by Ricky Sides
“I fear that scenario for all of us, but yes, especially Maggie in view of the fact that she isn’t a trained fighter. Even if she were, she is primarily a physician and, therefore, her mind is most likely going to be preoccupied with the patient. And one hostage could be used to attempt to force us to surrender the ship,” Wilcox stated.
“Imagine that. A doctor being concerned about the welfare of her patients is considered a liability now,” Maggie said sarcastically, her temper flaring.
“You’d just be doing your job, Maggie. We all understand that, but Sergeant Wilcox is just doing his job now with his recommendation. He’s right to voice his concern in this instance, and he is only talking about first contact with unknown people,” Pete interjected.
Turning to Jim he added, “That brings up another very important issue, which is what do we do if a crew member is taken hostage and the enemy demands the ship?”
“We do not surrender the Peacekeeper, for any reason,” Jim replied, adding, “If an enemy would take a hostage to acquire the ship, just think about what they would do to others once they control this vessel.”
“Agreed,” Tim and Patricia, said in unison. The other assembled crewmembers echoed the response. “Good,” Pete said. He turned to the sergeant and said, “Sorry to interrupt, Sergeant Wilcox.”
“It’s a matter that did need to be clarified,” the sergeant responded. “When we encounter strangers, no crewmember meets with them alone. Two accompany the representative, and while they are outside, a two man security detail stationed just inside the ship guards the entrance.”
“A sensible precaution,” Pete noted and a moment later, added it to their protocols.
“If the strangers are armed, we try to make contact without leaving the ship, but if we exit, then the door should be sealed,” Pete added.
This suggestion was readily adapted.
Sergeant Wilcox next said, “No one leaves the ship without telling another crewmember where they are going and why. This could prevent many problems, not the least of which is simply leaving someone behind. Not all of us are stationed in the control room, so it’s conceivable that the control room crew would be unaware that a crewmember is not present and leave without them.”
That protocol was adapted as well and then Sergeant Wilcox said, “I sat up the night watch to monitor the proximity alarms. They are roughly familiar with the system, and will improve with experience, but do we want an exterior guard?”
“It seems to me that would just place a man in a more dangerous position, and offer an enemy a potential hostage, or a man they could take out and impersonate to gain entry into the ship,” Bill Young pointed out.
“That’s the way I see it as well. However, there may be times when an exterior guard is needed,” Wilcox countered.
“We’ll entertain that notion at that time in such a case where it seems advisable to use exterior guards,” Jim said realizing that such instances were almost certain to arise.
“I have a suggestion I’d like to make,” Tim spoke up.
Jim nodded his head, and Tim said, “As soon as we can find the time, I suggest that we cross train several personnel. As things stand at the moment, if something were to happen to Patricia and myself, then the ship would be effectively grounded.”
“That’s a good point,” Jim acknowledged. “I agree that we should do so at the earliest possible moment. When this mission is over we should take a week or two and cross train the entire control room crew, but I don’t think everyone should have access to changing the computer codes for the software. That is definitely too delicate a procedure.”
Patricia nodded emphatically and said, “A novice could do an incredible amount of damage to the files in short order. I do think others need to be able to interact with the computer interface to the systems of the ship, but I think the files should have an overwrite protection.”
“Yes, and others definitely need to know how to utilize the communications system and monitor the power flow readouts,” Pete said.
They agreed that, once they could find the time, everyone should be cross-trained as much as possible.
Patricia spoke up then, suggesting that they try to locate the supply of next generation radios that were supposed to be aboard. Both she and Tim had searched diligently for the units that would be able to communicate with the Peacekeeper from miles away, but they had had no luck. “I know that they were supposed to be stored onboard, but I can’t locate them and the computer cannot detect them, so if they are aboard their batteries may not have been installed.”
“What do they look like?” Jim asked.
Shrugging, she admitted, “I’m afraid I have no idea. They were independently developed by military contract. All that I know regarding them is that they were supposed to be loaded several days before the final big quakes.”
“So we are searching for a needle in a haystack, which might not look like a needle at all,” Tim finished.
“Logic would seem to dictate that they’d be in the cargo bay, where the Special Forces equipment was stored,” Pete observed and then on a hunch he asked, “Did you two examine the headgear? I ask because the designers may have incorporated it into the battle helmets of the troops.”
“I examined the helmets thinking that very thing, but they were just Kevlar helmets,” Tim explained.
“And the soft hats?” asked Pete.
“I didn’t notice anything unusual at a glance,” Tim responded.
“Bring me a couple, if you please,” Pete requested, as he was not certain where they were stored.
“Sure, I’ll be right back,” Tim said and left the mess hall. A few moments later, he returned with several hats. There was an oak leaf, a desert camouflage, a black, and a white as well.
Pete examined the hats carefully but he could detect nothing out of the ordinary. Evan bounced into the room to speak to his mother for a moment and noted the hats. “Oh, can I have a Peacekeeper hat?” he asked with boyish anticipation.
“Sure, Evan, pick the one you want,” Pete, said to the lad.
Evan picked the black and put it on his head. It fell over his ears and Pete adjusted it for the boy, and then handed it back to him. Evan put the hat back on his head and said, “Oh that’s much better. Thank you, Pete.”
Turning to his mother he asked, “When do we eat? I’m getting pretty hungry.”
“I could do with some food myself,” Sergeant Wilcox said with a grin.
“Evan and I can go to the galley and begin the meal preparations while you all finish the meeting,” Lacey volunteered and ushered Evan out of the mess hall so that the others could continue.
***
Later that night, Patricia was in the control cabin when she noticed a blinking light on the communications console. The light was an indication of the activation of portable communication devices. Keying in a query on her keyboard she learned that the device was somewhere within the ship but the source could not be traced once it was within the ship. Acting on a hunch, she activated the speaker system and listened intently. A moment later, she heard a boy’s voice say, “Mom, that was a great dinner you made tonight.” It was Evan and from the sound of things, he was in the galley where his mom was tidying up the room. Activating the intercom she said, “Evan, and, Lacey, could you please join us in the control room,” and then she killed the connection.
Jim looked at her and raised a brow. Happily, she said, “I think Evan may have found one of the transmitters,” and then she explained.
Evan and his mother entered the control cabin just as she had finished her explanation. Patricia turned to the boy and asked, “Evan, have you found a piece of equipment somewhere and placed it in your pocket?”
“Nope,” the boy answered and then he added, “But I can look around if you like.”
Picking up a small black box Patricia activated it and walked toward Evan. “This is an electromagnetic detector. We use them to check for leakage from some of the equipment onb
oard. If there is an electromagnetic field emanating from you, it will locate the field.”
She held the device near his pockets and slowly raised it upward. Soon she had the box level with his head and stopped in surprise. She lowered the box to his waist and then raised it again. To be certain she repeated this process twice more and then asked the boy to remove his hat and set it on the console beside which he was standing. She observed as the electromagnetic trace held steady a few moments and then disappeared. “Oh that was clever of them!” she said in excitement. Turning to Jim, she added, “I read articles about the future of communications months ago, but I had no idea anyone had actually perfected the technology.”
Seeing the confusion on Jim’s face she added, “The article referenced the possibility of miniaturized circuitry that could be spun the size of threads. The threads of a single piece of clothing could actually contain a working radio, but the article suggested that it was twenty to thirty years down the road. However, apparently that was wrong because there sits one. The tiny electrical current given off by humans activates the radio. It requires no energy beyond the human operator. The antenna was supposed to be one of the major benefits of the system. I’d say most of this hat is actually an antenna coil electronically enhanced. They were said to have a very good range though the exact range was not mentioned. It was further speculated that messages sent to a person wearing the clothing would only be heard by the person wearing the system as they transmitted through the body until reaching the ear where the human brain translated the vibrations just as they do every time that we hear someone speak to us.”
“Is it safe?” Lacey asked.
“Oh yes, it’s entirely safe,” Patricia hurried to reassure them all. The system takes a few minutes to reach a charge sufficient to function, but the drawback is the moment the wearer removes the item it loses the charge.”
“Still it is a very valuable asset,” Jim pointed out.
“This was a stroke of genius on behalf of the development team.” Patricia said with a smile.
“It sure was,” Pete concurred. “With that hat, even if the special ops guys were captured, they might well retain their radios. And if the soldiers feared examination with electronic devices trying to locate concealed electronics they need only remove the hats so the one drawback actually has a benefit as well.”
“All right, we should inventory the hats and then issue one to each crew member. The rest should be secured,” Jim suggested.
“The hats were packed in boxes of twenty-four. There were four boxes, one for each variation,” Tim said readily. “I guess the contractor shipped all the variations in their eagerness to please the Pentagon with their gear,” he said with a big grin on his face.
“That enthusiasm was a blessing,” Jim observed.
Chapter 4
The Peacekeeper traveled along the route that the people of the farm community said the Marauders had used during their last visit. As they traveled the route, Patricia listened attentively for any sign of radio traffic, but her diligence was not rewarded by messages from factions of the Marauder band. However, they did learn a great deal about the surrounding area. More than enough to know that, they did indeed need to move the majority of the people of the little farm community. There was simply no way that they could adequately cover all of the approaches to the community.
By noon, they had decided to return to the community and begin the evacuation. At least they’d managed to locate an excellent spot for the people to wait out the attack expected the next day.
The old barn was a massive structure that had seen its better days, but it would adequately shelter the women and children. Since it was not accessible to approaching vehicular traffic, it was an excellent choice. The barn sat on atop a small rise in the surrounding lowlands, which had recently flooded turning the dirt road leading to the barn into a quagmire. Likewise, the surrounding fields were a soggy mess that wouldn’t support a vehicle, even if it were a four-wheel drive. Tim had a hairy moment landing the Peacekeeper, but he managed despite the very small area in which he had dry land to set down. An inspection of the barn did not reveal the presence of predators, nor were there any signs of recent occupation by man or beast beyond the remains of a few bird’s nests.
“This should do quite well,” Bill Young observed.
“All right, Bill, get the men in here, and let’s see what we can do to make this place at least a bit more comfortable for the people coming,” Jim said rolling up his sleeves to pitch in and help with the work.
They found some bales of hay in the loft, and after testing the floor of the loft, they decided that this was where the people should sleep. It was sufficiently sturdy to support their weight and, should any animal be drawn to their presence, the access ladders would provide adequate protection. They spread hay in a layer several inches deep in an area away from the outer edge of the hayloft. Lacey had a couple of the men partition off a latrine with some blankets in one of the corners.
Next, Tim sent several men with boxes of MREs for the refugees to eat while they were there and several cases of bottled water. Weight would be an issue transporting the people, so they would not be bringing food with them. The only items they would be bringing were a change of clothing, a jacket, a flashlight, and a blanket.
“Will we be leaving a couple of guards to protect the refugees?” Sergeant Wilcox asked.
“You have your five man strike team and five others three of whom are snipers. Do you think you can spare two men to leave here with the refugees?” Jim asked.
“That shouldn’t be a problem, sir, and I’d not like to leave the women and children here without protection. It appears safe enough, but you never know.”
“All right, pick the two men to leave here with the women and children. See to it that you introduce them when the refugees come aboard. By the time they arrive here, I’d like them to be familiar and as comfortable as possible with their guards.” Jim replied.
***
It was just a bit past 2:00 P.M. when the Peacekeeper settled to the ground in the middle of the farming community. As they landed the ship, people began to emerge from the houses to come to meet them. They quickly learned that they needed to evacuate a total of twenty women and twelve children. Jim informed them that they had located a safe place for the refugees and then gave the people a list of the items that they should bring to keep the weight to a minimum.
A point of contention arose when one of the farmers wanted to know where they were taking his family. Jim told him that they were taking them to a secured location and would be leaving behind two armed guards for protection. He would not reveal that location to anyone not going to the evacuation site. This angered some, until Bill Young shouted them down and asked a simple question. “Can you guarantee that you will not reveal the location to the Marauders, should you be captured?” This question caused the angry farmers to pause and consider that eventuality. “Are you willing to bet the lives of your women and children on your ability to withstand the sort of torture the Marauders will inflict on you to get that information they want?” He asked his second question. “I’m not willing to make that bet. I’ve seen too many men, or what was left of them once the torture stopped.”
Jim spoke into the stunned silence saying, “Bill here doesn’t talk much, but when he does talk, you’d do well to listen. He is right in this case.”
Maggie emerged from the Peacekeeper a step ahead of John, the leader of the farmers, who was being assisted by one of the medics. The man was better, but by no means well. Stopping not far from the ship, he looked at the assembled men and said, “These are good people. Trust them to see to the safety of your families.” He started to say more but a wave of weakness swept over him and but for the quick reflexes of the medic, he would have fallen to the ground.
Maggie was at his side in an instant. She knelt to examine his bandaged leg. Shaking her head in irritation she said, “I told you that you weren’t well enough to
be up and about and now you’ve gone and started the wound bleeding again. Back in your bunk, Mr., and no arguments!” she finished looking at the old man in exasperation.
“Yes, Ma’am,” the old man said with a sardonic grin on his face and then turning to his friends and neighbors he said, “I reckon the Doctor is right. I need to heal a bit more before I can be of any help here so, I’ll be staying with the women and children.”
Just as he started to try to make his way back into the ship, another medic rushed out carrying a stretcher. Maggie supported the patient’s weight while the two medics opened the collapsible stretcher. A moment later, the four people disappeared back inside the Peacekeeper.
In the silence that ensued after their departure, Jim repeated the list of items each person was to bring and reminded the people that he wanted the trip to commence at 4:00 P.M. He informed them that in order for all of the refugees to be ferried to the site most of his crew would be staying in town until the ship could return after settling the women and children into their temporary shelter. He assured them all that food and water was already at the site awaiting them.
***
At 4:00 P.M., the Peacekeeper rose to a hover and then turned on its axis and headed out of town at a good rate of speed. Jim expected the Peacekeeper to be gone for a little over an hour and a half. He planned to use the time to do another reconnaissance of the town. This time he was looking for a building that would play a key role in the plan that the peacekeepers had devised. Speaking to the men, he asked if there was a building in the community large enough to house all of the women and children. It needed to be isolated enough so that if an explosion destroyed it, it would not cause serious damage to other residences.
“You aim to trick the raiders into thinking the women and children are in that place and blow it when a bunch of raiders get near?” asked one of the farmers.
