the highlights for the day was a single flexible tablet that still functioned and a box of freeze dried beans. Normally beans would not elicit much response but at this point any meal was welcome beyond the gritty blandness of the ration bars.
The tent with the disgruntled men was still mostly quiet. A man would emerge from time to time and relieve himself in full view of the loyalists’ tent. William didn’t miss the imagery of being pissed at. He made his mind up halfway through the day. The deserters could go.
CHAPTER SIX
Decisions
Vito shook his head. Sebastien stood with his arms crossed and his chin back. Selim and Leduc both argued with their hands as vigorously as with their mouths. The others sat in silence and watched the debate.
“Enough,” William said. “My decision stands, they will get a split of the rations and are on their own.” He could feel the eyes on him.
“It’s a bad idea,” Crow said. He sat on his haunches and rocked from side to side. “They’re going to fuck us.”
“I’m going to go over and tell them how it is. They can come get the share of rations,” William said.
“They don’t deserve it.” Selim shook his finger in the general direction of the other tent.
“I agree, bad idea,” Xan said. A mass of wires and circuit boards lay on his lap as he tried to patch together an orbital link up.
Tero nodded in agreement. The other end of the wires sat on his lap as he tried to work on his end.
“We just go, shoot them,” Aleksandr whispered.
William looked to Aleksandr and it dawned on him what they were all thinking. “No. They get a share and are on their own. This is settled. We’ll be off in another day or two.”
Protests continued as William stood slowly with the alloy crutch. He ignored them and hobbled to the door. “Enough. We’re done with this conversation. Crow, break out a four man share, set it aside from ours and lay it out. Sebastien, Leduc, Kerry, you’re with me.” He set his chin down and pushed himself outside.
He trudged through the uneven ground, hobbling the entire way. He never turned to look behind him. He knew they were there. The rations were worrying him. They had enough for a week at the current rate. They were hungry, all the time.
The dark pit of hunger seemed to grow and creep into everything. A man can handle many things with a full stomach, but the slightest insult becomes amplified when he’s hungry. He snaps, he argues, he finds offense in everything and defends against anything. William hoped that the mainland really was south and not another chain of islands.
“I’m here to talk. Come outside,” William called.
Silence came from the tent before a stirring sound came from inside. A voice spoke something. Nur maybe. William looked down to the beach, their boat hadn’t progressed much but looked like it would float.
“What do you want?” Grue called through the wall. His tone was harsh.
“Come outside. I’m not speaking to a tent.” William turned around. His escorts all had weapons showing. Sebastien looked particularly at ease with a stubby assault rifle strapped to him. He wondered if there were guns inside pointed out at them. He wanted to step back a bit but knew he couldn’t.
Berry stepped outside followed closely by Grue. The two had assault rifles. Berry carried his nonchalantly, Grue cradled his awkwardly. “What can we do for you?” Berry asked.
William looked at the weapons. “Send a man over, get your share of the rations. You’re on your own.”
Grue began to speak but Berry raised a hand and silenced him. “There’s only one reactor and one purifier. Which do we get?”
“Neither. You can pump all you want and fill up whatever you bring.”
Berry shifted his feet. “One or the other, I either want that reactor or I want the purifier.”
“No. You made a choice to leave. Now you’re dealing with the consequences.”
Silence hung heavily. Waves broke
The tent with the disgruntled men was still mostly quiet. A man would emerge from time to time and relieve himself in full view of the loyalists’ tent. William didn’t miss the imagery of being pissed at. He made his mind up halfway through the day. The deserters could go.
CHAPTER SIX
Decisions
Vito shook his head. Sebastien stood with his arms crossed and his chin back. Selim and Leduc both argued with their hands as vigorously as with their mouths. The others sat in silence and watched the debate.
“Enough,” William said. “My decision stands, they will get a split of the rations and are on their own.” He could feel the eyes on him.
“It’s a bad idea,” Crow said. He sat on his haunches and rocked from side to side. “They’re going to fuck us.”
“I’m going to go over and tell them how it is. They can come get the share of rations,” William said.
“They don’t deserve it.” Selim shook his finger in the general direction of the other tent.
“I agree, bad idea,” Xan said. A mass of wires and circuit boards lay on his lap as he tried to patch together an orbital link up.
Tero nodded in agreement. The other end of the wires sat on his lap as he tried to work on his end.
“We just go, shoot them,” Aleksandr whispered.
William looked to Aleksandr and it dawned on him what they were all thinking. “No. They get a share and are on their own. This is settled. We’ll be off in another day or two.”
Protests continued as William stood slowly with the alloy crutch. He ignored them and hobbled to the door. “Enough. We’re done with this conversation. Crow, break out a four man share, set it aside from ours and lay it out. Sebastien, Leduc, Kerry, you’re with me.” He set his chin down and pushed himself outside.
He trudged through the uneven ground, hobbling the entire way. He never turned to look behind him. He knew they were there. The rations were worrying him. They had enough for a week at the current rate. They were hungry, all the time.
The dark pit of hunger seemed to grow and creep into everything. A man can handle many things with a full stomach, but the slightest insult becomes amplified when he’s hungry. He snaps, he argues, he finds offense in everything and defends against anything. William hoped that the mainland really was south and not another chain of islands.
“I’m here to talk. Come outside,” William called.
Silence came from the tent before a stirring sound came from inside. A voice spoke something. Nur maybe. William looked down to the beach, their boat hadn’t progressed much but looked like it would float.
“What do you want?” Grue called through the wall. His tone was harsh.
“Come outside. I’m not speaking to a tent.” William turned around. His escorts all had weapons showing. Sebastien looked particularly at ease with a stubby assault rifle strapped to him. He wondered if there were guns inside pointed out at them. He wanted to step back a bit but knew he couldn’t.
Berry stepped outside followed closely by Grue. The two had assault rifles. Berry carried his nonchalantly, Grue cradled his awkwardly. “What can we do for you?” Berry asked.
William looked at the weapons. “Send a man over, get your share of the rations. You’re on your own.”
Grue began to speak but Berry raised a hand and silenced him. “There’s only one reactor and one purifier. Which do we get?”
“Neither. You can pump all you want and fill up whatever you bring.”
Berry shifted his feet. “One or the other, I either want that reactor or I want the purifier.”
“No. You made a choice to leave. Now you’re dealing with the consequences.”
Silence hung heavily. Waves broke
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