“Glad to have you back aboard, Mr. Hardy. I always find your pragmatic reasoning refreshing.”
Mace walked out on a balcony, leaning on the rail and looking down as the landscape moved past below. “I have to ask you, Bontu. Can the comm device be tracked?”
Bontu hesitated before answering. “I suppose it could be. The broadcast signals all bounce through the nearest ship before being relayed to the receiver. If you were in need of finding someone’s location, I believe we could do that for you. Did you have someone in mind?”
Mace turned to face him. “Well, now that you mention it. I would like to locate my mother if at all possible. She’s out in California.”
“All I need is the ID of her comm and I can tell you where she is.”
“I don’t have her comm ID.”
Bontu stared for several seconds. “I see. That is unfortunate, Mr. Hardy. In our attempt to accommodate the Human desire for privacy, we do not have a directory available of who has what ID. That will be up to the wearers to discover. I’ll admit the system has drawbacks, but it should be far superior to not having any communications at all.”
“The offering of comms is appreciated, Bontu. Hopefully I can get the commander in Bedford to see that as well.”
The shuttle set down in a field beside the National Guard building. Bontu Montak followed Mace down the ramp as Captain Jordan Crawford came out to meet them.
Mace turned to Bontu. “You should wait here, Mr. Montak. I’ll see what his grievances are and we can work from there.”
The Army Ranger began to remove his arm pad.
Bontu questioned. “What are you doing?”
Mace replied, “If I’m wearing your stuff, it looks like I’m one of you. I need to go into these discussions as fully Human. It would otherwise cause a trust issue.”
“Please proceed.”
Mace approached the Marine captain. “Mr. Crawford, before you speak, I would ask that you turn and face the other way.”
“OK… unusual.”
“I say that because I would rather they not know our full conversation. With all the gear they have, they could easily have a lip reading app. I want to talk in private.”
The captain placed a hand on Mace’s shoulder. “Let’s walk, shall we? Say what you want as we walk away. We can blow smoke to them as we come back. And just so you know, Mr. Hardy, I’ve been in touch with command and I have knowledge of your mission. Because of our prior meetings, they thought I should know. I trust you had a nice visit with Mr. Miller?”
As they walked, Mace said, “Charles is a smart man. And thanks for sending him. I have a much better understanding of how I should operate, and I’m thankful for that. These comm devices they’re offering, what’s your real objection?”
The captain scowled. “My objection is they can listen into our conversations, and they can track us.”
“I share your concerns with both of those. Bontu admitted the signals from these comms all bounce through their ships before being routed to the receiver. I would guarantee they can both track and listen. We each have one back at the cave, and I have that arm pad you saw me taking off. Everyone is aware of our need to remove them before having any sensitive conversations. It’s a huge inconvenience and we are bound to slip up while wearing them, so we’ve taken to removing them when we’re at the cave, only putting them on for travel elsewhere. Of course we only have five people to keep on top of. Two of our group moved into town.”
“So I was right to initially refuse them. While I certainly appreciate the assistance, I don’t at all like the direction it’s going. And the past few days, a lot of my people have been acting strange.”
“We think it’s the new food. It’s got some kind of drug in it that’s making people dependent. Gives them a slight euphoric feeling that manifests itself in anger if you question the Mawga’s intent. We believe our two that moved to town were hooked on it.”
The captain stopped. “That’s far worse news than the comms.”
Mace added, “This all started with the latest food drop. The stuff we had before was benign. You might want to figure out how to get your people off it without letting the Mawga know what we know. Maybe force them to eat only our standard Human food.”
The captain winced. “That means we need to warn our regular food suppliers off that stuff as well. I can see where this could get tricky.”
Mace put his hand on the captain’s shoulder. “You’re also gonna have a lot fewer friendlies when the townspeople get fully hooked on this stuff. Oh, and I noticed construction on the other side of town. What’s being built?”
The captain rubbed his forehead as they again began to walk. “I’ve asked several of those involved. They indicated it will be a meeting center of some sort. What concerns me is the size they’re planning. I saw an entire city block being cleared, and word is that’s just the beginning. I tell you, Mr. Hardy, I grow more uncomfortable with this every day.”
“Yeah, well, we just have to make the best of the situation while planning for the future. The Mawga have us pinned in pretty good right now. It will be up to us to make sure we maintain a way out.”
Mace stopped. “So, here’s what we do. You take the comm devices: just be slow to distribute them. And make sure your people only wear them sparingly, and never talk shop while any are close by. I think that’s the best we can do at the moment. And I would pull all of your people into one place before giving any of these out. Explain to them the potential for abuse by the Mawga, nothing definite, just your suspicions. And then tell them how you want the devices handled.”
The captain let out a deep sigh. “I suppose we don’t have much of a choice. People have been clamoring for communications and the pressure to accept them has been growing.”
Mace frowned. “Not an ideal situation by any means. And as you said, I would extend the warnings about the device, and the food, to those who provide you with food. If they get hooked on the Mawga bars they’re likely to stop producing altogether.”
“That’s a tall order, Mr. Hardy.”
“I think at this point we’re just trying to limit the potential damage.”
With the serious conversation over, the two made their way back to the shuttle.
Jordan Crawford stood in front of Bontu Montak. “Well sir, I have decided to accept your offer for comms.”
Bontu smiled. “Excellent!”
The captain held up his hand. “Hold on, though. What I would like to do is to schedule the first shipment of those for next Thursday.”
Bontu asked. “Why the delay?”
“I prefer to do things with a plan, Mr. Montak. That will give me time to coordinate with my people on the best way to roll this out.”
“I don’t understand. It’s a simple device. It can be given out during food distribution.”
The captain scowled. “Now listen, Montak. I agreed to take this on. You let me work out the distribution parameters, or you can just keep them.”
Bontu slowly nodded as he bowed. “My apologies, Captain. We shall do this your way. I will see to it that you receive your shipment for this region next Thursday.”
“Thank you. And thank you, Mr. Hardy. You’ve been a big help.”
Mace smiled and offered a nod as he turned for the ramp.
As they walked up onto the shuttle, Bontu said, “I continue to be impressed by your diplomatic skills, Mr. Hardy. I was certain the captain would not waver. How is it you convinced him?”
Mace shrugged. “I just told him that we had them. They aren’t perfect, but they seem to do the job. And if he didn’t provide them, they would likely show up from some other region, so he might as well take credit while he can.”
Bontu looked up at the tall Human. “That talk was rather long for only saying that. I should like to hear the extended version some time.”
Mace laughed as he patted the gray alien on the back. “I’m sure you would, Mr. Montak, but I can’t be giving away all my negotiating secrets. You’d
no longer have a use for me.”
“As always, sound reasoning from you, Mr. Hardy.”
The shuttle was soon docked in the bay of the Mawga regional flagship. A short walk had the pair back out on the balcony, looking down at the scenery below.
Mace asked, “Where to next?”
Bontu pulled up a holo-display. “Next stop is the National Guard facility just north of Danville. We will be dealing with a Captain Jonathan Mayfield.”
“Hmm.”
“What is it, Mr. Hardy?”
Mace crossed his arms. “I just find it curious that we’re having most of our issues with the smaller National Guard posts, that’s all.”
“Should that be of some significance?”
“I suppose not. Just a pattern that stood out to me. Guess it doesn’t matter, though. We want to get these out to everyone.”
The talk with the post commander stretched out to almost an hour. Jonathan Mayfield was not familiar with the mission and as such held out high suspicion when it came to the requests by Mace Hardy. When the discussion had ended, Mace returned to the shuttle.
Bontu asked, “Did he accept?”
“Not exactly. Ironically, he wants to hear from someone higher up in his command chain. I explained that he could do that with the comm device, but he was unwilling to relent. I think if we revisit Mr. Mayfield in a couple weeks, I should be able to turn him.”
Bontu frowned. “Are you telling me you were unsuccessful?”
“Unfortunately so. But hey, you win some, you lose some. And as I said, we come back in a couple weeks when he’s had a chance to think on it and see its merits, and I think we’ll get him aboard.”
Bontu sighed. “I had hoped for a better result, Mr. Hardy. The patience of my leadership can sometimes grow thin.”
“Well, Mr. Montak, as you said before, you don’t want to force these things. Give it a little bit of time and I think we can close this one out. We don’t want to push it and end up with another Cincinnati on our hands.”
Bontu bowed. “I would agree.”
The next two weeks were spent with one visit after another. Bontu was pleased with twenty-two out of thirty-two holdouts in Virginia agreeing to accept the comms. Mace assured him the others would soon fall in line.
As they lifted from the last effort, Bontu called Mace into an interior room. “Mr. Hardy, my engineers have completed the suit you requested. You will find it in the closet behind you. Should you require any assistance in putting it on, please do not hesitate to ask.”
Mace smiled. “It’s about time. I was beginning to think you were going to renege on that deal. I’ll give it a shot right now.”
Several minutes passed before Mace Hardy came from the room. “Not a bad fit. A lot more flexible than I would have thought. It’s actually very comfortable.”
Bontu replied, “Yes. Some of our crew and most of our soldiers actually sleep in theirs. They claim it keeps them prepared. I however, think it leads to poor hygiene. Of course, the lower classes of the Mawga have never been much on hygiene. If we were to go down to the lower decks, you would know immediately what I am talking of.”
Mace laughed. “Yeah, we have our share of smelly Humans. I guess that might be a universal thing.”
Mace put on the helmet and promptly ran toward the nearest wall. A heavy thud saw him bounce and fall backward. Bontu stood with a shocked expression.
Mace rolled over and pushed himself to his feet. “That was interesting. My mass was evenly distributed throughout that suit. I would bet I could hit that wall at twice that speed and still come out OK.”
Bontu shook his head. “Please warn me next time before doing such. That is not something I would ever expect from a Mawga. Is that something Humans are prone to do? Just erupt in an abnormal manner?”
Mace smirked. “Well, in fact we do. It may not be often, but most Humans are capable of a similar outburst. If we want to know how something will perform, we take the steps needed to test it. In this case it was one, two, four steps!”
A trip was made back to the cave with Mace taking a day of rest to catch up with the others. After several hours in the evening on the porch talking, the group retired to the Davidson house. Dawn came early in the middle of summer.
Chapter 11
*
Johnny stepped up onto the gift shop porch. Jasper was in his usual chair.
“What’s happening, old man?”
Jasper winced. “This arthritis is killing me slowly. Took all I had to make it here from the cot.”
Johnny glanced in the windows. “I can’t believe you’re still sleeping on that thing. Plenty of houses around here with a bed.”
“Yeah, but it takes too much effort to get to them. Here, six-eight steps and I’m sleeping. Although haven’t been sleeping so well of late. I think the dampness from staying in that cave all winter sunk into my bones.”
Mace and Jeff joined them on the porch. “What’s happening, fellas?
Johnny replied, “The codger’s falling apart on us.”
Jasper scowled. “I ain’t falling apart, just can’t move.”
Jeff said, “You know, one thing I’ve been wondering about: what kind of medical facilities do the Mawga have? With their advanced technologies, perhaps they have something that can help.”
Mace nodded. “I can hit up Bontu with that when he comes today.”
Johnny looked around for comm devices before shaking his head. “I still can’t believe you’re up there with them. Have you had the chance to send anything down?”
Mace returned an angry look.
“What? If we can’t trust these two and Jane, we can’t trust anyone.”
Mace let out a sigh. “Look, we limit the information so we limit the possibilities of us being discovered. I’m not saying any of us would willingly give each other up, it’s just that if one of us is taken away for interrogation, they would almost assuredly make us talk. You might have enough guts to overcome the pain of torture, but you can’t outwit the drugs. And who knows, they may have some machine that can force you to talk.”
“OK, I’ll admit to opening my mouth to these two, but I trust them with my life, and I thought they might also be of help.”
“No. The answer to your question is no. The best I’ve done is managed to get them to make me one of those suits they wear. It’s actually very comfortable, and from what I was told, it will stop most bullets. A strike from one of our ARs would definitely leave a bruise, but it probably wouldn’t penetrate.”
“I can’t say that’s good news.”
Mace took a deep breath. “No, it’s not. And I want you to pass that info on over the military comm network. We need the word to get out that the majority of our weapons may not be effective.”
Johnny crossed his arms. “Why didn’t you bring the suit with you?”
“Bontu doesn’t trust me enough to let me take it off the ship. The helmet has a heads-up display, but the one I have only has a couple symbols that show. Every one I’ve seen that had the shield down was sparkling with symbols and icons. I’d say while in-suit they have access to a substantial amount of information. Bontu just calls it a suit, but it’s definitely battle gear.”
Jeff finished a quick exam of Jasper. “Check to see if the Mawga are familiar with arthritis. And if so, do they have any treatments?”
“I can do that. Say, Jeff, how would you like to go with me on the next run with Bontu? I’m not sure if I can pull it off, but I can try.”
Johnny protested. “Now wait a minute. Why’s the new guy get to go?”
“Because you’re our agent here on the ground and we need you to keep reporting.”
Johnny sat silent for several seconds. “Meh. Always something stupid.”
Jasper snickered. “You got the stupid part right.”
Jeff said, “What do you have in mind for me if I go?”
Mace looked out toward where the shuttle would normally land. “I think you could work the me
dical angle. Quiz them on treatments, drugs, machines, diagnosis. Basically everything related to health. And not only our health, their health as well. Maybe we get lucky and they slip up and give us something we can use.”
“I would be happy to give it a shot, Mr. Hardy.”
Jane climbed up on the porch. “This the meeting of the local men���s club?”
Mace gestured toward the chairs. “We might as well sit for this one. I’ll fill you all in on what I know.”
Jane raised her hand. “If it makes you feel any better, I’ve been off the nutrient bars for a week. Kinda feels like a fog that had been settling over me has lifted. Jeff’s tests with that stuff showed how potent it is.”
Mace sat forward in his chair. “It’s like this: we’re fairly certain the Mawga will be using the comm devices, not only to listen in on our conversations, but to also track us. There’s still a slim chance it’s all innocent, but given the drugged nutrient bars I’m having a hard time believing that. So please, always leave your comms put away unless we’re heading into town or traveling somewhere. While I’m on that ship, I have comm available, so if an emergency arises where you might need my help, call. Just don’t pass on anything sensitive.”
Mace’s arm pad buzzed from inside the gift shop. A holo-image popped up above it. The small mouth of Bontu Montak smiled as Mace opened the door and walked in.
“Mr. Hardy, please gather your people around, we are only moments away from a broadcast by your president. It seems many in your government have returned to their offices in Washington. The president will be addressing the public over the comms that have been distributed. Of course, not everyone will be able to listen, but this should only be the first of many such broadcasts as your government re-forms.”
Mace replied, “We’re all here, Bontu.”
The gray alien looked over the image from the camera on Mace’s arm pad. “Were there not seven in your party, Mr. Hardy?”
Mace nodded. “There were. Two of us have recently moved into town.”
Bontu again smiled. “Perhaps they are working on the new community center? It is a worthwhile cause. I will be by to pick you up this afternoon, Mr. Hardy. I look forward to our continued work. Please hold for your president.”
HADRON Axiom Page 10
