The Graveyard / 2 /

"The reason why we can live, the reason why we survived, isn't because we're stronger or tougher than those that tried before us. It's because we were smarter, we learned from their mistakes. We listened to the reports of what happened, we adapted their strategies and took the best of each plan before we left our cities. That is how this works. That is what keeps the Graveyard thriving. We don't depend on Those On High as Miss Blink put it for technology, we don't have to wait for them to pass things down the hill to us. Instead we work with organizations like the one Miss Blink works for to get us the parts we need to be able to adapt on our own. No one tells us how to survive, no one is helping us. Marshall, myself and the others all say we but do any of you know how long the Graveyard has been here?"

No one raised their hand.

"I wish I could tell you. Honestly, we don't even know. Some of you are new here, some of you were born here, some have just been here for a while but what I can tell you was that Marshall's grandfather was born here. We didn't build this place, we didn't come up with the idea... we just keep it going."

A hand went up, it was Morgan's hand. "Professor, when did you come to the Graveyard?"

Professor took a deep breath, running a hand through his hair. Some of the children knew about the scar hidden behind his shaggy hair. Others had heard about it, but some still had not seen it. It was not pretty. A finger length from his right eye, almost directly over his ear, the scar stood as a razor line surrounded by mottled skin. The fact that hair didn't grow around the scar was enough for some kids to know that it came from a nanite gun. Others thought it was just the way scars worked.

"I came to the Graveyard right around the time I got this scar. Now, if any of you can guess how long that was, I'll tell you if you're right."

Guesses rang out rapid fire, but Blink did not need to hear anymore. She knew how long Professor had been in the Graveyard because she already knew. He told her a few years back on a similar delivery when she had asked a similar question. Instead, she walked away from the door she had been listening through and down the tunnel ahead. The dim lighting flickered but not due to faulty equipment, those in charge of Graveyard's engineering kept the lighting in the tunnels as low as possible to conserve energy.

After taking a few turns and passing by several tunnels and closed doors, Blink reached the end of her path. This door was different. It was stronger, it was older. She knocked on the security door and waited for someone to open it. It took a second before the lock disengaged and the heavy door swung inward. Blink stepped through the threshold expecting the usual pat down but was saved the trouble when Marshall stood up from the chair across the room to wave off the door-guard. "Let's add Miss Blink to the list of trusted individuals, alright soldier?"

The door-guard nodded and stepped back to their post. Marshall was taller than convenient for living underground. He was caught in a constant state of slouching forward or sitting down. He probably could have stood up straight if he took off the ostentatious cowboy hat that he claimed was a symbol of his position. "What have you brought for us today, Miss Blink?"

Blink walked over to a table closer to Marshall and set the case she had been carrying down. "Console Ghost has provided you with the security drone that you requested."

Marshall took a deep breath, "May I?"

Blink nodded, "You may open it as much as you like, once I receive payment."

Marshall smiled, "So strict. How many times have we done this? How many times have I paid up for delivered goods? And each time you are so stingy with procedures. I can tell you like computers."

"We've done this thirteen times, Marshall." Blink answered, "But it only takes one deal going wrong before we're both screwed. That case won't open until the files have been transmitted to my data pack."

Marshall sighed and caved. He always did. It was a dance they both knew well. Marshall would always try to wear down Blink's patience and her stubbornness in an attempt to get anything extra that he can. Not out of greed or malice, but to provide for his people. To Marshall, anything over what he expected was hope for his people. That was why ever since the first time she delivered something, Blink packed extra bits of technology into the case. Marshall would get his drone, but he would also get a few old model N-Spheres and a new power cell for his generator. Once the files were transferred, Marshall could not help but be curious. "What does Console Ghost want with a Security Force drop out anyway?"

Blink smiled, "How about this? You tell me how you found him when Console Ghost couldn't and I'll tell you everything I know about the plans for this drop out."

"Bah. We both know that we both know nothing. I have no idea how Exarch finds this stuff out. I just know how valuable intel that Console Ghost cannot get is. In the same way, you only know that the information is wanted, you would have to talk to your superiors to know why."

Blink shrugged, "Suit yourself. While I'm here, would you mind if I swing by the den and grab a few packs of that Mushroom Pepper Salt?"

Marshall nodded, "Be my guest, but just remember that we're dead if anyone finds that stuff in Clifton."

He was joking, but Blink knew it was also true. If Clifton found out about the Graveyard, they would not just let the underground town live on peacefully. Especially if they knew that Graveyard sat on one of the largest deposits of Osmium and Platinum left on Earth. The spice that Blink was taking back to Clifton would make the food taste a whole lot better but if anyone found out about it outside of Console Ghost, it would cost the Graveyard dearly. It was a sign of trust that Marshall even let her leave with it.

On her first visit to the Graveyard, she caught the smell immediately. It was different, it was exotic. She had weaseled her way into trying it. She had never pretended to faint before, but she was ready to if they had held out against her please. It was the spice of life. Blink had never really loved anything since her accident, but she fell hard in love with that spice. At first, she had only been able to use it when eating after doing a delivery.

A courtesy meal before she made the trip back to Clifton, but over the course of thirteen deliveries, she had whittled Marshall down. Now he let her take back small packets of the spice, enough to tide her over until her next visit Marshall dictated. It never lasted long enough and Blink knew that she should make it last because there was no guarantee that she had been the one sent to the Graveyard each time. She just made a habit of being involved in as many operations and outings as she could so that her name came up more frequently than others.

As she snagged the packets from the Den, Blink made sure to take a few extra this time. With her name on the radar of Those On High, it could be awhile before she got any time outside of her living quarters. She could help with most technological hurdles from headquarters, it was her eye that made her a gem in the field. From various people in Console Ghost, she had been warned multiple times about what happens to gems that garner too much attention.

They get vaulted.

This was one of those times she saw the vault coming. With everything they had been up to, with her name on the radar of Those On High… She was going to find a desk at headquarters with her name on it soon enough. Switch and Feedback joined her as soon as she left the hidden entrance to the Graveyard. Together the trio made the long trek back to Clifton.