The Constant Star (32)

THE STORY SO FAR

The grav modules on the outside rotate way faster than that and keep it at one G in there.”

“Yeah, three thousand kilometers an hour or so. Conner told me.”

“Lucky for you, on the Tube and this close to the center, you’re spinning much slower than that. See that platform coming up? You need to jump to it when it reaches you”

“What?”

“Listen, you can’t make it to the Chosen Ones with that forcefield up. And I can’t shut that forcefield off unless you make it to that platform. I told you: I don’t have any control over this environment at the moment.”

“So how do you know where I am?”

“This headset you’re wearing, that’s how. Now get ready to jump. And don’t miss: that forcefield isn’t cushioned.”

Siff waits a few seconds on still shaking legs. It’s less than a two-meter gap, but the rotation and the threat of imminent death is psyching her out. Okay. You got this. C’mon. You got this. Skita! C’mon. Go! The platform comes within reach and she makes the leap, falling to her hands more for a feeling of security than as a necessity. The adrenaline makes every part of her shake, Siff struggles to get it under control. She stands uneasily, getting used to the new gravity, and follows Macy’s overlay to a system of wires on a steel mesh platform, a single guardrail protecting her from the…how far down is it?

“Okay Siff, this is where you leave me.”

“What do you mean?”

“I need to shut off the forcefield long enough for you to get through.”

“You want me to jump? From up here? Jump?”

“That’s the only way down, girl. And the only way that forcefield is shutting off is if you wrap this headset around the cables in front of you. Once connected I can get you in. And you just have a few short minutes until you get what you always wanted.”

“That’s a long way down.”

“There’s no turning back, Siff. The security is back up: the only way is down. You have to jump. The suit and helmet will keep you warm, and keep you from spinning out of control. The helmet will show you where to land, and I reckon you’ll be happy with where I’m putting you.”

“What do you mean?”

“Check it out.”

Siff looks over and follows the headset’s optics, zooming into her landing site…roughly five kilometers from where Lucas is at camp outside the End Forest, “Shit! Really, Macy?”

She lets out a laugh, “No need to thank me, just land, burn your gear, then head on over and introduce yourself. Okay, a thank-you would be nice.”

Siff rolls her eyes, “Thanks. I guess.”

Macy chuckles again, “You are most welcome, Siff. The helmet will let you know when to pull the chute and when to prepare for landing. Remember what to do?”

“Pull down and across.”

“That’s right. Pull down and across. This is where we say goodbye, friend. Look at you, living the dream for both of us. Thanks for everything, Siff. Without you we wouldn’t have the opportunity we have now. We owe you everything.”

“Thanks Macy. I missed you my whole life; you were my best friend. I’m so sorry for what happened to you.”

“Hey, don’t worry about it. It gave me the chance to live for something bigger. Now stop saying goodbye already. We’ve got to get you where you belong.”

“Okay Macy. Thank you so much.”

“No problem Siff. Put the parachute on, wait for this section of the forcefield to go down, then jump. Don’t hesitate: I won’t be able to keep it open for long. Remember to burn everything when you get down there. Good luck.”

Siff takes the headset off and places it on the nearby cabling. It reorganizes itself around the wires and settles into a clamp-like structure, indistinguishable from the other hardware used to secure the wires. She takes the backpack off and puts her legs through the parachute like Macy showed her, then her arms as well. Taking a breath, she puts her helmet back on and activates the face covering. Her heads-up display comes to life and she stares at the scenery. The magnificence of the Tube and Needle surrounding her, continuing into the far distance. It is night-time around her, a projected event, stunning to look down on, but one that gives Siff feelings of vertigo and unsureity as her heads-up display portrays images of mountaintops and forests far below. She climbs over the handrail and leans forward over the drop, staring at the distant red dot that is her landing site, her gloved hands the only thing keeping her from the point of no return. There is a flicker and a kilometer-radius section of forcefield below her disappears. Siff bites her lip and lets go.

24

Jupiter pushes through the troops stationed in the Needle; they are moving through in units to infiltrate the grav modules. Mars is ahead of him, but not by much. A sense of urgency and dread fills Jupiter’s gut: he hopes he is wrong. He really hopes he is wrong.

They take a hard right and sprint through several doors to an outlook point over the End Forest, where they immediately see a part of the shield is down, “Merda.” Mars pulls his rifle and looks through the scope, “Is that why you came, Jupiter?”

“Why?”

“It’s her.”

“No.”

“It’s her. And I’m going to kill her.”

“No.”

“There is no talking your way out of this. She needs to die. Right now.”

“No. It can’t be. It can’t be.”

“Get your head out of your ass for two seconds! She’s not one of us. She’s already gone. She needs to die. And if we don’t kill her now she will cause the death of any Chosen One she comes in contact with when the Council kills her. She needs to die, Jupiter. And I’m doing it right now.”

“No. I’ll do it. She’s my

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