FAMILY TIES
"Very good, Paul," Miss Croft said.
The human cadet beamed with pleasure. Radu watched him take his seat from the back corner of the class. He was painfully aware that to his left and in front of him were empty seats as he sat in the back right corner of the alien culture class. The other cadets at Starcademy were almost afraid to come near him, as if he would bite off their heads if they said hello.
"Radu, you are up next," Miss Croft called.
Radu winced slightly as she raised her voice for him to hear her. She knew that he could hear her quite clearly if she whispered, he had even heard her muttering under her breath a few times. He was also aware of the lesson taking place next door. Biochemistry - for the enhanced class. Radu picked up his compupad and made his way slowly to the front of the class for what was sure to be another public ridiculing of the Starcademy's only Andromedan student.
"Andromedan culture," he began, "is quite boring compared to the fascinating study of humans done by Paul."
"That's because humans are better than Andromedans," someone whispered.
Radu coloured slightly and cleared his throat.
"Andromedans spend their lives in their birth community and are raised to contribute to that community," Radu continued. "At birth, they are given a specific task as well as guidelines to memorize so they can function with the group as best they can. There is no room for improvement in Andromedan society and anyone who tries to change anything is shunned."
To his right, someone made snoring noises. Radu glanced down at his compupad nervously.
"Um, the family unit of Andromedans . . . " he began.
The bell rang, interrupting his presentation. The class leaped to their feet and walked out, leaving Radu standing alone, facing an empty room. Miss Croft touched him gently on the shoulder.
"Good job," she said sympathetically.
Radu gathered his things and left.
**********
"They really did that to you?" Harlan said. "Why, I ought to . . "
He pounded his fist to his hand to illustrate his point.
"Wow, that's really cold," Bova commented.
Rosie sat next to the depressed Andromedan and put her arm around his shoulder. After the second Spung war, things had gone from bad to worse at the Starcademy. Over a hundred students had been killed during the fighting and Radu seemed to be the only thing they had to vent out their anger on. Before, the cadets had just been slightly cautious of Radu, ignoring him rather than provoking him. That had changed. Radu was now faced with catcalls in the hallway, complete isolation in the classroom, and utter embarrassment in the dorm. What was worse was that the teachers either did not notice, or did not mind the way Radu was being treated.
"Maybe I should just go back to Andromeda," he muttered.
"You can't do that!" Catalina objected.
"Yeah, it was the Andromedan government who put you here in the first place," Bova reminded him.
"I can change," Radu assured them. "I can become the mindless drone they want. I'm willing to keep my ideas to myself for my whole life to escape this place!"
He stood and took a few steps to the door. He turned back to his friends.
"I've made up my mind," he told them. "I'm resigning from Starcademy."
**********
Seth Goddard walked briskly down the hall, his nose in a compupad as he reviewed his student's marks. He was so absorbed in his work that he did not notice someone else coming down the hall until it was too late. The two bodies collided and fell to the ground. Goddard muttered something under his breath and raised his head to shout at the newcomer, until he saw who it was.
"Commander," Rosie said. "Boy, am I glad to see you!"
"I'm not a commander anymore, Rosie," Goddard told her. "They stripped me of my officer's rank because of our little trip on the Christa."
Rosie's face showed a sign of shock. "They did? Oh, Commander, I'm sorry. If I had known what would happen, I would never have agreed to follow Harlan . . . "
Goddard held up his hands to stop her. "I would rather give them my rank than change our trip, Rosie. Now, what is it you wanted to tell me?"
"It's Radu," Rosie told him as he helped her to her feet. "He's leaving Starcademy!"
"Leaving? For where?" Goddard asked.
"He wants to go back to Andromeda, permanently. He's submitting his resignation tomorrow and none of us can talk him out of it. I thought maybe you could have a word with him," Rosie said.
"I don't know if he'd listen," Goddard said, "but I'll certainly try."
**********
Radu stood alone in the deserted dorm room. It had been full of students only moments ago, until he entered. Then, the conversation stopped, the hushed comments began, and the entire room emptied in a matter of minutes. Radu stood in front of his bunk and silently pack his clothes.
He heard the footsteps coming down the hall and he heard the Commander clear his throat nervously and take a deep breath before coming in. Radu didn't turn, although he knew the man was standing right behind him.
"There's nothing you can say," Radu told him. "I'm leaving."
"Fine," Goddard said.
Radu turned around. His face was full of confusion as he stared at the man in front of him. Goddard calmly looked back at Radu and even began to help him pack.
"Y - You're not going to talk me out of it?" Radu asked.
"Nope," Goddard replied, handing Radu his clothes.
"No one sent you here?"
"Rosie did," Goddard said truthfully. "She's really upset that you're going. You're her best friend, you know."
"I know," Radu replied quietly.
"I saw Harlan talking to Mattar as well," the Commander continued. "He's pretty steamed about the way the others are treating you. Matt agrees with him and they both hate to see you quit."
"Quit?"
"Then Cat was talking to Suzee and they both said they're going to miss your conversations with them and the way you continue to defend Catalina when she's being teased about Suzee by the other students - even though they turn their torment on you."
Radu did not reply.
"Well, the principal said that the next transport to Andromeda leaves in a few hours, so if you're going to be aboard it, you should say your good byes now," Goddard zipped Radu's duffel bag closed.
"Y - Yeah," Radu agreed. "I guess you're right."
Radu held out his hand for the Commander to take. They shook and Radu smiled at his friend.
"Thanks for all the good times, Commander," he said.
"Your welcome," Goddard answered.
He pulled Radu closer for a hug. The Andromedan seemed abashed by the sign of affection, but returned the hug. He then shouldered his bag, took a last look at the dorm room, and left.
**********
The biosphere was full of the normal activities of after school life. Students gathered in groups among favorite spots and talked, did homework, or simply relaxed. Radu passed the tree where he and the other space cases so often did their work. He remembered the good times he hand and could almost hear the conversation of his friends.
He continued his walk, ignoring the whispered remarks and savoring his last stroll through the gardens. He paused to listen and engrave the sounds in his mind. The rustle of the artificial wind through the trees, the chirping of the birds, the laughter of the . . . birdbath?
Radu thought that his ears had deceived him as he walked up to the ceramic fountain when another giggle escaped the water as a bird landed. Radu smiled as he realized what was going on and stuck a finger in the liquid, stirring the water vigorously.
"Ow!" an aqueous voice rippled.
"Hi, Clito," Radu said, removing his wet finger.
The water slithered out of the bath, leaving the astonished birds to find another way to keep clean. The puddle stopped in front of Radu's feet and reformed into the Neptunian Clito.
"Radu!" she exclaimed. Then, her expression changed. "What's with the bag?"
"I'm surprised Cat didn't tell you," Radu said. "I've quit Starcademy. I - I'm moving back to Andromeda."
"You're kidding," Clito said.
Radu shook his head. Clito's green eyes widened and she embraced her friend in a fierce hug. Since the war, she and Mattar had grown closer to the space cases, spending all their time with them. Like Harlan and Matt, Clito had developed a deep relationship with Catalina but still regarded Radu as a close friend.
"When are you leaving?" Clito asked.
"A few minutes. I came to get a final look at the sphere before going," Radu replied.
"Transport 349 Alpha leaving docking bay B bound for Andromeda in three minutes," the intercom system announced.
"I guess you better go," Clito said.
"Yeah," Radu agreed. "Say bye to the others for me, will you?"
Clito nodded and Radu walked toward the entrance and exit of the biosphere. As he left, he heard wild applause behind him as the other members of Starcademy celebrated his departure. The only thing that kept in the hurt was the faint sniff of Clito, crying for her friend.
**********
Radu woke up at the same time as he did everyday and proceeded to the kitchen of his host-house for breakfast. Two months had past since the Starcademy's only Andromedan student had left and since then, Radu had become accepted back into his birth community.
His host-mother said nothing as a plate of what could only be called food came out of the replicator. Radu sat down and the family bent their heads in prayer. At first, the Andromedan religion had seemed foreign and confusing to Radu until he remembered his teachings from his childhood. Prayers were at morning meal, mid-day meal, evening meal, and before sleeping. All community members met in the principle temple for worship three times a week, where offerings were made. The community where Radu now lived had not seen the ravishes of the recent war and many of the Andromedans did not believe war had passed.
"Time for chores," host-father said.
Radu had grown accustomed to the soft voices of his people. After years of tuning out sounds and asking people to speak quieter, Radu had enjoyed the sympathy of his own race. It was one of the few things he enjoyed.
Radu and his host-siblings left the small house for their respective jobs. As they walked, Radu could hear the soft steps of the other children leaving their host-parents as well. The children of the community circulated among the adults, each spending a different set of days with a host-family until they reached adulthood themselves.
The temple of the Andromedan god Spiros loomed high on a hill, overlooking the community. It was there that Radu had been placed, training to one day become a priest. It was rather ironic that this was his calling since he did not believe in the Andromedan religion. Nevertheless it was what he had been chosen to do, so he did it.
At the entrance to the temple, he bowed his head in prayer and slipped into the white robe of a trainee. He light the ceremonial candles and walked over to the room of the High priest.
"Conduct the morning service," the priest told him.
Radu bowed and turned to leave.
"386," the priest called after him.
Radu turned again.
"A message came for you from Starcademy. You may receive it after morning service."
Radu nodded once, turned and left.
**********
The smell of incense filled the temple as the service concluded. Radu bid farewell to the community as they left the temple for their proper chores. He then remembered the message that had been left for him. Slowly, he made his way to the intern lounge where the apprentices waited until the priest needed them.
The message screen blinked, indicating a saved message. Radu walked up to the screen and touched it. It recognized his finger prints and flashed to the next security code.
"Radu 386," Radu said.
"Voice match confirmed. Please stand by," the screen said.
Radu turned his head slightly, thinking he had heard something. When the sound did not return and the screen had finished loading, Radu turned back.
"DESTROY COMMUNITY LIFE!" the message flashed in large letters. "REUNITE ANDROMEDAN FAMILIES!"
Radu's eyes widened in shock. He looked around in hopes that the message had not been read by anyone else. When a large hand landed firmly on his shoulder, his heart sank.
"Come with us, Radu 386," the solider said. "You are guilty of jeopardizing the Andromedan community."
**********
Radu sat alone in his small cell. He stared blankly at the wall in front of him. He thought about what had happened, replaying the images in his head. He saw the shocked expressions of the church go-ers and of the High Priest as the soldiers escorted him out. He knew he would never again be permitted to enter this community.
The jail where he had been brought was constructed out of a concrete alloy that even the strongest Andromedan could not break. He had been given a gray uniform to wear with his number scratched onto the front in barely legible writing - 'R-386'. It was the first time his name had ever looked ugly. He vaguely wondered what Harlan and the others were doing.
His cell door slid open.
"Outside time," the guard said.
Radu did not move. The guard stepped into the cell and waved his hand in front of Radu's face. There was no response.
"Outside time," the guard repeated a bit louder.
Radu continued to stare at the wall. The guard reached into a pouch hanging from the belt he wore and took out a pair of ear plugs. He fitted them into his ears and lifted a kind of loudspeaker to Radu's ear. He pushed a button and the cell filled with a loud, piercing noise.
Radu's head snapped back violently and he clamped his hands over his sensitive ears. The guard increased the volume, which forced Radu to the ground. As he lay on the floor, gasping in pain, the guard turned off the loudspeaker and removed his ear plugs.
"R-386," the guard said. "It is time for you to go outside. There will be no more resistance, understood?"
Shaking, Radu nodded as he rose unsteadily to his feet. The guard firmly took his arm and pulled him out of the cell.
**********
Outside time, as the guards called it, was allowing the prisoners to walk in a giant, deserted courtyard. The ground was made of a finely ground sand and surrounded on all sides with high walls. Guards patrolled the area, carrying the loudspeakers and ear plugs. The prisoners were free for about an hour a day to wander around the courtyard before being ushered back inside.
Radu sat in silence with his back to the wall. He watched the guards walk around and saw the other prisoners conversing in small groups. He noticed with irony that most of the captives opposed the strict Andromedan way of life, yet unconsciously followed it when in prison. There was a distinct social ladder and the groups rarely spoke to each other. Members who somehow graduated to a higher group forgot the friends they left behind. Radu was not a part of any group, like he had been in the previous Andromedan society. When he spoke, it was freely with everyone he met, regardless of social borders which made him the subject of much ridicule and ultimately got him thrown in jail.
"Inside time," the guards called.
The prisoners shuffled into the building, still in their groups. Radu watched them all pass before slowly rising to his feet and entering the building.
**********
They ate as a large group at the same time every day. Radu often sat by himself near the door, always watching. About three weeks after his arrest, someone came to sit next to him.
"Hello," she said as she slid into the empty seat.
"Hi," Radu replied shortly.
The weeks of imprisonment had made Radu's temper short and his attitude worse. If one of his Starcademy friends had walked into the prison right then, they would not have believed the change.
"You're Radu 386, the prisoner who used to go to Starcademy, right?" the girl asked.
"Yes," Radu replied, coughing slightly.
"My name is Arista 118," she said. "I'm the one who sent the message to you."
She shrunk away as Radu turned slowly toward her. His pale face was turning red with anger as he slowly counted to ten in his mind to calm himself down. Before he could react, he experience a fit of coughing. Arista held up her hands in surrender and tried to help him. Radu shrugged her off.
"I needed to speak to you," Arista said quickly. "You're like me. You don't belong and that's why you were sent to Starcademy, but you came back. I thought that if I got you here, it would be easier for us to escape."
"If I was already free," Radu retorted, "why would I need to escape?"
"To spread the word," Arista explained. "I know you agree with our cause. I know you long to meet the parents who were forced to put you in a hatchery and never meet you. I know you think this way of life is unfair."
"I'm not an activist," Radu coughed. "I - I don't want to be responsible for the destruction of my home planet. I don't want a rebellion."
"Neither do we," Arista insisted. "If we can convince the government to let parents raise their own eggs, we can become a better society, like . . . "
"Earth?" Radu replied.
Arista nodded. Radu looked at her as he digested her words. She was slightly shorter than he was, with long, blond hair and the same blue eyes as him.
"Earth isn't all it's made out to be, you know," Radu said, his tone softer than before. "Earther's are incredible braggarts," he thought about Harlan briefly. "Earth families generally seem to be perfect, but if parents aren't cut out to be parents, the child is stuck and can become emotionally unstable. I learned a lot of Earth history at Starcademy and I can tell you Earth is not paradise."
He finished his comment with another fit of coughing.
"But their system is better than ours," Arista insisted.
Radu shrugged. "I don't know. Having a community raise a child from an egg gives the child the strength and knowledge of the community. Andromedans rarely know sadness or anger and we make each other complete. I don't know. Maybe it's the Earthers who have it wrong."
Arista looked into his eyes for a few seconds and then rose and left. Radu watched her disappear into the crowd and finished his meal.
**********
He found a note in his cell as he returned that night. The guard saw him reach for it and picked it up first. He quickly skimmed the contents before passing it to Radu. Radu waited until the guard had gone before reading it.
Radu -
Remember our conversation. If you want to speak more about what we talked about, I'll see you next Outside
Time.
- Arista
Radu shoved the note into his pocket as he lay down to sleep. The guards shouted "Light's out!" and the prison was plunged into darkness. As he drifted to sleep, he wondered how Arista knew so much about his desires.
**********
"I can't believe he's been gone for more than two months and hasn't even spoken to any of us!" Catalina cried.
Harlan lay on his back, squinting in the artificial light of the biosphere. They sat under their usual tree and spoke of their most talked about topic - Radu.
"He's probably just busy," Rosie said.
"Or in trouble," Bova added.
Catalina finished pacing and sat between Harlan and Matt. The Mercurian boy was sitting as close as he dared to Rosie with Bova on the other side, sitting as close as he dared. Rosie was between them, indifferent to both their desperate cries for attention.
Clito sat by Harlan's feet, absently strumming music on her hand held harp. She watched Catalina with a look of concern.
"Why don't we send him a message?" she suggested.
Catalina looked at the Neptunian with an expression of sheer joy. She jumped to her feet and embraced her friend.
"Clito," she said, "you're a genius. Let's go."
"What, now?" Harlan complained. "We can do it tomorrow. It's the first day of break and I want to enjoy it."
"Are you going home?" Matt asked.
"No," Harlan answered, sitting up. "The Admiral will be there and, as much as I love my mother, I don't want to see his stern face the entire break."
"I think I might visit home for a few weeks," Rosie said. "It's been so long since I've seen my mom and dad."
"I'm staying here," Bova said, "like usual."
Catalina sat back down. The group was silent for a while, listening to Clito's music. Finally, a grin spread over the Saturnian's face. She turned to face the others.
"Uh oh," Harlan said.
"Why don't we go to Andromeda and surprise Radu with a visit?" she suggested. "We're all practically war heroes, we can get Radu's address from the government and maybe talk him into coming home."
"Sounds fun," Rosie agreed. "I didn't get time to see much of Andromeda during the war."
"Great," Catalina said. "I'll check the times for transports leaving and we can get out of here. Won't Radu be surprised!"
**********
Radu waited for Arista outside in the courtyard. It was the first time he had walked around the courtyard since his imprisonment and the guards eyed him suspiciously, as if he were up to something. Finally, she arrived.
"I'm not sure if I agree with your cause," Radu said, "but I'll do anything to get out of here."
Arista nodded and led Radu to a secluded part of the courtyard. There, she revealed to him her plans for escape.
**********
The transport touched down two days after Catalina's decision to visit Andromeda. The cadets wore their uniforms and the medals they had received after sneaking into the Spung ship to rescue Radu. Although Andromedans were wary of the cadets, they treated them hospitably and they were permitted to see the governor.
The governor was most persistent in not revealing the location of Radu's community, but Harlan eventually charmed the information out of her. The six Starcademy cadets piled into a ground transport and were taken to Radu's adoptive community.
**********
Radu lay in his cell, staring at the ceiling. He heard a bird chirping outside his window and the steady, predictable steps of the guards as they made their rounds. For the first time in the month and a half of his captivity, Radu smiled. In a few night's time, he and Arista would be breaking out.
He heard the guard stop outside his door and the key turn in the lock. The door swung open.
"Visitors," the guard said.
Without a word, Radu followed the guard to the visitors area. When the door opened and he saw his guest, his eyes widened in surprise.
"What are you doing here?" Radu gasped.
Catalina smiled at him. "Surprise," she said.
The guard indicated they had thirty minutes and left. Catalina looked at her friend with sad eyes. Radu was shackled at the wrists and ankles with heavy chains and he was much paler and thinner than she remembered. He sat down in the chair across from her and tried his best to smile. She saw that it was a strain.
"School's done for the year," Cat said. "We thought we'd come and see how you were doing."
"Everyone's here?" Radu asked.
Cat nodded. "They would only let one of us in, so I was elected to see how you were."
"Could be better," Radu said with a weak smile.
He began to cough violently and almost fell out of his chair. Catalina stood up to help him, but the face of the guard at the window told her to leave him alone. In a few minutes, he had regained control.
"You're sick," Catalina stated.
"Everyone here is sick," Radu said. "You get used to it."
"We have to get you out of here," she whispered.
"Don't worry," Radu winked. "I'll be fine. You guys should get out of here." He began to cough again.
"There's fifteen minutes left," Cat said. "I'll see if they'll let Rosie in to take a look at that cough."
Before Radu could protest, Catalina had gone. A few minutes later, Rosie appeared. Radu felt the room grow warmer as she entered and was embarrassed by the look of shock he received from her.
"Hello, Rosie," he wheezed.
"Oh, Radu," Rosie cried, rushing over to embrace her friend. "What have they done to you?"
"I'm fine," Radu insisted. "Just a cough."
"Time's up," a guard said.
"I just got here," Rosie protested.
"Time's up," the guard repeated, grabbing Radu roughly by the arm.
Radu stumbled after the guard, leaving Rosie in the visitor's room staring after him.
**********
Three days later, Arista made her move. Members of the resistance movement had slipped her the plans of the prison months before Radu had even arrived. They had highlighted the weaknesses of the prison as well as a complicated underground sewer network that would lead them safely to a nearby lake. A large field and several hills blocked the lake from view of the prison and they would finally be free.
As Radu sat in his cell, waiting for the guards to shut off the lights, he wondered about his friends. Would they be safe once he had escaped? Would they return to the prison to find him missing? Would they be imprisoned because of it? He shook his head to clear his mind of unanswerable questions.
"Lights out," the guards called.
The prison plummeted into darkness and Radu lay down. As the first of the three nightly guards passed his cell, he appeared to be asleep. He even slowed his heart-rate and breathing to keep the guard's suspicions down. The guard passed.
Radu awoke from the light doze he had been in to see Arista's face peering at him from the doorway. Radu sat up quickly and brushed the sleep from his eyes. Arista opened the door silently and motioned for him to follow her.
He snuck out and became all to aware of the thumping of his heart. Arista looked at him over her shoulder and he tried to calm down - unsuccessfully.
They made it to the outside courtyard where the resistance had found a weak part of the wall. With both their strength, they would be able to break it.
"On three," Arista whispered. "One . . . Two . . . "
"Halt," a stern voice said behind them.
They turned slowly to see five armed guards pointing loudspeakers at them. They all wore ear plugs. Radu gave a sad look at his partner as the noise began. He was on the floor in seconds and, a few minutes after that, lost consciousness.
**********
Harlan and Clito strolled up to the prison gate. Harlan held a box in his hands, a present for Radu. Clito carried a canteen of fresh water for their friend and stood a few paces away from Harlan as he knocked at the gate.
"Who goes there?" a guard demanded.
"Harlan Band of Earth and Clito of Neptune to see prisoner R-386," Harlan said.
"Impossible," the guard replied.
"Why?" Harlan demanded.
There was a slight pause on the other end. A new voice answered his question.
"One of you may enter," it said.
The gates swung open.
**********
Harlan stood in the office of the warden. He held the box and the canteen in his hand. The warden sat behind a large desk. The room was decorated in large furniture, with a detailed map of the prison hanging on the wall. Strange, imported plants lines a large window to the right of the desk.
The warden was a typical adult Andromedan - tall, strong, and quiet. His hair was a light brown and almost reached the ground. His eyes were dark and penetrated Harlan's gaze as he stood nervously in front of the desk.
"Are you aware of prisoner R-386's connections with the Andromedan Resistance?" the warden asked.
"Sir," Harlan replied, "I don't know what that is, but I can assure you Radu is no terrorist!"
The warden dipped his head. "Then why was he attempting to escape last week with the known leader of the resistance?"
Harlan's eyes widened in surprise and his jaw dropped. The warden gave a half smile at the Earther's reaction.
"He was caught red handed and has since been sentenced to solitary confinement with possible execution depending on his trial," the warden said.
"Execution?"
The warden nodded. "I do not know what it is like on your planet, but here, criminals accused of disrupting out society are destroyed."
Harlan was silent for a few minutes. The warden sat back in his chair, smiling at the Earther and watching him with his dark eyes. Finally, Harlan spoke.
"If I can't see him, can you deliver this present to him?"
The warden sat up abruptly. "Give it to me. I must search it."
Harlan put the box on the desk. He opened it and pulled out a rainbow coloured quilt. He searched it for hidden pockets, found none, and replaced it into the box.
"That's from Catalina," Harlan told him.
The warden next removed a small vial of brownish liquid. He removed the lid and sniffed it.
"Cough medicine," Harlan explained. "From Rosie."
The warden nodded and put it back in the box. He next picked up the canteen and smelled the contents.
"Fresh water," Harlan said.
The warden took a glass and poured it into a cup. He took another sniff and tasted a small sip. Satisfied, he checked the canteen for hidden pockets and returned both the box and canteen to Harlan.
"These are appropriate gifts for him while he sits alone in solitary confinement," the warden noted.
Harlan thanked him. The warden sent for a guard, who took the gifts to deliver to Radu. Harlan was then escorted out of the prison.
**********
Radu had been alone in the dark for a long time. He did not know how long, having lost track of all time. He only knew when it was time to eat by the sliding of food into the cell. Even the jailers did not speak.
He spent his time lost in thought, wondering where Arista was. A few times, he thought he was back on the Christa and this was a strange dream. He tried calling for Harlan, Bova, and even Thelma a few times to see if he was going insane but no one ever answered.
The door slid open and Radu squinted against the sudden light. A jailer came in carrying his food, a box, and a circular object. To Radu's surprise, he left the lantern in the cell as he left. Radu quickly snatched the food and began eating ravenously. He then carefully opened the box.
As he drew out the beautiful quilt and wrapped himself inside it, he saw a note flitter to the floor. Coughing slightly, he reached for it and read it by the dim light of the jailer's lantern.
Radu -
We can't let you stay like this forever. You are probably homesick by now as well. Do not drink the water from the canteen - let it drain on the floor instead. We have given you a surprise to help you through.
Love,
Your Friends
Radu thought it odd that his friends would give him a canteen of water and not let him drink it. He thought at first it might be a trick. He ate his food and stared at the container, wondering what to do next. He drank the stale water given to him with his meal as he pondered the note, still wrapped in his quilt. He drank some of Rosie's medicine, found it disgusting, and finally decided to trust his friends. He picked up the canteen and unscrewed the lid. Then, he carefully dumped it into a crack on the floor.
**********
Arista followed the guards bravely. Her hands were bound behind her back as she was led to her death. Ahead, she saw the cup that contained her destiny. The poison was by no means painless - in fact, it ensured her a very painful death. She was seated in front of it as the warden stared at the clock, minutes away from her execution time.
**********
Radu almost wept with joy when Clito appeared in front of him. She had stowed away in the canteen, holding her liquid form for as long as she could until Radu released her. They embraced and were interrupted by Radu's sudden fit of coughing.
Clito opened her mouth to speak, but Radu stopped her, pointing at his own ears. Clito understood immediatly - any Andromedan would hear her voice. She took the note from Radu's hands and wrote on the back.
Do you know where your friend is?
Radu shook his head no.
Is she in danger?
Radu nodded vigorously. Clito motioned for him to stay where he was. She wrote a final message on the note and smiled at her friend. She then liquefied herself and disappeared under the door. Radu looked at the note one final time.
Put these earplugs in after I leave.
He found the earplugs in the bottom of the box and quickly did as he was told. Radu was left alone again and he stared at the bright colours of his quilt as the lantern died and he was in darkness again.
**********
Arista sat, staring at the contents of the cup. She had a guard at both sides and another in front, staring at her. The warden and the governor sat to one side, watching the clock intently.
"Attention!" the warden cried.
All eyes snapped to the clock as the seconds were counted down. When it reached five, the guard in front of Arista picked up the cup and held it to the prisoner's mouth. The guards at each side held her arms down.
"Begin," the warden ordered.
The liquid was poured down Arista's throat. The guards stepped back and watched. Arista went into convulsions, foam appearing at the corner's of her mouth. She leapt up and down in her chair, squirming to be rid of the poison that coursed through her veins. In about a minute, it was over. She lay limp in the chair, the table knocked over and the cup lying on its side on the floor.
"Throw her out back," the warden ordered. "She died dishonourably and deserves to rot with the other garbage."
The guards picked Arista's body up and dragged it to the back of the prison. It was taken well beyond the prison walls and thrown near the lake.
As Arista lay there, a small droplet of liquid escaped from her slightly open lips. It lay quivering beside her head for a moment, before expanding and taking humanoid shape. Clito lay next to Arista, trembling from the exertion of diluting the poison.
**********
The sun had long since set over the heavily guarded prison. On the high walls, guards patrolled without end. Five shadows slipped in next to the wall. Unseen by the guards, the patrols continued.
Suddenly, a sonic blast shattered the air. The guards fell to their knees, clutching their ears in pain. The wall cracked and broke, leaving a hole large enough for the five shadows to pass through. As the echo of the sonic blast died down, another took up the call, forcing the guards down again.
Four of the shadows raced through the prison. Guards came to get them, only to be met by a wall of intense heat.
**********
Radu heard the commotion, even through the earplugs Clito had given him. The sonic screams had been muted, but still distinctly recognizable.
The door fell open as Bova sent a few hundred watts of electricity through the hinges, weakening the metal. Harlan reached in and grabbed Radu's hand.
"C'mon, c'mon," Harlan hurried.
Radu, happy to be free of the small hole, smiled from ear to ear as he followed his friends.
Matt and Rosie guarded the entrance with a combined wall of heat. The guards on the other side kept a large distance as the two Mercurians rose to super nova temperatures, melting the bars of several empty cells. When the others had safely passed by, they left their post and ran after.
Catalina held the other guards at bay with her sonic screams. She kept their escape route clear as the guards tried to capture her. Several were unconscious on the ground while others kept a few feet away to be safe. When she saw Radu, she hurried him through the hole and followed close behind.
The escapees ran toward the lake as the siren indicating a jail break sounded. By the time the guards were organized enough to follow, the space cases were long gone.
**********
Radu sat in the land speeder surrounded by friends. Harlan drove it quickly away from the prison with Matt and Bova sitting next to him in the front and Catalina and Rosie with Radu in the back. In all the excitement, Radu had not taken the quilt off his shoulders and he snuggled into it now, to sleep.
"Cat," he mumbled as he dozed off.
"Yeah?"
"Where's Clito?"
"At the rendezvous point with your friend. Don't worry, just rest."
Radu coughed violently and was soon asleep.
**********
Clito had half carried, half dragged the still unconscious Arista to the meeting point. She had been prepared to free Radu's friend from a cell, not diluting a potent poison to keep it from killing her. In the end, it worked out. All she needed now was rest.
She must have dozed off because when she next opened her eyes, the sun had moved a considerable distance in the sky. Arista lay next to her, sleeping peacefully, with no after effects of the poison showing. She heard the approaching noise of a land speeder and she hurried to hide herself.
When the speeder stopped and several figures emerged, Clito crept from her hiding spot and went to join them. Harlan led the way with Bova close behind. Matt and Catalina supported Radu on their shoulders and Rosie came up from behind.
"How did it go?" Harlan asked.
"Harder than expected," Clito answered, "but she is alive."
Radu went to where Arista lay and stared at Clito in amazement.
"How did you save her?" he asked. "The guards said she was dead!"
"Andromedans kill their prisoners through poison," Clito began.
"Why poison?" Rosie asked.
"Because not much else can penetrate their thick skins," Bova answered.
"I snuck into the cup in liquid form and diluted the poison seconds before they forced her to drink it. She still went through the convulsions of death and eventually passed out. The guards didn't even check for vial signs - they just threw her outside as if she were garbage," Clito finished.
"Thank you," Radu said simply.
Catalina and Harlan helped Clito, Arista, and Radu back into the speeder and they headed into the country side, away from the prison and the guards who continued their search.
**********
Arista woke up a short while later as they flew down the roads. The sun was just beginning to rise, leaving the incident at the prison in the darkness of the previous night. She was confused at first, but after being provided with an explanation from Clito, she thanked everyone profusely and settled in to enjoy the ride.
Harlan stopped at a small town, miles away from the city and the prison. He knew the governor and the warden expected them to flee off the planet, so they decided to lay low for a while until it was safe to book passage back to the academy.
"I know where we can be safe," Arista said. "It's not far."
Harlan followed her directions. As they traveled, Radu spoke of his time in prison.
"That's horrible!" Rosie exclaimed when he had finished.
Radu nodded and wrapped the rainbow quilt tighter around his shoulders.
"Do you still want to stay on this planet?" Cat asked.
Arista turned abruptly at this comment. Her eyes were full of the same question. Radu shifted his gaze from Cat to Arista as he tried to answer.
"I don't think I'll ever be safe on this planet," Radu said. "I - I don't think I have a choice."
"You always have a choice," Arista said. "Wait a while before you decide what to do. There are people I want you to meet."
"I suppose they're going to take away our medals for this," Bova said. "It's just as well."
"Why is that, Bova?" Rosie asked.
"No reason," Bova replied. "Only that we went from heroes to wanted criminals in less than two days."
They all fell silent after that comment. Harlan kept driving. In a few minutes, they were at a small farm and Arista told them to stop. They climbed out of the car and headed to the farm on foot.
**********
The farm backed onto a mountain range that was dotted with caves. Arista led her rescuers through the mouth of one of the caves and into a strange network of tunnels. She made so many twists and turns that Harlan and the others found it hard to keep up with her and even Radu had to struggle to maintain his sense of direction. Finally, Arista led them into a large cavern deep within the heart of the mountain. As they entered, they all gasped at the complex community hidden from prying eyes.
Families lived in small huts along the sides of the enormous cavern. Andromedan children ran and played in the streets under the watchful eyes of parents. A hatchery had been set up for eggs to incubate before the newborn baby was returned to the mother's hands. Stores and stands lined another area of the cavern with tradesmen, merchants and craftsmen all working together to provide for the community.
"This is amazing," Radu murmured.
Arista stood proudly beside him, beaming with pleasure.
"Wow," Catalina managed. "This is just like - "
"Just like Earth," Harlan said approvingly. "Good choice."
A hovercar pulled up next to them and Arista entered. The others followed her and the car sped off.
"This is a safe haven for all those who wish to raise their own young, speak their own ideas and control their own lives. We have over a thousand families living here and enough room for hundreds more," Arista said.
"How do you feed them all?" Bova asked.
The car sped down a separate tunnel that glowed with rows of fluorescent lights. Another cavern, smaller than the first, opened before them.
Rows of vegetables, fruits, and other crops grew in straight, controlled rows with the help of overhead lights. Farmers toiled the soil, moving rocks and planting seeds.
"We grow what we can in here by bringing soil from the outside and spreading it onto the ground. Anything we can't grow in here is grown in enormous quantities on the farm we passed outside and brought in here," Arista explained.
The car sped through the plantation and back into the tunnel. Arista and the driver both put on ear muffs similar to the ones Radu used to sleep with back at Starcademy. Arista handed a pair to Radu and he quickly put them on.
"What are those for?" Rosie asked.
Her answer was a loud, rumbling sound from inside the next cavern they were approaching. As the car passed under a low outcropping of rock, a magnificent waterfall could be seen. It fell hundreds of feet into a large basin of water as large as any Earth ocean. The other members of the group put their hands over their ears and stared in awe.
At the water's edge were a few Andromedans who were repairing a large pipe that led from the basin into another, smaller tunnel. Arista waved at the workers as the car picked up speed to leave the loud place behind them. Carefully, the three Andromedans in the car removed their muffs.
"What was that pipe?" Clito asked.
"Indoor running water," Arista answered. "We do have a number of engineers working with us down here. Our waste is filtered through a nearby swamp land and sent into the lake near the prison."
Radu shuddered as Arista mentioned that place. The car passed through a few empty tunnels and back into the main cavern. It slowed to a stop in front of the largest building and the space cases piled out. Arista thanked the driver and the car left.
"This is the centre of government of our underground colony. We call it New Andromeda. The government is modeled after Earth's democracy," Arista told them. "They're in session now, so I can't show you the inside, but I have something better for you, Radu."
She took Radu's hand and led him to a small hut on one side of the street. She opened the door and called out a greeting to anyone who may be home. As Radu stood timidly behind Arista and his friends hovered in the doorway, two adult Andromedans came out of a side room.
They both had blond hair, like Radu and Arista, and the same blue eyes. The female was short with high cheekbones and smaller ears than the male. The male stood a full head taller than his mate with hair that spiraled down his back almost to the floor. They stood very close to each other, the male with his arm around the female's shoulders and the female with her arm around the male's waist. Arista went to them and gave them each a hug.
"Radu," she said, turning back to her guest, "I'd like you to meet Ayla and Udar, our parents."
"Our parents?" Radu repeated, staring at the older Andromedans in shock.
"Yes," Arista nodded, taking Radu's hand. "I am your sister."
**********
Harlan, Catalina, Clito, Bova, Rosie, and Mattar stood outside Radu's parent's house. Their friend had been talking privately with the family he had never known for hours. Harlan paced nervously and Cat followed him with her eyes as she leaned against the wall of the cavern. Clito sat on the ground with Rosie, making shapes out of loose stones and Bova and Matt hovered over the little Mercurian protectively.
"Do you think he's going to stay?" Cat asked suddenly.
"He better not," Harlan replied. "Think of how dull school would be without him."
"Think how dull school was without him," Rosie amended. "He did miss an entire semester."
Clito stood and stretched in one fluid movement. "Yeah. Vacation has only just started," she reminded them all.
The door swung open and the four Andromedans came out. Ayla had her arm around Radu's shoulders and Arista held his hand. Udar walked behind them, smiling. The cadets could not remember seeing their friend more happy.
Radu separated from his family and headed for his friends. They all watched him anxiously, waiting for his decision.
"They've asked me to stay," Radu stammered. "If I do, we'll be the first complete family in New Andromeda."
Cat's eyes began to water and she buried her face in Harlan's shoulder to hide the tears. Rosie stepped forward, her face also tear streaked.
"We're happy for you, Radu," she said. "You'll be missed."
Radu nodded. "I'm sure they will miss me," he said with a smile.
Catalina took her head out of Harlan's shoulder. "You mean . . . . ?"
"Loyalty is an Andromedan's greatest strength," Radu said. "And right now, my loyalty is to my friends. I'm going back to Starcademy, if they'll take me."
His friends all cheered and gathered around Radu. He was uncomfortable at first, but soon gave into their affectionate hugs. His family watched from their doorway. Finally, Radu turned.
"Ayla, Udar, Arista," he said. "I'll keep in touch with you. I will return when I'm a StarDog and we'll free all the eggs from the hatcheries."
"We'll be waiting," Ayla said.
"We're proud of you, son," Udar added.
Radu wiped away a tear and smiled. A car came by and honked, letting them know it was time to leave. The cadets piled into the vehicle and sped away.
"How does it feel?" Harlan asked.
"How does what feel?" Radu said.
"Having a family."
Radu smiled at his friend. "Perfect," he replied.