This bit follow Proclivity.
New love and danger
Even with just the very first stage of lock down, a place the size of Sydney had become a maze of blocked tunnels. The filtration had completed, it was discovered that over fifty percent of living energy forms were of the devolved consciousness of Rhynios descendants. Sixty five percent of all existing tunnels and Core Scrapers had to be locked-down, Earth initiated the first stage of manipulating her magma veins to be incorporated with hi-tech thermal electric devices. The heat of the magma would generate the electricity needed to power the ‘Graphene Shields’.
Graphene is a wonder material. It's the thinnest electronic material ever invented, consisting of a layer of carbon atoms just a single atom thick -- the atoms are arranged in a hexagonal pattern. It weighs almost nothing, coming in at only 0.77 grams for a square meter. But it's no lightweight. Graphene is 100 times stronger than steel of the same thickness. It conducts both heat and electricity better than copper, and has outstanding optical and mechanical properties.
Each shield was virtually impenetrable and each ‘block’ was a thousand shields thick. Every atom had the ability of drawing the heat from the magma and propelling it like a bullet, as it could propel the electricity the heat created. All atoms combined to form an optical device that could ‘see’ in every direction, this would enable Red and the Global protection societies, to view both inside and out of all blocked areas.
Finally, although feeling as if she were in a surreal realm, Niqua was waiting for Red at the Port safety shelter. He was due to arrive! Her breath had been stolen, the air around her shone with a bright light, she was sure she was about to pass out – and then, like a vision within a dream, she saw a familiar form; These broad shoulders stood out from everyone else, she recognized every strand of the shoulder length, wavy, midnight hair, that peeped out of his heat shield cape.
Her freezing fear melted, she pushed her way through the crowd, to reach the rail that greeted incoming travelers as they entered the shelter. She was experiencing a delusional determination to be the first to see the falling of his heat-cape hood; the first to see his face back on land. She had spent an inordinate amount of time plating golden ribbons through her dreadlocks that morning, she had even fussed with make-up and agonized over ‘what to wear’!
She had chosen a burnt orange long sleeved shirt and pants suit, loose flowing and silk. With citrine and amber beading forming a Sun pattern on her chest, and the same beads forming flame patterns climbing up from her wrists and ankles. For a hide-away hermit she had definitely created a look that would stand out in a crowd! As the immensely thick lead-laden door slid open, a blinding light shone through; catching every facet of every bead on Niquas outfit and turning her into a glittering ray of sunlight!
Even before Red pulled down his hood, he turned his head in her direction. Had he also recognized a familiar form, within his own sparkling mist of imagination? The lead door shut, the fire-like glitter faded – but Reds eyes gleamed like emeralds. He stood stock-still and speechless, holding up the line of disgruntled service men and passengers. It felt like an entity outside her own body called out his name, when he responded with her own it was not intoned with question, but sublime surprise and ultimate joy.
Niqua had overcome her fear to reach the rail, Red, a bold brave bulk of man, simply pushed sideways through the one directional mobile mob to reach her. Although there were the inevitable grumbles and groans from the exhausted crowd, the majority willingly parted the way, with a smile of the instinctive knowledge that new love was blossoming. No rail, no matter how strong, was going to stop these two souls from touching.
A week of insanity came to a fevered pitch as they clung to each other over the rail, instead of feeling faint, Niqua had never felt so conscious! The realization hit her like a sledge hammer – she was so in love with this man. Unlike Niqua, Red had known within himself for many months now, but had seen no signs that his feelings were reciprocated. With his emotional courage boosted, his actions were automatic.
He released his grip just enough to kiss her, and when he felt his hunger for love returned, he kissed deeper. An emotional dam had burst, to the whooping cheer of the crowd around them. But not even new love can halt the policies and procedures of disembarking for long; a security officer tapped Red on the shoulder, and with red flushed cheeks, told him that unfortunately, he’d have to move along!
With Red forced to move on, Niquas courage faded and she reverted to her frozen, looney state. Shakalee had been patiently waiting a few rows back, she moved forward then and continued her guiding duties. Before too long the guru guide was bidding both Niqua and Red ‘Good-luck and Good-bye’, as she handed Red a mud-map to Niquas pre-booked Core room. Amongst the ooze of new love, Red hardly notices the changes in the tunnels they took to return to the room.
As they enter the room, as if guided by some super-conscious notion, Niqua moves immediately to the wine bottle and pops the cork. They both drink far too quickly to savour the vintage of the brew, and the magic of the potion works just as quick! They tumble in a twist of passionate limbs and souls, kissing and touching with veracious velocity. . . and the scene fades to a mystical sparkling of sweat on naked skin.
It is 3am in the morning, neither Red nor Niqua have really slept, they are exhausted. Chocolate for breakfast, they’ll need a burst of energy to get the gruelling return journey started. When Niqua arrived her mind had been a complete muddle, she had not realized that it had taken Shakalee three-quarters of an hour to guide her to her room. The Sydney to Broken Hill tunnel train would depart at 4.30am, but both of them were extremely anxious to return to their home Core.
Trudging through the tunnels had the effect of emotionally putting their feet back on the ground. Niqua relayed the surface travel trauma of Broken Hill, and her fears of what Doctor‘C’ had told her. Luckily Red was well travelled, as the route to the train tunnels had been blocked and hastily diverted in many places. They had to sprint through the Port safety shelter to reach their specific train on time.
Once on board they were able to relax, snuggling in their booth, finally they both slept. Red was first to awaken, to a feeling of impending danger. He had noticed the changes in the Sydney tunnels during the trip to the train; nearly three quarters of the place had been blocked! With the brief information Niqua had given him, he realized how fine the line of successful return really was. He knew the travel across the surface of Broken Hill would be the clincher.
For an hour he gazed at the new love nestling in the crook of his shoulder, marvelling at the freely given approval of being able to drape his arm about her. And then she woke, her eyes beamed the fear of upcoming danger into his soul. His muscles tensed instinctively, he would shield and protect her – he would get her home! Despite the intense anxiety of the moment, he smiled down at her; the beam was broken and replaced by the sparkle of love.
They had successfully slept eight of the thirteen hours to Broken Hill, only five hours to go. Red began telling a few tales of his own, he had been across the entire continent of Australia and on a submarine trip to New Zealand; though it was only on the return trip from New Zealand that certain changes had been noticed. Niqua knew that that was because, it was during that trip that the ‘shut-down’ had begun.
Red stopped speaking mid-sentence, as he felt a squirming movement above his left breast! In his own unique way Adelo was showing his approval of the new union, his ‘bedroom pocket’ had gotten too hot whilst pressed between them both. So he had moved into Red’s top-left shirt pocket, at least until Niqua was properly awake; with a flick of his tail he now effortlessly bounced back to his own ‘home-base’.
They all shared a meal and freshened-up within the on-train facilities. Before their minds were truly ready for it, the announcer was going through the new procedures for disembarking. “The attendants are currently handing out concentrated iodine fluid and tablets. Please ensure you consume the entirety of these substances before disembarking the train. It is imperative that you move immediately to your designated safe-shelter or Surface-van, and follow all instructions received upon your arrival.”
This was going to be the last surfacing of their lives, for entirely Human reasons they wanted to enjoy it. But that was not to be. Before they even reached the exit, as if the external atmosphere had grown strong and bold enough to reach in and attack; Niqua succumb to the nauseating unconscious state, caused by the super-heated radiation of the surface. As he had not yet faced one of the land-posters displaying the procedure involved in such events, Red pretended not to know and gently lifted Niqua over his shoulder.
He did not sprint, but he definitely broke the pace of walking. Passengers were dropping like flies all around him. Many of their capes flew open as they did so, within seconds there was nothing but bones to cover. Their flesh did not flame and burn, it was more a mirage, the area around their bodies shimmered and was distorted to sight – a few fleeting seconds of this and they became bleached white bones, touched by the ash of their heat-shield capes.
Red could not think of helping them, he could not think at all. It was fated luck for Niqua and himself, that the Broken-Hill surface van was situated directly outside the tunnel exit door. The simple act of stumbling led Red, carrying Niqua, straight into it! A reinforced, lead-laden door slid open, and he fell in. These vans had been up-graded in the near two weeks since Niqua had last used one.
These upgrades were essential, thousands of passengers had died when they dared travel over the surface. The doors had been designed to open automatically upon touch, with the added security of being able to be locked from the inside. There had also been additional radiation protection added to the entire shielding of both wagons and Camel-shields. Carbon Graphite infused Graphene had been hastily developed and employed in a last-ditch effort for surface safety.
It was not fated luck that shut the doors, that was also an automatic setting. Red had already fallen unconscious, and it was little Adelo that triggered the door lock. The Camels were trained to begin the return journey after four minutes of waiting, but there was something wrong. The Camel team was supposed to be changed over, they were not expected to repeat the gruelling surface trip twice in a row. But no-one had come.
So the hardy beasts began the slug of the hour long return trip, having only rested for four minutes. They had not drunk nor eaten, and they had never attempted a second trip. But these were creatures of Cyanos line, filtered and true. They were working on a super-conscious instinct, this was the last hope for theirs and their passenger’s survival. The end of surface bound existence was near and the race for core-level shelter had begun.
When Red awoke, it was to the insistent beeping and rapid flashing of red lights. Niqua moaned softly, vomited, and opened her eyes. Adelo, as if waiting for his cue, began throwing himself at a leap, towards the door handle of a little cabinet marked ‘radiation prevention’. Red gathered enough wits about him to notice the radiation indicator level was at 78 percent and rising.
