The Holy Land: Fanatical Earthling planet assassins are spreading chaos through the galaxy. Is there any nice way to stop them?

by Robert Zubrin

“Well, other unique skills are given to those who embrace Aphrodite.”

  Aurora looked at her old friend. “Are you suggesting that we active- ly stimulate his erotic emotions?”

  “Sure,” Freya smiled mischievously. “Don’t worry. It’ll be fun.”

  “But such stimulation could induce major psychic stress.”

  “That’s the idea,” Freya said. “The stronger the stimulus, the greater will be the resolution of the response. We’re going for fine detail here, girl.”

  Aurora shook her head. “I don’t think it would be proper.”

  Danae laughed. “Aurrie, you’re such a prude. I thought you agreed that Love was a divine attribute.”

  “Yes,” Aurora said. “But so is Justice. He wouldn’t know he was being played with.”

  Freya smiled. “Aurora, really. He’s just an Earthling.”

  “You must agree,” Junea told the High Priestess.

  “But you are asking us to risk collective extermination,” High Priestess Nendra said.

  “Not at all, not at all,” Junea waved her hand dismissively. “We are

  simply asking you to return fifty percent of the occupied land to the

  Kennewickians, so they may have an independent tribal despotism.” “I don’t see why that is necessary,” Nendra replied. “The

  Kennewickians never had an independent tribal despotism before. They

  are in fact indistinguishable in language, race, and religion from other

  Americans. So they already have an independent despotism. It is called the United States of America, and it is thousands of times the area of New

  Minervapolis.”

  Junea nodded. “Yes, from a rational point of view, that would cer-

  tainly appear to be the case. However the American tribal despot feels

  that it is necessary that they have their own state.”

  “So why doesn’t he give them one then? His territories are vast, and

  much of it is unpopulated.”

  “He feels that since they are from Kennewick, they can only live here

  in Kennewick, on their sacred ancestrallands.”

  “Most of them don’t want to live here. They want to be free to live

  and work in the many other American cities.”

  “Yes, but he wants them to live here.”

  Nendra shook her head.“But Reverend Ambassador, Can you not see

  that this is pureinsanity?”

  Junea shrugged. “Of course.”

  “Then why, in Minerva’s name, are you accommodating it?” “Well obviously, since the Earthlings are insane, it would be unrealistic to expect them to agree to rational ideas. Therefore, if we are to have

  a diplomatic solution, it must perforce contain large elements of insanity.

  Otherwise the Earthlings would neveragree.”

  “But why do you seek their agreement at all? They are savages who

  have committed hideous crimes against your Empire. Why not just crush

  them?”

  “That would look bad,” Junea explained. “When you have anEmpire

  like ours, galactic public opinion is very important. Youdon’t want to

  look too bossy. Anyway, my job as a diplomat is to get everyone to agree.

  I’ve gotten the Earthlings to agree, and now you must agree too.” Nendra was curious. “How did you secure the Earthling’s agree-

  ment?”

  Junea curled her finger in her hair. “Oh, we offered them some of

  their neighbor’s land, and some arms...”

  “Arms? You’re giving the savagesarms?” Nendra’s shock showed on

  her face.

  Junea was unflappable. “Yes, but just ancient tenth-class rubbish,

  nowhere near as good as the eighth class material we have provided you.” “But still much better than anything they had before. Such weapons

  could greatly increase our vulnerability.”

  “Possibly. But I thinkyou’ll get by. Anyway, itwasn’t enough to convince the savages, so I had a cruiser psioray one of their provinces. That

  brought themaround.”

  Nendra’s eyes went wide. “Are you proposing to do that to us too?

  Bombard us with psiorays if we don’t agree?” Junea waved her hand dismissively. “No, no,don’t be ridiculous. You Minervans are civilized rational people, and I’m sure you’ll be much more agreeable. And even if youweren’t, we would never consider using force against people who have been such long-term friends of the Western GalacticEmpire.”

  Nendra was quiet as she waited for the other sandal to drop. “Of course,” continued Junea, “should you not agree to the peace plan, the Universal League has recommended that to minimize violence in this sector there be a complete embargo on all military technology, to all sides. This would include, of course, recharge units for reflective disarmers. Given the current state of galactic public opinion, we could hardly be expected to veto such aresolution.”

  Nendra could not contain her dismay. “But without recharges for our disarmers, we would be completely helpless against the savages. They would overrun New Minervapolis and kill us all!”

  “Indeed?” said Junea. “Not being an expert in military strategy, I hardly feel qualified to evaluate what the new local balance of power might be in the event of a galactic arms embargo. However, if you really believe that it would be so severely to your disadvantage, I would suggest that you go along with ourplan.”

  Nendra took two steps back and then collapsed into her chair, suddenly feeling like the very old woman she actually was. “So there is no choice,” she mumbled.

  “None,” Junea pronounced.

  Nendra gathered herself a bit. “Very well. We agree. I will send a messenger to the Mayor of Kennewick to arrange a meeting to draw up the actual boundaries.”

  “No,” Junea said.“The Mayor of Kennewick is dead, or soon will be. Youwill conduct your negotiations with the Kennewickians’ true repre- sentative, the Minister AaronVardt.”

  Nendra stared at Junea. “Aaron Vardt? But he is the leader of the Kennewickian assassins!”

  “So?” said Junea. “What is your point?”

  Chapter 34

  Hamilton stood up as Aurora entered his cell. “Come,” she said. “I have something to show you before we go.” He followed her without a word.

  Over the past ten days, Aurora had treated him coldly. It was as if she had hardened her heart to him, denying any reality to their past friendship, and dropping any pretense that she had seriously fought for his freedom before the Minervan High Council. Now their departure for Anthropo was imminent, and she was making it abundantly clear that his status there would be as her study specimen, and nothing more.

  Hamilton had once felt real affection for Aurora, perhaps actually loved her. Her playful arrogance towards him during the early period of their acquaintance had been easy to forgive, and her tragic past and secret little-girl vulnerability had made her easy to love. But her current behavior towards him, her betrayal of him after all they had been through together, engendered the darkest anger, verging on sheer hate. She knew he was human, she had to know. But she chose to deny it so she could advance her career at the expense of his enslavement. She was a cheat, a liar, a fraud, and a traitor.

  As they walked in silence up the hill that overlooked the zone of the refugee camps, Hamilton noticed that Aurora was carrying a cheap telescope. A three-foot long refractor, it must have been looted out of some defunct department store in inner Kennewick. It was an absurd accoutrement. With the ability to refocus her eyes that all advanced galactics seemed to have, Aurora needed no telescope, and if she wanted to show him something, a pair of binoculars would have been a much better choice. But telescope it was, and he was too disgusted with her to bother asking her the reason.

  They reached the top of the hill. Looking down towards the camps,

  Hamilton could see muzzle flashes and hear the popping sounds of gun-
fire. “Look atthat,”Aurora said.“As soon as they find out they are to have a state of their own, the first thing they do is start to kill each other. Each faction wants control for itself.” She pointed at some tents adorned with red crosses.“You see that? Those are MelissaBerger’s hospital tents. She and the other proto-rationals are holed up there, and are under assault by Aaron Vardt’s men, who are going to wipe them out. Then they’ll kill the child patients too, supposedly to complete their destined martyrdom. That’s Earthlings for you, mindlessmurderers.”

  Hamilton peered down into the valley. Studying the gun flashes, he could make out the contours of the battle. What Aurora said was true. Melissa and the hospital volunteers were outnumbered and losing. Yet their defeat was not inevitable. Vardt’s men were attacking without any proper tactical organization. They were strung out in a long line, and their left flank, on the end leading up his hill, was completely unprotected. If he were free, he could sneak up behind the far-left exposed man, break his neck, grab his gun, and then roll up the whole line from one end to the other.

  “Aurora,” he pleaded. “Let me go and help them. I can save them.” “No,” Aurora said coldly.“You are needed for scientific study. I just brought you here so you could watch the murders and understand how disgusting you Earthlings really are. Then maybe you will stop whining about how you are being mistreated. Here, take the telescope andwatch.” She handed him the telescope and then turned to watch the battle.

  Hamilton felt completely enraged. Had she no pity? She had once expressed admiration for the Bergers. Once it had seemed like she had some compassion for the wounded children. Now she was using their deaths as a show, just to rub in his face his own inferiority. Just to justify her stinking careerist betrayal.

  Aurora’s back was turned to him. The gun flashes were advancing towards the hospital. His friends were about to die. He could save them, but she would not allow it. The situation was absolutely intolerable. Hamilton’s anger welled up like a torrent. Gripping the telescope he smashed it down hard on Aurora’s head. The black-robed priestess went down like a pole-axed steer.

  Hamilton looked at the ground. Aurora was unconscious, breathing shallow breaths. It would be best to finish her off. He knelt down and put his hands around her neck. He hesitated. She was still so beautiful. The arrogant expression was gone, and in its place was the cheerful girl-nextdoor smile that he had come to adore. Then she coughed a little blood and suddenly, instead of seeing the formidable alien priestess, he saw the little girl hiding in the barrel, fearing for her life.

  He shook his head. Aurora wasn’t evil, she was just…Aurora. Her leaders had told her it was necessary to the Minervans to ship him to Anthropo, and she had saluted. But they had been through a lot together, and she had done him a few good turns along the way. It pained him immensely that she refused to accept his humanity, but he couldn’t kill her.

  Hamilton dragged the priestess into the bushes so she would not be found by any Kennewickians. Then he kissed her softly on the forehead. “So long kid,” he said. “I just wish...” He stopped, and brushed away a tear. Turning swiftly, he scrambled down the hill to do what he could for Melissa, Charlie and the rest.

  Bullets ripped through the side of the hospital tent, setting off another wave of screaming among the terrified children. Melissa ducked and ran to the entrance to see what was going on outside.

  The situation seemed hopeless. The medical volunteers and parents who were trying to defend the hospital were outnumbered, and armed only with hunting rifles and shotguns. Some of Vardt’s men had M-16s. A few of the volunteers were hunters, and their superior marksmanship had inflicted some losses on the attackers. But the enemy’s edge in fire- power was considerable, and their advance was relentless.

  The volunteers were falling back. Now the defensive skirmish line was just fifty yards in front of the hospital. As Melissa watched, Charlie Malone came running back through an alley to climb up the rear side of a house. Then, positioned on the roof, he drew a bead on a target with his rifle and fired one shot. A hail of automatic weapons fire in return sent him scurrying off the roof. He dashed towards the hospital entrance.

  “We can’t hold them much longer,” he said panting breathlessly. “We’ve got to get the children out of here.”

  “But where can we go?” Melissa asked.

  There was no place to go.

  Hamilton moved quick and low from bush to bush down the slope of the hill. Ahead of him was one of Vardt’s thugs, in a kneeling position, blasting away maniacally with an M-16 at a rooftop from which somebody had just fired a rifle shot.

  “That’s it, baby,” Hamilton mumbled to himself. “Keep firing. That way you won’t hear a thing.” He made a final rush and hit the man from behind like a ton of bricks. The man tried to struggle, but Hamilton grabbed his hair and yanked back his head to break his neck. The man died without a sound.

  Hamilton examined his victim. In addition to the M-16 and a lot of ammo, he had a long bayonet and two grenades. Excellent. Hamilton loaded a fresh clip into the M-16 and switched it to the semi-automatic setting. Then sighting down the line ofVardt’s skirmishers, he fired three shots in rapid succession, putting bullets in the heads of three ofVardt’s men.

  The entire flank cleared of Vardts’men, Hamilton took off at a run for a house just to the rear of the center of the fanatics’ advancing line. He quickly climbed a vine to gain a commanding position on the rooftop. Then, he pulled the pin on one of the grenades, counted to two, and lobbed it into the middle of the main group of the enemy.

  The grenade went off about six feet above ground level, with terrific effect. Then Hamilton threw the other one at the last remaining organized group of thugs a bit further up the line.

  Vardt’s men panicked, and those that could took off in a mad dash towards the rear. Hamilton switched the M-16 to automatic, and opened up on the fleeing mob, with devastating results. Then he climbed off the rooftop and pulled the bayonet from its sheath. Moving silently among the wounded, he completed his work.

  “Boy, are we glad to see you,” Charlie said.

  “I thought we were done for,” Melissa added.

  Hamilton lowered a handful of captured M-16s on to the hospital

  floor. “Distribute these to your best men, Charlie. They’re going to need them. Vardt is certain to attack again.” A tall elderly man approached. “This is Deputy Mayor Bill Thomas,” Melissa said. “Or I should say Acting Mayor Thomas. He’s allthat’s left of the old city government now that Mayor Wagner isdead.”

  Thomas extended his hand. “I want to thank you, son, for everything you’ve done.”

  Hamilton nodded and shook Thomas’ hand.

  “How did you manage to get here?” Susan Peterson asked.

  “Aurora took me to the hilltop to watch your deaths. She wanted to rub in my face how barbaric Earthlings were. But she turned her back on me, and I seized the chance to slam her on the head with a telescope, knocking her out cold. Then I ran down the hill to help you.”

  Melissa said, “She really took you up a hill just to view our deaths? That seems kind of odd.”

  Hamilton nodded.“Yes, I know. Aurora had sometimes acted oblivious to the pain she was causing, but I had never known her to be such an outright sadist before. I saved her life in New York, you know, and I had thought that she had finally developed real feelings of friendship for me. Then a week ago the Minervan High Council ordered her to ship me off to some alien planet for scientific study, and she suddenly became colder than ice. She made it real clear that when we went there together, I would be nothing but her lab specimen. I was very lucky to get this chance to escape. The transport arrivestomorrow.”

  Melissa exchanged an odd glance with Susan. Then she turned to Hamilton. “You say she turned her back on you, then you hit her with a telescope?”

  “Yes.”

  “Where did you get the telescope?”

  “She gave it to me.”

  Melissa
and Susan exchanged another significant glance. Then she stared at Hamilton with an odd smile on her face.

  “What?” Hamilton asked.

  “She must have been very foolish to expose herself to attack like that.” There was a touch of irony in Melissa’s voice that Hamilton could not miss.

  The Ranger did a double take. Melissa’s statement made the whole sequence of events seem absurd. Aurora was anything but foolish. And she could read his mind. She had to know the attack was coming. Then there was the telescope, more useful as a club than an optical instrument. It was obvious.

  Hamilton stared at Melissa in amazement. “You’re saying Aurora set me up. She baited me, then turned her back to give me my chance. She wanted me to escape!”

  Melissa and Susan looked at Hamilton with big knowing smiles on their faces. “And that means?” Melissa prompted.

  “That means…she loves me!” Hamilton reeled at the emotional impact of the thought.“But I left her unconscious in the bushes. Come on, Charlie. We’ve got to get her to safety before any ofVardt’s men find her.”

  Hamilton charged out of the tent, followed by the trucker. Moving behind terrain obstacles to avoid observation, it took them over half an hour to reach the hilltop where he had last left the priestess. It was dusk when they got there.

  Hamilton entered the grove of bushes. In the dim evening light he could see three pairs of fresh boot tracks in the dirt. Aurora was gone.

  Chapter 35

  Aurora awoke in Tartarus. Or in a place that seemed as bad as Tartarus. It was cold, dark, and damp, and filled with hideous smells of feces, vomit, blood, and decayed food. There was an unbearable ache in the side of her head that throbbed with a pain that would not quit.

  She rolled off of a hard surface and fell onto another that was even harder. Pain shot into her elbows as they took the fall. She moved her hands along the ground. It felt like concrete with a thin covering of wet filth. She opened her eyes and saw a grid of metal bars covered with flaking yellow paint. Crawling forward she touched them. They were very cold. She pushed at them, but they didn’t move at all.