Aurora Saga 2 Immortality for Life

by Adrian Fulcher

  They all took a sip of the drink.

  Wow!

  ‘This is good. So sweet!’ Zoren said in surprise.

  ‘Supora, I’m amazed!’ Sabri added. ‘I would never have thought a karnlip root could be turned into something so nice.’

  ‘Ready!’ Valon shouted, from the next room.

  ‘Would you like to come through,’ Supora said to them, and then called out, ‘Children! You too.’

  Asnica rushed out from the bedroom and straight into the eating room.

  As Sabri and Zoren entered, she said, ‘You can sit here,’ looking to Sabri, ‘next to my sister. I’m going to sit next to mum. Zoren you’re next to my dad.’

  Supora seemed stunned by Asnica’s instructions to everyone.

  ‘Well, looks like the seating plan has been agreed,’ Zoren said in jest. ‘So I’m here, Asnica,’ he said, placing one hand on the back of the chair. He then placed his glass on the table.

  Asnica nodded to him.

  They all sat around the table, while Valon placed the last of the dishes in its centre.

  ‘Smells fantastic,’ Zoren remarked, admiring the array of vegetable dishes laid out in shallow dio-plastic bowls in the centre of the table.

  ‘You look like you’ve come straight from work, Zoren,’ Valon remarked. ‘Did Gulco keep you there late?’

  ‘No-’

  Sabri interrupted him. ‘He forgot! He was playing in the shuttle simulator again.’

  ‘I had a go last week,’ Valon said. ‘I was useless. Just as well we won’t need a pilot for some decades yet.’

  ‘Please, help yourselves,’ Supora said, indicating towards the food. ‘Doine, what do you want, dear?’

  ‘Trimi please, mum,’ she replied.

  Supora dished up some trimi onto Doine’s plate and then turning to Asnica asked,

  ‘Asnica, what about you?’

  ‘I’m all right. I can do it myself,’ she said, acting like an adult.

  Supora raised her eyebrows, and then replied, ‘Ok, but be careful.’

  Zoren placed some karnlip and frimti onto his plate and then said to Valon,

  ‘This drink is excellent. You should post it on the ideas board. I’m sure others would want to make this.’

  ‘Well there go all the karnlip roots,’ Sabri said cheerfully.

  Zoren picked up a long ‘u’ shaped glass condiment and started to eat.

  ‘So is your baby a boy or a girl?’ Supora asked Sabri, while they ate.

  ‘We told Doc Korye not to tell us. We want it to be a surprise.’

  ‘Are, that’s nice. Have you chosen the names?’

  ‘Well if it’s a boy, then Zoren will get his choice.’

  ‘I thought Kantio would be a good name,’ Zoren said.

  ‘That’s a lovely name. What if it’s a girl?’ Supora asked.

  ‘Then my choice would be Elina,’ Sabri said. ‘However, I have feeling it’s a boy.’

  ‘Well a year will soon go,’ Valon remarked.

  ‘I know! I can’t wait,’ Sabri replied, looking very pleased.

  ‘Mum, can you pass me some karnlip, please?’ Asnica asked.

  Zoren caught Sabri winking at him.

  He smiled back at her and then mouthed, ‘love you.’ He noticed Doine staring at him, and a large grin grew on his face.

  Supora moved the bowl of karnlip nearer to Asnica.

  ‘I heard you started the drive up today,’ Valon said.

  ‘Yep, it was a major milestone,’ Zoren said, ‘but unfortunately it didn’t go too well.’

  ‘Didn’t you feel the vibrations?’ Sabri said. ‘We could feel it two decks up in hydroponics.’

  ‘Yes, I heard it almost shook itself to pieces,’ Valon remarked.

  ‘You could say that. The damage has set us back at least two years. I’ve got to remake the injector housings, and there are numerous other components which will need to be replaced. I think the plans are wrong.’

  ‘Sounds like the designer didn’t want you to finish it,’ Valon said jokingly.

  Erm… Interesting statement that, Zoren thought to himself. No, don’t be daft. Why wouldn’t someone not want us to complete the drives.

  ‘I’m sure the designer just made a few mistakes in the calculations,’ Zoren said. ‘What’s happened has happened, so we need to make sure we change what we need to and get the repairs done as soon as possible, then we can get on and finish the other three drives.’

  Zoren ate some more of his meal.

  ‘This is very good, Valon,’ he commented.

  ‘Thank you. It was my turn to do dinner,’ he said, smiling at his wife.

  ‘Shame you don’t cook for me, Zoren,’ Sabri said cheekily to him.

  ‘I’d burn everything. You definitely don’t want me to cook dinner,’ he replied.

  Sabri shook her head. ‘He doesn’t even want to try.’

  ‘You should have a go, Zoren,’ Valon said.

  ‘I’m not so sure,’ Zoren replied, and then to change the subject added, ‘So Asnica, I hear you’re going to be a maintenance engineer, like your mother.’

  Asnica nodded. ‘You’re going to teach me when I’m a little older, aren’t you, mum?’

  ‘I’m not sure I will, but I’m sure you’ll have a good teacher.’

  ‘How are you getting on at school?’ Sabri asked.

  ‘You’re doing very well, aren’t you, Asnica,’ Supora replied for her. ‘She’s started-’

  Supora stopped abruptly, hearing a distant rumble. The table shook momentarily.

  ‘What was that?’ Valon asked, getting up from his seat.

  ‘It sounded like it was a long way away,’ Zoren said, also rising from his seat.

  ‘It felt as though something may have hit the space station?’ Valon added.

  ‘There are no alarms sounding,’ Zoren replied.

  The door buzzer sounded.

  ‘I’ll get it,’ Supora said, and then went to the door.

  Zoren could hear Zuki’s voice. She came into the room with Supora.

  ‘Did you all hear that too,’ Zuki said. ‘It sounded like it came from outside the space station.’

  There was a loud explosion. The room shook and the crockery visibly moved on the table.

  ‘That was closer. What’s going on?’ Zoren said.

  Valon went into the living space and gazed out the window, Zuki and Supora followed. ‘I can’t see anything.’ Then turning to Zuki, he said, ‘Give Telaia a call, she’s on the other side of the station. See if she heard the same thing or can see anything.’

  Zuki went to the communications console and pressed a few button. Telaia answered and they talked for a moment, before she turned and said, ‘She says the same. She heard a bang, but there’s nothing out there.’

  Another more violent explosion rocked the room. Some of the dinner plates fell from the table onto the floor.

  ‘Mummy! Mummy! I’m scared,’ Asnica said. Her sister also ran over to Supora.

  ‘It’s ok, you’re all right,’ she said reassuringly.

  Zoren and Sabri joined Valon in the living space.

  ‘That sounded very close, almost as if it was just outside the window,’ Zoren said to Valon.

  ‘There’s nothing out there, I’m telling you,’ Valon replied.

  Zoren glanced at Sabri to check she was all right. Her mouth was open in stunned surprise and her eyes were fixed on the window. He looked to the window.

  ‘What the!’ he said. ‘The planet… it’s... it’s disappeared.’

  ‘That’s not all! All the stars have disappeared too,’ Valon added.

  There was a bright flash of light in the space outside, which lit up the room. Zoren instinctively flinched, closing his eyes, before moving his hand to shield them, but at that moment, and without warning, the ceiling of the room caved inwards. There was a suddenly rush of air into the room, followed by a deafening roar.

  Zoren was blown off his feet and thrown across the roo
m.

  For a moment he lost all senses, and then he felt winded and disorientated. His ears were ringing and all he could hear were muffled screams. His vision was blurred, and he was finding it hard to make out where Sabri and the others were. He tried desperately to move, but his leg was trapped underneath the debris from a large girder, which was swaying perilously above him.

  Zoren noticed a figure rush over to him. ‘Zoren! Are… you… all right?’ Sabri said, panicking.

  He could barely reply.

  ‘I… I don’t... know.’

  He turned his head to the right and, behind Sabri, could just make out some fuzzy shapes, which he assumed were Supora comforting her two children. He squinted as a large black figure appeared behind her. She turned and appeared startled, before Zoren heard a dull clap and Supora collapsed to the floor, as if she had been shot. The children froze in shock, then the noise sounded again and they both slumped to the floor.

  ‘Sabri!’ he cried out, turning back to her, but at that moment she was hit and collapsed next to him.

  Dazed, he looked up to see four figures dressed in black space suits and helmets. Another entered the room, and then two of them carried Sabri away.

  ‘What do you want to do with this one?’ the muffled voice of the man who was nearest to him said from within his space suit. ‘He’s trapped.’

  ‘It’ll take too long to free him. Leave him!’ another replied. ‘We have all the others. There’s no more time. We need to leave.’

  ‘Who… are... Who are... you?’ Zoren tried to say, but his vision blurred again and the room started to spin. He felt light headed and fell unconscious.

  Chapter Three

  Zoren awoke and took a sharp intake of breath. There was a strong smell of burning dio-plastic all around, and the room was now filling with acrid smoke, which was being circulated throughout the space station by the air conditioning system. He coughed violently, and then felt his chest, which was tight and painful after being bruised in the explosion. In fact, his whole body felt sore, like every muscle had been stretched and twisted by a psychopathic masseuse.

  He opened his eyes and glanced quickly around. Sabri and the others seemed to have disappeared and there was an eerie silence, which at first made him think he had been deafened by the blast, but as soon as he shouted out, ‘Hello, is anyone there?’ he quickly realised that was not the case.

  He was lying on the floor with his leg still firmly trapped underneath the debris of the fallen ceiling. He called out again, ‘Hello! I need help in here! Is anyone there?’ and listened intently for a reply.

  Why is no one answering?

  ‘Help! I need help. Please someone. Sabri!’ he shouted even louder.

  There’s no one there, he thought in frustration. He coughed again. I wonder if everyone’s dead. But where are the bodies? He immediately felt an intense feeling of fear. I’ve… I’ve got to get free.

  Zoren tried desperately to pull his leg out from under the large beam, but each time he pulled, the more it seemed to restrict the movement of his leg, until he got to the point where it was completely wedged.

  This is useless.

  In shear desperation he shouted out again, ‘Please, if anyone can hear me. I… I need help in here!’ His voice quietened as he finished.

  This is useless. There’s no one.

  Zoren felt the floor shudder and then his stomach rose and fell violently. His head and arms felt weightless for a brief moment.

  The floor moved. What the hell’s happening? Oh no! Maybe the station is starting to break up.

  Zoren placed his ear against the floor. He coughed, before holding his breath trying to listen for any signs of what was happening around him. Barely audible above the hum of the station’s reactor, a very distant explosion could be heard.

  Wait! What’s that? He tried to focus on what sounded like a voice. I could have sworn I heard someone. There it is again. I can’t make it out. It… It sounds the same, each time. Yes, it’s repeated, like an announcement.

  The floor moved again. His head lifted and then banged sharply back down onto the floor.

  ‘Ow!’ he said, before placing his hand over his left ear and rubbing it gently.

  Then, there was another explosion, which felt like it was directly below him. As the whole room lifted, all the smoke was sucked from it. Zoren gasped for air.

  For a brief moment his leg felt free, so instinctively he dragged it towards his torso, and just in time, before the beam smashed back into the floor, gouging a deep grove.

  Zoren, still on the floor, quickly moved his body away from the debris helping himself with his arms and legs, until he finally stopped with his back up against a nearby wall. His adrenaline was pumping and his hearts were racing. He stared down at his grazed and bloodied leg, through his torn trousers. Panicking he touched his leg, checking for pain or gashes.

  Thank God, I appear to be all right.

  He got gingerly to his feet and placed his weight slowly onto the injured leg. Yes, I’m ok, my leg’s fine. He felt a momentary sense of relief and rotated his neck to relieve the stiffness.

  Zoren wasted no more time and went quickly out into the main corridor of the space station. He searched for any signs of life.

  ‘Hello!’ he shouted out, but there was no reply.

  The smoke was now a lot thinner, making it easier for him to see. He descended to the corridor on deck two and proceeded along it towards engineering.

  ‘Is there anyone there?’ he shouted continuously, hoping desperately to get a reply.

  He peered into each room as he proceeded further through the space station.

  I think everyone’s been killed, but where are the bodies? Why would they take the bodies? It doesn’t make sense, why didn’t they kill me as well? And who were these people… or beings who attacked us?

  Zoren stopped for a moment to clear his lungs of the smoke and to catch his breath.

  It feels like it’s getting hotter in here, he thought, stroking his forehead. He glanced at his hand, which was now covered in sweat. What am I going to do?

  A violent explosion made him grab a nearby maintenance panel to steady himself. All the lights flickered, and then he was left in darkness.

  No! Don’t leave me in the dark. Please!

  Zoren could hear both his hearts pounding. They felt as if they were about to explode as he waited, what seemed to be an eternity, for the emergency lights to brighten.

  ‘Thank you!’ he said, peering upwards at the ceiling.

  As he was about to move from the maintenance panel on the side of the corridor, his attention was drawn to the opposite wall, where there now appeared to be a doorway. He glanced each way down the corridor to check where he was.

  I can’t remember there ever being a door in that wall.

  He edged over to it.

  A section of wall had disappeared, leaving a neat opening with no visible door frame. Through it there was a long corridor leading into darkness and in the very distance an illuminated control panel.

  I can hear that voice again. It sounds like a man. Where is it coming from? He turned his head slowly searching for the voice. I think. No I’m sure it’s coming from down there, where that panel is.

  Zoren edged nervously into the entrance of the dark corridor. He stopped when a number of green lights set into the floor illuminated. He could now see that the control panel was adjacent to a closed door.

  The construction of the corridor was completely different to anything on the space station. Large open circular metal frames, spaced at regular intervals, supported a raised mesh walkway.

  What is this corridor doing here?

  Zoren took a moment to glance each way along the space station corridor, before shouting, ‘Anyone there?’

  There was no reply, so drawn by the distant voice he crept carefully along the unfamiliar corridor. Once he reached the closed door, he listened intently for the voice, which now was clearly coming from the other sid
e of the door. It was definitely some kind of announcement, in a male voice, but seemed to be in a language he could not understand.

  He studied the control panel, which had buttons with strange symbols.

  One of these must open the door. He was about to press the first one, when he realised that the announcement was now in his language. He missed the first few words, but managed to catch the rest.

  ‘…VISITORS TO ESCAPE PODS.’

  What did he mean? Visitors to escape pods.

  The voice was now repeating the message in another language.

  Zoren pressed each of the buttons on the panel in turn. There was a hiss of air as the door seal released and then it swung inwards, causing him to take a few awkward steps backwards.

  The male voice was now very clear, and coming from outside the doorway.

  Zoren moved to the exit and peered nervously through.

  I don’t believe it!

  His mouth fell open in disbelief as he gawked into a transverse corridor, which stretched into the distance in both directions.

  What is this place? I don’t understand. I’m now outside the space station. In space!

  He inched hesitantly into the transverse corridor. About fifteen metres away, on a large raised track set into the floor, he saw a white craft of some kind and then in the distance another two. Set into the floor there were again green lights, and also large flashing red arrows leading away into the distance. Directly in front of him, on the opposite wall, was a short wide window.

  Zoren approached the window.

  Wow! That’s unbelievable, he thought. He was gazing down at a massive underground cavern. Subtle blue lights lit the interior.

  Movement! There’s life in there. Zoren could make out some shapes moving in the distance. Large worm-like creatures over ten metres in length were all heading towards the centre of the cave. So much for thinking we were alone in the universe. What are they doing? It’s almost like they’re gathering together, as if they have some intelligence.

  Zoren turned towards the nearby craft.

  ‘Hello?’ he called out in a hesitant and not very loud voice, like he did not really want anyone to hear him.