Neptune Road Volume I
Betsy Streeter
Neptune Road Volume I
Copyright ©2014 Betsy Streeter
Table of Contents
Acknowledgements
001 - Earth to Neptune Transport Stop, Neptune
002 - Somewhere on the Surface of Neptune
003 - Aboard the Earth-to-Neptune Transport
004 - Arrival on Neptune
005 - Neptune Bus Stop
006 - On the Bus
007 - A Market, Neptune
007a - The Desk of David O Millman, Agent
008 - Approaching the Tumbleweed
009 - Boarding the Tumbleweed
010 - Aboard the Tumbleweed
011 - Aboard the Tumbleweed
012 - Earth
013 - The Bridge of the Tumbleweed
014 - Under the Surface of Neptune
015 - Scar City Casino, Neptune
016 - Scar City Casino, Neptune
017 - Somewhere on the Neptune Surface
018 - Dr. Drake Mangrove's Workshop Aboard the Tumbleweed
019 - The Roof of the Tumbleweed
020 - Radio Neptune
021 - May's Underground Shelter
022 - Scar City Casino Hotel
023 - Underneath the Scar City Casino
024 - The Bridge of the Tumbleweed
025 - Interrogation Room Underneath Scar City Casino
About Betsy Streeter
Acknowledgements
First and foremost, thank you to the excellent people who backed the Kickstarter that hired the artists that started the process that resulted in Neptune Road that people get to read now. You are true patrons of the arts.
A big thank you to Sam Bellotto Jr. at Perihelion Science Fiction.
Thank you to Alex Schumacher and Casey Brillon for helping draw this project into reality.
Thank you to my family, my first readers.
And thank you to the readers of Neptune Road in any form. It's been a great journey so far, and there's a whole lot more coming. You are the best.
001 - Earth-to-Neptune Transport Stop, Neptune
Sally punches a button on the dashboard of her Chevy Nova. Time to download the newest maps so she knows where to go to work.
Waiting for that to load, she flips on the radio.
“Gooood morning Neptunians! Hope you’ve all dug out from the storm. Please send your coordinates ASAP so we can update the maps.
“Looks like a sunny day today, Sunlight Amplification is up and running. Wear sunscreen! Just kidding.”
Coordinates scroll across the dashboard. Sally checks her compass. Should be a right turn, just about here. Sure enough, a mostly-buried street sign protrudes about a foot out of the dirt. First Street. She turns.
She pulls to a stop and gets out. The landscape has no features. Brown dirt, grey-blue sky. She pops the trunk and pulls out a card table and a folding chair.
“The Earth Transport should arrive shortly, from what we hear there’s just one passenger today. So be sure and give them a warm Neptunian welcome when they get here.”
Sally places a pink boom box on the table along with a hand-made sign that reads, “Welcome!” She has embellished her sign with hearts and glitter.
She pops in a cassette tape and hits play. It’s her favorite Hall and Oates song. She takes her seat and listens, tapping her foot and bobbing her head.
Easy, ready, willing, overtime – where does it stop – where do you dare me to draw the line…
The Transport comes over the horizon, a glorified interplanetary bus. Dust swirls around Sally’s table, and Chevy, as she awaits the arrival.
I can’t go for that, nooo… no can do…
002 - Somewhere on the Surface of Neptune
Good morning Neptunians! This is Radio Neptune letting you know there’s been a drop from Earth today. The early indications are it’s a load of mechanical detritus, and we all know that those can be the best kind. So hustle on out there and get yourself some wire and pipes and perhaps a handy small appliance. And remember, each new day is a chance to do something worth putting on the radio. Radio Neptune out.
"Well if it isn't Gretchen and her magnificent hover-cycle."
"Mornin', Art. That's a fine bathrobe-and-galoshes ensemble you're sporting today. Did you have to wake up early to come out here?"
"Never mind my fashion choices; it’s a good drop this morning.”
“Looks like it. What you got there?"
“Copper wire, pipes, some circuit boards. Also I scored this toaster.”
“A toaster! Well Art, you got up early for good reason. Now you can enjoy toast at will. You got an outlet to plug that into?”
“Nah, Gretch, I got no intention to make any toast. This mechanism in here, it’s perfect for a whole host of uses. You just wait and see.”
“I await your next invention, Art. That’s why they call you Art. The Art of invention.”
“Be careful, lady, I think a couple of the folks are gettin’ a tad antsy out there, I saw an altercation already over a bundle of wire that didn’t come out too well. Ol’ Bert may be sportin’ some bullet holes.”
“I’ll keep my eyes open, Art. Thanks. Well, I guess I’d best get going and see what goodies Earth dropped on us today. Good luck with that toaster.”
“Thanks Gretchen. See you at the next drop.”
“Alright then, next drop.”
003 - Aboard the Earth-Neptune Transport
Welcome to Neptune.
Please be sure to take with you all of your personal belongings. Items left behind on the Neptune Transport will be hurled out of the back and left for others to salvage.
Planetary law prohibits tampering with, disabling, or destroying any sunlight amplification, gravity dampening, or air regulation equipment. Failure to comply carries a fine and sentence of up to five Neptune years in prison, at which point you will be long dead. Thank you.
Please observe the following procedures when checking in…
CRACKLE - ZZZZZZZZT
“Goooood morning brand new Neptunians!
“This is Radio Neptune welcoming you to the finest planet in the solar system. We didn’t think you’d want to listen to EarthAdmin any more. You left Earth, remember?
“So, let us familiarize you with some of the finer aspects of our newly-inhabited planet.
“First of all: Forget all those procedures from EarthAdmin. That brochure they tucked in your pocket as you boarded? Kindling.
“It’s a good idea to find a market when you arrive, although they move around in the storms so see the nearest bus driver for a current map. New maps download after each storm event.
“Watch out for thieves. Unless you are a thief, in which case, we’re watching you.
“Twice a week we get a bundle of salvageable goodness from Earth – these include metal parts, dried goods, sometimes buildings. Projected landing sites available for download twenty-four hours in advance. Remember, luck is where preparation and opportunity meet. Good luck!
“And good luck on Neptune. We trust you will figure the rest of it out.
“This is Radio Neptune reminding you, each new day is a chance to go out there and do something worth putting on the radio.
“Until next time!”
004 - Arrival on Neptune
Sam Brubeck descends the ladder from the Earth Transport and approaches Sally the Receptionist. Sally turns down the volume on her boom box so she can hear him over Hall and Oates.
“Good morning sir, welcome to Neptune,” Sally says.
“Thank you ma’am, I’m glad to be here,” Sam says.
“Identification please,” Sally says. Sam hands her an ID card that reads, “Bigfoot.” She takes it, checks something off on a piece of paper, and hands it back.
“If you don’t mind, I have a question,” Sam says.
“Sure thing,” Sally says.
“Is it true that they made the core of the planet blue?” Sam asks.
“Yes, it was a tribute to the original color of the planet, you know, back when it was a gas giant,” Sally answers.
“Wow, that’s crazy,” Sam says, half to himself. “I can’t believe they actually did it. It was just something I said when I was a little kid…”
“A little kid?” Sally looks confused.
“I mean,” Sam says, “nothing. Something somebody said. That’s all.”
“Oh,” Sally says. “Well, as I said, welcome to Neptune, enjoy your time here. The bus should be here presently.”
“The bus?” It’s Sam’s turn to look confused.
“To take you to the market,” Sally explains. “You’ll need to find shelter first of all. Something underground, preferably. You know, for the storms.”
“Ah, the storms,” Sam says. “Thanks. I’ll take care of that right away.”
A plume of dust rises on the horizon as the Bus 001 draws nearer.
005 - A Bus Stop on Neptune
“Uh, what’s the bus driver doing?” Sam Brubeck asks.
“Following the directions,” Sally says.
The bus turns to the right, then to the left, crisscrossing the landscape and gradually coming closer. But each time it seems the bus will finally arrive, it turns again.
“No really, what’s the bus doing?” Sam says.
“Driving on the roads,” Sally says.
“There are no roads,” Sam says.
“Not that you can see, but they are there,” Sally says.
“Okay…” Sam falls quiet and decides to wait.
The bus driver checks his coordinates. Should be a stop right up here. Yep, there it is. A left, and then a right… here we are.
A screen in the dashboard lights up with the word, “MISSING.” The text blinks on and off and a photo of a young man appears.
The bus doors open and the young man steps on. He stops short when he sees his picture on the screen.
“I see someone’s put out the word,” Sam says.
“No worries, sir, everyone on Neptune is missing, to someone,” the bus driver says.
“Okay,” Sam says.
“Where to?” says the bus driver, and then begins to laugh. He slaps his thighs with his hands, and rocks back and forth. “Never mind,” he says, wiping his eyes. “I crack myself up sometimes.”
Sam takes a seat.
“You take care, Sally,” the driver calls to the Receptionist. “I’d like a ride in that fancy Chevy of yours sometime.”
“You got it,” Sally calls, and the doors on the bus swing shut.
006 - On the Bus - Neptune
Sam's foot hits an object under his seat. It's a suitcase.
"Someone left their suitcase," Sam says.
"Want it?" the driver asks.
"Um... no, not really," Sam says.
"You should take it," says a voice behind Sam. Sam jumps.
“Sorry, didn’t mean to startle you,” a rumpled, goateed man says through thick glasses. Wasn’t he all the way in the back of the bus two seconds ago?
“No problem,” Sam says. “You want the suitcase?”
“Sure, if you don’t want it,” the man says, and eagerly slides it out from under the seat. He lifts it into his lap and pops the latches.
“Whatcha got there, Corn Dog?” the bus driver asks.
“Well….” The man looks intently at the suitcase’s contents. “Looks like some socks, and toothpaste, and… a decoding device. Nice one.”
“Well it’s your lucky day,” the driver says.
“Indeed it is,” the man says.
“Can I see that?” Sam asks.
“Sure,” the man says. “It’s mine, though. You said you didn’t want it.”
“Okay,” Sam says. He looks down into the case. There are a few toiletries and a pair of rolled-up socks packed neatly next to a device consisting of gears and a tiny wheel that looks like it feeds paper. “What’s that for?” he asks.
“Probably an obsolete code generator,” the man says. “I can fit it with new codes. Or, maybe use it for parts on my vehicle. Navigation maybe, or to send messages.”
“Your vehicle?” Sam asks.
“Yeah,” the man says. “It’s called the Tumbleweed. Wanna see it?”
007 - A Market, Neptune
Sam and the goateed man exit the bus; Sam with his old bag, the man with his new suitcase.
Before them the market stretches for hundreds of feet in both directions. Sam can smell something cooking. Sparks fly from a welding torch.
“Corn Dog, huh?” Sam says. “Nice fake name.”
“Let’s see what we can get for this,” the man says, ignoring him and heading for the nearest tent.
“What, you don’t want it?” Sam asks, following him.
“Not if I can get something better,” Corn Dog says. He plunks the suitcase down on a table. “I need some copper wire. I’ve got this.”
A lanky man in a top hat and tails pops the case and looks inside. “Socks?”
“Don’t be ridiculous,” Corn Dog says.
“I need socks,” the man says. “But I can use the rest of this too.” He pulls out a box crammed with a jumble of wire. “Here.”
“Cool,” says Corn Dog. “Thanks.” He tucks the box under his arm. “Let’s go see the Tumbleweed.”
“Tell me your real name first,” says Sam. “You already know who I am – my face is all over the place.” He points to a monitor. Sure enough, there he is.
“Fine. Name’s Doctor Drake Mangrove,” the man says. “But it was fun having a fake name.”
“Mangrove…” Sam says.
They pick their way through the endless stacks of equipment, parts, components, food, and other valuables until they find the back side of the market.
“There she is,” Doctor Mangrove says, “The Tumbleweed.”
007a - The Desk of David O Millman, Agent
008 - Approaching the Tumbleweed
“Looks like a big, airborne Winnebago,” Sam says.
“I suppose that’s what the Tumbleweed is,” Dr. Mangrove says. “Built from parts of an old power plant. Never generated any power, but provided lots of useful bits. We add and remove parts all the time. Especially when there’s a good drop from Earth.”
“So, Mangrove is it?” Sam says. “You wouldn’t know Rebecca Mangrove…”
“That’s my daughter.”
“Oh… I’m sorry,” Sam says. “I had no idea. I’m really sorry about what… happened to her.”
“Happened to her?” Doctor Mangrove says. “Then what’s your theory? I mean, there are lots of theories.”
“I mean,” Sam says, “I don’t really know. I just know she was… disappeared. That’s all I heard about it.”
“Yes, that was unfortunate,” Dr. Mangrove says.
They walk silently.
“You call it the Tumbleweed because it rolls around or something?” Sam asks, changing the subject.
“She’s designed to withstand even the biggest storms,” Dr. Mangrove says proudly. “Instead of digging in underground, we ride it out. Or fly over.”
“You want to come inside, meet the crew?” Dr. Mangrove asks. “We might put you to work, you know, but it’s good shelter. And we can give you cover from EarthAdmin. They’re clearly looking for you.”
“I guess so,” Sam says. “I didn’t have a plan beyond getting off Earth, really. I was in a hurry.”
“I understand,” Dr. Mangrove says.
009 - Boarding the Tumbleweed
“Welcome to the Tumbleweed. You want some tea? I’ll put on some tea,” Dr. Mangrove says.
“Yeah, sure,” Sam says, climbing aboard. The tents of the market look like toys from here.
Dr. Mangrove sets his box of wire down on a workbench and heads
for a small counter in the corner topped by a hot plate. He puts some water on to boil.
“Nice,” Sam says, looking around. The space resembles a hangar, with large pieces of steel bolted together to form the walls. “Is this your loading bay?”
“Today I guess it is,” Dr. Mangrove says. “Maybe next week it’s a workshop. Or maybe you’d like to sleep on the floor in here.” He smiles. “I’m just kidding. We’ve got plenty of quarters. It’s just we reconfigure all the time. It depends on what we need…”
“And what supplies you lay your hands on, I suppose,” Sam says.
“That is true,” Dr. Mangrove says. “Sometimes we add stuff just because we got a hold of some excellent parts. One time we made a whole room out of Ford Pinto mufflers.”
