“But where are we? And what will we find? How do we get to the Free Rangers?” Sigmond asked.
They both stepped out of the vehicle, and after that the door shut down, and the hatch was sealed.
“TSI-981, how do we get to the hanger bay from here?” Tennard asked.
“Unable to answer inquiry due to negative function of links and couplings to lattice. Request repairs.”
“Assuming that the habitats are laid out in a similar pattern, we can try to make our way to a hanger bay. There may be instructional signs, or directions, or labels,” Tennard stated.
“There may be Roe and tagalongs. Or there may be CPO troops. Or there may be red security automacubes!” Sigmond snarled back.
“We will see,” Tennard said as he activated the lever on the door. It slid into the wall. Ahead of them was a large room with many work stations, chairs, and various instruments. The work stations were about three meters wide and a meter deep. Each one had small walls around it forming a cubical. Many had papers stacked on shelves, and some had neatly arranged books. The whole area had an ordered and regimented feel about it. “This is a laboratory.”
“So what? How does that help us?” Sigmond asked. He was carefully looking in every shadow and under the work stations, and on every chair. The place was empty, but he checked it over several times. He keep his eyes on the set of large doors at the far wall, as well as the smaller single door set in one corner.
Sigmond walked over and took a book off the shelf nearest to him. His hand shook a bit as he lifted the book. “This is about some kind of sea creature.” He looked through the other books and the stacks of papers. After a few moments he stated, “This is a diagram of this facility. A schematic, if you will. If I am reading it correctly, we are at this location, and there is a spur corridor… no a companionway… just outside of here.” He peered intensely at the pages. Then he pinched his nose and blinked several times. He looked again and traced the diagram with his finger.” That corridor will take us to….Yes! I know where we. We are at Oasis. I can lead us to the freight elevator under Inaccessible Island. It is not far from here. I know where we are.”
“So we are in the Free Ranger’s safe zone?” Sigmond asked.
“No. But we are close. I know where we are. We are somewhere between the level where the habitat is…above us…. and below…. where the hanger bays are located. There may be Roe, but there are no CPO troops here.” Tennard shook his head a bit to focus his eyes. “Yes, I know where we are.”
Tennard opened a door and they left the laboratory. The companionway lights came on as soon and they stepped inside. The space they entered was smaller and more narrow than most of the passageways. “I know where we are,” he said as he led them along. The companionway sloped upward.
“If I see any Roe, I will shoot them,” Sigmond stated. He had the carbine leveled ahead of them in the narrow space. He was watching ahead, but not paying much attention at all to Tennard.
At the end of the companionway there was a door. It was the only door they had passed since leaving the laboratory. On it was stenciled in white lettering, ‘Service Access to Lift 354B’ but the lettering was faded and the door was rusty.
“This door is jammed, or welded. I can force this open,” Sigmond said. “Are you sure this is the right way?”
“I know where we are,” Tennard replied.
“I am counting on that. Here goes,” Sigmond pushed on the lever of the rusty steel door. The lever snapped off in his hands. Rusty debris crumbled to the floor.
“You will… need to cut…” Tennard struggled to say. He pulled at Sigmond’s backpack. “I know where we are.” Tennard patted the younger man on the shoulder.
“Oh right. The saw. I will cut this latch off. I can do that.” Sigmond set the carbine down and slid the backpack off. He took the vibration saw out and placed it against the latch of the door. When activated, the saw easily cut through the old and rusty steel. The remains of the latch fell to the floor and landed in a heap near the lever handle. “It will open now.”
He pushed on the door, and yet again it would not move. “It is still stuck.”
“I know where we are.” Tennard stated again.
Sigmond took the vibration saw and placed it against the seam of the door. He used the cutting edge to follow the seam all the way around the door. He then pushed against the door with all his might, and it resisted for just a moment longer. Then, with an ear splitting screech, the door opened and swung away from Sigmond. One of the three hinges on the door snapped as it reached its fully open place. The other two had been severed by Sigmond’s cutting. The rusty steel door hung on the remnant of the hinge for a moment, then crashed down to the permalloy deck. The impact made a loud ringing sound as it settled. He could see that there had been welds, on the opposite side of the door, which the vibration saw had sliced apart. Those welds had been holding the door closed.
“That was way too loud,” Sigmond complained as he put the saw away and took up the carbine. He looked out past the doorway. There was a foyer and the wide doors for a freight lift. Heading away in both directions was a large corridor.
“I know where we are.” Tennard said and motioned toward the lift doors.
“Yes, I admit you were right. I was wrong to wonder and doubt you.” Sigmond looked both ways at the corridor and, seeing nothing, approached the freight lift. “This I know how to work!” He punched in an override code and saw the power come on around the freight doors. There was a blue light surrounding the perimeter of the doors. Sigmond watched the doors intently, willing them to open so they could get to the Free Ranger safe zone.
A few moments later, the blue light began to flash, and the freight doors opened.
“We made it Tennard!” Sigmond exclaimed in triumph.
The freight doors opened, and a few people were inside. Sigmond started to enter the lift when he looked at the faces of the people inside. Fear was reflected in their eyes.
“Oh, the carbine. Sorry…” Sigmond pulled the barrel up and away from the people in the lift.
“A Roe! Behind you!” someone screamed.
10 reunited
Paul and Gretchen felt helpless as they watched the Free Rangers disassemble their camp in short order. The parents with children hustled them away to the elevator which opened on the rise of the island. Jodie had gone to oversee the entire process.
“How can we help?” Gretchen asked
“Just wait by me,” Brinley replied. “We can get out quickly. Stand aside and let the children and parents depart first. Then the people with the equipment can go. I did not get to see the dramatic rendition of Feegin the Thief.”
“Brinley?” Paul asked. “Why is everyone leaving? Did I hear Jodie says something about dropping a bridge? Why not just wait here? This place is so high up, unless something can fly, how could it reach up here with the bridge gone?”
“Paul, the CPO is coming. Automacubes can climb vertical surfaces easily,” Brinley replied.
“Automacubes? Like that doctor in the frozen place?” Paul asked.
“Medical automacubes are just one type. Remember what Constable Larissa did when she captured you? Free Rangers always need to be able to move away quickly whenever we are in a habitat. Jodie and her team will be the very last people to leave. They will ensure nobody is left behind, but we all must go, and then seal the freight elevator,” Brinley replied. “It is curious and troubling that the CPO is coming here. Rodgeeri said that Governor Svoboda had been paid to give us our time here.”
“Perhaps this Governor Svoboda has betrayed you?” Gretchen asked.
“That may be. He will then have no trade with us again,” Brinley answered. “More likely Constable Herric is flexing his muscles.”
The last of the tents were down, and all the equipment and materials had been moved into the freight elevator. The plateau looked almost as if no one had been there at all. The birds were still circling, the sky tube was still shinin
g down, and the water surrounding the island still looked vast and amazing.
“Flying,” Paul said as he watched the birds. “How far away is the sky tube?” Paul’s mind was calculating.
Just then Jodie and two others quickly walked up the path. “I told you to get them to safety.”
“We are just leaving. I did not want them to interfere with the others getting away,” Brinley responded.
“We are all leaving now. Hector? Martha? You have double checked our departure? No one is left behind? The bridge is down? And the area is as pristine as before we came?”
The two people with Jodie both nodded. The looks on their faces was supremely serious.
“That was well done. I concur. I believe we can all safely leave now. The lift should be back up here shortly, so we will be on it. I will personally seal the outer shell of the freight lift.” Jodie was clearly upset, but restrained.
They walked up the gravel to where the left dome was located. Currently, the dome was shut with all the permalloy petals wedged together. The seams between the sections were hardly noticeable at all, even up close. The structure seemed to be basically a segmented permalloy dome.
They waited in silence for a few moments, and then a blue light appeared around the perimeter of the dome. The seams between the sections then lit up in a flashing light and those wedge petals pealed back to open the way to the lift.
They walked onto the lift, and Jodie activated the controls for shutting the door.
“After the door shuts, I will put my own security code into the door’s controls. If the CPO comes this far, they will not be able to easily open this lift’s door,” Jodie commented. She was burning with suppressed anger at her show being disrupted. “We will also disable the lift at the bottom. That should keep this safe zone secure.”
“Will the CPO actually come up on Inaccessible Island?” Brinley asked.
“They were not even supposed to come near. Rodgeeri had it all arranged. Something has happened,” Jodie replied. She watched as the dome overhead shut. She then adjusted the controls. A yellow flashing light appeared on all the wedge seams. It then flashed to green, blue, and finally the colors of light flashed and changed so quickly it was impossible to follow. It finally ended in a deep amber color which gently and slowed faded away to nothing. “That sequence will be tough for them to countermand. Plus, I have rechanneled the power supply away from this door.”
The lift shook just a bit as it began to descend.
“Now Paul,” Jodie turned to him. All the others were watching closely. “I believe your wild tale of adventure. I can read people’s motives and expressions well. You are not lying, nor do I think you are delusional. The looks Gretchen gives you convinces me of your sincerity. Both of you are sincere.” She looked at Gretchen briefly then back to Paul. “Paul, tell me the truth. How did you come to be here?”
The lift shuddered and came to an unexpected halt.
“This is not a typical level for access,” Hector stated.
“It is not a restricted level, just seldom used,” Martha replied. “Perhaps someone had used it and needs to flee like we are?”
The door in the side wall of the elevator shaft opened up and a man was standing there with a large weapon trained on them. He was a young man with brown hair, eyes, and skin. He looked weary and nervous.
“Oh, the carbine. Sorry…” the young man said and aimed the weapon away from them.
Behind the young man, stepping up quickly toward them was a Roe!
Hector called out, “A Roe, behind you!”
The bright orange eyes of the Roe were visible, but the deeply wrinkled face, short white hair standing erect over his head, and the intact clothing were not typical of how Roe appeared. The monster spoke out, “I know where we are!”
Brinley rushed forward. “Sigmond? Tennard?”
“Get back!” Hector called out. “That Roe is coming!”
The Roe called out, “I know where we are!” There was spittle and some foam coming from its mouth.
Sigmond was struck violently from behind. He smacked his head on the frame of the door, causing a deep gash in his forehead. He tried to whirl around in astonishment, “Tennard? Look out!” Blood rushed into his eyes, he then awkwardly leaped backward, into the freight elevator. He stumbled, and the carbine flew out of his trembling hands and clattered to the floor. He looked up, “Brinley? Tennard? There is a Roe?”
Jodie was at the controls for the door. She punched in the emergency code needed to close the door.
“I know where we are!” The Roe who had been Tennard screamed. It leaped into the elevator just as the doors were slamming shut. One of its arms was broken by the crashing shut door, but it seemed not to notice. “I know where we are!”
“That is Tennard!” Brinley cried out. “Help him!”
“It is a Roe,” Martha called as she and Hector retreated away.
Paul rushed forward toward the Roe. “We can help you.”
The Roe struck out at Paul with its intact arm. Paul dodged the blow and got behind the Roe. “Gretchen, the med kit!”
Gretchen was already getting it ready and approaching the Roe.
“Get away from it!” Hector yelled, there was terror in his voice. “We are trapped in here with a Roe!”
“I cannot see it!” Sigmond yelled in fear. His hands were bloody and over his eyes. Blood continued to seep down his forehead. He was dizzy and nauseated.
Brinley rushed to help Paul, but the Roe was flailing its arm around in menacing ways. Paul was ducking and weaving trying to find a way to grab the Roe without getting beaten in the process. The Roe swung again, and Paul swept out with his leg, knocking one foot out from under the Roe. Brinley then pulled at the broken arm of the Roe setting it off balance.
“I am sorry Tennard!” Brinley cried as she helped to knock him down.
Paul leaped onto the Roe and held it down. Gretchen attached two wires from the medical kit.
“Emergent acute full diagnostic assessment,” Gretchen ordered.
The AI Tiffany, who had been observing, but silent, throughout the whole incident now responded on open audio.
“Diagnostic complete. The patient is suffering from a viral infection from the same pathogens which were in Brinley’s body, but with lower viral load levels. This indicates less advanced infectious state by Rabies M. Viral ratio in this patient between Rabies M1 and M2 is 4 to 1. Rabies M1 levels are dropping, and Rabies M2 levels are increasing. This tends to confirm prior conjecture regarding medically induced immunological response in host, from a suspected faulty vaccine. Patient also has a closed compound fracture of the humorous.”
“I cannot hold him for long,” Paul stated rather harshly. “He is trying really hard to bite me!”
Brinley grabbed on and straddled the Roe’s legs. She sat down and tried holding him down. Her arms were tightly trying to keep the legs from kicking. The Roe was bucking aggressively. It was vigorously shaking its head and snapping its teeth. The orange eyes were glowing with violent hatred. Slobber was flying in gooey globs from side to side.
“I have the treatment!” Gretchen stated. Out of the side of the medical kit a prefilled syringe slid into her hand. Across the small display on the med kit were the words, ‘Administer injection into any large muscle group. Excellent prognosis. Eradication of virus will be completed within 8 minutes.’
Gretchen easily slipped the needle into the Roe’s thigh, just in front of where Brinley was holding it down. Gretchen then dropped the syringe and added her own strength to holding down the Roe. “We only need to keep him still for eight minutes.”
“That is going to be a long eight minutes!” Paul complained, but remained holding him down.
“Tennard, you will be cured,” Brinley said soothingly. “You will be cured.” He voice carried reassurance and gentleness, even while she kept sitting on his wildly thrashing legs. “Tennard, it will pass. Try to relax.”
“I know where we ar
e!” The Roe screamed with all its might. Its mouth was stretched so wide, Brinley thought his jaw would snap. “I know where we are!”
Martha and Hector looked on from the far side of the freight elevator. Unmitigated fear was on their faces.
Sigmond was sprawled out on the deck trying to hold his bleeding forehead.
Jodie finally snapped out of the shock of seeing what was happening and carefully walked over. “Can you actually cure him? I have been told that is impossible. We all know it is impossible to cure the Roe.”
“Yes, Jodie. I was infected, and they cured me,” Brinley replied. She kept looking at Tennard and trying to keep eye contact with his glowing orange eyes. He was trouncing his arm and legs about, but perhaps not quite as violently as moments before.
The Colony Ship Vanguard: The entire eight book series in one bundle Page 38