Sunspots

by Gary Martin

  “Maybe. But it’s not like anything I’ve ever seen before.” Suddenly there’s a loud creaking noise just outside of the container, and we both look at each other.

  “I don’t like the sound of that,” I say.

  Kerry heads for the door and looks outside.

  “John, what if the thing you’re talking about is in the hangar with us?” she says. I look inside the crate one more time, then back to Kerry.

  “Then we have to leave, and right now,” I say.

  “No argument from me, let’s get the fuck out of here.”

  With that we exit the horror cube and run through the maze of waste containers, until we get back to the stairwell that heads up to the gangway at the very top. We're both out of breath when we get there, but I notice that Kerry is a lot more than me.

  “I'm not running anymore John, I was dead a few minutes ago, I don't want your efforts to be in vain. To die of a heart attack by running up those fucking stairs, well, it would be a massive kick in the cunt.”

  So we walk up them, but I keep looking behind us. I offer my hand and she just looks at me and keeps going. At the top, she looks through the knackered airlock window and into the cargo bay.

  “The light in there was red earlier, I guess Robert has sorted out the emergency lighting,” she says absently, and continues to walk. We make our way quickly down the starboard gangway, towards the thruster control room and the forward airlock.

  “How are we going to get back?” I ask her. “I think I’ve sorted it so the ship is now on its usual course and not spinning out of control. That should make getting across the hangar easier, but what about the radiation?”

  “As long as we're quick we should be okay. My radiation monitor is back on green. We'll be fine. But I'm not coming back here again once we’ve left. I want whatever that thing is, and whatever is in that crate, off the ship.” She then walks into the thruster control room and starts pressing buttons.

  “What are you doing?” I ask.

  “I'm setting it to dump the containers when we get to the co-ordinates, and then to automatically head back for home once it’s done it. We won't have to come back to the hangar again, it's all programmed in. It'll take a lot longer getting home with just these thrusters, but we should get picked up before that.”

  “And you managed to say all of that without swearing,” I say, and grin. She looks a little confused.

  “What …? Oh, fuck you.”

  “Better,” I say. She sighs and heads for the airlock, picks up the tether that's lying on the deck and attaches it to herself. She moves over and clips the other end to me.

  “After hitting me with four doses of that anti-radiation shit, I don't think my body will be able to cope with any more. So when I say we have to be quick this time, I mean it.”

  “The roof of the hangar looked easier going than the side did. I think we should go that way until we get to the crew section and then work our way down,” I say.

  “Okay then. Let’s be on our merry fuckin’ way.”

  I hit a few keys on the airlock control panel, and we start to rise as the gravity begins to dissipate. Kerry moves upwards, opens the hatch and moves outside. She missed all this last time, but as usual she knows exactly what she's doing and I follow her quickly, as she’s not hanging around. The roof of the hangar is a much easier option than the side, the solar panels are still all over the place but a lot more uniform. It also helps that the ship is no longer spinning. We get across to the crew section in no time by using the same leap-frog technique as before, and to the gap where the hangar is bowing downwards away from it. Without a word, Kerry climbs over the edge and down into the gap, and I have no choice but to follow. She spots something to grab onto on the crew section and pushes herself towards it. I push off too, and we're both now holding on to the other side. She edges herself along the small shelf towards the port side edge and then moves around the corner. To my amazement, we're on the right level for the escape pod airlocks. She grabs the handrail and then let's herself in.

  Once I get in she closes the door and starts the re-pressurisation and artificial gravity. I look at her radiation monitor and it's still just green. I think we did okay. We touch down on the deck plates and my suit once again starts feeling a lot heavier than it did before.

  “How are you feeling?” I ask her.

  “A little bit woosy, but I think I'll survive.”

  The little light above the control panel turns green and the door into the cargo bay automatically opens. Kerry unclips her oxygen, and with a hiss lifts her helmet off.

  “Holy fuck, it feels like heaven to finally get that thing off.”

  She does the same for me, and I hope that I don't get splattered by the vomit that came out of me earlier, but it's pretty much congealed now. When my helmet comes off, it's hard to describe how good the air smells after breathing in the contents of my stomach for the last half hour. She gets out of her suit with no effort then helps me out of mine, as I'm struggling somewhat.

  “Your work shirt has sick all down it,” she says and I look down.

  “I'll go change it soon, but where is everyone?” She looks around, and starts towards the door onto the rec deck when suddenly the lights go out. In the pitch-black I hear some footsteps, followed by a thud, and then the sound of a body falling to the floor. The footsteps head towards me and before I can do anything there is a flash, followed by a sharp pain on my right temple and my knees buckle and I'm out. Again.

  26

  “Why are you here drinking with us? Aren't you supposed to be at home making babies?” Jacob says and downs what's left of his litre of lager. He's absolutely right, I should be, but ever since Ez's boss disappeared with what she only calls the project, she has completely lost the plot and lives in a paranoid haze. All she does is spend her days in the house with the doors locked and the curtains closed, drinking bottle after bottle of vodka and getting through opiates like there's a world shortage.

  “I know. But I can't talk to her. At the moment, she won't even talk to me. She just stares at me and then breaks down in tears, and then calls me every insult under the Sun. I’ve never seen her like this. The situation has hit her badly.”

  Jacob clicks his fingers and the waitress comes over.

  “That was rude,” she says to him. He smiles. She smiles back. “You want three more then?”

  “I do indeed my love. Just keep them coming.” She does a mocking bow and walks back to the bar. Terrell looks at Jacob.

  “What have you been up to? Last time we were in here she couldn't stand the sight of you,” he asks.

  “I have my ways.” He looks over to the bar and winks. Terrell shakes his head.

  “You're disgusting, and I'm completely jealous. John here, however, I'm not jealous of.”

  “And I don't blame you,” I say. “I think she's had a full mental breakdown. I'm thinking it may be in her best interest to be temporarily sectioned.”

  They both just look at me, and I can tell by the look on their faces that they didn’t fully realise it had got this bad. Or maybe they think I'm way overreacting.

  “John, are you sure? That does seem a little bit extreme. Just because she's being all paranoid, doesn't mean Skylark aren't out to get her. Especially if they think she's helped to steal a weapon or whatever this project is supposed to be. Hopefully that’s not the case. Haven’t you ever read about what bastards they are?” Jacob asks.

  “Um, no. I sort of live in a bubble. I didn't mean to live in one, but with all the shit that seems to constantly be going on in the world and the solar system, I just stopped watching the holobox. Only use it now for films and downloaded TV shows.”

  “That's why you always seem so clueless about current events,” Terrell says.

  “Look, I know that I may be going over the top. I know nothing about what Skylark do. But I am scared that Ez will hurt herself. She is acting mental. Can you guys come back to my place after this? I don't want to go ba
ck by myself, and maybe you'll see what I mean. Or not. I think I need some guidance.”

  “From us? Really?” Jacob says. “You are lost then.” Terrell nods his head.

  “Okay. We'll go home with you. But you'll have to treat us like proper ladies.”

  27

  We have three more drinks, partly because going home is not a nice idea and I know that Ez doesn't really like Jacob or Terrell, no matter how much she says she does. Once I've finished my last drink, Jacob calls a taxi and we head back to my place. The mag-lane takes the taxi to the city limits, but once out of them it has to use the road like any normal car. It takes a while, but finally we're outside my house. All the lights are on, but the curtains are closed. We walk up the drive and I can hear a dull thudding coming from the house. Worried and confused, I run through the front door and find that the front room is full of people dancing and milling about. I have no idea what's going on. Suddenly the music stops and Ez runs up to me and gives me a huge hug.

  “Happy birthday, John,” she says in my ear. Everyone in the room cheers.

  “But it's not my …” I suddenly realise it definitely is my birthday and the situation with Ez has made me completely forget about it. Ez lets go of me and looks at Jacob. He holds his hands up in the air.

  “Look John, we were supposed to guide you back home earlier than usual, but when you suggested it yourself we didn't have to.” Oh fuck. I brought them here to validate what I'd been saying about Ez all night, and it turns out that Ez has been in contact with them anyway. If anything, it now looks like I should be the one who's sectioned. I feel sort of betrayed, and start to wonder if this has all been in my head.

  Once the music starts up again Jacob grabs me and pulls me to one side.

  “John, I know what you're thinking, but this was arranged weeks ago. We've had no contact with Ez since Jupiter Rising. We just followed the plan set out for us, and hoped that after what you said this evening, it was still going ahead. We expected Ez to contact us again, but she didn't. It was probably as much a surprise for her as for you that guests started turning up. I believe you. You have your quirks and issues, but this is the first time I've ever seen you this scared and worried,” he says.

  “Yeah, I am. Even more so now,” I reply.

  The party seems to go on without incident, and I just stand in the kitchen with Jacob and Terrell. I notice that most of the people here are either Ez’s friends or older friends that for one reason or another have drifted away to have families or found newer and more exciting friends. One by one as the night rolls on they come up to me and try and start conversation, but I'm just not interested, my head is elsewhere. So I give one word answers and try to make the conversations as awkward as possible until they go away.

  By about midnight most people have gone, none bothering to say goodnight to me. When Terrell and Jacob finally leave at about one, it's only Ez and me left.

  “Are you okay …?” I ask her, sheepishly.

  “I can't believe you were so rude to all your friends, John. I put so much time and effort into this. What's gotten into you?”

  I stare at her, completely at a loss for what to say. This is the first time she’s spoken to me properly in weeks. She then looks down, and sits on the arm of the sofa.

  “Look, I’m sorry John. I think the worst is over. I go back to work next week. It seems like Skylark finally believe that I had nothing to do with the missing project.”

  “So you're no longer under investigation?” I ask.

  “I don't think so, no.”

  “Thank fuck, that's excellent news. I'll get us a drink. Hopefully we can put this behind us and move forward.”

  “Move forward to where?” She raises an eyebrow and I move in to kiss her. Just as our lips touch there is a grating sound from the front window. Thinking it's either Jacob or Terrell I flip the bird in that direction. But then the front window smashes inward, shards of glass fly everywhere and I instinctively throw Ez to the floor and use myself as cover. Everything then goes quiet and I wonder what the fuck has just happened. There is a quiet buzzing noise, and then a small chrome sphere floats into the room. I hold very still as it slowly moves towards us, it then stops dead in mid-air and shines a green light at Ez.

  “Oh no, that's a tracker drone,” she whispers.

  “A what?”

  “It's locked on to me, you have to get out of here. It'll follow me until someone comes to turn it off or eliminate whatever it's locked on to,” she says.

  “How the fuck do you know this?” I ask loudly, and the drone moves closer. I shut up.

  “I helped design it,” she says matter-of-factly. “I thought one would turn up earlier, that's why I was so scared. It's like a countdown, but you don't know what the countdown is for. It could just be watching me, it could be a precursor to something a lot more awful. You simply don't know. And because it follows you everywhere, everyone can see that you're being watched. People assume you've done something anti-government and report on you. When they said I could go back to work, I thought it was over.”

  “They're using something you designed against you? That just plain sucks,” I say.

  “It's probably just watching me. Making extra sure I'm telling the truth. But now it's actually here, I don't think I feel all that bad about it. I've done nothing wrong, so this will prove it for sure.”

  I see a reflection on the shiny metal of the drone, and from the corner of my eye I see Jacob sneak into the room. The drone appears not to have noticed him, and he grabs a tea towel from the kitchen side. With one quick movement, he throws it over the drone and twists it underneath so it can't escape. He then proceeds to use the tea towel like you would a sock full of coins, and starts to bash it against the kitchen side again and again. When he's had enough of that, he then bashes it against the floor again and again just to be sure. Ez stares at him with her mouth agape. Jacob opens the towel, and tiny broken bits of technology fall to the floor. Terrell then pokes his head into the room.

  “All sorted then?” he asks.

  “Yep, I've fucked it,” Jacob says with a wide grin. I stand up, walk over and give him a big hug.

  “What have you done?” Ez says shakily, with her eyes wide. Jacob’s grin turns to confusion.

  “Saving the day, I thought,” he replies.

  “You've just ruined everything! Oh my God, you've made me look completely guilty! You've just killed me!” she shouts.

  “Fuck off have I! What would you have done if you were walking away from one of your best mate’s houses and then hear the window get smashed in? And when you leg it back there, you find out that there's some sort of floating metal bastard in with them looking all fucking sinister, and that said friend and girlfriend are laying on the floor possibly dead? You'd do something. And I fucking did.” He looks furious. And he's right. What else could it have looked like?

  Ez doesn't say anything, she just picks up the wreckage of the drone and puts it on the kitchen side. She then sits on one of the barstools around the island that joins the kitchen and the lounge. She whispers something that I can't quite hear, but think I know what it was.

  “What was that?” I ask.

  “Get out.” That's what I thought. I walk over to Jacob and Terrell.

  “Probably best if you guys go. Thanks for your help, I'll see you tomorrow.”

  Jacob nods, and Terrell just looks confused, but they head for the door. I turn around to go and comfort Ez, but she's standing right behind me, and I almost bump into her.

  “And you,” she says.

  “What have I done?” I ask.

  “What have you done?!” she repeats my question with complete exasperation.

  “You brought those cunts into my life. Everything I've done since we've been together has been completely for us. Everything you've done, it's just been for you and those two. You will never see the bigger picture. And after everything, one of your precious drinking friends may have just ruined or ended my fuckin
g life. My parents hate you. And finally, after all this time, I'm beginning to see why. Get out get out get out GET OUT!”

  She pushes me out of the front door and slams it behind me. I walk slowly down the driveway. My head is a mess. I'm not even sure what's just happened. After the last few weeks, I thought our relationship was close to being over. I was going to leave. It was selfish of me but I just couldn't take it anymore. I only stayed because a small part of me knew she needed my help, and I couldn’t keep that part of me quiet. For a few fleeting seconds this evening I could almost see a light at the end of the tunnel. But it went out, and the tunnel seems darker now than ever. Is she being paranoid? I really thought she was. Now after the drone incident, it seems I was way off the mark. Have Jacob’s actions put her in danger? I hope not. But it's hard to know, when Ez won't tell me anything except for tiny fragments of information that I simply don't know what to do with. I need to help her, but I just don't know how to. Maybe my original plan would still work? Maybe getting her sectioned would keep her out of harm’s way. On every level, it's a terrible idea. I knew it before, and I still know it. How could I do that to her? She's the woman I'm supposed to be in love with and I'm planning on sending her to a mental hospital. I'm a fucking dick. And everything she said is probably right.

  Jacob and Terrell are waiting at the bottom of the driveway under a street lamp. They are both smoking badly-rolled cigarettes.

  “You know those things are illegal?” I say half-heartedly, knowing that they know, and knowing that they know that I know that they know.

  “Yeah, but sometimes there's nothing better for a stressful situation,” Jacob says.

  “Probably best that I have one then, I've just been kicked out, and Ez thinks that you've killed her.”

  “They're annoyingly addictive, so I'm probably just gonna give you a joint instead. Unless you want an Emergency Stop? Got a couple in my man bag,” Jacob says.

  “No, actually I don't think I will. But I could do with a place to stay for a few days while I work out what to do.”