Chapter 7: Hold Outs
Wilson had one trip he was duty bound to make. He had to go to the other side of the planet and meet with a group of hold outs in a place they called The Sanctuary. About a thousand or so rich people, and noblemen had built a deep shelter in one of the mountains on the other side of the planet. They had hoped that they could survive the asteroid bombardment by building a shelter in the mountains. Thinking that the mountain they had chosen would protect them from the bombardment. It wouldn’t. Wilson engineers had advised him that while the habitat would survive a direct hit from even a mountain size asteroid, it wouldn’t survive the geophysical damage of a near miss. It had been a good attempt at saving themselves. But after months of building, and research Wilson felt it was a wasted effort. He had thought to prohibit the construction, but had decided to let it go. He had better things to worry about and the construction used only materials the evacuation command didn’t need. Now as he and the Queen flew half way around Trena, he wondered if he shouldn’t have put an end to it early on.
The Queen had been oddly silent as they flew over her world. She was watching the lush forests and sparkling lakes pass beneath them. She saw herds of wild animals running on the plains. Trena was a beautiful world. A world that was still mostly undeveloped. The crown had worked hard to have a coordinated development plan. Opening portions of Trena for development as needed. Most of the Queen’s people lived with in three thousand miles of the capital. Only outposts existed on the other continents. Those were mostly militia and science outposts just to keep an eye on things. Now as she toured her world for the last time in route to a bunch of hold outs she wondered if she could have done something besides evacuate Trena. Surely their technology could have saved it. Maybe a force field around some of the key city cities would protect them. Maybe letting the military have live fire events in the asteroids approaching them. But even as she thought that she remembered the nearly daily briefings that her science staff had given her, ones she hadn’t shared with Mike. There was no amount of technology that could save them. One of the guys had suggested moving Trena in her orbit. When asked what it would take, the scientist admitted it couldn’t be done. A force field a shield in space was impractical. That shield may have prevented the smaller ones from falling but not the bigger ones. As much as she didn’t like it was still the right decision.
“Mike,” the Queen said suddenly, “We have to work to make sure this doesn’t ever happen again.”
Mike uncertain what to say finally said, “On Home, I think I will ask the assembly and Jill to support a royal college to research how to prevent planetary disasters. I think the people of Home will buy into it.”
“I think so too.” the Queen replied. “If I have to be one of your daughter regents, I might as well get the things I want done.”
“Aggie,” Mike asked “Are you going to be able to be just her regent and not want to run the government?”
“It’ll be hard Sir Mike,” the Queen said honestly, “but I have Uncle Larry to guide me and you. We can make this happen.”
They landed a few minutes later at the hold outs sanctuary they we met by an armed party. Wilson who was unarmed and only had Mac with him stepped down from the landing craft with the queen and walked to their leader. Lord Wallace, he had been one of the more vocal opponents in the parliament and had until the speaker had censored him worked against the evacuation, that and the assassination of Lord Ramsey.
“We are not leaving Marshal Wilson,” the man said defiantly, “You can’t make us.”
“Lord Wallace,” the Queen said, “we are not here to make you leave. We are here to appeal; to you one last time to come to your senses and let us evacuate you. We will hold enough transport ready for you up and until the asteroids start falling. After that we will not be able to come back and rescue you until the last of the rocks stop falling. We have calculated that Monday of next week the first of the rocks will fall on Trenaport, and will continue to fall on about Trena for two days. It will be another six months before the planet may be stable enough for us to mount a rescue mission.”
“The orbital industries have agreed to come to our aid if we need help.” Lord Wallace replied.
“Lord Wallace,” Wilson said, “I am leaving food, water, building supplies, rescue equipment in hardened spots around the main continent. Old defense supply catches that the military had stocked piled weapons in. I have removed the weapons and have filled them with everything you might need to survive long term on Trena. The orbital industries may be too busy trying to save their orbital facilities to help you. I am leaving an LC 10 in each of the facilities. Also a couple of APCs and enough communications equipment so you can send an SOS.”
Wallace was speechless. He had thought Wilson would have forced them to abandon the sanctuary and go with them to Home. He had have expected a squad of militia men to make it happen.
“Thank you sir,” he finally spoke, “My people will need some of that stuff later.”
“In return sir,” Wilson said, “I want each and every one of your people to come before me and state that they are staying of their own free will and are not under duress. Those who want to leave will be accorded transportation back to Trenaport where they will be out processed for evacuation.”
“Marshal,” Lord Wallace said and looked toward the opening and waved. About fifty people came out of the tunnel that led into the sanctuary. They all carried a single bag, many were families with children. They walked up to Lord Wallace and waited. “These people have expressed an interest not to stay. I don’t want anyone to stay who isn’t sure this is the right idea.”
“Okay,” Wilson said feeling a bit better, no one was being held against their will.
“Here are statements concerning those who remain behind. Some are last wills and testaments, but all of the testimonies on these data chips indicate they are staying of their own free will.”
“All right then,” Wilson said then pushing a button on his belt, a special radio device that Alice had made up for him to do this. It invaded the Sanctuary’s communications system and overrode every non-life safety system in their sanctuary. “Attention in the Sanctuary. This is Marshal Wilson. Anyone who does not wish to seek sanctuary in this structure is invited to come out now and board the landing craft in front of your main entrance. The landing craft will wait fifteen minutes.”
Wilson cut the communications device and starred Lord Wallace down, daring him to say or do anything. He didn’t, which surprised Wilson. What didn’t were the additional twenty, or so people who came out of the tunnel. Wilson waited thirty minutes from his announcement and then gave Lord Wallace a map of all the facilities he had scattered around the world that his people might use to save themselves. Before he stepped into the landing craft he spoke, “Lord Wallace, we have not been able to get all the people evacuated out of the cities and towns. Some are old people who won’t leave Trena for any reason. Others have been hiding from the evacuation command. You may find that some of these people may make their way here. I ask that you give them sanctuary and help them as much as you can. If word comes back to me on Home that you are not and that you are alive I will fly the landing craft that will bomb Sanctuary out of existence. Good Day!”
“Lord Wallace I ask you one more time to give this up,” The Queen asked.
“I cannot your highness,” the man said.
“Then good day sir,” The Queen was the last person up the cargo ramp. Once aboard she shook her head and then went through the cargo bay to make sure the mostly children were secured. Many of the children were not accompanied by their parents.
“Mike, tell the pilot I want to go to the academy. A lot of these kids are going to become Lady Hawthorn’s and Lady Atomi’s charges.” The Queen said but the load master heard the command and told the pilot over the intercom.
Every Last Mother's Child Page 240
