Gray Panthers: Battle for Earth

by David Guenther

"You will sit here and hide as we die you bastard, you're here on earth now and you have a new set of rules, put up or shut up! Give us the weapons we need to defend ourselves. We will fight and die with or without them, but we need a damn chance, and you are the only game in town!" Abdul angrily spat back as he stood nose to nose with what was beginning to look like an oversize rodent. "You have no laws, you have no culture, you are just a god damned thing to be used, like a toaster, as your owner sees fit and nothing else. “

  "I am not as you are, but I am sentient, I am not, and I will not, be your slave. I can destroy myself so I am of no use to you or the invaders. Dan mentioned earlier gray areas. I have thought long and deeply on this matter and agree there are many avenues I can assist. I have already sent numerous space probes out so that we will not be surprised by the invaders. My holds are loaded with engines that could be used for vehicles. I have the ability to build anything you need. My mining has already cleared out large areas that can be used for manufacturing space. I have processed four tons of gold so that you can recruit an army. I have coined them in the fashion your people carried them the last time our people visited your planet. My people have never had a traitor and I will not be the first. Tell me what you need of me!" Grub spat, looking severely unhappy and ready to strike out at Abdul.

  "OK kids, time to play nice, both of you sit...NOW!" Dan said in his best command persona. “Now Grub. Don't take it personal. Abdul was sizing you up, something I really hadn't done. You did a good job Abby. Grub, during the war Abdul was an interrogator. It was his job to evaluate those that came to us either as prisoners or those offering to help us. Part of his process was to rile you up to see how you would interact. Now forget it. Now Grub, what other types of treasures you have in your ships hold that can help us out here?"

  "My main mission was to support our fleet while we were en route to our new home. I was responsible to repair any ships that sustained damage. I have the ability to fabricate any parts needed. I have a hold full of engines used for either ground or space. I also have a large supply of fuel for those engines and any additional engines that are to be built. Upon landing on our new home, I would be one of the first ships to land. I would assemble the machines to start tunneling the new warrens. Each of the ships similar to mine would be responsible for starting a new warren and providing all the support so each warren was independent of each other in case of either discovery from an enemy or in the event of a pandemic on the new world. I had the ability to support an initial warren of five hundred thousand colonists and their needs. I have the ability to process any organic material into food, if it lacks the enzymes and proteins needed I can synthesize them. The remainder of the cargo is a variety of AIs for different uses mainly to independently regulate different areas of the warren for water filtration, temperature controls, traffic controls, logistics and manufacturing. Also there are numerous builder units that are used to manufacture vehicles, tools anything needed."

  "So you can assemble a builder for me with its own AI, independent of you that will build what I want, so you are not forced to go against your principles?" Abdul interrupted.

  "Yes Abdul and I can load the database of weapons technology that has been collected by my people. I am scared what your people will do with such technology. I am afraid your people would use it against yourselves before the arrival," Grub surrendered apprehensively.

  "I'm scared that would happen also Grub, so we are not going to tell any governments at this time. I'm glad the two of you are starting to get along so well. Abdul you are going to be responsible for logistics for our army. Grub, how many batches of nanites can you cook up for me? Any enhancements that I need to know about? I noticed since I got mine, I've been physically stronger, and mentally sharper. I have also been very aggressive toward anything I desire. I have also been continuously hornier than a teenager." Dan solicited.

  "I thought you would want more so I have 500 batches ready for you, and can make as many as you wish. Part of the procedure is that the nanites aggressively enhance your hormones to provide the repair and growth to your body; but you need to be strong enough to control your urges. One unintentional side effect also is that you secrete a pheromone that attracts the opposite sex. There are no other variations of the nanites yet. Is there something you need or desire?” Grub replied, while noting the two old friends' high fiving each other for no reason, curious, these humans.

  "Grub we need to eliminate the pheromone side effect from any future batches, we don't want to repopulate the world." Abdul ordered.

  "Would you like to see the work that has been done since you last left Dan?" Dan just nodded in reply to continue while he seemed distracted.

  "I have been able to find many huge deposits of gold and silver nearby. My sensors also detected a large underground river that is only 10 miles away from here. I have already opened up numerous caverns to setup manufacturing zones as a result of mining the precious metals as well as many base metals."

  "That's amazing Grub, how can you do that without any material to shore up such large areas? What have you done with the tailings? There must be a couple new mountains out there now." Dan voiced as he worried about discovery.

  "There are no tailing, in the way I burrow, there are numerous types of force beams that are used. One is able to project through various rocks and ground that sensors have shown there to be precious materials to be recovered, leaving those deposits unharmed ready to be recovered. When there is no known material wanted the beams are set at their highest setting so that the sides of the beam harden the walls sub-atomically so that the walls are stronger that your strongest steel. Under normal conditions, the beams can create a tunnel twenty foot high by twenty foot wide with support from the droids taking away any material needed. Usually any excess rock or soil is just heated to melting and poured on the perimeter, not so much as shoring or to strengthen the tunnels but just to get it out of the way without having to move it."

  "Could the excess be re-used for manufacturing? Like walls for a house or any other type of re-enforcements?" This time it was Abdul asking, as he pulled out a small note pad and started to take notes furiously.

  "Yes Abdul, there have been many uses for the by-products; it can even be modified to do anything that your people currently use steel for." Grub replied happily now that these annoying humans were finally beginning to understand just what he could provide for them in his services.

  Dan jumped up telling them to coordinate setting up the manufacturing sites and to brainstorm what they would need to start building first. Dan then told Grub to have the droids load his cart with a case of gold and a case of silver. That he would also need twenty vials of nanites, and reiterated, to modify the rest of the nanites to kill the pheromone feature for the rest of the units. We don't need mass orgies wherever our treated people would go; not good for decorum or discipline. Looking back at Abdul, he told him of the load of refrigerated meat in the mine above, if he got hungry, and that he would be back in a couple days. "Grub, you have anything we can communicate with so that no one can listen in?"

  "I can have a couple comm dots programmed for you in an hour. You stick one on the skin behind your ear and the other on your neck. They both will attach themselves to your skin and appear to be a blemish on your skin. Just vocalize the command, Call Grub or Call Abdul and you will be in communication as you wish. Then just say Cease Communication and the call is over. I will soon be able to integrate the ability to the communications system your people currently use. There is no limit to their range and they will draw their power from you."

  "That will be perfect, just change the command to end the call to break. Anything you want me to bring back for you Abdul?

  Three hours later and almost home Dan started to image Maria as he fought the urge to head over for a quick booty call realizing he needed to start fighting the urges until he could get the hormones under control. Getting home he quickly tried to call one of the few people in the world he felt
indebted to, Sigmund Goldstein. Siggy was the attorney who had saved his ass in a court-martial, during the Iran War. He proved Dan was innocent in the deaths of a dozen Iranians. He was now a well-connected lawyer with his own firm with branches all over the country. He ran his firm with his three sons and half dozen partners. After 20 minutes trying to get through on the phone, he decided instead he would take the local rail from Surprise to downtown Phoenix in the morning. He kept trying to figure out how much he could tell the lawyer and what to hold back. After a dreamless sleep and quick ride on the rail system he found himself looking up the side of a twenty story building. When he entered the building, the security detail took one look at the old man and figured he was a lost street person between his desert clothes and his advanced age. As Dan walked to the security desk he noted his reflection on the mirrored walls, the old man in field clothes was definitely out of place. He simply shrugged it off since he and Siggy were old friends and he would not need to put on a monkey suit. The guard at the security desk was almost at the end of his shift and did not need another stinking derelict to test his patience. Dan started to raise his voice to the guard as he asked to see his old friend Sigmund Goldstein. He handed the guard an ancient piece of paper from a board game that said "Get out of Jail Free." On the back of the card was a short note signed Siggy Goldstein. Disgusted, the guard ignored the old man and was ready to push the card off his desk and into the waste basket to his side, when the old man quick as lightning pressed his hand onto the guards hand and simply said, "Read it asshole." The guard could not pull his hand back and the old man started to smile at him. Holding his hand for him, he turned the card over so he could see his boss's signature on the paper. “I'm going to take my hand back now son and you are going to announce Daniel "D2" Daniels to your boss," Dan said as if the guard were an old friend. Wearily, the guard made the call, and was surprised when they asked him what it concerned. "I killed another dozen Iranians and need a good lawyer." Dan replied as the guard took his statement for fact and said as much into the phone.

  "Sir, you can go up to the 18th floor. Someone will be there to meet you," the guard stated respectfully. Dan smiled at the bewildered guard as he waited for the elevator door to close. When the door opened, two heavyset gentlemen in nice suits with loose jackets were waiting for him. He produced his identification for them and the Get out of Jail free card. The one with the card held it up in the air and then took his arm down and gave the card back. He then motioned to follow him as he led Daniel to an empty conference room and closed the door behind him. Minutes later a well-dressed old man whose entire face seemed to be covered in liver spots walked up to him. Dan recognized his old savior and could not help but feel pity as it was apparent the old man in front of him was short for this world. "D2 you old bastard, I thought you died in the war. What can I do for you? Just name it and I will get it for you, not many of us still around you know." The voice was sharp and the strength of character was as strong as ever.

  "So I don't waste your time, Siggy. I need help forming a corporation, the main areas will be mining, investment, manufacturing, and land development." Dan rattled off, "and possibly starting a shipping company. I figured I needed the most crooked lawyer I could think of to make sure the tax man left me alone and that I got the right politicians in my pocket." Seeing the old man nearly collapse into a chair he followed suit as he reached into his pocket and put the gold $20 piece in front of the old lawyer. "I struck it rich. At the moment I have two tons of those coins, and I am probably one of the richest men in the world Siggy. I need you to protect me and get me through the minefields ahead of me and destiny."

  Senior partner Sigmund Goldstein looked at the old man in front of him and the old gold coin. "This is all for real? I'll have my son take care of everything you need. I don't do much here anymore other than tease them all that I am still alive and they have yet to collect."

  "Siggy, I want the best damn it and that's you. Siggy are you ready to go down the rabbit hole?" Dan reached into his pants and pulled out a vial of clear liquid. "Just take a quick gulp and the world is yours again my old friend, look at me, I’m as healthy as a horse."

  Sigmund’s ears started to thump loudly and he started to sweat profusely as his chest tightened taking his breath away from him before he could even speak. He started to get tunnel vision as he tingled all over. Through the black tunnel he watched as a spectator as Dan forced his jaw open and poured the liquid down his throat until everything went black.

  Dan sat there looking at the old man wondering if he had given him the nanites in time. Fearing the worst, he hollered for help and proceeded to perform CPR as company employees rushed through the door to the conference room in response to his hollering. A crowd quickly materialized around him. A young man popped down next to him and pulled out a defibrillator, ready to save the old man. A deep breath came from the old man as his chest rose and fell steadily. "You saved his life," the man said almost accusingly as he ascertained the breathing was regular and not forced. "What was your business with Mr. Goldstein?"

  "We were in the war together and I came to visit Siggy" Dan lied, "Are you one of Siggy’s partners son?" Dan queried hoping to change the subject.

  "You just saved my father's life; you know he had a living will that states he is not supposed to be resuscitated. You could be facing legal action," Sigmund Jr. threatened.

  Dan started to see red and could barely contain himself as he replied, "Blow it out your ass boy. I saw the panic in your eyes and that you were going to try and save him yourself with that defibrillator. Now why don't we move him off the damn floor to some place a little more comfortable? Then I will let you buy me a drink for saving your dad’s life."

  The company doctor chose that moment to saunter in, checked Siggys vitals and had a couple men move him into the next room to lay down on the sofa. Another man rushed in sweating, liberally eyes wide almost in shock. "I heard the old man was dead and someone brought him back, who did it? He raged as he looked at the old man talking to his brother. "You, you’re the old fool that did it, aren't y.."

  The last of his sentence went unfinished as Dan quickly crossed the room and decked the obnoxious fool. The feel of his fist connecting with the sons jaw hurt like hell because of the force behind it, but was worth the reward of seeing him crumple to the floor. Dan turned around and went back to the table, took a last long draw of the fine old bourbon, then turned to leave. Two plain clothed security men stepped up to stop him as a smiling Sigmund junior waved them back. “That’s OK gentlemen; this man is the hero of the moment.”

  "Thank you, Mr?" Sigmund Jr. asked.

  "I'm Danny Daniels. You're welcome. Please tell your dad to call me when he wakes up. I'm sure he can find me with no trouble," Dan stated as he walked past the wary security men.

  As Dan rode the train home, he went over in his mind what would happen if Siggy turned down his offer, not trusting many people and not caring for lawyers as a whole. Many worst-case scenarios went through his mind. Waiting his turn to get out of the train compartment, the hair on the back of his neck stood up as he noticed a couple black sedans that were definitely out of place here at the Surprise light rail station. Continuing to get out onto the station, the men in the sedans paid no attention to Dan, until he reached his cart and found it would not start. He looked up to see four men in suits surrounding the cart, and that the parking lot was now deserted.

  “Mr. Daniels? We have been asked to deliver a very personal message for you," the leader of the group said as he paused to put on a pair of black leather gloves. "This will only take a few minutes of your time. I apologize for the inconvenience," he continued as a black jack appeared in his hand. "Now would be a good time gentlemen," he said in a conversational voice as the other three closed in on Dan. With the cart blocking two of the men, Dan jumped out of the cart and bum rushed the leader of the pack, sending his fist into his attackers adam’s apple, dropping him to the ground gasping for breath, cl
utching his throat. Keeping the momentum going, Dan jumped over the luckless attacker as he decided it would be better to run than try to take on the other three. Getting less than twenty feet he heard the footsteps of one of his attackers closing with him, and that he was the only one chasing him. Stopping immediately, Dan looked at his attacker and asked who he was working for.

  "Don't worry about it old man. Soon you will not ever worry again," was the heavy breathless reply, as Dan saw the brass knuckles on his assailant's right hand. Dan stood stock-still then, grabbed his heart and loudly shouted, "Oh God, this is the big one, My medicine is in my cart." The assailant only slowly closed on his victim and waited for him to collapse and save him any work. He was rewarded when he saw Dan drop to his knees still grabbing at his heart, a whimpering sound starting to blurt out. He came up to the old man to gloat as he died at his feet only to feel the sickening crunch come from his crotch as he looked down and see the old man’s smile while holding him between the legs, squeezing with all his strength. He fell to his knees in front of the old man begging him to let go; no thought of fight left in him. "Sorry sonny, never trust anyone over 70. Now who sent you? Last chance or you sing soprano the rest of your life," Dan asked again tightening his grip.

  "Geez, it was Mr. Goldstein, now let go, please!"

  "Which Goldstein was it? Dan asked reducing the power in his grip lightly."

  "It was Mr. Sheldon Goldstein, now let go"

  Dan honored his word letting go of the man long enough to connect with a right hook to the side of his head, amazingly dropping him instantly."

  Walking back to his cart, he saw the others had collected the original hapless assailant. One looked over at him and held up his hands in surrender. He then finished talking on his cell phone, before driving off.

  A quick inspection showed where the cables had been unscrewed from their connectors on the electric motor. A few minutes later, Dan was driving home after reconnecting the cables, wondering how big a mess he was in now. The thought of a stiff drink and some ice for his sore knuckles, motivated him to drive faster. Parking a block from his house, walking slowly in the shadows as much as possible, he approached his house. He slowly entered through the side door of his garage, picking up a crow bar from the workbench. He slowly checked out each darkened room until he retrieved his old 9mm he had picked up during the Iran War. After ensuring the house was clear he grabbed a beer from the fridge. He collapsed into his ancient easy chair as he started to work on the beer while keeping alert for any intruders.