Tiera's Earth (Andromeda 9 Book 1)

by Ethan T. Marston

  After about a minute, Xana finally looked up. “What did you ask again?”

  “What are these buildings for?”

  “Right. They’re for a lot of things.” For a moment Tiera thought that was all Xana was going to say as she paused and looked out the window—they were outside of the tunnel by now—but then she kept going. “Only a few of these are single-purpose buildings, owned by one research company or another. They’re single-purpose because some kinds of scientific research make a building a bit too hazardous for permanent residents.” Xana made a vague gesture toward their surroundings and continued, “The rest are like cities in miniature. Most have residential sections, commercial sections—some even have floor space reserved for small parks and farms.” Xana glanced over at Tiera with a grin. “If my dad weren’t on the Planetary Council it’s likely he’d never leave his building. My mom already doesn’t.”

  By the time they arrived at the semi-underground car bank of the Seelis’ building, Tiera was beginning to see why Pit was so attached to the place. She and Xana took a seat in one of the building’s elevators and they made their way up to the residential section. Tiera watched as floor after floor flew past the elevator windows, giving her split-second displays of shopping centers, restaurants, rec centers, parks, water parks—each floor was more luxurious and idyllic than the last. And here I thought Daven was living in luxury. Daven’s apartment was a cheap motel compared to this place.

  All of a sudden Tiera could only see long hallways outside the elevator windows, and they slowed to a stop at a hallway marked “87B.” The elevator then started moving forward and down the hall.

  “This is so fancy,” Tiera said, drawing another smile from Xana.

  “We’re almost there” was all she said in response—and they were. The elevator passed two doors spaced yards and yards apart, then finally stopped in front of a door marked “87B-3.”

  “How many—um—homes are there per floor?” Tiera asked as the elevator doors opened. She wasn’t sure if she should call them apartments, condos, penthouses, or something else.

  “It depends on the floor,” Xana started, standing up and placing her palm on her parents’ front door. “But this floor has eight—four on the A side and four on the B side.”

  Tiera tried to wrap her head around how many square feet that meant, but couldn’t. I saw an entire water park on one of the floors downstairs. Whatever the number is, it’s too big.

  The front door opened with a chime, and Xana and Tiera entered an extravagant entry room, complete with a split, crystalline grand staircase and a long, heavy chandelier. Unlike the white walls in Daven’s apartment, the walls here were stained a subtle shade of coral, and it took Tiera a few seconds to notice that Xana was walking ahead without her.

  “Oh my gosh! This is your parents’ house!” Tiera exclaimed, jogging to catch up to Xana.

  “Don’t. It’s embarrassing,” Xana said without turning around.

  Tiera laughed. “There’s nothing wrong with having money.”

  “It’s not about having money; it’s about what you spend it on.”

  Tiera wasn’t sure how to respond to that, but she didn’t have to. As soon as they passed between the two staircases and entered the small hall beyond, a male voice echoed their way from somewhere nearby.

  “Xana? Is that you, sweetie?”

  “Who else would it be?” Xana yelled back.

  “That’s my girl! We’re in the dining room. Tiera’s with you?” Tiera figured it was safe to assume the voice belonged to Xana’s father.

  “Hi Mr. Seeli!” Tiera shouted before Xana could respond.

  “Oh! So forward. How refreshing.”

  Tiera could hardly make the words out, so she wasn’t sure she was supposed to hear them. Did I break some sort of etiquette rule? As long as Pit was alright with it, Tiera figured it didn’t really matter.

  They rounded a corner, Xana leading the way, and found themselves in an ornate dining room, its ceiling a dome of kaleidoscope patterns that expanded outward from a small, central chandelier. The pieces of the pattern were all varying pastel hues, so the walls and floor were left a simple white. Smart choice. The room’s already bordering on gaudy. A long, oaken table was centered beneath the chandelier, and that’s where Xana’s parents were as well—along with several platters of food.

  “Tiera! Welcome!” Pit Seeli was a tall and slim man with blond hair, which was buzzed short of course. He stood up from his seat and closed the distance between them in a few long strides—then hugged Tiera.

  “Oh! Hello!” Tiera said awkwardly into his shoulder, then pulled away. Without missing a beat, Pit sidestepped toward Xana and planted a huge kiss on her forehead. Xana sighed, and a tinkling laugh from the other side of the room drew their attention to Xana’s mother.

  “Tiera, this is my mother, Tana. Mom, this is Tiera.” Tana waved from her seat at the table, so Tiera waved back, still feeling awkward. Tana had the same slender build as Xana, though Tana looked like she was slightly shorter. She also followed the Faroan buzz cut fashion, though a large portion of her black hair was dyed lavender in what Tiera could only think of as a skunk stripe.

  “Come! Grab a plate—we only started eating a few minutes before you arrived,” Tana said, pointing toward the plates and silverware at the end of the table.

  Yeah, their etiquette is definitely different here. I wonder how many times I made a fool of myself eating out with Daven. Tiera put on a smile and tried not to feel self-conscious as she grabbed a plate and began putting food onto it. As per usual, it was a mix of familiar and unfamiliar dishes, though this set-up reminded Tiera of Thanksgiving. Tiera always took the similarities between their foods as a sign that Earth must have been a failed Origin colony. How else could anyone explain the near symmetry of the food, plants, and people between the galaxies? If only Parliament would just accept that—then they’d have to save Earth. That thought stayed on Tiera’s mind as she sat down and ate with Xana and her parents. It remained such a permanent feature that, after all the exchanges of pleasantries, remarks on the food, and compliments, Tiera couldn’t help but bring it up with the Seelis.

  “I don’t know if Xana ever told you, but it meant a lot to me that you were willing to sponsor me, Mr. Seeli—to start me on the screening process to petition Parliament. I just wanted to thank you in person.” Tiera figured this was probably the best way to start.

  “Please call me Pit. And it was no trouble—anything for Xana’s friend! Tana and I are ecstatic that you two get along so well. Xana hasn’t had a fr—a roommate in a long time.” Pit took another drink, finishing off his third glass of wine. Tiera hadn’t even made it halfway through her first. “But really—I had my secretaries do it. It was no trouble at all.” Pit laughed a bit too loudly, and from the corner of her eye Tiera could see Xana shake her head.

  Xana’s mom got up suddenly, pushing her chair away from the table. “I think I’m going to go lie down for a bit,” she announced, then left the room without sparing any of them a second glance.

  “Wasn’t this good though?” Pit gestured toward what was left on the food platters. He didn’t seem to mind at all that his wife had just left. “We ordered it from this new place downstairs—‘The Turkey Taster’ I think it’s called. Isn’t that a funny name?”

  Tiera laughed politely, which made Xana shoot her a questioning look. Tiera just winked at her, but that only made her look more confused than before. Do winks mean anything here? “Anyway,” Tiera started, turning her attention back toward Pit, “I was hoping you could give me some advice. For when I speak to Parliament, I mean.”

  “You seem very sure that’s going to happen,” Pit remarked, raising his eyebrows as he poured himself another glass from the oblong wine pitcher on the table. “But even if it doesn’t, you and Xana can still visit Origin together. You’ve been cleared to visit already, after all.”

  “Yes, and I’m very excited about that. But I’m sure you understand
why it’s so important for me to speak to Parliament?” Tiera wasn’t so sure that Pit—or anyone in the Andromeda Galaxy—really understood.

  “I’d guess it’s about your planet. What was it called again?”

  “Earth.”

  “Right—Earth. Such a funny name.” Pit smiled to himself as he took a drink.

  Tiera tried to laugh again, but she was already having a hard time keeping this light. “Does it mean something in Original?”

  “No,” Xana interrupted. “My father just likes to be silly.” Tiera couldn’t quite place what Xana’s expression made her think of.

  “She isn’t wrong,” Pit said, taking another drink and bringing Tiera’s attention back to himself. “So does ‘Earth’ mean anything in—in, uh—Earthling?”

  “In English it means ‘dirt’ or ‘ground.’” Tiera wondered for a moment why Kert’s program never paired the word “Earth” with its Original translation, but then she realized she was digressing from what she really wanted to talk about. “Anyway, yes—it is about Earth. I need to convince Parliament not to destroy it—or at least to evacuate its inhabitants into the Andromeda Galaxy.”

  Xana looked down, and Tiera could tell Pit was trying hard not to laugh. “You’ll have a hard time doing that,” he said. “It’s the biggest terrorist threat we’ve had in a million years! Maybe even longer—ever since weapons were abolished, at the very least.”

  “But you can’t seriously think that all seven billion or so Earthlings are associated with your Andromeda insurrectionists. We never even had evidence that life existed outside of our own solar system until Kert and his students showed up. Besides, aren’t we a lost Origin colony? Doesn’t Parliament have a responsibility to protect us?”

  “Tiera, dear, even if your people aren’t our kind of insurrectionist, that doesn’t mean they aren’t insurrectionists.” Pit took another drink. “From what I’ve read of your interviews with Chief Uedent, your planet is in the middle of a civil war with who knows how many sides! Parliament doesn’t want people with that sort of violent background intermingling with our peaceful citizens, and I have to admit I agree with them.”

  “Do I look violent to you?” Tiera asked. And I thought racial profiling back home was bad.

  “Of course not! Oh no no no, Tiera dear. You’re delightful! Charming!” Pit paused for another drink. “But you’re the one who told us about your wars; surely you understand! Even if some of you aren’t violent, Parliament doesn’t think it’s worth the risk. But, from what the projections show, if our galaxies collide, combine—whatever—at least half of our citizens will be at some level of risk. That’s almost 50 billion people! At least!” Pit just shook his head at Tiera, a pitying smile on his face. “I don’t want to say it’s impossible, dear, but it very nearly is.”

  “But as a lost colony we’re citizens too! Can’t they send us to Hyran? It isn’t at capacity yet, right?” Tiera tried to argue, but Pit’s smile seemed to become more and more fixed the more she spoke. Just like Dr. Chis’s. Tiera looked to Xana for support, but she was still looking down.

  “You know, maybe they’ll change their mind. I can’t pretend to know everything that goes on in the Grand Hall, after all. Maybe there is a way to save Earth.” It was obvious that Pit was just humoring Tiera—especially with that stupid smile still on his face. “Let’s talk about something else then,” he said. “Maybe about last night? I heard you had quite the scare!”

  I’m tired of talking about the destruction of your home and everyone you love. Let’s talk about your run-in with a dangerous psychopath instead! Tiera took a breath and instead said, “I’m still getting over that, actually. I’d rather not talk about it if that’s alright.”

  “Oh! I’m sorry!” Pit said, frowning. “I thought it might be alright, given the news.”

  Xana finally looked up. “News?” she asked.

  “Kert’s been sent to the Hyranian prison—on that island.” Pit laughed. “You know, I think they actually named it ‘Prison Island.’ They aren’t a very creative bunch.”

  “Dad. We live in Faroa City.”

  “Well it’s named after Hao Faroa—the astronomer—not after some prison,” Pit said with a sniff. “In any case, I thought that might have made you feel better about it all, knowing he’s locked up,” he continued, returning his attention to Tiera. “If not, that’s alright.”

  “I actually didn’t know. Thanks for telling me.” All of a sudden, Tiera remembered what Kert had said about having a plan to save the Earth. “You know, Kert said—” Tiera cut herself off. Did I tell the police about that last night? Did I tell them Kert said he had a plan? She racked her brain, trying to remember everything she and Leon had talked about. Oh my gosh. I don’t think I did.

  “Kert said . . . what?” Pit’s words shook Tiera from her thoughts, and she realized she had been staring at the bits of mashed sweet potato left on her plate.

  “Sorry. I was just remembering—I remembered that . . . ” Tiera suddenly wasn’t sure whether or not she should tell anyone that Kert had mentioned a plan. What if he actually does have another way? What if that’s my only option? If I tell Pit, or Leon—or anyone—will they keep it from happening? Tiera looked from Pit to Xana and saw that they were both still waiting for her to say something—so she told them something else that Kert had said. “Kert said that I shouldn’t go to Parliament either. Why do you think that is?” Tiera figured she knew why—it was because Parliament was just a bunch of insensitive, pompous idiots—but she figured after making him wait that long, Tiera needed to give Pit something to think about.

  “Oh! That’s a good question!” Pit looked around the room, a strange expression on his face, before finally looking down at his empty cup. “Was this my fifth glass? I believe that I am drunk now, children. Perhaps I should go lie down as well—would that be alright?”

  “Yes!” Xana practically shouted. She shot Tiera a furtive and embarrassed glance. “We need to get home soon anyway. We have classes tomorrow and we need to study.”

  “Of course. Tiera,” Pit turned to look at her, “it was simply a delight.” And with that they all left: Pit for his bedroom, and Tiera and Xana for their apartment.

  What can I do? Tiera thought all the way back. She tried to think of the different speeches she had studied back at USU, of the different laws she had learned in her classes here on Faroa, and everything seemed so hopeless. What can I do when it’s hopeless? What can I do when I know they won’t listen? Tiera watched the high-rise district disappear after they drove over the summit of the large hill that separated the rest of the city from their little college world. What can I do?

  In a moment of clarity, the same resolve that saved her from despair all those weeks ago returned, and it had one thing to say: Make a scene.

  Chapter 17

  “Be sure to visit the Galactic Museum too—their solar system models are amazing! The biggest in the galaxy! And you can walk right through them,” Daven told Tiera, showing her pictures of the museum on his smart glass. He moved to the next picture. “Oh! And my mom said that the food at Burming Circle was mind-blowingly good, so you should go there too. It’s pretty expensive, but I’m sure Xana . . . ?” Daven trailed off, turning around to look at Xana in the back seat.

  “I’m not going to make Tiera go hungry, if that’s what you’re implying,” Xana said stiffly, arms crossed. It wasn’t hard to tell that she was annoyed Daven was coming to see them off.

  “Of course not! I just wasn’t sure if you wanted me to transfer some money over to Tiera or—anyway. That’s the Manatan Bridge,” Daven said, pointing to a picture of a sleek-looking suspension bridge on his smart glass. “My mom said the view from there was stunning, so definitely go there. And—”

  “We’re not even staying the night, you know,” Tiera interrupted. She couldn’t help but smile at how excited Daven was for her, but he had been going on like this for the past 20 minutes, and they still had 20 more to go before they g
ot to the wormhole generator station. “Besides, you haven’t even mentioned the Grand Hall of the Parliament of Origin, and that one’s actually on my list.”

  “You have a list?! Why didn’t you say so in the first place?” Daven exclaimed, then he demanded that Tiera show it to him. He spent the rest of the car ride huddled over the list on Tiera’s smart glass, matching so many of his mom’s pictures to the place names that Tiera thought she might not need to see them in person anymore.

  Except Parliament, she reminded herself. There’s no avoiding Parliament. Tiera could feel her heart rate pick up at the mere thought of facing Parliament, and she suddenly had to remind herself to breathe.

  Feeling Xana’s eyes on the back of her head, Tiera turned around to meet her gaze. After an awkward moment of staring, Xana asked, “What are you planning?” Daven’s prattling came to an abrupt stop, and he turned around to look at Xana as well.

  “What do you mean?” Tiera feigned ignorance. Blunt as ever, Xana.

  “Why do you want to see Parliament so badly? You were never cleared to speak to them, but you wanted to come today—the third Tuesday of the month—to see them anyway.”

  “Fine. You caught me,” Tiera said dryly. “I wanted to practice. I figure I’ll be less nervous speaking to Parliament when I am cleared if I see how things work today.” Tiera gave what she hoped looked like an embarrassed smile, but it only made Xana furrow her brow. Xana opened her mouth to speak again, but she closed it when Tiera very pointedly looked from her to Daven, who had already returned his attention to Tiera’s smart glass. Maybe she’ll drop it if she thinks I’m only not telling her because Daven’s here. Xana and Tiera spent the rest of the ride in relative silence, listening to Daven’s—or Daven’s mom’s—travel tips, so it seemed like Xana had bought Tiera’s unspoken excuse.