by Jake Macklem
“Let's stay low and move quickly. Hopefully, we can find a place to shelter before the sky turns white,” he whispered.
Pulling the surveyor, he checked their location and calculated their route before they hurried to the next patch of purple buds thirty meters away. Dropping to the ground, Cam quickly accounted for the five Tree-knockers, each occupied with a Not-buffalo. He looked at Ace to ask if she was ready. Of course she’s ready. Am I ready? Waiting a couple of moments, he motioned to her and they dashed to the next patch of purple buds.
Halfway across, a barking sound cut through the air. Glancing over, Cam saw one of the Tree-knockers barking. It’s signaling. The other nearby lizards looking at the duo. Cam slowed to a trot. The Tree-knockers ignored them and continued dragging the Not-buffalo. The one barking swayed in place for a few moments then gave another series of barks. The staccato sounds carried over the field, the echoes continuing to ring after the creature paused.
Cam locked eyes with the beast as he and Ace walked toward the patch.
“You two gonna start dancing? Why are we not running?” she asked.
“They saw us. Most predators chase things that run. If we just mind ourselves, they’ll leave us alone. They already have their dinners.” Cam felt confident.
“So why’s the one barking?” Ace asked absently.
“It’s a signal bark. Letting any other… Tree-knockers… know prey is nearby. But the others already have kills so…” Cam felt a tightening in his chest.
“So, who is it signaling then?” Ace finished.
Cam looked ahead at the purple bud patch; about sixty meters beyond it, two Tree-knockers loped toward them. “I’ll wager it was telling them.” He pointed.
Ace leaned around Cam. Her eyes widened for a moment then they hardened and her jaw set. She lifted her trusty spike. “They have soft underbellies. I’ll take the one on the right!” Before Cam could stop her, she charged. “Aaahhhh!” Fast as she was, Cam knew he would never keep up and that if he tried, she would have to deal with the beasts alone.
Absolutely insane. Dropping to a knee, he wrapped the strap of his rifle around his forearm and rested his cheek on the stock of the gun. Through the scope, he watched Ace bound—without fear—toward the monsters. Adjusting his barrel, he quickly estimated the distance. He felt sweat beads run down his face and neck. No breeze. With his trigger hand, he reached to the scope and turned the dial down. Replacing the pad of his fingertip on the point of the trigger, he inhaled and lined up his shot. Exhaling, he squeezed the trigger.
The crack rang out across the plateau and the bullet passed within inches of Ace, her hair dragged by the breeze as it flew by. Slicing through the air, the bullet crossed the distance to the beast in less than a moment, striking the orbital socket and entering the Tree-knocker’s brain through its eye. The creature slammed into the ground and skidded to a stop, blood and breath draining into the grass. The other Tree-knocker stopped and turned back toward its fallen companion. Ace stared at Cam in wide-eyed amazement.
The Tree-knocker nudged the dead beast with its giant clawed hand. Using its muzzle, it nudged the dead beast again then snapped its jaws on the creature's skull and started dragging its dead companion away.
Cam stood and started walking. As he passed by Ace he said, “I told you there was no reason to hurry.”
Ace smiled and moved to catch up with him.
Cam watched the unrelenting waves of heat roll off the plateau, turning the horizon into a purplish-white blur. The white sky seemed to come much earlier today. The patches of purple vegetation had become fewer and fewer; they had not seen any for hours now. We just need to get out of the sun. Glancing at Ace, he saw her skin had turned red. She’s being burned up. Taking off his hat he carefully sat it on her head.
She looked up, distant and confused, until her eyes focused on Cam. She smiled. “But you’re the cowboy.”
“You’re burning. You are the palest person I have ever seen.” Cam walked next to her. We have to stay coherent. “Your parents as light-skinned as you?”
“I don’t know about my parents, but I’ve always been the lightest skinned person around.” She shrugged. “Not that anyone has ever made me feel bad about it—not like dark-skinned people used to be treated. But I have always kind of stuck out.”
“Big hit with the boys?” Cam grinned.
“Hit with the big boys,” she smirked. They continued in silence, the baked ground cracking with each step. “How did you meet Mrs. Shaw?”
Cam beamed. “Well, on leave outside New Detroit, in a bar called Fleetwood. One group of flyboys started talking to a girl and another group of—what’d you call me? Meathead?—another group of meatheads decided they wanted to talk to the girl. They started having words and things started getting heated, fists were about to be thrown.” Cam licked his lips and continued, “So, I walked up to the young lady and I said to her, I said… ‘Excuse me miss, but to avoid any unnecessary bloodshed this evening, would you please tell this rather rambunctious bunch of Sol’s finest whose company you would prefer this evening?’ I thought the answer was obvious, but she blushed and giggled and left with the flyboys. The meatheads gave me some choice words, but I did outrank them, so after calling me sir, they left too.”
“The girl wasn’t Mrs. Shaw?”
Just like my boys. He shook his head. “I am telling a story. Do you want to hear it or not?”
“I do,” Ace answered.
“Then stop interrupting. Now, where was I? Oh yeah. So, I sat at the bar trying my best to drown the embarrassment. My pride was bruised, but I was none the worse for wear. When a foamy beer and a bacon cheeseburger appeared, I looked up at the bartender and my heart stopped. I couldn’t breathe. She was the most beautiful woman I had ever seen. Her dark skin glowed, her kinky hair up, her caramel eyes, all of it was intoxicating, but it was her smile that did me in.” He gazed into the distance, eyes seeing someone who was not there. “More amazing than any sunset or sunrise I’d ever seen, and still to this day.
“She said to me, ‘I appreciate you stopping that before it started. On the house, for being a good soldier.’” Cam blinked, and turned his attention back to Ace. “That is how I met Gwen. I went back to that bar every chance I could. We were married a year later.” Cam rubbed the band on his finger.
“That’s a sweet story.”
“Yeah, one of my favorites.” Together they walked in silence.
Cam fluttered his eyes open and reached to the wet spot on his face. He rubbed his fingers together, examining the liquid. Water. Cam sat up. He did not remember falling asleep. We just sat down to rest for a minute.
Surveying the area, he found Ace shivering on the ground. Reaching toward her, he felt the heat radiating from her body. Heatstroke. Instinctively he reached for his backpack, but it was gone. The medkit, my canteen, my recorder, my purifier, my platinum... Cam shook the frustration away. We have to cool her down. He stood, it was darker than normal. He realized the cloud cover was thick and blotted out the green gas giant.
He pulled his surveyor out and took a reading. They were closer than he expected. Just five miles. The pickup countdown read “8:38:15.” Another wet spot, and another. Rain. “Hey Red, time to move.”
Ace sat up. Staring at nothing, she did not move. More drops of rain started to fall.
“Hopefully, the rain will help you feel better. We’re close to the pickup so let’s get moving. It’s not like we’re gonna sleep while we’re getting rained on, right?”
Ace shrugged.
“C’mon Red. Fall out.” Cam picked up his rifle, checked his direction again, and stowed his surveyor. “I said on your feet, soldier!” He took her by the hand and pulled. Ace managed to get to her feet. She looked wobbly. She’s been here so much longer than me. It's all taking its toll on her faster. She’s already done this once. “You ready, Red?”
“I’m always ready.” She took a few faltering steps. “Lead the way, Cowboy.”
/> Cam started walking. A thunderclap rumbled across the sky as lightning flashed. The rain started falling harder.
They walked for over an hour, slowed by the rough ground. The morning light pushed through the heavy clouds, but sheets of rain continued spreading over the plateau. In the rising sun, Cam saw a strange site through the pouring rain—a rock rising sixty meters over the plateau. It was a couple of miles off, but he pulled out his GSS and guessed its location according to where he was, marking it as a place of interest. Just in case there are metals there. They continued.
The rain gave them much-needed break in the heat. With hydration and fresh energy their excitement built as they got closer to the pickup and with renewed vigor, they quickened their pace. Covering the last of the distance.
Slowly, Cam became aware of the faint sound of rushing water. The roaring sound grew louder and louder as they approached the drop zone. After a few more minutes, Cam understood why.
The edge of the plateau was less than ninety meters away; the floodwaters poured off the edge into a vast sea, so immense that it stretched as far as they could see.
He wanted to talk to Ace while they waited, but he could think only of his family. Gwen and the boys were on the other side of this extraction. They sat in silent expectation, uncomfortable in the mud and the rain. When the alarm beeped on his surveyor, he started searching the sky, eyes peeled for their ride.
And then he spotted it.
The pod fell through the clouds, toward the iron moon. The triple chutes opened and it started to slow.
As they both stared, lightning struck the pod. Cam’s heart dropped into his stomach. Two of the chutes caught fire, burning away and disappearing into the clouds. With one chute left, the pod began to spin. Out of control, it ripped through the air and plunged into the water below. With his eyes locked on the splash, Cam watched his hopes sink beneath the waves.
22: Ace
Ace dropped to her knees as the rain fell in sheets across the sea. She had let herself feel hope; now she dealt with the loss. Cam sat down next to her, his face pale with worry and fear. They sat that way, unmoving and silent, for a long time.
“Will they drop another pod?” Ace finally asked.
He sighed. “They’ll go pick up the landing pod, which I’m guessing has been washed away.” He swallowed against the lump in his throat. “So, no. No retrieval.” Cam adjusted his hat. “They’ll spin back around, try to grab the one that just dropped. No retrieval. After two non-retrievals they’ll assume I’m dead and move on.”
Ace sniffled and wiped her nose. “Just like that?”
“Yep. Just like that.” Cam’s voice was somber. “Probably won’t pay my death benefits, either.”
“Is there anything to do?” Ace asked. We didn’t make it this far just to die, did we?
Cam nodded. “We survive until we figure out how to get off this marble.” He sounded determined.
Ace gave a half-smile and sighed. “I was really looking forward to leaving.”
“I know, Red.”
“I’m sorry.” It’s my fault.
“What do you have to be sorry for?” Cam asked, confused.
“If you wouldn’t have come looking for me, or nursed me back to health you would…”
Cam motioned to the sky. “…still have just watched that pod get hit by lightning?” He looked Ace in the eye. “This isn’t your fault. This storm, the flooding, and the giant monsters trying to kill me would have still been here,” he asserted. “And as dangerous as this moon is, I doubt I would have made it here without you. So… you can just get over all that nonsense right now.” He stood up.
“Where are we going?” Ace asked. Her neck craned to look up at him, her eyes squinted to block the rain.
“There was a rock cropping a couple of miles that way,” he said as he pointed back the way they came. “I figure we can probably find cover there. Unless something there wants to eat us.”
“If there is, we’ll just eat it first. I’m hungry.” Ace extended her arm; Cam took it and pulled her to her feet. Together they walked back the way they had come. She followed as Cam led them to the strange rock structure he had seen.
The walk was slow and more mentally draining than physically. The muddy ground slurped at their feet, and Ace knew with each step they moved further away from their chance to escape. By now it’s probably miles from where it landed in the water. It would have at least been nice to get some supplies.
She checked the metal spike tucked in the cable tied around her waist; the only things she had other than her boots and the Tree-knocker clothes she wore. She studied Cam, making note of his gear. He carried his rifle in the nook of his arm, his polymer armor, a knife, and his hat. Ace shook her head. We are so shanked.
The heavy clouds spread as far as she could see. No break in sight. They continued to the rocks. Two rock towers over thirty meters tall leaned against a third pillar that was half their height. Smaller rocks were clustered around them. He’s right. Plenty of places to find cover and shelter. Plenty of places for things to live. Probably a whole nest of Shonda’s. Or more Tree-knockers. Shank this moon!
Cam held up his fist and dropped to a knee. Ace crouched and moved up next to him. Using the scope of his rifle, he peered over the plateau. Following his gaze, she spotted movement, tiny against the stone backdrop. “What is it?”
“The Not-buffalo. I think it’s more than one herd.”
Ace looked around the area. “More Tree-knockers?”
“I don’t see any, but let's stay close together, alright?” Cam glanced over.
Nodding, she said, “Sounds good to me.”
Together they closed the distance to the rock cropping. An immense structure, it looked manufactured, but by something much bigger than humans. The rocks had no seams or lines; they were natural, but the way they leaned together, holding themselves up, it seemed unlikely it happened naturally. Upwards of a thousand Not-buffalo moseyed and grazed on the expansive field beyond the rock structure. There were some hemp-like trees in the middle of the herd, thicker and much bigger than the ones on the valley floor.
They took their time sweeping the area for signs of danger. Checking for man-eating plants, Tree-knockers, and Shondas. As the day wore on, they circled the entire structure, discovering no threats on the outside. At the edge of the hillock where they had first approached, they found a large broken stone blocking an opening. Centuries ago, a massive boulder had broken away from one of the towering stones, and the edges had worn smooth over time. Exploring along the sides of the two leaning monoliths revealed two more large openings, one on each side that led deeper into the strange structure.
Cam clicked on the flashlight secured to the barrel of his rifle, aiming the beam into the tunnel. “I’m guessing both of the entrances lead to the same place.”
“Think it’s a Shonda nest?” Ace asked. I hate spiders.
“It is a cave.” Cam started into the opening and Ace followed quickly behind. They traveled on an upward slant about five meters. The dryness in the cave seemed to wick the moisture from their skin and clothes. As the cave leveled out, Cam hugged the wall and shined the light in all directions as he walked. The misshapen tunnel was three meters across in the widest portions, sloping down as it continued on.
Ace tasted the stale air. “It smells funny in here.”
“Musty,” Cam whispered in agreement. “I don’t think anything has been through here in some time.”
“That would be nice.” Ace walked up next to him. “I’ll take point, you cover me?”
“Lead the way, Red.” Cam winked.
Pulling her metal spike, she advanced to the dip in the ground. The tunnel was on a steep grade, and the floor uneven, but using the wall for balance she continued deeper into the cave. Cam smoothly moved the light from left to right and back again, lighting her path as she went. She came to a corner and peeked around.
Beams of light streamed down from the ceiling, illumi
nating the open space. A warm feeling spread through her body as she saw the boxes and canisters neatly stacked. Tons of organized materials filled the colossal chamber. “Cowboy, I think I just lost my mind.”
Cam hurried forward and stepped around the corner, pointing his flashlight over the supplies. “Huh.”
“You see that?” Ace asked.
“Yep.” Cam concurred as she reached to his neck and pinched him. “What was that for?”
“Making sure you're not dreaming.” Ace walked deeper into the chamber, examining the crates and boxes.
“That’s not how that works.” Cam walked to the nearest pile and yanked off the tarp. “I got boxes here. They’re labeled in Sol. Tools. Tents. Purifier…” his voice trailed off as he continued to scan the labels. “These are colonizing supplies.”
“More here. Labeled in Gargin though. More there.” Ace saw it sitting on a crate, set up on its bi-fold legs. “A got a sniper rifle here!” She picked it up and pushed the lid off the crate. Boxes of ammo stacked in the bottom right corner. “And lots of ammo. Different types.” As Cam came to stand next to her, she was loading a second magazine.
Cam scanned the labels on the ammo boxes and picked one out. He opened it and grinned sheepishly at Ace. Ejecting the empty magazine from his rifle, he quickly began feeding rounds into it.
It was empty? Ace laughed more manically than she would have liked. “You didn’t have any bullets?”
“Used the last one on the chargin’ Tree-knocker,” Cam answered.
He’s crazy.
Fully armed, they swept the chamber, finding nothing other than the supplies. As they opened a box full of MREs and another with jugs of fresh water, Ace asked, “You think people came here to colonize? Maybe they were eaten. Or washed away.”
“No. I don’t think so.” Cam grabbed a random MRE and a jug and settled on some crates. “The company would have a record of that… even a failed attempt. This was a first-landing. Find out if it was worth spending the credits on the rock.”