Greener Green III: Let Light Reign

by Peter Sowatskey

  We arrived. I bequeathed them the planet. We did survey orbits, found the best place, and the Mission departed. A wide sand bar on a river bank turned out to be the best landing place, the best one, without removing a lot of terrain. Craggy mountains, narrow valleys, trees everywhere, Polar caps frozen, raging rivers, huge interlocking lakes, but no oceans, who cared, no moons to lift the tides anyway, and 60% the size of Home.

  We orbited around Moneslakia a day and a half later, during which I got no sleep at all, and remembered few details beyond the pleasure. The ships Officers, all of them, except a Rackane, went down to HQ in a Landing Craft, which dropped half their remaining Infantry into Torkens valleys. We went down in Lil and Mary's ships. Six more Ranger Patrol ships sat there as I'd requested. We exited, shook hands and kissed, and they lifted straight off. I promised to copy them on everything. They promised to do so the same.

  Operational Area Moneslakia - Intel HQ

  Chapter Twenty Two

  Melin

  So many ships coming here, big talk, he said, the Admiral, standing beside me, watching them land, one two three, four, five, and more in the sky waiting.

  A female from the first ship came quickly to us near the cliff side.

  "I'm Ranger Alisha Venton, leader of this Swarm."

  I didn't like this woman, taller than me, but shorter than him. But I slept by him and she couldn't have him. He would one night rip my clothes off and rape me, and I wouldn't help him, not at first, not until close to his end.

  "And what is a swarm?" He asked.

  The others slowly got out of their ships and waited by them.

  "My idea, I died young on a planet like this one. I remembered on the farm that man and animal ran from the biting insects. So I asked HQ to give me reconditioned ships and the bottom ten percent of a class, and I'd buzz around and stir things up. So here I am."

  "With how many ships."

  "We left five hundred at Fallon's Run, about five thousand five hundred remaining, up there, under Invis."

  Both he and I looked at the sky. In his mind he laughed and asked himself, 'why didn't I think of that?'

  He said to her, "This is Melin. She remembers for me, valuable asset, let's go in ladies, and get the opening remarks out of the way. We have a weeks worth of events planned."

  He offered both of us an arm and escorted us to, and through the doorway, no not a door, a tunnel entrance, so complicated. As we walked into the Planetarium we saw Betty on the raised two level platform, that held the tables, big and small.

  A crowd followed us. She called to all, "Come, have a seat."

  When we sat I could look direct into the giant's eyes, our older giants with the squishy forehead (thank you Betty for putting all these new words in my mind) and the new giants with the forehead like my Admiral.

  Betty who still grew, I thought, said, "Welcome to all of you. As you see we had to push the skies away to allow room for us. Our forces grow every day. When we next meet we will fill this whole space, or meet in the ANNU KI Halls, where we will still crowd the walls."

  Someone started to clap hands, on and on.

  Betty raised a hand and silence came about soon, "Now we will have remarks from those who care to speak. Then we will have food and drink, and a chance to tour the facility. All have heard about our most recent victory, Fallon's Run. Ranger Venton came directly from there, so let's hear the present condition."

  Alisha rose from the other side of the Admiral and said, "You will be happy, Second Officer Marly, to know that thirteen plus tons of your gold sits outside the entrance to here. We kept the same amount for the people of Fallen's Run. The true situation turned out to be a gold collection and transshipment planet. The gold came in with fertilizer ships; we're tracing routes, and went out with food directly to ANNU KI HQ. A collection would have happened in two weeks. So we have a planet full of food, and gold. Without the anti-thought beaming from the Moons, people are asking lots of questions, like why we don't make anything, etc. The Hybrid implant scanners worked, but not into the gold vaults, from which the second wave appeared. Later in the week I'll be conducting a detailed briefing."

  Second Officer Marly spoke from her seat, "I'll be there. We have need for a part of the food. Thank you for your help in a successful attack."

  First Officer Selma, who I'd spoken to often, well one of her anyway, said, "We'll be there too. We might have excess equipment that the farmers could use."

  A Worker rose and spoke, "Tours of our shipyards are planned, contact us through Maria. We are pleased to be part of this group. Our creators send their approval and appreciation also."

  A Torken, mine, rose and said, "This planet is yours, as far as our authority spreads. And if that isn't far enough we'll go kill more slave masters, to make more room for you."

  They clapped. Maybe they thought he joked.

  He went on, "Erlo's new Trading Posts have landed in valleys through out the mountains. Pick a view, Maria will arrange the rest. Alongside them are Posts sized for our giants. So you do not have to stay in your ships. All are safe here."

  A woman like my Admiral rose and said, "I'm Thelma, and I want a river view." Most laughed. "My ship comes here from Frizdier. Rangers and Workers will have discussions and briefings about it. The lesson I learned, is, I who knows everything, doesn't know enough. Thank you for ordering your lives so you could be here."

  Tel said, "We invite any who have interest to tour our two classes of ships, see Maria for schedules."

  Marly said, "We will also conduct tours of our ship. You've read our history, or heard it, I hope. Thanks to Paula, who healed and trained us, and to the Phaeton shipyard AIs who gave us that ship. Also we thank the Special Events Platoon, who made our ships ours, and not the enemies. We will defeat them with their own ships in their own bodies."

  Clapping and table pounding followed. Good I'd cautioned the carpenters to make them extra strong.

  Betty said, "I will send your thanks on. Let's go now and have food. Guides will go with small groups to show you around, or wander on your own as you wish. This is your home also. We'll convene here tomorrow at 1000."

  The Admiral rose and went to mix with his guests. I let him go. He'd only end up in bed with me, sometime later.

  Alisha didn't rise, but sat looking at me. I looked back. We were about the same height. Not full of figure, but more up top than any man could put in his, or her, mouth. Maybe the giants, if they opened wide enough. I looked into her mind, and found her mind looking at me. That surprised me, surprised her too.

  "Have you ever been in a Ranger ship, Melin?"

  "I looked into Lil's. Always so little time to see anything."

  She asked, "Would you like to look in mine?"

  "Yes, promise you won't take me out over the ocean and drop me in it like you're thinking."

  She laughed, "I just tested you. Of course I wouldn't, even if the Admiral wouldn't kill me, if I did."

  "True, he would, very stern sometimes. All right, let's go, I promise to not eat you, just ate this morning."

  "Your hunger bothers you? Perhaps I could sit you in a special machine of mine?"

  'Betty, could I?'

  SURE. SHE'S A TRAINED MED TECH, HIGH LEVEL DOCTOR IN ANY OTHER WORLD.

  "Betty says I can. Will it tingle?"

  "If you prefer I'll turn a tingle on."

  We linked arms and marched out into the hallway. Going fast didn't happen, but we were on our mission. We would get through.

  Outside, we walked to her ship and up the back ramp. She didn't close it. Along the wide hallway we turned right into a room which could have held the whole ship. She saw my confusion and said, "Magic space, I just use it, some one else creates it. Come along over here and sit in that chair."

  The chair didn't look special. I sat. She made the air around me tingle. A while later she said, "You're a healthy person of your race, only inside you exists magic space also, different kind, but magic space is a vast space."
r />   Betty's new words allowed me to understand. I had empties inside me.

  "Let's go sit in my study and talk. Maybe something you say will tell me what to test further."

  We left the hospital and went across the hall to a 'study' (to learn something) room. It held various groupings of tables and wide low fluffy chairs. We sat on the nearest one, leaned back, and our legs were held up by a rest. I liked this. A floating tray brought bottles, magic indeed. I pretended to not be surprised, but she could see in my head; maybe she didn't look now.

  We drank, and looked in each others heads.

  "Tell me, Melin, do you sleep?"

  "I lie in bed at night, but no, I do not sleep, never have done so. I just look around with my mind at night. I see in your mind that you disconnect at night, cut pieces of a string. Very, not efficient. Would you like me to tie some of your string pieces together?"

  "A few, not more than a few."

  I tied strings together. She appeared to not be stressed, so I tied more together, faster. Oh, stress, I stopped.

  "I see what I've been doing all my life. That's what we all do, us humans. You've tied together a week, a continuous week."

  "A week? I marveled, "I have no breaks back to my creation, see?"

  She looked. She didn't look close, but she swished along with me in my mind back to the spinner. Then we, together looked at the spinner, and this room. The spinner faded out and the room remained.

  She had such an unhappy look on her face.

  "Have I hurt you?" I asked.

  Her face cleared, "No, no, you haven't hurt me. You've given me a great gift. I understand the enemy a bit now. Your time of two years is more than me. To have a time of many thousands of centuries and all one knew, to overcome your enemies with; means we are still like fleas on a dog in comparison. I won't be fleas. Can you tie some more in my mind, Melin?"

  "Sure. I just stopped because you felt stress."

  Start, please, don't stop unless I jump out of my chair."

  "As you wish, we will close our eyes, lean back, relax, and go for a journey in your mind, starting now."

  I tied and tied her threads together. The procedure became automatic, I just pressed back along her track and the threads tied themselves. Alongside the pathway a clock ticked and told us how far back we'd gone from our present time on Moneslakia. That time grew to have less and less importance, but it still remained in focus. At 10,000 years back I thought, 'she might have too much to chew on if we go further' so I put up a mental signboard, 'stopped here' and didn't tie anymore.

  We opened our eyes and looked at one another, me two years old, her 10,000 years old.

  In a different voice she said, "Perhaps we should involve Betty in this."

  BE THERE IN FIVE MINUTES.

  We just looked at each other until Betty arrived.

  "Ah, digestive problems I see. Breathe with your lungs, breathe with your mind back your track a distance, and repeat that sequence. I'll help you with the track part to start with.

  I just sat there with them, proud of my discovery, but afraid I'd hurt my new friend, what could I do?

  RELAX AND BREATHE WITH US.

  Betty must have suspended time, or maybe no time existed beyond Alisha's 10,000 years. Gradually she grew larger than her years and Betty and I slowly withdrew from that space to make room for her to grow even larger. After a time Betty and I sat looking at her, no longer in her mind.

  In a voice which held most of its earlier tone she said, "Now I'm 10,000 years old. That's going to take some getting used to."

  Betty laughed, "Try a trillion years."

  Alisha laughed weakly, "Not right now, thank you, but we're not done Melin. I won't be second to anyone or anything, except you of course, Betty"

  "How diplomatic of you to tell that white lie, can I go now?"

  We both said with our minds, 'don't go far.'

  She left and Alisha said, after looking at the wall clock, "Your Admiral will have to keep him self warm. We have nine hours before we reconvene. We have to look in me and find some method to help us."

  "Betty will tell him. He will understand. Let's move about and eat, and then explore."

  During our meal Alisha decided to be scientific, how could she be otherwise, so we were going to explore, and I would do the entries into the computer as to location of planet, work done, how long lived, cumulative knowledge retained, or lost, and whatever else stood out, and let the computer draw conclusions, and print out graphs and charts and such. I could have saved her much bother, but maybe my conclusions weren't true. We'd see.

  At 0900 the morning thereafter, we saw but one definite data point, she had been working her way out to the Rim from deeper in the Universe. The pathway could not be explained away. Civilization levels had been up and down, but none higher, so far, than what we had here. She decided to be vague and promise little, wise, I thought.

  Betty reconvened the meeting after explaining what we, Alisha and I, were up to, and she rose to speak.

  "We are going to continue this quest. Yesterday I had this lifetime to fumble around in. Today I recall 10,000 years, like what I ate for breakfast. You can't get your minds around that, I'm sure. I'll have more data later with all sorts of details. Today I will only say, having memories of where many of my bodies rotted away, that us concentrating on killing bodies isn't going to sway the day. We have to discover how to kill the ANNU KI themselves, not their bodies. I have no ideas, if someone does let me know, thank you."

  Betty reminded us that her briefing took place at 1600, and dismissed everyone to visit each others ships, everybody but me. We were going further back down Venton's track, but not such big gulps this time.

  She and I went back 100 year pieces at a time. It went faster when she expanded into the years that way. At 1530 and 23,000 years back we quit to go to Betty's briefing. Alisha Venton rested her hand lightly on my arm; she said to make sure her feet were here. I didn't mind.

  In the Planetarium we had to stop, and stand by the entrance way because of so many people.

  Betty began, "I'll be as brief as I can. From spending a lot of time with our resident ANNU KI I've gathered a few facts which I've tested for truth. The ANNU KI HQ is on the outmost fringe of this Universe. There's little motion there, hence few matrix junction points, hence time as we experience it here on Moneslakia doesn't exist. Alisha spoke of 10,000 years this morning, there that would be but a moment. We, as a group, will have to expand our reference points. Lenyor is doing that and will be the last speaker of this weeks span. Decisions based on her experience will be implemented, or not. Based on details, which I can't share yet, there appears to be a good likelihood the ANNU KI found their HQ complex when they arrived from another Universe, or took it from someone. Around their sphere of influence there's no evidence that they built anything, just the opposite, they destroy, and create only to make more destroyers. It is a minimal chance that they should build such a complex, 20,000 miles square, and 5,000 miles high and across, and then forget how to build. I'm told it is encased in many layered force fields that ships are able to pass through. Education takes place in what we call Virtual Reality, more elaborate though, and those going on missions are given bodies and ships and sent forth, never to return. Gold comes back in reportedly massive automated transports. One such should reach Fallon's Run in ten days. Every effort will be made to capture it. We have access codes, timely or not, we'll see. The size of this ship could not be given to me with exactness. The best I got is; our Ships of the Line would rattle around in it. The procedure is that these ships make a loop and return. We think, being this far out on the Rim that it might be at the end of its route, before going into Negative Space to make the final leg to their HQ. You see we are making progress. We will continue to make progress. Try to see yourselves expanding toward unlimited freedom. No one gets there, but the opposite way is to oblivion. That is not our way. See you at Alisha's briefing, in a week."

  Alisha and I were t
he first wave to reach the tunnel opening. She said, "I have to do Commander Work. Can you come at sundown and we will continue?"

  Disappointment swept over me, but of course she had duties. "I'll be there."

  She hugged me swiftly and hurried off. Not knowing what to do next I went to our cliff side table. I thought it odd that no one sat. Maybe they were told it belonged to the permanent residents.

  Solitude went away though with Lil's arrival, with Mary not far behind. Granger stood a distance away, too close to the edge.

  Lil sat beside me and asked, "We need your help. What you do with Alisha, can you do that with me?"

  "If I can look?"

  "Of course."

  I looked. Her track had no cuts. But every so often somebody had placed a large stone on it, so large there appeared no way around.

  I said, "You have stones in your mind, come look."

  We found each other inside her mind and I pointed out the stones to her. She'd never seen them. 'Perhaps we can move them' I suggested. We tried, she weak, and I very strong. One stone moved and fell into a hole. We approached the next, in the hole, oh boy, what fun we were having, let's see if we could fill the hole. We couldn't. 'I see how you do this Melin. Let me try alone.'

  I hadn't been helping her for a while, but I stepped back from the mental stone, into the hole it went. 'I can do this myself. Come out, there's another request.'

  She put her hand on my arm which rested on the table. I'd thought Dragon people were cold, she burnt my skin. She looked me in the eyes.

  "Can you do what is necessary with Mary and her track? I will watch in her mind. Perhaps I can learn."

  "Sure, sit down Mary."

  Mary sat, and I looked at her track, all cut into small pieces like Alisha's. Lil looked with me over my shoulder. I took the first pieces and tied them together, then another, Lil flowing with my mental effort. Together we tied, being ever swifter. The body of Mary moved slightly. I thought, 'If she doesn't jump off the cliff Betty can fix anything else.' Our tying got to the 400 year mark and I told Lil, 'we will stop here. You have been doing it alone for the last 100 years, you know what to do.'