Greener Green II: The Balls Brigade

by Peter Sowatskey

  "Go ahead, Thelma, I can listen and walk, not like some I could mention."

  "Now children, play nice, I'm going to spring you. Operation 'Clean Up' now has the green light."

  Talar asked, half haltingly, "For sure? I'll get my mind in gear, no problem."

  I said, "I'm sure you will. As per plan I don't want anything but dust where Nebu and the ANNU KI ships are. You should be up to speed on the new Phaeton comm gear. Drop relay beacons as needed."

  "Marion here, Thelma, any change on us remaining in this solar system to help you after our job is done?"

  "No. If we lose, go to Ranger Hq. Space and carry on. The human race on Earth will be reporting for Ranger Basic quickly. If we win you're invited to the party."

  Got it. Got it. We'll move out within a half hour. Good luck on your end. Out.

  I turned the Phaeton comm gear back to the previously used frequency and rose. As I went out the door I called, "Everybody, you can have your room back now. Carry on."

  I walked away along the corridor wondering if the directed energy of a small sun would be enough to do the job. It would have to be, because there was nothing else to send.

  'DO; make sure the mayor of my town brushes up on his evacuation plan to the Dinosaur Age. He may have little notice.'

  'Acknowledged.'

  OPERATIONAL AREA MAIN WEAPONS BALL FLEET EARTH VICINITY TIME OF PHAETON SPACE STATION (MOON) SABOTAGE

  ADMIRAL TILDORE SECALLO

  CHAPTER TWENTY SEVEN

  There was a knock on the door jamb. I looked up from my chart.

  Marvin said, "Operation 'Clean Up' is a go as of this moment."

  I didn't hesitate. "Control room!"

  "Listening."

  "As per notification list, operation 'Clean Up' is a go, repeat, operation 'Clean Up' is a go. Bring me the acknowledgement list in writing."

  "Understood, control room out."

  "Won't you come in and have a seat, Marvin. Might you have any other personal messages?"

  "Thelma sends her love and best wishes, for you personally, and all of us involved. Also you're not to concern yourself about the ANNU KI mother ship. Another force will handle it. No, I have no clue about the other force, officially, but, I'm assured it's adequate."

  "We'll just have to take that on its face. Let's review the sequence, Marvin, and see if we've left anything out. The insertion point of the 'Erasures' for the Canadian ANNU KI ship are at either end of our previous break in their time line. The progress of the 'Erasure' toward the future will be accompanied by Lillian's Carrier, the two Ranger Carriers, and one A-I carrier. They're to handle the escapees who go out from the time line as well as they can, without becoming separated from the main grouping. Do you have any last minute suggestions for them based on your insights?"

  "No, that plan is fairly straight forward."

  "In that case let's concentrate on the Australian ANNU KI ship. A hundred thousand years back from 2012 we break its time line using the same technology for a years span. We level to bedrock the ships area with the three remaining Carriers, and the other A-I carrier. Then we set up the 'Erasures' at either end of our break, remove the Phase Out barriers, and let them go, to the past, and to the future. We accompany the future one's progress, shooting escapees as we easily can, noting those which get away. As our force approaches 2012 the Australian ground force will activate the end-point containment field. That should result in a fizzle. Comments?"

  I watched Marvin hesitate. Essences never hesitate, usually.

  Finally he said, "No mention of what I'm now going to share happened yet, for sake of simplicity. Our observations, from prior worlds are that the Canadian ship is a precursor for a second mother ship which never arrived. Not yet anyway. Consequently it has less stringent discipline and will be an easier target. In passing I'll share that the second mother ship positions itself over the magnetic north pole prior to rendering a planet asunder, like the event on Phaeton. But not to borrow trouble. The reason I mention this is because the Australian ship, in the end, might be harder to kill. It will make every effort to lift and escape. Things could get very messy, like no more Australian continent, messy. You may care to make some addendums to your plans in light of what I've said. I'd blame the additions on your well known paranoia, not new information."

  I considered him in silence. No use shooting him. He was already deader than dead, and more alive than most Essences. I just drew a breath and said, "That's ever so kind of you Marvin. I'll do as you suggest. Maybe fifty Neutron Gate Guns would be useful."

  He was about to express approval when Trist walked in. Instead he just arose, saluted, and left.

  Trist asked, while seating himself, "He bring you the order?"

  "Yes. I've been having thoughts that perhaps we've undermanned the two Task Forces?"

  "That so, and what would you add?"

  "To each Task Force I think we need fifty Gate Guns, for close up work, along with their remote controllers. Also I'm thinking of a Weapons Ball for each force, the new configuration where we've hollowed out the surface with indentions for ours and the ANNU KI saucer craft."

  Trist observed, "That would give you three hundred more saucers for each force. I don't see why those things can't be done. After all, we have four more days before the system shield is operative. Those A-I are a very 'no nonsense' kind of folk. They waste no time at all."

  "That's for sure. How are you coming with the Terra Forming stations?"

  "It's slow, but the people are dribbling in. Occasionally we get some winners. Then I think it's probably worthwhile."

  I laughed, "Don't forget, we set a high bar. In our world most wouldn't qualify for kindergarten."

  He smiled, "That, I hang my shred of sanity on. Gotta go. I just wanted to get the word from the shark's mouth. Oh, what would I give for a sliver of shark's meat in that sour sauce? I'm going to do a stores search. Keep me copied."

  He left. I knew he never read my copies, like I never read his. Maybe we both needed a secretary. Four days to jump off. Better go tell someone to get on change number, what the hell was the number. I surely needed a secretary.

  I called Personnel.

  Personnel found me a secretary, one for Trist too.

  Being overly paranoid I ordered two of the Frigates and crews activated: to follow each of the Erasures back to their end in the distant past; to observe, under Invis, who departed the doomed ANNU KI ships, and when.

  OPERATIONS AREA SPECIAL EVENTS COMMAND SOMEWHERE IN SOMETIME

  PLATOON LEADERS JEFF CROSS AND IRENE SCERNE

  CHAPTER TWENTY EIGHT

  We, viewing the ANNU KI mother ship mock-up through a hundred feet of Ice by Individual Soldier Locater observed the twenty-four two person teams breach their assigned doors. At the same time each team, each soldier, at the training site walked or sat on the beach of our tropical island, on some planet, in a time unknown to us. The operational principal being that one fought harder, and concentrated better when you were already in heaven. That theory's test fast approached.

  Our resident Essences interfered with the teams advances to the main control room, supposedly like the ANNU KI would.

  Jeff and Irene, through their mind bonding link congratulated themselves on the smooth interaction of each bonded team. Each considered the concept to be their baby. Yet knowing there were probably some God-Parents involved. Each had tried to talk to the other about their separate past lives, but those remained a murky series of events, with little, or no, current relevance. Seeing that the teams had reached their goal, the main control room, and cleared the room, Jeff and Irene called over their implanted radios, "Stand down, breaching exercise over. Position yourselves on your assigned control panels."

  After a short shuffle each team stood still before a panel. There were more than twenty four panels, but these were considered critical for ship control. Seconds elapsed, and then arms went up to signify their minds had transitioned from assault troopers to panel operators
.

  Jeff and Irene searched different band widths with their bulbs to ascertain whether there was any hesitancy in the flows the teams were directing to their panels. Seeing/sensing none they said, "Exercise complete. Extract to 'E' site, now."

  They watched an orderly retreat from the control room, each team giving another cover and fire support. Walking a few steps from their observation point as the figures approached, Irene and Jeff ordered, "Form on us, Anti-grav hookup on command, now."

  Once their circle completed, the black oblong ship overhead, waiting at one hundred feet, lifted them en-mass through an open belly hatch. The double layered hatches scissored shut beneath their feet. With a slight adjustment by Jeff and Irene on the lift control all of them were deposited gently, on the resulting metal deck.

  Irene and Jeff ordered, "Unhook, hang your gear, case your rifles, its party time."

  The twenty four Essences, who were assigned one to each team, and had been acting as the enemy, started appearing on the deck one at a time. They looked just like the troopers, ten foot tall, five hundred pounds in weight; tan complexion; square faces, but they wore no packs. Hence the standing joke, "Eternity is a heavy enough load."

  The Essence, Hector Tibern, assigned to Jeff and Irene, who had been in the control room while the practice took place, approached them. "Word from Paula, the attack will take place in two days. Course is set, just need the 'go' from you."

  Irene and Jeff said, "Initiate operation 'Clean Up', now. Verbally to those nearby, and on the radio link-up.

  Hector continued, "Also Paula sent the frequency settings for the mentally dampening broadcasters on the target ship. We'll need to get the assigned team up to speed on those 'tout sviet.'

  "Barnes-Miller, Dampener mock-up in two hours."

  Hector saluted and wandered away in the direction of the Rec-Room.

  Irene and Jeff followed thinking to themselves how the First Generation of their kind, as told to them, had a much more leisurely life. They almost rather would have been them. Sure, they were slightly larger, but that difference consisted of rejuvenation fluid and its pathways so anything from the head down repaired itself now. Lost your head, you went to heaven, where you already were, eating steaks and fries and such. Took some getting used to. But we were special, specially trained, and bonded, for a mission our ancestors couldn't do: couldn't do their mission, because they couldn't go back and forth through time, protected only by an individual or unit force field. Special got you killed sooner, but then heaven, See what I mean.

  Jeff and Irene gave up digging in the bone yard, as they put it, and lined up for the eternal darts contest as soon as they got glasses of the latest variation of 'juice.'

  They were getting their twelve foot long darts ready for their turn when the order came into their minds.

  PROCEED TO EARTH SOUTH POLE 2012 AD NOW, AND CARRY OUT YOUR MISSION

  The twelve darts were part of their equipment, so they stowed three on each side of them in a special belt pouch.

  Then they called, "Roll, by the numbers."

  That formality successfully accomplished Irene and Jeff went to the Bridge to inquire as to their arrival time?

  "Twenty hours."

  Because it wasn't their turn to be pilots they located Barnes and Miller at the mock-up representing the ANNU KI mental dampener. Stopping there long enough to absorb the information themselves, they went on to see to their own, and the platoons gear readiness.

  OPERATIONAL AREA AYERS ROCK, AUSTRALIA 2012 AD

  CAPTAIN RAFE BERGER

  CHAPTER TWENTY NINE

  I announced to all of my sub-commanders, "Operation 'Clean-up' is now a 'GO'. We have four days to get everybody out of the impacted area, and set up containment. Being that most people will be in, or near the local resorts this is greatly simplified, when compared with a city. I've made the call that starts the press, radio, and television campaign. The Australian Army will arrive tomorrow and set up a perimeter ten miles out from ours. We'll do our own sweeps and direct the military to whoever they miss. I'd like to hear from you if there are any problems unresolved, Lin first."

  "We will have people on the ground from my old organization to handle any hysterics or stubborn holdouts. They do this quite smoothly. We are prepared."

  "Truck situation, Jim, Tom?"

  Tom answered first, "The target area is an easy one day run from the depot. I don't think we can improve on our plan to have the Army Military Police pick the trucks short of the impact area, and escort each truck to its parking place. That gives the impression that they have control of us. The trucks are ready."

  Jim continued, "The contents of the vans have been tested. Everything's ready. We only need to calibrate to the frequencies which will be in use."

  I said, "I'll give you that information shortly. Our Reg friends are monitoring. They are always ready, anything else to consider?"

  No one spoke so I adjourned by saying, "If something develops you have my number. Jim, come with me and I'll give you the Communications Frequency Case."

  OPERATIONAL AREA AYERS ROCK, AUSTRALIA 100,000 YEARS BC

  ADMIRAL TILDORE SECALLO

  CHAPTER THIRTY

  My departure from Admiral Prestrillo, (Trist), and the crew had been brief. Those not cleared to know believed we were off on a training exercise. I'd asked Trist to mind the store, which he assured me he would do. The other Phaeton men and women hadn't become Mission Ready yet, so we were it, the sole survivors from a planet. That's mighty long odds.

  We had been zipping along at maximum speed and would be at the 100,000 year BC point in an hour. Ted Marcus intended to handle the technical chores himself. So all I had to do was sit in the long dead Captains chair and play with his computer. Or maybe the Elders had built it pretending to be from Phaeton. Such deep issues were the lot of Admirals. I almost fondly remembered my time as a Colonel in the Confederate Scouts. In between I got lost in the records of an ancient civilization of Bird-men. What the hell.

  Nerre's voice on the intercom brought me back to now.

  "Time Line rupture completed, assigned aircraft incinerating the space between breaks."

  I hit the microphone button which went only to her and asked, "Could you send Marvin in please."

  Marvin came in. "What can I do?"

  I showed him the bird-men information. "Can you pull up a star chart for them?"

  "Sure, take a moment. It's printing out on the chart table now. I personally remember that being there was a lot of fun."

  "Fun?" I asked. "What's that?"

  "Something you need to reacquaint yourself with, sir."

  I opened my mouth to admonish him for going official when Nerre's announced, "Erasure insertion complete."

  "Let's get that view on screen, Marvin."

  There in front of us appeared a hole. That's all that happened. I watched the time indicator below the scene tick away our movement up the time line. We were going to eat our way along at the rate of 2,000 years an hour. In the fifty hours we'd allotted we should be closing in on 2012 AD. The Carriers and their aircraft would be ranging four hours ahead. We meanwhile were going to maintain our position over the hole.

  Nerre relayed, "Marcus and his crew have just flown into their landing slot above us."

  I said, "Thanks. Have him report to my office when he's free. Also put on my speaker a rotation of the feeds from the fighters. I want to get a feel of the resistance."

  "Coming on now."

  "Seven high, going away---Little help would be nice---no-nothing in sight---on the deck-going up that ravine---clear skies---he's beyond our envelope-let him go---wake me up when the party starts---is he going to dive---no-up up and away---got a mal-function-berth time---on the forward edge-nothing."

  I said, on our private link-up, "Nerre, tell them to can it on the Carrier frequency unless there's an emergency. Use the wing frequencies."

  Ted came in. I asked, "I should have asked before, but what difference does it m
ake if one of the ANNU KI ships cut their own line and lift?"

  "No difference. My device, Lillian's device, is not dependant on matter. It just goes where it is programmed to go. What, you think they're going to lift?"

  "I would. What about you Marvin?"

  "I would get a ship in the air every year. But that's us. We'd better get Jesse and Jane's opinion.

  "Can you quietly do that?"

  "They say maybe one lift is possible. It's not a question of ships, but rather essences to man the bodies that do the controlling. They calculate, toward the end, in our modern times, where there is some potential for educated slaves to exist."

  "We're going to go with that evaluation. Ted, On the Weapons Ball we have twenty Courier ships. Nothing in the Universe we know can keep up with them. They have the most rapidly shifting time slip we could add. I want you and Marvin to establish a scouting route up to trails end, and back. Maybe we can get an inkling of when they plan to lift, and get there in force."

  Ted observed, "Easy enough to do. Come on Marvin. Observe genius at work."

  Marvin lifted his eyes in my direction, and left the room on Ted's heels.

  I would have lifted my eyes too, but who would have known?

  Twenty four hours passed. Events remained at the same pace. Nothing unusual came in from the couriers.

  Thirty six hours passed. Enemy aircraft didn't appear in greater number. The speeding couriers had almost constant real time observation of the whole ANNU KI ship time line now. We had about 30,000 years to go. Thirty seven hours, thirty eight hours, then the report came. Alteration of density observed at 15,000 BC.

  The question became, do I split my force and try to attack? Were they playing mental games? I missed having Trist and his reasoned opinions. Marvin?"