It pained me to think aboutwhat ifs—but if the nomads hadn’t been around, or as strong and able as they were, none of this would have happened. We could have continued to live in our home, our beautiful protected, sheltered home for centuries more into the future. We wouldn’t have lost everything our founders had built. We would still have our culture preserved, our precious library, our museum of artifacts and irreplaceable memorabilia, our homes, none of which were perfect but all of which we adored.
We wouldn’t have lost any of it.
There might be others who would need assistance, unrelated to the nomads’ activities, but surely if the plunderers were thwarted, it would solve a significant portion of the problem. It would mean many like us could be left on their own, to continue living as they wanted to live. Free to make their own rules and system of governance. And Fairwell could focus only on those who were incapable on their own and desperately needed their society.
If the nomads were weakened or eradicated, it would also mean that the world would be a less dangerous place in the future, if somehow we wanted, and were able, to leave Fairwell.
I glanced at Anna and could no longer contain my thoughts.
“Excuse me. Can I ask a question?”
Anna looked back at me with a raised eyebrow. “Of course.”
Jessie also looked at me curiously.
“You’ve talked a lot about the concept of outreach, extending support to those who need it and so on, but I’m obviously still not clear on a lot of what it involves, including what your strategy is. I guess a large part of your effortsmust be directly channeled toward the root of the problem: the nomads?”
There was a moment in which she paused to consider my words. She looked at me thoughtfully, and I was struck then for the first time how she resembled her father with that expression. Then her lips curved into a mild smile.
“You’re smart, Tani. Perhaps smarter than I gave you credit for. I like that. And you’re right. That is a huge part of our efforts, especially given the increased activity of the nomads recently.” She shifted in her seat a little, to be in a better position to observe me. “Do you remember when we arrived at your colony? I recall I mentioned then that we had been tracking the group of nomads that attacked you, for some time. It’s how we were led to your base and were able to intervene.”
I nodded slowly, vaguely recalling it, although I hadn’t gleaned much detail from that time given that my helmet had been leaking green gas into my lungs. I did remember that one of Fairwell’s hover ships had given chase to the nomads, driving them away.
“Truth be told,” she went on, “we have begun an all-out war with them.” She paused, as if for dramatic effect.
I gazed at her. “What do you mean by war, exactly?”
“I mean we now have a full-time team dedicated to discovering their bases. As soon as we find one, we move in, and… let’s just say, make it uninhabitable. The more we crush their resources, the less ability they will have to continue plundering others.”
“Whydo you think they do it?” Jessie asked suddenly. I turned to see her with a disgusted expression on her face. “Why have they made a life out of hurting others?”
Anna exchanged a glance with her brother. “We don't know exactly. To date, I have never met their leaders. But I suspect the origins of their existence came from something likedesperation. They figured it would be easier to steal what they don't have. We don't know where in the Old World they originated from, but perhaps it was easier to get access to machinery than food or other means of sustenance.”
“And that became their culture,” Gerard added.
“If you could call it that,” I said.
“In any case,” Anna went on, “they’re proving more difficult to track down than we originally anticipated. They’re smart, and they have dedicated their lives to this behavior, so obviously they have gotten good at it. But,” she added after a pause, “today we are headed for a hot spot.” She smiled slowly, in a way that put me at a strange unease. “Our team located what we believe is the first equipment base we’ve found so far. That's where we're headed now.”
I stared at her. “Are you serious?” I’d had no idea what was going to happen today, but somehow I hadn't expectedthiskind of mission to come so soon.
“Yes,” Anna said. “It was a happy coincidence that the discovery coincided with your entrance to our leadership course. And I really think this will be the perfect way to get started. Don't you agree, Gerard?”
Gerard glanced at her and nodded. “Absolutely.”
“You’ll be thrown in at the deep end, as they say,” she chuckled. “But don't worry. Experienced people will be with you, us included.”
“Wh-Where is the base exactly?” Jessie asked.
Anna’s gaze returned to the front window, and then she glanced at the time on her e-ring. “You'll see,” she said. “These little pods cover ground much faster than the hover ships. We’ll be there in less than an hour.”
TWENTY-NINE
The horizon darkened,and I realized that it had nothing to do with the light. Land approached. A sprawling, dark landmass.
I stopped breathing for several long heartbeats when the blue of the ocean disappeared beneath us and was replaced by hard, blackish landscape. I looked downward to try to make out any discernible details. It was difficult from the high altitude we still flew at. But the impression I got from staring at it was scorched land, filled with deep cracks.
It was then that I became fully aware of the other Fairwellian aircraft that accompanied us. Out on the ocean, I somehow had barely detected them; it was as if their light surface had allowed them to blend in with the clear sky. But here I saw them distinctly, shooting through the sky like streamlined birds. Still, I could hardly hear them, and I supposed now that their stealth was by design.
