“Such as?” Keira asked.
“Not one part of the route is habitable. We shouldn’t encounter anyone, let alone a resident of the tower. The air is bad below the surface. They shut down the air scrubbers long ago to conserve on power and reduce the load on the rest of the tower.”
“That’s good,” Keira said, for much of Hakagi was a slum.
“Not the worst hike we’ve ever had to hump,” Chris said, “but still, it’s pretty far. We’re gonna take two mules, then.”
“Two?” Lee seemed surprised by that. Keira was not, especially after what he’d told her. “Everything we’re going to need for the repair can be carried on one. Why bother with two?”
“True, one can haul it all,” Chris said, his gaze sliding over the bags of equipment they had pulled out and those still securely stowed around the compartment. “Listen, the hike’s gonna be a long one. If we take one mule and it breaks down, we’d need to send someone back to the APC to retrieve the other. I don’t think I need to remind you, Hakagi is the badlands, the Wild West, and the locals are very hostile. No matter how bad the air, take nothing for granted.” His gaze once again ran around the crew compartment. “We will take extra supplies and anything we can possibly need or use. That way, there’s no reason to return, until we need to or the job is finished.”
Lee made to say something, but Chris cut him off.
“Look, I’m security for this mission. You should have more protection, a whole detail, but they only allocate one of us specialists to each team and then supplement that with militia or local police. If the mule breaks, I don’t feel comfortable leaving one of you alone while I go back with the other to get the backup, especially with all the trouble the UPG is having with Hakagi.”
“There’s the militia out there,” Lee put in.
Keira almost rolled her eyes. Lee should have known better than that. Apparently, Chris thought the same, for his face hardened with clear disapproval.
“You both can trust me with your lives,” Chris said in a grave tone, looking between the two of them. “Can you say the same of the local armed forces? Look at what happened yesterday. You know they’re barely trustworthy. If it wasn’t for the extra rations the government gives them and their families—and make no mistake, what they do receive is not a whole lot more than the locals—they’d be completely unreliable. This planet is one of the worst hellholes I’ve ever set my feet on. Do not ever make the mistake of placing your faith in the militia’s ability to pull you out of the shit. If everything goes bad, they are just as likely to run as to join the other side.”
Lee, looking somewhat shamefaced, gave a nod.
“I guess we’re taking both mules,” Keira said. Chris’s argument had holes, but she knew why they were really taking both mules. The only one in the APC who didn’t know was Lee.
“Great, I knew you’d see it my way,” Chris said, clapping his armored hands together with a solid-sounding clunk. “That means we can take a little extra hardware, then.”
“More firepower?” Keira asked.
“You know me only too well, butterfly,” Chris said.
There was an insistent thumping on the back of the APC.
“It seems we’ve been jawing too long,” Chris said. “The natives are getting restless.”
Keira glanced at the door and felt a wave of sadness roll over her. She did not know how Chris would pull it off, slipping away when the job was done and right out from under the noses of the militia too. It felt like they were truly going to make an escape. Perhaps she really was a prisoner after all and the UPG was her jailer.
The unhappiness intensified. She thought of the pictures of her parents back at the FOB and everything else that was hers. The thought of losing her few possessions hurt. Worse, those photos were the only pictures she had of her parents, and Keira knew she would never be able to replace them.
The thumping came again.
“Lee,” Chris said, “open the back door.”
As Lee stepped by her, Keira had a strong premonition that in the days ahead, her life was about to change in ways she could hardly imagine. Whether that was for good or bad, she had no idea.
Chapter Ten
Stepping past Keira and Chris in the crew compartment, Lee went to the door and hit the button, triggering the ramp to open. Chris grabbed his M23 assault rifle and held it loosely but in the ready position as the ramp slowly extended, revealing the service bay of Hakagi Tower. The atmosphere inside the APC immediately grew hazy as the foul, noxious air flowed inward and the good air was sucked out.
The bay beyond seemed locked in a dim, almost misty eternal twilight. Just off to the left side of the ramp, a militia captain stood waiting for them with an impatient air. He was middle-aged, which meant he had lived through the Fall.
Like his men, he wore an unpowered combat suit. His helmet had a clear faceplate and on his hip was holstered the largest pistol Keira had ever seen. It even had a white-handled grip. He did not carry a rifle.
Cpt. Pikreet was stenciled on his chest. The armor was scuffed, marked, and the paint in places had been worn completely away, revealing dull gray metal underneath. Keira got the impression the captain’s armor had been handed down so many times, the combat suit was nearly worn out.
Hakagi’s service bay appeared cavernous, with only a handful of overhead lights in working order. These fought a losing battle against the tide of darkness that wanted to swallow the entire space. Keira had never been in this bay before but had been in others like it. All of the arcologies and apartment blocks had such underground spaces. They never ceased to amaze her.
She had heard it said the apartment blocks were like icebergs, with much more under the surface than what met the eye above. Though Keira had never seen an iceberg, she’d seen pictures of them. With the shattering and drying of the climate, there were no longer any icebergs on Asherho nor any standing bodies of water, at least on the surface.
As she gazed curiously beyond the captain, into the depth of the bay, Keira could almost feel the monstrous weight of the structure towering overhead. A disembodied feeling came over her as she thought on it, as if she could sense the souls of all those who called the tower home, the teeming masses crammed together through necessity. She felt their desperation, the gnawing hunger of their bellies, the daily struggle to survive, the cloying hopelessness of their lives. It was oppressive, and for a moment, she could not breathe as the sensation threatened to overwhelm her sanity.
Keira shook her head to clear it, sucking in a gasping breath with effort. Her vision swam slightly, so she closed her eyes, squeezing them tight. A moment later the sensation passed, just as rapidly as it had come. She breathed out a sigh of relief, though she felt more exhausted than she had seconds before. Leaning a hand against the APC, she took a moment to recover, focusing on her breathing.
What was that?
Had she just had a panic attack? Keira had never had one before. She had known those who had broken down. It was a worrying thought. Then again, she had spent much of the night helping Li Sung’s family and had only managed to grab a couple hours of sleep. She was tired and needed a good night’s rest. Even Syles’s coffee had not done the job of fully waking her up. She was bone-tired.
No, she decided, it had been no panic attack. It was a result of a serious lack of sleep. That was all. But, just to be certain, she checked the atmospheric mix in her suit, looking at the readout panel and running a rapid diagnostic. It showed green. The atmosphere was normal. The filtration system was working as it should. From her monitor, she saw the outside air, however, was downright deadly. It would incapacitate in seconds and kill in minutes.
Farther into the bay, the sergeant from the day before was directing his people, spreading them out and forming a perimeter around the vehicles. From the way they moved, the militia did not seem in much of a hurry to comply. There was a distinct lack of urgency, a lethargy in their movements, as if they knew that forming a perimeter down h
ere under Hakagi was a waste of time. And Keira agreed with them. Only a fool would venture willingly into such a hostile environment.
Did that make them all fools then?
The militia captain’s gaze moved around the interior of the armored vehicle curiously, his eyes flicking about, as if shrewdly appraising all that was inside. He even eyed the first aid kit mounted on the wall by the hatch. On the black market, the gear they had would sell for a fortune, and he was no doubt very aware of that fact.
Much of what they had been issued was irreplaceable. A good deal of it included equipment and tools that could no longer be manufactured or replicated, particularly the two fabrication printers. Those, in Keira’s estimation, were priceless.
Pikreet’s gaze lingered on Keira for a moment, before passing onto Lee. She did not like his eyes. They were cold and without feeling. Perhaps the man simply had no morals or just didn’t care anymore. The captain seemed to be sizing them up. He did not seem terribly impressed by what he saw. He finally shifted his gaze to Chris.
For his part, Chris had been studying the captain. When their eyes met, Chris nodded, in a professional sort of way. It seemed to break the ice, for the captain’s gaze softened slightly.
“Were you really a marine?” There was genuine curiosity in the question.
Pikreet had a slight accent that Keira could not place. It was sort of singsong. The day before, she had heard it on the radio but had assumed it was simply the garbled and static-filled transmission that had distorted his tone. “Or did you take that armor from someone else?”
“I get asked that a lot,” Chris said.
“So?” Pikreet asked. “Are you going to answer me?”
“I am a marine,” Chris said, in a relaxed, almost nonchalant tone that indicated he did not have a care in the world. “Gunny McCandless at your service, sir.”
“I’ve never met a real marine,” Pikreet said.
“Well, now you have.”
“Heard a lot about the Corps and your armor. It is supposed to be able to perform miracles.” The captain rested a hand casually on the butt of his pistol. It seemed like an old habit and not a threat.
Chris did not reply.
“Have you seen any action?”
“Some,” Chris said.
Pikreet gave a grunt and touched his chest armor as his gaze went to Chris’s rank insignias. “Gunny, I am Captain Pikreet.” He had made a point to stress his rank. “My company will be your escort today. You will be under my command for the duration of your stay in Hakagi.”
“You mean we will be under your protection,” Chris corrected. “I report directly to Command and Command alone.”
Pikreet blinked furiously for a moment. His cheeks flushed with heat. Keira got the impression he wasn’t challenged very often. In his powered armor, Chris was not exactly a pushover, and Pikreet had to know it.
“A slip of the tongue.” Pikreet flashed an insincere smile filled with bad teeth. “We are your escort. Welcome to Hakagi Tower. I am certain you will find it a truly delightful experience. I know I’m just thrilled to be here myself.” The last was said sarcastically.
“No doubt,” Chris said. “Captain, I understand there is some trouble in the area. The security brief I received before we set out this morning mentioned it. Is there any risk to our current position? Or, for that matter, where we are headed?”
“Risk to us?” Pikreet scoffed. “Not down here.” The captain gestured up toward the ceiling of the bay. “All the trouble’s a few levels up and on the other side of the block. Damn civvies. They ought to know better. They’re always causing some sort of trouble, wanting more than their fair share, complaining about this or that. They think they’re the only ones who have it hard. Let me tell you, plenty have it worse.” The captain shifted his stance and waved a hand off to the side. “Before it’s all over, a few will get shot, more beaten by the local police, and then things will die down for a while, until it erupts all over again. It’s a vicious cycle.” The captain glanced around the bay again, suddenly looking bored. “No, they won’t come down here, not with the poisonous air and elevated levels of radioactivity. It’s too much for regular breathers or filtered masks to handle. They’d need to have enhanced equipment for that, like yours and ours, not to mention the proper meds. Heck, most of the police aren’t even issued what they need. You won’t find them lazy bastards down here either. There won’t be any trouble. You have my word on that.”
“That is good to know.”
“Still,” Pikreet said, “Command insists while we are in Hakagi, we guard you closely, no matter how much of a waste of time it is. So, that is what we will do. I don’t need any more problems than I already have.”
“And if it does get out of hand topside?” Keira asked. “What then?”
Pikreet scowled. He seemed offended by her question. Or was it just that she’d spoken out of turn? Keira’s dislike for the man increased.
“I’ve been assured the regulators will be brought in to deal with the situation—if things get too frisky,” Pikreet said. “And, honestly, I hope it happens. It’s about time the civvies hereabouts were smacked around a bit by people who know how to do it. Once they get put in their place, my job will get easier, at least for a time. Then they will get uppity again.”
Keira found herself thoroughly disgusted. It was an effort to keep it from her face. She suddenly felt terribly weary. More than ever, Seri sounded like a good place to go, at least for a time. It would get her away from people like Pikreet.
“Even if it gets out of hand on the surface,” Pikreet added, “there’s no need to worry. We won’t be troubled down here in this underground tomb.”
“Excellent,” Chris said and glanced over at Keira. His look told her to watch herself. He turned back to the captain. “I will sleep better at night knowing you and your people are on the job.”
Pikreet snorted with amusement at the comment. He gestured back toward his people. “I don’t even sleep comfortable around them. Most are a bunch of morons. The others are idiots who only signed up because they could find no other work. It’s not like it was in the Imperial Army.”
“You served?” Chris asked, with a note of surprise.
“I did,” Pikreet said. “It’s how I got this job. Back then, I was in supply. Served in the old Hundred and Ninety-Fifth Planetary Guard division, weekend warrior stuff.” Pikreet sobered. “Even with the storm coming in, Command put pressure on us to get moving this morning. They didn’t much like our stopping last night. But honestly there was no way we could have gone on. It would have been criminal in the extreme were we to proceed. I hope you put that in your report when you file it.”
“I will,” Chris said. “You have my word on that.”
“Good.” Pikreet sounded pleased. “That will make my job easier. How much time do you need before you’re ready? The quicker I can report you are on-site, the better.”
“About thirty minutes,” Keira said, “and we should be good to move out.”
The captain glanced at her with a look that spoke of how little he respected her. Once again, it was as if by merely speaking and addressing him directly, she had somehow offended. Keira understood he’d likely been informed of how she had interfered with his two men. Was that it? Or was it something more?
“Very well,” the captain said in a grudging tone. “That’s not as bad as I thought it would be. The last repair team we escorted needed more than two hours to get it together. I swear they took a nap while we cooled our heels.” The captain looked to Chris. “We’ll be ready when you are. I will leave you to it.” With that, the captain turned away and moved over to his sergeant.
Keira glanced around the crew compartment of the APC. Half a dozen bags had already been pulled out. She sucked in a breath of filtered suit air.
“Do you have the work order?” Keira asked of Lee.
“Right here.” Lee pulled out a folded, printed plastic sheet from a pocket. There would have b
een a time when paper and plastic would not have been needed or used. Her father had worked with tablets alone. Once, before the cracking of the planet, everyone had a tablet. Now, only a few thousand remained functional, and those precious few had been given to key personnel, like her.
She took the printout and studied the preliminary report from the survey team. After a moment, Keira looked up, remembering the UPG was listening. “If things are as bad as they say, we might have to fabricate and rebuild the entire inter-mixing array, along with the purification system. Best bring both printers.” She would be damned if she left them behind, especially if they weren’t coming back to the Beast.
“I certainly hope that’s not the case,” Lee said. “That will take nearly a day, maybe two or three. It’s sure to be a real pain in the ass too. Let’s pray it’s something simple this time, like a clogged filter.”
Keira almost laughed. “And when was the last time it was ever that simple?”
Lee didn’t reply as she handed the work order back to him.
“Wanna activate the mules?” Keira asked. “The sooner they’re down, the sooner we can begin loading.”
“Right.” Lee pulled a controller off the wall and fiddled with the controls.
“Hey, Keira.” Sandy’s voice suddenly sounded in her ear. “You there, girl? Come on, answer me. I’ve got something to share.”
“I am,” Keira said, opening the channel. “What’s up?”
“Heard you finally made it to Hakagi and that you had to go in the back way.”
“Sure did, and you heard right,” Keira said, feeling a lump in her throat form. She would miss talking to Sandy if they went into hiding. “We just arrived.”
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