Zoe regarded him coolly, and he thought he saw great admiration in her eyes, and something else… pride? Respect?
After a moment she nodded and turned away, gazing out toward the horizon. “I hear things are better out in the east. Toward the coast.” She smirked.
“Yeah, I heard that, too.” He put his arm around her shoulders and drew her to him. “I guess we head toward the rising sun.”
They stood together for a few minutes more, taking in the sight of the stars above, and then they started on their way, leaving Sunspire Mountain behind them.
50
With the railcar headed back up and the passengers safely on board, there was nothing left for Ursie to do but wait. She slid down with her back against the console once more, and unsurprisingly, sleep found her quickly.
It was the first time in a long time that she’d slept soundly and without interruption. For once, she did not see Jodocus van Asch’s demonic visage leering over her, and nor did she see Knile’s face in the moment of her betrayal back at the Reach. There were no nightmares at all, no horrific visions of things she’d done or people she’d killed.
There was only blissful oblivion, and peace.
When she awoke, she came back to consciousness slowly, the transition into to the real world just as serene as her dreams. The quietude of the transit control room was almost surreal, punctuated only by the intermittent beep of a system monitor – or beacon, or whatever it was – and the sound of her own breathing.
Despite the stiffness and soreness of her body, she felt surprisingly good. That was due to her mental state more than anything, she decided. After all of the regretful things she had done over the past weeks, she finally felt as though she had gone some way toward redeeming herself. Knile and his companions were safe, and soon they would all be leaving here together. Her role in that outcome had been admittedly small; Tobias was the real hero, saving the railcar from crashing into the ground. But at least she had been here, been a part of it. She had done everything in her power to help, and, in the end, she could ask for no more than that.
Beside her, Tobias sniffed loudly, interrupting her reverie. She turned to see him sitting on the floor next to her, his cheeks wet with tears.
Her blood turned to ice, and a thousand possibilities raced through her head.
Something’s happened to the railcar while I was asleep. Everyone is dead.
“Oh, god. Tobias, what’s the matter? What happened?”
He smiled sheepishly but did not look at her. “Sorry, kiddo.”
“Sorry for what?”
“For goin’ to pieces on you.”
“Why are you crying? What’s got you so upset?”
He gave a little chuckle. “These ain’t tears of sorrow. These here are tears of joy.” Now he did look at her through those watery eyes. “I remember. I remember my little ones.”
“Your little ones?”
“James and Sali. Little Cassie.” He laughed, and more tears spilled down his cheeks. “I remember their names, the sound of their voices. I remember their faces. You gave them back to me, Ursie. I don’t know how, but… something happened when you touched me. It’s like rediscoverin’ myself. Rediscoverin’ who I am. The real me.”
Ursie was assaulted by a strange emotion, something she wasn’t sure she had ever felt before – pride in herself. At the same time she felt incredibly humbled, and flattered. She felt her cheeks flush, and tears welling in her own eyes.
She thought of the empty photo frames back in Tobias’ apartment, how he’d thrown out the pictures because he had no longer recognised the people therein.
“Your kids, huh?”
“Uh-huh. You’d have liked ’em, I know it. Cassie weren’t much older than you last time I saw her. Had hair half-way down her back, like spun gold, it was. James was a rascal as a kid, always gettin’ into trouble.” He laughed again. “Let a herd of pigs outta their pen over at the markets one Saturday mornin’, caused a stampede down Vulture Street. Grew up to be a good man, though. Smart, responsible. Independent. A good leader, I reckon. And Sali… well, she was her mother through and through. Kind, thoughtful. Fussy and neat, mind you. Particular. You wouldn’t want to mess up her things.” He shook his head. “Always reminded me so much of Gwen that it made my heart ache.”
“What happened to them? Where are they now?”
“They grew up, went on ahead. Out into the stars. I managed to save up enough creds, and more importantly favours, workin’ on the maintenance crew. I got them a ride up the elevator, and they went on to a better life.”
“Why didn’t you go with them?”
“Didn’t have the creds back then, and it weren’t long after that my mind began to slip. I lost track of time, of who I was. I lost track of them, too.” His smile slipped for the first time. “I sure hope they forgive me, wherever they are.”
“I’m so glad you could remember after all these years.”
“Weren’t me at all, Ursalina Ballerina.” He looked at her with what seemed like immeasurable love, making her blush again. “It was you.”
“No, I–”
“Listen,” he said, sitting up straight. “Our time is drawin’ short now, no? I want you to remember this.”
“What do you mean our time is running short? We’re leaving here together.”
He smiled sadly. “No. Out there?” He glanced at the window. “That’s not where I’m headed. In all the excitement I…” He patted his chest. “This old ticker is winding down, see? I can feel it in my bones. It won’t do me no good to catch a ride somewhere else, just to die when I get there. All things being equal, I’d rather die right here.”
“But you can’t!” Ursie pleaded. “What about your kids? You can still find them out there! They’re waiting for you.”
“Just listen to what I have to say,” Tobias said urgently. “You’re different to everyone else, Ursie, but that don’t make you no monster. It don’t make you no demon. When you leave here, when you go on to the next place, there’ll be people who’ll try to bring you down. They’ll try to make you think less of yourself, but you shouldn’t.” He tapped his chest. “You performed a miracle here today, see? You gave me back the ones I loved when I thought they’d been lost forever. You have the power to heal within you, to do things maybe no man, woman or child has ever done before. You’re my angel. You understand?”
Tears were flowing freely down Ursie’s cheeks now, and she reached over and wrapped her arms around Tobias’ neck. He hugged her in return, and there they stayed for minutes on end, sharing tears of joy that washed away years of sorrow for them both.
When they eventually parted, Tobias gave her a final pat before climbing to his feet and returning to the console. Ursie joined him, and after he composed himself for a few seconds, he began to manipulate the controls.
“Your friends will be here soon,” he said. “Real soon. And that cruiser you’ve been waiting for is inbound,” Tobias said. “Hit the outer marker ’bout an hour ago. Pinger is activated and guiding them in right now. Looks like you’ve got all your ducks lined up, no?”
“Yeah,” she said. “I guess I do.”
“Come on. We’d better get a welcomin’ party together.”
The railcar docked, and the console in front of Knile lit up with all parameters green. Impossible as it had seemed a few hours ago, they’d made it in one piece. They’d done it.
“That’s the end of the ride, folks,” he said through his comms. “Welcome to the top end of Sunspire.”
They disembarked, stepping out into the arrivals and departures area to find Ursie and Tobias there waiting for them. The two of them stood awkwardly, as if not knowing quite what to do or what to say. Knile drew Roman and Talia to his side, then guided them forward.
“Introductions,” he said with a smile. “Ursie and Tobias, meet Talia and Roman.”
“Pleasure,” Tobias said, bobbing his head. Ursie gave a little wave, remaining rooted to the spot.
>
“How’s it going?” Roman said.
“Hi,” Talia said. “Nice to finally meet you.”
“Yeah,” Ursie said. “Sorry for all the trouble I caused.”
“Trouble?” Talia said. “From what Knile’s told me, we wouldn’t be here without your help.”
“I guess it all worked out in the end,” Ursie said, “but things could have been easier.”
“There’s no fun in ‘easy’,” Knile said with a wink.
“A most curious sentiment,” Lazarus mused nearby. “I would think that the ease with which a task is accomplished is–”
“What the hell happened to you, Redman?” Ursie broke in. “Why are you covered in dirt?”
“Because in order to kill a swine, one must sometimes cast oneself into the mud.”
Tobias waggled a finger at the Redman. “Uh-huh. My grandpappy used to say the same. I’m with you on that one.”
Ursie arched an eyebrow, confounded. “Sorry I asked.”
Tobias glanced over his shoulder. “Well, guess I should mention that the cruiser you folks are waiting for is about to hit the dock. You should be able to see it from the observation lounge.”
Knile raised his hand. “Lead the way!”
They followed Tobias to the viewing area, where a large window looked out upon a starry vista, in the midst of which came the slow-moving form of a spacecraft. It was unlike anything Knile had seen before – bulky and rounded, with a fat midsection and an array of thin protuberances splayed out on its rear, almost like tendrils trailing in its wake. A series of flashing red lights winked in the section closest to the habitat, becoming faster and faster the nearer it got. Eventually it slowed to a crawl, then stopped completely as it pressed neatly against the dock.
There was no noise, no vibration around them to indicate the two craft had been joined, but Tobias gave a triumphant little clap of his hands.
“Perfect,” he announced. “Like slippin’ on your favourite pair of jeans.”
“Is that it?” Knile said. “Are they docked?”
“You betcha. C’mon, let’s go see.”
He led them on to an adjoining corridor, and then the habitat opened out into a wider space that was shaped like an elongated oval, surrounded by a series of circular doors set into the walls. As they watched, one of the doors lit up and began to rotate counter-clockwise.
Knile took a shaky breath and held Roman and Talia tight.
Although he didn’t like to admit it, everything they had worked for still came down to this moment. They weren’t in the clear just yet. Should something go wrong with the airlock, or the captain decide to turn around and leave, all of their efforts would amount to nothing.
The centre of the doorway drew apart, and through it stepped a dark-skinned man dressed in a navy blue uniform that was slightly crumpled and unbuttoned at the collar. Beneath he wore a white tunic that was messily tucked into his dress pants. He took a few steps forward, then stopped to look over those who had assembled.
“Amazing,” he said after a moment. “This place is still holding together. And what a motley crew have gathered here.” He stared at them for a few seconds more, then a broad smile split his face. “Seems perfect to me.”
“Captain Ngozi,” Talia said, stepping forward. “Thank you for coming.”
Ngozi gave her an appraising look, then recognition seemed to dawn on him. “Ah, yes. I remember you from the call with Silvestri.”
“Yes, my name is Talia.”
Ngozi glanced about the room. “And where is Silvestri?”
Talia shook her head sadly. “He uh… he didn’t make it. There were Redmen, and…”
“When did this happen?” Ngozi said.
“A day ago. We took shelter in some ruins in the lowlands. He was killed by men who had infiltrated our group.”
Ngozi hung his head, his disappointment evident. “I told him, one day his luck would run out. But he knew that. He was a soldier.” He looked up at her. “Did he die an honourable death?”
“He was protecting Roman and I,” she said, placing a hand on the boy’s shoulder.
“Then we shall drink to his memory, won’t we? Let Saturn’s Tears drown our sorrows.”
“Yes,” Talia said thickly. “Let’s do that.”
With an effort, Ngozi shook off his melancholy and gathered himself again. “Well, then. I’ll ask you to ready your belongings and get on board as soon as possible. We don’t have much time, not with the increased patrols in the wake of that mess over at the Reach.” He was about to turn away, then seemed to think of something. “You’ve all heard about that, yes?”
Knile suppressed a guffaw. “Yeah. We heard about that.”
“Captain Ngozi?” Ursie said.
Ngozi turned to face her. “What is it?”
Ursie gestured to where a round window offered a view out into space. “What’s out there? What’s waiting for us?”
Ngozi paused as he thought of a suitable answer. Then he smiled and stepped aside, revealing the entryway to the cruiser.
“Why don’t you let me show you?”
Knile glanced at Lazarus beside him, who wore a faint smile on his face. “The red skies of home,” Lazarus said distantly.
“You’re going back to the Citadel,” Knile said, realising what he meant. Lazarus made no response. “What will you do there?”
“I will find justice. And perhaps…” The smile faded. “Perhaps one day, I will again be one with the light.”
Knile gave him a clap on the shoulder, then wasted no time in moving forward, taking Talia and Roman by the hand. He was nervous, excited, and perhaps a little afraid. Like Ursie, he didn’t know exactly what was waiting for them beyond this portal. Perhaps, more than anything, there was the promise of freedom and a better life, the chance to start over again, to find a home where the future was not clouded by the threat of toxins and pollution. Somewhere corruption and greed had not taken root, where people found no cause to kill each other over scraps of food. Where the end of the world did not loom over the horizon each and every day.
A place where, finally, they could find peace.
“Who’s going first?” Roman said as they reached the portal.
Knile smiled at them both, then put his arms around their shoulders. “Let’s do it together.”
EPILOGUE
Tobias led Ursie toward the cruiser portal. The poor kid was shaking like a leaf, still begging him not to stay behind, so he grabbed her by the shoulders and turned her toward him.
“This is the right thing for me, kiddo,” he assured her. “What’s right for you is to hop on that there cruiser and find a fresh start. For an old geezer like me, it’s the end of the road. I’ve had my time.”
“It doesn’t have to be that way,” she said miserably. “You can come with me.”
“Aw, kid. One day soon you’ll blossom into a fine woman. I know it. But, wish as I might, I won’t be around to see it.” He took the marble elephant from his pocket and placed it in her hand. “Take this little fella with you. When you look upon it, I’ll be there with you. I promise you that.”
She’d protested further, but he would hear none of it. Eventually she’d acceded, offering a final, sobbing embrace, then she moved past Ngozi and took her place on the cruiser.
“And where to for you, old man?” Captain Ngozi had asked, having witnessed the exchange.
“I’m gonna do something I always wanted,” he said. “I’m gonna go home again.”
A few minutes later, he watched from the observation deck as the cruiser disengaged from the habitat and began to slowly draw away. A smile came to his lips as he imagined Ursie staring back at him, and he felt a surge of relief knowing that she now had a future ahead of her. In truth, he couldn’t be entirely sure if he was already dead and dreaming of the afterlife, or if this was still reality. After the encounter with Ursie’s mind, everything had seemed surreal, like he had awakened from a decades-long coma.
; He supposed it didn’t matter if this was real or not. Either way, it was one heck of a way to end things. Perfect. He couldn’t have asked for more.
The cruiser disappeared against the starfield, and then he made his way back to transit control. The pain in his chest was getting worse.
Just a little longer, you old bastard, he told himself. You’ll make it.
He keyed in the parameters for the downward trip, then hustled on over to the railcar dock. Inside the railcar, he strapped himself in and waited for the automated launch.
His arms were aching, and there was a heck of a throb in the left side of his jaw.
No biggie. Enjoy the ride. The old girl is waiting at the end.
He did not allow himself to sleep on the downward trip. He wasn’t sure if he would wake up again. Instead he watched Earth grow steadily larger in the window, and as he fell into the atmosphere, the pain seemed to ebb away, like the world below had offered a soothing touch to ease his discomfort.
Hours later, the railcar touched down, and he freed himself from the confines of his compartment.
He was weak, could hardly walk. But he’d be damned if he was going to stop here.
He half-walked, half-stumbled down the ramp. Around him, the morning air was crisp, and it felt wonderful when drawn into his lungs. If there was pollution here, he couldn’t sense it. No, sir. He smiled, gasped as his emotions threatened to run away with him.
He was here. He’d made it back.
He was home.
At the end of the ramp he sank to his knees. He drew his hand across the wispy, straw-like grass of the mountaintop, reached down to clutch a fistful of soil. He lifted it, allowed it to spill through his fingers and swirl away on the breeze.
He raised his face to the murky sky, saw a patch of azure breaking through. A glimpse of the past, he thought, and perhaps of the future as well.
He lay down on the bare ground, ready for sleep at last, and as he closed his eyes he knew that, one day, this place would see beauty once more.
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Sunspire (The Reach, Book 4) Page 30