The Fourth World Read online

  He was flying in Red Leader’s ship, which meant that he still had the override codes for hers. That gave him an option – he could use the emergency eject command for her saucer which would send the pilot’s pod away from the ship. But, the bug was trying to get at her, with only the shell of the saucer protecting her. If he ejected her pod, she would be defenseless and it would tear her apart. If he did nothing, she’d be taken away, and probably killed anyway.

  He knew what he must do. She would have ejected from her ship if she could, and there was still a chance that the systems were still active. She might be unconscious and unable to eject.

  But there were only a few seconds before the lead bug would reach the open wormhole. He had to work quickly.

  Chapter 38: Falling Down.

  There was only one thing that was going to work. He would have to eject her pod, and then somehow destroy both bugs. A plan crystallized in his mind – but he had no time to think it through – he had to act.

  With a push of a button he beamed the codes over to Nizhoni’s saucer. A green light showed acknowledgement, but he did not have time to check if she was clear before he unleashed a full volley of fire on the bug holding her saucer.

  As the saucer was shooting, he was frantically programming an intercept course for the lead saucer. He would have to ram it – it was his only hope. With satisfaction, he saw Nizhoni’s pod eject from her saucer and spiral down towards the red surface of Mars.

  He felt like a spectator, watching the scene unfold on his monitors. His ship, on an intercept course for the lead bug, was tracking and shooting at the trailing bug, preventing it from intercepting Nizhoni’s escape pod.

  An instant before his ship impacted with the lead bug, there was a sickening thump in his stomach as his escape pod accelerated away, but he was glad for the speed because when his ship collided with the lead bug, it exploded instantly, blowing the bug to pieces, and the debris was sucked into the wormhole.

  The wormhole expanded and then began to collapse. He could see the arcs of lightning reaching out to touch his pod and the other bug.

  It felt like his pod had been grabbed by a giant hand, stretching and writhing as it was sucked towards the hole. Suddenly a huge white flash and explosion blinded Fintan and rocked his escape pod. There was a feeling of weightlessness as it was thrown free of the wormhole by the blast. However the shockwave hit, and Fintan was thrown from his control pedestal.

  He had an odd sense of slow motion as he fell, and he put his hands up to break his fall. There was a sickening cracking sound as his head hit something. He wasn’t sure what it was. Something wet was trickling down his neck. Blood.

  He felt oddly relaxed. Everything was distant now. The sound of the shipboard alarms were now muffled and soothing.

  “Boom” Tricnollak had said. “Really big boom”

  More shuddering and rocking and somewhere deep in his mind he realized that he had entered the atmosphere.

  I’m blacking out

  He smiled to himself, surprised at how analytical this was, under the circumstances. Probably concussion. Must stay awake.

  He hit atmosphere hard. He was beginning to feel hot, and worried that the pod didn’t have atmospheric heat shields. He could burn up and die here.

  His mind was blurring, the dizziness making him queasy.

  I’m falling he thought. I’m falling. Is there someone out there that can help me? Help me Help me Help me.

  And then everything went black.

  *

  His eyes opened to see a white, tiled, ceiling.

  Where am I?

  He tried to move, but couldn’t. He drifted back down into darkness again.

  Nizhoni? Nizhoni are you there?

  He opened his eyes and turned his head. People were all around him, but they were blurred. He couldn’t see. They were talking to him. This was oddly familiar.

  There was a girl sitting near him. The blurriness resolved and she came into focus.

  “Nizhoni,” he croaked.

  He felt a hand on his. It was cool and dry to the touch.

  “Nizhoni,” he repeated and looked at the girl. He blinked several times, trying to clear his vision.

  But it wasn’t Nizhoni. It was Ayako, and she was crying.

  *

  “Fintan,” she said. “Can you hear me?”

  “Nizhoni,” he repeated. “Nizhoni?”

  “Fintan, I’m sorry. I’m so very sorry.”

  “Nizhoni,” was all he could say. “Where?”

  She put her head down, crying more. His head was clearing now. He blinked again and squeezed her hand.

  “Ayako,” he said. “What’s happening?”

  “We’re back on Earth,” she said. “Nizhoni’s gone Fintan. She died saving us.”

  “No, I saw her eject.”

  “They found the wreckage of her ship in orbit. You destroyed whatever it was that attacked us and killed her. Together you saved us.”

  “No,” said Fintan weakly. He felt strength gathering in his voice. He shook his head to clear the tears. “No!”

  “I’m so sorry.”

  Someone else was coming into the room. Fintan turned to see Trichallik and Mister Smith. Zack was standing in the doorway.

  “Please leave us Miss Katsuragi,” said Trichallik. “We need to speak with Fintan in private.”

  Ayako nodded, and squeezed Fintan’s hand. She got up and ran into Zack’s arms, burying her head in his chest. He led her out and quietly closed the door.

  “Fintan,” said Trichallik. “I am sorry for your loss. I know that you and she were very close. But you must understand that her sacrifice was not in vain. She saved much more than just the children from the squadron. She might have even saved all of mankind.”

  “Did you find her escape pod?”

  “You destroyed a wormhole. It’s a miracle you survived,” said Smith. “No pod other than yours made it to the surface. Hers was broken up and burned in the atmosphere.”

  “I can’t believe she’s gone,” said Fintan. “She can’t be!”

  “Fintan,” continued Trichallik. “I know this is hard, but what we have to say is important. You must tell nobody what happened up there. Most of the squadron doesn’t know. Zack only knows a little – he doesn’t know what attacked, and you must keep the secret. Otherwise her sacrifice could be in vain.”

  “Why?”

  “We call them hunters. They are semi intelligent creatures that scour the galaxy looking for civilizations. When they find signs of a civilization, they return to their masters who come here and destroy them. You see there are many civilizations in the galaxy, and many of them believe that the best way to avoid future conflict with other races is to destroy them before they reach the stars. Before they become a threat. The hunters come from one of them. They destroyed my world in the same way.”

  “But why keep it a secret?”

  “Some of my people will want to leave this place, and leave you to the hunters if they think Earth has been discovered. We want to help you, but we’re not going to fight a war for you. That you must do yourselves, and you are not yet ready.”

  “And you?”

  “I am here for you and your people, as was my mate. He died to buy Nizhoni and you time to escape. I know your loss of her is great, but you are young, and you only knew her for a few short months. Tricnollak and I were life mates for hundreds of years. His absence is an emptiness in my soul.”

  A wave of grief shook over Fintan’s body again. He began to sob.

  She’s gone.

  *

  He must have fallen asleep then, because when he opened his eyes, Trichallik and Smith were gone. Ayako and Zack were sitting at the base of his bed again.

  “Good morning sleepyhead,” said Zack, trying to inject some cheer into his voice, but not succeeding.

  Ayako reached out and held onto Fintan’s hand.

  He rubbed his eyes and looked at them. Ayako’s eyes we
re puffy and red, and Zack looked tired and empty.

  “It wasn’t a dream was it?” asked Fintan. “She’s really gone, isn’t she?”

  Ayako nodded and lowered her head.

  “Fintan,” said Zack. “I’m sorry if this is insensitive, but what really happened out there?”

  He remembered what Trichallik had said. “I’m sorry,” said Fintan. “I don’t really remember that much.”

  “But what attacked us Fintan?”

  “I don’t know.”

  “Fintan?”

  “Zack, I can’t talk about it, ok?”

  “Can’t or won’t?”

  “Does it matter?”

  “Of course it matters it-“

  Ayako had put her hand over his mouth. “Now isn’t the right time Zack. Give him some space, ok?”

  Zack nodded and also placed his hand on Fintan’s. “Sorry.”

  *

  After a few days, Fintan checked himself out of hospital and returned to the Red Squadron dome. He felt empty as he entered. The crowds at dinner just made him feel lonelier.

  He returned to his sleeping dome, and Zack was there.

  “How are you doing?” he asked.

  “Not good,” said Fintan. “Seeing everyone reminds me not of her sacrifice to save us, but of the fact that she’s gone.”

  Zack nodded. “Sorry.”

  “What is worst is that I feel selfish in thinking that I would prefer her to be here instead of everyone else.”

  “I understand. It’s hard to let go.”

  “You don’t understand!” yelled Fintan. “Nobody understands! She just can’t be gone. She can’t! I can feel her,” he pointed at his chest. “Here. Stronger than ever.”

  His body shuddered again as grief overcame him once more. His foot brushed against something. He picked it up and looked at it. It was the Christmas singing alien that Nizhoni had kicked across the room a lifetime ago.

  “Everything just reminds me that she isn’t here anymore,” he said, putting it down. He lay down on his bed and put his head under the covers. “Just leave me Zack. I want to be alone.”

  *

  Time passed in a blur. He couldn’t eat or sleep. He forgot all about classes and about Zack’s comings and goings.

  I can’t stay here anymore he thought. I have to leave this place.

  And he knew how. He made his way out of the dome, and into the city. He followed the streets to the terminus for the train that went to the edge wall. He rode it, alone, in silence, lost in his thoughts.

  Every so often he would look outside and see something nice and turn to talk to Nizhoni, but she wasn’t there. And she would never be there again, but no matter how many times he reminded himself of this fact, he’d make the same mistake again and again.

  The train reached the end of the line and he walked towards the building. When he reached the door, he realized that Nizhoni had never told him the combination. But it didn’t matter. The door was open.

  He entered and made his way to the hangar.

  Bob was waiting for him there. “I was wondering when you’d show up,” he said.

  Fintan embraced the big man, who didn’t return the hug.

  “What happened to Benally’s daughter?” said Bob.

  “I can’t tell you.”

  “I’m the one who had to go back and tell him,” said Bob, his voice beginning to crack. “I’m the one who had to watch him break down and cry for hours at the loss of his beloved daughter. I’m the one who had to hold his wife and Nanabah and tell them that she’s never coming home again.”

  “I’m sorry.”

  “They wanted to know where you were, and why you didn’t protect her.”

  “I tried. But I couldn’t.”

  “What happened out there?”

  “I can’t tell you,” repeated Fintan. “I’m sorry, Bob. Please forgive me.”

  Bob drew himself up to his full height. “My name is Standing Bear.” He walked out of the room without a backwards look.

  There were several saucers still there, so Fintan got into one of them and took off. He climbed as high as he could, before realizing he didn’t know where to go. He clearly wasn’t welcome back in the Navajo nation anymore, and he didn’t want to go back to school.

  He hated it, but there was only one place left for him. He laid in a course for Ireland.

  For home.

  *

  Do you think he can keep the secret?

  Yes.

  So how much time do you think we have?

  Four years. Maybe more maybe less.

  And you think they’ll come?

  Yes. They will, and we will need to be ready.

  But the lives that were lost. Was it worth it?

  Yes. Simon and Red Two did what they had to do and Tricnollak knew what he was doing. It was a good sacrifice.

  But what about Nizhoni?

  ###

  TO BE CONTINUED IN

  “THE MILLION YEAR JOURNEY”