Aftereffect, p.15
Aftereffect, page 15
“Okay, that’s fine. It still doesn’t answer why he is following us.” Oren looks annoyed.
“I was ordered to.” Zath's voice turns stern.
“And why’s that?” Oren doesn’t back down.
“Because, I was never supposed to be here.”
There is a pause after that, where the machine and the fake tough guy stare at each other. Oren recognizes the look on his face from earlier. It’s the same as when Zath was yelling in his face, even after getting pinned by Lex. “Fine, take us to the chairs.” Oren steps back slightly, and indicates for him to lead the group.
Zath takes them down into the hangar adjacent to Sanctuary and into what looks like a break room. The kids run and jump onto the couch, while everyone else finds seats. Oren grabs a folding chair from against the wall, opens it, and sits where he can see everyone.
“Hey,” Oren looks to the kids, “We’re pretty close to the edge of the translator's range, don’t wander off too far.”
“Where do you think it ends?” Koari scans the room, “And how do you know?”
“Just past that door there,” Oren points at the doorway opposite to the one they entered, which leads to a long hallway. “I’ve been keeping track of how far we’ve moved. I’m not interested in playing translator again.”
Koari jumps up, and runs to the door. “Tell me where it changes. Hello.”
“We can still understand you.” Melisa smiles.
Koari backs up through the door, “Hello.”
“Still understood you.”
Koari backs up more, “Konnichiwa!”
Melisa bursts out laughing, “There.” She gets up and runs to the door. “My turn-” She jumps through the door and beside Koari, “Bonjour.”
Oren looks annoyed while they play with the edge of the translator's range.
“Don’t worry about them,” Charles looks to Oren, “What did you want to tell me?”
Oren shifts his weight a little in the chair, seeming to ponder his next words, “I don’t believe this meeting will have a result your leader is hoping for.” Neither of them react to this, just remaining silent while the kids continue jumping in and out of translator range. “Lex is strong, intelligent, perceptive, and ruthless. You need to understand, her body was earned through her many accomplishments, because of these traits. If her mind is made up, there isn’t anything that will change it.”
“What about the Menthiopods?” Charles turns, “I know you don’t have the best opinion of them, but do you think they might help Pickett?”
“If they did, the cost of your safety would be slavery. Not salvation.”
“We weren’t slaves on the station.” Charles quickly interjects, to which Oren stares at him. “From what they said, you’re the big evil bad guys. So I can’t help but wonder how much of this is a point of view issue.”
“If I’m the big evil bad guy, why’d you save me?”
Charles thinks back to that moment, the sound of the gun firing, Michael’s final words. “I didn’t have much choice, to be completely honest with you. It was a gamble, and it’s paid off so far.”
Oren laughs lightly to himself, “So you’re letting it ride?”
“Merde.” Melisa shouts from down the hall with a coy smile on her face.
“It’s no longer up to me.” Charles clears his throat, “We made it back to earth, Pickett’s throwing the dice now.”
“And for the record, it’s not a matter of perspective. It’s a matter of what I have seen in the universe compared to what you’ve seen on earth.” Oren glares at Charles, “An intelligent species knows what it doesn’t know.”
“Yes, but a resilient one survives even when things are weighted against them.” Zath finally speaks up, “Sanctuary is a step in that direction, and we know that we don't know if it will work. So we have to bet on something.”
32
THE ZPECTRITE COMMANDER
LEX
THE END IS AN INEVITABILITY WHICH REVEALS THE TRUE NATURE OF PEOPLE. Those final moments are nothing like the stories of characters speaking their final monologues, but they are often a time of reflection. No story ends without first stealing glimpses of the beginning.
Pickett is tall–well, taller than I am. As we walk towards the heart of the Oshi I can see her suppressing her fear. Leaders are respected because they have the capacity to make decisions regardless of whether or not everyone agrees.
Priorities.
Knowing what drives you is a powerful thing–dangerous even.
“Tell me, what is your beginning?” I place my hand on a console and activate the doors to the main walkway. As they open I can feel her pause settling in. The hesitation is brief, but still there.
She follows as the hallway lights up in front of us. “I’m not sure I understand.”
I nod. “Your beginning. Every living thing has a start in which its perspective is formed. The first few moments of one’s existence are shaped by their uncontrollable circumstances.”
“I’m still not sure I–”
I stop. “My beginning was in a void; the great abyss of silence. I was born from nothing and earned the right to be something. Where I come from, it is a privilege to exist as a keeper of many people.”
“Well, where I come from it isn’t about what you were, it’s who you’ll become that matters the most.”
I smile. “Come now, you know that’s not true.”
“Pickett.”
“Pickett, of course. I suppose we’re past formalities at this point.”
She nods. “Where are you taking me?”
I motion towards a door to the left. “This way. There is something I want to show you.”
Everything has a timeline.
I walk into a large room where I have spent hundreds of hours waiting and documenting. When Pickett walks in I can feel her demeanour shift. I take a seat on a large L-Shaped couch facing a screen taken straight from a run down movie theatre about twenty years ago. Next to me is a turntable square on top of a mini fridge.
“This is… amazing.” Plastered along the walls are cases with artifacts we’ve collected over the years. These are the ones we have been having difficulty organizing. Pickett takes a moment to circle the room. It’s hard to tell whether or not she recognizes any of these things.
I open the fridge, pull out two colas, and start the record. “I have to admit, your planet does have a lot of stuff. I think it could rival the factories in Ulan.”
She pauses. “You like Wham? That’s unexpected.”
I shrug and offer her a drink. “It’s not my favourite, but Danica definitely took a liking to this era of music. It’s much more carefree than the others.”
She accepts the can and briefly browses through a stack of DVDs. “You collect things. Why?”
I crack open the can. “Zpectrites are the keepers of history. We’ve shaped it for generations and have subsequently learned what is and isn’t our place. We once had the largest army the universe had ever seen. In our natural form we are unstoppable. We interact with matter differently than any other species we’ve ever encountered. If we wanted, we could conquer everything. There was a time when we did, actually.”
“Then why–”
“Because power is not everything. We developed rules to create balance. To be like this…” I motion towards my physical body. “...to end naturally is a gift.”
She opens her own can. “So, you see yourselves as gods?”
I shake my head. “We are just different. When we die, galaxies shatter.”
“So, you want me to believe that there is a whole species of beings who run around and collect things because it is their job.”
“It’s an honour to archive and when everything is done, these exhibits are sought after by many. In my youth I maintained Zpectrite borders, now I make sure planets are remembered after they are gone.”
“We’re still here.”
I nod. “Of course, but let's not speak in fantasies, Pickett. We both know there will be a time when you’re not.”
She takes a moment to process what I’ve said.
I’m being too harsh again.
We sit in silence for about a minute. She hasn’t tried to plead her case yet, but it’s coming–it always does. What she doesn’t know is that everything in this room will stay as it is. Yes, we create exhibits, catalog the contents, and prepare them for acquisition, but I always keep things for myself. I’ve ended many lives in my lifetime; all of them had stories–some abrupt and others fleshed out. Regardless, everyone deserves to be remembered.
“I’m going to be very direct with you–mostly because I would like to move this along. Your military hurt one of my machines. To say I’m angry is an understatement.”
“Your machines…” She places her drink next to the purple motorcycle helmet. “...are they like you?”
I shake my head. “No one is like me.”
“That’s rather arrogant isn’t it?”
I shrug. “It’s the truth. Compared to this planet, the population of Zairon is only in the thousands and even less have descended to a physical form. Life is in our machines. In a way, they are our children. Oren sees things I don’t. He is the reason I even landed the Oshi in the first place. If it were up to me I would just leave.”
Pickett doesn’t say anything for a moment. Her silence tells me that she is aware of how much weight her next few words will have in this conversation. “I’m sorry about your machine. If I could help you I would, but it’s not something I have any information on.” There is sincerity in her voice.
“Well, thank you for being honest with me.” I quickly send a message to Oren. “I think we’re done here.”
She sighs. “You have to understand. I’m responsible for a lot of people and if there is a way I can save them then I will.” Pickett’s desperation is subtle, but I recognize it instantly. “I’m prepared to give you whatever you want. Name it and it’s yours in exchange for–”
“You said so yourself, you have nothing–”
“I will do anything to ensure we survive.” Her words linger for a few moments.
I lean back into the couch. “And I believe you. I’ve been here before; not with you but with other species. Forgive me, but you’re not special. Life is born and life dies. This is Earth’s time.”
“Project Sanctuary is–”
“Not unique.” I pick up a remote and activate the screen. A map of the earth appears in front of us. “Our scans see that there are many of these projects in construction across the planet. Technology-wise I’d say the one in China probably has the best chance of actually surviving the atmospheric pressure of space for longer than a few weeks.”
She looks as if I had just hit her. “That’s… impossible.”
I stand and walk towards the screen. “No, that’s realistic. I can see it in your eyes–you’re desperate and believe me I understand. You think I can help you but anything I do will be limited at best and it won’t change the fate of humanity.”
“If you won’t help then I’ll have to explore other options.”
I ignore her for a moment. “Your people attacked one of mine. Believe me I'm not obligated to do anything. You can't help me, so we’re done here.” Her expression confirms this. I place my hand on the console beneath the screen and input my code. “This is a gift not from me, but from Oren. This ship might seem marvelous but it’s not meant for you. The moment I activate the core, it will literally tear you apart. These are equations–advanced physics for your scientists. Even that might be too much, considering the circumstances.”
A disk ejects from the main slot and I place it in a case. I think this is the right format for human computers.
She takes a deep breath. “And what about the other ones, the Menthiopods?”
I chuckle to myself. “They probably could help you, but it always comes at a cost.”
“Nothing is too much for humanity’s survival.”
I hand her the disk. “The best thing I could ever do for humanity is leave. What they want more than anything is me. I am a being of pure dark matter.” I can see the wheels turning in her head. “I know what you’re going to do and it’s fine. It is the logical step and I’d probably do it if I were in your position. Sacrifice me in order to get their help.” She doesn’t say anything. “It’s an option, but it will fail. Others have tried and it has all ended the same way.”
There’s a slight tremor beneath us. It catches my attention almost instantly, but I can tell Pickett hasn’t noticed. I press several buttons, the image on the screen shifts to display subterranean planes.
“What are those?” She’s looking at the same images I am.
“Menths. Oren and I should go. Now.” I quickly lead her out of the room.
“Wait just a minute.”
I shake my head. “No, we’ve waited long enough. They’ve already started drilling. We need to leave.” The silent alarms are triggered and I stop in place. “Damn it.”
The main doors to the Oshi open and I practically push Pickett towards the ramp. Several soldiers on the outside raise their weapons and I put my hand on mine.
“Stand down.” Pickett hands the disk to one of the soldiers.
I call out with as much force as I can muster. “Oren, to the Oshi. Now!”
There are whispers, but they suddenly stop as a larger tremor erupts beneath us. Oren is running in the distance. His pace is faster than anything humans are capable of. He climbs the ramp and I time it so the doors close as he steps onto the ship.
I raise my hand and motion towards the bridge. “No more stalling. We’re leaving now.”
He nods. “Of course.”
I sigh. “The planetary alert was triggered. This is going to be a fight now either way.”
“Lex…”
I shake my head. “No, none of that. From now on my word is law, understand?”
“Perfectly.”
We walk calmly towards the bridge. There is no use in panicking. What’s done is done and now we must deal with the consequences. Now is not the time to be kind–we must be ruthless. The humans are worried for their survival, but they’ve never seen a Zpectrite in a similar state.
Survival at all costs. Enemy fire could come from anywhere. The best thing to do now is create distance.
33
NO TIME REMAINING
PICKETT, MORE THAN ANYTHING, LOOKS STUNNED, even after the ship has blinked out of sight. Her brain runs faster than it ever has before, “We’re out of time.” Her eyes scan the group, before landing on Charles. “Your old friends are here. She says the drilling has begun.”
“Ma’am, what’s on this?” Huang watches her closely while holding the disk she handed to him.
“I don’t know. Lex said it was all she was able to give us.” She pauses for a moment and the weakness in her face washes away after a breath. “We must see what's on it. Perhaps we can run it on Sanctuary. This may be the push in the right direction we need.”
Chatter begins as the group moves towards the hangar. As they walk, Melisa tugs Charles' shirt to get his attention, “If they’re gone, why can I still understand you?”
The question stumps him, only momentarily though. “The Menthiopods are close.” He looks to the sky, “I wonder if they’ve moved the station.” Two dots in the distance catch his eye. As they approach, it's clear these are ships flying quickly towards them.
“Incoming aerial objects.” A voice shouts from above them, and quickly everyone is looking at them.
Guns are raised, and Pickett has changed directions, again. The ships slow and begin their descent in nearly the same place the other ship was moments ago. They are almost as sophisticated looking as the Oshi, but not as big. Bulky shapes and a brown metal makes these ships very clearly of a different make; they are much louder as well. The trees rustle violently as the ships make their touchdown - the moving air nearly knocks some of the soldiers off their feet. When the sound finally cuts, and the wind returns to a normal current, a hatch opens and a ramp protrudes.
“It seems this planet's government is divided by region, not one unifying body.” A voice Charles recognizes says, “We’ll have to make a few stops.”
Xelxion, Xinkess, and a third Menthiopod walk down the ramp, while the other ship remains closed. The three make their way down to the group and stop just before Pickett, towering over her. “Hello there, I am Xelxion.” He starts, “A Menthiopod from the planet Mylidra, of the Kalteic system, in the Andromeda galaxy.”
“Yes, I’ve heard of you.” Pickett’s tone is strong, as she pulls her hair back and uses a black hair elastic to tie it into a ponytail. “Charles has told me about you, in the short time he’s been back.”
“Interesting.” Xelxion’s claw raises to his face, almost as if he’s contemplating something, before turning to Xinkess. “It seems the machine really did bring him home.”
“It’s out of character for one of them to help a lesser life form.” Xinkess turns her head slightly, then turns back to the group. “Are all three of them here?”
Charles, Melisa, and Koari step round the soldiers blocking them and into the line of sight of the aliens. “Yes, we all made it back.” Charles stares up at them unsure of their feelings of seeing him again.
“And the Machine?” Xelxion looks around.
“The Zpectrite and her Machine have left.” Pickett interjects, “We are on our way off this planet as well.”
“Yes, we saw you’ve started preparing.” Xinkess looks towards Sanctuary, “Our computers detected the various components of your vessel during your test. Quite impressive, I must say.”
Pickett’s eyes glance towards Huang as he tucks the disk out of sight, “Impressive? How so? The Zpectrite said we were a lost cause.”
Silence.
“I see.” Xelxion steps forward, “So you conversed with one?”
“That would imply a give-and-take of thoughts and ideas. She spoke, I listened.”
Xelxion chuckles, “That sounds correct.”
“I do wonder though,” Xinkess starts, “What is it you sought to gain by speaking with her?”
