Greener Green III: Let Light Reign

by Peter Sowatskey

  Erlo laughed, "That would be a long time if it were me, first bath in a lifetime."

  I made a face, "Oh, don't say that Erlo. I'm sure they have hot springs."

  He threw up his hands. The three of them went to look at the wares in the store taking their drinks along. I started wondering whether Sasparilla would poison me. If I were so delicate I shouldn't be out of a clean room. I started making inventory of the different brands of drinks. Some came from planets I never heard named. Maybe I hadn't been everywhere.

  I caught a whiff of after shave and turned around. Bright and shinny, stubble gone from face, Litten, the new Litten, stood before me.

  "Oh me, if I weren't married I'd swoon."

  "The charming ones will lead. So say the teachers. Now I have proof."

  "On a serious note, Litten, How many people are on the planet?"

  "Under a million. We die early. Children die very young. There's no medicine anymore except herbs."

  "Back behind us, on the square, is a clinic. Ambulances will be here later today. You'll see in the southern night sky, red, green, and blue lights. That's an orbital Hospital, among other things."

  "You have the Fort codes. No one could find them. When we used to talk to other planets no one there had them either. The equipment for that wore out---, I don't have a reference for how long ago."

  "Yes we have the codes. Has the madness burnt itself out?"

  "Teachers say the genetic aberrations have diminished sufficiently to be of no consequence. Supposedly aberrations don't breed true. Nobody on the planet knows enough to discuss the subject anymore. Too many other things, like staying alive to think about."

  "Not unusual. Are most of the folk like you? Do they know as much as you?"

  "I'd say I'm average. I'm thinking of food. I caught some large fish coming downstream. I'll go get them and meet you in the kitchen."

  He hurried out, springiness in his step. Well, let's look at this kitchen. I waved to the fellows on my way through the store and pointed at the restaurant. They waved back. They were looking at the contents of the gun case. I would have to get them all laid. In the kitchen beyond the eternal counter were no surprises, generic commercial kitchen, electric, solar charger, or Cold Fusion Generator. I turned taps, hot and cold water, drinking water well sunk already. Fully stocked fridges and a cooler which I'm sure had a preset; to refill to established inventory levels every twenty four hours. Make a hell of a profit when you can never use up your freezer's contents. More power to us, or rather Litten.

  Speaking of--- he came in with large fish fillets in a metal pan. I turned a burner on and got the largest skillet I saw from the overhead rack. Oil went into that, then I stepped back to allow him to add what he wanted from a pouch over his shoulder. Damn, why did it smell so good? I turned my back and emptied a canteen full of juice. What a price I paid. The fellows showed up and arranged four plates on the counter, with packets of rations bread alongside them. Enough is enough. I left the room. Somebody would explain my dilemma.

  Going out I walked around the complex and then down to the river. The Wagons were sitting on the left fork's bank, good soldiers in a row. The back-up containers rested level about ten meters from the abrupt raise. They would make good cabins by and by. Maybe this would be the spot for the community bath house. I knew my bunch. It would probably appear overnight. Bless them. I gathered kindling wood for the fireplaces. Maybe they would take a hint and show Litten how the new force axes worked. The anti-grav sleds should be stored somewhere. They would be especially useful for gathering firewood.

  Back in the restaurant I dropped my kindling wood by the restaurant fireplace. They'd found something for dessert in the fridge. Now we came to the burping sequence. Damn I had a bad mood going. I retreated to the store and nosed around. A lot of thought had gone into the stocking; (Thank you, everybody.)

  A plan began to form in my mind. It would require a lot of four seated anti-grav runabouts, might as well have them with canvas tops/ sides, and all weather insulated tops/sides for bad weather. Cold fusion motors would do away with the maintenance problems, make them amphibious. I recalled the planet had many large lakes, rather than oceans, the more the better. It came together.

  Back into the restaurant I went. A fire flickered in the stone fireplace. Five chairs were arrayed in front of it. The middle one awaited me. Managed, bless them. I sat and said, "I've came up with a tentative plan. This is it. It's based on the distance a runabout can go in two days. We set down installations such as this one to enable everybody on the planet to reach one in two days. We give them communicators to call ambulances in emergencies. Once the Trading Posts are down we'll call everyone to them for issuance of said runabout and communicator, and a Med check up. Then we'll involve them in a mapping effort to discover farm land and remote building sites where farming isn't possible. We'll market the planet, eventually, if the people agree, as a destination vacation spot and run our charters from where ever. Comments?"

  Erlo, Jim, and Hank, all said, "Done." at once.

  Litten said, "Seems like a big party. Never forget, anything is up for us. We can't ever bottom out lower than we are now."

  "DO, are you monitoring?"

  "Naturally. We're on it already. Preliminary estimate is a week. Jesse and Jane want to survey the teaching site."

  "Fine. Tell them go ahead. Have a conference. Work out a plan to separate the fleet. There's some good fishing here, Litten says. We're going to have him show us how it's done. Check back with you in a week. Send a message to ARK I. Suggest if the tsunami caused by Hawaii sinking hasn't been otherwise handled; relocate the effected populations here to Hendes I. Thelma out."

  We made to leave the table when Erlo said; "I'm getting a request through Ranger comm channels. The Lundgrun brothers say they have experience with cold planets like Hendes II. They suggest they be allowed to go out system and see to it, so we can move on when the week is up."

  "Good thinking. Tell them to do tests of the north and South Pole ice fields. If they're not contaminated we could make the planet; 'the place', to stop for fresh water."

  "It's done. I hadn't thought of ice as a product, good revenues." Erlo said as he pulled out his calculator.

  Operational Area - Vicinity of First Federation Research Complex

  by Polaris

  Chapter Twelve

  Admiral Tildore Secallo

  I asked the Control Room to give me a rear view of the formation we were pulling away from. There in the middle of nowhere we had fifteen Weapon Balls, a Ranger Ship of the Line, and an A-I Ship of the Line, both slightly larger than an Ark, with their support and protection craft. The other three Carriers were riding shotgun on my Carrier. No one could look at that amount of firepower and dismiss us. Not even a Research Station of the First Federation which had survived millions of years. Reports had them friendly. I intended to keep them that way. Conversations had been by radio, with no invitations to board the station.

  I offered, "It is surely impressive." to the group who sat around my little circle of easy chairs, in the Captains office.

  Ranger Admiral Henry Holloway agreed, "Nothing like it has been assembled for a long time. Don't you agree, Wanda?"

  Flag Ship Captain Wanda Fletcher just nodded. Maybe she had the right idea. You can't be called to eat words you never spoke.

  The A-I pair, Larry and Loretta who commanded their contingent, nodded also. Loretta observed, "My scans do not see enough space in the station for hydroponic gardens of any size. I overcame that failing by non workers sleeping. Maybe they do too."

  Nerre knocked and said, "They have elected to come to our ship for discussions, a need to preserve their germ free environment. They will be alongside in five minutes. If we open one airlock they will match force fields and enter."

  I ordered, "Put a Med team in the second airlock. Test their suit air before letting them in."

  Admiral Holloway cleared his throat, "That will take a while. Let's get b
ack to how we're going to handle the planets that are at war. My suggestion would be to land teams to negotiate."

  Loretta held up her hand, "I have long memory and have read much. Conclusion, if they could talk to each other, they wouldn't be shooting at each other.

  Everybody assembled had to begrudgingly grunt agreement.

  I ventured, "They know what their Orbital Forts can do. If we manned them, and demonstrated our control, we wouldn't have to prove how bad we are. Then we order a cease fire. After that Ranger teams can be sent down to negotiate."

  Larry added, "I have no doubt we can make the Forts respond."

  I emphasized, "No fighter craft of theirs will stand up to the saucer fighters. Each Ranger team could have them at their disposal for the 'stick'."

  "We seem to be doing what each does best." Admiral Holloway agreed. "What do you say, Wanda?"

  "If you're behind the idea I'll get it going."

  "Yes, do that."

  "If I can be excused, and directed to a Comm point?"

  "See Nerre, and she'll get what you want." I said. She left and we held our own consul until the call came.

  "Med Tech Lauren, they harbor nothing dangerous. We have nothing dangerous to them. Unrestricted access granted. Shall I escort them to you, or will you be coming up to the Rec deck?"

  I glanced around the room, not confining, but upon reflection I thought, let's go the half distance. "Rec deck, set up a table."

  "Doing it."

  Stepping out of the lift tube I saw our visitors had arms and legs. That helps--common bond and such. Coming closer to where they stood by the table I realized they were slightly shorter than me, but heavier. I also realized from their emanations that they weren't flesh and bones, but some liquid metal, over a frame. Oh well, takes all sorts to fill out the pot.

  I smiled and offered my hand. Their faces didn't have expressions, but the closest of the pair shook hands with me, and then its partner, very polite pressure, very capable of crushing my hand to a pulp. We shook hands all around and took seats at the table, Wanda arriving at the last moment with Marvin.

  It spoke in Phaeton. "Your records were entered in our data bank. They seem to be self supporting, so the conclusion is, you did not leave anything out on purpose. We Workers share the same mindset, so I'll speak. The complex has made much advancement over time and we want to share. There is turmoil in the thinker's tank over leaving it and once again having bodies. The fear is that the collective efforts will be hampered. Can you speak to that?"

  We looked at each other, at a loss to say anything definitive. Eyes eventually centered upon Marvin.

  He said, "Your reality doesn't include me, does it?"

  The worker evidently conferred with someone as it hesitated, "No, it doesn't, but your state has been postulated, never achieved by us, but thought about."

  "In your thinking I'm sure you've considered that I could not lie. What would be the point? So, I'll not lie to you and tell you that your thinkers can still bond, as I do with those of my Kind, and have bodies. Whatever kinds of bodies you want."

  "The ones once had, in what you call the Phaeton time would suffice. And some room on a planet where war did not happen. We workers will remain here to take care of the complex."

  I held my hands up in the Phaeton offering/agreement gesture. One by one everyone at the table followed suit.

  Putting my hands on the table I said, "It's settled. Do you have a list of your requirements?"

  He handed a memory crystal across the table. Evidently we had the necessary reader somewhere. An orderly handed me a note.

  I read it, "ARK V will be here in twelve hours."

  I organized my thoughts to tell them what that meant, but he said, "We realize the importance of your note. May we have a corner of this deck to subsist in? We will be with you for the duration of your time in First Federation space, or what that used to be. Just as a recording to write our history. We are very exact recorders."

  I agreed, "Whatever you want. Maybe you have an Ensign not otherwise occupied, Marvin?"

  "I'll arrange it. Meanwhile maybe our guests would care to look at this ship?"

  They stood, along with Marvin, and left.

  We sat in silence, each wondering what kind of a game we'd bought into.

  Lunch, the next thing on the schedule, had everyone's approval. What were we going to do when the Phaeton supplies ran out? Consensus, go get some more.

  After an absence of two hours Marvin returned with the workers. They regained their places at the table.

  Marvin began, "We've compared technology to an extent. This vessel they recognize as a design of theirs. Newer models are in their hangers to inspect as we wish. Workers are built to function in deep space with no suits. Active Workers vary according to the workload. The most they've had functioning at one time is 15,479. The Research Station doesn't have propulsion, but it has rigidity for movement possibility. It doesn't rotate now as no gravity is presently needed. Internal power is a new, miniature Hydrogen Fusion reactor."

  Interrupting him, I asked, "Would Hendes I be satisfactory for their planetary site?"

  A Worker responded, "Yes."

  "Then it's settled. I'm sure that the station must have defenses, but to leave it here to be plundered is no gain."

  Marvin interjected, "They have an 'extra light' out of present time missile which has worked up to now."

  A Worker spoke, "The idea of having the station near Hendes I is agreed upon."

  "Well then, the question seems to be if two line ships have enough beam power to move it. Perhaps you, Admiral Holloway and Larry could each take a Worker to your ships and ascertain that, clamp on points, etc."

  Loretta said, "Agreed."

  Admiral Holloway listened to someone, and said to me, "I've asked your Power Engineer to meet us at the airlock, in case we need an extra push. Let's get this done now."

  Everyone rose. I said to the Workers, "You can leave your runabout tied up here. They'll bring you back when everything's decided."

  They waved their agreement on the way to the airlocks with their escorts. Score one more for being behind the curve, Tildore, I thought. Marvin didn't even have a ghost of a smile. I made to leave the area, but he motioned me back to my seat.

  "We, the Workers and I exchanged data files. As they mentioned they have a newer version of the Carrier. One is now being activated and sent our way for evaluation. More important than that, is a miniature two person version they use as their main defense vehicle. It could be fitted with life support, and used by us for clandestine purposes; perhaps even getting real, present time, intelligence from the ANNU KI main base. One is now en-route to the closest Ball. Perhaps Lillian could look at it and see how it could be made better for that purpose."

  "Yes, I approve. Please make the calls." I felt for a moment the command prerogative. Oh, so fleeting, that.

  I stood, "I'm going to the Captain's office now. At least his mystery is solved. But that opens the question whether Phaeton is at the head of a list of outposts, or the only outreach from here?"

  Marvin stood also, "No data about that exists, in the Workers data base, that's not unusual. They would have only the facts needed to do their jobs. I'll make that point the first one I cover in my body Post Medical checkups of the inhabitants. It's also a possibility they sent out one way Missions, and wiped reference to them from their data base. That's not an unusual tactic in response to what they went through."

  I said, "Find out what you can." We walked to the down Tube, and jumped in. He liked to use a fighter in his intra fleet excursions. I didn't ask why. I swung off at the Bridge and he continued downward. I waved at Nerre and we arrived at the Captain's office together.

  She asked, "Anything new?"

  "You've been listening to the traffic. Only other thing is that the dead Captain came from here. Marvin will ask about any other outposts. We have only to wait for ARK V. I suppose you have our support role covered?"

&n
bsp; "Yes. All four of the warring planets have Nukes. I've instructed the Balls to go full out on fashioning more Dampeners. Just to be safe."

  "Wise. Shut the door. You and I are going to see what they knew about the ANNU KI main base."

  I inserted the crystal in our reader. Three hours later the conclusion had to be faced. Beyond conjecture, based upon back tracking the ships, which had sowed bio weapons that wiped them out, not much came out of the data bank. Various Scouting missions had been dispatched. Most came back with no results. Three missions had gone out on a particular vector and not came back. Suspicion pointed to there, so there we would go, carefully and quietly, in threes, cloaked; with many messages being sent back every tenth light year.

  I smiled, "We are going to form a Scouts Battalion. I know how to do that. Start a recorder. Participants eyes only clearance. I'm the colonel and you're the XO. Oh, hell, you already have it done. Put it on paper and let me look at it. I'm going to rest a bit. I foresee not much of that being available soon."

  Four hours later I arose from the couch in the corner, cycled through the refresher, changed my uniform from the skin out, and looked for a galaxy to conquer. I started with the Troop Organizational and Equipment write up that Nerre left on my desk. She envisioned one Passenger Ball (new type) near a remote backward agricultural planet out on the Rim. Four companies with twenty courier types, or the miniature Carriers apiece, and twenty for HQ errands. Also an underground, on planet complex, which did the actual intelligence evaluation, in case the Ball succumbed under attack. Should look like any planetary village for further protection. Maybe our Workers would like to man one company, us volunteers one, a Ranger Company, and an AI company, with a mixed HQ company. Maybe I would be allowed to resign my commission and lead it? Fat chance, but then, wouldn't Intelligence, Universal Intelligence call for a Flag rank? Could I give up my Carrier, and my Weapons Ball? Who would replace me? Lillian. Maybe I could get a fifth Company from her people? What the hell; get the Brenesi and the Regs involved? Seven companies in Intelligence had been done. Maybe I had something here, beyond trying to escape boredom?