Prodigal Seed: Indigo 03
Prologue
Hello,
out there. I don’t know if this message will reach you, but if you can hear me,
it means I’m already long dead. The planet once known as Earth, along with the
remainder of her nine billion inhabitants, has come to an end. This
transmission will likely be the last account of our civilization. My own little
taste of immortality, I guess you could say. If nothing else, let it be a final
record of what we did with the time we had left.
To be
fair, the apocalypse loses some of its edge when you’ve had a while to get used
to the idea. For decades, everyone was
so sure that if anything was going to destroy the world, it’d be us. We definitely gave it our best shot. With more time, we probably would have. Some thought it’d be climate change or
nuclear war. Others, man-made disease or
overpopulation. It seems nature showed us yet again just how arrogant and
powerless we really are. The god of death was coming and there was
nothing we could do to stop it.
Over
the last few months, our data started leaking to the press, warning of
impending doom, but the public at large refused to believe. Many stumbled
across the truth only to reject it out of fear or denial. Why wouldn't they? The surrender of hope should never come
easily. Those of us that knew tried to
bury it in the back of our minds, struggling to find purpose while the ignorant
continued with their frivolous lives. It wasn’t until a crimson glow appeared in
the sky that reality finally caught up with them, opening their eyes to
oblivion.
As the
heavens darkened above, the panicked masses hurried to raise hell from below. I
pleaded with my neighbors to join me at the university. The food and supplies in the science wing
would’ve been more than enough to peacefully wait out the end, but they were
too scared. All the streets were choked in gridlock, forcing us to brave the
riots and looting on foot. I doubt it took them long to regret having chosen to
stay.
Fires
erupted across the suburbs, swallowing entire houses with their people still
trapped inside. Smoke blotted out the sun, plunging the city into a blizzard of
ash. So many families were left stranded in their cars, no way to defend
themselves from the monsters pillaging about. They were pulled out through
smashed windows, beaten and torn to shreds for what little they had. And the
screams. Such hair-raising screams. I would’ve met the same fate if not for my
military training. By some miracle, I made it to the campus in one piece,
locking myself in the lab.
Even now,
I can hear the faint pounding against the barricade I piled in front of the
doors. It’ll be quiet again soon
enough…until the next group of marauders come to try their hand. Is this really
how people want to spend their final moments? When there’s nothing left to lose
but our own souls, should we just throw those away too? I refuse. Life means
more than simply hiding from death. It means making every minute we're
breathing sweeter and more cherished than the last. If anyone’s listening, I
want you to remember why this planet was a place worth loving. It was always
more than we deserved. Wherever you find yourselves out there, I pray you’re
worthy of a home as beautiful as this once was.
Jonny,
if you’re receiving this, I love you more than you could ever know. Take care
of our baby. This transmission is the last gift I have to give. As long as you have
my voice, I’ll always be more than just a memory. I’ll be right there with you.
A reminder that there’s still hope. That's what you are
now, drifting amongst the stars. Proof that we existed. God willing, we never stop. Farewell...and good luck.
-signal
terminated
6-24-2090
22:36
Chapter 1
Ron Flint
In my first twinge of consciousness, I
found myself embraced by the dark.
Only the faint whisper of my own heartbeat reminded me I was still alive. Its
gentle throb flicked against my temples, waking me from a dreamless slumber. I
wanted to move, to breathe, but every last inch of me was paralyzed in a frozen
cocoon. Then came the light. Its warmth pierced my eyelids, the sound of
crackling frost joining the cadence in my chest. Voices from the outside drew
closer, seeping into me with a muffled chatter.
“Wake
up, sleeping beauty. It’s time to roll.” The tone was so familiar, but my thoughts
were a jumble. “It’s a little late, but happy four-hundred and forty-eighth
birthday, you filthy geezer.”
Shadowy
faces eclipsed the light, peering in at me through the foggy glass window. My vision was too blurry to make out
their features, but I could feel their eyes studying me intently. With a hiss
and a pop, the panels of the cryo-pod swung open, blasting me with a wave of
smoldering heat. The ice over my body instantly melted into a gelatinous goo,
replacing the numbness in my skin with a thousand pins and needles.
“He
looks like a giant loogie,” came the voice again. “Should we get a towel or
something?”
I
tried gasping for air, but to my absolute horror, my lungs were filled to the
brim with slime. Panic washed over me as I coughed and
gagged, spewing cryoprotectant fluid from my nose and mouth. I staggered out of the pod, beginning
to fall forward when a pair of hands reached out to catch me.
“Geez,
Doc! Is he OK? I don’t remember spilling my guts like that.”
“Calm
down. It’s perfectly normal,” replied an older man’s voice. “That fluid is what
kept the water in our cells from crystallizing. Everyone has to expel it one
way or another.”
I
took a second to catch my breath, marshalling what little strength I had to rebuke the rascal that
held me. “Happy…birthday?” I panted. “Where’s the cake? You didn't even bring a
keg, you moron.” I forced my lips into a
smile, squinting through the brightness of the room until Renji's face finally
came into focus.
He
stepped backward in his navy-blue jumpsuit, running a hand through his spiky
black hair. “A cake?!” Renji laughed. “You gotta be kidding me.
That sucker would need so many candles, we might as well start a bonfire!”
“Well,
it's good to see your vocals and cognition have remained intact,” said the older
man beside Renji. “My name is Dr. Emry. How are you feeling? Any soreness?” He
adjusted his frameless glasses, the medical scanner in his hand chirping
excitedly as he swiped it across my face. After a loud beep, he glanced at its
display with an approving nod.
“Oh, hey, Doc,” I said, bracing myself
against the pod. “My eyes are
still burning and I'm not sure I can walk.” I looked down to realize I wasn’t
wearing any shoes…or anything else for that matter.
“It's
to be expected,” Emry said, tucking the scanner into the pocket of his lab coat.
He reached out to squeeze my arms and legs, tickling me with his gloved
fingers. “Fortunately, cryo-stasis more or less preserves your muscle and bone
density, so you shouldn’t have suffered much atrophy. Once the nerve endings
reacclimate, you’ll be right as rain. In the meantime, let’s get you something
to wear.”
“I
brought him the G-string and water wings like you asked for, Doc,” Renji said
with a grin.
"Ha.
Ha," I muttered, glancing around at the examination room. Its pure white
interior was decorated with an assortment of mirrors and health advisories, the
only splash of color coming from a padded table standing against the far wall.
Folded neatly on top was a blue jumpsuit identical to Renji’s, a corresponding
pair of steel-toed boots placed on the floor underneath.
I tried
inching forward to retrieve them, surprised to find my legs heavy as lead.
Renji and the doctor swiftly lunged to my side, acting as human crutches to
ferry me across the room. With some effort, I managed to plop myself down onto
the table, putting on my clothes one limb at a time. As I leaned over to slip
on my boots, the cryo-pod retracted into its adjoining wall, revealing an
enormous vault through the opening. There were countless other pods hanging in
rows upon rows, their occupants still waiting for a wake-up call.
“I'm
afraid you only have about ten minutes or so to collect yourself,” Dr. Emry
said, rocking impatiently on his heels. “After that, it’ll be time for reorientation.
I understand this isn’t much of a welcome party, but I’ve got nine more pods to
crack open before my shift is over.”
“Understood,”
I said, wobbling to my feet. Curious to know what the centuries had done to me,
I turned to the nearest mirror, relieved to see I hadn’t aged a day. The same pearly
gray eyes stared back at me, albeit nestled above dark bags of fatigue. My short auburn hair was a tangled mess,
still wet and dripping as it hung down over my face.
“Come
on, stud, you can preen yourself later!” Renji gave me a teasing slap on the
back, almost sending me face-first into the mirror. “We’ve got places to go! So
many things to do!”
He
quickly grabbed my arm, dragging me through the automated sliding door of the
exit into a brightly lit hallway. I only managed another step or two before the
windows along the corridor caught my eye. On the other side of the aluminum
glass, the vastness of space twinkled in all its grandeur, the view as
breathtaking as when we’d first boarded the ship. Even while traveling at a fraction of the
speed of light, the stars seemed to hold constant against the infinite
blackness. Unfortunately, Renji had already
grown immune to the sight of it, anxiously tugging me onward as though I was
staring at a rock.
We soon
reached the end of the narrow passage, stumbling into the cavernous chamber of the
medical bay. It was practically a city unto itself, hundreds of doctors and
nurses bustling about, tending to the many patients scattered across the deck. Overhead,
the air was filled with robotic drones flitting between the upper levels, their
skinny metal arms laden with supplies. Each was roughly the size of a dog,
insectoid in appearance, wings beating faster than the eye could see. They ducked
into various rooms to deliver their cargo, taking off again like bees to a
honeycomb. As Renji and I moved through the crowd, a woman’s voice began to
ring out over the PA system, reverberating in a velvety British accent.
“Welcome aboard the Sojourn-class super
dreadnought, UNS Tenacity. For all newly reawakened passengers, please report
to auditorium gamma for reorientation and mission status updates. On behalf of
the High Council, we thank you and appreciate your compliance.”
“I
guess that’s our cue,” Renji said, pointing across the chamber. At the opposite
end, I spotted a large foyer with droves of people heading inside. Many bore
the same blue jumpsuits as Renji and me, others wearing outfits of red, white
or gold. The two of us hurried over as fast as my shaky legs could carry me, falling
in line with the procession.
As
we entered the auditorium, I couldn’t help but feel as if we were back in
school again. The room was laid out like
a lecture hall with bleachers sloping downward in a semi-circle. Instead of a podium or desk, the stage at the
bottom had a glass dome projector embedded in the center, almost resembling a
pitcher’s mound. Renji and I took our seats at the top of the amphitheater just
before the lights began to dim. The audience fell silent as the projector
flickered to life, casting the hologram of a man sporting a gold officer’s
uniform and a crew cut of sandy gray hair.
“Greetings, people of Earth!” His voice
thundered through the auditorium, his arms open wide. “I am Admiral Jonathan Rhoads, and as commander of this magnificent ark
ship, I welcome you to a new era of human history!”
The
hall erupted into a chorus of cheers and applause. Rhoads pumped his hands in
the air, soaking up the ovation with a smug grin. Renji rolled his eyes,
clearly unimpressed by the spectacle. After a few seconds, the admiral raised
his fist, reining in the crowd before continuing.
“The current year is 2510 A.D. That makes four
hundred and twenty years since we embarked on our journey into the stars. That's
four centuries since our world was destroyed by the red comet, Thanatos. The
ten million of us remaining have slept and awaited the day when we would see
the sun rise over Virinova, the future home of humanity. A planet chosen for
its similarities to Earth in temperature, gravity and breathable air. A paradise
of abundant water and plant life. Brothers and sisters…you needn’t wait any
longer. I’m here to tell you that day has finally come!”
The
audience burst into celebration once again, Renji mocking the admiral’s bravado
with an exaggerated flailing of his arms. I laughed out loud at the gesture,
clamming up as I noticed the dirty looks coming from the people around us.
Renji simply smiled and waved, turning them back to the stage with a shake of
their heads.
“Virinova will be the perfect foundation upon
which to rebuild society,” the
hologram went on. “And as with any society,
its members are required to contribute to the greater good. For this reason,
each of us has been chosen for a specific purpose based on our individual
skills and capabilities. Some of you may have noticed the different colors of
uniform. That’s to help distinguish a
person’s duties from the rest of the crew.”
I cringed
at the admiral’s scripted explanation. Distinguish a person’s duties? Please. Everyone
knew exactly what the colors were for. It was merely a caste system with a not-so-clever
disguise. A way to separate the elites from the rest of the hired help.
“Those of us wearing gold are among the
esteemed leadership,” Rhoads
boomed.“It’s our burden to guarantee your
survival and the establishment of our new civilization. Crew members in white embody our science,
medical and administrative staff while those in blue comprise our military and
technical personnel. As for red, they represent our civilian population which
will provide a variety of domestic skills and support to our other vocations."
Down in
the front row, a group of scarlet-clad frat boys began chuckling amongst
themselves, amused by the sound of their own job description. Why wouldn’t they
be? They didn’t have any skills to offer. They weren’t anybody’s support. Red
was for royalty. It was a prime minister’s wife or a billionaire’s son—family
of those that bankrolled construction of the dreadnoughts. That was their sole
purpose, their golden ticket to salvation while the rest of us were lucky to
have the skills necessary to sustain them. As I smoldered over the nepotism,
Rhoads lifted his voice to recapture our attention.
“Inside the ship's network database, you’ll
find your schedules and list of responsibilities,” he said matter-of-factly. “A map can also be accessed to guide you to
your quarters and other points of interest. With only weeks until we arrive at
our destination, all passengers and crew are expected to help in whatever way
possible to smooth our transition onto the planet and ensure a safe conclusion
to our journey. May we continue striving to make this new world better than the
one we left behind. Thank you and welcome aboard the Tenacity.”
With that, the hologram flickered off,
returning the rest of the room to its original brightness. A soft din swept the
audience as they rose from their seats, chatting excitedly with one
another.
“Well,
that was informative, wasn’t it?” I said, turning to Renji. He’d somehow
managed to fall asleep sitting straight up, a strand of drool trickling from
his open mouth. Suspecting it was an act, I gave him a sharp jab to the ribs
with my elbow.
“I didn’t do it!” Renji cried, jerking awake with genuine surprise. He rubbed his side, narrowing his eyes at me. “Hey, is that any way to treat your fantastical tour guide? Let’s see how you like it.” Renji poked me in the gut with his finger, wrinkling his forehead as I doubled over in pain. “Crap, did I hit you too hard?” He leaned forward, about to whisper an apology when my stomach roared louder than I’d ever heard in my life. It echoed over the bleachers, people stopping mid-conversation to stare up at us in astonishment. “Yeeeeaaah, I think it’s time to get you some grub,” Renji said, sheepishly patting my tummy. “After a few centuries, you’re probably well overdue.”
I
didn't quite realize how hungry I was until we finally made it to the mess hall. The scent of freshly baked bread and
simmering meat lingered heavily in the air, pulling me by the nostrils into a
heavenly trance. There was everything from pork chops to cinnamon rolls,
breakfast burritos to shrimp tempura. The only obstacle seemed to be fighting
off the crowd. Hundreds of people had already flocked to the ration buffets and
distribution lines, the one for steak and potatoes wrapping nearly all the way
around the deck. I decided to split the difference between patience and desire,
heading for a less populated buffet when I felt Renji’s hand on my shoulder.
“Hey,
Bro, where do you think you're going?" he asked. I pointed a thumb at the seafood
line, twisting to break free of his grip. He closed his eyes, shaking his head
mournfully. “Take a good look and tell me what you see.”
I
turned around and scanned the people in line, my heart sinking into my feet as
I noticed there wasn’t a stitch of blue clothing anywhere to be found. “No,” I gasped. “No, this
can’t be right.”
“’Fraid
so,” Renji shrugged. “The good stuff is reserved for the Reds and Golds. Our feast is waiting over there.” He nodded
to a meager line of blue jumpsuits off to one side, their trays loaded with
nothing more than a few granola bars and a mysterious green slop.
I
curled my lips in disgust, opening my mouth to protest, but the pangs in my stomach
convinced me to settle for the path of least resistance. After a depressingly
short wait for our food, I led the way to the farthest edge of the dining area,
grabbing a vacant table with my back to the room. It was bad enough being
forced to smell what I couldn’t have. Why torture myself by staring at it as
well?
I
leaned over my plate of gruel, too starved to care any longer, vigorously
stuffing my face as Renji slid into the seat across from me. “You know, there’s
a lot more where that came from,” he quipped.
“I’m
counting on it,” I replied between mouthfuls. “Thanks for showing me the ropes,
by the way. Have you been out of cryo-sleep for very long?”
Renji
glanced up at the ceiling, thoughtfully tapping his chin. “Hmmm, I guess it’s
been a few days now. It’s hard to gauge time when you’re crammed into this big
tin can.”
“Could’ve
fooled me,” I said with a mischievous grin. “The way you showed up for my
awakening? You’ve got a stalker’s punctuality, my friend.”
“I may
have slipped Dr. Emry a couple extra granola bars for a heads-up,” Renji said,
returning the smile. “I know first-hand how scary and disorienting it can be to
wake up alone. It’s a lot to take in. Figured
I’d do you a favor and make the transition easy.”
“Dragging
me around the ship certainly took the edge off,” I chuckled. “But how did you
wake up so early? I thought there was some kind of priority to which pods would
get cracked open first.”
Renji
glanced down at his plate, avoiding my gaze. “Oh, you know how it is,” he
mumbled. “Somebody had to keep the ladies entertained, so they let me out
early.” He abruptly snapped up in his seat, his expression brightening as he
changed the subject. “Hey, did you get a kick out of the old man’s dog and pony
show?” Renji puffed out his chest, giving his best impression of Admiral Rhoads.
“Brothers and sisters! Thank you for not dying and welcome to indentured
servitude!”
“Honestly,
it was weird hearing him be so cordial,” I said, choking down another lump of
green slime. “It definitely wasn’t the same guy we worked under during the Sentinel
Project.”
“The Sentinel
Project.” Renji echoed me with a fit of nostalgia washing over his face. “Those
were the days. Developing all that cutting-edge tech. All the pranks and
nonsense we’d get into. My parents couldn’t believe half the stuff I wrote home
about.”
I
looked up from my plate, a barrage of epic memories on the tip of my tongue,
but Renji was already a million miles away. His eyes wandered among the various
passengers, settling on a family of Reds a few tables over. They sat quietly
prodding their food, a mother and her two daughters. The elder one was a
teenager, complete with her own supply of angst and a permanent scowl.
“This
garbage tastes like feet,” she grumbled, pushing aside her tray of briskets in
disgust.
“Mommy,
when can we go home?” the younger daughter asked. She couldn't have been older
than three, her head barely able to see over the tabletop. “I miss having my
own room. And where are all my friends?”
The
stress of their new environment had left her mom looking gaunt and frazzled. She glanced down at the little one, wrinkling
her brow. “I’m sorry, Sweetheart. We can’t go back to where we were before,”
she replied. “We’re going to build a new home where you can be safe.”
Renji
nodded at the teenager, his eyes welling with sorrow. “Kimiko would’ve been
about her age,” he said softly.
I
crossed my arms over the table, whispering to him in a gentle yet commanding
tone. “Renji…don’t go there. It’s not what your sister would’ve wanted.”
“What
made us so fragging special?” he asked, still fixated on the family of Reds.
“Why should people like us be worth the sacrifice of a thousand others? All we
did was engineer a bunch of armored suits.”
“Can’t
that be enough?” I hissed. “The whole point of the Sentinel Project was to
revolutionize vicarious warfare. That’s what we did with the Omega exoframe. We
gave the world an alternative to human conflict—a remotely piloted machine to
do the fighting in their place. No more bloodstained battlefields. No more
parents having to bury their sons and daughters. Our work has saved countless
lives.”
“Tell
that to our enemies,” Renji shot back. “You never had to test one of those
things in the field like I did. You never saw how a single Omega could mow down
an entire platoon of insurgents. The UN Science Division made sure to keep that
far from the news cameras.”
“So
what if they did?” I countered. “That doesn’t change all the good we
accomplished, stamping out terrorism and tyranny.”
“We
only succeeded in making war more convenient. More detached. It didn’t erase
old rivalries and political tensions, even amongst the UN coalition.”
I
furrowed my brow, clenching my jaw in frustration. “Renji, I get it. Our planet
is gone. Everything we ever knew is gone. It’ll take a lot longer than a few
days for all of us to process that, but there’s no point arguing the fact that
we’re still here. Omegas have become the primary tool of military defense, and
as long as they’re aboard the dreadnoughts, someone’s going to have to service
and pilot them. That’s our purpose, menial as it may seem. Don’t you see? We’re
the lucky ones.”
“Lucky?” Renji spat the word, recoiling
bitterly at the taste. “Our choice was to stay and die with the ones we love or
run away like cowards. Most of our team had to leave their spouses behind.
Their children. I had to look my family in the eye and tell them it would be
for the last time. You only think you’re lucky because you had nobody left to
lose. Your parents were gone long before Thanatos.”
A
spark of rage flashed inside me, but I quickly snuffed it, slouching backward
with a sigh. “You’re right,” I said calmly. “My parents were already dead, but
at least you got to say goodbye. You got to live on knowing that this is what
they—what Kimiko—wanted for you. Both of us may be orphans now, but that
doesn’t mean we’re alone. We’ve still got each other.”
Renji
slumped over his plate, the intensity on his face melting away. “I…I’m sorry,”
he muttered. “It’s true. You’re the closest thing I’ve ever had to a brother. I
shouldn’t have bashed you like that. This pond scum we’re eating really seems
to bring out my inner douchebag.”
“Don’t
worry, mine will be coming up any second now,” I said, pretending to dry heave.
Renji
snickered, holding his fist over the table. “So…we cool?”
“Extra
frosty,” I said, pounding my knuckles against his. “The key to this whole thing
is to stay positive. We’ve made it this far, haven’t we? People used to joke
that if anything could survive the apocalypse, it’d be the cockroaches. Well,
guess what, pal? We’ve out-survived even them!” I threw my arms up in the air,
beaming triumphantly.
Renji
perked up in his seat, my pep talk apparently having done the trick. “Hey, Ron,
speaking of survivors, wasn’t there one in particular you wanted to ask me about?”
He tilted his head, batting his eyes flirtatiously.
“Karina?!”
I slapped my hands down on the table in excitement. “Have you seen her
yet? Is she doing OK?” He answered with
a coy smile, my body going rigid as I noticed his eyes flick over my shoulder.
“I’m
doing great! How sweet of you to ask!”
I
winced with embarrassment, cursing Renji in my mind before casually twisting
around to greet the voice behind me. “Karina! What a surprise! Just when did
you get here?”
Her
gold officer's uniform caught me a bit off guard, but it couldn't disguise
those piercing green eyes or that long mane of russet brown hair. I gave
her a subtle once-over, admiring the way her curves turned a common dress suit
into a work of art, her jacket lending a certain degree of sturdiness to her
otherwise slender frame. Despite centuries of being cooped up inside a spaceship,
her skin had miraculously retained its shade of sun-kissed honey.
“I came
in around the part where you were gloating about the cockroaches,” she said, sliding
into the seat beside me. “An excellent topic for meal time, wouldn’t you say? So,
how long have you been awake?”
“I think
I might still be dreaming,” I said under my breath. It must’ve slipped out
slightly louder than I thought, my cheeks burning as Renji flashed me a cringe.
Before Karina could react, I swooped in with the recovery. “Uh—that is—I’ve
only been up for a few hours, so everything’s still a bit hazy.” It was a weak
attempt, but she seemed to buy it. “Anyways,
what’s your take on settling a new planet? Kinda crazy, am I right?”
Karina
tossed her hair over her shoulder. “We have so many variables to consider,” she
replied. “Will the air be safe from any pathogens? What if our crops and livestock
aren’t compatible with the ecosystem? And don’t even get me started on
shuttling everyone down to the surface.”
“Definitely
sounds like a challenge,” I said, sweeping my empty plate to the side. “The
logistics behind this whole operation must be insane.”
Karina’s
eyes widened as though remembering some sort of traumatic experience. “A total
nightmare is more like it,” she groaned. “If you think sustaining ten million
people in space is a chore, imagine the weight of trying to govern them all. You
wouldn’t believe how many High Council meetings I’ve had to sit through. For
the time being, mutual survival seems to be the only thing everyone can agree
on.”
Renji
peeled the wrapper from one of his granola bars, glancing up with annoyance. “I
take it the duties they assigned you are mostly political?”
Karina
reached over and broke off a chunk of Renji’s dessert. “Pretty much,” she said,
popping it into her mouth. His eyes darted between her and the granola bar in
disbelief. “Officially, I’m stationed as
the tactical officer on the bridge, reporting straight to my dad— er, the admiral.
Though, unless one of the other dreadnoughts decides to pick a fight or
something, I’m otherwise stuck as an interpreter for the higher-ups.”
“Makes
sense when you speak seven languages, huh?” Renji added. He watched Karina’s
hand creep across the table for another morsel, shielding the granola with his
arm. “Someone must’ve been impressed by the work you did for the Sentinel
Project. I’ll admit, it was nice having a second translator after the robotics
team and I arrived from Japan.” He reached for his glass of milk, squinting
warily at the prowling hand.
“What
are you talking about?” I chimed in. “I spoke plenty of Japanese when we first
met.”
Renji
almost spit out his drink. “S-s-seriously?” he sputtered. “All you knew how to
say were a bunch of curse words and obscure anime references!” Karina cupped a
hand over her mouth, muffling a snicker.
“Heh.
Of course,” I said, folding my arms proudly. “Always gotta nail down the
essentials first, right? Ganbarou, ero
sensei!”
Karina
gave me a playful nudge as her giggling burst into all out laughter. “It’s so
great to finally have you awake, Ron. I can’t remember the last time the three
of us were able to hang out like this.”
“Now
that you mention it, how long have you
been awake?” I asked.
“Let’s
see...” She bit her lip and thought for a second. “They started the reviving
process nearly a week ago. My dad and I came right after the initial wave of
medical staff. Those first few days were really lonely. Dad isn’t exactly the
best travel companion, if you catch my drift.
Did you guys enjoy his spiel at re-orientation?”
“It
was mildly entertaining,” I said, shrugging my shoulders. “Could’ve used a
laser show and some pyrotechnics though.”
“Don’t
tempt him,” Renji scoffed. “The guy’s ego is massive enough as it is. I
couldn’t fathom working directly under him again.”
Karina
rolled her eyes. “Oh, come on, it’s not so bad…if you love constant judgment
and scrutiny.” She paused for a moment, her expression turning somber. “At
least things have been too busy for us to lock horns very much. The leadership
is scrambling to decide the best way to move society down to the plant. I'm not
allowed to go into any details, but despite how unified we’ve been thus far, I
doubt we'll see that solidarity once we land.”
“What
do you mean?” Renji asked.
Karina
glanced over her shoulders, leaning in close to be sure no one else could hear.
“The surviving nations have been playing nice because we're trapped together on
these arks, but all that chauvinism and pettiness from before hasn't gone away
just because we're homeless. The United States and Russia. France and Germany. China
and Japan. All the borders that once divided our map are dead and gone, yet people
are still looking to segregate leadership wherever possible. I suppose it makes
sense given our language and cultural barriers, though it wouldn't surprise me
if they start divvying up Virinova under the banners of ‘New Europe’ or ‘New
Asia’ and whatnot.”
“So
it’s a race to keep the status quo? Didn't see that one coming,” Renji groaned.
“Seems
like you've got your work cut out for you,” I said. “Either way, congrats on
your promotion to tactical officer. You could've done a lot worse.”
Karina
blushed, awkwardly rubbing the back of her neck when another gold uniform walked
up behind her. The man was stone-faced with an almost mechanical swagger, his
cold eyes studying Renji and me as he leaned over to whisper something in
Karina’s ear. She abruptly pulled away, scowling at him in vexation. “Right
now?” He nodded, prompting an irritated sigh. “Well, boys, duty calls. It was
so great to see you two. We should catch up again soon.” Karina offered us a
warm smile, waving goodbye as she got up to follow the officer out of the mess
hall.
“Don’t
forget us when you reach the top!” I yelled after her.
Renji
hunched forward, a cocky grin tugging at the corners of his mouth as he watched
me sink wistfully back into my seat. “Dude, if you think she has a cool job, wait until you see the hangar.”
Chapter 2
Karina Rhoads
I
trailed along the corridor behind Daniels, grinding my teeth in frustration.
Why would the High Council be calling to reconvene so soon? Was five hours not enough
squabbling for one day? I couldn't even get five minutes to talk with my
friends before getting pulled into what was likely another absurd political
dispute. Daniels remained silent as we came to the elevator doors, punching the
button for the command deck.
“Are
you going to tell me what this about, Lieutenant?” I asked, folding my arms.
The
former marine stared ahead as the elevator opened in front us, his expression
stoic as ever. “Sorry, Ma’am, but whatever the issue is, it’s been deemed above
top secret. Suffice to say, all of the top brass have been summoned as well.”
I followed
Daniels into the lift, gazing out the window as we lurched upward. “Must be
something big if even the admiral doesn’t know,” I mused. “Could a schism in
the factions already be taking shape?”
The
sub-levels of the ship flashed outside the glass, a burst of artificial
sunlight flooding the carriage as we ascended into the agricultural sector. Its
sprawling fields of green grass and trees raced downward as though we’d
launched from a rocket, giving us a bird’s-eye view of its domed habitat. In
the paddocks below, animals of every kind wandered blissfully unaware of their
true surroundings, horses and cattle grazing freely beneath a blue holographic
sky.
No
matter how many times I’d ridden to and from the command deck, the sight of it
never failed to make my heart skip a beat. It was a fleeting portal into the
distant past, allowing me to escape the confines of our synthetic bubble and
forget, if only for a moment, the pain of what we’d lost. I pressed against the
handrail, imagining the crunch of Earth’s gravel under my feet one more time,
but like any dream, it ended far too soon, the windows plunging into darkness
as we neared our destination.
The
elevator slowed to a stop, Daniels straightening up as I pivoted to face the
doors. A part of me clung to the hope that my usual assignment wouldn’t be
lurking in the lobby outside. There was a chance he could’ve lost his patience
and went ahead without me. Perhaps, by some miracle, he’d caught dysentery or
something and was too bedridden to grace us with his presence. No such luck.
The double doors slid open, revealing the object of my exasperation waiting on
just the other side.
An
overly plump lemon standing on its point. That’s what he looked like, anyway.
It was certainly the kind of taste his bright yellow suit always left in my
mouth. The man grinned up at me from beneath his ghastly thin tufts of orange
hair, his pale, pudgy face wrinkling with glee. “Miss Rhoads! You kept my poor heart pounding in suspense!” he said
in his native French. “The meeting is
going to start any minute!”
“Forgive me, Councilman Belmont,” I
replied in the same dialect. “I came as soon as I could. And I’ll remind you to address me as ‘Major’.”
He apologized
with a flurry of derisive bows, ushering me out of the elevator. “Ah yes, but of course,” Belmont snorted.
“Come now, we haven't a moment to lose.”
I
stormed past him, leading the group to the security checkpoint outside the High
Council chamber. The guards stood ready with their metal detectors, eyeing us
suspiciously as Belmont and I went back and forth in a language they didn’t
understand. “If it's any more convenient
for you, Councilman, we could always equip you with an automated translator
device,” I said. “That way, you wouldn't have to wait for me
before every meeting. They come programmed with a variety of attractive voices.”
Belmont
flashed his crooked, wine-stained teeth. “Trying
to escape me now, Major?” he teased. “Those
toys may work reasonably well, but they lack a sort of…personal touch, don't
you think? Besides, how would I ever stay awake through these dreadful
gatherings without you?”
I
turned to the guards with arms raised, their scanners sweeping up and down my
torso as I tried to ignore the question. Of all the creepy, stuff-shirted
bureaucrats to translate for, why did I have to get saddled with this one? Just the feel of his gaze on
my back was enough to make my stomach churn. At least there was consolation in
knowing I didn’t have to sit with him. Not when all he needed was my voice.
A
shrill buzz from one of the scanners had me reaching into the breast pocket of
my jacket, the guards tensing slightly as I withdrew a small plastic case.
“Calm down, people. It’s just a couple of earpieces.” They inched closer,
watching intently as I presented my evidence. After winning a nod of approval,
I popped one of the buds in my ear, handing its counterpart to Belmont without
even bothering to look.
“Shall we, my dear?” he said, offering me
the crook of his arm.
I
stared at it in horror for a moment, finally gesturing to the chamber’s
entrance. “After you, Councilman,” I
replied. Belmont frowned at my counterfeit smile and went on inside while I
marked time for Daniels to catch up. It never bothered me that he was always
last to get through security. It was the perfect excuse to gain some distance
between me and the giant lemon.
As
we stepped into the auditorium, the air was already ablaze with rumors and
speculation, delegates clamoring for a hint as to why any of us were there.
Daniels and I glanced around at the tiered benches, straining to find us a
claim. Most were loaded with politicians. The seats that weren’t began to
flicker and glow with the arrival of holographic people. It was customary for
the other dreadnoughts to manifest their leadership this way, tele-conferencing
from the comfort of their own ships. I just wished their ethereal butts didn’t
take up so much blasted space.
Belmont
certainly wasn’t having as much trouble as we were finding a seat. He simply
waddled down the central staircase, crossing the circular clearing at the
bottom to reach the bar of the High Council. Its black marble table glistened
in the spotlights, firm and unyielding, the majority of its occupants shimmering
in holographic form. A ghostly reminder of the authority that the UNS
Benevolence possessed. It didn’t make sense to me why one ship would have the
lion’s share of Council members, but nobody else seemed to argue. How could they?
The threat of extinction had given our leadership more than enough license to
throw democracy to the wind. Our only choice was to trust in their judgment.
After
meandering up into the nosebleed section, Daniels finally tugged me by the
sleeve, pointing to an open bench between a pair of stocky holograms. We
hurried over and shimmied into our seats, the ambient lights dimming as an
elderly man at the center of the High Council’s table arose to call the room to
order. Even from a distance, I was able to recognize his narrow face and shock
of snowy white hair. He slowly scanned the audience, eyes sharp and hooded, his
deep voice echoing powerfully as I muttered the translation into my earpiece.
“Greetings, noble friends and esteemed
colleagues! I, Councilman Adam Syre, will conduct this emergency session of the
High Council. At this time, we hereby call upon Major Eric Walton—intelligence
officer and strategic analyst—to describe the situation for which you have all been
summoned here today.”
Councilman
Syre outstretched his hand in presentation, relinquishing the spotlight to a
cylindrical podium extending from the floor nearby. Dead silence fell over the
room, the shuffling of footsteps the only sound as a lone figure approached
from out of the darkness. A tall, gangly young man wearing a blue officer’s
uniform and a look of perpetual boredom. His hair was pasted to one side, black
and shiny to match his thick-rimmed glasses. He climbed up behind the podium,
pausing a moment to assess the crowd before raising a remote control in his
hand.
The
floor in front of him promptly opened up to reveal a jumbo-sized holographic
projector. Its lens erupted in a burst of light, filling the air with a rainbow
of colors that coalesced into the shape of a planet. The audience gasped in
unison, marveling at the sphere’s geography as it hovered above us in gritty
detail. Vast oceans covered most of the surface, their waters a deep, almost
purple shade of blue. The central continents were dense with green forests and
snow-capped mountains, clouds billowing over the hills and valleys with all the
magnificence that Earth once possessed. An untouched world of wonder, ripe for
discovery and exploration.
“What
you see, ladies and gentlemen, is an image of Virinova as recorded by our space
telescopes over four hundred years ago.” Walton’s voice thundered over the din,
his tone flat and emotionless as though he were rolling through a slide show. “Here,
we have a shot of the planet from its dark side, or its ‘nighttime’ view.” He
clicked the remote and the projection flickered, shrouding Virinova in
darkness. The greens and blues of its terrain were barely visible now against
the twinkling backdrop of space. “And this
is an image of the planet’s dark side as recorded thirteen hours
ago."
The
holographic orb shimmered to reveal an exact copy of the previous view, except this
time the stars had somehow plastered themselves across its face. Clusters of
white and yellow dots peppered the shadowy landscape, connecting to one another
through a mesh of lambent veins. It took me a few seconds to grasp what I was
seeing, thinking at first it was an archival video of modern Earth.
“Lastly,
I give you the surface of Virinova as it appears this very day…”
Major
Walton clicked his remote and the sun rose over a planet I could hardly
recognize. Where once had been wide expanses of virgin wilderness, there stood
instead a network of glistening gray cities. The sandy ocean coastlines were
now choked by harbors and artificial peninsulas made of metal and stone. The
tint of the atmosphere had changed as well, imprisoned under the gleam of
satellites hanging in orbit. Everyone in the audience sat utterly dumbstruck,
eyes glued to the image. After what felt like an eternity, Walton's voice finally
broke the silence with a cold and factual detachment.
“Ladies
and gentlemen of the governing body…humanity’s new Garden of Eden is, as of
now, currently occupied.”
A
ripple of panic immediately swept over the crowd, dozens of voices clamoring
for an explanation. “How could this have happened?!” someone shouted over the
chaos.
“What
does this mean?!” cried another.
“SILENCE!” Councilman Syre bellowed. His yell
was loud enough to make my teeth chatter. “I
ask that the chamber withhold any questions or commentary until after Major Walton
has finished his briefing.” He turned to Walton, shifting seamlessly from a
stern glare into an encouraging nod. “Major,
please give us the rest of your findings.”
Walton blinked
at the councilman, still rattled by the outburst. “R-right away, Sir,” he said,
turning back to the hologram. “When we surveyed the planet four hundred years
ago, our telescopes lacked the resolution to see any signs of intelligent life.
It’s possible that a sentient race was already present on or beneath the
surface but was too primitive to be detected before we left Earth. Their
civilization would’ve evolved dramatically while we slept in cryo-statis.
Another theory would suggest they’re from a different world entirely. Like us,
they could’ve migrated to Virinova in search of a habitable environment.”
Murmurs
rumbled through the audience as they gauged the High Council's reaction. Syre
leaned forward on his elbows, intrigued by the assessment. “Major, what can you tell us about
these...natives?”
Walton
raised his remote, causing the metal flecks over the planet’s atmosphere to
highlight in bright green. “At this point, the only information we have about
them comes from observing their technology. Here, we see artificial satellites
of various sizes. This confirms their potential for space travel, but the
extent of which is unknown.”
He
clicked the remote again to magnify the planet’s image, suspending our view
several miles above one of the alien cities. I squinted at the sparkling sea of
gray, barely able to make out the swarm of tiny objects soaring between the
buildings.
“You’ll
notice the indigenous seem to use some kind of airborne vehicles,” Walton
continued. “Based on their external design, they don’t seem to require standard
aerodynamics to fly. Spectral analysis shows that the planet generates a
powerful geomagnetic field which likely assists them with their anti-gravity
technology. From these two examples alone, it’s safe to assume their level of
scientific advancement is comparable to our own. As for their approximate
population, our extrapolated data estimates their numbers to be somewhere over
five billion.”
A
jolt of surprise flashed across Syre’s face, prompting a rise out of the crowd.
He swiftly regained his composure, narrowing his eyes at Virinova. “What are our options?” he demanded.
Walton
pursed his lips. “Well, Sir, even if we were aware of another habitable planet,
we don’t have the fuel or supplies to travel there. Frankly, our trip from Earth
was never intended to be anything but one-way. This leaves us with only two
choices. The most feasible would be to attempt communication with the
indigenous species and negotiate the sharing of land and resources.”
“And the other?” Syre pressed.
“Should
they refuse to negotiate or otherwise deny us safe harbor on Virinova, our only
hope would be…” Walton hesitated for a second, measuring the weight of what he
was about to say next. “…We would have to take the planet by force.” The
chamber exploded into chaos once again. I couldn’t even finish translating the
words before being drowned out by the commotion. Syre shot to his feet, opening
his mouth to blast the crowd into submission when a new voice roared out from
among them.
“That’s
enough!” A spotlight beamed down from the ceiling over my dad. He stood on top
of his seat, hands raised to quell the people around him. “Both options have
their risks,” he said. “We can’t make a rational decision until we have all the
facts. Major Walton, would you kindly remind the chamber of our assets?”
Walton
glanced up at the admiral, adjusting his glasses. “Yes, Sir, of course,” he replied.
Another
click of his remote changed the room’s hologram to a view of our fleet. The
five titanic dreadnoughts were instantly recognizable as they floated through
the air like a pod of silvery whales. Their darkened hulls glittered from bow
to stern with thousands of tiny lights, dwarfing the cruise-liner-sized ships
clustered between them.
“In the
event of a direct conflict, we have twelve spacecraft at our disposal,” Walton
explained. The different vessels lit up and enlarged to illustrate his lecture.
“First and foremost, we have the five Sojourn-class super
dreadnoughts—Benevolence, Tenacity, Sojourn, Cenotaph and Shen Raoshu. Each was
already equipped with hard light shielding and a battery of particle cannons to
protect against asteroids and other spaceborne debris.” The hologram shifted
its focus away from the arks, zooming in on one of the smaller craft. “Our
seven Antares-class starships were originally intended for the exchange of
resources and personnel between the dreadnoughts. Though lacking in defenses,
we have the means of weaponizing them into moderately agile battleships.”
Dad
glared up at the display, his brows still furrowed with speculation. “What
about the Omegas?” he asked.
Walton folded his arms. “The dreadnoughts
share a combined army of three hundred and fifty SF-124 Omega-class exoframes,”
he replied. “They’re fully outfitted for combat, but given our numerical
disadvantage, I’d advise against any kind of ground-based assault. We should
remain in space and use orbital bombardment as necessary to pacify the natives.
If nothing else, we could resort to our small arsenal of tactical warheads and
high-yield neutron bombs.”
My eyes
snapped open wide. “Are they serious?” I whispered to Daniels. “We’d destroy
the very planet we’re trying to colonize! Why the hell would we bring along
weapons like that in the first place?!” Daniels held a finger to his lips,
eager to hear the Council’s response.
Despite
the mention of nuclear war, Syre had done well to keep a blank expression. He knew
better than to let his emotions sway the crowd. “And what of negotiations?” he asked.
Walton
squeezed the remote anxiously in his hand. “While diplomacy would be the ideal solution,
Admiral Rhoads is correct that it would also pose a risk. Everything would
depend on establishing some form of mutual communication. There's no telling
how long it could take to decipher each other’s languages, if that’s even
possible. And what if these creatures turn out to be hostile regardless?
Revealing ourselves would forfeit any element of surprise we could’ve used for
a preemptive strike.”
Syre
closed his eyes, stroking his pointed chin in consideration. “What would be our chances of success should
we deem a preemptive strike necessary?”
Again, my dad’s voice carried over the
audience. “I’m sorry, Councilman, but as an admiral of the United Nations
fleet, I strongly advise against such action. It would be nothing short of
suicide to attack a foreign power with virtually zero intel on their military
strength.”
“But
Admiral—” Walton tried to interrupt him, but it was no use.
“You honestly think we can commandeer a planet
with five billion hostiles? Even if we end up proving superior in space, what can
we do to cull their numbers on the surface? We certainly can’t settle an
irradiated planet. And how do we know they don’t have nukes of their own?!”
“There
are other methods we could employ,” Walton countered.
“And
what would those be?” Dad demanded. “Infect them with a disease of some sort? We
don’t know anything about their physiology. And what if it were to mutate
against us? Anything outside conventional warfare would be too dangerous. Then
again, how do we even know if the
element of surprise is still on the table? If they’re as advanced as we are,
what’s the likelihood they’ve already seen us coming? We simply aren’t equipped
for full-scale war. This isn’t even an option.”
As
he finished his rant, a figure stepped out from behind the bar of the High
Council, instantly pulling away the spotlight. In the bright glare stood the
holographic form of a man bearing the exact same uniform as my dad. For such a
decorated officer, he was surprisingly youthful, his soft features and feathery
brown hair painting him as more of a sheltered politician than a seasoned
warrior. He glanced up at my dad with his icy-blue eyes, a dimpled smile
creeping its way across his face.
“Let’s not be so hasty to dismiss all our
options,” he said, strolling to the center of the room. The audience hung
on his every word, his voice permeating the air with an almost hypnotic
sweetness. “As much as I appreciate a
word of caution, I don’t believe it wise to sacrifice reason for the sake of
fear. While I do agree that
aggression should be our last resort, leaving ourselves at the mercy of an
unknown landlord doesn't sound like a very enticing plan either.”
Dad
narrowed his eyes at the dashing new contender. “Admiral Gareth,” he grumbled.
“What exactly are you proposing?”
Gareth
made his way over to Major Walton, taking his place behind the elevated podium.
“What I'm proposing, esteemed colleagues,
is that we simply hedge our bets. While we explore the idea of peaceful negotiations,
we should also be doing everything we can to prepare for a worst-case scenario.
If all else fails, we have to be ready. Besides, even if our goal is to
communicate with these creatures, who among us would be qualified to try?”
The
question immediately plunged the audience into a deafening silence, not a soul
daring to speak or volunteer. It was terrifying enough to imagine representing
our entire species, but to be the first to meet an unknown alien race? What
could we possibly say to them? How would we even say it? Any situation outside
the ideal could easily prove deadly. Still, the prospect of meeting someone
from another world fascinated me. The very act would be history in the making. It
would mean the discovery of a whole new form of communication. Just the thought
of what we could learn from them somehow managed to dull my fears.
I’m not
exactly sure what drove me to do it. Call it hope, craziness or aspiration, but
the next thing I knew, my hand was quivering up in the air. The entire chamber
slowly turned to look, their eyes burning with a mixture of doubt and
curiosity. Even Daniels sat staring beside me, the color completely drained
from his face. I quickly yanked my arm down, trembling at the realization that my
failure could mean the extinction of humanity.
Admiral
Gareth blinked at me for a moment, shaking off his astonishment with an
impressed grin. “Major Rhoads…I admire
your courage, but this task would require someone with a little more insight
into the will of the Council.”
Never
in my life had a rejection left me feeling so relieved. I let out a deep sigh,
stiffening up again as Syre decided to fan my flames.
“Hold on now, Gareth,” said the
councilman. “As you so aptly put it,
‘Let’s not be so hasty to dismiss all our options.’ A linguistics specialist is
precisely what we need for establishing communications, and unless these tired
eyes deceive me, I’m not seeing an overabundance of volunteers.” A nervous
chuckle rumbled through the audience. “Now
then, with the information that’s been provided, the Council will deliberate on
this issue and reconvene in twenty-four hours. In the meantime, I think I speak
for us all when I say that defensive preparations should get underway as quickly
and covertly as possible. We don’t want to start a panic. Admiral Rhoads, we
leave this task to you. Council adjourned.”
With
that, the holographic figures throughout the room flickered and vanished from
their respective seats. The lights brightened around us, releasing the assembly
to its usual din of rumors and cynicism.
“We
should report to the admiral,” Daniels said, beckoning for me to follow. The
two of us descended from the stands, nearly reaching the bottom when I noticed
my dad already waiting to greet us. He wore his typically disgruntled pout,
arms crossed and foot tapping.
“What the
hell was that all about?” he demanded,
pointing up to where I’d been sitting.
“I…uh…”
My mind went totally blank. No matter how much I wanted to, I just couldn’t
seem to find the answer.
“And
you!” Dad poked an accusing finger into Daniels’ chest. “The whole point of your
assignment was to keep her out of this kind of insanity!”
Daniels
glared straight ahead, rigidly standing his ground. “Sir, I received no such
order,” he said brusquely.
“It was
implied!” Dad growled. He squeezed his eyes shut and massaged his temples. “Couldn’t
you have held her arms down or something?”
I
furrowed my brow, fists clenched at my side as his frustrations began to rub
off on me. Concern was a predictable response for a father, but I was done with
his pathetic scolding. His condescension. I wasn’t some frightened little girl that
needed to be coddled. This was my chance to make a real difference. To show
him—to show everyone—why I deserved to be here.
“With respect,
Admiral, our survival is going to depend on someone with a high level of
expertise,” I said, squaring my shoulders. “Personal preferences aside, there
aren’t many candidates more qualified in linguistics than I am.”
He
pursed his lips, studying me with those critical eyes of which I’d grown so
accustomed. The old codger loathed to admit it, but he knew I was right. “Well
then…Major…it would seem the fate of humankind rests in our capable hands,” he
shrugged. “I’ll be heading down to pay the mechanized infantry a visit if you’d
like to tag along. Those defenses aren’t going to prep themselves.”
I wasn’t
exactly thrilled about the idea of sharing an elevator, but I gave the
invitation a silent nod. If it meant getting to see Ron and Renji again so
soon, I was willing to brave the journey. Of all the things I needed right now,
it was to surround myself with some friendlier faces.
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