Tevun-Krus #26 - Alternative Universe

Alternatives - a Short Story by @RoshelleD

Part One: May 29, 2101 (Original Universe)

This couldn't really be happening.

Vivid pictures flashed before Tishara. The first showed groups of a species with mottled orange faces and yellow eyes who wore black helmets. Next was a turquoise and green planet. The color of the water was off but it still reminded her of Earth. Then came the bodies. Some were skeletal remains while others sat bloated in the sun, the blood now black on what was left of their skin. Tishara swallowed hard, squeezing her eyes closed as the smell of rotting pig clung to her. Finally she saw a ship big enough for four. But with cracks that made a spider's web through the windshield along with the dents and bruises on its black hull, it was clear it had been through it's share of battles.

The images blurred into nothing before darkness settled around Tishara, inky and thick. She wanted to relax into it, but the dueling smells of rubber and electrical wiring wouldn't let her. As a heaviness settled in her chest, she opened her eyes then blinked to clear her vision. Her throat was on fire. She tried to sit up but couldn't move. Restraints on her wrists and shoulders held her in place. She tried to yell while she fought against them when a hand rested on her shoulder, making her flinch away.

"Relax," said the deep voice.

Yeah right. He wasn't the one tied down.

"What is this place?" Tishara croaked.

She looked over at the man. He had muscles that didn't overpower his body. He wore what looked like a navy, luminescent diving suit and was bald with gray eyes that almost matched his skin. Imposing was the word that came to mind. The man held out a clear packet filled with green fluid.

"Drink this."

The tasteless gel was cold but it worked. "Are you going to answer my question?"

"You're on board The Calistoga. I'm Second Overseer Beynas."

Flashes of memory made Tishara close her eyes. She remembered walking to the accommodation tent to check on a patient. She'd been about to leave when the shaking started. Next came the blast. Tishara didn't remember anything after that.

"What happened?" She tried to sit up. "I need to get back. I have patients who need me."

"What you need is time to recover. You're in our infirmary." Beynas touched her face and Tishara eased back down, feeling much calmer.

"What about the others?"

"We couldn't save everyone."

Tishara took some deep breaths in an unsuccessful attempt to stop the dizziness. She wasn't sure how much time had passed. "How many of us are left?"

"Six hundred."

There had been close to six thousand. Ninety percent of her people were gone! "Get me out of here!" She fought her restraints again but the bonds held fast.

"I'm sorry," Beynas said. "But we need to move quickly."

"It doesn't matter." Her people. Her home. All gone quicker than the flocks of widowbirds that fed off of fresh carcasses. Why did she deserve to live?

"When that Melba raid breached your dome, the superheated atmosphere would've killed all of you. Even with the fighting, saving lives comes first."

A searing pain pierced the back of her skull. The white spots she saw forced Tishara to close her eyes. She clenched her fists and groaned.

"A side effect of the subdermal processor." Beynas touched her temple and the throbbing went down in intensity.

"You went inside my head?"