Kaiju Preservation Society(21)

We newbies, whom she had gathered on Tanaka Base’s main thoroughfare, waited politely. Some of us may also have been a little drunk; the Red Team goodbye party had been a little more intense than we expected.

“First, welcome, I’m Brynn, but you knew that. I know who each of you are because I have your files, but I’m also, you recall, a little drunk right now, so I’m not going to pretend to remember which of you is which. I will have it down tomorrow, I promise. And speaking of tomorrow”—she pointed to a modest wooden structure, a bit down the path—“I’ll see all of you in the administration building at nine a.m., after breakfast, to start your orientation. I’ll try to make it quick so you can get to your work as quickly as possible. I know you’re all scientists”—she stopped and looked at me—“except you, you’re our new grunt.”

I grunted.

“Anyway you all have jobs, and you’re all smart, so we’ll rush you through it. As for tonight…” She pointed down the other way. “You’ve all been assigned the same barracks suite, which is that way, don’t worry, your last names are on the door, keys inside, along with a fresh set of jumpsuits, you’ll be fine, you’re smart, you’ll figure it out, but if you can’t just ask literally anyone, they’ll help you, because we’re not assholes here. Well, some of us are, but even they will help you. If they don’t we’ll feed them to the tiny bloodsucking insects. You saw those earlier today. Hey, did you see the frogs?”

We nodded. We had seen the frogs, which lived in little decorative ponds peppered around the base. Aside from being the closest things to pets that there were at Tanaka Base, they also served the purpose of eating any flying insects that managed to get inside the netting. The insects would sense the water, go in for a drink, and then frogs would get them. Natural insecticide. Also cute. Aparna, our biologist, wondered if they were from here or if they were imported from our Earth, but it was a party, so that question remained unanswered for now, and Aparna may also have now been slightly drunker than the rest of us and not in a state of mind to receive an answer.

“We love the frogs,” MacDonald said. “I know you know where the community center’s at, because it is literally right there”—she pointed to the building right by the walkway to the airfield—“and you should come back tonight after you get yourself situated because it’s a Gold Team tradition to watch movies together the first night. Tonight we’re watching—wait for it—Godzilla, and then Pacific Rim. Because, you know”—we waved, to signal the world. “And that’s the original, uncut Japanese version of Godzilla, not the bullshit American recut with Aaron Burr.”

“Raymond Burr,” I said.

“Oh, jeez, right.” MacDonald tapped her head, lightly. “Sorry. Got a whole lot of Hamilton going on up here. Also I’m a little drunk. Any questions?”

We had none. MacDonald dismissed us, by which I mean she waved goodbye vaguely with her drink and then wandered off.

“I really don’t know what to make of this place,” Aparna said, watching her go.

“I like it,” Kahurangi said. He still had the uke and was plucking one of the strings absentmindedly.

“Let’s go find our barracks suite,” Niamh said. “I can’t wait to see what it looks like. And whatever it looks like, I get the top bunk.”

There was no top bunk. The barracks suite with our names on it was a tiny freestanding cottage in a row of tiny freestanding cottages that stretched well down a wooden path that was clearly meant to be the residential area of the base. The suite consisted of a small common room with a couch, table with chairs, and bookshelves. A monitor was placed between the bookshelves and was currently showing a screen saver. On the bookshelves were individually labeled packages—presumably our additional jumpsuits.

Two short, narrow hallways on either side of the common room revealed the individual bedrooms, each already with our names on their doors, which were wide enough for a twin bed and a small path to a wardrobe and a tiny desk with a chair. A small shelf was above the desk. A small window was above the bed. The bed included a mattress, a pillow, two sets of sheets and pillowcases. The desk had a folder on it, which said Tanaka Base Guide and Directory. On the shelf was an envelope, which read New Occupant, and a small plant in a tiny pot. I went into my room and walked over to the desk and picked up the envelope.

“Where’s the kitchen?” I heard Aparna say.

“Forget the kitchen, where’s the damn loo?” Niamh responded.

“Check the base guide,” I yelled back.

“The what?”

“It’s in your room,” I said, and then opened the envelope. There was a letter inside.

Dear new occupant,

It’s tradition here when we swap out our lodgings that we leave a note and a small gift for the new occupant, to welcome them and to wish them luck with their tour. This time, it’s bitter sweet for me because I’ve decided this will be my last tour. No one else knows this yet; you’re the first person I’ve told besides myself.

I paused at this, and then kept reading.

It’s also bittersweet because when we leave this world behind we leave everything about it behind. We can take nothing from it and tell no one of it. Three years of my life—four tours!—and all I have is the memory. It’s one of the reasons I have to leave it. As wonderful as it has been, it feels like too much of my life has been unreal. Imaginary. Maybe I’m the only one who feels this way, but even if it’s just me it’s enough. It’s time for me to go back to the real world, and have a real life.