Genesis (The Exodus Trilogy)

by Andreas Christensen

  Havelar looked at what had once been such a prosperous little town. If things had turned out differently, in a couple of decades, Port Hammer might very well have become the greatest city of the new world. Now it was a charred ruin, most of the cabins burned to the ground. He shook his head at it all, once again pondering what had happened back in Fort Andrews. There was still no word from Henry. Even with the lack of communication equipment, he should have managed to send a messenger or a data burst. It seemed Fort Andrews had fallen, less than a year after it was built. But who had caused it?

  He had considered every alternative, and every time, he ended up with the same conclusion. A conclusion that sent shivers down his spine, and an urgency that he couldn’t shake. They had to move on.

  Thomas Dunn

  Thomas tried quieting his breath, but it was hard. He tried to focus on breathing slowly, in and out, but his thoughts kept returning to that night, back in the Stronghold. The moment he’d walked through that door into Maria’s cabin. He had committed. It wasn’t as if it had been a conscious decision or anything; he just felt different. That night had loosed something inside him, and now he was unable to focus fully on the task at hand. He knew this could be dangerous, but he couldn’t hold back. It was too overwhelming. It was love.

  He smiled. Everything was sort of hazy, but he remembered her face, her eyes gazing into his as they kissed. And later, when they made love, not even the facemasks could ruin the mood.

  He heard a click a ways off to his left. A clicker, a small low-tech device one of his companions had come up with, so they wouldn’t be completely reliant on radio communication. They all remembered how the comms had been cut when Havelar’s troops moved on Port Hammer, and it seemed the old tactic was being put to use again. A couple of days ago, the radio had become erratic, as if something was interfering with every frequency. It wasn’t that the comms were down altogether—they would get messages through—but it took a bit of trying. In the last few hours, however, the interference had grown stronger, making effective communication almost impossible. It could only mean one thing: an attack was imminent.

  Another click. The first had meant there were sounds that could possibly be the enemy; the second confirmed the fact. A third would signal that their positioning would be perfect for a surprise attack, and that there were few enough that Thomas and his team should be able to take them out. He doubted he’d hear the third click today, though. If his suspicions were correct, this would be the main force of Fort Andrews, coming to end the war once and for all.

  No, today was about observing, and their report back to the Stronghold would be far more valuable than any sort of resistance they could put up. Thomas slowly turned and shoved a small piece of foliage away from his line of sight. Then he raised his binoculars and saw the column approaching. There were at least 150 of them. How can there be so many? he thought. But of course, most of them would be green recruits, civilians given rudimentary training at best, while the squad leaders and a few other key personnel were fully trained soldiers. He considered withdrawing to a safe distance to then turn north to join up with the defenses up in the mountain passes. They had seen enough, and with their experience, they would be sorely needed for the defense of the Stronghold. But his mission was to observe first and foremost. Once the enemy was far enough from their safe haven, he would have his team harass them, make them have to dedicate troops to protect their back, away from the Stronghold. He would send one of his men north to report, while he kept his team out here, to shadow the southern force while they advanced through the foothills. Then, when the time was right, he’d strike.

  He saw their troops were well equipped, and the quads especially worried him. He thought he could see some powerful artillery mounted on the quads. His heart sank. They were too strong. The men manning the passes would put up a good fight, but these guys would pound them to pieces from a distance. He had no idea how they would be able to deal with such a force. It would be a bloodbath.

  He noticed the column come to a halt, and heard loud voices, although he couldn’t make out the words. The reaction of some of the soldiers puzzled him. A few started shouting at the ones in charge, while some looked like they didn’t know what to do. He focused and zoomed in on one of them. He was clearly crying. Why? There was a discussion, and someone approached—a woman, Hispanic, he thought, who seemed to command the attention of everyone around her. Colonel Quellar, Thomas thought. Who else?

  The woman made those closest to her listen; officers, it seemed. Then the group spread out, barking orders to the rest of the column. The officers were taking charge of the situation. People were reined in. The man Thomas had observed supposedly crying looked like he was drying his eyes, nodding, muttering something as he set his jaw, and turned…

  South!

  They were turning around, back the way they had come. And it seemed they were in a hurry, too. Thomas almost felt an urge to stand up, to see better. To know what was going on. He didn’t see any of his companions; they were too well hidden. But he guessed they were as confused as he was right now. Havelar’s main fighting force, able to crush the defenses and break through to the Stronghold itself, to end the war and put Aurora firmly under their control again, was retreating.

  Thomas knew he should be ecstatic right now, but all he could think was, what the hell just happened?

  Tina hammer

  “You’ll need to camouflage that sniper position much better, or that’ll be the first target for their rocket launchers,” Tina said to the team leader. This was the most likely route for the advancing column, and if they got through here, the path would be wide open all the way to the main gate of the Stronghold. She had already called for Dean and his team to strengthen this position, and they would be would be taking up positions to the east, to flank the enemy. Thomas’s team was to be shadowing the enemy column, ready to strike from behind. Ben, Lisa, and Drew would be their mobile reserve, able to move quickly from one place to another, in case she was wrong about where the enemy would strike.

  She feared it wouldn’t be enough, but it was all she had. The rest of the defenses would, at best, be able to slow them down, but she was committing her top forces here, betting all they had that she was right. Win or lose, this was where everything would be decided. She hadn’t heard from Thomas yet, which surprised her, as she’d expected him to send a messenger. She needed to know when the enemy arrived. She could only guess that the advance took longer than she’d expected.

  “Ma’am! Somebody’s coming!” someone shouted from one of the lookout positions atop the barricade. She turned and climbed up to the observation post to see better. A woman, it seemed. Soldier, from the fatigues, but obviously green from the way she wore them. She was carrying something. A white flag!

  “Let her approach, but do not let her through. She’d be able to pinpoint our defensive positions.” Tina picked up a megaphone and switched it on. She raised it to her mouth, all the while staring at the young woman approaching.

  “Stop right there,” she said. The woman stopped and spread her hands.

  “I’m unarmed. I need to talk to your commander.” Tina considered her for a moment.

  “What is it you want to talk to me about? If you’re asking for our surrender, you’re wasting your time.” That brought chuckles from those around her.

  “It’s not that…” the woman said, loud enough for all to hear. “I have a message from Governor Havelar, ma’am. We need to end this.” Yeah, Tina thought. She’d heard that line before. But the woman wasn’t done.

  “Fort Andrews has fallen.” That made Tina drop her jaw. Fallen, how? What had happened? The woman seemed sincere. And determined. And scared.

  “I’m coming out,” Tina said, and jumped down, motioning for one of the defenders to open the gate for her. All around her, people were talking, the shock of what they had just heard apparent on every face. Tina walked out and approached the woman, confident that defenders were keeping watch over
the barricades and various other positions.

  “So…” she said, as she stopped in front of the messenger. “What the hell is going on? What are you telling me?” The woman paused for a second before answering.

  “Fort Andrews has fallen. Last thing we heard, there was fighting up by the reactors. Major Carroll and his team might be holding on, but likely he’s dead like the rest of them. We haven’t heard anything since before the governor crossed the Trickler.” So, Tina thought, he’s come north, as well. It’s got to be bad.

  “Who is it?” she asked. “Is it a revolt?” Tina knew the answer, but still, she had to ask. The woman only shook her head.

  “It’s not, ma’am. It’s something else.”

  Chapter 7

  Kenneth taylor

  He looked warily around as they approached the ruins of Port Hammer. This bastion of liberty, the gathering place for frontiersmen, freedom-seekers, entrepreneurs, and refugees. Now burned to the ground, with only the ramshackle remains of a few cabins still standing. The mere thought had strengthened his resolve; the sight infuriated him. It was amazing, Kenneth thought, how quickly they had built this place. And even more amazing, and depressing, was how fast they had torn it down again.

  He kept looking at the soldiers surrounding the governor, nervous men and women with guns held ready to fire at the smallest provocation from the northern force. He wondered what would happen if it came to blows, but quickly dismissed the thought. This was not the time. The governor's message had been short and to the point: We need to make peace, right now.

  Then again, too many had died for either side to be comfortable parlaying with a hated enemy. Kenneth was determined though. You don't make peace with your friends; you make it with your enemies. And having a common foe made peace between north and south imperative if they were to survive.

  Kenneth stepped forward. Dean and a few from his team kept a close eye on their surroundings, watching for signs of betrayal. Kenneth knew there were northern snipers hidden in the foliage behind them, and expected no less from the southerners. He recognized Havelar approaching. He looked older, he thought, and weary.

  “I never wanted us to meet like this,” the governor said. “As enemies, I mean. This war should never have happened.” Kenneth nodded.

  “On that, we agree. But you asked for this meeting.” Kenneth paused, and when the governor hesitated, he continued. “So, are you ready to end this?” Havelar grimaced and looked around at all the armed men and women standing with weapons ready to fire at a moment’s notice.

  “Yes. Our war must end right here, right now,” he said. No demands of surrender, no proclamations of the will of a president of a dead country on a dead world, light-years away. Kenneth hadn’t expected this, even given the circumstances.

  “What are your demands?” he asked. “I’m not buying that you will simply lay down your arms. Not after what happened here.” He noticed the governor turning red, standing in the midst of the ruins of this place in which the rebellion was born. But he couldn’t tell whether it was embarrassment or anger.

  “No demands,” Havelar simply said. “I believe we share a common cause, after all.” Kenneth nodded. Of course, even with all their differences, both wanted to secure the survival of humans on Aurora, to create a new home for humanity on this planet. It was the means—and their visions for what sort of world it should be—that differed.

  “Come on, George. Enough of this. What’s going on?” he said.

  “Fort Andrews has fallen,” Havelar blurted, and Kenneth nodded again, impatient to hear the rest. Tina had told him as much, but he hadn’t known what to make of it. It was too unreal.

  “And if we don’t join our forces immediately, we’ll all be wiped out,” Havelar continued. He looked around, and Kenneth thought he saw his eyes misting. He had a hard time imagining George Havelar crying. The governor seemed to pull himself together and looked straight into his eyes.

  “You see, Kenneth, this is what I feared when I called for unity. This is why I was so adamant that we work together, and strengthen our position as quickly as possible.” Kenneth felt a shiver down his spine, as the enormity of it all hit home.

  “We’re not alone,” Kenneth almost whispered, lips quivering.

  “No. We’re not,” the governor answered.

  Maria solis

  Maria was standing beside the path leading toward the Stronghold. She had been planning to go north, back to the cave, but wanted to be at the Stronghold when the refugees from Fort Andrews came in. And of course, Thomas might be back sooner. At least, she hoped so. She was torn between wanting to go back to the cave to learn more of the Akhab, and wanting to stay to pursue the strange sensations tingling through her entire body every time she thought about Thomas. And then there was another person she was anxious to see. She looked at the refugees as the column snaked slowly by, searching for that person she hoped would be there, somewhere.

  The refugees from Fort Andrews couldn’t have looked any more dissimilar from one another. There were seasoned soldiers, with hard faces and eagle eyes scanning their former enemies as they moved under the watchful eyes of their northern counterparts. There were the draftees and volunteers, civilians dressed up as soldiers and carrying arms, but clearly green as grass, wide eyed and staring, as if they had seen more than they should have. Then there were the actual civilians, which made up the largest group, obviously. Everything from scientists dragged along in their lab coats to workers who’d run straight from tilling the barely thawed fields. There were children, too, some of which she recognized. Everyone looked dirty, grimy, and tired.

  She had already seen Tori, who had been one of the first of the civilians to come through the mountain pass. Maria thought her friend had seemed just the same as before, just tired from the long trek, and they had embraced and cried and laughed at the same time. Tori had moved on, though, because she was to go even further north, to what was rapidly becoming a fishing and farming village, and an important food source for the larger Stronghold. Tori’s specialty was agriculture, and the Stronghold leaders intended to send a number of specialists north as soon as possible to assist with setting up appropriate systems and facilities for farmers and fisherman.

  She saw Havelar, whom she had once referred to fondly as Uncle George. Once one of her parents’ best friends, he had bounced her on his knee back when she was a child. He eyed her for a moment. A wan smile appeared, then disappeared as quickly as it had come. Then she saw a middle-aged man, wearing a ripped and stained lab coat, half carrying a colleague, with a girl on the other side supporting the injured man. She looked closer at the man helping his friend. Not even the dirt and exhaustion apparent on his face could hide the wide grin as he looked over and recognized her.

  “Jeremiah!” she exclaimed.

  Then she realized it was Sophie Breckinbridge who was helping Jeremiah with the other man. She looked up, but didn’t say anything. Maria wondered if they would be friends again, or if it was too late.

  “Maria! I was hoping I’d see you here,” Jeremiah said, as she ran to him. He hugged her with his free hand, holding the man he was helping steady with the other. Then he helped the man sit down.

  “Sophie, why don’t you go get Doc Bowers?” Jeremiah said, motioning toward the man. “He needs to rest, and Doc should have another look at him, I think.” Sophie nodded and turned without a word. Maria looked at her as she walked away.

  “Hmm, I wish you two would make up,” Jeremiah said, shaking his head.

  “We’ve got far bigger things to think about. Besides, you guys are friends, right?” Maria shrugged.

  “I don’t know. We’ll see. But I’m sure glad to see you again.” She smiled and gave him a good hug.

  “I guess I must stink pretty bad by now,” he said, and Maria grinned. Yes he did.

  “How are you?” she asked instead.

  “I’m okay, don’t you worry.”

  “Did you see who did it? Who took Fort And
rews?” she asked. Jeremiah shook his head.

  “No, and I don’t think many here did. Everything happened so fast. Havelar and your mother and others just gathered whomever they could scramble, and then we got the hell out of there. Most of the soldiers were already past the Trickler. I think most got away, actually.” Maria looked back at the column as she listened.

  “So, have you seen my mother?” she asked. Jeremiah smiled, and she let out a breath of relief at his reaction.

  “Yes, you’ll see her soon. She’s been working with Havelar ever since your father was captured. I heard he died.” He trailed off. Maria nodded.

  “No one knows what happened…” she shrugged it off. Right now all she wanted was to see her mother again.

  “I’m truly sorry,” he said. As always, Jeremiah understood, and didn’t inquire any more. There would be time for that later.

  “Last I saw, your mother was with Havelar and Major Hammer, helping the final stragglers down from the pass. She’s probably anxious to see you, as well.”

  “I’ll go see if I can find her then. I guess you don’t need me here.” Maria turned to leave just as Sophie returned with a young man, Dr. Bowers. Jeremiah ushered her on.

  “Go see her then. We’ll talk more later.” She smiled again and skipped a few steps, eager to find her mother.

  The line of refugees seemed endless. Hundreds of people driven from their homes just as they were settling in, now placing their fate in the hands of those who had taken the same journey just a few months earlier. Maria pitied them. A few days ago, the soldiers from Fort Andrews would have crushed their little settlement, just as they had burned Port Hammer, and now they turned to them for refuge, fleeing an even greater enemy. It was too early to speculate as to who or what had attacked Fort Andrews, but whatever it was, it would be coming north, as well. So whatever their differences, they would all have to work together from now on.