Her gone, I considered, did she play the braggart, or not. Perhaps I should rest some. I shut the shutters making the room dead black, and fell onto the bed.
Later, some sense aroused me. I jumped out of bed and took a step toward the windows.
Talons closed around my neck and bit into it. I stopped.
A female voice behind me said, "Sensible. Do not alter your physical shape, or mental energy. We have a show you want to see. You'll be seeing it tomorrow morning in person. Do not move."
The room filled with a scene of the Inns entrance. I exited the Inn and struggled down the steps in hand and leg irons chained together. Jolene and Segdra similarly bound came behind me. There were men with weapons keeping everyone at bay. No sound came to me but my dragging feet. We were shoved into a provisions wagon and the door shut behind us, total darkness.
"This is day after tomorrow."
The scene shifted to a cliffs edge. Below, a river battered its rocks nosily. The provisions wagon approached, and then three of them. Big men drug a bloody body out of the first one. Mine. At the cliff edge they stood me, and then they pushed me over. Jolene and Segdra followed, not able to stand. Then the occupants of the other two wagons, one by one, twenty seven in all.
I almost slumped. The talons dug in further.
I found a voice and asked, "Who are you?"
"We're your extraction team, if you'll let us be."
"What went wrong?"
"Someone, at a cocktail party bragged about a certain ore, and how it might come on the market in much greater quantities. Somebody derived a conclusion. Cover story; you got caught up in a kidnapping of Jolene for ransom. So sorry, the dispatch read. No remains to return."
"I have to take all of my belongings along."
"We know. I'm going to release you now."
A light went on by the bed. I turned in time to see the talons change into hands. I looked directly into eyes so deep I got lost. A spray on my neck, to stop bleeding, my mind offered, brought me back to the bed room.
"I suppose the others were Segdra's people. I don't know them."
"We do. But we'll clear that with her. They'll be collected today, regardless. There's no time to explain things. Get by your trunk. We're leaving."
"Jolene, Segdra?"
"Also. You can close your eyes if necessary."
I sent the command to the eyes, but before they could obey, I looked around at a control room of a craft. One glance at the controls told me it was an interstellar craft. My rescuers had come a long way.
A new voice said, "Longer than you'll give credence to, at first. Try to keep Jolene and Segdra calm, or I'll have to."
Before I could think, 'How' they appeared in the corner of the room.
I forcefully shouted, "Segdra, extraction team."
That did it for her. I rushed to Jolene's side. "If you can't handle the panic we have something." The rescuer said.
She had that animal in a fire fear in her eyes and couldn’t speak though she tried. Two large hands put circular patches on each side of her neck and the fear faded.
"Segdra, go along the hallway, bedrooms, Jolene, help her. She'll be totally out in two minutes," a commanding voice said.
They disappeared through the indicated door.
I brought my attention back to her. "I'm Mary. My partner is Lil. You should take this moment to call your HQ and fill them in. Sit here. Tell them you have an alternate plan, and not to attempt reinsertion. Your main switchboard will come on line---now."
A mechanical voice said, "Line open."
I gave the numerical code which identified myself and described the situation, and as Mary had suggested; no reinsertion.
I finished and the voice at my HQ said, "Line closed."
Segdra came back. Mary asked, "Did you prop her up?"
"Yes."
"Good. Come sit here in the Nav seat behind Janus. The other one is weapons, if you're curious. Tilt back. On the screen I'm going to play what we recorded from tomorrow and the next day. Pay close attention to the faces."
Putting a hand on my shoulder from behind she suggested, "Why don't you put your 'Wish Box' in a bedroom, and make sure it is set on standby."
I rose and gathered the box to me, cast an astounded look at her, and went through to the corridor. Bedrooms left and right, I claimed the first on the left. Jolene had the one on the right. Back in the control room Segdra rose from her couch.
"I don't know eleven of those people. The rest are mine. But I still have thirteen agents out there somewhere."
Mary remarked, "Not unusual for a blanket round-up. They'll go second and third tier suspects later. You must get all of your people out, and their families, however many times removed. Stand in the corner, over there; you'll arrive at Lil's ship. She's up to date. You two get it done. I'm going to go orbital and hover above the planetary Capital. It may become necessary to take it out."
Segdra's jaw dropped, but she did as told. I threw her a salute. About all I felt able to do.
Segdra disappeared. Mary seated herself in the left seat and did nothing, but movement ensued. 'Telepathic control of interfaces, what in the Holy Nostrum had come to rescue me?' "How did you know?"
"We watch all space and time. Yours is a bright light. It went out. We came to see why. We couldn't allow that reality to stand. So we intervened."
"We'll all still die, or not?"
"Yes, you all died. I picked up your essences. You and the others are in a virtual world based on the orphanage slash martial arts school where I developed. I'm there. You will be coached through recovery, and reoriented. Later, you can visit. I'll go along. This is old hat for us, not to worry. We're here in orbit. We'll just hold position in case Lil comes into any danger."
"You'd bomb the Capital?"
"I'd destroy the planet, if necessary, before I'd let Lil come to a bad end."
"You're lovers."
"Sometimes. But that's not the point. We're engaged in a war to save the universe. In that war, Lil's worth is more than a planet."
"I lack data."
"Tilt back. You'll be in a teacher. You can fast forward, or go back. You can pose questions. It's our '101 everything. You get too involved I'll hook up a saline drip. Bon voyage."
I tilted back. The 'teacher' surrounded me. It started with the most recent 'Big Bang' and came forward. I felt timeless and had no inclination to hurry it. Gradually I lost bodily sensation, just it, and my mind existed. I learned that my Magician's Track had been the avenue through which thought had been spread over the Universe. Didn't know that. I quit keeping score when the 'didn't knows' added up to me being in kinder garden, before this immediate moment.
Suddenly Mary's face took up the whole expanse. "Finish later. Collect and interiorize, please."
I did. The teacher went away. I became aware of my body. I'd marked the bathroom's placement before. I rose slowly and made it my first priority. Back at my seat I asked, "How long?"
"Nineteen plus hours. Did you see enough to get a reality on my comment about Lil?"
"Yes. Has it become necessary?"
"No we're both free, and in deep space. Segdra is with Jolene. She's not taking this well, especially when she learned her husband headed local Intelligence. Some others haven't transisted easily. Not unusual. We have methods."
"And now?"
"We're underway to meet a sub leader. Several galaxies away from yours. You'll like her."
"Did she order you to rescue me?"
"No. Lil and I are free agents. We came on our own."
"Thanks. I'll not forget that."
"You may change your mind later, about that thanks."
"No. I never will, no matter what."
She reached over and quickly squeezed my left arm, giving me a sideways glance.
We were two blinking dots on the screen in front of us, in a void between galaxies. Off to my right an 'X' blinked, only one more galaxy to cross over. Suddenly I felt hunger. But I didn't
want to leave Mary's presence.
"Can you understand if I ask you to show me the kitchen?"
"I can understand. Follow me."
Operational Area Vicinity of Polaris
Chapter Eleven
Volunteer Thelma
Erlo sat with me in the Battleship Mess. He ate. I drank. I kept telling myself I didn't envy people who could eat. I lied. The Orbital Fortress codes had worked. We'd dropped off the Hospital Balls at the peaceful agriculture planets. Hordes of Rangers had arrived to man them up to full crew and occupy the Forts. I'd asked Erlo, how deep had we drawn from his available man-power pool. He just looked at me as if I'd gone batty. Evidently, I'd not asked for enough help, wouldn't make that mistake again. Jim and Hank didn't smile, outwardly.
We'd stopped short of Hendes One to evaluate what we'd learned. No amount of scanning, in a hundred years back and forth, turned up any ANNU KI. The result of the latest opinion poll was--why should they interfere with us while opening up planets, which they could later plunder. Why indeed? Each planet we'd came to had ten thousand Battle Wagons in orbit around it, just waiting for us, plus fifty tugs at each planet. We'd put another two thousand around each Hospital Ball to be fitted as ambulances. All appeared to be going well. A decision had to be reached as to whether we would go on one planet at a time, or split the Task Force and do the contacts in one timed thrust.
"I'm not seeing any reason why we shouldn't split our forces." Erlo offered.
Hank and Jim held their peace.
I countered, "It's been too easy. Too many things have gone right.'
"It's the flow." Erlo philosophized. "If you have a good plan, things always go right."
"Tell you what. We, the four of us, Take down our trading post slash Med Clinic, place it, and see what response we get. Our new Force Ax should be well received, not to mention the force knife. I don't think they'll trust the rations, but clothing, and boots shouldn't raise suspicions. The four season tents with heaters I'd have given an appendage for at times."
The three of them pushed their trays away. Hank said, "If the boss wants to have a look-see, who are we to stand in her way, half an hour good for you?"
I managed, "Splendid."
They left. When ones helpers get ahead of you, what can you do but grit your teeth. Being managed never went well with me. It took away a chance to make a mistake, and learn. Laughter bubbled up in me and I begrudgingly admitted to myself that pleasant experiences had their learning quotient also. I could try out the skiff, never used one before. Could we get it out without ejecting the Battleship? 'NO', a voice said in my head.
I ordered, "Eject Battleship in ten minutes. Inform Hank, Jim, and Erlo, if they want to go along, get back here."
They got back. "Training drill, ejection is imminent. We're going to go down in my skiff."
"Ever fly one?" Erlo asked.
"Never."
"Me either. Let's go see what we have to work with. Coming boys?"
Hank and Jim just bowed toward the door. I finished snapping my combat vest together and marched out between them. Off to the skiff we went.
It turned out to be a frigate, but smaller by one third, fewer cabins. I sat left seat Erlo right, Jim Nav, and Hank weapons. We ran through our checklists in two minutes. Conclusion, all go. The Battleship ejected from the ARK and stood off at twenty Kilometers. We then ejected from it. The forward screen showed a quadrangle of containers and ten Battle Wagons separating from the massed holding area. We were planet bound for a point that would be spring in the northern hemisphere.
"DO here, you're coded through the orbital forts, happy hunting."
"Thank you."
I ran the Skiffs 'onboard equipment' through my mind. We had four sets of the requisite rifles aboard. Why not? In an emergency somebody would eat game, even if I couldn't.
Our grouping slowly wafted planet ward, force fields sheltering us from the atmosphere, which had been tested safe. I looked for a river fork with high ground between it. Yes, motorized river craft resided in the storage containers which made up the quadrangle of our fort/trading post.
"Over there, upper right on screen." Jim announced from Nav. "Thirty degrees north. South of that snowcapped mountain range. What do you think?"
"Perfect." I agreed. The rivers can be dammed for a water supply all year long if the rock is too dense to sink a well. Are you copying, Tugboat."
"Roger. Any particular placement?"
"The main doors parallel to the major river."
"Copy that. Correct the desired placement, anytime before ground zero burn."
We hovered at two hundred meters and watched him place our building. Well, building might be stretching it a bit. It accurately consisted of three layers high of freight containers over laid in a square. But one had double wide doors and a saloon and a long counter where goods could be laid. Just like I'd read about in the dime novels of my youth. Who said you can't go home to the mountains. My crew didn't consider me crazy, eccentric maybe.
The disintegrators under the bottom layer started to function, evidenced by the way the complex settled evenly on sloped ground. Satisfied, the tugboat operator called, "That's that. I'm going up for another collection of back-up stores containers. Back against the cliff face good with you?"
"Placed perfectly. Thank you. Anywhere along the cliffs in a line is good."
"Roger. See you in a bit."
He disappeared into the sky. The remote controllers of the Battle Wagons sat them down along the left fork of the river. Good backyard place.
I asked, "Down on that sandy stretch good for everybody?"
Nobody said anything so I swooped down like a hawk, and came to rest.
"Let's go open the doors, and thank goodness for insect force screens." We'll do business on that product advantage alone."
We were about twenty meters up the slight slope when Hank said, "Here comes our first customer." Pointing up stream where a canoe had abruptly angled toward the shore.
The four of us walked back to the rivers edge, and then into the water to stabilize the double hulled metal canoe, while an old round person alighted. He had on furs, and smelled like them. He helped us lift his canoe completely up onto the grass. In Phaeton he commented, "Knew you people would get here someday. About gave up hope that it would be in my generation though. A trading post, you should have a name for it."
"You name it. It's yours. What will the name be?"
"How about the, Finally, Trading Post?"
I laughed, "Rub it in. I'll have a sign made. Inside to the left is a saloon. To the right is a restaurant. Let's go see what we have." I said, offering him my arm.
"Hate to leave my piece. Fellows, grab the rifle, won't you? I'll keep the lady from falling."
The two of us set off up the slope. Behind us I saw Erlo pick a long barreled electrical rifle from the canoe. Hank latched onto a belt. Jim picked up a bulky pack. At the ten foot high door I put my palm on the vis-plate and the wide powered doors opened outward. On the inside of one of the doors I had him place his palm and changed the access over to him. He took it all in stride. Damn broadminded of him.
Inside he looked left, and then right. Then he walked straight ahead to the broad counter which stretched forty feet across the back wall, put his hand on it, and said, "I'll die here."
"You have to get my permission to die." I said. "Let's go look at the saloon. I used to spend a lot of time in one."
We walked to the left, through bat-wing doors to an old west saloon. Damn, did they have Sasparilla? He walked up to the long bar like he'd been doing it all his life. I walked behind the bar and opened the cold chest, Sasparilla. Damn. I sat one on the bar and asked, "Name your poison."
"Something for aches."
"Rum cures all aches. Caribbean Cutter. Whoa me. Drink it slow."
I put two bottles from the back bar next to him, and three glasses. "Maybe you can pour for my friends. I leaned against the back bar, popped my bottle and drank d
irectly from it. Gave men ideas, got a lot of tips that way, from good natured fellows. Rafe handled the rest. Some men can't take a joke.
He poured four glasses and when they were claimed he said, "Here's to new friends. Bottoms up."
I started, "Tell me---. You didn't name yourself."
"Litten."
"Litten, how come you aren't surprised a little bit?"
"We go to school, all of us, up in the mountains, when we're young. School says, expect them any day. The day came. What's to be surprised about?"
Jim asked, "Could you show us this school on this map?"
"Can't see to read anymore. It's on thirty seven North under the highest peak. Can you fix on that?"
"Yes I can. Thanks. Maybe some teachers would like to come to your Trading Post?"
"Machines don't move about easy. Could be some folk there. Maybe we'll go see tomorrow. I see that you brought lifters."
"Yes. They're yours too. Help you get around. Your schooling cover them?"
"Generally. Don't recognize that type."
"Special development. Maybe you can look at them and tell us how they should be, to best accommodate what's required on your world."
"We'll do that. I saw what looked like clothes on the shelves. This layout has a bathhouse?"
"Private bathrooms in all rooms. The owner has a suite above the main room; up the circular staircase, in the corner."
"Before anything else, I'm going there. I know I smell. We all smell. Maybe a bathhouse for those passing through would be nice. Be back in a moment."
We heard him rummage around in the store a bit and then his footsteps sounded going up the circular metal stairs.
I didn't know where to start first.
Erlo poured three glasses full. Sipping he observed, "I think you have your answer, Thelma. These people aren't rabid savages."
"More aplomb I haven't ever seen." Hank admitted.
Jim concurred, "He's got me beat. A Wagon is down at the school already. It scared the kids. They ran and hid. I don't think for long. Planetary scans have counted less than a million people."
I commented, "We'll see if he has any planetary knowledge when he comes back."
Greener Green III: Let Light Reign Page 9