Through the Ghost

“What were you thinking?” Caroline exclaimed, forcing Anna into the wall outside her office.

She’d instantly rushed the two operatives and the child into a back hall of the building. A few colonists had begun to voice their concerns and follow them, but the sight of Kirosan had forced them back.

The impact created an audible thud that rattled the pictures lining the wall. “Do you have any idea what you’ve done? You’ve-.” The older woman stepped away from Anna, her body shaking violently as a coughing fit took over her body.

“I’m sorry, but she wouldn’t have survived long enough to get it with everyone else,” Anna pleaded.

Caroline recovered enough to viciously point her finger at the operative. “You-“

Another string of coughs interrupted her furious rant. “don’t know that,” she finished her train of thought, though it lost a bit of its sting as her voice came off as weak and worn.

Anna tensed up as her sorrow was replaced with defensive anger. She shoved Caroline forcefully off her.

“She’s my daughter!” she shouted.

Anna stepped backwards, shoulders pressed against the wall. She breathed sharply, her hand massaged the wound she’d received on Theron as the fight instantly drained out of her. She took a few calming breaths as she regained her composure.

Tal found it difficult to bite his tongue as he leaned against the office door. There were so many things he wanted to ask, and so many curses he wanted to say. The Wolf, Kirosan, stood stoically against the doors leading to the infirmary. It was unclear how much the canine companion knew about the whole situation, though Tal suspected it was more than he did.

A silence settled over the two women as they merely stared at each other with mixed emotions. Suddenly the door behind him gave way. Startled, he turned around to see Chara rubbing sleep from her bleary eyes. At first the girl stared at him in confusion, he tried to offer a friendly greeting or gesture but found he could only stare back. Unfazed by the appearance of a strange man in a breathing mask blocking the door, she broke his gaze and looked around the room.

“Momma? Why are you yelling at Aunt Caroline?”

“Sweet pea, you should be resting,” Anna said, swiftly crossing the hall to the young girl. She crouched to be at eye level before placing her hands on either side of Chara’s diminutive frame.

“But I heard yelling,” Chara replied.

“I know, I’m sorry. Aunt Caroline and I were just having an argument. Everything’s okay.”

Chara nodded her head in understanding. Satisfied with Anna’s answer, she pushed past her mom, craning her neck to look at the back of the room.

“Hi Kir,” she exclaimed towards the Rugarugi hiding at the back of the room, though her greeting came out as barely a whisper.

Kirosan inclined his head slowly. It’s only then that she looked back at Tal. There’s wonder, confusion, and a hint of fear as she tried to understand if he was a friend or foe. It made him very glad he didn’t wear the mask, otherwise she’d have undoubtedly run screaming at the sight of him. Be a hell of a first impression, he thought.

Chara tilted her head to the side as if that might change the way she saw him. “Mom, who’s that?” she finally said, pointing at the red-haired stranger.

Tal cocked his head in a similar fashion, clearly interested in that answer as well.

“That’s Tal, he…” Anna stopped herself, clearly trying to figure out how to explain their relationship to a young child. “He helped me find your medicine.

He tried to give Chara a reassuring smile, but quickly realized it was hidden under the respirator. Chara merely continued to stare at him as if he was more alien than Kirosan.

“Come on sweet pea, you need to rest, there’ll be plenty of time to see everyone later,” Anna commented, guiding her back into the office.

“I’ll do it,” Caroline stopped her. “You two clearly have some things to talk about.” Caroline then turned to Chara wearing an impenetrable mask of kindness and asked, “Would you like me to tell you a story?”

The girl nodded with as much enthusiasm as she could muster while Caroline ushered her into the room.

As soon as the door clicked shut Anna began her defense. “I know.”

“You know? Well at least somebody does,” Tal replied sarcastically. He valiantly tried to keep his voice low, despite the emotions threatening to burst forth.

“How is this even possible?” he asked.

“I’m pretty sure you remember that part.”

“I mean, I thought Orothros prevented this from happening.”

She nodded solemnly. “When Lance was removed, so were the fail safes that would prevent the pregnancy,” she mentioned in reference to her former Artificial Companion. Her eyes teared up as she thought about her lost friend, yet they once again failed to break the surface tension.

“I didn’t know it at the time, but he’d hinted at it before he was, gone.”

An empathetic silence draped over them. Kirosan remained silently vigilant from his spot at the back of the hall.

“Were you ever planning on telling me?”

“Before they took me away, but you didn’t return my call.”

He remembered the moment vividly. He’d lost track of the drinks he’d poured, and had been contemplating starting a brawl with a loud-mouthed alien when his bracer had dinged. He’d ignored it, and downed another drink.

Another moment of silence passed over the two operatives. “So, what now?” Tal asked.

“You can’t stay here,” Caroline croaked quietly as she exited the office. The door quietly clicked shut. “I know why you did it, and while I wish you hadn’t, you’re the closest thing to family I have left. The last thing I want for that little girl, and you, is to watch the people of this place wither and die,” Caroline addressed Anna with resigned sadness.

“What about Kirosan?” Anna asked, curiously.

“I’ll stay,” his synthesized voice called out across the room. “Some of the humans may yet live, or at the very least they will need someone strong enough to carry the bodies to the pyres.”

Anna looked back at Caroline, and hugged her. “I’m sorry,” she whispered.

Gone was the furrowed brow, and vehement anger. Instead Caroline simply squeezed her tighter and said, “We’ll be okay.”

Anna slowly pulled away, her hands lingered in the older woman’s. She quietly entered the back room, Chara had fallen asleep on the couch. The young girl’s breaths filled the silence. Anna softly caressed the stubble on the girl’s head before her right-hand slides under Chara’s legs. As she lifted the girl into her arms the sleepy child instinctively wrapped her own arms around Anna’s neck.

Tal opened the door. The sounds and smells of the infirm began to wake the unconscious child. She squirmed a bit in Anna’s embrace, Anna attempted to soothe her with a calming hand on her back. Tal watched as Chara’s arm stretched out behind her, the small muscles in it clenching in a slow grasping motion as she waved goodbye to Caroline, Kirosan, and the only life she’d known.

Outside, the scent of rain was in the air, and clouds could be seen looming in the distance. A warm wind indicated a storm would be on its way as they briskly walked towards the ship. Anna stopped, looking out on the fading sunlight as the clouds rolled in. They basked in the humid warmth, absorbed the beauty of the swaying stalks of grass, and listened to the distant roar of thunder. Tal gave her a minute, then pressed the button to the side of the ramp. Gears groaned in response, and before they knew it New Azariah was locked away to the tune of a booming thud.

Jaya raced down the steps to meet them. Her progress slowed, however, upon seeing Anna carrying Chara in her arms. The younger operative stopped halfway down the stairs as a million questions flew through her head. Once Anna passed her by, she continued her descent of the stairs to confront her brother.

“Is that?” she asked in bewilderment.

Tal nodded.

“And she’s?”

“Yeah,” he replied.

“And I’m?”

“An aunt,” he confirmed.

She nodded enthusiastically.

“Congratulations,” he added with mild sarcasm and a pat on her shoulder.

Jaya’s smile faded to be replaced with a look of surprise. “I’d have thought you’d be more excited.”

“I am. I think. It’s just, she doesn’t know.”

“Who, Anna? What, does she have a thing for red heads?” she asked jokingly.

That elicited a short chuckle from her brother. “Chara. She doesn’t know I’m her father,” he clarified.

“Oh, sorry. Is she going to tell her?” she inquired apologetically.

“I don’t know. If Anna wanted her to know about me then I think she would’ve told her. I don’t know, maybe this is easier.” His rifle clanged as he puts a bit too much force behind stowing it away.

“Tal….”

“I’m okay, or at least I will be once I get my head straightened out,” he said as the ship roared to life beneath him.

“So where now?” she asked as he passes her.

“Time to go home.”

“You think that’s wise? I get the impression she won’t exactly be welcomed with open arms.”

He shrugged a devilish twinkle in his eye returned once more. “What’s the worst that could happen?”

“I hate you,” she replied.