by G J Ogden
Kurren and Maria felt out-of-breath just listening to him. As he was talking, Elijah walked over to the kitchenette, opened a cupboard and took out a wooden box. Inside were some biscuits. Elijah took one and held it in his mouth, and then held out the box towards them, inviting them to take one too. Maria took two and handed one to Kurren.
“Thank you, Elijah,” said Maria.
The boy said something, but it was just a muffled jumble of sounds because the biscuit was still held between his teeth. Maria took a bite of the amber-coloured biscuit and was pleasantly surprised to find it was sweet and delicious. “My mum makes them, she's the baker,” Elijah said proudly, having removed the biscuit from his mouth. He then walked over to the table and sat down, remarkably at ease, considering he'd only met them moments ago.
“She's great at her job, these are delicious,” Kurren said with his mouth half-full.
“So what are you doing here?” Elijah asked again. “Ethan said he wasn't allowed to tell me, and mum says I should mind my own business. So it must be important!”
His smile was infectious. Maria laughed and sat down at the table next to Elijah, nibbling a corner of the biscuit. Elijah was looking at her expectantly. “If your uncle and mother said you shouldn't know then we should respect their wishes,” Maria said, and Elijah's face fell.
“But you look like a man who can handle super important, secret information,” Kurren said.
“I am! I am!” Elijah replied, unable to contain his excitement.
“Okay then, soldier,” Kurren continued. “We're here for your help. Our home base, on the moon, way up there in space, is in trouble, and we think your uncle might be able to help us save it, and everyone living up there.”
“Kurren...” Maria said severely, giving her companion a dirty look.
Elijah didn't know what to process first, the fact they were from space, or that there was a base on the moon, or that somehow Ethan was the key to saving it from whatever grizzly fate it was destined for. “Ethan will help you!” he said excitedly. “He's a Ranger, that’s what they do. Oh please let him!”
“Please let him what?” a voice came from the direction of the doorway. Startled, Kurren, Maria and Elijah all turned to see the figure of Summer standing just inside the room, hands on hips, her face scornful and wary. Elijah was about to say, 'help the space soldiers to save their moon base,' but Kurren was quicker to react and spoke before he had a chance to drop them in it.
“The young man here wants me to show him the vehicle we arrived in,” Kurren lied. “But I said the settlement administrators wouldn't allow it.”
Elijah closed his mouth, remembering what Kurren had said about the information being 'super secret', and felt both sheepish for nearly revealing the secret, and slightly guilty at now being complicit in a lie to his Aunt Summer.
“That right, Elijah?” Summer said looking at the boy, clearly still highly distrustful of Kurren.
Elijah committed to the lie, partly because he was afraid of being told off by Summer – or worse, his mum if Summer told her – but largely because now he really did want to see the vehicle that Kurren had just referred to. “Oh yeah, that was it,” said Elijah, casually. “Can I, Aunt Summer, please?”
Out of sight of Summer, Kurren winked at Elijah, and this made him feel slightly better, but still a little uneasy. Maria couldn't help pick up on the fact that Elijah had called her, 'Aunt Summer'. “So, are you and Ethan siblings?” Maria said to Summer, mostly to change the subject, but she was also genuinely interested in the answer. “It's just that he called you Aunt Summer”.
Summer appeared to be annoyed at the question. “No, we're just...” and she faltered for a moment, searching for the right word, or at least for the word she wanted to use with these strangers, “...just friends,” she said, cautiously. “We grew up together, not that it's any of your concern.”
“Summer and Ethan grew up together with mum, after mum and Ethan's parents died in a fire a long time ago,” revealed Elijah.
“Elijah!” Summer snapped.
“What, Aunt Summer? It's true isn't it?” Elijah said, unsure as to why Summer was so cross and angry, which was very unlike her, at least with him.
Summer took her hands off her hips and attempted to soften her tone. “Yes, it's true, Elijah, but it's also personal,” she said, “and we don't know these people. You shouldn't trust them.”
“They seem nice to me,” he replied, honestly.
Maria stood up, “I'm sorry; we didn't mean to cause any trouble.”
“You've already caused plenty,” Summer said, managing to keep her seething rage under control, for the sake of Elijah. She did not want to alarm him. “Elijah, run home now and fetch your uncle, he's over at your house.”
“Okay!” Elijah replied, chirpily, and he got down off the chair and ran out.
“Take care, solider!” Kurren called as Elijah passed him, tossing a casual salute in his direction.
“Yes, Commander!” the boy replied, a wide smile on his face. He turned his head towards Kurren and returned a lazy salute, and seconds later he was out of the door.
When he was gone, the air in the room seemed to thicken and become suffocating. Summer bristled. She jabbed a finger aggressively towards Maria. “Stay away from him, do you understand me?” she demanded.
“Calm down, he walked in while we were here,” Maria replied, disliking her tone even less now. “What would you have wanted us to do, throw him out?” Maria had grown tired of Summer's relentless hostility and now, away from the Administrators (and the need to show restraint), she was close to her limit of patience.
Summer strutted over to Maria and stood tall, muscles tensed, barely half a metre away.
“Woah, hey, take it easy now you two!” said Kurren, holding both hands up, palms facing outwards, as if he was trying to placate an angry dog that was about to pounce. But neither woman was listening.
Summer jabbed her finger into Maria's sternum. “I expect you to do what I tell you to do, got it?”
Maria snapped and slapped the hand away. It was like springing a trap. Summer swung first, but Maria blocked the punch and pushed away, giving herself room to strike. But Summer was fast, and came at her again, breaking through Maria’s guard enough to land a blow to her side. Maria shifted position and swung back with a forearm, which Summer ducked, but she failed to anticipate Maria's follow-up, which struck her to the side of the head, knocking her off balance.
Maria's fighting style was new to Summer, who had not anticipated her ability, but she wouldn't make that mistake twice. Maria advanced, trying to follow up her advantage, but Summer moved aside and landed a swift kick to her side. Maria backed off, clasping a hand to her ribs, bracing them against the pain. Summer’s guard was still raised, her expression composed and serious. This was no spar. Summer was determined and Maria could see that she meant to do her real harm. She switched up a gear, and raised her guard in response. Both ignored Kurren’s repeated calls for them to stop.
Maria moved first, stepping in with a jab and then landing a right cross. Summer felt blood trickle from her mouth, but stayed focused and blocked the next attack, countering with a fast left hand, which stunned Maria. Summer moved in, grabbed Maria's arm and then swung her using all her weight into the cabin wall. The whole building seemed to shake. Maria winced, and took another punch, before she could recover. Summer had the advantage now and tried to grab Maria, looking to choke her, but Maria slipped in a skilful knee to the kidneys, followed by an elbow that sent Summer reeling backwards, colliding with the table in the centre of the room, knocking the cups and the box of amber biscuits onto the floor. The biscuits rolled away into the far corners of the room, like frightened mice scurrying from a predatory cat.
Summer looked winded, but also furious and feral. On the table there was a knife. Summer took it without hesitation, rage surging inside her like a volcano about to erupt. She was not used to being tested in a fight, and the fact that her
equal was this woman, this trouble-causer who had somehow wheedled her way into Ethan's mind, made the taste of blood in her mouth all the more bitter.
Maria saw the knife in Summer’s hand and her face fell. A brawl was one thing, but adding a knife into the equation escalated this into a fight for survival. She looked desperately around the room for something she could use to defend against this weapon, but there was nothing. Summer's eyes burned and adrenaline pumped through her veins. She stepped forward, knife angled with deadly intent and was about to lunge at Maria when a voice resonated through the room with a power equal to their fury. It was not Kurren, who was still looking on, helplessly, but Ethan.
“Stop!” he shouted again. Both women remained in fighting positions, guards raised, but both looked over at him. The blade in Summer's hand glinted ominously. “What the hell are you doing?” he demanded to know, with a mixture of anger and exasperation. There was no immediate response as Ethan moved into the room and stood between them, facing Summer directly and focusing all his attention on her. She glowered back at him, angry that he had stepped in to defend this stranger again.
“Get out of my way, Ethan,” she growled.
“Summer, put the knife down,” Ethan insisted.
She didn't move. “You take her side and we’re done,” she said, now even more furious at Ethan than at the other woman.
“What are you talking about?” said Ethan, stepping closer. Summer recoiled. “Give me the knife.”
Summer tried to run past him, but he caught her hand and, expertly, disarmed her. The blade flew across the room and then clanked and scraped across the stone floor. The violent noise seemed to wrestle Summer from her frenzy. She looked at him, still clearly filled with bile, but no longer with murderous intent.
“This is not the way,” Ethan said.
Summer ignored his words, and shook his hand loose from hers. “She was talking to Elijah, Ethan,” Summer said, as if it was a crime. “Who knows what lies they've been feeding him. I don't trust them, especially her,” she looked over towards Maria, who had lowered her guard, and had a hand again clasped to her bruised side.
“Elijah was here?” Ethan asked.
“He came in while we were waiting for you,” said Maria between laboured breaths. Ethan turned his head slightly to see her, but not so much that he could not also still see Summer in his peripheral vision. “We were just talking,” Maria continued. The interruption was tactical. It was both an attempt to diffuse the situation and also prevent Summer from telling her version of events first and setting Ethan against them.
Summer again tried to advance on Maria, but Ethan caught her and pushed her back. “You're lying!” she raged, before trying to rush Maria for a second time. Ethan caught her again, but this time he held her tightly.
“Summer, I think you should go,” Ethan said, his voice firm.
Summer looked wounded and stared, imploringly, into Ethan’s eyes. “Ethan, there's something they are not telling us,” she pleaded. “Why do you keep defending them? We're a team, me and you; we always have been. What’s gotten into you?”
“I'm still on your team, Summer,” Ethan said, hurt by the accusation. “And I understand, I do.” He loosened his grip on her a little so it was less of a restraint and more of a reassuring embrace. Summer softened into it, her muscles relaxing slightly, and Ethan felt confident that she was now not likely to try to charge off and kill Maria. “Let me handle this, okay?” Ethan said holding her. “Go get some rest, and some food, maybe. Katie will sort you something.”
Summer shook her head. “You're too close to this, Ethan,” she pushed away a little and looked into his eyes. “You want to believe them, but its blinding you to what really matters.”
She meant Ethan’s family, but really she was thinking of herself. She hated how Ethan had latched onto this pair, and especially to the woman.
“Summer, I don't know what I believe anymore,” said Ethan, and the truth of this statement surprised even himself, “but I do know you're tired and angry, and that's a bad combination for you.”
Summer took a deep breath, and rubbed her aching jaw. Ethan's admission of doubt was at least some comfort to her. Maybe she wasn't losing him. Maybe the stranger's revelations about The Fall had not given him the answers he'd hoped for or wanted. Maybe the truth was not worth him giving everything up. It gave her enough confidence to feel safer leaving him, at least for a short time.
“Okay, I'll go for now,” said Summer, “but they are not staying together. This one...” she pointed at Kurren, who up until this point had been very happy to sit on the sidelines and stay out of the drama. He looked worried at being drawn into the proceedings, and awkwardly pointed at himself, as if Summer could possibly have meant someone else. “He comes with me back to the Ranger hut,” Summer insisted. “He can sleep there. I don't want them together.”
“Okay, Summer, that's a good plan,” said Ethan, eager to grab any opportunity to diffuse the situation and get Summer away from Maria, before they decided it was better to attempt killing each other again. “You take him with you and I'll stay here with Maria.” Maria watched on, anxiously; her muscles still tight and aching from the strain. She couldn't help notice that Ethan used her name, 'Maria', but referred to Kurren simply as, 'him'.
Summer closed her eyes and held them shut for a second. Damn, she thought. She had instantly regretted her suggestion, because although it seemed sensible to separate the two visitors, she had also inadvertently engineered a situation where Ethan and Maria would be alone together. She opened her eyes and looked at Ethan with a solemnity that he had not seen in her before. “Be careful around her, Ethan. She is not what she seems, I can feel it.” Ethan frowned, unsure why she was so hostile to Maria in particular, but he nodded in acknowledgement, even if he hadn't really understood her meaning. Summer then backed away, glancing briefly at Maria, her eyes conveying her feelings in no uncertain terms – she was her enemy and there was unfinished business. Then she turned her attention to Kurren. “Come with me, now,” she ordered.
“Yes, ma'am,” Kurren replied, his tone still belying some of his customary candour, but not enough to come across as sarcastic or insincere. Without hesitation, he set off towards the door, with Summer following closely. “I'll see you tomorrow, Sal,” Kurren said in a matter-of-fact manner just before passing the threshold. It seemed unnecessary to say anything, but Maria knew what he meant by this, and why he was being so atypically compliant. The opportunity for Ethan and Maria to be alone was part of a plan they were trying to engineer. Luckily, circumstances had created the opportunity for them, naturally, without any plotting or scheming that could unravel and cause suspicion.
Summer followed Kurren out of the house. But before she left, she paused and turned back towards Ethan. “Remember what I said,” her tone was firm, serious. “She is not one of us.” And then she left, not giving him an opportunity to reply.
When they were alone, Ethan and Maria stood in the room, trying to avoid looking at one another. Maria suddenly realised that she would have preferred a fight to the death with Summer, over being alone with Ethan. At least then she would have had some level of control.
It was Ethan that finally plucked up the courage to speak. “I'm sorry about Summer,” he said, softly, looking into her eyes. “She is only worried about me. We live on a knife's edge here as it is, and change makes people anxious and scared, you know?” The use of the phrase ‘knife’s edge’ was perhaps not the most tactful, and Maria caught sight of the blade that Summer had intended to use on her nestling in the corner of the room.
“Don't worry about it, it's understandable,” she replied, forcing herself to look him in the eyes. She felt the knotted sensation in her gut again, although couldn’t be sure if it was because of Ethan, or because of the various punches that Summer had landed. “She's just protecting her own, which includes your nephew.” Bringing Elijah back into the conversation was deliberate. Now that it was clear that th
e settlement’s leaders were not going to cooperate, their only option was to gain Ethan's trust and friendship, and make him want to defy the leaders and help them anyway. Maria knew what she had to do, but it didn't sit well with her knowing that she was intentionally trying to manipulate him.
Ethan smiled. “Yeah, he's an interesting one for sure. Curious, like his uncle. It drives his mother mad.”
Maria laughed and smiled back. It was a genuine reaction; Maria liked this young Ranger, and though she had denied it to Kurren, there was an attraction on her side too. Kurren hadn’t believed her – he knew Maria too well – and had cautioned her to keep her mind clear, and to use Ethan’s feelings to their advantage. Maria hated how he could be so callous, but he was also right. Maria was aware of how Ethan looked at her; how he was looking at her right now as she laughed. Kurren was right, Ethan was undeniably attracted to her, and Maria knew these feeling could be manipulated. And although she hated herself for it, there was a mission to be completed, and so it had to be done.
Now that Maria had relaxed and dropped her guard, she was suddenly aware of her stinging jaw and aching stomach muscles. Summer had certainly not held back. She rubbed her face. “Your friend sure knows how to hit,” she said, almost with admiration.
Ethan stepped close to Maria and, without invitation, held her face in his hand, and inspected her bruised jaw. Maria didn't know what to do. She was uncomfortable with being scrutinized, but at the same time the feeling of Ethan's hand on her face was thrilling. She tried to fight back the feeling. Mind on the mission, Sal, mind on the mission...