The Darwin Elevator

Chapter Twenty-Six

Gateway Station

7.FEB.2283

Neil Platz strode through the double doors of the council chambers. He paused long enough to order his entourage to remain outside.

A large conference room served as the council’s meeting place, dominated by a long rectangular table and twenty high-backed leather chairs. A Platz Industries signature window dominated the far wall.

The rest of the council already sat at the table, engaged in quiet conversation, waiting.

The chairs at either end of the table were left empty, a custom. In the old days, Neil and his brother, Zane, would sit at either end. Now they had to sit as equals to the others. A silly change, yet one the upstart council had vehemently asked for.

In recent years, the council had taken to meeting only once every other month. The issues were always the same: how much food could we send down, how much water and air would they send up?

“Am I the last to arrive?” he asked of no one in particular.

Michael Carney, head of immigration, frowned. “Some of us have been waiting half an hour.”

“Good Lord, how did you survive? I see you didn’t resort to eating your assistants.” The other members turned at his raised voice. They had each brought one or two secretaries.

Two stone-faced guards, in plain clothes, framed Alex Warthen. “I’ve got a killer on the loose,” the security director said. “How about we dispense with the chitchat and get started, eh?”

“Agreed. Now that we’re all here, let’s begin,” Sofia Windon said in her even, cool voice.

Neil liked Sofia, to an extent. She performed the thankless job of resource management with precision and fairness. Unfortunately, her voting record on the council often proved the tiebreaker, and she showed no allegiance to any specific faction.

Sofia leaned in. “First—”

“First order of business,” Neil said, “I move that this meeting be council members only.”

Sofia glared at him. She took her task of running these meetings seriously. “Why?”

“Call it rumor control,” Neil said. “We have delicate issues to discuss, and I’d rather be candid for once.”

“That’s never been a problem for you,” Alex said.

Before Neil could reply, Sofia held up a hand. “Fine, vote. Those in favor?”

Only Alex, and manufacturing director Charlie Williams, kept their hands below the table.

“Motion passes,” she said. She looked around the room at the litany of support personnel. “If you would all please leave us …”

Some were slow in reacting to the order, looking to their bosses for confirmation. Alex glanced sidelong over his shoulder and jerked his head toward the door. His two bodyguards left without a word.

The matter settled, Sofia continued. “The purpose of this meeting is to discuss two issues. First, the security incident that occurred here on Gateway on February fourth. Second, the continued disruptions in power along the Elevator, which may be allowing the subhuman disease to take hold inside the Aura. It’s also disrupting air and water shipments from Nightcliff.”

Amanda McKnight, who ran a fledgling education department, leaned forward. “Can we also discuss the lack of terminals for the children—”

“Sure,” Neil said. “They can all tap away on them as they suffocate.”

“That’s uncalled for.”

“Air and water, Miss McKnight. A trifle higher on the priority list.”

Alex Warthen leaned back in his chair. “I’ll add a third item to the itinerary. The continued smuggling of contraband to Anchor Station, and the secret research going on there.” He paused for effect. “Dare I say, related to the ‘security incident,’ the skittish Elevator, and the erratic shipments.”

Neil felt his skin prickle. Alex stared at him with smug confidence. He knows something.

“Let’s go over the security situation first,” Sofia said. “Alex?”

He nodded. “I have obtained a useful body of information from the prisoner, one Samantha Rinn, a hired gun on the Darwin scavenger ship.”

“What of the vessel itself?”

Alex shrugged. “It de-orbited but never landed in Darwin. The stuck harness was still attached. We’re assuming it crashed, no survivors. The authorities in Nightcliff have been alerted as a precaution.”

“Authorities. That’s rich,” Neil said. He kept his face and tone steady even as his mind raced through the implications. If Skyler was dead, he had only two choices regarding the Aura: let everyone in on the Aura generator’s existence, including Blackfield, or keep his mouth shut and hope his larger plan could be initiated before the Aura failed completely.

Neil decided to keep his mouth shut.

Alex went on. “The prisoner claims their ship was not released from the climber due to an equipment malfunction on our part. Our investigation shows the control switch was deliberately sabotaged.”

“By whom?” Sofia asked.

“The investigation is ongoing,” Alex said. “We’re questioning the operators who were on duty, but my gut tells me Kelly Adelaide is responsible.”

“Yes,” Sofia said, “your report mentions her numerous times.”

“She killed three of my guards.”

“Allegedly,” said Neil.

“The footage may have been wiped, but I do have witnesses.”

“But no perpetrator.”

“All in good time,” Alex said. “Which brings me to my first request. I would like the council’s permission to search Platz Station. We think she’s fled there.”

Neil shot forward in his chair. “Ridiculous.”

“Miss Adelaide is your employee, is she not?”

“Was,” Neil said through clenched teeth. “That’s in the past.”

“Is it? I wonder.”

“I won’t sit here and listen to baseless accusations.”

“They don’t seem so baseless,” said another council member.

Neil glanced left at Dr. Bettina Moore, who ran all the medical clinics and associated staff. She’d shared a bed with Alex, years ago, and they were still on good terms. She tended to take his side.

Sofia turned to her. “Dr. Moore?”

“Neil formerly employed the woman. No one disputes this,” she said in a clinical voice. “The report says Gateway has been searched end to end, twice. It’s certainly plausible she has fled to familiar ground. Whether Neil or his staff are aware of it is immaterial.”

“Warthen provides security for my station just like everywhere else,” Neil said. “I doubt she could slip past such a vigilant staff.”

“My staff are denied access to anywhere but the loading dock, by your orders.”

“Which is where she would have entered from, if I’m not mistaken.”

“Gentlemen, please,” Sofia said. “Neil, the Orbital Stations Security Act, which you signed, allows for unfettered access to any station by the head of security or his representatives.”

“With the approval of this council,” Neil corrected. “Don’t lecture me on the rules of this so-called government, Sofia. I set the damn thing up after all.”

Alex took the opening. “Let’s put it to a vote then.”

They did. Five to four, in favor of giving Warthen access.

An uncomfortable silence followed. Neil drummed his fingers on the table.

Oliver Devanneaux cleared his throat. “If we could please move on to more pressing matters,” he said, quietly. His area of responsibility: consumables.

“Air and water,” Sofia said. “Certainly, proceed.”

“Nightcliff has threatened to stop shipments yet again, claiming worry over these power fluctuations, which are happening almost hourly now.” Oliver looked around at the rest of them. “They have refused our offers to assist and now have built up a backlog of nearly twenty climbers.”

“Blackfield will cave when the food runs out,” someone said.

“Alex,” Sofia said, “you met with him on Gateway. What’s your view?”

The security director shrugged. “He wants a seat on the council. You all know that.”

“Oh good,” Neil said. “That will fix the climbers.”

“Perhaps we should address the root cause,” Alex Warthen said. He stared directly at Neil.

A deep silence settled over the table.

Sofia finally spoke. “Which is?”

“I’ve been to Anchor Station,” the man said. “Recently. They’ve been probing the shell ship with some intensity—”

Neil snorted back a laugh. “We’ve been doing that for years,” he said.

“I’m not finished,” Alex said. He swept his gaze across the table. “These scans are the deepest they’ve ever done; one of the scientists there said so. Not only that, but I’ve been informed that Neil recently took a trip to Darwin, to purchase something from a group of smugglers.”

No one said a word. Neil felt their looks but kept his focus on Alex.

“The same smugglers,” Alex added, “who killed four guards on this very station, three days ago. If you ask me, it’s all interrelated.”

“This is rich,” Neil said. “Are the Freemasons involved, too? Go on, please.”

Alex ignored him now. He spoke to everyone else. “First Neil visits Darwin, without any council approval. In disguise, I might add. Then we find out about these ‘deep scans’ of the shell ship, which coincidently start around the same time as the odd power fluctuations. Let’s not forget the appearance of three cases of SUBS in orbit. And finally, one of Neil’s prize scientists, Tania Sharma, personally undertakes a dangerous trip outside the Aura aboard a scavenger ship. The same ship that was then brought to Gateway under dubious circumstances.”

He looked around at all of them. “I’m telling you it’s all related. Their probes of the shell ship are causing the power fluctuations, the SUBS outbreaks. Neil’s scientists are working with reckless abandon. This investigation should be centered on two places: Platz Station, and Anchor Station.”

Neil swallowed. He scarcely remembered the offhand remark made by the researcher at Anchor about doing a detailed scan of the shell ship. The damned thing was derelict and everyone knew it. The mapping effort was completely innocuous and unrelated, but that didn’t matter. Alex had seized the bit of information and now used it in bloody clever fashion.

To his credit, Alex pressed the attack. “Russell Blackfield, in my opinion, has every right to worry. The power blips are an annoyance right now, but they are getting worse. A climber falling back to Earth would drop on Nightcliff like a bomb.”

“They can’t fall, you idiot,” Neil said. “Their state of rest is to grip. My engineers aren’t fools.”

“We have only your word,” the man replied. “An independent review—”

“Now you’re just being an a*shole,” Neil said. He glanced at the rest of the council. “He and Russell are pigs in a blanket. He’s just jockeying to get Blackfield to this table.”

“Is it not obvious,” Alex said, “to everyone here, that Nightcliff is critical to this equation? Take a deep breath if you don’t believe me. Feel the air in your lungs. Go on, sip your water.”

No one said anything.

Alex stood and put his hands on the table. “This council, the nine of us, is only fifty percent of the picture. Russell Blackfield, right now, controls the other half. It’s too much power to put in one man’s hands. You’ve heard of the riots down there? Let me tell you, it’s us they curse, not him. We will take the blame for all this unless we get him here.”

Sofia spoke with abundant patience. “Neil, your thoughts? Does Russell have the people of Darwin behind him?”

“Of course,” said Neil, focusing on her. “All they know of orbit comes through him. Other than Alex and Michael, who here has visited Earth in the last six months? Gone outside the fortress in the last year?”

Silence in the room.

Neil went on. “I was there two weeks ago, that is true. Arranging—”

“Arranging a purchase from smugglers,” Alex said.

“Critical information for my researchers,” Neil shot back.

“Right. We’re all looking forward to the fruits of your discoveries up at Anchor Station, Neil. I’m sure our grandchildren will be anxiously awaiting it, too.”

“Gentlemen, please!” Sofia said, smacking the table with the palm of her hand. “Alex, you had something to say earlier.”

He placed his hands on the table in front of him. “This would be easier to resolve if Blackfield had a seat at this table. It would make him one-tenth the equation, not one-half. It’s worth it.”

Neil grunted. “We’re not going to vote on this again, are we?”

“The situation has changed. Blackfield isn’t just a gatekeeper anymore. He runs the whole place and has solidified his power.” Alex looked at each of them in turn, except Neil. “Like it or not, he and the fortress are critical to our well-being. Better to bring him into our circle—”

“Not a chance,” Neil said, voice deep and loud. “Remove him from power immediately and install someone we can control.”

Everyone began talking at once.

Alex shouted over them. “I will not send my security forces to subjugate Nightcliff—”

“Perhaps we have another personnel change to make, then,” Neil said.

“Get used to losing council votes today, Neil.”

Neil said nothing. The conversation at the table finally dwindled.

“His hold on Nightcliff is too strong,” Alex said. “It would cost a lot of lives and precious resources to try to oust him. Especially when the alternative is to simply let him sit here at this table.”

Neil turned to the other council members. “Where he can extend his power to orbit as well.”

“Where we can control him. The price for his entry would be that this council’s authority expands to include Nightcliff and Darwin. Bend him to our agenda,” Alex said.

Neil shook his head. “He’d never agree to that, and you know it.”

There came a knock at the door.

“Come,” said Sofia.

Neil’s secretary peered in and, on the beckoning of Sofia, entered the room and went straight to Neil. She whispered in his ear for a few seconds, and then stood straight.

“I request a recess,” Neil said. “I’ve some important business to attend to.”

Sofia glanced at each of the members in turn. Alex seemed on the verge of arguing. Then he sat.

Sofia bowed her head to Neil. “It’s three p.m. now. We will reconvene after dinner, at eight.”