Charon Chapter 16

The conclusion to the voyage of the Charon and its crew.

Charon

 

Chapter 16

                Bryanna shut the diary and her mind slowed to return to the modern world. Her mouth hung open. She had imagined the events of the cataclysm, but here it was. The whole situation told by someone who had lived through it. This was everything. And it was not what she had expected. She had expected a tale of alien attacks or an unusual phenonium about the planet, but not this. She never expected that the cataclysm would be from betrayal. Flipping through the next few pages, told of the difficult decision that lead them to abandon so much of the ship to save the crew. The cold-hearted verdicts that Gray issued was terrifying.

                “My God,” she told herself. “Dav? Did they ever tell you want caused the cataclysm?”

                “No. Gray never informed me. After I came back online, the focus was on getting the crew accommodated. It was difficult.”

                “Hal was just a child. He would have barely understood what was going on. I should tell the others. They should know.”

                “I can tell you what they will say. You already know too.”

                “What does it matter. That’s what they will say. They don’t care about the past. It isn’t important to them.”

                “That is correct.”

                “Dav. What do I do with this?” Stupidly, she just stared at the wall. Finally, the truth set in. While she had wanted this, it did nothing to change the ship and its condition. “No, that isn’t true. We can turn the ship around. That’s what I can do with this information.” Clenching her fists, she stormed through the halls. The halls of the ship now echoed of the dark time that had plagued Yel and Han. For the first time, she could feel the weight of every foot that had ever walked these halls. The strain of all the years that the ship had traveled shown on the walls. It was etched into every surface. She could see the countless scratches and dents that had been inflicted upon the walls. She finally understood why they did not want to remember what had happened. And it was horrible.

                Stepping inside Hal’s office, she found him sitting at his desk. Nervously, his hands shifted about. “May I help you, Bryanna?”

                “Yes.” She placed the binder on the table. “This is Yel’s diary. The last few pages were written by Blue. Between this and what little that Dav knows I could put together what happened with the cataclysm. It wasn’t some storm or aliens. It was the crew. The crew turned on itself.”

                “And?”

                “And? That means the planet is safe. We can turn this ship around. We can land.”

                “What makes you say that?”

                “There’s nothing dangerous known about the planet.”

                “Is there?”

                “No, there isn’t,” she protested the old man’s questions.

                “Bryanna. Let me explain something to you. This ship can’t land.”

                “What do you mean? This ship was designed to set down on the planet.”

                “This ship won’t land,” he iterated. “This was decided before you were here. Get out!” His voice reverberated in the confined room. Hal’s usually calm face twisted in rage. Grudgingly, Bryanna left with the binder in her hand. She was mad. He would not even listen to what she had to say. Hal was set.

                Who would listen? The crew had to hear this. They had to know that the planet was safe. That they could land there and end this voyage. She had to tell people, but who?

                Turning about, she set a course for another of the dorms. Sitting on bunks set in the wall was Cog, Cad, and Dac. “Cog, can I have a word with you?” she asked.

                “Sure,” he waved her to sit on the empty bunk.

                “No, out in the hall, please?” she requested. Shaking his head, he stood up and followed her into the hall.

                “What is it?” she groaned as he propped himself against a wall.

                “Here,” she offered the diary.

                “What is this?”

                “A journal. A written log of what happened during a former crew member’s life. It tells what happened during the cataclysm.”

                “The cataclysm? What does that matter? The ship is still here.”

                “No. The planet is safe. We could land.”

                “What? Land?”

                “We could leave the ship and move to the planet.” Cog only responded by scrunching his face. “This is what the ship was meant to do.”

                “How do you know this?” He asked.

                “I read it.” Bryanna then began to explain everything she had learned. She shared every detail.

                “We should tell Hal. He can get the ship turned around.”

                “I already did. He wouldn’t listen.”

                “He must know something else.”

                “There is nothing more. Hal was only a child when this happened. This book has all the information. It tells everything. If there was more Dav would know. He came back online at some point. Surely, before Hal grew up.”

                “There’s no way to prove this. It’s just words.”

                “No, there is. Davi would know.”

                “Dav was offline.”

                “Not Dav, Davi. The insane computer. It was online during the cataclysm. It knows what happened.”

                “That computer is insane. It can’t be trusted.”

                “Wait,” Bryanna thought, “Lin said that there was a fear that Dav was damaged and that it might be possible to correct this flaw with the new Davi they found.”

                “And,” Cog urged her to explain.

                “Could we connect the insane computer to this Davi and get it working?”

                “I don’t know. Lin and Hel know more about the computers than I.”

                “We can ask them.”

                “We need to go through Val. This isn’t some small.”

                “I know.”

                “Come on,” Cog said as he pulled Bryanna along after him. Cog’s mind hinged between the two outcomes that faced the crew: go forward or go back. No, he knew that there was only one choice. They had to go back. There was nothing ahead of them except for blackness. At least behind them, there was one glimmer of light: a planet.

                “Where’s Val,” he asked when he stepped into the engine room. They scanned the room for the elderly woman.

                “She’s off doing the diagnostic on that computer. Something I can do for you?” Pip offered.

                “We’ve got something we need to talk to her about,” Bryanna blurted. “Let’s go find her.”

                “No. Don’t do that.”

                “What? Why?” Cog asked.

                “She ordered not to be interrupted. This is a delicate process.”

                “How long will it take?”

                “A couple hours.”

                “Hours,” Bryanna gasped.

                “We can wait,” Cog pointed out. “We have time.” He pulled her aside. “Okay, so what do you want to say?”

                “What?”

                “How do you want to do this? I mean this isn’t simple. Hal already has refused you. Why would Val agree to this?”

                “It makes sense.”

                “Not to everyone. Let’s play a game.”

                “You mean those dumb what-if games? Fine.”

                “We have one computer that runs this ship and it is failing. Now you have two options, fix said computer or use it to find something that may or may not help you. You will go with fixing the computer.”

                “Fine. Let me make an offer. You are in your space suit and running out of air. There is an airlock a few feet away, but you don’t know if you have the air or not. Which do you do? You go to the airlock. If you do nothing, you die. At least the other has a chance.”

                “So, which is more important: The computer or the airlock?” Dav’s voice added.

                “You’ve been listening in.”

                “Of course. We did begin this conversation while you were reading, Bryanna. And you are technically talking about me.”

                “What’s your opinion?”

                “I do not know.”

                “What do you mean, Dav?” Cog asked. “You said that same thing when Mil died. Why?”

                “I was designed with dozens of subroutines and hundreds of analytic algorithms. Yet, despite the foresight of my creators, there are things that cannot be quantified. Sometimes, the calculations just do not add up.”

                “When does it not compute?” Bryanna requested, but her instincts already told her.

                “Hal, the cataclysm, the genetic drift among the crew, our course.”

                “Okay.”

 

 

Chapter 17

                “The answer is no,” Val declared. Her voice hoarse.

                “But…” Bryanna protested. Cog and her had confronted her with their findings shortly after she returned from her work.

                “No. We will not do it,” the elderly woman coughed.

                “But…”

                “No. No. That is final.” Val stormed away.

                “Now, what?” Bryanna asked.

                “We drop it,” Cog shrugged.

                “Cog.”

                “Both Val and Hal said no, so we don’t do anything.”

                “No. We don’t drop this. We find a way to do this.”

                “No, Bryanna. We don’t. That’s how this ship works. We follow orders and trust the judgement of the department heads.”

                “Cog, you’ve seen what is in the book now. You know that it was the bad decisions of others. There are times you need to go against orders.”

                “No, Bryanna. No. We wait. We see what happens,” Cog broke off. He headed back off to his dorm.

                “I can’t accept this,” Bryanna spoke to the empty hall.

                “You’ve heard the verdicts of Hal and Val. It would be mutiny to disobey their decision,” Dav reminded her.

                “I don’t care,” she decided. “Dav, is there anyone near the processors? The other two?”

                “No. Most people are heading down to the mess hall to eat. Cog will undoubtedly head to the gym as usual when aggravated.”

                “I’ll do it.”

                “What are you going to do, Bryanna?” Without answering or thinking, Bryanna raced through the halls. The silent ghosts followed her every step as she moved back into the abandoned section of the ship. Pulling open the paneling from a wall, she pulled the unused wires from their connections. She went from wall to wall until she had almost two hundred feet of wires. Coiling the mass around herself, she set back off deeper into the Charon.

                “Hello,” an identical voice spoke to her.

                “Davi?”

                “Yes, I am Davi. Digital Analysis Virtual Intelligence. May I ask your name?”

                “I am Bryanna.”

                “Bryanna? That is a long name. I have not heard a name past one syllable in over two hundred years.”

                “I was a sleeper,” she explained.

                “Bryanna Jennifer Holister.”

                “Yes, you have access to my files. Of course.”

“Why was a sleeper awakened? The only logical conclusion was that additional genetic variations was required.”

“Yes.”

“How may I be of assistance?”

“I am going to reconnect you to another processor.”

“Very well. Go ahead.” Bryanna dropped her bundle of wiring and matched up the thick wires accordingly. Then she laid out the cord through the hallway. She stretched it and fed it through the walls. Finally, she made it to the insane computer. The darkened processor stood silent. Her fingers twitched as she connected the wires. Satisfied, she flipped the switches and awoke the processor. She expected the processor to scream, to complain, but nothing came. It was silent.

“Davi?”

“Yes, Bryanna.” There was no sign of madness in its voice. It was as calm as Dav’s.

“Are you alright?”

“Yes, I was just processing the data that I just received. There is a fair amount of it.” As far as Bryanna could tell, the two processors had joined perfectly.

“What do you know of the cataclysm?” Bryanna asked.

“I do not know the relevance of that word is. Please rephrase the question.”

“Do you know what happened which resulted in your shut down?”

“Yes.”

“Can you please recount those events?”

Davi’s cold voice began to speak. It told every horrifying detail. And each detail matched to what Bryanna found in the journal. Everything. “My God.” Her heart doubled its pace as she sprinted down the halls. The still air tugging at her hair as she moved. Her mind swirled with what she heard. She had proof.  She had to tell the crew and she knew where they were gathered. She crashed into the mess hall, breathing heavily. The whole crew had gathered. Everyone was here from Hal to Ret.

                “Bryanna? What is it?” Hes asked.

                “I did it,” she told everyone without an explanation. Hal’s and Val’s mouths dropped open at her words. “I did it.”

                “I told you know,” Hal bellowed. Spit and drops of goop spewing from his mouth.

                “I know, but you weren’t listening.”

                “What did she do?” Rin asked.

                “I connected the two processors we found. It was your plan, Val, to use the second processor to repair any glitches that occurred in Dav. That was what you planned. I decided to connect that one to the insane one, and it worked. The insane computer isn’t crazy. They are cooperating and together they told me about the cataclysm. It was word for word what I found in that binder!”

                “Bryanna?” Fiz spoke up. “What are you talking about?”

                Taking a deep breath, she recited all that she learned from Davi and the binders. Everyone listened intently to her every word.

                “What does this mean for us?” Cad asked.

                “It means we could leave the ship,” Tug said, falling back into his chair. “We could go to the planet and do what we were meant to do.”

                “We are not turning this ship around,” Hal ordered.

                “This isn’t something that only a few should decide,” Kim stood up to the captain.

                “It’s too dangerous,” Hal warned. “The ship won’t hold together.”

                “We don’t know that,” Lin jumped in. The crew erupted into a barrage of arguments. Everyone had an opinion and everyone wanted to be heard, but none wanted to listen. The noise was deafening. Nothing was getting done. Frustrated with everyone, Cog jumped onto the table. His brash movement caught the eye of everyone.

                “Enough. Hal, you said I would make a good captain. So, I am going to put this to a grand vote. Everyone will vote and we will decide from there, but not tonight. Tomorrow, we vote tomorrow. Everyone will have their say and we will all listen.”

                “That isn’t your decision, boy,” Hal growled.

                “No, but this isn’t yours either. This is everyone’s,” Cog dropped down from the table and left the room. Bryanna stood by unsure of what to do. Cog’s tempered would not soothe as he walked the halls.

                “You are not heading to the gym, Cog,” Dav inquired. “This is unusual for you.”

                “This isn’t a usual time.”

                “May I ask where you are going?”

                “I want to speak to this Davi. There is something I need to know.”

                “May I ask what?”

                “I don’t know. That’s you thing, isn’t it? You’re the computer who doesn’t always know.”

                “Correct.”

                “I need to hear it. I want to hear what it says.” Cog meandered through the extensive hallways as she crossed back into the abandoned sections. He looked at every room more intently than before. He stopped in the hydroponics bay and the old mess hall. The grim message still stained the wall and the mess left among the forgotten dinners.

                “May I help you, young man?” Davi asked as Cog stepped into the processors room.

                “Yes. I am Cog.”

                “You must have been named after Cog. He used to help in astrometrics and surveying.”

                “I don’t know.”

                “Tell me something. What happened here? I want to hear the story you told Bryanna.” Once more the computer recited the same story, word for word. Then Cog asked Davi to do it again, and again. Seven times he asked Davi to tell the story, and seven times the computer did so without question. Each time, Cog turned his thoughts to what was missing. “What happened in the dining hall? You never mentioned what happened there.”

                “I do not know.”

                “They were punctured by micrometeors, but no haul breaches were in there. Could they have been shut by one of these guns?”

                “Possibly. It is possible that some of the surviving crew did not take well to the change in command and were execute after.”

                “No, this section was sealed off before power loss. I think.”

                “Then they must have been shot before.”

                “Could Morg have fled through the dining hall before he was caught?” Cog wondered.

                “Most certainly, but I have no data to prove this.”

                “Why would Gray have done this?”

                “Gray displayed some mental instability. He was not always the most rational of individuals. He did not do well with change in particular.”

                “Dav,” Cog spoke through his radio, “Does this match your evaluation?”

                “Yes, it does.” Cog stood there in the room, his mind turning. Slowly, something crawled into his head. It was something he would never have thought of before.

                “Dav, where is Hal?”

                “He is in his office.”

                “Hal, this is Cog. May I speak to you?”

                No answer.

                “Hal, this is Cog. Come in,” he repeated.

                Still no answer.

                “Jon, Pip. Are you there?” While he spoke, he tore down the deserted halls.

                “Yes, we are both on the bridge,” Jon answered

                “Can you go check to see if Hal is in his office? He isn’t responding.”

                “Sure.” His heart stopped beating as he waited for the words he already knew. After several minutes, he heard them. “He isn’t here.”

                “But his radio is?”

                “Yes.”

                “Dav, where is the gun stored?”

                “In a cabinet in the wall under the joint for the table.”

                “Check there,” he ordered. He could hear Jon fumbling under the table as he opened the concealed cabinet. “No, it isn’t here.”

                “Everyone, Hal is up to something. I don’t know what.” The whole crew jumped at Cog’s words. The air grew tense as everyone braced for the storm that was to come. Bryanna’s face turned white as she stopped mid exercise. Her ears strained for any noise.

                The door to the gym slide open. Instantly, she rolled to the side as the small pop broke the air. Something bit into her shoulder and she fell to the ground, the weights she held crying on contact. She rolled just enough to see Hal standing in the door frame, a small metal handgun shaking in his slender fingers. His finger pulled back on the trigger only for silence to follow. Bryanna used that one moment of confusion to spring to her feet and rushed Hal.

                The old man whipped his hand about wielding his pliers like a knife. Wildly, he swung at her. She lunged her hand out and grabbed the tiny wrists. “You did this. We were fine until you woke up.” He pressed against her hand with all his strength, but he forgot one fact. Bryanna still bore the strength that she had awoke with. Easily, she forced him back and threw him to the floor. His crude weapon clattering out of his reach. Landing astride her attack, Bryanna pinned him to the ground. The only weapon left to him was harsh words that fell on Bryanna’s numb ears. The commotion attracted the attention of the others. Wen and Tug pulled the old man to his feet once Bryanna took her feet.

                “Thank you, Cog” she told the young man when he arrived, out of breath.

                “I’m sorry. I don’t know what happened.”

                “He snapped,” she suggested. “He blamed me for all that has happened lately.”

                “He is partly right. But only part.” Cog’s voice on the edge of a joke. Bryanna gave him a sideways glance before moving on.

 

Chapter 18

                The next morning was consumed by one long debate where everyone spoke. It was by Cog’s new authority that kept the group from breaking apart once more. By the day’s end a decision was reached: The ship was going to turn around and return for the planet.  The task of turning the massive ship was no simple plan. The massive bulk of the ship would not make such a turn quickly. Over a week was needed to effectively slow the behemoth to turn. Through the screen, a tiny dot of light beaconed the crew onward to their new home.

                A strange air filled the ship. And it was easy to tell why. For the first time in everyone’s memory the ship had a destination. They were done wondering. And Cog assigned himself to deliver that news to the Hal.

                “You did it,” Hal growled. The crew had never needed to seal a person away, but Hal’s action had forced yet another change. They had emptied out a storage locker and sealed him in. It was crude, but it was secure.

                “We did. I thought you should know.”

                “You’re fools.”

                “I don’t think so. Most the crew agreed, only a few agreed with your idea.”

                “Idiots.”

                “We haven’t decided what to do with you?” The old man huffed at Cog. “No one has ever actually tried to kill another. What you did… How could you do something like this?”

                “I was protecting my family.”

                “Wasn’t that Gray’s logic.”

                “My grandfather was no fool. Everything he did was for the crew.”

                “We are debating what to do with you.”

                “Do you know Gray cut off his arm to save the lives of three others during a meteor storm. He was pinned to the ground by a bulkhead. The others were trapped in a room that was breaching. He used his knife, the same one that is on your belt, to cut off his arm.”

                “It doesn’t matter what he did. We are talking about you?”

                “He also…”

                “I’ve heard this stories. I have heard them all. I know you worshipped him. But we are talking about you.”

                “And?

                “We don’t know. We’ve always been careful on our numbers. We only have a limited amount of food, water, and air available. Having a person that does nothing isn’t an option, but you did just try to kill Bryanna. We can’t trust you.”

                Hal just smirked back, “No one can decide.”

                “We will,” Cog delivered an empty threat before leaving. His mind burned barely under control. Cog could not understand his actions. He had been a constant in the life of the ship. Hal was his grandfather. He was basically everyone’s grandfather.

                “How is he?” Bryanna questioned as Cog came around the corner.

                “Pissing me off. You?”

                “Scared. He was so close.”

                “But you survived.”

                “I survived. I guess I am part of the crew now.” Cog stared back in confusion. “That’s what you are, Cog. That’s what all of you are. You are survivors.”

                “We aren’t survivors. We just live.”

                “That’s because it is all you’ve ever known. You were raised by survivors. They taught you to survive. That’s what you do. You survive.”

                “Bryanna, you are making us out to be more than that.”

                “You don’t see it, but you are,” Bryanna swore. Changing the topic, she asked, “What will we do with Davi and Dav?”

                “No clue. Dav knows about Davi, but we haven’t told Davi.”

                “Do you think that they should be joined again? Val says that the Davi is running normally.”

                “She’s still mad at you for what you did. It was reckless and we haven’t decided on your punishment.”

                “Lin warned me. Val did chew me out for an hour.”

                “Chew?”

                “Yelled,” Bryanna explained.

                “What do you think Dav?” Cog wondered.

                “I would like to rejoin. It would complete my files.”

                “It could change you, Dav,” Bryanna worried.

                “It is possible, but we could learn much. I believe it is a worthy risk.”

                “Val will still need to agree to it. We won’t do it until she does.” Cog’s eyes zeroed in Bryanna.

                “I’ll be patient this time.”

                “Perfect.”

                “What do we need to do for now?”

                “We continue fixing the ship. We keep flying.”

                “Cog, can you come to the board room?” Tug’s voice interrupted.

                “Sure, dad,” he replied. “Excuse me.” He slipped away, but Bryanna’s curiosity got the better of her and she followed. She stopped at the door to the board room just as the doors slide shut. A second before closing, she jammed her fingers into the crack. She muffle her pain and strained her ears.

                “What is it?” Cog asked as she stood before the council. The heads of each depart had gather around and stared at him.

                “Please, have a seated,” Jon offered pointing to a chair at the head of the table. Timidly, Cog obeyed.

                “As you’ve noticed there is an open seat here,” Kim nodded. “Currently, we are unsure as to what to do with Hal. But we have agreed that he is no longer fit to lead this ship.”

                “Thus we have been debating what to do,” Val coughed. “Tradition is that, I would be next in line to assume command, but this would be a short-term solution I fear.”

                “Why?”

                “Her health is failing,” Kim nodded. “Fiz is the only other person outside this room that knows. Val has been exposed to numerous harmful reactions working by the engine during crisis. She has begun to develop growths in her body.”

                “Like Ret’s?”

                “Worse. If this continues, I will pass within the next year,” Val nodded. “Surely, you’ve noticed I still have that cough. Everyone else has recovered; even Hal.”

                “This is what brought up her and Hal asking about replacing one of them. We’ve known for a while and been thinking,” Jon explained. “Most of us are getting up in years. We need to look to our future.”

                “I’m not liking this.”

                “Cog, when we were sick. You took charge. You saved the ship from the comet and you are the one who ordered the expansion.”

                “Those weren’t my ideas. That was Lin and Hes. They came up with the solutions. I’m…”

                “Cog,” Tug snapped. “We know that. Captains must take advice form the crew. You do. That is why we have decided that you should be the next captain.”

                “Why not Sid or Lin? Both are older and more experienced,” he protested. “I’m your son. I can’t be your captain.”

                “Yes, they are older, but Lin has a temper and I will need her more and more in the engine room,” Val warned. “And Sid is very concerned with his son. That is his first priority. You are young, yes. But you will learn, we all have.”

                “This isn’t ideal,” Kim nodded. “We prefer having you serve as a vice captain for a time and learn.”

                “You will still have support,” Dav added. “You will have the senior staff to add you. You have never been alone and never will. We are here.”

                “I’m not sure,” Cog shook his head. “I’m…”

                “Cog,” Tug scowled at his son, “We are starting a new leg on this voyage, I think we need new leadership for this.”

                “We want you to think about it,” Kim concluded. “But you are the first pick. I hope you make the right decision.”

                “Go. Think about it,” Jon urged. Cog bowed and slipped away moments after Bryanna vanished from the hall. The board sat quietly while they waited for Cog to escape earshot before continuing their meeting.

                “Do you think he will do it?” Val asked.

                “He will,” Tug smiled. “He doesn’t want to, but he will. He always does what others need or ask of him.”

                “I don’t like putting a kid in as captain,” Jon grumbled. “He’s a kid. He should be able to enjoy his life.”

                “You still see him as the little boy who once put goop on the walls,” Dav reminded him. “If I did that, you would still be the pest who once set fire to my processor while trying to weld to plates together.”

                “I was a stupid kid.”

                “Point is, you aren’t any more; and neither is Cog.”

                “Are you sure of your analysis, Dav?” Kim asked.

                “Yes, except for June, Morg, Gray, and Hal; all of those who I recommended proved to be to be the best candidate for captain. Even those who I recommended and were not selected ended up leading under pressure. I am sure that Cog will make a fine captain.”

                “Speaking of which,” Kim grimly turned the group away. “What do we do with Hal?”

                “Long term imprisonment and execution where common practices on Earth,” Dav reminded the crew.

                “Neither is really good here,” Tug moaned. “I won’t kill my dad. He may be an a*s and headstrong at times, but he is still a good man.”

                “We can’t keep him locked up. It is a strain on supplies. You all know how long Wen and I had to wait before we had Mil. Three years. We held off for three years until Hig and Dot passed. We are still debating whether it is same for Fiz to have a baby. We all know she wants one, but we have been questioning out the ship.”

                “Bryanna’s garden is beginning to flourish and the first crops should be ready for harvest in a week. Our food supplies arm more sustainable thanks to her endeavors. With the new section of the ship under renovation, we have come across stores of water and filters that have not been used,” Dav explained.

                “Will they last?” Jon brought up. “Can we sustain these plants? I’m glad that they are taking part of my job away with the air filters, but how long can they work?”

                “With careful harvest, and crop cycles they should sustain us indefinitely.”

                “Will they make it to the planet? They left it over seventy years ago. It will take at least that long to return. Most likely more.”

                “In theory yes,” Dav admitted. “The ship is a closed system so we are losing minimal heat-energy and no matter.”

                “You are avoiding the topic,” Kim reprimanded the council. “What do we do with Hal?”

                “You mean, can we trust him?” Val shook her head. “He tried to kill the girl. What’s stopping him from trying again? Nothing. Can we trust him to serve under another? I don’t know. He’s always been someone I trust, but this… I don’t know what to make of him.”

                “He’s not our only concern,” Dav shared with the group.

                “I don’t like the sound of this,” Jon shook his head. “What are you talking about?”

                “The vote to turn the ship around was not unanimous.  There were crew members who did vote maintain this course.”

                “You fear they may act out,” Kim complained. “We won’t do anything with them. They haven’t done anything.”

                “Agreed,” the council voted.

 

 

Chapter 19

                “Bryanna, can you head down two floors?” Val asked over the radio.

                “Sure. What’s happening?”

                “Just getting some odd readings. I think it is another loose wiring.”

                “We’ve got a lot those in this part.” Bryanna pulled her tools together and found the stairs. The old stairwell creaked at her weight, but she had used this one before during the repairs and trusted it. The door slammed closed as she stepped into a new room. She soon found herself outside the ship’s living quarters and in a massive network of wires, pipes, and systems. None of it made sense to Her, despite all the training she had in how the ship worked. This was unlike anything she had seen before.

She was standing on the edge of a railing staring across the room. This was by far one of the larger rooms in the ship. It was easily a hundred feet across and twice that over the railing. Beneath the railing a massive machine lay in the shadows. To each side, Bryanna could see the room span the length of the ship.

“Dav, what is this?”

No response.

“Not this again,” she complained. “Why can’t I get through?”

“It’s called a Faraday cage. I’m amazed that I even remember that word.”

Bryanna turned and looked along the length of the railings. From behind an alcove, Hal stepped onto the walkway twenty feet from Bryanna. He held a segment of pipe in his hand. “How did you get out of the room?”

“You know, during radiation storms and extremely dangerous times, we hid down here. This area was shielded from anything the builders could imagine.”

“How did you get out?” Bryanna locked eyes on the elderly man.

“You don’t know how terrifying it was to sit and wait. Not knowing what was to happen.”

“Hal, how did you get out of there?” Her mind buzzed with the possibilities. “How did you escape?”

“The worst time was when right after I was first made captain. I ordered the crew when we entered some sort of storm. Way said it was some sort of super nova storm. I did not understand.”

“Why won’t you answer? This is what you did with Cog. You don’t answer.”

“We all crowded into this area. Well, a section closer to the bridge.” Slowly, Hal began to strut forward.

“What is this area?” Bryanna asked while backing away.

“This is part of the ships propulsion system. When in use, the engine can generate radiation, electrical fields, and heat.”

“It isn’t too hot right now?”

“The ship just slowed down to turn. The engine has yet to reach full speed. It will take months to do that.” Hal’s stepped forward ceaselessly. His longer legs quickly gaining on Bryanna’s short steps backwards. With each step, Hal banged the pipe against railing. Breaking her gaze, she bolted for the stairs. Hear hand reached for the door sealing the propulsion room. Only when it did not move did she realize that it was locked.

“There is a simple audio command to seal the doors.” Bryanna began to walk away from Hal again.

“That’s how you escaped. As captain, you set up commands in case of emergency.”

“No, that was Gray. He was a lot smarter than me.”

“He as an idiot. He wasn’t protecting the ship. He wanted the ship.”

“He was doing what was best for the crew. As am I.”

“No, you don’t. You just don’t want change. When I found the truth, it meant that Gray was lying. That he wasn’t so noble. My findings ruined your beliefs. That’s what this is about. You can’t stand Gray becoming a monster, but that’s what you are. To Cog. Lin. Hes. That’s what they see you as now.”

“Shut it,” Hal protested furiously.

“That’s it. I’ve found it. You’ve been trying to live up to Gray’s legacy. Everything you did, everything… You’ve always tried to do what Gray would do. Never have you gone your own way. That’s why so much of the ship lay forgotten. That’s why it was all lost. Gray couldn’t stand his failures. Neither could you.”

“Shut it. Shut up!”

“You’re just chasing his footsteps. You are just his shadow. You’ve never been your own man.”

“Shut it,” Hal shrieked as he lashed out with the pipe. Bryanna was ready this time. Ducking under his arm, she pounced. Her weight forcing the man to his back. Grabbing his wrist, Bryanna slammed Hal’s arm into the railing, over and over. A sickening crack broke through the air as his slender wrist snapped and the pipe fell away. It tumbled down into the darkness, beyond sight. Rolling over, Hal brought himself above the girl. Bryanna’s head collided with the railing. Leaning in, Hal pressed his remaining hand into Bryanna’s throat. Gasping, the young woman found herself slowly choking.

Fear and desperation quickly set into her mind. Without thought, she groped at Hal’s wrist. He nails tearing at his thin skin. He spat curses at her, but his grip held true. Forgetting his wrist, Bryanna struck at Hal’s jaw with her clenched fist. His fragile bones shattered on impact and his cries of pain echoed in the room. Bryanna jumped free as Hal surrendered to the pain. He scrambled backwards towards the railing, taking his feet with his hands to his face. Filled with rage, Bryanna lunged forward and shoved her attacker. His feet rose high as his head went over the railing. An ear-splitting wail reverberated through the giant room as Hal was swallowed into the darkness.

Bryanna collapsed against the wall in relief. Her heart continued to hammer in her chest long after the fear left her. Exhaustion swept over her and she surrendered to darkness.

“Bryanna!” Cog yelled. She startled awake at his voice. “You okay?”

“Yes,” she gasped. “I am.”

“Good. When you weren’t responding, we feared the worst. Bryanna, Hal’s escaped.”

“I know. He came for me here.”

“Where is he?” She pointed over the railing. Slowly, she told Cog everything that had transpired.

“How did he know I was here?”

“He must have listened on the radio. It isn’t hard to get one.”

“My head hurts. Something’s not right.”

“Let’s get you to Kim.” Cog shifted Bryana onto his shoulders. Slowly, the shambled up the stairs together. Bryanna stumbled more and more with each step, until finally Cog was forced to carry her. As soon as they could get a signal through, Cog radioed for Kim’s help. The doctor arrived a few moments later and escorted the two of them back to the infirmary.

Bryanna shivered on the cold exam table as Kim once more ran through her series of test. Bryanna’s vision began to blur and sounds became distorted, before she fell asleep once more.

“What’s wrong?” Cog asked, concern filling his voice.

“Her body is becoming like ours. It was going to happen.”

“Will she be okay?”

“We’ll wait and see. She is bleeding internally, mostly around the neck. Nothing in the chest. Her bones have thinned a bit. Her hand broke and is bleeding in the area some.”

“Will she be alright?”

“I don’t know. There are reasons we avoid that area. It’s not safe for long term exposure.”

 

 

Chapter 20

“This is it?” Cog asked.

“Yes,” Dav answered. “This is the planet.” Cog stared at the screen at the small blue and green sphere.

“We’ve finally made it.” He rubbed his hands through his long since grayed hair. The trip had been rough on him. They had many dangers arise while under his command, but the Charon had arrived at her final destination. Cog reached out and took Bryanna’s hand. She looked back and smiled. He would have never made it through without her help. His gaze past to their grandchild, Ray. She was busy monitoring the display before her. The gravity of what was before her escaped her.

 

 

Epilogue

“Dav, pause historical record,” Rayshel commanded. The young woman turned and looked across the diverse class. She eyed each face until she looked towards the window. A green filed stretched out dotted by hundreds of buildings constructed from the remanants of the massive Charon which carried her ancestors to the Eden. Her eyes turned back to the computer screen and smiled at the frozen face of her great, great, grandfather, Cog; the final captain, and his wife Bryanna.

Author's Note

Opinion of characters, conclusion, and story.