Chamberlain's Folly (The Terra Nova Chronicles)

by Robert Dean Hall

  “The mutineers were instructed to create various hybrids before attempting to breed the cats,” Cozeremi confessed. “It was a stroke of dumb luck the feline soldiers ended up being as intelligent as they were. That is a story in itself, and one I encourage you to pursue. Did you know that Earth and Ekkida both have fascinating ancient myths about cats? I believe that you are familiar with the name Bastet?”

  “That is interesting, Gus,” Zheng said. “But, we have limited time and you seem to be wandering from the subject at hand.”

  Cozeremi turned up his tea cup one last time and emptied it.

  “Please, Herbert,” he said, shaking his head. “You are quite intelligent and your ability to solve grand mysteries with very few clues to point you in the proper direction is second to none. However, you suffer from tunnel vision. That is your greatest weakness, and one that I know for a fact has been used against you many times. I have told you nothing in our conversation this afternoon that you should disregard out of hand.”

  “Did you ever wonder why the cats fought so well against the saurians, or why they seem to be able to sense when there are saurians hidden about,” Cozeremi asked as he sat his empty cup down. “It was because they were bred with an instinctual xenophobia toward the saurians in their physiological makeup.”

  “They were created to have a natural sensitivity to the pheromones the saurians secrete for non-verbal communication,” he explained. “It makes the felines jumpy and heightens their awareness, but stops just short of triggering the fight or flight response. They will also be a great weapon against the silicoids when that conflict heats back up. You will see.”

  “I have one final question,” Zheng said, insisting on cutting Cozeremi’s discussion on the felines short.

  He finished his coffee, rose and looked around for a trash receptacle to throw the empty cup in. He returned to his seat to continue the conversation.

  When Zheng looked over at Cozeremi, the man’s eyes were glazed and his lips were turning blue. Zheng reached for his hand. It was cold and clammy. Zheng began to panic.

  Cozeremi put his hand to his chest and between labored gasps for air, he whispered, “You can’t trust Non, Herbert. This is his doing.”

  “Don’t talk, Gus,” Zheng said. “We need to get you some help...”

  Cozeremi grabbed onto the vest pockets of Zheng’s uniform with a death grip. His knuckles whitened as he spoke, “Watch out for yourself, Herb. You aren’t safe anymore.”

  Zheng tried to break away to get help, but Cozeremi refused to release him.

  “Jaro,” Cozeremi said. “You must talk to Jaro. Promise me you will. She has access to the documentation you need to expose the truth. Bring the whole goddamn House of Peers down if you have to…”

  “I will, Gus,” Zheng promised, as Cozeremi’s labored breathing became shallow and slowed.

  A horrible odor like that of concentrated chlorine filled the shuttle and Zheng’s lungs and eyes started to burn. Zheng finally yelled for help as Cozeremi released his grip and slid from his chair to the floor of the shuttle.

  Cozeremi’s eyes rolled back in his head and his body started to convulse.

  One of the shuttle’s crew heard Zheng’s shouts for assistance and came back to the cabin from the cockpit.

  Zheng was about to loosen Cozeremi’s necktie and shirt collar when the crewman shouted, “Get away from him. He’s been poisoned.”

  Zheng stepped back, but demanded that someone help Cozeremi.

  The crewman grabbed Zheng and pulled him toward the hatch and led him out onto the tarmac, but not before Zheng could grab his briefcase. Zheng’s eyes and lungs were now on fire. He coughed convulsively and could not catch his breath.

  “Did you get near his mouth, Colonel,” the crewman asked. “Did you breathe deeply while around him?”

  Zheng nodded. He barely managed to say, “Yes,” between coughs.

  The crewman grabbed his locator and called for medical assistance as two more crew members hurriedly evacuated the shuttle, coughing and shielding their burning eyes from the bright afternoon sun.

  Zheng felt queasy and lost his legs. He tumbled to the tarmac and lost consciousness.

  Part XI - New Beginnings

  Chapter 43

  10-May-2210

  Morning Grass walked into the mess hall. She still carried a walking stick with her, but was capable of getting around without it if she needed to.

  Russo was already there with Haley having an after-dinner cup of coffee before retiring to her cabin for the night. She saw her newly enlisted feline protégé coming through the door and waved to attract her attention.

  Haley excused herself and got up to leave.

  Morning Grass went straight to the coffee machine and poured herself a cup. She walked from the coffee machine to join Russo at her favorite table.

  “Did you see Teacher off to his Special Forces training properly,” Russo asked.

  “Of course, Major,” Morning Grass responded with a sly smile. She took a sip of her hot coffee and set it back down. “I’m going to miss him. This will be the longest we’ve been apart since we met.”

  Morning Grass looked down at the coffee cup and smiled again as her last vision of Teacher, just before he entered the drop shuttle, came back to her.

  “He certainly looks good in that marine uniform,” she said.

  “Yes,” Russo chimed in. “He does at that.”

  Russo’s reply was a bit quicker and more enthusiastic than she meant for it to be. She turned bright pink and started to perspire.

  Morning Grass giggled and blushed along with Russo. “My goodness, Scarlet,” she said. “I do believe the both of us may be about to swoon.”

  Russo laughed nervously. “You’ve started reading Gone with the Wind, I see,” she said. “You’ve been hitting the historical romances heavily.”

  “I enjoy them,” Morning Grass replied, nodding enthusiastically. “There’s something familiar about them. I don’t know why, but when I read them it’s as if I’m sitting and catching up with old friends. And, on the nights I read before falling to sleep…”

  “What is it, Morning Grass,” Russo asked. She quickly looked around the room when the feline hushed herself in the middle of her sentence. When she saw nothing out of the ordinary she turned back to Morning Grass who looked as if she was afraid to answer.

  “It’s nothing, Major,” Morning Grass said, trying to pass it off. “I doubt it’s pertinent.”

  “You know what Peggy told you,” Russo said. “At this point, anything could be significant. You haven’t had any forward progress to speak of for weeks now.”

  “I’d rather not,” Morning Grass replied.

  “Out with it,” Russo demanded. “Peggy keeps preaching to you that seemingly irrelevant observations often lead to breakthroughs in situations like yours.”

  “I was just going to say, on the nights when I read a lot, I’ve noticed I dream quite a bit,” Morning Grass said. She looked at Russo, but refused to make direct eye contact. “Do you think that is significant,” she asked.

  “I would say it depends,” Russo responded. She knew Morning Grass well enough to detect when the feline was concerned about something but afraid to share it. Most of the time, those fears were exaggerated beyond proportion. “Do you remember what it is you’ve been dreaming about,” Russo asked.

  Morning Grass looked as if she were trying to articulate something specific but didn’t know how to express it. After an unsuccessful attempt to find the right words, she remained silent.

  “Please, Morning Grass,” Russo said. “I promise I won’t laugh or make light of it. Anything, no matter how absurd or silly, could be important.”

  “I can’t,” Morning Grass said.

  “Is it something you’d feel more comfortable sharing with Peggy,” Russo asked.

  “Please, Major,” Morning Grass pleaded. “Can we just drop it?”

  Out of the blue, Russo thought of a likely
possibility and gave Morning Grass a knowing smile. She winked as she said, “I’m sure you wouldn’t be the first girl to report having erotic dreams after spending all her free time reading romance novels.”

  “But it isn’t like that, Major,” Morning Grass blurted out. “I don’t remember a lot about my dreams but, they haven’t been filled with English gentlemen, riverboat gamblers, rugged gamekeepers, pirates or knights in shining armor. That would be enjoyable for a change.”

  The forcefulness of Morning Grass’ reply made Russo grin. “Not all of us respond to the traditional male archetypes,” she said.

  Morning Grass’ frown gave way to a feeble smile hinting of embarrassment mixed with puzzlement. She once more found it difficult to look Russo directly in the eye. “I’ve been seeing you in my dreams, Major,” she said. “Almost every night. I should have said something before now…”

  “I don’t think there is anything really significant about that,” Russo said quickly, trying to ease Morning Grass’ concerns, but not fully able to ease her own. The tenor of the dreams had yet to be firmly established. Russo found herself hoping the absence of heroic males Morning Grass was so quick to point out also meant the dreams were free of erotic content.

  “Freud and Jung both believed when we dream about friends and acquaintances, we can’t take them or anything they do at face value,” Russo pointed out. “They are symbolic representations of how we subconsciously view parts of our own personalities.”

  “Perhaps that is it,” Morning Grass said. The look on her face told Russo that she didn’t accept that interpretation.

  “What am I doing in your dreams,” Russo asked. She cringed in preparation for what she might hear.

  Morning Grass fought to overcome her embarrassment and get the words out. “Most of the time, you’re brushing my hair,” she said.

  Russo burst out laughing. “I have no idea what that means,” she told the feline.

  “What is so amusing,” Morning Grass asked.

  “I’m sorry,” Russo said. She was now blushing and giggling. “When you mentioned that you were dreaming about me instead of Rhett Butler, I was a little scared.”

  It took Morning Grass a while to find the humor in the situation but, when she did, she also turned pink and giggled.

  “I’m no expert, Russo said. “But if I had my guess, I’d say that my brushing your hair in your dreams has something to do with how you see our doctor-patient relationship on a subconscious level.” She picked up her coffee and took a long last drink. “Do you have any plans for this evening,” she asked.

  “I thought I would just go to my cabin and retire early,” Morning Grass replied. “I’ll need to get some sleep if tomorrow is going to be as rough a day as you expect it to be.” She smiled like an excited child about to assist her mother with the preparation of a holiday meal. “Thank you again for requesting I be allowed to accompany you. I really appreciate you sticking your neck out to help me.”

  “It won’t be all that rough a day,” Russo explained. “It will be a long one, though. I expect we will be seeing around fifty patients. I believe it will be a good thing for you to be back among your people, if only for a day, before coming back here to begin your medic’s training in earnest.”

  “As for giving you this opportunity, I don’t have any doubts you will be a great help, and neither does Peggy Stiles,” Russo added. “I also think your decision to join the CEF will make things much easier for all of us in the long run.”

  Morning Grass listened with great interest as Russo spoke. It was Russo who encouraged her to join the Marines. It was Morning Grass’ decision, however, to seek training as a medic.

  Morning Grass thought back to her conversation with Teacher the night before, and how opposed he was to her remaining a soldier. She hadn’t mentioned this aspect of her plans to him. She wanted this to come as a surprise. She wanted him to be proud of her when he saw she had found a way to contribute to their family’s wellbeing that might eventually turn into a civilian occupation.

  “Both Peggy and I are convinced your violent episode was a one-time thing,” Russo said. “As long as you stay with your therapy and you do well in your training, the Forward Command will have no issues with you, and I would expect the incident with Lowell will result in a year or two of supervised probation at the most.”

  “The good will you created by enabling the command to make this an internal matter and removing the specter of interplanetary politics will surely work in your favor,” Russo added. “And, helping us with our establishment of a medical presence among the felines will certainly not do your chances of avoiding time in the brig any harm.”

  “I really appreciate all the help and support you and Colonel Stiles have given me, Major,” Morning Grass said. “I won’t disappoint you.”

  “I know you won’t, Corporal,” Russo replied, with a big smile. “Please meet Haley and me on the hanger deck at 0600. I think it’s time for me to turn it, too.”

  Chapter 44

  Russo thought about Morning Grass as she headed for her cabin. She was proud of the feline for the way she had matured over the past few months.

  Russo also had to admit she was proud of herself.

  Guiding Morning Grass through this difficult time had tested the limits of Russo’s abilities and her dedication to her profession. Just the suggestion of recommending regeneration therapy for Morning Grass had put Russo seriously at odds with the Forward Command.

  After the incident in the Regeneration recovery room, Russo had been advised it would not do her career any good to buck the Command any further. They desired to send the feline planet side immediately, forgoing the physical therapy regimen she needed to restore the use of her regenerated limbs.

  But, Russo stuck to her guns and finally proved that Morning Grass was not a threat and might even be an asset to the command if allowed to serve as a conduit between the CEF and the felines. The Forward Command was forced to see reason. They relented and removed Morning Grass’ hostile combatant status.

  Russo opened the door to her cabin and stepped inside. She was mentally weary and physically exhausted. Her shift in the sickbay hadn’t been too trying, but she wasn’t sleeping well of late.

  She thought about showering, but decided to save that for the morning.

  She turned down the lights to the bare minimum she needed to see what she was doing as she stripped down and fell into her bunk.

  “Lights off,” she commanded and the dim cabin lighting disappeared altogether.

  The cabin was completely dark, except for the flashing LED just to the right of her cabin door that told her it was locked from the inside. It wasn’t noticeable at first, but as her eyes adjusted to the darkness, its flashing became more conspicuous, adding a red hue to every reflective surface in the cabin each time it cycled. It gave the familiar space of her cabin an eerily unfamiliar atmosphere.

  She lay there, staring up at the ceiling in frustration. She soon conceded that, although she was physically exhausted, she wouldn’t be able to fall to sleep with her mind racing as it was.

  She fumbled around with the items on her nightstand, looking for her tablet. She finally located it and pressed her thumb to the activation window on the upper right-hand corner.

  The screen lit up and she tapped another button on the side to reduce the brightness until her eyes could adjust. She touched an icon on the tablet’s screen and entered a pass code.

  Her personal hyper-mail inbox opened up and showed a list of messages. She had new unopened messages, but she skipped over those and scrolled down toward the bottom of the list. She stopped at a message from her father she had read multiple times and opened it to read again.

  “Dawn Marie,” it began.

  “I wanted to let you know I was okay the minute we came out of blackout. We are marginally aware of what is happening with your battle group but not many of the details have been disseminated outside the command as yet. I’m looking forward to h
earing from you and finding out what you’ve been up to.”

  “I don’t know how much of this message will make it through the sieve, but I’ll tell you everything I’ve found out so far and let the mail filters do what they were programmed to do. I’m sure the reasons for the blackout and the diversion to this system seem obvious to everyone now and all this secrecy is unnecessary.”

  “When we crossed the boundary of the Epsilon Eridani heliopause, we were met by a flotilla of small but extremely fast battle cruisers. They were manned by humans and they had either prisoners or diplomats from a reptile-like species with them. I believe that our government knew these races were here and this was a diplomatic mission from the start. From the scuttlebutt I’ve been hearing it’s likely we’ve secretly been in contact with both the humans and reptiles for decades, maybe even centuries.”

  “Chatter between the ships in the battle group was limited to situational awareness reports until about eight hours ago when radio silence was completely lifted. By the time this clears the sieve and gets to you, the news will probably have already reached you from home that we, like you, have established diplomatic relations with an extraterrestrial race.”

  “They call themselves Uh-KEED-enz. We have been spelling it Ekkidans because that spelling is the most direct transliteration between the Sino and Ekkidan phonemic character sets.”

  “The language hasn’t been difficult to pick up. Our translators hit on it right away. The Forward Command put us into immersion training with Ekkidan instructors the hour we made orbit and our tablets were loaded with translation matrixes and Ekkidan character sets soon after. The phonemic character set is mundane enough. It kind of reminds me of the Phoenician alphabet. But, they also have a character set that is highly ornamental and pictographic. It looks like a high tech version of cuneiform.”

  “By the way, the Forward Command has told us the politicians on Earth have decided we should now be called ‘Terran’ since the term ‘human’ is not exclusive to Earth anymore, but, I’m sure you’ve already been told that. I still haven’t been able to get my head around the implications. I guess I’m still in awe about this whole thing. I imagine it came as a shock to you also, when you found for certain we weren’t alone in the universe.”