The Long Road Home

by Max Swan

  “Yeah, it’s going to be rough for a while, I know. But it’s a better alternative than they face here.” Paul felt his stomach churn at the thought of the time they’ll have to explain it to them.

  “I hope you can convince them of that,” Nadir said.

  Humans are generally emotive beings, and especially ones without neural implants. He knew some (if not all) will take time to get used to the idea of what’s happened to them. First, they’ll have to grieve people they’ve lost. Second, they’ll have to try to comprehend the devastation the Garan’s will inflict on Earth. Third, they’ll have to accept they’re not on Earth anymore, but in a space vessel heading across the galaxy. Lastly, they’ll have to forgive Paul and Marcus for kidnapping them to form a colony on an unknown planet. Never to see Earth again. Even if they understood the logic behind the reasons for their new circumstances, they’ll still react badly. Add void sickness fueling their anxiety and paranoia, a potential for disaster existed.

  “Get your ass up here when you can, Fox-Three out,” Nadir said and the call ended.

  You can count on it, Paul thought. He tapped his console and said, “Ladies and Gentlemen, please proceed to the transport on McAlister Oval.” The message could be heard being broadcast outside, and people lined up toward Ryder Oval turned as one, and began to walk to McAlister Oval. Paul said to the computer on the shuttle, “Computer, when I leave the shuttle go back to Ship.”

  A melodic tone played for a few seconds. “Confirmed,” the computer replied. Paul walked out of the shuttle, and started to run toward the last transport.

  *****

  As people quietly and orderly walked on the last transport, Marcus felt relieved that they would soon be out of there. He felt some pride knowing that he had saved many from his University, and that he had been there, even as the last person to be evacuated got on board the transport. He knew that would be important for him if he were to lead these people on a new world. To his left stood a group of twenty rejects, all over the age of forty, and he felt bad for them. At least the colonists don’t have to know about them, he thought.

  Marcus watched the line walking forward studying the faces as they passed, when suddenly a man stepped out of line pointing a revolver at him. Several other men appeared, all dressed in police uniforms. Fear ripple through him, as Paul hadn’t yet joined him.

  “What the hell is going on here?” the cop holding the gun shouted.

  “Um,” words failed him as the absurdity of the truth stalled his tongue.

  “Speak up!” the cop yelled.

  “Err, we’re… shooting a movie, yes… shooting a movie, and you’re spoiling it with this intrusion,” Marcus said trying to sound as if he had authority.

  “Show me your permit,” he asked, lowering his gun.

  “I don’t have it on me, the Director has it,” Marcus said.

  At this point a message broadcast across the oval making Marcus and Police cock their heads to listen. “Ladies and Gentlemen, please proceed to the transport on McAlister Oval.”

  The Police looked at Marcus suspiciously. So Marcus said, “It’s all part of the movie,” and smiled at them.

  Where’s the cameras then?” a heavyset policeman in his thirties said behind him.

  “The what?” Marcus said turning to face him.

  “Where’s the cameras? You can’t shoot a movie without cameras.”

  “Um, they’re hidden cameras. Now will you please stop interfering with us? If you don’t believe me, contact your station.” Marcus said angrily.

  The police looked at each other with deep frowns. “We can’t. Our radios and phones aren’t working. The only thing working around here is you. Why is that?”

  “I don’t know what you’re talking about?” Marcus said.

  “The whole city is shut down. Nothing is working. Lights, phones, cars, radios, trams, everything has stopped, except you,” the cop said stepping closer to Marcus.

  “How do I know why the city is in a blackout? Do I look like an electrician?” Marcus offered, trying to act innocent.

  The policeman stepped close to Marcus and grabbed him by the shirt, lifting him off the ground slightly. His green eyes set hard, his mouth turned down, and sweat noticeable on his forehead under limp blond-hair. “Why do I think you’re telling me bullshit? You’d better start explaining yourself, or we’ll shut this down.”

  Stepping out of the darkness, a tall figure appeared. “Is there a problem, officer?” he asked.

  “Paul! Paul, oh thank god, do something here,” Marcus said struggling in the cops grip.

  The cop let go of Marcus who backed off straightening his clothes, while sneering angrily at the cop. “Who are you?” the cop asked Paul.

  “He’s the one who’s gonna kick your ass,” Marcus said bitterly.

  “Stop it, Marcus, the officer is just doing his job. I’m the man in charge of this operation. My name is Paul,” he said stepping into the light making all the cops size him up.

  “Why has everything shut down except you?” the cop asked.

  “I shut everything down, so we could collect these good people without being disturbed,” Paul said evenly.

  “Paul! Don’t tell them that!” Marcus exclaimed.

  The cops all pulled their revolvers and held them out ready to use in case there might be trouble. “Why would you do that?” a cop said, not believing Paul’s claim.

  Paul looked at his watch. “Because in fifty minutes an extraterrestrial race known as Garan’s will begin firing on us from orbit, as they did three months ago.”

  One of the cops laughed, a tall skinny man with pale skin. “He’s fucking insane,” he said.

  Paul shrugged. “Time will tell, officer.”

  “So what’s with this?” the blond cop asked, pointing to the transport.

  “We’re evacuating these people to a start a colony on another world,” Paul said, bracing himself for what he knew would happen.

  The blond cop laughed grimly at Paul’s comment, the other cops looked at each other knowingly. “You’re taking these people to another planet?” the cop said sarcastically.

  “Come with us, as once the Garan’s get here you’ll all die,” Paul said.

  The cops laughed. The heavyset one said, “Look boys, he wants to take us to the moon in his spaceship!” They laughed again.

  “I’ve heard enough, I want this operation, or movie, or whatever it is, to stop now,” the blond cop said.

  The refuges silently walked inside the transport, its computer could be heard repeating, “Ladies and gentlemen, please place your luggage under the seat, and once you’re seated, make sure the safety harness is securely fastened. Parents, children five years or less must be seated on your lap to make room for more people. Thank-you for your cooperation.”

  Outside of the transport, a standoff had occurred among the four policemen and Paul. As he looked at their faces in the light he thought, these guys are not going to let this go. He sized them up, as they did him. The heavyset one stood closest, his revolver in his hand with the firing pin cocked. He bowed his head slightly and took a deep breath. In one move, he dropped while pulling his disruptor from his pocket. His leg swung out and took the heavyset cops legs out making him fall to the ground with a heavy thud. Paul rolled as a bullet came close to hitting him. Marcus grabbed the blond cops’ gun after he fired it, and they began to struggle with each other. Another round fired into the air. Paul followed up his kick by stunning the heavyset cop.

  The two other cop’s aimed their guns at Paul. One shouted, “Put the gun down. Put it down now!”

  A crackling sound filled the air, and the two cop’s went down stunned as a drone picked them off. Paul jumped to his feet, and ran at Marcus and the blond cop kicking the gun from their hands in a Kung Fu move, landing with the disruptor pointing straight at them. Marcus quickly backed off.

  “What have you done?” the blond cop asked, as he looked at his friends.


  “They’re stunned, not dead. They’ll wake with a hangover, but otherwise be fine,” Paul said.

  “No they won’t,” Marcus shouted, “They’ll be asleep during the invasion, and will probably never wake.” He said this to upset the remaining cop, and it worked, who looked as if he were about to lunge at the old Dean.

  This crap is the drawback of working with primitives, Paul thought. “Marcus, shut the fuck up, and have some compassion for these people.” To the cop he asked, “So what’s your name?”

  The cop looked at Paul, who had lowered his weapon. “Leading Senior Constable, Andrew Touzel,” he replied.

  Paul nodded.

  “Are you a Garan?” Touzel asked.

  “No, but I’m not from this world. We’re trying to save some of your people, though. You’re welcome to come, with your friends here, of course.”

  “What about our families?”

  “There’s no time for that, the offer is for you only.”

  Touzel turned and looked at the refugees walking on the transport, and back at Paul. “Have they agreed to this?”

  “They know they’re being evacuated, just not to another planet.”

  “How do you think they’re gonna feel when they discover their alive, but people they love are dead? Knowing they never had a chance to say goodbye, or have the choice to die with them?” Touzel asked, looking at Paul with a stern fixed gaze.

  “It’s going to be tough on them. Survivor guilt will no doubt cause many to suffer anguish. But this goes beyond that. These people are humanities best hope of continuing. I hope they’ll come to understand the importance of that, and how that honors those they lost. Not just people they love, but all people.”

  Touzel looked down at the ground, thinking about what Paul had said, and had offered. Troubled by the choice. At least these people can claim ignorance as an excuse, he thought. But if I go, I have consciously chosen to leave my wife and kids to their fate. Can I live with that, he wondered?

  Paul’s cell beeped and pulled it out and answered it. “Fox-one, go ahead.”

  “Fox-one, the Garan’s are launching fighters. While the fleet is still thirty minutes away, the fighters will be there in ten minutes,” Nadir said.

  Paul grimly shook his head and looked up at the sky. Lights were moving around the night sky in crazy patterns. He said to Touzel, “You’d better decide, as we have to leave now,” and he pointed up.

  Marcus and Touzel looked at the lights in the sky with bulging eyes. Marcus suddenly shouted at the refugees, “Run! Fucking run!”

  The refugees started running, not really sure why. Marcus stood waving them on to the transport yelling at them to run. The cop stood next to him watching the sky, mouth hanging open and wringing his hands.

  Paul had been talking on his cell, but now stuffed it inside his pocket, with his pistol. Deciding the cop’s hesitation means he isn’t coming. He said, “Help me drag your friends inside the transport, at least they won’t be needlessly killed here.”

  Touzel nodded, and helped Paul lift each man inside the shuttle and putting them in seats. They walked out, jostling the refugees as they hurriedly entered the transport. The lights were lower now. Suddenly, a bolt of yellowish plasma energy lit the night sky like fork lightening. The loud crackling sound making Marcus clasp his hands to his ears. The beam carved a swathe through Melbourne’s CBD, and the sounds of explosions and falling debris roared across the park. The refugees blankly running to the transport abruptly stopped, looking up at the sky. Blank faces began to change into ones of terror. As further destruction roared around them, the crowd began to scream. People fled in all directions as panic gripped them.

  Touzel also began to run but Paul grabbed his arm. “Come with us, there’s nothing you can do for them,” he shouted.

  Touzel pulled his arm free. Looking away from the transport as indecision gripped him. He turned back to Paul and said, “No, I won’t leave my wife and children to die alone.”

  The lights around the park came back on as the Y-field lifted. Paul nodded to Touzel. “Good luck,” he said.

  Touzel turned and ran toward the road.

  Chapter 21

  Paul left the transport to help the nearest people inside. Most people ran back toward the roads as panic gripped them. The sight of disruptor beams snaking through the sky similar to lightening, and the sound of the fizz and crackle they make terrifying to them. Explosions could be heard in the distance and close by. Everything suddenly seemed as if it were happening in slow motion. Suddenly, a large explosion knocked people to the ground. Paul hit the ground hard, winding himself, and as he looked up several F15 fighter jets shot across the sky attempting to engage the Garan fighters. He watched as an F15 got hit by a disruptor, and vanishing after it glowed white hot for a moment. Paul stood, looking around for Marcus, but couldn’t see him.

  “Marcus!” he shouted, “Marcus!”

  Marcus appeared on the other side of the transport and waved to Paul who ran to him. He found Marcus having an argument with a man in his thirties, who looked terrified.

  “Come on, Simon, this evacuation is you’re only chance to survive,” Marcus begged, trying to pull the man into the transport.

  “Let me go, Marcus, I have to get home,” Simon shouted angrily trying to free himself from Marcus’s grip.

  Paul said as he arrived, “Let him go, Marcus. If he doesn’t wanna come, then tough shit for him. We’ve gotta get outta here.”

  Marcus turned to Paul while still holding Simon with all his strength. “You don’t understand, Simon is doctor and a surgeon, we’ll need him on the colony.”

  “You’re crazy, Marcus, expecting me to believe you’re taking us to another planet. I don’t want any part of it,” Simon said.

  Disruptor fire crackled loudly above them making all three men duck instinctively. Paul knew that Marcus was right about needing a doctor on the colony.

  As the three stood, Paul nodded to Marcus and said, “Let him go.” He reached for his pocket.

  Marcus, realizing what Paul had in mind, let go of Simon and stood back. The doctor turned and began to run away from them, but went down moments later as Paul stunned him. Marcus looked at the fallen man, and said, “He’s not going to happy with me, is he?”

  “None of our refugees are going to be happy with us, when they discover the truth about this evacuation,” Paul said.

  Marcus grimaced.

  “Come on, let’s get him, and get out of this place,” Paul said.

  They ran to fallen doctor, Paul grabbed his shoulders and Marcus his legs, they carried him into the transport, and put him in a vacant seat.

  People had initially ran away from the transport when the Garan’s started firing on Melbourne. Most of them ran back toward the CBD, only to find destruction thundering through the air. Skyscrapers’ suddenly glowed in white hot plasma energy, and as the energy dissipated only half a building remained. As if some giant monster had taken a bite. Not long after that, the remaining building came crashing down in grey cloud of dust and rubble. Pieces of A4 paper floated in the air everywhere, and littered the ground. So people turned back toward the park, realizing that in their panic they left the only means of escape they had. Paul and Marcus emerged at the back ramp of the transport to find a large group had appeared, running toward them.

  Paul’s cell beeped. “Yeah, I’m leaving now,” he said before Nadir could yell at him.

  “Those fighters are using GFM’s, that’s why they got there so fast,” Nadir said.

  “That’s different,” Paul said, scratching his head.

  “Just get out of there, we don’t know what other surprises we may find if we stick around too long.”

  “OK, I’ll be off the ground in a few minutes, Fox-one out,” he said and ended the call. He turned toward Marcus, and said, “We have to go, Marcus, I don’t think we can wait for these people. We’re putting the ones we’ve already saved at risk by staying too lon
g.”

  Marcus looked at the group coming, and nodded sadly. Tough choices, he thought watching them run, I’m sorry. “I’ll go and make sure all our passengers are seated,” he said and turned, reentering the transport.

  Paul hit a button on the wall, and jumped off the ramp on to the ground, the ramp began closing. People in the group running toward the transport started to yell for him to wait as they spotted the ramp starting to close. The ground suddenly shook, making people fall, again. A storage tank filled with oil had exploded on the bay. Paul hit his head on the ground as he fell making him blackout for a moment. As he opened his eyes, he found the group of people had now surrounded the transport, and were banging on the hull screaming to be let in. He sat up, rubbing his eyes, and pushed himself to his feet. His cell beeped.

  “Where are you?” Marcus said anxiously as Paul answered.

  “I got knocked out by that explosion,” Paul said.

  “Damn fool, why did you go outside again?”

  Paul ignored the question. “The people running toward us before, are now at the transport. Open the ramp, we might as well take them now.”

  “I wish you’d make your mind up,” Marcus said sarcastically and ended the call.

  Paul pushed himself to his feet feeling his head spin. He shouted, “Everyone listen, the ramp is opening, move your asses.”

  They turned and looked at him, relief etched on their faces. As they began to move to the back of the transport, a young woman grabbed Paul’s hand. “Oh, thank-you for not leaving us here to die,” she said, tears streaming down her cheeks.

  Paul nodded at her and smiled weakly. He thought, I nearly did, lady. You got lucky is all. The ramp came down and the last forty people clambered aboard, followed by Paul. His cell beeped nonstop, but he didn’t answer it. Paul pushed the button once more, and the ramp began to close. This time he decided to walk to cockpit through the transport.

  *****

  Paul entered the cockpit, and started the systems ready for lift-off. Marcus entered not long after, taking the seat next to him. Paul noticed he looked covered in dirt and dust, his hair messed, clothes disheveled, and his face sweaty.

  “You look dreadful,” Paul said and chuckled.

  “People in glass houses,” Marcus said, and smiled back. They looked at each other for a moment, in mutual respect.