Transient Echoes (13 page)

She was his best friend and the love of his life, and while he’d told her as much on multiple occasions, it never felt like enough.

Ch
ap
ter
9

Ortego Outpost File Logs

Play Audio File 351

Recorded: April 24, 2350

THISTLE:
Thanks for getting back to me, Doc.

TABATA
: Certainly, Captain. What can I do for you?

THISTLE
: I need you to update me with the status of the Ortego Research Outpost and its crew. We’ve been receiving conflicting reports.

TABATA
: Wouldn’t you prefer to speak with Lieutenant
Finn? He’s been here longer than I have. Besides, I understand you know him.

THISTLE
: I had a call with Finn this morning. He’s mentally fried. Kid tells me it’s nothing, but I’m no idiot. I know my man well enough to see when something’s got him by the ear.

TABATA
: And the other researchers? I imagine one of them would—

THISTLE
: You said it yourself. You’re new, and you don’t know these people. It makes you more impartial to what’s going on.

TABATA
: I see. Alright, how can I assist you?

THISTLE
: First, what’s happening with Doctor Curie? No one’s been able to reach her, but everyone’s saying she’s fine.

TABATA
: I’m afraid the young woman has taken ill. Rest assured, though, it is nothing serious.

THISTLE
: You mean she’s sick? That’s all?

TABATA
: A slight flu. She’s prone to overworking herself, so I’ve restricted her from making any calls or performing any stressful tasks. I apologize for the confusion.

THISTLE
: Why didn’t anyone report this?

TABATA
: From what I have seen, Doctor Curie elicits a great deal of respect from her subordinates. They likely didn’t want to arouse any concern.

THISTLE
: I understand, but they need to stick to protocol. It’s there for a reason.

TABATA
: Certainly.

THISTLE
: Is this why Finn’s so out of it? His girlfriend’s sick?

TABATA
: I’m afraid I wouldn’t know anything about that. I spend the bulk of my time studying animals and reading medical papers. I’ve hardly the time for gossip.

End Audio File

Unknown

April 24, 2350

Terry was relieved and
exhausted all at once. On one hand, he no longer heard the sounds of his pursuers trailing behind him. On the other, he could barely keep his eyes open, and half of his body felt numb.

He’d been running for nearly two days toward the north. Along the way he passed through three forests and five fields without any sign of his former captors. As far as he could tell, they’d long since stopped looking for him.

He let himself rest. Hopefully, this time he wouldn’t wake to find a bunch of aliens laughing and poking him. Fingers crossed.

After four or five hours—he wasn’t quite sure—he opened his eyes and felt a swell of relief when he saw no one there. He concentrated and listened, waiting for any indication of the strange men, but he could only hear the forest. At last, he was finally safe.

He got to his feet and continued walking, not knowing what to do next. If he returned to the glade with the dome, he might get caught again. If he abandoned his new home, it would mean losing an easy source of food. Would he have to go back to sleeping in caves or the dirt while trying to survive? He’d almost starved a few times before, and he wasn’t apt to repeat the experience.

There was also the underground city and the ring inside. If he walked away, he’d have to give up on discovering its secrets.

Don’t do it,
said Janice, deep in the back of his mind. She’d been quiet for so long he’d almost forgotten she was there.
They’ll catch you, big brother. They’ll catch you, and you’ll die.

He ignored her, though she had a point. Maybe it was better to keep going north. Find some food, rest a few days. After a while, he could always return. They’d only spotted him because of the beavermites. The next time he’d stay hidden. Maybe live in the tunnels instead of the dome. They’d never find him there.

In the meantime, he could explore more of the countryside and hopefully get some food along the way. Maybe even a bath. Terry had never traveled more than a few days in any direction. He had no idea what to expect.

The possibility of danger and death were suddenly so very real. For the first time in three years, he had discovered a threat beyond any animal.

He had found intelligent life.

******

Unknown

April 25, 2350

In the afternoon of the third day of his aimless journey, Terry came upon a path deep in the heart of the woods.

The winding trail came from the northeast and continued southwest. His first thought was to leave it altogether. If those strangers were any indication of what the people on this planet were like, he wasn’t sure he wanted to meet any others. At the same time, following this path might reveal something important, like the location of a town. If he knew where it was, he could avoid it in the future.

Bad idea,
said Janice.

Terry didn’t think so. He could follow the path from a distance. Stay hidden in the woods. If anyone were nearby, he’d hear them coming and hide. He’d be fine.

Terry put about two hundred meters between himself and the road. This seemed like enough space in case something happened, and he had to run.

He walked carefully through the woods, minding the direction of the path and keeping his distance. Over the next several hours, Terry noticed a change in the air, a different smell beneath the Variant. Almost like saltwater.

The winding road led him out of the forest and into a valley, a wide alluvial plain stretching several kilometers. On the other side, tall cliffs surrounded the expanse. Between the ridges, far to the north, Terry saw an ocean, thousands of waves dancing to the direction of the wind. He could hear them crashing on the shore.

He never dreamed of seeing such a thing.

He heard a sudden laugh, and his eyes receded from the water to the vale. He looked toward the sound and saw what lay at the end of the road. A large building, surrounded by a fence and fields of agriculture—tall plants, lined like the orchard from before, maintained and organized.

Near the fence, a child threw rocks into the air and giggled. He had the face of a boy.

Terry stared toward the farm with anxious curiosity. He was also starving. It had been days since he last ate. If he could sneak in during the night, he might be able to steal some food.

The child raised his head and looked in Terry’s direction. He stood there, gawking and unmoving. Then he waved.

He wants to play,
said Janice.

Dammit. He was spotted. The parents wouldn’t take kindly to a stranger near their home. They might see him as a threat. He had already experienced the pain and frustration of dealing with the natives on this planet. He could do without a repeat encounter.

But the boy was smiling now and calling to him. He wasn’t hostile or screaming. There was no indication of fear or rage. But he was only a kid. Adults were always different.

Adults did terrible things to children.

No, he wouldn’t trust them. He’d leave and not come back. There had to be food elsewhere. The cliffs in the distance were another option, but they were at least an hour’s hike from the farm. Could he make it there without being caught?

Terry ran back inside the forest behind him, hiding under a large tree. He shot another glance at the farm, looking for the boy. He was gone, but to where? Was he getting his parents?

The door to the house swung open, and a thick man appeared wearing a set of brick red clothes. His hair was black and fell well below his shoulders close to his waist and tied in a series of knots, laced with intricate design patterns. He left the house and stepped into the meters, scanning the fields. His eyes found Terry almost immediately.

Shit,
he thought. Hiding behind the tree had done nothing. These people must have incredible eyesight.
Just like me.

The man walked briskly toward him, waving an arm and smiling as he did. It would take some time before he arrived. The farm was over half a kilometer away. Terry could run and get away. He still had time.

Leave,
whispered Janice.
Leave. Leave. Leave.

He looked at the ocean, considering his options. He took a step back toward the woods, wavering a moment. The stranger’s eyes arched. He began to jog, waving his arm in the air. “Boec!” shouted the stranger. “Boec o jajilc!”

He’s going to kill us,
whispered the girl in his brain.

Terry shook his head.
There’s only one of him.

It’s too risky
, she argued.

He knew she was right. Terry barely understood anything about this planet or its native people. So far he’d seen their violence and temperament. Staying here was risking more of the same. But if he ran, it would mean living alone in the wilderness, living in a state of—

Freedom
, said Janice.

Isolation
, he corrected, and he knew it was true. If he ran now, he’d never stop. He’d die in the woods or on a mountain, alone or with a dozen voices screaming in his head. He wouldn’t last, not for long, and in the end, he’d crack and do the thing he said he’d never do.

Or he could stay…try the other path. What if—

A loud roar erupted behind him, filling the silent field and shaking his chest. Terry twisted around, but found nothing there. He stepped from the tree and into the glade. “What the hell was that?” he asked.

“Boec!” yelled the man, who was now running in a full sprint. “Boec! Boec!”

Another roar this time, high-pitched and violent. In the forest, a tree suddenly twitched. A moment later, a second one shook, and another.
Something must be moving between the branches
, he thought.

Terry felt for his knife but cursed when he remembered how the four men had taken it.

Whatever the hell was in those trees let out another cry, and Terry took another step into the field. He searched the branches for the animal, but found only a vague fluttering of leaves. He watched as the shaking grew closer, one tree at a time.

Terry concentrated and squeezed his hands, breathing rapidly. His chest grew warm as his heartbeat skyrocketed. The muscles in his arms and legs tensed. The man behind him continued screaming, but Terry ignored him. Instead, he focused on the leaves, slowing them in his mind and waiting for whatever came.

He blinked.

The leaves burst open, scattering in the air, and a pair of white claws shot toward him with the speed of a bullet.

He dove to one side, barely escaping the attack. The animal hit the ground on its hind legs and bounced a few times, finally digging its massive claws into the dirt to right itself.

The creature was nearly two meters tall, a coat of white encasing most of its body, with a thick tail as long as the distance between its face and hips. It snarled at him, revealing a set of yellow, jagged teeth.

Great
, thought Terry.

The beast leapt at him, claws outstretched like daggers. Terry ducked and fell on his back, kicking the monster in the stomach and knocking it off balance. The animal let out a sharp yelp and landed a few meters away, tumbling in the grass. It wheezed, staring at Terry, drool leaking from its mouth. Sawing its claws against one another, the animal planted its heels and sprang into the air.

Terry slowed his perception and slid to the side. The beast’s claws came within a few centimeters of his chest. Terry kicked the beast in its ribs, knocking it to the side. He watched as the animal hit the grass and slid, squealing as the impact took the air out of its lungs.

The beast struggled to stand, but kept its eyes on Terry. With a snap of its jaw, the animal roared, pressing its hind legs into the dirt, preparing for another go.

As its feet left the ground, a small shard of metal pierced the monster’s neck, causing a spurt of blood into its white coat. The animal gasped for air, drowning in garbled screams before collapsing on its side, no longer moving.

The stranger from the farm stood several meters
away, another knife in hand, breathing heavily to catch his breath. He leaned on his knees, looked at the animal, and smiled. “Jaak,” he said after a few more heavy breaths.

Terry gave a slow nod, staring at the blade in the man’s hand.

The stranger seemed to notice his concern and tucked the knife in a scabbard on his thigh. He held both his hands in the air. “Wnaaq,” he said, pointing at Terry.

“Right,” muttered Terry. “Thanks for the help.”

The stranger tilted his head, a confused look on his face. “Bfec?” He pointed at his own chest and again at Terry. “Wnaaq!”

Terry opened his mouth to say he didn’t understand, but paused when he felt something warm sliding down his chest. He glanced down and saw a patch of blood expanding beneath his shirt. He covered the gash with his hand, trying to put pressure on it. But the blood washed over his fingers, dripping to the ground.

Suddenly, he was dizzy. He wanted to lie down. The light of the valley was growing darker, as if a thick cloud had passed overhead, blocking out the suns. He stumbled back, then fell on his side.

The man in red rushed to him. He muttered more nonsense before reaching into his pocket and pulling out a small vial of purple liquid. He showed it to Terry and pointed at his chest. Terry nodded, and the man poured half the bottle on his wound and motioned for him to drink the rest. Terry did, and it tasted like fire, burning his chest and igniting his throat. He coughed and screamed. The pain filled every piece of him. This wasn’t medicine. It was poison. He should have listened to Janice when he had the chance.