Diaspora Ad Astra (26 page)

“Who’d have thought your crazy plan would work?” Ruben said. He frowned. "But this is only the beginning, your Excellency. America will declare war on our
country once they figure it out, you know that."

"Of course I know," Doris said serenely. "And that is why I have prepared for it. Alliances with some of the other countries are on the way—the talks with China are going
well." Her expression turned serious. "So are those with India and the United Arab Emirates. I meant what I said, that I wish to still form that unified Earth identity. What do you I am, an
ambitious self-serving megalomaniac?"

"I didn’t say anything," Ruben said. "You don’t have to be so defensive."

"Well, I just thought you’d say that," Doris said. "If America and the rest of the world does not wish to push for this Earth identity, then I shall have to do it myself, now
that I have wrested some of the power from them.

"Anyway, rest assured, they’re going to find it rather difficult to wage an attack on us. How can they, when some of their equipment has gone missing, or simply refuses to
work—providential, don’t you think? It’s as if we are everywhere." She grinned. "Well, aren’t we? Weren’t we always, well,
everywhere
? They cannot escape from us."

"I never thought I’d be so happy they never noticed our workers," Ruben said. "This was a brilliant plan, sending agents as servants."

"You’re in the presence of a genius," Doris said modestly.

"When did you think of this?"

Doris’ smile faded. "Well, kidding aside, the truth is, I didn’t start this all myself. This was started way back in my great-grandmother’s time."

Ruben looked even more shocked, if that was possible. "You mean she was planning this centuries ago?"

Doris nodded. "Recruitment of agents was a rather long and difficult process, but it paid off in the end." She put the ladle down. "Of course, this is not yet the end. Gaia
is
only the start of it all, but at least, it is
our
beginning." She sighed.

"Well, congratulations, your Excellency," he said. "I shall monitor events back here on Earth, and inform you if America is beginning to have a clue on who attacked them.
Farewell, your Excellency." He looked as if he moved to turn off the communication, when he stopped and looked at Doris. "By the way, wouldn’t you want to rename the ship now? Columbus is such an
American thing."

Doris shrugged. "Any suggestions?"

"The Brown Dwarf," Ruben said. Doris shut him off, his laughter still ringing in her ears. She turned off the stove and sat back in her chair, contemplating the image of Gaia
that had appeared in Ruben’s wake. It was beautiful, still unmarred in every way. She reached out to touch the image. Her hand closed upon it. She closed her eyes and smiled again, thinking of
home.

"I would rather have a country run like hell by Filipinos than a country run like heaven by the Americans, because however a bad Filipino government might be, we can always
change it."

-Manuel L. Quezon

By Emil M. Flores

He had a friendly smile despite his missing incisors. The dark pudgy fix-it man of the
Anghel de la Guardia
plumbing and construction company was looking at her just
as he launched into a drunken rendition of a classic love song by a 21st century boxer. She took pride in the fact that the carpenter had looked at her and not at the pixelating 3D vixen projected
onstage. The men in the videoke bar paid no attention to her or to anyone else. They weren’t even singing along as the multi-colored lyrics floated over their heads. They were all too drunk
to be aware of anything. Only the bar owner, a gangly middle-aged tattooed man, had enough sense to look a little scared. Those who had something to lose were always living in fear. She was
bored.

Taking one last drag from her cigarette, she stepped out of the bar and decided to take a chance at the transport station. It was getting late and the bar was one the few
lighted places in the town of dilapidated and decayed buildings bunched together in a wide expanse of crater-pocked land. The town was a dead-end place in a dead-end world. It was so dead that the
curfew was not even enforced. A few months ago it was bombed but the bombing seemed like an afterthought. It was a place no one cared about but someone had to call it home. Someone had to miss
it.

She walked to the edge of the town and stared up into the night sky. The night before, huge balls of light flashed across it and there seemed to be less stars every night. For
a moment she tried to picture what was happening up there but decided not to dwell on it.

A distant hum made her quicken her pace. Her walk turned into jog and then into a sprint. The black tube-like structure was now visible. The humming grew louder and pushed the
constricting air stuffing up her ears. Her head throbbed and her chest burned. She had to stop running. She bent down, clasped her knees and tried to catch her breath. She stood up to her full
height, took a deep breath, and straightened her skirt. She fixed her hair, unbuttoned her bolero jacket, and smiled. The humming sound continued. The transport was an older model. Her cheek
muscles began to quiver. Then through the glass-covered slots of the circular doors of the station a bright red light flashed. Both her eyes and her smile widened as she tried to steady her
breathing.

The sliding door hissed open and he stepped out. He was not so tall but he looked lean and strong in his blue gray uniform. The flag was patched on his shoulder and he had no
nametag. His rifle was slung on his back. He looked at her and gave her a dutiful smile. He had deep-set black eyes and good teeth. She took a few steps forward but stopped when she saw him walk
away from the station and away from her.

She was about to call out to him but decided to follow him instead. Her eyebrows went up and her lips pursed when she saw that he was headed for the partly restored Church of
the Scared Heart of the Divine Savior. After all the time he had spent out in space, she mused, he wanted to go there of all places.

When the Aeons made themselves known a year ago, everything was put into question. Earth was not special. People were not special. God, if there was any, was not special. Then
when the Aeons attacked, people wanted to be special again. Everyone began to pray again. Almost everyone.

She reached the church and saw him standing near the entrance. He slowly, tentatively stepped inside. She noticed that he went in without dipping his fingers into the holy
water and did not make the sign of the cross. He was standing on the aisle as she quietly slipped in. Her eyes surveyed the dim empty house of worship. The wooden crucified Christ hovered
broodingly at the far end. Stained glass windows depicting the savior’s suffering lined the columned walls. She looked at the lifelike lifeless statues of the saints and smirked.

“Hello,” she stood softly as she stood behind him. “Mass is tomorrow but I can be your St. Joan today.”

He looked at her and courteously smiled. “I’m not Catholic.”

She smiled back at him and was about to speak when he continued. “The Protestant Church was destroyed recently and this one is the nearest to a transport station.”
He paused, made a quick bow and said, “Excuse me.”

She nodded with playful condescension and took a step back. He walked along the aisle, his steps echoing softly in the sanctuary. He walked to the Stations of the Cross and
reached out to a particular stained glass image. Then, just like the figure in the glass, he knelt down and bowed his head. His whispered prayers resounded in the church but she couldn’t make
out the words. She slowly went to one of the pews and sat down. She cupped her cheek with her hand and stared blankly at the altar. The whispers rose up and filled the church. Then they stopped and
all was silent.

She turned to look at him. His shoulders were shaking violently. She stood up, walked forward, and then stopped. She held her hands in front of her, shook them twice, and
walked back to the entrance. She turned to look at him for a moment. Then she walked out.

She was sitting on the church’s stone enclosure when he came out. His eyes were red as he took a deep breath. He looked at her and walked on by. Then he stopped. From the
corner of her eye she could see him bow his head and then look up. She turned to look at him and then turned away again. She bit her lower lip and then spoke.

“How are we doing?”

He turned to face her. He looked down, nodded, and then looked up. He tried to smile.

“The Aeons,” he began. “They’re taking everything.”

She looked directly at him. For a long moment, they shared a look.

“But we have hope,” he said and smiled. It was a sad smile. But it was also a true smile.

Then he said, “Are there any nice places in town?”

“I think so.”

She jumped off the enclosure and smiled at him. She had buttoned her jacket.

They walked side by side. She held her hands behind her back. His were in his pockets. The flickering lights of the town were visible in the black night.

“Maybe you can come visit here again when…” She didn’t know how to finish her invitation.

He nodded and looked to the distant lights.

They continued their walk in silence. He looked like he was about to break the silence but a beeping sound did it for him. His wrist communicator was flashing red.

“I have to go.”

He turned and ran back to the transport station. She tried to go after him but he was quickly shrinking into the night. When she reached the station, he was gone.

She stood and stared at one of the circular doors. She was breathing heavily and she felt a tingling sensation cover her face. She closed her eyes tightly and tried to wipe the
stinging feeling away. Then the door hissed.

The door opened and he stood inside the transport chamber. He smiled boyishly and waved at her. She smiled and gave out a quick chuckle. She waved at him.

The door closed and the transport station began to hum. Red lights flashed.

She was still looking at the door when the transport station exploded. She was thrown backwards and landed hard on the ground. Then the black night covered everything.

When she opened her eyes she saw a helmeted head hover above her. The man helped her up and asked if she was all right. She nodded but ignored his other questions. She saw an
emergency team inspecting the wreckage. Some of them were still putting out fires in the surrounding area. Members of the militia from the nearest city were also present. A bunch of onlookers were
chattering about lights streaking from the sky. Slowly she walked towards the area where she last saw him. All that was left were pieces of metal. She stared through the smoldering metal and looked
at the ground.

Then she looked up at the stars of the night sky and smiled. It was a sad smile. But it was also a true smile.

DANNAH RUTH BALLESTEROS
earned her Bachelor’s Degree in Creative Writing in English from the University of the Philippines, Diliman in2012. Recently,
she’s been working as a Content Writer for a BPO company, but she still continues to write fiction and poetry, as they are her passion, and trying to get her works published. Some of her works can
also be seen on her tumblr page:
http://danabeeworks.tumblr.com

“Ashes/////Embers” was first published in the online edition of
Diaspora Ad Astra
(2012).

EMIL M. FLORES
is an Associate Professor at the University of the Philippines where he has taught Anglo-American Science Fiction. His memoir,
Virginia
Tech Memories
, published by the UST Publishing House, includes reflections on science fiction and comics. His science fiction and fantasy stories have appeared in collections such as NINE
Supernatural Stories
(UP Press),
Pinoy Amazing Adventures
(PsiCom), and
Tales of Enchantment and Fantasy
(Milflores). He currently writes the indie
espionage comic,
Cadre
, produced by Polyhedron Comics.