[scifan] plantation 04 - beyond the river of time

by Stella Samiotou Fitzsimons

  “Promise me you won’t antagonize him on purpose,” I say.

  “Who? Me?” he says but when he sees my expression, he gets serious. “You have my word.”

  “Good, cause we need him more than you’ll ever know,” I say.

  *

  I WALK AWAY FROM THE GAMES and the incessant chatting that goes with them. I head

  back to the dorms to fetch a blanket for Tobi who has fallen asleep. The evening is approaching fast

  bringing a cold breeze along with it.

  As I reach the first buildings, I catch sight of Nya sitting on a rock with her chin on her knees. I

  go to her and am startled to hear her breathing fast and loud. It takes me a second to realize she’s been crying.

  “Nya,” I say.” What’s wrong? What happened?”

  “Do you ever wish you could turn back time?” she says in a daze.

  This is worse than I thought. If Nya of all people is going through some existential crisis, we are

  all vulnerable to it.

  “All the time,” I say. “I also wish I could fast forward and get to the end of this war as soon as

  possible. I am rarely content with the present.”

  As the last daylight flies away bit by bit, the growing shadows of the dark make my words sound

  insincere to my own ears.

  “I was at the Dark Legion camp,” Nya says. “I wanted to see it with my own eyes. Get my

  adrenaline pumping at the sight of the perfect army.” Her voice breaks at the last words and she stops.

  “It is your territory,” I say to encourage her. “You’re as lethal as they are.”

  “I don’t know why but I started thinking of Gritu,” she says. “He could have been here if he had

  made it.”

  I nod. I try to avoid these thoughts but they’re with me always.

  “I was mean to him from day one,” Nya goes on. “And maybe at first I was justified. He was a

  Sliman and Sliman were the ones to drag us away from our mothers and villages in the middle of the

  night. They were the ones that forced us to work and punished us when we failed. The ones that made

  sure there would be no salvation for us.”

  “It’s all true,” I say. “We were all very skeptical about trusting Wudak and the others. You

  shouldn’t beat yourself up about it.”

  “But I kept it up,” she says. “I made fun of him, I was unfair all the time. Non-stop. I rolled my

  eyes every chance I got. And now he’s gone and nobody even cared. Nobody was there to just be sad

  over his death. We had a common cause. You know that. And he was nice to me. I’m just a terrible

  person.”

  “Nya, listen to me,” I say as I put my hands on her shoulders. “It’s not you, it’s us. It’s this

  world. This constant uncertainty. We have very much to be sorry for and very little time to make up

  for anything. We just have to keep going. When our lives are given back to us, we will pause and

  grieve for our dead. And then we will build what they would have wanted to build themselves.”

  “There was a time when people built things not out of necessity but just to look at them,” Nya

  says and tears return to her face. The beautiful warrior Nya with tears in her eyes. I’ve never seen her like this before.

  I hug her while I feel my own tears forming in my eyes and then I have that weird sensation

  again. The one that lets me know Kroll is near.

  Kroll’s eyes glimmer in the dark a few feet behind me. It is perhaps good that he is here. Maybe

  his presence will remind Nya that there’s no time for tears. He bows gracefully in the quiet evening.

  The pulse gun in his holster shimmers under the starlight.

  “I envy humans their tears,” he says. “They are like diamonds. They can cut through the hardest

  surfaces.”

  I am at a loss for words, stunned to hear him talk like that.

  “Tears are nothing to desire,” I say.

  Kroll smiles revealing his perfectly white set of teeth. “And yet they fascinate me,” he says. “As

  far as I know, you’re the only species in the galaxy that produces them.”

  “Tears are a sign of weakness,” Nya says wiping them hastily off her face.

  Kroll nods. “Tears are a signal to me that there are greater depths in humans than all others,” he

  tells Nya in his mysterious tone.

  “You needed me, Kroll?” I say.

  “I have to warn you,” he says. “I sense something strange in Spring Town. I don’t think you are

  safe. Now, if you will excuse me, I will return back to where the young child lies.”

  “Get a blanket for him, will you?” I say.

  Kroll nods. He bows again and leaves.

  “What is he talking about?” Nya says. “Is he a mystic now?”

  “I trust his instinct,” I say. “Gritu himself warned me that Kroll is more than Sliman and more

  than human. I discover proof of that every day.”

  “What did he mean?” Nya says. “Spring Town’s not safe?”

  “I don’t know,” I say. “We have to take him at his word. I’ll have Torik increase security.”

  “You might consider your actions,” Nya warns. “You’re bringing more Dark Legion into Spring

  Town every day. What if they become the threat?”

  “I worry of such things night and day,” I reply and pull her up to her feet. “Let’s get back to the

  celebration. I’m sure Theo’s wondering about you.”

  “And so he should be. Always keep them thinking about you,” she says giving me a smile.

  Finally, the Nya I know.

  9

  When I am called to an impromptu meeting on Main Command Deck, I don’t think much of it.

  We have had those before and they are almost always related to practical, every day matters. But

  when I walk in the room and find most members of the council and military intelligence as well as a

  few members of the scientific team crammed across the table with Commander Eldritch behind his

  consoles in the center of the deck, I know that something extraordinary is about to take place.

  I spot Finn next to Ella but other than that, I don’t see any other Saviors. As I take all this in,

  Theo enters. I wave at him but all I get in return is a shake of the head. Theo joins the commander on the deck. He leans in and whispers something in the commander’s ear.

  The commander shows Theo a piece of paper that he’s holding and whispers something back.

  Then he turns his attention from Theo back to the congregation. As soon as the room quiets down, he

  starts reading from the piece of paper.

  “Unexplained explosion detected in the continent of South America. The explosion likely

  attributed to the Alien Forces of Occupation. No precedence in our recorded data. Non-typical

  aggression. Explosion big enough to have caused considerable harm to environment and land.

  Cannot detect life in the area at the time being. Damage has not reached North America.”

  The room remains silent even after Commander Eldritch finishes. I don’t think anyone can fully

  grasp the significance of what he has just said. I look over my shoulder to Finn who instinctively

  searches for my eyes, an old habit for both of us. He shrugs but he cannot hide his concern. Something new has begun and I might as well be the one to say it.

  “Do we know that our communities our safe?” I say. “What about the plantations?”

  “We have contacted Spring Town. They are fine. And we have no reason to believe the

  plantations have been harmed by hostilities.”

  “Where did this message originate?” Finn asks.

  “Our observatory team
,” the commander says.

  “We have prepped Exodus for migration to airspace above the explosion, should we decide that

  action is desirable,” Joshua says. “The commander and I believe we should send a scientific research

  team accompanied by elite forces to evaluate the situation as soon as possible. We seek input from

  those convened to finalize a decision.”

  “The area of conflict could be too dangerous to probe,” Finn says. “Chemical hazards aside, this

  could be a military trap.”

  “The sooner we find out what we’re dealing with the better,” Joshua says.

  I look at Commander Eldritch who’s been observing us in silence.

  “When did the explosion take place?” William, a senior council member, inquires.

  The commander looks at his watch. “Twenty minutes ago,” he says. “We called you in as soon

  as we had the biological information. It appears safe to investigate.”

  “If it is indeed the aliens who are behind this and not some random natural phenomenon, it could

  be one of two things,” I say. “They are either sending a message regarding future aggression or, as

  Finn said, they are enticing us into their arena.”

  All eyes are on the commander now. “There is always risk in war. That is its very nature, but

  Joshua’s right. We have to know what we’re facing.” The commander stares at Finn and me

  respectfully. “We will proceed with all due caution, of course.”

  “I hope you know,” Finn says, “that when we set foot on the ground, the final war will have

  begun.”

  His words send chills around the room.

  The commander nods gravely. “Well stated, Finn.” He hesitates in thought. “We know the risks.

  We would need the Saviors and the Dark Legion and, of course, the power of Freya’s will to attempt

  it.”

  So, that’s what this whole thing has been all about. Eldritch knows that nothing can be

  accomplished without our assistance but the council has to be convinced. They still like to think they are completely autonomous and can go on living in their bubble forever. I decide to play along. “We

  would welcome it,” I say. “If that’s the rule of the council and Theo deems the environment safe, then Finn and I will rally our forces to the task.”

  Theo licks his lips and clears his throat. He has much to say but before he has a chance to even

  open his mouth, the commander puts a dismissive hand on Theo’s shoulder and steps in front of him.

  “We need to get down to business,” the commander says. “There’s no time to waste. We will

  vote in five minutes. If this is to be done, then we have to act fast.” He looks to me and to Finn. “You should ready the Dark Legion.”

  The commander moves away from his perch and leaves the room. Joshua and a senior officer

  named Armand follow him out.

  The others start chatting as if suddenly waking from a mass coma.

  Theo storms up to Finn and me. He pushes us outside Command Deck and into the corridor. “I

  don’t think it was an explosion at all,” he whispers.

  “What then?” Finn says.

  “Impact,” Theo says.

  “Impact? What do you mean?” I say.

  “Something fell from the sky but it was no bomb. I believe there was no explosive mechanism

  involved. I think it was something like a meteor, only something intelligent. More like a huge ship

  behaving like a meteor. And it crashed down at a controlled speed. Whether by accident or plan, I do

  not know. But that’s how I can interpret movement, speed and impact. Probably left a big crater too,

  but the images aren’t conclusive.”

  I look at Finn, then back at Theo. “That changes things, doesn’t it?” I say. “We’re talking about

  something completely different now. When I heard explosion, I thought the aliens were clearing an

  area or experimenting but a huge ship? When was the last time we saw one of those?”

  “Never,” Finn says. “Not since the initial attack on Earth it’s been told.”

  “Did you tell Eldritch what you think?” I ask Theo.

  “Of course I did. The moment I saw him on the deck,” Theo explains, “but either he didn’t

  believe me or he didn’t want to re-evaluate the situation as time is of the essence. In any case, he told me to keep quiet.”

  “And yet you just told us,” Finn teases him.

  “Yeah, well, we three are of one mind in my opinion.”

  Finn reaches out to squeeze Theo’s shoulder in solidarity. “Good man,” he says to Theo. “Now

  what on Earth is going on?”

  “I’ve told you what I know,” Theo says.

  “One thing’s for sure,” I say. “We need to find out.”

  I leave them to hurry down the hall after Eldritch when I almost bump into Ella. “Freya,” she

  says. “I forgot to congratulate you.”

  Her statement throws me off completely. I am so focused on getting answers from Eldritch while

  trying to process all that Theo’s told me that my mind is on complete overload. I see Finn and Theo

  walking the other way and I can’t figure out what Ella’s talking about.

  “I’m sorry, Ella, whatever could you be referring to?”

  “I’m talking about you and Damian,” she says with a radiant smile. “Together at last. How

  romantic.”

  Of course, that’s what she meant. What else? I feel like laughing a little but it would slow me

  down. “Thanks,” I say. “Now if you’ll excuse me, I need a word with Commander Eldritch.”

  The commander stands at the far end of the corridor caught up in a conversation with Armand

  and Joshua.

  “Ah, Freya,” he says when I approach, “everything’s ready for the vote to begin. It will only

  take a few minutes.”

  “I’m afraid the votes will not be informed if we rush to judgment.”

  “That’s how we always do things here.”

  “We need to talk,” I say as sternly as possible.

  I look for signs of annoyance or dismissal in his expression but there is no change in his

  demeanor.

  “Yes, of course,” he says. He turns back to his men. “Will you please excuse us, gentlemen?”

  They nod and move away to give us the necessary privacy.

  “Why are you putting on this charade?” I ask him.

  Now I’m getting his full attention. He seems genuinely astonished at my pronouncement. “A

  charade?” he says. “We are faced with a new kind of enemy. We need to pull our forces together.

  And I need everyone to be unified in our actions.”

  “Maybe you should tell your council the whole truth. Theo believes this was more than an

  explosion. This could have been a massive alien vessel.”

  Commander Eldritch keeps his eyes on mine. “The truth is I don’t know what happened today,

  Freya. Does my gut tell me that your boy genius might be correct in his hypothesis? Yes, but that

  changes nothing. What I do know is that if we are to stop it, we have to know what we are stopping.”

  I search for a response. The commander will never lose in the art of conversation. We are all

  mismatched against him.

  “Creating panic would not be wise,” he adds.

  “If it was a ship that crashed like Theo suspects, we might be walking straight into our own

  slaughter. We’d be easy targets. Your men would stand no chance. That’s why you want my army

  there.”

  “There are no signs of life, Freya. Human or otherwise. Our long-range detection is fully

  focused on that area.”


  “Is it too hard to believe that their technology could cloak all of their life forces? All I’m saying is that people should have all the facts before they decide to send our people down there.”

  “Isn’t that what you wanted?” the commander says with a beleaguered voice. “For Exodus to get

  more actively involved with what happens down on Earth?”

  “Nothing is as it seems with the aliens, that’s all I’m saying.”

  The commander waits until everyone has reentered the Command Deck and we are alone in the

  hallway. “Freya, the truth is we have been receiving noise from the plantation network for days. My

  sources tell me the plantations are preparing for something big. They don’t know what.”

  I consider his words for some time. “And you’re telling me this now?”

  “We wanted to know what we were telling you first,” he explains. “Understand that my job here

  for many years was to keep things positive and productive. To avoid any type of panic. I have

  sheltered so much from the citizens of Exodus, because we never knew fully what the noise from

  Earth meant or might lead to.”

  “You keep everyone’s head in the clouds,” I suggest. “The Saviors are not like that. We need to

  know everything. No matter how dark.”

  “I have formed bad habits being the protector of my people, I’m afraid,” he says. “In the future,

  you will always be briefed immediately.”

  “Very well,” I say trying to control my frustration with yet another promise from these cloud

  people. “Considering this new information, though it is hardly new as it turns out, I can now see the necessity to know more. A mission can be necessary even if it remains unwise.”

  “I appreciate you meeting me half way,” he says.

  “I would call it meeting you the full way,” I say. “And we will not take civilians. Their deaths

  would serve no purpose.”

  “As you wish,” the commander says.

  “Exodus will stay where it is,” I tell him. “That’s not negotiable. It is our priority to keep it safe.

  We will take space pods to the Dark Legion camp and from there we will fly south. I will take a

  handful of your most brutal fighters, if you have any of the sort. Perhaps you are right, having unified forces working together could boost the morale of the citizens.”