James Scotson - Planets Falling

“What does it do?”

“I have to be honest with you. It will destroy you and other ships like you. Pretty much all of the Institute technology. But I would only use it if we were in danger.”

The ship stops. “Very well. I will help you.”

We shoot straight into the sky and begin diving at the Institute building.

Etch chimes in. “Amy. Please land at the Yellow Stone clearing. We will talk there.”

“Etch. I want the Fuerst and Phobos to be absent. I want Theo and no one else waiting for me. If not, I have agreed with the Raven for her to drop vials of the substance on the building and then fly into space. There, she will spread the substance to mars, home of your precious Institute.”

“Understood. I hope you know what you are doing Amy Marksman.” The two ships fly up and away.

The Raven cools in the grass as I hug Theo. The ship knows that any tampering or attack will give her my permission to carry out my plan. I have a few ampules containing the bug or whatever it is in my pocket for extra protection.

Theo whispers in my ear. “They have Eliza.”

My hand moves to my pocket and I grasp the glass containers. “Who are these people? They’re no better than Thresh.” I swear I feel the baby kicking angrily in my belly.

“Be careful Amy. They’re watching from the walls.”

I shout, “Give me back my daughter now or I’ll release the substance.”

A voice travels through the air. It’s Amanda, the governess of the Institute laboratory. “I’d rethink that if I were you, Amy. Eliza’s been quite the helper to us.”

“Theo, I thought I left Eliza with Magarat.”

“When Gorian called Etch, Amanda took them away.”

“Why didn’t you fight?”

“It’s kind of hard to fight when you’re outgunned.”

“Didn’t the villagers stand up for her?”

He looks down. “No. They watched as she and Magarat were led away.”

A small group of Institute soldiers and Amanda appear at the wall of the city. “Amy, it is so nice to see you, although I wish the circumstances were better. Come with us so we can join Eliza. She’s been asking for you.”

I consider ending it here. I have but to give the Raven my command and throw these vials on the ground to start the end for Amanda and her kind. But I’d certainly forfeit my life and that of Eliza and Theo. No one in the village would lift a finger for us in this grassy place as the soldiers overcame us. Worse, for earth, I would risk the potential of another Thresh reopening the gateway and destroying humanity. I need more time.

“Do not touch me,” I say holding a vial in my hand. “I want to see Eliza.”

Theo and I follow Amanda and her guards into a large room with a table and many chairs. Vanne and Grey are seated. Grey looks queasy, while his companions gaze at me with a mix of fear and anger.

“Well, Amy, you’ve put us in a bind.” Vanne sits forward. “Would you like a refreshment?”

“I want Eliza now. Where is she?”

Amanda growls, “Give us the vials and you can have her.”

Vanne smiles slightly. “We apologize Amy. We’re your guests here. It’s ironic that our shared ancestors unleashed this agent and that we’re now reunited, facing the same threat. What are your needs?”

“You need to leave earth. You can only visit with permission of an elected council of Yellow Stone and someday other people of earth.”

“Well, that was the plan all along,” Vanne says. “We are only here to work with you and to help you better your condition here on earth.”

I sigh. “You might say that and even believe that right now. But I’ve seen the future and know that we are moving down a wrong path. You’re poisoning the minds of our people, blurring their ability to see clearly. We need to slow down and consider our next steps carefully. Now, I’ve said my piece. My daughter. Now.”

Vanne looks at Grey, expecting him to speak. Grey stares at his hands, remaining silent.

Amanda pulls out a pretty mirrored brush and strokes her hair. “You know Eliza can see the future too?”

I hold the ampule before me with my finger on the tip. “I only need to break this and it’ll spread.”

“Very well. Follow me.” Amanda tucks her hairbrush into a small red bag on the table.

We enter a small dark room with a screened wall. Through the mesh, I see Eliza sitting on the floor of an adjacent room with a slight woman I don’t recognize, Magarat looking terrified, and a small, tawny motionless animal.

“Take me to her.” I demand.

“Watch.” Amanda says

The unknown woman, who I sense is a pilot, puts her hand on Eliza’s hand. “Show me what you learned to do honey bee.”

The animal is a dead cat. Eliza considers it, closes her eyes, and the cat twitches. Magarat covers her mouth with her hand. Eliza concentrates on the animal for a few moments and then moves on to playing with a rag doll.

“Interesting, isn’t it Amy? She can do that without the organic matrix you call the fog. Very talented indeed but so misguided. I wonder what other tricks the woman, Thresh, taught your little girl? We can help you restore her, heal her — undo the things that witch did to your daughter. But we need you to give us the vials and tell the Raven to stand down.”

I’m paralyzed and anguished. “Give me Eliza. I need some time.” Theo grabs me as my knees buckle.

Amanda gives me a sympathetic pat. “I’m so sorry we had to do it this way. You gave us no choice bringing that — material — here. Hand me the vials. Please.”

My mind is swimming. I pull the glass containers out of my pocket and rest them in my palm. The liquid within resembles water. I wonder how something so seemingly benign can lead to the decline of a great civilization. My eyes close and I drop them on the floor, crushing them under my feet.

Amanda shouts. “Initiate biosecurity.” The guards run from the room and return with large guns. Before they can fire, the floor, walls, and screen in the room hiss and bubble, corroding before our eyes. One of the guards manages to release some flames from her weapon, but the gun quickly crumbles and fire jumps onto her uniform. She screams and falls onto the ground.

Theo and I jump through the hole where the screen once stood. Eliza, Magarat, and the woman stand, mesmerized by the commotion. Eliza jumps into Theo’s arms and I lead Magarat out.

Amanda’s clothes dissolve from her body. She’s trying to brush the material off but spreads it around, speeding the process.

I pause, considering her. “Amanda, I would recommend that you evacuate the building. I’ve no idea how long the beams will support the other floors.”

We run into the gardens surrounding the Institute laboratory on the shore of the lake. It’s a glorious day, the sun warmly greeting us. The building looks gorgeous, gleaming in the light, not yet betraying the infection eating it from within. I watch the Institute workers run out, their clothing in tatters and their weapons disintegrating in their hands as I lightly brush the three remaining intact vials in my pocket.

I yell to the Raven. “Run my dear ship. Leave this place before the disease gets you too.” I see the ship rising in the sky and then zipping away at an impossible speed.

“Did you send the ship to mars?” Theo’s incredulous.

“No, not yet. We’ll see what happens.” We watch as the building collapses from its considerable weight. Shattered glass and crushed metal roll into the lake.

On the horizon, the shapes of the Phobos and Fuerst appear. They are clearly cautious about approaching too close. The bacteria’s likely billowing in the air above, contaminating anything artificial that comes too close. I smile at the thought of Gorian throwing a tantrum in the Fuerst’s cabin, with Etch chuckling under his breath.