Crisis Memes - 2 - Tue 05 Aug 2256 08:10

Inside the dark metal-sided air-duct, the centrifugal force from the ships rotation was carrying Amber gently but irreversibly down a smooth slope. She felt heat from the friction through her clothes. It was not unpleasant – she had been chilled for days. She knew Harry was behind her, whispering urgently, but was unable to make any sense of what he was saying. After several minutes, the incline decreased and they slowed to a halt.

“Why did you slide off like that?” Harry said. “We have to get back!”

“I couldn’t help it! You pushed me too far and once I started I couldn’t stop.” Then trying to see past him she asked,” Did anyone else follow?”
Harry turned as far as he could in the narrow space and listened.

“No sound of anyone coming down,” he whispered.
Stray beams of pale reflected light bounced around the metal walls. Amber looked ahead and became aware of a dim light and then the sound of voices.

“There are people further ahead,” she said, “Maybe they can help us.”

Crawling along on hands and knees Amber moved towards the light and discovered a metal grille that she guessed overlooked another room. Cautiously, and thinking herself unseen, she decided to listen before making their presence known, and signalled Harry to be quiet.

“Most of forward sections up to this point are now secure on this deck, Major,” a tired male voice was reporting. “That’s the majority of the Settler accommodation. Have the crew made any progress with opening the rest of the blast doors?”

A woman replied. “No - the system is still saying that the hull has multiple breaches and is keeping everything locked down, though the outside cams don’t show any damage except the Star-drive assembly. You’re going to have to continue with hammers and axes I’m afraid. Do you have enough troops?”

“There’s no shortage of volunteers, but we can only hit so many doors at once.”

“Any trouble with the Settlers in the areas we’ve re-taken?”

“Ten or so injured when we commandeered supplies from one area,” replied the tired voice. “Vikings. Ethnically Regressed to the max and gone completely wild in the dark. They backed off after we sent a few of the Maintenance Taurs in.”

The woman snorted, “Taurs and Vikings!” she said, “One lot as crazy as the other! How many Marines are still missing?”

“Fifty-seven at the last count, most of them off duty and probably stuck on the lower outside decks, we think. We should get down there in a day or two”

“And the ones you caught looting?”

“Safely locked up in the Detention Area.”

“Good. Keep them in there until they sober up. Tell them I’m considering having them all shot – that ought to speed up their recovery. What about the History Planet Staff? Is there any word of Lord York?”

“There’s been no communication. We found a diary in his penthouse – handwritten would you believe? He was due to attend a Tourist presentation in Ring H at the same time as the explosion. Most likely that’s where we’ll find him and the rest of his managers. But it could be another eight or nine days before we work our way back there.”

“Well, at least he’s with the civilised people. Nine days will be tight for the emergency supplies. You’ll be pulling out some hungry individuals towards the end - though we can assume that some groups will try to break out themselves when they get desperate.”

“Yes, that seems likely. I don’t imagine anyone expected to locked-in for two weeks, and the rationing guidelines have probably been ignored.”

“How about the shops back there – will there be anything worth eating?”

“They might find some Champagne and chocolate if anyone has managed to break the doors down. The restaurants might still have supplies – though most of it will be rotten by now. We’ve secured the supermarkets and canteens in the Settler areas.”

Up above in the air duct, Amber and Harry looked at each other, unsure whether the voices really belonged to friends. Then they heard knocking from the room below, and the opening of a door. A new voice spoke.

“A representative from the Knights of Moriban is asking for ten minutes of your time, Major.”

“The Knights of What? Who the hell are they?”

“The monkish looking ones, m’aam. Red cloaks and hoods. I understand they have been behaving themselves – in fact some of them have been out preaching in the Settler sectors - calming things down.”

“OK, just ask him to wait a minute Terry,” replied the woman, and the door closed. “Do you know anything about these monks, Will?”

“Yes, they’re an interesting bunch - I read some info from the Emigration people before the systems crashed. Religious group, obviously, genetically enhanced to give them huge life-span extensions - way past the safe limit, some might say, five hundred years at least, though sterilised by law of course. They devote their lives to worshipping the Creator – though they’re obviously not very keen to meet him in person. My guess is that they’re harmless. Slightly bonkers perhaps.”

“Maybe, but if they’re on our side, I’ll talk their man. We need all the supporters we can get, and a bit of ‘fire and brimstone’ might be useful before long.”

Amber’s curiosity was getting the better of her. She crept forward, and managed to look through the narrow slits in the grille. In the dimly lit room below she saw a red-robed figure enter the room and sit down at a round table between two Royal Space Marine officers: one, a grey-haired hard-faced woman, the other, a young Lieutenant, who was now officially the handsomest man that fourteen year-old Amber had ever seen.

The monk – his face hidden by a deep cowl – spoke in a smooth baritone. “Major, I appreciate that you have a host of troubles to deal with…”

“That’s a decent summation, your holiness.”

“Ah, please forgive my rudeness in not making proper introductions. I am Brother Xander – I’m here as a spokesman for our group – we have no hierarchy under the care of the Creator.”

“I’m Major Allason. My position is easy to remember – I’m in charge of everyone on the ship.”

“Indeed, yes, our mortal lives are in your hands, Major. I will not take too much of your time. I wish to report that a member of our party has died in childbirth – she is one of our domestic staff – and her baby has disappeared.”

“Kidnapped?” asked Will.

“Perhaps. For some reason the woman’s death has left one of our Brothers much distressed and not quite in his right mind. We have not seen him since the darkness fell.”

“You think he has taken the baby somewhere? Is he the father?” Allason asked.

“That would be impossible, we have been...”

“I know, and it’s been more than nine months since we left Earth. Still, the process isn’t foolproof.”

“Yes, but it’s unlikely. We were not even aware the girl was pregnant.”

“It’s a hard thing to miss, I would say,” Allason said.

“We do not mix with our staff. As long as their duties are performed, we do not concern ourselves with them. That would be a distraction.”

“Then why are you worried about the baby?”

“Well obviously, it belongs to us. All children born to staff are promised to the Order. It’s implicit in their contracts.”

“Really? OK Brother, so what is it you want from me?”

“We would greatly appreciate whatever help you can give in finding our lost Brother and the baby, that they may be returned to us and cared for by our people.”

The Major rubbed her face with both hands and massaged her temples.

“OK, we’ll do what we can, but you have to understand that it’s not going to be high on my priority list. Will, pass the word down through the ranks: All monks with babies to be detained.”

“It may seem a mere trifle to you at this time, Major, but to us the child is a lost soul who is in danger of losing the great gifts that our Brotherhood can bestow. You will have our gratitude, and our full co-operation in these trying times. But tell me, what hope is there of returning the ship to full functionality? Or of rescue?”

“Captain McGilligan is giving those matters his full attention, you can be sure,” the Major replied. “Meanwhile we are grateful for your continued support. “

The Monk rose, shook hands with both officers, bowed deeply, and made towards the door.

Amber felt a poke in the ribs. Harry mouthed some words, and made some hand signals. She had no idea what he was trying to say, and shook her head. Suddenly, the metal grille in front of her fell away. Losing her balance, Amber tumbled forward and landed squarely in the arms of the young lieutenant.

“As I suspected,” Brother Xander said, “You have an eavesdropper. What will you do with her?”

Allason guided the monk out of the office. “Leave it with me Brother, she doesn’t look very dangerous. You have good hearing though, I never heard a sound.”

Closing the door, she turned to face Amber and the slightly bemused Will, and pulled out her handgun from its holster.

“Put her down carefully, Mr Chiton, and then fire a couple of rounds into the hole and we’ll see who else falls out.”

“No! Wait!” cried Amber, “My brother is up there. Don’t shoot! We’re escaping from some crazy guys on the next level. Please, we need help! Harry! Come down before they shoot you!”

Harry dropped lightly to the floor. The lieutenant lowered Amber onto her feet and drew his own side arm, though he kept it pointed at the ground.

“OK,” Major Allason said, “Both of you sit down, and explain why you are eavesdropping on official military conversations.

Talking as fast as she could, Amber began at the point where the ships systems had crashed, and described how they had been left trapped inside their accommodation sector for two weeks.

“Then yesterday, people started hammering on the blast doors to our section. At first we thought it was a rescue party and we shouted as loud as we could to let them know we were in there. Then we got a huge fright when a woman and two kids suddenly popped out of the air duct at the back of the room. She was really scared, and told us that people were being killed for their food and water in the next sector. After that we kept quiet, but I guess it was too late. Then the door started to crack, and Dad made us hide in the air ducts.” Amber stifled a sob. “And those killers are breaking in – right now! You have to go up there and rescue everybody!”

Major Allason placed her gun on the table.

“Will, can you get yourself and your team up there? Sector 15-D-11 you said, didn’t you girl?”

“I can try,” Will said, rising to his feet. “It depends which doors are open. We’ll try going up through the Congregational Assembly building. Air ducts! Never thought of that.”

“There are more kids in there,” Amber said.

“Ask Terry to find me some plans for the ships infrastructure,” Allason said, and then turning to Amber and Harry she continued, “Then you two can help me find the rest of the urchins.”