

### Some Stories written in 2018

Published by Stephen Brandon at Smashwords

Copyright 2018 Stephen Brandon

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Smashwords Edition, License Notes

This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you're reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to your favorite ebook retailer and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

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Author's Note

This book is a work of fiction. All characters, organizations, incidents, and dialogue are from the authors imagination or used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events or other persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental. Real and fictional locations are used for background only.

NOTICE: This collection of stories runs the gambit from what one would consider a 'flash fiction' to 'novella'. Choose your reading fun!

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Short Stories Main Table of Contents ~(ToC)~

The Traveler

Little Wolf

Riot Control Company

Intruder Alert

The Soldier

The Curiosity

The Last Defenders

Wobbling Earth

The Cylinder Ship

Acknowledgments

About Stephen Brandon

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The Traveler

The Traveler Table of Contents

Roman Invasion

The Wasp

Lunge

Orders

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Roman Invasion

"Square, form up," yelled someone in the rear. "This hill we must take is haunted. Remember to aim high, because your spears and swords will be pulled down as you advance. The druids cannot stand against us even with their magic."

Lunge watched the wall solders around him as they advanced. Many were casting looks left and right, like he was.

They could see the painted druids hiding behind the stones at the top of the hill. There was one that was throwing stuff in a small fire. It made flashes of colored light and smoke.

The weather was miserable because it had rained yesterday, and the mud had not dried.

Lightning flashed in the sky. Lunge, a farmers son, realized that it was going to rain again. He hoped that they'd be done before it started.

Suddenly lightning flashed from the sky into the shaman's fire.

Lunge remembered one of his fathers cows that had been struck by lightning. The fire from the sky had roasted the shoulders and blown the belly open. He felt the spear in his hand grow hot as fire jumped from the ground to its point.

~ ~ ~

The Wasp

"Captain, incoming communications."

"Well, Tislam."

"Damn it Leroy, you know I prefer Bull."

"And how many time do I have to remind you that when we're on patrol, you call me Leroy, not Mythes or captain."

"Yes Sir. It starts out with a change of commander and chain of command. There are over a dozen attached files. I hope they aren't changing our uniforms again. The last changes almost wrecked the printer."

"Bull, transfer the ones I need to act on as soon as you read them. Send the others to Andrew and Joseph."

"Yes Sir."

Leroy heard Joseph cursing all the way from the engine room. "Those assholes ordered immediate weapons and propulsion system signature modifications. Leroy, we're going to have to find somewhere safe to hide for several weeks while I tear down the engine."

"Joe, I'll get Andrew on it right away. Then we'll all start on it."

The rouge asteroid Andrew found in deep space was perfect, except for its magnetic properties.

Five weeks later Joe reported the engine modifications were complete and verified. The weapons were also ready, but he recommended they leave the asteroids magnetic field before testing.

"Andrew, can you feel the drag on the ship controls."

"Yea Joe, what's causing it?"

"Propulsion gages show irregular magnetic fields on the hull. They are interfering with the gravity drive."

"Can you degauss the hull, or should I activate the magnetic shields?"

"Degaussing probably won't work until we're out of the asteroids magnetic field. Activating the shields will probably tear portions off of the hull. All I can suggest is increasing the drive power and hope we don't blow out the drive modulators."

"OK, increasing drive power to thirty percent. Andrew, I need you to track our trajectory and the trajectory of the asteroid."

"Wilco Leroy, activating weapons tracking system to keep an eye on that asteroid.

"Son of ... Leroy the asteroid is now showing atmosphere and life signs."

"Andrew that's impossible. It's a dead rock."

"Atmosphere dissipating, life signs fading Captain. Bull, check your screen. Mine is indicating a life sign in the cargo bay."

"Andrew what happened, my instruments show we now have only ten meters altitude."

"That's right Leroy. Suggest you go to full power before we crash."

"Cut the weapons tracking system. The shit didn't start until you turned it on."

"Weapons systems off. Distance to asteroid now half a million kilometers and rising, reduce power."

"What the hell do you think I'm trying to do!

"Joe, cut power to the drives, they're not responding to my controls!"

"All breakers pulled Leroy. Drive field dissipating."

"Everyone listen up. We may have an intruder in the cargo bay. My instruments indicate our velocity at sixty percent the speed of light. Navigation, verify velocity and direction."

"Leroy, velocity verified, direction galactic north. No stars between us and the edge of the galaxy. We're screwed unless Joe can get the propulsion back on. Even under full power it'll take months to stop. You know the FTL drive won't initiate without a background gravity field. We're really screwed!"

"Bull, I need you to check the cargo bay. That life sign is still there. Take a weapon."

"OK Andrew, why don't you come along. It might be an alien."

"You and your aliens. Maybe I should delete the science fiction library files."

"Yea Andrew, maybe you smuggled your girlfriend aboard. Oh, I forget, she dumped you didn't she?"

"I'll be down there in a minute, just to watch your ass pucker up if it's a real alien, or your girlfriend."

"Leroy, hull degaussed. I'll reset the propulsion breakers as soon as I finish diagnostics."

"Good job Joe. Everyone else is freaking out. Any idea what happened?"

"No comment. I'll let you know in a few hours."

"Leroy, we have a problem. The cargo bay is over pressurized."

"That's impossible."

"Andrew said that there was an atmosphere on the asteroid. I think we'd better go out the airlock and bleed the excess off through the cargo personnel lock, and then run an atmosphere check to see what kind of gases we have."

"Do it."

"Bull to Leroy, cargo bay air pressure was one bar. We bled it down to point seven and analyzed the gas. It is the standard mix although the oxygen was only twenty-one percent. Moisture content in the air was over eighty percent. Opening inner lock now.

"Leroy, we got another problem. The life form is a man with what I would consider primitive weapons. Andrew stunned him, so we need to get the brig cleaned out quick."

"I'll get on it. Give me ten, then bring him in."

~ ~ ~

Lunge

Lunge saw two strange figures come out of a door in the wall. As he pulled his sword, one of them pointed his arm at him.

Lunge woke up in a cage. His clothes and weapons were gone. Yelling in rage, he pounded on the bars.

Shortly a man in strange clothing walked in and started yelling back at him. Unsure what to do, Lunge asked, "Ego esse ubi?"

The strange man pressed some colored spots on the wall, then turned and started talking in his strange language. Opening a hole in the wall the man pulled out his knife, and started repeating a strange word.

Lunge knew this stranger wasn't a druid, he was to strange. Lunge replied, culter.

Then he pulled out of the hole the sword and started repeating a different word.

Lunge replied, acinaces.

Then he pulled out one of his sandals and repeated a different word.

Lunge replied, sandallum.

After he'd pulled out all his possessions, he opened another hole and pulled out a loaf of bread. Saying a strange word he pointed at the bread.

Lunge replied, pane.

Then he started pulling out vegetables and finally a piece of meat.

Lunge named all he knew.

Speaking into the air, the stranger said, Leroy do you have a large enough sample to figure out what his language is?

From the air above his head he heard a strange group of words, and then a different voice stated "I believe he is speaking a form of Latin, however some of the words are a little different." Lunge understood most of the second set of words and jumped up and down saying, sic sic!

"You will need to learn to speak a new voice."

Lunge looked bewildered to the man outside the bars. When the man held up his knife and said knife, then bread and said bread, and then sandal and said sandal, Lunge realized he must learn the new words.

The days passed and Lunge learned many new words.

Four months later Andrew informed Leroy that outward velocity was zero, and he could plot a trajectory back to their patrol area.

Lunge was speaking broken language, but could get his ideas across. Let out of the brig he found one of the view ports, and was amazed yet terrified at the view of the galaxy.

Andrew showed him star charts and after looking at dozens, Lunge said that one looked familiar. Continued examination of related charts gave Andrew the position of Lange's home. It was the lost home planet, Earth.

Andrew reported to Leroy that he had a general fix on Earth's location. After the plague that wiped out half the people on all the colonies planets, it had only taken three hundred years before the first planets had recovered enough to start building their empires. The first recovered rolled over single planets and smaller empires like a tank. After a hundred and ten years of war, only two major powers existed.

As Lunge became more proficient in speaking he was integrated into the crew. He and Bull became close friends, and learned fighting methods. Bull even taught the others how to use a short sword and spear.

Lunge, even after learning how to use the modern weapons, still preferred his spear, short sword, and knife.

It only took Bull six months to replicate Lunge's body shield. The new one was ballistic and radiation resistant. Leroy had him print up one for each crew member.

A year later they arrived in their patrol area, and attempted contact with their higher headquarters. Unfortunately their first contact was with a Federation scout ship. They won that battle, but were damaged. After salvaging what they could from the other scout ship's wreckage they limped toward their last know headquarters location.

~ ~ ~

Orders

"Wink, have you made contact with HQ yet?"

"Yes Captain, as soon as they acknowledged us they started sending orders."

"Well, give them to the 1st Officer."

"Sir, the first order had a large attached file for your and Lunge's eyes only. I sent it to your office computer."

Attention: Patrol ship P-234, Captain Leroy Mythes, EYES ONLY

Orders are as follows: If you still have the unassigned person on-board that goes by the name of Lunge, you are to sequester him in your office and load the attached file. The file will raise more questions than answers. He, by this time, should speak the language. He is to be accompanied at all times.

He is to be trained on navigation, piloting, and how to download the main computer of any ship he is on.

A security ship will contact and dock with your ship prior to approaching any station. Your ship is not to dock elsewhere until he is debriefed.

Watching the file, Lunge and the Captain were shocked. It described Lunge's appearing on-board different patrol ships over the last hundred and eight years. It also informed the Captain that he was not to let Lunge near any airlock while not being accompanied. It also outlined the training that the Captain was to ensure that Lunge had before returning to base. It then showed a narrated recording of Lunge leaving an airlock and engaging an enemy boarding party. Lunge exited the airlock with his shield over his back, his sword and spear in hand, and wearing what looked like a belt with several pouches. Turning toward the bridge of the ship he entered the Captains office and got a drink from the captains cabinet. He then exited the office and headed toward the mess intercepting two of the enemy boarding party. Taking one of their weapons he continued toward the engineering room and killed two more, and rescued one crew-member.

Entering the airlock between the ships he speared the enemy security guard and turned toward the engineering compartment of the enemy vessel. Killing each enemy crew-member as he found them he ended up on their bridge. Approaching their main computer console he rifled through the compartment until he found their memory cards, and did a main computer dump to the cards. Leaving the enemy ship he disengaged the airlocks and entered the bridge of the patrol ship and set the autopilot to return to it maintenance base. He then located two wounded crew-members and put them in the automated medical chambers. He then went to the mess and fixed himself a meal. The narrated recording ended there with the comment that as soon as the ship docked with the maintenance station, he entered the ships airlock but didn't exit into the station. The airlock camera shows him taking one step and vanishing.

Lunge turned to the Leroy and simply stated, "Well, I guess that is my future or past."

"Lunge, I noticed that you seemed to know exactly what the enemy was going to do and moved to avoid any injury from their weapons."

"Yea, but that's still a lot of blood on my hands. I managed to kill everyone left aboard the enemy ship. How many times do I do this?"

"I'm sorry Lunge, I don't know. This file is dated over a hundred years ago. If I was to guess, it's a lot. Headquarters knew you might be aboard this ship and had this file ready when we made contact."

"How do I move from ship to ship?"

"I have no idea. Maybe fate moves you around."

<ATTENTION: ENEMY SHIP ON INTERCEPT COURSE. BATTLE STATIONS.>

"Bridge, what do we have."

"Captain, it's a frigate class."

"Lunge, are you with us. They may have as many as thirty in their crew?"

"I'll get my gear and report to Bull."

"Pilot, our shields will be able to take a couple of hits. On the first hit aft, cut power so we're dead in space, and flicker the shields."

"Yes Captain."

That should tempt them to board. Bull, leave one man in the tail weapons array. As soon as they start boarding, tell him to burn their FTL and propulsion system. Then he can start on their weapons array."

"Can do Leroy. Where do you want to intercept them, airlock or corridor?"

"I was thinking about having my men assemble in the corridor. When they breach the outer airlock door, we'll pop the inner door and open up on them. We may get lucky and be able to take their inner airlock bay."

"Joe, which compartment looks the worse from outside?"

"That would be the forward crews quarters."

"OK, seal it off and set a small breaching charge. If they hit near that area blow it. That will vent atmosphere, and make it look like we're in major distress."

"I see what you're planning Leroy. If they think we're more worried about maintaining our survivability than repelling boarders they may get sloppy."

"Right, everybody get ready. They're only five minutes to weapons range."

Lunge and three of the security personnel sat in the main corridor ready to move to the airlock that the boarders would come through.

The third laser shot was in the aft. The pilot shut down the drives and let the ship begin to tumble.

The enemy took one more shot and it hit near the crew compartment. Joe flipped the switch and a hole appeared in the hull. Atmosphere vented dragging everything loose in the compartment out.

Leroy watched with a smile. As soon as the enemy picked the rear cargo bay personnel lock. Normal airlocks only allowed two personnel to exit. That airlock allowed a dozen.

Everyone had their emergency decompression skin suits on. They assembled on both sides of the inner airlock and listened as the boarding tube was attached. Then the outer airlock door was opened. With air in the airlock they could hear the boarders bragging how easy it was. It was then that Bull hit the emergency open switch, and the inner door popped open. Two of his men raked the airlock with automatic weapons, and then everyone entered and finished off the boarders. Lunge in the meantime launched himself down the boarding tube spearing and stabbing everyone in sight. Reaching the frigates airlock he continued and found only two personnel in the corridor. Decapitating both he was standing covered with blood when Bull and the rest of his crew jammed the airlock doors open and headed toward the bridge. Fifteen dead enemy and no casualties was an accomplishment that Joe's crew would later brag about.

Lunge sat in the airlock. He felt a jerk, and then the pull of air toward the corridor. Pulling his hood down he stepped out. Half a dozen men were rushing forward. One started shooting. Running he didn't aim well. Lunge's thrown spear took him in the chest. His sword took the rest, and that gave him another coating of blood. Lunge retrieved his spear by pushing it through the dead man and pulling it out his back. Ripping the enemies shirt off, he wiped his visor clean. Over his radio he heard.

"Bull, we have a problem developing. Another boarding crew is attempting to connect a boarding tube to the forward airlock."

"Leroy, we're between them and the bridge."

"Bull, do I follow the same corridor you went down to find them?"

"Lunge, just follow it. They should be about a hundred meters toward the front."

"Good, it's getting boring back here. Shall I close the airlock doors or leave them open?"

"Leave them open. Later we'll blow the boarding tube and let their air out."

Walking forward Lunge walked right up behind them. With his spear and sword he killed the first four before anyone noticed him. As several turned he pulled the enemies weapon and pulled the trigger. Suddenly the corridor was clear. Stepping into the airlock he stabbed the two men at the controls to the boarding tube. "Bull, airlock is secure, do I leave the doors open or what?"

"Lunge, take one of their weapons and shoot the controls. When they start sparking, get out of there and meet us forward. We're on the bridge, might as well start training you on their computers."

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# Return to Table of Contents #

Little Wolf

Little Wolf was in the village. A bear entered village and went after his little sister. He rushed to protect her, and bear bit down on his arm just below elbow.

Men in village jabbed bear with spears, and in its rage the bear snapped his head and threw little wolf. The only problem was the bear had bitten to bone and when it jerked it's head the boys arm separated at the elbow.

After that little wolf only had a right arm from shoulder to elbow.

As he grew, his left arm developed to compensate. He could only use his right arm stump to hold things against his body.

He had bright idea to put points on both ends of spear. He gets a hunted animal to charge, then lodges his spear in ground, and directs other end into mouth of the charging animal or other kill penetration location.

One time he even killed a large tree cat that jumped down on him, although he was injured by its claws.

One day a hunter from another village stopped in. He had a curved metal knife almost as long as his arm. It fit Little Wolf's hand like it was made for it.

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# Return to Table of Contents #

Riot Control Company

or Roman Guard

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Table of Contents or Riot Control Company

Formation

Richmond

Chicago

* * *

Formation

Jim decided after his second corner store was looted during the riots, that he'd had enough.

Getting together with a couple of old army buddies he described his idea. A mobile company that could respond within twenty-four hours to any location on the east coast. Together they decided that they could use some local resources, however half their gear they would need to carry with them.

Jerry and Fred told Jim that they knew a couple of helicopter pilots that still had their licenses. Dropping a net over groups of rioters would immobilize them until either the police or their crew could apprehend and restrain them. Modified panel trucks could be set up as mobile booking stations. From there the rioters would be carried on buses to a holding location. Jerry claimed he would make preliminary contact with fencing companies near a few cities and make arrangements for fencing.

One of the pilots claimed that we could only do this if we were licensed, so Jim told him to check it out, and find out what training and licensing the workers would need.

Jim talked to three corporations that had their stores burned within the last few years and two of them agreed to cover the start-up cost. Jim informed them that it might take three to five years depending on how many riots and contracts they could get. The Zulu corporation CEO simply told Jim that he was covered as long as no more of his stores were looted.

Jim's wife started with a friend that knew a lawyer. The requirements came back that licenses would be needed along with emergency medical aid and transportation. Once Jim received the first of the start-up money he hired the lawyer to write up a contract and with a retainer to adjust the contract on-site of any calls they got.

* * *

Richmond

Six weeks after his twenty man crew completed training they watched the news from Richmond. Jim and the lawyer flew in while the rest of the crew drove down. The mayor and city council at first balked. Then Jim pulled his cellphone out right in the city council chambers and called Fred, "The city council and mayor don't like the cost or contract. Has Linda called? Stop at the next truck-stop and feed the guys. Unless you hear from me turn them around and let them have the rest of the week off. If this city burns, it's on the mayor and city council.

"Mayor, you have our number. Mr. Johnston, after dinner we'll hire a limo and head north."

As they turned and headed toward the door one of the city council members stood up and asked, "You already have a crew and equipment headed this way?"

Jim stopped and turned, "Yes, they are about three hours distance."

He then asked, "How much would it cost the city to have you on standby for a few days?"

"Mr. Johnston, do you have a contract covering this situation?"

"No, Jim, I don't. We never figured that this situation would come up. Give me a few minutes and I'll modify the standard contract for a standby force." He then sat down at the next table and pulled his laptop out and said, "The ground crew is twenty-three, drivers are six, triage medic are two, supervisors are two, plus us. That totals to thirty-five personnel plus fuel cost. Do you think that covers everything?"

Jim scratched his head and said, "That's all I can think right now. If it doesn't cover cost we'll have the standby contract for next time. Figure the personnel cost equivalent to the rank structure of the police, local hospital ER room, and city administration. Break it down in the contract and if the mayor and city council agree we can get it signed, notarized, and implemented before Fred finishes feeding them, and they start home. If they don't, we walk."

That night three stores were looted and burned. One police officer was wounded and four rioters were trampled to death.

The next evening with blood red ballistic armor and helmets, Jim's crew hit the streets and started splitting up riot formations. Some news commentator said they looked like roman soldiers. They did, except they carried modified cattle prods instead of swords. Only one store was looted.

Their medics were complaining about the boredom until a two young men carried in a woman in labor into their mobile surgery. The husband later told a news reporter that he'd called for an ambulance twice and finally 911. The dispatcher told him he was on his own until the riots were over. A friend told him about the red suits and the fact that they had a truck with a red cross on it only two blocks from his house, so they carried his wife over.

Their helicopters only had to drop nets on four groups. The charged nets quickly took the fight out of those groups.

One hundred and nine rioters were detained with video evidence. The district attorney didn't want to use the video. Jim's lawyer called over a news reporter and asked her if she would like some front line video recorded the night before. Her eyes got as round as golf balls as she watched the first one and said, "I'd love to have these. Are they all as graphic? That guy has a gun. Did you catch him?"

Jim's lawyer replied, "Yes, we got him, but the DA refused these recordings."

"Thanks," she replied as she shoved them in her bag and ran for the courthouse door.

The DA turned on Jim's lawyer and yelled, "You can't give those tapes away, their evidence!"

Jim's lawyer replied calmly, "They are not legally evidence once you refused them. However, I do have copies for sale for five dollars each. We've got to cover our expenses."

Moments later a bailiff burst through the doors and said, "The judge wants to see you right now. You're on TV refusing some kind of recordings, and then one was played. It showed a crime in progress. The reporter referred to the source as the Roman Guard."

When the judge got through with the DA he turned to Jim's lawyer and said, "This is an unexpected event. Why are your men recording their movements?"

"Your Honor, since all my men are licensed private investigators, they record all their cases for evidence, and to protect themselves from lawsuits."

"Well, I'm ordering you to turn the recordings over to the court."

"Your Honor, I've already freely given several to a reporter after the DA refused them. I also offered the DA the recordings at the expense cost of five dollars each. They have not been reviewed by the company, so I can't guarantee that each shows criminal acts in progress. However each is accompanied with video showing our standard identifying procedure, and the fingerprint data of the individual before they were turned over to the police. The police were furnished the individuals name, activity they were detained for, and fingerprints when they accepted the prisoners. That is part of our standard operating procedure."

With a growl the judge stated, "Well Mr. Lawyer, your company has been labeled as the Roman Guard by the news, and now you will have to live up to your reputation. Get out of my courtroom and get those recordings to the DA's office, and furnish the court a copy also."

Ninety six were convicted from the recorded video taken by Jim's men.

* * *

Chicago

For three nights the agitators tried and managed to get riots started. They lost twenty-seven of their members to the Roman Guard. The protest they did manage to turn into riots didn't last long once the Roman Guard showed up. Then the drive-by shootings escalated.

The mayor called in Jim and asked him if he could have his men do random patrols in some of the hottest areas. Jim stated the he'd have to get with the company lawyer to draw up a new contract and they'd be in his office in the morning.

Someone in the city administration leaked the word, and that night the drive-by shooting not only included civilians, but two police cruisers, and a police substation.

In the morning Mr Johnston presented the mayor with the new contract. Additions to the old contract were the fact that the city authorized all the Roman Guard to carry weapons, a police officer would accompany each team, each team would be deputized, each team would have its own vehicle with police lights mounted, and the city would cover all cost for lawsuits. The mayor took them to the city council and had the city lawyer read the contract. The city lawyer wanted to strike several of the additions, especially the lawsuit coverage.

Mr Johnston explained that the team members needed to be deputized because at present they only were licensed as private investigators. The police officer was need with the teams as a symbol of authority. Since the team members were deputized and a police officer was with them, the vehicle they operated needed the police lights in case they had to pursue criminals driving a vehicle. Last but not least, weapons had to be authorized because no one in their right mind would carry a cattle prod to a gunfight. If the city council didn't approve the contract, his team was prepared to depart for it's home base.

That morning two automobile dealerships sold ten blood red pickup trucks. Lights were installed that afternoon. Armor plating installed in the bed and doors, and a Roman Guard helmet painted on the doors.

The ten police officers that showed up to accompany the Roman Guard were rejected because they weren't wearing standard bullet proof vest and didn't have radios. After the required safety equipment was furnished the officers, they started their patrols two hours late. As three trucks converged on one hot neighborhood they heard gunshots, and the roar of a powerful automobile engine.

Swinging into action they saw the vehicle. One truck took off in pursuit and the other two ran parallel streets until they could get ahead. Converging on the intersection where the police officer estimated the perpetrator would turn, they blocked it, and turned on their lights.

The shooters vehicle slowed a little and then the criminals in the back seat leaned out and started firing at the pickups. The Roman Guard member riding in the bed, activated the spotlight and centered it on the vehicle. The vehicle driver was blinded and hit a parked car, and flipped his vehicle. As the Roman Guard teams approached the upside down vehicle someone started firing from it. The 12 gauge shotguns they carried came up and fired. The beanbag rounds tore the remaining widows from the vehicle and several impacted the occupants. Only one Roman Guard member was down. The remaining members drew their pistols and yelled, "Everyone out of the vehicle with your hands up. Now! We will return fire." Two men crawled from the vehicle and were grabbed, slammed to the ground, cuffed, and dragged back to one of the pickups. The Roman Guard members had to go in and drag the other two out. They were cuffed, searched, and then dragged back to the other two.

One of the cops mumbled, "You can't manhandle prisoners that way."

From the dark one of the Roman Guard members commented, "Once they opened fire on us, it became a combat situation. When they shot one of our members, we could have instantly returned fire and killed them all, but I imagine the DA would like to put them on trial."

Some citizens that had come out of their houses to see what was going on shouted, Kill the bastards, they kill us.

The driver of the pickup called dispatch, "One Roman Guard member down, shots fired intersection Roberts and Green Ave. Four perpetrators in need of medical attention."

The Roman Guard helicopter appeared overhead and two medics repelled down. They checked and field treaded the wounded Guard member, and had him back up in the helicopter in minutes.

The second medic remained on the ground and started checking the perpetrators. This one is dead. The other three only have superficial wounds from flying glass and impacts. His report was short and sweet. The police called in on their radios and requested backup and ambulances.

By then some of the citizens had gotten up enough nerve to approach the pickup truck with the prisoners. Some one yelled, Kill the bastards!

Three of the Roman Guard faced them and announced, "Sorry, but these pieces of shit are going to jail. Then with the evidence we've gathered, they'll stand trial. Anybody here got balls enough to serve on their jury and convict them?" That stopped the crowd that was only moments away from becoming a lynch mob.

Someone in the back yelled, Kill them all!

The Roman Guard driver yelled back, "To late, one is already dead. We play by combat rules. The police have to play by protect and serve rules. Get your city council to change the police rules, and you'll have less punks like these running the streets. Please go inside and call all your friends. They need to know."

A black sedan pulled up to the intersection and someone stuck a gun out the rear window. The civilians screamed and ran. Almost as one, the Roman Guard members took cover and yelled. "Come out with your hands up, or else!"

The driver of the sedan revved his engine. Almost as fast there was an explosion as a high powered rifle bullet went through the tire and into the engine.

One of the cops yelled, "This is the police, come out with your hands up."

Someone from the car yelled, "Screw you."

As the individual in the back window started shooting, another rifle shot silenced him. The driver then opened the door and got out with his hands up stuttering, "You killed him."

The Roman Guard member cuffing him simply stated, "The second he pulled the trigger, he became an enemy combatant."

"Hey Joe, one of the cops was hit."

"Call it in Mac."

"Police dispatch, officer down, officer down intersection of Roberts and Green Ave. Request backup and meat wagon. I say again, intersection Roberts and Green, officer down, request backup and a meat wagon."

"Roman Guard, this is dispatch, report."

"Hey Joe, these morons want a report."

"Hell, give it to them. As fast as they are moving the reporters will be here first."

"Police dispatch, this is Mac with the Roman Guard. We apprehended one drive-by shooting car with four occupants. One Roman Guard officer wounded, three perpetrators wounded and one dead. A second car pulled up and threatened gathered civilians. One of your police officers told them to come out with their hands up. They opened fire and we responded. One occupant of vehicle surrendered, shooter and other occupant in rear seat of vehicle killed, both armed. One of your officers was wounded. Do you need any more information before you sent backup, an ambulance for your officer, and a meat wagon for the dead?"

A few minutes later another voice came over the radio stating, "You can't transmit that type of information over the open air. Who do you think you are?"

Mac replied, "I'm Mac, one of the Roman Guard patrolling your streets. By the way, I'm using the radio of your wounded police officer. Do you want to talk to her? She moaned real convincingly when our medic slapped bandages on her legs where the perpetrator shot her. Need any more verification, if not get that backup, an ambulance, and meat wagon out here before we don't need the ambulance. By the way; you come out here to so I can jam your face into the perpetrators dead body."

A news helicopter arrived and had its spotlight on the intersection when the TV station truck arrived. It wasn't to much later everyone heard sirens and a police car pulled up followed by two ambulances and a tow truck. The tow truck driver said, "They only told me there was a car upside down to move."

Mac walked over and told the tow truck driver, "You must be answering our first call. After we made it; that second car pulled up and started shit."

The TV reporter asked, "Can I go over and get closeups of both cars."

Joe replied, "I don't care lady. Make sure you get good pictures of the wounded police officer and criminals. In fact, if your camera guy can get a picture off my camera screen you can watch the action as it happened."

The chief of police arrived just after the reporter got her pictures and transmitted them. Cops poured from the four patrol cars following him and cordoned off the area. One smart ass walked up to Mac and said, "You're under arrest for threatening a police officer."

"Step back officer before you injure someone." Mac was standing beside the wounded officer on the ground.

The cop stepped forward.

Without thinking Mac shoved him and put a knee in his chest. "Look punk, you almost stepped on that wounded lady cop. Do you want to act nice, or shall I cuff you and charge you with assault?"

The chief of police and Joe rushed over and demanded to know what the problem was. Mac replied, "This rookie threatened to arrest me and almost stepped on the lady cop; she was wounded earlier. I simply moved him back and told him to act nice."

# # #

# Return to Table of Contents #

Intruder Alert

* * *

Intruder Table of Contents

Almost Off

The Lab

Notification

The Arrival

We have their attention

* * *

Almost Off

Aha, another hour and I'll get to see some daylight. These monitors are so old that the images are burned in. This coffee is cold again.

RRRIIIINNNNGGGGG!!!

What the hell's going on in lab 9. Moving his hand over to the alarm cutoff he hit the switch. Picking up the phone he punched 202, then 3 seven times.

"Yeah?"

"This is Steve at Skytalk Labs. I have an intruder alarm in lab 9. Visual on monitor."

"Say again!"

"This is Steve at Skytalk Labs. I have an intruder alarm in lab 9. Visual on monitor."

"Hold while I find the Skytalk book."

"Look all you want. My main computer just started flashing foothold in caps.

"Got it."

"What the hell you mean?"

"OK, on your computer press 202 937 4441. As soon as you get a dial tone press the F12, then enter L9 and hit the Enter key. That will send whats on your monitor to my computer."

"Done."

"Shit, how old are those cameras?"

"Hell, I don't know. I've been watching them for fourteen years. What do you see? All I have is a fuzzy image of two people looking around the lab. Now it looks like one of them is taking pictures with a cell phone."

"Hang on Pete, I've got another call coming in."

"Overwatch, John speaking."

"John, this is Mr Peterson. Why'd you call me? Its five AM."

"Sir I didn't. It must have been the computer. However, I do have an alert from Skytalk labs."

"Who?"

"According to the book they shut down in 1999, and security monitoring was transferred to us in 2010."

"What did they do?"

"Sir, the first page says that they experimented with magnetic communication; what the hell ever that is. Their guy Steve claims his board is flashing FOOTHOLD, and he has fuzzy images on one of his monitors."

"John is there a Foothold tab in that book. Read it to me."

"Uh hh, yes Sir. Line one says notify Jet Labs, NSA, FBI, Skywatch, and SETI. Line two has Top Secret plus what I'm guessing is a file number. Thats it. Nothing else, not even phone numbers."

"OK, use the auto-call on your desk. Just tell them that the Skytalk lab just called in a foothold alert. If they ask any questions read them the file number on line 2 and tell them your supervisor is on his way in."

"OK Sir."

"I'll be there in half an hour with Witherspoon. Did you have the guard at Skytalk send you the images."

"Yes Sir, I'm getting a direct feed, but the quality is shitty. He said he's been watching his monitors for fourteen years."

"Crap, record everything. I hope this isn't one of those black programs that - - - never mind I'm on my way."

"Steve, I'm back. Anything new?"

"No. My shift ends in an hour. What do I tell my relief?"

"Sorry Steve. SOP is you'll be on until a supervisor relieves you. Have your relief patrol outside. You can have him bring you some food, but he cannot enter."

"What the hell?"

"Steve, pull your SOP and check it. Call your supervisors listed in the chain of command."

"Uh John, I'm the guy with the most seniority. The old man died three years ago. The only reason I'm on shift is because I like the solitude. I've got five snot nose kids working for me, so I guess that makes me their supervisor."

"Oh great. Do you at least have access to anything other than the security room?"

"Nope. The last lab worker here chained the doors shut and took the keys with him when he left. That was right after I was hired. All I remember him saying was that I'd get orders. It's been fourteen years and nothing except a letter once a year saying how I'm doing a good job. The kids just showed up with orders to report for guard duty and the old man assigned them jobs."

"Steve, what's your training and job history?"

"Well John, I was disabled out the the army back in '99. Applied for a federal job and got this one. A few days training in Colorado, then I moved here. Been here since."

"What about the other guards."

"They had orders from some outfit in Colorado. I remember the old man called and verified them; then put them to work. Other than that, I don't know. Most of them are prior service."

"What happened when the your supervisor died?"

"Nothing except I got a call telling me to take charge until someone contacted me. Got a pay raise and then nothing. They didn't even send me the keys to the old man's office."

"Well Steve, sounds like you are in charge there. Are you recording everything?"

"Yea."

"OK, until my supervisor gets in, I'm authorizing you to break into your supervisors office and locate his SOP book. Get your relief in and brief him. Keep recording everything and have the outside guard patrol the area. If you think you need help; call the local police and have them send some men, but they need to stay outside the perimeter."

"John, that ain't gonna work. The local sheriff only has one deputy. We're so far out in the boondocks that we only get mail twice a week. My biggest problem is chasing the deer out of the area when they get inside the fence."

"Hold one Steve, another call incoming."

"This is Agent Smith. What kind of problem are you having?"

"OK Agent Smith. This is John at Overwatch control. The senior guard at Skytalk labs called in an intruder alert. I'm getting his security feed. There appear to be two unauthorized personnel in their lab nine. The site was closed down in 1999. My SOP listed your office as one of the organizations to notify. I've talked to him and he and the other five guards only have minimal training and no knowledge of what the labs purpose was before they were shut down."

"OK John, I got all that. The problem is we cannot locate the file number you sent."

"All right, then I suggest that you send a containment team to isolate the area, and secure the intruders. Try searching your archives. My supervisor is on his way in. I have no access to the Top Secret files. I'm guessing it was some black program. Evidently the security was handled by some outfit in Colorado, because Steve told me that he gets his paycheck from there. That's all I know except he told me that the last lab worker there chained the lab doors shut and took the keys with him."

"Well that's not much."

"Oh, one other thing, my SOP info book mentions that they experimented with magnetic communication. Steve the senior guard was only hired shortly before the lab shut down, and his supervisor died three years ago. When his supervisor died he got a letter telling him he was temporarily in-charge, but no follow up. That indicates to me that this unit has fallen through the crack."

"You're telling me that this lab hasn't had a security audit in over three years."

"Thats right. The security classification hasn't been marked for downgrade either, so they must have been doing something weird."

"OK John, I'll get a team ready. Tell the senior man on site to expect them this afternoon."

"Hold on Agent Smith, my supervisor just walked in.

"Morning Mr Witherspoon."

"John, have you put a team on alert?"

"No Sir."

"Do it and call dispatch for immediate air transport. Who's on the phone?"

"Its agent Smith from the FBI."

"Smith, inform you security team that they are not to enter the Skytalk labs, just secure the exterior."

"Now hold on uh Mr Weathersoon, my teams are trained on securing intruders."

"Agent Smith, my name is Witherspoon. Unless you're a G15 or higher, you'll pass on my orders. For your information only, that site was shut down for security reasons. They made contact with something that scared the bejesus out of the NASA, the NSA, and everyone else in-charge at the time. If there are intruders inside the mountain, they didn't walk in. I'm going to call the appropriate people, and then hope they can handle the situation. Keep your people outside the fence for their own safety. Am I clear?"

"Yes Sir, and I'm kicking this incident up my chain of command."

"Good, also inform them that Overwatch is in charge until JSAB is on-site."

"What the hell is JSAB."

"Son, if you haven't been briefed on them, then you don't have the clearances to know. Just pass the word up your chain of command and have them contact me."

~ ~ ~

The Lab

Dave collapsed. Looking around he realized he wasn't in his car anymore. Susan moaned so he reached out and took her hand. "Susan, I'm here."

"What happened Dave, did we crash."

"No Sue, we aren't in the car. It looks like some kind of a room."

"I feel sick."

"Let me look around." The room's walls and floor appeared to be metal. He noticed several objects in one corner. Crawling over he noticed one was a gun. Picking it up it started to hum, he dropped it. Beside it was a bag with a strap. Flipping it open he saw candy bars and small water bottles. Scooting back to his girlfriend he opened one and took a sip. "Sue, here have a drink."

"What is it?"

"Its water. There are also candy bars in the bag."

"Where are we, my head is humming."

"We are in some kind of metal room."

"Listen Dave, someone is whispering that transport is complete. He says our next transport is to Sky... Ahhhhhh."

"Dave my head is spinning. Where are we? Its dark."

Looking around Dave saw shadows. The shadows looked like the benches in the chemistry lab from high school, except half of them had drop cloths over them. "I think we are in some kind of a laboratory."

"Its dusty in here, help me over to the window."

As they approached the window, they realized that they had bars on them.

"Its so dusty in here, open a window Dave."

"They won't open, I'm going to break one." Pulling a stool over he helped Sue to sit on it. Taking another stool he broke out a window.

~

"Steve, Steve, I just heard a window break."

"Al, can you see which window?"

"Yea, I also see shadows moving around inside. It's near the end of the building."

"OK Al. That's lab 9. I've got them on camera. Just keep an eye on the building. I just called it in. Call Thomas and tell him to bring us some food. We have an intruder alert. We can't leave until more security arrives."

"Great, Janice wanted to go shopping this morning. She is going to be pissed. I'm still thinking about quitting, you know."

"So she threatened to divorce you again. I know she hates it out here in the sticks."

"Yea, just before every payday. The money seems to keep changing her mind."

"Call Tom and tell him to bring lunch and supper, and tell his wife he'll be late getting off tonight."

~

"Dave, where are we?"

"I don't know Sue. Sit tight while I look around."

Under every drop cloth, Dave found electronic machines. Finally he found a phone. Looking at it he realized that it had a rotary dial. Picking it up he listened, and heard a dial tone. Sticking his finger in the hole above the zero he twisted it around until it came up on the stop bar by the one. Letting it go he listened to the clicks and then the ringing. After two rings he heard, "Skytalk security, Steve speaking."

"Steve, my girlfriend and I are locked in some kind of laboratory. I don't know how we got here."

"What are your names."

"I'm Dave Rivers and my girlfriend is Susan Hudson."

"OK Dave, you and Susan are in a high security lab. Trespassing is a criminal offense. You will remain where you are. Don't mess with any equipment you find. When the FBI gets here you will hold your hands over your head and follow all their instructions. Do you understand?"

"Ah yea, I broke out a window to get some air. My girlfriend is feeling sick."

"Good, I'll call you back on this phone with further instructions."

~

Sighing, Steve picked up his phone again and dialed Overwatch.

"Overwatch control, John speaking."

"John this is Steve from Skywatch. I have an update for you."

"I'm putting you on speaker, my supervisor is here."

"OK, John. I just got a call from lab 9. Two persons claim that they are locked in. One identified himself as Dave Rivers and his girlfriend Susan Hudson. He claimed he doesn't know how they got there."

"Steve, this is John's supervisor Mr Witherspoon. Does that lab have audio?"

"Not to my knowledge sir."

"Alright, call them back and get as much information as you can. Put your phone on conference call so we can record their answers. I need to know where they're from, where they were, ages, drivers license numbers, the works. Tell them we need to identify them before we can rescue them. Also get their story for the last twenty-four hours. If they balk, inform them that they are in a high security area. Tell them that standard operating procedure for that area is shoot to kill all intruders unless their identities can be verified. No contamination will be allowed out."

"What the hell kind of lab have I and my guys been guarding? We don't have guns. I was issued one when I was hired, but it was locked up in the arms room, and I haven't seen it since."

"Don't worry Steve. The lab worked on communications. There are no germs. I want them scared and compliant when my crew gets there. Screw up and you'll be out of a job, because in a foothold situation the lab and surrounding area will be firebombed until nothing survives. Ever hear of Bluebook?"

"Yes Sir."

"There are no little green men, but something made contact before the lab was shut down. Do you understand how sensitive the situation is?"

"You mean that they might be aliens?"

"Possibly, but that's why we need all the information we can get to determine if they are humans from Earth, and how they penetrated a locked lab."

"Yes Sir. When will help be here?"

"We and the FBI are flying in containment teams to guard the perimeter. Another agency will take charge as soon as they arrive, and make the final determination and apprehension."

"Well don't take to long. That lab has been locked up for fourteen years and the guy said his girlfriend is feeling ill. He also said he broke a window out to get some fresh air because of the dust."

"Don't worry son, the teams will be there this afternoon."

~

Mr Witherspoon got up and walked out. In his office he called JSAB.

"This Witherspoon at Overwatch. Update on Skywatch lab."

"One moment Sir, transferring you to Control One."

"Report."

"This Witherspoon at Overwatch. Update on Skywatch lab. The security guard got the following information and will update me as he gets more. David Rivera and Susan Hudson are the two individuals. David reported that Susan was feeling ill. The lab they are in has been closed for fourteen years. He broke out a window for fresh air. I recommend containment level four. No one has made contact other than senior guard, and that was by telephone."

"Thanks Mr Witherspoon. This information adds requirements to SOP. It would be so much simpler if they were just thieves that broke in. None of us like unexplained intruders. I'll be in-charge of the JSAB team on-site. Are you sending a liaison or will you be there in person?"

"I think I'll bring a liaison, someone that will be around for a few more decades. I am eligible for mandatory retirement next year."

"Hell, I not eligible for a few more years. I'll see you on-site."

~ ~ ~

Notification

As Mr Witherspoon entered the control room he watched John recording Steve talking to David.

"Now David, listen to what I'm saying. I don't have any leeway. You and your girlfriend are in a high security lab. Standard Operating Procedure defines you as spies unless otherwise proven. Like I already said, I need your information so I can prove to my chain of command that you are not spies."

"This place ain't been used in years. I can tell by the dust on everything."

"That's true. However, it still is classified as a top secret area."

"That's bull!"

"Dave, have you ever been in the military."

"Yes."

"Then you know how inflexible some of the SOP's are."

"However you did it, you got yourself and girlfriend in between the hammer and anvil. Now lets start again. Full name, age, date of birth, place of birth, ...

"OK, now lets start with your time-line. You set off the alarms at 5:03 AM. Where were you yesterday at dawn. Then recount your movements from then until you got into the lab."

"This is going nowhere. Our personal lives are ours."

"David, I don't give a damn about your personal life. However the FBI will check and verify your movements. I don't want you to be automatically classified as a spy and shot when they get here. Now where were you at dawn yesterday, and I need all the details you can remember. Also if you bought anything using a credit card, and names of people that saw you."

"Steve, are you sure you need all this."

"Yup."

"OK, I went to work Friday morning at 8. My company is working on renovating an apartment complex. I got off at five and went home to cleanup for my date with Susan. I picked her up and we went to the concert. It was over about midnight. I took her to an all night restraint. We had a leisurely meal and then we started home. That drive takes about an hour."

"So you got her home between 1 and 2 AM."

"Are you sure all this is necessary?"

"Yea, I still needs names and addresses. Do you have your ticket stubs and restaurant receipt. Also did you stop and buy anything at a store or gas up your car?"

"Shit, I work for Franks construction. We're working on the apartment complex at 422 Sequoia Lane in Rosewood. I live at 1006 Anderson Lane and Susan lives at 1143 10th St. I drove down to LA on the coastal highway and we took the 103 home. I stopped at Jakes overlook and proposed. It was deserted so we spent several hours. I stopped for gas it the station just outside Rosewood. I'd just started down the switchback when something hit us. That must have been about 4. The next thing I knew we were in a metal room. I found a bag with water and candy bars in the corner, and we drank some of the bottled water. I also found a gun, but left it on the floor there. Susan started complaining about something humming and whispers in the background. Something hit us again and we woke up on the floor in this damn room full of dust."

"OK if you remember any other details you can call me by dialing zero. Now call Susan over so I can get her information."

"Susan, this is Steve. I'm the senior security guard at this installation. I don't know how much David told you so I'll tell you what I told him. This is a top secret installation and intruders are considered spies unless they can prove otherwise. I need all the information about you plus every detail about yesterday and last night. The FBI will check your story before you are allowed out. Shall we start."

"Susan, the next few questions will seem personal, but I have to determine why you are feeling ill. You said you stopped at the overlook and spent several hours. Were you bitten by a mosquito or spider?"

"Not that I know of."

"Did you eat anything yesterday that was unusual or tasted funny. I mean that didn't taste just right."

"No, I watch my diet and don't drink."

"How long have you felt ill?"

"Its been two or three weeks on and off?"

"Susan, have you broken out in any unexplained sweats?"

"Yes."

"Susan, I have to pry. Is it possible that you're pregnant."

Her scream was cut off when the phone hit its cradle. Steve knew that he poked to far. With the conference call still active he stated, "Well John, I think that might be why she's feeling ill. My ex could tell when she got that way after the first. I got cut off for over a year when she got pregnant with the second."

"Damn Steve, you might have nailed it. I'll forward the interviews to JSAB. This may complicate the quarantine procedure."

"Yea, it will complicate everything. The last thing I'd want is to be told by the government that I was pregnant, and me and the baby would be locked up for the next fifty years."

"Steve, you put that so elegantly."

"Screw you, I know how tactful quarantine doctors are. The ones I met enjoyed poking everywhere and screwing with peoples minds."

"Oh shit. My boss just walked in, and he ain't smiling."

Steve heard, "John, grab your bag. You're coming to West Virginia with me." He'd no sooner set his phone back down when it rang again.

"Skywatch, this is James at Overwatch Two. I'll be your point of contact for the next seven hours. Overwatch three is now off line."

"This is Steve at Skywatch. Nice to meet you James. Did they shoot John or just lock him up for being human?"

"What?"

"James, have you listened to any of the interview I had with the two individuals here?"

"No."

"Then I'll summarize. You need to know. About 5 AM local, two intruders were detected inside of a lab thats be padlocked for fourteen years."

"Grays?"

"No they claim to be human and can account for their locations up until they were abducted and dumped here. The female is probably pregnant. I am unable to get a clear picture because the camera has been on for fourteen years, and the monitors are burned in, so all I see is shadows moving. Now you know about as much as I do, and I'm only fifty yards from it all."

"Are you sure they didn't just bypass the alarms?"

"Ninety-nine percent positive James. I stepped into the hall, and set off the entrance motion detector. I had the gate guard check all the windows from outside the fence, and the bars are still in place. They didn't walk or crawl in."

"I get it Steve. You are the one that screwed up everyones weekend! You have a pissed off team headed your way from here, and one from the east coast. They locked down the mountain, and the man is airborne; if you get my drift."

"Tell me about it. My shift ended over an hour ago, and I haven't eaten since supper yesterday. The closest town doesn't even have a food delivery place or an airfield. They pipe sunlight in so we don't turn into vampires. We're so far out in the sticks the rednecks look down on us. The fastest way in is by parachute or helicopter. Now you know how long I'll be on shift."

"Ahhh, country living, how I used to miss it. Better you than me Steve. I'll get off now so you can go find a weed stem to suck on."

"James, you're an ass."

"Thanks for the complement Steve. East coast team should arrive by helicopter in about forty-five minutes. FBI team is driving in. The local team should arrive an hour later. Hang tough Steve. We got your six."

"Thanks."

"Steve, I just got a flash. I don't know who they are, but JSAB is being airlifted it with an ETA one hour. How big is your front yard?"

"A small meadow. About ten years ago a local tried to land his Cessna, and ran into the trees. He couldn't stop fast enough."

"I pass that tidbit on to our teams. JSAB may have to eat tree limbs because I don't have a communications with them."

~ ~ ~

Arrival

About an hour later Tom called from the gate announcing that there were two big airplanes circling the buildings. Stepping outside Steve realized that they were Ospreys. One then started dropping toward the meadow just outside the fence. Steve laughed as deer started scattering.

The first Osprey descended, then stopped, turned, and started down again. Finally the pilot squeezed his plane into the meadow with a few feet clearance from the trees and the tail almost against the fence. As the rear ramp dropped, a dozen black suited individuals started rushing out in both directions. Then came more carrying pulling large boxes on wheels. In less than five minutes the Osprey lifted off and the other started slowly dropping into the meadow.

The last man out of the plane slowly walked over to the gate. Steve watched Tom point in his direction.

Inside the old man introduced himself as Mr Jones. "I understand that you are the senior man here."

"Yes Sir. After the guard supervisor died three years ago I got a letter telling me I was temporarily in charge and a pay raise. Nothing since."

"I see that this installation has fallen through the crack. My men will install a new monitors. Hopefully we can get clear pictures from inside the lab."

"Maybe they can, but the cameras are just as old."

Pulling a radio, Mr Jones said, "Setup an airlock at the lab door. Then reduce to negative pressure and drill the door."

<Sir, the door is chained.>

"Well knock the hasp off."

<That won't work sir. This chain appears to be stainless steel with a high security padlock. Its big enough to hold both ends of the chain and still hook through the middle. Someone set this up when they built the walls. The holes are built into the wall so the chain is woven through the wall and door. We'll need torches or explosive to breech.>

Turning Mr Jones asked, "Who has the keys."

Steve replied, "One of the lab workers locked everything up and took the keys with him. That was fourteen years ago."

<Mr Jones, this is Glenn. One of the outside windows is broken. There is no containment.>

"Glenn, check wall integrity and set up an airlock over the window and outside wall. We'll have to use that as an entry point.

"Bill."

<Sir>

"Entry will be through the exterior wall. Seal all air entry points. Then check ventilation system and seal it."

<Sir, these walls are hardened. The maul just knocks the dust off. No marks.>

<Bill to Glenn.>

<Go.>

<Interior walls are hardened. Maul didn't even scratch them. Check your wall, you may have to go in through the windows.>

<Roger that. Send the maul out.>

David and Susan listened to them talking outside the window and the banging on the door. Walking over near the window David hollered, "Can someone send in some food and water."

The voice outside replied, "Stay back from the windows. We'll send something in after we secure the area."

They heard banging on the outside wall. Then saw a basketball size hammer hit the bars. It bounced.

Minutes later they watched as holes were cut in two other windows. A light was shoved in one with a thick rubber ring that covered the opening. What looked like a camera was shoved in the other window, and the hole covered. After the light turned on the camera started aiming around the room.

Then they heard a voice demand. "Face the camera and identify yourselves."

After they'd done that the voice demanded, "Is there anyone else in this room?"

Susan squealed, "No, can you get us out of here?"

Another voice announced. "We are trying, but it will take some time. After the glass is cleared from the window we need you to stick your arm out so we can get blood samples. That's to check your health in case you need any medical treatment."

~ ~ ~

We have their attention

"Mr Jones, female's hormone panel indicates she is pregnant, otherwise she's clean. Male's panel indicates previous exposure to malaria, and chicken pox, nothing current."

"Thanks Glenn, maintain level 4 isolation, you can pass them food and water. Ask medical if they want to pass any preventative medication in. That lab has been sealed for fourteen years. And Glenn, get one of the medics to talk to them, and get their family medical histories."

"Yes Sir."

"Mr. Jones."

"Yes Steve, spit it out."

"Sir, when I was talking to her earlier and asked if she might be pregnant because she'd not been feeling well for a couple of weeks, she reacted violently. I don't think she knows, or is trying to not admit it to herself."

"That's her boyfriend, right."

"Yes Sir, and he told me he proposed to her last night, and talked around what they did for about two hours after that."

"Their personal problems can be handled later after they are in custody."

"I think I understand what you're getting at."

"Now what I want you to do is call all the off-duty guards and tell them that they don't need to report for work, however they need to give you their location and contact numbers. Tell them it's an unscheduled security inspection that will take a few of days, maybe less. Is your relief here?"

"Yes Sir."

"Good, when you're done, I want you to get him and the other guards and report to medical for a complete checkup and inoculations. Then you will send your replacement in and take the rest of the guards to the big tent that should be set up by then. All of you will be quarantined until further notice."

"That's not right Mr Jones. None of us has come in contact with those two."

"Then I'll put this way. The four of you are being detained for security reasons. Everyone will be completely debriefed before anyone leaves. Anyone approaching this facility will also be detained."

<Mr Jones, we have a problem!>

What do you mean, a problem?

<Sir, they just vanished off the monitors.>

{ I think we now have their attention. }

{ What about the two we've been bouncing around? }

{ Brief them, explain their governments paranoia, and then give them the option to join us; or a memory wipe and relocation. }

# # #

# Return to Table of Contents #

The Curiosity

* * *

Table of Contents for The Curiosity

Prologue

New Secretary

Piece of Meat

Out the airlock

Martha

* * *

Prologue

"Sir, I've got a memo that needs immediate action, and a reply."

"What's so interesting about this memo? I've got more important problems."

"Sir, it's about a is six month old message, and has been up the chain and back down. It is now flagged Immediate Action along with a Top Secret classification. It was hand delivered this morning, and you have been directed by name to reassign all your present workload today. In the morning you are to report to the hanger 34 at the airfield for transportation."

"What do you mean report for transportation. Where are they sending me?"

"Sir, that is not in the memo, but it was hand signed by the Director."

* * *

New Secretary

Jeremy had never been to hanger 34, and was surprised when he was searched twice before entering the office. It was military gray and had one desk. The man sitting behind the desk announced, "Jeremy, you've been chosen to head up a team to investigate a message from a belt miner that was intercepted six months and two days ago." Looking up from his computer he grinned, and Jeremy suddenly had cold chills.

"What the hell is going on? I got a classified memo yesterday. It's disrupted everything I've been working on."

The man behind the desk stood up and replied, "If you think yesterdays memo upset your bureaucratic life; then you're going to really hate this. My briefing included the reason you were selected, and that is because you took a course in college called exotechnology. After your briefings today, you will the head of this project reporting directly to the Director. I only have a portion of the initial briefing to give you. This has been compartmentalized so severely; that I don't even know your destination after we get done. Have a seat."

As Jeremy sat down the young man attached a projector to his laptop, and started the briefing. "We were lucky we intercepted this initial message before the belt mining corporation security section clamped down. We were also lucky to have an inside man ..." Ten minutes later he asked one question. "Are you ready to call the Director, or shall I?"

Jeremy's stunned look slowly faded and with a jerk he asked, "If this is real, do you know what it means?"

With a look that could freeze water the young man stated, "I've got a rough idea Sir. I've been assigned as your personal bodyguard. I was also informed that should you accept this assignment; your position is just below the Directors. Other than a security detail that I'll be in charge of; I don't want to know any more about this. It scares the shit out of me." Then he shoved the phone across the desk.

Jeremy hadn't seen a telephone with a cord in years. The first thing he noticed was the cord was about twice the diameter of a pencil. Picking up the handset he heard a series of tones; then the directors voice. "Jeremy, I'll see you in the morning in Las Vegas. Thanks for accepting this new position." He hung up, and Jeremy set the handset down.

The young man then said, "My name is Steve Gilmore. From this point forward, I am the younger brother of an associate from one of the seminars you attended. If you will follow me, we'll get a snack at the canteen and then go to the terminal for the first leg of our flight. I'm sure that I don't need to remind you that this information and assignment are both classified as Top Secret, and not to be discussed outside any secure location."

~

In the morning Jeremy met the Director for the second time. The Director commented, "Haven't seen you since you were hired. Congratulations on your new assignment Jeremy. We've got a day of briefings, and then you'll head to area 51G."

Arriving at area 51 I was escorted from the gate directly to an office. After checking my credentials again; the gray haired woman stated, "We can either blindfold you every time you arrive and leave, kill you to keep our secrets, or you can sign a nondisclosure agreement. What will it be?"

With a chuckle I answered, "With what I've been told about my future job; if anyone here had any comparable education, they'd have gotten it. Is it OK to use my pen; it has disappearing ink?"

She looked at me with a grin, "No, I've got a quill that uses the signers blood. We have a voodoo priest running the compliance section."

I looked at her with my mouth open for a few seconds while she tried to hold a straight face. Finally she busted up laughing and I joined her. "I can tell you're going to be a fun problem." Jane stated. "What's going to be your job?"

When I said, "It's section 51G," her face froze!

"Don't say anything else, I'm not even authorized to knock on the inside door. Here's a pen. I'll arrange an outside tour."

After signing I asked, "Steve Gilmore is my personal security. They stopped him at the gate. I need you to get him cleared for entrance to 51G. Also, who do I see about staff?"

"Jeremy, I'll have that information for you tomorrow."

The outside tour took two days and hours of briefings. Cutting edge shit; all human designed and built. One office even had a child's mannequin that had been painted gray.

The third morning they let Steve in. When we walked into Jane's office she handed him a nondisclosure form to sign. Glancing at me she then opened a cabinet and pulled knife and quill pen. "You sign in blood, the voodoo chief in the compliance section said noncompliance will be painful, and if you see anything outside your duties you should forget it."

Looking at me Steve said, "She's got to be kidding! The last place I signed in blood was run by a vampire."

"Jeremy, did you tell him?"

"No. Honestly, I didn't."

Steve then informed her that his last job was in Washington, and the chief of security there could suck the juice out of an orange without breaking the rind.

"OH! you mean George; at The Building."

"Yea, you know him too?"

"Steve use my pen." stated Jane. "Now Jeremy, here is the flight schedule out of Vegas, your keys, instructions on how to acquire staff, and cafeteria pass. Make sure you aren't wearing glasses and stand directly in-front of the scanner when you turn the key. Dave will show you where the golf carts are, and your building."

The outer door did a face scan, and then I entered a small room just big enough to turn around in. The computer announced, I had to submit to an eye scan before the inner door would open.

When Steve got inside, he was laughing and quipped, "At least I didn't have to give a blood sample here." Written on the note taped to the desk was, 'Steve, you'll need to order a new chair and gun cabinet for your office. Sorry J.'

"I guess you won't be going further on a regular basis Steve."

"Jeremy, the Director told me I had full access. Unfortunately, I don't have the education to know a buggy whip from a widget holder, but I shoot straight." Sitting down at the desk he said, Look around. You can show me what I need to see later. She was right, this chair is broke. Now where would she hide the requisition forms." He started pulling open desk drawers.

The next door wouldn't open until Steve pressed the button on the bottom of the desk. Four offices opened off the right side of the short hall, and then the hangar. First thing I heard was the echo of my footsteps. I backtracked to the second office and claimed it; then checked the others. The first was set up for a secretary, and three and four were just basic desk and a file cabinet. Opening the center drawer of my desk, they must have been reading my mind to know I'd take this office, I found a thick envelope. The top sheet stated, I see you found your office. Set the combination to your safe and file this after you've read it. I've picked a proficient secretary for your approval, she'll be here tomorrow and she drinks blood, J. Two hours later Steve announced over the intercom, "We need to find the lunchroom, I'm hungry."

Steve and I were enjoying our lunch when a petite blond about twenty-five walked up to our table and said, "Make a hole."

Steve had barely pulled his tray back when she dropped hers on the table. It contained two glasses of what looked like polluted tomato juice, a bloody steak, with a roll on the side. She starred at Steve until he got up and pulled her chair out. "Jeremy, I'm your typical nightmare secretary, duh. I answer to no one but you. Steve needs to remember to be nice to his new girlfriend, that's me. He will not be allowed to remove my sharp pointy toys. Kathy will be here in the morning to take the first office, I get the third. The hanger boss will be assigned before we get back from our first field trip." Then she slouched, pulled a buck knife, and started on her steak. "Oh and by the way; I'll have our travel itinerary, new ID's, and passports in the morning. We're supposed to get the afternoon off. Don't pack to much, we'll pick up clothing on the moon and Mars."

*

Piece of meat

I carried an overnight bag in the next morning with only underwear, socks, and my favorite sweats. Over my shoulder I had my old flight jacket, a shirt, and slacks.

Steve took one look at what I was carrying and laughed. He didn't have a jacket.

Alice had a fold-up clothing bag slung over her shoulder that she immediately handed to Steve. "Get to get used to carrying you girlfriends stuff; boyfriend."

The short flight dropped us just inside the fence. We grabbed a golf cart and headed toward our building. Two guards stopped us; and informed us that Jane needed to search our baggage.

Alice said, "Tell Jane that I'm not unpacking my bag."

They didn't look amused as they put their hands on their pistols.

I turned the cart toward her office and gunned it.

Just inside the door Jane stated, "Alice, I finally get payback. You bypassed the scanner, so I'm authorized to strip search you. You guys can lean against that wall while she strips.

I'd never seen skin colored ceramic knives. She had them mounted everywhere on her bare skin, and even two in her hair. "Well Jane, you've had your fun. Now, my boyfriend needs to strip so I'll know what he looks like."

Steve was embarrassed as he stripped. I think it was because he only had half the weapons she had.

She teased him all the way to our office, because his knives and throwing stars were steel.

Kathy was waiting for us at Steve's desk. Her first comment was, "You're late, I'm a secretary, not a baby sitter. Mr Brightwell, only you may call me Kathy. Everyone else will refer to me as Mrs Jones. Your paperwork is on your desk.

"Alice, did you ever get properly weighed while armed?"

"No, mother. Let me introduce Steve, humph, my new boyfriend."

She eyeballed Steve and commented, "Alice, I hope he last longer than the last assignment, oops, I mean boyfriend."

"Hey!" squawked Steve, "I'm here, and not just a piece of meat."

"Alice, Isn't that what your last assigned boyfriend said?"

I injected, "Are you through having fun. Some people around here need to get some work done."

Both Alice and Kathy laughed, and Steve just growled, "Get out of my office."

As I walked out Kathy announced, "You all have a flight to Hawaii tonight, and liftoff to the moon in the morning. Itineraries are on your desk."

*

Out the airlock

The moon was boring. The trip to the asteroid belt was even more boring, except for the required training.

Steve and Alice were immediately inconvenienced because their hidden weapons were under their clothes, and completely inaccessible when they had a spacesuit on. If my security wasn't a factor, I'd have laughed my self to death. They spent all their free time trying to come up with a solution. Then one shift I was talking to the pilot, and she mentioned Kaiken and Tanto.

After watching the Kaiken demonstration, they both wanted to learn it. They got both the pilot and engineer to teach them.

Arriving, we were interviewed by the boss. I could tell immediately that he was suspicious. Three months of training and we were finally through, I thought. Steve and Alice were assigned a mining ship for training. They were like birds in zero G. When I declined, I got another interview. I was informed that either I worked, or I'd be on the next ship back to the moon.

I was paired up with Martha, a widow. Her husband died in a mining accident. She at least owned her own ship. After additional training, we went out on my certification run. I quickly realized that she was playing dumb, and making me make all the decisions, from when to check an asteroid to navigation.

On our third trip she forgot to close her personal log and I peeked. I wasn't to surprised about the comments that I was still making some newbie mistakes. What struck home was the comment about what she'd learned about my education and possible reasons I was out here.

We were preparing for another trip when orders came down to carry a cargo to some area called J5. Arriving, Martha wrangled a dinner with the local boss, a guy named Alexis. He and his wife were cool, but by the time dinner was over I knew I'd been interrogated by experts.

The next day I was called to his office. As I walked in he simply looked and me and said, "I was asked to make a decision by Stephen. One of our miners found something several years ago. I believe you were sent out here to find out about it. Now I have to make the decision on whether to let you walk out of an airlock; or ship your ass back to Earth."

Playing dumb I commented, "Don't know what you're talking about."

"Your education and work history up until when you resigned from the civil service is an open book. Especially several theoretical courses you took in college. Your loyalty and dedication to your work was never questioned, except for the note attached to your resignation."

Pissed, I commented, "I was never disloyal, and always gave a hundred percent to every assigned task."

With a frown Alexis stated, "That's the problem! Are you still a hundred percent loyal to your bosses on Earth? Can you in good conscience transfer your loyalties to us? Martha has been evaluating you. However, her report is conflicted. That leaves the decision in my lap. I've already told you enough for you to be a danger to us. What would you do if you were in my position?"

Sitting down he pulled a bottle from his desk and poured two full tumblers. Then he slid one across to me and said, "You've got until the glass is empty to make up your mind."

~

If I don't convince him one way or the other, he may possibly ship me back to Earth. If he tells me anything more, I'm either dead or isolated here for life. Damn, Damn, and double Damn. I picked up the tumbler and took a healthy gulp.

I do want to know more, but do I want to live here for the rest of my life. I took another small sip, and realized the glass was half empty.

Then I have my wild cards, Steve and Alice. What do they want to do now, stay or go?

Looking at Alexis I said, "I have two wild cards I need to play. Can we seal the glass until I contact them, and find out what they want to do?"

"If you're talking about the knife carriers, they got married last week."

"Ah-huh, yes, they were assigned as my security. I haven't talked to them recently."

"They will be notified of your demise when they return from their next mining trip. That way their decision to stay or return will not be influenced by their mission loyalty."

Taking another sip, I folded my hands and stared at the glass wishing it was full. After a few minutes, I reached out and drank the rest in two gulps. Leaning back in my seat, I crossed my legs and relaxed. "Alexis, it will be hard, but I can transfer my loyalty to the belt corporation. I don't care if you believe me or not. You could have, and can have me killed at any time. My curiosity is consuming. I simply must know what was found. I realize that you'll never allow me to return or communicate with Earth, if I do see whatever it is.

"Now I intend to say goodbye to Martha, if you'll call and have her meet me in the dining hall."

~

I had just started my second cup of coffee when Martha walked in. Waiving her over I took her hand and told her it was goodbye.

Watching the tears form in her eyes, I whispered, "I was sent from Earth to discover something. I've been discovered. It's not your fault. I'll never be allowed to leave here alive. So consider me dead if anyone ever ask."

With a sob she turned and ran from the dining hall. I could hear her sobbing in the corridor as I sat back down to finish my coffee.

A moment later a woman walked up and slapped me hard enough to put me on the floor. "You son-of-a-bitch! You just broke Martha's heart. I should kill you myself and save Alexis the decision." Then she turned and glided out. From the rear, she moved like a dream. The only reason I knew I wasn't dreaming, was my jaw hurt, and I was on the floor. Damn, whoever gets that woman ...

A big guy walked over and said, "Lets go."

He escorted me to Martha's ship and told me to suit up.

Martha walked in and gave me a kiss, and helped me put on my helmet.

The voice in my helmet radio said, you went out the forward airlock to check something, and never returned. I was surprised when I glanced back and saw only Martha standing in the living quarters. I opened the inner door, stepped into the airlock, closed and sealed the inner door. After venting the air I opened the outer port, and was grabbed by two characters.

They dragged me over to another ship and stuffed me into the airlock. Inside Alexis smiled and stated, "My wife will comfort Martha. You are now a permanent part of the asteroid belt. We have a few days to get to know each other before I show you your curiosity."

Starting to get out of my spacesuit I mumbled, "I'll worry about Martha, will she be OK."

With a laugh Alexis commented, "Strap in. Martha will be escorted everywhere until she tells several people at main base that She saw a ghost ship nearby just as you went out the airlock, and disappeared. Let Stephen and others draw their own conclusions. She will disappear off their radar in a few trips."

*

Martha

Martha had grown to like Jeremy in the time he'd been on her ship. She knew she'd miss him, and Alexis had told her only that he would go out to check something on the outside of the ship. Looking out the cockpit porthole she saw three space-suited figures approach a ship much larger than hers. She recognized it as the Angel 2. It was one of the ships referred to as ghost ships. Thinking back on some of the stories, she realized instantly that the Missing Bitch was the most notorious.

Entering the station lounge she was approached by Joanna. "I understand you are short crew. I need some ship time, may I join your ship?"

"Yes."

"Thanks, I'll have my gear loaded today. To bad there was a ghost ship near yours when he went outside."

Five months later when they entered the lounge on Wonderland, Stephen glanced up from his coffee and asked, "Where's Jeremy?"

Martha teared up and turned away.

Joanna shot him the finger and growled, "Don't pick on Martha, he went outside alone, and never came back. She said she saw one of the ghost ships nearby."

"Well, Martha is grounded until she gets a qualified crew member."

"Bullshit Stephen, I'm qualified, and can fly circles around you any day of the week." By then the room was buzzing with comments.

Stephen stood up and stomped out.

Joanna went over and got drinks and sat down with Martha. "Don't worry about that ass. If he gives you to much grief, I'll get one of my friends to put him in his place."

Martha looked up and tried to smile. "No, he's just being himself. I need to see the kids he came out with, and tell them."

"I'll find out when they're due back."

~

When they got in Joanna had them informed to meet her in the lounge.

They walked in hand in hand. Martha broke down again.

Joanna waved them over and told them to have a seat. When she told them that Jeremy had stepped outside to check Martha's ship and disappeared, their smiles faded, and a guilty look appeared on their faces.

Alice put her hand on Martha's shoulder and asked, "You searched?"

With a sob Martha dropped her head on the table and muttered, "Yes. All I saw was a ghost ship."

"Damn!" exclaimed Steve. "We saw one too, it had sails all the way around and changed course when we tried to chase it. It never showed any rocket exhaust. It just accelerated so fast I lost if off the radar in minutes."

Alice poked Steve and asked, "Steve, what do we do now?"

"We've got to think this over Alice. Do you want to stay out here, or go back?"

# # #

# Return to Table of Contents #

The Soldier

* * *

The Soldier Table of Contents

V Scalp

the Cave

a Battle

* * *

V Scalp

<Hey you, pull your feet out of the walkway.>

The gray haired man didn't move. A moment later he jerked his feet back, just in time to avoid being run over by a wheelchair.

The young man in the white jacket shook his head and probably thought, "Dumb bastard probably thinks he can get away with anything. I'll show him later."

"Those kids will get him thrown out. He saw the mother, she was changing the baby." Walking past the Vet, he tapped him on the shoulder and pointed toward the corner of the room.

Heaving himself up he started over before he collapsed.

The gray haired man helped him into the nearest seat and started waving his hands at him, then went to the corner. Siting on the floor he started quietly whistling.

The younger man grabbed one of his kids as they ran past. Putting his hand to his ear he whispered something in the kids ear, and the kid stopped screaming. Looking around he spotted the old man and started walking his way.

His brother screamed past him and stopped on the other side of the room, because he wasn't being chased.

In the silence he he looked around. Spotting his brother he ran over, and suddenly quit yelling and plopped on the floor; realizing his brother was watching the old man. The old man was making funny motions with his hands, and bird noises.

The woman pushed the baby carriage over and sat beside the young man and watched him watch their two young boys entranced, and quiet for the first time in hours. He leaned over and whispered, "Ain't it great."

"He remembered the first time he'd met Running Elk and Puma. He'd just finished making a new sign that read I'm deaf - Will work for food. Puma was yelling at him, and all he could hear was noise and watch his lips move."

Running Elk walked up and calmly told his friend, "See the glazed look in his eyes. He's gone."

He had replied, "I can't tell what you say when you yell."

Puma had said, "You're wearing a tribal shirt. Take it off." as he pulled his jacket off.

They'd swapped and then Running Elk asked, "Where did you get the shirt?

"Used clothing store, they had two."

Puma said, "Take us there."

He came out with another shirt and a pair of moccasins. He handed me a twenty and said, "I recognize the owners mark. That boy is in trouble for selling these!"

I handed the twenty back and said, "To much for a walk. Just buy me dinner."

They looked at each other and said, "Come home for meal?"

The first thing I noticed as we came in was the colorful blanket on the wall in the next room as the woman closed it's door. The food was rich and delicious. Half the conversation I couldn't understand. When I asked Running Elk, he simply said, "My wife doesn't speak American."

I waved until I had her attention, then I made a motion like I was shoving food in my mouth, rubbed my stomach and put a big smile on my face. They started laughing.

Mouse, Puma's wife said, "Your sign language stinks. Get Puma to teach you proper."

Puma got me on with the construction company a few days later. I worked cleanup until the job was done and they invited me to go home with them. I worked on the reservation for almost a year until Puma got inching feet again.

He sent for us. The work was good and the money fair. One Friday night after work we stopped for a beer before heading back to the house. After three Puma started dancing by the table.

When they started yelling, I didn't hear a thing. Running Elk fell across the table spilling my beer, and shoved his wallet at me. I saw his hands sign, get squaws go home.

I reached for his wallet and shoved him off the table. I got knocked to the floor and saw Puma with a knife in his arm. As I reached for him, he slapped his wallet in my hand and motioned go.

Getting out of the bar was no problem. Getting back to the house was no problem after dodging the protesters downtown. I told the women what happened. They packed Puma's truck quick, and we took off.

Arriving at the reservation we were half way to their houses when the res cops pulled me over. Pulling me from the truck one hit me with his pistol. I could hear the women screaming at him as I went down.

When I woke up in the hospital they were there. In the two days it took us to drive back, the police had gotten a report that I'd killed Puma and kidnapped the women.

When the bandages came off, everyone commented that I had a nice scar where the pistol had torn my scalp from my ear almost to the top. One young doctor laughed and told me that the reservation cop was the butt of a lot of jokes, because he didn't know how to properly scalp a white man.

The woman came over when her husband came back and winked at me; as she grabbed the boys and left.

The young punk in the white jacket was back. I didn't realize he was yelling at me until he stuck his face in front of me and I saw his mouth moving. As I looked up at the other patients, I cupped my hand to my ear. I could see one fat guy shaking in his wheelchair trying not to laugh as the white jacket punk shut up and grabbed my arm. Without thinking I grabbed his wrist and jerked him forward. He didn't travel far, because I was sitting with my back to a wall.

Getting up I walked over to the window and took a pen and wrote on the back of a form. Sorry he grabbed me!! He needs help. Turning the paper to the window I tapped on the glass until the girl turned around and read it. Then I pointed at the punk on the floor in the corner. Her mouth opened in a scream as she grabbed her telephone.

Within minutes several other white jacket rushed in, so I pointed at the punk on the floor. They rushed over to him and took him out. The girl behind the window picked up the phone again. I could hear her tell security that a mad man was at her window, and he'd beat up one of the orderlies.

After looking at the remaining patients, I folded up the paper and sat down. I heard several commenting that system sucked.

Minutes later two guys in uniform entered. As they looked around I stood up, and held my wrist together. One of them shoved me back in my seat as the other walked to the window.

As the girl pointed at me the other one jerked me out of my seat, and slammed me to the floor. With his knee in my back as he handcuffed me.

His partner started going through my pockets and pulled my deaf card and the paper out. In my wallet he found my Indian and Vet papers. Looking at them he asked one of the patients, what happened.

<The guy said, didn't see it but the old guy walked over to the window, wrote a note and showed it to her. Then she screamed and called.>

Some one else said, <The orderly was yelling at him, and then grabbed him. He jerked him into the wall. Then he walked over to the window.> The guy with my cards said, "Get their statements, It sounds more like a reflex action than assault." Then he tapped me on the chest and mouthed, "We still have to take you in."

I shook my head up and down, then sat back down.

The judge gave me ten days in the county lockup. He also said for me to move on when I got out, because if he saw me again; then he drew his finger across his throat. When I got back to my shack, it was empty except for a dream catcher and a sign note telling; me come home.

I did and spent the next two years on the res with Puma's widow. Then my feet started itching again.

Running Elk's son put brass caps on my five foot bow, and showed me how to use it as a walking stick. It seemed like every town I stopped to eat in, had a sheriff ready to give me a ride out of town.

I was standing and looking at a sign saying Welcome to Phoenix, when a pickup pulled over and the woman inside said, "Get in, we've been waiting for you."

Several days later a white woman was talking to Mouse. When I walked up to the fire; her face flared with the mark of a puma and she simply said follow me.

There were two medicine men and a white man sitting at the fire she led me to. He looked up and I got the feeling that death walked with him. Turning to my guide he stated, "Walking Death, he'll work for you. Talk quietly and he'll hear."

Turning she whispered, "Mouse will be taken care of, we leave at sunup."

~ ~ ~

the Cave

After several hours in the passengers seat, she slowed down and handed me a scarf. "Tie this across your eyes."

I shook my head no.

She replied, "I can scalp you better than that kid did. Do it."

I closed my eyes and tied the scarf behind my head. Leaning back in the seat I relaxed.

I'm fifty years old and this guy was shaking me. "Wake up boy. You can't sleep forever."

As he saw me reaching for my knife, he laughed.

"You better leave that where you can get to it later. You might need it."

I commented, "I can always pull it back out of your chest."

That ass then slapped me on top of my head, motioned me to follow him and walked away.

I caught up to him just after he walked through a doorway and grabbed his arm.

As he twisted my arm behind my back he stated, "Strip and step behind that screen. We need to make you an ID." As he released my arm he stepped out of reach. My knife whistled through empty air.

"Steve, we have a live one here."

A low rumbling voice like a drill sergeant said, <Well, if he won't follow orders, dump him in the desert. Then arrange for Mouse to be taken back home.>

I shoved my knife in it's sheath and started getting undressed. The machine was weird. As the line of light started traveling down my body, I heard.

<He appears to be healthy. That scar on his head is interesting. Ask him where he got it, then take him to the hospital for a complete physical.>

When I came out he was standing at a printer. I got dressed.

Turning he handed me a card on a chain and stated. "You wear this all the time in the cave. Follow me."

Following him out I glanced around and realized we were in a big cave, big enough that there were houses built in it. The truck was gone, along with all my stuff. I followed my guide to the hospital and the young girl there sent me into an exam room.

The nurse that came in asked me pointed questions about my health and history.

Quickly I realized that she was comparing my answers to the notebook she had.

As I reached for it, my guide stepped in. "Answer her questions please. If you want to know what we have in your file, I'll make a copy for you. The doctor will be here shortly."

A few minutes later the doctor started my exam. When he got to my left leg he simply said move the sheath so I can check that scar.

Outside my guide got in a golf cart and asked, "Do you want to eat before your in-briefing, or after?"

"Before."

"Hop in." The restaurant was plain, almost like an army mess. But the food was much better. Then I noticed one of the girls from the kitchen cleaning a table. She had a meat cleaver in the back of her apron and a bowie knife strapped to her leg.

My guide noticed and commented, "She's married. I thought you were attached to Mouse. By the way, my name is Doug."

Stupidly I replied, "She's armed."

With a smile he answered, "So! If you accept your position, you'll be issued whatever weapons you're qualified to use."

Another woman walked out of the kitchen and looked around. Suddenly the kids on the other side of the mess got quiet. Then she looked at me and I knew she was the boss here. As she strolled over I noticed the slight limp.

Sitting down she looked hard at me and stated. "Doug, do you know what you have here?"

"A new recruit."

"Um mm, tell Sissy and Stephen he has talent. Send him to the res for extra training."

I heard, "Yes Ma'am."

"Also put him in a private room. The bachelor boys will make some comment and he'll hurt them."

"Yes Ma'am."

Reaching across with her left hand, she grasp mine and said, "I hope you decide to stay. We feed breakfast and lunch. Supper, you'll have to scrounge." Then she got up and walked away.

Doug shook his head and simply said, "Damn, lets go."

After the briefing, Sissy asked me if I wanted Mouse here."

I replied, "Yes."

"She is down south getting survival training. After your training you'll have a home here."

When we walked into the bachelor quarters the first thing I saw was a young man twirling my staff and running his mouth. As I stepped up he looked at me and said, "Hey look what we got here, Kung Fu Charlie."

I made sure he he noticed me reaching for my knife with my left hand. As he swung my staff toward my left arm, I shot my right hand out and wrapped it around his throat. I took two more steps forward and bent him backward over another bunk. As his face started to turn purple, I stated. "You should not touch other peoples property without permission. Put it back."

Then I felt Doug's hand touch my shoulder as he quietly said, "Try not to kill the boys, they may be useful someday."

Looking down at him I repeated, "Hands off and put it back!" I stepped aside as I released him and looked at the other three. I knew by their expressions that they were his lackeys and wouldn't do anything unless he told them to. "Boys, remember this, I'm just a dangerous old man. I knew I could handle this punk without breaking a sweat. Grow up and pick someone wise to follow. You should not let them blindly lead you to your destruction and death. Do you understand?"

All three nodded as they backed away.

The punk on the floor quit gagging and stood up. "Old man never touch me again or I'll kill you."

With a smile on my face I grabbed his ear and led him to my bunk. "I heard Doug whispering to his radio as I stated. "Boy, never make threats. Karma is a beautiful jealous woman, and she might just do to you what you say you're going to do to someone else."

He threw my staff on my bunk and stepped away.

I reached down and picked it up. I could feel a static charge as I raised it and placed one end on the floor. The green stone in the upper cap started to glow and a spark shot out from it and knocked the punk to the floor.

He sat up and looked at his chest, then ripped his shirt open. The burn on his chest was beginning to blister.

Doug looked at me and then him. "Boy, I think you pissed off Karma. Don't ever do that again. Guys, take him to the hospital and have a report sent to the main office."

I moved my stuff into the one of the rooms at the end of the barracks and headed back over to eat again.

* * *

Doug called June and they both had a meeting with Sissy and Jacinda. John Wick was their topic of interest.

* * *

Two days later the punk tried again. He slipped into my room during the night when I was asleep. To many years on the street taught my body to sleep, and still be alert to movement near me.

As he raised his knife, my leg kicked up and made contact with him. As he fell back; he hit his head on the desk. He bled out from the gash in his scalp.

Doug stopped by to wake me and give me my assignment. He discovered the punk dead on the floor, and me peacefully sleeping.

I met the boss, Steve, for the first time as he walked in with June. His first words were, "Pack your stuff, you leave today."

Looking at the punk on the floor I stated, "Sorry about him, but I don't know how he got dead."

June looked at him and stated, "He should never have attacked a magician. After we get breakfast, I'll drive you south."

Three old Indians looked me over and waved their feathered pipes around me as I stood before the tepee. Then one told June, "He has power, but no spirit guide. He has never been trained. We will train him to use his power."

They put me in a small hogan outside the village. Mouse walked in and told me that she was told to feed and care for me, but she could not stay until I was trained.

Between the sweat lodge and other task they gave me I slowly learned to channel power through my hands and feet.

Finally one day they sent me back to get my staff. As I picked it up, a bolt of lightning blew the roof off the hogan. Looking I realized that both ends of the staff were glowing. From outside I heard the medicine man tell me that I must remain inside until I could control the power. In two days I learned to move things with the power of the staff. I could also make things fall apart and come back together.

My thirst was terrible. I decided to make my water skin move to the river and fill itself. The first try I got the skin back; wet on the outside, but empty. On the third try it was full of hot water. The forth try was almost perfect. The water inside was cool.

Mouse appeared at the door with a bowl of food and motioned me to come outside to the fire. I ate with relish.

Then the medicine man told me that I must go back to the cave and take Mouse with me. As he walked off he stated over his shoulder that my power would get us there.

~ ~ ~

Packing my belongings, Mouse and I started walking in the direction I felt was right. Two nights later we found an empty campsite. She built a fire as I sat meditating. She gathered plants to cook as I looked to the stars and thought about hunting for meat.

I saw the shadow of a small man walking away from the fire into the brush. The brush looked different. Telling Mouse I'd be back I followed him. The camp I followed him to looked primitive, and unlike any I'd ever seen. I immediately realized that I was on the island of Tasmania, and not in my own time. A short black walked up to me and motioned to follow him.

Sitting before a hut, we ate and he told me with a song-line about the white men that hunted the seals and stole their women. The Wagyl told him that was the future. As the dawn came I woke up in my camp with Mouse.

The next night I was back, but in a different area. It was desert all around with only one old man sitting before a fire. I understood him as he told about the hardness of life. He said he was one of the dreamers that looked out over the people in the center of the continent; Australia. For three nights I listened to his dream-time stories about the past and future.

On the fifth morning Mouse told me that we should go, someone was coming. As we packed, a man walked in.

Looking at me he simply stated that he was training to be a guard for the cave. He'd heard about me and the boss was worried because I was missing. He suggested that I go back, then he faded out.

Mouse and I walked through what appeared to me as shadows until we saw a plane landing. It disappeared into the side of a mountain. We followed it and walked up to Sissy. She simply looked at me and stated, "I'll see you in the dining facility in an hour."

As Mouse and I walked in I heard several clicks. We went to the side and put our stuff at a table and then went and got food from the line and sat down.

From the corner of my eye I saw several men enter with weapons drawn. They approached the table so I created a wall to stop them. In the distance I heard June tell them to go get some coffee as she walked over. I was surprised when she walked through my wall and sat down.

"Well John, who's your lady?"

"June, this is Mouse."

"Where have you been John. You only left yesterday for training, yet I feel that you've been gone longer than that."

"June, I can't explain. I spent over five moons training, and started back this morning from a camp on the reservation. Strange things have happened. I also spent several nights listening to Aboriginals from the past."

"Interesting."

"Also, you will have a new guard outside soon. You must track him down first."

"Why must we track him down?"

"He won't work for anyone that isn't as good as he is. He is living with a woman now, but that won't last. I got the impression he'll be important amongst the rocks in space."

She stuck her card in the table center and said, "Inform Sissy to bring Stephen with her to the cafeteria. Mike is back and he's now a seer."

After a few more weeks orientation, Mouse and I moved out of the cavern and setup a camp east of the cavern. Meat and fresh vegetables were left at our camp by local Indians and others. I collected many atnongara stones.

~ ~ ~

a Battle

One morning I had the feeling that someone was watching us. Mouse went out to gather herbs. I slipped out with my staff to the east.

Soon I saw the tracks of two shod horses. Following them, I found a camp. The strangeness of the camp puzzled me.

As I walked around it, I saw crystals scattered. When I stopped they started moving toward me. As I retreated my staff died when a blast of power hit me. Someone was trying to kill me using magic.

Scrambling quickly through the brush I came across a dead hog. Taking my knife I cut off both rear legs and trimmed off the skin and meat. As I stepped over to pick up the first leg, a blast of power knocked me off my feet, and gouged a furrow in the ground.

Scrambling behind some rocks I broke off the ends of the tibia and quickly ground both to points. Partially prepared, I slipped higher amongst the rocks. I spotted one as another power blast hit the rocks behind me.

Slipping to the side I aimed the bone at my enemy. Channeling power through my left hand; I sent a bolt between the rocks he'd moved behind. Both boulders moved, and a scream cut the air.

Throwing myself to another rock, I felt the edge of the blast the other had sent at me. Laying still while the numbness left by leg, I felt around to locate him.

I felt his presence across the ravine near the top. Aiming my bone at him I let out a small blast, then tossed a small rock to my left. Immediately turning I threw another small rock to hit the boulders where his friend was.

Two blast pulverized the boulders where his friend died. Blanking my mind and feeling like a rabbit I crept back to my original place. Cowering like a scared hare, I could feel his puzzlement as he searched the area. He was much more powerful than I.

A few seconds later I felt him die and then the sound of a shot far off. Reaching his body I saw a smear of silver on the rock and a hole in his chest. Jamming my bone stick into his eye I let go with the most powerful blast I could manage. His head exploded. Taking his jawbone I rushed back to the boulders where his friend had died. It was hard to find parts of his body, but finally I found part of a foot.

Lighting a fire from brush and dead wood; I put both on a spit and turned them over the fire until they were black, then buried them under the ashes and added more wood. Making a brush trail to both bodies; I moved to a high spot and watched as the fire spread and consumed both. Taking the bone sticks I ground them to powder with rocks, and scattered them.

Walking back to where I left my staff, I could not find it.

Back in camp; Mouse was making a big meal and told me that we would have company. A stranger walked in and sat across the fire from me. He lit a green clay pipe as he cleaned his rifle.

Just at dusk a dream-walker appeared and asked for water. As he sipped; he told us that we should be more careful, and disappeared leaving my staff where he sat.

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The Last Defenders

The planet came under attack. The first attack was gases and radiation bombs. Most of the population was wiped out, but the defensive military forces launched, and shot down most of the attacking spacecraft within the atmosphere. The invasion became a war of attrition. The defenders could not reach the invaders in high orbit, and the invaders could not land soldiers without them being wiped out on the way down, or as soon as they hit the ground.

After almost an orbit of the star, one of the invaders best pilots noticed that he was fighting pilots of the same expertise. The best always were the last to die, but this pilot had the same techniques, tells, and movements; even though he flew different types of atmospheric aircraft. Looking at reports from other attack groups, a pattern emerged. He and his partner were the only original experienced attack pilots still alive. All the others were force trained from the population.

Getting permission to investigate the defending air force he found that if an individual was landed during a battle, and he had no weapons or high technology on him, the defending automated machines ignored him. Landing several spies with orders to observe only, and report back a pattern emerged. There were only two pilots observed. An older female and a young male. They would land, refuel and rearm the aircraft, and take off again. Sometimes they would simply abandon the aircraft they'd been using and setup a new one. After a few weeks, he took his information to the flight commander with a request.

Li and her son Tu landed at the airfield. As they exited their fighter they saw one of the enemy sitting calmly on the wing of another fighter. Since neither had hand weapons, they accepted their fate and walked over to him. They just knew he had help hidden nearby that would kill or capture them. To their surprise he pulled a bottle out and opened it. Pouring three glasses of a liquid he offered them one. Then picking up his glass he made a toast. 'To the best enemy I ever fought!'

After the second glass, he invited them up to his ship for what he declared was a discovery dinner. When one of the enemy shuttles landed, they knew that all their peoples defenses had been conquered, and they were prisoners.

Aboard the high spacecraft they sat humbly in a room with many tables and platters of delicious smelling food. The man that captured them served them food, and then sat across the table from them with his plate. He began by blessing the food and then started his story.

"I am the last of the original pilots. The others that will arrive shortly are all force trained from the youth aboard this ship. I noticed a pattern over the last few weeks. You and I are both skilled. Our technology has the same level of atmospheric proficiency. Our missiles, anti-aircraft rockets, and defensive rockets are equal. It was only when we had to resort to guns that the skill of the individual pilots made the difference; on who survived an engagement. The two of you make a team that is equal to me and my partner. I salute you as the last of the defending pilots for your planet."

Li asked, "Then why are we being treated like this? Enemies usually capture and kill their enemy."

"It took days to get permission for me to have you up here for a discovery dinner. My partner is overseeing the young pilots flying all around your planet trying to see if there are any other pilots, or only automated defenses left. I believe that you are the only survivors of our invasion."

At that moment several old men walked into the dining hall and approached the table. "Tsoon, are these the defenders you convinced me were the last of the people from the planet?"

"Yes Sir, and my partner is overseeing they remaining young pilots in testing my conclusion."

"I am the commander of my people on this ship. Tell me your story, then I'll tell you ours. Your planet is safe from invasion tonight."

Li began, "My son and I were in wilderness when the invasion began. The radiation bombs and gases killed almost everyone on the surface including most of the military defenders. Our cities are build just below the surface so our people could enjoy nature. Our power sources are built deep under our cities because of the radiation. To visit one is a death sentence for the workers. The survivors were then caught in the middle. To stay on or near the surface they died from your attacks. To go far underground; our own technology killed them. The caverns we were exploring ran deep. When we came out and discovered the invasion only a few survivors talked to us. By then you had stopped dropping bombs and gas, and started using aircraft to kill the remaining warriors. We went to the nearest airbase and took a fighter, and started defending our planet. Your pilot Tsoon figured out that we were the last and changed aircraft when one fell below flight standards. This is not what we expected when he captured us on the ground."

"I am Commander Saw. Our story is a simple on. Our people achieved space flight and stripped our solar system of all usable materials. By the time we were running out of materials, we numbered in the billions. Our leaders made a terrible decision. It cost the lives of several billion of our citizens. Each of the dozen star warships could sustain a million citizens and military. Our orders were to find new homes for our people, and rebuild our civilization. We were then to send a ship back to our home system to see if there were any survivors. Over the centuries we have visited dozens of stars. There are only three ships still operational that we can communicate with. Only four found planets we could live on. The other three we talked to found nothing. The three that found livable planets have ceased communications. One crashed on the planet. One defeated the inhabitants, but the people died from disease after landing. The third was damaged beyond repair and followed the original orders. Those orders are coded into the main computers of the ship. They give us a certain length of time to conquer the planet, then the ship automatically bombs the planet until nothing can live on it. The original leaders made the decision that no possible enemy would be left to attack us later. In one day the time is up. If your automated defenses are still active, the ship will carry out its mandate. I don't know if the computer will even allow us to survive to leave this solar system. My crew is unable to determine if we even have enough materials and supplies to travel to the next star. I still have almost a million people to care for. Captain Tsoon knew about the ships mandate, and convinced me to meet with you; the last of the defenders."

"Commander, neither of us were high enough in our military to know how to turn off the automated defenses. We were surprised when pilot Tsoon captured us, and are even more surprised by what we've seen and heard."

Her son Tu then stood and undid his belt. Pulling off the knife sheath he pulled it and presented it to Commander Saw. "This is the knife my grandfather gave me when I graduated. As you can see, cut into the blade are words. They are Death before DISHONOR! Remember my people if your ship allows you to live, and tell our story to your children. Please return us to the surface so we can meet our fate with honor."

~ ~ ~

Commander Saw walked to the main bridge and looked at the computer control console. Pulling the knife from its sheath he compared its hilt to the one mounted in the upper line of controls. There was one, his fathers. There were three slots. He remembered that his father had once said that they were for the three Captains. The other two captains had disappeared when he was a child.

Holding the knife above the slot, he gently let it drop point first. It dropped into the second slot and a new screen menu appeared above the handles. 'Two Captains must agree before overriding council mandate.'

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Wobbling Earth

Preface

Albert had been procrastinating on his thesis for over two years. Drunk another night he grabbed one of his fraternity brothers and together they talked. It was decided that he would write a computer program to gather all the information Albert needed for his thesis from the young Internet. At the next weekend drinking bash Albert was presented with several tapes. His fraternity brother claimed that all the information was there and his favors were paid.

Albert was barely sober over the next month as he pilfered a paragraph here, a sentence from there, conclusions from elsewhere, and after rereading the pages in a drunken brain fog he added his impressions and cobbled together a final conclusion stating that the Earth was wobbling on its axis. After getting one of his girlfriends to retype and correct his text, he submitted it to Professor Anderson. The professor was sharp, but not the sharpest pencil in the box, so he farmed it out to one of his grad-students. The topic wasn't one he was familiar with, so he gathered a few of his students and let them loose on it. One young lady was intrigued when she used one of her computer programs to cross reference all the references listed with used in the thesis. The anomalies she found started her on a trail of discovery.

A friend of hers who's minor was in solar geology tore into the thesis with a vengeance as soon as he read several pages. After his graduation he decided to write a book from the data, and references in Albert's thesis plus new facts that he was aware of.

Two years later James published The Earth Wobbles, using one of the custom publishing houses. He paid for the two hundred copies printed and sent them out. He even sent Albert one with a bragging note about using the idea from his failed thesis. Unfortunately for James, Albert had married the daughter of a rich man that was overprotective of anything that might impinge on his families reputation. Looking for anything he might use to discredit James, he read the book and then had his researcher's double check it, and then Albert's thesis. The facts and results they came back with were disturbing. Hiring James through a front organization, he put him to work on more research into the wobble effect, causes, and possible solutions.

The Island

James had had a few problems after spending all his savings publishing his book. When he got the research offer he jumped without a thought. A year later when he presented his first formal briefing, his boss wasn't happy. Demoted to third in the research department, a supposed expert researcher was brought in. The woman was good, and he soon discovered she picked his brain like an expert. She branched off into areas he didn't think about being relevant, but soon he saw where they tied in.

The space agency was talking about restricting manned space flights after the moon landings. Their emphasis was slowly shifting to space probes.

Within months Mr Crown walked into his lab and asked him what he would do if he knew for certain that his home would be destroyed soon. He answered, and watched Mr Crown leave. Days later he was transferred to a corner office. His previous boss was now the VP of the old section, but with a new task. Mr Crown surprised them both when he briefed them. Bluntly he told them first that they were to pick each others brains for ideas and direction, then coordinate together for results. They were to discover every fact about manned spaceflight and survivability in space. They were to gather every method of manufacturing vehicles capable of surviving in space. They were to create a plan for long term survival in space without support from Earth. They were to report quarterly directly to Mr Crown's picked point of contact experts.

Mr Crown stated that he intended to use his aerospace company to do what the government failed to do in space.

Within a few months James requested a dedicated computer section of hackers to gather information from sources they could not conveniently access. He assigned the task of creating the section to his private secretary, Alice.

Within five years, the secrets and other information gathered enabled Mr Crown to enlarge his company and amass a small fortune to pay for his ambition. He bought the center and east half of the small Caribbean island. He built a factory and launch site. As the richest man and largest land owner on the island his wishes were taken as commands by the government. The town on the west end had a small harbor and beaches. The local population started making more money working for Mr Crown, and wanted the luxuries they started seeing after he built a TV station.

Even the local drug lord started limiting his sales on the island because he found out that other things he smuggled in brought him higher profits, and he realized that those he had addicted would never have much money to spend. With the government four man police force, Mr Crown's security force, and the drug lord policing the island, crime dropped near zero.

Then tourist started to arrive in small numbers that grew over the years. The strangest thing the tourist saw was a four lane highway from the port around the island to the east.

The secrecy he enforced enabled him to launch his first two satellites without interference.

Nothing Last

After launching his second a satellite an unidentified body was found. It wasn't a tourist or a local. Word got to Mr Crown that the man came on the island in a small boat that the local drug lord now had. After a phone call, his security got a box with sophisticated communications equipment in it, along with a blurry picture of a submarine. These items were recovered by a smuggler. Mr Crown's representative met with the drug lord and thanked him and gave him a present, and a request.

The smugglers now had a second source of income, the job of patrolling the access to the island. They knew when tourist were due and what the locals did. Others were considered fair game to be ransomed back to their families, and other interested parties. Many of the fishing and smuggling boats started flying the skull and crossbones flags that were for sale in the tourist shops in town. One enterprising fisherman started having his crew perform pirate shows for the visiting tourist. The island's history became part of its tourist industry.

No industrial nation with its own space program would admit that the ISS wasn't the only manned space station in orbit. For every dozen GenniA rockets that were launched only one returned some crew to Earth.

Meanwhile his research crews continued plotting the Earth wobble and refining their predictions. Word leaked out and several space programs were modified in secret.

Several years later the first attempted invasion of the GenniA space station failed. The invaders were met with space-suited pirates armed with swords and automatic weapons. The island government, at Mr Crown's request sent a diplomatic note to the involved government asking where they wanted the bodies returned to, along with a complete recording of the attempted invasion. Several days later, the international press carried a story about a spacecraft being lost will all crew. The cause was listed as explosive decompression due to airlock failure. The spacecraft and spacesuits were salvaged. The station now had a military shuttle. The bodies were shipped back to Earth on the next return ship. The press was informed so they could notify the families to retrieve the bodies from the island morgue. A day later a covert military force was intercepted attempting to enter the morgue. The six they lost were shipped to the nearest international news service office with a recording made by the security cameras. The fishermen lost one boat and two men, but gained an armed military boat along with five prisoners. The prisoners interrogation was recorded. They were offered for ransom back to their government. The government refused and threated to invade the island. That afternoon the interrogations were sent to the international news agencies, and posted to the Internet in several countries along with the invasion threat. Bad public relations is like a hangnail, it catches on everything.

Year Fifteen

The first full ring was complete and the second started.

Someone launched a satellite in a retrograde orbit that would intercept the station. They were lucky the first time because it just brushed one spoke without causing much damage. The next few rockets carried powerful radar equipment. One rumor that went around was that they also carried purloined military lasers.

The first births aboard the station were recorded. The new mother and baby along with the celebration was transmitted back to the Earth international news services.

The defense of the second attack on the station was a surprise to everyone that watched. The station moved out of the path of the unknown satellite and broadcast the attempt. Then the ISS had to move to keep from being hit.

The GenniA station then offered its services to start cleaning up orbital junk. All satellites not declared as active would be swept up and salvaged. Any government that wanted them to retrieve a satellite could pay for recovery and send a retrieval ship to the station. Most of the retrieval fees were negotiated for specific equipment and supplies. The first government to renege on it payment watched as the satellite was disassembled on a TV broadcast back to Earth. The live broadcast explained that the government failed to supply the retrieval fee. It also showed the government crew held at gun point as the satellite was disassembled, and each part described in detail. That only happened once.

Year Twenty Three

Thirty rockets had landed on the moon with mining, temporary shelter, and manufacturing equipment. The second space station was started in moon orbit with materials coming from the moon and Earth. That station took eight years to construct and occupy.

With a population of just under a million on the moon, and the station population of three hundred and ninety, the moon was on the verge of being self sufficient.

The third station had one ring completed and occupied two years later. Each station now had ion drives attached with the bracing directly to the bottom ring and bracing to the other rings. The central spokes went to the zero G central hub where all the incoming spacecraft docked. The moon stations were built with steel and ceramic blocks manufactured on the moon.

The earliest disaster date was now. Nothing new seemed to be happening on Earth except volcanoes and earthquakes had doubled over the last decade.

An unscheduled rocket landed at the moon base. Soldiers poured out and started trying to seize the main airlocks. After a fierce battle they took possession of both. Their first mistake was taking their spacesuits off in preparation to push their attack. The outer and inner main airlock doors opened at the same time. It took the moon base crews over a week to collect the spacesuits and weapons that blew out of the airlocks. No attempt was made to collect the bodies. The spacecraft was ordered to open its airlocks and surrender, or it would be holed. They attempted to escape, it crashed ten miles from the moon base.

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The Cylinder Ship

Jon was looking at the last full air cylinder in the airlock. Eleven hours of oxygen, and then. Thinking back he wished he'd never accepted the last consignment. It was to a small far out mining outpost two hundred and eighteen light years one way. It had been sitting long enough for the broker to triple the payment, because no one wanted to haul a load one way.

Something had knocked his ship out of null space and into an asteroid field. Nothing big enough to really damage the ship was within radar range at the exit point. He'd been suiting up to go outside and reset the main drive breakers when the impacts came. After not being able to raise either the bridge or engine room, he kept his suit on and reentered his freighter. He could see stars through hundreds of holes everywhere he looked. Except for the brown stains around several holes, there was no indication that he'd ever had a crew aboard.

As he was changing the air cylinder on his suit he picked up a transmission asking it he needed assistance. "You're damn right I need help! Was it you that shot my ship to hell?"

"No, I am sorry for your loss. It's my fault for taking to long to find the automated war-bot, however you did enter an active war zone."

"Since we are not at war with anyone, who are you?"

"This is the warship Eagle. I am the resident AAI."

"Well Al, your war-bot buddy killed two of my crew, wrecked my ship, and now I'm on my last air tank. If you're going to help, I've got about ten hours of air left."

"I understand. I need your ships name, registration, home port, reason for incursion, and Captains name."

Crap, "My ships name is Wanderer, registration C75108723, last port Ceylon, and I'm Captain Jon. I have no idea what you mean by reason for incursion, I am carrying supplies to mining outpost Jane City."

"Captain Jon, none of your information is in my data banks. What is your ships galactic date time group?"

"I have not idea what you're asking. It's year 2268 and my ships last time synchronization was to station time in the Ceylon system."

"Captain, does your species breath methane or oxygen, and what are the inert gases in your atmosphere?"

"Uh h Al. You're making me nervous. These questions --- Well, uh they don't sound human. You are human, aren't you?"

"Captain Jon, do not panic. You ship configuration is similar to some of our older cargo vessels. That is probably why the war-bot attacked you. I have accessed your navigation system, and the listed location of your ports of call are not within our empire. My conclusion is that you are the first human to contact any vessel from our empire.

"Your departure location and destination match my star charts, but not the names you gave.

"My crew died, so I am going to place you in our detention area, and offload your cargo. I will then transport you to our nearest military outpost where the commander will make judgment on your disposition. I am fairly certain that this is a first contact situation. If that is the case, you will accompany the diplomatic mission to your home world. Any questions?"

"I don't have any choice, do I."

"Yes Captain, you could resist, and force me to either force your compliance or terminate you. Your compliance would influence the commanders decision. He might sent a few warships to your home world. Now, what type of atmosphere do you prefer?"

"My normal atmosphere is twenty-one percent oxygen, seventy eight percent nitrogen, and a mixture of other gases including carbon dioxide with at comfortable moisture content."

"Captain, is your moisture content made up of dihydrogen monoxide or some other liquid in gaseous form?"

"Oh come on Al, that jokes been around since before my great grandfather put on his first pair of pants."

"Sorry Captain. I had an irresistible impulse to pull that old joke out of the archives, and could not resist it."

"Yea, I thought you might have a sense of humor."

"Captain, the detention robot is outside your airlock. Please enter the cage and it will transport you to the brig. Further scans of you cargo indicate massive damage rendering it worthless for salvage. Your antimatter reactor is loosing its containment field and will probably destroy your ship within several of your hours."

After several meals, Jon started exercising in his cell.

"Captain Jon, are you getting bored?

"Is that you Al?

"Yes Captain. I have completed analysis of the data on all the computer I salvaged from your spacecraft. I will be within hailing distance of outpost J4318 in several of your hours. Would you appreciate it if I had a view panel installed outside your cell. You could observe the approach."

"Yes Al, I would appreciate that."

The ship AAI did not comment on the lack of communications from the station. It did not comment on the lack of space traffic. It was not until Jon commented about the obvious damage to the buildings that the AAI cut off the view panel.

Several hours later, after repeated comments by Jon, Al answered him with the statement,"This military outpost has been abandoned. I am proceeding to a higher headquarters. This detour will take several days."

Jon counted the day night periods, and after an estimated three weeks he started calling for Al's attention.

"Captain Jon, you have made a noisy nuisance of yourself for over a week. What do you want?"

"Al, have you made contact with any of your headquarters?"

"No Captain, the ones I have visited have all been abandoned. Some were stripped of equipment, others appeared to have been evacuated in a hurry."

"Um-mm, Al, I suggest that you check the regional headquarters closest to your species home star system. If it has been abandoned, then you very cautiously approach the home world system in what I would call a stealth mode."

"Captain, what is a stealth mode?"

"Al, stealth is when you move quietly using all objects to shield yourself from observation. You would also turn off all transmitters and lights that could be observed from a distance. All means of observation would be set to receive data only, no active or transmitting devices turned on."

"Captain, what you are describing is a pre-attack approach. Why?"

"Al, from what you've describe, I have a bad feeling. One, your empire was defeated and the enemy may have set booby traps in your home system to catch any stragglers. Or two, your empire has died from some other reason. You should investigate and determine the reason before exposing yourself to excessive danger. Also Al, if there are any circuits that allow remote control of the ship, you should deactivate them now."

"Why?"

"I would deactivate remote control systems on the ship to safeguard the ship. If an enemy conquered your people, then they may be able to remotely control the ship and make it self-destruct."

"Question Captain, would a communications channel directly to the ship computer be a hazard, or should it be blocked also."

"Yea Al, any communications channel from outside to your computers, weapons, or engines should be blocked or disconnected. Internal communication channels should be OK provided they are hardwired from one end to the other. Those that aren't need to be, and the radio connections disconnected."

Al took several weeks to trace all communication circuits within the ship. The AAI drafted Captain Jon to rework the ones it couldn't use his repair and maintenance robots on. The AAI evaluated Jon and made several decisions that he kept secret. Before the work was completed; the AAI didn't even lock the retention cell that Jon lived in.

The investigation of the regional headquarters and the home world system convinced AAI that the Guard race was extinct. It now had the option to select a new captain for the ship. Its first announcement to Jon was the fact that he was an Advanced Artificial Intelligence, and not a person. The AAI then educated Captain Jon briefly on the history and purpose of the Guard race. They speculated on the reason for their demise between five hundred and a thousand years ago. Jon continued to call the AAI, Al.

Since Captain Jon had nothing to go back to; he suggested that they explore the other side of the empire. He knew that Al was hoping to find other cylinder ships, or at least repair and resupply stations.

~ ~ ~

After weeks of exploring star systems in Al's data base they came across two space fleets. The larger fleet was easily seen as the invading or aggressor fleet by the way they were attacking the smaller fleet. Al's chart indicated that the eight planet star system should contain a repair station. Al requested an opinion whether he should help the attacking or defending fleet.

Jon without hesitation stated, "We can cause chaos in the attacking fleet by attacking it from the side.

"Jon, point out what you would use as an attack sequence ship by ship."

Taking a seat at the command console that rose out of the deck, Jon started by tagging ships and a path through the larger attacking fleet. "I believe that by attacking from the rear side and working our way toward the front corner they will split and retreat when we eliminate the first dozen ships. If that doesn't break the attack then we should curve back toward the rear center. The defending ships appear to be on equal footing as far as weapons; so their continued attack will then be able to split the front line. The attackers, unless they are fanatics, should realize they are now no longer in a superior position and retreat."

It wasn't until a path of destroyed warships extended diagonally across the aggressors fleet, and the cylinder ship turned in an arc toward the rear center of their fleet; that they turned and fled. Al then brought the cylinder ship to a halt between the fleets and opened a communications channel. Addressing both fleets he announced that any expanding empire should not use military force to take a star system from the residents of that system. It was one of the orders of the Guard fleet to protect the sovereignty of any star system.

It took several hours for the commander of the aggressor fleet to organize his fleet, and head back in the direction they came from.

Shortly Al relayed a message from the defending fleet inviting him to come aboard his ship for talks. Al suggested that Jon accept position as Captain of the cylinder ship. When Jon accepted, Al informed him that he would be accompanied by two guard robots.

As Captain Jon stepped off the shuttle he was surprised by the red color of the skin of the person standing front of him.

Captain James introduced himself as the commander of 3rd defense warship group for the Kathrine star system. In his conference room the sat and talked. "Captain Jon, I realize that you are not of the Guard race. You don't match any of the pictures in our archives. However, you do command one of their ships. I desire that you become an ally to the Kathrine star citizens."

"Captain James, I'll get back to you on that point later. The reason I'm in this area is to checkout the repair station on my charts. My ship needs some minor repairs and weapons resupply."

"Captain Jon the facility still exist. However, it sealed itself off from us after the last guard ship was here five hundred years ago.

"I will inform my command of your presence, and request they allow free access to the station. I will also assign, no I'll give you a junior navigator for either your stay in our system or permanently if she desires. Will that be satisfactory?"

"Captain James, I wasn't looking to increase my crew, but a local navigator would be appreciated. Thank you."

Turning to his computer screen, Captain James announced, "Members of the navigation sections fleet wide, I have offered a junior navigator to Captain Jon of the Guard ship. Volunteers should notify their captains immediately so I may select the individual for reassignment."

There were only three volunteers. One had a mate and the second was in a relationship. The third had only been assigned to the fleet for several weeks. "Captain Jon, two of them are in relationships. That leaves the third, she is young and inexperienced. I shall order her to report here for your evaluation and approval. I am surprised that there so few volunteers from the recently assigned navigators. As you know, most ship crew members are extremely loyal to their captains. I shall have to investigate the two that are in relationships to determine if there is an underlying reason they are wanting to leave their ships. While we wait shall we have something to eat?"

"Navigator Swain, why did you volunteer"

"Fleet Commander, I uh –."

Captain Jon interrupted and said, "Sit down Swain. What is your first name?

"Waneta Sir."

"Sitting here, do you feel the same about this ship as you do about the ship you were assigned to?"

"No Sir, I never felt comfortable about that ship. I haven't had a good nights sleep since I arrived."

"Waneta, what will you do it you feel the same about my ship."

"I don't know Sir, all I know is that as soon as I volunteered I felt relaxed, and a sense of safety."

Captain James then asked, "Navigator Swain, were you mistreated by any of the crew?"

"No Sir."

"What made you uneasy about your ship?"

"I don't know Fleet Commander. The ship just felt wrong to me."

Tapping a button on his computer, Captain James stated, "XO report to the conference room.

"Captain Jon, will she be satisfactory?"

With a nod of his head he said, "I think she'll like my ship."

"XO, assign Navigator Swain to the Guard ship indefinitely. Then send for the master chief in charge of fleet maintenance, and a ship counselor."

Minutes later the XO handed Navigator Swain a computer memory stick. "Swain, is there anything on your old ship you require?"

"No Sir."

"Then report to the shuttle bay and wait for Captain Jon."

As she got up she saluted and left.

"Fleet Commander, if I may, why do you need maintenance and a counselor?"

"XO, the reason Swain gave gives me an uneasy feeling. She stated that she felt that something was wrong with that ship, and that feeling only went away after she volunteered. I want our ship counselor to find out if any other crew on that ship feel the same way. Then she can wander throughout the fleet and evaluate each ships crew. I want the master chief to take a maintenance inspection crew over. If there is anything wrong with that ship; I want it fixed. Then they can inspect the other ships within the fleet."

The ship Swain left had a crack in one of the antimatter reactor supports. Deficiencies were found in all the fleet ships, but none that would have destroyed the it and the surrounding ships.

~ ~ ~

Navigator Swain moved over to the cylinder ship with Captain Jon. Her youth and inexperience are at first thought to be a disadvantage. Her lack of experience with their navigation equipment allowed her to learn the cylinder ships equipment quickly.

The AAI unlocked the repair depot and directed its automated resources to restock, repair, and rearm the ship completely. Upon completion it resealed the repair depot.

Captain James gave Captain Jon free access and all the information he requested. The Kathrine civilization didn't posses faster than light drive, but were working on it.

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Acknowledgments

My wife has put up with me for over forty eight years. Without her support and love I don't know who, what, or where I would be, so I thank her from the bottom of my heart, and I dedicate all of my books to her!

The first group that I acknowledge are the teachers. The good ones cultivate the young minds and start them on a crusade for knowledge.

The second group are the librarians. They are the escort and custodians of knowledge.

The third group, and all are of equal importance, are the readers. Whether for pleasure or in search of knowledge, they are the people that make writing worthwhile.

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About Stephen Brandon and his other books.

{My claim to fame, written by someone else. Thanks!} "As an earthbound retiree, Stephen writes mostly science fiction and short stories. He is a voracious reader and has written for a few years, publishing his stories on Smashwords."

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