Prophet of ConFree (The Prophet of ConFree)

by Marshall S. Thomas

  It was him! The Bright, the old soldier! And he was alive! I reached out for him, overwhelmed, and held him by the shoulders. He smiled, and sent me a thought, maybe for luck: I thank you.

  Thank you? Why was he thanking me? I should thank him, for opening my mind to what it meant to be human, to reach out to someone you don't know and hold his hand as he dies. Only he's not dead, he's alive – wonderful!

  After that, they had a little conference by the desk – except nobody said anything. They were clearly communicating, glances flashing back and forth, facial gestures of agreement or disagreement, then a long still period when I figured the general was making his decision or issuing orders.

  Tourguide was touching my back gently, in a reassuring manner. Hopefully it meant that things were going well.

  Δ

  Tourguide took me from the general's office to another room, a long walk via a corridor that evidently cut through several of those huge stone blocks. It was a very large room, kind of like an extra-large lounge that was full of glidechairs and plastic tables and sofas. A giant simport let in the light. The room was empty except for us. Tourguide led me to a table and we sat there. A little Bright girl came out of nowhere and set down a tray of snacks and drinks. She was just like an angel – she had everything except the wings. I watched her depart through a door.

  My friends, I thought. Why won't you tell me about my friends? Were they all dead? Were they hesitant to tell me?

  No worry, he said – in my mind. It was so clear, so powerful, that my mouth opened in surprise.

  Where are they? I asked mentally. I want to see them, let me see them!

  Soon. Again, clear as a bell ringing on a frosty morning.

  Soon. Why soon? Why not now, now, now. When is soon?

  Soon.

  "Why can’t we talk?" I asked. "Do you talk?"

  Language.

  We helped you, I thought. We bombed Kratar. We bombed the Demons. We are friends. You should help us. Do you know about Kratar?

  We know.

  A great relief flooded over me. They know about Kratar. All right, then where are my comrades?

  We are soldiers, I thought angrily. Why do you treat us like this? We risked our lives, to attack your enemies. Why do you treat us so shamefully?

  I could see that my thoughts had hit home. He stood up at once, almost at attention, and sent me one more word.

  Friends. A door opened in one wall and Arie and Smiley walked in, dressed in Bright white civvies. I leaped up so fast that my chair went gliding away to bounce off another table.

  "Arie! Smiley!" We embraced fiercely. It was so wonderful to see them both. The world slowed and stopped, for just a moment. All was well.

  "It's so good to see you, Prophet," Arie said. "You're looking great!"

  "They know about Kratar," I said. "That's why we're still alive, I guess."

  "How about the others?" Smiley asked. "Any word on them?"

  "You haven’t seen anyone?" I asked. "Damn, no, I have no word."

  Another door opened. Doggie and Saka walked in, dressed in Bright civvies. They were alight with joy. It looked like they had just been reunited. A crowd of Brights stood by in the doorway as Doggie and Saka joined us.

  "Good to see you folks," Doggie said. I could tell he was overjoyed but didn’t want to show it.

  "Prophet, are they talking with you in your mind?" Saka asked. "They're all over me. Can you talk with them that way?"

  "Yes, Saka, we've been chatting but I've got a long way to go. It's great to see you two made it out of the ship alive, too. I've been worrying myself sick about everybody, and they wouldn't tell me a thing."

  "Has anyone seen Blackie?" Doggie asked, mournfully.

  "I've got him, Doggie," I said. "He's in my cube. He's fine."

  Doggie let out a whoop and then calmed down. All was right with the world, it seemed.

  General Huynh and Bird walked into our party, and they were accompanied by a whole slew of camfaxed Brights, including that Bright general who had personally psyched me.

  "At ease, at ease," General Huynh said as we joyfully mobbed him and Bird. "All right, count off. Is this everyone? Where is Scout? Where is Bees?"

  Δ

  The Bright hospital was located in the same installation, in a section with spotless white floors, walls and ceilings. Soft sunlight filtered gently into a colorful patient cube that looked more like a high-end vacation villa. As we entered the cube, we saw a cluster of young Bright lovelies gathered around a patient bed. Scout sat in a chair drawn right up to the patient. At first I could see only his back, but I would know him anywhere. Our Bright escorts hung back to give us a little privacy.

  Bees was in the bed, eyes closed, unmoving. She looked terrible, ragged raw scarlet skin all over her face.

  "Scout," I whispered. "How is she?" He raised his head and turned to look us over, startled by our intrusion.

  "Delta! Oh my God, You're all here! Oh my God, you're all all right!" He looked bad too, battered and bruised and exhausted.

  "How is Bees?" I asked again.

  "Sleeping. She's sleeping. She was badly burnt. I thought she wasn't going to make it. I thought…" He choked up, overcome with emotion. "She's all right. She's getting the best of care. She tells me these girls are angels. I believe her." The angels were touching Bees' peeling face with little wands that dispensed a faint airgel.

  "What happened to her?" the general asked.

  "A-suit malfunctioned and overheated. She was unconscious and couldn't do a thing. It was close. So close! Then the Brights spotted us. Man! These people are wonderful. They saved her life, that's for sure."

  "What happened to you?" I asked.

  "They tried to separate us. I went crazy, I attacked them. They fought back. I lost. Later I raised so much hell that they let me in to see her. I haven't left her side since then. I don’t dare sleep; I have these nightmares where somebody tries to take her away from me." He was twitching, sweating, dark rings under his eyes.

  "Get some sleep, Scout," the general said. "Delta is here now – and we're not leaving. We'll watch over her. Don’t you worry anymore."

  Δ

  When Bees awoke, it was indeed a happy time for us all. Despite her serious injuries, she could not stop smiling. It was the smile of a saint, a far-off, dreamy smile that spoke of distant, better worlds. Her face was pink, but was healing rapidly to its normal darker tone. We sat around her bed as Scout held an ice water cup to her lips and the lovely little Bright angel nurses continued treating her skin with an invisible mist.

  "I was dying," she recalled, quietly. "My guardian angel was right there, standing by Scout. He was so beautiful – shining like a star. He reached out a hand to me and told me it was time to go. I wasn't afraid at all. I could see the Gates of Heaven behind him, opening. What a glorious sight. I felt so good. I wanted to go there and see my mother. But Scout kept begging me not to leave him. He asked if I loved him, and said if I did, I should not leave him. He was carrying me through the forest, and he ordered me not to leave him. I felt so sorry for him. I knew I was dying, but how could I leave him? I thought of the wonderful future we could have together – everything I had always dreamed of, in my wildest, most impossible dreams. Yes, how could I leave him? What would he do? It was not fair! I asked my angel to please give me more time, as I did not want to leave Scout. He smiled sadly, and made the sign of the cross, and faded away."

  "You're the angel, Bees," Scout said. "You're my angel." He took her hand and squeezed gently.

  "The Brights are angels," Bees said. "They're all angels. I don't know how it works, but they are all angels. Prophet – and Saka. Can you hear them in your mind? When they talk with you mentally?"

  "Yes. A little," I said. "A word or so. I can hear them. And I know they can hear me, when I think."

  "Yes, me too," Saka said. "But not so much."

  "I hear them clearly," Bees said. "It's thrilling! These little girls are so nice to
me. I can hear their thoughts. They're so concerned. So worried about me. It's just wonderful." Another dreamy smile. "What did I do, to earn their love? I can feel it. They love me, and I love them."

  I remembered Bees when I first met her. She was so twisted up with hostility and suspicion and anger that it was impossible to even approach her. And now listen to her! What a wonderful change. And Ice was the same way. Touch her then and you'd get an elbow in the throat. But not anymore. Both had been transformed – by love. Now they were different people. And I guess we were all different people now. Just normal people – but different. Very different.

  So. Bees was going to be a prophet, too. In saving her, the Brights had transferred some Dimension X into her mind. And now she could hear them, mentally. Interesting. Four of us, now. Will we become a new race? Well, no – not if we remain here in Mid Haven.

  I had no idea what was coming. But we were to find out, very quickly.

  Δ

  The Brights moved us in together to a dormitory cube not far from the hospital so we could watch Bees in shifts. For a few weeks it was a very relaxed and happy time. General Huynh and Saka were having regular sessions with the Bright general who had first examined me. We had named him Chief, although we had no idea what his Bright name was.

  "The communication is pretty basic," Saka told me over breakfast in our dorm. "The general told the chief about the AC and ConFree and the Demon attacks and how we are responding. This is done by using me as a mental translator – I guess I'm getting better at it. I believe the B's understand everything I think. But I sure as hell don't understand what they are thinking. Actually, I believe they are deliberately withholding anything important. When they want us to know something, it's easily done. I can hear it clear as a bell. But all the important stuff that the general wants to know – no. Not a word. We told them about Kratar, and told them the AC and ConFree want an alliance with the Brights against the D's."

  "Any response to that?" I asked, sipping Bright tea.

  "No."

  Meeting. The word formed in my mind. Tourguide and several other Bright escorts were standing in the doorway. We had earlier been told that everyone must attend. By that time Bees was out of the hospital, walking, and well on her way to a full recovery. We followed our escorts, the whole squad except for Blackie, who stayed in the dorm.

  They took us to a supply room and brought us to an issue counter where a Bright supply clerk handed over uniform packets to us all. They were active lizard camfax fatigues – brand new and just beautiful. Tourguide opened a pack and sent us a thought: Wear.

  We wore. They looked like unisize but as soon as we put them on, they adjusted perfectly to our bodies. The clerk handed out field hats and boots. They also adjusted perfectly as soon as we put them on.

  We looked ourselves over – perfect! I loved the lizard camo, which adjusted itself to match whatever background was around us. There was a patch badge on the chest, an open white hand with a Bright lightning bolt weapon superimposed over the hand. I was thrilled when I saw that – I was not sure why.

  We are soldiers, Tourguide thought to me.

  Δ

  General Huynh called us together for a squad meeting in the gardens of Blockhouse II. This garden section was an extensive park, and often crowded with Brights. We were all wearing our new fatigues. We didn't worry about being overheard. They could overhear us any time they wanted, just by tuning in to our brains. We just wanted a pleasant place to meet. We were babying Bees, and she loved it.

  "All right, folks, here it is," the general said. "Saka and I have done all we can to let the Brights know what the situation is in our universe and how we are struggling with the Demon incursions. We believe they understand us. But they’ve told us nothing important. Why that is, we're not sure."

  "Why the fatigues?" Scout asked.

  "Could be they just want us to wear those to ward off the curious. You know how everyone is always staring at us. But I don’t know."

  "Think we’ve just been drafted into the Bright armed forces?"

  "I doubt it. What do they want us for? We can’t even think properly. I doubt we'd pass the Bright physical."

  "They could use us as translators, to help them after they invade our worlds," Arie said.

  "They wouldn't do that," Bees said, quietly.

  "Well, just remember your chain of command stops with me," the general said. "And I am loyal only to the AC and our ConFree allies. Actually, I can't see the B's doing that either. We have similar interests in countering the D's. As soon as Saka and I learn what the Brights are planning for us, we'll let you know. Meantime relax and enjoy it. This is good duty."

  Δ

  But there was to be no relaxing for us. I was jarred awake at oh-dark-thirty that night from a dead sleep by deep deep vibrations, a continuing rumbling and thundering and grinding that was travelling right through those ancient stone walls to shake me awake. Puzzled, I looked at my chron: 0415 in the morning. What the hell? I staggered over to the simport and activated it. I was stunned by what I saw. A mighty army was gathering right outside Blockhouse II. The soft night was blazing with artificial lights. An endless fleet of giant air assault craft was floating overhead, lining up to park in the fields, emergency lights flashing. Thousands of fully armored troopers were pouring out of the installation like ants out of a recently disturbed nest. Aircars were zipping past everywhere. A flight of delta fighters shot past overhead, trailing sonic booms. They were followed by another flight. And another. Off on the horizon, starships were hardlaunching, headed for the vac, trailing luminous exhaust, leaving behind great glowing circles of blue-hot debris.

  I was thrilled. What a magnificent sight!

  "Alert! Alert! " I cried. "Up and at 'em! The war is on!" I had no idea what war this was, but I wanted to be a part of it. The others gathered around, gaping at the activity. Tourguide opened the door, grinning. Come, he thought. Come.

  He took us to a huge warehouse room we had never visited. It was full of Bright A-suits, and Bright troopers were lining up to get their armor. Tourguide brought us to one side where our own armor was waiting. Our own black Legion armor, gleaming, just for us. It was so beautiful it almost hurt. I found my own suit: D6 Prophet, it said. I climbed in. It fit perfectly – an old friend. Thank you, Deadman!

  The suits all had the Bright symbol burnt onto on it – the lightning hand. Good Lord, that looks good, I thought.

  We were all so intent on our own tasks we forget all about Bees.

  "What about me?" she asked. Of course, her armor had been destroyed.

  Bees' female Bright escort led her over to another A-suit. It was a shining silver Bright A-suit, glittering and magnificent. And on the shoulder armor it read: D9 Bees. It, too, had the lightning hand symbol. Bees' escort began famming her with the suit.

  What more could we ask? Only a little more. They led us to an armory and handed out E's. They had confiscated these from us or recovered them from the wreckage of the Golden Lotus. We had had plenty of extra E's in the ship arms locker and it seems that many of them survived the antimat strike. E's were tough. They weren't made by the lowest bidder. They were made by techs who knew that the penalty for producing a faulty weapon was execution for gross negligence treason.

  "Delta, General. Count off."

  "One," Doggie said. "Blackie's here, too."

  "Two," Scout said.

  "Three," Saka said.

  "Five," Smiley said.

  "Six," I said.

  "Seven," Arie said.

  "Nine," Bees said.

  "Ten," Bird said.

  "How did you do that, Bees?" the general asked. "How is that suit equipped with a tacnet?"

  "It sure is, sir. They took it out of the wreckage of my old suit and installed it in this one."

  "Good. What other capabilities do you have?"

  "I have the Bright shielding, which Delta does not have. But I do not have Delta's cloaking. So I can’t go invisible."

/>   "All right, that's good to know. Let's go."

  Δ

  Tourguide and the rest of our escorts were now all armored up, hauling those scary lightning bolt weapons. Tourguide called them battlestorms. We followed them out into the very early morning, still dark, a faint rosy tint on one horizon, the night glaring with spotlights and headlights and strobe lights, a sky full of great hissing airbuses and giant shuttles raising huge clouds of dust and debris, thousands of armored Bright troopers lining up like great silvery snakes to board the grounded shuttles. We joined one of the lines heading for a lovely, sinister ink-black shuttle so big it looked to me like a full-fledged starship. The Bright soldiers looked very young and very excited. Their visors were up, and they were evidently engaged in mental conversation. Every once in awhile one of them would say something aloud and everybody would laugh. So, you can talk when you're excited, too.

  It was great to be there with them, engaged in whatever great adventure this would turn out to be. We boarded the shuttle, and it was huge. Doggie had Blackie on a leash. Our escorts showed us where to sit – in one of many rows of seats, set up for efficiency rather than comfort, designed to maximize the passenger load. We were surrounded by Bright troopers. There were slots by the seats where you could secure your weapons. The E's fit in there rather loosely, but they fit.

  We lifted off abruptly, after everyone was strapped in. There were no simports, so we could not see anything outside, but the shuttle leaped for the stars, punching us back in our restraints when the thrust came alive. It seemed to fire for a long time, then suddenly it cut off. There were no oral warnings, probably because they did not depend on speech for transmitting information. After weightlessness set in, the artificial gravity was activated and things went back to normal as we cruised towards whatever starship we were bound for.