Heaven Saga 1: The Lost Hero (14 page)

“What’s wrong?”

She wiped away the tears and stood up. “I don’t feel
good today Brian. Let’s try this again tomorrow,” she said with tears as she
ran away.
Her arm disappeared right in front of me. What’s going on?
He
thought as he took the glove with him as he headed back to his quarters.
There’s
something wrong here, Mira wouldn’t just run out on me if it wasn’t something
important.

* * *

Mira ran to her quarters, a small room she shared with
her friend Jesela. She ran to her side of the room and desperately tried to
turn on the computer next to her bed. Jesela was just waking up as she saw her
friend run in with tears in her eyes.

“What’s wrong Mira? Did Brian say something to upset
you?” Jesela asked.

Mira turned around, still upset. “I wasn’t…feeling
good Jesela. I want some time alone please.” She divided the room using a
curtain. Jesela looked at the divider with concern as she dressed for her shift
in the engineering room.
What could have upset her this much? I’ve never
seen her act like this.
As Jesela left the room, she looked back at the
curtain.
I’ll have to ask him after my shift is over with.

* * *

Brian walked into his quarters and placed the white
glove next to his computer terminal. He quickly removed his exoskeleton armor
and swords.
I’ve been working with Mira for almost three months now, and
when I think about it, I don’t really know anything about her. She never talks
about her past.
He sat at the computer and turned it on.
Her left arm
really did disappear before my eyes. Thankfully we’re in port at Dega Jul. I
can access the database of the Kein Independent Academy.
He began searching
the records for information on Mira. He sat back after a while with frustration
in his eyes.
Nothing, I can’t find anything about her. It’s like she never
existed.
He stopped near the bottom of the search when he noticed an old
Kalaidian news story. He read the article.
Galaec Kein, the famous Rakna
Maigar, had a daughter named Mira Kein. She died in an accident while on
transport between planets. She was a musical prodigy.
He focused the search
on information regarding Galaec Kein. After a several hours of hard reading, he
stopped and tried to absorb all the clues.
In his final days in public,
Galaec Kein spoke of his hidden treasure. He said it was the greatest song he’d
ever composed, a living being of music, love, and imagery. It’s unknown what he
spoke of, but many searched for it.
He searched through the Avoni’s
database for information about Mira.
She joined the Avoni three years ago,
and has done all of her medical checkups herself since she boarded. What
happened three years ago?

* * *

Mira sat alone in the dark, crying.
I don’t want to
disappear!
She looked at her arm as tears fell.
Why was I ever born!
She
turned on the monitor. An image of Mira Kein from a hundred and fifty five
years ago was displayed. The image looked exactly like her with a different
hair style and clothes.
It’s not fair, why do I have to be the copy?
Mira cried until she fell asleep.

* * *

After her shift was over, Jesela went straight to
Brian’s quarters. She stood outside the door for a few minutes confused about
what to ask him. She pressed the com, “Brian, this is ensign Jesela. I’m Mira’s
friend and roommate. I need to talk to you about something.”

The door opened. Brian stood silent for a second. “I
know who you are Jesela, I’ve seen you with Mira quite a bit. Come on in.” He
motioned for her to join him at a small table near the front of the room.

“Umm… I…” Jesela said. “I don’t want to stay for long
Brian. I just wanted to ask you something. “What happened with Mira earlier?
She came back crying, scared. I’ve never seen her look like that.”

“We had a spill during rehearsal today, and she seemed
out of sorts. I was going to talk to her in a little while Jesela,” he
answered.

“Thank you. I just wanted to ask you what was going
on,” Jesela said as she turned to leave.

He escorted her out and put a hand on her shoulder.
“Don’t worry Jesela. Tell Mira I can help her with the problem she‘s having.
She’ll know what I’m talking about.”

“Okay, I’ll do that Brian,” Jesela said as she left.

* * *

Mira woke up later and stared at the dark ceiling.
Did
he see my arm disappear? Why didn’t he say anything?
She sat up and turned
the monitor on. She closed out the image of Mira Kein and sat at the edge of
her bed.
Maybe he didn’t see anything, that’s why he didn’t ask any
questions.
The door to the room opened and Jesela walked in.

“Is that you Jesela?” Mira asked as she pushed the dividing
curtain aside. She could see a serious look on her friend’s face.

“Mira, I went to see him a few minutes ago,” Jesela
said.

Mira stood up. “What did he say?”

“He said that he can help you with the problem you’re
having. Brian said you’d know what he’s talking about.”

Mira’s eyes widened.
He knows about me! What am I
going to do?
She started shaking.

Jesela hugged her. “Mira, I don’t know what’s
bothering you, but I know I don’t like seeing you like this. He wants to see
you…go to him.”

“Okay, I’ll do that right now.” She smiled and looked
her friend in the eye before leaving the room. She ran through the halls of the
Avoni, still wearing her white dress and lone white glove on her right hand.
Does
he know what I am? How can he help me? I’m so confused, but I want to see him
again. Being with Brian comforts me, I…I just want to be with him.
She
thought as she left her quarters. She stopped to catch her breath before
pressing the com button.

“Brian, its Mira.”

The door opened a second later. He smiled. “Come in,
we have to talk.”

The door closed behind them once inside. The room was
dimly lit, with the monitor turned on. She stood in silence with fear in her
eyes. He embraced her tightly.

“It must be hard for you Mira,” he said.

She started crying again. “You know, don’t you?”

“You’re the song Gaelic spoke of in his final days,
aren’t you?” He smiled at her.

“No!” She tried pushing him away. Instead of letting
go he held her tighter. “I’m not a copy! I’m Mira!” She stopped fighting him.
“I’m alive; I’m not…just an illusion.”

“That’s right Mira, you’re alive. He didn’t create you
to replace his daughter…he wanted you to live and love, just like anyone else,”
Brian replied.

“I’m scared, I don’t want to disappear.”

He gazed into her eyes, still smiling. “You’re not
going die Mira. I know the secret to Galaec’s Song. The matrix holding you
together has degraded over time. I think I know how to fix it. But to do so I
need to know where you keep your interface.”

She stepped back, still scared, but she complied with
his request. Mira took the earring off her left ear and handed it to him. “This
is the interface. Please help me…I don’t want to disappear.”

He took the earring and went to his computer. He
recalled the information on advanced holographic technology he’d found under
Gaelic Kein’s files. She stood next with worry in her eyes. Brian pressed a
tiny switch on the earring before connecting it to the computer.

“It looks like the program keeping your body matrix
whole has degraded Mira. If I adjust a few things the problem should be fixed,”
he said as he began reprogramming her earring. After an hour of intense work he
was finished. He removed the earring from the computer and handed it to her.

“Everything should be fixed now. Luckily we caught
this problem early. It would have taken about a year for your body matrix to be
completely ruined,” he explained as she put her earring back on. “By the way,
when were you born?”

Mira check her body. “Six years ago I was salvaged off
an old Kalaidian ship. I was activated shortly afterwards by a group of Reiki
scientists. They didn’t know anything about me. I escaped from them a year
later and enrolled at the Kein Independent Academy. Three years ago I joined
the Avoni as the second ranking medical officer.”

He embraced her again. “Don’t worry Mira; I’ll keep
your secret safe.”

“Can I stay here tonight?” she asked. “I’m really
tired.”

“Sure, I wouldn’t mind.”

With sleep still in her eyes, Seles left her quarters
for the mess hall. She walked in and saw the usual morning crowd. Along the way
to the buffet line, she heard many snippets of something to do with Brian and
Mira. After getting her morning meal, she headed for the table where her
subordinates were eating. They were talking and laughing. She sat down, ready
to enter the conversation at some point.

Meldi, an ensign with short blue hair turned to Seles.
“So lieutenant, have you heard the news?”

“No, I just woke up a few minutes ago,” Seles
answered. “What’s everyone talking about?”

Kaela, an ensign with long green hair answered. “Mira
went to Brian’s room last night.” Each of them blushed while Seles looked
stunned.

Seles shook it off. “Are you sure about this Kaela?”

Kaela nodded in confirmation. “I walked by his
quarters this morning and saw her leaving. She looked as happier as ever.”

Meldi piped in. “Do you think they…you know?”

They blushed and giggled while Seles silently tried
burning her meal with her eyes.

“Is something wrong lieutenant?” Myli, an ensign with
short red hair asked.

Seles looked up from the remnants of her meal.
“Nothing’s wrong…I need some time alone.” She quickly left with a thousand
things in her mind at once.
What should I do? What am I supposed to say to
him? What about Mira?
Seles found herself at Mira’s quarters.
Maybe
she’s here, and I can talk to her.
Seles buzzed the door. A few seconds
later, Jesela opened it up.

“Seles, I wasn’t expecting to see you.” Jesela saw
something was wrong by the expression on Seles‘s face. “Maybe you should come
in for a minute.”

“Sure,” she said as she followed Jesela inside. “Did
Mira stay with Brian last night?” she asked.

“Yes, she didn’t come back last night after she went
to his quarters,” Jesela said. “Mira came back yesterday upset. I went to see
Brian about it and he said he needed to see her. He said he could help Mira
with a problem, but didn’t tell me what the problem was.”

“That doesn’t sound like Mira at all. She’s normally
upbeat,” Seles said.

“I thought the same thing Seles. I wanted to talk to
Mira about it, but she went right from Brian’s room to the auditorium.”

Seles thought for a moment. “I’ll see him later today.
Jesela, please look after Mira.”

“Sure,” she said. “I hope what I said helped.”

“It did,” Seles said before turning to leave.
I’ve
got something special in mind to get his attention.

* * *

Valis sighed as she entered the bridge. Daes stood at
her console and crunched numbers. Baed and Zae sat at their stations.

“I wonder if they did…you know,” Baed said.

Zae looked at her. “Wouldn’t it be gross? I mean, he’s
not Kalaidian.”

“I suppose. But he looks a lot like us. Maybe it would
be fun?” Baed asked.

“Baed, Zae, what are you talking about?” Valis asked.

Both stood up and saluted. Baed stepped forward. “Mira
stayed in Brian’s room last night.”

“Are you sure about this?” Valis asked.

“Yes,” Baed responded.

“I saw Mira leave his room earlier,” Zae said.

* * *

Brian and Mira were on their way to the bridge as she
held onto his arm. Both noticed the blushes and giggles as they passed. When
they came to the bridge everyone stared at them. He walked up to the door and
hit the com.

“It’s Brian. I’m here as requested.”

“Come in,” Valis said. He went in with Mira in tow.

“I’ve heard about the news about you two,” she said,
glaring at Brian. “I thought we cleared this up.”

“What news?” he asked.

“Mira, did you stay with him last night?” Valis asked.

“Yes,” Mira answered.

“The whole crew knows she stayed in your room last
night. What I want to know is why? And what happened?!” Valis ordered angrily.

Brian stepped forward. “Nothing happened.” He looked
to Mira. “We’ve been practicing something special for the
Cou don e Kali
,
and we’ve both made our share of mistakes. Mira needed some emotional support
last night, that’s all.”