[Zach]
Light.
There was light here. Gentle rhythmic beeping. An antiseptic smell.
I willed my eyelids to blink open, then clamped them shut against an uncomfortable dazzling white light.
"He's coming around, Maya," a female voice said.
I laid on something much softer than last night's rocks, and a thin blanket covered me. Opening my eyes again, but this time squinting, the silhouettes of two female faces gazed back at me.
"For goodness' sake, turn off that search light before you blind him."
Thankfully, she switched off the ceiling-mounted examination light and moved it aside. I laid in some sort of hospital room with plain white walls, a plas-steel cabinet on one side, and a curtain-like partition on the other. A woman with tied-back brown hair and a rounded tan face wore blue scrubs, obviously a medical professional. The other, a taller woman with a lighter thin face and long, gray-streaked sandy-brown hair, wore simple black leggings and a green tunic top.
With mind still fuzzy, I opened my mouth to speak, but nothing but a coarse wheeze crossed my parched tongue.
"Here, drink this," a voice urged while pressing a clear plastic straw against my dried lips.
Plain water never tasted so wonderful. The cool, life-granting liquid soothed my mouth and throat. I sucked in the entire cup contents until the gargley sound came. The woman refilled the cup from a pitcher and placed it into a bed cupholder.
As my memories filtered back, a panic crawled down my spine and my heart raced. "Avia!" I propped myself up on elbows, but this brought on dizziness and my vision blurred.
One woman helped me settle back down to the narrow hospital bed. "Easy now, cowboy. You've been through a lot."
"Where is she? Is she okay?" I demanded.
"Avia. Is that your friend's name? She's here, but still unconscious."
The other woman pulled back the partition, revealing Avia, who laid with eyes closed on a bed similar to mine, covered with a white blanket. The data panel above her head drew colored lines and beeped softly with each precious heartbeat. An IV setup similar to mine dripped clear liquid into an arm vein.
"Her blood sugar was dangerously low," the medical woman continued. "And we are still having problems bringing it up. Does she have any conditions that affect sugar metabolism?"
I paused, but only for a second. Normally, I shouldn't reveal Avia's secret, but her life was on the line. "Avia has cybernetic implants in her brain that run on sugar. She normally eats huge amounts of carbs."
"Hmm, was she one of those enhanced kids in the Border Wars?"
"Yes."
"Good to know," the woman said. "We will up her glucose rate. Probably give her a sugar rush, too." She turned to the other woman. "Sirone, would you entertain our guest until I come back?"
"Could I get you anything?" Sirone asked, coming to my side.
I tilted my head toward Avia. "Would you move me closer?"
"Of course."
After a click to release the brake, the woman wheeled my bed beside Avia. Tentatively, I reached over and took Avia's hand in mine. The warmth of it flowed into me.
The legs of a standard gray plas-steel chair grated against the white floor as the woman dragged it beside me and sat, leaning forward. Her brown eyes narrowed slightly. "You two caused quite the stir when you blazed across the sky. We haven't had off-world visitors here for decades. Did anyone else come with you?"
"No. Just us."
"You both wore Omni-Corp uniforms. Do you represent the corporation?" Her eyes narrowed further.
This woman is suspicious — not that I could blame her. "Just the opposite," I replied. "We were on the run from Omni-Corp." Speaking of the uniforms, what was I wearing now? A peek under my blanket revealed the answer — nothing. Avia was similarly attired.
"Where is the ship?"
"Somewhere underwater. We crash landed in the surf."
The first woman marched into the treatment room and swapped out Avia's IV pouch. "Good God, Sirone. Can't you wait to interrogate him later? He just came out of a coma."
The seated woman dipped her head. "Please forgive my rudeness. Introductions are in order. My name is Sirone Rossi, and I am the Council Chief of Arcadia." She tipped her head and winked at the other woman. "And this is Dr. Maya Diaz, who, incidentally, also happens to be my wife. That's the only reason I tolerate her insolence."
Maya winked in reply, then turned to me. "Welcome to my hospital, umm?"
"Zach," I replied, purposely leaving out my last name. "And believe me, I am quite happy to be here talking to you."
"Is Avia your wife or domestic partner?"
"She is my partner, sort of, but... It's complicated."
"Uh huh..."
"How did you find us?" I asked.
Sirone answered, "After your unexpected arrival, we sent out a scouting drone to investigate. After it spotted you — in rather desperate shape, I might add — a rescue team was dispatched. And here you are."
"Thank you for that."
Maya grasped Sirone's arm and urged her to stand, then led her to the door. "Rest now. I'll rummage up some food, but in the meantime, if you need anything, just call out. The AI will relay your request."
Turning my head, I watched Avia's chest slowly rise and fall with each exquisite breath through full, parted lips. A shudder overtook me with a thought: so nearly had we both died.
In slight movement, her head tilted back. Then, after a deep breath, Avia's eyes fluttered open. Her brow wrinkled upon taking in the surroundings, but upon turning toward me, the sweetest smile ever brightened her face.
My spirit soared to the cosmos. "Hey," I whispered while squeezing her hand.
"Hey," she replied in a raspy voice.
"I know what you need now," I said, reaching and placing my cup straw to her lips.
After quenching her thirst, Avia laid back against her pillow and glanced again around the room. "I take it we didn't die?"
"Not today."
"Where are we?"
I shrugged. "In a hospital room in Arcadia. That's about all I know right now. How are you feeling?"
"Wrung out, but much better." Avia shifted to gaze into my eyes, rounding her lips. "Thank you, Zach, for saving me."
"That's like the fourth time," I teased.
Avia wrinkled her brow. "Four times?"
"Yeah. The crash landing, carrying you along the beach, stopping Greta from shooting you, and not sending you to Aberrant jail."
Her eyes and mouth opened wide while lips turned upward. "Okay, so the landing and carrying me were part of the same event, and you don't get to count kidnapping me. I'll grant you the one with Greta. Besides, I saved you, too."
"Hmm, I suppose so." I shifted my grip on her hand to a handshake. "Partners, then?"
Avia shook my hand in return. "Partners."
*****
Maya released us from the hospital the next morning, but we were immediately called before the Council. She supplied us with simple clothing. The loose-fitting leggings and long t-shirts were made of a substantial, yet silky smooth fabric that I did not recognize.
Sirone met us at the chamber door with an apologetic expression. "Your unexpected appearance has caused some concern among the Council and they have questions. You don't have to answer any you don't want to."
The council chamber was a round room with slanted overhead windows that let in generous amounts of sunlight. Colorful murals, likely depicting the colony's history, covered the walls. The Council, all dressed casually like Sirone, sat in thirteen high-backed chairs spaced around a long, curved table shaped in a semi-circle. At the center point stood a wide gray plas-steel lectern, presumably for those addressing the Council. Behind that stood seven rows of bench seats, unoccupied except for a few clerks.
As we made our way to the lectern, I tilted my head and whispered to Avia. "Have you accessed their records?"
"Of course," she answered. "Their data systems are antiquated, but well maintained."
"So?"
"No signs of threats. They seem like good people, but somewhat xenophobic. That's probably why we are here. Another thing — they are distrustful of the Sol Federation and Omni-Corp."
"Good. You were discrete in your searches, weren't you?" I asked.
"Aren't I always?"
"No."
Sirone stood and cleared her throat, silencing the murmuring conversations. "This special meeting of the Arcadia Council is now in session." She looked directly at us. "By rule, this public meeting is being broadcasted and recorded. Yesterday, we had two unexpected visitors. Please state your names."
"Avia."
"Zachery."
"Do you have surnames?" a man asked.
"I have none," replied Avia.
"Welde," I said, hoped they would not know of my uncle. "Before the questions begin, we would like to express our deep gratitude for the kindness shown us. You quite literally saved our lives."
"So noted," Sirone said. "Would you explain how you came to Eden?"
Avia and I agreed previously that honesty would be the best policy, within limits, but not to belabor points with excessive detail. I answered, "Long story short, we escaped an Omni-Corp facility in a stolen cargo shuttle, which was damaged when fired upon. We only barely made it to Eden and crash landed in the sea some distance away. Your rescuers eventually found us, and thankfully so."
An elderly woman asked, "For what purpose were you at an Omni-Corp facility, Mr. Welde?"
"It was a secret facility performing research on, shall we say, a disturbing technology. Our intention was to erase the data and set back that research."
"And were you successful, Mr. Welde?"
"Yes, ma'am."
"But why flee to Eden, of all places?"
Avia answered, "It was the only plausible world within range of our limited fusion fuel reserves."
Hushed, concerned mumbles rose from the Council, and I understood. Avia's answer meant that the Omni-Corp facility was nearby, at least on an interstellar scale.
"Were you followed?" another man asked.
"Not to our knowledge," I replied.
Avia cast me a knowing raised eyebrow expression. The colony wished to be left alone, especially from Federation and corporate attention.
The councilwoman leaned back and sighed. "Mr. Welde and Avia, you present us with a conundrum. What should we do with you?"
I opened my mouth to speak, but Sirone spoke first. "We all knew this moment would come sometime, my friends. How can we treat outsiders any less compassionate than we treat each other?"
"They may stay. I would not advocate any cruelty, but to be blunt, our way of life is threatened. Should the Federation return..."
Avia spoke up. "Ma'am, Eden already exists in the Federation galactic database, albeit an obscure reference. That is how we found our way here."
"We know, child."
"But regardless, Eden will become uninhabitable within fifty of your years." After a stilled hush froze the council, Avia continued, "The terraforming AI you use for climate control is failing. I noticed from the data that extreme weather effects already have increased in frequency."
"How would you know this?" a young councilman challenged.
"I accessed the AI," Avia admitted. "I am cybernetically enhanced."
Outwardly, I held a steady composure, but inwardly I cringed. Avia had just revealed herself to an entire world.
"That is a private network, child," the councilwoman scowled. "You had no right--"
"There were no firewalls or access restrictions in place, ma'am," Avia countered, narrowing her eyes. "Essentially, you left the door open." She relaxed her expression. "But I think you know the truth of my words."
The councilwoman clamped her mouth closed and let out a breath. Others glanced toward her. I suspected the Council knew of the climate threat, and likely had not informed the general populace. And Avia just did.
"But I have a solution," Avia said, breaking the tense silence. All eyes focused on her. "It is a hardware issue — the old computer is failing. I could remap the quantum core and then repair code references, perhaps extending its life a hundred years or more."
As the Council mumbled to each other, I leaned over to Avia. "Can you really do that?"
"Yeah," she answered with a wink.
"Esteemed members of the Council," I announced, standing tall. "Avia and I are grateful for the kindness shown us and wish to repay that. Bear in mind, though, that we are both fugitives from both the Sol Federation and Omni-Corp, and would hardly go back to them to reveal your world. But they may also come here, looking for us. It is in all our best interests that we do not stay long."
Sirone rose. "Mr. Welde and Avia, we will consider your words in an executive session. This Council meeting is now concluded."
While council members gathered into small groups in animated discussions, Sirone came up to us with a half-grin. "Well said. How would you like a tour?"