Audiobook:
The Chronicles of Speranza – YouTube

  • Chapters:


  • Part 3

    A place called home

    I spent less than two hours at Shani’s place, in her, let’s call it, office. I rested, ate, and above all, allowed myself to cool down. Sure, it wasn’t a warm welcome, but their house, their rules. My companions joined us shortly thereafter. We were led further into the tunnels. With each step, the air became warmer and less humid. The smell of salt also disappeared. I knew we were approaching the main entrance.

    We approached a huge gate. The round hatch resembled a huge gear wheel. Or the face of an exceptionally complicated clock. It was about a meter thick. This time, I noticed the cameras that had been tracking our movements for some time. They had a distinctive red light. Shani walked up to one of them, waved, and gave a thumbs up, apparently signaling to her people that “it’s okay.”

    We heard a loud clang of metal, a hiss of high-pressure air, and the gates began to slide aside. Behind them were also several security guards stationed on turrets. Next to one of them stood a huge cannon with an operator sitting on it. I can imagine how much damage it could do to an ARC. If necessary, of course. Let’s hope it doesn’t come to that…

    “Take them to Lance. Let him look them up the ass and hug them when they cry. Then someone assign them a place to sleep. Understood?” Shani ordered firmly, and two security guards immediately approached us and took us away like a package. As soon as we stepped out of the shadow of the guard towers, I saw the most wonderful sight I had seen in a long time.

    Crowds of passers-by rushing from left to right. Talking, laughing. I think I can hear a guitar in the background? There was a beautiful mosaic on the ground. It had probably seen better days, but it was still easy to appreciate the artist’s craftsmanship. Navy blue and white squares formed beautiful patterns, somewhat reminiscent of flowers, and somewhat of symbols I know from poker cards. I looked up. Beautiful tenement houses, made of stone – mostly sandstone. Dark green shutters. Life in every window – lights, neon signs, smoke from a pipe someone was smoking in the window. A fountain in the middle. With water, real and – I think – clean water? Strings with small triangular flags of different colors were hung between the buildings.

    “It looks like some kind of festival!” I said, excited. I turned to one of the security guards who were escorting us. “Is it always this beautiful here?” I asked.

    “It’s paradise on earth, especially when you come back from the surface. You’ll get used to it and settle in over time,” replied the security guard with a slight smile.

    We passed a food stall. Scrap metal collectors like me were sitting along the bar counter. Everyone was dressed differently. All covered in oil and dirt. A cook stood at the counter, frying some vegetables – cactus, perhaps? Is cactus a fruit or a vegetable? No, probably just cactus – but it probably has its own fruit. I don’t know, I’ll look it up. Thoughts raced through my head at the speed of light.

    A little further on, I heard the guitar again, this time louder. Is someone singing? I see a few scrap metal collectors standing in the corner behind the bar. We get closer and sure enough. A young man is sitting on an oil drum. Long hair, long mustache, and a guitar. And despite his appearance, he sings with a voice as delicate as an angel’s.

    “I just want to keep Scrappy happy,

    I just want to keep Scrappy fed,

    I just want to keep Scrappy happy,

    I just want to find him a cat bed.”

    The people around stood spellbound. Everyone listened to the angelic voice of the street artist. Every now and then, someone would come up and throw machine parts at his feet. I understand that this was a form of gratification? Here in Speranza, currency was not as important as found items. One person put down a power bank, another a damaged film reel, and a third a cell from some ARC machine.

    “Yeah… That’s Asymmetrical, our artist musician,” said the security guard escorting us. “And the titular Scrappy, is his rooster. Many scrap collectors have their own rooster or hen. Surprisingly, they work brilliantly on the surface, digging up useful parts from the ground without attracting the attention of the machines.

    I thought it was a brilliant solution. To think that dogs were once considered man’s best friend. After a while, we left the main square and approached a building marked with a large green cross. It was clearly a medical center.

    By the way, it’s a very interesting story. It is important to be aware that what we know today as “health care” (and pharmacy is an integral part of it) is a Christian “invention” of the Church. When we say “sister” to a nurse, we must remember that for centuries, nurses were exclusively nuns. The word ‘pharmacy’ itself comes from the Egyptian language and means “safety.”

    Inside, we were greeted by a smiling nurse who, as befits a pharmacy, was surrounded by many glass cabinets with bandages, syringes, pills, and some strange boxes. It looked like something designed to facilitate the transport of found items during travel.

    – Well, here are my finds! I’m Lance, and I’ll be happy to take you under my wing! Come on, who’s first? asked the droid. A robot. A real robotic robot. Where the hell did this relic of the past come from? I’ve never seen one up close before. It was made of the same material as the security guards’ armor. It looked like a human, a normal humanoid – arms, legs, and a head. He had a vest slung around his neck – a life jacket for swimming. He wore sunglasses on his nose. Apparently, the droid was trying to resemble humans by using accessories that seemed funny. He probably also treats children – it makes sense, after all. But beach accessories 200 meters underground? Okay, I admit it – it amused me.

    “I’m in! Let’s get this over with,” I replied.

    “I understand! Follow me, traveler!” Lance called cheerfully, then gestured with his hand, inviting me into his office. Inside, it was classic. A desk, a couch, and some kind of device – probably for performing ultrasounds. A few cabinets with medicines and tools for patching people up. Lance pointed to the couch for me to sit down.

    “Now go ahead, take off your pants!” he exclaimed. His robotic face showed no emotion, so I didn’t know if he was serious or not. I just thought that maybe I could get a kiss first.

  • Part 2

    Who are you?

    We stood in a cloud of air, water vapor, and dust that lingered for a moment after the hatch was opened. Before I could gather my thoughts, I saw two beams of green light aimed at my chest. My heart stopped beating for a moment. Only now did it occur to me that we might have made a mistake. Misread the map. Maybe it was ARC, which was about to shoot off all my limbs? Or some kind of automatic turret? A homing mine?

    -Freeze! Hands behind your head! On your knees and don’t move!- someone roared in a thick, low voice that sounded like a bear’s roar in this concrete tunnel. In fact, this turn of events calmed me down a bit — because, after all, unlike machines, you can try to negotiate with people.

    -Same thing for you guys in the back, I won’t say it again, smartass, I can see you there!- The “bear” roared at Rupio this time, then redirected the laser beam of his weapon’s sight to his chest. My colleagues, as one man, put their hands behind their heads and knelt down. Reluctantly, but obediently.

    Now I had a moment to see who was aiming at me. The two young men had weapons, some kind of rifle, but it looked very advanced. All I could see was a large magazine, white and silver decorations, and a blue light pulsing above the trigger. Could it be an energy weapon? My childish curiosity, which somehow had not been extinguished by the nasty world around me, was now racing like a locomotive. Where did they get such guns? What kind of ammunition did they use? Or maybe chargers? Would it kill me instantly, or just incapacitate me? On top of that, they had armor. But really good armor. Their shins, thighs, stomachs, chests, shoulders, and forearms were covered with some kind of alloy. White-gray with cut edges, mounted on leather straps. I once saw something like this in a graphic depicting a Bombardier – maybe they made them from parts of this ARC? Who makes such wonders? I have to meet him! Oxygen apparatus with a tube going to the back. There’s no chance of surprising them with a gas grenade. The helmets resembled insects in shape – rounded earpieces, the entire face covered, converging into a small triangle like a wasp. Two short antennae above the ears. Goggles, probably with thermal imaging and night vision. The first mode detects body heat, while the second allows you to see in the dark. All of this was worn over a one-piece navy blue jumpsuit. One of them had a cassette tape attached to his belt. Oh, we’ve got a music lover here. And, of course, boots. Proper military boots with thick soles, laced up to mid-calf.

    For a moment, there was complete silence. The atmosphere was so thick that my heartbeat echoed in my ears like drums. After a few seconds, which felt like an eternity in my head, I heard footsteps and the sound of… heels? Was a woman coming our way? Indeed, a slim figure emerged from between the security guards. Standing next to two security guards, she looked exceptionally petite. She was standing in the shadows, so I couldn’t see much against the light, but she wasn’t wearing any armor. Instead, she had large headphones with a microphone and a tall red hat. Maybe she’s some kind of DJ who hosts parties in the area? I joked to myself.

    -Get up, let’s go- she said in a calm but firm tone. I guess she’s in charge here.

    -We’re going to ask you a few questions, and you’re going to answer them nicely!- she added after a moment. I slowly began to get up and lower my hands. My knees were already hurting, I had just knelt on some grating and I could feel that under my pants they probably looked like waffles.

    -But of course, before that happens, you will politely hand over your weapons, equipment, and other pocket knives that you are hiding under your dresses.- she continued her instructions, which clearly amused Rupio, because even though he was 5 meters away from me, I could hear him chuckling quietly. It’s funny that the bigger the guy, the more he enjoys effeminate jokes.

    We placed all our equipment at our feet. I took everything out of my pockets so that no one would complain. They might have had metal detectors, so I didn’t want to aggravate the situation. As soon as we finished unpacking, our leisure time animator told us to turn around and pinned everyone’s hands behind their backs. We moved deeper into the tunnel behind a hatch, which looked identical on the other side as it did on ours. After walking for a while, it dawned on me that all our equipment wouldn’t magically carry itself inside and had been left there in the middle of the tunnel.

    -Excuse me, what about our equipment?- I asked one of the security guards, genuinely concerned. After traveling so long with my backpack and favorite tools, I simply felt sad.

    -You’re not allowed to bring your toys to this kindergarten- replied the security guard in such a serious tone that I didn’t know if he was trying to trick me or if we really weren’t going to a kindergarten. On top of that, he was wearing a helmet and a mask, so I couldn’t even see his face. I walked for a while, then tried to ask him again.

    -What did you record on the tape?

    -Your mother complaining that your room is messy.

    Rupio roared with laughter, and I think everyone smiled a little. I wasn’t moved by this, because I don’t know my parents. Laughter is contagious, they say, and this time it definitely worked like medicine.

    Straight, straight, and once to the left—I tried to remember the way in case we had to escape. After a while, we came to a larger room, which at first glance resembled a water pumping station. In the middle, there were four huge tanks marked with liquids. Lots of pipes stretching from left to right. It was quite noisy in this room, and I could hear dripping every now and then. Apparently, the installation was not very tight. There was a smell of rust, mustiness, and… salt in the air? Maybe they take water from the sea and desalinate it here? Most of the rivers on the surface have probably dried up. 150 years ago, all the environmentalists were warning that we were facing a global water shortage, but as you can guess, few people listen to wise people. We stopped, and the security guards escorted my colleagues into one of the side corridors. I was left alone with the woman, who pointed to a ladder next to us. I realized that we were going to climb up.

    There was a small booth on the platform—a security room. It had windows on all sides, like a stork’s nest on a ship—you could see what was going on around you. There were padlocked cabinets, several walkie-talkies, and a few monitors showing images from cameras. Maybe this was her workplace? Only now did I notice that the woman had no weapon.

    -Aren’t you afraid to stay here alone with me?- I asked in surprise. Her armed colleagues had disappeared a moment ago, and I couldn’t see a soul in sight.

    -Who should I be afraid of, you? Look at yourself, you wouldn’t hurt a fly. I can see it in your eyes. All the way here, you’ve been looking at the walls, pipes, and valves. You’re trying to understand the technology around you. You didn’t pay any attention to our weapons or the placement of the cameras, and you didn’t try to find any weak spots. You’re not dangerous. Besides, honestly, when was the last time you had a hot meal?- she finished her remarkably accurate observation with that last point, then pushed a cup under my nose. Inside was some kind of rice porridge and a spoon. I was speechless. I grabbed the metal bowl and began to devour its contents like a rat. Delicious, milky, banana porridge.

    -My name is Shani and I’m the head of security. Speranza’s eyes and ears. You’ll have to forgive us for the cold welcome, but those are our procedures here. Especially since your colleagues look dangerous. You must now undergo what we call quarantine – our doctor will examine you. We will check that you are not bringing any diseases into our facility. But before that happens, you must answer a very important question for me. What brings you to Speranza and, above all, who are you?



    Audiobook: Arc Raiders Audiobook – the Chronicles of Speranza – part 2 – Who are you?

  • Part 1

    Prologue

    We walked with other explorers down a long corridor of the sewer system. The water had long since dried up, so luckily I was sure my shoes wouldn’t get wet. They were my one and only pair left. Lace-up, high-top – and most importantly, leather. In the current state of affairs, they were considered a rarity, because if my years of wandering had taught me anything, it was certainly how to take care of my shoes. Our footsteps mingled with the sound of backpacks hung with metal parts. A piece of wire here, pliers there, a flashlight over there. Everything in the empty concrete tunnel with a diameter of eight meters sounded twice as loud. At least they drowned out my thoughts. God, I don’t think I’ve ever been so tired. Fortunately, the knowledge that we would soon reach Speranza kept me sane.

    I had two companions on this journey. They always paired us up in threes—it was customary not to combine larger teams. Up there on the surface, all it takes is one anti-personnel mine, one angry ARC, or a broken rope in an elevator, and poof! You’re gone. You all disappear. So it’s better to disappear in smaller groups. One of them was as big as a wardrobe. Tall, broad-shouldered, dark-haired with bushy eyebrows. When he flexed his biceps carrying supply crates, he looked like the dam at the Alcantara power plant. I imagined that he could tear a wasp in half with his bare hands. I mean, I don’t imagine his biceps — not that anything. I just pass the time in my head during long and boring journeys. May they always be boring. The second guy is also a tough guy, one of a kind – a sharpshooter. Blond, short, with blue eyes. He has been on several surface raids. Once, he was the only one who returned from the whole group. The only survivor. To this day, he is reluctant to talk about it.

    So you ask how I found myself in the company of such elite soldiers? The answer is very simple: when the commander saw me, he decided that I would need an escort of professionals because I couldn’t cope on my own. I’m not much of a soldier. Nor am I very bright. Nor… actually, I don’t know, I guess I’m just very lucky to be alive.

    Even though we were in a cool concrete tunnel several dozen meters underground, the air was thick and warm. Hiding from the ARCs that roam the surface, we managed to settle down quite nicely here – down below. Apparently, the deepest human settlement is half a kilometer below sea level. Fortunately, on our way to Speranza, we didn’t have to go that deep. It is one of those “shallow” settlements, as we are only 100 meters from the surface. This is not surprising, as the terrain here is mostly volcanic rock, which, as we know, is extremely difficult to dig. We are near Mount Vesuvius. It is still active, although its last eruption took place over 200 years ago.

    -Young man, are you alive?- asked Rupio (the broad-shouldered one).

    -Sure, everything’s fine!- I replied, wanting to quickly get rid of his attention.
    I don’t like talking to people. I’m a loner by choice. The only question is whether it’s my choice or the choice of the people around me. But don’t get me wrong, I can do something. I’m not that useless.

    -Get the orders out, we’re approaching the gate- Sally grumbled. And he was right, because for a while now, the warm air had been mixing with the increasingly intense smell of oil. In the distance, I could see red lights flashing, marking the entrance hatch.

    -It must be here- said Rupio, then took off his backpack and placed it between his legs. We usually had tall hiking backpacks, reaching halfway up our thighs. Putting them on the ground, especially in dirty sewers, was unbecoming even for scrap metal collectors like us. Inside, there were sleeping bags and food, and mixing them with the chemicals and oil at the bottom of the sewers would have disastrous consequences. In the meantime, Sally pulled out a map of the sewers and, with one quick movement, unfolded it and raised it to face level, illuminating it with a flashlight.

    -It’s definitely here. I don’t know, maybe we should knock?- he joked, putting the map in his pocket.

    -Or give the password to the base- I added, and a slide from my childhood of building forts out of pillows and duvets flashed through my mind.

    -The password is ‘the lights are out- Rupio chuckled, then slumped down on the pipe next to him. I was afraid it would break under his weight, but steel can withstand a lot.

    -Well, I don’t see a doorbell, so I guess we’ll just have to wait- Sally said, then sat down next to Zapora on the pipe. I also took off my backpack and leaned against a large tank. Although it was metal and partially rusted, it was pleasantly warm,
    and I could hear the quiet dripping of water inside.

    I don’t know if an hour or three had passed — my friends had fallen asleep sitting up. I was still pacing from one wall of the canal to the other, thinking about a solution. What if no one comes for us? They’re not expecting us, are they? Or maybe this tunnel is collapsed? Is no one really guarding the entrance to Speranza? Retreating at this point is out of the question – we walked for six hours through tunnels, and going back to the surface would exhaust us. And then I felt that pleasant feeling of “butterflies” in my stomach.

    -I know!- I muttered under my breath, then jumped like a panther to my backpack and started rummaging through it. I have cables, I have a cell from “Snitch” ARC and a speaker, and a few parts from an old stereo system.

    -Get up!- I hissed at the boys, then crouched down by the pipe they were sitting on.

    -What’s up?- asked Rupio, surprised. -What have you come up with now?-

    -Listen: this pipe is steel, right? And it goes into the wall towards the Speranza, right? And this is a speaker!- I showed them my new invention, which didn’t resemble anything at all. Unlike his big friend, Sally was quite smart and seemed to get it, because I saw a big smile on his face.

    -And metal conducts sound!- he said happily, probably feeling like he was the co-author of my idea.

    -Exactly! What’s more, the speed of sound propagation in metal is much higher than in air or water, and this speed is almost independent of frequency!- I said excitedly. I placed the membrane on the pipe running towards the manhole and turned on my device. The sound was a combination of a squeak and a hum at the same time. Most importantly, I immediately felt a vibration that could definitely be felt on the other side.

    Less than three minutes later, the lights in the tunnel began to flash alternately yellow and red. Then we heard a sound so loud that we all ducked our heads at the same time. It was as if a speeding locomotive had parked next to us. After a moment, there was a loud hissing sound and I felt a movement of air on my legs. The hatch began to open.







    Audiobook: Arc Raiders Audiobook – the Chronicles of Speranza – part 1 – Prologue