“All she told us of her family was the relationship to Lieutenant Jack Long,” Perry said. “We met your parents and such, and that’s where she was convinced of our legitimacy.”
“I’m afraid I didn’t have the pleasure,” Blake said.
“She didn’t tell you who my husband is?” Sophia asked in surprise. “Who her father is?”
“No,” Blake said. “We asked. She evaded the question.”
“So you’re here not knowing who you’re really working with then,” Sophia said. “My husband is Harold Andersoppen.”
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
It was a moment before the surprise wore off. Janecia had knowingly brought them into the proverbial lion’s den which explained why they had to come straight out here without going inside at all. It was possible that Harold, himself, was in that house only a few hundred from the people he desired to catch.
“Harold Andersoppen was behind the original capture at the Terraformer,” Blake said. “He was the one who gave the order.”
“He was,” Sophia said. “He had come home, but upon hearing of an escape attempt, he went back up to the town hall. He believes what he can prove, and so he has no faith in the story of Blake, Perry, and Michelle. He considers it a fairy tale, or that the people in the story were just other colonists. In addition, he told me how his great-grandparents were killed in the Voraster attack, but I had no idea how deeply it set with him until you all showed up. Deep inside, he holds you personally responsible and intends to take revenge for his grandfather’s loss.”
“That will be a hard obstacle to overcome,” Perry said.
“What about your President?” Blake asked. “Can he be convinced?”
“Possibly,” Sophia said. “I don’t know him as well, so I couldn’t say whether he lost anyone in that attack, but most people have an ingrained fear of the Voraster. We hear from our parents about what happened seventy-five years ago, and we tell our children so that the story isn’t forgotten.”
“Maybe the story needs a revision,” Blake said. “The angle it takes is that of an invasion force that was suddenly halted and terms were drawn up so that they would never return. The problem there is that it doesn’t make sense. If they were truly an invading force, why would they have stopped? There was nothing anyone here could have done to stop them. Perhaps a little more of the truth of the tale needs to be injected indicating that some rogues attempted to take over the planet, and their own people stopped and punished them for their crimes against you. They apologized and promised they would leave you alone. And they did. No official action has been taken since.”
“But now we have this,” Sophia said. “These Voraster landing is a problem for those who know the old story.”
“You said yourself that it didn’t seem like much of an invasion,” Perry said.
“Doesn’t matter what I think,” Sophia said. “At the town square today, they will announce something about this. Every day, information is given from that podium at the same time, and it is always a big crowd because everyone wants to know what is going on. We have no system that will communicate to everyone individually yet. Still working on that. But they’ll certainly be putting the word out about what went on yesterday and tonight concerning the visitors.”
“I take it that the word given will not be that we’re completely harmless,” Tarlen said.
“You’ll be public enemy number one for sure,” Sophia said.
“The way I see it,” Blake said, “we need to check out the wreck of the Mirificus itself to see if we can find any communication equipment that is working. I want to find a scientist to look at the Terraformer.” Sophia gave him an unhappy look at this desire. “Only look, not touch. I promise. And of course, we need to talk to the President to convince him to let the Voraster and Michelle go so that when the ship arrives, there is someone to get on it.”
“That’s a pretty tall order,” Sophia said. “When it comes to the majority of the Mirificus, you should be able to get inside. It is not advised because it is old and falling apart, but it is not guarded. It’s only the part with the Terraformer that is under heavy guard, and that is both inside and out. Most people don’t know that, but if you try to get to the Terraformer chamber from the inside, you’ll also encounter resistance.”
“Understood,” Blake said. “I have no intention of disrupting your terraforming device.”
“The device is checked in the morning and the evening,” Sophia said. “Everyone in the Mirificus society is a descendant of the original scientists from the ship, my husband included. The society handles that maintenance as well as the guard contingent, though the guards themselves are not actually part of the society. The scientist going out there today, if memory serves, is Oliver Mason Harper. The only way he’ll talk to you is if I go with you.”
“Consider it done,” Blake said. “I would welcome your company.”
“The president is generally at the town hall shortly after sunrise,” Sophia continued. “An appointment is preferred but not required. After this mess, I would wager he’ll be quite busy.”
“As the only person not to have busted out of there recently, I feel the responsibility is mine,” Perry said.
“I would agree,” Blake said, “especially since I’ll be busy talking to a scientist and attempting to resurrect a dead communication system.”
“What are we to do?” Tarlen asked. “Are we to spend the entire time hiding in this structure?”
“You do stand out a bit,” Perry said.
“Sophia,” Blake said, “I don’t suppose it would be possible to get the President to come out here.”
“You want to bring him here to show him that I have criminals hiding out in my barn?’ Sophia asked. “Are you insane? I’m taking a huge risk having you here to begin with.”
“I’m sorry,” Blake said. “My thought is this: the best way for the President to believe any of this is straight from them.”
“We could kidnap him,” Perry said.
“What?” Sophia exclaimed.
“Hear me out,” Perry said. “If we stunned him-”
“Stunned him!?” Sophia exclaimed again. “You can’t just shoot the President.”
“Well, we don’t have a stun weapon anyway,” Perry said, “but if we did, we could bring him here, make him listen, and then set him free.”
“Because kidnapping someone to force him to hear your side is the best way to do that,” Sophia said. “I don’t know that I can go along with this. I know these people, and they know me.”
“And we don’t want to hurt anyone,” Blake said. “We are in a tense situation here, and we need to find a solution.”
“I believe I have something that can help,” Orest said. He unstrapped a pocket on his belt and removed a fat, silver cylinder about the length of an ink pen. He set it on the ground in front of him. “This is a temporary incapacitator. It will knock a Voraster unconscious for about five minutes. On a human, it might last ten because you’re a bit smaller. It records every uses, but if I lost it in the crash, I could not be held responsible for what happened to it.”
Perry picked up the device and looked at it for a moment. There was an opening on one end and a button on the side.
“You hold the end against your target and press the button,” Orest explained. “The target goes down.” Perry nodded, put the device into his pocket, and looked back at the group.
“Can you at least start with trying to talk to him in person?” Sophia asked.
“Yes,” Blake said. “Perry, you do what you can to get in to talk to him today.” Perry nodded. “If he listens, great. If he doesn’t, we’ll have to take it to the next level and force him. These people are not here because they want to be, and all they want to do is go home. Their crash was an accident, and whatever consequences come of that should be given by their own race.”
“I agree with you,” Sophia said, “but we need to start at the bottom and work our way up.”
“And I agree
with you as well,”’ Blake said, “but we also need to plan for whatever contingencies arise, and if he refuses to listen to reason, we need to do what we must. They are my priority as your people will someday be on that ship for me. I will do whatever it takes to keep them alive. Do you agree with that?”
Sophia looked at Blake and then at the Voraster. They knew she agreed but never realized where it could escalate to because of the potential closed-mindedness of the people. Finally, she nodded.
“I don’t know what they have in store,” Sophia said, “but I do agree they do not deserve to die for crashing here. I will help where I can.”
“Excellent,” Blake said. “We save the incapacitator as a last resort. Until then, the plan is for Sophia to introduce me to this Oliver scientist, and once we’re done at the ship, I’ll climb through it looking for a communication system. Perry, you are to go to the town hall once you know the President is there and have a chat, since that is the protocol to follow. The goal is to try to convince him that the visitors need to be set free to go back home.”
“Understood,” Perry said.
“So,” Blake turned to Sophia, “what is our plan for now?”
“For now, you get some rest,” Sophia said. “No one so much as peeks out of this barn without me with them, do you understand?” They all nodded their assent. “Harold is bound to be home any moment if he isn’t already. Even on late nights, he tends to go in early to make sure everything is how it needs to be. If he goes out there with the scientist tomorrow, we can’t engage with them. We’ll need to wait for the next one.”
“What are the chances he will go out there?” Blake asked.
“I doubt he will,” Sophia said. “I suspect he’ll spend the morning preparing his speech for the new announcements in the square, and then whatever he’ll say for the next part of the festival. This is an important time for us, and I’m sorry you’re not able to enjoy it. My grandmother is going to tell the tale of you three on one of the days.”
“We’ve been avoiding gathering too much information about that time since we haven’t lived it yet,” Blake said. “I don’t like to know too much about my future.”
“But it’s in the past,” Sophia said.
“Not for us,” Blake noted. “When I was locked up, they indicated that nothing would be done with the prisoners officially until after the festival. Do you believe that is correct?”
“I believe it was until the escape last night,” Sophia said. “Everything got turned upside down after that. I don’t know what is going to happen, and don’t ask me to ask him either. I do well to hold my own tongue around his ravings sometimes, and today was especially bad. If it comes up, I’ll tell you what he says, but I’m not going to probe him for information.”
“And we would not ask,” Blake said. “We will wait here until you come for us in the morning.”
“Very well,” Sophia said. “I know this isn’t the most comfortable of places to sleep, but do the best you can with it. I’ll see you all in a little bit.”
They all bid Sophia a good night as she did the same to them. She carried the candle out with her, and the darkness came upon them again as the outer door closed leaving only the faintest of starlight shining in through the skylights.
“Do you think she can be trusted?” Tarlen asked.
“I don’t see that we have a choice,” Blake replied.
“She seemed fine,” Perry said. “Janecia also seemed all right to do what we needed.”
“I think they’re both caught between conscience and loyalty,” Blake said. “That’s a dangerous balance. I think even that loyalty is split between devotion to their patriarch and dedication to our legend. Hopefully, they do what we need to the end.”
“Are we to have a part in all this, or are we to wait here hoping it all works out?” Tarlen asked. “I do not wish to presume anything, and I accept that this barn may be our fate for the day, but if there is any way we can assist, please let us know.”
“I believe I would like Rallafin to meet me out at the Mirificus,” Blake said. “I need someone who is mechanically inclined and having a Voraster available would be good not only for the distress call but also for twice the arms that I have.”
“Consider it done,” Rallafin said.
“When she fetches us in the morning, just leave right after and make your way around the city to the crash site,” Blake explained. “You’ll need to make a very wide arc - wider than we took earlier - to get there without a chance of being seen, but once you reach the Mirificus, wait on the back side. I’ll just have to look for you there.”
“How much do you think I should tell the President?” Perry asked.
“You’ll have to gauge how receptive he is as you talk to him,” Blake said. “I would guess he has a measure of open mind but would be hesitant to jump onto anything without approval. If you can get him to listen, that will have to suffice. If, however, he kicks you out of his office and you end up running from guards for consorting with the enemy, then we’ll need to initiate plan B.”
“Right,” Perry said, “stab him with the doodad.”
“Not in his office,” Blake said. “We get him that night or something. Probably have to drag him to his barn or something like that. Let’s hope it doesn’t come to that.
“Well, my friends, I believe we have a plan for tomorrow. Let’s get what rest we can, and start as fresh as the day allows.”
Blake could not immediately go to sleep, despite the exhaustion his body felt though. His mind spun with everything that could go wrong later. Rallafin could get caught in transit. The scientist could come out with Harold, or he could refuse to cooperate with Sophia. The president could immediately arrest Perry for treason with the enemy. Andersoppen could show up literally anywhere along the road and foul any part of it.
He prided himself on being able to sleep anywhere, but with his head as full as it was, he did not sleep well at all.
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
Even though they were largely exhausted from a non-stop day leading into the night, Blake, Perry, and the Voraster did not sleep for long. Sophia Long Andersoppen came in shortly after sunrise and let Blake and Perry know that it was safe to leave and that she would be taking Blake to see Oliver Mason Harper, the scientist scheduled to examine the Terraformer that morning. Once that examination was complete, Blake intended to meet up with Rallafin in the Mirificus itself to seek out a communication station that might still function. They reasoned that since the ship was still powering the Terraformer, there was a strong possibility that other systems might still have life.
They walked through town and were ignored by everyone they passed. Some greeted Sophia, but for the most part, no one paid any attention to them. It was a simple morning of people going about their day or preparing to attend the day’s celebration of a century living here. It was near the square that Sophia pointed out the town hall to Perry, even though he had been there before.
“The President’s office is on the first floor in the front right corner,” Sophia explained. “He does have a secretary, so you will have to state your name and purpose. You also won’t likely be allowed to speak to him alone. I don’t think Harold will sit in on that, but I do think there will be a guard.”
Perry nodded his assent and left them to see what could be explained to the President in regards to the Voraster. Blake trusted Perry completely in being able to handle this as carefully as possible but also being ready to run if needed.
Their plan with the scientist was simply to intercept him en route as long as Andersoppen was not with him. If Andersoppen decided to come with the scientist, they would call it off, and Blake would move to the next phase of his plan inside the old ship.
“So tell me, Sophia,” Blake said, “How does this scientist feel about the Voraster?”
“He is of the persuasion that we should have made contact years ago,” Sophia said. “I’ve managed to speak to him occasionally, and you could say he’s on
our side.”
“That’s a plus for this,” Blake said. “Out of curiosity, has anyone ever tried using the communication systems on the ship before?”
“I have no idea,” Sophia said. “No one in my time has, that’s for sure. None of us know anything about it anymore. Not a lot of the actual flight crew survived the landing. You have to remember that they would have been at their stations doing their jobs which included protecting the colonists. As a result, most of the colonists survived. Most of the crew died. That, of course, means that practically no one knew how to use much of anything. Yes, we had the captain and an officer who knew a lot about the ship’s operations, but there is a crew for a reason. Nothing they were able to do could establish communication.”
“I can’t promise long range to Earth,” Blake said. “To be honest, I don’t know where Earth is from here, which I can only imagine was part of the problem. But I will try to make contact with the Voraster, and if the system can remain operational after that to attempt to reach Earth, I’ll be sure to leave instructions.”
“That will work,” Sophia said. “Remember, no tampering with the Terraformer, no matter what your opinion of it happens to be.”
“I already promised that I would not be the one to shut it down,” Blake said. “I can’t do more than that.”
They waited for a short while on the edge of town near where the Mirificus Society headquarters was and where the scientists usually left to walk to the Terraformer. Finally, a tall man who appeared to be in his fifties with graying hair walked out of the society exit and made his way to the road out of town which led to the Terraformer. He was dressed as casually as everyone else in the city they as seen so far, so nothing about him would stand out as being anyone of an official status. He carried nothing with him but merely walked alone down the road.
“That’s him,” Sophia said.
“They take nothing with them?” Blake asked.
“Everything they need is at the site,” Sophia said. “They learn what they need to know from their elders and keep all their notes and manuals right there, so no one has to maintain it or carry it. No one is allowed to remove any of it. It works well for them.”
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