CHAPTER 24 #2
“Those who are found to be in breach of these specific protocols will be sent to the dark side to collect samples,” Zeek says in Terilian. “We did not wish for this to be the assignment, but this was the lightest punishment we could get the majority of others in the Senate to agree upon.”
Being sent to the star side is a heroic quest. Most survive to tell the tale. They come back with blisters and burns, some going on to develop skin cancer, but still live relatively normal lives afterward.
Very few have returned from the darker side of Terilia.
I turn to face my best friend, and my favorite. Ellie looks confused, but there are tears streaming down Zul’s face, and despite the language barrier, she seems to instantly understand.
This is, in essence, a death sentence.
“This is fucking madness,” Zul says, his voice barely audible.
I am not crying, though. Ellie will continue living. And I could survive. In fact, I will survive, and maybe one day, when we are really old and wrinkled and no longer constrained by our respective societal pressures, we can meet again.
Perhaps that can be my reward for returning from the darkest, iciest depths of my planet.
“Then what happens to me?” Ellie asks, brows knitted.
“As Senate protocols dictate, you will have your memories erased, but will be returned to Earth otherwise unharmed,” Xavi states.
Unharmed. As if removing the memory of her anthropological dreams, and the memory of me—of us—is not harmful. They are going to force her to forget everything. Everything we learned, and every little moment we spent together.
“Rest assured, Zarek will still remember,” Yan informs us.
“Not to sound fucking dramatic or anything, but that might just be a fate crueler than death,” Ellie says through a racking sob.
What is worse than remembering someone and the memory itself being unrequited? I suppose loving someone, knowing they will never love you back. Even though, at one point, you were pretty sure they did.
“I am sorry, but this is Zarek’s fault. He should have never steered himself off course, and even if he did crash land on accident, he knew not to communicate with humans unless absolutely necessary,” Xavi says. He sounds sad, like he is resigned to follow orders, but his choices remain stringent.
No. I refuse to let this be it.
I said I would remember Ellie until the last star dies, and so help me, I am going to follow my word.
“I would like to ask for a pardon—an exemption,” I say, trying to keep my tone even. Emotions threaten to spill into every word, my serotonin dropping, but I need to be logical.
“Denied—” Zeek starts, but Xavi and Yan hold up their hands to stop him.
“Continue,” Xavi says. It is as if he was born to lead. And well, I suppose he was.
But I was not born to be an archivist, nor was I born to traverse through deadly terrain, so I have to fight for myself. For Ellie. For us.
“During my studies of Earth, I became heavily fascinated by the flora and vegetation growing on the planet. I found one flora in particular—the edelweiss—to be of note because of the high levels of ultraviolet radiation it has to defend itself against,” I begin to explain in English, before switching to Terilian.
I spew out every bit of information I can recall, from the science behind the edelweiss fibers, to the way Zul and I plan to adapt and utilize the flora’s DNA to aid the Tetheh’s goals for Terilia’s future.
I tell them anything and everything I think might help my case.
“Why does Zul have a plan for this?” Yan asks, curiosity lacing his tone.
“I am an archivist who dreamt of being a botanist. Zul, as you likely know, is a biologist. He is really good at his job, but he is also interested in engineering,” I start back in English, but Zul snaps to my direction.
“I have no interest in engineering, Senators. My only interests are biology, and preventing my best friend’s demise,” he says, and it is mostly true.
“Shut up and trust me,” I say, and to my surprise, he actually listens.
“Zul and I will sit and think of all the ways we can help Terilia, and so many of those problems would be easily solved if we were allowed regular access to Earth. If we were permitted to collect samples of flora and minerals, rather than just scanning things, we could change the trajectory of our people. Terilia could one day be like the Sapphiron our elders always share stories about.”
At that, Xavi visibly winces. “Is this really true?”
“He is going to say whatever to get you to change his punishment,” Zeek says with a lack of empathy I did not anticipate.
Our senators have always been thoughtful, but I have never seen them in this kind of situation.
I see them at State of the Planet Addresses and in press releases, where they share the kind of research we are working on, updates they have received from the Senate, and other important news we should know.
I guess I should have figured that empathy dries up quickly when you do not conform to your society’s expectations, or break the law.
“We have the samples,” Ellie says unexpectedly, and it makes the corners of my mouth curl up. “Have one of your guards go get our bags and Zarek’s DIRC. It’ll be in there and you can see for yourselves.”
“Assuming this is all true, I am interested in redesigning your assignment,” Xavi says, and without needing to touch anyone, I swear I feel all of our hearts skip a beat. “Instead of traversing through Terilia, we could have you acquire us materials from Earth.”
“But?” I ask, knowing this was too easy.
“But Elliott’s memories still have to be wiped.
There is no way the Senate will agree to her being the only human knowledgeable about other life forms, and simply let that be, trusting that she will not tell a soul.
That is essentially banking the safety of multiple species and planets on the promise of a single human being,” Xavi states, and he makes a fair point.
I cannot deny his logic is sound, even if it destroys me.
But I could find Ellie again, and I could gain her trust again.
I am certain of it. And even if it is too risky, I could at least observe her from afar.
Ensure she meets kind people who will appreciate her stern, but fun-loving nature. I could do that.
“What if I help? As part of this assignment,” Ellie offers. “I was the one who led Zarek to the edelweiss. I can help Zarek and Zul find plants and minerals of all kinds. I’d be willing to quit school and dedicate my livelihood to the cause.”
“Ellie, no,” I say, knowing how much her studies and career mean to her.