Planets Falling

by James G. Scotson

  "Where did you go? Why did you abandon us? Fromer can be convincing but I'd never leave Eliza. Yet you did."

  Wenn's glass of ale flies across the room, shattering on the stone floor. "The beast, god, Fromer, whatever he is appeared one night while you were in the garden. He showed us images - the fate of you and the baby - Eliza - if we'd stayed." His eyes are dark and distant. "Fromer can see the future and knows the paths. I had to leave you to save you, which was the most horrible and unfair thing that could fall on a man."

  "Did you consider that Fromer was lying?"

  "Gods, woman, he can travel in animals, place thoughts in your mind, make pictures from darkness. Just look at him. There's no denying. I had to leave my unborn child for him. That's sacrifice."

  I'm unconvinced. I think he never had the chance to bond with the child. She's abstract to him. He's trying to mask his guilt.

  Theo stands, unsteady. "Amy, easy on us. It's dark and dangerous. We need to gather provisions and weapons before going after Thresh. No telling if she's got troops downhill. For all we know, she's coming back."

  "Theo, I have a link to that woman. I can tell she's not coming back, especially if Fromer's with us. She's outmatched by the natural world. If I could only do a little bit of what he did to those animals -"

  "Oh, Amy. You can and you will." Fromer stands in the doorway scratching his patch of hair.

  I run to the beast and punch his chest. He's real, cool to the touch. His enormous heart pounds, just like mine. How can he be alive if he left this world? "Why are you doing this to us?" I yell.

  "If they'd stayed in the village, events would have been very different. You'd be dead and Eliza would be lost. I can only ask that you trust me. Ansam and Wenn have played their role very well. When Thresh arrives at the portal, she'll find a measure of resistance that she never would've expected."

  My father appears, wiping his hands his coat. "What a damned mess out there. Amy, Fromer's right you know. We had no choice. We followed him across the mountains to a village. The people had been watching the fog seep out of the lake - the portal as you call it - for years. They were terrified. Horrid things they saw, dead walking, creatures like the grubs -but bigger, nastier – and weird storms. People were disappearing. But the worse for them was the voices of their kin and friends, long in their graves but risen again. Was like the veil between our world and that of the dead was ripping. People weren't just fearing for their lives, they was lamenting the fate of their souls."

  Wenn gazes into the distance. "With Fromer's urging, we built a foundry in the town. Fromer brought strange metals to use which we forged into blades and other weapons. The villagers discovered these tools were effective against the creatures crawling out of that mist. They got their lives back." He pulls his sword from its scabbard, the blade gleaming white in the darkness. "The name of the town is Yellow Stone. It's the best hope we have to stop the things from completely passing over here to earth."

  Theo takes another gulp. “We all need to rest before we decide what to do next.”

  We all retreat to sleep, while Fromer resumes clearing the grounds and stoking the fire. I’m trying to settle my mind when Wenn settles next to me and grabs my breast, his hot breath on my neck. I pull away, drawing my body into a tight ball. "Wenn, I know. I know. But under different circumstances. I can hardly lift my head."

  He turns away with a boozy huff.

  Morning arrives too quickly. Fromer's vanished again, as if he can't abide by the daylight. Bets, Theo, Wenn, and I start down the mountain. Thresh left a huge swath of mayhem, with trees broken, bodies strewn, and debris littered. It's not difficult to find our way to her camp, which is mostly intact. The sight of the tents and fire smoke from a distance lifts my hopes. Perhaps they haven't left and we have a chance to confront her and Jonah. I'd relish the opportunity to blast Thresh in the stomach with my rifle. When we reach the grounds, it's clear that they've recently left. A few bodies and a thin, slimy residue of fog remain. Most of the soldiers' supplies still sit in sacks in the tents. From the tracks, we surmise all of Thresh's surviving army departed quickly and on horseback. I run to the tent where Eliza and Margarat stayed, holding onto a whisper of desperation that they were considered liabilities and left behind. No one's there.

  I look behind me to see Wenn. He says quietly, "This is where she was."

  "Yes, Wenn, how'd you know?"

  "Saw it in my dreams." He walks to Eliza's cot and finds a worn ragdoll on the floor. He shakes. "This is so, so wrong. I've got no idea what she looks like."

  I laugh hoarsely. "I only get to see her through that madwoman's eyes. Makes me want to tear her eyes out when I find her. She doesn't deserve our daughter."

  Wenn kicks the cot.

  "Shit," Theo exclaims. We both emerge from the tent to see that the divine rain from the previous night has now become our own version of hell. Sleet falls, encasing everything in slick ice. "We need to return to the lodge fast."

  "Not under these conditions," Bets says. "We need to stay put until this works itself out."

  We retreat to a large tent with the remnants of a cooking fire. We stoke the flames and raid the abandoned supplies. The soldiers ate surprisingly well, allowing us to assemble a nice meal. The other tents accumulate ice and begin collapsing. Our tent remains warm and comfortable, although none of us want to be there. During the entire night, trees snap under the weight of ice as dollops of slush hit our roof and melt away.

  The following day, the storm passes and the weather turns cool. We pack our things and begin struggling up the mountain. We debate whether we should follow Thresh's trail but eventually agree that we need to wait and engage her at the portal. Surprisingly, the one dissenter in our group is Wenn, who wants to pursue Thresh directly through the treacherous forest. Even I realize this is hopeless with the horrible conditions and no horses.

  We return to the lodge cold, caked in mud, and exhausted to our core. Father greets us at the front door, which he's sealed with small logs. "Thank gods, you've returned. We was worried sick. No telling what could've happened in this wicked weather." He rushes to me and wraps a blanket around my shivering shoulders.

  "Fromer?" I ask. He shakes his head no.

  We crouch through a makeshift door. Sam says, "Welcome back. I am sorry you did not catch Thresh. I will fashion some hot chocolate for you." Gorian and Iggy have been busy bringing Sam's systems back from the brink of disaster. Father also has kept occupied. The main room of the lodge is clean, although scratches on the walls, burn marks, and a huge gouge in the stone floor betray the mayhem that occurred a couple of days ago. Most of the furniture's gone - the shattered wood used to help broil the bodies outside.

  As we warm ourselves, Wenn announces, "I'm leaving for Yellow Stone at morning's light. We need to warn them that Thresh is coming."

  Father sighs. "It were one thing to have Fromer with us. Be suicide to try it alone until the spring thaw. Those wild animals helped us survive the bad times. Poor horses didn't make it. I fear we'd see the same fate. We ain't wild enough for the woods."

  "Amy, Theo. You've got to come." Wenn's pleading. My insides twist. Two days I'd have left with him immediately. After finding the empty camp and battling the mountainside to get back, I'm fairly sure I'd do Eliza no good as a corpse wandering the wilderness for Thresh.

  Theo hugs Wenn. "Mate, you've got to stay with us. Be patient. Maybe Fromer will come return and lead us all back."

  "Ansam and I both know - Fromer doesn't work that way. We're treading our own water for now."

  Theo sits. "Just can't risk it right now my friend. Weather's too touchy."

  Wenn doesn't look at me and barges into the back room. He doesn't re-emerge.

  By dawn, Wenn's gone. He's taken minimal supplies and the snow's falling again. None of us speaks of him again.

  A couple of weeks pass. During that time, more than two feet of snow's fallen and melted. During each thaw, mud flows freely down the slopes. T
he erratic weather finally settles. A warm breeze saunters in from the ocean and the first wildflowers peek up from the sloppy soil. I'm thinking of spring planting - something I'd be doing in my past life - and wondering when we might get moving again.

  Gorian gives birth to a perfect girl, with pink hands and a shock of white hair. I expect to see the kid holding a computer instead of her birth cord. Gorian's relieved, exhausted, and jubilant. She's also mighty annoyed that Grey's not here to help her out.

  We decide to journey to Yellow Stone within a week. Bets, father, Theo, and I will travel. I've called my trusty caribou buck to our side. I've been trying to conjure more animals, seeing through their eyes collectively. Fromer was right. I can sense them, but I'm not ready yet. The buck will help me get there.

  Gorian and her child, Ferris, will remain at the lodge with Iggy. With Sam's assistance, they should be comfortable and safe. We hold hope that the Fuerst will arrive soon. I risk opening my mind each night, hoping to see Etch in my dreams. But only the same musty, disturbing dreams assault me.

  I wonder why Fromer didn't stay with us. He could have helped us convince Wenn to remain at the lodge. With the help of his animals, we might have been able to pursue Thresh and save Eliza. Fromer told me that he can't interfere in the course of things, but he's done plenty so far. I wonder whether he's guiding events to some critical point. The idea that he's controlling our fate - my destiny - is infuriating.

  On the eve of our journey north and east over the mountains, we're enjoying some wintergreen tea under the tender green leaves of a willow when the rush of the ocean shakes us. Gorian pats baby Ferris, "Well, I'll be. They've found us."

  The Fuerst pokes out of the low clouds, gleaming silver and grey in the speckled sunlight. The ship lands on the pile of ashes left by the remains of Thresh's army and the hatch drops. Grey leaps out of the door before it's completely open, falling on his side. Gorian laughs and they embrace, squeezing the baby between them. I feel happy for them, but a twinge of envy belches from deep inside my gut. Wenn, Eliza, and I should have – deserve - such a wonderful homecoming.

  Samuel and Minns tumble out next. Samuel's beard is longer and glows ivory in the shimmering daylight. He looks wiser. Minns runs to Bets, hugging her. Bets looks confused and strangely happy at the attention. Iggy's children, nearly fully grown, scurry out and jump on their father or mother or whatever he's considered by them. They're nearly identical to him and now wear uniforms similar to the others. We wait, but Etch doesn't emerge.

  "Where's the pilot?" I ask.

  Minns replies, "He'll be out soon, after he's done battening down the vessel. Where's English?" She can tell from our faces that the news is grim. She takes a long look around and shakes her head. "What the hell happened around here?"

  Etch steps out, stretching his long, grey arms. "Hello my friends. It appears that we missed a little excitement. We have much to talk about."

  "We got to see space. Ah, it were magnificent." Samuel slaps his forehead. "Amy, you'd never believe how pretty earth is. Like a big ball of blue and white. The stars – they was so bright and so many."

  We settle down to tell our stories. Etch rubs his hard chin. "Hmmm. You were lucky that Fromer stormed Thresh. He can communicate with animals? Very interesting. Thresh is a coward and would be a terrible pilot."

  Ansam rips a piece of bread from a fresh loaf. "Fromer always comes in the knick of time. Did he save your arses too?"

  "I am afraid we were on our own on the bottom of the ocean. Repairs took much longer than expected. The grubs did more damage to the hull than we thought." Etch eats a roasted rabbit in a single bite. He hums in satisfaction. "Iggy's children helped tremendously. I was able to spend time out there with my pressure suit but was far clumsier than they were with the detail work. A week ago we finally lifted off the sea bottom and saw the sweet sky after much too long. We rose into high orbit to test the repairs and to scan for your shuttle. The repairs held, but the shuttle was difficult to find. We knew the former location of the Raven and started there. We finally found the remains of your shuttle under a pool of mud and ice. There were scorched trees everywhere. We thought that you had perished. However, after some clearing of the brush, Iggy's coordinates appeared. They were still legible and led us here."

  Gorian puts Ferris on Grey's lap. "Etch, did you find any sign of the Raven in the neighborhood?" She looks up at the sky.

  "No, I did not. It is very peculiar for a ship to become completely sentient to the point where it makes its own decisions. I am glad it eliminated Melat. However, its passage through space likely alerted both the Institute forces and the FRT resistance. If they haven't come to earth, they will soon. The portal will tempt them both and further deepen their conflict."

  "Given that we might be meeting them soon, can you tell us more about the Institute and the FRT?" I ask.

  Grey gives the baby back to Gorian. "Let me try to answer this. Centuries ago, when earth fell and became quarantined because of the mystery terrorist agent, a colony of mostly human scientists on mars rose to power. You see, mars was the closest habitable planet and used as an escape from the crowds and pollution here on earth. The scientists were studying how to make mars more suitable for life and looking for other planets to colonizing. Because of their knowledge, they held the key to colonizing new worlds and became very influential in relations among the intelligent species like those of Iggy and Etch. We call the government they created the Institute, which still rules the affairs of most planets in known space. My family can be traced back to these founder scientists and remains an important player in this administration.

  “If your family’s so important, why were you stuck here?” Bets asks.

  “As with the rest of our crew, we simply knew too much about the portal on planet C9 and that it may be possible on other planets. It didn't help that my dad invented the goop that the entities in infraspace are using to invade our universe. My family couldn't help me."

  “Or they didn’t try to hard.” Gorian snarls.

  "So, are the FRT people the bad guys?" Bets asks.

  "They started out as criminal gangs, plundering transports and setting up unauthorized colonies. We called them pirates. So, yes, they were the bad guys. Over the past decade, several disgruntled planetary governments joined them. They reached a critical mass over the past year and are seeking legitimacy. The war began as a few squabbles over minor territories but has escalated to a full conflict. If the FRT gains access to the portal at Yellow Stone and figure out how to use it, they can attack Institute installations and ships without warning. The tactical advantage and access to resources will tip the war in their favor."

  All of this means nothing to me. I have no stake in either side and can hardly comprehend entire worlds fighting over issues that seem silly. Space is so vast - it makes no sense what they are fighting over. To me, I see threats to my home from many directions. Thresh is immediate and so very personal. The eyeless, lifeless puppet-masters leading her from beyond the hellish lake at Yellow Stone are another enemy, made more frightening by their abstraction. The Institute and FRT have no business here and will find no sympathy – even if we all descended from the same ancestors.

  Etch clears his throat and walks over to the Fuerst. He inspects the scars on its otherwise flawless hull.

  "How'd the Fuerst handle her injuries?" I ask.

  "You talk of my ship as if she is alive. Few people realize that these machines have intelligence."

  "I got to know the Raven well. Must be the pilot in my blood."

  "The Fuerst is angry and wants the blood of Thresh and the lifeless ones, beyond. We must get you to the portal at Yellow Stone immediately."

  "What'll I do when I get there?"

  "Rescue your daughter and save us all."

  "Sounds easy," I say, patting the hull of the beautiful ship.

  By late evening, Minns, Bets, Theo, and I join Etch in the Fuerst, leaving our companions at the lodge. Father and S
amuel are busy repairing the damaged building. Iggy's teaching his children how to re-engineer Sam's systems. Grey and Gorian are discovering the first exhausting steps of shared parenthood. I hope to the gods I'll see them all again. They are my family.

  The Fuerst thrums to life and rises into the moist spring air.

  Etch pokes his head out of the pilot house. "Amy, would you like to join me?"

  "Absolutely." I'm thrilled. I find Etch lounging in his chair, clearly content and happy in his element. The screen in the front of the room blazes with an image of the countryside - emerald trees, dark blue sky, and enormous pearly clouds. All the scars left on the ground by Thresh are obscured by the distance.

  "Would you like to have a seat in my chair?"

  "Really?"

  "It is time for you to meet the Fuerst. I know you are close to the earth. The ship will give you a bird's eye view of the world you hold so dear."

  "Nothing will come out of the chair and poke my hand?" I think of that awful experience on the Raven.

  "No, that is a procedure used to travel between stars. Not necessary for ordinary flying. If you ever desire to travel between star systems, you will have to learn how to do that."

  I gingerly sit down and my mind opens wide. I can see the entire sky and the ground below from the vantage of the ship. It's as if my eyes are everywhere at once. The Fuerst smiles at me. I speed the vessel, bank right, and descend toward the lodge. The forest's trampled for miles around the building. Trees that should be healthy are brown and crusted with dried ooze. The Fuerst whispers to me, "What's your desired course, Amy Marksman?"

  I look over at Etch and he nods. "I have charted a rough route. Please take us to Yellow Stone."