by C. W Tickner
‘From inside the building,’ Tess corrected.
Kane rolled his eyes.
‘Can't we find a nice little spot in a forest somewhere?’ Troy asked, ‘and just have it easy for once?’
‘There’s not much forest left,’ Tess said. ‘They’ve been systematically destroying the vegetation on the surface for as long as we can remember.’
‘They’re killing themselves off?’ Harl asked, wondering what could drive a species to such self destruction.
‘Maybe they just like to eat their greens,’ Troy said. ‘Perhaps they have farms inside their buildings or underground like in Delta.’
‘Could it be disease?’ Kane asked.
‘We really don’t know,’ Tess said, ‘but it’s not accidental. The strips you saw when you came up from the surface are too-’ She struggled for a word. ‘-neat. No disease spreads in squares and straight lines.’
‘Haven’t you got a telescope to look down with?’ Troy asked.
‘Broken,’ Tess said. ‘All our observations are by eye from viewing ports dotted over the ship.’
‘This place is falling apart,’ Troy said, watching Damen approach. ‘About time you left.’
‘This is the group then?’ Damen said, looking the four of them over, like a sergeant inspecting his troops.
‘One more,’ Harl said, nodding meaningfully at Dana as she wandered under the ship and almost bumped into a man carrying supplies. She seemed unable to tear her eyes away from the hulking vessel.
‘Is she safe?’ Tess asked. Looking uneasily at the Hoarder like she was a wild animal. ‘Can't we just leave her here?’
‘No,’ Harl said. ‘She hasn’t anywhere to go. If we make her stay up here, I’m not too sure how people will react with here around. They’re already blaming Turpin and his Hoarders for the crisis. She’d be far too easy a target.’
‘Devil Woman,’ Troy said scowling at Dana.
‘Did she jilt you?’ Tess asked, amused.
Damen laughed. ‘Almost threw him off the top of the market arena. Should’ve seen his face.’
‘I only asked if there were many women like her among the Hoarders and if she wanted to have a drink,’ Troy said.
‘She knows a rogue then,’ Harl said, grinning at his friend’s discomfort.
Screw hobbled over, sending two engineers scarpering when he shouted at them for leaving tools under the ship.
‘He’s still annoyed?’ Harl asked.
‘Annoyed is a nice way of putting it,’ Tess whispered. ‘He’s been tormenting everyone in sight since I told him he couldn’t come,’ She turned innocently away to study the ship’s new patchwork of metal sheeting as the big man drew near.
‘Bloody amateurs,’ Screw said, eyeing Tess as he limped to a stop, his vest of tools rattling. ‘Caught one sleeping in the engine bay earlier.’
‘They’re not used to rationed water.’ Tess said, still inspecting the ship. ‘It’s common with dehydration. He’s probably hoarding it for his family.’
Harl noticed Dana look around at Tess’ words. She was thirty paces away, so it seemed impossible that she could hear them over the clatter of work going on in the landing bay, but he was worried that she might have heard their words a moment before.
‘It’s going to be hard up here when we’re gone, Screw,’ Tess said. ‘Keep an eye on things for us while we’re down there.’
Screw nodded and raised his head.
‘She’s ready.’ he said.
‘Who?’ Troy asked, looking around.
‘The ship,’ Screw said. ‘All loaded and the others are on board.’
‘Others?’ Harl asked.
‘Twenty good men,’ Damen said, ‘armed, dangerous and ready for the hunt.’
If Harl had his way, he’d take ten times as many. His previous encounters with Aylen had always left him shaken and he had no desire to repeat it. The chance of one being friendly was preposterous, regardless of what the message had said. Sonora had already challenged him for leaving, but a few calming words from Gorman had eased the tension. He’d left them with the promise of his return with water or news that they must head down to the surface as well.
‘I won’t die up here like a bug in a box.’ Sonora had said.
Harl wondered whether there was any difference between dying like a bug in a box on the station and being squashed like one down below. Dead was dead, but at least he could run away down there.
‘Good luck,’ Marlin called, winding his way between the ship’s legs. He stopped by the loading ramp as they made their way up into the belly of the iron beast. ‘Stay in touch. We’ll be ready for your return.’ He looked at Harl, as if undecided on something.
‘Harl?’ He cocked his head away from the ship, indicating he wanted to speak alone.
Harl stepped off the ramp. What did the man want that couldn’t be said in front of the others?
‘I didn’t want the others to know but,’ he said, leaning in conspiratorially. ‘I had reason to believe the water was failing. Not as much as it had, but I admit I shied away from keeping track.’ He didn’t meet Harl’s shocked gaze but shook his head as if giving up.
‘Why do you tell me?’ Harl asked, wondering why he’d kept quiet.
‘What do you think they would have said if I’d told them we were running out of water? There’s no way I’d still be in charge. In fact I think Turpin was biding his time until he could out me and take over.
‘A coup?’
Marlin shook his head, ‘I don’t know. But now they know, they will think ill of me.’ He was mumbling as if embarrassed. ‘You’ve won over people before, how do I keep them on my side?’
So that was the reason, Harl thought, and smiled.
‘You’re a good leader, Marlin,’ he said as he put a hand on the man’s shoulder. ‘Strength. That is the best quality.’
Marlin looked down at himself.
‘Not physical strength. Mental. You remember when we first arrived?’
Marlin nodded.
‘Even though you knew water was low you still had Turpin bring enough for everyone. That’s the kind of strength I mean. Only a leader can make a stand when everyone else is panicking, no matter your own feelings. So when someone asks why you failed them, you stand strong and tell them you’re in this together. But seek their advice. If one comes up with good reasons or solutions then give them the task, show your strength relies on them. And lastly, take risks. If you play it safe forever then you’re doomed to failure. A leader has to be strong enough to make the decisions that others can’t. He has to make the calls that will give him nightmares later in life. He has to shoulder that burden alone and live with the consequences of his actions.’
He couldn’t think of anything else to say to the man and hoped it had been enough, but a thought passed through his mind and he had to speak it. ‘Sonora and my child are staying on board. Can I count on you to keep them safe until we return?’
Marlin nodded. ’ Of course.’ He regained his calm composure as if it had never left. ‘You can rely on me.’
Harl was about to walk off when a thought struck him. ‘If you have trouble, speak with Gorman.’
‘The old blind man?’
‘That’s the one,’ Harl said. ‘He’ll set you straight.’
Harl took a final look around the dock and headed up the ramp into the ship.
‘What was that all about?’ Damen asked, sitting astride one of the three tanks they were taking down. The machines looked big and dangerous in the dropship’s cargo bay.
‘Advice,’ Harl said seeing no reason to lie to a friend.
‘He knew?’
Harl looked up, surprised. ‘How did you know that?’
‘Just a guess,’ Damen said, jumping down. ‘Every time water was mentioned, he’d not show a care in the world. Something a little odd on a ship where water is priority.’
‘You guessed from that?’
‘And I overheard him and Turpin arguing over
it before we left to find the pipe. Knew something was off.’
‘Well I’m glad you mentioned it,’ Harl said.
‘No problem,’ Damen said, dodging the sarcasm.
Kane’s voice crackled from the radio speaker by the door. ‘We’re departing.’
‘Good,’ Damen said, ‘I could do with some action.’
‘Will these work?’ Harl asked, banging on the nearest tank as the ramp whirred shut and the engines rumbled in to a dull hum.
‘You should have seen when Kane got one started,’ Damen said, his eyes glassing over. ‘The noise, the power. They’re unstoppable.’ He slapped his fist into his palm. ‘Took out a section of wall on the way here. Kane also dismantled and boxed a dragonfly. He reckons he can fly it. Madness if you ask me.’ Damen was giddy with excitement. ‘We’ve a good chance of taking an Aylen down now.’
Maybe they were both a bit mad, Harl thought. Perhaps it helped.
The ship lurched as the engines kicked up a notch. He grabbed a support to steady himself. It was the same one he’d hung from with Troy when Oscar had sacrificed himself. He let go not wanting to think of loosing friends. In truth he was nervous, there were so many unknowns down on the planet. Who could say what would happen down there? He felt safe on board. Admittedly, there was a cramped feel to the old place, but there were no monsters waiting in the bushes, so it seemed like a good trade.
He took a deep breath to steady himself. ‘Let’s get up to the bridge and see where Kane’s taking us.’
Kane edged the ship away from Orbital’s docking doors so they could see the planet below. It shone out as a blue orb against the darkness of space with a dark swirl of clouds twisting across the landscape below. Harl could see everything from the vast blue of the oceans to the mountain ranges capped with snow. He felt privileged to witness such a spectacle, but as they descended, the Aylen influence started to show. Neat strips of destroyed vegetation smothered vast areas and straight grey lines marked where Aylen roads were.
‘There,’ Kane said, pointing out of the cockpit window towards a grey-green splodge on the landscape below.
Harl turned and found himself looking at one of the few green patches left in the area. It was surrounded by imposing, smoke-coloured buildings that grew bigger as the ship sank through the atmosphere. Was it a town? The buildings were titanic in scale and Harl watched them as the dropship plunged deeper towards the surface. The very fact that he could see them from so far above the planet spoke volumes about their size. How could anyone build on such a scale?
Arrow-straight roads headed out from a central hub to link all the buildings in a network that reminded him of a spider’s web, only this one had spread across a huge swathe of the planet. He could see movement down there and, although he knew that the Aylen might have had transport of some kind, he couldn’t understand what he was seeing. It was Aylens, certainly – their huge size was instantly recognisable – but they looked different than he remembered. Larger, maybe. He didn’t really know. Some angles even made it look like they had stilts on or suits around them.
The ship banked, sharply, as Kane struggled with the controls. Everyone was thrown against the walls inside the cockpit.
‘Something is pushing us off course,’ Kane said as he punched at the controls.
The window clouded as a swirl of rain battered against it, blurring the land below.
‘The storm,’ Tess shouted above the whirring engines as they strained against the tempest.
The ship juddered violently and Harl grabbed one of the consoles for support as buildings raced up to meet them. He glimpsed a clearing between two vast structures before a flash of light lit the room.
Troy was cowering behind Kane’s control seat, clinging on for dear life, head tucked between his wiry legs. Dana stood facing the sight, hand out to steady herself on the wall, as if daring the fates to do their worst.
‘Lightning!’ Tess said as it struck a second time making them all flinch.
The console beside Harl exploded, burning his hand as a man was thrown back from the seat in front. Another blinding flash.
When Harl’s vision cleared, trees were hurtling beneath them, gaining in speed, until the tips snapped as they banged against the bottom of the hull.
‘Hold on!’ Kane cried as the ship shuddered.
An almighty crash drove the craft into the ground, ploughing tons of soil up around the vessel as it carved a trench through the alien landscape.
They were down.
Chapter 12
I have been searching the ship’s records since my new clearance and something has come to my attention. There are only 8128 people on board, which means 1872 people have gone missing since launch. How can that be?
‘Harl. Harl?’ Sonora called him awake, but when his vision returned and reality kicked in, he found Tess’s concerned face looking down on him. Her hair was a puff of red as if she had been electrocuted.
‘What?’ He reached up to his face and felt a swollen lump on his forehead, then looked out the soil-splattered window. Broad-leafed plants and tangles of branches rose up in front of it, hemmed in by Aylen walls on either side.
Damen and Kane were arguing as Troy picked himself up, seemingly unharmed.
‘I don’t know until I get outside,’ Kane said.
‘Well out you go then,’ Damen said. ‘If I can't get back up to Yara then I’ll bash your head against this...computer until it works.’
‘Where’d she go?’ Troy asked, looking around at the four of them.
‘Who? Kane asked as he leant over the console pressing buttons.
‘The witch,’ Troy said, glancing in to the corridor.
‘Dana?’ Tess said. She touched a hand to her head and her eyes shot wide open.
‘Done another runner I imagine,’ Damen said. ‘Come on, Kane, better get you outside to have a look at the damage.’
Kane looked down at Tess who was searching the floor in a panic.
‘What’s wrong?’ he asked.
‘My comb,’ Tess said, frantic as she pawed around blindly beneath one of the consoles with her hands. ‘I’ve lost my comb.’
Kane looked down and then bent over to pick the copper comb up from under a swivel chair.
‘Problem solved,’ he said with a gentle smile. ‘Perhaps we could look over the ship together?’
Tess sighed with relief and attempted to sort her hair, then frowned as she noticed that one of her green nails had broken.
‘Damn,’ she said, then took a deep breath and smiled at Kane. ‘I’ll check the others are alright first and meet you out there.’
Harl threw on a suit of light armour from the cargo hold, remembering the savage scuttlers that weaved across the ground, and then joined the others in the ramp room. The door had been damaged by the impact and was partially open, but the gap was so small that they had to lever it the rest of the way to get out. The metal joists at the base were so bent out of shape that they looked as if they’d been kicked by an Aylen.
He climbed out first, glad the rain had stopped, and was amazed to see that Dana was already outside, her cloak billowing in the wind as she stood on the mound of soil ploughed up by the ship. She gazed up at the two gigantic walls looming either side of the ship. Her head flicked this way and that, apparently taking in as much as possible, before she dropped down to scoop up a hand of mud and stones.
Of course, Harl thought, she’d never experienced anything other than metal under her feet.
Kane had landed the ship between two buildings on a narrow strip of vegetation. It was a miracle or a testament to his skill that they’d not splattered against the building’s dark grey walls.
‘This is unbelievable,’ Tess said, staring up in wonder at the smatter of roiling clouds that traversed the blue sky above. It took her a while to step away from the ship. When she’d mustered the courage, she stooped and plucked a shoot from the ground, lifting it to her nose to inhale the damp soil clumped about its roots. ‘
We must bring everyone down here. There’s no way I’m going back to live in that titanium box.’ She skipped around laughing. ‘Amazing!’ she called, her pirouette spinning her red hair out in the fresh breeze.
‘Water first,’ Harl said, thinking of Sonora and Elo. Maybe he should have brought them down? Leaving them up there had been foolish. As always he wished he’d said more before leaving them.
Tess stopped her spin, facing the ship where Kane was running his hands along a dent in the hull.
‘Good landing,’ she said.
‘Not good,’ Damen grunted.
‘And why not?’ Kane asked spinning around, his smile at Tess’ words changing to a frown.
‘That,’ Damen said as he waved a hand at where the long grass forest surrounding the ship parted at a dirt path, ‘is an animal track.’
‘An Aylen cat?’ Tess asked.
‘Whatever it is it’s a bloody big one.’ He hefted his rifle and looked back at the ship as his men clambered out. He grinned. ‘Unload the tanks.’
Troy and Harl took first watch and headed off into the thick undergrowth as Damen shouted at the men to unload the cargo, and Kane continued his inspection of the hull and engines.
They patrolled the perimeter, rifles twitching at every scuffle and creak between the giant grasses and wide-leafed plants that hung overhead.
‘What the hell are we doing?’ Troy asked once the noises had become part of the ambient sounds.
‘Giving them time to argue and figure out where to go from here,’ Harl said.
‘I mean everyone,’ Troy said.
‘So you’re a philosopher now then?’
‘A few months back we were all living cosy lives safe without wondering where the ale would come from or where the food would be found,’ he sighed, ‘and now were in constant danger trying to unite the human race.’
‘I wonder that most days,’ Harl said as he watched the ripples in a puddle beside them. ‘But it was too easy, Troy. This is true living. It’s dangerous, yes, but we’ll find somewhere to settle. And first my child needs water, so for that I’d brave anything.’