Harvest Earth Read Online Free PDF

something to deescalate the situation while still maintaining her position and authority. She loosens her grip on the analyst but keeps the same snarl on her face. “Now how the hell can Lt. Trevers and I help you blockheads get these pieces of junk working again?” She gestures to the servers and speaks with a sternness in her voice that makes the statement sound less like a question and more like an order.
    The analyst straightens his collar, his eyes shifting between Madison, Lt. Trevers and the onlookers. He wipes the beads of sweat off of his forehead with the back of his hand. Taking a step towards Madison, she stiffens. He then reaches past her and picks up a small technician’s kit. He holds it out to her. “Take this down to the lower levels. Our crew down there needs some extra supplies to re-route some of our systems.” His voice is soft as he adds, “sir.”
    Without another word Madison takes the bag. She and Lt. Trevers disappear down the back end of the server room and down a flight of stairs. They feel the technicians’ eyes piercing into the backs of their heads as they descend down and out of sight. Once in the lower levels, Madison allows her body to relax as she takes a deep breathe. The tension of the earlier scene escapes from her.
    They find a handful of airmen in overalls working in a narrow service corridor at the bottom of the stairs. They are grateful to see the supplies that Madison has brought them. One of these technicians, a woman covered in grease with her hair tied up in a loose bun, leans up against the wall as she rummages through the bag. Her identification tag reads, “Private Lui”.
    “So, we know anything new?” The Private says as she picks up what looks to Madison like a long-nosed screwdriver out of the bag.
    “Not really.” Madison replies, carefully watching as the Private peels off the faceplate of a fuse box on the wall. “What about down here? Do we know why our systems are losing power?”
    Pvt. Lui tucks a stray hair behind her ear and then steadies her hand. She tips the point of her tool into a narrow space between a jumble of wires. “Well, the shielding that protected our systems from the initial blast, attack, or whatever it was; it protected most of our hardware but not everything. Those components that were affected seem to finally be having an impact on other components further down the line. If it continues like this it won’t be long before the whole base goes dark.” To Madison, Pvt. Liu says this last line as if it is an inevitable certainty. One that the Private has already accepted.
    Lt. Trevers bristles at the thought. “Can you fix it?” He says, trying to hide his uneasiness.
    “Of course I can.” The Private responds just as a spark flies out of the fusebox. It caused the lights overhead to flicker. She gives them a coy smile as if to say, ‘I meant to do that.’ Madison feels briefly encouraged by Pvt. Liu’s calmness and sense of humor. Madison tries to make a note to try to come down to the lower levels more often. To learn more about how these systems that powered her own workstation work. To also learn more about Pvt. Lui and the strange tool that she uses that looks like an elongated screwdriver.
    The lights then flickered again. Pvt. Lui giggles, “That time it wasn’t me.”
    But the Private’s thought is cut off when ceiling above her collapses. The whole corridor shakes with a tremendous force, and the walls on either side of them collapse as well. Lt. Trevers pushes Madison and she falls backwards. She is blinded by dust and becomes disoriented as it fills her lungs. Everything goes dark. The only way she even knows she is alive is from the sounds of tumbling rock and screams nearby.
     

 
    7    Gabriel
     
     
    When Gabriel finally sees what had been causing the vibrations that had been growing around him, his heart plummet down to his feet. His damn eyes! Gabriel thinks they surely are deceiving him. Madness and fear