[scifan] plantation 03 - shadow empire

by Stella Samiotou Fitzsimons

“Nobody asked me anything.”

  “No, how could they? With all that happened, with Damian being so…”

  “Weird?”

  “Distant. Well, I’m asking you now. How did it all start?”

  “It was just that one time and there’s really not much to say beyond that,” I say but then our touchpads start buzzing.

  “That’s strange,” Zoe says. “I’m wanted on Main Command Deck.”

  “So am I,” I say. I steal a glance at Biscuit and Tilly. They are happily lost in their conversation. They haven’t been called.

  Zoe and I take our trays back to the counter and then jump on a motorized cart to get to Sector Three. Zoe insists on driving. She always does and I let her because she has discovered a true passion for driving.

  “I have a confession to make,” she says.

  “What kind of confession?”

  “I’m going to ask Joshua out on a date.”

  I must be hearing things. “Joshua? On a date?” I repeat her words back at her.

  “Yes. Why do you sound so shocked?”

  “He’s like forty years old,” I tease her.

  “No, he’s not!” she protests. “He’s twenty-nine. I know I’m only nineteen and have zero experience but he’s the only guy I ever liked.”

  She is right. Joshua would be a catch for any woman in this enclosed community. He’s handsome, polite, sensitive and confident. Which makes it practically incomprehensible that he’s single still. Maybe it was meant to be for Zoe and him.

  “Well, I wish you both the best,” I say. “He’d be the lucky one, by the way.”

  “I just feel I haven’t lived at all. Look at you, you’re one year younger and you already have a child, you have been pursued by two men and you have magic powers. I feel like I need to up my game and live a little.”

  “You don’t have to explain yourself to me, Zoe. Just know that I’d gladly change places with you. My life hasn’t exactly been blissful,” I say as we reach Command Deck.

  When we step on the deck, we know something serious is going on. Commander Eldritch is there on his wheelchair looking rather stern with his gray hair and official uniform which he saves for public speeches and presentations.

  There’s also Joshua, his second-in-command; Ella who handles communication systems; Wade, the young pilot who’s in charge of Flight Deck on Exodus L21 and Lainey, the community’s coordinator. Rumors say that Lainey and Commander Eldritch are lovers even though she’s a good thirty years younger than him. I think they are just rumors. I’ve never noticed anything special going on between the two of them. One thing’s for sure, Lainey doesn’t seem to get along with anyone other than the commander.

  There’s also Finn, Theo, Doc and Damian on Deck – the oldest six, as we call ourselves.

  The walls of the circular room are covered with screens of all sizes. This is the Command Deck. The screens monitor outside activity, some providing digital analyses, others connecting to servers that provide all kinds of tools for the Main Command of Exodus L21. The console in the center of the deck has so many switches and lights on it that I find it unlikely anyone could know what to do with them. Yet, there he is, the commander himself, the man who makes sure nothing goes wrong on the space island he’s running.

  “Good, you’re here,” Joshua says and points to a couple of empty seats at the table.

  “Now that we’re all here, can you tell us what this is all about?” Finn says.

  “We’ve received a message,” Commander Eldritch’s voice booms in the enclosed space. “We’d like you to watch it with us.”

  “What kind of message?” I say but the commander brings his index finger to his lips to shut me up.

  Wade turns off the lights and a hologram forms on the console. At first it’s blurry but gradually it turns into a clear, transparent image.

  My skin crawls and my heart beats like a heavy, wet drum at the sight of the shriveled up, gray-skinned tormentor of my early youth. I remember him pretty well. He’s an alien and he’s a director on Plantation-8. His voice sounds like nails on a blackboard when he starts talking.

  The time has come to reach a final understanding with the human girl. No second chances will be offered. There will be no more waiting for us. This is an ultimatum for you. We know who you are. You call yourself Freya. We know where you are. On Exodus L21. We know everything about you and those that protect you. But nobody can protect you or them now. Come to Plantation-8 within five days or everybody in the plantation will die. Including this one.

  The hologram changes size and consistency to include a panning view of Plantation-8. Then the camera zooms in to bring into view a single person. It is the emaciated face of what seems to be a young man in his early twenties. He looks hungry and unhealthy but not tortured or injured. Maybe he was tortured in the past because his brown eyes are full of gut-wrenching fear. Then the camera zooms out again to reveal the entire plantation, booby-trapped with heavy explosives in the most prominent spots. The hologram returns to its original image. The face of the alien looks straight into the camera.

  I have been informed that this human boy used to be your brother. He was brought in from the mines. He will die along with every single child on Plantation-8 if we don’t get a response. The whole plantation will be blown to pieces. Think about it carefully, human girl. If those children die, it will be your choice. Surrender to us and you will be treated kindly. Defy us and you will be put in chains. It is of no consequence to us either way.

  The hologram shuts down with a flash and we’re left in a dark room. I count backwards starting from ten. When I reach three, someone turns the lights back on. I should say something now but I can’t think of anything. Whether we intended to or not, we have brought war to our hosts’ doorstep.

  I slowly scan those around me and catch Commander Eldritch’s inquisitive eyes fixed on me. I try to meet his gaze steadily but I soon feel the urge to lower my eyes and stare at the carpet instead.

  “Look at me, child,” he says and his booming voice creates a lingering echo in the room. “Why do they want you? What have you done to them?”

  “We’ve been betrayed,” Finn whispers.

  I look at Finn with pleading eyes.

  “I think I know what this is about,” Joshua offers right as I’m about to open my mouth.

  “You?” Commander Eldritch says raising his eyebrows.

  “I should have informed you. The blame is on me,” Joshua says.

  “Speak up then!” the commander says.

  I have no idea what Joshua is thinking. How could this be his fault?

  “Right before we brought the twelve fugitives to Exodus L21, Freya and Finn went on a mission. They freed Damian who was a captive in Plantation-15,” Joshua says.

  The commander remains silent. When he starts talking, his voice isn’t booming anymore. It’s calm and thoughtful and directed at me.

  “Weeks ago,” he says, “my intelligence team reported that they read a message that was transferred to all plantations. It spoke of a fugitive girl that was the most wanted individual in the history of the Empire. Was that you?”

  I make up my mind fast. I look straight into his eyes now that I have made my decision. “I don’t know,” I say. And then all in the same breath, “But it could be.”

  “Why you?” Ella says. “How could they know you’d break into the plantation? And what about you, Finn? You went along, too.”

  “It’s not about that,” Finn says. “We’re fugitives. We escaped from the almighty plantations. There are rumors about us. They want us back.”

  “Yes,” the commander says rubbing his beard. “But they want Freya a little bit more than they want the rest of you. I believe they’ve made that pretty clear.”

  “We don’t know why Freya has become so special to them,” Zoe says.

  “Oh, yes, you do. If we are to endanger the entire station for you, we need to know why we’d be doing that,” the commander says.

&n
bsp; “You don’t need to worry about that,” I say. “I will go back.”

  “We can’t let you sacrifice yourself!” Joshua cuts in. “No one said anything about you having to go back. We’ll figure it out, do what’s necessary.”

  “We can’t put everyone’s life at risk, Joshua,” Lainey says as she throws a hostile glance in my direction.

  “Commander, your thoughts?” Joshua says.

  “Oh, I think that Freya knows what she’s talking about,” he says. Then he turns to me, “Can I speak to you alone, my child?”

  “Of course.”

  Everyone exits to leave me with Commander Eldritch. Damian who hasn’t said a word this whole time stops a few steps away from me and stares right into my eyes for a moment. Then he salutes the commander and leaves the room.

  “You know, Freya,” the commander begins when we’re alone, “they call me Commander and I’m in charge of our little army of trained fighters but I’ve never been in a battle. Not even close. I’m going to guess that doesn’t stand true for you and your friends.”

  “We’ve lived in a different world than yours,” I say.

  He smiles gently. “You don’t need to be so modest with me. I know a little bit more than I let show. Intelligence has hinted at a girl who fights like an alien. Until today, I didn’t know she truly existed and was right here with us.”

  “That intelligence you’re talking about, how do they get their information?”

  “Ah, the sources would not appreciate me answering that, would they?”

  “Fair enough. We all have secrets.”

  “Some juicier than others, I think,” he says and then points at the Command Deck around us. “We’ve had to pay a terrible price to be allowed to live up here,” he says. “We had to close our eyes and ears to the cries for help coming from Earth. We had to pretend that we did this for the survival of the species. As if the universe wouldn’t go on without us. We are a community of deserters, Freya. I cannot judge you.”

  “Commander, I never meant to lie to you,” I say. “We didn’t want to frighten you with the truth of what we are and what we have done. I’m not saying we were right. But at the time it didn’t seem unreasonable.”

  A signal comes through to the commander’s communication device but he turns it off instantly. “What’s done is done,” he says. “The important thing is what happens next.”

  “I’m going back to Earth,” I say. “I’m not changing my mind about that. I believe the aliens will not bother with you after I’m gone. I plan to keep them occupied.”

  Commander Eldritch considers my words. “What are you exactly?”

  “I’m their worst nightmare. And it’s about time I reminded them of that.”

  *

  FINN, ZOE, DOC AND THEO wait for me at the meeting hall in Sector One. I throw myself into a chair and start to untie my shoelaces. I do this slowly, deliberately, counting by three’s as I go on. My body feels heavy but my mind is exalted. It’s been too long since I walked in the sun.

  “What did you and the commander discuss?” Doc says.

  “Let’s just say he has a pretty good idea of what we are. He wants to keep quiet about it though.”

  “What did he have to say about you?” Finn says.

  “Me? He didn’t say much. He said I could stay.”

  “And what did you say to that?” Zoe asks.

  “That I’m going, of course.”

  “You can’t just give yourself up, Freya. We need a plan,” Finn says.

  “I’m aware of that. I’m also aware of the fact that nobody else is going to die because of me ever again.”

  “That’s too bad, cause I’m going with you,” he says.

  “Me, too,” Zoe says.

  “Me three,” Theo says.

  “Me four,” Doc says.

  I see a spark in their eyes I haven’t seen in a long time. “I’d have to use the receptor to stop you,” I say. “You are all crazy and suicidal.”

  “Takes one to know one,” Finn says.

  “I expected nothing less from you guys,” I say.

  “We’re not called the Saviors for nothing,” Zoe says with a wink.

  It takes all that I am to avoid tears in front of my true friends. To have people who would die for me with a smile on their faces even though they know more than all others my selfishness and flaws is beyond humbling.

  “Without you I’d be nothing,” I manage to say. “We need a plan. Like always, I need you guys to show me the way. We can’t let them blow up those kids or attack Exodus L21.”

  The five of us clasp our arms together. Between one instant and the next, between the past and the future all we can hope for is that when our destiny arrives we have prepared for it and we have the courage to face it.

  I leave the meeting hall floating above myself, feeling untethered to all those around me. I rush into childcare to find Tobi. I lift him up into my arms. I squeeze him tight until I remember who I am.

  11

  A team of ten men and women from the ranks of the Exodus L21 fighters have been assigned to escort Finn, Zoe, Theo, Doc, Nya and me back to Earth. They are to stay by our side until my mission is resolved one way or another.

  I’d rather they didn’t make such a fuss but both Commander Eldritch and Joshua are adamant about it. They can’t just send me off to my cruel destiny without pretending they can do something to shield me from it. Of course, those aren’t their words, they are mine. But I’m sure they would recognize the truth in them as well as I do.

  Rabbit, Biscuit, Tilly and Scout all wanted to go as well but I saw no point in putting them through this kind of danger. Their skills will not be of much use to me now. Besides, I need as many people as possible to be around for Pip and Tobi.

  We wait at the hangar for Wade and his mechanics to give us the okay for take-off. I keep calm by reciting the word peace in my head as I have learned to do when pressure gets to be overwhelming. Leaving Tobi behind was not an easy decision to make. But in the end, it was the only one that made sense. The time has come to fight for all the children that are left in the world.

  Wade emerges from the cockpit of Terra 8 and gives a big thumbs up. We can start boarding the ship. There is no turning back. We leave the waiting area and line up to enter Terra 8. I find myself between Finn and Nya who’s humming a soothing tune.

  There’s some commotion back in the waiting area. I turn my head slowly and see him there. Damian. He’s exchanging heated words with Wade.

  I take off my helmet and walk down to them.

  “What’s going on?” I ask.

  “I’m going back with you,” Damian says.

  “You haven’t been authorized,” Wade says. “You haven’t gone through preliminary testing and you don’t have a suit.”

  Damian looks at Wade with contempt. “You will not tell me what to do,” he says. “Not you and not any of you cloud huggers.”

  “Damian!” I scold him. “I will tell you what you are not going to do. You are not going to talk to our friends and hosts like that. And I thought you weren’t interested in going back with us.”

  “I changed my mind,” he says.

  I try to protest but Finn cuts in. “Let him come,” he says.

  “Are you sure?” I ask.

  “Yes, I’m sure. We might need a guy like him,” Finn says and that puts an end to the argument.

  The door is sealed behind us as we finally step onto Terra 8. Eyebrows raise as Damian walks down the aisle without a suit on and takes a seat.

  I sit as far from him as I can possibly sit. I look out my small window and see Joshua and Ella waving from below wearing their suits. They’re wishing us well. They will fly separately in their interplanetary space pod.

  I stare at their perfect smiles. Their teeth are blinding white. I wonder what evils I have brought down on these charmed people.

  *

  WILL IT EVER END? The question plagues my every action and thought. We arrived at the u
nderground Sliman base last night. This cat-and-mouse with the aliens will have to come to an end one day. I never asked for the starring part in this cruel game.

  I’ve been trying to make up my mind about whether or not I want to talk to Zolkon. The way he used me and betrayed me, the way he used and betrayed Wudak who was supposed to be his friend are things that still haunt me when I lay awake at night. When Gritu informed me that Zolkon wanted to talk to me, that he had important information to give me, I just shrugged the notion off. But then Zolkon sent Gritu back with a new message. According to him, he knew what I had to do to win in the conflict with the aliens.

  “Do you believe him?” I asked Gritu.

  “No,” he said, but then he added, “And yes.”

  “What do you mean by that?”

  “I mean that I don’t know if he’s telling the truth or not. But what does he have to gain by lying at this point?”

  “I wish I knew,” I said but now I know I can’t put it off forever. Pretty soon, I will have to make my decision about how I am going to deal with the situation at hand.

  Gritu and Malzod lead me to the cell where Zolkon has been held for over a year now. It’s a small cave with bars on the outside. It looks like a cage more than anything else and I think it’s excessively bleak even for Zolkon.

  Zolkon sits on the floor crouched over. He seems smaller than what I remember and when he raises his head to face me, I am shocked by how old and beaten down he looks.

  Malzod opens the door to the cell and leads me in. Then, he grabs a chain that has one end stuck to the wall and clicks the cuff on the other end around Zolkon’s ankle.

  “We’ll be right around the corner,” Gritu says. “Call us if you need us.”

  I nod and they go. Zolkon’s condition is of some concern to me because I realize he’d say anything for a chance to go free.

  “So, we meet again, girl with the magic hands,” Zolkon says with an old man’s voice. Whatever it was that was keeping him strong and vital has evaporated now. I shudder at the thought that he might not be getting enough Omicron 5. Wudak didn’t even want to discuss such a possibility. His memories of not getting the right dose on time were quite painful.