by Magus Tor
“They're unarmed,” he explained. “I'm telling them that we are too.”
Finally, people Out who don't want to kill, capture, or rape me, thought Aurelia. But she was curious as to who these figures were. She hoped that maybe they were some of the traders she'd met before, remembering how friendly they'd been. But the leader didn't look big enough to be Grey Beard.
They were within a few metres now, and Nicholas shouted a greeting.
“We're looking for friends!” the leader cried back, getting closer.
Aurelia took off at a run, ignoring the pain in her side and her tired legs. She ran until she almost collided with the lead figure, then she swung her arms around his neck and pulled him to her.
“Aurelia?!” he said in a muffled voice.
“Jonathon!” she murmured happily.
Chapter Nine
She gasped and winced as he held her tight.
“Aurelia, are you hurt?” he asked, voice full of concern.
“A little. We'll talk later. What are you doing here, Jonathon?”
“It's not just Jonathon,” said Nicholas, coming to her side. “I think I recognise Elza in there too, right?”
The woman smiled behind her suit. “That's me. And this is Jason; I don't know if you've met?”
Nicholas shook hands with the young med Worker.
“Now, maybe it would be a good time to set up the dome?” he asked Aurelia.
She nodded, and he set to work. Jason went over curiously to help him, and Elza busied herself unpacking what looked like food.
Jonathon reached over and took Aurelia into his arms again.
“I'm so, so sorry,” he said, holding her.
“About what?”
“About calling the sec Workers and putting you in this position, and not helping you help Nicholas and, well, everything.”
“Jonathon, I understand.” And she did. “You did what you had to do. But so did I. Now, don’t you think that you should explain what the hell is going on here? What are the three of you doing Out, and... well, and everything!”
“Best wait until the dome is set up, and then we can all explain everything to everyone,” he said.
“Hey, Aurelia!” shouted Nicholas. “Do you see it?”
He was pointing behind them, and Aurelia turned to see the sliver of Earth rising again. She stood with Jonathon, holding tightly onto his arm and watching the Earth rise again, content to be with him, to stand next to him, to feel him. They were both silent, enjoying just being together. Aurelia watched her home rising, and the only thing that marred her happiness was that when she looked at Jonathon, she didn't see that sense of wonder in his eyes that Nicholas had had. Jonathon had no attachment to Earth, despite his politics. He might want to save the planet from enslavement, but he was pure Lunar, born and bred.
With a sigh, Aurelia turned from the beautiful sight before her. The dome was stable, so she led Jonathon back to the others.
Fitting all five of them inside was quite a squeeze, and the confusion of everyone’s trying to get rid of their breathing suits at the same time resulted in Nicholas accidentally cuffing Elza around the head, and Jason grabbing onto Aurelia's arm as he almost toppled over. Aurelia finally got her suit off and turned to face the centre of the dome. Jonathon took one look at her face and growled.
Before Aurelia knew what was happening, Jonathon was clutching the front of Nicholas's uniform, pulling his fist back, and connecting. She gasped, but Elza was faster, yanking Jonathon's shoulders as Jason pulled Nicholas away from him.
“Now what in the hell was all that about?” Elza asked, as calm as ever.
Nicholas turned his head and spat blood onto the ground.
“Have you seen her?” Jonathon said, pointing at Aurelia. “Seen what he did to her?”
“I didn't do that!” Nicholas said, indignant.
“Then you let it happen. Even worse. See what you're good for?” hissed Jonathon. “You can't even defend a woman. What happened—she didn't give you the order to hurt anyone?” He was almost jeering now.
“Whoa, whoa,” said Nicholas, holding his hands up. “That's not what happened at all.”
“Yeah, right...” Jonathon started.
“Stop it!” yelled Aurelia.
Everyone turned to look at her, the two men stunned into silence.
“I've told you before and I'll tell you again, I don't want you to fight in front of me. And if either one of you cares about me as much as you say you do, then you'll quit this right now, understood?”
Nicholas and Jonathon nodded, sheepishly. And Jason began to clap his hands.
“Bravo!” said Jason. “Now, this is Aurelia's story, so maybe she should be the one to tell it, rather than everyone jumping to their own conclusions?”
“Thank you,” said Aurelia.
The five of them could just about sit comfortably, and Aurelia filled the others in on all that had happened so far. When she got to the part about Nicholas escaping, she gave Jason a cautious look.
“It's fine,” Elza broke in. “He knows everything now. We didn't have much choice. Besides, Jason has done enough to help the Resistance at this point that he deserves to know what's going on.”
Aurelia nodded and continued with her story.
When she was done, she settled back to hear how the three others had found her and Nicholas.
It was relatively simple. When she hadn't returned in three days, Elza had finally become worried enough to call Jonathon, who had received her message but had assumed that she was back and angry with him still. Working together, they'd hatched a plan to get out of the dome, using Elza's research as an excuse and Jonathon's power to push permission through the bureaucratic channels quickly. Jason had been the only one they trusted to get messages back and forth, and so they had let him in on everything. Though Aurelia agreed with them that he'd done enough already to prove his worth, she was glad that he'd been allowed to hear the whole story now.
Once Out, the three had been at somewhat of a loss as to how to find her. They had settled on the rear side of the dome as the most likely place that she'd got Out, due to its relative isolation, and had eventually figured that heading towards the largest settlement was their best option.
“Hold up,” said Aurelia. “You knew that there were settlements out here?”
“Sure,” said Jonathon. “I did, anyway, and I presume Elza did too. There isn't much that we don't know about Lunar at this point. And every now and again we need to get people in and Out, so we've got our informants.”
Aurelia decided to sit on that information until later, but she'd have a bone to pick with Elza, who hadn't told her about the settlements.
After that, it was a matter of planning and luck. They'd divided the trip into segments, walking back and forth horizontally every vertical kilometre or so, increasing the chances that they would stumble across Aurelia if she wasn't in the settlement.
“That was my idea,” said Jason proudly.
And not a bad one at that. He’s turning out to be strategically gifted as well as medically gifted, thought Aurelia.
“And then we found you,” said Jonathon.
“And now what?” asked Aurelia. “I mean, I'm guessing you three can get back inside the dome, but what about Nicholas and I?”
“We've got contacts that will get you in,” said Jonathon.
“As do I,” Nicholas said.
“Nicholas,” Aurelia said. “Trust Jonathon, please. For me.”
The Clone nodded. “Fine. Your contacts will probably be faster than mine anyway,” he added, gruffly.
Jonathon pulled out a com system from his pack. “Damn right they are. I just have to call.”
He put his breathing suit back on, explaining that the com wouldn't work from inside the portable dome. He was gone for a matter of minutes, and when he returned he told them that they would be picked up the following day to be taken into the dome when night fell.
“But you three
can go back now,” Aurelia pointed out. “You've got permission to be out here; there's no point in all of us being uncomfortable.”
“I'm not leaving you alone again until I have to,” Jonathon said.
Nicholas shook his head, but he remained silent.
“Fine, then, I guess we all stay here,” said Aurelia. There was no point in getting into a fight about it. The dome would just about hold them all, and it was only for one night. “So we should cook up something to eat.”
Jason excused himself, saying that there wasn't enough room in the dome for all of them and meal preparation.
“Besides,” he said with a familiar grin, “I haven't been Out before; I'd like to have a look around.”
“Not much to see,” grunted Jonathon, but Jason stepped out anyway.
When their meal was done and bedrolls slotted into what little space there was, they prepared for sleep. Jonathon, Elza, and Jason had walked far and were tired, and even Aurelia was sleepy, still recovering from her injuries.
But when she lay down, hearing the breathing around her deepen, she found that she couldn't sleep. She should have been able to. She was safe now, after all, and she'd be home tomorrow. She was with people she loved and cared about; there was no reason for her to be on edge, and yet she was.
She lay quietly for as long as she could but eventually gave up on the idea of sleep. Quietly and carefully she got up, managing to slide into a breathing suit without waking the others. Then she stepped out of the dome, thinking that maybe she needed a little space before she could settle down and sleep.
The silence always stunned her. It was a complete absence of sound, something that she'd never really appreciated before. On Earth or in Lunar, there was always some kind of sound: electric humming, transport pods buzzing, the com system beeping, people, people everywhere. Out here, however, there was pure, scary silence. Just her, the hissing of her air filter, and her thoughts. Space towered above her, and on impulse she sat on the ground and looked up, needing the firmness beneath her to give her something to hold on to.
She still had a vague feeling of discomfort, and she really couldn't put her finger on why that should be. Everything had turned out fine—well, so far at least. She had to figure out what to do with Nicholas, how to hide him; but with both Jonathon and Elza there, she'd have help.
Elza had given her no reason to distrust her more. In fact, the woman had done everything to try and make up for her addiction problems, although Aurelia still felt a little wary around her. With Jonathon, things were strange but right. She knew that she loved him; they just fit together perfectly, like she'd spent her whole life looking for him without even knowing what she was looking for. She was getting used to the idea of being in love. But it was still a little strange to her, still weird that there was someone else in her life. Jonathan had his problems too; she wasn't blind to that. He could be arrogant and was definitely hard headed. Those things just made him more human, though, and somehow made her love him more.
Jason, he seemed like a good kid. She liked the way he approached everything with the same enthusiasm and was always ready to help out. Telling him about the Resistance hadn't been her decision, but she thought that she might have waited a while longer, just to see. Elza and Jonathon seemed like they'd had little choice and had done what they thought was best. Still, as much as Aurelia liked Jason, and she did, there was a small hesitation when it came to trusting him completely. Ironic, when she was the one who kept telling Nicholas to trust more.
Then there was Nicholas. She'd tried hard not to think about him, though inside she knew what was going on. It made her uncomfortable if she thought about it.
A hand on her shoulder startled her out of her thoughts, but she didn't have time to be afraid. Before she could move or shout, a figure came to sit beside her, and she saw that it was Nicholas. Think of the devil and he shall appear, Aurelia thought. Something that her father used to say to her.
“Can't sleep?” he asked.
“No, not yet. I thought being outside might help. More space. Plus, you know, it's our last night Out.”
“I understand.” He crossed his legs and put his chin in his hands. “It's beautiful out here. Not beautiful in the same way as the City can be, but beautiful all the same. All the space, the quiet. It's sort of peaceful.”
“Good for thinking.” Aurelia smiled.
“Exactly.”
The two sat for many minutes, watching the stars and not speaking. It was Nicholas who eventually broke the silence.
“Aurelia...” he began.
She looked at him, and with a sudden rush of panic in her stomach realised what he was about to do.
“No,” she said. “Please, Nicholas, not now.”
He shook his head. “I have to, Aurelia. How could I not at least say the words? I know what your response will be, but I couldn't live the rest of my life knowing that I hadn't even tried. Hadn't even said the words, made them real. Do you understand that?”
She nodded.
“Aurelia.” He put his hand under her chin and turned her head so that he was looking deep into her eyes. “I love you.”
Instinctively she reached for his hand and held it, letting him have his moment. Then he let go of her and smiled.
“That wasn't so bad, was it?” he said.
But it had been. It hurt. It hurt that she couldn't love him back, as funny, handsome, generous, and brave as he was. She struggled to put emotions into words but knew that Nicholas had had to tell her, to make it real, just once.
“Nicholas, I know. And I know you know that I can't say the same back to you.”
He nodded sadly.
“But I can promise you that I will never hurt you, that you can always trust me, and that I trust you back. It's not the same as love; I know that. But you'll always have me, always have someone to turn to.”
“I know, Aurelia, and thank you. It does mean a lot.”
They sat for another half an hour in perfect quiet, watching the stars and revelling in the space and peace that they had found. Nicholas put his arm around her, and Aurelia laid her head on his shoulder. If things were different, Aurelia thought, this could have been perfection.
Nicholas stood, offered his hand, and pulled her up. Aurelia found that her legs were stiff and her eyelids heavy. Together they went back to the others, who were still safely asleep. This time when she lay down, Aurelia drifted almost immediately into slumber.
Morning came, and with it a crush to get fed, dressed in breathing suits, and packed. Finally they set off, Aurelia skipping a step or two to catch up with Jonathon, and Nicholas last, switching the dome off as he went. They set a steady pace, but still, Jonathon thought it would take a solid seven or eight hours of walking before they were close enough to Lunar for Nicholas and Aurelia to camp out and wait for their escort.
“Were you okay last night?” Jonathon asked Aurelia, once they were a few metres ahead of the others.
“Sure, why?”
Jonathon laughed. “Not a lot gets by me, Aurelia. You and Nicholas were outside for quite a while. Was everything okay?”
Hmm. Was he actually choosing now to play the jealous boyfriend? “What are you implying?” she asked archly.
“Nothing,” Jonathon calmly replied.
“Right. Nothing.”
He took her hand and held it as they walked. “Really nothing, Aurelia. I have many faults, but lack of trust isn't one of them—quite the opposite, in fact. I've never distrusted you, and I'm not about to start now. I know that Nicholas has feelings for you, and I know that you have feelings for me. There's nothing more to it, as far as I'm concerned.”
She smiled a little inside her hood. “Really? Is that why you gave him a solid punch around the head yesterday? Because you trust me?”
“Hey! I was worried, and I thought he'd hurt you. That had nothing to do with trust, just my temper, which I'll admit can definitely be a fault.”
“Okay, okay. Truce?”
“Truce,” he agreed. “And so, was everything okay last night? I'm assuming that Nicholas took the chance to confess his feelings to you?”
“Yes,” Aurelia sighed. “He did. It was... awkward. But sweet. You have nothing to worry about, though. He and I have an understanding.”
“Just as long as it's not as understanding as our understanding,” Jonathon said with a wink.
Aurelia rolled her eyes. “As long as we're getting personal,” she said, suddenly remembering what had happened when she was leaving the dome. “I met someone who shared your name; she helped me out of the dome, actually. Any relation?”
Jonathon shrugged. “Could be. There are a few different branches of the family. What was her name?”
“Tara.”
Jonathon let go of her hand and walked a little more briskly.
“Hey, wait up; I'm injured, remember?” Aurelia said, skipping again to keep up with him.
“Sorry,” he mumbled.
“And what's all this about? Come on, spill it. Who's Tara?” She knew she was prying.
“Gods,” said Jonathon. “You can't let things lie, can you?”
“Nope.”
“She's my sister.”
Aurelia greeted this with shocked silence, which Jonathon took to be her customary way of keeping quiet to get more info, so after a moment he spoke again.
“It's not unusual for Elite families to have a four, sometimes even a five. We have the resources to take care of them, after all. Tara is my parents’ four. She's younger than I am.”
“There's more to it than that, though, isn't there?”
“We don't speak. She's, well, a little rebellious. You might have noticed.”
Aurelia thought back to the purple hair and nodded. “Yeah.”
“She takes drugs, drinks, parties, just generally gets into trouble and couldn't give a damn about keeping a clean profile in case she happens to damage someone else's reputation.” His voice grew angrier by the second.
“Someone who's thinking about a serious political career, for example,” said Aurelia.
“For example.”
