TSN: The Best Laid Plans (Terran Space Navy)

by Paul Phipps

  With a head slightly bowed to hide the show of emotion in his eyes, Commander Hiroshi Kurita agreed that he did indeed want to be the Musashi’s Captain.

  An hour later he arrived back at the suite he and Keiko shared. She was studying a report but looked up as soon as she heard his footsteps on the carpeting. She saw a strange look on her husband’s face, it was an introspective one and she waited to hear what he had to say.

  He in turn saw that she was watching him closely and with a nod to himself he pulled up a chair to be close to her, then put his hands on his knees and said: “Keiko, you aren’t going to believe this, but…”

  Asimov City- Friday, February 19, 2027

  “Commander Webster, Peter has requested permission to come to your office when you have some free time.” Sandy announced to him.

  “Do you know what he wants to talk about, Sandy?” Ansel asked distractedly as he finished doing a rapid scan on the latest batch of recruits’ biographies.

  “No sir, I don’t. He does seem to be a bit agitated in his mannerisms and a voice analysis shows an effort at remaining calm.”

  “I see… Please tell him to come on in and take a seat. I really do need to finish this up.” Ansel told her.

  Peter appeared at the Trans-Portal a minute or so later and dutifully took a seat next to the wall and watched Ansel intently as he wrapped up his work. After almost ten minutes went by and his fidgeting was starting to become noticeable before Ansel was able to pay attention to him.

  “I apologize for ignoring you Peter. I really did need to finish this up. This information effects how we go about training the latest recruits in the most efficient manner. But now we can talk, what do you have for me?”

  “Yes sir, I understand how important your job is. I’ve found out something that really bothers me.” He paused and then said emphatically. “It bothers me a lot!”

  “Alright I understand your feelings, now what is it that bothers you?”

  “I have a friend that calls himself Bambang, he lives in Indonesia, and he’s an orphan like me and Tanya. And now he’s gone missing and hasn’t been on KidsPlace in over a week. I contacted Harum and she said that Bambang had been chosen to go a better place that has a high placement rate.” Peter stopped and just looked at Ansel.

  “Well go on, you haven’t given me enough information as to why you are worried. As an adult I could say that he’s been adopted and that he’s too busy with his new family to log onto KidsPlace.”

  “Bambang was on KidsPlace all of the time Sir, you see he was crippled by a land mine in that insurrection in Indonesia about ten years ago. And he told me once that cripples NEVER get adopted, there are too many other orphans and street kids that are whole in body.

  And if he had been adopted he would have been announcing it to the whole world.” Peter ended up defensively.

  “I see… I see what you mean Peter.” Ansel said thinking furiously. “Alright, you’ve done the right thing by bringing this up with me. And for your information the TSN is also interested in Indonesia. This is something that YOU are going to keep to yourself! Right Peter?”

  “Yes sir! Just you and me.” Peter said with a nod.

  “You can discuss this with Chief Cavendish or with Tanya. No one else until I tell you, especially on KidsPlace, that site is so heavily monitored…. You wouldn’t believe how many groups are sifting out information because the kids blab about everything there.”

  “Oh! Before you go, where in Indonesia was Bambang at and does your friend… Harum?” Peter asked

  “That’s right, Harum.”

  “Does she know the name of the place Bambang was going to?”

  “I think she said something like the ‘Lost Souls home for unappreciated children’.” Peter said a frown, “You know how that translator software sometimes messes things up, but I think it was something like that.”

  “And where were he and Harum staying at?”

  “The Three Sisters of Mother Teresa’s Home for Children.”

  “Do you know the name of the town?”

  “It was Sura something.”

  “Alright, that’s enough for the moment. I’ll keep you informed about what is happening.” Ansel then got an introspective look on his face. Then with a smile he said. “Peter, I have an idea. How would you feel about inviting Harum to come here and visit with you and Tanya? Maybe for a month or so?”

  Peter brightened up at that and said quickly. “I’ll go log on and ask her right now.”

  “Go on then, Peter. We’ll talk more this evening.”

  “Yes sir! Thank you SIR!” And with that hanging in the air Peter was through the Trans-Portal.

  Sandy, I’m going to be busy for a while. Please hold any non-emergency contacts until I tell you.” Ansel directed the Camp Heinlein Command A.I.

  “Yes sir!”

  Commander Webster/ Comm Mode: “Albert! Do you have a few moments free?”

  Lt. Commander Fuller/ Comm Mode: “Certainly if it’s important. I’m having dinner with Christine right now.”

  Commander Webster/ Comm Mode: “I may have a lead on where the missing children in Indonesia might be going.”

  Lt. Commander Fuller suddenly put down his fork and knife. His wife and Captain of the Companion smiled wistfully deducing that work had once again had intruded into their few moment of private time together. She continued on eating and waited for the conversation in Albert’s head to finish.

  The Communication between Ansel and Lt. Commander Fuller was over in a record time as far as she was concerned. With a rise of her eyebrows she inquired as to what they had talked about.

  “That was Ansel, he just came across some interesting information from one of his apprentices. The apprentice has a friend in Indonesia who has gone missing. This time we have some names as well as places of interest to investigate.” Then with a chuckle, “And we now have a whole new source of information to Data-Mine. Ever hear of KidsPlace?”

  “No… I haven’t.” His wife said slowly and hesitantly.

  “Me neither, it appears that it is the worldwide chat board that only kids are supposed to be on. According to what I just looked up it’s for children aged five through seventeen. No Adults whatever. Theoretically it’s run and administered through UNICEF. Johan and Tabby are going to have a blast data-mining it. You know how kids are, they chat about everything and anything.”

  * * *

  The Dawn Seeker was crossing the late afternoon sky toward Surabaya, Indonesia. Jakarta Air Traffic Control had been very surprised at the request to land in Surabaya, but had agreed quickly once the Foreign Ministry was appraised of the request and that it was an unofficial visit to pick up a guest. As Lieutenant Floyd murmured quietly to her navigator; “I see Iceland is still in their recent memory banks.” To which she received a quiet chuckle in return.

  Ansel had borrowed the Dawn Seeker from the Comfort because of her purpose and as he admitted to himself, her notoriety. As he sat in the Captain’s chair he monitored the rest of the crew and kept an eye open for his two apprentices, who were bouncing slightly on their toes as they waited for their arrival.

  Dawn announced that the Orphanage was now in sight and to aid in spotting it placed a highlighted outline around it as they continued their descent.

  “Commander Webster, Surabaya tower is requesting that we notify them when we depart the area and they gave us a heads-up that the mayor and the local commanding officer of the Air Force detachment were going to be at the ‘Three Sisters’.” A communications rating announced from her station behind Ansel’s seat. Ansel acknowledged the report with a thank you.

  The Dawn Seeker slowed and then hovered over the Three Sisters Orphanage, seeing as how there wasn’t a good landing spot available Ansel directed that they would be using the Gravity Elevator this time, the previously detailed four Marine recruits and their Corporal Drill Instructor formed up to accompany him and his apprentices down to the Orphanage.

  Corpora
l Van Tranh, formerly of Vietnam, Anaheim California and the United States Marines where she had retired as a Gunnery Sergeant and top rated sniper spoke to her charges. “Listen up you rejects from the Army, we’re going down to look pretty and smart in our dress uniforms. Keep an eye open and scan the crowd for possible trouble-makers.

  Recruit Evans, you are to accompany the Commander’s apprentices. You know the drill and they have been briefed too. Any trouble and you are in charge and you are to get them back up to the Dawn Seeker ASAP.

  Recruit Sanchez you and your buddies there are to keep an eye to the rear of the party. I will be by the Commander and Command Master Chief Cavendish. This should go smooth but don’t expect it to anyway.” She finished up authoritatively.

  “Commander Webster! My external sensors are detecting Quarn Exudate in the area. I am releasing four IGD’s at this time for a closer examination of the gathering below us.” The Dawn Seeker announced.

  “Very good Dawn!” Ansel looked at Corporal Van Tranh and gave her a high sign to pay attention. “Peter, Tanya I don’t have time to explain right now but I will later on. But things are now different than they were before. We are in potentially in a lot of danger and so are the people down there.

  Because of that, Peter will be the only one to go down with me. That’s because he gave the invitation. Tanya…” He gave her a severe look at the beginnings of an insubordinate look and foot stomp, “I am not fooling around one bit! Chief Cavendish is also not going down. In fact she is going to show you a little video about her last experience with the Quarn.” With a quick look and a jerk of his head toward the Trans-Portal saw Sarah and Tanya moving off the bridge at a trot.

  “Listen up everyone, most of you have not been briefed about the Quarn. And right now I am damn sorry that you weren’t.” He said as he stood up and moved to stand at the front of the bridge. The main screen behind was still focused on the crowd below. “There were and are reasons for that. The biggest one is that we DO NOT want the Quarn to know that we know about them and what you don’t know about you can’t inadvertently give away.

  What you do need to know is that they are dangerous, so damn dangerous that in every version of Earth that they found they ended up EATING the world until it was dead and lifeless.” With that pronouncement he instantly gained full attention and in Peter’s case a white face of fear.

  “Peter! Listen up now. We are going down shortly and if I say that your friend cannot come with us it’s because she has been parasitized by the Quarn. I truly hope not because if she is, then your friend is dead now and an alien parasite controls her body.

  Dawn, can you get a pair of gauntlets fabricated for all of the crew in a short time?”

  “Commander I previously procured twenty-five pairs of them. They should be… Ahh, yes they are at the Trans-portal now.”

  “Excellent Dawn! Great fore-thinking on your part.” Ansel strode to the large case at the Trans-Portal and opened it up. Turning quickly he motioned Peter and the Five Marines over to him. With flashing words and a demonstration on Peter the Gauntlets were on the forearms of the landing party.

  “Lt. Floyd, please have the rest of the crew don a pair of these. You have now joined a select group of individuals that must safeguard this secret.

  Dawn, please prepare a Slowtime briefing on the Quarn for everyone.

  Corporal Van Tranh, Insure that there are masked Samurai Defense Units deployed. Once you are satisfied with your arrangements, we will go down and do the meet and greet”

  Once his orders were given and acknowledgements given back to him he turned to Peter and with a hand on his shoulder he guided him to a quiet spot to talk.

  “Peter, I need to know if you can obey my orders without question… or hesitation.” And with an earnest look he added. “When this is all over I will answer all of your questions to your satisfaction.”

  “Yes sir, I’ll do what you say; but what about Bambang and Harum?” Peter said manfully.

  “Peter I just don’t know about them. Let’s hope they are ok, but if they aren’t.” Ansel paused and swallowed loudly, “If they aren’t, then someday we will take revenge for their souls on the Quarn.”

  With that being said Corporal Van Tranh indicated they were ready to go.

  “Alright Peter, set your fears aside. Let’s go find out the truth about your friend.” Ansel stopped suddenly and then spoke to the group around him. “I forgot this, if anyone offers you food or drink. Please decline graciously, the Quarn’s primary means of parasitation is through ingesting something we call a Q-Mot. Also make sure your interdiction fields are up. They also have this drug we and they call the Zombie Drug. It makes you obey ANY order given to you. You lose all free-will and it is very effective and acts almost instantly if you are injected with it.”

  Once again everyone acknowledged his orders and away they went to the Gravity Elevator.

  In the Wardroom of the Dawn-Seeker, Sarah was sitting next to Tanya on a sofa. They were watching a video-playback of Sarah’s last encounter with the Quarn five-unit mass mind on the Mentor. Tanya had been furious when she had been dragged off of the bridge by Sarah. In fact she was still mad but the video was engrossing and she started to ask a few questions. Sarah answered as she could and then Tanya started to GAG as the bodies of the Quarn slaves burst open like milkweed pods.

  She pointed at the figure of Sarah sitting motionless in her chair and asked why she didn’t move.

  “Because they have very effective and frightening mental powers Tanya. What you see there isn’t me but a Telefactor. Consider that like an Android that I can control remotely. The Mass-mind stopped all of the Quantum Processors on the Mentor from functioning properly. Even the Command A.I. was halted while they were inside. Now watch…”

  Part way through the remaining video they were informed that Ansel and Peter with their Marine escorts were on the ground. They in turn watched them through the Dawn Seeker’s sensors and held their breath hoping that it would all go well.

  Peter stood two steps behind Ansel as he greeted the Mayor of Surabaya and a Colonel Ahn of the Indonesian Air Force. Finally the Reverend Mother and chief administrator of the Three Sisters of Mother Teresa’s Home for Children was able to greet Ansel. At that point Peter was motioned forward to meet her and Harum stepped up beside the Reverend Mother at the same time.

  Their Quarn detectors had gone off when the Reverend Mother had been introduced to the two of them. Peter had a moments’ panic and then settled down knowing that Ansel and the Marines would do whatever they could to defend him.

  “So you are the nice young man that Harum told me so much about.” The Reverend Mother told him.

  “Yes Reverend Mother, we’ve been chatting on-line for several weeks and I thought it would be fun to have her come and visit my sister and I on Galileo City.”

  “Well, I certainly don’t have any problem with it and I think the visit will have a good effect on her future placement with a family.” She smiled gently, “So here she is, why don’t you both go and talk in person while I confirm arrangements with your guardian.”

  Harum took Peter’s arm and pulled him gently over to the side and whispered in his ear. “I am so glad you are here. There was an awful fight last night after I got your invitation to come visit.”

  “You had a fight?” Peter said in surprise.

  “No, no silly, not me. The Reverend Mother and some of the other administrators, it was something about me having been scheduled to go forward with the next group.”

  “Well, did you want to go?” Peter asked hesitantly.

  “No, not at all! I think I would have run away first, this going forward thing doesn’t feel right to me.”

  “Why doesn’t it?” Peter asked her quietly.

  Harum went quiet and looked around carefully to see if anyone in the crowd that was jostling to get a look at the strange men from the Terran Space Navy and their other worldly flying machine was trying to listen to the two of th
em.

  “Peter, there are so few children on the streets now. Several years ago when first I came here there were children over-flowing out the gates and filling the streets as they ran wild. The sisters had a very hard time feeding and clothing us all. Now though, there is plenty of food and clothes and even the internet for us. But the children? There are so few of us left here. Just enough I think to show the world that this is an orphanage and a successful one too.”

  Peter was just about to ask another question when the two of them were summoned back to the adults.

  “Harum, here are some special treats for you and your friends. Make sure you remember to send your Thank You’s to Sister Mary Alphonse. She made them up especially for you.