by Pirx Danford
Everyone was busy with the spectacle taking place in the village center, by no later than Janas heartbreakingly yelled “No” when Mark showed up, every villager with some senses would have hurried to the center.
I descended from the window and continued on the way the soldiers interrupted me on.
The further journey passed unspectacular and this time the door even was located at the position it was listed at in the map.
Marple directly got access and when I entered through the opening and left this tiny world behind I was relieved, because I couldn’t have coped with any more excitement on this day.
Slowly evening was arriving and I felt extremely tired, sadly the tunnels were not meant for longer stays.
The next maintenance room would either be located in the next descending tower, or within the segment I just left. With some luck I would only need to travel a short 250 meters through the tunnels, provided they were not as blocked as the tunnels I traveled before.
So I set off on my way, as I noticed how distracted I was I ordered Marple to scan the surroundings very diligently.
The first hundred meters went without incident, these tunnels were as dust free and dry as the tunnels between the core and middle decks had been. Then however a tangy scent approached pungently. I was about to get a breathing mask from my backpack when I realized I didn’t pack any.
The smell turned my stomach and I felt my lunch making its way upwards.
Marple suddenly alarmed me with an urgent tone of voice “I am scanning many small heat signatures ahead, you should stop here for a moment.” I heeded the advice and examined the readings, directly ahead was some sort of den. Some sort of species apparently had managed to make living in these tunnels.
“Helen either you have to proceed ahead, or we have to find a different exit.”
I carefully tiptoed along the tunnel, when I felt something crack under my left foot I bend down to have a closer look and barely was able to muffle a yell as the empty eye sockets of a skull were looking back at me.
A shudder took hold of me and I stepped away and turned around, those animals perhaps enjoyed human meat, maybe they were only scavenger, but I was not ready to take that risk.
With so many heat signatures a huge amount of the animals had to be in the den.
“Marple how large do you estimate is the size of these creatures?” “Well my dearest, that is difficult to assess with this data, probably greater than rats, maybe about the size of cats.” “Can you plot another route to the exit?” “Sorry that is a negative Helen, but I can offer a route to a hatch that is about 400 meters distance away.”
I sighed and had her put the map on display, why was I that tired already?
On my behalf there already had been enough excitement on this day, but probably I should be thankful to have made it so far.
With great relief I noticed the pungent smell vanishing after a 50 meters.
As I reduced the distance between me and my new destination I had Marple show me a plan of the segments ceiling I was about to enter.
I swore when realized that every meter I made now had to be walked back on the ceiling, at least I would be nearly weightless, but if that really would be a help would yet need to manifest.
This time I bridged a 200 meters, then the smell of the tunnel monsters wafted around me again.
Luckily it came from a parallel tunnel who lead back from where I came and the smell quickly was behind me.
When a 50 meters remained towards my target suddenly soil gnashed under my feet, with disbelief I looked at the dry sand, how did this get here? With every meter there was more sand on the ground, then it became dry soil and when I only a few steps separated me from the exit I was wading through swampy smelling mud.
Then I saw the hatch, it was open and it looked like a giant squid was trying to get through, only that the tentacles were in fact brownish roots.
I worked my way forward and was relieved to find a gap that I could fit through.
Carefully I pressed forward to the ceiling of this segment of the outer deck.
The view had me hold my breath, somehow an upside down jungle had developed in the zero gravity zone here on the ceiling.
It was pretty dark in this segment, sure evening was approaching, but it still should have been daytime light.
Probably the plants had overgrown quite a few of the lights.
Actually the jungle was a great boon for me.
With the support the plants offered I was able to move to the tower at great speed, even faster than at full sprinting speed on solid ground.
After a while I passed the originally planned exit, as close by a snarling and then a barking sound was to hear.
The same barking was heard from many throats coming from the nearby hatch that also had been burst open by plants.
I dangerously increased my speed, only one slight mistake and I would plunge towards the ground.
A glimpse back showed me a veritable cloud of creatures streaming form the hatch.
Already saw the tower, but this one had no window at the top.
“Marple open” after a short moment the bad news came in “The towers hatch is jammed, you have to make it to the hatch at the carriage station.” I saw the station, but no carriage.
This tower welcomed me in the unfriendliest manner.
While I hurtled toward the tower shadows flitted me by on all sides, these animals were swift.
My last push propelled me directly towards the ladder on the towers side, at my speed I would break all my bones on impact.
I shot my hauling rope back towards a close by branch and used its pull to slow me down.
Then I had to release the wire to prevent moving away from the tower again.
My left hand hadn’t even closed itself around one of the struts, when I drew my pistol with the right.
With a quick flick I set it to scatter munitions, when I saw a large group of the creatures following on my line of flight, wedged together to a compact ball it was clear they intended to hit me like a projectile.
A projectile made of fur, claws and fangs.
I grabbed the strut tight, took careful aim and pushed the trigger.
The shots effect was devastating, the animals lost the purchase keeping them together and moved in a downward curve towards the tower, with some luck they would reach the tower before gravity claimed them.
At any rate they were not a danger for me anymore.
Single attackers were driven away by random shots, while I tried the descent.
When gravity became stronger the creatures lost their interest in pursuing me.
The entrance at the carriage station was intact, but had to be manually opened.
With targeted use of force and some absolutely indispensable expletives the door gave way after a while and I was able to enter the towers inside.
The other tower had had working lights, this wasn’t the case here.
Damp darkness welcomed me and I wondered if coming inside really had been such a good idea.
The basic structure was similar to the other tower, so after a short while I found the maintenance room.
I felt nearly unbearable tension, while Marple tried to get the opening mechanism to cooperate, then very slowly, as if the door was unsure about opening up, it slowly slid aside.
Blinded by the sudden light I marveled at the flawlessly clean room amongst this tower that rather resembled a mossy grotto, than a man made structure.
As I was about to enter the room Marple uttered a warning “Careful, the ventilation of the room is dysfunctional, if we close it you only have air for a very short amount of time.” I entered the room and ordered Marple to keep it opened up, the I turned to check the system console.
The energy and material reserves had nearly been used up and the screen was flickering in an alarming manner. I took out another stripe of nanites, the second one during my flight this day.
Only eight stripes remained, for mor
e than 10 I hadn’t found the room.
I programmed the nanites to eat through the debris clogging the ventilation and to use the gained materials to construct a new ventilation device.
While I tried to find out more about the condition the tower was in the maintenance terminal malfunctioned.
Not a good omen, but my mission just had to be a success, perhaps the ship did not have another 25 years.
When the ventilation started working I closed the entrance and fell exhausted on the cot of the maintenance bunk.
Marple whispered “Have a good rest” as I took her off, I barely put her aside then I was fast asleep.
Grey. Ground. I’m stuck. Silken I feel the slow trickle of energy entering me through my hips connection. The mountings holding my steely chest decay like in a time lapse. Then I use the maintenance claw, which I have instead of a right hand.
Energy… depleted. Mountings… restored.
Again the energy awakens me, again I am able to see.
Again the mountings decay.
Beside me RDX-14 falls to the ground.
I see other fallen RDX.
Restoring mountings. No energy left. Want… wa…
Soaked I sweat I awaken. Again.
Another dream I had been one of the ships devices, what was the meaning of all this?
Lost in thought I put on Marple and got out some of the bread and cheese.
I only ate a little, then I discussed the descent with Marple.
We decided to first try and proceed further down inside of the tower, if that would become too difficult I would search the nearest exit to the towers outside.
Admittedly the structure was in much better shape than I had assumed, but the stale air was unbearable.
I wasn’t noticing the 80 meters I climbed down and only when I arrived at an exit door and dizzily nearly tumbled over trying to push it open I realized I was about to lose my consciousness.
With my remaining strength I pushed against the door again, and this time actually tumbled to the ground.
How absurd… I didn’t want to die like this, not letting it end. Surrender?
It would be so easy, just stay lying down.
My fingers worked their way down to my holster as if driven by an own free will, somehow suddenly I held a pistol in a hand and aimed at the door.
A shot, why did I switch to smelt munitions?
At the spot I hit a hole gaped.
Air! Rise! Like being dragged by a puppeteer I worked my way upward.
On the level of the gaping hole cold air hit me in the face and like someone being drowned I gasped in the air and greedily held my face into the airflow.
After that it was very easy to push open the door.
With a shiver I looked back into the darkness of the tower, which nearly had become my grave.
This day was starting out well. I thought sarcastically.
Why was everything aboard the ship trying to catch or kill me with by all means? I hang around below the exit for a while, until my respiration had stabilized and the carefully began the descent.
It was tiresome, climbing down 600 meters ladder is not an experience I would recommend to anyone.
Albeit it gave me a lot of time to take in the scenery below.
I had slept a whole 10 hours and the new day had broken.
Only my second day after the discharge and I felt like having experienced more than throughout the course of my past life.
The overgrown lamps at the ceiling spread a diffuse light, but life on the floor of this segment was exploding.
To my surprise small hills had been formed on the floor, that I couldn’t find any traces of human settlement disturbed me as much as it relieved me.
Marple had some troubles matching the landscape with the stored maps.
After a while she explained that apparently the air locks had been buried below the hills.
A bitter tang of desperation jumped at me, but I shook it off.
I just would have to find a way into one of the mounds.
At about one hundred meters above the ground I had picked one of the hills as target.
It was not the closest one, but a wide cutting lead to it, so I would reach it faster than trying to get through dense forest.
I wasn’t able to properly place the plants I saw, while the flora had been distinctly Mediterranean, this forest was not a real jungle.
Would a jungle have evolved in the colder regions of earth, this might have been how it could have looked like.
At the foot of the tower I reloaded my pistol and drew my second pistol with my left.
With a determined look towards the mounds direction I set the gun in my right hand on stun and the other to explosive charges.
That close to my target nothing should get in my way.
A kilometer filled with wondrous vegetation passed by, but I had no time to marvel at the wonders of evolution, even as I was getting closer to the hill a feeling of being watched took hold of me.
Marple was unable to register much besides some heat signatures within the jungle, which could belong to a wide array of creatures.
Meanwhile I rued taking the easy way, apparently I was getting quite experienced finding traps to step into.
To my ease neither an alarm sounded nor any arrows flew by as I reached the mound.
Marple muttered something about strange readings, but was unable to tell me anything specific.
I examined the earthen mound and noticed that it formed about a 50 meters high dome above the airlock, this didn’t happen by happenstance, someone intended to protect the airlocks.
But who and against whom?
I wondered if I had time to observe the hill for a few hours.
Carefully I walked around the mound, but could not find an entrance.
Marple detected a few hollow spots, but the readings were ambiguous and I preferred to avoid anything collapsing. I located a beautiful spot at the forests edge and had a simple lunch, in which I used up the looted food. Back to synthetic food from now on.
But my missions goal was so very close and I was in good spirits.
The side of the mound facing the tower, which I arrived at first, did show an irregularity, while eating I realized that part of the soil appeared to be a shade lighter than the surrounding ground.
So after I finished my meal I went to examine the spot more closely.
Marple was going on about confusing measurements again.
When unexpectedly a huge rock at my side emitted a sibilant noise and a human face appeared within it, I couldn’t help but give a frightened yelp.
Nevertheless I drew my guns quickly. With the coarse voice of an elderly man he uttered the words “Zhi ba! Peace!” It became apparent why Marple had been unable to detect him. He had lain here tucked up in one of the space suits covered with dirt and had been able to observe since I arrived.
His face was emitting such great kindliness, that I couldn’t help but holster my weapons again.
I longed to trust this elder, yet my recent experiences had me keep my hands close to my guns.
Carefully I said “Hello” and with a calming smile I added “Peace” then waited for his reaction.
The old man slowly stood up and while he did this we eyed each other.
The suit he wore was in perfect condition, but surely was a hindrance in this environment. After all it was designed for outer space and was filled with tools and auxiliaries.
I could see that the man was indeed as old as the hills, nonetheless he moved gracefully and purposefully, however also considerate and not very fast, his movements were obviously practiced.
He opened the suits seals, which completely opened it up on one side and stepped out of it.
Now I saw he wore a fur like a toga and yes this fur definitely was fur from the animals that oh so friendly welcomed me on this deck.
With proficient movements he stored the suit within the hiding spot he had been watching me from.
“Young lady. We watched you closely and wonder, what is it that you are looking for?”
I weighed my options and decided to try and find out more first.
“I would gladly answer you, but first I need to know, do you - or rather y’all - with the Benefactor?” with a laugh he replied “By Buddha, no, but this is an excellent question and leads me to assume you do neither.” With relief I reply “Indeed, hello again, my name is Helen and how may I call you?” he waved towards the trees, while replying “my name is Rabten Gustavsson, but everyone is calling me Old Rab.” Slowly some shadows leave the cover of the trees, after about 10 persons I stop counting.
I decide to keep my cool and continue the conversation.
“Rab, if I tell you what it is I need to do, would you help me?”
Shrewdly he looked at me and replied “Obviously that depends on what it is, but there is not much we would deny an awakened requests from us!”
That hit home, he had directly seen through me, well but on the other hand it probably not too hard to guess.
“Okay, so I want to use one of the airlocks to the outside, to perform urgent repairs.”
The bafflement on his face made way for a thoughtful look and I nearly expected to hear the cogs turning around in his head.
While waiting for a reply I mustered our freshly arrived company.
It were woman and men wearing a wild mixture of clothing, but all in all they had the looks of natives of olden times. The sense of savageness and liberty I felt was likable and I was strongly hoping that these people would manifest to be allies.
Rabten finally arrived at a conclusion.
“Young lady, we surely will help you with your request, but this is tied to a certain requirement. Surely it came to your attention that you are a precious quarry. I would have expected you to want to know more about this?” He looked at me inquiringly and I replied “Yes of course, but the ship has utmost precedence, through my repairs I will learn more about the ship’s state.” He nods agreeably “This is a wise decision. Sadly we don’t have any technicians of our own since about 150 years now, the Benefactor had all chased down and we must be thankful for just being able to recapture this area.”
