《The Bridge, A Science Fiction Survival Story》Chapter 36: The Room
Advertisement
“Before anything else, take me to a window,” Said Airomem, “Towards the back of the ship.”
“Alright,” I said, shaking the water from my shoes as ice continued to melt from the walls with the rising temperature, “But first, how much trouble are we in? How big is this threat?”
“So long as the hallway is blocked, you have nothing to worry about,” Said Airomem, “At least for now.”
“And are you the reason that the ship came back together? Did you do this?” I asked as we walked.
“Us? No, the ship came together on its own, just like it was supposed to after it was reprogrammed when the asteroid struck.”
“What do you mean, reprogrammed?”
“How- no, what exactly do you know about the ship?” She asked, stopping, “How much history do you actually have recorded?”
I smiled, and pushed my chest out.
“I’m the most knowledgeable of anyone on the ship’s history,” I said, “What do you want to know?”
“You are the most knowledgeable?” She coughed, giving me a sideways look as we started walking again,“What’s your plan for departure to new planet?”
“What exactly do you mean?”
Airomem sighed, just as we rounded a corner and a window came into view, “This is going to be difficult. Much of what you know is about to change, Horatius. Radically.”
Then she walked over to the glass, and pressed her face against it, searching. She pulled one of the black rectangles from her belt, and gave off three quick blue flashes. Squinting past her, I saw three quick blue flashes respond from the other end of the ship, as well as a face peering back at her, the features difficult to make out in the distance.
Advertisement
Taking her hands, she formed several slow signs, exaggerating her movements and squinting at the person across the void, who was forming signs of their own.
“What- what are you doing?” I asked, as her fingernails clicked against the glass.
“Letting the other side know what happened.” She answered, her face in concentration.
“With your hands? You’re speaking with your hands?”
“Well, yes, and no. I can’t fully mimic human speech- there aren’t enough signs for that, and we only use them in emergencies. But I can get the general message across. Words like *safe*, *past-danger*, and *attacked*, but nothing too complicated.”
Then we started walking again, as I took care to bring her along more deserted hallways on the way to the chief’s room at the very back of the ship, and I spoke up after a moment’s thought.
“Why wouldn’t you just speak normally instead of with your hands?”
“Because sometimes, in the power room, it’s too loud to talk.”
“The power room?”
“Yes, where- ah, never mind. We’ll cover all that soon. All you need to know now is that I need to speak with your council, and that it is crucial that they listen to me. What is the current status of your side of the ship?”
“We’re limping, but making it. As Segni said, he was our leader – and recent events have hit us hard.”
“Events like what?”
“The ship coming together was the worst- we weren’t prepared for the lurch, and it claimed many of our lives as well as causing a number injuries. We would have been able to handle them, but we’re low on supplies which complicated matters further.”
“The lurch must have hit you harder than us, or at least at a worse angle. And supplies? As in food?”
Advertisement
“Yes- we’re low on food, and more importantly right now, medicine. The food should be back up soon- after learning how to alter the lights in the control room where we just were, I’ve been able to enhance our growing conditions to be much stronger than the past.” I said, eager to prove to her that there were parts of the ship that our side knew more about than her own, “That action, combined with more frugal stewardship and rationing, should place us into a much more sustainable position. Speaking of food, what, ah, exactly do you eat?”
“We’re not like them,” Said Airomem, gesturing backwards and guessing my thoughts, “Our food comes from the earth, from plants. These paths that we walk, they feel familiar- they’re mirrors of our own, on our end of the ship. We just entered what would be my tribe’s territory on the other end. The rest belongs to the Agrarians and Aquarians.”
After a few more minutes walking, we reached the chief’s room where Elliot was already waiting outside, and the door was open for entry. And Airomem stopped in her tracks, her eyes wide in realization and her hand clutched around my forearm, pulling me away.
“I’m not going in there,” She hissed, and started backing away. “And neither should you, if you value your life.”
Advertisement
- In Serial500 Chapters
Master of Untold Daos
Follow Chen Ming as he accepts disciples, establishes a sect, and fights his way in a world that deems him a cannon fodder. He goes against any common sense using his wits and novel knowhow to finish missions and arm himself against his cruel fate.
8 868 - In Serial10 Chapters
Hazardous Debugging: Reanimation
Once upon a time, there lived an ordinary man. He lived among us, maybe some of you even knew him. And then he died. Explosive rounds shot to the chest aren't very good for your health. His body was buried, his brain preserved. Three centuries have passed. Our descendants discovered the old refrigerator with the brains of their ancestors, took our hero out of the ice, digitizing his persona, and implanting him into a videogame.Little did they know that they fulfilled the terms of a contract to their demise. Because Fillin doesn't intend to spend an eternity in this digital playground even if though there's no difference from the real world.But the only way he can return to reality is to become God in the game. And so our hero sets foot on the Path of the Gods, ignoring the facts that he is followed by a walking nightmare named FreakHead, that the skies mock his every step and that anyone who looks upon him sees the title "Bringer of Chaos."
8 364 - In Serial51 Chapters
Known World Series
Raypunk. Adventure, science fiction, fantasy all rolled into one. We begin with the story of Tosh and Bors, a merchant with a secret and a barbarian. There is also the story of Rick Tavish, Space Ranger! Then, a team up in the third part of this series. There are more coming, down the line.
8 75 - In Serial7 Chapters
The Gulf
My friends call me Dege, I’m 20 years old, and I like to party. I still live on my parent’s platform, which sucks because the whole island sails to Paradisia on Monday, and Paradisia sucks. I’d much rather stay here with my friends. But I can’t afford to, because they are way more successful than me. I did just meet this amazing girl who also lives on Gulf Sails, so at least I’ll have her to keep me company in Paradisia. I just need to make sure I avoid the Gulf business mogul Elijah Braze, who I just found out is a sexual predator… and I’m his prey.
8 106 - In Serial28 Chapters
Irondad and Spiderson
After Aunt May finds out that he's Spiderman, Peter Parker has nowhere to go. Tony Stark takes him in and learns what it's like to take care of a kid. He and Peter grow closer together, resulting in a time that will change Tony and Peter's lives forever. None of the characters belong to me, I'm just using them for my wonderful fanfiction. Thank you Marvel for making these characters!Completed 8/12/19
8 308 - In Serial29 Chapters
I Killed Myself but Woke Up in Another World
Cultivation and Game system progressive fantasy with character development as focus. *** Living in a pointless world where everything he did only put him at the bottom of the chain. He was lethargic, devoid of motivation, living in deterioration, and a living failure with superficial achievements. Left behind by the people whom admired him in the past. Until he killed himself and woke up in another world. Could he find the will to live by living in a world he hoped that existed? * I ran from reality. I ignored their warnings. Did I leave them for my own salvation? I hanged myself to death. I was beyond ecstatic when I woke up in another world. Hoping this is my time: To become the center of the world. Unique and powerful. But then, even fantasy was disappointing. I banged my head on the ground. Pleaded the gods to give me something. "Please, let me have the will to live!" I wailed and cried. But no one replied. No one offered a hand. So I offered mine instead. ***************** One, I didn't create a likeable MC. Two, I'm still grasping in the darkness. Three, I hope you give feedback so I can improve my novel. Four, the novel is planned to be at 500+ chaps. Five, I have a rough outline already of the story and I'm working with my pacing. So, it might get a little rough and a bit forced at some point, but I'm working on that. Six, if the pacing suddenly uncomfortably slowed down, tell me. Arc 1 is Adaptation Mini arc adaptation zone Mini arc mountain Arc 2 is Discovering the World (Still working on the miniarcs, but the map is already completed. The Leveling System and Cultivation system is being extensively worked out.) Arc 3 ?
8 149