{"id":2419,"date":"2022-08-20T14:05:04","date_gmt":"2022-08-20T21:05:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.evardsson.com\/blog\/?p=2419"},"modified":"2022-08-20T14:05:04","modified_gmt":"2022-08-20T21:05:04","slug":"cloud-four","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.evardsson.com\/blog\/2022\/08\/20\/cloud-four\/","title":{"rendered":"Cloud-Four"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

prompt: Write about a character whose job is to bring water to people.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

available at Reedsy<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Pre-jump checks were complete, all systems were green, and the crew of four were antsy to get going. The ship was barely more than a cockpit and engines attached to a giant cargo pod.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cCloud-four, this is gate control. Verify your jump plan.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As the copilot, it was Barn\u2019s job to communicate with gate control. Just as well, as the pilot, Merilee, was as likely to chew their head off as give an answer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cGate, cloud-four. Verify jump to Tau Ceti at rate three-point-seven, immediate re-jump to Linden at rate four-point-zero.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cCloud-four, I am obligated to remind you that the Linden gate is in an active war zone.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cGate, cloud-four copy, Linden gate is in an active war zone.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cCloud-four, gate. Cargo check cleared, proceed to aperture three. Cleared for departure.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cGate, cloud-four, copy proceed to aperture three, departure aye.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cGood luck and Godspeed, cloud-four.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Barn clicked off the mic and watched as Merilee guided the ship to the shimmering aperture. She entered the commands to spool up the warp shield, then shot forward through the shimmer into the featureless grey of superluminal space.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI am obligated to remind you,\u201d she said in an exaggerated, nasal tone, \u201cactive war zone. Godspeed you stupid gits.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Barn chuckled. Liv, the navigator, laughed out loud. \u201cCap, are you saying we\u2019re stupid?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cOf course,\u201d Merilee said in her normal voice. \u201cWho else could they find to do this?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYou got it all wrong, Cap.\u201d Kara turned her chair from the engineer station to face the others. \u201cWe ain\u2019t stupid<\/em>, but we sure ain\u2019t all there. More like crazy.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Barn leaned back. \u201cI second crazy. Cap?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Liv raised an eyebrow. \u201cWhat\u2019s the matter, Barn? Feeling insecure being the only guy, have to get Cap\u2019s approval?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cBite me, Liv.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Kara giggled. \u201cMom! They\u2019re fighting again!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cDon\u2019t make me pull this warp bubble over,\u201d Merilee said with a false sternness.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt\u2019s cool,\u201d Liv said, \u201cthat we\u2019re all in a good mood, but we gotta make a plan for when we get there.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe\u2019ll get the latest news TC has at the gate before we jump,\u201d Merilee said. \u201cAfter that, we\u2019ll be winging it.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI hope that ain\u2019t literal,\u201d Liv said. \u201cThere\u2019s no way we can go atmospheric with a load.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe can\u2026sort of,\u201d Kara said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Merilee laughed. \u201cI don\u2019t know whether to be proud or afraid when you say things like that. We\u2019re locked in warp for the next nine hours, I\u2019ll take first watch, Barn. Why don\u2019t you two come up with some contingency plans. It doesn\u2019t matter how wild it sounds, we\u2019ll consider it, and fly it if need be.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Barn stood. \u201cCoffee, Cap? Anybody else?\u201d After getting affirmative responses from all three, he left the cockpit for the small galley and ordered three cups of coffee and a water from the drinks dispenser.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Merilee sipped at her coffee, headphones playing music and system updates. Liv and Kara pored over charts of the Linden system and the planet that held the disputed colony, drawing out possible paths from the gate, ways to offload without getting shot, and more.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Barn took a nap in one of the hammocks in the \u201ccrew quarters\u201d that had been set up for just that. He woke a few hours later and relieved the captain. Resuming the music where she\u2019d left off, he was surprised she\u2019d been listening to Bach. It suited him just fine.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He looked at the plans the navigator and engineer had come up with. The captain had already organized them from most preferable and safest, to what could only be considered last-ditch efforts. Lowest on the list was to skim the upper atmosphere and dump the load there, hoping that at least some made its way to the colony.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He felt a tap on his shoulder and removed the headset. Liv handed him a cup of coffee. \u201cMe and Kara are gonna take a nap. You\u2019ll be okay by yourself for a while?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cSure, Liv. Thanks. Oh,\u201d he said, raising a finger, \u201cdon\u2019t wake the Cap, or I\u2019ll hear about it all day.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI said we\u2019re crazy, not suicidal.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

By the time they exited warp at Tau Ceti, the crew were all at their stations. Liv downloaded the latest information available about the situation at Linden while Kara did a once-over of the systems checks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Barn clicked on his headset. \u201cGate control, cloud-four exiting aperture one, requesting immediate departure for Linden at rate four.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cCloud-four, gate. Negative on rate four to Linden. Military requires all vessels to clear the lane as quickly as possible, minimum rate six.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cGate, cloud-four, copy minimum rate six for Linden, hold for instructions.\u201d He turned to Merilee. \u201cCap? Do we go at six?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cSix with a full load is pushing it. Liv, estimate fuel reserves after a six to Linden.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

She was already in the process of doing just that. \u201cAye, Cap. Leaves us with nine percent main fuel, and reserves. Enough to maneuver, unload, and set down for refuel\u2026just.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Merilee turned on her headset. \u201cGate, cloud-four. Any fuel available here?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cCloud-four, gate. Nearest fuel arrives in twenty hours.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Merilee growled. \u201cGate, cloud-four. Copy, no fuel.\u201d She turned to look at the rest of the crew. \u201cThis is it. We either do this now or pack up and go home.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI\u2019m in,\u201d Kara said, and Barn nodded in agreement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Liv took a deep breath. \u201cLet\u2019s do this!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Barn turned his headset back on. \u201cGate, cloud-four requesting immediate clearance for Linden at rate six.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cCloud-four, gate. Proceed to aperture two, you are cleared for departure.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cGate, cloud-four. Copy proceed to aperture two, departure aye.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As Merilee shot the ship forward through the aperture, the mangled hulk of a military ship emerged from one of the other apertures. They all had just the briefest glimpse of it, but it was disquieting all the same.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The ship rattled and the solid grey of superluminal space sparkled with stray hydrogen atoms demolishing themselves on the warp bubble. Kara kept a constant eye on fuel usage, warp shield level, and generator temperatures while Merilee leaned back and closed her eyes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWake me up when we\u2019re close to the Linden gate,\u201d she said to Barn.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What they had planned as a seven-hour trip would take less than two, and Barn found himself nervous. He kept his attention on their course and the bubble, trying not to think too hard about what they\u2019d find when they exited the gate.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At twenty minutes before the gate, Barn woke Merilee, and she set the flight system up such that she could assume manual control with a single keystroke. \u201cLiv, I want all sensors online as soon as we de-bubble. We\u2019re not stopping, and we\u2019ll be heading on course Alpha-two. I just hope there\u2019s nothing in the way.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Liv asked, \u201cShouldn\u2019t we wait until we\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cNo. You all saw that destroyer. It\u2019s going to be dangerous no matter what, but I\u2019m not sitting still just to be a target.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

They exited the gate at speed. The second the sensors came online, a collision warning blared. Merilee took manual control and did a hard-burn left lower quadrant turn. Barn kept his hands on the controls, assisting with extra muscle as the ship tried to fight back.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Despite the radical maneuver, the ship turned slowly, the inertia of its laden mass difficult to overcome. They missed colliding with the burned-out hulk of another freighter by meters, instead being pelted with bits of debris.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAny of that get through the hull?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cNo, Cap. We\u2019re still good,\u201d Kara said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cTalk to me Liv.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cFighters in low orbit, thirty minutes until they can lock on us. There\u2019s a platform in geostationary orbit, south of the colony.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cColony\u2019s not directly on the equator, but that orbit gives them eyes on it,\u201d Barn said. \u201cAny read on what it is?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cComing up now, Barn.\u201d The sensors continued their noise as Merilee piloted the ship into a lower and lower orbit. \u201cGot it. No weapons, eyes only.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cLiv, any read on the shuttles?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cNo shuttles in orbit or atmo.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cKara, how sure are you about your idea?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWell, Cap, if you can fly it, it\u2019ll work. The recovery chutes were refurbished last month, so at least we know they\u2019re good.\u201d She began calling up other systems on her console and muttered under her breath, \u201cJust hope the thrusters are strong enough.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cLiv, make it happen. Descending, geostationary orbit directly over the colony. At eighteen kilometers altitude we deploy the recovery chute. I\u2019ll manually control the thrusters to set us down just outside the colony.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Liv\u2019s fingers flew over her console. \u201cIn position in ten seconds, Cap.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Merilee turned off manual control. \u201cManual off, go when ready.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThree\u2026two\u2026one\u2026.\u201d The ship\u2019s computer took over navigation, putting them directly over the colony in a steadily slowing, steadily falling trajectory. The difference in speed between the ground below them and the high atmosphere buffeted the ship, the engines whining in their effort to maintain position while dropping like a rock from the sky.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Barn watched their remaining fuel empty out, then they started burning reserves. He ground his teeth in anticipation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At eighteen kilometers, the engines grew silent, and for a few seconds they were in free-fall, until the chutes deployed fully, yanking on the ship and slowing its descent. Merilee once again took manual control, using her console to determine their location relative to the ground now that the chutes held them in a tail-down position.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As the parachutes strained against the weight of the fully loaded ship, Merilee used the thrusters to adjust their trajectory. \u201cIt\u2019s gonna be a hard landing,\u201d Liv said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cShe can handle it,\u201d Kara said, \u201cI\u2019m pretty sure.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Barn let the comments go past him. He was busy mirroring the captain\u2019s movements, ready to provide extra muscle or take over completely in case of failure. He watched the altimeter wind down far too fast for a recovery landing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cCap! We got trouble!\u201d Liv sent the sensor data to the captain\u2019s heads-up display.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIncoming fighters,\u201d Merilee said. \u201cWe\u2019re a big target.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHow long until they\u2019re in range?\u201d Kara asked. The sound of bullets hitting the outer skin of the ship thumped and echoed. \u201cOh.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cTwenty seconds to land,\u201d Barn said. \u201cBrace for impact.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The engines cut out and the four of them held their breath, their harnesses pinning them in their seats, their backs to the ground. The impact was sudden and jarring.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI it my ongue,\u201d Kara said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAside from Kara\u2019s tongue, is everyone okay?\u201d Merilee asked.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYeah, just as soon as my heart slows down,\u201d Barn said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWell, ain\u2019t that a sight?\u201d Liv had already removed her harness and stood on the back of her chair. She pointed through the forward window above them to the fighters falling from the sky in flames.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As they watched, the chute, almost settled, filled with wind and pulled toward the bottom of the ship where the cargo hold contained most of the weight. \u201cLiv, strap in!\u201d Merilee clenched her fist as Liv scrambled to return to her seat.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

She wasn\u2019t fast enough, and the ship leaned, seemingly balanced on edge for a second, before slamming down to its normal position.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Liv was thrown to the floor, where she groaned. She sat up, touching her forehead where blood poured from a gash.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cKara, grab the first aid kit and patch up her head. Barn, get on the radio. Let \u2019em know we\u2019re two kilometers south of the colony.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cOh, they already know,\u201d Barn said, pointing at the rescue vehicles barreling toward their location.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Merilee helped Liv down first, for the medics to treat, then Kara. \u201cHow\u2019s your tongue?\u201d she asked.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt hurts, but I\u2019ll live.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHave the medics check you out anyway. I see you trying to hide all the blood you\u2019re swallowing. That\u2019ll just make you sick. Quit trying to be a badass.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAye, Cap.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cBarn?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cShaken, but uninjured,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI\u2019d feel better if the medics check you out, too, anyway.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Merilee followed him down and walked away from the ship to assess the damage. The cargo hold was dented, but not pierced. The upper hull, though, looked like Swiss cheese, thanks to the bullets of the fighters.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

One of the colony\u2019s military leaders pulled up next to her. \u201cYou\u2019re lucky to be alive,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cLuck has nothing to do with it.\u201d Merilee looked at the damage to the upper hull again. \u201cWell, maybe it does. Anyway, we heard the xenos destroyed your reservoir and things were grim, so we came.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhat\u2019s your ship\u2019s call sign, and what\u2019s the cargo?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cCloud-four,\u201d she said. \u201cOne through three didn\u2019t make it through, so, we had<\/em> to. Cargo is 590,000 cubic meters of water.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThank whatever gods there are you got here.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThis should hold you until we get patched up and bring another load. Hopefully to unload in orbit like a sane person next time.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

prompt: Write about a character whose job is to bring water to people. available at Reedsy Pre-jump checks were complete, all systems were green, and the crew of four were antsy to get going. The …<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[208],"tags":[222,210,228,209],"class_list":["post-2419","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-trunk-stories","tag-adventure","tag-fiction","tag-science-fiction","tag-short-story"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/pxT7i-D1","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.evardsson.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2419","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.evardsson.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.evardsson.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.evardsson.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.evardsson.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2419"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.evardsson.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2419\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2420,"href":"https:\/\/www.evardsson.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2419\/revisions\/2420"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.evardsson.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2419"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.evardsson.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2419"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.evardsson.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2419"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}