by Paul Phipps
The Squad’s lead Sergeant, polled his men and then announced. “All Marines in position, ready to engage on your command.
“Go, Go, GO!” Captain Klein said forcefully.
The Quarn-Slave was the first to be hit by the Capacitor-darts. He jerked and partially stood up and then with a thud crashed to the deck and twitched and voided his bowels.
The seconds went dragging by until finally, “Huntress this is Bravo One-One. All crew accounted for, initiatin..” and then silence. Nearly two minutes went by and then there was a voice that was numb in shock, ”Huntress, this is Petty Officer Van Nells, Suit Monitors for the… Marines, indicate that they are dead. IGD’s and Bird-drones indicate the Wu Lung’s crew is also dead. The children appear to still be alive, at least most of them.” There was a pause and then “I am initiating the A-G Bubble and Jammer at this time.”
“Petty Officer Van Nells? Wasn’t there a Van Nells on SF-003?” Captain Klein asked out loud.
“Yes, Captain there was. Petty Officer Van Nells with Bravo Squad is the same one. He was brought here from the Susannah just before this mission’s MARS-units left the Huntress.” Came the voice of Diana the Huntress’s Command A.I. into the compartment.
“But I thought…. I swear I was briefed that he and the other two were unable to activate the clone bodies.” Major Barnes said in confusion.
“You are correct Major, however the memory engram was sufficient to activate a specially designed body-sim. Petty Officer Van Nells mind and memories live on but only now as an A.I. instead of a full human.”
“It’s going to take me awhile to process that Diana.” He paused and then said, “How long before we can get into those bubbles to get to the kids?”
“Captain Llewellyn has directed that the Friendly Peddler and the Wu Lung be taken to the Comfort for processing. It will take several hours to do that safely, in the meantime we are increasing our exclusion zone around Weh Island to 500 miles.”
* * *
The Mother Quarn was once again broadcasting waves of anger as she used up her precious supply of Life-force to find the meddlers who had AGAIN stolen what was hers. At least this time she had managed to kill and absorb their life force to fuel her search for more of them.
A portion of her vast mind was keeping a tenuous touch on the human children trapped in the shipping containers when… they were gone. Like a light in a room just going out. And the other vessel the one bringing in the great quantity of life-force she needed. It too was gone and without a sign of where it had went.
This could not…. No… It WOULD not be allowed to happen again! They needed to be made to understand that only her good will stood between her and the total destruction of the Human race on this world.
With a thought she contacted one of her Children in Surabaya.
::Daughter!::
::Yes, Mother?::
::Are those humans still there?::
::The ones investigating the missing children?::
::Yes, them.::
::Yes, Mother they are still here. I have them under control and sitting in their rooms.::
::Good! Send one of them to me tomorrow. The Female one, would be best.::
::Yes, Mother I will do as you bid.::
* * *
Ansel came through the trans-portal with a somber look on his face. The three FOX/CNN employees that made up the permanent News crew going to the Huntress were looking at him and slowly their faces showed some apprehension as he stood there looking at them silently. With a slight shrug of his shoulders he moved into the lounge where they were riding inside the Helen of Troy.
He sat down in a comfortable lounge style chair and while resting his elbows on the arms of the chair with his hands clasped into fist in front of his mouth he glowered into the distance. After a few minutes of silence the Producer, a Melissa Farquhar asked “You look very disturbed, is there something you want to discuss?”
“No I don’t want to discuss this with you, but at the same time I need to.” He paused and sat back and thought some more. The News people remained quiet out of respect for him. With his mind made up he brought out his truth Verifier and placed it on the table beside him.
“Something has just happened in the last half hour or so. The full ramifications won’t be known for some time to come but they will affect you personally. Perhaps fatally…” He paused and watched their faces as what he said sunk in.
“I won’t go into details yet until I have made you an offer.”
“An offer, Commodore?” asked Ms. Bin Caldiran suspiciously.
“Yes, the offer is this; you may return home immediately and be in a place of relative safety. If you decide to keep going on to the Huntress the odds of you dying are very high.
One side offers you safety and no further information, the other offers you information but your odds of surviving to talk or broadcast it are very low.” Ansel said somberly.
The Truth verifier glowed a cheery blue at his dark words in an ironic contrast. The three members of the news crew on the other hand were shocked at Ansel’s bluntness. With many glances between themselves and the start of sentences suddenly stopping before more than a couple of syllables were spoken added an eerie tone to the situation.
“Can you give us a few minutes to discuss this?” Asked Ms. Farquhar.
“Yes, I can.” With a quick demonstration of a portable Jammer to the News crew Ansel moved across the lounge to a different chair and watched the three disappear behind the Jammer shield. He decided to check in on the progress of the Wu Lung as it was being towed to the Comfort.
He could see that the Jammer around the Wu Lung was now off and that there were several MARS-units now inside. A quick check confirmed that the SAR crews were gathering up the bodies of the Marines and the Wu Lungs’ crew.
On a whim he tried to contact Petty Officer Van Nells. Commodore Webster/ Comm Mode: “Petty Officer Van Nells do you have a few moments to talk with me?”
PO 2nd class Van Nells/ Comm Mode: “Yes Sir, I have a few minutes free at the moment.”
Commodore Webster/ Comm Mode: “First off, I am very pleased at your actions while under attack by the Mother Quarn.”
PO 2nd class Van Nells/ Comm Mode: “Thank you Sir, but all I did was survive her attack.”
Commodore Webster/ Comm Mode: “Yes you did, and after it was over you completed the mission and saved most of the children too.”
PO 2nd class Van Nells/ Comm Mode: “Ah yes, that reminds me Sir, just before we attacked our Bird-Drones detected a child in one of the containers that was still conscious and apparently not under the influence of the zombie drug.”
Commodore Webster/ Comm Mode: “Excellent! Since you are the man on the spot there, I want you to handle finding that child as soon as it’s possible to do so. Inform me when you do please.”
PO 2nd class Van Nells/ Comm Mode: “Aye Aye Sir!”
Commodore Webster/ Comm Mode: “Call me when you get some information. I might be in a meeting but I’ll break away to hear what you have to tell me.” Ansel then broke the contact and after checking to see that the news crew was still behind the Jammer field he called Ariadne.
Commodore Webster/ Comm Mode: “Ari? Are you available?”
Ariadne/ Comm Mode: “For you? Of course I am!”
Commodore Webster/ Comm Mode: “Here’s what I know about the Wu Lung incident, can you add any more to that.” Ansel then brought her up to speed on all he knew.
Ariadne/ Comm Mode: “No, I can’t add anymore to that other than that the Wu Lung will be arriving at the Comfort in one hour and twelve minutes. Rescue vessels from the Comfort are already at the Wu Lung and are in the process of recovering all of the humans on board.
The Quarn-Slave also survived the Mother’s counter-attack and he has been placed into suspended animation. He will be transported to the Elizabeth Rich on the next scheduled transport to her.”
Commodore Webster/ Comm Mode: “Thank you for the update, on
e more thing, please give Petty Officer Van Nells a promotion to First Class and see if he is amenable to being assigned to my personal staff.”
Ariadne/ Comm Mode: “Certainly Ansel, but other than Sarah you don’t have a personal staff.”
Commodore Webster/ Comm Mode: “Then I guess he will become the second member now, won’t he?”
Ariadne/ Comm Mode: “
Commodore Webster/ Comm Mode: “Thank you, I don’t know about good, but it’s going to be interesting at least.”
He resumed watching the Jammer Field surrounding the three FOX/CNN News people. After another ten minutes or so they became visible once more. He in turn just sipped from a cup of tea and waited for them to speak first.
Ms. Farquhar the crew’s producer, was also it turned out to be the dominant personality of the News Crew, started to speak. “Commodore Webster, as you can imagine we have just had a very lively discussion about your brief statement to us. A point came up that needs clarification before we continue.”
“Certainly, ask away.” Ansel told her.
“Is the Terran Space Navy trying to get rid of us? I mean are you trying to arrange things so we aren’t around to ask questions that you don’t want us finding out the answers to?”
“No, not at all. Simply put, you are flying into a situation where you will be placed into position of grave danger. Our people know the risks that they are taking, as well as the consequences for not taking those risks.
You do not, and I being a moral person have to give you the opportunity to back out before you are in too deep and can’t back out.” Ansel told her forthrightly.
The three looked startled at what he had said and the Truth Verifier continued to glow its cheery blue. Finally after many looks and shrugs, Ms. Farquhar said. “If we say that we want to continue on. How free are we to report what we find out?”
“Your reports will be censored for some time to come. So will your personal communications to friends, family and colleagues will also be censored. However once we get past a certain point those restrictions will be lifted and you will be able to communicate with no censorship by the TSN.”
“It sound like we are entering a War Zone, are we?”
Ansel replied, “I will not say one way or another until you have made your decision.”
Once again there was another silent poll among the three. Finally there was an apparent agreement. “As you can imagine we aren’t very comfortable with this. But we got into this business because we are very curious and we don’t like secrets being kept from us.” Ms. Farquhar told Ansel levelly.
“Yes, I can see that. You also have a history of activism amongst the three of you. Especially you, Ms. Bin Caldiran. However you also show an unusual streak of self-honesty and willingness to modify your stance if you have new data indicating you should.” Ansel told them bluntly.
“You’ve done your homework I see. Then you also know that we are very critical of the Terran Space Navy.”
“Yes I do, you think we are high-handed and much too powerful and need to be under civilian control. Correct?” Ansel said.
“Correct, Commodore.” Ms. Farquhar said with a slight smile.
“Good, then we understand each other I believe. Now then… Your decision?”
“We will continue on to the Huntress with you and into mortal danger as you put it.” Ms. Farquhar told Ansel.
With a nod of acceptance at their decision, Ansel then said. “Our next stop is the Hospital Ship Comfort. We detected two more vessels with kidnapped and drugged children on them. A little over sixty five thousand of them. They are being taken there at this time for treatment.” The three just looked at Ansel in stunned amazement.
“Over SIXTY FIVE THOUSAND children!” Ms. Bin Caldiran stood up and said in an incredulous tone of voice.
“Yes that is correct, the Terran Space Navy Marines suffered twenty-four fatalities in rescuing them. We are unsure at this time of how many casualties were among the kidnapped children. That’s why we are heading for the Comfort at this time.”
“Do you know where they were going? Who is responsible for this?” Ms. Bin Caldiran asked angrily.
“Yes we do, to answer both of your questions. Now then, while we are in transit I am requiring you to attend a Virtual Reality briefing. It should answer most of your questions and those it doesn’t I will clarify for you.”
Ansel demonstrated to them the close-fitting VR Caps he and Ariadne had developed only a few months earlier. Soon the three News people were lying on their couches and being briefed.
* * *
TSN Companion
Johan/ Comm mode: “Captain Fuller, I have a request from the Med Center at Camp Heinlein. A new recruit who is in the process of being rejuvenated has done something quite amazing. He has apparently pushed himself to consciousness and is asking for you specifically.”
Captain Fuller/ Comm Mode: “Johan, that is Gary Geary, also known as GeeGee. He is to be given immediate access to me whenever he asks.”
Johan/ Comm Mode: “Yes Sir, I have made a note of that. I am completing the contact now sir.”
Captain Fuller/ Comm Mode: “Thank you Johan. GeeGee you need to follow the Med-Centers directions Man!”
Recruit Geary/ Comm Mode: “I had to get ahold of you Bob.” Came the soft straining voice, “Don’t attack her Bob! Don’t mess with her food! Not yet anyway… She’s aware of you now and she will destroy you if she can.”
Captain Fuller/ Comm Mode: “Who? The Mother Quarn?”
Recruit Geary/ Comm Mode: “Yes, she’s the one. You’ve made her angry and upset her plans. She’ll make you an offer. Take it.” And the voice faded away at that last statement.
Camp Heinlein Med Center/ Comm Mode: “Recruit Geary has resumed unconsciousness. No further contact will be allowed until he is healed and rejuvenated.” And then the contact was broken off.
‘It sounds like the Med-Center is a bit ticked off at its patient.’ He thought somberly.
He then paused in shock, ‘How in the name of God did GeeGee know about the latest raids on the Mother’s food supply? And what sort of offer was she going to make. This didn’t sound good at all.’
After reviewing all of the data about the two vessels and the very sketchy preliminary report on the Marine Casualties, he made a call to the Webster’s, Admiral and Commodore.
* * *
Captain Fuller/ Comm Mode: “That’s right Commodore, Dr. Geary stated specifically that we were not to attack her and to leave her food supply alone, otherwise she would destroy us. And after seeing what she did to that squad of Marines, she probably can do it.
What I am even more concerned about is that she is supposed to be making an offer to us. What sort of offer it is, I don’t know. But Dr. Geary said with his last words that we must take it.”
Admiral Webster/ Comm Mode: “When will Dr. Geary be available for us to question further?”
Commodore Webster/ Comm Mode: “I just checked with the Camp Heinlein’s Med Center. He did himself a great deal of harm by forcing consciousness on himself to contact Captain Fuller. It might be six weeks or so. He was technically dead shortly after he enlisted. Much of the body repair is done but the rejuvenation is going to take a lot longer in his case. It’ll still be a miracle of medical science, just not as quick as some miracles we have seen though.”
Admiral Webster/ Comm Mode: “What about a mind transfer to a clone?”
Commodore Webster/ Comm Mode: “I did ask about that, the answer surprised me. Because the Med-Center A.I.’s don’t understand how his mental abilities work they are not going to take any chances on losing him and them. So it’s slow speed ahead for Dr. Geary and his eventual rejuvenation.”
Captain Fuller/ Comm Mode: “The Companion’s Med-Center told me the same thing. It’s out of our hands for now. So we need to move on, do you have any definitive count on
the number of children that survived on the Wu Lung?”
Commodore Webster/ Comm Mode: “Preliminary reports to me from the Comfort’s SAR team indicates that of the approximately sixty five thousand children in the containers around fifty thousand and seventy survived.
The bright spot to me is that Petty Office Van Nells had discovered that one of the children was not under the Zombie Drugs’ influence. That child, who happens to be a Japanese-American, was captured in Guangzhou China. His parents reported him missing and that he had probably run-away after an argument with his mother.
He is being treated on board the Comfort for Dehydration and starvation. It appears that none of the children had been given food or water for at least two days while they were in transit to Weh Island.”