“Yes, I also used to watch sailing ships. Never got close. Watched through the glass. The actual ships don’t come very close to shore where I was, harbor too shallow. If we can’t see, we can’t see, forget the ARK. Tell me about my training routine.”
“You just fly and fly until you know what the ships limitations are. It won’t allow you to fly into anything during practice. On a mission it will advise you that you’re asking for too much. If you persist it will save you, unless you have, and I have, pushed the destruct button at once, after giving the proper codes. The codes will be part of your final mission packet. The one you go out the door with. But for now, just fly. ‘Relinquishing control to left seat now.’ Push your green button. The bird is yours. I’m going to go fix a snack. Try to keep us right side up until after food.”
I knew enough about navigation to pick a heading so I picked 180 degrees, south. I figured if we kept on we’d come back here eventually. South was also over water. For sure it was water tight being made for outer space. I just practiced keeping above the swells without too many corrections. A screen ahead of me read ‘100--KM’ so I took that to mean our land speed since we were for sure not ‘100--KM’ up. After a while I was feeling sort of mesmerized, good feeling, only me and the ship and the water.
Then the smell of bacon and eggs and toast wafted to me, Nerre’ shortly behind. She nudged my chair and a table swung out which she put the food. She said, “Tell it, auto pilot, present course.”
I did, and took my hands out of the groves and she just went on. I realized how tense I’d been and consciously relaxed. Food was good. It was, in response to me saying that this was what all red blooded farmers had for breakfast. I’d asked her what she had for breakfast as a child but she only said, ‘later’.
Late afternoon came, and a message from Thelma—Gettysburg Mission a success---17,000 fit now, remainder going to training area---T---.
I didn’t know about any training area, and she knew that. Later I would ask Nerre’. But 17,000 recruits were a lot more than we had yesterday. Now to see how they adapted to the mission, and their new place out of time. If we'd only had a higher civilization springboard.
I called on the intercom to Nerre’ who was back tidying the cabin, “Please attend. I have some questions.”
She slipped into the seat beside me and I engaged auto pilot. “Have you been to the time directly before the return of NEBU?”
“I was copied on ‘T’s message, no, I haven’t, to answer, but I read ‘T’’s reports. It was quite an advanced civilization, damn shame. They had been changing over from carbon fuel to Atomic. Lots of flying machines, land vehicles, on sea ships, and such. Lots of starving people too, much political division, no ‘N’ space knowledge.”
“I just have the feeling we’re recruiting in the wrong century.” I mused.
“I suppose 1940 onward would be an easier mindset to lift up to what we need.”
“Then send a message to Thelma, say, 'If possible, collect everyone dead from all of the Western civilizations, from 1940 to end. Sign that XO.”
Nerre' voiced incredulity, “Could we handle that number?”
“Sure, Commander Turquill said ‘one is the same as one million when you’re on the thought level’. I have no reality on what he meant, but it sounded like he did. Oh, there’s a small island, ‘ship relinquish’.”
I circled around the island, usual beach, vegetation, and hill in the middle. ”What say you?”
“Sure. Set it down partly in the water and the ship can refuel. I like to keep off of Universe Drive when in an atmosphere. Others don’t, they’re lazy. No they’re actually not lazy. The Solar System/ Planetary Drive are less responsive, personal preference.”
“Don’t you tell me Universe Drive is next semester, too?"
“Thelma said that? It’s child’s play.”
“At that point I was less than a child. Maybe after dinner. If the data is not restricted.”
“Not on the Ark. There you have to pass an alignment exam.
“We'll do that after supper.”
The supper remnants went into the disposal and we took places across the mess table.
Nerre’ said, “I’m going to make this as brief as possible. If you want to pursue it further I’ll arrange for someone in Engineering to spend some time with you.”
“That’s fine. As I recall more of what we used on the Space Stations could become fruitful.”
“The Universe Drive is a fix on at least three Stellar reference points. Big suns are the easiest. The ship must be surrounded by two force fields. One must be Positive universe based, another Negative universe based. Those force fields oppose and the ship is nowhere, being effected by nothing. The rest is push and pull beams to and from the reference points. Simply put; the Solar System/Planetary Drive has you riding the different planetary and extra planetary matrixes. Think criss/cross 3 D lines. For this to work, the ship exerts, an anti grav field to the point of Null and you persuade the matrix to part in front of you and close behind you using harmonics. I like the SS/P because you can play with the fixed gravity sources; it lets you become more than a spectator.”
“Fine I’ll put that in my mind and see if I get indigestion. Can we go for a walk on the beach?”
“Sure, the ship says no local toxins. Let’s go.”
Chapter 15
THELMA
It was 0800, one day after the Essence pick-up run and no Rangers yet. I’d mulled over Rafe’s message. I had a reluctance to 'pull' out of a technical society, too many prima donnas knowing what I should do. But I could send the 'know it alls' out to the developing fighter fleet and let them see what they could organize. The fleet itself was going nowhere without my command codes. I decided.
COMMANDER TURQUILL
YES
RAFE SAYS 1940 TO DESTRUCTION DATE WOULD SUIT US BETTER
AGREED
PREPARE TO GO OUT, DEPARTURE 1000. FILTER THE RESULTS INTO ARKS II AND III AS TANK CAPACITY PERMITS, FLYERS FIRST. I’LL SEE TO MAXIMUM CAPABILITY BODY WISE. WE CAN DO DROP BACK BY SECTION, RESULT, MANY AVAILABLE BODIES. GIVE THE MESSAGE; THEY WILL BE FLYING NEW FIGHTERS. SIMULATORS ARE SET UP.
IF YOU’LL ADVISE ON THE SKILL SET, WE CAN DO AN OVERLAY.
I’LL SEND OVER MY BEST PILOT. YOU CAN COPY HIS TRAINING AND REFLEX PATTERN.
DONE. I’LL REPORT BACK 2200 AS TO RESULTS. OUT
If the other shoe was inevitably going to drop, it might as well be a huge Boot for a massive deviation.
I missed Rafe being close. He might come up with some new ideas, or not, but just him being close helped me remember I was part of a unit, mother, father, and child. Movement inside made me acutely aware that somebody else was there.
Oh well, get on with it, who next; Buster, who always made me feel good inside, though we’d never had sexual relations. I thought. The electronics did. Buster appeared on my whole wall screen in the act of putting down a wrench.
He said, “I forgot you always meant last week when you task. Well lucky you. Your design wasn’t all that bad according to those that know such things, just needed some force fields at critical junctions to take up the shock. The result will be tested today, re-twiddled today, and final product tomorrow.”
“That’s out standing, so soon! Are you sure? I don’t need to remind you your peoples lives are dependant on it.”
“No you don’t, and along those lines maybe we should break out the big guns.”
“Make your area secure.”
I waited while he did that.
Shortly he came back and said, “It’s secure.”
“Fine. I’m going to link us into a Secure Field. Nothing happened, but a shimmering behind him.
“Done. Now what are you saying about big guns?”
He said, “We dare not fail on this mission. I’ve read the background papers. Those more knowledgeable than me, have been asked. No, no, failure. So I say we take along a Disrupter Squad, and a Disintegrator Squad.”
“Oh, you can’t give me assurance?”
He paused for a minute to calculate and make sure I wasn’t questioning his loyalty or competence. Satisfied I hadn’t done that he responded.
“No. We don’t know enough about their tactics, and about nothing of their weapons. The only thing we have to go on is the Static Bomb. From that we know that they have good intelligence, good threat assessment, and good weapons choice, three for three. And if you and the Elders weren’t paranoid to the extreme we’d be history. I can’t see how we can do the job with projectile weapons.”
“Not even with burn lasers mounted below the barrels of the rifles?”
“No. If the perimeter fails to confine at any point, they will be out and in back of us, and from there on, all I can say is ‘Oh Shit’.”
I decided, “Do it. Pull out all the stops. Authentication “Thelma, 0937-Ship Date 6204-B-Thelma. Do you acknowledge?”
“Acknowledged.”
“Excuse me Buster, Derek is calling, that's most unusual.”
I picked up the red headset and said, “Yes Derek.”
“The Ranger is here, Maam.”
“Tell him I’ll return his call at 1030.”
“Yes, Maam.”
I put the headset away and said to Buster, “Sorry, even more dire consequences to face. As to the Mission. You are to go through with it Buster, unless I, in the presence of Rafe and Nerre’ come to your living room and tell you to desist. Do you understand?”
“Of course not, but I’ll do as you say. One other thing; I want to see personally, to the munitions load, and firing instructions of the low cover.”
“Whatever you say, Buster. We’ll finalize later. Good talking with you. Best to Jane.”
I disconnected the Secure Field with apprehension about what I had let out of the bag. But did I have a choice? Not really. I stood and moved around to relax. Ready I said, “Derek, play back the message from the Ranger on my screen.”
It started, ‘I’m Ranger Hortimer Frackmorten. I request to speak to Thelma Brentier at her convenience.’
I made it to my chair before my legs gave out. Derek, alarmed, rushed to my side, and asked, “What is it Ma'am?”
“A ghost.”
But he was standing there, in the Ranger black, shiny black, and the two big automatics hanging down, high boots, and a peaked cap, and wanting to talk to me. For real,---, Thelma Brentier had ‘died after our mission. No one had known me by that name other than him.
“It’s not to leave this room Derek, but the last time I saw this individual he was burning up in a suns corona in a dead ship, 102 years ago. Something is way beyond odd here. I think I’ll have one finger of bourbon, neat. Care to join me?”
“If you like Ma'am. Just a moment.
He brought the glasses, I took one, and toasted, “Here’s to the living, and the dead, may they not be the same person too often.”
“So right, Ma'am.”
We tossed the whiskey back. Neither of us shuddered. I returned the glass to the tray he held and said, “Not a word. Now round up my habitat people and their instructors. We have forty five minutes to plan something.”
Forty five minutes later I stood in my best dress uniform in front of the wall screen. We’d conferred, and decided to split our command structure. Ike and Jason were underway in their own ships to Arks II and III to take over command there. I’d sent a detail of one hundred Regimental folk in full battle dress with each of them. Doctor Larry, naturally with Tina, had gone with Jason. Marilyn had gone with Ike. Louise had elected to stay and develop her Intelligence Section. With Marilyn on ARK II that covered any possible gap in their Med Deck functions. Same were fully automatic and if I had someone there to confer with I was sure I could handle glitches. Now to Horty.
“Put the call through Derek.”
“Yes Ma'am.”
The wall screen flickered and there he was bigger than life standing in his stateroom.
I began, “I understand you called Ranger Frackmorten. How can I be of service to you?”
“I’ve came this long way to beg you for the favor of a private audience, Captain. Would you so honor me?”
My personal computer whirred and spat out ‘you’ve no choice’.
“Of course. Would 1400 be satisfactory?”
“That would be excellent.”
“I’ll put out a beacon.”
“Thank you.”
The wall went into it’s swirling color routine and I grabbed a chair and sat down. Then got up realigned the chair placing my back to the swirls. Then I sent.
"Derek: messages; to regiments, need fifty man honor guard with side arms, housekeeping, need conference table set up in hanger Mid-3, at least 10 by 20, and the best two chairs we have, some red carpeting too. He is in charge so far. And Derek, since all rangers carry atomic bombs, we’ll need absorbers for everybody including me, and place them every foot along the walls. See to it. That’s all for now.”
I busied myself with something until 1330 and then put my jacket back on and my side arm over it and made my way to Mid-3, which was located mid ship about half way up the side. When I walked in the honor guard was there and at parade rest. The table was laid out like I would have done it myself, circular red carpet, about 50 feet in diameter, table with a chair at either end. I took my place on the carpet at the middle of the table.
He was punctual. The docking tone was heard before he came into sight flying a two person runabout with open windows. It gently wafted down onto the hanger deck, not lost his touch, he hadn’t. He climbed down the three steps and was met by a Reg who handed an absorber to him which he clipped onto his belt. Straight away, he started toward me as the Reg’s came to attention. He stopped five feet away, saluted and I returned his salute and motioned him left to his chair. We seated ourselves and the Reg Sergeant called about face and marched the guard thirty more feet away from the table, stopped them, turned them and had them resume parade rest.
I began, “First off, I want you to understand that If I had been able to disconnect the safeties and get closer to that sun, I’m sure I could have pulled you clear.”
“No, you couldn’t have. I had better measurements further in. Too much gravity. We both would have died. Then we both would have been Rangers and you would have long since forgotten this back water that was home to you. As I’ve forgotten mine.”
“I don’t understand---“pointing to his uniform.
“I’ll make it simple. The first prerequisite for being a Ranger is that you die. No die, no Ranger. Understand?”
“I understand now. But what are the odds, you Ranger, me Thelma and here.’
“No coincidence. I’ve been assigned to you ever since Irkilon IV. You didn’t think your activities there went unnoticed, did you?”
“I did, but apparently not. Why didn’t I get visited sooner?”
“There was discussion back at HQ but the final thought was ‘what is worse than IrkilonIV for a person? No one could think of anything worse, so we let you continue.”
“Perhaps that was kind. But it is not kind for you to visit me here, when so, so, much more is at stake.”
“I know about the stakes. I also know how hard it was to find you here. My ship is the only ship capable of time slipping and our technology is so primitive it wasn’t an even chance.”
“So why did you risk it?”
“Naturally for one I would have made it back to HQ eventually, but mostly I wanted to bring you a message.”
Here it comes, “What message?”
“We, the Rangers are not your enemy. We don’t care what happens to the IL ANNU KI as long as it is unpleasant and soon.”
“But I thought---“
“You thought we stood for natural order. We do! But the ANNU aren’t natural to us. They have subjugated many civilizations, some of their own creation, some not. We want to be rid of them. How can I help?”
DOES ANYONE READ ANY DECEPTION IN HIM
SHIP SCAN
NOTHING IT GOT HERE ON WILL POWER MOSTLY, VERY FIRST GENERATION
“Are you aware of our activities here?” I asked.
“Yes, I think so. Remember I taught you kenning. We have very good scanning arrays. Good idea to scatter your command staff. But then you’re not the person I knew, you’re so much more and I in no way attempt to flatter.”
“Thank you. I’m sure you’re more comfortable aboard your ship than anywhere else so I’ll have you docked. I’ll assign you an aide for your time here. If you’ll accept my invitation to dinner I would like you to meet some special people.”
“I’m at your command. What about the absorber?”
“Wear it. You might sneeze.”
“Until 1900 hours then.”
We both stood, I turned and left the bay.
DEREK, FIND HIM AN AIDE, SOMEONE HE CAN SWOON OVER.
ACKNOWLEDGED.
Chapter 16
Thelma
Back in my quarters I ‘looked’ into the kitchen of our house in the Habitat and sure enough Paul had left a pile of notes. I had already sent out a ship and ‘collected’ Stan Worth along with his wife and Poseidon Montana. Also five miles around it, including enough train track to reach the outskirts of Central City. I’d set it all down thirty miles from the north most house. I’d decided for simplicity’s sake to make North the prow and South the stern. Made sense to me. I copied the notes on my desk in the Habitat to the desk in front of me. He had done a thorough job. The population all together, according to his report had grown to almost ten thousand total. According to him another three hundred and forty one were underway. I concentrated on their names one by one and the computer flashed their location and programmed the information into a pickup ship. They were sure going to be surprised to wake up tomorrow in the Habitat. Since we weren’t going to make any further additions from our referral program I tasked the computer to do an exact count by location 1200 hours tomorrow of our total population.
Greener Green I: Where Does the Circle Begin Page 11