“Luna, all I wanted was to be left alone.”
Luna shook her head wearily. “It doesn’t matter now.” Blood caught in her throat and she gurgled. “What matters is…Beta Prime.”
“What?”
Luna’s breath hitched and she struggled to take in enough air to speak. Gemme put her head down to her lips. “Don’t let the Seers get—”
Behind her, Tech fired at the mammoth as it pushed against the landrover, threatening to topple it sideways. Gemme reached for her laser, but she’d lost it in the avalanche. Tech fired a steady stream, but nothing stopped it. The beast ducked its head in the same motion that got Luna, and Gemme shouted, “Tech, jump off!”
Just as the tusked crown came up, Tech fired sideways pointing the laser at its eye. With one shot, the mammoth fell back on its hind legs and keeled over. The ground rumbled underneath her as the giant body hit. The hairs still writhed on its hide as the last steam of breath plumed from its pink mouth.
Tech jumped off the vehicle and ran over. “How’s she doing? Is she hurt?”
When Gemme turned back to Luna, her eyes stared at the sky.
Chapter Twenty-Four
Opportunity
Mestasis couldn’t deny the orb’s power over her any longer. The device glistened like a newborn star. The proximity to the beacon must have heightened its power. As the orb grew stronger, it activated regions of her brain long dormant, bringing up the memories she’d held so dear, clear as the day it had happened. The more memories it brought back, the more it lured her into its depths.
Was this only a side effect of the orb, or was this what it was meant to do? If so, how could something so special be dangerous? She allowed her mind to wander.
§
Old Earth, 2446
“Meow.”
“Don’t worry, Calico. I’m not going to forget you.” Mestasis pried the ball of fur off of her shredded plastic couch. She ran a hand over its fur, seeing odd golden swirls move on its coat and deposited the animal on the floor. Even though the kitten had already ruined the upholstery, and she’d never use it again, she nudged the animal away out of habit. “We’re not going quite yet.”
The kitten darted between two storage containers full of everything she ever owned, the lids popped open as she decided on last minute items to take. Thankfully, Calico had her own pet holder.
I’m ready to go. Abysme gave her a serious look from the doorway. Her own container sat fully packed by her feet. A ceramic pot painted in elaborate African tribal designs poked out from piles of clothes. It was a strange item to bring with her, taking up so much space and weight, with no use other than sentimental. But Mestasis was glad they’d still have it with them, even if the blade of grass had died years ago.
Mestasis glanced around the apartment. I need more time. She knew she’d forget something and miss it for the next three hundred years, or however long it took the Expedition to reach Paradise 18.
You’re the one who wanted to do this, and now you can’t? If I don’t leave now, I may not find the courage again. I’ll change my mind.
Mestasis froze. Who in their right mind would want to be left behind on a crumbling planet? Why?
Abysme put her hands on her hips. She looked mad, but her fingers trembled against her shirt. All I ever wanted was to be with Mom. Everything here reminds me of her, and I’m afraid once we leave, I’ll have nothing left.
Mestasis shook her head. You’ll always have your memories. No one can take those away, and you’ll carry them with you, wherever you are.
Memories aren’t enough. I can’t talk to Mom and get a response; I can’t feel her arms around me. They’re only a shadow of what happened in the past.
Mestasis thought back to the day she and her sister left for TINE. The view of their small apartment burned into her visual cortex, summoning feelings as raw as the minute they left. Memories are more powerful than you think.
Abysme picked up her container, balancing the weight on her hip. Behind them, sirens wailed as hovercrafts flew to the city borders to keep the horde of refugees at bay. I’ll go with you on this crazy adventure, but you have to promise me, we’ll never forget where we came from, that we’ll never forget her.
I promise. Plopping on the floor, Mestasis sorted through gadgets from their years at TINE. She threw out an old energy capacitor, but kept the electrolytic nanotech scanner just in case. She thought that was enough to get Bysme to leave, but her sister stood like a statue in front of the door.
It’s him, isn’t it? Abysme’s mindspeak sounded jealous. You’re waiting for him.
I want to make sure he makes it on board. He’s the reason why we have a ticket off Earth.
Abysme stared at the door and the panels parted. He can dock at the last minute, but I can’t. I’m going on.
I’ll see you up there. Mestasis gave her a smile, thinking of how proud she was of her sister. She took a step into the unknown, a leap of faith, not only in Thadious Legacy’s calculations, but in Mestasis’s as well.
You’d better, because I’m not spending the next three hundred years of my life alone in deep space. Although Abysme’s words teased her, her sister smiled back before she slipped out the door. The panels closed behind her, leaving Mestasis with Calico. The kitten rolled on her back exposing her white belly and stretched luxuriously.
Mestasis ran her hands over the soft fur, thankful she still had company. The apartment felt empty with all their belongings packed, and even emptier now that Abysme had left. She wondered who would live here after them and if there was a future left for TINE.
The door beeped and Mestasis jumped, startling Calico. The kitten shot upright and scurried underneath the couch. Anxiously, Mestasis parted the panels with her mind. James stood in the corridor, the ends of his black hair curving in to his square chin. His eyes shone silver as the moon and one look stole her heart all over again.
“I’m sorry I’m late.”
Mestasis shot up, crossed the living room in two leaps, and threw her arms around him. “Nonsense, I’m glad to see you.”
He buried his face in her braids, his warm breath moving stray strands of her hair. They held each other for a long time, neither one speaking until the silence grew like a dissonant note inside her.
His hands held her arms a little too tight. His body felt rigid. Mestasis pulled away far enough to meet his gaze. “What’s wrong?”
James shook his head. “I didn’t make it on the ship.”
Panic and disbelief jolted inside her. She must have misheard him. “What?”
“Metsy, I’m not going with you.”
Betrayal burned like laser light in her heart. “But Thadious Legacy promised me—”
“I didn’t pass the genetic tests. Seems my genes carry major defects, and I have an arrhythmic heartbeat to boot. I’m a poor candidate for their genetic matching program, and the conditions aboard the ship would stress my heart.”
Anger formed a hard center in her chest. She’d heard his heart, and it beat just fine. Was Thadious keeping him from her? Did he think having James aboard would distract her? All of a sudden she hated the bald man. “He’s doing this on purpose.”
“No, Metsy.” James assured her, running a finger down her cheek. “I’ve felt the arrhythmia before. It usually happens when I get out of breath or climb to the higher levels. I never thought much of it until now.”
Mestasis’s knees weakened. She didn’t want to believe him. James’s grip remained firm, holding her up. He spoke with his lips against her ear. “Besides, with everything going on and thousands of people board
ing, the odds of conspiracy to break us apart are unlikely. Don’t blame Thadious, blame me.”
She could never blame him. “I’ll talk to them, make an exception for your case. Maybe they have medical advancements that can help?”
“I’ve already tried petitioning it. The contract is pretty clear. There’s no changing the parameters. All you’ll do is make trouble for yourself.”
Mestasis felt trapped, forced to make a decision that would tear her apart. How could James give in to the system so easily? Why didn’t he fight to be with her?
Tears flowed down her cheeks and James gently wiped them away with his thumb. “Metsy, you know I love you.”
She pulled away, turning her back on him and walking to the sight panel. She’d have to choose between him and her sister. She had no doubt Abysme could fly that ship by herself, but she was the one who’d signed the contract. Besides, she couldn’t leave her sister alone on a mission that she herself had chosen for them both. Her chin trembled as reality sunk in. He wouldn’t budge and neither would she. This was the last time she’d see him. “Why didn’t you tell me sooner?”
James sighed. “Because you’d call it off. You wouldn’t go.”
Would she have? Probably not. She always picked her sister in the end.
Mestasis turned back to him, somehow feeling as though she let him down. “What are you going to do?”
He walked over to the sight panel and pointed to people scurrying in the corridors between buildings, preparing for the attacks from the refugees. “Help them. It’s what I do best, Metsy.”
She studied his profile, trying to remember the way his chin curved, and the pure blackness of his hair. She loved his sense of valor most about him. If somehow she found a way to bring him with her, he may never reconcile the fact that he left so many behind. She’d force him to be something he wasn’t, cage the hero that should save the world. Mestasis sighed, realizing she couldn’t win this argument. She just never thought his honor would pull them apart in the end. “I can’t go without you.”
“Yes, you can, and you must. There are at least three hundred good people aboard that ship; my people, people that have fought to stay alive despite their circumstances. Guide them to a better world, Metsy. If you won’t do it for yourself, do it for me.”
He pleaded so intensely she couldn’t refuse him. She checked the wallscreen. “We don’t have much time left.”
“Then let’s make these last hours count.” He leaned in and pulled her against him, kissing her fiercely. She wrapped her arms around his neck. Nothing was close enough. Her hands roamed over the muscles in his back, untucking his shirt. She felt around his waist, and the curves of his abs underneath his shirt as he kissed her. Each touch explored more about him, making her shiver. How could someone deem him so imperfect? To her, he was flawless.
He ducked, his arm sliding underneath her legs as he picked her up. The universe had aligned for them to have this private moment, and she lost herself in it, feeling free of any obligations or predestination. Nothing existed except the feel of his skin and the scent of their bodies intermingled. This was her paradise.
§
The wallscreen beeped and a monotone voice echoed, “Incoming call.”
Mestasis rose up from her bed, her head groggy from deep sleep. She hadn’t allowed her conscious mind to rest that fully in her entire life; no impulses, no dreams, just blissful darkness. The world came back to her, along with delicious memories. She reached out beside her and ran her hand under cold sheets. James was gone. Emptiness overwhelmed her, spreading through her limbs until she felt cold everywhere.
Scooping up his pillow, she buried her nose in the fabric, smelling his scent. His absence caused a sharp pain in her gut, but she knew if he stayed, it would make it harder for her to leave. He’d made his choice, and now she had to make hers.
The wallscreen beeped again, insistent. Too tired to use her powers to turn the panel on, Mestasis leaned forward, making sure the blanket covered her up.
Abysme’s face stared back at her in shock. Their mindspeak didn’t work well on communication channels, so she spoke with real words instead. “What are you doing in bed? You’re supposed to attend a formal ceremony in thirty minutes. Thadious Legacy’s been asking about you. I almost snuck off the ship and came back to get you. I thought the refugees stormed our apartment and murdered you on the streets, and you’re taking a nap?”
This was it, her time of choice. If she stepped on that ship, there’d be no going back. Mestasis stared at the face she knew so well, the mirror image of her own.
Abysme sighed, letting a rare glimmer of vulnerability show in the hard edges of her features. “I was so worried. I really thought something had happened to you. It made me think about things, and I’m glad you won us this chance, Metsy. I’m glad we’ve made it to a safe place together. I know I’ve never been thankful of what you’ve achieved for us, but I am now. I don’t know what I’d do without you.”
Abysme was her twin. Her other half. How could she let her down?
Mestasis realized she still hugged James’s pillow. Placing it down beside the wrinkled covers, she ran her hands over the fabric one last time. Taking a deep breath, she swung her legs off the edge and stood up. The world felt rickety under her feet. “I’ll be right there.”
Chapter Twenty-Five
Last Words
Mammoth hairs flew over his head as Brentwood ducked and rolled under two sets of legs, thick as tree trunks. He had to keep moving to use the commotion to his advantage, giving them no chance to sniff him out. The adrenaline rushing inside him made darting through the herd easy. Even so, one misstep and he’d be one mammoth’s dinner.
He’d already secured the first pole, and he only had two more to go. Hopefully, they wouldn’t knock it over before he got the second one down. He needed at least two conductors to start the energy beam.
Staying on the edge of the valley, he zigzagged to the opposite side. He had to make the perimeter big enough to protect the mining area and the vehicle, giving Tech enough room to work. Too small an area would put all of them in danger once Tech drove the landrover down. He couldn’t tell how far the mammoth hair could stretch. If the mammoths ruined the equipment, the animals might doom the entire crew of the Expedition.
An unoccupied spot of land lay exposed up ahead, protected by two mounds of snow; a perfect place for the next pole. Brentwood dashed over and pulled another metal rod from under his arm. The pole sank into the snow and he punched it down deep enough to stand up vertically. He tested the stability with a kick.
Pressing the panel on the top, he activated the second pole. A cylinder-shaped compartment rose up, exposing a ball of light and a thin, red beam cut across the snow, connecting the two poles. Encouraged, Brentwood pumped his fist in the air. If any mammoth tried to cross it, the energy would zap them dead, or at least, in theory. Heart pounding, he scanned the area. Now he had to find a place for the third pole without trapping any mammoths inside.
He looked for the easiest direction to run, but he’d lingered too long. A hulk of hair charged at him, followed by another and another. Brentwood brought up his laser and fired at the leader.
This is it. Too late for regrets. Good thing I finally told Gemme how I felt.
He couldn’t blast all of them. He’d been firing the whole time and he hadn’t even taken down one.
Squashing his fear, he placed himself directly in front of the laser beam. The charged particles buzzed behind him, remindin
g him how much power lay at his back. Death waited for him on either side. If he stepped into the beam, he’d die instantly. If he waited for the mammoths, he’d be stomped on or impaled.
Death by electrocution or mammoth tusks.
Hard decision.
Brentwood planted his feet down firmly, dropped the third pole, and squeezed the trigger.
The mammoth hair grasped out like seeking vines, reaching a meter ahead of them, as if their pounding feet wouldn’t reach him soon enough. It made him stomach squirm to think of the hair finding him and crawling down his back.
Wait.
Spittle dripped from the pink mouths as their heads dipped down, revealing their tusks.
Wait.
Now! He turned, sprinted two steps for momentum, and leaped, spreading his legs out as far as they could stretch. The red laser light came closer and he willed himself higher, hoping the fabric of his pants didn’t droop too far. He should have reset the configurations, narrowing the width and height of the beam.
Sprawling through the air, he cleared the laser with millimeters to spare. He hit the snow and rolled into a crouch just as the first mammoth reached the beam. The massive body jerked as it barreled into the light. The beast cried out, screeching like a pig in the livestock cells aboard the Expedition. A second mammoth hit the beam, then a third.
The reek of burnt hair filled the air as they writhed in the electric current. They dropped to the snow, and steam rose off their seared hides. Brentwood stepped around the end of the pole, watching the rest of mammoth horde retreat from the laser light.
“Woohoo! Take that you hairy monsters!” The last of them disappeared over the ridge at the far end of the valley, smaller beasts trailing the wake of the larger ones.
Tundra 37 Page 23