The Phoenix Wars: Book I, Reprieve

by C. R. Daems

  One woman raised a hand. The Anixian pointed his hand towards her. "Yes, Amelia," he asked using her name. Surprised until I realized he knew a lot about each of us, since he knew our medical condition, our life expectancy, where we lived, etc.

  "What happens now?" She had a mop of unruly red hair, a pixy face that looked full of devilish mischief, and a let's get started attitude in her voice. Just then, I felt the ankle restraints release.

  "A good question which I would wager is on everyone's mind. You will be led into a large auditorium where you will be fed while you listen to a lecture on the various professions available to you. Then you will be issued clothing, assigned quarters where you can refresh yourself and relax, and have time to fill out a questionnaire we can use to evaluate your needs and where you will fit most comfortably into your new society."

  I raised my hand along with several others. When he pointed a hand toward me, I stood. "Sir, what are the patches and stripes on the medic's uniforms?"

  "A very practical question, Kayla, but best not answered here. You will have a chance to study each profession in detail over the next couple of weeks. For now, it will be enough to know that the color of the uniform indicates one's function, white medical, purple teacher, etc." He held up his hand. "I'm informed we are ready to depart. If you would please line up towards the rear door, we will be exiting the ship shortly."

  Obviously, a very structured environment, and, like the military, identification to tell everyone where you fit, I mused as I entered the line around ten back from the door, which was still closed.

  "Hi, Kayla, I'm Todd, formally from Colorado." He smiled. Todd was a tall, lanky youth who looked to be about eighteen. He had a friendly angular face, straight nose, brown eyes, brown hair cut just over his ears, and a wispy growth of hair around his chin. I surveyed him only to discover he was wearing a long straight nightgown, and to my horror, I was in my two-piece pajamas with bunnies everywhere. Looking around in horror, I discovered we were all in nightwear of various shapes, designs, and materials, including hospital gowns. Todd smiled as he saw the shock on my face.

  "I guess nobody had time to change into something more appropriate." He laughed and nodded toward two individuals, each with their sheet wrapped around them. "I think a couple were less prepared than we were."

  "I was prepared to go, but no one told me what time the bus was leaving, or I would have packed," I quipped. "What about you?"

  "I developed motor neuron disease, ALS, when I was very young, and my time was running out fast. I don't know what they have in store for us, but it has to be better than my last ten years. What did you have?"

  "An inoperable brain tumor. Thankfully, it was quick." I decided to change topics. That was history, and we had the future to deal with. "What do you think of this deal we've made?"

  "So far so good. I'm whole for the first time in my memory. I have control over my muscles, have no pain, and have a full life ahead of me. The only question is the price." He laughed. "It brings back that old saying, 'If something appears too good to be true, it probably is.'"

  I nodded, feeling in total agreement. Just then, the door opened, and the line began moving forward. It looked to be a massive underground cave that was large enough to hold the cruiser that freed or kidnapped us. Being underground, it was impossible to determine whether we had been transported to another solar system. Looking at the cruiser, I was inclined to believe the story we were told. The ship was at least two stories high and a city block long. I could see several other smaller vehicles, also without wings. They were small and couldn't hold more than a few people. We were led further into the mountain through a long narrow tunnel, allowing only two or three persons to walk side-by-side. The five-minute walk led to a large room with comfortable chairs designed for humans. The room had a raised platform, and monitors and speakers hung high on the rock walls every fifteen meters.

  Our mystery man in purple walked up the five stone steps onto the platform to a podium and turned to face us.

  "Once again, welcome. This is our immigration indoctrination center where you will be processed, familiarized with the human community on Anixia, and given classes to prepare you to select a profession of your choice," he said through the speakers, or maybe it was a recorded speech given to each new group. "Today, you will be assigned quarters, given a wardrobe of clothing, and allowed the remainder of the day to relax and refresh yourselves. Meals will be brought to you at the appropriate times." He or the recorded speech paused for a minute before continuing. "Tomorrow, the medical staff will examine you, correct any small problems, and vaccinate you against potential viruses humans can catch on Anixia. On the third day, classes will begin. You will be given one subject at a time and tested when the class is over. That is part of our evaluation of you and will be considered when we evaluate your choice of professions. We want you to be comfortable here and would like to give everyone their first choice, but like on Earth, not everyone is suited for every position. As our, and now your, very existence depends on everyone on Anixia contributing to our survival. While in this facility, men will be assigned to the quarter through the door on the left and women the door on the right." He pointed to each door in turn. One door had a male peacock with its tail feathers raised in a beautiful blue-green fan, while the other door had the image of a peahen. "All classes will be held in this room."

  "What about transgenders?" a young man in his early twenties asked with a note of defiance in his voice.

  "That mix up in your DNA will be fixed. For now, you will use the sex you are currently assigned."

  "So this isn't a free society!" the same young man shouted.

  "Freedom is an illusion, Douglas. No society is free because for a society to exist, there must be laws. The existence of laws means you are not free to do whatever you want. No one would want a totally free society. The atrocities would be unimaginable."

  "What if I don't want to live in your society? After all, we were all kidnapped," he shouted.

  "Technically, you weren't kidnapped since you were given a choice to return. But to answer your question, you would be banished. We on Anixia are fighting for our lives. We don't need citizens unwilling to cooperate. So you have a choice, cooperate or leave."

  That certainly answered a question we've all had on our minds, I mused. We saved you. Now help save us or leave, and judging by the landscape we were shown on the ship, the planet's surface wasn't habitable thanks to the Tullizor.

  "That's all for now. Please exit to your assigned quarters for processing."

  I stood with the rest of my fellow humans and proceeded through the door on the right. Inside were a double row of beds, toilet facilities including showers, and on the far side two desks with women waving for us to join them. I chose the one on the far left. The woman looked at me and then at a computer monitor on her desk before speaking.

  "Good afternoon, Kayla. I'm Samantha," said a woman in her early thirties. She stuck out her hand in welcome, which I shook. She had a round friendly face that was smiling. Her light brown hair was long and tied in a ponytail, and her body looked trim and in good shape. Her uniform was a light green, and I got a good look at the sleeve on her left forearm–a metal band approximately fifteen centimeters long. The front side had Samantha, a beautiful blue and gold bird, and to the side, two stars. When I nodded, she rotated her arm, and I could see a computer-like screen with several icons and a keyboard. She stood patiently while I inspected the metal sleeve. "The different birds let the Anixians know which house the person belongs to. Each bird is native to Earth and was assigned based on the bird's characteristics. The two stars designate that I am fully qualified in my specialty. The device also acts as a communication device. I know from experience that this is all very confusing, but let me assure you the Anixia are not evil; in fact, they are pacifists trying to survive in a galaxy full of predators. This isn't a bad price for curing a disease that would have killed me. Think of it as immigrating to a new cou
ntry to escape a cruel dictator who was having people with your condition executed."

  "Or like being born again," I said. She nodded.

  "With that attitude, you'll do well here, Kayla. Grab the box behind me labeled K13. You will find everything you need to get started. If you require anything additional, come see me or one of the other ladies. One of us will be here twenty-eight hours a day. We are here to help you get settled in. Your assigned bed is also labeled K13."

  I grabbed the box labelled K13 and dropped it on the bed marked K13, which was the thirteenth bed in the first row of beds. Inside, I found two gray uniforms which fit perfectly, toilet articles ranging from a toothbrush and toothpaste to a hairbrush and tampons.

  "Looks like they were expecting us," said a tall blond who looked and sounded Swedish. "My name is Hanna." She reached across the bunk next to me, and we shook hands."

  "Hi, I'm Kayla. They are very organized. I imagine they had a few days on their ship to get everything we would need ready. They obviously had to spy on us to know our medical conditions," I said, feeling violated and yet grateful.

  That evening, or at least that is what the digital clock on the wall indicated, it read 21:03, and Samantha had said they had a twenty-eight-hour day, we were served a tasty goulash-like meal, bread, and lime-tasting drink. There were fifty-three women in the room, ranging from their early teens to their mid-forties. We each gave our name, country, and a general background as we sat at the two long wooden tables along one wall.

  "Hi, I'm Kayla from Arizona. I'm seventeen and had an inoperable brain tumor," I said when my turn came. We were a virtual United Nations, although the majority came from Europe, Asia, and North America. Hanna, Hyun, who sat next to Hanna, and I spent the dinner getting to know each other.

  "Well, what do you think?" Hanna asked after we had finished dinner and sat in one corner of the room, talking.

  "I feel normal for the first time in a year. The chemo treatments were worse than the pain from the cancer. I'm alive, and the food isn't bad," Hyun said with a short laugh. "The question is, what is the price? I can't imagine a price too high for my life, an end to the treatments, and being free from pain."

  "I had Prion disease: fatigue, difficulty speaking, confusion, muscle stiffness, hallucinations, and dementia to look forward to before I died," Hanna said. "So I don't think the price can be worse."

  "From what our purple teacher has said, it has to involve war for some of us," I said, not sure exactly how this group of previously debilitated humans could help the war effort. I laughed. "They want us for our aggressiveness and love of war, but we aren't in the pool the military draws their warriors. In fact, we would be classified 4-F: unfit for military service."

  "That was for soldiers in Earth wars who were required to march long distances, be active for months, and engage in hand-to-hand combat," Hyun said. "This species is using spacecraft, which I assume doesn't require any more physical activity than pressing a button."

  That caused us each to retreat into our own thoughts.

  Chapter 5

  Orientation

  The same ladies woke us at 06:00 by the digital clock on the wall.

  "Ladies, you have one hour to refresh yourselves, dress, and eat. At seven, your first class begins," Samantha said. "The classes are mandatory, and everyone is expected to be on time because failure to arrive on time means everyone must wait for the class to begin. That, in turn, impacts the next item on the schedule. Although the Anixians are pacifist, that does not mean you won't be punished. You can consider yourself in the military with the corresponding rigid discipline and punishment. Don't get me wrong, the Anixians prefer the carrot to the stick, and the carrots are very rewarding."

  Today is the first day of my new life, I reminded myself and resolved to do my best to make it a good life. The shower water was hot, the breakfast good if a bit strange-tasting, and dressing simple as the clothes were loose-fitting and very basic, almost like a sports outfit for exercising, and the classroom only a few steps away.

  I followed everyone out the door into the large auditorium where a purple-robed man stood waiting. "Welcome. Your first class is an orientation briefing," the speakers around the room blared. "Under your chairs, you will find a folder. It contains, among other documents, a map of this facility. This room is the main classroom, where all of your classes will be held for the next two weeks. You will be introduced to the five human houses: medical, support, records, weapons, and war. The purpose is for you and the Anixians to place you in the house which best suits your skills, interests, and the needs of your new home. We have designated the Phoenix to represent our two cultures since it seems appropriate. In Earth's ancient Greek folklore, a phoenix is a long-lived bird that cyclically regenerates or is otherwise born again by arising from the ashes of its predecessor. You have, in a sense, died on Earth and have been reborn on Anixia. Likewise, Anixia was destroyed by the Tullizor, and its people have risen out of the ashes." As he talked, an oval with a red and yellow phoenix was displayed on the screen. "Today, we are two cultures fighting for our lives. Hopefully, generations from now, we will be one unified culture." He held up the map. "On your map, you will see this structure consists of a large cavern where vehicles can be stored, repaired, loaded, and unloaded. Caverns like that are necessary as the outside environment is hostile, and the Tullizor return periodically and enjoy using the planet for target practice. With your help, someday we will teach them Anixia is not a safe playground and that the phoenix is lethal. A tunnel leads from that cavern to this classroom which has the only access to the male and female sleeping quarters, and," he pointed to a door with a large tree, "to a recreation area which is open to all men and women. To summarize, you will live and work in this facility while you learn about Anixia and our various houses and choose a house. Tomorrow, you will be introduced to the House of Records."

  "It's as I suspected," I said as Hanna, Hyun, and I walked back to the woman's area. "We have volunteered to be in the Anixia military. All that remains is for us to be assigned to a unit."

  "Actually, the Anixia Air Force, since they don't need ocean-going ships or ground troops which rules out the navy and the army," Hyun said, grinning.

  "Therefore, we are either in a support group or a combat unit," Hanna said, more of a question than a statement.

  "I have never been in the military, but I suspect they overlap," I said. "A combat spacecraft would need support troops along, like medical, maintenance crews, cooks, etc."

  "So there probably aren't any safe career paths," Hanna snorted. "Consequently, our cure may not have improved our life span as much as we thought."

  "True, but at least the time will be free of pain," Hyun said, sounding pleased.

  "If we all put our hearts into saving Anixia, just maybe, some of us will survive to see a free and prosperous Phoenix," I said, and to my surprise, Hanna and Hyun held up their hands for a high-five. Laughing, we slapped hands.