Homicidal Aliens and Other Disappointments (30 page)

Stand by for a message,
we hear from the alien who seems to be in charge.

The last time I heard this was when the aliens invaded and we were made slaves.

PLEASE DO NOT FIRE ANY MORE MISSILES AT US OR WE WILL BE FORCED TO DESTROY YOU. WE MUST PROCESS NEW INFORMATION. YOUR STATUS IS BEING REVIEWED. WE WILL HAVE AN ANSWER FOR YOU SHORTLY.

The aliens back into the elevator and leave.

Catlin, Michael, Sam, and I are put under arrest. We’re taken back to camp. Later that same morning there’s a second message.

WE ARE LEAVING NOW. WE HAVE CONCLUDED THAT THE COMPANY MADE MISCALCULATIONS AND MISREPRESENTATIONS ABOUT YOUR PLANET, WHICH LED TO AN ILLEGAL SETTLEMENT. A FULL INQUIRY IS IN PROGRESS. HOWEVER, IT IS CLEAR THAT THE SETTLEMENT OF YOUR PLANET WAS A VIOLATION OF SANGINIAN POLICY. THEREFORE, A FULL REFUND WILL BE GIVEN TO EVERY SANGINIAN SETTLER.

WE HEREBY RETURN YOUR PLANET TO YOU, EARTHLINGS. WE DO SO WITH PROFOUND APOLOGIES. WE ARE VERY SORRY FOR YOUR LOSSES.

ALL SURVIVORS, MOSTLY THE YOUNG ONES OF YOUR SPECIES, TAKEN BY US WILL BE RETURNED TO YOUR PLANET, THOUGH THIS MAY REQUIRE A FEW OF YOUR MONTHS TO ACCOMPLISH AS THEY HAVE BEEN SENT TO TRAINING STATIONS. WE WISH YOU A FORTUNATE FUTURE.

SINCERELY,

SANGINIAN SECRETARY OF SETTLEMENT, LORD HADRIAN

They leave. It takes them a little longer to leave than it took them to invade. But they’re gone in twenty days. By my calendar, the last alien leaves August 1. In the future, August 1 will be celebrated as the day the earth became ours again. And it is ours, but who we are has changed. The survivors all have talents. That’s one big change. But something that hasn’t changed is humankind’s desire for power. There are gangs and even, already, small armies led by men and women who make all kinds of claims for a future in which they lead. The government of old America is fragmented and slow to reform. It gives these armies a chance to get recruits and territory. One of them is said to be led by a powerful and charismatic young man who claims he is destined to unite the talented.

Catlin and I have been asked to leave Colonel Hamilton’s camp. He wants us out of his sight. He’s still saying that if he had his way, we’d be before a firing squad, but he won’t have his way. We’re heroes to many.

Most of the members of New America, as well as a few people from Colonel Hamilton’s unit, want to leave with us when I say we plan to make the dangerous trip to Austin, Texas, where the new government of Texas is rumored to be forming. They want me to lead them there. There are many rebel gangs between us and Austin, but, as far as we know, there are none of the more dangerous armies that range to the north and particularly to the east of us.

Some of the members of New America choose to stay at the military camp, though. Sam and Michael are among them.

It’s Sam who wants to stay. She says New America will need soldiers and Colonel Hamilton, whatever weakness of character he might have, will be loyal to the government. She will be needed. She wants to fight. Michael is in love, and he says he wants to fight for New America, too.

“I owe you everything,” he tells me. “But I want to fight, too. And I’m whipped, bro. Let’s face it.”

Sam rolls her eyes, but I can feel that she feels something strong for him, too.

I tell him I’ll see him soon.

We both know that isn’t likely.

I lead trips into surrounding towns to get vehicles and supplies. We make several trips into Albuquerque to get things we need. Finally, one dawn, we’re ready to go and we say our good-byes and we’re off. We hope at the end of this trip to find a new beginning. I guess this is another way we haven’t changed. Some of our ancestors, long ago, came to America driven by the same hope, looking for the same new beginning. They called it the New World then. It’s our new world now.

THE
THE END

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