VENGEANCE, DARK AND COLD

Two years ago

"THE WORD MUST BE SPREAD, for that is the essence of being."

Her voice reverberated with a sound not unlike a bucket of screws tumbling along a sheet of tempered steel.

"The sentence has been upheld and we of the High Chamber, with the greatest level of benevolence, hereby award you your only chance for restoration. Should you deviate from the cause as did your despised and unsacred ancestor, your line will be completely eradicated from the Congregation of the Celestial Word. Do you accept the terms of our unwavering kindness in this matter?"

The arrogance inherent in the inflection of the words uttered from the High Cardinal was not lost on Apota D'Ashem. He was not stupid. D'Ashem knew full well the well-prepared speech spewing from the mandibles of the highest office of his people was actually for the benefit of the millions who were watching the proceedings. It was intended for the general public who accepted every mandate of the Council to be sacred and without question. The High Chamber leaders had to give the illusion of kindness, but he realized there was more to it than that…much more. He knew the actions of his distant ancestor would never be fully forgiven. However, publically allowing D'Ashem the opportunity to restore honor to his father, his father's father, and twenty-four fathers before him would sit very well with this younger crop of governors who felt it was wrong for the punishment of sin to be transferred down to more than three generations, if at all.

D'Ashem took a moment to take in his surroundings. The High Chamber arena was vast by any measure. The large triangular room had walls of deep emerald and at each of its three corners, arced pillars of shimmering gold reached to the vaulted ceiling. From all three walls hung large tapestries, each adorned with intricate patterns of calligraphy chronicling the history of his race beginning with their control of fire. Emblazed on the far wall behind him was the likeness of the most revered of his kind. In front of him was the High Chamber stage where the High Cardinal stood regal and impassive. To her sides, the Chamber Bishop and the nine Associate Chamber Members stood in silence, ready to adhere to her every word.

The walls to either side of D'Ashem bore the seats of the regional governors, many of which remained empty. Most of those in attendance were the younger leaders who looked on with deep interest. The High Cardinal paid little heed to these youthful representatives as she had neither need to fear them nor any reason to sway to their accursed liberal ideas. After all, she would hold her position for the entirety of her life. The other High Chamber members, however, would soon be facing a new appointment process, and it behooved them to give in to at least some of the upstarts' demands concerning the laws of society. This was how politics worked best.

D'Ashem was the twenty-seventh of his line to shoulder the responsibility of an ancient act of perfidy that had taken place over seven thousand cycles ago and therefore, had served as the perfect and convenient tool to sway the favor of the fledgling administrators. Stigmatized by the actions of his ancestor, he had not been allowed to leave the Cradle World of his people and was only allowed to have one child, a son, who would also bear the shunned name. D’Ashem had put off having any offspring for as long as possible in the hopes he could someday lift the curse from his family name, but he had known the Council would force his hand eventually. Indeed, someday they would. The most unbearable decree placed upon him for his ancient ancestor’s crime was that he was not allowed to spread the Celestial Word. That was the worst of punishments for any of his race.

These inner reflections prompted an instinct to lunge at the High Cardinal in a savage rage. Instead, D’Ashem satisfied his ire by momentarily affording himself the fantasy of shredding the bodies of each High Chamber member in full view of his people. He imagined how it would appear if all the sculptures of the previous High Chamber Cardinals, which lined the walls of the court arena, were defaced with the black lifeblood of those who stood before him presently. Such a beautiful display of gore, he knew, would gain him nothing but a brief moment of satisfaction. D'Ashem wanted more, so he would wait and play their game…no matter how long it took. If there had been one thing he had learned during his life of restriction, it was patience.

Apota D'Ashem lifted his head slowly and raised his four appendages, baring the double rows of tibia spines in the traditional show of concession. He spoke loudly for all to hear, both those present and those watching the proceedings remotely.

"I graciously accept the Chamber's immense generosity in this matter. I, with all my energies, swear to spread the Celestial Word in accordance with the sacred writings. I pledge my ebony lifeblood to fulfill my sacred destiny and my duty to the Word."

 The High Chamber members eyed each other in turn, all nodding in satisfaction with his answer. The High Cardinal, dressed in her ceremonial purple and gold robe and ancient crown of mandible shards, approached the forward staging area. She nodded approvingly at D'Ashem, looking at him with only a hint of disdain.

"That being the case, you must now listen closely to the will of this Council. We of the High Chamber hereby and officially bestow upon you the revered title of Set, which has been previously deprived of your line for far too many generations. You now stand before us, Set Apota D'Ashem, to further expand the congregation of the Celestial Word. In order for you to uphold this highest of honors, you will captain The Harkener, a ship of the new line. Upon assuming command of your star crosser, you will receive orders outlining your first mission. As is customary, you will be given a full list of unassigned Crusaders of the Word from whom you may choose your crew. Have you anything further that you would address to the Chamber?"

D'Ashem’s initial question was why he still bore the accursed name. He concluded it was the High Cardinal’s passive-aggressive way of reminding him his new station was only a test to see if he were truly worthy of the title ‘Set’. D’Ashem simply bowed his head and said, "I wish only to show my gratitude by proving myself worthy of your newfound trust in me… and my line. You have given me more than I deserve, revered High Cardinal."

He could tell his comment about trust in his family line irked the High Cardinal as he had intended, but nothing more was said. There was a moment of uneasy silence that seemed to last an entire solar cycle before the High Cardinal raised one of her appendages in a salute of dismissal. Being released from the court arena, D’Ashem quickly turned to leave.

Within minutes, the holo-cams were deactivated, and the small crowd of youthful governors disbursed to continue their daily mundane duties while the members of the High Chamber returned to their individual quarters. Inside the massive empty room, the illumination given off by the hovering light orbs decreased to a dim blue glow.

Now intent on putting as much distance between himself and the Chamber as quickly as possible, the newly appointed Set made his way back to his new living chambers in the public colony, another so-called gift from the Cardinal. As the shuttle raced him homeward, D'Ashem gazed unseeing out the window at the colony landscape, with its tall tapering towers constructed of honeycombed walls and openings from which warm orange-yellow light glowed welcomingly. In his mind, he was mentally reviewing the plan he had devised so long ago when he had once dared to dream that he would one day be released from the restrictive mandates placed upon him before his birth. That day had finally come. Now, he knew, it was time to set his plan into motion.

If his kind could smile, he may have; however, he mused, such an action was for beings of softer, weaker flesh.