Chapter 6
Ian leaned against the back of the pilot's seat. He lit a cigarette and dangled it in his mouth. It amazed Alex that he convinced anyone that he was an officer by looking at him now. He was unkempt and unshaven, and his hair was greasy at best, slicked back now as best as it could be with an unwashed head. Alex caught a slight whiff of motor oil on his person that he hadn't noticed before and wondered if he was a mechanic that got stuck in the middle of something far bigger than himself. If that were the case, Alex empathized completely. The past few days have been a nightmare, one that Alex couldn't even remember at times. Such a rush of events that he hadn't stopped to think for even a moment, even to grieve. As Ian stood there with the smoke surrounding him from his cigarette, Alex wondered what his next move was, staring off in the distance.
"So who are you?" Paige said, bringing Alex out of his stupor. Ian took the cigarette out of his mouth.
"I already told ya missy, but if we're doing introductions again, I wouldn't mind knowing a bit about you," Ian said as he looked Paige up and down. Paige ignored it but crossed her arms.
"If you were with the Sons of Korhal, you'd know who I am," Paige said sternly. Ian scoffed to himself.
"I know WHO ya are, a miss Paige Scott, a traitor to the Confederation, a bit o' someone who knows a little something that's beneficial to the revolution, and I've been given orders to get ya back to Umoja safe n' sound," Ian said. Alex wondered what Paige knew that could be helpful. As far as he knew, she was a pilot. Memories of Paige killing that man in the forest flashed in Alex's mind. He had almost forgotten about it, somehow. The whole situation was strange. It was like someone had taken control of him when that happened and he froze. That wasn't like him. Ian pushed himself off the seat and stood up straight.
"Now I think I did pretty good with what I was given with getting you outta your wee situation back there, and you can hold the praise until you let me buy you a drink when we get back to the world," Ian said with a wink. Paige scoffed at him. Ian laughed heartily, the joyous belt ringing through the ship.
"Now seriously!" Paige yelled. Ian quieted down, a smile still stretched across his face. "Where is my original contact, Sarah?" Ian's smiled dropped. He looked down and back up at Paige.
"She's uh, preoccupied elsewhere, but not to worry, we're on our way to Umoja now, and you can speak to the big man himself!" Ian said with rising enthusiasm. Alex stepped forward.
"The evacuation of Mar Sara, do you know anything about it?" Alex said. He looked at Ian intensely. Ian nodded.
"Aye, I do, some were caught up in the Brontes scuffle, but I heard most got on off to somewheres," Ian said. "Ya got family there?" Alex chuckled slightly.
"Something like that," Alex said. A feeling of relief washed over him. As long as those folks made it out okay, he was happy. The bigger looming problem was how he got onto that Confederate ship. Alex tried to think back to the evacuation of Mar Sara. He had argued with Tom on the radio to pick him up, but the pilot had already pushed the warp drive. He yelled at the pilot but then…nothing. He couldn't remember. It's like he lost the memory of those days.
"Welp, we've got a heading and a timeframe, so let's get ta movin, eh?" Ian said and sat back in the pilot's seat. Paige glanced at Alex and rolled her eyes.
The flight to Umoja was short and rough. Ian was hardly a competent pilot it seemed. Paige made a mental note of every bump and hard turn that he made, her standard obviously being much higher than Ian's. She sat in the back of the dropship with a pouted look on her face. Alex sat across from her, staring down at the floor of the ship. Thoughts swirled through his mind, about the townspeople, about Tom. He hadn't had time to process his grief since his death, the chaos of the past few days saturating his thoughts. Alex hoped that the townspeople were okay and safe.
"Hey Alex," Paige said through Alex's fog. He looked up at her. "You okay?" Alex sighed.
"Yeah, I'm fine, I'm just worried about some folks," he said.
"You said somethin about townspeople?" Paige said. Alex nodded.
"I was a marshal in a small town on Mar Sara before the Zerg attacked us," Alex explained. Paige listened intently, watching Alex's hands as he talked. "The Sons of Korhal offered us a ride out of there when the Confederation seemed to run to the hills." Alex cracked one of his knuckles. "I was separated somehow from my group and ended up on the ship you were on, I don't know anything else." Paige nodded as he spoke.
"The Confederates did attack a convoy near Brontes, but our ship was part of the cleanup crew," Paige said. "I'm not sure how you even got aboard our ship," she said. Alex tried hard to remember again but was at a loss.
"I don't know either Paige, but I want to find out," Alex said and clenched his fists. "I want to know why we were abandoned."
"Maybe we'll get some answers on Umoja," Paige suggested. Her kind eyes met Alex's. Alex hadn't seen kindness in her eyes since they met. Alex knew she wasn't a Confederate but he still didn't trust her completely. He was sure the same was for him.
"So I wanted to ask you something," Alex said. Paige's gaze turned to intrigue. "In the forest, with that man, what happened to you?" Paige went slightly pale. She looked down at her own hands and thought for a few seconds.
"I'm…..not sure," she said softly. Alex sensed a slight fear in her voice. "Something came over me, I don't know what happened exactly, it was like an instinct." Alex was confused.
"I don't understand," he said. Paige motioned to speak but said nothing, words failing her. Alex sighed.
"I can't explain it, it's like someone took over my body," Paige said. Alex looked at her as she stared at the floor. They didn't say anything for a long time. After a while, Ian called back to them.
"Hey hey, pack up, we're entering Umoja Airspace!" he yelled back. Paige perked and stood up, walking towards the front of the ship. Alex stayed sitting, contemplating their conversation. The ship shook violently as they entered the atmosphere. Alex looked out a viewport to see the red flames waving by. It suddenly gave way to a bright blue sky with green fields below them. A shimmering white city was on the horizon, reflecting the late morning sun. Umoja was a jewel of the Confederation. Its surface was green and lush and was fed by large bodies of water throughout, and its people are known for their advanced technology and fierce independence. It occurred to Alex that that was the reason they were there in the first place. Ian brought the ship low overland and spoke into his radio though Alex couldn't rightly hear what he had said. The ship glided over the planes towards the grand city. Around it buzzed hundreds of ships, like bees around a hive. Ian weaved through the clusters of vehicles and landed on the rooftop of a large building in the center of the city. Around them, the buildings stretched to the sky like white metal trees, glass reflecting the sunlight back into the sky. As busy as the city seemed, it was quiet. Alex felt strangely at ease in the metropolis. Ian powered down the dropship and lowered the ramp. He grabbed a few bags that were behind his seat and walked out of the ship, Alex and Paige following close behind. Alex and Paige marveled at the city around them. Many of the buildings twisted from their foundation and had large spires out of the top of their peaks. Ian readjusted his bag on his shoulder and turned to the pair.
"Alright then, Umoja, in all her splendor, ever been?" Ian asked. Alex and Paige shook their heads. Ian chuckled. "Aye, it's a sight to see, no doubts." As he spoke, a door opened to their right. A man in a uniform Alex didn't recognize stepped out along with two other men dressed similarly. The man in front had a large beard and a pronounced forehead with large bushy eyebrows. He was a large man, much taller than Alex. Alex watched as the men strode across the cement roof towards them.
"Are you Paige Scott?" the man said. His voice was low and powerful. Alex noticed his mustache wiggled as he spoke. Paige nodded her head and held out a hand. The man took it and grasped it tightly, his own hand completely wrapping around hers. Paige looked the man directly in the eyes.
"My name is General Steven Redford, I'm one of the military advisors to Arcturus Mengsk, leader of the Sons of Korhal," Steven said. He looked over at Alex and back at Paige. "We didn't expect you for another few days."
"Thing got a bit outta hand there, had to improvise a bit," Ian said stepping forward. He cocked his head to the slight slightly and smiled.
"Ah, Ian, always a pleasure," the general said with a certain disdain in his voice. He returned his attention to Paige. "Regardless, I'm glad to see you here and with our cause, a worthy addition to our rightful crusade," he said proudly. Alex saw Ian roll his eyes. Steven turned to Alex. "You, however, I do not know."
"My name is Alex….Tannin sir, I'm a marshal from Mar Sara," Alex said as he held his hand out. Steven took it slowly and gripped it tightly to the point it hurt. Alex laughed nervously.
"Yes, terrible business, just terrible," the general said. He looked at Alex sternly. Alex returned the gaze. "We have some refugees that arrived just yesterday, perhaps you'd like to see if your people are with them," he said. Alex's eyes brightened.
"Yes, I would like that," Alex said, almost excitedly. Steven didn't express anything. He motioned for the group to the door. Ian took the lead and walked ahead with Alex and Paige following close behind.
"Ian, show them to their rooms, and see me in my office afterward," Steven called after him. Ian raised his hand and waved without looking back. They entered an elevator and Ian pressed the number 24.
"What a tit," Ian scoffed. Paige and Alex looked at him with surprise. "His talk about a rightful cause, ha, only reason he's here is because he couldn't get promoted in the Confederacy," Ian said with a sneer.
"Do you two have history?" Paige asked. Ian nodded.
"Yeah, a little something like that," he said and repositioned his bag on his shoulder. The elevator stopped and the doors opened to a long hallway. It was barely decorated but carpeted in a dark red. Alex realized that he hadn't seen carpet in a long time. No one on Mar Sara had any, just the wood or metal flooring of their shacks. It's funny how you can lose the memory of something so trivial without realizing its impact. They stopped by a wooden door and Ian pulled out a card out of his bag. He slid it into the reader and opened the door. Inside was similar to the barracks Alex lived in when he was in the Army. Simple cots, a table with two chairs, and a small window to the outside world. Ian walked inside and turned towards them.
"Home sweet home eh?" he said with a smile. Paige looked around the room quietly and set her bag down on a bed. Alex walked over to the window and peered out. Ships flew by silently as the sun reached its zenith.
"Well don't get all mopey on me now, you're "freedom fighters"!" Ian said with a heap of sarcasm.
"Not much respect for your general I see," Paige said. Ian laughed.
"I'll give him his dues when I get mine," Ian said and turned out the door. "If you need anything, let me know, I'll be down the hall." The door shut behind him. Paige looked at Alex, who was still looking out the window. She sat down on the bed and laid her head on the pillow.
"I've been meaning to ask you," Paige said. Alex turned and looked at her. She had her hands behind her head and her knees bent. Her cut on her side shown slightly from her raised shirt. The gauze Alex put on was still holding. He thought to remind her to get it looked at.
"What's that?" Alex said. Paige rolled her head to look at him.
"When you find your people, what are you gonna do?" she said. Alex's brow furrowed and he ran his fingers through his beard.
"Well, I suppose I hadn't thought that far," he said. In truth, he hadn't. The past few days have been such a hellish nightmare that he hadn't had time to think. His mind wandered a bit. Alex was a cautious person and never went into a situation without thinking it through. His training had taught him to take his time and be wary of everything. Yet here he was with a stranger on a different planet without a single person he knows. Paige was still a stranger, he reminded himself. He looked at her. She looked concerned.
"Whatever you decide to do, thank you for helping me get here," she said. Alex smiled and nodded. Paige rolled her head back and stared at the ceiling. Alex looked out the window. If his townspeople were alive, they needed a leader. He needed to find out if they were alive. Alex stood and walked to the door. Paige's eyes were closed. She must have fallen asleep. Alex laid down on his own bed and stared at the ceiling. He realized that he hadn't slept in almost two days. It was his last thought before exhaustion overtook him and his eyes closed.
Alex woke with a start. The room was dark. Paige wasn't in her bed anymore, and out the window, the sky had turned black. He sat up and looked around. Paige's belongings were still next to her bed. Alex stood up and walked to the bathroom. He washed the sleep out of his eyes and dried his face. He waited for a few seconds before deciding to wander outside. The hallway was mostly deserted, with only a small group of people at one end chatting amongst themselves. Alex walked to the elevator and pushed the up button. Alex rode the elevator to the 48th floor. The elevator stopped and the doors opened. A hallway with a desk at the end was all that was in front of them. A man sat at the desk typing at a hologram. A large door was behind him. It was engraved with various designs and embroidered with different metal shapes. The man looked up at them and motioned from him to take a seat. Alex sat down on the hard wooden chairs. After a few minutes, the door opened and Redford stuck his head out.
"Alex, come in," he said without much enthusiasm. He walked into his office and sat down across from Redford. His desk was large and neatly organized. A stack of papers sat next to his computer and a gun cleaning kit sat opened in the corner. Alex didn't see a gun anywhere. Redford sat stiffly in his chair and looked over him.
"Alex, what can I do for you?" Redford said and clasped his hands together in front of him.
"You had mentioned refugees, I was hoping you could point me in the directions of where I might find them," Alex said. Redford nodded.
"Ah, yes, of course," he said. He reached into his desk and pulled out two large cigars. He offered one to Alex but he refused. Redford lit the cigar with a match and puffed it a few times before setting it down in an ashtray. He typed a few things into his computer before turning his attention back to Alex.
"I don't have the records in my current file right now, but the front records department should be able to point you in the right direction," Redford said and picked up his cigar. "Third floor." Alex thanked Redford and stood up and left the room. Redford puffed his cigar a few times before typing in his computer again. On the monitor displayed a picture of Alex. A small icon appeared at the bottom of his screen. Redford pressed the icon with his finger. A hologram of Admiral King appeared in front of him.
"Ah, King, I've been wondering when you would check in," Redford said. King didn't react.
"Is everything in order?" King said sternly. Redford took a long drag of the cigar and blew the smoke into the hologram.
"Yes, of course, the visitor you mentioned was with the girl," Redford said. King nodded.
"He is extremely dangerous and it is vital you keep a close eye on him," King said.
"So you've mentioned, but what you've failed to mention is HOW he is dangerous," Redford said. "He's an old man, a refugee."
"That man is far from a normal refugee," King said. Redford scoffed.
"He's an old man, I don't know what you're so afraid of," Redford said, his patience growing thin.
"Just get him back to me and it won't be an issue and you can go back to playing rebel all you want," King said. Redford growled and turned off the call.
Alex walked in the opposite direction towards a flight of stairs. The stairs winded down to the ground floor. Above him, they reached the top floor. Alex walked down the stairs until he came to the third level. The entrance to the records was a grand sight to see. The floor was made of a stone Alex hadn't seen before, a white slab with veins of purple running through it. A dark purple carpet stretched from the main entrance to a desk with a woman sitting at it with a hologram in front of her. Alex walked up to the woman but she didn't notice him. Alex stood for a few more seconds in silence before becoming slightly irritated. Finally, he spoke up.
"Excuse me, ma'am," he said. The woman's head jerked toward him. It was then that he noticed the thick wires hanging out of the back of her head and the dull grey eyes. She's an adjutant, Alex thought to himself.
"That is correct," the adjutant said. Alex stepped back in surprise. "I have been modified to be more appealing to the general public," it said in a robotic tone. It still had a feminine sound to it but the staccato sharpness to her words left no doubt that she was a machine. The mind reading was new, however.
"How did you know what I was thinking?" Alex said. The Adjutant motioned downward. Alex was standing on a small metal platform.
"This device enables me to read the foremost thought as well as communicate back. I have been forbidden to communicate this way to new users," she said. Alex noticed a small fan under her right ear.
"Well, alright, Christ," Alex said. The adjutant stared at him with no expression. "Where are the refugees from Mar Sara, are they in this building?"
"Retrieving….negative, I have no record of…Refugees….from Mar Sara," it said back. Alex was puzzled. Perhaps they were being held somewhere else.
"Alright, what about refugees being held in other buildings?" Alex said. The adjutant whirred as it searched.
"Retrieving….negative, I have no record of…refugees….planetside," it said. Alex was even more confused.
Alex returned to his room. Paige was still absent. He walked into the bathroom and looked at himself in the mirror. His beard was scraggly and coarse. Alex looked around and saw a shaving kit tucking in one of the drawers of the sink. He scraped away the graying hairs from his face until his smooth face was all that remained. He hadn't seen himself cleanly shaven in quite a long time. He cleaned up his mess and laid down in the bed. Alex watched the ships go by outside his window, their lights flashing through the darkness setting across the sky. He thought of the people from his town and where they were before falling into an uneasy sleep.