Ben Archer

by Rae Knightly

  He dozed off while sifting through the data, waking with a start to a crackling sound. A smooth, metallic voice filled the spacecraft. The words were unintelligible to human ears, yet Mesmo’s brow relaxed.

  “Receiving signal,” the placid voice stated. “Identify.”

  Mesmo let out a shaky breath. “This is Earth Mission. Observer reporting.”

  There was a long silence, and Mesmo knew he had just unleashed great excitement on the other side.

  “Mesmo? Is that you?”

  Because his contact had called him by name, Mesmo already knew who it was. “Yes, Torka.”

  Another silence.

  “We feared the worst,” Torka’s calm voice resonated in the ship. “What happened? I don’t recognize your vessel’s signature.”

  Mesmo’s face became sombre. “The Earth Mission was attacked by an A’hmun rebel. I lost my two vessels…and my crew.” He paused. “Rebel is dead. This is his vessel. I am the sole survivor.” He stopped talking, reflecting on the failure of his mission. He had the seven keys, yes, but there had been too many deaths.

  This time it took several minutes for Torka to get back to him. Mesmo waited expectantly for the metallic voice that came from his Mother Planet.

  “Opening channel to receive data,” Torka said. “The Arch Council is ready to debate the fate of the banished A’hmun. Our forces are gathered at the wormhole…”

  “I’m not sure A’hmun is still the appropriate name for the peoples’ of Earth,” Mesmo reflected half to himself.

  “The Arch Council awaits the keys,” the voice interrupted.

  Mesmo stared at the seven slots without moving.

  “Wormhole closing in four-one units,” Torka continued. “Trajectory stable. Confirm transfer of data…” There was a pause, then Torka added, “…and identify the vessel’s second occupant.”

  Mesmo’s head shot up at Torka’s last words. “Repeat?” he exclaimed.

  The voice came through evenly, yet it turned Mesmo’s blood cold. “We are capturing a second heartbeat in your vessel. Identify.”

  Mesmo whirled. He stared at Bordock, but the shapeshifter had not moved. Yet Torka maintained there was someone else in the vessel with him. Searching feverishly, his gaze fell on the six, large circles outlined on the back wall of the ship–three above and three below. He jumped to his feet and scanned them with his eyes. Tiny lights scintillated next to each tube. A heartbeat registered on one of them.

  The voice insisted behind him, “Identify.”

  Mesmo touched the flickering light with his fingertip, and a sleep-inducing tube slid out effortlessly before him.

  Mesmo gaped at the boy within.

  ***

  Ben opened his eyes. The contour of a man’s strong features hovered above his own.

  “Mesmo!´ he gasped. He straightened into a sitting position and threw himself into the alien’s arms.

  Mesmo almost fell over, but caught himself just in time, then hugged him back. “Benjamin!” he exclaimed. “What are you doing here?”

  Ben hiccupped into Mesmo’s shoulder. “It was Bordock. He brought our bodies to the spaceship, then broke the connection with the spirit portal. I barely registered slipping back into my body before I lost consciousness. I thought you were…I…” The words wouldn’t come as emotion overwhelmed him.

  Mesmo pulled him to a standing position, staring at him with eyebrows drawn together. Ben wondered why his face had turned ashen, but the alien pulled him close and hugged him tightly.

  Ben sniffled into the alien’s sweater. “I’m so glad to see you!” he said. “I thought I was done for.”

  “Oh, Benjamin, you have no idea…” Mesmo said, unable to finish the sentence.

  They held on a while longer in silence, but then Mesmo let him go and said, “Wait a minute. You said Bordock brought our bodies. Do you mean…?” He broke off and rushed to the other sleep-inducing tubes. He activated them, one after the other, until the six tubes had slid out before them. Two were empty, but three contained lifeless forms.

  Ben squinted as both he and Mesmo were drawn to the same tube. It held a young girl with long, white hair. Mesmo grasped the side of the tube, stooping over his daughter.

  “Kaia!” he breathed in a broken voice.

  Ben stood by him, his throat tight, and observed the delicate features and greyish skin of the one who had given him his skill.

  It could have been me.

  His legs feeling wobbly, Ben sank to a crouching position. He leant with his back against the wall of the ship and bent his head in silence while Mesmo spread his arms over Kaia’s tube and rested his forehead against the glass.

  They remained like that for a long time, until a robotic voice crackled through the craft.

  “What’s that?” Ben jumped in alarm.

  Mesmo slowly released the tube. “Home,” he said.

  “Wha…?” He stood in a hurry, excitement washing over him. “You can actually communicate with someone on your home planet, on the other side of the wormhole?”

  Mesmo nodded grimly and sent the tubes containing their precious cargo back into the wall.

  The voice repeated the same thing.

  “What’s he saying?” Ben whispered in awe.

  Mesmo looked at him. “They want to know who’s with me.”

  Ben gulped, suddenly feeling observed. “Oh,” was all he could come up with, then spotted a form hunched in a corner. He gasped in fear. “Mesmo! Is that…?”

  Mesmo turned and approached the lifeless shapeshifter. He deactivated the electrical barrier, bent to his knees and nudged at the alien with the tips of his fingers. “…Bordock, yes,” he confirmed.

  “What happened to him?” Ben breathed.

  Mesmo turned to him and frowned, but instead of answering, he said, “Ben, your hands!”

  Ben lifted them and found that they glowed.

  A tired voice entered his mind.

  Hello, Benjamin Archer. I am happy to see that you are awake.

  “Whoa!” Ben exclaimed as Beetrix lifted from Bordock’s form and landed on the palm of his hand.

  Beetrix! Am I glad to see you! I was afraid you were going to do something stupid.

  The queen bee fluttered her tiny wings without replying.

  Beetrix?

  She remained silent, and Ben sensed her crushing exhaustion.

  “Mesmo, what happened to Bordock?” he asked with fear growing in the pit of his stomach.

  Mesmo frowned. “What do you mean? Don’t you know?”

  “How could I? I was in there.” He gestured to the tubes.

  Mesmo’s eyes narrowed. “You mean, you don’t know what happened at all?”

  Ben shook his head, tears welling in his eyes. “No, but I can already guess. Beetrix sent her hive on Bordock, didn’t she?”

  “Yes, but why are you sad? Aren’t you the one who ordered the attack?”

  Ben’s nostrils flared. “Of course not!” He turned accusing eyes to the queen bee. “Beetrix, I told you not to do that! Why didn’t you listen?” His voice shook as he turned to Mesmo again. “Don’t you see? When a bee stings, it dies. It can only sting once. Beetrix sacrificed her hive to save us from Bordock.”

  “I’m aware of that. But isn’t that what you wanted?”

  Ben shut his eyes. “Argh! No, no! I told Beetrix not to do it. But she went ahead anyway…”

  “Benjamin.” Ben opened his eyes and found Mesmo with his head tilted. “If the hive hadn’t attacked Bordock, we would probably be dead by now. Are you saying they came of their own, free will?”

  Ben was crushed. He stared at Beetrix and nodded.

  Mesmo continued, “With the skill you possess, you could have told the bees to save you, even if it meant sacrificing them. You could have imposed your will on them.” His voice softened. “But you didn’t.”

  Ben sat and rested his head in his hands. “Of course not. I would never ask of anyone–or anything–to risk their life for me
.”

  “Even if it meant losing yours…” Mesmo’s voice trailed off.

  Ben exhaled into his hands.

  Benjamin Archer. Those I lost were soldiers who were raised to protect me. They knew that my future hive will only survive if you do, too. I ask you to speak to your kind on my behalf. You must tell them that the connection between bee colonies is broken. We are lost and confused. Our children are sick. My hive is lost, but, with your help, other hives will thrive.

  Ben slowly slid his head out of his hands and nodded.

  Yes, Beetrix, I promised I would help. And I will.

  The insect buzzed.

  Then let us get out of this box. I need sunlight.

  “What is she saying?” Mesmo asked, observing Ben.

  Ben forced a smile. “She says she wants out. Can we get some fresh air?”

  The metallic voice burst into the spacecraft, and floating screens went wild with symbols.

  “Now what?” Ben exclaimed as he watched the swirling patterns reflecting on the black walls of the ship.

  Mesmo remained still as stone, taking no notice of whatever it was the spacecraft was trying to tell him. Although the otherworldly voice spoke evenly, its continued repetitions made it clear that something was up.

  “Mesmo?” Ben felt pressure mounting. “What’s he saying?”

  For once, Mesmo looked at him straight in the eyes. “He is saying that we have arrived.”

  Ben raised an eyebrow. “Arrived…where?”

  The alien flicked his hand, and the hovering screens vanished, leaving them in total darkness, but then Ben realized the window had cleared, revealing tiny pinpricks of light on the other side. He bent forward. “Wow! Are those stars?” He glanced at Mesmo, his heart pounding, “Are we flying?”

  The alien stared at him intensely, and Ben’s mouth went dry. “Wait a minute…” he said, staring at the darkness again.

  The spacecraft tipped, and a massive planet rose before him, filling the entire window. Brown lines swirled around its yellowish surface while the vessel hurtled below billions of icy rocks that made up row after row of rings that circled it.

  Ben’s eyes almost rolled out of their sockets. “Is…is th-that…?”

  “Saturn.”

  Ben lost his voice altogether. He pressed his hands and nose against the window, his eyes not big enough to take in the immensity of the view that sprawled before him.

  The spacecraft glided to the left, revealing the crackled surface of another globe, this one a beautiful bluish-grey with wrinkles that resembled rivers.

  “And that is Enceladus,” Mesmo said, though Ben’s ears refused to transfer the unbelievable information to his brain.

  The spacecraft slid towards Saturn’s moon, and Ben began making out translucent plumes of water vapor emanating from the celestial body. As the ship approached the surface and entered one of the plumes, a gush of tiny ice particles hit the window like glitter, making Ben jump.

  The spacecraft emerged from the geyser of ice and headed for another particularly long one that reached out in Saturn’s direction, then swirled mid-way and disappeared into nothingness like water going down a drain.

  The metallic voice spoke incessantly, with Mesmo answering in a guttural language.

  “What did you say?” he asked in awe.

  Mesmo did not answer right away. “I told them,” he said finally, “that my cold analysis of the data leads me to conclude that the A’hmun deserve to be crushed once and for all, yet my heart aches to embrace each and every one of them individually...”

  Ben lifted an eyebrow, not understanding.

  Mesmo seemed to have forgotten that he was standing there, and said half to himself, “How does one mend such a paradox?”

  Ben opened his mouth to speak, but the alien said, “Approaching wormhole in zero-seven units. Wormhole closure in three-one units.”

  “Wormhole?” Ben managed, his voice tiny. He could barely stand on his legs. He blinked at the approaching, swirling geyser that was sucked into the pinpoint of a wormhole and forced the words out of his mouth, his heart sinking all the way to his feet as the realization hit him. “You don’t have time to take me back to Earth, do you?”

  He turned slowly to face Mesmo, who stared at him with intense eyes. The alien’s subdued voice sounded far away. “I didn’t know you were on the vessel, Benjamin. If I had known…”

  Ben closed his eyes as dizziness grasped him. He opened them again and knew instantly that he and Mesmo were sharing the same, overwhelming thought.

  One of us is never going home.

  CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO

  Return

  The doorbell chimed through the dark house. Laura, who lay fully clothed on the sofa where her father had placed an unconscious Mesmo so many months back, pulled herself upright with difficulty. Her hair was in a mess, and dark pockets cradled her green eyes.

  She forced herself to the door, pulled the knob and squinted at the sunlight. She hadn’t opened the curtains in three weeks.

  Inspector Hao stood before her, his car parked in the driveway of her father’s house. A black-and-white English Shepherd tugged at its leash, its tongue lolling in excitement. “Sit still, Buddy,” Hao said.

  The dog sat obediently, grinning at his master.

  Hao’s eyebrows knitted together as he glanced at Laura.

  “Any news?” she blurted, unable to contain herself.

  Hao shook his head.

  Even though the sun was shining, she pulled her cardigan closer about her and sunk her chin into it so he wouldn’t see it quiver. She sniffed and moved aside. “Come on in.” Her voice sounded tired.

  Hao cleared his throat. “Actually, do you mind joining me outside? Buddy has been cooped up in the car far too long. I think he’d like to go for a run.”

  Laura nodded and stepped outside reluctantly, closing the door behind her.

  They walked side-by-side–Hao limping somewhat–until they reached the fields where young corn crops reached shoulder length. The late morning was crisp and clean, and Laura could see across the valley to the mountains on the other side. She swallowed a lump in her throat and almost headed back inside, but Buddy sprang before her, barking excitedly and asking to be patted. Laura obliged. Then, the English Shepherd took off down the fields happily.

  “I was at a funeral in Chilliwack this morning,” Hao spoke gently. “We combed the Dugout from top to bottom. And we found something…or more accurately…someone,” he explained.

  Her eyes widened.

  Hao sighed. “We found the remains of Agent Theodore Edmond Connelly. The real Connelly. We think Bordock must have kept him in the spaceship all along, then dumped him in the Dugout in the end.”

  Buddy came back for a pat, then broke away again.

  “He was laid to rest this morning with great honours. His wife, Tamara Connelly, will receive government compensation. Hopefully, she will find some peace knowing her husband didn’t abandon her but died a hero.”

  Laura continued to cover her mouth with her cardigan. She knew he was watching her.

  “I’m sorry,” he continued. “I wish you could have that kind of closure.”

  She nodded in thanks, unable to speak, but now tears popped into her eyes.

  They watched Buddy for some time, then Hao said, “I have been named Head of the National Aerial Division of the CSIS.”

  “I heard,” Laura managed, sniffing. “They said on the news that the former High Inspector was arrested on money laundering charges. Something to do with Victor Hayward.”

  Hao nodded.

  “Congratulations,” Laura said, trying to sound sincere, but her voice sounded hollow instead.

  “Thank you. The point is, I came to tell you that my colleagues are convinced only one alien survived The Cosmic Fall, and that he took his deceased companions and escaped Earth in the remaining spacecraft. They don’t know about Connelly, or what happened to him. They have no clue there was an alien shapeshifte
r involved.”

  He paused. “All this to say that I cleared you and your son’s name. You won’t be bothered by anyone, Laura. Any contact with the CSIS in the future must pass through me.”

  He glanced at her meaningfully. “There is much to do if we are to prepare for the return of the Toreq. Convincing governments to prepare for a possible alien strike in a distant future is going to be an impossible undertaking–what with governments squabbling and so few people knowing the truth. But I have to try, and I may need your help when you feel up to it.”

  Laura glanced at the ground.

  I don’t feel up to it.

  “Take your time,” Hao said gently. “It’s just something for you to consider.”

  She nodded.

  “I…um…,” Hao continued. “I also have another request.”

  Laura glanced at him questioningly.

  He gestured toward the dog. “This new position is going to keep me busy. I’ll be travelling a lot. I won’t really have time to take care of Buddy. So I was wondering…you know…would you be willing…?”

  The English Shepherd sat beside Laura, gazing up at her lovingly.

  She forced a sad smile. “Yes, Inspector, of course. I’ll take care of Buddy.”

  Hao’s stance relaxed as if a weight had been removed from his shoulders. “Thank you,” he said. “And it’s James. None of that Inspector business between us, after what we’ve been through.”

  He shifted uncomfortably. “I wanted to apologize, for your son’s dog. I would have liked to tell Ben myself, but…”

  Laura looked at him in surprise, then said, “It’s ok, James. You don’t have to apologize. It was Bordock’s doing. You were just trying to protect yourself.”

  Hao nodded grimly. “I’d better get going, then,” he said. “I fly back to Toronto tonight.” He glanced at her. “Will you be all right?”

  No, I won’t.

  She nodded silently.

  They headed back to Hao’s car and said their goodbyes.

  ***

  Hao glanced in his rearview mirror as he sped off, Laura becoming smaller and smaller. He set his jaw.

  How does one get over the loss of a son? he thought sadly.