by Ricky Sides
“You brought the original two scale models of the two variations under consideration by the team?” Patricia asked.
Pol’s smile widened as he nodded his head.
“Yes and as you recall both were made from your father’s alloy and both contained the experimental battery systems,” Pol said happily.
“But you would have to fly them with a computer,” Patricia objected.
“Not if a good friend of mine, who is a computer genius wrote the software to convert the operations to simple hand controllers. Then two people could operate the drones as efficiently as this ship is operated by a crew.” Warming to the subject he added, “Remember that the little ships are incredibly fast even with the additional weights that we added to simulate a full crew and a fully stocked water supply and all of the extra weight of the appliances and furnishings. If we stripped them down to camera, guidance system and a weapon then I believe that they would be able to match speed with this ship.”
“We could then send in the drones as a distraction to harry an enemy while our strike forces are moving in for a confrontation,” Pete said thoughtfully.
“Yes you could do that and more. For example, with a weapon mounted you could fly the drone into a heavily guarded enemy encampment and shoot their leader. The drones could fly into an area on a reconnaissance mission to see if the enemy is waiting with a trap before committing this ship or ground forces to entering the area. They could go to places inhospitable to humans, such as areas where it is suspected that the enemy has placed deadly traps without endangering a single man,” Pol pointed out.
“What sort of weapon would they carry?” asked Pete.
“Well they could be equipped with miniaturized versions of the forward laser. They wouldn’t be nearly as powerful as the laser aboard the ship of course, but they would be quite deadly. On the other hand, they could be equipped with a small conventional machinegun though nothing as heavy as the minigun equipped by this ship. The drones couldn’t handle the recoil, or the weight of the firearm and ammunition required. They could be essentially be armed with a number of weapons types that could be changed in a few minutes by a trained crew or simply stick to the lasers which is my recommendation. That would be a renewable resource weapon and they could also be launched when the primary ship is low on power and out of ammunition for the minigun, to give us further options for prosecuting battle against Marauders,” Pol said in conclusion.
“Pol, my friend you could have been an excellent salesman,” Jim observed laughing and Pol smiled shyly.
“I do tend to go on about things when I am excited,” Pol admitted sheepishly.
“That’s fine, Pol. When you get these ideas, the peacekeepers as a whole always seem to prosper,” Pete said sincerely. Then he asked, “How long will it take to create the drones?”
“I can do my part within a week once I’ve built the lasers for the base, but my portion of the project is fairly simple. Patricia’s task will be much more difficult,” Pol explained.
“Patricia laughed and responded, “His portion of the work will be the most difficult. I could rig the control system between catnaps. That’s the sort of thing I did for science fairs as a kid,” Patricia said depreciatively. When Patricia spoke in this manner, she wasn’t bragging. In her mind, her skills seemed ordinary because she’d always had a knack for working with computers and electronics.
“Then perhaps you should do the drones first and then work on the base camp lasers,” Pete suggested. “You did say that the lasers would take longer didn’t you?”
“Yes my friend the lasers will indeed take longer, but my estimate on the amount of time I would need to perfect the drones was based on having first had the experience of building the full sized lasers. Once that is accomplished it is a simple matter of downsizing the unit, but that experience must come first or else building a miniaturized lasers will take considerably longer than it should,” Pol explained.
“And the drones look just like this ship?” asked Tim who’d been listening as he piloted the craft.
“One does, but the other actually has wings,” Patricia answered and giggled at the face Tim made. “Yes dear, I know you’ve said all along that the ship should have been designed with proper wings but consider this thought. The ship doesn’t need wings to fly, and wings sticking out the side would create some drag thus slowing your top speed, add unnecessary weight, make a bigger target when people are shooting at us, and create maneuvering problem in tight spots, such as between two tall trees like those ahead.”
The crew got her point as Tim held the course steady between the two trees.
“Ah, but the drone the wings will provide a platform from which we could drop mini-bombs. You can’t do that on wingless version because the belly of the ship is the landing surface,” Pol pointed out smugly causing Tim to laugh.
“Well I always did want to fly a bomber. Maybe now I’ll have the chance,” Tim said in response.
Throughout the trip, they solidified their plans for the immediate future. Yet before they could even cross the state line back into Alabama, something happened which would change their immediate plans.
As was all too often the case, a radio communication served as the first warning that there was an emergency demanding their attention. Patricia received a message from the base saying that a woman named Lina was there looking for Jim, and she was in sad shape. The doctors were with the woman but her condition was grim. A trucker named Robert, who claimed he knew Jim, had brought her to the base.
Jim had sent a reply that they were to ask if he was the Robert who once traded him a truck. A moment later, he was informed that this was the man and Jim said to treat him as an honored guest. He gave the base an ETA and then he asked them to tell Lina he would be there ASAP.
When he got off the radio Lacey was there beside him and she said, “I’m sorry to hear about your friend, Jim. I know you tried to warn her that exploring on her own was too dangerous. You did your best to prepare her.”
“I wonder how she ever linked up with Robert,” Jim said thinking aloud. Then addressing what his wife had said he shrugged and said, “Lina is the kind of person you can’t order around. Do that and they do the exact opposite of what you are demanding of them. I did the best I could to prepare her, but not even the best of fighters is invincible.”
“I’ll get Maggie for you, dear. She can contact the base to consult with the doctors regarding Lina’s condition,” Lacey said and squeezed his hand before leaving. She knew that despite what he’d said, Jim was the kind of man who felt responsible for not being able to prevent the woman’s injury.
Jim smiled his appreciation and said, “Thank you, Lacey. And thank you for understanding.” He kissed her lightly before she left and then he turned to his brother. “Tim, see if you can get us home a bit faster if you please.”
Nodding his head Tim said, “Better announce a rough ride. I can save several minutes but the ride’s going to be bumpy.”
Jim nodded his head to Patricia signaling her to make the announcement and then he thanked his brother.
Maggie entered the control room and moved to the communications station. Five minutes later, she told Jim what she had learned. The patient was suffering from a broken arm, and a gunshot wound. She had been stabbed, and was suffering from malnutrition. She was also suffering from exposure to the elements and had a high fever. Her condition was listed as critical. “I’m sorry Jim, but the prognosis is not good. If the young woman survives the next forty-eight hours, then she may live. However, I should warn you that the attending physicians say they seriously doubt she will pull through. She’s been through too much trauma. Sometimes people just give up the will to live when they have endured a third of what she has apparently experienced recently,” Maggie said attempting to prepare Jim for the worst.
Chapter 5
The Peacekeeper landed beside the hangar bay. The door opened a moment later and Jim emerged, followed closely by Lacey, Mag
gie, and Pete. They proceeded at once to the infirmary. Jim saw Robert waiting outside the door to the main bunker complex as he approached. Robert looked haggard and thin. He appeared to be a shell of the man Jim had originally met. He reached out to shake hands with Jim as he drew near. Jim noted that Robert’s once strong grip was now weak. “I’m sorry as I can be about Lina, Jim. I tried to protect her but I couldn’t even protect myself. In the end she saved us both,” Robert explained.
“What has happened?” Jim asked. He was stunned at the man’s appearance.
“Time enough for me to explain after you’ve seen Lina son. It’s a miracle she’s lived this long,” the man said sadly.
Nodding his head Jim said, “I’ll speak to you in a bit then, Robert.” Stepping past the man, he walked into the main bunker complex.
Robert stopped Pete as he started to walk past and said, “Mr., I need to talk to someone in charge and everybody tells me to see Pete, Jim, or Tim,” he explained.
“My name is Pete so I guess you need to speak to me then, Robert,” Pete stated and motioned for Maggie to go ahead.
“Well, sir, we didn’t mean to bring trouble to your door, but I’m afraid we probably did,” Robert explained. “You see some really bad men have been dogging us all the way from Texas. They’ll find us here too. They always find us. And when they do, they will stop at nothing to kill Lina and me. Now son, I couldn’t care less if they get to me, but that girl in there is fighting for her life. Please help her, sir,” Robert said with passion.
Pete was about to respond when Robert wobbled on his feet and almost fell. Pete caught the man and helped him inside the bunker shouting for assistance. A moment later two men ran up to assist Pete. One of the men was one of the three base doctors. “He is suffering from starvation,” the doctor said.
“And no one fed him?!” Pete asked incredulously.
“He refuses to eat because the woman he brought in can’t,” the physician said sadly.
“Get him to the infirmary and feed him intravenously if you have to, but feed this man,” Pete insisted.
Robert came around enough to speak at that point and he said, “I’ll eat what the doctor orders. I have to live at least long enough to warn Jim of the trouble I probably brought him and all of you as well.” Then looking at Pete with a hard-eyed look he said, “Son, you’d better double your guards and watch your whole perimeter. The men after us are some really dangerous men.”
Nodding his understanding Pete said, “You just eat and regain your strength, Robert, because unless we find out what’s going on, then whoever did this to you and Lina will get away with it, and there won’t be a damned thing we can do about the situation.”
That warning more than anything prompted Robert to eat at last.
Pete left to issue orders regarding the upgrading of their security stance after promising to return to see Robert soon.
***
Jim found Lina in the hospital bed in the infirmary. Beside Jim, Lacey gasped at Lina’s appearance. She was incredibly thin. Her arms were bone thin, and the cast on one of her arms seemed garishly large by comparison. Her eyes were sunken pits.
Hearing the sound of Lacey’s gasp Lina spoke without opening her eyes saying, “Yeah I get that a lot kid. Just tell me when Jim gets here. OK?”
“I’m here, Lina,” Jim said, and her eyes opened slowly.
“Well, Jim, you were right. It wasn’t a matter of if I’d be attacked, but rather when. You’d have been proud of me though. I got five of them before the rest captured me late last year,” Lina said sounding so very tired.
“Who got you, Lina?” Jim asked.
“The bad guys out in Texas Hun,” Lina replied as if that should explain everything.
“I haven’t heard anything about bad guys in Texas, Lina,” Jim explained.
“You will soon enough. They are moving east soon. They are an army of former convicts who are capturing and enslaving people, and forcing them to work on huge farms and in some factories as well. They plan to form a small empire in which they make the rules, and they are willing to kill anyone who gets in their way. They have to kill us. I mean Robert and me.” Lina’s eyes closed slowly and she let them stay closed. “Jim, make Robert eat please. He won’t eat because I can’t. The man tried to help me and he has the scars to prove it. He saved me you know. I’d have died if not for Robert.” Coughing dryly she said, “Probably gonna die anyway, but at least you won’t let those bastards abuse my body. You won’t will you, Jim?” she asked struggling to open her eyes.
“No, Lina,” Jim responded with emotion evident in his voice. “No one will abuse your body while I’m here.”
“Good,” she said, and then she added, “Some of those freaks are necrophiliacs.” She closed her eyes then and went to sleep.
Chapter 6
Jim stayed with Lina a few more minutes but the attending physician asked him to leave stating that the patient needed to rest to give her body a chance to heal. Maggie nodded her understanding of the doctor’s wishes, assuring Jim that everything they could do for her was being done. She suggested that he should go to see Robert to try to determine what in the world was going on.
Jim took her advice and left the room intending to search for Robert. However, the moment that he left the room a man met him and escorted them to Pete and Robert. He led them to another room in the infirmary where Robert was in bed. Beside his bed sat a half-eaten bowl of soup on a table. Jim saw Pete sitting in a chair in the room and surmised that he had somehow convinced the man to eat.
“How is Lina?” Robert asked hoping for good news.
“I’m afraid she’s not doing well, Robert,” Jim replied honestly and then he asked, “Would you please explain what’s going on?”
“I’ll tell you and we can let Robert rest. He can correct me if I get anything wrong,” Pete said.
“Thank you, Pete. I hated having to tell you, and I’d as soon never have to mention that story again,” Robert said with feeling. Jim remembered in that instant that the man had never admitted that he had really been to Chicago at the height of the insanity in that city. Robert was the sort who liked to forget bad experiences.
“Just correct me if I get anything wrong, Robert, and I was serious about the soup. You can eat it or I’ll have the doctors feed you intravenously,” Nodding toward Maggie he said, “Meet my wife Maggie. Maggie is the best doctor we have here,” Pete said with pride and a grin, which Robert knew was veiled threats that he would have his wife follow through with his promise to have him intravenously fed.
“And this is my wife, Lacey,” Jim said.
“Pleased to meet you both,” Robert said and reached for the bowl of soup with trembling hands.
Lacey stepped forward and said, “Why don’t you let me feed you this once. When you are stronger, I’ll never have the chance to feed such a handsome man.”
“Jim, I think I like your wife,” Robert said smiling.
“She grew on me too, Robert,” Jim said matching the truck driver’s smile with one of his own.
Lacey spoon-fed Robert the soup as Pete began to speak.
“Robert was captured about two months after the Marauders captured Lina. Robert was enslaved and forced to work as a field hand for the first two months. Lina was one of the women who carried food to the field hands. What little they were fed that is. One time, they had stripped and beaten her with a short whip when she was caught smuggling extra food to some of the weaker men. Robert attacked the man with the whip and killed him. The man was a slave himself, and the slavers didn’t care which slave enforced discipline so long as one did. They gave Robert the job when he said the man he killed had been trying to rape Lina. The slavers don’t permit the slaves to have sexual relations with the house girls. Those are reserved for the slavers,” Pete explained.
Looking at Robert he asked, “Have I got the details right so far?”
“You’re telling it better than I did,” Robert said and waited for t
he next spoonful of food.
“After that, Lina and Robert struck up a friendship. Twice Lina was almost caught with extra food but on both occasions, Robert claimed he’d taken it because he was so hungry. The slavers beat him half to death both times, but Lina was spared the beating,” Pete said, pausing as Jim looked toward Robert with renewed respect and nodded his recognition of that respect.
Robert grinned weakly and said, “Well truth be told, I love Lina. Oh, I know she could never love a man like me. Look at me. I’m past my prime and will never live to see the day that I could even satisfy a woman like Lina at my age,” then realizing what he’d said in front of the women he blushed and stopped talking after a quick apology.
“You might be surprised at just what some women might see in you, sir,” Lacey said smiling sweetly as she fed him another spoon of soup.
Pete continued, “Robert kept his job as field boss, because the men worked well under him. Lina and Robert began to talk, whenever their circumstances permitted and they devised an escape plan. However, before they could put that plan in motion a rattlesnake bit Robert. The slavers would have killed him but Lina said that she could heal Robert. He heard some of the slavers betting amongst themselves as to whether or not the woman could save him. She did manage to save Robert, using some skills she apparently learned from you, Jim,” Pete said smiling. “I’m proud of you my friend. You did well,” Pete added.
“But for months after that, Robert was too weak to attempt an escape. Because there was a rumor that the slaves were planning a mass escape, a period of weeks of increased security followed Robert’s recovery. It was impossible to escape with the increased security, so they waited. Eventually the security returned to normal and the moment that they had been waiting for arrived. Lina poisoned the slavers’ food and the whole lot of them took deathly sick. The slaves made a massed breakout. Some were killed, but most managed to escape. But that was just one such slave farm with a few men acting as slavers. They didn’t know that they were in the heart of the slave zone. Most of the slaves were recaptured the next day. Many were beaten to death to serve as examples to the other slaves in the slave zone. Robert and Lina escaped capture by luck more than anything but one of the slavers stabbed Lina. She took the knife away from the slaver and killed him with his own blade,” Pete said, looking to Robert to ensure that he was telling the story as it had been related to him.