“Life,” Keira said.
“Good,” Chris said. “Remember that.”
Again, Keira nodded. “Is there more you’re not telling me?”
“They’ve brought us to the control center.”
“What about it?” Keira asked. “This is where we’re supposed to be. We can’t do the repair without coming here first.”
“That’s true, but the entire level is sealed off from the rest of the tower. It’s a sensible precaution against the crazies, but—well—this seems a bit much.”
“How so?” Keira asked.
“I am picking up militia band transmissions from outside of the level, and judging by the strength of those signals, they’re close by too, at least a company’s worth.” Chris gestured at the bar lying upon the floor. “Also, some of the welds on the doors and access points we’ve passed on the way up are new, fresh even. Someone sealed everything off recently and went to a lot of effort to do it.”
“New?” Keira asked. Now that she thought about it, the welds on the doors had been shiny, not dusty like everything else. “You think they’re setting us up, then? Locking us in and have reinforcement at hand?” The thought of it made her grow cold.
“That is a strong possibility,” Chris said, “especially after listening in on their conversation. Pikreet is more interested in selling our gear, along with you, and the fortune they’d make doing it than in working for the government. In my mind, it’s not a question of if they will make a move, but when.”
“But they would become outlaws,” Keira said. “The UPG would not tolerate that.”
“They’d happily live like kings after it was done,” Chris said. “The local police are not going to hunt them down, and after Pikreet sold our gear, he’d have the credits to pay the cops off. Besides, the police have bigger problems just keeping a lid on things, and the UPG has too many headaches at the moment to worry too much about one lost tech crew, especially with those two ships in-system.”
“Wait a moment,” Keira said, “if this is a setup, someone stationside would have to be in on it, Command level even. They’d have to forge a survey report, and then get us dispatched out to a fictitious repair.”
“Not necessarily. Who said the repair was fictitious?” Chris asked. “Pikreet could just be taking advantage of the situation. It’s possible the good captain broke the water system himself in the first place, then arranged to get his company assigned to our protection detail. It would not be the first time something like this happened. Hell, instead he might have even volunteered when the opportunity arose. There’s really no telling. Though, after what I’ve heard, he seems like an opportunist to me.” Chris waved toward the two mules. “Look at all the gear we have with us. Tempting, isn’t it?”
Keira did not know what to say. Then something occurred to her. “What about the encrypted transmissions? They can’t have come by that gear easily. That stuff comes from the UPG, and they guard that kind of communication gear closely. Do you know who he’s in communication with?”
“No,” Chris said. “That’s the troubling part, the wildcard. He’s talking with someone outside his company and likely not in the tower either. I have no real idea where the communications are going or what’s being said.”
She glanced over at Lee, who was still adjusting something on one of the mules.
“Have you told him?”
“No,” Chris said, “and I don’t intend to. He might begin acting strange around the militia and tip them off.”
“Why tell me, then?” Keira asked.
Chris turned to look at her. He was silent for so long, she did not think he would answer. “You know the answer to that.”
“All clear,” came a shout from the other side of the door. “The level is safe.”
Chris stepped up to the door and looked out into the corridor beyond, scanning both ways. Apparently satisfied, he stepped through. He stopped and looked squarely back at her. “I always keep my promises.”
Chapter Twelve
Keira’s heart quickened as she stepped through the door and into the control room. Measuring twenty by thirty meters across, the space was far larger than most other control spaces she had been in. The lighting was dimmed, and like the rest of the level, a foggy haze of polluted atmosphere hung heavy on the air.
A layer of dust coated everything, making the once polished floor slick. There were footprints in the dust, likely from the survey crew and the militia who had cleared the level.
At first Keira thought the light had been turned down. Then, she realized more than half of the overhead lighting units were not working. Several of the fixtures had been cannibalized or outright removed. A few were simply dark and had burnt out. She was not terribly concerned about that. They had brought their own supplemental lighting.
The dim light gave the control room a mysterious air, one she felt was exciting. Displays and control panels lined all four walls. These stretched from the floor to eye level and in some places even to the ceiling. Most of the panels were dark, but a few flashed with multicolored indicators. Others had machine code symbols scrawling across their screens, lines of print, or they just shined outward into the hazy dimness with status indicator bars of various colors.
Towers and machine racks, which had been stacked with various pieces of equipment, were spread strategically throughout the interior of the room. These reached right up to the ceiling. It was clear from a glance that much of the equipment had long since stopped operating or had simply been shut down. There were numerous empty shelves on the racks. She wondered what had once been there.
Some of the machines that had been left in place still had power and perhaps even worked, performing the various tasks assigned to them, as lights on readout displays indicated a presence of life.
She liked the setup. It felt well organized. Most of the workstations were positioned along the walls, but there were no chairs or desks. If there had been any furniture, it had long since been removed.
She marveled at everything before her, and for a moment, Keira’s worries and the anxiety over leaving for the safe house vanished. She itched to explore every centimeter of the control room and poke around the equipment racks. Keira was almost salivating at the opportunity to tinker with some of the more advanced equipment, especially the stuff that was nonfunctional and no longer linked to the operation of the tower. There was simply no telling what she would find or even discover. That was the most exciting part of repairs like this one.
“Wow,” she breathed as she moved deeper into the room and stepped up to the nearest rack. Resting a hand upon its dusty metal frame, she ran her gaze over the equipment on the rack. There were several pieces she had never seen before. She wondered on their purpose.
“Home sweet home,” Lee said as he moved by Keira, “at least for the next few days.” Using the controller, he guided the mules into the room, maneuvering them both off to the side and out of the way, along the wall. He brought each to a stop and then, with a few taps on the control unit, powered them down.
The two mechs gave off hissing noises that almost sounded like whining as they deactivated, their hydraulics and airbags bleeding out slowly.
“It’s spacious enough, don’t you think?” Lee said.
“Marvelous is a better description,” Keira said, still awed by everything before her.
“One control room is very much like another.” Lee sounded not only tired, but somewhat bored. “Though this one is certainly larger than most.”
“Are you kidding me?” Keira asked him. “Hakagi Tower is one of the oldest apartment blocks on Asherho.”
“So?”
“It was built before the founding of the empire.” Keira held out her arms about her. “All of this is mostly pre-empire stuff. How cool is that?”
“So?” Lee said again. He did not seem terribly moved. In fact, he appeared amused, which Keira found frustrating.
“This tower was constructed with less automation than the
later housing centers and arcologies. The reason this control room is so large is that at one time human intervention was required to operate Hakagi. When everything else ceased working with the Fall, it was the reason the tower remained habitable and some of the systems, like life support, continue to work. Once they were able to automate most of the functions, there was no real need to upgrade them and install controlling AIs or constructs.” She fell silent for a couple of heartbeats. “If it’s not broken …”
“Why bother to fix it,” Lee finished. He still did not appear terribly excited. After a moment, he gave a slight shrug of his shoulders.
“Look at all this stuff.” Keira’s eyes took in the room again.
“Yeah, yeah, I know.” Lee waved a hand at her. “You get excited whenever we happen across equipment and machines you can tinker with. This is your little personal heaven and playground, at least for the next few days. Me, I’d rather work on engines or power systems. Water and sewage fixes don’t really do it for me.” He blew out a breath. “It seems beneath us. We’re a senior team.”
Keira let out an exasperated breath at his lack of excitement. “There’s no telling what we can find in here that we can use.”
“True.” Lee let out another heavy breath. “Keira, that climb kicked my ass. I’m tired and sweaty. I am having trouble getting excited about anything at the moment. I want to rest and get out of this damned suit. I can’t do that because we have to set up camp and that includes the tents. We’ve got our work cut out for us and …” He was about to continue when he stopped, as if something had just occurred to him. He scanned the room slowly. “Do you think this place is airtight?”
Keira studied the control room more carefully. She noticed several vents along the walls and a few more set into the ceiling. The walls had been constructed in such a way that air flow could only come through the vents. She’d seen the like before in other pre-empire construction. “This room might be too large for our purifiers to scrub the air clean, if that’s what you’re asking. We’re likely going to have to use the survival tents we brought with us.”
“Not my first choice,” Lee said. “You did say Hakagi is pre-empire. That would mean it is over three hundred years old. The empire annexed this star system—what—about two hundred years ago?”
“That sounds about right,” Keira said, “if I’m recalling my history correctly.”
“Well, I’m wondering if Hakagi was constructed during the terraforming process, you know … before they finished making the planet habitable. Do you think the structure is that old?”
“I don’t know,” Keira admitted. “But if it is, then this room might have its own self-contained life support. Though with the haze in here, I’m inclined to think it isn’t sealed.”
“Well, it’s something worth looking into.” Lee sounded intrigued.
“Captain,” Chris said from behind them as he and Pikreet stepped into the room, “are you sure there is nothing to worry about? Command sent out an alert bulletin. The unrest topside has gotten worse.”
Keira’s enthusiasm faded at the appearance of Pikreet. The captain was a disgrace and a shining example of almost everything wrong with Asherho. Setting her eyes upon the man, Keira felt true hate.
“Gunny, I assure you, there’s really nothing to worry about. My superiors are confident that order will be quickly restored.”
“Excuse me if I don’t share your confidence,” Chris said. “Things are getting out of hand around the tower. I am concerned for our safety, especially after reading that bulletin.”
“Look,” Pikreet said in an exceedingly patient tone that suggested he was anything but, “there are four exits off this level. All have been sealed and welded shut. I’ve posted two people on each exit and positioned sentries on the stairs, both one floor above this one and below. We are quite secure here.”
“How about when it’s time to leave?” Chris asked. “How are we going to get out of Hakagi when the streets are barricaded and blocked?”
“That is a different matter and not really a concern either,” Pikreet said. “Two militia battalions are moving into the area to help quell the violence. The regulators are on standby to back them up. Once they get to work, the streets should be cleared in short order. One of the battalions is a motorized unit with armored vehicles.”
Chris was silent for a long moment. “And if the streets are not cleared by the time we’re done here?”
“If need be, when it’s time to exfil,” Pikreet said, almost a little too quickly, “I am told we can call on the battalions for help.”
“I see,” Chris said, sounding none too happy with the answer. “I’m still not wholly convinced we’re secure here.”
“The commanding general of all militia forces in this area is my brother-in-law. I guess you could say I am connected. If we get into trouble, I can call for help.”
Chris gave the captain a long look. “How does your brother-in-law feel about you?”
Pikreet scowled slightly but did not take the bait. “If anything, we’re safer here, in the toxic zone, than anywhere else in the area. No one’s fool enough to mess with us, and if they do, we have plenty of firepower to beat them back.”
“I hope you’re right,” Chris said.
“I am.”
Chris seemed to make a show of thinking for a long moment. “Captain, I would feel more comfortable if you had roving patrols out, mainly covering the stairwell and looking for any hint of trouble coming our way.”
“Patrols?” Pikreet asked. “Down here? Seriously?”
“Yes, I am,” Chris said. “A regular patrol back to the transport would be helpful too.”
“You want my people to climb all the way down the stairs and then hike to the transport and back again?” Pikreet asked, sounding incredulous. “Repeatedly?”
“That would be the definition of a patrol,” Chris said. “And, yes, doing it regularly would help too. Everything’s going to shit around Hakagi. We need to make certain our position is secure. If things go sideways, some warning will prove helpful.”
“I’ve already told you, I’ve people posted on the floor above and below this one. That should be sufficient.”
“It’s not good enough,” Chris said and shifted his stance slightly. His armor whirred with the movement. He pointed toward the open doorway. “What about the levels in between? What if someone meaning us harm cuts their way through one of the doors?”
“Why would they want to do that?” Pikreet asked, a note of frustration beginning to sound on his voice. “They don’t even know we’re down here. Besides, the air is poisonous in the subterranean levels. Even for those wearing protective suits, the radiation levels are dangerously high. No one is coming down here. They’d be foolish to even try.”
“Captain, we can’t assume the other side thinks like you do.”
Keira and Lee had seen this act before. Chris could be as unmovable as a wall until he got what he wanted.
“Gunny,” Pikreet protested, “you are overreacting.”
“It’s basic security,” Chris countered in a firm tone. “Were I in your boots, I’d do it.”
“But you are not in my boots,” Pikreet said, hostility plain, “are you? The Corps is gone. You are just a dinosaur wearing the trappings of a failed way of life. Time to get over it.”
“I may be a dinosaur, but taking basic precautions is why I’m no fossil.”
Pikreet and Chris locked eyes. Keira could feel the tension growing on the air, as if it were a physical thing between the two of them. It was broken as two of the captain’s men entered through the door. They carried large bags that gave her the impression Pikreet intended to set his headquarters up in the control room with them. Keira did not care for that, not one bit, especially after all that Chris had shared with her. She made a snap decision.
“No,” Keira told them firmly and held out a hand as she stepped up to them and blocked their path. “Stop. You can’t come in here.”
Both men ground to a halt. Unsure, they turned to their captain for clarification.
Pikreet looked at her, first with astonishment, then his jaw flexed with anger. “You don’t give my people orders.” Already frustrated, this clearly pushed the captain over the edge. Pikreet took a step nearer and his tone grew threatening. “Are we clear, girl?” He pointed a finger at her. “I don’t care who you think you are. You don’t get to give my people orders—ever. That’s my job, not yours.”
“We don’t need guards in here,” Chris said, drawing the captain’s attention and ire. “There’s only one way in and out, through that door.”
“I am afraid I must insist,” Pikreet said. “My duty is to provide security. We can’t do that without having eyes upon the assets.” He waved a hand at Keira. “Command would have my balls in a vice should something happen to them. My people stay.”
“You don’t want to do patrols, but suddenly you’re concerned about their safety—in here?” Chris asked. “Anyone wanting to get at us would have to go through your people first. Your logic is flawless, Captain.”
“I decide how to deploy my people as I deem fit.”
“Captain, I’m afraid I’m going to have to insist,” Keira said, hardening her tone and refusing to back down. Under no circumstances did she want the militia in the control room with them. “The equipment in this room is not only sensitive, but also irreplaceable. Much of it is incredibly old too, which makes it delicate, not to mention on the verge of outright failing. Even touching it wrong could cause damage. I will not have people who are untrained blundering around in here. People’s lives are at stake.”
“That’s bullshit,” Pikreet said.
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