Terror on the Trailblazer

by John Thornton

  The silence was uncomfortable, awkward, and heavy.

  Finally, Lollard broke the silence, “Let me just offer my own observations, and if this is intruding, forgive me, and I will be on my way. You both appear to be unaffected by septic radiation, praise the Sacrificed One, and are each surprised at falconry. You are garbed in clothing which is fabricated and of a design which shows great skill and has interwoven machinery, much of which is at an advanced level. Your garments are honestly fascinating to me. I would like to learn more about what your clothing does, but if that is too personal, I understand. You both are armed with a weapon which also is advanced, and new to me. That is of less interest to me, aside from its technological details. I am not judging you on possessing a weapon. Some could rightly claim that my eagles are weapons as well, and I presume you only use your weapons for proper activities. You possess other gear which is also intriguing, but I respect your privacy. Your speech is well-educated, but with unusual accents and dialects. Nothing of which I am familiar. Therefore, I deduce you have come here from somewhere else, and are visitors—perhaps refugees—to Christianopolis. You are welcome here, and I offer all the hospitality I can.”

  Ken then just blurted out, “Yes, we did crash in that shuttle, but we were kidnapped,” he then went on and quickly explained about Butterfield, the ugly fight with the burning, and killing of norms tants, then continued with more about their history on the Trailblazer from Ida to the Isle of Pines. When he got to the point of their origins on Earth, he hesitated.

  Lollard just looked at each of them, a patient expression on his face. His brown eyes wide and accepting.

  “We came from Dome 17, a refuge on the nearly dead Earth. We flew in a spacecraft which can exceed the speed of light. Got here in a matter of hours, but did not know what we would find,” Janae added in. After glancing at Ken, she continued, “Well, he might as well hear the entire story, and if he thinks I am insane, I do not care anymore. I was forced to… well, we were on a mission to set up a teleportation device to bring the remnant of Earth’s population here, but we failed.” She looked at Ken again, then back to Lollard, “I am not sure what became of the rest of Dome 17. Our last contact was with a crazed scientist there who committed suicide while we watched. Before she died, she claimed the dome was breached, doomed, and everyone was going to die… there were six other missions to the other lost colony ships… but I just do not know what happened to them.”

  Lollard’s mouth hung open, and tears ran down his face.

  “Fine, do not believe me, I do not care!” Janae turned away.

  “Oh, no, my blessed sister, I do not doubt your account. Oh, please forgive me if I gave you that impression. I am just struck by the terror I see in your eyes as you speak, and the terror which you have endured. No liar has emotions like that. I believe you. Yes, I do. We can only make plans, if we believe and listen.”

  “What?” Janae turned back.

  “My blessed sister, your ordeal shows on your soul. I believe you. I see great loss, and someone has inflicted terror on you. It is unconscionable. How may I help you?” He spread his arms open, and had a warm smile on his face.

  Janae just stepped up to him, and threw her arms about him. “Believing me, is help enough,” she sobbed out.

  Lollard hugged her and she cried for a bit, there in the bright light of the sky tube, while the birds circled overhead, and the heat wafted up from the sands.

  Janae pulled away, and looked at Lollard, “I am not your sister, so please do not call me that. This one,” she playfully jabbed a thumb at Ken, “he used to call me beautiful, and that annoyed me as well.”

  Lollard looked between the two of them, “Then I will never call you sister again, Janae. Nor will I comment on your comeliness. I do believe we are all siblings of humanity, but I respect your wishes in this matter. The Sacrificed One has children everywhere, and we are one family.”

  “Sacrificed?” Ken queried as his mind went to the tant he had seen destroyed by the bull. He was about to ask for clarification, when an incessant pinging sound distracted him.

  “There is another news update,” Lollard stated. He pulled a small device from under his black forearm gauntlet and activated it. A three-dimensional projection appeared in the air.

  A woman, sitting behind a desk, was in the projection. She had neatly-trimmed blonde hair, not as light as Janae’s hair color, and a medium complexion. She was wearing tasteful clothing in a modest cut. “Your attention please. Residents of Huss, immediate safety protocols are recommended. Repeating, immediate safety protocols are recommended. Residents of the town of Huss should consider taking shelter. Our siblings from Axis Mundi are approaching the town. Early estimates are fifteen siblings are here and seeking food and commodities. As usual, please gather your young children and inform them not to mock or make comments about our guests. These rare visits are an excellent teaching opportunity. The childcare facility is open for anyone seeking to have a place to be with their youngest children while our guests acquire the supplies they are seeking. Please keep our guests in your prayers. Here is a closed-circuit view of our guests and their immanent arrival. Residents, be aware that when our siblings have previously visited, some of the actions taken might not be appropriate viewing for some people. As always, the choice is yours. I am shifting our reporting now to a live news feed.”

  The scene shifted to a new perspective, and a two-dimensional display was seen, but still hovered in the air. Across the bottom of the display were the flashing words, “Live From Huss.” The town of Huss was a collection of buildings, not too different in color from the sand. There were a greater abundance of trees and shrubs, but the ground was still mostly sand and rock. The viewpoint on the town zoomed in and focused on a single building on the edge of the town. Like the other structures, this one too was constructed of permalloy in a semi-circular cross section, like a horizontal half-cylinder set on the ground, with doors built into the flat end. There were windows in the semi-circular sides. Next to the building, large animals were in pens in various places. Near the doors there were stacks of food—produce items—on pallets. The animals were braying and making an alarming amount of anxious noises. Then figures came into view, they were breaking down the doors, plundering the vegetables and other produce, and striking the animals with spears, clubs, and swords. Several loud bangs—reports—were heard as firearms were discharged. The animals were killed. The figures began butchering the dead animals right where they fell. The display was very disturbing.

  “Tants!” Janae called out. “They are invading! They have to be stopped.”

  “How far away is that? Is that really happening right now? Or some recording?” Ken demanded. “What are they doing here?”

  “That is a live feed from the town of Huss. We are about forty kilometers from there,” Lollard calmly replied, “Yes, those are our siblings, the people who live on Axis Mundi. The poor things have been horribly injured by the septic radiation. See their outward appearance? They have so little where they live. They have come seeking food and supplies. Their ways are harsh, I admit, but we must show compassion on our stricken siblings.”

  “Compassion?” Janae exclaimed. “Those tants are slaughtering the animals! They burned some people to death when we were prisoners.”

  “When will your people fight back?” Ken questioned. “Do you have security automacubes to repel them?”

  “We have all types of automacubes in operation here, however, to turn a security automacube on our siblings, when they are just butchering the animals we have offered them, is not our way. They will field-dress the animals and take them back with them.”

  “They will attack your people!” Ken stated.

  “Our people are securely locked away,” Lollard replied. “Our siblings will not harm us, but just seek the sustenance they need to survive. They last came…” he adjusted a dial on his device, and a small display opened. “Yes, now I recall. They last came here, in numbers like this
, seventeen months ago. Just as I welcomed you, our hospitality extends to them.”

  “And if they burn down the house there? Or kill the people in that town?” Janae asked.

  “Houses can be replaced, and like I said, our people are safe and secure. If someone would choose to approach our siblings and seek to converse or interact with them, then that person is willing to endure the consequences. Just as I am willing to walk with you two, despite your having advanced weaponry. I could have fled when I saw you, but I extended hospitality. I chose the noble path, but others might see what I have done as foolish.”

  “Tants will murder and kill!” Janae exclaimed. “We saw it happen in that fight with Butterfield and her troops.”

  “Yes, the description of that situation sounded dreadful. Two groups seeking to murder each other,” Lollard shook his head. “Dreadful indeed. Just dreadful.”

  “Then you should be forcefully ejecting those tants,” Janae insisted. “Before they cause grievous harm.”

  Ken nodded his approval.

  Lollard considered her words. Then he spoke, “Only the young, the elderly, the infirm, or anyone else who is vulnerable would need protecting. Others are safe and secure, or will make their own choices about how to offer hospitality to our siblings. The noble path is an individual choice. Those animals and stacks of supplies were left there for our siblings, after the general alarm. If I had known you were entering out here, where I was falconing, I would have brought you a gift as well. I know what our siblings are after and need. What do you need?”

  “Would you shut down that news feed?” Ken asked gently. “I find it disturbing.”

  “Certainly,” Lollard said and with just a touch to his device, the projection was shut off. “I will still get alerts and notifications, but I can keep those on private, so as to not disturb your sensibilities.” Seeing a look cross both their faces, he quickly added, “I mean no offense or insult. My apologies.”

  “You do not fight back when invaders steal your things?” Janae asked.

  “People are free to offer gifts, or not, as they decide. Accepting a gift is not stealing. Have you eaten? May I get you food or water?”

  “We need information,” Ken hastily added, still shaken up by the views of the animals being slaughtered. “We need to get back to the Ida biome, and a place called Hanger 5. That is where our ship from Earth is located. How do we go about getting there? May we speak to the leader of your people?”

  “Oh, an assumption of hierarchical governance, like when the Trailblazer was run by the Captain and the flight crews. Historically, I know what you mean, that governing once was the pattern, but no longer. Not here anyway. Now, I do understand more of your misgivings. We have no so-called leader here, not in the sense you mean. For example, Kanako—the woman who presents the news updates and alerts who you just saw—she is a leader in information allocation. Ruzgar, is a fine bloke. He would be considered a leader in home construction, and a superb job he does in building dwellings. He uses engineering automacubes often in his projects. Some people might consider me a leader in falconry, but Tamimia has a better record on breeding and her birds are exquisite. Whoever is best suited, is who does the task, or will assign an apprentice, or we all cooperate and get social projects done. Again, I am rambling in my answer to you. Let me ask about who would best suit your needs for getting back to Ida—I believe that is Habitat Three—as quickly and easily as possible. Shall I get a consultation?”

  “Yes, please,” Janae was a tad confused at how Lollard was responding, but if he was willing to help, she would tolerate his eccentric speech.

  Lollard adjusted his device and stared for a moment off in the distance, then he spoke, “I messaged the community and the consensus is that Valentinus, Johannes, and Andreae are best suited to assist you. They are people who are gifted in science and technology, focusing on astronomy, aeronautical engineering, and physics. They have agreed to meet with you. All are located in the town of Waldensia, which is on the other end from Huss. I will arrange for passage there, if that is your desire.”

  “Yes, please,” Ken replied.

  Janae grabbed his arm for a moment, and pulled him aside. They walked until they were out of earshot from Lollard, and turned their backs on him. Speaking quietly, she asked, “I know we are limited in what we can do. Do you trust him? I am torn between thinking he is helping, and fearful of a trap. Do you trust him?”

  “I think so,” Ken replied. “He speaks about things much more eloquently than so many others, and, well, we need some help to get back.”

  “Agreed. But he has weird pets—I guess you would call them that—and it is so strange. These people’s views on the tants are even more strange.”

  “Better than what Ida does to tants,” Ken snapped back. “Far better.”

  “Agreed. No doubt about that and here we are not being chased around by bruins. I suppose he is just a different flavor of crazy. The Trailblazer is filled with crazed animal things, and this man has three of them.”

  “Eagles, I think he called them, or raptors, but I wish John or Kimberly would tell me more about it. So, we agree to go see these people?” Ken asked. “I will follow the path you chose, as we are in this together, and I do trust you. Explicitly, and not just because you are beautiful.”

  “Incorrigible, just incorrigible,” but Janae squeezed his arm a bit and turned away. Stepping back to Lollard she asked, “Are you using the nonphysicality to communicate?”

  “No. I used a different network. That nonphysicality was the old way, and it is septic and infected. I do hope you have not had equipment ruined or contaminated by that sewer of putrefaction. It is beyond salvage.”

  “We did have problems with our equipment, and our artificial intelligence system, Kimberly. Kimberly attempted to probe the nonphysicality and is now rampant. Can these people—you suggest we see—help with that?”

  “I am not sure. It is possible, but I am not a specialist in that area. It would be best for you to ask them your specific questions,” Lollard replied. “I do mourn for your friend Kimberly, as we here also lost many of our artificial intelligences and synthetic brains after the Encounter. I believe all access ports to the nonphysicality here have been blocked to prevent recurring infections. We do have public-access portals at various locations. Those replaced the basic functions that the nonphysicality once did, and offer a sanctified way of connecting.”

  Ken added, “We encountered a system, SB Brankovic, who also suggested we could use the public-access portals. I am not sure where to find one.”

  “My personal link is tailored to my genetics, otherwise I would let you use it. I will summon us a bus for transport to Waldensia, if I am understanding that you seek to go there. I would ask your indulgence while I complete my falconry before we depart. If, I have your leave and permission?”

  “Certainly,” Ken replied quickly, but was unsure what he meant.

  Adjusting his device, Lollard then stated, “The bus will arrive in thirty minutes. That will be enough time. The pickup location is a bit of a walk, but my acquisition should take no more than a few minutes.” He walked over to a pile of rocks, and carefully climbed up to their flat top. “You are welcome to join me on top of this butte.”

  The butte was about six meters tall, with jagged rocky sides, and an irregularly shaped, but basically rectangular top. The surface of that top was very flat, about twenty meters long and six meters wide. Ken and Janae followed Lollard as he climbed up the rocks and got to the top. The rocks served as a natural staircase. From there, they could see a good distance in all directions. The sky tube’s light shone off the rocks at various places, but Lollard guided them to a spot which was not subject to those reflections. The butte was not the highest one around, but it did offer an outstanding vantage point to see an open expanse which stretched off in the distance. The sands were sprinkled with the spiky plants all along that expanse, and it was like a large bowl with the rocky buttes and other outcr
oppings making the rim of the bowl. Between the buttes, channels, or avenues were seen in various places.

  “This is where I will show you falconry,” Lollard commented. “My raptors are ready.” He pointed up at the circling birds.

  The three dark flyers were soaring high overhead in gentle arcs round and round the open area.

  “Now, there is a mob inside that arroyo over there. I was tracking them when I stopped for a snack” Lollard pointed at one of the openings between the rocks. “To the mob, Turu is terrible. I can imagine they are saying to each other, ‘Beware Stobor’ but in this case, Orel, will flush them out.”

  “People?” Ken said in utter disgust. “A mob of people? Your bird things are after people?”

  “Heavens, no! Not people, oh never people. It is a mob of jacks, jills, and maybe some joeys. It is late in the year for that, though. Watch and see,” Lollard said, and waved his hand.

  Looking up in the sky, Ken and Janae saw one of the birds descend rapidly, while the other two veered off in different directions. Janae was amazed at the agility of the birds, and how as they brought their wings in, then dropped, but with the slightest adjustment to the wings, it caused changes in flight. Dramatic changes. In a moment, all three birds were out of sight somewhere.