Nikita, the one narrating used to be a prisoner here under Hank Henshaw. And the first indication that Hank really had changed was when he assumed the better, not the worse of thier latest alien guest, Mon-el.
A Legacy of Hope Begins
I heard a shot from Hanks gun; but he wasn't the one who fired. Hank went down on one leg. The monster we'd been hunting standing over him. “No, stop please.” The alien stopped his fist raised in the air. “Is this how you prove yourself superior to us 'savages', attacking a defenseless solider?”
“What is he to you that you defend him?” The green skinned alien asked me bluntly.
“He is my commanding officer. I might not like him very much but I cannot allow him to come to harm. To be clear I make no excuses for his actions or my own. But you don't keep at a man after he's down. Even in plain war that's just plain cowardice.”
Hank was looking at me as if I was a purple-scared dragon with 3 heads.
“You're a strange one whoever you are.” I heard the other man say.
“So what happens now?” I prompted him.
“I...do not know. I cannot simply let you go.”
“Then let Him go__I'll stay.”
“That is not a promise one can make lightly.”
I straightened my back and put my hands out at my sides. “For his safety and freedom. If you will not only let him Live but let him Go, you can take me. I will not leave and I will not fight. I take my oath on it.”
“There is nothing I like better than an honorable man.” The stranger said peaceably. He knelt down and touched the side of Hank's face with the back of his hand. Henshaw's eyes closed and he seemed to drift off to sleep. “Send a signal for him to be retrieved, then leave your radio and come with me. Or better, give me your radio.” I handed it to him and was not entirely surprised to hear Hank's voice come out of the man's mouth. “This is commander Hank Henshaw requesting immediate extraction.” Silence on the other end. I repeat this is – Director Hank Henshaw requesting extraction.”
“Acknowledged director we're 7 minutes out.”
“So, what happens now?”
“There's a stop along the road, an old hiding place nearby, we'll head there.”
“Wait, please...we should at least learn each-others names.”
“Yes, in fact that should have come first. Not to introduce yourself is considered extremely rude even among enemies. We are no longer enemies.” He finished hurriedly.
I pointed to my heart with my hands. “I'm Jeremiah Danvers.” I extended my hand.
He looked at it like he'd never seen anything like it before, straightened his back and extended his right hand. “I am...J'onn Jo'nzz.”
“I figured we'd have to have this conversation eventually.” I said to Henshaw as he stood at the threshold of my compartment.
“I take it you know why I'm here?” He replied in a voice full of restraint.
“To get to the truth of something that hasn't left your sight for a long time. Not clearing the air as much as 'so we know where we stand'. I'd actually like it if Mon-el were to stay and hear this. But that's just me."
"For someone besides us to know why the assumption makes sense and why it isn't so, might help us both. He's not obliged. Mon-el, if you want to, you should go.”
“If only to learn where you two stand with each-other, I'm staying put.”
Hank nodded sagely, then turned to Nikita. “Why don't you hate me?”
“There are two and a half reasons why I should feel how I do. One is that I made the decision a long time ago that I'd rather feel sorrow than anger and disappointment than regret. And this is back on Atridia. Every time I made a fist ready to punch something I would transform that anger into kind of a sad, quiet feeling. It got to the point people thought I was incapable of experiencing or even understanding the very normal emotions of anger or hatred. In an entire species of empaths, the inability to feel emotions made me seem 'damaged'. Really I just didn't see the point of holding a hot coal with the intent of throwing it at someone. I carried that conscious choice here. It's not an oath, it's a way of life and it is NOT easy. I've spent my life being not just a person of peace but of restraint, self awareness and impeccable composure and forbearance. I don't see that changing. Kind of ironic because 'change' is the other part of this.”
“What do you mean?” Mon El asked me simply.
“My people have a religious teaching that when put to its essence says that a righteous man who turns to rebellion and sin should not count on his former righteous deeds to save him from judgment. But likewise a sinner who turns from his rebellious ways and does what is right should have no fear; for by no means would his former sinful deeds be counted against him.” I turned and looked at Henshaw. “Unlike most people here, I know what you used to be like. But I also know who you are now, today. And that is who I'm dealing with so that is who matters. It sounds kind of new age and twisted but I don't sense anything in you that even resembles what I sensed from you before. In case you don't remember, I didn't hate you back then either. That's the half reason.”
“Okay...I'm probably going to regret this but what's the full reason?”
"...Hank if Jeremiah thinks you're worth DYING for I'm pretty sure you're worth forgiving!”
“Okay, I need to hear both of your histories right now.” Mon'el interjected.
“Basically Jeremiah Danvers was an agent of this organization at the same time I was a prisoner of it. Hank did everything he could to try to get me to make sense to him. But he had more than a few assumptions that got in the way. Like that my people were the dominant race on my planet. That because I looked as human as I do I must be hiding who I really am. Jeremiah risked a court-martial to break me free from this place. He told me that he had to stay but that I should go and live a life that I thought was truly worth living. Obviously coming back here and serving under you is not what he was thinking of when he said that. But I truly believe it fits his criteria: it's a life I chose for myself and I'm fighting for a cause I believe is worth fighting for. I mean...I would consider you my friend...Hank.”
Hank Henshaw blushed and then smiled. “Thank you...for your trust in me.”
When I woke up I was lying on a cot. There wasn't anyone around and for a moment I couldn't figure out what was going on. Then I remembered searching for the 'monster' that Hank was so determined to get rid of. Hank was so set on getting rid of this 'thing' he had never considered he might lose to it. I had to smile.
“One thing J'onn absolutely is not is a monster.” I said to no one in particular. 'this place is a wigwam more than anything else, the kind red Indians live in'. I thought. And that's when I realized I really should keep my observations inside my head. The curtain that was used for a door pulled back slightly.
“My I come in?” A female-sounding voice inquired.
“Yes, please come in.”
A young woman maybe in her early 20's with short-cropped cinnamon colored hair came in carrying a tray of food in one hand a and a wide-brimmed basin in the other. Except for what looked like fish scales at her temples she looked completely human. She placed the tray on the cot beside me, the bowl down at my feet and politely backed away. It was only then it occurred to me I might not be a prisoner in the strictest sense of the word. “Thank you.” I told her gently. I honestly couldn't think of anything else to say.
“You are most kindly welcome.” She replied. “I'm being formal, not pretentious.” She added in just as casual a tone.
“I get it. I hope you don't mind if I ask, what species are you?”
“I am Atraxi. My name is Sarrin, and you?”
“Jeremiah. My name is Jeremiah Danvers.” She moved to the window at the wall to my left. She smiled as she pulled back the curtain.
“Listen, I don't want to sound ungrateful but...why are you doing this?”
“If you mean why am I taking such care of you, J'onn asked me to make you comfortable as possible. If you are asking why we care-that is for J'onn to explain.”
“J'onn is, a good man.”
“That he is. Also the only friend I made here on Earth who is still alive.”
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