"Shades of Grey" - Part One
The Province of Jadir had never been prepared to go mineral and even if it could, with 92% of it above 17,000 feet and with a population of less than a quarter million, where would they have started ? It all happened when some Geologist accidentally discovered what turned out to be veins of Lead Ore, a mineral believed to be “mined-out” on Zalthar, whilst taking Core-Samples looking at the Strata for possible faults, prior to sinking the first shafts for foundations of the“Hive’s” they had planned for this Sector ! Suddenly all these 2-bit Claims and Corporate Land-Grabs they were buying up at a very “acceptable” loss were potentially worth a small fortune and the bubble well and truly burst. Speculation they realised, though a wild lover, made a bitch of a Mistress ! The potential profits of others now called all the shots and Zalthar’s “Lead - Rush” was well underway.
Compared to Bronze-Hearth, “Grey” could not have been more different. It was a Dog eat Dogshanty-town on near vertical cliffs, fringed with slag scarps, punctuated by adit‘s, foul smelling levels and furnaces’ that poured filthy black smoke into the wind through make-shift chimney’s. Seething with life, like an old black and white pict-feed of an ant’s nest, although almost everything in Grey was a strictly one-man show unless you were an outsider, it which case you were mistrusted by all ! You could acquire almost anything there, like a Dante designed Market of Souls where you could buy anything you desired and sell anything you needed, especially if they were things you should not be buying or selling.
Carolynn was seriously pissed, as for the second time in a row, Nathan and he had been advised that the Council had “chosen” them for the Honour of this Grand Cycles trade run to Grey, before the Herders had to leave the World Spines and the snows came, before they had moved the herd to the safety of their cold-grazing pastures in the warmer valleys far below. It was to be Jed’s first, a point he would have taken issue with, but after what happened up top in High Valley he could not question the dependability of his friend. Even so, the dangers at Grey were people and he’d rather take on a whole mine of metal beetles with no more than a spanner than deal with a town overflowing with prospectors, money-lenders and protection rackets. He’d seen it all in the Hives and it had taken him cycles to get the stink off !
“I know they couldn’t have chosen Ben and Liz but why us ? Every shite task there is and you can be assured it will have one of our names attached !” He was fuming.
“Its co’s they need someone with smarts, someone who will not get mugged even before they get there, shite you know well why, so stop sulking or it’ll be a long 140 miles !” snapped Nathan, fed up with another mile of his friends moaning.
“Yeah, sorry, just could have done with some time-out this Grand Cycle, its only been 7 since I nearly got cooked remember ?” Carolynn holding up and waving up his right arm by way of mock proof *
* See Season 2 Chapter 6.
“Oh, my hero !“ cooed Nathan, laughing in a last attempt to break Carolynn’s mood, “Going to flash your War-Wound in Grey ?”
“We have enough close-combat kit for Grey ?” Cut in Jed, changing the subject. “What you pack Car ?” he added .
“Na, if its show and tell, you lead Jed !” Came the reply “Nate said you got something new ?”
“Too right, last Train through Bronze Hearth, guy traded me a……..”
Carolyn knew the rest, so shut up whilst Jed entertained them all with the tale of how he got a great deal on a Magpul FMG-9 style folding submachine gun, though things had come on some since the first gen weapons back before the long-night. Still made a comfortable package, folded it was less than a foot long and would tuck away nicely in Grey, not the kind of place you wanted to go flaunting your fire power ! Both Nathan and Carolynn had Bolt Pistol’s for company. Although of a lower calibre than their common counterparts, they fired discarding sabot armour piercing shells that effectively almost doubled their armour penetration. With a high-explosive core behind the penetrating cap to ensure they delivered sufficient stopping power, all in a delivery system discrete enough they could just get away with hanging out of sight in a shoulder holster beneath their baggy capes. For longer ranges or more serious situations, Carolynn and Jed carried their shotguns and Nathan had acquired himself a something for large scale crowd control for this trip, in the shape of an ex-Guard Programmable Grenade Launcher that could throw an inch wide shell up to 2‘000 foot. Far enough he was proud to say that “You’d not get caught in the blast !” What’s more, the timing of the blast could be set in advance, and with such kit Carolynn was satisfied their stay in Grey would not be too unpleasant !
The light was fading fast now, the shadows of the World Spines rapidly lengthening into the pure ink-black of mountain dark, far from the light pollution of the Cities and the Hive’s.
“Whoa !” Called Carolynn, pulling - up his destrier, the same heavy horse they all rode, an ancient breed even on Zalthar, a healthy testament to the constitution of the horses shipped here all that time ago by the 1st Terran’s to colonise the planet. Used as a War Horse on their home world for centauries, they were a good strong horse with a short back and an average of 14 hands of well defined musculature, more than capable of dragging the three of them and their kit the necessary distance. Sliding from their saddles, they walked a while away from the road, to some pine scrub on a slight rise, from where they could sight the track they’d used for some 3 - 4 miles in either direction. Whilst Nathan and Jed got on with the task of pitching the tarpaulin, Carolynn busied himself with ensuring the destrier’s were fed and watered, before giving each a well earned rub-down and checking their shoes and hooves after a hard days graft. By the time he was done, the tents were up and Jed had Morac steaks ready to go.
“Quiet” said Jed, “I mean the road was. No sign of man nor beast all light, not since we left that second village, “White Pines” wasn’t it ? Seemed awfully empty, apart from that old guy who pumped the water. Reckon they are all off making their fortunes in Grey. They say you can pick it up by the side of the roads there, I’m going to have a go myself when we get there, I’m going to…”
“Make sure that under no circumstances we get parted for one thing, ” cut in Nathan. “There are to ways of getting rich there, ones to dig for it, second to take it off someone who has, and I’ll wager there’s many more doing the later !”
“Nate’s right Jed. There are some dangerous folk get attracted by easy money and we don’t know there’s not still someone looking out for me, or any one of us after that business with Kern.”*
* See Season 2 Chapter 5.
Carolynn banked their fire with a charred branch, ensuring it warmed without flame.
“There’s none of us can take chances now, not even in Bronze Hearth and not in a town like Grey. You know there’s 24’00 or more folk there now ? 4 Great Cycles ago there was barely 600, with over half of them herders like us, only there in the summer cycles, gone before the snow. You’ve never seen that number of folk in one place have you ? Well I have, and it aint how people were meant to live, it messes with your head, makes them do all kind of crazy things. Place like Grey would chew you up and spit you out quicker than the blink of an eye, and there’d be squat Nate and I could do except to make sure you got a burial if you were lucky !”
Carolynn held Jed’s gaze just long enough to satisfy himself it had sunk home, to make sure Jed had seen just enough of the real fear that still lurked deep in the pale green of his own eyes, an unshakable residue from the horrors they had borne witness to as a child in the Hive. Those fears would whisper more wisdom as to the perils of mankind and would tell the lad more than he ever could.
“Doesn’t mean we won’t get to have a look about though !” said Carolynn, patting Jed’s shoulder light heatedly, before the mood got too sombre. It was late and there were some terrors you’d not want walking in your dreams !
“You two go get some rest, I’ll take the first stint. Sleep well, we’ve a long ride still come light, especially you Jed, you are doing breakfast !” He ducked the reply that whistled past his ear off into the alpine dark.
With Jed and Nate turned in, Carolynn took a stroll up to the horses, giving each a cursory look over, making sure each was tied off tight for the night. One shuddered as far off a Lope-Cat called mournfully from the peaks. Scanning the horizon to the north, even from this distance Carolynn could make out a faint glow in the sky, must be where Grey sat, big enough now even to light the mountains. Pushing such thoughts from his mind, he sat next to the fire, pulling his saddle blanket up around him to keep out the chill mountain air. He was not happy going back into that kind of world, it had almost broken him once, as a child and he still feared it as a man.
Nathan took over at mid dark and come light, he awoke to the smell of food, always a good sign. Jed was cooking, whilst Nate had taken down and packed one tent and was just about to start on the second. They ate quietly, no-one having much to say, then packed in the same silence, prepared the destrier’s and were soon back on the road North.
Another day and a half’s riding and the landscape began to change, although they were still some 11 miles out from Grey. First, they noticed that everything began to take on a darker hue, plants, rocks and the very ground itself covered in a patina of black. The trees and shrubs began to thin, and within a mile had disappeared altogether, leaving the landscape bare and barren, soil washed away, signs of rock and mud slides bordered the road where the retaining vegetation had gone. Everywhere there were blind levels where eager hands had dug, only to come up empty, like some bomb crazy pilot had strafed the area for months on end or someone had called in an orbital bombardment. They smelt Grey several hours before they heard it, and that was sometime more before they saw it, and no matter what they had seen last time, nothing could prepare them for what it had become. The place had more than quadrupled in size, having vomited itself another two miles down at least and every square inch was occupied. They past silently past mile upon mile of shanty’s dotted through a smoked landscape of undulating spoil heaps, chimney’s, furnaces and clanging foundries that assaulted all their senses. It was deafening, their eyes watered and the air was so thick they had to tie scarves around their faces. They could taste the smelters, feel the grit in their mouths and noticed all about them was grey with stains of yellow, rivulets of soot with a strange metallic sheen. The shapes of people drifted ghost-like in and out of focus through the low cloud and smog, which as they reached the drop, was lit from below with the orange of fires further down the cliff slopes.
By now they were on foot, leading the destrier’s, uncomfortable and in need of reassurance of their footing, clearly uncertain in the hired respirator gear the horses of Krieg had became accustomed to. They threaded their way ever down into the thickening morass, hemmed in by Coe’s,* smelters, chimney stacks and adits, though the throng of its spectral inhabitants towards the Lead Markets, financial nerve centre of this teeming necropolis.
*Miners cabins, often containing the adit or shaft to the mine itself.
They had toyed with leaving the horses, but in this place had not deemed it wise, and although they slowed them and were themselves clearly distressed, they were and would remain alive. By now it was almost impossible to see more than two or thee feet, and it was then that they found salvation in the shape of Joseph. A mine brat and street child, he couldn’t have been more than 7 or 8, but slipping his head momentarily out of his poorly fitting ex-Army gas mask, he introduced himself, established where they were headed and negotiated a price. Slipping a piece of red dyed rope into Carolynn’s hand, he took the other end and was of. He took them sideways, ever left-right or right-left and immediately the journey became easier, the throng opened out and they were often alone on an alley or terrace at an angle far less punishing for the horses. They had followed Joseph’s crab like route for a while, when the side streets started to open up and the smog, almost imperceptibly at first, began to thin. After a while they could see 10-12 feet and the buildings were becoming more substantial. The heart of Grey had been mined out and some of its wealthier inhabitants had taken it for their own and as those with wealth and power often do, set about improving things, though strictly for themselves, or their indirect benefit in terms of the Market Halls.
These now rose in front of them like huge ships from the fog, each one more ornate than the last, adorned with Family Coats of Arms, Industrial and Corporate Logos, even the Imperial Aquila graced some frontages, and it was no surprise that the Imperium had a hand in this !
“Pays well then !” came Nathan’s muffled response.
“Some yeah “ replied Carolynn.
“This way gentlemen, this way”, and Joseph turned hard right twice until they were headed back up-hill for a few yards, until the roof-line dropped again, the walls closed in and they turned off the main drag and under a low gable, to where was constructed what millennia ago on Terra, would have been a coaching Inn of sorts. An older man limped forwards and pulled back a huge sheet of industrial polythene to allow them entry, pulling it back again behind them. Somewhere off to the side strummed a very aged battery of fans, which judging from the fact that the stinging in their eyes was beginning to ease, was acting as a crude but nevertheless effective air conditioning. A young girl stepped forward with a tray of drinks, whilst what may have been her younger sister took hold of the red rope, signalling to Carolynn and his companions to let her take the horses off towards two split barrels which held water presumably.
“This is my family Sirs, come, my sister will give your horses a drink and my father has theses for you. They make the air taste better.”
Carolynn pulled aside his scarf and nodding agreement, took a glass from the young woman’s tray and tried a sip. It was clearly a drink adapted for the purpose, for it did feel fresh in his mouth.
“Here Sir spit, fist few sips, wash your mouth and spit, don’t swallow.“ added Joseph and following the suggestion, Carolynn began to feel the awful cloying taste of Grey begin to dissipate. Soon the others had joined him as did Joseph, in a ritual sip and spit, until all taste of the city had gone. Excusing himself, Carolynn then crossed over to the destrier’s, noticing how good the air was as he did, catching sight of a battery of different fans and a row of what looked like extractor hoods. Despite the polythene and the “air conditionings” rudimentary look the system certainly worked.
“Thank you ?” Nathan offered his hand to the man he assumed to be Joseph’s father.
“Martin Sir, I’m just…”
“Nathan, or rather Nate, please” said Nathan, warmly shaking Martins hand “and thank you Miss for the drink. Fascinating, tell me Martin is this all your handiwork ?” Nathan indicated towards the fans and such, at which Carolynn knew that was him occupied for as long as Martin remained conscious. Jed meanwhile was talking with whom he suspected was Josephs older or oldest sister and from their shy laughter and awkwardness of his posture, Carolynn guessed that was Jed occupied too !
“I hope you like it Si…“
“Carolynn” he said to Joseph, “Although Joseph, my good friends call me Car.“ he smiled. “Is this your folks… Hotel ?” he then asked Joseph, hoping that was the right word. It was an Inn, explained Joseph, and the best in these parts for cost and more importantly hygiene it would appear from the colourful descriptions in his sales pitch, when describing the facilities of opposing establishments. Joseph and his sisters, being Hannah talking Jed and Mariah unharnessing the horses helped their Dad run the place now. Joseph explained that his Mum was with the Emperor now, she had got sick the first snows they were here and they could not afford a Doctor. He said he didn’t miss the Church school he used to attend, as his Dad taught him here, whereas school was right near the top of Grey and they had made him sing ! His father still talking with Nathan and elder sister also busy, Joseph slipped readily into what was clearly a well rehearsed role, insisting he carry Carolynn’s pack and blanket before escorting him across to the opposite side of the yard, to one of the most bizarre buildings he had ever seen.
The Inn was literally wedged into a gap left between the lower storey of a tall corporate building and part of the sheer cliff face to which the majority of Grey precariously clung. Despite being made solely from no more than scores of different pieces of timber and clad in polythene and other sheet plastic, two such immovable bastions allowed it to safely rise to an impressive three storey’s with a fourth clearly underway. The inside was even more eclectic than the out, with no two fixtures and fittings the same, like an interior designer sketch book. Carolynn’s room was on the second floor and though sparsely furnished, had absolutely all he needed and more besides, and after Joseph bought him a pitcher, he washed the rest of Grey off ! He then lay back on the bed a checked the details of their approaching trades on his Cogitator -Link, plugging directly into the Cities Cogitative-Mesh to ensure a secure connection. After spending a while checking details were correct, Carolynn agreed a time for two meetings the following light and was issued with Access and Trading Codes. The task entrusted to Carolynn and Nathan and one that Jed would learn, was the art of negotiating the trade of any surplus Morac, their Meat, Hides and the like, even carcasses, for other goods they would need to get them through the migration, the snows and into the new season, just as their fathers and their forefathers before them had done. Here, one of the prime trades is obviously for lead, not just for filling shogun cartridges, adding to the casting of bullets and shell, but mainly for water-proofing Pods at the joints and chimney flues and such. In exchange, an awful lot of folk wan to eat and many will want hides to keep warm and dry before the snow’s arrive.
There was a tap on the door, which swung open to reveal an excited looking Nathan. “You Ok ? Sorry but I got carried away, you should see how he’s done this place Carolynn, guy’s a genius ! Rigged most of it from kit no one wanted, recycled the whole of the air-con, part from the air, that’s donated by next door !” Which set them both laughing, only to be joined a moment later as Jed appeared in the doorway to Carolynn’s room too, looking very pleased with himself.
“You guys need me until later, I was wondering if I could do third watch again ? That way I can show Hannah how you like your breakfasts doing can’t I as I know how to do…..”
“Who’s Hannah ?” piped Carolynn and Nathan in unison.
“You know, she is Joseph’s sister, the one .. “
“Who kindly fed and watered the horses ?” asked Nathan mischievously, adding “and she cooks too ? My, my and at so young an age too, well I …”
“No, !” Jed almost cried out in his growing frustration, “Hannah was the one who gave us all drinks.”
“Oh” said Carolynn, “Well we’d like too wouldn’t we Nate. “
“We would” agreed Nathan, “We really would.“
“But you see we really both need to get on with a joint strategy for the trade talks you see, before we get too sleepy. They are really important, I mean you wouldn’t want someone to starve or freeze to death because we were too tired to remember the right foods….”
“Or enough fire wood !” added Nathan.
“No, I suppose not, it was just ….never mind. I’ll go get on with ….”
“Go on Jed,” said Nathan, “We were just fooling with you. I‘m doing first, Carolynn second, which leaves you free for breakfast by my reckoning.”
“And right now !” added Carolynn, “So why are you still here ?” Jed paused for a moment as the wreckage of his hopes was reassembled, smile and was gone, only to reappear moments later
“Thanks !” he said, and was gone again, as Nathan and Carolynn collapsed in laughter.
That evening, they stripped down and cleaned their guns, whilst talking trade, namely who would deal with who, the strengths and weaknesses of the Council of Grey and what a harsh snow would mean. After a couple of dry hours debate they decided upon a break, and so Nathan and Carolynn stepped out into Grey proper, to the East of the Business District where every other building was a bar and they’d get a better feel for the place than through the Council There were a lot of people who were certainly not best pleased, the new hike in taxes to meet the revised Imperial tithes had a lot of people mad, especially given their piss poor performance at defending Zalthar when there was an incursion. Many had kept stum whilst Lord Inquisitor Hector-Rex was on world, but now he’d apparently gone, many felt more comfortable to vent their feelings on the matter. They had to leave one of the many “Aquila” Bar’s in Grey sharpish, after a fight broke out and the PDF arrived to break it up, as they were well known for being none too fussy who they collared, so it was best to be where they weren’t . There were a lot of Professionals now in Grey, mainly working the old “Trial Levels” to the South of the centre, but Grey’s Red Light District, Strip-Joints and Massage Parlours did not appeal toe either of them, instead they found a club with dark corners and settled down for a few well earned drinks. It was a good plan whilst it lasted, trouble was in a City where a great may had moderate to severe lead poisoning, if you were half way sane you attracted attention. In Nathan and Carolynn’s case, this came when Nate won seven straight games of pool in a row, before pool cues got broken on heads, fists and feet started flying and it was time to leave Club/Bar number 2 ! That was Grey though, a smouldering slum full of folk living cycle to cycle, light to dark looking for a fortune or an excuse to implode. All around Arc lights blazed cutting a false light into the mountains, accompanied by a unrelenting cacophony of industrial sound that struck its beat all cycle round and Carolynn was truly at a loss to understand how people could exist in such a space. Even in the Hive, there had been times of silence somewhere !
Carolynn and Nathan crossed the strip of the terrace that formed most of the streets in Grey heading up and West, back towards the Markets, hoping the entertainment may pick up a bit. Instead the number of PDF Trooper simply seemed to increase, revellers getting fewer and further between. Shortly, their route was blocked by a natural ravine that ran vertically parallel to the cliff, cutting into it to a depth of some 18’ to 20’ that probably contained a stream in an earlier life. Now it was an ugly black scar holding the rails of a narrow gauge gravity plane funicular, a cable railway that used the weight of the fully loaded wagons of smelted lead going down to the Market to pull empty wagons back to the heights.
“Well that’s different”, said Nathan, “Guess the neat stuff is too pricey to risk carting it down that slope, sure explains all the PDF Goons in this part of town !“
Carolynn peered over as a wagon rumbled downwards, then in hushed tones, whispered toNathan,“Don’t know what they’re shifting, but it aint lead in that wagon !”
And then He could smell it too !
End of Part One
Mk
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