War of the Worlds 2030

by Stephen B. Pearl

  “Gods yes.” Richard smiled back at her, relief and joy welling up inside him.

  Ashley glanced around the lab making sure they were alone. “Richard, I want to get one thing out of the way before our date.”

  “What?” he asked.

  “This.” She kissed him on the lips. It was brief but sweet. “Now we won’t be standing in front of my door with you wondering what to do at the end.”

  “Ash, you are an amazing woman.”

  “I’m glad you finally noticed.”

  Chapter Nineteen

  Lost And Found?

  Ashley skipped along the woodland trail. She paused to kick a pile of leaves and spun around. Her smile was beauty itself and his heart melted to see it. Leaves clung to her jeans and blue sweater like odd pieces of jewelry.

  She ran to him and threw herself into his arms, laughing. He kissed her. She responded enthusiastically.

  “I love you, Ashley,” he whispered and it held every ounce of truth his soul had.

  “Me to. I mean…I love you, Richard. This vacation was just what I needed. I’d always heard how pretty Maine was in the fall, but it’s hard to believe until you see it.” She grabbed the straps of the day-pack he wore and ran her hands up and down them.

  “We all deserved a break after reverse engineering the Alzheimer cure.”

  “I just hope Zane doesn’t get suspicious. Us both being gone at the same time. Both contact numbers in Maine.”

  “Frankly, my love, he approves. He hasn’t said anything, but I can tell he knows. I can hardly wait for you to finish your doctorate so I can tell the world you’re mine. If I were you, I’d worry more about Zane not wrecking your experiments.”

  “He isn’t that bad a researcher.” Ashley kissed Richard then pulled away with a mischievous glint in her eye.

  “You know, I bet it would be very easy to get lost in these woods. Go a little off the trail and no one would see you.” She lightly bit her lower lip.

  “Ashley.” Richard grinned then lunged at her. She shrieked and ran into the woods. He chased her. She ducked under branches and he leapt over logs, both of them laughing like maniacs. He finally caught her in a small clearing shielded from prying eyes by saplings. She laughed and he pulled her close, smothering her lips with his own. She melted into him, her body pressed tight against his.

  He broke the kiss. “This will be more comfortable.” Shucking his day-pack he pulled out the picnic blanket and spread it over the grass and wildflowers that covered the meadow floor.

  Ashley slipped out of her running shoes and stepped onto the blanket. She winked at him flirtatiously and began to walk it flat as he struggled with the laces on his hiking boots.

  He joined her, enfolding her in his embrace. Their lips met. She fumbled with the buttons on his shirt as he traced the lines of her slender, firm body. He stroked her breasts through her sweater and felt the nipples harden.

  “No bra?” he commented.

  “Planning makes perfect.” She kissed a trail down the center of his chest before un-clipping his pants and dropping his fly.

  “Ashley, my Ashley. Richard bent and un-tucked her shirt then, with a single smooth motion, pulled it off over her head and tossed it to the corner of the blanket.

  “Oww, that breeze is chilly,” said Ashley, as the cool air caressed her skin like another lover’s hands.

  “I’ll endeavor to keep you warm.” Richard cupped her chin in his hand and helped her to her feet. He kissed her as his pants fell around his knees. He paused long enough to toss his shirt to join her sweater and pull her tight against him, skin to skin. Her nipples pressed against his chest. The cool, fresh air was an aphrodisiac, making him want her more than he ever believed possible. The leaves rustled and birds sang. Sunlight poured down upon them from a blue sky and nothing felt more natural than to love her.

  “Richard,” she whispered and licked his nipples. The moisture and coolness made him gasp. Kneeling he returned the favor as he unclipped her jeans and pulled them down. Her panties swiftly followed, joining his pants in a single toss onto the clothes pile.

  Ashley stood naked before him. Lean, young, and beautiful. She smiled and gave him a look that said all she felt. That look always made him feel ten feet tall.

  Slipping a finger up her thigh he stroked her sex. She gasped and the finger came away damp.

  Richard kissed her and let his hands roam freely.

  “Richard.” Ashley knelt facing him and pulled down his briefs. A moment later he was as naked as she was.

  “Ashley, My Ashley. My woodland sprite, beauty incarnate. Gods and Godesses all, I love you.”

  He kissed her and she lay him back on the blanket. Her hands played over his chest, tweaking his nipples as she straddled him.

  “Richard, be mine forever?” She positioned him at her opening.

  “Forever, my love,” he smiled secretly.

  “What?”

  “In a few minutes.”

  She lowered herself onto him with an agonizing slowness. Wetting his finger he played it over her clitoris while his other hand roamed over her body. He gently stroked her nipples then rising up took one into his mouth and swirled his tongue around it.

  “Oh, Goddess,” whispered Ashley. “Aww, Richard…my Richard. Agg haaa.”

  She fell limp against him. Richard held her and stared at the sky above. His mind was empty of thought, but he knew it was the finest moment of his life. A minute later Ashley rose up. He was still solid within her. Her hair was mussed and she smiled at him with love in her eyes.

  “Let’s see about breaking some of that British control,” she remarked and her hips moved.

  “Is that a challenge?”

  “A promise.” She lowered her mouth to his nipple and gently nibbled it.

  “Ugg,” he gasped as she straightened and slowly pumped her hips. His passion built.”

  “Ashley…my Ashley. Oh, Gods; haaa.” His orgasm exploded from him. His head went light. He stared into her face, framed by the clear, blue sky, and his last lingering doubt was gone.

  Ashley climbed off him and lay at his side. He just held her close for a long time.

  “Ashley, Love. Let me up.”

  She shifted so he could move. Rising he retrieved the day pack and unzipped a side pocket.

  “You’re not the only one that came prepared. You spoke of forever. I can’t promise you that, but I can give you the rest of my life. Ashley Hinkly, will you become my wife? I love you more than I ever thought possible.”

  She stared at the gold band with its small diamond, her face a mask of disbelief.

  “Please?” asked Richard, when she made no move to take it.

  “Richard, I thought you’d never ask.” Tears welled in her eyes as she took the ring and slipped it on. She threw her arms around him and he held her close, feeling like his life had just begun.

  Richard consciously pulled back from the memory, becoming aware of Janis’s basement around him and the air mattress he lay on. He’d triggered the recall because he’d felt the hopelessness building. The memory reminded him of what he was fighting for, while at the same time allowing him moments free of pain. He knew there was danger in any form of escape, the memories could so easily become an addiction, but he needed something.

  “Soon love. Soon, for better or worse,” he whispered.

  “For richer or poorer,” replied a voice on the edge of his perception.

  “Ashley?” Richard opened himself to the interface. He lay once more on the blanket with her in his arms; only this time he knew the words were different.

  “Richard, I have an idea for saving some of the people.” Ashley gazed into his eyes.

  “How long have you been interfaced? Get back to yourself. If they catch you like this�
�”

  “I linked in just as you were spreading the blanket. It’s one of my favorites too. I wanted to relive it with you. The Darmuks think I’m sleeping, and I’ve covered my cyber tracks. Now listen. I’ve diverted one of the captured cargo ships. They use human crew. This is what you need to do.”

  The next morning Richard paced back and forth in Janis’s living room while he shared Ashley’s plan.

  “I knew you were on a suicide mission but this is insane?” objected Janis. She wore the tattered remains of a housecoat and sat on her couch.

  “We have no choice. I wouldn’t even tell you but Ashley’s plan might work,” said Richard.

  “I’m calling this off. There has to be another way.”

  “Janis, honey. If there was another way, don’t you think we would have tried it?” Zane sat beside her, his hands cupped in his lap.

  “Oh, God! Richard, honestly. Are things really this desperate?”

  “Six months and estimates say they’ll have the continental United States. Six months after that, all of North and South America. A year after that, the world. The larger the front the faster we fall.”

  “Gods! Okay, I’m in. Gods forgive me! I’m in! I’ll tell those who survive the engagements to gather at the docks.”

  “It’s the only way,” said Zane.

  “I know, I still feel dirty.”

  Chapter Twenty

  Jaded

  “I’ll be glad when this is over,” sighed Mary as she settled in the cyber couch.

  “Still problems?” Kate started hooking up the monitor feeds.

  Jerry and I went to a movie last night. One of the old ones made before the war. They’ve been reissuing a lot of them. We started talking about one of the actresses. She had dark hair, medium-sized breasts, nice legs.”

  “Zane’s type.”

  “Yeah. I couldn’t help it. I kept flashing on images of Betty and Janis.”

  “Oh no. Did Jerry figure out what was going on?”

  “He didn’t get the chance. I made him pull over on a side road and. I’m just glad the cops didn’t check up on us. You expect teenagers to behave like that, but not a pair of adults.”

  “Did you enjoy it?”

  Mary blushed. “Yes.”

  Kate smiled. “Jerry is your husband. There’s nothing wrong with that.”

  “I just don’t like the triggers. Will I ever go back to being normal again?” Mary stared at the calendar. “It is March 9th twenty-thirty-seven and I am a heterosexual woman.”

  Kate looked on with compassion as Mary jacked in.

  * * * *

  Upload monitoring/ Zane Hinkly /Index 14:32/ 14/10/2033

  * * * *

  Zane tweaked the genes on the graphic simulation then released the retro virus. Lithium absorption levels on the simulation increased to almost normal.

  Richard entered the room whistling. He moved behind Zane and glanced at the screen. “Very good, Zane. The sim looks excellent.”

  “Thanks, Doc. You’re in a good mood.”

  “The sun is shining. The birds are signing. I’ve finally finished back engineering that accursed Alzheimer cure. I have a two week sabbatical starting Friday. What is there not to love about today?”

  Zane smiled knowingly. “Labs gonna be kinda empty with Ash going off on that hiking trip.”

  Richard grinned at his student. “Just don’t blow anything up. We all deserve a break after cracking the coding on the Alzheimer symbiont. Chimpanzee DNA. So tricky but so simple.”

  “It’s awful. Cruel, inhuman and disgusting,” said a voice from the door.

  Richard and Zane turned to see Betty standing in the doorway. She was dressed in Khaki pants and a tight T-shirt, with Green Peace written across her breasts.

  “Betty, honey. I wasn’t expecting you!” Richard moved to hug his daughter.

  “Hello Daddy.” she said coldly.

  “Hi, Betty.” There was a note of trepidation in Zane’s voice.

  “Hi Zane. I see my father has infected you with his anti-life views.”

  “Betty?” gasped Richard.

  “Well, what do you expect? You play with life like you were some kind of God. Splicing genes, twisting living things so they can serve as slaves to humans. What right do we have to hijack chimpanzee DNA to cure a human sickness?”

  “The Darmuks did that. I was working on a computer chip that would fix the problem,” Richard defended himself.

  “You’d test it on poor defenseless animals.”

  “Betty, can’t I just be happy that my daughter has come for a visit?”

  “I’m not visiting. Green Peace is picketing the Darmuk embassy. Their use of genetically engendered symbionts is a threat to the health of the Earth and is an abuse of the symbiont’s rights. We’re going to shut them down. I just came to warn you, since you’re in bed with them.”

  “I am not in bed with the Darmuks, young lady!”

  “You use their research and you corrupt young people like Zane. We can’t allow it. Stop this evil research at once.”

  “Betty, you know I can’t do that.”

  “Zane, maybe there’s still some decency in you. Join us. We’re having a rally tonight in the Quad.”

  “Um…Betty—”

  “I’m going to talk to mother. Goodbye Father!” She turned and marched down the hall.

  “Who was that?” asked Richard.

  “Don’t know, but I better warn Janis. She might like to tidy up a bit before Betty gets there.”

  “Yes. She might also like to have a couple of stiff drinks. Oh, Gods, and things were going so well.” Richard rolled his eyes.

  * * * *

  Upload monitoring/ Zane Hinkly /Index 12:55/ 20/10/2033

  * * * *

  The protesters chanted slogans behind the rope barrier. The biological drilling rig the Darmuks had placed against the mountainside now stood as tall as an oak tree. The above ground part was mostly green with large serrated leaves, but splotches of yellow and brown marred its surface. The trunk section consisted of two pipe-like stems. Cold, sea water was pumped into one of them. Hot water flowed out the other into a ditch.

  To one side the Rigal rested on a pile of Milorganite. Its surface was a sickly yellow and a stench like rotting vegetables rose off it.

  Zane stood with a news crew behind the rope barrier. A petit, blonde, mid-thirties woman held the microphone.

  “This is Tabitha Coombs reporting from the Darmuk embassy. We are here to witness the activation of the bio-thermal generating system. This Darmuk technology holds the promise of ending the world’s energy problems by tapping geothermic sources and allowing us to bring them into use in an economical and safe manner. Here to explain the technology is Mister Zane Hinkly of the University of Goleta, Biology Department.

  “So Mister Hinkly, what exactly are we watching?”

  Zane smiled at the camera. The suit he wore played up his boyish good looks. “Well, Tabatha, effectively what we’re seeing is a drilling rig about to break through into a layer of super-heated rock.”

  “Odd looking drilling rig,” observed the interviewer.

  “Very. Like most Darmuk technology it’s biological. Effectively what it does is send two long, hollow taproots deep into the earth. As these roots descend they wrap around one another when a certain temperature is exceeded a passage opens connecting the hollow core of the two taproots. As the root pushes deeper the interconnecting passage closes and another farther along its length opens until another temperature is exceeded and the root stops growing.”

  “How does this allow us to tap geothermic power?”

  “Once the plant has reached its depth, cold water pumped into one of the roots boils at the base and comes up the other
root as live steam that can be used to turn a turbine.”

  “How can the plant survive carrying live steam?

  “As it grows the plant extracts iron compounds from the soil and the water pumped down its shaft and infuses its roots with these. The roots effectively become steel pipes. This process continues even after the plant stops growing. Once the plant finishes its growth cycle it does start slowly dying, but by the time the last of the organic cells give up the ghost there’s a metal infrastructure for tapping the heat of the magma. This process will take the better part of twenty years to run its full course, but the steam can be taped immediately after the root reaches its final depth.”

  “Why is this technology safer from the hydro-geothermic injection systems that are known to cause earthquakes?”

  “I’m no expert in geology but as I understand it in those systems the water is injected into a layer of superheated, porous rock. From what I’ve gathered the water acts as a lubricant and also further cracks the rock as it boils thus triggering the earthquake. In this system the water never touches the rock. It’s always contained in the drill rig’s roots.”

  “What do you think of the protesters claims that this is an abuse of life? That the drilling creature shouldn’t be forced to dig so deep that it dies. That, in fact, it should never have been engineered at all?”

  “I’m a biologist. I respect life, but a simple truth of nature is that all that lives feeds off death. Life uses life. This drill creature wouldn’t even exist if it weren’t for genetic engineering. The Darmuks assure us it is completely insensible. Even its simplest life processes are monitored and controlled by their biological computer system, the bio-mind. It has no feeling or thought. Frankly, I don’t see the problem.”

  The interviewer smiled then turned to face Betty who stood to one side wearing a conservative, cream blouse and black dress, that made her look both enticing and competent.

  “Now Miss Green, as the leader of the Green Piece delegation you have a very different take on this situation.”

  “Certainly Miss Coombs, and thank you for allowing us to speak. The use of a living organism in a way that is certain to cause its death is abhorrent. We do not have the right to take life indiscriminately.”