by Aaron Frale
“I’m surprised humans made it through four gas giants without destroying their system.”
“The need for decrand wasn’t that great then. We only inhabited our solar system. We took enough for the gas giants to dissipate on their own because we didn’t need anymore. It wasn’t until we had inhabited dozens of systems that we discovered there was a limit to the amount of decrand we can take out of a gas giant at one time. Here on Nigramoto, however, there is no limit.”
“That is until the planet loses its atmosphere or collapses in on itself.”
“That won’t affect mining operations, son.”
“But what about the people who live here?”
“You best not worry about any more than yourself.”
“But-“
“That’s an order.”
Later in bed, Hayden tossed and turned the rest of the night. He couldn’t help but replay the encounter from earlier in his mind. Sha had saved Hayden’s life. Sha could have let the beast take him and have one less Teristaque on the planet, but he didn’t. If the circumstance had been different and an alien species was destroying the Colorado wilderness, Hayden didn’t know if he could take the path that Sha had chosen to walk. Hayden felt that he was being called to act, but he wasn’t sure what he could do. Tomorrow, he would have to enforce an ideal that he wasn’t sure he wanted to enforce. They were going to force the village to move if they hadn’t already vacated.
4
Spider poked Hayden awake later that night. A few of the other soldiers were behind him. They were completely suited up and ready for action.
“Wakey, wakey,” Spider said while poking Hayden with his gun.
“What’s going on?” Hayden said, brushing sleep from his eyes. His head ached from the alcohol.
“Suit up,” Spider said. “We have an important mission.”
Hayden looked around a saw some of the others sleeping. “Does Sarge know about this?”
“No one does,” Spider said. “And it better stay that way. You hear?”
“I thought you said he was cool,” one of the soldiers said.
“He is… Now quit dawdling and suit up.”
Hayden complied. Between covering Spider’s ass, and earning some honor for surviving the krikshek beast, the others were finally respecting him. He didn’t want to lose that respect now. After his mistake back in Tek, Hayden was afraid he’d never have their trust. Even Firestorm began speaking with him again. He felt he was finally one of the squad. Hayden didn’t want to lose that now. Whatever Spider was planning, it couldn’t be too bad. The worst that could happen was dragging ore canisters after Sarge discovered they snuck out in the night.
“Come on. We need to be back at least an hour before sunrise. Sarge is like clockwork. He wakes with the sun.”
“Where are we going?” Hayden asked when he was almost ready to go.
“That’s on a need to know basis, and you don’t need to know,” Spider said as he led them out of the barracks.
The moons were still high in the sky. It couldn’t have been more than just a few hours since everyone went to bed. The nights were much longer on Nigramoto than on Earth, which was nice for people like Hayden, who liked to sleep. Spider and one of the others were supposed to keep watch tonight. Hayden asked about the watch, and Spider shrugged it off. He said the krikshek beast was dead, and there weren’t any threats in the area, so there wouldn’t be any problems.
The others teased him for worrying too much and told him it would be fine. Spider said that they left camp during watch all the time. Maybe if they were in a combat zone, it’d be different, but they were stuck on this planet, playing nanny to a bunch of ungrateful aliens. Hayden got the sense that most of the troops were bored half the time and would do anything for a sense of adventure.
Hayden understood their point. Most had signed up for the military after hearing about heroic deeds from the Liberation Wars. They didn’t realize that they were going to be sent out more because they needed warm bodies than to do any actual combat. A bored soldier in many ways was more dangerous than one in combat. They could become hazards to their selves and their comrades.
Hayden heard stories of drinking and picking fights or attempting daredevil stunts. One man had figured out how to tie himself to the underside of a transport without the pilot being aware of the hitchhiker. He would hop around the planet, taking impromptu vacations. One day, the quick release latch failed while the transport was landing, and he was crushed.
As long as Spider wasn’t doing anything too stupid or dangerous, Hayden didn’t fear getting in trouble. It seemed some crazy exploit or story was almost essential for becoming part of the group. Tonight would be a chance for Hayden to not only prove himself as a competent soldier but also that he was one of them.
They had walked for about two hours before the others began to get nervous.
“How much further?”
“It ain’t far.”
Hayden pulled up his map in his display and saw that they were heading in the direction of the village where Hayden had first earned Spider’s trust. Hayden wasn’t sure why they would be going to the village, but from the path they were walking, they would be upon it in an hour or so.
“I don’t like this. Something ain’t right.”
“Trust me,” Spider said.
They walked into the night. There were chatters of various night creatures in the trees. There was just as much activity at night as in the day. They had to be vigilant because the creatures of Nigramoto were powerful and fierce. There were even rumors and whisperings that in the deep forest, there were beasts as large as hills.
Humans would eventually spread to the furthest reaches of the forest, at least when the easily accessible decrand supply ran out. Until then, the mining operations stayed in lands inhabited by the tribal Nigramotoians. It was easier to buy off one village at a time than to spend time exploring an area that was unknown until humans came. Unlike the Nigramotoians, humans had the need to explore. They wanted to know what was over the next ridge. The Nigramotoians were more focused on their community, be it a city or village.
Deep forest exploration was few and far between and filled with rumors and conjecture. The few explorers who did venture forth were cost analysis consultants. They would come back with graphs and numbers. The decrand in the deepest woods was expensive to extract. It was rare when a human set out for the purpose of exploration that didn’t involve financial gain.
When Hayden was a child, he was taught about brave explorers who set out to find new worlds. He had visions of brave men and women who went out to seek the unknown and make it known. The tales of exploring planets and space were part of the reason he joined the military. It wasn’t until later that he discovered almost every exploration mission was designed to see if one company or another could make a profit.
Humans figured out long ago how to scan for planets in other systems. They only sent the explorers to see if they could turn a profit from those systems. They were looking for gas giants to mine the decrand. Exploration and science were low on the list of priorities for each mission, and profits were the number one mission objective. If a system couldn’t make a profit, then there was no point in going there, even if the wildlife or the native inhabitants would make for an interesting study. Science was a tool for more profit.
They arrived at the village just when the men were about to question Spider. The oil lamps were out, and all the houses were dark. There was no need for security in a Nigramotoian village, so no one knew of their arrival. It was very quiet. With the sounds of the forest behind them, all Hayden could hear was the tromping of their power armor and the sound of his breath.
Spider stopped at the house where Hayden had gotten in trouble. Spider opened the door and went inside. The concept of locks was foreign to the Nigramotoians, even in the giant cities. They were such a communal culture that property wasn’t so important to need distinguishing concepts like “yours versus mine.”
If a villager needed a tool, they would use their neighbors without a second thought. That wasn’t to say there wasn’t crime on Nigramoto, especially in the cities, and especially when other alien cultures began to mix. But the concept of crime was considered differently. A thief who took from the community but never gave back was considered rude and in need of help.
Prison had not even been a word in the Nigramotoian vocabulary. If a person caused harm to the community through their actions, they would go through what humans would consider therapy at a mental health clinic. Once the person was fit to rejoin society, they would be allowed to leave. For some, they would never be fit to rejoin society, so the mental health clinic acted as sort of a prison to keep them out of the general population. Their justice system was unique, swift, and kept order.
Since criminals would be considered a mentally damaged individual, crime prevention was not even a consideration. They had no locks or security systems. Even the concept of a police force was foreign to them. The community gathered together to help the damaged individual. It wouldn’t be uncommon for an ordinary citizen to step in to stop a deviant person. However, when the humans arrived, everything changed. The ordinary citizen had no power, at least not over someone with the power of the fearsome “Teristaque.”
The house was dark and quiet. They were in the great room. The living area had a wood-burning stove surrounded by maroon couches. The wood walls were rustic. It reminded him of a cabin he saw in Colorado. A wealthy family had invited them to dinner. They met his father on a hike. They were intrigued to hear about living in Los Angeles and wondered how anyone could live so packed together. Hayden wanted to mention how they didn’t have a choice but kept quiet, so as not to insult the hosts.
Spider panned around the room and looked toward the stairs. A little girl had wandered down from the upper floor. She saw the soldiers and ran back screaming, “Teristaque! Teristaque!”
Spider barked to one of the other soldiers, “Watch the front and back doors! Make sure no one comes in or out!”
The two others nodded in compliance and ran off.
“What are we doing here?” Hayden said.
“You’ll see,” Spider said. Hayden could almost see the smile through the armor.
They went upstairs where the family was in an uproar. They had all come out of their rooms, eyes still clouded with sleep. The upstairs had another common room with many doors and a crisscross of stairs, making the house three stories. The Nigramotoians lived with their large extended families. Aunts, uncles, cousins, and siblings all lived under the same roof. The houses were large, even larger than the cabin Hayden saw in Colorado. Spider lowered his weapon at the family.
“What are you-“ Hayden said, and Spider elbowed him out of the way.
“All of you, go back to your rooms. We are here on official business. Go back to your rooms, and you won’t get hurt,” Spider said.
The family looked at each other and murmured. They all turned back towards their respective sleeping chambers and filed back into their rooms.
Spider scoffed, “Just like the Nigs. Weak and stupid. That’s how I like ‘em. You see, Hayden, unlike most of our compatriots, I like it here. Now watch the hallway. I have some business to take care of.”
Hayden signaled his compliance, and Spider went inside one of the rooms. Spider had used Hayden’s name. He didn’t use babyface, newb, rookie, or any of the other derogatory names they were calling him since planetfall. He was finally getting some respect. Hayden didn’t want to do anything to screw up his standing with the men even though something didn’t seem right.
Hayden walked up and down the hallway. The floorboards creaked, and he could hear whimpering and sobbing coming from the rooms. Hayden walked towards the room Spider had entered. He decided to listen to see if he could find out what was going on inside. A pit formed in his stomach as he leaned closer.
A scream erupted from the female, and Spider yelled, “You stupid bitch!”
Hayden kicked open the door and was horrified by what he saw. The blue haired woman Spider had fondled in the incident days earlier was energy cuffed to her bed. Her clothes were torn and tattered. Spider was naked. His hand was covered in blood. The blood trickled from her mouth. Hayden had been a fool.
“I told you that if you made any noise, I’d kill you.” Spider pulled out an energy blade and went for the woman. Hayden hit Spider with the butt of his gun and sent him sprawling on the floor. Blood dripped from his brow. The woman screamed again as Hayden came close to undo her cuffs. She ran from the room crying.
The two other soldiers caught her in the hallway. They pushed her back into the room. Hayden whirled around to meet them. “Spider… he tried too…”
The woman crawled towards Hayden, whimpering. “Please… help.”
Hayden only turned his focus for a moment. He thought the worst had passed. One of the soldiers lowered his rifle towards Hayden. A bolt of energy blasted from the rifle. Hayden didn’t have his personal shields up because he didn’t think he would need them. The energy fried his armor’s circuitry, rendering him unconscious. The last image burned into his retina was the woman, alone and afraid, her green skin showing through her tattered clothes.
5
Hayden woke up in a prison cell the next day. It was located in one of the temporary units in the mining camp. The cot was metal and hard. In the corner sat a disgusting toilet and sink that had not been cleaned since the building was first dropped. He had been stripped of his armor and clothes. He had on nothing but an undershirt and a pair of boxers. Gooseflesh appeared on his arms. He shivered and began to rub them.
A familiar voice called from the next cell over, “Do not rub your arms. That will not keep you warm.”
It was the Nigramotoian who had saved him from the krikshek beast. He was also stripped of everything but a loincloth. He squatted to be at eye level with Hayden.
“To be warm,” Sha began, “you must keep the blood of life that flows through your veins stimulated. I believe your people call it exercise.”
Hayden did some push-ups and some squats. Sha was right. The warmth returned to Hayden’s body when his heart began pumping. After a quick workout routine, Hayden sat at the edge of his cot.
“I will not leave my village. It is the home of my ancestors and their ancestors. The Teristaque may take me from my home, but I will always find a way back.”
“So you’re the one who convinced them to stay? You have many people annoyed at the top.”
“What is a nuisance for your people is the very essence of life for mine.”
Hayden didn’t have a response. He couldn’t argue with the man. In Hayden’s view, humans had already ravaged their world, and now they were here ravaging an entirely new one. He wondered how much the Nigramotoians of the cities knew about what was happening in the forest. The natives were getting compensated, but that was by human terms. In Hayden’s entire time at the mining site, he never once saw a Nigramotoian inspector or anyone checking in the camp.
“I’m here to collect you,” Tomahawk said as he entered the barracks. Those were the most words in a row that Tomahawk had said to Hayden since they had arrived. They didn’t sound friendly or hostile. They were neutral and dry.
Tomahawk opened the cell, and Hayden stepped out. Hayden wasn’t worried about the upcoming encounter with Sarge. He was in the right, and Spider was clearly acting out of line. The Nigramotoian villagers would attest to Hayden acting in the best manner. Since Spider’s cronies had gotten the drop on him, they would have spun a story that made him look like the bad guy, but Hayden knew their lie wouldn’t last long. He would insist on a thorough investigation, and Spider’s actions would be brought to justice.
Tomahawk brought Hayden through the mining camp. It was business as usual. Workers were scurrying around with different tasks. Another squad of soldiers stared at Hayden from the distance. Had news of the incident last night not spread, there would have been nothing unusual about Hayd
en and Tomahawk walking through the camp. People were looking at Hayden differently than any other soldier, and he sensed their discomfort. What had Spider said about Hayden?
Hayden was ushered into another one of the portable buildings. Sarge stood off to one side and Spider off to the other. Colonel Dodgery was sitting at a table with other high ranking officers. They were in some sort of conference room turned into a makeshift tribunal. There was something bigger going on than Hayden originally thought. He figured Sarge would scold him and send on his way; after all, Hayden had done nothing wrong. However, with this tribunal staring him down, and the smug grin on Spider, Hayden knew something else was happening.
Sarge shoved a dress uniform in Hayden’s hands. “Put this on,” Sarge barked.
“Ok,” Hayden said as he scrambled to get ready. “Why? What’s going on?”
“Your trial,” Sarge said. “I’ve been looking out for you since you got here, kid, but I can’t protect you from this.”
Before he could say anymore, Hayden was called to the front. The men were sitting on a raised platform, and they looked even more intimidating up close. The three officers were stern and stoic. Despite the fact that everything had been assembled from various furniture and equipment from around the camp, they had done a good job at making it look intimidating.
Hayden saluted and stood at attention. The colonel made Hayden sweat it out while he looked over reports on his pad before beginning the hearing. Hayden knew his higher ups were doing nothing more than building an impending sense of dread.
“You are facing very serious charges,” the colonel said after a while.
