by Sean Clark
“Cecil, you know that’s not something a father should be doing to his child.”
“I figured that out long ago, but I never wanted to allow myself to think of him that way. That’s not how I want to remember my father. Despite all that, he always provided for my mom and me. When he was still around, I had good clothes, I never went hungry, and we had a decent home and car.”
“What happened to him?” Agrippa asks.
“My father owned a mechanics shop. That’s where I got into machinery and engineering. I hung out there as much as I could… on the weekends and after school when my mom was out volunteering for the church. My dad said he was lucky that God only blessed him and my mother with one child so that he could make a proper apprentice out of me.
The shop was in a pretty sketchy part of town, but we always had nice cars in there getting worked on. I never made the connection… my father was running a chop shop, dealing with stolen parts from stolen cars. Unfortunately, the shop was under watch, trying to build enough evidence so they could take it down. One day the police finally made their move… they raided the place, and I just so happened to be there when it happened. There was a half dozen of them, ramming down the door with a battering ram, yelling and pointing their guns at everyone. I was scared, and cried for my father. He couldn’t help me of course because they had already slammed him on the ground, handcuffing him. I remember him being pulled away, blood streaming down his face from a broken nose. As he struggled, he called to me saying ‘Don’t be afraid Cecil… everything’s going to be alright.’ I remember being frozen with fear. I still have nightmares about it. Of course, the police took me in too… I was just a kid then. They asked about what I knew about the place and my connection to the people there. I was too shocked to say much, but they eventually got a hold of my mom to come down and bring me home.
Because my parents hadn’t been legally married in the United States everything was technically under my father’s name and nobody else. My mother and I were able to avoid any charges, but my father and many of his workers went to prison. It was kind of rough for me and my mom after that. We had to move, and that car we were driving had stolen parts in it, so of course it got taken too. My mother had to search for a new job close by. The church helped us a lot though.
I hoped for years that one day my father would get out of prison, open a legit shop, and I could eventually join him like he promised… somewhere where he could teach me everything he knew. One day my mom got a call right before dinner time. She just listened to the voice quietly, only giving a few weak responses. She had turned completely pale. I tried asking her what the phone call was about, but she wouldn’t say anything. She just hugged me tight, tears in her eyes.
The next morning I was watching the news on TV before school started and saw that there was a gang related riot at the prison where my dad was. Much later I learned that he had been stabbed and trampled where he was left to bleed out while the rioting was subdued. He was never even involved in any gang activity. He was just an innocent bystander. Well, as innocent as someone in prison could be.
When I started my senior year in high school, I made up my mind that I wanted to become the mechanic my father always wanted me to be. Of course, there was no money for me to go to college, and I really didn’t have good enough grades to get a scholarship. Right after I turned eighteen I enlisted in the Navy I hopes to get into their program for mechanical engineering. I was able to get away from that town and all the bad memories. I wanted to be able to provide for my mother with good military pay too. I passed through training and schooling with flying colors, and eventually got placed in some nice positions where I was able to pick up a lot of things. I worked on several ships for a few years, trying to learn about everything I could, and study more complex mechanics. Eventually I heard about the opportunity to go to Mars. It sounded crazy, but my superiors said that I had the talent and skill. They said they would send in their recommendations without a question. Even… my mother urged me to go. It was one of the hardest decisions I have ever had to make, but well, you know…”
Cecil trails off, realizing they had stopped and had been standing in the middle of the hallway for the last bit of Cecil’s story. Agrippa nudges him. “Just being here means that you’ve done more for humanity than anyone on Earth could have done at this point in time. Be proud of that. Both of your parents knew you had talent… they wanted you to do great things rather than be stuck worrying about them. Your mother passed knowing you were doing what you loved and giving humanity a new lease on their future.”
“Thanks. That means a lot to me.”
“You’re welcome. Now, do you want to get this thing started?”
The hair on Cecil’s neck stands up in excitement. “What do we do first?” he asks enthusiastically.
“I’ll need to rally the guys first, but we’ll get to work shortly enough. After that, we’ll need to get the pumps turned to max, getting full saturation under the wellhead. Then… well, it’s just watching and waiting before the turbine can start running. Excluding any hitches, in about a day, we will have almost full power production. You know they’ve even started running power lines to the main complex.”
Cecil swallows hard, remembering what the voice had said. Agrippa prods him. “What’s the matter, Cecil? Do you have some sort of apprehension about this?”
“Mother… It says it doesn’t like this.”
“The voice? I don’t know how to respond to that.” Agrippa admits.
“It seems as if we’re disturbing it.” Cecil grumbles.
“I can’t let something like… that interrupt this process. Hell, I barely know what we’d be up against. What do you think it will do… how it will react? This thing isn’t going to bring the house down on us, is it?” Agrippa says as he fidgets.
“There’s no way to be sure. It doesn’t exactly give clear answers. In the past, I’ve had some sort of physical response from it, like when the pool became disturbed.” Cecil ponders.
“Well… what do you feel now?” Agrippa hesitates.
“Nothing.”
“Listen, Cecil, at this point it’s too late. I can’t entertain this idea that there might be something out there waiting to deliver us unknown repercussions. Even if I tried to stop it, Cassius would have my balls, as you might say. He still doesn’t know about your little friend down here… he would think we’ve both lost it for stopping it for some random reason. What do you think?”
Cecil cringes. “I will talk with it tonight to determine if it has any reaction. I would normally say that it’s easier to ask for forgiveness than to ask for permission, but I’m afraid such logic might not work here.”
Cecil is interrupted, jumping as a loud metallic cacophony begins to echo down the hall. The lift in the big room had roared to life. Agrippa brushes up against him as he turns around to head back in the direction of the noise. Cecil creeps after the sounds of Agrippa’s hurried footsteps.
By the time they reach the end of the tunnel, the screeching of the lift had stopped and the door was slid upwards, the bearings in the wheels whistling loudly.
“Howdy.” A familiar voice shouted out to them.
Depths
“Markus, you better have a good reason for being down here.” Agrippa addresses him gruffly.
“Well thanks for the warm welcome. You ordered a transport to bring some of your men back, right? Someone had to drive it. I’m betting some of these guys probably haven’t had a shower in two weeks. I’m glad I don’t have to ride back with their smelly asses.”
“You’re not heading back with them?” Cecil responds.
“That’s part two of why I’m here. I got assigned to a special task… apparently, I was one of the only people with the necessary experience.”
“It doesn’t look like you’re keen on sticking around, boy. You should have stowed your suit up above.” Agrippa clicks his tongue.
“I have special need for this.” Markus continues
. “Anyways, why don’t you get your men and send them this way. Hey Cecil, I need your help getting something down here… you’re up for it, right?”
“I don’t know how much help I can be to you, but… I’ll try.” Cecil admits.
“Markus, you should know to keep an eye on him, and not… to let him get hurt.” Agrippa’s voice catches, and he pauses for a moment. “Anyway… I’ll make sure they men are headed this way in a timely manner. I’ll catch up with you later, Cecil.”
Cecil listens as Agrippa’s footsteps die out, and he begins to follow after Markus who is still waiting at the lift. Cecil reaches out and makes contact with the structure, guiding himself in under the door and into the lift. As they ascend, the loud rumbling of the machinery fails to mask the awkward tension and silence.
“Markus…” Cecil hesitates. The lift slowly crawls upwards, rumbling and shaking noisily.
“I’m here.” He speaks up over the ruckus of the machine.
“Agrippa just misspoke. I still want you to know that I don’t believe the accident was anybody’s fault.” Cecil says assuredly.
“Even if you don’t, Agrippa may think differently.” Markus replies plainly.
“If he does… we’ve never discussed it.” Cecil shakes his head. “We don’t really even talk about what happened back then. Sometimes I can’t believe it… all that was actually months ago. To me, it seems like barely longer than a week. Sometimes when I try and remember what happened, it all just melds together in my mind to. I can remember departing the station that morning, heading down into the tunnel, seeing the pool… falling in. The pain, the fading in and out of consciousness, and then finally waking up… it’s been like the blink of an eye. Having to deal with the consequences… well, it’s been an uphill battle, but I have to fight it on my own. After all, I was given a chance to decide what I need to do for myself.”
“I’m glad you’ve been able to maintain a positive attitude through all this.” Markus’s voice sounds more bright. “There’s talk in the station that you had given up. If it were me in the same position… I don’t know what I could ‘a done. Perhaps it would have been better if I was in your position... they need someone like you more than they need me.”
“Don’t say things like that… everyone here is just as important as another.” Cecil retorts.
The lift reaches the top, bobbing up and down against the counterweight at it stops. The door rolls up, and the two carefully step out. “I guess you’re right. Nevertheless, I’m still glad you’re around.” Markus sighs. “Here, this is what we’re here for… it’s kinda heavy.”
Markus grabs Cecil’s arms, guiding him around a large object sitting on the floor. Cecil’s toes meet the edge of it, and he reaches down to find a handhold. “I managed to drag this thing in here on my own, but we’ll need it to lift it to bring it down the rest of the way.” Markus shuffles away to grab the other side. “Got it? Let’s go in 3-2-1.”
Crouching down on his knees, Cecil hoists it and quickly shifts his fingers underneath to grab onto the frame of the device. “Your luggage is a pain in the ass, your highness.” Cecil teases.
“Just follow my lead… I’ll get us to the elevator. It’s an air pump. I hope you don’t expect a tip, bell boy.” Markus chuckles as they slowly shift back towards the lift. “Okay, watch your step, you’re about to cross the gap.”
Cecil stretches out his toes in front of him, finding the edge that he traversed carefully. “This is some important equipment they’ve send with just one person. What do they have planned for you?” Cecil asks him.
“I’m going in to take some readings of the pool, underneath the surface. Possibly to determine its volume.” They rotate around and Markus hits the button, causing the lift to lurch downwards. The sound of rattling metal enters Cecil’s ears, the heavy object slowly straining the muscles in his arms. After a few agonizing moments, the lift touches down and the door is slid open. Cecil can hear some of the guys from behind him.
“Agrippa was telling the truth, Markus came.” One of the men pipes up. “The brave explorers are having a reunion it seems.” Markus lets out a forced laugh, his voice strained, winded from holding onto the device. The groups trade spots and the two hastily set down the object on the floor.
As the rumbling of the lift disappears up the shaft, Cecil speaks up. “Is this necessary, Markus?”
“Is what necessary?”
“Getting in there… in the pool. You remember what happened last time we made contact with it.” Cecil notes, upset.
“I was told it was caused by some sort of quake, and that no more of that size had occurred since then. Is there something more you know?” Markus prods.
Cecil replies after a long pause. “I’m afraid not.”
“Listen… I’m just going to get under the surface a bit and use sonar to take some simple measurements. You’ll be here, right?” Markus grabs Cecil’s shoulder playfully.
“What do they expect to get out of this?” Cecil attempts to change the subject.
“If tests come back that this water is safe for consumption, it could finally be put to use…hydroponics for example. We wouldn’t have to rely on inefficient deliveries from Earth. This is just something to determine about how much we’re dealing with.”
“I’m not convinced.”
“I have orders to do this Cecil, whether you like it or not. Please, just stick with me here.” Markus pleads.
“Fine.” Cecil submits. He focuses on the silence, attempting to listen for any voice.
“Please, please.” Cecil whispers under his breath. His train of thought is interrupted by the light shove from Markus’s fist.
“Quit daydreaming. They don’t need you now, right? I want you here to help me and guide me down. I’ll be attached to a tether and a breathing tube from this air pump. Nothing can go wrong.” Markus assures him.
“Do you want me to get anyone else? Agrippa maybe?”
“Let it go. They’re busy. It seemed Cassius was adamant about getting your system down here running by tonight. Let’s get this over with and I can change out of this suit. Get the pump started.” Markus orders.
Cecil fumbles with the machine, finding the switch for the pump, which putters to life. He feels it starting to pull air in from the bottom. “It’s good to go.” Cecil announces.
“Hey, do you remember how they used to train those old-timey astronauts, Cecil? They used to throw them in pools with those big clunky suits on, to let them get used to the feeling of zero gravity. Yet here we are stuck on solid ground… do you remember the last time you experienced zero G’s? Here, take this.” Markus shoves something into Cecil’s hands, a radio. Markus’s metallic sounding voice comes on the speaker.
“I’ve already put it on the right channel for you, so you can listen in. Air systems check. Make sure that thing doesn’t shut off on me Cecil.” Markus warns. “I don’t have any auxiliary air on me. I’m travelling light.”
Cecil pushes the button and speaks into the microphone. “For the record, I’m still not okay with this.”
“Okay, I’ve got one end of this tether on the railing here. Get this other side attached to my suit.” Markus ignores his words. Cecil feels him place a carabineer in his hand. Markus’s back turned towards him, Cecil fumbles around, searching for the ring on his harness. The clip finally finds its place, closing with a metallic click. Cecil gives it a firm tug to confirm it is locked.
“One last time… let me remind you that your life is in the hands of a blind man.” Cecil sighs heavily.
“Too late for second thoughts.”
Cecil hears Markus take a deep breath, followed by a large splash. A few cold drops of liquid fly through the air and make contact with his face. The radio is silent for a slight moment and Cecil’s stomach cramps up into a ball, holding his breath. As he prepares himself to hit the ‘send’ button on the radio, the static cracks through, followed by the sound of bubbles and heavy breathing.
&nb
sp; “It’s still very cold here.” Markus lets out a small laugh.
“You don’t feel anything strange, right?”
“The only thing strange here is how you’re acting. I think you’ve become a bit paranoid.” Markus speaks sarcastically. “It’s dark and cold, nothing out of the ordinary.”
Cecil lets out the breath he inadvertently had been holding. He can hear the sound of Markus’s breathing and the bubbles filtering out his mask. He sits down at the edge of the platform and dangles his feet over the side.
For a moment, Cecil turns down the radio and listens once again for any familiar disturbance or humming in the air. The puttering of the pump drawing in air remains as the sole sound around him. Air bubbles pop softly at the surface of the pool. Cecil turns the knob on the radio back to full volume to once again listen in on Markus taking in slow steady breaths. Cecil reaches up to the railing and double checks that the tether is still firmly attached.
“What do you think?” Cecil spoke into the radio again.
“I think you’re being distracting.” Markus snaps. “No offence. I can’t really swim well down here, it’s too narrow. Pretty deep though it seems. Starting to scan soon.”
Cecil goes back to sitting impatiently. The breathing over the radio is slowly becoming more strained. “Are you okay? You’re breathing hard.” Cecil checks in.
A loud huff comes through the speaker. “I guess so. I’m not that deep, but I really feel the pressure on my chest.” Markus takes a loud, deep breath. “I’m trying to tread water, but it seems so… dense. Maybe I’m just out of shape from living in this gravity.”
Cecil grabs the tether that still lays slack. Pulling one end close to him, he wraps it carefully around his palm, swallowing loudly. More bubbles come up to the surface to pop. There is a loud cough over the radio.