Chapter 71

　　For the people assembled in a conference room on Caledon, their first look at Kalen Caledon after such a long period was shocking. The Baron who appeared on display was almost a different person.

　　Kal`s face was pale and gaunt, and his exhaustion was plain to see to anyone who looked at him. Lines creased the areas around his eyes, and the usually bright blue orbs were duller than they had been. His easygoing smile was absent, replaced with a seriousness they were unaccustomed to seeing.

　　To Kal, seeing his companions on Caledon filled him with a mixture of relief, trepidation and worry as the terminal connected. Despite Samuel and Amelia`s assurances, he was concerned about their well-being, but laying eyes on them eased his fears.

　　"It`s good to see you all again." Kal greeted, his expression smoothing, and he smiled at the group. He looked around at the gathered faces, matching their appearances to his memories.

　　Samuel was unchanged, the Imperial Herald a steady presence on Caledon, while Miranda looked more relaxed than he recalled, a smile on her face. She appeared to be close to Samuel, their chairs nearly touching. It hinted at an unexpected intimacy.

　　Across from them, a handsome man that Kal vaguely recalled was named Rowe` sat next to Governor Sylla. The last Kal had seen him had been the attack on Trier. Why was he here? Kal frowned. Was it possible he forgot an important detail?

　　As Kal tried to remember, a pain spread across his forehead, making his left hand spasm and clench tightly. Immediately he ceased trying to remember, letting the information flow naturally rather than force it.

　　Merrick Tan was present, looking healthier than Kal had ever seen him. Samuel had informed him that Tan was making a fortune through his investments, and it seemed he had not returned to his old ways. Smiling and nodding at the banker, Kal turned to the last trio.

　　Talha grinned at him, relieved at his recovery. They had grown closer during his training, becoming friends, something that Kal had very few of. Although Kal looked worse for wear, she was happy with his improvement. She had witnessed the battle against the Corsairs and knew how terrible it had been on him.

　　Elric was unchanged. The large man nodded in greeting, a smile on his bearded face. But it was Tamara that caused Kal to stop, staring at her intently.

　　There was something about her that triggered his memory. The grey-haired soldier was heavily scarred, her face stoic, although he could tell she was happy to see him. To Kal, his last clear memory of her was at the palace during one meeting or another.

　　But he knew something had happened, something involving her, but he couldn`t remember!

　　Since he awakened in the medical facility, everyone around him had avoided details about the circumstances of his injuries, but he was sure that Tamara was somehow involved.

　　The group watched as Kal stopped his greeting, staring closely at Tamara. The sudden shift in the Baron was shocking. His left hand twitched, clenching and unclenching, while Kal`s face reddened with rage and anger.

　　Kal stared, and an image appeared in the back of his mind. The green-eyed monster reared out from the darkness, ripping and tearing through flesh and bone as it devoured everything around him. He was helpless, curled on the ground in his memories as the beast assaulted him.If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it`s taken without the author`s consent. Report it.

　　Worse, Tamara was in the distance, in danger, while he was powerless to save her.

　　"Kal? Is everything alright?" Talha asked as Kal stared silently in rage. He was shaking now. His hands clenched into fists.

　　"Shit!" Samuel swore. The curse was entirely out of character for the Imperial Herald. Standing, he leaned into the display, drawing Kal`s focus onto him.

　　"Breathe, Kalen. You`re safe. There`s nothing here to harm you." Samuel stated calmly, focusing on Kal`s eyes. The Baron`s nostrils flared as he tried to take in enough air to steady himself, his chest heaved, and his eyes were wild.

　　To Kal, the sight of Tamara brought something primal out from within him. He wasn`t seeing her, or the others, anymore. Instead, his mind was filled with visions of war and suffering, the Titan Atlas tearing through his foes while it slowly crushed his body and soul.

　　These were memories buried deep within that his consciousness had tried to reject to protect him, but were now in the forefront of his mind.

　　Kal screamed, clutching his head against the onslaught of images and sounds. The communication link was severed, and the display went black. On Terra, Kal collapsed in exhaustion, the images easing as he was left in blessed solitude.

　　On Caledon, Talha stood, gripping the top of the conference room table while glaring at Samuel.

　　"What the hell just happened!?" She screamed, blaming the Imperial Herald for the outburst. Clearly, Kal wasn`t as stable as Samuel had let them believe, and he knew what was happening based on his quick response.

　　Beside her, Tamara was calmer, but rage simmered beneath the surface. She had come out of the conflict against the Corsairs relatively unscathed, but it shamed her to know that Kal suffered for it. Kal had saved her life by risking his own, and that was a debt she would never forget.

　　"What is wrong with Kal?" Tamara asked, the anger barely concealed in her voice.

　　"Severe memory loss, mental trauma, and a list of other problems. It`s why they wouldn`t let you contact him until they felt Kal was ready. The timing of this call was a mistake." Samuel replied, wearily sinking back into his chair.

　　He didn`t like the knowledge that Kal was in trouble any more than anyone else, but they could do nothing.

　　"He needs time, and Terra has the best healers in the galaxy," Samuel assured them.

　　Page Break

　　Aurelius and Amelia monitored the conversation between Kalen and his companions on Caledon with a mixture of trepidation and hope.

　　They had both seen the assessments, and Amelia knew better than anyone that Kal was broken. His treatment had stagnated. He needed time to heal, but he was also holding something back. This call home was a test to determine his reaction and their next steps.

　　When Kal`s outburst resulted in his collapse, Amelia immediately severed the link, having the emergency personnel on standby bring him back to the hospital for treatment. She was about to rush out to join them when Aurelius halted her with a gentle hand on her arm.

　　"A moment, my love. Let them do their work. We must discuss Kalen`s next steps." The Emperor requested, a sigh leaving his lips at the young man`s state. Contrary to popular belief, he wasn`t omniscient. Some things caught even him by surprise.

　　It had been his intention for Kal to face pirates, who he knew Aesir was backing, to develop his character and hone his skills. The Baron was bright and saw the danger immediately, bolstering his forces and even purchasing Rise,` which the Emperor had personally sent to auction for him.

　　But even he hadn`t known that Johnathan, or Lying Jack as he now preferred, was amongst them. The man was of Noble Lineage, and while he claimed to be a direct descendant of the Royal Line, the truth was much more complicated.

　　Regardless, the man had the skills and knowledge to hide as a Corsair` leader in plain sight.

　　With him on the battlefield, Kalen had no chance. The Emperor knew instantly once the Titan was activated and responded accordingly. He had sent the Guard to retrieve Kal, bringing him to Terra for treatment.

　　"I will need to be more direct with his treatments, but I require time, Aurelius." Amelia requested, turning away from the display holos and watching her husband`s response. The Emperor nodded at her words while wearily rubbing his forehead with his hand.

　　"Something that we are short on. He needs to be ready, Amelia, but we can grant him a moment. Three years, he must be prepared by then. The Envoys are already clambering for our participation, I can not halt what is to come." The Emperor explained.