by Gary Moreau
“At ease, Yamaguchi!” Casey ordered in a mocking tone, but Yamaguchi still didn’t respond.
Casey slumped back against the bulkhead. “Great,” he said to himself, “fifty years of solitude and now I’m stuck with a mute jailer.” That thought brought with it a grim smile.
“Yamaguchi, I don’t know about you but I’d like to see this biblically inspired melodrama play itself out. Help me get down to Storage.”
Chapter 11
All the colonists were assembled on the Storage Deck. Slater, with the help of two of his assistants, managed to be at the forefront, ensuring that he would be the first to set foot on the new world. He signaled the technician and the storage bay door began to open. A shaft of sunlight broke into the cavernous hold, making the illumination from the light-lines appear dim by comparison. There was a profound hush, broken only by the soft whine of the mechanism as the window on the new world opened farther. They stared in wonderment. It was sunlight, but not of the sun. The sight brought tears to some and opened-eyed rapture to even the most restrained.
All attention was on the opening. A blue sky with fluffy white clouds was revealed, and still the opening grew, revealing the peaks of snow-capped mountains along the distant horizon. As the huge door lowered and extended to become a ramp leading to the planet’s surface, the crowd surged forward. There was no stopping them.
“Stay back!” Slater shouted, but no one, not even his two associates, responded. All eyes and all minds were focused on the outside. Even before the leading edge of the ramp touched the ground, colonists pushed past Slater and climbed onto it, to step outside, to breath fresh air, to sense the new world all around them. By the time the ramp “clanked” to a stop, people were streaming past Slater as if he were an inanimate object.
Li Quon was among the first, running down the slope of the ramp with abandon. She continued running until she was beyond the others and then stopped with her back to the ship. The tall grass rippled in waves as a gentle breeze brushed across the prairie that stretched toward the distant mountains. There were clumps of red and yellow flowers and, farther out, clusters of trees, their branches thick with green leaves, but her eyes were continually drawn back to the distant mountains, purple at their bases, snowy white at their peaks. It so reminded her of the mountains near her home on far distant Earth.
The colonists stood silent in awe, seeing the Earth as it might have looked millennia ago. The air held just a hint of salt, suggesting the presence of a nearby sea. And the sun! It could have been Sol itself, bright with warm yellow light. This was Earth as Earth should have been.
There was a spontaneous outpouring of brotherhood, hugging, holding, and finally words, exclamations of wonder and thanks, growing until they became one sound, the sound of many voices raised together in exaltation. It was sometime before Slater’s shouts for attention were heard, but slowly, person-by-person, they began to grow quiet and turn to hear what he had to say.
From Slater’s vantage point, still standing on the ramp of the ship, he could see the entire crowd of five hundred colonists, and it was they that he focused his attention on, hardly noticing the panoramic view of the prairie and mountains.
“This is a proper place for what we are about to do!” Slater shouted. “We will take this gift onto ourselves and improve upon it!”
Still, there were many of the colonists who ignored the man who demanded their attention, absorbed in the wonder of the vista and the miracle of having arrived; trying to reconcile what their hearts told them with what their minds knew. This was not Earth. This was someplace else in the universe.
But Slater would not be denied. “People, people!” he yelled. “Let us not lose ourselves!”
Reluctantly, the majority of the crowd turned to hear what the man was shouting about, but Li Quon, and a few of the others, would not be distracted from the intoxicating view of the world around them.
Finally, Slater had enough of their attention that he no longer had to shout in such a shrill voice. “People, this is the day those we left behind dreamed about. We are children of Earth and we have saved mankind from oblivion. The Death and the devils that brought it cannot reach us here. We are the chosen. Let us behave like the chosen. I know this place plucks at a primordial string to our past, but don’t allow yourselves to become lost. We have a sacred mission to perform. We are the safeguard of humanity. It is our duty to succeed and succeed we will!”
Slater lowered his voice again, causing the crowd to gather closer to the ramp, closer to him. “I have no doubt we will fulfill the scared trust placed in us. No, more than that, we will surpass expectations, just as our destination has surpassed our expectations. We are the strongest, brightest, and most determined men and women who have ever existed. We will make our distant mothers and fathers proud to claim us as humanity’s beacon for the brotherhood of all mankind, but we must keep our focus.” He paused for effect. “If the mundane is to be our first task, then let us be heroes of the mundane, gladiators of the everyday, explorers of duty, but, before we attend to our duties, there is a piece of business that cannot be postponed. We need a name for our new world!”
A small voice arose from the edge of the crowd. “I suppose you think Slater’s World would be a good name.”
An uneasy silence, with scattered pockets of nervous laughter, answered Li Quon’s suggestion. Petite as she was, she was not visible to many in the crowd, but Slater could see her, challenging him with her hands on her hips.
Slater didn’t answer her directly. He bowed his head, as if both hurt and offended. When he looked back up, the crowd had become stone silent.
He nodded. “I agree with you, my brothers and sisters. This is exactly the kind of attitude we must guard against. We cannot afford to be our own adversaries. We are partners. We all have vital duties to perform, duties that fit our particular aptitudes. I am aware that there are a few among you who feel I have overstepped my authority, but I am also aware that at the root of these feelings is a lack of trust. I trust you, completely, every single one of you. I trust you to do what needs to be done and I need your trust in me so I can do what needs to be done. Without this belief and trust in one another, we will not be able to survive.”
There was a murmur of approval from the crowd.
Slater brought his fist up to rest against his chest. “Believe me; it’s not for my benefit that I take on this heavy responsibility.” He opened his hand and extended his arms to the crowd. “I give myself to you.”
“We’re with you, Slater!” someone in the crowd shouted, and another, “You can count on us!” and then more shouts of support, until the individual words were lost in a noise that signaled a pledge of fealty.
Slater smiled and raised his arms again. The crowd quieted, but he waited patiently until there was once again silence. While he waited, his eyes searched the crowd for signs of dissent. Then he looked out to the edge of the assembly and saw Li Quon, standing by herself, until a mid-sized man broke through the edge of the crowd and walked over to stand at her side. Slater recognized him. It was Simon Weiss, wearing the yellow of a geology technician. Slater watched as Li faced Simon and they exchanged words. Li extended her hand and Simon took it in his own.
Slater redirected his attention to the crowd and began again. “A name is important. It will help define our goal and attitudes. Are there any suggestions?”
A rich baritone called out from somewhere in the crowd. “There is one man who had the vision to construct the Pinnacle and the wisdom to bring us together, Mitchell Mason. We should name our world Mason’s World.” The man was dressed in the maroon of humanities and had an easy smile and a likable face. No one standing near him recognized him, but his red hair identified him to those who did know him, Padrig Glancy.
The colonists remained quiet. Slater recognized that this was one promise he wouldn’t be able to keep.
“I appreciate the thought,” Slater said. “As many of you know, he was like a father to me.
I knew him well and, if he were here, he’d never have permitted such self-aggrandizement.” Slater ignored the scattered laughter. “Are there any other suggestions?”
“Let’s call our world Eden,” yelled a blond woman dressed in the pink of communications.
The crowd took up the name and it could be heard being passed around, lips and ears getting a feel for it.
Slater bent toward Olson. “Her name is Lisa Bouviet. She came to the bridge uninvited. Seems to think she’s still chief of communications. A troublemaker. Add her to the list.”
Olson smiled. “My pleasure.”
Slater waited a few more seconds and then spoke. “Yes, my friends, I think that is exactly what we’ve found, Eden. We are the chosen and I’ve been ordained to lead us into the Promised Land. Does that agree with you?”
In answer, from scattered areas in the crowd, the word “Eden” was shouted, and repeated until it became a chant, shouted in unison by the assembled colonists. Then someone slipped in Slater’s name and it became, “Eden! Slater! Eden! Slater!” It was a moving moment of complete agreement and a shared sense of belonging to one another but, even at that moment Slater scanned the crowd, adding to his mental list those who refused to join in the affirmation of support. After his visual survey, he bowed his head humbly, as if unworthy of the adoration he’d so carefully orchestrated. When the chant began to weaken, he raised his arms and the assemblage became quiet, but attentive.
“Friends,” Slater said, “I’m deeply touched.” He wiped his eyes, brushing away nonexistent tears. “And I vow to you that I’ll do my utmost to be worthy of your generous support. I will give you all I have. It’s my solemn oath to you. And, although we’ve left our mothers and fathers behind, think of me like a father. If you have a problem, come to me. My door will always be open.”
He paused and beamed at the assemblage. “Friends, we need to start today, no, not today, this very moment in preparing our new home. Report to your guild chiefs. It is time!” he shouted. “Let us begin!”
He raised a fist overhead; the crowd responded with cheering and their fists arose over their heads, a salute. He bowed slightly at the waist before standing tall and turning with well-paced dignity to reenter the ship and disappear from view. As soon as he was out of sight, Jane Veck stepped onto the ramp and began, in her reedy voice, to direct the various guilds to their respective chiefs.
Chapter 12
Casey sat in the relative darkness of the storage bay and watched Slater stroll past. He intended to keep a low profile, to stay the hell out of it. It wasn’t his affair any longer but, even as he had these thoughts, he struggled to remain silent. It was only a few seconds before the impulse to speak overwhelmed his good sense.
“I sure wish I could be a hero of the mundane,” Casey said.
Slater stopped and turned to face him.
Casey continued. “That was very impressive, Commander Slater. God, King, Daddy. It’s so hard to keep track of all your titles. Should I be calling you Daddy Slater now?”
“Shut up, Casey” Slater snarled. “You never did know when to shut up. Always pushing.”
“I was deeply moved, really touched. In fact, I might have voted for you myself, that is, if there had been a vote.”
Slater walked with a strong stride to stand over Casey and glare down at him.
Casey met Slater’s eyes while he sat with his back against the land-shaper that had been his home for so many unremembered years. Yamaguchi stood motionless, a few steps back in the shadows.
“Sorry I can’t stand to kiss your hand. The beating you gave me has left me a bit under the weather. I’m sure you can understand.”
“Now you listen to me, you limp-spined scum, piece of shit!” The words rained down on Casey along with a fine spray of spittle. “You failed at your duty and a thousand of your fellow colonists died. A thousand! You’re a failure. You miscreant. Weak, worthless, hiding from responsibility behind a wall of faked insanity. You’re a menace to the community, a cancer. It would be better for all of us if I disposed of you. And believe me, I could. I’m sure no one would object. Everyone hates you.”
“I can’t be certain, but I’m beginning to think you don’t like me.”
Slater leaned down and grabbed the front of Casey's uniform, twisting until the pressure seam opened, revealing the transdermal patches on Casey's chest. “You’re nothing but a sick cripple and I will not tolerate your disrespect.”
Casey’s smile was deformed by his facial swelling, but nonetheless he managed to express his contempt for Slater with eloquence beyond speech.
Slater drew back his arm and, passing through a sweeping arc, slapped Casey’s face. That slap brought on another and then another, until, in a moment, Slater was slapping Casey's head back and forth, from one side to the other. He seemed unable to stop once he had started.
Yamaguchi stepped forward.
It brought back a measure of control to Slater. His breathing was fast and his was face flushed from the excitement and exertion. He laughed, mildly embarrassed to have lost control in front of one of his men. He turned away without another word and walked over to climb the stairs to the up-tube.
Blood dripped from Casey’s nose and mouth onto his white uniform, appearing as black spots in the dim light of the Storage Deck. He raised his eyes to the sun-filled portal of the landing door and saw a childlike silhouette walking in his direction. She avoided eye contact as she walked past on her way to the up-tube.
“How convenient,” Casey said, his voice muffled by his increasingly swollen lips. “First a visit from our glorious leader and now my personal physician. Don’t neglect your duty, Li.”
She stopped. “What do you want?”
“Are you afraid, Li?”
She walked over and bent to get a closer look, but kept her weight well balanced, ready to jump away from any suspicious movement. She tried to keep her face neutral, but failed.
“Well, how do I look, Doctor Li?” Casey asked, knowing full well he looked terrible.
She answered in a controlled voice, professional in her assessment. “You’ve sustained considerable soft tissue damage, but I see no evidence of permanent injury.”
A dry laugh accompanied Casey’s reply. “No permanent injury? How would you know, you charlatan. You’re no more qualified to be a physician than that mousy, former friend of mine, Jon Brent.”
She stepped back, her eyes sparkling with anger. “Then why did you ask, Casey? To bait me? You get yourself beat up and then wallow in self-pity. Has your memory been returning? Or, perhaps it’s your conscience. Is this the way you deal with your guilt?”
“You guessed it. You understand perfectly. I’ve been beating myself up for wasting my life watching over you and the rest of the colonists, while you slept in your blissful hibernation. I squandered my youth on you and the others, and for what? To be beaten by your chosen leader and his goons? Is that what you think, Li?”
His words made her look away from him, down toward her boots.
“What about you, Yamaguchi?” Casey asked. “What do you have to say?”
In his quiet, motionless way, his presence had fallen from Li’s awareness, but with the mention of his name she turned her gaze upward and peered at his expressionless face. “You heard him. What do you have to say? What is going on between Slater and you and those other goons? I demand an answer!”
She impulsively reached for the giant’s arm and pulled on it, but it didn’t budge. All she accomplished was to cause sharp pain to shoot up her arm from her still-healing hand.
Yamaguchi said nothing. It was as if he hadn’t heard her questions, or felt her touch.
She put her throbbing hand behind her back and again focused on Casey. “You have few” She paused. “No, that’s not the truth. You have no friends. If you reject me, and I don’t claim friendship, you’ll also be rejecting the only person left who is still willing to talk with you, leaving only Slater and his men. Is that what you
really want?”
Casey studied her, but didn’t answer.
“Think about it.” She returned her gaze to Yamaguchi. “And you, you big bastard, you’re no better than the rest.” She turned away but, instead of going to her personal locker as she’d intended, she went back outside.
When she had gone, Casey turned to his jailer, or attendant, as circumstances warranted. “Surely you’d like to get a look at our new world. Why don’t you go and take a quick peek? I promise I won’t crawl away.”
The man’s small, dark eyes shifted toward the sunlit doorway, but only for a moment before they were back on Casey.
“Suit yourself,” Casey said. “If you aren’t even curious, then help me return to the medical suite. I need to attend to my wounds. Did you ever hear that old saying, ‘Physician, heal thyself’?”
Yamaguchi remained mute as he effortlessly lifted Casey to his feet.
“Well, it doesn’t mean what you think it does. Surprised?”
Yamaguchi remained expressionless.
“I can see you’re shocked, as well you should be.” Casey paused, but there was no response. “Damn it! If you can’t speak, even an occasional grunt would be appreciated. Is that too much to ask?”
He remained silent.
While Casey was being lifted into the up-tube, he continued his one-sided conversation with the silent giant. “All you do is talk, talk, talk. How can you expect a man to think with all that constant chatter?”
When Casey disappeared into the tube, the Storage Deck became quiet.
Chapter 13
The following day, Casey had Yamaguchi position him at the top of the ramp. Yamaguchi stood by while Casey settled his sore bones onto a pad so he could take a look this new Earth, or Eden as it was now called. It had made him smirk when he first heard the name they had chosen, but when he saw the bright morning sun and the vista of the grassy plain bordered by the rugged beauty of the distant mountains, he didn’t feel quite so smug. Eden indeed.