First Life, page 22
part #1 of River Saga Series
I watched him examine the device, but he shoved it into his pocket when he heard my mother calling him from the front. “Bill, we have a customer looking for coin batteries. Do we have any of the C2021 cells?”
“They haven’t made those in years. Tell you what, we can use the newer…” His voice cut off as he pushed through the swinging door, leaving me alone in the warehouse, wondering what the hell I’d just witnessed. What had my dad just paid a small fortune for?
____________
Now
“I have to go.” I pushed off from the table, rushing through the mess hall.
Desmond didn’t comment as he trailed after me. We made it to our quarters a few minutes later. I was out of breath, but Des wasn’t fazed in the least.
Ambrose sat with Miya and Carly, playing a game in the common room, and they both stood when I entered. “Miya, with me,” I said, and she didn’t even ask why.
“What’s up with him?” Ambrose asked Desmond.
I raced into the bunk room and climbed into my cubby, grabbing my pack. Inside it were my few meager possessions, and I scoured for the photo tablet. “Where is it?” I dumped the contents. The note fell out of the science fiction paperback and tumbled to the ground.
“What’s this?” Ambrose held the missive from Indie in his hands.
“Give that to me.” I leaned over to snatch it, and he hauled the note out of reach.
He started to unravel it. “Maybe I should take a peek first.”
I leapt from the cubby, landing on him. He crumbled to the floor under my weight and dropped it. I grabbed the note, offering to help him up. “I told you to give it back.”
He didn’t take my hand as he scoffed at me. “You don’t have to be so sensitive.” Ambrose exited the quarters, and I was glad it was only the three of us remaining.
Des’ gaze lingered on the folded paper. “Care to explain?”
I returned it to the shelter of my paperback and tossed the book into my bag. “No. I’d rather not.”
Miya ran a hand through her blonde hair and raised her brows. “What did I miss?”
“The pictures. I had a tablet in here. Where is it?” I asked.
“The soldiers came and cleared us of anything that wasn’t approved. They confiscated about ten tablets, and a bunch of other things. A few items were probably for the best,” she replied, making a disgusted face.
“They took it?” I asked.
“Colton, what’s the matter?” Miya spoke softly. Desmond was guarding the door.
I glanced around, suddenly feeling paranoid. “I think my father had a copy of the Unity Accord.”
Desmond coughed. “The Accord. That’s impossible.”
“No, it’s not. He paid for it. Black market. Once I heard from Indie that my father was a Loyalist, I started to remember small details of those early days. An Angor brought him this tablet. It was so basic, we used to store photos on it. When he got it, there were images of other families. He replaced them with our own. Mostly pictures before the Angor came into our lives. But it was always password protected. Kind of a strange thing to do with family photos, isn’t it? Not to mention the alien in a wig, driving a souped-up truck.” I rubbed my forehead. “How could I have been so stupid?”
“Beck, we need a copy of that,” Miya whispered.
“What? Why?” Desmond exclaimed.
“We’re about to go to Dicore. What if there’s something important in the document? Aren’t you curious? This could be our one shot.” Miya hopped from foot to foot.
“Tell her,” Des muttered.
Miya lost her grin. “Tell me what?”
“Leruf gave me a warning. Hinted at betrayals from the Angor. Lies. But nothing else. Told us to find a way to communicate with Orange so we’d be safer in numbers.” I was close, but she probably struggled to hear me.
“Damn it.” Miya flopped into Desmond’s cubby.
“Maybe Miya’s right, Colton,” Des said.
“About which part?”
“The Accord. It might help us figure out what to expect,” Des said.
I glanced at Miya. “Do we know where they took the tablets?”
“No. But I can find out.” She cracked her knuckles, and I rolled my eyes.
“Of course you can. Let me guess, one of the team members has a regular Angor tablet, and that passed muster, but their secondary didn’t. You’ll use the link to locate the device.” I was guessing.
“Impressive. Maybe you don’t need me after all.” Miya punched me in the shoulder. “Let me get to work.”
“When do we sneak onto the Angor side of the ship?” I asked Desmond.
“Tomorrow night, when we arrive at Dicore. Everyone will be watching the live coverage like we did when we first hit the River. It’s our one chance for a complete distraction.” Des’ suggestion made sense.
“Be prepared. We’re doing it.”
“Miya, while you’re at it, I bet the Angor are going to cut off communication between our teams when we hit the ground on Dicore. We need contact. Any ideas?” I asked.
She smiled again and pulled out her earpiece translator, snapping the access panel off the back. “I think I can make something work. Bring me a coffee. Black.”
FIFTEEN
Waiting a full day to attempt our subterfuge took its toll on my mental health. While most of the humans I encountered seemed ecstatic to be making the descent to Dicore in a day or so, I was dreading the next twenty-four hours.
We had this section of Palora mapped out, and I studied the 3D blueprints again. The Angor ships were full of corridors, halls, elevators, and stairwells. It mirrored a complicated hive, from the zoomed-out image. I assumed the layout was designed like this on purpose, but I couldn’t understand what that was. Humans preferred things in straight and simple lines. Halls leading to multiple doors, instead of passing through rooms to access other rooms.
I stopped at Team Blue and Orange’s entrance, glancing at how thick the metal slab was. The lock on the exterior had a foot-long double bolt. If they wanted to keep us inside forever, I doubted there was any way we could escape. I’d never fully trusted our alien friends, but I’d accepted them. Now, hearing that my father was part of the Loyalists, I wondered how much he understood about the Angor. Had I really held a copy of the Unity Accord on that device all those years?
It sounded like Indie had found a copy too, and that was part of the reason for her punishment. Ulison had brought her here to prevent her from spreading the word on Earth. Put the woman in charge of a distant colony. Make her feel useful but crush her dreams of leading the humans back home on Earth. They couldn’t have someone who questioned them. What kind of information did the Accord hold? I thought about the humans that had signed that file, and I contemplated their fates. The early Assistant Directors were all gone. Indie suggested they were retired, but I doubted that was true. They’d likely been silenced by their Angor occupiers.
My parents had been involved with the rebel group, and Barney, my closest work ally, had been too. Indie had read something illegal, and was now paying the price. It felt like the closest people to me were in the reeds, and now I was encountering the same obstacles.
“Are you okay, Mr. Beck?” Abbyl was behind me. I hadn’t heard her approach. She smiled, a strange expression on her face. The Angor never looked natural when happy. Her brow had three deep creases, her eyes black and ominous. Suddenly, I couldn’t keep eye contact, and I peered at the tablet where my map of their ship sat in the open. I snapped it shut, hoping Abbyl hadn’t noticed, and slipped it into my uniform pocket.
“I’m fine. A little nervous about Dicore,” I admitted. That part was the truth.
“You will like it.”
“Have you seen the place?”
She nodded. “Once. On a training video.”
“Will you be staying there with us?” I asked.
“I will be assisting with the River Checkpoint construction,” she told me.
“From the ground?”
Abbyl nodded but didn’t comment. “Don’t forget to be in the training facility in an hour.” She continued past me into the residences. I watched her talking with Willow and Des, my mustached friend chatting amiably. I enjoyed his company, but guessed there were more secrets shrouding him than he had toothpicks. Maybe one day he’d share some of them with me.
Miya and Carly were with Franklin, and the big guy waved at me. I hated that I had to lie about my condition, and that Franklin would be reminded of his dead wife all over again when my time came. Maybe coming here had been selfish. I’d only wanted some adventure before dying.
Leruf’s dire warning rang through my mind. What would we encounter on Dicore, and how could I ensure my friends survived it? Everyone agreed that asking Ulison for the truth wouldn’t accomplish anything. Willow suspected we’d be kept in containment while the rest of our people went to the surface, and her curiosity outweighed her concern. We’d signed up with no intention of returning to Earth, but death wasn’t part of the agreement. Not now. Not before we built a colony and fostered human life on another world.
There was so much brilliance humanity had yet to witness. Seeing Goha and Ohru’s Band, and their planet Godrien, had been exceptional. The Vezo had helped train us, and I already considered Leruf a friend. With these Checkpoints, we could explore these other planets through the River. But I would never do that. Soon I’d have more frequent attacks, and one of them would be my last. The grand finale.
Adley sat with Ambrose, and I could tell the guy was smitten. He’d mellowed a bit, especially after I’d tackled him yesterday. He watched the cute girl with pink hair as she ran her fingers through it. I looked at the rest of the two teams. Most of them I’d spoken with tirelessly over the past couple of months. We had a wide assortment of doctors, nurses, ex-military, architects, engineers, and techies. On paper, they felt like a fantastic colony team, but we were inexperienced. Even with Orange and Blue cooperating, I wasn’t sure it would be enough for what we were about to face.
I recalled the malfunction during our first live-rounds training day, and the creatures that had nearly killed us. What were they preparing us for?
People began filing through the exit, heading for one of the training facilities in the heart of Palora. There we’d join with the other teams to witness our arrival at Dicore. We’d have another sleep, if the excitement didn’t keep us awake all night, and then it would be time to breach the surface.
I waited, smiling and nodding at the citizens as they walked by me into the halls to their destination. Most of them were beaming, nervous energy filling the air. I shared that sensation, but for different reasons.
Desmond was close to our Angor representative, and he set both hands on her arms in a familiar gesture. He spoke low, and she grinned, responding quietly as well. Miya went behind Des, and only someone expecting it would have noticed the exchange.
Then Abbyl wandered off with Willow and Franklin, and Miya winked at me, flashing something in her grip when the Angor woman had turned. She was in her element. Her pale cheeks were rosy, and her blue eyes scanned the tablet screen. “Col, we’re going to pull this off.”
“I’m glad you think so.”
Miya passed me the keycard. “You now have access to the Angor section of Palora.”
“I’m coming with you,” Des whispered.
“You’re already risking too much,” I told him.
Des stared with a mellow expression. “I’ve been alive for a lot longer than you, my friend. I’ve seen things you couldn’t even believe. If they kill me for trying to protect my team, then so be it.”
I shut my mouth, not sure how to respond. “Fine. Let’s do this.” I turned to Miya. “You’re confident that’s the right location?”
“That’s where I traced Doctor Gwen’s secondary tablet.” She pointed to the spot in section +3, quadrant 8.
“Okay. Time to shine,” I said.
Before rushing to the Angor entrance, we followed Miya to the procession. The training grounds were packed with a thousand citizens. It was stuffy inside, and I heard the whirring of the overhead fans circulating air. It wasn’t designed for this many bodies to be present at once.
There were a lot of unfamiliar faces beyond the entrance. I spotted numbers on uniforms, and several colors. Some had a flag from a region of our new Earth. The teams were as varied as humanity. I recognized the woman who’d been barking orders at us near Angor City. I remembered her name was Officer Penelope Bates. She had a bleak expression as she regarded the Angor with suspicion. I bobbed my chin at her and continued.
“Colton? Desmond?” I didn’t recognize the voice, but once I saw the giant frame stalking through the crowds, I couldn’t believe my eyes.
“Bull? You left Great Bend?” We’d met the big man in the bar after our hovertrain had crash-landed.
“When you told us about the Expedition, I had to try to secure a position. I was tired of listening to old music and hiding out in the interior. It was time to spread my wings.” Bull flashed a grin. His head was shaved bald, revealing a few scars on his scalp. I guessed he was no stranger to fighting.
“Team Black?” Desmond poked him in the marker on his chest. “They’re pretty badass.”
“Hell yeah, we are.”
“Is Gordon Tremblay treating you fairly?” Des asked.
“Tremblay is the best.” Bull looked around, searching for his lead.
Desmond tapped Miya on the shoulder. She was scanning the crowd. “Do you mind lending Bull one of those earpieces?”
“What…” Miya clued in.
“You sure that’s a good idea?” I asked Desmond.
“Colton, I have a bad feeling. Team Black had the best scores. Better than ours. You’ve seen those guys. I … I served with a couple of them. If things are as unpleasant as we’re assuming, I want them on our side,” he whispered into my ear. “And Tremblay is one tough SOB.”
“What are you two going on about?” Bull demanded.
He was being waved at by the older gruff guy in a patch.
“Tell him,” Miya said, passing the big man a modified translator.
“Bull, we’ve been told there might be some surprises for us on Dicore. Take this. It connects to a few of the Blue and Orange members.” I stepped aside while a pair of Vezo walked past. Even Bull was small in comparison, and I noted they walked with their hands resting on the hilts of their holstered weapons.
When they were deeper into the facility, Bull asked what we were anticipating. “No idea. But we have to be ready. Safety in numbers.”
“Should I tell Gordon?”
“What do you think?” Des asked.
“I’ll warn him we should be prepared for a few surprises.” Bull slipped the earpiece into his pocket.
“Good man.” Desmond was obviously tense.
Miya pointed farther into the room. “It’s starting.”
An unfamiliar Angor was poised next to Leruf. They were on an elevated stage centering the area, surrounded by humans. The pair of giant screens showed our two flags like it always did, before blinking to video.
His voice was amplified from speaker drones hovering high above us. “Welcome, citizens of Dicore!”
The crowd cheered louder than ever, and I clapped alongside the rest, not wanting to act out of place.
“Administrator Volins is currently decelerating as we approach your new home, and we are pleased to share the arrival with you. All ten thousand citizens are witnessing the same thing, from different subsections of Palora, and we apologize for how cramped it is in our primary training facility. Space is at a premium when transporting an entire colony.” The Angor man showed his teeth and turned to the screens. “Welcome to Dicore.”
I had to see it.
The image shifted from the digital waving flags to the external cameras mounted on the front of the Angor vessel. The planet was beautiful.
“Dicore.” I started to walk forward, but Desmond gripped my arm.
“Snap out of it, Beck. Let’s go.” He dragged me out of there, but I caught one final glance at the planet. It had oceans, and large continents with a dusty layer of clouds. It was alien yet familiar, and I almost backtracked on our mission to slip into the Angor’s dwelling.
“Don’t forget why we’re doing this,” Des muttered, and I came to attention.
With everyone’s focus on the world we were approaching, we snuck away from the crowds. The hallways were far wider, and Des ducked into the fifth doorway. The blue uniforms were left where we’d stowed them, and we quickly jumped into them, leaving our white jumpsuits on underneath. These were too big, baggy and oversized, but I rolled the legs into cuffs and peered out the exit. “It’s clear.”
Desmond and I moved through the ship as fast and silently as we could, getting two subsections higher, and three quadrants over. The bolted doors to the forbidden Angor section were at the end of the hallway, and Desmond smirked as we strode to them, Abbyl’s keycard in my hand.
It shook slightly, and I tried to remain calm. My breaths were ragged, and I could feel my throat constricting. “Not now,” I mumbled. My heart raced. I pressed on, tapping the card to the locking device.
“Is there something we can help you with?” The Angor woman noticed us the second we entered.
“Don’t worry about them,” someone said.
“Administrator Volins?” I asked, shocked to find the legendary Angor in our midst.
“Come with me,” he said, stalking down the hall. He turned in to another room and shut the door behind him. “You two are fools.”
We stood there, unsure how to react to the pilot of Palora calling us names. “Here.” He pushed two packages at us and indicated a bucket beside his feet. “Wear these. There’s a chemical we use in the latrines that requires protection.”
The masks were dark blue, and I unwrapped mine. “They just said you were on the bridge.”
“We showed up hours ago. The feeds you’re watching are…”
“Doctored?” Desmond asked.
