Author Games: Brave New World

Finals: Sydney Morristan

The sky was a shade of mauve-grey, dark storm clouds rolling overhead. Though the flashes of lightning and the boom of thunder was absent, she still quickened her pace, knowing that time was not on her side. On Danu, even the mildest gales could turn into a violent hurricane in mere minutes, at times completed with blazing electrical storms. Despite the fact that her destination was now within eyesight, she shoved her hands into her jacket pocket and lengthened her strides.

In the distance, the campground of Eden grew ever larger, until Sydney Morristan found herself slowing to a stop outside the colony. The sight of it was such a stark contrast to what she had first seen that she felt her eyes widening, just slightly. When Governor Chen had first set up camp, there had been laughter and chatter everywhere. Now, the few tents that remained swayed, lonely, with the ever-growing wind. No joyful giggles filled the air, no idle chit-chat was made behind colonists. The few that survived the battle had buried themselves in their work, packing up supplies to take back to Earth, doing whatever they could to erase the memories of death and destruction from their minds. It was only natural, after all. They were scientists, pilots, models, janitors – not soldiers. They signed up to discover a brave new world.

They never signed up for war.

Which was why most of them were returning home. Back to Earth, where they would be reunited with their families and friends, and most of all – where they would be safe.

That included Lucia.

She could never forget the feeling of relief that had washed over her when the doctors informed her that Lucia Paula Fernandez was indeed, not dead. The nineteen-year-old had merely passed out from the agony of her wounds – wounds that were serious, but not fatal. When the doctors had returned back inside their makeshift surgical room, Sydney had collapsed to the ground, muscles failing her as tears sprung to her eyes. However, unlike that day in the battlefield, the tears were not one of grief, but of joy that Lucia was alive.

At least, for now.

The equipment on Danu was limited. More advanced facilities were needed for her to fully heal – the doctors had made it perfectly clear to her their reasons of transporting her friend back to Earth, with Captain Nguyen. Though Sydney had not had a chance to speak with Lucia since the battle due to the doctor's trick orders, she longed to be able to converse with her about leaving, and other things. Other things that Sydney realized she never really talked to Lucia about, though she desperately wanted to. Other things that she realized she would've never said if Lucia had perished that fateful, blood-red day. Questions that needed answers, random facts and stories about herself – such as the one time she'd almost gotten stung by a blue-ringed octopus back in Australia, or about how Fleur and Gina had pranked her one time by toilet-papering her entire front yard. So many things that would've gone unknown, unheard of, if death had reigned supreme after all.

It made her think.

Logic told her that she should return with the majority of the remaining colonists. She should return to Earth, go back to Australia, back to her parent's house and continue her research and studying there. Perhaps she could even get back in touch with Fleur and Gina as well. She could indulge herself with the warmth of home, and finally rest underneath the familiar stars of Earth that did not lie, and did not kill. Danu and Lucia could be nothing more than a closed chapter in her life, a journey that was over, a lesson learnt. There was no need to dwell on the disasters that had occurred during her stay on the foreign planet, no need to awaken panting from nightmares of watching your teammates and friends getting picked off one by one – by mysterious aliens, a virus, or civil war.

There was no more need for her to suffer.

But something stopped her.

Something refused to let her leave.

Sydney slowed to a stop outside the makeshift hospital – now nearly empty as most of its inhabitants had been taken to the landing craft for takeoff back to the Ark. Only Lucia and a few others remained, and they would soon be transported as well. Slightly hesitant, Sydney wrapped a hand around the knob of the ragged cabin that served as the infirmary and pushed it open, revealing a bare hallway that led both left and right. Knowing that Lucia was hospitalized in room R3 – standing for Right 3 – she knew perfectly well where to go, but before she could take a step, a weak, soft voice pierced the air, making her freeze on the spot, "Sydney?"

Immediately, she whipped around, recognizing the caller. Sure enough, her icy blue irises connected to the frail, pale form of Lucia Paula Fernandez, sitting slumped on a rickety-looking wheelchair. A blue-uniformed nurse with dark rings underneath her weary hazel eyes stood at the handles. They had been coming from the opposite direction – the left wing of the hospital – and that confused Sydney for a second or two. What were they doing there? Did she forget the room number? However, that was an insignificant subject, one that Sydney was not pursuing at the moment. Instead, she fought the urge to engulf the sagging figure of Lucia Paula Fernandez in her arms, and forced herself to whisper gently, "Hello, Lucia."

The two of them stared for a few seconds more, before Lucia shifted slightly on her seat and murmured, "Are you coming to the Ark?" Her dark eyes widened in an almost pleading manner, but there was a softness in them too, a softness that spoke volumes despite her quiet voice. A softness that stated clearly, "I want you to come with me, but if you don't, I understand."

I understand.

She understood.

It was a eureka moment, a burst of realization that exploded right before her eyes. All of a sudden, Sydney Morristan knew. She knew why she didn't want to leave Danu, despite all of it's dangers and mysteries, remaining underneath the same sky and watching the same stars that had caused them both so much grief.

She wanted to stay because she loved it.

The notion of it seemed impossible, but the more that Sydney pondered over the thought, the more that she knew it to be true. She loved the bright green fields, the gnarled trees, the lavender sky that stretched on for miles. She adored the object she'd discovered – the metal alien artifact that showed anything she'd wanted to see – and she wanted nothing more than to sit by a meandering stream, listening to the sound of nature around her. Here, the world was filled with things just begging to be discovered. Though Sydney Morristan was an astronomer, curiosity was one of the many factors that drove her work forward – curiosity not only for the stars, but for everything else as well.

Her conscience screamed at her that she was being foolish, that she had a family, friends, a home back on Earth. She could live out her life back there, perhaps get married, settle down as a wife, raise some kids. It was what her parents would've approved of. It was what her friends' would've liked. It was what logic told her was best.

But that was not the life for Sydney Morristan.

She turned back to Lucia, blue eyes connecting with brown, and no more words were needed. They both understood. A soft smile crept up onto Lucia's lips as she inclined her head, a sign of friendship and respect for Sydney's choices, before murmuring so softly that Sydney had to strain to hear, "I love you, Sydney."

This time, it was Sydney's turn to smile.

Stepping forward, she quickly bent down and placed a tender kiss atop Lucia's forehead, breathing in the smell of her hair – roses and lavenders – and storing away the feel of her skin in her memory. And before she pulled away, she whispered a parting message of her own as well.

"I love you too, Lucia."

And Sydney knew, that despite all the uncertainties that were to come, that one statement would always hold true.