Welcome to the apocalypse

by Lee Kerr

  I watch Lawrence uncross his legs and take a deep breath. I really hope he will succeed, because if he cannot convince these men then his dream will not work. He has continually prided himself on not bringing his design team up here with us, on the fact that all the technical and toughest questions he will answer himself, as our leader and our self-appointed saviour. But there are too many pieces missing to make this happen without help, and despite how inspired his vision is we all know it won’t take off without a lot of help.

  *****

  ‘Let me explain this again, gentlemen. It really is not difficult,’ Lawrence says as his glass is refilled for the fourth time by the ever-helpful Roddy. He fills up mine, too, knowing I have the same needs as my master even if I don’t deserve to have them fulfilled quite as much.

  ‘The platform will be built on land, starting with the tallest structure – the hydrogen container, which is designed to be significantly higher than the rest of the city. Once the generators are active, the pull will help to drag the rest of the city upwards, while still keeping a safe distance from a gas which is obviously highly flammable. The other parts of the sky city are the helium containers and the living quarters, with the motorised fans below us. It’s just like launching a regular hot air balloon but on a massive scale. Please remember the giant balloons will be individually woven, with their own helium feeds, so that even if one is damaged there are many more. There will be no need to repair any balloons, as new ones can be launched from the centre of the structure, meaning they can always regenerate themselves.’

  ‘What about storm damage?’ one of the doubters says. ‘Even at your proposed altitude there will still be weather factors to contend with.’

  Lawrence takes a deep breath and nods. ‘Weather will affect us to some degree but we will not experience storms of the severity of those felt on land.’ He looks around and then smiles. ‘Please remember that there will be two types of giant gas feeds, both pulling us upwards, so life in the clouds really will be utterly safe and very different from life down here.’

  None of them laugh or smile; there’s not even a nod of agreement. ‘Storms below will make your land-based operation vulnerable, of this you cannot deny.’

  ‘Yes, the anchor centres will be affected by storms, but remember that these islands have been chosen due to their stability and the predictability of their weather. The steel ropes cannot be broken and any turbulence will be reduced by on board motorised fans that will automatically stabilise us and keep movement to a minimum, just as they are doing now. It will feel no different from being at sea or on a plane.’

  Everyone stops and looks around, all of our guests suddenly realising that we are no longer moving. In fact, we stopped a while ago, in the heat of the debate, and now we are simply hovering 8,000 feet above the ground.

  Lawrence suddenly stands up and opens his arms, as if embracing the silence, seeing the break in the conversation as representing a change in our fortunes. ‘Gentlemen, perhaps it’s time to stop discussing and go smell the clouds.’

  This is his favourite expression. It’s more appropriate than “smell the roses”, as we’re a long way from where they grow. I’m thankful when all three of them stand up. They are handed their coats as they head towards the door to a small balcony. We all step out into the cold air and take hold of the railings, as I remember just how chilly life will be up here. I look around and feel like time has stopped; there is nothing here but a vacuum of sky.

  Lawrence stands next to Jin, watching carefully as we all look over the edge and they finally break into a smile, no doubt marvelling at the fact we are looking down at the blue sea and a scattering of land. I peer over too, taking every chance I get to enjoy this view, still aware that if I don’t make the final cut, I will need to keep hold of this vision until the day I die. The day may yet come when I look up and think about what Destiny can see as she stares down.

  ‘It’s a thing of beauty, isn’t it?’ Lawrence says, looking down as well. ‘We can adjust the height of the sky city depending on weather conditions. If it’s going to pour with rain we go higher and if it’s going to be a scorcher of a day we can drop down lower. The temperature will be a lot lower, but the natural heat from the engines and generators will combat this.’

  Jin looks up at him and finally gives a nod of approval. ‘You have created something quite remarkable, but you must know that there are too many variables to contend with to make this a viable option for the masses of survivors.’

  Lawrence smiles back at him, looking like he has finally won the ultimate accolade, even though it comes with a side dish of scepticism. ‘And that’s the beauty of big businesses. We’re not constrained by government funding or rules and regulations. We simply get on with things. We have already sent this baby up high enough to know what the coldest temperatures that man and machine can withstand, and we have learnt the hard way what happens when the engines fail.’ He looks back out into the open air and then down to the ocean below us. ‘This isn’t our first sky city and this isn’t our original crew, but what we have lost in resources we have gained in knowledge, and now all we need is your engineering expertise to build this on a much larger scale. The principles of gravity, density and flight do not change. We saw that when the first commercial super tanker hit the open sea and the first jumbo jet took off.’

  ‘You talk with much passion, Mr. Lawrence,’ Jin says. ‘And you bear the loss of your people like a true leader.’

  ‘Thank you,’ Lawrence says, smiling down at his new, potential subject.

  Jin bows his head in return, for the first time since they have arrived. ‘But what I would like to know more about is your passengers. How many you propose to put up here on one platform, for example, and how do you plan to pick the lucky few?’

  ‘Each sky city will have one thousand residents, and once we have established an air transport network we will allow people to transfer between them. Imagine a future where you wake up every day a little closer to the sun than we are now and where you can board a transport shuttle to take you to another sky city – maybe to see a friend or perhaps for work? These people will pay a survivors’ fee to join the city but after that they will be required to add genuine value to our community.’

  They all stare at him quietly. Their silence is partly because they are mesmerised by his ideas and partly, I think, because they simply don’t believe him. I don’t think they doubt the engineering possibilities – after all, we’re standing on the crest of his achievements – I just think they have the same doubts as the rest of us.

  ‘And these happy residents, what will they do all day? What will their jobs be?’ one of the men asks.

  Jin’s hand goes up, silencing the others. ‘Before we discuss what these inhabitants will do all day, I still want to know exactly how you will pick the few from the many.’

  Lawrence nods quickly, because he has heard this question more than any other, far more frequently than people asking if it is actually possible to send a thousand tonnes of steel into the air. ‘They must add value to the future world. We cannot have people who are simply along for the ride; we need researchers for future technologies, repair teams, maintenance, teachers, scholars, food technicians and many other skilled individuals.’

  ‘And will all these people be residents of America?’

  Lawrence shakes his head and points a finger at Jin, the man who was a welcome guest and our hopeful saviour just an hour ago. ‘If you’re thinking that I am only planning to do this for my people then you are mistaken. Tyrell has occupied these islands, I have the idea and we need your engineering speed and ingenuity to make this happen far quicker than we originally intended.’

  ‘So you propose an equal third split?’ Jin says, all too quick and all too clear on the hand that he wants dealt to him and his people.

  ‘I wasn’t quite thinking that. You must remember that hundreds of people in my organisation have been designing these sky cities for many years. We saw t
hem as an alternative place to live on an already overcrowded planet. They were a commercial venture but since the world has fallen into chaos, I believe they are now man’s best hope of survival. We all know that our best chance lies in getting off the ground and this project offers us a chance to do that.’

  ‘And you need us to build them? So we should technically get at least half of the spaces available, especially when you consider how big our population is.’

  Lawrence is shaking his head and behind him Tyrell is doing the same. Both of them know that the more people they allow on, the less they get for themselves. ‘No, I’m sorry, but I cannot do that,’ Lawrence says. ‘An equal share is a fair deal, gentlemen. The journey will start here but we will inevitably build many sky cities that will house more people, and the more we build, the more people from every continent get saved.’

  Jin is nodding now; he seems almost sold on the idea. ‘So we can use this technology to build more of these sky cities?’

  ‘Of course, we will enter into a deal to share resources and expertise. If we build and float this first Sky City then many others will follow.’

  The Chinese look at each other. They are huddled tightly together, talking amongst themselves in a language that I guarantee none of us know. They are difficult to understand, not just what they’re saying but also what they mean, but their harsh tones and loud words seem to indicate more towards negative feelings about everything that has been said so far.

  They eventually stop talking. Jin looks at Lawrence and then at Tyrell. ‘What we have seen today is truly remarkable. You must trust my word on that. But we do have concerns about the quality of the people who will reside in these cities.’

  ‘Quality?’ Lawrence says, shaking his head. ‘What do you mean?’

  ‘These cities will be small when compared to the mass of land people are used to. There will be little space and far fewer resources. To this end, I believe we would be better suited picking those who will cope better with being economical. I mean people who are used to having limited space and scarce resources, as well as those who can remain focused and actively contribute for the duration of their lives.’ He looks over the edge and then back up at Lawrence. ‘I am sure you will agree that these structures cannot carry passengers and the question we keep returning to is what will you do with the mass of undisciplined, overweight and inevitably older people?’

  ‘Are you saying what I think you’re saying: that Americans are not the right people?’

  Jin nods, not trying to hide his thoughts. ‘We have carefully observed those who have landed on your island so far and judging by the amount of suitcases and other baggage we can only assume they are passengers and not engineers, builders or other active contributors. They may have bought a place in your new world but how can you possibly convince them that they will need to leave behind the luxury that they have become accustomed to, and live a new life of frugality and hard work up in the sky?’

  Lawrence mumbles his words. ‘But they have paid their way and they understand that there will be a new way of life up here.’

  Jin shakes his head in response. ‘They have left the paradise they lived in before and moved into a five-star hotel until the Sky City is ready to carry them off into the future. I believe your idea will work but I do not believe they are the right calibre of people.’

  I step forward, determined to help. ‘We will have a sky citizens’ charter which they will live up to,’ I say, the words falling out of my mouth before I have checked that they make sense and that they’re appropriate to this brutal world of business.

  Everyone stares at me again, probably wondering why I’m speaking and why I have chosen now to contribute to the discussion. Only Lawrence doesn’t scowl at me this time, and I wonder if he really appreciates my help.

  ‘I’m sure that you will, young man,’ Jin says, with a small smile. ‘But we believe a much better location is the Himalayas. When you consider all the variables of land and people there, as well as the easy access to significant resources, it is a much stronger proposition.’

  Tyrell is shaking his head and looking at Lawrence; he clearly knew what was coming. This is the moment of tension in their relationship that I have been waiting to see, desperate to witness the strain in what others view as the perfect partnership. As long as they have had an island and an idea they are safe together, but now something is threatening to pull this apart, and I’m not sure Tyrell will ever be enough to keep it together.

  The Chinese stick to their resolve: they walk into the reception area and sit back down, as if they had simply been viewing a house. The rest of us are left with no choice but to follow them back in, as Jin tells Lawrence that we can start our descent.

  Lawrence follows them back in. I can tell he is angry. He sits down and looks at the floor and then back to our guests. ‘The deal was to build the first sky city here, above this island, and for there to be any deal I must insist upon this.’

  Jin stares at him for a moment, perhaps sizing him up or perhaps not remotely interested – it’s difficult to tell after all that has been said. I wonder if all they needed was the inspiration that they have been given today to go and create their own version – one that’s better, faster and has the right people living in it. I wonder what Lawrence would do if that happens. He won’t be able to copyright it, not now – not with everything else going on.

  ‘There has been no hostile activity in that region and the geographic barriers to the threats advancing on other countries are quite immense. When you couple this with a significantly more advanced workforce, it really does show how ill-advised it is to use this location for a project of this magnitude.’ He leans forward, towards Lawrence. ‘You clearly have a grand dream, but do you really want it to die in such a small place?’

  Tyrell bangs the nearest table to him and stands up, looking over at Lawrence. ‘What are they talking about? We have had no activity on this island or anywhere nearby and we have water all around us!’ He drawers an invisible circle in the air as if we needed help to see what he is saying.

  The Chinese don’t move; all of them remaining still like seated statues, until Jin finally leans back. ‘Mr Lawrence, I think we should take a break and then continue this negotiation once we are back on land – perhaps minus your colleague, Mr Tyrell.’

  ‘What?’ Tyrell shouts, his arms raised and his eyes blood-red. ‘I will not have this on my island! You are in my home and in this place that has already been built as a visitor centre!’

  ‘With all due respect, a visitor centre does not build sky cities. This island is too small and the threat is very real and likely to be close. What is left of the United States is on your doorstep and water has been proven to do very little to stop the advance.’

  Tyrell points at his adversary, his new tormentor, as he makes his way around the table, his big arm outstretched, today’s drama now taking its toll. The visitors start to fidget in their chairs; it’s the first action that has provoked a physical response from them.

  Lawrence quickly moves to stop him, his height making him a dominant presence, despite his more slender frame. ‘Tyrell!’ he shouts. It manages to get a reaction: the bulky islander stops still at his master’s call.

  Lawrence looks around at the others. ‘Gentlemen, we cannot argue like this, not at such a crucial time. If we are to do this for humanity and make a commercial activity from it then we will find fair terms with which to sign this agreement. We will build the first sky city on these islands because we can make the launch centres secure to protect the anchors, and Tyrell has guaranteed that we can make them safe from whatever threats are lurking out there. We have control of a substantial number of weapons and many men who can use them.’

  ‘You can believe me on that,’ Tyrell says, both of his hands on a table, looking more like a gorilla than a leader of the remaining inhabitants of this island.

  Lawrence starts pacing. ‘If we need to build more then we will do so, but throug
h fair and equitable corporate terms. We must remember that we are to become new world leaders and we cannot start by arguing on the eve of such great success. Man built and sailed the first boat and a man built and flew the first plane, but it was corporations who took these ideas and made them commercial, scaleable and permanent. We sailed super tankers around the world when many people argued that tonnes of steel would simply sink to the bottom of the ocean, and we put winged metal birds into the sky, when people thought that all they would do was fall. So is it too unbelievable to think that we can work together to put many square-mile cities into the air and keep them up there?’

  The others look over at Jin, all waiting for an answer. I catch Lawrence doing the same, his success or failure in the balance. His eyes don’t leave him until Jin stands up. ‘You have said a lot and some of it makes total sense but much of it, if you pardon the pun, is up in the clouds. You are not alone in being creative in such extreme situations: both the British and the Japanese did a good job of fortifying many of their islands, not that it has been successful in the long run.’

  ‘Just as we will fortify this one, which will work,’ Lawrence says, gripping Tyrell’s shoulders, keeping him in the game with one simple yet unenviable task. ‘The world is in chaos and none of us know what is happening but we can make a success of this.’

  Jin nods but he doesn’t look convinced; he looks like he’s done with Lawrence’s motivational speeches. ‘We all need to pick sides. I believe you are right that from the ashes will rise stronger corporations, willing to work with whoever survives, as well as demanding value from each individual who remains alive. What is in question is whether yours is the most effective plan and if these islands are the best overall location.’

  Tyrell screams and bangs his hands against his head as he runs over to a map on the wall. ‘My islands are perfect!’ he shouts, pointing at the map. ‘Look how much water there is!’