Chapter 9
The Future
The safe-house might have been hastily put together, but the bare essentials were more than adequate for Tarik and the Nu-Mans’ comfort. Fortunately, the house had ten-foot ceilings, which gave Zax barely enough room not to feel confined. The whole inside walls, including the ceiling, had been sprayed with a material designed to block out any electronic signatures which might give away their position. Each had a bedroom and a mattress on the floor to sleep on. Tarik found his comfortable at first, being tired after such an active day. As the night passed, it only felt firmer. He had to keep rolling over or else he’d start getting sore places on parts of his body.
A chemical toilet kept them from having to go outside to use do their business. They had a large supply of water. Of course, none of the house’s plumbing worked. That said, a portable sink had been set up with the drain piped to the outside. The sink provided both hot and cold water. Tarik and the Nu-Mans were able to sponge bath themselves adequately clean.
Clothing had been a problem for Tarik. Whoever had stocked the house failed to provide him with clothes designed to fit humans. All the clothing he had was what he showed up in. To be comfortable inside the mech-armor, all he wore was a tight fitting, clingy shirt where the sleeves stopped mid-bicep; underwear to keep his privates from flopping about; clingy shorts not much longer than his underwear; and socks.
Tarik had considered his options. Even if Lixa hadn’t been there, he doubted he’d walk around naked while his hand washed clothes air dried with a fan. He had been self-conscious about his body most of his life. Not having hair covering most of it made him feel too exposed. Plus, there was a noticeable size difference in genitalia between human and Nu-Man males. Tarik played out a thought that if Lixa ever caught a peek of his man-pride, she’d break out in hysterical laughter; other Nu-Mans had over the years.
Before he stripped down, Tarik chose a traditional Nu-Man tunic, socks, and underwear. The socks were large enough for him to fit three feet into. He used the shears in a utility knife to cut the socks down the middle, from the top all the way to the toe. He then put his foot on the folded out material, wrapped both sides over, and cut off the excess material until the two sides met. Using all-duty tape, he bonded the opposing sides and had a functioning sock. His creation might be uncomfortable in his armor. But he would wash and dry his old clothing before going on the mission.
Similarly, he customized the underwear and tunic to where he felt comfortable and appropriate around Lixa.
Lixa.
They had spent some time together, but mostly Zax was always in the room. He tried hard to read her—what she really thought about him.
From as early as he could remember, Tarik had always wanted to be accepted. That’s why he was so well-behaved during his time on the rebel base. He didn’t want to be considered a freak. Again, every time he looked in the mirror it was hard for him to think anything other than that.
Did Lixa see him as an equal? Whenever she had the drop on him with the railgun and thought he might be a Skink, she seemed to have a prejudice against another species. Of course, it might have had nothing to do with prejudice without reason. The Skinks had doomed the Nu-Man species to an early death. And, technically, the rebels and the Skinks were at war, even though the Skinks might not be fully aware of who they were at war with and to what extent.
Tarik didn’t want Lixa to see him as a freak. He found himself to be on his best behavior around her so as not to give her any opportunities to dislike him.
Zax had shot him a few eye rolls when he may have laid the sweetness on a little too thick. The last thing Tarik wanted was for his friend to call him out in front of Lixa. If she saw the two get into an argument, she might automatically take Zax’s side; Nu-Man nature being what it was.
The shirt was the last item he washed in the sink. He used a small folding table as a clothesline and placed a fan close by. Parts of the clothing draping down bent to the artificial wind.
There were several chairs in the safe-house for them to sit on. The chairs were light but very sturdy to accommodate Nu-Man weight; made from some compound of Skink design. Three chairs were pushed against a table in the kitchen. Zax and Lixa had a box containing food on the counter and were going through the selections.
“Hey Tarik, you ready to eat?” Zax asked.
“Sure. How about some of that roasted lamb like we saw in the city? I’ll go gather some wood from outside and start a fire,” Tarik said as he stepped over.
Lixa stopped and turned a discerning eye toward him.
“Let’s see here…” Zax fumbled around in the box. “Here you go, a container of cat food, Lucky Lamb Recipe.”
“There’s cat food in our supply box? Someone actually thought we’d have a cat here?” Lixa asked.
“No, I’m kidding,” Zax said. “Tarik likes to be a smartass. So, I like to smartass right back at him. However,” Zax turned the container around so Tarik and Lixa could both see it, “it is a container of salmon. I’m sure a cat would have no problem eating this.”
“Meow,” Tarik said.
“Uh, does that mean you want the salmon?” Zax asked.
“Meow, meow,” Tarik said and held out his hand.
“You two make a very strange couple,” Lixa said.
“Living for twenty-five years on a base out in the middle of nowhere limits my forms of entertainment,” Tarik said. “Zax and I have been close for the last several years. He’s my best friend.”
“Yeah, and Tarik is my favorite pet,” Zax said.
“Favorite pet? Go clean out my box, then,” Tarik said.
“He does tricks, too,” Zax said.
“Are we going to eat or are you two going to carry on all afternoon?” Lixa said. She held a pouch of corned beef and a box of crackers. After she had placed them on the table, she asked, “What does everyone want to drink?”
“Vita-water orange, if you have it,” Zax said.
“Vita-grape for me,” Tarik said.
“All we have is orange,” Lixa said.
“That’s fine,” Tarik said. He looked over on the counter and saw a stack of disposable plates. He walked over and counted three from the stack, and took them to the table.
Lixa placed the bottles of Vita-water on the table and sat down. “Thank you,” she said when Tarik handed her a plate.
Zax took his and immediately tore into his pouch of chicken.
“You’re welcome,” Tarik said to Lixa. “You’re welcome,” he coarsely told Zax.
The food pouches were large, nearly a foot long and ten inches wide. It took a lot of calories to satisfy a Nu-Man. Each pouch contained a spork, knife, and a thin napkin, along with small packs of salt and pepper. The protein portions took up most of the self-heating food container. Two hard crackers were included. There were two side dishes. One was a starch of some type and the other a green vegetable. Tarik had potatoes Au gratin and spinach, of which was to his liking.
Zax wolfed down a large portion of chicken and chased it with the two crackers. He took a swig of water, and then he reached for the box of crackers and pulled out a pack.
Lixa calmly cut into her corned beef and began eating, taking care to chew the meat sufficiently. Her gaze focused mainly on the table. She bit into her cracker and wiped her mouth with the napkin.
Tarik had eaten a mouthful of salmon. The fish had a fresh, delightful flavor that had him wanting more. It looked like Lixa had checked out from the table. He wondered what she was thinking about.
“The mission,” Lixa started, “do you…do you think your chances are good?”
Now Tarik knew. Fate had dealt everyone a hand they would have gladly folded and asked for a new one if that were possible. The reality of the situation was grim. The finish line of the race was just up ahead. Each passing second cemented to a reality of final consequences.
“We’re not going to fail,” Zax said without looking up from his plate. He continue
d to eat like the matter had been decided.
“Honestly, it’s hard to say,” Tarik said and then wiped his mouth. “One of the things we were hoping for was the element of surprise. After that Skink scout ship discovered the base, well, they might heighten security at the old nuclear weapons factory.”
“They have no idea of our plan,” Zax said.
“I hope he’s right,” Tarik said. “I also hope that if anyone is captured, well, I hope they’ll be able to keep our plans secret.”
“Nu-Mans are tough. At least, we rebels are. We won’t break. We’re put together a little different than the others. I guess the Skinks couldn’t engineer rebellion out of all of us,” Zax said.
“Rebellion was a big part of human nature. Human history had wars of epic proportion. Even chimpanzees would gather in groups against others and savagely attack each other. Rebellion is part of our genetic code,” Tarik said.
“I’m prepared to fight if I have to,” Lixa said. “Still…I’ve never killed anyone.”
“I hadn’t either, until yesterday,” Tarik said, thinking back to when he obliterated two Skink warriors, with a railgun, and the hand-to-hand melee with the other. His thoughts then shifted to the Skink citizen who came upon them later as they made their way to old-life.
“Yesterday was my first battle. Most of the rebels haven’t killed before,” Zax said.
Silence hung in the air for a bit. Lixa turned her head to Tarik, and asked, “What’s wrong?”
Tarik shoved the spinach around in the container with his spork. “Yesterday. Yesterday I fought four of the Skink warriors at the base and killed them all. That didn’t affect me much. I mean, I was fighting for my life. It was them or me. If things had gone just a bit differently, the last warrior might have killed me. But then something else happened. After we had escaped to the city, I saw a Skink citizen in real life for the first time. In a way, I think I felt the same way you did when you saw me. It’s not every day you meet another intelligent species. He came close enough to touch.
“I didn’t feel any hate for him, at that moment. He was oblivious to me, thinking I was some everyday security patrol. I wanted a chance to sit down with him. Ask him a million questions. Touch his skin and see if we could find a way to enjoy mutual respect. But there was no realistic opportunity for that. I had resolved that my contact with Skinks would only be me in my mech-armor, never to have that first-encounter moment.
“But then later, when we were almost out of the city, another Skink citizen crossed our path and was suspect of the situation. He was seconds away from calling in a report when I created a ruse to distract him. I bought enough time to…end his life before he could give away our position.”
Lixa reached over and patted his left hand, which rested on the table. “You did what you had to do.”
“I killed him with my own two hands.” Tarik bit his lip and breathed in slowly. “He didn’t have a chance. In the blink of an eye, I snuffed out a life. He wasn’t trying to kill me. But…but I couldn’t…I just couldn’t.” He let his words die.
“You had no choice. There’s nothing to feel bad about,” Lixa said.
“Tarik, don’t you be going soft on me. You’ve got to stay focused. You can’t allow any distractions during the mission,” Zax said.
Tarik brought the hand holding the spork down on the table. “I’m not going soft! I’m going to be in automatic mode when we attack the facility. Nothing is going to stop me from my mission.”
“Good, let’s finish up eating now,” Zax said and spooned pasta into his mouth.
Tarik and Lixa resumed eating, drinking Vita-water between bites.
Suppressing a burp, Tarik said, “What upsets me about killing that Skink is that it seemed like such a waste. A life gone, and we didn’t gain anything. We just prevented from losing what we had. If we’re going to kill, I want to advance the mission. I know this all sounds crazy to you two, but killing does have a way of messing with your emotions.”
“Yeah, I can tell, because the mission was advanced because you killed him. Don’t try to put a value on death. The odds don’t have to be even to justify killing. I’d kill ten Skinks without thinking if the only reward was a piece of candy. We’re at war. There is no good or bad. There is only victory or death.”
Tarik slowly nodded. “You’re right. You’re right. Thanks. Thanks for putting this in perspective for me.”
“Tarik, I’m not worried about you,” Zax said. “I’ve seen you in action. We’re going to win this.”
“I see that you’re finished, Zax. Are you going to have another?” Lixa asked.
“Maybe a little later. I’m going to let this one settle in my stomach a bit.”
“I’m finished, too. I’m ready for my Z-bar. Would you like yours now?” she asked.
“Sure, let’s get it over with.”
Rising from her chair, Lixa opened another box and pulled out a silver wrapped bar big enough to cover her palm. A Z-bar contained a special nutrient invented by the Skinks necessary for Nu-Man vitality. Their genetic manipulation of humans had its deficiencies from the beginning. The sasquatch-human hybrid needed the nutrient for health benefits. Going a month without the additive would bring complications.
The wrappers crinkled as Lixa and Zax peeled them back.
“You want some?” Zax said to Tarik and laughed. The big guy ate his in three bites and was done.
Lixa took her time in eating hers.
“I bet it tastes like it smells,” Tarik said.
“Try it and find out,” Zax said.
“You know I can’t eat that.”
“Why can’t you have a Z-bar?” Lixa asked.
“Uh, I was told I should never eat it. They were afraid that maybe I could have an allergic reaction and die. So, I’ve stayed away from it. I wouldn’t want to eat it anyway. It smells horrible.”
“Eh, you get used to it,” Zax said.
“Kind of like Hud’s cooking,” Tarik said.
The two shared a laugh.
“I miss the old guy,” Zax said.
“Me, too.” Tarik closed his eyes and smiled. “Me, too.”
Chapter 10
The Present
Cole had set up his laptop and video camera on a tripod outside on the patio, just beyond the overhead awning. Fortunately, the weather was cooperating, and the sky was clear. He had moved his telescope out there, too. Mostly for show, as he had no intention for them to do any star gazing. He had hurriedly cleaned the patio furniture, a chocolate brown aluminum table and four matching chairs, before taking a shower.
Charlotte put the cookies on the table, and Cole sat the drinks down.
“Hold on a second.” He picked up a clean towel off one of the chairs and gave the one he had selected for Charlotte a quick wipedown.
“Thank you,” she said.
“You’re welcome.” He pulled the chair further out for her to sit.
Charlotte took her seat. Cole waited diligently behind and helped push the chair forward as she bellied up to the table.
“Such a gentleman,” Charlotte said, genuinely sounding impressed.
He enjoyed the compliment but didn’t really know how to respond, so he didn’t. After taking his seat, he scootched over next to her but made sure he wasn’t so close as to invade her personal space. The last thing he wanted to do was shove himself on top of Charlotte and creep her out.
The laptop was between the two of them. Cole ran his finger over the touchpad and woke up the screen. “You can get information on Spotthestation dot gov, a NASA website, to find out when and where the International Space Station flies over. We’re going to watch the live stream on the main NASA site.” Cole stood and adjusted the screen for them to get a clearer view. “Can you see that okay?”
“Yes, it’s fine.”
“It’ll look better as the sun goes down.”
“Ready for a cookie?” Charlotte asked as she picked up the plate.
“I was read
y for a cookie before we ate the hummus.” He eagerly picked a cookie on the side of the plate, careful to keep his fingers from touching the others. After a bite, he said, “Man, these are so good!”
“You think so?”
“For real. They’re firm but not overbaked. Soft, but not undercooked. I’d call this the perfect chocolate chip cookie.” Two bites later, the sweet dessert had disappeared.
Charlotte bit into one. “Wow, these are good. Thank goodness, I tried really hard to follow the directions. I’m not much of a baker, but I like doing it sometimes. Mom helped me decide when they were done. You have to use your judgment. All ovens are different, so there’s no other way to know when to take them out.”
Cole adjusted the volume on the laptop to where it was barely audible. “Whatever you did, just keep on doing it.” He grabbed another cookie and went after it.
“I wonder what antigravity is like,” Charlotte said. “Look at them in the station, hanging in midair like floating in the water.”
“I bet it would be neat.”
“Maybe, but since there’s no gravity pulling them in any direction, they can’t move unless they grab or push off of something. You can’t tread thin air like you can water.”
“True, but their living area is so small, that’s not a problem.”
“Look at all that stuff in there,” Charlotte said while pointing her cookie at the screen. “All those wires. That keyboard on the wall is vertical. Not having gravity to give you a sense of up and down would take a lot to get used to.”
“It would. But if you lived in zero gravity, you could eat all the cookies you wanted.”
Charlotte smirked. “Why do you say that?”
“Because you’d never gain any weight.” He downed his last bite of cookie and smiled.
Charlotte giggled and extended her right elbow to nudge him in the arm. “You have crumbs all over your mouth.”
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