Read Online Sebastian of Mars by Al Sarrantonio - Free Book Online Page A

of! Because of her, Frane
knows you are here! Jift had incontrovertible evidence! She is a
spy! ”
    “But –”
    “Because of your F’rar friend, our position
here was given away almost as soon as we arrived.” Again he took my
arm, and shook me. There was controlled rage on his face. “Because
of that woman, every man, woman and child we managed to get here
will probably die in a matter of weeks – because of her, you
will die, and along with you, the hopes of this planet! ”
    I was silent, trying to bring my sobs under
control.
    Xarr turned away from me, and began to walk
out of the tunnel, leaving me there.
    “I’m sorry, Sire, but the power the
constitution gives me in times of war insists that I do this thing.
No matter what your own personal feelings are, or mine.” He walked
back out into daylight, which fell on him like a spotlight. “The
F’rar spy Rella must die in the morning.”
     

Eleven
    I spent a bad night.
The hoot birds that inhabited some of the caves of the area of
Olympus Mons saw fit to visit, and their mocking cries kept me
awake even in the fitful intervals when I might have slept. I did
catch one brief moment of slumber, and was immediately assaulted by
a terrible dream: Xarr and myself on trial before Frane, who stood
before us in blood red robes, holding her fisted paws high and
cackling like a specter. Her eyes were lit with flame, and as she
pronounced our death sentences we burst into fire. I could feel the
heat of fire consume me as I woke with a start. My face was damp
with sweat.
    This was soon mingled with tears.
    No rising of the sun awoke me; it was rather
a guard who whispered solemnly into my room, “Sire, it is
time.”
    I dressed, and arranged myself as if in a
dream. I was met by Thomas outside my door, who looked solemn, and
we were joined by the other council members, save Jift, whose role
was a special one this day, as we made our way to an assembly room
which had been cleared of chairs and converted into a hall of
military justice for this day. There were no other witnesses, and
Jift’s voice echoed in the room as he pronounced sentence. Rella
looked at me once as she came in, and then looked at nothing at
all, staring over our heads.
    “Do you wish to say anything before execution
of sentence?” Jift asked. I could not abide the snarl in his tone,
and was repulsed by the way he seemed to be relishing this
moment.
    “Only that I am innocent, and go to my death
with love for the Second Republic of Mars, and Sebastian, my King,
in my heart.”
    My chest swelled, and I almost stepped
forward, but Thomas put a firm hand on my shoulder.
    “It is out of your hands,” he whispered.
    If she had looked at me I would have ignored
Thomas’ words, but she did not, and without another word or gesture
she walked to the gallows and mounted the steps. I felt my gut
clench. The executioner quickly cinched the rope around her neck,
and she refused the hood. She stood facing us, and then the
executioner stepped quickly back and pulled the lever on the
mechanism, dropping the floor beneath her.
    As she fell, before I closed my eyes, she
looked at me and smiled–
    “ No! ” I shouted, unable to help
myself.
    I turned and ran from that place, as fast as
I could.
    “Sire!” Thomas called, but I pushed my way
past him and bolted from the chamber. No one followed. Already I
felt the clutch of the thin air in my chest, and began to fight for
breath, but the image of Rella dropping to her death, the gasping
sound she made as the rope went taut, played through my mind like
an endless loop and I could not stop running. Even when my lungs
heaved for breath I drove myself on. I was blind with pain and
horror. I ran, and ran . . .
    Finally, my lungs could stand no more, and I
fell to the ground and lay gasping. I listened for sounds behind me
but there were none. I had no idea where I was, and was half blind,
all thought only on regaining my breath.
    Finally, my lungs were sated and I