Alpha Dawn: Book one of the Teragene Chronicles

by Morgan R. R. Haze

  We spent the better part of our day practicing the knot tying technique shown in the book I had gotten all those years ago. Once we were both happy with the look and feel of our one handed knot tying skills, we proceeded to tie our left hands together for the remainder of the night. We would cut the cord after sunrise the next morning, as a symbol of us remaining as one through our darkest hours.

  Dinner was a humorous adventure. It definitely added a new element to our teamwork; helping one another doing everything single handedly, with only a few mishaps. We decided to turn in for the night before the crew returned back from their excursion. This was something that we wanted to complete without answering questions about the why's and how's of it.

  As we drifted off to sleep I appreciated the closeness of the sleeping position that we used, with me laying behind Ell with both of our left hands held over the beating of her heart. We had programmed the vid screen on our bedroom wall to act as a window to show the rising of the sun to wake us up.

  Upon waking I had a feeling of satisfaction in knowing that we had completed a ritual that had meaning to the both of us, to show our commitment to each other and the worlds we would travel to together.

  I left Gabriel on watch with the ship, he had deliveries planned to arrive that day from the local suppliers anyway; freeing the rest of us to come and go as we wished. Ell wanted to make a full day of our trip to the ocean, but first I wanted to take her to get the matching wrist cuffs that would protect our cords. She loved the intricate patterns which the craftsmen had etched into our cuffs.

  We finished our day watching the sun sink into the ocean, casting multicolored rays through the fairy palace. I had my arms wrapped around Ell's waist, her head resting against my chest. Both of us had decided to remove our boots farther up the beach, so the waves gently washed over our bare feet, in the greenish black sand. It was a beautiful finish to our hand fasting day.

  Mondragon Industries Freighter -Day 346- Bree Reiter

  My breath caught at the sound of someone speaking to me from the dark. I tried to peer into the dark corner. They weren’t ready to reveal them self and I stayed where I was.

  "Who says I'm running?" I responded to the unknown voice.

  "Why else would you be here?" The voice countered.

  "Checking electronic systems," I said, but sounding uncertain even to my own ears.

  "Yeah, that's why I'm here," The voice replied sarcastically.

  I couldn’t help chuckling at the absurdity of the situation, and admitted, "Foolish of me not to recognize a fellow stowaway. I'm Bree. I just want to get away from Fell."

  After a long moment, a reply came from what was now revealed to be a female voice. "I'm Natasha... And I'm hoping to do the same."

  "Do you know what planet this ship is going to next? I didn't think it was a good idea to stop and ask." I asked and explained.

  "As long as it isn't here, I don't care." Natasha replied.

  "Well, since we are both stowing away, maybe we can pool resources if needed. I don't know how long the transit will be." I offered.

  Natasha was obviously suspicious, but really where could I steal away to if I took any of her supplies. Apparently making up her mind Natasha replied. "Okay, I have a couple of blankets and some rations. You?"

  "Just my clothes and nutritionals they fed us." I let her know.

  "Well, let's see what our accumulated supplies look like." Natasha suggested.

  We each displayed our precious rations. I was pleasantly surprised to see that, if we were careful we had enough for as long as two weeks. We quietly setup our little hidey-hole. We were all settled by the time the engines began to warm up.

  As the engine noise increased, I said, "Natasha, I'm glad I'm not alone.”

  …..

  As the Mondragon Industries ship traveled to it’s unknown destination, Natasha and I slowly got to know each other over several days. She was older than me, and apparently had an even worse future in store if she stayed on Fell than I would have. We speculated on what the planet we would next see would be like. I had only ever been on Fell, but Natasha said she had been born on a world very different. She described a world of beaches, swaying palm fronds and warm oceans, saying the thrum of the engines was similar to the rhythm of the waves. Even though I had lived in Port Arthur all my life, I had little idea what an ocean was really like. Between the fog and the activities of the docks, I couldn't say that I had even seen or heard the ocean that was so close. Later, I found myself dreaming of the world she described.

  I told her I was an orphan, and about life at the "haven", explaining that I really had no options for honest work if I stayed. My parents had been poor, but they were proud of having honest work. I wanted to know they would have been proud of what I did to support myself.

  Natasha asked what skills I had. I acknowledged they were just basic. Education wasn't a focus at the Haven.

  Natasha said she could speak a few languages, but they weren't much in demand. I could cook a little, enough to make the nutritionals a little more appealing. She told me she hoped to find a group called the Coalition. They helped runaways find work and a safe place. It sounded like what the Haven was supposed to do. Hopefully, they would be different, but all we could do was wait and see.

  When I asked about her family, she just got quiet. I decided not to push, knowing some things could be too painful to discuss.

  Later I asked if she had a plan for getting off the ship. It seemed that we had both just run, with only minimal planning. We agreed that the delivery clothes might work again. It would depend on how long they were planet side. Hopefully whatever was being transported would keep their attention. If we waited until the shipment was gone hopefully we would be undetected. We decided I would wear the coveralls again, since Natasha mentioned her looks were more noticeable. I thought of the boxes I had brought on board. If there was a crate big enough maybe Natasha could hide inside.

  The sounds of the ship began to change, and we were sure we were landing. I quickly put on the coveralls again and we stuffed as much of our food into the pockets as possible. When the ship settled and the engines shut down, I slipped back down the crawl space. I could hear shouts and orders being given regarding the cargo. Eventually the sounds moved further away. Finally, I opened the hatch and peeked out. The cargo area was clear. I looked in the various crates and found an empty one. I also noticed the boxes I had used to get on board. They were smelly and attracting insects. Signaling Natasha, I told her to bring one of the blankets. I was surprised by how different she looked in the light. She was tall and willowy. Her skin was pale, while her long hair was the color of an eggplant I had once seen. Her eyes were almost black with blue and purple flecks. She was stunning, more noticeable had been a great understatement, and she would definitely attract unwanted attention. We had gotten her safely in the crate when I covered her with the blanket. I then emptied one of the boxes of the rotting fruit into the crate. Then, I quickly pushed the self propelled floating cargo box outside the hold.

  "They always save the nasty work for me to do, stinking, rotting stuff." I murmured as I made gagging sounds whenever anyone got too close. No one seemed to want to get a good look at me or my crate.

  When we reached an overgrown area I helped Natasha out. She started laughing and said, "I thought you said you had no skills! You are a wonderful actress and think fast on your feet."

  I took a bow and thanked her. "But the second act is all yours. Do you have any ideas on where to go from here?"

  "Well, first we need to find out where here is." Natasha stated.

  Again we took stock of our supplies. We still had a week's’ worth of food, but little else. Natasha said that our best option would be to contact the Coalition. I wasn't sure, but neither of us had any other ideas. We agreed to trade some of our food for a vid call. Natasha had been smuggled the contact info, and fervently hoped it was still good. Since I had seen Natasha, I understood that she would attract a
ttention. I, on the other hand, could pass relatively unnoticed. My most outstanding features were my long, brown hair, large, brown eyes and small build. The biggest threat that I would encounter would be someone wanting to know where my parents were.

  We decided that we should try to find a settlement away from the spaceport, in case either of us was recognized. Neither of us wanted to take the chance of being stopped or questioned. Fortunately, it looked to be a mostly agricultural area; there would be less technology to record our movements. We stayed close to what Natasha informed me was a ‘bamboo forest.’

  Compared to Fell, this world was lush and green. As we traveled, we stayed near the shade of the bamboo. Pictures didn't give the full effect. Greenery had a smell, so clean compared to the filth I had grown up surrounded by. The breeze rustled through the long, narrow leaves, reminding me of a musician's finger's, creating a soft melody unique to this world. I tried to drink in all this beauty.

  Once we finally reached a small settlement, I was surprised that it looked like a scene from an ancient west vid. There was a saloon, general store, hitching posts and troughs for the horses, even a sheriff's office. I left Natasha near where the bamboo started to thin and made my way to the general store. It seemed the most likely place to trade for a call. My nerves were on edge. I still knew very little about Natasha, yet I was trusting in her belief that the Coalition would help us. She watched as I progressed to the store.

  The contrast from the brightness outside made me stop to let my eyes adjust. The furnishings were rustic, but more inviting than the mass produced items I was used to. All the display pieces and the table and few chairs visible were made from bamboo. What areas of the walls were free from product, were covered with pictures, notices, and other signs. All of these referenced a ‘Wyatt Erp’, his exploits, basically the story of his life. There was a vid terminal in one corner, but it was three times the normal size, making me wonder how ancient it was.

  "What can I do for you, little lady?" The shopkeeper asked. He was dressed in ancient west attire. All he needed was a hat, spurs on his boots, and a holster to make him appear to step straight from a vid; though no one would take him for the hero of the piece. He was too short and somewhat pudgy. Also, his grin, receding black hair, round face and smiling eyes gave him a much too friendly appearance to play a brooding hero.

  "I have to contact someone; I have nutritionals I can use to pay for a vid call, if that would be acceptable to you." I offered.

  "That works for me. Our terminal works just fine, by the way." He chuckled, then added, "saw the way you looked at it. Here on Wyatt anything electronic needs extra protection. Get some pretty nasty electromagnetic storms here, bad enough that even ships don't hang around when one is brewing."

  "I'm sorry if I gave any offense. This is my first time on a different world. Everything is a bit strange to me, but it's very exciting." I apologized.

  "Not at all. I came here when I was young, and loved how different the place was. But, I'll leave you to your call." He said.

  "Thank you," I replied. My vid to the Coalition didn't take long. It was a relief that we would be met by a representative soon.

  As I approached the shopkeeper again, he said, "That didn't take long at all. Did you get through?"

  "Yes, it was just to let them know I made it here," I explained.

  "Well, that was barely worth one ration." He replied.

  After paying him the one ration, I thanked him again, and then I headed back into the brightness outside.

  Once I reached Natasha I told her, "A woman answered. She asked an odd question: She wanted to know what you looked like. But I said that helping others shouldn't depend on appearance. I guess she liked my answer because she said she would send someone for us as soon as possible. The shopkeeper said the call was so short only one ration would cover it."

  "Did the lady give you her name?" Natasha asked.

  "Patrice." I answered.

  "That was the name I was given too, hopefully we will be safe soon." Natasha confirmed.

  "Well at the very least, I've seen a different world. The plants look more blue than green. Oh, this is Wyatt. They named the planet after a notorious legend of an Old Earth law man. Apparently, they have electrical storms here that fry any circuitry which isn't massively shielded. Spaceships usually have enough shielding, but even they leave when a storm approaches. That's why they rely on animals and mechanicals more than tech." I said.

  "Well, that is good for us. We don't have to worry that if we were reported missing anyone here would have heard." Natasha said. I had the feeling a little of the tension she had was released. No one here would be looking for us; even if someone would be tracking her.

  "I would like to look at the forest some more, while we wait," I said. "I've only lived in the capital on Fell. Forests are a new experience for me."

  I could tell Natasha was still uneasy. “What if she contacted someone else?” whispered in my mind, as if it came from Natasha, though I couldn’t see how.

  "Ok, but we shouldn't go very far." Natasha replied.

  .....

  It was some time later when we heard an engine coming our direction. Natasha asked me if I would meet the transport since I spoke to Patrice. She stayed back under the shade of the bamboo, while I moved out into the open. The small ship stopped, landed, and the hatch opened. Out stepped a tall, pale man. He had dark hair which glinted blue in the sun. He stood very rigid while he spoke with me. I slowly motioned for Natasha to come out. As she moved into the light, I could see him relax. Maybe we were all expecting the worst.

  "Natasha, come meet Damian." I casually said.

  "Introductions can wait until we are away," Damian said becoming tense again. "Bree, thank you for bringing Natasha to our notice, she will be safe with us."

  "I told Bree we would both be safe with the Coalition." Natasha responded as I realized he meant to leave me behind. "We both left bad situations."

  Damian looked skeptically at me, but shrugged and said, “Fine, but we need to go now."

  It was obvious to me that Damian didn't really want me to come. I wondered if it was because I looked different from him and Natasha. They both reminded me of the fey creatures from fairy tales, having an otherworldly look and feel about them. But Natasha said I was coming, so I got onto the transport which was aptly named the “Latitude.” It was a small craft, just big enough to fit five or six comfortably.

  Another man was at the helm. He had the same look as Natasha and Damian. He also seemed surprised by my appearance. I imagined he was seeing a magpie trying to blend in with a flock of pink flamingos, and I had to smile at the image. He smiled back and turned to the controls. I had a strange feeling he knew what I had been thinking.

  "Kendric, this is Natasha and the little one is Bree. Kendric is my brother. Patrice had a purchase to make on New Ireland. She'll meet up with us in transit. The sooner we get both of you hidden the better. There is already a large bounty on you, Natasha. Your former master must really want you back," Damian was calmly stating.

  The thought of Natasha being someone's slave made me shudder. I had thought my situation was desperate, but at least no one would be hunting me once I got away. I would just be one of the many who disappeared. It was impossible for me to understand those who thought their life was worth more than another’s. That a price could be attached to another human being was unthinkable to me. Criminals having a bounty on them, that I could understand; it was payment to bring them to justice. I couldn't believe Natasha would be in that group. She hadn't even taken valuables to help her escape.

  "So, we know your background Natasha, but what of her?" Damian demanded while staring at me.

  "I wasn't a slave, but not in a much better position," I replied. "What do you know of Fell's laws?”

  "Not much.” He admitted.

  "I'm an orphan, and all orphans are taken to the Havens. When you turn eighteen you are given a work assignment. For the boys it's
usually manual labor. For the girls, well it's usually whatever they label as “entertainment”. I'm not afraid of hard work, but I want it to be honest work I can be proud of."

  "Good, there will be plenty of work with the Coalition that you'll find acceptable," Kendric said without looking away from the helm.

  Damian seemed surprised by his brother's statement. They briefly made eye contact. Kendric gave a barely perceptible nod, and then Damian relaxed considerably. Again I had the feeling that Kendric could see into my mind, and that he was saying to his brother, “She is okay”. It was an unsettling thought all the same.

  "What happens once we connect with the others?" Natasha asked. I was glad the focus was moving off of me.

  "It depends on how the purchase goes. We are hoping to find a planet to terraform and make it our own. Somewhere we won't be bothered." Damian replied.

  Natasha looked at me with a worried expression, "Bree isn't a Hybrid, and Teragene would harm her."

  "Patrice and her husband are Normals too. They have shielded cargo areas and take other precautions as well." Damian said.

  "Education wasn't a priority at the Haven. I know Teragene is used in the terraforming process, but is it harmful? And a Hybrid... I only know there were those in Port Arthur who traded in Hybrids." A suddenly, horrific thought struck me. "You mean Hybrids are people!" Three pairs of eyes stared at me. "I guess I sound rather stupid," I mumbled.

  Kendric actually laughed, saying "Ignorance is fixable, stupidity is not. Yes, Teragene causes mutations and usually disease in normal humans. The three of us are mostly Pale Hybrids; though Kendric and I do have some Dark Hybrid DNA in us. Our ancestors’ genes were engineered with Teragene. However, we now have immunity to Teragene’s effects."

  "Pale Hybrids, Dark Hybrids, it sounds like there are different kinds of Hybrids, am I right?” I asked.

  Natasha smiled and said, "Yes, just like there are different looking Normals. The changes of Pale or Dark Hybrids depend on what their DNA was combined with. Dark Hybrids were created as experiments by scientists studying Teragene eons ago. They were designed to be stronger and stockier than most humans, with noticeable physical traits taken from fauna of Old Earth. There are far more Dark Hybrids than Pale Hybrids, as they were purposely engineered to handle the harsh demands of mining and transporting Teragene. Though that hasn’t stopped Normals from forcing some Pale Hybrids to work in Teragene mines as well.”