First Life, page 11
part #1 of River Saga Series
The next two days were full of examinations. Scans with technology I’d never heard of. Endless blood samples. They injected something into the back of my neck, and the area itched fiercely. The nurse applied a salve, but the sensation remained. By the end of the week, I just wanted to make it all stop.
Three days in, my mom finally entered the room, a sad smile on her face. “Colton, there’s someone here to see you.”
I perked up. “Who?”
“It’s Indie.”
I bristled, remembering she was going to leave. Right when I needed her the most. “Tell her I’m sleeping.”
“But, Colton. It’s Indie. She’s been calling twice a day, wondering when she can—”
“Mom, stop it. She’s leaving and I’m sick. It’s better this way.” I folded my hands on my lap, unsure what to do with them.
“I think that…”
I looked away, slinking lower on the bed. “Mom, I don’t feel well. Please tell Indie I can’t see her.”
I kept my gaze to the wall, aware my expression would betray me. I wanted so badly to see the girl I loved, but I was too hurt. It wasn’t her choice to abandon me for her parents. What would I do without her?
“Okay, son. I’ll let her know.” The lights turned off, and I rolled to my side, my entire body aching. I had yet to suffer an attack that day, and I took that as a positive sign. Maybe I could survive the Xeno after all. Or live with it. That might not be so bad.
I dozed off, dreaming of that kiss we shared, and a spaceship hovering above a baseball diamond.
When I woke, my parents loomed over me. My dad’s smile was too wide, and my mom gathered my belongings as if I’d been on vacation instead of fighting for my life. “It’s time to go home, Colton.” Her voice was painfully chipper.
I glanced at her hand, seeing a large bag in her grip, probably full of prescriptions.
An hour and a half later, we were in the driveway. Our street was already half-barren. Some of the yards were uncut, front doors swung wide open. I’d assumed a bunch of our neighbors had fled their houses a week ago.
“What’s going on?” I asked my dad.
“The Angor are offering housing and work in the coastal cities. Said things were changing. They’re healing the sick. Supplying technology to offer clean energy and water to third world nations. It’s quite remarkable.”
“Are we staying?” My heart rate increased, and I tried one of the breathing tips the nurse had offered me.
“We are,” my mom said.
“Why? If everyone else is—”
“We don’t have to listen to the Angor, son. They’re not our leaders. We are still a sovereign people.” Dad turned the car off and opened my door. The sun was bright, and I realized I’d been stuck indoors without a window for almost eight days.
“What about…” I was in fresh clothing, and felt okay, so I didn’t hesitate. I needed to see Indie.
“Son, where are you going?” my dad called.
“Let him do this,” my mom told him.
I rushed down the sidewalk, finding it eerie on my street. A dog barked from somewhere, and I started to jog. Xeno didn’t appear to limit my functionality, but time would tell. The attacks might become worse or slowly improve. I had no control over any of it.
Indie’s house was a few blocks away, and I reached it quickly, sweat drenching my back and underarms at the exertion. The door was closed, and a car sat in the parking lot. Thank God. She was still here.
I ran to the door, banged on it. “Indie!”
I tried the handle, but it was locked. “Indie! It’s me, Colton!”
A neighbor appeared on her front porch, staring at me. “You looking for the Harts?”
I nodded.
“Left last night.”
I pointed to their car. “How did they go?”
“One of the Angor transports came for them. They had suitcases and everything.” The woman watched me. “Did you say Colton?”
“Yes.”
“The girl left something for you in her room. Told me to pass that on if you showed up.” The older woman sauntered into her house, and I stared at the second story to Indie’s window.
The front door was locked, but they kept a spare key in the back. Most people had digital locks, but for some reason, her parents favored the old technology, preferring things the old-fashioned way. It made my life easier, because she’d shown me its hiding spot.
The gate was unlatched, and I jogged into the backyard, heading for the shed. The lawn ornament near the garden was there, and I tipped it, finding the key exactly where I’d expected it.
A minute later, I was in the house, walking the quiet hall to the stairs. I’d spent a lot of time in her house over the years, but it was different now: the paint a little duller, the appliances older. One of the banister rails was cracked, and I avoided it, climbing the steps to the second story.
Indie’s room was a mess, and I laughed, picturing her trying to cram what she actually needed into a single suitcase. Her mother would have suggested she pack light. That they could find new things in the city, wherever they were heading.
There were digital photos rotating on a tablet mounted to her wall, and I smiled, seeing most of them were of us. I took the tablet off and set it on the desk right beside an envelope. It said Colton in big black felt marker. I opened it and pulled out a letter. An archaic form of communication her father had instilled in her.
I couldn’t bear to read the long missive from my best friend in the world. It was the sweetest and saddest moment of my life. Knowing that she had taken the time to try to explain her feelings, but me not being able to bring myself to experience those emotions. For a flash, I forgot I had a death sentence, and that aliens had arrived on Earth, changing the course of our lives forever.
I folded it gently and grabbed my own tablet, finding her contact information. I sent her a message, but it failed.
“What the hell…?” I checked the network, but nothing was there. My tablet beeped, and reset without me prompting it.
A window opened, and the device vibrated.
Congratulations on the Unity Accord.
Access your new network.
Created by the Angor.
Free for all.
In moments, my entire system was wiped clean. I couldn’t reach Indie.
SEVEN
The shower counted down, the lights blinking, and the water stopped flowing. I’d survived.
My breaths were ragged, and my chest ached, but I was able to climb out of the fetal position and get to my feet before anyone came inside. I was soaked, and I managed to wrap a towel around my waist and step out. One of the other Team Blue men walked around me and started his shower.
The Xeno attacks were growing worse. After a decade or so without many, I was nearing my end. That was what the results showed. Xeno hits you the worst at the start, and intensifies before you die. If that was the beginning of the end, I was doomed. It was going to be extremely difficult to keep this affliction hidden from the rest of the colonists.
I went to the bunks, each step a difficult chore. Most of our people were already sleeping, soft snores drifting from their beds. Indie’s back was turned to me, and I climbed to the top bunk. I was out before my head hit the pillow.
After another four days of toiling with supplies and acclimating with our unit, we received word. Palora was coming to Angor City.
“Can you believe it?” Indie asked at breakfast. “We’re going to set foot on the Angor’s primary vessel. Are you aware that no human has ever been on board?”
“That can’t be true,” Desmond said.
“As far as I know, it is.” Indie sipped her coffee.
“Is there a reason?” I asked.
“Not that I’m aware of. It’s only been to the surface once, and that was when they arrived.” Indie took all things Angor with more blind trust than I did.
“This should be an interesting day,” I told them. “What’s on the docket, boss?”
Indie looked at her tablet, examining the details. “We’ve been told to go to Building C.”
“Building C? That’s a first,” Des said. He took another bite off his plate. I swore he ate more than twice as much as me, and he was twenty pounds lighter. The kind of wiry lean strength an older man gets from wandering through life with no fixed address.
“What’s in Building C?” Franklin asked with his mouth full.
“We aren’t sure,” Indie said softly.
“Well then, I guess we’re in for a surprise. Life is rarely compelling. Let’s embrace it,” he told her, making her grin.
“Well said, Franklin.”
The area was warming up outside, and having the full regiment of ten thousand strong made it feel even more hectic. Everything was done in rotation, and that meant we were eating breakfast at five AM. I didn’t mind so much. I was used to getting up before the sun, but Franklin’s eyes were half-closed while he finished his plate.
Angor City was lit up in the distance, and I stopped to stare for a while.
“It seems they’re excited for Palora’s arrival as well,” Desmond said.
We met up with Orange and Purple, along with a few of the other teams, in front of Building C. Its exterior matched the two different structures, but it was the smallest of the three. Two of the bay doors opened electronically, and six Angor soldiers emerged. Their guns were long and bulky, their armor black.
“What’s with the military presence?” Desmond cracked his knuckles.
“I don’t know. They need to communicate their agenda,” Indie admitted. “I’m supposed to be with them.”
An Angor woman strode between the soldiers, speaking loudly so all could hear. There were five hundred of us awaiting the instructions, and our group was closer to the front of the line. “Welcome to the next phase of your preliminary training. My name is Henna. Today, we are going to be administering some boosters.”
“What’s a booster?” someone from Orange asked.
Henna acted irritated at being interrupted, but she answered his query. “You will ingest three pills.”
I leaned into Indie. “Did you know about this?”
Her blank expression answered for her. She was worried, which in turn concerned me. Franklin and Desmond stood in silence.
“How can we trust these pills do what you say?” Leave it to Ambrose to ask a question like that.
The Angor woman furrowed her lined brow and approached him, two soldiers moving beside her as if attached at the hip. They were big, and I could smell an oily chemical on their weapons as they strode by. She halted in front of Ambrose and shoved her hand forward. “What’s your name?”
He smirked. “Ambrose Davenport.” He accentuated his last name, drawing the letters out.
“Is that supposed to impress me?” Henna asked. The entire regiment of five hundred remained stoic, watching their interaction. It was clear to me she was about to make a point with the brash man.
“My father is…” He stopped when one of the Angor soldiers lifted his gun, jabbing the barrel at Ambrose’s chest.
“I don’t care who you were. We are all equals going to Dicore.” Henna briefly peered at Indie, then continued. “Since you have so much to say, you’ll be the first volunteer to take the boosters. So everyone can see they aren’t harmful.”
“Can you at least tell me what they are?” Ambrose lost his confidence, and he cowered from the gun, staring at the pills in her palm.
“The River can be uncomfortable. We take this pill to ease the pressure.” She held up a pink-cased pill. Ambrose took the offered tablet, appraising it with a sideways glare. Instead of arguing with the Angor woman, he ingested the pill quickly, licking his lips as if they were dry.
“See, that wasn't so bad, was it?” Henna motioned for the gun to lower, and the soldier obliged. “While we haven’t gathered all intel on Dicore, we did send investigative teams years before we came to Earth. The second medication will assist your transition to the new world. It adds immune responses to potential local viruses and allergic reactions to vegetation.”
Ambrose tried to step away, but the soldiers blocked his path. “You’re going to give me a virus?”
“Micro dosing isn’t something new, Ambrose,” Indie said. “Take it so we can move on.”
He nodded, and swallowed the green pill.
“This last will keep your system resilient. It allows you to heal faster when sleeping, among other advantages.” Henna smiled at Ambrose while he consumed the final gray capsule.
“Just a vitamin.” Ambrose was still standing and not complaining about any ailments. If they wanted us dead, there were a lot of better ways than faking an Expedition.
I wondered if it would affect my Xeno, or vice versa. I couldn’t very well ask, so I lined up with the rest of my team, awaiting our entrance into Building C.
Indie took hesitant steps, but we followed Desmond as our group of one hundred entered directly after Miya and her Team Orange. There were dozens of stations, each with an Angor in a lab coat sitting and waiting for the humans. The energy was warmer inside, and only a handful of armed soldiers were posted along the corners of the big room.
“You feeling good?” Desmond asked me while we waited for our turns. Franklin was motioned to one of the stations, and we watched as he swallowed three capsules and was ushered farther into the building. Indie was next.
“I think so. Palora is coming today, and that means they’ll be loading the supplies,” I told him.
“They? I bet we will be doing the heavy lifting.”
“Next!” Henna called, and Des went ahead.
My gaze followed Indie as she trailed after Franklin. She seemed lost here. Indie had worked her entire life to gain her position, and suddenly, the Director had forced her onto this mission to Dicore. Why? Was there a reason he wanted her gone? Was she too smart for her own good? Did she overhear a conversation she shouldn’t have? Read a missive intended for another? I hadn’t had much time to speak with her in private, but I suspected there was something afoot.
She had the rest of Team Blue convinced she was there by choice, until we boarded Palora, but even she didn’t know what the trip was going to be like. Indie was confident that once we left Earth, the mission parameters would become clear. They were so secretive about everything. I wondered if that stemmed from their own government on Trum. Maybe they kept their people in the dark, so this was their way. They trusted their leaders to make the proper decisions.
We weren’t used to that. We sought watchdogs and transparency, but since the Angor had come and aided our planet, no one spoke out against them. Not with a loudspeaker. Groups like the Loyalists wanted to liberate us, but 99% of the population didn’t care that we were under control. Most were fine with someone leading them, as long as they had food, water, family, and safety. We were partners with the Angor. At least, that was what the Unity Accord preferred us to think.
After a couple weeks away from my barge job, I was on the fence. There were more Angor soldiers at this camp than I’d seen in my first two decades living among them. I suspected they had their reasons, but of course they wouldn’t share that with a lowly colonist. Especially one that hardly met the requirements to join the Expedition.
“Next!” I’d been so lost in thought, I hadn’t realized Desmond was finished. He chatted with Miya across the room, and I went to the waiting station, looking at the three distinctly colored capsules. I took the pink one, washing it down with the offered bottled water. I consumed the other two with little difficulty, and I was done, ready to traverse the River to our new future at Dicore.
“Next!” the woman called, and I left, joining the rest of my friends.
“Palora is incoming,” Miya told me as I approached.
“Can we go see?” I looked for Henna, but couldn’t find her among the crowds.
“We’d better stay put until we’re directed to do otherwise,” Indie said.
“Is she always such a bore?” Miya asked.
“I’ll have you know…” Indie stopped when Henna materialized at the room’s exit, holding a tablet.
“We are leaving in two days. Each Team has been assigned a final task before we depart. Check with your Team Lead for further instructions,” Henna told the entire room.
“Wait, we have team leaders?” Miya looked at her friend Carly.
Indie’s personal device beeped, and she took the compact tablet out, smiling. “Looks like Team Blue gets the best job.”
“What?” Desmond had a toothpick in his mouth again.
“We’re going to Angor City.” Indie was all smiles.
____________
Two hours had passed since we’d ingested the pills, and so far, there were no adverse reactions to report. That was a good sign. It was warmer today near Angor City, and I stared at the frozen lake beyond our training facility. It turned out to be more of a colony preparation site, since we hadn’t learned anything about the mission or been shown how to survive on Dicore quite yet, but that was just semantics.
The entire ten thousand humans and all of the Angor in the area were outside, braving the winter weather while the Angor’s primary vessel descended from outer space. The giant starship broke through the layer of gray clouds that lingered in the Arctic skies. My stomach flip-flopped with nerves at the sight.
Indie was beside me, and it reminded me of that baseball game. The way the air changed when the ship hovered over Fayetteville. The feeling of Indie’s hand in mine. The kiss she gave me, saying, “I didn’t want to die without you knowing.”
She was all business this time.
The orange flames licked the bottom of the hull, and glowed hotter before cutting completely off. Palora resembled the others, a huge triangle with rounded points, but it was so much larger. It lowered toward the tundra between our facility and Angor City. The air was crisp, and there was only the sound of my own breathing and the gentle cracking of ice at the warmth extending from the intergalactic spaceship.
The white of the snow was almost blinding as we stared at the icy landscape. My gaze drifted toward Angor City, with the immense towers overlooking the barren terrain. We were scheduled to travel there for a delivery pickup, and I was excited at the prospect of seeing how the Angor lived without being under the watchful eyes of humans.
