OL Original Story: The Sad and Short Earthbound Life of Tom Marshall [Part 3]
Welcome back to the final installment of Tom’s tale. We left Tom in quite a pickle last week. Let’s step inside and see where our friend is now. As a side note, thank you to everyone for the kind words concerning this story. I hope you enjoyed reading it as much as I did writing it.
[Part 1: Good Breaks and Bad Breaks]
PART 3: Food for Thought
Tom awoke on a couch in a small living room. The room was extremely bright. The wall paper was a light yellow floral pattern that matched the couch he was laying on. In front of him was a long coffee table with a bowl of fruit and a bottle of water on it. In front of the bowl was a note that said “eat”. The water had a similar note that read “drink”.
Past the table was and old cathode ray tube television set. It was propped up on a TV tray table that looked like it would collapse at the slightest touch. On top of the television was a VCR. On top of the VCR was an old camcorder. Tom had a bad feeling about the place.
Tom wanted to run. He saw his bike in the corner with his bag of provisions slung over the seat. He could take it and go. Then he noticed the front wheel. The front half was bent inward like someone smashed it against a tree. I DID smash it against a tree Tom thought.
The man from the rail station walked into the room. He sat down in a chair on the opposite side of the coffee table. Tom got a better look at him up close. His eyes were a little too big for his face and had a reptilian quality to them. His mouth made Tom think of a fish. His nose was thin and short. His skin looked as if it were rough to the touch, like fine grade sandpaper. His hair was cut in a bowl shape around his head. Each strand of hair was thick, almost like dreadlocks.
He sat and stared at Tom with a blank expression. A moment later a second man, almost identical to the first walked in and sat in another chair next to the first man.
“You are awake. Good.” The first man said.
The man’s voice was soothing and calm.
He looked down at the fruit bowl and the water.
“You are not hungry? You are not thirsty?” He asked.
“No.” Tom said. “I’m not in the habit of taking food from people I don’t know.
“He mistrusts us.” The second man said. His voice was a hair deeper than the first man’s.
“Nonsense. He is cautious. He should be cautious.” The first man said. “A healthy amount of caution is needed to survive. Do you not agree?” The first man asked.
“I agree.” Tom said.
Tom sat silent and waited for the two men to tell him what he was doing there. It felt like an eternity. Tom couldn’t bear the silence any longer.
“What do you want with me?” Tom asked.
“We want what you want Tom.” The first man said.
“How do you know my name?” Tom demanded. “Have you been following me?”
“We have and we haven’t.” The second man said.
“We have been following everyone.” The first man said.
“We need your help Tom.” The second man said.
“What …“ Tom took a moment to gather his thoughts. “Who are you?”
The first man stood up from his seat. He did a small bow and presented his hand for an introduction.
“Forgive me. I am called Atu, and this is my friend Xarik.”
Tom shook Atu’s hand. Atu had three long, almost claw like fingers and a short, stubby thumb. They were surprisingly warm for how boney they felt. When Xarik’s name was mentioned, he did as Atu did. Offering a short bow and his hand.
“Tom as you may have surmised, we are visitors to your planet.” Atu said.
“We are representative of a conclave.” Xarik said.
“A conclave?” Tom asked.
“Yes Tom. It’s a coalition of races and cultures working together to form a prosperous alliance for all those involved.” Atu said.
“Our conclave has deemed Earth as an important world.” Xarik said.
“You want Earth to join this conclave?” Tom asked.
“Oh yes.” Xarik said.
“Indeed.” Atu said.
“Why?” Tom asked. “Why us? Humanity would be a terrible addition. We’re always fighting something. We don’t agree on anything as a species. Why would you want something as fractured and broken as humanity in your alliance?”
Atu and Xarik looked at each other.
“He’s honest.” Atu said.
“Brutally honest.” Xarik said.
“Honesty deserves truth in return.” Atu said.
“Then truth he shall have.” Xarik said.
“You see Tom, not every race believes in the conclave.” Atu said.
“Some like war too much to stop.” Xarik said.
“Those that do are looking to use humanity as a weapon.” Atu said.
“How would they use us as a weapon?” Tom asked.
“Soldiers.” Xarik said.
“You humans would make great soldiers.” Atu said. “Technologically you’re primitive. You can be led, and your breeding rates are off the charts.”
“If we cannot find a way to keep your race out of our enemy ranks …” Xarik began.
“… then we will have to destroy you.” Atu said grimly.
“But that is not what we want.” Xarik said.
“No, not at all.” Atu said.
“So what does this have to do with me?” Tom asked.
“The program!” Atu exclaimed.
“Yes, the program.” Xarik said.
“We need ambassadors.” Atu said.
“You want me to be an ambassador? I’m just a kid. Who is going to listen to me?” Tom asked.
“Oh you may be a child now, but when you’re needed you’ll be an adult.” Xarik said.
“Full grown.” Atu added.
“The way it works.” Xarik said. “Is that you come with us, back to our home and you learn from us.”
“You learn our history, our culture, our technology.” Atu said
“When the time comes, we return in force with you as our advocate.” Xarik said.
“Why me?” Tom asked.
“Because you are unique.” Xarik said.
“You have all the attributes of the subject we need.” Atu said.
“You have acquired wisdom beyond your years through hardships.” Xarik said.
“You know the good in humanity as well as the bad.” Atu said.
“You understand the absence of power and therefore will be wary of abusing power.” Xarik said.
“Most importantly you know that the easy decision is usually not the right decision.” Atu said.
“What if I don’t want to go with you? What if I want to leave right now?”
“If that is your choice.” Atu said.
“You may go.” Xarik said.
“We will not hold you.” Atu said.
“We want the subject to come with us of their own free will.” Xarik said
He could leave. He could walk out the door now and put all this behind him. Tom looked over at his broken bike. Atu noticed his glance.
“Ahh yes, your conveyance.” Atu said. “Xarik, if you will.”
Xarik nodded his head and raised a hand toward the bike. The bike sprang to life. It started to float in the air. The bent and broken tire began to mend itself. The pedals moved as the tires rotated flawlessly. Xarik waved his hand and the bike returned to its position against the far wall.
Tom was amazed. If these beings wanted him to come along, they would have little trouble forcing him. However they were offering him a choice. If he left, where would he go? Mr. Hagan would surely take him in for a few days. Dr. Bowman would do the same, but then what? Was it fair to put them in that position? Was it fair to ask more of the men who had given him hope? If Earth was indeed going to be a pawn in a galactic chess game, wouldn’t it be right to repay their kindness by offering humanity an alternative to destruction or servitude? Tom made his decision.
“I’ll do it. I’ll come with you.” Tom said.
“Splendid.” Atu said.
“Wondrous.” Xarik said.
“When do we leave?” Tom asked.
“Whenever you wish.” Atu said.
“Can we leave now?” Tom asked.
“Eager are we?” Xaric said. “Of course we can.”
Xarik and Atu stood and walked towards the door. They motioned for Tom to join them. Tom grabbed his bag and followed them through the door. When they got outside, Tom saw that they were apparently in a cabin in the middle of nowhere.
Xarik pulled a small device out from underneath his robes. It looked like a television remote with backlit keys. He pressed a few buttons on the device. All of the sudden the air behind Xarik began to ripple. A space craft materialized out of thin air.
“A cloaking feature.” Atu said. “Very handy.’
“Very handy.” Xarik repeated.
A ramp at the back of the ship lowered down to the ground. Atu and Xarik began walking toward the ramp. Tom followed. As he entered, Tom noticed that the ship did not have much room. The room was filled with various items, no doubt being brought back for study. There were computer screens everywhere. Finally he saw three pod like enclosures on one wall.
“How long of a journey is this?” Tom asked.
“We will be traveling very fast.” Atu said.
“Very fast.” Xaric said.
“Were we to be awake for the whole trip, it would be about …” Atu started.
“Sixteen years, eight months, four days, nine hours and thirty-eight minutes.” Xarik finished.
“We will be in stasis for the journey.” Atu said.
“That is your pod there.” Xarik pointed towards the smallest of the three.
“We have to program our route, but you are free to start the sleep cycle at your leisure.” Atu said.
“Okay.” Tom said stepping towards the pod.
As he approached, the pod opened. He noticed it was angled so he could just lean back and not have to worry about being in the standing position. He fished a picture of himself and his mother out of his backpack. He placed the sack on the floor next to the pod and climbed in. The padding around him contoured to his form almost instantly. The pod closed around him. Atu and Xarik were both looking at him through the pod’s window. Tom was staring at his photo.
“Will I dream?” Tom asked, still looking at the photo.
“We don’t know.” Atu said.
“You shall have to tell us when we arrive.” Xarik said.
Atu hit a few buttons on the pod. Instantly a light flashed inside the pod. Tom was frozen in place, staring at his picture.
“Do you think the Emperor will like this one?” Xarik asked.
“You know as well as I do he has fickle tastes.” Atu said.
“He hated the last one. He said it tasted like excrement.” Xarik said.
“True. If the Emperor does not like this meal, we shall find him another.” Atu said.
“Indeed.” Xarik nodded. “After all, they are so very easy to catch.”
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