Dreams among Stars (3 page)

This time though through a connection on the outer hull, as soon as the connection is established, the maintenance centers should be able to establish a wireless network and provide access throughout the whole ship.

It might have been a morbid assumption, but it had been taken into consideration that all permanent staff could become disabled or die.

For that reason a flotilla of maintenance drones and robots was always ready to take over the caring for the ship, but apparently the backup mechanisms had been deliberately sabotaged. This obvious recklessness drove home the fact that someone must have been outright insane 225 years back.

The establishing of the data connection on the outer hull was a pretty easy task.

All I needed were 100 meters of cable and a working space suit or alternatively a remote controlled maintenance drone.

Slowly my plan is taking shape and my stamina is measurably improved.

It might be calculated optimism, but I cling to the belief that I am able to survive the discharge and am able to fulfill my new mission.

Not much longer and my preparation time comes to an end, sadly the outside activity is not lessening.

The weird dreams subside, which I take as a sign that my consciousness finally is fully embedded in the present.

Instead I dreamed of my past life on earth last night and even though it actually took place not even two full weeks ago, it seems so much more unreal than everything that is happening around me now.

Since then far more than a thousand years have passed - everyone I ever knew is long dead by now, or still in cryostasis as I was just before now.

The question which side I should join id driving my to and fro, if even only the two sides I know of exist. Without any question everyone out there is ready to take extreme measures. The silly thought of me being a trophy crosses my mind, but the fact is that I am the hunted in a deadly race.

Because if one side is able to get a hold of me, the other side will find a way to destroy the prize or in other words kill me.

By now I do wish never to have seen the recordings, although I would not stand any chance without them.

My equipment is ready, instead of the rifle I just packed a collection of knifes and two pistols with enough ammunition for a war.

It probably even is a war I am going to.

Additionally I take as much maintenance equipment as I can, the most important are the nanite machines, which will allow me to repair nearly everything I might need repaired. With enough raw materials I even could create completely new constructions.

To enhance my chances I devised a distraction plan.

Since at the outside they are waiting for the opening of the exit I took advantage of this.

My plan consists of sending robots outside on a walkabout twice times a day, once at daytime and once at nighttime.

The first times the robots even had been attacked with a hail of arrows when they reentered, but after six days of this game the people became accustomed to the robots walkabout.

My hope is that this allows for an undetected exit on my part.

Now that everything is prepared and my physical condition is as good as it ever could be, I only have to conquer my fears. However beforehand I prepare a report for the next to be awakened and moderate the four recordings, to mitigate their cruel brutality if only by a bit.

I don’t mean to sugarcoat the situation, but only to lessen the shock, as the situation as it is already is grim enough.

Just two weeks ago I was shopping in Paris, now I have to save the world.

Of course this was an overstatement, the reality was that two weeks back me and everyone else checking in for maintenance duty had been en-route for about a quarter of a year in a smaller spaceship already. To be frozen up aboard the IPS-2 later on, which was another transportation ship, which would carry us to the generation ship where we would become stored goods.

Also I never cared much for shopping and I don’t need to save the world.

Or… well in a way this ship is my world now.

A world I do not know yet and which does not know me.

Its about time to change that!

I wake with a racing heart.

On this day I went to sleep already early at the afternoon, to be ready for the night.

I have one hour of time for a last meal and a warm shower.

Right now I desperately miss a prolonged bath in a hot tub with a good book, my choice usually would be some construction manual. Sometimes I allowed myself to read an exciting distraction, like the blueprints of the interplanetary space station, usually though I would keep to more practical projects I could try out in my workshop.

Once I nearly blew up my gas driven motorcycle, by now every vehicle ran purely on electricity and this past technology provoked my curiosity.

The engineers were not making any jokes when they called these engines combustion engines.

I realize that my thoughts are caught in the past, because I am avoiding to face my situation.

For a moment I am tempted to haggle with the main computer and find a reason to delay my discharge.

But to prepare any better than I am is not possible, should I stay I would lose all courage and completely refuse leaving the waking area, but that is not who I am.

Freshly showered and well fed every step towards the exit seems like complete mountain on its own.

Many more times I have to tell myself not to duck out and when I finally face the door I feel like turning around and running.

Out there only death awaits, better to be put back to cryogenic sleep again.

And if the ships systems completely fail? If all sensors malfunction and we just fly into a sun?

Its practically irrelevant what I decide to do, but should I decide to leave through the exit I just might have a tiny chance and even might be able to put some things back in order.

I cling to that thought while the door slowly opens up. Conspiratorially Marple whispers “Helen darling you can do that. Any moment the robot is on its way and no one will notice that you are right behind it.”

I will set everything right.

Then I step through the door.

After my foot touches soft ground I pause for a short moment, to get an impression of my surroundings.

Only now I truly arrived aboard the Starfarer-1, before now I only had been unconscious cargo when I was moved to the sleeping area, now I would have more than enough time to explore, provided I could manage to survive.

The robot started on its way towards the ships middle and I silently sneak towards the opposite direction, I had memorized the way to the closest airlock, in case Marple should fail. Unfortunately I have to overcome a distance of well above two and a half kilometers and I have to do so undetected.

Not even a hundred meters away I spot the tents of a camp, obviously the soldiers made themselves at home because they had to wait that long for me to leave the exit. Very well its fine by me if they have to wait a good while longer. The robots will keep doing their rounds for some days to come.

Besides the camp there is a small grove. I have to move along the side of the massive building the sleeping area is located in, to find out what lies behind the grove. As I spot another camp I silently curse.

“
Marple, my only option appears to be going through that grove. Please do an extensive scan of the area and we’ll confer as soon as I find a good hiding spot.”
 

Right now I am thankful about the regression of technology, with active searching lights I would not have stood any chance to keep hidden. As it is I slowly tiptoe towards the grove and pray that no one notices my silhouette. Dark clothing had been a wise pick.

Fires crackle in both camps and loud voices are to be heard, given that the exit is located at a very oversee-able area probably not even a hundred soldiers are sufficient to fully surround it.

Only the wear of the long waiting time and the distracting tours of the robots allowed me to get that far.

At the edge of the grove Marple explains that tripwires have been set up between the trees.

It doesn’t matter if these traps are meant for me or not, this way seems to be blocked to me.

A good opportunity to open up my bag of tricks. From my knapsack I take a stripe of one use nanites, which I put onto a nearby tree. “Sorry but to get ahead I need a bit of your wood.” I whisper to the tree and have Marple send a construction plan to the nanites.

Without any noise the tiny engineers craft a model car sized all terrain vehicle, which actually is equipped with an engine that allows it to move around for half a hour. Also the vehicle is easily programmable.

I set it up so it starts driving through the grove in a quarter-hour.

Then I edge along at the right side of the grove, which brings me back towards the exiting area a bit and also towards the back of the ship.

When I got as close to the camp as I dare to, I seek out a tall tree.

With the help of a hauling rope I pull myself up onto a branch high above the ground, where I spend the next few minutes and have a chance to examine the few distinguishable camp inhabitants.

They are coarse brutes, hardboiled soldiers looking like one could rather expect brutality instead of discipline.

The uniforms have lost a lot of their consistency and quality, at this rate the next awakened would be greeted by club wielding savages.

Any moment now my small car should trigger the first traps and indeed the jingling of small bells sounding through the trees.

The extremely fast and purposeful reaction of the camps guards sends a shudder up my spine, when the jingling does not stop my plan backfires on me.

Even as five soldiers rush into the forest, three more make high speed towards the close by camps and two remain to guard the camp, which leaves me with only very little time until they draw in reinforcements.

Maybe even less than a minute given the proximity of the other camps.

Quickly I draw my pistol and with two quick shots I stun the two remaining guards.

Rappelling nearly takes too much time and I already can hear the heavy footfalls of the rushing soldiers, but I have no choice and run along at the side of the grove towards the direction of the outside hull.

Its close to a miracle, but when I reach the tiny forests end no one has spotted me.

I quickly secure the area and search for the best way to proceed undetected towards the outside.

Behind me loud stomping between the trees is unmistakable and I wonder how the soldiers avoid triggering any of their traps, without doubt they had to have a very thorough training.

Sadly this training included finding their prey and noticing how the steps get ever closer I realize that I don’t have much time left.

“
Hey Helen” Marple addresses me “I’ll display the shortest route to a maintenance tunnel, where you should be able to find shelter.” Effectively with no other options left and no cover to hide behind at I start running with an uneasy feeling.
 

Only a 200 meters straight run to reach the entrance, but it might even end with me being trapped up.

Its just a meager 50 meters in my run as loud yelling indicates I have been spotted . “Rebels” someone yells and I feel hope until I realize that I was meant.

Meter by meter the distance melts away, but when the first arrows strike the ground around me I taste the fright like bitter bile in my mouth.

But the arrows remain behind and I catch a first glimpse of the hatch.

“
Marple open!” I gasp and pray to every deity that might have accompanied us from earth, for the entrance to be undamaged. The seconds drag out like molasses, still the wall before me remains without entrance.
 

My pursuers are loudly following me - I even hear troop leaders issuing commands. To my relief one of those is “Avoid killing if possible.”

But I have witnessed what happened to the awakened that relied on the protection of the soldiers. “Marple what is going on?” “Its strange honey, but throughout the wall no door reacts to my signals, oddly I received a signal 20 meters ahead on the right from the ground, as if the door is located underground.” “Irrelevant open and show me the spot!” I run towards the position and indeed a hole is opening up in the ground. As I glide into it I give the order to shut the door behind me.

With that the ships innards swallow me whole and for a few moments complete darkness engulfs me, then Marple scans the vicinity with a few bursts of light and displays the result on her screen.

My location is within one of the tunnels connecting the floors of the decks.

The tangible silence is filled by my heavy breathing.

Safe - I did it!

“
Helen” like through layers of cotton wool Marples voice reaches me and I realize that I lie with my back at the tunnel wall trembling like a leaf and are sobbing uncontrollably. All my training did not prepare myself for that overwhelming feeling of helplessness. With the back of my hand I wipe the snot from my face and wish my shower back.
 

Maybe I could just get back into the waking area?

“
Helen, there are two heat sources closing in, probably human.” This disturbing message forces me to pull myself together, this is no game after all. Marple displays the signatures and I can see they are far away and only getting closer very slowly. A bright heat signal indicates that a torch is being used for illumination.
 

I raise the visor, but the light is not visible at all, making it clear how huge the distance between us still is.

Fortunate circumstances have it that they are nearing from the ships midst, as the outside is my destination this is convenient.

“
Marple, how close to the outer hull can I travel through these tunnels?” “Unfortunately only until the next residential segment Helen. There are two more segments with a height of 800 meters each you have to cross.”