“So I owe you some answers, Governor,” Young started.
“That would be correct.”
“I’m guessing the first is how I got Mercy.”
“That would be a good start.”
Young set his food aside and folded his hands in his lap. “Project Columbus wasn’t always a secret. It was somewhat obscure, and it was looked down on by my fellow investors as being foolish. I didn’t quite share their feelings. Maybe part of it was that I was young and optimistic at the time, or maybe it was that I saw something in the project that no one else saw.”
Young had a slight grin on his face, like he was proud of that fact. It was meaningless to Darius, who just stared blankly back. The smirk disappeared from the investor’s face, and he continued his story.
“Over the years I’ve been part of hundreds of companies in dozens of industries. From agriculture to computers, communications, even construction. Some of these companies were contracted to create individual components of the Columbus sleepers. Since the late nineties, I’ve had access to bits and pieces of the ships.”
“Which you shouldn’t have,” Darius remarked. “The parts themselves were to be available exclusively to the Project, no one else.”
“A technicality.” Young waved dismissively. “It shouldn’t really surprise you that someone could buy the parts, or at least the design. Every man has his price.”
“That still doesn’t explain this ship.”
“If I need to satisfy your impatience, fine. Mercy was constructed by a company I owned. At my direction.” He leaned back as Darius blinked incredulously at him. “Oh, don’t be so surprised. You already knew that I could get parts of the ship. What makes you think I couldn’t just build my own?”
“Because no one was building another ship!”
“That you were aware of,” Young corrected. “We started building her spaceframe around 2002. Of course, when I filed her registration paperwork and build plans, I may have… inadvertently… filed the plans for a deep sea research vessel instead. My bad, but at the time it was necessary. The government was not as receptive at the time to the idea of privatized space ventures as they were at the end.”
“So why not just announce your plans when the winds changed?”
“For the same reason that the government didn’t unseal their Project Columbus records. Mercy was far too valuable, and would have been a target for every kind of espionage you could think possible. As a non-militarized submarine, she was forgettable. But Project Columbus still played a role as a decoy. Every government in the world was interested in getting their hands on those ships. The Chinese were the only ones to make a move.”
“I see. And how did you get around the issue of systems that were developed and built in-house at Laramie? Like the biostasis systems?”
“Like I said, Governor, every man has his price. It was just a matter of finding out where the crack in the Project’s armor was, and who to bribe.”
Darius felt his contempt rise. He couldn’t blame Young for wanting that technology. After all, it saved his life and those of a few hundred others as well. But he was right that someone inside the Project would have to betray them in order for Young to get his hands on those secrets. Darius wanted to know who; this threat from within might still need to be dealt with.
“It’s true. No man is an angel, Mr. Young. You’re in possession of technology that you shouldn’t have. I have every right to seize it and have you tried. That doesn’t interest me so much right now. It might sow discontent in your people, and cause all kinds of trouble that neither you nor I can predict. On the other hand, if you told me who you bought off, you would be helping to gain my trust. That can do nothing but good. For you and your people.”
Young took a sip of coffee from his rations, nodding as he swallowed it. “If we had been on Earth I might have done something to protect my contact. I’m exposed out here. All I have left is my people, and whatever mercy and acceptance you can give us.” He sighed, as if finally lifting a heavy weight from his chest. “It’s Doctor Benedict.”
Darius’s jaw nearly hit the floor.
No. No, that can’t be.
“You’re lying to me.”
“I have no reason to…”
“Yes, you do,” Darius snapped. “You’re a very intelligent and creative man. That drove your success on Earth. So why would you out your mole in our midst when you can just as easily blame a dead man?”
Young’s eyes widened. “D-David… is dead?”
“Of course he’s dead. He died back on Earth. Blew himself up with a dirty bomb, trying to stop the Chinese from killing us all.”
“The Laramie Incident?”
Darius sighed and slumped back into his chair. “More than likely. That was the day we left Earth. We don’t know anything that happened after that day.”
“Summer of 2014,” Young said softly, his gaze drifting out into the distance. “There was a nuclear attack in Laramie. For a while we assumed that it was the Chinese that did it. That they were pissed because they failed to take the sleeper ships. Then rumor spread that it was actually an American who detonated the device. I couldn’t believe it at first.” His attention came back to Darius. “And you said that Doctor Benedict was the one who set it off?”
Darius nodded. “To give us time to escape. And to keep the Chinese from taking the plans for the sleeper ships. For all the good it did, since you seem to have the ability to make them yourself.”
“I only made the one. Though I can’t say that there won’t be other ships. Even smaller ones.”
A chill ran down Darius’s spine. “More ships? How could there be more?”
“Because I gave people a chance at life,” Young calmly replied. “Anyone with enough technical ability and material can build a single-pod ship and fly it here, as long as they’ve got a halfway decent computer.” He must have sensed that Darius was at a loss for words, so he continued. “I couldn’t just leave people to die. You don’t know what it was like after the governments fell. To say it was hell would be an understatement.”
“And you let these plans fall into the hands of our enemies.”
“We had no more enemies in the end. Even the Chinese social structure broke down. Many of their troops were killed by insurgencies before they could go home to try to stabilize their own country.” He laughed nervously. “Besides, it would take nothing short of a miracle for someone to use the sleeper plans I sent out to take over your colony.”
“And why’s that?” Darius growled without hesitation.
“Because they’re designed to hold a maximum of forty people. One of your ESAARC pods with a self-guiding computer and a tiny reactor. That’s it. No cargo. No emergency contingency. If something goes wrong with any one of the systems, it’s a dead hulk drifting in space. If the guidance computer is just a little off on approach, the pod will burn up or skip off the atmosphere.”
“I still can’t believe you’d do such a thing without vetting those who would benefit from the technology.”
“I didn’t really want to, Governor. But I had an obligation I had to meet. It was part of the price I had to pay for the technology to begin with.”
What?
“That’s right, Governor. Doctor Benedict wasn’t interested in money, cars, or fame. He was interested in the salvation of humanity. The design was his. I was to distribute it freely if the world was coming to an end. I didn’t want to at first. Believe me, I’m with you. This technology shouldn’t be freely available. But then the world went to hell, and I saw just what people were going through. So I honored my contract with David.”
“And what was the rest of the price?”
“Newer computer equipment. Most of the computers on your ships were built by one of my holdings and delivered two years before launch.”
Darius sat silent for several minutes, digesting the information. The man who he considered a hero seemed to have a dark side, if Young could be believed. The intent m
ay have been pure, but his methods were questionable at best.
“Have I answered your questions, Governor?”
“All but one. What are you planning to do now that you’re here?”
Young’s wry smirk returned. “To live. We can establish ourselves here if we have to, but we’d like to become part of your colony. Will you take us in, Governor?”
Darius rose and paced back and forth a couple times on the bridge.
“I can’t say I’m pleased to hear anything that you’ve told me today, but that shouldn’t weigh on your people. You may do either or both. Those who wish to stay on Mercy and create their own town may do so. Anyone who wants to come live in Concordia may do so. I will have temporary quarters prepared on Michael for anyone who wishes.”
“Thank you, Governor. We appreciate your help.”
Darius’s brows arched in concern. “I’m not sure how much actual help we will be able to give. We were hit by an earthquake less than a month ago. I can’t guarantee that anyone who comes to town won’t be pressed into labor right away.”
Young nodded in acknowledgement. “We’re ready to do our part.”
“That is appreciated.”
Though I hope you know what you’re getting into.
Calvin McLaughlin
8 July, 6 yal, 11:15
North Concordia
Unbelievable, Cal thought as he placed another crate of laundry soap in the back of the wagon.
Even as shocking as it was, Cal knew that the ship that had flown over was another sleeper ship. But the news that Hunter had brought was what blew his mind. The ship wasn’t built by a government. It was built by a billionaire, and full of refugees from Earth. People who had been left behind to fend for themselves during the later stages of the War.
“Whole families,” Hunter said as he slid the last crate into place. “Can you imagine? Some guy just plucking you out of darkness, shoving you on a ship, and sending you off to a new life away from the War.”
“It’s not that far-fetched, Hunter. Well, at least not to me.”
“Right. I forgot about that.”
“Still, it is pretty incredible.”
“Have you met any of them yet?”
Cal shook his head. “I’ve been too busy working and taking care of Andrea.”
“Well, I’m sure that you’ll get the chance sooner or later. Really nice people, the whole lot of them. Did you hear that Darius gave them the choice of building up around their own ship or coming to live in Concordia?”
“No, I hadn’t. Have they chosen?”
“It’s split. About half of them want to come live with us, the other half in their own community. There’s good farming land out there, and not too far from town. I think that’ll work out for everyone in the end.” Hunter closed the tailgate on the wagon and locked its retainer pin in place. “Well, I’ve got to go. Saika’s waiting for this. Her shop has been busier than normal this morning. New faces in town, you know?”
“I know. Oh hey, that reminds me. Any word on when Devereaux is going to send over his contract?”
“He just got back from Militia assignment, and he’s got a few days’ work to catch up on. I wouldn’t expect anything for a week at this point.”
Another week of doing three jobs. Cal sighed. Guess I have no choice.
“Alright. Well, give my thanks to Saika.”
Cal waved at his friend as the wagon pulled away. Returning to his shop, Cal took a moment to sweep the floor of his shop and straighten his displays. He could hear Andrea begin to squeal sleepily upstairs, so he prepared a bottle of formula. By the time it was ready she was fully awake and crying. He brought her back down and sat in his usual chair to feed her. She quickly ate her fill and settled in, cooing in contentment. Cal got up and did a quick mental inventory of his products while he rocked her in his arm. He had barely finished that task when three people walked through the door, and his heart nearly stopped.
The two men were complete strangers. One was a hair taller than Cal, with a chiseled face and sculpted muscles threatening to burst out of his tightly woven shirt. The other was a good head shorter. His receding hair was cropped close and spiked, and a pair of thin-rimmed glasses rested on his nose.
But the blonde woman who accompanied them was familiar. Her eyes were slightly sunken, her cheeks were gaunt, and she had a jagged scar across her eyebrow. Laugh lines were beginning to form at the corners of her eyes. She had not aged nearly as gracefully as Cal. And if the rumors of post-launch Earth were true, it was no wonder why. Yet the woman who stared back at him, mouth agape, looked so much like the girl he had known all those years ago.
“B-Brittany?” he stammered, almost losing his grip on Andrea.
“Cal?” Her eyes widened and her lips curled into a smile. She gently threw her arms around him in a friendly embrace. “Oh my God, Cal. You’re here!” She looked down at Andrea. “And you have a kid? Wow, what happened to you?”
“I ah… it’s a long story. But I guess you know that. Yours is probably just as long.”
She stepped back and looked down at the floor for a moment, then nodded.
“So, you two know each other?” the taller of her companions asked, saving them from an awkward silence.
“Yeah. We went to high school together. Hung out a lot, ran with the same friends. You know how it goes,” Cal replied.
I fell in love with her, she stabbed me in the back. You know how it goes.
“Nice for you to get to see an old friend, huh Britt?” the man asked boisterously.
“Yeah.” Her response was oddly terse.
“So what brings the three of you in to my shop today?”
“This is your place?” she asked.
“Yes ma’am. I sell only the finest soaps and hooch north of the Fairweather.”
“Soaps and hooch?” the man asked. “What the hell kind of combination is that?”
“One of luck and necessity.”
Brittany’s friends looked at each other in confusion for a moment. “Well, we heard that you had booze. Think you could hook us up? It’s been a really long trip.”
“Of course.” Cal walked to the display shelf adjacent to the counter and inspected the labels. He grabbed a bottle of whiskey and pulled it from the rack. “Unless you’ve got whiskey stashed away in that ship of yours, this is going to be the finest you’ll find around here. Maybe not as refined as some of the stuff you could get back home, but it’ll get the job done. Plus it’s even drinkable.”
“Whiskey, huh?” The newfound customer took the bottle and inspected it closely. “Why’s it in a green bottle? Is it Irish?”
“That’s the only color of bottle that was available at the time. No, this is a Kentucky-style bourbon. Barley and wheat sour mash. Aged three years in charred Demeter blue elm.” Cal received a glossy eyed stare in return. “It’s the closest thing we’ve got to white oak.”
The man nodded. “We’ll take it. What else have you got?”
Cal smiled politely. “Of course. I hate to ask, but do you have any money?”
Furrowed brows answered him. “Money? We just stepped off our boat after forty years asleep and you’re asking about money?”
“Relax. I just had to ask. We have a system around here. No coins, no paper. We trade in goods and favors.”
“Favors?” Brittany asked, a hint of apprehension in her voice.
“For future goods or services,” Cal explained. “For instance, say you buy ten favors worth of whiskey from me, and don’t have anything for me up front. I can ask you to give me that same amount in other goods. Let’s pretend you hunt. I could cash it in for game that you killed.”
“But we don’t have anything,” the shorter of her companions protested.
“Yet,” Cal corrected. “It’s not a big deal.” He glanced at Brittany and nodded slightly. “Listen, I’ll give you a discount on the bottle, and one of vodka. Six favors for the two. You’ve had a long trip, and I’m sure you want t
o unwind a little before you tackle your new lives.”
“Hey, thanks, man,” the taller man smirked as he took the second bottle from Cal. “Just let us know how we can repay you in the future.”
The men headed for the door, though Brittany stayed behind.
“You coming with us, Britt?”
She startled a bit, as if she was coming out of a daydream. “You guys go ahead. I’m going to catch up with Cal for a little bit.”
As soon as they were out of sight, she walked up to him again and hugged him. This time she lingered longer, long enough to upset Andrea and set her off. When she pulled away, a single tear rolled down her cheek.
“God, Cal.”
“Shh,” he soothed, as much for her as for Andrea.
“I thought you were dead.”
“I can’t say I haven’t thought the same,” he admitted. “I thought about you all the way here. I’ve thought about you since then. I wondered what happened to you. Whether you made it or were killed in the War. It’s been almost fifty years.”
She choked on her tears as she tried to laugh. “And you look pretty damn good for such an old fart.”
“You don’t look a day over twenty,” he laughed nervously.
Brittany dried her eyes on her sleeve and took a deep breath. “And here you are. Alive, holding a baby.” She leaned over for a closer look. “She’s very pretty.”
“Like her mom,” Cal added, trying to mask that her compliment pained him very much.
“What’s her name?”
“Andrea.”
Brittany looked up at Cal. She bit her lip and nodded knowingly. Of all the people on Demeter, she was one of only a handful that would know that Andrea was named after Cal’s father. She wouldn’t need an explanation.
“How old is she?”
“Three weeks.”
Brittany grinned wide. “Wow, look at you, stud. Taking care of such a tiny girl and not freaking out. You hiding any other kids back there?”
Cal felt his heart sink. The realization that Andrea was his only link to Lexi began to creep in. He wanted to run away, to curse himself for not having more children with her. “No,” he mumbled.
Project Columbus: Omnibus Page 113
