Chapter 17
Aftermath
Faruk and Giant, with their mouth and nose covered with a wet rag to filter the foul air, got out of their vehicles and began to inspect the sinkhole that had stopped their journey abruptly the previous night. The entire highway had fallen into it, so Faruk and Giant hiked north and south looking for a way around the big hole. Unfortunately, the ash was so thick it was difficult to even walk safely let alone determine if a vehicle could travel through the grey soot.
Eventually Faruk found himself a long staff and used it to prod the ground in front of him. After about a kyloon he had managed to make it around the sinkhole, marking the trail with stakes along the way. When he’d retraced his steps back to the two ATVs Artis looked at him expectantly.
“Okay. I think we can make it. It will be a little bumpy but the ATVs should be able to handle it.”
Artis nodded. “Let’s get going then.”
They all piled back in their vehicles and slowly followed the staked-out trail around the sinkhole until they were back on the highway again. Fortunately, the wind had picked up blowing a lot of the ash off the highway and making it possible to travel much faster. After about fifty kylods they passed a large convoy of rescue trucks heading for Guhl. One of them slowed and its window rolled down.
“Did you come from Guhl?” he asked.
“Yes, we were up in desert doing research and left when the tremors started,” Artis replied.
“What’s it look like in Guhl?”
Artis shook her head. “It’s pretty bad. Most of the city was destroyed. I hope you brought lots of food, water and medical supplies.”
“We did. Where are you headed?”
“To Rizi, I guess, since the bridge is out, and then to our home in Liehn.”
“It’s pretty clear to Rizi so you should be alright. You got plenty of food and water?”
“Yes. We have enough.”
“What about breathers? This ash will clog up your lungs pretty quick without protection.”
“Ah. Right. We could use a few breathers if you have any?”
“Sure,” he said reaching behind his seat and pulling out two of them. “Here are a couple for you.”
“Thanks,” Artis said taking the breathers. “What do we owe you?”
“Nothing. These are for the general public. Thanks for the information. See you later.”
“No problem,” Artis said as the truck drove off.
Three kyloons later they arrived in Rizi and stopped at the Mighty Jolly. Artis knew the tavern’s manager well and they embraced as soon as she walked in the door. After Artis had linked with Threebeard to tell him they’d safely arrived, she went to her room and took a long hot shower. That night after they’d eaten a hearty meal the staff and some of the regular customers gathered around to hear their tale of the encounter with the nanomites, the tremors and the grey ash from Mt. Alabash. As the evening came to a close Artis wondered how the nanomites had fared after they’d left. She hoped somehow their desert city had survived and vowed to return as soon as possible.
Once the lava cooled the nanomite scouts began surveying the casualties to their swarms and damage to their city. The dead were removed and placed in burial chambers where they would decompose and provide precious chemicals needed by the swarms. By their count nearly thirty percent of the swarms had been killed and another twenty percent were suffering from the effects of the heat or toxic air and weren’t expected to live but for a few days. The life span of a nanomite was short and any serious injury meant imminent death. Consequently nanomites didn’t view death like humans did. Death was a daily reality and the only concern for nanomites was survival of the swarms.
“Sentinel reporting.”
“Proceed,” the Speaker replied.
“Temperatures have returned to normal. Reconstruction of the center split in the city has begun.”
“How long do you think it will take to repair?”
“At least eight days, Speaker,” the Engineer said.
“Why so long?” the Speaker asked.
“We have only a few swarms and they are hampered by the toxic air. Although the lava has cooled the ground is still covered in ash. Until the rains come and wash the ash away it will be difficult for our brothers to work.”
“Any sign of the humans?”
“No.” The Sentinel replied. “They left with the first tremors.”
“I wonder if they will return once the mountain is quiet.”
“I don’t know. They may have suffered damage to their cities as we have.”
“It’s unfortunate that the tremors came just when we were beginning to communicate.”
“Yes, indeed,” the Scholar replied. “That was bad luck but I am optimistic that they will return. We could learn much from them.”
As they were talking the ground began to shake again, but this time there was a strange rumbling sound below them. An ominous feeling came over the swarmmasters. Then the ground beneath them gave way and the nanomite city split apart—then collapsed into the abyss. When the ground settled a few loons later the nanomite city was gone!