Sands of Time 69

 

Joon was trying to remember how long they'd been here. Days turned into weeks. He spent time with Jack, and Maia as well. Alt Joon occasionally when he was around. He didn't say anything about what he'd seen, but he kept a close eye on comings and goings. As much as he could- their movements were still restricted, although that had eased some. 

He was desperately wondering how Maia was doing. His Maia. The time he spent with Maia- 25 only exacerbated that. Hillier, on the other hand, seemed relatively content. Wary, but quiescent. He knew she explored too, when she could. They were being watched closely.  

The year was 2472, they were told. He was still wrapping his mind around that. To Hillier it made no difference- they looked at time in a different way.  

Stella had told him things, and they were turning out to be true. Childbirth, for example. Giving birth was considered quaint, old fashioned, akin to something animals did. Cloning was a norm here, accepted, and implants were used to dramatically increase lifespan. Disabilities and illness were treated with nanotech, bio enhancement. Sexual mores were freer, although there was some recent movement back towards traditional families as society rebuilt. No one really knew how many sanctuaries were out there- how many survivors. The great cities were gone. Festooned with vegetation and mutants, irradiated. The scholars maintained control through fear and the imperative of rebuilding all that had been lost. 

And through it all, as he learned more, Joon wondered about the people he'd seen in the depths of Sanctuary, the red R emblazoned on slimy walls. 

A Refuge. 

*******

"We must do something," Maia asserted. 

"I'm aware of that," Stella retorted. "I'm open to suggestions."

"Let me go after him," Maia pressed. 

"How?"

"Can't we... go to the last coordinates? Or something?"

"It's not quite that easy," Stella said sarcastically. "And Joon had a beacon."

"Maybe we do too," Maia said, producing the crystal Hillier had left with her. "Between this and Howie, I think... we can maybe do it."

They both looked at Mallory, who shrugged. 

"Don't ask me." 

Silence. 

"Alright, maybe. I'll have to look at things. I'll talk to Rachel too- she was posted on Horus, her team studied those crystals." 

"Alright, get on it," said Stella. "But," she said, turning to Maia, "no guarantees."

*******

The thing in the tank thrashed. 

The technician monitoring it noticed an alarm go off, reached for an alert indicator, then stopped. The alarm went off, and the tech stood there, confused. 

What... just happened exactly?, he wondered. 

After a moment he went back to his work, shrugging. 

The thing in the tank thrashed.