City Of Phase

by George Willson

  “But you’re trying to carry on his work?” Blake asked.

  “It was our work,” Hector said. “My parents lived in Carburast. I had barely left home when it all happened. I had a little sister. I had friends. They’re all in there. You see, those of us who are trying to do something are very emotionally invested in it working, so you’ll never find a more dedicated group of people. Well, we were a group of people, anyway. With Gerard gone, and our focus spread to the wind, everyone has scattered for the moment. But I remembered you all, so I thought since you were interested in it before, you might still be interested, especially when I learned that one of your group had also become a victim.”

  “There is something to be said for the dedication of people connected to the problem,” Blake said.

  “So where are we going?” Perry asked.

  “The only thing I can think of,” Hector said. “It’s a long shot, but it’s the only shot I have at the moment. We’re going to see the guy that made it.”

  “I thought they were inside,” Blake said, thrown off by the very suggestion.

  “Some of them,” Hector explained. “But you know, something that big has lots of minds behind it. There was one who was instrumental in making it possible, but on the day they turned it on, he was called away to another project. After it all went wrong, and he couldn’t fix it, he was disgraced and left everything behind. Naturally, we’ve always known where to find him.”

  “And I’m sure you’ve consulted him before,” Blake said.

  “Of course,” Hector replied. “He wasn’t sure about the power grid either, but figured it was worth a try.”

  Blake sighed and leaned back in his chair, considering this. People only had so much to give when it came to information, and if he were truly interested in solving this problem, he would have told them everything they needed to know and then some. He undoubtedly exhausted his every effort when it originally happened. The knowledge would be nice on how it worked, but he did not see how that would get them any closer to a solution. He had to find out what Hector had in mind, so he asked, “What can we hope to gain from talking to him?”

  “You guys can get inside for at least a little while before phasing, right?” Hector asked.

  “We don’t know how long, but yes,” Blake replied hesitantly. He had a feeling he knew where Hector was going with this. “Even our friend was a few minutes before she went out, and the two of us might have even longer, but that’s risky.”

  “Thing is, we never asked how the machine, itself, worked, since we knew we’d never be able to get close enough to physically shut it down.”

  “You want us to go inside?” Perry asked, picking up on the plan. He looked at Blake, worried about this since if they wanted to go inside, they could have let Halloway throw them in. Then again, he would not have allowed them to run further into the city knowing they could last long enough to escape. While the idea had merit, it concerned him since he could not guarantee or have any way to know how long they had once inside. They might not ever reach the controls.

  “I want to talk to Dr. Velata first,” Hector said, in part, to reassure them that he was not just planning to send them in blind. “He might have an idea we don’t.”

  Blake nodded. It was likely the safest course of action. “Are we in for a long drive then?” he asked.

  “A couple of hours,” Hector said. “Just sit back.”

  “I assume we won’t need to stop for gas then?” Perry asked. Hector turned to look back to Perry, clearly having no idea what Perry was asking.

  “Stop for what?” Hector asked. Blake closed his eyes and shook his head. Perry had picked up a lot in their travels, but there were times when he had trouble detaching from home. Understandable, of course, since that was all he knew, but he did fail to pay attention.

  “It’s electric, Perry,” Blake pointed out. “Surely, you notice the complete lack of rumbling from under the hood.”

  Blake had picked up on the vehicle construction pretty quickly as another common element among the worlds he had visited, especially those who used the atmospheric solar power combination. The electric vehicles typically used a four way power combination to charge the batteries that drove them. The first was a solar array that made up the surfaces that faced the sky, which had advanced to the point that they could be colored without losing any of their functionality. The second power driver was a set of generators driven by the axles very much like a combustion engine spun its alternator with a belt. The generators were hooked into the batteries simply to charge them on the go. It was not perpetual motion since energy was always lost, but it extended the range of the vehicles exponentially along with wind powered generators that sat just behind the front grill that spun using the wind produced by the vehicle’s movement. The fourth generator was simply the plug that could hook the vehicle to a conventional power supply though it was rarely used when these other methods were employed. He could not say that this world’s vehicles used all four of these methods, but since Hector mentioned a couple of hours, he assumed it would have at least a couple of these in the vehicle somewhere.

  “Oh,” Perry said, the realization showing as a bit of embarrassment. “Yeah.”

  “You guys really aren’t from around here,” Hector noted.

  “No, we’ve come a long way,” Blake replied.

  “Then sit back and enjoy the ride,” Hector said. “We have nothing but road ahead of us.”

  Blake sat back and tried to relax. His mind spun with the events that led them to this point, and he reflected that he had hardly rested well since they had arrived, though that was often par for their adventures. His concern had always been the Carburast shield, though he could never say for certain what their purpose was on a planet until it was done. With Michelle trapped in the city, however, he knew for certain that one of their tasks was to shut the shield down and rescue those people, and it was turning into such a task that he could hardly imagine that there was anything else that required them here. He guessed that once they reached wherever they were going, rest would be a commodity in short supply, so he resolved to close his eyes and relax while he could while his mind continued to race.

  CHAPTER FOURTEEN

  It was hard to rest in a vehicle with bullet holes. The sound of the road rolling by was only part of the problem. Another consisted of the wind whistling through the holes in the windshield and out the completely missing rear window. If it were just the wind blowing, it might have been tolerable, but it not only whistled through the holes in the front, it also made the trip very cold. Blake had not intended to sleep, of course, but doing much more than staring hopelessly out of what remained of the front windshield seemed impossible.

  He was also concerned for Hector and his arm. Despite his reassurances, Hector’s arm was hurting him quite badly, and Blake was afraid he might pass out before they ever had a chance to stop and help him. The vehicle was not made for one-handed operation, but Hector was doing it anyway. He needed to have a look at the wound to see how bad it was, but Hector insisted that they could not stop on the open road, so his only chance would be when they reached their destination and hope that Hector did not force him to learn to drive from the passenger seat after fainting from blood loss. Any time Hector swerved the slightest bit, Blake looked at him, but Hector was resolute.

  To an extent, the road hypnosis helped as the time sort of bled together through the silence everyone held. They had passed through several little towns just off the highway that cut through this empty country, and occasionally Hector would name them, but for the most part, the scattered buildings passed without incident on the endless plains. Clouds rolled in overhead, and Blake hoped against hope that it would not rain while they were driving in their vehicle still impersonating Swiss cheese.

  One thing did occur to Blake as they traveled that he nearly missed from their last conversation with Halloway. He had dismissed it initially as a snide remark, but now that he actually had some time
to consider it, he found it troubling. Halloway had commanded Blake to put something on that paper and if he were satisfied in the morning, Perry would not be put into the city. This was simply a threat, but then Halloway referred to it as his own thousand and one nights, in a very clear reference to the story of Scheherazade and the Arabian Nights, something of which a resident of an alien world should have absolutely no knowledge.

  He knew that these people did not know about Earth, and they did not generally believe in life on other planets. He could not be certain of what language they spoke, nor could Hector really explain that to them. He had to think of something that would carry over somehow from Earth through many years even though they were nowhere near it. Something that even if people forgot their roots and origins, it would be big enough to endure.

  “Hector, does the word ‘Christmas’ mean anything to you?” Blake asked casually. Hector chuckled. Blake was not sure what to make of it.

  “Are you serious?” Hector asked.

  “Most of the time,” Blake said. “You know Christmas then?”

  “We’re a few months early for it,” Hector explained.

  “You know what Christmas is?” Perry asked in surprise.

  “Do you?” Hector asked them in return. “I thought you weren’t from around here.”

  “I’m beginning to wonder,” Blake said. “What is the year?”

  “Fifteen fifty-two,” Hector replied. Blake sat back and shook his head. “Is that significant?” Hector asked.

  “I know we’re not on Earth,” Blake said. “But you have a holiday that comes from Earth. And according your history, you have always been on this planet?”

  “What kind of question is that?” Hector scoffed. “Where else would we have come from?”

  “Oh, perhaps a colony established fifteen hundred years ago that has forgotten its roots,” Blake suggested. “Of course, colonies normally stay in touch with their home world which makes me wonder what happened. Especially if you’ve not spoken to them in so long.”

  “Some wackos out there do think we came from somewhere else, but that’s ridiculous,” Hector said.

  “Still, you have Christmas,” Blake said. “It’s got to mean something.”

  “You’ll have a hard time convincing anyone of that,” Hector said.

  “Of that, I have no doubt,” Blake said. He knew this meant something. In the case of this world, something linked them back to Earth, but he had no idea what it could be. If they were a colony, they would know about their home world, but if they were an independent culture, they could not know about the Arabian Nights or the Christmas holiday. He was not sure whether he would learn the answers while they were here, but he would look it up when they got back to the Maze at the very least.

  Not long after this discussion, a large city loomed before them under the rain clouds still gathering overhead, and Hector confirmed that this was their destination. It seemed to appear out of nowhere because of its immense size. Usually, large cities like this had numerous little towns followed by suburbs before hitting the big city, but this one was all plains followed by all urbanization.

  “Welcome to Domus,” Hector told them as they drew closer, “one of the oldest cities on Keersh. It was our capital for a long time, but then the capital moved off to Jazrecian a couple of centuries ago. I forget why.”

  “A couple of centuries is a long time,” Blake said. “It’s a wonder anyone remembers Domus being the capital at all.”

  “Just visit anywhere in the city, and they’ll make you well aware of it,” Hector said. “It’s about all they have left to claim. Most of it is slums and assistance housing with the richest being those in charge of making sure it all doesn’t fall down around them.”

  “How long was it the capital?” Perry asked.

  “That I don’t know,” Hector asked. “Longer than anyone has ever told me. There aren’t any ancient buildings or anything that I know of. Stuff gets torn down and rebuilt all the time.”

  “So much for history,” Perry said.

  “Most people do well to keep up with the present, much less the past,” Blake pointed out. “This is why the past tends to repeat itself so often; it gets forgotten.”

  As they neared the city, the road split off in several directions, and predictably, the direction they took led away from what appeared to be the cleaner end of town toward the less maintained areas.

  The rain finally cut loose which only further served to enhance the gloom of the area where they had found themselves. The buildings here were old and grey and forgotten. Signs of multiple builders showed on buildings that looked like they were just stacked on top of each other to keep everyone close together, similar to how the Kowloon Walled City on Earth used to be, but with proper roads. An arrangement that made little sense considering just how much space there was beyond the city limits.

  “Why is everyone packed in so tightly here?” Blake asked. “Your country doesn’t appear to be running out of space. We must have come a hundred miles from Carburast and only passed a few little towns.”

  “Don’t take this as a representation of Pilkrand as a whole,” Hector said. “The other side of the city is very nice. This mess is the result of a government program to provide housing to the destitute. Worked out well, don’t you think?” The sarcasm in Hector’s was more than evident.

  “Carburast was built away from everyone in the middle of nowhere when it went up,” Hector continued. “Point Light is the only town close to it, and sort of sprang up as a suburb for people who wanted to be close, but weren’t part of that scientific community. Carburast was very exclusive.”

  “So it isn’t like you can’t build out that way,” Perry said. “People just didn’t?”

  “Right,” Hector said. “Those who live here either can’t or won’t live elsewhere, but I promise that other parts are much better. You sort of came into the underbelly of our country.”

  “We usually do,” Perry noted.

  “So why does your doctor live in this area?” Blake asked as Hector pulled to a stop on the side of the road.

  “Self-deprecation, I believe,” Hector replied, turning the vehicle off. “Doctor Velata lives in a building near here. I understand he felt guilty about the Carburast situation, and decided to isolate himself in the midst of a city. Specifically, as you can see, hiding in a worn out part of the city. We found him years ago, but at the time, getting into Carburast wasn’t an option.”

  “Near here?” Blake asked.

  “Well, we’re about a block away,” Hector said.

  “Are you expecting trouble?” Blake asked.

  “Well, since you’ve already shown an interest in taking the shield down,” Hector replied, “and you were rescued a second time, I think Major Halloway will suspect we’ll come here. He knows where Velata is as well. He won’t care much to talk to him, but since he knows that our group has spoken to Velata for help before, he might come by to try and catch us.”

  “I suppose that sort of makes sense,” Blake nodded recalling Halloway’s determination but wondering just how far that determination could extend. “So you think he can tell us about getting inside?”

  “You two said you were in the city,” Hector said, a little excitement coming through in his voice. “I’m sure he knows how you can get to the actual control panel for the shield.”

  “We’re as susceptible as you are,” Perry said hesitantly.

  “Not entirely,” Blake noted, remembering their arrival. “We will phase eventually, true, but we might last just long enough, if we can get close enough.”

  “Big if,” Perry said, unconvinced. “Michelle was phasing not long after we arrived.”

  “Even so, she lasted quite a while when Halloway had her pushed in,” Blake said. “The only scary part is that we don’t know how long we have once we’re inside.”

  “Well, Velata is the one to help us with this,” Hector said.

  “You’re sure he’ll go along with it?�
�� Blake asked.

  “I know he wants to fix Carburast,” Hector assured them, “and so he’ll entertain anyone who can help him do that. Shall we go?” Hector opened his door to exit, but Blake stopped him.

  “Before we go anywhere, let me see your arm,” Blake said extending his hand. Hector looked at him dubiously, but finally pulled up his sleeve and relented his wounded arm.

  “How does it feel?” Blake asked.

  “Oh, you know,” Hector replied, “looks terrible and there’s the constant, throbbing pain, but other than that, I’m fine.”

  Blake nodded looking over the gunshot wound, and while the bleeding had long since stopped, the hole was very apparent. He took his scanner from his pocket and accessed a general medical app. It detected no apparent infection, and the bullet had lodged against the bone of his arm, explaining the pain that Hector felt. He would continue to feel it until they could remove the bullet, but basic tweezers were not a gadget Blake normally carried.

  “I don’t suppose you have a medical kit or even tweezers in here, do you?” Blake asked.

  “No, I travel pretty light,” Hector replied. “Sorry.”

  “Sorry for you more than me,” Blake said putting away his scanner. “That bullet is still in your arm, and it’s not going to feel any better until we get it out. Hopefully your Doctor Velata can help us out with this as well. Might even consider it more urgent. You going to be all right to show us where to go from here?”

  “Of course,” Hector said, the pain apparent in his voice. “Let’s go.” He immediately got out of the car, pulled his sleeve back down over his wound, and cradled his arm. Blake and Perry followed him, and together, they crossed the street to where an alley passed between two tall buildings straight through to the next block over. Rain passed over the opening far above their heads leaving them momentarily dry in the storm.