Authors: Jess Harpley
“No idea.”
The muscles in their legs ached, and Sway stared at them while they ran, confirming they were indeed still there. She silently willed them to continue taking orders, not daring to stop as she took a much-needed drink from her canteen.
He panted between words, “Maybe we’ll send some scouts out with bikes, check on the surrounding areas to see what the Priyon are doing.” They began passing community members, all dipping their heads, or tipping their hats at Sway and Eli in recognition of their service.
“That would be suicidal.”
“And staying in our walls, twiddling our thumbs isn’t?”
“Don’t be a dick, Eli.”
“Sorry,” he slowed to a walk and requested her water with a wave of his hand. “We’re all on pins and needles.”
They continued their walk as they crossed the elementary playground. So many carefree children swung from the maintained swings, ran about the fields, climbed the aging monkeybars. It was calming to see them.
“Any action would be better than none, that’s all I was saying,” he added, gazing with her at the young, free spirits.
Sway spotted Dymtre chasing a younger girl with what looked like a worm in his outstretched hand. Isla stood watch at the edge of the sandbox, wagging her finger and shouting to the children as they roughhoused. She was exceptional with the little tykes. It was heartbreaking to Sway to think her husband was killed before they could have one of their own. Likely, that was why Isla took her and Dymtre in, needing someone to nurture.
“Come on,” Eli pulled on her arm and they turned back to the auditorium. It was frightening to see almost all three thousand adults gathered in one place. Frightening to think about the implications of the meeting. Frightening to think it could be their last day, last minutes, together.
The mayor, Mr. Kolsch, and the rest of the leadership council sat in a half circle on the auditorium stage, talking. Ancient fluorescent lights flickered on and off, making the gathering more hair-raising.
They continued to crowd in, standing shoulder to shoulder as Kolsch rose to address them. “Good afternoon everyone. I’m sure the buzz is already flying around, so there’s no reason to skirt the issue.” He paused, but no one interjected. “There
are
Priyon in our territory, and a Beacon squad
was
chased from the training zone back into town earlier today.” The community began to whisper, a low rumble coming over the high ceilinged room.
He raised his hands to calm them. “We’ve spoken with the squad leader, Xander Blake,” Kolsch motioned and Xander approached the front of the stage, “and he’d like to say a few words about what happened.”
Xander thanked the mayor, and turned to the crowd. “We were out past Dallas Elementary when we spotted Priyon in the forest. We did not stick around to verify their intentions, but as we walked away, they chased us, unprovoked. To protect ourselves, we were forced to set fire to the median between the roads,” the group erupted at this in shouts of fear.
“They told us not to harm the trees!”
“That’s why they attacked you!”
“What were you thinking?”
Xander asked for quiet and the screams slowly dissolved into chatter. “We also had to fire on two of them and killed them.”
They became rowdy again as Xander attempted to continue. A sharp whistle broke out from the crowd, and Sway’s eyes fell on Reese. They silenced, but she couldn’t pay Xander anymore attention. All she could think of was getting over to Reese, getting near him, holding his hand. That would make everything better, more bearable.
“They retreated at that point, pulling their wounded back into the forest. It’s likely they are still there, waiting.” He finished recounting the events and backed away.
Kolsch moved to the front. “Now, everyone, we can all agree having eight of our own back home safely is all that matters. They are well into our territory, and they know we will take action to protect ourselves. It was a fault of theirs, not ours. Here’s what’s next.”
He pulled a sheet of paper from the desk, sighing as another one of the fluorescent bulbs died out. “We’re going to be sending two Beacon teams out, one to Vancouver, and another to Kelowna. They’ll be taking the south way out of town and part at Highway 97C. The Priyon were spotted coming in from the southwest, so if Kelowna is still intact, we can make a small assumption the Priyon are not hostile. If the town is destroyed, we will know they intend to bring war to us all.”
The community began shouting again, throwing fists of fear and anger.
“What about Vancouver?” Someone yelled above the rest.
Kolsch nodded, “Yes, we will be sending another team to Vancouver to negotiate for help, in case the Priyon have come for the reason we fear.” He held up a small radio. “Both teams will be in our last remaining biodiesel trucks with these radios. It should take the Kelowna team about two hours to get there, and the Vancouver team four. We have a great rapport with both of these communities, so they will not see a Beacon team coming in as a threat.”
“Why haven’t you raised them on the radio?” Another question penetrated the sea of confusion.
Kolsch pressed his hands downward in attempts to lower the groups levels, which were again getting out of control. “We talked with Vancouver two days ago, but haven’t been in touch today. Kelowna hasn’t responded either. We don’t stay on the radio twenty-four-seven, just like they don’t, so it’s possible we’ve missed them.”
There was only one question in Sway’s mind, what if they were wrong? What if they killed the Priyon, burned the trees and the grass… what if they started the conflict? She raised her hand, hopping and waving to be noticed over the taller members in front of her.
Shouts continued, but Kolsch ignored them. “Who is that in the back, there?” He pointed and the crowd parted for him to see her. The volume of the room finally came down, and Kolsch smiled, “Ah, Sarah. Thank you for raising your hand to speak. What did you want to ask?”
“Which teams are going?” Her voice gave out as she asked, the smoke, the running, and ragged drags of breath taking their toll.
“Sarah is asking what Beacon teams will be going.” He paused, pacing back to the other council members. “This is a hard choice, because we know it’s dangerous, so we’re asking for teams to volunteer. You’ll have two hours to talk to your family, talk with your cell, and then decide if you’d like to go.”
Mumbles and whispers filled the room as Beacon members exchanged thoughts. They would all risk their lives for the community, but they had to decide which was for the better. Stay and protect their families, or go out in search of help and information?
“Are there any more questions?” Kolsch scanned the murmuring faces. More hands rose, and words were shouted. Sway could pay them no heed. She locked eyes with Reese, nodding to him, and then to Eli.
“I thought you said it was suicide?” His eyebrow pointed.
Shrugging, she grinned with the excitement of adventure, no matter how perilous, “I thought you didn’t want to sit on your ass.”
Twenty-second of Ka, the Eighty-fourth year of D’Mjak
We regret to inform you that your mate, Felxak, and child were in a transport accident on the Fourth of Ka, this, your eighty fourth year of D’Mjak on Earth.
The sound of his voice seemed to creep to a halt, but his lips continued moving in mysterious ways, telling Bedelcast things he didn’t want to hear.
They did not survive.
His heart ached. Why? How?
The face on the screen continued without even a bit of sentiment,
If you wish to discontinue your service and return home, we will arrange it.
Bedelcast’s mouth dried, tongue scraping against the roof as thoughts swirled above. Why was Felxak leaving on a transport with Lym? Where were they going? Why hadn’t he said anything?
Bedelcast was hardly paying the screen any attention, until three words snapped him back to reality,
Lead Battle Commander, for the remainder of the Earth operation.
He replayed the last ten seconds of the message.
However, if you wish, we’re pleased to present you with the opportunity of Lead Battle Commander for the remainder of the Earth operation.
His pale green eyes shot wide open.
Lead Battle Commander.
He’d been born of a house so low, a position so unknown,
Lead Battle Commander,
it would bring his family name from destitution. This would be a new future for his children—no—he
had
a child. And that child was gone.
Please respond immediately with your desires.
As the screen blackened, the words, “Send Response” flashed in green amidst Bedelcast’s reflection. It was as if he looked into someone else, someone who’d just lost everything. A foreign face, an unknown creature, looked back at him from the darkness of the monitor.
Is this some kind of test? Would he abandon the cause to return to his family in this time of grieving? What if they were not dead. That must be it. It was a test, and they were not dead. When he accepted the lead position, they’d write back and tell him Felxak was still alive. His family was still alive
.
The lies Bedelcast spun strangled him as the image of his loving mate filled his mind’s eye. That radiant smile below vibrant orange hair. The sound of his laugh, though Bedelcast never thought it was anything but quirky, was a distant, beautiful chime, tormenting him. And their child. Tender, delicate, caring, thoughtful little Lym. She knew nothing but innocence, nothing but kindness. How can this be?
A sound like a bark, and stamping feet turned his gaze to the ship opening where a very disturbed Priyon stood, padding at the ground. Could it feel him? Feel Bedelcast’s pain? He stood, walked to the end of the ramp, and held out his hand to it. The Priyon backed away, mandibles chattering.
Sighing, he returned to his seat, chewing on his lip with anxiety. The reflection next to the green words was starting to look more and more like his own. The grief was passing, rational thought returning. He swallowed to dampen his dry mouth, moving a slender white finger over the
record
button on his personal craft’s dash.
The Priyon outside fidgeted again, and he considered closing the door for the message, for privacy, but wouldn’t. He loved the crisp Earth air, and it was the only thing keeping him sane. When the invasion was over, he was going to ask Felxak to move there with him to experience the dreams, fantastic flights of fantasy.
But they were dead, and so was that dream.
His finger pressed down as the image of his pale, hollow face and flat black hair filled the screen. “The second push is nearly complete. I estimate another quarter of the planet’s cycle.” He could not bear to look at himself for what he was about to say, but any weakness would be marked against him as treason. Any hesitation would be recognized as insensible compassion.
His eyes met the recording device, “I accept the Lead Battle Commander position, and will not leave until it is done.”
Chapter 6: Farewells
“Please don’t, please, please!” Dymtre’s teary eyes pressed into Sway’s chest as he wailed. Her heart broke. She’d never known the love of a little brother, never knew to expect that sort of reaction.
She squeezed him. “It’s not very far, and we’ll be able to bring back help, or find out if the Priyon are dangerous or not.”
Isla stood away from them at the kitchen sink, scrubbing a pot which didn’t need anymore scrubbing. It was eating her up inside that she wanted to leave, Sway knew. But that was just it. She didn’t want to leave. She didn’t want any of it to have happened. They’d killed Priyon though, and she needed to know if that was all without cause, if
they
were the monsters.
She smiled to him as his eyes fell on hers. “We need to protect our town, and this is a way to do it. Plus, you know we’re the best.”
“That’s why,” he sniffled, “you should stay
here
.” His “e” stretched on into a new wave of crying and Sway cradled him with a coo. Isla moved on to a glass, her fingers rubbing the inside of it with a ring.
Sway’s cheek pressed to Dymtre’s. “Come on now, you don’t need to be sad. I’m coming right back, and you’re going to be fine right here in town.”
The glass shattered against the tile floor, Isla turning with a red, damp face. She managed to speak through her sobs, “You don’t know that! You don’t know anything!” She threw the clean pot from the sink, denting the drywall, and Dymtre’s cries turned to screams.
“Hey now, it’s alright, she’s just scared is all.” Isla stormed from the kitchen as Sway continued to rock Dmytre. “I’m not scared, and you shouldn’t be either.”
His hysteria softened to whimpers, “Why not?”
Clenching her teeth, she prepared for the lie she did not want to tell. The dark truth of their situation was, perhaps, too much for a child his age, and she couldn’t bear for him to be any more frightened than he was. “Dymtre,
if
I don’t come back, and Kamloops
is
overrun with Priyon, it will only be scary for a moment, it will only hurt for so short a time, then we’ll be in Heaven. Everyone will meet us there, and we’ll be a family again.”
His lip quivered with fear, and she knew she had to strengthen his spirit. “But you know we’re coming back, and the Priyon aren’t going to hurt you, right?” He bobbed his head solemnly. Sway was dying to hear his little laugh one more time, and so she blew a raspberry into his neck, tickling his sides.
His giggle was uncontrollable, and contagious. “Stop it, Sarah! I’m gonna pee myself!” She discontinued her relentless assault, holding him closer instead.
They sat in silence for several minutes, staring at the reddened sky outside the kitchen window, and then he spoke, “I know you don’t like to lie, so you don’t have to.”
He paused for much too long, so she asked, “What is it?”
“We’re all going to die tonight, aren’t we?” His words chilled Sway to the core, unravelling her already frail mind.
No tears, not one,
she convinced herself. She couldn’t let them see a single one, not a shred of fear.
Be stronger than this goddammit!
Taking a deep inhale, she turned him. “That is just hogwash. Don’t even think it!” She looked sternly into his eyes, and they seemed to believe her words. “I’m going to show you a secret, if you promise you won’t tell anyone.”
A little smirk played on his cheeks as he nodded. Taking him by the hand, they proceeded up the stairs to the bedroom. Sway pulled the bunk bed away, wiggling her knife in the wood to loosen the hideout door. It popped back, revealing a treasure trove of pilfered goodies. The 9mm handgun, a small collection of ammunition, the heart project, her long forgotten and full diary, an art history book from the library, and many other odds and ends.
Dymtre smiled as he touched the dark walnut, then the diary. “Will you read something to me before you go?”
“What do you want me to read?” She pulled him onto her lap as she sat cross-legged on the floor. His finger jabbed directly at the notebook, a massive grin plastered to his face.
Of course he wanted to read her diary, she thought dismally. As far as she knew, it held no secrets she hadn’t already shared with him, no information that could hurt him, and so it was safe to read.
Flipping it open to a random spot, a knot grew in her throat almost immediately. “My mom told me today I need to focus on what I want to do in the community, to hone my skill. I don’t have any skills, not like she does. If only I were as good of a marksman as she is, I could try out for Beacon, too. Without any way to train, how could I possible get better?”
“Your mom was in Beacon, like you?” He sniffled, the last of his tears finally faded.
“Yep, she was a sniper. She used the gun Eli takes care of now, so when I’m with him, it’s sort of like I’m with her, too.” Sway’s soul yearned for the passage to be over, but refused to give in to emotion, so she read on.
“My father says there’s still plenty of time, I’m only ten as it is. I’m worried if I wait too long to decide, I’ll never be good at anything.” The writing shifted gears, and she was happy to read about something less serious. “Eli found a baby raccoon today stuck in our compost pile. We named it Panda.”
Dymtre laughed, “You named a
rodent
after a bear?”
“What do you expect, I was your age!” She closed the diary, her brow furrowed in mock anger.
He cackled, “Sounds like something a
chickenbutt
would say!” Escaping her grasp, Dymtre fled down the stairs. She chased him around the house as his childish joy filled the warm wooden halls.
A knock at the door ripped her from the serenity of the moment, back to reality. Isla emerged at last, letting the knockers into their home. Xander and Reese beckoned to her, their faces stern and serious.
“I have to go now, buddy, but I told you, I’m coming back.” They embraced tightly, his hands gripping the back of her dirty Beacon shirt, “Don’t be scared, you need to protect Isla.”
He whispered, “I’m not, because I know, no matter what happens, we’ll be together again.” She silently asked her cell for more time, and they waved her on. She carried him up to the bedroom, sticking her knife back in its sheath.
Her fingers brushed the 9mm.
“Dymtre,” heart thumping and head growing sick, she whispered, “you know how to use this?”
“Not really.”
Sway pulled it from the cubby, securing it in his right hand. “When you put the magazine in, pull back on the slide,” she made him perform the operation himself, to know the weight. “now, put your left under the grip here,” guiding him, he nodded, “then look down the sight.”
He pulled back on the trigger and the pin snapped forward into an empty chamber. “Load the rounds like this,” she pushed one of the 9mm rounds into the magazine with her thumb as she had a million times. “All you do after that is put it in, pull the slide back, and you’re good to go.”
She set it aside, giving him another tight embrace. “Only use it if you have to. I trust you.” His eyes teared. “I’ve got to go now, but I
will
be back.” Pocketing the black walnut heart, she turned to the bedroom door where Isla stood watch.
She opened her arms to Sway, her lips pressed together to hold back her sobs. They held each other for too short a time, and she whispered, “I know you’ll be back. You’re so strong and beautiful. Go find us some answers.”
Sway emerged on the main floor landing, emotionally unprepared.
Biting her cheek to hide the anxiety, she mustered the last bit of confidence into words, “Let’s go.”
Reese saw she was hanging on by threads. “Are you sure?” He offered her a way out, a way to stay, but she couldn’t. She needed to know if they’d killed those Priyon unnecessarily, or if they were hostile.
Shaking her head, she dared not look over her shoulder, up the stairs. “We’re going.”
Dymtre and Isla’s gazes burned into her as she pulled the door shut, their wet eyes begging her not to go.
“We are the first warning, the protector at the gate, the savior in the night,” she murmured quietly, the only thing she had to distract herself. There was no turning back.
They collected the rest of the cell, meeting at the training facility—what used to be the elementary school—to discuss their departure.
“The fact of the matter is, you
are
a new cell, and you’re all young.” The command cell leader, Thomas Tanner, rubbed his weary eyes. He was a stocky man, with a head shaved similarly to Xander’s, though it was obvious if he hadn’t shaved it, there’d be little growing on top. “I just can’t send you out there with a clear conscience.”
Xander fidgeted, wanting to retort.
Eli stepped forward. “Excuse me for saying sir, but that’s bullshit.”
“Eli!” Xander yanked him back and the hall echoed with his fury.
“Let him speak his piece.” Tom dismissed it with a wave. “However, young man,” Tom glared to Eli, “the descent is not appreciated.”
“Sorry, sir. Yes, we are a new cell, but we’ve been together for two years, or more in some cases. We’re no strangers to each other, or to combat.” He put the first argument to bed.
“We are considered adults in this community, no matter how many years we’ve been on this planet. We said we were ready to die for this community, and you all agreed.” Second argument out the window.
“We want to be helpful, we want to clear our own consciences. We killed Priyon today, we need to know if that was without just cause.”
Sway found it hard to believe he felt any remorse for the dead Priyon. More likely he felt remorse for the fact it could have started a war.
The command cell nodded in agreement. Tom was unmoved, fiddling with the
command
patch on his blue and gray suit. “You’re too inexperienced to take on this task.”
“Sir, all the more reason for us to go,” River saluted. “The experienced cells will be here to protect our families in case of an attack, but we can still make ourselves useful collecting information.”
Tom pursed his lips and River went on, “It’s a two hour trip there, the shorter of the two, and we’ll have a radio on at all times. There is little to no risk.” She chuckled. “We outran Priyon
on foot
today, sir, I don’t think we’ll struggle to evade them again, if it comes to that.”
His finger pointed into the air, “Another reason you should not go. You’ve been up since early morning, hoofed it nearly twenty kilometers while being pursued. You’re tired.”
“Sir, exhaustion is something we’re well prepared for.” Richard patted River’s shoulder. “We’re not running on fumes right now, not even close.”
Was it true? Sway did an honest check of her energy levels. Perhaps it was fear and stress holding everything together, or maybe they
were
a well produced cell.
Tom paced, his hand stroking his stubbled chin. “Seems you’ve trained a group just as stubborn as you are, Lieutenant Blake.”
Xander beamed, “Thank you, sir.”
“Are you prepared to leave your newborn child?” Tom’s words struck home.
Xander’s gaze fell to his feet. “All tasks need doing, sir. Kaitlyn knows the importance of this recon mission–”
“We’re coming back!” Sway shouted, “Sir, so stop talking like we won’t.”
Everyone straightened. She could be the faith they needed. That strength, whether true or not, would get them back home.
“The more we argue over it, the more daylight we’re losing, so let’s stop with the dally. Either we’re going or we aren’t.” Tom looked to his cell, still uncertain. “We’re ready to go. Will you let us?”
The command cell turned away from them, speaking low. They all seemed to be in agreement, except Tom, who feared losing his first born son, the last family he had. Yes, that had to be the reason he was so adamant about Sway’s cell not going, because Reese would have to leave him.
The conversation grew more heated, Tom fighting the rest of his cell.
“I will not lose the only thing I have left!” he blurted.
“I’m not the only thing you have!” Reese’s fists were clenched. “You have this whole community to watch over.” The meeting room was quiet. “And like Sway said, we’re coming back.” She gripped his hand tightly, looking into his eyes to confirm his love of her, and he did the same.
“But son—”
“No, Commander. I took the oath, just like you did. I belong just as much to the whole of this community as I do to you.” Tom looked away, feeling defeat was upon him. “No other cell volunteered. It’s just us, and it needs to be done.” Tom shuffled away from his cell, away from everyone, and gazed out the window.
Reese placed his hand against his father’s back, “Dad, you know we’re capable, and we need to clear our conscience.” Tom embraced him, and they held each other in solace.
“I’m scared.”
They all backed away. Seeing the commander vulnerable was unsettling, and they needed to give him space with his son.