Silent Wishes
By Amber Michelle


Chapter Seven

"We done? I go back now?"

Krelian glanced back, the small, diminutaive voice breaking through his contemplations. Data scrolled down the screen, downloading from the lab module into his computer files, but he ignored it for the time being -- it was moving too fast for even his enhanced senses to trace.

"Yes," he replied, waving her away. "You are free to return to your room." She stood, staring at him a moment -- why? -- and then Emeralda slid down from the examination table and shuffled out of the room without looking back.

Peace and quiet -- at last.

Not that the girl was noisy or bothersome, but there was a quality about solitude that one just could not experience with others present, no matter how silent their manner. And as much as he hated to admit it, the little girl was too...... distracting. Not just in her chance resemblance to Elehayym, though that was also part of it; no, just her very existence...... the fact that a man could create such a being entirely out of nanomachines...... it was a feat he longed to emulate, to learn from.

And her perfection astounded him. Perfection he had tried to achieve with Ramses...... and failed.

Turning back to the computer, Krelian settled on his heels and glared at the readouts as if they offended him. And perhaps they would, when he finally got a chance to look at them. He was fast running out of tests to run on the girl -- soon, it would be time to send her into battle, to retrieve another sort of data. And for some strange reason, he found himself reluctant to do such a thing.

Why? She was worthless, aside from her composition. She could barely speak a civilized language, and even her help at translation was minimal at best. Her face served as a constant reminder of the one he had lost...... though that was more Miang's fault than the girl's. She was the one who had mentioned it, after all, after witnessing the girl's mention of an 'Elly'.

Did she know something? Was she keeping something hidden from him, about this child he had in his hands?

His mouth twisted, and he leaned against the console, hands splayed out over the keys. Why did he even bother to ask such stupid questions? Was the stress really starting to effect him? Of course Miang was keeping something from him -- wasn't she always? And while he would gladly strangle the information out of her, it would be more to his advantage if he showed her he could be patient; something she apparently valued, and did not expect from him.

Krelian smiled grimly. His past still preceded him, it appeared.

Now if only she would succeed in drawing Elly to Etrenank...... She, and the child Ramsus, had tried and failed on numerous occasions...... frankly, it was beginning to annoy him. If they weren't competant enough to capture one simple girl......

"Busy as always, Lord Krelian?"

Speak of the devil...... He glanced over his shoulder, eyes resting first without interest on Miang, and then moving to fall upon his creation. "You've finally decided to grace us with your presence, Kahran? I'm...... flattered." He straightened, watching the child's face as it hardened into a resentful mask. "I take it you've failed yet again? The Ministry will not be pleased."

"Damn the Ministry."

Krelian raised his eyebrows, smiling slightly at the surprise tinging Miang's expression. As if she herself had not uttered similar curses, only a day ago...... "Too late, Ramses." He pushed the smile away, fighting the urge to goad him into another angry confrontation. Miang would only interfere. "Is that what you have come here to tell me, or did you finally decide to grace us with an explanation for your most recent failure?"

"Now now, boys......" Miang rested her hand on Ramsus's arm, stopping him just as he had been about to speak. The way she smiled as she leaned into the boy......

'Controlling' his creation, was she? Krelian narrowed his eyes, ever so slightly. Her smile was striking every thread of resentment he felt for her, and she knew it....... "Save it for later, Miang. He owes us an explanation, and I'm going to see that he gives one. He has a choice -- he can tell me, or he can see the Ministry. Which will it be?"

"Why is Elehayym so important to you?" Ramsus asked instead, pulling away from Miang's touch. "She'll return eventually -- why are you insisting that we capture her now? Krelian?"

That's the million-dallar question, isn't it, Ramses......? Krelian turned his back on his guests, keying the computer for shut down. "I see you have no intention of cooperating with me. This will be taken up with the Gazel." Foolish child. It was time to take him down a few rungs, it seemed...... He certainly had no right to refuse such a simple request - wasn't it his job to obey orders?

"Tell me." Kahran's voice grew cold. "Why is Elly so important to you?"

So much for perfection......


Emeralda backed away from the crack in the door, sighing as the three people moved out of even her range of hearing. She heard the hiss of a door a moment later, and she assumed that Krelian and the other strange people had left through the other exit.

Elly.

Any language, any tone, the name was always the same...... It always sounded the same to her, and when she heard the man Krelian speak it...... it was almost the way she herself did. Sometimes. It could just be her, wishing to hear someone else who missed Elly as much as she did. He did not really seem like the type of person who would care about anyone, even as wonderful a person as her Elly......

Or even her. She didn't really think he cared much about her, though he was giving her clothing, and a place to sleep...... But he wasn't Elly. He didn't hug her, or comfort her, or give her things that tasted sweet, or looked pretty.......

The hallway, and the door, wavered before Emeralda's eyes. She blinked, trying to drive it away, but the hot, wet feeling persisted. Elly. I want to see Elly. She turned away from the door, shuffling back down the hallway to her room in a corridor that wavered and shined like water to her eyes.

A single, warm drop of water trickled down her cheek, and she brushed it away half-heartedly, wondering what it was, and why she felt so tight in her chest.

Bitter, bitter wetness rolled down her cheeks, and rolled off her chin to spatter on her shirt, and her arms when she hugged them around her chest like Elly used to do. She hurried into her room as soon as the door opened for her, and just sat on the floor where she had entered. Kim........ She sniffled, feeling her lip tremble uncontrollably. What is this? I don't understand......

The portrait of her Elly -- or she thought it was her Elly...... it looked different -- wavered as the hallway had, blurring until only an orange blob marked the place it hung on the wall.

I....... just want to....... see....... my......

She squeezed her eyes shut and leaned over to lie on the floor, burying her face in her arms to stop the wetness in her eyes. But she couldn't stop the terrible, tight feeling around her chest......

See...... again.......




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