Read Online Crash Flux 1: Welcome To The Machine by Kevin Battleson - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Kevin Battleson
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another, much larger elevator, centered in the middle of the shaft to which he was attached, going down.
“The freight elevators?” Raydin said quizzically. He’d always wondered why there was so much secrecy regarding the freight elevators. He looked down, through the glass, at the city below. Not every building reached the roof of the tier, and the view was something you didn’t see everyday. From above, even the lackluster Hub seemed to be in motion, to have a life. The transport tubes streaked across the city, pedestrian traffic flowed back and forth, and the dizzying display that Raydin’s fireworks had started continued. A flywing buzzed passed them, rotors roaring as its stub wings carried it through the air. Up here, it seemed so small, there were only two people aboard, the co-pilot signaling to the pilot, pointing at something below.
He heard Adon groan, and noticed Irule and Burk behind him. The elevator stopped as another guard shouted gruffly at Adon, “Up! Get up! We’re not going to carry you.” As Adon struggled to his feet, the whole procession continued outside. Raydin’s jaw dropped as he saw what lie ahead. He said, “Haven View!”
Layered fences rolled out horizontally spread out into the distance. They in turn connected to metal plating, which served as the foundation for the ramshackle buildings climbing their way up to support pillars. The pillars were bolted into the ceiling, suspending an entire city from the roof of the tier. The guard said, “Up here, we just call it the Rafters. Geddy up.”
The trip up the freight elevator was a long one, it was an awkward trek over layered fences, difficult for someone not born on the rafters. Connected to the skeletal framework that held the upper levels above the Red sector above them, thousands of destitute and impoverished people built makeshift structures with scrap metal, fences, and metal walkways. Worn and outdated electrical equipment strung together in massive monitor blocks surrounding support beams, while hydro parks held mutated edible plants aloft, grown with light and water siphoned from the utility system from the sector above them. Hundreds of people sifted through the platform near the freight elevator for good fencing, metal piping, and outdated computer equipment to construct their homes from the debris.
Adon wondered out loud, “What is this place?”
The guard, who was feeling talkative, said, “These are the Rafters kid. You can find anything here, data, prostitution, gambling.” He chuckled to himself, “Course, before you can get to any of that you have to know it exists, and that’s kinda' hard when yer’ living in the Hub.”
Adon said, “But, how…?”
The guard continued, “To get up here, you have to use the waste freight elevator. Ever wonder why every time you walk past the recycling warrens everyone looks like a zombie? It’s all the conditioning those people go through, trying to convince everyone this place doesn’t exist. Course, the flyboys know it, 'cause they spend most of their time up in the air. The pit-bull rotor drones buzz the Rafters constantly, spotlighting the worst of the scum we got living here. Mostly to make an example of what happens when you refuse to pay the Guard on time.”
“Round here, it’s best you call the dogs by their proper name. The guardsmen don’t like being called pit-bull to their face. Ever wonder about those corpses they find splattered all over the ground in the flat landed spots? That’s always some poor bastard who was late on his payment, got tossed. That or he mouthed off when he shouldn’t have.” He chuckled again. “Course, none of us have that problem. Queen has a soft spot for little folk such as myself.”
The trip up the freight elevator was a long one, it was an awkward trek over layered fences, difficult for someone not born on the rafters. Surrounding
“The freight elevators?” Raydin said quizzically. He’d always wondered why there was so much secrecy regarding the freight elevators. He looked down, through the glass, at the city below. Not every building reached the roof of the tier, and the view was something you didn’t see everyday. From above, even the lackluster Hub seemed to be in motion, to have a life. The transport tubes streaked across the city, pedestrian traffic flowed back and forth, and the dizzying display that Raydin’s fireworks had started continued. A flywing buzzed passed them, rotors roaring as its stub wings carried it through the air. Up here, it seemed so small, there were only two people aboard, the co-pilot signaling to the pilot, pointing at something below.
He heard Adon groan, and noticed Irule and Burk behind him. The elevator stopped as another guard shouted gruffly at Adon, “Up! Get up! We’re not going to carry you.” As Adon struggled to his feet, the whole procession continued outside. Raydin’s jaw dropped as he saw what lie ahead. He said, “Haven View!”
Layered fences rolled out horizontally spread out into the distance. They in turn connected to metal plating, which served as the foundation for the ramshackle buildings climbing their way up to support pillars. The pillars were bolted into the ceiling, suspending an entire city from the roof of the tier. The guard said, “Up here, we just call it the Rafters. Geddy up.”
The trip up the freight elevator was a long one, it was an awkward trek over layered fences, difficult for someone not born on the rafters. Connected to the skeletal framework that held the upper levels above the Red sector above them, thousands of destitute and impoverished people built makeshift structures with scrap metal, fences, and metal walkways. Worn and outdated electrical equipment strung together in massive monitor blocks surrounding support beams, while hydro parks held mutated edible plants aloft, grown with light and water siphoned from the utility system from the sector above them. Hundreds of people sifted through the platform near the freight elevator for good fencing, metal piping, and outdated computer equipment to construct their homes from the debris.
Adon wondered out loud, “What is this place?”
The guard, who was feeling talkative, said, “These are the Rafters kid. You can find anything here, data, prostitution, gambling.” He chuckled to himself, “Course, before you can get to any of that you have to know it exists, and that’s kinda' hard when yer’ living in the Hub.”
Adon said, “But, how…?”
The guard continued, “To get up here, you have to use the waste freight elevator. Ever wonder why every time you walk past the recycling warrens everyone looks like a zombie? It’s all the conditioning those people go through, trying to convince everyone this place doesn’t exist. Course, the flyboys know it, 'cause they spend most of their time up in the air. The pit-bull rotor drones buzz the Rafters constantly, spotlighting the worst of the scum we got living here. Mostly to make an example of what happens when you refuse to pay the Guard on time.”
“Round here, it’s best you call the dogs by their proper name. The guardsmen don’t like being called pit-bull to their face. Ever wonder about those corpses they find splattered all over the ground in the flat landed spots? That’s always some poor bastard who was late on his payment, got tossed. That or he mouthed off when he shouldn’t have.” He chuckled again. “Course, none of us have that problem. Queen has a soft spot for little folk such as myself.”
The trip up the freight elevator was a long one, it was an awkward trek over layered fences, difficult for someone not born on the rafters. Surrounding
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