The Pinnacle

by Gary Moreau

  Li waited impatiently for Jon’s arrival. She couldn't really blame him. After all he was a librarian, not really a chief medical officer. As time passed, her mood changed again, if she could deal with it, then so could he. When the portal finally opened and he walked in, his shoulders were raised and his head bent. He reminded Li of a turtle.

  “Sorry I took so long. What can I do?” His voice was soft and his eyes avoided the motionless figure tied to the exam table. The strong stench of vomit and body odor was nausea provoking. Jon’s Adam’s apple bobbed as he gulped and gagged.

  Her anger faded again, to resignation. She led him into the passageway and fresh air.

  “Jon, I can’t handle this alone.”

  “I know.” He laughed at himself in self-deprecation. “I’m sorry”

  “Don’t be sorry, just do your part. I told you what Slater said after he found out I’d let Casey loose on a sleeping ship. I really think Slater could’ve killed me, to say nothing of Casey.”

  Jon eased away from her.

  She shook her head. She hadn’t even told him that Slater had struck her with his fist and knocked her to the deck. How is it possible that only the weak, power hungry and insane had survived?

  “Jon, listen to me. Neither of us had our primary training in medicine. It was secondary. We were trained as paramedics. We know how to do that, but that’s not what Salter is demanding of us. He’s demanding that we be something that we’re not.”

  “I can’t be Chief Medical Officer. I can’t.”

  “I know that, Jon. That’s what I just said.”

  “But, he’s going to hurt me.”

  “Then help me, damn it! Do your part and maybe Conklin will resume his duties and we can get the hell out of this mess. God damn it, Jon! Do you have to be such a wuss?”

  “Why do you talk to me that way?” He began twisting one of his hands with the other.

  “All right, Jon. I apologize. I’m exhausted. I gave Conklin a strong sedative. Can you at least sit with him until he awakens? I need to rest. When he awakens, all you have to do is call Veck and then call me. You can do that, can’t you?”

  He nodded.

  Li brushed past him but Jon followed and reached out to catch her by her shoulders.

  She shrugged away from his touch and turned to face him. “What now?”

  “Can we talk for a few minutes?”

  “I need sleep. What don’t you understand?”

  “I’m only asking for a minute, please.”

  “All right, Jon, what is it?”

  He looked down at the deck and shifted his weight from foot to the other.

  “I don’t have time for this bullshit.” She started to turn away.

  “Wait…please. I feel…Li, this isn’t the way it was supposed to be. We were supposed to be on a glorious mission for all mankind.”

  “All that remains of it anyway.”

  “Don’t be that way. You know what I mean. And now, the library is gone. All the video and audio and the writings.” He looked down at the deck. “We’ve lost our culture, the richness that makes us human. What am I supposed to do? I’m useless.”

  Li was tempted to agree but his face was constricted with grief. She reached out and grasped his hand; he responded with an almost spastic clenching.

  “Jon, you’re hurting my hand.”

  “Oh, I’m sorry.” He released his hold. “I’m so sorry, Li.”

  “We’ve all lost a lot, not the least of which is the nearly one thousand colonists who died. At least we’re still alive.”

  “I want to go home.”

  Li sighed. “We have to come to terms with reality, as difficult as it is. You know we can’t go home, right?”

  He said nothing.

  “We’ll talk about this again, but I really need to get some sleep. Okay?”

  He nodded, but wouldn’t meet her eyes.

  She waited a moment more and then walked away.

  Chapter 8

  Li moaned and rolled over when she heard the persistent chime of her com-collar. “This is Li.” Her voice was thick with sleep.

  “He’s waking up!” Jon yelled.

  “Calm down.” She didn’t attempt to keep the irritation out of her voice. “He’s completely restrained, you know.”

  “But…but he’s waking up! What should I do?”

  Li rubbed her face.

  “Li, are you there? Can you hear me?”

  “Yes, Jon,” she said with resignation, “I can hear you. I’ll be right there.”

  “Hurry, please!”

  She cut the connection.

  Within ten minutes, Li approached from down the passage. Her feet felt heavy. She felt so sluggish.

  Jon walked toward her. “What took you so long?” he asked.

  “Long? I urinated, brushed my teeth and washed my face. Anything else you want to know?”

  “Li…” He leaned toward her and whispered. “There’s somebody with him.”

  She ignored him and walked on by to enter the room, but stopped as soon she entered. The giant was bending over Casey. When he straightened and turned, he didn’t speak to Li, or acknowledge her presence in any way. It was up to her to dodge out of his way as he passed through the portal and into the passage. Li turned her attention to Casey. He had a new com-collar around his neck and appeared fully awake, though still restrained, still dehumanized by his filth and involuntary nakedness.

  “Li, allow me a moment before snowing me again.” His speech was clear and his attitude reasonable beyond expectation.

  Li was quiet as she thought. Her hand was less painful than it had been at her last visit. She smiled, but it was with a sense of accomplishment, not joy.

  Casey answered with a lopsided smile of his own. “So, I presume, in view of these restraints and the visit by the Unsmiling Buddha….” He paused and then picked up from where he’d left off. “I gather I was out of control in some way.” Li’s silence confirmed his suspicion. “Why have none of my colleagues been by? I want to talk with Grace N’duforchu.” He raised his hand against a restraint. “I’m having technical difficulties using my com-collar. Contact her for me.”

  She shook her head.

  “Why not? This is ridiculous. You’ve medicated me with a psychotropic and I haven’t even been attended to by a physician. I’m not trying to denigrate you, but isn’t this a bit out of your scope of practice? What the hell is going on?”

  “It’s not for me to say.”

  He raised his voice. “Then who is going to tell me what’s going on?”

  Li backed away until she was near the portal.

  “Are you afraid of me? You aren’t afraid of me are you?”

  She nodded, causing waves of light to reflect from her black, silken hair.

  “You are?” His bloodshot eyes opened wide and he stared at her, waiting, but she didn’t elaborate so he continued. “I frankly admit, I’m not eager to find out why you’d be afraid of me, or what I’ve done that could have resulted in me being placed in hard restraints, but I need to know. My memory…there’s something wrong with my memory.” He shivered. “But I assure you, I’m not a violent person. You know that. I want you to release me so I can get cleaned up. Is that too much to ask? You have my word; I’ll be on my best behavior.”

  Li stood there without answering. She was amazed to find herself actually considering his request when she heard the soft “swish” of the portal. Expecting to see the seemingly ever-present giant, she was surprised to see a pleasant appearing man with an engaging smile, punctuated by dimples on both cheeks. He wore the same black suit that she had come to detest, but his carrot-red hair seemed to deny that he was one of them too.

  He extended his hand in a friendly greeting. “Hello, my name is Padraig Glancy.”

  Li responded automatically by placing her small hand in his. He ignored the bound figure on the table and focused his entire attention on her.

  “Commander Slater has instructed me
to assist you,” he said.

  The mere mention of Slater’s name made Li feel that the warmth of the stranger’s hand was just another trap. She extricated her hand from his.

  Glancy chuckled. “Slater is rather a wanker isn’t he?”

  She lowered her hand but didn’t step away.

  Glancy continued. “For the present, it seems to me, the most sensible approach is to maintain a low profile, but don’t feel alone in your concerns. I too have grave doubts about his ambitions.”

  The words were reassuring. They were the ones she wanted to hear, yet, they came too easily. His bright blue eyes sparkled and seemed full of good humor. Li felt neutralized, suspicious of such immoderate charm, but reluctant to reject outright the first potential ally she’d met.

  She smiled. “Pleased to meet you, Padraig.”

  “His real name is Gingersnap.”

  She had forgotten all about Casey and jerked when he spoke

  “Sorry, don’t know where that came from,” Casey added. “But seriously, don’t be too pleased. He’s one of the blank people, added to the list of colonists at the last minute. He has no personnel file. You don’t remember seeing him around the training facility at Copper Mountain, do you?”

  She frowned at Casey, irritated by his unasked for advice, which ran contrary to her wishes. When she turned to face Padraig again, she caught a flash of coldness, but then his smile returned, bigger than ever.

  “It’s true,” Padrig said. “I was added at the last, but that’s no reason for you to take it as an indictment. You’ll have plenty of time to form your own opinion. For now, all I have to offer is my assistance. You don’t resent that do you?”

  “No,” she answered, “not at all. Would you release Casey so he can attend to his personal needs? We don’t have much time before planet-fall.”

  “But of course.” He withdrew an electronic key from his waist pouch and used it to remove Casey’s restraints. He walked around the table with confidence, in control.

  His manner allowed Li to relax. Finally, she thought, someone to share this burdensome responsibility with. Jon, for all his good intentions, had proven himself to be a worthless partner.

  Casey kept his eyes on Glancy as he circled the table, meeting his smile with a bland look.

  “Come on, ol’ boy.” Glancy reached out to assist Casey, but Casey ignored the offer and struggled to a sitting position on his own.

  “My, aren’t we contrary today,” Glancy said, treating the rejection as of no consequence.

  Li shifted her weight as Casey stared at her. It seemed like he was trying to communicate something, but it only made her uneasy.

  Casey looked down at the blue, transdermal patch on his chest, but he didn’t attempt to remove it. He was forced to lean on Glancy while he was led to the cleansing cabinet in the personal room. Glancy allowed no privacy and stood watch over him. When they emerged from the personal room Casey looked less frightening to Li. As if in recognition, he answered her look with a smile, bringing out unnoticed laugh lines at the corners of his eyes, but his smile retained a sardonic quality.

  Glancy tossed him a new, white uniform, but Casey’s reflexes were still slow from the sedative and it struck him on the chest, falling in a heap on the deck. Casey spent a sober moment staring at Glancy, but his obvious dislike rolled off the man like water being shed by any well-oiled bird.

  Glancy smiled benignly. “Here, let me get that for you,” he said, but remained where he was, with a twinkle of self-appreciation in his eyes.

  Casey took hold of the edge of the table and with painful slowness retrieved the uniform. While he struggled into it, he kept his eyes on Glancy.

  “Thank you, Padrig,” Li said.

  Glancy turned toward her. “I’m glad I could help. I think you’ve been carrying more than your fair share.”

  Casey took advantage of the opportunity and entered Grace N’duforchu’s code into his com-collar.

  “You do not have authorization. Get off the circuit,” the voice said.

  “Prissy? I mean Jane Veck? Is that you Jane?” Casey asked in surprise. “What are you–” The connection went dead.

  “Ah, Ah, Ah,” Glancy said and wagged his finger. “Now don’t be naughty. Come on. Someone wants to see you.”

  “Who?”

  “You’ll find out in a few minutes.”

  “Why am I not authorized to use my com-collar? I never heard of such a thing.”

  “So many questions. Let’s see if we can get you some answers.”

  Glancy took hold of Casey’s upper arm and walked him past Li.

  Li kept her gaze directed at the deck and felt some guilt at allowing her patient to be led out of the room by a stranger, but Padrig was well-mannered. Casey would be okay. It was the first time since his care had been entrusted to her that she could look to her own needs and it felt good.

  It was less than twenty-four hours until planet-fall, a new planet, a whole world to explore, filled with its own wonders and mysteries. It was an exhilarating prospect. Her skin tingled with undefined expectations as she walked the passage to find a quiet place and wonderful sleep.

  Chapter 9

  Casey permitted the man to hold onto his arm without comment, and was taken to the up-tube. The stranger’s grip was not uncomfortable, but he suspected, like a Chinese finger trap, it would only tighten if he resisted. He entered the mouth of the tube freely and a moment later bobbed out of the shaft and onto Deck One.

  Immediately, two men grabbed his arms. He looked to his right and saw an unpleasant smile and above the smile the flinty eyes of another blank. Casey recognized him, Jack Sabine, but a more appropriate name also came to mind, the Shrew. On his left was Sten Olson, hair clipped short, efficiently completing a task. It was Mister Attention. They squeezed his arms much harder than was necessary and propelled him toward the control chair in front of the empty screens. The chair slowly swiveled, revealing its occupant. Casey wasn’t surprised. It was Geoffrey Slater, also known as Butt-face, at least to Casey.

  “Hello, Geoff.” Casey smiled. “Long time, no see,” he added flippantly.

  Slater’s lips thinned to a threatening snarl. “I can see you have some lessons to learn, the first of which is, I’m in charge here. What I say goes. From now on you will address me as Commander Slater.”

  “Okay, Geoff,” Casey replied, and at the same time shook his head. “Whatever you"

  Sabine punched him in his flank and he dropped to his knees. Slater waited patiently until Casey was able to breathe again.

  “Casey, you’re a psychotic killer. It is only by my mercy that you’re still alive.”

  Casey ignored Slater’s ridiculous assertion. He pressed his hand against the pain in his side, but didn’t attempt to rise off his knees. “Commander Slater. Has a catchy ring to it, doesn’t it? On Earth, you were a self-serving prick” Sabine was about to kick Casey, but Slater restrained him by raising his hand. “and now you’re a flaming sociopath. Commander Slater, that isn’t really how you think of yourself, is it? In your twisted mind, you’re god Slater, lord and master of the universe. You were Mitchell Mason’s pet and he twisted you…but then, you didn’t really require much twisting, did you?”

  Slater’s voice was ominously calm. “Are you finished?” He waited a moment and when Casey didn’t reply, he continued. “I’m not going to defend myself to the likes of you. I’m going to ask you one question, and you better answer it, or I'll teach you what disobedience means. What were you doing when nearly two-thirds of the colonists died in stasis?”

  Casey was stunned. He sensed Slater was telling the truth. The loss was staggering. All those beautiful youths he had tended to so diligently, spent his life watching over, dead. His eyes began to shimmer with tears.

  “Dead? How did they die? How is that possible?” Casey asked.

  “That’s what I want to know. You were supposed to be their guardian. What kind of a fucked-up, incompetent guardian would
allow a thousand colonists to die?”

  Casey was speechless with grief.

  “Nothing to say?”

  “What about the other guardians?” Casey managed to ask.

  “You tell me.”

  “I don’t understand. Mendoza and Bezdicek were with me and then there were the three who took over for us.”

  “There are no other guardians, Casey. You’re it, the one and only.”

  Casey shook his head. “No, that’s not possible.”

  “They’re all dead. Actually they’re missing, which is as good as dead. Unless, of course, you think they’re hiding in a closet somewhere on the ship, waiting to pop and say, ‘surprise’.”

  “Dead?” Casey whispered.

  “Don’t play dumb with me. Did you kill them, too?”

  “Wait…what? No…no, please…it can’t be.”

  “Is that your answer?”

  Casey closed his eyes. All those beautiful youths. All his colleagues, his friends. Dead. The pain escaped his mouth as a whimper.

  Slater smiled and snapped his fingers at Olson. Before Casey could react, Olson kicked him in the ribs, knocking him to the deck. Sabine snorted with pleasure and cocked his foot to kick Casey in the back, but Slater again raised his hand. Sabine shrugged and stepped back. Casey lay on the deck moaning.

  Slater spoke again. “You will answer any question I ask, promptly and fully. There will be no more of this sophomoric bravado, will there?”

  Casey rolled onto his side, struggling to breathe.

  “You probably need a few minutes to regain your composure. When I ask questions, you will answer them, or I won’t be so gentle. Think about it, Casey.” Slater swiveled the chair and called across the bridge to communication specialist Veck, who stood just outside the portal to his suite. “Jane, contact that good for nothing Jon Brent and tell him he has some work to do.” He nodded toward Casey. “Tell him to come patch up this defective creature, if you think that dimwit can find Deck One without a guide.”

  Sabine laughed.

  Slater arose crisply to his feet and, without another glance at Casey’s sprawled form, walked across the bridge and entered his suite, followed by Veck. As soon as the portal shut, Sabine kicked Casey repeatedly in the back and ribs, and then purposefully walked around and kicked him square in the face, breaking Casey’s nose. A puddle of bright red blood began spreading across the gray of the deck beneath Casey’s face.