Starbound

15 - Holographic Memory

Charlotte

Plaques. Rows upon rows of white marble plaques. They seem to glow in the dim light of the room, contrasting against the black of the floors and walls. That's what fills the room that Angela lead us to.

She had opened the door for us and allowed us to file in without saying a word. And then she had told us to wander between the endless rows. She had left us in the room without another word.

I walk along a row of plaques, Zach by my side. As we pass each one, holographic people emerge from the marble. I stop at one plaque where the holographs of a boy and a girl stand. They're smiling, eyes staring straight ahead. Straight at me and Zach. I stare back, studying their faces. They're a Pair, one who has already left Earth. Already died.

Just to the left of the girl's head is the tiny holograph of a starship. The one they left on. The one they died on. There might be a plaque here with their names on it but their bodies are out in space somewhere, entombed in that starship. If it hasn't been blown to pieces.

I drop my eyes to the plaque, reading the names there. Crystal and Rye. 2nd Generation Pair. They left the second year after the Pairing system was put into place, when people didn't believe it to be a suicide mission. I imagine what it will say on the plaque they create for me and Zach. Zach and Charlotte, it will say. 25th Generation Pair. I wonder if the LOE has already made one for us, if they're already coding our holographs in preparation for the moment our hearts stop beating. Maybe they'll make us fancier plaques for the quarter celebratory year of the Pairing system.

I turn away from the holographs of Crystal and Rye, continuing my walk along the row. I can feel Zach's presence beside me but I don't look to see if I can figure out what he's thinking. We've grown closer in the month of training, become friends. But I still can't seem to figure out what's going on inside of his head.

We pass by the plaques, more holographs popping up. A pair of girls. A boy and a girl. Another boy and girl. A pair of boys. All around us, the other living Pairs are wandering through the memorial, holographs of the dead appearing all around us. Until there are more dead than living.

Trying my best to ignore the holographs, I watch the other Pairs to see their reactions. Some are staring back at the dead Pairs with faces of stone, others with sadness written across their features. Not ten metres from me, a boy is staring at the holograph of a girl who looks similar to him, tears streaming down his face while his Pair holds him close. I look away, remembering how it felt to lose a family. Except mine never died. They even reached back out to me.

My mind flashes back to the fragment of conversation Zach and I overhead. It's been in my thoughts ever since, disappearing only when we entered this room. They want to see me, they keep pushing the LOE for me. But our leaders won't let them, are trying to keep this quiet. My parents are smart, they know that they can win if they speak out and cause the people to turn on the LOE. To avoid that, the LOE would have to give them what they want. Either way, my family wins.

Unless there's another plan. Unless the LOE has a trick or two up their sleeve. I'm almost afraid to find out what that is. I glance at Zach, wanting to ask what he overheard after I left him outside that room, needing a moment to recollect myself. He's staring at another holographic Pair, looking lost in thought. I turn away, knowing that I shouldn't speak about it with all these other Pairs around. I make a mental note to question him if we get another moment alone.

I push my thoughts back to the memorials, looking at each holograph we pass. I recognise a few of the 23rd and 24th Generation Pairs from around the Academy. They were only a year or two older than us and now they're gone.

On the other end of the room, the door swings back open to reveal Angela. Slowly, we file out of the room to join her in the hall. As I pass through the doorway, I glance back into the room and wonder how long it'll be until I'll be like Crystal and Rye, holographs on a plaque in that very room.