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“I don’t know,” I reply.
“What I don’t understand is why they sent us. We weren’t trained for combat. Only Fassbender was taught how to do that,” she says.
I take a deep breath. “I haven’t told you everything,” I confess.
She steps forward, concerned by the mystery. “Tell me,” she says.
“You aren’t ready,” I tell her.
I’m worried that the fear will spread. I’m worried that, if she finds out the entire truth, she’ll shut down. If that happens, we’ll both die without experiencing what our bond has created.
Our child…
“I’m fucking ready,” she says, hurt.
The truth will sting a lot more. But just because it’s coming from my mouth, doesn’t mean I was the one who fashioned this. I don’t want her to hate me.
I decide honesty is the best policy, so I come out and say it. “Your crew was chosen because you were easy to manipulate,” I say.
Her face turns red, and she turns away. I can tell I’ve hurt her more than ever, but she will most past this. Once she sees what they have done, she’ll find her strength again.
She has to find it…
“Now you’re just being mean,” she says.
“Planet Avalon wasn’t discovered, Naomi. It was chosen,” I say.
She turns and looks, eyes red from roughly edging her knuckles against her tear ducts.
I continue. “It was chosen by Earth to be terraformed,” I say.
“But that technology doesn’t exist. They’re trying to develop it, but I can’t tell you how many articles I’ve read about how the technology is far too advanced for us to understand,” she says.
I fix my eyes on hers. She knows I wouldn’t lie to her. “Tell me, why are there no animals?” I ask.
“I—“ She cuts herself short.
“They built a planet that could house life. Microbiology. Whatever life they wanted to design. They could have left the planet alone, but the accomplishment wasn’t enough. Humans wanted more. They craved control. After all, if they could create life on other planets, others would be able to, as well. Soon, they would be overrun with competition,” I say.
There would be intergalactic war, unforeseen catastrophes, and death by the billions. In a way, I can see why they went the extra mile with this mission. But it was at the expense of their own people.
And me.
I step forward, stroking her shoulder. She’s tense.
I say, “They wanted to build a weapon, the perfect soldier they could use to do their universal bidding. They called the new project Earth Federation. E.F., as they often referred to it as in reports, would invade and colonize planets, decimating any civilization that stood in their way. They are the gateway to the next crusades.”
“You still haven’t explained why they used us,” she says, sniffling.
“They would leave you behind. Once they took us back for testing, they would use you to make more of us,” I say, bending my head toward hers. “They didn’t know the extent of the damage. They thought there might be other survivors, hiding. But there are not, and Fassbender doesn’t know what he’s gotten himself into.”
She turns and hugs me, but after giving me a few seconds of warmth, she pushes away. She’s tormented by this, and I know why. It’s a hit to the heart, a devastating car crash one can’t come back from.
If your own planet is against you, can you really pick up the pieces and move on?
“I don’t believe you,” she touts. “Maybe they designed and tortured you. Maybe you were made to be their secret weapon. But Earth wouldn’t take the risk to colonize other planets.”
She’s not listening, so I move around her, toward the run-down console. If her ears won’t believe it, maybe her eyes will.
