Project Columbus: Omnibus

by J. C. Rainier

  Darren peered into the distance. He drew his Beretta and cautiously walked toward the brown corpse, checking nearby bushes as he passed, searching for other invaders. When he reached the bloody, furry mess of the cat, he prodded it with the muzzle of his weapon. The head flopped limply to the side, revealing a massive exit wound at the back of its skull. Darren holstered the pistol and walked back to Hank. On his way past, he gave the older man a single slap on the shoulder. “Good job. Carry on.”

  By this time, the noise had attracted a small crowd, including Sergeant Daniels and Brett Wu. Darren motioned for the two of them to follow, and walked to a more private area on a berm overlooking the rear half of the camp. Daniels followed, as did Brett, who at the end of the climb was out of breath.

  “There’s a young boy near the head of the column who is sick,” Darren remarked. “I want you to check on him when we’re done.”

  Brett nodded and panted, but said nothing. Daniels put her hands on her hips and looked at the dirt as she bit her lip.

  “It’s gotten worse, hasn’t it? How many are sick now?”

  “Including the boy, nine,” Brett replied.

  “I thought you said there were nine yesterday. Are you sure about your count?”

  “Yes, Lieutenant. Actually, on the bright side, one of the first patients is showing some pretty good signs of recovery. The danger has passed for her, so I no longer consider her an active case.”

  Darren sighed. “Good. So the boy is the only new case, then?”

  Daniels turned away from Darren, and Brett’s eyes darted as if he was avoiding his stare.

  “What is it?”

  “If you include the boy, there are three new cases today. I’m sorry, Lieutenant. We lost two overnight,” Brett said in a hushed tone.

  “Lost?”

  “They’re dead, sir,” Daniels blurted.

  Darren’s jaw slacked and he stumbled backwards a step or two before he regained his legs. “Dead. Two dead, one getting better, and nine violently ill. Is that what you’re telling me?”

  Brett nodded. “But it gets worse.”

  “How can it be worse than two dead?” growled Darren.

  “Whatever this is, it’s severe enough to kill healthy adults. One of the victims was a twenty five year old man. From what I can tell, he was in perfect health before this bug got him.”

  Strong enough to kill anyone in this camp, then.

  “Do we even know what it is? How it’s spread?”

  “I’m still working on that. I have a couple theories, but I’m not sure how strong any of them are. There’s no lab out here, and I’m not an epidemiologist.”

  “So what do you know?”

  “Well,” Brett said as he scratched the stubble that had entrenched itself on his face. “I’m almost certain it’s environmental. We’re surrounded by a swamp, and all of the patients have what look like insect or mosquito bites.”

  Darren scoffed as he rolled up one of his sleeves, exposing a dozen large red welts. The pressure of the cuff scraping over them as well as the sudden exposure to the outside air made them itch so badly that Darren wanted to scrape every inch of skin off of his arm with his filthy fingernails. He gritted his teeth again, and through them he muttered, “Like these? I’ve had these for almost a week now and I’m still as healthy as an ox.”

  Brett shook his head and sighed. “Like I said, I don’t know for sure. It’s just a theory.”

  “Well, you’re no good to the sick up here. Thanks for the report. Let me know if anything changes, or if you find out anything more. Now go take a look at the boy.”

  “Yes, Lieutenant.”

  Brett retreated down the hill and forward in the column. Daniels turned around to face Darren. She was putting on her poker face, though it had become ineffective rather quickly once Darren figured out that the slight pout on her lips was a tell.

  “You want to say something, Daniels?”

  “Not my place, sir.”

  “The hell it isn’t. Tell me what’s on your mind.”

  “We can’t stay here, sir.”

  “I know that.”

  “So what are we waiting for?” She mocked him, before realizing the mistake and evening her tone. “Leave some supplies behind with Wu, two volunteers, and a couple rifles. They’ll be fine until they recover or the bug gets them.”

  “That’s very compassionately put, Sergeant,” he retorted sarcastically.

  “Sorry, sir. Just thought I’d play at your level.”

  Ouch. Is that what she really thinks of me? That I’m some callous bastard?

  “Look, we’re not splitting up and leaving the sick behind. We’ll just have to figure something else out.”

  “With all due respect, sir, but what?” Her gaze locked with his. “We’re just about out of water. The crap they’ve dredged out of the swamp takes forever to boil or distill. Whatever this is keeps taking new victims, and it’s scary as hell.”

  Darren arched his brows. “Are you scared?”

  “To be frank, yes sir. I don’t know about you, but death by diarrhea isn’t on my top ten list of ways to go.”

  “Mine either.”

  “So let’s move the camp out.”

  Darren thought about how the civilians might react if they left behind a group of the sick and made for their destination. An image of leaving behind a terrified, sick child came to his mind. He imagined how much of a fight his mother would put up if he dared to separate the two.

  “No, I can’t. But you’re not staying.”

  A puzzled look spread across her face. “Sir?”

  “Take three people with you. I don’t care who, as long as it’s not Wu or anyone who is sick. Head for pod one and have Marsolek send help to meet up with us and bring us home. If you have to, order him to on my behalf.”

  She thought for a moment and nodded. “Alright sir. We’ll get out there on the double.”

  “I appreciate it, Daniels. The quicker the better, given the shape we’re in.”

  Daniels snapped to attention and gave a smart salute before she wheeled away and stormed down the rise.

  Darren heaved another great sigh as he looked around the camp below.

  You’re right, Daniels. I definitely don’t want to die here, or like this.

  Capt Haruka Kimura

  Planetfall +8 days, late afternoon

  Sleeper pod eleven site

  Haruka smiled as she drew in a deep breath of air. The salty tang was very clear now, and she knew that her ragged band of survivors was close to where pod eleven had landed. The tree canopy was thinner ahead, and bright blue sky filled the gaps where there was no green. Fluffy white clouds seemed to dance from treetop to treetop.

  She was weary, and her legs felt like they were dragging lead weights. Her rifle and pack had been shed miles ago, carried now by James somewhere near the head of the column. He had insisted that she sit and take a break, but she ignored him and left him to pick up the weight she left behind.

  Maybe I should have stopped for a few minutes.

  James had gone ahead as Haruka lagged ever slower. Luis had come to keep her company, and had given her the same plea that James had. She had shrugged him off, determined to make the final push to the beach with the refugees.

  There was a buzz in the air that leaped among the refugees. Rumor had always spread quickly, but this was different. Everyone seemed invigorated by the smell of the sea and the knowledge that they were almost to their destination. Even the younger children like Gabi were complaining less about the long walk. Haruka also felt as if she had just a little more spring in her step, but she still was unable to keep up with the group. With a sigh, she sat down in the shade of a palm tree. Luis sat down next to her and loosened his pack.

  “Finally taking my advice, huh?”

  Haruka opened her canteen and lifted it to her lips, taking a deep swig of the warm water. “If I don’t, I’ll fall over.”

  “You’re still taking on too mu
ch yourself. You’ve got to let yourself rest. Let James and me do the work for you,” he said emphatically.

  “I have been, Luis. All I’ve been doing for the past couple days is following the group around, and making a morning check of the camp and an evening check.”

  Luis looked at her for a second, and then brought his hand up to her brow. He nodded and withdrew it. “Are you sure you’re feeling okay?”

  “I’m fine, quit your worrying.”

  “Have you talked to Emilia?”

  “I said I’m fine,” she protested. “Just give me a day without a march and I’ll be fine.”

  “Have you been eating and drinking enough?”

  “Seriously. Am I sitting next to Luis Serrano, or are you really just Maria in disguise?”

  Luis chuckled. “Hardly. You wouldn’t stand a chance against her.”

  A whoop and a cheer rose up from ahead of them. Haruka smiled and rose to her feet, securing her canteen to her belt. Luis strapped his pack back on and stood.

  “Something tells me we’re here,” she said. “C’mon.”

  Haruka jogged along the river bank as she paralleled the winding human column. Ahead she could see the mouth of the river, surrounded by bright white sands, and a brilliant green-blue sea. Her pace quickened and she almost plunged headlong off the bank into the river in her excitement. She reached the edge of the tree line and shot forth onto the gleaming white beach, where she collapsed to her knees and grabbed two fists full of sand. She let out a noise that was half laughter and half crying as the bleached grains slipped from her fingers. A pair of white, four-winged birds flew over the shore, dipping and rising, calling and dancing. The clear water showed a sandy bottom for several hundred feet out from the shoreline, before fading into the dark blue of deeper water.

  Here’s your beach, Marco. It’s beautiful. I wish you could have seen it.

  “Are you alright?” Luis asked as he knelt in front of her and put his hand on her shoulder.

  She looked up at him, and the breeze tickled and cooled the tears streaming down her face. She wiped them away with her hand and nodded. “Sorry. I was just thinking of someone who should have been here to see this.”

  Luis nodded and stood up, offering his hand. “Come on. I see the pod a little farther down the beach.”

  Haruka took his hand and hobbled down the beach toward the dark gray mass of the sleeper pod as her aching legs tried to buckle under her. The sleeper’s rear end faced them and the ramp was lowered, exposing the inner hallways. The stream of refugees from pod eight were beginning to congregate outside of it. The children broke off from the group of the adults and ran up and down the beach, giggling and squealing. Beyond pod eleven, another pod lay broken and half sunk in the water about a hundred yards off shore. She shuddered as an incoming wave slammed into the body of the pod, sending a wash of spray over its roof.

  No wonder so many from that pod were killed.

  Five minutes later, Haruka and Luis squirmed their way through the wall of bodies and to the base of the ramp, where James was waiting with a broad-shouldered man with sandy blonde hair and a scraggly attempt at a goatee. He was barely an inch taller than James, but he carried himself in a way that made him look twice as big. Their eyes locked on Haruka as she and Luis approached. The stranger snapped to attention and saluted, and Haruka caught the outline of dog tags through his sweat stained t-shirt and wings tattooed on his bicep.

  “Staff Sergeant Seth Leight, Raphael, ma’am!” he barked.

  She returned his salute. “Captain Haruka Kimura, Raphael. At ease, Sergeant.”

  His arms dropped to his side. “You win a fight against something out there, Captain?”

  “I’m sorry, what?” she responded, confused.

  “The bruises on your arm there. Looks like it got a little rough for you there.”

  “Probably just bug bites. They itched like hell at first,” Haruka said as she looked at the blotched purple and red skin of her forearm, and then quickly tugged the sleeve of her flight suit down to cover them. Luis gave her a concerned look, and James craned his neck to try to sneak a peek.

  “I see. Well, it’s good to see you made it in one piece anyway, Captain.”

  “Thanks. What’s your sitrep?”

  “We’re hanging on. Jenkins is overwhelmed with scouting the area, and I’ve got my hands full trying to get these slackers around camp to do anything but mope and whine. We’ve got plenty of clean water thanks to the river. Holding out for now on food.”

  “Have you been able to forage at all?”

  “Not much. There’s some pretty good eats here from the fish and crabs we’ve found, that’s about it.”

  “I can help a little more with that,” she said and motioned Luis to turn around. She unzipped his pack and grabbed one of Gabi’s fruit from inside, then lobbed it at Leight, who snatched it out of the air. “We found that these are edible. Whole jungle’s full of them.”

  He sniffed it and then took a deep bite, causing juice to burst all over his hand and facial hair. Leight nodded and spoke as he chewed, “That’s pretty good.”

  “Glad you approve. We need rack time, and maybe a meal or two. Where do you want my people?”

  “Just beyond the tree line would be safest,” Leight replied without skipping a beat.

  Haruka exchanged confused glances with James and Luis. “No, seriously, Sergeant. What berth assignments can you give us?”

  “No disrespect, Captain, but we’re full up,” he explained. “I’ve only got one pod full of sleepers and more than a pod’s worth of people. We’ve got people sharing berths or sleeping on the decks already. You guys have already spent days in the woods, so you should be fine holing up in the trees. There’s plenty of room out there for all of you, and it’ll keep our people out of each others’ hair.”

  “You’ve got to be kidding me. We’ve got children out here,” she protested, her voice rising in pitch and volume.

  “Yeah, we’ve got kids in here too.”

  “Fine,” she spat back. “We’ll set up in the tree line. Just get us some damn chow.”

  Leight sighed and his shoulders slumped. “I can’t do that either. Maybe you weren’t listening; I’ve got too many mouths to feed. We’re just keeping our head above water out here as it is.”

  “That’s an order, Sergeant.”

  “So haul me up on charges then. I’m still not giving you any of my supplies.” Haruka clenched her jaw and drew her pistol, which made Leight laugh. “What, are you going to shoot me here in front of everyone? That won’t help with your food problem, Captain.” He turned and stormed up the ramp.

  “Get back here, Sergeant,” she bellowed.

  “Good night,” he responded and disappeared into the pod.

  Haruka gripped the gun tighter and made a move toward the ramp, but James blocked her path. He shook his head and placed his hand on hers, pointing the barrel down into the sand. “Let him go. We’ve got a couple more meals left in our supplies. We can deal with him in the morning.”

  She sighed and holstered the weapon. “Fine. Luis?”

  “Yeah?”

  “Get everyone together up there. Use the pod as a windbreak and set everyone up just beyond the first trees. James, I want a full inventory of our tools by morning.”

  “Yes, Captain. But can I have a minute?”

  “Of course. Luis?”

  Her Chief of Security nodded his head, turned to the gathered crowd, let out a loud whistle, and pointed to the bank. There was some muttering and grumbling, but the survivors of pod eight picked up their packs and made the climb up to the line of tall palm trees that edged the sandy beach. As James and Haruka walked back up the beach and away from the pod, Luis set to herding the children and the stragglers.

  “What’s your plan, Captain?” James asked as they padded through the white sands.

  “He said to haul him up on charges. That’s what I’m going to do.”

  “May I make a sugg
estion?”

  “Of course.”

  “Confronting him directly might spark an incident. Have you thought about a softer touch?”

  Haruka looked at him as if another head had sprouted on his shoulder. “Now you’re kidding me, right? You want me to beg him for help?”

  “Not at all. I think we should work with him. Gain his trust and respect.”

  “Ugh, James. You know he’s my subordinate and he’s supposed to take my orders without question. What he did back there…”

  “Is in the best interest for the people he is protecting,” he interrupted. “Or at least in his opinion. Frankly, I don’t blame him at all for stonewalling you. We’re also just a tad far away from any sort of command structure, or even law for that matter. I don’t think he’s trying to spite you, I think he’s just trying to keep his people alive.”

  “So am I.”

  “Yes, and doing a great job of it so far. We’re not as bad off as it may seem. I’ve seen a couple things that we can take advantage of since we’ve been here.”

  “Like what?”

  “Food. Leight said that there’s fish and crabs here, so we set people to work fishing for our group. If we fend for ourselves, it will show him we’re not trying to leech off of his resources.”

  Haruka mulled the thought over in silence for a moment. “Good point. What’s the other thing you think we can take advantage of?”

  “I noticed he has a thorn in his side,” he continued. “He’s mentioned twice now that people around his camp aren’t motivated to work, and that this Jenkins guy is overworked. If we have Troy and his teams take over scouting duties that would probably be a good gesture. I’d also like to try getting the troublemakers on his side off their butts and working.”

  “He can have Troy’s teams,” she replied. “I just can’t afford to have you spending all your time organizing Leight’s people when our people need direction too.”

  James smiled wide and a winked. “Don’t worry about it. I’ll brief Luis on what needs to be done. You don’t need me to watch the flock, Captain. They can do it by themselves.”