Guiding star: light beneath the ground (part 5)
You can read the previous part here.
The storm covered the Wasteland with a lead cap. It rained violently on the deck of the ship with the Fallen Star sign and solar panels attached to the mast. Under the low, heavy sky, the ark rushing on the soaked off-road seemed like a lonely wanderer in primal darkness.
— Grant me a grain of luck, Omniscient. I don’t ask for much. Pure mind to master the knowledge. And the courage to use it, — whispered Seeker Ochre, without ceasing to monitor the operation of the devices in the navigation cabin.
A thin sawing sound merged with a rhythmic squeak of equipment, transmitting data on the movement of the ship. It was the knob of a children’s music box that Ochre once picked up in the ruins of a farmhouse. The toy miraculously survived Crossout, the agony of the passing era and timelessness in piles of forgotten junk... The Seeker loved it — a precious fragment of the old world. But now the simple melody only bored her, reminding of what couldn’t be brought back.
Unable to stand it, the woman put the box on a dashboard and opened the door of a deckhouse.
It was raining heavily overboard. The Seeker climbed the bridge, not noticing how cold droplets soak her clothes and roll on her back. Ochre’s thoughts were far from here: behind the curtain of rain, she seemed to see the pillars of black smoke. Smoldering remains of container ships at the Ship Graveyard. Rusty barge frames scorched by the dancing blaze.
— The inhabitants of the Valley have destroyed each other before, —Ochre said slowly. — The whole history of New Humanity is a chronicle of endless war. So what’s wrong with another looted caravan? How is this massacre different from the others?
And immediately she heard her own voice:
— The fact that the blood was spilled only from one side.
A couple of hours later, the control system notified the end of the route. The liner stopped under the shadow of a rock with bizzare cogs. Grabbing the camping lantern, Ochre moved with a pounding heart toward the mouth of the cave at the foot of the ridge. A wide concrete ramp provided an entrance to an underground bunker — the closest Scavenger base south of the Ship Graveyard.
Ochre hoped the unrest had not affected this place. Maybe the camp owners know more about the imminent threat?
— For the common good, let them be alive, — muttered the Seeker, carefully walking on sharp stones. — There’s too much chaos and turmoil these days…
The beam of the lantern tore the gates in the interior of the cave out of the darkness. Like the last visit, they were locked, and Ochre considered it a good sign — at least there were still people in the bunker. The Seeker knew that it was useless to knock, so she only increased the brightness of the lights and prepared to wait. But soon the thickness of the rock trembled from the push, and the canvas creaked upward, inviting the guest to enter.
An empty corridor leading to the main premises of the bunker appeared ahead.
— On behalf of the Order of the Fallen Star, I greet the survivors, — Ochre shouted, clamping a metal medallion in her hand. — Who meets the Seeker? Name yourself!
Nobody answered. Ochre shrugged and quickened her pace. Two years ago, she had to go through a disinfection chamber to get into the impregnable lair of one of Scar AB’s posts. It’s strange that the Scavengers changed the rules. Unless something terrible made them change the rules...
Having entered a giant, dimly lit hall, Ochre cautiously looked around. A huge scrap metal landfill appeared in front of her. Where there used to be a garage and spacious workshops, there were distorted cars, crumpled cargo cabins mixed with rusted sheets of covering and bristling fittings. The stranger remembered the park of simple, but durable armoured vehicles standing here — many of them turned into rubble.
White sparks cracked on the other half of the hall. As she got closer, Ochre found a group of Scavengers wearing welding masks and dirty rags. They fussed around the monstrous cabin, sewing every inch of the hull with plates made of wreckage of their own equipment.
— What happened her...—
Survivors waved their hands, suggesting the guest to proceed further — sixty meters down.
With a frightening clang, the elevator descended into the shaft. Through the metal grating, Ochre saw a crowd — all the inhabitants of the bunker gathered on the lower platform. The Scavengers could hardly stand on their feet. Someone stood resting on the shoulder of a comrade, someone sat leaning against the wall. Clothes covered in blood, bandaged heads with scarlet spots on bandages… It seemed that the squad visited the other side.
A heavy man in a yellow vest stood out in the crowd. Slightly limping on his leg with a prosthesis attached below his knee, he nervously walked between the wounded and gave orders to his assistants.
The Seeker waved her hand at him.
— Scar! I was worried you might be attacked — I was right, it seems. Are the losses heavy?
— Peace be upon the Order, Ochre, — the leader of the Scavengers barely glanced at the guest. — We lost enough to disrupt our plans for the next quarter. And enough to give me a lot of trouble. The Brotherhood doesn’t care how many people go on assignment. And how they will fight off these wretches...
— Who are you talking about?
Scar AB spat.
— About these arrogant coloured strangers... Syndicate. What else can there be? It’s not enough for them to mess with the Lunatics, wander around the Valley — they managed to get the Nomads too. A week ago, it got completely out of hand. Because of them we will lose the base at the Ship Graveyard.
— Easy, Scar. What makes you think you were attacked by the Syndicate?
— You mean, did we see the massacre? — he grinned in disappointment. — No, we didn’t. The signal came too late. But the wretches didn’t even think to flee. Who else do you think it could be?
— I saw what was left of the base. The attackers used plasma cannons. Remember the nature of the damage: severe deformation, breaks with melted edges. The technical level of the Syndicate is higher than that of many old inhabitants of the Valley, but they behave differently.
— How do we know?— A vile voice sounded behind Scar AB’s back. — We haven’t even seen the Syndicate! They sent their henchmen to us — those who just want to earn extra money. If their mercenaries carry such “sweet” tech, who knows what their bosses are capable of?
— All right, you lazy idiots! — The leader of the Scavengers exploded. — You don’t like the work I provide — you are free to go. You can die out there with the other idiots, for all I care — I won’t take you back. Got it? Are there any other “sweet tech” enthusiasts here?
Scavengers were shamefully silent.
Ochre took Scar by the hand, pulling him away from the crowd.
— Listen, the Syndicate is not the main threat. Someone captured the Ravager technology, and soon all of us will face them. Now the Ravagers don’t erase memories, they kill people! And if they gain control over the entire Valley?
Ochre’s voice trembled, but she quickly coped with her emotions.
— Nomads think this is Lloyd’s doing. While you and I are arguing, there’s an army of combat vehicles somewhere nearby that obey a fanatic. We cannot ignore that! Scavengers, Engineers, Nomads, and even Lunatics must unite to prevent the disaster.
Scar pulled his hand.
— What do you want, woman? You want me to give up on my old commitment because of somebody’s foolishness? You think the Brotherhood is waiting for me to preach peace in the whole world? I have enough problems: “Steppenwolfs” refused to help, it’s necessary to resume deliveries, to strengthen protection of caravans… And all I have to work with is a handful of these cowardly worms!
Scar angrily pointed his finger towards the wounded.
— You can alert the entire Kaganate. Good luck! I will do more important things, such as restoring justice. When we launch the mass production of the new weapons, I think I’ll test them on the Syndicate.
— You’re unbearable, Scar! Lloyd already tested his plasma cannons on you. I managed to capture a Ravager: I know exactly the model of installation and the power of the shells. They can quickly call for reinforcements — thanks to the alert system. They are difficult to disable — their protective modules absorb damage.
A shadow of interest flashed on Scar Ab’s face for the first time. His love of collecting complex inventions was known even In the farthest corners of the Valley — even during critical moments, it hadn’t faded.
— Bravo, Ochre! Your sense for curious toys is sharper than mine. I offer you a deal: the machine in exchange for a pass to my bunker. If you’re so scared, you’ll sit out the invasion underground. Clear your mind of depressing thoughts. And then life will return to normal.
Scar AB stretched his lips in a grin, deliberately ignoring Ochre’s indignation.
— New world is not a place for panickers, Seeker. Last time, an invincible army of Ravagers was stopped by a bunch of Engineers. What prevents us from using them again? That’s what I said to that girl… Foxy, when she showed up a couple hours ago.
— Foxy was here? What did she want?
— No idea. Didn’t even listen to the nonsense about the rise of the machines. She’s still here, trying to lower the price of the gas pump.
— Scar! When are you gonna stop being such a pain in the back? I need to talk to her right now.