“Your ride leaves in three hours,” said Jammer. He found Kozz and the others in the mess hall. Hundreds of tables and benches were filled with soldiers scarfing down their meals before heading out to their duties. “Sorry I couldn't give you any more warning, bro, but you're in. Just show them your badge at the gate. They'll be expecting you.”
That was sooner than Kozz had expected, but he was ready to leave as soon as possible. Kozz caught Caleb's eyes as the boy put his fork down, the child looked like he had suddenly lost his appetite.
“And you two kids,” Jammer said, looking at Richard and Kelly. “I have a supply convoy moving out to Quartz in a few days. There's room aboard if you can wait that long.”
Everyone was thanking Jammer for his kindness, but Caleb could not help feeling a little resentment towards the man. Jammer was making it too easy for all of his friends to split up and go in separate directions. Why couldn't he just wait a little while? thought Caleb, and why couldn't Kozz wait a few days and come with us to Erde instead of going by himself? He understood the reasons as to why everyone wanted to go their own ways in such a hurry, they had people they needed to make sure were safe, but he could not help feeling abandoned by them all. Almost everyone he knew was gone, and now his new friends were all leaving him. The only person who was staying with him was his mother. Caleb scooted down the bench to get close to his mother and he latched on to her with a tight squeeze. Luciele was surprised by the sudden affection. She put her arms around her son, knowing that he was upset.
After breakfast Kozz grabbed his already packed belongings and began the trek to the medical barge that would be his home for the next three weeks as it made the journey to planet Erde. It was a bit of a walk to get to the ship and he wanted to make sure he did not miss his flight. Kozz bid farewell to his friend Jammer before leaving the military barracks. Jammer was on duty and could not escort his friend to the ship.
“Thank you for everything, Jammer,” said Kozz. “We'll run into each other again, I'm sure. I'm not in hiding any longer.”
“I'll find you, big man. You're not gonna run away as easily this time.”
“Take care of my friends for me when I'm gone.”
“I will man, don't worry. They can stay in my barracks until they're ready to leave and they'll have some guards to protect them while they're in my city.”
“You've always been a good man,” said Kozz. “Even when we were kids and doing bad things, you were always a good man. Keep yourself alive.”
“You do the same.”
They shared a handshake and a hug before Kozz walked off. Jammer stayed behind as the rest of Kozz's friends followed him to his ship.
The streets were heavily guarded and full of early morning traffic. It almost looked like the beginning of a regular work day in the city, but the broken windows and occasional outbreak of an infected was enough to keep the reality of the situation alive.
The spaceport was a massive area on the edge of the city. A wall of tall skyscrapers were the border between the city itself and a vast emptiness that lay beyond. No buildings existed beyond the skyscrapers at this end of town because the strong pulses of energy emitted by the spaceships would obliterate anything beneath them. Empty fields were flattened under the massive ships, the grass itself crushed against the earth as the behemoths floated above. Pathways extended from the skyscrapers, giving access to the ships on various levels. One ship in particular nearly touched the ground, its height almost as tall as the two-hundred story skyscraper that served as its loading platform. The black hull was as wide as two of the largest city blocks in Port Town. “Sticks out like a sore thumb,” said Kozz. “Just like Jammer said it would.”
Kozz and the others entered the skyscraper which served as the docking station for the ship Kozz would embark upon. The staff loading platform was on its roof, and that is where Jammer instructed Kozz to go. The building was unscathed by carnage around it, the outer glass remained unbroken, and inside crystalline statues adorned the floor and hung from the ceiling. The bottom floor was a grand display of light with its ceiling standing a hundred feet high and its walls of clear glass letting in unhindered sunlight from all directions. The sun's rays bounced through the crystalline structures, creating a beautiful brilliance throughout the entire lobby and giving life to the green gardens at all four corners of the floor.
They entered one of the dozen elevators and were crammed into the small space with several other people, all pushing different buttons as they headed towards their own destinations within the building. The elevator shot up ten stories at a time, not stopping at any floor which did not end in a zero. The elevator halted its ascent several times as it emptied out its passengers until Kozz and the others were the only ones left. They flew up the remaining fifty stories at a high velocity and arrived at the rooftop.
The elevator opened to large glass archways and a view of the medical barge which floated outside. Through the archways they could see dozens of other ships docked at other skyscrapers of varying heights. Nearly all of the ships were military, but none were as large as the medical barge. There sure must be a lot of comatose bodies in the belly of that ship, thought Kozz. The outermost edges of the archways met either end of the skyscraper. From such a height the city below looked like it should have, as if nothing had changed its usual ebb and flow.
Caleb stuck his nose against the glass as he walked and observed as much as he could, amazed at all he could see from such an incredible height. He imagined how it would feel to be flying high up in an airship, soaring even higher than the Port Town skyscrapers. He jumped up and down, letting free the excitement that coursed through his veins. It felt right for him to be so high above everything else. Luciele, Richard, and Kelly succumbed to a sickening vertigo when they looked down at the streets and so they drifted towards the center of the archway.
Kozz approached the security perimeter and turned to face his friends, putting his bags on the ground. The sudden realization of where they were slapped Caleb across the face. His skyward fantasies disappeared in an instant. The boy ran to his mother's side and sniveled into her leg.
“It's not over little buddy,” said Kozz. “Just because I'm leaving doesn't mean it's forever.”
“Will you...” Caleb cleared his throat as he pulled his face away from his mother's leg. He wiped his nose on her dress. “Will you wait for us on Erde?”
Kozz's mouth opened to say something, but no words came out. Luciele noticed his hesitation.
“Kozz has important things he has to do as soon as he arrives on Erde, sweetie,” said Luciele as she rubbed her son's head. “Our ship might not even be landing on the same side of the planet that Kozz will be on.”
“I wish you didn't have to go,” said Caleb. “But I know you miss your wife and I know it's been a long long time since you saw her.”
“It has been a long time,” said Kozz. “Thank you for understanding why I have to leave. This isn't goodbye. I'll find you once I have found my Priscilla.”
“I'll be trying to find you the whole time!” said Caleb.
“Good luck trying to catch me,” said Kozz. “I'm pretty darn quick.”
“Yeah...”
“What's the matter, Caleb?” said Kozz.
“I just still feel bad about leaving everyone else in the camp behind and all the infected people that were killed. I just wanted to save everybody, but I guess I learned that you can't save everybody.” Caleb sighed. “I guess with you leaving it makes me think of it all because you saved me. I know you can do it, but now you're leaving and I guess people are gonna keep dying. I thought maybe when we got to Port Town you would find a way to help everyone.”
Caleb's mood had shifted from innocent sadness to a mature acceptance of the situation. The boy had grown strong over the short time Kozz had known him. Kozz was aware of Caleb's desire to save people from the infection. Every time his friends fought with the infected Caleb had questioned why the sick people could not be saved.
But it was not that simple. They had to fight to keep themselves alive. Kozz knew that perhaps he could have tried harder to save some of the unlucky fallen, but it was not his highest priority. He had other things to worry about such as protecting his friends and finding a ship to Erde. He desperately wanted to find his wife, but he also kept much of his plans secret from Caleb and the others— mostly because they were just wild ideas, but partly because he did not know if the young boy he had met back in Edgetown was strong enough to understand the scope of the chaos all of humanity was in. Caleb was once an innocent boy, easily brought to tears by a single mention or thought of his deceased father or grandmother. After experiencing all of the destruction and bloodshed that a massive war would have trouble garnering, the young boy had formed a hardened soul and had gained some control over his emotions. He knew the gravity of their situation. He was mature enough to understand.
“That's another reason why I'm leaving,” said Kozz. It was time for him to let some of his wild ideas loose. “I want to figure out just what in the hell is going on, and I want to find a way to fix it. I should still be able to locate some of my old connections on Erde, and I know that once Presider Conway hears I'm back in town he's going to want to see me. I want to help the Presider and everyone else battle these demons that are haunting us.”
“You mean you're gonna find a way to save everyone?” said Caleb.
“I'm gonna try. I've seen death before, but never have I seen so many innocent people fall so quickly. Whatever is happening is evil and I have a feeling that it isn't natural. I think someone has caused all of this, and I'm gonna make them pay.”
“That's a hell of a theory, big man,” said Richard. “Do you think getting to the Presider is going to be that easy?”
“Well,” said Kozz, “trying to get to him in a civilized manner would be near impossible, but I think I can figure out a way to grab his attention. Once he sees my face or hears my name, I'm in.”
“But how do you know he's still alive?” asked Kelly. “I mean, what if he became one of the infected?”
“That's possible, but it's the only plan I have. He's one of the few who knew anything about my identity when I was an Enforcer. To those few I have an incredible amount of authority, but no one else would give a damn about me because they don't know who I am. My gut tells me that he's still alive, and I think Jammer or someone else would have mentioned if the Presider was dead.”
“Good point,” said Richard and Kelly in unison.
Several men and women exited the elevator and walked through security into the massive ship which hovered outside the skyscraper.
“The ship is departing shortly,” announced a woman's bubbly voice over the speaker system. “Last call for all employees and passengers. The gates will be closing soon.”
“It's that time then,” said Kozz.
Luciele was the first to run over and hug Kozz. The big man put one arm around her in return. “Thank you so much for everything you've done for us. You have no idea how grateful Caleb and I are. I'm going to miss your big head.” Luciele kissed him on the cheek. His gray stubble poked at her soft lips. “Good luck. I hope you find everything you're looking for. You're a wonderful man.”
“You and Caleb have done more for me than you'll ever know,” said Kozz. “I think of you as family now, and I'll never forget you.”
Richard walked over and shook the man's hand. “It's been a journey, my friend. Hope you find your wife, and you know, save the world and stuff.” Kozz patted the kid on the back. Kelly sneaked in a hug just as Kozz let go of Richard's hand. “Have a safe trip,” she said, “and tell your wife I said hi when you find her. I know she won't know who I am, but you'll have a ton of stories to tell her and you can start off with one about me!”
“You're a couple of crazy kids,” said Kozz. “Good luck finding your families. Maybe we'll run into each other again if the Presider calls everyone back to Erde.”
Richard and Kelly moved out of the way to let little Caleb through. Kozz bent down and picked up the boy. “Don't worry kid,” said Kozz, “we'll be seeing each other again. If we're both hunting around for the other we're bound to wind up in the same place.” Kozz saw that Caleb's expression was thoughtful and concerned.
“Did you mean what you said about trying to save everyone?”
“I sure did. I've defeated bad guys before and I'm gonna beat this one too.”
Caleb was sitting on Kozz's crossed arms. He bent forward and hugged the man who had saved his life and became his best friend. “Thank you,” said Caleb. Kozz heard Caleb sniff, but the boy did not cry. Kozz held him up for a few moments before lowering him back down to the ground.
“Sir,” said the woman at the security gate, “are you coming aboard? We're about to close the gate.” Everyone else in the rooftop gateway lobby had entered the ship or left down the elevator.
“I love you all,” said Kozz. He picked up his bags. “Be safe.”
Kozz turned towards the gate and walked away. Luciele teared up and grabbed her son. Kelly and Richard stood each with an arm around the other and waved as Kozz walked up the security ramp. Kozz showed the woman his badge and walked through the gate without hindrance. He looked back to the others and gave a single wave before moving forward into the ship. Two members of security followed him in and closed the gate.
Tears fell from Caleb's eyes.
Jammer's duties let him check in on Luciele and the others sparingly, but he kept his promise to Kozz and made sure they were taken care of while they stayed in Port Town. He set up the ride for Kelly and Richard on board a caravan that was leaving for Quartz and he told Luciele and Caleb that he would walk them into the Erde-bound passenger barge himself to guarantee that they found a comfortable spot on the vessel.
The passenger barge was set to leave five days after Kozz had departed Frostarc. Luciele and Caleb left early that day with Jammer. Richard and Kelly followed them to their ship and would be leaving with their caravan later that evening. The passenger barge was a further distance down the massive docking bay than the medical barge had been. Instead of climbing a skyscraper to enter the ship at its top, a loading ramp was lowered from the bottom of the floating hull. A line of eager and frightened people had already formed near the ramp and extended down the city blocks as far as the naked eye could see. Dozens of soldiers guarded the ship and were perched high above the populace, ready to snipe tranquilizers at any who turned infected. A trail of dirty tents, torn blankets, and food trash was scattered around the waiting people. Many had camped out, apparently for days, at their chance to find a spot on the massive ship.
“Shouldn't there be plenty of room on that barge for everyone?” asked Luciele.
“There are a lot of people that want out of here,” said Jammer, “and I don't blame them, but there isn't as much room on that barge as it seems from the outside. There are several levels on the ship, but they are all designed with lots of space to carry enormous loads of goods from one destination to another. Each level has a ceiling which a hundred feet above the floor. Since the levels are so spaced out, there isn't all that much floor space for the thousands upon thousands of people who want on that ship.”
“Why aren't there more ships traveling between here and Erde then?” asked Kelly.
“Because there aren't many left,” said Jammer, “or many left who know how to operate them. A lot of trained pilots have fallen to the infection, and some of the ships held by the Cooperation have been sabotaged and destroyed by the infected. It's like they intend to cripple our society and know just what to attack to achieve that goal.”
“Scary stuff,” said Richard.
“They're smart,” said Caleb. “We've seen how smart they are over and over again. I told Kozz that when I was infected there was something in my mind that took control of me, something that pushed my thoughts aside and controlled my body. I felt like I kinda saw it and it pushed against me when I tried to fight back. Whatever it was, it was smart. It wasn't just a sickness.”
“I've heard rumors of others who eradicated their infection and described similar stories,” said Jammer. “Our top scientists and bio-engineers are trying to figure out how it all links together and how they can cure it. I just hope to God that they put the pieces together sooner rather than later.” Jammer sighed. The man always tried to appear optimistic, but he showed signs of fatigue and concern. Experiencing months of carnage and death had taken its toll on even the most courageous of soldiers. “Let's get you guys on that ship.”
It was time for more goodbyes. Hugs went around as they shared their last moments together.
“Please take good care of yourselves,” said Luciele. “You two are as cute as a couple of ducklings in a pail of water. Stay out of trouble, and good luck finding your families.
“We're so fortunate to have met you guys,” said Kelly. “If you didn't come around we would still probably be stuck back on the glaciers with the others. I hope you find a safe place on Erde to stay until this crisis is over.”
“I don't know what we're going to do when we get to Erde,” said Luciele, “but all I want is for my son to be safe. From what I can tell this is the best path for us to follow.”
“I hope it's better than what we've seen here,” said Richard. “I'm sure we'll head off to Erde once we track down our families.”
“That would be cool,” said Caleb. “I'm gonna miss you guys.”
“We'll miss you too little buddy,” said Richard. “Maybe we'll find you on Erde or something.”
“We'll keep in touch once everything is back the way it was and the communication system is up and running again,” said Kelly. “I wouldn't dare miss watching you grow up into the strong man you're going to become.”
“You guys are awesome,” said Caleb. He ran over and hugged them both one more time.
“Wait for me in that cafe across the street,” Jammer said to Richard and Kelly. “I'll be back in a bit.”
Jammer walked towards the ship. Luciele waved goodbye to the young couple as she followed, pulling Caleb by his hand. Caleb walked backwards and waved until they approached the long line of people waiting to board the ship. Luciele pulled her son close as Jammer pushed his own path through the line. Luciele diverted her eyes from those she passed, feeling guilty for walking to the front of the line which these people had spent days in, but she marched forward, seizing the opportunity to ensure Caleb's safety.
They approached the security gate at the base of the massive loading ramp. The guards opened the gate for Jammer without him needing to show identification. Luciele and Caleb followed Jammer through the gate as the people waiting in line hollered obscenities behind them.
The loading ramp was a large section of the hull which folded down to allow large vehicles and storage containers entry. Luciele thought the massive ramp seemed both overwhelming and silly at the same time. She felt like they were just three little bugs climbing a very big hill.
Jammer led them into the lowermost level of the ship where parallel rows of lights lined the walls up near the high ceiling and light seeped in through the hundreds of open vents at the bottom of the walls near the floor. Segmented living spaces covered nearly all of the floor space, leaving only thin passageways to travel throughout the level. Each living space was fitted with a bed, a chair, and a small section of cabinets that doubled as a tabletop. The same pattern repeated the full distance to the other side of the barge, only breaking for the occasional restroom compartment and kitchen area. Jammer explained that there would be a few cooks and attendants on board, but most of the food preparation and cleaning was going to have to be done by the passengers themselves as there simply was not enough staff on the ship to go around.
The floors were a rusty brown, as were the walls, but the inside of the ship had been sanded, smoothed, and sealed to make it a safer and more comfortable living space. Many thousands of people would be spending weeks inside the hull walls which were designed for carrying large supply loads from one planet to another.
Jammer led them into a freight elevator. “We're going to the topmost passenger living space. The area is small, but more comfortable. You'll be directly below the on-board crew living space. It's simply been converted from a level of offices to a level of bedrooms, but there's not enough crew on the ship to fill the spaces any longer. We decided that we wouldn't hold this area off to more 'important' passengers. Who all else winds up here with you two will just be from a random drawing. The rest will have to live on the loading levels for a few weeks.”
The freight elevator took them up several levels until they reached the uppermost loading area. Each loading level looked similar to the one below it. The only difference with the uppermost storage level was a second elevator which was required for passage up to the remaining levels of the ship. The rusty brown of the storage areas was contrasted by the steel blue color scheme of the office level Luciele and Caleb would be staying in. The ceiling on their level was only a few feet above their heads, and the walls were a smooth, cool metal.
Though the area was a cold and professional atmosphere, its cleanliness and quietness comforted both Luciele and Caleb. Not much had seemed this pristine and normal in a long time.
A large office with glass walls had been converted into a kitchen, the only one on the level. There were several hallways with at least a dozen rooms down each.
Jammer led them to a room at the end of one of the halls, one that looked just like any other, but it was right next to one of the security offices on the level. Jammer went inside the office and instructed the two guards inside to take special care of Caleb and Luciele.
“Well this is it,” said Jammer, “your home for the next few weeks. They'll start letting people in about an hour from now. You can use that time to explore the area here or just set yourselves up.”
“Thanks so much for all of this, Jammer,” said Luciele.
“Not a problem, Luce.” He smiled at the scrunched face Luciele gave him. “Just fulfilling a promise to an old friend and taking care of a lovely lady and her son while I'm at it.”
“You remind me a lot of Kozz,” said Caleb. “You two must have been good friends.”
“We did grow up together,” said Jammer. “You remind me a lot of him too, when I first met him. He was a shy but determined little kid. He grew big quick, and the streets made him the brute he is today, but he was a lot like you when he was younger. Remind him that he owes me a drink for taking care of you guys." Jammer looked around the room, nodding to himself. His eyes went to Luciele and he smiled. "On second thought, I did hook you up pretty good— make that two drinks.”
“But we might not...”
“You'll run into him again." Jammer did not let Caleb finish his thought. "I'm sure of it. He's not the kind of guy to forget his friends.”
Jammer bid them farewell and left them in the hands of the officers on board. Luciele left their belongings in the room and decided to take Caleb on a walk around the level before it filled with people.
“What do you really think about all of this, Richey?” Kelly had not touched the cup of coffee she had ordered. Her nerves had tensed her body and mind. Her new friends had all left and she was unsure what it would be like when she and Richard arrived in Quartz. “Do you really think we'll find them? I mean, alive and well? Who knows what could have happened.”
“We can only try, Kell.” Richard grabbed his girlfriend's shaking hands. She tried to steady them by wrapping her fingers around her cooling coffee mug. “There's no way to know what happened. We just have to see if they're alright. Whatever happens, we still have each other.”
“But what if...”
“Then we move on,” Richard interrupted. “I don't want to think of anything like that. There's a good chance that they're all just fine. They have to be. I'd travel across the galaxy to make sure you were alright, just like Kozz is doing for his wife. We need to know so that we can help them if they need us.”
Jammer pushed open the cafe door. Kelly looked at him with frightened eyes. They're still just kids themselves, thought Jammer. They haven't given up, but they feel lost. “Come on now. We're gonna get you two where you need to go.”
A FROG with speckles of dried blood splattered across its matte-black front waited for them on the street. An officer sat inside, barely visible through the hardened, tinted windows.
“This is your ride,” said Jammer. “Inside is Officer Daube. She's one of the finest FROG drivers I've ever known. She'll bring you to the military caravan that is leaving for Quartz later this evening and will be joining the caravan with this vehicle and you in it.”
“You're the man,” said Richard. “Seems like you got all the hook ups.”
“We owe you so much,” said Kelly.
“You owe me nothing. Kozz asked me to take care of you all and so I've done so to the best of my abilities. You're great kids. Good luck out there.”
Jammer opened the back hatch and let them inside, closing the door behind them. A mesh fabric separated the back benches from the front seats. The bright sunlight had trouble piercing through the tinted windows and was absorbed by the black interior. It was difficult to see where they had placed their bags.
“Greetings and salutations,” said the driver. “I am Officer Daube. Welcome aboard the Blackbull, my personal warbeast and transport vehicle for the last six years. Located above your heads is a dial, please turn the dial in a counter-clockwise manner if you wish to see the hands in front of your face.”
“Ah!” Kelly turned the dial which controlled a dim set of lights in the back of the vehicle. “Thank you!”
“We'll be joining with the rest of the team shortly,” announced Officer Daube. “I sure do hope you enjoy your ride. Be aware that Blackbull's suspension isn't what it used to be and that we might encounter some bumpy terrain along the route!”
“This is going to be fun,” said Richard.
Kozz was greeted by a guard and led to his room. He took mental pictures of the signs and guide maps he passed as the guard led him down numerous white corridors. The elevator had enough buttons for fifty floors, but Kozz knew that there had to be even more. The living level was furnished like a city home with modern furniture and warm colors. They passed other people as they walked around, everyone giving friendly nods like they were neighbors in a cozy community.
The guard led Kozz to the end of a long hall filled with closed doors and showed Kozz to his room. Inside was a plush bed with a steel frame and enough desk space to accommodate any of the scientists or engineers on the ship. The guard left him where he was and said that the ship's captain would send a representative down to welcome him aboard.
Kozz dropped his belongings in his room and grabbed his room key, locking the door as he set out to explore. At the end of the hallway, next to his room, was a lounge area with a telepod, a sofa, several reclining chairs, and a steel table with a neat stack of magazines. He flipped through the pile, pushing most to the side. Many of the magazines were from several months ago, all he had already read, but he found two copies which were recent. One of the covers displayed a horrifying scene of a gang of infected attacking a city bus on the streets of Erde, and the other was a picture of Presider Conway standing at a podium with an elbow resting on the lectern and his face buried sorrowfully into his hand. Kozz's thirst for knowledge enticed him to sit down and read the articles inside. The magazines might provide some insight into the cause and scope of the horrors taking place in the galaxy, but he felt that there was more pertinent information to be discovered on this medical barge. He could not relax, not yet.
The elevator dropped down to the top level of the loading docks, he thought. There are more loading levels for sure, and I bet that's where they are keeping the comatose bodies of the infected. Kozz believed that they had to be performing research on the comatose. Finding a reason or a cure for what was happening to humanity was more important than the ethics behind it. They would have a database of information down there, not only from the findings of the staff on this ship but possibly the cumulative research of the Cooperation. Kozz had to get down there and sniff out what he could.
Better to jump the gun now before everyone around here has seen my face. Kozz headed straight for the elevator, deciding that now was the time to act. He tracked back through the many corridors the guard had led him through after they had exited the elevator and found his way without taking a wrong turn. He pressed the glowing yellow button to request the elevator. It turned red as he heard the box travel through its shaft and come to a rest at his floor. Kozz stepped forward as the doors opened, but he was blocked by a tall woman with coffee-colored hair tied back into a ponytail.
“Mr. Cosmo?” asked the woman. She was nearly as tall as Kozz, but skinny as a twig. Her striking blue eyes demanded attention, standing out like stars in the night against the motor oil color of her skin.
“Maybe.”
“My apologies, but I was never given a last name.”
“Kozz is just fine.”
“Kozz. I like it. Reminds me of the old action movies I used to watch with my father when I was a child." She was holding a clipboard and flipped through the papers it held as she spoke. "There is a seating area just behind you. Let us sit and discuss your presence on our ship.” The woman stood in Kozz's way, not giving him any other option. He decided that it was too soon to be causing trouble, so he walked back to the armchairs and the woman followed. “I am Personal Compliance Officer Marissa Batoon. Apologies for the formal introduction, but I was instructed by the captain to make you well aware of my authority on this ship. I'll be your attendant for the duration of this trip.”
“So word has gotten around about my high-level security clearance card then.”
“Indeed it has. The captain fears that you will run amok on our ship without heed of our authority. I was told to inform you that in such uncertain times as we are experiencing right now, and with the nearly paralyzing lack of staff we have on hand, we will grant you no command on this ship. You are simply a welcomed guest and you are expected to abide by our rules.”
“Oh really? And what would those be?”
“The current level we are on is the topmost of three living levels. The floor directly above us is the wellness, activity, and nourishment level. These are the only levels you are permitted to roam. Everywhere else is off access.”
“This level is already big enough to get lost in,” Kozz smiled at the woman. Even with her impersonal black pantsuit and the stern look her rectangular glasses gave to her face, Kozz couldn't resist Marissa's elegant charm. “I'm sure I'll have enough elbow room.”
“Good. There is a page button located in your room next to the door. It is directly synced to my personal communicator. If you require any assistance or have any questions, feel free to contact me.”
“Wow. That's better service than I would get on a passenger ship. Your captain must really want you to keep your eyes on me.”
“He does. Your high-level security clearance, though voided, is extremely rare, as I'm sure you're well aware. He doesn't know who you are or what you're up to, but he wants you to know that this ship is his. Now, if you don't mind me asking, Mr. Kozz, where were you heading off to? You only just arrived. I would have thought that anyone would spend at least a few moments getting acquainted with their room and immediate surroundings.” She smiled at him.
“I was just looking for the pisser,” Kozz said in a whimsical tone, letting Marissa, and more so her captain, know that he knew he would keep up a charade if he needed to. “I just couldn't find it with all these hallways and doors everywhere.”
“Well then, let me show you to the restroom located only a few doors down from your room. I'll play along if I must."
Kozz chuckled as they both stood up. Marissa walked a step behind Kozz, letting him lead her back to his room while she kept an eye on him.
“There we are,” said Marissa with a boatload of sarcasm hidden behind her rigid face. “Only a few steps away from your door. So silly of you to have missed it.”
“I can be a silly man sometimes.”
“Alright, well I'll leave you alone for now.” She continued speaking as she walked away. “And don't worry about your safety. All of my guards have been told of your presence and are well aware of your clearance level, both on and off the ship. I'm sure you will have no trouble finding a guard if you need one as I have instructed them to pay close attention to your care and safety.” She winked and then turned down another hall.
Kozz stood outside his door, looking in the direction Marissa had walked away. “Breathtaking. What a doll.”
Kozz sat down in the lounge. His name had already been passed around like a bottle of liquor at a New Year's party. Quick action was not going to work. He had already noticed several guards pass by his room, all glancing inside, taking swift inspection. He was going to have to put forward a more subtle effort now. He did not know if he could get to the loading docks and inspect the database without getting caught. There were not as many staff members or guards on the ship as there should have been, but they were all keeping an eye out for him. Kozz decided that he was just going to have to do the best he could before they found him out. What's the worst they could do anyway? Throw me off the ship?
He opened up the magazine with the infected on the cover. Inside was a lengthy report given by a man who had explored the streets of Erde as soon as the carnage started and recorded every bit he could with his camera. The article did not describe much more than the horrific scenes he had witnessed, and it was filled with a dozen page-length images of men and women with glowing eyes rampaging through the streets. Other sections of the magazine highlighted the many politicians and celebrities who were known to have died since the “outbreak”, as the magazine called it. To Kozz's relief, Presider Conway was not on that list. Smaller articles speculated about the cause of the crisis and placed estimates on the damage taken place and when or if the Cooperation would ever be able to suppress the “infection”. Kozz felt that it had to be something else, something more controlled and evil than a sickness. He put down the magazine and picked up the other with Presider Conway on the cover.
Inside the magazine was more of the same garbage as the first, but this one had an exclusive interview with the Presider himself. Kozz's interest flared.
Interviewer: Reports show that the current state of this infection has wiped out at least fifteen percent of humanity in less than two weeks. Presider Conway, do you believe the Cooperation will be able to find a cure before our species comes to an end?
Presider Conway: We as a people have endured many hardships throughout our existence. Hurdles have been placed in our path, and we have jumped over them. Trials have been set at our doorsteps, and we succeeded them. Unfathomable problems have been solved by our intelligent and creative minds.
This may be the most difficult of situations we have ever been placed in, but we will survive. Many of us have suffered, and many more will suffer, but we will survive. Our most brilliant minds are exploring all aspects of this unheard of crisis and will find a solution. In the past we have proven that impossible is nothing more than a word, and now we will do so again.
Interviewer: You never mention the words “infection” or “disease” in any of your statements. Is there a reason for this? What have your researchers discovered that you have not told us? If you do not believe that this is some sort of disease or virus then tell us what it is.
Presider Conway: There is reason to my choice of words. From the start I did not believe that a simple bacteria or virus could be the cause of such widespread death and aggressive behavior.
Our scientists have discovered connections between the abnormal aggressive behavior and a microscopic parasite living within the brains and bodies of those afflicted with the abnormalities.
The species of toxoplasma was discovered over a century ago when our forefathers were first settling the planet of Frostarc. The toxoplasma was found in the water and ice of the planet. It was studied and found to be absolutely harmless to humans and has remained so ever since, until these recent events. Since then the toxoplasma has been carried around by our interplanetary travelers and has spread to the water supplies of every inhabited planet within the Cooperation, including the Insurrectionist Moon.
Our scientists are certain that there is a link between the parasite and the affliction, but there is as of yet no solution to the problem. We are working as hard as we can to find a cure, of somehow ridding our people of the parasite, but there is not yet a way to do so safely.
Interviewer: Astonishing. Is there any word on the percentage of the population that carries this parasite? What about other species? Could our pets or wild animals succumb to this affliction?
Presider Conway: We're certain that one-hundred percent of the population carries this parasite within them. We need to find a cure now.
When introduced into the bloodstream of an animal the parasite always finds a way out. It has been found to survive just fine in the climate of another species' body, but it refuses to stay. The parasite will leave a non-human host and will either die or return to a water source where it will repeat the cycle over and over again until it transfers into a human body.
It is all utterly bizarre and baffling.
The article spiraled downward into an unimportant debate between the Presider and the interviewer about the experiments being performed on the comatose. Desperate times call for desperate measures they always say, thought Kozz, and no one's gonna convince Conway otherwise. Kozz closed the magazine and tossed it back onto the table.
“Damn.”
Kozz had found more than he thought he would in a simple magazine, but the new found knowledge did not solve any of his problems and only raised more questions in his mind. He had to find out more. The database on this medical barge would provide him some of the answers he needed, and now that he had some understanding of the problem he could pinpoint paths of information to follow, skipping right over all of the bullshit and running straight for the answers.
He needed to know what was happening. Answers would help him find a way to stop whatever was causing the chaos, and getting to Conway would give him the means he needed to take action. He had to do all of this while trying to find his wife. He needed to protect her. He needed to solve this problem for her. He needed to solve it for Caleb, Luciele, Kelly, and Richard. He needed to save everyone. That's what Caleb wanted him to do. That's what Jake would have wanted him to do.
The next step was getting to that database of information located somewhere in the belly of the ship.