Elevators Through Time - Book 2

Part 36: Her Last Tear

Part 36: Her Last Tear

I discussed burial options (didn't want to mention cremation) and a possible service for Kepler with Deune for a while, but we couldn't decide on a decent place to go to.

Eventually I suggested that we ask some Que'nesians to chronolock Kepler and preserve her in a decent place. Que'nesians are efficient in everything including their dead.

Okay, they do not die as frequently as humans do, but the dead do pile up eventually and this affects health, morale, and space in general.

The Que'nesians solved this issue with a combination of Chronolock technology (for preserving the body against decay and tachyon-scarring) and Atomic-compression storage.

Why have a single level graveyard that needs tending frequently and has a finite amount of space, when you can easily just have essentially infinite space and an entire graveyard that can be shrunk and put away to keep morale high and protect passerby from disease.

Deune had mixed feelings about "sticking Kepler in a filing cabinet", but when I explained that we would be changing the past to save her future, something glossed over in his mind. Maybe he just wanted to have her preserved while he goes off and dies in a one-way mission to avenge her and redeem himself.

That, or I'm wrong. With respect to the dead, this idea seemed efficient. You only see the dead once or twice in a lifetime. Why use up space?

I contacted someone I knew in Quenesha to meet someone who could help us with transporting and sealing the fragile cargo for the "Chronolocked Mausoleum".

We had some debate on whether to authorise the preservation of a non-Que'nesian body, but I entreated them to allow this one as it was special to me and several companions.

There were no issues about hybrid corpse-born diseases because "If it ain't Chronolocked, it ain't Chronolocked," the motto of the manufacturer of said devices assured us of absolutely no matter capable of interfering with the body.

I didn't tell them about the situation for fear of the Galactic political ramifications. Although... a certain mechanic picked up traces of chronometric residue from a recent matter inversion... the kind of matter inversion only seen when using Exi-

I quickly asked him to quietly waive those thoughts for now as this was a sensitive situation. We had huge reasons not to make such statements official. The man kept the record of course as well as my testimony. No one can easily keep secrets in Quenesha, but they are a very respectful race and know there are always good reasons why things are kept unofficial.

Kepler was cleaned, fully dressed and carefully placed on a stretcher with her face and other injuries cleaned, healed and closed for aesthetic and possible resurrection purposes. There were extremely rare accounts of Que'nesians being resurrected for special purposes, but making a recently deceased person more presentable showed due respect to them as well as to their next of kin.

"As much as I prefer a classic burial, with a coffin, this is much more fitting for her." Deune touched Kepler's arm as she was being wheeled towards a stable Q2 Gate, on the other side awaited a tear of "Preservers". These were Que'nesians whose job was to prepare and seal bodies in Chronolocked chambers that were ready for atomic-compression and storage. There were very specialised and did far more than even we would give them credit for.

I could imply that their methods were reminiscent of how ancient Earth-Egyptians preserved their dead, but that would be insulting and rude and imply also that they assault the corpse's internals before leaving them alone. So I will only hypothetically imply.

While Deune and I moved Kepler down the illuminated corridor, a single tear rolled down the side of Kepler's face...

...maybe it was because the tear ducts were still relaxing...

...maybe Kepler was still conscious and only experienced the physical body shut down, which the cybernetic cortex was still firing...

...maybe...

Deune noticed the tear and shed one himself...

"I will be with you soon. Just wait for me," he whispered to her.

I overheard this but assumed that he was speaking about the objectives we had in travelling back to save them both.

Deune and I stopped at the edge of the gate and pushed the handle at one end through, but not the rest. The 'preservers' pulled it in from there, we were not permitted to enter.

I took my cowboy hot off and bowed slightly.

Kate and Martin watched as Kepler's body was wheeled into the portal.

...First her head... then her shoulders... waist... then legs... and shoes...

"See you soon," Kate whispered. Martin stared ahead.

The portal light slowly faded and the portal closed.

An automated invoice messsage was sent to my console...

The screen lit up...

I didn't look until later...

Kate quietly approached Deune and held his hand.

The big man embraced her like a little sister.

He broke down in tears again...

Kate tried his best to comfort him, but when someone like Deune cries there isn't much anyone can do to heal a torn heart...

While seeing Deune crying I had to look away. Just the thought of losing Kepler was enough to make me tear up too. Then I thought of losing Kate in a similar fate and I just couldn't take that...

I sobbed to myself and joined Deune and Kate...

Martin stayed as quiet as he could, never leaving Kate's side.

-----------------------/Author's Note\---------------------

For those of you in Australia, yes, that was a 'Crimsafe' commercial reference.

I kept referring to Deune as 'the big man', not just because he is taller and much more hydraulicly muscular than Alex, but also because even though big guys like him are known to be tough they are still capable of being emotionally hurt.

Real men will cry when something tragic and personal hits them.

Yes there are tough guys out there who don't cry at all, but I mean it is okay for a big toughie like Deune to cry.

As you read in this and previous chapter, cyborgs can shed tears too.

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