Planet-H: The End of the Beginning

by J. T. Winterlord

  I got up and followed her. I saw Matt exit from the archive. As he closed the door I managed to see a long illuminated corridor behind him. There was no trace of Valdes.

  Sonia said,

  “We’re going shopping, see you at home later honey.”She blew a kiss in his direction, I said cheerio and we left.

  Sammy was in the parking lot. He greeted us with a warm hello and opened the door of the SUV for Sonia. He also whispered something in her ear. Sonia replied with a nod and we headed away to the town nearby.

  I was absorbed in my thoughts during the short trip. Sonia interrupted them when she handed me a credit card.

  "Here, it’s yours, in your name”she said,

  “And here are the numbers you’ll need for the card and the ATM. You may need it for any small purchases…. say, a toothbrush, a carrot, an ocean liner!"

  She turned back to the road laughing, making me smile too.

  I wasn’t in a serious or worried frame of mind, it was just that my head was as usual full of questions and it was becoming more and more important for me to have answers.

  They were questions that I didn’t feel ready to ask however.

  "Sonia, how come I don’t have a predecessor? I mean, there was no one before me and Alice told me you were waiting for the right person. What does it mean?"

  Sonia looked at me and smiled. The answer was a simple one.

  "Yes, that’s correct. Alice told you the truth."

  "But .. but .. " I was about to stutter so I concentrated for a moment, caught my breath and went back to ask,“What on earth makes you believe I'm the right person? I should at least work a trial period.”

  “My dear Kate, I have no thoughts on the subject - for his part, Matt is certain you are the one and I trust his instincts implicitly, so it’s you.”

  She glanced at me, smiled and seemed to be awaiting a reply but I didn’t know what to say. Her comments did placate my need to question however and I smiled back and looked out at the panorama.

  We arrived at our destination, parked the car and began window shopping. I chose items that I would never have bought before. I bought white silk shirts, blue and black slacks and shoes. I smiled when I saw a purple scarf displayed.

  I also bought some ties. I was feeling like a novice manager and I wanted to make a good impression. Moreover, I also found items like that convenient and enjoyable to wear.

  And on second thoughts ... I had not seen any females wearing skirts, in fact they were all dressed in much the same way as if it were some kind of uniform. Which I found somehow normal. I continued buying underwear and a some frilly stuff that we girls like, as well as a couple of nice belts to match the pants.

  I paid carelessly with the credit card.

  Sonia took t-shirts, a beautiful silk robe and some quality made underwear.

  We returned to the car and I realized I was feeling a little tired. As if reading my thoughts Sonia put a friendly hand on my leg.

  "A few minutes more and we’re home. I wonder what that bad girl Serena has made for us?”

  I smiled, imagining Serena as a witch, chasing after Tony and brandishing a broom with both hands. I burst out laughing as the thought took hold.

  Sonia was quite relaxed in her driving - she took the vehicle up to the entrance of the house. The time spent with herseemed to have flown past; I looked out to see if someone would open the electric gates for us but saw nobody. I checked Sonia’s hands but I didn’t see her use any remote control switch. It almost seemed that the gate knew already who to allow in. I walked to my room to put away my purchases and took a quick shower before joining the others.

  We found Sammy at home, said hello and then heard Matt arrive. I looked at Sammy’s wide shoulders and moved to one side and behind him. Bowing my head slightly,I was perfectly hidden. There was indeed room for another person.

  Sonia immediately imitated me, Sammy played along and placed himself in the centre of the room with legs slightly apart and hands at his sides. Both Sonia and I were effectively hidden behind his broad shoulders.

  Matt came in and greeted him saying,

  "Hey Sammy! Reprogram your olog, at this moment you have six legs and thick light brown hair sticking out from under the right armpit!”

  Matt laughed. I felt a little idiot girl and laughed also without knowing why, along with Sonia. The urge to play again was reviving in me, not without some pleasure.

  “Sorry girls but we’ve been found out,”said Sammy with a laugh. He headed towards a cabinet that opened out unexpectedly into a bar.

  He prepared four Alaskas and served us. I tasted mine, savouring the full flavour of the fruit and noting that the vodka dose was fairly high.

  I found myself once more nibbling at an odd pink coloured slice of lemon while Matt asked Sammy if he was staying for dinner.

  “No, Matt, thanks, I have some things to do with Tony and then I’m off back to base."

  "Okay," said Matt. He accompanied his guest to the exit, "See you tomorrow."

  Sammy went out and I saw him conversing with Tony. I saw them gesticulating in the direction of a flat piece of territory west of the hill. From the gestures they seemed to be measuring something as if to see if there was enough space.

  Serena came in with her usual‘frugal’meal and this distracted me from everything else. I was really hungry!

  Sammy appeared at the front door, gave a quick wave and disappeared.

  I was staring at the quantity of food - Serena’s notion of a‘frugal’amount was at least five times greater than mine.

  There was spaghetti with tomato and basil. I dived into the meatballs with vegetables and knocked off at least eight. Meanwhile, Matt had opened a bottle of red wine and we filled our glasses.

  It was nectar and I drank until I was sated, actually slightly inebriated. The Alaskas and the wine had lent a slight tinge of redness to my ears and I felt I had a stupidly smiling expression permanently painted on my face.

  We did not talk much that evening and I forgot all about the question I had put to Sonia in the car. I wanted to walk a little before I lay down so I said cheerio to my hosts and I headed for the french doors overlooking the garden.

  "Matt, sweetheart," said Sonia, turning to her companion with a loving smile.

  "I know honey," he answered as if he had understood the question.

  "She has begun to ask."

  "Yes, do you think it is her?"

  "Yes, darling, Valdes and I have checked, it is Number Four.”

  I heard these words from the open window, not clearly but I heard. Of course, I'm number four, I was assigned that number in the parking lot. I thought about my beautiful vehicle awaiting me and I wanted to grip the wheel and drive away aimlessly.

  I walked for a while just to clear away the alcohol drowsiness. After a dozen yawns I walked to my room, undressed and dropped listlessly onto the couch.

  I turned on the TV, which I watched rarely. They were showing a comedy and at some point I began to chuckle at a joke. Every time I started to think I began to laugh and my attempts to follow the film only made it more difficult. Finally I lost patience and switched it off but the face of Leslie Nielsen kept appearing before my eyes.

  "Now, Jane, what can you tell us about the man you saw last night?."

  "He’s caucasian.'

  "Caucasian?"

  "Yeah, you know, a white guy. A moustache. About six foot three."

  And he, with wide eyes and serious expression replied,

  "Awfully big moustache!”

  And I burst out laughing again. The widened eyes and serious expression added to the simplicity of the joke. I laughed once more, went into the bathroom giggling. I took off my underwear and enjoyed a hot shower.

  The width of the shower cubicle allowed me to dance without risk of hitting my elbows.

  "Number four, olog, huge moustache ..." I dropped laughing between the soft silk sheets that embraced me sensually. They stimulated the skin like a gentle
massage. I realized that I had fallen asleep.

  Strangely, I knew I was asleep but I was very alert even if my body slept. The imagery of the dream was very natural and surprising. I was both dreaming and awake within my dream. Let’s see what happens then. I wandered and looked around - I could focus only on a couple of things. I felt neither hot nor cold, everything was illuminated but strangely I could not see no light source. I looked for the sun in the sky, but I didn’t find it. This oddity seemed strangely normal to me.

  Colours were sharper, deeper, the water and the sky were the same colour as I could see when awake, but in reality they were much more faded and intense. More excitingly

  was the fact that I was walking, I felt a light warm and pleasant breeze that blew sweetly on the front of my body. It was inviting me to run towards it - a peculiar but clear thought popped into my mind - jump and fly!

  And so it was! I jumped lightly and found myself soaring! I was dreaming and conscious of my dream and….. I was flying! Yet it seemed incredibly normal, nothing could surprise me in that dream because I knew it for what it was. I had never experienced such a conscious dream before.

  I flew. Not fast but I was flying. I found if I approached the ground my speed was lower than if I soared to a higher altitude. I flew over woods and hills. I seemed to recognize those places, so I headed towards a town I knew. The scenery was changing dramatically but I managed to reach my destination, thinking it would look the same as when I was awake but it was totally different. I could see the streets and recognised places I had never seen before. I tried to categorise them and give them a recognisable name. And yet I felt they were not really the same places.

  I glided down into a small square and there a strange thing happened.

  A lady was walking and holding hands with a little girl of about six. The girl looked up at me with a smile, she pointed and said, with a mixture of awe and happiness,

  "A fairy! Grandmother look! A fairy, flying!"

  They sat on a low wall. I heard the woman’s laboured breathing. She gestured to the girl telling her to be silent and not look at me and they both looked down.

  I waved goodbye to the girl - goodbye. She looked up, smiled and waved in return.

  I resumed my flight, and watched the world from above. It seemed that no one was in a hurry. I saw a person I seemed to recognize. I came down and approached from behind, but suddenly I felt a strong sexual impulse growing inside me. As soon as these thoughts were generated I seemed to be sucked into a dark vortex and I found myself awake in my bed. Damn sex! I murmured to myself.

  I turned on my side and went back to sleep. That night was full of dreams, all very normal dreams that you forget when you wake up…. but not that one,no.

  That particular dream was not an end to all the others. It even sustained me with a kind of euphoria into the following day.

  THE THIRD DAY

  I woke up, stretching, yawned and jumped out of bed. In a few minutes I was dressed and ready for a tasty breakfast.

  Sonia was reading, sipping coffee. She handed me a cup.

  "Matt has already left. You’re coming with me today. Remember, your car is in the lot."

  I ate quickly and we left. I glanced lovingly at my beautiful car and went in the direction of my office where I greeted Alice and found something unexpected on my desk.There was a large daisy on my agenda. I liked this simple flower, I thought that perhaps Alice was saying thanks because the day before I had allowed her to leave early.

  Valdes was behind me and he made me jump with his strident

  “Good morning!”But I was pleased to see him.

  “I’m just passing by quickly to say hello”he said seriously.“Is everything all right Kate?”

  I was about to reply but he got there before me, smiling. He said,

  “Yellow socks - never fails!"

  I smiled and stared into his eyes, he nodded and left. I thought - you didn’t even manage to say a word dammit! What a fool!

  Alice snaked into my office leaving a pile of papers on my desk to be signed. She said,

  "He seems a bit more relaxed since you came."

  "Who are you talking about Alice?" I asked curiously.

  With a smiles he replied,

  "Our Valdes of course ... maybe he likes you!" She moved away with a slightly mischievous smile.

  "Now now, gossiper!”I smiled,“Anyway thanks for the flower."

  I twirled the beautiful daisy between my fingers.

  Alice paused, looked pleased and said, almost whispering in the tone of an understanding accomplice,

  "Kate, I didn’t leave the flower."

  I checked the papers Alice had brought in.

  They seemed to be normal routine so I initialled and left them with Alice. I wanted to take a walk so I headed toward the exit, passing along the long corridor that accessed the various offices.

  I took the direction of the parking lot, I went to my car and turned around. I had never really noted the immensity of the structure. For the first time I saw the sign placed above the management building.

  N Technology

  I had already seen it on the company letter heading many times but had not taken any notice until now.

  I went back inside the building and read again the company name in plain view behind the reception desk.

  ‘N technology, alternative high technology energy systems.’

  Whatever this referred to I had no idea, but I guessed I could formulate a vague understanding from my place of work.

  Struck by curiosity, I took a look around the ground floor, walking slowly through the office suites - 'Office Supplies', definitely the purchasing department,‘Logistics and Shipping,’- this one explained itself. Then there was 'Meeting Room 1.’

  This was a large open space with glazed corners, two sofas and an ornamental plant where perhaps people waited to be received. I walked on. There were bathrooms on the left and on the right a drinks vending machine.

  ‘Personnel Office’and opposite 'Meeting Room 2’. I lost interest in that floor and I quickly climbed up to the second and glanced into the hallway. I read the door cards aloud.‘Sales Office’and several other meeting rooms. Going up to the third floor, there was the Technical Office, Projects Office and Patents. Then my floor, the fourth, Parking number four. Number four!

  In some way my position in the company seemed to have a connection with this number four. I was not interested in first few rooms but became more curious beyond my office. I looked around closely.The spaces seemed remarkably open and bright. What was there to see after my office? I walked into an area I had never investigated before, perhaps because the elevator was in the middle of the corridor and the stairs were in the opposite direction to my room.

  I moved cautiously walked towards the forbidden room with the red door marked‘Archive’. Before reaching it I had to pass in front of two large offices. I hustled quickly along the last section of the corridor fearing someone would suspect that my goal was the prohibited room. The room next to my office was Sonia’s and the one opposite belonged to Matt. I had hoped for something more mysterious.

  Matt nodded a greeting to me and carried on with his phone conversation. I wasn’t really sure what I was doing but I was terribly curious about the whole place. I had to know! What exactly I didn’t yet know but…I had to find out!

  I walked towards the bathroom located immediately after Alice’s office. I rinsed my hands and dampened my face with cool water just to tidy up my thoughts a little. My curiosity level was still strong. I decided to go to Matt and ask for an explanation. What exactly was it they expected from me? I did not know exactly how to formulate the question but I was sure that just asking it would have provoked a reaction.

  I wanted to know my exact role. I didn’t exactly feel that with my skills I was the smartest choice for my position. I was just a normal girl with strengths and weaknesses, perhaps more defects that merits. I knew some languages, I had attended many college cou
rses, but I had not even graduated. But they could not even have suspected this. Number four, what on earth does it mean? It can’t all just be a crazy coincidence!

  I stopped at the bathroom exit, seeing that Matt was opening the mysterious door to the archives. A girl came out. She looked very voluptuous in a short skirt. She had thick red hair that hung down her back.

  I stood amazed, admiring her dazzling beauty. My mouth hung open and a small drop of saliva collected at the corner.

  I tried to hear what they were saying. I was thinking that this girl could be a supermodel or a well known actress. She handed something to Matt that I could hardly recognize, but it seemed a rigid transparent sheet that Matt was reading without paying any special attention. Faced with such beauty Matt did not seem affected in any way. Without raising his eyes from the paper, but with a hinting half smile he said in a mocking tone, "Hello Sam, you're so sexy today!"

  Sam? I thought. Maybe the diminutive of Samantha?

  From behind the door I heard Sammy’s deep booming voice, the muscular and agreeable Sammy. He was chuckling.

  "That damn stinking Sven loves to do these tricks, you know ..!"

  Matt laughed and put the papers into the hands of the red-haired nymph.

  “Go fix the program and try not to wiggle your backside," Matt was still laughing.

  "And you stop looking at my ass you dirty old man," he replied, laughing louder than Matt.

  I saw that lovely creature turn gracefully, slap a hand on her rear and wiggle away down the Archives corridor like a skilled cat-walker. Sammy’s laughter retreated behind the closed door.

  Sonia looked out from her office and directed a sly smile at Matt. She said,