Exodus Eternal

Chapter 3: Trust Issues on Planet Sael

The moment Mr. Fraser's words left his mouth, chaos erupted in the passenger section of the jet. Screams and struggling ensued as the rescuers came in to try to calm their passengers. Vesta sat and watched it unfold. She felt a bit numb, but also intrigued and in disbelief.

Why did these beings save them, putting their own lives at risk? Why?

“No one is being hurt," Vesta tried to calm her neighbors. Her words did little to help.

“They're aliens!" shrieked a girl, aiming a kick at the closest dark uniform.

“Fight back!" came a yell from down the line.

“They're abducting us!" cried a man in a Hawaiian shirt.

“Just calm down," Vesta leaned over and placed a hand on the agitated woman to her left. The woman jumped and swung her arm back, hitting Vesta on the chin.

“Oh!" Vesta gasped. “Just stop it, everyone!"

The amber-eyed male being reached for a flashing lever by the door and pulled it.

Vesta watched as several of her neighbors who successfully undid their straps began to float. Stunned silence filled the cabin as people tried to process what was happening. From a distance, Vesta swore she could hear a familiar, annoyed meow.

“Oh dear god, we are in space," Mrs. Fraser clasped a hand over her mouth.

Each dark-uniformed being took hold of a floating human and placed them back in their seats, adjusting the straps and placing a handheld device on the human's heart. The device emitted a soft hum with the beat of the person's heart. As could be expected, most of the heartbeats were fast and tense.

The amber-eyed male looked slowly around the now quiet cabin. His eyes rested on Vesta. She looked back steadily. He took a step towards Vesta and placed a hand on his chest.

“Condra Tae. Condra Tae."

Vesta paused, “Condra Tae?"

The male pointed at three silver and red lines on the front of his left shoulder, then his hand on his chest, “Condra…Tae."

A flicker of understanding flooded Vesta's mind.

“I'm Vesta…Vesta Fergus."

“Vesta," Condra Tae nodded. He looked around the cramped room again, bringing his gaze back to Vesta. Tae disappeared for a moment, coming back with the screen in his hand. Placing it against the wall, he pressed against the frame and the map was projected into the air between the passengers. Condra Tae took another step closer to Vesta. Using his long arm, he made a circle covering the passengers. He then pointed to a place among the spots.

Vesta understood. They were there. She nodded.

“That is where we are right now," Vesta told everyone.

Many looked at her skeptically.

“How do you know," the teenage boy shrugged. “How do you know that's even a map?"

It was Vesta's turn to shrug, “It just looks like a map? He's trying to communicate."

“He?" an older gentleman interjected.

Vesta almost rolled her eyes, “Yes, this one goes by Condra Tae. I think that's some sort of rank. Anyway, he says we are right here."

She pointed to the spot Condra Tae had mentioned earlier. Condra Tae gave a quick nod and dragged his finger along the map. It moved with his touch. Several large spheres appeared but he continued to move the map. Suddenly he stopped by a smaller, rose-colored sphere.

“Sael," Condra Tae said in a dull, raspy voice.

Vesta frowned slightly, “Sael?"

The female being came forward and removed her helmet. Her eyes were large and deep blue, her skin had a slight-green hue. With a nod from Condra Tae, she stepped to the map.

Pointing to a different sphere, she spoke in a soft, whispering voice, “Inka."

She pointed to yet another sphere, “Tosa Enen."

Her gloved hand pointed back at the rose-colored circle, “Sael."

“That place is called Sael?" Vesta confirmed.

The female nodded, then placed a hand on her chest, “Tama."

Vesta placed a hand on her own chest, “Vesta."

Tama and Vesta both smiled. The moment was broken by Mr. Fraser's booming voice.

“What about Earth? Why aren't we going back there?"

“Adam," his wife whispered hurriedly, but he pushed her hand away.

“Why aren't we returning home?" he asked Condra Tae loudly.

Condra Tae stared at the man for several long moments, then turned his attention to Vesta.

Motioning to include everyone, Tae then pointed back at the sphere named Sael.

Vesta motioned to everyone, “Earth."

Tama stepped forward and gave a quick shake of her head, “Sael."

Without another word, the beings left the cabin. Strangely, no one spoke for quite some time. It was as if the seriousness of the situation was settling in everyone's mind. Some people began making small talk, and others sang songs to the younger passengers, and in this way, time passed.

At one point, Tama and another male, whom Tama introduced as Rolet, came in and checked everyone's straps and heartbeat. They disappeared briefly and Rolet came back holding a rectangle-shaped box with holes. From the black hair sticking through the sides, Vesta sighed with relief as she knew who was inside.

Tama and Rolet left. The jet started to shake and rumble. Gravity increased and the passengers could feel the jet descending.

“I wish I could see out," Mrs. Fraser whispered.

Vesta agreed. Hopefully, she'd be reunited with her family soon, and they could make sense of what was going on. Her dad was always good for that. Vesta looked down at the gray box on her lap. At least she wasn't totally alone.

“Where did you go, Merl?" she asked the growling mass of fur. All she got as a response was a glare from Merlot's green eyes.

“Gritcha," Condra Tae pointed at the passengers. A stocky yet still unbelievably tall being with slate-gray eyes and clay-colored skin pressed a section above the benches, and the straps released, retracting into the bench. The outer world beings put their helmets on, and while motioning for everyone to follow, opened the door. A blast of warm, dry air entered the cabin, and slowly Vesta and her companions stood up. Tama and Rolet brought up the back, while Condra Tae and Gritcha lead the way.

Vesta knew she wasn't the only one to squint as she made her way onto the sandy ground outside. As the people exited the jet - or spaceship, Vesta didn't know what to call it - their senses were immediately overwhelmed. There was a bright sun, hazy yellow air, patches of sand and thin grass, and lines upon lines of people. The sound of talking, yelling, crying, and wailing could be heard. Vesta gripped Merlot's box tightly as the group was ushered by other beings into a steadily moving line.

“Vesta, stay near us until we find your family," Leanne Fraser said firmly. Her husband agreed and put his hand on Vesta's shoulder. They continued walking in the line for what seemed like ages before they could see what was going on at the end of the line.

Each human was being examined before being given a bag and guided through a door. The examination was causing a great deal of commotion, with many people fighting. There was one being dashing back and forth between lines, dressed in bright blue.

“Hello, I am Brille," a familiar language caught Vesta's ear above the scuffling. “This is planet Sael. Please be calm and let me explain the process."

The being was having difficulties, however, as not everyone spoke the same language, and the being had to fiddle with a contraption on his waist every time he attempted to speak.

At that moment, however, tempers, nerves, and patience had begun to overflow. Humans attacked nearby outworld beings, and no one was listening to Brille. The beings were being overrun.

Condra Tae and his crew surrounded the humans from their transport in a sort of protective circle, pushing them up towards the examination tables, and putting space between them and the angry mob. The waves of angry humans flowed into them like water on rocks, however. A man with a face flushed with rage roared and grabbed Rolet's weapon. Rolet easily pushed the man away, but the man returned and lunged at Rolet again, this time grabbing the weapon and somehow firing it in the struggle. Vesta felt a searing pain in her abdomen, knocking her backward and causing Merlot's cage to hit her face before flying from her arms. Gasping, she rolled to reach for the poor cat. Coughing from the pain and dust kicked up around her, Vesta felt her strength fading. A dark form picked up Merlot's box and kneeled over her. A strong, firm hand gripped her wound, then lifted her off the ground. She tried to stand for a moment, desperate to take Merlot, but staggered and began to fall. The being caught her and lowered her to the ground.

Condra Tae raised the shield on his sleek, black helmet and met her gaze with one of concern.

“Vesta," he said.