Chapter 9: The Other Side

Horti and her team dressed warmly and carrying their packs assembled at the gate.

“I wish I could come with you,” said Mother Superior, “I would love to see my sisters.”

“I am sure you will see them soon,” said Craig.

She sighed. “Odalis greet them from us all and wish them well. Tell them they can send as many scientists and engineers through as they wish. We can handle millions of them.”

“Why did they not come across previously?” Horti asked.

“We can send people through from here. They can only do it once from their side. They do not have enough of the unique fuel and catalysts required. We are sending a supply through with Odalis. You are all carrying some of it in the bottom of your packs.

“We produce it from a unique fungus and extract the catalysts. We used to make it quickly on the other side, but we struggle to grow it here.”

Horti laughed. “Now I know what my family is doing! Mother Superior, we are growing it in bulk. We will be able to help you once we get back. Go and visit my parents and they will supply you with plenty. They specialize in growing unique fungi. I am carrying a supply for the Enphaet.”

Mother Superior looked at her. “Horti, you continue to surprise me!”

Mother Superior turned to her hologram and fired up the gate. “Go, with my blessings and best wishes. Make us proud!”

Horti led the way through.

They gathered in a chamber. The floor was dusty and showed evidence of the passage of a single Colza. Horti recognized the residual smell of the Colza that passed through the space recently.

“It is cold but not that bad,” said Emic. “Vendaska can get colder in the winter. We can manage reasonably well if all the tunnels are like this.”

Odalis pressed on the wall. She tapped on it and finally used her claws to dig into the wall. “Sorry, team, someone recently sealed the tunnel. They made it look like it was done long ago, but I can smell it was recent. Someone must have sabotaged us to force us to go over the top.”

“I wonder how far the blockage goes?” Horti asked.

“I had a brief look,” said Sammy. “The tunnel is sealed tightly shut. Partway through, there is a metal wall. If we dig, it will take us ages to get around the wide obstruction. The metal wall extends into the rock on both sides, below and above.”

“Then it is as I thought. We must go up to the surface and get into the main tunnels,” said Horti. “Say you will enjoy the cold and try to believe it.”

They climbed up a steep tunnel. The tunnel continued interminably, and each step felt colder. The cold seeped through the padding and into the body through the exoskeleton.

“I can’t believe how cold it is,” said Griffexor. “Despite the exercise and this clothing, I can feel it gnawing at my bones.”

“We are close to the surface; I can feel a difference in the rock on the floor. We will stop and eat here. The climb took us four hours. Furthermore, we want to avoid stopping on the surface. Move as fast as you can. We are in a race to avoid freezing on the surface,” said Odalis.

“Now I know why you dug the tunnel; climbing up and down regularly would be a nightmare,” said Mystera.

Odalis nodded, opened her pack, and pulled out food concentrate and a warm drink. The others followed her actions observing her using their Colza radar.

They ate quickly, packed up, and moved on.

“We are near the top; at most, there are ten meters to go. Follow me. Stay in formation. I will find my bearings and take us to the best tunnel to get us to the brood chamber.”

“Wait for a second, Odalis. Let us assume they are trying to make it difficult for us. Can we assume the expected tunnel will take us the furthermost away?” Aubrey asked. “They won’t change all the tunnels, but why don’t we take the second or the third choice?”

“Some tunnels will take us a long way away,” said Odalis. “There are lots of them. Horti, what do you want to do.”

“Aubrey, you could be correct, but we don’t have a rational way to choose. Let’s not second guess everything they might or might not have done. Let’s accept the challenge and do what is familiar to Odalis. Whatever we do, we will face a challenge. Let us save clever thinking for a real obstacle. Otherwise, we are going to drive ourselves crazy,” said Horti.

“None of our planets are cold. I don’t think I had any idea how cold this place is,” said Mismy rubbing her pedipalps together. “I would be ready to leap down the first tunnel.”

“That would not be a good idea; first is the sewage disposal system,” said Emic. “Mismy, that wasn’t your best suggestion. You could find yourself frozen in sewage. Think of how bad the smell would be as you died?”

“How did you know?” Odalis asked.

“I didn’t. I was only joking as a pathetic effort to keep my mind off this numbing cold. I don’t think I felt my feet for the last five minutes,” Emic added.

“There is the tunnel,” said Odalis, “it is the big one in the middle, about a kilometer ahead. Let’s speed up; it is colder than it used to be, nearly twenty degrees, according to my thermometer. We can’t be out here unprotected for much longer.”

“I can hardly walk; every step is an effort,” said Griffexor.

“I’ll help you; I am doing reasonably well,” said Craig.

Craig crab-walked over to Griffexor and helped her along using clamps that extended from his cephalothorax to hers and helped her along.

Soldiers use the system to help injured ones move to safety.

“Griffexor, there is plenty of magic around; use a heating spell,” said Horti. “It helps a bit, but the cold still creeps through your garments and exoskeleton.”

When they reached the tunnel, they helped each other.

“It’s sealed shut; my old code is not working. Aubrey, it would be best if you hacked it, or we will die here within another fifteen minutes. If we try the next one, it could also be sealed, and we have no time to spare,” said Odalis. “I suspect they seal all the tunnels to keep heat in.”

Aubrey took out his codebreaker and connected it to the door. The others stamped or ran on the spot. The cold seeped through the heated clothing and was slowly freezing them.

Aubrey ran on the spot to keep warm, holding his device.

“It is getting there, but it is not done yet; it looks like another five minutes.”

It was the longest five minutes in Horti’s life. They ran on the spot in a vain effort to keep warm. The door clicked open, and Aubrey pulled it aside and beckoned them in. He slammed the door shut after Monty, the last, ran in.

“I had forgotten what cold feels like,” said Monty. “It is an interesting sensation.”