The Red Girl

by Thomas Davis

  The arm holding on to the sword went limb as he slumped against the wall behind him for support.

  “I – I thought you hated me. What're you doing here?”

  “You think I'm some kinda psychopath?" David was angered by the question, “busting your chops is one thing but this... only an animal would do this or be an ass about it.”

  Jacob interrupted him. “Busting my chops?” He laughed to himself as his right arm tensed. “You made the last month of my life impossible. That’s what you call busting my chops?” Jake stopped laughing and pulled the trigger on the hilt of the blade. It hummed with an ominous sound.

  “Why shouldn't I end you right now?” He looked at him in the eye and added, “Give me one good reason not to bust your chops right now. Go ahead. Gimme one reason why I should let you walk out of here.”

  David could see that Jake was still in shock. There was a distant seriousness in his eyes. “You... you a killer now?” David stammered. He was nervous and scared. He was trying not to get cut by the strange weapon Jake held in his grip. He held his hands above his head palms out.

  “Don’t do anything.”

  “Why are you here?” Jake asked while pointing the sword. His arm was shaking.

  David looked down at his own shoes. “What went down earlier...” His voice trailed off into a choking sound. He coughed a few times. His gaze was turned to the end of the alley while looking at Jake out of the corner of his eye. “It wasn't right... just trying.... just trying to make it right.”

  Jake marched forward slowly with the sword pointed at David's chest. David was forced to back away until his back was pinned to the wall behind himself. They stood that way for more than five minutes. The atmosphere of suspense that surrounded was palpable and couldn’t be cut by a bread knife. The sword opened up and began to hum once again – it was now more like a blacksmith at the anvil. The hum of the sword punctuated Jake’s murderous intent. He could kill David right now and nothing would happen. He would just become a part of the carnage and body count that littered the whole place. But doing that wouldn’t make him feel better. Killing David would be a case of misplaced priorities. It surprised him how calmly he was thinking through everything when all he wanted to do was kill everything in his sight. Grief was reigning supreme in him at the moment. He looked back at the coat draped over his father's corpse. The look he had as the sword was pulled out of his warm body replayed in his mind and he whimpered. He thought of Adeola. Her attempt at smiling. He thought about how violence broke her heart. He cast his mind back to her philosophy that being strong didn't mean destroying others to prove your strength. He lowered the sword. He released the trigger and the humming stopped.

  “Sorry. I just...” Jake dropped the sword to the ground.

  “No. I'm sorry, things got this out of hand.”

  “Why wouldn't you guys just leave me alone?”

  "I don't know…” David stopped and seriously considered the question. Sure he was annoyed at how weird Jake was towards him at the beginning of the semester but he barely remembered that encounter. Why didn't he let it go? He was mad at Jake for some unknown reason. But why, this kid didn't do anything to him?

  When the class ranks were updated each week, Jake's name was always first while his name was always near the bottom. David was struggling not to flunk out of that fancy school that his mother could barely afford to send him to. She was working two jobs to pay his tuition. And his father…. He was mad that Jacob was given everything that he had to fight for. That Jacob's life was easier than his.

  “I... I think I was jealous of you.”

  “Huh?”

  “I know it sounds stupid.”

  “I wouldn’t know.”

  “And you ask me why I hate you?”

  “Sorry.”

  “It’s fine. I think losing my father put me in a really messed up space.”

  “I didn’t know you lost your father.”

  “It’s alright. It isn’t public knowledge. Life’s been hard since he died. You’ve got it so easy.”

  “If only you knew.”

  “What d’you mean?”

  “Nothing,” Jake said with a shrug. “Don’t believe everything you see is all.”

  “So you weren’t looking at me like trash?”

  “What? Why would you think that? Are you flipping kidding me? I was scared of you.”

  “That was why you were dodging me?”

  “Yeah! Have you met David Assad? You’re pretty scary.”

  “I only bullied you because I thought you were looking down at me.”

  “I wasn’t!’

  “Sorry….. Why did you skip today? You wouldn’t be involved in this if you had been in school.”

  Jake thought about this for a while. It was true that he would not have met Adeola if he had gone to school, but they would have jumped him if he had gone past the gate.

  “You were trying to jump me. Why are you asking me when you know why I ran?” His countenance went dark.

  “Where did you get that idea?”

  “I spotted Earl hiding in the courtyard.”

  “What?” David went silent for a moment. “We weren’t waiting for you. Unlike you I actually made it to class on time today.”

  “But I saw Earl?!”

  “Earl’s a weirdo,” David laughed. “He was probably taking a leak outside again.”

  Jake felt embarrassed about his incorrect assumption. He played around with the sword and frowned.

  “What now?”

  “I don’t know.”

  “That’s stupid. What do you want to do?”

  “That’s what I’m telling you. I don’t know.”

  “Are you trying to tell me you’re dumb? You only been acting smart right?”

  Jake eyes narrowed on him.

  “I know what you are trying to do and I won’t fall for it.”

  “What do you really want to do?”

  “Go after her and bring her back. But…”

  “But…”

  “It doesn’t make sense. It’s illogical. She’s safer off this station.”

  “But…”

  “She wouldn’t be happy back on her planet…”

  “So…”

  “We have to get her to… I have a plan.”

  David smiled and swept a hand through his hair. He wasn’t sure how long he could have kept poking at Jake until he made a decision. It was a good thing it came sooner than later. He listened intently as Jake unveiled his plans and the best way to achieve them. With every crazy idea, his eyes went wide and the fingertips tickled with excitement. He knew this was fear masked as excitement and courage, but this was an opportunity that only comes once and he would be damned to miss being a part of it.

  Right there, the wall between the two boys fell like Jericho. They schemed, argued and accepted each other like longtime friends. Jake wondered why happiness was more enjoyable when one went through pain. His mind couldn’t put flesh to the question.

  13

  Regret

  The Arez Warship waited in the orbit of Jophiel. The massive ship housed a crew of over a thousand. It took that many hands to man such a gargantuan vessel. At the peak of the ship, resided the captain's quarters. Within the cabin, a tall Arez woman sat in the corner sipping an exotic tea. She wore a spacesuit similar Adeola's with a crimson cape that draped her left shoulder before flowing down her back onto the chair. The cape was adorned with a large emblem sewn onto it’s back which denoted her military rank, General. She had long dark purple, almost black, hair that was cut bald on the left side of her head to proudly display tattoos, which signified her house and tribe. This woman was Nyasi of the Mfalme tribe, the rulers of Samael.

  Nyasi was worried sick. She had been worried for close to a month. Her beloved baby sister Adeola was missing. Lost somewhere out there in the indifferent cosmos. She had to battle with the elders for permission to venture deeper into neutral space. If her father and the elders realize
d she had ventured as far as Jophiel they would be outraged. Luckily her crew was loyal to her and obedient, they would keep her secret. But now a new complication had arisen. How did her sister end up on a Terran space colony. Nyasi's anxiety intensified at the thought of Adeola in the clutches of the humans. Her father would caution her about them. "They are a godless people without honor," he would say. "They have no souls." Now these creatures had her little sister. Sending an infiltration unit into a Terran colony was a risky venture but saving Adeola was worth whatever punishment awaited Nyasi back home on Samael.

  A panel on the wall next to the door lit up and began to beep. Finally they have returned, she thought. Nyasi walked to the door and pressed a button on the control panel.

  A large male officer stood outside the door with his head bowed. "General. They have returned with the princess," he paused. “They are in the infirmary.”

  Nyasi pushed the man aside as she hurriedly walked towards the lift down the long corridor. The officer collected himself and followed. She arrived at the lift well before him then pressed the button to descend, shutting the door before he could enter. Her imagination was getting the better of her. She guessed her sister was injured but to what extent. She jabbed at the descend button knowing the lift wouldn't move any faster but it was all she could do at that moment. The lift finally arrived at its destination and the doors slid open on the infirmary level of the ship. A medic was waiting for her at the door. He bowed upon seeing her.

  Before he could utter a word Nyasi cut him off, "where?!"

  "This way, General," he meekly replied.

  They walked past an operation in progress. Nyasi could see it was one of the Warriors she sent into Lhasa, their leader. The woman warrior was convulsing as medics tended to a severe wound on her neck. The other two warriors stood before a door to the next room. As Nyasi approached they both, in unison, dropped to one knee and held their right fists to their left shoulders. Nyasi, regardless of her royal blood, didn't encourage such grand displays of fealty from her subordinates. She felt it was bad for moral. Deeds are all the proof she needed of loyalty. Her crew only felt the need to kneel before her when they felt they had failed her. Everyone had been bowing to Nyasi since she left her cabin.

  She stopped before opening the door into the next room. She was fearful of what she might find on the other side. Could she endure seeing her baby sister's corpse beyond this door? Was that what was waiting for her? Was that reason for all of this bowing? She had made a mad dash from her quarters to this door but now she couldn't open it. She did her best to compose herself before gesturing to the two warriors kneeling before her to open the door. They obeyed her command before dropping back down to their knees on the other side of the passage.

  Within the operation room Nyasi saw her little sister Adeola lying on the table. Battered, bloody, bruised, and clinging to life as medics tended to her. The Terrans were just as horrible as Nyasi was told. No worse. Who could do such things to a child? Nyasi walked around to the head of the table. She placed her fingers on Adeola's temples then bowed to press her forehead to Adeola's. She rose back up then stood there in silence for a few more moments. Nyasi was on the verge of breaking down but she held it together. She refused to show such weakness in front of her subordinates.

  She pressed a communicator on her chest beneath her cape, "bridge... bring us around Jophiel."

  ***

  Governor Manning sat in his office sipping an aged merlot from a short square shaped glass. He was aware that Catherine Fisher had botched things with the alien intruder and he was running scenarios in his mind on how to salvage the situation in his favor. This would be a tough election year given what transpired today but not one he couldn't win. He just needed to paint a picture the people could rally behind. They didn't want truth from their leaders. They just told themselves that. What they really desired was something to believe in. A story that made them feel good, important. He was sipping his drink as he constructed this fable. So far, he’s been hitting a wall.

  Manning became distracted by something on his desk. It was an image of his wife and daughter. He hadn’t laid eyes on the blue-eyed girl since the divorce had been finalized. He tilted his head a little and allowed himself a smile. As he gazed at his daughter’s image he thought of Catherine. Was this why he took such a liking to that awkward woman, because she reminded him of his Elizabeth? Was this why all of his plans on how to deal with this situation also included protecting her?

  Author’s success in life came from his ability to assess his own thoughts and motivations honestly. He didn’t run from this new realization. He weighed the prospect of protecting Catherine against what made sense for his career and future. He gave Catherine a chance to prove herself and she failed. True strength is the ability to capitalize on opportunity. Sadly, Catherine had earned her fate. For the first time in a long time, Manning dreaded what needed to be done.

  Manning’s data pad began to beep. Louis Johnston had proven himself to be too incompetent to be kept in the loop. Manning was having all data concerning Station Security routed straight to his personal data pad. His eyes went wide and he leapt to his feet as he saw what was on the pad. “An Arez battleship? Here?” Manning hurriedly checked fleet deployments. This was disastrous. Eighty years of no contact with the enemy had led to lackadaisical patrols. The nearest Terran fleet was hours away. If he had reached out to command when the intruder was first reported on the Station then a fleet would already be in route. This was on him.

  ***

  Nyasi marched onto the ship’s bridge. The two remaining warriors of the infiltration team accompanied her. The bridge crew all took notice of the General’s arrival. Confusion was in the air. Her first officer met her at the door. “General Nyasi, Why did you order the ship into an intercept course with the colony?”

  “Commander Ugan,” Nyasi spoke while looking at Lhasa Station on the large view screen. “Stand aside.”

  Commander Ugan had proudly served under General Nyasi for years. He trusted her with his life but he could tell something was amiss. “General? I understand what you’re going through but this… This isn’t the way.”

  Nyasi looked to the warrior on her right. The woman hesitated for a moment before pulling out her side arm and backing Ugan to the wall. The crew looked on in shock. Nyasi walked to the center of the bridge. “Charge all weapons and take aim,” Her voice was cold and distant. “On my mark.”

  “Belay that order!” Ugan protested.

  “Are you mounting an insurrection, Commander?”

  “General… Princess, don’t do this.”

  “Status?”

  A bridge officer reluctantly answered her query, “Weapons…. Weapons are at the ready, Ma’am.”

  Nyasi took in a deep breath. The silence before her next words gripped the hearts of everyone on the bridge. The short moment of silence seemed to last for an eternity. They all waited on edge for Nyasi’s next order. All secretly hoped for her to tell them to stand down.

  “All hands…. Open fire.”

  ***

  Jacob and David were scouring the streets of Lhasa for Adeola and the three warriors. They hadn’t worked out what the plan would be when they found them but still they persisted. They were using Jake’s father’s makeshift scanning device to track the crystals in Adeola’s spacesuit but the signal went dead about half an hour ago. Jake feared the warriors had already left the station with Adeola. He brought the alien sword along with them. He had it wrapped in his school blazer so it wouldn’t be noticed at a glance. Jake stopped and winced in pain.

  “We should get you to a hospital to get that shoulder looked at,” David said.

  “I’m fine. We gotta find Ad.”

  “Were you able to get the signal again?”

  “No,” Jake was starting to accept the thought that Adeola was gone. At that moment the ground violently shook tossing the two boys into the air and back down. “What was that?!!” The ground continued to
quake. Jake looked up. He could see purple flashes of light behind the clouds. Other onlookers stopped to gaze up at the sky also. There was a shadowy object in the sky.

  “What is that?” David said as he squinted his eyes to make it out.

  Jacob noticed the object was getting larger, “Run!”

  “What?!”

  “RUN!!!”

  The two boys took off down the street. David glanced back as they ran, “is that what I think it is?” The object was close enough to identify. It was a section of a building that had broken free. The onlookers finally realized what was happening and scattered in all directions, but it was too late for them. “Buildings are supposed to fall down not up!!! What the void is happening,” David yelled as they ran. The large piece of debris crashed down onto the street sending out a cloud of dust. There were more building pieces falling from the sky all over the area.

  The boys pumped their legs in a desperate attempt to outrun the dust cloud. Jake was beginning to lag behind. David grabbed him by the arm to help him keep up. They kept up the pace until the cloud of dust enveloped them.

  On the other side of the station, where the building piece originated from, geysers of purple light were erupting from the ground and tearing away pieces of the Station in their wake. The debris was being projected by force all the way to the opposite cityscape. Buildings were being decimated at their foundations. They would break apart then what wasn’t blasted away would implode back down into the hole in the exterior of the station. People and objects near these blast points were sucked out into space.

  ***

  Aboard her mighty battleship Nyasi watched as the purple laser blasts from her vessel’s canons impacted upon the surface of Lhasa Station. She looked on as holes formed in the Station’s exterior and it’s energy shields struggled to stay activated due to the barrage. This carnage did not have the desired effect Nyasi was seeking. She thought making the Terrans suffer would be justice for her sister. An eye for an eye, but this didn’t feel like justice. She had lowered herself in a moment of vulnerability and anger. These weren’t the honorable actions of an Mfalme, of a General. This was an abuse of power.