariana was in a state of chaos.

Outside Mariana's City Hall, I found a large group of attackers grouping up to take the building. As it was nighttime, there was almost no one there, but it would take a city dweller to know that. "Rixyans!" I shouted, addressing them in their language, as I stepped in the space between them in the parking lot and the hall's front doors. "Where are you? I don't see any of you."

"We're right in front of you, rahxi," a male Rixyan hissed. "Or are you as blind as you are small?"

"I'm no smaller than you are," I couldn't help shooting back, not in reference to his height. Then I continued, "The Rixyans are a gentle, considerate people, never ones to harm or hinder. I see no such people here."