Senshi (Guardians)

The day finally arrived when Kyoko was going to meet Thael’s family.

“You look worried, Kyoko-sama,” Thael said.

“I want so much for them to like me. What am I going to do if they don’t?”

He took her in his arms. “They will love you. Princess, just as I do. They will take you in as part of the family and you will be like a daughter to them.”

“Honto?” She sounded like she needed to be reassured, so he kissed her. Two minutes later he said, “Honto…” he said it with an air of absolute certainty. They stayed in each other’s arms for a long time.

Kyoko drove her car to the Niji Studios. She had her paints and a new painting she was going to give the King and Queen as a gift. They parked the car in a remote section of a garage. It was reserved for Thael. She carried the easel and her painting. He carried her paint case and three empty canvasses. As she headed for the elevator he said, “It’s this way my Princess.”

They walked up to a solid cement wall in front of the parking stall. Kyoko was puzzled. Thael said something in a foreign tongue and the wall slid up quickly, but silently. Behind the wall was a room with some kind of flying ship at rest.

“This is my Taelon ambassadorial shuttle. In it we can go anywhere in the thirty-nine galaxies we wish.”

As they walked toward the ship she gripped his hand tighter. The wall slid down behind them as fast and silently as it had risen.

“I know that space travel sounds scary, but it’s safer than flying in one of Earth’s airplanes or driving a car on the freeway.” He said something else in that strange language and it started humming. The transport canopy opened. It reminded Kyoko of the gull-winged doors on some expensive cars, except the bottom portion also lowered to reveal a step to aid in entering the cabin.

Kyoko looked under it and couldn’t see anything supporting the ship. “Does it always float like this?”

“No, only when she’s activated. When we walked in she was standing on a tripod support underneath. I’ll show you when we get to Taelon.

“She’s wedge shaped for looks, not aerodynamics, but I need to tell you more about her. It’ll be easier once we’re inside.”

After all of her painting materials and their luggage had been stowed in the ship’s underbelly, he helped her into the right side of the craft, patted the side, and the canopy door came down. At the same time, the step she used to get in raised up and the two joined seamlessly. He got in on the left side and it automatically closed its doors. The console was all lit up. Kyoko could hear a slight hum as the ship hovered in place.

Some of the instruments were similar to what you would see in an airplane cockpit. There were other strange ones. In the center was a large round screen that was dark at the moment.

“Some of these look a lot like an airplane’s instrument panel, Thael.”

“Yes. They’re for flying in the atmosphere. The others are for space travel. The large round screen is for communications, or looking behind us without having to turn around in our seats, or watching the news. It’s called a Vid screen.”

“What was that strange language you were speaking?”

“Huh? Oh, Sumimasen, my princess, I forgot. Lean your head on my shoulder.”

“Okay.”

He hugged her. Then he put his left hand over the back of her head. She felt a tingling sensation. Then she saw flickering colored lights.

“Pretty.”

He removed his hand, leaned down and kissed her.

“Want to tell me what that was all about? Not the kiss, but the… uh…whatever it was?”

“I just taught you the Taelon language. You are now as proficient as I am in speaking, reading, and writing Taelon.”

“That’s imposs… How could…” She paused. “I’m doing it now, aren’t I?”

“Yes.” He chuckled. “Perfect Taelonese, it will be very handy once we get there.”

He sat back in the captain’s chair. “Now, my Princess, I should introduce you to Ariella. We’ve been together for a number of years.”

“Old girlfriend…?”

He laughed, “Girlfriend? No… Old friend…? Yes. Ariella I want you to meet my wife, Thael Kyoko sama.”

Nothing happened.

“Did you forget her telephone number?” Kyoko teased.

“Oh. Sorry. I forgot: code seven four six RXN”

“It’s nice to meet you, Your Highness.” It was a female voice filling the cockpit. “Thael has told me so much about you that I feel like we’re already friends.”

Kyoko leaned into Thael and said softly, “Where is she?”

“We’re sitting in her. She’s the ship.”

“A living ship?”

“Sonatory, over a hundred years ago Taelon technology discovered the ultimate Artificial Intelligence. She is aware of herself and can think for herself. She can carry on conversations. She is the artificial brain that functions just like mine or yours does. On Taelon she is considered as a living being and is subject to the same laws and rights.”

“Doesn’t she get lonely sitting in a hangar waiting for someone to see her?”

Ariella answered her, “No, Your Highness. Show her my Avatar, Thael.”

He reached into a pocked and brought out a small silver object that was about the size and shape of a golf ball. He gently tossed it up and it hovered in the cabin. “This is one of her Avatars. I carry it in my pocket.”

Ariella continued, “With this, I can go places my ship body can’t. Have no fear, I won’t enter your bedroom or bath. You will always have your privacy.”

Thael said, “Take our picture, will you? I’d like to preserve this moment.”

“Sure.” The ball moved forward toward the canopy, “Smile. Ichi… ni… san…cheezu.” A light flashed and in a moment the communication screen lit up. It had the picture in it.

“Do I really look that scared, Thael?”

“A little… start the engines, Ariella. Prepare for ascent, destination: moon base.”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

“Ariella is also the pilot.”

Kyoko kept looking for something near her seat, “Don’t we need seat belts?”

“No, Ariella creates her own gravity field in the cabin. You will see us moving, but won’t feel the acceleration, turns, or deceleration.”

“I think I’d feel safer with a seat belt.”

“O so…? Look out your window.”

Kyoko got a shock. They were already in space. She could see the Earth down below as Ariella slowly orbited around it to set coordinates for the moon. Suddenly, she saw the Earth move very quickly behind them. She turned in her seat to see it shrinking.

When she turned back to the front she saw the moon growing larger at an alarming rate. Ariella adjusted their trajectory.

“Sugoi! I didn’t feel a thing. If I close my eyes I would swear we were still in the garage. You are truly amazing, Ariella.”

“Thank you, Your Highness.”

“Fly by moon base, would you, Ariella? Slow down so Kyoko-sama can get a good look.”

“Certainly, Your Highness.”

“How come we can’t see this from Earth, Thael?” Kyoko asked, as they approached the crystalline structures of Moon base.

“…Because it’s located over the moon’s horizon. Since the moon doesn’t revolve on an axis like Earth does, the base is always hidden from view.”

She could see beautiful crystal and shiny metal spires.

“It’s so beautiful. Look! There are small ships and a large one there that appears to be unloading something.

“That’s a freighter, probably from Taelon. It carries spare parts and materials for maintaining our equipment.”

“Okay, Ariella. To the Taelon jump gate please.”

“What’s a jump gate?”

“It’s a device that links two parts of space. See that ring of red lights? That is a jump gate.”

“Why are we flying past it?”

“That’s the mars gate, Your Highness,” Ariella answered. “Up ahead is the Taelon gate.”

Kyoko saw a large ring of light that shone violet blue. Ariella steered into the center of the ring. When they entered the gate a million lights filled the sky. They swirled and swarmed like Lightning bugs.

“Sugoi! This is so beautiful.” She hardly got the words out and it was over. They came out the other end and the ship immediately slowed to a crawl.

“That didn’t last very long. I would have liked to watch it some more.” She grabbed Thael’s arm and hugged it. He pointed so she would look out the right side of the ship’s canopy.

“Sugoi! Is that Taelon? How beautiful!”

Out the right side of the ship they could see Taelon. Its color was a violet blue. It seemed to gently glow like the Guardian’s eyes.

“What’s that dark spot?”

“That…? That, sadly, is the Singing Stone Valley. Since the stones don’t sing anymore, there is no light there.”

“That’s a shame. I really would have liked to have heard them. Why aren’t we going down?”

“We have to check in with Guardian one space station first or we might get blown out of the sky. Wouldn’t hurt us, but it’s an inconvenience free falling through an oxygen rich atmosphere. It gets pretty hot.

Plus, I would be very sad to lose my friend, Ariella. I'm afraid she wouldn't survive it."

A face appeared on the Vid screen.

“Yes sergeant?”

“I’m not reading your ship codes. Would you please send them again? Noncompliance means you will be disintegrated where you lie.” The screen went blank.

“No problem, Ariella?”

“Transmitting now, Your Highness.”

Fifteen minutes later they were still waiting. “Ariella, let’s see what’s taking so long.”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

The Vid screen lit up. The sergeant once again appeared on the screen.

“Hold on a little longer. I’ll contact you when I’m ready.” The screen went blank again.

Twenty minutes later: “Ariella, get that sergeant back.”

The Vid screen lit up and the Sergeant appeared, “I told you that you have to wait, so, stop calling.”

The Vid went blank.

He looked at Kyoko, “Oh, well. We could always fill the time by cuddling and kissing. What do you think?”

“Best idea I’ve heard all day.” Kyoko turned around and put her head down on his lap. He took her in his arms and held her.

An hour later they were still floating in space. Thael asked Ariella to get the sergeant back on Vid. The Sergeant’s face, once again, appeared on the Vid screen.

“Don’t you people understand the term ‘wait’? I can’t have you calling me every ten minutes because you are late for some fancy dinner. Stop calling. I said I would call you. The more you bother me the longer this will take.”

“Excuse me, sergeant,” Kyoko said nicely. “There’s no need to be rude. We just want to know approximately how much longer it will be.”

“It will take as long as it takes and you should shut up and let the men do their job, Missy.”

The screen went blank. Kyoko sat with her mouth open. It was as if someone had slapped her in the face.

“Ariella, get Commander Una on the Vid for me,” Thael was furious.

“Yes, Your Highness.”

A few seconds later a beautiful woman appeared on the screen. Her eyes were electric blue. She had her long brown hair tied back so her elfin shaped ears were visible. Kyoko knew at once she must be pure Taelon.

“Thael! When did you get back?”

“About two hours ago. Say, how much longer do we have to wait for clearance? We’re a little weary and need a rest before dinner tonight. It’s my wife’s first time to meet the King and Queen. So, even though I don’t like people pulling rank, could you let us go?”

“I don’t understand…”

“Is there a problem with the equipment on your station? Is that why we’re still waiting? If it’s going to be too much longer, maybe we should come aboard.”

“There aren’t any problems that I am aware of. Let me check the boards.” She leaned left and right pressing buttons. “No, Your Highness. No problems here at all. Your clearance is always A-one plus-plus. You should have gotten immediate clearance.”

“That Sergeant on the com said we had to wait. He also insulted my wife. Fortunately, she is only mildly upset right now. She isn’t the type to faint when someone insults her, however, he’s lucky we aren’t on the station because I’m angry enough to space the fool. So, tell me. Who is he and what’s his problem?”

“I’m terribly sorry, Princess, Your Highness. She bowed. We’ll arrest him immediately and…”

“That’s not what I asked you. We’ve been friends a long time Una, what’s his problem?”

“He is sergeant Thorn. He just spent three years guarding the rim. He was recently transferred here. He’s been on this station for six months with no leave. His wife and kids are on Taelon and he’s not able to see them.”

“Sergeant Riko Thorn? The man that was instrumental in saving all those people on Quono?”

“The same, Your Highness.”

“Do you mean to say he hasn’t seen his family in three and a half years? Whose brilliant idea was that?” He was getting angrier by the minute.

“Admiral Rael, Your Highness.”

“It would be, Rael. He’s heartless. Isn’t there a law against this sort of abuse?”

“No, Your Highness.”

“You’re going to arrest the Sergeant, Una?”

“Yes, Your Highness. Under Taelon law any Guardian who mistreats a Royal is subject to court martial and six months to fifty years in prison, depending on the offense, regardless of who they are.”

“I know the law. I just want to see you do it. Be sure to turn on the Vid. I will sentence him myself.”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

The screen went blank.

Kyoko hugged his arm closer. He picked up an electronic device and began pushing buttons.

“What are you going to do to him? I was offended and shocked by his words, but fifty years in prison?”

“It’s okay. Just watch.”

The Vid lit up again. Two Taelon Guardians had the surprised Sergeant between them.

“Bring him to the center of the screen so he can see me and I can see him. Sergeant, you are under arrest for insulting the Crown Prince and his wife, the Crown Princess. As you know, the penalties for this are quite severe. By the way, her name isn’t, ‘Missy’, and if you ever tell her to shut up again in my presence I’ll remove your tongue and space you into the nearest sun. Your tongue will be sautéed and eaten by a Jinnjabb.”

The Sergeant was very nervous. He was starting to sweat profusely. “Forgive me Your Highness. I didn’t know it was you.”

“Wrong answer: My ship’s security codes are very clear. It’s quite evident that you didn’t make any effort to identify my ship. Personally, I don’t care what you call me or how long you keep my ship from proceeding. It gave me valuable time to be alone with my wife. However, no one – and I mean no one – talks to my Princess like that!

“As crown Prince, I can sentence you right here and now. So, I, Prince Thael, crown prince and heir to the throne of Taelon and its three moons do hereby pass this sentence on you: You shall be taken from here to your billet. You will get your kit and any other belongings. Then you will be transferred to Taelon where you will serve a six month sentence at…” He looked at the device he was using earlier, “…4452 Argos Way. You will be under house arrest and have to wear an ankle locator. You may not leave the place without one or more of the other residents there.

“You will keep your rank so your family doesn’t starve. After you have served your term we will find you a place planet side to be stationed. You cannot go back to the rim for five years, unless there is a galactic emergency.

Also, this arrest will not appear in your jacket, nor will it be permanently recorded in any computer file. After your sixth month incarceration, it will all be erased. It will be as if it never happened.

“Furthermore, should you break any of the rules as I have lain them out you will spend your days on asteroid four one three B. It’s totally deserted and you can have peace and quiet there. You will also be court martialed and thrown out of the Guardian forces.

“Don’t think I’m joking by giving you such an unusually light sentence. I’m angry enough to come aboard and space you right now. However, because of your heroism at the rim and the injustice done to you by bad Taelon law, I am giving you this chance. Take him out of my sight. His sentence begins now.

“When I get to Taelon I’m writing a new law prohibiting the abuse of our heroes like that. I don’t condone his actions, but I understand them. He has Kyoko sama to thank for his light sentence. She has a pure soul and a kind heart. I have her to thank for stopping me from breaking my oath and doing something I would regret for the rest of my life. I don’t think I have ever been this angry.”

Una smiled, “You wouldn’t have done anything differently even if Kyoko sama wasn’t with you. Knock him flat perhaps, but spacing someone over an insult? No way, no matter how angry you are.”

“Yeah, but he doesn’t know that, Oh, and Commander?”

“Yes, Your Highness?”

“Call his wife and tell her he’s coming home…” She turned to a side panel to start calling when: “One more thing…”

“Yes, Your Highness?”

“Can you start calling me Thael again? We are longtime friends, you know.”

“Yes, Your… Thael, gladly.”

“Una, it gives me great pleasure to introduce you to the love of my life, the dream of my dreams, and the only woman I will ever love from now on: My wife and Princess, Thael Kyoko.”

Una bowed and spoke in Japanese, “Very nice to finally meet you, my Princess.”

Kyoko tilted her head slightly, “What do you mean ‘finally’?”

“We’ve been hearing about you for some time.”

“Honto? How…?”

“Do you know how bored we get up here just staring at space all the time? Of course we’re going to talk and Thael and you, your highness, are a big topic.”

Kyoko cleared her throat, “What are they saying about me?”

Una chuckled, “Don’t worry My Princess; we have heard nothing but good things. Your love story is already legend. Is it true you faced down a Bagneroth with just a bronze sword and an angry look?”

Kyoko blushed, “Yes, Twice, but he…”

“Sugoi! We are so glad Thael has found his Princess. We’re all excited about your recent marriage to Thael and look forward to seeing the formal ceremony. To tell you the truth we were beginning to think he would never find the right person…”

“So, are we cleared to go yet?” Thael said interrupting her.

“You haven’t left? You were cleared two hours ago. Now, get away from my space station before I vaporize you, and don’t come back until you take a class in anger management. However, Princess Kyoko…? You may come anytime.”

“You heard the lady, Ariella. Let’s head for the palace. It wouldn’t do to be vaporized before my wife meets the family.”