by Joseph Rhea
“You know, ‘weapon’ can have a broad meaning,” Vee added. “Maybe they used it to locate and steal each other’s gold.”
“I like that idea,” Jake said, just as the elder Range stood up, knocking over his chair.
“What are you saying, Moon?” he bellowed. Before Nia could respond, the younger brother, who up until then had remained silent, stood up and grabbed his older brother’s arm. “I’m sorry we weren’t there when you all needed us,” he said quite calmly. “Especially you, Mr. Fields,” he said, addressing Ash. “If your sister had died as a result of our not being there, I don’t know what I would do.”
The older brother blinked, as if he had suddenly just awakened from a dream. “Yes, what my brother said. We are both truly sorry.”
Nia stood up, her face relaxing visibly as she spoke. “I am the one who should apologize, gentlemen,” she said. “You were both just following my orders by scouting ahead. There was nothing at all you could have done.” She rubbed her forehead. “I think this has just been a long day, and we could all probably use some sleep.”
As everyone began clearing the table, Jake finished his meal and returned his plate to the galley recycler. “Are you heading downstairs, by any chance?” Vee asked. “By downstairs, I mean to the cargo bay.”
“I was, actually,” he replied. He could feel the walls closing in, which was a sign he needed time in the big room.
“Could you please ask my grandfather to put down his slate and come have some dinner? I think that thing, whatever it is, will understand if he doesn’t discover all of its secrets in the first few hours.”
“I’ll tell him,” he said as he turned toward the stairwell. He stopped and faced her. “Thanks for dinner,” he added. “It really was great.” Her smile almost melted him. “I—um—where was I going?”
“My grandfather,” she said with a knowing grin.
“Right,” he said as he pivoted around and headed straight for the stairs before he could say, or do, anything else embarrassing.
Chapter 09
When Jake reached the cargo bay, Norman Raines glanced up from his work. “My granddaughter sent you down to get me, didn’t she?”
“I was coming down anyway.”
Raines looked around the bay. “It’s a good-sized room, isn’t it?” Jake tried to give him a “what are you talking about?” look, but apparently the older man saw through it. “You’re not the first city dweller I’ve met,” he said.
“Well, that’s a nicer term than ‘wog,’ I guess. That’s what Coal’s crew called me when I first came on board.”
“You know, wog is actually short for pollywog, which is just one stage of a frog’s life cycle. In other words, you can adapt to living inside a ship. All it takes is time. A lifelong shellback like me has it a bit rougher.”
“How so?” Jake asked as he sat down on a nearby cargo container. He was beginning to like Vee’s grandfather quite a bit. He reminded him of his own father.
“The open-air domes of all the big cities scare the bilge out of me,” Raines said. “All of that empty space—it’s just not natural.” He touched the wall of the cargo bay. “Now this, this is where I belong. It’s where I feel safe. Give me four solid walls, a metal floor, and a low ceiling any day!”
“I guess you wouldn’t have done very well back in the Pre-Fall world, would you? All of that open space?”
“If even half of the legends are true, then I dare say that none of us would have felt comfortable there.”
“I’ve heard that the sunlight was so bright that it could burn your skin, the nights could get so cold that your breath would freeze, and they had windstorms so powerful they could knock down entire buildings.”
Raines frowned. “I understand why some ‘less-enlightened’ people would choose to believe that we came from a world that was far worse than our own; it helps them accept the burdens of life in this colony.”
“So, you don’t think any of that is true?” He hated the “less-enlightened” remark, and one of his favorite pastimes as a kid was running through the old abandoned city gardens, pretending he was an “Old Earth Explorer” searching for lost treasure on that desolate planet.
Raines sighed. “I think Earth was something beyond what most people can comprehend, given that most of its inhabitants lived above water. But whether it was a desert world or garden paradise, we may never know for sure.”
“Then why study Pre-Fall at all? Who cares about the past?”
“Because our leaders fear that past, and I would like to understand why,” Raines said with a strange glint in his eyes. “They also fear any form of change, and they have taught our citizens to fear it, as well. Fear has forced us to live in decaying cities and allowed us to accept a form of government that exploits those fears. However, I believe that facing your fears can be a source of true enlightenment, and that’s how I choose to live my life.”
He remembered Stacy telling him of her father’s secret desire to “face his fears” by venturing beyond the colony borders, despite the Council’s steadfast refusal to grant permission. “Do you believe in the Novum?” he asked.
“Novum is a word from an ancient and largely forgotten language,” Raines said. “It used to mean ‘new thing,’ but people now use it to describe everything from the monsters of the deep to the ‘event’ that caused the Fall.”
Jake nodded his head. “I thought it was just a kid’s word until I joined Coal’s crew. At night, the older crew members would sit around the galley, telling stories of creatures larger than the biggest transports lurking just beyond the border, waiting to devour anyone who tried to cross, things like that.” He also remembered how his parents had died when he was a child.
“Fear of the Novum is fear of change,” Raines said. “What you heard were manufactured fables, created by our ancestors and enhanced by our government to instill fear.”
“For what purpose?”
Raines leaned in close. “To keep us from escaping a prison of our own design. Do you know why our borders are armed? They didn’t used to be, you know. When I was young, both the perimeter border and the ceiling grid were just sensor nets, put there to alert us if something tried to enter the colony. Now, if you venture beyond a thousand kilometers from Capitol City or try to ascend past a thousand meters from the sea floor, your ship will be destroyed, no questions asked.”
“Those defenses are for our protection.”
“Protection from what? Since I’ve been alive, those so-called defenses have obliterated five of our own ships. Countless lives lost just because they strayed too close to our borders. And, in all that time, not a single thing from the outside has ever tried to cross the border into our colony. They’re keeping us from leaving under the guise of protecting us from something that doesn’t exist.”
“So you don’t believe in monsters?”
“Not out there,” Raines said. “The only monsters I know of are inside Civica’s borders—human monsters that knowingly instill fear in the masses, simply to keep us from learning the truth.”
“What truth?”
“That there is something out there beyond our borders. Something important.”
“What?”
“Listen to me, Jake,” Raines said, his voice turning grave. “Forgetting all of the stories and lies we have grown up with, all that we really know of the Pre-Fall world has to be inferred from the ancient technology that we occasionally stumble upon. Carefully analyzed, they tell us that our Earth ancestors were far more advanced than we are today. They were masters of fusion power, and with it, they overcame most of the plagues of humanity, including greed, hunger, poverty, and war, and even began creating new life forms in their own image.”
“Betas,” Jake said, remembering his earlier conversation with Nia.
“Yes. Then, some sort of catastrophic event, which we call the ‘Fall of Man,’ forced humanity to evacuate Earth, and settle on our ocean world.” He leaned in closer to Jake. “Are we really so self-importa
nt as to believe that the residents of Civica are the only surviving descendants of that once-mighty people?”
“They tried to find out once,” Jake said. “When I was a kid, they went outside the border to look for other colonies.” As he said the words, he saw a strange look appear on Raines’s face.
“That was the Compass Expedition,” the older man said. “It was our one attempt to explore some part of the sea beyond our borders, to test some of the theories of the scientific community. Four ships loaded with extra batteries and supplies, sent to the north, east, south, and west, to search for signs of human life.” He looked at Jake. “Did you know anyone on board, son?”
“Both of my parents,” he admitted. “There was a lottery for deckhands, and they put their name in. They both worked in hydroponics, and neither had stepped foot outside the city in their whole lives. I remember they were so excited when they found out that they were both selected for the westbound ship. They talked about nothing else for the days leading up to departure. They kissed me goodbye and said they would see me in a few weeks, but…”
Raines put his hand on Jake’s shoulder. “I’m truly sorry for your loss, Jake. I can assure you that it was a well-planned mission. I… I knew all of the scientists involved with the project, and I know that every precaution had been taken. The captains were instructed to travel in straight lines away from the colony and return well before they reached their Rubicon point.”
“Rubicon?”
“An old shipper’s term for the ‘point of no return,’ or half power,” Raines said. “They all should have made it back.”
“But they didn’t. None of them made it back.”
“I know,” Raines answered solemnly. “Civica lost nearly all of its scientists and creative thinkers that year. It was after that expedition that the Council began to grow in power. They cut off funding for all research and banned travel outside the border. In fifteen years, no one has dared to defy them.”
“So obviously, the deep ocean really is dangerous. Maybe if my parents had feared the Novum, or whatever is out there, they would still be alive today.” Jake sighed, remembering his aunt who really couldn’t afford an extra kid growing up in her sub-level apartment in the garment district of Capitol City. That’s why he left home early to look for work. “Fear keeps us safe, too, doesn’t it?”
“Everyone feels fear, Jake, but it’s what we choose to do in response to that fear that defines us. I choose to face my fears and learn from them.”
“You would actually choose to go outside?” he asked skeptically. “Go outside the border? For what purpose?”
“Four ships and over sixty people in the Compass Expedition disappeared without a trace, including several close friends of mine and your parents. Someone should find out what happened to them, don’t you think? Their story deserves to be told.”
“You would knowingly defy the Council’s orders?”
Raines raised one eyebrow. “Are you planning to turn me in, son?”
“No!” Jake said too forcefully. “I didn’t mean… I just came down to tell you that your granddaughter wants you to come upstairs for dinner,” he said, relieved to have found a quick way out of the suddenly awkward conversation. “And she doesn’t seem to be a patient person.”
“Especially after a few too many cups of my fine coffee,” Raines added with a smile and then patted Jake on the shoulder, the way his father used to. “Good night, Jacob,” he said as he headed through the hatchway.
Chapter 10
When Raines was gone, Jake stood there for a minute, reflecting on the old man’s words. There weren’t many who lived as long as Raines had, which was well over seventy years, according to Nia. Maybe living that long gave a person a different view on life. Maybe it made him question things that everyone else took for granted. Even though Jake was a third as old as Raines, what he said did make sense, at least to a point. Parts of Capitol City did seem to be falling apart, and as far as Jake knew, no one knew how to fix the problems. Power consumption was monitored closely and often rationed, and many foods he had eaten as a child were no longer available. But wasn’t that normal? Wasn’t that simple entropy—one of the laws of physics he had learned in school? Raines implied that humanity had once been able to break that law and actually make things better over time. The idea seemed ridiculous, but maybe it wasn’t.
“Too much!” he said aloud as he went to the forward end of the cargo bay and sat down on the floor. He leaned back against the slanted loading door and could feel the vibration from the water passing over the bow. The textured metal floor beneath him was cold, and he could feel the grit of sand beneath his palms, brought in from the jumper’s feet. That was quite a run, he thought to himself as he replayed those final minutes in his head. The girl, Jessie, had almost died. In fact, they all could have died out there. All for what?
The mine ship sat silently in front of him, its jagged silhouette reminding him of a cartoon character who is so scared that his hair stands straight out. “Are you something to fear?” he asked the object.
He got up and walked over to the mine ship. Even though it could be a bomb, as he’d suggested to Nia, somehow, as he stood there looking at it, he knew it wasn’t even dangerous, at least not to him. But how could he know that? He decided that Nia had been right before, in that everyone could use some sleep. He turned to leave but was startled by someone standing right behind him. It was the new girl, Jane Doe.
“Whoa, you surprised me,” he said, taking a step back. She was wearing a thin medical gown but not much else. The skin of her bare arms and long legs glistened slightly in the soft light of the bay. Her long red hair was wet and hanging over her face. Even cleaned up, she reminded him of a wild animal. Maybe Vee’s guess that she was raised by savage creatures was correct.
“Sir-prized,” the girl repeated slowly and carefully, as if she were trying out the word for the first time. Her voice was soft, but a bit scratchy.
Remembering what Vee had said about her learning their language, he asked, “Do you understand me?”
She nodded. “Un-der-stand,” she repeated, and then added, “Save-you.”
What did she mean by that? “No, I’m fine. I was just asking if—”
She stepped past him and touched several of the symbols on the mine ship, and then stepped back and faced him. “Save-you,” she repeated.
He was about to repeat that he was fine, when he heard a hiss right beside him. He turned to see the mine ship split right down the middle and then open itself up, the bottom screeching against the metal floor.
In the center of the object, there was a chair with a flatscreen attached to it. It was actually quite similar to one of the bridge consoles. The chair was human sized, and suddenly, he understood why it was called a ship. This thing was meant to be piloted. But piloted for what? Was it, in fact, a simple mining ship as their navigator had suggested? If so, maybe Raines was wrong for calling it a weapon.
Knowing that he should probably leave the thing alone and go alert Raines and Nia of his discovery, he instead decided to try out the chair for himself. As he climbed inside and sat down, he realized that Raines was correct—facing the unknown was exciting.
While he was investigating the view screen in front of him, Jane stepped into the ship, lifted one long leg over him, and then sat down on his lap, facing him. Her nose was nearly touching his, and he could feel her warm breath on his face. “I don’t think—” he started to say, then she pressed something behind him, and the door started to close.
“Save-you,” she repeated.
“Don’t,” he blurted out as the object slammed shut, locking them both inside in total darkness. “Jane, can you please open the door?” he asked calmly.
He felt her breath in his right ear, “Save-you-Jake-Stone.”
“Save me from what?” he asked. Jane answered him by pivoting around on his lap—not any easy maneuver in the tight quarters—then she swiped her long fingertips across the fl
at screen in front of them. The screen slowly came to life and began to show a view of the cargo bay, but something about it looked odd. Then he realized that it couldn’t be a view from the mine ship itself; the perspective was far too high, as though he were looking at the bay from somewhere near the ceiling.
“You’ve tapped into the ship’s security feed,” he whispered. He reached up and touched the screen. As he moved his finger across the surface, the view tracked with him. He was not only viewing the highly secure feed from the micro-camera mounted in the cargo bay, he was also controlling it. “The security cameras are tied directly to the bridge. No one can access them remotely. How are you doing this?”
She didn’t answer but again touched the screen, and it changed to a view of the bridge. Juno was still at helm, and Ash was standing next to her. Again, he was able to change the view angle with a touch of his hand. This wasn’t Jane’s doing, he realized. It was the mine ship. Apparently, the ship’s name referred to data mining, as in security-feed hacking.
“This is a powerful tool you’ve uncovered,” he said, “and I’m sure Norman Raines will be grateful for your help, but now I think it’s time—” The view screen suddenly went black, and the inside of the mine ship was plunged into darkness. The primitive part of his brain that feared the dark wanted to scream, but Jane’s body pressing down on his lap and the smell of her wet hair just centimeters from his nose had a strange calming effect on him. Well, maybe not so strange, he realized. It had been over six months since he had allowed a woman to get so close to him.
He closed his eyes, took a long, deep breath, and then let it out slowly. He tried to remember the last time he’d felt this relaxed. It had to be the night before the accident. He was with Stacy in her room, and they were both lying on her narrow bunk, their arms entangled, and staring into each other’s eyes. It quickly turned into another contest to see who could go the longest without blinking. She won, as usual, and proceeded to tell him how that meant that she loved him more than he loved her. “I’ll still be looking at you with my dying breath,” she proclaimed, and he began tickling her until she squealed with laughter.