Reanimated_Terminal Misery Read online

  “The trees make so much noise when they move.”

  The shriek came again, this time much closer.

  “That bad feeling has returned, sir.”

  “I’ve had a bad feeling about this since I woke up smelling like a corpse,” the lieutenant added snidely.

  Lt. Pierce and Gonzales divided their attention between the sky and the bobbing trees. The colors were intense, the textures alluring, the movements vertiginous, and the smells left their nostrils singing. It was at this moment that the two men appreciated the colossal contrast between the muggy caverns and this lush, vibrant landscape.

  “Did I mention how good it feels to be free of those stinky caves, but now I’m—” Gonzales was cut short when a shadow shot over their heads.

  “What was that?” Pierce’s head snapped around.

  “There. I saw it!” Gonzales pointed at where the thing had disappeared. “It looked like a flying lizard from Jurassic times.” He said, trying to keep his excitement in check.

  “Okay, Sarge, keep it tight!”

  They held a back to back defensive position.

  “Roger, sir. I feel like we’re in a movie and we’re the prey.”

  “Agreed. We need to pull back. We’re too expos—”

  Something shot at them from ground level.

  Lt. Pierce had milliseconds to register what came at them—fanged maw, open claws, and two red, bloody eyes that protruded from its head like antennae. He aimed off balance and squeezed the trigger, just before being jerked back with such force that he felt the air in his lungs punched out.

  Gonzales went down with the impact, too. He rolled, still hearing the creature’s shrieks, and came to his feet staggering. A wind-like storm rose behind him. He turned towards the beating gale and saw a leathery dinosaur thing trying to lift the Lieutenant off the ground. He readied his .45 and squeezed off a barrage of rounds. The creature shrieked, wailed and crumbled beside the lieutenant. Gonzales reloaded as he moved toward his fallen companion. The creature stretched out three times longer than the fallen lieutenant. Its shuddering wings were as long as those of a small aircraft. The flying lizard began to lift itself with its muscled arms, and its wings started to fan the rock surface, its long neck twisting, allowing its head to face its assailant. Gonzales had its head in his sight and squeezed the trigger three times. The head dropped with a thud. The creature began shuddering, its jaw working, snapping out of control. The rest of its body crumbled.

  “Sir!” He’d forgotten about the trees, so he whirled around expecting the worst, but the land before him lay barren. Like a single heard, the trees had been spooked by the commotion. “Sir." The lieutenant stirred and started opening his blood-soaked eyelids. Gonzales searched for wounds. He found two lacerations across the lieutenant's forearms which extended along the man's chest onto his face, but the vest had taken the brunt of the attack.

  “Bastard got me,” the lieutenant hissed between clenched teeth.

  “No time, sir. They’re just scratches. Can you walk?”

  He nodded but grunted when he tried to move.

  "I got-ya." Gonzales hauled him up and wrapped the lieutenant's right arm around his own shoulder. They reached the top, and Gonzales laid the officer against the protection of the rock wall. Gonzales came down on his knees panting, sliding his backpack off and retrieving the med kit.

  “You’re a badass, Sarge.”

  "Hey, I tell no lies. We're alone, though. Your little flying fried broke our connection with the Robinson Crusoe," Gonzales said. He placed a white painkiller nostril-ring under the lieutenant nose and watched until the man became groggy. Then he started cleaning and disinfecting the wound on the lieutenant's face. He smeared the injury with a white paste that began to sizzle and then used the clamp gun to close the wound. He squeezed the trigger, and the rear end applied the glue. "You'll only need adhesive on your face. I'll wrap your arm up."

  A shrill cry consumed the air.

  The lieutenant seemed to sober up. Both men locked eyes. Gonzales pulled him up, and they limped to the safety of the dreaded cave they’d emerged from, leaving behind the med pack.

  Chapter 20

  Quandary

  Manta, Ecuador, Rosa Mountains

  April 28, 4067

  "Please everyone, we need to find a seat and settle down. We've placed noisemakers in front of the cave to ensure the privacy of this meeting, but we need to keep our tones low nonetheless," Ben said in a strong, but hushed tone. He watched delegates maneuver the small cave searching for a place to sit. They had placed buckets and folding chairs throughout the rough ground. Ben watched them with an iron gaze, wondering what sort of idiot thought scientists would make good stock for humanities last stand.

  “Ben, we've established a 4-D link with Apollo 2," Malica said, straightening a sizeable 4-D projector's base.

  “Thanks,” Ben said, noticing Dr. Spencer glaring at him from the back of the room. “As you all know by now, we’re facing a pretty tough dilemma. Apollo 2 has joined Apollo 1. We have already explained some of the details because we wanted to prepare you for the footage. We are facing a harsh environment down here. Unfortunately, we will be facing the same challenge up-top. We’re gathering all who can and want to speak for the people, so they can vote on whether we emerge now, or wait until we have a better assessment on how to deal with this newly evolved land.”

  Whispering and chatter ensued.

  “I think a vote moot at this point. We need to abandon this death trap, mate.” the Australian with a hunched back said, his hollow eyes, a telling tale. He wore a double layered fleece sweater and had failed to trim the thick, wild, peppered beard that hid his mouth, a beard that had grown unhampered during his slumber.

  “Dr. Lincoln, let us see the footage so we can come to a corresponding conclusion.” Ben nodded at Mathew, who told his terminal to play the feed.

  The holographic scene sprang to life. The delegates squirmed at the images, the incessant murmuring cascading as the impossibility before them unfolded. Some representatives were speechless.

  “So, we’re trapped?” muttered one man.

  “More like doomed,” added another, his tone bordering on panic.

  “What are we to do?” someone else said.

  “Ladies and gentlemen, we have options, and given enough debate, we can find one that suits the entire community,” Dr. Spencer called out.

  "I fail to see what options you're referring to, Doctor," a middle-aged, red-haired woman said.

  Malica waved her hands in a stop gesture. “We need to settle down first! We are solutions gurus, masters at figuring out how the world works, not simply doomed citizens!” Malica said, loud enough to amass their attention.

  The staggered bunch came to their senses and most quieted, although some seemed resolved in having the last word.

  “We're welcoming suggestions, not just from those present, but from everyone in the community," Ben said. "We gave the teams on the surface the opportunity to give us their suggestions first since they see firsthand what we're up against." Ben turned to their head tech. "Mathew, are they ready?"

  “Yes.” From a desk set to one side, Mathew lithely moved his fingers along a halo pad.

  “We see you clearly, Robinson Crusoe,” Lt. Pierce said, the feed not entirely in sync with his words. His translucent angelic figure brightened the gloomy cave. His face had swollen on one side and a red line traced from his jaw to his forehead.

  "Lieutenant, we want to know what you think the possibilities are for us up there. Can we start sending up civilians? Can we find a measure of safety somewhere? How will we transport the larger equipment? Can we defend our claim? The most pertinent question is: What are the survival possibilities in this alien jungle we've inherited?" Ben asked while gesturing another man to silence with an open hand.

  Lt. Pierce coughed into his hand to clear his windpipe. "I don't want to alarm anyone more than they already are, so I'll start with the good. Followin
g a four-hour scouting mission, we found shallow caverns which will provide dry, open air and shelter. The sun leaks in from several cracks throughout the ceiling, so there is some visibility. We will need to remove any indigenous life forms that reside in the caves. I think torches will be a better way to flush any creatures out because the smoke can easily vent. The caverns are close to the alien vegetation so sustenance may be at hand, but we'll have to figure it out when we move the camp up-top. As far as living amid the shifting land, well, at the moment, the land seems…unfriendly. Following our encounter with the flying reptile, it's safe to say we will need to stiffen our defenses. The elevator shaft seems clear of obstructions, and the cables appear to be as solid as the day they were put in. We can bring up the large equipment using the elevator shaft. Of course, we may have to remove one elevator cart to hoist larger equipment, such as generators. As for defending our claim, the overhead wall seems to keep the wild beasts and plants at bay. We're not sure why." He left out others doubts that stirred in his mind. They’ll find out soon enough, he resolved and continued, "We saw a diversity of plants and animals, even fruits on trees. Once everyone is up here, we can start devising a strategy to resupply our stores."

  “Are there monsters out there, other than the flying reptile, Lt. Pierce?” someone asked.

  He couldn’t tell who asked the question, but the lieutenant sighed and squared himself. “Some creatures and plants are large enough and strong enough to follow us here.”

  At this, the people groaned and muttered.

  Ben glared at the gathered officials. What the hell did they expect, that they’d wake up in paradise? he thought.

  “We've proceeded to test the vegetation with our presence, and found most to be benign. Some moved away, and others did come curiously close. A vine raced at us and we opened fire cutting it to shreds. Those eels we encountered in the shaft emerged from the soil and consumed the pieces ravenously." Lt. Pierce's image blinked in and out, as if on cue. The room grew silent when everyone held their breath as if their breath would scatter the flickering image. Lt. Pierce continued, "The vines are dangerous. We retrieved one segment and discovered spikes and tubes intended for siphoning. On a positive note, we think there's enough room in the caverns, and we're working to restore the elevator service. I'd rather everyone avoid the stairs, healthy or not."

  That elicited a sigh of relief from many.

  “What was wrong with the elevators?” Malica said, wanting to move away from anymore mention of monsters.

  "The air transfer in the batteries was compromised. We are uncovering the clogs. The layered solar panels are covered in rubble but intact. We can remove it, but we'll need to have an armed team covering the work crew. While inspecting the panels, we had to shoot at two similar flying reptiles. We're not engineers; however, if we extend the toaster's underground power source to operate the elevators, it would go much faster. Once the twelve hundred panels are cleaned off, it will take an additional thirty-six hours of pure sun to generate enough power for a few elevator rides, and the cart's max capacity is only a ton and a half."

  “Can we expect other carnivore-flying creatures?” Ben asked.

  “Yes, there are other large flying creatures out there, but we can’t say they are any danger to us, though,” Lt. Pierce said as he moistened his lips and continued. “We cleared a few solar plates to see if we can generate some reaction from the elevators. It’s a bright sunny day up here, so we should get some results soon. Even panel lights would be promising. We’ll test them tonight. We need to conference with the engineering department, too.”

  “That is great news. We are in your debt, Apollo,” Ben said smiling.

  “We spotted some fruit trees close to the rocky edge. We’ll try to gather some samples,” Lt. Pierce added.

  “We await your next communiqué, Apollo 1. Robinson Crusoe out,” Ben said and watched the hologram vanish. He turned to the crowd and said, “We welcome suggestions at this time.”

  “How about clearing any carnivores in the open ground by force?” someone suggested.

  Ben took the question. “First, we do have weapons, but only for defense. Second, we would be waging war on this new alien land. I don’t think that’s a good start for humanity. We need to learn more about the land before we start butchering it. Third, we'll need all our weapons in case, as farfetched as it may sound, some other human faction survived, or…" his eyes scanned the crowd, "for protection against an alien invasion. We can reuse rounds, but at the moment we are not set up to manufacture casings."

  “Could there be structures preserved by the ice that we could put to use?” inquired a shadowy figure among those in the back seats.

  Dr. Spencer took the question, “We chose this location for its elevation and sturdy alloy aggregates. Most cities were built in valleys and plains, which means, they took the brunt of the disaster, but if we find structures at higher elevations, then we can look into it.”

  “I don’t mean to sound ugly, but carnivores can be a meat source—eat or be eaten,” said a man with spooked gray eyes that matched the gloom in the enclosure.

  "If we have to kill something, we will consume everything, but going on a shooting spree is not the answer," Ben said, annoyed at the insistence of shooting the indigenous-unknown creatures.

  "This is not a suggestion. I agree with Lt. Pierce. I think he's got the right idea. We do have to leave this place, but we also have to be safe. Hasty, ill-conceived plans can get people killed. My question is, how long do we have before food and water become critical?" a silver-haired woman said.

  "We have quite a bit of time. We packed more than enough rations, but water is becoming a problem. The engineers assure us that all mountains have a waterway, so we must skirt the mountain to find it," Malica said.

  Dr. Spencer approached the front, and Ben relinquished the stand. The doctor nodded to the man reluctantly. "We are here to preserve our kind above all else. We are not here to disturb this amazingly balanced ecosystem. We have a great opportunity. Remember the billions who will never see another day, who will never experience this new dawn of humanity. We must treat each day with such care and consideration to honor those lost. Tough times are still ahead, but the hardest part is over, which is the act of waking from stasis. Now we can treat this planet with the respect it deserves, not based on our previous exploits or fears, but based on our ongoing exploration of this habitat."

  Malica moved closer to the doctor, and he smiled as he surrendered the stand. “When we address those under our care, do so with the understanding that we have hope. We have been given a wondrous opportunity. This is not the time to feel like a victim, but like what we are—survivors.” She smiled lightly at those gathered. “I am very hopeful and so should you all be.”

  The meeting was adjourned and the three Council members stared silently at the retreating representatives.

  Chapter 21

  Inhale

  Manta, Ecuador, Rosa Mountains

  April 30, 4067

  The elevator moaned, but never failed, despite the falling debris and heavy loads. Steamy-mildew covered the elevator's steel mesh and walls. On Malica's first ride up, she felt as if the cruddy, old thing would drop them to their doom. It hadn't. This last trip up the shaft renewed her fears. Don’t fail me now, she said to herself. She'd never been a pessimist, but ridding on a two-thousand-year-old rust bucket was cause enough for worry.

  The last trip down mostly ensured they left nothing valuable behind. Malica had found some items they would need to aid them in the colonization of New Earth, like an assorted stash of plastic containers that an entomologist said would be perfect for keeping and studying insects.

  The people had fared well so far. Their spirits enlivened with the news that they would soon be breathing fresh air.

  The engineering team powered the elevator with the underground energy source and also used the same energy to provide lighting and power to the surface caves. The magma-tap created an
endless energy source, the same energy which had powered the generators for two millenniums. Now it would be used to power smart computers, dehumidifiers, automatons, lavatories, the kitchen, and the electrical barrier at the main entrance, which served to keep enemies at bay and prevented the colonists from leaving the safe-zone.

  “It’s the last trip. What’s on your mind?” Dr. Spencer said.

  Malica didn’t meet his gaze. “I felt as if those caves were poisoning my lungs—” The elevator jerked. “It’s this rust-box I have been worried about lately.” She frowned, as she eyed the elevator’s rusty moss-covered walls.

  "Dr. Spencer smiled at the realization that his thoughts had been drawn to other matters, and hadn't even noticed the ancient elevator's sharp complaints. "This is the last trip up, so your worries are over."

  Many were having issues with the decrepit looking elevators, but once up-top they were ecstatic. Some considered the caverns below a grave site, and it was—for a few. The elevator shrieked louder, as if in response to their topic of conversation.

  “Don’t count our chickens, Doctor,” she said, her lips quivering a little. She winced at the next heavy scraping sound.

  “There’s the gate.”

  The gates opened. Malica was out before Dr. Spencer had even taken a step. He smiled to himself. He’d never seen the confidant therapist so worked up.

  A three-man maintenance team moved aside as she rushed passed them. The feel of the rocky ground helped her relax, and she turned to wait for the doctor.

  “Dr. Malica, Dr. Spencer,” a fatigued voice called out.

  Malica saw Mathew Kindler shuffling toward them. The man was gaining weight faster than anyone else. She had warned him about consuming the high protein formula they had required the first two days, but he’d insisted, ‘I was fat when I went into the toaster, and I liked being fat, so I’m on my way back.'