Short Stories From Out There

The Keepers of the Colors

"So, how much damage are we looking at here?" he said, looking over a multi-colored panel flashing wildly in the bare control room. A soft breeze was coming from overhead vents.

"Red has taken the worst of it. Yellow, Blue, and Violet are also showing blast damage," she replied.

"Do we know where it came from?" he said as he put his arm around her shoulders. She leaned into him, gazing intently at one of the colors.

"Hmm. Looks like the Serpent might be up to his old tricks. I'm digging up the footage now." She ran her hands across the panel. Various images appeared in the air in front of them.

"Ah. Look. See that apple cart? That's it," he said.

"Yep, that's got to be it. Let's see. The same in the other colors. That's the Serpent, all right." She shook her head while he took a deep breath, his brow furrowed in thought.

An alarm sounded, changing pitch from a low tone to very high and back again.

"Eve! Get those Violets out of there," he yelled.

She replied calmly, "They've got nowhere to go, Adam. Blue is still a mess."

"Drat! Tell the folks in Blue to wait for the Violets before going to—oh, no."

"Most of Blue emptied into Green," she whispered almost too low for him to hear.

"We don't want to lose that color! We lost the color Targe last year and can't afford to lose another," his voice was loud in the small room.

"I know. We're going to have to open a new color," she offered.

He stepped back. "No way, Eve. You know the rules. No new colors until the word comes down from up top."

"We don't have a choice, Adam. We're doomed either way. We need to open a new color. We can at least save those people."

He sighed. "Fine. You're right. Let's do it."

She enunciated carefully, "Captain Eve Godchild authorizing a new color. Name: Indigo"

"Captain Adam Godchild, authorizing," he added.

After a few seconds, a new color appeared on the panel.

"Well, that does it. The new color is going up, and everyone from Violet is going into it," Eve nodded at the panel.

"Repairs should be happening as soon as they get out," Adam said.

"So, where do you think they'll exile us?" she asked.

"Probably one of the border worlds. Some backwoods place without tech," he replied.

"Hmm. It could be nice. Just us, living free in a young world." She smiled at him and took his hand.

"Yeah. Maybe so. If we can survive the first year or two." He leaned in and kissed her on the top of her head.

She turned her face up to him. They kissed again and held each other close. A moment went by quietly. Then she spoke. "I suppose, better say goodbye to as many as we can in the Garden. The Angels will be by any minute to pick us up. I love you, Adam."

"I love you too, Eve."