by Arthur Byrne
Holly was in his ear, “Fristion, come back, are you there?”
“Roger that, Holly, I’m fine, but tell Frank his little wrist map thing sucks.”
“I heard it go off. What happened?”
“I hit the off button, or at least I think I did, and the damn thing started screaming like a banshee.”
“Are you okay?”
“I’m fine. A hoard of drones and flying marines came after me, but I stopped at a bar for a drink, and they just flew on past.”
“What are you talking about, Nash?”
“I’ll tell you later. When I said I was fine, did Fiel immediately get off the line and leave?”
“Yes, how’d you know?”
“I smashed the mapper, so it’s just you and I on the comm. I’m going dark for a bit. I’ll check in later, once the coast is clear.”
“Roger that.”
Sasha was running her finger around the rim of the glass and said, “So, checking in with the Mrs.?”
Nash snorted and said, “Something like that.”
“So, what’s the deal with Cargo Bay 37? All your doors are sealed up but one. I don’t see too many of you venturing out.”
“What are you, the neighborhood watch?”
“I keep my eyes open.”
“Yeah, we’ve got a nice little setup. There’s about 1200 of us, give or take.”
“Really?”
“Yes, but up until recently only five of us got out to do recon. Have you been roaming the ship alone for the whole ten years?”
“No, there were five of us, but the Navereen eventually got everyone but me.”
“I’m sorry.”
She didn’t say anything for a while. Nash let her think about her friends and sipped his drink. She had quite the setup: the room had a big sink, a large walk-in refrigerator, and a couch. A couple more pressure suits hung on a coat rack, and there was a small table with some pictures on it near the bed.
Sasha said, “So, the five of you have been scavenging food to feed twelve hundred?”
“No, part of the cargo was an extensive set of hydroponic gardening equipment and seeds for the colony. We grow enough fruits and vegetables to support the whole community. And we’ve got chickens.”
“So why ever leave?”
“We’ve been locked in a one-mile by half-mile room for ten years without really knowing what happened to the ship. Almost everyone there had friends or family who worked in other areas, and I guess sending out a few people to try to answer questions is how we keep from going nuts.”
“I’ve been out here since the Navereen boarded. It’s been a rough time, but there are pockets of survivors all over, though I’m not sure how many are as well set up as your bunch.”
“So how much of the ship have you seen?”
“A lot more than you, I’m sure. I’ve been fore and aft but only covered a tiny fraction of the decks.”
“What about the five cities?”
“Diamond City has a hole in it the size of a football field and is completely shut down. I don’t imagine anyone in there survived. At least a half dozen of the Navereen landing ships came through Diamond.”
“What about Jade City?”
“It’s hard to get to, but I think it’s in better shape than Diamond. Before they got my friends, we made it to the edge of the city—that area that surrounds all the major cities—we called it the buffer zone. We could see some lights through the dome but couldn’t find a way in.”
“So the city survived?”
“I didn’t say that. It wasn’t like we saw a million people singing and dancing inside. It looked pretty bleak.”
“There isn’t a way in?”
“Maybe. The city’s power, water, electricity, and air scrubbing are all managed in the fifteen stories beneath the city. I’ve never been into those areas of one of the five big cities, but I’ve been through the works for some of the smaller cities. They all have entrances from the surrounding decks and from the cities above. You got loved ones from Jade?”
“Not really, but a friend is interested.”
“What did you do before?”
“I was a fighter pilot.”
“And you survived?”
“I didn’t make it into the game. I was in 37 when it locked down.”
“That was lucky.”
“I suppose.”
“Sorry. I’m sure you lost a lot of good friends in the battle.”
“I imagine I lost all of them, but that was a long time ago. Have you been to any of the launch bays? Any ships left?”
“I’ve been to a few of the fighter bays. It looks like we threw everything we had at them. I haven’t seen any ships, no.”
“What about you? What did you do before the apocalypse?”
She stood up and spun around. “I designed these babies.”
“I did notice your suit. It’s like mine, but it’s different.”
“This is the latest in evening space wear.” She spun again, and the color changed to a cobalt blue. “It has seven colors, and an environment setting that lets the suit blend into its surroundings.”
Sasha walked over to the corner and stood in front of a neon sign that said “beer”. The suit changed and she almost seemed to disappear. He could see the word beer where her rather impressive chest used to be. She said, “Eyes up here, buddy. Are you staring at my e’s?”
“It’s an impressive sign. I’ll give you that.”
“The suit also has eight ports for 02 tanks, so I can attach them where it works best.”
“I noticed you only wore one tank out there.”
“I don’t need more than that. I know all the unsafe areas, and if I forget, the suit reminds me. Plus, I have this beauty right here,” she said and went to the wall and opened a cabinet.
“You have your own charging station. Nice.”
“The realtor said it would be extra, but I figured it was worth it.”
“You have a pretty good sense of humor, considering.”
“Hey, I’m alive. What’s the point, if I’m going to be pissed off all the time? I tried angry and bitter for a while, but it just wasn’t me.”
“Huh, I’ve been working both angry and bitter for most of my adult life. Maybe you didn’t give them enough of a chance?”
She raised her glass and said, “To whatever works.”
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
Frank shrugged at Fiel’s report. “I bet it scared the shit out of him, though.”
“I’m sure it did.”
“You think he suspects anything?”
“I believe he’s chalking it up to your incompetence more than anything.”
“I can live with that. Did he get any good mapping done before he turned it off?”
“Actually, he did find an MHST platform we didn’t know about, and he mapped the entrance and exit stairs five decks up and down. Only two had air quality issues.”
“Well that’s something. How is the recruiting going?”
“We’ve had fourteen people who’ve decided to join, and another six considering it.”
“That’s excellent and...”
Their conversation was interrupted by a knock. PJ said, “Sorry for interrupting, but I was wondering if I might have a minute? It’s important.”
Frank said, “That’ll be all.”
Fiel left and Frank motioned, “Come on in, Mr. Garnett. How are you feeling? You look a little green around the gills.”
“I’ve just gotten some news I need to discuss with you.”
“Oh?”
“Do you know my girlfriend, Misila?”
“I can’t say we’ve met, no.”
“You see the thing is, well, it was an accident.”
Frank stood up. He knew where this was going and turned to look out the window. “Are you about to put me in a terribly difficult spot?”
“Yes, sir.”
“She’s pregnant and doesn’t want to give up the baby.”
> “Yes, sir.”
“And you want it to be an approved pregnancy?”
“I was hoping...”
“This is unfortunate timing. I like you, I really do, heck, you’re a goddamn hero after that Navereen battle, but how would it look if I granted you a waiver after the fact?”
“I know...”
“I just gave a speech and lowered the days to forty-five, which is fortunate for you, if you go that route, but it also looks like I made the change because I knew she was pregnant.”
“We just found out this morning.”
“It’s about perception, Garnett...I’m afraid there isn’t anything I can do for you. I can’t be seen to be playing favorites. This is no time to be having a child.”
“I understand, sir,” PJ said and made for the door.
“I’ll need to know what you’ve decided in the morning.”
“Yes, sir.”
***
Sasha poured herself another drink and held the bottle out for Nash.
“I have to admit, of all my stashes, this one has the best drink selection.”
“I find it strange that it has a basement on a ship, why not just a back room?”
“Most of the clubs have back rooms. I don’t know. It must be one of the independent businesses.”
Nash wasn’t exactly sure what she meant, but he had heard there were parts of the ship that were funded by wealthy entrepreneurs. “So, the sword, how often does that come into play?”
“You haven’t been far from home; there’s a lot more out there than just Navereen, scavengers, and Army.”
“That’s true, until just a few minutes ago, I didn’t know there were any proper military left.”
“My sword doesn’t ever run out of power or bullets.”
“So, it’s useful in a fight?”
Sasha set down her drink and said, “There’s another setting on this suit. I’m quite proud of it, as I’m the one who came up with the design.” She touched a button on her wrist.
Nash saw the suit fade, and he couldn’t help but notice her black lace bra and panties. Her torso never moved. Nash was monitoring that section of her body when he heard a metallic sound. The cold tip of her sword was touching the underside of his chin. He looked up from her chest, and she had her plasma pistol out, too.
A full second of silence as Nash admired her devilish smile, and then he said, “Impressive.”
“Thanks, they’re 34Cs.”
“I meant the speed of your attack.”
She feigned disappointment, turned the suit back to black, and put away the weapons.
“So, tell me about what I saw on the balcony.”
“It’s been a stalemate for two years. It’s a mining pod. The space miners retrieved those huge rocks and brought them in through a gravity control channel in the floor that runs all the way to the bottom of the ship. Then, they put them on the floor to be analyzed and broken down for their minerals and such. I think there’s one more somewhere, but I haven’t run across it.”
“So it’s like trench warfare back in the old World War I on Earth?”
“I have no idea. History wasn’t my thing. But basically, each side has about a third of the room and the middle third is sort of a dead zone.”
“And you say it’s been going on for a couple of years?”
“Well, actually they were already here when I found them a couple of years ago, now that I think about it. Back then it wasn’t nearly so built up. Neither side had those massive gardens in the back or the guard towers. There were a lot more battles then, too.”
“They don’t fight now?”
“Not as much as they used to. I think each side would like to find a way to wipe out the other, but they seem to be at a stalemate.”
“Do you think...?”
“Quiet, I think I hear them coming back this way. They usually go past. If not, take these, they’re stunners. I try not to kill our guys, even though they wouldn’t extend me the same courtesy. Put your helmet on.”
Nash took the two stun pistols and listened.
“Shit, they’re coming in,” she said and pointed for Nash to take up a position behind the couch. Sasha ran to the dark corner just behind where the stairs came down.
It sounded like four sets of feet moving around, and one of them was getting close to the bar. The hollow sound meant he was on the stairs. He said, “Sarge, I think I found one of those basements.”
The feet shuffled about, and the talking stopped. The stairs descended, and a flash-bang grenade bounced down the stairs. Nash ducked behind the couch and closed his eyes.
In such a small space, the helmet didn’t do a great job of blocking out the sound. It was deafening, but at least he wasn’t blinded.
Nash knew that the moment the grenade went off, they would be coming down the stairs. He popped up and fired both stun guns in that direction, making sure to avoid the corner where he knew Sasha was hiding.
The second and third men went down. The first brought his weapon up, but before he could fire, he dropped. The fourth guy fired blindly and then went stiff.
Nash jumped over the couch.
Sasha said, “They’ll be out for about thirty minutes. It’s time to leave. Gear up.”
Nash grabbed his bag as Sasha swiped her personal items off the table and threw them in a bug-out bag by the bed. She rolled up the extra suits hanging on the coat rack and took the flash-bang grenades off the marines. “These are hard to find,” she said and then continued, “If you want anything here, it’s yours. I’m ready.”
“Any more of this?” Nash asked holding up the Scotch.
“Two more bottles over there.”
“Where to from here?”
“I’ve got another place, but it’s a ways from here.”
“Let’s go.”
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
Fiel said, “They’ve begun gathering outside again.”
“What is it now?”
“It seems Ronnie Hu has gathered signatures on a petition. They want to hold elections.”
“How many signatures?”
“Over 500.”
Frank sighed. He had created the laws for Cargo Bay 37 and had included the section on electing leaders. At the time, he had been adored by everyone. He never imagined it would come to this.
“What should I do?” Fiel asked.
“They are within their rights to call for an election,” he said and looked out of the window. “The crowd sure seems angry.”
“Yes, Ronnie’s got them all worked up.”
“You think it might get out of hand?”
“Maybe.”
Frank called the master-at-arms and said, “I’d like you and all your men to meet me down by the gate. Yes, even the ones on the wall.”
“What are you doing to do?”
“I’m going to accept their petition,” he said and walked out.
Tong had his men ready.
Frank said, “I’ve been brought a petition for elections, and I want you to be ready if things get out of hand.”
Tong’s men went out first, and the crowd booed. Frank followed with Fiel by his side. He stepped up on a bench and said, “Quiet down.”
The yelling got louder, and the crowd pushed forward. Frank pulled his pistol and fired a shot in the air. “I said quiet down.”
That did the trick.
Ronnie yelled, “We demand an election. I’ve got over 500 signatures here!”
A cheer rose up, and someone threw a tomato that splattered just above Frank’s head. He didn’t flinch. “You want an election, do you?”
Ronnie shouted, “Let us vote! Let us vote!” and the crowd joined in, getting more aggressive with each moment.
The master-at-arms looked back at Frank. “They’re getting out of hand, sir.”
Frank motioned for Tong to lean forward, and then he whispered something in his ear. Tong nodded. The crowd had become a mob. The mere act of Frank talking to the master-at-ar
ms had infuriated them, and a volley of stuff was thrown toward Frank and Fiel. Frank sent another warning shot over their heads. “Ronnie Wu, bring me your petition.”
Ronnie, who had been in the middle of the crowd, stepped forward through the line of guards and handed the petition to Frank. Frank flipped through the pages as the crowd waited. He made a show out of seeming to count the signatures. When he was done, Frank looked up and said, “I am a believer in rules, and it is clear from these signatures that you have followed them and gathered the required number needed for an election.”
The crowd waited for a “but”.
Frank continued, “Since we’ve never had an election, there will need to be some thought given to how we are to gather the votes so that there isn’t any question as to the authenticity of the results. I should think we could work that out and leave time for campaigning, if we set the date at sixty days from now.”
The crowd was stunned for a moment and then erupted in a cheer.
Frank held up his hand, and this time the people wanted to hear what he was going to say, and they went silent. “Unfortunately for you, Ronnie, you should have just brought it to my office instead of putting together this little riot of yours. Arrest him.”
With that, the guards seized Ronnie. Frank and Fiel walked briskly back through the gate and into the building. The crowd was stunned. Ronnie screamed, “Let me go, bastards!” as they dragged him away.
Once inside, Frank said, “Bring him to my office.”
***
Normally, Nash would be the one to take charge, but it was obvious that his new friend knew things about the wild that he hadn’t begun to discover.
“What now?” Nash asked.
“Those drones play for keeps; we best not go back upstairs.”
“Does this basement have a back door?”
“Not yet,” Sasha said and then added, “You may want to stand over here with me.”
It started as a hiss and then grew to a crackle as a ring of blue appeared behind the couch. Then it got louder until a huge oval of metal fell out of the wall. Sasha hit a button that closed the stairs and said, “Be careful not to touch the edges when you go through.”
Nash stuck his pack into the hall and then stepped through. Sasha stepped through behind him, turned, and immediately started off to the left. Nash asked, “Should we be hurrying?”
