by Han Yang
“You have to start somewhere. The more creative your defense, the harder it is for them to breach it. Here’s a hint. Go down, then up in a different direction. They’ll never dig up,” Braxis said.
“I guess I can change the layout with time. Thanks. Is there an easier way to trade than all this?” I asked.
“I’ll give limited answers. Short answer, yes. We have ways to trade. We will offer a proposal about the very issue over a meal.”
“I’d love that, I recently lost my lunch.”
He chuckled, heading up the rope ladder. We finished our ascent, and I was surprised to see natural light flowing into a second guard room. It took me a minute, but I concluded we were above the bottom gate.
“Damn, I got turned around pretty quickly,” I said.
A meek throat clearing caught my attention. Otana stood by another secure door with a woman. The little girl was the spitting image of her mother who held her with a bitten lip to contain her emotions.
“Thank you. Thank you so much. I…” the woman broke down, crying into her daughter's hair.
“Scan her please,” Darcy said from my suit. “The nice man needs to check your health.”
The mother brought her closer and my linker blasted out a green hue, scanning them both.
“Turn around.”
After they spun the scan pinged red.
“Put your helmet on,” Darcy said.
Braxis nodded and I tapped the button to seal my spacesuit.
“Otana is fine. The data I have is conflicting. I will need time to process it. Pump the mother for information. Not literally even if she is being sweet. Mostly because her mother is pregnant and going to miscarry unless I take her today,” Darcy said.
I unsealed the helmet. I wanted the other to hear my words without secrecy.
“Humans are stronger than what you give them credit for Darcy. Darcy is the savior of humanity. Others view it differently, but without her, we wouldn’t have ever gotten off the ground, stayed alive, or stayed sane. Darcy has bad news, Mrs…”
“Pabee. My friends call me Bee.”
“Well Bee, you’re pregnant but you will need medical attention to carry the baby to term. Fate returned one daughter, you can save another if you trust us,” I said.
“You can do that? Save the unborn?” Braxis asked. “We have complications with pregnancies. Bee lost four siblings before she made it into this world.”
“Infant mortality rates are that bad?” I asked.
“Too high, always too high,” Bee said.
“We have advanced medicine and will be opening up clinics here soon. I’m going to scan you,” I told Braxis. Darcy cued in and performed the scan, even timing his turn. The report pinged orange. “Tell us please.”
“Arthritis, a failing kidney, and he has colon cancer, early stages. A shot of nanites will fix him up. I can’t reverse all the aging, but most of it. But Theo, I only have enough nanites for a few thousand people,” Darcy said.
“And production?” I asked while Braxis stared at me in confusion.
“Part of why I stopped allowing children was our lack of nanites. The vats I have now are from my days of preparing the Dominus,” Darcy said. “All this requires supplies and the narocks kill my drones. The territorial bastards. I have the droids, but the council will lose their shit if I start deploying a robot military.”
“It’s about winning, screw morality,” I said.
“I can’t without council approval, win enough seats, get enough votes, and yeah, we can make changes,” Darcy said.
“Excuse me, can you make my father young again?” Bee asked. “Is that right?”
I walked to the guard, a young woman who flinched at my approach. “Your knife.”
Braxis nodded. I accepted the knife and cut my cheek, handing it back. It burned, but after having a blade in my heart, the searing pain seemed tolerable.
Bee came over with a cloth. She showed no fear, but I did stay her hand when she tried to wipe my face.
“Father, look at this. He - he is infected,” Bee said. “You can see the blood returning through the pores.”
“I am indeed infested. Harsh term, but harsh truths are still truths. For generations humanity struggled on ships. We started with overcrowding. That overcrowding was alleviated by forcing people into long term storage. Well, those who stayed out had children as the space opened up. Then the awake cycles began. Finally, I was born. With severe complications. Now, all of us use the small repair-bots to stay alive. I can even breathe underwater,” I said.
“I have a feeling there is more to this story,” Bee said. She licked her thumb to clean the blood off my face.
“Careful, you will ever so slowly become healthier if you do not return that blood to Theo,” Darcy said.
“Ah, Theo. The man who saved my daughter and slew the chin’narocks with ease,” Bee said.
“Darcy saved Otana, she has a soft spot for children. And I wouldn’t call killing the crab scorpions as easy,” I said, placing out my hand.
Bee wrapped her tongue around her thumb, licking the nanites clean.
“Umm…”
“Always the trouble child. I will bring a meal. Can you eat mushroom salad?” Braxis asked.
“Yes, and here,” I said, tossing him the cube. “Code is 6969.”
“Thanks. Six nine six... hey…”
Bee giggled and Otana stared at me in confusion.
“Adult joke,” Bee said. “Help your grandfather while we wait to see if I die.”
Otana nodded, taking his hand.
When they departed Bee kicked out the guard.
“What is your true purpose here besides to tell us our health is ailing?” Bee asked.
I strode over to the only chair in this small guard room and plopped down. She sat on the desk, facing me.
“This desk isn’t busted up, meaning going up is the trick,” I said, running a hand over the carved surface. She stripped her shirt off revealing toned abs and a cloth wrap supporting her boobs. “Whoa. Um…”
“Relax,” she said with a snicker. She opened a drawer and pulled a stick that unfolded. She continued to unwind the stick until it reached the shutter that let in the light. After a deft maneuver light spilled down and onto the desk. She sighed constantly. “We need the sun. My breasts are fully covered, and you seem like a hale man. Sorry to rile you up.”
“The sun is wonderful, excuse my adverse reaction.”
“Back to your true purpose here, man of the stars.”
“We need people. I’d like to say that I’m here to save you from certain death, but I have a feeling you’re living somewhat comfortably. Everyone is a healthy weight and I see hope in your eyes, not despair,” I said. “I also have a feeling you don’t want me beyond that door.”
“You are infected. Now I am infected. This is how new partnerships are forged. You entered our stronghold willingly. I shall visit yours. All because I’m tired of death,” Bee said. “Never before has a child taken by the narocks been returned. Ever. In our entire history. How did you do it?”
“We aggressively killed the snake narock that killed her. Then we used science to keep her able to be revived. My turn. This comment about death. Is the issue about reaching full term with your pregnancies?” I asked.
“Otana was my third try. This will be my seventh with one living past three. Otana. And she died,” Bee said.
I shook my head. “Not with us. You and your husband just keep trying even with the heartache?”
“I’m a free spirit, no husband. I’m not even sure who Otana’s father is.”
“Different, but I’m not one to judge. Can you give me a bit of information about what’s behind that door?” I asked.
“Farms, homes and over a thousand people. The other strongholds are smaller.”
“Ah, over four hundred years… yeah,” I said, trying to do the math. “Surprised you don’t have two noses.”
“Hey! We try. We trade childr
en among the tribes but there are only so many people,” Bee said. “We send out expansions to keep the population healthy and occasionally groups reach our gates. We carve into the trees to show them where to go. It's called migration expansion.”
“Sounds terrible,” I said.
“Yes, many die during the journey, but we would perish anyway. Without fresh blood, our babies die in the womb.”
Darcy chimed in and added, “She is correct. Bee is miscarrying because of the genepool, or so I hypothesize. If you come to live with us, new men will mean healthy babies with our medicine.”
“I love Stronghold Gremmor. But I understand. I had to live in Stronghold Tessbon for a few years. Moving is natural,” she said.
“I’ve been in the same room my whole life,” I said with a grunt.
“Prisoners from the surface,” Bee said.
“Indeed. I will be direct, stop all these moves and dangers. Come live in luxury on a ship across the ocean. In Texas,” I said.
“Yes.”
“Just like that?” I asked.
“No.”
“What’s the catch?” I asked.
“A variation of narock has evolved. It digs and not for human blood. It just digs as if for fun. They’re to the east, beyond Stronghold Tessbon. My brother and my mother are in Stronghold Burr. We stopped hearing from them when their tunnels to Tessbon collapsed a few nights ago,” Bee said.
Darcy said, “On it. Enjoy your stew and I’ll have a report for you in a few minutes, diverting Hope now.”
“What is she saying?” Bee asked.
The door opened and Otana ran in. Braxis carried three bowls like an expert waiter.
“Darcy is saying that we will figure out what is happening at Burr. The cavalry is coming and if anyone can save the day from these pesky diggers, it’s us. Tell us everything you know and -”
Otana scurried up the desk, raised her mother’s wrap and suckled at the small boob. I picked my jaw up off the floor, realizing I had probably offended her.
“Why are you perplexed?” Bee asked with a frown. “Do women not breastfeed in the star ships?”
“I wouldn’t know. Don’t stop Otana, it is natural,” I said, taking the bowl Braxis offered. “Nudity is rare. We do everything in small spaces with privacy. I also expected Otana to eat salad, she’s three.”
“She doesn’t always,” Bee said. “Keep an open mind about our society, and I shall try to do the same about yours. I do see you trying, so thank you. Now, tell me all about this Darcy because your wife sounds wonderful.”
“I’m his friend and advisor, not his wife. He is currently unattached,” Darcy said dryly, as if bored.
Bee gazed down at me with a grin. “She embarrasses you. Oh my, if all your men are so shy, I shall have a lot of fun. Slays a narock with ease, blushes at the sight of me breastfeeding.” Bee stroked her daughter's hair. “This is love.”
I nodded and said, “Let me tell you about the mother of humanity. The tale goes back to a time before the monsters and when I’m done, tell me about Stronghold Burr.”
31
Starship Hope
Day 20 above Earth
“You have got to be kidding me,” I scolded Darcy. I found myself at a loss for words. Five people laid in the shuttle in awkward poses. They breathed, but that was it, each of them being nothing more than lumps on a log. “After two hours of convincing them to send a small team with us, you gas them.”
“They’re fine,” Darcy said without a care.
The five of us boarded the ship a minute ago. Darcy gassed the cabin and we stayed on the ground outside the stronghold. I glanced up at the video screen, seeing it was blank. This was just like Darcy. I may be pissed, but she likely had a reason.
“Are we even going to save Burr?” I asked.
I was less than thrilled in my tone.
“I mean you can, and I certainly need the help, but I have to give you a choice. There’s no enlistment into the fleet’s army. More importantly, I’m afraid I have bad news,” Darcy said.
An immense shadow blanketed the area, and when I glanced up I realized what was happening. Hope… No Tranquility soared over the treetops coming to a sudden halt above Stronghold Gremmor.
“It’s so big,” I gasped.
“That’s what she said.”
“God dammit Darcy. This is not the time. What did you do to them? This is Otana’s mother,” I said, pointing to the unconscious guests.
A video played inside the shuttle, catching my attention.
“Just watch. When Braxis went to get your lunch, which should have made you ill, the small drones on your boots attached to him. Once inside, I was able to ascertain the true nature of Stronghold Gremmor. This is what I found.”
The drone footage bypassed another ten layers of defense until it finally opened up to a changing room of sorts. Weapons, gear, and other items waited inside a steel cage. The haphazard welding melded the metal into the earth.
Outside of the final defense, the cameras showed a nice road. Flickering lights from above, cast the massive cavern in a warm yellow glow. Braxis tapped the power plant, keying in the code. The moment he did, the lights shone brightly.
“I guess the prisoners can stop using the bikes,” Braxis said. “Maybe a new expansion can be dug. This is a marvel, if only we could use him as a slave.”
Otana said something, but Darcy sped up the video. The start of the cavern was the farming section. Expansive chicken coops let in and out poultry which guards protected. That was the first sign that gave me concern.
When your food is watched over by weapons, there’s a problem.
Compost buildings for generating insects to feed the chickens occupied a ton of space. I could see the loose chickens pecking at the spillage of insects from rotted bottom boards. Guards even protected these loose worms and that was truly frightening.
A lot of the buildings remained a mystery as to what happened inside them. Based on the fact my salad had lettuce it led me to believe they had LED grow lights somewhere. Not far into the stronghold the true state of the people became evident.
Starvation, malnourishment, and even the dying lay in the street. I suddenly understood why Bee was so healthy. Same with Braxis. They were in the ‘haves’ category. The ‘have nots’ were dying.
After the video showed a housing section, I did see more healthy people. However, those in dire need continued to be evident. A street kid gnawed on a chicken bone with sunken eyes and broken teeth.
“Pause video. Summary.”
The video stopped.
“Best if you keep watching. That way you understand,” Darcy said.
“God dammit Darcy. I know what comes next. They have prisoners chained to bikes to produce electricity. They’re probably using the wanderers or rule violators as breeding slaves and there's atrocious things happening. Instead of preserving the life of everyone, they only care about those they deem worthy,” I said.
With a heavy heart I plopped into the seat and then changed my mind. I stood, understanding why these five were knocked out. I also concluded why Darcy hadn’t tucked her newest prizes inside Tranquility.
“They’ve lost their humanity. The dead are fed to pigs, Theo.”
“No Darcy. This is what humanity devolved into. We’ve never been a pure species,” I said with venom in my voice. “It was never lost, this was only suppressed.”
Darcy asked, “Can you imagine what the other two strongholds are doing?”
“Braxis said they were interconnected. The three Strongholds work in tandem. Maybe Burr too. Everyone in the quadrant likely knows what happened here and does the same. I would stake my life on the fact the other two strongholds are doing horrendous things as well, and it makes me sick,” I said.
Darcy countered, “With time, there’s hope.”
“Always. I hope the fleet sees this for what it is, a chance to rescue a slice of humanity that needs us. Needs us more than ever. This kind of injustice
must be fixed. We knew humanity would be against the ropes, but this… we can do something. We can do better,” I said, tossing my hands into the air.
“Let the passion go, Theo. You need to make a decision. Burr is actually under attack with packs of narocks probing defenses. The Meadow is above the surface readying for a deployment. Jenny is there too if you want to join the assault team. Do you want to help subdue and clean up the mess here, go back to Snagglewood, or attack the kole’narocks and zeet’narocks?”
“Threat assessment at Burr?” I asked.
“Think about what kind of creature would come out of a mole and a kangaroo. The kole’narock was designed in the Philippines to counter any digging variation other nations could come up with. Hey, big shocker here, these guys worked and never once turned on their creators.
“They solidified the soil under buildings and prevented tunneling narocks from reaching resistance points. Think of them in their original state as soil solidifiers and detectors. The dog loyalty was added, and it should have been in every breed. I loved this species before we left.
“The sad part is, they starved to death as their handlers did. Feeling bad, some were released into the wild while most became food. As time faded, so did their love for humans. For centuries they didn’t hunt humans as prey, mostly because they’re not built to be human killers. However…” Darcy’s voice trailed off.
“Something changed,” I guessed.
“They built a relationship with the zeet’narocks. The zeet are pack hunters. Think leopard, wolf, and raptor dinosaurs. I only say the last part because that is what the creator was trying to build to counter the people seeking refuge. Fast, fluid, smart, and great at killing humans. They struggle against defenses and humans that are prepared to defend.
“The kole’narocks bust open the bases, the zeet’narocks wait until the defenses are porous, and then wait some more. Once the humans start to slip or get desperate from starvation, they attack,” Darcy said.
I dragged Braxis off the bench seat, lifting it to see the spear. I attached the weapon over my back. I didn’t say anything, my action speaking volumes. The ship zipped off the ground, crested the cliff face, and shot east.