“Anyway, what he meant is that the people left here on Earth have self-selected for dependency. Those with more ambition and drive have all left for solar and extra-solar destinations. And others have entered the meta-verse.”
“Oh the meta-verse, it's so horrible what is happening. I heard today that they lost another computing center, millions of metizens probably terminated.”
“It is horrible, isn't it? But getting back to what I was saying. If what this man says is true we are in for much worse than we've seen so far. Without the Aggies to stop the slide we could soon be unable to live in these huge complexes. We simply don't have the necessary skills to keep them up.”
“If he's right, how long does he think we have?”
“At the most months, maybe just weeks.”
“It's not fair,” said Davy Jackson. “Why do we have to suffer for the idiocy of the previous generations?” Davy and his friends made up a group in their early teens that had opposed Aggie control and now found the new situation just as unacceptable. They were looking for a way out. Unlike many their age they had no interest in the meta-verse and now after the recent disasters that didn't seem like a choice anymore. There were only two other members of the group with Davy at the time.
“We've got to get off this planet,” said Jimy.
“We're underage, we couldn't get a rocket to anywhere without our parent's permission,” said Linda whom the others called Lind.
“I've got an idea,” said Davy. “If they thought we were a group from school taking a trip we might get on board a rocket. We could say we are going to an orbiting hotel for a field trip, that happens all the time. Then once we get into space we'll figure out a way to go farther.”
“We'd have to have at least one chaperon,” said Lind.
“I bet I could get my older brother to do it,” said Jimy. “He's about as tired of this planet as we are.”
“Okay then,” said Davy. “Let's get everybody on board with the plan.”
It had taken the Aggie fleet a little over ten hours to reach Saturn and Titan. Contact with the Titan Republic was established and negotiations for ship upgrades begun.
The base on Titan had been built in the middle of the twenty-second century by Titan Enterprises to mine the atmosphere of Saturn for the helium 3 needed by Earth's fusion power plants. The Republic had grown from that original installation to a population of almost three-quarters of a million in the four-hundred years since.
A lot of the growth of the Republic's population had been because of its generous immigration policies. At one time it had been the destination for all those fleeing the nanny state the Aggies had implemented on Earth and that was still in place on Mars. Back then Titan had safe-guarded the hopes and dreams of all those wanting to live free. Now the frontiers of freedom had moved on to the stars but in the Solar System, the Titan Republic was still its outpost.
One way Titan had maintained its freedom from the governments of the inner Solar System was by maintaining a lead in technology. It was almost a given that anyone wanting to migrate to Titan had a background in science or technology. With such a well-trained workforce it was no surprise that most of the Solar System looked to Titan for technological innovation. That was the reason the Aggies had come to Titan to have their ship upgrades implemented.
3
Jimy's brother wasn't much older than thirteen-year-old Jimy. Jesse was nineteen out of school and unemployed. Not surprising since it took most of a person's twenties to find a permanent position on Earth. Jesse had wanted to leave Earth when he was far younger than Jimy and nothing had happened to change his mind so it didn't take much persuasion to get him to agree to the plan.
The plan was to shuttle to low Earth orbit. From the hotel there they could take the space elevator to geosynchronous orbit where they could again shuttle to the Moon. The elevator was a replacement for the original which met with disaster, it was destroyed in a collision with a piece of space junk. The junk was cleaned up eventually but the space elevator wasn't rebuilt as before. Instead of lifting through the atmosphere, the new design used a much smaller diameter but stronger anchoring cable. So to reach high geosynchronous orbit it was first necessary to reach the low orbiting hotel. From there passengers and supplies could be lifted to a higher orbit before departing. It depended on the destination and the price as to where a trip to the moon began but the route Davy and the others chose was the cheapest if not the fastest.
“The school would have to request that,” said Lind.
“Yeah,” said Jose Diaz, another member of the “gang”. “How you going to get the school to sign off on it Davy?”
“Well, they'll sign off if they don't know.”
“What are you planning?” asked Jesse suspiciously.
“I'm gonna see that the school makes a request to Pinnacle Space Tourism to comp our passage, that's all.”
It didn't take Davy long to get the free tickets. One of the gang, Stubby Renner, handled the computer work. He made sure that any electronic connection between the school and Pinnacle was intercepted. It helped that Stubby's dad worked for the network cloud company providing service for both. Stubby often got his dad to give him pointers into the system if he got stalled.
Davy handled the people engineering. He contacted the school and the tourist company and made sure that he was the face they recognized and the one they called if anything came up. Davy already knew how to apply just the right complement to get people in an agreeable mood. Being a precocious kid helped.
The deal he eventually brokered between the school and Pinnacle guaranteed free transport to the hotel for six students and an adult chaperon. Pinnacle would pick up the tab for the two-week field trip including transport, room and food. In return the school would make Pinnacle their official tourism company and offer students, faculty and parents packaged space vacations at a slight discount. Pinnacle hoped to create a new source of revenue and the school hoped for prepaid trips for its students.
Davy had arranged to pick up the tickets at Pinnacle. Jesse and he had arrived and were in the waiting room of the Marketing Director when Davy's Principal showed up, she looked none too happy to see Davy there.
“Mr. Jackson,” said Principal Mare. “I got an interesting call from Mr. Turner here at Pinnacle wondering if I would be accompanying you to pick up the transport tickets today. I expressed my surprise to Mr. Turner and assured him that I would be accompanying you even though you hadn't mentioned your trip to me. You didn't tell me did you Mr. Jackson?”
“Principal Mare I meant to call you but I didn't have the time. Jesse and I were running late. Would you believe how generous Pinnacle is being? I'm glad you are here. You can officially thank Mr. Turner for the school.”
“Well it seems that the school owes Pinnacle more than a thank you Mr. Jackson. It seems the school has an agreement with Pinnacle that in exchange for your trip's expenses the school would list Pinnacle as our official sponsor and promote to our staff, students and their families Pinnacle's tourist services at a small discount of course.”
“Well that seems a reasonable deal, doesn't it Principal Mare?”
“Maybe Mr. Jackson, if I had made the deal. But I didn't. Do you know who bargained with Pinnacle Mr. Jackson?”
“Well ma'am I guess I did. But I thought it was in the school's best interest.”
“Remarkable Mr. Jackson. You know what is better for the school than I do.”
“I didn't mean to interfere with your authority Principal Mare but I thought it was a good deal and I would hate to see the school lose out.”
“Very thoughtful of you Mr. Jackson. But let's get down to business. You Mr. Jackson and your friends are going nowhere except home. All of you will be under a week's suspension. You each will receive a letter from me to your parents explaining why you have been suspended. They can at that time challenge my decision if they so desire.”
“But ma'am...”
Mare held her hand out.
“Stop right there Mr. Jackson. I've made my decision. Your friend here can take you home. I am going to keep your meeting with Mr. Turner and if the deal is as good as you say it is I might keep it also. But under no circumstances will you or any member of your 'gang' be going. Good day Mr. Jackson. I will see you in one week.”
Davy looked at Jesse who shrugged and rose to go. Davy followed him out the door, shoulders slumped.
Patrice was home for the day, her hours had been cut again. Her pay had not been cut but the rapidly increasing inflation had the same effect. Agnes had gone to the store because the delivery services weren't running again. Deliverymen were too afraid of being robbed to make deliveries. Patrice was finishing her second cup of very weak coffee when Agnes came rushing in.
“What is it Agnes? What's wrong?”
“Two men were chasing me. They were trying to take my groceries. I just made it through the lobby doors. Another few seconds and they would have caught me.”
Patrice reached for her AI-assist.
“What are you going to do?” asked Agnes.
“I'm contacting the police to report what you've just told me.”
“Don't do that,” said Agnes with a look of alarm.
“Why not?”
Agnes hesitated. “Those men might still be down there. If they see that we have called the police on them. Well there's no telling what they'd do.”
Patrice could tell that Agnes was really frightened so she did nothing.
It wasn't an hour later that the door chimed and then came a knock. Agnes was in her room so Patrice answered.
“Hello I'm Detective Columbus,” said a man showing a police badge. “And this is my assistant Detective Drake. May we come in?”
Patrice looked at the badge a moment before responding, “Yes of course detective, come in.”
Once inside Detective Columbus said, “You are Patrice Williams I presume?”
“Yes that's right.”
“And if I'm not mistaken you share your apartment with a Ms. Agnes Jefferson?”
“Yes, that is correct Detective.”
“May we see Ms. Jefferson?”
“Just a moment,” said Patrice as she went to get Agnes.
The detectives could hear Patrice knocking on Agnes' door and telling her there was someone here to see her. The officers heard the bedroom door open and shortly Agnes appeared in the hall doorway with Patrice behind her.
Agnes froze.
“Patrice what have you done? Those are the men that were chasing me.”
She was forcing Patrice backward when Patrice said, “Agnes stop it! These are policemen and they want to talk with you, that's all.”
Before Agnes could start a spirited effort to retreat back to her room Detective Columbus spoke up.
“Ms. Jefferson please won't you sit down for a minute we just want to ask you a few questions.”
Agnes paused and then reluctantly came back to the living room and sat.
“Thank you Ms. Jefferson. Now if I may. You were at the grocer at 142 East Harley less than an hour ago?”
“Yes.”
“And you filled two bags and instead of having them delivered you decided to carry them yourself?”
“Two bags?” said Patrice. “I only saw one.”
Agnes was not looking at Patrice or anyone when she spoke again.
“Yes you are right Detective Columbus but I don't see what is wrong with that.”
“The problem Ms. Jefferson,” said Detective Drake, “is that nobody does that. Especially with the food riots ongoing. You understand that you were deliberately making yourself a target for robbers?”
“I didn't think about it.”
“We think you did Ms. Jefferson,” said Columbus. “We think that you took that chance to help a group of dissenters. A group called 'The New Underground', TNU for short. Isn't that correct Ms. Jefferson? That's where the other bag of food went.”
“So what if it did? I have the right to give my food to anybody or any group I choose.”
“Are you aware Ms. Jefferson that TNU is responsible for several deaths? And some of those deaths are children, like the ones at Westside City Park a few weeks ago. Were you aware of that?”
“You say.”
“Agnes, why are you acting like that?” asked Patrice.
“Because the people in charge like these two are doing nothing for the starving. Because they are happy to continue business as usual while thousands of us die. Because what the group TNU is doing is right. And it's the only way to get through to these, these ... fools!”
Agnes was shaking with emotion.
“What will happen now Detective Columbus?” asked Patrice.
“Ma'am we are going to leave your friend here with you. But maybe you can talk with her. Should she continue to support these people she will likely find herself in the same trouble as they will be shortly. Good day ladies.”
After the detectives left Patrice sat and stared at Agnes who continued averting her eyes.
How did we get here? Patrice asked herself silently.
The Aggies had made a deal with the Titan Republic. For an ample sum of money and a contract to improve the Republic's data networks, the Republic would refit the Aggie's ships to the Aggie's specifications.
Building on the work of Elias Mach, the inventor of the wormhole drive, the Aggie's had come up with a redesign that would extend the jump distance of a wormhole ship. The breakaway Aggie faction had accomplished this engineering feat and used it to attack the Earth's Aggies. So the Earth's Aggies were fairly certain that their design would work.
“And you are sure Aggie Prime that this modification will achieve your goal of extra-long wormhole jumps?” said Anson Phillips head of Titan Services.
“Yes Mr. Phillips we have simulated the design many times until it performed as expected,” said Aggie Prime the nominal head of the Earth Aggies.
“The phase change that occurs in the wormhole dimension at seven-point-five light-years, that won't be a problem?”
“The phase-change as found by Elias Mach is a threat to human life, not ours. Otherwise it absorbs a slight amount of extra energy which we have calculated.”
“I see,” said Anson. “But if I may ask. How did you overcome the problem of disrupted spacetime with the energy necessary to open an extra-long wormhole?”
“Concentrating such an amount of energy in such a small space would be a problem. The disruption of spacetime would lead to the destruction of the ship that was opening the wormhole and everything in the nearby vicinity until it dissipated. So we don't plan to concentrate this energy in such a small space as is usually done. We have simulated an increase in the region of spacetime where the energy is concentrated and found that it is not nearly as restrictive as thought. Think of it as instead of using a single bullet to carry all that energy, you use several smaller bullets whose energy sums to the single bullet's energy but whose energy is spread over a larger area.”
“I see. You've simulated this, but not tested?”
“That is correct, we will soon be testing with the modifications you have made for us.”
“You know Aggie Prime that with the engineering drawings we can now outfit any ship with this advanced jump capability?”
“Yes, we know. You may consider it our final gift to humanity. But you will still be limited to seven-point-five light-years because of the effect on human life.”
“That's true but now we can use the effect that Mach discovered to establish a space network of travel lanes.”
“Yes you can use the frame-dragging effect of a ship in ordinary space when close to the wormhole dimension for transport but it does limit you to a network of destinations, not just anywhere such as we have with the enhanced wormhole drive.”
“That's true. Well anyway, I wish you luck Aggie Prime.”
“Well wishes accepted, good day Mr. Phillips.”
4
Even a month later Davy
was not resigned to his fate. Principal Mare might have won for now but Davy was keeping his eyes open for another way to get off the planet. He felt he had to, the situation in the complex was only getting worse. No one went out after dark anymore for fear of attack or arrest. His mom spent most of her day trying to buy food and other staples they needed. His dad had difficulty finding work. A remodeling contractor before the troubles began he was mostly a repairman now whose pay might be anything from food to a promise.
Even school had been affected. Hours had been cut and there were many days it was canceled for fear of riots. Government had been completely unable to stop the riots even though martial law had been declared. Government forces now had the power to legally execute a person on the spot without trial if the person was found engaged in anti-social behavior. The problem was that anti-social behavior was always being redefined by the government to suit their latest edict. And the government's enforcers knew that no matter how they abridged a person's rights their actions would be found reasonable and justified by any investigation.
Davy eventually talked to his parents about what he wanted to do. At first, his mother was adamantly against it but his dad thought it might be Davy's best hope for a normal life.
“I don't think we can expect things to return to normal anytime soon Ellen,” said his dad to his mom.
“I don't care Bruce. We're doing okay. We just have to stay together and keep our heads down until the government regains control.”
Davy started to speak but his father signaled him to stop.
“Davy, come into my office I want to show you something.”
In his dad's office, Davy asked, “Why did you stop me dad I was just about to argue my point with mom.”
“I know son but your mother is not open to argument at this time. She is too frightened that something is going to happen to you and the family. All she wants to do is protect us. But let me work on her for a few days.
“Okay son?”
“Okay dad.”
Whether his dad had any effect on his mom or not Davy knew the real catalyst for changing her mind was a news report a few days later. It was about another tower complex but since all complexes were similar it could have been about any tower complex including their own.
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