Project Columbus: Omnibus

by J. C. Rainier

  “So Jamie’s taking over for you?”

  “He is.” Dr. Taylor looked at Andrea one more time. She let Andrea grab her pinky for a moment before adjusting the swaddling blanket. “Keep doing what you’re doing, Calvin. I look forward to seeing her grow.”

  Cal swallowed hard and nodded as he left the room. He passed down the hall and through the lobby. The clinic seemed deserted, though Dr. Taylor and Sandy were somewhere in the back working their healing arts on another patient. He paused for a moment, reflecting on the bittersweet memories that the clinic building had brought. It was in this building that he found out he was going to be a father. The joy that he and Alexis had experienced that day was soon drowned out by the sorrow of her passing in the very same building, just under a year later. And soon, the clinic would no longer be run by his close friend. Jamie was a competent doctor, and a friend as well, but the connection just wasn’t the same. He felt his chest tighten, and he knew that he had to get out of there.

  He needed something to clear his mind. Cal began to walk, with no place in particular in mind. He paused at Benedict Boulevard. The market square was between him and the river, and it hummed with unusual activity for such an early hour. While some merchants hadn’t even opened up for the day, others seemed to be doing business at a brisk pace. Cal wandered along in front of the shops, glancing in their windows as he passed. He came to a halt outside Kimura Clothiers, where a crude hay-stuffed mannequin had been set just outside the door. It wore a long, light linen dress that curled and teased in the wind. Cal smiled and stepped inside.

  “Too early for you to go shopping?” he asked Andrea, offering his finger to her. She cooed and latched on with her tiny hand.

  “Cal!” Saika beamed as she sidled up next to them. “How are you? It’s been so long since I’ve seen either of you!” She made a funny face at Andrea, followed by some nonsense baby-talk, eliciting a grin from the baby.

  Saika was wearing a dress nearly identical to the one on the mannequin, except for color. While the mannequin sported a bright red garment, Saika chose a muted brown dress. Something along her neckline glimmered, which caught Cal’s eye.

  “There’s… something new about you, isn’t there?” he asked.

  Saika grinned even wider, sliding her hand briefly under her modest-cut collar. She fished out a thin silver chain with an aluminum ring dangling from it. “He finally did it!” she squealed. “Tyler asked me to marry him!”

  Cal managed to keep his smile, though the sight of the spacer ring had him instinctively clutching at the rings hidden under his own shirt. Three in total: his wedding ring, and Lexi’s engagement and wedding rings. There was emptiness for Cal in Saika’s revelation. He knew he should be genuinely happy for her, though he felt a sense of loss and jealousy.

  “Congratulations,” he replied, masking the hurt.

  “Thanks! So do you want to go through sales figures for your soap today?”

  He waved his hand dismissively. “Not today. Believe it or not, I’m actually shopping for once.”

  “Great. What are you looking for?”

  “I’m looking for a dress for Andrea.”

  Saika made an exuberant squealing noise, which made Andrea startle. She then apologized and explained that she had been looking forward to ‘dolling up’ Andrea. Though amusing, this led Cal to wonder what other plans his friends had in store for his daughter already. Cal unbundled Andrea, who shivered and whimpered against his chest as Saika took measurements. Once completed, Cal wrapped her up and let her burrow against his body again. They discussed various fabric swatches for a moment, ultimately settling on light blue. Cal suggested linen for the material, but Saika pointed out that she wouldn’t be ready to wear it for a couple months. The two agreed on a middle ground, which was light wool. Saika then excused herself to make a sketch of the garment.

  Cal wandered around the store for a moment, eyeing the variety of men’s shirts that were on display, and ultimately ending up at Saika’s display rack that was stocked with his laundry soap. He reached out and brushed a bottle with the tip of his finger.

  “Hey, stranger.” Brittany’s voice startled him. He spun around, causing Andrea to cry out in alarm. “Sorry, didn’t mean to scare you there.”

  “Shouldn’t be sneaking up on me then, Britt.”

  “Sorry. I didn’t mean to.” She hugged him, lingering a little longer than he expected. “How’ve you been?”

  “Alive and holding a baby.”

  “So it’s a good day, then?”

  Depends on what you consider good.

  Cal shrugged and smiled. “Just doing a little shopping on a nice day.”

  “Mind if I tag along for a bit?”

  A little.

  Cal shook his head. He wandered around the store with her as she admired the items for sale.

  “Whoever made these is really good. Everything’s so unique,” Brittany commented.

  “Saika’s very talented. Her mom’s even better. She taught Saika everything she knows. But she doesn’t make much anymore.”

  “Why not?”

  “Because she can’t anymore. Her hands just aren’t as steady or quick as they used to be.” It was only after Cal said this that he realized that Doctor Taylor wasn’t the only one preparing to retire.

  “That’s too bad. But I guess if Saika’s this good, I guess it doesn’t matter too much.”

  Sarah doesn’t matter? Maybe not to you, he thought bitterly.

  A minute passed in silence. The time must have weighed more heavily on Brittany, as she was the one who broke it.

  “So, what was she like?”

  “Hmm?”

  “Your wife. What was she like?”

  Cal sighed and closed his eyes. For a fleeting moment, he saw an image of her brilliant eyes, heard her echoed laughter. “She was smart, beautiful, and funny. Fierce when she needed to be, tender when I needed her to be. She was perfect. My everything.”

  He felt Brittany’s gentle touch on his shoulder. “I’m sorry, Cal.”

  His throat tightened, and his voice wavered. “Thanks. It’s just… I barely know what I’m doing anymore. I just feel like I’m going through the motions, that I’m not really living my life. Like this is someone else’s life, because this much shit can’t possibly happen to one person.”

  “Trust me, I know.”

  Cal shrugged off her hand. “How could you? You don’t know what all has happened to me.”

  “That’s a two way street, buddy.” She raised her voice as he began to walk away. “Seriously? You’re just going to shove me away like that?”

  You did it to me first. How does it feel now?

  He called toward the back of the store loud enough for Saika to hear. “Take your time, Saika. I have to go. I’ll be back later to go over the sketch.”

  “Cal!” Brittany growled.

  He didn’t look back.

  Gabrielle Serrano

  12 July, 6 yal, shortly after nightfall

  About 25 miles inland, southeast of wreck site

  Sweat ran from Gabi’s brow in torrents. Her eyes burned from the mixture of salt and grit, and the moisture blurred her vision. She couldn’t afford to stop and wipe her eyes. She could smell the stench of the beast that chased her. Its foul breath was warm and damp against her neck. Gabi reached deeper and threw herself headlong into the forest. She could see her way clearly, as if it was morning. But she couldn’t focus on anything but the path ahead, for fear that the beast would overtake her.

  “You can’t run, Gabs,” Will taunted from astride the hideous, distorted bear. “That’s what this planet does, you know.”

  She darted left, plunging into the brush between two trees. Branches whipped her in the face, but she felt nothing. Only urgency and dread. There was a crash from behind her, and she cast a sideways glance. Will’s mount had skidded into a tree sideways; the tree buckled as if it was made of paper. Will’s face was completely devoid of expression, his eyes life
less and hollow.

  Gabi felt the slope quicken downward. The change in grade caused her momentum to build up faster than she could control, and she tumbled head over heels down the hill. Panic gripped her as she heard the rushing river grow closer. She threw out her arms and managed to snag a sapling. The tiny trees roots held, and she slid to a stop on her belly, just a couple of feet from a rocky precipice that overlooked churning rapids below. Above her, the bear padded down the hill, snarling and howling at its prey.

  “Nowhere to run, Gabs,” Will said coldly.

  “Will, don’t do this!” she shrieked.

  Her mouth opened as the bear leaped.

  A shrill scream echoed back to Gabi through the darkness as she bolted awake. One hand instantly went to her bow, the other clawed at her tomahawk. It took a moment in her groggy, panicked state for Gabi to recognize the scream as her own. Diego groaned; his tiny dark shape shifted a few feet away from her as he rolled over. Gabi sighed and lay her head back down on her pack. Only a few ragged furs and leaves stuffed inside provided any cushioning. Gabi had become accustomed to her neck and other muscles complaining about a lack of proper bedding. That part barely bothered her anymore.

  But her dream was another matter. She was now fully awake, peering into the darkness around her. She could make out dark blotches that were rocks or shrubs, and tall tree trunks that were nearly obsidian in color. Arion was full and high in the sky, but the dark moon provided little light, and Persephone was a mere sliver just above the horizon. Gabi’s eyes had adjusted to the dark as much as they could, though they would be a poor match for a true nocturnal predator.

  She was now both the predator and the protector. Will was useless. He had spent the morning burying Caleb and Gina. The rest of the day he silently mourned his dead girlfriend. Food didn’t stir him from his trancelike solitude. Even when Gabi got in his face, confronting him and pushing him to the dirt, he didn’t rouse. He wouldn’t speak to anyone but Kristin, and even she couldn’t get him to do anything useful.

  He’s got to have time to grieve, Gabi, Kristin had said. Just give him a little space.

  We can’t just sit around here and wait. If another of those things comes around, we’re done for, she had protested. And if Will can’t hunt, I’m the only one who can. I’m sure I could kill enough to feed everyone, but I can’t help as much around camp if I do. Caleb’s gone too.

  I know, Gabi. I know.

  So do something about it!

  The argument didn’t get any better from there. In the end, Gabi promised to give them until the morning before she took matters into her own hands. Now she wondered if she’d be able to rest, much less do anything useful.

  Diego whimpered again. Gabi grabbed her pillow and blanket, laying them next to him. She then put her weapons within arm’s reach before settling down on the cold, loosely packed dirt. Her teeth chattered as shivers wracked her body. She reached over to draw Diego’s warm body close to her, ensuring that her fur blanket covered both of them. He grumbled quietly as his eyes fluttered open.

  “Gabi? Is it morning yet?”

  “No,” she replied curtly.

  “Are you scared?”

  “No,” she lied. “Just cold.”

  “Can I tell you a secret?”

  Gabi nodded in reply.

  “I’m scared.”

  “Of what?”

  “More bears.”

  “Yeah, they’re pretty scary, alright. Big teeth, big claws. I don’t like them either.”

  “I’m scared of how they make people go away. Like Gina and Caleb.”

  “I know, kid.”

  Diego shifted to face her. His eyes glimmered ever so slightly with soft light reflected from Persephone. He was looking at her, begging her with his sad expression. “I don’t want the bears to take you away. Or me.”

  Gabi’s stomach fluttered. The idea of death by a wild predator was always a possibility for her, and not one she relished. But she hadn’t considered that possibility for Diego. He had always been protected by someone in the village, or kept close to their emergency shelter after the hurricane ravaged Camp Eight. Out in the wilderness he was completely defenseless. Easy prey for anything that wanted a meal. The very thought sickened her, even though she wasn’t particularly fond of Diego. He deserved her protection.

  Gabi wrapped an arm around him. He closed his eyes and whispered, “I love you, Gabi.”

  “Don’t push your luck,” she whispered back.

  Diego let out a sad, indignant whimper. He fidgeted and twisted for a few minutes before settling back to sleep. The rhythmic rise and fall of his chest and the soft rush of his breath on her forearm were soothing, and Gabi soon found herself searching the sky for familiar stars. Thousands of pinpricks of light littered the darkness, and a smoky ribbon wound its way across the sky. Will had told her it was gas and matter spread across an endless expanse of the galaxy. Gabi always thought of it as a ghostly river that flowed through the night, carrying dreams along its course.

  Dreams still eluded her. Not that Gabi was thrilled by the prospect of sleep. The image of Will hunting her down astride the bear was still fresh in her mind. She couldn’t shake how callous and indifferent he had sounded, nor the dead look in his eyes. He had the same look in his eyes when Gabi had tried to get him to get up from Gina’s grave and do something.

  She sighed and closed her eyes.

  We’ll see tomorrow. We’ll see how lost he is.

  Gov Darius Owens

  12 July, 6 yal, 17:01

  Michael

  Incredible.

  Darius leaned back in the chair, staring at the data rolling across the mainframe terminal screen. Layer upon layer of directories spread out like roots. Documentation files sat in support of compressed archives of images, technical specifications, and schematics. Dozens of years of technological development across dozens of industries were represented in the seemingly endless stream of files.

  He flipped to the last schematic he had opened, tracing the air above the image as he followed the part’s outline. It was a gear, something that had been around for centuries. But this particular example held so much more value, particularly to anyone on Demeter. It was one of the gears found inside the transfer case of a crawler. One individual spare part out of a thousand on that machine for which the colony had no spares. The directory that contained this schematic also held several dozen others. Every part necessary to build a crawler’s transfer case from scratch, down to the gaskets, was included.

  So this is what you were hiding, Doctor B.

  After easily defeating the minimal security and weak encryption on the server, Darius had scrolled through thousands of folders on each of the two dozen solid state drives contained in its array. It also housed a half dozen magnetic hard drives, though those appeared to be there solely to contain the server’s operating system.

  The data on those solid state drives were unfathomably valuable to a fledgling colony. Technical specifications and schematics for every conceivable type of production tool, from simple machines to vehicles and advanced electronics, were neatly catalogued and distributed on the storage devices. Detailed instructions on how to manufacture nearly anything that mankind could have built in the year 2011 was at his fingertips.

  This changes everything.

  He couldn’t help but grin. Sure, he couldn’t piece together a cell phone from what resources the colony had to offer today, but the secret server held the keys to what would surely be a quantum leap in their development. As it stood, Concordia was on track to be on par technologically with pre-industrial America in the next ten to twenty years, with the obvious exception of the reactors housed onboard the ships, and whatever mechanical supplies survived that time span. But with such detailed knowledge at their disposal, more was possible. Darius considered the possibilities of having at least basic computers available by 16 yal, assuming they could find the appropriate mineral resources.

  But as quickly as his elat
ion rose, it was swept away by suspicion. This was an inordinate amount of detailed information, and one thing that leaped out was the fact that competing products from multiple vendors were present, particularly when it came to electronics and vehicles.

  Darius disconnected the drive that he had hooked up to the mainframe. He put it back in the server, then took a moment to recall which of its siblings he was looking for. When he found the correct unit, he attached it, and began searching through the details for various microprocessors. It took him ten minutes to find what he was looking for, but the implications were clear.

  This technology is stolen.

  His surprise was only momentary. So much of Project Columbus had already been taken, either by Young, Benedict, or Kimura, it was only a minor revelation to find the entire core design of an unreleased processor amongst the many schematics. Darius sighed, deflated.

  You sold Project technology, Doc. You then stole companies’ secrets? Why? To give us a head start?

  “That was mighty dangerous.” Darius shook his head as he rose.

  He reassembled the server and put away his tools. On his way out the door he nearly tripped on the deck plating he had taken up to access the secret compartment, so he slid the plating back into place, collected the screws, and carefully put them on the keyboard shelf of a nearby server rack. He yawned and stretched, then headed for his increasingly familiar temporary quarters in pod twelve.

  Darius wrestled with the concept of Dr. Benedict’s actions. The man he had worked with and admired, though flawed, had saved thousands of lives by stealing the ships. But new light cast dark shadows on the man’s legacy, and Darius couldn’t reconcile the need to steal so many proprietary secrets.

  We could have survived fine on what was public domain, he mused. This is reckless. Way too reckless. Not like him at all. At least, not what I knew of him.

  Darius stumbled, tired and brain-fried, toward the rear gallery airlock. He was so preoccupied that he didn’t notice three men enter the support section from the main hall until he had almost run into them. They were strangers, most likely from the contingent of Mercy’s refugees that had chosen to move to Concordia. They were staying aboard Michael while proper accommodations could be constructed.