Hope Everlasting: A Dystopian Sci-fi Novel (The Variant Saga Book 3) Page 9

  Lena used her implant to activate the translator program. She’d let it run in the background while the foreigners talked. With any luck, it wouldn’t take long for it to provide her with something she could use to communicate with these people.

  “Titus, you should call the ship. Have them send the drone down here to incapacitate these savages,” muttered Emile.

  “I already did. The drone was destroyed.”

  “What about the pilot? Tell him to come down here.”

  “Protocol says he can’t leave the ship. He’ll leave us behind before that happens.”

  Emile grimaced. “He’d abandon us to these people?”

  The smaller savage yelled, interrupting them.

  “I think she wants us to stop talking,” muttered Emile.

  The larger one raised his weapon, then said something to his friend. She nodded, and proceeded to attend to the paralyzed foreigners in the corner.

  Several words appeared across Lena’s visor as the translation software attempted to do its job.

  …they don’t…maybe if…alive I think…

  Not bad, thought Lena. Not perfect, but not bad. Now, if only she could get a full sentence out of it.

  …good…maybe the others are…about these people…

  Progress, but it would take a while before she could establish two-way communication. The translator had to receive and analyze enough words before it could do the reverse process, too.

  …didn’t think there were any…so much for being alone…aliens…

  Lena paused as the last word scrolled by. Had the translator made a mistake? Not every word had the exact same meaning in every language, so “alien” might simply mean something like “foreigner” or “the other.” Perhaps it was the case here. Regardless, the process had begun. With any luck, she might be able to open a line of communication before things got any worse.

  …almost time for the call from…any second now, actually…

  Lena felt a soft rumble in the wall behind her. She flinched, suddenly, and withdrew her hands from the stone.

  Titus looked at each of the women, then at the strangers. “What is happening?” he asked.

  The smaller of them motioned toward the large, elevated ring, and spoke. Lena waited for the translation to come through.

  …better not try anything. It’s only a friend of mine.

  A dark cloud appeared within the ring, swirling like a dust cloud before coming to a stop moments later. When it did, the fog inside it cleared, revealing an image on the other side. Several artificial lights came into view. What in the world was happening? Did these people just activate the portal without using the computer systems, or had it activated on its own?

  No, wait a moment, thought Lena. The small one mentioned a friend. Could there be someone on the other end? Is that where they came from?

  A sudden realization swept over Lena Sol, and she felt her cheeks go cold. These people—they must be from the other side of that gate. They must be from another place altogether.

  “What in the world is happening?” asked Emile. She sounded both afraid and in awe.

  “They’re from the other side of the gate,” exclaimed Lena.

  “That’s not possible,” said Emile.

  “Look at the lights!” Lena insisted. “They’re not natural. Look at them!”

  The two strangers glanced back at her, and the smaller one said something. Her visor deciphered the words, this time much more efficiently.

  What was that about the lights?

  Lena paused. Had this person actually understood her? Lena looked at Titus and Emile, who were both watching nervously. “Yes, the lights,” she decided to say.

  The translator echoed her, but in a foreign language. A look of understanding fell across the small one’s face. Her suit must have transmitted the last thing she said, translating it automatically. No wonder. A response came soon after.

  Who are you?

  “My name is Lena Sol,” she explained. “And I’ve come from Everlasting.”

  CHAPTER 7

  Ortego Outpost File Logs

  Play Audio File 888

  Recorded: February 11, 2351

  MITCHELL: So, am I to understand you’ve encountered sentient alien life?

  CURIE: That’s correct.

  MITCHELL: And they attacked and paralyzed everyone with a nerve toxin?

  CURIE: Also correct.

  MITCHELL: But you’re all fine now?

  CURIE: We took care of it.

  MITCHELL: Boy. The things I miss by staying home.

  CURIE: It’s not nearly as fun as it sounds, Sophie. Believe me.

  MITCHELL: You’re one of the first people to encounter sentient, alien life.

  CURIE: And it’s a headache.

  MITCHELL: Still, congratulations are in order, I believe. Shall I inform Central?

  CURIE: Not yet. We’re still assessing the situation. John has them here at gunpoint. Half our team is still incapacitated. Let’s at least figure out what’s going on before we file a report.

  MITCHELL: I suppose now would be a poor time to tell you that Dr. Harper called.

  CURIE: Again? What did she want?

  MITCHELL: Our logs. She’s organizing some sort of presentation for the board of directors.

  CURIE: I see. Well, thanks for letting me know. I’ll have to deal with it later.

  MITCHELL: Completely understandable, ma’am. If she calls again, I’ll let her know you’re occupied.

  CURIE: To say the least.

  End Audio File

  Somewhere in Kant

  February 11, 2351

  Terry sat on the side of Hux’s ship, dangling his feet over the edge, watching the water swell and break. The boat had traveled into the distant sea, staying far enough from the coast that the land was no longer visible.

  How big was the world? How vast were the seas? In all the days since he’d traveled to this planet, when a hole in space had tossed him across the stars, he had only seen a small portion of it. A sliver of possibilities.

  “Feeling nostalgic?” asked a voice.

  Terry turned to see Hux towering over him, a jovial smile spread across his face. “I was just thinking.”

  Hux propped down beside him. “A dangerous practice, I’m told.”

  Terry laughed. “Maybe it is.”

  “What thoughts are in your head, my friend? Good things, I hope.”

  “I was wondering what else was out there. What other kinds of people.”

  “Ah.” Hux nodded. “You’ve got the mind of a sailor, asking such things. Not many think about what lies beyond the sunset. Even fewer decide to go and see.”

  “I used to think I’d traveled pretty far, but sitting here and watching the ocean…now, it seems like nothing.”

  “Even the greatest of wavemasters have not seen the ends of the world, Little Traveler. It is too big for only two eyes.”

  “But you still do it,” he said.

  “That we do.” Hux grinned again.

  The day edged by with ease as Hux’s boat sailed on. The ship came closer to the land in the late afternoon, and Terry watched the coast with some curiosity. Though nothing came of it, he did not feel his time was wasted, and realized there was pleasure to be had in simple observation. It seemed that after years of running, fighting, and surviving, he was finally able to relax. Despite the pressing goal before him and the dangers ahead, something about the open waters brought a calmness to him, a sense of mindfulness.

  Perhaps when all was said and done, he would more seriously consider Hux’s proposition to join the crew and travel the world. I think I could get used to this, he thought as he took a breath of salted air. I think I’d like it very much.

  ******

  Bravo Gate Point

  February 11, 2351

  “You mean to say you aren’t from this planet?” asked the woman in the suit, whose name was Lena Sol.

  “Are you sure you should be telling her this?”
asked John, still with his rifle aimed at the intruders.

  Mei glanced back at him. “Don’t worry. I’m leaving out specifics.” She looked at the alien woman again. “You said you came here to investigate this portal. Does this facility belong to you?”

  The woman hesitated to answer.

  “What’s wrong?” asked Mei.

  Lena turned to the largest of the three, then spoke in a foreign language. The man answered, and she gave a quick nod in response. “Yes, this shelter is under our supervision,” Lena finally said.

  “Is he the one in charge?” asked Mei.

  “That is correct.”

  “Can he communicate with me, too?”

  “One moment, please,” she said.

  John watched as the three aliens talked amongst themselves. After a few minutes, the woman continued. “I am transferring your language to their translation software. It will only take a moment.”

  “Translation software?” asked Mei, cocking her brow.

  “Hello,” said the larger alien. “Hello, can you understand me?”

  “I do,” responded Mei.

  “Very good,” said the man. “My name is Titus Ven. These two are Lena Sol and Emile Res. We—”

  “Why’d you attack our people?” John interrupted.

  Titus stiffened. “We mistook you for the local people. It was a simple mistake. I apologize.”

  John scoffed. “Pretty sure Track and Mickey might disagree about it being simple. You paralyzed them.”

  Mei gave him a look that suggested he stop talking. “Titus, help us understand. What are you doing here?”

  “I’m afraid I am not authorized to reveal such information. I will say, however, that we did not expect to encounter you here. In fact, I would very much like to know who you are and where you came from.”

  Mei motioned to the portal ring. “You saw that open, right?”

  “I did,” said Titus.

  “Then you know where we came from.”

  “Where does it lead?” he asked.

  “That part I can’t tell you,” said Mei. “Unless, of course, you want to reexamine your previous statement about what you’re doing here.”

  Titus didn’t answer.

  “How about you start by telling me more about Everlasting? Your colleague mentioned it before,” said Mei.

  “Yes, Everlasting,” nodded Titus. “It is our home.”

  “Is it a peaceful country?” asked Mei.

  “Of course,” said Titus, as though anything to the contrary were simply unthinkable.

  “Good,” said Mei. “Because we’re peaceful, too. Do you understand?”

  Titus nodded.

  “Okay, so how about you help us get our friends back on their feet? Is there a way to do that?” asked Mei.

  “Friends?” asked Titus.

  “You mean them?” asked Lena, pointing to Track and Mickey, still in the corner.

  “Right,” responded Mei.

  “They’ll recover shortly. The toxin does not last very long,” explained Lena. “They should be on their feet again before much longer.”

  “The sooner the better,” said John.

  Lena held her hands together, fidgeting a little. “If it helps, there are two others somewhere in the facility. We saw them as we arrived.”

  “Others?” asked Mei.

  “Two of them, yes,” said Emile. “They were near the power station.”

  “That’s probably Zoe,” said Mei.

  John tapped his radio. “Anyone reading me? Hello?”

  A garbled mess of static answered.

  “Looks like we’re still getting interference.”

  “Interference,” muttered Mei. She looked at the aliens. “Is your ship blocking our radio? We’ve been experiencing feedback over the last few days.”

  “Possibly. I don’t really know,” said Titus.

  “Actually, that’s likely due to our scans,” said Emile. “As the ship has grown closer, we’ve gradually increased the frequency of them. You might have been experiencing some feedback because of that. They’ve been known to interfere with primitive forms of communication.”

  “Primitive?” asked Mei.

  “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to imply—”

  “It’s fine,” she said. “Let’s just figure out how to fix it. Call your ship and have them stop the scans. My friend here will lower his weapon. Does that work?”

  “Yes, thank you,” said Titus.

  John grabbed one of the pistols on the floor and examined it. “We’re holding on to these, though. At least until we figure things out.”

  ******

  A few hours after their first encounter with the aliens, John and Mei managed to get a fair amount of information together. To begin with, these three strangers apparently came from a place called Everlasting, a city somewhere to the north. It was also its own country, completely isolated from the rest of the world.

  Second, and even more surprising, the suits they wore were more than just armor. They were environmental suits. “We didn’t know what to expect when we arrived,” explained Emile. “This region previously experienced severe radioactivity, making it inhospitable. Our scans showed the radiation had fallen to negligible levels, but we could not assess the status of the tunnels themselves.”

  “Well, as you can see, it’s clear,” said Mei. “Why not take the helmet off?”

  “Perhaps later,” said Titus. “For now, we would prefer to keep them on.”

  The rest of the Blacks came out of their paralysis within the hour, just as Lena had suggested they would. Mickey and Track were the last to come back. It was a gradual recovery, with Mickey slurring his words in an attempt to compose himself, but eventually they all returned to normal.

  John convened the team on the surface, right outside the entrance. He wanted to assess any damages and receive a full report of what had happened before he and Mei arrived. The story was fairly straightforward. Everyone had been working, same as usual, when the ship arrived. The toxin had hit them all within a few seconds, and they were left without clue.

  John stared at the ship, which Lena and Titus had referred to as “the Red Door.” It was an odd thing to call something, and John wondered about the significance and meaning behind the name, if there even was one. Nonetheless, he remained skeptical and on edge about these new visitors, reluctant to place his trust in someone who would so hastily attack another party.

  At his insistence, Brooks and Meridy had taken to following Mei around as she walked and talked to the aliens. Mei seemed to understand the importance of it, so she didn’t argue. He was thankful for it. The last thing he wanted was to leave her alone, but his team needed tending to, and a plan of action would have to be made, should the aliens prove hostile. “I want Hughes in the loft,” he told them. “Keep your eyes on the aircraft. If you see another drone come out of its ass, you shoot it. Understood?”

  “You got it,” said Hughes. “I’ll rip its wings off.”

  Titus had said the pilot couldn’t leave his post inside the ship. It was his duty to stay put, no matter the situation, unless he received an order directly from Everlasting. The thought of a stranger sitting and waiting inside that machine gave John pause, but he played along. He trusted Mei to smooth this mess over and get things situated. In the meantime, he’d do his job and prepare for the worst-case scenario. His team wouldn’t be caught off guard a second time. Not if he could help it.

  Still, with any luck, there wouldn’t be a problem. The last thing any of them needed was to start some kind of intergalactic incident. This was the first sentient alien species humanity had ever encountered, so they had to get it right.

  God, thought John, staring at the alien ship. How the hell did I manage to get myself into this?

  ******

  Somewhere in Kant

  February 11, 2351

  Terry walked along the deck of the Waveguard, watching Hux and the crew drop anchor. They had decided on a spot near t
he coast of what appeared to be an island, still far from the mainland. The crystal white beaches stretched on, so at first Terry assumed this to be part of a greater landmass, but Hux had insisted it was only one in a string of islands. The Happy Rocks, he had called them, named for a nursery rhyme.

  Ludo stretched his arm, cracking his neck and shoulder. “What are we doing here?” he asked. “I see no villages.”

  Hux let out a loud chuckle. “Rest easy, my friends. We’ve only come to retrieve a package, then we’ll continue on our way.”

  “What sort of package?” asked Terry.

  “A trade between two traders,” Hux said, ambiguously. He went to the side of the boat, leaping onto the railing overlooking the water. “I’ll return soon and we can leave.”

  “Are you swimming to the beach from here?” asked Terry.

  Hux laughed again. “Not quite,” he said, then jumped into the water, diving into the darkness below and disappearing.

  Terry watched with curiosity, waiting for the wavemaster to return. A few minutes passed, however, and he began to worry. “Where is he? Shouldn’t he be back by now?”

  “He must be very deep,” said Ludo, as though he wasn’t concerned.

  “He’ll drown if he doesn’t hurry,” said Terry.

  Ludo looked at him. “What do you mean? Hux is a wavemaster.”

  “So?” asked Terry. “What’s that got to do with drowning?”

  Ludo raised an eye. “Wavemasters don’t drown, Terry.”

  “What?” he asked.

  “Has Hux not explained this to you?”

  Terry shook his head.

  “Ah, well I apologize. I thought you knew. Wavemasters are expert swimmers and divers. They can stay beneath the water for hours.”

  “Seriously?” asked Terry. “Do they have gills or something?”

  Ludo chuckled. “No, my friend. Wavemasters are trained from the time they are children. In the same way that you and I have learned to fly, the wavemasters have mastered their bodies and learned to swim. It is in their chakka, and so they belong in the sea.”

  Terry watched and waited for Hux to return. After several minutes, when his attention had begun to fade, he noticed a bubble rise and pop from deep below the water. Several more followed soon. A figure moved below, and for a moment Terry could have sworn it was a large fish. The way it moved, gracefully and quickly and naturally.