The Colonists (The Movement Trilogy) (19 page)

We're due for a broadcast, Tasneem says over her shoulder.

I don't think that's wise right now, Varien says.
 

Well, when we find cover, I mean.

Don't you think we should wait a while? Even if we do lose them, they're going to be looking hard for us. If they find the signal --

We have scramblers scattered all through the belt, Tasneem says, digging through a stack of boxes. We drop them every ten thousand miles or so. They do a pretty good job of scattering and masking our signal.

Still, he says.
 

Tasneem stops kicking through the boxes. Wait, she says. You haven't finished it, have you.
 

Cut the kid some slack
, David says in Tasneem's ear.
This is his first time on the run.

Almost, Varien says. Sort of.
 

Well, how far are you from finishing?
 

Varien hesitates. I've written about fifty words.
 

Fifty words, Tasneem says. Jesus. What do they say?
Hi, how are you, wow, things are pretty bad out here, aren't they.

Something like that, Varien says.

But Tasneem is too tired for jokes. After you make coffee, I want to read what you've got. Your last one was good, but that was nearly two months ago. I don't understand what's stalling you.

I just -- I don't know what to say, he confesses. Look, we have a real communications problem here.

Here, Tasneem says, digging up a packet of coffee. What do you mean, a comms problem?

A branding problem, really, he says.
 

Go on.

They lean into the supply doors, jamming them shut again, and then Varien follows Tasneem up the catwalk again.

Deimos, he says.
 

Yes. So?
 

Tasneem, a band of rebels dropped a moon on the Citadel's biggest city, he says. These aren't rebels like you and I are rebels. They aren't after peaceful negotiations. They killed everybody to make a point. Machine-class, too. You speak up now, you're going to have to make a distinction between them and us, or everybody's going to see us as the same. Is that what you want?
 

Tasneem stops. I don't know.

We should have a firm perspective on that before we broadcast again, don't you think?

She is silent for a long while, leaning against the catwalk.
 

I've been broadcasting for a long time, she says. Telling the people how to push back. How to speak up. How to claim their due. I've never advocated violence, Varien.
 

I know, he says.

But maybe I've been wrong. It hasn't gotten us anyplace. People are still complacent. Exploding a moon is extreme, but maybe some violent resistance is what the people need now.
 

You see why I've been stuck?
 

She nods. I do. I'm sorry to have --

The ship shudders hard, the catwalk groaning as it swings back and forth. The emergency lighting goes out, then powers back up.
 

What the hell? Varien says.

Tarae, Tasneem says.

They run.

Serena and Oona are already on the bridge when Tasneem and Varien burst in.
 

What happened? Tasneem shouts.

The bridge is awash in flashing lights, and Oona is kneeling over Tarae, who lies prone on the floor. Varien steps around Tasneem and kneels beside Oona.
 

Can I help? he asks.

Oona says, Crack open that med-kit.
 

Serena slides into the pilot's chair.
 

What happened? Tasneem repeats.
 

We hit something, Serena says. I think. That, or the operative has firing capabilities.

Operative scout ships don't have weaponry, Tasneem says.

I know, Serena says. So we hit something.

Hit what --

We're in a goddamn asteroid belt, Tasneem, Serena says. Let me get my bearings.

Tasneem turns to Oona. Is she okay?
 

Varien breaks open an adrenaline pack and hands it to Oona, who fastens it to Tarae's arm.
 

She's sleep-deprived, Oona says. Whatever we hit, we hit because she probably fell asleep. She's going to be fine. Although I think she might have fractured this elbow here when she was thrown out of the chair. It's already swollen.

Serena says, I've got us back on course. But Tasneem, you should see this.

Tasneem leans over Serena's shoulder. What?

Serena points at the radar screenview. That, she says.

On the screen, two glowing dots huddle together like fireflies.

Tasneem says, How many miles does that leave between us? When the blips are touching?

Serena looks up at Tasneem. No miles, Tasneem. They're on us now.
 

Varien says, Wait -- don't we have countermeasures? Hyperdrive? Something?

Serena shakes her head. The only thing we can count on now is that they can't tell us apart from the asteroids. We're not equipped for --

A deep, resounding
thankk
reverberates through the ship, and the whole bridge vibrates from the impact.

Tasneem looks up at Serena.
 

Yeah, Serena says.

•
 
•
 
•

Pull her, Tasneem says.

I can carry her, Varien says.

Everybody with me, Tasneem says, breaking into a run. Now, now!

Varien runs with Tarae over his shoulder, wincing at the sensation of her head thumping against his back. But there's nothing to be done.
 

Hurry! Tasneem yells.

Tasneem
, David says.
We've never talked about this.

I don't have time, Tasneem thinks.

I know what you are doing,
he says.
It's good. It will probably work. And this will sound terrible, but Tasneem -- you can't do it. We'll both be killed.

She ignores him.
 

They come upon Ishy in the corridors.
 

With us, Varien pants. Come, come!

Tasneem runs them to the galley. Through the galley viewports, Varien can see a dangling cable that wasn't there before. It slaps against the outer hull, heavier than it looks. The sound bounces off of the galley walls as though an anchor has been thrown down.
 

Serena, Tasneem shouts. Help me.
 

The two women grab the galley table and lift, shuttling it to one side. Beneath it is a heavy rug, threadbare in places. Tasneem throws it back, and drops to her knees. The floor is full of small circular cutouts, and Tasneem fits her fingers into two of them and lifts a panel away.
 

Beneath it, a staircase sinks into darkness.
 

Inside, Tasneem says. Everybody. Now!

Ishy and Oona go first. Varien lowers Tarae down, and the two women take her from him. As he starts to descend the staircase, Tasneem stops him.

Here, she says, grabbing Varien's hand.
 

Tasneem, what are you doing?
David asks.
Wait!
 

Without waiting for Varien's approval, she fastens the databand to his wrist. Varien opens his mouth to protest, but Tasneem is already fitting the earpiece into his ear.
 

You take care of him, she says. There is nothing more important than him. Do you understand?
 

Varien says, Wait, wait, I don't --

Tell me you understand. Do it!

Varien's jaw hangs open. I -- I understand. But Tasneem, wait, you have to --

Good, Tasneem says. Go!
 

She pushes him, and he steps backward to keep his balance, and as he does, Tasneem pulls the metal grate shut over his head. A moment later, the rug thumps into place over it, and everything vanishes into darkness.

•
 
•
 
•

Varien huddles in the dark with his three crewmates.

Where is Tasneem? Where is Serena? Ishy whispers.
 

He shakes his head, then realizes that Ishy can't see him in the black.
 

They stayed abovedecks, he says.
 

They sit in silence, absorbing the meaning of that.
 

In the dark, they can hear the sounds of the hull being dismantled by the boarding party. Screeching sounds of metal sawing metal. Heavy clanking sounds as parts of the hull fall onto the inner decks. Varien imagines the sparks, the searing edges of the hull, glowing red.
 

He wonders if Tasneem and Serena have another hiding place.

They make their stand now
, David answers.

Varien flinches. He had forgotten all about the databand.

Do not talk to me,
David reminds him.
Think. You don't want to startle the rest of the crew. Understand?

Yes, Varien thinks. Can you hear that?

Yes,
David says.
I hear your thoughts even when they are not directed at me. I know you're scared. I know how quickly your heart is beating right now. I recognize the patterns of your brainwaves. I know that your cholesterol level is acceptable for a man of your age. I know that you drink little alcohol, and that your body has a slight allergy to it. I know, too, that it is uncomfortable for you to understand how connected I am to you now. As uncomfortable as it is, you must accept it. You are to play a larger role now, Varien. A much, much larger role.
 

What do you mean, a larger role? Varien thinks.

You are being passed the mantle,
David says.
Tasneem has chosen you.
 

What does that mean? What's going to happen to her?

I don't know what will happen to her,
David says.
And whatever happens, you must not intervene. Your safety is now of paramount importance. Tasneem knows this. She will do anything to protect you now.
 

Because of you?
 

Because of me,
David says,
and the secret that I hold. But also because she trusts you. You are my shepherd now, Varien.
 

How long will it take them to get through? Oona asks.

In the dark, Ishy says, Not long. A few hours.
 

They're going to find us, Oona says. They'll search the whole ship. They'll find our quarters, our things. They'll know we're here somewhere. They'll find us, and then what?
 

No, Ishy says. The transport pod. The one Catrine took. Tasneem will let them think that we were on it, too.

But Tasneem, says Oona. Serena. What will happen to them?

Tarae wakes and it is black, and Oona notices before anybody else.
 

Be quiet, Oona says softly.

But Tarae is disoriented. What happened? Where am I?

Shh, Ishy whispers. You mustn't talk.
 

Varien has retreated from the women into a corner. It is cold in the holding space, and while the women generate warmth, he is too distracted to remain close.
 

I can hear them, he thinks.

Yes
, says David.
I do, too. It sounds like there are only a few.
 

Three, maybe. Four.

That sounds about right.

We would outnumber them, then, Varien thinks.

You can't take them,
David says.
 

I could. I'm fast. I'm strong.
 

They would hear you coming.

I can be quiet.

No
, David says.
I mean, it would be unavoidable. Tasneem and Serena pulled the table and the rug over our heads. You couldn't leave this space without drawing attention.
 

I can't let them bear this alone, Varien thinks.
 

You must
, David says.
It is awful and seems impossible, I know. But you must.
 

Why? They don't have to endure this alone.
 

I want to tell you a story,
David says.

Now?
 

Yes.

•
 
•
 
•

Have you ever heard the great legend of Varien?
David asks.

Varien hesitates in the darkness. The legend of Varien, he repeats. Varien who?

The great Varien Dulcek
, David answers.

Don't fuck with me right now, Varien thinks. I want to go up. I want to protect them.

But David ignores him.
A little backstory, first. Once, a great many thousands of years ago, the species of mankind evolved upon a little planet in a tiny solar system in a distant galaxy. The Milky Way, it was called, for reasons that so many men and women have now forgotten. This species was unlike any other. It learned, like many creatures did, but it developed an ability to retain knowledge, and to build upon that knowledge, and to create. That's what set mankind apart from the rest. It made things.
 

Varien is impatient, and interrupts. David, we don't have time for fairy tales, he thinks.

But David continues anyway.

Man evolved, as all species do. From rudimentary tools, man created shelter and weapons. He learned to tell stories. He created villages and learned to barter goods. Class systems followed. Money. Religion. Governments. As the years passed, man's influence grew, and he began to spread across his little planet. He climbed great mountains, and dove deep into oceans. He conquered the air, and then leapt from his planet to a moon. And none of this was enough. Man's spirit grew stronger, his will more unyielding.
 

Varien is quiet now, listening.

Man became dissatisfied, and grew more entitled. He dominated the other creatures of his world so completely that they became products to be consumed. He demanded pleasures and satisfactions, regardless of the cost to others, or to his small planet. And so the planet suffered. Man poisoned it, stole from it, pierced it. And the planet one day fell apart, and man was consumed in this period of destruction.