The War for Earth (Children of Earthrise Book 4)

by Daniel Arenson

  Soon all the ants were speaking at once. Leona listened. It was fascinating. She was familiar with human history. With humanity, only three great motivators had ever propelled ambition: faith, gold, and war. All the great human projects fell into one of these baskets. Humans built the pyramids and cathedrals for their deities. They created great industries and high technology for gold. And finally, they developed nuclear technology, planted a flag on the moon, and flew into deep space for war. Leona knew how to motivate humans. Faith, gold, and war. One or the other always did the trick.

  Well, I suppose sex would be the fourth motivator, Leona thought with a cynical smile. Not that I'd know much about that.

  The ants had their own motivators, depending on their caste. The burly warriors cared about war, much like many humans. The winged females cared about building their own hives. The others cared about farming, digging, or building.

  Maybe the ants weren't so different from humans after all. Weren't these the same motivators? War for the soldiers. Gold in the form of soil and honeydew. And for the female and their coteries—becoming or worshiping a queen, almost a religion.

  Our two species share more than I realized, Leona thought.

  The ants were all paying attention now. And Leona got to work.

  The first day, only fifty ants attended her class.

  The next day—five hundred.

  Soon Leona was speaking to thousands.

  The ants were quick learners, curious, hardworking, and fiendishly intelligent. Many were already scientifically minded. After all, they had developed steam locomotion, flight, and even a rudimentary electrical grid on their own. Many ants were already skilled in mathematics and science. They understood geometry, Newtonian physics, and had even begun to crack relativity. They comprehended electromagnetism and had an existing radio tower on a distant mountain—a curiosity they rarely used, but one they understood. They were, Leona thought, more or less where humanity had been in the early twentieth century.

  Still, the leap from flight to space travel was monumental. The Wright Brothers had flown their first plane in 1903. It was 1957 when the Russians flew the Sputnik into orbit. Leona had to do in one year what humanity had done in half a century.

  It seemed almost impossible.

  But we humans didn't have Wikipedia Galactica, she reminded herself.

  She was not an engineer or scientist. But she did have something early twentieth century Earth could only have dreamed of. Her minicom, a device so small she kept it in her pocket, came with the complete Wikipedia Galactica installed. The articles contained the scientific knowledge of a thousand civilizations, human and alien. There were entire libraries of advanced physics, chemistry, and aerospace engineering—a pool of wisdom and knowledge no ant possessed.

  And thankfully, her computer could even translate the articles into Oridian.

  The ants were avid readers, and had a number of printing presses in their city. Leona spent several days with a photographer, taking snapshots of scientific papers and articles. Meanwhile, a hundred ant printmakers got to work, transcribing the photos into textbooks. The printing presses worked in a fury, printing more and more books. Within a few weeks, the ants possessed libraries of books on advanced mathematics, chemistry, physics, and aerospace engineering.

  Six months after Leona and Tom crash landed here, the ants had a very basic, rudimentary computer. It used punch cards and vacuum tubes. It took up an entire room. But it was an actual, honest-to-goodness computer. And it connected to a radio tower that could communicate with space.

  The Oridians were faster learners than humans, Leona realized. Even with a copy of Wikipedia Galactica, Leona doubted twentieth century humans could have moved this fast. These ants had a short lifespan, after all. Most lived only two or three years. To her, a single year wasn't particularly long. To the Oridians, it was half their adult life. Their brains had evolved to work furiously. They were no more intelligent than humans, perhaps, but they could think far faster. Leona watched ants devour—and understand—entire physics textbooks within only a week. Within a month, several ants were already experts, and knew more about science than Leona ever would.

  Soon, the ants were designing spaceship prototypes. They were just crude rockets. They relied on fossil fuel for thrust, not fancy EmDrive or nuclear engines. Their hulls were simple metal, not advanced molecular composites like graphene. But the designs were, Leona decided, as good as anything Neil Armstrong had flown, and that son of a bitch had walked on the moon.

  And we have something more advanced than old Neil ever had, Leona thought. She jangled her azoth crystal in her hand. We have an interstellar engine. And my ant ship is going to take me to the stars.

  * * * * *

  She walked with Tom along the promenade, gazing downhill toward the city lights. The ants had a crude electrical grid, and thousands of their homes, temples, and theaters shone with light. Thousands of glass lanterns hung from coiling trees.

  "I gotta hand it to them," Leona said. "For a species that primarily relies on smell, touch, and sound, they created quite a view."

  The walkway was cobbled, and the stone balustrade was carved into the shapes of flowers and seeds. Trees rose nearby, their tubular leaves turning toward Oridia Gamma's two moons. The ring system shone above, arching over the city.

  Tom paused by a statue of an ancient ant priestess. He leaned against the marble and gazed at the city below.

  "Are we doing the right thing, Leona?" he said.

  She raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean?"

  "Teaching them," he said.

  Her other eyebrow rose. "Tom! That was the deal. We become allies. We share knowledge. And in return, we get a spaceship."

  He nodded. "I know. But … Ra, Leona. This planet is gorgeous. Look at this city! It's pristine. Perfect. A paradise world. And we've given the ants fossil fuels, nuclear technology, internal combustion engines, and a host of other advanced technology. When we first landed here, they were using gas to light their homes. They already have an electrical grid, and they're talking about building a nuclear power plant. In less than a year, they've advanced as much as humans did in decades."

  "They're clever little buggers," Leona agreed.

  "That's not what I mean." He turned to look at her. "This isn't natural for them. Most intelligent species take time to develop technology. They figure it out on their own. Have internal debates and ethical discussions. They try, fail, test, learn, and slowly advance at their own pace. This species wasn't ready for all this technology so fast. What if we're messing with their civilization? What if we're giving them the tools to destroy this beauty, even destroy their entire species?"

  Leona's eyes hardened. "Tom, do you know what's going to destroy this civilization? The Ra damn basilisks. Oridia borders their empire. We're doing the ants a favor. With technology, they have a chance to defend themselves." She stared into his eyes. "And it gives us a chance too."

  Tom nodded. He turned back toward the city. "Leona, we've been here for almost a year. By now, we should have enlisted dozens of species. Even if this spaceship is built in time. Even if it doesn't fall apart. Even if we can reach the Council before the vote." He sighed. "The odds don't seem good. I'll admit: there were times during the past year I thought of staying here. Of retiring among the ants. Hang on, before you kill me—it was never a serious thought. I suppose I've just become enamored with this place. This is the first time since my youth that I've seen beauty. Maybe I've seen so much ugliness that I don't know how to handle beauty."

  "Gee, thanks." Leona winked. "Glad to know I'm so hideous."

  Tom laughed. "Okay, second time I've seen beauty."

  She slipped her hand into his and leaned against him. "I know. It's hard. We survived a war. You survived the horrors of the gulock. We want to heal. To find some peace. Sometimes I don't know if our generation will ever know peace. If it's our lot to suffer, to kill, to bleed—so that the next generation can have a home. Or th
e generation after that. We are the generation of darkness, those doomed to wander space. But I like to believe that someday, our grandchildren will remember us. Honor us. That they'll live in joy and recognize our sacrifices. It doesn't make the pain any easier. But maybe, Tom, maybe it makes it worthwhile."

  The words lingered in the air for a long time.

  Finally Tom spoke, voice low. "It's hard for me to hear talk of children. I lost my wife in the war. She was pregnant."

  Leona lowered her head. "I'm sorry, Tom. I lost a husband. And … I lost a child myself." She looked back into his eyes. "Maybe I misspoke."

  He caressed her hair, the first time he had ever done so. His face was kind.

  "Ayumi was like a child to me," he said. "And I've come to understand that all of Earth's sons and daughters are my children. We may not have children of our own. But we'll leave a legacy."

  She leaned forward and kissed his lips. "You're a good man, Tom Shepherd. I hope that someday you find your happiness. That we both do."

  "I don't know if we'll ever find happiness," Tom said. "Not our generation. I don't think we can be happy after suffering so much. But maybe we can find peace. And maybe that's good enough."

  They gazed at the city lights, the distant forests, and the towering rocket the ants were constructing on the hill.

  CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT

  The transporters rumbled over the mountains, rattling and growling like ancient dragons. Emet sat in the hold, wearing a uniform, body armor, and helmet. He gripped Thunder, the weapon he had been carrying for decades. The other troops sat around him, faces grim behind their visors.

  Emet looked through the porthole. He could see the five other transporters nearby. Each carried a platoon. These vessels had once been dropships, used to ferry marines from motherships down to enemy worlds. The HDF had modified them for atmospheric battles. They now formed Earth's air force.

  "We're almost there, soldiers," Emet said. "We do this quickly. But we do it well. We have a colony to build. A settlement that'll last for generations."

  "It'll last forever!" said Mairead. The redhead sat nearby, a cigar in her mouth, a pistol in each hand. "This is our world. We'll send those basilisks back to where they came from. Let's kick some scale."

  The warriors cheered. Some had served in the Heirs of Earth, had been fighting with Emet for years. Others had been mere refugees only days ago, were now proud soldiers in Earth's army. Some of these warriors were in their sixties, even older than Emet. Others were boys too young to shave. They were all courageous. Emet was proud of every one.

  The transporters rumbled over the snowcapped peaks, heading toward the distant valley. Emet knew the basilisks would be waiting.

  He also knew the stakes.

  Operation Exodus had been flooding Earth with refugees. Every few weeks, Bay and Rowan arrived with more. The great Galactic War, the conflict between the Concord and Hierarchy, had ended two years ago now. The galaxy still lay in ruins. The news was spreading across the smoking remains. Earth was found! Earth was reborn!

  More human refugees kept making their way home. Bay and Rowan kept smuggling them in. The colony was growing at breakneck speed.

  They needed new territory.

  "We only have months before the Galactic Council," Emet said. "We cannot make a case for Earth if we live in a single valley. It's time to reclaim more of our world."

  The transporters rumbled over the foothills and toward the western plains. Here were vast, rolling grasslands. A realm that could support millions of refugees.

  A realm swarming with basilisks.

  Emet reviewed the land from above. He picked a good location—arable land by a river. That river could provide access to Port Addison. The mountains could defend a settlement and its farmlands. This was the place.

  He gave the order. The transporters began to descend.

  Their engines billowed the grass and scattered pebbles. The transporters touched down—and the marines stormed out.

  They fanned out, forming a ring around their vehicles.

  The engines shut down.

  The land was eerily silent.

  "All right, soldiers," Emet said. "Get to work. Get these walls up!"

  New soldiers emerged from the transporters—these ones workers. They carried wooden slats, metal poles, and barbed wire. Other workers carried power tools. They would form the walls of a new colony.

  No sooner had they placed the first stake in the ground than the hisses rose.

  The first basilisk emerged from the grass, rearing, taller than a man. The beast was covered with green scales, and it cried out in fury. Across the grasslands, another basilisk rose, then another, and soon a hundred aliens were screeching.

  The workers paused from their labor. They stared from side to side. The basilisks were moving in.

  "Get those walls up!" Emet barked. "Marines—form a defensive ring around the workers. Move! Fast!"

  Emet and the other soldiers formed a human wall. Within the perimeter, the workers toiled furiously, digging foundations.

  One basilisk, the green creature who had first spotted them, slithered closer. The beast snapped its jaws at Emet. These wild basilisks did not speak the human tongue. Emet spoke through his communicator, translating his words into a language of hissing and clattering.

  "Stand back, basilisks! We will not harm you. We are peaceful colonists."

  "I'm not," Mairead muttered, hefting her pistols.

  The basilisk shrieked. "You are humans! You are prey. You will all die. We will devour every ape."

  Emet cocked his rifle. "Stand down, snake! Earth is not your world. This planet belongs to men."

  The creature cackled. "Men are nothing but prey. Wretched apes! There will be no mercy to humanity. Your skulls will decorate our dens." The basilisk turned toward his fellow serpents. "Kill them. Kill them all."

  With cries that shook the land, the basilisks attacked.

  One of the aliens lunged at Emet, jaws opening wide enough to swallow him. Emet fired Thunder, delivering two lead bolts into that hellmouth. The creature slammed down dead at his feet. But two more basilisks attacked. Thunder boomed again. He drew Lightning from his holster, and he fired the electric pistol with his other hand, knocking another beast back.

  Mairead was fighting nearby. She had removed her helmet, and her red hair billowed in the wind. She stood on a boulder, firing a pistol with each hand, driving back a group of basilisks. The Firebug laughed as she fought.

  From every side, the snakes were charging. One basilisk grabbed a man's leg, pulled him down, and began to devour him. Emet fired his gun, destroying the alien. Another basilisk made it past the soldiers, grabbed a worker, and tore the boy apart. More bullets ripped through the basilisk.

  More of the creatures appeared, crawling from their holes. The basilisks surrounded the humans, jaws snapping, claws lashing.

  "Hurry up with that wall!" Emet said.

  They worked furiously, hammering stakes into the ground, building crude walls. Other workers were constructing a guard tower. Most of these components had been pre-made back at Port Addison, but it would still take several hours to assemble them here.

  And more basilisks came.

  Soon a thousand were swarming, determined to overwhelm the humans with brute force. The bullets barely deterred them. Several basilisks slammed into a wall, and another worker fell.

  "Mairead!" Emet said. "Get your squad up in a transporter! Strafe those snakes!"

  She nodded. "You got it, boss."

  Emet fired again and again, slaying more beasts. He suffered gashes on his sides but kept fighting.

  Mairead raced into a transporter, started up the engine, and rose with a cloud of dust and smoke. Her squad of marines rose with her. The roaring engines bent back the grass, revealing more basilisks.

  The transporters were no Firebirds; those deadly birds of war were fighting in orbit, assisting the Exodus Fleet. But with Mairead's troops leaning from the h
old, the transporter became an angel of death. The machine guns fired, peppering the grasslands, ripping through the basilisks. The heavy vehicle circled the construction site. Several soldiers dropped grenades, and the land shook, and basilisks died.

  The creatures finally retreated. Cheers rose from the humans. Soon the guard tower was up, and a flag waved above it. A flag with the symbol of Earth—a blue world sprouting golden wings.

  Emet knew he had an unfair advantage here. He was fighting with weapons. The basilisks had deadly fangs and claws—but no guns.

  And Emet knew this could all change.

  The basilisks had a true military. Snakes in armor. Snakes with guns. Snakes with their own air force.

  That army was waiting—just there above the sky. If Leona and Tom could not convince the Council …

  Very soon, we might need more than wooden walls and a few machine guns.

  He suppressed a shudder.

  By nightfall, the new colony was established. It was small. No larger than a village. But guards patrolled its walls and stood in its tower. And at dawn, the transporters delivered a thousand colonists. These colonists would continue to build. To expand the walls. To claim more territory. To hold the enemy back.

  I have half a million humans to house, Emet thought. And millions more trying to make their way home. I will not rest until they're all safe.

  The next day, he flew with the transporters again.

  They landed on a hilltop twenty kilometers south of Port Addison.

  Again the bullets rang. Again rose the walls. And a thousand more humans had a home.

  "We'll have to fight for every kilometer," Emet said. "For every soul. We will win this world stone by stone, tree by tree, and every handful of soil will be a victory. In space there is nothing but death for us. We will find life on Earth."

  He lay in his tent, bone-weary, as Cindy tended to his wounds. He kissed her, and she slept in his arms until a new dawn. And a new battle began.