Talia's Planet

by Heather Lee Dyer

  "When the Gryphon fueled the prison ship, our schedule was twice as often, due to the extra weight the Biolab created."

  "No. We'll figure out another way." Zayn's voice is firm, not allowing for argument.

  I bite my lip to keep quiet. I truly want to get all the facts first anyway before I make any important decisions. The logistics of removing the Biolab, which is basically a giant habitat-size, self-sustaining cube, and figuring out what to do with it gives me a headache. This habitat, before it was turned into a prison ship, was designed especially to hold the Biolab. There isn't another habitat that would be able to take on Zeg. I frown as I allow Zayn to lead me out of the lift and down another corridor.

  The humidity and earthy smell tells me we're getting closer to the entrance of the Biolab. I try recalling the plans I studied. I seem to remember there were parts, even in the 3D models, that weren't very detailed. As if they were removed, or maybe changed and not updated over the years.

  "Zayn, has anyone told you why the structural plans end at the edge of the Biolab? Shouldn't they have plans for the interior of Zeg as well? And its connections to the Resurrection?"

  We stop in front of what I assume are the doors into the Biolab. Zayn lets go of my arm. "This door requires both of our badges." I hear a beep as he swipes his badge over the sensor.

  I lean in and find the sensor. As it beeps I hear loud grinding metal sounds behind the wall. I step backward quickly.

  "Seriously?" Every old-world mechanical door on our habitats has been replaced by electronic systems, as the mechanical ones have broken down over the years. The 3D printers can only work when we have raw materials, and for the last few years we've been forced to ration those. Door parts are not as important as life-saving hospital machinery or necessary engine parts.

  Zayn laughs and pulls me forward again. "That noise answers your question. There are no engineering plans for Zeg because it's fully mechanical for the most part, and self-contained for very good reasons. And that, my dear Talia, was the sound of the most secure mechanical door ever made on Earth."

  As we pass through the door I run my hands over it, feeling the mechanisms and the lock. Pure, rough metal. I wonder what other secrets are here? I couldn't find much research on Zeg at all. It's like a black hole of information. I'm curious to find out what’s so different about this greenhouse. Trees, plants, insects, small animals, seed storage. These are all normal, so why all the secrecy around Zeg?

  Zayn leads me through several other doors, each one requiring both of our badges, which I ask Zayn about.

  "They need to track everyone who comes into Zeg."

  I roll my eyes.

  "Just be patient, and you'll find out why soon enough." He nudges me, and I have to put out my hand to catch myself against the wall.

  Guess he saw me roll my eyes. I smile and keep walking.

  The walls are textured here, and pitted in places. It smells musty, which is normal for greenhouses, but there's something more.

  "Do they have Japanese deer here?" I ask, hopeful.

  "I don't think so. I think those are just on Miyajima."

  "Have you been there? They were amazing and soft and friendly."

  "Ah. The tough girl mechanic has a soft side for animals."

  I stop. "You sound surprised that I have a soft side." I frown. Is that really how he sees me?

  He wraps his arms around me. "You know I didn't mean it that way. I know you have a soft side. I like your soft side." He lightly brushes his lips over mine as my cheeks warm. "I just mean I've never seen you around animals, or talk about them. We didn't have animals in the Blue Ridge’s greenhouse."

  I relax and lean in for another kiss. Soon I've forgotten why I was upset at him.

  Breathless, he pulls back planting a last kiss on my forehead. "We should finish our tour."

  We walk in silence for a few more minutes. He stops and we pass our badges over another door. "The last one, I promise."

  "What's behind all the doors we’ve passed so far?" There were dozens of them.

  "Those are all offices and dry storage areas."

  "And how do you know so much about all this? You weren't here much earlier than I was." I tilt my head to listen as the door opens.

  "I've been here before," Zayn states simply.

  "Of course you have." I step inside the room.

  The sounds and smells that hit me completely root me to the spot. Animal and bird sounds I've never heard before, in person at least. I think of old vids I've watched, trying to identify each sound. Which only serves to confuse me more.

  "Zayn?"

  "Yes, Talia?" I hear his smile as he leans close.

  "What the scarp is this place?"

  "Do you know what Zeg means?"

  "No. Why does that matter?" I take a few steps forward. The floor feels different, not like anything I've felt before, so I bend down and tentatively touch the stuff around us. It feels like grass, but loose and dry.

  "Zeg means the day after tomorrow, which is a perfect name for this place. I brought you here to show you why we need to bring Zeg with us. You can't separate it from the rest of the ship."

  I stand up. "What? All of this was to change my mind on an engineering decision?" I lift my chin, my defenses up fully.

  Zayn lets out an exasperated sigh. "No, that's not the only reason. But just try to keep an open mind. Please?"

  Disappointed, I say, "Fine." I grind my jaw. He knows me well enough to know that I've already done all the engineering calculations without Zeg, even though I just mentioned the idea to him in passing. I force myself to relax. I trust in my numbers and the science behind space flight.

  Zayn grabs my hand and pulls me down the walkway, our footsteps muffled by the loose material scattered on the floor.

  He pauses, and I realize we're at another doorway. "Ready?" he asks.

  I don't answer and just push through the door, Zayn at my side.

  The pungent scent of manure reaches my nostrils as a high-pitched sound comes from my right. I startle and Zayn wraps his arm around my waist and forces me toward the noise.

  "It's all right, Talia."

  Holy Titan's methane. My heart pounds in my chest because I know that what's in front of me is impossible.

  A soft muzzle touches my face and I know that I'm right. I reach up to touch rough hair over strong muscles.

  "Horse. It's a horse," I whisper as I run my hand across the warm-blooded animal. "How is this possible? They said it wasn't possible for the large animals to survive the trip to our new home." No one has seen a horse in decades; at least that's what we've been told.

  "The scientists on Zeg have created an environment that several generations of many types of large and small animals have thrived. Now you know why we have to take Zeg with us."

  "Why all the secrecy?" The horse nudges me again, and I continue to stroke its powerful neck. "And how do you know so much about all of this?"

  "When Zeg first came online, my parents were here. They helped join the Biolab with the ship and have protected it ever since. For the whole keeping-it-a-secret part, our scientists felt that none of the other habitats have the space or facilities to breed their own stock, safely anyway. And if they found out that it's possible, more people would want to do just that and experiment."

  "You and your family have a lot of secrets."

  A pause. "I know. And I'm sorry I kept this one from you. But we were kind of busy with the last secret." He runs his hand up and down my lower back, sending tingles up my spine.

  "True, I'll give you that one." I lay my cheek against the horse’s muzzle. "And now that I know about this one…" I close my eyes. "…we're going to need a bigger star drive."

  CHAPTER 3

  Cabin in the Woods

  Zayn grabs me and lifts me up into his arms, startling the horse. I laugh and wrap my arms around Zayn's neck. "You scared my horse."

  "You just said we needed a bigger star drive."

 
"Yes." I sigh dramatically.

  "After only one horse? There's so much more here for me to show you still."

  I struggle down out of his arms. "Like what?" Not only am I excited about what other animals are here, the mechanic side of me wants to get a feel of how big this place is, and how they’re feeding, watering, and disposing of waste here.

  "I'll show you." He grabs my hand and we slowly walk down rows of fenced-off animals. I let go of his hand so I can touch each animal as we walk past. The bioengineers on Zeg didn't just stick to animals from one type of environment like the habitats did. I find zebras, big horn sheep from the mountains, kangaroos from the Australian outback, and even a couple of thick-skinned Asian elephants from the rainforests decades long gone. My face hurts from grinning by the time we get to the other end of the large animal level.

  Then I meet Sadie, and my happiness level drops. I know she's one of Destry's good friends, but she's cold and unfriendly toward me. The only thing she says is to find Alix, and then she stomps off.

  When I can't hear her footsteps any longer, I whisper to Zayn, "You would think she'd be a lot less uptight living in an amazing place like this."

  Zayn steers me toward the only other lift on this level. "She's just protective of Zeg. She kind of had to fight to become a biologist here, just like the pressure I had going from being a scout pilot to an engineer. She gets defensive quickly."

  "What was she before coming here?" I notice this lift doesn't require our badges as we step in.

  "She was a recycle pilot and in line to become a captain someday. Her mom is an engineer and had Sadie mentoring under the captain of their habitat."

  "Wow, that is a lot different career than being a biologist."

  "Yes, but she did it. And she's done amazingly well here on Zeg." There’s pride in Zayn's voice.

  "I'm still amazed all this has been kept secret all these years." I feel the lift come to a stop. "Does the Council know?"

  The doors groan quietly open and we step out into thick humidity. A slight breeze caresses my face and the aroma of flowers and growing things melts into my very soul. I inhale deeply.

  "Yes, the Council knows. They had to approve it years ago and have helped keep the secret. They know how important it’ll be to have live animals integrate onto our new world. These animals can start procreating before our cryo-embryo ones are even born. They think it will help keep the species more genetically stable."

  "All that is beyond me. But I do understand the importance of all this." I hold out my arms and take in another deep breath of fresh air.

  "Zayn, you sure have grown."

  "Scarp it," slips out before I can stop myself. I draw my arms back in and step backwards.

  "I'm sorry to startle you, miss." The man suddenly in front of us enunciates his words carefully, but rapidly. His sincere tone almost calms my stammering heart.

  I take in a breath. "That's all right, I wasn't paying attention. I didn't know anyone was here." I elbow Zayn.

  "Alix, this is Talia. Talia, this is Alix. He and his wife, Sadie, take care of Zeg."

  "It's nice to meet you, Talia." I cringe inwardly as I wonder if the awkward hug or handshake will be expected.

  In the silence, Zayn starts laughing. More like giggling. I try hard not to laugh at him. "What?" I ask as seriously as I can.

  "You two are a fine pair." He slaps his hands together.

  I put my hands on my hips and face Zayn. "Are you going to explain yourself or just laugh at me in front of someone I just met."

  "No, it's not like that Talia." He places a warm hand on my shoulder and turns me toward Alix. "To make this simple, Talia can’t see you Alix, and well, Alix doesn’t like being touched. Neither one of you have to worry about shaking hands. So you two are perfect friends already." He erupts into giggles again.

  "And why is that funny?" I frown.

  "Because I know both of you, and just the look on both of your faces is precious."

  "True, it would've taken me awhile to realize you were blind, Talia. My social cues are awkward even after all these years. You certainly carry yourself confidently. You don't seem intimidated by new spaces."

  I tilt my head toward Alix. "You observed that just in this short amount of time?"

  "I notice many things most people do not."

  I grin. "Really? Are you the engineer for Zeg?"

  "I do the work of an engineer, but I didn’t have any formal education since I was an orphan. The ship I was raised on was an illegal recycling barge."

  "My parents were unregistered at first. The Council didn't regulate your ship?"

  "It was one of Dr. Kincaid's ships. So, no." I hear him move away, and Zayn nudges me to follow.

  "I've heard of Dr. Kincaid in our history classes. Is he still on this prison ship?"

  "No, he died several years ago. Went completely mad and stopped eating." Bitterness flavors Alix's simple statement.

  I think about that. Is that what I want for Kae? To live her life aboard this ship until she dies? I'm horrified to find that part of me does want that.

  The ground underneath my feet turns spongy and I stop so I can reach down and feel the plants growing across the path. How can something so amazing like this Biolab exist so close to humanity’s most evil people? Just a level below this haven of plants and animal babies and happy horses live men and women who have taken another human's life. Tragedy and hope, all on one ship.

  "What's wrong, Talia?" Zayn bends down and squeezes one of my hands. I hear Alix stop a few feet away.

  I'm not sure how to explain my thoughts to Zayn and Alix. I search my mind for the words. I picture the engineering plans for the Resurrection and overlay them with the green mystery of Zeg, and the blackness that is the prison level. I shake my head.

  "I'm just thinking what a contrast this place is from the purpose of what the whole vessel is meant for. Prisoners who have taken lives are living below a place that is all about growing life." I shake my head. "I know it doesn't make sense."

  "No, it makes complete sense, Talia." Alix steps toward us. "I often feel that dichotomy living here. We grow vegetables and herbs to enhance the prisoners' regulated diets. Even though they don't deserve what we do for them. Each and every one down there has taken a human life. The current population of the Migration is a small fraction of humanity that used to populate Earth. And those people below us knew that and still took a precious human life."

  I stand up. "You're too nice to them." I think about Kae. I wouldn't want anyone being nice to her here.

  Zayn, sensing my dark thoughts, speaks to Alix. "The captain on trial for holding us hostage also allowed Talia's parents to die in the same fire that caused her eyesight to be lost."

  The burn across my face feels hot in the sudden scrutiny. It hits me that everyone aboard the Resurrection is a stranger, and I'll need to explain my appearance and blindness. My shoulders sag as the thought exhausts me.

  "You'll find, Talia, that everyone on this ship has an experience similar to yours or mine."

  My head whips up. "What do you mean?"

  He chuckles. "Except for my wife Sadie, everyone Captain Saj has brought onto the Resurrection has either a physical disability from some sort of accident or has somehow avoided the mandatory modifications."

  My body goes numb. Others like me. I'm not sure how I feel about that. On one hand it makes me feel less of a freak, but also it makes me sad that there are others who have had to go through the pain and humiliation I've gone through.

  I clear my throat. "How many? How many people are there on the Resurrection besides the prisoners?" I croak.

  "One hundred and forty two," Alix states without emotion.

  "Not thousands? I had no idea." I turn toward Zayn and hope I'm glaring in the right direction.

  "I know, I know." He continues quickly, "Another thing I didn’t tell you. I promise this is the last one."

  I bite the inside of my cheek.

  "If it help
s, everyone who comes aboard the Resurrection is bound to secrecy. About Zeg, and about our people. Even you," Alix finishes quietly.

  "I appreciate that, Alix. And I'm not mad." I tilt my head toward Zayn. "It's just a lot to process, you know?" I bend down to run my fingers through the grass again. "My whole world was shattered when my parents died and I lost my sight. And since then I've only known the gas cats and travel schedules and trying to live like a sighted person." I stand up. "Then when I was finally comfortable with all that, rescuing Zayn here opened up a whole new world of politics, secrets, and having to deal with Captain Kae again." Tears well up in the corners of my eyes. "And on top of all that, if I fail to deliver the projects I promised the Council, humanity won't have a chance to survive another generation."

  Zayn gently wraps his arm around my waist. "But it has also brought us together, brought you to Zeg and a whole ship full of new people anxious to get to know you, and your projects will absolutely succeed. You're an amazing mechanic and engineer, and we have a lot of people on our side."

  I lean into him. I'm just feeling overwhelmed. What I need is to get working on this project. I pull away and wipe my eyes. "Thank you. And I'm sorry. Let's just forget the last few minutes ever happened."

  Zayn gives me a squeeze and lets me go so we can continue down the path. Scents of various flowers and greenery mixed with the sounds of birds in the trees help calm the storm inside my head.

  "Where are we going, anyway?" I ask.

  "My office," Alix answers without further explanation.

  Soon we stop and Zayn helps me find two steps up into what he describes as a cabin-like structure. Although the outside of the building is rough wood, Alix uses his badge to electronically open the door.

  "This building also houses the main computer for Zeg," Alix says in response to the confusion that must've been obvious on my face.

  Inside the cabin, it is cool and only takes me a few dozen steps to tour the whole building.

  "Cozy," I say.

  "This was an actual log cabin from Earth. The original designer of the Biolab had it assembled before all the vegetation was mature," Alix explains.