Darren Wearmouth - The Critical Trilogy Box Set

Denver turned and gazed at the surrounding area. Maria and Layla both had tears in their eyes. Mike cuddled Mai and she buried her face in the armpit of his brown and yellow striped sweater.

The ship’s engines rumbled to life, throwing out red heat haze. Denver trudged up the ramp and didn’t look back. The ramp folded into the starboard side of the ship and its solid metal door slid down.

Charlie backed away to join the rest of the group. The ship’s engines tilted down and grew in sound. Sunshine reflected off the dark tinted window in front of the cockpit. The ship thrust into the air and shot forward, banking around Unity in a matter of seconds and heading upward, roaring through the sky.

A chilly wind blew across the field. Everyone silently watched as the engine’s blue glow disappeared, leaving a thin trail of vapor behind.

MIKE AND MAI sat opposite Charlie, Maria, and Layla at Aimee’s dining table. The prism balanced at the far end, emitting a purple cone of light with a holographic face inside.

Charlie lit a root cigar and took a deep drag, enjoying the feeling it gave him for one last time. He puffed a smoke ring into the air, enjoying a feeling of freedom that he hadn’t experienced in thirty years.

Steam drifted from Mike and Mai’s herbal tea. Layla and Maria decided to drown their sorrows with root wine.

“How’s your elbow?” Charlie said to Mike.

“The scion are repairing it tomorrow with nanomachines. They wanted to put me under for the operation, but I insisted on having a numbing injection to watch the process.”

Mai rolled her eyes, raised a hand and gave him a mock slap on his shoulder. After hearing about her poor health, Charlie was pleased to see her about on her feet. They really were the post-apocalyptic odd couple, but Charlie would have them no other way.

“We’re project managing the infrastructure rebuild next week,” Mai said. “The scion are sending down a million worker drones to build wireless electricity, housing, sanitary sewers and networked communications.”

“Don’t forget the technology school,” Mike added. “We’re going to build the best city the world has ever seen and teach others how to replicate it.”

The hologram nodded. “Replication builds strength. We will also attempt to recover old data. This will be mutually beneficial in terms of our quest and your restoration.”

Charlie couldn’t help feeling impressed. Most of the preinvasion data would be useless now. Governments had fallen, armies were destroyed, and the population decimated. Dirty little secrets, old plans, and classified databases were useless to the current world.

Croatoans stripped the planet’s dignity and they had nothing to hide. The scion gave them a chance to increase their standard of living under protection, in exchange for searching for information that had little consequence to the population, as far as he could see.

“Maria and I are continuing with our reintegration work,” Layla said. “There’s thousands of humans who need our help. Mike’s making it a priority to build accommodations to house former captives. The scion are already reconfiguring some of the farms as education centers.”

“Ten are nearly completed,” the hologram said in a neutral voice.

“I’m heading to Freetown tomorrow to oversee it,” Maria said. “They’re giving Khan, Baliska and me a demonstration of how to use the computers.”

“Sounds like you’ve got it all worked out,” Charlie said, taking a drag of his cigar. He hadn’t taken part in the planning since arriving back on Earth, preferring to spend time in Augustus’ old cabin, unwinding and reading through some of the bizarre revisions the old emperor had planned for his new version of history. “You don’t need a grouchy old man like me getting in the way.”

“You’re welcome to join us,” Maria said. “You can’t just disappear into the sunset.”

Mike laughed. “If you think Charlie Jackson will do that, you’ve had too much wine.”

“I’ll still be around. Don’t you worry about that,” Charlie said.

Candlelight glowed against Maria’s smiling face. This was the happiest Charlie had seen her since the harvester liberation over two months ago. She could look forward to living her natural life, free of tyranny. They all could.

The cigar was only half finished, but Charlie had smoked enough. Now the root was nonessential, the sour metallic flavor tasted even more disgusting. He stubbed it out in the chamber’s newly acquired ashtray, carefully making sure none of the hot embers dropped through the eye and mouth holes of the metal mask.

“I need some fresh air,” Charlie said and stretched his arms. “I’ll leave you guys to your planning.”

“Leaving us already?” Mike asked. “We’re talking about vehicles next.”

“I’m sure it’ll be thrilling, but Pip needs a walk.”

Charlie pushed back his chair, waved Pip from her basket, and headed for the exit. The group continued to enthusiastically chat about their plans, but he wanted a few moments alone to think about Denver.

The surviving population was crammed into the structures still left standing. Weak artificial light poured through windows of the wooden houses as Charlie walked to the edge of the city.

He climbed the switchbacks at the end of the basin and overlooked the town, wanting to keep the image in his mind of where they had come from after the new city was established.

Those who were lost over the last three decades needed to be remembered. It would keep everyone’s feet planted firmly on the ground in the face of a new technological revolution. Charlie let out a deep breath when picturing Pippa’s smile after she entered the office thirty years ago, with a blue bead from the Roanoke dig.

A black prism drifted across the star-filled sky—a human creation from centuries ago on another planet, providing protection and advancement for Earth. Denver was probably already aboard, making plans and familiarizing himself with the scion weapons and early stages of the plan.

Charlie’s days of adventure were over. He let out a deep breath, dropped to one knee and put his arm around Pip. He was glad that he played a part in freeing Earth from oppression and could hold his head up high. As far as he was concerned, his job was complete.

It was time for the next generation to take up the mantle.

A shiver of pride ran through Charlie’s body at the thought of Denver and his mission. Together they helped saved the fate of the world. His son would now do it on a universal scale.

Pip whined.

“Don’t worry, girl. He’ll be back. I guarantee it. He’s a Jackson. We always win in the end.”

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First Published in 2014–2015 by Vast Frontiers Ltd

Copyright Colin F. Barnes & Darren Wearmouth

The moral right of the author has been asserted. All characters and events in this publication, other than those clearly in the public, are fictitious and any resemblance to real persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.

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