“People that go out one of the gates, which the Krall permit us to use, are seldom heard from again unless they return within an hour or less. You might think that they just drove into the sunset and escaped to live happily ever after. Except the empty and sometimes-gory trucks are brought back by the Krall. They’re retrieved provided a rhinolo herd hasn’t torn them apart for play.”
“They would need extra fuel for an escapee to go very far in any case.”
“Oh, you haven’t been in a Krall truck yet, have you? They have the smallest fusion bottle I’ve ever heard of, or perhaps some equivalent technology. They seem to run forever unless they have a mechanical breakdown or a rhinolo gets to them.”
After that, both men were quiet for a time. Thad shook his head as if dispelling memories of what he’d seen of hunts from the dome over the years. Then he suddenly felt curious, and for some reason, apprehensive about Mirikami’s series of questions.
“Tet, I see you probably as do your people from the ship, as a ‘Big Picture Guy’ that is trying to direct a gang of geeks, Spacers, and demoralized mentally defeated misfits into a semblance of a guerilla ground force against an overwhelming enemy.
“You motivate and inspire people, and maneuver for advantage where nobody saw room to move or any advantage to take. Normally you focus on the direction to go, not on the small steps needed to get there.
“You seem different to me right now. Why are you asking me about these small details of weapons, armor, and terrain?”
Coming to a decision, Mirikami gave his answer calmly.
“Because Thad, in three days I’ll be out there with weapons, wearing armor, and using that terrain.”
Greeves had somehow sensed that was coming. He looked at the smaller man, assessing him professionally, seeing him as he would a man he would have to share a foxhole with and count on in a physical gunfight. It wasn’t comforting.
“Tet, I don’t have to tell you that you aren’t prepared. You obviously know this. You getting killed will not restore the life of any of the names on that list. They are going out anyway because you can’t replace a single one of them, the Krall don’t permit that. So why?
Mirikami shrugged. “I had told Telour when he offered me ‘advantages’ as he called them, and I told my core people that I would not accept immunity without earning it as anyone else did. I need to earn that if I expect the Koban Primes to join with us.”
“What if you waited until next month, when you place your name in the lottery…, Oh. You don’t think there will be a lottery system do you?” He realized that was a highly probable outcome.
If the system in place had been corrupt from the beginning, things could revert to every man or woman for themselves. The Krall grabbing whomever they find first, pulling victims from hiding.
Thinking of how it could change now, Thad said, “Without any organized structure there will be anarchy, and you would lose the cooperation you needed to give us a chance, not just a chance for those of us trapped here, all of humanity. Are you that much of a Big Picture Guy?”
“Crap Thad. You make being scared shitless sound noble,” he complained.
“Scared shitless but going anyway is bravery. But, if you are dead is there anyone in your group that can pull this off without you? Keeping you around seems smarter than losing you.”
“I have to earn the Prime’s respect, and preserve the trust the volunteers have placed in our goal. In three days if I do nothing, both of those are gone.”
Mirikami elaborated. “I believe that if we can’t convince the Krall clan leaders that humans are worth their time fighting, they will take the expedient efficient step of quick eradication of an animal pest. We don’t even taste good to them, unlike the poor Raspani that they only keep alive for food.”
Greeves suddenly looked horrified.
“Thad, you heard this Krall strategy story before.” He didn’t understand his reaction.
“Raspani meat is from a race the Krall defeated? Oh my God!” He seemed revolted.
The explanation quickly followed. “I’ve eaten that spicy meat, so have a number of us. It’s what the Krall take for rations on hunts! You’re gone all day so they feed us what they eat. It was like beef jerky in their field ration version. Dorkda said he liked it raw or lightly roasted. Those are intelligent creatures they eat?”
Tet repeated what the translators had told them. “Thousands of years ago they were a star traveling race. I think now they may only be semi-intelligent. There’s supposed to be a herd here on Koban, and I thought it might be located here, but it must be at another compound.”
Thad told him “Dorkda claimed his clan had some here once. But the wolfbats and skeeters killed them if they were let out to graze. That’s where the corral we use came from, it was built for them. Hell I never knew they were anything but cattle.” He shivered visibly, and shook his head rapidly from side to side in disgust.
“To a Krall any other living creatures are animals, Thad. To be used for their best advantage. As cannon fodder, slaves, or food. I was actually aiming for cannon fodder for humanity, the highest category they have for aliens.” He looked at his hands and clinched them.
“I fear we are on the verge of failing unless I do this.”
“Tet, I get that, I understand what’s at risk. But will you getting killed reduce that risk?”
“No, I don’t think that. But I don’t plan on getting killed.” He answered.
“Most of us that go out don’t plan on that either. That’s why the smart ones spend so much time getting ready. You are a smart one, but you are not ready!” He was emphatic.
“Tet, ten or twelve trips to the range certified you to carry a gun, and proved you are a better than average shot. On silhouettes that don’t shoot back and dodge like a mad dervish.
“You haven’t come close to complete Koban acclimatization, despite the better diet and food supplements. You won’t have the stamina and mobility you need. None of us really do, but the other captives can at least run a little faster and dig a fox hole or climb one of those ridges.” He wound down, sensing the futility of his arguments.
Mirikami was grinning. “Wow! You sure know how to give a pep talk Colonel. I’ll have to remember that technique.” He chuckled, his humor fully returning now that he’d made his decision.
“Ok, Ok,” conceded Greeves. “You don’t plan to get killed. That means you have a plan to survive the full day and night, or kill one of them. How can I help you do one of those things?”
“You mean help us Colonel. I’m going with him.” Dillon had walked gingerly up to them, ignoring the annoying tingle in his legs and feet, and some a bit higher.
“You started to get louder there Thad, as you argued with Tet and lost. I heard you guys.”
“Dillon, you are closer to ready that Tet, and you are not ready either! In fact you can hardly walk because a nice little old lady almost gelded you.” He laughed as Dillon wobbled when an ankle nearly gave way.
Dillon had a rebuttal. “I’d rather face eight straight forward Krall killers than that little smiling terror. At least they’ll attack me simply because I’m a human, not because I say funny things.” He settled carefully on the bench beside Mirikami, relieved to ease the tingle in his legs.
“Son, I don’t need you to hold my hand. If what I plan works, I won’t even get tired.”
“And I promised that I would be there to cover your back Sir, when you informed us you would never accept immunity if you sent others out to fight. You told us you would lead our first team, and this is the first. You meant what you said, and so did I.”
“Dillon, I appreciate your loyalty and bravery, but I want you to reconsider, as a favor to me.”
“Captain, I owe you loyalty, but you laughed when Maggi zapped my balls, so I owe you no favor. I’m going!”
Thad laughed again. “He’s got you there Tet. I think he’s going.”
Their conversations had been overheard. By several of
the nearby volunteers who had drawn closer, and a number of Primes. The word was spreading by whisper net.
Deanna led all the active volunteers over, the others having gathered for mutual support once word of the tampering had accompanied the searchers for the criminals.
“Captain Mirikami, we overheard enough of your conversation to understand what you plan to do. All of us know that there isn’t any way we can get out of this, that we will have to form a team. We also know that it isn’t your fault that we were put on the list by those two bastards. You two aren’t even eligible for the lottery yet. We agree that you ought to take your chances like we all do, but only when it’s your turn.” The others nodded their support, or murmured their agreement.
Touched, Mirikami stood to face them.
“Gracious Ladies and Gentle Men, I sincerely appreciate your thoughts and consideration, despite the fear I know each of you feel. However, this isn’t a mere whim on my part to show solidarity with you, although I do feel that solidarity.
“I have a larger more important goal in mind. We need to try to heal the divide that exists between those of you that have lived here in these conditions for so long, and the large number of new faces that have just arrived with big and secret plans to oppose the Krall.” He looked at them, and saw their eyes light up a bit.
“Yes, I know you’ve heard some of those rumors. They are not all rumors. Moreover, if the Krall raids that are under way right now are successful, as I expect they will be, there could be many more captives joining us. I’ll fight alongside you in three days not as a mere gesture, but to demonstrate we can work together, and I hope to prove we can succeed together.
“You eight will be included in what I plan, as well as everyone on that list. I invite you to work with me, or you are free to go your own way. However, let me get the wheels rolling before I show you the surprises I have for the Krall. Now, please excuse me while I return to the Flight of Fancy to make some arrangements and get the surprises I promised underway. In the meantime, you should continue with your own preparations.”
He parted company with Thad, but carried away the thorn in a plastic vial Thad carried for collecting samples when he was in the field. He arranged to meet him in the afternoon for a scouting mission then started for the ship with a still unstable Dillon in tow. Maggi and Noreen saw them leaving and intercepted them from the far side of the Great Hall as they cut across to the doors near the east entrance.
Dillon promptly told them what was up, so a repeat argument became a rolling battle all the way to the ship’s cargo Ramp.
At the bottom of the ramp, Mirikami verified with Jake the sky was empty of threats and had the hatch opened halfway for them. They walked up the ramp, with Noreen and Maggi still losing the battle but not giving up on the war.
33. Dirty Tricks Bag
Once inside the hold the Captain put it to them as simply as possible. “Either you help me prepare, or I’ll do it alone, but it will happen.”
He ordered the hatch reclosed. “I’m going to the machine shop first, next meet with Aldry in the labs, go find out what’s new in the pharmacy department, eat lunch, and confer with Thad to arrange a first scouting mission. You are not welcome to follow me if I’m going to hear any more objections, is that clear?”
Cowed, the two women backed off, but stayed with him. In the newly expanded machine shop, they had used the automated machines to make more machines, and now had enough equipment to run multiple production lines. They were using scavenged metal and plastic from the nearby wrecked ships first. There were a dozen people on assembly lines assembling various items.
Bob and Neri had reprogrammed the machines with Jake’s assistance, and they had taught people how to feed stock safely to each type device, and were now cranking out a variety of weapons and explosive casings. They had also discovered there were quite a few salvageable remote actuator devices in the old wrecks that they could use.
Mirikami told them several of his highest priorities, and asked they be made ready today, or by tomorrow morning by eight AM Koban clock.
He walked to the concealed doors in the back of the cargo storage area, out of view from passersby, disguised by what looked to be padded packing materials and shelves of cleaning supplies on the front of the buried door. The whole lab area was under what appeared to be a large pile of nonfood supplies. He Linked to Aldry to tell her the self-named Koban Conspirators were coming in for a visit.
On command, Jake unlocked the door for them, and they entered the first lab, which looked neat and much like laboratories at any university. The other two labs were “clean” rooms, required special clothes and sterilization procedures to enter, so they were not going to pass through those airlocks today.
Tet gave Aldry a brief hug, formality having gone by the wayside between crew and passengers, even between men and women for the most part when on the ship.
“Here Aldry.” He passed her Thad’s vial. “This is one of the deadliest gifts I have ever given a Lady, so don’t dare touch it bare handed, and watch for the tip of that thorn.”
He explained where he got it and what its potential might be. She passed it to one of her assistants for analysis, and then they sat at a small work/conference table they had brought down from higher decks.
“Aldry, you have kept me posted on your work in general, but I admit that I don’t grasp the technical details. I’d like to know where we stand on fast genetic changes, what they are, and how long they take to manifest themselves. Tell me about those that might be effective for the recipient to boost their performance in, let’s say several days after introduction?”
“My goodness Tet, this is sudden. We have some trial viruses and targeted genes, but there have been no live tests at all. The viral agents and gene mods we are working on, that are ready for testing, were originally designed for….” She stopped a moment.
“Tet, I know I apologized for my clumsy report that day Telour was listening, but I have never forgiven myself for how bluntly I mentioned the modification of clone genes. You know I wasn’t aware you were from New Honshu then, but now I’m about to talk about that again, and the best records we have were from that work. We even have Tri-Vid of the results. Are you OK with this discussion?”
“Absolutely Aldry, I wasn’t shocked by your mentioning clone gene work. It was the existence of such records that I couldn’t believe. New Honshu was virtually turned upside down and inside out to find and destroy those records three hundred years ago. Tens of thousands of women were executed for knowing anything about the work, the men of course having already died of the Gene plague.”
Aldry, Maggi, and Dillon all looked extremely uncomfortable as he told them this.
“You must know of course,” he reminded them of the obvious, “that my parents were not even born at that time, and it was the people of New Honshu that committed the atrocities on my world, not outsiders. Your worlds experienced the same rage and Purges as mine. Although my planet carried the guilt of creating the soldier clones that were the target, everyone knows we didn’t invent the Gene War virus. We don’t know who did, and apparently no one does.”
“I’m not troubled by the existence of a past I had no part in creating, nor did any of you. As a species, we certainly learned that this particular past can’t be repeated. However, we also know that each of us benefit today from a hundred or more small gene modifications that give us longevity and keep us more youthful looking longer. The modifications eliminated so many diseases and defects, gave us better eyesight, hearing loss is rare, osteoporosis is gone, most cancers, dozens of diseases. The list is so lengthy and here I am, foolishly preaching to a choir. It may have become illegal to do the work, but we have been on a course to relearn the science because we needed to do so. Now more than ever, because of the terrible fate only we know that humanity faces.
“Your skills here may be all that will save our race in the long run, because we don’t have twenty five thousand years to catch up to th
e Krall. But enough my preaching!” He banged a hand on the table. “OK. I’m off my pedestal, or pulpit, or whatever it was called.”
“Soap box,” said Maggi.
“What?” was basically everyone’s implied look or question.
“The expression Tet was looking for was ‘I’m off my soap box’.” She answered.
Same looks. “Never mind, Dillon always says I watch too many old flat screen movies.”
“And we haven’t covered an inch of the ground I’m here to talk about. Tell me what you have Aldry. List them for me in simple layman’s language please, so I don’t have to beg for explanations of technical terms.”
She nodded her understanding and rose to her feet for her lecture.
“The nano technology section has been busy modifying the carrier virus stocks we brought with us, inserting the gene modifications we built around test gene samples taken from volunteers in the lab. The computers have followed the detailed instructions we have for the hundreds of mods from which we can choose. The most practical and most needed had highest priority, and those that are the fastest to take effect. I’ll name the areas in order of what is most ready.”
“Metabolism! The Pep and Oxy pills will be things of the past if two combined viruses we have prepared are injected. Assuming they work of course. Clones were often sent to worlds were there was higher or lower oxygen content, and the buyers wanted more work for the same credits out of their purchase.
“The results are permanent and will be significantly greater that what we get from the drugs. The pills only rev up the slower metabolism we were born with, the gene modification would alter our metabolism to work faster and more efficiently all the time. There would be no crashes when the drugs wear off or we build up a resistance to them.” She held up one finger.
Koban Page 45