Phoenix Reborn

by Joseph Mackay

  A paper flyer fluttered down the street before getting caught on a lamp-post, capturing Alex’s attention. He noted how out of place the page was on otherwise clean streets. A well-dressed man took a few steps out of his way to collect the garbage and deposit it in a bin, smiling the entire time. Most of the people Alex had seen in Sapphire City smiled, as if they truly enjoyed their lives. For someone who had grown up under the harsh rule of the UEDF, Alex saw a profound contrast between the ctiizens of both cultures. Where on Earth there was an aura of desperation and dread, on Aeris there was joy.

  He proceeded into a nearby cafe and sat down at a table near the window, offering him a view of the street and the harbor beyond. A young woman, who couldn’t have been more than a year or two older than Alex, came to take his order. She was pretty. Her long, blonde hair swayed as she walked, causing Alex to stare. She had bright-green eyes that caught the light in a way that made them dance as she smiled. A smile that gave Alex butterflies in his chest when he inhaled.

  “What can I get for you, hon?” she asked softly, sweetly.

  “What do you have that’s good here?” Alex managed to stammer.

  “Everything is good! But I’ll get you a menu,” she replied with a wink.

  She turned to walk away, Alex’s eyes following her every step. She walked like a girl who was happy to be alive, each step graceful and with purpose.

  “Here you go,” she said, handing him the menu.

  “Can I ask you something?” He smiled up at the pretty girl.

  “Sure, hon.” She matched his smile.

  “What is it about this place? Everyone seems so happy here.”

  “That’s easy. We’re free! Every day we wake up we know that we exist for the sake of our own happiness, so we do.”

  The concept seemed simple enough, a society of free people living by their own rules, away from the intrusive hands of the UEDF. Alex suddenly realized why his mom had fought so hard to keep the UEDF out of this place.

  “You’re not from around here, are you? What colony did you come from?” she asked casually, sitting down in the booth across from Alex.

  “I’m from Earth. The only other colony I’ve been to was Atmos XI, and was only there for a day.”

  “Atmos … That means you’re Captain Pereira, right? I heard about what you did there; you saved a lot of people.”

  “Yeah, I guess so. I’m Alex.”

  “Lyria Shepherd, owner of the Cerulean Sky Café,” she said with a smile, standing up to bow with a slight flourish.

  “You own this place? You can’t be more than seventeen!” Alex said with disbelief.

  “Back at ya! I don’t think most people would think a guy your age was a war hero, do you?”

  “I suppose not,” Alex said wistfully as the weight of his actions settled upon his shoulders.

  Alex knew that what he did to help his mom and the colony of Atmos XI was right, but doing so meant turning on his squadron, his friends and Earth. Just then, Alex wasn’t sure “hero” was a titled he deserved.

  “I’ll give you a minute to look over that menu. Call me over when you’re ready,” she said sensing his hesitation.

  Alex watched Lyria walk behind the counter and pour a cup of coffee for the only other patron in the café. The man was reading a book quietly and seemed comfortable on the stool at the counter where he sat.

  The Cerulean Sky was a fitting name for the place; large, open windows looked out onto the harbor on one side, and out toward the mountains on the other. The rolled glass allowed a lot of light in and a good view of the cloudy skies above. The walls were painted a light blue, with a mural behind the counter of a lion running in a field on a sunny day.

  It was cozy and made Alex comfortable. He felt like he could sit there all day staring out at the wonders of Aeris VII. Looking at the menu, he decided on something called “Baldur’s Banquet,” which, by the description, sounded to Alex like a cheesesteak sandwich.

  “Lyria,” Alex asked as he was ordering, “what’s with the names of your sandwiches?”

  “It’s just for fun, Alex.” Her melodic voice practically sang his name as she skipped off to the kitchen to prepare his food.

  Alex found himself smiling, genuinely enjoying his day in Sapphire City, the heavy thoughts of war diminished in his mind. When Lyria brought out his sandwich, she sat with him at the table while he ate. They talked a little and smiled at each other a lot. She told him about life in the city and asked him about his life in the military. When he was finished, Alex paid his bill with some silver coins his mom had given him.

  “I’m going to be in town for a while before I go back home; what are you doing after work?” Alex asked, hoping his words didn’t sound too eager.

  “I’m going to hit my lunch rush here in about an hour and will close up when everyone leaves after another two. If you want to come by in three hours or so, we can go for a walk by the lake?”

  “I’ll see you then,” Alex said, both he and Lyria wearing big smiles.

  The rest of the day Alex wandered the small city, stopping at art galleries and hobby shops. He noticed a lot of artwork in the galleries were similar to the ones William had bought for the front drive of their house; men carving themselves out of stone, women running in pure delight, and even dancers swirling, grasping to one another. Everything about the way Sapphire was built seemed purposeful in a way that made him miss his stepfather.

  “I think I get it,” Alex whispered to himself.

  He walked to the park near the dock and found a place to sit, letting the hours pass thinking about other things William had told him during his childhood. He had been lost in memories when an alert on his OMBI reminded Alex of the time. A smile grew on his face as he made his way back toward the Cerulean Sky where he found Lyria closing up for the day.

  “You’re back!” she stated gleefully.

  “I’m back,” Alex replied, suddenly unsure of himself.

  After a few awkward moments, Lyria smiled and took Alex’s hand, leading him toward the lake.

  “Where were you from? On Earth, I mean.” Alex asked as they walked.

  “Seattle. I lived there with my aunt after my parents passed,” Lyria explained.

  “Oh, I’m sorry,” Alex offered.

  “Thank you. I was really young when it happened, and I don’t remember much about them. Even Earth seems so long ago, that most of my memories are of pictures I have, rather than actual places I’ve seen,” she said quietly.

  The breeze off of Lake Amsvartnir felt good to Alex as they walked. Much of the lakefront near the city was paved with a walking trail, which followed the water’s edge. Few other people were out and other than occasional courteous greetings, they were mostly left alone.

  “I’m from Healdsburg,” Alex began.

  “I know. Everyone knows the story of your family. Your mom is pretty famous, there wouldn’t be an Aeris VII without her,” Lyria replied with reverence in her voice. “I was really sorry to hear about your stepdad.”

  Alex swallowed back a wave of grief.

  “I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have…” Lyria said seeing Alex wince.

  “It’s okay. Thank you for saying so. It’s been hard getting over the idea that he’s gone. I really miss him,” Alex said, stopping to look out over the lake.

  They stood quietly together until dusk, letting the somber mood fade away like the setting sun. They walked back, holding hands, until they reached the door of Lyria’s apartment.

  “Will you come back to town soon?” she asked, the edge of hope in her voice.

  “It only takes me about ten minutes by boat, so I should be able to come back fairly often,” Alex replied, wearing a smile on his handsome face.

  “Well, you know where I’ll be. You can message me too.” Lyria wrote down her contact information and handed it to Alex.

  The two smiled at each other, neither walking away.

  “Goodnight, Miss Shepherd” Alex finally said, kissin
g the girl’s hand softly.

  “Goodnight, Captain Pereira,” Lyria replied in a whisper, saluting as she smiled.

  The walk back to the boat was full of hope and smiles. Alex hadn’t been sure what to expect when he’d come to town that day, but he was feeling truly happy for the first time in months. With night falling, Alex activated the infrared option on his OMBI and began the short nautical trek back home.

  ~ ~ ~

  Alex wasn’t the only one in Sapphire City smiling that night. A plain-faced man dressed in bland clothing that concealed mechanized battle armor, was watching him from the docks as he sped away on his boat. He had recognized the boy as one of his secondary targets earlier that day when he spotted him walking in town.

  Using the enhanced vision of his ocular implants, the EMC operative followed the boat’s progress toward the small island, where he was sure he would find his primary target.

  Chapter 5

  The Best Laid Plans of Mice and Men

  When Connor walked into the Blue Army common area, the room went silent. Everyone in the OMBIcademy knew he had been transferred to Green Army, and were all glad he hadn’t been allowed to battle for the last three months. No one was sure why, but the soldiers of Blue Army had received threatening messages on their OMBI mail applications to avoid speaking to the former commander of the class of 2126. The message had said he was dangerous and that “immediate and severe” punishment would befall anyone who talked to him.

  Connor took a deep breath, not feeling good about his return to the Blue Army barracks at all. He’d been aware that the members of his original army hadn’t been allowed to speak with him. Soon after getting snubbed in the hallway, Connor had used his OMBI to figure out why. Using his own name as a keyword, he searched the entire database of mail in the OMBIcademy, learning about the Head Commander’s edict. He wasn’t interested in the other messages as much, mostly speculation among soldiers about why Connor had suddenly become a danger.

  “Well, I guess I should start,” Connor said uncomfortably.

  The faces of four classes of Blue Army soldiers stared back at him, unsure of what to expect.

  “I got a message that my brother had gone on a mission in the Eagle Nebula that wiped out his entire squadron, so I stole a ship and went to see for myself. I guess the EMC frowns on kids stealing experimental spacecraft from them.”

  No one said anything.

  “So, after a talk with the Head Commander, he decided he was ready to let me come back to Blue Army … so here I am!” Connor finished.

  Toby “Manzar” Jenkins got up from his table in the back of the common room and began walking toward Connor. He’d been one of Connor’s friends and a squad leader under Connor’s command. The blond-haired kid walked straight up to him, staring at his face thoughtfully. The room remained quiet.

  “You stole a ship and flew it to the Eagle Nebula?” Manzar said with disbelief.

  “Yeah, that’s the story.”

  “That’s AWESOME!” Manzar shouted.

  The room erupted with laughter while Connor’s old friends ran to see him. Then a barrage of questions began…

  “What was Green Army like?” One kid shouted.

  “Why did they seal the training rooms?”

  “What is space like?”

  “How did you get the Head Commander to let you back?”

  Connor couldn’t keep up with who was asking what, but after a moment the commotion died down. It was almost like he’d never left and, surrounded by his friends, Connor felt a sense of levity. The reunion went on for several minutes before Marshall “Ladder” Wade spoke up.

  “You know we all got threatening letters about speaking with you. I wanted to, but I didn’t want to get in trouble.” Shame filled the tall, skinny boy’s voice.

  “Nothing to worry about, I would have done the same thing,” Connor offered, trying to make his friend feel better.

  “No, you wouldn’t have,” Aaron “Carl” Michaels chimed in. Carl was one of the strongest kids in Blue Army and he knew Connor’s temperament well, having once been sent to the infirmary after a regrettable incident where he had tried to betray his former commander. “You would’ve sent back a message telling the Head Commander where he could shove his threat.”

  “Well, yeah probably,” Connor said with an admitting grin.

  “Can you forgive us?” Carl asked, smiling at Connor hopefully.

  “I’ve forgiven worse.” Connor matched Carl’s grin. “I wouldn’t want you guys to get in trouble for me. But speaking of that letter…”

  Connor activated his OMBI and began typing quickly, grinning to himself as he typed furiously on the virtual keypad. After a minute he was done and everyone’s OMBI in the room lit up.

  To: Blue Army Soldiers

  Subject: Connor Pereira

  Message: Connor is awesome and I suck. You can talk to him again. I won’t ever stop being an idiot though, so ignore future messages from me. –Colonel Setzer (Head Commander)

  The kids in Blue Army burst out laughing at Connor’s prank.

  “How did y’all do that?” Wade “Hunter” Winchester asked in his deep Texan accent.

  “A trick I picked up while I was killing time. They wouldn’t let me train or battle, so I had to do something. I decided to hack the OMBIcademy networks,” Connor said with a mischievous grin.

  “How?!” Hunter replied excitedly.

  “I actually don’t really know. My OMBI sort of helped me figure it out. Like when I used to train with Omega, only on the little screen.” He held his left arm out in front of him.

  “Well, be careful with that. You don’t want to get thrown out of here,” Marcus “Flayer” Ramirez said, walking up behind Connor. The dark-haired boy was the commander of Blue Army class of 2123 and had been at odds with Connor when he first arrived.

  “Hey, Flayer, did you ever figure out how to get into the training room?” Connor asked the older boy.

  “I did, but like, a week later they welded them all shut.” Frustration filled Flayer’s reply.

  “Oh, about that; I got the Head Commander to let us all train again. He wants it supervised, but at least we can work on some stuff.”

  “Really? That’s awesome! Maybe we can see how 2126 does against 2123, eh?” Flayer said, grinning.

  “That would be fun. Let’s do that sometime soon,” Connor said, excited about the idea of training with older kids.

  The rest of the reunion was an exchange of stories and reminiscing of fun battles. Clearly his friends had missed him as much as he had missed them; everyone except Cat. Amanda “Cat” McTaggart had been Connor’s first friend in the OMBIcademy, he even thought at one point she might be his girlfriend the way she would hold his hand when they talked. She hadn’t come over to join in the celebration of Connor’s return to Blue Army. Instead she sat back on her chair, watching him quietly. When he waved at her from across the room, she looked away.

  Connor looked at Carl for an explanation, but the kid just shrugged at him and grimaced as a reply.

  Connor learned that his friend Liam “Skulls” Butler had been appointed as the commander of Blue Army after Connor was removed from the school. Under the leadership of Liam, Blue Army hadn’t done well. He wasn’t a bad squad leader and took orders well. It was clear, though, that he lacked the confidence to give orders and trust his mind to work out problems quickly. He had even stayed in his original bunk, leaving the commander’s bed open.

  Connor agreed to talk with him about it and, now that the training rooms were open, work on some tactics to help him improve. Connor held no illusion that the Head Commander would give him command of Blue Army again, so he decided to make that best of it and help his friends do the best they could.

  At the end of the day, Connor threw himself on his old bed, exhausted. It felt like he had never left in a way, except when he would look across the room at Cat, she didn’t smile at him like she used to, but would only look off in the opposite direc
tion.

  He didn’t understand, but he resolved to work it out with her as soon as he could.

  ~ ~ ~

  On the opposite side of the OMBIcademy in the Red Army barracks, Johnny “Mouse” Perez sat plotting with his squad leaders. He had been Connor’s friend before they joined the OMBIcademy. Two days after Connor received his draft notice, Johnny’s father had enlisted him into the UEDF, telling him that it would build character.

  After being put in separate armies, Johnny and Connor had become rivals. Johnny found himself hating Connor for his success in the OMBIcademy and was glad when he heard about the Green Army transfer. When he found out that somehow Connor had talked the Head Commander into letting him back into Blue Army and into the training rooms, Johnny was livid.

  “I don’t know how we’re ever going to beat them while he’s on their team,” he began with his commanders, sitting on the floor in the Red Army barracks. “Even though he’s been out for three months, I still think he has more point than me. I have only gotten like four thousand the whole time!”

  It was all rhetoric they had heard before. The squad leaders of Red Army 2126 were getting used to Johnny’s tirades about how unfair it was that he didn’t have more than someone else, especially Connor.

  “Well, I think we had our shot. We had four armies and he beat us,” George “Hammer” Brink said slowly.

  For a kid who was supposed to be among the brightest kids in the world, Hammer was not exactly sharp; none of them were. As a commander, Johnny had always thought it was better that his squad leaders were slower than he was, so he had picked the three slowest kids in Red Army.

  “That’s what I am saying. He had so many points he summoned a giant robot that wiped Green and Yellow out of the fight!”

  “We still had Black Army with us and they are really strong,” Russell “Snake” Faulkner said quietly. Russell spoke like someone who didn’t intend to be heard.