Blackout

by Phaedra M. Weldon

  “Heaters, yeah. But not your old-timey weapons.”

  “‘Old-timey’?” Tev said with a sniff.

  “Y’know, swords, clubs, sticks, stones, daggers.” The Iotian winked. “Works for them Klingon mooks. Hell, a good rifle’d work fine, too.”

  Stevens smiled. “Yeah, yeah—I get the point. Not sure about the Klingon analogy, though—seems like a cowardly way to press in.”

  “Aw, no. Less muss. No fuss. And,” he held up the index finger of his right hand, “not so many bodies for the coppers to clean up.”

  “Interesting theory, Vinx.” Gold spoke over the combadges.

  “Sir?” came a familiar voice behind them. They turned to see Gomez and Soloman standing at the inner door to the reactor controls. “We’ve pinpointed the dampener’s point of origin.”

  Stevens said, “I’ll lay ten-to-one odds it’s the excavation site.”

  The Bynar tilted his head to his thin right shoulder. “Then you would win.”

  “Why am I not surprised? You copy that, Captain?”

  “Yes, I did. I’ll contact Corsi, see if they’ve found anything.”

  Gomez said, “Sir, I’d like to go help them out, try to find the power source and shut it down. That would solve most of our problems.”

  “Good idea. Later on, we can worry about the whys and what-fors. Gold out.”

  Tev nodded to Gomez. “I’ll contact L’Olan and request a shuttle.” He looked at Stevens and Soloman. “Specialists, I suggest we get back to solving this world’s power problems.”

  Stevens frowned. “What for? We’ve already proven no matter what we do to get the fusion reactor going that dampening field is going to just zap it back out.”

  Tev straightened his posture. Because Stevens remained on his knees, his back against the building’s wall, he towered over the noncom. Otherwise he would have had to strain his neck to look the officer in the eye. “Our assignment is to help these people get their systems back online. We will not give up on them, even if the odds are difficult. Is that understood?”

  Stevens stood and smiled. “Yes, sir.” He, Soloman, and Vinx headed to the reactor room.

  Gomez smiled at Tev. “Nicely done.” She headed off toward the administration building.

  Tev gave the setting sun a final glance. The crew was finally starting to adjust to his leadership. He was pleased.

  Bart tossed the pen onto the table and rubbed at his face. Fatigue pressed down on his shoulders—that and hunger. His stomach wouldn’t accept much of anything to eat, thanks to the remaining effects of the stimulant. His hands shook and his vision blurred every now and then.

  I need a nap. Jewlan and I’ve been working for six hours straight on this. He looked up at the small corridor made of stacked obstacles and wondered if the sun had set. He’d assumed so because of the drop in temperature. Earlier he’d removed his outer jacket and draped it over Jewlan’s chair. Now he thought maybe he was going to need to put it back on to avoid the night chill.

  He also wondered where Jewlan had wondered off to. He’d not seen her or Carol or Corsi in nearly three hours. Together they’d deciphered the fifth symbol as a representation of spirit, or life.

  As for the sixth, they still stumbled in the dark.

  He heard a footstep behind him. Bart started to rise, to turn and look at who had entered. Hands pushed down with gentle firmness on his shoulders, then squeezed with just the right amount of pressure. Massaging away tension he didn’t know he had.

  Carol sometimes rubbed his shoulders, though she tended to use the motion as a way to think out loud. Bart enjoyed it from time to time, only not when she got excited as she conveyed to him her idea, whatever it might be at the time. That was usually when he cried “uncle” from the floor.

  Bart sighed. “Oh, that feels nice…a little lower.”

  His masseur pressed harder, lower on his back. The grip was strong and warm.

  “How does this feel?”

  That wasn’t Carol’s voice. Nor was it Corsi’s. Or Jewlan’s…

  Bart moved to his right and turned, twisting out from beneath the nice hands. His hip bumped the table and several scrolls moved to the side.

  A tall, dark-haired male Asarion moved quickly, preventing the precious parchments from dropping to the floor.

  Bart froze as he watched the man set the scrolls back on the table. The movements—even the slight hesitation when he smiled—they all belonged to Jewlan.

  But this wasn’t Jewlan.

  The male dipped his head and smiled. “Hi, Bart.” He then offered the linguist his arms, bent at the elbow, his hands palms up. “Please, I know this is going to be a shock for you, so I figure an introduction is right.”

  Bart could only stare at the outstretched hands. He looked up into the face. Everything was different, but similar. This could be Jewlan’s brother—not a twin—but a close match. His hair was close-cropped as Jewlan’s had been. High cheekbones sloped down to a strong, firm, squared chin.

  And his eyes.

  Those were Jewlan’s. Bright, and very blue.

  “Bart?”

  “Uh…” The linguist stepped forward and hesitantly placed his hands over his. “Sorry. I’m just a bit floored.”

  “As you should be. In this form, I’m called Jolen.”

  “Nice to meet you, Jolen.”

  “I’m afraid we don’t really have as much in common like this,” he said, and then held up his left hand. Bart noticed the smudge was still there. “I can still write, and I do every day.”

  “Well, nothing inside has really changed,” Bart said, and realized his left arm and Jolen’s right were still interlocked. He pulled his hand back and rubbed at his beard. “I mean, you’re still Jewlan. Inside. Just not on the outside.”

  “Bart!”

  He jerked at the sound of his name. Frustration flared for a brief second. It felt as if he’d been interrupted at a first contact moment. “Yeah, back here.”

  Carol and Corsi appeared around the corner. Carol nodded to Jolen before speaking. “I see you two have re-met?”

  “You already knew this had happened?” He frowned at Carol, and then at Corsi.

  “You were busy. We watched.” A slight quiver pulled at the security chief’s full mouth. “Fascinating.”

  “Where’s Riz?” Bart looked about the room.

  “She’s sleeping off her latest stimulant,” Jolen said. When Bart and Carol looked wide-eyed at him, he put up a hand. “I’ll explain later about Riz’s little Poplin addiction.”

  “Which is what has me worried about you,” Carol interrupted, fixing Bart with a concerned stare. “Evidently when the stimulant ends there is a crash point. So—maybe you’d better go lay down in the shuttle.”

  Bart waved at her. “I’m fine.”

  Carol nodded slowly. “Okay…but don’t say I didn’t warn you.”

  “I’ll keep an eye on him,” Jolen said.

  She raised an eyebrow at the Asarion. “Uh-huh. Anyway, Gold called. Gomez is coming out to help us shut down the dampening field.”

  “Then I was right?” Jolen’s eyes lit up. Brighter than usual.

  “Apparently so,” Carol said. “The dampening effect is originating here and pulsing out using a very well-hidden array of sensors all over the planet. The only thing I’m afraid of is that the control panel for such a device is probably through that door.” She pointed to the chamber door.

  Jolen shook his head. “Actually, I think I know exactly where it is. I found it when I was exploring the day before the blackout.”

  “You knew?” Bart said. The other two looked at the tall Asarion with the same expression of incredulity. “And you didn’t say anything?”

  “I couldn’t.” Jolen raised his shoulders and gave a palms’-up. “I wasn’t Jolen. Riz was watching me.”

  “Oh, this is nuts,” Corsi muttered. “Well, Jolen, can you show us where this panel is located?”

  “Yes, I’d love to. I’ve been
wanting to open it and check it out for two days.” He turned to Bart. “Are you coming?”

  The linguist hesitated. “Well, I…” He really needed a break.

  “Please? I’d like for you to come and see too.”

  His presence wasn’t really required, but Bart found himself wanting to join Jolen, even if he was a bit annoyed with him. He was sifting through a few confusing feelings of discomfort at Jolen’s presence. He knew inside it was still the cryptographer. Jolen had the same easygoing attitude as Jewlan, and the same smile and dimple. There was even a similar cadence to his speech pattern.

  Jolen also gave him the same pixieish smile Jewlan had on several occasions. Only it looked different on Jolen.

  On Jolen it looked nice, much like the coy look Anthony gave him when he wanted to do something Bart didn’t want to.

  “I need a break.” Bart grabbed the outer jacket of his uniform and slipped it on. “Let’s go.”

  Bart caught the furtive glance Carol gave him and hung back for a moment as Corsi followed Jolen out of the Fourth Chamber. “What?”

  “You okay? You’re awfully pale—and you’ve got dark circles under your eyes.”

  “I’m fine,” Bart snapped, unable to control his abrupt irritableness. His head had started to pound again behind his eyes.

  Carol narrowed her eyes. “I’m not sure I’ve seen you this tense in a while—not since the wedding. You thinking of Anthony or is it Jolen?”

  Bart glared at her. “What kind of question is that? Why would my thinking of either them make me tense?”

  “Bart—I’m not blind. Neither is Corsi. It’s obvious Jewlan has a crush on you, and I think in a fashion you like her. And when she’s in Alpha State, female, you’re safe. You can’t tell me you didn’t feel that inside.” Carol frowned, the smooth skin between her eyebrows pinched. “Those safeties are off now, Bart. Jolen is quite an attractive man. And you’re here, on a planet far away from Anthony, from whom you feel estranged.”

  “Anthony and I are not estranged.” Fury churned in the pit of Bart’s stomach. He was shaking. “I’m just not—” He licked his lips. “This isn’t really the time to discuss this, Carol.”

  She narrowed her eyes at him. “Are you angry at me, Bart? You have to be careful here—just for your own personal conduct. Jewlan and Jolen are the same person, understand?”

  “Why are you harping at me about this? I told her about myself and Anthony. She—uhm, he—knows I love Anthony. I’m a bit insulted that you think that little of me, Carol. That I would sacrifice what I have with Anthony for a pretty face?”

  “Jolen’s not just a pretty face, Bart. It’s still Jewlan on the inside. It’s just become more complicated now that she’s a he, hasn’t it?”

  “Complicated?”

  “Jolen would still carry the same feelings as Jewlan. Only Jolen isn’t asking something from you—like marriage.”

  Bart marched around her, heading through the passage.

  “Bart, please,” Carol called out. “I wouldn’t blame you. And I’m not judging you.”

  He stopped where he was but didn’t turn to face her.

  “I’m just worried, that’s all. You don’t seem yourself since your blackout with that drink, and in a close situation like this things can get pretty…intense. Just watch what you’re doing.”

  Bart opened his mouth to speak but this time the words crowded in on the tip of his tongue, so many that he closed his mouth instead and continued down the path to the chamber door.

  What bothered him more was that she was right.

  The panel was located behind a tapestry in the Second Chamber, closest to the door to the Third Chamber, just on the other side of the running water. After pressure-releasing the door, Jolen studied the internal switches for a few seconds before pulling his palm-pad from his back pocket.

  “Do you know how to operate it?” Corsi stood just to his left, peering in at the glowing mechanism inside.

  Jolen shook his head. “Not at the moment. Just give me five seconds. Most electrical technology works the same, only the engineering of it is sometimes different. Ah…there it is.”

  “Are you sure?” Corsi said. “You know, last time you pressed buttons, there was a worldwide blackout. Maybe we should wait for Gomez to get here.”

  Jolen leaned out and gave the tall blonde a scathing look. She was right, but he didn’t want to admit that just yet.

  And this time, he was certain he knew what he was doing.

  Jolen moved back behind the panel’s door and gave up a silent prayer. He hoped he knew what he was doing and pressed a simultaneous pattern of buttons.

  Nothing happened. But then—nothing had happened before.

  One of the Starfleet combadges beeped. “Gold to Corsi.”

  Corsi tapped her badge as Jolen moved from behind the panel. He looked for Bart and saw the linguist standing a few feet away.

  “Corsi here, Captain. Any change?”

  “I’ll say. The dampening field’s gone. Did Gomez arrive?”

  “Not yet. It was Jolen who shut it down.”

  Carol smiled at Jolen. “Sir, this is Abramowitz. Did you have Haznedl run those tests?”

  “Yes, and she just finished with the results. I’ll have her download them to your tricorder. I think you’ll find her results pretty enlightening. Tev is heading up a detail to help L’Olan get things back in order. I’ll divert Gomez back to the city.”

  Bart spoke up. “Captain, we still haven’t opened up the final chamber.”

  “Go ahead and get it open. It might shed some light on who built that defense system and why. Just don’t cause another blackout, please. Gold out.”

  Jolen moved from behind the panel and stood beside Carol. He watched the data as it rolled across her screen. His first suspicions since triggering the dampening field were right. Things he’d known he was right about but hadn’t been able to discuss.

  It was a suspicion he’d had ever since finding the Fourth Chamber.

  “This is a ship, isn’t it?” Jolen looked at Carol as she looked up at him.

  She nodded. “Yes. And it’s deep into the ground. Though I’m unsure how these chambers fit in.” The cultural specialist shook her head. “According to the readings I had Haznedl take, the area around the ship doesn’t show any geological stress.”

  “Any what?” Jolen said.

  Bart took a step forward. “She means this ship didn’t crash-land in this spot, damaging the platelets around the area.”

  Corsi spoke up. “Were there any signs of geothermal damage? Like molten rock in the case of thrusters as evidence of a landing?”

  “Some. But not enough as evidence that a ship this size landed.”

  Frowning, Corsi then asked, “Was it built here?”

  “That’s always a possibility.” Bart rubbed at his beard. “The Asarions don’t really know much about the previous civilization, save for a few sites such as this one. It would be quite a find if all of them turned out to be downed ships of some kind.”

  “Or maybe the previous inhabitants built them for a mass exodus?”

  Jolen shook his head, though he kept his attention focused on Bart. Is he avoiding me? He hasn’t looked at me at all. “Why would a race build such a weapon as this?” He gestured to the panel with a nod. “For an evacuation of this world? I’m more inclined to believe this ship was part of an invasion. Only something went wrong.”

  “Why do you say that?” Corsi said.

  “Well, most of the sites we’ve excavated are little more than rubble, save for a few temples that all resemble this one. One of our leading archaeologists discovered a set of scrolls forty kilometers from the first temple site whose writing doesn’t match anything we’ve ever found. So we have to ask ourselves; Is that the only evidence we have of the previous inhabitants? And this…” He held his hands up to indicate the chamber. “This is all that is left of the invading force?”

  “I think we’ll know more once
we get the Fifth Chamber open.” Bart started to turn and leave. He paused and looked back at Jolen. “Is there anything else you haven’t mentioned? Any other panels or secret passages that didn’t fall into your gender-specific role?”

  “Bart!” Carol called out, lowering her padd. “That was uncalled for.”

  “No, it wasn’t.” The linguist took a tense step forward and pointed at Jolen. “You’ve known all this time, maybe even before we arrived, how to turn off that dampening field, and you didn’t. Why? Because your gender-specific role was wrong for the task? Do you realize how many sick and injured could have died because of the lack of power? Do you realize how many of those injured were injured because of the blackout?”

  “That’s enough, Bart.” Corsi moved to stand in front of him. “You’re exhausted. I can see it in your eyes. Not to mention you’re shaking. We still don’t know what that drink did to you. Get some rest—now that the field’s off we have time.”

  “Do we?” Bart ran a hand through his hair.

  Jolen saw that Bart was indeed shaking. He was coming down off that damned stimulant. He needed food. When Jewlan had gone through her Beta-shift, she and the females had shared some fruit and water, but Bart had been hard at work on the door’s symbols.

  Bart waved Corsi away and turned to leave. He stumbled.

  He’s going to fall. Jolen moved past Carol and even beat Corsi to the linguist as the slight man stumbled forward. Jolen caught him under his shoulders, amazed at how light he was, and lifted him in both arms.

  “Get him to the shuttle,” Corsi said as she and Carol followed Jolen out of the Second Chamber.

  Jolen glanced down at Bart. His skin was pale against his beard and his eyes were closed. He knew the stimulant had finally worn off. And I was so blinded by my brilliant discovery that I hadn’t been watching him. If anything bad happens to him, I’ll never forgive myself.

  Chapter

  8

  Bart felt bad, but he wasn’t sure why. And it wasn’t an emotional feel-bad as much as a physical one. His stomach felt tight, as if it had crunched up like a fist.

  And he was cold.