Naturally, the rest of the circle of cohorts around Mirikami nodded or spoke in support of Thad and Maggi sentiments.
Laughing and shaking his head, he said, “Thanks everyone. I sure don’t want what Maggi calls coddling. She’s been so kind to Dillon that he wears a cup.” He took a deep breath.
“OK, here goes. I want to know more of what that first cargo ship brought us, and what is in the holds of the other ships. Fusion bottles are not built out on the Rim and they are shipped there often. We’ve carried them in our own hold. That one container ship is four hundred feet tall, and somewhat square in cross section. It’s what? Three hundred by three hundred Noreen?” he asked.
“About that size Sir. Most of the boxes are ten feet by ten, and fifty long. There could be three thousand inside her. Is that right Jake?”
“Mam, are you asking about the number of containers in the Transworld Boxter, parked on the tarmac now?”
“Yes Jake.”
“It has a capacity of three thousand six hundred containers if all are the standard dimensions, more if there are half sized containers in the same volume as one standard. There are special containers that can occupy the same space used for multiple singles when oversized equipment is transported, such as assembled mining plants, large excavators, preassemb…”
“Stop,” she said to the AI. To the group, “There could be around thirty six hundred standard boxes. More containers if there are many smaller boxes, fewer if a lot of oversized ones. It’s a lot however we count them.”
Mirikami agreed. “We have plenty of people to help now and more coming. We need more ‘stuff’ and to know what the stuff is. Let’s get busy sorting out what we have and if we have spare fusion bottles if we lose those in the ships.”
The next hour passed with Mirikami meeting with Captains and their officers, and some of their passengers that had specialized backgrounds. Like an applied and a theoretical physicist, seven doctors or surgeons, a mechanical engineer, and several people that heard there was a need for experienced hydroponics help. Those were sent directly to see Jimbo, who was rushing to expand the small hydroponics section already there.
There was a group of four Electrical Engineers, which had been headed to work on a power plant on Thor. They had knowledge of how to handle the electricity a large fusion bottle could generate. There was a wide mix of skills and talents, which would no longer be sacrificed to combat. If they could be kept from ripper jaws and off rhinolo horns.
One unforeseen need was a daycare. There were partial and entire families on some ships, with children of various ages. These ranged from families that were relocating, to those on vacations.
Small children were something the long time captives had not seen for years. Children were not common on the isolated small ships captured previously on the fringes of the Rim, and they hadn’t survived the original boarding process. No pregnancy had been carried to term on Koban, not with the high gravity. Contraception was the norm here when violent death had been the only inheritance.
Eventually Mirikami had to delegate Nory Walters, his Chief Steward, to sort through all the people that started offering their services. Nory sat beside a camera and audio pickup and let Jake record their specifics as they talked, and Nory asked questions. Three other volunteers did the same at other locations around the Great Hall. A catalogue of talent and expertise was being built that might be useful in a pinch. The longtime captives began to open up and share their stories, proving they were overcoming the chaos and paranoia they had lived under for years.
About an hour and a quarter passed before Jake informed him that eight ships were altering orbits, and several had asked for coordinates and landing details. Ms. Jorl’sn was on duty on the Bridge and was handling those requests, and broadcast the coordinates and pictures of the compound and continent to every ship. This time it was decided that all unloading would end thirty minutes before sunset, so there would be no repeat of the nighttime ripper slaughter.
Jake had already reported dozens of blue streakers grazing the grasslands near the river, and rhinolo were seen grazing close to the outside of the ring walls. They could enter at any time. At least a half dozen other species of small to midsized horned animals were browsing in all quadrants. There was even several hundred of what looked like a pale blue horse analogue, but resembled a huge draft horse more than an Arabian speedster. They all were surely followed by their own predators, so the compound was going to become “interesting.”
Everyone had already noticed an increase in the number of small biting insects, now that animals were coming closer. Their lumps of feces were also dropping everywhere they went, and things that eat or live in that food were arriving. The humans had not appreciated how free they had been of these smaller insect pests because their normal hosts had been kept so far away.
When the first ship arrival was within forty-five minutes of estimated touch down, Mirikami was making his way to his ship. As he crossed the ramp, he spotted a pack of six lizard-like animals about two feet high, with long tails held horizontal. They were colored one the ubiquitous shades of teal that helped them blend into the scenery here. Except they were now on the gray and dusty tan tarmac, making them stand out clearly.
Walking on two legs with small arm-like upper limbs, they resembled miniatures of representations he had seen of extinct Earth dinosaurs. Mentioning this resemblance to Jake, he asked for comparisons from the library.
“They closely resemble the body type of a dinosaur group called micro raptors, Sir. The color is uncertain for the earth versions because raptors became extinct over sixty five million years ago when…”
“Stop,” Mirikami ordered. He thought they were funny looking little creatures, practically cute at barely two feet high.
They apparently had spotted him walking on the open tarmac before he had noticed them. He now saw that they were positioning themselves to block a retreat back to the dome. He realized was being stalked by these little animals, which meant they were predatory like Earthly raptors had been.
However, he was a much larger than they were, even if he was smaller than average for a man. That implied a level of confidence he didn’t care for very much. He increased his pace of walking, not wanting to run, which might trigger a pursuit response.
As they moved fully between him and the dome they fanned out and started towards him in a slow but deliberate fashion. Cautiously stalking what was a completely unknown animal, but potentially prey.
He was armed with two pistols, one with soft nose rounds, and one held buckshot. Pulling the buckshot loaded gun he turned and aimed it, somehow expecting them to show some reaction. Of course they didn’t, feeling a flush at his foolishness. They didn’t know what he was, or what he held in his hand.
At about one hundred feet, he decided they were as close as he would let them get. He fired a shot at the animal in the center of the arc of creatures facing him. The buckshot apparently all missed, but he saw a few dust spurts near and behind the one he had aimed at. They all stopped in their tracks or jumped at the whoosh noise when he fired. One of them made a remarkable vertical leap of at least six feet in this gravity, proving the strength in those small legs.
Looking from one to another then back at him, they clearly reached a consensus. All six resumed closing on him in that same cautious stalk. He rapidly fired six more rounds towards different members of the pack, no careful aiming involved, not with buckshot. He counted on their scatter and quantity to hit something.
He did apparently hit two of them because they briefly went down, emitting rather loud screams for such small creatures. The two hit instantly leaped to their feet and suddenly all six screamed in unison and started running at directly at him. He’d managed only to make them angry, and they didn’t seem cute and miniature now.
They were fast as hell, jumping as they ran, making it difficult to keep them in his sights. He drew the second weapon, firing both as he backed as fast as he could towards the shi
p. He knew he couldn’t possibly beat them to the ramp and he didn’t want them leaping onto his back.
Dillon and Deanna had been working with three of the crew of the cargo ship, unloading and inspecting containers. They were currently placing them close to the dome on the southeast side.
They heard Mirikami’s first shot, but it didn’t really draw their attention. People were often taking pot shots at skeeters or high circling wolfbats. Then they heard six rapid shots followed by an alarming scream, and then a massed set of multiple screams.
Thinking they could be human, even though it sounded wrong, Dillon ran out from behind the container Deanna was about to unseal. At first, he saw only Mirikami facing the dome, and couldn’t see what he was watching.
When the Captain started firing with both pistols, rapidly backing away from the dome, Dillon drew his guns followed a split second later by Deanna. They started running towards him and from around the curve of the dome, finally saw what Mirikami was shooting at.
Without a second of hesitation Dillon blazed away with both pistols thumbed to full automatic, one with heavy buckshot loads the other with explosive rounds. Deanna followed suit at a slower pace, with her light shot and soft nose loads. The fusillade of pellets and explosions on the tarmac and into two of the small targets finally deterred the remaining but determined little screaming monsters. Only when they were within twenty feet of their target did they turn aside.
Watching the remaining four animals run away, he wisely reloaded before he looked over and waved at his approaching rescuers.
As they walked up Dillon said, “They were getting so close to you I was afraid to keep shooting on the run like that.”
“I thank both of you for getting me out of that fiasco. I should take my own advice. I told everyone else to go outside in groups or at least pairs, but I thought walking to the Fancy would be close and safe.”
Deanna was curious. “Sir, I’m glad you’re OK, but they looked awfully small. I’ve never seen them before. Do they have a name?”
“I keep telling you to call me Tet, Deanna,” he gently reminded her yet again. “I think those were cooperative little pack hunters that work together to pull down larger animals. They would have had me too, despite my body suit under my uniform. My head and hands are exposed.”
For meeting the other Captains he had been in uniform, but his Smart Fabric uniform was too formal a fashion, even if better protection. So he looked like a pudgy little man when he wore the body suit under normal clothing. Fortunately, his heat modification helped him cope with the extra layer of clothing.
He returned to her question. “I don’t think anyone has reported these before. I guess I’ll follow the example of Ms. Jorl’sn and name them for a characteristic they have. Let’s call those little demons screamers.” The name certainly fit.
“By the way, where were you when you saw me in trouble?”
Deanna pointed towards the side of the dome, at dozens of containers lined along its side. “We were unloading and spot checking some of them. We will need more time to look into several thousand, with more coming down.”
“I was headed to the Bridge, by the way, to find out what we have landing in this wave. Have you found anything of notable interest in those you opened?”
“Would you believe arms smuggling?” Dillon answered with almost glee.
“You’re not kidding? What kind and how much?” There was often contraband, particularly out on the rim.
“I resealed the first one we found as soon as we saw it, so only Deanna and I looked inside. It has some high tech microwave and plasma weapons. On the next container, the workers walked over out of curiosity and saw the guns while we opened some cases. Both containers had similar colors and seals, so I think there are several more. This stuff is all highly illegal, but out on the Rim there would be a market, and less oversight.”
Mirikami walked over and picked up the two obviously dead screamers. “I’ll drop these at the lab.”
He resumed his walk to the ship., “By the way, we only have about thirty minutes before the first of at least eight successive landings. Fun times huh? It’s time to get your butt’s inside and get hydrated, fed, and ready to change jobs. Open these Christmas packages later.”
“Yes Sir.” answered Deanna.
Mirikami sighed. “It’s ‘sure Tet,’ or ‘OK Tet,’ perhaps ‘thanks Tet.’ Practice, practice, and more practice. You’ll get the hang of my name.”
She laughed, winked at him, and said, “I’ll try Sir.”
48. Second Wave.
The fate fairies, probably teal colored here, thought Mirikami, were being kind for a late day start with so many landings.
Jake had informed him that six of the arriving eight ships were cargo vessels, and could safely be allowed to sit after their small crews and a few passengers were removed. The two passenger ships had a combined thirteen hundred forty two passengers and crews. No people would be left aboard any ship for the night.
That left twelve more ships in orbit that could land here, and only two days to finish. Three were cargo and could be set down and left for later. By the time they were all down there would be a sizable fleet, with potentially eighteen passenger ships that would be available for ferry service to the eight huge ships.
One of the Captains staying in orbit overnight learned that none of the planet capable landers was filled to capacity. Their combined unused berths could hold more than eleven hundred passengers from the other eight. He asked Mirikami if the Krall would permit them to dock with the larger ships and take on some of their passengers now before landing. It was an obvious way to save a couple of ferry trips later.
Mirikami managed to speak to a Translator on a Graca Clanship in orbit. After a short wait he got approval for the dockings, which would be done overnight.
If they did the final ferry flights in a continuous string of departures and landings, it was possible to bring everyone down within the next day and a half. Their deadline, to raise the population of Koban Prime to over twenty five thousand in two days, was on track.
What the Krall might do with the remaining eight human ships was unknown. Certainly not to be blown up where they were, and the tiny black holes left by dumping them into a Jump Hole still posed a small collision risk.
With a shiver, Mirikami belatedly thought of a simple third solution. They had been towed here by Clanships in the first place. Thankfully, slow-witted Parkoda had never thought of that alternative for the human ships, with the people still aboard. Simply tow them into interstellar space and then blow them to pieces.
Mirikami wouldn’t bet that Kanpardi, who had shown higher than average Krall intelligence, had not thought of that solution after learning about the towing trick. However, if it helped Tanga clan versus his own clan, he would have kept that to himself.
Parkoda wasn’t likely to become a high status leader in Tanga clan in the coming war. He was too easily out maneuvered in Krall politics. No doubt, he could find ways to get his clan’s less able and inexperienced novices killed in enough numbers to satisfy their Great Path’s evolutionary needs.
The two passenger ships this day were offloaded without much of a problem well before nightfall. There were seven skeeter stings, a few ineffectual wolfbat feints, six broken bones from falls, and tragically three deaths among elderly passengers before reaching the trucks. In the last twenty-two hours there had been five other age related deaths in the older population from the first day’s landing.
After passing an age of a hundred twenty or thirty years, physical deterioration set in that could not be halted or reversed without expensive organ replacement. The brain was the sole organ that couldn’t be replaced. The added strain of a fifty percent increase in gravity hastened the decline, and stroke was the main killer of the older arrivals.
The dome and ships were already buttoned up that night when nine infrared ripper sized signatures were detected entering the compound from the southwest, apparently fo
llowing a small herd of fifty or so rhinolo and dozens of animals about the size of blue streakers.
Two ripper scouts separated from the pride and circled the dome in a careful and slow manner, several times passing under ships where the scent of humans would be fresh. They didn’t come up to the dome itself. A testament to their stalking skills was the times their moonlit and infrared images virtually disappeared in the brush at the edge of the tarmac, only to reappear some distance away.
Shortly after midnight, the scouts swiftly withdrew when distant roars apparently signaled them the pride had made a kill. A few intermittent heat returns were detected near an area that Jake said was a low place in the grasslands near the river. What was disturbing is that the rippers were not detected leaving the compound. It was known that they also hunted in daylight because they had been seen following rhinolo from the air, in scouted Krall hunts. The compound was becoming a very dangerous place, even without Testing Days.
Just after dawn, the Koban Committee met to discuss some facts that Chief Haveram had brought to them from a scavenger hunt. Four of the old blasted ships on the tarmac had superficially intact fusion bottles. They were irreparable, but with a bit of cosmetic external work, and cutting torches to free them from wreckage, they could be substituted for one of the functional units on ships that had similar designs.
Mirikami had some questions. “Chief, assume we get the units freed from the surrounding structures, and drag them to an opening we cut in the hulls. These are jobs we can do out of sight. Have you or any of your counterparts from other ships figured out to move them to where we want them? Doing it in sight of the Krall on the top level?”
“Yes Sir. That big hauler can carry any of them, and carry them right up into the holds where they would be out of sight for the switch. We have a lot of ideas of how to disguise them as various other bulky looking items. But we didn’t come up with a reason why we’d put stuff back into a ship that we’ve spent all day unloading.”
Koban Page 68
