Phoenix City, Saraya, Standard year 404

  Sophia looked up at the sound of the doorbell, her heart in her mouth. Of course, when the government came for her, they would not ring the doorbell… would they? In her official role as the head archivist and historian for the current presidential administration, she must have read thousands of such accounts. Thousands of people who had disappeared forever. But she still didn’t know if they rang the doorbell. That detail had never been covered in any of the written accounts. Sophia took a breath, collecting herself. Straightening her skirt and giving her still intact face one last look in the hallway mirror as she walked by, she headed towards the door.

  Only, there was no one there. Sophia paused, standing in front of the still locked door and looking outside. Entirely empty. There were certainly no government vans. No armed Sarayan marines to be seen, just emptiness. But surely he wouldn’t… Sophia sighed deeply as the doorbell rang again. Apparently, he would.

  “I’m not letting you in.” She said.

  “We both know that would be a mistake.” Daren’s disembodied voice replied.

  And it was somehow perfectly and exactly Daren in every possible way. A calm, dry and somewhat academic voice that was exactly and perfectly familiar, in spite of the time he must have spent out in the Sarayan heat. It was reassuring in a way, as all familiar things were. And in another way, it was completely and utterly terrifying. Daren had survived. And he did not sound especially phased by the experience. “I know no such thing.” Sophia replied. “There is every reason to believe…”

  “I give it until Monday.” Daren’s disembodied voice interrupted.

  Sophia swallowed. She sincerely wished she did not know what Daren was talking about. But she did. “I don’t see how you can help.” She said instead. She had her pride, after all. She refused to feign ignorance, especially so in front of Daren. Whatever else he was, Sophia respected Daren. They had both been there together, watching Lorelai Achly rise to power… observing. And they knew her well. In her way, Lorelai was entirely predictable. After the arrest of her two greatest threats, James Hawk and William Atwater, Lorelai would be riding high on her victory. And that was exactly when Lorelai cleaned up loose ends. Lorelai didn’t believe in being sloppy, especially not when it came to eliminating her enemies. Everyone associated with Alanna Summers, no matter how remote the association, would be gone within the week. She was coming for the miners of D12. She was coming for Sophia’s niece Glenda and she was also, quite definitively, coming for Sophia. By the end of next week, surely. But Daren thought it would be Monday. And Daren, was rarely wrong.

  “When have you ever known me to be wrong?” Daren asked, echoing her thoughts perfectly.

  Sophia opened the door.

  “The problem with Lorelai” Daren continued as Sophia trailed his disembodied voice down the wide hallway towards her home office “is that she has become predictable. And predictably vicious, at that. It is a dangerous combination for her. You see Sophia, had she shown just a bit more of the mercy she keeps going on about, you would not have let me in. You are not the type to become embroiled in a rebellion. And yet here we are.”

  “I am not involved in any rebellion.” Sophia said, a note of defensiveness in her voice.

  “Sophia.” Daren said. His voice was no longer drifting down the hallway. Clearly he had stopped, and Sophia could perfectly envision the way he would raise a single eyebrow and look at her quizzically, as he so often did. Perhaps he would be wearing that loose white cotton shirt he always liked, with the tan slacks. She could envision it almost perfectly. Only he wasn’t actually there.

  “Let’s go into my office.” Sophia said with a sigh. “I’ll get you some water. I assume you are thirsty?”

  “I could drink.” Daren admitted.

  Sophia watched glumly as the glass of water she poured floated in the air. And then she watched as Daren removed the filter from the top of the glass. “Are you sure?” She couldn’t help asking, a worried frown on her face. Vibrio angerona, the deadly bacteria that lived in the very air they breathed on Saraya, multiplied dangerously quickly in standing water, leading to a drawn out and painful death… if you were human.

  “Quite sure.” Daren replied, draining the unfiltered glass.

  “I’ll get you another one.” Sophia said, getting up immediately.

  Perfectly invisible, Daren smiled slightly. Clearly, not even an alien invasion of her home would get in the way of Sophia’s ingrained good manners.

  “Would you like anything else?” Sophia asked somewhat uncertainly, holding out the second glass of water. It had not escaped her notice that the damaged skin from the soles of Daren’s feet had grown visible. Clearly, he was not quite as untouched by yesterday’s events as he wanted to appear. Sitting down in the chair opposite him, Sophia diligently pretended she didn’t notice. Instinctively, she knew that anything else would be rude. Like pointing out that someone had a hole in their clothes when they walked in for a party.

  “Just the water for now, thank you. The water, and the location of Will Atwater.”

  Sophia froze. “Daren…” She began, unsure of how to finish that thought.

  “Lorelai’s time is at an end, Sophia. It is in fact absolutely imperative that her time, be at an end.”

  “Why?” Sophia asked carefully. Something about the tone of Daren’s voice left her with a sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach.

  “You must understand” Daren gestured somewhat expansively with the half empty glass of water he was still holding “if someone were to attack the second archivist and historian of Madame President Lorelai Achly’s administration, namely me, that is of no matter. If however, someone were to attack me, well that is a different matter altogether. That is an attack that will bear consequences to the fullest extent of our abilities. Do you recall the stories of the citizens of Rome? Civis Romanus sum, Sophia. I am a citizen of Rome, and I have been attacked. As have others. And there will be consequences.”

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  “These are rather heavily contested historical accounts.” Sophia said softly.

  “Yes well, the Romans didn’t have nukes. I assure you, we do.”

  “I see.” Sophia replied, her face carefully blank.

  “It is time for the Lorelai Achly administration to end. And I am far, far past playing observer. Take the opportunity to help, Sophia. Please. Because when the time comes for the final decisions to be made, your assistance may yet tip the balance in favor of Saraya.”

  “I… I’m not quite following you, Daren.” Sophia nearly whispered. “In… in favor of Saraya in what way? What is the decision about Saraya, that you plan to make?”

  “The decision that must be made, is whether the human colony on Saraya will be permitted to survive. And I must tell you Sophia, at the moment it’s a rather unsettled question. If we manage to rescue William Atwater and a democratic vote takes place to remove Lorelai Achly from power, that may yet tip the scales in your favor.”

  “We?” Sophia said incredulously. “That is preposterous. And I do not… I don’t understand.” Sophia said somewhat more insistently. “If Lorelai was involved in the attack…”

  “Sophia please.” Daren said with a sigh.

  “Yes very well, there are significant reasons to believe Lorelai was involved. I will grant you that. But what does that have to do with Saraya? We did not attack you, Daren! We did not attack your compatriots. Daren?” Sophia said, suddenly uncomfortable with the prolonged silence.

  “I think…” Daren began carefully. “I think what you are experiencing is a cultural misunderstanding. Unfortunate, and perfectly understandable. But not an excuse that will lead to survival, I’m afraid.”

  “Explain.” Sophia said, eyes narrowed as she looked at her invisible and suddenly very much unwelcome guest.

  “Lorelai is your chosen leader.”

  “I did not vote!” Sophia said sharply. “Many on Saraya, did not vote.”

  “Sophia forgive me, but you served in her administration. For decades.”

  “So did you!”

  “I was a spy. And an unenthusiastic one at that, I assure you. Your service, was entirely voluntary. And you stood by. As did everyone on this planet. You stood by and allowed Lorelai to come into power, and to stay in power. You paid your taxes, which went directly to the support of her administration. It funded the guns carried by Sarayan marines. It funded the prisons. And it funded the torturers employed within those prison walls. You are in point of fact, deeply culpable in her actions.”

  “I certainly did not condone any attacks on any alien chameleons!” Sophia snapped, her patience strained to the breaking point.

  “But your chosen leader did.” Daren replied simply.

  “This… it’s not… there’s no way for us to know something like that, Daren. That is entirely unfair. You must see that.” Sophia sat back in her chair slightly as Daren made one of his hands visible and made what was, quite evidently, a gesture of dismissal.

  “When your leader starts a war, the humans standing behind the leader bear the consequences. This is an old and established human concept. We are bringing nothing new to the table, Sophia. Lorelai attacked. Her people will bear the consequences unless they remove her. And I wouldn’t dawdle, if I were in your shoes.”

  “Lorelai made an independent choice. Hold her responsible! Take her.”

  “Oh we will, Sophia. I assure you, we will. All I am asking, is the location of Will Atwater. Can we not all agree that at the moment, he is the better choice for the presidency? Find Will. Let there be a vote. That’s all. And if Saraya’s continued existence is not enough of a prize, I also offer asylum on my ship until this entire mess gets straightened out. You certainly should not remain here.”

  Sophia drummed her fingers on the arm of her chair momentarily before forcing herself to stop. It was a nervous tic, and entirely unlike her. “Daren.” She began. Paused. She needed more time to think. “Are you wearing any pants right now?” She asked instead.

  “I… uh. Sophia you see I… well.”

  Sophia raised an eyebrow as she heard the distinct sound that was Daren shifting uncomfortably in his chair.

  “It would be quite impossible.” Daren admitted reluctantly.

  “I see.” Sophia nodded, absurdly reassured by the response that was, in some strange way, quite human. She sat quietly for another long minute, considering her options. “Is William Atwater human?” She asked.

  “Sophia.” Daren began, stopped again. “I… I must tell you that I admire you. I admire you a very great deal. Far more than you know.”

  “That’s most kind. I assume it is also an admission of an attempt to obfuscate the truth.”

  “But not an attempt to lie. We very rarely lie.”

  “You are asking me to hand Saraya over to someone who is not human.”

  “I am also asking you to help keep your colony from being destroyed.”

  “A well thought out choice that is not in fact a choice at all. How very convenient.” Sophia observed.

  “My dear Sophia.” Daren said somewhat sharply. “Your choices have been becoming more limited by the day. And through no fault of mine. I need Will’s location. And time, is of the essence.”

  Sophia got up from her chair, walking quietly to the liquor cabinet and pouring herself a full glass of whiskey from a sealed bottle into an open glass. She did not put the filter back onto the glass. After all, the alcohol content would prevent the bacteria from building. And she didn’t expect to nurse her drink for very long. She drained it and stood staring at herself in the mirrored back wall of the liquor cabinet for one long, drawn out moment. “There is an unedited version of James Hawk’s renouncement of his loyalty to Tundra.” She said, reaching for her computer. Her access had not been cut off. No one was worried about Sophia Hudson. No one thought she was important enough to matter. “You should listen to it.”

  ---

  “That’s Will.” Daren said, leaning forward as he listened to the recording.

  “Yes, I thought so as well.” Sophia nodded. It was just a well timed laugh in the background, but they were both observant enough to recognize the voice.

  “That is rather convenient.” Daren began. And then he grew silent.

  “Daren?” Sophia asked, puzzled.

  “Quiet.” Daren said, and there was nothing dry or academic about his tone.

  Sophia froze.

  “Go to the back of the house.” Daren’s disembodied voice spoke and Sophia was startled to realize he was already heading back towards the entrance. “And you may want to pack a bag. It’s time for us to go.”

  Daren walked down the hallway towards the sound of cars and motorcycles he had heard pulling up a moment earlier. This time, Sophia’s guests did not knock. The door flew off its hinges as the marines moved in, with Daren stepping aside just in time to avoid getting splinters from the shattered wood. This really isn’t my kind of thing at all, Daren thought with a sigh. But still, needs must. He took the gun from the first marine and shot him in the face, wincing slightly at the smell of burning flesh as he realized that they were not using the stun settings on their weapons. Sophia was one of the greatest minds of her generation, and Lorelai was going to swat her like a fly. With no hesitation whatsoever, Daren used the dead marine as cover and aimed the gun at the next man coming through the door. He did not bother to change the setting.

  The entire event took only a minute or two. Five Sarayan marines lay dead in Sophia’s hallway, with the sixth one lying just outside. Daren was about to breathe a sigh of relief when he felt the pain in his shoulder. In the heat of the moment, feeling the entirely unfamiliar thrill of battle, he had not noticed the damage. Daren, had been shot. He blinked, trying to ignore the fact that the room was spinning slightly around him. Daren had never been shot. It simply wasn’t the sort of thing Daren did. Taking a breath, he walked towards the back of the house. He had heard the sound of motorcycles as the marines moved in. And that would be very useful.

  Sophia stood waiting, bag in hand, her dark and expressive eyes wide in her pale face.

  “We have to go.” Daren said. He put out his hand to stabilize himself as the room started spinning. “I’m really not feeling at all well.” He added.

  “You’re… you’re bleeding.” Sophia stared. The yellowish green blood was spreading, allowing her to see a clear outline of Daren’s shoulder and chest.

  “Ah yes. That. That’s unfortunate.” Daren gave an invisible nod.

  “We need to stop the blood flow.” Sophia said, finally recovering from her shock. “I’ll get… I’ll get… maybe a towel?”

  “Ice.” Daren said. And then he sat down. “Lots of ice.”