“Jerome,” Sandie the AI interjected. “There will be plenty of time later to speak with Doctor Chambers about all these issues. Right now, it is imperative that you, Monika, and the babies get to Alpha. I can guide you via a safe route to the transport tube system. There is a pathway from your location to a terminal in Alpha. Other survivors are using it. The funicular system is also functional, but only on the opposite side of the needle ship from your location. It is imperative that you leave immediately.”
Monika touched Jerome’s shoulder. “We move again. When we evacuated Beta, it was bad, but after we get to Alpha, there is nowhere else to go. Our sons need this to work.”
Jerome leaned over and kissed her tenderly. “I understand that. I know why you did that implant.” He pulled back and looked deeply into her eyes. “Are you unhurt?”
“Yes. Thank you. Now we must pack and go!”
Hustling around the living quarters, Jerome and Monika packed up everything they needed for the final journey to Alpha. Backpacks were filled, and strapped on. The babies were placed into their papooses, and secured in place.
“Sandie, a few of these weapon systems might still fire. Some of the cannons are reading as marginal for operating. Can you fire them remotely, if need be?” Monika asked.
“The nonphysicality is in flux, but I have established tentative links. I will try to use the weapons as best I can,” Sandie answered. “Right now, there is no external threat, as the Jellie research vessel is gone, and the satellite system blocking the Cosmic Crinkle was blasted open. In conjecture the still functional repulsor system will be sufficient to protect us from debris we may encounter.”
“Sandie, set up a backup control for Alpha’s cannons somewhere in Alpha,” Jerome instructed. “We may need them. Monika once said it is better to have it and not need it, than to need it and not have it.”
Monika smiled at him.
Jerome and Monika, their babies safely snuggled against them departed from where they had spent so much time. Monika forged ahead, but Jerome tapped the frame on the door, and said, “Good night, good night! Parting is such sweet sorrow, that I shall say good night till it be morrow. They who go do not feel the pain of departing; it is the ones who stay behind that suffer. Only in the agony of leaving do we look into the depths of love.” He patted the baby he was carrying and looked at Monika as she walked away. The curves of her rear appealed to him, despite the fact she had had the twins biologically.
“What are you looking at? Did I sit in something? One of the boy’s messes?” Monika asked as she caught him gazing at her bottom.
“Monika, I love you.”
Her smile lit up the whole corridor. “Thank you. Now we get our boys to Alpha, then I will need to use those piloting skills you taught me to get this whole colony ship into that thing you found in space.”
They walked briskly along, the dim lighting sometimes being completely gone. In other places, it was flickering, and at one corridor junction, there were sparks flying out from an exposed power coupling. The sparks had burned through some cooling system ducts, and a mass of congealing goo was falling in globs onto the fungal growth.
“You are almost to the shaft where you will need to climb up,” Sandie advised. “Two levels up and then head toward the lighted area. I am trying hard to keep your path illuminated, and maintain gravity manipulation, but the systems are failing.”
Monika found the access door for the ladder. It had a flashing green light above it. As she opened the access door, a gush of cold air struck both Jerome and Monika. She instinctively placed her hands over the baby she had on her chest. A deep rumbling sound came from the floor.
“A bulkhead door snapped,” Sandie stated. “We lost pressurization two compartments over from you. A containment curtain worked to halt further decompression. Please make haste.”
Monika entered the access shaft and began climbing the ladder, the light shining from her com-link. With the backpack on, and her baby in front, the climb was clumsy. Jerome followed behind her, and he shut and locked the access door.
“This is not a pressure door. Will the compartments hold until we reach the transport?” Jerome asked.
“That remains to be seen, but I am doing all I can to keep your pathway as safe as possible,” Sandie replied. “Captain Eris has the lattice of compeers also working to assist in the evacuation of the needle ship.”
Both Monika and Jerome were breathing a bit heavier as they got to the door which Sandie indicated was where they needed to exit from the ladder shaft. A green light glowed next to it. Monika punched in an override code to the nine-section color control pad, the lights flashed that the door was unlocked, but it physically remained in place. Monika twisted the manual handle, but the door would not open.
“Sandie, the door is jammed or stuck. What now?” Monika asked.
“If I could get past you, I could cut it open,” Jerome offered. “I brought a molecular torch and a vibration saw.”
“I did too!” Monika chucked a bit. “We maybe should have discussed what we brought so as to not duplicate. I will cut us a way inside.”
“Sandie? Is there vacuum or toxins beyond this door?” Jerome asked. “You said some sections were depressurized. Is it safe to get out here?”
Sandie the AI replied, “From what sensors I can access, the corridor there has pressure, atmosphere, and adequate temperature. I do not have any visual assets to use, so I am not exactly sure why the door will not swing open. I conjecture it is safe to cut open.”
Monika turned as far around in the ladder shaft as she could twist, and then took out a tool. “The v-saw will be less dangerous to Kalur, than my molecular torch. It might take just a bit longer, but I will severe the hinges as fast as I can.”
Monika used her own body to block the work, and baby Kalur was safe. She sliced through the hinges of the access door. No heat, or sparks, or other substances came from her work. Just a slight acrid odor, followed by the sound of the door dropping into the corridor.
“I see why it was blocked. There must be a dozen dead goats here. They are all piled up in the hallway.”
Monika shoved her way out of the ladder shaft, and pushed the dead goat bodies away. They were becoming stiff and hard to move, their legs were entangled with each other, and blood had caked to the skins and to the growth medium on the floor. As she cleared a pathway, Jerome followed behind. Together they were able to toss the bodies about, but it was grizzly work. In the middle of that difficult task, both babies awoke and began to cry.
“Even Khin would not laugh here,” Jerome commented as he rubbed baby Brink’s back through the material of the papoose. His voice was soothing and gentle. “I understand. It is a scary time, my little trooper.” He kissed Brink’s head softly. Jerome was trying hard not to remember the menagerie where he had observed a different atrocity with animals. “I hope you never remember any of this, my dear son. You and your age-mate brother deserve better.”
“They certainly do. But Jerome, do not call them age-mates, our sons are twins. Biological, natural, normal, twins. You are correct about Khin he would be lamenting all these dead animals. What a terrible tragedy.” Monika was also comforting the other twin, and that made moving the last of the dead goats even more difficult. “We will get our sons to safety, I promise you we will.”
“Visual autopsy evidence of these animals strongly suggest that they died when both the gravity manipulation and inertial suppression systems for this area failed.” Sandie’s voice came from both com-links. “I suggest you proceed as quickly as possible away from here. The utilities in the nonphysicality of this area are unstable. I have reinforced it as best I can, however, that kind of failure might reoccur at any moment. Additionally, there are now fires burning in various locations not far from here. Power conduits have ruptured, and the subsequent release of energy has ignited anything combustible. The fire-fighting systems are not responding.”
As the dead animals were moved, the smel
ls got bad. Monika kept patting her baby, but Kalur was fussy. He did not like the odor at all. She stepped over the last of the dead goats as quickly as she could. Jerome followed, and they progressed along until they came to a set of pressure doors. Green lights were blinking over those doors, and each door slid back into its pocket as they approached.
Beyond the pressure doors, the corridor was nearly completely dark. Only the beams from the com-links offered any illumination.
Jerome took the lead, and asked, “How much longer? I thought this place was close by?” His face was scrunched up, and his right hand was gently massaging baby Brink, but his efforts had not pacified his son. He stepped carefully into the dark corridor, acutely aware that he did not want to fall while so laden with supplies, and the irreplaceably important baby.
“I am sorry the journey is difficult,” Sandie replied. “The overhead lighting for this area just failed. You are eighty-seven meters from the stairway that will lead you down to the transport terminal. The vehicle is already docked and awaiting your arrival.”
Jerome kept one hand on the baby, who was still occasionally crying, and with his other hand he reached out in front of him. The beam of light was bouncing along as he stepped through the fungal growth, and some low bushes which had sprouted up along the left side of the corridor. Those bushes reminded Jerome of the Goat Room when he and Cammarry had first entered it. Turning his head back he asked, “Monika, are you doing alright?”
“Yes. Keep moving.”
The door to the stairway was askew, but they were able to maneuver though the opening. Inside, the stairs were lit by emergency amber colored lights. The stairs themselves were flooded with water, which was pouring down from a cracked pipe high on the wall of the stairway.
Monika stepped onto the landing and looked down. The fungal growth was slimy and slick. The landing below was clear, and the bulkhead door had a sigh which read, ‘Transport Hub’ in bright blue lettering. A green light was flashing nearby. She shrugged off her backpack, and tossed it out and over the stairs. It clattered to a stop up against the bulkhead door.
“Nice throw!” Jerome said.
“You next. The supplies can be replaced, but our babies cannot.”
Jerome slipped the backpack off, and tossed his equipment down. His backpack landed next to Monika’s.
“Now, Jerome, take my hand. Then reach across the stairway to that other handrail.”
Jerome followed her instructions.
“Now, we descend together. Keep your hand on the handrail over there, and I will hold onto the one on this side. If either of us slips, the other will keep hold. We will not fall, not with our babies.”
Step by careful step they descended the wet, slime-covered flight of steps. Jerome held firmly to Monika’s hand, and her return grip was just as solid. It was a tense, and anxious fifteen steps, but they made it to the landing and stood before the door. The nine-section color control pad was just to the side.
Monika entered the override code, and the bulkhead door slid open.
“Baaa, maaa, Aahhaa” noises came from the terminal hub. Flickering lights strobed the area.
Both baby Kalur, and baby Brink responded by weeping vigorously.
“Oh, my little boy,” Monika said as she looked into the terminal hub. “Those are just living goats this time. Mommy is here.”
Jerome picked up his backpack. “I will just chase them away, then we leave.”
“No, Jerome.” Monika touched his hand. “They have no place to go, except with us. The needle ship is a death trap. Why not bring them along? Khin can always use more goats, and Alpha is the only safe place left.”
Jerome stepped into the terminal hub, and saw the hatches on the far wall. One of the hatches had green lights above it, while the others were either dark or showed a warning indicator which was a glowing red. On the right-hand wall was a different bulkhead door, and he assumed the goats had entered though there, as the door was wedged about a quarter of the way open. None of the goats were interested in going near that dark passageway, and were instead milling about and vocalizing raucously. He stepped toward that other bulkhead door, as that was the path of least resistance. As he did, Monika followed and the bulkhead door they had opened snapped shut behind them.
“Something is burning out there,” Jerome commented as he passed the jammed bulkhead door. “Nasty smell.”
They both sidled along until they reached the hatch for the transport vehicle.
“Sandie? This will get us to Alpha?” Jerome asked.
“Yes. But work with SB Vamzdis who oversees the tube transport system. I am rather limited and too hindered by weak connections to assist on that vehicle.”
Jerome placed his hand on one of the portal hatch’s buttons.
As the hatch opened, a voice came from within.
“Welcome to the transport tube system. As you know, I am SB Vamzdis, and the artificial intelligence system Sandie has instructed me on this emergency expedition. Please enter the vehicle and secure the infants in the proper safety seats.”
As the hatch was open, Jerome began to step inside, but a thundering tribe of sixteen goats rushed past him, almost knocking him down. They jumped up onto the seats of the transport vehicle.
“Hey! We get first choices!” Monika called with a laugh. She carried her backpack in and shoved some goats out of the way. “My babies get the safety seats!”
“Transporting of livestock is highly irregular,” SB Vamzdis stated. “I must get proper authorization.”
A display screen lit up in the cockpit of the transport vehicle. Eris’ face appeared. “Jerome and Monika. You made it! Excellent. I just gave full authorization to that vehicle for anything you want to bring.”
Monika and Jerome were carefully cinching in their babies to the safety seats. The hatch was coming down. Unseen by Jerome or Monika, and only perceived by a few uncaring goats, were the rats who joined them. A mischief of nine rats jumped into the transport vehicle just prior to the hatch sealing shut.
Despite the bleating of the goats, the crying of the babies, and the words of instruction from SB Vamzdis, the babies were made secure, and Jerome and Monika strapped themselves into seats next to them. Their backpacks were loose on the seats nearby. The goats were milling about.
“Take us to our destination!” Jerome stated. “All of us!”
Monika laughed at that, but kept a loving hand on each of the babies.
There was a clanking and clanging as the vehicle disengaged from the transport hub. The goats’ vocalizations grew more stressed, which caused more crying from the twins, as the vehicle lurched on its way.
SB Vamzdis stated, “Our estimated arrival time in Alpha, at Swanson 1277 is eighty-four minutes. Have a pleasant trip.”
Monika’s eyes met Jerome’s and they both burst out laughing.
That humor would not last.
The laughing had long faded out, when ninety-seven minutes later they arrived. The trip had become an endurance test of patience. Monika had carefully fed each of the babies, even though SB Vamzdis had discouraged taking them from the safety seats. Eris had had to reissue an override code to convince SB Vamzdis to obey Monika and Jerome in whatever they did. The babies were exhausted from crying, and with full tummies, they fell into a restless sleep, secured back into the safety seats.
Several nudges and bumps indicated that the vehicle was reaching its destination. The vehicle stopped, then with a heave and a jerk, it rose a bit, moved in an indeterminate direction, then reversed course and clanked into place.
“You have arrived at Swanson 1277. I apologize for the miscalculation on the arrival time. Much of the transport tube system is in disrepair. I hope you have a pleasant time here in Alpha Habitat.”
The rear hatch of the transport vehicle opened, and bright light shined into the goat-filled vehicle.
“I would not believe this, if I had not seen it myself,” a woman’s voice was heard from outside where she stood in
the transport hub.
Jerome’s eyes grew huge.
Monika’s mouth fell open.
14 dénouement
Before Jerome or Monika could further react, the tribe of goats bounded out of the hatch. Their white, brown, and black colors blurring together as all sixteen simultaneously tried to push their way through the hatchway. It was much too small an opening to accommodate the entire tribe of sixteen bleating, bucking, jumping, and butting goats. Several smaller ones actually leaped up, and bounced off the backs of their bigger tribe members, landing somewhere in the hub. The commotion cause by the goats blocked Monika and Jerome from seeing anything but the jiggling mass of goats.
A piercing whistle cut through all the bleating, and the babies’ crying.
The goats all stopped. Their heads snapped up at the sound. Even though a few were in mid jump, as they slipped down past the others in their landings, they then looked around and stood still. While the twin boys continued to cry and sob, the goats were all attentive and silent, as they looked out of the vehicle toward the hub. The goats’ rectangular pupils were spread as they searched for the source of the shrill whistle.
The Colony Ship Conestoga : The Complete Series: All Eight Books Page 244