“Only Damjan believed me?” Brinley muttered. She remembered Damjan the teacher. She was a person who always looked for the best in others, but while she was widely respected, many saw her as naïve. “None of the rest of you trusted me? That is really what hurts. I do not understand,” Brinley said with a tremble in her words. “This has been my home forever. Guiomar has always had anger issues and was one to fly into a rage easily, but I cannot believe he wants to have me killed. I do not understand this at all. ”
“I think I do,” Paul interjected. “This man made a deal with both of those other groups. They do not kill us, but we get sent away somehow. Neither side gets all that they want, but both sides can live with it, if we are just gone. Am I right?”
Markari paused but then nodded his head.
“Brinley, your friend here sold us out so he could be the leader,” Paul stated. “Now we know why we were locked up. So this man could play power-broker for himself.”
“That is not how it was,” Markari barked back. “I could think of no other way to save Brinley’s life. Many blame you for the deaths of Jared and Irene, but that cannot be proven. We will never learn the truth of their deaths, and no one trusts you. If the debate had gone on any longer, I feared Guiomar’s people would get in here and just kill you all. I worked hard to get your freedom!”
“Freedom to do what?” Brinley asked. “This place, this safe zone, has been my home forever. Sure I have done trades in all the habitats, and have even consulted with other Free Ranger groups. I volunteered to go with Jared and Irene to rescue some unknown Free Rangers. But this has always been my home. So what are you saying?” She glared at Markari.
“This man,” Markari gestured at Paul, “is correct. You three are not allowed to stay here in our group. You are to be shunned and sent away. I have had your so-called equipment loaded into a shuttle, and you have a cargo of dried beef. Quality stuff too. I owe the memory of your parents at least that much. That should allow you to bargain for a place in a different group of Free Rangers or even set yourselves up in one of the habitats. You know you can get counterfeit marks placed on your forearms. Besides, Brinley, you are smart. You can establish and live a decent life. It will just need to be somewhere else.”
“But what about the fact these two can cure the Roe?” Brinley asked. “That is too valuable to be lost, or just sent away. With that kind of power, we can be the premier Free Ranger group on all of the Vanguard. Think of the trade potential! Or just how much we can help people.”
Markari looked at Brinley with doubt in his eyes. “Brinley, that wild tale of curing the Roe is part of what Guiomar used to sway people against you. Damjan did not even believe that twaddle, a scant few people listened to that and believed any of it. Claiming a cure for the Roe, well, that nearly worked to get you killed. Why do you say such preposterous things?”
“It is not preposterous!” Brinley yelled. “I had been attacked. I know I was infected. I was very sick. I had turned to be a Roe, and they cured me!”
“Indeed, our equipment can treat the disease,” Gretchen added. “You should know that. You have our medical kit and the rest of our tools. You have examined the items you confiscated from us, right? You know we are telling the truth.”
Markari snorted. “All of the items you had are worthless. Fakes. Just junk cobbled together in a fancy package,” Markari said with disgust. “You may have tricked poor Brinley here, but we were not fooled by your props. There is no function to any of them. Oh yes, they certainly look like technology, even masquerading as some high tech items. But that is only a facade. The one box we disassembled did have an intricate inside, but none of that did anything. No lufi-amalgum battery power, no power of any kind. And those ridiculous labels with made-up names. Pure bunk. They were all mere props for some elaborate charade. Brinley, these people could not heal you. You have been deceived. You were not infected. Maybe you were sick, but not with the Outbreak. You could never have survived that, you know that is the case. No one survives being a Roe. No one. Brinley their equipment is bogus. None of it works at all. Perhaps they made you sick, somehow, and then reversed that just to deceive you. That is my opinion of what happened.”
“What do you mean, ‘none of it works at all’?” Gretchen asked incredulously. “You should have been able to speak to Tiffany at least.”
“That artificial intelligence you claim to have linked with? Bah! That was the first thing we checked, and there is no link to the nonphysicality. None at all. None. No artificial intelligence. None. It is just more garbage in your web of lies.” Markari folded his arms and glared.
“What do you mean?” Gretchen yelled as she pushed away from the table and stood over Markari. She was angry and frustrated, and a bit fearful. A loss of the equipment would be devastating.
“Just like the stories you spin out, it is worthless junk. Our people examined every bit of it. But I am not going to argue with charlatans.” Markari stood and motioned to Brinley. “Brinley, I have arranged the shuttle for you. I will escort you to it now. These two must go with you, or they will die here. Even though they are frauds and liars, I will not be a party to their execution.”
“They did heal me!” Brinley pleaded with him. She was astonished and overcome by emotions. “I cannot believe you are doing this to me. Why do you refuse to believe me? I grew up with the Free Rangers. You know me! I have earned your trust over and over. These people saved me. I know they can cure the Roe. I know they came from Earth. I know what they are saying is true.”
“So very sad. Tragic. More delusional thinking.” Markari shook his head. “Brinley, you know no one can cure the Roe. The doctors, scientists, and everyone since the Outbreak knows that. And as to these two coming from Earth, that is utter nonsense. I am not sure what they did to you to make you accept these notions, but they will not be allowed to deceive others. Your delusions and the death of Jared and Irene are far too much of a threat. The decision is final, and I am here to carry it out.”
Markari walked to the door and pressed his thumb against the control pad. The door opened. Four people stood outside in the hall. They were all armed with handguns, and wearing black helmets and body armor. Paul thought about the handgun he had seen Constable Larissa use. These weapons pointed at them looked to be of that same type. Both Gretchen and Paul knew they were lethal.
Paul walked over and stood in front of Markari. Paul had to look up to the tall man, but he did so and met his eyes. “You are wrong. But you have the advantage here. You presently have all the power. But you are still wrong. Brinley has told you the truth. I know it, and one day you will know it as well.”
“You will leave now, or I will call Guiomar and turn the three of you over to him,” Markari said in a controlled manner. He did not back down, and the threat was clearly not an idle one.
Brinley gathered her thoughts and then walked toward the door. “If we are being sent away, do it now.” She stared into the eyes of each of the guards. “I have known each of you my entire life. Yet, now you turn on me?”
None of the guards answered, but neither did they look away. Several tensed their muscles and there was strain on their faces. But Brinley saw rejection and scorn most of all.
“The shuttle is in Hanger Bay J-90. You know the way,” Markari waved his arm. “Try running away and we will be forced to shoot you.” His voice broke. “Brinley, I wish it had not come to this. I really…”
“Just shut up, Markari!” Brinley said in a quiet and firm voice. “You have already revealed enough about yourself. I do not need to listen to your justifications for betrayal.” She took a deep breath the said, “Gretchen and Paul, follow me. This is no longer my home and I am sorry I brought you to this place. I expected to find my family, but apparently my family all died when my parents did. I just did not realize it until now.”
Brinley pushed past the guards and was followed by Gretchen and Paul.
“Hanger Bay J-90 is not far,” Brinley commented. She wal
ked down the hall with her head held high.
They met no one else as they walked to the hanger bay. Brinley was awash in memories. The walls all had a wide blue stripe painted horizontally on them. This marked out the safe zone where the Free Rangers had their community. Brinley looked at the blue stripes and recalled her parents frequently telling her never to stray away from the halls where the blue stripe was. ‘The Roe live in the other places.’ As child that had been impressed upon her in what seemed a constant way. ‘Blue striped corridors were safe, others were dangerous.’ Only later, as an adult, did she realize that the safe zone was sealed by bulkhead doors which were guarded. There was virtually no way for a child to leave the safe zone. On her first trade mission, she had missed the blue stripe on the walls and felt uneasy when she traveled.
Now these blue stripes were to be left behind forever. She walked past the hydroponic garden where some food was grown, as a backup to the food they received in trading. They traded with the other Free Rangers and they did what the CPO declared as ‘illicit commerce’ or ‘smuggling’ between the people in the habitats. Yes, they did that and it did break the quarantines. She recalled all the lessons she had learned about the different habitats and how to enter and leave in a safe manner and especially about how trading with them was not wrong, even though the Central Planning Committee’s Governors and Constables ruled the habitats and set rules against the trading.
The emotions and thoughts and memories were nearly overwhelming. Every hallway, every doorway, every corner and room held a memory. Most were very pleasant and happy memories. The major exception to that was the death of her parents. But even then she had felt the support of the community of Free Rangers. She thought she had family, connections, and friends. Now she realized it was all going away. The grief and loss was bad, but the betrayal was more immense than the memories and thoughts.
Every residential door was shut, and none opened as they passed. It was a strange and disconcerting feeling for Brinley, walking down those halls. More than once she wanted to yell out, ‘I am home. Where are you all?’ In many ways it was a solemn and mournful time. The lack of anyone else, of all the several hundred Free Rangers who lived in this safe zone, told Brinley as much about the status of the community as did Markari’s words. Markari and the guards remained silent but the weapons were trained on Brinley, Paul, and Gretchen.
Hanger Bay J-90 was not a huge hanger bay, but rather one of the few ancillary places where shuttles could dock. Brinley shrugged off the morose cloud which had hung over her and entered the hanger bay with a confident stride. She glanced around. The heavy external pressure doors were sealed, their yellow warning stripes brightly shining in the illumination. Of the four stalls, only one had a vehicle. For the first time since bringing Gretchen and Paul back to the safe zone, Brinley felt at home. At least a little bit. The tanks of shuttle fuel along the side of the bay, the skid marks on the permalloy floor from rough landings by inexperienced pilots, and the clear permalloy observation deck where the whole hanger could be seen, even when it was open to vacuum were like old friends coming out, finally, to support her.
For it was in repair, maintenance, and working with machines, especially shuttles that Brinley had thrived. Her trade missions were adequate. Her understanding of biological habitats was good. But Brinley’s comprehension of the mechanical devices, equipment, and especially the shuttle systems was on an expert level far beyond her years. Thanks in large part to Brinley’s mentor, Tennard. She pushed thoughts of Tennard away.
“Oh, I see you went to extremes for me,” Brinley said sarcastically as she looked over the lone shuttle which sat there waiting. “A model 14S? And you expect me to make a start with that?” She honestly laughed a bitter and sorrowful laugh. “What, you could not find a runabout? A runabout would be the only space-going thing smaller than that model 14S. So for my life here, I have earned only a cargo of dried meat and the smallest kind of shuttle. How little you must think of me.” She ran her hand over the sides of the six passenger space craft. Her mechanic’s mind recognized the shuttle. She noted with high attention every outlet, connection, and mechanical apparatus which was part of the small shuttle. She squatted down and visually inspected the shuttle. “At least the thruster ports are clear, and the thing looks like it has been maintained. Let me guess, this was Harrison’s right? The one he used as a trainer for children learning to pilot?” Her tones told everyone she already knew whose shuttle it had been. It was not one of the better ones these Free Rangers owned.
“Harrison was the only one to offer any help. I traded for the dried meat myself. You are lucky to have anything!” Markari snapped at her.
“Harrison was not the only one to offer help,” a man said from the observation deck where he had been hiding behind the control console.
“Tennard!” Brinley squealed with joy. “I could not imagine you would betray me as well.” She was so pleased to see the man who had taken her in after her parents had died, and had taught her everything about piloting and being a mechanic, that she nearly forgot, momentarily, that she was being forced away from her home.
Tennard stood and looked out toward Brinley. His deeply wrinkled face, short white hair standing erect over his head, and his slightly stooped stature revealed his advanced age. “I would never betray you, Brinley. I argued for you to be welcomed home. Damjan and I tried hard to convince these fools you were no threat, but they would not listen.”
“Take him away!” Markari ordered. Two of the guards rushed forward and seized Tennard and pulled him out of the observation deck. The elderly man offered no resistance, but also did not help the guards. They picked him up and were carrying him out of the hanger bay.
“I made sure the shuttle is fully fueled and operational. I spent all of last night making sure for you. I am…” Tennard said as he was roughly hustled away and out through a bulkhead door.
“Do not hurt him!” Brinley yelled. As Tennard was lost behind the closing of the bulkhead door, she whirled on Markari. “I never thought you could be worse than a Roe, but you are. At least the Roe have an excuse for being evil!”
“Evil? Me? You could have been turned out of the safe zone to the between decks to fend with the Roe!” Markari snarled back. “Oh, but these friends of yours could have fixed all that with their magic technology right? Well, all that junk is in the last couple of seats. I also brought down your work coveralls and your tool kits. At least they are real.”
“Do you expect me to be grateful?” Brinley asked. “Really?” Her eyes were burning with anger and wrath.
“I am saving your life and the lives of these two swindlers,” Markari replied. “So just take your things and leave.”
Brinley climbed into the shuttle. Her rage was palpable. Paul and Gretchen followed. The cargo area of the shuttle took up most of its bulk. The cabin was small with six seats: the pilot’s and co-pilot’s, and the four passenger seats. Brinley pulled on her coveralls, which had been laid over the back seat. She then opened the tool chest which was sitting next to that seat. She removed various tools, inspected them, and then placed them expertly into their correct positions on her clothing. She calmed herself as she assembled her usual mechanic’s tools.
Paul and Gretchen sorted through the gear that had come originally from Dome 17. It had all been tossed haphazardly into a pile. They did find both original communication links and the com link made for Brinley. There were three fusion packs; one had been opened on its bottom. The medical kit was at the bottom of the pile along with the smaller tools and equipment. Both backpacks were missing. The two pistols Willie had made were also there.
Paul grabbed a com link and placed it over his ear. He was just about to activate it when Gretchen grabbed his hand and restrained him.
“Not here,” she said in a quite tone. “We better escape now.”
Paul was unsure why she said that, but the look in Gretchen’s eyes told him he needed to trust her. He left the com link on his ear, b
ut did not try to activate it. Both he and Gretchen watched to see what Brinley would do next.
Brinley stepped back to the door to the shuttle. She climbed down and walked up to Markari.
The two guards who had removed Tennard were back, and all four guards leveled their weapons at Brinley as she strode over to the new leader of these Free Rangers.
“I told you to leave,” he said. His composure was failing him.
“If you so much as hurt Tennard with an insult, I will come back and kill you myself.”
One of the guards placed a handgun in Brinley’s face. She looked at it with contempt. Then she looked back at Markari. “Do you understand me?”
Markari did not meet her gaze, but motioned for the guard to back down. He stepped back but kept the handgun ready. “Go now. If you come back, you will not find me as understanding,” Markari said.
The Colony Ship Vanguard: The entire eight book series in one bundle Page 25