“Nah, I don’t think so. I mean, you can ask, but I won’t tell. I make it my business to know all I can about my enemies and my allies. People talk. It’s human nature. Let’s leave it at that.”
“No, I don’t think I will, Colonel. You seem to have been clued in on some bits of information that my people have explicitly been told to keep to themselves. If I have people I can’t trust here, I need to know. And if you want my help, you need to tell me.”
There was a long period of silence before the Colonel spoke again. “My information officer tells me it was a guy named Matthew. Got a real hard-on for you. Told us you killed his wife when you were seizing the depository from a dick named Paul. And his people saw you level up. There, you happy now?”
Allistor was relieved it hadn’t been one of his people, but annoyed that Matthew had put that kind of information out into the world. Still, there was nothing he could do about it now.
“Thank you, Colonel. I’m not exactly happy, but I am relieved that none of my people have betrayed my trust. Now, about Fort Knox. What do you propose?”
“My people are holding the building’s upper floor for now. And we established an Outpost in a nearby building. I’ve got a force of two hundred fighters there, patrolling the area for a quarter mile in every direction. We can hold the territory, but I need you and your people to clear the dungeon. In return we’ll give you thirty percent of the gold that’s down there.”
Ramon snorted, rolling his eyes. Sam was less reserved. “Colonel, my name is Sam. Retired Marine sniper, and one of Allistor’s advisors. I would like to say at this point that I am ashamed of you, boy. You call up here begging for us to break a bank you have no hope of breaking yourself, less than two days before the aliens land and take it all, and offer him thirty percent? What kind of greedy asshole are you?”
The others suppressed their laughter, grinning at the angry old man.
The colonel’s voice came back angry. “Me? I’m greedy? You assholes already got the Denver gold. You got more than you need! You need all of this gold, too? Why not let the rest of us have a share?”
Allistor spoke up. “So, your intention is to share the gold with the other Stronghold leaders? Not to keep it for yourself?”
“Why would I-” The man cut himself off, and Allistor could hear him breathing hard. “No, I do not friggin’ plan to share with the others. They aren’t here fighting for it. I’ll give you forty percent.”
Allistor shook his head. “Chris, how much gold is supposed to be in Fort Knox?”
Chris didn’t hesitate. “About forty-six hundred tons. Not counting silver or other valuables that might be down there.” They had researched this after taking Denver, but had discarded the idea of trying to take Fort Knox because it was too far away. But now that they could fly, Allistor was rethinking that position.
“And what is that worth, in klax?” Allistor led the man further.
Chris did some quick calculating with pen and paper. “At a price of twelve hundred klax per ounce, about one hundred and seventy-six billion.”
“And what was the value of the gold we seized in Denver?”
“About fifty billion.” Chris rounded down, and Allistor gave him a thumbs-up.
“So, you see, Colonel, there is much more gold in Fort Knox than there was in Denver. More than three times as much. I have a proposal for you. Let’s put together a team to clear the facility. A couple of your guys, a few of my guys, the highest level people from some of the other Strongholds. Let’s say nobody under level twenty. Strictly volunteers. And if we’re successful, which is by no means guaranteed, then every Stronghold who participates gets an equal share.”
“No way!” The colonel didn’t even think about it. “I got there first! That gold is mine. I’ll share it with you, fifty-fifty, if you clear it. But nobody else.”
“Think about it, sir.” Sam interjected. “And I only say ‘sir’ out of habit. Even if ten other Strongholds participate, that’s still almost,” He paused to look at Chris, who wrote a number for him. “Almost fifteen billion klax for you. More if there are fewer volunteers. We’ve tricked out a dozen facilities here with shields and weapons and spent less than five billion.” Sam shrugged, pulling the number out of his ass. Chris grinned at him. They’d spent less than that.
The radio was silent for a while. When the Colonel spoke again, his voice was flat and icy cold. “Forget it. We’ll take the place ourselves, even if I have to send a hundred people down there.”
Allistor shot to his feet. “Colonel! Don’t do that. You’d just be sending them to die. We’re offering you a chance to give all your people a great start to their new lives here. And tens of thousands of others in the other Strongholds. Billions of klax will buy you everything you need! Your people can’t take that monster down. Don’t waste precious lives like that! We’ll clear the dungeon, and you only have to risk one or two people! Think it through!”
“Screw you, you greedy bastards! I thought you might be reasonable. Seems like everything that Matthew guy said about you is true. You used your people to promote yourself to Prince, and now you want to keep everyone else down!”
“Listen to me! That’s not how it happened! The money won’t make you a Prince! The measuring stick seems to be territory. Land! The aliens value land! You don’t have time to seize enough of it to become a Prince before they come. You might be able to purchase enough with a few billion klax. But if you don’t work with us, you’ll never see a single gold bar, Colonel!”
“And neither will you!”
“Colonel, if we don’t take that gold reserve, it will be one of the first things the aliens go after. If we haven’t claimed the land, it’s free for them to take. You won’t be able to hold them off for long. And it’ll cost you lives. Please, I’m asking you. Cooperate with us. Share the wealth. Let the highest level people from our allied groups go in and clear the place. You can’t do it alone, and I doubt I could either. But all of us together might pull it off.”
“We’re done talking. I’ll be sure to let everyone know if the aliens get the gold, it was because you were too greedy to share.” The sneer on the man’s face was easy to hear in his voice.
“Me? I’m the greedy one? You’ve offered me fifty percent. I’m willing to help clear the place for ten percent and share the remaining ninety with you and the other Strongholds. You’re the greedy bastard who won’t take less than fifty percent.” Allistor paused, taking a breath. “You know, I heard about how you treat your people from Kira and Gene. I wanted to believe that you were just incompetent, and not the self-centered, selfish asshole you seemed to be. But now it’s clear. So here’s what’s going to happen, Colonel. I’m going to let the aliens wipe you out. Then I’m going to go there and kill them, and take the gold. I’ll share it with whichever other Strongholds wish to help me. In fact, Redd if you can hear this, get the radio team busy contacting the others. If they have volunteers over level twenty, we’ll stop by in a jet and pick them up.” While he was talking, he was shaking his head and making a negative hand motion at Andrea. She nodded, getting up to leave the room and make a radio call to keep those calls from going out.
“Roger that, boss.” Redd’s voice came across the channel.
There was silence on the other end. Then some shouting, and the sound of something being smacked hard, followed by a single gunshot. A moment later, a new voice came across the radio.
“Prince Allistor, this is Captain Taylor. I’m one of the few survivors of the group the Colonel sent into that hellhole. We’ve been listening to your conversation, and my men and I have just relieved the Colonel of his command. Permanently. We would appreciate it if you could gather the volunteers you mentioned and help us clear this facility. When it’s clear, it’s all yours. We’ll take ten percent of the gold, and you’re welcome to the rest. I lost good people down there, and, frankly, I never want to see this place again.”
Allistor was thrilled at this news. He found smiles
all around the table at the change in circumstance. He found he didn’t even regret the man’s death. He was directly responsible for who knew how many of his own people dying. Still, he needed to be diplomatic.
“I’m sorry for your losses, Captain Taylor. Though not for this most recent one. That man’s greed could have cost a lot more lives. For what it’s worth, I think you did the right thing.”
“Thank you, sir. Uh, your highness?”
“Just Allistor, please. And I will begin rounding up volunteers immediately.” Andrea, who had just walked back in, rolled her eyes and stepped back out to countermand her previous orders. “I’m going to need a few things from you, Captain.”
“Tell me what you need, and we’ll make it happen, sir.”
“First, we’ll need to be able to land a couple planes. I need to make sure there’s a clear airstrip at the nearest airport, and transportation for… let’s say up to fifty people.”
“There’s an airfield here at the Fort, sir. Allistor. It’s already clear, and a few hundred yards from the depository. I don’t think transpo’ will be a problem.”
“Great! Now, is there going to be an issue among your men? Is there a faction loyal to the Colonel that might make trouble while we’re there?”
“No, that won’t be a problem. I was among his most loyal. The men will follow me.” The confidence in his voice was reassuring.
“Alright then, Captain. We’ll be there in the morning. If you have any volunteers willing to go back in, get them the best gear you can scrounge up. I’ll bring some weapons.”
“I’m going in with you, Allistor. Just me. And thank you for the weapons. We lost our plasma weapons down there. I’m ashamed to say I ran before I could recover one.”
“No shame in retreating to stay alive when faced with an unbeatable enemy, Captain. You did the right thing. If you hadn’t, I’d be on my way to try and kill the Colonel right now, and probably a lot of your men in the process. Don’t worry, I’ll bring you a plasma rifle. See you tomorrow.”
Nigel terminated the call, and there was silence around the table. Allistor was the first to speak.
“Well, shit.”
*****
Baldur strode into the great hall, where Odin was striding back and forth in front of his throne, cursing loudly. The mist in the room swirled madly with the force of the curses. When he noticed his son’s approach, he halted his pacing and sat down. “A level thirty elite occulant?”
“Yes, father. I have no explanation for it. A creature that formidable should not have been sent to UPC 382 at this time. And, as usual, I suspect Loki’s hand in it, but have no proof.”
“It may not have been Loki, my son. After all, there is a significant amount of gold there. Enough to tempt any number of potential colonists to break the rules. I will find out who is responsible, and punish them myself. In the meantime, we must deal with the problem. One of us must go and retrieve the beast immediately.”
“That would be violating our own rules, father. The system rules clearly prevent any interference on a world during its Stabilization period. Even good intentions cannot change that.”
“You wish to simply leave the beast there to slaughter the humans? It has already taken the lives of many who, by all rights, should have survived the Stabilization and been able to claim land. Already our creatures have culled a larger than expected percentage of the humans. Rather than ninety one percent, the casualties have reached closer to ninety six percent. Yet I have not acted to prevent this. And don’t remind me of the rules, impudent boy. I helped create the system and its rules!”
“You have clearly been following the events on this planet, father. So, you are aware of Allistor, the human who has attained the rank of Prince?”
“Of course. Most of the Collective is aware of him. He’s smart, for a human, and has a good heart. But his position was gained largely through luck. The award of so much land by his companion…”
“Yes, luck. But his actions helped create that luck. He took the time to explore, to save the life of that companion, and thus put himself in position for that stroke of good fortune. He inspires loyalty among his people because he truly cares for them. They fight, and train, and increase their skills at his urging. He displays a sense of honor. I can think of few Princes of other planets who deserve the title more.”
Odin sat there, the mists swirling more calmly around him as he contemplated his son’s words. Finally, he nodded his bulbous head. “Agreed. I assume you wish to allow Prince Allistor to deal with the occulant?”
“With a small measure of assistance. As you said, this is an unusual situation created by a clear violation of the rules. While direct action by either of us is forbidden, we are not prevented from assisting a local in correcting the infraction.”
“Ha!” Odin was on his feet again, his tentacles wide as he stepped forward to embrace his favored son. “I will leave the details to you. I trust you will be… discreet?”
“Of course, my lord Odin.” Baldur stepped back from the embrace and bowed to his father. “If you’ll excuse me? Time is limited, and I have much to do.”
“Go. And I shall find the one who is responsible for this mess.” The force of Odin’s fury pushed the mist completely away from him for several seconds before it slowly drifted back to soothe his skin.
From the shadows in the back of the great hall, Hel watched and listened. When the mists transferred the fury of Odin’s intent throughout the room, her whole body shuddered. She had not planned for others to learn of the occulant’s emplacement for several more days, at least. It was just supposed to have prevented any humans from claiming the gold before the end of Stabilization, when she could be first to claim it. Now that it had come to Odin’s attention, she needed to be sure the trail led away from her. And the most obvious choice for Odin’s wrath?
Her father.
Chapter 24
It’s A Hard Knox Life
The next morning, Allistor was prepared for war. His Strongholds were all as well protected as he could expect them to be. His people were trained, leveled up, and wearing the best gear his crafters could make them.
His fishing trip was cancelled, and he was busy loading his own volunteers onto the planes to begin a long day’s journey.
The previous afternoon, Redd and her team had reached out to the other friendly Strongholds scattered across the continent. Eight of them had volunteers who wanted to try and clear the dungeon at Fort Knox. Only a few others had fighters over level twenty, and those either weren’t willing to join, or were prevented from joining by their leaders.
Allistor had stayed at Pelican Bay long enough to enjoy the sight of the seafaring ‘convoy’ that the airmen brought from the marina. The lead ship was a yacht that did indeed have a helipad on the aft deck. The thing was at least two hundred and fifty feet long and looked like a small floating luxury hotel. Behind it on tow ropes were three smaller boats, including a cigarette boat built for speed. Next came a commercial fishing boat with small cranes both port and starboard amidships, and a larger one at the stern. The deck was covered in furled netting. It too towed a couple smaller boats through the calm waters just outside the cove.
The other two lead boats were sport fishers, but very fancy ones. And each of them towed a sailboat as well as a smaller fishing vessel. The one in the rear also towed the boat they’d taken from the island to the marina earlier.
Most of the crowd at Pelican Bay turned out to cheer the incoming fishing-slash-naval fleet. The airmen pulled the lead ships into the wide cove and dropped anchor before climbing into one of the smaller boats and bringing them in to shore. They were greeted at the pier with cheers, claps on the back, and cold beers.
Bagwell took his beer, opened it with shaky hands, and downed it one go. Noticing this, Andrea ordered, “Bagwell. You’re shaking. Report.”
The man nodded his head, accepting another beer and taking one more swig before he answered. “There’s a damn sea monst
er out there, boss.”
The others nodded their heads, but left the talking to him. “I was driving that last boat.” He pointed to the sport fishers that had come in last. “There’s two boats behind it now, but I left with three. Since I was on a fishing boat, I dropped a couple lines in the water in case I got lucky. And I did! Pulled in a big tuna. Like a three hundred pounder. We stopped the boats long enough for me to bring it in. I didn’t want to stink up my boat, so we ran a line through its gill and were towing it. We were about half an hour out from the island and just about to get underway again when something bumped my boat. A second later, the water exploded behind the boat, and this monster cleared the surface, my tuna already gone and the rope sticking out of its mouth. The cleat that the tuna was tied to just ripped right off the rail. When the monster landed, it took one of the small boats with it.”
“I got a good look at it.” Corvin added. “It wasn’t like any fish I’ve ever seen. It looked more like a damn dinosaur, or maybe a dragon. Long jaws kind of like a gator, but with a rounded head, long flippers, and a tail like a whale’s. It was nearly as big as the damned yacht, boss.”
Allistor sighed. One more thing to deal with on a long list of things he didn’t have time for. “Alright, guys. I’m glad you’re back safe. For now, let’s restrict fishing to here in the cove. Hopefully the thing’s too big to come in here. And let’s avoid dragging bloody fish around in the water for a while?”
Bagwell nodded his head, looking sheepish.
When the boats were secured and everybody was back in the Stronghold, Allistor asked Gene and Kira to fly the planes back to Cheyenne. With the speed of the jets, they could be there in three hours, and he wanted the planes ready to go from there first thing in the morning. He, Helen, and the General joined them, because both humans wanted to work on their piloting skills.
The rest of the volunteers among Allistor’s people used the teleports to make their way to the Citadel that evening. By 6:00am they were geared up and ready to go.
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