Chapter
V
Broken Promises
Above the bench was a window. It was a small, square window, in every sense ordinary. On the outside, it held no secrets; its silent pane stood inky black, reflecting the endless space outside, speckled with dots of white, globs of hope far away. Which of these dots is my home? He hadn't any idea how far he was from home, or if, indeed, "far" was a long enough word to cover the distance. So eventually he abandoned that window's pane for his own, with a promise not to revel the secret it hid.
It was always cold here, and whether by some unseen force or simply mutual despair, his cell was always silent. His clothing, thin and dirty and now as haggard and worn as his own spirit, was of no company and did not withhold the creeping chill of metal and space. He mostly sat on the floor, legs crossed, eyes staring before him. He had tried to get through the forcefield, but it held fast, and in the end all he got were bloody knuckles and a dampened spirit.
After several hours of this it came as quite a shock, as he woke from a dreamless doze, that the field had disappeared. The silence left with it, and he could hear the sound of laughter. Drawn to it, he peered around the boundary of his cell.
Out in the middle of the hallway stood a circle of small figures, thin and dressed in the same bland apparel he had seen the man in the day before. They were kicking around something small and round, much like a bundle of hard rags torn and sewn back together. He realized these kids were human, of and around his own age
Taylor had known of no one else besides Cale since the end of Earth. He had never seen another human his age, not even during all those years on the lonely, desolate planet of Vusstra. Cautiously, he stepped out of the cell.
A small boy with dark brown skin was the first to notice him. With a cry, he stirred the others from their game, and now Tai could feel the weight of five pairs of eyes cast solely on him.
From within the silent group, clutching the rag ball, stepped forward a boy, probably only a year older than Tai. He was tall and thin from a long time spent without sufficient food, but he still had a slight build, and the muscles in his arm twitched as they spun the ball slowly around. His long, dirty blonde hair hung down into dulled blue eyes. Something within the face of this boy showed a restless and hardened spirit, cocky and untamed, but no longer alight with the levity of childhood innocence. The boy sauntered over so he was within a cautious few feet from Tai, but still clinging to the ring of safety.
He spoke, an air of casualty to his voice. A white fire of curiosity danced in his solemn ocean eyes. "You new?"
At first Tai couldn't speak. Already alienated by their distrusting stares, he did not want to sink further into their doubt. But the eyes of the older boy haunted him, and after a long pause he finally replied. "…Yeah, I am."
The ball spun and twirled as the boy grinned at Tai, revealing swollen gums and worn teeth. Something about that grin made him step back a bit; the boy knew something, something Tai didn't. Something Tai didn't want to know.
Tucking the ball under one arm, the boy held out a calloused hand. "Name's Rivin. Welcome to the club." Tai doubted he wanted to be a member, but he shook the boy's hand anyway.
"So, where are you from?" the boy asked as he tossed the ball back to the group. The others began to play again, though still casting sidelong glances at Tai.
Tai hesitated. "Vusstra," he replied.
"Oh?" the boy said with genuine interest. "You live on that dump of a planet? Or lived, I should say." The grin returned for a moment.
Tai wanted to point out he shouldn't be calling anywhere a dump in his state, but thought better of it. "I did. Since I was five."
"Who with? Family?" Rivin asked, tone laced with disbelief.
"No, I lost my parents…" (The boy muttered something, but Tai just went on) "A Vusstran named Tek adopted me, and my friend, Cale Tucker-" But he was unable to continue, as the field at the end of the hall had just deactivated, and through it stepped a group of alien guards. The kids scattered, so fast Tai could not see where they went as they darted to their hiding places. All that was left in the hallway was Taylor; the wretched ball, left forgotten before them; and Rivin, standing tall next to Tai, a grim smile splitting his hard face, both hands stuck casually into his pockets. Tai, with nowhere to go and nothing to lose, stood where he was.
The aliens lumbered up until they were within feet of Tai and Rivin. The alien in the middle contorted his slimy face into a sneer as its eyes drifted back and forth between the human adolescents. The alien pointed a questioning claw at Rivin. "You, huuuman." The alien paused to grab the boy's left hand out of his pocket, glancing down at the numbers etched on the wrist. "342651. What are you doing outside your cell?"
Rivin just smirked and wrenched his hand back, raising an eyebrow at the claw. "I believe the question you should be asking is 'Why is not the security system efficient enough to hold in a weak, pathetic huuuman?'" Rivin mocked. Several of the guards bared their teeth, but the alien just smiled, malice glinting in its eclipsed red eyes.
"Foolish." The alien spat. "Very foolish, Human. You will pay dearly this time." Tai could see some of the color flicker out of Rivin's face at this, but his jaw was still set. He said nothing. Satisfied, the alien turned his head to glare at Tai. He paused to take in Tai's tattered, dirty clothing. "You, Human, who are you?"
"He's a newcomer," Rivin said, answering for Tai. "He had nothing to do with it."
"QUIET," the alien snapped at Rivin. Nevertheless, he looked at Tai with a grin. "New, hmm, Human?" he said, addressing Tai once more. "Well, hopefully you find your stay… what is that human word… pleasant? Yes, pleasant." He laughed, more of a wheezing sound. "But trust me, it won't be long."
Cale sat with his feet propped up on the bench, turned towards the window. The bus seats were hard and uncomfortable, especially this early in the morning, but he didn't even think of the discomfort. His hazel gaze was lost outside the window, watching the suburban landscape rush by, as the thoughts rushed by in his head. He sat listening to the low-pitched rumble of the bus' engine, the only sound besides Tek's occasional mumblings. Cale said nothing. He pulled his sweatshirt sleeves over his hands and brought up his shoulders, so his head was cushioned in the folds of the hood.
Tek brought his eyes off the holoscroll he was reading and looked over at Cale's hunched form. Outside, Dawn was just starting to wake, lifting her golden head from behind the horizon and stretching forth her arms to the heavens. Even on the pollution-ridden Vusstra, the sunrise did not lose its momentary enchantment. Tek sighed, wrestling with his thoughts, trying to think of something to say to his foster-son.
"What's on your mind?" Tek said to Cale's back. Cale did not answer. Tek lifted his head a bit more. The boy was no longer looking out the window but staring at his hands. He had taken them out of the sleeves, and was now twirling a golden ring in his fingers. Looking at the ring gave Tek a pang of nostalgia. He turned away.
"Tek," Cale muttered, still staring down at the ring. "Why didn't he come back?"
Tek was puzzled for a moment. "Who?"
"My father. Why didn't he come back?"
He hesitated, searching for the right thing to say. "I don't know."
Cale was silent for a moment. "He promised. He promised we'd see each other again." He half whispered it, as if to himself.
Tek heard. "Well, sometimes promises just can't be kept. Every once in awhile, certain circumstances can come in the way of a promise, circumstances beyond control…"
"I know that," Cale snapped, exasperated, enclosing the ring in his clenched fist. "It's just… he left me with a big promise, and I thought he would see it through. But it's been almost ten years since that day, and…" Cale drifted off.
"Cale, you cannot blame your father for everything. Just because he wasn't able to keep his promise to you, doesn't mean he doesn't love you. He left because he loved you. Does that make sense? He loved you so much he wanted you to be safe, and for him, that meant paying any price."
"Awful price to pay," Cale muttered. "Losing your son completely." He shoved the ring on his finger and looked out the window once more. Speechless, Tek looked away.
"Another cold, lonely day in Loserville."
Cale stood outside the station, looking up at the silhouettes of the tall city buildings above him. Daylight had not yet penetrated the structures, and Cale's face was gray and pale in his heavy, oversized sweatshirt. He had his hands shoved in his front pocket, but it didn't help much. He was still cold, and he stood shivering in the morning glow as he waited for Tek to hurry out of the station.
It wasn't a very busy morning. Vusstrans of all sorts came filing out of the station randomly, going about their own way as usual on such a morning. The streetlights were still glowing an eerie, choking yellow, and various signs tacked to the sides of buildings flickered their ads and marqueed headlines. The air was stuffy, clogging Cale's lungs. He coughed and a puff of white smoke came from his mouth.Great. Leave me out here as I freeze to death, Tek. He didn't quite understand city dwellers. The excitement of it wore off quickly. It was a very dark and gloomy place to be, not at all to Cale's liking.
Just as Cale was starting to get irritated, Tek came stumbling out of the station, clutching his bag. With a heavy sigh of relief, Cale turned and watched, amused, as Tek caught up with him.
"Whoa there, pops," Cale said, holding out a hand to grab Tek by the shoulder as he came panting to a halt. "Slow down, you'll hurt yourself."
Tek wrinkled his trunk in a defensive gesture. "Hmm, now, no need for that this morning," he wheezed. "You will be old yourself one day too, my boy, and then just you try to joke about it."
Cale grinned. "Old. Hah. That'll be the day, when I'm running around like you, Tek." Tek glared. Cale felt the sudden need to change the subject. "Anyway!" he waved a hand at the intersection before them. "Which way do we go? Assuming you know the way, of course." Cale raised an eyebrow.
Tek made a sound deep in his throat. "Of course I know the way!" he said, as if Cale had tried to really insult him. "We go straight down that road there." He pointed in front of them.
"Well then, we can't stand here all day, now, can we?" Cale said cheerily. "You can sit here and take a breather, old man, but I'm off." With that, he hurried off across the street, dodging a hovercar as he ran; much to the annoyance of the driver, who shouted many obscene things at the boy before finally driving off again. Tek shook his head and tottered after Cale.
They were standing in front of a tattered looking shop. Cale was surprised they found it at all. They had gone in circles at least three times before finding it; all the shops in this area of town looked alike, and if it wasn't for the dust-covered sign in the window, they might have mistaken it for another useless junk store -- which was probably what it was, anyway. Cale raised an eyebrow at the dark window and the weatherworn door.
"You sure this is it?" he asked the alien.
Tek bobbed his head. "Yes, this is the one. I'm almost certain. It's the only place that still sells paper books." He looked down at a little directory he held folded over neatly in his clawed hands and looked back at the storefront.
Cale rolled his eyes. "Well, we might as well check it out, at least." Taking the initiative, he walked up to the door and pushed it open with one hand. A little bell rang as he stepped inside, and Tek hurried after. The door closed behind them with another little chime.
The dust made Cale sneeze. The store was small and dingy, with aisles of shelves stacked in untidy rows on either side of him. Some of the contents on the shelves looked as if they had long since passed their shelf lives. The store was dark, with the exception of a row of lights along the middle of the ceiling, glowing dim. Up front was a counter, an ancient computer monitor sitting on its top. The shop was silent and very, very empty.
Cale wrinkled his nose as he walked up to the counter, Tek following. He set his hands on the top, the only thing properly dusted in the whole place. He craned his head to try and see through a doorway in the back. "Hello?" he called. The sound rang through the small shop. There was no answer. He turned to look at Tek and shrugged. "Guess no one's here." Tek looked skeptical. He and Cale turned to go just as a voice hailed them from behind the counter.
"Hello? May I help you?"
Cale swiveled around. A drab gray Vusstran stood behind the counter, his wrinkled skin dotted with spots of forest green. His blue eyes gave them a piercing look. His hands were clutching an oily towel, which he was using to try and clean his hands.
Cale walked back up to the counter. The Vusstran looked him up and down, curiosity and skepticism on his alien face. "Yes, umm," Cale coughed. "My name is Cale Tucker, and I was wondering if you umm," The shopkeeper raised an eye ridge. Cale went on in a rush. "I was wondering if you saw a boy like me come in yesterday… he's a bit taller than me, uh, brown hair, brown eyes."
The Vusstran gave him another sweeping glance. "A human, you say?" the Vusstran croaked. He paused. "Yes, I saw him. Came in my shop early last afternoon."
Cale's heart leapt. "Did you see where he went?"
The shopkeeper frowned, and his hands stopped twisting the towel. His eyes darted nervously. "Well, no, not precisely."
"But you saw him come in?"
"Yes, yes. This group had come in my shop just before he came, shouting and making all kinds of havoc, scaring away my customers, yes." Cale doubted the shopkeeper had many customers, but he didn't dare interrupt. "So I had gone in the back hoping they'd leave, when I looked and saw the boy come in. Couldn't do anything to help him, of course, and it's not like he knew they were in there." The alien seemed to be talking more to himself now. "Yes. Couldn't help him. Terrible shame."
Cale's face paled a bit. "What are you talking about? What did they do to Tai?"
The alien blinked. "Tai, was that his name? Oh! Yes, him. I remember him. Nice young boy, always coming in my shop and saying hello. My best customer. Lots of talent, that boy had. Shame."
He felt himself growing irritated with this guy. "Yes, but what is a shame?"
"That they took him, of course!" The alien exclaimed. "Saw them carry him out, jeering and making all kinds of noise. Half the block must have heard. Shame. Grateful it got them out of my shop though."
Cale had gone white now, and did not say anything. Seeing his distress, Tek took up the conversation. "Where did they take him?"
The alien shrugged. "Beats me, I certainly didn't follow them! Those slavers are a nasty bunch, don't want to get caught up with them, no." The alien dropped off again, shaking his head. "Shame."
Cale stormed out of the shop. He hadn't been this angry or hurt in a long time. It made him think of his father, which only made him more upset.
He stopped in the middle of the street, looking around for something on which to take out his rage. Seeing a dormant hovercar parked near the shop, he stormed over to it, slamming his fists down on the hood with a satisfying THUNK. His head was pounding and the rage flooded his eyes, blinding him.
Tek came stumbling out of the shop as Cale began to kick at the wall. "Cale!" Tek shouted. Cale gave the wall one last belligerent kick and threw himself on the ground, fuming. "What do you think you're doing? There's no reason to act like that."
Cale sat with his legs crossed, breathing heavily, blood trickling down his hand. He couldn't think. The combination of guilt and fear and anger jammed his thoughts, and he could think of nothing else but inflicting as much damage as possible. Tek hovered above him, unsure of what to do. Cale shivered like a bomb counting down.
"What do you mean, 'there's no reason to act like that'?" Cale growled. "There's every reason. Every damn reason in the world."
"Cale…"
"He's gone, Tek!" Cale shouted. "Gone! Don't you see that? We'll never get him back, never!"
Tek just blinked, hesitant.
Cale went on, shaking violently, his eyes watering. "I should have gone, Tek. I should have gone with him. It's all my fault."
Tek shook his head and kneeled down beside Cale, grabbing his shoulders. Cale's head was bowed, his fists clenched and his face contorted, torn between sorrow and anger. Every once in awhile he shook with a sob. "Cale, it is not your fault. It is not your fault. Had you gone with him, it would have been both of you."
"That would have been better than him alone! You don't understand. Tai was like… like my brother." He twisted his ring on his finger. "Tai was the only one who never broke a promise to me. And now I've broken my promise with him… I promised he'd be safe, that he'd be okay."
Tek sighed. "Listen to me. Taylor means just as much to me as he does to you. You may not believe that, but he does. And I promise you we will get him back. That may be another broken promise, but we've got to try, Cale. You can't give up."
Cale was silent, the anger flowing out of his body. "He doesn't deserve it," he said quietly. "He is the last person to deserve it… it's hopeless. He could be anywhere; we don't even know where they took him, where they came from. He could be anywhere." He paused, breathing deeply. "But you're right, Tek. I'm not my father. I don't abandon my family."
Tek frowned as Cale lifted himself off the pavement, cradling his bloody knuckles in his arms. He swayed out of reach of Tek's open arms, turned and started walking off the way they had come, head bowed. Daylight came creeping through the skyscrapers, touching the street with a pale glow. Cale stepped into the day with only his hope and a resolution to drive him.
