Total pages in book: 57
Estimated words: 51862 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 259(@200wpm)___ 207(@250wpm)___ 173(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 51862 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 259(@200wpm)___ 207(@250wpm)___ 173(@300wpm)
“They’re going to try to recapture this vessel. Full speed to Earth,” Rex snaps the order immediately.
Another soldier at the controls replies without looking around. “I don’t think we have any more speed, commander. They’re gaining on us.”
“Then we stand and fight. Better to die free than to be taken back to their world and treated as animals and slaves.”
I listen to these conversations quietly before speaking up. It’s time I finally do something. Or at least try to. The fact we’re being pursued is at least partially my fault. Also, if I play my cards right, I might get to talk to Zain. I really want to talk to Zain.
“Let me talk to them. If they understand you’re prepared to die in order to be free, they might stop chasing. Zain will listen to me. I think.”
“Worth a try,” Rex says, with a certain fatalistic tone that tells me if this doesn’t go well, this guy is going to get us all killed. So much of life lately has been some guy who is probably going to get us all killed.
He gestures to the mic. I step toward it, having no real plan as to what to say.
“Hello? Is this thing on?”
“Emily!” I hear Zain’s voice. It makes me choke up immediately, as feelings of warmth and safety rush through my silly, simple body. My flesh still trusts him, but I know better. At least, I want to know better.
“Our commanders are prepared to fight to the death if you do not let us return to Earth,” I say, trying to sound professional.
“There is no way we are allowing Euphorian technology to return to Earth. If you wish to die, that is a decision you are free to make.”
I don’t recognize the second voice. It’s colder, and older and merciless, and I can see that it finds the commander where he lives. It is the sound of someone who will happily kill you for being a mild inconvenience.
“Who am I speaking to now?”
“My name is Phenix Wrathelder. I, unlike the Voros boys, have no patience or tolerance for rebellion. That is my ship you are currently aboard, and I am more than prepared to sacrifice it in order to bring this matter to a close. You may, if you like, attempt to surrender. I will consider it.”
Commander Rex mutes the com. “Gotta tell you. I like this guy.”
I do not like this guy. I see death for all of us, because I know that however much Commander Rex likes this Phenix, I don’t think Wrathelder is joking. I think he is precisely as ruthless as he appears to be, and I think Commander Rex is willing to let everybody on board die. All of these men are entirely insane.
“Commander? My village did not consent to die on this ship, so if it’s alright with you, I think surrender should be considered.”
“I forgot about the civilians,” he grunts. “You’re sure they wouldn’t rather die free than be captive?”
“What is taking so long?” Phenix Wrathelder sounds impatient.
“We’re taking a vote to see who wants to die,” Commander Rex replies.
“I see.”
Is that a hint of amusement in the evil alien’s tone? I feel as though there might be. He no longer sounds quite as bored.
“Let me talk to everyone,” I say. “I can try to keep them calm.”
I look into the tired and, frankly, afraid faces of the people I have known my whole life. We do not belong here on this ship. There is no earth. There is no sky. We have been separated from the grove itself, and more and more we are starting to look more like a group of people more than a village. Separation is beginning to sneak in, cracks made of empty space opening up between us. I cannot allow this to happen.
“Alright, everybody. We’ve been faced with a choice. The aliens have chased us and they’re in ships with a lot more weaponry. Commander Rex still wants to take us back to Earth, but it seems like none of them are going to let that happen. We have two obvious choices. We can try to run and likely be shot out of the sky. Or we can surrender and be taken to the alien planet.”
“What?! Surrender?”
“Let them take us to the alien planet. We’ll kill them all!”
Maybe that wasn’t the best way to keep them calm. Half of the villagers are breaking down in fear and the other half are going through their supplies to find their pitchforks.
There’s much concern among the villagers, and frankly, I feel as though having brought this up to them was probably a bad idea. Decisions like these have to be made by leaders. For better or for worse that is me.
“Don’t worry!” I wave my hands and try to settle them all down. “I’ll take care of this.”