Forgotten Star Read online

  She watched the sun glisten off the surface of the water as she stood, taking one last glance at the tree she’d tried to hang herself from. It was pointless to even consider such an action now, not when they were watching her every movement. The snapping of a twig startled her. She turned quickly to see the man standing at the top of a mound. He smiled and waved at her. His thick white beard and round cheeks revealing the only warm human contact she’d practically ever known. She smiled back. He’d obviously just seen her have another episode and come straight in.

  ‘Hello Ona, how are you feeling today?’ he said, ‘beautiful sunset huh?'

  Doctor Eoin Tatum’s silver hair, which seemed to blend in perfectly with the colour of his beard, had been Ona’s only human contact since she was nine years old. She’d sometimes wondered whether or not he was the only person left alive in the galaxy. He was a kind man, for a jailer. His long white coat fluttered in the calm breeze as he approached. His face always seemed to glow a crimson red and his large shoulders had provided a comforting place to rest her head whenever she needed a good cry. His smile showed concern and she wondered how long he’d been watching her. She remained sitting as he sat on the gras beside her. She thought very carefully about what to say to him.

  ‘Hello Eoin,’ she said.

  He glanced around briefly at the beautiful woodland vista that was spread out for kilometers in all directions.

  ‘Are you all right? Are you hungry?’

  Ona shook her head feeling a chill come over her at the familiarity of the question.

  ‘I don’t think I’ve ever been all right,’ she admitted.

  ‘Depends on how you think about it,’ he said.

  Ona tilted her head towards him, waiting for him to say something familiar, something already predestined.

  ‘It’s never going to stop is it?’ she finally said.

  ‘Truthfully, Ona, I don’t know. I think the only person who is able to tell anyone that, is you.’

  He paused.

  ‘Anything dangerous or frightening today?’ he asked.

  ‘I don’t know,’ she replied, careful not to alert or change anything.

  ‘Would you tell me if there was?’ he said, meeting her eyes.

  She shrugged her shoulders. He took a deep breath.

  ‘I know how hard this has been for you,’ he said, placing a hand on her shoulder.

  The warmth of his gesture sent another tear down her cheek. He released his hand and reached inside his jacket pocket removing something and handing to her. It was a small box wrapped in coloured paper.

  ‘Happy birthday,’ he said.

  She looked at him curiously.

  ‘Yes, it’s your birthday, you didn’t know I was going to say that?’

  She shook her head taking the small box.

  ‘Twenty today,’ he said.

  She ran her fingers over the texture of the paper before slowly opening it. Contained within the wrapping was a small wooden box with a decorative gold latch. She clicked it open. Neatly placed on the velvet interior was a small bracelet with a heart locket attached to it. She removed it and looked at the filigree work etched over its surface.

  ‘Open it,’ said Eoin.

  She ran her fingernail through the indent and the locket popped open. She looked at the two images inside, both familiar to her. Her mother and her father. Seeing their faces was like a warm blanket had just been spread across her body.

  ‘Here, let me,’ said Eoin, taking the bracelet and attaching it gently around her right wrist.

  A wave of anger flowed through her as she looked at the beautiful piece of jewellery.

  ‘When can I leave this place?’ she demanded.

  He took a breath and leaned backwards, resting his hands on the grass.

  ‘I would try and explain it, and maybe I already have, you already know what I’m going to say anyway so, in a strange way, I am left with whether to tell you again or not. But that doesn’t matter either way, does it? Not unless you decide to change things. There are so many possibilities. You know, sometimes I come in here to talk to you knowing that my fate has already been played out in your mind. It’s an unsettling feeling. You already know why they won’t let you leave.’

  Ona didn’t respond.

  ‘They’re afraid of you,’ he continued.

  A small chill ran up her spine.

  ‘Don’t think I don’t understand how you’re feeling Ona, I know,’

  Without thinking, Ona responded.

  ‘If I am so dangerous why don’t they just kill me and be done with it?’ she said.

  ‘I’m not going to kill you, and I’m not going to let anyone else try,’ Eoin said, ‘you remember when you first came to this station?’

  Ona nodded.

  ‘So many stars,’ she said.

  ‘Yes, that’s true,’ Eoin said.

  ‘These ones seem different,’ she said, ‘I know they’re not real, it’s a prison.’

  ‘They are different, everything is, everything has changed, and it’s time you saw the real world,’ he said, looking back at the river.

  He moved closer to her and tapped the data pad in his jacket. Ona heard a soft bleeping noise.

  ‘Listen to me very carefully,’ Eoin said.

  Ona frowned.

  ‘Something is about to happen here. I don’t want you to be afraid,’ Eoin said.

  Ona tilted her head.

  ‘They can’t hear us, just listen to me. About a year ago, I began to realize what they were doing, what HE was doing, and it was something I could not be a part of anymore. You need to hear me now. Perhaps, you already know what I am about to say but can’t quite put it into context?’ he asked.

  She didn’t answer.

  ‘Well, this is one occasion where I am going to have to repeat myself, it’s too important. There’s about to be a loud noise, but don’t be afraid. When I say, I want you to get to the open door that’s about to show itself right over there. I want you to go as fast as you can, eighty meters down that corridor then take the second door on your right, the one with the yellow stripe. The code is six, three, seven, seven, nine. Repeat the code to me.’

  ‘What are you…’

  ‘Repeat the code,’ Eoin said

  ‘Six, three, seven, seven, nine,’ Ona said.

  Eoin’s face was turning red.

  ‘Get into the pod and strap yourself in, the computer’s already been programmed to read your bio-signs and will launch in time to escape,’ he said.

  ‘Escape?’ Ona said.

  ‘Our time together is coming to an end Ona.’

  ‘Why?’

  ‘I can’t go with you,’ Eoin said, ‘I need to make sure that you make it away safely before it happens.’

  ‘Before what happens?’ Ona said, her face frowning in confusion.

  Eoin ignored her and continued.

  ‘You’re going to meet someone; her name is Tamara Cartwright. She’ll protect you. Trust her as you have trusted me. She will find you, so don’t you be worrying,’ he smiled at her, ‘your journey is your own, perhaps it is we who follow you. I still have so many questions.’

  Ona was about to respond when a deafening boom, followed by a blinding white light erupted into her previously serene world. Ona screamed and placed her hands over her eyes. She felt Eoin’s hand on her back as her environment began flickering out of existence. The stream melted away into a mist of photons, followed by the trees and the sky, revealing a cold grey wall coated in endless speckles of neatly arranged lights. The grass beneath her shifted to a cold hard surface. From somewhere off in the distance she heard a siren as she looked up to meet Eoin’s eyes.

  ‘Don’t be scared, get up let’s go right now,’ he said, leaping up and taking Ona with him.

  Her heart was now bursting from her chest as the only place she’d ever known winked out of existence.

  ‘What is this place?’ she shouted.

  ‘There’s no time, come with me,’ Eoin said.

  The explosion had left a gouge in the newly formed light encrusted wall they were both now running towards. Sparks rained down from beyond as they reached the hole where Eoin stopped, still clutching her arm. He carefully peered around the jagged edged corner. He pulled back as part of an electrical circuit burst outwards towards them. He shielded Ona’s face with his hand, before looking out into the room that lay beyond.

  ‘Come on!’ he urged.

  Ona had very little time to protest. She recoiled instantly at the sight of a body on the ground. It was a man, dressed in black overalls. His severed right arm was laying a few feet away in a pool of blood. She could feel her body go cold.

  ‘Don’t look at it, move!’ Eoin said, stepping around the corpse.

  The ground shook suddenly. She heard another booming noise, coming from somewhere beneath her. They reached a doorway and Eoin placed his eye over a small yellow box. It immediately slid open to scenes of chaos beyond. She saw various people running around the corridors, some shouting, then she saw him, a tall man dressed in the same overalls as the dead person they had just stepped over. He was pointing a weapon at them. He had large eyes, a pronounced jaw, and muscular shoulders.

  ‘Don’t move,’ said the man.

  Eoin put his hands in the air.

  ‘There’s been an explosion, we have to get her off this level, can’t you see that?’ Eoin responded.

  ‘Move or I’ll shoot you Doctor Tatum,’ said the man taking a step towards them.

  Eoin didn’t move.

  ‘Listen to me, it’s too dangerous to…’

  Eoin suddenly lunged towards the guard with aggression and speed, grabbing the weapon. Ona saw a flash of green light impact Eoin in his abdomen. He recoiled, but somehow found enough str
ength to hit the guard with such force, it knocked him out cold. Eoin then collapsed onto the ground. Ona froze. Time slowed. Her hands trembled and she felt light her chest would explode. She saw Eoin slowly role onto his side, a large gaping wound in his midsection. There was a strange pungent smell of something rotten as she gazed down in horror. A trickle of blood escaped from the side of his mouth as he looked at her, his eyes wide. He was afraid. His mouth moved ever so slightly. Without a moment’s hesitation, she dived to the ground. She heard a strange gurgle in the back of his throat as he tried to mouth something. Tears were now in free flow down Ona’s cheeks as she placed her hands on his bloodied chest and leaned forward.

  ‘I don’t understand,’ she said through quivering lips.

  He took a long shaky breath.

  ‘Run Ona,’ he growled as his mouth filled further with blood, 'don’t look back!’

  His eyes listed upwards and his body went limp. Ona felt another large vibration, this one seemed to come from right underneath her feet. The lights flickered as she saw thick black smoke emerge from the end of the corridor. She paused for just a moment to take one last glance at the man who had raised her. She got up and followed his last request. She began to run. Somewhere from behind her she heard shouting. Someone telling her to stop. A flash of an energy weapon streaked by her ears and hit the wall beside her. She covered her face but didn’t look back. Her legs were now carrying her fast. She saw the door with the yellow stripe. She glanced behind her, the corridor, now filled with smoke, created strange silhouetted shadows. Another bright flash of green energy grazed her arm. She felt a sharp pain but ignored it. She began to cough as she felt for the access pad. She entered the code and the door slid open. She dove inside, this time narrowly missing another energy blast. The door closed quickly behind her as she saw what was inside.

  There were two recessed seats facing each other at the front of the cabin and a large curved window at the front above a console station.

  ‘Please secure harness,’ said a soft computer voice.

  Ona heard scratching sounds coming from the hatch. She climbed into one of the seats as a shoulder harness zipped automatically over both her arms. She began to feel weak as the adrenaline began wearing off. She glanced around at the various control panels and lights which ran from wall to wall.

  ‘Launching,’ said the computer voice.

  She felt a tug as she was thrust sideways. The momentary increase in gees subsided as the large forward-facing windows lit up with stars. She saw the rings of Saturn sparkling around the giant orange world. She watched the small pieces of rock and ice as they danced in unison. The escape pod turned abruptly, and she saw the space station. It looked small now, like a miniature spinning top gently turning, yet glowing a pure white light as the sun’s rays reflected off its smooth exterior. A few seconds later a bright light forced her to cover her eyes as a fireball engulfed the orbiting structure. The large spinning top, now a collection of rapidly expanding debris, drifted outwards in all directions. The escape pod maneuvered again and headed away from her destroyed home, somewhere unknown towards the stars. She looked to the centre flight control system and saw a cylindrical transparent tube in its centre. It was glowing blue.

  ‘Stand by for STC,’ said the computer voice.

  Ona had no idea what that meant. She felt a strange sense of nausea followed by an all too familiar sensation. She looked out the window and saw the stars twist and distort and then blink out of existence.

  3

  ESDA Central Command Base

  The Moon

  F leet admiral Rubin Edge leaned against the large window of his office and stared past the lunar landscape at the stars above. He glanced briefly down at the ore processing station to the South and watched as another lander from Earth docked gracefully beside it. He reached up and rubbed his right temple, the pain of a migraine beginning to wake from its welcome slumber. He looked up again at the point of light he’d been staring at, Saturn. His eyes glanced over at the broken glass on the floor at the far end of his office. A reminder of the communication he’d just received from an ESDA forward-monitoring base on Europa. Rubin Edge was famed for his calm but imposing physical presence, earning him the nickname ‘the Tank’—a nickname he had not in any way tried to dissuade, as it conjured up images of the old ground warfare vehicles used hundreds of years in the past. There was, of course, nobody around to see his outburst; the holo-communiqué had disconnected only seconds before. It was the betrayal that had overwhelmed him in the moment—Eoin Tatum had blown up the station. It was a reminder to him that no matter how long the friendship, or how loyal the man, nobody could be completely trusted. Edge had known betrayal and lies, had spent his life working through the political garbage that had been put in place on the twenty-three colonial planets. Three of which had erupted in civil war because of one simple truth of human existence. No matter what the LAL thought of human potential, that craving for war couldn’t or wouldn’t evolve, despite the romantic notions of some, we were what we were. And now she was gone. The only possible defense against the darkness that lay on the galactic horizon. A darkness only few had seen and only one had lived to tell the tale.

  The chime to his door rang. He was about to leave it unanswered, allowing himself more time to get control of his anger, but time was a factor here. He turned to his desk and released the locking mechanism. The large metal doors at the end of the long rectangular room slid open, and in walked commander Matthew Norr, Edge’s liaison officer and head of all base operations. Norr cut a stocky figure at five foot ten, a fourth-generation military man whose uniform was practically a second skin to him. He was serious and efficient, and while up until this morning Edge would have considered him to be loyal to the death, he was finding himself looking at Norr with suspicion that the man hadn’t necessarily earned. The dark-haired soldier approached Edge with a well-practiced stride, coming to a stop a meter or so in front of his desk to salute him. Pleasantries were not something Edge exchanged with anyone, least of all those under his command.

  ‘What have you got for me, Commander?’ Edge said, rounding the table and taking a seat.

  He began running through the report of the incident, which was already open on the inset screen.

  ‘Well, you’re not going to like it, sir, but there is nothing in Dr. Tatum’s communiqués or logs to or from the base in the last ten years that the algorithms can pick out to explain why he did what he did,’ Norr said.

  Edge curled his fingers into a fist before tapping on his console, bringing up the last images of the security feed. He froze the image of Tatum lying on the floor, the girl crouched over his body.

  ‘As you know, sir, the Arc Royal and Sirius have been dispatched to try to track the pod. We found several security access requests to the ejected pod over the last three months, eight in total, to be exact. As you know, it was Dr. Tatum who helped design many of the propulsion and engine specifications that are now installed in the newer fleet designs,’ Norr said.

  Edge glanced up at Norr, who cleared his throat.

  ‘None of our tracking stations were able to get an exact fix on the course plotted by the escape pod, and the normal particle traces left when the engine is burned were not present, nor was its beacon activated. Whatever modifications were made to it, sir, he’d rendered it undetectable,’ Norr said.

  Edge felt his temples begin to burn.

  ‘I see,’ he said calmly. ‘Anything else?’

  ‘The explosion on the station was a result of two primary charges. We’re analyzing their composition now. One was placed in the observation room outside the simulation area where the girl was being kept. This one was detonated first. The secondary charge was placed on the main reactor core itself. This was detonated nine minutes later,’ Norr said.

  Edge’s anger suddenly subsided and was replaced by a strange sensation of sadness and regret. He hadn’t expected to feel that way, but there was something in that last image. He looked down at the feed again, then into the face of the man who he had once considered a friend. He looked to the young girl and wondered what she had done to him, what she had said that had twisted and confused his mind.