The Pinnacle

by Gary Moreau

  Olson looked with disapproval at his partner; it had not been ordered. Sabine ignored the unvoiced criticism and swaggered non-nonchalantly down the passageway, smiling while he entertained himself by whistling a discordant tone.

  When Jon arrived, he found Casey lying face down on the deck, perfectly still, with Olson standing nearby. He approached Casey in a crouch, hesitant, as if he didn’t want to arrive and see confirmed what his mind imagined.

  “What happened?” Jon exclaimed with horror. He glanced up at Olson’s hard face and then back down at Casey.

  “Fix him,” Olson ordered.

  With an extended index finger, Jon gingerly nudged Casey on the shoulder, but Casey didn’t move. He slowly stood and began backing away.

  “No! No, I can’t! I need Li Quon.” He reached for his com-collar, but Olson stepped forward and grabbed his wrist, forcing it down without any sign of effort. Jon let his arm fall to his side.

  “Fix him,” Olson repeated.

  Jon just stood there and stared at an empty spot on the deck.

  “Do it!” Olson shouted.

  Jon flinched and watched Olson out of the corner of his eyes as he reluctantly stooped to examine Casey. He rolled Casey onto his back.

  Casey groaned and his eyes flickered open. He saw Jon’s face close above.

  “Teddy Bear,” Casey said. It was a one-word plea.

  “Casey, this is me, Jon Brent,” he whispered. “I don’t know what to do.”

  The glaze was beginning to clear from Casey’s eyes. “Get one of the other doctors. Get Ishak or Gupta.”

  “I can’t. Their capsules failed. They’re dead.”

  “Oh, please…no.” Casey closed his eyes as he tried to cope with the unending tragedy. “Talking hurts,” he finally said. “You know what to do.” A fit of painful coughing took his speech away.

  Jon held Casey’s hand, helpless, as he waited for the flare of pain to recede.

  Casey opened his eyes again. “Don’t worry. I’ll be all right.” He tried to smile but couldn’t. “Get a molecular synthesizer.”

  Jon looked at him without the least sign of comprehension.

  “Get Li, will you?” Casey gasped.

  Jon glanced up at Olson, but the big man shook his head.

  “I can’t,” Jon said in a small voice.

  “You can get it.” Casey had to pause for a moment. “It’s a small, gray cube with green crystalline corners” He paused to catch his breath. “in the lab. Please, go now, and bring back some gel.”

  Jon let go of Casey’s hand and laid it carefully on the deck. Then he looked up at Olson.

  “Get it,” Olson ordered, “but don’t talk with anyone on the way.”

  Jon stood and rushed to the down-tube, disappearing into its mouth. When he returned, he had the cube clutched in his hands and a tube of gel in his pouch. He knelt next to Casey, whose face was now so puffy, his eyes were only slits. Jon wasn’t even sure Casey was conscious, until he spoke.

  “Good, Jon.” Casey mumbled. “Put the synthesizer next to my hand.” Casey pressed in a code and then let his hand fall back to the deck. Shortly, a green disk slipped out of a slot in the top of the box. “Take the patch and apply it to my chest.”

  Jon hesitated when he saw the blue patch, but then stuck the new one next to it.

  After a few minutes, Casey’s breathing came easier. “Very good, Jon. Now apply the gel. I’ll tell you where.”

  It wasn’t long before Casey was able to sit, with his back propped against a bulkhead.

  As if on cue, Slater returned to stand in front of him. “You may go now, Jon,” he said, without looking at him.

  Jon backed away and dropped into the down-tube.

  Slater tilted his head as he studied Casey. “You look like shit, but don’t think that means you’ve paid your debt to the colony, not even close. But I am curious. Why did you kill Mitch Klaus? He was kind of a stupid oaf, but why kill him?”

  This time Casey remembered more. He remembered defending himself against a...dangerous fish and an evil giant, and then a struggle, followed by the terrible weight of a body crushing him. He remembered being smothered.

  Slater saw that his statement had its desired effect. “So, you do remember.”

  Casey didn’t deny it.

  Slater continued. “I’m an understanding man. Compassionate, really. If you were to help the colony, say by making a record of your knowledge as a physician and by providing me with answers, I believe I could arrange a modicum of amnesty, but I’ll need a commitment from you. That’s not too much to ask, is it?”

  “You have all the information you need in the memory banks.”

  “Afraid not. The memory banks have failed. They are completely empty.”

  “That’s impossible. There was a failsafe….” The words “fail-safe failed” echoed in his mind.

  “You were about to say?”

  Casey remained motionless. Something had happened. What was it?

  Slater continued. “Yes, there were many fail-safe mechanisms. It’s enough to make a person wonder. The medical database was erased.”

  “Erased?”

  “One can only assume it was erased. It can’t just disappear. The computers are fully functional otherwise. That technology wasn’t new, unlike the cryo-capsules. Chief Protonov has been investigating this anomaly and, although he can’t be certain, he did come up with one interesting tidbit. There are indications that around Midpoint the cryo-capsules were opened. I don’t remember awakening at Midpoint and neither does anyone else. Did you open the capsules, Casey? You had the codes.”

  “All I did was my duty.”

  “Did you do something to us? Did you do away with the colonists you didn’t like?”

  “That’s absurd! That’s––” Bad children came to mind. “Impossible.”

  “Is it? You sound a little confused. Did you cause the capsules failures and all the deaths?”

  “If I had you would have been at the top of the list.”

  Slater nodded. “Interesting. And who else was on this list?”

  “There was no list. I didn’t do anything except my duty.”

  “So you say. I wish I could believe you. The point is, as a result of the deaths and equipment failures, you are now a valuable man.”

  “What about the other physicians?" Casey whispered.

  “God damn it! Weren’t you listening? Must I repeat myself? There are no others. They’re all dead. Dead! Did you hear me that time?”

  “That can’t be. That’s impossible.”

  “You can’t possibly believe we’d be having this discussion if there was an alternative. Why do you think that feeble minded Brent was attending to you?”

  Casey was devastated. His friends were truly gone. “How can that be?” he mumbled.

  “How indeed? Who would benefit? Let’s see. We have no stored data. We have no physicians…that is except one. You. Who has suddenly become indispensable?”

  “Shut up, Slater. Not everyone is like you. Thank God.”

  “Do you need another lesson in manners? Have you forgotten already?”

  Casey lowered his gaze to the deck. “No.”

  “As long as we’re having this friendly little tête–à–tête, I do have another question. Why did you build a cryo-capsule in the land-shaper?”

  “It was part of…the game,” Casey concluded lamely.

  “Game? A thousand colonists were dying and you were playing some kind of game?”

  Casey had nothing to say.

  “I can barely stand to be around you. You disgust me beyond words. The next time we have a question and answer session, you better be a hell of a lot more forthcoming.”

  Casey continued to stare at the deck.

  “Well?”

  “I will,” Casey whispered.

  “And you’ll do whatever I tell you to do. Won’t you?”

  “Yes.”

  “Do I have your word? Or do you require mor
e convincing?”

  Casey nodded agreement, his shoulders sagging.

  Slater leaned forward and cupped his hand behind his ear. “I can’t hear you.”

  “I’ll do what you want.”

  “Your word of honor, for whatever that’s worth.”

  “Yes, my word.”

  “I’m so glad we’ve had the opportunity to have this little chat. I knew I could count on you. I’m the best person to guide us through this crisis. Don’t you agree?”

  Casey remained mute.

  “Don’t you agree?”

  Casey nodded again.

  “From time to time, I may ask you about a colonist, and there will come a time when I will insist that you tell me what you know about ship’s failure, but we can leave that alone for now. I can see you’re tired. In the meantime, Mister Yamaguchi will attend to your needs.” He smiled down at Casey and then walked over to drop into the down-tube, with Olson and Sabine following.

  Even though the giant remained, Casey was alone. There was no one left alive he could call his friend, not Jon, not anyone.

  Chapter 10

  The colonists were safely tucked away in their cryo-capsules for the descent from orbit. They didn’t feel the jolt as the Pinnacle separated from the massive star engine and accelerated toward the waiting planet. They didn’t feel the vibration or deceleration as the ship entered the atmosphere. Nor did they feel the final shock as the ship came to rest on the planet’s surface. By the time the cryo-capsules opened, the ship had cooled and all was quiet.

  Casey’s capsule opened and he regained consciousness. The slightest movement caused him pain, but he wasn’t about to remain in the capsule, a helpless invalid, while the others were out and about, not on this day. It had been theory and now it was fact; they had successfully traversed interstellar space and had arrived at a habitable planet.

  When he finally managed to place both feet on the deck, he had to pause, his forehead moist from the effort and pain. After a moment, the pain eased to a level that the analgesic patch could suppress. He opened his still puffy eyelids and looked about. By this time there were only a handful of colonists left in the passageway. All the others had scurried off to prepare for departure from the ship to the planet’s surface.

  Casey turned to gaze in the other direction and was surprised to see the hulk of Yamaguchi, staring stoically back at him, not offering help, not expressing joy or comradeship, merely watching.

  “How courteous of you to wait for me and to provide such invaluable assistance,” Casey said with a wry grin. “As long as we’re going to be bosom buddies, we may as well be on a first name basis. Don’t you agree?”

  There was no response.

  “Oh, I’m so sorry,” Casey continued. “I just remembered. You don't have a first name, or maybe you don’t have a last name. Kind of confusing, isn’t it? I guess you’re only half there. You can break in anytime you want.” Casey paused but Yamaguchi remained silent. “Let me think. You know, back at Copper Mountain there was a doctor from Kyoto who tried to teach me some Japanese. Yama Kuchi. I believe that means mountain entrance. Impressed?”

  Yamaguchi said nothing.

  “You look like a mountain. Is your mouth actually an entrance? Is that why no words come out of it?”

  He remained silent.

  Undaunted, Casey continued. “It’s been my experience that good buddies like you and me always have nicknames for one another. How about Unsmiling…?” The moment Casey said it, something deep inside felt like it twisted and was about to reveal a truth, but then it was gone. “To hell with it. Unsmiling Buddha it is.”

  “My name is Yamaguchi.”

  He was an intimidating figure, but Casey was riding high on the excitement of planet-fall and drugs. He clutched his ribs and laughed. “All right, Yamaguchi, have it your way, but you really know how to bring a person down. Get it?”

  The giant remained impassive.

  Casey shook his head in disbelief. “At least lend me an arm will you? I’d like to find out what’s happening. Aren’t you even a little curious?”

  After a short pause, Yamaguchi extended a trunk-like arm, which Casey leaned heavily on. Together they slowly made their way to the up-tube and then exited onto the bridge. When they arrived, Casey was breathless from the exertion and eased down to the deck, resting his back against a bulkhead. He asked for no further help and his bigger than life shadow offered none.

  Casey dozed, fatigued from even this modest effort, but soon awakened to the murmur of voices. He knew all the men and women present, either personally, or from his long years of study while they slept. He saw a tall, buxom blonde and his heart thumped. Virgin of the Woods. The essence of Britty flashed across his mind, leaving in its wake an ache of impossible longing for her, left behind on Earth and now dead of old age. Lisa Bouviet only resembled Britty superficially, yet, he couldn’t bear the sight of her. He lowered his gaze and focused on his deck-slippers. When he again raised his attention to the gathered guild chiefs, more heads than not were turned in his direction.

  Casey tried to stretch his swollen lips into a smile and waved lazily, causing the group to move a small, but perceptible distance farther away. No one returned his wave. He saw Jon on the other side of the bridge, studiously avoiding his eyes. Within moments, no one was looking in his direction, as if by ignoring him, he would cease to exist. His head drooped forward and he closed his eyes, as he tried to cope with his newfound infamy and isolation.

  The crowd became silent and Casey glanced up, just in time to see the entrance of Commander Slater, flanked by black-suited assistants and followed by the slim form of Jane Veck, wearing communication pink. She walked with her chin raised, her narrow face radiant with self-importance, and her thin lips pursed. Casey’s attention was drawn back to Slater. He was now standing on the control chair, demanding that he be seen, as if simply hearing him wasn’t enough.

  Slater began with a grand smile. “Friends, we’ve arrived. Although you’ve been invited to be on the bridge, my message is being broadcast to all the colonists.” He nodded toward Jane Veck who seemed to stretch even taller.

  There he was, elevated above the rest, surrounded by his black goons and speaking in condescending tones to those he had demanded to be present, most of whom were his superior in intellect and attitude. If the scene hadn’t been quite so grotesque, Casey probably would’ve laughed, a comedic parody of every dictator who had ever existed, but the reality of their plight, as represented by the silent man in black at Casey’s side, allowed no such levity.

  Slater continued with his well-rehearsed message. He raised his arms, “Let us rejoice, on behalf of all humanity for we, the Pinnacle, the best of all mankind, have arrived. I’ve spoken with the landing assessment team and their instruments confirm we’ve found a home. No, not just a home,” he raised his voice yet another notch, “a perfect home. And I guarantee you we will match that perfection with the perfection of our own gifts and skills. Mankind’s gamble was not in vain. We’ve discovered a new Earth!”

  There was a restrained display of joy as the chiefs congratulated each other. They were excited, but subdued. Slater waited for this small ripple of response to pass. He tipped his head back, as if waxing philosophical, and then continued. “The universe is truly a more wondrous creation than we ever imagined. The very existence of a place such as this, ripe for our arrival, begging to be shaped, confirms that we are indeed the chosen. We have an opportunity to create a society unknown on Earth, a perfect society. We are superior to those we left behind. Let us grasp this opportunity and create a true utopia!” Slater extended his arms as if in benediction, and then bowed his head. In a quiet voice he said, “I know I will do my best. You have my word. Please, my friends, join me in this great quest.”

  There was movement toward the control chair on which Slater stood, but it was cut short when Slater’s men stepped forward. The crowd seemed confused by the conflicting signals and bumped into each other as
some advanced and others retreated. The smile on Slater’s face faltered. He jumped off his perch and pushed past Olson, glancing sideways for a fraction of a second with a gritty glare. He managed to replace it with a friendly twinkle as he joined his flock, but the moment was lost. As he walked among the guild chiefs, a circle of space opened around him. When he pivoted, he saw not enough loyalty and too much fear.

  Casey could withhold his amusement no longer and began to chuckle; all attention was immediately focused on him. Slater snapped his fingers and Yamaguchi stepped forward to stand over Casey, like the face of a cliff. Casey became quiet at once, not able to cope with this obvious intimidation. With Yamaguchi standing between Casey and the gathered chiefs, their attention again focused on Slater.

  “Friends,” Slater said as he turned in a circle to view them all, “today, this very day, we shall place the mark of humanity on this new world. We will join hands and together be a part of this, the greatest accomplishment of mankind. Join me.”

  He extended his hands again, but this time directly toward two members of the group. It was too personal, too strong of a gesture to be easily rejected. Brita Baldus grasped one of his hands and Jarmo Karna the other. Slater raised their joined hands overhead, his smile now a broad grin. The others moved forward, touching him, patting him, none wanted to be left out, and Jon Brent was in the thick of it, but for Casey there was only Yamaguchi at his front and the hard bulkhead at his back.

  Casey heard the sound of people leaving and the number of voices dwindled until the bridge was once again quiet. “Well, Yamaguchi,” he said, “aren’t you going to hurry off to be one of the chosen too? Don’t worry, I promise I’ll save your place and I give you my word, I won’t jump up and take over the ship, or is it planet now?”

  Yamaguchi remained in place.