TEMPUS CHAPTER FIFTY FOUR

 

 

Virtue is the fount whence honour springs.

Christopher Marlowe

Cristian landed on Mars and had a chat with his three prisoners.

“I have been through this a dozen times with other prisoners. In the end, everyone talked. We can save a little time, and you can die a little quicker if you just tell me what I want to know.”

“I promised the last Lizard that I interrogated a quick, clean warrior’s death. I granted him the honour. He gave me information about Dulce. He even offered me his hand. So I could get through the front door. I offer the three of you the same thing, I need to know who are you working for?”

“Soldier open the equipment locker, there are some rebreathers there. We are going to open the door and ask our friends to leave.”

“There is very little oxygen and absolutely no food here, you will have to kill and eat each other.”

“Wait, a clean quick death would be better than starving to death.”

“You are asking me to kill you?”

“Yes.”

“We live to serve the Gray, they brought us out of ignorance, set us out on the universe. We take it for them.”

“Where are the Gray?”

“You can find them near Thu-ban. Their home world is there.”

“I have asked this before, I will ask again. Can we find peace with your race?”

“If you defeat the Gray, we would follow you, Cristian Wolf. ”

“You and a woman completely destroyed our nest at Dulce. There were 240 of our strongest armed Warriors there. No one has ever done that. You are worthy of leading us, Cristian Wolf. You have treated us well as prisoners, and you offer us a warrior’s death. Thank you.”

“I will regret taking your lives, I was wrong about your race. There is honour among you.”

“If I asked you to join me now, what would you do.”

“We would kill you at the first opportunity, it is our duty.”

“This I understand. I would ask you to go outside now.”

They keeled before Cristian and wished him honour in Battle.

In one quick motion, three Lizard heads fell on the Martian soil.

Soldiers lets dig some holes. M2 give them a hand.  We can’t stay in the low-pressure long work fast.”

The soldiers put on their re-breathers and gave the three Lizards a burial.

Lucy had filmed the entire event.

“Soldiers your thoughts.”

“I am at a loss for words, First Leader. First off, we are on Mars. Second, you gave those Lizards an honourable death as they asked. You didn’t really want to kill them, did you First Leader?”

“No, I did not.”

“The cowardly weasel that we dropped off this morning deserved death, these warriors did not.”

“These Lizards are a lot like Klingon aren’t they?”

“They do remind me of them. Makes me think Roddenberry knew more than he let on. Roddenberry and his wife should be flying by soon on that solar sail test. As it should be their ashes travelling through space. Let’s go home.”