I frowned. They’d learnt as early as the twentieth century what big solar storms could do to a power grid on a planet surface. Fragmenting the grid was standard procedure for a major solar storm, but it might not be enough to defend against a solar super storm.
Rono vanished off for a moment and then reappeared. ‘I’ve just done a triple check. We’re on full power.’
After yet another brief silence, the presenter was talking again. ‘The comms net is remaining open, but we can expect communications to be hit hard. Local data net lookup will be limited to priority system access, and we will probably lose off-world comm links entirely at some point. We’re going to be using multiple redundancy techniques to try and keep the vital links open. This means sending out a lot of simultaneous copies of each transmission, so there may be some interference but they do arrive. This is a huge extra load on the system, so Earth Entertainment is closing down all vid channels other than the Rolling News. We apologise for any interference on the Rolling News channel, which may be reduced to sound only.’
‘No vids,’ said Fian. ‘No data access from lookups. No pictures on the news channels. This is like going back to the dark ages!’
‘The messaging system is expected to go into multiple redundancy within two hours,’ said the presenter. ‘Public information and emergency messages will take priority over private messages which may not be transmitted for several days. Do not abuse the system by flagging private messages as emergencies unless they are. Abuse could delay vital messages to and from the emergency services, endangering life, and culprits will face serious charges.’
‘I’d better call Playdon before the system is out,’ I said. I took out my lookup. ‘I’ve got an error saying there are no free call slots. I’ve never seen that before.’
‘The messaging system must be swamped,’ said Rono. ‘If you can’t get through, then he’ll find out what happened soon enough. This is going to be on all the newzies in every sector.’
I stared at my lookup, waiting for a free call slot. The news presenter was talking in the background.
‘Schools followed standard procedure and closed down immediately they received the warning, so we’ve only a few reports of children stranded. Education Earth wants us to reassure parents and ProParents that all schools are prepared for this situation. Stranded children will be well cared for, and there is no cause for concern.’
My lookup flashed something new. ‘I’ve now made it into the queue for an available call slot,’ I reported. I knew that message. You often got it when you tried to call all your friends to wish them a happy Year Day.
The presenter was chatting again. ‘I’ve just had an update from Hospital Earth. They report that significant numbers of at risk patients did not make it to hospital in time.’
‘That’s bad,’ muttered Fian. ‘That’s very bad. People could die.’
‘If you are an at risk patient, who did not make it to your designated hospital area,’ said the presenter, ‘please go to any medical building in your settlement. If you need assistance to travel there, please contact your settlement services number now. Owners of hover sleds, please contact your settlement services number if you are able to assist with providing emergency transport.’
‘Pity we can’t help,’ said Keren. ‘We’ve got lots of hover sleds, but the nearest settlement is miles away.’
‘I’ve got a call slot!’ I cried.
Rono turned the volume down on the Earth Rolling News and came over to join me. There was some interference on the picture on my lookup, but I could see Playdon. He seemed to be in some sort of hall, with the rest of the class.
‘Jarra!’ said Playdon. ‘I was getting worried. We’re on Asgard and I’ve managed to get rooms for everyone. We’re just waiting for you and Fian.’
As they heard my name, the class gathered up, heads bobbing in and out of the screen view.
‘We won’t be able to make it, sir,’ I said. ‘The Earth portal network went into lockdown six hours early, and we’re still with the Cassandra team. Earth is being hit by a Carrington event, so we won’t be able to call you for several days.’
My words were being sent out from Earth, relayed through Alpha sector, and then on to Asgard in Gamma sector. There was a second of delay before Playdon reacted.
‘What!’ Playdon almost yelled the word, and there were gasps from the class.
‘What’s a Carrington event?’ asked Krath.
‘We made it out just in time,’ said Dalmora.
Playdon ignored them both. ‘Jarra, will you and Fian be safe? How bad will the situation be?’
‘We’ll take care of them,’ Rono told him. ‘Earth is trying to keep the Rolling News and emergency messages operating through the storm, but personal messages will be out, so don’t worry if you don’t hear anything for a few days.’
‘I wish there was something I could do to help,’ Playdon said.
‘We’ll be fine, sir,’ I said. ‘The call system’s overloaded, so I’d better clear this call slot now.’
‘I suppose so,’ said Playdon. ‘Good luck, Jarra, Fian, everyone.’
I could hear a vid come on in the background, and the class turned to look at it. ‘… is that a Carrington event is occurring on Earth. Scientists in every sector will be watching to see how technology designed to …’
I ended the call just as all the lookups yelled at us about priority incoming mail. It was emergency information, mostly what we’d already heard on the news. Rono studied it carefully. He was team leader, so our safety was his responsibility.
‘They recommend everyone finds out the location of their nearest available medical centre now in case of emergencies,’ he said. ‘It’s possible the messaging service fails entirely, so people may not be able to ask for advice.’
There was a strange crackling sound from overhead. Fian leapt nervously in the air, and even the Cassandra team seemed a bit worried.
‘What was that?’ Fian asked.
‘No idea,’ said Rono, looking upwards. ‘The storm shouldn’t be bad enough yet to affect the …’
‘This is Dig Site Command,’ said a disembodied voice.
‘What?’ We all looked round in bewilderment.
The voice continued speaking. ‘Due to the imminent Carrington event, we’ve brought the old inter-dome communication system on line. This is Dig Site Command. If you’re hearing this, please locate the dome communication system controls in your dining hall. They’re probably located behind the food dispensers but it depends when your dome was built. Some domes may have them in the portal room or even the store room.’
Rono was already on his knees behind the food dispensers. ‘All I can find here is dust.’
‘You’re looking for a grey control box,’ said Dig Site Command. ‘The cover is marked I.D.C. If you flip up the cover, you’ll see a control unit similar to the suit ones. If you’re really lucky one of the old handsets is in there as well.’
‘Still no box,’ said Rono. ‘Team 1 search in here. Team 2 check the store room. Jarra and Fian, take a look in the portal room.’
‘Yes, sir.’ I acknowledged the order.
Rono blinked at me. ‘Why are you calling me that?’
‘Sir, since Lecturer Playdon is on Asgard and out of contact, you’re now my commanding officer.’
Rono laughed. ‘Oh yes, you’re the Military Honour Child the dig site was talking about. That was the first Honour Ceremony they’ve ever had at New York Dig Site.’
Fian and I headed out of the hall door. We could only faintly hear Dig Site Command in the corridor, but they were loud and clear in the portal room.
‘This is Dig Site Command. When you’ve found your control units, can team leaders please call in your team numbers, dome, and status. The messaging service is going to be limited to emergency messages and may fail entirely. A lot of teams decided to go off world for a break rather than sit out a three day portal outage. We’re not sure who actually managed to get off
world, and who got caught by the portal lockdown. We want to know who is here, and where you are, so we can help each other out in emergencies.’
‘This is Beowulf 4,’ said a voice. ‘Six people here. Our team was in the middle of portalling out when the system locked down.’
‘This is Earth 19. There are twenty-nine of us.’
‘Found it!’ I cried. The box was hidden away on the wall behind the portal control system. I flipped open the cover. ‘This must be the remote unit.’
I took it out and headed back to the dining hall, where Rono was still searching round the food dispensers.
‘I think this is the remote, sir.’
‘Wonderful. Someone tell team 2 that Jarra found it.’
He peered at the remote, pressed a button and spoke. ‘This is Cassandra 2.’ His voice echoed from some speaker overhead, so it was clearly working. ‘We have ten people here.’
Teams kept calling in for a few minutes, and then it went quiet.
‘This is Dig Site Command. If anyone else is out there and can’t find the control box, please call us over the usual impact suit system. We’ll patch you in from that.’
There was about five minutes of silence, then the voice came over the speakers again. ‘This is Dig Site Command. We’re getting no calls on the suit system, and the team check is consistent with what we knew of everyone’s plans. Surprisingly enough, the old inter-dome system is still working despite being abandoned fifty years ago. This is a situation that only happens every five hundred years, so I think we can relax the usual Dig Site communication protocols a little unless any emergencies crop up. Feel free to chat a little.’
‘This is Achilles 1,’ said a voice that sounded strained but deeply thankful. ‘We’d like to thank whoever remembered the old dome comms system. I didn’t even know we had it. I’ve got a class of thirty Foundation course students here, and we got caught just before we left for Achilles. My students were starting to feel a bit isolated, so this is reassuring them a lot.’
I could imagine what the Achilles 1 lecturer was facing. If Asgard 6 had been trapped at their dome, Playdon would have had blind panic on his hands.
‘This is Dig Site Command. Remember you aren’t alone. Our count says we have 238 people in the dig site domes, and there are five of us here at Dig Site Command. It was mostly the research teams that stayed, so there are a lot of highly experienced people nearby to help.’
‘This is Earth 8. I think we’re in the next dome to you, Achilles 1, so if you have problems we can reach you by hover sled in about fifteen minutes.’
‘This is Achilles 1. Thank you for that Earth 8. It’s reassuring but don’t take unnecessary risks. My class is feeling rather happier now.’
‘This is Earth 8. Just shout if you need company. We’re an Earth team, we’re all Handicapped and used to carrying on life as normal during a portal outage. I admit this one is a bit special, but the inter-dome system will help a lot.’
‘This is Earth 19. We’re happy to hover sled to anyone needing help as well.’
‘This is Beowulf 4. We’re only pathetic little scared exos, but we would try and help too.’
‘This is Dig Site Command. We’d rather have everyone staying safe in their domes, but if anyone has problems then just call and we’ll work out who is closest and can assist. Any other Foundation courses out there?’
Rono spoke into his handset. ‘This is Cassandra 2.’
‘This is Dig Site Command. You can’t fool me, Rono, you aren’t a Foundation course.’
Rono laughed. ‘I’ve ten people here, but only eight are my team. As some of you know, Stephan is in Hospital Earth for a few more weeks yet, and his wife is staying with him. We had two visitors from Asgard 6 Foundation course with us when the portals went into lockdown.’
‘This is Dig Site Command. Does that mean you have tag leader Jarra with you?’
‘This is Cassandra 2. We have tag leader Jarra and her tag support Fian with us.’
‘This is Dig Site Command. I hope you’ll treat your guests extremely well. They did a very fine job there.’
‘This is Beowulf 4. That was great work on the rescue. What we want to know is has Cassandra 2 paid their traditional debt yet?’
Rono held the handset towards me and I nervously spoke into it. ‘This is Jarra. They gave me the most wonderful impact suit of my very own.’
‘This is Dig Site Command. If they hadn’t, then they’d have been banned from every dig site. It’s a long standing tradition among the professionals who work the sites. If the tag leader who digs you out doesn’t have their own suit yet, then you buy them one.’ There was a short pause. ‘While we’re checking up on who is out there, do we have any medical experts?’
‘This is Earth 19. We have a qualified doctor on the team, though obviously she has limited medical equipment.’
‘This is Dig Site Command. That’s good to know. All domes should have emergency medical supplies. Call on Earth 19 for advice if you need to give anyone any medication. The nearest settlement has a hospital unit but that’s several hours away by hover sled.’
Fian tapped me on the arm, so I turned to look at him.
‘Jarra, I was checking what was happening with the messaging system. It says absolute priority goes to the emergency messages, but they’re going to try and keep some of the other services open for compassionate reasons. Contract Registry is one of them. I know our families aren’t here to witness, but in the circumstances … It would be really romantic.’
I stared at him. I was grazzed.
‘Jarra, can we Two? We could call up now and register …’
I hadn’t expected it to happen this soon, but let’s be honest. Ever since I pinned him to the floor of his room and kissed him, I’d intended to tag Fian with a Twoing contract one day. How could I say no to registering it now? Just imagine. One day, we might be telling our children how we registered our first Twoing contract during the Carrington event. Nothing could be more zan than that!
I grinned. ‘Call them!’
Fian kissed me, and called Registry on his lookup. It was slow, desperately slow. Several minutes ticked by. They might be trying to keep Registry open, but Earth was heading into a solar super storm and maybe we wouldn’t get through.
Dig Site Command and the other teams were still chatting away over the inter-dome system. We were cut off. Humanity’s scientists were finally going to discover whether its technology, carefully designed to survive solar storms, could actually cope with a Carrington event. It was rather scary, but somehow the inter dome system had turned it into a sort of party. We weren’t alone. The dig teams were facing the unknown together. I hoped Achilles 1 were feeling that too.
‘I’m through,’ said Fian. He entered codes fast, and placed his hand on the lookup screen to verify his identity.
By now the Cassandra 2 team had realized what was going on, and were clustered round us watching. We had another long wait before the system accepted the data. Every safety protocol they had was being used to protect equipment from the solar storm, so the system was literally down to crawl speed.
Fian thrust the lookup towards me. ‘Quick before we lose connection.’
I entered codes, clumsy with haste, and placed my hand on the screen.
There was another painfully long wait. Fian and I exchanged agonized looks. Having decided to do this, we wanted it desperately. It would be the greatest let down in history if the connection failed now.
‘Come on!’ I ordered the lookup. ‘It’s stuck in the middle of verifying I haven’t got a current contract registered.’
‘You’d better not have,’ Fian teased. ‘That’s an automatic fraud conviction.’
‘Registry could have lost connection to the data net or …’ A message popped up on the screen. ‘It’s through!’
Fian grabbed the lookup and read the message. ‘Your Twoing contract is officially on record and valid for the next three months. Congratulations and best wish
es from Registry.’
‘Congratulations!’ chorused the Cassandra 2 team.
Fian blushed. ‘I suppose this seems a bit rushed to you.’
‘Not at all,’ said Rono. ‘Tag leader and tag support often develop an intense relationship pretty fast.’
‘I’m betting Jarra got buried,’ said Keren.
Fian and I looked at him, startled. I’m not sure what our faces gave away, but everyone laughed.
‘Don’t worry,’ said Rono. ‘It’s like tag point itch. It happens to a lot of people. When anyone gets buried or hurt, the rest of the team tend to react strongly. Just look at me!’ He tapped the scar on his forehead, and there was another ripple of amusement from the Cassandrans at what was obviously a private joke.
‘I’d suggest opening some wine to celebrate,’ continued Rono, ‘but we need to keep clear heads during the Carrington event. Another dome might need help from us, and I don’t want a drunken team making a journey by hover sled through the snow and the wolf packs.’
‘Pity we couldn’t actually get married,’ said Fian. ‘We haven’t got the three prior contracts and the full year required.’
I giggled. ‘I think actually getting married would definitely be rushing things too much.’
Rono spoke into the handset. ‘This is Cassandra 2. Sorry to interrupt the conversation, but I’m sure you’d all like to know that Jarra and Fian just signed up for a Twoing contract.’
‘This is Earth 19. That’s a wise move, Jarra. Fian’s a good tag support, so you want to hold on to him.’
Rono handed me the hand set for a moment. ‘This is Jarra. I know that, and I’ve got Fian firmly tagged!’
‘This is Dig Site Command. I want that officially confirmed by Fian. Let’s hear from him.’
Fian blushed and spoke into the handset. ‘I’m definitely tagged and pinned down.’
There was the sound of laughter and cheering from what sounded like several different teams.
Rono took the handset back. ‘This is Cassandra 2. You’ll have to excuse us for a few minutes now. We’ve got a lot of spare rooms in our domes, but they’re all singles. I think it’s time to move a wall.’
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