Gift from the Heavens

Chapter 2

The room quietened and everyone stopped to stare at Xephos as though they wanted him to elaborate. Xephos didn’t speak at all. His sobs were the only noise in the entire room. He was too distressed and angry at himself to do anything but tear out his hair with anger and self loathing.

Honeydew glanced around to the room at large. He was met with wide surprised eyes, looking almost as shocked as he was. The dwarf moved slightly closer to the space man, awkwardly patting the taller man’s elbow.

Finally, Sjin- unable to bear the silence any longer- asked the question on all of their minds. “You have a wife and daughter?”

Xephos only nodded. “My wife was named Avilah.” The four listening couldn’t help but notice the was and all that it implied. “She was the most beautiful woman I’ve ever known, kind, intelligent, cheerful and amazing in all ways possible. When she told me she was pregnant, it was the best feeling ever, that mix of pride and happiness unique to the occasion. She had told me… when I asked her to marry me, that she knew she could never have kids, so it was just so wonderful. On the day she went into labor, I was so- so excited, because I knew that she would go in that room and come out with the baby we had thought we would never have.” The words fell faster now, rushing out in a torrent. “But she didn’t come out. Those nurses walked up to me and told me she was gone, and first I didn’t believe them, because the Avilah I knew would never leave me like- like that!” He sat back down- he hadn’t even realized he was standing. In a softer tone, he continued, “They brought the baby out, and all I could see was Avilah’s features. As Isy got older, she looked more and more like her mother, right up till the day I had to leave.” His voice broke. “I could hardly bear to break her young heart, but I had to. It was for- for the greater good.”

The little group sat in a shocked silence as they took in all that Xephos had said. None of them wished to be the first to say anything. Honeydew had started crying a bit. Lalna studied his feet, and even Sips and Sjin looked sorrowful.

The picture of Islelle lay on the ground, and Lalna picked it up, studying not only the girl but Xephos as well. He took in the clear cyan sky, the green leafy plants that grew on either side of the two people. They looked nothing like minecraftian plants. He also noticed that Xephos looked much younger and happier than he had ever seen the man. He saw that his hair was shorter in the picture, he wore a red shirt, similar to the one he had when they fished him out of the wreckage of the crash-how did none of them think that he might have had a family when they found him-. On the picture Xephos’s rist there was an oddly familiar thin grey bracelet…

He couldn’t help his scientist’s curiosity. “Xephos…” he asked hesitantly. “What’s that?” He pointed to the grey band.

The spaceman held up his hand shakily. “It’s a- a comm device. We used them on Callarus to communicate from distances. I don’t know where mine is. It must have gotten lost in the- the crash.”

Lalna’s eyes widened as he remembered something, and he said, “I kept that! I found it and wondered what it was, so it’s somewhere- in- here!” he said, struggling to open a small bag. A mess of scientific paraphernalia came spilling out, along with what sounded like a “meow!” and a tiny shape making a run for it. Halfheartedly, he reached out a hand after the kitten, but he didn’t chase it. Instead, he dropped to his knees and picked up a small grey band. “Is this it?”

Xephos nodded. He unsteadily walked over to Lalna and lifted it. “Thanks.” He pressed a button, and a disembodied voice spilled out. ‘State your name, please.’

“Xephos, captain of the third Callarusian Aerospace program fleet.” The words were spoken in the dull monotone voice the nobles communicated in, as if it were a phrase he said often. Actually, Lalna reflected, it probably was.

‘Welcome, Xephos. You have one unheard message. Would you like to hear it?’ the machine’s robotic voice stated. Xephos nodded, realized it wouldn’t be able to see him, went a little pink, and said “Yes.” The message began.

“Daddy, I don’t know where you are, but they told me your ship never landed on the planet. They said you’re probably dead now, but I don’t believe you are. You can’t be dead, because you promised me you would come back. You promised me. So wherever you are, I just want you to know that I miss you. I need you here with me. I- I love you, Daddy.” The message crackled and faded to a stop. Xephos’s face was pale, and he looked to be near tears. The robotic voice asked, ‘Would you like to respond?’ but he pressed its button and the comm device clicked off. Nobody said anything, until someone cleared her throat.

“You never told me you had a wife and child…”

Ten points if you guess who it is. -Pizzas