Adventures on RV Traveler (Free Trader Series Book 3)

by Craig Martelle

  He gained altitude, just to be safe.

  There was a great deal of vegetation at the forward end, around ponds, in the rolling hills, and across the plains.

  He continued to the other side, but he couldn’t see the wall. The area where it should have been was covered in vines. The metal leaves sparkled as they reflected the sunlight. Skirill flew to the left and continued around the sky of Deck 10. When he had made a circuit of the complete deck, he headed back. He didn’t see the herd or his companions, although they told him they hadn’t moved.

  Since he was now heading toward the back of the ship, he turned to his right and continued until he saw his friends. The cylindrical shape of the decks on this ship confused him. He flew up to go around, arriving where he started, having never turned around. He saw the sky, but it wasn’t the sky. He needed to land.

  He flew in, hovered sideways, then touched down on Aadi’s shell.

  “Thanks, Ess. Sorry about the long flight. This place is confusing, even though you think you can see everything.” Braden tried to calm the Hawkoid by rubbing his neck feathers. Skirill was hot from his efforts. Maybe he had flown too close to the sun. They all snickered at that.

  “Big dogs walking on two feet, carrying tools. A rainforest on the other side. It doesn’t feel like we’re on a ship, but living through a nightmare. Here’s a thought. The people on Cygnus VI stay where they are and we go home.” It was hard to argue with Micah’s assertion, but Braden tried.

  “We don’t know if they’re hostile,” he started. G-War raked a claw down Braden’s leg, though his armor protected him from the Hillcat’s claws. Braden wondered if G-War knew that it would keep him safe?

  ‘Dogs. Walking upright. How could that ever be good?’ the ‘cat asked sarcastically.

  “Okay, okay. Let me ask.” Braden expanded the window.

  ‘It looks like the vines have taken over the other end of this deck. Also, there are dogs walking upright carrying tools. I think we need to avoid those. What do you think about all this? Time to return home, maybe?’ Braden asked hopefully.

  ‘There are access corridors on all levels. If you go up to Deck Nine, you should see an opening. If not on Nine, then Eight, Seven, or Six. One of them will be open.

  ‘Deck Six is Oceanus. The vines are most likely not growing there. The only drawback is that you’ll have to travel on the water. There should be a raft on the access island in the middle, though. A shame the elevator is not working. That system worked until most recently when it was suddenly taken offline by an event in Engineering.’

  ‘Give it a rest, Holly!’ Braden minimized his window. Each deck had a ramp that rose to the next deck. It allowed the ancients to move large machinery from one level to the next, and it reduced the numbers of large machinery they needed to carry. Even with a ship this size, there were weight limits. The massive air bubbles of the ten large decks helped the ship in a number of ways.

  Getting around wasn’t one of them.

  “We go up. The ramp is that way.” Braden pointed to their left, past the herd, halfway to where the land disappeared into the sky. Not far? Braden couldn’t tell for sure. Distance and direction would be problematic the entire time they were on the Traveler.

  Braden took the lead with G-War at his side. Micah moved out to the left while Aadi with Skirill moved to the right.

  ‘What did you think of the livestock, Ess? Was it normal?’ Braden asked.

  ‘I believe so, Master Human. No birds though. And the world moved quickly beneath me while I flew. It was very odd.’

  They continued, using only their mindlink to communicate. Although they crossed the wide open spaces, they felt like intruders, where at any moment, the owner would wake up and come after them. The grass was tall enough to hide small creatures if there were any. Braden looked at G-War.

  The ‘cat shook his head and continued walking.

  No rabbits for him or Skirill. The ‘cat looked longingly at a sheep that had strayed from the herd.

  ‘C’mon, G! We haven’t been here long enough for you to be hungry.’ Braden continued looking around, watching for movement. G-War was unconcerned, and that meant for the next thirty heartbeats, no one was going to die.

  Small comfort.

  The walking was easy and the humans removed the small towels covering their mouths. They could no longer smell anything. They took deep breaths and felt fine.

  The ramp loomed ahead, cleverly disguised behind light foliage. Great trees protected each side. Beyond the tops of the trees, the ramp blended into the sky. At that point, they could see it became a tunnel disappearing into the ceiling.

  They walked through the bushes and other foliage and onto the ramp. It was wide, maybe a hundred strides, and sloped gracefully upward.

  As Braden understood it, the ramp was made for vehicles. He figured that he could have driven his water buffalo up or down the ramp with little trouble. It made sense to him. The ancients made it possible to share between the decks, integrate flora or fauna as they desired.

  He had assumed it would be blocked by a door of some sort, but it wasn’t. This ramp was wide open. They made rapid progress as they climbed.

  “It doesn’t feel like I’m walking uphill,” Micah said, now walking at Braden’s side, a blaster carried absently in her hand.

  Aadi had problems moving once they entered this deck. They settled on pulling him. They tied a short rope to the bottom of Braden’s backpack. Aadi held the other end in his beak.

  G-War jogged in front of them.

  ‘I really don’t like it here. Yes. We walk uphill but it feels level. I am pulled to the side as I walk. Let’s get where we need to go. Stop goofing around back there.’ Braden and Micah thought they were walking briskly, but the ‘cat disagreed.

  The more things changed, the more they stayed the same. ‘We love you, little orange man,’ Micah said using her tender thought voice. G-War stopped and turned to look at them.

  “Look at him. I think he’s contemplating ways to kill us,” Braden suggested. The ‘cat hung his head, then continued up the ramp.

  They started jogging since they felt like they were walking on level ground. G-War was right about not taking longer than they needed to. There were far too many things that scared the hell out of them, not the least of which was their ignorance of the space around them. They were a star in Vii’s sky. They were thankful that they couldn’t see how far they could fall. Holly assured them that they couldn’t fall back to Cygnus VII. Braden wasn’t sure. He didn’t want to find out just to prove Holly wrong.

  Braden and Micah expanded their windows. ‘We’re almost at the top of the ramp to Deck Nine, Holly. Any words of wisdom?’

  ‘The Rainforest Level awaits. You will have difficulty crossing this deck. It’ll be wet and clogged with vegetation. I suggest you find the ramp and continue to Deck 8, The Garden Level. You should be able to make it to the fore access tubes without difficulty on Deck 8. I will update your map and directions to the ramp from Deck 9. Be advised, the rainforest grows rather exuberantly and four hundred turns could have significantly changed the landscape.’

  ‘Thanks for that, Holly. Just point us in the right direction and we’ll do the rest.’ Neither human thought Holly was much help at this point.

  15 – Between Decks 9 & 10

  When they reached the top of the ramp, there was a massive screen that prevented them from going further. To the side was a human-sized door. Braden waved his bracelet in front of it and it clicked open. He pushed it the rest of the way. Some light penetrated the screen, otherwise it was dark inside. Braden turned on his flashlight.

  Equipment was haphazardly parked on the ramp. They couldn’t see past it.

  G-War, alert, bolted in and dove under the closest ancient vehicle. They saw him run from one to the next, staying under the vehicles for protection.

  ‘Turn off your light,’ the ‘cat directed. Braden complied without question.

  ‘What do you see?�
� Braden asked, trying to peer through the darkness.

  ‘Nothing. There is nothing living in here. I don’t know if there are Bots or not.’

  ‘Coming in,’ Braden said as he stepped through the open doorway. Micah guided Aadi and Skirill through. She had to lean the Tortoid as he was a little too wide. Skirill scrabbled to stay upright, but once they were through, they both straightened up.

  Micah came through last. She shut the door behind her.

  With Braden’s first few steps, the lights came on. They crouched, instantly wary.

  ‘Holly?’

  ‘I expected this. The lights should automatically come on when humans enter the tunnel between decks. I am pleased, despite the destruction…’ Braden minimized the window before Holly could bring up the great vine debacle in Engineering.

  One immense vehicle stood before the screen, looking ready to drive down the ramp and do important work for the ancients. A number of smaller vehicles sat behind it. Some had tires that made Braden envious. If his wagon and cart had tires like these, they’d probably never feel another bump. They looked puffy and soft. The cycles had been kind to this equipment.

  He expanded his window. ‘Holly, can we use one of these? It might make crossing the decks go much quicker.’

  ‘It would indeed. The best vehicle would be a hover car. Look for one of the smaller ones without wheels. Here’s a picture of one.’ Holly shared the image with both Braden and Micah. He then scrolled a number of other pictures for them so they would understand the purpose for each vehicle.

  “We want a vehicle and Holly tells us to take the one without wheels?” Braden asked Micah. She shook her head. For as smart as Holly was, sometimes he made no sense.

  ‘I don’t see anything like that, Holly. Let me squeeze through here, get a better look.’ Braden checked each vehicle. Even if he found what he was looking for, he couldn’t get it out as everything was packed in tightly.

  “Let’s get through this. Maybe we’ll find something that we can move.” Braden finally gave up trying to get between the vehicles. He climbed on one and walked along the tops. His Old Tech boots helped keep him from slipping. Aadi floated over it all and G-War walked underneath. Micah followed Braden’s lead, taking a route over the top. She stopped counting the small vehicles when she hit fifty. Why would they need this many? She couldn’t understand the logic of the ancients.

  After a couple hundred strides, Braden could only guess the distance, the vehicle jumble cleared. An open ramp stood before them.

  ‘There’s no hover car, but what about this one?’ Braden asked Holly.

  ‘That’s a quad truck and it should serve your purpose. Here are the steps to start and operate the vehicle…’ Holly gave the instructions to the humans. They both listened intently. The other companions were nearby, waiting impatiently.

  First step, turn on the power switch.

  Nothing.

  Braden and Micah closed their neural implant windows. “Thanks, Holly, for wasting our time,” Braden said and nodded forward. “We’re walking.”

  G-War ran forward. They jogged along behind him, Braden pulling Aadi while Skirill leaned forward to maintain his balance on the Tortoid’s shell.

  The wide ramp with a high ceiling turned to the left as it rose; the air was stale as there had been no movement for hundreds of cycles. They could only see a few hundred strides before the ramp disappeared around the next bend as it curved upward. Holly said each ramp was four kilometers long in total, spiraling from one deck to the next. Although they traveled the distance, it didn’t get them any closer to the Command Deck at the front of the ship, only closer to the cylindrical center.

  They could tell when they had approached the entrance to Deck 9 as the humidity increased appreciably. The air was still stale, but a wet stale. At least there weren’t any vehicles blocking their way.

  The screen door at the top of the ramp was closed and unmolested. The small door looked untouched. They stopped and instead of going through it, they ate and drank. The animal companions were less than amused with their rations, which Holly had produced specifically for them. It gave them everything they needed to stay healthy.

  But it was a miserable healthy. ‘Next rabbit is mine,’ G-War said without preamble. He had eaten well before they left, and could probably survive the entire trip without having to eat again. He sounded like he was leaning toward that if they didn’t run across any small game. Skirill appreciated the sentiment, hoping they found more than one rabbit.

  Aadi didn’t say anything, but he dreamed of a nice bug hill that he could raid. It had been a while since he found a nest of grubs.

  Only the humans wished to avoid eating anything from the ship. The metal-leafed vines, electrified humans, and walking dogs suggested nothing would be as it seemed.

  ‘Holly, can you connect me to Bronwyn’s communication device please?’

  After a pause, she heard Bronwyn’s small voice. “Micah, is that you?”

  As they did, whenever they could, they checked in. The reason they were on the ship was to help guarantee a safe future for their children. Braden leaned close, listening in through his own implant. Everything was fine. The children were ready to start walking. Micah cried softly. Tears welled up in Braden’s eyes as he wrapped an arm around his partner.

  Yes, they were all eating well. The Earthshaker Herd had increased by seven. Bronwyn explained that the Aurochs calves were half the size of the horses, who had joined Brandt’s herd grazing and enjoying the open grasslands. The calves took a liking to their small cousins, Max and Speckles.

  As they always did, they thanked Bronwyn profusely for helping raise Ax and ‘Tesh. They thanked her parents, too, for putting a roof over their heads. They closed the link.

  They checked their equipment, and arranged themselves around the door. “Look at it this way, G. Your armor will keep most of you dry.” He waved his bracelet and the door unlocked.

  16 – Deck 9: Rainforest Level

  Braden looked through the door and instantly a hideous screeching started. He didn’t see anything at first, but once he looked up, he saw small creatures, human in shape with long tails and covered in brown fur. One reached behind him, pulled something out, and flung it at Braden.

  It splattered against the screen beside the door. Others jumped up and down. Some beat their chests. All screamed and howled. None of them had weapons. Braden could smell what had hit the door: excrement.

  He ran through the door, shouting and waving his arms. The small creatures fled in terror. He found a rock and threw it at one who was bolder than the others. It jumped to the side to avoid Braden’s throw, then disappeared into the tree branches above.

  G-War trotted behind Braden. Micah helped Aadi and Skirill squeeze through the door, then followed closely behind.

  They were on the Rainforest Level.

  The ramp entrance was mostly overgrown. Like the Amazon had tried to reclaim the road on Vii, this rainforest was trying to erase all signs of the ancients.

  Braden and Micah expanded their neural implant windows to show a map of this level. The blinking dot highlighted where they were. They turned around in a circle, trying to get a bearing on the ramp to Deck 8. A line appeared on their map. They reduced the windows and pointed the way to go.

  If there was once a road, they couldn’t tell. It looked like they were heading into the heart of the rainforest. They watched for the small dancing creatures. The companions wanted to avoid the unpleasant poop throwers, but if they were the worst of this deck, then the journey wouldn’t be bad.

  G-War was the first to complain. It wasn’t raining, but they were soaked as if it was.

  The Rainforest Level wasn’t as dense as the Amazon, so Skirill was able to fly. He had difficulty with precise maneuvers because the speed at which the land beneath him moved. He flew straight by angling slightly to the side. He worked hard to adjust, but he was also covered in a light armor. Both of these factors made flying a challen
ge. He often settled for riding Aadi.

  The companions pushed forward. Braden and Micah’s boots helped keep their feet dry. The Old Tech of their armor and clothing made them better at what they usually did.

  Another reason why the ancients destroyed themselves, Braden thought. People thought they were better than they actually were.

  Micah nodded in agreement, while keeping her eyes moving, left, right, up, down. There was movement. The rainforest was alive, but nothing challenged them directly.

  Even with their advantages and the neural implant’s guidance, the heavy undergrowth made for slow progress. They stopped when they thought they’d made it halfway, tired from the walking, climbing, and crawling. Holly told them they’d been awake for nearly a full turn. In a small opening, they ate and drank, while leaning heavily against the trees.

  “Camp once we get off this deck?” Braden asked. Micah agreed. They couldn’t sleep in the rainforest. It was too wet, too alive.

  They adjusted their packs and equipment. With blasters in hand, the companions continued their journey. Before Micah took her first step, a Lizard Man appeared out of nowhere.

  He was smaller than his Amazonian cousins, more like the one they’d seen in the minds of the cold-water crocs. His skin was a heavier green, and his eyes were more toward the front of his face without bugging out. His hands were five-fingered, but his feet were three-toed, with a heavy nail at the end of each.

  Aadi swam forward until the Lizard Man leveled his spear. G-War raised his hackles. Braden and Micah froze, giving Aadi time to communicate.

  ‘…you cannot pass. Leave now or face our wrath!’ G-War was able to communicate with the Lizard Man and had opened the mindlink. Aadi switched to his thought voice.

  ‘Mighty warrior of the rainforest! We’ve come from the rainforest on Planet Vii, where your brothers number in the thousands. They consider us friends. We have open trade with them. We are equals. Please know that we do not seek your territory, only the ramp to take us from here. We humbly beg you to let us pass.’ Aadi used his most soothing and diplomatic tone.