Fractal

by Rachel J Mannino

  Then she wished for more time and room to pack. She waited in her kitchen, looking at the plants sitting in neat rows throughout her greenhouse. They stared back at her. She couldn’t take them.

  Brendan entered the kitchen, a bag slung over his shoulder.

  “Are you both ready?” Varick surveyed their bags

  “We just need Hannah.” She waved a hand toward the door

  The door to the greenhouse opened, and Hannah ran into the kitchen. She had a small bag with her and a jacket. “Okay, it’s done. I left Mr. Vinzie the rent for another month and a note telling him I am going on vacation with you to Italy.” Hannah caught her breath

  “Good. His wife will spread that gossip all over town. No one will even miss us.” Anna stuffed one more picture into her bulging bag.

  Hannah smiled and placed a hand on her shoulder. “Are you ready?”

  She took a deep breath, and pivoted to face Varick. “Yes, I think we’re ready.”

  Varick rewarded her with a smile that made his green eyes dance. Her heart stopped. She fought the fluttering in her stomach; she didn’t need to melt into a puddle at his feet. She willed herself not to think about her budding attraction to him or the millions of reasons why this trip was insane. He picked up the duffle bag with her most treasured possessions.

  “This way.” He strode to the door to the greenhouse.

  They traipsed through her greenhouse and out the back door. While Anna locked the door from the outside, Varick extracted a small gadget from his belt. He twisted dials, and then pressed the large green button on one side. The small, steel-gray gadget elongated into a long pole, the length of the height from ground to his waist. From the end of the pole, a puddle formed, which transformed into a large metal disk.

  “Step on board. It will carry us to the ship.” He held it steady for them.

  They complied. He switched a dial, and the disk levitated. Anna, Hannah, and Brendan huddled together trying to balance on the moving board. The board ascended until they hovered four or five feet above the ground. The disk glided forward, through the forest behind the house. The light breeze whipped her hair and tore at her jacket as they climbed.

  The hover-board accelerated, picking up speed as they crested the ridge behind her home. Brendan let out soft gasps, as he huddled beside Anna and clutched at her arm. The sweet tang of the evergreen trees swirled around them. This might be the last time I ever see this forest. The thought evoked a little sadness in her, but not as much as she expected. With Brendan and Hannah with her, nothing tied her to this place but memories

  The board moved over the brush and underneath the first branches of the towering trees, under Varick’s watchful guidance. He steered them toward a meadow on the other side. As the board touched down, they leaped onto solid ground.

  “Where’s the ship?” Hannah swung around, scanning the tree line

  “Right there.” He gestured toward the trees, as the hover-board contracted into the pole and folded up into its original size

  “Where?” Hannah craned her neck to see over the tree line

  “It’s in stealth mode. That protects us from unwanted visitors.” Varick tread a few paces forward to the center of the field.

  In the tall grass, a circular imprint scorched the earth. He stepped around the imprint before he found the point where it jutted out an inch or two. He touched the side of the ship, and the door appeared. Anna jumped as the bright neon of the hallway lit up.

  The gangway extended, and he clambered up. He touched his hand to the door, and it disappeared. He swept his arm forward. “Your Majesty.”

  She glanced at Hannah for a nervous moment. She had numerous second thoughts about this journey, but shoved them aside. Her father’s dying wish rang in her head, and she had to at least try this new life, a destiny she’d always had but never knew.

  Bright-eyed and breathless, Brendan grabbed her hand, smiling at her as if this were the best day of his life. He pulled her forward, up and onto the gangway. Hannah followed close behind them. Too late to turn back.

  They entered the dim corridor, and Varick closed the door and locked it.

  He pressed his hand to the control panel, and it chimed. “Councilman Meroca, secure,”. Another chime, and then a voice resonated from the panel

  “Yes?”

  “Councilman, the Vadana is on board, and she will receive you in her quarters.” Varick’s smile gleamed in the neon-blue lights. A series of coughs emanated from the panel

  “Gladly, but next time give me some warning before you tell me news like that,” the councilman said.

  He chuckled as he faced them. “Follow me.”

  Anna and Hannah traded quizzical looks, then they trailed behind him. The corridor of blue-gray metal was longer than she had expected, having viewed the ship from the outside. They ascended at a slight incline until the hallway ended in a large, circular room.

  Above them, the entire length of the ship stretched out. To the right and left there were hallways stretching away from the center of the room. A series of glass elevators surrounded the walkway they traveled. Varick opened one of the doors and gestured for them to enter.

  Once inside, he pressed a code made of several symbols, and the elevator shot upward. Anna flushed as her arm brushed up against his in the cramped space. They barely had room to breathe with the four of them packed in the glass enclosure.

  “Hey, what are all of those symbols on there?” Brendan pointed to the panel of buttons

  “Numbers. One to 110.”

  “That’s how you write numbers? Wait, how did you learn English?” Brendan’s eyebrows knotted.

  “We scanned the communications signals closest to you before we landed then uploaded it into a training program.” He placed a hand on the young man’s shoulder.

  “Do we have to learn your language too?” Brendan blinked up at him

  “Bren.” She threw him a warning glance.

  Varick’s brows knit

  “He hated learning French and Spanish in school. Getting him to study a language is harder than teaching a fish to walk on two legs.” She raised her eyebrows at her brother. Brendan snorted.

  Varick smiled down at Brendan

  “It was so boring—that’s why I hated it.” Brendan folded his arms across his chest

  “I don’t think you’ll find these lessons boring.” A knowing smile graced Varick’s lips

  “Wanna bet?” Brendan raised an eyebrow at him.

  Varick chuckled and continued to smile as if he had a great secret. What was it, and how they were going to learn the language? She almost asked, but the lift slowed to a halt, and she tucked the thought away. They exited onto a landing identical to the one they left. Varick pivoted right, heading down a short hallway.

  A cozy, bright hall lay ahead. The carpeted floor and the upholstered paneling enveloped them in a deep purple. Varick stopped beside a door on the left, also purple.

  “These are your quarters, Your Majesty.” He nodded toward the door.

  She went up to the door, but it didn’t open. She contemplated the doorframe, trying to find the trick to it.

  “Our doors open when you touch the center of them. It will recognize you.”

  Anna pressed her hand to the center of the door, and it dissipated. The shape of the room curved in an arc away from the door, toward the doorway of another room. On her right, an empty, open closet leaned against the wall. Beside the closet, a series of upholstered panels surrounded a shelving unit set into a recess point in the wall. At the far end of the room a large bed took up the corner. On her left, two screens sat on either side of a dining table with four chairs.

  “The other door leads to your bathroom.” He inclined his head in the direction of the only other door to her room.

  Anna took in her surroundings before brisk footsteps clicked in the hallway behind them. She swiveled to see a man, a head taller than her, come toward them. This man was balding, but he had a ring of white h
air that went around the nape of his neck to merge with his salt-and-pepper beard. Rotund and wearing a long, brown robe tied at the waist, he locked eyes with her and froze.

  “Your Majesty.” He bowed until his head nearly touched his knees. “We are so very glad to have you with us.” He studied her for a few minutes, and then he met her eyes. “You look very much like your mother.” His voice crackled with emotion.

  “You knew our mother?” Brendan’s eyes widened.

  The councilman examined her brother, and smiled. “Yes, I knew both your parents well.” He nodded to Anna’s room. “Come, let’s sit inside and be comfortable.”

  He ushered them into her room. They gathered around the small dining table. Varick drew out a chair for her.

  “Who is this charming young creature?” The councilman gestured at Hannah

  “I’m Hannah.” She extended her hand. “I’m Anna’s best friend.”

  He regarded her hand with some confusion before grasping it

  “Oh, I forgot you don’t shake hands.” Hannah extracted her hand from his grip and massaged it

  “I assume it’s a friendly greeting?” Meroca raised his eyebrows

  “Yes, yes. Of course.” Hannah smiled as she slid into the dining room chair.

  “I am pleased to welcome you all on behalf of Dahrel and our people.” He folded his hands over his protruding belly.

  Anna fidgeted in her seat. The metal chair held little comfort. A chill crept through the room. This was not her modest home, with overstuffed chairs and couches that needed patches and mending. Everything here was pristine, sparkling, and barren.

  “Where is this planet we’re going to? How long is it going to take?” Brendan slouched in his seat

  “I am not good with such specifics. I leave that to Varick and Captain Fayn.” He peered up at Varick

  “Dahrel is several solar systems away. It will take us at least two weeks to get there.” Varick settled himself against the metal wall by the dining room table.

  Hannah stared at the councilman. “What will we do between now and then? Is there anything to do on this ship?” Hannah’s shoulders slumped over.

  Anna’s stomach clenched. The last thing she needed was to worry about a bored Hannah and Brendan roving around the ship looking for trouble.

  “Ah, well, I read mostly, but Varick and some of the soldiers have game rooms and the like, don’t you Varick?” He gazed up at the Protector again

  “Yes. I can show you those tomorrow.” Varick flashed a smile at Hannah

  “Where are all of those soldiers?” Hannah purred

  Anna let out a great sigh.

  “Uh, Varick?” He turned to Varick a third time

  Varick laughed and folded his arms. “Most of them are in their quarters awaiting their scheduled duty. You won’t see much of them outside of their official business, the training room, or the gaming centers.”

  Hannah sank into her chair, frowning her displeasure.

  “Don’t you know anything about this ship?” Brendan asked Councilman Meroca

  “Bren.” She scowled at him.

  “That’s all right.” Councilman Meroca waved the question away. “He’s quite right. I don’t seem to know as much about this ship as I thought I did.”

  Anna gave Brendan a stern look that said we’ll talk about that later, before she faced the councilman. “I have a question.” She folded her hands on the glass table. “Exactly what will you need me to do on Dahrel? Why do you think I can be any help to you?”

  “Ah…” Councilman Meroca sighed, looking at the metal ceiling. “That is a question I can answer, but it will take much more time than we have tonight. We can start discussing that tomorrow—I promise.”

  She went cold and frowned. She wanted answers now

  “Your Majesty, you’ve had a long day. I asked the councilman here just to greet you, but everything else should wait until you’ve had some sleep.” Varick gentled his voice as he met her gaze.

  Brendan yawned his agreement. She forced her shoulders to relax. “Where will Brendan and Hannah sleep?” Weariness hit her like a freight train

  “Right down the hall, on the other side of the center circle.” He unfolded himself and pushed away from the wall. “I’m just across from you.”

  “I’ll show them to their rooms, Varick.” Meroca rose, bowing his head to her. “You should make sure the Vadana is comfortable, and have Fayn get us underway. Sleep well, Your Majesty. We will talk more tomorrow.”

  “Thank you. Good night.” Anna pushed out of her chair.

  Hannah and Brendan followed Councilman Meroca, but she stopped them in the doorway.

  “Bren, can you come here for a second?” She beckoned to him.

  Embarrassment flashed across Brendan’s face as he moved to obey. She didn’t care. He sent a sidelong glance to Varick, but he made himself busy with the chair he pushed in. Brendan stopped just in front of her.

  “I want you to be really, really nice and polite to everyone—no exceptions. I don’t want you to go anywhere unless someone else is with you. We know nothing about this ship, and you could get in the way, or worse, get hurt. Do whatever Varick asks you to do, and I mean it. Do you understand?”

  Brendan rolled his eyes, and his face lapsed into boredom. “Yes.” Brendan’s head lolled forward.

  “Good, okay.” She dragged him into an embrace. “Sleep well, okay? I love you.”

  “Love you too.” Brendan mumbled into her shoulder.

  Anna released him, and Brendan made a hasty retreat to door. Hannah took a couple of steps and hugged her as well

  “Sleep well. I’ll grab Bren in the morning, and we’ll come here for breakfast okay?” Hannah smiled as she stepped toward the door

  “Just so we’re clear, everything I just said to Bren goes for you too.” Anna gave her a pointed look

  Hannah smirked. “Ah, I should’ve known you were a queen. It was staring us in the face the whole time.” Hannah sauntered out of the room.

  Brendan chuckled. Anna folded her arms across her chest, but she fought the smile tugging at the corners of her mouth. “Good night.”

  Brendan yawned as he followed Councilman Meroca. The tension rebuilt in her shoulders. She sighed. Varick smiled at her with a hint of admiration in his eyes. “I should just apologize now for whatever they break tomorrow.”

  He laughed. “There is very little they could damage beyond repair, and you never need to apologize for anything ever again.”

  She smiled, but it was strained. Being an unapologetic queen didn’t sound like her at all. She hugged her right arm across her waist, while she brought the other one up to massage her stiff shoulder.

  “You’ve raised your brother since your parents passed away?”

  “I was sixteen when they died. Bren was only six, but I was old enough to take care of him. I’m hard on him, but he is a good kid.”

  “Ten years?” His brows shot up. “You raised your brother on your own for ten years?”

  She shrugged. She did what she had to do. A slight heat tinged her cheeks.

  Varick’s gaze caught hers and held it. Something in his eyes arrested her. A warm, sultry softness. Her heart skipped a beat, until she shook her head and broke the link.

  She took a deep breath. “Are there clothes for me to wear? I didn’t bring any.”

  “Yes, yes, of course.”

  He moved to the metal closet by the entrance to the room, and she followed. The closet was nothing more than a large silver box frame. It had no door, the metal panels protruded from the wall. Between the box and the front door, a large control panel took up most of the wall space. Varick touched the panel, and it chimed.

  “Clothing,” he said.

  “What would you like?” replied the computer in stilted English

  He glanced at her

  “A night gown? Something to sleep in.”

  His eyebrows knitted. “Earth clothing. A nightgown. Any color. To fit the Vadana.�
�

  “Accessing…” the computer responded.

  “It’s been programmed for English and Dahrelian. It already has your measurements. We uploaded everything we could find on Earth clothing for the past half century last night. It should be able to materialize anything you need.”

  The computer chimed and a gown appeared hanging up in the metal box. “Wow.” She took a step forward and stroked the silvery silk of the nightgown. It was the nicest nightgown she ever touched.

  “Do you like it? It can make you a new one if you prefer something else.”

  “No, it’s lovely.” Anna took it out of the closet. “I’m just not used to clothing appearing out of thin air.”

  He smiled. “Do you need anything else before I go, Your Majesty? Is there anything I can do for you?”

  “No.” She hugged her new gown against her waist. “I think I’ll be fine.”

  “I’m just across the hall from you if you need me. Just touch the control panel and ask for me. It will call me in my quarters.” He took a step toward the door

  “Thank you.”

  “Good night, Your Majesty.” He took two steps away from her

  “Good night.”

  Varick rotated toward the door, then glanced over his shoulder. He hovered in the doorway as if he was waiting for her to say something. She didn’t know what else to say. He left her alone with her thoughts

  Her gaze wandered around the strange room. Her warm, lived-in home it wasn’t. She changed into the silk nightgown. Moving to the control panel for the replicator, she tapped it a few times. She figured out that she had to place her hand in the center and push. She asked it for a few more things she needed. As with the nightgown, all of her toiletries and requested clothing appeared in her closet.

  She got ready for bed—washing her face and brushing her teeth. The ship trembled for a minute, which made her anxious before it stopped and everything went quiet.

  Anna climbed into the bed, sliding between the cold sheets. She sank into the bedding like she lay on pudding. Despite the comfortable bed, she kept replaying moments from the long day in her head: seeing the spaceship this morning, Varick finding the escape pod in her basement, packing, locking the greenhouse door for what may be the very last time