Greener Green II: The Balls Brigade

by Peter Sowatskey

  We lifted eventually. I cut the motor. The ground dropped away until it disappeared. I kept a tight grip on the steering wheel. I glanced over to Lin and saw she was strangling the armrests.

  In an attempt to alleviate the fact that I had gone insane I asked Jim. "Why weren't they firing on us?"

  "They were. Everything outside our force fields is fried, electro-magnetic weapon. Try your over-cab spotlights."

  I tried. No feedback and no light ahead.

  Another thing bothered me, "Who the hell are these people. They knew they couldn't persist under my rocket fire and they didn't pause once in their advance?"

  "Snake hybrids, they can't feel fear, can't disobey orders. Not unintelligent, but very limited in their tactical choices. They hatch out of eggs, lots of eggs, which are duplicated artificially. There're lots of specifics available if you want to know. Me, I just want to know enough to kill them."

  I reflected, "I suppose I'll go along with that. Who's behind them?"

  "Nasty long lived people you never heard about. You'll get a library card after Intro-Doc."

  "You didn't say about the destination."

  He let himself down from the cupola with a whoosh of released air pressure. "They don't go this high. The ones who do a fifty cal' wouldn't do much against."

  He took a lawn chair from the hooks on the left wall and unfolded it and sat in front of the cupola where he could see both Lin and I. "Like Rafe I'm not from your reality. The fighters, living and dead are. I'll be blunt. We collect the essences of the fallen, regardless of when they fell. The prisoners were killed when the enemy saw we could penetrate their defense. They'll be collected too. You, Tom, have some friends among them. And you, Lin, will be glad to know we collected your team, all of them. The one, who survived, just barely, will get better care with us."

  Lin said, "Just please tell us where we're going?"

  "When would be a better question? But I can't answer that now. Our present ship is isolated from reality fluxes. But our mother ship isn't. We may not be able to return to it, ever. These reality influences are a new experience to us. We are presently being lifted by a tow truck, to use your frame of reference, Tom. We're going back to the garage. Captain Berger, Rafe, has an idea that your truck will be useful in our attack on a enemy mother ship. It's embedded in the ground by Ayers Rock. Of course we have to arrange for a population evacuation, 100 KM radius to be sure. How would you two arrange for that?"

  I had let go of the steering wheel and swiveled my Captain's chair around to face him. I noticed Lin had turned her chair too, but hadn't let go of the arm rests yet. Both Lin and I made to answer. I waved her to continue.

  "Most easily done would be a dirty bomb of unspecified location. But that would leave a lot of unbelievers and stragglers. It would have to be combined with a biological threat which would justify block by block sweeps with SWAT teams using infra-red and body heat sensors. It could be done. My backers have plans already calculated to accomplish this effect."

  In a voice which was no longer casual Jim said, "I'm told you're to make the call. The operational title is 'Medullas'."

  To Lin's credit, while she swallowed twice she didn't blink. Just took out a phone and dialed, and began talking in an oriental language I'd never heard. I assumed Jim didn't know it either, when he quit listening and asked, "Men's room?"

  I pointed. He left. I got the courage to look outside. Stars were everywhere. I located on the constellations and realized we were going West South West. To hell with it. I tested my walking ability and went around closing the blinds. Lin came out of her phone far enough to move out of the way. Then I checked the fridge to see if there was anything that stirred hunger, nope. I threw my empty water bottle and empty fig bar box into the trash chute after ingesting the contents speedily. Then I grabbed a fresh bottle of water from the fridge. I also got some trail bars out of the cupboard above the fridge, same things for Jim and Lin. He wasn't back so I sat them on his seat. Then I sat in my chair-seat and reflected. That took about two minutes. The conclusion was I wasn't in charge of anything anymore. Oh well, I hope this army has a good retirement plan.

  Jim came back and noticed his meal and nodded thanks. We sat absently looking at each other, giving Lin her silent space to communicate in. That was it. The cabin was totally silent and I, used to travel noises, was a bit unnerved.

  Lin held the phone away from her head and said, "The office is checking what our backers say. Comm section says there has been a rumor about such a situation already existent. Your people, Jim?"

  Jim had a mouth full and just nodded.

  Lin observed, "I thought so. How deep does your influence go?"

  Jim swallowed and said, "Deep, way deep. You'll see."

  She resumed talking and turned away from us. Then got up and took a lap-top out of her duffle and sat it on the flat space in front of her seat. I saw the screen start to flash so she was receiving some message. Then she turned around proffering the lap-top's screen to Jim. "Your right thumb print please."

  He complied and she turned away again.

  I asked, "Just for curiosity's sake, what is your rank, Jim?"

  "Same as yours is now, Tom, Lieutenant."

  "Army, or Navy?"

  "Navy."

  I chewed on that. Should mean adequate retirement.

  "Time in service?"

  He said, "You get all credit for prior time served, reserves also."

  "Lin?"

  "Same as you. With credit for all of her police time too."

  Whoa boy, a couple of years and we could go find an island!

  He gestured toward the curtains and said, "Nice touch. Not much to see at this altitude, about 400,000 KM. We're going to a location above the Kerguelen Island. That's about 50 by 70."

  "I saw we were headed in that direction."

  "Star navigation. You'll fit right in. Navigation is a good berth. Of course you don't usually get to do the fun stuff. Like fly along in a tractor trailer."

  He cracked his ribs over that one. In spite of myself I had to smile. Lin did a 'thumbs up', around the chair back. Multi track woman, but aren't they all, I remembered.

  OPERATIONAL AREA - IN SPACE BETWEEN AUSTRALIA AND THE SOUTH POLE ABOARD SEARCHER 1

  LONG TOM LUDHOLM

  CHAPTER NINETEEN

  About two hours later Jim said, "Open the front curtains. We're almost there. Just want you to see what your new home looks like from the outside."

  I opened the curtains. A distance off in front of us was a cylinder with a flat end. We were approaching on a level plane at about 240 degrees, referencing the unseen end of the cylinder as 0 degrees.

  Jim continued, "We'll be lining up for entrance. I wanted you to see it off from the side. The opposite end looks the same as this one. We land and eject from either end. There's artificial gravity when we don't have any influence at all to magnify. You'll be given quarters and twenty four hours off to recover. No, you can’t sleep in the tractor. It will be undergoing modifications which would disturb you."

  Lin said, "Whatever you say. My organization says it needs a few hours to incorporate your people, Jim. Sorting out communications, avenues of command, stuff like that. Understand?"

  "Of course. We'll do a briefing this time tomorrow, 1700 hours. See what's been agreed upon. You'll be assigned to an Ensign Beverly Weaver. She'll show you around. Nothing's off limits to you. But you may not want to spend a lifetime getting an understanding of some mechanicals. Me, I just take someone's word that they do what they are supposed to do, and go on. We'll meet for lunch tomorrow. Rafe will be there. He'll have some news for us."

  I said, "Going with the flow is a motto with me."

  Jim just smiled.

  By that time we had lined up with the end of the cylinder and were approaching it rapidly. I was about to put my 'H' harness on when an opening appeared. We whisked through, slowed, and came to a stop on a square marked R-G-7. The tug above disengaged and moved slowly away.
I saw through the windshield that it wasn't much more than a slab with a cupola on top of it. I harkened back to what Jim said, "Take it on faith, or eat your guts out.", or something which added up to that.

  I saw my passengers in the trailer were standing and 'parking' their suits like I'd seen Til and Talle do. All of them were considerably taller than those two. From the faces I could see they looked like a rough bunch. Til and Talle waved and motioned downward. I did a 'thumbs up', to show I understood we would meet on the deck. Lin closed her lap top and put it back into her duffle.

  I asked, "Ready?"

  "Yes. I'll leave my weapons bag here. Oh, Jim, it won't be in the way, will it?"

  "No. But with your new issue you may want to donate what you have to a museum. I have to run now. Beverly's right outside. See you noon tomorrow. Nice flying your friendly skies."

  He went down the steps in front of us laughing at his private joke. Good for his morale anyway.

  When Lin and I were on the deck a tall figure by Til and Talle waved and called, "Over here."

  The closer we came to her the more apparent it became. She was an aborigine.

  One of the twins said, "We'd like you to meet Beverly. She will show you around. We have to go make reports. See you tomorrow, noon."

  They hurried off, talking heatedly.

  Beverly said, "I'm going to show you to your quarters now; and where the closest mess hall is. We have good food. I have a cart over there, takes too much time to walk. You'll notice that we use ramps mostly for goods and people movement, quicker with this type of configuration."

  I asked, "How big is this place?"

  "Varies. But it's plenty big enough. And easy to add to. It separates in the middle and we can put a new section in place. Also it won't fix in any reality. That's important."

  We got in her cart. Same the world over, but this one didn't have a steering wheel. It just started to move. I noticed off to my right a fleet of new tractors and extra length trailers parked. Somebody had spent a lot of money. I'd take my rig first any day, but they sure looked pretty.

  Lin asked, "Is the cart preprogrammed?"

  Beverly said, "No. I'm steering it with my mind. Most of our conveyances work like this. The main ship is also controlled this way."

  Lin looked at me. I shrugged. It was way past time to look for seatbelts, figurative or actual. I put my arm across her shoulders, just because she was smaller. I would have appreciated an arm across my shoulders too. Beverly just continued to smile radiantly and kept up a running commentary. It was reassuring, and who knows, some of it might sink in.

  After some down ramps we turned right into a cross corridor and stopped by at door # RL22.

  Beverly said, "We're here. Come along."

  The door opened in front of her, but there was a latch also, thank goodness. Inside there were bedrooms left and right, also baths. The corridor led to a huge living room with a dinning corner. The outer-inner, who knew, wall was glass and opened onto an atrium which had a public swimming pool in the middle of it. I was going to like this place. One corner had a stand behind bar with a lever I knew was a beer tap. Died and gone to heaven. I pointed it out to Lin. She wagged her finger at me.

  Beverly took two phones out of a pocket and handed them to us. "My number is 1. I'm on call 24 hours. The mess hall is at 11 0'clock from us. Anything you want, or want to know, call. Make yourselves at home. We'll do a tour when you're up. There are intro packets behind the bar. Good night."

  It was only 2100 hours, but we had been up for about thirty six hours at this point. And what a hell of a time we'd had. I wondered how we'd fared in regard to mission objectives. We'd learn soon enough. I sat on a lounge looking at the pool, wanting to jump in, and afraid I'd sink to the bottom. Lin came back from a closer inspection of our quarters.

  "They're plush. Food or sleep is the question?'

  I considered, "Probably sleep better with a full stomach."

  "Let's do it."

  The mess hall was above the usual in furniture quality. There was the usual long tray shelf. The walls had signs which said, "Push on the picture." We pushed on picture until we couldn't put any more on the trays. Sitting we noticed that there wasn't much conversation. Nobody paid much attention to us. About fifty tables were occupied out of what I reckoned as a possible one hundred. From the animated faces something was being communicated.

  When we sat I asked, "Lin, do you suppose they use their minds to talk too. What the hell have we got ourselves involved in?"

  "Eat. Puzzle that out later."

  We ate, dumped our dishes down the chute, and retreated to our lair. There weren't any locks on the doors, but I would have used them. The strangeness bothered me.

  I assumed my guard position on the lounge. Lin brought me a tankard of something frothy. Wow, high alcohol bitter ale. I would get to like this place. She came back with a drink of her own, and the intro packets.

  I read the cover of the document out loud, "Welcome to, Searcher, the first ship of its kind deployed in this solar system under human control."

  Lin observed, "I guess they are still humans, of a sort. Rafe is anyway, and he seems to be in charge. Triple titted bears are stretching the point some. Don't you think?"

  Oh shit, damned both ways. I just gritted my teeth and grunted. Turned the cover, and began to read the ship's description. "'Searcher' exists within its own matrix and is not dependent upon any exterior 'M' fields. Therefore the ship is not affected by any reality other than the one it creates. Damn. Do you realize, Lin, how far beyond anything we've been exposed to, this is?"

  "I know, Tom. We'll just have to march onward, and hope we understand sometime. What bugs me is what are they doing with so many tractor-trailers?"

  "Who knows? My mind is numb from lack of rest. Let's let this go, get a few drinks in us, and kip out until noon tomorrow. We'll be better then."

  I don't know if we we're better, or not, but we were rested. Beverly collected us 1145 and we went to the same mess as last night. They'd set up a large circular table. Rafe was already there, flanked by his Aide and the bear twins wearing loose coveralls. I thought I sensed a lessening of tension in Lin.

  The three of us filled our trays and sat opposite from Rafe. Despite the fifteen feet separating him and me, he seemed right in front of me, odd. Jim came in and sat at nine o'clock. A man and woman we'd not met came with their food to sit at three o'clock. Then six more people sat, three with Tech insignias, and three with Security insignias. Any more we'd need a bigger table. No one said a word about business until the trays, with plates, were cleared.

  Rafe began, "Tom, Lin, You'll be pleased to know that Merele, and her people were lifted out en-masse without problems. They are in a safe place awaiting a visit from you. About the mission in general: we experienced fewer causalities than expected due to your rocket fire, Tom. Never-the-less half of the attacking forces were killed, but recovered. All of the prisoners were killed when the enemy line didn't hold. They were recovered too. They will be finished with Med Deck in a couple of days. Four days from now, 1900, there will be a party in the main ballroom. Everybody's invited. A lot of truck drivers were among the prisoners, probably some old friends of yours. As to the result of our basic mission task, our part went well. That's all I can tell you now. You, Jim, have a report on the tractor-trailer situation, no?"

  "We have all the machinery we planned for. As to drivers who won't be noticed, no. Of the three hundred needed, we have only seventy seven. Maybe there will be some volunteers among the prisoners. If they all step up we will still be about one hundred and thirty short. Perhaps you, Tom, will have some ideas to share with me later?"

  I said, "There are always drivers to be had, for the right price. The military lets go of them all the time. They may not have a lot of polish, but they're let go with civilian licenses."

  Jim said, "Then, that's that. We will have the rolling stock ready, Captain."

  I sat back and let the meeting flow a
round the table. The technicians reported ready to do whatever it was they did, way over my head. Security said, "Piece of cake." like security people the world over do. These grim faced pros I believed. It lasted for an hour and a half. Then Rafe said we'd meet again in a week. He went off with his females in tow. It boggled my mind to think he might be servicing all of them. Maybe--.

  Lin interrupted, "I have to go arrange communication interfaces. You'll be busy with Jim. Meet you back in the quarters, 1700 hundred."

  Beverly went with her so that left only Jim and me. An orderly came in with a high stack of papers and placed them in front of me, Australian Army service records. Damn these people didn't hesitate ever.

  Jim handed me a phone and said, "The one on top of the pile will be on line in two minutes. Don't worry about hiring too many. Promise fifty percent over the going rate, with three months cash up front, signing bonus, upon departure for advanced driving school, transportation arranged by us."

  "Where might that be taking place, Jim?"

  "It's a big universe, Tom. Pick a place."

  "There's an abandoned Army depot in the North West Territories, Wilandersak."

  "Done."

  Then he handed me a phone and with a head set plugged into it. I had barely pocketed the phone and adjusted the head set over my ears, when a voice said, "This is ex Corporal Jules Myers. What can I do for you?"

  I improvised, and went into my driver recruitment pitch.

  Jules said, "Yes."

  I said, "My secretary will arrange for your check and supply pickup time and place."

  Thirty seconds later the next candidate was on the line. So it went for the next four hours. I hope the water sounds from the pool didn't throw anyone off.

  At 1630, an orderly came in and put another pile of 'jackets' on the table. A note on top of the pile said, 'tomorrow'. And I thought my lofty rank had me in charge.

  Beverly arrived, as I started to open the last 'jacket' of the first pile.