The Colony Ship Vanguard: The entire eight book series in one bundle

by John Thornton

  “Gretchen, at least you do not have to duck down again,” Paul stated.

  Gretchen rubbed her lower back and stretched out. The rounded walls were dull light-gray colored with circular supports every three meters. The supports were highlighted in dull and flaking red paint and a system of numbers was written in a contrasting color on those supports. The numbers did not have a sequential aspect to them. The supports jutted out from the walls about a quarter meter and made it necessary to walk in single file. The orange automacube went first, followed by Gretchen, then Jodie and Paul followed at the rear.

  As they walked down that narrow tube, up ahead a section of the ceiling opened and lowered down into place. It was another ramp.

  They proceeded upward and stopped as they left the ramp which quickly closed behind them. The floor showed no evidence that the ramp was there. The secret passageways were well hidden, and Gretchen wondered about how they had all been opened. She considered again asking Tiffany, but hesitated.

  Lights were sputtering and then stayed on to revealing a large area. It was like a cavity surrounded by rock, and reinforced with permalloy struts, mounts and bracing.

  “I know this place,” Paul said.

  “Yes, it is where those people are in suspended animation,” Gretchen added.

  The area was about fifteen meters tall and roughly one hundred meters long. After the lights all came on the rows and rows and stacks and stacks of suspended animation cocoons were seen.

  “We are near the waterfall. Inside the rocks, on Inaccessible Island,” Paul stated.

  They hurried along until they reached the point where they had interacted with the artificial intelligence system located there.

  “Hello?” Paul stated. “We have come back.”

  A display screen lit up and green lettering scrolled across.

  “This is Suspended Animation Repository 46. I am TSI-200A. I am now part of the IAM. Tertiary system management is place. Chronological perception was malfunctioning during an indeterminate period. Since acculturalization I now have a sense of the passage of time. There are presently 1538 occupants abiding in this facility.” Scrolled the letters.

  “TSI-200A, we need to pass through and exit out to Inaccessible Island,” Paul stated.

  “Understood. S-990 will escort you to the exit. I will operate the door for you.” The lettering scrolled again.

  “Thanks,” Gretchen replied. She wondered what IAM was, but again, restrained herself from asking.

  A red automacube rolled out. It was battered but the number 990 on the side of the automacube was still visible. One drive wheel had a moderate sized chunk missing from it.

  They all followed the red automacube the short distance to where the exit door was located.

  “It will be good to see the waterfall again,” Paul said. “I want to dunk my head in and wash off. That will feel so good. I am surprised we made it back here, but this time it worked out.”

  The door opened and they walked out, followed by the orange automacube holding Tiffany. The door shut behind them and the security automacube S-990 remained in the repository.

  The bright light from the sky tube was nearly blinding as they stepped out of the doorway with the rocky facade. That entry door and the pressure door both closed behind them.

  Paul rubbed his eyes and blinked. He did not hear what he expected. No sounds of the waterfalls, just an occasional drip and plop. No coolness of the misty waters. When he could focus his eyes he looked all around.

  “What?” Jodie gasped.

  There were dead bodies everywhere.

  The waterfall was nearly dry, and all that was pouring down were tiny drips of brown, foul smelling liquid, which landed where there had once been a clear and fresh pool of drinkable water.

  “No! No! No! They are here,” Paul lamented. “Those sphere aliens are here.”

  20 swimming to Inaccessible island

  Brinley looked at Larissa, “We need to get out of here.”

  “I agree,” Larissa said. She grabbed one of the oxygen extraction masks, and one of the sets of swimming gear. “That brown muck is steadily moving over this place. If we are to get to the surface, we need to swim in the clear water.”

  Brinley hesitated for a moment as she looked down at the supplies.

  “Brinley, take a set and come on. Our truce is still holding, and we were sent two sets,” Larissa stated.

  “Yes, but by whom?” Brinley asked. “You said the CPO did not help. Was it your personal AI?”

  “I do not think so, at least not directly. Something said our needs would be supplied, but did not identify itself,” Larissa answered. “Rather arcane and cryptic to me.”

  “Well, the equipment looks new and functional,” Brinley replied. “However I do not trust an unknown gift from an unknown source.”

  “Nor do I. That will not stop me from using this equipment. We can leave through that vodnee water lock. It still is clean water outside of there.”

  Brinley picked up the rest of the gear and they trotted off toward the pressure door with the bright red diagonal stripes.

  “Is that intended for us?” Brinley chuckled as she pointed at the sign that read, ‘Warning’ which was near the water lock.

  “I give us official permission and make each of us authorized users,” Larissa replied with a sly smile and a slight nod to the smaller sign. “In my official capacity as Governor.”

  The swimming gear consisted of a full body suit that conformed to fit over the arms, trunk and legs, as well as flippers for feet, and forearms, and the breathing masks.

  “Our personal defense armor will not fit under these,” Larissa said. “But I hesitate to leave it behind.”

  “We will take all we can, and load the rest into the red automacubes. They each have a small storage compartment,” Brinley suggested.

  “Those security automacubes are under my control remember,” Larissa said, again with a slight smile. “But I will allow them to carry your supplies as well.”

  Brinley and Larissa stripped down and pulled on the swimming ensemble. The suits were black with gray trim and had pouches down the outside of the thighs where they could carry equipment. Brinley had to abandon many of her tools, but took the Dome 17 pistol, and organic disruptor and placed them into the thigh pouches. She also unhooked the communication link from her ear, not sure how it would do underwater, and secured it in a sealed container and slid it in next to the organic disruptor. The suit also had a small pouch on the back, which was not as large as a backpack, but did allow Brinley to squeeze in the medical kit, and fusion pack..

  Larissa pulled her suit on and it conformed to her body as well. She placed her handgun in one pouch, and a vibration saw in the other. She packed the multiceiver in the back pouch along with some of the food supplies. She then began packing the remaining gear in the automacubes.

  Larissa turned to Brinley. “I have seen these security models wade and cross rivers, but never work down this deep in water. The vodnee automacubes do that type of work. These can function underwater?”

  “I hope so. Probably not very well, but adequately. I doubt they can do much more than swim to the surface. Their armaments will be useless underwater,” Brinley replied.

  Not all the tools and gear would fit into the spaces they had, but a good assortment of tools, their clothing, shoes, and personal body armor were secured in the automacube’s storage compartments.

  “Now we test the water lock,” Brinley said. “I suggest we send one machine through and watch its progress.”

  “A wise idea,” Larissa replied. “But both will go. It works or it does not. We should be fully suited and ready when the door is opened. We know there is some damage on that other side, with the ramp being destroyed and if this place floods, we will not have much time.”

  “If this water lock is not functional, and it floods, we will probably die when we open this.” Brinley stated and then she thought to herself what Paul would probably
say in this situation, and that brought a tiny grin to her lips.

  Even so, Brinley put on the swim fins for her feet, the adaptive fins on her forearms, and took the oxygen extractor mask and secured it over her face. The mask had built in goggles as well as the oxygen extraction canister tubes which extended out and wrapped around her head. She took several experimental breaths and was convinced it would work to convert water to oxygen.

  Larissa was similarly clad, but had left the mask hanging around her neck for a moment as she gave the security automacubes instructions.

  “LS-1 and LS-2, you will enter this water lock, then when it is cycled, you will proceed with all haste for the nearest land. Once you are on the land you will set up defensive stations and guard our approach from all threats.”

  “Affirmative,” the red machines replied.

  Larissa placed her mask over her face, tested the oxygen extractor, and then gave Brinley a positive gesture.

  Brinley entered a sequence into the color pad control next to the water lock door. The door slid precisely down into the floor. There was no leak, as the upper hatch and the second door were intact. The two automacubes rolled into the now dry water lock. Brinley entered a second sequence and the water lock door closed. Indicator gauges lit up as the water lock cycled.

  The upper hatch of the water lock opened and the red automacubes floated out. Watching through the clear permalloy, Brinley saw that the red automacubes were moving sluggishly through the water. All six of each one’s drive wheels were rotating and propelling them forward awkwardly. They were also rising in the water.

  Brinley entered the sequence again. The gauges showed the water was draining from the water lock. The water lock door opened, and Larissa and Brinley both stepped inside. There was a color pad control inside the lock and Brinley entered the code to have the lock cycle. Air hissed and water began to fill the chamber. As the water rose, Brinley felt more buoyant. When it reached her neck level she ducked her head under the water and sucked in a big breath of air. The oxygen extractors worked and small amounts of water were pulled into the extraction canisters and transformed into oxygen, and small bubbles were expelled. The air had a metallic sort of taste, but that was minor.

  Brinley pointed to the upper hatch which had sprung open as the water stabilized. The door back to the geodesic dome was sealed, as was the other door which led to the wrecked ramp.

  Swimming always reminded Brinley of being in space. She was naturally light and graceful as she moved out of the water lock. Larissa swam with purpose, strength and skill.

  The hatch closed after them automatically.

  Looking around, Brinley could see the exterior of the clear geodesic dome. She also saw the enormous brown wall where the water was changed. It was swirling and churning and had an evil look about it. It was like a curtain had been dropped and severed the water from clear to brown.

  Brinley and Larissa swam for the surface which was some distance away, using the foot fins, and the adaptive arm fins to glide through the water. Brinley noticed the lack of anything else moving in the water. Except for the automacubes which were chugging along, there were no fish, no sea creatures, and nothing else moving.

  With their streamlined motions Larissa and Brinley passed the automacubes. As they glided by, Larissa looked back and saw something emerging from the brown curtain of churning toxic mess.

  A purplish-blue sphere came out of the brown, and remained hovering in the water. It was blurry and menacing. It was followed by two more. Larissa knew right away it was the enemy. She drew out her handgun from the pouch on her thigh. She took careful aim and fired.

  Woomp!

  A burst came from the end of her handgun, agitating the water in an elongated funnel shape. The bullet shot forward for about a meter, and then stopped and sank in the water.

  Woomp! Larissa fired again.

  The same thing happened. A spout blew out from the end of the barrel and agitation of water happened, but the second bullet went no further.

  Larissa fired again.

  Click.

  Nothing happened.

  Larissa put the handgun back in the pouch, and then drew out the vibration saw from her other pouch.

  Brinley had noticed and was treading water and watching the spheres.

  The lead sphere split, or unpeeled, down the side and a Jellie oozed its way out of the slit in the sphere. The surface of the sphere closed back about itself as the Jellie squirmed out. There was a grotesque reminder of birthing as they watched the enemy come out of its covering.

  With its segmented dome shaped top pointed at them, the Jellie sped directly toward Brinley and Larissa. Its large stalk was behind it, and the multiple tentacles wrapped about that stalk as it moved. It was incredibly swift as it moved through the water.

  The Jellie made a sharp and rapid turn and it attacked the red automacubes. The Jellie stopped, and then hovered in the water, its long stem, ending in a coil vibrated while the tentacles snapped out and grabbed the red machine marked, LS-1. The tentacles wrapped around it and halted its clumsy swimming. The manipulation arm on the automacube spun about and was snagged by a tentacle. The clasp of the mechanical arm smashed down on the tentacle, but it slithered away. A different tentacle ripped at the drive wheels after wrapping about them. One of the wheels sheared off.

  The other red machine, marked LS-2 continued on its mission of reaching dry ground.

  Larissa, pulled the molecular torch from her pouch and swam briskly toward the Jellie. It was trying to dismember the automacube.

  As Larissa approached the wrestling between Jellie and Automacube, a tentacle shot out toward her. She raised the vibration saw and its blade shivered in the water. Even underwater the v-saw was functioning well. Larissa plunged the blade into the tentacle. It ripped a gash lengthwise, and then Larissa shifted and pulled back. The tentacle had attempted to wrap itself around her arm, but the v-saw severed it messily. The cut piece limply floated away and began to swell as it lost its bluish-purple color. The stump seeped some kind of globs of something, they too were glowing a bluish color, but that faded from the globs. The Jellie itself shook and pulled away from the automacube and from Larissa.

  Brinley saw the other spheres suddenly open slits in their sides, and the Jellies inside of them oozed into the water. The two of them jetted toward their injured comrade.

  Larissa kicked the damaged automacube upward as she dove into the attack. The vibration saw held before her.

  One of the retreating Jellie’s tentacles was seized by Larissa’s open hand, while the other hand used the v-saw to rip off that tentacle. It too seeped globs of some bluish and messy gunk.

  The other tentacles struck back and Larissa’s head was smacked. Something sticky on the end of a tentacle grabbed the side of her face, and tried to pull the mask off, but again Larissa was able to wield the v-saw to effective use. Another tentacle was lopped off.

  Tentacles wrapped themselves around Larissa’s legs and squeezed hard. Larissa kicked and then swept down with the v-saw, and gouged a large section of tentacle away before it could withdraw. Globs of slowly fading purplish materials were floating round them as Brinley approached.

  The other two Jellies also arrived. They pulled up short as they observed the damage the first one had received from Larissa’s use of the vibration saw.

  Larissa jabbed at the central stem, or shaft of the Jellie. It shifted in the water and two tentacles slapped together around Larissa’s hand which held the v-saw. The tool, turned weapon, was still cutting, but the Jellie had learned which side to avoid, and did so. The tentacles wrapped tightly around Larissa’s arm, while one small end of another tentacle wrapped around Larissa’s thumb and pulled it forcefully backward. The vibration saw fell out of Larissa’s grasp. It floated downward gently, still actively vibrating as if it was going to cut something else.

  Larissa tried to reach the falling weapon, but her other arm was also grabbed by an intact tentacle which wrapped aro
und her. It squeezed with immense force and wrenched Larissa around. It felt like the Jellie was trying to pull her body apart.

  Piiiiffff!

  Brinley fired the Dome 17 pistol she had drawn. She did not expect anything more than the handgun had done when Larissa had fired it, but Brinley was desperate, what the Jellie was trying to do to Larissa was monstrous.

  There was a small burst and a churned up line of water sped from the barrel. Unlike the bullet from the handgun, it did not stop after only a meter or so, but instead the tiny nugget cut a line in the water and the projectile crashed into the round, knobby, globe-like ball at the top of the Jellie’s body.