The Solar Flare

by Laura E. Collins

  “Did you sleep well last night?” He asked pleasantly.

  “Pretty well. The time change has kind of thrown me for a loop,” she said without emotion.

  He nodded and smiled. “It will get easier each day. I think the coffee will help.”

  Ava cracked a partial smile. “You should have warned me, it was pretty strong. Seemed more like espresso in my opinion.” James laughed. “You look different, your hair is shorter,” she said observantly.

  “Yeah . . . it’s been a while since I had a cut.” He ran his hand through his hair, which was still a bit longer than Wesley’s, with kind of a rocker edge. “Kind of had to. The humidity makes it curl up, it’s annoying,” he remarked lightly.

  Ava turned back to gaze at the ocean.

  “I heard you’ve been exploring this morning. Would you like me to show you the rest of the grounds and the house?”

  “I’d like that,” she took a sip of her water and they continued on.

  James pointed out a few things on the beach; a gazebo, an array of beach furniture, hammocks, cabanas, and a fire pit. Further down was a dock with a motorized boat and a sailboat. Back near the house by the terrace was a large swimming pool with more elegant patio furniture and a storage house with all kinds of equipment and pool paraphernalia. They went back through the vegetable gardens and then the flower garden before coming back into the house to break for lunch.

  Afterwards, James continued showing Ava around her new home. For how long it would be, Ava did not know. They started in the basement which housed a great entertainment area with ancient games called “pinball machines” and other more updated things. James showed Ava the entertainment room set up like a mini movie theater, a gym, and then a large glassed in music room and studio area.

  “This is where the band practices and records,” he explained as Ava walked around and touched some of the numerous instruments set up. There were so many of them; most she could recognize, some she did not. She lingered, walking around the area slowly before they left. Finally they came to another area with a closed door. He opened the door and let Ava have a glance at a workshop of sorts, containing multiple computers of various shapes and sizes and lots of other equipment she did not recognize. There were several large counters and tables set up with probable computers in pieces, laid out neatly.

  “What is all of this stuff?” She asked.

  “It’s my workshop. I come here to mess around with technology. Try to create new things I guess. It keeps me busy,” he said nonchalantly. He led her out and back up to the main level.

  The first floor, aside from the kitchen and dining areas contained a library with ancient books, a study with more computers, an office, a sizeable music room with a large antique grand piano, a formal living room with elegant old-fashioned regal looking furniture, and then a more modern casual family room with comfortable looking furniture and a large mounted monitor over the fireplace.

  “Where did you get all of the formal old-fashioned looking furniture?” Ava asked finally as the completed their tour of the first level.

  “Some of it we made. Most of it we took from what were some of the finest places on Earth after the Great Impact happened.”

  “You mean you stole it?” She reacted with a raised eyebrow.

  “That’s a harsh way of putting it.”

  “Do you always just take whatever you want?” Ava asked bitterly.

  “No . . . of course not,” he said softly. He continued, “It was a different time back then. Space migration and most of the stations were hardly even in development. There was chaos everywhere, people believed the world was going to end within a few days. Everyone was looting. If I hadn’t taken this stuff, it would have been turned into firewood or something. At least here, it is well preserved. It helps me to remember the old ways and life I lived on Earth. I don’t expect you to understand.”

  “Wouldn’t this stuff be better off in a museum then?”

  “Where? On one of the space stations? I wouldn’t consider that very safe. Look at what happened to Orionis.”

  Ava looked down at the floor. “That was my fault.”

  He paused. “No it wasn’t. You aren’t responsible for Kaden’s hatred.”

  She let it drop and they continued up the stairs to the second story which contained a laundry area, several bedrooms, another family or sitting room with a computer and monitor, her room, and finally the master suite, which was larger and just as elegant as her own room.

  “Your home is so impressive, you must be very proud,” she said sincerely.

  “Thank you. My family and I have worked very hard over the years, helping out with each other’s homes. I hope that in time you will be very happy here.”

  Ava chose to ignore that comment as her separation from Wesley was too fresh in her mind to even entertain that thought. She asked about his family as they walked back down to the main level and sat in the foyer. “Where do Melanie and Lucas live?” She inquired as she gazed at the beautiful stained glass ceiling above her.

  “Just down the coast, not far. You can see their home in the distance from your balcony. I’m sure that they will be inviting us over for a visit sometime soon.”

  “And the others?”

  “Nicholas and Lizeth are also along the coast, south of us near the city. Blayke and Emma prefer the city so they live closer inland.”

  “Is all of Sphene populated?”

  “Not yet. There is still quite a bit of territory to explore. The humans are working on it.”

  “What kind of government do you have?”

  “We have an elected official and team members that oversee everything including the military.”

  “And they stay here? They don’t visit the known galaxy?”

  “They don’t have much interest in that anymore. It is too far for one, and they don’t want any interference from the ITO. If they knew of our existence here, the people wouldn’t have as much freedom.”

  “Seems like everyone wants to avoid the ITO,” she commented.

  “Their deceitfulness runs deeper than you know. About fifty years ago they also discovered a new planet.”

  “Are you serious!” Ava could not help but feel anger towards the corrupt organization.

  “Yes. They call it ‘Arcturus’ and they are currently working on exploring and inhabiting it.”

  “How does the ITO keep something like that a secret from everyone?”

  “Well, for one, they keep the focus on the production of Earth II. And two. . . the new planet won’t be ready for immigration on a large scale for at least a good ten to fifteen years or so. Even then, I’m sure the ITO will be especially selective in the immigration process, mainly by the depth of its applicant’s pockets.”

  “Somebody must know about it. After all, the people who are there working on it must have families . . . people they talk to.”

  “The ITO has a funny way of dealing with that too. If they spot a person who has desirable skills that they need, they simply take them. They don’t care. And if the person doesn’t cooperate, I’m sure it doesn’t end well.”

  “How do you know all of this?”

  “We’ve been around the block a few times so to speak. We know a lot of things.” He paused. “So you see, the human population is in no danger of nearing extinction. I shared this information with you because I don’t want you to feel guilty about living on a planet instead of a space station. But please, let’s just keep this information between us and my family. Right now, the fewer people that know, the better. If this leaks out, the ITO won’t hesitate to kill civilians or anyone else to keep its secrets.”

  “I won’t say anything,” Ava said softly. Truthfully, she had no-one to tell anymore. She took a deep breath, feeling tired after only a few hours of being up.

  “The gravity is a little stronger here. It will take your body a week or two to adjust,” he said, noticing her fatigue.

  “I’ve been through this before,” she
said flatly, remembering Wesley and Naomi telling her the same thing in the Square on Orionis when she first met them.

  Later in the day, Ava started feeling a little worse, and even started running a mild temperature by the time Melanie and Lucas came to check on her. Melanie seemed to be expecting the problem. Ava was not used to the food and water in this new environment and her body needed time to adapt to the new microorganisms it was coming into contact with. The hours dissolved into days. Although concerned, her new companions remained watchful and calm throughout her experience. She spent her time either in bed or running to the bathroom. She had to admit that Melanie was an excellent doctor and took good care of her. The days evaporated into a week.

  Finally, by the eighth day, Ava began to physically feel better and recover from the ordeal. Between grieving for the loss of Wesley and her friends and being sick, she was miserable and fed up. She didn’t want to feel sad anymore; she told herself that Wesley wouldn’t want that for her. She had already spent a year of her life in sorrow over losing her husband Nathan. She emerged from her room weak, but with a new attitude. She wanted to learn whatever anyone would teach her. If she was going to live with Asterions, then she wanted to be as much like one as she could be.

  Chapter 20: Acceptance

  “Okay, just take a deep breath and try to let go of your fear,” Lizeth coached Ava calmly. The two women stood at the edge of the beautiful indoor pool at the Felton residence. Several of James’ family members were in attendance to try to teach Ava how to swim, save for Lucas, Emma, and Blayke, whom had things to do. Ava stared down at the large mass of light blue water, unsure whether or not this was a good idea. It was bad enough standing around in a bathing suit, feeling half naked in front of these people, especially James, who were relative strangers to her.

  “This end is only four feet deep, you won’t drown with all of us here. Just follow me down the steps and we’ll begin,” she continued reassuringly to Ava.

  “I’ll try,” she responded unsurely. The others were already milling around in the pool, laughing and bouncing an inflated brightly colored “beach ball” around to each other. They stopped and watched as Ava approached the steps. She gasped in shock at how cold the water seemed to her as she stepped down into the pool, trying to walk with Lizeth a little deeper down towards the opposite end.

  They stopped when they neared the five-foot deep range. “We are going to get you used to floating and being comfortable in the water. Now I want you to take hold of the edge of the pool with your arms, face down, and let your legs float out behind you. Keep your head above the water. I’m going to stay right here with you,” she instructed.

  Ava did as she was told, able to focus and let her legs float up behind her, enjoying how the feeling of weightlessness in the water felt, especially now that the water seemed to be growing warmer to her. “Good,” Lizeth praised. “As soon as you feel ready, we can practice some kicks.”

  After a while, Ava felt more encouraged, and even laughed a little as she saw how much fun the others were having, especially Nicholas, who floated by on his back, splashing water on his wife. James seemed pleased as he swam nearer to them, checking to see how Ava was doing, trying his best not to make her feel smothered. In as little as an hour, Ava was able to go from practicing kicks at the side of the pool to using a kickboard so that she could move about within the pool, Lizeth remaining by her side.

  “Tomorrow, we’ll work on this again, along with strokes and treading water. You seem to be a fast learner, but you’ll need lots of practice before we let you go in the ocean. The water is very beautiful, but it can be dangerous if you can’t swim well; but you will!”

  “What’s on the agenda for this afternoon?” Ava asked as she toweled off, standing in the indoor patio area.

  “Thought we’d take you into the city and show you around a little bit,” James said as he approached the two women, already showered and dressed again. “Might be nice to have some lunch on the pier.”

  Ava wrapped herself in a towel and headed towards the spacious guest bathroom near the pool to shower and change. A short while later they were speeding down the road towards the city in two separate Velas. Ava rode with Lizeth and Melanie while James and Nicholas rode together to catch up on business. She looked around curiously as they drove through the heart of the downtown area. She could not deny that the buildings and technology were a few levels above what she had seen on Kyanos. They parked near the pier and got out to walk a few blocks to a small open air restaurant. It was mid day and the sun shone high and hot, but a nice breeze swept around them, keeping them comfortable, although almost blowing away the ladies’ hats several times.

  Ava saw a large boat on the water that looked similar to the yacht Wesley had taken her out on and proposed to her. She slowed her pace, reflecting back on the memory, how happy she had been and now how empty she felt inside. James must have noticed the dip in her mood and came to walk beside her. She looked up at him, away from the boat and they continued towards the restaurant on the dock, one of Lizeth’s favorite places.

  “I hope you are up for trying some local seafood Ava,” she said encouragingly as their party was seated in the shade outside. She just nodded, not wanting to tell them that she was not a fan based on her limited previous experiences with it. She stared at the digital menu on the tablet, trying to figure out what was what, not recognizing the names of things. Thankfully Melanie sat next to Ava and pressed an icon on the tablet, converting the text to English, making it easier for Ava to pick something based on descriptions. In the end she chose a pasta dish with some type of shellfish and a wine sauce. Lizeth had ordered it before and raved about it.

  The group ordered drinks and Ava observed them as they chattered and laughed with one another. It reminded her of her family, only this time she felt more like an outsider and not part of the group. She was homesick and missed them terribly, Wesley and Naomi the most. She looked down at her lap, trying to keep her composure and not cry. Pull yourself together, she thought to herself. A small jolt of energy surprised her as Melanie rubbed her back sympathetically and James took one of her hands gently in his. They had somehow sensed the change in her mood.

  “I know this is going to be a rough transition for you Ava. It will take some time. What can we do to help you?” His voice was gentle and calm.

  It took a great deal of willpower for her not to break down and beg him to take her back to Kyanos so that she could find out what really happened to Wesley and the others. In the end, all she could do was accept her current situation. She thought for a moment. “Well . . . it would help if I stayed busy. When my mind is occupied I don’t have much time to think about what happened to my family.”

  “Your family?” Lizeth asked.

  “She means Robinson’s clan,” James explained simply.

  “I’m very sorry Ava,” Lizeth said. “Naomi was the kindest and had the biggest heart of any Asterion I ever knew.”

  Ava nodded, a little surprised that someone from James’ family would pay such a compliment to a supposed rival. This made her like her a little bit more.

  “We can definitely keep you busy. What would you like to learn?” James asked sincerely.

  “Aside from swimming, I want to learn to drive one of your Velas. And I want to learn how to fight . . . how to defend myself against an Asterion.”

  “I hardly think that’s necessary here on Sphene,” Melanie interjected.

  “It’s what I want,” Ava replied resolutely; all eyes upon her.

  “Then it shall be done, though I agree with Melanie. When it comes to defending yourself against one of our kind, as a human there is not much you can do. However, since you feel so strongly about it, and I can’t blame you given your past experiences, we’ll do the best we can,” James replied, eager to please.

  “Thank you,” she said politely as the food arrived. Ava inhaled the fragrant aroma of her dish, recognizing the scent of garlic. Pleased that it did not s
mell too fishy, she took a bite cautiously. She was happily surprised that it tasted delicious and started digging in. Over the rest of lunch her new acquaintances discussed what Ava’s training schedule would be like and who would be the best teacher for each activity.

  Afterwards, they strolled around in the downtown area in the light crowds of the locals showing Ava all kinds of buildings and stores until they came to the large stone structure known as the courthouse. Ava gazed up at it and then gave James a confused look.

  “Don’t worry, we’re not getting married,” he chuckled. “The registration office is inside. It’s time to officially make you a citizen of Sphene,” James explained amiably. She followed him inside with the others trailing behind. It wasn’t every day that a new “transplanted” human became a citizen. There wasn’t much of a line and since everyone on Sphene knew who James Xavier was, registration was a breeze. Ava filled out a few electronic forms easily recalling her place of birth, birth-date with other information from Earth and so on. The forms were almost identical to what she filled out for the ITO when she sent her application for space migration. Only this time, there was no waiting period, no denial, no questions, no stress, and someone else paid the fee. She was surprised to see that she could choose a new name if she wanted. She pondered over this thoughtfully.

  For a split second, she thought of choosing Wesley’s last name over her own to honor him, but decided against it as they were not married. She also entertained the idea of returning to her maiden name since Nathan had died almost two years ago. James observed her hesitating over this field of entry and offered Ava the chance to take his last name if she wanted. She politely, but quickly, declined and in the end kept her name the same. She did however list James’ address as her own since she technically lived with him and had no other choice. A few minutes later, her fingerprints scanned, mouth swabbed for DNA identification, and photograph taken, Ava was issued a small plastic ID badge and an online account.