HADRON Emergent

by Stephen Arseneault

  Stark huffed. “I wish you had left that negotiation to me, Mr. Hardy. I could have worked that deal.”

  Mace scowled. “No thanks. I’m not interested in giving away our freedom again. You have ammo, Stark. Tell your men to make the best use of it.”

  The comm closed as Zax returned with the board. Jeff removed it from its anti-static sleeve before slipping it into place. The prior board was placed into the bag and handed back to the assistant. “Place this gently on my desk. Do not put it in the other unit.”

  Zax nodded, turned, and was off with his new mission. The board was secured and the cover put back in place.

  Jeff stood as he gestured toward the pilot chair. “Take us out and we’ll see what she does.”

  Mace motioned to Jenny. “Want to do the honors?”

  The Royal Fortune was quickly out of the cave and zooming up through the atmosphere. Two minutes into the dead of space the clear zone was entered.

  “We’re free,” said Jenny.

  Mace sat in the copilot’s chair, taking control of the wormhole generator.

  Jeff said, “Let’s just power it up. I’d like to look over the logs as we conduct each step.”

  Mace nodded. “Power is on.”

  Jeff and Gnaga poked at holo-displays showing over their arm pads. “Do you see this? Totally different than the number we were seeing before.”

  Gnaga replied, “By a factor of two. We will have to make a few major adjustments to the environment circuit. Could our gravity calculations be all wrong?”

  Jeff frowned. “I don’t see how that’s possible. We’ve been over them numerous times.”

  Mace asked, “You want a wormhole?”

  Jeff shook his head. “No. Please don’t do anything before specifically being asked to. We are already seeing areas where adjustments have to be made.”

  Gnaga said, “We have the prior parameters from the log files. Should we attempt the adjustments?”

  Jeff sat back. “While we’re live? I don’t know that I’m comfortable with that.”

  Gnaga replied, “There are only two instances that should be of concern. You know those areas. It might greatly speed our effort if we limit the non-live adjustments to those individual items.”

  Jeff slowly nodded. “I suppose that is a reasonable process. OK, let’s get to tuning.”

  An hour was spent tweaking adjustments until the numbers of the affected circuits lined up with the previous board.

  Jeff said, “You may power her down, Mr. Hardy. I’ll begin with the adjustment of the second tier amplifier. We’ll try a quarter turn left each time.”

  Gnaga asked, “Why not a quarter turn to the right?”

  Jeff rolled his eyes back and forth for several seconds. “I suppose we can try that first. My choice of left was an arbitrary one. Just giving us a starting point to work from.”

  Gnaga chuckled. “As was my suggestion. I wasn’t implying that it was better, only asking why you selected left.”

  Jeff nodded. “I suppose we could—”

  Mace held up a hand. “Can you just make the adjustment rather than analyzing whose suggestion is better?”

  Jeff stared back in silence for several seconds. The adjustment was made and the board re-inserted.

  Jeff said, “Apply power please.”

  Mace nodded. “Generator is active.”

  The Kaachi scientist pored over the numbers on his display. “It seems you were correct. We should have adjusted to the left.”

  Jeff smiled. “That was to the left. It was you who was correct.”

  Mace rolled his eyes as he powered the unit down. “Just make your adjustment please.”

  Five additional turns saw the signal level equal to that of the original card. The unit was powered down for the final tweak. Another potentiometer saw a quarter turn adjustment. Mace powered up the unit.

  Jeff grinned. “That’s it! The numbers match!”

  Mace asked, “We ready for a test?”

  Jeff nodded. “Open a simple wormhole, Mr. Hardy. Let’s see if we get stable readings.”

  Mace opened the wormhole and the data was evaluated for several minutes.

  Jeff took a deep breath. “Program in a moving wormhole, Mr. Hardy.”

  “Can I position it against the sun as I do with the weapon? That will allow us to track the fireball as I move it around.”

  Jeff gestured toward the controls. “Excellent suggestion. Let’s see what happens.”

  Mace punched in coordinates for near the surface of the nearby star. A destination was given that was five hundred kilometers, a safe distance, from their location. The initiate button was pressed and the results waited for. The expected wormhole never opened.

  Jeff scratched his head. “That should have worked. The readings are identical. How is this possible?”

  Gnaga placed his hand on Jeff’s shoulder. “We have the data. Let’s return to the lab, where it can better be analyzed. Perhaps we are again overlooking something simple.”

  Jeff frowned. “Mr. Hardy, take us back.”

  Mace winced. “If that was our best test, I’d like to have the original card back. I think taking a risk with it now is foolish. We have no other way of defending Earth without that weapon. The Dedrus still have thousands of ships. They can be on our doorstep in minutes.”

  Jeff sighed. “I would agree, Mr. Hardy. Comm forward to the lab and have Zax meet us.”

  The original circuit board was placed back in the holder. The unit was sealed and Mace was sent up for another test. Fifteen minutes later he returned with a dejected look on his face.

  “The console says critical failure. I can’t even get a standard wormhole out of it.”

  Jeff shook his head. “I should never have removed it.”

  Mace replied, “Maybe. But we’ll never know for sure. As you said before, it could have failed at any time. I would ask to at least get that other board back so that jumps can be made. We only have the three shuttles and I’d like to keep all three flying.”

  Jeff nodded. “I’ll have that done pronto. And again, I apologize for pressuring you into allowing this. I should have left well enough alone.”

  Mace grabbed Jeff by the shoulder and squeezed. “Fretting about it now won’t move us forward, Doc. Just keep digging. We found the answer once, we can find it again.”

  A comm came in from Malcom Stark. “Mr. Hardy, you must find a way to manufacture more ammunition. Our troops are being steadily pushed back. The Chicago and Denver community centers have already fallen. Paris is nearing the same. We can’t counter their offensives if we don’t have the means.”

  Mace frowned. “Sorry, Stark. I gave you what we had. From here on you’ll have to tell me the point of your most critical need. I can make a drop after the slugs come off the line, but we’re probably only talking five thousand rounds or so per trip.”

  Stark huffed. “I wish you had planned for a more robust production cycle.”

  Mace scowled. “Maybe if you would stop making deals to attack us we could. I’ll agree that some of what you’ve done may have saved lives up until now, but it’s also what put us in this situation. Those are our people being killed out there now because of your screw-ups. I look forward to the day when you crawl back under the rock you came out from.”

  Stark returned a nasty expression. “You may get your wish, Mr. Hardy. Only it will be me and every other Human on this planet at the same time.”

  The comm closed. Johnny walked up behind Mace with a beer in his hand.

  “You back on the sauce already?”

  Johnny frowned. “My head is pounding. I’m hoping this will take the edge off.”

  “Has that ever worked for you before?”

  Johnny winced as he took a swig. “Only after five or six in a row. This is my limit for today though. Jane’s putting the kibosh on my celebrating until this is all over. Was that Stark?”

  Mace nodded. “He’s begging for more ammo. The Dedrus soldiers are pus
hing them around because they are having to conserve. Conservation is not something his assault troops ever trained for. And I have bad news for you… Jasper is dead. They shot the Organ Cave down at Earth. It crashed into Lake Erie. We searched. Only two Targarians survived.”

  Johnny let out a deep sigh. “I knew this time would come. And I slept through it while the old man was fighting.”

  Johnny looked at the beer and set it aside. “Maybe it is time to give that stuff up.”

  Mace replied, “You couldn’t have stopped it. Stark made another deal with the UF that went sour. He denies it, but it’s got his signature all over it.”

  “You think Favia or the Hoorka could offer any help?”

  Mace frowned. “The Dedrus had been disarming them as well. But I guess it’s worth a check. Up for a ride to Promexa?”

  Johnny sat in the copilot’s chair. “So long as you don’t do a lot of swerving or rapid starts and stops.”

  Mace chuckled. “Those were tough days, weren’t they? Where every little move or noise felt or sounded atomic. I’m glad to have put them behind me.”

  Johnny slowly nodded. “I’ll be glad to put this one behind me.”

  The shuttle was soon settling in the palace courtyard at Promexa.

  Mace opened a comm and Favia answered, “Mr. Hardy, I was wondering when we would hear from you again.”

  Mace asked, “How’s the recovery coming?”

  Favia frowned. “Devastating. Millions dead and injured from that short attack. It tells us just how vulnerable we are without our fleet to protect us. How did the retreat of the Dedrus from Earth go?”

  Mace scowled. “They’re still there. Which is why I’m here. We need help.”

  “Anything… just ask.”

  “We need hand weapons. Anything you can spare. The Dedrus are moving in on our cities. We have weapons but very little ammo. They are beating us back pretty badly.”

  Favia let out a long breath. “The Dedrus confiscated most of our arms. We have only a few small stockpiles remaining.”

  Mace asked, “What are they and how many do you have? We’re desperate for anything right now.”

  Favia opened a comm to General Agok. “Our hand weapons… outline for me exactly what we have.”

  The general replied, “Maybe twenty-two thousand rifles. Fifty thousand reloads if we’re lucky.”

  “How long would it take you to move those to the palace?”

  The general asked, “Why? For what purpose?”

  Favia said, “For my purpose. How long?”

  “Four hours. I would have to round up a working shuttle. Those are being used for transporting the injured and feeding our people at the moment.”

  “Are there one or two locations that possess a substantial portion of those weapons?”

  “Yes. Three sites would cover probably two thirds of what we have. Why?”

  “Send me those locations, General. If you’d like to meet me at the first on the list I will explain my needs to you then.”

  Favia closed the comm. “Fifteen thousand laser rifles, Mr. Hardy. I can give five loads of two hundred bursts each for each weapon. That is the best I can do. The general will not be pleased, but I can handle his wrath. Is your shuttle in the courtyard as usual?”

  Mace nodded. “It’s the closest landing spot to your throne room… and I’m lazy. Yes. The courtyard.”

  The first location was a bunker location in the middle of a farming community. Covered over with grain silos, it was not easily seen from above.

  Agok was waiting as the ramp of the Royal Fortune lowered from thin air only meters from where he stood. “Mr. Hardy, I should have known.”

  Favia said, “We don’t have time to bicker, General. Have your men move as many of those weapons aboard this shuttle as can be fit. I promised five reloads per rifle. See to it that those are included.”

  The general held up a hand. “These are our reserves. Most of our soldiers don’t even have a weapon right now. The Dedrus destroyed them.”

  Favia said, “I’m aware of the situation, General. This Human saved our planet from those thugs. We owe him whatever we can supply. The Dedrus didn’t leave Earth. They are assaulting their cities right now.”

  Agok scowled. “So you want to involve us with the Dedrus again after they just left? I don’t think you’ve thought this through.”

  Favia stepped to just in front of the Hoorka general. “We aren’t discussing this, General. Just give the order and get moving. The same weapon that chased the Dedrus away is operated by this Human. Would you have him deny our needs should the Dedrus return?”

  A second shuttle landed beside them. “The ramp lowered and admiral Pran walked down. “Agok! Give them whatever they want!”

  The general returned another scowl before giving the order. Minutes later the first of the Hoorka laser rifles were being stacked on the cabin deck of the Royal Fortune.

  Mace said, “I thank you for all of this. The Human race thanks you. And as soon as I can I’ll have a ship with a comm wormhole delivered so we can communicate without having to go to each other.”

  Pran stepped forward with an outstretched hand. “A shake is the Human protocol, is it not?”

  Mace took the admiral’s hand. “It is, and thank you, Admiral. I just hope this will be enough.”

  Agok said, “It will have to be. Our factories are months away from coming back online.”

  An officer said, “Shuttle is full, Your Highness.”

  Mace walked up the ramp. “Expect me back within the hour.”

  The ramp closed and the shuttle lifted away.

  Chapter 14

  *

  The Hoorka weapons were delivered over four runs. A fifth brought more ammo from Gellos. On most fronts, the Human defenders were holding the Dedrus in check. Mexico City, Denver, and Seattle had seen their community centers overrun and burned to the ground. The troops at Chicago had managed to retake the heavily damaged center there. Mace returned to Gellos.

  Liam Hobbs and the others were waiting. “Mr. Hardy, we’d like to go home… to join the fight. We don’t feel right just sitting here while our world is under attack. We have our thunder glove weapons. We’d like to go put them to use.”

  Mace nodded. “I’ve had the same thoughts. I’ll take you on the next run if you like. Just tell me where you want to be dropped and we’ll make that stop for each of you.”

  Johnny walked up. “I think it might be a good idea to make use of the cave as a home base. Put a stockpile of weapons and food in there… fix up some defenses, maybe start to look for ways we can help. Other than delivering weapons and ammo, I don’t see where we’re doing much for the cause out here now. Only takes one person to pilot that shuttle.”

  Mace stroked his goatee. “I know each of us wants to go home and help defend our cities. Well, what if we did this instead… what if we take the shuttle in, land behind the Dedrus troops, and then the lot of us go on a rampage of their back lines. We have our holo-projectors and thunder gloves. We could be in and out of a city it ten minutes and cause major havoc for the Dedrus. Then we move to the next one. We could start with each of our home cities.”

  Liam nodded. “I could get behind that, sort of an invisible death squad. And since their leadership is probably going to be sitting on their back lines, it might completely disrupt any plans if we could take them out.”

  Mace said, “OK. I think we have a plan. We’ll have Jasper’s last two ships shuttling food and ammo as needed. They can coordinate directly with Stark. We’ll get camp set up at the cave and then start out on our city tour. London as a first stop OK with you, Mr. Hobbs?”

  Liam nodded. “London would be fantastic.”

  Mace said, “Johnny, let Jane know what we’re planning. She can stay here or come with… whichever suits her.”

  Jenny sighed. “I suppose I have to be the bus driver again?”

  Mace smiled. “You are the most experienced. And you’re always on time
for a pick-up.”

  Jenny laughed. “I suppose. When do we leave?”

  Mace said, “Let’s all meet back here in an hour. We’ll take a load of food and other supplies to the cave. Afterwards we operate from there.”

  The shuttle slipped through the projected holo-images, landing in the field beside the cave. The ramp lowered and each of the crew grabbed an armload of supplies.

  Mace walked down the ramp and through the second holo-image. Jasper Collins appeared, sitting in his rocking chair.

  “It’s about time you showed up. I’m gonna need some help.”

  Mace dropped the boxes he was carrying and rushed up onto the porch. “How?”

  Jasper looked down at his arm. “An explosion happened as we were taking the shuttle out. Next thing I know I was flying through the air and then sinking to the lake bottom. My arm and my comm were crushed. I was kind of in a daze, so I just started walking.”

  Mace asked. “We looked for bios. Only two of your crew made it out. How’d you make it back here?”

  Jasper shrugged. “I just kept walking. I came up on shore, turned on the holo-projecter, and made my way here. I figured someone would come back at some point. Just didn’t think it would take so long.”

  Mace helped him from the rocker as the others came through the projected image. “Help me get him aboard!”

  Johnny ran up first. “No way! The old man lives!”

  Jasper scowled. “Give us a hand, ape-man. I ain’t doing so well at the moment.”

  The group scrambled, gently moving their injured friend onto the ship. Half an hour later a team of Targarian surgeons was hard at work on his arm.

  Johnny looked through a glass wall at the operation. “This is just awesome news.”

  Mace nodded. “Glad to have him back. He was a big loss to our family.”

  Johnny grinned. “Not only that… this means I don’t have to give up my beer anymore.”

  Mace shook his head.

  Johnny smirked. “They just can’t kill that old coot, can they? He just keeps coming back.”

  Mace frowned. “That arm didn’t look good at all.”