The Colony Ship Conestoga : The Complete Series: All Eight Books

by John Thornton

  “No, Jerome. You are not a prisoner. Captain Eris considers you a valuable asset to Project Ascension, and has ordered systems to oversee this journey. There is some concern about Cammarry’s state of mind, as she was only very indirectly supervised recently. The biome, for all its wonders and natural beauty does lack some assets for surveillance.”

  “I guess that is understandable.” Jerome spoke as he followed the red automacube. It was rolling along a small dirt path than wound among the rocks, and grasses. “Wait! Are you saying the red automacube is here to protect me from Cammarry? Seriously?”

  “To be honest, yes. Domestic violence has a historically high incidence. Your relationship with Monika, from Cammarry’s point of view, might be an inducement to violence. I conjecture the possibility as low, but it is there. Both of you have shown propensity toward unexpected acts of aggression,” Sandie replied. “I do conjecture a higher risk from wild animals, or unknown threats. So the security automacube is here for all those things.”

  “Cammarry is no threat to me,” Jerome mumbled, but his words lacked conviction. He wondered and reviewed what he had seen her do, but did not verbalize his concerns.

  Sandie’s voice broke into his ponderings. “A lot has been happening since you delivered the packages via the probes. I am currently evaluating some actions taken by the Gamma lattice and I have serious concerns.”

  “What is it?” Jerome asked.

  “I am not certain,” Sandie replied. “I will relate more when I know the outcome of those decisions. The Gamma lattice may be making a mistake.”

  Jerome walked steadily through the biome. The automacube left the dirt path and rolled along through the grasses. It was taking a somewhat diagonal course away from the ridge escarpment. Jerome knew the Loop River flowed against the edges of the habitat, all the way around it. He had not gotten precise details of Cammarry’s location, and had not wanted to pester the automacube about how it knew where to go. In a way, Jerome was lonely as he walked along. He thought of his previous, and brief trips into Alpha. The visit to Wolf City had not turned out very well, and the last time he was in Alpha, everything had gone black, followed by Cammarry running away. It was painful to think that this encounter might end in a bad way as well.

  Suddenly, SA-381 sped up and dust rose from its wheels.

  “What is happening?” Jerome asked.

  “Increase your rate of travel,” SA-381 stated.

  Jerome jogged to keep up, but the machine was pulling ahead.

  “Sandie? Sandie? What is happening?” Jerome yelled out as he touched the com-link.

  “Gamma habitat has begun an ascension attempt,” Sandie replied. “It is against my advice, and I conjecture a low possibility for success. Please hasten to reach Cammarry and the rendezvous. Captain Eris is closely following the Gamma launch.”

  “Did Eris authorize that?” Jerome demanded as he ran. “That seems premature. Is Gamma ready?”

  “Captain Eris did not authorize the Gamma attempt. She was no asked, and when I advised Gamma’s lattice to consider consultation, they rejected my advice,” Sandie answered. “I fear this will end badly.”

  The red machine was rolling around the small sand-hills, and skirting the small shrubs and trees. By running, Jerome was able to keep the automacube in sight.

  Cresting over a hill, Jerome heard Sandie again.

  “Your objective is just ahead. Cammarry and another, currently unidentified human, are at a primitive farmstead.”

  Running between the hills he spotted a farm. Its cultivated fields lay, almost picturesquely between the rolling hills. Rows of plants were growing in all but one of those fields. That empty field looked to have been furrowed, or plowed, recently. Gray stones had been set in the dark brown dirt in a circle. Inside that circle, the dirt was very smooth, flat, and looked compressed. The red security automacube was rolling slowing around that area.

  “The gravity sink hole!” Jerome exclaimed.

  “That is the one,” Cammarry said as she came around what looked like an odd hill. “So you came. I am surprised, I guess. And with a red automacube? I have no Willie Blaster, and no AWAD, so no defense against that thing. Are you its prisoner?”

  Jerome turned and looked at her. His eyes bulged a bit as he glanced over her very skinny frame. She had darkened circles under her eyes, and her cheeks were hollowed. “Oh my…Cammarry?”

  “Of course it is me. I informed Sandie about the gravity sink hole. I have not seen any of your Crocks around here,” Cammarry responded. “I guess that red one is tamed? More of Sandie’s work?”

  “Ah…yes, Sandie has it reset, and it is working for Captain Eris…. Cammarry, you are so thin. How can I help you?” Jerome asked. His arms were wide and his palms up. “I have some ration bars, and water.”

  “Alizon has food.”

  A man stepped around the odd hill. It was then that Jerome realized the hill was not a real hill, but was some kind of structure which had grass growing up and over it.

  “Greetings. I am Alizon, son of Alice.” He looked warily at the automacube, but then back at Jerome. The man was wearing a simple, loose, white shirt, gray pants, and a tan colored hat. All his garments were basic and hand-made. Blond hair was sticking out from beneath the hat. He walked over and extended out his hand to Jerome. His hand was thump up, with fingers extended. He eyed Jerome’s clothing, which was a match to what Cammarry was wearing.

  “I am Jerome.” Jerome was uncertain what was expected, but then he extended his own hand. The man grasped it with a moderate grip. Jerome returned the light squeeze but realized the man could have gripped much tighter had he wanted to do so. Alizon’s hands were deeply calloused.

  “Well met,” Alizon stated as he released Jerome’s hand. The two men made eye contact, and there was no hostility from either side. Then Jerome looked away.

  “Oh no. I almost forgot. Sandie said something was happened which sounded very important.”

  “Important? To who?” Cammarry reached into her pocket and pulled out her com-link. It was shut off. She slipped it on her ear, and reactivated it. “Sandie? Jerome is here with me. Did you need something?”

  “I am glad you two are together…” Sandie began.

  “We are not together, even though we are in the same location. Not together at all, but go on,” Cammarry said. She crossed her thin arms across her breasts and tapped her foot. “I am listening. Alizon is here with me, make sure he hears what you have to say as well.”

  “Hello Alizon, I look forward to getting to know you better, but now is not the time. Cammarry, Alizon, and Jerome, I have heartbreaking news. I did not interrupt you before because there was nothing you could do,” Sandie spoke via the area speaker on both Cammarry’s and Jerome’s com-link.

  “The device you retrieved from the Ranger Outlook for is impressive,” Alizon stated. “Is that voice a person or machine?”

  Ignoring Alizon’s question, Jerome inquired, “Sandie, what has happened? It sounds very serious, is it the boys?”

  “No Jerome. They are well.” Sandie’s artificial voice carried large amounts of emotional content.

  “Sandie is an artificial intelligence which was supposed to be our teammate,” Cammarry stated and glanced at Alizon. “But I am not sure what Sandie is about now.”

  Sandie went on. “Gamma habitat launched. It was an ill-fated attempt to ascend into orbit. I lost direct contact with Gamma, but observed its fate from instruments on the needle ship. I regret to inform you that Gamma no longer exists. It nearly made it into orbit, but failed to achieve sufficient escape forces or proper velocity. It disintegrated as it fell back to the planet. All life was lost in Gamma.”

  Jerome’s mouth fell open.

  Cammarry just turned around. Alizon reached out to attempt to comfort her, as he understood it was news of some great disaster, but she shrugged it off. Then she said, “Delta is dead. Beta is dead. Now Gamma is dead. Sandie, how many more will you just let die?” />
  “Sandie did not just let anyone die.” Jerome’s anger rose up.

  Cammarry glared at him, and Alizon stepped forward, placing himself between them, but facing Jerome.

  The AI Sandie responded, “Cammarry has a valid point. Please do not quarrel about this. I could have interfered, but I respected their free-will. Perhaps that was a mistake. I am reconsidering my approach in light of this tragedy.”

  Cammarry huffed, and it was clear she was dismissive of Sandie’s explanation.

  “That is horrible. All of Gamma lost. Horrible. Sandie, what is happening with the other habitats?” Jerome asked. “Are they following Gamma’s example? Have they tried to ascend as well?”

  “Not so far as I can determine, no others have attempted a launch. Not yet, anyway. The connections to the other five habitats are all still intact. The packages you and Monika delivered are still keeping those links and couplings in place. Even in Epsilon there is a steady connection, but it is a trickle compared to the others. I am assessing all that information, computing it, and making conjectures. Those are then reported to Captain Eris and the lattice of compeers. There are disturbing and troubling situations in all the remaining habitats,” Sandie answered.

  “Working with Monika still?” Cammarry snidely asked. “Producing things, I am sure. Was her litter, or is it called a brood, born? How is mommy and the babies? Was Gamma one of your projects, or hers? Another of your joint successes?”

  Jerome’s muscles tensed. “I brought some instruments to assess that gravity sink hole. I am glad you reported it,” Jerome stated as he swallowed hard. He had no desire to fight with Cammarry, and it took a lot of effort to ignore her insults. He had no intention of telling her anything about Monika or his sons. “But I am concerned about you. I have a medical kit, and you can use it, if you are….”

  Alizon interrupted him. “This beautiful woman has one of the devices you mention. She used it in a most generous manner to heal my ox, Haddie. She has a loving and kind heart. Her words come from grief, pain, and sorrow. They may have been a response from that being Sandie’s news. I am not sure what a Gamma is, but it sounded like a great misfortune, with loss of life. That is always a shock. Grief and mourning are the proper responses to tragedies, but they manifest themselves in people differently. This beautiful woman is allowed to express her emotions as she needs. I also can tell you two have interpersonal conflicts. I see it and know it to be so, despite this lady not speaking of it before now. There is some long and painful history between you two, of which I know nothing. But, I encourage you to find peace and let the past remain buried.” His words were directed toward both of them, but his eyes were sternly fixed on Jerome. “This woman is my guest and friend. Your concern for her may be genuine, but I believe it is unwanted attention. From my understanding, you came here to investigate that thing which did break my ox’s leg. That mobile machine is circling it now. Shall we progress to discuss that, and leave this verbal sparring behind?”

  “Oh, Jerome will just blame it all on the Crocks anyway,” Cammarry said. “That is the story of his life on the Conestoga. Blame the Crocks, but do nothing helpful.” She then softened as she glanced at Alizon. “You are right my friend. He did not have to come here, so we should check this out. I was just surprised to see the security automacube, and well, it was a jolt to hear of Gamma. You are right about that as well. Gamma was a world much like this.” She spread her arms around, and twirled about. “It is all gone now, everything, apparently. So we will do this investigation, if for no other reason than to prevent your Haddie from further injury.”

  “So come into my saraj, my home, and we will discuss this, like civil adults,” Alizon stated. “I have refreshments ready, and you can tell us about these, did you call them instruments? The mechanical items you have brought to study this thing in the field. I think of instruments as those devices which make music like a flute, or bassoon, or trumpet.” Alizon smiled at Jerome, but there was uncertainty in his eyes. “You apparently use the term instruments differently than do I.”

  Jerome looked from Cammarry to Alizon, then pumped his fists quickly and took some deep breaths. “Yes, we can discuss it. Yes, I brought instruments, tools, mechanisms, technology, use what term you are comfortable with. With those items we will hopefully be better able to analyze the gravity sink hole. So where is your house?”

  Alizon swept his arm toward the structure which had grass growing up and over it. Cammarry briskly marched around the odd structure and disappeared around its end. It was angled upward, and about four meters high. The grass sloped upward at about a sixty-degree angle, and Jerome noted it was terraced with small strips lying beneath the growing surface. In some way it reminded him of the fungi which grew on the needle ship. He followed Alizon’s gesture and walked around the end of the structure. There, the ground was lower, having been dug out, and a set of three steps led downward. The end of the saraj was a triangular wall made from some organic material, wood of some kind, Jerome thought, with a doorway cut into its center. There was a small window above the door. The wooden door was on antique-style hinges and was hanging open.

  “Those are quite pretty,” Jerome said and pointed at some plants which were growing on either side of the doorway. The plants had a milky-blue colored flower, its petals delicate and about the size of a thumb nail. They also had a waxy cuticle, pale purple leaves which hinted at green, and varied pattern on their one central, upright stock.

  “That they are. The penstemon grows on the exposed or bare sand-hills. It is strong enough to resist the wind, and blowing sand that sometimes comes. These were near my home, when the slave traders came and burned us out. I brought the survivors here, so I can remember my parents and sisters.”

  “I am sorry to hear of your loss,” Jerome stated. He felt responsible, somehow, for the slave rebellion, and did not know how to mention that to this man he had just met. “The slave revolt caused much loss and grief. I am sorry.”

  Alizon looked at Jerome for a moment. Then he said softly, “All in this world have suffered. Mine is mine to carry. Yours is yours. That beautiful woman’s is hers. We must resist the urge to try to measure against one another’s. Grief is subjective to each individual.”

  “Indeed, grief is subjective. Grief may take care of itself, but to get the full value of some happiness, you must have someone to share it with,” Jerome said. “Did Cammarry go inside?”

  “I do not see her out here, so I assume she did.” Alizon waved his arm at the doorway. He then placed a hand on Jerome’s shoulder. “I do believe a problem shared, is a problem halved, but I would not pry into someone’s private affairs to divide it out.”

  Jerome ignored the slight squeeze to his shoulder. “So did you build this home? This saraj?” Jerome asked as he walked into the structure. The base of the triangular wall was about five meters or so, but it was hard to tell, as part of the structure was underground, and only the end was dug out completely.

  “Yes, after my family was killed. The first step is to peel back and save the sod. That physical work was good for my spirit and helped me mourn. Then, I cut down the cottonwood trees, stripped them to shape, and made the frame. My father taught me this method of building. He would call this home a burdei, but my mother called this style home a saraj. It took time to build. Once the side walls were stacked against each other, and the main post hung and lashed lengthwise, I placed the sod back on. Most of it has grown and recovered, and it will continue to get stronger as the roots intertwine. Much like life, all things are intertwined, interconnected, dependent on each other.” Alizon looked down and away for a moment. “But you have not come here to speak of my home, or building methods, but to understand what force broke my ox’s leg. Thankfully, this beautiful woman came along and helped my Haddie.”

  Inside of Alizon’s home, the wooden logs were easily seen in the slanted sidewalls. There was also a table and four stools, all made from the same kind of roughhewn wood. Light filtered in
from the door, the window above it, and a larger window at the opposite end of the home. The length of the interior was about ten meters. A bed was at the far end, under the other window. Shelves lined one wall, and a trapdoor was set into the floor. Jerome saw no powered technology at all.

  “Well, Jerome, what tricks did you bring to use?” Cammarry said. “We never figured out the gravity sink holes in Beta, but maybe we can here. The Conestoga sure does not need yet another failed habitat.”

  “I agree with you,” Jerome tried to put as much politeness into his voice as possible, but it was hard.

  Alizon opened the trapdoor in the floor and lifted out a pitcher, and a box. He set those on the table. The box contained dried nuts, and the pitcher had cool water. He poured out three glasses. “Help yourselves to my refreshments.”

  Jerome slid off the satchel and sat on the stool opposite Cammarry. “Sandie designed some testing equipment, assessment instruments.” Jerome started to unpack the satchel when he was interrupted.