“How long can a brain last without oxygen?” Jada looks to her companions who shrug their shoulders. Jada smiles sarcastically. “I see we will need to re-examine the student’s science curriculum. Increase studies. We must have brilliant leaders in the future generations.”
“Somewhere around five minutes. Though, by now, I’m sure that poor man is brain damaged, beyond repair,” Takeda says.
Jada turns to the elder man limping toward her. “Ah. Hello, Mr. Takeda. It has been a long time.”
“Indeed it has, Minister Jada.”
The two look at each other as if they are strangers who have little to nothing in common.
“Five minutes, you say?” Jada asks. Takeda only nods. “Well, I suppose he’s learned a thing or two from his little space walk.” She chuckles at the joke.
Her companions stand silently watching the man in the airlock. No one else laughs. The unintended result makes Jada, nervously, adjust her glasses.
“I suppose he has,” Takeda says, his eyes boring holes into her.
Jada presses the same button again and the airlock doors close. Inside the room, Carl drops to the floor, his free hand grabbing his sore shoulder.
The glass door opens and the soldier and axe woman retrieve the man.
“Hello?” Jada asks Carl. “Hello in there.” She smiles. The humor is lost on everyone but her. “I’m sure he’s fine. Let this be a lesson to all. We keep the laws. We all stay in the place to be.”
“The lower deck isn’t the place to be,” a passenger yells out. Others respond in kind.
“Everyone just…” Jada tries to regain control. “If you will all simply—”
“Quiet!” Takeda yells. Everyone, including Jada, falls silent.
After a moment, Jada smiles at him. ”Mr. Takeda. I didn’t know you still cut such an authoritative figure. I’m glad to see a part of your old self still remains,”
“The addition of a cane does not change a person,” Takeda tells her. “I would like a meeting with Captain Hallet.”
“I would love nothing more than to acquiesce to your request. I’m sure the Captain would love to see you. Unfortunately, he is so very busy but I would be overjoyed to relay any message you may have.” Jada smiles again at Takeda.
Takeda watches her, weighing whether or not she can be trusted to deliver whatever he says to Hallet. “Tell him, it was a vote that put us here. It will be another vote that decides where we go next.”
“Apologies, Mr. Takeda. I’m not sure I understand.” Jada furrows her brow.
“We will vote on what deck to live on next.”
“But then the upper decks may—”
“Have to become the lower decks. Really, Minister Jada, do consider re-examining the student’s curriculum.”
Takeda turns his back to her and walks deeper into the lower deck, letting the insult simmer. Danny follows close behind. The other lower deckers look at each other then at Jada before following Takeda, as well. Two of them help the father. Only Alan stays and watches Jada and her companions. He takes a hard look at the tank on Don’s back as the companions make their own way toward the entry of the lower deck.
CHAPTER SIX
“We should have made our move.” Danny says as he and Alan work to place a heater underneath one of the coolant pipes.
“You heard the Captain,” Alan tells him.
“You’ve got to stop calling him that. Takeda’s not the Captain anymore.”
“He will be.”
Danny shoves the small heater, forcing it to wedge under the pipe. “There’s no way we’re gonna get everyone to follow us. Especially after seeing all of that.”
“It’s fine. We don’t need everyone. We can move faster without an army.”
A woman walks by them, lashing pieces of wood to her arms. Danny watches her walk by. “Armor is probably a good idea. Easier to hide than weapons. Still…”
“Plug it in,” Alan says.
Danny crouches down and plugs the power cord into an outlet. The heater rattles on and starts to blow warm air onto the pipe above it. “Think there’s enough airflow for it? We don’t want to burn it out.”
“I’m not even sure if this will work. Good airflow or not. But it’s all I can think of for now.” Alan stares at their handiwork. The rattle of the heater grows louder as it shakes against the coolant pipe. “It’s all we can do.”
“Alan. Alan.” Carl hurries up to Alan and Danny. His fists are covered in something metallic. “See? See what I’ve done?”
Alan looks at Carl’s fists. They’re coated in bolts and screws.
“I’ve turned them into weapons. I—I had some honey left over. Once it’s completely hardened. K-Pow!” He smashes his fists together, knocking some metal pieces onto the floor. “Well, once it’s hardened.”
“That’s good. That’s real good,” Danny says. Carl scurries off. “That’s ingenuity,” Danny tells Alan. “I guess almost being pulled into space changes how a person thinks.”
The few pieces that fell to the floor, slowly rise up. Alan holds his hand, palm up and the pieces, gently, land in his hand.
“What are you thinking?” Danny asks him.
“If fighting does happen, it will have to be close up. I’m thinking I don’t like that. Too much risk. The less people on our side, fighting, the better.”
“No. Less is worse. We need everyone,” Danny tells him.
“They’d just get in the way.” Alan rattles the bolts and screws in his hand. “If this is going to work, I’m going to need room to stretch.”
“Stretch?”
Alan turns to a wall and flattens out his hand. He stares at the metal fasteners and in the blink of an eye, the pieces fly from his hand and bury themselves in the wall.
Danny runs to the pieces and inspects them. He tries to pull out one of the bolts but it’s wedged in tight. “You still have that screwdriver?”
Alan pulls out the tool from his pocket and telekinetically sends it to Danny. Danny plucks the tool from mid air and smiles.
“You know what I think?” He turns back to the wall and tries to pry out the bolt with the screw driver. A few taps finally loosen the bolt enough to pull it out of the wall. A tiny clink sounds when the bolt hits the metal floor. Danny crouches down and picks it up. There is still a small amount of honey residue on it. Danny holds the bolt between two fingers and raises it toward Alan. “I think I was wrong, before.”
“What about?”
“Guns. We don’t need them. Not while we have you.”
“We already discussed this,” Alan says. “I’m not strong enough.”
“Not for big things. But a handful of these?” Danny tosses the bolt to Alan who stops it in mid air. “And all you gotta do is fill your pockets.That’s what you meant by stretch. Isn’t it?”
CHAPTER SEVEN
Danny walks through the narrow corridor, a bucket swinging back and forth in his hand. There is no shuffling of feet from other passengers. No squeezing by, pressing up against each other. Everyone stands in the doorways of their cramped quarters, closed fists held out in the hallway. With each pass of the bucket, passenger hands open, dropping bolts, nuts, nails, anything small and metallic. The bucket gets heavier with each additional item.
“I’m sorry. We just can’t…” A sullen eyed woman tells Danny as she drops a few screws into the bucket.
“It’s ok. These will help.” Danny arrives at the lower deck entry door. “Remember, everyone who’s going, keep gathering weapons for yourselves.”
A sound of locks unlatching pops behind him. Danny spins around as the door rises up. Black armored soldiers step into the corridor, forcing Danny to back away. Each soldier carries a flame thrower. Five of them file into the lower deck, forming a V, guns aimed into the corridor. A sixth soldier steps into the V.
“All children ages six and under are to be brought forward,” he says.
Danny looks bac
k at the scared expressions of passengers, daring to remain in their doorways.
Alan steps out from his own little room. “You can’t take all of them.”
“This is an order from the Captain. It’s not up for negotiation.” The commanding soldier tells him, raising his own flame thrower.
Alan continues forward.
“Stop,” the soldier says, slowly backing up.
Alan looks down at the soldiers feet. He narrows his eyes, curious about why the soldier is backing up.
“I said stop,” the soldier repeats.
Alan doesn’t stop.
“Ready tanks,” the commander orders. Each soldier reaches for the valve on their fuel tanks and opens it. The action gives Alan a reason to stop moving forward.
“Alan…” Danny whispers.
One hand extends out to the closest soldier as Alan focuses on his gun.
“Bring the children forward,” the order is given, again.
Alan furrows his brow as his arm starts to shake. The back section of the nearby soldier’s gun jerks downward. The soldier looks down at this gun before looking back at his commander.
“Steady men. Aim,” the commander says.
Alan grits his teeth while a small bead of sweat trails down his temple.
“Final order,” the commander says. “The children. Now.”
Tears from some of those still in their doorways, well up. Scared for their own lives but unable to justify handing their kids over for purposes they know nothing about.
Alan’s eyes go wide. And in a blurred motion he swings his extended arm down. The fuel hose running to the tank of the nearby soldier, rips from it’s connection. The soldier steps backward, raising his gun. His eyes follow the disconnected fuel line. Danny stares at the tank, waiting to see the fuel spill out. Nothing does. Not even a drop.
“No,” the commander shouts.
“They’ve got no fuel!” Danny shouts to the rest of the passengers. And without waiting, he runs to the closest soldier and swings the heavy bucket at his head. The tin container hits the soldier, knocking him into the wall while sending the bits of nuts and bolts spilling out. Alan sweeps one arm up, blasting the fasteners out at the other soldiers. It’s just enough to distract them while other armed passengers rush into the hallway, their weapons raised and ready to strike.
It’s not an army but it’s more than enough for the six soldiers. Chains, pipes, sticks, all hand held, makeshift weapons swing at the soldiers. Swinging or upraised flame thrower guns defend against some of the attacks. The cramped space makes it hard for either side to swing anything more than a light attack. It’s only the lower decker’s numbers that push the soldiers back. Those who’ve chosen to move out and fight, easily overwhelm the soldiers.
“Fall back,” the commander orders. “Fall back.” He hits a small intercom on the wall, next to the door. “We need reinforcements. We’re losing the lower deck.” He hits another button, opening the door. It slides up and he rushes inside, followed by two more of his men. The others are lost to the rebelling lower deckers. The last soldier through hits the button on the other side. The door starts to close.
“The exit,” Takeda calls out.
Alan stops the door, telekinetically. “It’s too heavy. I can’t keep…”
Danny rushes to the door and stands under it, trying to push it back up. “Come on.” He strains.
Other passengers work their way through to the other side. Two others stop at the door and help Danny push it up. Gears grind as they’re forced to open the door when electronics are telling it to close. Two more passengers assist with the door. Sparks fly out from above the door as five people push on it.
Takeda limps to the door, passing up lower deckers looting the armor from the downed soldiers. He raises his can backwards then with a massive swing, he strikes the control panel for the door. The gears grind to a full stop. Danny steps back inside the corridor while the other four continue after the three running soldiers.
“That’s a bucket of bullets we just lost.” Danny walks toward Alan.
“Doesn’t matter. My pockets are full,” Alan says. “This is happening sooner than I wanted.”
“There will never be a good time for this,” Takeda says. “Violence is rarely convenient.”
“Then the faster we get to the bridge, the less of it we’ll have to deal with.” Alan walks toward the door.
Newly armored passengers follow him through the lower deck entrance. Some wear arm guards. Others wear the body armor. Everyone feels encouraged after this first victory. A few others decide it’s better to join the fight than to stay behind. They leave their rooms and follow Alan.
Danny looks back to see the new additions. “Still not the army it could have been but…”
“We’ll take who we can get,” Alan says. “I still say it should just be me.”
“You just get us there. We will do that hard part,” Takeda says as the three of them walk through the entryway out of the lower deck.
CHAPTER EIGHT
Rows of large tubes hang from the ceiling, making their way toward chambers against the far wall. White smoke spurts from the tubes in random bursts. The smoke hovers in the air, creating a fog that slowly disperses. Alan watches as his own breath joins the fog. “What is this place?”
“Haven’t you been here, before? Takeda asks.
“I never stayed around.”
“It’s colder in here than it is in the lower deck,” Danny adds.
“This is the Stasis Deck,” Takeda tells them. “And it is right where we want to be.”
“Why is that?” Alan asks.
“Because it is the place where we find our means of advancement. Now that they know we're coming they'll have made sure all of the deck doors are locked. Here we will find of means over-riding those locks,” Takeda says. “Follow the tubes.”
The group stays close together as they follow the tubes. All around them are control centers and blinking lights of the devices that keep the temperature low.
Alan looks at a few passengers huddled together, trying to stay warm. “We can’t stay in here for long.”
“If she's still here," Takeda says “We won't have to."
“She who?” Danny asks, but he gets on answer from the old man.
Eight chambers lay against the wall, lit inside by sharp blue lights. Takeda walks to a nearby control center and pulls down on three levers. The blue light gives way to a flicker of yellow in three of the chambers as the doors slowly swing open, more of the fog rolling out of each chamber. The mist envelopes the group making them shiver even more.
Alan turns his palms outward, trying to mentally push the rolling fog away from them. Most of it still gets through.
“There she is,” Takeda says as the emptying chamber reveals a woman lying inside of it.
“Who is she?” Alan asks.
“One of the useful undesirables of the ship. A rabble rouser of sorts. But someone necessary enough to keep around. Just out of the way,” Takeda explains.
“Don’t they just throw troublemakers out of the airlock?” Danny asks.
“Certainly but not when they have skills such as hers.” Takeda steps forward and gently touches the woman’s arm.
She jerks awake. “Sahel!”
“It’s alright. You’re safe,” Takeda tells her.
“Cap…Captain Takeda?” The woman stares at the man in disbelief.
“Not anymore, I’m afraid. That position has changed hands.”
“Hallet runs the ship?” she asks.
“For the moment. We are on our way to rectify that.” Takeda turns to the group. “Everyone, this is Aja. She is the gate control engineer.”
“Why are you in stasis?” Danny asks.
“They took me in my sleep. Accused me of hoarding depleted power cells.”
“For what?” Alan asks.
Takeda waves a hand at Alan, trying to avoid
further questioning. “Is that still a problem for you?” He asks Aja.
She stares at the floor, guilty. “No amount of time in stasis will cure it.”
“Eventually, this ship will run out and then what?” Takeda asks.
“Then we will see what happens next. I thank you for waking me but what do you need?” She slowly leans out of the chamber and nearly falls forward. Alan keeps her from falling to the floor, telekinetically. It is just long enough for Danny to help her steady herself.
“We’re going to the bridge. It’s time for a change,” Danny tells her.
“And Hallet most certainly knows we are coming. Their first defense is to lock all of the doors to the other decks. We need you to get those doors open.” Takeda explains.
“Where is Sahel?” Aja asks.
Takeda looks toward one of the other open chambers. “Sound asleep, still.”
Aja rushes to the chamber and places her hands on a boy no older than ten. His eyes burst open. “Mata!”
“Yes, my boy. I am here.” She carries the boy out of the chamber and rubs his arms to warm him up.
Alan notices a resemblance between the two. “He’s your—”
“My son. I taught him all of the override codes to ensure he was kept safe. If anything happened to me, there would still be someone who could open the deck entrances if need be.”
“A good plan. But we need you,” Takeda says.
“Will you help us?” Alan asks.
“On one condition. I want the used power cells,” Aja says.
“We need you clear headed,” Takeda reasons.
“What do used power cells do?” Danny asks.
“Used power cells leak radiation,” Alan says. “I’ve been near them before. They cause hallucinations. You’re a rad addict, aren’t you?”
Aja glares at him. “Do not judge me.”
“An addict?” Danny throws his hands up in disgust. “So she’s gonna inhale some radiation, lay back and start seeing shiny colors? What good is that going to do us?”
The Final Revolution Page 3
