Chapter 4
A few days had passed since Dr. Hannah LeBeaux escaped Safe Haven and now she found herself in Fort Freedom. It was a heavily protected compound with a large main building and other smaller buildings, which supported its own community surviving within. It was located on the western region of the North American continent, amidst an open plain and its thick alloy walls towered above. Strictly speaking there were no civilians within the Fort; and, the soldiers that met Hannah were part of the core of the army. They were unimaginatively called the Freedom Army, but then again the idea alone was powerful enough to suffice. Rebu and Humans alike working towards a common goal; the rebellion that Daniel had told Hannah about. Hannah stood tall with her long reddish hair dancing in the soft breeze, which caressed her soft pale skin and her large dark eyes penetrated the distance beyond the fortress.
After the initial Rebu rebels settled in Fort Freedom, they began releasing people from Safe Haven; and that was by no means an easy task. It wasn't long before they built a small force and armed the fort, but they wanted more; they wanted to launch an all-out offensive against the only remaining mother ship, which was now on the surface. Daniel was sent to intercept a stockpile of armaments headed for Safe Haven, which he did, but events took a turn for the worse and he was captured, just as he had told Hannah. She thought of Daniel and the things that he had said to her, even now as she stood on the balcony of her modest quarters. She gazed out to see a blue sky and a flock of birds in the distance, it felt peaceful and Hannah wished that the feeling would last forever. However, she knew that it wouldn't, not with what she had in mind...
"It's been weeks since you got here and the Sentinels have not returned," said a voice from behind Hannah and she turned to face Hank, the Rebu Commander of this army. "I prefer to leave others to their vices but we have questions that we need answered," Hannah considered the alien being that stood in front of her, speaking her language as well as she did and yet he was so different. From what she had seen of the Rebu, they were odd looking creatures. Their grey skin seemed to shine in the light, with a sheen dwarfed by that of their silvered hair. They were tall, remarkably so, and their skin was like polished marble, hard and glossy, with long necks and bodies. Hank being a male had very broad shoulders, unlike the females who had very broad hips. Even though he wore gloves today, Hannah remembered seeing large clawed hands the first time she met him. His head was similarly shaped to that of a Human, but there were slightly greater protrusions on his forehead and at the back of his head. He had large, dark, oblong eyes, with eyelids like an amphibian. Hannah suspected that there were many more differences between the Human and Rebu internal systems, much more than could be seen by the naked eye; and yet there were similarities.
"I understand," Hannah replied. Earlier that week, he had spoken to her about the Rebu and their civil war but when he asked Hannah about Safe Haven she changed the topic; she wasn't ready to talk then, but that was then.
"Do you remember what I spoke to you about earlier?" Hannah asked referring to the plan that she was working on.
"Yes I do, will you follow me? There are some people that I think you should meet," Hank turned to leave the room and Hannah followed him out the door.
After a short walk through the main building within the fortress, Hank directed Hannah through a door into a conference room. There were four others, already seated around a large table, facing a holographic screen, which flashed different images. Hank cleared his throat and the video playing on the screen paused.
"Nice of you join us," said the person closest to the screen, while Hannah looked around, surveying the room. It had bare walls and a large central table with alien looking holographic computer portals at each seat.
"Hannah, let me introduce you to Lieutenant Lola Fowler, we freed her from Safe Haven two years ago. After that she decided to join my forces and signed up for special forces training to gain her rank; she has proven herself exceptional at warfare," Hank said to Hannah in reference to the source of the earlier greeting.
"Next to Lola is Lieutenant Commander Rohan Beseth and across from him is Sophia, our Chief Medic, they were part of the early rebellion," Hank continued and she in turn looked at the Rebu that Hank had introduced.
"Last but not least is Lieutenant Nathan Duke; but please dispense with formalities and address us by our given names," Hank said. Hannah recognised the last name, and Nathan stood up and faced her. She recognised his imposing figure, his black hair and green eyes, as much as she recognised the feeling, which now coursed through her veins.
"Duke?" Hannah said after a pause.
"I wondered if you'd remember me," Nathan replied with a smile.
"I..." Hannah started to say.
"Perhaps we should catch up another time," Nathan interrupted, reminding Hannah of the others that were in the room.
"Indeed," spoke Rohan with a deep rumbling voice. Hannah pulled herself together and started towards the seat Hank directed her to occupy.
"I'm told you all have questions for me..." Hannah started to say.
"Where did you get that suit?" Rohan interrupted.
"Forget the suit. Did you see a Rebu called Daniel?" Sophia asked.
"People please. One at a time," Hank interrupted, halting what would have turned into a barrage of questions.
"Thank you Hank," Hannah said and she told them about how she met Daniel and the events that transpired. She told them that he had given her the suit, but she decided to hold back some things. She told them most of what Daniel had told her, which was pristinely preserved by her implant. Finally, she told them about how he had died, so that she might escape. Silence hung about the room for a brief spell and then Sophia spoke.
"Daniel is dead?" heartache barely concealed behind her words.
"I'm sorry," Hannah replied. "Were you close?" Sophia remained silent.
"Sophia is Daniel's sister," Rohan said.
"I don't know about the rest of you, but Daniel always put the mission first. I don't understand why he'd be in Safe Haven any longer than he needed to be... I just don't understand it," Lola said. "Why bother with Select..."
"There's only one thing that would make Daniel behave that way," Hank said as he looked at Hannah with his deep, oblong eyes. Hannah gazed into his eyes and watched as colours seemed to shift deep within. "Who are you Hannah?" Hannah held her tongue, wondering whether or not to reveal something that may not even be true.
"Sophia, what do you think?" Hank asked without taking his eyes off Hannah and Sophia began her own assessment, her eyes fixed on Hannah; and Hannah felt like they were peeling layers off her, revealing the core of what lay beneath.
"Daniel said that I was a renowned Rebu Councillor, the one who started the rebellion," Hannah finally blurted out, fed up with all the staring.
"Impossible! You look Human!" Lola objected.
"I'll start a bioscan," Rohan added, he waved his hand over his portal and a holographic screen floated to view. He made a few gestures and three small orbs floated down from the ceiling around Hannah. Hannah wanted to protest but then again, she also wanted to know the truth herself. Hank passed his hand over his portal, Hannah copied and the others followed; they were all viewing the same biological scan.
"I can't believe it," Rohan said.
"She's Rebu," Hank confirmed. "Sophia, can you see what they have done to her?" Hank asked.
"I'm not sure..." Sophia said while making rapid gestures with her hands. "I think her consciousness, her memories, all the things that made her Rebu have been suppressed in her subconscious, but what's more curious is her physical transformation. Her body hair, skin texture, colour and eyes, and that's just naming a few. Whatever they did, it has completely transformed her appearance from Rebu to Human, but you can still see Rebu in her genome," the room went quiet while Hannah considered the information.
"Sophia can you fix it?" Rohan asked.
"I don't know if I can. I'd have to get her to the M
edical Centre to know for sure," Sophia said.
"Well, I feel fine and right now my priority is Safe Haven," Hannah said.
"Still..." Sophia started to say.
"No she's right," Lola interrupted. "Hannah - or whoever she really is - has information, and now we can finally put together a plan to free everyone in Safe Haven."
"Safe Haven's time will come, but first we must retrieve those weapons and launch an attack on the Mother Ship," Rohan said.
"I sent a squad to locate and retrieve the weapons some days ago, they've sent me a message saying that they are on their way back," Hank said. "I expect them back before noon today."
"So Commander, what's our plan of attack?" Rohan asked.
"We have to free Safe Haven," Hannah interrupted.
"Finally, some good sense," Lola said exasperatedly.
"But we must also attack the Mother Ship," Hannah added.
"Exactly," said Rohan.
"Make up your mind woman!" Lola replied.
"Let's hear her out," Hank said. "Hannah, please go on."
"There's only one Mother Ship left on this planet, and the Rebu High Council is debating whether or not to continue pursuing its efforts on Earth; some are thinking it's time for the Rebu to move on. So on that basis, attacking the Mother Ship might make them decide to turn away, but it may also make them decide to send a Rebu fleet, to suppress the uprising," Hannah said, absently feeling a craving for a sweet, fruit drink; her implant responded and a synthesiser rose from a previously absent gap, on the table directly in front of her. She smiled to herself because she realised that her suit and implant combined allowed her to access even this alien technology, but her smile vanished as she remembered the battle she faced to escape Safe Haven, and the struggle that was still to come. She sipped the sweet orange juice and continued. "However, if we made a direct effort at Safe Haven, the Mother Ship will only send in reinforcements."
"Hmmm, you have only just joined the struggle, but you act like you have been part of it all your life. You have just made a very fair assessment of things as they stand, perhaps you really are Annabelle," Rohan said.
"Annabelle..." Hannah repeated.
"That was the name of the Rebu Councillor that started all this," Nathan said.
"I see..." Hannah said and wondered about how similar their names were.
"So what do you suggest?" Hank asked.
"We attack both of them," Hannah replied, returning her thoughts to the present.
"We don't have enough resources to launch a full scale attack on both sides," Rohan informed.
"Precisely. You know this and so does the enemy, so with any luck they won't expect it. The major offensive force will hit the Mother Ship, with a mission to capture it, instead of destroying it. That attack will also act as a diversion and the enemy will focus their attention on defending the Mother Ship; thinking it is the attack route that we have chosen. Meanwhile, a small but effective team will enter Safe Haven and shut down Atlas. I expect that Atlas's shut down will trigger a fail-safe, which will make Safe Haven open to its environment. The citizens will have no choice but to accept that there is much more to their world, just like I have," Hannah responded.
"I'm impressed," Nathan commented and Hannah smiled.
"How do you know that shutting down Atlas, would open the city?" Sophia asked.
"I have read a lot about the history of Safe Haven and I have access to a lot of information about the city. Atlas controls everything, even the air circulation, if it shuts down and the city is closed to the environment, all its inhabitants will die. If I observed this, I am certain that the Builders did as well," Hannah responded.
"Capturing the Mother Ship will be much harder than destroying it," Hank commented.
"Yes, it will. But I suspect it will be easier with you leading the attack, using the equipment that Daniel intercepted," Hannah replied. "Also, capturing the Mother Ship and freeing Safe Haven, will send a firm message to the Rebu High Council."
"I agree," Rohan replied. "Who will lead the team to Safe Haven?"
"I will," Hannah replied. "For as long as I remember, I have lived there, I have access to information on Atlas and I know exactly where we need to be."
"Agreed. When do we begin?" Hank asked.
"Tonight," Hannah said simply, she had given it a lot of thought before the meeting and decided that there was no point delaying any further, but her words were met by silence, as the others considered the reality of the decision.
"I'll go with you Hannah, you might need a medic," Sophia said.
"No Sophia, I'll go with Hannah. You stay here and take care of the injured," Rohan said. "The fortress shouldn't be without its Chief Medic."
"No Rohan. I am your betrothed, not your pet," Sophia retorted with a bite between her words. "I'll go with Hannah," Sophia said firmly.
"Fine, so will I," Rohan replied.
"Touchy aren't they?" Lola said. "It's a no-brainer for me, I'll go with you."
Hannah was pleased, she wanted a small but highly effective team, and she believed that those in this room were among the best; exactly what she had asked Hank to provide.
"What about you Duke?" Hannah asked.
"Ha! He is a soldier that refuses to kill, we have no use for him on this mission," Rohan said with a growl between words and Hannah wondered once again what type of creatures the Rebu were...
"I'd like to hear what he has to say," Hannah said.
"Thank you Hannah, but Rohan isn't far from the truth. I am not the same man you remember and I won't take another person's life," Nathan said and Hannah considered his words and the man that he was in her past; they had been engaged before he mysteriously disappeared. Even though he was a Guardian, they would party, get drunk and Duke would always end up in a fight. He had taken down rebel factions that threatened Safe Haven over the years; he wasn't particularly evil but then again he was no saint either. But then Hannah also remembered why she had loved him, it was the way he carried himself, the way he moved others and inspired those that followed. She found herself wondering, how much could he have changed...
"I see..." Hannah replied.
"Sir," said a disembodied voice said through the speakers. "I'm sorry for the interruption."
"It's OK. What's the problem?" Hank replied.
"Sir, Third Squad have just returned from their mission," said the disembodied voice.
"Good. I'll be there shortly," Hank answered and ended the communication. "It seems we will have to cut this meeting short; I need to prepare my soldiers. If you need me, you'll find me in the armoury," Hank added to the occupants of the room as he rose from his seat and walked out the door.
"Right, I'll go get myself ready," Lola said and got off her seat. "I'll meet you in the Courtyard when it's time to go," added Lola and she left the room. Rohan got up and followed quietly and so did Nathan, leaving Hannah alone with Sophia.
"Hannah, I need to run further scans on you," Sophia said. "Do you mind coming with me to the Medical Centre, perhaps there is something I can do to help," Sophia offered and Hannah decided to oblige.