Twas the year 33,584, the month of Adjur, on the 43rd day, that saw Ethan’s Awakening. The Re-cloning Process was complete. Eliminated and repaired were his ailments and injuries. His musculature, organs, nervous system, all returned to a state of newness. The blemishes and scars that made up his life were gone, leaving him a babe at 29 years, Earth Time. He rose from the bath with help from the technician, Prin, as Ethan’s new body wasn’t ready for the task. He remembered how to stand, how to walk, how to run. Twas his body that forgot.
His wife, Margret, stood near. The gravity and the atmosphere of Othos weighed heavy on her, as did the billions upon billions of miles away from the Earth, and she felt every inch of it. She was in wont of leaving, both Othos and her cowardly husband. But as the rest of humanity endured as they toiled under the Ardonon (ar-DOH-non), she would endure. Now to her duty, in this dark chamber for the newly awakened. Her will could brook no challenge for she must attend to her husband.
Ethan looked around with brand new eyes, trying to get them to act as they were. Practice was needed as he adjusted to his new self. His tongue had to adjust to newly restored teeth, as sputum was in want of ejection from his lungs. Prin administered several well placed pats on the back to help. Ethan leaned on Prin for support, for standing was still a mystery to his legs. He lacked mastery of his hands as every movement was exaggerated and tiring. He got his eyes to work right after a moment. He was able to focus in the dim light of the room, the steps leading to the bath, and then his wife. After a few sputters he was able to say a few words.
“Prithee my dear, am I not all that you seek in a man?”
Margret took him in. The words that she would utter had to be subdued. She was as much a prisoner as the rest of humanity, just in a prettier dress.
“I liked thee as thou were.”
“But now I’m renewed. All mine aliments are gone, my flesh has a new vigor. Indeed, I’ve been re-created. Behold your husband, fresh as a new born babe.”
She compared him to the Ardonon technician holding onto his frail body. Though not a warrior, he was still possessed of a bulkier and taller physique that could snap Ethan in twain. Indeed, the only thing that made the Ardonon different from humans was their dusky skin tone, their size, and their demeanor. Alas, compared to the Ardonon next to him, Margret was not impressed.
“Perhaps after you’ve regained your strength I would see thee in a better light. For now thee art a slight thing, little more than a babe.”
“That’s true” he said. “But thou wilt see a new man ere long. And thou wilt become a new woman after thou renewing.”
Margret caught herself from reacting to this news. She wasn’t aware that she, too, would go through the process. She considered what to say next, for her need to express her disdain had to be muted.
“And once done, wouldst thou place me on a pedestal?”
Ethan caught the bite of her tongue and chose to ignore it. “Nay wife. Thou would return to Earth and take hold of our possessions. Thou wilt be beholden of much land, and it doth need tending.”
Prin helped Ethan out of the bath as Margret winced from his words. This would make her party to the invasion. The last vestige of her innocence would be shattered.
“Take heed, for the job will be difficult. As for the re-cloning? Babe, it wilt cure your cancer for good, which means no more chemo. And thou broken vertebrae would be fixed. Thou’d be as you were when we met, two young lovers about to embark on a new journey together.”
“Shouldst thou hurry to lay claim to the land? After all, thou hath a challenge to meet in three months time.”
“My dear, three months on Orthos is a year on Earth. I will be prepared to meet the challenge. For now prepare yourself. The re-cloning bath is awaiting you.”
Prin gave Ethan a robe and led him away, leaving Margret to the fury of her own thoughts.
Thus three months Orthos Time has passed, a twelve-month Earth Time. They met in one of the training barracks, with a throng of soldiers and three generals to give witness. They faced each other from afar, one full of righteous indignation at the Terran who would play Ardonon, the other to survive.
“General Turjin,’ spake one general. “Thou hath challenged the validity of General Ethan of Earth. If he had not defeated General Utag in fair combat, he would have been swept up with the rest of the Terrans. His stature was witnessed by many men, and he took his rightful place as is our way. Now you would deny him that place.”
“I would” said Turjin. “This popinjay has no place among us, let alone be a general. He is a usurper, who got lucky when Utag tripped over his slight frame, probably thinking he was a pebble to be kicked free from his boot.”
The soldiers gave a subdued laughed at this. Some of them witnessed Utag’s defeat. Others saw him take charge of his regiment and lead them to victory.
The general spoke again. “He may be small, but he has the will of the Ardonon. We have seen to that.”
“And I say he took command only to save his own hide.”
Ethan did not respond. He motioned to his attendant to bring him his weapon, a spear with a long, wide blade on the end. He hefted it to get a feel of its weight.
Turjin laughed. “That’s not a toy, it’s the real thing. Are you sure you can handle it?”
Ethan motioned to another attendant while he passed the spear back to the first. He took off his coat, and while the second attendant held out his hands to take it, Ethan untied the heavy gauntlet strapped to his forearm and gave that to him. The attendant didn’t expect to feel such weight, and his eyes opened wider when Ethan untied the second one. He then bent down to untie the shin weights on his legs and handed them over. By then the attendant was struggling with weight when Ethan took off his inner coat and handed that over. The attendant almost dropped them all as Ethan took a few jumps into the air, higher and higher.
All eyes were fixed on Ethan as he threw a couple of quick jabs. He then grabbed the spear and spun it around and over his head like a twig. He shooed the attendants away, one helping the other with the heavy attachments. Then he looked at Turjin and said “I’m ready.”
Turjin wouldn’t let this display disuade him from his duty. He nodded to the general, who nodded back, once to Turjin, once to Ethan. Then he stepped back, and the battle began.
Ethan charged him quickly, spear raised for the strike. Turjin blinked at his speed, and raised his sword to block. Ethan had other plans. In mid-stride he drove his spear into the ground, using it to vault high and fast, feet first, into Turjin’s face. He connected squarely, knocking Turjin onto his back. Turjin was stunned but reacted quickly and was back on his feet, but not quickly enough. Ethan pummeled him with fists that looked as if they came from everywhere. Turjin was no match from the assault and found himself on his back again, back to where the spear still stood in the ground. Ethan quickly grabbed it and brought it against his throat.
Victory was Ethan’s. Stunned silence surrounded them as Turjin lay there, defeated.
“Well met, Sir. Now take my life. Give me that honor.”
“I wilt take thine life, right now.”
Ethan reached down and took the signet off of Turjin’s coat, the symbol of the house he served and the oath he took, and showed it to him.
“This is thine life. All that you are, all that you vowed, to the people and to the Queen, I hold in my hand. Thou honor and thou loyalty and thou life is mine. What say you?”
Turjin was aghast, but what could he do? “I am a ghost” his only reply.
“Then take thy place.”
Turjin stood up, dusted himself off, and took his place behind Ethan.
Ethan looked around to the faces of those who were in amazement, those who were in disbelief, and those who were pleased with the outcome. He raised his spear to the chants of hurrahs that surrounded him. Then he took his leave, with Turjin, head bowed, in tow.
Arid Testimony 