Fear

Fear

by James McLellan

Other Books:

Colony

Singularity

Cradle of the Sun

First Contact

Phylogeny

Copyright © 2021 James McLellan

All rights reserved. Except as permitted under the U.S. Copyright Act of 1976,

no part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in

any form or by any means, or stored in a database or retrieval system,

without the prior written permission of the publisher.

––––––––

First Edition: June 2021

The characters and events portrayed in this book are fictitious. Any similarity

to real persons, living or dead, is coincidental and not intended by the author.

Cover Art : 'Missed My Ride' by Josef Barton

Breakthrough

Oceana, Earth's Moon. April 2326.

So, how did you get involved in 'Voice of the Moon?'

It was my own fault, actually, Braava said, puffing a cigarette. The cameraman gave him just the slightest bit of encouragement, and Braava dug in. I was tired of making music videos.

They were sitting together at a lounge. The floors and walls were the dirty white of a place that received much more traffic than cleaning. They were belted into their chairs, which were themselves clipped onto the floor.  Not far from them was a thick glass view of the ground about three meters below. The glass had become clouded and was turning slightly purple due to years of exposure to the harsh radiation of the moon. Their view was partly eclipsed by thick protective bars, but from their chairs they could see beyond them the plains of Oceana in the distance. The shipyard, however, took up most of the view. Spacecraft were arriving and departing as the spaceport conducted it's business.

Mo, the cameraman, was wearing a recording rig. Carlos, the producer, was somewhere working on their visa. They found a rec area with a good view of the shipping yard. They all had grown terrible beards, and looked awful in their traditional Berkut space suits. Their helmets were off, on the table so that they could be put on in a moment.

The light winked out as Mo turned off the camera. Sorry, man, Mo apologized. I can't concentrate.

There were hundreds of similar Berkut-clad refugees. Mostly women and children, although more than a few men. Fyodor looked back, and as much as it hurt, really looked at them for a minute. He had software that could turn off his feelings. He'd been leaning heavily on it of late.

Are we responsible? Mo asked.

How could you be? Fyodor retorted, trying to console his friend. You didn't install the Lunar government in Bennu. And you aren't responsible for the atrocities they committed. Carlos, their producer, arrived at the table. He'd lost the Berkut spacesuit, found some comfortable clothes, shaved and cut his hair. He looked like a proper Lunar citizen.

You can't expect the Lunes not to have wanted a stake in the Aten and Apollo asteroids, Carlos began the same old argument they'd had several times during the trip. They're strategic. Bennu is only a day away part of the year. And the belts extend around most of the inner planets. And it's not like the Mitsnyy settlers were doing anything with it.

That's not true, Fyodor reprimanded.

It is the Lune point-of-view, Carlos ended. I'm waiting on a friend who can help us, he informed them. You can help by not looking like refugees. Carlos slapped a velcro plastic bag on the table. It contained fresh clothes, soap, scissors, and razors.

I found some showers. Hold on a minute. Carlos looked like he was distracted. My guy's here. Just a minute. I'll be back for you guys.

He's cold, Mo commented.

He has to be right now.

We could have radioed ahead to the capitol, Mo said. Told someone that the people we were coming with were armed and intent on a fight. When the orbits had been right, the Mitsnyy had come out of their homes to drive out the invaders whose brutality had been chronicled in great detail by radio. They had built up righteous indignation over the whole 'winter' of waiting for the right time, as the news became a constant drip of frustration.

That would have just gotten us thrown out an airlock, Fyodor told him. Or worse. Maybe the Seven-Party Union will lead better. We're lucky Carlos was able to get us on a flight to Luna when they shut down the spaceport.

A young girl, maybe eighteen years old, in a Berkut bounded up to them awkwardly. She was still getting used to the heavier Lune gravity, as was evidenced by her attempt to float. She grabbed their table and was just able to avoid an embarrassing spill.

She offered each of them a paper icon. Saint Therese of Lisieux, the girl said in Ukranian. My mother made them. For your protection, the girl explained. She is the Patron Saint of Refugees.

Is she? Fyodor asked. Thank you. He and Mo both took a printed slip of paper bearing an image of a woman they both assumed was Saint Therese. They also found the young girl's mother in the crowd, and waved appreciatively to her. The girl left, to share more of her mother's messages of hope.

I don't know what the Mitsnyy were like when they left Chernobyl in the twenty-second century, but I can't imagine a people any more spiritual than the Mitsnyy are in the twenty-fourth, Mo commented.

Fyodor had lost interest, and was staring out the window.

You want to know something that's really spiritual? Fyodor asked Mo, completely changing the subject. Fyodor was looking out the large window into the Oceana surface yard. That is, Fyodor announced. Mo noticed he was talking about the sliver of lunar dunes past the yard. Artemis. Isis. Luna. Can you imagine that primitive man once looked straight up and saw us?

Mo didn't know what to say. Let's go check it out, Fyodor decided, putting on his helmet.

What about Carlos? Fyodor was already gone. Mo took a quick look at the bag of clothes. It was, hopefully, safe here. He put on his helmet and followed his director.

Fyodor tried a door marked Employees Only. It opened. Mo and he found stairs on the other side down to the surface level. At the bottom of the stairs was another door that swung wide open into the vacuum.

With a dramatic flourish of feigned chivalry, Fyodor allowed the cameraman to go first. Mo nearly bounced on the wall.

Oh! Metastatic wall, Mo warned Fyodor, pointing out the indicators that he himself had missed. He'd gotten used to the low-tech people of the Atens.

The door outside was blocked by a translucent wall. But it wasn't a wall at all. Rather, the wall was millions of tiny robots, each a few micrometers in diameter shaped like grains of pollen. The robots held onto one another by the means of telescoping arms ending in tiny grabbers. Individually, they were nothing. As a group, the mesh of robots provided an almost leak-proof surface that would allow only solid objects, not air, to pass. But, you had to press forward firmly and go slowly, or you would be bounced on your backside like Mo almost had been. The swarm of robots could collectively produce a diffractive display presenting a full-color holographic of the opposite side, so the wall was nearly invisible, except for the warning labels on it's edges.

His sense of chivalry dissipated, Fyodor had stepped through the airlock. Mo followed behind. Security on Oceana Spaceport was either terrible, or the staff was distracted. Mo and Fyodor  managed to cross the spaceport yard without being challenged in their leaky Berkuts. An embankment of dark moon dirt sat at the perimeter of the Oceana shipyard.

How about we take some shots? Braava suggested. We'll find somewhere to use it. Fyodor and Mo started filming.

Maybe get a scene of walking. Something iconic, like a lone wanderer in the lunar desert. Fyodor jumped ahead.After a few shots of Braava stalking across the plain, Fyodor got another idea. He returned to the Oceana yard, found some debris. From it, Fyodor Braava fashioned a ridiculous costume of junk. He threw some more junk in the dirt and immediately began stalking the dunes again. Fyodor improvised various scenes.

Mo started feeling dizzy. Looking down at his air gauge. It was primitive, old-fashioned, and still gave a true result even after decades of exposure to radiation. Unlike electronic ones. Mo realized the tanks had emptied. They were getting by on the air in their suits. He called out to Fyodor. After a victorious shout, they both made for the safety of the nearest airlock.

Washed Ashore

London, Earth. December 2331.

Have you ever used one of these before? Fyodor asked the pop star. In his hand was a hair net dotted with tiny transceivers.

No, the starlet responded. What is it?

Fyodor tried not to let his frustration show. The back-up dancers were not even paying attention.

It's a professional memini harness, Fyodor said. Memini is Latin for 'I remember', he lectured. The pickups get close to get the best signal. It has multiple channels. That gives us options when we get to mixing. Make sense?

The starlet shook her head 'no', but she took the harness anyway. How do I put it on? she asked. Fyodor helped her.

Do you want them as well? Fyodor asked about the back-up dancers. We could do something artistic and only have your legend. They are like muted stars next to your brilliance, or something like that.

The starlet seemed to think about it. Let's get them too.

Fyodor Braava forced a smile. So, let's talk through what you want this to be.

I'm a dancing rainbow unicorn princess fairy, the starlet demanded.

Fyodor nodded. Alright. We'll go with that. He spent a few minutes getting the back-up dancers set for recording.

Is this going to take forever? the starlet asked.

You know, I have a friend who could do this, one of the backup dancers mentioned, ignoring Fyodor entirely.

This wasn't my pick, the starlet answered. Daddy arranged it. That information seemed to end the debate.

Fyodor checked the monitors. All of the performers looked good. Fyodor left the room. Ready to start when you are, he radioed.

The band began singing and dancing. The recording stage was a rental space decorated in multi-colored ribbon, glowing things, stage lights, and glitter. All had been thrown together haphazardly.

From the monitor, Fyodor Braava experienced the legend of the five performers. It was, in his opinion, a pretty mediocre performance. He thought about asking for another take.

When the song was over, Fyodor stepped out of the back room. That was amazing, he said while lighting a cigarette. The performers seemed delighted by the feigned praise.

I'm thinking we might be able to do a little more, Fyodor said to the starlet. I mean, really get into the head of these rainbow unicorn princesses.

The starlet checked her back-ups. No, she said. We've got a club showing in an hour, and the girls need to get ready.

Tomorrow?

She checked with the back-ups. No. You said it was awesome. Let's go with that.

Fyodor forced a smile. He'd have to tweak up the lame performances in re-mix.

Fyodor stepped outside the apartment they'd pressed into service for a stage. His advance money from the starlet's mom and dad was already in his account. Dragging on the cigarette, he saw a message from the publishers demanding he get them a final cut of 'Haze Imps' or accept their eighty-five minute proposal. He could use the advance for mixer time. He decided he'd just do the bare minimum on the starlet job. The parents, obviously, would be livid. But he had to make some decisions.

He placed a call to Palace pictures.

Polygram Productions, greeted the voice on the other end.

Hi Martha, it's Fyodor. I'll never get used to the new name.

I get it wrong most of the time myself, Martha, the receptionist for the now-defunct Palace, bought up and re-integrated with Polygram, comforted.

Richard Wellesley had corresponded that I might be able to schedule some time in the editing room to fill out my contractual obligations.

What time would you like? Martha asked. We have Wednesday free this week, and a few openings the next.

Wednesday would be great, Fyodor told her.

There was an awkward pause. Is Doug around? Fyodor asked eventually.

He is, Martha said. Would you like me to put you through?

Please, Fyodor asked.

There was a pause. When the line opened again, the voice of Doug Callow, former owner of Palace, was on the line. Fyodor! he began like an old friend.

Hello Mr. Callow, Fyodor replied.

What can I do for you my friend?

Braava replied, I just wanted to let you know that I scheduled some time to score and emote an eighty minute cut of 'Haze Imps'. Your man Richard Wellesley informed me that getting an eighty minute cut for distribution should liberate blocked funds, including the remainder of my fee. And I just wanted to confirm that Mr. Wellesley wasn't misspeaking or misinformed, and that I can expect a check waiting for me on Wednesday.

I can't promise you anything, Callow said without