[scifan] plantation 03 - shadow empire

by Stella Samiotou Fitzsimons

  “Finn, I’m the stupid one,” I say still in shock by Finn’s complete commitment to getting Damian out.

  “And I’m the one betting on you,” he says. “What does that say about me?”

  I can’t help it. I lean in and kiss his cheek. “I say you are the most loyal friend I could ever imagine.”

  “That was a joke, Freya,” he says softly. “I am not doing this for any other reason than it’s the right thing to do.” He stands and walks to the door. I know my touch chased him away.

  “When?” I say.

  “Tomorrow we go over the plan with Theo and Pip,” Finn says. “Every last detail must be analyzed. We will depart in two days.”

  I nod and Finn leaves my room.

  I wanted to thank him. I wanted to tell him I am sorry. I wanted to feel his warmth next to me again. I am not worthy of him. His heart is true, honest and noble.

  I am damaged and dangerous and selfish. I do not make things. I break things. I am not the one who gives birth. I am the one who gives death.

  5

  My eyes fill with images of vast space, the dark ocean of swimming stars and planets that expands forever. We’re only flying a few thousand feet above ground, but it’s a clear night and the stars mesmerize us as we experience the breathtaking sensation of flight for the first time.

  Joshua agreed to take Finn and me as close to Plantation-15 as possible without risking being detected. Of course, he doesn’t know what we’re really up to. For all intents and purposes, Joshua and Ella are under the impression that we’re going on a scouting trip to gather information on the plantation.

  We sit in the back seats of the spherical interplanetary space pod that Joshua pilots and we turn our attention away from the stars to the landscape underneath. Joshua explains the basics of the pod’s propulsion systems and the mechanics that make it noiseless. Joshua calls the pod a great victory for the technological legacy of Exodus L21.

  The invisibility is partial at this point, he says, but they are hopeful. The use of specter mirrors reflects back the colors of the sky, but not quite perfectly. There’s work to do. I don’t really listen to every detail but I’m comforted by the fact that he seems to be so confident and laidback.

  The immensity of the mission that Finn and I have decided to undertake alone only hit me early this morning. There are so many things that could go wrong and if any one thing does go wrong, we will be killed instantly before they even know I am there.

  I think it’s better to die than to become the aliens’ breeding machine, but the idea of Finn coming to his end is too much for me to handle. I try to keep my mind off that possibility and the possibility that it might all be for nothing, that Damian won’t even be there, that he might have already been sent to planet Sliman or worse. They could have tortured him to death trying to extract information about my whereabouts.

  Finn and I talked during breakfast and then later in my room. We went over the plan, we discussed various scenarios but in the end all he had to tell me was to have faith. Faith is an odd word to me and I’ve only ever had faith in one thing, rather one person, Finn himself. So, at least it’s good that we’re in this together.

  I told him this and a smile formed on his lips. For a moment it was like old times, Finn and I against the world. But then a strange feeling rushed through me. My palms and forehead got sweaty. I sent Finn away as fast as I could. I ran to the bathroom. I knelt down in a spell of dizziness and threw up what seemed to be at least three meals.

  *

  FINN IS MORE RELAXED around me now. It’s as if an invisible barrier between us has been brought down and he can look at me again through fresh eyes. He gives me that easy smile I have been missing for weeks.

  “It’s all going to be okay, Tick,” he says.

  Joshua pulls a lever in the cockpit and turns to us. “This is as far as I can take you,” he says. “You’ll have a little walk. It will be morning soon.”

  The pod hovers and slowly descends. The tickling I feel inside my stomach causes me to giggle. Finn called me Tick. All is right in the world.

  “The little things,” Finn says. “You always loved the little things. You should laugh more.”

  “I laugh in the face of death,” I say and now Finn grins from ear-to-ear.

  When we land, Joshua takes hold of our forearms firmly. “I wish there was more I could do,” he says.

  “We appreciate what you’ve done,” I say. “You’ve saved us days.”

  “Having fresh legs might make all the difference,” Finn adds.

  “Yeah, well, be quick and careful,” Joshua says. “I’ll drop to this very spot tomorrow morning as planned.”

  We watch him jump back into his pod and vanish up into the clouds.

  A hint of dawn colors the horizon. Night slips slowly away and our day of truth is about to begin.

  “It’s beautiful,” Finn says watching the day break. We don’t say anything, but I can feel what he feels. We look together in the same direction hoping this will not be the final dawn we ever enjoy.

  “Tomorrow we’ll share it with Damian,” I say.

  Finn opens his backpack and inspects its contents. There are tactical pulse guns, plasmers, machine pistols, sensors, touchpads, ropes, a magnetic knife courtesy of Gritu, two gas grenades and a tranq gun.

  “You forgot to throw a couple nuclear grenades in there,” I tease him and realize that my hunger for blood is gone. I just want Damian back, not revenge and annihilation.

  “What? You think it’s overkill?” he says. “I plan to use every single piece.”

  I open my own pack and take out half a loaf of bread and some berries.

  “We may find these more useful,” I say as I bite into the berries. “Guns are not going to get us inside the plantation.”

  “Berries are only good if we’re alive to eat them and for that, we’ll need my weapons, trust me,” he says as he takes a piece from the loaf of bread.

  “We’re alive now,” I say and shove him gently.

  Finn takes the first step of our five hour journey. We have some rough terrain ahead despite Joshua’s assistance. We have to walk uphill for miles through an unknown territory laden with thick vegetation. Finn leads the way and I follow close behind, trusting his watchful eye and instincts.

  I test my receptor every ten minutes to make sure all is well between us. With every passing day, I have been able to sync with it more effortlessly. The receptor does not drain me as much as it once did. I have decided to keep a light purple shield around us just in case.

  We stay silent for most of the walk, saving our breath, except to make the occasional joke here and there or to point at something that looks interesting until suddenly Finn stops and turns back to me.

  “How did it happen?” he says. “You and Damian.” His face turns red. It’s obvious he has been struggling with the question, unsure if he should ask me or bury the thought somewhere deep inside.

  I owe him the truth. “It happened the night before I left with Wudak for the desert. It was an impulsive act. Believe me, it surprised me more than it did you,” I say as we start walking again.

  “And nothing happened before that?”

  “No. Well, he kissed me a couple times, but I always stopped him.”

  “So what changed that night?”

  “I’m not sure, Finn. That day he said he loved me, but I don’t think that caused it. I think I was finally able to see myself for what I really am.”

  “And what’s that?”

  “An emotional coward. A fake.”

  He stops again. But this time he doesn’t look back. “Do you love him?”

  “It all happened very fast. It was unplanned. I didn’t even have a chance to process what happened with Damian before I was thrown into battle and he was snatched away from us.”

  I pause. I grab him by the shoulder and turn him so that he faces me.

  “I’m sorry. I know that was a bullshit answer. You deserve better. Yes,
I love him, assuming I even understand love. And I love you, too. Does that make me a horrible person?”

  “I don’t think it makes you anything,” he says after a long pause. “Our feelings don’t define who we are. Our decisions do.”

  “I never meant to lie to you, Finn,” I say in a whisper. “Before I knew it, it was too late.”

  “I know,” he says but I feel the distance between us returning.

  We cover the last couple miles in silence. There’s one more thing I should tell him if I’m going to be completely honest but Ι can’t find the right words. It will have to wait.

  When we get to the top of the hill, the sight of the plantation below takes our breath away. We’ve never seen anything so huge and architecturally complicated as Plantation-15. Layers upon layers of construction extend to the west and south farther than our eyes can see. Pip has described it all accurately, but the version we saw fit on a small table top. It’s a different thing altogether to see it with your own eyes.

  All plantations are built at the foot of a hill or even two hills facing each other. Up to now we didn’t understand why. Now it becomes obvious to us that the hills are hollowed out and used as some kind of buried fortress. Pip didn’t know that or maybe she forgot to mention it. But as we see the armored land rovers disappear inside the opposite hill, there’s no doubt in our minds that those fortresses could mean a lot of trouble.

  “Are you ready?” Finn whispers.

  “As ready as I will ever be.”

  He unzips his backpack and surveys his weaponry closely again.

  “Finn?” I say.

  “Yes?”

  “Why did you decide to help me rescue Damian after all?”

  He takes a break from his task and locks his eyes with mine.

  “You didn’t really think I’d just give up on him, did you? He’s a Savior after all and in a strange way, I kind of miss the jerk.”

  “Seriously, Finn, I thought you were dead set against it. I even thought it was your way of punishing me.”

  He seems genuinely taken aback by my words. “There you go again. Honestly, the world does not revolve around you. Trust me. I know. Theo showed me a book. There’s this thing called the Sun.”

  “Ha ha,” I say rolling my eyes.

  “But be real, Freya,” Finn says more seriously. “Nothing that happens behind closed doors will ever affect my ability to guide and protect the Saviors. We are family. I could not let you get hurt or Tilly or Pip until we had a sound plan.”

  “So you’re telling me this plan is sound?” I say winking at my best friend.

  Finn laughs. “Not even a little,” he says.

  “Great. So much for you instilling confidence in your troops.”

  “I have troops?” he says. “All I see here is you?”

  “I can make some noise when needed,” I promise.

  He seems content. “Finn and Freya take on the world,” he says softly. “I wouldn’t bet against us.”

  When Finn picks up his pack, I grab my pack as well. I adjust the purple shield to blind the plantation’s security systems to our presence.

  I feel his hand on my shoulder. Warmth shoots through my chest. His arms slide around me. His breath heats my cheek. When I look up to his eyes, his lips find mine. I don’t fight him. He kisses me with a ferocity and passion I didn’t know he possessed.

  His fingers slip under my shirt and softly feel the small of my back. Before I have time to panic, he comes to his senses and lets go of me.

  “I had to do that,” he says. “Today might be my last chance to show you how I feel.”

  I stare at him dumbly unable to respond.

  “Forget it,” he says. “I’m an idiot. We have more pressing issues at hand.”

  I reform the purple shield, check my reflexes and help him get his backpack on. We embark on a slow, deliberate descent. I know that one false move could mean death. If so, I’d die still tasting Finn’s kiss on my lips.

  6

  Plantation-15 is a gigantic construction with multiple levels above and below ground. Unlike the rest of the plantations, only a small portion is dedicated to the training and disciplining of children.

  The massive complex revolves around research, genetic projects and engineering. Most Sliman don’t have access to that part of the plantation. Gritu and Malzod have never been beyond the administrative offices.

  The watch towers aren’t manned on a regular basis. Pip and Gritu have reassured us that Plantation-15 is no different than the rest of the plantations in that regard. They rely heavily on their security systems both inside and outside the walls.

  Finn and I take the long way downhill completely shielded by my purple energy field. Finn locates several rotating cameras and detecting sensors and I take them offline one zone at a time. It’s a piece of cake for me now. I restart them as soon as we have passed through each zone.

  When we reach the main gate, my heartbeat pounds faster and louder like an exposed clock mechanism. I take a few deep breaths.

  “You can do this,” Finn whispers in my ear. “You were born to do it.”

  Destiny. Sounds good, but I have other destinies the aliens have intended for me. I’m not so excited about those. I remember Wudak and my training. I must be in complete control of my mind. I close my eyes, feel the energy of the receptor enter my bloodstream and order it to locate the gate controls.

  The transition of energy is very smooth and I barely feel the small jolt as the gate slides open with a thud. We walk through the gate carefully, protected by the receptor. We enter an empty courtyard. We don’t see anyone. Finn smiles, but then two Sliman guards walk around a barrier.

  Disbelief darkens their features when they see me with the receptor. One of them reaches for his communication device. I have no choice. I implode their hearts. Ending their life forces hits me with an unexpected jolt. I quickly raise them up high above our heads and stare deeply at their dead bodies. They incinerate. The wind blows their ashes over the walls.

  Finn staggers away from me. He looks nauseous. For the first time, he knows truly what I am. Death.

  “Let’s keep moving,” Finn says unable to look at me. He reads Theo’s map on his touchpad instead.

  I follow him. I see him touch all the weaponry holstered all over his body, making sure they are still with him.

  “This way,” he says pointing at a small gate that I unlock in a split second. We enter room after room, careful to disconnect hidden cameras although at some point, it won’t matter. All the rooms look identical, empty offices that are not in use anymore, but then we enter a dark room. When I turn on the fluorescent lights with a simple shake of the receptor, we know we have reached our first destination.

  The room is illuminated with blinding light. The white walls bounce back the light into our stunned eyes. We’re inside one of the main control rooms of the plantation. There are panels and embedded screens everywhere that monitor a huge chunk of the plantation. Our presence here will not go by unnoticed. Control rooms are directly connected to the alien head offices and no matter what I do, I cannot locate the communication line to cut it off.

  The system is too complicated even for my receptor. We’ve known this all along. We also know which button to push to unlock the two elevators that lead to the lower levels underground. Finn pushes the button and immediately the deafening sirens scream out. The Sliman will be on their way.

  Finn tosses a wire rope that catches a hook that’s hanging from the ceiling. So cool. He does that stuff without a receptor. I hug him tight. He hugs back, then leaps up to grab the rope. I jump up onto his back and he climbs the rope for both of us.

  Four Sliman burst into the room. I blast a blue beam of energy that drives them all violently against the wall. Their heads hit so hard they all fall unconscious to the floor. I think they are alive. I feel no death jolt.

  “There,” Finn says and points at a handle on the ceiling a few feet away. I aim the receptor at it and an
entire square panel falls open. Everything that Pip described has turned out to be accurate so far.

  Finn pushes me softly until I get a hold of the edge of the gaping hole on the ceiling and pull myself through it. He follows me and closes the panel beneath us. Not that it will be of much help. The entire plantation is aware of our presence in the control room by now.

  We run down the hidden hallway we’ve entered. We reach the elevator shaft within thirty seconds right where it appears on our map.

  “It’s unlocked,” Finn says. “You just have to override the controls and bring the elevator to us.”

  I nod and do as commanded. I close my eyes to channel my electrical intuitive response system. I’ve never been able to control the energy for such a finite task like triggering a programmed device to come to me through a non-destructive path like an elevator rising. Seems like a simple thing, but I cannot damage the elevator in any way or it won’t operate.

  My fingers tighten around the receptor. My nerve impulses start to travel down my arm giving me a tingling sensation from head to toe. I feel the receptor’s effort to locate the mechanism that controls the elevator’s movement. When it does, I shiver as if hit by a small electric current. Seconds later, the elevator stops in front of us with a creaking sound. At the same moment we hear footsteps approaching in the hallway.

  The elevator door opens wide and we jump inside. A group of heavily armed Sliman show up just as the door starts to slide shut and I manage to send a small green energy beam at them. Through a small crack just before the door closes, I see that my blast elevates the Sliman several feet off the ground. I hear them drop with a thud as the elevator starts moving down and we embark on a descent into the bowels of the plantation.

  “They know everything that we know,” I tell Finn. “They know exactly what we’re after, they know how the receptor works, what it’s capable of. They’ll be waiting for us.”

  Right as I say those words, the lights go off in the elevator. For what purpose, I don’t know. I’m still in control of the elevator and the receptor has enough energy to keep it going even if they completely cut off power. It takes me a moment, but I manage to turn the lights back on.