Confrontation

I awake to coughing, Martin's and my own. The air is heavier, harder to breathe, suffused with the smell of smoke. When I turn on my flashlight, it pierces through a faint haze, the beam no longer reaching as far as it did. All of those impromptu fires, I realize--they're poisoning the air, and the gas regulators are unable to compensate, assuming they have not stopped their operation completely. We may have even less time than we thought.

The other members of our party are rousing as well, including Valerie, who shouts several times to wake any remaining sleepers. I shake my head violently. I think I received a good rest, but it is difficult to tell with the headache that is forming behind my eyes.

Soon we are back on the path, plodding along. Perhaps it is my imagination, but the air seems to grow even thicker. I wonder how long it will be until we are unable to continue. Will I suffocate? Will I simply fall asleep once again? Will it be peaceful? In my mind's eye, I can see the final peace, a ship full of corpses, drifting along on its current course. It has already lasted for so long. How many more eons might elapse before living beings might set foot on it once more? More likely, it will simply impact with another large object or fall into the well of a star, billions upon billions of hundreds from now.

Martin must be having similar thoughts. He sidles up next to me and speaks in a low voice. "Marissa, what do you think happens after death? It's odd, that I've been among you for a month now and never found out what religious beliefs you hold here, if any."

"I am not sure about the answer to that," I say, "but as for death--you have seen the bodies. As Auto has explained it, they must be allowed to break down and provide the ingredients for new life."

"Of course," he shudders, "and I understand the necessity. So I suppose it's a form of...reincarnation, I guess."

"I would not say that, except in an allegorical sense. I am under no illusion that my mind and identity persist with my body. I assume they go wherever they were before my birth. But other people have their own thoughts on that."

"In any case, it seems it would be a terrible waste--for all life to end on this ship. No more cycle. No more rebirth."

Obviously, I cannot disagree.

Our morose musings are interrupted by a sight ahead. "Look!" I say, pointing. It is very faint, but I can just about make out the reflection of firelight upon swells of water--the Great Lake! We are nearly at our destination! The revelation infuses everyone with extra energy and puts some extra vigor in their steps. Soon we've reached the outskirts of Lakepolly.

There we are met by a welcoming party roughly the same size as our band. I recognize Councilor Gerard, standing next to two other older men who also have the look of councilors. At the head of the procession is Councilor Amy.

"Valerie. And the sleeper," she says. "Of course. This is not a surprise. Auto told me you would be coming, before he fell silent. Before you silenced him."

I shift a little uncomfortably. She's not too far off the truth, from a certain point of view.

"We would like to see him," says Valerie. "To help him, if we can."

"I am sure that you would," says Amy. "But no." The tension in the air is even thicker than the smoke. On both sides, bodies are wound, limbs clenched, people ready to deal violence to one another for the first time in many hundreds. I feel sick to my stomach. I have to do something, anything!

"Please!" I say. "Please, listen! I know you are frightened! We are all frightened! We just want to do the right thing, what will ensure that all of us survive!" My eyes look for Gerard's and find them. "You told Martin and me to keep a lookout for anything strange. We have seen many such things! All of them pointing to Auto's growing erraticism. And now the sunstrand itself is gone! Along with Auto. Martin has a theory, an idea he'd like to try."

"That's right!" says Martin. "Maybe I'm correct. Maybe I'm not. But we have to make the attempt! Doing nothing means certain death!"

Amy approaches him. "You are lying!" she says venomously. She reaches her hand towards him to do...something. I do not wait to see what it will be. Pulling my own hand back, I deliver a meaty slap across both of her bubs.

Chaos erupts. Amy retaliates immediately, delivering a slap of her own. Then someone knocks me down from behind. I curl into a ball, holding my flashlight tightly as I seek to prevent my head from being stepped on.

After a few moments have passed, I realize the sounds of melee have died down. Looking up, I see that Martin is crouched over me, protecting me with his body. Further away, Amy and a dozen of her followers have been subdued with utility ropes, overseen by Gerard and others. I push myself to my feet, wincing at the bruise forming on my left bub, and look around. Other than a few contusions, nobody seems to be hurt.

"Thank you for listening," I say gratefully to Councilor Gerard.

He grins. "It was not a hard decision to make." His face turns grave. "I can take you to Auto's core now, but I do not know if you will be able to enter."

"As I said, we have to try," Martin insists.

"Of course. Follow me. You will see."