by Bret Brown
Dr. Hisk motions her to be quiet by shushing her. He gets close to her ear again, "Don't speak too loudly. This device outputs sound wave frequencies inaudible to us that can cover our conversation but its ability is limited.", he says pointing to the device on the coffee table.
He continues, "What you've been taught are lies. What we are doing here on this planet is a lie."
"Tell me what is happening Dad. Is this why you asked if Rowan could stay with you and Mom? What is with all the secrecy?", she says into his ear.
"Just listen. As you already know, five hundred years ago, twelve million people left Earth on thousands of transport ships for the betterment of Mankind. In truth, they were driven out because of centuries of war that they could no longer tolerate. Warfare, driven by greed paralleled with religious groups, that used people's deep, irrational beliefs in the many variances of some supposed, all powerful, fictional character. The three global factions had used the fanatically inspired as fodder to further their wealth."
Dr. Hisk continues, "What they teach you in school is that after one hundred years of traveling in deep space, humans reached their destination and attempted to colonize our first extraterrestrial planet, Earth 2, only to be lost entirely from factors unforeseen and twenty-five thousand colonists died."
Growing impatient, Leliana asks, "Dad! What the hell happened? "
"The truth is we encountered first contact with extraterrestrial sentient beings. They called themselves the Ictarians. These creatures were aware of human existence and our atrocities from transmissions emitted from Earth. However, they didn't know we were capable of interstellar travel."
"Why would they lie about that?", Leliana asks.
"It's not so much the first contact that needed to be concealed. It's what happened because of it. The people on those transports were suffering, becoming weak and ill. The death rate was rising at an astonishing rate. We had families stop taking any kind of birth control in all hopes to maintain any remnants of a population. This was due to the fact that we were vastly ill-equipped for space travel beyond our calculations. The Ictarians offered to help, but only if we gave them one hundred thousand people. Leadership was at a crossroads and there was a lot of infighting from the polarization. One side didn't care what they needed the people for, they looked at it as sacrificing a few for the many. The other side was more reluctant and wanted people to stay together, find a different solution, and create a genuine diplomatic relation with the Ictarians."
Dr. Hisk lets out a big sigh, "As it turns out, we were to become pawns that would end a millennia long truce between the Ictarians and the Kangguns. The kind of shit that drove us away in the first place."
"Wait.", Leliana interrupts, "There's two alien species we've never been told about."
"Please let me finish.", Dr. Hisk replies. "Yes, there are two alien species that had stopped fighting each other for territories because they both have extremely long gestation periods when it comes to reproducing. It's something in the decades for the birth of a single child. Their populations couldn't take the losses from warfare."
"Then along comes humanity. The Ictarians had already seen what we do to each other, imagine if we felt we had something to gain for doing what we do best in their eyes. We caved into their demands hoping for the best. It all started with one hundred thousand 'volunteers'. It slowly began to progress into worse."
"Back up here.", says Leliana abruptly. "I'm gonna look passed the sacrificial lamb bullshit. The past is the past, but why all the lies afterwards? Why do we teach the ensuing generations about Earth 2 and why is the number only twenty-five thousand?"
"Honestly, I don't know. It's something that has been passed down from generation to generation to only a select few. It may have something to do with the fact that it wasn't common knowledge that people were taken away. The betrayal wasn't discovered immediately by our council. Not until the plagues started happening on Hygeia."
"The plagues that caused us to flee Hygeia and settle here on Fiortega?", says Leliana.
"Again, that's what was taught to you in school. Multiple plagues were supposedly spreading slowly, killing tens of thousands of people as it spreads. At least that's what was told to the general population. However, it was the Ictarians claiming more people in exchange for more technological advancement."
"It was human leadership that was enabling this. They would indiscriminately get people sick with three or four day symptoms that would eventually pass. They used these symptoms as an excuse to quarantine them immediately, and they would disappear forever."
"How did they get away with this? Why didn't people revolt, up rise, do anything when they found out?", Leliana says perplexed.
"By the time that happened, it was too late. The Ictarians had two hundred years to siphon people for their needs and created a culture to follow suit. Hygeia had become a planet full of compulsive addicts. The Ictarians found that humans have simple desires and fed those desires excessively. Those who could resist temptation had enough and left Hygeia. That's when we found Fiortega two hundred years ago, and settled it with only five hundred thousand people. Our first council decided that we wouldn't inform future generations about the past except for a select few to keep our future safe."
"How do you know all of this? Who told you, and why are you telling me now?", Leliana frustrated.
"The how and who is not important. What is important is that we gather more information from your captor. We managed to subdue him with a couple of cases of alcohol and several promiscuous women, but that won't last. We have a team disabling his ship and downloading its star charts."
"So, you think P-T has something that could help? Wait, if we know that there are these dangers out there why are we sending survey ships for fucking research. Rowan and I were almost killed, you know, and over what? Tell me Dad, what purpose does that serve?", she says very angrily as tears roll down her face.
"I know honey. Looking back, it seems like a terrible idea.", says Dr. Hisk trying to calm her down.
"Terrible idea! You've got to be joking.", she replies in disappointment.
Dr. Hisk puts his hands on her shoulders and looks directly into her eyes. Her body is trembling from anger as her breath shudders with each attempt. "Listen to me Leliana! Nothing is more important to me than you and Rowan. If we'd known that this problem had spread to Bravo sector, we'd never sent that ship."
"Dad, tell me exactly what you mean by the 'problem'."
"People enslaving people to the alien races. That's the problem. It used to be just for technology. Now, it's just so they can get high and what not. We've sent spies to investigate and that's how we found out that there has been a war between the Ictarians and the Kangguns since humans entered this part of the galaxy all those years ago. Both sides use humans to fight their wars and we fucking happily oblige. The worst part is they are getting their hands on all the people they can, and there are low life shitbags fucking helping them. At least, that's what we think based on the evidence from what happened to your ship and our resources."
Leliana sits silently in her chair having heard all of this disturbing information. A sickening feeling comes rushing all over her body as a look of devastation contorts her face. Dr. Hisk kneels down next to her holding her hand.
"The reason we send survey ships is to keep our existence as free as possible. We must be persevering in our efforts so that if we are discovered, we'll have options. I'm sorry I have to tell you this, but I wanted you to understand why we do the things that we are doing, especially when we talk to your captor tomorrow. Swing by the office and I'll catch you up on what we've learned."
Dr. Hisk stands up and gives Leliana a brief hug. "Don't turn off the music until the door is shut. Bye baby. I love you."
He lets her go, and gives a loving look into Leliana's eyes before he turns. As he gets to the door, he adjusts the lapels on his jacket to cover his face and then exits the house quickly.
Still in shock of e
verything, Leliana gets up from her chair after a couple moments. Her expression changes from devastation to stoic as she processes everything. Now emotionless, she turns off the music and then turns off all the remaining lights in the house except for one in the hallway leading to the bedrooms. As she gets to her room, she locks the door behind her and drops her robe on the floor, exposing her naked body. The moonlight seeps through the blinds and gleams against her smooth, voluptuous features as she walks to her bed. Once in bed, she lies still for a few moments with her eyes wide open, thinking about the facts she's just learned, until her eyelids become too heavy to manage.
Late in the afternoon the next day, as the sun sits high in the clear blue sky, the ambient temperature is considerably hotter today than yesterday. Various indigenous insects are chirping out their songs, while people continue about their business completely ignorant of the truth of their existence.
Leliana has made it to the tall glassy building where she saw her father yesterday, sweat glistening on her olive skin. As she enters the building, she fans herself to cool down from the heat outside. Sunlight fills the entry with long beams of light through the glass. The buildings air conditioning feels like a cold wall once she feels it, almost giving her the chills. She approaches a receptionist desk not far from the entry, to see Amanda working behind there.
"Hi. Amanda, right?", asks Leliana.
The young woman working with some papers and files behind the desk shakes her head yes and says, "How may I help you?"
"Do you happen to know where my father, Dr. Hisk is at?"
"I believe he said that he was in Dr. Larry's office today and asked to not be disturbed. May I take a message?", asks Amanda.
"No that is alright. He asked me to come by today. Can you point me in the direction of Dr. Larry's office please?"
Amanda shuffles the papers on her desk and sets them down as she stands. She points down a hallway on her right, "His office will be down this hallway. Make a right, then a left on the second hallway. His door will be the sixth one on the right."
"Thank you.", replies Leliana and she walks down the hallway following the directions given. Her high heeled shoes echo on the hard surface of the floor. A material much similar to marble found on Earth, but native to this planet. She passes several offices where people are working away on the computers in front of them. After she makes the first turn, there is a wall of glass looking into a room where people in decontaminate suits are working on some large-scale project.
As she finally approaches Dr. Larry's office, she can hear very indistinct conversations behind the door, purposely trying to conceal their details. She knocks on the door and the talking stops abruptly.
"Who is it?", says Dr. Larry.
"It's Leliana, I was told by my father to stop by today. I was told he would be with you."
"Hang on.", says Dr. Larry.
There's some mild commotion in the room as some furniture is moved and things are put into drawers. He opens up the door, "Come on in. We've been expecting you."
Leliana enters the small dark office. It's very cluttered with stacks of papers and books on the desk and shelves. Her father is sitting on the desk with his one leg up and the other off, touching the floor.
"Oh good, you made it.", Dr. Hisk says. "We've just finished the upload of the star charts and we were about to check them out. How did you sleep?"
With heavy sarcasm, Leliana responds, "Are you really going to ask that question?"
"Fair enough. Let's see what we have here." Dr. Hisk replies.
He turns the computers monitor to the front of the room and presses a key. On the screen, it has a binary solar system with only four planets centered on the screen. To the right, is a long list of systems. Looking at the solar system, the outermost planet is highlighted with some details of the planet under it.
"Looks like a gas giant called Calopesia. In the details under the highlighted name, it says mining outpost.", says Dr. Larry. "Looking at the planets composition its mining hydrogen. Nothing else as far as details go. I'm going to cross reference this with our star charts to get a bearing on where this might be."
"Good idea." Dr. Hisk says.
"Quick question.", Leliana asks, "What are you looking for?"
"If we can see where this ship has been, it may provide an idea of the areas where we need stay away.", replies Dr. Larry.
"And what about P-T? What are you planning for him?", says Leliana.
"At this time, we are just keeping him busy. He's got quite the appetite for booze, women, and food. We'll need to see if he can be of any use.", says Dr. Hisk.
"Hey, George. You'd better take a look at this.", says Dr. Larry with a concerned look on his face.
As they look at the computer, there is a planet, third one from its star, highlighted and labeled Origin. In the solar system, there is a total of nine planets, three of which are nearly similar in size. There are four gas giant planets all in the order of all the planets from Earth's solar system.
"George, this looks like Earth's system."
"No, please no. I can't imagine what these fucks would do-", say Dr. Hisk hysterically.
Dr. Larry cutting him off, "George, Earth is gone. If these are the right coordinates and everything, the details say it's toxic with radiation; completely uninhabitable. I would need to double check the maps star points, but I'm afraid we are humanities last real survivors."
"Dad, how can this be? Why would anyone destroy Earth?", says Leliana devastated.
"I don't know. I honestly don't know. Do we have any date markings on this chart? Anything that can tell us when they were possibly there?", says Dr. Hisk quietly holding back his emotions.
"It looks like this was nearly one hundred years ago. It's possible it could be a different system, but it's improbable. You don't think that the three factions finally accomplished destroying Earth?", says Dr. Larry.
"Fuck if I know at this point. Could be-", says Dr. Hisk.
On the computers intercom, Amanda's voice interrupts Dr. Hisk. "Dr. Hisk, Dr. Weiland, we have an urgent message from the lookout watch post."
"Fuck! What now.", says Dr. Hisk aggravated. "Put it through right away."
"Yes sir.", says Amanda.
The computer screen flickers and then changes to a live feed to a young man in military clothes, sitting at a desk facing the camera. "Sir, this is Lieutenant Bradford of outpost Sentry six. We've got four unidentified vessels approaching the system. They are not responding to communications. Currently their trajectory is straight for Fiortega 6."
"Thank you, Lieutenant. Keep us posted if anything changes.", says Dr. Larry.
"Fuck me. How could they have found us? You don't... you don't think he led them here do you?", says Dr. Hisk, looking at Leliana.
"You're asking me? How would I know that?", says Leliana defensively.
"Leliana, you spent the most time with him. Do you think he sent for reinforcements, compromised us in any way?", says Dr. Larry.
"From what I've seen, he's anti-social first and foremost. He never talked to anyone, but I stayed away as much as possible. So, I can't say for certain if he's contacted anyone.", replies Leliana.
"Alright, let's bring that son of a bitch into the interrogation room. If we have to beat it out of him, we'll fucking beat his ass within an inch of his life.", says Dr. Hisk.
"Uh... I wouldn't advise that.", says Dr. Larry disagreeing. "With so much going on, I haven't had the chance to let you know what I've found on our friend here."
Frustrated, Dr. Hisk replies, "Well spit it out! The more time we waste, the more time we lose."
"His nanites seem to have been made for military applications. He could have been created in a lab and I have no idea what his age is. He might be even older than me and I just turned one-hundred-and-fifty-one four months ago.", says Dr. Larry.
"Leliana, go talk to him. See if he sent for whoever is coming.", says Dr. Hisk.
"You're fucking joking, right
?", says Leliana upset. "Dad, I felt like a prisoner basically for months. Nearly killed me fucking countless times. I will not do this."
"I'm not asking you. I'm telling you. You've already saw that we could be the last of genuine humanity. All twenty million of us on this planet. Earth might as well be gone. There's no second chance for mankind. Times running out and the clock is ticking. If you can get him to stall them while we get the transport ships ready, we may have a chance to evacuate the planet, that will be all the time we need.", says Dr. Hisk.
"Why don't ask one of the whores he's been fucking? They would know this guy better than me by now." She looks back and forth between Dr. Larry and her father, neither respond. "Ugh! Fine, you and Mom take care of Rowan. If I die, my blood will be on your hands.", says Leliana irritated.
Dr. Hisk puts his hand and her shoulder and looks her straight in the eye. "If you don't do this, the blood of twenty million people will be on yours."
