The Lost Colony Series: Omnibus Edition: All Four Volumes in One

by Andrew C Broderick

  “Shit! It’s out of power!”

  “Crap!” Michael said from behind her, already down on the ground tending to Haruka. He had two fingers on her neck. “Come on. Show me a pulse.” He brought his cheek down to her parted lips, listening.

  “Behind you!” Morgan yelled.

  Michael tossed the gun and its spare magazine to Morgan. She caught both items and angled to fire one shot after another, teeth gritted. Sparks and silver metal flew.

  The tree canopy above them rustled and shook as the towering Nikolai came in like a paratrooper. Michael looked up at the crash of his descent. “Not a moment too soon!”

  Nikolai quickly surveyed the situation. “I’ll stay up here and take them out.”

  “The next person down’ll hit you, you gotta move.”

  “Good point,” he said as he jumped down.

  “Michael to Atlas. Haruka’s unresponsive. Repeat, unresponsive. We need to medevac her at the first opportunity.”

  “Got it,” Weber said. He turned to Grace and Max, who were examining a wooden cargo pallet with great intent, talking fast.

  “Any closer to an evacuation platform?” the Captain said.

  “We’re gonna need to drill holes in this thing to tie ropes to it, boss,” Grace said. “It’ll take too long.”

  “Is there something else we can use to haul people up?”

  “What about tarps?”

  “Yes, much easier to put holes in. It’d mean we were hauling up a bag of people each time, but it should still be effective.”

  “I’ll get on it. We’ll have to really reinforce those holes though,” Max said.

  “Jake, I need a full sitrep, since you guys are the only ones who can see all around. Tell me where everyone is,” Weber said.

  A minute later, Jake replied, “Sir, the smoke trail’s almost down to the ground now. It’s partially blocking my view, but it looks like everybody’s seen it. There are individuals and small groups running towards the mooring point from all over the cylinder. Unfortunately, it seems that ports have popped up out of the ground in three different places, and silver balls are rolling out of them to try and intercept those who are fleeing. There’s also a column of them moving towards the forest.”

  “Darn it. Okay, it’s time to do something I wanted very much to avoid. Jake, I need you to fly a vee-tol down there and start picking people up.”

  “Yes, Sir… wait, they’re hailing us by radio…” Jake paused a minute. “In English, no less. The message is: ‘We are the V’Sha. Humans, please don’t leave us. Our survival depends on you.’”

  * * * *

  John had taken on the position of record keeper. On his tablet were the names of all the crew of both Atlas and Hercules, plus their locations. He smiled every time the vee-tol entered its port, and Jake read off a dozen more names on which he could click ‘Atlas’, before the pilot complained about having to fly into the port upside down because the machine lacked an upward thruster to arrest its ascent. Then the blue tarp would be winched aboard, like a fishing net full to bursting with people. More names to check off. Meanwhile, gunshots continued to ring out from far below, not just in the forest, but many other areas of the cylinder.

  The first load borne by the tarp had been Nandi and Haruka. Helping hands had pulled them both quickly out of the cargo bay and towards the sick bay. John had almost forgotten about them with the blur of action until Nandi’s quiet voice slipped over the comms. “Everyone, I have awful news. Haruka has passed away.”

  It wasn’t possible. The cargo bay spun around John, and he was once again looking into his dying father’s eyes. The whole sequence played out: Ricky’s screams, and the bloodshot evil of Brad Whitewood’s eyes. She’s dead, because of you, the voice in his head said. If we hadn’t warped in here, this wouldn’t have happened.

  “But…” John stammered, completely oblivious to the wails of grief around him. It’s your fault.

  John shook his head rapidly, trying to rejoin reality. He forced himself, through blurry eyes, to focus on the tablet. Michaela, Tony, Craig, Sally, Khaleef, Darius, Anna… they’re here, and safe, only because we warped in here, John said firmly to himself, trying to block out the condemnation from within.

  But you couldn’t save Haruka. She’s dead because of you. You never were very good at saving people. You’re better at killing them. You haven’t changed.

  “It isn’t so,” he whispered. Clear drops reached critical mass on his face and began to separate, floating away.

  “Hey, we’re all sad, but we’ve got a job to do!” came Weber’s reprimand as he elbowed John in the ribs, painfully jerking John back into reality. “More names to check off.”

  John hadn’t heard Jake’s latest report “Repeat them, please.”

  “Erica, Sandy, Peter, Zara, Pierre, Kato, Dakota, Andrew, Savannah, Dexter, Michelle, Jodi, and Nicole.”

  “Right. Uh… gimme a minute.” John scanned the list in front of him, which might as well have been written in Chinese.

  “I don’t have a minute! I’m going back out,” came Jake’s angry voice.

  “Gimme the tablet,” the Captain said.

  “Here,” John said numbly, as he handed it over. Weber immediately began to touch next to the names.

  “But she was just here…” John muttered, picturing Haruka’s face framed by the large, clear helmet. “Incoming call from Nandi,” he heard in his head.

  “Hey.”

  “I heard the exchange with Weber. Are you okay?”

  “No.”

  “We’ll talk the minute we get out of here.”

  “Yeah…” he said, still dazed, as Nandi hung up.

  “The V’Sha keep hailing us with that same message,” Zachary said.

  Weber smiled. “My oh my. So now they want to talk. Well too late, assholes. Actually, send that back to them, and attribute it to me.”

  “Yes sir. Also, my inspection of the ground is showing there’s hardly anybody about now. Shall I start warming up the warp machinery?”

  “Yes. It won’t be long now.”

  CHAPTER FORTY-THREE

  Their faces were grubby, tired, jubilant, stunned, and bereft. The 116 people, jam packed into the upper passenger compartment, all faced Captain Weber, and the enlarged picture of a smiling Haruka behind him. He scanned them slowly, taking in the scene before him.

  “This situation wasn’t covered in my training,” he began, “but here we are. And I’m honored to be among such brave, adaptable comrades who overcame all odds, so it only befits me to rise to the occasion.” He paused for effect, like a master orator. “There’ll be plenty of time, both on the voyage home and afterward, to process the crazy events we’ve just been through. But, while Atlas does her job of conveying us, we’re here to honor the one who gave her life in service of us all.” There were vigorous nods around the room. “Haruka was a mere twenty-nine years old, which makes her among the youngest members of either crew. She decided when she was still in high school that she wanted to practice medicine; that she would dedicate herself to saving lives. She then went on to gain a pre-med degree with a 4.0 average from Johns Hopkins University. Haruka then went on to specialize in space medicine. This entails the treatment of a range of spaceflight-related conditions, while in zero gravity, in addition to the full scope of normal ailments under gravity. Having completed this course, in only three years, she went on to become a resident at Johns Hopkins, while applying to the IDSA. It was on the third application to the astronaut corps that she was accepted, just two years before the missions to Epsilon were due to leave.

  “She was as able an astronaut as I’ve ever seen, and trained more extensively in her field than most of the scientists, engineers, and officers here. But, behind the grit and focus it took to get here, was a character of fiery passion and fierce bravery. She volunteered to make the first trip from Atlas down to the ground, not knowing what threats she may have faced. In so doing, she established the precious link by which m
any of you were hauled up, saving dozens of us from an unknown fate. Her life’s mission was to heal and save people, and she did so admirably, saving probably more than she ever envisaged. I am humbled to have known her. Over to you, Nandi.”

  Nandi floated forward, stopped beside the Captain, and turned to face the crowd. “As my direct report, I have never had more pleasure in working with anyone than I did with Haruka. She embodied an always pleasant demeanor, extreme intelligence, and total professionalism. She would have made a fine addition to any hospital on Earth, but she chose to dedicate herself to space travel. She chose to help advance human knowledge of the cosmos through medicine. Had I been stricken with any kind of sickness, I would have wanted her treating me. She never missed a detail, or left anything undone. She will be very sadly missed by many people, on Earth, and throughout the Solar System. We will see to it that a monument is erected in her honor. Her legacy will live on, and I am looking at it right now, in your faces.” There was sniffling among the rapt audience. “I, along with Sheeta Mongavi, my counterpart on the Hercules crew, will be available for counseling should any of you need it, on any matter, not just this. We’ll find a private space on what is now an overcrowded ship.” There were a couple of forced low chuckles. “Also, if you wish, visitation is available, for the first two days of the voyage only, in sick bay number one. Please consult with me. Thanks, and I’ll now hand you over to Captain Craig Martelle for a few words.”

  “Thanks, Nandi. I find it impossible to put into words how grateful we all are for the bravery and sacrifices of the crew of the Atlas in rescuing us from an alien world. This is a story that will be retold for centuries. As was famously said, ‘Earth is our cradle, but one does not remain in the cradle forever’. There may have been some unplanned detours in the exploration of the Constantine system, but humanity won’t stop exploring other worlds. The exploration and settlement of our own world was not without conflict. But, we can’t stop exploring any more than a fish can stop swimming. Haruka Kaneko was a living testament to that pioneering spirit. All the officers from both crews agree that either a particle of her ashes, or some other symbol of Haruka, will be taken on every IDSA interstellar ship, in perpetuity.”

  * * * *

  There was a knock at John’s cabin door as he was still wiping away tears. “Come in,” he said absently, expecting it to be Nandi.

  Michael entered.

  “Oh… hello,” John said, his brow furrowed in confusion.

  “Hey, man. I, uh…”—Michael bit his lip as he fumbled with what to say—“I’m sorry for the way I treated you. There’s no excuse. It was unprofessional of me.”

  John’s eyes widened. Was he really hearing this? Was this just the latest part of a dream? “No, it’s okay.”

  Michael floated over and bear hugged John. It was just… right. John returned the embrace. “I have issues, with trusting people,” Michael said. “I should have trusted you, especially with the nav system changes.”

  “It’s alright, man.”

  “No, it’s not. Anyone in authority has to be able to trust enough to delegate. The mission succeeded despite me, not because of me.”

  John didn’t know what to say. Maybe words weren’t required. The two men drew apart and floated, suspended in both time and space.

  “I was pretty impressed with your Rambo number back there,” John said, after a long moment.

  Michael laughed. “So am I! My training didn’t cover zip lining six hundred meters into a horde of aliens and taking them out. I guess I’ve played too many video games!”

  John smiled and nodded. “I’ve a feeling that the next batch of games will be about us.”

  * * * *

  Almost the entire inner surface of the closet-sized warp navigation equipment bay was covered with readouts and displays. John’s eyes instinctively scanned them for anomalies.

  “I’m over here,” Nandi said. She was floating right in front of him.

  “Yes, of course. Sorry.”

  “This may have been a bad choice of location, but it’s one of the only private spaces left… How are you doing?”

  “I’m still completely overwhelmed by everything that’s happened.”

  Nandi nodded, her hair bobbing like a horse’s tail. “I think we all are. But think back to when you wanted to fly so badly. I know we didn’t discuss this in depth, but I feel like you had something to prove. Am I right?”

  “Well…”

  Nandi shrugged. “Don’t jerk my chain. I’m right, aren’t I? You’re very self-aware. And it was glaringly obvious to those around you.”

  John looked downcast. “Really?”

  “Yes. But nobody’s judging you for that. It’s pretty common among overachieving astronauts. My point is, do you feel like you’ve proven yourself? After all, you saved 100 people.”

  “We all did, especially Haruka.”

  “We did, but you’re one of the biggest heroes. You saw the chance of being able to warp into there, and you made it happen, despite Michael pushing back. You used your skills and knowledge and made it happen. A lesser person wouldn’t have done that. They’d have stumbled at the first gate, which was seeing that it was even possible. Or, if not, they’d have stopped at some other obstacle. John, you saved them.”

  Tears began to well up in his eyes. “I’m not sure what to say.”

  “Whatever you felt like you had to prove, you’ve done it, and then some.”

  John’s shoulders relaxed.

  Nandi looked him in the eyes. “Don’t be a tortured soul all your life. Let yourself be. Tell your internal doubts to shut up and go away. I’m not saying you have to go around being a braggart. But, whatever you did wrong in the past, and I know there was something even though you haven’t told me what it was, it’s in the past and the karmic scales have swung the other way. Whatever was eating you up, let it go. If I could exorcise it, I would. But only you can. You’ve done enough good to outweigh just about anything. This is your time.”

  CHAPTER FORTY-FOUR

  Twenty-two years later

  John and Nandi looked west over New York City through the floor to ceiling windows. The rays of the setting sun shone through the haze, which simultaneously diffused its glory and gave its rays a mystical quality as they shone down between the buildings. The thin smoke was from a battle twenty miles away, in New Jersey, and was being blown over the city.

  “Do you suppose things will ever get better?” Nandi asked, twisting around as their little boy brushed the back of her leg as he ran past.

  “I don’t think so,” John said. He put his arm around his wife. “It’s too far gone. Both sides are too entrenched. The government is losing control.”

  Nandi’s eyes were moist. “I hope there isn’t going to be another Chicago.”

  “Me too, babe.” The wall screen merely showed scrolling headlines at the top: VIOLENCE FLARES IN ENGLAND, FRANCE. EU MINISTERS APPEAL FOR CALM AS MIGRANTS FLOOD BALTIC STATES.

  A loud beep was heard from the kitchen.

  “Sounds like dinner’s ready,” John said.

  “What are we having?” Joey said, upside down, hanging by his legs from the back of the couch.

  “Chicken Kiev, honey,” Nandi said.

  “Yuck!”

  “We already told you it’s too dangerous to go out,” John said, irritated. “We can’t go to a restaurant. I’m not sure what part of that’s hard to understand.”

  Joey looked at the floor.

  “Tsk. Don’t be like that!” Nandi snapped, batting at his arm.

  “Sorry, son.”

  “It’s okay, Dad.”

  “Let’s go eat.”

  They headed into the white, sterile kitchen and sat down, apart from Nandi, who took the steaming food from the food prep machine’s chamber and served it. Joey squirmed and shifted on his stool.

  Incoming call from Craig, John heard in his head.

  “Hey,” John said.

  “I hear things aren’t t
oo good there.”

  “Nope.”

  “Indonesia’s relatively safe. You guys are welcome to come and stay with us any time you want.”

  John sighed. “It may come down to that yet, though our immediate plan’s to flee to Carbondale if it gets much worse. We’ve got bug-out bags ready to go.”

  “Good man. Don’t wait till it’s too late though and all the spaceplanes are booked solid. I worry about everyone in the US.”

  “Yeah.”

  “Nandi and Joey okay?”

  “They’re fine.”

  “Say hi to them for me. Bye for now.” The connection was cut.

  “I don’t think we should leave it much longer to get out of here,” Nandi said, her voice loaded with worry. “We’ve got to think about his safety.” She nodded in Joey’s direction, as he wrinkled his nose at a forkful of chicken.

  Both John and Nandi heard it at the same time. Message from Chris. Guys, turn on the TV. They’ve received signals from Constantine.

  * * * *

  John and Nandi looked at each other. Without a word, they picked up their white plates and headed back to the living room, where Nandi mentally commanded the wall display to display the news.

  An immaculately coiffed female presenter began, “This is Earth News Network with a breaking story. Signals are being received from the Constantine system. It seems the transmissions began within days of humans leaving that star, and have just now reached Earth, twenty-two years later. This is a live feed.”

  “Humans, please come back to us,” a very natural-sounding American accent said. “Our survival depends on you. Humans, please come back to us. Our survival depends on you. Humans…”

  “The IDSA says it began picking up these transmissions around 2pm Eastern Time, but they had to make sure they were genuine before going public…” the presented continued.

  John looked at Nandi. “It’s a repeat of what they said to us when we were about to leave.”

  Nandi’s eyes narrowed. “Yeah, after they killed Haruka.”

  “I still think they never meant to. Morgan’s account makes it seem very unlikely…”