"No need for weapons for me here or anywhere. I come close and break anyone's bones. He made me like this."
"Can you speak of that time?"
"Sure."
She did, in much detail. This fellow defined mad scientist in spades. Was the entire enemy like this? She didn't think so because he'd spoken of how hard he'd worked and how many tests he'd passed to get the assignment. Then she asked questions and listened quietly. About midnight I said I needed rest. She came along to my room, turned the covers down on the bed, fell into it coat on, covered herself, and slept before I got my boots off. Oh well, she said she couldn't eat me.
I awoke refreshed, checked my internal clock, and found I had slept five hours, instead of my usual four. Melin still lay beside me with her coat on, oh well, figure it out later. Getting out of bed I tucked the blanket around her. She didn't stir. Standing under the shower turned it on, seven feet above my head. Warm water trickled over me, a good plus, that. The air temperature stayed between 72-73 degrees. Did I care enough to ask, no. I put on a fresh uniform. Have to concern myself about fresh uniforms. Have to organize a laundry service, our equipment, and local help. This planet side duty would take extra work. Lifting my combat vest I felt the canteens weren't all full. I'd noticed a keg in the solarium. Have to refill.
The difference hit me the moment I stepped into the solarium, different lights, and revolving planetary blowups about twenty feet up in the air. I tried to not be overwhelmed as I refilled my canteens, must get a sink in here to rinse them. My self stabilized; I looked directly at the arrays, and pulled them into my bulb. Now, I needed an explanation.
Ensign Brunnel still controlled the computer input desk. I thought to comment on her dedication. She'd never need sleep so that would be senseless, must learn the latest essence joke to get a perspective.
As I neared she asked, "Words, or direct input?"
"Input."
All 6,783 worlds we had to conquer were lined up above me in their order of importance to our conquest route. The worlds revolving slightly above our heads around the outer wall were the first ten, simple.
"Events aren't static Sir. The Rangers have supplied us with before, and after photos of Gangene. Those, along with supporting data, how many lives the defenders lost etc. have gone out to all above planets. Along with the packet I included an invitation to staff their Ambassadorial office on the Reg world. Transportation provided upon request. I've received almost a thousand requests already in three hours."
I looked around for a chair, none about. She made to give me hers but I waved her back into it and fetched on from along the wall.
I sat and sincerely said, "A half dozen of you and the war would be over."
"Maybe a dozen, Sir. But I only did what any of your people would have done."
"Perhaps, but it would have taken a week to do it. No matter. Thank you. Betty briefed me on the Fifth Column placement, and the need to wait three weeks. But is there anybody local we can subdue for training purposes?"
She looked upward, "The Rangers must have missed that memo Sir, because they're attacking another target. I'll bring that target down for you."
The nearest low level world went away, to be replaced by a World with lots of fruit flies, my first impression, zipping around it.
Ensign Maria smiled, "Good analogy Sir. It's a nucleus world. By that I mean it sits between natural trading partners. And it has kept all of them in servitude to it. I could go into detail, but the short of the situation is, with Frizdier neutralized, we'll get about three hundred more requests for passage."
"In that case, ask them if they need any help. Of course they wouldn't, scratch that. Ask them if we can try out some new vessels?"
"They say, come along, join the party."
"Could you stir Captain Walstrom?"
"She says five minutes."
"Meanwhile, relay Blue alert, to the three Carriers above. Find out from someone how many two person Worker ships can each Carrier attach to its hull. Knowing that, alert that many Workers to prepare for immediate departure."
"I receive two hundred per Carrier, without slowing the ships velocity."
"Good. Have the Landing Crafts, minus occupants, they stay here, readied for immediate departure. Have two hundred Workers per Carrier outfitted for ground combat and loaded onto each Carrier. Am I missing anything?"
"Not yet. Pushing limits, our Force can arrive in seventeen hours. I've informed Ranger task Force Command what's coming, and when."
Nerre ran into the room, and to us. "Download coming, Nerre." Maria said.
She stood still for about half a minute, gave me a hungry kiss, said, "See you." She left the room, running faster than she'd entered.
"Damn." I said, "I didn't have a chance to tell her she's in charge."
With a smile Maria said, "I did."
"Thank you."
"I'll make the necessary entries so her Force will be tracked and shown here."
"Also notify ARK I to modify their Fifth Column efforts to allow for war time aftermath, recovery, rehabilitation, etc. That can make for a smooth, or conversely a non smooth transition of power. I can tell you that from personal experience."
"Yes Sir. I've read your file."
"I never asked this of you; but tell me Maria, are we, or myself, doing so badly?"
"I'd give you an eight, maybe a nine for charming personality, if we were discussing this over a beer, a hundred years from now."
"It's a date."
Operational Area Hendes One
Chapter Fifteen
Volunteer Thelma
I did my morning walk around, like I'd done for the pervious six days. I went out a side door, over to the left, Major River, down to the point, up along the Minor River side until the rocky bank stopped me. Then back to my starting place. I did that as many times as my mood dictated. Today I reflected on the scouting reports. The rest of the planets we had yet to visit were essentially like this one. They must have had an ideal civilization, the First Federation. ARK V arrived back today along with the escorts moving the First Fed Research Complex. I'd be able to talk with them. I hoped they liked their new bodies or bodies at all. Not sure I wouldn't have pulled my plug, personally.
I made the decision I'd been putting off. In the bar Hank, Jim, and Erlo sat at their table where they could see both forks of the river. I sat in my chair, (so quaint,) and announced. "I'm going to hold ARK V here while the Task Force goes about its business. Sort of a back up; and I want to talk to the Research Station people without being rushed. Who knows what's to be learned. I may be the one to ask 'that question' where someone else wouldn't."
Jim agreed, "You have the widest data field. I'm prepared to send the order changes. Fortunately, or foresight fully, Hendes I is about mid-point to the planets awaiting visitors. Shall I give the order to execute plan, Fan-Out, now?"
"Yes. Perhaps Jesse and Jane would like to remain here also?"
Hank reminded me, "They weren't tasked, for back up. They say yes."
"Good, I'm going to walk some more. Remember, it's always five o'clock somewhere. I read that in a book. That reminds me, we forgot reading material."
I left them looking crestfallen. Good training.
Catching up a pair of binoculars from a shelf as I walked through the store I made my way to the rear of the placed containers to my lookout. I'd promised myself I wouldn't interfere with the complex taking place across the river, up on a wide slope. Essentially, two hundred Trading Posts were arranged in a large square. Because of the lay of the land the end result had a terraced look. Wouldn't win any architectural prizes, I thought, but we had 3,791 people to house. The considerable space in the middle of the square I'd left to the inhabitants whims. Battle Wagons, and our new four people runabout, were parked left and right. I couldn't drum up any reality on what I would be after that long in an amoebic tank; so I didn't know what else to do to prepare for their arrival. I'd asked Jim and Hank, but they said it would b
e useless to speculate. I knew that. I just expected an Essence miracle.
Through the glasses I searched every inch. They'd painted my picture, thank you. Litton's yellow painted Battle Wagon crossed my field of view. He went out every day to find people who'd been missed by the runabout carried public addresses. I'd have been hiding if I heard something like our announcements, so I wasn't surprised we'd had so few takers. If he couldn't drum up any customers willing to come back here, he'd put together survival kits, including light weight tents clothes, and soap to distribute elsewhere. He knew his people.
I sensed something skyward through my bulb, and directed the glasses upward. They were useless, so I let them fall to be caught by their strap and closed my eyes. The wavelengths coming through my forehead told me three large objects had almost stopped. The Research Station would be in a stationary orbit over this location. The objects stopped dead. I couldn't imagine that our degree of computational capacity could miscalculate a simple orbital placement. They didn't. Two large objects, the Ranger and A I Ships of the Line moved away from the Research Station. It appeared to have the mass of both Line Ships combined. Whatever had been its purpose? The two Line Ships slowly removed themselves from the vicinity. I knew they were to go back to Tildore's, now Lillian's, Battle Group.
I opened my eyes, caught up the glasses, and focused on the horizon beyond the refugee settlement. There they came, landing craft from ARK V, which had gone into orbit below my sight line. There were a lot of them. I made out Battle Wagons, so the Captain had involved the on board Reg contingent. Hell, they probably needed some planet time too. Each group of craft, Frigate, Battle Wagon, and shuttle had their own landing area. One sat down, disembarked its passengers, lifted off, to be replaced by another. They weren't moving at combat speed so it took over an hour before all of the landing craft were gone. Better get back, I thought, their leader intended to come right over and talk. Already a runabout lifted from their parking lot.
I hurried to the front porch of the Trading Post. We'd gotten the porch, and its overhanging roof out of a container, simple to attach. It stuck out fifteen feet, reminded me of the Emperors Rest, back in Colorado. Jim, Hank, and Erlo came to stand beside me. The runabout landed between us and the river. Its driver got out and approached us. We went down to ground level to greet him. He addressed us in the Phaeton language.
"I'm Dendon Proule. It's odd to speak a name. Please forgive me if I lapse in attention."
We shook hands all around, and I assured him, "You are among friends, old friends who think nothing of anybody's lapses, including our own. Come on in. Have you eaten?"
"No, but let's put that off, if you can, until after our talk."
"No problem. Let's go in, to our table in the bar. It has a good view."
Seating him in the chair with the best view I offered, "We want to make sure you understand us, and who we are, to enable you to spare your words, or do you know of us already?"
"I do, of you, and your Essence assistants, but you sir, Erlo, no one would talk of you."
Erlo laughed, "No one knows. As you see I'm a Ranger. I've been on duty in the Second Federation for about four hundred years. Hence I own half of it. My memory goes back to a Universe before this one. That enough to get a picture?"
"Yes. And I feel like an under scholar. But I'll get over that. A little history lesson to start. After the enemy attacked we hid, Invis shields, no comm traffic etc. Once the First Fed held no sway over our region of space it splintered. Then we learned why we'd been killed, gold, and what the enemy called themselves, ANNU KI, from broadcasts we interpreted. Despite some small linguistic advances in their language the intelligence effort essentially failed. Then, with help, we created Workers and built a shipyard and ships for defense. Body existence became nonviable, so we went into the tank you found us in. Clear so far?"
We all nodded. I tried to absorb his experience, couldn't do it.
"I'll get to the point shortly. Workers sent out miniature drones, comm buoys, to enable us to keep track of the enemy's activities. We know where he is, all over their occupied space. The activity continues now. We want to share our data base with you. I've not spoken of this, any of us, security reasons, not mistrust. Perhaps we should continue to hold this data close."
I recovered and announced, "We will do exactly that. Dendon, you don't know of our tactics yet, but you'll learn. These gentlemen have their ways, which they'll explain later. Know this about me. I'm in full linkup, at all times, with my ship, ARK V, where I serve as a scientific advisor. A crewed Frigate, disguised as a tramp Freighter, will land below your settlement shortly. It will have in it our best communications people. They will be able to do anything. Or we can ask our Seed Ship for procedures."
"Ah, the Elders. They stopped by and visited us. Gave us the technology to create the Workers. Then they left. The Workers are our ship builders. The Force above will keep the Station safe. We, on the ground here, will do what we need to do on the Station by remote control. No one envisions a speedy return."
Erlo said, "I went through that myself. You just want to hug a tree day and night."
A smile flashed over Dendon's face, the first. Then he went on. "One of the tasks originally had to do with evaluating mental response to long periods in space. Had the best minds on board. Combining our conclusions of that study, with our observations of the enemy, we concluded, he, the enemy, did not originate in this Universe. Going forward from there, to us, it seemed that if the tide were turned on the enemy he would retreat to intra Universal space, to attack at some other point in our Universe, or simply go away. I know it's premature to act on those considerations, even if they would prove to be correct. But I, we, wanted to share. Maybe we could go in to the restaurant now?"
Erlo and I looked at each other. I asked, "Hank, why don't you and Jim see what's on the back of the stove. We'll be along in a moment."
Jim said, "Sure. Let's go see what's cooking, Dendon."
They left and I ventured, "Erlo, you don't think perhaps Walter has some surplus Nukes he'd like to be rid of?"
"I'm sure he has. Actually I have a few stuck away somewhere, which should still go bang. Are you suggesting we seed any avenue of the ANNU KI's retreat with minefields?"
"Exactly, and now, before we become more than a nuisance."
"Computes with me. I'll put it in motion. Now can I have some of that stew Litton and I prepared, before they eat it all?"
"Yes. I'm going to go sit on my rocker. Explain to our guest why, please. See what you fellows can share."
He went straight ahead to the restaurant. I turned right out onto the porch. My rocker had a deep cushion. One of Litton's customers had made it to fit my body, from tall shoots he'd gathered along the river bank. Said it didn't measure up to the throne I should have, but it would do the trick for now. I rocked and thought about the bombshell Dendon had brought us. It would be easy to verify. Some more tramp Frigate/Freighters with Phaeton sensing equipment. Knowing our crew they were already assigning people to depart as soon as they had the data.
An hour later the four of them exited the Post burping; men.
Erlo slowed down by me. "Going to go meet Dendon's people. Don't wait up." He winked. I relaxed. All would be well.
I rocked a while longer considering the gap between this planet's inhabitants and the crew of ARK V. Perhaps we could speed up their assimilation to our reality level.
'Memo to Captain, suggest you initiate schedule of one third of the crew on four day planetary leaves. Any natives met could be offered crew positions if they qualified, tests, etc. Make it an evaluation of our speed learning techniques, just a suggestion. Any other program to accomplish the same end of people accepting us would be acceptable.'
A while later Litton landed. He approached me with a family in tow. They didn't look healthy to me, children coughing harshly, two small girls, and a teen aged boy. When they started to walk by me I asked, "Come for your check up, eh?"
The man said, "I don't trust you. But I'm not stupid. We already lost one child this spring. Our medicine didn't work. No choice. We die slowly, or we die quickly from your attention. Where do we do it?"
"You won't die in the next hour. Get some clothes. Have a shower. There's stew left. Come back here when you've done that."
He looked like he wanted to turn and walk away. His wife nudged him. He nodded and went by me. Shades of Irkilon IV, at least there they'd risen above Voodoo Dolls. Not fair. I rocked some more. I didn't know if I enjoyed this scientific advisor gig, or not.
The two small girls came back first, sweet ration bar in hand. I asked, "Good cookie?"
Their heads went up and down.
"Why you so big. You sick too?" One asked.
"No. I'm just a different one like you."
"I eat cookies, I grow so big."
"No, but you will grow bigger than your mother." I promised.
"Good. We help her more. Much to do."
The rest of the family came out. The man spoke in a softer voice, "Litton says, trust you. We're ready."
"Follow me."
We went around the right corner and I opened the doors to the Med Clinic. We entered and looked around. I thought, not a bad set up, seven beds, two exam tables, latest diagnostic scanners, a whole wall of medicine cabinets. "Look around. You see something not mentioned in your schooling, ask."
The man walked around, pausing here and there. "I know the functions. I'll go first."
"All right. Stand in the scanning cabinet and grasp the side bars. The doors will close for a brief moment, analyzes your---"
"I know, breath, just 'do' it. We'll become Med Techs later."
So, produce, Thelma, make like a Med Tech. Two minutes and I fell into the groove, test, evaluate readout, give medicine, vitamin booster for scurvy, antibiotics for foot sores etc. I gave them the super platinum treatment; making medical files for everyone with an explanation if they lost them the clinics were connected to each other. After all their treatments were done I had them recline for an hour to see if we were going to have reactions. I spent the time cleaning the place back to the pristine condition we'd found it.
Greener Green III: Let Light Reign Page 13