Trinity: Atom & Go

by Zach Winderl

  Cody poked his head up from Byron’s satchel. The winged lizard took the serpentine route up to the boy’s shoulder.

  “I detect no anomalies within the sculptures,” Kozue said as Cody pivoted his head with the grace of a snake. “Categorizing the images appears to depict exactly what Lilly described. However, I can find no correlating battle within the imperial records. My assumption is that whoever attacked this group was completely destroyed.

  “I don’t understand why there would be no record of a fleet this size in the annals—”

  “Wait,” Lilly interrupted, peering intently at the floor. “There’s something under the floor.”

  “She is correct,” Kozue sounded impressed. “There is a heavy metal layer beneath these stones. It is almost completely concealed by the composition of the stones themselves, but I can just detect the even atomic make-up of plasteel. It’s an older alloy, but it is not a natural formation.”

  The dragon hopped into the air and glided up into the gloom. Taking a slow circle under Kozue’s guidance, he examined the stone circle from inside and out. After a couple circuits, he landed atop the last tablet in the cycle.

  “There appears to be a transmitter buried in this stone,” Kozue said. “I can detect the EM pulses, but the creators have done a masterful job of spreading the current out through the whole stone. I believe whatever trigger of locking mechanism you are searching for lies within this stone, but I’m afraid I can’t be of more help than that.”

  Everyone congregated on the single ten-foot section of the bas relief. They began running their hands over the protruding sculptures. Even Margo joined in, rubbing playful circles on the lower portion.

  “Nuffin,” Byron said in disgust several minutes later. “It’s as smoove as the day is round.”

  “Truth, I ain’t findin’ nothin’ either,” Shi said as she stepped back with a glare.

  Atom paused. He ran words in his head. “The only thing we haven’t covered is the last two lines of the poem. ‘The man takes solace turned into himself and Then buried her beside him, asleep on a shelf.’ Do either of those lines match up with what we’re looking at?”

  The others stepped back and let their eyes do the searching.

  “Maybe we need a key,” Lilly said.

  “There wasn’t any reference to a key anywhere in anything we’ve been told,” Atom replied without taking his eyes from the picture. “Did you come across something else?”

  “Nope.” Lilly blew out an exasperated sigh.

  “Wait a second.” Atom stepped close to the carving. “Solace turning.”

  “What?” Hither asked.

  Without responding, Atom reached up and placed his hand on the sun that stood above the figures emerging from the crater. Even with his hand spread wide, the edges of the disc stood out by a full inch.

  “Solace is one of the moons,” Atom mumbled. “What if that isn’t the sun, but the moon? Solace turning, but which way?”

  Picking up on his train of thought, Lilly stepped to his side. “To himself.” She pointed to the triumphant figure, rising messiah-like from the wreckage of the crater. “Or herself, as the case may be.”

  Atom strained against the stone and with the slowness of a heavy-laden pulley, it turned. With his hand above his head, Atom did his best to maintain forward pressure on the disc. After the stone sun completed a half turn, they all heard a loud click from below their feet.

  The floor quivered.

  “Careful,” Atom commanded, stepping back from the carving.

  The vibration shivered through the stones and into their feet. A crossing seam appeared and the floor drifted down several inches. Then with a low grinding, the floor pulled back into four quarters, revealing a plasteel floor beneath.

  Moving with the shifting floor, Atom plucked Margo and dropped her into the pram. “I think we found what we’re looking for, people,” he said with a grin as they all stepped from the stone floor on the plasteel platform below. “I hope you are all up for a ride, because it looks like we’re about to go somewhere.”

  “Ash, head back to the ship,” Lilly commanded. “Lock her down and keep her safe. I’ll alert you when we know what we’re looking at.”

  The Golem stared, delaying for a moment, then turned and lumbered from the room.

  “If I didn’t know any better, I’d say he’s worried about you,” Atom said.

  Before Lilly could reply, the floor began to descend. Above them, the stones slid back into place.

  ***

  The bottom of the shaft opened onto another stone chamber. Harsh lights flickered to life as the platform touched down on a rough-hewn floor. Unlike the stone chapel above, this room had a wall that looked familiar to Atom.

  “I think we found our ship,” he said.

  “That looks like a lock on one of the old training ships from my days as a rook,” Shi said as she stepped from the lift and examined the lock. “They were obsolete then and we just used them to practice breaching.”

  “It is old imperial stock,” Kozue chimed in.

  “At the moment, I care less about where it came from and more about what to do about it.” Atom followed Shi off the lift and crossed the room to the old lock. “All I care about is cracking this hatch and getting inside. Historical value aside, we came for a treasure and still have imps sitting on our heads. They haven’t found this place yet, otherwise we’d have them holding the light for us, but that doesn’t mean they won’t stumble on us sooner than we’d like.

  “By, can you get this open?” he asked, stopping at the lock to study the broad portal. “This isn’t the main supply bay hatch, but it should do the trick.”

  “Give me a touch, darl.” Byron slipped his satchel from his shoulder and laid a series of tools beside where he knelt. He then turned his attention to the locking mechanism. Frowning at the panel, he poked the main control and the door hissed open.

  Behind him, Shi let out a low guffaw.

  “Yuck yerself,” Byron snapped.

  “Always check the easiest solution first,” Atom said as he pushed the pram past Byron. “It’s good to know the ship is still powered after all these years. I was a little worried we’d be running on aux lights.”

  They cycled through the hatch and stepped into the interior of the ship. Stale air met them.

  “Sniffs like ‘ey need to change out the filters on the ‘cyclers,” Byron said as he wrinkled his nose and waved fluttering dust particles away from his face. “A few decades back.”

  “Still good enough to breathe,” Atom replied.

  Byron shrugged. “Guessin’ they en’t had much to tax ‘em.”

  “What’s the plan?” Hither asked.

  “Judging by the size of the hatch, we’re looking at a frigate.” Atom hovered the pram to a halt at the crossroads beyond the hatch and looked at the options. “It’s the smallest of the cap ships, but it still leaves us a lot of ground to cover. That means we need to frag to cover the whole ship as fast as possible.

  “Byron, find engineering.

  “Hither, bridge and get us the real story.

  “Shi, we’re going to need haulers, find the depot and see if you can round up some grav-sleds or something to carry whatever we find in here.

  “Daisy, you up?” Atom asked over the coms.

  “Better than yesterday,” the pilot replied.

  “Good, I want the ship prepped. Koze will give you our coords. I need you to find a way to get here when we need you without getting tagged on the way. I’m not sure how things are looking out there, but we’re on our target here.”

  “Aye, the Ticket will be ready to fly on your word. If I keep low, I might be able to slip their eye in the sky. We’ll just have to figure the next step once we get there.”

  “And you?” Hither asked, looking to Atom.

  “I aim to find some treasure. Lilly, you’re with me and Go.”

  ***

  A frigate, even one over a century old, had dozens of
holds. In a universal principle of protecting the warship, the holds constituted the outer layers of the ship’s skin. For a military ship, such as the one they explored, the inner holds would be the first place to look. Atom, however, took the time to examine any hold they passed as they moved towards the spine of the ship.

  “Think they’ll all be empty like these?” Lilly asked as they trudged through the dim light of their fourth empty hold.

  “I hope not,” Atom replied. “If they are, that means we wasted a trip out here.”

  “Not to mention being stuck with imps overhead.”

  “That, too.”

  Their footsteps echoed in the empty hold. Margo sat in the pram, her back stiff with nervous tension in the dim glow of the scattered overhead lights. Her tiny hands clutched the pram’s edge, knuckles white.

  The shadows hung heavy, slow with time.

  Atom led them out of the hold and into a low, military-grade corridor. The stark utilitarian nature of the construction did little to help ease the claustrophobic oppression of the silent ship. The hatch hissed shut, leaving them in a flickering gloom as the hall lights sprang to life just far enough ahead to see the next twenty yards, but nothing more.

  “They sure could have used a better decorator,” Lilly said, trying to lighten the mood.

  “Trust me, it hasn’t gotten much better in the years since this ship last flew.”

  “I’m glad I got into my line of work, then.”

  “Which is worse?”

  “We both deal in death, but my accommodations were up to my own choice. Outside assignments I was able to choose my own lifestyle and I don’t have any complaints in that department.”

  “When I was in the service, I would have killed to have that opportunity.”

  “But things are different now, Atom. Now you have your own ship.”

  Another door appeared in the walking lights. “Should we check this one out?” Atom asked.

  “I’d punch myself if we walked past the one hold that actually had something in it.” Lilly walked ahead of Atom and triggered the hatch open. “So, are things actually better now that you’re not in the service?”

  “We’re alive. That’s what counts for the moment,” Atom said as he stepped up beside Lilly and looked into the empty hold.

  “Some days, that’s all we can ask for.”

  Atom shrugged. “Most days,” he said.

  “Think we’ll ever find anything? It looks like they picked this ship over whenever it landed.”

  “Honestly, I’m surprised there’s even a power-plant here.” Atom turned and wandered down the hall, moving towards the rear of the ship. “But the fact that there is power would lead me to believe there is something left on this ship somewhere. Otherwise, I would imagine they would have totally dismantled her and not taken the time to leave access.”

  “Then it’s just a matter of where?”

  Lilly trailed along behind Atom and Margo. She followed in silence with her eyes on the deck, letting Atom’s footsteps guide her.

  “Do you miss her?” she asked without lifting her head.

  Atom slowed, but kept moving.

  “Your wife, I mean.” Lilly dragged her feet like a sullen school-child, uncertain of what lay ahead.

  “I know what you mean,” Atom’s voice hung just above a whisper, forcing Lilly to edge closer. “Yes, I miss her more than breath itself. There are days where Go is the only thing that gets me out of bed.

  “Could I ask you a favor?” He stopped and half turned without making eye contact. “Could you do that thing you did back in the prison?”

  Lilly grinned mischievously. “Isn’t this the wrong place to get frisky?”

  “I don’t want that,” Atom whispered, lifting his eyes to Lilly. “I want Go to see her mother one more time, so she doesn’t forget what Kozue looked like. And I miss hugging my wife.”

  Lilly cocked an eyebrow. “Just a hug? Seems strange.”

  “It’s a comfort thing. I’ve dreamed of holding Kozue one last time, but never had the chance.” He gave a half shrug. “And you could give me that peace of mind.”

  “Give me a minute, I need to change.” She stepped closer to Atom with an understanding smile and laid a hand on his shoulder. ‘This isn’t the first time someone has asked me to grant them peace. It might be the first time I’ve done it for someone I would almost consider a friend, but I understand.”

  Atom stood in awkward silence as Lilly slipped back down the hallway and into the last hold they had cleared. He looked down to Margo and she back up at him.

  “Dada,” she said, clambering to her feet and reaching for him.

  Atom took her in his arms and held her tight. His spirit roiled, caught between the past and the present, and a ghost that would walk with him as long as he would let her. Margo sensed the turmoil. In her childish mastery of the obvious, she snuggled into Atom’s chest and wrapped an arm tight about his neck.

  “I’s ok,” she cooed.

  “I know, Fiver. We’ve got this covered. I think we’re on the homestretch, but I just want a little insurance in case Lilly decides to disappear again.”

  “Lilly,” Margo paused, searching for her words. “Funny. Not bad.” Margo shook her head with exaggerated concern. “She’s funny.”

  “She makes you laugh?”

  “Nope.” Margo tickled Atom’s neck.

  “Strange?”

  “Yup, strange.”

  At that moment, Kozue appeared from the hold. She stopped in the middle of the low hallway and executed a slow pirouette. “Do I do her justice?” she asked as she came to a stop facing Atom with her arms spread wide.

  Margo lifted her head from Atom’s chest at the words. “Mama?” She looked at Lilly in confusion.

  “No, dear,” Lilly said with a sweet smile. “Just a ghost.”

  “Ghost?” Margo looked to Atom for answers.

  “It’s alright, Fiver.” Atom set Margo back in her pram as he turned to Lilly, the baug dressed in Kozue’s skin, slipped into his arms. She respected his words and melted against his chest with a simple longing for contact.

  Atom tensed at the sudden invasion of his space, but then sighed and relaxed, folding himself into the embrace.

  “Thank you,” he whispered as he closed his eyes and leaned his cheek on the top of Lilly/Kozue’s head. “This means more to me than you know. I never had a chance to say goodbye to Koze. Everything happened so fast. We were asleep, and then we weren’t. I had a split second to decide whether to stay and die with her or save Go.”

  “Did you make the right choice?” Lilly asked, her voice muffled against his chest.

  Atom shifted just enough to look down at Margo as she sat, watching the scene with puzzlement.

  “Yeah,” he said with soft remembrance. He opened up and nestled his ghost to his side, fitting her naturally into himself. “But that doesn’t mean I don’t have days where my soul crushes in on itself, like a black hole. There are days where hearing her voice in my ear is anguish, but I wouldn’t trade it for anything.”

  “I understand.”

  “Do you?” Atom asked, unbelieving. His arm dropped down to curl about her waist and ended with his hand cupping her hip.

  “I do,” Lilly whispered up to him, her eyes imploring.

  He reached up under her jacket and tapped the pistol strapped to the small of her back. “There’s a difference,” he said with a sad smile as he detached from the image of his love. “Kozue was a lefter and she always wore her pistol slung low on the hip. She was old fashioned that way.”

  Lilly smiled, the sadness drifting away. She leaned in and squeezed him around the middle, grinning up at him as she did so.

  Atom blew out a sigh and returned the smile as he wiped his eyes dry.

  “Little things,” she said as she pulled back. “You give me time to fully absorb someone, and I’ll know those kinds of things.”

  “And it ends,” Atom closed his eyes and savored the momen
t.

  “I’ve always worn my gun back there because I’d rather keep it out of sight. Unless I’m acting a part, there’s no sense in seeming a threat,” Lilly said, her voice drifting away from Kozue’s and closer to her own. Atom opened his eyes with a new calm as she continued. “I like having a gun, but I don’t necessarily want the entire Black to know it’s there.”

  “I appreciate the effort,” Atom said with a wry smile as he stepped over to stand beside Margo. “I know it wasn’t much and it was probably outside of your wheelhouse, but it gave my mind a moment of settlement.”

  Lilly kept Atom’s gaze for a moment before turning back the way she had come. “I’m going to change back. I don’t imagine it’ll do us any good holding onto this face. It’s just a distraction for you at this point.”

  “We’ll poke ahead. Maybe we’ll even clear a couple holds before you get back.”

  “Don’t make off with the treasure without me,” Lilly said with a sincere smile as she ducked back into the empty hold.

  Atom watched her go. “I don’t know if I should have done that or not,” he said to Margo as she fixed him with a quizzical look.

  “Dada, go.” She thumped down in the pram and sat cross-legged while gripping the sides. “Go fast.”

  “Not inside.”

  “Dada, go fast.”

  Atom ignored the command and fired up the suspensors. The pram hovered up from the floor to level out a few inches in the air and then glided forward at Atom’s light touch. They pressed forward, clearing two more holds in rapid succession.

  Then, as Lilly wandered back into the hall with a spent expression on her face, Atom opened the third door.

  He froze.

  The hallway hung in suspension. Lilly’s boots echoed as she hurried to join him, underscored by the soft hiss of the pram’s suspensors.

  “You find something?” she asked with breathless eagerness.

  He glanced back to her and then nodded to the open hatch.

  Inside, sitting in a halo of light surrounded by darkness, four oversized packing crates sat in a square with a fifth crate centered on the four below. More than a dozen paces of darkness separated the doorway from the circle of light.