Bootstrap Colony

by Hechtl, Chris

  Kathy, Anne, and Janet convinced Travis and Mitch to allow the kids out in a supervised outing a week later. A nice meadow covered in flowers, perfectly safe they said. The kids must learn about new environment the women argued, pointing out it would be an educational experience. Travis and Gunny weren’t happy, nor was Mitch at unwarranted risk, but gave in since the kids were tearing the place apart running around. He reminded the AI to remind him to build a playground. ”Soon!” Brian piped up.

  They took a convoy of five of the hummers since Paul Fenn was in. He wanted to take his wife and kids as well since they hadn't had an outing as a family since they had arrived. Mitch insisted on bringing a bunch of robots and all of the adults and teens were armed. The UAV’s circle over head, but no predators had been detected for kilometers around. It was close to the time of migration, some may have already left for the south and warmer climate.

  At the edge of the meadow they decided since it was hot out to instead eat under the shade of the trees nearby. The robots trudged off to form a perimeter around the Terrans. Doc and Mitch set up the picnic area. They shook out the blankets and laid them out. Janet was there with them, having to want to get out of the warren for once. She took charge of everything with military precision though, having them lay everything out under her critical eye.

  The kids charged off, running and playing. Doc called after them to stay near. The Fenn parents took a giggling moment aside to kiss.

  Doc looked envious, and then looked at Mitch who was busy watching the kids. Lisa tugged Brian off behind a bush; Mitch pulled out a feed and checked a tablet, spotted them through the robot's visual feed making out nearby. His eyebrows rose in pleased surprise. “What are you looking at?” Doc asked as she sauntered up, hands in her rear pockets.

  “Oh nothing!” He hastily shut the tablet off. She grabbed it, and then they devolved into a wrestling and chase match. Eventually he caught her, making her give it up as she giggled. He held her, and she held him. The kids came back panting out of breath making him tense up, and then muttered about their antics. Doc giggled some more.

  Janet called the kids to order, and then hollered to the wayward adults and teens to come eat while they could; the bottomless pits were going to finish it all quick. Doc and Mitch set off, hand in hand. The kids were sitting around, hands were blurring as people reached for this and that. Mitch reached in and then got a sandwich, counted his fingers when he withdrew his hand. Doc looked at him. “What are you doing?”

  “Making sure they are all still there,” he said mockingly. She chuckled. He handed her the sandwich with a slight bow, then reached for more. He tossed one to Brian, who surprised by it fumbled it before Lisa caught it. Mitch tossed him another. “Guess you’ll never make the football team?” Mitch said to Brian, who snorted.

  “Yeah right, the opposing team’s offensive line seems to have teeth and claws.”

  Paul snorted at that as he stepped around the tree, leading his blushing and slightly mussed wife by the hand. Mitch tossed a pair of sandwiches to them. “It isn’t worth your life to stick your hand in there, trust me.” He nodded his head to the madhouse of kids as he opened the baggie of his sandwich. Paul laughingly agreed.

  After lunch the adults laid out, some watching the sky. The kids frolicked, running around and having a ball playing games like tag and hide and seek. Brian checked the perimeter with Lisa. One of the kids stumbled into something in the center of the meadow. She came up crying a little because she skinned her knee. One of the older boys came over to check her out. They looked for what she tripped on, he thought it was just a rock but she insisted it was a ball.

  They pulled the flowers back and found a skull. The girl shrieked, and then ran screaming. Another girl nearby began picking pretty flowers. After a few seconds the other flowers around her began to shake back and forth. Suddenly it was a chain reaction with her at the center, flowers began to shake and a gold mist began to float in the air. The kids coughed and sneezed. One yipped, feeling something cross her foot.

  The kids on the perimeter ran back to the treeline. The girl who had found the skull got to Janet and Kathy, crying. The adults looked up, suddenly concerned. They looked out into the field to see the remaining kids coughing.

  They called them in, getting to their own feet in haste. The kids started to come, but one by one they faltered, stumbled and then fall. Doc became alarmed and rushed to them but Mitch grabbed her. He clamped an arm around her, pushing her back from the sparkling gold cloud's spreading edges. “Brian! SECURITY ALERT!” he bellowed. The robots turned and stood at attention. Mitch pointed his free hand to Ed three. “ED get in there and get those kids out now!” Mitch roared. The robot stomped into the meadow and began pulling at the kids.

  Vines creeped up. “Enemy action detected,” The robot’s deep artificial voice reported.

  “Use your fingers to pinch the vines off,” Mitch ordered, then pushed Doc back as vines began to swim out from under the flowers towards their feet. Paul bellowed as one wrapped around his ankle and pulled him off his feet. Mitch lunged over and chopped with his belt knife. The vine spurted liquid, and then all of the vines retreated as fast as they appeared.

  The ED pulled two of the kids out, and then went back for more. Doc got her med kit when she noted their limp bodies in the robots arms. She pushed Paul aside, hollering for Lisa to get the water to wash them off. Golden dust clung to the kids and their clothes. Doc put on gloves, and then began stripping the kid’s clothes off and performing CPR. Janet watched for a moment and then put on a set of gloves and imitated her with the other child.

  In pairs Ed brought the fallen kids to the parents. Lisa came up loaded down with canteens; she dumped them near Doc and then grabbed the empties and rushed off. Doc had one of the available kids help her wash the pollen off carefully starting with the girl's face.

  A few moments later Lisa returned from the nearby pond with more water, scooped up the empties and repeated the run. The other kids were afraid, milling around. Mitch put on gloves and helped with the resuscitation. Doc noted that they were barely breathing. They stripped the kids, and then hustled to the cars. “Decontamination protocols.” Mitch sneezed suddenly and felt a little dizzy. “We are in trouble here; the wind is shifting hustle people!” He called.

  He pushed the child into the car, then turned and pulled another from Paul, piled him in on top. When all the kids were in the adults loaded and rushed off. The five robots and gear forgotten in the heat of the moment. Mitch cranked up the AC, telling the others to point the fans at the kids and keep the windows down.

  They radioed in; Doc told Dora what was going on. In the infirmary she ordered the kids washed, and the adults to strip and wash. There were a few commented by Brian, but Paul angrily cut him off. “This is no time for jokes.”

  Anne brought them towels and clothes in a rush, eyes wide in fright. “Oh lord oh lord.” Doc, Dora, Maggie, and Cassie checked the kids, but found they were all breathing.

  In an hour one by one the kids began to enter a more normal sleep pattern, after two hours one of them woke up. She was a bit sleepy. Doc had the kids spend the night in the infirmary however, with the anxious parents with them or outside. “Dodged a bullet,” she said, upset over the close call.

  “Yeah we did. Not your fault, how could you have known?” Mitch replied and nodded.

  Hejira came in, they consulted with her. When they described what happened she speculated it was a defensive action, but when they explained to her about the aggressive vines she modified her theory. She told them about some plants that lure insects or animals to them with smells, and then trap them. “Like Venus fly traps?” Brian asked intrigued.

  Hejira nodded. “Yes, but there are other types of carnivorous plants as well. It seems these plants have evolved their defensive pollen into a stun mechanism, then the vines to secure the victim to absorb.” Janet and Anne shuddered.

  Doc looked up and gave Hejira a long look. “So you don�
��t think it is a poison?”

  “I am not sure. But remember, if the animal is drugged, then wrapped with vines?” Hejira asked.

  Doc nodded. “Yeah some of the kids still bear marks from those vines, they really clutched at them.”

  Hejira nodded. “Yes, they could strangle something. Many Terran vines are known to kill other plants or destroy stone if they can wrap around or find a crevice to burrow into,” she replied thoughtfully. Doc nodded.

  “So are they going to be okay?” Paul asked, anxious. Mitch noted the anxiety of a father asking the experts.

  Doc sighed. “I got the pollen under the microscope, but I have never seen anything like it. Hejira could you take a look?” She nodded and Doc ushered her to the waiting microscope with a sample.

  Another of the kid’s woke rubbed his eyes and asked what was going on. They told him the plants knocked him out. He looked around and then decided it wasn't worth all the fuss the big people were making over it so he went back to sleep. A little girl woke bawling, and peed herself. Doc comforted her and cleaned her up. Some of the other kids woke, wondering what was going on. “Well, there is your answer Doc,” Dora said, feeling intense relief.

  “Yeah. Okay it must be some sort of sophoric. I am still going to keep the kids here under observation over night,” Doc said. Mitch nodded.

  “One way to get some peace and quiet,” Mitch wryly commented.

  “Glad it didn’t last though,” Lisa said and then blushed when she realized she responded.

  He nodded. “Good work out there. You did good,” he said, praising her. She blushed. Brian sneaked his hand around hers and gave it a squeeze.

  “My hero,” he teased.

  “That’s heroine,” she murmured, embracing him.

  “Now we get to go back and get the robots,” Brain said. Lisa made a face.

  Travis nodded. “I’ll take care of it.” The Gunny came in and he waved him to the garage. “I’ll explain on the way,” Travis said on his way out.

  Janet came to Travis and Mitch a day later and told them she was a bit worried and downright scared of Akira. He was ferocious, snarling and smashing the scorpions. Travis told them Akira lost his lady to animals and was a bit bitter. “Yeah, well he kicked a dog too.”

  Eyes darkened at that news. “I’ll talk to him,” Travis said quietly.

  “Okay.”

  Maggie came in later that day, a bit despondent. “The last turkey died,” she announced. She looked tearful.

  Mitch sighed. “We knew it was only a matter of time Mags.”

  Doc patted her hand. “I know you did your best.” The others nodded and patted her shoulder. Sean came in, obviously upset. Maggie gave him a hug.

  Janet sighed. “Guess you're going to have to build that giant oven now that we are stuck with those overgrown birds for turkey dinners,” she said to Mitch. He shrugged.

  The plan was that most of the metal mined, or materials set aside for recycling would be dealt with during the long winter. The endothermic smelting process would be energy intensive, so most of it would have to be done in the early month before the top of the river froze, shutting down the small portable generators.

  Pete came in excited, jumping, Jolene as well. Janet, Anne, Doc, and Mitch tried to make sense of them. Finally they get the gist; Jolene had received a ham signal from another village. Not seeing what the big deal was, Janet said exactly that. Doc looked confused, until Cassie came in excited. ”Another village?” Hyper, Jolie nodded ecstatically.

  Finally catching on Janet and Doc smiled and then got into the moment, hugging everyone. Pete disappeared, moments later they heard over the intercom: “Folks, we just got word from another village south east of here!” Muted cheers from the day care center could be heard down the hall. Mitch smiled.

  Pete reported to the council after dinner that the eastern village was sitting on a pretty good deposit of what looked like tin, and had plenty of fruit trees around. They had had problems with the sharks since they were near a river; Shark hounds had swum up the river to attack them all summer.

  “Based off of their descriptions they were outside the explored territory, at least five hundred kilometers south east of base, perhaps further. “They are offering tin and lead for trade, they said they could use just about anything.” Pete summed up his report.

  Doc nodded in approval and gave the boy a hug. “You did good.”

  Travis nodded as well, knowing when to give encouragement. “Good report son.” He turned to Mitch, “Think we can get an expedition out there? They sound like they are further down the coast then we were.”

  Mitch had a thoughtful expression as he thought that idea out. “It is autumn, I am not too keen about sending out a survey party an unknown distance and have them get caught out of support range,” Mitch finally replied. Travis gave a wary nod.

  “What about the plane?” Doc asked.

  Mitch turned to her and shook his head. “Unfortunately it only has a seven hundred kilometer range, nowhere near long enough to get there and back.”

  Reluctantly Janet and Paul nodded at this. “I am not too keen about taking the trucks out without a route,” Paul added. He pulled up a map.

  Travis took a look. “We could follow the road across the ford, then head south east, following the river,” he said and then hummed.

  Paul nodded. “Okay, I can buy that, What about crossing the river again though?” Paul asked.

  Travis pointed out a ford the refugees had used. “From here we go east, between the sea and the mountains to my old village.” He followed the path to the village then looked up. “We might be able to salvage some materials there,” he suggested and then shrugged. “I know there are a lot of vehicles, car parts, and metal. Useful parts we may need later.”

  Paul nodded. “Good point.”

  “We didn’t explore beyond twenty kilometers south of the village, so I am not sure what is beyond the hills here,” Travis pointed.

  Jacklynn looked up interested. “What about having the scouts take some extra fuel and flatbeds to the village to salvage. When you get there call, I will fly out and refuel, then head out to search?”

  Travis considered her for a moment and then nodded. “Might work,” he said and then turned to Mitch. “What do you think Mitch?”

  Mitch examined each of them, seeing Pete’s barely suppressed excitement. The kid was probably holding his breath he thought wryly. He nodded. “Okay, I can buy that. Sam is almost done cementing what he can for the year, he might be able to add a bit of a turn off at the bridge area, maybe even grade a bit and turn back.” He turned to Pete.

  “Call the village in the morning, ask them how far north they have explored, and get a detailed description off to Travis here.” He gave the Seal a look. “Which one of you is taking lead?” He looked over to Paul.

  Paul raised his hands, shaking his head. “I am booked for the rest of the year running convoys.”

  “Okay Travis, the ball is yours,” Mitch said.

  Travis’s mouth twisted. “Gee thanks.” Doc snorted.

  “I am going to give you three of the Hummers, and you're going to borrow two of the tractors from Paul.” Paul started to protest, but Mitch waved him back into his seat. “Candy, you said the first tractor should be out by Thursday?” Mitch asked, turning to her.

  She nodded. “As long as we don’t run into any missing or damaged parts, yeah. Might take a week or two to iron the bugs out though,” Candy cautioned.

  Mitch nodded. “Yeah, they do take a while to dial in.” He turned to Paul. “You get to dial in a new truck.” Paul nodded, smiling slightly at that.

  “Travis, you’re going to have a limited hauling ability, I suggest you take along a couple of the small trailers for the hummers to haul,” Mitch suggested. Travis didn’t seem happy at this, and then nodded. “Keep the command vehicle free to act as a ready reserve,” Mitch explained.

  The clouds cleared on Travis’s face. “All right, that sounds
good,” he admitted. He turned to Doc. “I want the corporal to ride as medic,” he said. She nodded. He turned back to Mitch. “I want Phyllis and Brian as shooters and mechanic, and one of the Eds.”

  Mitch cocked his head. “That is up to them. This is a volunteer OP,” he said firmly. Travis nodded. Brian nodded and gave a thumbs up though.

  Travis looked thoughtful. “There are only a dozen vehicles, maybe one camper. We used up all our fuel last year,” he said and then he shrugged.

  “Why only twelve?” Jacklynn asked.

  “Because, for many people the bank owned their vehicles, or homes, or toys, they weren’t paid for,” Gunny responded. Mitch nodded.

  “This is going to muck up the survey of Mountain village,” Jacklynn exclaimed smacking her thigh. “Are we sure about this?”

  Travis nodded. “Yeah. I want to see if we can get there, maybe we can salvage some gear, and if possible make contact with the eastern village,” he said. Jacklynn nodded.

  “Jacklynn, are you up for a helicopter ride?” Mitch asked.

  She gave Mitch a wary look. “You’re kidding right?”

  He shrugged. “Why not? If they can get the village and set up a portable hydrogen electrolysis system we can send the helicopter in to take a load back and forth maybe once or twice a day,” he suggested.

  She checked the map. “Okay, it is what, two hundred eighty five kilometers away?” Jacklynn asked. Travis pointed the location out to her. She pursed her lips in thought, doing the calculations in her head. “Might be possible.” She traced her finger through the mountain pass. “If we do not have to climb with a large load we should be able to get in and out okay.” She bit her lip. “I am not sure about wind conditions or weather.” She looked up. “You're saying they are going to take along a fuel supply?”

  He shook his head. “No, I think an electrolysis machine would be better. They can even set up a couple radio towers along the way.”