"That's enough for today. The Security Chief just commented that you're a natural talker. You shift presentation levels, immediately. He said he'd come by your quarters later if you didn't mind."
Taking the head phones off I said, "That's fine with me. I ran about ninety per- cent. You and Lin get done what you wanted to?"
She rearranged the headset on the table touching my hand as she did so. It was like an electric arc which neither of us drew back from. My mental fogginess went away with my physical stiffness. After a moment she broke contact. Neither of us commented. I felt more alive than I had in years.
She turned and made for the doorway saying, "Walk with me while I answer you." We turned right in the hallway. "Her organization has a lot of people at different degrees of involvement. It's dicey to change protocol. This Russian Mafia has a lot of power. Makes people afraid. We'll have to do something about them when the immediate mission is over, just on general principles."
"It would be a different world with them gone."
"That end is being arranged. Here's your corridor. I'll see you two later."
Lin was drawing two drafts when I walked in, very domesticated. What the hell. I was dry from all the talking.
She said, "Sit, and tell me about your day."
We sat on the large couch next to each other, feet up on an ottoman, while I did as commanded.
Nineteen hundred crept up on us as we finished our third draft. I said, "Mess hall for me, you?"
"Lead on."
Once there we filled two trays with an extra for dessert. We sat and Beverly approached with her tray, followed by a Security fellow who had been at the noon meeting.
Beverly asked, "May we?"
Lin was the first to clear her mouth and said, "Pleased to have the company. And here we have Lieutenant Eric Flocher, Tom. Our pleasure Eric, I'm sure."
I looked at him close. He was about six and a half feet of wiry, with a thin face, eyes that shined like headlights. Anywhere else I would have figured him to be on speed, but here it was just him. I dove in and asked, "Hear you like the way I talk Eric?"
He spread his food out and put the tray on another table while saying. "You're a natural born communicator, Tom. We need a thousand of you. I have stacks of Australian Military files which I don't know exactly how to utilize. I need to hire a minimum of three thousand for this operation. We can do the job with ship personnel. Don't mistake that. But it would be better received if Australian nationals sheared the sheep, not Regs."
I asked, "Regs being our furry friends?"
"Yes. We'd like to open this reality to space by encountering a gentle race of kind beings. We have such a race that works with us. It complicates matters to have fierce warriors be the bringers of 'it's a big universe' news."
Lin and I both nodded. I said, "I can go with that Eric. But I can't interview four thousand people in a week, no way."
Eric waved his hand, chuckling, "And you're not used to team work, again I understand. No, I just wanted you to act as a closer on the reluctant ones who we would defiantly like to have. You'll have plenty of help. Beverly will drop in and supervise them. What do you say?"
"I say I want the address of the charm school you went to."
After everyone got themselves back under control I said, "Sure, I'll help. But it's not like drivers, pay wise. Some of these Intelligence types think they're worth a lot of money."
"Give them whatever they want for the first year, pending a salary review by ten of their peers at years end. Give them what you give the drivers as a bonus, plus relocation of whomever to wherever, and quartering of those moved paid in full. We need some command level people who can look at the mission and take charge."
"Mission? Tell me again what the mission is, Eric."
There was a slight 'pregnant' pause, and the fixing of a bland face before he answered, "The mission is securing Central Point City, and its suburbs, while it is totally evacuated."
"Maybe a hundred K diameter circle?"
"That's close."
I smiled, "Don't joke with me Eric. You'd need a reinforced division to do that."
"We have a lot of mechanical assistants. Nothing off-worldly, just cutting edge, will be openly used."
"And I don't suppose you want to tell me exactly why, at the moment. Not the published reason, the real reason?"
"Like they say in the Vid-Flicks, have to kill you if I did."
I pushed my main tray away and reached for the dessert tray. "I appreciate you not making noises in the wind, Eric. I'll give it my best effort. Sour cherry pie, sent from Heaven. Care for a piece?"
"No thanks, you only have three pieces."
We all laughed. Then Eric and Beverly said, "Goodnight." and left.
Lin said, "I don't know either, Tom. Whatever the real mission is we might not be clued in because we can't get our minds around it."
I considered, "That's a possibility. I sense no deceit in these people. What the hell. Let's go for a walk and stick our noses in forbidden places."
We couldn't find any forbidden places. Some corridors we walked appeared as if they should have doors, just a feeling. Maybe you couldn't even see the doors if you weren't clued in. We walked until we figured we had earned our supper. Then we went back to our quarters, showered, and put it in low gear.
The next six days were mostly repeats of the first. I got our drivers. With Eric's team I got the people he thought he wanted, plus twenty per- cent to cover no-shows.
The seventh day the party started at noon. Well, it was supposed to. But here I sat. Beverly and Lin had gone to visit Med Deck. A fellow driver named Bain, wandered by, saw me, blinked, and said, "I might have known you'd be tied up in this, Long Tom. Were you captured too?"
"No, I was among those that tried to get you out. Sorry that we didn't."
"Not your fault. I met some of the fellows who died trying, on Med Deck. Not their fault either. Can I sit? Still not perfect yet."
"Damn, excuse me, Bain. Sit, sit, what can I get for you?"
"Nothing, Tom. They said, just think, and someone will bring it, telepathy practice. You have to die to get that. Don't be in a hurry. Ah, here she comes."
A wispy girl sat a mixed drink in front of Bain. "Oh, a Firster. Should have said something about him. I'll get you another beer."
"The jokes on me, Bain, but why?"
"Joke! No chance, Tom. Did you ever know me to joke, about anything?"
I reflected. All I could recall was an eternal dour face that never cracked a smile. Jumping crawfish. That would account for the quick way things got done, everybody had the ability, not just the head-men-women. A friend of Bain's came by. His drink arrived with my beer. No shit. Another fellow came by and the three of them got to talking about how hard it had been as prisoners. I just sat back and kept my peace. Then some Security people came by asking for Long Tom. They explained they had been saved, or not saved, by my efforts at directing rockets. Despite the 'saving' the opinion was that I was a hell of a fire control director. The Battle Group commander himself wanted me to consider a permanent position. In the middle of it all Lin and Beverly walked in. Lin came up to me and gave me a hearty kiss. That started all sorts of advice giving, so I drew the two of them off to a less rowdy corner and asked, "What gives?"
Lin answered, "They're all here. My team. They're all here. They even picked up Deke like they said, and he's being patched together. I need a drink to calm myself."
Wispy came along shortly with two mixed drinks and my beer. She looked at Beverly fondly and said to Lin and me. "You two just went up a step. You're with the big cheese now. That gets you food also. Wait."
I looked at Beverly, "Big cheese, huh. What did you forget to tell us?"
"Only that I'm the ranking Ensign."
Lin asked, "Do we know what an Ensign is, here?"
Beverly hesitated, and then said, "An immortal energy being."
I said, "I read a story once about an Army which had the rank
s backward. The privates were in charge. Something like that here?"
Beverly smiled, "I read that too. No, that's not true. Ensign's are sort of, outside the chain of command. Maybe that's not so either. We take suggestions, and do what we think proper. That work for you two?"
She seemed sort of lost and cast out, so Lin hugged her. Then I did too. I tried to not take in so much of her energy. In my head she said, "I have a supply which can never be spent, drink deep."
I did, while holding a hand on Lin's back. Lin's eyes brightened, and then started to glaze over. We all broke contact.
Lin said, "I guess I know now what an Ensign is, next question, why do you bother with humans?"
"You'll know when you become an Ensign yourself. Meanwhile, know I have your best interests at heart."
We assured her that we believed her. Then she said, "I have to circulate. Most of these people haven't gained their balance yet."
We let her go. I wanted to leave the party, but I couldn't, obligations, I finally reasoned it out in my head.
I said, "I have to circulate too, coming?"
"For a while, then I have to get back to Med Deck."
We played at being a couple for an hour, or so. Then she left. The gap that resulted didn't get filled; no matter how many beers I drank. I was still at it when the last person left. Wispy got me to my door. I'll never recall what happened then.
Voices woke me. I opened one eye and looked at the bedside clock, 1410. I should be rested by now. I tested my body. It didn't want to move and my head was a large melon. Better get some water running over me. I lurched to the bathroom. When I reappeared the voices were gone. In the living room Lin was going over reports.
She said, "That was Beverly. She stopped by to give us extra time to pack. The Task Force is being landed midnight tonight. The ship will set down ten minutes. It's all been arranged. We have to be in your tractor. The announcement of pull out won't be made until 2300. We're going to that Depot you chose, Wilandersak."
"What about your team?"
"They're not ready yet, physically. Also Intel is still debriefing them. They may be reinserted in their areas under new identities. It's undecided. Depends on the success of this mission."
"So it's just you and me for now?"
She smiled coyly and said, "Captain Rafe thinks we are a mutually reinforcing team. He said so to me. Don't know what's in his head exactly enough to tell what he meant, but, practically speaking, we'll be together for a long time."
"That fact almost wipes out my misery."
"You need more rest, come along."
We 'rested' until 2200, ate, and packed. When the loud speakers started their song at 2300, Beverly appeared, and said, "Let's go. I'm with you, Jim too. Everyone has been given their orders. Searcher is already underway. I won't burden you with the command level uncertainties on this OP, but to say anything might result. So stay loose, and if Jim or I order anything, do it now. Tom, you'll have some new controls to get used to. Next hallway we go up."
We reached the truck parking deck, lots of movement by many people, but no confusion seen. Inside my rig I sat in the driver's seat. There was a soccer ball sized transparent globe in front of me with my rig inside of it. To my right was a sturdy stick rising from the floor. All else was the same.
Beverly said, "I'm going to enter data in your head about these new controls."
I opened my mouth to say, "Go ahead." The data was already there. The stick controlled the movement, the globe told me whether I was level, or not. Slightly forward on the stick-forward motion. Past a slight resistance to the front-nose downward. Stick backward-nose up. Childs play.
I asked, "Use the motor when I'm on the ground?"
Jim entered and answered, "Up to you. Probably good on roads. Cross country, lift, and use the stick. Hello folks. Sorry I've been scarce. Was out of town, way out of town."
Beverly said, "When we sit down, I'll drive off, Tom. A lot of the rigs won't have drivers. They'll be controlled mentally by those that do. It'll be temporary, until the new drivers are trained. They get here 0800 tomorrow, Security hires also. One of Lin's companies bought the depot."
Well, I had been busy, but someone could have told me something. I guess someone just had, reminding myself that I was back in the services again. I hoped I wouldn't miss my boozing, womanizing; any road was home, type of freedom.
We settled in, Lin and Jim with their laptops, and Beverly smiling dreamily, mostly gone, I reckoned. I thought of old times, back when I had a purpose, trying to recall what it had been. Couldn't manage to recall much of anything. Would have to make do with this purpose at hand.
Beverly rose from her seat and said, "Changing places, Tom, time to get out of the ship."
There still wasn't any sensation of movement. That would change soon. We started to move in relation to our surroundings. Ahead was a wide door and stars overhead. Then we were down and out, turning right at the first corner. In the rear view screen I could see a column of white rigs following us. We went about a K and stopped.
Beverly got out of the drivers seat and remarked, "We're out. Only the Security vans to go. The Regs are already overhead."
That fact cheered me. I'd gotten used to bears with few wraps running around. But had been reluctant to inquire. Beverly patted my shoulder as she went by and said in my head, "You're not forgotten. The twins look forward to returning with you to ARK IV."
Damn my wandering mind, oh boy.
Jim was addressing me, "Tom, you'll remember from being here where HQ was. That's where we will set up. Why don't you lead us over there? The cleaning crews departed yesterday. They reported little structural deterioration."
We exited with our duffle and walked to the next closest street corner. I orientated myself and said, "It's this way, about half a K."
We trudged through the moonlit night, down the center of the street. Left and right mounds appeared regularly. Therein were the buildings, one level type with only one door, which was an airlock. The buildings connected underground by tunnels which had their own airlocks. The depot had at one time been used for nerve gas storage. Of course that was a long time ago. It had various uses after that. I'd come here for ammunition when I'd been a Range Master involved in U.N. Troop training, temporary duty back to home. After we twisted and turned (blast protection), we came into a vast room. The center of the room had been the command point. There was nothing in it now. I marched them to the once existent location and said, "This was where the orders came from, once upon a time. Whoever is in charge should assume the lotus position and give orders."
That got a laugh. Then Jim said, "I order this room to be the Rec Hall. What do you think, Beverly?"
"Absolutely. Now let's find a room apiece, off of this room, to put our gear in."
Lin and I doubled up in a large room while they found one apiece. We popped our air mattress and were at home, rations and water we had. The loo was at the rear of the room. What else did we need?
Jim came in shortly and reported, "The convoy is on schedule. They're bringing furniture. I'll have the drivers report to you here, Tom. You figure what schedule you want to establish. One thing you need to know, there are no quitters on this job. If someone absolutely refuses to function, Security will confine them until the mission is over."
"That's fine with me."
"So, until 0900 then."
He left. I looked at my watch, 0017. Goody, we were on minute by minute now. Who do you complain to when you're the boss?
At 0830 I opened our door and saw that a classroom was being set up using foldable furniture. Good.
At 0900, with my new Lieutenant bars decorating my coveralls I marched out to the lectern. Mission kits were still being handed out. I let that play out while I looked over my recruits. Some wouldn't play by the rules. I tried to spot them now. No one stuck out.
When the clerks withdrew I started, "My name's Tom Ludholm. You recognize the voice from the wireless? Good. Welcome. We h
ave a week to get through what we want covered. Today is theory. Tomorrow you'll be behind the wheel. We have only brand new Stroda Liners, which have been fitted with special features. We'll get to the special features details tomorrow. This morning is road regulations; afternoon is regular Stroda nomenclature, this evening, tests. Any questions will be submitted in writing. Have at it lads."
Most opened their folders. A few started writing letters to somebody, not me. I wasn't going to answer questions already answered in the manuals.
The day evolved with no surprises. At 1630, I said I'd see them tomorrow and walked out. Lin was gone. I flopped down on the bed and relaxed. Lin returned late. We put some more ration boxes in the trash and had a restful night.
The next morning a clerk knocked and handed me a sheet of test results. Nobody was terrible. The clerks would fill in the gaps in the students understanding. At 0900 I went out and started matching my 130 recruits with drivers who were reborn. Every reborn had been instructed to grow a beard. I hoped there weren't any newshounds among the ex-military drivers. Nobody started pointing fingers and saying, "Dead, dead." There were only 93 reborn so some doubled up. They were instructed to keep the trucks on the ground today. Tomorrow we would get off the road.
Tomorrow we did. They mostly bought the top secret testing ground story. Those few that didn't buy it didn't make scenes.
At the end of the seven days we, the drivers, were ready, all 200 of us. The end of the week briefing saw Eric reporting his men ready too. Lin had kept me up on her progress. She wasn't satisfied, but the little remaining outpoints weren't mission critical.
We stood down the next day. I took a walk to the maintenance shop the Regs had taken over, mostly because it was the only place with ceilings high enough. I sympathized. The human perimeter guard passed me in to his Reg partner. Til and Talle collected me. We went for a tour of their ship parking area. Captain Rafe was off visiting some of Lin's people.
Til said, "We have been talking with Merele. She says her folks like their new place. We are going to visit when this mission is done. You'll come along?"
Talle put her long fingers on my shoulder. She had energy different from Beverly, but it flowed into me also. "You must, Tom. She'll never forgive us if you don't come along."
Greener Green II: The Balls Brigade Page 26