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GARY
HAMPSON
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No matter how many times Caitlin used the Spiral (and the number was now near to a hundred), it gave her a real buzz. The idea that she was going to be instantaneously transferred to another location thousands of kilometres away by relying on mathematics and physics made her brain reel. She remembered how her mother had always got a buzz out of flying, especially on Boeing 747 Jumbos – ‘how could something that big and heavy get into the air?’ She felt the same way about the Spiral except that it seemed even more impossible than flying. Spiral travel wasn’t painful; just mildly disorienting - like waking up upside down. One second you are here and then you are there looking startled and trying to quickly gain your bearings and look ‘fresh’, the contemporary slang for being calm, up to date and in control. On her first trip by Spiral to Auckland, New Zealand, her knees had given way and she had collapsed. Over time, she had become a seasoned Spiraller and was now completely in control within seconds of arriving. Despite the dramatics of spiralling and her lack of understanding the physics of it all, she felt safe. She knew that Spiral Corporation had never lost a customer. What else could you do in life that had so small a risk? She was thinking of James and looking forward to what she had planned in Cairns. She hoped he would be pleasantly surprised when she sidled into his room barely half an hour after he had arrived and before his meeting started. She was still thinking that perhaps she could do something special for him in the hour before his meeting, when the Spiral suddenly kicked in and demanded her attention. One moment she was looking abstractedly at the white etching of the name ‘Canberra – the Nation’s Capital’ on the glass at eye height and wondering if it was on the inside or outside of the glass, and the next she was a bit dizzy and startled, looking at an etching of ‘Cairns – Tropical Fun’ on what seemed like the same cylinder. But just before she left the Canberra Node, she thought she saw rapid, urgent movement behind the controllers’ desks. Almost immediately and pre-consciously, she heard the wail of a siren. The ceiling panels flashed alternatively white and rose, imposing on her muddled consciousness. When she looked across at the controllers, she could see frantic activity at the consoles in what she presumed was Cairns, not Canberra. Her first thought, naturally, was to get out of her cylinder and get dressed quickly, but first she checked that the modesty holoscreen was operating. The incessant noise of the siren and the flashing lights distracted her for a moment before she slid the glass panel to the floor and stepped across to the other cylinder. She moved very quickly to dress herself again and activate her iCom and strap it around her neck, like a choker. Before she could convert any thoughts into actions, an announcement was broadcast in a calm, reassuring female voice. ‘This is an important announcement. Would all travellers or guests in the Cairns Node, whether departing or arriving, please make their way to the main entry foyer and await further instructions. You may take your baggage with you. There is no danger – please move calmly without hurrying, but directly to the foyer area. Thank you.’ The message was repeated again. As a security professional herself, Caitlin understood that there could be many reasons for this level of activity and heightened security. She picked up her bags, opened the door to her room and moved into the corridor beyond. It was busy with people but not crowded; all moving in the same direction to the left of her room. She was happy to calmly join in with the other travellers and head for the foyer. All she really wanted to do was to get out of the building and make her way to James’ room as quickly as possible. A security alert meant very little to her and she had no real interest in finding out why there was one in the Cairns node until she read about it in the iCom update later. Within about two hundred metres of her room and while surrounded by a handful of people, the security alert became personal. Her iCom delivered an urgent voice message to her ears while simultaneously pulsing with a visible red light. ‘Code Eight – Cairns Spiral Node. All available staff please respond. Details to follow.’ She knew what a Code Eight was. It meant that a parliamentarian was in danger and urgent action was required. Caitlin felt a sickening feeling in her stomach, but managed to respond quickly by saying out loud ‘Agent Dean – in Cairns Node – will take action.’ Caitlin suddenly changed from the holidaying lover to the highly trained security professional that she was paid to be. Her eyes became focused and quick, and the muscles in her body became tense and alert. She looked along the corridor and found an official looking woman standing at the furthest corner. She put her bags against the wall and started running at pace to reach the woman. ‘I’m Agent Dean from Federal Parliamentary Security. Please tell me clearly what initiated this alert and who’s in charge’. Caitlin poured this out the moment she reached the woman while flashing an identification e-card. The woman official acted as if she had not heard Caitlin. ‘I’m sorry. If you would just move to the foyer area without panic, everything will be explained.’ She turned her gaze to the other travellers. Caitlin leaned forward and grabbed the woman by both shoulders to command her attention. ‘Who’s in charge of this Node and where will I find them?’ The woman tried again to avoid Caitlin’s gaze while saying ‘I’m
sorry. I’m not in a position to …’ The woman finally focused all her attention on Caitlin’s face and her words. It took her only a moment to recognise Caitlin’s earnest need for her help. ‘I think they are all in one of the receiving rooms on level three immediately below us. But I’ve been instructed …’ Caitlin didn’t wait to her the woman’s instructions. She
moved at pace back to the ‘down tube’ along the corridor and
stepped out into space. She gently floated down to Level Three. She didn’t
need to know which room was the focus of the alert. It was made obvious
by the press of people in official Spiral uniforms outside 303. As she
approached at a run, two uniformed men stepped out to bar her way. Caitlin
held up her e-card, eyeballed each official with an uncompromising look
that said ‘get out of my way’ and moved forcibly into the
receiving room. As she moved towards the cylinder, someone (she didn’t know who, or care ...) said ‘stop, don’t touch the glass’, but she ignored it. Just as her touched vibrated the cell holding James’ life, the figure collapsed from the head down and dissolved into a fine blood-red dust, filling the bottom of the cylinder. Her lover’s image remained in her eye for a moment, but burned itself permanently into her brain. She heard someone behind her say ‘I knew it’, but she remained staring strangely at where James’ face had been before it dissembled before her eyes. As she looked down, the room began to spin and she fell forward against
the glass at the bottom of the cylinder. In the next second, when she
opened her eyes, she was face to face with the blood-red mud. As she tried
to struggle to her knees, anguished sobs overtook her and for the first
time since she was a child, she vomited. She collapsed again onto the
metallic floor and curled up like a child. Friendly hands began to reach
out to touch her shoulder and take some of the burden from her, but she
was oblivious to them. All she could think was ‘James ... James
... dear James ...’ |
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