Chapter 3

Exilon 5

 

Pierre and Leon ushered Stephen through the smooth-walled tunnels of the district, their bare feet coping effortlessly with the uneven ground. They arrived at Council Chambers where Elise waited for them. The soundproofed chamber space was normally quiet, peaceful. A large bookcase separated the room, jutting out from its centre, and contained books about Indigene history as well as more interesting ones from the surface about human history. Tucked behind the bookshelf, a single mattress lay on the floor. Pierre often used the space when he needed to think; sometimes he slept there.

But that day, the energy inside the room was far from peaceful; the unease and agitation was palpable and increased with each unspoken word. The group size remained small, as it had done when they agreed to send Anton and Stephen to Earth. They listened quietly as Stephen recounted his journey from start to finish. He could sense that Leon wanted to ask about Anton, but Leon didn’t interrupt him and Stephen was grateful for the extra time to formulate his thoughts.

As he told his story—the fight to get out of the docking station, the hijacked space craft, his encounter with Bill and Laura—the sequence of events became clear to the small group. He relayed the information obtained from Laura about the Indigene’s creation, the genetic experiments to create their race and the World Government’s earliest plans to destroy them that correlated with the explosions thirty years earlier. Pierre and Elise were silent, but Stephen could see a small flicker of disbelief in Elise’s eyes. Pierre cupped his chin with a curved hand and nodded considerately.

Leon’s face, already dark and expectant, didn’t change much when Stephen relayed news of Anton’s capture. Stephen was careful to emphasise Anton’s vital role in helping him to escape.

‘It’s obvious what we need to do,’ Leon said. ‘We must devise a rescue plan.’

Pierre nodded vigorously; Elise seemed quieter than usual.

‘Their behaviour is predictable. This is a good thing,’ Pierre explained to her, but her dour expression only deepened.

Pierre turned to Stephen. ‘Have you any idea where they have taken Anton?’

‘No, but the humans I made contact with have promised to investigate his whereabouts,’ he said. ‘I gave Bill Taggart a communication stone so we can keep in touch.’

Pierre’s shoulders relaxed and Stephen noticed the elder’s energy for a fight marginally slip away.

Elise’s reaction to this information was different. Fear bubbled to the surface and forced her to voice her concerns. ‘Was that wise? We’ve no guarantee they’ll cooperate in any way. Their race is destructive. They might be playing you.’

‘I trust them, Elise,’ Stephen stated as a matter of fact.

‘So do I,’ said Pierre, turning to face her. ‘And for a while, I thought you did, too.’

‘That was before Anton was captured.’ Her mood turned darker, more erratic. Her eyes sought Stephen out. ‘How can you trust them so easily? The stone will lead them straight to us, if they figure out how to use it properly.’

Stephen’s eyes widened; he’d never seen her lose control of her emotions. Then he sensed her burrowing deep into his mind and probing his personal thoughts. ‘Please, stop,’ he whispered. He tried to remain calm but she had unsettled him. ‘Don’t go there, not now,’ he pleaded, his voice cracking, tears forming.

Elise backed off and dropped her eyes to the floor. ‘I’m sorry. It’s what I do.’

He regained a little composure and swiped at his moist eyes. He spoke to Elise. ‘I was left with no option but to trust them. They know as much about us as we now know about ourselves. We need them as allies.’ Pierre nodded as Stephen continued. ‘It can only help to gather as much information about their government’s most likely next move. Bill and Laura risked as much as I did by making contact in the first place.’

Elise lifted her eyes and said nothing. While her face looked as serene as usual, her eyes were still troubled. She stared at him with a new intensity that forced him to look away. He put up a barrier so she couldn’t get inside his head again.

Pierre watched his wife with equal concern before turning to Stephen. ‘What was it like, their planet called Earth?’

‘Strange, oppressive, overcrowded. Apart from the constructions above ground, not similar to this planet. The humans consider Exilon 5 to be their new home. They need it to ensure their survival. The air on Earth has changed so drastically that they have trouble breathing without masks. It’s what’s driving their ambitions to relocate here. I’m concerned that they’ll do just about anything to get what they want.’

‘Desperation leads us to do funny things,’ Elise remarked quietly.

Pierre placed a reassuring hand on his wife’s shoulder. ‘What about co-existence? Do you think there’s a possibility this could all end peacefully?’

‘It’s too early to tell,’ Stephen said, sighing. ‘Officially, we don’t exist, and their government hasn’t told the rest of the population about us. My sense is they have no desire to educate them; I’m sure we would be difficult to explain. It would cause too much disruption to their society. Their mindset is fragile in many ways.’

Leon stepped forward, unable to stay quiet any longer. ‘How many of them did you encounter? Was my son hurt in the struggle?’ Pain was etched into his face.

‘Not many, and no he wasn’t hurt. I don’t think they’ll harm him,’ Stephen said, knowing he was not being completely truthful—he had no idea if Anton was alive or dead, or what the humans might do to him.

As Leon’s face brightened a little, Stephen felt the weight of his guilt lighten. He continued: ‘Outside, there are hundreds of thousands of them littering their streets, and even more crossing the land in their automated vehicles; far more than I had expected.’

‘What makes you think you can trust the pair you spoke to?’ Elise asked clinically.

Subconsciously, Stephen reinforced the barrier in his mind to keep her out. He could feel her searching for a weak point. ‘I would never intentionally put the Indigenes in danger. I trust them in the same way I trusted the child, Ben Watson. It’s a feeling, a sense that there is more to some of them.’

‘I never should have listened to you, Pierre—or to her for that matter,’ Elise scoffed, taking a step back from the group. ‘Look at the trouble we’re in now.’

Pierre rushed to place both hands on her shoulders. ‘Elise, please. We had no choice. I had to trust my instincts when we met Isla, and I thought you agreed with me.’ Elise stayed silent, allowing her husband to remain close. He turned to Stephen. ‘Is it possible the two humans could be wrong about what they’ve found?’

‘Of course,’ Stephen said. ‘But I didn’t get a sense from them that they were deliberately deceiving me in any way. I can’t be sure about much but I’m sure that they believed the story. Bill Taggart appeared genuinely surprised at the revelation.’

Confused, Leon addressed Pierre: ‘Are you suggesting that they might have made it all up?’

‘Not them, exactly,’ said Pierre rubbing his chin thoughtfully. ‘But what if their government knew we were coming and planted the story with the two humans? Was it coincidental that Anton was discovered but not Stephen? They had two weeks to prepare for Stephen’s and Anton’s arrival. We’ve no idea how long they knew about Anton’s false identity.’

‘So you think they were hoping that Stephen would return and spread the rumour? For what reason?’

‘To create mass panic? To set us up somehow?’ Pierre sighed heavily, looking every day of his one hundred and twenty years. ‘I don’t know yet, but it’s just a theory. The stories may be true but I was warned something might happen. We just need to consider all possibilities at this stage.’

‘Warned by whom? By that woman?’ said Elise.

Pierre shook his head. ‘It’s of no concern. Let’s focus on the matters at hand.’

‘So, what now? Do we tell the others?’ Leon asked. They had all been thinking the same thing.

‘I don’t know,’ Pierre said. ‘What exactly would it achieve?’

‘I suggest you don’t tell them,’ Stephen said. ‘The last thing we need is for us to be at each other’s throats. Our best chance right now is to stick together—to work together.’

‘I agree,’ Leon said. ‘We shouldn’t tell the others until we can confirm whether the story is true or not. We need to focus our efforts on a rescue attempt.’

‘I believe the information is true,’ Stephen said to nobody in particular, his mood gloomier than before.

‘And Anton?’ Elise said quietly.

All three Indigenes turned to look at her. She was unusually still. There was a strange look in her eyes and her demeanour suddenly seemed out of place. Pierre squeezed her arm. She didn’t respond.

‘We have to tell the others something,’ Stephen said eventually. ‘They’re going to notice Anton’s absence.’

‘Then we say he died in a hunting accident,’ Pierre suggested.

‘They’ll find that hard to believe,’ said Leon.

‘I know, but do you have any better suggestions?’

Leon shook his head.

‘Then that’s the story. It’s the best we can offer them right now.’