by Clyde Key
* * *
Two days after the meeting in the cabin, Jefferson’s group got the weapons. Five laser pistols and ten shoulder-fired weapons with IR sights were delivered to the Rabble members stationed in the rent house. There were also operating and service manuals in the crate, as well as some spare parts. It was so much that it almost made the elder Jefferson uneasy about the way they had simply fallen into his group’s possession.
That was also the same day PNN made public a letter that had been sent E-mail to its headquarters. The letter claimed credit for the slaying of the five aliens that had been covered in the sensational report, as well as for several earlier alien executions. The letter was identified as having been sent by the Earth Liberation Army.
Then later in the day, PNN reported a series of alien killings all across the southern half of the country. Two more aliens were found shot in Houston, six in New Orleans, and three in Tucson. Also networks reported single slayings in several other cities from Raleigh to Tucumcari all on the same day.
Commentators blamed all the alien deaths on the Earth Liberation Army, noting the similarities in the incidents. This ELA was reported to be a highly organized, wide-spread paramilitary operation. Experts analyzed the mental makeup of the guerillas and their leaders, and citizens were warned about the killers in their midst.
Still, the PNN Poll Channel showed unwavering public support for integrating Veezee into the life and affairs of our country.
40
March 7, 2113
It was an hour after dawn on a bright clear Arizona morning and a slight warm breeze hinted of the summer day that would follow. Ed stepped outside onto the walk in front of his new quarters and watched the small lizards that came out early to catch bugs. Then there were the desert field mice scampering about. The small rodents also would disappear before the sun rose much higher into the sky. It was such a great day to be alive that Ed almost forgot about his arthritis.
Suddenly, the mice scampered away and Ed noticed the lizards were already gone. Then he caught a whiff and knew why the small animals had gone. The blue alien, second oldest of Common Veezee, had been in the pit next to Ed’s quarters all the time and when Ed came outside, the alien came to greet him.
“Good morning, elderly human,” said the alien, through the translator disk.
“You don’t have to rub my face in it. I know how old I am. Just a minute here. I gotta go get something.” Ed retreated back indoors to his bathroom where he found the small vial of Smel-Numb. A couple of drops below his nostrils immediately made the blue alien less offensive. Ed also thought of something else that would make the alien more bearable. Either of the two weapons he had hidden in his quarters—the laser pistol or the old .45 revolver donated by Sam Baines—would effectively eliminate that alien’s personality defects.
“I did not rub your face in something,” said the alien who had followed Ed inside. “I do not understand why Veezee are accused of strange actions.”
“It’s just a figure of speech! I just didn’t care for your crack about being elderly!”
“That is especially strange. For Veezee, older is better condition. Older is more respect.”
“That’s half right,” said Ed. “Old people ought to get more respect than they do. But even if they did, younger would be better! Being old makes my joints hurt and I can’t half see what I’m doing any more.”
“Eldest Veezee commands that I instruct you in civilized behavior today.”
“Does that mean you’re going to blab all day again?” asked Ed, as he picked up a pair of earplugs and dropped them into his shirt pocket just in case.
“Does word blab mean same as word talk?”
“Yeah. Pretty much.”
“Then Veezee will blab all of the day.”
“Yeah? Well, what if I tell you the old boy big chief Veezee stinks worse than a pile of horse manure? What would that evil, scummy, cowardly, lying, ugly, stupid ass think of that?”
“I do not know. I do not feel the thoughts of the Eldest Veezee now. I do not know why.”
It works! The shielding really works. Ed resolved to thank engineer Herman for the design as soon as possible.
“Since you’re alone now, maybe you can answer some questions for me,” said Ed. “Like: do you know anything about a lot of aliens being killed lately?”
“Many Veezee die in human cities. Veezee know humans kill Veezee because other life on this planet do not use technological weapons.”
“Then why haven’t you aliens said anything about it yet? I’d get furious about humans getting killed.”
“It is not a problem yet. Veezee are one and two and many. Veezee are not like you.”
“What do you mean, it’s not a problem yet? When’s it going to be a problem?”
“Killing will be a problem for Veezee when many Noble Veezee are killed. Many Common Veezee and few Noble Veezee are killed already. Common Veezee have many bodies so are sufficient without the bodies that were killed. Veezee are one.”
Ed went into the room he’d prepared for an office and sat down behind the desk. He pulled the control panel out and punched the ‘record’ button that caused all conversation in the room to be saved on the crystal. Then he turned to the blue alien who had followed him to this room. “What’s the plan for humans?” he asked. “How does the oldest Veezee plan to work with humans?”
“The plan for humans is quite simple. Humans will be taught to serve Veezee.”
“Uh...” Ed was caught off guard by the answer. “Uh. How’s that going to happen?”
“When enough translator discs are built, all Veezee will be able to command humans.”
Ed checked the recording system to see that it was working. “What will Veezees do if the humans don’t agree to work for slimebag Veezees?”
“Veezee have many weapons. Veezee will also take weapons from humans when it is time.”
“Oh yeah? If I have anything to say, people aren’t going to give their weapons away.”
“Some humans are friends to Veezee already. Even some humans that are in United States of America government are friends and will help Veezee.”
“Oh? Which ones?”
“Some humans are Netta Gage and Carey White who is a senator and Jerrold Macklin who is a vice president. There are also many other humans friends of Veezee who help to rule your planet and the United States of America.”
“Uh, what! Are you…? You can give me the rest of the names later.” Ed turned off the recorder. Then he removed its crystal and slipped it into his pocket. “You have to stay in here right now,” said Ed. “I’ve got to go to the bathroom.”
“Halloran tricks Veezee. You may not be alone because you plan to leave without Veezee. Veezee cannot allow this.”
“Oh! Well, that’s too bad I guess.” Ed walked into the next room and pushed a switch with his hand. Immediately, a rod plunged across the door about 25 centimeters above the floor. Similar rods also crossed all the other doors in the house. Ed stepped easily across each one but the blue alien had to disgorge its bodily goo under each before it could jump across and recombine. Ed was out of the house and into his floater before the alien was past the second barrier.
Ed stopped at Headquarters only long enough to give Major Baines some instructions, then he was off to Flagstaff, to catch the magtrain to Washington. He would deliver the recording crystal personally to President Litton, who would be waiting for Ed after receiving Atkin’s message.