The Loneliness of Stars

  ***

  When it was time for our new day to begin, we all stood up and divided the exploratory shifts for the day. We were running low on both water and potatoes. Mikhail and I were to go out first, and then Michaela and Adam were next. Fineas would stay at the camp.

  Mikhail and I set out shortly after we ate a meager breakfast, going in the direction of the plains. More familiar with the area now, we reached the plains in about twenty minutes. We found nothing on the way – there were no piles of potatoes, and the pool of water we had used had dried up.

  We kept walking after we arrived, into the mounds scattered across the plains. We saw nothing unusual, and we walked farther in them than anyone else had dared go. The mounds grew taller as we walked forward, but there was nothing out of place.

  As we were about to turn around and head back, something caught my eye over the distant mountains. A green swirl of clouds had appeared between the two lowest peaks. I tapped Mikhail’s shoulder, and he turned around, his eyes following my pointing finger. He smiled cynically. “I was wondering when the next one would come – we’d better run.”

  We did so, making it back to camp in record time. Michaela looked cross when we returned so soon with nothing, but dropped all signs of anger at the news of the impending storm. We hurriedly moved what little we had left under the trees, and waited for it to arrive. I noticed that everyone else seemed more cautious of the roots this time.

  The storm arrived forty or so minutes later. The howling blocked out all other sounds, and the air pressure dropped. I ended up closing my eyes and trying to sleep, but I did not succeed.

  When the storm died down an hour or two – or maybe three – later, we moved everything back outside. Our lunch was even smaller than our breakfast – with the supplies we had left, we would be lucky to be able to eat and drink for another two days. Michaela and Adam set out a few minutes after lunch, half-heartedly swearing that they would not return empty-handed.

  Just as they were about to leave our sight, Fineas, who was lying down with his eyes closed, sat up straight. “The cave!” he exclaimed.

  Everyone, including the pair about to leave, turned and looked at him. There was a strange look in his eyes, almost as if he was possessed.

  “There’s a cave on the plains! With water and food, stock full! I knew there was something I needed to tell the captain!” He sounded more cheerful than I had ever heard him. I stared down at him suspiciously.

  Michaela knelt down in front of him. “A cave? Where?”

  He leapt to his feet. “Come on, I’ll show you!” He turned around and took off at a very quick pace. He was out of the shelter in no time.

  “Let’s go! Don’t lose him!” Michaela scooped up the last of the potatoes, hurriedly stuffing them in her pockets, while Mikhail and Adam grabbed the last few remaining water containers. We all hurried after him. As we each squeezed through the entrance, we ran after him, in the direction of the plains. He was barely visible up ahead, and we all tried our best to keep up.

  I’m not exactly sure what made us trust him and follow him blindly to the plains, for he clearly was not himself – he hadn’t been since the crash. Maybe, as he was one of the ranking officers on the ship, everyone had some built-in drive to listen to him – everyone except for Joseph, Ezekiel, Lazarus, and me had been military men (or women) in some way, even the scientists. Or perhaps it was just that we all knew we were doomed anyway, so really had nothing to lose.

  Whatever the reason, we followed him, and soon reached the plains. He did not slow as he crossed the tree line, but kept running, in a perfectly straight line, through the gradually growing mounds. No storm was visible in the distance.

  Fineas soon slowed to a walk, giving the rest of us a chance to almost catch up to him. We walked on the plains, mostly in silence (Adam kept muttering about the stupidity of this venture under his breath the whole time), until Fineas shouted something, and began to run again. We all jogged to keep up. By this time, we had ventured further out onto the plains than Mikhail and I had earlier that day. The mounds began to smooth out into hills, until we were in what looked to be the foothills of the mountains. Fineas picked up speed again, and he took off at a full sprint, heading towards a particularly tall hill.

  He got there long before us, and skidded to a halt. We reached him a minute later, panting. He pointed excitedly ahead, a strange fire in his eyes. “In here!” He ran forward again, around the hill. We followed at a much slower pace. When we walked around the hill, we saw that a chunk had been taken out of it, and there was indeed a cave in the hillside. Fineas had vanished; he had probably already sprinted down into the cave.

  The rest of us followed much more cautiously. The cave was perfectly dry, and had a strange stench to it. We walked down for about a minute, then reached the bottom. There was a decently large cavern there, filled with light from some sort of glowing stones in the roof.

  In the center was the promised pool of water. Fineas slurped from it greedily. Around the cavern’s edges were various edible fungi from Earth, as well as highly nutritious cave plants that grew on Ulkind.

  There were also more potatoes. I had a feeling that we wouldn’t be eating those for a while.

  Fineas looked up from his drinking. “Welcome, my friends, to your new abode.” There was a strange quality to his voice, and I stepped back. I wasn’t the only one to notice it.

  “Fineas? Are you okay?” Michaela approached him cautiously, her eyes nervous.

  He didn’t answer. He stood up slowly, and walked to the entrance of the cavern. He turned to look at us, smiled, and kicked the wall to the left of the entrance.

  The earth began to rumble and shake, and everyone fell to the ground and dropped what they were carrying. We all jumped back to our feet, but found that the tunnel we had come through was blocked.

  “Fineas, what did you do?” Michaela was angry.

  Fineas tilted his head and smiled madly. “I am so lonely here – we have never had any real friends. Jak was going to be my first, and you were all to join us in our conglomerate intelligence. You all kept trying to escape, though, and we can’t have that.”

  No one said a word. Fineas’ voice no longer bore any resemblance to his own at all – it was Psy, speaking through him. I stood still for a moment, unbelieving – the green-cloaked man had lied! He had told me that Psy wouldn’t come back!

  “Don’t let him take over your mind!” I shouted. Everyone else gave me a strange look, but Fineas looked directly at me.

  “The being whose body this once belonged to – Fineas Sparten – has already joined my consciousness. He did long ago – he has been ours since before your ship crashed.” My blood chilled. Psy’s influence and power were beginning to truly terrify me.

  “How did you get back here?” I almost shouted. “You’ve been driven back twice!”

  “You overestimate the power of those who think to ‘protect’ you, Jak. I was never driven back – they only thought that we were. I am far older than any of them, and more powerful. We can never be denied, and you shall eventually be mine.” Fineas turned to look at everyone else, and smiled kindly. “The rest of you shall be added to our collective experience, becoming part of something far greater than yourselves.”

  “You’re a nut, that’s what you are,” said Adam, and drew his beam pistol. He aimed it at Fineas, and pulled the trigger. A red beam of light shot out from it, going through Fineas’ throat. Adam slashed the beam both to the left and right, severing Fineas’ head.

  His body remained standing as his head fell to the floor. Everyone stared at the body, waiting for it to fell. Its knees finally buckled, and we all sighed in relief. The corpse fell to its knees, bent over… and picked up Fineas’ head. It then quickly got back to its feet, cradling the head in its arms.

  The head spoke. “Killing him won’t do you any good – my bodily servants are legion, and you shall all fall to us eventually, and become mine.”

  None of
could believe our eyes – a decapitated corpse was talking to us. It was impossible.

  Then it hit me. “It isn’t real! He’s playing with your minds! It’s an illusion!” I ran forward, straight at Fineas. My legs locked when I was almost there, and I stumbled forward. Fineas stepped back. “It’s fake! Don’t –” My mouth snapped shut. I couldn’t move it.

  Clever boy. I always knew you were brighter than everyone else. They’re smarter than I am! They just don’t know about you! And you only know about me because of your exceptionality. Which isn’t even my fault – you said yourself it was the winds of fate that made me unusual! Somewhat true – that is not to say that those winds are the only things that make you who you are. You are still a fascinating mind, even without the winds’ influence.

  Your friends are strong, Jak. Their minds are disciplined, and they are unafraid. Even with our close proximity, I cannot fully break into their minds while they are conscious. We can make them see what you consider to be not there – but you forget my first lesson, Jak. Reality is relative – if you think and believe enough that something is real, then it is. Unfortunately, now that you have planted doubt in their minds, our projection of Fineas and my disguise of his corpse will become mere illusions. You are very clever, boy, but you shall be ours, one way or another.

  To the point, though, while I can influence the thoughts of your friends, we cannot break into their minds completely while they are awake. But I think that they might be getting sleepy…

  No! No? I hardly think that you can tell how tired they are. They’re exhausted, and it feels safe in here – it’s a perfect place for them to sleep… and once they do, they will fall to us, one by one, until I have taken them in, and their bodies will be but physical shells, the remnants of the passing of independent minds.

  Or you could join us, and for you, I shall leave them all as they are, independent, without our guidance. The choice is up to you. My body rolled me over, so that I could see everyone else. Little time had passed since I fell down at Fineas’ feet, and everyone seemed to be moving in slow motion. Adam’s hand was stifling a yawn, and Michaela’s eyes were drooping. Mikhail’s eyes were closed. They really are getting sleepy, Jak. You had better make your choice soon – but know that either way, you will be mine. You are merely choosing their state of independence.

  I was torn. I was beginning to believe Psy – it seemed I had no real choice. I could join him now, or he would haunt me for the rest of my (likely very short) life, until I was forced to give in. That’s right Jak – come to us. We can give you all you ever wanted. Everything but freedom! If I could have spat that at him, I would have. I told you already Jak, we cannot and do not wish to absorb you – you will retain your individuality. That isn’t the same as freedom! I apologize for your undeveloped mind, that you fail to see how they are one and the same. We shall fix that. Choose quickly, Jak – I do not think that they can stay awake for much longer.

  Psy suddenly shrieked, and his presence was forced from my mind. I gasped and scrambled to my feet. In front of me, Fineas’ headless corpse lay on the ground, his head about a meter away. I turned around. Everyone was shaking their heads, as if trying to clear them. With a start, I noticed that the supply of food had become some strange kind of flowing fungus, and the pool of water was a sickly green color.

  Michaela turned to me. “Jak? What just happened?”

  I swallowed. I wasn’t sure what to say. “Fineas was… taken over by a psychic alien being named Psy. He’s been appearing in my dreams, and trying to do the same to me.”

  Adam and Michaela looked at me oddly. A look of understanding crossed Mikhail’s face, but it vanished in an instant.

  “Psy? How do you know what his powers are, or that he even exists, if he was appearing only in your dreams?”

  I smiled sadly. “He appeared to me when I was awake, too. He showed me an image of Vincent – that night I had the ‘headache’ was the night I saw the fake Vincent. Psy used his mind powers to keep you all asleep during that exchange. He also tried to seduce me that time when I went alone between the gap in the trees – that’s what I looked so bruised up. I had a few… incidents.

  “Was he controlling Vincent then?”

  I started to shake my head, then stopped. I decided that it would be easier for them if they believed that Vincent had been under Psy’s control. I nodded instead.

  Everyone looked thoughtful. “You said he had been driven out twice before?” Adam asked. I nodded. “How did he get driven out? Did the same thing just happen to him to make the… illusion… of Fineas and the rest of the contents of this cavern vanish?”

  I hesitated. I wasn’t sure I wanted to tell them about the green-cloaked man. I felt safe mentioning the silhouette, though. “A strange black figure drove off the two incarnations of Psy that I encountered. He did not appear this time though – maybe he attacked the real body of Psy.”

  “Why does he want you?” Mikhail’s voice was quiet. He looked at me with a strange intensity in his eyes.

  “He said he liked something about my mind, and that ‘winds of fate’ surrounded it.”

  Mikhail nodded thoughtfully, while Adam and Michaela looked at me like I was slightly deranged. I must have sounded crazy.

  After a few minutes, Adam spoke. “So, what do we do now?” We all looked around, and Michaela laughed. “Apparently the stones in front of the exit were just an illusion too.” She pointed behind me. I turned around, and saw that the tunnel to the surface had been re-opened. We all rushed out of the cave, leaving Fineas’ corpse behind.

  The world above was not the same as the one we had been stuck on. I instantly recognized the world that I had seen a glimpse of as I had floated high above the planet’s surface, with grey dirt and mushrooms all over the surface – although there were no mushrooms in sight right now.

  “What the hell happened?” asked Adam, his voice shaking slightly.

  “My guess would be that the whole world we perceived was an illusion created by Psy – am I right?” Mikhail looked directly at me.

  I nodded. “I saw the real world, like this, once before.”

  “Why didn’t you tell us about him?” Michaela asked. “We could have helped you.”

  I shrugged. “Maybe, maybe not. I wasn’t sure if he was real myself for a while.” It was only a half-lie. “Plus, I didn’t think you would believe me.” That was the truth.

  Adam smiled. “He’s probably right. Leave him be – he’s had a rough time.”

  Silence reigned for several minutes as we all took in the landscape before us. Looking up at the sky, I noticed that the clouds were now grey, not green. Squinting at a small gap in the clouds, I caught a glimpse of a starry sky. As I stared up at it, I saw something move across it: a distant, glowing, translucent, blue slug. I mentally bid Psy farewell, and he soon vanished from my sight. I hoped that he never came back to haunt me.

  Moments later, a streak of light crossed the field of stars, then came back and stayed in the center of the gap, growing larger. I blinked. “Hey – there’s something up there.” I pointed.

  We all looked at it as the light streaked towards us. Gradually, we began to hear a humming sound, then a deep rumble.

  Michaela’s mouth hung open. “Is… is that a ship?”

  As it got closer, I began to wonder that myself. A silvery, shining object was moving at incredible speed directly towards where we stood, followed by a bright white trail. We watched it in silence as it slowed, then passed through the clouds, descending slowly towards us.

  It was a ship. Light glinted off of its hull, which was made of an impossibly shiny metal, with no hint of any dirt or tarnishing on its surface. It looked like a strange dolphin, with a cylinder at the end instead of a flipper, and was about ten times the size of one of our landing crafts, but still smaller than the Ambassador. It had been coming at us with the “nose” pointed towards us, but as it got very close, it began to level off, until the nose was pointing at the ho
rizon. It slowly descended, its belly facing the ground, until it landed with a soft thud on the grey dirt on top of the hill directly in front of us.

  “That ship… it’s not human.” Adam sounded terrified. I was, too, but I couldn’t bring myself to move – that damned Servidos curiosity again.

  As we watched, the outline of a rectangular door appeared in the flawless hull of the ship. Bright light emanated from the cracks, growing brighter and brighter, until there was a rectangle of light facing us. Then abruptly, it went dark, revealing a dark hole leading inside.

  Something stepped out of the opening and onto the dirt.

  “Greetings,” a deep male voice said in clear English.