Under a Graveyard Sky

societal stress called “the replacement factor.” After major disasters, women had a habit of getting pregnant at a higher rate than during good times or during the stress period. The post-war Germany was noted as an example as well as post-Black-Plague Europe.

In the case of the zombie apocalypse, it had much more to do with men and women trapped on lifeboats and in small compartments with no access to contraceptives and exactly zero to do. In a few cases, that had definitely been due to force. Those men were on a special boat in Coventry. There were a few cases were the jury was still out. In Ruth’s case, like the young lady found with Fontana, there seemed to be no issue. The only real issue was that she was found in a compartment with two other, male, Coast Guardsman and she honestly had no clue which was the father. The “dads” didn’t really care. They were both good naturedly arguing over who was the “real” prospective dad.

“In 1994, eight hundred thousand people were massacred in Rwanda,” Fontana said. “Mostly by having an arm hacked off by a machete and being left to die. These zombies are not walking dead.”

“No,” Steve said. “But they do spread a blood pathogen.”

“I’ve been exposed at this point,” Fontana said. “And I’ll wear raingear. Cause clear sky or no, it is gonna rain.”

* * *

“The question is how you’re going to get up close enough to chop off an arm,” Steve said, conning the inflatable closer.

The supply ship had a midships deck that was, for a ship its size, remarkably low to the waterline. Steve couldn’t see how it wouldn’t get swamped in heavy seas.

Low did not mean flush to the waterline. It was well above Fontana’s reach while standing on the deck of the fifteen foot, center console, inflatable.

“No offense but I’m not going to step up on the pontoons,” Fontana said, looking up at the zombies. They weren’t howling or keening, but they were drooling.

“Not with those down there,” Steve said, gesturing to the now familiar sharks.

A wave caught the inflatable and pushed it closer to the ship. As it did, one of the infecteds saw its chance and jumped over the low side-rail with a shriek.

Keeping your feet on a small boat was a skill that everyone in the flotilla had mastered at this point. And Fontana had spent two months on an even smaller raft before being rescued. He easily backed away as Steve reversed to avoid the zombie. But it had leapt well out and still managed to sprawl face down on the foredeck of the boat.

Fontana stepped forward and cut down as the zombie was pushing itself to its feet. There was a sound very similar to a frozen melon being hit by a large knife.

“That’s one,” Fontana said, levering the machete out of the infected’s head.

“It’s times like this I wonder how my children are doing…” Steve said.

* * *

“How do you like being back on the Endeavor, Hooch?” Sophia said, sitting down at the dinette.

“Better than a liferaft, skipper,” Hooch said.

“I can’t believe Da stuck me on this tub,” Faith said, crossing her arms. “Especially with you.”

“Is that seditious speech I hear out of you?” Sophia said. “That’s lashing round the fleet.”

“You and what army, Tiny?” Faith said. “Try it and while I won’t exactly mutiny, you’re going to have to learn to swim really hard.”

“So, what’s the op?” Hooch asked, quickly.

“General clearance,” Sophia said. “There are plenty of boats that can and do pick up life-rafts and life-boats. Those that have survivors, about one in ten, they just pick ’em up. Like, say, you. Which was what we were on before. But when they spot boats like, well, this, most of them don’t have the guns…”

“… Or the guts,” Faith said, picking at her fish.

“Or the experience or the, yeah, guts to go clear them,” Sophia said. “Which is where you come in.”

“Roger, skipper.”

“Skipper,” Faith said, under her breath. “Heh.”

“Faith,” Sophia said. “You can cop attitude in front of my crew. They all know us. You can even do it with Hooch. Hooch, we’re sisters, that’s all this is.”

“No, I get it, skip,” Hooch said. “I’ve got two sisters and they…” He stopped and his face worked.

“I’m sorry for your loss,” Sophia said, frowning. “We really… Our family is the only family that hasn’t lost people to the plague. It’s hard for us to truly understand. But… I’m sorry for your loss.”

“It’s…” Hooch shrugged. “I’m not going to count them as lost until I can’t find ’em, skip. Simple as that. But about the two of you. It’s sort of…comforting. Listening to sisters argue is sort of like being back home. Doesn’t bother me.”

“I get it,” Sophia said. “But, Faith, don’t give me crap, at least at first, if we find survivors. If there’s an emergency, I don’t want them doubting my orders. I can’t have that. We can’t have that. Okay?”

“You and what army?” Faith repeated. “Yeah, yeah, got it.”

“Seriously.”

“I said I got it,” Faith snapped. “What is it about ‘got it’ you don’t understand?”

“You can just feel the love,” Paula said, laughing.

“I just love you so much, sis,” Faith said. “You’re just the biggest baddest captain of a dinghy in the whole fleet!”

“I sooo want to rename it Minnow,” Sophia said. “Next time we get time, I swear. But it’s mine, all mine.”

“The captain she was a mighty sailing man,” Paula caroled. “The mate, that’s me, was brave and true…”

“Hey!” Patrick called from the helm. “I thought I was the mate?”

“We’re all mates,” Sophia said. “Well, actually, I think me and Paula are sheilas.”

“God, I hope so,” Hooch said. “Cause you look like sheilas. And one deployment to Okinawa was enough…”

CHAPTER 27

“Hydrocarbons, sure enough,” Gardner said. Her voice was barely audible between the silver suits they were wearing and the air-pak. She knew this so she tapped Fontana on the shoulder and made sure he saw the blinking indicator. “Take off your mask in here and you’re going to hit the deck, fast.”

“No worries,” Steve shouted. “The same could be said for the zombies. There is some good news.”

“And one spark and we’re going to go sky high,” Fontana noted. He used his hand to bang on the next hatch. “Anybody home?”

There was an answering banging, regular not frenzied like zombies.

“I knew we forgot something,” Steve said. “Spare air.”

“How many!” Fontana shouted. He put his ear to the hatch to hear the reply. “I think they’re saying four.”

“Stand by here,” Steve said. “I’ll take Gardner back to the ship. But I’m not sure how to… We’d have to fit them…”

“They must have a clear, or reasonably clear, air supply in there,” Gardner said. “And if there are females, they’re probably pregnant. Not good to have them exposed. I suggest we run blowers down here and clear out this passage, then extract them.”

“And we get blowers, where?” Fontana asked.

“There are some on the cutter,” Gardner said.

“Which we already had to do a six hour run up to and a seven hour run back,” Steve said. He was either