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

by John Thornton

  Khin took a deep breath. “No one here. Not now. Maybe four days ago, some person was here, but no one now.”

  “Khin, how can you smell anything other than that vile stink?” Cammarry asked.

  “I do not see anyone either,” Vesna stated and folded up the optics and placed them back in her pouch.

  “Smells are like a rope. I smell for each strand, and there are no new strands here. I ignore the other smells and sniff for the strands of people. No one is here. As my mother would say, ‘Your nose is…” He caught himself and dropped his head, looking at Cammarry from the side.

  “No other animals either?” Alizon asked. “That forest had too few animals. I only saw signs for the porky, a few rabbits, and a scattering of birds. Nothing else. Not like a forest in Alpha.”

  “Nor like Beta, but perhaps that is normal for here?” Vesna asked.

  “We are looking for the people, not gawking at wild animals,” Cammarry cried out. She strode off in a huff. As she entered the town she saw one building had the word ‘CAFÉ’ printed on its end in head-high letters. Another had a sign which was flapping in the breezes. The sign was a silhouette of some kind of flying creature, black on a red background.

  Alizon and Khin pulled the travois along following Cammarry. Vesna came behind them. She trusted Khin’s senses, but was still wary. To her, the sky tube looked wrong. Cammarry was marching forward a bit faster than they could comfortably drag the equipment, and so she was beyond hearing.

  “Alizon? Does the sky tube look like what you know?” Vesna asked. “It is not like where I grew up.”

  “Nor where my farm is. Something is amiss. It has a sick look to it,” Alizon replied.

  “This whole place is sick,” Khin said. “Smells sick. Looks sick. Sounds sick.” He lifted his fingers and licked one. “The dirt tastes sick. Reminds me of rooms I have opened, where no one had been, but where evil lurked. Monsters may have done this.” He laughed a bit, but it was a forced laugh.

  “The Albatross Inn!” Cammarry yelled back to them. “We will set up the teleporter inside here. It is about the center of this town. Then we find the people.”

  The men pulled the equipment past the other buildings and Alizon noted one had a steeple and an inscription over its door. The door itself was hanging open, and the interior was vacant.

  “Saint Tristan Church,” he read the sign. “I wonder what they taught here?”

  Reaching the doors to the Albatross Inn the men pulled the equipment inside. Cammarry was already in there. It was a building the same size as the others in Edinburg. Papers and rubbish were strewn across the floor, along with broken wooden chairs and tables. Structurally, it had an open area, where the teleporter could easily be accommodated after the trash was moved aside. Doors off the main room led to bedrooms, which were in better condition than the main room. The end of the main room was a kitchen, with a lavatory off of that. Cammarry was standing near a sink.

  “We have running water, so that helps. Now we get to work. First, we push the junk up along that far wall, clearing off the floor, and then we assembling this teleporter,” Cammarry smiled in an odd way that all but Alizon found disturbing.

  They got to work.

  ***

  Work was also happening, on an even bigger scale, on the far other side of Habitat Eta. There, a legion of Crock tanks rolled back and forth cutting across the biome. After getting into the biome from the gangway, it had been faster and more efficient for them to blaze a trail across the ground and through the abandoned town of Tremonton, and then dig down through the earth to reach the suspended animation repositories which were located beneath it. The excavation of the earth soil had gone much more rapidly that it would have had they been moving Zalian ground like they did outside the habitat. The stripped off tiers had then been hard-packed into ramps which the tanks used to get to the repositories. It was not subtle work, but the tanks had made the pathway fairly straight. It led from the admissions tunnel in the hanger bay to the suspended animation repositories.

  The Crock tanks coming toward the repositories had nothing harnessed to their tops. Those leaving the repositories each had six yellow bubbles secured down to them. Every one of those bubbles contained a functioning suspended animation cocoon with a survivor inside it. The Crock technology had put a stasis field around each cocoon to protect it from the Zalian elements, and maintain its integrity. The process of relocating the Conestoga’s surviving people in the suspended animation cocoons was progressing under the careful tutelage of AI Ogma, as conveyed through the Floaters who were outside near the admissions tunnel.

  Outside of Eta, Crocks did not need to work from within their treaded tank vehicles. Instead, they were detaching rockets, siphoning rocket fuel, and taking other assorted flight-related machinery. Again, they were loading all those items onto the quad rail system where they were shipped off.

  Far away around the curve of the planet Zalia, similar work was bring done at Theta. Here the Crocks could work faster and with less concern, since the biome was already virtually ruined. Those Crock physical people did use caution and care when they moved the humans in suspended animation cocoons. Those were loaded up transported.

  All of Theta’s usable rocketry machinery had been removed and was on its way to Alpha. The Zalian consciousness of the Crocks and Floaters was pleased that soon the invaders would be dealt with.

  12 ugly unveiling

  “The orifice is stable and open,” Jerome stated. “Send them through.”

  Monika and Jerome watched the receiving pad in front of them as the sending unit in Eta kept the tunnel though the sky open, allowing the teleportation to happen.

  Four roundish rocks tumbled out and onto the receiving pad. One of them rolled along and then stopped right at the edge of the grid. Jerome walked over and grabbed them.

  “Did they arrive safely?” Cammarry asked though the com-link.

  “Yes. Perfect. The system checks out,” Monika answered through her com-link. She was holding one of her sons. The other was asleep in the crib in the bedroom nearby. She was listening for him while she observed another test.

  “Just like yesterday, and the day before that, and before that too,” Cammarry said. She was standing at the sending unit in the Albatross Inn. “Sandie insists on daily tests, but we need to find the people first.”

  “How is that coming?” Monika asked.

  “How would you expect? Poorly. Habitat dwellers are just too stupid to know what is good for them,” Cammarry replied. “And I have to come back here every day to run this ridiculous test, rather than round up these ignorant savages.”

  Monika turned away and walked out of the room, after she looked firmly at Jerome.

  “Cammarry, that concludes the daily test,” Jerome quickly interjected. “I am getting quite a collection of rocks up here.” His attempt at levity fell flat.

  Sarcasm dripped from Cammarry’s words. “Just call them your new Buddy.”

  “Buddy helped us with the gravity sink holes, so sure, I will call these my little Buddies,” Jerome responded. His face held a smile, but it did not reach his eyes. “These tests are important. We want the teleporter to work quickly and properly when you find those habitat dwellers.”

  “Oh right, you are so smug. We would not have to do all this routine testing if Sandie would just remotely operate the teleporter, but our friendly AI refuses to take responsibility for it. Sandie claims something is amiss in the nonphysicality here which prevents complete access, but I do not believe it. Just another way of controlling me. I am beginning to think this whole mission was a sham to get me to this disserted, dismal, desolation. Hey, did someone decide to just send Cammarry off on some bootless errand, get her out of the way?”

  “I am closing the orifice,” Jerome stated. “I will speak to you again tomorrow or sooner when you find those people.” The energy snapped off quickly, cutting off the rude comments Cammarry was making.

  Checking to make sure th
e com-link was no longer connected with Cammarry, Monika then spoke too Jerome. “I know it has been very difficult for those four in Eta. Trying to locate people who do not want to be found must be exasperating. In Beta we knew where the people were, so it was easier. That trip was hard to get that caravan to the teleporters. So, I am empathetic, but that does not give her the right to be insulting.”

  “You are absolutely correct,” Jerome answered. “Insults are the superficial arguments employed by those who know they are in the wrong. It is not the words themselves which insult you, but your opinion that those who say them have some authority over you. Cammarry is scared that they will not find those people. Her insults are based in fear.”

  “Jerome, I disagree. Her insults are based in a mean-spirited attitude.” Monika then paused. “Forgive me, you are correct. I would probably be overwhelmed by stress in that position as well. It has been two weeks, and they have not found any people there.”

  “And time is running out,” Jerome agreed.

  Back in Eta, Cammarry slammed her fist down on the console of the sending unit. “Thanks Jerome! Just slam the orifice in my face. What a jerk!” Alizon heard her, and stood by. He did not condemn, nor did he offer any words. His was just a supportive presence.

  “How are we to find these people here, when every morning I must spend a bunch of time again refining this teleporter, while speaking to Jerome or Monika? We only test it to see if the orifice is patent to the needle ship. Just once, only one single time, did we even try making the connection to Alpha. That one time worked fine, and that was enough. It was fine! One positive connection to Alpha, and a dozen to the needle ship. Garbage! The selector lever is a joke.” Cammarry stood up in a huff and stomped around. “Where are Khin and Vesna?”

  Alizon waited to see if Cammarry was going to say anything more. After a moment she turned to him. She was ready to fire off an angry phrase or two. When she saw his face, she stopped. “You and your kind looks. I am angry, right? Sorry. Seriously, this daily test is frustrating to me. So where are Khin and Vesna?”

  “They are hunting. The rabbits they have been getting for our meals are harder and harder to find. While they hunt, they are watching for signs of the habitat humans,” Alizon replied. “Khin calls them Eta People.”

  “He would, and no quote from his father?” Cammarry tapped her com-link. “Khin? Where are you?”

  The com-link made the connection and after just a moment, Khin replied. “I am walking in the forest.”

  “Oh, that helps me a lot,” Cammarry threw her arms around. “How far from the Albatross Inn are you?”

  “Maybe an hour’s walk. You know this place does not have hallways and corridors like the real world. I have to zig-zag between these great trees. I am heading for where I can hide under a bush. The light is too bright, and the animals are too rare. I do not even see good mushrooms much,” Khin replied. “Vesna did get another rabbit, but I have yet, even in all this time, to see rats or goats at all.”

  “What about people? We are here to find the people?” Cammarry nearly screamed into the com-link. “Not rats, mushrooms, or various rodents! People!”

  “Wizard Cammarry, I know that. Vesna and I are hunting and seeking. We must eat to search. My cheeses and dried goat meat are all gone. I have not seen any people. Neither has Vesna.”

  “Well, keep looking and see if you can find some way to get to the other end of the biome. Usually these places have two towns, so they might be at that other town.” Cammarry had calmed a bit.

  “The forest is very dense and thick,” Vesna interjected. “I found an old road, but it was blocked by landslides down from the hills. The hills reach way up the sides of the walls, like by Edinburg. The dirt, rocks, and tress had crashed down on that road which blocked it off. I climbed the pile but could not see where the road went from there. Just stinky forest for as far as I could see. I tried to chop through, but it was slow going. Deep mud fens abide everywhere the forest thins out.”

  “I wonder if anyone is even here,” Cammarry said. In her mind she doubted what Sandie had reported.

  “Some days I tried singing,” Khin reminded her. “Like my mother said to her children, ‘Sing a song, to come along,’ but no people came along. I guess here they do not like singing.”

  Cammarry snapped off the com-link. Then she grabbed her backpack. “I am going to use the shuttle. Fly to a different hanger bay and enter at the opposite end. That might be our fastest way of finding these people. Maybe I can drive them in this direction. They must be somewhere.”

  Alizon grabbed his things and followed Cammarry out the door.

  Tapping her com-link Cammarry spoke. “Sandie, I am heading back to the shuttle. Get NS-99 ready for launch.” Cammarry was already part way down the street of Edinburg heading back for the forest and the path to the elevator in the side wall.

  “I do not advise that,” Sandie responded.

  “So what? Did I ask for your advice? Doing something is better than just sitting around here waiting for nothing,” Cammarry replied. “Have the shuttle ready by the time I get there.”

  “I cannot do that,” Sandie replied.

  Cammarry stopped marching. “What? Why? What happened to the shuttle?”

  “Shuttle, NS-99, Faithful Lightning was remotely piloted away,” Sandie answered.

  “Remotely piloted? Like Carter the Kidnapper did to me? How dare you allow that filthy thief to steal my shuttle? What is the story with that? Did Carter the Kidnapper trick you with a dampening field again? Or the Ferryman, again? Did they fly a fleet out from under your nose? Again?”

  “The shuttle is no longer in Eta habitat, so please return to your work,” Sandie stated.

  “That is Sandie’s story. Let inferior systems outwit a Dome 17 AI. Why am I not surprised that someone stole another shuttle?” Cammarry was livid. “Sandie, do we really need an excessive palaver on your failures, yet again?”

  “That shuttle was needed elsewhere,” Sandie said in a quiet and very mechanical voice. “It was not stolen or misappropriated.”

  “What?” Cammarry stomped her feet against the pavement. She turned around and saw that Alizon was a few meters away. His face was serene, but this time his tranquil nature did not mitigate her fury. “This biome is overgrown and hard to traverse. I will hike through the corridors and come out at that other town. Have the elevator take me to a main companionway so I can do that.”

  “No. That is not a wise course of action. The shell of this habitat is unstable and has hazards to which you cannot be exposed,” Sandie stated. “Additionally there is salvage work currently underway which must not be compromised.”

  “Salvage work? What do you mean?” Cammarry asked. Her mind was spinning in rage, confusion, and doubt. “Who else is here? Engineering automacubes? Other teams? Roustabouts? How did they get here? Was that why the shuttle left? Let me go and join them,” Cammarry argued. “Give me a clear answer.”

  “No. You will not join them. I want you here, because I conjecture the mostly likely scenario for your success will be in waiting here in the biome for the habitat dwellers to come to you,” Sandie replied. “They will not go to the other town, I am certain of that.”

  “And if I decide to cut my way out of this biome? I could just go meet those salvage workers, after severing a door.”

  “Your tools will be shut down the moment you attempt such an undertaking,” Sandie retorted. “This is not my decision alone, although I fully support it. Captain Eris, the lattice of compeers, and the Shadow Clearance Level systems all agree with my assessment.”

  Cammarry stood completely still. Then she dropped to her knees, and grabbed her forearm. “The… the … Shadow? Really?” She then covered her face with her hands and cried. “That explains it all,” Her wailing anguish echoed off the dying trees. “Again, and again, I am betrayed.”

  Alizon squatted down and held her.

  Meanwhile, Khin was indeed hiding under a bush. He had a sma
ll wire in his hand, which led to a snare he had set on a game trail. Vesna had showed him how to make the snare, and it was proving to be effective, when he could actually see the animal approaching. These rabbit creatures lived in an underground burrow, and they had spotted one of the entrances. They had tried leaving traps scattered about and when they checked those either the trap was not yet sprung, or the wire and trap were completely gone. Vesna thought the missing traps were due to stealthy predators, while Khin wondered about monsters or even thieves. Neither spoke about their trapping experience with Cammarry, as she was too unpredictable in her responses.

  The rabbit, brown and fuzzy with a smattering of lighter colors in its fur, nosed itself out of the burrow. Khin watched carefully as it slowly walked in the strange manner it moved. It did not walk like a rat, goat, or chicken. Khin knew it possessed great speed when it wanted to, but it was now just slowly moving toward the trap.