Obsidian Ressurection

by T J Bryan

  The squads broke and gathered up bits of steel and pipe and then tried to reassemble. The whole process took way to long and Abel was certain that the squads had now become hopelessly entangled in one another.

  As the crews departed from the dock and entered the Habitat, Abel tried to raise Winton on the vid-com, but to no avail. Probably too busy thought Abel. They walked at a rapid pace up Founder's Road and soon entered Pitts Square where food distribution center three was located. Only a few people were standing about in front of the center, but Abel did not like their reaction when the crews entered the small square. Abel could see two frightened clerks behind the locked doors of the center.

  Abel ordered the crews to line up in front of the center and within moments the crew formed ragged lines three deep before the center. The few people who had been threatening the center dispersed.

  Abel looked into the distance and saw black smoke rising in the distance. More smoke than he had ever seen in his years as Emergency Services Chief. Given what Abel knew about structure fires this was a big one and the fire service, always small in the Habitat, would have a difficult time in suppressing the fire. As he watched new smoke began to rise to the north near Temple square in the location that Abel knew must be Food Distribution Center Two.

  Now Abel had to make a difficult decision. Split his forces to cover both disturbances or keep the force intact. Overwhelming force is called for in this case he thought. Leaving one squad to protect Distribution Center Three, or rather to intimidate those who might choose to loot the center, he led the remaining crews toward center one.

  As they arrived Abel knew he was too late. Only a few rioters remained about the burned out shell of center one. And those rioters upon seeing OCN crews rapidly ran away.

  Where was Winton and the constabulary thought Abel? It was then that he noticed intense bright flashes of light streaming from the direction of center two. Plasma rifles he realized and he knew the constabulary was equipped only with passive tangle guns. Abel imagined Winton's officers, his officers, facing plasma weapons with only tangle guns and courage.

  Abel stood and called the crews to follow. Center One was now just an empty shell and not worth stationing a squad to protect. Farn Mayer and her crew were right behind Abel. Then together with about 45 crewmembers Abel led them up the hill toward the base of Temple square where center two was located. Looking into the smoke Abel could clearly see plasma streaks passing through the smoke and floating ash. He called a halt as they approached within a hundred meters of the flaming center. Hundreds of rioters were standing watching the fire. Many were almost dancing in the light of the flames. Abel could not see any of Winton's officers but he could see the traces of two plasma rifles as the plasma trails were visible in the smoke and ash. Two rifles he though. God I hope there are only two.

  With distribution center two entirely engulfed in flames, Abel knew he could not save the structure or its' contents. Instead he focused on Winton's police officers who seemed to be pinned down by plasma rifle fire. Abel told the crews to spread out along the two alleyways that fronted Temple square. When the crews were safely hidden behind a row of homes and apartments, Abel chose one of the few three story apartments that faced the square and climbed to a roof top garden. Farn motioned to her squad to remain low and followed Abel to the rooftop. He stayed low against a short wall and approached the Temple Square. Looking around the square he saw Winton lying flat before the burning distribution center. Winton's back and head were blackened. To Winton's left lay another officer Abel knew as Tremaine Varan the mother of three young children. At the far right side of the square Abel saw two other officers hidden behind a decorative set of columns. The other officers of Winton's watch he could not see. Abel looked for the origin of the plasma rifle flashes and through the smoke and ash he could see that the shooters were high on the temple steps. Located up there at the temple entrance the shooters had a great view of their field of fire. On the other hand Abel realized that they had no way of escape except down the steep temple steps.

  Abel turned away from the temple steps and leaned against the short wall of the roof top garden safe from fire. Farn kneeled next to him awaiting orders.

  "Farn," Able asked, "Do you know where the weapons locker is at the station?"

  Farn nodded her head in the affirmative.

  "Take two of your squad. Go to the station. Break open the weapons locker and bring me that long chemical rifle. You know the one. The really long one?"

  Farn nodded again.

  "And grab one of those pistolas, no two. Did you check out on the 11mm pistola?"

  Farn nodded again, and above the sound of a crumbling and burring building she said, "98 out of 100 at 50 meters on the pistolas." She paused a moment, "And 95 out of 100 on the 7mil long gun at 1000 meters." Impressive Abel thought but there was no time to consider success in target shooting. Targets did not shoot back.

  "Ok, go now. Take your time but bring those weapons back. Those shooters are not going anywhere. They are stuck at the top of the temple stairs. Just get me those weapons."

  Farn turned and soon disappeared down the stairs. Abel returned his gaze toward the top of the Temple stairs. The plasma shots had become erratic. There were few things left to shoot Abel realized, but if the attack was intended to create chaos and confusion then the shooters might well continue firing into the Habitat until they could make an escape. Abel looked at his inter-tab. 17:43 it read. Soon to be sunset. Abel looked high above at the false sun. In another two minutes he knew it would begin to dim and then after another twenty minutes moon time would set in. The shooters probably had night scopes so their fire would probably continue, on the other hand if they were to escape they would make their way in diminished light. Their one problem was the stairs were the only way down.

  Abel tried again to raise any of the remaining constabulary on his vid-com. But it was no use. Something was jamming the signals and even his inter-tab was not functioning properly. As he waited he tried to understand why this chaos had descended on the Habitat. Peters had clearly initiated these food riots, but had he really understood the effect his edict would have on those he described as 'unproductive?' Abel knew Peters to be a pompous fool, but he was hardly this stupid. No, someone had put this idea into his head. Piet Peters was too unimaginative, too petty, and valued his reputation too much to trigger chaos and riot. Someone else was behind this and Abel was determined to make sure Piet Peters told him everything. Everything.

  Moments later Farn appeared with two crew carrying several boxes, one of which was almost one and a half meters long. Farn breathing heavily kneeled, turned her back against the wall facing the temple, and caught her breath. Abel looked at the boxes. The long gun and three pistolas he assumed.

  Abel felt in no hurry, best to let the shooters expend both their bodily energy and their plasma rifle power packs as night fell. This would be a waiting game.

  Farn looked at Abel as if waiting for orders.

  "Farn, prepare the long gun. The 7mil. I want you to field strip the gun and make sure it is ready."

  Farn nodded and opened the case, removed the long gun, rolled open a small canvas tarpaulin, and began to disassemble the rife. Abel watched as she field stripped the weapon in less than 30 seconds, checked carefully the individual parts, wiped the receiver clean, and then reassembled the weapon.

  Abel reached for one of the boxes containing the pistolas. The hand gun itself was perhaps 400 years old and had seen little use even in practice. It fired a killing 11 millimetre projectile and Abel knew the kickback was awesome. He took a close look at the weapon and found it fully loaded with 12 rounds. Abel stuffed the 11mil into the belt at his waist and sat. He was looking at the false sun. Waiting for moon time. Waiting for the time the shooters would move.

  The fire was dying into blackened embers and only a dim red glare illuminated the falling night. Farn caressed the long gun as she remained sitting against the wall of the rooftop. Abel loo
ked at his inter-tab. Almost midnight now. The darkest period for the false sun. Now would be the time to effectuate an escape from the temple. Abel looked at Farn. She was calm, almost as if she was asleep, but Abel could see an intensity on her face that told him she was wide awake and ready.

  Someone shouted from below, "Movement on the stairs. I see movement."

  Able rose a bit and turned to look into the darkness and toward the temple and its' long steep stairs. He could see nothing in the dim light. Farn had not moved.

  "Ok Farn, it's your turn."

  Farn rose slightly with the long gun in her arms. She rose to her knees and placed the 7mil on the short wall railing. Abel saw her adjust the scope and then chamber a round.

  "Do you want a head shot?" she asked.

  Abel thought a moment, "Can you do a knee or hip. I can't question a dead man."

  Farn said nothing, but Abel noticed her breathing decreasing. It was like the meditation breathing taught to all children as a way of preserving air in a blow-out, but this was no blow-out. Abel looked at the inter-tab; six minutes after mid-night. What seemed like an hour went by but Farn just kneeled against the wall, the 7 mil pressed against her shoulder, and Abel only heard the shallow sound of her controlled breathing.

  'Crack' the gun sounded. The ejected shell casing flew just to the left of Abel its' copper hollow smoking while it tumbled across the garden roof and settled in amongst some green tomatoes. Abel jumped in surprise against the silence of the night.

  Farn rechamberd a round. Moments later she fired again. Again she cambered a new round. Without taking here eye off the scope she said in a low voice, "Two down, eighty three steps up, hip shot on one, knee shot on the other. They appear to be writhing." That was all she said. Abel stood but Farn remained at the wall never taking her eyes off the danger on the stairs.

  Abel rushed from the roof and across temple square. As he reached the stairs he drew the pistola from his waist and began running up the steep stairs. He began to count stairs. Farn had said eighty three steps and Abel counted every one until he reached seventy and stopped. Above him were two shooters. One not moving and the other moaning. Abel advanced carefully and slowly. But as the grew near the moaning shooter raised his plasma rifle. Able fired. The recoil almost threw Abel down the steps, but he recovered and aimed for another shoot. There was no need. The shooter was dead. Carefully Abel ascended the last few steps and looked down at the other shooter. His hip was shattered. He had bled out. He was dead.

  Chapter Thirty

  Jamon System - Chairman's Office - Year 3245. October 1 ET: 02:55:

  Abel had just entered the Chairman's office. Farn, still holding the long gun, stood closely behind. The scene before Abel was sickening. Victor and seven members of the Executive Committee lay dead along the far wall of the office. Killed execution style. Abel stepped in to take a closer look and he heard Farn vomit behind him. Farn leaned the long gun against the door jam and fell to her knees. The executive committee had been killed by projectile shots to the back of the head. All but the Chairman. Abel reached down and turned the chairman's body over. He had been tortured. Teeth had been pulled, his fingers broken and both eyes so badly damaged that if he had lived he would never has seen again.

  Abel thought of comforting Farn in the midst of this gore, but thought better that Farn work her way though this trauma on her own. Nothing, even thirty five years of police work could prepare one for the sight that lay before them.

  A coup thought Abel. This was a coup. An attempt to take over the government, but who was behind this. In the face of food shortages and an otherwise stable democracy who would do such a thing. Elections come and go. As the old saying said 'the ins will be out, and the outs will be in.' Any reasonable political faction who lost an election need only bide its' time and if they waited long enough they would return to power. A coup made no sense.

  Abel looked about the room as Farn gained control of her stomach. The Chairman's desk was overturned and the knotted rope talisman was drenched in blood. Careful examination indicated that several executive committee members had struggled at the last moment, but others seemed to have submitted, probably believing that if they cooperated they might live. Whoever was behind this coup was someone known to all of them and undoubtedly known to Abel as well. Now Abel knew they needed to find Piet Peters. Piet was the one link that could lead them to the conspirators.

  ...

  Jamon System - Abel's Annex Office - Year 3245. October 2 ET: 13:33

  Abel, Helen, and Emmitt sat in Abel's temporary office in the gymnasium as the remains of the Commonwealth bureaucracy gathered to assess the situation.

  Sergeant Sandy Thorstein, the highest ranking police officer alive, sat as she concluded her brief summary of the disaster. Of the 35 full time officers of the constabulary, sixteen had died in the riots and shooting. Another twelve were badly wounded and in the hospital. Two were not expected to last till morning. The current available staff of officers was seven. Police cadets and auxiliary would be called upon to provide perhaps 20 recruits to help in the emergency, but without experienced officers Sandy said she could not guarantee peace. The constabulary of the Commonwealth had never been established to resist, or for that matter recover from, a coup. Nothing like this had ever happened or been anticipated.

  Bjorn Ivar, who was acting EmVav head, followed with his summary. Six EmVac personnel had been killed trying to patch leaks in the Habitat wall caused by random plasma rifle fire. He grew angry at one point in his presentation as he said those dead EmVac personnel had been targeted as they went out to seal the leaks. Abel saw that Bjorn was crying as he listed the names of his colleagues, friends and in one case lover, who had lost their lives in the coup.

  Emergency Medical Services followed. They had lost no one, but eleven had been injured. Four very seriously. However they were ready with reserves and were available. The Fire Rescue service had lost three and in a small service like F&R it was a major hit.

  Shyam Bloggs of the Food Synthesis Guild assured everyone that the food stocks of the Commonwealth, as limited as they were, were still intact. The distribution centers had been reduced to carrying only two days of limited rations during the crisis. The loss of two days rations for almost 50,000 people was going to hurt, but the main store of food and nutrient paste stored at the Guild manufacturing depot was safe. He did request that the police station armed guards at the depot since he feared for the safety of his people and their stores.

  Maintenance gave their summary next. The Habitat walls had been breached in sixteen places and all were temporarily patched by EmVac. Maintenance estimated that complete repair would take only five days. Maintenance had lost no personnel during the coup, but eleven of its' employees were believed to have participated in the riots and had not been heard from.

  Abel sat silent at each department went down its' list of dead, wounded, and missing. Thankfully the physical damage to the Habitat had been minimal. Whoever had ordered the coup had wanted as much of the Habitat untouched and functioning as possible while creating the most chaos and confusion.

  The last presenter was Judicar Arne Thorgaut. The judicial system he informed the group was untouched, although the loss of Segrid Holmes who served on the Executive Committee was unfortunate. Segrid, who was over 150 years old, was renowned for his legal acumen and knowledge. Further six Assembly members had been found murdered in their homes, In some cases their families had been killed as well. All killed with projectile weapons.

  As Arne completed his brief summary Abel asked of him, "Arne we need to reconstitute our government. Can you lead the effort?"

  Arne had no reaction but stood stone faced. "Our Charter is clear, but our circumstances extraordinary. The Charter provides for the replacement of the Chairman, or even of an Executive Committee member, but with so many deaths the orderly transition laid out by the founders breaks down. I am afraid we have no institutional or constitutional remedy for the state we find ou
rselves in."

  "But you must have some idea Judicar. We cannot let chaos rule."

  The Judicar though a moment. "I suggest we declare martial law for a very short period and then call for new elections. The Charter does not allow for such a drastic action but we have no choice."

  The Judicar turned to Abel and looked deeply at him. Then in his official voice Arne proclaimed, "Abel you are to declare martial law for the next thirty days. 26 days from today we shall hold elections for all public offices from the Assembly to Chief of Sewerage Operations. Anyone can stand for office, and upon completion of the election, martial law shall cease and our democratically elected government shall reconstitute itself."

  "And Piet Peters?" asked Helen.

  "We have issued an arrest warrant for Peters. As such he is ineligible to stand for office. Indeed any one accused of collaborating with the coup shall be ineligible as well. Such determination is to be made by myself as Judicar, Admiral Stoneman as Military Tribunal, and Alos Decker as representative of the remainder of the Assembly. We shall call our committee the Council of Guardians. Candidates for office will be vetted by the Council, but I am sure that only a few will be disqualified, if any."

  The choice of Alos Decker surprised Abel, but they needed a surviving representative of the Assembly to help in weeding out any conspirators, and Alos was after all a man who may not have had the approval of all, but had the disapproval of none.

  After the representative of the Commonwealth left Helen, and Emmitt were alone with Abel. Helen commented. "Abel, martial law will divert our crews from flight preparation. The impact on the schedule will be very bad. In all our navy has at most 120 personnel at all levels from qualified to raw recruit. To replace the police force on the Habitat will simply stall our progress to date. Even if our efforts to enforce martial law last only 30 days, that's a thirty day impact to the plan. And frankly I doubt that our participation in keeping the peace will end at thirty days. These governmental interruptions can last for years."