Project Columbus: Omnibus

by J. C. Rainier

  She paced back to the patch of dirt that she called “home” for the moment. She took a seat, rolled up her sleeves, and examined the dark purple and red blotches on her arms. She ran her hands across the surface of her skin, scratching a couple itchy bumps on each one where she had been bitten by native insects.

  And another problem we have to deal with. Aggressive cats, toxic insects, storms… this planet has been real fun so far. I suppose it was only time before something happened between the survivors, too.

  She glanced up and saw four men approach from the beach; James and Luis were easy for her to distinguish, as was Sergeant Leight. With his facial hair growing and becoming increasingly shaggy, Leight’s goatee threatened to be lost within a blossoming beard. The fourth man was a portly middle-aged man in a soiled button-down shirt. His sleeves were rolled up, and his rotund cheeks and broad nose were brightly colored by sunburn. Haruka stood to receive them, exchanging salutes with Sergeant Leight.

  James introduced the stranger to Haruka. “Captain Kimura, this is Doctor Ken Petrovsky.”

  “Pleased to meet you, Doctor,” Haruka said as she extended her hand. He gripped it firmly and shook, and she caught him glancing down at her arm for a moment before they broke contact.

  “Likewise, Captain,” he replied. “I understand you have had quite the adventure over the past week or so. You were on the ship when the reactor breached?”

  “Not on the ship. We escaped before the reactor went critical, just after one of the generators blew. Besides, I think everyone has had a rough time. We’re just trying to make the best out of a bad situation. Speaking of, how is our little patient?”

  “Resting. The medical supplies available to us aren’t very extensive or advanced.” Dr. Petrovsky’s shoulders slumped as he sighed. “I was able to make a splint for her, but I have no idea how I’m supposed to make a hard cast later when she needs it. She’s going to have a long and hard road ahead of her. She’s also going to be sore all over for the next few days. When I was working on her I noticed several bruises forming all over her face and body.”

  Haruka glanced over at Luis to see his reaction. She could see him repeatedly square and clench his jaw, and he wrung a small palm front in his hand. She thought he might try to tear it, which would be no small feat, as the survivors had found just after arrival that the leaves were tremendously tough and fibrous.

  “You have my thanks, Doctor,” she continued. “I don’t know if James has told you this, but we have an experienced nurse in our group; a woman named Emilia Reiber. If you need her for anything, she is at your disposal.”

  At this, both James and Leight raised their brows. Good, that got his attention.

  “I appreciate that, Captain. I hope I won’t need to take you up on that offer.”

  “I’m sure at some point you will. As much as I’d like to think that everything will go perfectly from here on out, luck hasn’t been on our side. Again, thank you. You may go.”

  Petrovsky reached his hand out again, and when Haruka shook it, he leaned in and whispered in her ear, “Do they know yet?”

  A moment of confusion made Haruka’s response slow. “Know what?”

  “How ill you are.”

  A chill ran down her spine and a lump rose in her throat. “What? No. No, I’m not…”

  He recoiled and let go of her hand. A frown marred his face, and he looked at her with great concern. “You… you don’t know?” She just looked at him, completely aghast, numb inside. “Come find me after your meeting. I will explain it to you.”

  She nodded curtly, and Dr. Petrovsky waddled away. She watched as he went, and saw him plop down in the sand just outside of earshot.

  What the hell is he talking about?

  “Haruka?” James interrupted her thoughts.

  “Hmm?”

  “Are you okay?”

  “Sorry, lost in thought. Luis.”

  “Yes, ma’am?”

  “I don’t want you to take this as slight. I think the world of you and Maria, and what you’ve done for Aidan and Marya.” She watched as he reversed his grip on the palm frond and wrung it the opposite direction. “Marya and Gabi can’t be together, for their safety. I’m going to have James find another suitable couple to take custody of Marya and Aidan.”

  Luis said nothing. He simply nodded and concentrated his frustration on the leaf in his hands. Haruka knew he was upset, and he wanted to say something. The fact that he didn’t was unsettling. He turned and walked away with a single backward glance.

  The sooner this day is over, the better.

  “Sergeant Leight,” she said in a firm tone.

  “Yes, Captain?”

  “I’m sorry for the burden we’ve placed on your doctor today. We’ve been trying to stay out of your hair. This is just an unfortunate circumstance. So, it would seem, is that,” Haruka said, leveling her arm and pointing at the billowing black clouds in the distance. “As much as I don’t want to, I need to ask you for help.”

  Leight nodded. “Tell me what you’re looking for, and I’ll consider it.”

  “Shelter for the children, for the duration of the storm.”

  “I can’t take another hundred people in the pod,” Leight replied, a frown twisting his shaggy beard downward.

  “I’m not asking for a hundred. Just twenty or so for the children and the parents of the younger ones.”

  “What about the rest of your people?”

  “We’ve managed to make some tents out of these palms.” Haruka dropped to a knee and drew a diagram of the beach, a large rectangle representing the pod, and several smaller squares right next to it. “If we move them to butt up against the leeward side of the pod, it should give them a good amount of shelter. We can lash the tents to rocks as well as a few hard points on the side of the pod.”

  “What?” James exclaimed. “That’s nuts! You’re going to have us outside? What if that thing is a hurricane?”

  Perfect, she thought. Sow the seed of doubt in Sergeant Leight. Haruka’s plan was spontaneous, and she hoped that her gambit would work. She had no intention of letting her survivors actually spend the night outside during the storm, but Leight had already shot down the idea. It was time for a new angle, and unorthodox seemed to be the best way to go about it.

  “We’ll be fine,” she replied coolly.

  “You don’t even know what’s out there,” he complained. “Seriously, Haruka. Think about it; what if this is a hurricane? I mean, this place reminds me of the Caribbean. Know what happens in the Caribbean? Hurricanes.”

  She could see Leight deep in thought, his fingers scratching the fur on his chin. It’s working.

  “That’s enough, Mr. Vandemark,” she growled.

  Shock registered on his face, and his slacked mouth looked as if it might catch flies. “What?”

  “That’s enough. I’ve made my decision.”

  “You can’t be serious.”

  “I am. You are dismissed.”

  He stammered, trying to find a response. His face turned bright red, and stormed off.

  Haruka turned back to Leight, who was still lost in his thought. “I’m sorry about that. Can we count on you to protect the children?”

  His head snapped up and his eyes met hers. “I’m sorry, what?”

  “The children. Can they stay in the pod?”

  Leight sighed, and she saw his stony façade melt away. “You know, your man Vandemark there isn’t wrong. It’ll be cramped, but it’s better than putting your folks in danger. All of your people are welcome to stay in the pod for the duration of the storm.”

  Haruka pushed her elation deep down and feigned surprise. “All of them? Are you sure?”

  “Jesus, Captain. Do you really think I like the idea of someone dying out there because I shut them out? Just make sure everyone brings food and bedding. You might want to bury your tools and other supplies next to the pod, where you wanted to put your tents.”

  Beautiful.

&nbs
p; “Thank you, Sergeant. We’ll be out of your hair when it’s done.”

  Leight nodded. “You’ve kept your word so far, so I don’t doubt you’ll do the same this time. Have your people onboard by nightfall. We’re going to seal up then and ride this out.”

  With a salute, the sergeant took his leave, passing Dr. Petrovsky on the beach. Haruka’s nerves began to jitter anew as she walked toward him. She was at the same time curious to hear what reasoning the doctor had for his conclusion, as well as anxious as to what he had in mind.

  “You wanted to see me, Doctor?” she asked as she reached his spot on the beach, overlooking a tiny reef in the water.

  “Yes. I’m sorry for the way that I approached your situation there. I thought you knew.”

  “There’s nothing to know. I’m not sick.”

  “May I?” Petrovsky pointed at her sleeves. She nodded, and he rolled them up, exposing the patchy discolorations. “This is a condition called purpura. Basically, you’re bleeding under your skin.”

  “Like a bruise? I’ve had my fair share of scrapes getting here,” she scoffed.

  “Bruises are predictable. See how uneven and blotchy these are? It’s something else. Tell me, have you been unusually tired?”

  Her stomach began to churn. She answered only with a nod.

  “And I bet your first day or two on the planet you were ill?”

  She nodded again. A feeling of dread blanketed her and her fingers began to tingle.

  “How much radiation were you exposed to while you were on the ship?”

  “Enough to trigger the alarms in the engineering compartment.”

  “I see,” Petrovsky said as he looked into her pupils. “How much is that?”

  “I… I don’t know. I’m a pilot, not a nuke tech.”

  “I see. I need to find out, but I don’t think I’ll like the answer when I do.”

  Haruka swallowed hard and her hand trembled. “Why?”

  “You’re exhibiting the symptoms of acute radiation syndrome.”

  Haruka lowered herself to her knees, then sat on her ankles, fearing that she would collapse if she didn’t get off her feet. The diagnosis was devastating, but it also made sense; the generator could have damaged the reactor, or the steam that powered the generators could have become contaminated.

  “Am I dying?”

  “I don’t know,” he replied. “Even if I find out what level of radiation triggers the alarms, you could have been exposed to a lot more. Best case scenario, you get some ugly skin discoloration and a heightened risk of cancer. Worst case…”

  “I die.” The words rolled off her lips, cold and dead.

  “I’m sorry. It’s a distinct possibility. Without proper supplies, even two or three grays of radiation…”

  She cut him off. “I don’t need to know any more.”

  “Other than just now, I haven’t had a chance to examine you,” he added. “I want you to come see me once a day for the next week. We’ll go from there.”

  Haruka slowly stood up. “Thank you again, Doctor. I have more work to do.”

  He nodded, and Haruka left the man sitting on the beach. She stumbled numbly back up the bank to the survivors who she watched over. Their lives suddenly seemed so different than hers. They would live to face whatever hardships and rewards Demeter had in store for them, but now Haruka’s fate was uncertain. Raphael had given her one final stab from its orbital grave.

  “Captain!” she heard James shout. She spun to her side and saw him marching purposefully toward her. “Captain, please tell me you’re not serious about riding out the storm behind a bunch of leaves.”

  She took a deep breath and shoved her emotions into a deep recess. “Of course not, James. It was a ruse to get Leight to help.”

  He stopped mid stride, his brow furrowed, and he scratched his cheek. “What? You mean that whole bit…”

  “That’s right. It worked too.” She slapped him on the shoulder as she walked past him. “Come on, we’ve got to get everyone packed up.”

  He caught up with her in a few strides. “Next time, a heads up would be nice.”

  You don’t need to know everything, James.

  Calvin McLaughlin

  9 April 2058, 11:50

  Michael

  Two meal pouches drifted lazily across the top shelf of the locker. Below, each of the four remaining shelves was stuffed to capacity with neatly banded stacks of meals, two deep and a dozen across. Cal considered unbinding a new bundle of meals to have a better selection, but instead opted to take the two from the top shelf.

  I can refill the shelf later, anyway.

  With his plunder tucked under his arm, he maneuvered out of the inner pod hallway and into sleeper hallway delta. He arrived at Alexis’s berth – which had its hatch open – and gently rapped on its metal.

  “Go away,” Alexis’s voice replied from within, her harsh tone denoting irritation.

  Two days, and she’s still pissed at me.

  “Look, hiding in there is going to be pretty boring. Besides, I’ve got something to show you.”

  “Yeah, I’ve fallen for that one before.”

  Touché.

  “Doesn’t mean that you should be a hermit,” he shot back. “C’mon. Let’s go up to the bridge for lunch.”

  After a brief pause, Cal heard the unmistakable rasp of metal on metal as a restraint was released, and Alexis popped her head out from inside her perfectly sculpted cave.

  “The bridge? You know I’m not supposed to get in the way of the crew.”

  Cal grinned, hoping she might display a hint of emotion other than annoyance. “I have my ways. We’ll be out of their way.”

  He did get a reaction, though not one that he hoped for; she rolled her eyes at him. “Buying more favors from the captain?”

  “Colonel. And no. They’ll be having chow by the time we get up there, so there should only be one guy up there.”

  “One guy can still tattle.”

  “Not when he’s your friend, or when his CO doesn’t care. C’mon, let’s go.”

  Her eyes narrowed as she slinked weightlessly out of the berth. Alexis had donned a flight suit, courtesy of the crew. She still made his heart flutter despite the one piece, utilitarian threads she wore. All the same, her scrutinizing stare bored into his chest, and it almost felt as if it pushed him back. The seconds marched on into minutes, and the longer she kept her eyes locked on him, the smaller he felt. He wanted to disappear, but he was committed to the moment, and he felt that running away might be the nail in the coffin of his attempt to reconcile with her.

  “I suppose you won’t take no for an answer,” she said at last.

  Cal sighed. “Look, I’m not trying to be a pain in the ass here. You’ve made your point. Please, just let me do this for you.”

  Her response came after a short pause, though far quicker than he expected. “Fine. Let’s go.”

  She pulled past him and through the hatch without making eye contact. He followed her, watching her flowing hair snake and whip about as she hastily made her way out of the pod. She turned left after exiting the connecting hallway and entering the gallery.

  “Um, Alexis?” She rolled onto her back midair and looked at him as she floated toward the rear of the ship. “Other way. That’s the engine room.”

  She glanced at the airlock to the rear, and then floated back first into the wall, before shoving off toward the front. “Oh, right. I knew that.” Cal pursed his lips and stifled a chuckle. “Don’t even think about it.”

  “Mm hmm,” he mumbled and shot off of a structural brace, straight for the bridge.

  The half kilometer journey to the front of the ship was made in near dead silence. Cal knew the lack of activity and sound meant that the crew was eating; most would be in the crew pod below the bridge. While Cameron Drisko and Colonel Dayton would not mind him bringing Alexis to the bridge, he did have a concern that some of the other crew members might have an issue if they lingered to
o long. Lieutenant Traci Josephson might even cause an altercation; he would need Cameron to keep him informed of her assignment and, if possible, movements. Cal felt a slight tingle of excitement at the thought of an almost covert operation to spend time with Alexis, though he knew in the end that Colonel Dayton would do nothing more than sanction him.

  The pair passed through the airlock leading to the bridge and crew pod, and Cal guided Alexis up the staircase to the bridge. The vast canopy of glass gave a full view of the stars in nearly all directions, but Alexis’s attention was firmly planted on one singular star; Alpha Centauri B, a small orange orb barely the size of an pencil eraser, which lay dead ahead.

  “This is what I wanted to show you,” he said, trying to suppress any hint of pride. “In just under two months, we’ll be landing on the planet, and this will be our new sun.”

  Alexis grasped the railing and locked her silent stare on the star, occasionally adjusting her body when it had drifted too far up or down. Sergeant Cameron Drisko glanced up from his operations station just to the right of the command chair, nodding at Cal. Cal smiled and nodded back. He left her to visit with his friend briefly.

  “Is everything set?” Cal asked.

  “Just like you asked,” Drisko replied. “The nav stations are locked so you can’t accidentally change course.”

  “What about Josephson?”

  “She’s on inventory duty back in cargo pods seventeen and eighteen. It’s perfect, dude. I told you it would be.” Drisko clapped Cal on his shoulder, and his grin was wide enough that Cal nearly mistook him for the Cheshire Cat.

  “Thanks, I owe you one.” He gave Drisko a fist bump before he coasted back to Alexis on the command platform.

  “It’s not a joke, is it?” she asked, eyes wide as balloons.

  “Not a joke. Not this, not what I’ve done, and not what I will be saying.”

  Her eyes snapped up to meet his. “That sounds ominous.”

  Cal let go of the railing and gestured toward the forward nav stations. “Like you said, it’s not a joke. I don’t want to freak you out or anything, but I do think we need to talk about it. Have a seat.”