by Kalifer Deil
advantage of a message both encrypted and in plain text. That made it immediately apparent that it was a book code.
8.2.2264
Decoded a message from the military that now calls itself God's Army. They want to gain control of the nation’s nukes. Many missile silos across the US still contain missiles with nuclear warheads controlled by computers at Cheyenne Mountain in Colorado. This function used to be distributed but was consolidated at Cheyenne Mountain in 2110.
7.3.2268:
God's Army has taken over the Cheyenne Mountain installation. When they figure out how to use it they will be the strongest force in the world. Not good for the rest of humanity.
6.12.2272:
A fellow named Rayburn has taken over God's Army and renamed it Rayburn's Militia. He calls himself a prophet. They've come as far as the west end of Pittsburgh. The radio traffic indicated they found twelve survivors in the west end who, aided by two household androids, subsisted on insects, worms, rats, mushrooms and freshwater mussels and clams. The A3s must have been life extended by someone. That information was available on the Web before it went down. Rayburn’s men executed the two androids and one person trying to protect them from harm. They ripped the androids apart to salvage the power sources. They called these harmless model A3 androids the devil's robots.
All the bridges over the Monongahela River are out so the Militia can't reach me directly. The West End Bridge over the Ohio can handle some foot traffic but it is dangerous and near collapse. From there they could go to downtown Pittsburgh then to me over the Fort Duquesne Bridge.
I've stopped transmitting as that may attract the Militia to me.
7.20.2272:
They changed to a different book code for their encrypted messages. Whatever the book is I don't have it online so I can no longer read their encrypted messages. About 10% of their messages are encrypted. The sensor net outside the building is no longer working but now I don't need it. I can pick up their sensor net that they laid down with their plane and see where they are.
9.4.2272:
First snow is falling but there is still some snow on the ground from last season. Is this the beginning of glaciation here?
Some of Rayburn's Militia are still in West Pittsburgh; indoctrinating the people there no doubt. They have ventured east and west of West Pittsburgh but have not crossed the river yet.
8.22.2273:
It's been another harsh winter and the West Pittsburgh colony got an emergency airdrop of supplies. One colonist and one of Rayburn's band died of exposure when they ventured out to forage for food.
There’s still an average of a foot of snow and ice on the ground when snow starts piling up again. Now winter never ends.
7.30.2276:
They are in downtown Pittsburgh with a shopping list looking for parts for computers and communications equipment. Eventually they will come here. I've moved anything essential to self-repair to the third floor and packaged it up in packages labeled with biohazard labels. That will stop them if they have half an ounce of sanity.
8.2.2280:
They are on campus. They've made several trips to the main computer science building to get computer parts but haven't been near my building yet.
Message from Maggie
8.30.2280:
Receiving a fantastic video message:
“This interstellar spaceship in orbit is the Chinese ship Lotus Blossom. It was commandeered by a group of US Air Force personnel under the command of General Denning and Colonel Gatelin from Vandenberg Air Force Base. They renamed it, ‘The Milky Way.’ The two ordered the murder of all the Chinese personnel aboard. This ghastly event happened shortly after Earth was hit by the gamma ray burst from WR104. We have sent them back to Earth from Tillian 5 to face Earth justice and to return the ship to its legitimate owner, China. Beware, these are extremely dangerous men. I'm Maggie. This is a recorded message being broadcast before the General and the Colonel are brought out of stasis.”
This video message was broadcast, blanketing the radio frequency spectrum, once a day for three days in Mandarin and English. Pictures were shown of Denning and Gatlin and a more detailed description of their crimes.
Great news! Maggie and her crew made it to Tillian 5 and apparently are doing well. She has a beautiful android body that moves with the grace of a ballerina. I know she's not a computer generated avatar because I can see a whole collection of people around her including children.
As far as the General and the Colonel are concerned, if they land in the US, I'm sure Rayburn's Militia will take good care of them. Rayburn wants no competition.
Immediately afterward the airwaves were buzzing with traffic about “The Maggie” and who she might be. The pictures of the General and the Colonel were also circulating. Within the hour, Rayburn's Militia sent out an old west style wanted poster with the Picture of both of them on it. Instead of Dead or Alive, it just said Dead, confirming what I thought. A pound of gold was offered as the reward.
6.2.2281:
After receiving the video message, Rayburn withdrew some of his more remote forces including those in Pittsburgh. They were hunting for General Denning and reports were coming from everywhere that he was spotted. I could tell that this was driving Rayburn's Militia into a frenzy. They wanted to be sure Denning and Gatlin didn't hook up with other militias on the West Coast now that Rayburn’s Militia was just starting to make inroads there. I supposed General Denning was probably not in the US because someone would have seen and reported the shuttle. The most credible idea is the ship would park over China; after all the ship was to be returned to them.
6.30.2283:
Rayburn's militia is back with a force of eight men. The men were mean to the locals though the locals swore allegiance to them. Beatings were public and often. I suspect this was a “Siberian” assignment for these troops for some past misbehavior and the locals were receiving their displaced anger.
Salvation
8.6.2284:
Something must be wrong with the Rayburn Militia's sensor net. Several sensors fired off next to the building. They are probably soaking in water.
Huh? The computer is telling me there is another sensor net at 25 GHz. Why haven't I seen that one before? It's telling me the same thing. Something is parked next to the building. I hear a sound like a loud wind gust so maybe something is there.
Someone is entering the building on the second-floor stairwell window. Damn, I should have boarded it up. He or she is rummaging on the second floor looking for something. If the person is looking for food, then this is not the place. I think I will pay this mystery person a visit.
I stood in front of the half-open door and spoke, “I know you are hiding behind the door so why don't you come out and say hello.”
I lightly pushed the door and it didn't move. I then said, “An hour ago there was nothing behind this door so it is clear to me you are behind this door. I know there is only one of you because I have sensors all over this building.”
Skip Rogers: “That being the case, I guess an introduction is in order. I'm Captain Rogers; you can call me Skip.” Skip then turned the flashlight on himself. “I'm here to get materials to repair Tristan and Isolde. And you are?”
The flashlight was now on me. “I am or was Professor Gilbert Rasher. I'm now an android.”
Skip Rogers: “I'm very happy to meet you. What do you profess?”
“Computer science, biological systems, chaos theor
y, quantum gravity, and I guess medicine as well since being a doctor was my last job. There’re lights on this floor.” I flipped the switch on, “The windows are blocked so we won't attract attention. What has happened to Tristan and Isolde?”
Skip Rogers: “La Jolla Site was overrun by a well-organized and well-armed mob. They are both pretty badly shot up. Tristan is the most seriously hurt with an impact dent in his braincase.”
“Let me see what I have here. Despite the mess, I know where everything is. Better yet, I would like to move everything to a safer place. Do you have a safer place?”
Skip Rogers: “You're welcome to come with us.”
“You have enough room?”
Skip Rogers: “About 40 cubic meters.”
“You have a 36 wheeler? No! Of course not! Roads are not navigable.”
Skip Rogers: “No, a space shuttle. It's right outside.”
I stopped in my tracks, is this general Denning under an assumed name? That notion must have been writ large on my face.
Skip Rogers: “I'm not General Denning if that’s what you are thinking. He’s now dead, as is his henchman Colonel Gatelin. Maggie is driving the shuttle.”
I was momentarily overwhelmed, “THE Maggie?”
Skip Rogers: “Yes THE Maggie, not you too! Let's get everything together you need and everything you think we'll need and get the hell out of here.”
I felt silly for the 'THE Maggie' comment but