by Raylan Kane
We wrap our arms around each other. I squeeze her body tight as I feel her warmth press against me. She looks at me and we laugh through our tears and share a kiss.
“What are you doing here?” I said.
“She insisted on coming – so did your blue friend there,” Marek said. “And I knew getting you to come with me would be a chore so-“
“So, you figured bringing them would entice me to change my mind.”
“It’s more than that; we need them as well.”
“For this special project you speak of?” I said.
“Yes.”
“Bramen, please come with me,” Milne said. “I don’t want to go through this on my own. I thought I’d lost you forever – I don’t want to feel like that again.”
“I don’t want to feel like that either. What did you mean go through this? Go through what? Going to Niona?”
“I’ve never been there. Trident says he has not either. I don’t know what it’s like. What if it’s the Grim all over again?”
“You mean he hasn’t told you?” I said. I look at Marek, “you haven’t told them what we’ll be doing in Niona?”
“You will all find out once you arrive – it is far too secretive to discuss here.”
“You’re worried all of these people you’ve killed will hear?”
Marek says nothing.
Milne holds on to me tight and doesn’t say anything. Trident stands by the clone with his arm around him.
“I cannot believe you’re all here. This is like a dream,” I said.
“Okay, you’ve seen them,” Marek said. “Now can we leave?” He motions to the choppers in exasperation.
“Where are we going?” I said. I look into Milne’s icy blue eyes. “Where did you come here from?”
“A ship – it waits for us – they brought us here from Hyll. It’s taken us almost a month to get here. You have to know, Bramen, I didn’t give up on you – neither did Trident. We were desperate to find you – but getting to the Haker on our own is impossible. Please believe me when I say that we tried.” Milne cries as she speaks – her face twisted with guilt, anguish and joy at the same time. “Every day I thought about you – I worried.”
“Hey – it’s okay – I believe you. You’re here now,” I said. “That’s all that matters to me. You’re here and you’re safe.”
“We are wasting time and fuel. You’ve all seen each other, you’ve had your reunion – now we must go,” Marek said.
“Yes, I will come with you,” I said. As I try to walk with everyone to the helicopters I feel a pull on my arm. The clone has his hand on me – he looks at me, his lip quivers.
“Wait,” I said. “What about him?”
“He cannot go with us,” Marek said. “You have her and you have him – that is enough. Now move.”
“No! Tell me that wherever we’re going that he can come too,” I said.
“Curses!” Marek said. “That man is a simple fool – I can tell just from his appearance. He would serve as no benefit for the mission - he would be a detriment in fact.”
“He is my friend.”
“Our friend,” Trident said.
“A man can have too many friends than is otherwise useful,” Marek said. “Hasn’t anyone ever told you that?”
“Do you want me to go with you or not?”
“You are lucky you are so special because you are a cursed pain.”
“What’s it going to be?”
“Fine. Yes. Bring him; but we leave now!”
“No! Yes!”
I gently hold the clone’s arm as I guide him closer to me. Milne holds my other hand and Trident walks behind as the four of us follow the rest to the choppers.
The giant machines rev and the wind pushes cardboard from the surface of the ground as we lift off; pieces of cardboard, dirt and debris land on the corpses that lay all over. Higher we climb straight upward. The side door of the chopper remains open. We look out over the ocean, glowing under a pink sky, the sun sinks and as we leave the dark island behind it becomes beautiful. Smoke, steel and the lives of the forgotten slide out our view as the copters bank hard left bringing the vast ocean with its wide sun streak directly beneath us. The airship glides away from the pink horizon toward the dark night sky ahead.
CHAPTER SIXTY-NINE
I wake to the sound of a ship’s horn. The clone lies still in the bed beside me. The horn blasts three times. I stare at the ceiling for a moment and glance to the window on my right, the sun is out. I look at the clock: 10:22, later than I thought. I notice at the foot of the bed a uniform of some kind folded next to a pair of canvas shoes with no laces and a white rubber strip around the bottom. Someone brought that in last night while I slept – I didn’t hear a thing – I’m assuming the clone did not either. Maybe it’s because this bed is so comfortable – it’s the best sleep I’ve had in months – I feel rested. I think about Milne next door, and I have to know what those horns are about. I get up, take a shower and step into the one piece uniform that is half silver, half blue – the material it is made from is foreign to me – the shoes are very comfortable and perfectly sized. When I exit the bathroom the clone is standing at the foot of the bed looking at me.
“I need to teach you about the whole staring thing. Creeps me out.”
“No!”
“Yes, it does.” I've given up fighting the idea that the clone will give up his negative barks, now I just pretend that he means what he says.
I walk with the clone next door and knock – Milne opens – her hair is cutely tousled and eyes are half-closed.
“Good morning,” I said with a smile.
She tries to smile through her bleariness.
“Tired?” I said. She nods and goes back to her bed as I usher the clone inside, walk in and close the door.
“I don’t do well on boats – the medical staff gave me pills. I see you brought your friend.”
“He’s our friend now – yours too. I was thinking I’d go up on deck; see what the fuss is about.”
“Those horns?”
“Yes.”
“Usually it means we’re coming into a port. I’ve grown used to them.”
“Maybe we’re about to pull into Niona.”
“Maybe.”
“Yes! No!”
"Must he yell like that?" Milne frowned.
“You’re cute when you’re tired.”
“Thank you.”
She flops back onto her pillow and I hover over her. She points to the clone with her eyes.
“Don’t worry about him – he’s just happy to be here,” I said.
We look and see the clone closely examining eating utensils in the cabin’s kitchenette. Milne grabs my shirt and pulls me toward her. Our lips interlock – someone’s at the door.
“Yes?”
“It’s me,” Trident’s muffled voice says through the door.
Milne looks at me and smiles as I shrug. “Come in,” she says.
Trident opens and steps inside Milne’s cabin. He is also dressed in the same uniform. “Oh, sorry to interrupt.”
“You’re not interrupting; I was just getting Milne up.”
“Oh good – are you all going above?” Trident said. He looks at the clone holding a sharp kitchen knife and slaps his hand. “Put that down!"
I can't help but laugh at Trident's mothering.
"Anyway," Trident said, "we should go up. I want to see what that horn was about – we may be coming into Niona – finally.”
“Yes, let’s go.”
“I am the first person I’ve ever known to go there,” Trident said.
“Me too,” I said.
“Me three.”
“So none of us has been to Niona before?” I said.
"Just like the rest of the planet," Milne said.
“What about him?” Trident said pointing at the clone now staring at himself reflected in the door
of the oven.
“No one’s allowed to go to the capital,” Milne said. “They don’t let just anyone in there. Most Sydinians go their whole lives without seeing it.”
“I wonder why?” I said.
“I don’t know.”
“Maybe you have to wear these uniforms before they let you in?” Trident said.
“Maybe,” Milne said looking at the uniform and shoes at the end of her bed. “I see they have one for me too. I hope it’s the correct size.”
“Ours fit perfectly,” I said.
Milne smiles, “they certainly do. You guys look cute – him too.”
“I will be sure to tell the clone you have a crush on him,” I said.
“You know he can hear you right?” Milne said.
"He doesn't know what we're saying. He probably thinks we're the crazy ones. Anyway, get up. Let’s go and see what’s happening up there,” I said.
“I could use some meat right about now as well,” Trident said.
“Me too, I’ve eaten nothing but cold clone jerky for months now.”
“Do you think it wise to speak of cloned meat in front of our friend here?” Milne said.
“He doesn’t care,” I said. “Look at him.”
The clone delights in opening and closing the sliding drawers.
We grab the clone and step out of Milne’s cabin and wait for her in the long, narrow corridor outside. The ship’s horn blasts again, three times.
“What do you think Niona’s like?” I said.
“I picture a lot of tall buildings, a lot of people and a lot of pollution.”
“Pollution? In the capital of the planet?”
“Think of how many people must live there – think of the expressways – the cars and trucks and buses and airplanes and trains and subways and-“
“I get it. Still – how many people could there be if they close off access the way Milne was saying?”
“Well, obviously some people live there. You’ve got the High Command and all their family members – that would add up to thousands alone – then you have the High Council and their families.”
“The High Council is only 12 people.”
“Who told you that?” Trident says with a giggle.
“Why do you laugh?”
“The High Council governs all of Sydin. Surely there are more than a dozen people – there’s more like 1200 people.”
“We shall see.”
Milne steps from her cabin looking strikingly gorgeous as always in her form-fitting silver and blue. We walk to the end of the corridor and up the stairs. The clear, clean air refreshes me as we climb toward the sun. The wind tosses our hair around and we step to the large flat main deck. The wind is cool, and there is nothing but water as far as you can see behind the ship.
“Not a cloud in the sky today,” Trident said. “It’s beautiful.”
“Yes! No! Come on!”
“Does he always say the same words over and over?” Milne said.
“Yes,” me and Trident said in unison.
“Can we teach him not to?”
“You’re welcome to try.”
On the main deck we are high above the sea. I look down over the side and I’m mesmerized by the black steel slicing the water away and the waves as they cascade outward. We walk to the front of the ship and ahead of the ship on land sits a large platform and tower that rises higher than the bridge. The horn blasts again as we draw closer to the platform.
“What are you doing up here?” A miss walks toward us.
“Sorry, we wanted to see the capital,” Milne said.
“You cannot be here. This is a restricted area. I will have to report this.”
“Wait a minute,” I said.
The miss’s radio crackles – a mister on the other end speaks. The miss steps away from us and holds the radio to her ear. She listens and frowns while staring up at the bridge. I look to the bridge but the windows are tinted.
“Okay, you all come with me,” she said.
CHAPTER SEVENTY
We follow the lady through a door at the base of the bridge, which is itself tall as a medium-sized city building. Inside the door is dimly lit and leads us to a steel stairway that turns 90 degrees every six stairs. We reach the fourth flight landing and the miss walks to a steel door on the wall.
“You’re leaving us?” I said.
“Just keep going. They want to see you on the bridge,” she said.
“What level is that?” Milne said.
“No!”
“24 – get going.” The miss exits through the door, we hear her lock it behind her on the other side.
“Hope you’ve kept up your fitness,” I said.
“What about him?” Trident said pointing at the clone.
“Yes, that’s a problem.”
“Why is he a problem?” Milne said.
“He’s not in the best of shape.”
“Let’s help him then when the climbing gets more tiring,” Milne said. "Who knew that clones are lacking in cardio?"
"Not this one," Trident said pointing at me.
"Very funny," I said.
We trudge up the metal stairs – level after level. Halfway up our feet step in unison, our breathing becomes labored. 14, 15, 16, 17 –
“Level 18,” I said, “we’re almost there.”
“You said that – four levels ago,” Trident said.
“Level 21, just a few more,” I said.
“Shut up already,” Trident said through heavy breaths.
The clone’s breathing echoes up and down the stairwell sounding like a broken piece of farming equipment.
“Guys – I am worried about him,” Milne said. “You two keep going at your pace. I will stay back and help him. We will find you up there.”
“Are you sure?” I said.
“Yes, go ahead.”
“Okay.”
Trident and I keep moving and fighting through the burn. Level 24 – finally; the stairway carries on past this level, but I no longer care to know what’s up there. Sweat covers our faces and our hair looks out of place. I look down and see Milne and the clone still have a few levels left to catch up. We do our best to collect ourselves and step through the steel door to the bridge.
The door opens to a hallway. A mister notices us and walks over.
“What are you doing here?”
“We were told to come,” I said.
“Follow me,” he said. “Has this clone been cleared?”
“I’m not a clone,” Trident said rolling his eyes.
We follow the man through a doorway that opens to a ramp. We walk up the ramped floor and look to our right and there is a bank of consoles and desks arranged in rows from flat on the floor to five levels up along the high back wall, it reminds me of an amphitheatre. To our left is a giant glass window. Below the window is a break in the floor and a pit full of computers and workers running around flipping switches and carrying papers and shouting instructions. The consoles that extend several levels up from us are controlled by misses and misters wearing headsets and paying us no mind.
“Wow,” I said. “Can you believe all this?”
“No,” Trident said. “There’s more technology in this room than I have ever seen in my life.”
The man who’s led us onto the bridge is off talking to a miss wearing a uniform. They both talk while looking at us. The man walks away and the miss comes toward us.
“Hello,” she said. “Welcome. We’re just pulling into the docking station now. You all should be ready for transport right now.”
“Transport?” I said. “Transport to where? Isn’t this ship our transport?”
“Part of it, yes,” she said.
“I thought we were going to Niona – I see nothing but water still.”
“You are going to Niona – but this is as far as we go toward the capital.”
“Why is that?”
I said.
“We have our reasons.”
“So what do we do now?” Trident said.
“You must go below deck – to the transport room. The crew knows you are coming. They’d expected you already – we assumed you were told.”
“You assumed wrong,” I said. “We just climbed hundreds of stairs to get here. Why was that?”
“Forgive the oversight,” the miss said. “We have a hard time adjusting to this old technology – the two-way radios and such.”
“Old?” Trident said. “I’ve been using two-way radios at home on the farm for as long as I can remember. Nothing in here looks old to me.”
“Yes – well, old to one is new another I suppose – I must get back to work. You three are expected below deck. Bulis will show you the way.”
A large man walks over and motions for us to leave the bridge from the door we’d entered through. Walking back down the stairs feels much better than our climb up.
“What was she talking about – old technology?” Trident said.
“Yes, that was weird,” I said.
“Why wouldn’t ships go all the way into Niona?” Trident said.
“The whole thing is strange.”
Bulis runs down the stairs ahead of us. We run to keep up. My feet barely touch each stair. We reach Milne and the clone.
“What’s happening? Why is this man leading you away?” Milne said.
“No!”
“We’re being taken down to our transport,” I said.
“Transport? Isn’t this ship our transport?”
“That’s what I said.”
CHAPTER SEVENTY-ONE
“Minus 1 below deck - how much further could it be?” Milne said.
“For all the technology on this ship they couldn't have put in elevators?” Trident said.
“Or escalators,” Milne said.
“Yes! No!”
“Hey, are we almost there?” I said, yelling ahead to Bulis.
“Almost,” he said.
Minus 12 – my thighs are burning; I can feel strain in my knees and ankles. Milne has her arm wrapped under the clone’s guiding him down every step.
“If we get down here and they tell us to go to the bridge I’m going to murder someone,” Trident said.
