Lyssa Thorne's
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“INSURRECTION”
EPISODE 31 – SURPRISE
BY: LYSSA THORNE
SUPER: Reincarnation can be great. You can start anew. All the memories wiped clean. Until you wake up and all the forgotten memories slam you. In the beginning, I went by the name Sannaro. That was only half of the problem.
FADE IN:
INT. KUMANI – SANNARO'S APARTMENT
Sannaro woke up, feeling groggy as he drew on a pair of shorts and limped to the coffee machine to get himself a cup. As he added the sugar and chocolate syrup, he looked around the empty kitchen and wondered where Cherna was. She was always up first and cooking breakfast, even though he knew how to cook. He extended his telepathy and was met by a wave of nausea from the direction of the bathroom. He set down his coffee and rushed to the door.
SANNARO
Cherna? Are you all right?
No response.
SANNARO (CONT.)
Computer, open bathroom door.
Cherna's petite muscular body, still wearing her red night gown, was curled up at the base of the toilet. Her honey-blond hair covered her face bent over the seat. Her body heaved.
He rushed in and laid a hand on her arm.
SANNARO
What’s wrong!
Her wide azure blue eyes looked at him with concern. She turned back in time for her body to heave again.
He reached under her and touched his hand to her stomach.
SANNARO
Cherna, love, you’re with child.
CHERNA
I’m pregnant?
SANNARO
Don’t be afraid. I’ll take you down to the hospital. Zhad can give you a pregnancy test, but since I knew when Adara was pregnant with both of my foster sisters, I’m sure I’m right. Let’s get dressed.
He helped her stand, then gave her a towel to wipe her face.
CHERNA
But we have duty.
SANNARO
I really think Hadah will excuse us both from work.
SANNARO (PSI V.O.)
Hadah, I’m sorry to interrupt your breakfast.
HADAH (PSI V.O.)
What’s wrong? You rarely link with me this early.
SANNARO (PSI V.O.)
Cherna’s pregnant. I need to get her to Zhad, then I wish to stay with her while Zhad does the test.
HADAH (PSI V.O.)
Congratulations, San. Of course you can have the day off to care for your mate. By the way, tell Cherna, she’s off flight status until further notice.
SANNARO
Hadah says congratulations and you’re off flight status until further notice.
She shot him a dirty look as he guided her to the bedroom. He helped her dress, then drew his favorite wine-colored sweatshirt over his chest. He put his arm around her waist and they walked to the elevator. The door opened and they walked in.
SANNARO
Sadra.
As the elevator began to move, Cherna groaned and put her head on Sannaro’s shoulder.
SANNARO
Hold on, ko'ia.
Traya and Tekla looked on in amusement.
SANNARO
She’s with child.
TEKLA
Congratulations, Cherna. The morning sickness will pass. Shall I begin to make maternity clothes for you?
CHERNA
Fa'arata, Tekla. With Sannaro’s record of telepathically knowing when Adara was pregnant, you might as well.
TEKLA
I’ll get started on it today.
TRAYA
Sannaro, you must come and choose a birth sampler to cross stitch right away. It’s a beautiful tribute to the birthing and it will give you a positive outlet for the nervousness you new father’s always have.
SANNARO
I will, Traya.
TEKLA
Cute couple.
Cherna and Sannaro left the elevator at the hospital.
TRAYA
I wish my girl wasn’t already grown and mated on another ship.
The doors closed.
Tila walked through a side door and saw Sannaro guiding Cherna. She rushed over and took over helping Cherna walk into a treatment room. She went over to the computer.
TILA
What’s wrong?
CHERNA
I got up feeling nauseous this morning. I was throwing up when San came in and told me I was with child.
TILA
Well, we’ll just have to check that out, but since San is two-for-two, the odds are in his favor that he’s right. Zhad will be delighted to learn he’s going to be a grandfather! I’ll go get him.
EXIT TILA.
Sannaro sat down in a chair beside her and thought about how it was going to be to have a baby in the apartment.
CHERNA
Why am I yellow?
Sannaro joined her at the mirror and looked at her face.
SANNARO
You’re carrying a gold/carbon child! The gold must be crossing to your system!
CHERNA
Will it hurt me?
SANNARO
I don’t know, I never thought about the dangers of a mixed pregnancy.
Zhad entered the room with his face radiant until he saw the fear in Cherna and his eyes. He led Cherna back to the table.
ZHAD
Are you having pain?
CHERNA
Nui, but I’m turning yellow like San. Can it hurt me?
ZHAD
I've read there has been successful Humanoid/Saili pregnancies. If it was harmful, there wouldn't have been any successes. I think after we give you the pregnancy test, we request that Lazha divert the Kumani to Sailia so that a Saili Obstetrician can examine you. They can teach me what I need to know so I can monitor your pregnancy.
SANNARO
Why didn't I think that a Saili hybrid pregnancy might hurt Cherna? How could I have been so ignorant?
ZHAD
Cheer up, San, you’re going to be a father! Once I have this test result back, we’ll declare an Us’uata Os Atea!
Zhad pulled out a sensor. He returned to Cherna and waved the humming device over Cherna’s stomach. He looked at the readout.
ZHAD
Three out of three, Sannaro, you’re good! Cherna, you are, without a doubt, pregnant.
CHERNA
Can I have something to settle my stomach?
ZHAD
I’ll have someone bring you an antacid.
Zhad hugged Cherna, then stepped out.
ENT. DANU.
DANU
You’re pregnant! Ha'iko, congratulations!
Sannaro saw Cherna getting pale so he slipped the antacid out of Danu’s hands and measured some out to give to Cherna.
SANNARO
Whoa, my friend, Cherna’s still unbalanced.
He handed the spoon of medicine to Cherna.
She gratefully swallowed it.
DANU
Ha, maybe you should control your urge to stroke Sannaro’s ear, Cherna!
CHERNA
Oh, but I can’t resist!
DANU
Let’s just get through this one.
Danu turned away and frowned as he put the antacid in the medicine cabinet.
CHERNA
I feel better now.
DANU
See you at the party.
EXT. DANU.
INT. SANNARO'S APARTMENT
As soon as they returned home, the door bell rang.
Sannaro groaned and rolled his eyes.
SANNARO
Everyone knows and they’re at our door.
CHERNA
So let them in, silly!
SANNARO
Akla.
The door opened and a sea of people swept in.
ADARA
Oh, Cherna, I’m so happy for you!
BA'IA
Move over, Adara, she’s my daughter! Sweetheart, that’s wonderful news!
ADARA
She’s my daughter, too, because she’s my son’s tasra! We're going to be grandmothers!
Adara hugged Ba'ia.
VARANANI
Congratulations. I’m happy for you, brother.
SANNARO (PSI V.O.)
Does everything have to remind you of what we’ve lost?
VARANANI (PSI V.O.)
Sannaro, I am happy for you. I don’t know why I feel it more than you do. Maybe since you were unconscious because it happened to you, but I saw it all, you were spared the emotional trauma of seeing the sudden, violent loss your family. Anyway, we're not here to talk about those who are gone, we are here to celebrate new life.
Varanani hugged Sannaro.
DI'OK
Oh, I can’t wait!
Di'ok, Cherna’s brother was rubbing his hands together in his usual exuberant way while his mate Sha'ya smiled tolerantly.
Sannaro walked over and put his hand on Di'ok’s shoulder.
Di'ok patted Sannaro’s shoulder.
DI'OK
Good job, buddy, you did it before I did.
SANNARO
Well, I did have a little head start.
Cherna glared at him.
SANNARO (PSI V.O.)
Hey, look, the girls are taking insult so lets lay off the guy stuff.
DI'OK (PSI V.O.)
I don’t get them. What’s the harm in noticing you managed to conceive a baby before I did?
SANNARO (PSI V.O.)
It’s a girl thing. They think we’re always in contest with each other to do everything, including procreation. It irritates them.
DI'OK (PSI V.O.)
I’m sure glad I don’t have telepathy. I think it would just confuse me further to hear what they think.
Danu entered and made a straight line for Varanani to talk with her.
Edat slapped Sannaro on the back, then kissed Cherna on the cheek.
EDAT
So, you’re giving me a new student to teach!
SANNARO
Wouldn’t want for you to get lonely!
EDAT
Congratulations.
Edat moved off.
SANNARO
Our apartment is getting crowded. Ah, here it’s now complete. Lazha just came in.
LAZHA
Oh, Cherna, I’m so happy for you.
She bent over and hugged Cherna.
LAZHA
Of course, Zhad's already informed me he wants to take you to Sailia to visit an Obstetrician. Our course has already been adjusted.
CHERNA
Fa’arata, Lazha.
LAZHA
I remember when I was pregnant with Kahea, I couldn’t stand anything that had tomato in it. I drove Ki'el crazy!
BA'IA
Oh, really? When I was pregnant with Cherna, I craved shellfish! Remember how every landing I had to send Ku'an down to buy more shellfish?
LAZHA
Nui, because I was avoiding tomatoes!
ADARA
All of you were impossible to be around when you were with child.
BA'IA
Oh, you were just jealous, Adara, and look at you now with two daughters of your own and Sannaro, oh, my, Sannaro was a handful to raise, wasn’t he?
LAZHA
Adara, how about when he linked with you to find out if Zhad and you could mate?
ADARA
That was just the beginning of Sannaro’s mischief with his telepathy.
BA'IA
The only full telepath among non-telepaths.
Sannaro withered into the arm of the chair and flipped his hair in front of his face.
HADAH
As usual, you women are causing my Assistant Senior Pilot embarrassment.
No'ama swept around her mate to hug Cherna.
Sannaro sensed Hadah approach him. His hair was swept back behind his ears by Hadah.
HADAH
Can I see your face so I can congratulate you?
SANNARO
Of course, it’s just that the women were talking about the things I did as a child.
Hadah sat in the next chair beside Sannaro.
HADAH
That’s Astrisi women for you, they always have to remind us we aren’t perfect.
NO'AMA
Not by a long shot! Congratulations, Sannaro. I see things are getting crowded here, if more come, I think you might have to move the lot of us to the Cafeteria.
SANNARO
That’s a good idea.
Zhad entered the crowded apartment.
ZHAD
I think our new mother needs some rest. Fa’arata for giving your regards to San and Cheri, but I’m putting Cherna to bed to rest.
LAZHA
The Senior Doctor has spoken.
DI'OK
Don’t you go take a nap with her, San!
Sannaro rolled his eyes.
The crowd once more congratulated Cherna and him as they left.
After awhile, only Zhad remained with them. They led Cherna to the bedroom and laid her down.
Sannaro sat beside her.
SANNARO
I’m going to work. If you need me you only have to say my name.
CHERNA
And you’ll rush through the whole ship to ask me what’s wrong!
SANNARO
I’ll resist the urge, but I will ask if you need me to come.
EXIT ZHAD
Sannaro put on a fresh flight-suit. He kissed her deeply, then left the apartment.
INT. KUMANI UPPER FLIGHT DECK
As soon as Sannaro walked out of the elevator, he was swarmed with people in black and white flight suits calling their congratulations at the same time.
SANNARO
Fa’arata, Cherna and I are grateful. Now, I want to talk to Batu. The rest of you need to get back to work.
ARCAS
Houk, San.
They spread out.
Sannaro and Batu walked through the rows of Vizha'i to the fore of the ship where the Ready Room, Flight School and Team-leaders offices were. They entered the Ready Room, took an immediate right up the stairs, then left to the first door on the left.
Sannaro sat down at his desk while Batu sat across from him.
SANNARO
You know since Cherna can’t fly, she’ll be administrative. That means you're going to have to act as Team-leader in the field until she gives birth.
BATU
Houk.
SANNARO
You can work this two ways, you can try to lead both sub-teams yourself, which I don’t recommend, or you can choose an assistant for you who will be in charge of White B while you lead White A.
BATU
I’ve chosen Mahu to be my assistant.
SANNARO
Good, I can tell Hadah the new arrangement.
BATU
So, are you excited to be a father, San?
SANNARO
Who wouldn’t?
BATU
Is Cheri happy?
SANNARO
Very.
BATU
I’ll warn you, being a father is the toughest job you’ll ever love. Help Cherna out as much as you can because it’s real hard on the woman after the birthing.
SANNARO
Are you finished with my briefing?
BATU
Not by far but I’ll give you a break for now.
EXIT BATU.
Sannaro shook his head, then he went to work on a report he'd been working on the night before.
INT. VAGAKTA STATION
Sannaro landed the shuttle, then eagerly took Cherna’s hand as they walked into the halls milling with Saili of many tribes. He homed in on Devasru.
DEVASRU
Sannaro, Cherna, I’m so excited about the news! A male, that’s a good sign! Varanani, dear, how are you doing with the Astrisi?
VARANANI
I’m doing well, Uncle.
DEVASRU
Shall we attend the Madanaya?
CHERNA
What is the Madanaya?
DEVASRU
It is the Secular order of the Sacred Female, they do our Obstetric medicine. We Saili value birthing as almost sacred, overseen by our Great Healer, Haelatika.
SANNARO
There’s another Saili god? I thought there was just one, the Great Forger.
DEVASRU
Oh, she’s the consort to the Great Forger and patron of motherhood.
VARANANI
I've heard the Madanaya are only female.
DEVASRU
That's correct.
Sannaro looked around at the people, many who had dark blue hair and some even had the dark blue eyes like him.
SANNARO
Uncle, why have I seen so many Gonkacha Saili on this station?
DEVASRU
When the Zuran War broke out, they returned to Sailia as all, but the two of you, did. They found the higher methane content of Sailia uncomfortable to live with, so many have taken up residence here on Vagakta. Now that some Saili are returning to the Human colonies, it surprises me so many Gonkacha Saili have chosen to remain here.
They entered a suite.
Sannaro wondered why there were so few women in the waiting room and none had the trademark dark blue hair of the Gonkacha.
MADANAYA RECEPTIONIST
Welcome to the Madanaya and congratulations, Aurumana.
CHERNA
Thank you. How did she know I was the one who is pregnant?
SANNARO
The same way I knew, by telepathically sensing the second immature mind within you.
CHERNA
Oh.
MADANAYA RECEPTIONIST
Aurumana, please come with me and I'll settle you in an examination room. Aurum, Aurumna and Sir, please have a seat.
The receptionist stood up and opened a door for Cherna.
Zhad stayed beside Cherna.
ZHAD
I'm her general physician. I'm here to learn about what I need to monitor during her pregnancy.
MADANAYA RECEPTIONIST
I’m sorry, Doctor, but the initial exam is only between the patient and Madanaya. After the examination, the Madanaya will be happy to take you to a consultation room to brief you. Please have a seat with the Aurum and Auruma.
Cherna shrugged her shoulders as she walked through the door.
END ACT 1
ACT 2
Zhad clutched his fist in his other hand as he sat down with Sannaro, Varanani and Devasru.
SANNARO
Don’t you sense that we men aren’t wanted?
ZHAD
I don’t have telepathy, but I do get that impression.
DEVASRU
It's just their way. After all, we’ve done our part, yes, Sannaro?
Sananro blushed, bowed his head and flipped his hair into his face.
ZHAD
Oh, now look, Devasru, you’ve embarrassed Sannaro.
DEVASRU
He does have the habit of hiding behind that hair when he’s embarrassed. Maybe that’s why he keeps it so short.
Sannaro flipped his hair to his back and stood up.
ZHAD
What, Sannaro?
SANNARO
Receptionist, my mate's upset. I want to see her.
MADANAYA RECEPTIONIST
Aurum, everything will be explained to you in the Consultation room.
Sannaro concentrated to connect with Cherna.
MADANAYA RECEPTIONIST
Your wife cannot be disturbed right now, Aurum. Please retreat and all will be explained to you in the Consultation Room.
SANNARO
You’ve cut me off from her with a neural dampening field!
Sannaro slammed a fist onto the small ledge at the receptionist window.
SANNARO
Tell them to lower the neural dampers. I want to speak with my mate!
MADANAYA RECEPTIONIST
That’s not possible, Aurum. Please have a seat before I'm forced to call the station security. Your concerns will be answered in the Consultation room!
SANNARO
Tell them to lower the neural dampers. I want to speak with my mate!
MADANAYA RECEPTIONIST
That’s not possible, Aurum. Please have a seat before I'm forced to call the station security. Your concerns will be answered in the Consultation room!
DEVASRU
Sannaro, settle down. The Madanaya have been taking care of pregnant women for centuries. I lived through this twice. Show them some patience.
ZHAD
San, she’s Vizha'e, have some faith she can handle whatever they’re telling her. You’re nervous and that's understandable. It’s your first child.
They waited several more tense minutes until they were told by the receptionist they were to be placed in the Consultation room.
Sannaro eagerly followed the woman into a room, dominated by a table with chairs around it.
The room had pictures on the wall, depicting happy Saili families as they cradled their tiny Saili infant.
Cherna joined them along with a gold-skinned woman. Cherna rushed over to hug Sannaro.
He took her in his arms.
SANNARO
What happened?
CHERNA
It’s okay now. They just told me there are some risks in mixed pregnancy. They’re assuring me if I take a gold supplement, the baby will absorb most of the gold, but I'll have to accept I will be a bit yellow for my whole pregnancy.
SANNARO
There’s more.
CHERNA
Dr. Angirasa said, since you are, well, a Gonkacha carrier, they can’t ensure there won’t be some, well, birth defects.
SANNARO
We’re not going to consider aborting the pregnancy!
ANGIRASA
Also, Aurum Sannaro, I suggest you should be seen by a Gonkacha specialist here to ascertain the extent of your mutation so we can know what your metallic content percentage is. It may give us an idea what metallic mixture we might expect for your child.
ZHAD
What is the normal percentage of gold/carbon mixture in Saili?
ANGIRASA
For the Aurum we run around eighty percent gold and twenty percent carbon.
VARANANI
I'm around seventy/thirty. If I still have normal eye color and San was born four years after me and two years after Devakio was born, Sannaro could be quite low.
DEVASRU
I’ll make sure he gets to the Gonkacha Doctor, Auruma.
ANGIRASA
Thank you, Aurum Devasru. I think for the sake of your nephew, it be done. I wish I had better news. Please come back with the Gonkacha Specialist’s report.
EXIT ANGIRASA.
SANNARO
Now we’ll have to make another appointment for me with the specialist!
CHERNA
If it would help our baby, we should do it, San.
SANNARO
Then I will see the Gonkacha Specialist for Andoku.
DEVASRU
That’s a good name, Sannaro, and he will live.
CHERNA
What was that?
SANNARO
Andoku.
CHERNA
Andoku's a nice name. Can we shorten his name like you shorten yours?
VARANANI
Andi?
SANNARO
Nui, too girlish.
ZHAD
Doku?
SANNARO
It sounds too much like our Astrisi word four. Andu.
CHERNA
Andu, I like it. Welcome, Andoku.
Cherna patted her stomach.
Devasru led them through the door into the suite where the Gonkacha Doctors practiced.
GONKACHA RECEPTIONIST
Welcome. Is the Auruma or Aurum here to see the doctor today?
DEVASRU
The Aurum is requesting to see the doctor today. His name is Sannaro.
GONKACHA RECEPTIONIST
Has he ever been examined by a Gonkacha Specialist before?
SANNARO
No.
GONKACHA RECEPTIONIST
Are you aware that all Gonkacha Saili are supposed to be registered with this facility?
DEVASRU
My niece and nephew live in a Human colony.
GONKACHA RECEPTIONIST
They should have been registered during the recall at the beginning of the Zuran War.
SANNARO
I ignored the recall, and so did my sister. We didn’t choose to hide. The only reason I came back here was so my Humanoid wife could visit the Madanaya for our first-born son. The Madanaya want me to be examined by a Gonkacha Doctor so they can know what my metallic percentage is. If that means I have to register by your shortsighted law, I'll do it for my Habi.
GONKACHA RECEPTIONIST
May I have your current Address?
SANNARO
The Astrisi spaceship Kumani.
VARANANI
I've been seen before by a Gonkacha Doctor so I should have records.
VARANANI (PSI V.O.)
Calm down, San.
GONKACHA RECEPTIONIST
Your name, Auruma?
VARANANI
I am Varanani Damirateyak.
GONKACHA RECEPTIONIST
So you, Aurum, must be Sannaro Damirateyak?
SANNARO
Yes.
GONKACHA RECEPTIONIST
Please have a seat and we will call you shortly.
Sannaro took a seat beside a young man who had similar dark blue hair and eyes like Sannaro.
METURATO
They’re killing us.
SANNARO
What?
METURATO
Quiet! Don’t let her hear you. You’re lucky you’re not trapped here, brother. They won’t let us leave.
SANNARO
Have you tried?
METURATO
Oh, how I’ve tried. I'm Meturato from Oranio. Meet me at suite 211 after you leave here and I’ll tell you more.
Meturato looked away.
Sannaro shared a nervous look with Varanani just as his name was called.
He stood up and walked over to a silver man who was in the door to the right of the receptionist.
The silver man guided Sannaro to an examination room and dropped a gray towel in Sannaro’s hands.
MEDIC
Take everything off and put this over your middle.
SANNARO
It’s a bit small.
MEDIC
Modest?
SANNARO
No, but I thought Saili were.
Sannaro dropped the towel on the table and swept his sweatshirt off.
MEDIC
Doctors are use to seeing disrobed people.
EXIT MEDIC.
SANNARO
Obviously, you’re not.
Sannaro undressed then leapt onto the table and draped the little towel over his middle. A golden man in a white lab coat walked in with an electrical data pad in his hand.
DOCTOR
You're Sannaro Damirateyak?
SANNARO
Yes.
DOCTOR
Where were you born?
SANNARO
Regalis.
DOCTOR
How long was your family there before you were born?
SANNARO
Five years.
DOCTOR
What did your father do?
SANNARO
He was a seranimite miner.
DOCTOR
This is grave, young man. Not only was he exposed to Seranimite, but he mined for it?
SANNARO
Yes.
DOCTOR
Do you know the symptoms of Seranimite Poisoning; explosive temper, aggressive behavior, tunnel vision, irrational behavior, and, in the advanced stage, insanity?
SANNARO
My father.
DOCTOR
And you?
SANNARO
Well, I do have a bit of a temper and sometimes I can get a bit aggressive, but I channel it through my job as a fighter pilot for the Astrisi.
DOCTOR
Do you loose your temper with your wife?
SANNARO
You mean, do I physically abuse her? Absolutely not! My wife will beat my ass to the mats if I tried!
DOCTOR
That explains your very muscular physique. How old were you when you began to learn martial arts?
SANNARO
I was nine-years old, Human standard, when I began Astrisi school where martial arts was a normal part of the daily curriculum.
DOCTOR
And you are now, twenty-one years old, Human standard?
SANNARO
Yes.
The doctor reached for a scanner and swept the humming device over Sannaro’s body.
The computer screen began to scroll and write information on the screen.
The doctor returned to his stool and began to read the screen.
DOCTOR
Oh, this is grave, indeed. You're only sixty percent metallic! It’s a wonder you survived your birthing!
SANNARO
Then my son should be more Humanoid than Saili.
DOCTOR
Your son?
SANNARO
Yes, my wife's pregnant. I brought her to Vagakta Station to visit the Madanaya.
DOCTOR
Pregnant? Oh, no, no, no, you should not have children! Your metallic content is dangerously low. Consider if your child were to harden in his mother’s stomach! She'd have to have a cesarean to take the fetus out!
SANNARO
How can you say he will harden? My foster father's one of the best doctors of the Astrisi. He constantly reads Medical Journals and he even took a refresher course for a few weeks back at the University of Alveria where he made his doctorate! He reads every Journal on Saili medicine so he can care for me.
DOCTOR
I meant no insult to your foster father, but he's not a specialist on Gonkacha or else he would've encouraged for you to not procreate!
SANNARO
How can you say this? Andoku has linked with me!
DOCTOR
How can you say he will live?
SANNARO
Because he will!
Sannaro leapt off the table with the towel tightly held in his fist.
SANNARO (CONT.)
None of you are going to help us because you’re too busy insisting he shouldn’t be born! The Madanaya suggested we abort the pregnancy and now you’re telling me I shouldn’t procreate!
DOCTOR
Two different medical professions couldn’t be wrong, Aurum! Please calm yourself or I'll have to call the station security.
SANNARO
I’m finished here.
Sannaro threw the towel to the floor and picked up his pants.
As he raised a leg to put it into his pants, he felt a stinging sensation in his neck.
He surged up to touch the irritated area and saw the doctor was standing with an injector in his hands. Sannaro wobbled toward the doctor before he crumpled to the floor.
The doctor pressed a button on his pad.
DOCTOR
I have him, Verano.
VERANO
Good, take him to the treatment room.
INT. VAGAKTA STATION GONKACHA TREATMENT ROOM
Sannaro woke again with a sharp pain in his head. He opened his eyes and tried to look around, but his head was held fast.
He was in a treatment room. The walls were silver-gray.
He tried to move but felt restraints. He strained to look down he was strapped to a chair with reinforced steel straps with only his briefs on. He had the feeling of ear shackles pressed against his ears.
He tensed up to try to break the straps but only gave himself rope-burns so he relaxed.
The door swept open and the tall yellow Saili man with his white hair bound with a gold ribbon three times and tied in a small bow down to his middle back entered.
SANNARO
Verano!
He struggled to break free.
VERANO
You remember me. Their treatments were thorough. How disappointing.
SANNARO
I have no time for you. My mate's carrying our first child. She’s here to see the Madanaya.
Verano’s hands slapped down on his arms.
VERANO
I was respected in the community of Social Medicine before you came along- you and your Deviant Astrisi behavior! You are an abomination I tried to correct until you attacked me and ran away! I almost didn’t get my laboratory dismantled before the Police stormed the building. You ruined me!
SANNARO
You shouldn’t have kidnapped me then and you shouldn’t have done it now!
VERANO
But I'm wiser this time, I have a new treatment that can't fail.
Verano picked up an injector. He measured out some blue liquid into a vial, then loaded it into the injector. He turned toward Sannaro with a wicked grin on his face.
Sannaro tried to pull his head as far away as the head strap allowed him.
SANNARO
What’s that?
Verano stepped up to him and pressed the injector into Sannaro’s neck. Sannaro screamed as liquid fire coursed through his body causing muscle spasms as it progressed.
VERANO
In a few hours, I'll give you the next treatment. In a day or two, you will be a new man!
SANNARO
You are the Deviant, Verano! You are a criminal!
VERANO
You’ve got that wrong, Sannaro, I'm a Doctor who works to improve the lives of Gonkacha mutants so they can return to the way the Great Forger meant for Saili to be!
SANNARO
You’re sick.
VERANO
No, you’re sick- with Gonkacha. I have the cure and you’re going to prove to the scientific community of my great triumph, the end of Gonkacha! I’m going to restore your metallic percentage to 80% gold and 20% carbon as if you had never been born with the illness!
SANNARO
No, that’s not me! I was born this way! This was what I was meant to be!
VERANO
As usual, you're blind to the truth, Sannaro. The Astrisi did you a great disservice.
SANNARO
The Astrisi healed me of my severe burns and raised me as their own! Why is that a disservice- because they didn’t leave me to die on Regalis?
VERANO
Saili belong on Sailia, raised by Saili! I will return when it’s time for the next treatment.
EXIT VERANO.
The spasms had finally subsided, but Sannaro was left feeling weakened and bruised.
He drifted into an exhausted sleep.
Stabbing pain robbed him of his uneasy sleep. He awoke in panic to shaking limbs.
Verano was above him with his silver eyes glittering.
VERANO
Oh, Sannaro, you are doing well. Your gene resequencing is well advanced now.
Sannaro screwed his eyes shut as the pain coursed through him.
SANNARO
I was meant to be who I am, with dark blue hair and dark blue eyes!
VERANO
You aren’t now.
Verano picked up a hand mirror and put it in front of him.
Sannaro gasped at the unfamiliar face that stared back at him with teal green eyes and copper red hair. Sannaro looked away.
VERANO
That is how you were meant to look, as if you had been born here on Sailia, Sannaro. Your unnatural Gonkacha genes are almost totally replaced with healthy Saili gene-code.
Sannaro flexed to try to tear the bonds, but he felt sluggish and weak. All around him was dark blue hair laying on the floor; his dark hair. He bowed his head and the red curtain of unfamiliar hair fell across his face.
INT. SAILIA TRUE TELEPATHS STRONGHOLD
Sannaro woke again.
The air was thick and swirling with gases.
Despite the dizziness, he sat up on the narrow cot.
He stared at the light-gray flimsy robe he wore and pulled up the skirt to reveal he had nothing else on. He replaced the robe around his legs, then looked up at the small cell.
The only furnishings beside his cot was a small table. The room was small enough to cross it in four paces either way and the walls were rock.
A heavy metal door was across from his cot.
He pulled in a deep breath and staggered to the door.
It was locked.
The room spun when he turned around.
He staggered against the wall before he drunkenly walked the two paces to his cot and collapsed on it.
The room held no window.
SANNARO
Why does it matter anyway? Verano's taken away who I am. I don’t even feel like me. This Sannaro's weak and sickly. I don’t even feel like a proud Astrisi warrior.
He pulled up his robe to see if the scar around his left leg was still there. His ears were now bare.
He extended his telepathy and cringed at the vast psychic noise he sensed.
Voice over of many people talking.
The door opened. Framed in the door was a silver-skinned man with silver-green hair down to his hips who was a few inches taller than Sannaro, also wearing light-gray robes. He stepped in and the door closed again.
SANNARO
(hoarse voice)
Where am I? I am having difficulty breathing.
KOTONORI (PSI V.O.)
Do not use your voice.
SANNARO (PSI V.O.)
Not so forceful. I'm sensitive to other telepath’s sendings.
KOTONORI (PSI V.O.)
I am Kotonori of the Hydragyrum. I will be your instructor.
He bowed slightly with his hands clasped before him.
SANNARO (PSI V.O.)
Instructor of what?
KOTONORI (PSI V.O.)
For the Order of True Telepaths. This is your new home.
SANNARO (PSI V.O.)
How much is Verano paying you for keeping me?
KOTONORI (PSI V.O.)
You were lost but now you’re found.
SANNARO (PSI V.O.)
Don’t give me that fausa! I didn’t want to be found. This is just more of Verano’s insane mission to force me into his idea of who I should be. I want to return to Vagakta Spacestation. My mate is seeing a Madanaya, she's carrying our first child.
KOTONORI (PSI V.O.)
A child of mixed heritage? Such a child is impure to the Great Forger. You should not have conceived an unnatural hybrid.
SANNARO (PSI V.O.)
I was told that once a Saili has a marriage link with anyone, Saili or Humanoid, that link can’t be broken.
KOTONORI (PSI V.O.)
You may as well have linked with an Abuchik.
Sannaro surged up and was hit with vertigo. He dropped back onto the cot.
SANNARO (PSI V.O.)
You will not address my mate as a foraging rodent! She is an Astrisi warrior and a loving woman!
Sannaro gripped his ears and reeled.
KOTONORI (PSI V.O.)
You will keep your aggressive emotions under control or you will be punished again.
Sannaro was breathing in hard, rasping sobs as his vision darkened. He flopped his head onto the cot.
SANNARO
Jettison yourself into space.
Sannaro fainted.
END ACT 2
ACT 3
LATER
As soon as Sannaro woke again, he was visited by Kotonori.
KOTONORI (PSI V.O.)
I will not punish you for the vocalization you did as you were fainting, but if you persist in using your voice, I will be forced to punish you.
SANNARO (PSI V.O.)
This is torture! I can’t breathe! It's so hot and I'm not use to breathing methane.
KOTONORI (PSI V.O.)
You will improve in a few days. This is no different from if you were to go through the Acclimatization sessions you thought of yesterday.
SANNARO (PSI V.O.)
It's painful, I feel weak and I even want to take this robe off.
KOTONORI (PSI V.O.)
Do not disrobe. That, too, will be cause for punishment.
SANNARO (PSI V.O.)
Aren’t you a lively bunch?
KOTONORI (PSI V.O.)
Do not mock us. You are young and unenlightened. That will be rectified.
SANNARO (PSI V.O.)
Or I’ll be punished. You know, the first day I had with the Astrisi, they let me play with a computer and let me order a Cheeseburger from the Cafeteria. So far, all you’ve given me is a flimsy robe, a box of stone, a headache and shortness of breath.
A bright aura surrounded Kotonori and extended to Sannaro.
Sannaro cringed and grabbed his ears.
SANNARO (PSI V.O.)
Owe, even my mother didn’t mind-slap me as hard as you do.
He shook his head to shake off the pain.
KOTONORI (PSI V.O.)
You have not been properly disciplined. You are a petulant young man with no manners. I will teach you manners.
SANNARO (PSI V.O.)
Oh, I have manners, Astrisi manners, but you have decided to stay ignorant of other races because you consider yourself so far above them. That’s what I don’t like about Saili.
Kotonori's aura flashed.
Sannaro gasped at the sharper pain.
SANNARO (PSI V.O.)
You can mind-slap me all you like, but it won’t change my mind!
KOTONORI (PSI V.O.)
Verano was right about you, you are the most Deviant Saili.
Kotonori stomped out.
SANNARO (PSI V.O.)
It’s not polite to stomp!
He was awarded another less painful mind-slap.
He sank to his cot and closed his eyes. The throbbing headache was worsened by the mind-slaps and feeling he couldn’t draw in a decent breath. He pulled up the scooped neck of his robe and waved it up and down to make a small breeze to cool his sweating face.
SANNARO
Oh, Cherna, I miss you, but I can't reach out to you with this terrible headache. Do you feel our baby moving? Do you sense his mind caressing yours? I want to feel that. I want to feel him move. I want to feel his mind touching mine.
On the edge of his vision he could see his own chest heaving for breath as he felt the ache of loss in his hearts.
SANNARO
I might as well change my name. In Saili, it means lively. I don't feel like that anymore. I feel empty. Verano finally won.
LATER
Finally, his door was opened and he stepped out onto the soil of Sailia. The dark ground felt gritty and rocky under his bare feet.
Sannaro carefully walked with bare feet over the rocky ground.
Plants grew in neat rows near the tall stone wall. Men and Women of all metallic colors, dressed as he was in gray robes were bent over, tending the plants.
The dry heat and swirling vapors didn’t seem to bother them.
Trees with pink bark topped with lavender leaves towered over them and swayed as the gases blew around them.
On Sannaro’s right, back where his room was, a cliff rose ominously above them. A large hole gaped from the face and other Saili were moving in and out of the hole. Some carried digging tools while others guided out hovering carts, piled high with rocks or raw ores of various metals.
Above him was a gray-green sky that seemed to be alive with swirling gases. Once in a while, the swirls would part to show the red sun, but only for a few seconds before the gases swallowed the hole.
He had to pull up the robe to see where he set his feet.
KOTONORI (PSI V.O.)
Sannaro, pulling up on your robe to see the ground is acting like a woman.
SANNARO (PSI V.O.)
These rocks hurt my feet. I want my boots.
Sannaro cringed as another sharp rock stabbed his heel.
KOTONORI (PSI V.O.)
Well, since you have built up your muscles, I have volunteered you for the mining activity. Come, I will help you gather your tools and take you to your work detail.
Kotonori redirected Sannaro toward the dark cave.
Sannaro quit walking and pulled away.
SANNARO
No, I can’t!
He doubled over, hyperventilating.
KOTONORI (PSI V.O.)
Do not use your voice!
Sannaro fell to the ground and grabbed his ears. Sannaro remembered his terrifying experience under Bob Werner's porch. Sannaro clutched his heaving chest as he tried to control his panic.
SANNARO (PSI V.O.)
Blessed Firebird, I can't breathe!
Everyone in the courtyard stopped their work and stared at Sannaro in horror.
KOTONORI (PSI V.O.)
Sannaro, get in control of yourself.
SANNARO (PSI V.O.)
I have been fighting claustrophobia since I was seven years old! I can’t go in there!
Sannaro felt another mind-slap He cringed and held his ears.
KOTONORI (PSI V.O.)
Stop projecting those terrifying images! How dare you show us such horrendous thoughts?
SANNARO (PSI V.O.)
I can't help it! That's why I can't go in there!
He laid his forehead on the stony ground and gasped for precious breath. His chest hurt.
KOTONORI (PSI V.O.)
I don’t understand this, you should be acclimated by now!
SANNARO (PSI V.O.)
I’m almost faint and you’re worried about acclimation! Call a damn doctor!
Sannaro crumpled to the ground.
INT. SHUTTLE
Sannaro awoke again to the feeling of a small disk pressing on his chest. He opened his eyes and saw a gold doctor with silver-blue hair was listening to his chest with a stethoscope and frowning.
KINETIKO
This is serious, Doctor Verano. This young man's in respiratory distress. He's malnourished and dehydrated.
VERANO
I don’t understand! Kotonori says he has been feeding Sannaro and his plates have come back clean.
SANNARO (PSI V.O.)
Sure, the toilet thought it was delicious.
Verano’s lips formed a thin green line on his face.
KINETIKO
I want an x-ray of his chest.
The doctor put his stethoscope around his neck and stood up to face Verano.
KINETIKO (PSI V.O.)
You should have put him through the acclimatization sessions on Vagakta before you brought him here.
VERANO (PSI V.O.)
You don’t understand! This boy's dangerous. He nearly ruined me once before. I had to make him disappear immediately!
KINETIKO (PSI V.O.)
Verano, I help you finance your Gonkacha research because I, too, want our diseased brothers and sisters to return to the fold. I'm impressed with your DNA recoding process, but if he'd been given the proper acclimation treatments, we would've identified his breathing problem long before now.
SANNARO (PSI V.O.)
I don’t want to be cured! I was fine as I was!
VERANO (PSI V.O.)
See? He's a severe Deviant! He even refuses to live with Saili! He thinks he’s Astrisi!
KINETIKO (PSI V.O.)
All I see, Verano, is an 18 Saili-year old male who can’t seem to breathe. He won’t eat or drink. I want to reintegrate our Gonkacha children, not kill them and so should you. I want to move him to the Vagakta Hospital under another name and keep him in telepathic isolation. He will travel as Fenuku.
VERANO (PSI V.O.)
He sure was born late, he came to me with dark blue hair and dark blue eyes. His father died of the disease.
SANNARO
Verano kidnapped me. I was on Vagakta station with my Astrisi wife to see a Madanaya for our first child! I want to go back to my wife and child. Why is that so terrible to you?
VERANO
You are now in the Order of True Telepaths. Cease to use your voice now!
SANNARO
I do not choose that life!
Sannaro bent his head down to the bed and he sobbed for breath.
KINETIKO (PSI V.O.)
We need an oxygen tank, now.
Footsteps echoed quickly down the walkway.
Sannaro was just about to lose consciousness when the breathing mask was pulled over his nose and mouth. He took a desperate suck of air in, then began to relax as more oxygen was pumped through the mask.
KINETIKO (PSI V.O.)
No more arguing; this boy leaves now!
VERANO (PSI V.O.)
I assure you, you will regret your decision. This boy is dangerous. He’ll take you down just like he almost did to me!
KINETIKO (PSI V.O.)
Then you should have left him alone, Verano.
SANNARO (PSI V.O.)
Restore my mutated DNA, then let me go home and I will not say a word about this to anyone.
VERANO (PSI V.O.)
You don’t understand, the procedure is irreversible.
SANNARO (PSI V.O.)
Then just send me home and I still won’t say anything. I mostly stay on my ship anyway.
KINETIKO (PSI V.O.)
We can’t risk that. I'm Doctor Kinetiko. I'll help you with your breathing, but you must remain with the Saili. We are your people.
Sannaro lay back on the bed.
About fifteen minutes later, a Saili shuttle landed in the courtyard and Sannaro was loaded into the shuttle.
Verano was a few meters away, still arguing with Kinetiko.
Kinetiko threw up his arms and swept into the shuttle.
KINETIKO
That Verano's too paranoid.
SANNARO (PSI V.O.)
Do you know he was using untested psycho-pharmacological drugs on orphans on Belvas?
KINETIKO (PSI V.O.)
I don’t always like his methods, young man, but he's a brilliant scientist of Sociology. You have to admit, his Gene Therapy has phenomenal results. He says you had dark blue hair as well as dark blue eyes! I see a very normal-looking Saili before me.
SANNARO (PSI V.O.)
Right, you just won’t let me be me.
KINETIKO (PSI V.O.)
You weren’t meant to be mutated by an illness. Verano has restored what you were meant to be.
SANNARO (PSI V.O.)
Did you ever consider it a natural evolution to help the Saili relate to other Humanoids of our galaxy? I was born that way and for almost twenty-two years, Human standard, I have been happy with who I was. Did Verano have the right to destroy my sense of self because it doesn’t fit Saili ideals?
KINETIKO (PSI V.O.)
You wouldn’t understand because you weren’t raised Saili.
SANNARO (PSI V.O.)
And don’t believe your Ethnocentrism. Are you immediately right because you believe you're right and everyone else is wrong?
KINETIKO (PSI V.O.)
You are an intelligent young man.
SANNARO (PSI V.O.)
I was raised by a Doctor of General Medicine who attended the Medical University at Alveria. I nearly had all my schooling from the Astrisi school on my ship the Kumani. I'm also a veteran of the Zuran War. Now can you adjust this shuttle for oxygen breathing so I can take this mask off and talk?
KINETIKO (PSI V.O.)
Verano insisted I maintain you are of the Order of True Telepaths.
SANNARO (PSI V.O.)
As soon as I am in a breathable atmosphere, I will use my voice.
KINETIKO (PSI V.O.)
Then Verano has told me if you continue to talk I may sever your vocal cords.
Sannaro crossed his arms and shut his shields. Sannaro noticed movement out the corner of his eye.
Kinetiko was checking the air tank.
He began to feel sleepy.
SANNARO (PSI V.O.)
You unkakab!
He clawed at the mask, but, the more he fought, the faster he was slipping toward unconsciousness. He fell back onto the bench with his eyelids too heavy to keep open.
INT. VAGAKTA STATION GONKACHA CLINIC
Sannaro awoke again at the sound of a door swooshing open. The walls were again a silver metal. He reached his telepathy out and found there was a telepathic barrier in the walls. He sighed. He was in an isolation room.
Kinetiko walked in.
SANNARO
I'm getting tired of Saili skulking! I don’t understand why you have to strip a person of their dignity to achieve your ends! The Astrisi respect a person’s dignity by allowing them the chance to defend themselves.
KINETIKO
Their way is not our way.
SANNARO
Well, it should, you would learn something about respecting others.
KINETIKO
I’ve seen your chest x-rays and your lungs are seriously malformed.
SANNARO
What do you mean? My father has never found any problems with my lungs.
KINETIKO
Giovano?
SANNARO
No, Zhad, my foster father's a doctor. He's been caring for me since I was seven years old.
KINETIKO
The upper chamber of your lungs that processes the methane are vestigial and those are very damaged. Have you ever been in a fire?
SANNARO
Not really, actually, I was on fire.
KINETIKO
You were on fire? How did that happen?
SANNARO
I was washed by a high powered laser that hit the ground before my feet. When I plowed into the dirt, it doused the flames, but not in time to spare me second and third degree burns over ninety percent of my body. I also had burns in my trachea and my lungs. Zhad healed my burns so well, no one can even tell I was burned unless they know about it or give me a full physical exam.
KINETIKO
That’s incredible. Thank you for the medical history. As soon as I can find a lung donation, I'll perform the surgery to replace at least one.
Sannaro leapt out of bed.
SANNARO
No, I won’t agree to the procedure.
KINETIKO
You can’t survive on Sailia unless at least one lung is replaced.
Kinetiko walked up to Sannaro to grab his arm and lead him back to his bed.
Sannaro twisted his arm upwards away from Kinetiko’s grasp and slammed the heel of his hand into the doctors chin.
Kinetiko dropped to the floor, unconscious.
Sannaro went through the door.
Two guards twirled to face him.
He swept his arms out on either side and slammed them in the face. They, too, dropped to the floor unconscious.
Sannaro he rushed down the hall and out into the general section of Vagakta Station.
He composed himself and walked calmly through the crowd He kept his telepathy on full alert for any signs that Kinetiko’s guards were searching for him.
He approached Suite 211 and rang the bell.
Two husky Gonkacha Saili were at the door when it opened.
GONKACHA #1
Go away.
Sannaro stepped onto the door track to prevent it from closing again.
SANNARO
I was told to meet Meturato here.
The other one scowled and took a step toward him.
GONKACHA #2
We don’t like True Telepaths.
SANNARO
Well, you see, I’m not a True Telepath because I’m talking to you, yes? I'm Gonkacha. A doctor kidnapped me, changed my hair and eye color and tried to hide me with the True Telepaths. My name is Sannaro of Regalis and if you don’t let me in soon, Verano and Kinetiko will send their thugs after me.
The two men moved to the side.
Sannaro rushed through the door and sighed with relief.
Meturato entered from another room.
METURATO
I don't know you.
SANNARO
We met in the Gonkacha Doctors waiting room. I was with my wife, sister, foster father and Uncle. When they called me back for my exam, I was kidnapped and forced to go through a painful genetic therapy that changed my hair from midnight blue to copper and my eyes from midnight blue to teal green.
Meturato came closer to study Sannaro’s face.
METURATO
Who did this to you?
SANNARO
Verano.
METURATO
Your mind speaks Astrisi so you must be the man I spoke to. Verano's the enemy of Gonkacha. Since he came, our lives have become a nightmare.
SANNARO
I believe you. Verano kidnapped me five years ago to try an experimental drug that was supposed to wipe my permanent memory so he could replace my life with one of his choosing. I fought him and escaped.
METURATO
We know all about it, brother. You are Sannaro Damirateyak.
SANNARO
How do you know?
METURATO
You are admired here. You are the only Gonkacha Saili who has successfully managed to fight the system and win.
Sannaro’s jaw dropped.
METURATO
Yes, Sannaro, you are a hero, here.
Meturato walked into a large room full of Gonkacha men, women, and children huddled against the wall with wild eyes staring at him as they passed.
SANNARO
These people are terrified of normal Saili!
METURATO
Yes, Sannaro. You see, after the Zuran War started, and we were all recalled to Sailia, we Gonkacha had trouble acclimating to Sailia’s atmosphere so we were herded here to Vagakta Station to live. At first there were kind Doctors who came among us to research the effects on Gonkacha to offspring of the disease, as well as to tend to our general health, until Verano and his followers came with the intent to control us. Women who were pregnant were suddenly having miscarriages. Then men and women were suddenly in need of mysterious surgeries. When they returned, they tried many times to conceive, but not one has been successful. Sometimes our members will go to see a doctor and are never heard from again. After the war was won, many of us wanted to return to the Human colonies where we lived before the war, but not one of us were allowed to go. I once managed to board a passenger ship, but Saili security were boarding and scanning the ships before they were allowed to leave. They found me and took me off that transport, then sent it on. They told me to never try to leave Vagakta Station again because they would find me.
SANNARO
This station has become your prison.
METURATO
You could stop this, Sannaro. Teach us how to fight them.
SANNARO
No Saili has ever given me praise for being who I am. I was forced away from the Astrisi and told I had to be with my own people! I had to fight with Uncle Devasru who'd wanted to change me to behave like a proper Saili. Verano had almost killed me with that mind-wiping serum! Uncle Devasru had been so shocked about the violence and that Verano had successfully alluded the police, he realized, for my survival, he had to return me to the Astrisi.
METURATO
Your life has been incredible. Your ability to survive adversity is the very reason you are admired here!
SANNARO
I wish I could, Meturato, but now I know my family is in grave danger. The Madanaya will find any excuse to abort my wife’s pregnancy. I need to go to her and protect her.
METURATO
You are needed here! Sannaro, we are your people! We need you to help us gain our freedom!
SANNARO
Bring my family to safety and I’ll consider your offer.
METURATO
Okay, we’ll bring your family to safety if you'll accept that you're the Savior of the Gonkacha.
A few men rushed toward the front door of the suite.
Sannaro leaned against an unoccupied wall with head bowed, his legs and arms crossed.
FADE OUT.
THE END.