No Matter What

PROLOGUE I

The destruction of Earth

There was a loud bang outside. Maria Ruffino watched as her next door neighbor’s house went up in smoke. The planes were flying low and were trying to stop the robots from annihilating the Earth. Maria wanted to watch them, but she stayed low. She stooped beneath the window sill and looked through the slat. Her mother was frantically packing several duffel bags behind her.

Maria, get away from the window, Tina Ruffino yelled. She zipped up the last of the bags and grabbed a hold of Maria’s arm. Maria reluctantly went with her mother. She knew that this was the last time they would see the house. She also knew that it was the last time she was going to see the planet.

Tina jumped as another bomb exploded outside. They had been going off for hours now, ever since she had gotten the call from the Admiral. He called to inform her that her husband had been killed in the line of duty. She did not have time to mourn, however, because he had also called to tell her that she and her daughter had official clearance to board the final shuttle headed for the safety of any planet that was not Earth.

Time is running out, Ms. Ruffino, Admiral Hastings had said gravely. The shuttle was going to lift off at 0800 hours, but the robots have been striking with increased intensity every hour and we are afraid we will not be able to hold them back much longer.

What will happen to everyone else? Tina asked.

Ma’am, you should not worry at this time about everyone else. Please pack your bags and get down to the launch site as soon as possible. The flight is confidential at this time, but I’m not sure how long it will remain so. He hung up and she shot up the stairs to get her daughter and her clothes.

As they ran toward the front door, Maria grabbed a photograph that was sitting on the table by the door. She tucked it under her arm and ran with her mother toward the car.

They did not have far to go because they were already living on the base. The launch site had been built within the past year and was only a couple of miles down the road. But, the road was now covered in debris from blown-up buildings and cars. There were pieces of robots twitching along the sides of the highway. Maria sat on her knees and stared wide eyed at the carnage. Instead of blood, the robots were bleeding oil and it was creating a dark pond in the craters.

Tina swerved around loose asphalt and dead bodies. She wiped her eyes with the back of her hand as the tears started to stream down her face. Her vision was blurred, but she was able to see the massive crowd that had formed at the gates of the Army barracks. She slowed down and locked the car doors. People were banging on the windows. Some looked angry and others had a pleading countenance that Tina could not stand to see. She did not know how they chose the lucky ones, but she and Maria had apparently been selected to escape the inevitable destruction of Earth.

The gates were guarded by more than fifty armed guards and they pushed the crowd away to allow Tina’s now dented vehicle through the entrance. Once inside, there was silence. The noise from the crowd outside the gates turned into a quiet hum. Tina headed toward the other, luckier group of people, who were gathered by the large and imposing aircraft.

Maria stepped out of the car. She was still holding the picture in one hand and a stuffed animal in her other hand. Her mother had grabbed the duffel bags and once again took Maria wordlessly by the arm and led her toward the ship.

Admiral! Tina cried. Admiral Hastings turned around. He was holding a phone in one hand and a clip board in the other. He checked Maria and Tina’s names on the list and pointed toward a line.

You will be in section 9. They are boarding now. Here are your passes. Please hurry, he said calmly. Maria and Tina headed toward the line. Ms. Ruffino!

Tina turned around and Maria stopped by her side.

God be with you, Admiral Hastings said.

And you, Tina answered back. She turned back toward the line just as the last person was boarding. Here are our passes, she said to the officer standing at the door to the shuttle. He waved her through and the two ladies entered.

People were walking in every direction as they stepped into the shuttle. Maria watched anxiously and held her mother’s hand tighter. There were large compartments that held several beds and chairs and most of them seemed to have already been filled up. They walked on until they found a semi-empty compartment.

Tina stepped in. Are these beds taken?

No, they’re yours, a woman turned to Tina and Maria. My name is Georgia Daniel. My husband was Sergeant Ryan Daniel with the Fourth Infantry Unit.

Tina and Maria Ruffino. My husband was John Ruffino of the 233rd.

I’m very sorry for your loss. These are very comfortable seats, though. Would you like to sit down? She motioned for Maria and Tina to sit beside her. Maria slowly made her way to the seats.

Put your seat belt on, Tina said quietly. Maria sat in the chair, her feet dangling a few inches above the ground. She pulled the shoulder harness over her head and pushed the buckle together until there was a loud click. The click seemed to echo in her brain. Her father was dead. Her mother had talked about her father as if he were dead.

Mom, Maria said quietly. Is dad ... dead?

Yes, dear, Tina answered. She turned her head to look out the porthole.

Where are we going?

Only God knows, Tina whispered. She felt the hot tears stinging her eyes once again, clouding her vision. Her daughter was eight now. Would she be able to understand the meaning of this war? She would have to shelter her daughter from the evils of technology. She would make sure that when they did get to wherever it was that they were going, she would settle with a community that did not make the same mistakes that they had made on Earth. Tina closed her eyes and prayed for all of those they were leaving behind.

Tina coughed and glanced down at her hand. There were specks of blood scattered on her thumb and index finger. Tina had not been feeling well for the past two weeks. Her husband had told her to lie. If the Air Force had thought that she was sick, they would have declined her passage. The alternative was unthinkable. She quickly wiped her hand on her jeans and glanced over at her daughter. Maria had not taken her eyes off the window. The ground was moving farther away as the shuttle sped upward.

Can we go back? Maria asked.

Darling, there will be nothing to go back to. Georgia explained calmly. She held out a Bible. We will read together and pray that God may lead us to a safe place.

Tina turned her head to look at Georgia. She seemed to be a shrewd sort of woman. Her words were supposed to be calming, but she felt iciness with each word the woman before her spoke.

As the Earth turned into a blurry dot, there was a massive explosion. They saw, rather than felt it. A collective scream rang throughout the ship. The reality of their situation was in front of them and passing them. Pieces of Earth hurtled past the ship. The ship quaked, but was uninjured. The lights had gone out briefly, but were on again only a minute later. After an hour or so, Tina relaxed slightly enough to allow her daughter to take off her seatbelt. She was surprised to find that Maria did not fly off as she would have imagined.

I want to jump like the astronauts do, Maria said, disappointed.

They have created a gravity force similar to Earth in this ship, Georgia stated.

Well, that sucks, Maria blurted out.

Young lady! Tina exclaimed rather weakly.

May I go explore? Maria asked after staring bleakly out the window.

Not by your self, Tina answered.

If you don’t mind, I can take her around. I need to stretch my legs. Georgia interjected.

That would be great, Tina said. She held her arms out for Maria to hug her. Maria ran over and embraced her mother, and then walked out the door with Georgia.

The ship was massive. There were greenhouse areas that had to have been planted long before the conflict. Fresh, large tomatoes grew tall on vines and there were small fields of corn. There was a community cafeteria, where people had already gathered to discuss the destruction. Military men walked by with clipboards and machines that tested the radiation within the ship.

How is everything, Corporal? Georgia asked one of the passing officers.

It seems that there has been no severe damage.

How far do you think we have to go? Maria asked.

Miss, we could be here for years, the man answered. Maria frowned. She already missed Earth.

Who is the captain? Georgia asked as she shifted her weight and stood in front of Maria.

Captain John Erica.

Maria had stopped listening. She peered around the corner at a woman and her son. He was around the same age as she was and she wandered off to say hello. Maria stood next to the table at which they were sitting.

Hello, there, the woman said gently.

Hi, Maria responded.

What is your name?

Maria.

Well, Maria, I am Molly McFadden, and this is my son Neil. She put her arm around her son. Where is your mother?

She’s in our room. She wasn’t feeling well, Maria said.

Well, she might be missing you about now. Why don’t we walk together and go find your mother.

Maria held on to Molly’s hand and the three of them walked to her room. Maria felt a sense of warmth talking with Molly and Neil. Molly was kind and had a soft brogue when she spoke. She was surprised how fast they had reached her room. When she opened the door, her mother was asleep.

Mom, I want you to meet someone. Maria said. Her mother did not respond. Maria strode to her bed and shook her mother’s shoulders.

Mom? Maria cried. She knelt beside the bed and continued to shake her mother. Tina would not wake up. Maria turned her mother’s shoulders so that she would face her. A spot of blood was on the pillow and she could see it on the edge of her mouth. Molly had stepped behind her and held her close. She smelled of cinnamon, which was oddly comforting. Neil held on to Maria’s hand as Molly pulled her away from her deceased mother.

What is going on? Georgia cried as she stepped back into the room. Maria, you should not wander off like that ...

Would you please inform an authority that Maria’s mother has passed away?

Georgia ran off to find someone, while Maria held on to Molly. She was more scared of being alone with Georgia than the fact that her mother was dead.

Will you take care of me?

Of course, we all will, my sweet child, she said, a tear sat at the corner of her eye.

CHAPTER 1

You have to keep your arms up when you block, Erin’s father explained to her. He held up the pads and blocked Erin’s long legged kick. They had been sparring before dinner as they did every evening. It was not so much that her father felt that she would need to defend herself or fight, but his own father, Neil McFad-den had taught him. Erin was Sean McFadden’s only child and he wanted to pass his knowledge on to her. She was good looking and shy; not exactly the type of person anyone would consider lethal.

I know, dad, Erin sighed. She punched the pad hard. She felt a certain satisfaction as her fist connected with the pad. She could always get rid of her frustrations this way.

Okay guys, it’s time to eat. And, Erin, you have company, Shannon McFad-den interrupted softly. She always spoke with a calm, even voice. It was very easy to be lulled off to sleep by her relaxing tones.

Erin dropped her arms and stood straight. She was almost as tall as her father was at five feet eleven inches. But, unlike most tall girls, Erin had perfect posture. Her mother’s incessant nagging about her posture was a deterrent to slouching.

Who’s here? Erin inquired, grabbing the towel that was sitting on the wooden bench in the work out room. The work out room consisted of a bench, a cabinet with clean towels and a shelf where her father kept the punching pads. Most of their workouts consisted of yoga-type exercises, karate and kick-boxing.

Jane and Dave, her mother answered.

Jane Pierce and Erin had become fast friends the summer before her Junior year in high school. They met when Jane went to explore the mountain while trying to escape the Daniel’s annual back-to-school party. Jane was a flighty girl with dark hair and green eyes. She was a triplet and had three other brothers. Erin could only imagine what it was like to have five brothers. Every time she went to Jane’s house, there was utter chaos inside. Jane was left to take care of her family after her mother passed away a few years before.

Hey, guys, Erin smiled up at her friends. Jane gave Erin a hug and they walked over to the dinner table.

Your mom said we could eat with you guys, Jane announced. She grinned eagerly as the smell of roasted turkey