Bootstrap Colony

by Hechtl, Chris

  “Bag?” Paul asked. Mitch pointed to the squashed scorpion. Paul looked at it and then immediately put two and two together and nodded, now cold sober. “Right, bag.” He bobbed his head and then ran off.

  Maggie arrived and noted the taboo. “What I miss?” she asked in confusion.

  With quick short words Mitch sketched out what happened. “Mags I need you to take this...” He pointed to the squashed bug, “...thing and see if it is female. If it is we need to know if it has eggs, and how many,” his intent voice was savage with cold rage.

  Maggie nodded, face sober and worried. She scraped up the scorpion, being careful of the tail and poison sacks. She rushed off as the crowd began to form. Candy and her husband moved off a distance down the hall. Janet looked up at the crowd, patted Roserita and then passed her to Anne. She wiped her eyes and patted Mitch’s arm.

  He explained to the crowd in terse words and then asked volunteers to help round up armadillos, and to hunt and squash scorpions. Grimly the crowd dispersed; Candy and her husband joined them. Janet checked the chairs and then motioned for Anne and Roserita to sit. “Damn it you two should have known better and pinched it off before it got started,” Mitch said softly to them. Anne and Janet nodded. He sighed. “Well, nothing we can do about it now, and pointing fingers isn’t going to change things.” He looked to the doors. “Just got to hope for the best and do what we can.” He nodded and moved off.

  Doc came out a half hour later. She looked tearful. Roserita clutched her hands looking imploringly, but dreading the answer. “I am sorry, so sorry Roserita,” Doc said, hand over her mouth as her own tears started to fall. Roserita wailed. Janet hung her head, tears dripping down as she comforted her friend. Mitch had been monitoring the infirmary through the computer, when Mateo had died he returned.

  Mitch sighed. “Go say goodbye,” he told her. Dora came to the door,

  Doc gave her a nod. “I am sorry, it isn’t pretty. Are you sure about this?” she asked, holding her hand. Roserita nodded and swallowed. Janet came in with her. The door closed and after a moment they could hear fresh sobs.

  “The body will have to be cremated,” Mitch mused eyes red.

  “Cremated?” Doc asked.

  “How did he die?” he answered the question with another. She sighed.

  “Brain embolism,” she sighed. He pulled her to him and she cried for a moment. He patted her hair softly.

  Anne cried as well. “He was so young, so full of life!”

  He patted her hair. “I know, we all know.”

  Doc looked up, eyes wet. “I tried, but one of those eggs must have gotten into his blood stream.”

  Mitch nodded. She wiped at her tears with the back of her hand. “Maggie said they lay up to ten thousand eggs Doc, there wasn’t anything you could do,” Mitch said softly. She looked torn and bit her lip, that answer would never be enough for her he realized. Roserita came out of the infirmary a minute later looking pale; Anne and Janet supported her as she left without another word.

  Candy and Bill approached. They apologized to Roserita and then moved on to talk to Mitch.

  “Why cremated? Why not bury him?” Bill asked when he heard the plans.

  “Ten thousand eggs. As good as Doc is, that is way too many for anyone to count,” Mitch said. He looked sick. “In a day they will hatch in his body.” Bill gagged; Candy pulled her head into his chest and sobbed helplessly. “I want them to hatch just as they get roasted,” Mitch commented with an angry hiss. “Serves them right,” he snarled, fists balling in impotent rage. Doc gave his enraged face a look and nodded.

  Dora was having a crisis of faith. Mitch talked to her told her about how it was hard losing a patient, but losing a child was downright heartbreaking. She fell into his arms sobbing, clutching at his chest. He stroked her hair. Doc came around and noted the scene. He patted Dora and let Doc know quietly that her protégées were having trouble with grief. Doc nodded soberly, and then patted Dora. “Honey, there was nothing we could do for Tanya or Mateo or the shark victims. We did our best. God I wish we could have done more.” Mitch sighed, even his eyes were misty.

  “Mateo’s funeral, Roserita is insisting on it,” Mitch reminded them. Both women stiffened. He turned to Doc. “It is her right Doc.” He sighed. “It is going to be hard though. Hard on everyone.”

  She nodded. “When does she want it?” Dora asked softly.

  “This afternoon, after he is cremated,” Doc replied, looking anywhere but at Mitch.

  Mitch nodded. “Okay, I will let everyone know.”

  They did the service that afternoon, Janet and those that had black clothing wearing it. Janet read from her old worn bible. The ashes were buried in the cemetery plot, covered over by the GP robot standing by.

  Mitch stepped up and began to talk. “I know it is hard to lose a member of the community, even harder to lose a child. We each lost someone special. Mistakes were made yes, but we need to learn from them to better protect our future.” He waved his hands to Natali, Frances, Hanna, and Anne’s swelling bellies.

  “Each of us knows how hard it is not to blame others. We are all to blame for this tragedy. All of us. Candy blames herself for removing the armadillos. Anne and Janet blame themselves for not stopping her. The kids and adults blame themselves for not spotting the problem or speaking up about it. Doc and the medics blame themselves for not being able to save him. I blame myself for not being here to catch the problem before it began. We all feel so helpless when a loved one is hurt.” He sighed and closed his eyes for a moment. “Folks, heartbreaking things are going to happen over the next few years.”

  He looked up to the sky, then back to the crowd. “We can only ask that we do our best, and support one another,” he said, voice firm. Anne was quietly crying. “Let’s remember Mateo best by doing our damnedest to make sure it doesn’t happen again.” He waved to Doc and Maggie. “Doc, Maggie and the medics are working on finding a better method of treatment.” He waved to Janet and Anne.

  “The ladies here are on a bug hunt with the adults and what armadillos we have rounded up. The kids,” He waved to them, “Are doing their best to round up more. If we have to Travis, Gunny, Henry, Piotr and I will go cave hopping to get as many of the critters back as we can.” He waved to Travis who nodded. “We now know what is at stake. Let’s get to work.” He nodded as the crowd murmured and then began to disperse.

  Doc came up to him and slipped her hand around his arm and her hand into his. “Not one of your better speeches, but it will do,” she murmured. She rested her head against his shoulder.

  He sighed. “Yeah, it will have to. Losing a child and pointing fingers can destroy a community,” he rumbled back softly. She shivered. He stopped and pulled his jacket off.

  “You seem to always be doing that,” she chuckled.

  He shrugged. “You’re a female, you have what? A couple ounces of fat on your entire body?” he teased. He shrugged at her expression.

  “I have plenty of muscle mass,” he joked and then patted his belly, “and a healthy dose of insulation.”

  She chuckled and poked his midriff. “I was meaning to put you on a diet...” He gave her a horrified look.

  “You wouldn’t!” She snorted as she snuggled back into his side. He looked with approval as the kids fanned out and began looking in nooks and crannies for armadillos. Tisha squealed and held one up; it thrashed its arms in the air then rolled itself into a ball. Janet took the animal and thanked Tisha. Doc sighed softly, hugged herself to him. They walked together back into the base as the sun set.

  A few days later Lisa knocked on his office door and let him know that the rotor shaft for the second helicopter passed muster. Jacklynn came in, and nodded. “We dug out the parts bin, you were right, there was a spare rotor shaft, so we can replace the other in helicopter one.”

  He was tired and grumpy and nodded. “I told you it was there, you just had to look.” Jacklynn got a look at his face and nodded and chased Lisa out
.

  Travis paused as he heard the ladies talking about Mitch’s behavior. Doc was there, listening as Lisa and Jacklynn unload. “He bit my head off, that’s not like him.”

  Travis nodded and muttered. “Ah the loneliness of command.” Doc looked up to him with a questioning look.

  He cleared his throat. “You have to remember, although he has run his own company, and been doing well here, Mitch was never trained for command.” He shrugged. “Losing someone is hard on everyone, but an untrained commander it tends to hit even harder.”

  Doc looked concerned. “Is he burning out?”

  Travis shrugged. “Maybe a little. When was the last time he had a break?”

  The girls looked from one to another. “He works nineteen to twenty two hours a day; I’d say the man rarely took a break,” Janet commented, wiping her hands on the dish towel as she finished with the dishes.

  “He needed one then. A day or two off. Get his pipes cleaned,” Travis suggested and then shrugged.

  Doc snorted. “We tried that, some of the ladies...” She indicated a blushing Jacklynn and Hanna, “Chased the poor guy all over the place all winter.” Travis laughed with the Janet. “That does give me an idea though,” Doc replied thoughtfully and then walked out of the room.

  Mitch was checking a report when Doc came in. it was late, a light rain storm outside, but Piotr said it would be ending later in the morning. “So, I was thinking we need a break,” Doc said, coming right to the point. He looked up at her a little bleary. “I think you me, and Cassie deserve to play hooky tomorrow,” she said firmly. He looked at her dubiously then sighed.

  “You heard about the mess with Candy and Bill?” She nodded. “I could have handled that better,” He muttered. Candy and Bill wanted to go return to Copper town now.

  She gave him a long look. “Yeah you could have.” She placed her hands in her pockets, and then looked over at the nearby wall.

  “Okay, so I have been a little pushy,” he grumbled and then shrugged wryly.

  She gave him a look. “A little? Janet is about ready to toss you out, or feed you to your precious cheetah one bite at a time if you keep harping. I like Paul’s suggestion, dropping you butt naked over at Mike’s.”

  He chuckled wryly and scrubbed at his face to wake up a little. “Phyllis said that herd is north east of us, about ten to fifteen kilometers off the road to Iron village. Wanna go check them out and have a picnic?” Doc suggested slyly. He looked at her dubiously, and then shrugged. She patted his arm, then rises he got another view of her decorage.

  “Good it’s settled then. Janet has already packed a lunch.”

  He looked at her then snorted. “It looks like I don’t have a choice do I?” Wryly he smiled, giving in to the inevitable.

  Doc turned, at the doorway, gave him a smile over her shoulder. “Nope.” She swaggered a little as she left. Exit stage right he shook his head in exasperation.

  “Meddling females,” he muttered.

  “I heard that!” She called from the hallway. He chuckled and sat back, pursing his lips in thought.

  Chapter 19

  Dawn was a glorious sight as they stepped into the garage. The door was open, Lisa and a few of the newbie’s had gotten up early and were tearing into a tractor, rebuilding a ruptured fuel tank. Doc came out wearing a sweater, cradling a cup of coffee in her hands. Cassie yawned behind her, muttering about why she had to be dragged along. Doc hushed her and followed Mitch to the hummer. He opened the passenger door with a flourish; she smiled as she nodded graciously and stepped in. He closed the door and turned to open the rear but Cassie had beaten him to it. “I can open my own door,” she grumbled.

  Doc smiled, “Cassie is always a grump in the morning.” Mitch snorted. He stepped around the vehicle waved to Lisa then got in.

  “Bring it back in one piece!” the girl hollered as they left.

  “Wow, I never thought I would see something like this,” Cassie murmured. Mitch flicked his eyes to the mirror. Cassie was looking excited, watching the herd pass by. They were on a small hill rise, out of the main path of the herd, but slightly upwind. The wind was light, dancing the left from time to time with small gusts. Doc was watching the herd warily.

  She pointed. “Is that a rhino covered in fur?” Disbelief warred with awe in her tone. “Is it...coming here?” The rhino had stopped almost facing them, squinting. It tossed its head, making its fur ripple.

  They could see the steam from its breath as the cool morning air made it visible. Its ears flicked about and then its head lined up on the intruding Terran vehicle. It tossed its mighty head again and then charged a sudden blur of fur and armor. Doc squealed, instinctively moving to the center of the car as the great beast struck. The truck pitched up and down hard, jarring them. The rhino slammed them again.

  “Right, tantrum,” Mitch snorted. A third slam jarred his teeth. “Okay, enough of this.” He flipped a switch on the dash as Doc clutched his right arm. The fourth hit came with a sizzling pop. The rhino moved off, dazed and staggering slightly. Doc and Cassie looked up. The breeze ruffled its fur, changing direction slightly.

  “What did you do?” Cassie asked.

  “Oh, just gave it a bit of a shock,” Mitch smiled grimly. After a moment though the damage sunk in and his face fell into mock fear. “I know we would survive a tantrum, but getting the dents out of this thing is a pain! Lisa will kill me!” Cassie gave a watery giggle at his mock fear. The rhino snorted, nostrils flaring and then staggered a little as it moved off to join the herd. They checked around, making sure nothing in sight was in striking distance before Mitch stepped out. He gave a low whistle of dismay at the damage. Doc looked and then asked quietly if they were in trouble.

  He tugged at the dented fender. “Yeah, maybe with Lisa.” He looked up. “No, a little play time with the hammer and dolly will get that out of the way.” He stepped back, surveying the damage as Doc and Cassie looked around nervously. The herd had moved off, the rhino was standing under a tree, ears twitching as it munched grass. “Almost as bad a tantrum as one of Janet’s,” Mitch commented, then grinned at Doc’s mock glower. Cassie smothered a giggle. “Almost,” Mitch said completely unrepentant under her stern gaze and then laughed as Doc punched his arm.

  “I thought you went hunting?” Mitch teased noticing Doc was still a bit shook up. He gave Doc and Cassie a look. Cassie was a bit hysterical too but calming faster than her mother was.

  “We did, but we never went far on foot,” Doc replied as she sighed.

  “We never just looked; we were more interested in what we could kill to eat and how fast we could get it back home,” Cassie commented.

  Mitch turned and looked up… and up. “Everyone back into the car,” he ordered, tone changing to full command mode. He never took his eyes off the lumbering beasts coming closer. Doc followed his gaze looked up and squeaked. Cassie did too, then they jumped and all piled back into the truck.

  The hammerheads strolled casually by, one even stepped over the truck. Its body threw the entire truck in shadow. The feet land with thumps that made the car jolt. “If the truck is rocking don’t come a knocking,” Mitch commented softly grabbing the oh shit bar, and then gave a soft owe as Doc punched his arm again. The hammerhead over head stopped... And then let off a blast of sound that nearly deafened them. They held their hands over their ears and opened their mouths, feeling the vibrations shake the truck almost as much as the mighty feet around them did.

  “I think you made it mad with your bad pun,” Cassie muttered when they could hear again. The hammerhead gave off a multi tone trumpet sound, almost like the sounds of a humpback whale, and then lumbered off.

  “Well! That was fun! It looks like I need a new pair of shorts though,” Mitch said dryly. He looked down feeling the warmth.

  “You’re not the only one,” Cassie replied with a shaky voice in the back seat.

  “Me three,” Doc sighed never taking her eyes off the herd as it lumbered off into
the distance.

  “We three went wee wee!” Cassie giggled. The giggles were infectious; the others joined in relieving the hysteria in a blast of humor.

  Watching the hammerheads feed and play was interesting. The ceretops seemed to form a perimeter around the outer herd, with their young mixing with the greater hammerheads young near the rear. The adult giants would tear at the tops of trees, bushes and the strange giant alien plants, making the occasional trumpeting sound as plant matter dripped down. The juveniles would eat the left overs, but they of course had to play with their food and each other. “What is that?” Doc asked, looking though her binoculars.

  “What?” Cassie asked.

  “Up there, behind the head, there are...I dunno barnacles?” Doc murmured. Mitch took a look with his own glasses while Doc handed hers to Cassie and pointed.

  “Yeah, I see them. Hmmm...” Mitch said, watching and puzzling over the sight of them. There was a cloud of things floating around them. “I think my glasses are messed up, there is some sort of fog,” he commented, as he looked at the controls.

  “No. No, I see it too. Like a cloud of specks. Maybe flies?” Cassie observed.

  He looked up, and then handed his binoculars to Doc. “Parasites Doc?”

  Doc grunted. “No idea.”

  He tightened in as close as the zoom will permit, then pulled back, the image blurred as the system tried to autofocus before he realized it was refocusing each time the animal moved. “Wait, upper ridge line, just on the seam of the top and bottom...look there...something is coming out.”

  Cassie looked. “Yeah I got it. Wait... Oh gross!” She reeled back repulsed.

  “What? What did you see?” her mother asked, not sure she wanted the answer.

  “The barnacles are homes for the flies I guess,” Cassie replied as she shivered. Doc hummed in thoughtful agreement.