Paul finished removing the makeshift harness which had served as a restraint. He shifted his gaze to the teleportation grid where it sat in the area which he had scooped free of snow. His heart longed to see an open and functional orifice with Dome 17 on the other end. He wished with all his heart for people from Dome 17 to be coming through the teleportation system. Now he knew that would never happen. He wondered what he had to live for now. He looked back at Brinley, and her bright normal eyes and inquisitive face pierced the darkness of his soul. “Yes you were quite sick. Are you feeling better now?”
Gretchen, wiping the tears from her eyes, now stood next to Brinley as well. “You were nearly lost to us.”
“Are you saying?” Brinley asked with trembling lips. “I really was a Roe? I mean, I said that before, but you are confirming it? I really had turned? You cured a Roe? Simply amazing!”
“Bright orange eyes. Repetitive phrase. Nasty attitude. Yes, that was how you were,” Gretchen replied.
“I guess that does explain the restraints. Tied me up, just to treat me? Oh, that is incredible!” Brinley stood up and scraped the snow off the places that it had accumulated on her body. She flexed her arm that had been injured. It was completely whole again. She jumped over and hugged Gretchen and Paul with extreme intensity. “Thank you. The equipment you have is the most powerful technology on the Vanguard. To be able to treat the virus, is almost unthinkable. But to turn a Roe back to normal? It is shocking and wonderful and superb! You cured the outbreak. I know you did that with me. When people discover what you can do, everyone on this ship is going to want that equipment. So what will you do?”
“I do not know.” Paul was deeply discouraged. He had known from the beginning, all the way back in Dome 17, that this mission to recover a colony ship had had a low probability for success. Intellectually he had known that. But in his heart he figured that Gretchen and he would be the ones to succeed. Now that he knew failure. The mission had failed. He was nearly overwhelmed by the rush of emotions he felt. “I just do not know what we can do.”
“You two can do anything! Anything at all! Why I know people who will…”
“Brinley? All our people are either dead or lost to us. Lost forever,” Gretchen said.
“That is terrible,” Brinley said, but she was still super excited about being cured. “But you healed me. You can heal anyone infected! The Roe do not need to be killed!”
“Brinley, listen!” Gretchen snapped at her. “It looks like we are trapped on the Vanguard.”
Brinley stared at her for a moment. “Yes, I hear you. I am in your debt. How can I help?”
“You know the ship and the people. What do you think we should do?” Gretchen asked. She too felt like a failure, but she also had a strong desire to survive.
Brinley gave them each a reassuring smile. Then she hugged them each again. “You saved my life! You cured the infection. And the rest of this equipment, I have never seen anything like this ever before. I have been to lots of places on the Vanguard, and nothing compares to this stuff. Just the level of technology you have, and the weapons, and teleportation?” Then Brinley paused. Gretchen’s words were finally getting through her excitement. “But wait, I did not understand about the people and the dome stuff. Did I hear right? Your people are dead or lost? Was there some catastrophe to all your people?” Realization of what she had heard was sinking in.
“Yes,” Gretchen replied. “About half escaped to some other colony ship, but the rest died. We can never see them again.”
“That is horrible,” Brinley replied. “But you are here, and I will help you. I owe you my life.”
Brinley was calculating in her mind all the options they had. “I do know the ship. I know the Free Rangers, and our decades-long, stalemated struggle against the Central Planning Organization. I have been in all six habitats, and know most of the Constable’s locations in each habitat. I know the trade routes, both the shuttle flights, and the interior runs. I know how we get supplies between the habitats without being intercepted by CPO police. And now I know that the Roe can be healed!”
“But what do you think we should do?” Paul insisted.
Brinley gave him another reassuring smile. “You are still connected that AI of yours, Tiffany, is that what you called it? And you have technology, knowledge, and the ability to change everything here. You two are going to be the most hunted and the most powerful people on the entire Vanguard. Not to mention you have me as your guide!” Brinley giggled in joy.
“You still have not said what you think we should do. Paul, should we head back to the scout ship?” Gretchen asked. There was not much enthusiasm in her suggestion.
“Not today,” Paul replied. “I just want get someplace warm.”
“That I can help you with!” Brinley said. “The biosphere in A Habitat is just entering the spring cycle. I know the best way to get in there, and once we get to a hangar bay I can easily fly over there. We will need to find a shuttle, but those are not hard to get. I have the connections so gather up everything you want to take from here and follow me.”
“That seems like a reasonable course of action,” Tiffany said over area audio so all three of them heard it. “But Gretchen, will you improvise a communication link for our new friend Brinley? I would like to discuss these matters with her directly.”
“That is easy to do,” Gretchen replied. “The components from the teleportation equipment can be modified. And we do not need to take much more of this stuff. One end of a teleportation system is not much use. I have already stripped down what I thought would be useful. Give me about five minutes and Brinley will be linked in.”
“Well Brinley, it looks like we are a team now. When Gretchen is read you can lead on.” Paul reached over and grabbed Gretchen’s hand and gave it a squeeze. “At least you and I are together.”
“And it looks like our adventures are only just beginning here on the Vanguard,” Gretchen replied.
The End
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
John Thornton is the author of the science fiction series “The Colony Ship Eschaton.” He lives with his wife, two silly dogs, to ancient cats, and enjoys visits from his grown children. He lives in a part of the country where evergreens often get buried in snow, but during the summer it can be blisteringly hot.
Trapped on the Vanguard
Book 2: Colony Ship Vanguard
John Thornton
Copyright © 2014 John Thornton
All rights reserved.
ISBN-13: 978-1499108668
ISBN-10: 1499108664
DEDICATION
To my wife and children who have listened to my imagination so many time. Thanks for putting up with me.
CONTENTS
Acknowledgments
1
Larissa’s plan
2
Power struggle
3
Cutting through the Roe
4
Free flight
5
Demise of some Free rangers
6
Fuel, machines, and other things
7
Fleeing the death zone
8
Water, music, knowledge
9
The sojourn to Oasis
10
11
12
13
Reunited
Back to the Wilds
Into the palace
Confronting Larissa
Epilogue
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
Cover art by Dedefox
Back cover by artoftheman and/or Sylwia Piekut
1 Larissa’s plan
Constable Larissa Rinyeva stood under the evergreen trees of E Habitat. The sky tube far overhead was growing brighter and warmer every day as the habitat moved from winter into the spring season. The snows were nearly all melted now, except for dirty lumps of still frosted over areas under the densest parts of the forests, like the place she stood now. Remote areas
of the highland forest, nearly against the sides of the habitat, well removed from any of the main roads, or streams, were the only locations left for snow. She was in that backwoods part of the habitat she controlled, which was commonly called the Wilds. She had been hunting. She was hopeful that she had finally found some vestiges which pointed her in the right direction.
She pulled back the hood of her parka and revealed her light blonde hair which was combed into a braid down her back. She lifted a container and took a deep drink from the warm liquid inside. She stepped out past the line of trees and into the open area which stood just before the wall.
Set into that wall, there had once been an elevator. Someone had cut the elevator doors off, leaving an ungainly type of metal cave in the wall. Those doors were then segmented into strips of material and set into a pattern on the muddy ground in-between the wall of the habitat and the edge of the forest.
Larissa did not know the purpose of the pattern, the cuttings, or who had done it. She disliked not knowing. She was determined to find out what had happened and how it related to the people who had escaped from her clutches. None of the exits from the Wilds were ever to be opened.
Looking over her hunting party, the hound handler and his animals, three deputies, and two automacubes, she thinly smiled. These troops of hers would never recognize that she was unsure of what had happened. She projected confidence and superiority in all that she did.
“You are certain we have no record of any work crews doing any types of repairs or construction at this location?” Larissa asked. It was not so much of a question as a confirmation of what she already knew.
“Yes, Constable,” replied the deputy who stood before her. “I have consulted the records. This elevator was deactivated and sealed immediately after the Outbreak. There are no other records about it being reopened. I have also spoken to the nearest ranchers. No one knows who did this.” The man gestured toward the materials on the ground and then pointed beyond to the wall just past the evergreens.
“Oh really?” Larissa replied as she arched a single eyebrow.
The deputy trembled a bit.
Larissa eyed the scene before her while her deputy sweated. He was anxious, waiting for her next words. The wall was made from permalloy, the material which constituted the majority of the structural components of the Colony Ship Vanguard. The wall stretched horizontally far to either side away into the distance. The wall also reached vertically all the way upward in a gentle arc until it connected to the sky tube far overhead.
“My dear deputy, someone always knows who did something,” Larissa responded in a soft voice, her penetrating eyes were as cold as the few remaining piles of snow. Her near presence and direct attention sent chills up the deputy’s back. “We just need to discover who knows about this incident and convince them to tell us. It is really quite simple.”
“Yes, Constable. Forgive my impudence,” the deputy replied quickly. He knew Larissa’s history and greatly desired to stay in her favor. “It is not the Roe is it?”
Larissa blew out a long breath of air, which the deputy rightly understood was a dismissal of his question as being ridiculous. She replaced her drink container on her belt, next to her handgun, and looked at the permalloy materials which had once been the elevator doors. They had been found by the tracking hounds. The magnificent hounds were still vigorously sniffing around and about the area. The hound’s handler was observing his trackers and trying to not be noticed by Larissa. The hounds kept returning to the now ruined remains of the elevator car. Their long floppy ears, deep russet fur, and gangly legs were moving rapidly. But their large noses were being used even more vigorously as they searched.
“Automacube S76, what purpose does this pattern have?” Larissa asked, as she turned away from the human deputy. To him that was an immediate and immense relief. She stepped toward the machine near her.
The machine was red, with six drive wheels. The treads on the wheels were designed to funnel the mud, snow, slush, and rain away, and thus the machine could move nimbly anywhere in the habitat It was about knee high, square shaped, with several weapons ports on the front, as well as a multiple jointed manipulation arm on the top. The number 76 was stenciled into the side of the machine in white letters which set it off from the red color of the machine. A mechanical and clipped voice replied, “Unknown pattern. Consult lattice for analysis by the central data base?”
“Permission granted, for partial linkage in the nonphysicality. Only for this specific pattern, and only in search mode. You will not consult a primary artificial intelligence, nor will you add anything to the data base without my express prior permission,” Larissa replied. The way she said it was well rehearsed. She had issued that command countless times. Constable Larissa had severe reservations about sharing anything with the Central Planning Office until she knew for certain what she was dealing with. Knowledge was power, and Larissa wanted both, very badly.
“Affirmative,” the security automacube replied. Its manipulation arms grasped one of the grid sections and brought it closer for minute examination. “Working.”
The hound handler walked over to Larissa and with his eyes diverted asked, “May I interrupt you, Constable?”
“You just did. What is it, Heinrich?” Larissa asked.
“The hounds keep alerting on the broken elevator. I believe the ceiling there has been cut open, and then resealed. But I might be wrong. May I request your evaluation of that?” Heinrich replied. His clothing was woven wool, and he felt very much out of place speaking to the Constable. He was more comfortable hunting vicious predators than speaking with Larissa. He felt safer approached a large animal caught in a trap than he did speaking to Larissa. And he was correct, she was more dangerous. He had responded when the Constable’s troops had come and demanded he be part of the search. His hounds were known as some of the best trackers in all of the Wilds, but Heinrich preferred, when he could manage it, to let the Constable go about her business without his interactions.
“Yes, I will look at that elevator. From which direction did these people come here?” Larissa asked as she walked over toward the elevator. The other red automacube rolled along behind her.
“The hounds have found no trials leading away from here or leading to here. That may be because of the snow melt.” Heinrich never looked at Larissa as he responded. He eyed his hounds, and the surroundings, but did not look at the Constable.
“So they came from the elevator?” Larissa asked with a cold grin.
“Yes, that seems the case. But, pardon me, Constable. Beyond that wall are the Roe. Are the Roe responsible?” Heinrich was terrified as he verbalizing his deepest fears.
“The Roe? Is that what truly frightens you?” Larissa responded with just enough of a tone to instill more fear in Heinrich. He realized he did fear her more than the Roe.
“I reported this as soon as it was discovered. Nothing else was seen here. I called your troops immediately when I found this. I know how important keeping the walls secure really is,” Heinrich sobbed a bit in his voice. “My hounds will not be infected, will they?”
“We will see. You did your part in maintaining the quarantine. For that you are commended,” Larissa stated. “Governor Muravyev will also be made aware of your fine contribution. He may summon you for additional services as the need arises. I look forward to your experienced work again in the future.” It did not sound to Heinrich like a compliment at all. Watching Heinrich quiver, she relented in his torment. “The Roe did not do this. The Roe do not use skilled tools or machines. This was cut by a torch and sealed by welding. No Roe can do that.”
Heinrich relaxed a bit, but his heart was still pounding. Just the thought of the Roe getting to his hounds was disturbing.
“You are dismissed,” Constable Larissa commanded. “I will call upon your services again in the future, of that you can be assured.”
“Thank you Constable,” Heinrich replied with a gulp. Larissa’s comment about her c
alling on him again was going to haunt him. And to think she would tell the Governor about him. That too caused deep anxiousness and worry. He knew he would replay those comments in his mind for days. But for today he could depart. He called his hounds and soon they were gone into the evergreen forest.
Larissa examined the inside of the elevator car. It was a wreck. There was solidified slag sticking up from the floor of the car. It was clear someone had cut down through the top of the car making a circular opening, and then resealed it over. The welding was done skillfully and had completely sealed the car again. However, there was no knowing for sure when it had been done.
The Colony Ship Vanguard: The entire eight book series in one bundle Page 23
