What if the Earth was the other way...?

29. Into the wild

Tina

Nathalia has been an experience. She was the first human I have interacted with. I have known that Tony was also human from the start but he was transprogrammed to look like us and he behaved like us. When Professor Sundae announced this news to Switch, Switch had instructed me to keep a close eye on Tony. He wanted to see the extent to which the transprogramming could suppress his memories and his true nature.

Even though I had a side mission that was confidential, I found it extremely enjoyable to travel with those two. Nathalia always surprised me. She was loud, carefree and didn't stand still. She would often squeeze her face into abnormal looking features. She would give weird names for them too. I remember when she opened her mouth horizontally and clenched her teeth with a slight tilt at the edges, she called it a grin. I never understood her. I felt at ease when Tony handled her, but I could say, he also felt overwhelmed by how she acted.

Even so, I also felt a strong sense of confidentiality with her. I could confine with her at any time and she would listen to me. Tony also had the same qualities, but Nathalia seemed to be the more comfortable to disclose to.

The trip had made me fall back in my duties. I had to train new recruiters to speak in Gree and I have been away for so long. When the time had come to part ways, Nathalia asked me to stay for the Thanksgiving festival. I knew she would ask that and part of me wanted to stay back and relax with both of them. I made up my mind to stay back and work on seeing how Tony is responding to Nathalia being here. I had convinced myself that me staying longer was for the side mission Switch gave me. After the Thanksgiving festival, I left to Edbranch.

A few days went by. I always thought about both of them. I thought whether Tony still stayed as Tony and what would Nathalia think when she finds out who Tony actually is. I had reported to Switch everything that happened during our trip. He seemed satisfied.

" I had one of the soldiers on Engame to keep an eye on him at all times. " Switch let me know his decision. He spoke to me in Gree as that was my continental language. I nodded.

Just then, we heard a knock. A soldier entered. Switch and the soldier clasped each other's shoulders and then after releasing, she told us why he had visited, "Tony had returned back to being human. He is hospitalized now. Nathalia has not said a word since then. I think she is shocked. Blake had been assigned to take care of both of them. "

"Good. We now know the limit to his repression. I wonder what we could expect from both of them. If they seem hostile, we must take new measures. If they seem to co-operate, let them live with us like Tony did." Switch announced. The soldier nodded and left.

"I feel like I must go back to my home continent to visit my parents. After that, I will visit Engame. Tina, since you seem to be closer with both Tony and Nathalia, we must both go to Engame after my trip to Arabacia. Make sure you are prepared for the trip."

I nodded and left his office. My heart leapt at the possibility to see both of them again. The next few nights, I have been waiting to go back to Engame. Everything seemed to go slow and that is when Switch arrived back from his Arabacia trip.

"Good to see you Tina." He clasped my shoulder and I clasped his. It was a gesture of acknowledgement.

"I met up with the soldier from Engame. She mentioned that Tony and Nathalia have consented on being transprogrammed. Blake had taken measures to repress Nathalia's memories. He mentioned that Tony didn't have the urge to go back to his home planet. So, if after waiting some time, we can let Nathalia have her memories back. Blake has a way to do that." Switch filled me with the recent happenings. I nodded.

"Let us go to Engame after two nights." At that, I walked out of his office and went to being busy.

I felt bad for Nathalia. She didn't deserve to have her memories repressed. But, it is for the safety of the whole of Kliptora and since she is staying here from now on, it is for her safety too. I wonder, whether what we are doing is the right thing. Nonetheless, she knew she would lose her memories which was not the case with Tony. Tony didn't know his memories would be repressed when he consented. I wonder why did she consent to do so? Regardless, I can meet up with both of them. I can ask Tony about it all.

****

We reached Engame by the 18th hour and we were tired. Trevor led us to the bunk beds that we would be occupying. Switch and I were in the same room. He said he would take the lower bed and I agreed to sleep on the top bed. Trevor mentioned he would be going to the outside with Tony because of the recent meteor shower. They had named the meteor that had fallen to Kliptora 'the Hawkian cluster'. This would be the final sampling. If nothing good comes from tomorrow's sample, the researchers would drop the investigation. So, I need to meet him before or after his investigation. I made a mental note to meet him after.

The next night, I was conversing with my fellow soldiers when Switch announced he was going to meet up with Sundae. They were friends when Switch used to work as the head soldier of this camp. I thought of getting some fresh air. So, I walked outside to see someone enter the storage room. Trevor was the only person who should enter. By the looks of it, I can easily make out that it is a woman. I rushed towards the storage room and I saw Nathalia exiting it all geared up. She was trying to go outside!

I saw her reaching to open the air-locked door and I ran towards her and grabbed her hand. She looked at me. Her eyebrows were knitted up and she looked at my hand that was clasping hers. Even though, seeing Nathalia look like one of us, she still communicated with her face.

" Who are you?" she asked. I know her memory has been repressed, but knowing that she doesn't remember me, hurt a lot. I looked at her. Trevor mentioned that her name was changed to Nate.

"Good to meet you Nate. I am Tina. We know each other. But, first you are not allowed to go outside without a soldier accompanying you. Please step inside and let us talk. "

Nathalia looked at me even more intensely as if she was deciding whether she should hurt me physically or comply with what I just said.

"Good to meet you too. But, I have to go. I don't know why, but I want to go." With that she twisted her hand that I was holding, making me loose contact and she thrust her other hand on my shoulder. The sudden push made me stagger a few steps behind and in that split second, Nathalia had opened the air-locked door and sprinted outside.

I have to follow her;was the only thing my mind was telling me. So, I went to the storage room togear up and follow her out into the wild.