31. Enigma ventures

• “Heading toward the docks, I may approach the ion drive cores from there.”
• “Dan, I would suggest an alternate route.” — Vince attached a few map outlines to the conference call — “The docks are still full of cooking shuttles, that darned XO and the crew are not doing anything.”
• “I see, your route takes me awfully close to the rings.”
• “I know, but if you look at the data, it is safer.”
• “Saw that, are you sure these measurements are correct?” — a ring blowout was too rare event that a casual dock worker like Dan would know the ins and outs.
• “Yes, we are monitoring the ship in every moment. Navy would order civilian pull out if any signs of chain reaction would be there. The docks are safe only at the aft sections.”
• “Okey, I will vote confidence for now, but any sign of trouble and I will abort.”
• “Understood, you are there, your call. And, Dan. Thanks, for all souls there.”
• “Not doing for them, keep your side of the bargain.” — commotion started behind Vince among the crew.
• “Will do. Must be an important memory. Vince out.”
• “Sure it is.”

Dan already switched to a new environmental suit, and looted a fully charged radio from an emergency lock. The suit will not protect him from extensive radiation, yet he preferred every bit of protection available. First is to reconnec the computers near the drive cores. Then personally visit all six and verify safe operation.

There are thousands of crew, specialized and trained engineers on board. He still could not fathom why a civilian needed to this work. A month into the emergency. It seemed surreal to Dan.

Maybe he had too high expectations or a false sense of security aboard the Giant. Practically living there for years, seemed the huge ship is immune to any trouble. Such as, if it was invincible.

This delusion was shattered for him, along the tens of thousands on board. Whoever left alive, either was doing everything for the others to survive, or cared for only themselves to survive. The true character of people always surfaces in crisis. Some step up to solve, to ease suffering, to be a hero. Others delve deeper, into selfishness, survival takes over. This never changed for humans. Always divided in reaction, even if same tribe facing a horde of tigers. Or the same crew facing their existential threat.

Fascinating invention of evolution this is. Members of the species react very differently in the exact same circumstances, inadvertently ensuring the long term survival of said species. As one of the tactics chosen should work. Sometimes it leads to a large loss of life, it is tragic, yet the species survives and thrives afterwards in an abudance of resources. With lessons learned.

Reconnecting the computers was the easy job. They were in stand by, only needed a human to command them alive. Gopher immediately managed to connect to them.

The challenge only came after. The diagnostics showed no connection to the ion drives. The shrapnels were everywhere, quite the wonder how it did not sever the network, neither destroy the computers. Seems the manufacturer knew their craft, the casings were like hedgehog but no piece got through.

• “Setup done, you can insert the memory chip, just for a moment, so the cracking can commence. Thanks, estimating time… seems, 3 weeks with current calculation power. Wow.” — Gopher’s awe shared by the group. They knew two thirds of the key and had access to a literal supercomputer. This was a military grade encryption.
• “Send me the key whenever it is ready. On my way to the first core.”
• “Okidoki, good luck there.” — Gopher disconnected once again.
• “Vince, I hope you have a plan B there. I won’t be able to repair the drives alone.”
• “Don’t even try, we know, though plan B will be significantly riskier without the drives.”
• “I may not even wanna know.”

Shrapnels, body parts and generally broken wasteland mixed up in a grinder, how Dan could describe what he started to call ground zero. He wasn’t far off with the name. Yet the gory got to him shortly. He only looked far into the dark corridors to avoid thinking of whose guts he is ankle deep at the moment.

Bulkheads partially in place slowing his movement. Not as agile in the space suit, knocking into loose metal pieces all the time. He already had to use half the patches just to fix the suit in the first place, he had to be careful not to scratch more holes into it.

The first core he reached in an hour despite the snail’s pace he could put up. Another hour until he could finish the checklist provided by their resident all knowing Gopher. Well, she just pulled a lot of data quickly from the computers, having all the time in the world to herself.

Remote activation may not work, as Dan could not access the wiring in the walls, but in person, one drive was good to go. For a short burst anyway.

The second drive core was secured by the end of the day, or more like the end of Dan’s energy as day and night cycles were a thing of the past in this eternal darkness.

Navigating the debris took a lot from Dan, one bulkhead he had to cut through with a blowtorch. The very next day he managed to pass the third core. That was quick, no checklist was needed to see, the core was gone. The nearest to the ring’s blowout, it was flattened by the gravimetric waves. Dan would not understand the how, but he not needed to. Reported and continued his journey to the fourth core.

• “Dan, what are you decrypting there?” — Gopher shouted into the comms.
• “I told you…”
• “Don’t bullshit me. There some guys near my room, trying to get in and they are not for rescue…”
• “Shi…”
• “What the hell is on that memory chip?”
• “I actually don’t know. But they can’t get to you anyway.”
• “They don’t have to, just cut my air supply from outside, the scrubbers here won’t hold long. So, I gave them your route.”
• “What did you do…”
• “Their leader threatened me. They knew and traces the decrypting process to me. I know I am toast here but I chickened out.”
• “More like ratted me out.” — Dan’s pulse high, but he needed to focus — “Send me the voice of their leader, and how long for the key to be decrypted?”
• “Sending. Still two and a half weeks.” — at least she didn’t stop the process, maybe they can buy time.
• “Keep it running, may be our only bargaining chip whatever is on it.”

He replayed the threatening voice and immediately recognised it. Brad’s memories had the same imprint. A few sentences even matched word by word.

The boss is personally after him, no more henchman delegation. This info really have to be important. At least he knew about his pursuers this time, giving a bit of an edge to Dan.

The area was treacherous anyway. A bit of loosening here, a small cut there, and a bulkhead is now a deathtrap falling on anyone who is carelessly bumping to sides. Air is dump, freezing cold in one corridor, burning hot the next. The suit is the only thing keeping Dan alive. This is good, the pursuers have to wear it too.

Dan kept following the original route. While this seemed a tactical mistake, as this information was known to his enemies, being in the lead gave him ample opportunity to plant traps. Knowing where your enemy will be is a unique power.

Two days passed while he arrived to the last core. The fourth and fifth were lucky to be working, and the last one was out of order too. At least the four working ones were in symmetrical position, greatly simplifying their ignition process. Dan hooked up a makeshift remote control and managed a successful test with the mining barge. Not to ignite the drives, they may have only one chance for that. Only the connection was tested.

Now to the cat and mouse chase along the traps and ruins. Dan was not sure who is the cat in this case, ready for a fight if needed when circling back to safety.

If you enjoyed this scene, read the story leading up to it so far here:

Giant of the Stars

Fictional story of a luxury starliner’s catastrophy

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