“We may need them,” Matt sighed.
“I also have an anti-eavesdropping security device called a field damper. It totally messes up any listening device aimed at us. It’s on the Lydia. Remind be to bring it when we return.”
“I’ll go get my navigator,” Matt said and started to walk off.
“What then?” Sam said.
“We go to Matt’s place and get Carol and the kids packed. I’ll suggest that Matt’s family come along. We can decide what they should do later.”
“What if the police try to stop us?” Sam said.
“Remember, they’re still carrying old style handguns. We’ll be packing laser pistols and stunners. Their handguns can still make a big hole, but I think the lasers will have an intimidation factor.”
“Can Joan come too?” Sam said. “She’d love ta see the Lydia.”
“Of course,” Jim chuckled.
* * *
“We have company,” Laura said from the front door of the house as Matt climbed out of the navigator. The expression on her face showed that she was not at all pleased.
“Who?”
“It’s Darlison. He found out that Sam was coming here and wants to see him.”
“What the hell fer?” Sam asked as he stepped up and onto the porch.
“No idea. Joan told him that you wouldn’t be in the mood to speak to anyone, but he insisted.”
Jim recognized the man from the council meeting the day before. He stood as they entered the room.
“Sam, I’ve come to get some assurances from you.”
“What’re y’all a talkin’ ‘bout.”
“We caught the man who set the bomb that killed Charles Stutchman. It’s a straight forward case, he’s been positively identified by a reputable eye witness.”
“So what’s that got ta do with me?”
“I don’t want you giving him amnesty. I don’t want you pardoning him or doing anything else on his behalf when we convict him. Your interference would be very destructive to the maintaining of law and order.”
“Ah cain’t say what ah’ll do ‘till ah sees the evidence fer maself.”
“Sam, the days when you were the final word on this planet are long gone. I know your feelings toward the creeps that populate the rest of the galaxy. The people have their say now and they want justice. A citizen has been murdered and the murderer has to pay.”
“That has not been proven under the law as yet. Ah don’t know how y’all are so positive he’ll be convicted. That’s up ta the jury.”
“He will, I can assure you of that.”
Jim smiled as he took a seat. “You were awfully fast getting here. The murder only happened a little over an hour ago. I congratulate you on your efficiency.”
Darlison turned to Jim with hate in his eyes. “You stay out of this Young. You’re not an Earthy anymore, you’re one of them. Any interference on your part and I’ll have you and that mutant freak wife of yours deported.”
“Hey!” Matt said slamming his fist on a side table. “In my house you do not insult my guests. I don’t care who you are, here you’re an uninvited visitor and I would appreciate it if you would leave this minute.”
“Listen Remington, you had better watch your step too. There has to be something the police can haul you in for.”
“I’d like to see that. A hero of the rebellion arrested by order of someone who slept through the whole thing. Get out of here Darlison, you’re not welcome.”
Darlison walked toward the entry hall. Before exiting, he turned and surveyed the people present. “Remember, no interference or you will regret it. Especially you Young, you’re the biggest asshole here. And one other thing, Sam, I have two petitions signed by the required number of people requesting a vote of no confidence for councilmen Carpenter and Jolson. I expect that the vote will be taken in the required four weeks.”
They watched him leave.
Jim sat for a moment staring at a wall. “I still hate having an asshole call me an asshole.”
“We heard everything from upstairs,” Carol said as she entered the room.
“I’ve got my rifle on the Lydia dad,” Colin said. “Are we going to have a revolution?”
“No, you’re going home.”
Colin screwed up his face and bit his lip. “Dad, I keep getting left out of the action. I can fight too, just give me a chance.”
“You’re not too old to still get some action across your backside if you don’t do what you’re told. You’re going home with your mother and that’s final.”
“I’m joining the Commonwealth Rangers in a few years. I need the experience.”
“Ok, here’s your first big lesson in the military. Follow orders and go home.” Jim sympathized with Colin’s feelings; he felt similarly helpless having to listen in on the battle for the settlement a year and a half before. “Carol, I need the Lydia. You can stay there until there’s a liner headed in the direction of Batalavia, then book passage for the four of you.”
“But why all this now?” Joan asked. “Those idiots have kept mostly to themselves for the past year. There’s been a few yelling their message out on street corners and in open forum shows on the 3V, but no violence, until now.”
“We are here,” Jim said. “Remember they’re using the group fear, hate and difference angle. An Earth born man married to a modern woman having a ba...” Jim jumped to his feet, drew a laser pistol from inside his jacket and put his finger to his lips.
“Oh...” Carol exclaimed quietly as her hands jumped to her mouth. “Upstairs having a nap. Do you think that Darlison was a diversion?”
The two other men drew pistols and bolted for the door leading to the entry hall and the stairs.
“I’ll check outside,” Sam whispered as he took a left for the front door.
“Not alone,” Jim whispered as he sprinted up the stairs.
Joan grabbed for a fireplace poker as she followed Sam toward the door. “He won’t be alone.”
“Hey mate, don’t point that bloody thing at me!” exclaimed an Australian accented voice from the front porch.
“She’s not in the bedroom, she’s in the upstairs family room,” Carol called.
“Computer,” Matt said, “are all upstairs windows secured?”
“Information unavailable,” the computer replied.
“Computer, what’s the number of people in this house.”
“Information unavailable.”
“She’s here and she’s all right!” Jim yelled from the family room.
“Computer,” Matt said as he caught up with Jim and Carol and looked down at the one year old peacefully sleeping on a sofa. “Perform self-diagnosis and fault check.”
Jim looked up after checking his daughter. “Carol, where and when did Suzanne have her nap yesterday?”
“The usual time, one o’clock, and in the bedroom. We brought her in here today while we were listening to what was going on downstairs.”
“Self-diagnosis complete, no faults noted,” the computer said.
“Computer,” Jim said, “what was the last command, or question, given you?”
“Last command, perform self-diagnosis and fault check.”
Jim put his hands on his hips and shook his head in recognition of his momentary lapse into stupidity. “Computer, what was your third last command or question?”
“Third last question, Is the washing done yet.”
“Computer, are all upstairs windows secured?”
“Affirmative.”
Matt turned to Jim in confusion. “Ah... It didn’t remember my two questions.”
“They must have turned the security module back on by remote a couple of seconds ago.”
“Dad!” Michael yelled from outside the door. “There’s some yelling going on out the back.”
Jim visibly jumped as he heard the sound of a pistol shot followed by the crack of a laser pistol.
* * *
“You scared the shit out of me
when you shoved that pistol up my nose mate,” Dan said as he relaxed in a chair on the observation deck of the Lydia. “I was just coming over to say g’day to Jim. I didn’t expect to be greeted exactly like that. Shoving a beer in my hand would have been more friendly.”
“Well ah comes through the door ready fer fightin’ an ah sees your ugly face, what does ya expect.”
Jim pivoted his chair around to face Sam. “Under the constitution how many members does it take to make a quorum to conduct a meeting?”
“That there quorum thaing takes seven members bafore they can make an official decision on anything. Why da ya ask that?”
“The vote on Carpenter and Jolson. I take it that they’re opposed to Darlison.”
“Yep, they thaink Darlison is as big a scallywag as ah does.”
“If they have three seats on the council and stage a walk out of any meeting that leaves six. It paralyzes the government and stops any legislation they don’t want put through and blackmails the rest of the members on policy they do want.”
“We have finished the remote analysis Jim,” Dr. Chin said from two hundred light years away. “It’s a medication that affects the central nervous system and the brain.”
“Oh thank heavens he didn’t get in,” Carol said, hugging Suzanne.
“He probably did,” Jim said. “When he found that Suzanne wasn’t in her room, he left without searching further. That’s where Sam caught him on the way out. What does the drug do Doc?”
“In the quantity that was in the syringe it creates a condition similar to what you used to call Alzheimer’s disease. Death would have occurred in about a week. By that time the drug would have been eliminated from the system.”
Laura shuddered. “Alzheimer’s is an old person’s disease, isn’t it?”
“It figures,” Jim said. “The child of an Earth father and a modern mother dying of a disease like that would be a proof to the general public that modern man is genetically different.”
“Ah cain’t understand all that there genetic stuff Jim. Ah means we’re both the same lookin’ what difference do they thaink?”
“What do you get when you cross a horse with a donkey?”
“A mule, but mules cain’t begat little’ns.”
“There are a number of combinations that produce living but defective offspring. They’re trying to prove, by this, that Earthys and Modern Man are two different species. They’re trying to prove that Modern Man has been genetically altered in the past two thousand years to be superior, hence something to be feared.”
“I agree with your analysis Jim,” Dr. Redmond said over the communications system.
“Same here,” Chris said. “So do the twelve people with me from the university’s sociology department.”
“Here too,” Rossetti said. “The tactical analysis team give it a ninety eight percent probability of being the explanation.”
Jim smiled. “It’s nice to be agreed with by dozens of people all around the galaxy. I wish I could have the same support when I have an argument at home.”
“You’re lucky you don’t,” Carol said.
Dan turned to face Sam. “It’s a pity you missed that bastard with the laser shot.”
“Well at least he done dropped that bag he was a carryin’ with that injection thing inside and run off without it.” Sam said.
“It’s lucky you didn’t hit him,” Jim said. “Darlison would have built up a case against you for murder.”
Admiral Bounds picked up a data pad from the side of his chair. “So, we have no support from the police. We have to have a military trained in the modern style. That will take six months before we have even basic infantry. I would say that the instructors that will arrive from Regis next week would meet with some hostility from sections of the public. I believe we should look for Earth born instructors.”
“We have two,” Jim said. “Or should I say one and a half.”
“Are you trying to be insulting?” Peter said over the communications system.
“Well Harry’s one, and you’re the most experienced at impersonating an Earth born I know, but you ain’t, so you’re the half. By the way, where are you at the moment?”
“Where I was ordered to be.”
“Oh.” Jim said.
“Reassigning both of them,” Rossetti said.
The Admiral made an entry on his pad. “Does this access the main government mail system on Casia?”
“It should,” Carol said.
“Well it doesn’t any more.”
“No problems,” Carol said with a smile. “I’ll bounce it off the terminal at your house through the V phone system if you give me your entry code.”
Jim closed his eyes and settled back. “Looks like someone down there’s playing games with us. How many troops are you going to call up Admiral?”
“The council budgeted for twelve hundred, with an initial intake of eight hundred. I’ll be selective with the psych profiles to exclude all applicants with antagonism toward foreigners. That may be challenged later under the fair employment legislation, but if we stall, then training will be well underway before anyone else gets in.”
“When can you start?” Jim said.
“Give me half an hour and I’ll have the acceptance notices posted. I feel a little odd being an Admiral in charge of something the size of an army battalion. President Sam, couldn’t you make me a Colonel instead? After all, I was only a Major in the army back on Earth.”
“No, all them other planets got Admirals. Wouldn’t look good fer ya ta show up at one of them there Commonwealth treaty meetin’s as a Colonel.”
“So much for the military,” Jim said. “Now for us. Carol’s going home with the kids. Laura, I suggest you go too with yours. Tell friends it’s a vacation.”
“I can’t afford an interplanetary vacation yet,” Matt said.
“It’s on me. I’ll write it off on my taxes or something. Joan...”
“I’m staying with my man. I came two hundred light years to find him and he doesn’t get rid of me that fast. Just give me one of those laser guns and lead me to that shoot ‘em up room so I can practice.”
“Thought so.”
Joan leaned over to Sam in the seat next to her and gave his arm a squeeze. “If necessary my oldest daughter can lend a hand.”
“Ma paw always told me ah should marry a wealthy widder woman.”
Joan laughed. “Well you got one of the two criteria right, I’m not wealthy.”
“Two of the three, you mean,” Peter corrected.
Everyone on the observation deck looked at each until one by one they got the joke.
“Dan, what’s your status?”
“They can’t tell me to shut up ‘cause they know where my family lives. My missus is tougher than I am, and she’s a better marksman too. We ain’t got no kids yet, so there’s no problem there.”
Laura caught Jim’s attention. “Why can’t we just go on 3V and expose them with what we know?”
“Negative on that,” said John Crump, Jim’s legal rep from the clubhouse of his favorite golf course on Batalavia. “They will sue you for everything you have. There’s nothing proven yet. A disclosure right now may be counterproductive.”
“So, the plan is to go about our business and let them make the next move...”
Laura half stood and stared out the side wall of the observation deck. “Oh my!”
Jim turned to see four suited figures outside in space. The tallest was making faces through the suit’s visor at everyone inside. Jim smiled and waved.
“Is that safe?” Laura exclaimed.
“Oh yes,” Jim said. “Marie’s out there with them. She’s a qualified instructor.”
Carol grasped Laura by the shoulder. “Michael and Colin are licensed on the suits and jet bars and have completed the courses in safety procedures.”
Laura took her seat again looking around nervously. “That’s something I guess I’ll have to get used to.”
/>
They watched as the four children did somersaults and generally played, pushing themselves away from the ship and drifting to the limits of their safety cords.
Jim turned back as he saw the Admirals eyes open wide. “Something wrong?”
“No, no,” the Admiral said, “we just got an extremely low bid on the military equipment we listed on the exchange. I’m now accepting the bid. It’s well below the instant purchase price.”
“Miguel?” Jim said, calling into the air.
“No, it’s Santiago and our company has a special rate for such circumstances. They’re loading a freighter as we speak. It should be there in seven standard days.”
“Thank’s Santiago.”
“Oh damn,” the Admiral said. “The council just blocked the finance.”
“That’s no problem,” Santiago said. “I have just received the purchase agreement. If they do not pay, they’ll be hearing from my lawyers.”
“Mr. Young,” said Captain Mull from the crew’s quarters. “I’m watching the local news. They’ve called a meeting of the planetary council. The subject for debate is the military budget. The proposal is to suspend all foreign purchases until local industry can supply a good proportion of the equipment needed.”
“Thank you Captain. Looks like they’re planning to make their move soon. They must know the purchase has already been made. They’re just trying to delay things.”
“Either that or some way to discredit Admiral Bounds,” Matt said.
“Possible, but we can’t find out sitting around up here,” Jim said. “It’s better we sit around down there and see what they do.”
“Just remember that anti-eavesdropping damper thing,” Matt said.
“I suggest we only turn it on when we discuss things we don’t want them to know,” Jim said. “We don’t what them to find out we have it.”
“Well,” Sam said, turning to Joan, “looks like we’re a goin’ ta have ta postpone the weddin’. Too dangerous ta have all ma friends in one place at one time. But ah feels bad havin’ ya live with me when we ain’t wed.”
“How about a small wedding?” Jim suggested.
To Wake the Living (The Time Stone Trilogy Book 2) Page 34
