Doomsday Minus One

by Andrew Dorn

  “There are always other options,” Ballard said, winking at her.

  “I sure hope you’re right, captain.”

  Declan glanced at his two companions. He enjoyed being with them and felt they made a good team. Captain Ballard was the archetype of the responsible pilot: come hail or high water, you knew he would do his upmost for both passengers and crew. As for Anna, she possessed an inner strength he found irresistible. Her determination to find her father had carried her forward, but there was no doubt in his mind she would have done the same for him, or for anyone else caught in a dangerous situation. It was an admirable trait of character for such a young woman.

  “Declan?”

  Anna’s voice stirred him out from his musings.

  “Can you pass me a bottle of water?”

  He reached down and extracted a bottle from the portable cooler.

  “Sure,” he said. “Captain, interested in some vintage aqua?”

  “Yes,” Ballard said with a large smile. “If it’s a good year, of course.”

  “The best there is.”

  Declan passed the bottles around, the atmosphere of the cabin suddenly less gloomy. There was much to be said about camaraderie during crisis, and from the looks of it, Declan reflected, there were no doubts they were indeed comrades.

  “Is that it?” Anna said, pointing out the left side of the cockpit.

  Declan straightened up in his seat to get a better view. The chaotic aspect of the area was unmistakable, confirming their worst fears.

  “It looks like the aftermath of a volcanic eruption,” Anna said with a look of wonder.

  “Or the surface of an asteroid,” he added with a side glance.

  As they approached, Ballard raised the airship’s altitude so they could better make out the pit’s layout. The sludge’s dominion over the land was a stark reminder of what they were facing. Declan searched for signs of life in the blasted land.

  My God, is there still something alive down there?

  Even the river, which snaked its way between the low hills, had turned into a waterless channel of caked dirt and goo.

  “It’s so desolate,” Anna said. “Nothing could have survived such an upheaval.”

  “We don’t know,” the Captain said, his voice low. “Let’s not lose hope.”

  They flew in silence for the next minutes, each aware of the terrible loss below. The center of the hole loomed ahead in the windshield, a deep trench in the featureless land.

  “What is that?” Ballard said.

  Both Declan and Anna followed the Captain’s gaze, peering over his left shoulder to the landscape below. There was an object rising from the trench. Something they had never seen before. It looked like a branchless tree, but gigantic, and it was an ashy grayish color except for specks of yellow matter embedded in its ‘trunk’. Declan thought it was at least forty meters tall, perhaps even more, taller than the three waterfalls, known as Niagara Falls, that straddle the international border between Canada and the United States. As they flew nearer, he was reminded of a tube or a chimney of sorts.

  “You know what,” Captain Ballard started. “If I didn’t know better, I would describe that thing as an oversized trench mortar.”

  “A cannon? You can’t be serious!” Declan said.

  “It’s different for sure, as if it had been grown instead of built, but it kinda looks like it, don’t you agree?”

  Declan turned to Anna. “What’s your take on it?”

  “I don’t know what it is,” she said, locking eyes with him. “But it’s not a giant air freshener, that’s for sure.”

  Declan shook his head from side to side.

  I can’t believe this...

  “What are we gonna do?”

  His question bounced around the cabin, but, for once, nobody ventured an answer.

  Elijah observed the airship as it flew overhead. Wherever he went, the damn ship followed.

  He had to do something about it; like he had done to Rutledge.

  Gwen... that shrew.

  She had run away, behind his back, while he was out doing recon of the glorious spire rising from the depths. A betrayal he made sure she’d regret. It had meant one less arrow... but it had been worth it, nonetheless. Watching her limp away wasn’t the kill he had wished for but she wouldn’t pose a threat to his plans anymore, a turnover he qualified as success.

  Part of him, though, wondered why she had done it. She, out of everyone else, ought to have embraced his vision. She was SComm like him after all. They were supposed to be on the same agenda, with a singular goal. They had the same values.

  But she had decided otherwise.

  So be it.

  It would not stop him.

  It was irrelevant, in the grand scheme of things.

  The scheme was what he needed to fight for. Only it had any importance.

  The thing at the bottom of the hole needed to finish what it had started. What it was conceived to do.

  And so did he.

  41 Decisions

  “MAJOR REDDING CAN you hear me?”

  “Yes, Captain, we read you.”

  Redding’s voice sounded metallic in the airship’s cockpit. The Starwind was hovering at a safe distance from the towering spire, about 500 meters from its base. Anna had christened it The Big Gun, a valid qualifier in the circumstance. Ballard cleared his throat, eyes peeled to the structure.

  “We have a situation here, Major. We believe there is some type of weapon here.”

  “A weapon, you say?”

  “Yes, sir. I repeat. Some kind of artillery device. At least that’s the impression we are getting from it. The thing is at least 50 meters high by about 10 meters in diameter. Somewhat like an industrial smokestack, but different. It’s kinda tough to describe, but it’s definitely giving off a dangerous vibe.”

  There was a long spat of static in the transmission before the Major’s voice was heard again.

  “— exact position?”

  Declan interjected, having guessed the Major’s intent.

  “We are at longitude 47.092296 by latitude -69.124111.”

  The communication link sputtered again. The hiss coming from the speaker seemed even worse than before. Declan repeated the message, hammering each number as distinctly as possible. Anxious seconds went by as they waited for a reply. Then a loud burst of static exploded in the cabin and the radio went dead.

  “Dammit, we’ve just lost the radio,” Ballard said with a glance at the instrument panel. “There must be something interfering with communication.”

  Declan twiddled with the radio frequencies, seeking to recover the band they had used to communicate with Redding but there was only the fizz of dead air.

  “It’s as if our signal is being blocked deliberately.”

  “Look!” Anna said, finger pointing out the cockpit window.

  The upper extremity of the great spire was swiveling in a downward arc, changing stance from its rigidly vertical setup. At the base, dozens of thick appendages stretched out across the width of the pit, binding themselves to massive boulders ringing the area. Some of the tendrils buckled, others snapped, but the cannon kept up the maneuver. It was pivoting, shifting its attitude, like an enormous tree being gradually brought down. The spire was now at angle of 60 degrees, and with a heavy groan, it stabilized itself. The tendrils repositioned themselves to better secure the giant mass, bonding together to form a stable foundation.

  “How long do you think it will take for—

  Declan’s question was cut short by a deep thrumming sound originating from outside the cabin. The spire’s dark metallic grey skin was undergoing a transformation. The deep circular bands engraved around its width, near where it came out of the ground, began to shine brighter, as if stirring up for the first time. The timid yellow light emanating from the bands became brighter and more brilliant with each passing second. Soon, a dazzling circle of perfect golden-yellow light was pulsing with ferocious intensity, illumin
ating much of the surrounding landscape.

  “My God!” Anna said, eyes widening.

  “What I wouldn’t do for a good old B-21 Bomber right now!” Ballard said, turning to Declan. “I could bomb the hell out of it and blow it to smithereens!”

  Declan looked around the cabin then back to the Captain.

  “I might have an idea,” Declan began. “But you won’t like it.”

  “Try me.”

  “Though we don’t have bombs, we have an empty shipping container hooked underneath. The tare weight is about 5,000 pounds, right?”

  Ballard nodded, a smile growing on his face.

  “If we could drop it inside the butt hole of that big gun...”

  “We might be able to do some real damage,” Ballard concluded. “I like it.”

  Anna had listened in to the conversation between the pilots. Were they really discussing the possibility of dropping a container on the structure?

  “Are you guys serious?”

  “It’s the only way,” Declan said. “Right, Captain?”

  “I’m afraid so,” Ballard said. “Guys, I want you to prepare for evacuation while I set up the release.”

  “What do you mean by evacuate?” Anna asked.

  Declan had figured out at once what the Captain had wordlessly asked him to do.

  “The maneuver I’m about to do is unauthorized. It goes beyond all rules and regulations. Though circumstances demand we take such, huh, unusual actions, there is no way I will risk the life of passengers,” Ballard said, eyes fixed to Anna’s. “I want you to be safe while I do these maneuvers.”

  Ballard gave Anna a quick smile.

  “Declan will accompany you to the ground. Once the container is dropped, I will come back to pick you up.”

  “But Captain,” Anna objected. “You don’t know what will happen once the container hits that thing!”

  “I know. I’m hoping it will crumble apart. Just like those old smokestacks... the ones too decrepit to remain upright.”

  Anna considered the comparison. It was full of unknowns and the captain knew it. She could make out the worry in his eyes. He knew full well it was a dangerous plan.

  “Besides, what other choice do we have?” Ballard said, with a passion that Anna could feel in her own heart. “See for yourself. Look at the dead landscape below. We have to stop this menace.”

  “But Major Redding said earlier we should not interfere, that he would come soon...”

  Anna locked eyes with the captain, saw the determination etched in his features.

  “I know,” Ballard said with a kind smile. “But can we risk it? Can we risk waiting until they get here? That thing below seems dangerous as hell. I mean look at what it’s already done to the forest, to the land, to the mine... we can’t let it continue killing our world.”

  There was another burst of noise from the outside. The cockpit’s window rattled as a shock wave rocked the ship along its entire length.

  “Guys, we have to get moving!” Ballard said, glancing at Anna and Declan. “You need to evacuate now!”

  Declan got up from his seat and grabbed Anna by the elbow.

  “Good luck, captain,” he said, clasping Ballard’s outstretched hand.

  “Godspeed to you both.”

  The crew compartment consisted of both the cockpit and a cargo section, the two halves divided by a partition. Anna and Declan entered the cargo area and made their way between the stacked goods and other supplies filling the hold. Declan felt the craft drop in altitude. The captain wasn’t losing any time.

  “Grab that life raft,” he said, pointing to a red duffel bag strapped to the side of the rear hatch.

  “What for?” Anna said.

  “We need an island of survival down there.”

  She had all but forgotten about the sludge. Though from the air it looked hardened, they couldn’t risk debarking in a pool of the stuff. Declan’s flash of inspiration on the use of the life raft was inspired, to say the least.

  “Opening the hatch,” Declan said. “Now!”

  He pulled a lever on the rear wall and the hatch sprung open with a hissing sound. Anna watched Declan grab the duffel bag and sling it over his shoulder.

  “I’m gonna go first. I will deploy the life raft then help you down,” Declan said with a hand squeeze. “Understood?”

  “Yes.”

  Declan nodded then went over to the hatch. He unrolled the rope ladder affixed to the side of the hatch then tossed it outside the craft. Satisfied that it had deployed successfully, he grabbed the first rung with his left hand. Declan felt a presence at his side. He turned his head. Anna was putting up a courageous front but he could see the fear in her eyes.

  “See you in a second.”

  Declan made his way outside the cabin. He was about 150 meters up from the ground, higher than he expected. He couldn’t make out the front cockpit from his position but he was sure the captain was monitoring his progress via the hull-mounted cameras. He did a thumbs up gesture for his benefit, then began his descent along the ladder. His gloves, cushioned with leather, offered him plenty of resistance, which he used to maintain his grip on the ropes. At 3 meters from the ground, he pulled the fat yellow cord and let the duffel bag go. The life raft inflated with a loud popping sound and hit the ground a moment later. It bounced once but to Declan’s relief, righted itself immediately on the congealed surface. He climbed down the remaining rungs then dropped into the waiting raft. It felt odd to jump in a raft which didn’t bob and weave, but then again the entire area was like something out of a nightmare.

  “Anna, go!” Declan shouted, craning his head back.

  He gripped the lower rungs of the ladder to steady its sway and stared upward. He saw her respond with a little wave. She held back for several seconds, uncertain on what to do.

  “Just hold on tight and use the handholds like any ordinary ladder.”

  She started her descent. Declan watched her climb down. She was prudent but her pace was good and a minute later she hopped into the raft, all smiles and with a triumphant look in her eyes. Declan let the ladder go then waved his arms to the sky, hoping Ballard could see they had safely made it to the ground. As if in response, the airship suddenly zoomed skyward, the rope ladder trailing beneath and spinning about in the wind.

  “Oh, shit!” Anna called out.

  Declan’s attention turned to the spire. The ribbon of golden illumination had turned into a blinding light of pure energy. A great rumble was set in motion, like an underground tsunami tearing across the land. The Starwind, engines buzzing madly, climbed into a sharp angle of attack, gaining altitude quickly. Declan figured the captain had already punched in the codes to override the safety features and that all he needed to do next was pull a lever to release the container. There was a concern, however. Was it heavy enough to damage the structure?

  There was a sharp clang and Declan watched in awe as the shipping container separated from underneath the airship.

  “Holy!”

  A heartbeat later, the container smashed into the top end of the spire.

  Then everything seemed to happen simultaneously.

  Declan heard a deafening swoosh as The Big Gun fired. There was a huge flash of electric light followed by a shock of air. The concussion slammed into him with a punch to his gut, sending him tumbling out of the raft like a rag doll. High above, the second Seeder struck the hull of the Starwind with a tremendous blast of noise and light.

  Declan got to his feet, momentarily confused.

  “Oh, no!” Anna’s cry wrenched him back to reality. He watched, horrified, as the airship spun out of control, a white-hot inferno blazing in the sky. Declan saw the cockpit had been untouched by the deflagration, its location on the underside of the craft protecting it from the blaze. Against all hope, there was movement in the doorframe of the cabin, the same one he and Anna had exited 5 minutes before.

  He instantly recognized the distinctive uniform of Captain Ballard.
He was attempting to leave the ship. Above him, the fire was eating up the hull at a vertiginous speed, spewing thick black smoke in the sky. Ballard, braving the thick bellowing smoke, was climbing down the ladder. But it wasn’t an easy task. The fire had destroyed the electronics bay, causing the failure of the airship’s four stabilizers.

  The Starwind was caught in an uncontrollable flat spin.

  Ballard was flung to and from, locking his arms together as the ladder whirled about in the air.

  “Captain!” Declan shouted, eyes riveted to the scene.

  It was too late. The craft was doomed. Declan watched in horror as the airship folded unto itself in a thunderous roar, flinging both the crew compartment and its captain, hundreds of meters away. The burning shell of the mammoth craft struck the base of the towering spire with terrific force. The collision blew an enormous hole in the structure’s outer casing, pulverizing the shell into a shower of fragments. The whole assembly vacillated for a few seconds then began to waver precariously.

  “Watch out!” Declan warned.

  “Declan!” Anna said, clutching his arm.

  He watched hopelessly as the imposing bulk of the spire fell towards them.

  42 Yawning Maw

  MAJOR REDDING SHUT the radio with an abrupt flick of the thumb. Things were definitely not going as planned.

  “Any news on the readiness of the bird?”

  Lieutenant Monroe closed the door behind him then stood at ease before the Major’s broad but thoroughly clean desk. The bird the Major was referring to was the unit’s sole helicopter, a battered Bell UH-1Y Venom that had been undergoing repairs for the better part of the week. The lack of serviceable parts had impaired the repairs, leading to unacceptable delays in the eyes of the Major.

  “No, sir. The repairs are still ongoing but maintenance might have turned up a way to print a key part to get the helo back in the air.”

  The Major nodded as though already informed of the situation. Jim Redding was inching to move, to do something. Ever since the communication from Ballard, and his warning about a potential weapon being deployed, he could not stop thinking about it.