James Axler – Freedom Lost

Then came the smoke, and the blue haze, and the long, lazy tendrils of fog. Unlike most of her companions, all of whom subconsciously held their breath as the eldritch process of the jump began, Mildred always breathed deeply, taking the ion-charged atmosphere deep into her lungs. She believed it helped with the dispersal and recalibration of her individual molecules when they where broken down and reassembled at their eventual destination.

So far, she had managed to avoid any references to Star Trek , Dr. Leonard “Bones” McCoy, having her “atoms scrambled” and the Starship Enterprise not because she didn’t think it would be funny, but because it was tiring to be the only person in the room laughing at a jokethough Doc might get itand by the time she’d explained everything it wouldn’t be funny anymore.

“Like looking into sun,” Jak said softly, speaking for the first time since their arrival. His own ruby orbs were infinitely more suited for low levels of light and shadow instead of the bright lighting in the new mat-trans chamber.

“It’s not that bad, Jak. Wasn’t that bad, I mean,” Ryan replied, getting slowly to his feet and keeping his blaster leveled at the door. “I took a good look when I came to, and I seem to be all right. The spots’ll fade.”

“Thank Gaia. You don’t have the sight to lose,” Krysty replied, revealing she, too, was awake.

“Hell of a ride,” J.B. announced, sitting up and stretching. He took out his glasses and placed them on his lean nose before standing.

The mat-trans chamber they occupied was the traditional hexagonal shape, but everything else was different. A lower than usual ceiling tapered to a central point. Ryan had to duck when crossing the center of the room. An array of open silver mat-trans disks were overhead, close enough for Ryan to reach up and touch. A smooth, flat floor that appeared to be made of a thick clear substance with the lower mat-trans disks sealed within like insects in amber rested beneath the group’s bodies. The disks were softly creaking as they contracted from their expansion, cooling down from the incredible heat unleashed during the jumping process.

The usual metallic smell was in the air, a flat, bitter scent of pressurized oxygen from the gases released during the jump.

There was nothing pleasant about a matter transfer jump. However, everyone was relieved to know that the odds were in their favor of being a long, long way from the Barrens, and that knowledge alone was enough to help relieve some of the feelings of illness that came with gateway transport.

However, this mat-trans chamber came with yet another new twist.

What could only be interpreted as a clear ob window was embedded in one wall, next to the doorway. At least the familiar thick armaglass that served as the walls of the chamber was in evidence here, although colorless in a dingy opaque gray sort of way. Trying to see through it was impossible, like trying to peer through a window covered in grime.

“What gives?” Ryan asked. “This place is a mat-trans chamber, but the feel is all wrong.”

“I agree,” Krysty answered. “And I don’t think we’re the only ones here.”

“Think we’re being watched?”

“Hope not.”

Mildred was standing in front of the ob window with J.B, who had unlimbered his Uzi and was standing combat ready.

“One thing’s for sure. This isn’t just another redoubt,” the Armorer murmured. “If you think the chamber’s different, get a gander at the control room.”

Everyone but the still unconscious Doc clambered over for a look, keeping their heads low as they peeked outside. The window revealed a wide, low-ceilingedlike the chamberroom that was antiseptically white. A series of black lines gave the floor a checkerboard pattern. A single white desk with a comp and monitor rested directly across from the window.

“Simple, stripped down. Where’s all of the hardware?” Mildred wondered aloud.

“Another room, perhaps?” J.B. replied. “There’s a small anteroom off from the gateway between us and main control anyway.”

“Mebbe. Mebbe not,” Ryan said. “Still, I do see a door, off to the far left.”

Everyone looked in the direction where the one-eyed man was gesturing. There was a door, which appeared to be painted eggshell white with a simple silver doorknob. No high-tech locking systems or security key pads were visible. The frame had the look of being reinforced, and a thin rubber seal could be spied for an extraclose fit, but that was all in the way of modification.