Sins of the Fathers - Part 3

Part 3

Jerryn stood in front of the mirror as she fixed her hair. She cut a stunning figure in her uniform. Tall, slim but all was hidden by the uniform jacket. Blonde locks held up in an intricate twist. Clear intelligent blue eyes and striking features. Jerryn was stunning by anyone’s standards. After her hair was done she put on her field cap and slipped on her great coat. Dark grey with red epaulets adorned with her commanders rank. Pausing to check herself again, Jerryn turned and left her apartment to the waiting transport. She settled into the vehicle and instructed the sergeant assigned to her to drive to the central Archives.
“What are your order’s Ma’am?”
“I shall be there for sometime. You may return to barracks and I shall call you when I wish to leave”
“I’m sorry Ma’am, but my orders are to remain with you. No one is to be alone in the Native zone”
“Very well you shall park outside and remain at the entrance” sighed Jerryn, then she settled back in her seat and watched the city rush past her window. The affluent suburbs gave way to more heavily built up areas, “Aesir Out!” and other such slogans adorned the walls. The closer to the Native zone they got, the more derelict the areas became. The transport slowed as it approached the checkpoint, Jerryn’s window rolled down and she passed her hand over the biometric scanner offered to her.
“Thank you Commander, you may go” said the checkpoint guard snapping a salute. The window rolled up as the transport moved on into the Native zone. Ten minutes later they pulled up in front of the imposing building that housed the Central Archives. Jerryn strode purposefully up the front steps, the sergeant quickly falling in behind her. Upon entry she was greeted by a nervous Native who would show her to the materials she sought.
“Sergeant, remain here. If I need you I summon you.”
Not bothering to wait for his reply, she followed the young archivist to the reading room.
“The Chief Archivist arranged for all the journals you requested. Most are now available electronically however we have yet to digitise some of the older journals. If you do need to go that far back the Chief has requested you contact her. They are quite fragile some of them”
“Dismissed”
Jerryn walked round the table removing her cap and placed her coat over the chair and sat down. Taking out her note pad she opened it at the latest notes:

Genetics
Variation
De-selection
Speciation
Loss of fitness

She frowned at her notes and tapped the monitor in front of her and began to search.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

A knock at the door roused Kalin from what she was reading. Tapping the monitor, she closed the file she had open.
“Come in”
“She’s here Chief. I showed her to the room you set aside”
“Good hopefully she will find what she’s looking for. Let me know if there are any problems”
“Eh…a sergeant is posted outside”
“We have nothing to hide Michael, if he wants want anything get it for him, otherwise stay out of his way”
“Yes Chief”
The door shut behind him. Sighing, Kalin pinched the bridge of her nose. Why was the Aesir Commander looking at Native journals? What was she looking for? Kalin re-opened the file she had been looking at and hit a few key-strokes; suddenly she was viewing the search strings used by the Commander: bio-engineering, selection, variation, immunology…

A few hours passed, puzzled at the search strings, Kalin was also intrigued. What could the Commander be looking for? Another few key-strokes and all the Commanders search strings and selections would be recorded. Switching the monitor off, Kalin leaned back in her chair. Coffee, that’s what she needed!

Pushing back from her desk, Kalin got up and left her office. As she left she heard raised voices coming from the foyer. Upon exiting the corridor Kalin could barely believe her eyes. The sergeant had her junior archivist up against the desk.
“C’mon you know you want it”
“Please…please let me go” the young woman whimpered.
“Let me go….Sir!” snarled the sergeant.
“S..sir please” pleaded the young woman.
“What is the meaning of this!” roared Kalin fury filling her face, “Let go of her now!” Although petite Kalin was a formidable presence and a force to be reckoned with when angered. Shocked at how he was being addressed, the sergeant loosened his grip on the young woman who quickly wriggled free and ran behind Kalin.
“Who do you think you are talking to me that way…Native”
“Sergeant,” began Kalin, her anger barely contained “we are placed here by your government, but we are not your playthings!”
A cruel smile curled his lips as he walked toward Kalin. Taking a deep breath she pulled herself up to her full height, but she still fell many inches shorter than the sergeant. He pulled his scanner from his belt.
“Your arm” it was not a request. Kalin resisted.
“I said you arm!” Kalin didn’t see his arm coming towards her but she most definitely felt it as he backhanded her. She fell to the floor dazed and confused tasting blood. Roughly the sergeant grabbed and twisted her arm, pain coursed through it and a gasp escaped her lips.
“What is going on here?” demanded a cool voice. Kalin turned her head to where the voice was coming from and issued a small cry as her arm was roughly released. Cradling it too her, she tried to focus on the figure who had spoken.
“Sergeant I asked you a question?” Kalin’s eyes slowly regained focus and she was stunned when she saw the beautiful young woman who had spoken. An angel! The commander began to speak to the sergeant in Aesirian, ignoring Kalin and the younger woman.
“Laura, help me up?” and Kalin felt the young woman help her to her feet. “Are you OK Laura? Did he hurt you?”
“N…no you came before, before…he…” said Laura choking back a sob. Tenderly Kalin put her arm around Laura comforting her. She realised the commander had stopped talking; turning to her Kalin could not help but marvel at how beautiful she was. They were all stunning but this woman was exceptional.
“Your name…please?” asked the commander.
“Morvern, Kalin. Δ7-9α-69120. Chief Archivist. This is my junior archivist”
“Tanner, Laura. Ξ5-8δ-69252” whispered Laura.
“I must officially protest at the actions of your subordinate Commander”
The commander held up her hand forestalling her.
“I must insist!”
“Chief Archivist Morvern, I heard what transpired”
“But…” Kalin was even more shocked when the commander reached into her pocket removing a crisp white handkerchief and held it out to her.
“You are bleeding”
Thoroughly confused Kalin took the offered handkerchief.
“I shall retrieve my belongings; I have finished for this session. I will download a data set. I will inform you when I need to return” and with that Kalin watched the commander return to her allotted room.

Jerryn let out a breath she didn’t realise she had been holding in. That woman’s hair! Laced with fire and with blue eyes! Eyes that blue on a Native! She did not understand why this shocked her so. Her mood quickly darkened as she remembered what the sergeant had done. Trying it on with that young girl! Shaking her head at his behaviour she couldn’t understand the attitude of some of her people. She didn’t really understand why the Natives where treated as they were. Yes they were different, but what that such a bad thing? Oh she had heard the talks, inferior species, poor stock. It never sat right with her, but she kept quiet and got on with her job. She would find a cure and they could go home. Home. Jerryn had few memories of Valerian but they were happy ones. Running through a field, being scooped up into her fathers arms. Her mothers laugh. As the memories flooded back she could feel the tears form behind her eyes and that wouldn’t do. Composing herself she gathered her things and downloaded the data set. Pulling on her coat, adjusting her cap she set off cutting a dashing figure as she strode through the foyer. At the reception desk she halted turning to Kalin:
“We are not all monsters” and with a brief, barely imperceptible nod of her head she was gone.