Freedom's Last Gasp

by M. A. Rothman

  Because she’d been here before.

  Everything about this place was familiar.

  Priya felt her heart thudding in her chest as she looked up, knowing exactly what she would see, and yet at the same time feeling surprised that it was there. She looked up and saw a tile mosaic that covered the entire ceiling. Thousands of colored tiles showed an image of Earth traveling away from their old solar system. There was Saturn with its ring, and Jupiter with its great red spot, and all the other planets that were now footnotes in history.

  She knew this mosaic well. It was that damned machine they’d plugged her into. She now had memories that weren’t even hers. Whose memories were they? And what other memories were lying dormant in her head, waiting to pop up when she least expected it?

  Ahead of her, a door opened, and a man walked through. He was maybe in his late thirties, with very closely cropped hair, a perfect physique, and brilliant blue eyes that were looking right at her.

  “Miss Radcliffe?” he said as he approached.

  “Y-yes?”

  He displayed an ID. “I’m Officer Chapper with colony security. Can you come with me?”

  “Is there anything wrong?”

  Chapper smiled and shook his head. “No, this is completely routine. Since it seems you were a late add to the class, we’re missing some of your paperwork. I just have some standard questions for you so I can finish up your immigration profile.”

  “Sure.” Priya scanned the room. “I have a suitcase—”

  “Don’t worry about that, Miss Radcliffe, I’ll make sure it gets to your dormitory.”

  “Please, call me Priya.”

  “Okay, Priya. You can call me Terry.” He motioned toward the door, where a German shepherd sat waiting. “After you.”

  As Priya walked past the officer, she breathed in deeply.

  Wow, he smells nice.

  “And your parents, they’re miners?”

  Priya’s stomach did a flip. She’d been prepared to lie about herself, but her parents too? What was she supposed to say? And what if this guy double-checked what she said? She knew the UN had covered their tracks when it came to her background—mostly they just had to hide that she’d spent most of her educational career in a grooming school for military service—but her parents? If they came up with a cover story for them, she was never told about it.

  Harold tapped his advice on her scalp. “Relax. Tell the truth.”

  She looked down into her lap. “No. They were both scientists.”

  “And what took you down the path of being a miner?”

  Priya looked up. “I’ve never been anywhere before, and it seemed like a good way out.”

  “Out? Out of what?”

  Unexpectedly, Priya felt her emotions well up inside her. She took a deep, shuddering breath. “Well, my parents died in a terrorist attack, and they never got a chance to see anything outside the four walls of their lab. They were astrophysicists. I just didn’t want to have the same fate.”

  Terry’s expression softened, and he paused before his next question.

  “Radcliffe,” he said. “An unusual name, especially for someone of Indian descent. You’re aware of—”

  “Yes, I’m well aware of the Radcliffes. They do still teach history on Earth. And before you ask, yes, I’m one of those Radcliffes.” She pulled out her pocket PC, unlocked it with a swipe of her finger, and showed him a picture. “These are my parents.”

  Terry nodded. “Interesting.”

  “Yes, they’re both light-skinned,” Priya said flatly. “And mine’s darker. But I’d rather not be judged by the shade of my skin.”

  “Whoa.” Terry sat back, a crooked smile on his face. “I wasn’t judging you. I was just remarking—”

  “You were just assuming I’m from India. I’m not. I was born in East London. My family has lived in Britain or the US for as long as I’m aware of. I don’t know if customs are different here than on Earth, but we try not to make assumptions about people based on their looks, especially their skin color.”

  Terry looked amused. “You do realize that I didn’t at any time mention anyone’s skin color. I’m sorry you took offense, because none was intended.”

  Priya blinked, replayed the conversation in her head, and realized he was right. She’d just come off as a bloody idiot. Her cheeks grew warm with embarrassment. “I’m sorry. I don’t know what made me get on you over that. Of course, yes, I’m of Indian descent. I’m also sometimes a bit bonkers, I guess.”

  Terry chuckled. “No worries. You’ve had a long trip. I’d probably be a bit touchy as well.” He stood and motioned for her to follow. “I don’t have any other questions at this time. Let’s go get you situated at the dorms. Your suitcase should already be there.”

  Terry and his dog, Ranger, led her back through the arrivals area, which was now empty, and through the near-empty building to a pair of glass doors that led outside. They slid open, and the dog, which was leading the way, stopped, turned to face them, and woofed.

  “What are you waiting for, goofy boy?” Terry said. He snapped his fingers and pointed outside. “Be careful with cars on the street.”

  The dog backed through the doorway, and they all stepped outside. The light was different here; Epsilon was rising, partially blocking the rays coming from Tau Ceti, humanity’s new sun. And the land was different too—spacious, open. Though they had just exited a huge building, the opposite side of the road contained nothing but open grassland. There were some trees in the distance, maybe some buildings, but they were all very far away.

  Once again Priya couldn’t shake the surreal sense of familiarity.

  “What is it that I’m smelling?” she asked.

  Terry sniffed. “I think that’s probably a fireplace. The breezes carry scents a long way here. It’s supposed to get cool tonight, and some people like the idea of sitting by a fire. Personally, I think it’s more trouble than it’s worth.”

  A fireplace? The concept was so… foreign. Exotic. At home, the intentional burning of wood was prohibited by environmental regulations.

  “Have you ever been in a car?” Terry asked.

  Priya felt a prickle of excitement. “I’ve been in a bus. Are we actually going to ride in a car?”

  Terry smiled. “We actually are.”

  He led her to a brushed-steel four-door vehicle and lifted one of the gull-wing doors. Ranger hopped in, and Terry motioned toward the back.

  “Get in the back, fur face. You know better.”

  The dog barked once in protest but dutifully clambered to the back.

  “The bus that took the interns to the dorms is long gone,” Terry said, “so unless you relish a fifteen-mile walk, driving is your only option.”

  He held the passenger door open for her, and she climbed inside.

  It was like a tube capsule, but built for more utility. Two seats in the front, one bench seat in the back that could sit three people—or one very large furry companion—and in the far back was open space, probably for packages. Terry got in the other seat and pressed a button, and the console lit up in front of them, featuring all sorts of indicators and gauges. Music blared through speakers, but Terry immediately muted it, then shifted a gear on the steering wheel.

  Priya gasped. “You’re going to drive it?” A seatbelt automatically wrapped down her shoulder and across her lap.

  “Of course.”

  Priya braced herself as Terry moved the car out of its parking spot and started down the road. Her heart was racing. “What if you lose control?”

  “I won’t.”

  “But what if you do?” At that moment another vehicle approached from up ahead, its headlights shining a dire warning. “There’s someone coming!” she shouted.

  Terry glanced at her with a look of mild curiosity.

  “Don’t look at me, pay attention to the bloody road!” she shrieked.

  Terry laughed. “Priya, I’ve been driving for probably as long as you’ve been a
live. It’ll be okay. Trust me.”

  They passed the other vehicle without incident. Priya swallowed hard and tried to relax. It wasn’t easy—they were going over a hundred miles per hour, and yet the vehicle was entirely under the control of this man next to her.

  And then it began raining… hard.

  Yet Terry didn’t look at all nervous. He even pointed out sights as they drove.

  “That’s mine shaft number one,” he said as they passed a large hill with a lit gate at its base. “The very first one ever opened, over a century ago.”

  “Is that where I’ll be going for my internship?”

  “Could be. I’m not sure. There’s twenty-three other mines across the colony.”

  As the sky darkened, dots of lights appeared in the distance. Civilization. Maybe once they got there, Priya would feel more comfortable. Out here, on this open plain, the world was just too big. Along the tube network, everything was packed in tight—no view of the horizon, not many open spaces. This place was more like the unmonitored areas back on Earth.

  “How big is the colony?” Priya asked.

  It was ridiculous that she had to ask, but there was so little public information available on Chrysalis. She hadn’t even been able to bring up a proper map.

  “Well, the moon’s circumference is about thirty-eight hundred miles around its equator. The colony itself is harder to measure, as it’s dotted all over the place. In some ways it’s more like a bunch of settlements rather than one colony. But all told, we have about the same amount of land on this moon as the United States does. Just with a less gravity. More than on Earth’s moon, because Chrysalis is much denser, even though it’s smaller. But only about half of what you’re used to on Earth.”

  Priya looked down at her weight harness. She hadn’t really thought much about gravity since she’d been here, but the harness was no longer heavy. Moving around in it felt… natural here.

  “Do you have a tube network here?” Priya asked. “Or do you drive cars everywhere?”

  “No on both. In that sense, we’re very much a throwback to the twentieth or twenty-first century. If I’m going somewhere local, I drive, but if I’m going somewhere farther, for instance, Outpost Radcliffe—”

  “No!” Priya turned in her seat, for a moment forgetting that she was in a car with no computer controlling it. “There isn’t a place named after the Radcliffes, is there?”

  Terry smiled. “Why wouldn’t there be? Your ancestors were part of what saved humanity. I don’t know how it is on Earth, but here on Chrysalis, we haven’t forgotten where we came from. It wasn’t really all that long ago.”

  Priya leaned back again. Terry seemed entirely sincere. Maybe the UN intelligence guys were right about this Radcliffe thing. She recalled General Duhrer’s words. “You’re here because you’re a Radcliffe. You may not appreciate the significance of that, and it may not even be that significant here on Earth. But it’s significant to the people on Chrysalis.”

  “Anyway,” Terry continued, “if it’s more than a couple-hour drive, most people take a flight. The airports are pretty small, nothing like the spaceport we just left, which is the only place equipped to receive interplanetary visits.”

  The lights ahead had grown much closer, and Terry pointed through the windshield at a set of well-lit buildings. “We’re almost there. These are your dorms.”

  A bus was parked in front of a giant multi-story concrete building with “Dorm Block E” on the side. It was even bigger than the apartment complex she lived in, which housed over five hundred families. Terry pulled the car up behind the bus, and an awning automatically extended over them. He pressed a button, and the door on Priya’s side of the car yawned upward.

  A man approached, wearing the same security uniform that Terry wore, and offered Priya his hand. “Miss Radcliffe?”

  “Yes, I’m Priya Radcliffe.”

  “Pleasure to meet you. My name’s Tom. I’ll help get you get checked in.”

  Behind Priya, Terry said, “Tom’s also with colony security. He’ll take care of you.”

  “Thanks, Terry.” She leaned into the car to shake his hand, and when she leaned back again, Ranger barked and climbed into the front seat. Terry chuckled as he closed the door and drove off.

  Tom motioned toward the building’s entrance. “You’ve got to be exhausted. Let’s get you settled in so you can rest.”

  Priya took a deep breath and let it out slowly. She knew she’d never be able to truly rest here. She had a mission. A mission to betray any trust these people place with her.

  It was for their own good.

  After signing what seemed like an endless supply of papers, Priya was finally asked to input her biometrics. She pressed her hand on an ID plate, and a light rolled across her palm. The device beeped.

  “Thank you, Miss Radcliffe,” said the woman at the front desk. “You are now all registered with the system. Your palm scan will open all the external doors into this building, as well as get you into your room. Did you have any questions?”

  Priya’s stomach grumbled. “Is there anything to eat around here?”

  The woman frowned apologetically. “Oh, I’m afraid the cafeteria is closed at this hour. But let me see if we can make some kind of arrangement for you, okay?”

  The woman waved to Tom, who’d been patiently waiting in a chair across the room while she got her stuff squared away.

  Tom rose to his feet and came over. “Are we all set?”

  “We are.” The woman handed him a slip of paper. “That’s her room, third floor of the east wing. While you show her up, I’m going to make some calls and see about getting the poor dear a late-night snack.”

  Tom nodded to Priya. “Come on. We’ll collect your suitcase on the way. It arrived before you did.” As he guided her across the lobby, he added, “I’m sorry about the food situation. Miners tend to be on a pretty set schedule, so the cafeteria only operates at certain times. But if Miss Bridget doesn’t figure something out, I’ll see what I can do. I don’t live far; I could at least bring you back a sandwich or something.”

  Priya shook her head and smiled. “That’s very kind, but there’s no need. I won’t exactly starve if I miss a meal.”

  They passed through a huge room with a pool table, several sofas, and a couple of large monitors hanging on the walls. “This is one of the break rooms where the miners relax between shifts,” Tom said. “Don’t hide out in your own room all day; the break rooms are where all the fun happens.”

  “Rooms?” Priya asked. “There’s more than one break room?”

  They arrived at an elevator, and Tom held the door open for her. “One on each floor. The second floor has a Ping-Pong setup, and the third floor has a bunch of game consoles.”

  They got off on the third floor, and after retrieving Priya’s suitcase from a storage locker, Tom led her down a couple more hallways to her room. “Here you are. Just press your hand or any finger on the plate, and you’re in. I’d suggest getting some shuteye right away if you can. The interns are served breakfast from six a.m. to seven.”

  Priya pressed her index finger against the biometric reader. A green light flashed, and the lock disengaged. She pressed lightly on the door’s handle, and the door swung open.

  “Looks like you’re all set,” Tom said. “Do you need anything else?”

  “No, I’ll be fine. You’ve already gone out of your way. Thank you.”

  “Remember—get some rest. Goodnight.”

  As Tom walked back down the hall, Priya stepped into her room. It was huge. Three times the size of her bedroom at home. It contained a great big bed, a dresser, a nightstand, a desk, and a closet that was way too large for what she’d brought.

  She hadn’t expected such luxurious trappings for a mining intern. She hoped they weren’t treating her special because of her last name.

  On the desk was a handwritten note.

  I’m sorry I kept you so long with the interview process. The me
ss hall is closed, but I did manage to snag you something that I hope will tide you over until morning. See you at six. —Terry Chapper

  Beside the note was a basket of fruit and a pitcher of an orange-colored liquid that was still cold, condensation beading on the glass. She poured herself a large cup, took a sip, and sighed contentedly. Fresh-squeezed orange juice.

  Who’d have guessed that was available on this distant colony?

  After drinking some juice and eating what was probably tastiest and juiciest peach she’d ever had, she decided she’d leave unpacking for tomorrow. If breakfast was at six, she needed to get some sleep. So she set her suitcase aside and shrugged out of the weight vest. Only then did she notice just how much less gravity there was here. She felt like she could jump across the room with a mere hop. Instead she merely turned off the lights and collapsed onto the bed.

  “Any signals?” she whispered to Harold. “Any anything to worry about?”

  “No. Do you want the kitten?”

  “Please.”

  Harold crawled down from his perch on her head and shoulders, and within moments the purring kitten had nestled itself in her arms.

  “Can you wake me at five, so I can shower?” she whispered.

  His kitten paws pressed rhythmically into her arm, forming the Morse code for “yes.” And she fell asleep with Harold purring in her ear.

  Terry sat across from Priya in the dorm cafeteria, eating his usual bowl of oatmeal with a dollop of fruit compote on top. But she wasn’t eating; she was just staring at her meal.

  “Is something wrong?” he asked.

  She leaned forward, her long hair still wet from the shower. “I don’t want to be treated differently because of my last name.”