by Magus Tor
“Ha!”
She thought he was laughing at her question, but when she turned to look at him she found that he was holding a can of coffee that he'd found in the food box.
“Thank the Gods,” she said, pressing a button on the no-heat burner that would sonically boil water.
They didn't speak about the future until they had eaten and both were full with a cup of coffee steaming in front of them. It was delaying the inevitable, but Aurelia figured that they both needed this time. Just a few moments of normality.
“What now, then?” asked Nicholas, picking up his coffee.
“Now we get a good night's sleep after a good meal,” said Aurelia. “And in the morning we worry about everything else.”
“Like how I'm supposed to get the hell out of here?” he said, sipping his hot drink.
“Indeed.”
She should tell him now about her plans, but she couldn't face the argument that she knew would come. There would be time enough tomorrow to talk.
“Is Jonathon coming?” Nicholas asked.
Aurelia shook her head, and seeing the look on her face, Nicholas didn't pursue the subject further.
“I'll tell you everything tomorrow,” she said, drinking her coffee. “But know that there's a plan.”
“A plan to get me out of here?”
“A plan to get us out of here.”
“Us?” he asked, putting his cup down.
“Us. I'm coming with you.”
Chapter Eleven
Aurelia hadn't been completely honest when she had said there was a plan. What she had was the beginnings of a plan and a list of people who might actually help her do something, but the longer she thought about it, the more suicidal it seemed.
“Earth?” asked Nicholas. “Really?”
Aurelia sighed. “Look, I can't think of anywhere else where we'll be safer.”
“What about going Out? We've already been there, and I have contacts.”
But she'd thought about that. As good an idea as it had seemed at first, the truth was that she had no idea how long and hard Jonathon would look for Nicholas, or for her for that matter. Earth was as far out of his reach as she could get.
“But surely the risks of actually getting to Earth are greater than the risks of being found if we just left the dome at Lunar?” said Nicholas, reasonably.
He was sitting cross-legged on the floor, idly toying with his empty coffee cup. Having slept for a solid twelve hours, he was looking a lot more like his normal self, and Aurelia smiled at the lock of hair that fell messily over his forehead.
“Possibly,” she agreed. “On the other hand, the Resistance apparently have plenty of contacts Out as well, so the chances of us being found if they decide to look for us are pretty high.”
It was Nicholas's turn to sigh. “So how do you plan on getting to Earth, then?”
“I'm not sure,” Aurelia said carefully. “But I think I might know someone who can help. Someone not Resistance. In fact, probably the last person anyone would think of asking if they were looking for us.”
Nicholas eyed her suspiciously. “Who's that, then?”
“Jonathon's sister,” she replied.
It had taken a while to convince Nicholas that Tara was a safe bet. Eventually, Aurelia had had to tell him everything, including about her fight with Jonathon. His eyes had brightened a little when he’d heard, but he had been appropriately sympathetic. By the time he'd agreed to meet the youngest Hansen, and Aurelia had contacted Tara and arranged for her to come to their safe house, it was early evening.
“Wow,” said Tara, looking around the tiny room. “Nice place you guys have got here.”
It had been agreed that Tara should know as little as possible about their true situation, partially because Nicholas was cautious, and partly because Aurelia didn't want to tell her that she knew her brother. As far as Tara knew, they were a mixed Clone/human couple, an idea that Aurelia had got from Zak.
“Earth?!” shrieked the purple-haired girl when she heard. “What are you? Crazy?!”
“We're hoping that you can help,” said Aurelia, ignoring the question. “Or that maybe you know someone who can.”
Tara shook her head. “No dice. I know plenty of Elite kids, a few dealers, but it's not like I spend my time hanging around with Workers who fly shuttles.”
She sat on the edge of the narrow bed and bounced twice, testing its firmness. She was still looking curiously around the room.
“I told you she wouldn't help,” Nicholas said to Aurelia.
“Hey, I didn't say I wouldn't—I said I couldn't,” Tara pouted, paying attention now.
Inwardly, Aurelia grinned; she knew that Nicholas had been provoking the girl.
“But let me think,” Tara went on.
She closed her eyes, and Aurelia winked at Nicholas.
“Why don't you just take the shuttle?” Tara asked after a few moments.
Aurelia shook her head. “And how exactly do you propose that Nicholas and I do that? Just waltz up and hop aboard?”
A slow grin was spreading over Tara's face, and Aurelia suddenly saw her resemblance to her brother. “Yes and no,” she said. “I propose that you and he waltz up and hop aboard, but not that Aurelia and Nicholas do.”
Okay, now she was just talking in riddles. “Spit it out,” Aurelia said sternly. “Enough playing around.”
Tara jumped off the bed and started pacing, excited by the idea that had come to her. “Look, all you need is someone else's number. Someone who's booked to get on the shuttle. You give their number and take their flight, simple.”
Nicholas snorted with laughter. “Right, simple,” he said.
“No, listen to me. The best choice would be an Elite, because we have no waiting times for shuttles, and you don't want to hang around the shuttle bay waiting to get noticed, right? So I suggest that I book myself, and a yet-to-be-decided-upon male companion, to take a flight down to Earth. Aurelia can use my number, and Nicholas, you can use the number of whoever I persuade to book the flight with me. It is simple.”
Aurelia immediately spotted the flaw in the plan. “But you will then be registered as being on Earth, when in fact you'll be here.”
“So?” said Tara, nearly jumping up and down with excitement now. “It doesn't matter to you; you'll already be down there. As for me, why should it matter? I'm here in Lunar and can prove that I'm here; I can appear at any government office necessary to prove that I'm here. Besides, I'm a Hansen—who's going to argue with me? Maybe it's a case of identity theft; why would anyone think any different? Guys, this is totally possible, I'm sure of it.”
Nicholas shook his head doubtfully. “I'm not so sure. Just in case you haven't noticed, I'm a Clone. There aren't a whole bunch of Clone Elites walking around, you know. In fact, there aren't any at all.”
Now Tara sat down again on the bed. “People see what they want to see,” she said.
“And what's that supposed to mean?” asked Nicholas.
“Exactly what I said. You wear a uniform, have numbers on your wrists, look a certain way, and you're a Clone. Dress you up in something funky, do something with that hair of yours, maybe a little makeup, and you're Elite. Why would anyone look for a Clone dressed as an Elite? That makes no sense.”
“I think she's right,” said Aurelia. “As long as you're dressed right, no one's going to notice because they won't expect to see a Clone dressed up like a Ruling Class.”
“I am right. Trust me,” said Tara. “I've been Ruling Class all my life, and no one ever questions us, especially Workers. You'll be fine.”
“What are you getting out of this?” asked Nicholas, still suspicious.
Tara shrugged. “A bit of excitement in an otherwise boring life? Besides, Aurelia here owes me a favour.”
“Which will be tough to call in if I'm on Earth,” said Aurelia.
“I'll figure something out.” Tara smiled. “Should I get going and book that flight, then?”
>
Aurelia saw her out before coming back to Nicholas.
“I don't get why she's helping us,” he said.
“To be honest, neither do I,” confessed Aurelia. “But she's helped me before and proven trustworthy, so I see no reason not to trust her now. Anyway, we don't have much other choice, and I like her plan. Nice and simple.”
“And what exactly do you think we're going to do when we get down to Earth?”
Aurelia had been giving this a lot of thought, and she had an idea. “I think we'll find somewhere to hide,” she said.
“No crap,” said Nicholas. “Like where exactly?”
Aurelia had been thinking about Out and Lunar and Earth. “I think that there might be settlements outside the Cities,” she said slowly. “Just like on Lunar. I think that there could be places that aren't under government control, places where people like us go.”
Nicholas nodded. “I guess there could be,” he said.
“I'm sure there are.”
“How can you be so sure?”
“Call it intuition.”
“And you're willing to bet our lives on intuition?” he asked her.
“I have no choice.”
That night they slept together on the narrow single bed, fully clothed but needing the warmth of contact to calm their fears. Aurelia knew that they were taking huge risks, but she just couldn't see another way out. Maybe she was blinded by being too close to the situation, and maybe Nicholas was right and it was foolish to bet their lives on intuition. But somehow she was sure that there were settlements outside of Earth's Cities. She remembered the stories her father had used to tell her when she was little, scary tales of the mutants and freaks that lived out in the hinterlands. Those stories had scared her badly enough that she'd spent many nights in her parents' bed, her mother assuring her that they were just fairy tales. But now, Aurelia wasn't so sure. They seemed awfully similar to the tales told in Lunar about Out, the brigands and criminals that lurked there. Stories told to scare people away, to keep them inside.
And the thing was, although she knew there were risks, she was excited. Excited to leave behind everything that she'd ever known, excited to leave her work that she loved. When she stopped to think about why she should be so excited, there was only one answer: She wanted freedom. The kind of freedom that meant not being known by a number. The kind of freedom that meant making her own decisions instead of having them made for her. Yes, she was scared too, but she also felt... liberated? Was that the word?
Her heart ached for Jonathon. And she knew that the feeling she had, the need for freedom, was exactly what he was fighting for. But she couldn't untangle the thought process behind being willing to sacrifice others for the greater good. If one life wasn't important, then how could thousands of lives be important? It made no sense to her. She knew that he was not evil, despite what she was almost sure he'd done by turning in Nicholas; she knew that he considered it a worthy sacrifice to keep his secrets. But she couldn't live with it. As much as she loved him—and she did still love him, as much as she supported his cause, she simply couldn't make herself believe that Nicholas should suffer. Maybe I’m naïve, she thought, turning over in bed and being careful not to wake Nicholas. Maybe I’m just not a politician. But whatever the reason, she knew that she was doing the right thing now. Even if it hurt.
The room was cramped, and, frankly, thought Aurelia, beginning to smell. After three days in isolation, she and Nicholas were starting to get on edge. Zak had taken the time to check on them, something Aurelia was grateful for; he hadn't had to take that risk. He'd also brought a chess set with him, making her even more grateful. But the sitting around and waiting was starting to become unbearable. Tara had booked a shuttle flight, somehow persuading a friend of hers to book with her. But the flight wasn't for another three days. Aurelia wasn't sure at this point if she was going to make it without going insane.
When the evening of the third day came, she'd had enough.
“I resign,” she said, laying down her king. “And I'm going for a walk.”
“A walk? Seriously?”
Nicholas's military training made him much more suited to being confined and waiting around. He seemed far less bothered than she did by enforced captivity.
“Relax. I'll be a few minutes, that's all. I just need some fresh air; I can't stand it in here any longer.”
She didn't wait to hear whether he agreed with her decision or not. Climbing up the iron stairs towards the door, she already felt better. The air was cleaner, and she could take deep, filling breaths. Her chest still ached, but she was feeling almost back to normal. Pushing open the door, she carefully put a small stone in the jamb so that she'd be able to get back inside. Just a walk around the building, she promised herself, then she'd go back inside.
It was quite dark and as silent as the City ever got. Far away, she could hear the humming of transport pods, and the soft, rhythmic beat of music playing. But here she was almost alone with her thoughts. She found herself missing the solitude of Out and not for the first time wondered if she was making the right decision. Her footsteps echoed around the streets, and she walked slowly, taking her time, thinking about all that lay ahead.
She came to the back of the building, an area that was even darker, although she could still make out the shape of the wall towering above her. For a brief second she hesitated, fearing the dark, before shrugging and walking on. A prickling started on the back of her neck, like icy fingers tickling her, and she quickened her step. For a moment she thought she smelled something familiar, something sweet that almost reminded her of something, and she walked even faster.
Breaking into a jog, she rounded the corner and was almost back at the front door; she could see a small glimmer of light where the door was still propped open. Thank the Gods. Hurrying, she made it inside, kicking the stone away and pushing the door closed behind her, leaning back on it, breathing in gasps. Gods, she was an idiot. What could possibly be out there at this time of night? And yet she knew that feeling; she'd felt watched, felt like eyes were burning into the back of her neck. She really was going insane trapped down here.
Calming her breathing, Aurelia shook her head. The stress was really beginning to get to her. She thought she had everything under control, but when she re-entered the small room, Nicholas looked at her, concerned.
“You're pale; what happened?”
He got up and put an arm around her.
“Nothing; it was stupid, that's all,” she said, her voice muffled by his shoulder.
“Nothing? Nothing is nothing in Lunar. What happened?” he asked sternly.
“I just... I just felt like someone was watching me. But it really was nothing. There's no one out there, I'm sure of it.”
Nicholas grunted. “Probably one of the neighbours from the window,” he said. “Shall I make you some coffee?”
She nodded. “Please.”
“No more walks?” he said as he handed her a hot cup.
“No more walks,” she agreed, taking it.
The hours ticked by, time speeding up a little as they got closer to their leaving date. Sometimes they played chess. At others they talked, tried to come up with plans, desperately trying to think of things that they could have missed, risks that they had overlooked. But Aurelia was pleased to see that Nicholas was coming around to her viewpoint. The only chance they had was to get the hell out of Lunar. And that meant Earth.
She smiled as she looked down at his sleeping form. She knew that Nicholas was hoping that leaving together might mean their relationship would become something more. And who knew? Perhaps it would. Perhaps one day she would grow to love him. Not in the same way as she'd loved Jonathon, with that deep, burning knowledge that he was the perfect fit for her. But in a companionable way. Gently, Aurelia stroked Nicholas's face. He was a good man.
Zak came again, bringing more supplies. And when he heard of their plan, which Nicholas insisted on sharing with him, he nodded.
>
“I've heard rumours of settlements out there, myself,” he said. “Who knows, might make a break for it when the time comes.”
Aurelia knew he was referring to the time when he would be injected, too old to be of any use to the Military. And she hoped that he did make a break for it, that he and his human wife made it to Earth one day.
“When are you leaving?”
Nicholas told him.
“I'll be back to bring you more supplies. You'll need them when you get to Earth. Travel packs, that sort of thing.”
“Thank you,” said Aurelia. He’s a kind man, she thought.
Tara came back one afternoon, bearing a huge bag thrown over one shoulder.
“Don't just stand there; help me!” she said as Aurelia opened the door to find out what all the noise in the basement was about.
“What is all this stuff?”
“Thought we'd better have a dress rehearsal,” Tara puffed, thankfully surrendering one handle of the bag to Aurelia. “So I brought clothes for you to try on and some stuff to help Nicholas look less Clone-like.”
Trying on the wild and crazy outfits that Tara had brought was actually fun. Aurelia nearly wet herself seeing Nicholas in a toga-style garment, and he couldn't speak for laughing when she tried on a dress made of living material that writhed around her body as she moved, tickling her terribly. Finally, Nicholas decided on huge, flowing pants in bottle green with a long, almost transparent tunic on top. Aurelia thought she might as well go all out, and she selected a dress that seemed to be made from small elastic strips covering the important parts but not much else. She hoped that the dress would detract attention from her face.
Tara pulled out a metal device and told Nicholas to sit.
“Why?” he said, suspiciously.
“Just do it,” the girl ordered.
With smooth, professional sweeps, she shaved through his hair until the Military crew cut was gone. Nicholas was left with a head bare at the sides and a square chunk of hair at the top. Tara pulled a bottle out of her pocket and sprinkled something on Nicholas's remaining hair, rubbing it in. Very gradually the hair began to turn a shade of green that matched his pants.
