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Northern Haven’s Door: Atsushi Collins
Atsushi and Girak stood side-by-side in the icy darkness. The continued silence and lack of bullets from the plateau above them lent Atsushi hope that Zach couldn’t tell him from Girak and didn’t want to shoot a teen. Especially a teen born of the last frozen embryo from the Surface. Never before had he been grateful to be a freezer baby.
Atsushi counted the seconds, trying not to cough from the frigid air leaking into his headpiece. Beside him, Girak growled his disapproval of his risk.
Behind them, Ayanna’s boots crunched on the ice as she walked farther and farther away. Atsushi panted, expecting each pounding of his heart to be his last.
Glancing back, he couldn’t even see Ayanna. She had already pulled Rana into the relative safety of the shadows. If he couldn’t see them, Zach surely wouldn’t see them. Ayanna was safe. He tapped Girak’s hand. “Now.”
As one, they spun and ran the last few meters to the black oblivion. Atsushi fell headfirst into the darkest shadow, shaking uncontrollably. The bitter air constricted and burnt his lungs. He coughed so badly that he ripped off the headpiece and threw up, coughing. As he struggled to catch his breath, a frigid wind kicked up, and the air moved through his hair like ghostly fingers. Even the air itself was alive up here.
“Let’s switch headpieces for a bit. I’m more used to it out here.” Girak removed his own headpiece and handed it to Atsushi.
Too light-headed to argue, he accepted the exchange.
Still gasping too much to speak, he nodded his gratitude. With the intact air warmer, his coughing slowed and his breathing normalized.
The radio crackled. “You fool,” Savas said. “You can’t run, there’s nowhere to go.” The jerk’s contempt nearly made Atsushi vomit again.
Girak said, “I’m preventing a war. We got the last of the expedition clothing. Make some tea. It’ll take hours for Zach to climb down and re-enter. When I have proof that you’re wrong about them, I’ll turn my radio back on.” He clicked off his radio and camera and coughed from the leak in his headpiece.
Atsushi chuckled in admiration. No one ever spoke to Commander Savas like that.
Girak pointed to the door. “You both should go back,” he said, racked by another cough. “There’s no reason for us all to risk this. Go back and blame Rana and me.”
“I’m not leaving you out here alone. You’re stuck with me,” he said. He clicked off his radio and Savas’ cursing. Ayanna did the same.
“Are you sure?” Girak’s voice trembled with gratitude.
“Ah, yeah. She saved my life,” Ayanna said.
“We owe her,” Atsushi added, still processing the fact that Ayanna seemed totally fine. No one ever survived the Sickness.
Girak nodded and coughed again. “Then we’d better move.”
As Atsushi turned to help carry Rana, her eyes fluttered open, and she sniffed.
Real air. She inhaled deeply and gave him a weak smile.
“Freakin’ freezing air,” Atsushi responded as he searched Rana’s face for signs of discomfort. “How arctic was your home planet?”
She scrunched her face. I was born here.
Was she older than him? How long ago had they arrived?
“We need to hurry. Rana, if you lean on me, can you stand?” Girak offered his gloved hand to her.
She wobbled up and smiled in delight at the frozen deathscape around them. Thank you. Her eyes glistened with tears as she gave them a small bow. Thank you for returning me.
“Don’t thank us until we’re safe. Can you contact your people...uh, I mean, the other star beings?” He studied her for signs that his awkward wording had offended her, but he still wasn’t clear if what he saw was really her or a mind projection like the Council had warned of.
Rana closed her eyes and held very still, and they all waited. Then she exhaled in a frustrated hiss. I can’t Call. I can’t reach them.
“Why not?” His heart fell. “You can talk to us. Shouldn’t it be easier to talk to them? Don’t you have a radio or something? A location beacon?”
If Commander Savas caught them, he’d kill Girak. He couldn’t allow that. Shast. How had he not seen it sooner? Girak was dead either way—he couldn’t live up here or return. Atsushi stared through the darkness toward the distant door, their only lifeline to survival. “Girak—”
I’m not clear from those things that hit me. Tears streamed down Rana’s face. I need a clear mind to function properly.
“It’s okay, but we need to move. Can you walk?” Girak gave her arm a gentle tug. “Don’t worry, Atsushi, we’ll be fine.”
Rana schlepped forward. I’m sorry. They will catch us now.
“Not if I can help it. Which way?” Girak asked.
Rana pointed, and he helped her hobble off into the depths of the frigid wilderness. Atsushi and Ayanna followed them along the dark base of the cliffs that lined the Valley of Ice.
Atsushi stopped. “Ayanna, your pack.”
Her clothing was so oversized that her pack had slipped right off her shoulders. She stooped and picked it up.
“It’s so heavy. Do we really need it?” She scowled at it and then shoved it onto her shoulders again.
Atsushi shrugged and caught up with Girak. “What’s in our packs?”
“Hopefully, all the original safety and food rations. Now that you mention it, grab out a food container for Rana.” Then he said to Rana, “You must be starving. Did they ever give you any decent food?”
I would love some. Her telepathic voice brightened at the possibility of food.
This he could relate to.
Girak told them how to open the food while continuing their brisk trek. Atsushi popped open the lid and stared at the glutenous, cold stew.
Rana accepted it with her free arm. Sniffing it, her nose wrinkled. Thanks?
“It’s all we have. At least it’s not raw this time.” Girak cast a longing look at the dark, lumpy liquid.
Rana tilted the can into her opened mouth. Her face screwed up into a horrible grimace. She looked like she would vomit, but she gagged it down. I’m going to need to teach you about real food.
He laughed, suddenly very aware of his pinched, empty stomach. “I’ll happily accept that lesson.”
They walked on in silence except for Girak’s periodic coughing and Rana’s smacking and gagging as she struggled to eat. The whole time, Rana’s appearance stayed the same—somewhat human but not quite.
“I don’t want to offend you,” he said, “but the expedition claimed you could make yourselves look different by affecting our minds. Is that true?”
“I never said that,” Girak interjected. “Savas spread that rumor.”
Rana’s face scrunched up in confusion. Or maybe offense? Had he just said something thoughtless to her like when people asked him inappropriate questions about Japan?
This, she said, pointing to her face, is me.
“Of course it is,” Girak said and then muttered something under his breath about Savas.
“Okay.” Atsushi gave her a friendly smile, hoping she didn’t think less of him. “I thought it didn’t make sense, but then I wondered if maybe you had changed the way we see you to make us feel more comfortable?”
“If I could change and wanted to make you comfortable, I’d become a warm fire,” she said with a grin.
“Right.” He grinned back.
So, star beings had a sense of humor, and they liked good food. That was good, because if the three of them couldn’t go home, they might end up begging to live on their ship.
After about half an hour, Girak stopped in his tracks and turned to him. “Can you help Rana for”—a series of coughs racked him—“a bit?”
“Of course.” Atsushi put his arm around Rana’s waist and then tensed as his hand neared the last known location of her strange animal. “Will your pet bite me?”
Pet? Rana gagged down another lump of the stew.
“The animal in your coat. A pet is an animal that you own. You teach it tricks, and it keeps you company, and it’s usually cuddly.”
Rana laughed so hard she nearly choked on the stew. Digga? She’s not a pet. She’s a young cave digger, the most dangerous wild animal around. She doesn’t usually bite. I’m still working out how to get along with her peaceably.
Atsushi froze. Was this another joke? His wide eyes focused on the rip in her furs.
You are safe. How do you say your name? At-slushi?
He laughed. “Atsushi.”
“At—” She tried in her strange voice as she handed him back the empty food container.
“A-tsoo-shee.” He unzipped the most accessible pocket of his pack and shoved the container inside.
Beside him, Girak wheezed. He frowned at Girak, but the educator waved off his concern.
“Atsushi.” Its vibration suits you well. What does this name mean?
He shrugged. “There’s no other Japanese to ask. The records say it means either ‘compassionate warrior’ or ‘warm,’ but I’m not much of a warrior, and I’m definitely not warm right now,” he said, laughing.
You are compassionate, or you wouldn’t be helping me. What is this Japanese?
“That’s what I am, why I look different from them.” He motioned to Girak and Ayanna.
Different? Rana considered this a long time, looking from him to the others.
He grinned. “You don’t see a difference in us?”
She considered them all again and then gave him an apologetic shake of her head. No. I mean, you all look different from each other. I can see what might be male and female and age differences, but I don’t see this Japanese thing that makes you different. All three of you have different eye colors and skin tones.
“It’s not a single thing...” He bit back his amusement. It’d be such a relief if he could simply point to something specific about him that made him Japanese. He shrugged. “I can’t define it. That’s the tricky part. Do star beings have different skin tones and looks?”
Rana’s brow furrowed. Everyone’s skin is a little different. We don’t usually care much about looks...
“Not even if you have a crush on someone?” Ayanna asked.
Well...Rana bit her lip and looked away. I mean, it helps, but it’s not what’s important. We don’t classify each other by our looks. But sometimes, different villages do their hair a little differently.
“I guess a hair style could be Japanese, but not really. Not anymore...” Atsushi shrugged. “It doesn’t matter.” It did, of course. It mattered dearly to him, but right now, he couldn’t explain it to himself, let alone an alien. “You sure we’re going in the right direction?”
She nodded, then gave him a huge smile. Whatever it means to be Japanese, I’m glad you’re the way you are.
“Right.” His chest warmed at that. Why was it easier to talk to her about this than his classmates? He looked away from Rana to hide his happiness at her words. He noticed Ayanna watching him. “What?”
Her grin lit up the night. “I’m glad you’re the way you are, too.”
Something emboldened him. Maybe it was a side-effect of taking the prime minister hostage and then fleeing your only home with an alien? The words flowed from his lips before he could question them. “Yeah, I’m pretty cool.” He laughed and looked away, feeling shy that he meant it.
They continued hiking across the flat icy tundra. To their left and right rose ominous, ice-covered cliffs that glowed under the pale moonlight. In the distance, the end of the deep valley widened into endless black horizon.
“Rana? Can you contact the others yet?” Girak stopped and scanned the horizon. “Commander Savas will be after us soon.”
Rana immediately stopped walking, making Atsushi stumble. She took a few deep breaths and shifted as if trying to straighten while still leaning on Atsushi for support. Her eyes closed.
They waited, totally exposed in the open space. Only the endlessly circulating air and Girak’s wheezing surrounded them.
What he would give right now for the security of four walls, a ceiling, and some heat.
Rana mumbled something in her eerie language. More silence followed.
Then her chin dropped so that her furred hood blocked her face from sight. Sorry, I cannot contact them. And the Crowned Ones will not be able to locate us if I cannot Call. Well, Kalakanya could, if she tried...but she probably assumes I’m still a prisoner. She won’t check my location.
“We’re on our own?” Hopelessness tugged Atsushi toward the safety of Northern Haven. He and Ayanna had no training, no skills. Even the failed expedition teams had equipment and Commander Savas protecting them. Atsushi and his friends had none of that. Instead, they had Savas hunting them.