The Humanarium

by CW Tickner

  ‘Look at it, Sonora,’ he whispered. ‘Look at them. Passive and Enlightened arm in arm. Man, woman, and child working together.’

  She hugged him and then kissed his cheek.

  ‘It’s all because of you, my love.’

  Chapter 50

  They seem able to craft ever more complex tools from anything that I put inside. But mostly they create weapons and throw them up at me if I hover over the top. Maybe when they realise they cannot hurt me they will use them for their own advancement.

  Harl paced up and down in the Tactics Room while he waited for Kane. It had been three days since the new flight gyroscopics and electronics had been installed inside the ship following the book’s guidelines, but fifteen weeks had gone by since the battle. He was pleased with the progress, but each day of delay felt like he was failing the people inside the tanks.

  Kane was doing his best. Gorman had remembered a lot of what was in the Third Book, but a lot of guesswork was still involved. Kane made intuitive guesses for a lot of it and showed a level of genius and understanding that Harl could only marvel at. But progress was still painfully slow.

  Harl had visited him in the hanger that morning to find him still engrossed in the work after a sleepless night. He looked haggard and worn, and passed Harl a single scrawled page without speaking that told him to arrange a meeting for later that day. Harl had gathered Sonora, Damen and Gorman, and they stood around the map table waiting for the scientist to appear.

  ‘No wonder the ship’s not ready,’ Harl said. ‘If he takes this long to get to a simple meeting, it’s a wonder anything gets done at all.’

  He knew it was an unfair thing to say, but the constant delays were wearing him down.

  Damen grunted agreement. ‘Probably got his head stuck up the ship’s ar-’

  ‘Be patient,’ Gorman said, turning his head to the door that lead up to the ship’s hanger.

  The door swung open and Kane bustled in. Two weary-looking engineers trailed behind him. ‘Keep searching for a solution,’ he said and they rushed back out the door.

  ‘I am pleased to announce that the ship is nearly complete,’ Kane said coming to a stop in front of them. ‘There are still a few circuits to finalise and bolts to screw in, but thanks to Gorman, we have followed all the instructions from the Third Book and can see an end to the repairs.’

  He looked at them each in turn, no longer jubilant.

  ‘But we have come to a dead end. The engines need a special liquid to kick start them and we don’t have any. The Third Book calls it petroleum and while we know the basic principles, we have no idea where to locate or how to refine it. It used to be a back-up for emergencies, but we now believe it’s the only way to start the ship after such a prolonged period of neglect.’

  ‘What makes it so special?’ Harl asked.

  ‘It’s highly flammable and explosive,’ Kane said. ‘We’ve been working on this one problem for thirty days and made no progress at all. Finding some of the liquid would allow us to fire the engines, but without it we’re at a loss.’

  ‘Can’t you light a fire inside with wood instead?’ Damen asked.

  Kane looked as if he was going to scorn the idea, but smiled wanly. ‘It just won’t work the same. It has to be the liquid. I’m sorry to bring such bad news to you all, but it looks as though the ship will never fly. The Third Book has shown us that if we managed to get it running and launched, the ship will automatically take us to a predetermined place without any input from us, but without the fuel...’

  He fell silent and looked at each of them in turn, then slumped back in his chair and stared at the ceiling.

  Harl didn’t know what to say. Kane must have felt his life’s work falling to pieces. Perhaps there was no way to start the ship on this planet? Was that why their ancestors had stayed?

  ‘We have to go back,’ Gorman said, breaking the silence.

  ‘What do you mean?’ Harl said, confused. ‘Back where?’

  ‘The Aylen’s lair,’ Gorman said. ‘What you need is inside.’

  ‘Grandpa, you’re a genius!’ Sonora shouted in triumph. She kissed him on the cheek before turning back to the others’ stunned faces. ‘Liquid fire.’

  Harl laughed as the pieces fell into place.

  ‘Of course!’ he said, thrilled at the stroke of luck.

  ‘What are you all on about?’ Kane asked, clearly confused.

  ‘When we lived inside,’ Sonora explained, ‘the Aylens gave us resources. One of them was as you described, a clear flammable liquid that we called fire liquid. We couldn’t make it ourselves, but the Aylen always provided a lot of it. We used it for lighting fires and seeing at night. If this is what you need then we must go back and get it.’

  Kane’s eyes widened. ‘It sounds like the right thing. How are we going to get it?’

  The question was aimed at the group but Harl spoke up first, remembering the journey.

  ‘We’ll have to sneak in. Fighting our way past the Aylen isn’t an option. There was no cover anywhere on the floor in the Aylen’s lair. Sonora and I barely made it out without being spotted. Getting everyone across that space unseen will be next to impossible if the Aylen is there. But, even if we manage it, we’ll still face problems once we get inside the tanks. I’m worried about how the people trapped inside will react. If they’re as rabidly fervent in their religion as my own people, then we’ll probably be hung for heresy if we burst in and start preaching about a life free from the gods.’

  ‘We could just take the liquid and leave,’ Kane said.

  Harl shook his head. ‘No. If we go in we rescue as many of my people as we can. The same for the others in there. I will not be part of this if we do not attempt to free them.’

  Kane nodded.

  ‘We could hunt the shopkeeper down,’ Damen pitched in. ‘I have a few ideas how we-’

  ‘Our weapons will be useless against an Aylen, Damen,’ Gorman cut in. ‘But if those inside are as blinkered as you say, Harl, then the rifles will come in handy. Fighting other men will be easier.’

  ‘We must not go in as aggressors,’ Sonora said, frowning at Gorman. ‘We should bring them peace and a chance for a better life, not threaten them with weapons.’

  ‘Then it has to be covert,’ Harl said. ‘At least until we find the liquid. We can gather what we need from the tank I grew up in, but I don’t know how they’ll react to my return. They believe I’m dead and when I show up demanding they hand over their fire liquid and leave their home, it won’t be all smiles and friendly faces. But we have to convince them to come with us. I want to free these people from their current lives, not leave them in slavery. They must know the truth.’

  ‘What if they are happy?’ Sonora asked. ‘What if they don’t want to leave their homes and fly away on a ship to an unknown destination?’

  ‘Then they can stay,’ Harl said, wondering if she felt that way herself. ‘But I won’t abandon them. There must be some way to free them. Perhaps, with time, we could slowly change their views.’

  ‘How about a book?’ Gorman asked, running his fingers across the cover of the newly-transcribed Third Book that rested on the table next to him. It was wrapped in leather with gold embossed writing stamped down the spine. ‘We can produce a book that tells them the truth. It might be enough to convince them that life exists beyond their walls. Or we can just preach right back at them.’

  ‘Grandpa,’ Sonora said, ‘I think you’ve adventured enough. Others will go instead.’ Her tone was gentle but firm. Clearly there would be no arguing and Gorman accepted it with a sour grunt.

  ‘What about the air changes?’ Kane asked. ‘Everyone who leaves will need the breathing devices that Harl and Sonora use. We’ve a fair number in the warehouse as they are not used anymore, but will it be enough? From what you’ve said there might be thousands of people inside. Not to mention the breathers we’ll need to use for ourselves when we go in.’

  ‘Can we make more?’ Harl aske
d.

  ‘There are details in the Second Book on how to make them,’ Kane said, ‘but the resources they use can only be taken from the rifles. Are we willing to sacrifice firepower in exchange?’

  ‘We’ve no choice at the moment,’ Harl said. ‘How many can you make from a single gun?’

  ‘Ten from each rifle and we have nearly two hundred rifles.’

  ‘Then have the workshops scrap enough to make five hundred breathers.’

  Harl had become so used to the breathing device resting on the roof of his mouth that he had not stopped to think how important it was in keeping him alive.

  ‘What about getting inside the cubes?’ Damen asked, looking at Kane.

  ‘Well,’ Kane said, scratching his chin, ‘we could create a larger version of the melting blades by breaking them down to create a long, pole model. It will take some time, but I think we can manage it. The problem I can’t get passed is how can we get up high enough to cut a hole into the tanks?’

  ‘Why not use the melting blades to climb back up?’ Harl said. ‘We could climb up hand-over-hand by stabbing knives into the glass. Use them as anchor points to create a rope path from top to bottom, then use the pole to cut the hole and climb inside.’

  ‘An excellent idea,’ Kane said, ‘but there’s also the matter of resealing the cubes so as not to lose the air mixture within. And it needs to be done so that it remains unnoticeable by the Aylen. A large hole in the front would be easy to spot, even if they did not discover the one made by you and Sonora.’

  ‘If it found the hole,’ Damen said, ‘then it might be on the lookout for more.’

  ‘Either way, the tank was cleaned out,’ Harl said. ‘It might have seen the hole and then cleared the diseased interior, or found it after. It makes no difference. We still have to go in.’

  ‘What about going in from the side?’ Gorman suggested. ‘You would leave less of a trace as the barriers to the side are black. You could paint a metal sheet and use it to cover the hole.’

  Harl thought back to when he’d first looked down from the hole in the tank. The drop below had been terrifying.

  ‘It would mean linking all the worlds via holes as we travelled across to the one we wanted, but we’ve no idea what to expect inside each individual tank, no clue as to the cultures or ideals of the people we’d meet. We’d have to convince them to let us pass, but they could just as easily try to stop or kill us. We cannot go into this with the intention of killing. They are prisoners and we will be there to free them.’

  The group fell silent. Was it even possible? Either way they had to go through with the plan.

  ‘How many lands are there?’ Gorman asked.

  ‘Seven across from what I can remember,’ Harl said. ‘Maybe more. But I don’t know if all the tanks are the same size. It looked like it from a distance, but I cannot guarantee it.’

  ‘How thick are the walls?’ Kane asked.

  ‘Again, I don’t know about all of them,’ Harl said, ‘but the front was a pace thick when we cut through it. The other tanks looked to be the same as we dropped down, although I can only vouch for the front; the other walls may differ.’

  They discussed how many should go into the tanks and agreed that twenty would be a safe number. Any more and the chances of being seen would be too high, but if there were too few then those inside the tanks could easily stop them.

  But it all boiled down to secrecy. Conflict was a last resort. It was meant to be a rescue mission, not a battle. Avoiding casualties was vital. Any death would shatter whatever goodwill they might be able to foster, and their party would have little chance if the citizens turned against them. But, if they could remain hidden until they found a voice who’d listen to reason, then they might stand a chance of winning over the people in the various worlds they visited.

  Harl didn’t like the gamble. But what else was he to supposed do?

  Kane grinned. ‘Then we have a plan.’

  The smile disappeared as a distant thunder shook the room. Springs and bolts rattled on the tables and Kane’s eyes went wide.

  ‘Aylen,’ he said.

  They raced out the door, twisting left and right through the tunnels until they reached the main entrance. Dozens of men armed with rifles had gathered before the huge metal doors. They stepped aside as Damen ran forward to peer through the crack.

  ‘Damen?’ Harl said, crouching behind him.

  ‘It passed us without notice,’ Damen said.

  A hissing noise issued from the thick hinges as the gates closed, sealing the small gap. Damen stepped away.

  ‘Why was it out here?’ Kane asked between panting breaths.

  ‘Morning stroll, probably,’ Damen said.

  ‘If this keeps happening,’ Harl said, ‘then it’s only a matter of time before we’re discovered.’

  Chapter 51

  I will resupply each tank at regular intervals with raw materials and see what they are capable of creating.

  The community’s spirit shifted after the Aylen passed. Excitement crumbled away to be replaced by a nervousness that crept into everything. Work slowed as people spent more time worrying about the future than focusing on the task in hand. The slightest sound would see men snatching nervous glances over their shoulders, while the women worked on in stony silence, their resolve undimmed, but their burden almost unbearable. In the end a brooding silence crept back into the tunnels and the choking weight of fear pressed around from every side.

  Harl called a meeting in the market hall. People marched in, sullen and troubled. He watched their eyes and saw the doubt there. Divisions were creeping back, Enlightened and Passives drawing away from each other again as they reverted to their old beliefs. He stepped up onto a platform on one of the levels and raised his arms for silence.

  ‘People of Delta,’ he said. The echoes of his voice ricocheted off the dark walls. ‘We are here because of the recent approach of the Aylen. It was a reminder. A reminder that the Aylen are a power that is beyond us, and the fear of that moment has infected our home. I see the dread before me and I’ve heard the whispers; There’s no way we can survive. There’s no hope for the future. What is the point of carrying on when the Aylen are so powerful and we live in fear of discovery? These are the words that I’ve been hearing. These are the dark thoughts choking the hallways of our home, but it is more than that. The passing Aylen has revived old enmities.

  ‘I hear Passives ask how they can trust the Enlightened, but I also hear Enlightened worry about whether they can rely on Passives. It is the old ways reaching out from the past to cloud the future. But those days are done. They are just questions that fear has flooded your mind with. What you’re scared of is the Aylen and you are right. They are deadly. They are terrifying. They can snuff out our lives with barely an effort. What’s the point going of on when there’s so little hope?’

  He paused and watched as the crowd shifted uncomfortably. He laughed and shook his head.

  ‘Where is Damen, son of Terman?’ he called.

  Damen shuffled forward and stepped up on the platform next to him. Sweat beaded on his brow as he faced the crowd. Harl reached to his side and slid his sword free. He tossed it to Damen who caught it and looked back, puzzled.

  ‘If an Aylen broke through the roof now and peered down at us, what would you do?’ Harl asked.

  Damen ran a finger down the blade and grinned. ‘I’d stick this sword in his bloody great eye.’

  The crowd laughed.

  Harl turned to where Kane stood next to Sonora and beckoned him forward. Kane clambered up onto the platform.

  ‘Kane, you’re one of the Enlightened,’ Harl said. He pointed to Damen and then threw Kane a pistol. ‘If this “Passive” faced an Aylen, what would you do?’

  Kane studied Damen for a moment and then a nervous smile appeared on his face. ‘He would not stand alone.’ He raised the pistol and fired it at the roof. Blue light streaked up into the darkness above and exploded against the rock.<
br />
  The crowd cheered.

  ‘You would stand by this Passive?’

  ‘Yes.’

  Harl turned to Damen. ‘And you would stand by this Enlightened?’

  Damen nodded. ‘I would.’

  Harl turned back to the crowd and opened his arms wide as Damen and Kane stepped down.

  ‘I will not belittle how frightened you are. I am afraid as well. We face an uncertain future, but I know that we stand strong if we stand together. I look down at you all now and see friends there. Mary,’ he waved to her and the crowd parted around her. ‘You have a wisdom that few possess. Will you stand with me.’

  She nodded and stood straighter, the years dropping off.

  ‘Cooper?’ Harl called. The crowd parted again and the stocky miner raised an arm in salute to Harl. ‘This is the man who led people deep into the darkness of the hiver tunnels to find this hall. It takes a special kind of courage to crawl into the depths of the world. Cooper, if an Aylen appeared now, would you stand with me?’

  ‘Aye, boss. And I’d stick one of Kane’s exploding bottles up his nose as well!’

  Laughter filled the hall again and people slapped Cooper on the back.

  Harl applauded.

  ‘Fear is nothing to be ashamed of,’ Harl called above the laughter. They fell silent, rapt to his words. ‘Fear makes us strong. Fear bonds us like links in a chain until we are unbreakable. If anyone in this hall told me they were unafraid, I’d call them fools. The Aylen should be feared. They are a strength beyond imagining and they are clever. To survive we must respect that intelligence.’

  He paused to let them take it in.

  ‘Since I came here to Delta, we’ve grown strong as a people. But for us to grow as a community we must take action. Delta is now whole, but humanity is still held prisoner in the Aylen’s lair. We plan to rescue our people, but when that rescue is discovered, I have no doubt that the Aylen will scour our own area. And yet we must be bold if we’re to continue as a people. We have to strike. We have to step forward and stand against the fear of what is to come. The lives of those inside the lair depend on us. They are prisoners and slaves and we are their only hope. Their views will be as different from ours as mine were when I first came here. They will be scared and in need of support. You must welcome them as you have welcomed me.’