Cruiseliner Hades 7: A Lost 77 Worlds Tale Read online

  CRUISLINER

  Hades 7

  A Blasted Earth

  Lost 77 Worlds Story

  By Craig Martelle

  With Guy Martelle, Stephen A. Lee, James M. Ward, Eddie Jonas, Nathaniel Y. Sims, Paul Bachleda, Jamie Soule, and David Arellano

  Cruiseliner Hades 7 Copyright © 2018 Craig Martelle

  Lost 77 Worlds and Blasted Earth are © 2018 by

  Stephen A. Lee and James M. Ward

  All rights reserved.

  Cover Illustration by Luca Oleastri, innovari.com

  Typography, editing, & formatting by James Baldwin - www.jamesosiris.com

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events and incidents are either the products of the author’s imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.

  Table of Contents

  The Players

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  77 Worlds

  Free Trader of Warren Deep

  Cygnus Rising Humanity Returns to Space

  Postscript

  Author Notes

  The Players

  The Ranger, Joshua played by Nathaniel “Nate” Y. Sims

  Has a leadership chip embedded in his brain, charismatic, the leader

  The Sergeant, Gunny played by Guy Martelle

  Comes from a military background, a warrior leader

  The Robot, Andy played by Stephen Lee

  An old model, uses treads to move, has a magnificent railgun that is in a critical state of disrepair

  Man-Beast Warrior, Squatch played by a Non-Player Character

  Looks like a bear, a pure warrior, fight first, ask questions later

  The Scientist, Dr. Carroll played by Paul Bachleda

  Trained to figure out the old technology, wears a high-tech skin suit and carries a concealed laser pistol

  The Medic, Buck Kalair played by Edward “Eddie” Jonas

  Practices medicine using native healing techniques. Can suture a wound, but doesn’t have access to modern medical technology

  The Tree, Diego played by David Arellano

  Seven and a half foot tall human, extremely thin but good with a spear

  The Hired Hand, Lucas played by Jamie L. Soule

  Bodyguard for hire, fell into the group when he was down on his luck

  Chapter 1

  A rough man leaned over the cargo ship’s rail and sulked, the breeze failing to move his unkempt hair. The hulk forced its way forward, closing on the port city of Juneau. Under dark and heavy brows, the man surveyed the dock ahead.

  An old cruiseliner wallowed at the next berth. The passenger ship looked right at home among the ruins of the city beyond. Tatters of cloth and clothing hung from portholes. Whether drying, signaling, or for some other reason, they gave the ship an odd taste of humanity. People lived aboard that derelict.

  In Juneau proper, new buildings were taking their place beside and among the destruction, pushing aside the debris and ruin. People bustled about with a purpose that suggested hope.

  Juneau was rising from the ruins of its past. Sort of.

  The hard man, a Ranger by trade, had been hired to lead a band to recruit labor for the factory while also finding and eliminating those who were opposed to what the Lee pods represented.

  A future where technology was embraced. Lee pods – a vehicle to carry a person into space.

  Who would not want such a thing? the Ranger mused.

  A massive creature ambled close. He was mutant, intelligent, but looked too much like a bear to convince people that he was anything but. He sniffed at the Ranger before joining him in watching the town.

  “You a passenger?” the Ranger asked.

  “Yes,” the newcomer growled. “Going to Juneau for a job.”

  “Me, too,” the Ranger replied. “I’m Joshua.”

  The man-beast nodded and strolled away without saying another word. The cargo ship belched a fresh batch of black smoke. It fell from the stack like a solid mass and rolled over the walkway. The bear-like creature disappeared into it. The ship chugged forward, leaving the acrid cloud in its wake.

  Two men were on the open deck engaged in a mock sparring match. One was tall and thin and the other, a wiry man who looked to be teaching the finer points of a grab and block move.

  You’re on the same job, aren’t you? the Ranger thought. The crew was obvious in their absence. The hands were covered in filth and almost never appeared on deck. They had jobs that didn’t include watching the sea.

  Two others were engaged in a spirited debate, talking about science or technology in a way that made it sound boring. One looked like a woman, but he couldn’t be sure as the person was bundled for the Arctic cold. The Ranger didn’t care. He took one last look before drawing a deep breath, nose wrinkling at the smell of Juneau’s stagnant harbor water.

  The people on deck were passengers, all seven of them. They’d booked passage out of the Port of Seattle. They’d mostly kept to themselves on the weeklong trip up the coast. The Ranger could have done without the numerous stops along the way, but he was only a passenger on a cargo ship. It had its job to do and he’d have his, once he was able to disembark.

  Joshua hadn’t bothered to learn anyone’s name. Not until the time was right. He had tallied the seven passengers, watched them, listened when he could. He was supposed to have eight people on his team.

  One of them’s got to be a local, he mused. Someone to show me the ropes.

  Water churned around the ship as the propellers reversed. Small jets bubbled along the sides as the ship maneuvered itself into place along the Juneau wharf. Joshua headed to his cabin to pick up his gear.

  It was time.

  ***

  The group assembled, waiting for the gangplank to be rolled across the opening between the ship and the dock. The contraption filled the passageway where one crewman stood by himself.

  “It’s not going to roll itself out there. Grab hold and put your backs into it!”

  The Ranger looked at the others before shrugging and gripping it with both hands. The others spread out. The man-beast took the end and lifted it.

  “Just roll it, you bucket-headed brute!” the crewman warned.

  “On three,” the Ranger said, and counted down. The group pushed, but quickly let go as the man-beast rammed the walkway forward, slamming it into the stops. It bounced twice on the dock before settling. A dock hand lashed it to a piling.

  The crewman glared at the man-beast.

  “Let it go,” Joshua told him, before turning toward the crewman. “You have our thanks for bringing us here. We’ll leave you to your business.”

  The sergeant stood at the rear, nodded to the Ranger and waved for the others to go ahead. There was no greeting party on the dock. No one waited for them. The Ranger felt for the map in his pocket. That would have to do.

  With a whirr and a click, a robot appeared. “All ashore who’s going ashore,” the robot said merrily.

  “What the hell are you?” the man-beast growled.

  “I am a Series Two, not the latest model, I’m afraid, but I’ve been tasked to join this group on its mission in Juneau.”

  The tall man ducked as he walked past.

  “So, you’re Crew Member Number Eigh
t,” the Ranger declared. The railgun attached to the bot’s arm looked in poor repair. A humanoid shaped torso loomed over a tracked chassis. “You’re right. You don’t look like the latest model, or the thirty models before the latest.”

  “I may be old, but I’m rusty!” the robot quipped. It deftly climbed onto the gangplank and rolled toward the shore. The sergeant’s expression didn’t instill confidence.

  The man-beast grumbled to himself. The two academics, a scientist and a healer studied the robot as it rolled past.

  “Fascinating,” the scientist stated, sounding anything but fascinated. The medic pursed his lips, looked to his scientist friend and followed the robot down the gangplank.

  The Ranger headed across and the sergeant brought up the rear. The group gathered at the end and waited.

  Near a rusty warehouse, a party emerged. One man waved nervously, motioning the group to him. The toughs surrounding him looked and acted like bodyguards.

  The Ranger assumed the man was the one who hired the group. “Gentlemen. I think our employer is summoning us.”

  They walked toward him as he disappeared into a dark area behind the building. The tall man had been using a long spear as a walking stick. He shifted it, holding it in two hands, point aimed forward. The Ranger loosened the sword in its scabbard. The man-beast rolled his shoulders as he dropped to all fours and walked like a bear. The warrior for hire looked uncomfortable, his eyes darted back and forth as he worked his way behind the man-beast.

  The scientist and medic walked together, unfazed by the change in the others’ demeanor. The robot rolled ahead. The warrior moved closer to put the robot between him and the dark alley.

  “Hold up,” the Ranger called once they reached the corner.

  “Who made you the leader?” the sergeant sneered.

  “Actually, I did,” a man stepped from between the bodyguards. “I’m Phineas Slog, the mayor of Juneau.”

  The Ranger squeezed between the man-beast and the robot, offering his hand. The mayor took it and shook briefly before letting go and wiping his hand on his pants.

  “No one can know that you’re working for me. Maintain a low profile when you’re in the city,” the mayor told them, eyes darting nervously to the members of the group, past them, and back again. “I see that you’re armed. Good, because you may have to fight. I need you to recruit new labor for the factory. Part of that will be rooting out any infiltrators who already work there. I don’t care if you bring their heads on a platter to the Guard Post. Of course, if you bring them to me alive, then that has a greater value, because we can interrogate them. Our way. No matter.

  “Bring me their heads, attached or not. Any loot you find with them, you can keep. They aren’t thieves, just terrorists. Tread lightly, my friends, and carry a big stick. Juneau is still a dangerous place. I have to go: we cannot be seen together. Here, take fifty Juneau credits each. This will help you blend in as you pay for things instead of trying to barter.”

  A bodyguard stepped forward and dropped a handful of coins into each man’s hand. The bodyguard stopped when the robot held out his mechanical hand. He looked to the mayor, who shrugged. He didn’t know.

  “What? Robots buy things!” the mechanical creation declared. The mayor nodded and a stack of coins were dropped into the robot’s hand.

  “You’ve already accepted the mission, otherwise you wouldn’t be here.” The major’s weasel face turned deadly serious. “Your service to Juneau will be greatly rewarded if you can help us get the factory back on track. The Traditionalist Cult plagues us all. Crak Snackpole is the enemy of mankind.”

  The mayor’s expression broached no dissent, but the Ranger had to bite the inside of his lip before speaking. “Crak Snackpole?”

  “Crak Snackpole is the leader of the Traditionalists, who are conspiring to destroy all technology,” the Mayor intoned, without an ounce of irony.

  Oh man. The Ranger fought the urge to rub the bridge of his nose. “Can you tell us where he is?”

  “If I knew that, we wouldn’t need you! Bah, I have to go, but you aren’t filling me with confidence. Find me workers for the factory, root out the Traditionalists, and if you can, bring me Crak’s head on a platter. I’ll pay a bonus for that, but factory first. Actually, no… don’t bring his head to me. Take it to the office complex where the new recruits will be vetted and the Traditionalists will be jailed!”

  The mayor slunk away from the alley surrounded by his bodyguards. They moved as a single unit, down the road, chasing away bystanders if they came too close.

  The Ranger looked at his map. “I know what I’d like to do, but what about you guys? And what are your names, although I’m perfectly happy saying ‘hey, you’ to everyone.”

  “You can call me Gunny,” the sergeant said flatly.

  The man-beast stood next in line. He looked at the group with his black eyes. “They call me Squatch.”

  “Nice to meet you, Squatch!” the robot said happily. “You can call me Andy!”

  “I’m not calling you Andy,” the hired hand interjected. “You’ll always be ‘Robot’ to me. I’m Lucas.”

  The robot swiveled to face the human. “You’ll always be Lucas to me,” he said casually, nodding his mechanical head.

  Lucas sneered.

  “I’m Doctor Carroll,” the scientist offered. She thrust out her hand, but no one shook it. The ranger and Gunny looked at it as if she were holding something interesting, but neither moved. She slowly drew her hand back.

  “You can call me… Diego,” the tall man said.

  “Is that your name?” Gunny asked.

  The tall man shrugged.

  “I’m going to call you Tree.” Gunny saluted the man by touching two fingers to his cap.

  Diego shrugged again.

  “What’s your name?” the sergeant asked.

  “I go by Joshua.”

  “I go by Joshua,” Gunny parroted, sizing him up.. I can take him, he thought.

  “I’m Buck Kalair,” the medic said sheepishly.

  “Buck,” Gunny replied dismissively.

  Joshua looked around the group. “So? What do we do now?”

  “You’re supposed to be the leader, right?” Gunny stroked his chin.

  “The mission is to get the factory up and running,” the Ranger replied. “I say we go to the factory and check things out. Work backward from the point of failure.”

  “We need to root out the Traditionalists and then recruit new labor. As long as the Traditionalists are out and about, we won’t be able to recruit the labor or retain them to keep the factory running,” Gunny argued.

  “I think he’s right,” the hired hand said. He didn’t elaborate. The others nodded in agreement.

  “Fine,” the Ranger replied, shaking his head. “We need to go where people are then, and that means…”

  “The Red Dog Saloon!” they cheered in unison, pointing at a building less than a block away.

  “Why am I not surprised?” the Ranger sighed, before standing tall and heading toward the bar

  Chapter 2

  Joshua held up his hand, stopping the group. The Red Dog Saloon stood before them. “I don’t think we want them going in first,” he said, pointing with his chin toward the robot and the scientist.

  He sniffed. “I can provide medical assistance if anyone is in need.”

  “That could earn us some points. I doubt there will be any damaged or dying in there, but you never know. Have your herbs and slippery jelly ready, just in case.”

  “We go in first and see who gets excited when technology rolls through the door,” Gunny said, heading for the door. The Ranger pointed to the group, signaling for Tree to join Gunny. The tall man hurried after the sergeant.

  “We go in next,” Joshua said, pointing to the man-beast, Squatch. “Then you two,” pointing at Lucas and Buck, “and you last. Nobody goes anywhere alone. Always in pairs. The mayor said this was a dangerous place. Heads on swivels, people.”


  Doctor Carroll wore her silver high-technology skin suit - complete with an integrated data pad on her arm - while the robot looked both old and high-tech at the same time. Those two had to be everything the Traditionalists hated, both human and machine, embracing the technology of the past and the future.

  Gunny walked through the doors, behind them maintaining the aura of someone who knew what he was doing. He hoped no one noticed that he had no clue, making it up as he went, figuring it out as he got there. The enemy was the unknown, hidden in the shadows.

  The first two entered through the Arctic entrance, a two door setup with a small alcove to prevent frigid air from blowing directly into the saloon. It wasn’t cold outside and both doors were propped open.

  The Red Dog Saloon was a holdover from the old days of Alaska, before the aliens, even before the time that Alaska became the 49th state. As Gunny entered, he saw a room of thirty by forty feet, with several tables arrayed before doors beneath a balcony.

  Smoke from a wood-burning stove used to warm the saloon and cook small meals at exorbitant prices for its patrons was curling upward and wafted through the poorly ventilated area. A well-used dance floor stood empty to the left of the entrance, where there was no music and no one was dancing.

  A bartender leaned behind the bar, wiping out a dirty mug with a dirty rag. He watched Gunny and Diego enter.

  It appeared that they mainly served beer, but had some questionable spirits in reused bottles behind the bar. Above the bar hung a display in honor of Wyatt Earp. It contained a faded picture of the lawman with two very real looking Colt .45 Peacekeepers crossed above.

  A serving girl carried a couple mugs and waved at Gunny and Tree, pointing toward an empty table beside the stairs leading to a second level.

  Twelve men and two women were spread out among four tables, where two of the tables had card games going. Two large men stood with their arms crossed, watching everything that Gunny and Diego did.