Legacy: chapter 12
The joyous relief of the final dismissal bell echoed throughout the halls of East Seattle High. These moments were the only reprieves Allie had been able to get for the past week. Even though the ringing was only a fleeting glimpse of sanity compared to the other thoughts which weighed heavily on her mind, it was still a chance for her to imagine what freedom must feel like. A chance to forget everything else and concentrate on one goal: getting out of this giant, soul-vacuum of a building as quickly as she possibly could.
The sense of freedom never lasted long though. On most days, the crushing realization would retake the high ground of her consciousness by the time she had finished packing her things.
Everything, everyone… Allie thought as she watched her classmates exit the room. The weight fell back upon her as heavy as it ever was. This is all up to me. These poor sheep have no clue how much danger they're in.
The annoyingly persistent suffocating sensation returned. The walls seemed to inch closer and closer. The air was growing thinner and thinner. Allie knew it was only an outward manifestation of her deepest fears and misgivings about her mission. She knew none of it was real, But all the knowledge and logic in the universe could not control her heart's wild pounding or the overload of adrenaline sent through her body by the more primitive parts of her brain. The parts that can not be tamed by any reach of her power.
What was truly terrifying though was not the illusion of contracting walls, it never was.
The fate of the entire race… humankind… in my hands?
Allie knew the consequences if she was to fail. Failure held a certain peril, but it was not as truly terrifying as the consequences of success.
History was never her strong point. But Allie knew enough to pick out the dangerous patterns in societies, both Human and Alien, and the current trend toward aggression and greed, not just in the United States, but all over the globe, meant that the alliance would be accepted quite easily. Not because the leaders of the worlds nations saw the need, but because they were all greedy, power-hungry tyrants in the guise of caring leaders.
The true challenge of any alliance is keeping peace between nations after it has been formed. The old Zx'al proverb rang through her head.
Am I the only one who sees the problem? No, the High Council must have predicted it long ago. Then why do they wish to move forward?
Allie had already come to the conclusion that: she was not instructed on how to carry out her task because she was the only one who could know, with any accuracy, how humans would react to the news. The details were left up to her. So, had they just forgotten all the social repercussions involved in something like this? Did they leave that up to me too?
The one thing more frustrating then all that; the stress, the fear, the seemingly total abandonment of all logic in the way this had to be carried out. The only thing more mind numbing to think about, was the fact that she could tell no one.
Just talking about it, getting all the fears and concerns out in the open, would help her drastically. And it might even help come up with a halfway decent way to carry out the mission…
"Miss Keys," the teacher spoke from the front of the room, bringing Allie's reverie to an abrupt end, "are you alright?" he asked.
She looked around, half-dazed. There was no one left, besides herself and Mr. Goss.
"I'm fine…" Allie smiled at the man, finished gathering her things.
"See you tomorrow," Mr. Goss said as Allie left the room, she turned and nodded awkwardly.
Allie made the short walk down the hall to deposit her stack of useless textbooks in her locker. Why take them home if the 'homework' was so easy that she finished it in class?
Why should I even be here if I already know everything I need to know? Far more then any of these 'teachers'. She thought. But just a quickly reminded herself that she was here, not to learn, but to interact with others her age. It was a very fine distinction, but a distinction none the less.
The sound of her locker door closing, the lock sliding into register with a hollow metal click, erased the trivial matters of school and friends from her mind almost as quickly as they had invaded. There were much more important things to worry about. Decisions to be made.
The Meeting with Mary, now only five hours away, took precedence in her mind as she made her way to the front exit of the building.
Pierce would be there, if they had been correct in assuming that he was still the same caring, gentle soul that Allie had met that night in that abandoned North Dakota Farmhouse, he would be there.
Allie's memories of those nights seemed so distant. Compared to everything else she'd been through since, they might as well have been ancient history. But something still stirred in her when she remembered it.
Being used as bait… that helmet they put on her to hide the signal, which would have done nothing had she known what she knows now. It was almost amusing, looking back at it. How awkward they're plan had been. Using rockets and artillery, any projectile weapons in existence, to shoot down a Lixer class transport?
Allie almost laughed out loud thinking about it. It took very powerful ionic burst beam weapons just to compromise the shields, not to mention puncture the pure Xillica hull armor. Even the largest missile on earth would just bounce off the first energy barrier.
But she didn't know all that then. So of course, she had portrayed the ship crashing. It would not have fooled a more educated enemy but it was enough to trick Earth military.
Enemy…Earth. The irony of her own thoughts was not lost. She was technically behind enemy lines by just being on the planet. But this enemy was only an enemy because they did not yet understand. Humans fear and destroy what they do not understand…
The humid afternoon air rushed over Allie's face as the large glass double doors swung open. She proceeded out into the throng of kids, most waiting for their respective bus or a ride.
Allie had no ride today, or any day. She preferred to walk with her new friends. Even though Jessica seemed to dislike her for some unknown reason, Seth was a nice guy. And Tyler… there was still something Allie couldn't quite get through her head about him. She continually tried to deny the attraction. But every time she saw his face, looked into those deep, dark green eyes, so thoughtful, compassionate. Or watched him try to tame his unruly black hair, she felt a stirring in her chest, a light headed fluttering that she knew had no explanation other then the one she feared.
I don't have time for 'love'!
No matter how many times she repeated it in her head, Allie knew that there was nothing she could do to stop it if it was going to happen. Love is a very mysterious emotion. Beyond the influence of any of her internal controls, far beyond anything the Xe know how to deal with. If she really had feelings for the boy, they were going to manifest sooner or later. Allie just hoped it would be later, much later.
"Allie! Over here," she heard Tyler's voice but didn't see him. Craning her neck over the crowd, she spotted him standing alone off to the side of the front green, near the soccer field. She made her way to him.
"What took so long?" Tyler asked.
"Oh… sorry, I was talking with Mr. Goss."
Tyler smiled; Allie felt the tingle starting deep within her, "its okay."
There was a notable absence, Seth and Jessica. Allie didn't see them anywhere close by. Tyler noticed Allie searching.
"They went on ahead." He told her, "we decided to go to the VRA today, you want to come?"
"What's the 'VRA'?" Allie asked.
"Virtual Reality Arcade," Tyler shrugged, "It's not an imaginative name but they have locations all over the place."
"I've never heard of it."
"Really?" Tyler asked, "what planet have you been on?"
Allie couldn't help but giggle at that. If he only knew the irony. "Well, I did take a short vacation at our summer house on Mars."
Tyler laughed, "yeah, and I had a nice long conversation with the man on the moon just last week!"
They laughed together for a moment. Tyler recovered enough to watch Allie as she continued giggling. She's… beautiful; the thought came without warning. Her bright blue eyes, sparkling with a glint of moisture, her magical smile. She was the most amazing person Tyler had ever met. Funny, smart, sweet, beautiful. She was everything, and Tyler felt it strongly.
He had been attracted to girls before, but always in a clumsy, childish way, focusing only on physical looks. Terms like "hot" and "sexy" came to mind. Allie was different, she had all the physical looks of those childish attractions, but she had so much more. And this, Tyler knew, was what was drawing him to her…
"Where is this 'VRA'?" Allie asked, a hint of giddiness still on her voice.
"It's about six blocks from here, we normally walk…"
"Walking is fine with me, I just need to call my mom."
"Here," Tyler pulled a tiny flip phone out of his pocket, handed it to Allie.
"Thanks…" she dialed; the voice of reason in the back of her head screaming 'no!' the whole time. Allie knew what she was supposed to do that afternoon, but it was already far out of her control. The primitive instinctual parts of her mind had taken the wheel.
Ka'len could handle her mothers lesson for the day anyway, Allie just had to be at the meeting place by 8:15 to talk with Mary and Pierce. There was more then enough time to get to know her new friends better, especially Tyler.
Lisa answered: "hello?"
"Hi mom,"
"Oh, hey Allie. What…"
"Sorry, I need to ask if it's okay if I go somewhere with Tyl… my friends?"
Lisa hesitated, "sure, honey. I guess…"
"Tell Kaytlen to… take over for me."
"Okay…"
"Love you."
"Bye…" Lisa's voice cut off as Allie clicked the phone closed. She smiled at Tyler as she handed it back to him, "lead the way…"
Lisa walked back into the living room carrying two glasses of water and thinking about what Allie had just said. Lisa was nervous, and Ka'len's probing stare didn't help. The powers were scary enough without being alone in that projected dream world without Allie.
Sensing Lisa's anxiousness, Ka'len spoke: "do you not believe me an adequate instructor?"
"What? Oh, no. I mean, yes… " Lisa frowned; Ka'len, it seemed, had grown quite fond of confusing her with awkwardly phrased questions. Even though Lisa had yet to see even the slightest hint of a smile on the girl's lips. Were they even capable of smiling?
"You have a question." Ka'len stated flatly. Sometimes Lisa wondered if Allie was lying to her and they really could read minds.
"Sort of…" Lisa said, no use passing up the chance, "do you, your… people, do you ever laugh?"
Ka'len tilted her head, "laugh as your… people, laugh?"
Lisa heard the insinuation in her voice and was not sure if the girl was making a joke or if she was offended. Ka'len took Lisa's silence as a cue to continue.
"We had humor in ancient times. Allie brought the concept back to us, but it is hard to grasp as you do."
"Oh…"
Ka'len leaned forward, a movement that sent a shiver up Lisa's spine. Looking at this girl; her shoulder length brunet hair, almost powder blue eyes set in a smooth oval face which was set atop a perfectly proportioned body; brought a distinct fear to Lisa. Ka'len's physical appearance was the perfect disguise, perfectly average. Lisa shuddered knowing what was hiding behind it, and the thought that every one of them could change just like this one.
How many more are out there? Walking the streets, going to jobs, coming home to unsuspecting families… Lisa shook her head, stop imagining crazy stuff, Allie would not lie about something like that. Would she?
"You have many more questions." Ka'len said.
Lisa looked up at her, laughed nervously, "yeah, well, I'm not exactly sure where to start,"
"My presence makes you uncomfortable?"
You can't tell me she doesn't read minds! "No, no. I just… try to understand, its, unusual."
"I understand," Ka'len said, "it is… unusual."
Lisa heard something new in her voice; it was subtle, but unmistakable:
Sadness?
"If you have questions, you may ask." Ka'len said, inviting Lisa to venture.
"Shouldn't we be doing this 'training' thing?"
"To be trained is to gain knowledge. Discovery is the root of knowledge. So, 'training' will continue as long as you discover new things."
Lisa simply nodded; will I start talking like that? "Okay… if you really want to…" Lisa let it hang, Ka'len seemed insistent.
"How about this, how old are you?" Lisa asked.
Ka'len wasted no time, "I am approximately eleven of your solar years."
That stopped Lisa in her tracks, eleven years old? They must mature fast…
As if reading Lisa's mind for a third time, Ka'len added: "we mature at a rate markedly slower then your species."
"How much slower?"
"Thirty percent."
Lisa attempted to run the calculation in her head, but she didn't need a number to know that… "your still a kid?"
Ka'len nodded, "yes, I am what you would consider a 'child', my full education is not yet complete."
"But, you're so… smart,"
"Your definition of intelligence does not apply to me… Allie is far 'smarter' then I."
Fascinated by this new revelation, Lisa pressed on to the next question. If Ka'len was a child, then…
"Do you have parents?"
Ka'len straightened up, her body coming to full attention, but her expression growing more distant. She looked down at the glass of water on the table before her, "I do not."
"Oh, I guess maybe you have a different way to reproduce…"
Ka'len cut her off, "I had a mother and father."
Again, Lisa heard the underlying sadness in the girl's voice. " Maybe not…"
Oops, Lisa thought. She stumbled onto a sensitive subject. Not knowing anything about the structure of their society, Lisa was unsure of how to proceed. Were all Xe children separated from their parents for 'education'? Was it some sort of abandonment? Or could they have…
"It was an accident." Ka'len said, "unforeseen complications in an experiment."
"I'm sorry, I…"
"There is no need to apologize. Nothing can change what happened, so no further thought is required."
"But, doesn't it make you sad to remember?"
Ka'len looked confused, "we do not feel 'sadness' for our dead. Nothing can be done…" Lisa interrupted.
"Well, you felt sad when they died, right?"
Ka'len studied her for a moment, "no, there was nothing that could be done…"
Lisa was momentarily speechless. She knew they were different, but losing a parent and not feeling sadness… she felt a new sympathy for girl "How old were you when it happened?"
"Six of your years." Ka'len said.
"And you didn't even feel…" an involuntary tear rolled down Lisa's cheek, "but, you know it's sad! I could hear it in your voice…"
"I do not understand…"
"The fact that you have some form of family structure shows that you have some form of love." Lisa blurted out her analysis. "The death of someone you love should be mourned, it's unhealthy to keep it in." Lisa was unaware of the flip in roles. Ka'len was hanging on her every word, taking the place of student while Lisa assumed that of teacher.
"I… did 'love' my mother and father." Ka'len said, her voice betraying a slight hesitance.
"You should…"
Ka'len looked up at Lisa and for a split second, she saw a normal human girl flash through her eyes. Then, a single tear rolled down Ka'len's face. She reached up to dab it off.
"Crying?" her voice almost broke, "fascinating…"
The first tear was shortly followed by another, then another. Lisa patted the couch beside her, "come here sweetie." She said.
Sweetie… Lisa felt strange saying it, but… it also felt right.