Earth Legend

by Florence Witkop

  There were a few 'hear, hears' and then everyone decided it was time to return to what little work there was for them so I wandered away, comforted by the knowledge that at least one small group of people on the Destiny wanted me. As I rounded the corner of the building, I wondered what they'd say if they knew the truth about me. The real truth.

  My attention was caught by an individual in a uniform talking to someone. Cullen Vail was in town and he was asking questions about me. It hadn't been two weeks since his last visit. He wasn't on schedule, so why was he here? The headache turned into a pounding, scary pain through my whole body.

  I hid behind the building while I debated whether to continue towards the grocery store to pick up some sweet peppers or head back to my apartment and hide. But when I peeked around the corner again he was gone so I cautiously headed down the single street that was the village of New Rochelle towards the village square.

  I decided he must be headed for his Harley to run some official errand or other. He'd most likely stopped in New Rochelle because it was on his way to somewhere else and that was how he'd ended up talking to the farmers. No other reason. He hadn't come because of me. About me. I was safe, the hurting began to subside.

  A middle-aged lady in the grocery store stopped me in the cereal aisle. "Cullen Vail was here."

  "Oh?" I pretended surprise.

  "He asked about you."

  "Me?" My voice squeaked. This wasn't good. Maybe he wasn't just passing through. But it wasn't necessarily bad either. I frantically told myself that there were a thousand reasons for him being in town that had nothing to do with me. But I couldn't dismiss the fact that he'd asked about me. "Was he looking for me?'

  "No. He was just curious." She grabbed a box of cereal. "He tried to hide it, though." She gave me the once-over slyly. "Didn't work. I can tell when a man is interested in someone. The questions he asked were … well … personal."

  "I don't think … "

  "Dear, don't even try to deny it. It seems that our Cullen Vail is human after all."

  "I doubt … "

  "I always thought of him as being too standoffish to ever have a real relationship. But it looks like I was wrong." She shuddered delicately and turned up a snub nose. "And, Elle, don't take this the wrong way, but you're welcome to him. He's way too stiff for most of us."

  "What exactly did he ask?" I made myself go still.

  "Oh, whether I like you or not. Whether you fit in with the other residents of New Rochelle, which of course you do. Things like that, until Wilkes Zander came along and let him know that he didn't appreciate anyone of any status whatsoever, even an important Security person, asking questions of a personal nature about our people. He suggested that if Cullen wanted to know anything about you he should ask you himself."

  "I hope … "

  "So don't be surprised if he shows up at your doorstep."

  I hope not. But I smiled and stepped around her on my way to the sweet peppers. Which weren't as large as usual. Another sign something was wrong?

  When I returned home I approached my apartment cautiously. If Cullen was there, I'd disappear and wait until he was gone. But he wasn't so I went inside and locked the door.

  Restless, I stared out my window. What I saw gave me pause. Cullen Vail was in the field and he was talking with Alicia. Sweet, gossipy Alicia who knew most, if not all, of my secrets. She had her cat in her arms, as usual. She held it out to Cullen who took it and held it away from him as if it might bite. But he managed not to drop it and petted it awkwardly twice before returning it to Alicia.

  She said something and they both looked towards my apartment. My window. I ducked out of sight but still watched through the curtains. Alicia cuddled her cat and Cullen seemed interested in it. Was she telling him that I'd taken one of the kittens? Was it as simple as that? Nothing illegal about adopting a kitten so I relaxed. A little.

  The two parted. Cullen strode towards the road and his Harley but Alicia remained with her cat. I opened my window. "Hey, Alicia." She looked up. "Want a cookie?" Fortunately I'd been baking and she liked sweets.

  She gathered her cat and came to my apartment. I had the door open when she arrived and soon mother cat and kitten were playing happily while Alicia made quick work of a plate of cookies as she answered questions that I hoped didn't arouse her suspicions. But she didn't appear suspicious.

  "You talked with Cullen Vail."

  "Yep. He likes cats even though he couldn't take one of the kittens. But that's okay because you took the last one."

  "He can play with your cat."

  "That's what he said. He said he might come back to play with Queen another time."

  "Did he say when?"

  "Soon."

  "What do you talk about when he visits?"

  "Mostly he asks a lot of questions."

  "Such as?"

  "All kinds of things. Today he asked about you."

  "Me?" I pretended to be surprised as I fought a growing unease. Cullen suspected something. Or not. I remembered that woman's assessment of him being good at his job. How good? "He didn't have to ask you. I could have told him anything he wants to know."

  "He said he didn't want to bother you."

  "What did he ask?"

  "If you like your kitten. If I help you grow stuff in your apartment."

  "What did you say?"

  "I told him that you gave me a tiny tree. It's pretty."

  "Was that all he asked?"

  "There was more but I can't remember."

  Normal questions. Perhaps he was interested in me as a woman after all and wasn't planning on arresting me, though somehow I couldn't picture him in a romantic relationship and not in any kind of relationship at all with me. But I relaxed somewhat. I'd been on the Destiny for months and nothing had happened. Except that I could never relax. I should remind myself of that every day. Every single day.

  On the other hand, perhaps he just couldn't figure out why I wanted to be a farmer instead of a scientist which was a totally normal question. How many people spend as many years in school as I did and throw it all away to go out and grow cherries? Why ever he was asking about me, there was nothing I could do about it and no way to know the truth. So I tried to forget his visit to New Rochelle.

  A few days later, I was in the apple orchard filling the cart with my weekly harvest of apples and cherries when I sensed someone behind me. I turned and saw Cullen framed by green branches and white blossoms. I caught my lower lip between my teeth as our glances met and held. He was out of uniform. I'd never seen him in anything other than the navy blue that the crew wore when on duty. He looked different. Human. Vulnerable.

  He stepped forward. "Hello." Stopped and waited for me to acknowledge his presence. I inclined my head. "I was told I'd find you here. You are a creature of habit and today is your day to harvest fruit."

  "As are you. A creature of habit. You come to New Rochelle every two weeks." I checked my comunit. "You're off schedule. So why are you here today?"

  "I'm off duty."

  "Of course. No uniform." But he didn't need one to tell the world that he was a guy in charge. His bearing was so straight and his movements so precise that his very self shouted that he was watching over everyone. Except I didn't want him to watch over me. I wanted him gone but I shouldn't say so.

  He stepped closer, arms stiff at his side, and looked around. "I've been checking out what you said the other day. Now that you called my attention to it, I can see that not all crops are as healthy as these trees."

  "So that's what you were about?"

  "What do you mean?"

  "Asking questions about me." He stopped walking. Stayed a safe distance away. Made a quarter turn away. Pretended to be relaxed but I knew better. "I heard all about your little visits with people who know me."

  "That's my business. It's what I do."

  "You didn't ask questions about other people. Not from what I heard. Just me." A good offence is the best defense, as
my cousin Todd used to say. I hoped he was right as I plowed ahead in an effort to get Cullen out of my orchard and my life. "In future, if you want to know something about me, ask me, not someone else."

  "I'll do that." My attack worked. He closed into himself and left with his back as ramrod straight as when he arrived. But as he ducked around the apples hanging heavy on the trees he said, "This fruit is wonderful. You're good." The words were hard to say, he sounded like he was choking on them. But Cullen Vail, the perfect security person would be honest if it killed him. "Those idiots in the greenhouses are making a mistake in ignoring you."

  "They made their choice." The trees closed behind him, shooing him along and closing ranks behind him so I found myself yelling impotently at leaves still quivering from his passing instead of at Cullen himself. I'd have liked to see his expression but the fact that I could only imagine what he looked like didn't keep me from smiling as I followed his soft curses through the trees. The orchard was a good friend and was acting accordingly.

  Could it be that his questions hadn't been personal in nature? That his only concern was failing crops and my potential to turn things around?

  I left the orchard as soon as I figured Cullen was good and gone. I went home and found Alicia at my door, her cat at her feet and her miniature cherry tree in her hands. It was drooping. "What's with this?" I took it from her after unlocking the door and leading her and Queenie inside.

  "It's sad. I think it misses the other trees."

  "It was nice of you to bring it for a visit." I set it on a small table already laden with other growing things and I touched it gently. In moments it perked up. "See, it's better now and I'm pretty sure that it'll be okay. I doubt you'll have to bring it for another visit." I touched it again, just to be sure, as Alicia's lower lip stuck out. "But of course you can bring it over any time you wish." The lip receded somewhat. "Do you have time for cookies?"

  A huge sigh shook her frame. "Mom says I'm eating too many cookies."

  "Maybe one?"

  She sat on the couch and nibbled a single cookie slowly so as to make it last as long as possible. While she nibbled, she crossed her ankles primly. "Mr. Vail asked about you."

  "I know. You told me."

  "I mean again. He came again."

  Fear crawled through my stomach. I had to force myself not to double over. "When?"

  "Just now. When I was on my way here. I showed him my tree. He said you might be able to help it. Then he asked questions."

  I won't panic. I refuse to panic. "What kind of questions?"

  "You know. Questions." And that was all I got. Her miniature cherry tree was so healthy it glowed, Queenie was getting restive and the cookie was long gone. "I have to go now." So with a cat under one arm and a cherry tree under the other, she left and I was left alone to try and make my stomach settle down. I folded over and stayed that way for a long time.

  Then I went to the window. Stared at the apple orchard and a group of kids playing baseball. The everyday scenes should have made me feel better but they didn't. Nothing could because Cullen Vail was on the edge of the field and he was talking with Alicia. I had no doubt I was the topic of conversation.

  I closed the curtains and waited as I fought nausea and told myself that Cullen Vail wouldn't come. He wouldn't. He'd go back to wherever he came from and would forget all about me. Still, I folded my hands over my stomach and wished I was somewhere else. Anywhere else. Like back on Earth.

  When the knock came it was almost a minute before my body could unknot enough to answer but I couldn't delay forever so eventually I swung it open. As I'd expected, Cullen Vail stood before me. Taller than I remembered, solemn of demeanor, almost grim, but polite. Oh so polite. "Miss Olmstead?"

  "My name is Elle."

  I gestured for him to come in but he stayed where he was, framed by the doorway, filling it, a perfectly formed man in a perfectly rectangular opening. Both man and opening were functional and impersonal.

  "Miss Olmstead, it has come to my attention that your name wasn't on the Destiny's manifest at launch. Nor was it on any list of colonists. Nor did it appear anywhere at all until after we'd past the outer planets and were approaching the edge of the solar system."

  "Really?" Would it help to pretend I didn't know what he was talking about? "I can't imagine why not."

  "Miss Olmstead?" He folded his arms and waited.

  I wilted. Died. Gave up right then and there. I'd tried but, like my cousins, I'd failed. I didn't have any tricks up my sleeve, no story that he'd believe, no way to prevent whatever he had planned. I wasn't cut out to be a felon, I didn't have the stomach for a life of crime. "I don't have any explanation."

  He stepped inside, filling the apartment as he'd filled the doorway, competent and authoritarian. "Miss Olmstead, you are a stowaway. Accordingly, you are under arrest for the crime of boarding the Destiny illegally. I'll have to ask you to put your hands behind your back." I did so and felt binders tightening around them. "Now I'll ask you to come with me." He ushered me towards the door.

  "What about Braveheart? My kitten? What'll happen to him?"

  "I'll talk to Wilkes Zander. He'll think of something."

  "Someone has to take care of Braveheart until this is straightened out."

  "You mean if it's straightened out."

  "It will be. It's a mistake, it's just a mistake."

  "Then you'll be home shortly."

  If I wasn't? Would Braveheart suffer the same fate that awaited me? I couldn't bear to think of both of us being tossed out of the airlock. He was a sweet kitten, he deserved better. What I'd done was deliberate but his only crime was being born. Barring a miracle, though, I'd not be back to save him and we'd both be treated like yesterday's trash.

  Everyone in New Rochelle watched me being dragged ignominiously towards the elevator. Alicia was there, along with her mother and grandfather.

  My eyes met those of Wilkes Zander. He didn't like what was happening but there was nothing he could do. I blinked to let him know that I'd not betray him. No one would ever know he'd willingly helped a stowaway.

  I stopped beside Alicia, letting my body go limp so Cullen had to drag me so he had to stop. "Alicia." She came close, uncertain as to what was going on but knowing that whatever was happening wasn't good. "Braveheart is in my apartment. Take care of him, will you?"

  "Okay." Her eyes were big. Then, for once in her life, she shut up.

  "And the plants. Water them, will you?" She said she would and then I started walking again so Cullen didn't have to drag me away. By the time we reached the town square I was walking proudly, straight and as tall as anyone five two can walk and as far away from Cullen Vail as my restraints would allow. I was going to jail but I'd go with my head held high.

  Chapter Seven

  I am thrown into prison.

  The ascent in the elevator was excruciating. Neither of us spoke, nor did we look at each other. I used the time to watch the ground fall away and the trees and bushes grow smaller as we rose towards the huge tube that was the center of the Destiny, wondering when, if ever, I'd see growing things again. Cullen had secured me to a pipe so he didn't have to touch me during our ride. As soon as he was sure I couldn't break free he went to the opposite side and stayed there.

  As we rose and gravity grew less, we began floating and I tried to grab a strap so as not to end up twisting and turning against my restraints. A slight sound caught my attention. I tried to see where it came from but when I moved my head my entire body followed and I found myself somersaulting over and over as the restraints on my wrists grew tighter and threatened to cut off circulation.

  I located the source of the sound but didn't look because I was busy trying to loosen my restraints. I soon discovered that I didn't have to look because the source came to me. Cullen Vail coming over. He grabbed my restraints, using them as a fulcrum and stopping my tumbling motion. He slid his comunit over them and they released enough for the circulation to return to
my wrists. Then a hand reached out and hauled me to the floor. Once my feet were planted precariously, a second hand guided me to the nearest strap.

  "You're not used to the elevators."

  "Obviously."

  "I suppose stowaways have reason to avoid the operations center." He didn't try to disguise the contempt in his voice. Then it hardened as he had a thought. "Unless it would be to plant a bomb." He whirled me around so hard that it hurt. I winced but this time he didn't care. "Is that why you're on the Destiny? To blow it up?" I couldn't stop whirling and would have grown dizzy had his hand not stopped me abruptly.

  "How can you think such a thing?"

  "I was there when the colonists said goodbye. I saw the crowds, the riots, and I read the signs. A lot of people would like to see the Destiny fail. They'd like to see the entire colonization program fail. A bomb would do that nicely."

  "I'd die with everyone else."

  "Some people don't care. Fanatics. Lunatics. Lots of people."

  "That's not why I'm here."

  "Why are you here?" He stuck his face in mine. We were inches apart. I'd never been that close to a man without it leading to a kiss but that was the last thing on his mind.

  I took a deep breath as we stared at each other. He'd never believe me, but with his face so close, his eyes so angry and his body so forbidding, I couldn't think up a convincing lie and I didn't want to. Didn't want to have to lie any more.

  I was suddenly tired. All my life I'd been taught to keep what we did secret and I'd done so but the doing had taken a toll. Staring into his angry eyes, I wanted to let it all come out. Not that the anger would dissipate but it would help to say it out loud. To speak for me, for my ancestors, for all of my family who'd worked so hard for so many years to save lives and been shunned for our trouble. Been hunted like witches. Been sent away.