Only Human_The Themis Files

by Sylvain Neuvel

  [I’ll try.]

  It worked! I got rid of a few trucks, maybe a hundred men.

  [I don’t think they got the message, Dad. They’re coming back.]

  Are you strapped in?

  [Almost. I can’t move my left arm. My shoulder’s busted.]

  Well, it looks like they’re going after your good arm. See if you can shake it loose. No, wait!

  [For what?]

  Wait until the cable is fixed. You can take out whatever it’s attached to. And…Now! Now!

  [Yeah! Take that, assholes.]

  Can you see the Chinese?

  [They’re coming. Some of them are at your feet. I just flung some sort of crane at them, but they don’t seem to care. Yokits! We’re moving, Dad! They’re dragging us away!]

  They have you by the leg.

  [Do something!]

  On it. Cable’s gone! I should have gotten the crane too with that burst. Themis must be running low. I don’t think she has many more of these left in her. Oh shit!

  [That doesn’t sound good.]

  My helmet just turned off. I can’t see anything.

  [Can you move?]

  What? No! We’re out of juice. It’s just you now.

  [What do you want me to do? I don’t know what I—NOOOO! They’re dragging us again. UGH!]

  What’s happening?

  [We just fell off Themis’s chest. We’re on the ground. The Chinese are moving in.]

  Do they have cables?

  [Yeah, bulldozers too. They’re going for your left arm, I think.]

  They’re gonna flip us over.

  [Soldiers are climbing on Lapetus. They’re on our back!]

  Shake them loose! Don’t let them get to the hatch!

  [I’m trying!]

  Just move as hard and as fast as you can!

  [Oh, no, Dad! They’re going to kill us if the Koreans get in. Please help me!]

 

  No, Katherine. I don’t have anything to tell you. If you have to push that button, I…You do what you have to do, but give me a minute first. I want to talk to my daughter. There’s time.

  [They keep climbing! I don’t wanna die, Dad.]

  I know, Eva. I’m here. I’m here with you. Just like last time, remember?

  [I can’t see you. I wish I could see you.]

  Close your eyes. I’m right there. See? You’re not alone, Eva.

  [I’m sorry, Dad.]

  You’ve got nothing to be sorry about. I’m proud of you, Eva. I’ve always been proud of you. I’m proud of the way you won’t let anyone tell you who you need to be, including me. I’m proud of the way you care about people. I’m proud of how you always speak your mind, how you don’t pretend to be something you’re not. You’re my daughter, Eva. I’m proud of that.

  [No! Don’t—]

  What?

  [Not you, Dad. Them, they’re going to kill us. I don’t wanna die. Not like that.]

  Patch me through. Can you do that, Eva, let me talk to them?

  [Yeah…I think this is it.]

  Hey! Can you hear me? I’m talking to the American asshole who just told my daughter she was going to die. She says you put something inside her head, some sort of explosive. If that’s true, you better hope that thing doesn’t go off because if it does, you might as well kill yourself. I know what you’re thinking. There’s a good chance Moscow will do the same thing and kill me. There’s always a possibility the Chinese or Koreans will kill me, but I wouldn’t bet on that. You see, I’m not the easiest person to be with. I can be a bit of a dick sometimes, just ask my daughter. My point is if people keep me around, it’s not because of my charming personality, it’s because I have legs that bend the wrong way, and that’s kind of useful if you also happen to have Themis. So on the off chance that I make it through this, I want you to listen to me very carefully. I don’t give a shit who this robot belongs to an hour from now. I will fucking kill you. I will mow down whatever place you work at and the house you live in. I will kill everyone you’ve ever known, your high-school teacher, people you play softball with. I will march down Washington Avenue and turn DC into a fucking sandbox. I will end you and everything you hold dear. There. Will. Be. No United States when I’m done with you, and there is nothing, not a goddamn thing, you can do to stop me. Do you hear me? DO YOU HEAR ME, MOTHERFUCKER? ANSWER ME!

  [They can’t answer you, Dad. But they heard you.]

  Now I have a few things to say to you in case this doesn’t work. Is it just us?

  [Yes, Dad. It’s just you and me.]

  I want you to remember your parents in Puerto Rico, how much they loved you. I want you to remember Kara, how she died.

  [What? What’s wrong with you? You want to make sure I die depressed, is that it?]

  No! I want you to realize you were loved by a shit ton of people! I know you think I ruined your life, that I stole something from you. I know you blame me for Ekim’s death, and you have every right to. It’s my fault. Me. None of this is your fault. And maybe you’re right, Eva. Maybe I made the wrong call somewhere, and you suffered because of it. If that’s the case, then I’m sorry. I’m more sorry than you can ever imagine. But I don’t want you to doubt, not for a second, that I did all this because I love you.

  [Dad, there’s—]

  Will you shut up and let me speak? You…You’re the best thing that ever happened to me, Eva. If I fucked that up, it’s on me, not you. I want you to know that no one, anywhere, was loved more than you were. I guarantee it. I don’t care who they are, all those kids that made fun of you, people you idolized when you were young, movie characters. They’ve got nothing on you. I love you, Eva.

  …

  [Can I talk now?]

  Yeah, Eva, you can talk now. You can talk my ear off.

  [There’s another giant robot standing at our feet.]

  PART FIVE

  NEVER LAND

  FILE NO. 2197

  NEWS REPORT—MIRANDA PATEL, BBC

  Location: London, UK

  London is in chaos. Approximately twenty minutes ago, an all-too-familiar giant robot appeared in Regent’s Park, mere steps away from the memorial honoring the victims of the first alien attack nearly two decades ago. Moments later, two more materialized side by side in Trafalgar Square. While Londoners remained surprisingly calm in our previous encounters with the aliens, they are showing no such composure this time around. Mass panic has set in. There is looting across town. All the major roads are blocked. There have already been dozens of casualties, people trampled trying to evacuate their offices, vehicles plowing through crowds. The city has issued a statement asking people to stay in their homes and avoid the streets, but the memory of those thousands of bodies lying on the pavements is still fresh in the minds of Londoners, and most will do anything to escape the—

  I am just told that more of these giant killers, a lot more, have appeared…everywhere. Reports continue to come in as we…It appears we are witnessing a full-scale alien invasion. New York, Washington. We are getting images from Washington now. There are four, no, five robots surrounding the White House.

  Back to the UK, while Londoners are on the run, it is unclear where they can run to. We have a preliminary list of cities where metal giants have been spotted. Here we go: Aberdeen, Belfast, Birmingham, Bristol, Derby, Doncaster, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Leeds, Liverpool, Manchester, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, North Lanarkshire, Nottingham, Rotherham, Salford, Sheffield, Stockport, Stoke-on-Trent, Swansea, and York. As I said, this list is preliminary. We are getting continuous reports from…This is a picture of the Stockton Cricket Club in Stockton-on-Tees. As you can see, there seems to be nowhere to hide.

  So far, no sign of the deadly gas that k
illed tens of millions. The aliens have not made their intentions known, but the sheer number of robots would indicate they are not on a mission of peace. Whatever their objective is, it would appear they will achieve it without resistance on anyone’s part, as no state has dared to challenge the invader. It should come as no surprise since our last attempt at a military response right here in London had nothing but cataclysmic consequences. I believe I speak for anyone who has seen the crater that once was Madrid when I say that we should—

  I am in shock. It has been only a few minutes, but already, the United States, and now the UK, have signalled their unconditional surrender to the aliens. Whether their message has been heard and understood remains to be seen, but—More reports of surrender. China—we do not have video at this time, but there are apparently over two hundred robots in China alone—China has just joined the growing list of countries to lay down their arms. We should hear from Her Majesty’s Government on that subject shortly. I suspect the American capitulation will have a domino effect on other nations as well.

  We can see—This is central London from above, and we can see smokestacks everywhere. There are fires erupting throughout the city. I am urging everyone to stay inside until the streets are safe again.

  I…This is a historic moment. The United Nations is broadcasting, as we speak, on all available frequencies, the unconditional surrender of the human race. Our fate, your fate, is now in the hands of extraterrestrials.

  We are getting live feeds from Russia now, several other countries as well. We will air those momentarily, but I—Let us all take a moment to let the events that just unfolded sink in. I, for one—

  This just in. The alien invaders have apparently responded and issued a statement of their own. It is addressed not to the UN, but to all nations. It should be available to us in a moment. I repeat. The aliens have issued a—Oh! I am told we are broadcasting it right now. This is the first communication we have with an alien race.

  [Citizens of Terra. My name is Opt Enatast. I wish to speak with Rose Frankyin.]

  FILE NO. 2198

  INTERVIEW BETWEEN DR. ROSE FRANKLIN AND OPT ENATAST, REPRESENTATIVE OF ESAT EKT

  Location: United Nations Headquarters, New York, New York

  —Greetings, Rose Frankyin. It is good to see you again. The Otok Akitast sends its regards.

  —Thank you. Did you really have to mention my name?

  —I did not know how to find you.

  —I suppose so. You said the Council sends its regards?

  —They do.

  —I thought the empress had—

  —The empress tried to take power. She created a fictious terrorist group in—

  —Fictitious.

  —Sorry, Rose Frankyin. A fic…

  —Fictitious.

  —Fic…titious terrorist group.

  —When we left, there were hundreds of robots marching on Osk.

  —Many hundreds. Empire Guards pretending to fight other Empire Guards. They surrendered fast. The empress had hundreds arrested to…be punished.

  —We gave her some of those names. She asked us to.

  —And she promised to send you home. I know.

  —How?

  —Vincent sent me the names on the day you departed. He asked me to protect a woman named Esok.

  —So you stopped the empress?

  —The Counciy did. I onyi said to them what I knew. The empress was arrested and executed. Her younger sister is now empress of Esat Ekt.

  —That…is…

  —You were hoping the empress would succeed.

  —No. I—I didn’t want all those people killed for something they didn’t do, but the people in our region, the illegal ones, life might have been better for them if…

  —It might be better. Not perfect, but better. What is the word? Concessions. They had to be made to cam the popuyation.

  —What kind of concessions?

  —More food. Two seats on the Otok Akitast, on the Counciy.

  —Two? What can they do with two seats? Their vote will barely count at all.

  —Yes. But their voice wiy be heard. Every day. The rest of the Counciy members have to yook at them when they vote. It take time but there wi—Change come.

  —I hope so. We don’t have much time, Enatast. They—Our people will expect you to make a statement.

  —I do not know what to say, Rose Frankyin.

  —I do. I prepared something. Can you read this?

  —If there are not too many hard sounds.

  —Try it now. I tried not to use too many words with l’s.

  —My name is Opt Enatast. I come from a pyanet cayed Esat Ekt, birt…birthp…

  —Birthplace.

  —It is a hard word.

  —You can say home.

  —Home of the robot Themis. I understand that many tongues are spoken on your world and I ask your forgiv…egiveness for speaking the one I was taught.

  Yet me begin by stating what should be obvious by now. There are X of our robots on your pyanet.

  —Don’t say X. I didn’t know how many there were.

  —Two thousand and forty-eight.

  —Wow. Say that instead of X. Keep reading.

  —They have been instructed not to attack—that is true, Rose Frankyin—but they wiy defend themselves if fired upon—that is also true. I urge your governments to use restraint, for you do not possess the knowyedge, technoyogy of fire…epower to defeat us. Do not send more of your peopye to their deaths. It would be futiye. We accept your surrender. We are in controy and the terms of our reyationship will be dictated by us…Rose Frankyin?

  —Yes.

  —I cannot say that. That is not true. We do not want Terra to surrender. Why would you surrender to us? We are onyi here to—

  —I know. I know. But that was the deal. There are certain things I am asking you to say that won’t make sense to you. You just have to trust me that those things have to be said.

  —I was given instructions by the Counciy, I—

  —Did they tell you to kill us all?

  —NO! We—

  —Then that means you accept our surrender. If someone surrenders to you, you either accept it or you keep on fighting until they’re all dead.

  —I see. Then we accept.

  —Keep reading.

  —This is the third time we visit Terra. The first time, thousands of years ago, changed who you were. Not knowing that, we visited you again and caused the death of many…many Terrans. It is my hope that our third visit wiy have more positive consequences. We are not your enemy. We are not conquerors. We wiy be gone soon, and we have no desire to return. We are…indebted to the Terran peope for what you suffered and we have now been asked to repay that debt. We cannot bring back the dead, repair the damage we have caused. I have no doubt that many of you wiy continue to fear and hate us after we are gone. We accept your judgment. However, if that fear persists, it must not cause more suffering. We wiy make sure of that. That is our way to make amends. You may see it as a gift or a curse.

  What does a curse mean?

  —A bad thing.

  —Oh. You said it hep if we come.

  —I know, but some people will be scared. Keep going.

  —We have no desire to ruye your pyanet, your yives, your evoyution—

  —Why don’t you just skip that sentence?

  —Yes. Yes. You are the masters of your destiny. Whether Terrans eth…rive, or perish is up to you. Our one purpose is to make sure you reach that fate together as a race, the Terran race.

  Whatever your disputes or disagreements, you have to find a way to end them. You do. And you must do it ensuring that everyone is given the same rights, the same protections, no matter their circumstances, origins, or faith. You must act as one. I have been made awa
re of an organization named the United Nations which serves that purpose.

  I have not been made aware of anything. What are the United Nations?

  —It’s where we are. It’s…a little bit like the Council of Akitast.

  —Good…I understand that this organization functions according to a set of ruyes, and you may continue to run it as you see fit. We wiy contact you from time to time and ask about your progress. We may send a representative to witness the way you govern. At any time, if we find that a group of Terrans, however smay, is deprived of its rights, is without food or care, is imprisoned without cause, suffers from a disease you can treat or cure, we wiy come back.

  Rose Frankyin. We won’t come back. We agreed to come here because of what you promised.

  —I know, but you need to say you will.

  —I cannot say what is not true.

  —Enatast, if you really want to help, you have to pretend.

  —…

  —Can you say with absolute certainty that the Ekt will never come here again?

  —Rose Frankyin! Do you think I am stupid?

  —I’m sorry. But I really need you to say this. We all do.

  —I must think.

  —Continue.

  —From this moment on, you wiy function according to the doctrines of equayity and cooperation. We hope you can do so of your own voyition, but we won’t hesitate to impose those principles upon you if we have to.

  We do not want to interfere with other races, and it is with great reservation that we agreed to come. However, our presence here many generations ago may have changed more than just your genetics, and we consider your kind reyated to ours, your fate connected with ours. We are, in part, responsibe for what you are, and we must accept responsibiyity for what you become. We won’t abandon you in the chaos that we have created on Terra.

  The Counciy cannot agree to this.

  —They are responsible. You tell them that. Or you don’t tell them. They don’t have to know. Besides, everything you just read is true, Enatast. Your people did this.