Chapter 9

Instantly, the world tilted, the information her mind was getting about the room in which they sat melded completely into the vision of a planet, spinning through space. Green and blue swirled around the globe in whisp-like patterns eerily similar to earth and yet the continents were vastly unfamiliar.

Mia blinked, trying to clear her vision, but it didn't help. It was then she noticed that the man had turned on the projector, a cool blue light emanating from the center button of the machine.

Overhead projector. Right. It was somehow sending images directly into her mind.

“This is Callaphria, as you have been made aware. Deep in our ancient history our world shared a connection with Earth, and Earth with us. It has long been believed, given our similar appearances, that our people share ancestry, either migrating here from Earth, or migrating to Earth from Callaphria. However, the doors were shut long ago and forgotten my most, leaving each of our worlds to evolve how they must”

The man pressed a button and an image appeared in the center of the room, startling in its clarity. It took a long moment for Mia to recognize the city. It was this very place, Virkaith, but before devastation had set in. Beautiful colors lined the buildings, clean streets, and passageways. Buildings and even flying vehicles were visible to their finest detail.

“This is Virkaith. Our city. And we are Livarians, one of two races who once inhabited this world. Virkaith was one of the last cities standing in the great war, and, for a time, we thought it might escape the devastation visited upon the world,” he paused for a long sad moment. “Unfortunately, it was not to be. Ten years ago, a group from our mighty military was sent on a specific, secret mission. They hoped, as all still surviving so late in the war did, that this mission would be the one that would end the devastation and finally bring peace to the world.”

The central image changed to a wicked looking landscape with razor sharp mountains and vast tangles of plants that could only be said to resemble trees.

“The mission took three of our most elite units deep into Angrocus mountain in the far east of our continent. They journied to an ancient burial site, one known to our world as possibly the oldest of our race. Our enemy had a single, well-fortified base there and our men were to defeat it and obtain what they had been guarding.”

The view flickered to dark caves filled with sharp impassible rocks and several photos of glowing eyes caught in the light of someone’s camera. Predatory eyes.

“The treasure they held turned out to be the information that had once allowed us to traverse to other worlds, perhaps even other realms, including Earth. Our government planned to study and use this information to seek an advantage against our enemies.” He paused and studied the women, meeting each of their eyes in turn.

“When the team returned, successful, to our home base, we found that it no longer existed. Nor did the rest of anything we once knew. Perhaps they knew we were about to gain an edge, perhaps not, but while the teams were in the depths of the mountains, the enemy had attacked. They came in strong with every physical weapon they had. That, we might have survived, but they had brought something new this time. A biological weapon. A virus called Attaphus...death. In three months, the illness they released had killed every remaining citizen, every government official, everyone except the teams who had been isolated. Our teams.”

He paused and silence filled the room. There was nothing to be said, that could be said to lessen the impact of the tale.

“We have searched for ten years, ranging far and wide before our resources began to run low. There is nothing left in all Callaphria. Only us. Fortunately, or unfortunately, depending on how one views it, somehow the mountains we were infiltrating shielded us and we survived. But...we are all that is left.”

Mia stared. She had stopped eating, her heart in her chest. How horrific would it be to return to a world where no one remained? Did they have families...of course they had families that had perished in the battle. She tried to imagine returning to Earth to find a similar situation.

The vision of the projector faded out, releasing the hold it had on their neurotransmitters, and Mia was left with only her true view of the room in which she sat.

“It has been ten years since our return. Four since we have focused on this small area of the city, making it habitable once more. You see, there comes a choice, when you have lost everything. When everyone ever cared about has died, and everything you thought you couldn't live without is gone, you lay down and die, or you stand up and live. Draven, our leader, our prime, has pushed us to stand up and live, and he has given us hope for a future.”

The man looked at them candidly now, a deep sadness on his features.

“Certainly you must be wondering, dear ladies, why I am telling you this.” He looked to them each in turn, but nobody spoke, none of them seemed able.

“I am telling you this because that is why you, and those who have been brought before you, are here. Our team consisted of 157 skilled men; proven hunters, the strongest of our society, and soldiers at that. But we are hardly equipped to begin or revive a people. A world, a society needs women. Many of you were chosen for your professions, which match the skills that are lacking on our team. All of you were chosen to be mothers: free of genetic disease, healthy, and of child bearing age.”

Mia's gut did a flip. They wanted her...all of the women, for breeding. The anger of generations of oppressed women rose within her. If they expected to be able to pass women around...

The speaker held up a hand. “None of you will be forced. There are...were strict laws and punishments forbidding such actions. The prime has been very clear that these punishments remain intact. Besides that, you have become our most valuable resource. No man here will stand to see you treated with anything less than respect. This entire division of the city was created for you, for the hope you carry. We will do our best to protect and ensure you are happy in your new lives, but you are expected to chose a mate that appeals to you.” He closed his projector, “that brings me to my last bit of advice. Here on Callaphria, there is no divorce. Once you have chosen a partner, and given yourself to him, you are tied to him. Choose wisely, and please do your best to make Callaphria your home.”

The hall was silent.

“This is bullshit, I have a boyfriend.”

Ashley was the first to complain, but it fell on deaf ears. The aliens either didn't hear her, or didn't care. Mia turned to her, feeling the same anger. How could they think they would be able to strip all choices, the entire future from people? Then have the gall to think the women would be happy about it? Choose to breed with them? It was insane. “I won't do it,” Ashley announced, “I don't want anything to do with these freaks.”

Some of the men heard that remark, if their flinches were any indication. Mia cringed. She was pissed. She was pissed as hell, but biting the hand that fed them, the only ones who knew how to survive in the god forsaken place was probably not wise. She sent Ashley a warning look and nodded subtly to Morkuth and the others standing at a distance waiting for the meal to be finished. Well, since the group seemed to have lost interest in food in general, maybe they were just waiting for the shock to wear off.

“What? I don't care if they hear me. If they don't like it, they can fucking take me home, I didn't ask to be here.”

Mia sighed. Yeah, she could share those sentiments, but they had gone to a great deal of trouble to bring them all to Callaphria. They wouldn't be so easily convinced to take them back.

“What are we going to do?” Becky whispered, and for some strange reason all the women looked to Mia.

Nerves fluttered around, joining the fury roiling in her stomach. What could they do? She felt helpless and utterly spent. The last thing she wanted right then was to be some kind of guiding force for anyone other than herself. Becky's eyes watered and she blinked tears away. Mia sighed, some sort of empathetic instinct taking over, the need to rush in and smooth everything over and make it okay. It was deeply ingrained in her upbringing and had worked well in her profession as a school teacher, but these were grown women, and she had no right directing them. Nor could she fix the problem.

“What are our options?” she posed the question.

The women deflated.

“Nothing. We can do nothing,” It was Lee that spoke, and the words were so brokenhearted Mia closed her eyes and swallowed the lump in her throat.

“No, that's not true,” Becky seemed to come to herself. “We won't be forced. They said so. If we don't choose, maybe they'll decide to take us back.”

Mia nodded, and then lowered her voice to a whisper and leaned forward. “For now, that seems like the best course of action to me. Even if we knew where we were going, running would do us no good. None of us would make it back through that forest, or the grassland. Take our time, gather information. There must be something that could help us. If nothing else, let's meet the other women who were brought here.”

Ashley made a skeptical noise but didn't answer.

As if cued by her hushed voice, the aliens approached.

“Ladies, if you have finished your meal, Havric will show you to the dorms. You have had a long journey and will need rest to recover,” Morkuth bowed slightly.

Sending them a look that she hoped conveyed strength and solidarity, Mia rose, prepared to follow the new alien to whatever sleeping arrangements had been made.

“Mia, if you will come with me, the prime has asked to see you.”

Mia frowned. Why was she being singled out from the others? Had they overheard her whisper? Was she to be punished?

“And if I refuse?”

Confusion puckered Morkuth's brow. “Why would you do that?”

“You have gathered us in this room and informed us we are here to be your breeders. You have taken our freedom and our choices from us, and yet you promise we will not be harmed. Perhaps I am wondering how far to trust the word of your people.”

Something like hurt shadowed his eyes for a moment.

“If you refuse, then you will be taken back to the dorm with the others. No one will force you to meet the prime.”

Mia considered for a moment. It was tempting to stage a tiny rebellion and stubbornly refuse all direction, to make their lives as difficult as possible after what they had done. But logically she knew it would be better to do as she had told the women, to play along and gather information while she could.

“I will come with you,” she conceded. She looked at her friends. “I will see you guys later.”

“Good. Come, he is waiting.”