by J. Naomi Ay
"What about them?" Sam pointed at the Commander who looked curiously back at us in between making notes on his tablet and speaking to a yeomen.
"Them?" Xorex smirked and walked into the room and again the portal opened up and he disappeared into the void.
Sam and I hurried after him and instead of going into that room; we entered another one that was almost completely dark. It was lit only by the flickering displays of several consoles and a small desk lamp that sat on each desk.
Xorex sat down at a station that had four different monitors suspended above his head. He picked up the keyboard and leaned back in his chair chewing on a peanut butter sandwich and typing with one hand.
"Hey, what's wrong with this sandwich?" Xorex asked spitting it back out. "It's definitely peanut butter but this jelly doesn't taste right."
I grabbed an uneaten sandwich and pulled the slices open. The red stuff was strawberry jelly, wasn't it, I thought. Sniffing it and then tasting it with the tip of my tongue, I discovered it was Andorian baby jelly fish slime. The Andorians loved it but it made the rest of us retch.
"Oh, sorry, bro!" I cried. "I guess I made a huge mistake."
"Blech." Sammy stuck out his tongue while Xorex made a face.
"No wonder you have so many demerits." Xorex resumed his typing. "You can't even make a sandwich right. Now, where did I store those cheat codes? Oops, I don't have any," he laughed.
"What do you mean?" Sam asked. "Why did you bring us down here? I thought you said you had cheat codes to share?"
"Not cheat codes, my friend," the pasty one replied. "Look at this." Sam and I leaned in closer. We had to step up all the way to Xorex's back as he was so broad, even with four screens we couldn't see over his shoulders. "I am hacking into the operating system and telling it that a dude named Sam Psfa-a-a whatever, will log on within twenty-four hours and his character will be Senya. Now I'm telling it that you'll master level three and advance to level four. I'm also going to shed a little light on the subject and you'll earn Senya's glasses as soon as you unchain the troll."
"I don't want to play like that," Sam declared. "I want to win on my own."
"Well what's the difference between me fixing it and just giving you some cheat codes?"
"I don't know," Sam mumbled. "It just seems different, more unfair."
"Okay, forget it." Xorex pushed a button and his screens all deleted. "Thanks for the disgusting sandwich, dude. I need to get back to work."
"So what exactly do you do down here?" I asked as a new screen popped up. Xorex tuned us out and watched a bunch of code scroll by. "I'm a hacker, dude. I hack the ship's systems."
"Why?" Sam asked trying to watch the code too.
"To make sure their safe. Better I hack than somebody else, right? Hey, watch this." One of his screens now showed the ice cream parlor and the digital vid where we ordered our sundaes. An ensign was standing in front of it punching in her choices. "Let's give her banana instead," Xorex chuckled wickedly. "We'll give her banana ice cream and banana sauce. She'll have sliced bananas on top except for one cherry. There we go sweetheart, enjoy!" The sundae appeared on the end of the conveyor and the Ensign looked at it and her eyes opened wide with surprise.
"That's not what I ordered," she leaned over the counter and yelled, then she went back to the console and typed it all in again.
"One more time," Xorex cackled and entered more bananas.
"Alright, we get it," I interrupted. "Just leave her alone. I don't think hacking the ice cream machine will help the security of the ship."
"No, probably not," Xorex agreed. "But it was fun all the same."
"I've got to get to my studying. Open the door and let us out."
"Sure." Xorex pushed a button and the light of the lift bay shone from across the room. "Thanks for visiting, guys. Let's hang out again."
"Thanks Xorex," Sam said. "It was cool meeting you too. Are you willing to play without hacking the game? If you are, I'll do it. Anytime, dude."
"Alright, I guess I could. I'll go ahead and sign us up. Tomorrow at 1100, right?" He typed into his screen. I watched over his shoulder as he booked the Sim System for Sam Psfa-a-a-whatever and Randy Smith.
"Randy?"
"Yeah," he said shyly. "Xorex is my hacker name but don't tell anyone else."
"That's okay, bro," I said and patted his fat shoulder. He showed me his knuckles and so we fist-bumped them like old pals. "We've all got secrets. Sorry about your sandwiches."
"It happens," he shrugged. "Maybe Culinary is not where you belong. When you get some free time, you could come down here for a while and if you want, I'll teach you how to hack."
"That'd be cool."
"It's a better profession than washing dishes. You could have your own hacker name too but first you have to earn it. I can see calling you something like…the Sheik."
"The Sheik? How'd you come up with that?" Fortunately, it was dark in there as I'm sure I turned as red as Sam's hair.
"I don't know," Xorex mumbled. "There's something strange and different about you. You remind me of someone, I'm just not sure who."
"That guy on the vid with the show about the island?" Sam asked.
Xorex frowned and shook his head. "Maybe. Anyway, try and get yourself transferred down here in your rotation next week and I'll teach you everything I know."
"Great," I agreed and then joined Sam in the lift. As the door swished shut, I realized the Commander and everyone else in the room was a hologram. "Way cool." I sighed.
"Way creepy," Sam disagreed.
Chapter 7
Yula
When I was a kid, I was the proudest Corganian. I had a pin of the flag that I wore on my dress. My parent's flew the flag outside of our house and my father had a plaque that commemorated his years in the Corganian Coast Guard which was proudly displayed on our hearth.
At school every morning, I would recite the Corganian Pledge of Allegiance with my hands over my hearts just like every other kid in the school. Before recess, we stood again and sang the Corganian Anthem and occasionally someone in our class would shed a tear they were so proud.
On the Corganian Constitution Day, we all attended parades, and at night we'd set off fireworks that lit up the sky. We all voted with pride and we respected the rule of law. The policeman was our friend and the fireman saved our lives. A judge was honorable and a senator deserved respect. The President was elected for only one term and between the branches of government there was separation and balance. Our parents paid their taxes which weren't too much and factories built things which shops then sold. Teachers taught, doctors healed and bus drivers drove and the world spun round on its axis just like it was supposed to.
Sometime between then and now things began to change. Maybe they were changing all along and I just never noticed. I finished school with a diploma and degree and proudly took a picture in my fancy cap and gown. Then, I went looking for a job only to discover there were no jobs anymore. All of my friends and classmates realized the same thing too. The future that was promised us wasn't there at all. We all moved back home to live again with our parents and wandered the streets during the day with nothing else to do. On top of all that, we owed thousands in loan money for purchasing that education that wasn't getting us any work.
The power was shut off because the plants that produced it also produced compounds that spewed into the air. These compounds they said were killing our planet and though some disputed it, their voices went unheard. A panic ensued and the people began to riot. My jobless companions threw rocks at the factories taking out their frustrations on the wrong source. The factories closed down for without any power they could no longer build things and so those that had jobs now joined us on the streets.
The next thing that happened was the government started taxing for without the factories and businesses to pay them, their treasuries were bereft. Everything we did now cost us money we didn’t have. We were taxed for our very breaths because we brea
thed out Co2 and we were taxed for our bodily functions because our waste polluted the water. We were taxed and we paid with the pennies we had because if we didn't, the policemen came and they were no longer our friends.
The Senators passed these laws that treated us so unfairly and they themselves were exempt because they chose to be. The President applauded their efforts and declared the elections over and now his term would last for as long as he desired. The judges were petitioned by those who disagreed, who said the law was written and it couldn't be changed this way. But the President and Senators owned the judges now and there was nothing more anyone could do stop them from getting their way. We could raise our guns and fight if we had any guns to raise but guns were declared illegal and a pitchfork wouldn't do. Our people became the sheep and our liberties were lost. The hope of the future turned into a time of despair for all.
"We must leave," my father said. "We must go to Cyganus. It's the nearest friendly planet and we share the same sun. The people there are like us and the Queen is very kind. Everyone we know is fleeing, all our neighbors and our friends. Everyone who can is leaving as we have no other choice."
My father bought us tickets on a ship to cross the stars. We sold everything we owned and took only what we could carry. We melted down my grandma's jewelry and filled our teeth with the gold. We brought bags of trinkets and things to sell on the streets when we arrived. Our money would be useless, our diplomas good for only hanging on a wall. We were going to start all over, if only Cyganus would have us.
The ship was old and smelled foul like a sweaty refugee camp. The seats were dirty from the previous passengers and the toilets backed up and would not flush. We were instructed by the Captain to sit in our seats and fasten our belts and pray. If the Government caught us leaving before we reached open space, they would try to shoot us down. If we managed to survive our crash landing, we'd be sent to prison camp.
The ship took off and I closed my eyes and clutched my brother's and my grandma's hands. I counted the seconds and stretched it to minutes and challenged myself not to take another breath until the shaking, rumbling and rolling finally stopped.
We reached the thermosphere and everyone aboard exhaled. The Captain announced we could unbuckle our belts and move about the cabin. Food was for sale and the bathrooms were open although the queue to use them stretched the length of the ship.
"We can't waste any of our gold on food," my mom said and passed out bits of hard cheese and even harder bread. We all sat there chewing this trying to swallow it down with water from a bottle that we all shared. When we had finished eating, my grandma read words from a Cyganian dictionary pronouncing them slowly and challenging each one of us to repeat them.
"Money, water, food, shoe." This is what our lives had boiled down to. A year ago, we lived in a big house with a two car garage, one and three quarter's baths and a kitchen with a nook. We had an upstairs and downstairs and each our own bedroom. Grandma had a condo in a high-rise with a view of the city. Dad had owned a factory while Mom volunteered at the school. Geor was an accountant and I had a degree in computer engineering. We went on vacations to places near the beach. We shopped in the mall and went out to dinner once a week. Now, here we were reduced to the clothes on our backs, stale bread, moldy cheese and sleeping in a dirty chair.
"Just wait until we get there," became our mantra and it was repeated both among us and the other passengers on the ship. "Just wait until Cyganus where we all will start over in a free country on a land which can become our new home."
The voyage was oppressive and depressing. It was tedious and disgusting and everything bad. Half the day I spent, waiting in the toilet queue and then when I finally arrived, I held my nose, closed my eyes and squatted without touching. I quickly hurried out of there hoping to last until tomorrow before I had to join the queue again.
Geor found a friend, a guy he almost knew, who had studied at the same university although he had pledged a different house. His name was Ike and he was tall and dark with deep red skin, curly chestnut hair and dark red eyes that flashed whenever he spoke.
The three of us played cards and talked about our favorite bands. We reminisced about movies we had watched and monotonous professors that bored us to tears. Ike knew a girl that knew a girl I knew and when Geor got tired and closed his eyes, Ike and I took off. We hid beneath his coat in the basement of the ship next to all the luggage and the other clandestine pairs. Ike declared his love for me and I the same for him though both of us knew our love was only born out of boredom and desperation. As soon as we arrived on Cyganus, Ike and I would go our separate ways. What we had here on this ship would fade into a sweet memory like the memories of our home.
Someday, I knew this would all be colored in rosy shades of pink. I'd forget what happened and why we left, I'd forget the queue and the noxious smells, I'd forget the lack of food and drink and think only of this brief time in space with a handsome guy who I hardly knew who took me to the stars in his own beautiful way and made this passage worth passing.
Chapter 8
Katie
"I'd like to go visit Cyganus."
He turned his face up to me and cocked his head sideways. "You have nothing better to do?"
"No," I insisted. "I want to see what's really going on there with the Red Aliens from Corganus. Before we just blast them out of the skies or turn them around and make them go back, I want to get an understanding of why they are immigrating in the first place."
"Mhm." He nodded and made to get up from his desk. I handed him his cane.
"Does that mean I can go?"
"You do not think we have an ambassador who is capable of investigating this in your stead?"
"No, we do." I followed him across the room to the conference table where the attendees of his afternoon meeting were standing and waiting. "But it will be good for me to go and…"
"You should like to travel in a starship, specifically the Queen of Rozari." He sat down in his chair and then all the other men sat down. "Are you staying for this meeting?"
"Since you already know what I'm going to say, why are you asking?"
"I am being polite." He smiled and leaning back in his chair, he lit up a cigarette.
"That's a matter of opinion," I replied and exited through the great doors into Kinar's office.
"What did he say?" Luci asked as soon as the doors swung shut.
"Nothing of value."
"Hmm." She pursed her lips and frowned. "You told him you want to investigate the situation with the Red Aliens, right?"
"Yes, Luci.” I sighed. "I might just as well have said that we want to go visit our boys because he already figured out that much." We headed down the hall to my office. "We need to think of another reason why we absolutely have to go to Cyganus."
Caroline sat at the front desk chatting on the vid with someone.
"Oh hi girls!" she called and waved as soon as we walked in the door. "Look Marilyn, look who just came in!"
"Hi Marilyn," Luci and I smiled politely and waved back.
Marilyn was one of Caroline's eight sisters. There was also Sherrilyn, Jerrilyn, Rosalyn, Jacqueline, Coraline, Darryline and Wendaline. Luci and I had smiled politely and waved at each of them at one time or another. Caroline hung up her call and followed us into my office. I sat down at my desk while Luci made all three of us a glass of iced tea.
"Do we get to go visit your babies?" Caroline asked taking her tea. "I'm so looking forward to dropping in at Cyganus now that Marilyn is going to be there too. Do you think we might be able to stop by and say hello? In fact, I think we ought to make it a full out appearance with the press and maybe that old nasty stuffed up Cyganian Queen."
"We don't have permission yet." I sipped my tea thoughtfully. What reason could I come up with that required I go to Cyganus?
"Why is Marilyn going to be there?" Luci asked settling down on the sofa next Caroline. "And why must we bring that nasty Queen Toast-Point into it?"
/> "My word she was a nasty woman, now wasn't she," Caroline agreed. "Here we went and prepared that luscious banquet in the Crystal Ballroom and all she would touch was some unsweetened tea and a corner of a toast point with one tiny little itsy bitsy ball of caviar perched on it. I could eat a whole pound of caviar all by myself. In fact, maybe I did."
"You did," Luci stated. "The next day your feet were so swollen you could hardly take a step."
"That's right!" Caroline slapped her knee.
"The Prince was a nice guy," I reminded them. "A little boring. Actually, a lot boring but still very nice and their daughters were lovely too. I don't see how we could avoid meeting with them if we go to Cyganus. Caroline's right. We're going to have to appear with them and give a full presser."
"You still didn't say why Marilyn is going there," Luci asked again.
"Oh my word, I forgot," Caroline replied setting down her tea cup and leaning forward in her chair. "She's a dentist, you know. She's been working for SdK in the dental division for several years now. Apparently, SdK is going to be opening up some hospitals on Cyganus but the first thing they are doing is setting up some clinics and dental is a high priority. Cyganus is about a million years behind in their medical treatments and there's a whole lot of homeless and street people with no care and unfortunately, no teeth either. Marilyn's husband is a nurse so they both volunteered to go work there for a while. Of course, they're being paid well so it's not really volunteering but you know what I mean."
"That's an excellent idea, Caroline!" Luci cried and nudged Caroline in the arm. "We'll go check on the SdK clinics and set up a presser to announce our new health care initiatives. Madame can hold some babies and talk to some of the sick people and perhaps we can even coordinate with breaking ground on the first SdK Cyganian hospital."
"You could visit Marilyn and take a lovely picture with someone who's got shiny new teeth implants," Caroline suggested jumping up from her chair. "My baby sister would just be tickled pink by all that. How about we get both of your boys to come along with us? That would make a lovely picture for the press, now wouldn't it?"
