Evac
08 Dec 2024Claude Lecardunoie
... Continued from The delay
As I was flying to Sol, targeted by the last Titan out there, I was suddenly thinking about Mikel Olteri, a Sol citizen I met some months ago (read H.G. Wells). Where was he and what was thinking about now? Was he still having the same doubts and questions about the war against the Thargoids? I doubt I will ever know I'm afraid. Anyway, the Daedalus Traffic Control message I received suddenly took me out of my thoughts:
- "Marco Polo Liner, glad to have you here. Please head to landing pad 06... No, 12"
It was a mess outside the station. Busy of course, but the flying corridors were not existing anymore. By 6 kms out of the station, I barely escaped a collision with Keelback, or a T-6 may be.
- "Daedalus Traffic Control for Marco Polo Liner, keep clear of the Station access corridor. Sorry, we have to let other ships out, please acknowledge"
Flying corridors were not any longer existing at the station entrance - Too many echoes picked up by the sensors
I waited another 15 minutes for my landing authorization, dodging ships boosting even before they exited the station. It was chaos outside Daedalus, god, what will it be inside...
I only came recently in Sol (read Down to Earth) and I never understood why, despite being Humankind home system and where everything started from, I never felt any particular bond with Earth or Mars. I saw then some of the landmarks that somehow defined what we are and where we come from of course, but I just think that after centuries across the Galaxy, we just moved on.
But seing all these refugees, compacted against the wall of the corridors accessing the docking area, these considerations were no longer relevant. My ship has a capacity of 96 passengers, 110 if they squeeze... completely unsignificant if you think about the total population of the system, but I was here, so let's get things done.
It was a mess outside Daedalus, and again, I expected the worst inside the station. Instead, I saw people patiently queuing: families grouped together but also some on their own, probably because they already lost their relatives fleeing Earth or Mars to reach a spaceport. Why were they so quiet? I don't think they were not scared, I think they were in complete disbelief of what was going on, in total shock by what was at stake: Earth and Mars annihilation.
I registered my ship in the evac' list. 30 minutes later, a woman wearing the Galactic Red Cross jacket arrived on the pad, followed, ten meters behind, by a hundred of people.
- "I expected Federal Auhtorities to handle that, not the Red Cross", I said to the woman
- "As of yesterday, they allowed Federal officials and staff to evacuate and asked for volontaries to take over. My shift here, on Daedalus was supposed to end in 3 days. Not gonna happened, I'm afraid, so I volunteered", she said.
- "Listen up!!", she screamed turning to the group behind her, "That's your ship. Destination V886 Centuri and the Rescue ship stationed there."
- "What? That's the ship?", said a man wearing a too small anti-g suit, "That's the ship? A T-7, a regular liner, no AX protection, barely a shield! And you expect us to board in it to cross Thagoid lines? My family and I will rather wait for a better ride."
- "Well, yes, it's a T-7. It never was meant for this", I started to explain, "I don't intend to engage Thargoid vessels and it is not the point today, we just want to run through them. I've done that before, with a faster ship, ok, but that's possible. We will very likely be interdicted by the Xenos and take some shots. If that happens, we'll have some casualties. But trust me, I can fly it through Thargoids squadrons and reach V886 Centuri".
- "Peope, listen", said the Red Cross woman, coming to my rescue and trying to calm the crowd down, "You don't have to board this ship if you don't want to. But you'll have to go back in the line and register again for the evacuation. Then, tomorrow, in two day or god knows when, you might have a better ship, or most likely no ship at all. So, take this chance, please".
The man with the tight suit pushed his family, his wife, two kids and three elders on my ship access ramp, and followed them, his head down as he passed by me. No one turned back and soon enough, the Marco Polo was full.
- "Thanks a lot", I said to the Galactic Red Cross lady, "Your turn to board now"
- "I'm not coming", she said, "My folks and family, they couldn't make it to Toronto spaceport. I don't have news, but it's a nightmare downthere. Why should I leave then. Besides, I still have work to do here, and so have you. So get on board and free this landing pad quickly!".
- "What's your name?", I asked
- "Karine. Karine Coté", she smiled, "Don't worry too much. Actually, you may well not make it yourself, you know that, right?"
We just shook hands and I boarded, watching Karine walking toward the crowded docks corridors to handle another evacuation group.
Five minutes later, I was exiting Daedalus, making my way across the chaos outside the station and heading toward V886 Centuri.
I knew there were chances that this flight could end up as a tragedy. And it did, but not the way I expected.
To be continued in Last flight out of Sol...