Holdfast (part one)

By Lee Penney

Forced below the waves by a hostile climate, humanity lives in undersea colonies, each their own city-state.

Calder dreams of making it rich while he hunts for rare items in the darkness of the Holdfast, the twisted remains of old ships that form the foundations of his colony. He's accompanied by a girl called Trice, a fellow scavenger.

When they stumble across some slavers smuggling out drugged captives, Trice ignores his advice and decides to rescue one of them, a young woman. Little did she know the trouble it would bring,

Can they evade their pursuers, who seem desperate to get the girl back, and return her to her family, members of the colony's rich and powerful? Even if they succeed, what will their heroics cost them?

This is a novella of ~22,000 words (72 pages)

• Language: English
• Publisher: Lee Penney
• Release date: Nov 5, 2015
• ISBN: 9781310833861

Lee Penney

Lee can generally be found staring at a screen from behind a keyboard, either writing, coding or attempting to read all of the interesting parts of the internet before someone adds a new bit. He has a fascination with stories in all forms, especially film, and enjoys spending as much time as possible in a world other than this one.

Book preview

HOLDFAST (PART ONE)

Copyright © 2013 by Lee Penney

All rights reserved.

No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, without permission in writing from the author.

Lee Penney has asserted his right under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988 to be identified as the author of this work.

This work is entirely a work of fiction. The names, characters and incidents portrayed in it are the work of the author’s imagination. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events or localities is entirely coincidental.

Smashwords Edition

Holding his breath, and a crowbar, Calder strained to hear the footsteps, his adrenaline rising with each one. A rushing sound filled his ears, the noise of blood coursing through his arteries. It nearly drowned out the light paces of the approaching figure. Calder had been a demer — a scavenger — long enough to be wary of running into anyone else.

No one could remember who coined the term demer. It was derived from demersal, the name of the zone at the bottom of the sea, inhabited by fish that trawled the seabed in search of prey. It was very apt, because demers spent most of their time hunting through the Holdfast, a tangled mass of steel that formed the foundations of Ulva, the undersea colony Calder called home.

During its creation, surface ships had been sunk and guided onto the seabed to create a solid base. Some of them had been made watertight and used as accommodation or storage, but the bulk simply acted as an anchor for the layers of pressurised lozenges that formed the original living space.

It wasn’t technically part of the colony, so you were on your own once you left the lowest official level. The only light was what you carried with you and only rookies used more than the faintest glow to get around. It announced your presence long before you arrived and drew trouble. Sound became your primary sense. A proper demer adapted to the dark, or got robbed, or worse.

Lifting the crowbar to head height, careful not to catch the ceiling, Calder waited, coiled to strike. As the newcomer scrambled out of the duct, he pressed a small panel on his chest. It lit up, producing a pale glow.

The figure it illuminated was not what he was expecting. She was a foot shorter than him and slight, overwhelmed by a large dark grey coverall. Pale, stick-thin arms protruded from rolled up sleeves. Tool belts around her waist and across her chest cinched the billowing cloth, revealing her tiny frame. A pair of goggles sat on a mop of dark, damp hair and she wore heavy boots that reached halfway up her shins, the legs of the boiler suit were tucked into them.

It was hard to make out her age through the smears of grime. Calder guessed she was a couple of years younger than him, but her features were timeless, the sort of face that looked teenage no matter how old the owner.

Demers came in all ages, but there were few youngsters these days. Ever-decreasing finds didn’t provide the lure the trade once had. Calder wasn’t yet twenty, having left school at sixteen in order to earn a wage for his family, like most everyone else in his graduating year. His father had walked out when he was twelve, leaving Calder with a mum and a sister to support. He came to the Holdfast hoping to find a way off the bottom rung, a way to climb the levels.

The girl flinched in the glare, pained like a vampire struck by sunlight. She jolted back as she caught sight of Calder's raised arm, the crowbar little more than an oily suggestion in the pale light. She quickly drew a large knife from a scabbard on the belt across her chest.

Calder didn’t doubt she knew how to use it, she'd have needed to rummaging around in the dark on her own. They were a long way from any help. That was one reason there weren’t many female demers.

Only the desperate strayed down this far. The police, who considered those occupying the depths a nuisance at the best of times, were not interested in traipsing into the confined, maze-like spaces of the Holdfast. Reaching the light was no guarantee of safety either. The lower levels were governed by gangs, not badges.

Easy now, I heard you coming and wasn’t taking any chances on who it might be, I wasn't looking to do you harm.

Calder slowly lowered the crowbar and offered the palm of his other hand. The girl didn’t relax and kept her distance. Her head twitched around, like a nervous bird aware a predator might be sneaking up on it.

On your way somewhere or been looking around the Hunley? I've been all over it, it's been picked clean.

At first she said nothing, just glared back at him with barely concealed hostility. The was an awkward silence, then she relaxed a little. When she spoke her words came in a fast stream.

One of the benefits of being smaller is I can get to things you hulks can't reach.

Calder's eyes flicked to the booty bag hanging by her hip, it was bulging. She caught the look and steered the silicon sack behind her body. Calder grinned.

Sorry, force of habit. I'm not looking to take it.

She flipped the knife in her hand, controlling it with obvious skill.

I’d make you regret even trying.

Easy, I believe you.

Calder subconsciously leaned back, away from the blade. Watching her, he noticed she was incapable of staying still, constantly swaying to and fro. Her dark, haunted eyes darted around.

My name’s Calder, not seen you down here before.

It sounded lame even to his ears.

How many others you seen down here? This, like, a social thing for you is it? There are easier ways to make friends or get a date.

He stared as she chuckled, stopping only after seeing the thunder on his face and realising he wasn't finding it funny.

Trice, she said.

Being smaller does have its benefits, but so does being bigger. I can open things you can't. I’m not some fresh spawn, down here for a bit of adventure.

She looked at his booty bag, it was almost empty. He caught her glance.

Today’s not been my best day.

Her raised eyebrows said enough. Then a thought struck Calder.

"You

Reviews for Holdfast (part one)

[Rob hirst · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

It is a unique story that is well written with interesting characters.