by G J Ogden
Maria looked at Kurren. “You found a working transport?”
Kurren shrugged and look smug. “What can I tell you, I'm just that good!” he replied.
Talia's eyes flicked to Kurren briefly and then returned to Maria. Her expression didn't change. The atmosphere felt frosty, and was not helped by Kurren's attempt at levity.
“We are aware of such vehicles of course,” Talia continued, “but no one has ever actually seen one in use. So you can imagine that your arrival made quite an impression.”
“I apologise for my companion’s lack of subtlety,” said Maria, playing politician. “We did not mean to startle you.”
“Perhaps we should continue this in the chamber, where we can all sit down,” said Talia, directing an open hand further into the wooden structure. “We have food and drink too,” Talia continued. “It’s probably not what you are used to, but hopefully to your liking. So, if you'll follow me, please...” Administrator Talia then turned and started to walk towards the centre of the building. The other administrators followed, wordlessly, while Ethan and Summer waited a short distance away.
Maria leaned in closer to Kurren so they could not be overheard. “What's going on here, old man?” she hissed. “What did I miss while I was out?”
Kurren could see Maria was flustered, despite the politician’s front. He took her forearm and gave it a reassuring squeeze. Ethan saw this and found himself glowering at Kurren. Summer noticed and nudged him with her shoulder, giving him a glower of her own.
“Easy, Sal,” Kurren said to Maria. “They've been perfectly reasonable so far, considering the entrance we made, though I certainly get the impression that they’ve been keeping us well out of public view.” Maria relaxed a little, welcoming the reassurance, although the news that the settlers had tried to keep their arrival low-key nagged at the back of her mind. Kurren continued. “You've been out for a day, perhaps a little more. I put you under with the last of the sedation meds to give your body a chance to repair,” Kurren took a small box out of his trouser pocket. “Speaking of meds, this is the last of them,” he said as he pressed the small box into Maria’s hand. She swiftly pocketed it. “I had to argue pretty hard to get them back,” Kurren added. “I said we needed them to adjust to the air down here or something like that, but I'd still keep them out of sight.” Maria nodded and then Kurren added: “the holo-emitter is in there too, I managed to smuggle that out of my gear before they took it.”
“Thanks,” said Maria. “That should make what comes next a bit easier. How are we for other meds, by the way?”
Kurren shrugged, “There’s enough full doses for another week, maybe,” he replied. “Should be enough for us to complete our mission and get off this rock.”
“Here’s hoping...” Maria said, wistfully. Then she thought of something Kurren had said earlier. “Hey, you said you had to argue to get these things back?”
“Yeah,” Kurren replied. “Some older guy confiscated our gear. Another ‘Ranger’ I think; that’s what they call the guards or police or soldiers, or whatever these guys are. Same as the two who found us. You know, the cute red head…”
Maria scowled and interrupted, “Cute?”
Kurren smiled. “Sure, she’s cute!” he said. “But so are you. At least, I know someone who thinks so.”
“Cut that out!” said Maria, voice raised, finger pointing at Kurren like a gun. This attracted some attention, so she quickly dropped her hand back down to her side, and tried to act nonchalantly. Kurren fought back the urge to dig at her some more.
“Anyway, the redhead is called Summer.” Kurren continued, with Maria still scowling at him. “But she’s the coldest damn summer I’ve ever heard of. And the guy with the hots for you...”
“He’s called Ethan, I know,” Maria interrupted, her voice stern. “Don’t push it…” Kurren backed down, trying to look apologetic.
“Anyway, as I was saying, they took our gear,” Kurren went on, more serious now. “And that includes our weapons and PVSMs. However, these injector packs have a basic toxicity tester built in, so we can do what we need to do without the main units in our suits.”
Maria nodded, and then regretted it as pain shot through her head again. She closed her eyes and rubbed her temples. “Am I… okay?” Maria said, genuinely concerned.
Kurren put a hand on her shoulder. “You’ll be fine, Sal, don’t worry,” he said. “You had a pretty bad concussion, a compound fracture and some bruising. The meds took care of most of it, but you still needed rest. Hence why you woke up in lover boy’s bed,” Maria jabbed Kurren in the ribs. “Ouch, okay, sorry!” he said, fighting back another chuckle. “Actually, it was Ethan who suggested you stay in his house,” Kurren added. “He pretty much insisted, actually. His sister, Katie I think, was the one who undressed you and put you to bed, but the guy sat with you all night. He barely left your side; I think he’s kinda smitten with you.”
Maria looked down, “That was his house?” she asked sheepishly.
Kurren smiled, but chose not to provoke her any further. Instead, he changed the subject. “While you were out cold, these two other council members arrived,” he said, looking over to where Talia and the other two administrators were waiting. “They’ve been talking in private quite a bit, but to be honest, I haven’t felt unwelcome here.” Kurren stopped and span on his heels, looking around the hall. “I’m pretty blown away by it all, in truth, “he said. “I half expected them to be savages.”
Maria looked up again, grateful that Kurren had stopped teasing her. “Our ground surveys showed evidence of settlements like this on this continent,” she said, “so we already knew they had established some simple form of civilisation.”
“I know,” Kurren shrugged. “Still, I guess I’m just relieved – or maybe impressed – that the people down here are, you know, just normal people.”
Maria appreciated the point. She hadn’t been sure of what to expect from the people on the planet, and despite knowing from the surveys that there were settlements, she was surprised at how organised, and orderly, they were. “Did you find out any more about what they know?” she asked Kurren. “You know, about us and what happened?”
“I talked to both of them quite a bit on the journey back,” Kurren nodded towards the two Rangers, who were still watching them from a distance, mistrustfully. “I kept it loose, tried not to make it too obvious that I was probing.”
“Find out anything useful?”
“Bits and pieces,” Kurren said, shrugging. “The girl, Summer, kept shutting me down hard, saying it was forbidden to discuss the events before The Fall.”
“The Fall?”
“That's the term they use for the refinery event,” Kurren explained, “but, although the girl was frosty, it turns out the guy is actually pretty into the subject. It seems to be of genuine importance to him, and he gave up some information just in casual conversation, before the girl stopped him.”
“It's forbidden to discuss what happened?” Maria asked, surprised.
“Yeah, seems so,” said Kurren. “I’m not sure why, but I’m guessing the stone lady over there will tell us soon enough. The weird thing is, bar this guy, Ethan, I don't think anyone gives a damn. I really don’t think they want to know. It will make our job harder.”
Maria nodded again. “I'll keep it in mind, and adjust our story,” she said. “Hopefully, they are not too closed-off on the subject; I'd hate to have to Plan B this thing.”
“I hear you, Sal,” said Kurren, solemnly.
Maria looked around. The two Rangers, Ethan and Summer, were starting to look impatient. Maria was about to suggest they move further into the room, but then she became aware of what sounded like singing or chanting coming from outside. “What’s with the gathering out there?” she asked, remembering the group of people by the old tree.
Kurren stiffened up slightly, both in body and tone of voice, which is something he always did when he was about to talk about something serious.
It was like he flipped a switch in his brain, which suppressed the more roguish side of his personality. “It’s a sort of wake,” he said. “Apparently, there were originally three of these Rangers who set off to investigate the crash site. One of them, an older, more senior guy called Dorman, was attacked and killed by a Roamer near the ship. The people outside are mourning his death.”
Maria exhaled slowly. “That could complicate things. There will be resentment.”
“Perhaps,” Kurren replied. “I haven’t sensed any animosity towards us, just a general air of uneasiness at us being here. But the reception from Administrator Frosty over there...” he cocked his head in the direction of Talia again, “…is beginning to make me wonder.”
There was an audible and very obviously-faked cough, and they looked over to see Summer standing, hands on hips, looking at them with widened eyes. She didn’t need to say, ‘What are you waiting for?’ because it was written plainly on her face. Ethan, on the other hand, was looking down at his feet, absent-mindedly scuffing one boot on the wooden floor. The attempted nonchalance was so evident that Maria almost laughed out loud.
“Well, I guess we should get in there,” Maria said loudly, while looking Summer dead in the eye. If looks could kill, Maria expected she would now be dead.
Kurren took the cue, and they both headed off towards the chamber, followed closely by Ethan and Summer.
chapter 13
They were seated at a large square table made of a dark-coloured hardwood. Around the table were eight chairs. Talia sat at the head, with the other two administrators either side. Kurren and Maria sat next to each other on the left-hand side of the table, with Ethan and Summer opposite them. They had been speaking for around five minutes, with Talia doing most of the talking. The conversation had started well enough, with pleasantries and formalities, but soon there were awkward silences, during which time the administrators looked apprehensively at each other.
Maria and Kurren began to suspect that this meeting was not reactionary, not an ad-hoc response to an unexpected situation, but part of a plan or contingency. It was simply too organised, too calm. It suggested preparation. But Maria wondered how these settlement leaders could be prepared for the arrival of visitors from off-world if they knew nothing of the events that led to The Fall?
The sense that the administrators knew more than they were letting on was seemingly shared by Summer and Ethan, who had both worn anxious frowns from the moment they sat down. They were, in fact, surprised to be sitting down at all, having expecting to be asked to leave; they had even attempted to do so, but Administrator Talia had told them to stay. They both now sat at the table, arms folded, looking confused and slightly worried.
It was Administrator Talia that broke the awkward silence. “Well, I think it is perhaps time we moved onto the subject at hand,” she said.
Maria recognised the politician again. They had exchanged platitudes, but throughout it all, Maria had sensed no warmth from the older woman, very little curiosity, and also no surprise. It was the latter that bothered Maria. Talia was not surprised by their sudden appearance, and had reacted more as if they were estranged family members, finally returning home, for reasons as yet unknown. It was suspicion that Maria felt most strongly from Talia. Simmering just beneath the surface, there was also fear.
“Clearly, from the way you were dressed and the rather unconventional manner of your arrival, you are not from one of the neighbouring settlements,” Talia continued, “So, Maria, tell us, where are you from?”
Neither Maria nor Kurren quite expected her to ask the question so directly, and both were caught a little off-guard. They looked at each other and then Kurren nodded toward Maria, and sat back slightly. They had, of course, discussed and planned how to handle this situation during the mission preparation, and it was agreed that Maria would be the one to explain the story. Despite Kurren's cutting sense of humour, he had a very direct and unsubtle manner when it came to more serious conversations and negotiations. The virtual switch in his brain would flip again, and he would talk as if giving a military briefing. Both felt that this formal delivery lacked the human touch needed to tell their story. Kurren had also suggested, in a blatantly sexist way as Maria had complained at the time, that it might 'sound better coming from a woman'. Kurren insisted he simply meant that women were more empathetic and sensitive, though Maria knew full-well that what he really meant was that Maria could use her ‘womanly charms’ to win them around, and she had chastised him for this at the time. In what turned out to be an equally sexist assumption on their part, neither had expected to be talking to a female leader.
Maria cleared her throat and tried to remember the content of the briefing she had prepared for this occasion. This was more difficult than she had imagined due, in no small measure, to her still being slightly concussed.
“Thank you, Administrator Talia,” she began formally, trying to set a serious tone. “You are, of course, correct, we are not from any of the settlements on this planet.” Maria noticed that Ethan had leaned in and was giving off the expectant wonder of a father about to witness the birth of his first-born child. He was holding his breath; it felt like he was about to explode. Talia and the administrators, on the other hand sat in quiet anticipation. Summer had her arms folded and looked angry. Maria tried to ignore her, and returned to her briefing. “We are part of what was known as the Universal Energy Corporation, an organisation that existed on this planet, before the events that led to its near annihilation. We came here, at great risk, from our base – our home – on the moon orbiting this planet.”
“The moon?” said Talia, unsure of whether she had heard correctly.
“You’re from the moon?” Ethan added, unable to contain his astonishment, but the stern look that followed from Talia encouraged Ethan to fade into the background again.
“Yes,” said Maria, half looking at Talia and half at Ethan, noticing his far more positive and interested reaction. “Well, yes and no,” Maria corrected herself. “It’s hard to explain. Our ancestors were from the planet, the same as yours, but ours were trapped in space, on a city on the moon, while your ancestors were here, Planetside.” Talia’s eyes widened. “I know this must sound crazy to you,” said Maria, realising that saying she was from the moon, out loud, sounded a bit ludicrous even to herself, “but, please give me some time to explain.” Maria looked around the table at the different expressions; a mix of shock, confusion and fear, all except for the Ranger, Ethan, and Talia. Talia did not look shocked, but she did now appear more anxious than earlier, and this gave Maria an unsettled feeling. Eventually, Talia asked that Maria continue.
“We understand that you know little of the events that led to the catastrophe that left this planet, and its population, in ruin,” said Maria. “We even know that this is a subject you actively avoid, as is the topic of what existed before ‘The Fall’, as you call it.” At this, Talia raised an eyebrow and glanced, very briefly, over towards Ethan. But Ethan was transfixed and unaware of Talia's silent accusation.
Maria took out the small injector pack that Kurren had given her earlier and placed it on the table. The Planetsiders all eyed it with suspicion, especially Talia. “This device will project some images,” Maria continued. “The images will describe what happened far better than I can in words alone. You no doubt won't have seen anything like this technology before, but it is harmless, so please don’t be afraid.” She pressed a button on the device and a panel slid open, revealing an emitter array. Moments later, the device hummed into life and began to display a three-dimensional, holographic image of a planet with the UEC logo hovering above it.
This time Talia was visibly startled. Her eyes flicked from the images over to Maria and back. The other administrators started to chatter to each other nervously. Ethan was wide-eyed with wonder, but Summer had slid back in her chair and appeared deeply uncomfortable with the object and the images it was displaying.
Maria continued, hoping that
the novelty of the emitter would soon wear off. “The reason we are here concerns both The Fall and what happened before it,” she said, talking louder to be heard over the chatter. The administrators fell silent. “Put simply, we need your help,” she said once quiet had resumed, “because our people are in grave danger.”
The atmosphere was tense and electric. She glanced back to Kurren, who had kept silent, as was the plan, but she could tell from his eyes that he was concerned. The meeting was already balanced on a knife’s edge, and Maria had much more to tell them. She wasn’t sure if they could handle it, or even want to listen. But she had no choice, she had to try. She tapped the emitter panel and the picture switched from the UEC logo to an image of a planet, hovering above the table like an apparition, steadily rotating.
“The moon base was owned by an organisation called the Universal Engineering Corporation – the UEC. Prior to The Fall, the UEC was responsible for mining and refining orrum, a precious mineral found only on the moon, that was capable of generating huge amounts of energy.” Maria tapped the emitter again, and it zoomed in to the planet to show a great city as if viewed from high in the sky. All eyes were on the image, all except Talia’s. She continued to look at Maria.
“Prior to The Fall this planet was home to billions of people,” said Maria, choosing not to look directly back at Talia, but instead at the images in front of her. “The population was spread across the entirety of the planet, concentrated in megacities. Much like the city where we found you,” Maria added, gesturing over towards Ethan and Summer.
“Where we found you, you mean?” Summer interjected bitterly, staring intensely at Maria. “You would still be out there, rotting in the remains of your precious city had it not...”
Talia cut her off, sharply, but without raising her voice any more than was necessary. “That’s enough, Ranger,” the older woman said, fixing her with an equally sharp stare. Summer backed off, but looked furious. “Let us hear what Maria has to say,” Talia added, looking back at Maria. But despite the interjection on her behalf, Maria was not comforted. She could feel her pulse starting to quicken. The room was turning against her.
