"Am I free to go?"
"I would suggest you wait here another half hour, until you feel stable on your feet. Comm me if you have any questions."
The doctor turned and left. I raised my arm, moving it around gently as I winced.
Denise smiled. "I hope it mends fast." She glanced back at the door. "We're being relocated while they finish sealing off our hall from the outside. We're supposed to pack as much as we can. We have over a thousand people who are being moved."
TC walked into the room. "Ray. Was glad to hear you made it out."
"The people below? Are they..."
TC gave a half smile. "They're alive. It seems your fixes mostly held back a full collapse. Had you not made such rapid progress, we may have lost them all."
"Are you bringing them out? How?"
"I've ordered the diggers in Shaft Two to tunnel the kilometer over to them. It will take several days, but they have their generators and supplies. And another team will be repairing the dome."
It was news I needed to hear. "Thank goodness. When that shaft collapsed, I thought everyone below was gone."
"Had it not been for your efforts, that might have been the case. Given the resulting situation, I've decided to give you another bonus."
"Forget the bonus. Just let Denise and Pea leave. I'll stay and finish the job."
"I've arranged for their transportation, along with that of the other non-employees."
I shook my head. "I still can't believe you were trying to force everyone to sign a contract. That was just dirty."
"Dirty? Do you realize how many people we just lost here in the main building? More than two hundred eighty... so far. And of those, just over two hundred of them signed that contract. Their spouses will now receive their full benefit. Certainly not a fair trade for their loss, but it should at least help with their burden, even if only in the slightest of ways."
"You’re all heart TC," I said.
"And might I add that those who refused to sign are now without benefit of any kind. They only have loss. I tried to do the right thing, Ray. But the naysayers convinced those people they shouldn't sign."
Denise asked, "So, when are we going home? This stay has lasted an eternity. People are now dead."
TC hesitated in thought for several seconds, deciphering Denise's comment. "I've sent for the first transport. It will take ten days or more to move everyone, but all non-employees are now to be evacuated. And to set your minds at ease about the raid, the mercs assure me it's no longer an issue.
"They are sending for an extra four ships and more ground crews. It seems they were still evaluating defenses when the raid happened. Another half day and those defenses would have been in place to prevent the attack."
I wasn't feeling a fondness for my former classmate. "So, what was our casualty count?"
"As of an hour ago we've lost over three hundred, most of them being the non-employees here in the main building. The report also listed another several hundred with moderate to severe injuries, such as yourself, and several hundred more with minor injuries ranging from simple cuts and bruises to frostbite. And while no loss is acceptable, I believe our merc crews prevented a total annihilation. We can thank you for suggesting them."
TC finished with a pursed smile. "Ray. Thank you again for all you've done. And Denise, I'll see to it you two are on the first available transport heading out."
Denise's response was a single nod as well. The hard feelings in the room were thick enough to cut with a knife. Her eyes followed TC out of the room.
Denise let out a long sigh. "Something tells me we won't make that first transport."
I wanted to smirk at her statement but was not feeling in the humorous mood. Twenty minutes later, the doctors released me.
The merc captain of the ship that picked me up came into the room as we were leaving. "Mr. Jackson. I talked it over with my crew and we've decided to give you your weapon back. The Togmal blaster you were holding when we found you... we drained the power cell and well... here. We added the commemorating nameplate, thinking it would make a good souvenir."
I stared at him with a questioning look.
I held no animosity toward the merc captain. In their circles, souvenirs from the battlefield, even though a war had not been waged in centuries, had always been a thing. But I was not a soldier. Part of me took offense. Hundreds had just died and here he was handing me a trophy. I gave a single nod as I took the weapon into my hands.
We made our way back to our apartment. Our hallway had been repaired and sealed off from the bitter cold. We once again began packing. I placed the last bit of clothing into a bag when an alert came up on the display.
A list of apartment numbers scrolled down on the screen. Those in red would be moving. Those in green would stay put. Apartment C3106 scrolled by in green.
Denise banged a frustrated fist on the table. "This place is driving me crazy!"
I placed a hand on her shoulder and wrapped the other around her waist. "Complaining won't help us. Just unpack. Tomorrow will be a new day."
On our level, the shops and cafeteria areas had taken a beating. We were told to go down a level for our meals and other needs. It only added to Denise's already-soured attitude.
The following day, TC told me to report back to Mine Two to continue my work. I could see the damaged dome of Shaft One from where I was. There was a flurry of activity going on as attempts were being made to seal the breach. I wondered at what point I would be forced to return.
On my second day of work I began to wonder about the progress of the rescue tunnel that was supposedly under construction. I had not heard mention of it from any of the miners going up and down the stairs. Of course, most used the elevator as no one wanted to climb one hundred sixteen flights when their shift rotation was over. The ore was just under the surface on Echelon, and rich.
As I completed the day's work on Shaft Two, I stopped a pair of miners who had just gotten off the elevator. I questioned them about the progress of the rescue. They had been all over the diggings down below and had not heard of any that were heading toward Mine One for a rescue.
I was livid and raised TC on the comm.
"I hear good things, Ray. Can I take it this is good news about the retrofit of Shaft Two?"
"We just finished for the day, but that's not why I commed. The rescue. What happened? The miners I've spoken to tell me no progress has been made toward Mine One."
TC looked down. "I learned earlier there was a new cave-in. With the dome there sealed, my engineers felt it would be faster tunneling through the debris of Shaft One. When they reached the bottom, they found the cave-in was extensive, taking out the generators and collapsing four out of the five side shafts. The fifth had been engulfed in flame, burning up all the oxygen. I've yet to break the news to the colony, waiting for full confirmation on exactly who was down there."
"Who was down there? We know who was down there. We have a roster with just under two thousand names we can't account for. That's who's down there!"
"I understand your anger, Ray, although I feel it is misplaced. I did not kill these people, nor did I want them killed. That is the work of the Togmal. Furthermore, I am trying my best to bring home the materials our military needs to conduct war. If you haven't noticed, most of the encounters with these creatures have not gone our way. So please keep your hostile reactions to yourself. I am doing everything I know to do. No one has experience with this. And advice is coming from every direction at once."
I could see he was genuinely dismayed. And as much as I didn't want to admit it, he was again right. I was judging his actions based on one fact alone, the fact that Denise and Pea were still here.
I took in and let out a long breath. "Sorry to be so short with you. This whole situation is frustrating."
"For me as well. Here I am, the president of operations for this entire planet, and I feel I have little to no control. My decisions may seem heartless at times, but I have b
een given an edict from both my father and our government to keep these mines running at all costs. I'm doing the best I know how, Ray. I’m sorry if it seems like it’s not good enough for you."
It was the first time I had been able to see things from his perspective. The decisions he had to make affected thousands. My decisions only needed to govern my family and me. He was my age. The amount of responsibility he had taken on had to be crushing.
I winced when I thought about what I was about to say. It was not the statement I wanted to make. In no way had I felt the need to be supportive of the most powerful man on Echelon... until that moment.
"Thomas. You're smart. You're motivated. You'll get this figured out. You get Denise and Pea out of here and I'll work my ass off to see that you're successful. As you have said repeatedly, the Union needs us. These mines must produce. I'll do my best to see to it that happens, if you just get my family to safety."
"Thank you, Ray. Your support means a lot. I'll get with my team and see what we can do."
The comm closed.
The bitterness I had been feeling toward my former classmate and friend was now gone. When I got back to our apartment, one look from Denise let me know she was not feeling the same way.
"How was your day? Were you able to finish Mine Two?"
I sat at the table. "Not a bad day. We did finish. It's structurally sound now. I'll be moving over to Mine Three tomorrow."
"What about the rescue? Are they almost there?"
I hesitated to answer.
"Well?"
I winced. "There isn't any rescue."
"What?"
The expression on Denise's face was one of confusion.
"Why? What about those people?"
"There won't be a rescue because they are dead. TC says they had another cave-in. I believe he's trying to get up the courage to tell everyone."
"Dead? You mean all of them?"
I slowly nodded.
Denise sat back with her mouth agape. "No. This is not happening. Three of the mothers in my lunch group have husbands down there."
"There was a second collapse and it was extensive. They believe all but one of the side shafts caved-in. The generators were taken out and with them the oxygen and water supplies."
Denise crossed her arms. "Well, what about the other shaft? Couldn't they still be alive?"
"There were extensive fires, which burned the remaining oxygen. Didn't matter though. Without water they couldn't survive."
"Oh, those poor people. This is horrible. We have to get out of here, Ray. This place is a nightmare that just keeps recurring."
"For you and me both."
Two days turned into five before the new merc ships arrived. After witnessing the performance of the merc gunners during the raid, I was now confident they could protect us from any minor attacks. That confidence was only bolstered when the mercs were able to thwart a second assault before the Togmal ships reached our atmosphere. It appeared that TC's protection money was well spent.
Another five days passed before a transport arrived. As Denise expected, the offer of her and Pea receiving passage on the first vessel was denied. Instead they used the ship as evac for those who had been severely injured. It was hard for us to argue against their more urgent need.
— Chapter 13 —
* * *
Several additional days elapsed with my family still at risk. Denise was ready to explode.
"Ray. That's five transports that have come and gone. The last one wasn't loaded with injured. It only took the family members of the top execs. And I hear there was room for others. What gives?"
"I'm sorry. I just had a big blowout with TC about this today. It seems the exec he had in charge decided he was going home himself. He slipped onto that last transport. TC is trying to unscramble the mess he left. There are accusations the guy took money to move others first."
"You believe him?" An irritated scowl followed.
"I know you won't agree with my perspective. TC's bearing a huge responsibility right now. His father and the government are telling him to keep these mines open at all costs. He says he's doing everything he knows to do and is sorry if that doesn't seem enough. He also assured me not a half hour ago that you and Pea would be out of here as soon as possible."
"Well we all know that's a lie or we would already be gone."
Two more days came and went before we got the good news. Denise and Pea were scheduled for the next transport. I took a long lunch to see them off. When I arrived at the apartment, her bags were packed and sitting beside the door. I had mixed emotions. My elation over their departure was countered by my dread of the same.
I held her and Pea in a long embrace. "First chance I get to leave this place, I'm coming home."
I set Pea on the floor. She wrapped her arms around my leg. "Daddy, I don't wanna leave you!"
It was heart-wrenching. It took everything I had to hold back the tears. "Sorry, Pea. But I need you to go and to take care of grandma and grandpa. They will be so happy to see you."
"When will you come home?"
I knelt beside her, taking her sweet, sad face in my hands. "I will come as soon as I can. I promise. And I'll be running as fast as I can run. I'll miss you both terribly, but I have work I need to finish out here before I can come home. You promise me you'll take care of your mother?"
The teary-eyed three-year-old nodded her head. I pulled her in for a hug, picking her from her feet. A knock at the door interrupted us.
Denise said, "That's us." She turned and wrapped her arms around me. "Ray, leaving you here is the hardest thing I've ever had to do. Are we doing the right thing? I know I've pushed for this. Will we really be better off?"
"Demos is defended by the Union. They have an entire fleet there. It has to be better than here. I can't risk having you and her here for another attack. All you have to do is get on that ship and go. Every minute away from here is a minute closer to safety."
A porter pushed our bags as I walked my family to the space dock. I had a feeling of dread as we walked up the ramp onto the transport.
I helped my beloved family get settled into their assigned cabin and we held each other tight, squeezing Pea in the middle., The steward tapped me on the shoulder. "Sir. You have to go."
I could tell Denise was nervous by the way she fidgeted. It was something I was not used to seeing. Her strength had always been my strength. I had a moment of panic, wondering if we were doing the right thing. Putting them on a shuttle in an area that had been attacked, was it a risk worth taking? Was it better than keeping them with me?
I pulled them in for one final hug, filling my nostrils with their scent. It was a scent I knew I would treasure until we were together again. I gave each a final kiss. Suddenly, I felt as though I had a big empty hole in my gut. I turned away before they could see me cry. I hurried to leave the transport with tears streaming down my face. I struggled against the temptation to turn back and grab them.
The steward who had helped them into their cabin was walking down the ramp beside me. "Sir. I don't know if it will be a comfort, but others have opened a comm once the transport has lifted off. You can still be in contact for nearly an hour. It might help."
I nodded as I wiped my eyes. "Thanks for that. I'll give it a try."
I stopped in the waiting area just outside the docks. Twenty excruciating minutes passed before I felt the rumble of the transport's engines. I watched through a transparent wall as the hundred-fifty-meter-long ship lifted from the port. A shudder ran through me as the secondary engines spewed out their thrust, rattling the wall in front of me.
I was thankful for what the steward had said. I wanted one last conversation with my family. I needed to see they were safely on their way. I opened a comm.
Denise smiled. "Miss us already?"
I took a seat on a bench, pulling over a swivel monitor and passing the comm connection to it. A smiling Denise and a grinning Paulette filled the display.
"Hey Pea. I just thought I would surprise you one last time."
"This ship is bumpy."
I nodded. "Will be like that for a few more minutes, and then it will be smooth as glass. You won't even know you're moving."
Denise said, "I can't believe we didn't think of this before. It's a nice surprise."
"To be honest, the steward who helped you wasn't on that flight. He was walking down the ramp beside me and suggested it. I'm glad he did."
The chitchat went on for nearly twenty minutes. It was a lift I needed.
We continued talking as they moved out to a common seating area from their cabin. I smiled as I watched Pea playing in the chair next to Denise. For the first time in months, I felt they were finally safe. The stress I was feeling dropped by more than half. I touched the display with my fingers as a calm settled in.
But that calm didn't last. The image on the display had a sudden change. Both Denise and Pea jerked up and down for several seconds. Pea nearly fell out of her seat as Denise reached out to grab her.
"What was that?" I asked.
"I'm not sure. But it wasn't normal."
The audio was suddenly drowned-out as the voice levels around them rose.
Denise looked over her shoulder. "Something's going on back toward the cargo hold." She turned back. "Pea. You stay right here in your seat, honey. And hold on. I'll be right back."
It was something I had always admired about Denise. She was not afraid to find out what the real situation was. She had never been timid about taking charge. My feeling of dread returned as I thought of what the situation might be that would cause her to leave her child, even for only a few seconds.
"Ray. I'm giving my comm to Pea. Keep her company."
Before I could say no, she was up and hurrying toward the back of the ship.
I said, "Pea. Hold up the comm so I can see where she went."
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