Sojourn Sol (Eternal Sol) (4 page)

The crowd of Mak facing the ship, parted to give way for the Aliens to walk, and their eyes were firmly affixed on them. A large man walked up with a basket of shell fruit, and went to hand it to the creatures, shyly. Shellfruit is the symbol of peace in their culture, but it didn't look like they'd be able to understand that, or anything the Mak did. They were so different.

The creature at the head of the group ran back and so did the others, as though they were afraid of the fruit, and the Mak man seemed insulted so he left to retreat to his nest and watch the events from afar.

Somebody shouted, “Give them room,” and the Mak listened. It was a sensible idea, because the creatures would be able to see that that didn't mean them any harm, and it did give them pause for a moment. One even stood up and turned its top portion around, presumably to sense things around it.

It was generally believed that the creatures feared for their own safety, or at least that they were being extremely cautious. They were clearly sentient. They moved deliberately, which was a sign that they knew what they were doing, and the ship they'd come in was manufactured, and when analyzed was shown to have similar technology that the Mak used to fly from planet to planet.

Scientists, politicians, businessman, even simple celebrities with no purpose, flocked to the ship hoping to meet the aliens and get an understanding of who they were. There was a grand ceremony with emissaries and feasts. There were even broadcasts, and scientists analyzing every portion, which many believed would lure them out, but after that day, the aliens remained inside their ship.

There were waves emanating it, that had been discovered, which meant that they were communicating somehow. They must be studying the Mak, which made the race a little uncomfortable in general. At that point, though the race was peaceful by nature, more so than humans, they began to worry about what designs the aliens had for them.

If they had the power to travel from system to system, then they would be capable of great things, things the Mak could barely imagine. Then there was the question of their nature, whether or not they were hostile or if they believed in respecting other sentient life. It was all speculation because they could never get them to come out of their ship.

Ren, Antioch and Cress were quite scared. They'd never seen life quite like what they were calling the spiders. They'd seen them gathering around, placing objects near the ship and bringing instruments. They recognized cameras and spectographs, meant to understand what the ship was made of and record its appearance. They saw a creature take a tiny sample, which terrified them.              

Ren was sitting in the circular table on the lower deck of his ship with chopsticks in his hand, but he couldn't eat. He swiped his short blond hair out of his eyes and sat back a bit to look around at his fellow scientists. Antioch and Cress were both eating quietly. Antioch had his auditory implant playing music, judging by the way his black poof of hair nodded up and down while he nodded his head to the music.

Cress was looking down at his bowl of grain like it was an insect. He took a tiny piece and put it in his mouth. He had his black dreadlocks tied in knot in the back of his head. The air around the room was tense.

“We have to make a decision,” Ren declared. “Are we leaving, reporting them, what are we going to do?”

“We should report them.” It was Cress's belief that the species was dangerous.

“Just because they are made of arsenic compounds does not mean the species is going to kill us. Or do you think it's because they look like insects?” Antioch was offended by what he believed to be Cress's racist sentiment. They were both ignorant fools snapping at each other as far as Ren was concerned, but he knew that if he did something that neither of them approved of he could easily get sent out the airlock.

Cress stood up and stared Antioch down, while Ren stared down at his bowl. They'd been doing this ever since they saw the Spiders. “You think that a species made from something that will kill us is going to be diplomatic. It's only a matter of time, and they could be volatile.” Vulgar species, who commit atrocities were more common than peaceful ones.

“I don't think we need to be judging them. I respect all sentient species, and they don't deserve to be enslaved, not until we know more about them.” Antioch stood up and paced around the room. “They will either be enslaved or killed, that's what we do.”

“We do not,” Cress shouted. His face was clenched in fury, Ren began to shake a bit when his lumbering form moved towards Antioch who was barely big enough to lift a cargo box, and he couldn't fight.

“Please name a single species in the entire empire given the same rights as humans.” Antioch was in his face, and the instant a tiny speck of saliva landed on Cress's chest, the man pounced and Ren ran and grabbed a plasma cannon and pointed at the both of them.

“Hey,” he yelled and both men stopped what they were doing and looked over at him with terror. “You two are gonna shut the fuck up and sit the fuck down or I'm going to shoot you both. I have no problem doing it. We will maintain order in this ship.”

Cress, who was on top of Antioch, got up and went back to the table with his head down. Antioch did the same. It was Ren's cold eyes that inspired fear. He was a lot skinnier than any of them, and he could barely fight, but they respected him because he didn't pull the petty games they played.

“Alright. now,” Ren sat down again to address the men, “we believe the species might be dangerous but we're not sure, and I believe that if they are we should report them in order to save mankind from having to deal with a serious threat; however, I will not just report them right away because it will destroy their future. We will study them, and we will do so with every single bit of caution necessary. I will contact the Kendall center right away and send for more ships. They have a trade ship that will be available shortly.”

“Fuck this,” Cress went over to his bunk, which was behind his seat and covered himself in his blanket.

There are officials who would rather wear their uniforms than do anything of value. They don't mind staring at a screen or doing nothing at all. They'll complete the required minimum and continue about their duty—nothing more.

Tamil was a fighter, somebody who got things done and handled them easily. He considered his placement to be a waste of his potential and a disgusting waste of time. It would've been easier if he had anyone to tell that to, but his station was nothing more than a one man ship with sensors, a bunk, table and replicator. He could travel, but he'd probably be killed for doing it.

He was required to man the bridge and provide visual confirmation whenever something was detected approaching the perimeter of the system. His duties were simple. He was required to respond whenever there was a cognitive signal telling him there was an approaching object. He would have to physically activate the nearest drone and fly it over to the vicinity to inspect it. If it appeared to be made by a living thing, he would have to sound the alarm, and if there was no response he would be required to physically alert the nearest ship.

It was a simple system, and it gave him far too much time to think. He was already connected to the ship's system, so there was no need for him to get acquainted with everything when he got there. All of the information he needed had already been uploaded into his memory. Instead, he chose to slam down on his bunk and enter the private world of his sanctuary.

He stared up at the cold gray and closed his eyes, then he sent out the cognitive command, sending him to a simple blank white space. Henny sometimes preferred it for quick communication because it allowed her to avoid any distractions. “Henny,” he called out.

There was no answer, which was to be expected. She'd said that she might not be able to get back to him right away, that she was leaving Rhoas, but he had no idea why she would leave. He loved that girl, and he knew that she was doing something risky. The sisters would never let her go before her time. She must be trying to escape somehow, which would careen her into unknown territory and possibly put her into danger.

“Whatever you're doing Henny stay safe. I've been assigned to watch duty at Space Station 1543, but if you hunt me down and come here it's likely that you will be shot down. You should've waited till you got a ship. You could've gone anywhere you wanted without having to worry. I don't know how, but I think you're putting yourself in danger. I'm scared. Please contact me. I'm all alone here.”

Once he was done recording the message, he left the sanctuary and found himself staring up at the gray metallic ceiling once again. He didn't get to see much color outside of his ocular implant. His ship was facing the outer edge of the solar system, so all he saw was the black and white of space. Nothing in his ship, except for the tiny bits of food he was allowed to replicate, had any color at all.

He slowly began retreating into the digital world for fear that he might begin to lose his sanity. He lived there. He built a tiny cabin for himself in the middle of the meadow on Rhoas, where he was able to see the flowers any time he wanted to, then he went into civilization and traveled through the networks of people.

He found himself inside of a tiny, gray floating cafe, where they served succulent digital drinks and food, and they had a small bar where he could sit and view the news. He could do it anyways, but people came there to interact and because it was nice to feel like they were going somewhere. He sat at the bar staring into his Usher pudding, wondering what he was going to do next. He couldn't live like this forever, traveling fake streets, dashing up and down stairs to tell the military about tiny asteroids and pieces of ice.

Every month the trade ships made their way into the Rhoas system to offer their wares to the sisterhood  children that lived there. They would travel down to the meadow, bordering the dome and setup a makeshift market place made up of their ships. The entire meadow would be bustling with activity.

It was known as the trade fair, and the children were all given the opportunity to walk through the market and marvel at the wares. They were even given a bit of cash, based up on how good they were as an incentive. It was this money that kept the merchants coming back because the sisterhood was so rich that they could always ensure that the merchants would make a profit. The entire sisterhood was abuzz, students could hardly focus on their classes, and even the ones who looked like they were paying attention were quietly staring out the window at the autumn sky, wondering what it would be like when they could finally go.

Henny was excited as well, but for a different reason. That day, they were heading out to the carnival, the children were lined up all in a row and were asked to follow their assigned sister around. They all made their way down the cobblestone path in a single file line and stopped in front of the carnival's makeshift entrance.

Sister Isla walked around with a console, assigning every single student with a number, and then went back to the front of the group. She then called out the numbers which were assigned to the different teachers.

Henny was assigned to Sister Athenea group, along with Aygan, a young brunette boy nearly the same age as she was and the Grenley Twins, two 7 year-old gingers who were known for their sour faces and an aversion to everything. Aygan was cocky and playful. His good looks got him where he wanted, and the rumor was that he'd had sex with almost every single girl their age. Henny had never given in to his guile; he was cheery and nice, but he had a more arrogant side to him and it came out in his offhand remarks.              

Sister Athenea was wearing the traditional black outdoor cloak which was raised over her head with a square piece of carbon adorned in the middle with a deep purple indigo flower. She was large and mean like a predator wearing a bow, and she had a menacing presence that caught fire when she disapproved of a child's actions.

She turned to the children, before they reached the gates and said, “We will be visiting one ride, the snake handler as well as two booths, and then we will retire for lunch. The bo—

“I'm sorry for interrupting, Sister Athenea, Miss, but shouldn't we put it to a vote so that we can all enjoy ourselves instead of visiting the rides and booths that you want to see?” The woman looked like Aygan had just slapped her in the face.

“We will follow the itinerary as ordered. You will be allowed to go to Mani's Holodeck, and the Sister Lotus boutique.” Clearly, Sister Athenea was looking for some new decorations for her uniforms. She had flowers that she wore on her hair and tiny decorative knots, even little creatures that scampered around her head. No matter how hard she tried, though, she couldn't make herself look beautiful.

Aygan smiled when she mentioned the hologram booth, and as he walked into the gate, he waited for Henny to cross before he opened it and allowed her inside.

The merchants put on a macabre display, walking the crowds with holographic dioramas featuring replicators that could generate their signature products, and trying to chat up students and sisters. They wore black and they were often found wearing silly masks with twisted smiles or glitter and holographic lights all over their bodies. The more flamboyant their costume, the more business they got. They passed one woman at a booth who had managed to make her entire body into a metallic sliver to show off her perfect frame. One man had made a hologram that seemed to extend his body to nine feet tall, with a mane of red hair streaming out on all sides and down to his feet.

It was strange to say the least because there was no uniformity, just a mix of attractions as diverse as the planets in space. Henny followed closely behind the sister, while still keeping track of where they were going. Aygan was walking beside her.

“So, what's your favorite attraction, Henny.” They grew up together, there was no need for any introductions.

“The exit,” she replied curtly.

“Have you ever been to the holodeck?” She hadn't, but she wasn't willing to admit it, and she was curious to see what he was leading to, so she stayed silent. “There's a tiny door in the back that leads to the exit. You should go there with me so that we can see the rest of the carnival.”

That piqued her interest. “Really? Oh wow, that would be amazing,” she whispered. She walked a little closer to him and he grabbed her hand.

“I'd love to show you around a little bit.” Aygan stopped for just a second and got a little too close to her. His lips were beautiful, she had to admit, but they weren't Tamil's. She giggled and pulled him on.

“Come on. Let's go on the snake handler.” She turned to him and added, “I want somebody to sit next to, you know. I'm a little scared of heights.”

They made their way to the long line, which stretched nearly a quarter of the way across the meadow. It would take them a while to get to the ride, but it could hold dozens and dozens of people so it wouldn't take too long. It wasn't really a ride so much as a hovering train nearly as long as the school itself, and it was painted like a snake.

They strolled slowly, while Henny watched Aygan, eager to get in the sack.. She was actually looking forward to the snake handler. It was one of her favorite rides, so when they made it to the gate, and the handler let them in, she ran to the nearest car, which seated two people and climbed over to the window seat. She was going to take advantage of the situation as best as she could. She loved the window seat, and she knew that Aygan would want to sit there, which made it even funnier.

He got as close to her as he could and waited for the ride to start. She was shaking just a bit deliberately. “It's gonna be OK,” he whispered in her ear. “This ride is perfectly safe.”

“I don't like heights,” she replied meekly.

“If you want, we can switch seats,” Aygan said hopefully.

“Oh no. That's OK. I can turn away if I get scared. You don't mind do you?”

“No. No. Not at all.” He paused for a second and looked down.

“What is it?” She looked over.

He paused for a moment. It made him seem a little troubled, which made him seem a little bit more endearing. “Oh, nothing. I wonder if it's going to start soon.”

The train shot off, nearing the speed of sound. Aygan scooted a little closer to Henny who was trying to suppress her screams. She grabbed his hand and held onto him, screaming for real as the train made its way higher and higher. The train was in a vertical position and she was stuck to the seat from the force of the gravity.

“Are you alright,” he asked softly. He put his arm around her shoulder and she cuddled a little closer to him.

“I'm scared,” she said.

“It's gonna be alright.” He held her a little closer and then, when the train went as high as it could go safely, it dropped faster than a jet and they both started screaming like little children. Aygan was cuddling a little closer than she thought, and she realized that he was clutching her in fear.

When they had fallen, the exhilaration was still shooting through her, and the way he cowered in terror on top of her, flinching when they finally landed, she realized that she was strong. She could do this.

They made their way off the ride, holding hands behind the Sister's back. Henny looked behind her and saw the twins eyeing them. Ara whispered in her Sister Fancy's ear and they both laughed hysterically. They were just children, but there was something infuriating about the way they were taunting them. A child's playing at romance can be quite dangerous.As they approached the entrance Henny gasped at the sight of a 20 foot holo of a globe covered in ocean water. Every year, the holodeck had a different theme. This year, they would be entering into a world filled with water, where they would be riding the waves. Henny turned to Aygan and whispered, “How will we know where to go,” in his ear.

              “You simply go in the right direction,” he whispered with a smirk on his face. Henny was going to have some fun with this. She had on a thick gray cloak, which was too thick for the water, but she couldn't take it off. She would have to make do. She was preparing herself, when they reached the black carbon fiber door and waited for the announcer to begin.

“Welcome to Aquarius, the ocean planet. Beneath its surface are hidden secrets, treasures beyond imagination. Be the first to walk beneath the ocean.” Henny and Aygan waited till the twins entered so they could make their way without being noticed. The Sister waited outside rather than wade through fake water, and face real solid objects which could easily ruin her clothes.

The entrance was a tiny beach with off white sand that gave way to soft blue water. Aygan and Henny giggled as they ran through the waves, hand in hand immersing themselves so much so that could walk easily on the steeply declining ocean floor.

“Which direction do we go? ” Henny asked.

Aygan pointed outwards. “Forward and then a little to the right. A good trick,” he eyed her mischievously, “would be to overcompensate to the left so we don't miss it.” The ocean was foggy more than a few yards away, so they wouldn't be able to see their way around. “By doing that, we can simply know to go more to the right so that we can find it.”

A tiny silver fish moved past them, and Henny looked over at it curiously. It shone in the dark water, casting a glow on the sand beneath them. As they made their way farther into the ocean, more and more fish came by until they were caught in the middle of a massive school of them, and when they moved by, they grazed the couple, adding to the excitement. With wide eyes, she looked over at Aygan who was clearly miffed by the experience.

The current was soft and simple, and the simulation didn't seem to change that very much, so they knew they would be able to make their way through easily, but they would have to be quick because they'd only have an hour, and they weren't sure what they might meet along the way.

Henny could make out a tiny pink formation just a few yards away and as they walked towards it, she noticed that it was a flat coral path in the shape of cobblestones. Aygan stopped and looked at it curiously. “Do you know what this is,” he asked.

“It's a path.” She pointed down at coral. “Can't you see it's like the cobblestone in front of the sisterhood. It leads to something, and we should avoid altogether if we want to get out of here.”

Aygan seemed skeptical. “It would help us find where we're going.”

“No.” Henny didn't like it, and she didn't want to explain that taking the path could easily lead them in the wrong direction if they weren't careful. The simulation was full of illusions. “I want to stick to the sand. I don't want to deal with anything else but that and water; it's quicker that way.

It took a second for Aygan to agree, but he had a goal and he knew that if he listened, he would be able to get what he wanted more easily. He followed her as she made her way to the left until the path cleared and she could see nothing but sand and water. A thought popped into her head, and it was the best idea she'd had all day. “Is the room longer than it is wide,” she asked Aygan.

“Yes. It is.”

“We're going to go all the way left until we hit the barrier and go straight from there. They try to make things look bigger, and since it's water, they're less likely to put up barriers on the ends. That way it looks like it goes on forever.”

It was a simple idea, and Aygan didn't argue. He wanted to, she could tell, but he had to keep ahold of her. They walked for what seemed like an hour, until the flow of the water seemed to stop altogether. She held her hands out until she could feel the solid invisible wall, and turned right so she could make her way forward. They made their way easily to the back of the room, while Aygan tried to make small talk with her. He was putting up a front, and she was tired of pretending that he wasn't. He was beginning to become a bit of a nuisance and he was a liability.

They turned right and began making their way through the water towards the door. Henny was beginning to get a bit anxious. She looked over to Aygan with a sheepish manner and said, “I know about your reputation you know, Aygan.”