The Ship of the Unforgotten

Chapter 12

Chapter 12

Tram Line Junction #070

UTS Rose Dawn

Jun. X, 2565 A.C.E.

Lt. Cobb and Jackson were just getting the first car rolled out onto the tracks when Dann and Rose rejoined them. Once the wheel clamps were off, it was a relatively simple job. The wheels were solid rubber tires around small, heavy metal hubs. The tram cars took power and guidance from the rails, keeping them on a predictable path.

They were awkwardly lifting the light-weight vehicle over the tracks by hand. The tram cars were relatively light-weight vehicles, but cumbersome and much easier to handle with three than with two. They’d just about wrestled the first into position when Jackson’s foot slipped on the rail and she stumbled, just catching her grip on her end of the car. Cobb’s end twisted in his grasp and knocked his head against the car side; he cursed as they let it fall into place. He glowered at Jackson. “Private! Watch your step, you just about dropped that thing on me.”

Jackson’s eyes widened in startlement, then narrowed just a touch as she nodded at the lieutenant. Cobb stalked back to the main room.

“We’re going to need a couple more of these on the tracks,” Dann said, a bit cautious. “How about I give you a hand with these ones?”

“Sure,” she said sourly. “Hey. You ever worked with that jackass before?”

“No, different teams. He … seemed okay when we met up with him first.”

She grunted non-committaly. “Not for the last few. At least he hasn’t started handing down orders yet.”

“Let’s just get this taken care of. Maybe he’ll ease off once we’ve got some answers.”

“He’d better.”

The two of them wheeled out the next car— “I don’t know why he insisted on doing it the hard way,” she groused—then placed it on the rails behind the first. That done, they found Rose had moved the third car herself; the three of them got it on the rails and short order. There was no sign of Cobb.

“You said we’re getting in through the ventilation shaft, Rose?” he asked.

“That’s the plan, yes.”

“I’ll grab some tools. And then I’ll go find the lieutenant,” Dann offered.

He grabbed what they’d need from the tool bins in the supply room, then headed back up the corridor. A quick look around the main floor showed no sign of him. He climbed back up to the metal mesh walkway. It was darker up there, but Dann spotted the lieutenant standing with his back to the room in the darkest corner. He was bowed forward, head in his hand.

“Sorry about earlier,” he said. His voice was strained.

“It’s Jackson that needs to hear that,” he said. “We’ve got the rest of the cars set up. You ready to go, sir?”

“In a moment. I’ll join you in a moment, private.”

“Sure, see you in a few, then.”

He returned to the others. “He’ll be back in a minute.”

“Suits me,” Jackson said. She set herself up in the front car. Dann climbed in beside her.

The controls were just about as simple as you could get; accelerator, break, steering wheel, and one switch to turn the headlights on. Dann hit the light switch. A bright, pale yellow/orange light lit some of the darkness ahead in the tunnel, just before the main tunnel lights clicked on. They weren’t terribly bright, but they lit up more of the tunnel than the car’s lights did. The combination left them with a span of tunnel light almost as bright as the simulated daylight.