Chapter 11
Sheila's cell door clanged open and two Samars entered the cell. They both had the look and attitude of the first Samar she had met, quietly unpleasant. They took up positions on each side of her, and one retrieved a strange looking pair of cuffs from his belt.
The cuffs were made of glossy black material and had a flat spot on the inside. They felt warm and smooth on her wrists. Near the flat spot was a small, glowing, red light. Once he had put them on each of her wrists, he forced them together and they stuck to each other with a snap at the flat spot. The small light then glowed green.
Unlike the Samar she had absorbed, these had some sort of weapons. Sheila eyed one of the weapons, wishing it were in her hand, imagining what it would do to the Samars' heads.
She smiled defiantly.
Maybe one of them would like a head job? Maybe I can get them to let their guard down just a bit.
The Samar wearing the weapon noticed her looking at it and said, "Be my guest." He pushed his hip nearer to her, offering the weapon. He smiled and added, " I know you want it."
The other Samar mirrored the expression on the face of the one taunting her. They seemed to be truly enjoying their little game. She could see in their eyes that they didn't believe that she would. Rosa would though, and lately Rosa was nearly always in control.
She gripped the butt of the weapon in one snake-like quick movement and pointed it at mouthy Samar's head. She really wanted to kill this one, wanted him dead in a heap on the floor.
Her hand was steady; She squeezed the trigger.
Nothing happened.
Both Samars laughed hysterically, looking at each other, mimicking the surprised and defeated look on her face when the weapon failed to fire.
" I Love it when they look that way," the Samar which had not spoken until then said, then added, "when they realize there's no escape." He smiled down on her wickedly.
"She's really fast though," the other Samar pointed out, still smiling.
Once the two Samars were done toying with her, they said, "Just so you don 't get any ideas."
He unbuttoned his Pants and dropped them to his knees. "We're not like other guys," he said, nearly laughing as he did.
Sheila stared down in disbelief at a very small fleshy tube that looked like a one-inch long straw, He had nothing else.
Apparently they had only given him a piss tube to relieve himself, but no sex organs. What a cruel thing to do, she thought. No wonder they were assholes.
Seeing her stunned expression, the Samar explained, "The One you absorbed was created for that purpose, a vessel. We are guards."
The other Samar began laughing again, and said, "You sounded just like she does when she says she's not like other girls." He repeated the phrase chuckling, " I'm not Like other guys, that's rich."
"The council of seven wishes to see you," he said while he buttoned his pants. He sounded much more serious now.
"Come with us."
Snatching the gun from Sheila's hand, the other Samar returned it to his holster. "It only works for the one it belongs to," he said flatly. "You don't know anything do you?" He pushed her toward the cell door.
They entered the hallway with one Samar ahead of her and one behind her. After walking for several minutes down a long corridor, they came to a large circular room with a high ceiling. The entire structure was hewn from smooth, polished stone. It reminded Sheila of Ishtar's temple. Stone was obviously a favorite building material of the Hunics.
Three small, raised, half-circle railings that reminded Sheila Of witness boxes were spaced evenly in front of a high polished stone desk built along the opposite wall. An emblem with seven stars arranged in a cross pattern adorned the long polished front of the desk. Seven throne-like seats were positioned behind it.
The Samars led Sheila to the first of the three half-oval railed witness boxes, pulled the cuffs apart at the swivel with a command, and placed each of her hands down into hand-shaped impressions on the desk's glossy surface.
She couldn't remove her hands from the desk.
The Samars offered a slight bow toward the empty council chairs and then exited through the same corridor they had entered through.
Seven hooded figures began to file in behind the long desk and take seats on the stone thrones. Once seated, they looked down on Sheila, and the council member in the center directed a question to someone Sheila couldn't see.
"Who is her sponsor?"
Another hooded figure stepped up to the center podium and said, "I am her sponsor."
Sheila recognized Joshua's distorted voice.
Even here he was distorting his voice and hiding behind the robes. Still, it was nice to see he did have form.
Joshua is my sponsor?
She marveled.
Do I know him? The one who had dispatched me so many times to my tasks?
"We have reviewed all of her psi links and recorded data and see it was not your doing, Live long and serve, Joshua," the center hooded figure stated cooly,
Joshua stepped down from the box, never looking in Sheila's direction. He simply walked in a slow gate to wherever it was he appeared from and was gone. Clearly, he had severed his link to her, saving himself by making clear he was of no wrong doing. She loathed Joshua. He had left her at the mercy of this strange Court.
Coward.
She started to become angry, feeling she had been manipulated somehow. They had been using her for their needs with no regard for her feelings. All along acting as if they had her best interest at stake. Ishtar had been right.
Two samars, possibly the same two, Sheila couldn't be sure, escorted her Goddess Ishtar to the railing farthest from Sheila.
Ishtar looked old and tired. They locked Ishtar's hands in the same way Sheila's were locked to the desk top.
Sheila called mentally to her goddess,
What's happening?
One of the hooded figures seated to the left of the center figure whispered something Sheila couldn't hear. They all mumbled amongst themselves and seemed to come to some type of agreement.
"Out of respect for Ishtar, a fellow Hunic, communication between Ishtar and her consort will be permitted, although we will be privy to it," the lead hooded figure said cooly. She looked toward Ishtar.
Ishtar nodded her agreement then answered Sheila in her mind.
They know of my transgressions, my Priestess. It is strictly prohibited, and I will be punished today. No matter what happens here, know I will always love you, my Priestess, until the end of time. Nothing they can do will change that.
Sheila began to sob softly. All was lost if Ishtar had resigned to her punishment. She could feel Ishtar's fear of this council, but she could also feel the depths of Ishtar's love for her. Why would they want to kill someone as beautiful as Ishtar?
Your love is something she can't truly understand,
the central hooded figures voice said in Sheila's mind.
She is cast-down, only half of the original Hunic blood runs in her veins. The other half is of the Human servant race.
The words were offensive to Sheila, filled with the offense the council felt for her.
The central council member scowled and spoke out loud. "She is an abomination that never should have existed, one that you are to blame for."
Several of the -other hooded council members voices echoed in agreement.
Also Similar sentiments filled Sheila's head, coming from the other council members.
This enraged Sheila and she freely allowed her angry thoughts to mingle mentally within the offensive remarks of the council.
All of the hooded figures looked down on Sheila in surprise and anger.
The council turned their attention from Sheila after a few moments, and pushed their hoods back.
The central council member spoke, "Ishtar, you have been found guilty of genetic blending and manipulation of a lower race, causing the degradation of your own race, the highest form of treason. You may speak."
The central council member had beautiful long red hair and strong features. Her green-eyes were filled with anger and hatred for her sister Hunic, Ishtar. She awaited Ishtar's reply.
Sheila could see that no matter how Ishtar answered, her fate had already been decided.
"We can not continue like this. We are dying. We either need to build here. Or leave here. We must Stop hiding in the shadows, feeding on these people like leeches."
Ishtar seemed just as aware that nothing she said would change their minds. She stopped speaking, dropped her head and sent a thought to Sheila,
I'm sorry, my precious one.
The council, all sharing similar features and beauty as those of Ishtar, though clearly monstrous in deeds, weren't moved by their sister's words. They looked on coldly like a pack of angry wolves intent on turning against their own.
A long silence ensued then the lead council member spoke, "All in favor of absorption."
In turn each council member spoke one word, "Concur."
None wavered, each agreeing until all were in favor of absorption.
She didn't know what absorption was, but it couldn't be good. Sheila hated them all, every one of them. She would kill them right now if she could. The council looked down on her aware of how she felt, knowing her thoughts.
"Ishtar, you will be absorbed by the Network you have betrayed. As is custom, your accuser will be present during sentence execution," the central council member said coldly.
