Lacuna: The Spectre of Oblivion Read Free Page A

on her thighs. [“This is the truth.”]
    “Can you explain to me why you took this rather dramatic step?”
    Saara seemed nervous and out of place for more reasons than her species. The whole procedure would be entirely foreign and uncomfortable to her, but Liao respected that she was willing to do it for her sake.
    [“Toralii believe that to save a life is to earn a life’s gratitude. I owe Melissa Liao a great deal, and that debt can only be repaid with my service to her species. I give what I can to her cause.”]
    “I see. Please describe for me the circumstances under which Commander Liao earned this debt.”
    [“The Human called Gaulung Sheng, the one appointed as Commander Liao’s Executive Officer, he disobeyed her orders, betrayed his oaths, and took command of the ship named the Tehran . His men believed I had intelligence which could help your people. They proceeded to apply what you euphemistically call ‘enhanced interrogation’. I barely survived, and only because of Liao’s timely intervention. My jaw was shattered, my organs bruised… Liao and Captain Grégoire rescued me, and Doctor Saeed repaired my injuries. In return, I willingly shared what I knew.”]
    “And Liao trusted you?”
    The Toralii’s eyes flicked to her, then back to the prosecutor. Liao’s heart went out to Saara. She had promised the alien that she would see Earth’s many wonders, but her first few hours on their home planet were in a sterile court room.
    [“We… developed a bond during my time as her prisoner, a friendship.”]
    “Granted, but what evidence did Liao have that you were not simply lying?”
    Liao saw the fur on Saara’s neck rise but the Toralii was obviously making an effort to control herself. The question, Liao knew, would be insulting: to suggest duplicity was, for Toralii, a very aggressive act.
    [“I gave her my word . What I told her was true.”]
    “I understand that, and yes, the assault on the Hades system—the place you call Kor’Vakkar, the Gateway of Eternal Ash—was successful. You clearly were speaking the truth, but we know that with the benefit of hindsight. I’m asking you what evidence, at the time, did Liao have that you were not leading the crews of the Tehran and the Beijing into a trap?”
    The tips of Saara’s claws, ever so slowly, became visible at the ends of her paws.
    Keep it together, Liao silently pleaded.
    [“She had no evidence.”]
    “So she trusted you meant what you said?”
    [“Yes.”]
    “She trusted you with her ship, her life, the lives of her crew, and those of the crew of the Tehran, including her lover? She risked all this on your word?”
    [“… Yes.”]
    “Did you think this was reckless?”
    Saara’s hesitation answered the question better than her words could. [“I… believe Liao took a calculated risk that resulted in a very favourable outcome.”]
    Fang nodded, inclining his head. “Thank you, Airmaiden Saara. No further questions.” The man sat and nodded to Martin, who stood and approached the seemingly exasperated, stressed Toralii.
    “Airmaiden, thank you for your time. Can you please describe your relationship with Commander Liao?”
    Saara looked to Liao, and Liao held her gaze, smiling slightly. [“My parents died when I was young, but do not misunderstand; I was at no disadvantage. The Toralii raise their children differently than Humans do; children are the responsibility of the community, a great treasure, the continuation of the species. Such a delicate, important task cannot be left in the hands of a single pair of individuals, so for me to have no living biological parents is not as significant an emotional trauma as it might be for one of your species. Still, I miss them often, even in my adult years.
    [“However, with Captain Liao, I felt as though, in some way, she and I have a mother-daughter relationship. She allows me to assist her crew aboard the Beijing and, in return, she… protects me, keeps my well-being in her