Colony One (28 page)

Finn looked torn, until the pilot continued.

“But you shouldn’t walk out there first. I’ll go.”

“I don’t think so,” Niko interjected. He was already near the ramp’s edge. “I’m the first one out of this gate.”

“I think we have audience.” Makkena spoke up and pointed out the ramp.

Across the way, the passengers of Colony One stared back at them.

“Something isn’t right,” Winston reiterated his earlier suspicions.

“It’s not like we were able to call ahead,” Charlie rationalized.

“Let’s get this meet and greet over with,” Avery spoke. “Finn, take your proof of life pictures, Niko have your family reunion, everyone can be satisfied, then we are getting right back off this rock and back home.”

The crew regarded her with a universal look of disapproval.

“Go,” she motioned for Niko to lead the way, unfazed by their censure.

He didn’t have to be told twice. The navigator took measured steps down the ramp and squinted into the harsh sunlight to the giant ship that provided only wary gazes as his welcome.

ɸ ɸ ɸ

“Someone’s coming out,” Javier said and tried to slow the rapid beating of his own heart. More followed. He counted quickly. Six in total. The ship looked like it could hold more, but the figures stretched out in a loose line to walk towards the ship – the first leading by a few meters – and no more exited.

John and Marcus’ recruits held their makeshift weapons casually at their sides or behind their backs as they waited for orders or action – whichever came first.

A loud gasp erupted from the cargo bad and it caused the mass of people to sway and dart their eyes across the landscape for some indication of what had surprised Luca. His hands clapped over his mouth and his eyes welled up instantaneously. Patrick regarded him with a look that was mixed between shock and panic. He didn’t know what was happening, and it made him nervous. It made everyone nervous.

“Impossible,” he said with conviction. He took a half step forward and spoke into his hands, “My brother. My brother!” His voice shook with tears that were now spilling freely and all at once he threw himself down the ramp with long, hurried strides. He ran through the gaps of people at the base of the ramp before they knew what was happening.

“Niko!” Luca could be heard calling out as he rushed towards the six figures making their way across the space between the Hyperion and Colony One.

“Brother!” The man called back as they crashed into one another, forming an iron-grip embrace.

“You’re alive,” the words poured from Niko’s lips with a level of relief he did not know he was capable of feeling. He hugged his brother tightly and was aware of nothing else.

Voices rose up from Colony One – questioning, jubilant, suspicious – all at once. Charlie waived at the large mass and the rest – save for Avery – followed suit.

“We come in peace!” Finn called out with levity in her tone. The group at the base of the ship exchanged doubtful glances, but the embracing identical twins eased much of the building tension and many of those who stood inside the ship began to wave back and shared hopeful glance with one another.

Avery looked from person to person standing along the rocky terrain just past the bottom of the ramp. She could read the situation – she knew they were not welcome as soon as they were close enough to read their body language. She looked at Niko and his brother and felt the tiniest of smiles tug at her lips. If it weren’t for their familiarity, they would be walking into a much different situation.

She thought Niko’s relation to one of the passengers would complicate matters – and it still could – but for now, it was to their advantage. For once, she was glad to be wrong.

ɸ ɸ ɸ

Back on the ship, Patrick felt a tug at his shirt. He turned to see Lucy standing behind him. Their eyes locked for a moment and she walked away. He followed.

26

Colony Alpha: Present Day

The crew of Hyperion sat along one side of the long tables in the shared quarters of the purple section. Along the other; Marcus, John, Alexa, Luca, Javier, Bob and Jia. They were otherwise surrounded by a mass of passengers, some sitting at adjacent tables, others standing in the space around the tables and more stacked on the landings that ran along the walls where bunks rose up the height of the bulkhead.

The crew of the Hyperion shared expression of shock as they listened to the stories of Colonies One and Three.

They sat in silence for several moments after the last of it was recounted.

“We told you our story,” John was the first to break it. “You tell us yours.”

The Hyperion crew shared concerned glances, “We were sent by the government to document your progress for the people of Earth.” Charlie answered.

Finn held up her camera numbly.

John laughed, “Our progress is we’ve gotten really good at digging graves!”

Voices clashed at his words – there was a tension building in the room; the fight between hope and suspicion.

“I don’t think it’s fair to speculate since we don’t have all the facts,” Winston put in. His skin was crawling at the idea of the accusations being true about Earth’s government. His words were as much a denial to himself as to the others.

“Facts!” Marcus exclaimed with a slam of his fist on the stainless steel table. He stood and pointed out towards the people behind them. “I’ve got the facts. World Corp and the EMP sent me and my two boys out here to die!”

“And yet, here you are, still alive and kicking,” Avery commented, stony eyes leveled at him with a calm exterior. Marcus recognized the type – not military; much worse in his mind.

“You’re here to finish the job?” he accused in a lower voice. “I know what you are.”

“And what is that?” Avery wondered.

“A merc. They gave a ship to a mercenary to make sure we were all good and dead.” Marcus assessed, stirring the crowd.

Alexa rubbed her forehead, “If they were here to kill us, they would have already!” She shouted over the rising voices.

“Exactly,” Avery put in, though not precisely denying Marcus’ claims.

“I would never participate in a mission to kill my own brother,” Niko spoke up. He gestured to Luca, who sat across from him. “And there is no denying he is my blood. We came here to report on your status – and clearly, it’s bad. We want to help. We will see that justice is done for each and every one of you!”

“You just don’t get it, do you?” John asked. “You’re just a pawn in their game just like we are. Do you think you are any less expendable than we are?”

He asked and his words echoed for a beat after he said them.

“Do you even know if your ship is still here?” Marcus followed his line of reasoning.

Charlie held up his OMNI. A 3D rendering of the Hyperion spun on the display, with columns of readouts. “I know everything about that ship, and what happens on it. It’s not going anywhere.”

“If you want to help us,” Alexa put in before Marcus could respond, “You can help us get this ship back into working order. Then, we can call go home.”

“I thought you said your pilot was killed?” Charlie asked.

“Our co-pilot is still with us. And that’s not the problem – the ship’s cockpit’s been ripped apart. Once its back together, the auto-return sequence will get us home.”

“I can fix,” Makenna said simply. It was the first thing she’d said since they’d arrived on the Colony One ship.

“She’s an engineer,” Niko explained for all those casting wondering glasses at the abrupt woman.

Alexa nodded, “That’s good. That’s really good.”

“Return to what?” Luca asked and looked at Niko with an apologetic expression, “I am so glad to see you, and I am so grateful you came all this way but… they sent us out here for a reason.”

A pained expression flashed over Niko’s features, “Brother… you are welcome home. I promise you that. We will get answers. We’ll expose whatever shady dealings led us to this debacle.”

Avery’s expression was blank as always, save for the thinning of her lips as her mouth made a tight line. “Let’s see if Ms. Krasnov is as good as she thinks she is, first. One of you can show her to the cockpit. I’m going back to secure the ship.” She spoke and stood without ceremony.

“I may be able to help with the repairs, as well,” Niko was saying, but Avery was already pushing her way through the crowd.

ɸ ɸ ɸ

It was a long journey to the cockpit – longer for Makenna who was hobbling along with her crutch.

“What happened to your engineer?” Alexa asked Winston as they trailed behind Niko, Mak and Jia who was leading the way.

“Stab wound, I’m afraid.” Winston answered. “Had a nasty infection, too. Luckily we had enough antibiotics aboard to see her through it.”

“Must be nice,” Alexa found herself saying. “Having actual medical equipment.” She thought of Rashida and her bad break. Once they got her on Colony One, it was easier to keep her wound clean and while she had lost some function and range of motion in her arm, she survived. Surviving seemed to be the important detail these days.

Winston fixed the woman with a surprised expression, “Are you a doctor?”

Alexa gave a nod, “Medic for a tour back home.”

“You might have a look at her wound later? Make sure it’s healing as well as it should?” Winston tried to keep the sheepishness out of his tone and only half succeeded. She spared a concerned glance his way, but ultimately agreed.

“Who stabbed her?” Jia called back the question.

Niko turned to glance back at the doctor.

“Spot of trouble when we found Colony Two.” The doctor said in a very small voice.

“Colony Two?” Alexa stopped mid-stride. “Where are they? Are they alright?”

Winston chewed his lower lip.

“No survivors,” Makenna answered for him. There was a tinge of pain to her tone – she had not had to walk so far since her injury, and it ached intensely. “The Captain killed the rabid dog that stab me.”

Alexa felt throat go dry.

“Best if we keep moving,” Winston urged with a soft touch to her arm. The woman nodded dully and let her steps fall automatically and without thought.

ɸ ɸ ɸ

Makenna was drenched in sweat as she finally pulled herself up and into the cockpit. The others filtered in as space would allow.

Jia was explaining what she had done, and that despite all her work, she couldn’t seem to restore full ship power.

“Of course not,” Makenna proclaimed as she ripped out a circuit board from one of the consoles, “This is not even correct circuit.”

Jia’s face flushed immediately, “I did the best I could. I know more about the programming than the hardware.”

Makenna was busily making various noises of disapproval as she inspected panels and other circuit boards, “It will take time to fix. You must tell me everything you did.”

Jia nodded and twisted her fingers together.

“You have localized power?” Makenna asked. Jia nodded again. “That’s not so bad for not being engineer.” She commented and went back to pulling out components.

Niko moved to stand beside Jia, squeezed her shoulder and in a low, private voice explained, “That’s the highest praise I’ve ever heard her give.”

“I heard that,” Makenna said without missing a beat. “Have someone get my kit from ship. I need everything.”

“Aye aye.”

ɸ ɸ ɸ

Avery made the lonely walk back to the Hyperion without delay. The suns at her back on the strange, barren planet and she watched her long shadow the entire way. She made sure there were no other shadows following the same path.

She boarded the ship and stalked immediately to her quarters where she plugged in the glass tablet and keyed in the codes for EMP HQ.

Once that was done, she crossed her arms and stared at the display intently, unsure of her own feelings.

The connection was taking a long time.

She thought that made sense, being so far away, but after several minutes she terminated the attempt and keyed in the numbers again.

The screen flashed at her – waiting to connect.

Finally, the tablet made a friendly sound and an image rendered, projecting a 3D picture.

“Damnit, Avery, what the fuck took you so long?” Were the first words of greeting.

“A little busy on the wild goose chase you sent us on.”

“Report,” the man clipped angrily.

“I don’t even know where to start,” Avery growled, just as angrily. “How about that all the colony survivors claim you sent them out here to die.”

The man’s image went still, and for a moment Avery wondered if the communication was buffering.

“How many?”

“A lot,” she answered. “But not nearly as many that left.”

The man looked away and seemed to grimace. She could see the calculations whizzing about in his mind. When he finally returned to the present, he put his hands on the table in front of him and leaned in towards the viewer. The 3D image leaned in closer to Avery as a result.

“If you want your money, and more importantly, your life, you will do exactly as I say. Leave them. Take no one with you – not even the crew of the Hyperion – and return to Earth. Kill anyone who tries to stop you or come with you. Recode your transponder and come in dark. This never happened.”

Avery blinked at the ghoulish projection. She opened her mouth to speak but stopped when she heard a clattering noise from outside her quarters. She looked to the door, then back to the projection with a hawkish expression.

Sensing the interruption, the man spoke hastily, “This is why you were hired!” He said a moment before she fixed the man with a rushed glare, keyed off the tablet, drew her gun and stalked towards the hallway.

She found no one in the hallway and proceeded immediately to the cockpit.

Someone was standing at the pilot’s console. She didn’t hesitate. She shot him in the back.

The bullet ripped into Patrick’s shoulder and lodged itself in the fleshy muscle. He screamed and dropped to the floor.

Avery turned at the sound of footfalls pounding on the bulkhead. Her gun was leveled confidently at the intruders.

What she wasn’t expecting was for one to be leveled right back at her.

Demetri stood in front of Ndale and Lucy, gun pointed squarely at Avery’s head. All these people were to her were strangers. Her finger tightened around the trigger, but she stopped short of squeezing, “What the fuck are you doing on my ship?” She wanted to know.

“You shot our pilot!” Lucy exclaimed.

“Everyone calm down,” Ndale counseled. “I’m sure we can come to an arrangement.”

“Trying to steal the ship, are we?” Avery guessed.

“We want go home,” Demetri answered.

“And leave all your buddies behind?”

“They can wait for the next one,” Lucy put in. “Besides, I heard you. You’re working for them. You’re not here to help us.”

Avery’s eyebrow rose. It had been the woman eavesdropping on her and effectively blowing her cover. She knew without a shadow of a doubt that she could shoot the three of them before Demetri could shoot her back. That didn’t discount the fact that he could do damage in other ways. She felt irritated that she’d let her guard down enough for this to happen – she should have searched the ship, should have been more cautious.

Patrick’s screaming had stopped. Avery didn’t have to look back to know that he was probably dead or, at the very least, unconscious.

“Despicable,” Avery commented. “I can work with that.” She said, and the three of them shared confused glances. “I’m guessing that piece you’ve got there is not equipped with low velocity rounds. Meaning if you miss me, or hell, even if you hit me, you’re very likely going to damage this ship. Then you’re right back where you started. So how about you put your little toy away so that you don’t screw us all over.”

Demetri gave Ndale a questioning look. Ndale shrugged, “I just sell them.” He said in way of answer.

The man looked like he might budge when a soft chime sounded from Niko’s console.

“What’s that?” Ndale wanted to know.

Avery side stepped to the console, her aim still squarely on Demetri and looked at the readout.

She cursed. Within a split section she had made up her mind about what she had to do.

“You all might get your wish,” She said back pedaled to the pilot’s console, having to step over Patrick to do so. She took one hand from her gun so she could key in commands to the glass interface.

“What are you doing?” Demetri asked, his arms lowering slightly.