The End of All Fear by Julie Rollins

Author:Julie Rollins [Rollins, Julie]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Gyroscope Books
Published: 2014-11-28T22:00:00+00:00

11. The Captain’s Test

David prayed a brief silent prayer. Then he turned his head to look at the captain standing on the raised platform. “What is that you wear around your neck?”

Baloruk’s tentacles touched the cirilamar cable encircling his neck. A silvery tag dangled from it, bearing the raised likeness of the cruiser with the name “Baloruk” inscribed on it.

“This is the sign of my vow,” the captain replied. “My life is devoted to my ship. The cirilamar cable will not be removed until I die. Then it will be passed on to the next captain.”

“What if you grow old and become unable to fulfill your duties?”

Baloruk made a gurgling noise—the mel-raccoo’s form of laughter. “Captains never die of old age. Our roles are so demanding that exhaustion kills us before we reach half of our natural life-span. We are highly honored, but we sacrifice our comfort and long life that the ship may prosper.”

“Your devotion to the mel-raccoo is admirable,” David spoke with sincerity. “I think you will understand when I explain Vashua’s sacrifice for the mels.

“Long ago, Yavana sent His only Son, Vashua, to become a human and live on Trenara. Vashua did not live as a ruler or a warrior, but He poured His life into my people as a servant. He spoke the truth because, being God, He could not bear falsehood. This made Him unpopular with some of my people.

“On Trenara, mels and naharam live together in the same villages. We cannot easily tell who is mel and who is not. Some individuals even think they are naharam when they are not. It was the same in the days when Vashua walked in my world.

“Vashua lived among the mels and the naharam, healing and teaching them both. Some of the naharam did not understand why Vashua would spend time with the mels, or why He loved them, but many of the mels were happy to see Vashua because of His compassion and understanding.

“There was a group of leaders who considered themselves loyal naharam, but were inwardly mels. Vashua confronted them, telling them that they needed to be a naharam on the inside, in their thoughts and deeds. He said titles and appearances mean nothing to Yavana. A true naharam will act like Yavana—loving justice and mercy, being compassionate, and serving others.

“But these false naharam hated Vashua and plotted against Him. They seized Vashua, declared Him a danger to the people, and gave Him over to the powerful mels who ruled the region. Vashua was given a mock trial, found innocent, yet condemned to die anyway. He was beaten and tortured to death.”

Baloruk’s tentacles flinched. “Didn’t Yavana see what was happening? Didn’t He try to stop it? You naharam claim that Vashua is one of the Three! Why was He abandoned?”

David tried to change his position so the chains and cables wouldn’t cut into his chest. “Vashua’s death was part of Yavana’s plan.”

“He planned to let His Son die?”

“Dala. The innocent dying for the wicked.”

“I don’t understand.

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