The Ship: The New Frontiers Series, Book One

by Jack L Knapp

  “So you’re the one. Dad didn’t tell me much, just said it was an interesting flight.”

  “That’s one way of looking at it. Anyway, he called and told me to pick you up and fly you out to the plant. He didn’t say why.”

  “I had to leave school. I couldn’t stay there, especially after what happened. And what that man said.”

  “I don’t want to pry, but if there’s something I should know about...”

  “I was raped, Chuck. That bastard told me to give my father a message. He said, ‘This one was fun, at least for me. The next time it won’t be fun for anyone. Tell your father to stop what he’s doing.’”

  “Shit. I’m sorry, Lina. But now I know where I’ll put you when we get back. There are armed guards on the property, I’ll tell them to keep a sharp eye out, but the hangar is locked all the time and Mel is there anytime I’m not. Before, all we had to deal with was suspected espionage. I guess it’s better to know we have the kind of enemies that will stop at nothing. This time...I’ll just let the guards know. They’ll detain any trespassers that don’t have a damned good reason for being on the property, and shoot if they have to.”

  #

  “Roswell Daily Record. How can I help you?”

  “You report on stuff, right? I mean, if I seen something, I can tell you about it and you’ll put it in the paper?”

  “No guarantees, but I’ll note down what you tell me. The editor will decide whether it goes in the paper. First, what’s your name?”

  “You need to know that? You don’t have to write it in the article, do you?”

  “Maybe not, but if you’ve got news, why wouldn’t you want people to know who you are?”

  “I was waiting for...never mind. I was over north of Clovis, you know?”

  “Big area. How far north, and is that due north, northwest, northeast, what?”

  “Just north, okay? I don’t want people knowing my business.”

  “I understand.” The reporter doodled on his pad. Drugs? Poaching? Rustling? He finished with an exclamation point. It would be worth looking into what might be happening in the wide open plains north of Clovis. Some of the farms had stopped production when the peanut packing plant went bankrupt, so there was a lot of nearly-deserted land out that way. Drug smugglers looked for open areas with few people to bring in their loads. “Okay, what did you see?”

  “I seen one of them flying saucer things. I figured you folks in Roswell would know more about it than this bunch in Clovis, so I called you.”

  The reporter decided to play along. Even if this guy was nuts, there might be a humorous piece in it. Filling the local news section was always something of a challenge. “We do know a lot about the saucers, as it happens. What was this one doing?”

  “Going like a bat out of hell, that’s what. It was one of them long kinds, what they call the cigar shape, you know?”

  “Did it have the same pattern of flashing lights that other ones have had? And you never did tell me your name.”

  “It’s Willie. Willie Guz...uh, just Willie G, okay? That should be enough.”

  Indeed, thought the reporter. Especially since I’ve got your phone number. “Go ahead, Willie.”

  “It didn’t have no lights. I couldn’t hear it making a noise, so I knowed it was a long way off. That section of road has street lights and I saw this thing because it blocked the lights. It was taking off from the Clovis Airport, had to be. It was coming from that direction, and it went right over Ned Houk Park, couldn’t have been more than ten or fifteen feet up. Then it jumped straight up in the air like people say them things can do, and the next thing I knew it was gone. I figured it was likely headed for Roswell. People say there are lots of those flying things hid out in the caves down that way. You know that new cave near Carlsbad has never been explored, don’t you? I’ll bet that’s where they’re hiding. You watch, this one probably kidnapped someone from that airport.”

  “I’ll look into it, Willie. I need to ask you something, it’s just routine but it’s on my list of questions I have to ask. Had you been drinking, Willie?”

  “Not this time. I was smoking a cigarette, you know? And there that thing went, flying between me and the lights.”

  “I see. Okay, was there anything else?”

  “Ain’t that enough? A flying saucer kidnaps someone from the Clovis airport and that ain’t enough?”

  “I’ll make a few phone calls, Willie, see if anyone’s gone missing. I’ll call you back if I need anything else. What’s your phone number?” The reporter waited, then smiled. ‘Willie’ had hung up.

  Two weeks later, a short paragraph appeared in the Sunday edition titled “Flying saucer spotted near Clovis Airport?”

  No one paid attention. Roswell, sometimes called the ‘UFO Capitol of the World’, saw several such reports in the course of a year.

  #

  Frenchy drove in late the following day. He called Chuck, using the security agent’s radio.

  “How’s Lina doing, Chuck?”

  “She’s settled in, Frenchy. Right now she’s helping Mel install seats on the Bedstead and the King.”

  “She’s working already?”

  “Yeah. As soon as we landed, she wanted to know everything there was to know. She was pretty quiet at first, but she opened up a bit on the way to the hangar. Mel and I changed the batteries and put the ones we took out in the charger. She was all over that too, asking questions while we worked. I mentioned we were building a bigger craft, and she started asking what kind of computers we were using and what programs we had installed. I suspect we’ve got another spy in our midst, even if this one is friendly. By the way, we’re going to need more food. We had enough for Mel and me, but feeding three is going to tax our supplies.”

  “I’ll see to it, Chuck. I owe you another one, buddy. Tell Lina I’ll be heading over to the hangar as soon as the workers are gone for the day.”

  “I’ll put the coffee on, Frenchy.”

  Chuck was thoughtful after he hung up. How would Lina fit in? More importantly, how should he treat her? Was she the general manager’s daughter, or just one of the workers? And what of her recent trauma, the rape? She seemed interested in the Bedstead and the King, so maybe that would take her mind off what had happened. But would depression set in later?

  I’m no psychologist, but I think work is just the thing for her, Chuck thought. Even if she loses interest in what we’re doing, modifying the Bedstead and working on the King, I’ll bet she’d like to learn how to fly them.

  #

  Frenchy’s latest acquisition, a John Deere Gator, had been delivered a week earlier. The small hybrid, half truck and half all-terrain vehicle, came with a diesel engine. Frenchy kept it fueled from the tanks that supplied the generators. He made it a practice to drive the small vehicle around the property, looking at whatever work was going on and generally making something of a nuisance of himself. As a result, no one would wonder now where the Gator’s tracks were going, even if they bothered to pay attention to them. After the work crews left for the day, Frenchy finished loading the Gator’s cargo box with supplies, including several painter’s drop cloths that he’d picked up at a Lowe’s in Albuquerque. There was already a large, heavy box strapped down in the front of the small truck’s bed.

  Frenchy parked by the hangar’s rear gate and the three men carried the supplies inside. Lina swept away their tracks as soon as the last trip was finished. While no one would wonder about the Gator’s tracks, footprints were another story; the building supposedly wasn’t being used.

  The four were soon seated in the break room, sipping cups of hot coffee.

  “The food in the box is mostly dried or canned stuff that doesn’t need refrigeration. There are a few frozen dinners you can have as soon as they thaw, and I’ve ordered a small upright freezer for here. It’ll be cramped in the break room, but that can’t be helped. I’ve also got another convertible couch on order. It’ll be here in a couple of days. T
here are drop cloths and you’ve got wire and tools. What I had in mind was curtaining off an area for Lina. Think you’ll have any problem dealing with that?”

  Mel let Chuck do the talking. “No problem. I think maybe we need to tell the guards that someone will be living and working here in this building. Tell ‘em to keep their mouths shut and keep unauthorized people away. Unauthorized people includes everyone except the four of us and Morty. The three of us will be spending more time over in the main plant anyway, now that the workshop is almost ready. No one except us knows that Lina is here, and I think we need to keep it that way.”

  “Agreed. Sorry, honey, you’re going to have to stay hidden, at least for now. It’s for your own protection. You okay with that?”

  “I’m happy to hide. As long as I can pilot the Bedstead. That should be all right, shouldn’t it?”

  Frenchy looked inquiringly at Chuck. “What do you think?”

  “I’ve let her fly it inside the hangar, moving really slow. I’d like to have her practice a few more days, staying inside the fence, then she can fly that test course I laid out. I’ve also told her to stay low and slow on that, at least for the time being.” Chuck looked meaningfully at Frenchy. “She’s really jumped into working, and she’s been a great help to us. I think she wants you to get her a bigger computer and a couple of design programs.”

  “I know,” Frenchy sighed. “I’ll get it on order. One thing, though. When she flies that course, I want someone riding along with her. The Bedstead will carry two, we know that, so I want one of you two riding shotgun. Armed. You think you can handle a gun well enough to protect her if it comes to that?”

  “Yeah, I’ve got my .40 caliber Ruger. Not a lot of range, but it’s a good pistol within about 25 yards. Can’t see much beyond that range at night anyway.”

  “Take a look at that other box I brought in. It’s not tools.”

  “Ah, you’re a man after my own heart, Frenchy. Let’s take a look.”

  The crate held four Colt AR15 rifles and an equal number of Glock pistols. Ammunition boxes filled two smaller compartments at each end of the crate, 9mm hollow points at one end, .223 caliber at the other. “The rifles are the carbine version with extension stocks. The ammo is the type intended for hunting, not military ball. The bullets expand when they hit something. The rifles are semi-auto, but I can’t see you facing a charging horde of soldiers. If you need help, call the guards. Most of them, maybe all of them, have combat experience.”

  “Works for me. I saw some of that too. I’ll keep my Ruger pistol, though, I like it better than the 9mm Glocks. Next time you come by, I’d appreciate a few boxes of .40 caliber hollow-points. If you can’t get those, get the semi-wadcutter jacketed rounds. They work pretty good too.”

  “I’ll see to it, Chuck. Hopefully, you won’t need any of this. but after what that son of a bitch said to Lina, I want as much protection for her as I can get.”

  “I don’t think he really knew what we’re doing out here, Frenchy. He may not even know exactly where we are.” Chuck turned to Mel and Lina. “I want rifle racks on the Bedstead, the upright kind like police use in their cruisers, and before we fly it I’m going to want racks on the King.” Mel simply nodded.

  “I’ll go with Lina when she flies the course I’ve laid out, Frenchy. Bottom line, if we’re ever attacked, she flies out in the Bedstead while Mel and I hold off the attacker until the guards and the cops get here. I’ll need more tools and supplies, though. Two exits were fine so long as we weren’t facing an overt threat, but that’s not a good idea if this is to be a defense bunker. I’ll reinforce the rear door and secure it from the inside. We can use the other personnel door for entry and exit.”

  “Get me a list of what you need, Chuck. I’ll see to it. Will you need help?”

  “I’ll borrow guys from the engineering crew, the ones that built this version of the Bedstead. They’ll be working in the shop starting next week, so I won’t have a problem getting help. And they already know all there is to know about the Bedstead. A couple of them are waiting for their chance to fly the King as soon as it’s ready. You know they’re hoping to pilot the first spaceship, don’t you?”

  #

  The major had an appointment. He paused for a moment, checking his watch. As soon as the minute hand touched 0900, he knocked sharply at the door frame, then entered as soon as he heard the gruff response.

  The colonel was a busy man. It didn’t do one’s career any good to arrive early or late for an appointment.

  The major marched to the desk and reported, voice flat. It was not good to show too much emotion either. Someone might wonder. “You sent for me, Sir?” The major’s voice had just the right inflection. He’d practiced it earlier that morning. His voice conveyed just the right mix of statement and question.

  “This operation you propose. Have you carefully considered the possibilities?”

  “I believe so, sir. I’m always grateful for your wise counsel.” A touch of the toady, not too much, was also useful. The colonel would doubtless be astonished at how well his subordinates knew him, his moods, and his preferences.

  “Suppose I approve your operation, Major. What do we gain if we penetrate this warehouse you’re so interested in?”

  The major’s answer was prompt. The question was expected. “If there’s anything to this American company’s machine, we get the information as soon as they have it themselves. Costs to us, not great. We have the assets, we only need to retask two or perhaps four men.”

  “And the operation they were working on, the one you’re taking them from? What of that?”

  “We do not believe it will be greatly delayed, colonel. If you think it best, I could even hire outsiders. I have an agent in place who could do that. There would be no link to us.”

  “Suppose your assets are discovered. What would we lose if our interest is revealed?”

  “That’s a bit harder to answer, general. If our adversaries realize that we’re interested, they might become more interested themselves. They’ll almost certainly be more cautious.”

  “It’s colonel, you should know that, André. You seem to forget, especially when you want something.”

  “Very sorry, sir. It won’t happen again.” Not until the next time anyway, André thought.

  “Write up your thoughts in a memo, major. Include your analyses of the questions I’ve asked. Have it for me by Friday afternoon. I’ll decide after I’ve had a chance to study the proposal, probably by Monday. But I’ll want to approve any operation before it’s launched. We can’t afford to have our people compromised. We have other operations underway, and unlike the embassy staff, we don’t have diplomatic immunity.”

  “Yes, sir. I’ll keep that in mind.”

  “See that you do. You’re dismissed, Major.”

  Chapter Eleven

  Chuck ate a microwaved TV dinner and left the hangar, carefully locking the door behind him. Mel was still asleep and presumably Lina was too. The curtains allowed as much privacy as possible, considering that three people unavoidably lived in close quarters during the week. There had been no friction so far; Mel and Chuck were careful not to say anything that would remind her of the assault, but otherwise treated her as a fellow worker. As for Lina, she enthusiastically joined the project. Whether in the technical work of maintenance and prepping the King for flight or the mundane work of cleaning the break room, she took a full part.

  More importantly, she now smiled occasionally, a distinct change from when she’d first arrived.

  Chuck entered the guard shack and asked to speak to the shift supervisor. She was briefing the guards who’d just come on duty, so Chuck waited politely until she finished, then signaled that he wanted to talk to her. She nodded and found him in her office as soon as she finished assigning the guards to their posts.

  “How much do you know about what I do here, Maddy?”

  “I know you have something to do with what goes on in the big building. I
also know we’re not supposed to ask questions.”

  “Close enough. I’m involved primarily with plant operations, but I also represent my grandfather’s interests on the corporation’s board of directors. I’m not exactly sure where that puts me in the hierarchy, but it would be fair to say I’m one of your bosses. I know your company has its own director, but he works for us. Any problems with taking instructions from me?”

  “None. I’ve been doing this kind of work for a couple of years now, so there’s nothing unusual in what you’re saying. I’ll keep my contract administrator informed, of course, but unless your orders conflict with what he tells me, I see no reason why I shouldn’t cooperate with you.”

  “Fair enough,” Chuck said. “It’s time to bring you into some of what we’re doing. We’ll be manufacturing devices at first, and later on we’ll be putting them on aircraft. We anticipate buying airframes for now, although we may eventually manufacture our own. I can’t tell you more than that. For now, we’re keeping everything low profile to maintain secrecy. There are reasons why we can’t go public yet. This has been an easy job for your security people up to now, but you should know that we’ve had a physical threat and an assault on one of our female employees. Corporate maneuverings are just business, we understand that, but when our people are threatened we take that very seriously.”

  “I can understand that. What you’re saying is that a higher state of security alert is justified by events. Did this happen here at the factory?”

  “No, it happened elsewhere, but the threat I mention was specific enough that I’m concerned. The next attack could happen here. I’m not asking you to break the law, but when a threat is combined with physical force, stronger defensive measures are necessary. A police report was filed after the assault. Based on that, you are authorized to neutralize any threat to people or property.”

  “You understand that what you’ve just told me allows us to employ deadly force if we feel the situation requires it, don’t you?”

  “I do. This is not just about preventing industrial espionage, it’s about protecting our people. We expected people to try to snoop around the plant, that’s why we hired armed security agents. But we didn’t expect the degree of physical threat we’ve become aware of. We certainly didn’t expect an assault. The opposition has shown that they’ll stop at nothing.”