Charon Chapter 6

Bryanna's decision brings to light the problems of the Charon and she sees the hard path that the ship and crew has faced.

Chapter 6

 

                Bryanna’s voice carried all the way back to Fiz and Kim. Fiz immediately leaped up and sprinted through the halls after the echoes. She stumbled into a long room. Bryanna stood before at the front of the room screaming.

                “What?” Fiz asked. Bryanna just pointed at the room. Tables and chairs filled the area. Cups, plates, and utensils sat before each chair, but it was what sat in a few of the chairs that alarmed Fiz. Five human corpses sat there. They had decayed in the absence of the activity here. “They must have died in orbit.”

                “But how?” Bryanna asked. Fiz moved in close and began to examine the nearest remains.

                “Micrometeor holes.”

                “But wouldn’t that leave holes in the walls?” Bryanna continued, her voice cracking under the stress. Fiz had to stop and think for a moment as Bryanna’s logic ruined her thought. As Bryanna’s mind calmed, she began to look around the room.

                “This must have been the original dining room back when the ship launched,” Bryanna remembered as she began to move around. The desiccated remnants of the last supper lay splattered across the floor.

                “All the meteor holes came from the door,” Fiz said as she moved between the bodies. Bryanna’s mind flashed back to the small hole she found with Cog, the one with red crystals along the edge. Her eyes flashed to her gloved hand. Cog’s blood had obscured whatever had been on her fingertips. Horrifying images of what had transpired plagued her mind as Fiz returned to Kim’s side. Bryanna quickly left the dead and returned to the hall and paced back and forth, restlessly. Fear kept her from returning to Cog’s side or from heading back to the dining hall. With nowhere to go, she walked the same twenty foot stretch of hallway over and over. She very quickly recognized each scuff and scratch on the floor. Bryanna traced her fingers along the grooves in the wall until she was called.

                Kim and Fiz had finished bandaging Cog up. He was still unconscious, but alive.  The two doctors were currently struggling to get Cog into the suit they had brought with them. “Her, Bryanna offered as she grabbed hold of Cog. The three women hefted him over their shoulders as the airlock closed behind them. The empty void of space opened before them. Kim motioned for them to follow. Slowly, they went from handhold to handhold as they dragged Cog behind them.

Bryanna kept glancing at the rings of the ship. Around the damaged sections spun the broken off debris. They cast shifting shadows over the four of them. Amidst the broken light, Bryanna kept looking at Cog’s blank face. Frightful emotions from moments left ages ago on Earth began to rear in her mind. Fiz and Kim quickly began to pull ahead of Bryanna. Their years of experience showing. Her breaths grew heavy as she struggled to pick up her pace. A shadow neared closer and closer.

For the second time that day, Bryanna screamed. Fiz and Kim jumped at her voice over the radio. Both spun to see a figure hanging above Bryanna. It took the two women only a second to identify the frozen remains of Jer. But Bryanna was hysterically as she screamed at the face of the dead man before her. A terrified visage covered his face, a grim reminder of the last moments that he faced.

“Jer?” Kim’s mind stopped for a moment before speaking again, “Bryanna, calm down,” Kim urged as Bryanna began to thrash about. Her arm swept to the side, knocking the frozen remains away. “Bryanna.” The woman grabbed hold of the young woman and pulled her closer. “It’s alright,” she soothed. Through her suits, she stroked her. “It’s alright,” she repeated. While Kim worked to bring Bryanna under control, Fiz continued on with Cog.

“I’m good,” Bryanna finally spoke. “Thank you. Thank you.”

“You’ve never seen death before, have you dear?”

“No. My life before this was fairly calm. Nothing exciting except a speeding ticket or two.”

“A what?”

“Nothing. Just a stupid kid thing. You’re good at comforting people,” Bryanna complimented her.

“I’ve had plenty of practice. I’m old enough to be your grandmother. I’ve held many children, and also a few older than me. That’s what happens when you’re the ships doctor and a mother. Come along.”

Sluggishly, Bryanna followed Kim forward. But her eyes kept drifting over her shoulder to where Jer’s remains still hung in the void. The sight chilled her soul. An unease spread through Bryanna as she came to realize that the crew held a different value for life and the dead than she did. It took them several more minutes to catch up with Fiz and Cog and once more the air compressors told of the airlock filling.

As the door opened, a group was there to meet them. Instantly, Cog was whisked away to the infirmary. Amongst the mass was the Hal. The old captain quickly scooped Bryanna up and brought her to a small office a short distance from the command deck. It was a tiny office with barely enough room for the two chairs in it. Hal dropped into the furthest chair, and unlatched a panel of the wall which opened into a small desk. His hand flashed towards the empty chair. Dread washed over Bryanna. The hint of a trial filled her mind.

“Please, tell me what happened,” Hal bowed his head.

Flustered, Bryanna began to speak, “He was sawing through the pipe. It must have slipped and it cut his suit. I don’t know. I didn’t see. I only saw his back.” Fear began to creep into her voice. “Dav told me to put that goop on the tear and then get him to that airlock. I got him out of the suit and put that stuff in the wound. Then Fiz and Kim showed up and took over.”

“Good.”

“It all happened quick. I… If not for Dav, I…”

Snorting, “You lost your head. That’s what Dav is here for. He can remind us of what is needed. He doesn’t lose his thoughts. He just follows orders.” Bryanna sat quietly without a thought. The enormity of what had just transpired was beginning to wash over her. She finally understood how dangerous this mission was and how easy I was for everything to go to ruin. This ship, its crew, they were all one mistake away from death. The wrong pipe blows or circuit fries and everyone was gone. “You may leave,” Hal told Bryanna.

Rising, Bryanna edged toward the door, but was stopped by a question. “Hal, what happened at the planet? Why was some much of the ship lost?”

Hal remained silent for a few moments before speaking, “It was a disaster.”

“Fiz and I found several people who had died in what appeared to be the original dining hall of the ship.”

“We rearranged the ship after…”

“It looked like they had been shot,” Bryanna told him. Hal was taken back by her words. None of the other crew even knew what a gun was, but to hear the words once more…

“They were.”

“By who?”

“It was…” he began. His lips trembled as he searched for the words he needed.

“It was already inhabited, wasn’t it?” Bryanna presumed. Hal looked at her in awe. “It was a concern that was talked over when the Charon first left. No one knew if the planet already held sentient life. Some big shot scientists argued over it. Could we share it? Would they be violent?”

Hal nodded his understanding.

“They were… they attacked and damaged this ship. Did they pursue you off world?” When Hal did not reply, she assumed the worse, “Of course they did. It must have been a year of Hell. I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to bring up bad memories. I shouldn’t have asked.”

“No, it was going to happen. Of course you’d want to know what happened. You’re the only other person who can remember this ship as it was. Back when it was lively and filled with people. I remember when this ship was whole. Back when it gleamed with excitement. Now, it only limps through the void.”

“I’m sorry to hear. I can only imagine what it must have been like. You’ve seen this place change so much. How have you handled it?”

“I’ve always had my family with me.”

“You’re lucky. I was never close with mine. Part of the reason I applied to this was to get away from them.”

“I was always told we don’t appreciate what is before us, only that which is behind. I’m not sure it’s the truth. I’ve never found the past very comforting.”

“Not after all you’ve been through,” Bryanna thought. “I’m sorry about what happened to Cog.”

“Accidents happen. We need to be careful.”

“I’ll be careful,” Bryanna promised. “What about the pipe?”

                “I’ll get Sid to go out and get it.”

“We found Jer’s body. He was your brother, wasn’t he?”

“He was.”

“I’m sorry.”

“It’s alright. I’ve lost people before.”

 

 

 

Chapter 7

“She’s a pain,” Cog screamed. He was sitting alone in the infirmary. Fiz and Kim having left to attend other duties. He would survive his injury, but his leg would take time to heal.

“She’s just different from everyone else you have ever met. It is natural to not understand her fully as of this time. You’ve only known her a short time. Give it time. I actually find her to be a very pleasant person. I am currently having a rather lovely conversation.”

“I don’t care, Dav.”

“No, I expect that you would not. But you would like to know that the Sid has finished installing the piping and that the pressure has been restored.”

“Good. I would hate for it to have been a waste.”

“Sid was not the happiest about the extra work. He’s always been that way.”

“I bet he was angry. Doesn’t like giving up his free time.”

“He does spend most of it with Sid. That boy means everything to him. The same as how Mil was to you.”

“Yeah,” Cog mumbled. The door slid open and Kim stepped in. Turning to the doctor, he plead, “Can I go, now? I’ve eaten my dinner and what not.”

“Let’s see,” she began as she shown her light into Cog’s eyes. Kim’s own eyes flew over the monitors. Satisfied with his vitals, she added, “Get out of here. I know you like going to the gym, but take it easy for a few days. Limit the leg and core exercises. Go.”

Cog leapt from the table and was out of the infirmary instantly. Pain coursed through his leg with each step. It itched constantly, but it was better than the alternative. He easily picked out his favorite route. Skipping by the dorms he stepped into the gym. It was empty in the evening except for one person. Bryanna paced back and forth along the wall.

“Cog!” she exclaimed as he walked through the door. “My God, I thought you were going to die.”

“Thanks for saving me,” he smiled as he moved over to the bench. Grabbing a pair of weights, he began to run through the routine which had been set down at the start of the trip to preserve the crews in low gravity.

“Are you alright? You looked pretty bad.”

“I’m fine. I’ve had worse,” he answered. Memories of the night Mil and Jer died flashed through his mind. “Much worse.”

“I’m sorry.”

“Sorry for what? I messed up.” Bryanna watched Cog as she fumbled for what to say. “Aren’t you going to work out?”

“I’ve tried working out, but it all feels wrong. It just feels off when I exercise.”

“You have not acclimated to the reduced gravity,” Dav butted in.

“Thanks,” Bryanna sighed.

“I guess you don’t need to exercises as much as us,” Cog chuckled as he eyed Bryanna. Despite all his work, Bryanna was clearly more muscular than he was. His arms looked like sticks compared to hers.

Snorting, Bryanna reprimanded him, “I don’t slack off because…” Her blood rushed.

“Because what? I wasn’t insulting you. What’s you’re deal?”

“Cog,” Dav interjected, “I believe she mistook your comment as a slight about her physique. The two of you are not accustomed to the minor inflections that words carry for each of you.”

“Whatever,” he exasperated. Ignoring Bryanna, he set down to his workout. Fuming herself, Bryanna resorted to her familiar exercise while mad. Jumping onto the treadmill, she ran. Her body felt odd with each step and she struggled to find her old pattern. Her feet kept slipping on the worn treads. The old track came apart beneath her weight and Bryanna lost her footing. Landing hard on her side, she tumbled to the ground. Spring forth, Cog raced to her side.

“You alright?” He gasped.

“No, I twisted my ankle,” she whined as she tried to put weight through her leg.

“Here, let me help you.”

“I’m fine,” she insisted.

“No, if you were fine, you could stand. You aren’t. You need help.” He looped his arm lifted her up. Together they hobbled down to the infirmary. Bryanna fuming at his touch. Everything that day had only made her feel incompetent. She felt as if she was failing at everything. She had no place on this ship. Whatever she tried to do she seemed to be perform abysmally.  She could not get the piping. She could not save Cog’s life without the aid of Dav and Kim. She could hardly even run. She could not run. She had no place to go.

“You again?” Kim laughed upon seeing the two of them.

“Yeah,” Bryanna hummed, “Either I’m cursed or you’ve got a gremlin onboard.”

“A what?”

“Old myth,” she shook hung her head. “It’s not important.”

“What happened?”

“She fell on the treadmill. The track ripped.”

“That’s been on there since I was kid. I’m not surprised. Let’s see.” She guided them to the table. Kneeling down, she took hold of the young woman’s ankle. “It’ll be fine. Just rest it tonight.”

“Can I stay here?” Bryanna asked.

“Something up in the bunks?”

“It’s just a little snug.”

“Sure. Fiz is out a bit. I was just getting supplies sorted.”

“We low on somethings?” Cog question.

“A few things. We’ll just need to be careful.”

“Are there any more?” Bryanna asked.

“No clue,” the doctor shrugged.

“What about the sealed sections. This wasn’t the original infirmary. There was a larger one back when the ship took off. There was also chemical reactor which could synthesize medicines. Could we look there?”

“Maybe, I’ve never been there.”

“Why?”

“Why go there?”

“Why not?” Bryanna returned. “You might find something useful.”

“That part of the ship was picked over when this part was rebuilt into this.”

“You could always find something more. You might learn something that was forgotten. Why does no one here want to look back?”

“Because there is nothing there,” Cog fired. “We’ve been here for generations. We know what there is.”

“You know what you’ve been told, but not what you’ve done. Why not see for yourself?”

“Because it won’t change things,” Cog growled. “The past is. Nothing changes that.”

Clenching her jaw, Bryanna dropped the topic. She knew she was getting nothing. The obstinateness of the crew astounded her. The gap between her and the crew seemed as vast of the inky abyss that the ship drifted through.

“Dav,” she whispered to the room once everyone had left.

“Yes, Bryanna,” the computer answered.

“Has the crew always been this way?”

“Which way?”

“Stubborn, blind…”

“Most people are on certain topics. You could also be described in similar manners.”

“Dav, isn’t your name supposed to be D. A. V. I?”

“Yes, that is my full name. The Data Analysts Virtual Intelligence, but the crew shortened the acronym to Dav. They seem to appreciate it more. When we first left Earth, I was treated more as a tool than a person, but that has changed with time. I must say, I find the change appreciable.” When Bryanna did not speak again, the system asked, “What is it that you are really getting at?”

“I want to prove myself. I want to go to the abandoned segment of the ship and see if there are more supplies.”

“That would not be recommended at this time.”

“What? Why?”

“Standard protocol is for two people to go together, and you are acting rashly.”

“I’m not being rash.”

“I insist that you at least wait to have a partner. You know what happened today and we do not need a repeat incident. If you can find someone to go with you tomorrow, you may; but until then, wait.”

“Stupid computer,” she huffed.

 

 

Chapter 8

Dav was right and Bryanna knew it. A quiet night gave her the time to calm her mind. But the desire to redeem herself still simmered in the back of her mind. For days, she held her tongue on wanting to return to the abandoned sections of the ship. She instead concentrated on finding her place among the crew. Rather than work with Cog on repairs again, instead she was sent to engineering to learn the ship’s propulsion systems and the keys of the crew’s life.

“This is too complicated,” Bryanna complained.

“It just takes time,” Lin smiled. “You’ve only had a bit; I’ve had my whole life to learn it.”

“Even in a hundred years, I don’t think I can master it.”

“Years?” Lin squinted.

“A measurement of time. It’s arbitrary here,” Bryanna hung her head.

“Well, speaking of time. Let’s go eat,” Lin pointed with her head. Nodding, Bryanna fell into step along side. Finally, the layout of the ship was beginning to set it.

“I don’t know how you can stand that gunk. I’ve been dying for some fruit, a salad, or chips.”

“What’s fruit?”

“Their sweet and juicy. Tons of different kinds.” Lin scrutinized Bryanna’s words. It took the young woman a moment to recognize why. “You don’t know what sweet is, do you?”

“No,” Lin confirmed.

“God. It’s the best flavor. How do I describe it? You just want to suck on it…” Bryanna rambled. Lin quickly fell silent as her companion began to describe each flavor in turn. While Lin was unimpressed with such a concept, others in the crew where… particularly the children. They were enthralled with the idea of something new. Their prodding continued while they slurped down the tasteless paste that had served them all their lives.

“I want to try sweet,” Ret blurted out while they sat at the table.

“We don’t have any, so don’t waste time on it,” Sid grumbled.

“Sorry, I shouldn’t have brought it up. I just wish I could share something of my world with you. It’s a shame that the original hydroponics bay was lost. They had seeds and the equipment to grow some real food there… Dav? Is the hydroponics bay destroyed or was it just sealed?”

For several heartbeats, the compute reviewed its’ aged records. “I do not know. It was never listed in the logs. My sensors are not working there and there is no power in there.”

“But you can feel that part of the ship?”

Dav’s processors spun as it tried to understand the inflection in her voice. “Yes, I can feel that part of the ship.”

“Then it is intact. It just might have no power. We could go and check it out,” she proposed. “Maybe set up a new bay somewhere.”

“We don’t need stuff there,” Sid complained. “It’s just a waste of time and space.”

“If we do and find nothing, we learn. That’s the worst case,” Bryanna defended her idea.

“You could be dead. Like what happened with Cog the other day.”

“I’m willing to risk it,” Bryanna glared.

“So will I,” Lin added, her face split into a wicked grin. “Mostly, I just want to see you wrong.” Sid scowled back at her words. Lin scooped Bryanna in her arm and guided her back to the airlock. After giving a quick word over the intercom, the two women began to suit up. Bryanna was more familiar with the procedure this time, but it was still a time-consuming process. And that gave Bryanna time for fear to creep into her mind.

Twisted images had played in her dreams ever since Cog had been injured. Now, they returned in her waking mind. Every conceivable mishap and accident clouded her mind. Another accident wounding one of them or being trapped in an airless compartment and slowing suffocating or freezing to death stared back at her. Her freeze-dried corpse hung around her neck and whispered shadowy tales of what it felt like to die.

Shaking her head, she forced the thoughts away as the air was sucked from the room. She held her breath as once more she stared out at the eternal blackness. Breathing heavy, Bryanna climbed hand over hand along the ship’s haul. Bryanna craned her neck to see the airlock that they were going for. It was almost two hundred feet from them. But that was two hundred feet over damaged haul. Small strips of ceramic and metal orbited the ruined ship. The blasts from within exposed fused wiring and empty compartments. Bryanna eyed each room as they past. And each filled her heart of dread as thoughts of what had transpired in each.

“Here,” Lin motion as they slipped into the airlock. Bryanna expected the pressure to mount, but nothing followed. “There’s no pressure in these sections. Just space,” Lin confirmed.

“The seeds should be held in air-tight seals. They should be safe. Dav?”

“Yes, Bryanna?”

“Which way?”

“Left,” he instructed. The two of them headed off. This part of the ship looked indistinguishable from the rest. If not for the lack of power to illuminate the area or the bulky suit, Bryanna would have thought she was by her dorm. Her headlights shown onto a patch of wall. The word “Hydroponics” was spread over it with an arrow to the side. To the other side, a sign read, “Dormitory.” Without thinking the two of them followed the first sign.

“Dav, we’ve got a problem.”

“What is it?” the computer replied.

“The way is blocked,” Lin answered. A mass of siding, piping, and a table had been crammed into the hallway. Bryanna could not help but notice what this mass looked like. It was a barricade. Someone had piled everything up to prevent others from passing this way. This was deliberate. Images of the crew fighting back against invading forces swelled in her mind.

“Go back and through the dorms. It should circle about.” Nodding, they turned around. She peered into the rooms as they moved forth. The dormitory that they found was a vast contrast to where they now lived. They were large and well furnished. A whole family could live in a single dorm comfortably.

“You could fit half the crew in here easily,” Lin realized. “Why so much space? What was it form? These can’t be the dorms.”

“They were. These were the dorms. Each held a whole family. They didn’t live on top of each other like you do. They had their own rooms, their own kitchen if they wanted to cook.”

“Why?”

“It’s comfortable.”

“It’s cold. Didn’t they like being together?”

“They did. It’s just nice to be alone at times. You don’t always want others bugging you.”

“I’ve always hated being alone. It’s too quiet. It just feels like someone is watching you.”

“There’s too many ghosts here.”

“Ghosts?”

“The spirit of the dead. People used to believe that they stayed behind and watched over us after their deaths.”

“You’ve got some weird beliefs.”

“I didn’t say I believe it. It’s just what people do. I guess you don’t even know where the name of the ship comes from. You don’t know what it means, do you?”

“I didn’t know that names even had meaning.”

“They do. Charon was a character in Roman myth. A boatman. He was charged with conveying the dead across the River Styx to their new lives in the otherworld.”

“That’s a strange belief.”

“It’s an old one. Before science and reason, people had to explain all the strange things that happened and their created the idea of Gods, and Devils, and monsters.”

“Devils and monsters?”

“Yes. People didn’t want to believe that people could be evil, so they invited things to force people. Sadly, some people where just evil.”

“Evil?”

“Cruel. Mean. You don’t have anyone on the crew like that.”

“Sid can be mean at times.”

“Not like that,” Bryanna promised. “You’re lucky. On Earth, people could be vicious. Every day you heard of robbery, murder, and other crimes. That’s part of why I wanted off it. I wanted to start over.”

“What happened? A story doesn’t make you do something. I’ve heard plenty from Hal and they’ve never made me do anything. So why?”

“Part of the reason I was accepted in the Charon program was that there wasn’t anyone on Earth that cared about me anymore,” Bryanna hung her head.

“I can’t imagine that.”

“You wouldn’t. My parents were murder. It was a brake-in that went wrong. My dad tried to fight, but just ended up getting shot. My mom, they shot her for fun and malice. They never found who did it. But I saw. I remember their faces.”

“How did you survive?”

“I hid under my parents’ bed. Too scared to make a noise. I had no relatives and I ended up in foster care. I hated it. I might have run away, but I had nowhere to go.”

“That’s why you joined the sleepers. You finally found a way to run.”

“Yeah, I did, I guess.” While they talked, they continued to walk. Soon, they found another sign for directions. A sliding door blocked their path at the end of the hall. “Damn.”

“Here,” Lin smiled. She leaned down and pried off the paneling by the base of the door. “There’s a manual release here.” She reached into the shadowy compartment and after a moment the door jumped sideways a few inches. “Help me push it.” The two of them pressed their hands to the cold plastic and shoved it into the wall until they could step through.

They stepped into an immense room. Their lights were swallowed by the shadows before reaching the far wall. What the lights did touch were many rows of tables. Stepping closer, Bryanna recognized the stalky remains of withered plant life and wire framework. A crunch under her feet told her of a thin layer of frost that covered the floor.

“What are they?” Lin asked.

“The husk of the plants. This was the garden, but everything is dead.” Bryanna tilted her head as she eyed one table in particular. While the others were made of white plastic, this one was charred black and filled with ash.

“So its worthless?”

“I knew what ever was in here would be dead. We are after the seeds.”

“Seeds?”

“Their small things which grows into the plant. Their tiny.” Bryanna groped about under the tables for a small compartment. Finding a drawer, she pulled on the handle. Leaning forward to light the contents, she began to rummage about. “Just pruning equipment,” she bemoaned as she fished out a pair of scissors. “Where did they put the seeds?” She turned from the rows of tables and ventured further into the darkness.

“What the?” Lin whispered as they found the far wall. In large gruesome red smear a message had been scrawled, “Damn you, Gray! You murderous b*****d.” Beneath the sign, lay a single preserved corpse.

“Who’s Gray?” Bryanna pondered.

“Hal said it was his father, I think. Father or grandfather. I don’t remember.”

“But, why the message? Do you think it was from this person?” Chills ran down Bryanna’s spine as she knelt beside the poor individual. He was dressed in an outfit like what Bryanna now wore. Blood had stained the fabric of his shirt. “He wrote it in his own blood,” she gaped as she recognized the finger marks in the message. “It doesn’t make sense. Why would someone leave this message? What did this Gray do?” Her eyes flashed back to the burnt table.

“Does it matter? They survived and we are here.”

“Everything matters,” Bryanna protested.

“We can’t do anything about. Best do what we came for. Where are these ‘seeds’?” Bryanna spun about and found a series of cabinets set into the wall. With clumsy hands, she pulled the door open. A puff of mist escaped the sealed container. Inside were stacks of boxes. Each filled with the tiny seeds that were destined for the new world.

“These are what we are after,” Bryanna grinned. “Well also need to get some of the dirt and equipment.”

“We’ll have to do multiple trips. There’s a lot of this stuff here,” Lin advised.

“Agreed. We can take the seeds back first to show everyone.”

“I’ll take them. You sort out what we need.” Nodding, she packed the seeds up for Lin to carry back to the living quarters. Alone, Bryanna divided the contents of the room into what was needed and what could be left behind. Mischievous thoughts plagued her mind and delayed her work. Her eyes kept stealing time and glances at the writing on the wall. The meaning behind it repeated in her thoughts.

Finally, she surrendered to her curiosities and left the hydroponics bay. Amidst the lifeless corridors she roamed. In each room, she sought something that might give her another glimpse into the ship’s antiquity. Every chamber told a little of those who called them home. Fragments of books, clothing, and life coalesced with her vivid imagination into multiple tales. Faceless people lived and died against unseen challenges. Each scenario more dangerous than the one before and less fascinating than those that followed.

“Stop it,” she ordered herself. “You are thinking like some old television show. That can’t happen. Damn it, why couldn’t Dav be online when this happened. He could tell me. I wish Hal would speak of it. He knows. I wonder if he would open up if he came here. No, this would destroy him. Too many ghosts for him.”

Chapter 9

All the equipment from the hydroponics bay took days to move over. But a new argument grew from the findings. “There’s no room for all this crap!” Sid yelled, kicking one of the boxes. The contents had been dispersed throughout the living quarters. Bulk of it had been crammed into the dining hall.

“It’ll be worth it,” Bryanna promised.

“Are these strawberry seeds?” Hal asked as he ran his hand through the contents of one box.

“Yes.”

“I loved them as a kid.” For the first time since meeting him, Hal gave a glimpse at a smile, but it faded before anyone else could see it. Bryanna opened her mouth to ask about the message in the bay, but was cut off.

“I’ve come up with a solution to our storage problem,” Dav’s voice crackled over the radios.

“What is it?” Hal demanded, his face as hard as still once more.

“Corridor F section 62 is a sealed corridor. There is no foot traffic through the area and it lies directly above K- CWS 63 and K-WRS 63. It would offer access to both clean water and an effective means to disperse the waste back into the system.”

“It would still require extra lighting,” Bryanna reminded the computer.

“There’s extra lights in storage we can set in that hall,” Lin nodded.

“And I guess, I’ll be doing that,” Sid spat.

“I’ll help,” Bryanna offered, “Besides I’m the one who knows what all we’ll need.” Grumpling, Sid helped Bryanna pack up the first of the equipment. Once they left, Cog rose. With his tools slung over his shoulder he set off for his own work.

Val’s voice spoke into his ear, “Cog, can you come down to the engine room?”

“Sure,” he chirped. Turning on his heels, he made his way to the heart of the ship. His mind swirled with thoughts of what could not be said over the radio. Any repairs she wanted, she could have just told him.  “Val?” He asked as he stepped forth.

The lead engineer waved. “Can you look at this assembly for me?” She pointed at a panel by the base of the reactor.

“It’s corroded,” he summarized the problems.”

“And?”

Pressing his face deeper, he picked up a strange smell. “Is that smoke?”

“Good. What’s the cause?” Val prodded.

“The wiring is overheating. Is that a leak?”

“That’s what I’ve been thinking. There’s radiation leaking into the compartment. Thankfully, the wiring is working as a heat sink.”

“I’ll find some way to insulate it.” Cog shifted about, his mind still buzzing with curiosity. “Why not just tell me that to begin with?”

“I’m getting on in age, Cog. I am going to need to find a replacement. I had been looking at Mil, but with her death… You are talented in repairs and have a good understanding of how everything works. I was wondering if you would be interested in taking over engineering?”

“I’m…” he stuttered. He turned his eyes to the gray-haired woman who stood to his side. He could see the scars that the years had inflicted upon her.

“I’m not dead yet, boy. I’d have many years still to train you. But, I think you will be the best choice. Think about it. You’ve got time.”

“Thank you.”

“Now, go fix this panel,” she waved Cog off. He skipped away. He held his breathe as he escaped Val’s presence. Swooning, he pressed his back against the cold wall. Cog’s thoughts clawed at him. Anxiety and fear swelled to the front of his thoughts. Val’s recommendation had shaken him. Cog had never aspired to such a post among the crew. He had always seen such stations filled by people like Hal and Val, but never him. Even in his most absurd dreams, he never saw himself sitting at the head of the command deck, uttering orders and deciding the fate of everyone he knew. The burden of such a place was enough to suffocate him.   

Such horrors hung around him like a chair throughout his work. He kept tossing glances at Val and the other crewmembers. His mind torn asunder as he struggled to understand why she would want him to succeed her. Wanting to be alone, he found his work in the quietest bowels of the Charon that he could find. With only his own breath to disturb him.

The rhythmic tapping of footsteps eventually broke into Cog’s feverish meditation. “Can I help you?” He howled over his shoulder.

“Busy, I see,” Hal’s voice chuckled.

“Yeah.”

“Well, I’ve been looking for you.”

“What for?” Cog tensed up.

“We had a meeting,” he began, slowing moving towards he point.

“You and the other old farts?”

“Yes. We’ve been thinking of what to do. Val, Kim, Tug, and myself, are getting old, and with Jer dead. We’ve been wondering of who should assume command after our passing.”

“Val said that.”

“I told everyone to look into who they would choose. And I was wondering about you?”

“What about me?” Cog was ready to snappy. Fear of what he was about to say sweeping over him.

“I was considering who should take my place. Sid is a bit short tempered. Fiz’s too nervous and she’s already tied to the med bay. Lin has a habit of doing things out of spite and the others are a bit too young. So, I’ve noticed that you’ve gotten comfortable with most things on this ship.”

“Are you asking if I want to be the next captain?”

“Eventually. Maybe.”

“I don’t want it,” the young man protested.

“Neither did I, I’m just looking at who could.”

“No, you aren’t getting it. I don’t want it. I don’t want the trouble of everyone’s issues and their lives in my hands. I don’t want it,” he yelled. His voice reverberating in the confined area. Tears flushing over his cheeks.

“Very well. I won’t press you, but we all must lead at times,” Hal accepted as he turned and left Cog where he was. Cog stood there, his blood hot. His anger spiraled about him. He did not want this. The pain of the night of the accident stabbed at him once more. He did not want to have that any more. He did not want others to look at him with eyes filled with accusations and hate. He could not take that from his own family.

Those two conversations bore down on Cog. Shunning others, he elected to skip dinner in favor of his favorite pastime… The gym. It was empty while the others ate. Positioning himself on the bench, he grabbed his favorite weights. Sweat dripped from his brow as he ran through his routine.

“I take it that you were not impressed with the conversations?” Tug asked as he crossed into the room.

“Did you know about this?” Cog accused his own father.

“I suspected as much. Many of the older crewmembers do respect you.”

“You are here to try and get me to take your job too?”

“Nah. Astronomy and astrological surveys aren’t your style. It’s too much sitting and watching. You like to work with your hands.” The graying man leaned against the wall and watched his son.

“What made you want to lead the survey team?”

“I didn’t. I landed into the job. Back when Way was in charge, I got called in to help a few times, but when we got caught in the tail of a comet. A large chunk struck the haul and Way was knocked out. I was the only other one in the area. Hal ordered me to get on the scouters and find a way out of danger. I stayed there while Way recovered. Eventually, it just became my post. That’s how it works some times. Don’t listen to what Hal and Val said. We’ve all got a bad habit of trying to make things happen that we want. You’ll find your post in time.”

“How did you know I would come here?”

“Cog, you always come here when you’re mad. You’re don’t change. You always need to do things. This is the best place for that. You’ve come here every day since Kim first educated you on exercises. You used to complain how you couldn’t lift the bigger weights. I told you could in time.”

“Dad, I’m not in the mode for this.”

“I am. And you’ll have to deal with it, until you’re the captain.”

“Might be worth it to tell you to shut up it,” Cog hummed to himself.

“Even then, you’ll be hearing me at meetings. You’ll never be free of my ranting.” Cog smiled at his father’s words. “It seems your leg is doing good.”

“It’ll scar, but I ain’t dead. Lucky the girl was with me.”

“That’s why we always send two. It’s just smart. Who knows what can happen? Not just out there.”

“You’re talking about that girl,” Cog surmised.

“I wonder how this garden of hers will work out.”

“No clue.”

“No, you shouldn’t have one. I think she’s the only one. We’ll see what comes of it,” Tug insisted.

Chapter 10

It would be several weeks before the first fruits of Bryanna’s labors budded. Bryanna had been mentoring the youngest of the crew in tending to the plants. One day they eagerly arrived to the garden to see the first green shoots emerging from the dirt. Ret pocked at the stems in fascination.

“These are plants?” she asked. “They are small. They won’t be much to eat.”

“These ones at just sprouting. It will be some time before they are ready. Hil and Lar peered into the raised boxes, their fingers scratching in the dirt for more sprouts.

“Don’t do that. You’ve got to be gentle with them. These are just babies,” Bryanna reminded the little ones. Ret leaned back to speak once more, but she was racked with a coarse cough. “Lar?” Bryanna knelt to the young boy’s side as he crumpled to the ground. “Laq!” The young boycould not brace himself between the harsh coughing. Bryanna scooped him into her arms, she sprinted down the hall. Ret and Hil stormed after their friend. “Kim!” Bryanna yelled into her radio.

“Yes, Bryanna?” The doctor yawned.

“Lar’s gotten sick.”

“Sick?”

“A cough. I think he has a fever?”

“What?” Kim struggled to understand. “He has what?”

“My God. You’ve never been sick before. You get injured, but you’ve never gotten sick!” gasped Bryanna. Whisking the child into the med bay, Bryanna dropped Lar onto the table. Kim and Fiz rushed to the boy’s side. Both where white with fear. In all their years, they had never seen this before. While her daughter examined the boy, Kim grabbed Bryanna and pulled her to the side.

“You must tell me what is happening.”

“It’s an infection. Bacteria. Viral. Fungal. I don’t know which.”

“I don’t know what those mean. I understanding the body, but not the cause of this.”

“Microbes, tiny lifeforms have gotten into the body and are causing an infection.”

“Microbes?” Kim wondered. “Where did these lifeforms come from? What do they want?”

“My God. We brought them inside. They must have been in the dirt. None of you have been exposed to them in years. Of course, there would be a reaction.”

“Kim?” Ret spoke up. “Will Lar be okay?”

“He’ll be fine,” Kim calmly spoke. “Go, run along.” The two little ones cast fitful glances at their friend before doing as told. Turning back towards, Bryanna she looked for more information.

“What do we do to stop this?”

“Do you have any antibiotics?”

“No.”

“Then we need to wait it out.”

“How long will that take?”

“I don’t know. On Earth, a few days or weeks, but here… I don’t know. You’ve been in a mostly sterile environment your whole lives. I don’t know.”

“Where’s my son?” Sid roared as he burst into the room. One quick glance lead him straight to Lar sprawled on the table. Fiz had administered a sedative, calming the boy’s spasms. “Lar!”

“He’ll be alright,” Kim said as she placed her hand on Sid’s shoulder. “Just let us work.” Bryanna edged herself from the room. Leaving the doctors to attend to the father and son. Rubbing her hands together, she futilely attempted to wash herself of filth. She knew the truth. She had brought this plague upon the crew. This was herself. Desperate to free herself of any contagion and blame, she slipped down the hall to the showers. A curtain of warm water clung to her, but could not cleanse her of the guilt. She wanted to bring her home back, and it now endangered Lar.

The stale air stung her throat as she stepped out of the shower. She wiped the last drops form her skin as she walked through the halls. Rapid jabber echoed through them as the crew heard the first rumors from the lips of Hil and Ret. Lingering on the fringes of their voices, she hid. Time slipped by as she returned to her comfortable memories of Earth. She remembered the world where she knew her place, even if she wanted to be at another. Here… Here she did not know where she belonged. And her every action only brought ruin to the crew.

“What did you do to my son?” Sid exploded as he grabbed Bryanna abruptly. He pressed her against the wall. She saw a wicked fire burning in his eyes. Once more he repeated his accusation, “What did you do to my son?”

“He’s ill. There was something in the soil we brought from the hydroponics bay. Some sort of microbe was in it. It got inside him and is making him sick.”

“I told you this was bad,” he raged. “We did not need that stuff on board. I said that.”

There’s no way we could have known,” Bryanna protested.

“If anything happens to my son…” Sid threaten, his grip on Bryanna’s shoulder tightening.

“I did not do this intentionally.” She shoved the slender man away with ease. His frail body a poor match for the strength she held. “I never meant harm to Lar or anyone. I did not mean for Cog to cut himself. I did not mean for your son to get ill. I don’t have any ill intents to the crew. It just happens.”

“You did this,” Sid screamed, ignoring her words. Blinding, he continued to verbal abuse and berate, Bryanna. His limited vocabulary unable to find the words and thoughts he wished to express. In his frustration, he lashed out. His fist struck over Bryanna’s jaw. Her head snapped back in pain while her head spun about. She barely recognized Sid rearing his arm back for a second blow.

“Enough!” Hal’s voice broke in. His old hand grabbing hold of Sid’s arm. “Stand down.”

“This girl…” Sid rose up, his finger trembling an inch from Bryanna.

“Did not intend this. This is no different than what happened with Jen,” Hal screeched. “Go! Now!” Hal’s shadow swelled to cover Sid. The man trembled in fear. Bryanna’s head swiveled as she tried to comprehend the old man’s word. “Go!” At Hal’s final word, Sid sprinted away.

“Thank you,” Bryanna spoke. Her hand stroking her sore cheek.

“Let me see.” Hal’s finger’s pried Bryanna’s hand away. “You’re a solid girl. I think he broke his hand on you.”

“Lucky me that my bones are still hard... I’m sorry about what happened to Lar. I had no idea that could happen.”

“Neither did Kim or I.”

“Kim didn’t know about bacteria. How can there be such a massive hole in her education.”

“No one has ever gotten sick on this ship. It was cleaned long ago.”

“You mean sterilized.”

“Sure. The only thing left was what was meant to be there.”

“But after you abandoned part of the ship, no one was exposed to them again.”

“No, we weren’t. I’m sure you’ve noticed what the prolonged isolation has done here.”

“I have. Sir…”

“Yes, Bryanna?”

“What’s wrong with the little ones?

“What do you mean? I take it you don’t mean this infection.”

“No. I’ve noticed that they seem different. Ret in particular. She’s much weaker than Hil.”

“Yes. She’s not well. Neither is Lar. Both have a growth in their bodies. Lar had many surgeries when he was younger. Ret still has some, but Kim isn’t sure we can remove it safely.”

“Why’s that?”

“The growth is in her lungs.”

“Her lungs?”

“Yes.” Bryanna choked on her breath at the captain’s word.

“That could be bad for Ret.”

“It could be bad for everyone.”

By the end of the week, Hal’s premonition came to fruition. Not only had Hil and Ret fallen, but so had half the crew. Only a shadow of the crew continued to serve. Once Kim had surrendered, Fiz had issued orders for isolation of the afflicted.

Bryanna shivered as Fiz called the crew for a meeting. Among those who remained was Cog, his father Tug, Lin, and four others that Bryanna had spent only a little time with: a woman call Hes who worked with Lin, a younger lad name Tip, and a pair of twins Cad and Dac.

“This is it?” Cog huffed, “Eight of us?”

“Sadly, yes,” Fiz nodded. “Everyone else is currently bed ridden. If not for Tip, I would not be able to keep up on my work.”

“I’ve never worked in the Med bay before. It’s kind of fun,” he coughed. Despite Fiz’s precautions, Tip and the others were beginning to cough. Only Bryanna was unphased.

“Sadly, I am not making any progress on this,” Fiz regretted.

“I’ve been thinking about that,” Bryanna butted in.

“Wasn’t it your idea that got us into this mess?” Cog reminded the group.

“And that’s why, my idea might get us out. I’ve been sick before. I know how it is treated.”

“How?” Fiz turn to Bryanna.

“Medicine. Antibiotics is one option.”

“We don’t have any.”

“That’s why I was thinking that there could be some in the old med bay. We could send someone to investigate.”

“I’ll go,” Cad smiled. “Dac can be my second.”

“No,” Cog insisted. “The abandoned ship is dangerous. And you don’t know what you are looking for. Dav can’t see in that part. Bryanna would have to go.”

“That’s why I want to bring up another option.” The others stared at her. Fear mixed with expectation as they awaited her next word. “I have no symptoms.”

“And?” Cog urged her to the point.

“I’m immune. You might be able to form a vaccine using me.”

“I don’t know how to do that,” Fiz informed them. “Dav? Do you know how?”

“Yes, but it requires equipment that is in the old med bay.”

“So it can be done.”

“Yes, but as Cog said earlier, I do not have power in that area.”

“I might have an idea,” Hes smiled. “It’s bad, but better than nothing.”

“Let’s hear it.”