by Vicki Weavil
My grandfather clears his throat, but Mom keeps talking. “Think of it, Ann—a mineral that can clean the air. Clear out impurities, absorb toxins and hold them, keeping humans safe from harm. Can you imagine what that means?”
“It really does that?” My voice squeaks on the last word. I release Mom’s fingers. A miracle. I press my knees together to hide their quivering. This could answer all my prayers. Passage off Eco and enough credits to start a successful new life on Earth.
“Apparently.” My grandmother’s cool voice undercuts my enthusiasm. “Which, as anyone with sense would agree, will prove an extremely valuable resource for deep space exploration and colonization. Not to mention its incalculable benefits to support other terraforming projects. However,” Grandmother’s tone sharpens, “I question the wisdom of tearing apart our colony’s infrastructure in order to exploit this resource.”
“Only for a short period of time, Ms. Solano.” Patel steps around the table to face my grandmother. “As I explained earlier, I can’t just take this one rock to drum up interest. The types of people willing to invest in such a project are going to want at least a few bins full. But I do have room to transport a goodly amount on the Ada, and once we have enough of the mineral to prove the viability of a mining project, entrepreneurs will be fighting each other for the opportunity. You’ll have enough credits flowing into Eco to transform this colony into a showplace of modern technology. Not to mention the ability to leave the planet any time you choose.”
My father shoves back his chair and jumps to his feet. “There’s that ‘we’ again.” He advances until he’s toe-to-toe with Connor Patel. His intensity makes him appear taller than he is even though he has to look up to stare into the captain’s face. “I’d still like to know what you’re getting out of this.”
“Connor has offered to broker the deal with some of his contacts.” Mom moves to stand beside Patel. Her head only reaches his shoulder, but there’s no mistaking who’s in charge. Mom turns her laser-bright gaze on my father and his parents.
Dad blinks and audibly swallows. “And you think … Connor can be trusted with this, Tara? No offense, Captain, but we just met you a day or two ago.”
“Of course he can be trusted.” Mom drapes her slender fingers over Patel’s muscular forearm. “Do you think I’m an idiot? I did a little research on the good captain, Jason.”
“I’ll say.” I don’t realize I’ve spoken aloud until five heads swivel in my direction. I cough into my hand. “Sorry, babbling. Long day escorting Dace about and all.”
“And of course Dacian … Dace will get a cut of the profits,” my mother says, narrowing her eyes as she examines me. “That should more than pay for his university education. No need to worry about a scholarship.”
“It could mean a place at a university for Ann as well,” adds Patel, with a conciliatory smile for my father.
Dad turns his gaze on Mom. “I understand the benefits. But as my mother has explained, stripping our back-up life-support systems—as you suggested earlier, Captain—hardly seems the smartest tactic.”
“We’ve never used them.” Mom steps away from Patel and circles around to stand next to my father. “In all this time, they’ve never been needed. What makes you think we’d require their use over the next few months?” She touches Dad’s arm. “Seriously, my dear, you’re being overly cautious.”
“Someone needs to be,” he replies.
Mom drops her hand, as if burned. “I’d think you’d be willing to consider the opportunity, if only for Ann’s sake.”
“I am thinking about Ann.” My father’s eyes focus on Mom’s implacable face. “I’m thinking about Ann starving to death because we cannibalized our back-up systems to create your mining machinery. I’m thinking about Ann dying of thirst because our well pumps failed and we had no spare parts to repair them. I’m thinking about all the children and young people on Eco who could suffer if we make bad choices. Expedient, self-serving choices. That’s what I’m thinking about, Tara, while you count credits in your head.”
“Ann,” my mother’s voice is silky as the petals of a rose, “why don’t you take a nap. You do look exhausted.”
Dad smacks his hand against his thigh. “She doesn’t have to go anywhere.”
My grandparents share a quick glance before Grandfather rises to his feet. “Perhaps it’s best if we continue this discussion at another time.”
“I’m sorry, Zolin, but this is the only time we have,” replies my mother. “I’m taking the information and our proposal to the Governing Council this afternoon so we can call a full colony assembly as soon as possible. You can speak now or wait until the larger meeting.”
“You know our opinion.” Grandmother stands and moves to Grandfather’s side. “We aren’t opposed to exploring the possibility of mining sometime in the future. But we don’t agree with jumping into something that might jeopardize the colony.”
“Well, I told you first as a courtesy. Family, and all that.” Mom lifts her chin. “But quite frankly, I don’t need your permission to take this to the Council.”
Dad shakes his head. “Tara, you need to listen … ”
“Damn you—I’m done listening. I’ve listened to the three of you for far too long. Now I’m going to do the talking, and make some changes around here at last.” Mom stalks to the door and yanks it open. “Now’s the time for action, not caution.” She steps out into the hall without a backward glance.
“Sorry, I didn’t mean to cause a fight,” says Patel.
“You didn’t,” replies my father. “It started long before you landed on Eco.” He crosses to the table and slumps into a chair.
Patel runs his hands through his hair as his gaze darts about, landing on everything except the faces of the three people standing before him. “Excuse me, please. Matters on the Ada demand my attention.” He strides out of our quarters, allowing the door to slam behind him.
My grandfather takes a seat next to my dad. “We’d better pull up some equipment plans, son. Best to be prepared for whatever the Council and the colony decide.”
“Anna-Maria,” Grandmother levels one of her piercing stares at me, “come along. We’ve work to do in the greenhouse, if you’re done escorting Dace for the day.”
I’m more than happy to leave this room. “No problem,” I reply.
I spare one glance, and a smile, for my father before I follow her into the hall.
I wait until we’re in the cavern to inform Dace of my mother’s plans.
“She can’t do that!” Dace rakes his fingers through his hair, causing it to stand up in spikes.
Sitting on one of the larger boulders, I pull off my boots. “Unfortunately, she can.”
“You have to stop her.” Dace has already stripped down to a pair of shorts. A waterproof pack is strapped about his waist.
I yank off my socks and study my bare toes. “Can’t. She’s on the governing council and has every right to bring this to their attention. In fact, she already has. Informed them yesterday, from what I heard.”
“And you’re just telling me now?” Dace sits at the edge of lake, dangling his legs in the water.
“Wouldn’t have made any difference.” I pile my clothes, boots and other gear behind the boulder. I’m wearing a tank top and a pair of shorts, the darkest I could find. They might cling to my skin, but at least they shouldn’t turn transparent.
“If they decide to mine this cavern, even on a small scale, it could be disastrous for the Selk.” Dace’s lower lip rolls into its accustomed pout as he stares over the still lake.
I sit next to him. “Maybe the colony will vote it down.”
“You don’t believe that.” Dace shakes off the hand I’ve laid over his wrist. “And you’re probably all for the mining, anyway. Then your family can leave Eco any time they choose, and with a pile of credits.”
“My mom said she’d make sure you got your cut.”
&nbs
p; “Yeah, great.” Dace turns to me, his dark eyes brimming with suspicion. “You didn’t happen to mention the Selk, I suppose? No, judging by that guilty look, I guess not. So the council and colony have no idea they’ll be damaging a native life form. Way to go, Ann. Letting them vote without knowing all the facts. Classy.”
“Now, look here, Dacian Keeling.” I slide away from him. “You promised you wouldn’t mention these creatures, or any genetic connections to them, until we’re both safely off Eco. Are you going to keep that promise?”
Dace returns my stare with a glare of his own. “Maybe. If you promise to somehow convince your mother and the others to drop their plan to mine the caverns until we devise a way to move the Selk. Maybe you can at least communicate the danger to them before you get the hell off Eco.”
“What good’s that going to do? If the mining starts, do you really think they won’t strip the planet bare? Face it, Dace—the Selk are pretty much doomed.” I dip my toes in the water. It’s strange how this thought makes my chest tighten. I don’t know why. Whatever happens, I won’t be around to witness it.
“No, they’re not. Not if I have anything to do with it. There’s an entire maze of caverns, I expect. If we could get the Selk to travel to another area of the planet, far from the compound, they might be safe for a while.” He drops his head and breaks our staring match. “Until I can get help.”
“What kind of help?”
Dace plucks at the strap of his pack. “I know people.”
“Greeners, you mean?” I give the rubber band holding my braid a final twist. “Just what we need—a bunch of crazy eco-terrorists crawling all over the planet.”
“They aren’t terrorists.” Dace avoids my eyes as he slips into the water. “That’s just ’sphere propaganda.” Hanging onto the rocky edge, he finally glances up at me. “You are going to talk to your mom, right? Even if she’s already told everyone about the mineral, she might still be able to convince them to hold off on the mining.”
“I’ll talk to her.” This will do no good, of course, but promises are easy to make.
Not so easy to keep. I shake my head and kneel into a crouch, gripping the stones that line the edge of the lake. Without another thought, I lower myself into the water.
Dace’s hand slaps down over mine. “Hang on. You said the only swimming you’ve ever done was in a simulation.”
“True.” It’s strange to be immersed in water. I’ve taken showers all my life—there’s no such thing as a bathtub, much less a pool, on Eco. I kick my feet underwater and marvel at the lack of resistance. “I was pretty good, though.”
“In a holo-game.” Dace pries one set of my fingers off the ledge. “Hold onto my hand, close your eyes, and keep kicking. Just like you did in the holo. Yeah, treading water, there you go. Now, drop your other hand and move it through the water, like you’re making a small circle.”
Eyes closed, I grip his fingers like a vise as he pulls me around until my back is brushing the rocks. The water’s just warm enough to be comfortable. It’s smooth as silk gliding over my skin. I slow my feet until I’m kicking rhythmically rather than thrashing.
“Super.” Dace wiggles his fingers to loosen my hold on his hand.
The water feels good. Right. I’m weightless as a spacer in zero-grav. I’m floating in the clear sky. I’m home.
My eyes fly open when Dace slides his hand away.
“Circles with the free hand too,” he says. “Look at you—doing great!”
I bob in the water, held up by its buoyancy and the slow movements of my hands and feet. Above my head the silver flakes in the dark rock twinkle like stars.
“You’re a natural!” Dace swims in a circle around me. “It’s like you were born to it.” He pauses, treading water in front of me. His eyes narrow. “Like it’s in your bones.”
“Don’t go all scientific on me.” I sweep my arms in wider circles, imitating the movements I learned in the holo-game. I recall a frog-like motion that could replace the straight kicks of my feet. Knees up and out and glide.
“Damn.” Dace swims up beside me. “Never saw anyone learn that fast.”
I flip my braid over my shoulder, showering Dace with a spray of droplets. “It was all that holo practice.”
“Was it?” Dace shoots a sharp glance my way. “Nothing to do with that little DNA string then?”
“Of course not.” I fight the urge to dive under the surface. It feels like the natural thing to do, but I’m certainly not that experienced at swimming yet. Still …
I dive, propelling my body through the water until I reach the middle of the lake. Surfacing, I draw in a deep gulp of air.
“Holy shit, Ann.” Dace bobs up beside me. “You’re half fish.”
I slap the water in front of me, splashing a small wave into his face. “Don’t say that!” I turn and swim for the far wall.
“Sorry.” Dace shouts, keeping pace with my fierce strokes.
I swim faster.
When we reach the far wall we both grab for a protruding chunk of rock at the same time. Our hands collide. Before I can pull away, Dace clutches my fingers and holds tight. “I really am sorry. That was crappy of me.”
I catch my breath before replying. “It was. And untrue, no matter how you look at it. You said yourself the Selk are mammals, not fish.”
Dace stares into my eyes for a moment before his contrite expression dissolves into a smile. “Yeah, definitely not fish.” He squeezes my hand. “I think maybe you are a brand new species, though. You’re sure not like any other girl I’ve known.”
I can’t stay angry in the presence of that smile. “Well, that means squat. You’ve confessed your limited experience with girls.”
Dace laughs. “Okay, okay. Point taken.” He lifts his hand off mine and his dark eyes rake over my face. “One thing’s for sure, though, you’re like a new discovery every day. I never know what you’re going to say or do next. I may not know much about girls, but I know you’re special, Ann Solano.”
“Dive,” I reply.
We submerge and swim through the wide passage that leads under and beyond the wall.
Surfacing on the other side, I tread water as I face at least ten of the Selk. “Hello.” I speak aloud first, before sending the thought. Hello.
Air. Water.
I nod my head at them and gaze about. Yes, lots of air and water. We’re in a much larger cavern, with a ceiling so high the airshafts are nearly invisible. But I spy slivers of sky threading the dark stone like a web of white fire. The silver flakes caught up in the stone sparkle in the light reflected back from the water. Around this lake is a shoreline of stone. Clusters of the Selk rest upon the rocky ledges.
All the alien eyes are fastened on Dace and me, but only the few Selk in the lake move, swimming toward us.
“They live out of the water, too.” Dace’s voice is hushed.
“Apparently.”
In a far corner floats a patch of emerald leaves, large and flat as plates. Fragile stems rise from the leaves, swaying under the weight of golden, bell-like flowers. Beautiful and strange, and undoubtedly the source of the traces of vegetation Dace found a few days ago.
The Selk welcome party encircles us as we continue to tread water.
“Do they understand hello?” Dace moves closer to me.
“Not sure.” I concentrate on sending positive messages. Friends. Hello. We are friends.
One of the Selk slides up next to me. Its fur is sleek and damp, but surprisingly warm. I lift one hand and allow my fingers to hover over its back. I want to touch it, but I don’t.
Before I can pull my hand away, the Selk rises up, pressing its body against my palm.
Us.
I lose all my buoyancy, falling back with a great splash. My head slaps the surface and water rushes up my nose. My extremities tingle as if stung by thousands of insects.
Dace grabs my arm to yank me back to the surface
. “You okay?” His eyes are filled with concern.
As are the eyes of the Selk. It leans in and butts my chest with its snout. Air. Breathe.
“I am breathing.” From Dace’s puzzled expression I assume I’m speaking aloud. Yes, breathing.
The Selk swims under my right arm. The warmth of the creature radiates through my bones, and I’m veiled in a calm that slows my rapid breathing. I lean into the slick, furry bulk of the Selk’s body, allowing my arm to drape across its back.
You. Thank you. I push the thoughts forward.
The Selk rolls over on its side, until its dark eyes are fixed on mine. Us.
I shake my head. Not us. Me. You. Different. I tap my chest. Human.
“Are you talking to them?” Dace swims around to the other side of the Selk.
“Yes. It keeps saying ‘us.’ I was trying to explain that we’re different.”
“Maybe not so very, in their eyes.”
I meet Dace’s serious gaze over the Selk’s back. “I don’t know if that’s what they mean.”
“You don’t know it’s not.”
“No, I … ”
The Selk shoots out from under my arm like a torpedo, gliding toward the far shore. In the middle of the lake it turns to gaze at us, lifting one of its small paws.
“I think it wants us to follow,” observes Dace.
“Really, genius? You think so?” I swim away from him, toward the Selk.
As I approach, the creature leaps up, arcing its body above the surface before diving under. I follow its swift-moving silhouette, Dace close behind me. When we reach the opposite shore the Selk surfaces and slides onto a natural ramp of rock, propelling its bulky body clear of the water.
I climb the ramp on my hands and knees. Reaching the top of the incline, I pull myself into a sitting position. Dace flops beside me with a grunt.
“Must’ve sensed we needed a rest.” Dace eyes the Selk as it maneuvers its flipper tail so it’s curled around the base of its torso, creating a natural support for its upper body.
Other Selk lounge all around us—some even bulkier than the creature that guided us across the lake. A few are considerably smaller, but from the way they’re huddled next to larger creatures, I assume the little ones must be babies. Our Selk companion barks once and all the brown heads swivel in unison to study us with dark, limpid eyes.