Lifeline

Engulfed by shadows, Magsaysay looked thin. In the years since the death of Ramis’s parents, the dato had tried to treat him like a son. But Ramis was a loner, very independent. Maybe it was because of Magsaysay’s advanced age, or his position of power, but he had never filled the void that was left.

But now, when Magsaysay thought he was unobserved, Ramis saw how distraught he seemed. He looked old.

The dato muttered to himself, as if in deep thought. “What if this starts the process snowballing again? What if we allow it to happen once more?”

Ramis decided to speak up. “Father?”

Magsaysay turned abruptly. “Ramis! I did not know you were here.”

Ramis pushed aside a strand of pliant wall-kelp and stepped forward. “What do you mean, starting the process snowballing again?”

Magsaysay looked out the observation window. He sounded afraid to turn around. “We are surviving, Ramis. Dr. Sandovaal projects that even with an increase in population, the Aguinaldo will manage. The Filipino people have succeeded and our culture will endure. With Luis’s wall-kelp, we have won, truly won, perhaps for the first time.”

“But Orbitech 1—”

Magsaysay looked back at Ramis and put a hand on his shoulder. “You are doing a brave thing, Ramis. If you are successful, Orbitech 1 will be able to pull through this crisis as well. With food, they have the resources to rebuild things. They have capabilities far beyond ours.” He tightened his grip.

“And that is what frightens me. How long will it take them to forget? How soon before we on the Aguinaldo go back to being their ‘little brown brothers,’ forever relying on the West? Even though we outnumber them twenty-five to one, it is hard for me to tear away from the past.

“For years we lived in the shadow of the Americans. We were content to let them keep their military bases on our soil, to respond to their whims. The Filipino culture nearly died out as we tried to imitate the United States. Even on the Aguinaldo, Tagalog is rarely spoken anymore. You know it because I have insisted you learn. The others know it, but we are enamored of English when we speak. Listen to me—even me.” He shook his head.

“Only when the Filipino people put their foot down did things change. When we declared war on Switzerland and forced the Swiss to open their financial records and divulge the whereabouts of our country’s lost fortunes, then the world took notice. Only after we kicked the Americans out and allowed the Soviets into our country did the United States take us seriously.” He swept his arms around. “And look what we got for it: this shining, expensive colony—a bribe, to allow the Americans to retain their status quo.”

Ramis could see tears of anger in the president’s large brown eyes. Magsaysay’s hand trembled, and he withdrew his grip. He flexed his fingers and looked at them wonderingly.

“This colony was to be our new beginning, our hope for a future that we could never realize on Earth. The War severed all ties, and now we have proved that we can overcome the obstacles from the past.” He shook his head.

“In some ways, it would be better if you did not go. I am very afraid of what the Orbitech people might eventually do if they survive. Already, their half-finished Orbitech 2 sits in our backyard here at L-4. What if they want more and more, as it always happens?” He stared at Ramis.

“What if I am to blame for all that happens, just by allowing you to go?” He was silent for a long time. He placed a hand on Ramis’s shoulder. “We have been keeping something from you—something you need to know before you get to Orbitech 1.” The dato seemed to have trouble continuing.

“Something terrible just happened on Orbitech 1—one hundred and fifty of their people have been killed, by decree of the director. And now, apparently, the director has been murdered as well.”

Ramis spoke without hesitating. “Was it rioting? What happened?”

Magsaysay squeezed Ramis’s shoulder. “They were apparently sacrificed to save the colony. A ten percent reduction of personnel to make the remaining supplies last longer. The associate director of the station has now taken over—Curtis Brahms. I know little about him. He has been there only a few months. Orbitechnologies seems to have thought highly of him.

“They are desperate, Ramis. They are starving. It is worse than we thought. You … you are stepping into something much deeper than we expected. If you want to change your mind and not go, no one will blame you.” His eyes searched Ramis’s.

Ramis was at a loss for words. “Surely you cannot let all those people starve—”

Magsaysay dropped his hands to his sides and took a deep breath. He forced a smile. “No, no—it is an old man’s nightmare. To do nothing would be unthinkable, both for them and for us. You must save Orbitech 1, Ramis. And I must pray my fears for you are false.”

Chapter 20

AGUINALDO—Day 18