Nanowars: Rebirth - 15. Chapter 15: The Better Prize

Chapter Fifteen: The Better Prize

Before he would meet with Talon’s near twin, Everett insisted on confronting his betrothed. Once he saw Talon’s ragged state, he discarded the tirade he planned. Talon was thinner, paler, and he looked more frightened than he had ever seen him before. He demanded Talon be let out of his cell when the young Legate responded by curling into a ball and sobbing. “Why did you do it Talon… haven’t I always been good to you?”

“It’s not me… it’s the others.”

“Who… oh, them. I’m the Segundo. The men must learn to obey me. It’s the only…” Seeing they were not alone, he dismissed the droids. Even so, he knew they were still being watched. “Movi… can you?”

A red ball of light floated out of from the bottom of Xavier’s cloak. It was his Watcher.

“Of course Master.” Expanding to 500 times its original size, Movi encased both men in a silencing field.

“I only do what I do to free ourselves of the Personas.”

“By being just as bad as they are?”

“It is what our fathers wanted.”

“Your father, not mine.”

“Aye… speaking of which, why did you tell that man my name is Labatt? What will he do when he learns the truth?”

“I… it wasn’t my idea.”

“Ah Puggles… it is the sort of thing he would think up.”

“If that man is as similar to you as he appears to be, would there not also be a Labatt on his world as well? Would the name not have a similar meaning to him as it does to you? Wouldn’t they love each other as much as you two do?”

“I…”

“Silence… I’ve known you and Travis since the beginning. My father warned me it would be this way but I wanted to believe differently. I wanted to believe that you were better than that. By running away and trying to have a doppelganger take your place at my side, you’ve proven you are unworthy of us both. ”

“I’m… I’m sorry Everett. I shouldn’t have gone along with Puggles lies but it sounded so reasonable. We would all get what we wanted.”

“I wanted you! Not someone who looks like you but you! I have not lived my entire life waiting for our Selection only for you to take such a cowardly route to escape it. I cannot even look at you now without becoming sick. Even if the other refuses me, all I have ever given you is now his. He at least he had courage to risk the Maze to find his father. He is ten times the man you’ll ever be.”

“Where will I go?”

“That is up to the Personas. For all I care you can go to the Pits.”

Talon could survive the pits but with no title or rank he had no right to keep his watcher. “What about Puggles?”

“He will work as the other Winters’ translator until he learns our language. Afterwards he can serve as a light bulb.”

“No… please Everett. I beg you. You can do whatever you want to me but please don’t take Pugs from me.”

Even after all his betrayals, Everett could not bear the burden of leaving his former betrothed in such a state. “I will ask the Personas to leave your fate to your twin. He will have to decide if taking you on as a slave is worth your future betrayal. I do not doubt you and your Watcher will betray him.”

“Please Everett… please forgive me!”

“Never… Movi… have the slave prepared. If this Winters will not take him then he should fetch a good price in the markets.”

“Please Everett….Please don’t leave me.”

Though far from the depths of detention levels, Puggles knew every hateful word his brother heard. Though he had served his brother since birth, he had no choice but to be loyal to his twin. It was the only way he could protect him. The first step was telling Avery the truth.

Avery’s face went quite pale when he confessed that Everett was not a Labatt but a Walker. That name was clearly known to him as well. “What… what should I do?”

“Here I was hoping you would tell me what I can do to save Talon.”

“I’ll take him in but no more lies from either of you. If I knew you were setting me up to marry a Walker, I would have never come here.

“If you know Everett then you know why we lied.”

“I do not know Everett but I’ve read my father’s diaries so I know the Walkers… or, at least, a Walker. Travis Walker… he was my father’s lover.”

“Then you two are a perfect match.”

“No damn it. My father faked his death to escape him the first time. The second time he trapped him in the Maze.”

“How did he do that?”

“He destroyed the only gateway.”

“But you got here.”

“The one I used is relatively new. As far as I know, it only goes one way.”

“Then you’re trapped here?”

“No there’s another… the Eye. But I think only a Winters or a Labatt can use it.”

“Then we all can escape.”

“No, it’s too heavily guarded on the other side but there must be another way.”

“Must be. You yourself know three more ways than I did.” Puggles let his warm light brush against Avery. He hated to admit it but the brief contact affected him more than if it had been Talon. “Who are you?”

“You tell me Pugs… I only came here to find my dad.”

“What was his name?”

“Harry. Harry Winters.”

Puggles didn’t respond. He knew the name all too well. But to tell Avery what he knew would put him and Talon at too much a risk. Some secrets were best not shared.

When Everett reached the entrance to the med ward where Avery was being kept, he stalled at the door for a good 1/8^th cycle. Since any hope of having a life with Talon by his side had vanished with his betrayal, their visitor from another world was all the more important. If he was indeed a Winters then the bond between the bloodlines should hold. He would know when he got close enough. It had been that way with Talon. It had been the same way with their fathers… supposedly it had been true for his grandfather. It had been the first Walker, Travis Walker, who had established the royal line. He had also been the one to decree that if one existed, a Walker Segundo must be betrothed to a member of the Winters bloodline.

For the first time since the dynasty was founded, there were two Winters within reach. However, even if Talon had been the only one, he would have broken with custom and refused the Selection. But there were two, and from all appearances, the second was more worthy of the Winters bloodline than Talon had ever been.

But would this Avery Winters see him as being a worthy husband. Or would he, like Talon, refuse the match. Everett knew that risk was real. Talon had proven that when he lied to Avery, telling him Everett was a Labatt instead of a Walker. Even across the stars, it seemed the name of Walker was feared. Then again, the name of Winters was just as beloved.

Unsure if it was time for the two to meet, he summoned his Watcher. “Movi?”

“Yes Master?”

“I want you to talk to Winters for me. Try to figure out what he’s like.”

“So you don’t end up saying something stupid?”

“So I don’t come on too strong. I need to know if he fears my family as much as I suspect.”

“And how to allay those fears. I can answer that right now… dump the armor.”

“But…”

“And the sword, daggers, medals, sidearm… and anything else that might be seen as the least bit threatening. And for the sake of the Personas, try to smile.”

“Shall I also rid myself of an obnoxious pest?”

“I’m only trying to help Master.”

“I don’t want you screwing this up. This is my last chance. Otherwise the Personas might force me to take Talon back.”

“Don’t you want that even a little?”

“No. He betrayed me. I will never trust him again. See to my request.”

“Aye master.”

It started off badly from the very start. Movi and Puggles each saw the other’s master as being unworthy of their own. Given recent events, Movi was in no mood for Pugs antics. “Get out of my way or I’ll see that you’re turned into a light bulb.”

“Meanie… Master Winters will protect Puggles, won’t he?

“Don’t worry Pugs… I won’t let him do it, not yet at least.”

“But Master!”

“Scoot bubbles… My Master wants me to speak with the Winters alone.”

“And let you feed him all sort of lies about your Master?”

“It’s alright Puggles, I think I know what’s what. You’d better go find someplace safe until this is over or your friend might actually go through with his threat.”

“Meanie!” To the surprise of Movi, Pugs dived into Avery’s chest and merged with him. A blue aura now surrounded Avery.

“You get out of there right now or so help me my Master will…”

Avery raised a hand to calm the red Watcher. “It’s alright. He’s scared. I told him to go someplace safe. I never thought it would be inside me.”

“It’s a violation of the Watcher Code. He…” When Movi thought about it, what Puggles had done should have been impossible. A Watcher should not have the ability to bond with anyone other than their Master.

“It doesn’t hurt and it will keep him out of your hair.”

“Watchers don’t have hair.”

“It’s a metaphor.”

“I see. You are a strange one off-worlder, even for a Winters.”

Taking a moment to circle around Avery, he scanned every inch of him with his crimson light. “Good… you will suit my master nicely.”

“I have no intention of suiting myself to his needs.”

“We’ll just have to see about that. I do not know what that light bulb has told you but my Master treated Talon with the utmost kindness.”

“Then why did he run away?”

“Only Ares knows. Master Walker is the future Segundo of the Tosian Ark. All that is missing for him to claim that position is meeting the requirement that he take on a mate.”

“Well I ain’t gonna be it.”

“I beg you to reconsider. He can do so much for you.”

“Such as?”

“Such as help you find your father.”

That got Avery’s attention. “He knows where he is?”

“Not his exact location but he knows how to find those who would know.”

“Is my father safe? Is he alright?” Avery was desperate for news of his father.

“He is alive but far from safe. Our Persona masters have commanded he either be captured or killed. He is a rebel after all.”

“Of course he is. Travis is the enemy.”

“You mean my Master’s grandfather?”

“Yes. I believe he was the one who kidnapped my father and brought him here. I intend to get him back. Damn it, I will get him back.”

“Would he not have preferred you remain safe from the horrors of the Maze?”

“You think it’s all that safe on Earth? Those things in the Maze have found their way there and have been hunting for me and my friends. Other than my father, who else can I turn to?”

“My Master for one.” Yes, this one had true steel in him… not the soft clay that made up Talon’s spine. He would suit his master perfectly.

“Other than sell me off to Travis, what can he do?”

“You have me at a disadvantage. I and my Master know little about his grandfather. He left Tosia a long time ago and hasn’t been seen since.”

“Why did he leave?”

“To go after your father I guess. I cannot say what their relationship was but he was determined to get him back.”

“He won’t ever leave our family alone, will he?”

“As I said, I know nothing of the history between your families.”

“I brought my father’s diaries with me. They’re in my pack.”

“Then we will examine them.”

“Can you even read them?”

“From whom do you think we learned your language?”

“I should have known that.”

“That does not mean you won’t have to learn ours. But don’t worry, the education process is easier than you think.”

“It better be… I don’t intend to live out my college years here.”

“But if there was no way to return you to your world? Would you consider living with us?”

“I would have to ask my father. I have to find him before I will consider leaving.”

“Then we will make your stay, no matter how brief, as pleasant as possible. With your permission I will introduce you to my Master.”

“Better sooner than later I guess.” Avery was doing his best not to sound concerned, but given what he had read in his father’s journals, he could not help but fear meeting the Walker.

There was a chime at the door. When it slid open a towering man in white and gold robes entered. He was nearly 7 feet of curly platinum blond hair, deeply tanned unmarred skin, and blue eyes that shimmered like diamonds. If Avery was nervous, this giant was in a state of near panic. Strangely that helped lessen Avery’s fears.

“I, the Segundo Heir Everett Walker, bow in homage before the scion of House Winters.”

Avery had no clue on how to respond to such a formal greeting “Uhmmm… nice to meet you too.”

“He is a strange one, is he not Movi?”

“Strange but in a good way Master.” They said in their own language.

“Uhmmm… how about we stick with English.” Aaron insisted. Custom dictated one should not speak in a langue not known by all present.

“Very well.” Everett moved towards Avery but stopped mid-step. He feared if he took that step, he would not be able to stop from taking more. This Winters had a far more compelling aura than Talon. “I…”

Avery held up a warning hand. “I too…” Avery was being affected as well but armed with the knowledge provided by his father’s dairies, he had been prepared for it.

“May we sit?”

“Sit if you want. I prefer to stand.” Yeah… he needed to be on his feet in case he had to run.

Everett gave him a knowing nod. “Then we shall both stand. I have much I wish to discuss with you but I don’t know where to begin. The simplest solution is for me to ask if there is anything I can do for you.”

“Help me find my father.”

“Yes… My Watcher told me you are looking for your father. If he indeed is the famed Harry Winters, that will not be an easy task. Our Persona masters see him as an enemy of the state.”

“Why? What did he ever do to them?”

“They are a mass of machines and computers. I cannot claim I understand their alien logic. Suffice it to say… I am no friend of theirs. I will do what I can to help you but I cannot risk the well being of my men.”

“Men… I have to admit I haven’t seen a single woman since I arrived?”

“Woman?

“Yes… you do know what women are?”

“Only what’s written in the historical archives. We had women once but that was before the Shattering.”

“The Shattering?”

“Our planet was destroyed during the last great war. All that remain are a few dozen broken shards connected by gateways.”

“Like the one I went through.” Avery suspected more. Could the meteor that hit Earth have been one of these shards?

“Yes. According to our families’ secret histories the Winters, Walkers, and Labatts all came from your world. Quite remarkable isn’t it. If you are common examples of the men of Earth then our people will find much happiness there.”

“Your people are coming to Earth?”

“Our whole world is.”

“You have the power to move planets?”

“The Personas do… or so they claim. It has been a long and arduous journey but we are now in the last 50 years of the crossing.”

“Half a century how fast is your planet moving?”

“Hard to say in your terms. Faster than I can comprehend but far slower than the flipping of a light switch.”

“So, fast but not the speed of light.” That gave Avery some hope. What might seem like 50 years to them could be more than a hundred on Earth. The idea that all the horrors of the Maze would one day invade his world made him all the more determined to get back.

Everett saw Avery’s worried expression and did his best to sooth his fears. “Our coming is a good thing for we have much to offer your people. Gate travel for example. As for the things in the Maze, we would have purged our world of their filth long ago but we have always lacked the numbers. If there are truly a billion men like you on your world then the stars themselves cannot stand against us.” He took two steps closer.

“My people do not seek war. I ask you not bring it with you.”

“That is for the Personas to decide.” He moved closer.

Movi once again expanded to shield them from prying ears.

“For now it is theirs but I will make it ours if you swear to remain with me.”

They were but inches away from each other. “I… I can’t. Not until I find my father.” It took every ounce of will he could muster to step away.

Everett was not going to give up. “Then we will find him… together.” He took Avery in his arms and would not let go. Avery did all he could to avoid the man’s blue eyes but he could not escape their compelling gaze. When their eyes locked, Everett moved in for the kiss. It was as sweet as it was long. “This is how it is supposed to be.” Everett thought.

Avery for his part feared the compelling power this Walker was gaining over him. “Is this why my father feared the Walkers?”