THE RECRUIT
By; Gerald A. Polley
Chapter 11
They arrived at Rumple's quarters, played a few hands of cards, had
coffee and cake and talked about each other's childhood. The two
girls were happily playing with dolls nearby. The one carrying
Rumple's child was now being called Crystal because she loved anything
made of glass. The other one was called Orchid because her only
real possession was a scarf with a picture of an orchid on it that she
would not part with. Imal looked to Rumple and remarked, "Please
do not interfere with what I'm going to do. It's important."
Rumple stared at him, troubled, but answered "Whatever you do will be
necessary. No one would interfere with it here."
Imal pulled out another chair. "Crystal!" he called. "Come
here! Don't pretend you don't understand me, I know you do.
I don't want this to be any harder than it has to be. Please,
come over here."
Crystal looked up and smiled. "Yes, Light Bearer!" she moaned.
Rumple and the nurse looked at each other in shock as Crystal came
over, climbed up in the chair, and continued to smile, pleasantly.
"I have heard," Imal continued, "rumors of
the defense that the cardinal's attorney is going to put up. I
believe you can testify and make that defense invalid. Will you
come with me when I testify tomorrow and tell the court what you know?"
The girl looked at Rumple. "Not if he is there!" she insisted.
"He will not be," Imal assured, "he will be at training. But you will have to tell what you know."
"Only if no record is kept of it," Crystal insisted.
"I don't know if that can be," Imal answered. "But I believe your
testimony can be sealed so that no one can ever speak of it."
Rumple spoke up. "Please do as he asks!"
"If you desire it!" Crystal answered, giving him her most tender look.
"Good!" Imal sighed. "Well, we'd better get going. How
about that pretty little green outfit I've seen her wearing, with the
little jacket, the hat, and the purse?"
Both the
nurse and Crystal smiled. They liked that idea. When they
got home and were getting into bed, his wife looked at Imal.
"She's...she's a dark one, isn't she?"
Imal only
nodded. The next day he requested a vehicle. It came
without question. He picked up Crystal. She looked
absolutely adorable in her outfit. They road to the trial.
When they entered the building the guard took his pass and looked to
Crystal. "An unscheduled witness," Imal explained "who I intend
to have called."
"Very well!" the guard snapped. "I'll notify the court."
They went in and were given seats. The judge came in and six
jurors. The judge called the proceedings to order. The
prosecutor stated the case and the judge asked if everyone was ready to
proceed. Everyone said "Yes!"
"Let the first
witness be called!" the judge ordered. Imal was summoned to the
stand. The prosecutor asked him to describe as best he could all
that happened that night. Imal did so. When he was done the
prosecutor said "Thank you!" The defense attorney rose.
"I don't know how to address you, sir!" he remarked, "You're a trainee.
I can't understand what business you had on this mission."
"I object!" the prosecutor snapped. "It has already been explained how
this soldier happened to be in charge of this mission. Because it
was the desire of the rest of the personnel taking part in it.
That is totally irrelevant to any defense that could be put forth!"
"Sustained!" the judge agreed.
The defense attorney looked frustrated. "Very well!" he snapped.
"I will call you Commander because you were in command of this mission.
Tell me, how was it certain cases containing certain valuables and a
box of flash drives that have been incriminating to my client, came to
be in the vehicle that you escaped in, when those boxes were in another
vehicle ready for the morning's departure and the flash drives were in
a safe in the cardinal's room which he is sure was never opened because
he had view of it right up until the time he was taken from the
facility, just before you murdered its lawful protectors and fled it?"
The prosecutor jumped up. "I object!" he snapped. Before he could
continue, the judge raised his hand. He looked at the lawyer.
"I will warn you sir, once, and only once. No such accusations
will be made in this court again! This soldier had lawful documents
giving him authority to judge any individuals he found on this
premises, and if he felt it necessary, to execute them. If you ever use
the term murder again, I will order you held for contempt of court and
see that you are tried on those charges! Do I make myself clear?"
"Yes, your honor!" the lawyer sighed.
"Ladies and gentlemen of the jury," the judge snapped, "you will
disregard those remarks. You will consider that they were not
spoken! Now, continue!"
The lawyer
sighed. "Again I ask," he finally managed, "can you explain how
these items came into your possession?"
"I
cannot!" Imal answered. "But I have brought a witness with me I
believe can." He pointed to Crystal. "I would suggest, your
honor, that I be excused and she be questioned."
"What?" the cardinal screamed, "She can barely dress herself! She
barely knows enough to pull down her underwear when she goes to the
bathroom! She can't testify!"
The judge
banged his gavel. "Enough!" he screamed. "The defendant will be
quiet!" He looked to Crystal. "Can you understand what's
being said?" he asked.
"Yes, sir!" Crystal answered.
The judge looked to the prosecutor. "I think I'd like to hear what this young lady has to say!" he managed.
"One thing," Imal put in. "She requests that her testimony be
sealed, that it not go outside of this court."
The judge and the prosecutor looked at each other. The prosecutor
nodded, and the judge snapped "So ordered! You are excused!
Young lady!"
Crystal got up, put her purse in
her seat, and, her little hat, then hung her jacket on the back,
proceeded to the witness stand and sat down. She was sworn
in. The prosecutor came over.
"Is this fine soldier correct?" he managed. "Can you explain how these circumstances took place?"
"Yes, sir!" Crystal answered.
"Please do so!" the prosecutor continued.
"I took the flash drives from the cardinal's bedroom. I knew
where the safe was and was able to open it. I put them in the
boxes and put the boxes in the vehicle I knew any rescuers would take,
as The Lord Of Light instructed me."
The prosecutor's eyes widened. "Lord Of Light?" he managed.
"Yes," Crystal answered, "a Haven, a very powerful one. He knew I
was planning on making an escape, getting the girls out, that I
intended to kill the cardinal and the guards, with my current protector
and the nurse, get the others to safety so I would be able to continue
using this body long enough that the child I'm carrying will be
born. The Lord Of Light assured me if I did these things as he
instructed, I would have that time."
"I object!"
the defense attorney snapped, rising. "This is absolute insanity!
This child could not do these things! She would not have been
able to kill the guards in that facility, the cardinal! This is
all lies! This is all insanity!"
"Denied!"
the judge snapped. "But these are good questions dear. I hope you
do not mind me calling you that."
Crystal
smiled. "Of course not!" she answered. "I can do these things
because I'm a creature of Darkness, what you call a demon. I am
perfectly capable if I took a mind to, of killing every single person
in this room, except one. That one would certainly destroy me!
When I am using my full power I have tremendous speed and
strength. I can manipulate this body with incredible agility!"
The attorney stepped closer to the witness stand. "This is insanity!" he screamed. "I object!"
Suddenly Crystal leaped out of the witness stand, landed beside him,
kicked his seat from under him, and before he hit the floor, grabbed
him and threw him against the wall! The attorney hit it with a
loud crash and let out a "Whoof!" and sank down to the floor.
Crystal climbed back onto the witness stand.
"My
apologies," she remarked, looking to the judge, "I don't like
him! I thought a demonstration would save a lot of arguments!"
The judge smiled. "Yes!" he managed. "I think your
demonstration makes your point. I must ask this question just to
ease my own feelings. Are those around you safe from any
harm?"
"If any harm was to threaten them,"
Crystal answered, "I would crush it! I have made a promise,
and I am sure you know that when we make a promise to a Lord Of Light,
we will keep it. It is our way! We do not want any
possibility that they would not believe us if we asked a favor. I
gave my word if I was allowed to complete my task I would do no one any
serious harm."
"Understood!" the judge
snapped. "I instruct everyone in this courtroom to respect the
privacy of what we have been told, and I thank you for coming and
giving your testimony. Wouldn't you like to stay after the baby
comes?"
"I would love to!" Crystal
answered. "Unfortunately, we are not like Lords Of Light.
We can fall in love, we can have feelings. I wish very much I
could stay. But my time in this body is very limited."
"Most unfortunate," the judge answered. "Thank you! You are excused."
The prosecutor looked to Imal. "Is any further testimony required
from this individual?" the judge asked.
"Not at this time," the prosecutor answered.
"I might like to call him later for rebuttal," the attorney said rubbing his butt.
"Understood!" the judge answered.
Crystal had reached Imal. He reached out and took her hand,
smiling. Suddenly all the light in the room seemed to draw into
him. Energy seemed to come from every person in it, and flow into
him! There was a sudden flash and Crystal cried out,
collapsing. "What to hell?" Imal cried, looking at his hand that
felt like it was on fire. He bent down and examined Crystal. She
was breathing but unconscious. "Get her to the hospital! the
judge screamed. Imal didn't hesitate! He had Crystal in his
arms in moments and was rushing for the door. The car was
waiting.
A while later he was pacing back
and forth outside an exam room. Finally the doctor came
out. "She seems to be doing all right," she remarked. "She
had a strange discharge from the crotch, can't describe the
stuff! But the baby's heartbeat sounds better and her EKG is
almost perfect! No sign of the murmur we were worrying
about. She seems to be coming out of it now. You can take
her home in a little while."
A nurse came up
holding a clip board. "Doctor," she remarked "there seems to have been
a mistake when we examined this young lady before. These tests
show she has a totally different blood type! That's
impossible! Somebody's blood type can't change!"
Imal and the doctor stared at each other. "Don't even write it
up!" Imal insisted. "Just call it a clerical error!"
"I don't know if I can!" the doctor managed.
A few minutes later he got Crystal and took her home. At the door
she looked up at him. "I don't know what to say," she asked, "I'm
going to be able to stay, aren't I? I'll be able to watch my baby
grow up, maybe have more. I've never felt... I've never felt so
alive! I think it's going to hurt when I finally leave, but I
think I'll be able to go There. Am I right?"
"I have no idea!" Imal answered. "This scares the living hell out
of me! But I hope you're right. Just be good.
Understand me?"
Crystal smiled. "Of course!" she answered. "But I wonder how fast I still am, how strong I am?"
"Be careful how you find out!" Imal cautioned.
Crystal held her stomach, looked up one more time at Imal with her
prettiest little smile and went in the house. As Imal walked back
to the car he muttered "Please, God, I'm very glad that happened, but
somebody else next time?" He worked the fingers on his
hand. "Please? Next time somebody else?" he muttered again.
It's funny about secrets, especially on a military base. No
matter how much you tell people not to talk, somebody's going to
talk. Imal found himself being treated with even more awe.
It bothered him. The doctor told him it shouldn't, and they
talked about it, but it bothered him. All he wanted to be was a
good soldier. He didn't want to be a miracle worker. "What
we want to be, and what we are," the doctor warned, "is very often two
different things!"