2041 Sanctuary (Dark Descent)

by Robert Storey

  Sarah dropped to her knees coughing and gasping for air. Her lungs and face burned with heat and it took some time to get her breath back. By then the sergeant major had vacated the room, whether by force or of his own volition Sarah hadn’t seen. As long as he was no longer around, that was good enough for her.

  Instead of receiving any kind of medical attention or even just an apology, Sarah was left on her own in the room for another hour. As she sat on her chair facing the now empty seat across from her, the utilitarian clock on the wall ticking away time, a noise from behind made her turn round. A man stood in the doorway. This person was new to her and he also wasn’t a soldier; at least he wore a suit and not military issue. He also had a red folder; in fact it was the same one Collins so cherished. The new arrival, however, didn’t seem to hold the brightly coloured file in the same reverence as, walking round to stand in front of her, he plonked it down in the middle of the table.

  ‘Look,’ Sarah said, rubbing her bruised throat protectively, ‘I’ve answered your questions for today; just put me back in my cell and leave me be.’

  The man, who had also brought with him a cup of gloriously sweet-smelling tea, placed the steaming mug in front of her. Sarah looked at him questioningly.

  ‘Go ahead,’ he told her with a smile. ‘It’s fresh.’

  A smile, what a simple thing, you didn’t realise how much emotion such a simple gesture could provide when you had been starved of it for so long. Sarah didn’t need to be told twice; compared to endless water and cold food, tea was a treat not to be passed up. Burning her lips, she sipped the drink, relishing its taste.

  ‘So it says here—’ the man said as he idly perused the folder on the desk while standing up, ‘you’re an archaeological anthropologist.’

  Sarah nodded at the man, not sure how to take this new softly-softly approach.

  ‘You’re a published academic,’ he continued, ‘and have a lot of hours in the field from dig sites all around the world, although your career seems to have stalled after some outlandish claims regarding an extinct human relative you call Homo gigantis.’

  ‘That’s right,’ she said, her expression noncommittal.

  ‘And you’ve circulated on the outskirts of your chosen field’s community ever since?’

  Sarah nodded again.

  ‘I see,’ the man said. ‘So, what with the discovery of your most recent artefacts and the revelation of this subterranean facility, it appears your theories have actually – in fact – been proved correct.’

  Sarah had been looking down while picking at one of her fingernails, but on hearing this, her head shot up. ‘They are? I mean you acknowledge that they are?’

  He smiled. ‘Of course.’

  Sarah looked at him in stunned amazement. ‘Are you willing to testify to that fact?’

  The man chuckled. ‘They told me you were a live one,’ he said, then his expression grew serious; ‘but I’m afraid my answer is no. However, it appears that my military colleagues have decided you’re not to be classed as a direct threat to this base or its objectives – their words, not mine – and as such you are to be discharged from this detention centre with immediate effect.’

  Sarah’s hopes soared. ‘I’m free to go?’

  ‘I wouldn’t go as far to say “free”.’ He put a small object on the table in front of her.

  ‘What’s that?’ she said, her eyes wary.

  ‘That is a transmitter which will monitor and track your movements within this base for the duration of your stay, which I’m afraid is going to be quite a long time.’

  Her hopes turned painfully inward. ‘How long?’

  ‘There’s no easy way to say this,’ he told her with an apologetic smile, ‘for the rest of your life.’

  ‘What?! You can’t do this, I have rights!’

  ‘Unfortunately, you actually don’t. This is a secure operation and you have breached its security, and as such you are now trespassing on United States territory, making you an illegal alien. You have no rights, I’m afraid.’

  Sarah’s heart was pumping. She got up and strode about the room, her tea long forgotten. She stopped pacing and looked at the man across from her. ‘And if I refuse?’

  ‘Unadvisable. You’ve already experienced the pleasures of the only alternative and I can imagine they’re not nice or particularly spacious.’

  Sarah gave a hopeless sigh and slumped down into her chair once more.

  ‘Look, it’s not as bad as you think,’ he told her with annoying optimism. ‘There are many benefits to living down here. Zero crime – well, nearly zero. No dust cloud from the meteorite strike, we still have sunlight down here, albeit artificial. There’s even a simulation for the moon and its lunar cycle. There’s always good food and intelligent conversation, depending on your sector, and you’re protected from all manner of nasties down here. If it makes you feel any better, the twenty million or so people in this subterranean base are all here for life, we signed over our freedom to participate in this project.’

  Sarah didn’t care what this man had done, or anyone else for that matter, she couldn’t remain a prisoner underground for the rest of her life.

  The man put a comforting hand on her shoulder. ‘Look,’ he continued in a conciliatory tone, ‘the majority of people here are civilians. Wait until you’re cleaned up and well fed, and have had a good night’s sleep; things will seem better in the morning, trust me.’

  The man slipped the tracking bracelet onto Sarah’s wrist; she didn’t resist. She then let herself be led out the door and down into a long corridor she didn’t recognise. They passed through some security gates – the military guards waving them past – and finally emerged from a large, low-slung building. Above, a dazzling blue sky extended into the distance and an indistinct sun sent down its rays to warm her upturned face. Sarah savoured the simulated scene created by the dome the man had alluded to and she herself had glimpsed on entering the base they called … USSB Sanctuary.

  Chapter Six

  The next day Sarah woke late, her soft new bed a glorious luxury compared to her previous digs. Arching her back and then scrunching up her body again, she snuggled back down under the duvet cover and – then she felt it, the tracking device attached to her wrist. The previous day’s memories came flooding back to her and she groaned and turned over, splaying out like a star on the bed. Realising you’re trapped in some government-run science project for the rest of your life is something to sober up anyone’s morning. Sighing, she flung off the cover, sat up and rubbed her face to life. Dropping her feet to the floor, she got out of bed, enjoying the warmth of the room and the feel of the carpet on the soles of her feet as the fibres pushed up between her toes.

  After being released from custody Sarah had been allocated an apartment; apparently homelessness in Sanctuary was non-existent. The civilian man, Andrew – who had rescued her from the prison – had chattered away as he’d led her through various administrative departments, going through the process of enrolling her into the relevant databases and systems of the military controlled base. Eventually she had been escorted to her new home and, by then exhausted, she’d had little time or inclination to take in her new surroundings. Now that she was feeling refreshed, however, she was keen to look around, locate Trish and Jason, and then plan their escape.

  Getting up, she found new clothes laid out regimentally in a chest of drawers nestled in the corner of the room. Taking out some white underwear from the top drawer, she chose a crisp, yet tight-fitting short-sleeved white T-shirt and a pair of grey jogging bottoms from the middle drawer. As she sat on the edge of her bed putting on her clothes, she glanced around. The décor was well done yet a little gaudy for her taste. Red swirling patterns intersected with silver grids crisscrossed the walls and flooring, blending perpendiculars in a simple yet pleasing way. Curious to see the view from the building Sarah, still half clothed, crossed to the window and touched a green button sunk into a panel on the glass. The blinds out
side rolled up into the ceiling, the mechanism producing a deep whirring noise, to reveal an elevated pathway with lots of people walking along it, some of whom were now staring at her and smiling. Looking down Sarah realised her top half was still bare! Wrapping her arms around herself she whacked the red button with her elbow to bring the blind back down again.

  ‘Bloody Ada,’ she cursed, ‘who puts a bedroom next to a busy public footpath?’ Going back to the bed she put on her bra and top. Now moving into the kitchen-cum-diner, she poured herself a glass of orange juice and swigged it down, letting out a satisfying gasp once she’d drained it. After refilling the glass she drank more slowly, savouring the taste. In a cupboard she found an unwrapped fresh loaf of crusty bread and a new block of cheese. Cutting and buttering four slices and breaking off a hunk of Cheddar, she munched down on the veritable feast with a voracious vigour, washing it all down with some more juice. Wiping the back of her arm across her mouth, she stretched her arms up high, her fingertips brushing the opaque ceiling. It felt good to have a full stomach for once, especially one off the back of a good night’s sleep.

  Looking around as she further inspected her new abode Sarah noticed some shrink-wrapped training shoes sitting by the front door. Cutting them loose, she slipped them on and did the customary new shoe dance as she tested them out, although she forewent checking the position of the big toe, she wasn’t buying the damn things after all. Satisfied at their soft cushiony feel, she noticed a white envelope stuck to the door, just above the handle. On the front in faint pencil and in capital letters, her first name had been scrawled. Plucking it off, she prised open the unstuck flap which had been tucked inside and with a rustle of paper she extracted a folded sheet. Opening it up, it read:

  Sarah

  I trust your new accommodation is to your liking. It’s not the largest of spaces but it should be better than you’ve been used to of late. I can only apologise for the way you have been treated during your stay at Sanctuary so far; however, I can assure you the civilian contingent at this base will prove a lot more welcoming.

  You have by now seen your multifunction card. This is your life; make sure you look after it as it will ensure you can pay for essentials and negotiate the city and the various sectors available to your clearance level, which sadly is very low. Due to your qualifications I have managed to secure you a position as an archivist at the Smithsonian Institution. While this position will be a waste of your talents, it was the best one I could get for you that the military were happy to sign off on. You’ll notice your photograph has not been engraved onto the card; this will have to be done when you turn up for your first day of work, which will be tomorrow. Make sure you’re not late – you start at eight a.m. sharp. A map of how to get there can be found on the wallscreen in your living room.

  Pausing in the middle of the letter, Sarah looked in the envelope again to see a credit card sized shape nestling at the bottom. Taking it out, she noted it felt metallic, appeared very durable, and was quite dense and heavy for its size. On one side it had an emblem embossed into the surface and the other contained her details.

  She continued reading the letter:

  Before you start to explore your new surroundings you will need to watch the induction video that all new residents to USSB Sanctuary are required to sit through. To access the presentation simply swipe your card over the data induction panel at the side of the wallscreen in your quarters and you will be shown a simple menu enabling you to access it. All screens are equipped with built in face recognition cameras so the software can ascertain if you have watched the full film. If it decides you haven’t watched the presentation properly, your multifunction card will not have its basic restrictions lifted. This will prevent you from accessing even the most fundamental functions on the card, such as acquiring food, using public transport and accessing the designated sector areas covered by your Level 1 Beta clearance.

  As I told you yesterday, the military don’t want you to know the whereabouts of your two friends, who were relocated into other parts of the city a few days ago. To me this seems rather pointless, as you will be able to look them up easily enough once you have unlocked the Resident Database on your wallscreen after watching the Induction Video. Oops, did I just say that? Silly me.

  Once again, welcome to Sanctuary, and I wish you well with your future endeavours here. If you have any problems let me know and I’ll be more than happy to help. Good luck!

  Sincerely

  Andrew Melanie

  Civilian Affairs Officer

  Well, that makes life easier, she thought with some relief; finding Trish and Jason was going to be the first thing on her to do list and that had now become a lot easier. Sarah looked at the card again and then walked over to the wallscreen which made up one side of a small living area. Noting the panel Andrew had described in the letter, she ran the multifunction card over it. The eight foot high video wall sprang to life, accompanied by a simple yet elegant introductory music sample which faded to silence. In the centre of the screen a three dimensional rendering of the USSB Sanctuary logo rotated, glinting and reflecting an unseen light source from its glossy surface. On the right hand side a segregated touchscreen option list was revealed. Each selection appeared as an individual, glossy blue button with accompanying silver text. The list of options available was as follows:

  INDUCTION VIDEO >

  CIVILIAN RESOURCES >

  INFORMATION >

  EMERGENCY >

  Sarah tapped Induction Video and the button expanded and transposed onto the main screen. Taking this as her cue to take a seat, she moved over to a comfortable, yet small, pale blue sofa and settled in for the show. A swirling chrome graphic swooped across a bright, white background and then dissolved into a large GMRC logo, which in turn faded away, disappearing to leave behind the following text in bold black letters:

  This induction video was produced by USSB Sanctuary’s Public Relations Department in conjunction with the GMRC Directorate’s Office and on behalf of the United States Subterranean Program.

  The text disappeared to be replaced by an image of a slim, congenial woman dressed in a simple, grey uniform. ‘Hello and welcome,’ she said. ‘This induction video will introduce to you United States Subterranean Base Sanctuary, also referred to as USSB Sanctuary. This large scale project was instigated, designed and constructed by divisions within the GMRC and United States Subterranean Programmes.

  ‘As a previous resident of one of the GMRC’s other United States Subterranean Bases, you will be aware of the classified nature of facilities such as this. However, while the existence of these other bases is undisclosed to the general populace, and even to the majority of the U.S. Government, Sanctuary operates at an even higher level of secrecy. Little about this base is known even to some of the most high-ranking GMRC officials, and the handful that are aware of what goes on here are, first and foremost, United States citizens and are beholden to the Espionage Act of 1917.

  ‘Unlike the other underground facilities operated by the GMRC throughout the world, Sanctuary, while retaining some minor GMRC civilian oversight, is purely a U.S. military run installation. All residents within this base, military and civilian alike, will have previously been stationed in one of the other nine United States Subterranean Bases. As you may have already noticed when you made your way into the base, Sanctuary is rather unusual in many ways when compared to its siblings.

  ‘In order to provide you, our new residents, with a greater understanding of Sanctuary, who better to explain than the lead designer of USSB Sanctuary and Director General of the GMRC Subterranean Programme himself, the esteemed Professor Steiner.’

  The screen switched scenes to a small silver-haired man with a neat, bushy beard, glasses, an open face and sharp, intelligent eyes. He stood, with his hands loosely clasped together, in a well-lit studio with a large wall display on his left hand side. Like the woman before him he wore a simple, grey uniform, but his cuffs and epaulettes were ad
orned with a golden weave similar to dress uniforms worn by many military leaders the world over.

  ‘Firstly, I bid you a warm welcome to USSB Sanctuary,’ the man said, his voice powerful and his American accent soft. ‘This facility, the jewel in the crown of the United States Subterranean Programme, has been many years in the making and still has many years ahead of it for expansion.

  ‘The predicted arrival of the asteroid 2011 AG5 may have precipitated the worldwide effort to create sustainable liveable habitats below ground, but Sanctuary’s scope goes much further than being just a bolthole. It is a long-term project utilising humanity’s finest technologies, brightest minds and most valuable resources to produce something truly remarkable – a virtual guarantee of continued human existence on Earth, regardless of any catastrophic events that may occur on the surface.

  ‘It may seem strange to some that a member of the GMRC Directorate such as myself is privy to and supportive of a highly clandestine U.S. facility and quite assuredly the largest black project in our great nation’s history. Conflicts of interest are unfortunately something I have had to address on occasion, but it has been possible to ensure my role in the GMRC has never been compromised as a result.