The Humanarium 2: Orbital

by C. W Tickner

  ‘We’ll drown,’ Damen said, ‘like rats in a barrel of water.’

  ‘I can’t swim with this leg,’ Screw said.

  ‘We won’t need to,’ Kane said. ‘Assuming the deck is full, we’ll need three meters of water to lift us up. We just wait and float high enough to grab the ladder. The weight of the water will help hold the door shut against the Hoarders.’

  ‘We haven’t a choice,’ Harl said as a clatter echoed from the doors. Leaning Screw against the wall he grabbed the valve wheel on top of the pipe. ‘Ready?’

  He heaved against the valve, straining to turn the rusted mechanism. Screw planted a large hand on the ring, adding his weight to the effort. It gave out with a creak, spinning them into the wall as the tension released. A trickle of water spurted out, then nothing.

  ‘Must be rusted through or blocked,’ Kane said as another huge bang broke against the door. Harl shone his light at the steel barrier and saw a dent had appeared midway up the door. A second crash thumped into it and another bulge appeared beside the first.

  ‘They’ll be through soon,’ Screw observed.

  ‘Great plan that was,’ Damen said.

  Kane frowned in the torchlight. He clicked his fingers.

  ‘I’ve got it,’ he said. ‘Harl, your sword.’

  Harl understood what he was getting at before he finished speaking and unslung the weapon.

  ‘We use it to cut directly through into the next deck,’ Kane said.

  ‘I said I can’t swim,’ Screw said.

  ‘Same again,’ Kane said. ‘We just let the levels equalize and float up.’

  Harl switched the blade on. It hummed in the confined space as he raised it level with the wall and pushed. He’d expected more resistance, but the blade melted the metal with ease as he carved a circle.

  ‘Shouldn’t there be water pouring in?’ Damen asked as another crash dented the door.

  ‘Hurry,’ Kane said.

  Harl kept cutting until he reached the base, then Damen kicked the circle of metal through to the other side. It splashed down into half a foot of dirty rust-coloured water.

  The water deck was empty.

  Chapter 10

  My superior has been acting out whenever we talk about the duration of the flight since leaving Earth. I have reported it to the bridge, but with the entire crew getting ready to leave for the surface I doubt much will come of it.

  Dana burst out laughing and they all turned to her, shocked about the missing water and equally stumped at her reaction.

  ‘What’s so funny?’ Harl asked.

  ‘With all your technology and superiority,’ Dana said, ‘you’ve failed and you’ll all be dead in weeks.’

  Screw growled and splashed through the last few inches of water as he limped over to her. Damen put a hand on his shoulder.

  ‘Take it easy,’ Damen said.

  The door thudded again.

  Dana shrugged, her hand slipping away from the row of knives strapped to her thigh as she turned to look at the hollow dark space inside the empty tank.

  ‘This is the lowest deck,’ Screw said, turning back to the elevator shaft. ‘The two above must be empty as well. We’d better get through before they do.’

  ‘How’d it happen?,’ Harl asked. ‘Surely someone keeps an eye on these things?’

  ‘Turpin,’ Screw said simply. ‘Marlin gets his supply data from him. There’s no way he couldn’t know about this.’

  ‘He sells the water to us,’ Dana cut in, stooping to scoop some water up in a bottle. ‘That tap stopped working weeks ago.’

  ‘You knew?’ Harl asked.

  ‘Guessed as much,’ she said, tucking the bottle under her cloak.

  ‘How much does he charge?’ Damen asked.

  ‘It’s all trade,’ she said, ‘set up with the man you killed back there. Blades, tools, ammunition.’

  ‘Probably why he was in the Cormorant,’ Screw said, ‘wonderin’ where the water went.’ He clenched his fists. ‘Turpins a dead un.’ He shone his helmet light at a ladder leading up from the tank they were standing in. ‘There’s an elevator that leads through the water decks to filtration and up to main decks.’

  ‘And why didn’t we take it down?’ Damen asked.

  ‘Until we cut that hole it was completely sealed off,’ Screw said. ‘That and this is usually full of water. It should take us to the middle core deck, and it’ll give us the best chance to find Marlin or Turpin.’

  The elevator cut up through the centre of the ship. They crossed through the industry decks, passing clothing factories and iron smelting furnaces that billowed smoke into air recycling chambers that kept the ship heated.

  They took a second elevator and waited patiently in silence for it to ascend. The doors slid apart to reveal the largest open space Harl had seen on the ship. Dozens of decks had been opened up into a vast hollow cylinder that was surrounded by balconies from top to bottom. At floor level, people milled on grassy knolls between ancient tree trunks, but the balconies played host to markets, bars and eateries that all overlooked the tranquil park below.

  Harl stepped out on to one balcony about halfway up the cylinder and breathed a sigh of relief to be on safe ground again.

  ‘Up there,’ Screw said, pointing up to one of the highest levels thronged with market stalls and a bustle of activity.

  Harl followed the finger and saw Marlin two floors up, gazing down on the beauty spot with Turpin by his side. Screw turned for the nearest stairs, limping but determined. Spots of blood dripped down to the floor from his injured leg as he hobbled along.

  ‘Take it easy,’ Harl said, ‘You’re still bleeding.’

  Harl followed but stopped when he noticed Dana hadn’t moved.

  ‘What is it?’ he asked, then he saw that she was still staring over the edge, transfixed by the enormous trees.

  ‘Dana?’ Harl asked.

  Tears threatened to fall from her eyes beneath the goggles on her forehead. She sighed, not looking away.

  ‘You’ve so much here that I’ve not seen before,’ she said.

  ‘The trees?’ Harl asked.

  ‘All of it,’ she said, ‘the trees, the openness, even the air is fresher here.’

  ‘Perhaps you can stay here now,’ he said.

  She barked a laugh.

  ‘You’ve no water,’ she said. ‘These plants will die and the ship will whither.’

  She lowered her goggles, turned, and strode over to the others who stood silent at the base of the worn stairs. Screw said nothing, just turned and limped up the spiralling steps.

  A moment later they were pushing through the market place. Marlin and Turpin looked shocked at the sight of them as they waded through the crowd, covered in blood, burns and bandages.

  Screw thrust a hand out and grabbed Turpin’s grubby leather jacket, and forced him back against the balcony edge.

  ‘Hey-’ Turpin cried but was cut off as Screw leant him backwards over the edge.

  ‘What is the meaning of this?’ Marlin demanded, placing a hand on Screw’s shoulder to prevent him from tipping the grubby man over the edge.

  ‘Water,’ Screw growled, ‘There ain’t none left.’

  Marlin looked confused. His eyes flicked from Turpin to Screw. ‘What do you mean none?’

  ‘The water decks are empty,’ Harl said.

  ‘Barely a drop,’ Damen confirmed.

  Turpin squirmed in Screw’s grip, but the big engineer shook the fat man as if to launch him over the edge. Turpin froze.

  ‘Lies!’ Turpin cried, ’ I checked, I -’

  Another shake cut him off.

  ‘He’s been selling water to the Hoarders,’ Screw said, ‘for months if not years. He’s been setting up water points and charging Hoarders for their use, holding them to ransom.’

  Marlin looked around and Harl realised that everyone on the market level was stood silent and staring at them. They began to mutter amongst themselves.

  ‘Not here,’
Marlin said, waiting patiently for Screw to let go of Turpin. ‘Please.’

  Screw grunted and released his grip.

  Turpin slid a hand inside his jacket, yanked a knife out, and slashed it across Screw’s belly. Twisting around, he sprinted away, barging people aside as he dashed toward the elevator.

  Dana reacted first, sliding a blade from her thigh belt and bolting after the fleeing man, her speed and agility far surpassing Turpin’s weighty steps. Just as she was within range to strike, a second Hoarder sprung from behind a stall, barrelling her over as the elevator doors shut, sealing Turpin inside. The two Hoarders rolled over each other, blades flashing in a jumble of cloaks and padded armour.

  Damen raised his rifle as the new Hoarder straddled Dana, knife raised to plunge down. A wave of blue shot from Damen’s rifle and the Hoarder was blasted off her. He flew back against the wall, rolling to a stop as smoke rose from under his scorched cloak.

  Marlin tugged a radio from his robe. ‘Tess, we need medical at the market, Screw’s been hurt.’ He glanced at Dana and twisted a dial on the top of the radio until it clicked. ‘Security at the market place, Hoarders in our section.’

  Harl knelt by Screw as a second stream of blood trickled from the man. Luckily the belts and tools strapped across his chest had turned the blade and only a small cut was visible between the spanners and wrenches.

  ‘He’s a dead un,’ Screw said, moaning as Harl rolled him upright against the balcony wall.

  ‘That will have to wait,’ Marlin said, scanning the worried faces of those who’d not fled in panic. He raised his voice over Screw’s groans. ‘There will be a communal meeting this evening. There is no need to spread panic about the water situation. Together we will work out a solution. Now go home.’

  The Elevator doors sprung open and Tess, followed by half a dozen guards, poured out on the deck. She wheeled a gurney to Screw, knelt and began unclipping the rack of implements before cutting his suit off to inspect the wound.

  ‘Freeze!’ The shout came from the guards who’d encircled Dana. Rows of weapons pointed at the lone woman who crouched, pivoting slowly with a knife held backward in each hand.

  ‘Drop the knives, Hoarder!’ a soldier said.

  Dana didn’t move or say a word, but tensed, ready to strike.

  Damen barged between the soldiers and Dana. ‘She’s with us‘ he said. ‘Stand down.’

  ‘I don’t take orders from an outsider,’ the guard sneered, ‘unless you want to join her in the brig.’

  Damen raised his rifle barrel and stepped close. The guard didn’t have time to react and found Damen’s rifle pressed against his forehead, while Damen used his other hand to push the guard’s gun out at a safe angle.

  ‘Hold,’ Marlin said and the rifles lowered. ‘She is not the one I called about. He-’ Marlin pointed to the body. ‘-is why you were called. Search the area for more.’

  ‘Yes sir,’ the man said as he snapped to attention, his eyes still on Dana.

  ‘Who is she?’ Marlin asked Harl, but waved it off before he could reply. ‘Tell me when you explain what this is all about.’

  Marlin’s office was more sumptuous than any of other room Harl had seen. The furniture was of a better quality, although as Marlin walked behind his desk, Harl noticed that it was still coated in scratches and the grey fabric on the chair had been patched many times. The walls were painted brown and the smell of fresh paint was faint in the air.

  ‘Four inches?’ Marlin stumbled over the words once they’d explained the situation. ‘In the whole ship? How much is that Tess?’

  Tess looked paler than usual, accentuating her red hair. ‘Taking into account what’s left in the filtration deck and the moisture collectors on the living decks.’ She closed her eyes briefly as she worked out the figures in her head. ‘Twenty days.’

  Marlin slumped down in the chair.

  ‘I believe it could be made to stretch to a thirty days,’ Kane said, scribbling on a notepad. ‘If we-’

  ‘Not if the pipes are back-flushed,’ Tess cut in. ‘We won’t be able to divert-’

  ‘Enough!’ Marlin said, slamming a palm down on the table. ‘What can we do about it? Give me plans-’ He looked at them in turn. ‘-something the people can rely on. If I go out there and tell them we’ve only twenty days of water left and no way to do anything about it, they’ll tear this ship apart.’

  ‘Can we use the smaller ship?’ Harl asked. ‘Can't we take everyone down and find somewhere below to live?’

  ‘Or bring water back up,’ Screw said, picking at the bandages on his leg and chest from where he was sat in the only other chair in the room.

  Marlin looked dubious. ‘Bringing the water back up would be best. There’s no way to tell what madness is happening down there. You can go down to your Aylen and have it load the ship with water. Surely the hold is big enough.’

  ‘Er,’ Kane said, clearing his throat, ‘about that. The message you received had nothing to do with us. We’ve never been in communication with one.’

  Tess looked shocked. ‘Then someone is still down on the surface?’

  ‘That is my guess,’ Kane said. He tucked the notepad in his breast pocket and looked hopeful. ‘As for the ship being able to go down again, I think it can be done. It was only set to autopilot for the return. Since we docked the computers have been refreshed and we can choose what coordinates to go down to.’

  Harl’s mind was swimming with possibilities. Did that mean there were Aylen working with humans on the surface? Could they join them? Perhaps the Aylen would help them free others.

  ‘Why don’t we all go down and stay there?’ he asked.

  ‘Where would you have us go?’ Marlin asked, frowning. ‘We land and get eaten by the first Aylen cat equivalent we come across?’

  ‘Perhaps a scouting party,’ Damen pitched in. ‘We could clear the area and send the ship back up to bring everything down.’

  ‘What about both?’ Harl said, ‘We can make contact with the people from Alpha drop and have the Aylen place water on the ship, assuming it isn’t hostile. We scout the land for a place to live while we send the water back up with Kane. It should give us time to find somewhere.’

  ‘It’s a good idea,’ Kane agreed and Marlin nodded.

  ‘Who will go down?’ Screw asked, attempting to stand.

  ‘Not you,’ Tess said. ‘That leg won’t be fit to walk on and we need you up here to keep control of things.’ She looked at Marlin, ‘I assume Screw will be the new head of supplies now that rust-riddled scumbag Turpin has run off to join the Hoarders.

  ‘Of course,’ Marlin said. ‘But I want you to go down with Harl and those who’ll join him, Tess. We need all our eyes and ears down there.’

  ‘If we go down, we’ll need something to clear away any Aylen cats we find,’ Damen said, smiling. ‘We found some interesting things in lower storage.’

  ‘I will speak to the people,’ Marlin said. ‘In the meantime have the ship prepared and load everything you need on board. You leave tomorrow.’

  Chapter 11

  Promotion! My superior has been quarantined due to suspected cryo corruption. I’m now proud to call myself the chief scientist for the first drop. As part of Delta team I will be the first scientist to land.

  ‘I’ve located the source of the signal based on the last transmission...’ Tess said to Kane, Harl and Troy as another of the tanks rolled up the ramp into the rear of the dropship, drowning out her prep talk. ‘...a huge storm. If we’re lucky it will pass soon.’

  She smiled at them, her eyes locked on Kane’s, who quickly looked away. Tess plucked the copper comb from her pocket and glanced around at the machines as she dragged it through her red hair.

  ‘You got them working then?’ she said.

  ‘Took a while to get them up from the storage decks,’ Kane said, having to shout as another tank roared its way up the ramp into the dropship’s cargo area. ‘Screw has been sending teams out ever since we r
eturned and they scouted a path. They’re fascinating machines and a wonder they still function.’

  ‘Everything on Orbital was designed to last,’ Tess said. ‘But I’m not sure it was meant to endure so much. I suspect they thought we’d all be on the ground by now.’

  ‘We will be soon enough,’ Harl said, looking around at the docking bay.

  There were ten bays in all and the huge space dwarfed the dropship. It was perched in the closest bay opposite to the giant doors that had let them into Orbital when the meteoroid storm struck. Repairs had been carried out as soon as the storm had ceased and the docking bay was re-pressurised. The corridor that linked the ship to Orbital had been retracted. A platform of riveted metal had extended beneath the ship to allow access underneath the hull and now the area around the dropship bustled with activity. Wheeled vehicles ran crates of supplies back and forth up a wide ramp that led into the heart of the ship where the people of Delta had sheltered on the way up.

  Harl enjoyed the bustle after the bad news about the water. Having a plan seemed to lessen the blow. It seemed bizarre that they had fled the planet hoping for a better life, only to be forced back down with that very same sense of hope guiding them.

  It had been chaos after Marlin’s speech. A sea of people had gathered in the central core to hear him and the sudden loss of water had hit them hard. But what had come from it was amazing. There had been no fear or panic. Instead, dozens of makeshift teams bustled around Orbital, some searching for water in distant areas or just helping others cope. Even Screw had pitched in, despite his injuries, overseeing a team to fix the dropship’s exterior hull where the meteoroids had hit. In light of the water trouble, the problems between Orbital’s inhabitants and the people from the planet had ceased, their efforts focused on a common problem.

  ‘What’s the area like where this signal came from?’ Troy asked, his gaze locked on a woman in a slim engineering suit as she tightened bolts on the dropship’s new communication dish.

  ‘I haven’t checked yet,’ Kane said, ‘but the signal came from near an Aylen building, so I expect a fair amount of clear ground close by.’