The Loctorian Chronicles Intercept

by Andi Feron

  Mrs. Monroe opened my door without knocking. “Good to see you’re ready to get started. We’re going to stop for a quick lunch in the mess hall and then we’ll be off for a hike to a village a few kilometers from here. Glad to see you have your boots on.”

  I smirked at the irony. Golf carts transported us a couple hundred feet to the garage, but we were to hike a few kilometers to the village. I’d never been much into walking long distances. At summer camp I picked horseback riding over hiking. It would be a long afternoon.

  As promised, we ate lunch before being directed outside. Our group consisted of about twenty soldiers, Mrs. Monroe, and Gabriel. The soldiers lined up without verbal order into perfect rows of ten. Mrs. Monroe directed Gabriel and me to the middle, and she led in front with the admiral from earlier. The pace of the hike was a bit much for me, but I kept up. Gabriel and I stayed silent until about a kilometer into the hike, then it was as if he could no longer remain reserved.

  “Althea, it’s good to see you,” he said.

  A soldier behind him gave him a jab. We were expected to keep formation in silence. I wouldn’t be separated from him again, at least not without a fight. My mind began to wander to the fact that Gabriel had probably undergone capsulization, and I wondered what his new ability was. Too bad it didn’t include a form of telepathy.

  We hiked for a couple hours longer, and I felt my legs would give out any moment. As we climbed up the final hill, more stone buildings began to appear about a hundred yards ahead. Three figures in dark brown robes approached us. I couldn’t tell who wore them as the hoods were large enough that no face escaped from within the deep entrenchment of the robes. When a hand moved forward to shake the admiral and Mrs. Monroe’s hands, it looked elongated and boney.

  We would camp near the village for the night. Tents would be set up along the southern border of the town. The soldiers got to work setting up the camp as Mrs. Monroe told Gabriel and me to follow her.

  We walked into town and down to the third building on the right. The buildings were made of the same dull yellow rock from the city. They towered high above us, but there were only windows far enough up to indicate a second story. The three robed figures left us at the entrance of one of the buildings. We followed Mrs. Monroe inside and I held in my gasp as best I could, releasing only a slight wisp of air from my mouth.

  There stood three humanoid creatures. Extremely pale, almost to the point of illumination, their faces looked to be crumbling in certain spots. They had no ears. Their eyes were only slightly bigger than a typical humans, with a small nose and mouth. They were utterly bald with smooth heads. They wore burgundy robes that covered the rest of their bodies.

  The three Loctorians led us down a hall to a large open room. There were smaller versions of the humanoid creatures, and I inferred them to be Loctorian children. Their faces were soft and even cute, but they had the same deterioration as the adults. The three adults left us alone in the room with the children.

  Mrs. Monroe explained, “These children are orphans. Almost a hundred percent have lost parents to the virus and suffer themselves. Recently the virus has picked up speed, and we are unsure if the new generation of Loctorian children will reach adulthood. We are at a grave turning point in the war, and this is the urgency at which we have brought you both here. You need to see the devastation in the worst possible way. This is why we need both of you on the front lines. You may have been brought here against your will, but I would say fate superseded on your behalf.”

  “Can’t I just heal them all?” I asked.

  “You could perhaps patch them up, but the virus is now written into their RNA. Unless you develop the ability to rewrite that, your healing would only be temporary. It may ease their physical failings only to have them disintegrate again not long after you left. You would be chasing your own tail of sorts.”

  All the children were wearing deep blue pajama-type outfits. There were about thirty of them in the room submerged in various activities. A few sat at a table putting together a project that resembled a fancy 3D puzzle. I saw one child sitting, facing the far wall. I walked over to him, moving slowly so as not to startle him. I was curious about what he was doing. As I drew closer, I saw he was using his finger to draw imaginary pictures on the carpet.

  I was taken aback by his hands. They seemed to be dissolving as the seconds passed, as though they were made of packed sand that delicately flaked with the simplest of movements. I noticed six fingers on the hands of the other Loctorians, but he had only four on his left and three on his right. He glanced up at me with his piercing blue eyes then he went back to his invisible artwork.

  “Hello! My name is Althea.”

  “Zalseph,” he kept his gaze pinned to the carpet.

  “Nice to meet you, Zalseph. May I ask what you are drawing?”

  “My mother and father and sister and me all eating porge pull. Talking about our day and how much we love each other.”

  “How lovely?” I smiled at the sweet thoughts of his drawing.

  “It’s how things used to be. When we were all together. Before I came here.”

  “Where is your family now?”

  “The disease took them. None of them are left, so I was brought here until the disease takes me as well.”

  My breathing paused at his words. I could feel the edging of tears about to escape from my tear ducts. I knew this was an orphanage. I knew there was a virus killing this entire species, but I still had not pieced together that his whole family was gone. I withheld my tears, not wishing to impart my sadness into this child. He held enough sorrow to bring an adult down.

  “I’ll be right back.” I got up and approached Mrs. Monroe. “Can’t we get real art supplies here so their creativity can be brought out more than temporary carpet movement?”

  “Yes, we have some pen and paper we can spare back at camp. I’ll send word to have them sent.”

  Within twenty minutes, the supplies arrived. Notebook paper and three black pens. I walked over to Zalseph and crouched down to his level.

  “Would you like to draw with me? With real paper and pen?” I asked. Zalseph nodded, and I pointed to a table. We walked to a small orange table and sat across from each other. I gave him a few sheets of paper and one of the pens. “Let’s draw more happy thoughts, like your family dinner.”

  I had never been an artist, that was Seraphine’s department, but I drew John and me as stick figures in my treehouse. Many memories were made inside that tree house over so many years. I was put to shame when I saw Zalseph’s drawing. His sketch was unbelievably realistic. He drew his parents and sister smiling in front of one of the rock buildings.

  “That’s beautiful, Zalseph,” I said.

  I was genuinely impressed at the beauty and depth he gave his drawing, and he had done so with only three fingers to clutch the pen. Zalseph and I drew for most of the afternoon, then he taught me a couple of games I’d never heard of before. Dinner was called, and I followed Zalseph to a larger table in what appeared to be a dining hall. He asked me to sit with him. Gabriel and Mrs. Monroe walked to the other side of the room and sat down at a table about six seats down from ours.

  We were given a green stew that I wasn’t sure I would be fond of. Zalseph gobbled it down as though it was cake on his birthday. I thought it best if I didn’t offend our hostesses and took a bite. The soup tasted similar to a pea soup recipe that my mother used to make. She died when I was five, but somehow the taste brought the memory of cold January mornings forward in my mind.

  After dinner, the children were put to bed still wearing their velvety clothes. Mrs. Monroe led Gabriel and me back to camp, and we were assigned a tent together with three other soldiers. The tents had grey cots with two heavy blankets and a pillow each. I climbed onto mine, and Gabriel chose the one closest to me. He casually passed me a note as if we were school children trying not to be caught by the teacher.

  The note read: Meet me outside behind the large tree about f
ive minutes after I leave.

  Gabriel waited until he was sure the soldiers were asleep before he slipped out the back. Two other soldiers were on guard, but they were guarding away from the village where a likely attack would occur should there be one. I waited for what I deduced was five minutes then went out to join him.

  I went behind the tree, but visibility was low as a gray fog had crept in when we arrived back at camp. The mist remained firmly around the village, but no one seemed to flinch at its arrival. The large tree consisted of red pine needles that drooped, similar to a weeping willow. I looked for Gabriel but didn’t see him.

  “Gabriel?” I whispered, afraid that even the slightest sound would get us caught.

  “Over here.” I could hear him but still couldn’t locate him.

  Grass moved as if footprints were being made by the wind. Two feet materialized in front of me. Gabriel suddenly stood there, and I was having trouble figuring out what had happened

  “You’re looking at a level-six chameleon. I can change with the environment. Lower levels can simply blend in while stationary.”

  “What can a higher level do?”

  “I’m not completely sure, but I think it has to do with making more than yourself invisible, like other people and things. What about you? I’m sure you’re here because you underwent activation as well?”

  “I’m a healer. I healed a bunch of animals and people, as well as brought two dead men back to life. They didn’t know what tier to give me. But activation, huh? You make us sound like androids.”

  “Kind of feel like one now. I was having trouble coming onboard my team, so I’m on this mission to gain sympathy for the aliens we’re supposed to be fighting for. Seems to be working for you with that little alien boy.”

  I nodded. “Zalseph? Yeah, I suppose I’m growing attached to him. I wanted to tell you I’m sorry about all of this.”

  “Why are you sorry? They kidnapped all of us and forced us to gain superpowers. Sounds cool when I put it that way.”

  “My brother and my former boyfriend brought us here. I feel bad for inviting you to the movies that night.”

  Gabriel grinned. “Yes, socializing with you did come with a hefty price tag.”

  “Have you seen John?”

  “No, haven’t seen him since they broke us all up. What’s your plan after we get back to base? Should we plot a giant escape doomed for failure, or do you think we should fight for the space lepers?” Gabriel laughed.

  I smiled at Gabriel’s bluntness. “I don’t know, as you said, escape seems doomed for failure. I mean, have you taken a course in spacecraft flight? Haven’t you wanted more for your life? This could be it.”

  “I mean, on some level, doesn’t everyone? That’s why children play superheroes and royalty. Everyone wants to believe there is more than ordinary, at least for them. Something that makes your life more meaningful than everyone else’s.”

  I nodded, knowing all too well what he described. There was this pull I felt when Talon first told me about the war. I wondered if maybe my calling was different than fighting battles and healing soldiers. Perhaps I should be working to cure the virus. Maybe my healing abilities would someday break the barrier of RNA manipulation, and I could heal this race of dying aliens.

  Talon had said the virus was hindering most of these aliens from having super abilities. Maybe, if I could cure the virus, these aliens would regain abilities like the ones they gave to humans. The Loctorians could fight their own war and win. At this moment I would settle for saving Zalseph. I’d known him hours and he had already crept into my heart. Gabriel and I inched back to base and climbed into our cots.

  The plan was to stay at the camp outside of the village for the next seven days. On the second day, I brought some string that Mrs. Monroe had to do crafts with. I showed Zalseph and the other kids how to make friendship bracelets. Using his artistic instinct, Zalseph learned quickly how to design his bracelet. He handed me a pink and purple bracelet and told me that it was mine since I was his friend. I gave him the blue and green one I made. He happily placed it on his wrist.

  By day four, I decided that Zalseph should come back with me. He had no family, and surely I could provide something better for him than an orphanage could. I could work with Jasper on a cure, and having him close would help ensure he benefitted. I would be determined to bring a cure to his body, then I could bring the treatment back to all his friends. Mrs. Monroe was talking to one of the orphanage workers when I decided to approach her.

  I waited for a break in their conversation before speaking. “I was wondering what the process for adoption looks like for this orphanage?”

  “No one adopts these children. It is more of a hospice where they remain as comfortable as possible until they pass,” Mrs. Monroe said.

  “I want to change that. I would like to adopt Zalseph and bring him back with us. I have plenty of room in my quarters, and I could see that he is cared for.”

  “That’s not possible. Taking him from this environment would prove not in his best interest. Thrusting a Loctorian child into a human world would be too traumatic, especially a child with such a grave illness.”

  “I want to figure out how to cure his illness. I’m sure it would be an adjustment, but he had a family, he understands the concept, and love is a universal language. I’m even willing to take a second child if companionship is part of the issue.”

  “These aren’t puppies you are adopting from a shelter. They are sentient beings.” Mrs. Monroe shook her head.

  I felt a bit flustered that my loving intentions were being misconstrued as a flippant sentimental gesture. “I didn’t mean to imply he was a rescue dog. I would make him a son. You want me to use abilities that were forced upon me to fight in your war. You expect me to trust you enough, but you will not allow me to find a way to help the Loctorians in a way that is meaningful to me.”

  Mrs. Monroe pursed her lips. She looked as if she might send a glare my way but kept her composed demeanor. “That’s the first thing you will have to learn. We make decisions for humans and Loctorians as a whole, and sometimes that means the needs of an individual are overlooked. You cannot take Zalseph back with us.”

  I narrowed my eyes. “I question who is the good in this war. You can kill me, you can lock me up, and you can punish me. But you can’t force me to fight your war. You leave children to die alone without families. You can’t save them all, but you could save one or two and help develop a cure for them.”

  Mrs. Monroe took a deep breath. “All we have done for decades is try to find a cure. You are arrogant to believe you can outsmart the greatest minds of doctors and scientists. A simple college freshman with nothing going for her until she was privileged enough to undergo capsulization and become something different, more than herself. You should be thanking us instead of making demands.”

  This conversation escalated much further than I intended, but my disappointment was more significant than I anticipated. I struggled with visions of saving Zalseph and his friends from the fate of slowly turning to dust. I left back to camp to sulk in my failure. I sat on the edge of my cot with my feet moving the brown dirt around into multiple spiral formations.

  I wanted to go back to Earth at this point. Part of me did anyway. I was acting much like a small child who hadn’t gotten her way. The rest of me knew that even though I’d been forced to become a healer, that’s what I was and I couldn’t deny that to those who needed it. Either way, I needed to find John because going back without him was not an option. Gabriel entered the tent.

  He reached under his cot and pulled out his supply bag. “What’s up? You missing home?”

  “No, I had the silly idea of adopting Zalseph and curing him. Mrs. Monroe shot me down.”

  Gabriel’s smile teetered, threatening to escalate into laughter, but he held back. “Of course you would go and fall for the orphans so much you’d want to change your life even more and become their mother.”

&nbs
p; “What’s that supposed to mean?”

  “John told me how you always used to help hurt animals. And then that time you tried to free all the dogs out of the kill shelter and your brother had to pick you up at the sheriff’s station.”

  “Yes, not my proudest moment. I do compassion on overkill regularly.”

  I said the last part with sarcasm but I knew John would say it was the truth. He seemed to see me in the type of light that the bad things were washed out. The bad was there, but he couldn’t see them because the light he saw me with was falsely too bright.

  “I better get back or else they’ll come looking for me. Good luck with your philanthropist endeavors.” He gave me a little wave as he left the tent.

  I skipped dinner and headed to bed early. I would spend as much time as I could with Zalseph over the next few days and then I would vow to find that cure and bring it back to him. I couldn’t take my mind off having to leave him. I began to drift off when a loud boom jarred me awake. Soldiers jumped up and grabbed their tactical bags. They ran out of the tent. Gabriel was on his feet at this point. I looked at him, wondering if he knew what was happening.

  “I do believe we are experiencing our first Khalbytian attack,” he said.

  Another loud boom and the ground shook. That one seemed closer.

  “The village is under attack. Tactical stations!” I heard Mrs. Monroe bellowing orders through the tent walls.

  “Zalseph! I have to get to him.” I flew out of the tent and began running for the village.

  “Hold on, they’ll see you.” Gabriel grabbed my hand, and my body began to dissolve. Gabriel was blending both of us, even though he had said that he had to be a higher level for that. We ran for the village. I had the brief thought I could be getting Gabriel killed, but I also knew he was aware of the risk of running toward explosions. The village was a hundred yards away, but it felt farther.

  Time moved slowly around me as I rushed to find Zalseph. Smoke rose from the village. We ran to the end of town, and my heart sank. The orphanage had been hit but was still partially standing. I needed to find Zalseph and get him to safety. I launched straight for the rubble, hoping he made his way to the corner that was still standing.