THE FOLLOWING DAYS are a blur of activity and preparation. The party, it seems, is going to happen whether I like it or not. But Arden has more immediate concerns, and so he enlists my help in scouting the station, in making sure everything is ready for the inevitable tide surge. It's a task that requires focus, attention to detail, and a fair amount of physical labor. It's also a welcome distraction from the party planning, from Anna's cheerful optimism that grates on my nerves.
I'm assigned to work with Maren, a woman with a no-nonsense attitude and a sharp mind. She's older than me, maybe in her late thirties, with short, dark hair and a lean, wiry build. She was a mechanic back on Earth, and her knowledge of machinery, of how things work, is invaluable.
Apparently, she's the person who does most of the reverse engineering and hotwiring of the alien tech in the base. I know I've seen her before in some of the meetings with Ivan, but I don't remember her speaking up.
We're in one of the lower levels, the air damp and musty, the sound of the waves a constant, distant roar. Maren is inspecting a hatch, her hands moving deftly over the metal, checking for any signs of wear, any weaknesses.
"These hinges are rusted." She mutters, her voice echoing in the empty corridor. "We'll need to replace them before the surge. If they seize up, we're screwed."
"Does it really matter if these lower hatches work, though...? If the higher hatches work." I ask, curious. I've been trying to learn as much as I can, to understand the mechanics of this place, the way it works. But there's so much to take in, so much I don't know.
She glances at me, her expression thoughtful. "It's all interconnected. Probably some kind of efficiency thing. But if these jam up, they're connected to other ones. Still some emergency hatches, but it'll be a pain." She explains. "Besides, it's better to be safe than sorry."
I nod, taking mental notes. I don't want to mess this up, don't want to be the reason we all drown.
We move on, checking each hatch, each seal. It's tedious work, but it's important. And it gives me a sense of purpose, a way to contribute. It's something tangible, something I can understand.
As we're finishing up, I notice Alistair out of the corner of my eye. He's at the end of the corridor, talking to Arden. They're too far away for me to hear what they're saying, but I can see the tension in their body language, the seriousness of their expressions. Arden is gesturing towards one of the walls, and Alistair is nodding, his jaw set.
I turn my attention back to Maren, but my mind is still on them. What are they discussing? What's so important that they need to talk about it now, in the middle of everything else?
We finish our inspection and head back to the main floor. Maren goes off to report to Arden, and I'm left to my own devices. I wander for a bit, my mind still on Alistair and Arden, on the mystery of their conversation.
I find myself outside, on a small balcony overlooking the sea. The wind is cool, the air fresh with the scent of salt. The moons are high in the sky, their light reflecting off the water, creating a shimmering path of silver. It's beautiful, peaceful. But there's an undercurrent of danger, a reminder of the creatures that lurk beneath the surface, waiting for the surge.
Alistair steps out onto the balcony, his presence a sudden, unexpected comfort. He's quiet for a moment, just standing next to me, looking out at the water. Then he speaks, his voice low, casual.
"Arden wants to start scouting the surrounding area. He's worried about the aliens, about them finding us here. Guess there used to be one of their still-active factories a few dozen miles out." He glances at me, a hint of a smile on his lips. "I volunteered us for the first trip."
I raise an eyebrow, turning to look at him. "You volunteered us? Without asking?"
He shrugs, the smile widening. "Figured you'd say yes."
I roll my eyes, but I can't help the small smile that tugs at my lips. "And if I'd said no?"
"Would've had to drag you along anyway." He replies, his tone teasing. "You're the only one I can stand to be around for that long."
"Don't know how you've survived this long, then..."
"No idea, myself." He snorts, and looks back out at the water. "But seriously. If there's a factory nearby, then... it's a target."
I cast a sidelong glance. "I don't think that's why Arden wants us to go looking." I point out.
He hums in response. "Maybe not, but it's why I want to. The factory is operational, isn't it? All the ones I've seen have been decommissioned." He gestures vaguely out towards the desert. "If it's still working, then it means it's making stuff they need." He glances back at me, his eyes bright with a dangerous light. "And if it's making stuff they need... it's a good place to start a fire."
I can see where he's going with this, and I can't help but feel a thrill of excitement, of anticipation. "You think we can take it down?"
He shrugs again, but there's a confident tilt to his head, a surety in his stance. "We can try. And even if we can't destroy it, we can cause some chaos. Disrupt their operations. Make them notice us."
"Notice isn't what we want." Arden's voice comes from behind us. I turn to see him leaning against the doorway, his arms crossed over his chest. "Attention is what gets people killed."
"Attention is what gets them to see us as more than pests." Alistair counters, his tone challenging. "It's what makes them take us seriously."
Arden pushes off the doorway, moving to stand between us. "And what good does that do? Will it stroke your ego while everyone dies? Will it give you a moment's thrill while we're all rounded up and processed?"
"How many times do we have to be culled until we admit that hiding doesn't do anything?" Alistair snaps, "We're just surviving to be exterminated. How is that any better? We're just pests they swat whenever they feel like? Fuck that."
"Grow up, Alistair." Arden spits out the words, "You aren't singular in your hatred, or your pain. You're not singular in your survival, either. You want to go out in a blaze of glory, I won't stop you. But if you expect me to agree with it, then first come to me with a plan that isn't a fucking suicide note! Bring me something that makes it worth the damn sacrifice and then, maybe, I'll hear you out!"
There's a moment of tense silence, the air thick with unspoken words, with the weight of our shared history, our shared losses. Then Alistair lets out a long, slow breath, his shoulders slumping. "Whatever. It's not my call anyway, right? You're the leader here."
Arden doesn't respond, just gives him a long, steady look. Then he turns to me, his expression softening slightly. "Sarah. I want you to go with Lena tomorrow. Help her check the water filters. They're our lifeline, we can't afford any malfunctions."
"Lena?" I ask, trying to remember if I've met her.
"The nurse. She was a nurse back on Earth." Arden nods. "She knows the filters, she's been maintaining them for years now. But she could use an extra pair of hands."
I nod, swallowing the lingering tension in the air. "Okay. I can do that."
He gives me a curt nod, then turns back to Alistair. "Alistair."
Alistair doesn't look at him, just keeps his gaze fixed on the sea. "Yeah."
He hesitates a moment. His expression is tense. I can't read it. Not beyond the obvious irritation. His hands clench at his sides for a moment, before he speaks again. "I know what you've been through."
Alistair stiffens. "Don't you fu-"
"I want those things to die, too." Arden says, his voice low, intense. "I'm not Ivan. Just leaving this planet intact, not making them pay first, made me sick."
Alistair is quiet, but I can see his fingers grip the railing in front of him until his knuckles turn white.
"But I won't let the people in there who are terrified, who need us, to die just because I hate the bastards." Arden says, voice firm, certain. "When you figure out a way to make them pay, that doesn't end with us all dead? I'm with you. And I'll be the first one to light the match."
Alistair doesn't say a thing.
"Goodnight, Sarah." Arden nods to me, and then leaves the both of us on the balcony.
Silence passes between us for a long moment, broken only by the sound of the sea below. I'm not quite sure what to say. I can't argue with Arden's logic, and yet I agree with Alistair. And I... don't have any idea what it is that Arden was referring to.
More than that, I'm no good at reassuring people, or comforting. I've never been, and I'm worse now than ever.
Still, I swallow, and turn my gaze up to him. "Alistair-"
"I'm going to bed." He says, tone clipped. "Got a long day tomorrow."
And he walks away from me, leaving me standing alone on the balcony, staring out at the sea.