The World of The Gunny

John Carter’s com chirped in his office. That in and of itself was not unusual. The fact that the ID it was presenting was from the Commonwealth Embassy was also not unusual. What was unusual was that it was Aerobhin D’Suchen, Sarochia’s Second. Aerobhin almost never contacted John while he was on duty. Unless it was relating to Sarochia.

John tapped the button for accepting the call. “What can I do for you Aerobhin?”, he began automatically and then stopped as he saw the expressionless mask Aerobhin was wearing. This could only be bad, he thought.

“John Carter, she is in need of you. It would be “ Aerobhin paused, as though trying to find the best word then continued, “recommended that you clear what you have for the rest of the day. It is possible that you may receive an unwelcome education in Commonwealth politics.”

He was stunned, but not for long. “What has happened? From your face it’s serious.”

“I do not truly know my friend. Only do I feel her distress.” He paused for a moment. “And I know with whom she was speaking. I shall await your arrival.” Aerobhin signed off abruptly.

John contacted Eric while walking quickly out of the command center. “Clear my docket Eric. Something has come up at the Commonwealth Embassy.”

Eric responded with a dry voice, "What did they do THIS time? And do I need to get Gregor to prep his medi-bay again?" It was a not so subtle prod at what had happened just a few days ago.

John snorted with laughter, "just clear my schedule Eric, and no talk back."

Aerobhin met him at the Ambassadorial suite and escorted him down the hall to her meditation room. It was a room that she often spent a good deal of the day in, presumably dealing with her superiors. It was not, however her office that she used to deal with her fellow diplomats. That room was made to present the power of the Commonwealth, and did so effectively, he had to admit.

Aerobhin gently squeezed his shoulder and stepped back. No Numerian would enter that room without an emergency or an invitation issued by her. It simply wasn’t done. Now John understood why Aerobhin had called him here. John could go where Aerobhin could not yet tread.

“How long?” he asked with dread in his voice.

“Most of the day, John Carter. But what I felt, began less than an hour ago.”

Carter looked at him in surprise. This was extremely personal to his friend as well. Knowing Numerians as he did, someone was going to regret what was happening.

John stepped into the low lit room and strained to see her. The room was filled with dark colored furniture hand carved by master craftsmen. Blood red drapes covered the walls except along one that held a view screen that lined the length of the wall. She often would use it to display environmental holos from various Commonwealth worlds. Included in the experience were scents, sounds and even mild breezes. All in all, it was almost like being there. Of course, the Monday night football games it could show from earth transmissions were really like being there. He was not sure how it knew what scents to use, but it was effective.

The view screen flashed and changed pictures drawing his attention to it. It displayed a Numerian male in black naval uniform, with several paragraphs to its right and below it. While he understood quite a bit of spoken Numerian now, the language was still confusing for him to read. What happened next prevented him from worrying about it. The screen spoke, and proceeded to identify the man it showed as Hanon d’Orly. He listened with slowly growing confusion as it identified the marriage status, his 2 children and their ages, his noted hobbies, and what his dreams had been. The last entry was a date of death one week ago in the Souril System.

Another image, this time of a woman, came up. The computers voice read out the biography of this one as well and it too ended in a death date. So did the next one and one thereafter. It was with a shock that he realized that the dates were all recent and all from a battle with the dark ones that had happened less than a week ago.

His eyes looked about the semi-darkness and quickly located her curled up on the couch he had bought for them both. She was facing the screen, her eyes open and tear tracks shown glistening on her face. He touched her shoulder gently to get her attention and she did not respond other than to blink. He understood now. He knew she had told the Council that she would not pass the lists of the dead to the confederate Captains. Their punishment for the disobedience was to have her view them instead. And she had obeyed them. Damn the Numerian psyche. They had to have known what it would have done to her.

“Computer, close program,” he said angrily as he went to her and gently picked her up in his arms. “No more dear one, no more. You’ve paid enough,” He murmured into her hair as he held the rigid form that was his mate.

It would be more than an hour before she began to cry. By then his anger at those who had caused this knew no bounds. His only limitation was that he could not reach out and punish those beyond his reach. Yet.

Damn, been a while since I have seen that.



Cheers, Thor

Canon has changed since this was written several years ago. At this point in the present canon, Sarochia would have been late middle aged for a Numie. 200+ years means that we need a somewhat younger ambassador.

Hmm, I don't really remember the original reasoning for the lists of the dead to be given to the confeds. I think it was an attempt to guilt the confeds out of some weapon tech.

Sarochia point blank refused. She had an idea of what that would have done, and she did not what the Confeds to see her people worse then they were already seen. When she refused, the Sanei were telling her that the future deaths were her fault and that the viewing was to be her punishment.

She was to see, personally, all the future deaths until she gave the lists to the confeds. As she was a highly empathic individual. she would have taken the guilt to heart. But she would have never given them those lists. Only the fact that the fighting was occurring and that losses were happening.

John would have recognized that this would not have ended well for her, I am not sure what he and Aerobhin would have done to stop it. Or even if they could have done something. I suspect that Aerobhin would have made some personal appeals, and then done the unthinkable. Numerians do not deliberately harm one another, not outside of challenges. The harm disturbs others around them. The Empathic capabilities of the race would mean that harming another would cause harm in others besides the targeted individual.

This would be viewed as irresponsible in the extreme. I could see him eventually thinking about insurrection as time went along. Though I eventually thought that his action would be to simply publish the orders. That in and of itself would create difficulties for the council. No matter what he choose, it would cause shock waves through Numie society. And stop his friend from being mentally tortured.

While Aerobhin's telepathic ability effectively did not exist, his empathic ability was normally limited to touch, unless he was facing extremely high empathic energy levels. He would eventually find out how much they had damaged her and would take "affirmative action."

Beware the Numerian understatement!

Good explanation bud. Now, maybe, you may wish to incorporate some of that into the actual post.



Cheers, Thor

I have always felt that an explanation for a story post should not be in the actual post but posted before or afterwards. Or even in a different thread entirely.

This why you write it in such a way as to make it a part of the story. AKA flavor text.

Remember, words and detail are the paint for a writer. So you have to use your words to paint a picture in the minds of the reader. Detail does just that.



Cheers, Thor

I shall respond to this in the most dignified manner possible.

Phfffffft. :D

Ok, no more help for you then.

Also, if you feel you have to make a seperate post to 'explain' what is going on that should be a hint that, yep you guessed it, YA FAILED MISERABLY!!!



Cheers, Thor