Genesis (The Exodus Trilogy) (11 page)

However impossible it seemed, the only possible conclusion was that the humanoids, dating back to the beginning of Akhab history, were the same as on those recent images of her and her mother. The humanoid creatures were actually… human.

Human beings had been here before, thousands of years ago. And the Akhab had gained self-consciousness at the same time, which meant these humans must have contributed to a major step in the Akhab’s evolution.

Ben waters

Ben knew he was in trouble. A week ago, he had fallen down a steep cliff and twisted his foot badly. It had only hurt for a moment before the parasite had boosted his endorphin production to the point that the pain subsided to a dull ache. A couple of days later, it was as if he’d never hurt himself at all. In the back of his mind, he knew it wasn’t the way it should be; that he should have been holed up somewhere, hoping for someone to come find him. But that was the way it was with the parasite. It took care of him, but it came with a price.

He knew the price all too well by now. He had killed Lisa and Drew, his two best friends, and an innocent messenger. All because the parasite that protected him also made him do bad things to those who upset him or provoked him, even if it was nothing but a strange look. He curled his lips in disgust. The worst thing was that every time the parasite helped him, it took away a piece of him, leaving him less of himself and more controlled by this… bug.

And this time, he didn’t know if there would be anything left of him at all. The water rat, almost two meters long and all teeth and claws, had nearly killed him, and though Ben proved the stronger fighter, the venom and blood loss had made him pass out right next to the dead creature. Now he lay curled up in agonizing pain, waiting for the parasite to relieve him of some of the worst of it. He had meant to crawl under a nearby cliff to get out of the drizzle, but even that had proved too painful, so he just lay there while the rain washed off the grime and blood.

He shivered. Come night time, it would get cold, but he hoped the parasite would help him regain his strength, at least enough to find shelter. He remembered once, back when he was just a fresh conscript in General Hayden’s rebel army, when he’d been forced to kill a dog. The instructor had said it would strengthen his resolve, get him ready for killing men. He’d vomited afterward, when there was just him and the other kids. How long ago had it been? How many had he killed since? He’d lost count a long time ago.

When he was placed on the New Discovery, the general himself had told him to take care of his daughter, the old man’s eyes misting as he spoke. And he had, for a while. He had taken care of the kids, helped calm them as the rocket shook, comforted them when they had cried, forever bereaved of their parents. Once they reached Earth’s orbit, though, Tina Hammer, the executive officer of the Exodus, had made sure they were let on board and given a new future on Aurora.

Life had been good for a while, he thought, as he felt the pain dull slightly. All the kids had seen their share of horrors, and he had probably seen more than most. They were mending, though, and Ben had seen that life could be more than just a fight for survival. He hadn’t cared about the politics, all the differences of opinion. He had seen hell, and however things were run here, on the new world, anything would be better than what he had come from. That was before they shot Harry.

He tried to move his chewed-up leg. It was better, but it would still be a while yet before he could crawl to shelter. He lay back, trying not to think about everything that had happened. He was so tired! He knew there was no turning back, of course. There would be no redemption, not for killing his friends and the messenger. Nothing that he could do would ever set that straight.

Damn parasite!
he thought. This wasn’t him, it couldn’t be!

He thought about drowning. Even the bug couldn’t save his body from that, could it?

Or he could snatch a gun from somewhere, that would certainly do it. He might be able to, once he got his strength back. How nice it would be, to be free from the regrets, free from guilt.

It was tempting. Oh, so tempting.

But why should he be free? Why should he deserve that, after all he had done?

Besides, he knew he’d never be able to work up the courage. He had tried once, back on Earth, but he just couldn’t do it. And now the parasite would just mess with his mind again and stop him anyway.

Maybe he should just turn himself in? At least then he would get his just punishment, and it might even give them a chance to study the parasite. He knew they had to figure it out, or humans would always be in danger on Aurora. One small glitch, and another would be consumed by the bug and become its willing tool, for whatever purpose it served.

A purpose! That’s what he needed. If he had a purpose, something worth doing, there might still be something he could do. Though nothing could bring back Lisa and Drew, he might be able to protect others, or help someone in need. The only problem was that in this situation, there was no purpose to be had. Nothing to do but lie here, waiting for the parasite to take yet another piece of him, the price of healing one more time.

Maria solis

Maria sat with her mother and Jujjj in the large cave, having gone over the parts of both human and Akhab history that they thought might give them a clue that would help them understand what the murals had told them. The fact that humans had been here thousands of years ago was completely mind-boggling, and Maria had a hard time wrapping her head around it. How was that possible, when man had only ventured out to space in the last century of Earth’s history?

She wished she could talk to Thomas. In fact, she had to, and soon. He was entitled to know. The thought lightened her mood. They were having a baby! She wasn’t prepared for it at all, but she had embraced it the second the doctor had told her. It was something she couldn’t explain; it just felt right. Being pregnant made her even more worried for him, though. She didn’t know where he was at the moment, and she suspected she wouldn’t see much of him for a while yet.

“So they came here because their home world had been destroyed,” Isabella said, while Jujjj nodded frantically. Maria let her thoughts of Thomas and the baby go and focused on the conversation.

“Giveer of Liiffe, hoome woorld,” he said.

“This is… amazing…” Maria said. “I mean, I still don’t get it. Humans came here, millennia ago. But from where? And what does it mean? What does that make us Earthborn?”

“Do not knoow,” Jujjj said. “The saame, but from diifferent plaace. Do not knoow. Not understaand.” Jujjj was intelligent, really intelligent, Maria thought. The way he had learned English from scratch was nothing short of impressive. But this was an entirely different ballgame.

“So let’s sum up what we know,” Isabella said. Always the logical thinker and the one searching for solutions rather than stacking up the problems.

“They came here from a planet called Giver of Life, or something that means Giver of Life. Does this have to be Earth? Granted, Earth has been known by similar names, but it could just as well be somewhere else, right?” she said.

“Then what does that make us? That’s what I’m trying to make sense of,” Maria said.

“You huuman, too. Like theem,” Jujjj said, a smile visible beneath the fur.

“Yes, we’re human, too.” She looked at her mother again.

“So, is it possible? That two strains of human species have evolved in two different places? Or is the other explanation more likely, that we’re actually connected in some way?” Isabella shrugged.

“Well, I don’t know. If you ask me, I’d say the probability of two seeds growing into two exact copies of each other, in two different locations, light-years from each other, is highly unlikely. I’d bet on a common ancestor or something. Something that could spread across the universe. God, perhaps? I just don’t know. You’re the biologist, but I believe this is one puzzle biology can’t solve. At least not without more history.” She smiled, having compared their educational backgrounds like that. Maria had to smile, as well. She knew that neither had the tools to solve this. If only the Akhab had been able to pinpoint the origin of the humans. But she understood what Jujjj had said; the Akhab counted themselves as Akhab only after the first humans arrived. And they had no knowledge of anything that came before, or at least nothing they wanted to share. The Akhab were strange that way; they were completely honest and open, after their own fashion. It seemed if they deemed something not worthy of conversation, they would keep it to themselves, even if it would seem extremely important to her. For example, only after figuring it out for herself, Jujjj had freely spoken of the humans who had once lived here alongside the Akhab. Until she had, the fact clearly hadn’t seemed relevant to the Akhab. She shook her head, desperate to know more, but unable to figure it out. Perhaps given time, artifacts or traces of these first humans would be found, but for now, it was a mystery she couldn’t solve.

Kenneth taylor

Kenneth had taken to drinking tea with his guest from the Indira Federation as often as he could. There was so much to learn, and he felt that his conversations with the Dehlian gained him an insight that would prove valuable not only in the here and now, but also in the long run. And although the cultural differences sometimes made it difficult to grasp a concept or understand a line of reasoning, in many ways, Kenneth and Rajiv thought alike. Kenneth suspected it had to do with their shared interest in the politics of Earth in the final decades, and the way they both saw through the rhetoric and propaganda. He realized a deep friendship was being formed, and he let it. The future Aurora needed strong ties to the Indira Federation, and it seemed they shared a common enemy and even quite a few common ideals. They could have done worse.

It was all very different from the world they had left behind. The boundaries between nations and peoples had been tightly governed and patrolled in those years. Still, sometimes they blurred, even in a world where mistrust and rivalry thrived. Take the Russians, who were part of the European community, which had cooperated with the Americans, and at the same time ran their own project. Rajiv didn’t know what happened to the European starship, only that it had been a lot smaller than the Exodus. It had also been one of the least likely to succeed, in Rajiv’s opinion, as the Europeans were deeply split amongst themselves. While the Russians had been part of that project, they had also worked with the Chinese on the generation ships, which on the one hand had succeeded in saving more than any other starship, while on the other hand, had resulted in a nightmare. Another Russian group, privately funded, had even worked with a Scandinavian effort to build a moon base. This project had people from other nations, as well, even a few Americans, but Rajiv believed there were mainly Russians and Scandinavians on board the shuttles taking as many as possible from Earth to the moon in the final years prior to impact. It seemed they had been planning to wait it all out, until Earth became habitable again. He would have loved to know what happened to them. Had they managed to stay alive while Earth recovered? Had they succumbed to horrors such as the Chinese? Or had they run out of resources altogether, and simply died? He had even spoken to George Havelar about it, now that they were gradually trying to work together. Havelar had told him that they had ruled out the moon early on in the planning, so there must have been huge and perhaps insurmountable obstacles to such a plan. Still, there had to be at least a small chance that they had made it, and he wished there was a way to find out. But, however that had turned out, they had more pressing issues to deal with right here on Aurora.

The Chinzhoi, as Rajiv referred to them, had made no move as of yet to go north, which suited Kenneth just fine. He knew, though, it was only a matter of time, and they needed to develop a strategy. So far, they had discussed the fact that their enemy was human, how to deal with their long-range weapons, and how to prepare defenses. All well and good, but there was no solution in these conversations. They needed an overall plan, something that would encompass all the tactical considerations. Kenneth had thought about whether it would be possible to negotiate, but that had been quickly ruled out. The Chinzhoi had made no attempt to contact them and seemed bent on taking whatever they wanted. Kenneth suspected that meant all of Aurora.

“I wish I knew more about them,” Kenneth said.

“You don’t need to know more about them, only how to hurt them,” Rajiv said sternly. Kenneth knew Rajiv was on their side in this. The Indira Federation was strong, clearly, but they had some pretty small outposts that would be very vulnerable should the might of Chinzhou decide to descend upon them.

“Yes, but how do we hurt them enough? We’re so few, and we’ve lost so much already. We cannot fight another war; even if we win, there won’t be enough of us left,” he said. Rajiv set his cup down and stood.

“I cannot stand idly by and watch this happening to you,” he said. “Please excuse me, as I have to go and check something.” He paused for a moment. “There are rules to be obeyed, but there are also provisions for unforeseen circumstances. Hopefully, I might have something that could help you. I have to try, or else I could not live with myself.” Kenneth stared at him, puzzled by the sudden outburst. The Dehlian was indeed becoming a friend.

Tina hammer

The knock on the door disturbed her musings, and she looked up from the large map that lay spread out across her table.

“Come,” she barked. She didn’t have much time before she had to go, so this had better be important. The door opened, and Kenneth entered, with Rajiv Singh trailing behind.

“Do you have a minute?” Kenneth asked.
No I don’t
, she thought.

“Of course. Have a seat,” she said. The two men sat down, and she noticed the Dehlian frowning, as she’d seen him do when he was considering something.

“So,” she said as she sat also, “what can I do for you?”

“Actually, Mr. Singh here has something for you. Well, for us, I believe,” Kenneth said.

“He wanted you to be present, as he says this is something that needs to be considered from a military perspective, as well as a political one,” he continued, and gestured for the ambassador to speak. Rajiv Singh produced his tablet.

“What I have here are the detailed instructions that ambassadors of the Indira Federation need to comply with. Since I speak on behalf of the Federation, I always have to make sure my actions are in compliance with Indira law.” He thumbed around on his tablet, finding what he was searching for.

“Now, I have said before that Aurora must solve its own problems. I personally sympathize with your cause, and I believe your values and principles are compatible with the values and principles of the Indira Federation. And if I can be so blunt, the invasion made my job a lot easier, since you are now a united people under attack, and clearly justified in defending yourselves. Which also makes what I’m about to say possible, even though my hands were tied just a short while ago.” He paused, and looked at each of them.

“You’re allowed to help us now?” Tina said, narrowing her eyes. She understood the Indira stance, but she did think it was a bit hypocritical. They didn’t need sympathizers; they needed weapons, medicines… The Dehlian smiled.

“There is a way, I think. I have studied the laws and regulations and legislative preambles, and I believe I have found a way to give you everything you need.” That made Kenneth sit straighter.

“Everything?” he said. Rajiv Singh nodded.

“Everything. Please let me explain.” He seemed to settle in as he began.

“As an ambassador, I speak on behalf of the Federation. I am allowed to make trade agreements, political agreements, and such. In the preamble for our constitution, it says that the Federation is made up of free entities that may choose to enter or leave the Federation freely. Now, for leaving, there are certain requirements, in order to secure a stable relationship between the settlements. We made mistakes early on, which I have told you, and needed to make sure peace is secured even in the face of political discord or disagreement on other issues. But as long as certain requirements are met, anyone can join the Federation. Of course, such membership is pending until a formal recognition can be made by the Federation Assembly. We would be reluctant to let a civilization that was larger than Dehlia join, as it might threaten the founding principles and values upon which the Federation was built. But Aurora would have no such problems. And if you were to join the Indira Federation, you would have the might of the Federation behind you. I can personally guarantee that Dehlia would take you under its wing and protect you from this and any future threats. We have so much in common. Democracy, ideals…”

“Wait a minute,” Kenneth said. “You’re proposing that we… join the Indira Federation?” Tina looked at the ambassador, before turning toward Kenneth. She could see something was bothering the president. Rajiv Singh obviously didn’t notice, though, as he nodded eagerly.

“Yes. The Federation will have whatever you need for taking back what is rightfully yours. My starship contains the weapons you need right now, and as members, you will be under the protection of the full might of the Federation. I will personally request that a full battle group be assigned here, and I believe they will see the value of protecting your settlement from the vile Chinzhoi.” Tina frowned.

“The Federation ships will take years to get here, even if they sent a ship right now,” she said, and the Dehlian nodded.

“Yes, of course. Which is why I also have the power to use the resources at my disposal, in the short term. My starship is very well equipped, but it all depends on how well established they are on Aurora,” Rajiv said.

“Please, explain,” Kenneth said, leaning back in his chair. Tina thought he looked pale, and she sympathized with him. It couldn’t be easy, being in charge in the middle of a war, with no former leadership experience.