by C. S. Nelson
Eliza smiled. “Would you like me to get started?” she asked.
Jansen smiled back at her for the first time since she had started. “Please.”
Chapter 17: The Second Meeting
“I called this meeting because I have news from the people of Mpho.”
Annie had found herself back in the meeting room below the school, only days after they had held the last one. According to the president, these meetings were supposed to be monthly. She quickly scanned the expressions on the people around the room and realized that this wasn’t a normal occurrence. Everybody looked nervous.
The president clapped his hands together, and Annie didn’t think she had ever seen him so genuinely happy. Tears welled up in his eyes as he stood up in front of his people. “They’re coming early.”
Annie’s mouth fell open. There had been so much thinking she had done in the last couple days. She hadn’t been asked to go out on a mission since Kevin had been demoted. She hadn’t even spoken to any of the other rangers. The new recruits were angry with her for the way she had handled the discovery of Commander Matthew, and the veterans cared for no one but themselves. Annie hadn’t been able to tell anyone anything that she had learned in the last couple days, as no one was to know that she had been in the meeting. The only person that she had trusted with the information ended up not being a person at all. Scott had determined that she was not mentally fit to go on missions. She had been acting strangely. If she were in his position she would have made the same call. Without the missions, Annie had just been sitting in her bunk, thinking too much, waiting for time to go by.
“What do you mean?” the girl that was matched with Dustan asked excitedly.
“The Mpho ships are expected to arrive earlier than previously calculated. They’re going to be here in thirty days.”
People stood up and hugged each other. People began crying from happiness. Annie was high fiving and holding people that she had never met before. She felt sincerely happy for the first time in weeks. As though there was hope for her people again. “We did it!” One of the male breeders grabbed her face and kissed her on the cheeks. “We survived.”
Everything that had been bothering Annie had dissipated for the moment. The end was near. Annie looked over and even saw Summer Henderson smiling genuinely. The Shield was breaking down, and Annie was sure that only she and Zed knew. But now it was all going to be okay. Just thirty days. She could survive in this hostile environment for thirty days.
“I would also like to announce, now, that the breeding program has officially come to an end. For all of those that are not pregnant, cease to continue trying. Your job is complete.”
Annie couldn’t help herself. She looked over at Dustan to see his reaction. Would he be relieved, or would he be upset? Dustan looked at his partner and smiled at her. She patted her stomach in response. They weren’t looking at each other like partners that couldn’t get along, as Dustan had described their relationship just days prior. In fact, they looked very happy together. Annie felt a lump in her throat. She was already pregnant.
“Now is there anyone in the room who has successfully fertilized?” the president asked.
The girl, and two others, one of whom was extremely pregnant, raised their hands proudly. The one who was obviously pregnant rubbed her belly in excitement, smiling at the boy next to her. Annie wondered what it felt like to create life. Maybe back home on Mpho she would get to find out.
The president nodded. “I need to speak to the three of you in private,” he said.
“I thought that nothing was kept secret in these meetings.” Summer looked at the president. Annie could sense that they had been in some sort of argument before this meeting, and Summer was now making it everyone’s problem.
“Yeah, anything you need to say, you can say in front of our partners as well,” the very pregnant girl stated, holding hands with her partner. That was more than a business partnership. Those two were in love.
The president sighed. “The people of Mpho gave us very specific instructions. The sleeping drugs they give us to put our body into hibernation mode for the ride back to Mpho causes major mutations in the babies. It will cause death to the mother before we arrive home. They told us that no pregnant women would be allowed on the ships.”
“So what are we supposed to do about it?” Dustan’s partner asked. “After we worked so hard for this?” Annie had to stop herself from rolling her eyes. This breeder wouldn’t have known hard work if she had stumbled over it.
“Unfortunately, we’re going to have to ask you to abort.”
The celebration in the room only moments before had completely vanished. “She’s seven months pregnant,” the boy holding the hand of his extremely pregnant partner said.
“I know this, and I am deeply apologetic.” The president pursed his lips. Annie could see in his eyes that he wasn’t very apologetic at all. The president was thinking of nothing but the ship’s early arrival.
“We only created this child because you told us to.” Very pregnant’s voice was shaking. “You can’t tell us now that it was a mistake and I have to get rid of my baby.”
The president nodded. “I know. There was no way for us to know what was to come. I’m very sor-”
“No. This is no longer a fetus. This is my child. I am not allowing you to murder him or her.” There were now tears streaming down her face. Annie could see the partner’s eyes getting cloudy as well. “My baby is due to arrive only two weeks after the ship arrives. This isn’t fair.”
Dustan’s partner was crying, as was the other girl who had raised their hand. Losing any pregnancy in the Shield was considered a tragedy, especially with the dwindling survival rate of humanity. But this wasn’t losing a pregnancy; this was intentionally taking a life away. Annie had heard that in the past it had been very simple to get rid of unwanted pregnancies, with just a pill. It wasn’t like that in the Shield. Annie had been alive during one abortion, necessary for the mother’s wellbeing. The procedure had gone so horribly wrong that the mother had died anyway.
“I am very sorry to have to be the one to tell you this,” the president laughed nervously. “But if you do not get rid of the child, you will not be welcome on the ship returning to Mpho. There are no exceptions.”
Dustan’s partner slammed her hand down on the table. “You’re telling me that I have to choose between going home or the life of my child?”
“That’s exactly what we’re telling you,” Summer said. She was tired of the conversation.
“Darling, a little compassion…” the president whispered.
Summer stood up, looking around the room. “My great-great-great-great-great-great-great grandfather, Albert Henderson, did not invent these Shields for us to bitch and complain about when we were being rescued. He invented the Shields to give us a place to live, a safe place to sleep and eat, and to ensure the human race survived.” Summer was pacing back and forth. Annie could sense that she had practiced this speech in the mirror at home. “We listened to what the people of Mpho asked of us. To breed as many humans as we could, to allow them to have as many test subjects as possible for the next planet experiment…”
Annie felt sick to her stomach. They were being bred on Earth like lab rats. As far as Annie had known, for hundreds of years, the breeders had been constantly birthing. No one had ever understood why, especially when it was necessary for the rangers to go out on retrieval missions for food and medicine due to shortages. But this was why. As the Shields were failing, Mpho was becoming more concerned about their lack of test subjects. So if they bred like rabbits, they would get to go home, while sending their children, brothers, and sisters off to another planet to die.
Some of the male breeders, Annie knew, were parents to over forty children. Dustan had already impregnated two. Annie had once thought that she was free. Outside of the career that she was placed into, she got to make her own decisions and live her own life. But it wasn’t her life at al
l. Every path that she thought she had chosen for herself had actually been placed before her, just to improve the lives of the humans back on their home planet.
Annie had been going out on missions to bring food, and water, and medicine, just to keep test subjects alive. Anthony had died trying to keep test subjects alive. Kevin had been demoted and was being held against his will, to try and save outsiders. Every person that had ever lived and died on this planet had done so under the careful watch of another planet.
Summer was still speaking, but Annie couldn’t focus on the words. She had known so little about the life she had been living. She would have put up a much bigger fight to keep Anthony safe in the Shield if she had known why they were collecting supplies. She wasn’t even convinced that she would have gone herself. Especially before she had been invited to go on the safe ship. All of these people were risking their lives just to die on another planet.
“…so if anyone asks again, you will automatically be placed on the experimental ship,” Summer finished.
Annie looked at the three pregnant girls. One was trying to hold it together, but Dustan’s partner and the extremely pregnant girl were both inconsolable. Annie was having a hard time keeping herself from crying just from looking at them. Regardless of what children were being bred for, what everyone she knew had been bred for, they were still being forced to murder their babies.
“Obviously, if any of you three need to come talk to Summer or I for moral support, for help, for anything that you need, please feel free. My office is open to you.”
Annie snorted, which drew attention from those around her. The thought of going to Summer for moral support made her want to vomit. Summer was such a sour, angry person that Annie had a hard time believing the woman had ever felt compassion in her life. Annie looked up and realized that Summer had been staring at her. As they locked eyes, Summer very deliberately leaned over and whispered something into the ear of the breeder next to her. Annie knew that Summer had wanted her to see it, but she refused to wonder what had been said.
“Now we need to discuss departure day. Annie, I would like you to be the messenger for the rest of the rangers. Please give this letter to Scott.” The president slid a sealed letter across the table. “It basically explains that the rangers will no longer be leaving the Shield, at all. We’re on lockdown mode, we have enough food to last us the month. It gives instruction on what the rangers will be doing, and specifically, how they will be assisting the citizens with getting onto the ships when they arrive.”
Annie slid the envelope into her jacket and leaned back. “Will Scott be joining us on the homebound ship?” she asked.
“Scott has done nothing to prove his worth to us or the people of Mpho,” the president replied.
Annie sunk in her seat a little more. “So what do I tell him?”
“Tell him absolutely nothing,” the president said. “The letter is incredibly detailed. It gives him all the information he needs to know to get everyone on the correct ship. Follow his lead. Pretend you know nothing.”
Annie had never liked lying, but over the last few months had realized she was pretty good at it. “Understood,” she said. She would do her best to convince the rangers, but she knew deep in her heart that she wanted the secret to come out.
“As far as I know, the plan will be that the experimental ship will arrive first. We will lead the citizens, ensure that everyone is on the ship safely, and then once it leaves our ship will pick us up. Remember we will have to pick up the commander from his hospital bed. The people on Mpho asked for him specifically.”
Annie was surprised that the commander was so important, considering the way he had been treated on Earth. But, she supposed, that was why they had been keeping him alive, instead of killing him. There was a reason that the commander needed to go back to Mpho. He must have had something that the experimenters needed.
“Are there any further questions?” the president asked. “We’ll have another meeting in the week before the ship arrives, but other than that, we’re finished.”
“When will we be making this information public?” someone asked.
“I will be announcing the ship’s early arrival tomorrow afternoon,” Summer responded.
“And with that, this meeting is over.” The president clapped his hands together.
Everyone stood up and began to shuffle out of the room. Some in a somber mood, some excited. But everyone remained quiet out of respect for the pregnant women. Annie found herself at the back of the pack.
Annie stopped, and watched as every person left the meeting room. Eventually, the sounds of the footsteps heading up the stone stairs disappeared altogether, and she found herself alone. Annie looked around the room, confused by everything she had heard and about what was going to happen in the future.
She heard rustling through the room behind the curtain on the other side of the meeting table. She hesitated for a moment, knowing that she wasn’t supposed to be here by herself. But with all the excitement about the announcement, no one had been especially careful in making sure everyone had left. Her hand had been on the curtain to leave, but it dropped to her side. Annie crossed the room silently and entered the room, revealing a run down kitchen that the servants must have used to prepare food for the president during meetings. And there he was, standing in the middle of the kitchen, cleaning up.
“Kevin!” Annie gasped, sprinting at him and throwing herself into his arms.
He felt weak; in the past couple weeks he had lost significant weight. But he wrapped her up in his arms and held on as though he would never let go. “Annie…” He even sounded void of life. How could he have lost so much of his spirit in just a few weeks?
Annie grabbed his face with both of her hands and kissed him hard. He pulled his fingers through her hair, and for a few seconds it was as though they had never been separated. “Kevin, I’ve missed you so much!” Annie hadn’t even realized that she had begun crying, until she felt him gently wipe her tears away. “I’ve been so alone. I’m so scared.”
Kevin nodded. “I’ve been scared too,” he whispered, kissing her again. She couldn't imagine what he had seen, what he had been through. Nobody that had dropped this much weight this fast was living any kind of healthy lifestyle.
“The ships are coming early.” Annie pulled him into the corner, lowering her voice just in case somehow someone could hear her, even though she knew that they were alone. “I’m being sent to Mpho with a select few, and the rest of you are being sent to another planet to see if you can survive and colonize.”
Kevin sighed. He already knew the plan. He had been hearing them talk about it while serving them over the last month. “I’m so happy for you. You got yourself on the safe ship.” He placed his hand on her cheek warmly. His words meant well, but it was easy to see that Kevin was heartbroken. He was going to be sent to a completely different planet. Annie would never know if he survived, and even if he did, she would never hear from him again.
“I’m going to figure this out, Kevin,” Annie promised. “I’m going to bring you with me.”
Kevin chuckled gently. “It’s okay, Annie,” he said. “Don’t worry about me.”
“Why are you giving up so easily?” Annie asked. This was not the Kevin that she knew. He had been the only person lighting a fire underneath her while she trained. “I can figure this out. I have time. I have a month.”
“You and I both know what the president is like. There isn’t going to be a chance for me to just walk onto the ship with no questions asked. Annie, I need you to do this for me, in case we don’t see each other again…”
Annie pushed away from him, tears still streaming down her face. “Don’t do that…" she begged. "Don’t say goodbye,” Annie had just found him again, the one person that she knew that she could trust. She had been convinced, in her loneliness that Zed had been on her side. He had filled the empty space next to her that had once been filled by her best friend Anthony, and then afte
r that by Kevin. But they all disappeared eventually in the Shield. “I can’t lose you again.”
Kevin shrugged empathetically. “You know what you have to do, Annie. Save yourself. Your only option is to go safely to Mpho where you can live freely, and not worry about me. I’ll survive, I always do.”
“But…”
He held his hand up, silencing her. “Annie, I made my decision. I knew the consequences. You’re going to a place where you can step outside without fear of getting killed. Where you can eat as much as you want without worrying about running out of food. Of…loving those you want to love without being afraid of them being taken away from you. You can have children. Your own children. You’ll get to sleep as long as you want, and wear clothes that haven’t been worn by others before you. A world that only our ancestors knew of.”
She wiped tears away from her cheeks, staring at the floor. “But I want you there with me.”
Kevin nodded, holding a forced smile. “I know,” he said, running his fingers through her hair. They embraced again and Annie realized she would be happy if she never let go. But, like most things that had happened to her in the last few months, the moment got ripped away. The sound of footsteps down the staircase separated the two of them, and Annie and Kevin heard voices. “You shouldn’t be here, you need to hide,” Kevin whispered. The look of panic on his face made Annie realize how important it was for her not to be seen with him. She wouldn't be able to live with herself if she caused him to be punished.
Annie looked around the makeshift kitchen they were standing in. There was a rundown refrigerator, something that was rarely found in the Shield. A sink with drawers surrounding it and a small counter. To her left was an oven, another rare commodity in the Shield. Their meetings frequently lasted long enough to need food to be prepared for the attendees. Even in her moment of panic, she still took a second to think about how unfair it was that even in their secret meeting place, the people in power still had more than everyone else.
