The Clones of Mawcett (25 page)

“Mr. Priestly,” Jenetta asked, “how far can a person walk without being observed from the surface?”

“I haven't followed all the tunnels yet, but I've gone more than a kilometer underground without any indication that the sewer was ending.”

Jenetta turned to Captain Greene. “Captain, I'm sure that your people are tired of sitting around. Maybe you could send two squads out to reconnoiter the sewer tunnels and find us a safe path away from here. We'll also need a new place of concealment, large enough for everyone.”

“Will do, Commander,” he said grinning. “I do have a few people that are ready to jump out of their skin if they can't do something other than sit around on their arse.”

“Make sure they don't engage the Raiders unless it's in defense of their lives. We want this to be a surreptitious mobilization.”

“Aye, Commander.”

“Thank you, Mr. Priestly,” Jenetta said, “you may have saved a number of lives by sharing this information.”

Jenetta walked to the mess hall to get a cup of coffee as Marine Captain Greene went to brief his lieutenants. He posted several armed Marines near the now open sewer shaft before leaving.

As she entered the mess hall, Jenetta observed that several classes were in progress. The scientists had elaborated upon her idea and were actually teaching courses in archeology to the dig site laborers that were interested. Since there wasn't anything else to do except talk or sleep, the classes were filled. Jenetta prepared her coffee and returned to the corridor in time to see Marines climbing down the newly uncovered shaft. A full squad was detailed to guard the opening.

Time seemed to slow after the Marine patrols left. If they were detected in the tunnels, the Tsgardi might realize that there was an alternate entrance to the facility. It would be difficult to track back to the entrance but they would put all their resources into the effort since they were having such difficulty with the door. The two squads on patrol were restricted from using com links because their signals might be picked up. Jenetta wouldn't have any updates until they actually returned to the base.

Reemerging from the black shaft about six hours later, the two lieutenants in command of the squads gave their reports in the command center to Captain Greene and Jenetta. Deploying in opposite directions, the squads had spent hours following the dry and dusty sewer lines beneath what must have been a very large city at one time.

“We followed the lines as they converged with other lines, getting larger or smaller as they went,” Lieutenant Taggert explained. “After several hours of exploration, my squad discovered a pumping and treatment plant that's buried well below the surface. Whatever buildings were above it must have collapsed onto it as they decayed, but the place is solid, and there doesn't seem to be any danger of roof collapse. It's pretty dusty and dirty but it's somewhat defensible because it has to be totally invisible from the surface. The only way in is through the tunnels.”

“How far is it from here?” Captain Greene asked.

“About two klicks. It's not a difficult walk, won't expose anyone to the Tsgardi, and it's almost completely dry the entire way.”

“Any sign that the Tsgardi have entered the tunnels?” Jenetta asked.

“None at all. They're probably not even aware of the existence of the sewers.”

“Let's hope,” Jenetta said. “Tomorrow morning we'll start moving our base. We'll need enough food and water for a month, plus whatever other supplies we can carry. We won't move the less ambulatory civilians and wounded until the new base is completely set up, unless the Tsgardi get the door opened sooner.”

All personnel not on security duty were pressed into service the following morning. That included all of the civilian laborers, people accustomed to hard work. A line of workers, stretching almost a quarter of a kilometer into the tunnel, was formed from the shaft entrance out into the sewer tunnel system so food and supplies could be moved quickly by being passed from individual to individual. All supplies were first moved into the main tunnel and stacked along the walls so that the base could be abandoned quickly if the Tsgardi broke through the entrance. A hose found in the kitchen was used to fill collapsible polyethylene containers carried empty into the main sewer tunnel, averting the chore of having to negotiate the narrow shaft beneath the facility with the tenuous water containers. Then the job of carrying everything to the new base began. It took the better part of the day to move everything to the new base, just two kilometers away.

That evening they enjoyed their last showers and hot meals for a while. Enough water for drinking and food preparation had been moved to the new base, but no one would be bathing. On the plus side, as soon as the floor panel had been removed, communication and sensor information had been restored. The bottom side of the tile appeared to be surfaced with the same material as the door. They learned that there was still just one ship in orbit, so the situation hadn't worsened. It was small consolation.

 The entrance door was beginning to show obvious signs of buckling as explosion after explosion was heard in the facility, and with time running out, the besieged group completed their evacuation. Jenetta closed and password locked all the doors in the facility before also climbing down the shaft. Captain Greene was the last to descend into the sewer, and after using the Nordakian commands that Jenetta had taught him to turn off all lights and life support systems, he carefully lowered the large, heavy floor tile into place and climbed down the metal rungs. When the Tsgardi Raiders broke through the entrance door, they would be faced with an empty, darkened corridor and locked doors of similar construction to the one they had spent weeks trying to open.

By midnight, everyone was settled into the new base. All tracks showing their passage had been carefully swept away, and simulated barriers of decayed debris had been carefully assembled in the tunnels leading to the facility and to their new base in the pumping station. Even if the Tsgardi did find their way to the pumping station, the cover on the shaft leading up into the facility was securely latched down.

The pumping station was dry, but filthy, and the silence seemed deafening after days of listening to the increasing assaults on the facility's main door. Over the next couple of days the station was cleaned as much as possible. An office area was cleared to serve as the command center. The scientists were delighted with the find and spent their time examining the pumping equipment and any artifacts that they could find. The laborers did most of the cleaning and took everything that they found to a central collection point for the scientists to examine further. The dryness of the station had helped preserve everything in it.

After several days, Captain Greene began seeking permission to send out scouts to see what was going on. Jenetta at first refused, even though she knew she needed intel. When several more days had passed, Jenetta finally gave permission, with the understanding that the scouts were to avoid contact with the Tsgardi at all costs. If discovered, they had orders to lead the Tsgardi away from the pumping station encampment.

Each team of scouts sent out, returned safely, and their reports were always the same. Raider support personnel were observed relaxing above ground near the tunnel entrance. Most of them were Tsgardi, but there were a few Terrans working with them.

The days wore on slowly. Jenetta could stand the cold food, but was dying for a steaming mug of coffee. They couldn't risk having the Raiders spot smoke or smell hot food, though, so cold food and plain water would have to suffice. The scientists had resumed the classes in Archeology, but interest had waned in the primitive, dirty, and uncomfortable living conditions.

An excited scout team returned one evening with news that the Tsgardi were gone. Captain Green confirmed that sensors weren't picking up any sign of a ship in orbit, but the com chief reported that the IDS signals were still being jammed. Jenetta decided to stay under cover for now, because it could be ruse to draw them out of their hiding place. The ship could simply have moved to the other side of the planet where it would be hidden from their sensors.

Two more days passed before Jenetta sent out scouting teams with orders to look for indications that the Tsgardi had really departed. Captain Greene led a small team into the facility from the sewer tunnel shaft. Each member was issued a gas mask, and would wear it until the air quality was tested and met minimum safe requirements.

A Marine returned from the facility team within two hours to report that the door had held. The facility was intact, except that the main door would never open normally again. Jenetta told the Marine to return to the facility and tell Captain Greene to remain there, unless the Tsgardi returned.

The outside patrols reported back a few hours later. The Tsgardi had packed up and moved out, taking everything they could plunder, including the three Space Command shelters. The even took the empty, quarter-high shipping container used to send supplies to the base before the Prometheus left orbit.

Jenetta decided that it might be safe to move back to the facility, but there was still a danger. It had been almost a month since the Tsgardi first appeared, and if at least one of the shuttles had managed to get away, then help from Higgins base at Vinnia should be arriving very soon. The only thing weighing on Jenetta's mind was that IDS com traffic was still being blocked. It didn't make sense that the Tsgardi would leave the communications blocking satellites in orbit. They never left anything of value behind. If they had succeeded in overrunning the facility, they would surely have collected them. So they might only have left the surface to get the planet's inhabitants to come out of the impenetrable facility. They might be planning to come back once a false sense of security had been established. She decided that, for now, they should remain in the pumping station, although hot food would be prepared in the facility and carried to the pumping station for consumption. And as long as there were no indications of a ship in orbit, people could go to the facility in shifts to take showers.

Two days later, sensors detected a ship entering orbit. The pumping station base was put on immediate alert and a runner was sent to evacuate the facility. Once the station was secure, Jenetta ordered patrols be sent out to collect intelligence about any landings.

Less than an hour after the patrols left, both returned. Included in the party were fighter pilots from the Prometheus. Jenetta breathed deeply and released it slowly as the pilots approached her.

“We're astonished to find you still alive, Commander!” 1st Lt. Harrigan exclaimed. “Based on what we heard from Space Command, we only expected to find bodies.”

“I'm surprised to see you also, Lieutenant. I didn't expect the Prometheus back for months. It's only March 16th. I was expecting a ship from Vinnia.”

“I guess Space Command notified the Captain as soon as they learned we were on a fool's errand. He ordered a one-eighty and we returned here at full speed. I think that the engines were run at a hundred and ten percent all the way back. The Captain is on his way down now. As soon as we determined that the threat was gone, we informed the ship, and his shuttle left its bay.”

A slight commotion behind the Lieutenant drew their attention and Captain Gavin strode into the room, grinning.

“Jen, thank God you're alive! How is the scientific party?” Looking at the pumping plant around him, he added, “I can't wait to hear your story about this!”

“All members of the scientific staff are safe and sound, sir, including their seventy-seven clones. I lost six of my Marines in the attacks though, plus–– one of my clones.”

“Six is–– what? Did you say 'one of my clones'? As in clones of you?”

“Yes sir. The machine made two before we could shut it down.”

“What the devil possessed you to make clones of yourself? Wait, don't tell me right now! Save it for your full report. I'm sure that Captain Kanes will want to hear this also. Let's go back up to the surface.”

“Yes sir. Just let me make an announcement.” The dig site members had all been crowding around trying to hear the news. Jenetta turned to look at them and said loudly, “The Prometheus has arrived back at the planet and all is secure. You can gather up your possessions and return to your top-side camp. Thank you for your cooperation during the past month.”