GUNS OF WAR - Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Year 2761 – Vega

         Alaina lay huddled in bed, her eyes squeezed shut, her hands over her ears, and her heart racing, wishing the rain would stop.  It sounded like bullets as it thundered against the metal roof.  Her thoughts returned to her many victories on Sheliak.  She had gone home to Vega a hero.  Commodore Terhana, along with Colonel Latimer, gave her the highest medal for bravery in the line of duty, and an advance in grade to Major.

         Because of the war and her participation in it, she hid from storms and the soldiers who overran her city.  If it sounded like gunfire, she was undercover.  She was ready for change.  She wanted to get away, far away.  She never wanted to know anything about war again as long as she lived, and she wanted to go where no one knew she was a war hero.

         She thought about where she could go to take her attention from the constant barrage overhead.  She could get a transport off world.  She knew one left at the end of the next week.  She would apply for a seat, and hope there were still some available.  She wanted to leave as soon as possible.  Then she wondered if the government would allow a decorated hero to leave.  She would need a valid reason to do so.

         Her friend, Lynneayia, told her the application wasn’t easy.  The Vegan government didn’t just allow anyone to leave.  When her friend applied, she had to fill out a long questionnaire about her reasons for doing so.  She had a valid reason.  She didn’t want to be in the middle of the war any more.  She had served Vega with bravery and honor.  It was time for Vega to give something back to her – peace of mind.

         Lynneayia had not qualified.  Instead, because she wanted to leave they relocated her to a work camp at the southernmost part of Vega.  Soon the government would relocate her to Euphrosyne.  Alaina shuddered.  She didn’t know what was worse, the war or the work camps.  She thought about what her qualifications were, and why they should accept her application.

         She had a degree from the university.  So did Lynneayia.  What did they need on off world sites?  She thought about the endless possibilities, and nothing came to mind that would be remotely acceptable.  Just as she was about to fall off to sleep she remembered they needed couples to populate the new world.  Couples could combine work with family.  Where would she find a husband?

         Alaina woke to sunshine and blue skies.  The rain had stopped sometime in the night, but that only meant the guns would start their pounding.  She had to admit she was in more danger from the guns with their missiles that destroyed land, homes, and lives than the rain of the previous night.  She had lost her parents two years previously in one of the worst attacks in the history of Vega.

         She needed to get up.  She had work to do, and it wouldn’t wait.  She had to report in soon.  She knew her workload would be great, another reason to go off world, better job opportunities.  She had graduated at the top of her class, but had been unable to secure a job in her field.  She had gotten her degrees just as she had told Lynneayia all those years ago on Sheliak, fighting for their lives – Astrophysics and Biotechnology.

         Alaina remembered her thoughts before she fell asleep the night before: a husband.  It couldn’t be just anybody, but there had to be men applying for off world duty, she would find out.

         Her apartment, part of a vast apartment complex, was ultra modern with all the latest conveniences.  Two hundred units in her subdivision alone, which numbered six subdivisions, ten stories each, and covered a full block.  She replaced the ultra modern sterile appearance, silver and white, with a plant here and there, along with pictures.  Her favorite was a large picture of Comedy Tragedy Masks, which she hung over her entertainment center in the living room.  Porcelain dolls wearing the masks also decorated her small apartment, getting rid of the sterile look and feel.

         Alaina filled her bedroom with color, a multicolored striped comforter, black bedside tables and a yellow rug to cover the white carpet with a splash of color.  The total effect was pleasing on the eyes and senses.  The only place she couldn’t change was her workspace.  Her current employer set the standards, and she had to adhere to the sterile environment.  Not all companies were as rigid about the workspace, it just so happened the one she hired on with was.

         She hurried through her early morning routine and got onto her computer, checked in with her work, and began the endless routine of entering data for a supply company.  At her first opportunity, she brought up a matrimony site.  She filled out her basic information, without name or picture, and then looked at the eligibility list. 

         One man stood out among the rest.  He was an engineer in biotechnology with an interest in astrophysics.  Heart racing she took the plunge, and sent him a short bio with her qualifications in astrophysics and biotechnology.  With that accomplished, she looked at requirements for off world relocation.

         A red flashing light on her computer showed her break was over.  She closed out the sites and got back into her workload.  With something to look forward to, the work didn’t seem as tedious.

         At lunch, she closed down her computer and left the room.  Her kitchen was easily the warmest room in her apartment.  She found old-fashioned kitchen decor from Old Earth – a pepper mill sat on her counter along with a four piece see-through canister set decorated with old-fashioned flour and sugar bags, and steaming tea and coffee cups all with rainbow colored lids.  A plaque with two chubby playful children along with a fat chef was on the wall near her silver chrome stove.  Sunflower decorated curtains added warmth and life to the kitchen, and her clock showcased a variety of foods and a bottle of wine over her doorway between the stove and silver chrome refrigerator.  An oak wooden table sat in the center of her kitchen with a plant in the center.  Her dishes were her favorite.  She had found a set of square shaped white dishes with colorful squiggly lines on the plates, cups, and bowls.  Square salt and peppershakers, one red, the other blue.  Her butter dish was green, and her sugar and creamer were yellow and lavender.  All complimented the lines in the plates and bowls.  She also had burnt orange speckled pots and pans with glass lids and black handles.

         After a quick sandwich and cup of tea, she continued to work through the course of the afternoon with no end in sight for the data she needed to enter and send to the company.  At the end of the day, she received her work stats.  There was a deduction for her use of the computer on company time.  It also showed the two sites she visited.  Alaina worried for the first time.  She would not get in trouble for visiting the matrimony site, but the site for relocation could get her in a lot of trouble.

         Vega had a strict government.  Colonists from Old Earth populated Vega in the Lyra constellation at the end of the twenty-first century when population growth and pollution had worn the planet out.  Space ships had gone to many of the different constellations looking for a new home and a new way of life.  With them, they took ideals for government, star maps, religions, and anything that would make for a better world.  Alaina didn’t think Vega had a better way of life.  In a lot of ways, it resembled what she knew about communist and socialist governments.  Vega decided where you worked, lived, and controlled all off world activity.  Militia duty was mandatory for men on completion of their education, and voluntary for women.

         She had joined the officer academy.  With four years in officer training school, and four years of active duty service in the war with Sheliak, she received her own apartment and a college education to train in any field she wanted.  What she couldn’t do was say or do, anything against the Vegan government.  The only reason a person could apply for off world relocation was when job opportunities came about in specific fields.  You had to show you had the education to apply for the work.  Her friend Lynneayia had the skills necessary for relocation.  When she received the rejection for relocation, they sent her to a work camp, the punishment for seeking off world relocation.

         Alaina stared at the information sheet.  She knew she had to acknowledge the time, even if it had been on a scheduled break.  She could not use the computer for anything but work during work hours.  She acknowledged the deduction and signed out.

         Her time was now her own, as long as she was aware that the Vegan government monitored everything she did.  She wondered how soon she could expect a visit from a government official.

         It was near the end of the day when she received an e-mail response from the biotechnology engineer.

         Alaina read through the fact sheet.  His name, not given in the initial information was Braddock Sheffield.  She stared at his face, the only feature on the fact sheet.  He had longish dark brown hair past the nape of his neck, and falling across his forehead, flashing blue-gray eyes, and a no-nonsense smile on his ruddy face.  She was intrigued.  He appeared to be wearing a white lab coat, and looked younger than the age indicated on the form.  She wondered if the photo was up to date.

         According to his stats he was six feet plus tall, slim, athletic according to his hobbies – cricket and soccer, as well as mountain climbing.  He was also a war hero, something they had in common.

         She didn’t know what cricket and soccer were, but she had done some mountain climbing.  Touching some keys, she brought up cricket and soccer under sports, and read about the games.  Violent was the only way to describe them, and confusing, not her kind of sport.  Other than his fact sheet, he didn’t send along any other message, and she wondered about it.

         She thought about sending a message back, but didn’t know what she would say.  Instead, she sent him a detailed fact sheet, along with her name and picture.

         Two days later, she heard from Braddock Sheffield.  He asked to meet her.  Her eyebrows disappeared into her hairline at the location he chose, The Lamplighter Dinner Club, an exclusive club and restaurant.  He had connections.  By herself, she could not hope to pass through those doors, but Braddock Sheffield it seemed was not of the same disposition, which also brought up another problem for her – what to wear.  Her wardrobe was okay.  It was nothing stylish, and did not say class to anyone who looked at her, but she would do her best to change that in the next forty-eight hours.  That’s when he wanted to meet for their first date.

         Her position as a Data Entry Specialist didn’t rank in the same world as the one she hoped to be part of as an astrophysicist and biotechnologist.  Data Entry clerks were commonplace.  As such, her account didn’t extend to the more affluent style of clothes.

         Alaina was in the middle of her selection when the guns started their new round of attack and knocked out her computer.  She rushed from her apartment on the top floor to the fallout shelter eleven stories below that connected all apartment subdivisions on the block.  Screaming people filled the hallways, as they pushed and shoved their way down the stairs, fearing the next missile would land on them.  Crying children added to the cacophony of sound.  She was just as scared.

         Alaina spotted her friend as she rounded the last corner to the stairwell into the fallout shelter.  “Hey Lynneayia, what are you doing here, I thought – anyway I have something to tell you.”

         Lynneayia looked behind her, but didn’t stop her trek down the stairwell.  The rush of people would have trampled her.  “It’s a long story.  I have something to tell you too.”

         When the door was secure behind the last person Alaina and Lynneayia found a place out of the way where they could talk.  Unable to contain her curiosity another moment, Alaina asked, “Okay, so tell me.  Why aren’t you at a Work Camp?”

         Lynneayia looked around before she answered just above a whisper.  “I was, until this morning.  The head of the camp was looking over my application for relocation, and saw something that was overlooked the first time.”

         “Did they overturn their decision?”  She kept her voice at the same level as Lynneayia’s was.

         “Yes.  They only looked at what I’m doing right now as a Data Entry Clerk, same as you, and missed the fact I am a biotechnology major.  I applied because there are openings for biotech engineers on one of the outlying stars.  They said I would know within twenty hours.”

         “When did they tell you that?”

         “This morning just before they released me.  If all goes well, I’ll be on the transport next week.”

         Alaina looked hopeful for the first time.  “You’ll hear by tomorrow then.  If Sheliak stops the attack, and we can get back on our computers.  Good luck to you.”

         “Thank you.  You know how upset I was when they turned me down, so I’m really hoping they accept my application.  Now your news.”  Lynneayia looked at her with twinkling silver blue eyes a smile on her lips.

         Alaina leaned her head closer to Lynneayia.  “You know what the number one thing they are looking for in relocation is, don’t you?”

         Lynneayia wrinkled her brow and shook her head.

         Alaina whispered, “Couples.”

         “Tell me you didn’t do what I think you did.”  Lynneayia’s voice squeaked a bit higher than her whisper and drew some looks in their direction.

         Alaina looked around and noticed everyone went back to his or her own conversations, which caused a low to medium hum in the shelter.  “I went online and looked at an eligible selection.  There was only one that interested me.”

         Lynneayia moaned.  “Why didn’t you ask me first before you did something like that?”

         “You weren’t available, remember?  Besides, people do it all the time.  What’s the harm?”

         “Who is he?”

         “I doubt you know him.  His name is Braddock Sheffield.”

         “The Braddock Sheffield?  The owner of the cricket and soccer teams, mountaineer, and the most eligible bachelor on Vega?  That Braddock Sheffield?”

         “I’ve never heard of him.  I didn’t know his name until two days ago.  The only fact it gave when I saw his information was his occupation and hobbies.  It didn’t give his name.  He didn’t know mine either until I gave it to him.”

         “You never heard of him?  You’re kidding, right?  Head of BioTech Engineering and Space Technology.  I have no idea why he would have his information on a site looking for a date or wife or whatever.”

         “Maybe it’s not the same person.”

         “How many Braddock Sheffield’s can there be?  What did his resume say about him?”

         “Well, he’s over six feet tall and yes, he likes cricket and soccer, and has an interest in Astro Physics.”

         Lynneayia rolled her eyes.  “How can you not know him?  He’s on the front cover of Science Technology magazine almost every month.”

         “I don’t have time to look at magazines.  So what kind of person is he?”

         “Just the one person every eligible female would want to go out with, be seen with, or marry.”

         “So maybe he won’t like me after he meets me.”

         “Not like you?  The fact that you know nothing about him will intrigue him no end.  I don’t know Alaina.  I will say this about him, he’s very strict with whom he’s seen.  If the person embarrasses him in any way, they never see him again.

         “He must have seen something in my data sheet that intrigued him enough to answer my short bio.”

         “Are you aware that he most likely did a complete background check on you when you sent him your information?  Tell me you did a background check on him.”  She shook her head.  “No, you wouldn’t have or you would have known who he is.”

         “All I knew was where he planned to take me on our first date.”

         “Where?”

         “The most elite club in Sunderland.  I was online buying my outfit when the guns started again.”

         “You’re going to The Lamplighter Dinner Club?  You don’t own anything that could come close to what they require.”

         “I know.  You don’t have to remind me.  If I worked in my major instead of a lowly paid Data Entry Clerk, I wouldn’t have that problem.”

         “You and me both, well good luck, you’re going to need it.”

         “He had his profile on the site.  I saw it, and sent him a query.  The fact that he’s a biotech engineer drew me to his profile.”

         “Like I said, good luck.  Not many women make it to a second date.  You know, if nothing else comes of this, you could get a job with his firm as a biotech engineer.”

         “As much as I want to work as a biotech engineer, and actually do something with the degree I have, I want to get away from here.”  Alaina had a sudden thought.  “If I can’t get back online soon, I won’t have anything to wear on our date, and he’ll laugh me to scorn.”

         Lynneayia gave her a thoughtful look as she took in her appearance.  “He will do nothing of the kind.  You’re a very beautiful woman, and I’m not just saying that.  You know how to dress.  Some people can’t coordinate themselves out of a box, you do it without thinking.”

         “Thanks, but unless this attack comes to an end soon, I’ll never get online to buy something adequate for The Lamplighter.”

         The generator flickered and went out.  A missile landed close to their apartment complex.  Pandemonium broke out when everything went black.  Children started to cry, and adults screamed and shouted for help.  Alaina felt the trickle of fear widen into a chasm of mixed feelings, doubt and despair.

         “Hey, I’ve seen that look before.  Who do you believe in?”

      “Take my hand, blessed Savior.

Lead me to the Promised Land.

I will ever love and trust You.

In Your arms I’m safe again.”

         “Good now just keep saying that over and over, and you’ll be all right.”

         The generator restored power to the fallout shelter and they found their way to a sleeping room.  The fallout shelter was a maze of interconnecting rooms going three stories below ground with sleeping, lounging, and kitchen facilities available.

         Alaina thought about what Lynneayia said.  “It could work.”

         “What could work?”

         “My clothes situation.  You said he would have done a thorough background check, so then he would know my income level doesn’t even come close to his.”

         “Nobody’s income level comes close to his.”  Lynneayia shook her head.  “I don’t know what could come of this.”

         “Look, I found his profile on a site looking for marriage.  So he must be looking for a wife or he wouldn’t be there.”

         “You have to wonder why he would have his profile there, seeing he is the most eligible bachelor on the star.”

         “Maybe like you said, he doesn’t want anyone phony.”

         Lynneayia took the top bunk while Alaina huddled in the bottom.  “He might even find it intriguing that you’re terrified of storms and the guns of war.”

         “Intriguing?  I’m a war hero, so is he.  He would probably be disgusted that someone with my background would be so terrified of this war.”

         “A lot of people are upset with this war.”

         “Upset yes, and those who tried to do anything about it, like transport off this rock, were sent to prison to serve life sentences or if the charges were bad enough, they were executed.  No thanks.  I know I want to transport off this rock, but I will do it legally.  I don’t intend to tell him about my feelings concerning this war.  I’m just glad I don’t hear those guns very often from down here.”

         “Only the close ones and I guarantee you will never hear or feel a thing if it lands on top of us.”

         To emphasize Lynneayia’s point, another missile came very close to their shelter.  “That sounded like it could have taken out one of the apartment subdivisions.”  Alaina lay in a fetal position, her teeth chattering, and the rest of her shaking from the close impact.

         Lynneayia left her bunk and settled in beside Alaina, wrapping her arms around her shoulders.  “It’s going to be all right.  Adonai’s not finished with either of us yet.”

         “I just wish this war was over.  I can’t even remember why we’re fighting.  Even when I was part of it, I don’t think I ever knew.  I just did what I had to do.”

         “You knew.  It just got lost in the ten years since you were in.  Remember that’s how we met.  You saved my life that day.  Four hundred years is a long time to fight any war, but I think I read in our history books in school that it started because the people on Sheliak wanted to impose tax on religion, specifically the Adonai religion.”

         “I remember now, they wanted church records so they could impose the church tax, and they threatened everyone who went to church with prison and enslavement to their way of life.  They even want to implant some kind of device that would let them know where we were at all times.”

         “Yes, and we made it imperative to join the militia.  Anyone who on their eighteenth birthday did not join the militia was arrested and later shot for treason.”

         “Only the men.  Women weren’t mandated.  I often wonder why I went in.”

         “You told me you wanted to make a difference for Vega.  You wanted something out of your life, and the only way you could get that something, was by going into Officer Candidate School.”

         “I made something of myself all right.  A decorated hero, afraid of war.”  It was another reason to get away from Vega, Alaina thought as she gradually calmed and fell asleep.  She later woke with everyone else when the all clear siren sounded.