Meta was a little more excited about the dance than Renn, who hadn’t taken years of dance classes like she had, but he tried to be enthusiastic. They talked about the dance while they headed to the observation deck, hand in hand, hoping to find a beautiful view. Instead they found the same view they had seen for almost a year. The room, however, was blissfully empty.
They sat on the carpeted steps, lost in conversation, discussing anything and everything.
“I believe that in the end, everyone gets what they deserve,” Renn said. “If you have a pure heart and show compassion, then good things will come to you. And if you’re like Jonah, then one day you’ll burn in hell.”
Meta giggled. “Okay, as fair as that sounds, I have to disagree.”
“Really?”
“Yes. Let me tell you a little something about karma,” Meta said.
“I’m all ears,” Renn replied with a grin.
“One day I went to the store to buy some soda and there was this nice lady selling subscriptions outside the front door. She gave me her pitch and I waited, without any intention of buying, but I didn't want to be rude; I wanted to believe in karma. But then I felt a few heavy drops fall on my head and I looked up to find a bird standing on the rafters, using my hair as a toilet. The moral of the story is, you can be as nice as you can be to your fellow man, but sometimes you're still going to get shat on.”
Renn laughed.
“I don't believe karma exists,” she continued. “I believe that the bad guys sometimes win and the good guys sometimes lose. All you can do is be the person you want to be and try not to stand in the same place too long if birds are around.”
Renn stared at her a moment, until his eyes trailed to her lips. His hands illuminated from the nervous knots that were forming in his stomach and he reached up and touched her warm cheek. Before he could get up the nerve to kiss her, she leaned forward and kissed him.
“Your lips taste like cherries,” Renn said between kisses.
She kissed him again before replying, “It’s the lip balm.”
He smiled and the two continued kissing until they heard, “Hey now, what's going on in here?”
They both looked up, startled to find Micah walking into the observation deck.
They both blushed and began stuttering.
“Um…we…we were just…” Meta started.
“Watching the stars…and…” Renn tried to explain.
“And then Meta stopped breathing and you decided to give her mouth to mouth?” Micah filled in the blank.
“Something like that,” Renn said.
“Good job Renn, carry on,” Micah said before walking away. He stopped in the doorway and turned around. “Oh, and Renn?”
“Yeah?” Renn asked.
“Door stays open,” Micah added with a wink.
“Yeah, I know,” Renn replied, putting his hands in the air.
Meta and Renn looked at each other, laughing after Micah had left.
“Good job, Renn,” Meta teased.
“Thanks, you know, I try,” Renn played along.
“Oh no, I think I’m gonna stop breathing again.”
“Don’t worry, I’ll save you,” Renn said and kissed her again, occasionally stopping so they could laugh a bit more.
***
It was early morning on a school day off, when Joss, Lux, and Meta were getting ready to head for the simulation room, having volunteered to help decorate for the school dance. The decorations would be provided by Ava in the form of tactile holograms, but the designs would come from the students and the girls were eager to help.
When they opened the door to their room, they found Micah walking up, carrying a small pouch, as he finished talking with Sally. When he got to the girls, he asked if he could speak to Meta alone about something important.
“I’ll meet you there,” Meta said to Lux and Joss.
“We can just wait for you downstairs,” Lux said.
“No, go ahead girls, this may take a while,” Micah replied with a warm smile. “Just get started without her, I’ll send her off as soon as I can.”
The girls left and Micah walked into the empty dorm room as Meta followed, startled when the door closed behind them. Meta looked back at Micah.
“I guess Ava doesn't know a boy's in here,” Micah said with a smile. “Don't worry, your virtue's safe with me.”
“I’m sorry, what did you want to talk about?” Meta asked.
“Don’t worry,” Micah said. “I promise, you won’t feel a thing.”
“Excuse me?”
“Ava, put Meta to sleep,” Micah said, prompting Meta’s sleep regulator to beep twice.
CHAPTER 19
P-3191
When Lux and Joss got to the simulation room to join the decorating committee, they found the majority of First Year girls there, wanting to put their two cents in. Ivan, however, walked in, insisting that he knew best, trying to take over the meeting, until Joss put her foot down and told him point blank that he could be included like everyone else, but that this would be handled as a democracy, not a dictatorship, end of story.
The girls all grinned and voted Joss to be the council president, knowing that if anyone could bring order to the room, it would be her.
They made lists of themes and color schemes, in the end voting for a romantic outdoor dinner on a cobblestone porch, with an ivy-veiled terrace, overlooking a lake so clear that it would reflect the three chosen moons and star-filled night sky. On the opposite bank lay black mountains, dripping with bright orange lava that would flow into the water, causing that side of the lake to become steamy and effervescent.
A stage would be near a dance floor with a concert-projector available, providing a large list of hologram bands, which the students would be able to choose from during the dance.
Ivan left, annoyed that his football themed, rock concert extravaganza had been rejected, but didn’t find the time a total loss, considering he had made a date with a beautiful Lucian named Nola. Nola took one look at Ivan’s blue eyes and decided that color-wise, he would complement the dress she had chosen for the dance, like an accessory she didn’t have time to shop for. Needless to say, the two were perfect for each other.
Joss and Lux kept glancing at the door, waiting for Meta, and then messaged her after the meeting was over, without a response.
“Maybe she’s still talking with Micah,” Joss surmised to Lux. They walked back to the dorms, when they passed Micah in the hall.
He smiled at them and said, “Hi girls.”
“Hi,” the girls replied.
“Have you seen Meta?” Lux asked.
“Not recently,” Micah replied. “Last time I saw her was in the dorms a couple of hours ago. She said she was going to the simulation room to join the decoration committee.”
The girls checked the girls’ dorms and then went to the boys’ dorms, hoping to find Meta with Renn.
“Ava, where’s Meta?” Renn asked.
There was a long pause, before Ava replied, “I’m sorry, I do not understand. What is a ‘Meta’?”
They all stood there, waiting for someone to make it make sense. Renn, however, wasn’t willing to stand there any longer, and headed for the door.
“Where are you going?” Lux asked.
“To see Professor Lockrin,” he said.
They all followed after him and walked into Professor Lockrin’s office. After six frantic voices explained the situation, Lockrin confirmed with Ava that she had no idea what he was talking about. The Olerian illuminated the computer on his desk and checked Cybernex for Meta’s travel log.
“She’s still onboard the ship, according to Cybernex,” Lockrin said. The students opened their mouths to protest, before Lockrin put up his hand. “This is a good thing. If she’s here, that means we can find her.” He opened the door and spoke to his android assistant. “Cara, do you know who Meta is?” he asked.
“Of course. Meta is a First Year student. A human from Te
min,” the android replied.
“Very good,” Lockrin said. “I need you and the ship’s automaton to find her. Notify all bots they are to cease communicate with Ava until further notice. If they don’t know who Meta is, I need you to turn them off for now.”
“Yes, sir,” Cara replied before leaving.
“We’ll find her,” Lockrin said to the students. “Just go back to your dorms and wait for her there.”
After the students left, Lockrin’s peaceful face contorted into alarm. He initiated his communicator and contacted the captain. “Ava’s been compromised. Notify the Quintessence. Have them search and destroy any unauthorized commands that were recently sent.”
“Yes, sir,” the captain replied.
Renn and his friends walked down the halls, stopping where the paths separated the girls’ dorms on the left and the boys’ on the right. “I can’t just sit and wait for her.”
“Me neither,” Joss said.
“Let’s separate and start looking,” Dylan said. “She’s got to be here somewhere.”
They searched every nook and cranny, passing dozens of bots that were either looking for Meta or standing lifeless in the halls, having been turned off. An hour had passed when one of the ship-bots approached Renn, stating that he was receiving a phone call from an unidentified contact.
He rushed to his dorms, finding the screen at the end of his bed blinking with a request to “Accept” or “Deny” a call from an unknown source from location: Andromeda Galaxy, Martex, Region P-3191.
When he selected “Accept,” Meta’s frightened face appeared.
His hands illuminated brighter. “Are you all right?” Renn asked frantically.
“No. I don’t know. I woke up in this cave…”
Oh gawd. Renn’s stomach lurched. This can’t be a coincidence, he thought. He looked behind her and saw the damp stone walls he had seen over and over in his dreams. The light on her face flickered with a warm orange light, highlighting the shine from the tears streaking down her cheeks.
“Where are you?” Renn asked.
“I don’t know…”
Renn tried to think. How am I supposed… then he saw the call came from P-3191. Where the hell is that? he thought.
“Please help me,” Meta sobbed.
The fear deep within him told him not to go, but the utter panic that she was there flamed within him. “I’m coming, Meta! Just… I won’t leave you! I promise I’m coming,” Renn said, ending the transmission and running out the door.
He rushed down the halls towards the portal rooms, passing Joss, Lux, and Leo on the concourse.
“Where are you going?” Joss asked.
“To look for Meta,” Renn yelled over his shoulder as he continued running.
“We already looked down there,” Leo shouted, but by then, Renn was far out of hearing distance. Leo looked at the girls. “I don’t know where else to look. The bots will hit the sections that are off limits to First Years…”
“Let’s just go back to the dorms,” Lux said. “She could be there looking for us anyways.”
Lux and Joss walked back to their dorms, still hoping they would walk in to find Meta sitting there waiting for them, but the room was empty, just as they had left it. The girls sat down on their beds, unsure of what to do or say. They had searched the ship, told as many people as they could tell, but didn’t feel right sitting down, doing nothing. The lights flickered for a moment, silently notifying the crew that updates had been received to the mainframe.
“I hope Renn finds Meta,” Lux said.
“Searching for Meta,” Ava obliged.
“Oh my gawd. Finally!” Joss said.
Ava scanned the room, until the drawer underneath Meta's bed illuminated and ejected.
“Meta, found,” Ava said.
Lux and Joss froze as the blood rushed from their faces. They walked over to Meta’s bed and looked down into the drawer beneath it to see Meta’s lifeless body. Her eyes stared out through a sheet of plastic, laminated to her face. They screamed, as Lux fell to her knees, tearing off the plastic.
Joss ran to the door and hit the alarm, while Lux pulled Meta out of the drawer and performed CPR.
Sally ran in, kneeling next to the girls, and put her hand above Meta’s forehead. Thin red beams illuminated from Sally’s lifelines and searched for brain activity in Meta, finding none. Sally got up and walked over to Lux, putting her arms around her, and pulled her away.
“It's too late. You have to let her go,” Sally said.
“NO! It can’t be!” Lux cried. Lux became hysterical and Joss, though sobbing as hard as she was, put her arms around Lux, helping Sally soothe her.
Desh and Kia were in the mess hall when the video messages ran through the school that Lux and Joss had found Meta dead. Neither Desh nor Kia were wearing their vicoms and the information got back to Desh in a scattering of thoughts. Desh took off running, unsure of who was hurt, but knowing Meta, Lux, and Joss’ names were popping up into everyone’s heads and that someone had died. Kia ran close behind him while they headed to the girls’ dorms.
When they got to the common room, all the students were filling the area and professors were trying to get everyone to calm down and go back to their dorms. From across the room, Desh saw Joss holding Lux, both of whom were still sobbing. Lux and Desh made eye contact. She was wearing her thought blockers and Desh mimed taking them off, which she did.
Are you all right? Desh projected.
It’s not me, Lux replied. She closed her eyes and recalled the memory of Renn running into the portal room and the image of Meta's body under the bed.
“Oh gawd,” Desh said.
“What?” Kia asked.
“Renn's running into a trap,” Desh replied.
They ran out of the dorms and down the corridors, as Desh kicked himself for not having tried harder. He should have yelled at Renn, shook him, told him to stay away from her! What if it’s too late? he thought. What if Renn’s already dead? It would be his fault, no one else’s; at least that's what his sinking stomach was telling him. Just don't let it be too late, he thought.
When they reached the portal room, Desh looked up at the two portals’ previous destinations. One was still set for Port Junction CM-56, the junction Galileo’s students would have come from, and portal P-3191.
Where the hell is that? Desh thought. It only had one letter before the dash, so it would open on a planet, though the schools had so many kids attending, they usually only connected their portals to junctions. He turned around and punched in a destination on the other portal keypad.
“Go get our parents. Tell them I went after Renn,” Desh said.
Kia looked up wide-eyed, reading the destination location identified only as “Q.”
“I don't have clearance to board the Quintessence,” Kia said confused.
“Kia, you've had clearance since the day you were born, just go!” And with that, Desh turned and jumped through the other portal to P-3191.
Kia couldn't hesitate any longer. He slapped his hand to the identification scanner and the portal displayed, “Access granted.”
He leapt through the silver wall onto the Quintessence. He looked around the ship's portal room, not knowing the layout of the ship, where to go, or where to find someone. Have to hurry, Desh and Renn are alone, he thought.
He took a deep breath and let out a blood curdling war cry that reverberated down the corridors of the massive fighter ship until the alarms blared.
***
Desh stepped out of the cold, liquid metal onto a rocky mountain planet. It could have been any number of planets, he thought, but at least the physical laws he was familiar with seemed to apply. He breathed clean oxygen and looked around, finding that the land looked like it had been long since deserted.
His hands sparked and snapped with electricity as he scanned for danger that he knew would be nearby. There were mountains and trees, but the presence of an intelligent species remained. The
re was a black stone well, broken down by the planet’s elements; corroded tools for farming, long since abandoned; and skeletons laying in heaps, leaving the question, “What happened?” lingering in the air, perhaps never to be answered.
Desh scraped the footing beneath him, seeing that there used to be a road, now covered by dirt and weeds. He looked further, seeing footprints in the distance matching his own. They were scattered in the beginning, as if the walker wasn’t sure of his destination, then straightened out towards the woods. He followed them, leading him through trees, unaware that the portal was re-liquefying behind him.
He lost the footprints when the ground changed to rocks, twigs, and large stone slabs. He listened, scanning for thoughts and broke out into a run when he heard a thought projected into the air. Meta, where are you?
He ran around a small rocky hill and found Renn walking near one of the many cave openings scattered in the area. Desh looked around, worried that he’d miss a crunch of rocks or a rustle of a tree branch that would notify him that they weren’t alone.
Renn! Desh projected.
Renn whipped around with his palms up, illuminated and sparking. Get back! he projected.
Take it easy, Brother, Desh replied, and took a step back. It’s just me.
I see the caves, Renn said. This is where you’re going to try to kill me!
Desh clenched his jaw in irritation. I thought we were past that. I’m not going to kill you!
What did you do with her?
I didn’t do anything to Meta. You’re acting crazy. We can’t be off-ship! Desh projected as he inched forward.
I’m not leaving without her! Renn replied, looking around. Why can't I hear her?
Renn, Meta's dead.
How do you know that if you had nothing to do with it? Renn projected. You were always trying to break us up!
She never left the Galileo. Lux found her body. I'm sorry. I wish it wasn't true, Desh replied.
“Show me,” Renn said through gritted teeth.
“Renn, I don't think that's a good id…” Desh replied.
Galileo (Battle of the Species) Page 32
