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Northern Haven: Bleu Reinier
After another rough night with Ayanna, Bleu dragged himself from sleep by remembering that he had to reach the Surface and somehow find a cure. And to do that he had to first get his butt to training and act as if everything were fine. His family had hidden Ayanna’s Sickness during the concert by claiming she’d eaten bad food and needed to stay home, but someone would soon notice the pattern of her absences. He grabbed a breakfast bar and strode through the halls toward practice, hoping his friendly greetings to teammates hid his exhaustion.
Today and for the last two weeks they trained daily in the largest gaming room, now a holographic nightmare of subfreezing temperatures and extreme winds. As Commander Savas hit the button on his remote control, the bitter wind stopped churning through their campsite. Bleu teetered in the immediate lack of opposing force and fell forward onto his orange tent, its canvas billowing around his fallen body. Stamf and Zach snorted in laughter as he tried to free himself.
“It’s all fun and games in here, men, but out there, I can’t hit a remote to save your butts.” Commander Savas focused his glare on Zach, though Stamf had also chortled. Zach was not Prime Minister Pridbor’s nephew.
Sometimes, Lee’s a bit too good in his programming, Bleu thought as sensation returned to his frozen cheeks.
“I’m not taking you softies up there until I’m confident you’ll have a rat’s ass of a chance to return alive, so we’re having an extra session tonight after dinner.” Savas glared at Abdul. “And yes, you’ll show up in full gear.”
Abdul smiled a good-natured toothy grin at his commander, not the least bit rattled. Bleu warmed at his teammate’s skill at taking their commander in stride.
If only he could do the same. He despised Commander Savas’ ability to elicit efficiency at the cost of human decency. Last week, he’d tried to convince the Council to “kindly kill” the teens afflicted with the Sickness, and then he’d bragged about how his policy would save resources in their next expedition training.
Commander Savas’ pulse was as frozen as his icy blue eyes, and while Bleu would follow his orders to reach the Surface, he’d never trust him.
“Should we repack this now, sir?” Abdul motioned to the limp tents.
“Last I checked, they weren’t self-packing tents.” Savas muttered something about lack of time, turned abruptly, and crashed into Josefina.
“Sorry, sir.” She squatted on the ground and repacked her equipment, which had been scattered by their collision.
Bleu marveled at Josefina’s apology. It was his fault.
Commander Savas nodded to her and removed his headpiece to run his fingers through his perfectly trimmed hair. He knelt, assisting her with the cleanup, and said something to her, his voice too low to hear, but whatever he said got Josefina to laugh with him.
Savas stood and assessed the others, and his smile evaporated. “Maybe I should have you clean this up in the wind? I said move.”
Bleu glared at the camp supplies still scattered despite his efforts. He groaned under his breath and gathered the gear.
“Perhaps you have forgotten the importance of our mission?” Commander Savas was on a roll.
Here comes the lecture.
Stamf, apparently agreeing with Bleu’s assessment, rolled his eyes behind the commander’s back. Bleu returned a grin.
“If we do not find other humans, humanity is done. We must defend our door, map the area, and confirm the pole readings to allow the next expedition to fly to the other Havens. All of this while you breathe air so foreign, it’s as if your brain is flash-frozen with every breath.” Savas spun toward Bleu before he could drop his grin.
“Bleu, let’s see how amused you are when teammates die. Did you forget those who died on the first expedition?”
Bleu glowered at the floor. He hadn’t poked fun at their mission, rather at the constant lectures. He knew what was at stake—Ayanna.
“Abdul, list the priorities and assignments.” Commander Savas wouldn’t let it go.
How dense does he think we are?
Abdul’s grin faded as anger flashed in his eyes, yet his response came measured and calm, “One: Set up the base camp. Assigned to all of us. Two: Assess topography and dangers—that’s Bleu, Stamf, and I. Three: Confirm magnetic poles and samples—Zach and Josefina. Four”—his voice dropped to a whisper—“keep an eye out for any Undescended.”
The room went still as death. The Undescended, those not chosen to enter one of the four SHAST havens, had become more and more radical as the ice age increased and the havens were completed. Many had joined radical terrorist groups and vowed to survive, find the havens, and slaughter all those within. Every Northern Haven kid had nightmares of the Undescended attacking them.
Everyone in the room had ancestors who had been chosen to nestle in safety while the ice age ravaged the Surface. There were no expectations of survivors, but if any had survived, who knew how dangerous their radical fury had grown after centuries of being deserted to die.
The door whizzed open. Prime Minister Pridbor stood in the doorway with his lordly bearing. He visually assessed them all, scowling slightly at Bleu.
Turning to their commander, Pridbor said, “Commander Savas, a word with you.”
“Of course, Prime Minister.” Commander Savas bowed in respect, and then said to the team, “I want this neatly repacked. Now.”
As Savas exited, Bleu exchanged concerned looks with the others. The Council had never shown up at training. What was going on?
“Do you think they’ve monitored us?” Abdul voiced everyone’s concern. “I can’t go back to my old job. If I clean another slimy, eyeless fish, I’ll scream.”
“They won’t replace us.” Stamf gave his winsome smile. “We were all handpicked—they said that themselves.”
Murmurs of assent answered him as the team strained to repack the bulky orange tents into their impossibly small bags. The tension remained too thick, the silence too long.
“If they were watching, it wouldn’t be fair to judge us on today. Savas created that unrealistic wind storm just to test us. We won’t have such a bad storm—its spring up there, right?” Bleu motioned with his chin toward the ceiling.
When Josefina remained quiet, he glanced over his shoulder to see her face shrouded in fear. Of Commander Savas? But she’s clearly his favorite.
As Josefina caught Bleu’s glance, her face became a mask. She jumped up, startling the others. “Get that packed up, Stamf.” She threw her research gear over her shoulder, stood by the door, and glowered back at them. “This team isn’t losing anyone up there.”
When they exited the arena, Prime Minister Pridbor and Commander Savas stood against the gear room’s far wall and conferred in hushed voices.
“Bleu.” Commander Savas glared at him.
Pridbor slowly shook his head, causing his ample jowls to waggle.
What did I do?
As Bleu paused, shifting his pack, Stamf clasped his friend’s shoulder. “I’ll meet you at dinner. Good luck.”
Bleu nodded slightly and then turned to join his superiors. Stamf and the others began stowing the tents and other gear against the wall. It was a small room, so his would be a public chew out.
“Yes, sirs?”
“You will not join us this evening,” Commander Savas began. “In fact, you will not join us again. You are cut from the expedition team.”
Bleu’s jaw dropped. He glanced at Prime Minister Pridbor and was met with complete disdain. His teammates hushed and turned toward him, alarm flooding their faces.
Ayanna. No, this couldn’t happen. Not when he was so close.
“The council held an emergency meeting this afternoon with your family as guests. It is clear Ayanna has the Sickness. We cannot risk you developing symptoms and endangering the team.”
“But I’m fine.” Then he added, “Sir.” He desperately searched his commander’s cold eyes for a change of heart. But he didn’t have a heart.
“Doubtful. You and Ayanna are siblings.” Prime Minister Pridbor regarded him like a grenade about to explode. “We will determine your future status by standard protocol. Until then, you are a risk and are cut from the team. You are quarantined to your module.”
Bleu stood before all of them, grasping for a way to combat their decision.
“Dismissed, Reinier.” Commander Savas shook his head. Whether in disgust or in self-pity for losing a team member, Bleu couldn’t tell.
He wiped cold sweat from his brow. His mind spun, his thoughts unraveling. What chance does Ayanna have now? And my vision...was it all for nothing? His heart slammed against his ribs. The dagger bumped against his leg, a solid reminder of his vision of standing under the sky.
“Sirs, please.” He knew it was futile to beg, but he had to save Ayanna. He was useless in quarantine.
“Do you need an escort, Reinier?” The contempt in his commander’s voice hit him like a fist.
“No, sir.” He forced himself to breathe normally despite the adrenaline coursing through him. He needed to get home. Was Ayanna okay? He spun to leave but then stiffened.
Not too fast—they’ll think I’m becoming symptomatic. Bleu put back his shoulders and stared straight ahead as he strode toward the door.
“Leave your gear, Reinier,” Commander Savas said.
Bleu froze and stiffly shrugged off his pack. It landed with a thud at his feet. He couldn’t meet Stamf’s alarmed gaze. Even his connection to Prime Minister Pridbor was useless when the Sickness was involved.
“The parka, too. Everything.”
Was Commander Savas going to have him strip in front of everyone? Bleu ripped off his parka, snow pants, and boots.
“All the layers. Someone worthy will need them.” By Savas’ tone, he’d already tossed him into the “kindly kill” category.
He shed the three layers of special thermals and socks until he stood in his underclothes. Could they see his heart thudding under his bare chest? Stamf left the group and hurried around the corner of the room, deserting Bleu. He warned me if Ayanna’s Sickness became known, he’d choose his uncle.
Prime Minister Pridbor tsked and turned away.
Bleu shot a defiant glare to Commander Savas, turned, and forced his feet toward the door.
“Bleu, hold up.” Stamf ran up behind him and handed him his regular pants that he must have just retrieved from the lockers.
“Thanks,” Bleu mumbled. Unable to bear eye contact, Bleu looked away as he slipped on the too short pants and then rushed through the door. As it hissed shut behind him, all dreams of saving Ayanna and visiting the Surface were extinguished.