“So you’ll make soldiers out of us!” It took all that to make Sam’s eyes glow and Alex roll his eyes yet again.
“A soldier without discipline is a hindrance to the team.” The more Sam got to know Alex, the more he seemed like an old man trapped in a young man’s body. “We can’t perform miracles, but at least we hope you’ll manage to keep yourselves alive.”
There he is, the apex of positivity and motivation! Sam raised a sarcastic eyebrow his way. Why is it that he seems to have a permanent birdshit under his nose, finding problems to every solution?
Jasper smirked as if reading her thoughts. “I haven’t actually taken the time to explain certain cosmic matters to you, so all cards on the table starting today.” He grabbed his intersat and projected what looked like images of space into thin air. “We’re now in the Milky Way, as you call it, the galaxy that’s home to Earth, multiple other planets, dark matter, black holes, neutron stars, and which has a supermassive black hole in the center.”
Sam pressed her lips and sighed. “You lost me at dark matter, Jasper! I work in the restaurant industry, Emma here’s an attorney, and Zoey teaches art to kids. Mia?”
Mia wrapped a strand of loose hair around her bun. “I was going to be a computer engineer once I graduated.” She pulled at the hem of her hoodie and rested her elbows on her knees. Graduation—all that seemed like a long lost dream.
Jasper saw Lilou lifting her chin as if saying, “let’s see how you’ll get yourself out of this one.” He rubbed his hands together in response.
“It’s hard enough speaking in Earth terms about this, and even harder to make it simple.” He sighed in search for the right words. “In human terms, dark matter is what fills over 80% of space as you know it, think of it as an invisible substance. It emits no light and only interacts with the universe through its gravity, as you know so far. Imagine dark energy as a mysterious force that drives the accelerating expansion of the universe.”
“So dark matter fills space and dark energy helps its expansion.” Zoey made a mental note.
Jasper nodded. “Keep in mind you’re in the early stages of discovery and I’m not planning on spoiling what’s next. Better keep it simple for now.”
“Astronomy for dummies it is, then.” Emma raised her mug.
“Astronomy for your evolutionary scale,” Alex corrected. “Imagine speaking in terms that don’t even exist on your Earth about things which haven’t occurred on a scientific level you’re beyond achieving for billions of years to come.” Lilou chuckled at the way Sam rolled her eyes in Alex’s direction—he fully deserved it.
“What you have now is quantum mechanics, tales of the savvy!” Lilou nibbled at her apple. “In short, a bunch of scientists making up theories about things they don’t know, applying rudimentary knowledge and tech to explain things they don’t understand.”
Jasper tucked his hair behind his ear and jumped in. “That’s how all progress starts, based on trying to find the root of nonsense. That’s how it started on all planets with intelligent life. Theory always comes first! To explain the rest, you’ll have to think of stars.” He steepled his fingers elegantly and began. “A star’s life expectancy depends on its mass; the heavier its mass, the faster it burns. When a small to medium star reaches the end of its life, it can go out in a violent explosion called a supernova leaving behind a small, dense core that continues to collapse—the neutron star.” Jasper leaned forward and cocked his head to meet his wide-eyed audience examining the pictures on display. “If the star was massive enough, the remnant would be a black hole. In plain words, neutron degeneracy pressure cannot tackle gravity’s inward crush, therefore the core collapses to form a black hole.”
Lilou clenched her fingers together in a pulling movement. “Black holes are like superpowered vacuum cleaners sucking everything into them, hence their famous gravitational pull, so don’t go anywhere near one.”
“Lilou, when you said the Alliance protected Earth from catastrophes and gamma ray bursts, what were you referring to?” Zoey leaned in.
“When two neutron stars collide or when a star explodes in a massive supernova, that blast causes a wave of electromagnetic radiation. These two celestial phenomena emit streams of gamma ray bursts that are responsible for mass extinction all over the universe. Earthlings know of them but due to the protection of the Alliance, humans think they happen billions of light-years away from you. Human scientists believe Earth’s atmosphere and ozone layer create a hefty barrier to filter out any unwanted stratosphere penetration.” Lilou was passionate as she spoke, waving her hands and creating patterns with her fingers.
“Let me guess.” Sam fixed her gaze on Lilou and propped her elbows on the table. “We’re wrong here too!”
Lilou’s features gathered on her face to show compassion. “Sadly,” she admitted.
“There was a time we’d allow the universe to take its natural course, yet who would we be if we allowed intelligent life to disappear without at least giving you a chance at evolution?” Alex added.
“Gamma ray bursts are the most violent explosions in the universe, energy, radiation in raw form, immensely frequent in all galaxies. The Alliance shielded Earth so you either don’t perceive them at all or you perceive them as billions of light-years away,” Lilou chirped.
“I guess we owe you one then, huh?” Mia crossed her arms and leaned back against her chair. It felt cold against her back and she couldn’t help but fiddle in her seat.
“You don’t owe us anything. Beck was not wrong about everything, though. This is politics.”
Zoey tensed. “Have all the planets you monitored joined the Alliance?”
Lilou cleared her throat before answering. “All but six of them.”
“And on what grounds have they refused?”
“Care to take the lead on this one, Jasper?” Lilou took another bite out of her apple.
“Upon joining the Alliance, we all work towards a common goal—progress in all fields—but above all, we need to work together. It’s a give-and-receive plan.” Jasper gestured back and forth, inviting Zoey to stare shamelessly at the anatomy of his forearms, his flexor carpi ulnaris unraveling under her gaze in an art-induced fantasy.
Holy crap, is he nice to look at! She shook her head, returning to the seriousness of the conversation.
Alex folded his arms over his chest. “When planets join the Alliance, they deliver all necessary tech and specialists to ensure rapid evolution, from research and infrastructure to the medical field and beyond…”
Before Alex got a chance to continue, Zoey interrupted again. “You said you were relocated.”
“We’re not invincible against nature and the universe. The life of a planet is not eternal, so they relocated us all before our Sun engulfed Opt.”
“Long story short, we lived in a galaxy just like yours, in a solar system just like yours, on a planet just like Earth. Opt had its enemies—our Sun got to us first. Should we have waited a while longer, we’d have crashed against a neighboring galaxy.” Lilou made a point. “Your planet has the exact same natural enemies.”
“You all heard Beck,” Jasper continued. “Your closest major pressing concern is the collision between Andromeda and the Milky Way, merely 3.7 billion years away—he was not wrong about that.”
“What if we don’t reach the level required to join the Alliance by then?” Mia voiced everyone’s thoughts.
Lilou hurried to give Mia’s wrist a squeeze. “You will. Intelligence evolves. Look where you got in only 3.5 billion years! Upon joining the I.P.A., Opt surrendered its individual planetary politics to suit the needs and demands of the Alliance in order to ensure the survival of our species and overall progress.”
“But you’re not slaves of the Alliance like Beck said, are you?” Sam fixed her gaze on Jasper.
Lilou crossed her arms defensively. “Most certainly not! I’m here because I want to. I’ve worked on several different planets in several defense missions
and no one has ever forced us to follow a certain path. It’s the challenge I love. Could you picture me in an office job on Opt?”
Alex took one for the team. “This is the first time we’ve actually been…encouraged to work in this setting—alongside altered subjects and humans alike. Only ambassadors were allowed to mingle and live among your kind before this whole thing went off.”
“Don’t get too flattered, Sam, they’re looking for a hefty comparison chart between humans, optans, and hybrids—hence the bands we’re all wearing.” Mia shook her wrist midair. She’d been under Beck’s wing long enough to read the signs.
Alex leaned on his backrest. “I can’t say you’re wrong, Mia.”
Sam’s face was displaying different shades of worry, so Lilou felt compelled to give her a nudge. “We’re all stronger together, that’s why I chose the Alliance. Plus, getting extra enhancements, working outside our atmosphere—now that’s a huge bonus!”
“Or working with this type of tech.” Alex’s husky voice now carried the residue of guilt, or rather half-guilt, for what he’d said. It was too late for Sam. She lifted her head to scan him but was interrupted by Jasper.
“Look, there’s always going to be a downside to any change, chosen or imposed. I can’t predict the future but I can try and fight for a better one.”
Alex cast another glance at Sam. “The universe is full of surprises and not all of them come in a friendly shape or kind manner. You should know that by now, Sam.”
“I couldn’t have depicted you better myself!” Sam’s reply made everyone cackle, even Alex, who managed to throw a ripe dark cherry at her immaculate white hoodie.
“Oh, this is on, buster!” Sam bounced up and buried a fist in the closest fruit basket.
“Time out, kids! Lilou, I’m trusting you’ll get Emma into an appropriate attire for what’s to follow. You can also go change, Sam.” Jasper winked. “I’ll see you all here in fifteen.”
Zoey was the first to stand up and hurried back to her room as Sam mumbled something that caused Lilou to rip a loud laugh. By the looks of it, and knowing Sam the way she did, Alex was not getting out unharmed—at least verbally.
Only five minutes in and she instantly smiled at the gust of blue coming from behind, toothbrush still in her mouth, eyes pinned to the bathroom mirror.
There he was in all his symmetry of proportion like da Vinci’s Vitruvian Man, propped at the foot of her bed and dressed head to toe in navy blue, except for his powder blue waistcoat.
When did he have time to change? The air grew thinner as she raised her head to stumble upon his features, now somehow superior to descriptive words, his mouth twisting in a half-smile at the sight of her foamy lips. She gasped and spun around to take a mouthful of water and spit it out before turning around to take it all in.
She felt unprepared for the sight of him. Always. Lately.
“It must be weird to barge in on you like this, I’m sorry.” He held his breath, fixing his gaze on the wet tips of her curls.
She took a few shy steps toward him, stopping at an arm’s length only to notice he seemed uneasy. “Nothing’s ever remotely average with you.” She couldn’t keep a steady voice around him just yet, she couldn’t look him in the eye with a proper face.
“I can go if this is not a good time.”
“Don’t,” Zoey said while finally fixing her eyes on his. This new Jasper made her feel numb. She couldn’t find her words and he was obviously searching for his.
“Um…I really don’t know how to tell you this…I let myself slip last night and it was a mistake.” He held his breath and watched her blood-drained face stare back at him. This had been by far the last thing she expected to hear. “I thought I could just surrender to the moment like humans do, but truth is…” he took half a breath, “…we’re very different.”
Intoxicated was how she felt, aware of a heat wave coming from her stomach to her cheeks, heart pounding out of control, palms sweating as she looked for words. The embarrassing paralysis of her half-open mouth forced Jasper to continue in his explanation as to why the most amazing kiss she’d ever experienced had been in fact a “mistake.” To hell with Trenton Beck who made her not forget instead of pulling a disappearing act when she needed it most.
“Zoey, I—I truly am sorry if I led you on. I did it because I shut the door on my senses and pushed all truth out. You…”
She did not allow him to continue.
“I did too.” She spoke quickly. “Quite frankly, I think I was just looking for James in you and you’re obviously not James and I am obviously not over him yet so…best be professional about this and go back to square one…” She spoke with her hands as much as she did with words. “I mean, I’m not saying this because you’re…”
He finished her sentence, tracing his tongue over his lips, almost bemused, “…an alien.”
“I mean, you look just like me, but, I mean,” she was hyperventilating, “I get that you look like me but you’re not like me, our emotional compass is different, our background is different. So, it’s…better if we just forget what happened.”
Shit. She exhaled in her best effort to make herself appear cool and detached. It was not working and he was going to tap into her personal algorithms to see the horror show on display. He’d know, despite the awkward reassuring smile she forced out unconvincingly, wondering why his face was so still, so unmoved, so…
“Can I get you some water?”
Shit. He thinks I look like I need a beverage. “We have to go, Jasper.”
He did not know what to make of her. Did she really mean it? Was she playing human mind games?
He pressed a hand onto the wooden floor and nodded before there was nothing except softener and rain, the proof that this had been in fact the quickest disappearing act she’d ever witnessed.
A knock on the door startled her.
She took a deep breath, half hoping to see him on the other side. “Zoey, have you seen Jasper? I keep trying to call him and he’s not picking up.” Lilou’s head popped in.
“Um…” Zoey raised her shoulders and eyebrows, still tense.
“Oh, now he’s calling!” She rolled her eyes, exasperated, and tapped her band twice. “I need to collect some weapons from your office, I’ll be down in two!”
“All good now?” Zoey tried her best to keep her cool.
“All good. Come, let’s get you with your crew!” Lilou escorted Zoey to the terrace where Emma was all geared up in yoga clothes. Despite the knot in her stomach, she couldn’t help but pull a smile at the sight of Emma.
“Mia and Zoey, Alex will take you from here,” Lilou announced as she turned her gaze to Emma and Sam. “You two, come along!”
They followed Alex down two flights of stairs as Jasper continued his descent to the lab, followed by Lilou and her two apprentices.
‘Team hybrid’ reached a narrow hallway with doors to the left and right and Alex unlocked one of them, allowing the ladies to go in first.
The inside looked a little like an acoustic studio room except for the fact that there was no mic hanging from the ceiling. Instead, a fancy recliner was propped in the middle of the room along with an equally fancy ottoman and huge kalenium screens framing the back and side walls.
The acoustic room look was completed by a window into another room where, most likely, Alex would run his trials, whatever they entailed.
“Zoey, I’d like you to go in first. Have a seat and listen to my voice coming from the speakers above.”
And so she did, hoping to silence her screaming thoughts.
The recliner was as comfortable as could be. She lifted her legs and took over the ottoman, awaiting his next command. Mia took a seat on the small wooden bench behind Alex, observing carefully as he maneuvered the intricate intersat and all the graphs he projected. Algorithms. Zoey’s algorithms.
He turned the speakers on and started mumbling a language that sounded entirely made up to Mia’s ears.
/> “Clearly I haven’t been blessed with any language skills!” Zoey spoke, half irritated. He tried a few dozen more with the same result. Mia didn’t recognize any of the languages either.
“There’s something behind your recliner. I’d like you to close your eyes and concentrate,” Alex spoke in a flat voice. “Can you tell me what it is?”
Zoey closed her eyes and tried. There was nothing in the darkness of her mind, much as she wished to have a superpower worth bragging about, especially one to erase the humiliation flooding her senses.
“Your algorithms are telling me you’re not focused, Zoey.”
She exhaled and tried again. And again. And again. And again.
More tests followed, discarding one by one abilities like several kinds of manipulation, transmutation, combustion, higher consciousness—as if—morphing, shifting. In plain words, Zoey had no enhancement that could have been of service to a greater cause, not even the smallest-scale divine gift. Nothing.
Anxiety festered in her chest, making her jumpy. Moody. All the things she shouldn’t be.
Alex got up and entered the room rubbing the back of his head. He propped one hand on his hip and leaned to speak, his eyes still gleaming at the intersat screen to her right.
But he didn’t speak.
Instead, he tilted his head as if trying to figure out what was wrong with the charts that Zoey didn’t even understand.
“Zoey, I need you to focus on my hands.”
She steadied herself in the recliner and looked at Alex’s now straight pose, holding his arms as if he were to receive a present. For a brief moment, there was nothing. Then there was fire, a flame dancing in shades of purple, swaying over and under his fingers.
Finally, something!
“I see fire!” she announced with flickering hope and tight fists. “I see purple fire!” Her mouth dropped, flabbergasted, hanging onto the one shred of evidence that she could do more, she could be more. Even if she didn’t know what it meant.
Lost in Amber Page 17