“I get it, Suzie,” he said. “This has got you excited. But I was serious about that beer. It’s been a long day and…”
She almost pushed him into her small cramped lab.
“Look,” she said, guiding him forcibly towards a microscope. “Just look.”
He looked. She was right. He had never seen anything like it. It seemed to be mostly undifferentiated protoplasm at first glance, but on closer inspection, he could see some structure there. No amount of attempting to focus could bring any greater clarity.
“What’s this?” he asked. “These clearer particles embedded in the matrix?”
She smiled—a huge grin that made him forget all about that third beer.
“I wondered that, too,” she said. “So I had some tested. You’re not going to believe it.”
Noble sighed.
“Suzie, I’ve had a long day. I’m shagged out. I burnt out an engine and I haven’t had nearly enough beer. Enough of the twenty questions shit, okay?”
The grin never wavered. “You won’t need twenty…it’s obvious, when you think about it and…”
He just had to look at her. She sighed in mock disappointment before replying.
“The clear bits are plastic. As are some of the darker bits. You found a plastic eater—a natural garbage disposal unit. Do you know what this means?”
Noble smiled back.
“No. But I’m sure you’re about to tell me.”
She punched him playfully on the shoulder.
“This is what I’ve been waiting for. The planet is fighting back,” she said. “Gaia hasn’t laid down to die just yet.”
Noble sighed.
“Come on, Suzie. Spare me the New-Age babble. You know how much I hate that stuff.”
She kept smiling.
“Mock all you like. But you’ll see. This…” she said, pointing at the black tar. “This marks the start of something new. Something wonderful.”
Noble was preparing a put-down when the first shouts came from up on deck. The vessel came to an abrupt halt, with a jolt so strong that Suzie fell against him and almost knocked him to the floor. The feel of her body in his hands would have been a distraction at any other time, but he scarcely noticed. By the time he got them both steady on their feet, the shouting from above had grown louder, more frantic. Heavy footsteps rang along the decks. The shouts soon turned to screams—high and wailing, like an animal in acute pain.
Suzie looked at Noble, fear suddenly big in her eyes.
“Stay here. I’ll see what’s going on,” he said.
When he made to move, she came along right beside him. He didn’t have the time to argue. He made sure that he reached the door first and took the steps up to the outside deck two at a time. The scene that met him stopped him as if he’d hit a wall.
Tall black tendrils swayed like cobras in the air, reaching high above the bows on both sides of the vessel, each thicker than a man’s thigh. Noble was tall enough to see that the sea beyond was a seething mass of black tar, like a rumpled carpet lying on the surface of the ocean. For a split second it hypnotised him, his mind straining to encompass the strangeness of the scene.
A fresh scream from the stern brought him back. He turned towards the sound. John Oates, one of the crew, hung suspended by his heels, caught by a tendril. Noble started to run in that direction, but it was already too late for the boy. Swift as a whiplash, the tentacle dragged him over the side. The youth’s head hit the gunwale. His skull cracked and, as fast as that, the lad was gone. Two more crew ran ahead of Noble, heading to the lad’s aid. They were plucked into the air before Noble got any closer.
I need a weapon.
The case containing the fire-axe split as he tugged at it, driving a splinter deep into his right palm, causing the axe handle to slide in his hand, slick with his blood. He turned, just as a new black tendril reached towards the doorway where Suzie Jukes stood with her mouth hanging open, dumbstruck at the scene in front of her.
Noble hacked. Once. Twice. A piece of tendril as long as his arm fell, still twitching, to the deck. He kicked it away and pushed the biologist back inside, almost throwing her back into the corridor. Her eyes widened, staring at a point over his shoulder. She tried to scream, but no sound came. Noble turned and ducked in one movement. The tendril fell on his back, knocking him to the deck. Fast as a snake, it wound itself around his right leg and tugged, hard.
Noble hacked with the axe, but although he raised welts along the tarry surface, they healed almost immediately, the wounds closing moistly like wet lips. He was inexorably dragged across the deck. His attacks with the axe became more frenzied, but the grip on his leg tightened and the pain shot white heat up his side.
“Look away,” he heard Suzie shout. “Cover your eyes.”
Almost instinctively, he obeyed. A white flash lit up the area behind his eyelids and there was a sudden burst of heat, singeing his eyebrows and tightening his skin. The grip on his leg loosened. He dragged himself backwards, suddenly free. When he opened his eyes, he looked down on a smouldering pool of black tar with a safety flare still burning bright in the middle.
Suzie tugged at his arm, dragging him back towards the door. Noble looked around the deck. There was no sign of any crew. Tendrils waved high all around the hull.
He allowed the woman to lead him inside. He had one last look at the black tendrils, swaying like trees in a wind, then slammed the storm door closed, ensuring it was secure before turning to face Suzie.
She threw herself into his arms and hugged him.
“The planet is fighting back,” she said and laughed, then sobbed.
She’s in shock. Best thing is to keep her moving.
He patted her on the back awkwardly, and then gently pushed her away. He still had the axe in his right hand. The splinter in his palm grated against the axe handle and brought new pain. He pulled the splinter out with his teeth, wincing as fresh blood flowed.
Outside, something slammed heavily on the deck and Suzie jumped, as if she’d been struck.
We can’t stay here.
“Come on. Let’s find the others,” Noble said.
“If there’s anybody left,” she whispered. But she followed, holding his left hand tight as he headed for the bridge. The ship strained and creaked around them.
She’s getting squeezed, like a tube of toothpaste.
They found four others still alive on the bridge, including the Skipper, who was staring out at a scene from a nightmare. Noble went to join him at the main control deck. He was about to ask what was happening, but the view told its own story.
Once again, Noble was reminded of a forest. And if he didn’t know better, he’d think there was a strong wind blowing. Black tendrils rose as far as the eye could see, waving in unison, like a wheat field at harvest time. He heard Suzie gasp next to him and her grip on his hand tightened. But the tendrils didn’t come any closer than the hull—there were none within twenty feet of the bridge.
The Skipper finally noticed that Noble was there. The older man had aged visibly since that morning. His eyes were red with new tears.
“Only six left,” he said softly. “Six from fourteen.”
“Nobody else made it?”
The Skipper shook his head.
“We never saw them coming. They came up out of the sea, like whales coming up for air. One second there was nothing but sky and water, the next, the sea was full of… full of things.”
He went back to staring out over the scene.
“What have we got into, Dave? What the hell have we got ourselves into?”
Nobody answered.