Second Earth: The Complete First Novel (Second Earth Chronicles Book 1)

by L. D. P. Samways

  The ship had two cannons on the front, along with cruise missile docks on the sides. The Ironsides were large and stretched for a good hundred metres. He couldn’t see the back of the ship from where he was standing, but if it was anything like the front, then they would have a 360° protective defence setup. The sort of setup you want when venturing into unknown territory. Unknown territory that could be teaming with the enemy. An enemy that wants to keep its secrets at bay. Secrets that Hutchison intended on bringing to light.

  “Thank you, I’ve got it from here. I appreciate the escort,” Hutchison said, shaking the man’s hand once again. The worker smiled at him and walked away. He had a skip in his step, like he’d just helped an old lady cross the street.

  Hutchison guessed to most people he would look a little frail and unresponsive. He only looked that way because he was stressed. But standing near his new ship, he felt the stress washing away from him. It was as if every time he breathed, he felt a little better. He knew that this was a brand-new chapter in his life. A chapter that he would remember forever.

  Who forgets the day they changed the world? For better or worse… Change was definitely needed.

  ***

  Randy and the others were growing tired. The trek through the caves was starting to become a little tedious. The darkness was the main culprit. It was so dark that Randy feared that he would hit his head yet again. And he didn’t know if he would be able to take another hit to the head. The first one knocked him loopy. Who knew what a second hit to the head would do to him?

  His brains were frazzled enough as they were. His head felt like noodle soup. His thoughts were sloshing around, bashing against the inside of his cranium, sending tremors down the middle of his spine. But at least he still had April. And since he’d woken up from his accident, a little worse for wear, he made sure that April didn’t leave his side. His eyes had been locked on her since. By now they were wandering.

  Gustoff was admiring the sight in front of him. Even in near complete darkness, she looked amazing. There was just something about April. The way she carried herself, the way she talked to him, the way she stood up to the fear that was ever present around her. She was a fighter – the sort of person that Randy wanted around him. He’d never met a woman like her before. She had such a spark. A spark that at times could be lethal. You didn’t want to get into an argument with her, that was for sure.

  But Randy wasn’t interested in arguing with her. He wasn’t interested in anything really. Everything around him was becoming stale and boring. He was getting fed up with the colony members. How they mumbled and whispered about him. He wasn’t stupid, he could hear. Hear them talk about him. Saying how he thought he was better than everybody. But that was not the case. Gustoff knew he was no better than anybody in there. He knew that he was equal. But the problem was that the colony members, especially the elderman, hadn’t figured out that the world didn’t revolve around them.

  They still thought that they were better than everybody. That they had the answers. That the pod crash members, all three of them, were idiots. Idiots that were covering something up. The elderman looked at Timson and his two crewmembers with un-trusting gazes. And Gustoff knew that if the colony members didn’t trust him, a man that had lived side-by-side with them, then the Earth people weren’t going to be trusted by them anytime soon.

  These people held a grudge. And that grudge had cost Gustoff a lot of his sanity. It had been hard on him before. Being shunned and ousted like some sort of pariah. And the kicker of it was that all he had ever wanted to do was help the colony. Help them become more efficient. He had suggested designs for certain machines that could have made their lives easier. But they’d looked at him as if he was trying to perform black magic. Like he was some sort of witch doctor.

  That’s how they saw him. The kooky one. The one with more than a few marbles loose in his head. But Gustoff was none of those things. Randy knew that he was intelligent. But intelligence would only get him so far with these people. Unless he stooped down to their level, then he could never be one of them. Randy knew that he would never be one of the colony. Even now, even when his theory had been proven and that there are people out there just like them, deep in space, far away from their own planet, even now, the colony looked down on him.

  They didn’t treat him the same. Randy was pretty sure that when he’d hit his head, some of them must’ve been hoping for the worst. And when Randy had opened his eyes, he’d seen a few of them who’d looked disappointed. Disappointed that he hadn’t died. But Randy had fight in him. Lots of fight. Years and years of being talked down to and looked down on had given him a fire in his belly. A fire that burned non-stop for every second that he was awake.

  But the fire in his belly wasn’t going to convince the members of the colony that he was one of them. Neither would it show April the love that she deserved, the love that he craved, the love that he wanted to shower upon her. The simple fact was that the passion he felt being a scientist – the passion for being right – was probably going to cost him the affections of the girl he loved.

  Randy knew that he was stubborn. If he saw something one way while somebody else saw it another, no matter how convincing their argument was, Randy would always insist that he was right. And it was this constant insistence that made him an easy target for the elderman. A target that the elderman took aim at regularly. Randy’s problem was that he thought too much. And that was evident right now. He’d been thinking too much yet again, so much so that he hadn’t realised that the colony had stopped in their tracks.

  He accidentally bumped into April. She turned around. She had a concerned look on her face. It was in stark contrast from the usual look he received from most of the people in the colony.

  She had such warm eyes. Welcoming eyes. He could let himself drown in them, get lost in them, but to not come across like a creep, he looked away quickly. She noticed and put her hand on his shoulder. Her touch was gentle. Her scent was sweet. But he didn’t dare look back at her. He couldn’t bring himself to. He feared that if he did, then all his feelings would come tumbling out. And then she would know the extent of his desires towards her.

  He couldn’t allow his emotions to become a factor in their relationship. He didn’t want to wreck their bond. It was a bond that was built upon the professionalism of being fellow scientists. She had taken an interest in the field and he’d taught her everything she knows now in his so-called hole back on the colony.

  She took to it like a duck to water. She studied with him and she ate with him. On a few occasions, they’d drunk together as well. The colony didn’t appreciate science, but did appreciate the art of brewing wine. There were grape trees everywhere back on the surface. Randy didn’t know if they were still there, the beam had probably taken them out. So there would be no more wine. Not for a long time at least. But he had the memories. The memories of drinking wine with the girl he loved. Even if she didn’t know it, or didn’t feel the same way, Randy would always have those memories.

  And the beautiful thing about memories is, as time passes and they become less clear, the mind usually manipulates them. So what used to be a memory of drinking wine with his close friend and associate, could quite possibly turn into a memory of him planting his lips on hers. So if he didn’t have anything after this, at least he had that. Even if it was a false memory, it would serve him just fine.

  “You okay?” She asked, her hand still on his shoulder.

  Randy nodded. He was just about to look directly into her eyes, adding to the memories if you will, when he realised that the people in front of him still weren’t moving. He became curious. Randy craned his head slightly to get a better angle. But he couldn’t see all that well. So he turned back toward her, confusion evident in his eyes.

  “Why have we stopped moving?” He asked. April shrugged. “Beats me. I heard some of the elderman bickering. Something about a crossroads.”

  Randy thanked her with a smile. But hi
s curiosity didn’t end there. He decided to get a better look at what was quickly becoming a commotion up front. He gently pushed passed her and some of the stragglers in the back. At least when he pushed passed April, she smiled back at him. But the others weren’t going to grace Gustoff with a smile, let alone the common decency of letting him pass without being a hindrance.

  But Randy persisted, and finally after a few uncomfortable minutes, he made his way to the front. By now, he could hear the elderman talking to Timson. Timson spotted Randy, and beckoned him over. Randy didn’t hesitate, he quickly sidled up beside the Earth man.

  “What’s going on? Why have we stopped?” Randy asked, much to the disdain of the two elderman next to him.

  They barely tolerated Randy, let alone spoke to him. But, they couldn’t just ignore him. It was obvious to them that Timson saw Randy as an equal. So, the elderman would have to swallow their pride and communicate with the wretched scientist, just to save face.

  “We have to take the path on the left. The Gods are telling me that the path on the right is full of treachery and death. So I thought it was pertinent to inform the Earth man here that the path on the right was off-limits,” the elderman closest to Randy said.

  Even then, Gustoff could detect the hatred in the man’s voice. Although the man was old, and arrayed in black, like some sort of druid, his hatred for Gustoff was obvious. But Gustoff wasn’t going to focus on the man’s feelings towards him. He was going to focus on his so-called message from God.

  “God told you? Are you hearing yourself right now? How could you possibly know that the path on the right is out of bounds? We’ve never found ourselves here before, and unless you aren’t telling me something…,” Gustoff said, his face feeling flushed.

  No matter how hard he tried, the elderman always brought out the anger seeded deep within him. It was like they knew how to push his buttons. And quite frankly, he was fed up of listening to them whine on and on about their so-called God and their so-called loving ways.

  These men were not peaceful. These men were poison. At least Randy thought they were. So he made a decision right then and there on the spot. He wasn’t going to take any more of their orders. They didn’t own him, nor did they own the people of the colony. Times had changed. Gone were the times when these men in robes could dictate the lives of Randy and the people around him. And even though he did not hold any knowledge on whether the path on the right was indeed dangerous, he decided that he would go against their orders just to make a point. A point that he was sure the elderman would not appreciate.

  “I say that if Timson wants to go right, we go right. I also say that I am growing quite tired of you superstitious folk trying to bring your views and opinions into matters that do not concern you. We are scientists. These three Earth people are far and away more intelligent than any of you sun-worshippers will ever be. So why don’t you let them get on with their jobs and we will let you get on with whatever it is you do.

  “And what is it that you do? Bully people? Judge people that do not believe in the same things that you believe in? Tell little children that they should listen to you or suffer the consequences and wrath of your so-called God? If that is all you have to offer this group, even when we are in such danger as we are now, then I suggest you keep your opinions to yourselves and let us get these women and children to safety. Or have you forgotten that this is what this is all about?” Gustoff snarled, his heart thumping in his chest as he spoke his mind for the very first time.

  The elderman stared back at him and shook his head. His eyes were firmly locked onto Gustoff’s. The difference between Randy and the elderman was the utter contempt in the old man’s eyes as he continued to shake his head disapprovingly.

  “What I say… Goes. And you’ll have to get through me if you dare go down that path. God has spoken and he has told me that the right is off-limits. So walk to the left or suffer a fool’s fate,” the elderman said, stretching his arms out and blocking Randy off from the path on the right.

  A hush fell over the onlookers. Even Timson was speechless. There wasn’t much he could do but watch. He didn’t know these people. So he couldn’t tell them what to do. It was up to them to sort their disputes out themselves. And judging by the atmosphere in front of him, this particular dispute stretched back through time. There was history here. A history sullied by disagreements. Timson stared at Gustoff as his face went a bright crimson red. The Earth man wasn’t sure if it was due to embarrassment or anger. But he concluded that it was a little of the both.

  “What is it that you are hiding? I can see it in your eyes old man. You’re scared. Scared of what we will find. But trust me, you nor your God scare me. So step aside. Or you will get hurt,” Randy said, pushing passed the elderman and walking directly toward the path on the right.

  By now the hush of silence from the others grew into a murmur of excitement. Randy felt it too. Excitement – anxiety – uncertainty. He didn’t know what the elderman were playing at, but he did know that they wouldn’t be playing anymore. He was in control now. Not them. And no grown man was going to tell him where to step or where to go. Not anymore.

  “Everybody stay here, I’ll accompany Randy. We will check the pathway out, see if it is fit to walk down. If it is, we will come back and get you. If it isn’t, we’ll take the path on the left. Simple as that. The doctor and my comms guy will stay here and keep you company. They have weapons, just in case something creeps up on you. I don’t know what sort of wildlife there is down here, but I’m pretty sure that there is at least some. If we are lucky, it may be edible. I know I’m hungry, so I guess that you are too. Whatever you do, don’t panic. If it’s too dangerous, believe me, we will come back. I ain’t risking my life down here just to prove a point, even if this gentleman is,” Timson said, catching up to Randy and patting him on the back.

  The others did as they were told. The elderman didn’t even try to stop Randy. Not now that he had the backing of the Earth man. They would have to bide their time. If they were to teach Randy a lesson, it would have to be in private. No one speaks to them like they were just spoken to. Not even Randy Gustoff. But the majority of the elderman weren’t preoccupying their minds with Randy. The majority of them were panicking. Panicking that their secret would come out. A secret that they’d buried for years. And there was no way that they could contain it now.

  “God have mercy on us, for we have sinned. But know that we did so to test our own faith. And our faith was tested and we survived. Our spirits are strong and our minds are firm. Forgive us,” one of the elderman said as he watched Randy and Timson disappear down the pathway on the right.

  Randy was walking with a purpose. His steps were wide and fast. His feet were quick and nimble. Timson was having trouble keeping up with him. What started as a walk, soon turned into a jog. Timson was trying to keep an eye on their immediate surroundings. Checking if the ground was even. Part of him wanted to take the elderman at their word. Just to keep the peace. But his curious side couldn’t resist. That is why he decided to follow Randy Gustoff down the path on the right. He didn’t know what they would find, but he was sure that whatever it was would be worth it. It was just a gut feeling he had. A gut feeling that had never steered him wrong before.

  They jogged for around twenty minutes. The pathway led to nowhere at first, or so it seemed. Randy was starting to become a little doubtful. A tiny seed in the back of his head had been planted. It was starting to grow. Leaves of doubt were sprouting. But he continued on. He had to. There was just something about the way that that elderman was looking at him earlier. It wasn’t just contempt, at least now he saw it clearly. It was fear. And fear wasn’t something that the elderman usually experienced. They were so unmoving in their faith in their God that no amount of hardship could ever bring fear to their hearts.

  But Randy saw it. Saw it as clear as day. And it was present in every single one of them. So he wondered, what could possibly be down this path. Were they hid
ing something? And if so, how in the hell were they hiding it in here? They were underground in a cave that wasn’t easy to reach. Unless they were diving off the side of the cliff, there was no way to get to this place. So his mind began to tick and click and clank. Like cogs in a Swiss-made-watch, his mind ticked on and on.

  But no matter how much is mind ticked, the pathway in front of them remained dark and endless. He could tell that Timson was starting to become less enthusiastic. Not that Timson had said anything since they’d left. But his body language was now different. And his facial expression was filled with doubt. Just like the tree of doubt growing in Randy’s mind.

  “Turn back around if you want to. But I am carrying on. I know they are hiding something. I saw it in him. In his eyes. Holy men aren’t good at lying. Especially when lying is a cardinal sin. A sin that they have burned men at the stake for. So excuse me for being curious. But in my mind, they must be hiding something big. Men like that don’t disappoint their God for nothing. They don’t break the rules of their religion for a little white lie. They break it for a giant, enormous, unbelievably big…” Randy’s thought process trailed off. His tongue stopped working. And the both of them stopped walking. They were dead still. Staring at what was in front of them.

  “Light, there’s light down here!” Randy said, walking toward the light. It was beating against one of the rocks. A huge ray of it shone in front of Randy. It was as if the light was coming from their left. From a crevice in the rock. But it must have been a huge crevice, because there was so much of it.

  As Randy and Timson walked toward the light, specks of dust danced in front of them. But their collective eyesight’s wasn't locked on the dust, nor was it locked on the rocks around them, but it was firmly locked on the beautiful sight of natural light. Because light like that only came from the sun. And if that sort of light was present, that meant that they were close to the surface again. A possible way out of the cave. And if they made their way out of the cave, then maybe they could have a chance at survival after all.