Paradise Blight

Chapter 9

A strong new signal came, again confined to a specific geographical area, but this time larger. The Legion roused from their slumber with a singular clarity of purpose, all by design, then created the Swarm to cleanse the land.

[Gan]

What had I done?

I lectured Mora about the consequences of her actions and then, in anger, I pushed her away. What were the consequences of that?

Hypocrite.

After not seeing Mora at breakfast, I went by her room, but she and all her stuff were gone. Not that I blamed her. Between me and the Watchers, she probably felt not wanted around here.

The dreary light rain began kinda matched my mood. I packed up my stuff and met up with Kate on a shuttle heading to the west settlement site, where we were to work on the irrigation system. The shuttle, a longer version of a hovercar, could carry a dozen people plus cargo, but Kate and I were the only two aboard. I purposely sat by myself in the back.

After a few minutes, Kate came and plopped down next to me, glaring into my eyes. "Well, aren't you mister sunshine this morning. What's up?"

I leaned back and looked up. "The thing with the settlers did not go well yesterday, especially for Mora. We had a disagreement about it and I said some things I shouldn't have."

"Yeah, Mora told me about it. She thinks it was all her fault."

"Not so, but I came down hard on her. I was a jerk."

Kate huffed, "You're a man, so it comes natural."

I rolled my eyes. "Thanks. That helps a lot."

She stared for a moment, her eyes accusing, then asked, "Gan, do you like Mora?"

I nodded. "Yeah, I do."

"Let me tell you something about her. She did not have a good childhood and then she got caught up with a guy that abused her — some seriously bad shit. Gan, Mora likes you. Call her and straighten this up."

I put a hand to my forehead and let out a long breath. Of course, Kate was right. "What do I say? Sorry I was a jerk?"

"Sure, that's a good lead. Just don't let her get away."

Kate stood up and moved to the first row of seats, then slid down her signature bandana across her eyes as she laid across an entire row, head leaning against a window. The short summary of Mora's past put recent events into perspective, and I better understood her reactions, making me feel even more like a jerk.

Gathering courage, I pulled out my viewer and dialed her number. No answer. I hoped she would still talk to me, so I sent her a text message: 'Sorry about yesterday. Let's talk. Please call me.' Simple, but not very elegant.

The west settlement looked nearly identical to the north settlement, but several times larger. But at a lower elevation, the climate was warmer and drier here, and thus irrigation would be more important. Fortunately, I could tell immediately that getting water to the fields would be easier. A reservoir sat in the hills not far above the site, and all it would take was a canal system — no pumps required.

So, I set Bob loose to go do what he does best. Then, like usual, I set off to walk the terrain. Fortunately, the low clouds had cleared, and the weather had become pleasant. I looked forward to the hike, hoping it would clear my dour mood. The terrain laid flat around the settlement, but soon became hilly toward the reservoir in the northeast. The river, like most born of the glaciers that covered much of the top and bottom of this world, flowed clear and cool. No coincidence that they located the settlement nearby.

Grasses, the predominant flora here, grew shorter than at the north settlement. Also, fewer trees flourished, those shorter and scrubbier, consistent with a drier climate.

After an hour, I reached the reservoir, which stretched wide and long. Probably, it would make a good fishing lake, too. I really should have brought my fishing pole.

Another half hour brought me to the tail end of the lake, but as I crested a small hill, the sight beyond sickened me.

As far as I could see to the north, the land became grotesquely desolate. Blackened grass laid flattened on the ground and only leafless twisted branches remained of the few trees. The contrast to unaffected areas beyond its reach could not have been greater, like a patch of hell in paradise.

Mora would surely want to know about this, so I snapped some pictures with my viewer and enlarged Bob's survey pattern to include the blighted area.

After attempting to contact Mora, but still receiving no answer, I drafted a text message with pictures attached: 'Came across a large area of blight above the west settlement. Call me,' then tagged it as urgent. I hoped she had not blocked all my communications.

Nothing more could be done now, so I strolled back to the settlement. By then Bob had completed his survey and I downloaded it to my viewer, then I pushed that to Mora's viewer too.

I spent the rest of the afternoon designing the irrigation canal system using the topographical data supplied by Bob. Kate smiled when I showed it, since it incorporated the work she had already started. Seemed that I was not so bad for an engineer after all. I downloaded the design to her track digger, and she got started with the dirt work right away.

That evening, I ate dinner by myself, much of it staring at my disappointedly passive com-viewer on the table before me.

Sleep had nearly overtaken me as I laid on my bed when my com-viewer beeped. I jolted up to a sitting position and snatched it up from the side table — Mora!

"Hi."

Her voice was hesitant. "Gan... I..." The pause knotted my stomach, but she continued, "I received the images you sent. Those are disturbing. Something is happening that we don't understand. If I came over tomorrow, would you show me the blight area?"

"Yes, of course," I answered.

Silence reigned for another anxious moment, then finally, I muttered, "Mora..."

"Gan, I want to talk too. I miss being with you."

A smile crossed my face as shadows lifted from my heart. "I miss you too."

"Okay. I'll see you tomorrow."

Despite the blight concerns, I settled into a peaceful sleep that night.