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When the light died, all Laura could see were the incoming ships. They landed, one by one, drifting out of the sky from billions of miles away, alighting on the surface of Illal like so many butterflies at the end of a great migration.
Illal was a haven for many. It was a chance to start over, a land of promise, a speck of dirt drifting through the galaxy - unadulterated, unsaturated by UTA oversight common on other planets. The home of the estranged, a paradise for the ruthless, and yet, comforting. There was a freedom, an air of it that came with the competition of the effective governing bodies, the corporations. What might get you killed there would make you rich here. So long as you could prove valuable, you were safe.
That comfort was not in Laura's posession.
She watched the ships land. One every hour, sometimes more. Kobalt. She watched fire fall from against the deep blue backdrop of space and into her world. The light traced patterns on her eyelids as she fell asleep.
_______
"Why is it that every time you look a stranger in the eye, they look away?" Malachi stared. "It's just a part of your body, a part of your face. It's not like it hurts, it's not like it puts you in some kind of danger."
"I don't know. Maybe it used to."
"Used to?"
"Yeah, like maybe it used to be dangerous to look people in the eye at some point." Laura leaned back on the park bench, noting how the shadows split sometimes, a result of the latent atmospheric energy produced by the generators.
"I guess. I mean, I could imagine someone taking offense at staring too long, and I guess if i can register that offense, I could see how it might have been dangerous at some point. Where would that have come from though? At what point in our genetic history was it decided that it could be considered a threat to look at someone's eyes?"
"It's not just a threat. There's reproductive value. Tell me you don't come harder when you look me in the eyes."
"Quiet! Would you?" Malachi did his best to be subtle over his anxiety.
Laura laughed. "What, like we're the first people to break Sentium's fraternization clause?
"I don't know how it goes in logistics, but over in R&D, they're pretty serious about that sort of stuff. Call me crazy, but I'd like to keep my job."
"You're crazy."
"Yeah?" Malachi flashed his teeth. A little crooked, but not the most unattractive of smiles.
"Come on. You work 70 hour weeks at a minimum, and Sentium won't even let you date who you want?"
"Says who!? There's this girl down at the coffee shop that-"
Laura elbowed Malachi in the ribs.
"Go to hell."
"Oh shut up. You know I'm joking. I am risking my job over you, after all."
Laura exhaled and brought her gaze in line with his. "Maybe more."
He looked upward, resting his head on the back of the bench. Glancing back over to Laura he grabbed her hand. Laura eyed him, puzzled.
"I'm calling in sick." He slid her another grin. "Come on home with me."
Overhead, the last ship fell into Praxis Valley - an officer of Crion, Illal expanded in his viewport, the cities belching smog.
________
"You think they've noticed?"
"Noticed?"
"Us. The influx of ships inbound to Typhus." Captain Mannus voiced his concerns via rhetoric.
"Over the course of the last six months, we've landed a fleet here. There's nothing they can do."
Mannus brought his hands together. "Bring us about."
20,000 tonnes of frame, machinery, and personnel descended below the peaks surrounding Praxis Valley. Mannus noted the presence of two Crion mega-carriers. "Pleasant."
"Sir?"
"Nothing. Keep us moving."
"Thirty seconds out, sir."
Mannus gripped a railing on the bridge, watching the white of the surrounding sand fade into the dull gray-green of Typhus' architecture.
"Fifteen."
Mannus stole a few seconds to envision his future. A Crion executive. Illal dominated by the whites, blacks, and greens of the company's flag, he'd have all he ever wanted. Butterflies flapped against the inside of his decorated uniform as the craft made its final approach. Here was history, knocking at his door.
________
Laura continued to watch the descent of the latest ship, a faint purple hue emanating from its hull. Miles away, its light still made it difficult to view head on.
"Look!" She pointed in the direction of the ship, and Malachi followed. The air beneath the ship was briefly illuminated in an orange so bright, the couple had to cover their eyes. The light dimmed, was followed by a white flash, and after several seconds, the planet under their feet seemed to groan beneath some immense strain.
"What is that?"
Laura couldn't tell if Malachi had spoken the question or if it was just ringing out over the unnaturally illuminated expanse before them. "An explosion..."
The couple gazed in a forced silence as a cloud rose. As the hot air from the blast approached the upper atmosphere, it cooled and spread out horizontally, forming a distinct mushroom shape. Laura could no longer see the ship she had been watching.
________
"Status." Captain Mannus coughed, raising his hand over his head, his eyes adjusting to the dim red of the emergency lights. Mannus sat up and visually registered his surroundings. It was dark. He saw none of his crew in the thin haze surrounding him. He swept his side with his hand, found his com receiver and thumbed it.
"STATUS!" Somewhere an alarm sounded, a repetitive buzzing noise in the distance. No response came. Mannus clambered to his feet, his standard issue boots feeling heavier than usual. He pulled himself to the viewport. They were not airborne. "Status report, ASAP" Mannus breathed into the microphone. "This is Captain Mannus speaking. Is anyone alive? Repeat. This is Captain A. Mannus of Crion Industries. Our vessel has suffered a critical failure and we are aground. Is anyone out there? Is anyone alive? This is a distress beacon. IS ANYONE ALIVE?"
Mannus hung on to his end of the reciever for almost a minute waiting for a response. "This is Captain Arthur Mannus, all and any crew members, RESPOND IMMEDIATELY." Five more seconds and he slammed the receiver into the bulkhead to his right. A screw inside popped loose and the device split open. Mannus glared at the plastic sheath now separate from the hardware. A vibration rolled beneath the Captain before hearing a faint explosion. Pausing to collect the scrap he had generated, he placed his hand against the bulkhead and crept toward the docking bay.
__________
"Sh!t, sh!t, sh!t." Malachi palmed his wrist com. The flat black bracelet projected a thin surface on which he could make out "Protocol Echo-Seven initiated. All essential personnel report to Sentium HQ in Titan. Protocol Echo-Seven initiated."
"F#ucking f#ck. Laura I have to go." Malachi raced to button his loose white shirt. "Laura!"
Laura stood, one arm over her chest, the other resting at her mouth. Her face occasionally illuminated by an orange crackle, she watched the smoke rise, unblinking.
"Laura!" Malachi grabbed her arm.
She spun around to meet him.
"Laura, I have to go." He scrambled breathlessly to gather his appearance, backing toward the door as he did.
"Wait wait wait wait wait wait wait." She stammered. "Do you see that? That! Ky, you can't."
"No, I can. Laura, I have to. I don't know what that is, but from my view, one of the largest cities on Illal is on fire right now. If Sentium says I have to go, I have to go."
Laura's eyes returned to the window, the horizon having dulled to a smoldering red. With Laura's back to him, Malachi pursed his lips and closed the door behind him.
__________
Captain Mannus stared at the gaping hole in the fuselage. There were no sparks coming from the wires, the ship was dead, and a hole ten meters wide had been torn open by whatever landing he had missed after... After what? Illal was rotating away from its star and Mannus could see dusk creeping in through the hole. Mannus realized they were grounded, but felt it would be best to secure a dropship from the docking bay regardless. At least from there he could ascertain the size of the blast. The blast. An explosion? He hadn't felt some sort of initial impact. There hadn't been any warnings. No missile had been fired at them, but Mannus was positive that there had been some sort of explosion.
It is early in the morning and I am tired. Might revisit.
Edited by ticklemyiguana, 15 April 2015 - 10:45 PM.
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