by Arthur Byrne
Ronnie asked, “Aren’t we pretty well set?”
“Yes, but if we take everything from the rooms and do enough of them, then if scavengers should happen upon this section, they may think it’s already been cleaned out.”
“I’m glad you’re on our side.”
Nash heard a whisper in his ear, “Hush little baby, don’t say a word...”
“Hey, Holly, that was much less jarring.”
“Anything I can do to make your life better, Fristion?”
“Nope, I’ve been mapping a section a little ways from where I ran into the trouble yesterday. I’m giving them a wide berth.”
“Have you found a spot for the night?”
“Yes. I’ve made camp, and I’ll be snug as a bug in a rug; you don’t need to worry about anything.”
“Roger that. Talk to you tomorrow, Fristion.”
“Nash out.”
***
Calvin didn’t get out of Hal’s very often.
The Worm Hole was about half full with people huddled in little groups talking. The mood was somber, but Stepan still got up and smiled. “Calvin, my friend, thanks for coming over.”
“I know Ronnie is your friend.”
“He is good boy. We pray for him and your friend PJ.”
“PJ’s new, but at least he has some map runner training; that should help.”
“It is my fault, you know.”
“What do you mean?”
“Ronnie works for me. I tell him, ‘Go stir things up. Make commander Frank nervous, and we get election. We make big changes.’ and he get sent into wild,” Stepan said as he opened the vodka bottle. He poured one for himself and another for Calvin. “Za vashe zdorovie.”
Calvin raised the glass and said, “To your health.”
“What is mood over at your place?”
“I’ve been to happier wakes.”
“What do you think of Commander Frank Block?”
Calvin thought for a while and said, “Back when I first started Hal’s, he used to come in most nights. What was that, seven, eight years ago?”
“It was eight. I started my bar the next year. A little competition is good.”
Calvin smiled; he liked Stepan. “Anyway, Frank would come in and talk, just a regular guy. His brother was a pilot and presumably died with the others. Frank was all right, and I have to give him credit—he knew every piece of cargo we had, and if he hadn’t kept telling people we could survive, we would have likely been at each other’s throats.”
“Building the gardens and the place for chickens was genius; I have to give him credit. He went through and interviewed every single person to figure out how they could best help the group,” Stepan said.
“And what about the gate?”
“That was some clever idea. I helped with the welding; so did my guys. I know everyone slept better once it was done.”
They tossed back two more shots.
Stepan said, “His sister, Fiel, she used to not...what’s the word?”
“Have a stick up her ass?”
“Da, that’s it. She is so uptight now. Back at the beginning, her and I spent a little time together, if you know what I mean.”
Calvin winked. “I know exactly what you mean.”
“No?! You too? That sly little minx.”
“She wore me out.”
“It was simpler time, when we all thought we were doomed.”
Calvin shook his head and said, “Yes, it was...I don’t know, it seems like Frank has lost his perspective.”
“Do you think he is telling truth, when he says we can’t have too many babies or we eat up all the food?”
“Maybe. Who knows? It seems like we should be able to figure out a way to have more space, build more garden units, expand, and stay secure.”
“I was thinking I might like to be leader, but maybe you should run?”
“I don’t like politics, and you know that.”
“I could guarantee you the Worm Hole vote.”
Calvin laughed and said, “That would make quite a campaign button.” He drank the new shot Stepan had just poured and asked, “Why do you think I’d be better at running this place than you?”
“Because I’m a criminal, and—let’s be honest—I’d turn this place into the sleaziest casino drug den the galaxy has ever known.”
Calvin roared. When he stopped laughing, he grabbed the bottle and said, “How much do you charge for a bottle of what I can only assume is the good stuff?”
“It’s 50 credits, but for you...”
Calvin reached over, slapped his banking token on the reader, and said, “Fifty credits. You are one funny dude, Stepan. I’m going to start hanging out here more often.” He poured, raised the glass, and did his best to say, “Za vashe zdorovie.”
Stepan said, “To your health, my friend.”
CHAPTER TWENTY
The next two days, Nash and the crew found the other three practice kitchens and were amazed that only one had been looted.
Nash decided they should figure out a secure place to store the food. Ronnie suggested the unused bedrooms. It was the second time Ronnie had seen the forest for the trees, and Nash gave him props for the idea.
The third day in what PJ had started calling Tube Town, they mostly relaxed sore muscles from all the provender moving of the previous days and played cards.
The morning of day five in Tube Town, over some powdered eggs, Nash said, “I have to report back today.”
Sasha asked, “When will you be back?”
“I don’t know exactly. It will look suspicious if I just take back off without being assigned a run, and I don’t want Frank to know we’ve got this place.”
PJ said, “Why would he care?”
Ronnie said, “Because we’re being punished, and if he knew about these digs and how it was going to be easy peasy to make forty-five days, he’d get cheesed off.”
Sasha said, “He sounds like an ass.”
Nash said, “He is, but it’s more than that. My gut tells me that the wrist mapper going off at just the wrong time was less coincidence and more Frank trying to set me up.”
PJ said, “He wouldn’t do that; you’re his best runner.”
“I threatened to kick his ass the day before I went out.”
Ronnie said, “I wouldn’t put it past him.”
Sasha asked, “So, you’ll go check in, and I’ll keep an eye on these guys.”
Ronnie said, “I promise we’ll be good soldiers...I don’t need her cutting off my bollocks with that pig sticker of hers.”
Sasha raised one eyebrow in a way that suggested, Oh, and I could.
After breakfast, Nash went up to pack. Sasha had given him more mapping than he had ever done before, and—like he used to do—he put it all in his tablet.
Sasha sat on the bed and watched. “I don’t want it to go to your head, but I kinda like you, Fristion.”
“I don’t care if it goes to your head; I’m going to miss you. I’ve enjoyed playing broken-spaceship home-building with you.”
“You know...I was thinking...maybe we could create something like you have back in Bay 37?”
“I was thinking that same thing. We could create a secure area, I’m sure of it, but the one thing they have that we don’t, and it’s key: the hydroponic gardens.”
“Couldn’t we build it?”
“It’s the grow lights. There was an entire shipment of lights that was supposed to be used when we arrived in the new solar system. Those lights are why we’ve survived so long as such a large group.”
“It was just an idea.”
“It’s a great idea. We just need to figure out how to get more lights...or could we make them?”
“There are all sorts of lights on board.”
“I’m going to go ask the people in the gardening center why the lights are special.”
“If I knew that, I bet we could convert some lights or find something suitable.”
“Keep this under your hat. PJ is really missing his girl, her being with child and all. I just don’t want to get his hopes up.”
Sasha wrapped her arms around Nash and gave him a long kiss. “Your secret’s safe with me.”
“You want to walk with me part of the way?”
“I could go for a stroll.”
Nash put on all the gear he would be expected to be wearing. He had several trinkets to show he was being a good map runner and one small gun. Frank always liked it when he found something for the armory.
They walked down to the first floor, and Sasha yelled, “Mommy and Daddy are going for a walk. Do your chores and clean up the dishes. Nobody goes out to play until I get back.”
PJ smiled from the second floor council and said, “We’ll be good, I promise.”
Ronnie said, “It’s PJ’s turn to do the dishes. I did them last time.”
With that, they left. All the air had been normalized, including the hall above the duck hole. It made for an easy trip. There weren’t any signs of trouble, and Nash let himself enjoy the walk.
At an intersection Nash heard something from his right; he pulled his weapon but didn’t fire.
Sasha said, “It’s Jeff!”
“You named him?”
“You know Jeff?”
A robot with four arms floated down the hall toward them. It stopped and said, “Hello, how may I help you?”
Sasha said, “Do you remember me?”
“Yes, you’re Sasha. You call me Jeff, but I’m really a JE-55 light industrial maintenance robot.”
Sasha said, “Do you know my friend?”
“That’s Fristion Nash.”
Nash asked, “How do you know my name?”
“When I was fixing the damaged baseboard in the hall and you talked to me, I looked you up in the database.”
Sasha asked, “What are you fixing today?”
“I can’t answer that.”
“Can you do something for me?”
“Yes, what would you like me to do?”
“Can you...go get me a cup of tea?”
“I can’t do that. What would you like me to do?”
“Can you...fix a broken door in my room?”
“I can’t do that. I have to fix a hole in the floor.”
Nash said, “What can you do?”
“I can’t answer that.”
Sasha said, “Have a good day, Jeff.”
“I have to go fix the hole.” The little floating robot turned the corner and went on his way.
Nash asked, “Should I be jealous of Jeff?”
“Yes. He’s adorable...and handy...well, not for what I tell him to do, but I bet he could be trained. He’s almost the perfect guy. You should be very jealous.”
Nash took her hand and they continued toward Cargo Bay 37. They walked for another hour until just before the last turn to the hall with the door to the gate.
Sasha gave Nash a big hug and said, “Thanks for chasing after me. I’ve been alone for a long time.”
“I’m going to try to get back out here as soon as I can. I’ll bring you apples.”
They kissed, and she headed back to the duck hole.
***
Nash stood at the door and said, “Holly, do you read me?”
“Yes, Nash, I’m here.”
“I’ve returned from my tour. Can you tell the guards to let me back in.”
“Roger that.”
A moment later the door opened, and Nash walked through. He went straight to his locker and got out of his gear, just like he always did.
Nash showered. Though he had already had one, it would seem strange not to, since it was part of his routine. When he came out of the shower, Fiel was waiting for him.
“How was your week?”
“It got a little rough for a bit, but I managed to survive.”
“You haven’t been talking much with Holly.”
“There were a lot of Navereen and scavengers lurking about; I stayed off the comm.” He pulled his tablet out and said, “I got some good stuff in areas we haven’t been before. I marked the areas with the danger.”
Fiel looked at him and cocked her head to the side and said, “Is there something different about you?”
“Hmmm...I’m usually wearing clothes when we talk.”
“You seem, almost, but is it even possible?”
“What?”
“Are you happy?”
Nash realized he just might be cheerier than normal and said, “I’ve just spent a week out in the wild, I’ve washed the grime off me, I’m going to go get a huge omelet and then get drunk.” He shrugged and added, “Yeah, I guess I am. Happiness is a strange feeling. I don’t like it.”
“Before you head out, the commander would like to talk with you.”
Nash said, “Why do you call him that? He’s your brother. Why not just call him Frank like everyone else?”
“I call him the commander because...”
“...of the giant rule book up your butt?”
Fiel scoffed and left.
Frank was pretty sure she thought he was back to his normal self.
***
The walk back wasn’t as much fun, so Sasha decided to get some cardio and run. The suit she designed was lighter than most; not having the helmet and tanks on was a bit of a treat.
With only her sword and sidearm, she was sprinter fast. It had been years since she ran flat out for this long, but the conditioning that came with life after the Magellan apocalypse made her as fit as when she was in college running track for Iowa State University in Ames.
She blazed through the halls. In much less time than she imagined, she was at the last door before the duck hole.
Sasha opened the door and walked through. She froze. “Oh no. No, no, no. Jeff, what did you do?”
Sasha ran up to the newly fixed duck hole. Where did he even get the plate to fix it? It didn’t matter. The only way she knew to get down to the deck below, into the area that they had locked down, was through that hole.
She started to pace. She didn’t have her gear, so getting back to the Cleopatra 9 room was impossible. She couldn’t think of a single one of her safe houses she could reach without air.
Her hand went to the bottle at her side. She had just drunk her last bit of water, too. “Nooo, Jeff,” she said, still unwilling to believe how much the cute little robot had screwed her.
All of her gadgets were down that hole. She didn’t have her lock override kit—her micro drill that came in handy almost every day she was out scavenging. She had a sword and a laser pistol. She didn’t even have a second charge for that.
She could wait for Nash, but she had no idea how long he would be. He certainly wouldn’t be back today. She needed to get out of the hall, find a place where she could hide.
How could you be so stupid, Sasha?
The faint metal click that always preceded a door opening came from just down the hall past the duck hole. Sasha dove for the floor and drew her weapon as the door opened up. It was about fifty meters away.
The war paint meant scavengers. It was a long shot, but she was prone and sent three bursts down the hall. The first one through the door took one to the chest and one to the face. The third shot hit to the right of the door. His head exploded, and someone behind him said, “Fuck!” and the door closed. Sasha hopped up and bolted back down the hall. It would only be a few seconds before they popped the door and sent a massive amount of fire at her.
***
Sasha reached the door just as the scavengers opened the other one. Her door opened, she dove and rolled through, came up on the side with the close button, and hit it as the first few shots whizzed through. They would be running, so it was her only choice. She took off, pumping her arms and focusing on her technique. She estimated it was thirty meters farther to the next door, and that one was open. She wouldn’t have any cover, but neither would they.
In her head, she imagined they were wearing breathing
gear because scavengers wouldn’t be stupid enough to leave it behind and go on a walk with their beaux. It meant they were carrying more gear and would be slower.
Her feet pounded the deck. They were loud, and at that distance she was sure she wouldn’t know when the door opened. She would have to guess. At eighty meters, Sasha spun, drew, and dropped. The door was still closed. Five seconds passed, and she realized she could have made the next door. Maybe they had given up?
The door opened with a shower of gunfire. Sasha sent another burst of three that all hit above the door. One of the scavengers hit the close button. She was up and running, but only to the next door. Sasha stood to the side where she had cover and turned her weapon down to stun. It would double the remaining charge, and all she really needed to do was slow them down.
The door opened again, and four scavengers ran through, screaming and shooting. She fired and missed, then she fired again and saw the first one go stiff. The guy behind him tripped and went down, while the other two leapt over. They were definitely slower with all their gear. Sasha turned the weapon back up to kill. The bullets were smashing into the walls and zipping through the open door. She counted to five, poked her head out, and took the head off the one in the lead.
The scavenger behind him dropped to the floor, as did the guy who had tripped and gotten back up to continue the pursuit. The stunned man would be down for ten more seconds. She set the pistol back to stun and walked a line of shots up to the prone scavenger. His gun stopped firing, and he went stiff. The guy behind him rolled to the side, and Sasha took off running again.
***
The front desk at the ag building was behind a pane of glass. Nash had never been there before and thought it seemed strange. He knocked and a woman looked up and said, “Yes?”
“I have a question about your operation. Could I talk with...”
“Do you have an appointment?”
“No, I didn’t know...”
“You need an appointment.”
Holly stepped in and said, “I’m Holly, this is Nash. He’s a mapper, and we just need to talk to someone for a minute.”
“I know who you are, but you still need an appointment. Those are the rules.”
