by Jerry Aubin
The man stared at him unblinking until Zax became uncomfortable and shifted his gaze. Finally, Mase spoke.
“OK. Let’s sit down.”
Zax exhaled and turned back towards the table where Kalare picked at her food. She looked up as they approached and her expression darkened as she spoke sharply.
“You didn’t tell me he was going to be here!”
Zax held his hand up as a signal for Mase to wait. He sat down across from Kalare and leaned in to speak quietly.
“I’m sorry, Kalare. If it makes things any better, he was just as surprised and just as upset to find you here. It was obvious that neither of you would come if the other were here. I wouldn’t have tricked you both if I didn’t think it was urgent we all speak. The three of us have never worked together, but you are the people I trust the most in the universe. I need you to set aside your feelings for each other and instead rely on my faith in each of you. Please.”
Kalare scowled at him for a good ten secs, but then she gestured for Mase to sit down. Zax breathed a sigh of relief and was about to start talking when a familiar voice spoke behind him.
“Are you sure you want us here, Kalare?”
Zax turned and found Aleron, tray in hand. Beside him was Major Eryn who also carried a meal. They both moved to sit at the table, and Zax spun back around and hissed at Kalare.
“What are they doing here? You know what I want to discuss! Aleron is bad enough, but do you really think I will talk about any of this stuff in front of the mini-Boss?” Zax turned back to the major. “Begging your pardon, ma’am.”
Eryn nodded at Zax as Kalare spoke.
“I guess we’re both guilty of deceiving the other about our true intentions for this meeting. I’m sorry, Zax, but I’ve tolerated more than enough of your unfounded rantings about the Boss. If you have concerns that are serious enough to share with me, then I want to be sure you believe they’re legitimate enough to share with the major. I can’t force you to place any faith in her, and I will understand if you decide to leave. What I will say is that she’s been counseling me for years, and I’ve come to trust her with my life. Outside of you and Aleron, I haven’t had as much trust in anyone since Mikedo died. It’s your call what happens next.”
Zax looked from Kalare to the major and then back to Kalare. Finally, he turned to Mase.
“What do you think? I’ve dragged you in this far, but are you willing to keep going with an even larger audience?”
“I actually trust the major a lot more than I trust your friend. At least she and I have a history together that should provide me some extra protection. Right, Major?”
Mase stared at Eryn who returned his gaze blankly for a moment until her eyes lit up with recognition.
“Of course, Mase. You never reported how I broke the rules and assisted you during your pilot training. I’ll be happy to keep whatever secrets you share today.” The major turned to Zax. “I promise that anything you have to say will be safe with me as well. I may be mini-Boss, but Kalare has earned my loyalty far more than the Boss ever would even if I worked for him for a thousand years.”
The tone of her voice and expression on her face suggested that Eryn was being genuine. Before Zax could reply, there was a loud crash followed by raucous shouts. A fight had broken out on the other side of the mess hall. It was three Crew wearing the same red Engineering uniform as Aleron, and they were surrounded by a dozen civilians. Aleron jumped up to rush to their aid.
“Aleron—no!”
The man froze in response to Kalare’s shout. He turned back to her and she continued.
“I need you here with me. Check it out—other Crew are helping your guys and breaking up the fight. Please, please sit down.”
Aleron’s fists were clenched and agitation emanated off him in waves as he looked back and forth between Kalare and the brawl. Finally, he sat back in his seat. Kalare turned back to Zax.
“OK, you’ve managed to get us all here, and we’re all willing to set aside our various trust issues. What is it you wanted to share?”
Zax hadn’t yet quite put his own trust issues aside, but it didn’t matter any longer. The fight raging on the other side of the mess hall was just another symptom of the overall societal breakdown he was certain was about to boil over. It was happening faster than he expected, and he feared they may have missed whatever narrow window of opportunity might exist to save the Ship. Even if Major Eryn violated their faith and reported them to the Boss, it just didn’t matter any longer. They were all going to die one way or the other very soon if nothing changed. Getting thrown out an airlock might prove preferable to staying alive if the Crew and civilians did the Others’ work and destroyed the Ship from within.
Zax opened his mouth to speak but stopped when Kalare raised her hand. She closed her eyes to communicate with someone via her Plug. Major Eryn did the same, and Zax guessed they were part of the same conversation. After a few secs, the blood drained from Kalare’s face as she opened her eyes and exclaimed.
“We need to get out of here. Now!”
5
Numbers, Doran.
The Boss fought to conceal his distaste as President Rege entered the Bridge. While everyone else on board the Ship was losing weight due to rationing, Rege had somehow grown even heavier. The most recent fat accretion had not only increased his girth but had left the man with a sizable double-chin. The civilian desperately needed a shower, and his neck flab was covered with a patchwork of stubble that shone with a coating of grease.
“Good afternoon, Doran. How are you doing today?”
The Boss gave a tight smile at Rege’s use of his name rather than title. It was a new tactic the president had adopted to get under his skin. Unfortunately, it had the desired effect the first few times, so the civilian had continued to use it.
“I’m doing fine, Mr. President. How about yourself?”
“Well, I’ve been better. Being stuck with these nutripellets for breakfast every day is starting to hurt my appetite.”
The Boss smiled politely. He’d happily bet his entire remaining supply of cigars that Rege hadn’t tasted a nutripellet in ages. It was almost certainly bacon grease from that morning’s breakfast that coated his scraggly beard.
“What can I do for you, sir?”
“Let’s speak privately.”
The Boss extended his arm to point towards the conference room and followed Rege inside. He closed the hatch behind them and turned to discover the president had sat in the Boss’s usual spot. It was just another pathetic dominance maneuver by the civilian that the Boss ignored. He only hoped he would have a chance to extract payback for all the indignities from the civilian before whatever endgame the Others had in mind for the Ship. The Boss sat down and Rege spoke.
“Doran—I’m starting to worry about what’s going to happen if we’re held captive for too much longer. I wholly supported the RTF’s decision to ban showering, but there has already been quite an uproar around the Ship in response to it. Even though the civilians were only ever allowed to bathe once a week, they’re even more upset about the situation than the Crew. We haven’t had any new violence break out in response yet, but the rioting that’s already been happening intensified once the news was announced this morning.”
“I understand, Mr. President. It’s a real concern for me as well. That said, I’m confident we’ll all be much happier in a few weeks when we still have sufficient potable water even if it comes at the expense of the atmosphere getting a little ripe around here.”
The Boss wanted to make an observation about how a lack of showers wouldn’t impact Rege that much, but he held his tongue. He wasn’t afraid to skewer the civilian, but it was more fun when there were witnesses to the jabs. The Boss always picked his spots carefully.
Rege appraised the Boss for a moment before standing. It was another cheap power play the civilian deployed when he was trying to intimidate. He spoke.
“All the same, I’m reaching the co
nclusion we should take preemptive action as a precaution.”
“Interesting, sir. What exactly would that look like?”
“I believe the term they used on ancient Earth was martial law. It was when the military would take over from the civilians in times of great crisis. The regular rules and laws would be put on hold until the situation improved. Of course, in this case it would be the reverse—the civilians will take complete control from the Crew.”
The Boss lost control and guffawed. Rege’s eyebrows knitted together in reaction. After a couple of secs, the Boss composed himself and spoke.
“I’m sorry, sir, but that might be the craziest thing I’ve ever heard. What makes you think the civilians should be taking over right now? We’re sitting here in the grip of the Others, and they are by far the most powerful enemy the Ship has ever encountered. You really think it makes sense for you to take command now? What do any of you know about space battles? How will you defend us?”
“Defend us?” Rege laughed. “You and your precious Crew had your chance to defend us, and you failed miserably. There’s nothing any of you can do at this point. I don’t know what the Others intend for us, but any notion of resistance is clearly futile. The only things I’m worried about defending right now are our critical resources in the face of internal forces that will soon begin to tear the Ship apart.”
“Well, if it’s rioting you’re worried about, my Marines have that situation well under control.”
“Doran—your Marines are controlling tens of thousands of civilians right now. What’s going to happen when those numbers grow into hundreds of thousands? Or millions? I won’t allow your Marines to slaughter my people in any attempt to restore order. The only way this will work is if my forces are in charge. The civilians will respect other civilians, and that will keep the worst of the violence in check. You and your Marines will stand down. In fact, all of the Crew will do so. There are civilian staff ready to take over all critical functions, so all of your people will be relieved and then restricted to their quarters.”
The Boss was so shocked by the vile civilian’s words that he was momentarily speechless. If the man truly believed he was going to end five thousand years of Crew rule that easily, he was sorely mistaken. The Boss stood and approached Rege, getting as close to the man’s face as the president’s protuberant belly would allow.
“And just how do you plan to enforce anything like that, sir? We’ve allowed civilian leadership for the last dozen years only because you held all of us hostage with your bombs around the FTL engine. The ants control it now, and I’ve continued to tolerate you because I wanted us united against the Others. It appears to be the right time for me to reverse that position, though, especially given how you don’t have any remaining leverage over me.”
Rege laughed. The smell of his breath up close was a fetid mixture of egg and coffee that confirmed the Boss’s suspicions about what the man had eaten for breakfast. He held his ground and continued to stare at the civilian until Rege spoke.
“Numbers, Doran. My leverage rests with my numbers. During the Revolution your Marines could have wiped out every bit of civilian resistance due to your overwhelming firepower and tactics. Not any longer. You’ve not been aware, but we’ve spent the time during our journey to Earth deep in training, using the same methods your Marines use. We’ve also armed our troops with the best weaponry the Ship has ever produced. Maybe your Marines will still have an edge since they’ve been bred for war for generations, but are you certain that’s enough to overcome a twenty-to-one advantage in numbers?”
The Boss had to believe there was no way that Rege was right. The Marines must still be favored in any battle, but it was impossible for him to know for sure. He turned away. He caught the smirk on Rege’s face as he did so but ignored it.
“I need some time to consider this, Mr. President. May we please continue this discussion tomorrow once I’ve had a chance to weigh the pros and cons a little more?”
Rege held up his hand. “Wait a sec—I have an urgent communication coming in.”
The civilian closed his eyes for a moment. When he opened them again, his mouth formed into a malevolent smile.
“That was one of my lieutenants down in the mess hall. A group of your Crew attacked some civilians and nearly started a riot. I might have been convinced to give you time to come around to my perspective, but it appears events have conspired against us. We need to confine all Crew and non-essential civilians to quarters immediately with my forces in charge of enforcement. What’s it going to be, Boss? Are you going to support this directive or are things about to get ugly for all of us?”
The Boss flopped into his chair as an exaggerated signal of distress. Without any time to analyze the likely outcomes, he had no choice but to give in to Rege’s demands. He needed time for two last communications, though, so he dipped his head and rubbed his eyes like he was trying to think and sent an urgent ping.
“Kalare, Eryn—I don’t have any time for explanations. Rege has decreed that the civilians are taking over the Ship immediately and will restrict all Crew to quarters. I want you to go into hiding. Kalare—get both of you to the place where I almost died during the Revolution and await further instructions.”
“I need an answer, Doran. Will you help me announce a peaceful handover of control, or is it going to be a bloodbath?”
The Boss opened his eyes and stared at the civilian. There would absolutely be blood, but if the Boss had his way it would flow out of Rege. Until then, he would use coded language in the public statement to assure the Crew’s officers that his instructions were a tactical retreat and not abject surrender. The Boss fired off one last private emergency message via his Plug and then responded to Rege.
“Let’s go make this announcement, Mr. President.”
6
CAG—don’t let her get away!
Kalare rose out of her seat and gestured impatiently for the rest of them to follow. Zax didn’t know what had her so agitated, but it was clearly not the right time for questions. He stood and nudged Mase in the shoulder to get him moving. The group abandoned their trays on the table and moved towards the exit. As they walked out of the mess hall, the video screens around the compartment came to life behind them.
“All civilians and Crew stand by for an important announcement from President Rege and the Flight Boss.”
Kalare didn’t break stride and continued down the passageway towards the Tube junction. Zax jogged for a moment past everyone else and caught up with her.
“Kalare—what the hell is going on? What are you so agitated about?”
“The president is about to declare that the civilians are taking full control of the Ship, and Crew will be restricted to quarters. The Boss told me to hide out down in the sewage treatment cavern. I have no idea what he might have in mind, but I’m going to trust he has a plan.”
Zax stopped in his tracks while Kalare and the others kept charging ahead. The sewage treatment cavern? Why would the Boss be sending them down there to hide? Obviously Kalare would trust anything the Boss said, and there was no way Zax would be able to convince her otherwise without far more time than they had. He had zero interest in putting his life in the hands of whatever plan the Boss might have in mind, but he had to balance that position against his overwhelming desire to remain by Kalare’s side. He called out.
“Wait! If they’re giving the order right now, we shouldn’t be in the main passageways or the Tube. No one from the Crew lives in any of the lower levels, and we’ll stick out like crazy if we’re supposed to be returning to quarters. We need to take the maintenance tunnels. There’s an access port not that far from the Tube junction.”
Kalare had stopped moving. “The tunnels? Why do you still have access to the tunnels?”
Zax explained as he caught up to her. “Things were so crazy after the Revolution that no one revoked my access after I was transferred out of Waste Management. I’ve been going for walks in the tunn
els whenever I need some peace and quiet.”
Kalare was quiet as she considered Zax’s words. She checked in with Eryn and the major nodded in agreement.
“OK—good plan, Zax. Let’s move before the announcement is over and these passageways start crawling with civilians.”
Zax led them past the Tube junction until they reached the access port in the middle of a long, straight passage. He held his breath as they approached since he had not visited the tunnels in more than a month. There was no good reason why his access would have been revoked during that timeframe, but anything was possible. He exhaled once the panel on the port flashed green in response to its scan of his biometrics and the hatch opened.
“Halt!”
The shout came from the end of the passageway opposite from where the group had come from. A tall, older civilian held a blaster aimed at them as he approached. He was accompanied by a second civilian, a girl, who was much shorter and appeared to be the same age as Zax. She must have been nervous at the prospect of conflict since her weapon shook in her hands as the two approached the Crew.
“Where are you going? All Crew are supposed to be heading back to quarters.”
Kalare stepped towards the lead civilian. He stopped walking and brought his weapon up and aimed it at her face. She halted and held her hands outstretched in an effort to appear non-threatening.
“Hey, hold on. Can you put that thing down? We’re just trying to take a shortcut that gets us to our quarters as fast as possible. Just following orders.”