12 Miles Below

Book 5. Chapter 4: A strange ride home

Surface scavengers usually stashed goods and other items within evo-tents, for easier access during longer expeditions by a settled site.

Grab enough food to last for a good few days, drag it back to your tent, and never have to deal with a lunch rush at the airspeeder during work.

Clan knights on expeditions underground did something similar for long range expeditions, when they’d be expected to return to the surface and wait for a lift back home. The range of time could be anywhere from a day, or up to a week if they got unlucky and missed the return window.

So one thing airspeeders brought on the trip was a supply of food and general gear to leave behind near the drop off location. Wouldn’t be left out on the open wastes of course, bad idea that. Instead, the supply depot would be left a little bit further underground, enough that the temperature wouldn’t make a mess of things while we were away.

We’d gotten to the depot, and found it had been tidied up for us.

“Looks like the clan knights dismissed by Lord Atius made it safely up here and were extracted.” Icestride said, headlights scouring over the boxes waiting in the dark. “Only two crates used up, must have arrived in good time.”

Given the camp’s empty, I think they got their lift.

“Word of our own split mission would have been passed on to the airspeeder crew picking them up.” Icestride hummed.

Ankah strode over to some of the covered crates, shimmering sheets reflecting her headlight beams. She took those off in one yank, then wiped off rime from the metal surface of the crates under.

More lights entered the chamber, headlights and chestlights bringing further life into the silent room.

Clearly the returning clan knights decided they weren’t content with waiting around, given the stacks of power cells laying around in triangular piles. “They certainly kept themselves busy.” I muttered, counting up the goods recovered. That must have been at least two or three Screamer packs all put together.

Hunting down machines for power cells was a high risk, high reward effort. Undersiders did so, but only with an entire field of expertise, gear and outposts to do so from. They were far more equipped and skilled in that. Clan knights went after machines only when it was dire, or so the primers I’d read from Ironreach claimed.

Today, the hardest part of getting power cells from machines would be finding the bastards and dragging them out feet first from whatever bed they’re hiding under. Something the past knights clearly had little trouble doing from the amount of cells stacked up around the area.

Feels good to be the biggest fish in the lake.

Icestride laughed, the old man walking over to one pile and taking a closer look. “Clearly they found playing cards or kicking a ball around to be a little less fun. Suppose we can’t blame them too much for it, it’s likely good practice and sport now instead of anything dangerous.”

“Heaters intact.” A Winterscar knight said, unloading the stored equipment. “Four left behind, three more than your group came with.”

“I see they got the airspeeder to donate extras.” Icestride said, headlights turning to light up the section. “And with this many power cells laying around, it seems we’ll be comfortable for the next few days.”

We were close enough to the surface that water would freeze, but still habitable enough to take off helmets for a good few hours without any pain. At this level, machines wouldn’t be usually spotted around which made it a good enough space to wait out return. Still too deep for comms signals to go through from down here to the surface though.

I made my way to one of the marked crates, cracking the ice around to open it up. The thermal sheetings inside were left properly folded up. These were supposed to be raised up in a larger tent so that the interior could be warmed up. But given we had four entire heaters in the depot… “Could probably cover the south and north entrances with these and just heat the entire area.” I said. “We’ve got enough power cells to last, and if we need more they’re not as hard to find anymore.”

Icestride nodded, “You heard the lad, let’s get these sheets affixed and the heaters running. I want this camp setup within the hour.”

The rest of our group entered the small chamber here, dragging the hoversleds behind, driving them over to the edges and turning them off. Larger spotlights were turned on one after another, flooding the area with white artificial light.

Up ahead, the tunnel would lead to the surface. It remained dark, light from the surface still too far away to reach. Too many turns still left. Icestride took off his helmet and watched into the gloom with clear eyes, contemplating something. “Arcbound, go up and plant the green flag and power up the destination signal.” He said absentmindedly, turning his attention back to the camp.

The armor nodded, cracking open another box with green sigils on the side. Inside he unraveled a few packs, then took off down the tunnel. Once he’d reached the surface, he’d unfold the flag and set the signal repeater down. The flag was mostly cosmetic, the airspeeder crew already knew where the depot was and how to get here. The signal repeater would be what alerted the airspeeder we were waiting for extraction.

The airspeeder was supposed to land nearby and send a scavenger crew to setup shop just outside the entrance to the underground. They’d stay there for a good day or two before packing up and going home to resupply and try again next week.

If there was a flag and repeater down, then the crew would wait for a passing patrol from the depot crew to come up and establish contact. Under no circumstances were scavengers in evo-suits supposed to venture down underground, that was the domain of knights. Even if it slowed down contact by a few hours, absolute safety was more important to the clan than saving time. If the knights didn’t come up in any reasonable timeframe, the airspeeder would return home and bring back Atius or other clan knights to verify what happened.

No idea if that situation ever actually happened though. By the times knights were waiting near the surface, they were usually already at the end of the journey.

Wrath walked opposite to the crates, opening up crates to take inventory on what was inside. Eyes shifting around, searching.

“Rations and food are in the brown marked crates, the one with the grain sigil.” I said, pointing out the crates off to the side.

She looked up with a guilty look before schooling it back up, and nodding cordially. “I was only examining what items surface clans value, mere curiosity.”

“Sure. Yep. I have no doubts about that whatsoever.” I said, watching as she closed the equipment crate and began meandering towards the food supplies. With a snap hiss, my helmet seal came free and I popped the whole thing up and off. Cold air welcomed me home.

Kidra opened up one of those food crates and fished up a few packets, tossing them at the Feather. “I suppose a few rations gone will not make any great difference to our line. Although, it will not be as interesting as you might believe. These rations are made to maximize calories and nutrients, not taste.”

Wrath caught it easily, lifting the ration up to eye level and taking a more critical look. “Low-density polyethylene wrapping, vacuum seal around a plant fiber and insect protein mix. A fascinating difference from the Undersider staples.”

“The plastic isn’t eaten.” Kidra warned, taking her helmet off and unzipping one of the bars, letting air squeeze back into the bag. “If you have the time, these may be rehydrated and grilled over a fire, assuming ventilation is available.” Inside the open wrapper was a perfectly stored freeze-dried ration, probably made years ago and only seeing the light of day for the first time. In a manner of speaking. “Some scavengers will add spices and other seasoning if they happen to have some on hand. However there is no issue with wrapping frostbloom around and eating as is.”

“Don’t forget to fold up the wrapper once you’re done for reuse. Logi are pretty strict about that. Wrappings are the most expensive part of the whole thing.” I said, hand outstretched for one. “Also tends to be really flakey. Frostbloom can keep the whole thing together.”

Kidra tossed a bag my way and I demonstrated how to eat it. Yank some frostbloom growing off a corner, wrap it around a segment, snap it off and down it goes. “Tastes just as bland as I remember.” I said, munching through. “Think the undersider food and fish spoiled me.”

Wrath had no such issues, following my motions and simply eating the bar in one bite. She munched, pondering on the food before swallowing. “An interesting flavor. I find it tasty.”

“You would eat anything set in front of you, girl.” Father scoffed, walking past. “I thank the gods I no longer need food like this ever again.”

“Why not bring more conventional food rations with you if such food is as unpalatable to your tastes?” She asked, licking her fingers for any trace leftovers.

“Because anything wet left out here becomes a solid chunk.” Icestride chuckled, “Bring a sandwich and you’ll have to nurse it for a good ten minutes before you’re able to bite down a corner. Rations are made to be consumed quickly and with no fuss.”

Well, might not exactly be a problem for Wrath. I’ve seen her eat a fork before as if it were part of the meal. Food frozen solid would probably be classified ‘crunchy’ to her.

Four heaters were unpacked, turned on and set around the cavern. Sheets were draped over the entrances, cutting off ways for heat to escape other than through the walls themselves. What we had was more than capable of heating the entire area within a half hour and keeping up with the entropy loss.

With camp set, it was time to sit down and wait for our ride to come. The airspeeder crew left behind a deck of cards and a few other goodies to work with, though most of the knights preferred to spar or meditate on their experiences up till now.

Wrath was not good at cards. Excellent at counting them, the little cheater, but terrible when it came to the bluff part of the game. She first tried to play normally at first, but her features always gave away what she had in hand once we got her patterns down.

Next, she tried freezing her features completely, which stopped us from figuring her out. But also stopped her from baiting any plays.

A few hours later, and it was officially night.

“Comms request.” Cathida said, voice sounding annoyed. “It’s your metal friend again.”

“Which one?” I asked, groggy. HUD timer showed I’d gotten four hours of sleep.

“The idea that you even have to ask that fills me with great regret and anger. Kids these days, running around with the enemy. Peh.”

“Cathida. Just tell me who’s contacting me. Wrath? Did she go out on a patrol or something?” I gave a look around camp and found she wasn’t there. Neither was Father. Some of the other usual suspects were hanging around, some asleep, others keeping guard.

“Silver tits went out with Tenisent for sparring. Not a lot of room here when they move at mach one.”

One thing I’d noticed is after my talk with Cathida, she’d talk about Father using his actual name. Unlike Wrath. “All right, so if it’s not them, who’s sending a comms signal?”

“It’s that coward with the boat. What’s his name? Abrasshole? A-bitch? A’Toaster?”

Ah. That metal friend. The one who’s working for the mites following around behind like a ghost.

“Patch me through to him. He’s probably got something important to tell me if he’s calling me up.” I said, taking a few coughs to clear my throat.

She scoffed, but did as ordered, the channel turning to open. The static filled in, but nothing else came.

“Abraxas? You called?”

“You survived.” He said, voice just warped and weird as I remembered it.

“What are you talking about? I’m a figment of your imagination.”

“Humor. As crude as remembered. And irrelevant. I came to warn. And demand debts paid.”

“Hold on one moment,” I said. “You can’t just start like that, one thing at a time. Warn of what? If it’s Avalis, I’m aware he’s hanging around us now. Not quite what it looks like, we’re bit more buddies against Relinquished than past experiences. Well, not the real Avalis at least if he’s still alive out there. But his shell is being put to good use.”

“I am not stupid.” The voice answered. “You would be dead. A hundred times, if shell not tamed. Warning remains, and doubled - Hide Feathers. Wrap them up. Danger beyond all you know if spotted on surface. Equally remember, you owe me.”

“The keypoint here is that they can’t be seen on the surface? Or they can’t actually be on the surface? Because there’s a giant difference between the two.”

“Seen. Relinquished blind by surface. If she sees, she sees surface like another strata. Another grand mite creation, another secret they hide somewhere in world. The geass is strong. Strong to last millenia. But only strong, not perfect. Feathers not good enough to break. More needed. More guarded against. That danger.”

Ah. It’s not Relinquished he’s worried about. Makes sense, even with her fractal scrapshit, Tsuya was aware it existed back then and must have planned around it. At least, I hope. A strong plan needs to be a flexible one. So if it's not Relinquished, then the danger must be Tsuya’s cleaner, the part that makes sure whatever the geass couldn't handle never made it to her attention. Whatever she uses to purge things off the surface.

“Can we… stuff them in boxes? Or would cloth rags work to hide them?” I asked. Sometimes the simple solutions work out best. Why come up with some convoluted plot to keep them underground if I could just stuff Wrath in a box? A sack could also work, for nostalgia reasons.

The voice paused, thinking. “Rags… possible. Layer thick. No part exposed. Metal box foolproof enough. Better choice. Go. Mite seeker, do not forget.”

Wrath in a sack, round two, here we go.

“Don’t worry, you don’t need to break my knees or anything.” I said, well aware I now had debts left and right. “I’ll get that mite seeker. But here’s one detail - you didn’t set a time limit for me.”

“...” I could tell that part rankled him.

“Should have thought about that first, that’s on you. I’m on vacation after I wrap up some loose ends on the Otherside.”

“Human.” Abraxas said flatly. “Pay. Your. Debts.”

“I’ll go back down eventually with Wrath, don’t get your metal butt all tangled over it. You live forever, I don’t. If there’s anyone who’s got a time limit, it’s me.”

“Agree.” He said in the end, clearly unhappy. “Bring mite seeker. Soon. Remember - keep Feathers away from all eyes. If you value life. No survival if seen. Not even you will live.”

The line cut, leaving me alone in my helmet, wondering what exactly was out on the surface.

There really is always a bigger fish. I sighed and rolled over, aiming to get a few more hours of sleep.

It turns out he hadn’t randomly picked the time to warn me. I could tell he’d waited for both Wrath and Father to be out of earshot, but he’d also noticed something else we hadn’t that arrived overnight.

Arcbound came back down the tunnel after his morning check in, getting the whole camp packing up and moving out. Our airspeeder had dropped anchor about three hours before Abraxas called me up. And the crew were waiting for us to poke our heads out.

Everything was by the book, other than the odd early arrival. But there was one small difference from a standard extraction: It was a clan war frigate that’d come to pick us up.josei

And they were armed to the teeth.

Next chapter - The days are numbered