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| Tsv-05-100 Tem-Space Variant 5: Alternatives Chapter 1: Knight to king's Base 4.5 Chapter 2: What Reality is this? Chapter 3: The Hisorian Way Chapter 4: Fresh Air and Exercise Chapter 5: Stranger in a Strange Land Chapter 6: Point Man Put to the Test Chapter 7: The VR and the Videodrome Chapter 8: The Tem-Space Variant Returns Chapter 9: The Amazing R-Wing Chapter 10: The Lunaside Vacation Chapter 11: The Lunaside Hiso-Courts |
Tem-Space
Variant 5:
Alternatives
14. The Lunar Mines They drove in the lunar land-vehicle for about 20 minutes, first directly along a flat plain, then around a crater and around a large hill, to the edge of a mountain range. They drove for another 5 minutes across another plain, then upslope to the towering range of mountains, amidst ever increasing rough terrain, to a cavern. They drove into the cavern, stopped inside and signaled an outpost, which opened a large garage doorway, as light spilled out, letting them in. Once inside, the large door closed, there was a hiss of air, as they waited, and then they all stepped out. The garage was just large enough to contain 2 vehicles like the one they had rode in. It also had 2 large doors, one on the opposite side, apparently leading deeper into the cavern. “We suit up here,” Garkone said to Madkro. “It’s a bit more dangerous inside the mines, with all the machinery at work. Besides, we’ll have to do some walking inside, and there is no air within most of it.” “So, we’re going deeper into the caverns?” Madkro said. “Absolutely,” Garkone said as he used a key-card on the slot at the side of a smaller door, and it opened, leading into an air-locker with a small office and guard on duty. “There are the lockers. Bankraft, get the 2 of you suited up, I’ll check with HQ.” Bankraft led Madkro through another door into a locker-room with about 2 dozen lockers, each containing pressure-suits and various other vital portable units for a lunar mining operation. “Here, this is the guest locker,” Bankraft pointed to the corner, just inside the door. “Stay away from the others, or you’ll see my fist in your face.” “Take care, Bankraft,” Madkro said, with consolation. “I’m with you Joes now.” “That remains to be seen,” Bankraft said, with doubt. “I’ll be keeping my eyes on you, Madkro, don’t forget it. One slip up and you’ll be outside without a suit.” Madkro decided not to press it, turned to the locker, opened it, and began to put the suit on. Obviously, Bankraft was no one to be reasoned with, just hired muscle. He’d leave his wits for Garkone and whoever his superior was, for later. As he was sitting in the light green suit, with red seam lines, putting on the heavy boots necessary to help simulate earth-like gravity on the outside, Garkone entered, wearing a blue and gray suit, carrying a white helmet. Apparently, there was another locker-room, probably reserved for officers. “Come along, Madkro,” he said, as Bankraft stepped to his side and went through the door. “Stornet wants to see us, straight away.” “Stornet?” Madkro said, as he secured the boots and stepped up. “Yes, he’s anxious to see the Pointman that finally bested Nalton. If I were you, though, I’d try and remember those codes while we’re on our way. Come along.” Madkro stepped through the door, and followed Bankraft out to the garage and they all stepped back into the vehicle. A minute later, they passed out the other door and entered a large cavern spotted with bright lights overhead. They drove along a worn lunar dirt roadway, passing by huge stalagmites and boulders, as Madkro sited big machines and workers in pressure-suits in the near distance to the sides. After about 100 meters, they followed the road as it curved up a gentle slope and around a huge column of gray stone. At the top of the slope, it leveled off beside what appeared to be a large concrete wall with another garage door. They stopped the vehicle beside the wall before the door, but it did not open. “Helmets on,” Garkone said, and placed his on over his head and secured it. Madkro complied and the two of them stepped out. “I’ll park it and see you inside,” Bankraft said, as they closed the doors and stepped onto the surface by the tall, almost featureless, smooth wall. Madkro sited what looked like a smaller doorway about 20 meters away as Garkone pointed the way and told him to move. A minute later, they stepped into another airlock, removed their helmets, and stepped into another locker-room. “All right, here we are,” Garkone said, as he opened a locker and set the helmet on a shelf within. “We’ll be seeing Stornet, in a few. First we can grab a drink at the bar, and use the facilities, if need. You know, Madkro, you’ve done a smart thing coming to our side. I mean, the fringe benefits are much better than the Sol-Dems offer. When you work for the Con-Reps, as a first pointman, you’re guaranteed a penthouse, you know. What did you have on Earth, before you left; a 2 or 3-room apartment? “ “It was enough. I’m not a greedy man. I enjoy the simple pleasures,” Madkro admitted, as he unzipped the suit and removed it. “Simple pleasures? Hell, you’ve been programmed by the Sol-Dems. They condition their players to be humble servants, while their leading officials’ horde all the rewards for themselves. We con-reps do things different, you’ll see.” “I don’t know. It wasn’t so bad.” “If I were you, I’d change that attitude. If you sound too sympathetic for Sol-Dems, Stornet will get suspicious. Just a little bit of advice. Myself, I don’t care either way. But if you’re going to work with us, Madkro, you’d better learn to enjoy and indulge when you have the chance.” “I’ll remember that,” Madkro said, as he smoothed out his shirt, and stepped across the room to look in a mirror. He combed his hair, wiped some seat from his face, and thought about what he would say to Stornet. He decided to use the waterlet-closet, and when he stepped out, 2 minutes later, Garkone was ready and led him out of the locker-room, into a larger chamber like a lobby, with a check-point and a bar-counter. Garkone stepped up to the bar-counter, and ordered a drink. Madkro ordered cold water, to which the other said, “To each his own,” and swallowed. After a minute at the bar-counter, Garkone led him around a corner, down a hallway, and through another door. |
Chapter
12: On Space, Time, and Parallel Alternate Realities Chapter 13: Longray's Plan Chapter 14: The Lunar Mines Chapter 15: The Maze of Illusions Chapter 16: Main Power Tagnet |
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