by Tom Tryst
Victor nods.
Before Victor drops off Daniel at his apartment, he gives him one more bit of news. “Just a heads up. The Pentagon is planning to draft you. A field commission as captain. You didn’t hear it from me. Just thought you should know. They want more say so in the computer program.”
“Won’t I have anything to say about that?” Daniel asks, both surprised, then concerned.
“Doubt it. Maybe hold out for a higher rank.”
“Well, I don’t think Washington will like the idea. The President can override by executive order.”
Victor just looks at him with a dark smile, “You really think the government has any control?”
“Silly me.”
“But, then,” Victor adds, “you might be able to make the condition that the commission only applies as long as you are director of The Compound. Except in time of war, you can resign your commission at any time.”
Daniel sighs deeply, then alights, turning to speak to Victor, “You got any more good news for me?”
Victor just grins and drives away, leaving him standing, watching the jeep move away, reflecting on what he has seen and heard. He imagines what he might look like in dress uniform, then shakes his head back to reality.
He quietly enters the apartment, thinking Sherry would already be asleep. On second thought, he latches the deadbolt, something he seldom does. He just doesn’t feel that secure tonight.
The bedroom nightlight is on. Sherry is in bed, but apparently not asleep. She sits up as he sits on the edge of the bed to remove his shoes.
“How’d it go, Hon? She asks.
He leans back to give her a quick kiss, then continues undressing. “Very interesting. When Victor told us the Army has forward outposts down to a science, he wasn’t kidding.” He thought about telling her about the possibility of him being commissioned, but decides to hold off. He realizes he will have a hard time getting to sleep; no sense spoiling her sleep.
Sherry’s favorite nightwear is slinky silk pajamas that she makes herself. She wore his favorite color tonight - pink. He always slept in the buff, liking the feel of the silk and her warm body against his. It always arouses him.
She giggles as they spoon. “I see you brought a friend home with you.”
He cups a full breast and squeezes gently.
“I suppose you want me to make him feel at home,” she continues.
He did.
Long after she fell asleep, fully satisfied, he lay awake, waiting for the sleep that came with the afterglow. It was a long time coming.
Chapter Nineteen
The newly elected Federal Government is frustrated, almost to a man - or rather to a person, for almost half of the elected officials are women. Whenever a woman ran against a man, the woman won by a large margin. As all candidates had to meet the minimum qualifications for the office for which they were running, the general consensus was that if more women had run, there would be even more women in office. Apparently, the voters (A surprising 76% turnout of all registered voters) felt it was time to let women have a hand in running the country.
They were frustrated because the country was under martial law, or rather a peaceful military coup. Pentagon was making the calls, telling Congress what they wanted as regards to legislation. What they could and couldn’t do. Any law passed without their approval simply wasn’t enforced. The first legislation they requested dealt with the almost sacred Constitution and the amendments.
The Constitution stood intact, even though there was a movement to draft a new constitution reflecting a new start after their alien occupation. It failed. So the Constitution of the United States with its original seven Articles was still in force. It was a different matter beginning with the Bill of Rights.
They left Amendment I intact, satisfied with how the Supreme Court had dealt with the matter of religion, free speech, the press, peaceful assembly and redress of grievances.
Not so with Amendment II, the right to keep and bear arms. It was repealed. In its place was Amendment XXVIII, Maintaining a Militia. The new amendment prohibited the bearing of arms by all save members of the militia and government law enforcement agencies. ‘Arms’ is further defined as hand guns, automatic and semiautomatic weapons, and any other weapon primarily designed to be used in war or for personal defense. It placed severe restrictions on the possession and use of hunting weapons.
Amendment III, conditions for quarters for soldiers, was repealed as no longer pertinent.
Amendment IV, Protection from unreasonable search and seizure was not touched, leaving it up to the new Supreme Court to further rule on what constitutes an ‘unreasonable search’ and ‘probable cause.’
Amendment V was not repealed, regarding due process.
Amendment VI, the right to a speedy trial, was also left intact.
Amendment VII, the right of trial by jury was also left alone as the value of the civil matter in controversy had already been modified by additional law.
Amendment VIII re: bails and fines was left untouched.
Amendment IX, rule of construction of Constitution was left untouched.
Amendment X, rights of states was not changed
It was a different matter for the amendments adopted since the Bill of Rights. Many had been amended over the years to reflect the changes in society. One area addressed related to citizenship, adding to Amendment XIV, regarding citizenship. The new law further defined citizenship by birth, stating a child born in the United States while the mother, who is a citizen of another country, was in the country by visa or other time-limited means, on vacation or holiday, or in the country without documentation, will not be considered a citizen of the United States, and is subject to the same laws as the mother.
Amendment XXIX, a new amendment, simply states that people will be elected to office solely by actual count of cast ballots, with a simple majority required to determine the winner.
Others are in the planning stage, pending approval by the militia.
From the start of the communal system, the Peace Keepers were transporting people from one country to another without concern for citizenship status. The military was gradually correcting this by repealing food ration cards to those in the country illegally, sending them to one of several detention camps for further evaluation, and possible deportation.. Those deemed undesirable, whether by criminal record, old age or disability, were processed and deported - not always to their home country. They could be held in these concentration camps for quite a while before adjudication. As life in the camps was less than tolerable, it also served as a deterrent to those thinking of violating the borders of the United States. Those deemed to be ‘good, law-abiding citizens’ would be allowed to stay, to work toward gaining legal citizenship.
While military law was supposed to be in harmony with the law of the land, It isn’t always so. And since the coup, they have been taking more liberties in their efforts to keep the peace and assure that all obtain the necessities of life. And as times become more difficult because of un-cooperating factions, the demand on manpower increases, that demand being filled by men and women having hard times surviving in the new system. With minimal training, the military assigns them to those civilian positions they have taken over. Both the Army and the Coast Guard continue to grow in numbers.
The United Nations, a sorry reflection of what it once was, once again demonstrates its inability to unify the world into taking action, this time with the Global Defense program. With the passage of time since the withdrawal of the Universal Council and its Peace Keepers, people are less and less concerned about them returning, and less and less supportive of establishing a global system of defensive weapons. They are inclined to take the aliens at their word, that they were leaving Earth on their own. They see no need for the expenditure of manpower and resources for defense.
From the start, it has been the United States, China, Russia, India, Japan and western Europe who have been doing most of the development an
d manufacture of the rockets. Most others are providing raw materials and some manpower. Most of the ‘third world’ countries of the world have fallen back to almost primitive, agriculture lifestyles, eking an existence from nature, or sometimes raiding other countries. Impacted by both dramatic climate change and the inability to feed its people, many once populated areas are practically deserted, the land too arid to support life.
There is little hope that Earth will be able to have a defense against a possible alien attack. The United States, along with Canada, modifies their effort for the protection of North America, no longer providing assistance to the rest of the world. By what they can learn through their espionage efforts, China and Russia are doing the same.
“So, tell me, Charles,” says Daniel as they are just finishing lunch at the dining hall, “You’re the meteorologist. How’s the World doing, weather-wise?”
“Can’t really say,” Charles replies, “For the first five years or so, there was measurable improvement in the atmosphere and the oceans were getting cleaner. But since the aliens left, there’s hardly any noticeable change. Deforestation is still going on with little replacement planting. And the temperature isn’t dropping much; it’s still 3.5 degrees centigrade warmer than a century ago. The polar caps and ice fields are down almost 50% and still melting. There isn’t a single glacier left in the world, save Antarctica. Areas that have been dependent on mountain snows are hurting.”
“Won’t temperatures worldwide continue dropping?”
“Should, when the excessive ‘hot house’ gases are eliminated, “ answers Charles, signaling a server for a coffee refill. “I’m beginning to believe we kicked them out too soon. I’m afraid this is as good as it’s going to get . . . then get worse as the population again starts growing and the world reverts back to burning fossil fuels as the major energy source.”
“It’s been fair here,” Daniel says, “Winters are milder and summers pleasantly warmer. And we’re getting enough rain.”
“Many areas will do fine. Others will improve. The big problem now is the rising sea level.”
“Yeah, the news last night showed how bad Lower Manhattan was flooding. Many buildings have been abandoned.”
“If water gets just to the basement, where all the utilities are located, that puts the entire building out of business. Plus permanently flooded foundations can foster building sinking or even collapse.” Charles looks at Daniel’s tray, seeing an untouched piece of cherry pie. “You gonna eat that?”
“I was,” replies Daniel with a chuckle, “but only because of not wasting. I’m full. Help yourself.”
Charles takes the pie and a bite of it before continuing. “Many sections of their subways are flooded, closing them down permanently. The same with most coastal cities. As the water rises, they have to move further inland to higher ground. Dikes only solve the problem for a few years.”
“What’s the latest measurement?”
“In meters, 5.2. That’s about 18.3 feet. Higher, at high tide. And that’s average; it varies around the world as sinking of the ground can add to the problem.”
“And it’s going to get worse?”
“If the temperature doesn’t start falling. They say, that if all the frozen water in the world melts, the sea level will rise 200 feet.”
“I heard that. That will wipe out almost every coastal city.”
“And well inland,” Charles adds.
Daniel tries to imagine what a map of the contiguous United States would look like showing such flooding, then gives it up as being too depressing. “How does it look for us?”
“Actually, good. We already have modification of extremes. Rainfall is a bit of an unknown, but so far we’re getting more than normal. We’ll still be able to farm.”
Daniel watches Charles eat the pie, his second piece. “Maybe we can relax the rationing. Still stress not wasting food, but not limiting seconds.”
“Eating less and eating more vegetables and fruits is healthier,” Charles advises.
“Says you, on your second piece of pie.”
Charles shrugs, “It’s fruit!”
Daniel rises, picking up his tray. “I’m heading back to relieve Sherry, so she can eat. Take your time.”
In all, there will be 32 one-man lookout perches; the first twelve are complete and Victor has the first schedule posted on every bulletin board. Starting the first day of May, they will be manned around the clock in four-hour shifts. Each lookout will have shift change at slightly delayed times from its neighbors, allowing a bus to make the loop, dropping off the fresh lookout and picking up the one being relieved.
A new, one-lane, one-way gravel road has been constructed inside the tree line, so that anyone watching from outside the fence line cannot see the shift changes. The bus should make the circuit in about an hour, as it will have to wait at each drop-of point for the relief to get up into the tree and the one relieved to get down and back to the bus. All will report and be on the bus at the scheduled time for their tour of duty, but they will each have an additional hour on the bus, which includes both coming and going.
Tabitha is aboard the bus for her first watch. In training, she pulled herself into a tree, settled in the chair, then lowered herself back to the ground. This she did twice. The bulk of training was on radio communication and the military method of reporting positions of the enemy.
She was assigned to Unit 23, a lookout off the south fence line, one she will regularly work so that she will be familiar with every landmark, tree or bush in her line of sight. The sun is starting to set as the bus stops at her drop-off point. She can see the slight trail she is to follow, barely noticeable in the growing gloom, and she wonders how she will find her way back in the dark. Then she remembers the small flashlight she has been issued, a black light that will pick up trail markings and the lookout tree. As the bus quietly idles, the driver waiting for the lookout Tabitha is to relieve, she makes her way to the tree. Expecting her, the chair is lowered and waiting.
She pulls herself upward and into the tree, knowing it is her friend, Donna, she is relieving.
“Hey, girl,” Donna greets her in a whisper. She is already out of the chair, standing on the narrow step beside it. She takes the rope from Tabitha as she alights and squeezes by her and to slide into the chair.
Donna helps her buckle herself in, then hands her the headset. “The only thing I’ve seen is the occasional patrol drive by and a doe with her fawn. Cute as hell. The doe; not the soldier.” All in a whisper.
Donna just smiles, checking the pockets and holders for the required equipment. “Damn,” she finally mutters, then looks up at Donna. “Forgot water,” she whispers.
“There’s a bottle in the cup holder. I only took a few sips.”
“Thanks.”
“Well, got a bus to catch,” Donna says softly. “See ya!”
She drops out of sight. As soon as Donna alights, the counterbalanced chair rises back up to the top on its own.
Tabitha makes the required radio check in, then sits back and scans the open area stretching out before her. The sun has set, but there is still ample light to see details. There are two tall lamp posts just off the roadway, one about a hundred yards to the east, the other about the same to the west. She knows they will come on soon in the growing dusk, but will provide little more than a soft glow. There will be a nearly full moon tonight, but it has not risen yet; Once it gets dark, she knows she will have to use the night vision binoculars to see any detail.
She is alone in the woods and it is getting dark. She doesn’t like the dark. Nor does she like height. She is glad she can’t see anything directly below her and tries to forget she is sitting in an upholstered chair mounted to a tree limb some fifty feet off the ground. She tucks the seat belt tighter.
It is just starting to get dark when she hears the radio say “Unit One,” then a weak reply, “One clear.” It is the fifteen-minute radio check. By the time the voice progresses to “Unit 23
,” she is ready, keys the mike and answers softly, “23 clear.” She is an sixteenth of the way through her shift, glad that it would be only four hours. She is beginning to wish she hadn’t volunteered.
With her uncle’s approval, Debby no longer keeps her relationship with Cpl. Jonathan Franklin a secret. Now with a number of citizens of Glen Haven married to a member of the Army, Victor had relaxed the prohibition against his men having social contact with civilians. It wasn’t much of a secret anyway, for they were frequently seen together. It was assumed by most that they were dating.
Now Jonathan, informally called ‘Jon’, could be included in the various family gatherings. He has gradually been accepted by her family, with the exception of her father, David. He didn’t dislike the young man; he simply saw the potential problems should the two ever decide to marry. Being Army, Jon could be transferred out at any time. Even if Debby could join him at his new assignment, the ‘daddy’ in him didn’t want to lose his daughter. It had been difficult, and long in coming, to bring the family together. He doesn’t want them separated again. Especially in these difficult times.
It is Jon who begins putting some doubt into Victor’s mind regarding the new security system. While he was just a corporal, and Victor was his commanding officer, the family gatherings allowed him the opportunity to speak to his C.O. in an informal atmosphere. At a picnic at lakeside, he has gathered the nerve to express the doubts he has about the civilian watch program.
“Sir,” he begins, still unable to use his boss’ first name, even though Victor urged him to do so when in family settings, “I wonder if I could talk to you regarding the lookouts.”
Victor has quit telling him to be informal, simply responds, “Off the record?”
Jon nods.
“So, what’s on your mind?”
“I know we’ve put a lot of time and effort into clearing a wide swath along the perimeter fencing. And that’s a good thing. We can see anyone approaching. It’s the civilian lookouts that bothers me.”