Episode 1: Finding the Albatross

Lo, they told me that I would never do well on my planet. I sought to prove
them wrong. So I settled here, raised a few cattle here. I found this planet and
treasured it as my very own. On my own planet, I would make the government, and
hide away from the empire. On my own planet, nobody would find me, and I
wouldn’t be looking for them. On my own planet, I rule, and I make the rules, and I
try new rules. Perhaps on my own planet, they would take it as an example, and
they would express some influence inside their own empire.

But I knew that they would find me, the empire. And they did, I saw a probe.
It didn’t take long to find me as Marbatrohas an axis of eighty-two degrees.
Because of that, only the complete equator of the map is habitable. The planet
itself is quite cold on its poles, so the probe searched the equator and eventually
found my settlement.

When the probe found my small settlement, it did not identify me as a life
form, but it found the bushes, the biosphere, the cattle. It probably even found my
crashed ship. That meant when it returned to space to return to the system’s
station, it notified the empire of unauthorized colonization. Yes, it’s a universal law
within a certain area of the galaxy they call “the neighbourhood”. They would have
only picked this planet as one of the last.

I suppose I should let you know that I owe a great debt to the empire. I
studied to be a settlement engineer, but they assigned me to a core planet full of
deserts. Earth itself is “full of deserts” but this place had one ocean, and we would
have build on the edge of that ocean because the rest of that world, Kareon, is a
grand desert. That makes these big huge storms and intensely warm and muggy
climate. Many people also already crowded there, and people would have crowded
that ship.

I’m not a settlement engineer; I’m a thinker. I also have a distinct stigma to
my identity according to the empire, for I am a Christian. I can’t say I can pin an
identity difference between me and another. I find it to explain it logically rather
than through reason, for in my belief, logic and reason meet at the same place—
that is to say that the how and the why lead to the same place. As a thinker and a
Christian, that already makes me an anomaly. As a person who uses great logic as
well as reason, the same, I’m a weirdo. That’s probably why I’m here, on this quiet
icy planet all by myself.

So now, as I tell you this, I can tell you that none of my thoughts panned out
into any brilliant ideas to run the empire—and possibly get out of dead. None of my
thoughts figured out a way for me to exist with a purpose. I can tell you it is a fact
that I currently exist with no purpose other than to survive. I’d like to think that my
thinking has constructed me, but I suppose that would only be a truth to tell would
another soul believe a single word that comes out of my mouth. That just doesn’t
happen.

I am alone, but am I lonely? Know this, reader, I am not lonely. I do not long
for touch. A science experiment showed once that a monkey prefered a carpetted
nonfeedingmatriarchal figure than a robotic arm that feeds it food. I’m not the
monkey; my mind is my comfort, and I’ll take the robotic arm to give me my food. I
have not knownthe touch of a woman, but my body doesn’t cry for it. I do not know
what it is to contribute to any society, any existence I’ve ever felt simply felt as
though I were a waste of space. An articulate, calculated, thoughtful waste of
space.

I looked at a few of the stars from here. From every system, different
constellations appear in the sky. I currently sit at the edge of the biosphere, staring
into my own eternity; the constellations and the nebulae are shaped as I would
name them. The spider, the cross, the dragon’s breath—all names I’ve given these
patterns of stars. Each of them with their owntold story. The spider crawls down
from the Zenith to devour the celestial sphere below it, but the cross lay to the
northwest, ready to stab into the abdomen of the spider. The dragon’s breath
blazes against the galactical equator in a beautiful array, the root of the dragon
being a nearby yellow gas giant.

I then saw a light coming from the abdomen of the spider constellation; it
would surely be my own doom coming to claim me, where I am enslaved by the
empire to settle on Kareon. Marbatrowill be nothing but a memory, a dead dream.
Some of my contacts used to say that I should have let the dream die long ago,
because there would be no escaping the empire. I walk back into my biosphere
depressed that this is the case. Even though almost 44% of the planet’s surface is
ice, the axis could have been adjusted by a seismic beam stablizer. The world could
have been much greater if only I could have gotten the effort put into it. But what
was I to think that I could have actually changed this planet alone? That I could defy
the empire?

My doom, the shuttle, crashed into the distant atmosphere creating a flaming
blue stream, as well as a stream of smoke, in the sky. It would not only be the omen
of the empire come to claim the last fragments of my failed identity; it would also
be the time my soul can lay my ambitions to rest. I doubt it’ll be a peaceful
slumber.

The shuttle is landing outside; I can see it through the walls of the sphere.
The empire will claim all of my possessions as government property seeing as it was
used for illegal operations.

But the bird is different. Empire shuttles are silver with a red insignia of an
eagle with a star at the heart, perhaps an allegory to the history of the planet. This
bird, starship, is an independent trade ship. Spectralindigo paint scatters its surface
with a saucer landing pad which has a tripod and three propulsions at the very base.
Four more gravity propulsions jet the four wings of the structure, which bends
according to the gravity level so that the bridge is in line with the ground and
people can walk around the ship like normal when it is grounded. The cargo bay
seems to be the spherical area near the saucer-like bay. The chambers and the
rooms are up at the top, where the bird looks like a fat plane with a tail wing.
Underneath the view windows of the ship are the painted letters to the word, “Blue
Phoenix.”

It reminded me once of a prophecy told to me by an angel,

“the flames of Gehenna shall fly in on a bird,

but even those from the stars cannot withstand in the light of the Lord.”

I’m not so sure it applies, they can be pretty cryptic at times. Whether it
applies to this situation or a future one, it seems as though I’ll be reminded of it just
when the event occurs and then I can reference it. As for when it will actually
happen, I can’t tell. God has a way of making it seem like it was his plan all along
just after the event seems to occur in a spontaneous moment. Thus carries one of
the many mysteries of the Word.

The plan of action was to hide. In case this is an unmarked empire vessel,
I’m not going to just stand out in the open and greet them diplomatically. These
biosphere constructions come with many bathrooms, and I even constructed a
secret hallway in one of them in case a situation like this would arise. I made my
way there through the center field of the biosphere. I triggered the button by lifting
up the tap and walked into my hallway, where I tricked a lever and it concealed me.

Now here’s to hoping they don’t find this hiding spot; I got out my binoculars
to look at them more closely.

I have a great vantage point to see the vessel from here, I guess as well of
the sight ofsmoke coming from the landing propulsions, steaming into my
atmosphere. The gears on the saucer were still spinning from the landing, cooling
down. A landing ramp lowered itself onto my planet. What would be the first thing
that comes out?

Through the smoke, I witnessed two men, probably crew members, walking
out armed. They were even aiming their weapons as if aliens were going to pop out
and eat them. (Come to think of it, tigers may have been a good idea; they’d come
out and raar! Throats ripped out.) They eased up after a few minutes as the calm
steam dissolved and the engines of the ship span their course and stopped
humming.

Metallic footsteps, distant to me from where I am, ensued—I would soon see
either the ambassador or the captain. I was surprised to see a tall red-headed
woman with stunning blue eyes—and reader, they are rather apparent, a beautiful
contrast to her light red slightly curly hair. And right now, those blue eyes are
inspecting my planet. The dress of the woman is certainly not that of the empire.
She wears a soft white coat with a blue vest beneath, with red pants and red boots.
Her best feature is her cut face, she’s a woman of natural beauty with a strong face
and eyes that paralyze. I can already tell she willbe bustling with charisma and
leadership. She may be well be the first mate or the ambassador; I don’t see a
woman captaining a trade ship, which is what I suspect the Blue Phoenix is.

I noticed a few men behind her carrying a body down on a stretcher. The
body looks wounded at the side, with blood coming down. Various things flooded
my mind when I saw that red blotch and the bloodied hands; foremost, it would
mean I’d have to come out of hiding and offer medical aid. I myself am living on the
edge here not having medical aid for myself, but a self-diagnostic computer and a
few basic medications.

I lowered the binoculars to sink into thought. I don’t want to be seen or

discovered at this time. I am not ready. My heart lowered into my chest, and all
happy things disappeared from my mind. It’s as if the sky just darkened to that
realization that I can hide no longer. I just know they mean trouble, they mean to
take me away. But out of my suspicions, would I let a man die? I have that moral
obligation to help them in any way I can.

The red head is consulting with a broad bearded man who looks about twice
her age and then some. This man is either the captain or someone important on
the ship. I’m guessing he’s the captain as he looks the more experienced. He
wears a thick blue coat, but street clothes underneath, which confuses me.

They nodded, and headedtowards my biosphere. The red head holds a

device in her hand, and the broad scruffy man seems to be pulling something out of
his utility belt. Chances are, they’re either hijacking my equipment, or they’re
communicating with it. Either way, their presence here can’t be anything good.
Even if they don’t notice me, it’s not like they’re not going to scavenge my loot.

I don’t really have a choice; I’m going to have to address them, but my fears
aren’t letting me. I can’t say I’m a brave man, for if I were, I may well be captaining
a ship of my own. I certainly have the knowledge and mind for it, but my diplomacy
is absolutely lousy. I can’t read body signals,my body reacts too powerfully to any
sharp words that should come my direction. And any time I communicate with
strangers, my body is bombarded by their aesthetic surroundings, the beauty of
their eyes, the waves of their hairs, thestrength of their arms.

One of the men carrying the stretcher with the man on it turned around and
uttered something to the red head in desperation. She dropped her arms, and then
rubbed her forehead, and said a few things to the big man.
 Finally, the big man spoke into his gadget, and my sound system spoke to
me, his raspy but warm voice resonating, “Is there anyone here? Read, we require
assistance.”

I froze. Perhaps my mind will eventually tell me what to do. It isn’t. I’m still
frozen. The man spoke again.

“Please, whoever resides here, help us. Our man is dying. We will pay you
well and be on our way,” he spoke.

My heart sank further into my chest. This is it, I must give up. But the red
head spoke and then approached my position with the two armed men. She holds
the gadget in front of her, a little device the size of a hand with three coiling
antennae coming off the end. Does she know my position? Blast it, I forgot to put
my jammers on to protect the frequencies.

And so she came closer. The man’s voice again, “Sir, speak now. We know
you’re there, and we know you see us. If you refuse to help us, we will have no
choice but to do what we can to save our man. We don’t want a confrontation, we
only require your help.”

My heartbeat raced as the red headed woman walked straight towards my

section of the biosphere with her two armed guards. She stopped right in front of
the glass. She can’t see me, only a reflection of herselfas it is a one-sided window.
She then knocked on my window, and mouthed something, but I cannot hear her.

The armed guards then raised their arms. I spoke into my watch transmitter
to amplify my voice, “The light sees you. They who are ready to shoot should be
ready to be smitten by the heaven’s almighty pillars of fire. I mean no harm, the
assistance you need, I will provide it.”

So I commanded my watch transmitter to open the gates, tricked the lever,

and walked out to face my wrath.

They went around the sphere to the entrance,following my body as if they

know where I am (they bloody well did know where I was). I got to the entrance,
which is a thick glass double door area with hollow metallic beams at the side to the
help support the structure. At the side of the entrance is a control panel. I can
either manually use it, or use my watch to activate it. I decided to enter the code
manually.

The red head and scruffy man came in with their two armed mercenaries,
both aiming their weaponsat me. I didn’t raise my arms;I don’t think they’re
thieves, for they have an injured man. If this is a coincidence where they happen to
be thieves with a wounded man, I’m going to hurt somebody. I’m not so helpless
either; mymind is surged and powerful with electromagnetic impulses. I can do a
range of neat tricks, particularly with arms. But they weren’t dropping them and I
wasn’t prepared to make a move myself, although with my mental attunement, I
can tell when there’s aggression afoot.

“You just fell for the oldest trick in the book, sir. All of your possessions now
belong to us, and you will surrender yourself as a slave to our ship,” the red head
spoke.

Those hyenas. I will terminate them, starting with the red head for being so
cunning. I knew I shouldn’t have let them in, I had a feeling. But who can go by
instinct? With me, I can’t tell if it’s bloody well instinct or fear.

I spoke in reaction, “I once heard a quote, don’t ever point a loaded gun at
someone you don’t intend to kill.”

“Hah,” the scruffy man said, “So you heard that, eh? Seems you’ve never
dealt with outer world traders before, have you?”

“Sir, we are kidding, beat ease,” the red head said, “We don’t intend to kill
you, arms down folk. I’m sorry, I have a rotten sense of humor.” The armed men
and the scruffy man laughed a little bit, although wounded and desperate.

I breathed easily. Dirty trick. “Yeah, real funny, I’m laughing on the inside.”

“Nobody ever laughs if the joke is played on them, be a good sport,” the
woman urged.

The red head approached me, seeing my features now more closely. She
looked me up and down. I wear a black coat, a gray shirt, teal pants, and gray
shoes. My hair is ginger, and my eyes are gray as an indigo dawn. I look older than
I am,which is pushing thirty according to the star date calendars. I have weathered
features, but I don’t know if this is because I used to laugh so much, or because I’m
a weary guy.

“So, what is honest and what is not? Is the man wounded? Am I getting
plundered?” I asked.

“I am captain ElaraFontaine of the Blue Phoenix, that pretty little bird over
there. This is my first mate, Rocco,” she introduced, “We’d be glad to know who
you are, but as you can see, one of our crew, a stowaway we hadn’t known about,
ended up getting shot by one of our surprised mercenaries.”

As I stepped between them to examine the man further from this distance,
she continued, “Do you have any medical supplies, surely you must. We have our
own medic, but we’re far and away from the core sector of the empire in the
orionspur, on a distant arm. Not that I have to tell you, of course. Do you have a
medic with you or anyone with a medical history here?”

“I do, have the supplies of course,” I spoke, “I settle this place alone, but
carry the man in; we’ll see what we can do.”
 I started leading them to the laboratory when their medic, a young blonde
woman of about twenty-five years, came out. Along the way, they spoke among
themselves, but didn’t say much to me. I noticed eyes wandering over at my cattle
and other possessions before I lead them to the elevator the leads to the medical
facility near my sleeping quarters. I know that they’re thinking that this is easy
money to be made for them, but I need it made for me to pay off my debt to the
empire—even though they don’t deserve it. What kind of government still taxes
you when you’re in their debt, doing so to study and become a better citizen for the
empire? It’s as if the empire wants its people to be stupid.

In the elevator, their eyes still peered around my biosphere. Elara then said,
“What kind of man lives alone? And with no ship? Surely you did not dig up a hangar
here?”

“I knew that fate would catch up to me some day. I intended that my fate
catch up to me when I was more prepared. You’re not the first visitors to this
planet, but most people pitstoppedfor star energy,” I said. There were actually only
two other visitors beforehand, not the empire thankfully.

The elevator opened up and so I hurried them down the right. We’re not in
an enclosed area,it’s like a high walkway in the dome, still with metallic floors. We
can well see everything from here. Finally we got into my laboratory, and we put
him onto the table.

“Take a gander through the fridge and the cupboards. I can’t tell if you’ll find
anything of use,” I said to the pretty medic.

I don’t know if I find it easy to wrap my head around the notion that their
doctor is a young and beautiful woman. She’s not quite sotall as the captain is,
more of a cuteness to her. Her heart-shaped cheeked face doesn’t flaunt that
general I’m-pretty-and-naïve look, but more like an I-know-more-than-you look. I
don’t know if I admire her so much as I admire the captain, I know many other men
would. Maybe my decision is affected by that. Who knows the secrets to the mind?

When she opened the fridge, and then the cupboards, she paused for a
moment, inspecting the stuff. Before I said anything, Elara spoke first, “What’s the
verdict Shayna? Do you have what you’ll be needing?”

“It’s a settlement kit and I don’t think it’s ever been touched. Absolutely,”
the girl said as in an accent. English isn’t this girl’s first language. “Did you not
take your immunizations, sir?” she asked in a very normal way. It’s as if all of this is
just fact to her, rather than something that should impress upon her emotions.

“I took the immunizations before I left so that I’d have these to spare,” I
answered.

“You realize that the ones they give you are meant for the journey.
Otherwise, what would they be for?” Elaraasked, viewing me sideways. I can tell
they’re curious about my character; I can’t say I’m that much attuned to the social
matrix—I don’t act like common people.

“Yes but you can go and get them free if you say you’re travelling with
another ship. They had no idea I’d be registering my own and travelling to
Marbatro. Free immunizations. The government expected free stuff from me, they
get it in return, eye for an eye,” I explained my thought process on the situation.

“We could really… use some of this,” Shayna the doctor said out loud.

“You realize we work for the empire,” Elara said, raising an eyebrow.

“Yeah, fool me once, captain,” I muttered. She knows better.

The doctor then saw to the patient, who is a man in his forties I’m guessing.
He has salt and pepper hair, streaks near his ears. His hair is just a little longer on
the top, as if it’s an overgrown crew cut. His build seems strong all over, solid
stomach, thighs, chest. If I didn’t know any better, this isn’t so much a stowaway
than a man of the military. He has a mustache, although the rest of his face is
unkempt and overgrown. My mind is screaming deserter. And chances are, if I
detect it, the captain’s intuition does as well… if she’s a good captain.

I stepped outside to let the doctor to it. Following me were the other four,
Elaratelling the young doctor that they’ll return shortly to check up. The young
doctor asked for two hours.

“Seems you weren’t so much rushing to get him help,” I said, “Don’t care for
the stowaway?”

“There’s more to him than meets the eye,” Rocco spoke, “I know a typical
stowaway, and they’re always runnin’ from something. Either way, what they’re
runnin’ from, trouble usually follows them. Whether it’d be outside or inside
trouble.”

Elaracut in, “We’re still unsure of whether his fate should reside with us
because of that difficulty. We have what we need on board. Well, almost what we
need.”

I lead them to where I had been watching the skies before they arrived. They
were not so much interested in the skies as much as they were in the landscape.
You see, I parked on a highland area for obvious reasons. Much of the equator of
the planet is rivers, lakes, and wetlands, and absolutely uninhabitable except for
plant life, insects, and perhaps lizards and such—maybe hoofed grazers could live
there.

I explained to them the landscape a little: how the trees are tall and needled
because of the weird weather shifts between the seasons as the inferno summer
attacks one of the two hemispheres, melting the ice and causing intense storms at
the equator—thankfully the windstorms don’t get devastating as this planet isn’t
very flat, having three good sized moons dictating those plates move well—though
I’m not so sure if having the moons making mountains subsides the fact that they
also make a lot of heavy wind. Here and there snow will come in from the north
after intense rain.

“Could you excuse me and my first mate a moment?” Elararequested. I

nodded and walked back into my sphere without a word said.

I encountered the two men who carried the stowaway in. Because I did not
acknowledge their roles as very distinctive, I didn’t describe them much. They look
like a couple of regular joes, the classmates you have who hang around in the back
of the room, talk a lot, but don’t get a whole lot done. Next two the other three,
they’re pale as distinguished individuals. I suppose I shouldn’t say much, they’ve
probably done more with their lives than I have with mine. I have not yet
contributed much to the human race. They’re also both dressed in armoured
uniforms like a couple from a swat team, which is wildly out of the context of the
situation we’re in.

They silenced up when I came near them, as if I added an unwanted aura. I

folded my arms and inspected them a little bit and they looked back at me. Did I
invade their space? I simply walked past them and stood outside the laboratory,
looking in.

I gazedaround at the possible discussions or thoughts people are having.

Elaraand Rocco are nodding to one another having a civil conversation, something
that means business. The two armed men are, from what I can tell, talking about
ships and different models of them—probably something like, the IT2120 might be
fast, but the X-Shot V30 can burn it in a particle leap. As for the doctor, she’s
communicating with the patient who is eyeing her with a little more than a you’re-
my-doctor look. It’s more of a “you’re-my-doctor!” look. The doctor looked
oblivious of it, though she did smile at him as he made comments, those of which I
couldn’t hear being out here and all.

I tapped my fingers to my arms, awaiting the situation’s next move. It’s not
hard to compare this to a game of chess, because before my mind laysthe
contemplation of whether their landing here is fated or purely coincidental. Should I
choose for their landing here to be coincidental, optimally they’ll go away with no
harm or foul; later down the line, the empire may show up and I get taken away
wondering if this was my opportunity to make a move. Should I choose for their
landing here to be fated, I might have to suggest something to the crew as to my
participation with them; answers have not come to me, and I fear they might not
come to me in time. I’m the kind of guy who thinks of a witty comeback to an insult
three days after the conversation is over.

I watched the young doctor pull the bullet out of the wound. They knew I was
there. The doctor didn’t say much, but the man showed a little suspicion. She has
very precise hands and a powerful sense of focus. A lot of people are smart enough
to be doctors, but don’t quite have the focus it takes. I’d probably start thinking
about counterarguments against the dominion of scientific doctrine and complete
rejection and law against religion while I’m trying to sew up a wound. I can’t do
anything menial for too long before my mind begins to wander.

Elaraand Rocco finally came in, their soft footsteps on my aluminum floors
announcing their arrival. “Why are you living here alone, sir? We’re trying to come
up with a reason… like even a girl. Did you just plan to live out eighty-years here
before dying and leaving nobody to look after the dome?”

“This planet was not of accidental choosing,” I said, “With the spread of the
empire, I found it to be a location far enough from them, but not so secluded to
filter out the entire population of folk. Choosing a farther planet may have found
me no visitors except perhaps a territorial plunder ship going after easy prey,
knowing they’d never get caught for their exploits so far from the center of the
empire.”

“Didn’t think of it that way… walk with me, sir,” Elaratouched me on the arm,
and then started walking, motioning me with her finger.

I complied, so long as we weren’t going to go far, as I don’t quite trust them,

yet.

Finally, she stopped me when were out of earshot of everyone. We stood

almost directly over my heard of cattle, looking down upon them and the nearby
fountain of water. She leaned over the edge, folding her arms over the siding.

“This is a nice place, oh, I didn’t catch your name,” Elara looked at me
expectantly.

“Call me Arch. It’s an old nickname of mine,” I answered.

She inspected me. I said something that triggered her persona reading
processes—she’s found something of interest in me. “You don’t want to say your
real name. You live on a planet you know the empire will eventually find. You don’t
have any way to perpetuate your own life, unless you’re somehow immortal; if
Marbatro travelled at light speed, thatmight well be true. If I didn’t know any
better, I’d say you’re a man with a masterful plan,or a man without any plan at all.
Like that stowaway in there, you’re just a man running from something.”

“What could I possibly be running from? Life is good here, life is not so good
elsewhere,” I spoke. I want to say as few words as possible while I’m under
inquisition. To me, this is just the opportunity for someone to put me on my
defensive and force me to say things about myself that they’ll misinterpret. After
that, I’m left with a damaged reputation with that person, a rift in the relationship
that only repairs itself with an impressive deed.
 “We go where life takes us, but life wanted you somewhere, and you didn’t
agree and you went here. At least you could have taken a woman,” Elara spoke,
then interrupting herself with a thought, “Like, Arch, do you feel you’re so much a
waste of space to spend your life around others? What good will go through your
mind on the day of your death should the empire or no other ship find you?”

I looked at the cattle below. “I once heard a joke, how many government
workers does it take to milk a cow?”

“Is it the one where it takes one to hold the teet and a few to rotate the
cow?” Elaraasked. “Oh, I’m sorry, what?”

“No,” I said of her supposed answer, though I have heard that one before,
“The government doesn’t milk cows, it milks people.”

She smirked and turned her face, covering her eyes. The joke isn’t that
funny, I suppose. Maybe it’s the way I told it. She went to say something, but
interrupted herself with an honest snicker. “Okay, not bad,” she uttered, “Pardon
my lack of professionalism, Arch, but you have cattle, you treat them like cattle
because they have a job.”

“Men are kings of the animals, we use them to advance our civilization and
they are content with that ruling. Those animals who aren’t content quickly end up
dead. Are they intelligent enough to second guess their existence, or do they live to
serve?” I started the rhetoric.

“How do we know they aren’t? Because they can’t express themselves

doesn’t mean they don’t second guess their existence,” she suggested.

“Please,” I retorted, “A cow goes next to the barbed wire fence, sees the
world on the other side, do you think it has the complexity of mind to yearn
freedom? To yearn to go?As soon as it finds out it can’t cross, it’s liable to be
thinking of something else a minute later. The government wants us to act this
way, but we have that conscience to second guess ourselves. Proof? Cattle
doesn’tresist. We resist.”

“But your resistance flat out sucks,” Elara blurt out, “Would it really be a sin
to humanity if I pulled out my weapon and shot you, and took your things for people
who actually made use of them?”

“Depends on whether you place intrinsic value in helping others,” I backed

myself into a rhetorical corner, then stepping away from the siding, turning around,
and instantly rebuking myself, “I do see value in it, a hope for the souls to find their
way to God after their death, but well… all is vanity and chasing after wind.”

Silence. She played with her feet in thought, tapped the sidings with her
fingernails. Finally, she asked a question that echoed in my mind every single day
of my existence, “So what do you want to accomplish out of life?”
 “Something not vain?”I guessed, but I’d be trying to convince myself,
“Perhaps more souls to second guess their existence the way I do with mine. So
many people so readily accept their fate.”

“And you can accept yours. Nine out of ten people out there would probably
think that you’re just an unhappy man,” Elara looked at me closely.

I faced her straight on, preparing myself for possible criticism, as I used to
face it a lot during my university years. “Are you one of those nine?”

“I am not,” Elaraspoke softly, “But don’t think that you’re doing what you’re
meant to be doing here. I already know that you’re intelligent, and that you have a
heart with some good intention, if that was beaten out of you just a little bit before
your settlement on this planet.”

The conversation capped itself off after that as she went to wait for the
stowaway to be patched up, speaking idly with Rocco. I stayed in my spot, looking
at my cattle, thoughts running amok in my mind. They looked to be ready to leave
the planet soon, off to their next mission, whatever that may be.

Here and there, I am seduced about the romantic thought of being some
space mercenary going on wild adventures to foreign planets. But these thoughts
quickly come to mind when I weigh the reality I’m currently anchored to. I don’t like
physical confrontation, I am a coward, and it’s so difficult for me to embrace any
sort of change in my life. These are terrible characteristics for a man who’d like
adventure. The reality of it is,I’m too inside myself, too attuned to my fears to fight
them. The fears are my tyrant. I’m simply a cautious man by nature.

Maybe the woman is right: that I am escaping my fears. My past hasn’t been
kind to me in that regard. Once, I met a girl and fell in love, but that failed
completely as if my worst nightmare became the truth. Everything I ever tried for
other than things that were nearly automatic were never risks that panned out.
Simply put, I never had a reason to fight my fears and take risks, because my fears
were always right.

They thanked me. The stowaway limped down rather than letting himself
being carried by the stretcher. The doctor didn’t like the decision but it didn’t look
like she had a choice. I lead them down the elevator and out the door, as though
the situation were quickly healing itself.

I stood outside of my dome, waved them off to their ship, letting my possible
opportunity slip. The truth is,the captain grew on me a little; I’m unsure if she’d be
a good captain, but she’d certainly be capable as a good friend. They walked into
their shuttle. I eyed the captain the closest; she didn’t look back. The ramp
disappeared into the ship.

And so the propulsions started, and they took off into the sky. I waved them
off as if I were waving off almost any other possible opportunity. It’s not like I did
have an opportunity. Perhaps I’d like to speak with her again. Maybe if a decision
has to be made in just over two hours, then it is not worth making that decision.
Too much was at stake for me to ask them to be part of their crew. And what would
I be doing for them? About the only job I could think of doing for them is navigation.

So I went back in, upstairs, and out the back, but was startled to find an
extraordinary being waiting for me. He is someone I’ve encountered before.

The great being stands about seven feet tall with piercing eyes, and a look of
extreme countenance on his face. His clothing is unnaturally white with a glow that
casts no shadow. He’s adorned in trimmed platinum colouredjewelry, and stands as
though something hangs from his back, almost to counteract that balance. Let’s
just say he’s not human.

“Imantir,” he called, which is a name they give me, “The time has come, the
stars have come to claim you, and your journey is set to begin.”

I looked back beyond the dome to the place the Blue Phoenix had formerly
been landed to double check. Nope, it’s not there anymore. I looked back to the
being,whom I guess can’t be named. I would need to call him something, but I’m
not sure what.

“Should I kneel before the ground and listen to what I’m told?” I asked,
“Would it be saving us both some time?”

“We can forego the protocol,” he spoke in his bassy voice, which has a
resonant hum to it that shakes your core, “You are in danger, and it is for this reason
that the vessel has come for you.”

I silently, again, considered my surroundings. These people know something

I obviously don’t, because I don’t sense danger whatsoever. The landscape is
actually calm and cool. “So you say that my time here has ended.”

“You chose for it to begin, but knew in your heart that it would come to an
end. That day has come, do you accept it?” he asked.

I opened my mouth to inhale a sigh, and a thought. “Is there a way you can
authenticate what you say? It is not easy for me to believe you.”

“Is it not I that told you the prophecy of the vessel that will come in a blue
fire?” he spoke, almost as if being a wise guy.

“The Blue Phoenix? Naw, that thing has gone already. I mean, if you had
come five minutes before it had arrived,” I said. He did not make a face to what I
just said, “Oh, it’s coming back, isn’t it? The empire?”

“The decision is yours, believe me and accept your path as it comes with
humility, or continue your exile. I cannot direct your wheel, Imantir,” he spoke,
looking out towards the landscape with me, the mountains with the snow covered
top, with the forests gradually going down them, turning into rocks near their base.
This may be the last day I see the places I am so familiar with.

“Yet, you probably knew I would listen to you,” I uttered, saddened at what is
to come to pass. I know that ultimately, things might not end up so goodwhen it
comes to my body. As for my soul, I’ll have to listen closely. There’s a reason the
body is weak where the soul isn’t, because the body is the part that suffers.

“Ah but I didn’t,” he spoke, “That is the beauty of all existence, that I didn’t
know what you would decide, my friend. Safe passage be to you, Imantir. The
storm comes.”

I looked at my dome, and then back at him, “Final words?”

“It takes a day for God to trust and love you,

Where it takes weeks, even years for men to achieve this,

Even for men to trust God.

This is where patience with men becomes a virtue.”

“You could be some twisted alien race playing mind games with men, but
your insight certainly hasn’t failed. I’m certain I’ll know what this means entirely
when the time comes,” I spoke before bowing to him and going back into my dome
to ready my things.

I packed up a few crates of cargo, wondering how much they’ll allow me to

actually carry on. I don’t know what’s in their hold nor do I know how much room
there is. If the higher being is right about the storm, whatever that storm may be, it
may leave me with nothing if it destroys the dome. I know they’ll definitely want
my medical supplies. Aside the medical supplies, I will need my clothes and other
personal effects.

It wasn’t halfway into my packing that I heard the loud sound of the landing
vessel. It indeed was the Blue Phoenix. Funny, if there was a storm, wouldn’t they
have noticed it coming down the first time? I don’t fully understand what events are
taking place.

They are out of their ship now, Elara and Rocco, and jogging towards my door
with the engines of the Phoenix still running. Is it that urgent?

They knocked on my door, and saw me standing there. They tried the door.
Rocco pulled out an arm to shoot the security panel.

I ran towards the gate before they shot the yimnpanel. I let them in.

“Storm? I know, how much time do we have?” I asked.

 “Two minutes ago,” Elara said, “You were packing? Did you have another way
out?”

“Let’s leave that to the stars,” I said, “Can we at least bring the med
supplies?”

“Grab what you can get a hold of in one trip, let’s go,” Elara said.

They grabbed the medical supplies crate, I grabbed my clothes. That’s all I
had time to grab. I felt guilty leaving my cattle behind, but if the biosphere holds
through this storm, thenthey should be all right. However, to quote a familiar
source, if I turn and look back, I turn bitter. I went on the ship, and didn’t think
another thought about what is in the dome for a good while.

I ran up the ramp behind them, dragging the crate. And lo, all I have left is
the holy book and my clothes. Just twenty-five minutes, and I lose ninety percent of
my possessions. I guess that’s how the law caught up to me. When I got into the
hull, I saw all the space they do have in their cargo hold. Yep, a lot of things could
have fit in here. No looking back, no looking back.

Elara pulled her vest to speak into a microphone within, “DJ, ramp it up, fly us
out.”

I placed down my crate and hooked it to a nearby cargo knob, chains that are
latched onto the wall used to stabilize cargo during turbulence. The room is as I
expected it to look: it is agreat round room with a system of metallic stairs.

Elarakicked me some magnetic sandals, and hurriedly suggested, “Come get

a vantage point at the belly of the ship. You’ll see the storm that was headed your
way.”

After putting on the magnetic sandals, I followed her around the system of
metallic stairs. I wasn’t accustomed to these shows, which have a little bit of a stick
to them. At times, I pulled too little and tripped over my foot. Otherwise, I finally
got out of the cargo sphere through a doorway near the top of the area as I felt the
ship taking off—which is why I wore the magnetic sandals.

When I got into the next hallway, the coloursshifted from metallic and dirty to
clean with white walls and elaborate doors. The hallway itself has quarters at either
side, at least a dozen of them. The stairs go up to the bridge area, where there are
more holds I’m guessing with this model of ship—for the more important crew
members. Underneath the stairs is a walkway to the belly of the ship.

Elarasealed off the door behind me and punched in a few switches to shift the
Blue Phoenix into dynamic flight mode, which lifts the cargo more into the backside
of the starship, rather than being under the ship. After she sealed it, she pointed
me to straight ahead to the section underneath the stairs of this hallway, and said,
“The lounge, kitchen, dining, and gaming areas are straight down that hallway, and
it is also where you’ll get a good view of the planet when we break atmo. Go there
and strap yourself in.”

I nodded and did as she said. She and Rocco went up to the bridge area. As
soon as they were out of eyesight, I removed the magnetic sandals for hidden
reasons. I cautiously made my way down the few wide steps that lead into the
lounge area. Beyond these double doors, my new life awaits…

I pushed the doors open, and beyond seeing us speeding through the
atmosphere, I saw the faces of whomI may well be spending my next indefinite
amount of time with. It was like being in a class for the first time, and seeing the
faces of other students. All of them looked at me straight. The few that did
recognize me, the armed ones, the stowaway, the doctor, even they looked at me
as if they looked at me the first time.

So I walked into the room. No vacant seats were available,they have a pretty
packed crew. I decided to lean against the wall next to the door.

“Don’t stand there,” the stowaway uttered, “If the turbulence works the
wrong way, you may find yourself next on the docs table.” I complied, walking near
them, and sitting on the floor. The stowaway then continued, “Not that that would
be so much a bad thing, a three month head-ache with post concussion syndrome
might be worth having her work over ya.”

The doctor hadn’t reacted. Others, I think, were still a little cautious with
him, other than the tanned guy sitting next to him, who smiled at the humour, and
said with an accent, “Hyes, h’I know h’wat you mean!”

So I looked out the window as we started breaking the atmosphere. An array

of bright burning blue lights bombarded us as everyone sort of sat still as though it
were usual. I was gawking at the colourfuldisplay as I get aesthetically lost in these
things. I’m the kind of guy who’s a proud pyro; I like seeing things combust and
explode and dazzle. The lights shifted darker and darker until I saw the many stars
become visible again.

Finally, I got to see the planet for the first time in over three years. Half of it
is icy, half of it is cloudy and chaotic. When we got far enough away, I stood up and
went to look at the rear windows off to the side to get a good look at it.

When I saw the storm, I was startled. The thing is a hurricane about a twelfth
the size of the hemisphere! It was fascinating to see, but then I imagine what it
would have been like to have been in it. Maybe the planet I chose wasn’t the wisest
of planets to choose, a storm waiting to happen. And maybe I should count my
blessings that I lived as long as I did.

One peculiar thing struck me about the storm, however. It’s coming out of
the night of the planet for one thing; we’re almost flying directly over it. It makes
me realize that upon arrival to my location, they may not have seen it, but the two
hours they spent there had revealed the hurricane as they were about to fly out,
which was either fated or intensely lucky—considering I never got visitors other
than people looking for refueling stations. The other thing the strikes me right now
is whether the hurricane will actually hit the area I lived at that hard. It only seems
like the edge will clip it with some rain and hot winds. Oh well, better safe than
sorry.

I stared at it every moment until it was out of sight, and other folk were out
walking around now, instead of being buckled to their seats.

The first person to approach me is the stowaway. He, at first, watched the
planet sink out of view, and then took a seat beside me. Nearby lingered the
tanned man sporting a goatee, a man whom I imagine knows this stowaway well.
It’s either that, or they made friends real quickly, because I already sense a bond
between them.

The stowaway looked at me long and sideways, “Must be hard to leave an

entire planet you call yours behind.”

I looked back, being slightly nervous from not knowing him. I get like this
with everyone. Human contact has also sort of eluded me a little these past few
years, but I still remember it. I then looked out to space again; it helps when my
sensory perception isn’t bombarded by new information so that I can focus on a
conversation. “I guess so,” I uttered, but felt I had to say more to be more
accommodating, “You say good-bye to a home lately?”

“Me and Manish here. Listen, I owe you my gratitude, and… well…” he
looked around the lounge. Other people were about, but I’m guessing they’re
waiting for captains orders before addressing me. “We would like to have a private
discussion with you,” he continued.

“Do you have quarters?” I asked.

He leadme to those quarters, one of the bottom hallway ones near the cargo
hold. It wasn’t bad, held two people, which I guess is ideal for him and his
roommate, Manish. He told me to take a seat and I did, and so he did. The other
guy stayed standing near the door.

His quarters is coloured white like the walls outside the hallway, but shifts
according to the light colour. They have a dial on the wall that changes the
wavelength of the light, effectively making it change coloursthrough spectrum. Also
in the room are a couple of trunks, side closets, amini-wash station at the side. The
room doesn’t look like it’s been used in a while, looking clean and tidy.

“I have to confide into you a secret, because we know that if we tell others on
the ship, they may jeopardize our position to the captain. And we don’t want to be
known,” he started.
 “Does this mean… never mind, I’ll not tell anyone,” I said. I was thinking of
asking if it meant that if I told, I’d get killed or something. The thing is,I just don’t
tell other people things. Once upon a time, I meddled, and that only ever got me
into trouble. People can sin all they like, but if my life gets threatened, I don’t care
what word I made.

“Now we need to have your word,” he spoke in his smooth bassy voice, “It’s
very important that none of the others know.”

And now I feel important! “Okay, well, tell it then. I don’t really have loyalties
to anyone, but I make a good friend and ally,” I told them.

He looked his partner over. Manish nodded. The stowaway finally spoke it, “I
am a deserter, as others may notice, but not just any deserter. I was once the
general of a grand fleet in the empire. I was involved in six massive star battles,
overcoming them all with very few casualties. My friend, here, did recon work for
me against my enemies; he’s one of the best out there. I don’t know how he does,
but somehow, he always gets the job done.”

I examined their faces, the stowaway looking concerned, the tanned guy like
he’s ready to snap my neck if I threaten their situations. “So, I say nothing. I am
fine with that. Why did you leave th… if you had such a good thing going?” I almost
slipped. I don’t want to use specific words, nor do I want to get into the habit of
doing so.

“This isn’t important. Tell me, is Arch your real name?” he asked.

“Arch is what I am called by men,” I said to him. I’m not sure if he, or even
you, the reader, understand this. I am called by different names depending on
who’s calling me what. For now, for these people, they shall call me Arch.

“I am to be called Blaine, and my friend Manish. We won’t let our last names
be known in order to safe-keep our empire identities. From on now, this subject also
doesn’t get discussed unless we’re on a planet, and out of sight from the rest of the
crew. Understand?” he went on.

I affirmed him I would not give away his position and then politely left the
chambers. Before I had a chance to return to the lounge from there, I was
interrupted in the hallway by the captain calling from behind me. “Arch, come this
way, please.”

I walked over to her, looking at her expectantly. She waved her hand inside
the cargo area. I obliged her by walking through the doorway.

Walking into the cargo area in space flight is quite different. The gravity rests
on the outside circumference of the sphere, which means we walk on the walls.
This is so that people are able to access their cargo during flight by lifting up the
trap doors in the walls and looking into the compartments. When landing, they all
hit a gravity plane and level out, but in space flight, they fall towards the outside of
the sphere.

Elarapointed over to a cot over at the side of the room, and said, “We ran out
of rooms, so welcome to your new quarters. We’ll pay you higher wages for what
you can do for us until we make arrangements at the next arrived planet. We’re
sorry for this inconvenience, Arch; we meant to save your life, but we can’t promise
you a better one.”

I walked up the wall towards the cot, which at least had a couple of blankets
with little planets drawn on them, and a pillow. I looked over to Elara, pushing on
the springs of the cot, “This will do, Elara, but what kind of job would you have me
do?”

“Cargo caretaker,” Elaraanswered simply, before leaving the room. I didn’t

even have time to object. I looked around at the trapdoor compartments, as well as
the metal gratings at the side—which unfold out to a walkway when the ship lands.

I sat on my new bed, looking about at my new temporary or permanent

home. I felt something crimple in my pockets though, so I pulled it out. It’s a slip of
paper. I unfolded it and discovered writing…

“If you do anything suspicious, I will kill you,” is what it said, with Manish
signed there, and a happy face drawn. Wonderful…

End of Episode 1