by Ken Barrett
“Now to answer my boss’s original question,” he continued. “Computer hardware is being manufactured and should be ready for shipment south within the next two months. Installation will be fairly simple; just plug it in to the power grid and everything will come right up.
“Completing the software will take a little longer, but the operating system and navigation code can’t be installed until after the hardware is in place, so I have a bit more leeway than most other departments.” He saw the old woman frown. “I’ve uploaded a test compile of the navigation protocol to the probe Ms. Jones’s crew assembled for me in orbit, and that should launch in the next few weeks. That instrument includes tools we can use to learn more about the alien ruins, but the important thing about the mission is to test whether the navigation functions are behaving as they should. Once they prove viable, as I expect they will, we can start work on the ship control systems.”
The Chancellor looked pleased, so Liam glanced at her Nurse and winked. He was safe for now at least.
*****
“You see? Neither of you got into trouble,” Julee said as they waited in the lobby for the car that would take them back to the Technology Center.
“But you were at risk, weren’t you?” Ron asked.
“A little bit,” Julee answered. “To be the bearer of bad news can sometimes be dangerous. But I knew you guys would come through so I really wasn’t worried. And Liam, why didn’t you tell me about the aliens?”
He sighed. “Well, in all honesty, I was so messed up by what the Nurse did to me, that I just forgot.”
Julee smiled. “It’s ok, I understand.”
Motion caught in the side of his eye, and Liam turned and saw that the Sergeant at Arms from the council meeting was approaching. The man stopped a short distance away and waited until he had their attention. “Madam Chancellor wishes to speak with Mr. Collins.”
The rush of sudden panic felt like a punch to his chest, but Julee gently touched his arm. “You’re fine, don’t worry. Ron and I will wait for you here.”
He nodded mutely and followed as the official led him up a wide sweeping stairway toward the second-floor balcony. As they neared the top he popped another tranquilizer into his mouth and hoped the medicine would start working quickly. “Wait here,” the official said, then stiffly marched away.
Julee and Ron were still waiting for him downstairs, he nervously watched them mill about, then forced himself to look at the beautiful paintings on the walls. The distraction worked, and he gradually became mesmerized by the colorful artwork.
“They’re truly wonderful, aren’t they Liam?”
He gasped in surprise; the old woman was standing right beside him. “Yes, they are.”
“My dear husband Samuel saved those paintings when the savages invaded Denver,” the Chancellor’s voice was unusually kind and helped ease his anxiety a bit.
“Julee told me about that,” he said. “They’re really beautiful; I hope you take them with you when you leave.”
“Yes, I plan to.” The old woman came closer, and together they gazed at the pictures. Her perfume was overpowering, but he said nothing about it. “It’s not just people that we have to save, it’s our very culture,” she said. “Survival isn’t enough in itself. Art is part of who we are as human beings, and to lose that spirit of beauty would be a terrible loss. People need something to live for, something to aspire to.”
She sighed quietly and turned away from the paintings. “That’s why I asked to speak with you Liam. I know that we started out badly, and I’m sorry that you made me do what was necessary to save… all this.” She waved her arm expansively toward the collected art on display. “I want to let you know how much we all appreciate your efforts, so I’m going to tell you something that I’d rather not get out to the public, do you understand?”
“Yes Ma’am.” He nodded soberly.
“Space is limited on our ships, so we can’t save everyone. The maximum capacity of all our vessels combined is only 12,500 people, and that’s less than a tenth of our population. I want you to be among the lucky few. Complete your projects on time, and I’ll guarantee you a spot among the elite of our society. We need men like you Liam, so please do everything you can for the sake of us all.”
“Can Carolyn go too?”
“Carolyn is my niece, as you know, and the families of all the council members are going; to do otherwise would have caused dissent. So, do I have your full support?”
“Yes Ma’am, and I won’t let you down.”
“I’m sure you won’t. And for all the work you do, thank you.”
*****
A message from Keith was waiting in the database drop-box when he returned to work.
Liam. Your sister and I are well. There’re many supporters of our cause in the city. Your sister is learning the ropes and is fully with us now.
I’ve received instructions to plant bombs that will cause panic and turn people against the government. We are to disrupt activity as a set up for a planned invasion. I’ve been told to target government buildings, technology centers, military barracks, schools, and businesses. I’m also ordered to find ways to degrade the wall and city defenses.
Please tell me where the best locations are to plant explosives in the science and technology centers. The invasion of Pike City should begin within the next six months. Be ready. Rose sends her regards. Keith.
That didn’t sound good. Bombs going off around the city would kill innocent people and motivate the military to torture and execute citizens. Acts of terrorism would enrage the government and possibly turn the people against the rebels. There was also a risk that the army would react with a frenzy of bloodlust and attack the tribal strongholds in the mountains. The resistance would be defeated, but the distraction would delay the completion of the ships in orbit, then when the solar storm hit mankind would cease to exist.
In the months since his torture by the Nurse he had repeatedly told Keith of the upcoming solar flare and the extinction event it would cause, and yet he had received no response. Why? Had the Tribes not believed him? Or maybe they already knew and where making plans of their own? The worst possibility was that they didn’t care and were making plans based on pure hatred. Liam also wanted revenge for the loss of his friends in Flatiron City and for what the Nurse had done to him, but it wasn’t worth the sacrifice of their species. But what could he do to change their minds?
He needed to persuade the Tribes to scale back their plans and let the Socialists escape, then hopefully a few communities in the mountains would find a way to survive the solar holocaust and human life on Earth would continue. A few well-placed bombs to the outside of the wall might spur the government to speed up their plans to evacuate. If the attacks looked like the prelude to an invasion, and not the work of citizens, it would save a lot of lives.
The problem was that he was in no position to force his ideas on anyone. He wasn’t associated with the Tribes, so why should they listen to him? His only chance was to somehow convince Keith to speak on his behalf, but how could he do that?
In his last message he had mentioned that Becky was fine and living in the tech center, and yet Keith had said nothing about her in his reply even though they had once planned on being partners. Now he was living with Rose, and his sister could be persuasive, so he probably couldn’t use Becky as a point of leverage. If he could talk privately with his sister he might be able to convince her to help, but that was impossible because he was so closely watched.
There was only one mode of contact available, and that was the database; he would have to do the best he could with that. He stood up in his cubicle and looked around to be sure he was alone. Earl had left for the day along with everyone else, so he sat back down and began to type:
Keith. There is a better way. If we follow the orders you were given, the war will go on longer and more innocent people will die. You will turn the citizens of Pike City against you and the possibility of peace after t
he city falls will be lost. Please don’t plant explosives anywhere other than outside the city wall. To do otherwise will implicate the innocent and cause their deaths.
I suggest that you move forward with only the appearance of an invasion but wait at least nine months before beginning a siege. Tell your contacts to keep striking at the shipments going south, but only enough for it to seem like the start of a larger attack.
The best plan of action is to allow the local government to continue moving ahead with their plans. I know what they’re doing and believe it’s best that we let them go through with it because their own ambitions will lead to their destruction. This is the only possible solution that leads to a true victory for the revolution.
Please try to think beyond vengeance. Nothing we can do now will bring back those we lost in Flatiron. Nothing can be done in the present that will change the past, but reacting with violence will make us all relive it. Restraint and careful planning is the better option. Becky sends her regards. Liam.
*****
Later that evening, Liam sat alone in the workroom, lost in silent contemplation. With his message to Keith finished, he left his desk and walked out on the balcony. It was warm as usual, and the streets were still wet from a late afternoon downpour. A few pedestrians were about, they were probably going home after work or on their way to a bar or pub.
People always find a way to adapt and find some meager happiness even in the worst of times. As a species though, mankind was suicidal and there was just no fixing that. Within the next few months the Socialists and the Tribes would go to war, and the only reasonable conclusion of that conflict was mutual annihilation. He was in an impossible situation; even though he often tried to convince himself that he had a plan where everything might work out, in the darkest hours of night it all seemed to be nothing more than a comforting lie.
He limped back inside and approached Lucy’s portal, then stood for a moment lost in thought. The only friend he could confide in was 40 lightyears away, which was a pretty dismal situation. At last he sat down at her terminal and began typing.
Hello Lucy. It’s Liam.
“Hi Liam, how’re you?”
I’m sad.
“Oh, why are you sad?”
I have a troubling problem on my mind. How do I keep my species from killing itself?
Chapter 17: Progress
“It’s about time you got home; you’re late!” Carolyn said as he walked through the door. Their apartment was a small place, with only a single bedroom, a tiny bath, and a kitchen-living room combination. It did have a balcony though, and Carolyn sat outside as much as the weather permitted.
Their home was located on the third floor, just two doors down from his computer lab, so his walk to work wasn’t stressful. He didn’t know why the deep gash that Mother’s Nurse had cut into his thigh still hadn’t healed. The doctor in the medical office suggested exercise to promote blood flow and help speed his recovery; but it hurt so much to walk that he tended to avoid activity, and advice not followed never works.
They were not allowed to leave the building for security reasons, which actually meant that Liam wasn’t trusted. He didn’t blame his keepers; if word got out about the solar storm and the escape plan that included only a tenth of the population, riots would tear the city apart. But it really bothered him that Carolyn was being punished too. Admittedly, he was the unwitting cause of her confinement, and even worse, her suffering at the hands of the dark woman. It wasn’t something he had done deliberately, but he still felt guilty and sad for the hardship he had brought into her life.
Carolyn was an extremely social person and missed the freedom of coming and going as she pleased. He sensed that she was slipping into depression but was at a loss about what he could do to help. “They’re having some kind of mystery meat surprise down at the cafeteria tonight, would you like to go?” He stopped suddenly; there was another man in the living room. “Ah… who are you?”
“Well, you’ve been callin’ me Earl for a long time now,” the man said as he stood up. He was tall and muscular with a shaved head and would have been imposing without his warm smile. “I was there when you had your panic attack and helped get you to the medical office.”
“Oh, you know, I never got a chance to thank you for that. It felt like I was dying, so in my mind you saved my life.”
“No worries.” The unmasked guard grinned. “Just part of my job.”
“Yeah, and sorry about calling you Earl,” he said. “You guys are all in uniform and your faces are covered, and it’s hard to tell you apart; so, I guess I just invented a name.”
The big man chuckled. “Well, again no worries. My parents named me ‘Reggie’ but I’ve never liked the sound of it, so I’m good with Earl. Some of the guys on my squad are startin’ to call me that now too.
“We get to go out tonight,” Carolyn said. “Earl’s here to escort us to the Lantern.”
“Wow, how’d we get permission?”
“I talked to Aunt Margaret and convinced her that you’re trustworthy because you’re escaping with the rest of us, so we can go out as long as we have an escort.” Carolyn walked to their bedroom door. “I want to change into something nice, so you two boys keep each other company; I won’t be a minute.”
Liam smiled as he watched her go. “Do you have a partner Earl?”
“No, not yet,” Earl replied. “It’s kinda complicated ‘cos I’m goin’ with you to that other planet. We’re not allowed to get hitched ‘til we’re on-board ship, and our mate is gonna be chosen for us based on genetics. We’re the start of somethin’ new, so we gotta be careful how we breed.”
“Huh. I never thought about that, but it sounds like a good idea.”
“Sure, I guess so; I just hope that I like the girl they pick for me.”
“Yeah, it would sure suck if you didn’t get along. You know… in Flatiron everyone went through compatibility and genetic screening before they were allowed to partner up. Maybe they’ll do something like that once we’re on board.”
“Good idea; maybe you could talk to Mother about that?”
Liam smiled. “Sorry, but I don’t have much sway with her. Every time we talk I think she’s gonna send me back to the Treatment Room.”
“Yup, I sure get that. Seen a few of my buddies go through that shit, and it never ends well.”
The bedroom door opened and Carolyn entered the room wearing a bright blue dress with knee-high boots and carrying her fiddle. “Ok boys, let’s go!”
*****
He had forgotten the smells of the city; being held captive in the tech center was like being buried alive, so the humid night air flavored by smoke and garbage seemed exotic and invigorating. Their progress was slowed by his limping gait, the cane helped with the pain but didn’t increase his speed. Carolyn didn’t seem to mind though, and chattered exuberantly with Earl all the way.
“Oh, I’ve so missed this place,” Carolyn said as they entered the Last Lantern. The pub was as crowded as ever, and the air was heated by compressed bodies and scented by sweat and stale beer. “It’s good to be home.”
“Carol! Damn, where you been girl?” the barmaid screamed, then rushed to give a warm embrace.
“I’m living with my man down at the tech center,” she answered.
“What? Why?”
“He’s got a big job going on down there and has been working day and night on it. Mother wants him there, so I went along too.”
“Damn girl, so it must be love then, right?”
Carolyn glanced in his direction and smiled. “Maybe.”
Liam saw Rose and Keith sitting at a table near the stage. “Hey Earl, would you get into trouble if I went over and said hello to my friends?”
“Can I come with?” Earl asked.
“Sure, they’re great folks, you’ll like them.”
Rose leapt to her feet as soon as she saw him. “Liam!” she shouted as she rushed into his arms, but the impact of her body m
ade him stagger backwards and grunt in pain. She looked down at his leg. “What happened to you?”
He glanced back over his shoulder as Earl approached. “Well… let’s just say it was a work-related injury.”
Rose noticed his cane and frowned. “Are you ok?”
“Yeah, I’m fine. It only hurts when I walk; it’s sure taking a long time to heal though.” He shrugged. “How’re you and Keith?”
“We’re doing really well. We moved back downstairs into your old room.”
“Anything new with Lisa and her daughters?”
“No, they’re good too.” She turned to gaze at his military guard. “Who’s this?”
“Oh, sorry,” he replied. “Meet Earl; he came along to help just in case I have trouble walking back home. Earl, this is Sarah, and that’s Keith over there. We all met during the long walk down from Flatiron City.”
“Nice to meet you Sarah,” Earl said, then nodded a greeting at Keith. “It’s a shame what happened to you guys, and you should know that a lot of us in the military think that it was a raw deal. It ain’t right to do that kinda thing to anybody. Flatiron wasn’t a threat to us.”
“Well thanks for that Earl,” Keith said as he joined their group. “It’s like Liam always says, there’s nothin’ we can do today that’ll change yesterday.”
He smiled and realized that Keith was letting him know that he had read the most recent message on their secret database. “Yeah, I guess I do say stuff like that sometimes. It’s still hard to let things go though, isn’t it?” What he was really asking was, would the Tribes change their plans?
“Hatred’s a hard thing to give up,” Keith said, indicating that the answer to his question was no. “Why don’t we sit down and get Liam off his feet?”
They all relaxed around the table and watched as a group of musicians were preparing to perform. “Carolyn brought her fiddle, so she’ll probably play something for us later,” Liam said.