Jupiter's Halo: Unbroken
Page 37
As his eyes were blind to any clue Aitkin concentrated on his ears instead. He breathed as lightly as he could and strained to hear any sound above the gentle rise of his chest.
There was nothing. Neither echo nor the slightest muffled noise that might come from outside whatever space he was in. He assumed it must have been a small room, for how else could someone achieve such a totally blank stillness. He thought on the Lord Admiral’s words; ‘this will be the most grueling assessment of your life.’
I will not fail you, Lord Admiral.
Aitkin kept his breathing steady and controlled. There was no reason to panic. He could not move and he had no idea of where he might be being held, but he could not see, or indeed hear, any immediate danger.
The Lord Admiral had warned him to act under interrogation conditions. It was reasonable to assume he would be facing some sort of questioning as at least a part of his Test.
His mind raced, thinking of the things he would do to test a
would-be Captain; interrogation was a must, probably including a pretty bad beating. He could handle that.
I will not fail.
His wounds from the mission to GS-114 were still raw where the surgeon apparatus on the Pride had put him back together.
His strapped arm had been released from across his chest and was now pinned against the rest of the chair supporting him.
After the questions, what would come next?
Testing on his combat awareness, maybe a synthesized engagement for him to command through. The more he thought about it, the more he realised there were so very many things he could face once the lights came on.
His breathing had sped up with the anxiety of the thought. He took a long, deep breath, controlling the rhythm of his exhalation to calm him and slow his heart rate.
If he panicked now he would not be able to think. His Test might be as simple as seeing what he would do in such a situation. The Lord Admiral could be watching him even now. If he called out or showed weakness that could be enough to fail. He resolved to stay silent.
I will not fail.
Aitkin sat alone and silent in the darkness. He tried to keep focused, repeating the Marines’ Oath to himself to stop his mind from peopling the darkness with imagined threats and dangers.
I will bear my allegiance to the Deorum and none other.
There was a noise above his head. Aitkin could not look up to see what it was, but he was sure he’d heard a faint click.
I will protect her people, her faith and her property with my words, my deeds and my life.
Now there was a soft whirring sound directly above him. It sounded as if a fan had started up in the ceiling. Aitkin couldn’t tell if the sound was faint by design or if the unseen ceiling was simply a long way off, the volume distorted by distance.
I will question no order and forsake no duty.
A light came on, somewhere above his head and bathed
him in its radiance. He could see the smooth curves of the metal restraints holding his arms in place. They shone silver, reflecting the bright light back at him.
I am her sword, her shield, her son and her protector.
He could see to his knees, but with his head fixed in place he could not lean forward to see his feet. He was naked as the day he was born. Aitkin realised the light was not filling the room, but only illuminating him and the chair that held him in its rigid embrace. As he strained to see into the darkness a movement stirred the air behind him.
I swear my allegiance from this breath to my last.
Aitkin’s breath caught in his throat as a voice spoke softly into his left ear.
Luna endures.
“What is your name?”
End
EPILOGUE
The sun was low behind him as he eased his foot into a stronger position on the forest floor. His quarry was just ahead, no more than a hundred metres and the slightest mistake now would see his efforts dashed and his family going without meat for another day.
He had stalked his prey for hours now.
Every step made carefully, constantly testing the wind and keeping silent so as not to give himself away as a threat.
The deer he concentrated on was not the largest of the three he had been following, but it looked healthy, where the others had the unpleasant discolouration on their flanks that told him they were carrying a sickness and would be no good for eating. He’d spent his day imagining how it would taste, roasted upon a spit so the fat crackled in the flames.
There had been a couple of points where he thought he would lose it. Once the wind had gusted from nowhere and he’d watched as all three deer raised their heads and looked in his direction.
He hadn’t moved, hadn’t breathed for as long as he could manage and then suddenly they’d been moving. He wanted to shout in frustration as his prey made a skipping run from the open grass they had been grazing on into the tree line. But he hadn’t given up. He’d followed their tracks and after another hour he’d come upon them drinking from a small stream.
Now he was in position. His bow string was between his fingers, the arrow knocked and ready to pull taught, to release on its journey that would pierce hide and flesh and deliver him a meal he had been craving for days.
He raised his left arm, slowly pulling the string of his bow to his chin as he took aim.
The one he wanted was drinking, head down and unaware of him.
Just another moment, he prayed in the silence of his own head.
Just stay still little bit longer...
The sun light breaking through the trees made a dappled effect on its coat as the leaves moved in the gentle breeze. He stretched the bow as far as it would go, breathing in deeply in readiness to let the arrow fly. A perfect moment of silence fell upon the forest around him…
The deer raised its head and he saw the others follow its gaze. Not at him, but higher, into the sky. He blinked, hesitating and suddenly the animals were running. They crashed into the bushes, heading away from him at speed. He could see their shapes disappearing between the thickly growing trees. His breath exploded from him as he dropped his bow to the floor, angry at himself for the hesitation that had cost him so dearly. What spooked them so badly?
He turned full circle, looking up into the swaying foliage for some sign when a noise reached his ears. It sounded like a distant tearing, no not tearing, like paper burning in a fire. As he searched for the source the sound grew louder and louder still. Now it was a roaring, but not like water in flood. A roaring more like fire burning out of control.
He started to move, heading back out to the grassland, his heart beating fast. The sound seemed to be following him, filling the sky and the forest with its deep, thundering roar. He was running now, his legs smashing through the ferns and low bushes as he ducked branches and leapt over the large roots that stood proud of the forest floor.
He burst through the tree line and into sunlight as a ball of fire shot across the sky above him, heading east to west and disappeared over the horizon.
He stumbled, still watching the trail of smoke and fell heavily to his knees in the short grass. The roaring had diminished as the fiery thing flew out of sight and then a sudden booming that echoed across the empty grassland.
He pushed himself unsteadily to his feet. The deer were gone and all but forgotten. His bow was lost somewhere back in the forest, but he still carried his skinning knife.
He reached back and drew it from his belt. There was still a line of smoke, gently dissipating as he watched it, but the
direction of the thing looked like a straight line heading to the
west. He didn’t know what it was, but he was going to find out. Knife in hand, facing the setting sun, he started walking west.
***
Notes on the solar system in the year 542MI
The Martian Calendar
The Martian Calendar; created by Marshall Julius Earone, the first Colonist Marshall Governor of Independent Mars, in the Earth
year 2140 on the centenary of the colonisation of Mars.
In Martian history this is recorded as year zero of Martian Independence (0MI).
Based on the rotation of Mars the length of a single day is 25 hours. A week is 8 days long and the year consists of 22 months (86 weeks or 688 days). Each new year begins with The Mars Day.
The days of a Martian week
Marsday – named for Mars
Tueday
Windsday – named for the winds of the wastes
Thurosday
Frind
Santday
Suday
Earnday – named for the first Colonist Marshall Governor
The months of a Martian year
Jan (The Mars Day) 31 days
Jup 30 days (renamed for Jupiter’s Halo station in the year 250MI)
Febry 30 days
Mars 32 days (named for the independence of Mars)
Earone 32 days (named for first Colonist Marshall Governor)
App 31 days
Maine 32 days
Yuni 33 days
Yuli 33 days
Aust 30 days
Bisec (The Year’s Turn) 30 days
Zwol 30 days
Ion 31 days (named for Jupiter’s moon Io)
Septi 33 days
Fift 30 days
Callist 30 days (renamed for Jupiter’s moon Callisto in the year 136MI)
Ven 32 days
Novum 30 days
Notum 32 days
Pollo 31 days
Decem 33 days
Deat (The Year’s End) 32 days
Earth
Earth was the seat of Human governance until the Senate relocated to Mars in the Earth year 2745 (330MI)
Abandoned after The Plague in the Earth year 2749 (332MI)
Plague survivors of Earth were relocated to a closed colony on Jupiter’s moon Callisto.
After the Plague Earth was marked as a restricted area by the Senate. It is considered uninhabitable by humans.
Estimated population in 2749 (332MI): 13 billion
Current estimated population: 0.
The Deorum
The Deorum rose out of the chaos surrounding The Plague and the subsequent abandoning of Earth. It was originally made up of a conglomeration of the three largest mining corporations.
The Imperial still hold rights over ninety percent of the mining undertaken in the asteroid belt, including all of the mining for water ice.
It is the governing body of Luna; formerly known as Earth’s moon until it was renamed in the Earth year 2760 (338MI)
Adopted the Martian Calendar in the Earth year 2850 (387MI) although many inhabitants still use the Earth calendar
Current estimated population: 2.2 billion
The Asteroid Mines
All mining operations in the asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter are controlled from the Deorum outpost on Ceres.
Mining operations in the asteroid belt are undertaken to retrieve minerals, metals and ice for water. The contracts for water are the most lucrative and have been monopolised by the Deorum since the abandoning of Earth.
Current estimated population: 1.5 million
The Jovian System
Jupiter’s Halo Station
The Jupiter’s Halo station is a circular space station positioned around the gas giant Jupiter
It is also known as the God’s Belt.
The station now houses the seat of primary governance for the solar system; The Ministry of Colonies.
Construction of the station began in the Earth year 2600 (250MI) and was not completed until the Earth year 2825 (373MI)
It became the primary seat of Human governance in the Earth year 2810 (365MI) despite the completion of its construction still outstanding
It is positioned 1,000 kilometres above the surface of Jupiter
The station is over 445,000 kilometres in length, 1,000 kilometres wide and 3 kilometres deep
The Jupiter’s Halo station is made up of four quadrants.
These are: Amory, Winward, Charlton and Jovian.
Adopted the Martian Calendar in the Earth year 2820 (370MI)
Current estimated population: 16 billion
Jupiter’s moon Ganymede
The surface ocean of Ganymede was considered the primary source of water for the Jupiter’s Halo station and its colony moons.
In the year 2615 (259MI) research teams discovered single cell and simple multi cell organisms around volcanic vents in the sea floor and Ganymede’s oceans became protected under the PSEL (Protection and Study of Emerging Life) initiative.
There is no standing population living on the surface of Ganymede, although it is home to several PSEL research stations, sponsored by the Ministry of Colonies.
Jupiter’s moon Callisto
Colonised in the Earth year 2490 (190MI) as a temporary home and supply station for workers constructing the Jupiter’s Halo station. It later became a closed colony for survivors of the Plague fleeing their planet in the Earth year 2750 (332MI)
Adopted the Martian Calendar in the Earth year 2820 (370MI)
Current estimated population: 800 million
Jupiter’s Moon Europa
Originally colonised in the Earth year 2490 (190MI), as a temporary home and supply station for workers constructing the Jupiter’s Halo station.
It was considered a valuable source of water for the Jupiter’s Halo station until research showed the majority of the liquid surface to be made up of hydrogen peroxide and sulfuric acid.
Adopted the Martian Calendar in the Earth year 2780 (349MI)
Current estimated population: 3.4 billion
Additional Stations
A further 120 space stations are situated within the boundaries of the Jovian system.
Current estimated population: 650 million
Mars
Known as the Garden of the Solar System
First colonised in the Earth year 2040
It served as the temporary seat of human governance between the Earth years 2745 (330MI) to 2809 (364MI)
Mars has its own water, industrial economy and the ability to grow produce within the confines of its city domes. It is almost completely independent from the rest of the solar system.
Mars has a class system that differentiates the surface from the tunnels and is ruled over by the Colonist Marshall Governor, under the aegis of the Ministry of Colonies.
The most notable families in the aristocratic class are:
Earone, Junt, Ratigan, Xhi, Hunst, Simler
Surface City States:
Prometheus – Capital and First city of Mars
Hereidum – Second city pf Mars
Sabaea Domes – Industrial zones and lower wealth inhabitants
The Utopian Isle – Exclusive area for the most wealthy citizens
Daedalia - Abandoned
Townships of the Martian Tunnels:
Old Olympus Town
Olympus Newtown
Tharsis
Ares Villas
Chryse
The tunnels are extensive, covering an area of seventy-five million square kilometres.
Current estimated population: 450 million above ground, 300 million below ground.