18

January 5

Selah hurried onto the command deck and grabbed a navigator seat behind Taraji. It felt strange to look out the sides and see grass and trees instead of snow or ash. They had steered clear of the last snow around Cleveland by veering south of the snow line.

As soon as the journey west began, recurring problems had cropped up with the transport’s operational systems. Propulsion difficulties, specifically the magnetic components, slowed their travel to a crawl. After an hour of calmly creeping along at subpar speed to avoid an accident from control lapse, the ship pitched hard to the right for the second time in ten minutes.

Selah grabbed the console with one hand and strapped on her seat restraint with the other. “Magnetic calibration fluctuations?”

“Yes. A whole wave of them. I can’t maintain the same mix on each thruster. First they run in opposition, then they default to tandem. It’s going to blow the system if I don’t shut the whole thing down.” Taraji wrestled with the controls.

Bodhi shifted his seat around to face Taraji and used the short console between them to stack control models. He connected them and reinserted the new unit in the panel. “The patterns on the operating parameters dampened the modulators. I’ve piggybacked to compensate for the voltage drop.”

The transport shuddered and dropped five feet. Selah’s stomach dropped as well, and queasiness flashed over her as she grabbed the console. “Do I need to check on the others or is this temporary?”

The ramp door to the right of the lift slid open and Mojica charged in. “What’s going on up here? I’ve got all kinds of minor systems blowing out below.” She swung into the seat at the tactical console behind Bodhi and strapped in.

“We were fine until we dropped below the snow line.” Taraji’s hands rose and fell over control beams, trying to compensate for the noticeable discrepancies on the VR console.

“In a snowstorm briefing at the dome there was reference to major magnetic disruption,” Mojica said. “Selah, I installed several dome data modules of weather patterns. See what you can pull up.”

“Most of what I learned in the dome was the effects of the super volcano. The land upheaval disrupted the earth’s magnetic harmonics and changed the weather patterns for this whole side of the country.” Selah worked to pull up the file. It took her a few tries to find the right set accompanying the snowstorm. “The data only extends to Chicago, but the magnetics show a ribbon effect. I’d say the variations seem to follow the snow line—or could it be the other way around?” She looked to Mojica. “Is it possible that intense magnetism could melt snow?”

“Theoretically, yes. Mags produce electricity, and that can generate heat,” Mojica said. “But melting snow . . . I don’t know. That’s reaching.”

Bodhi and Taraji stared at each other. “Could it be that easy?” Taraji asked.

“Go back above the snow line and see if it stops,” Selah said.

The transport jerked left. A stabilizer failed and the top of the transport tipped right as Taraji tried to pull the vehicle back on course. She righted the angle and steered a slow, wide path around to the north. She cut the fusion to an idle and punched the air generator thrusters. They would only creep along, but it would maintain the forward motion.

“We’ve had to turn the magnetic shielding off, and the mag confinement on the fusion thrusters is failing. They can only be cycled down this far without turning them off,” Bodhi said.

The transport shuddered then jerked—another loss of power along with a five-foot dip that brought them dangerously close to the ground. Taraji and Bodhi wrestled to pull it back to cruising altitude.

Selah gulped down the rising bile. “If you shut the thrusters off, will this nauseating movement stop?” She could almost define the moment she’d started the six-month decline, but she hadn’t expected symptoms to be this dramatic in the first week.

“Yes,” Bodhi said. “But we’d have to set down to start them back up. I’d rather not land and need a hard start with a magnetic problem like this.” Taraji and Mojica agreed.

Several shudders, a shake, and another dip sent the transport careening for the tall tops of a snow-covered forest of pines. Taraji muttered and pulled on her VR appliance. Bodhi drew his VR console screen in from the side. The transport refused to rise fast enough. They worked together to swing the transport to the right through a narrow area where the treetops appeared to have been sheared off by recent lightning.

Selah glanced from Bodhi to Taraji then peered out the front shield at the fast-moving trees. “Aren’t we going a little fast for the terrain?”

Taraji wrestled with the controls. “I’ve lost primary. Bodhi, hit command change!”

Bodhi two-handed the change and pulled the command panel forward.

Taraji pushed back from the panel and slid from her chair to the unit underneath her station holding the control modules. Sitting cross-legged, she pulled the top two units and replaced them with the bottom two. She scrambled back into her seat and helped Bodhi navigate the forest again. Selah watched them release a collective sigh of relief when they’d coaxed enough altitude from the air thrusters to avoid a crash.

Selah put her hand to her stomach. Her earlier meal didn’t like being shaken around. “How much longer would the trip to Chicago take if we just used the air generator thrusters?”

“Air generators are supposed to be used only for maneuvering the transport into tight locations, not actual flight time. I don’t want to burn them out this soon,” Taraji said.

The transport bucked then pitched to the right. Selah clutched her station surface.

They limped along for five minutes before the vehicle gained equilibrium and leveled out. Mojica moved to sit beside Selah at the other navigation station. She pulled up the same data stream Selah viewed.

“Do you see how those surges coincide with the recorded magnetic disturbances on the sun?” Mojica pointed to each in turn.

Selah felt sick. “This data cube predicts the solar flares will last for six months. Where did this data come from?”

“I told you I brought it from the dome,” Mojica said.

“No, I mean where did the dome get this information? We studied that old technology in school. In the dome I didn’t see a telescope big enough to look at the surface of the sun,” Selah said.

Mojica shook her head. “We probably won’t ever go back to find out.”

“Regardless of where they got it, we have it, so how do we get around the disturbances of the solar flares?” Selah looked around the room at each person.

Mojica stared at the projections. “This isn’t going to be easy, but I think we could retrofit the system to harness the ambient magnetism of those streams to pump up our system.”

“Do we have the parts?” Taraji turned from her console.

“I don’t think so. We cut weight of all nonessentials, and at that time our magnetic pulse thrusters and shielding were at the optimum level, so we sidelined all upgradeables,” Bodhi said.

“I’d feel a lot better if we procured parts from the Cleveland dome,” Selah said.

“We can’t go back there. We have less than an hour to go. If we return to Cleveland we risk getting caught by another storm,” Bodhi said. “Do you really want to risk three more months in that dome?”

“No, I don’t. I’m just a little homesick for our unit’s garden,” Selah said. “That’s the longest I’ve stayed in one spot since I was transitioned last July.”

Bodhi turned to her. “I’m sorry. It was a decent place. Other than a few bumps it could have been a nice life.”

“I miss Brejian too.” Selah looked down at her hands. She would forever remember the woman’s sacrifice. So many things had happened and she’d never gotten to thoroughly investigate the Repository records to find help for Bodhi’s condition. If she completed the Third Protocol he would be changed like everyone else, but she still feared failure.

“She gave me several data crystals before her death. I haven’t had an opportunity the last couple days to see what they are,” Taraji said.

Their focus shifted as the transport began to shudder again. “I don’t understand. The shaking should have abated once we rose above the snow line,” Bodhi said. He looked over at Taraji who had command control again.

“We need to get as close as we can to the Chicago dome,” Taraji said.

Bodhi quickly glanced over his panels, his hands moving data onto his screen. “You’re going to think I’m crazy, but my system said we were heading north.”

Taraji looked at hers. “Mine says west.”

“I know. Mine says west now,” Bodhi said.

Taraji muttered under her breath and slapped the arm of her chair. “I just lost the dampener panel on the air generators.”

“We’re going to have to set it down. Maybe I can cobble replacements together until we get to the Chicago dome,” Mojica said.

“As soon as the failure notice came across, I started sliding south of the snow line. At least we won’t have to walk around in snow while we’re here,” Taraji said.

Selah saw a glint of light reflected far to the west. The only thing big enough to be seen from this distance had to be the dome, and that was about twenty miles away. Her vision was decreasing. “We don’t have to go south any farther. I can see the dome ahead.”

The transport would travel several miles then buck and jerk. The dome had been growing in her sight, but not large enough for the others to see as they coaxed the transport along.

“Stabilizers just went critical. I have to set her down. Hang on to your seats,” Taraji said.

Bodhi put down the landing struts just in time to avoid a crash. A resounding thud shuddered through the transport.

The hard landing jolted through Selah’s spine, radiating down and out her arms and legs. She sat back and ran a hand across her forehead.

Taraji waved the systems off. “Cut everything to keep the damage from cascading.”

Selah swiped off her panel, using both hands to hit different systems. Mojica swiped hers off and darted back to the tactical station.

Bodhi finished his systems. “Everybody okay?”

Selah blinked a couple times and stretched the muscles in her neck. “Yes, I think so. I’m going down to see if Mari, Mother, and the kids are all right.” She charged toward the ramp to the family areas, passing the lift as it arrived. She skidded to a stop and backed up as it swished open.

The women and two frightened children spilled out into the command deck entrance. Dane ran to Selah, almost knocking her down with his hug.

“Easy. It’s all right. We’re down now.” Selah stroked his hair. Rylla wrapped her arms around Selah from the other side.

Mari and Pasha continued onto the command deck. “Did we crash?” Mari peered out the front shield.

“We hope not,” Bodhi said.

Pasha moved back and forth, looking out the two sides. “Was it enemy fire?”

“No, and that’s especially disturbing to think about with the shielding down,” Taraji said.

“No shielding?” Mari and Pasha said at the same time.

Selah disengaged from the two kids and entered the command deck. They scrambled to follow. “No, you two stay out here where you can’t get in trouble,” she said.

Taraji explained to Mari and Pasha about the magnetic problems.

“The scramblers I brought have the ability to depress magnetic interference. Maybe with amplification we can expand the technology to something that might work for the transport,” Mari said.

“That’s the best idea I’ve heard so far. Show me what you have.” Taraji unbuckled and followed Mari below, leaving Pasha to peer out the side shields at the forest landscape.

Selah leaned on Bodhi’s command chair. “You good?”

“Yeah, but you look a little pale,” Bodhi said, reaching to touch Selah’s cheek. “You feeling all right?”

Selah smiled softly and lied, “Sure, I was just thinking about damage outside. It sounded like we hit pretty hard.” There wasn’t time to let others worry about her when the whole family could be in peril. She knew Bodhi would be distracted by concern for the transport.

Bodhi tapped Taraji. “We need recon for exterior damage.” Taraji nodded.

“Come on, suit up and we’ll get some fresh air,” Bodhi said to Selah. He unstrapped from his seat and started for the ramp.

Selah squeezed her eyes shut. That was her punishment for lying. She trudged behind him onto the ramp for the lower level.

“Yeah! Can we come outside?” Rylla and Dane scampered behind her.

“No!” Selah held up a hand. “Neither of you are going out there till we make contact at the dome and know if it’s safe.” She closed the ramp entrance and headed down to Bodhi. “Do we need bio-suits? Our regular tactical suits are temperature sensitive to zero. It’s nowhere near that.”

“Sounds good. Less trouble.” Bodhi rehung the suit then handed her a laser dart and holster from the weapons locker before he strapped on his own.

Selah felt a shiver as she held the laser dart. “Will they work if there’s magnetic interference?”

Bodhi’s shoulders drooped. He unhitched the strap for his holster. “No, they won’t. I think we’ve neglected manual protection in a bid to be less encumbered.” A look of concern crossed his face.

“Mari has her bows,” Selah said. “Should I get her?”

“No, it will only take us a few minutes. Let’s rough it this time. Just keep your eyes open. We’ll go out on the right mid-side, travel to the left all the way around and back in. Ten minutes tops. I’ll inspect, you guard,” Bodhi said.

“Sounds good. What do I use for a weapon?” Selah hit the release for the ramp.

“Your thrust,” Bodhi said. Selah cringed. She hoped she wouldn’t need to use it until she could test in private whether the ability was still there. The Keeper had said the last abilities to come would be the first to go.

“Everything is shut down,” Bodhi said. “The ramp’s not going to move, and neither are the magnetic stairs. We’ll have to climb.” He led her to an access next to the magnetic stairs and released the panel. The door swung out and a metal ladder slid down to ground level.

Selah scrutinized the landscape. It appeared benign. Snow sat higher up on the ridge to the north. The forest they passed over was mostly of the evergreen type with a few interspersed trees bared of leaves. They’d landed in a small west-facing valley, deep and narrow.

Something flashed in her peripheral vision to the right. Selah jerked her head in that direction, but it was gone—or had she imagined it? Was this another symptom?

“Let’s get this done. It’s been cloudy all morning, and I don’t want to get caught in bad weather if we need repairs before we can take off.” Bodhi turned and climbed down the ladder, hopping off to the left.

Selah stared out at where she thought she’d seen the movement in low leafy bushes—probably blueberries since the Keeper said they thrived in this volcanic soil. The bushes grew at the edge of a grassy swamp about fifty feet in front of her, off to the right. Selah moved quickly to the left—she’d let Bodhi get ahead by himself. She caught up.

“How’s it looking on this end?” Selah tracked 180 degrees around them. Her head continued spinning even after she stopped moving.

Bodhi answered but she didn’t catch what he said. Her stomach flopped, and she quickly covered her mouth as she burped. Bodhi crossed the bow and headed down the keel on the port side. Selah rushed to catch up, gazing at the countryside as she went.

“I feel a lot better about this. It looks like only one of the forward landing struts is a little bent.” Bodhi turned to look at Selah and hurried back to her. “What’s wrong? You look a little green, or gray—something’s not right with your complexion.”

Selah touched his arm. “Please don’t say anything. I don’t want anyone fawning over me.”

Bodhi leaned against the keel. “Do you think it’s right to hide what’s happening?”

“Let’s wait until we’re out of the Chicago dome with the next destination.” Selah leaned back beside him. “The Keeper said the weather would hold for at least a week from the time we left there—”

“The time ends tomorrow. We made horrible progress with the magnetics,” Bodhi said.

“We’re making even worse progress standing here for so long. Let’s get done so this will be one less thing to worry about. Then we can hole up and fix the system.” Selah followed Bodhi around the stern and back to the ladder.

Selah climbed up first, then Bodhi. He turned around to close up.

“That’s okay. I can do it. I want the fresh air for a few more minutes.” Her fingers were cold—probably because she was hanging them over the sill. But she didn’t like when that look of pity came into his eyes, like she was helpless already.

Selah pulled up the ladder and reached out to close the door. As she did, movement in the brush caught her eye. She stopped and stared this time, not daring to breathe or move. A squeal then a laugh echoed in the valley. It sounded familiar.

Selah furrowed her brow, looking around at the rest of the landscape. There was someone out there. She lowered the ladder and yelled down the hall over her shoulder, “Bodhi! Come listen.” No answer. Where’d he go?

Selah hit the wall comm, then remembered—all systems were down, and no one bothered to wear their clunky scramblers inside the transport. She hesitated to go outside alone. She leaned out and looked around again, trying to hear more.

Above an overgrown field that bordered on a small meadow, a section of underbrush rustled, then the commotion traveled along the underbrush. Squealing erupted from the crackling winter-dead brush, followed by staccato laughter—Dane!

Selah scrambled down the ladder and tried to run. Adrenaline trembled her legs as her pounding heart forced it through her system. “Dane, come out of there!” She ran down the field and crossed over to the low grass meadow. “Dane!”

Her brother broke into the upper meadow after catching a piglet tangled in the underbrush. Squealing with laughter as the piglet screamed, Dane’s voice echoed across the valley.

“Put it down! Dane, let it go before—” A three-hundred-pound feral boar broke through the tree line, head down, hooves throwing up dirt as it charged from the woods.

Selah sprinted toward Dane, waving and yelling his name, but the piglet’s screams and his own laughing were too loud. She calculated the boar would reach him five seconds before her. She called out again as the boar roared down on Dane.

Her screams were lost in her throat as the boar’s jaws opened and aimed for Dane’s leg.

The front hooves stumbled, taking the boar’s snout to the ground and throwing up dead grass and dirt as the plowing nostrils dug a trench. An arrow pierced the boar above its front legs. Another arrow ripped through its chest.

The boar’s hooved feet stretched out and shuddered. It fell silent. Selah ran to a stunned Dane standing over a dead pig four times his size. Selah snatched the piglet from him and sent it off in the direction the male had traveled.

“What were you thinking? You could have been killed.” Selah glanced around for the bowman. No one appeared. Shaking, Selah dragged the pouting boy double time across meadow and field to the ladder. She didn’t turn around until she had Dane’s feet on the rungs of the ladder and her breath had returned.

A lanky boy in a sleeveless vest, with skin the color of a raw pecan, stood over the boar. Selah flinched. How could he be without cover in this cold weather? He pressed his heel to the carcass and bent to remove the arrows.

Selah could feel the adrenaline rush drain away. Her hands shook on the ladder, the tremor radiating through her shoulders. She watched the boy’s swift work.

His curly black hair spread from beneath a sky-blue scarf tied tightly around his head. Selah remembered a painting from a Dominion Borough building of workers laboring on railroad tracks in the Old West. This boy’s scarf was the same vibrant blue as one in the painting. She raised a hand to acknowledge and thank him for saving her brother.

The boy paused from dressing the boar but didn’t wave back. Selah climbed the ladder and watched from the safety of the transport. Another boy and two girls with long stringy hair and bundled in coats appeared from the woods to the left of the meadow, pulling a large sled with wooden runners. The first boy stood by as the others wrapped the pieces of meat and packed the sled. They headed off into the woods.

The boy looked back toward the transport once more before disappearing into the forest.