I was having trouble keeping the whole story clear in my head as I wrote, so I've separated it into two arcs; Earth and Space. So now I spend a week or more just writing about five or six thousand words on one part of the story before going back to the other. This is why the next several chapters will alternate between the two arcs rather than having both in a chapter. Sorry if you've been waiting to find out what is happening on Mars, but there will be a full chapter of it next time.
Chapter 73
Jacks Big Adventure
Even during his trip down the tunnel, Jack Sumner could see the similarities between the bunker and the Railgun complex. But just like Reed Branson had done a week ago, he also noticed how much more oppressive the place was. Light was scarce, the walls were filthy and there was a definite musty smell in the air. By the time he arrived in the first main room, most families had already themselves set up on the same bunk beds they always used, while Jack had no other choice but to wander around until he found the only empty bed, normally used by the person who had given up their week underground for him.
He left his gear sack under the bed and hurried after the others who were headed to the first workshop. Shifty's dad Smit Cloud Dancer had gone over normal operating procedures thoroughly with Jack so he knew what to expect as he made his way deeper into the complex. So when he arrived in the workshop, Jack looked around until he noticed some men trying to manoeuvre a huge transaxle and went to help them.
"We'll put it over by the south wall" one of them suggested "It should be out of the way there until we've finished with it."
When the unit was finally placed in the desired location, most of the men left to begin other tasks but Jack stayed to help with the dismantling of the gear box. It took several hours to remove enough of its casing and inner works before they finally managed to get to the offending part that made the transaxle nothing more than a giant paperweight.
"Just think; a simple sheared cotter pin managed to cause this much damage" one of the men sighed.
"But how?" Jack asked.
"When the pin broke, the gear it held was able to move on its spline so instead of turning in a constant and smooth manner, it would slip back and forth getting hammered by the drive gear. It was only a matter of time before the gear teeth started cracking off and when the first one went, the rest soon followed."
"So were do we start?" Jack readied himself.
"We don't; unless you're an expert machinist" the man smiled.
"Well err... no" Jack admitted.
"I didn't think so" the man nodded "Then while I find someone who can fabricate some new gears, you can get started cleaning out the swarf and broken teeth from the bottom of the casing."
"Oh I'm sure you can fine some other unskilled labourer to do all that" a booming voice caught them both off guard.
Jack turned with a start to see three of the bunkers guards looking at him menacingly. Things appeared to be moving much quicker for him than they had for Reed, but he made sure he did not look too keen.
"Is your name Jack Sumner?" the centre guard asked.
"Y-yes" Jack replied nervously.
"What's this all about?" the other man asked.
"The Colonel wants to have a friendly chat with this man, and you want to mind you own business; don't you?" the guard snapped.
The man said nothing more but did take a step back in obvious submission to the guard's veiled threat. Jack soon found himself being escorted further inside the complex past store rooms, other dormitories, specialty machine shops and refineries until he began to notice a definite change in the condition of his surroundings. The lighting was a little brighter, the floor and walls a little cleaner, and the smell of the refineries was replaced by a more floral like aroma. As the group walked in relative silence, Jack also noticed he was seeing fewer and fewer of the people from above and more armed checkpoints. The last one he saw looked impenetrable with a wall of heavy steel bars and two tripod mounted machine guns on either side of the locked entrance.
Jack wondered if this was where Professor Adisa and Henry Dias had been taken but he would have to wait to find out. Twenty meters before they reached the gate, the guards led Jack down a passageway to the left passed some ordinary looking office doors, until they finally reached the one marked Col. J. Cook. Inside was a small reception room with a single desk and an empty office chair. The head guard walked around the desk to large ornate door made of what appeared to be stained teak.
"We've got Sumner here Colonel" he spoke into an intercom by the door.
"Good; bring him in" a static filled voice replied.
The Stormy Petrel of Mild Surprise did a number on Jack, just as it had done on Reed Branson when he had first seen the Colonel's office. The teak door gave anyone about to pass through its frame, the perfect impression of the room they would find behind it. There was a giant Persian rug covering the highly polished hardwood floor with antique red leather couches on each side of the door. Landscape oil paintings hung on the black floral wallpaper behind the couches, while the walls to the left and right consisted of floor to ceiling bookshelves. On the far side of the huge room sat a walnut inlayed oak desk, big enough to land a helicopter on. Behind the desk there was gas log fireplace with a black marble mantle and another polished teak door on each side. Although he wondered briefly about them, Jack had no way of knowing that the door on the left led to the Colonels bed chamber, while the right door opened into his private bathroom. In front of the desk were two red leather armchairs of the same design as the couches and in the left one sat Captain Reed Branson.
"Please join us Mr. Sumner" Joshua Cook motioned his hand towards the empty seat.
Jack wished he brought a packed lunch and a water bottle with him as he began the long walk across the room to the comfy chair.
"What's all this about Cap'n Branson?" Jack asked.
"This could be the start of a new life for us Jack" Reed replied.
"You see Mr. Sumner, in recent times there have been some rather drastic changes in our little community brought on by your arrival" Cook began.
"You mean catching the Professor?" Jack wondered.
"For a start, but there has also been an increase in the population of the district consisting of the crew of your ship, and I understand the people of El Centro have managed to capture a party of raiders recently as well" the Colonel continued.
"I'm not sure where you're going with this" Jack admitted.
"If I may Colonel?" Reed checked and got the nod from Cook "As you know, this bunker and its operation are vital to the survival of this area; and it is up to the Colonel to keep the peace and make sure all resources and supplies kept safe down here."
"Well put Mr. Branson; it has come to my attention that you were once in our countries navy, so you know the importance of keeping order and not letting anarchy gain a foothold. To this end, I thought it would be advantages to meet you to see if you would be suitable to become part of my group of peacekeepers and to ask if you were interested."
Jack looked at the Colonel with suspicion before glancing back at Reed.
"I assume you know there was just another meteor strike north of here" Jack noted.
"Yes we felt the impact down here" Reed nodded "I was worried about the ship and its crew until I found out it had landed north of here."
Jack wanted to ask how they knew where it had struck but there were more important things to cover first.
"There was a double shockwave from an air explosion as well as a ground strike and a fireball, the likes of which I'd never seen or felt before. It was obvious to everyone that the destruction would be worse up north but when some of the people from El Centro wanted to take some of the supplies back with them, they were stopped at gunpoint and forced to leave every last box here" Jack said with disgust.
Joshua Cook rose from his chair and slowly began to pace around to the front of his desk.
"I know that may seem heartless Mr. Sumner but you have to understand why my men would have acted this way. Whenever there is a disaster like this, you can be sure there will be panic, looting and general disorder for days, weeks or even months into the future. By holding all the supplies here under armed protection, we can be sure that there will be no losses due to unfair hoarding practices, and then it will not only be the strong who have the chance to survive, but everyone will have an equal share."
"You see Jack" Reed smiled reassuringly "It all makes perfect sense when you think about it; just because they have all the food here doesn't mean they are not willing to share some of it."
"Some of it?" Jack snapped "The people outside grew it all and it belongs to them. It's the people out there who are taking all the risks by living under exposed skies while this Colonel and his crew live in relative safety and luxury. When was the last time you had to see off armed raiders with only a few bullets MISTER Cook?"
"You are way out of line Jack" Reed barked "If it wasn't for the Colonel and the organisation he's running, that settlement out there wouldn't have a hope of surviving in the long term; and todays meteor strike is proof of that!"
"I always knew you were nothing more than a second rate dictator" Jack said to Reed with distain "It makes me sorry to think I ever stuck up for you when the crew complained to me about your behaviour. I told 'em we needed a strong Captain to keep us on a solid course, but you made it really difficult with your elitist ways."
"That's enough Jack" Reed snorted as he stood up to face his former shipmate.
"Yes it is enough" Jack agreed "I'm leaving now and if I can get a crew together, I'm taking the One and All; you can just stay here and play second fiddle to your new fuehrer for all I care."
Jack spun around and fell flat on his face after receiving a solid roundhouse to the jaw from his former captain. Before he could recover from the blow, Reed wrenched Jack back onto his feet by the collar and grabbed the back o his belt. He then quickly marched his old friend to the door and threw him into the outer office, much to the surprise of the waiting guards.
"Do me a favour" Reed asked them "Can you please take this lump of trash back to the surface and throw him out?"
One of the guards looked inside the door to check with the Colonel, who just leaned back into his chair and nodded in agreement.
"And don't rough him up" Reed added "I owe him that much for the years of reasonable service he gave the ship."
"Firm but merciful" Cook nodded as Reed closed the door once again.
"I can't apologise enough sir" Reed said nervously "I never imagined he would react the way he did, or say those horrible things."
"Do you think he may have a point about the way I run things here?" Cook tested for discontent.
"I highly doubt it Sir; I've seen the way those fools outside do things and I think Jack is dead wrong. Without the firm hand of a system like this, nobody could hope to survive in the world we have today."
"Precisely" Cook grinned "I'm sorry to say you can't keep the rank of captain because you're so new here, but in time you should work your way up the if you follow orders and keep your nose clean."
"Thank you Colonel" Reed smiled at the words Cook had chosen.
Walking to the door, Joshua Cook ordered one of his lower subordinates to show Reed to his billet beyond the final checkpoint.
"I think you'll be pleasantly surprised by your new living conditions Mr. Branson" Cook smirked "Get yourself settled in and you can start on a training patrol tomorrow morning."
"Yes Sir" Reed saluted and followed his guide back out into the main complex.
The sun was low in the sky by the time Jack Sumner managed to reach the top of the main entrance tunnel. Finding a small boulder near the canyon wall, he sat and rested for a few minutes to catch his breath before moving on. It would be a very long walk down the hill and he was unsure how far he would have to go before he met up with anybody who could help him. Hopefully the men at the main gate will allow him to have a drink of water before he had to leave the area because those who threw Jack out of the bunker were so angry, they wouldn't even let him get his gear sack from under the bed on his way out.
As his mind cleared, the memories of Jacks meeting with Reed and the Colonel flooded back and he chuckled quietly to himself. The last minute addition of the recent meteor strike had thrown their plans for a curve, but Reed had managed to ad lib nicely. Even though Jack had been able to soften the blow of Reeds punch by turning in the same direction of the travelling fist, his jaw muscles still felt quite stiff. It was worth the pain though because Cook would surely have noticed if Reed had pulled his punch and besides, now they had a man on the inside.
Feeling rested at last, Jack stood up, brushed off some dust and began to walk west while whistling a cheerful little tune.
Not long till December and I haven't started this year's Snoggletog story yet, even though most of it is in my head. I better get onto it before I start hearing the sound of bells jingling on the reigns of a sleigh drawn by eight tiny Gronckles.