Page 1 of Rebel Fates

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INTERVIEW

GEMMA

Ilean back and close my eyes, collecting my thoughts, enjoying what is hopefully one of my last moments on this insufferable planet. I arrived early at the LunaTek Corp’s Moonbase intake offices, so I took a seat on a park bench outside the facility to wait for my turn for my final interview.

Do I really want to leaveeverythingbehind?

I search through my emotions. Sure, there’s excitement, but there’s also a sense of trepidation. Regardless, I need to put as much space (pun intended) between me and my old life as I can. The moonbase would certainly do the job.

If the Mars project was closer to being completed, then I would request to go there. The farther I can get, the better.

Someone sits down on the bench next to me, but at least they’re on the far end, so I don’t open my eyes to glare at the invader of my personal bubble.

“Having doubts about going?” an old man asks.

He must know I’m here for an interview. I’m definitely dressed for it in my best (okay only) pantsuit purchased expressly to impress potential employers.

I crack open my eyes and give the man an appraising once-over. He’s the old guy who was protesting at the entrance when I drove up—probably some whack job with nothing better to do than to prevent progress.

I don’t respond, hoping to discourage a conversation.

But he’s persistent, as I knew he would be. “I’m not just some grumpy coot without a reason to protest, you know. I’m an astronaut, well, a former astronaut. I’ve been out there…” He leans toward me conspiratorially. “Iknow.”

“Okay, I’ll bite. What’sout there?” I ask, with just the right hint of sarcasm. I even add some air quotes for good measure.

“It’s not just us,” he says, like that should be enough to rattle me.

“The universe would be an enormous waste of space if it was just us.” I shrug. “The cosmos is so big, it would blow our minds to truly contemplate. But why would any aliens be hanging around our unfashionable corner of the Milky Way Galaxy? If they have the ability to travel faster than the speed of light, why would they come here?”

He chuckles, as though I’m the one that sounds ridiculous. “I once said the exact same thing.”

“So, you’ve seen them? Thesealiens?” My sarcasm is now approaching the maximum dosage.

“I’ve not met them in the flesh, but I’ve seen their ships. And our leaders know about them, though they won’t tell the public. I have a few friends with higher clearance than I had, and they know we have dealings with ETs regularly.”

“Dealings?” I narrow my eyes, frustrated by his vague answers. This conversation is heading down Conspiracy Lane, and I don’t like the detour. I just want to get off this damned planet, and away from the pain it’s caused me.

“Earth’s leaders trade people and resources fortheirtechnology.” He leans closer. “How do you think we advanced exponentially in the last two hundred years? From combustion engines to gravitational field transports that fly to amoonbase. We have gone from using leeches to medical nanobots? It isn’t because of our brilliance. It would have taken us so much longer to develop what we have. Centuries longer!”

I gesture at his balding head. “You forgot your tinfoil hat at home.”

“I’ve tried it. It doesn’t work,” he deadpans.

My eyebrows shoot up at his confession. Then he winks playfully.

I huff out a laugh and then ask seriously, “You don’t have any proof that there’s some evil scheme going on, do you?”

“LunaTek and the world’s leaders are too careful about their dealings.” He frowns. “However, let me ask you a question. Have you ever heard of anyone coming back from this new moonbase? And did they even make it there?”

I raise an eyebrow and deflect, “Haveyoubeen to the moonbase?”

“No. But they wouldn’t accept me at my age anyway.” He asks again, “Doyouknow anyone who has come back?”

“I don’t even know anyone who has gone.” Briefly, I consider what he’s inferring. “They told me, for profit’s sake, we have to sign a ten-year tour. With the station being operational for only five years, no one would have come back yet.”

After a conceding grunt, he asks, “Why doyouwant to go so bad?”

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