by Tom Tryst
“Does she know you’re coming?” Daniel asks.
“No. She never called me and I don’t know how to get hold of her. They won’t give me any information about her or her family.”
“So what makes you think she even wants to see you now. She was very broken up about the split.”
“We were really in love!” Desperation is in his tone and his rapid speech. “I hope she still loves me and will take me back. I can explain everything to her! At least, let me talk to her! I want to ask her if she’ll marry me!”
Daniel chooses to ignore the request for the time being. He points at the sedan. “Is that the car assigned to your family?”
Eddie nods.
“Does your Dad know what you’re doing?”
“No.” Again his body sags and his head drops. “He thinks I’m taking a bunch of guys to the lake for a fishing weekend.”
“So you stole it.” Daniel accuses.
“I guess you could say that.”
“At the very least, unauthorized use of a government vehicle. How did you manage to get gas?” There no longer are convenient service stations along the highways for buying gas. The distribution of gas is severely restricted.
“From the dairy. Filled enough gas cans to get here.”
Daniel sighs deeply. “So you stole the gas, too. You know you’re in trouble, son. They’re going to detain you until they can decide what to do with you.”
“Is there any way I talk to Debby?” he pleads.
“I’m going to leave that up to her father. He might not want her to have anything more to do with you.”
“Well, can I at least talk to him? Let him know how much I love her!”
“I’ll tell him. For now, they’re going to take you to the Camp where you’ll be held pending any criminal charges.”
“I’m sorry,” the young man almost wails. “I just have to see her; tell her I love her!”
“I’ll keep you posted,” Daniel promises. “Hang in there!”
A semi had pulled in with supplies. One of the soldiers moves the sedan into the compound, out of the way. It would be processed and impounded. The other takes the lad to Victor’s Jeep.
“Well?” Victor inquires as Daniel rejoins him.
“Family assigned vehicle. At worse, unauthorized use of a motor vehicle. Got the gas from where he works. Doubt if they’ll complain.”
“They’ll charge him with something; you can count on that,” Victor insisted. “Any chance you’ll take him in? They would probably drop the whole thing if he joins the Project. We can always use more muscle.”
“Let me run this by David. See what he says. I don’t think he likes the kid.”
“In the mean time, we’re going to hold him until we can confirm illegal possession of the vehicle. It’ll be impounded and we’ll hold him in camp. They can visit him there if they want.”
Daniel follows Victor’s Jeep back into town, then stops at Operations as the Jeep continues on through town to the Camp beyond. He is not looking forward to his talk with David - or Debby.
Since self-governing was reestablished, Washington has been pressing state governments to implement basic manufacturing, stressing the making of equipment and supplies to provide for the primal needs of society. For the time being, older vacated housing, estimated to be about 30% of all single family dwellings, are being stripped of household items (cook ware, table ware, small appliances, etc.) but that supply is dwindling. Only those items absolutely necessary for the functioning of a home will be considered.
The hardest part is finding someone who has the knowledge to set up and run such facilities, for most of those leading the past companies and corporations had been transported, never to be seen again. The next hardest was to supply the resources necessary to restart such businesses. With no additional incentives for those taking the lead, few wanted the additional stress and responsibilities. Often it was a military man or woman who started the companies going, eventually to be replaced with civilians.
They had managed to keep the utilities functioning, with a few exceptions. Most required a steady supply of coal, petroleum or natural gas. The alien’s introduction of efficient nitrogen generators and solar panels helped, but there were still too few to supply all the energy needs. They also managed to keep a number of refineries running to provide fuel oil, diesel and gasoline. Conversion to atmosphere-friendly energy production might be years off. At least, they now had the science and ability to reproduce the efficient alien systems. The state governments were charged with providing utilities to residents and businesses, with the provision of clean drinking water the greatest challenge, for many areas had suffered with permanent climate change, making it difficult to meet local demands. Only the drastic reduction in the world population mitigated the shortage. The dramatic loss of winter mountain snow packs seriously reduced the flow of many rivers through the late summer months.
They were starting to get a handle on food distribution, giving up on the concept of the super grocery store and use of food rationing cards. Now every major population area had a food distribution center where all foods were gathered, sorted and divided into preselected packages of all food products needed for a week, taking into consideration the sizes of the families being served and special medical requirements. Once a week, a representative of a family would present their ration card and obtain food for the coming week. Each package also contained the suggested menu for the 21 meals for each family member to assure the food would last the week.
Food distribution centers were controlled by the military, with all the civilian help they needed. Always present were soldiers armed with the now dreaded phasers - which they were not reluctant to use against those who were causing problems. Once zapped with the agonizingly painful charge from a phaser, and the long recovery, no one would want to risk a second charge.
The military had tripled in size from pre-alien days, with at least two-thirds of their assignments related to civilian peacekeeping and civilian services. Local law enforcement agencies were manned exclusively by military personnel. With the hard-core criminals eliminated by the aliens, along with firearms and other anti-personnel weapons, their jobs were easier and safer. Nobody ran from the police anymore, for the phaser would stop them in their tracks. The lowest charge setting had a modifying effect on agitated or violent subjects, actually calming them down, precious when dealing with civil and family disturbances.
As long as the government could keep their citizens housed and fed, and provide them with meaningful employment to minimize idle time, the people would stay in line. Some would actually be content.
Things were not going as well in many other parts of the world.
Chapter Seventeen
David and his wife Janet have been putting off telling their daughter, Debby, about the arrest of her old boyfriend, Eddie Campbell, but they realize that they better let her know before the information gets to her through the grapevine. He has been in custody for two days, held in isolation at the Camp by order of Colonel Victor Wells.
David visited him that morning, wanting to know why he had shown up at the Compound, all the while knowing it was because of Debby. The young man insisted that Debby had no idea he was coming, and that he hoped he will be allowed to enter the Compound and marry her. He begged to have Debby visit him so he could tell her that he still loved her. This information he passed on to his wife.
“You know,” Janet reminds him, “It was Eddie that ended their engagement. Why would she want to take him back.”
“Maybe she still loves him.”
“She’s been dating a soldier, a Cpl. Jonathan Frankland. I think it’s serious.”
David is silent for a while. “They’re leaving it up to us. If we feel Debby doesn’t want, or need to see him, they’ll ship him out to face several criminal complaints. She, and nobody else, will ever know he was here.”
“Don’t you think she should make that choice?” Janet asks. “I got her in
conversation last night, at bedtime, asking her if everything was going well with her. When I casually brought up Eddie, she insisted she was over him. That was when she told me about her Army friend. She says he may be the one.”
“All the more reason to not tell her. They told me the only way Daniel will let him become part of the Compound is if they are engaged to be married. He is authorized to bring a spouse or immediate family member of a citizen of Glen Haven. She may feel compelled to agree to marry him simply to save his life.” He is obviously torn by the decision he had to make. “What if she does still have feelings for Eddie, and is hiding that from us, feeling there is no chance for them to be together?”
“I’ve thought of that. She’d do something like that so we wouldn’t worry about her. This thing with the corporal might be just a casual acquaintance. She’s a woman now. I say let her make the decision.”
He thinks that over before answering. “Maybe we can get Daniel to tell her he can stay, anyway, regardless of how she feels about him.”
“He’ll do that?”
“Sure. That way, Eddie staying or not isn’t up to her. No pressure.”
“Talk to him. See if he’ll do that.”
“Already have,” David responds with a big grin. “I wanted you on board. She can visit him this afternoon, any time between 1500 and 1700 hours. Call her and have her meet us for lunch.”
After more then 10% of their supplies failed to arrive in the last month, Daniel calls another meeting of his core personnel, those directly involved in the cyber espionage efforts. Included in the meeting is Victor, as Daniel realizes that the man has more connections with the delivery of supplies, and wants his input.
“The good news,” he begins the briefing, “is that we can still manage on what we produce here inside the Compound. But that’s about all the good new there is. If we think we have it bad in here, it’s much worse on the outside. The government is giving us top priority on provisions, but the long-range picture is that the system is not working all that well yet. Many people in many areas of the United States are just getting enough food and medicine to stay healthy. It’s even worse in many other parts of the world, with millions dying of starvation and related disease. It’s hard to get exact figures, for many governments have collapsed, leaving their citizens to fend for them selves. There are even reports of cannibalism. It’s becoming survival of the fittest.
“When, and if, it starts getting that bad here, we can expect the hoards to overrun the Compound to steal what we have. And in the process, they’ll probably devastate the land, making it unproductive. People facing death by starvation have nothing to lose. Likely, they’ll try to take over, to kill us of all in the process.”
He turns his attention to Victor. “What are the chances of increasing security for the compound.”
“Unlikely, until we start having incidences of invasion,” he replies. “With the growing unrest and increase in crime, the military is stretched thin. Their help will probably be too little, too late.”
“Don’t your people realize the importance of the work we’re doing here?” Daniel insists.
“Of course they do! Why do you think we have it so good here?” Victor reminds him. “Unfortunately - at least with the Army - what other governments might be planning takes a back seat to controlling our own people. That’s unofficial, mind you, but that’s the general opinion. These recent cutbacks are probably just the start. I guess we better be able to live on what we produce. I’ve already taken steps to implement such austerity. The first step will be to eliminate waste; people to be served amounts of food necessary to sustain good health. The “no waste’ policy will have teeth; there will be consequences for wasting food. You will eat everything served, even if it doesn’t taste that great. The children will get all they need to stay healthy and active, but will be trained not to waste food. We can survive on what we can produce.”
“Until the hoards overrun the Compound,” says Charles pessimistically, “We won’t have a chance in hell of keeping them out!”
“I’m afraid he’s right,” agrees Victor. “There’s just too much perimeter fence to patrol - over twelve miles. Even with my people working twelve on and twelve off, we couldn’t counter coordinated attacks from different locations. I need more manpower.”
“I’m working on that, too,” advises Daniel. “Sherry and I are working on the possibility of implementing a form of civil law enforcement for the Glen Haven. I believe we have the authority to do that. Even if we don’t, we’re going to do it. It will be a force of vigilantes who will serve as the eyes and ears for your people, Victor. They can be the elderly in many situations, as long as they can still see and hear. I hope to be able to reassign these people to serve on patrol, at least one every half mile. They can alert you. A break in the electric fence will also give us some advance warning.”
“I can use all the help you can provide,” answers Victor. “But they have to ultimately answer to me.”
“They will. But I’m not going to ask them to be in harms way. They are to be in concealed positions, having a quarter-mile view in each direction. This may entail doing more clearing inside and outside the fence than we have done so far, so intruders can’t sneak up on us. These lookouts will report on what is going on, but will not engage. Most will not be trained in fighting.”
“Will that include women?” Tabitha wants to know. It is an issue she and her husband have discussed.
Daniel just stares at her. “They can see as well as men,” is his delayed response, knowing they would have a discussion in private. Then he adds, “The invaders won’t even know they are there. They’ll be in little danger.”
“Less danger than if they get in,” adds Charles.
“I understand that there will be no more stunning of trespasser and turning them over to the military,” Daniel verifies with Victor. “Your General Wright is on board with that.”
“We already got orders. Full phaser. Invaders will be killed.”
“Good,” Daniel nods, “but before we start implementing this procedure, Sherry insists on holding a town meeting to make the citizens aware of the situation. I’ll try not to make the situation any more foreboding than I think it is. Part of it will be asking for volunteers for lookouts. People who are in non-critical positions. For the time being, they will work four hour shifts. The elderly, perhaps shorter. With 24 lookout points, that will require 144 people a day. If things get tough, we can make that eight-hour shifts. We’ll work out a method to keep all awake and alert.”
Sherry speaks up again, obviously still not happy with the planning, “We need safe shelters for the people serving as lookouts, secure places where invaders can’t see them - or get to them. And we need to establish shelters for citizens when an invasion is pending. And a procedure for quickly evacuating children from classes to those shelters.”
“I’m working on that, too. What I have in mind is the basement of the Computer Center, currently housing only rows of processors. I think we could get just about everybody crammed in there. And stock it with drinking water and military rations. There is a mens’ and womens’ restroom down there. Plus full communication abilities.”
She just nods, but says nothing more, for she reluctantly realizes that it is something they are going to have to do to protect themselves.
They work out more details, coordinating with what the Army can and cannot do. They will call an emergency town hall meeting for that evening.
“I say! That went well!” Daniel sarcastically remarks, with a Cockney accent when only Victor and Charles remain in the office.
“Don’t expect the people to be happy with the turn of events. They think they have it pretty good in here. I haven’t heard a single soul talk about leaving,” Charles comments.
“I’ll stress it as just a precaution,” Daniel promises.
“My men are already on alert. Orders from the Pentagon. And they are not to alarm the citizens,” says Victor, quickly
adding, “I can take about half the duty sentries to work on clearing more space. They can do both. I suggest that we burn what we clear so there will be no places of concealment.”
“I agree. And I’ll get the farmers to mow and plow the cleared area. Bare ground. Or maybe grass, and let livestock keep it short while at the same time allowing some present pasture to be converted for growing crops. Dual purpose. We can survey the perimeter to find the best location for the blinds. They need to have a full view of the area, but not be seen in turn. If they don’t have time to retreat, they may have to hunker down in place. I want it so that any trespassers can pass by them closely and not see them.”
“My men have experience in that.”
“I’ll order more chain saws, but no telling what our response will be. I suppose I’ll have to let them know what we’re doing, but I’m reluctant. They may not agree,” Daniel says.
“I’ll see what I can come up with,” Victor promises, then adds with more enthusiasm. “Maybe we can get what’s left of the Forest Service to provide some tools. Maybe if we stress fire prevention, we might get them to even help!”
“Tools, yes. Help, no. I don’t want any outsider to know what we’re doing. Especially about the lookouts. The word could get out and attackers would adjust their tactics.”
Charles just slumps in his chair and shakes his head sadly. “You know this is just putting off the inevitable. Mankind sealed its doom with attacking the Peace Keepers.” Then he adds, “Oh, they’ll be back. They’re just waiting until we destroy ourselves and they can take over without a fight.”
“They said we are on our own,” Daniel reminds him. “They won’t return.”
“Right. Not to help us. They’ll come back to strip the planet. Or worse yet, to take the survivors. I’m convinced we’re nothing more than food to them. We never have heard of the fate of the some five trillion people they transported. My guess is they killed those of no value to them and turned the rest into herds, to fatten and slaughter.” It is obvious that the old distrust of the aliens is still strong in some.