Oriehn

Chapter 24- Taliesin

Chapter 24- Taliesin

Mass exodus had a way of spreading panic amongst the crowds. People were moving frantically from cabin to cabin in the residential portion of the ship, hoarding any supplies they could find, and gathering up family member in preparation of the evacuation of the lunar station.

The headquarters of the combatants and the Venery were twice as agitated. I stood against the far wall, standing on a platform above the bustling hordes of soldiers and assassins. My father had already departed with the other elite leaders, leaving me in charge of overseeing the emigration to Crete.

"You seem to be lost in thought today, Captain Graile," Someone voiced from behind me. I turned, rapidly making eye contact with Leanian in full uniform. I let my glance graze over him lazily, trailing off as I turned back to survey the preparations.

"I am," I drawled slowly. "You seem to be just as lost, Private."

He chuckled deeply, as though I had not just insulted him openly. "Even in times of crisis you can liven the mood," He answered. "I actually came here to relay a message."

I leaned against the railing, crossing my arms and waiting for him to speak. He stood at attention, ever the soldier, stretching the silence to its breaking point. I blinked, trying to indicate he should continue. Of course, he did not pick up the cues.

"You have leave to speak, Private," I stated. "Please drop the formality. Our superiors have already fled, and we do not have time for excessive flourish."

"Of course," he managed, slightly flustered. "My message is from Padraigin."

I nodded. "And? She is overseeing the civilian transfers."

"She says that the majority are in the capsules, waiting for the signal," he paused. "She wants to send them off early."

"Early? Why?" I furrowed my brows.

Leanian hesitated, mouth opening and closing like an automatic door. I raised my eyebrows at him, and then he started talking. "Sir," he leaned in. "We do not have enough capsules or capacity for everyone to evacuate at the same time."

"How did this happen?" I grit out, already half knowing the answer.

"The elite," he divulged. "They took three capsules for thirty tenants."

"The pods have the capacity to hold a hundred in one!" I exclaimed. "Have you made contact with them? Tried to explain the situation?"

"It had been nothing but radio silence for hours, sir," He shook his head. "Drai suggested that if we send the civilians off earlier and in rounds, we might be able to evacuate enough in time to avoid the attack."

"Then give her leave," I said and waved my hand, "Is there anything new from Alice today?"

"Nothing, sir. More of the same, that the humans have siphoned off our technology to galaxy jump, are now able to transport soldiers and supplies to the Etanilam Galaxy—"

"—And are prepared to fire upon Planet Oriehn," I interrupted him. Continuing, I said, "So in order to avoid a massacre, we must hide amongst the rock on our smallest moon, and avoid armed conflict. Does that not feel odd to you?"

"I follow orders and send messages, Captain. I would not presume to question your judgem—"

"I am asking you to answer me, Leanian. Question me. Tell me what is off," I pleaded. He looked down, pinching his brow.

"My gut tells me that it is not safe to have all of our people in one place, isolated from any true military base with limited access to defensive mechanisms," He settled on.

"What would you suggest?"

Leanian paused. "We are already sending the civilians out in waves..." He trailed off. "I would suggest we vary their positions. We don't send them all to the safe house, but instead send them to the garrisons stationed on Crete. That way if an attack is imminent they at least have a means to protect themselves. Luckily we are a militant race."

"Indeed." I grabbed his shoulder in gratitude. "I will spread the word. Please tell Padraigin to scatter their locations, and send the civilians off." He nodded, and raced off of the platform, blending into the crowds.

I glanced to the side, grazing over the fortified front of the human controlled machines, hardly giving them attention until a flash caught my eye. The first line was climbing up into the air flashing their steel underbellies until they dove under the rest of the ships in perfect uniformity.

They were retreating quickly, rotating back like a conveyor belt.

I gripped the railing until my knuckles turned white, watching as they did so, over and over again, until they were faintly hovering over the horizon. "What are they doing?" I questioned privately. "What is the oracle's name are they doing?"

I did not have to wait long for an answer, as the lunar station opened up the hanger bay and released the awaiting rows of escape pods. No sooner had they left to safety of the bay, still within sight of the station, did the human controlled ships spring up from under them, rising up on either side of the caravan.

I watched, horrified, as they blocked any evasive maneuver that our pilots tried to make. They began herding the capsules like cattle to the galaxy port that would lead to the Etanilam Galaxy and our home planet.

The civilians, unable to do anything but cooperate, turned their frightened and panicked faces to stare back at the lunar station. With each minute they increased their distance, closing in on the port, until they we swallowed in a single flash of light. For those who had stopped to watch, silence stretched until it shattered back in chaotic noise, rebounding like an elastic band.

Despite the intersecting dialogue, the agitated bellows and the mournful wails of family members left on board, one thought descended into all of our minds, whispering at first until the volume reached its peak in waves.

They had known our plans, and they now have our kin. But, perhaps loudest of all, was the one echoing shouts spreading amongst the masses.

"How could they have known?" Someone shouted from below.

"It had to have been leaked!" They answered angrily. "Traitor!" They began to chant. The shouting grew louder as panic ensued. I clenched my jaw, eyes flaring half from horror, half from rage.

"We have a traitor among us!"