by Unknown
Survival
“Let’s get these stations manned.” Caren took charge, surprising even herself. “Karen, you see to the defense of the two on this side, and I’ll cover the two on the other side.” She pointed to the map. “Two lasers per entrance. That leaves three to defend here. We work in shifts of two hours. Any volunteers?”
Caren’s eyes filled with tears as even the children stepped forward. Recovering her composure, she said, “No one under the age of 25. It’s just too risky.”
“We’ll all die if they break through, anyway. I’m Tom’s oldest, Jason, and I’ve got kids to protect, too,” Jason said.
Jason, that’s Tom’s boy’s name in the past. I wonder if they named a girl Kristy, Caren thought.
“Okay, 21. But that’s final.”
“Who died and made you God? You’re just a clone.” The disgruntled voice of an older teenager carried through the crowd.
“All the more reason for her to do it. She has seniority and has no emotional attachment to any of the children,” Karen came to Caren’s rescue.
Caren disregarded the teens comment.
“We need six team leaders. Four for the entrances, one for home base and one for the runners. We need five people at the entrances at a time in case there is an injury. At the two hour mark, another five will relieve. We’ll send runners out at regular intervals to bring back reports. We need fit people on the runner’s team.”
Caren did a quick head count. “That allows for each shift to get four hours sleep with people in reserve. Who’s got medical experience?” A few hands went up. “We need a makeshift hospital. Are there medical supplies?”
“We’ll have to go to the supply rooms, but there should be,” one of the originals said.
“I’m putting you in charge of overseeing it. Hopefully, it won’t come to that, if the boys get through in time.” She let her eyes rest on the younger children, some of whom were just out of diapers. We have to hope.
If I might. Monroe had been listening to the discussion.
“Wait a moment. Monroe has something to say.” Caren and Karen and the offspring were the only ones who could hear him as none of the other originals had their communication helmets with them.
“Why should we listen to him? He brought the Warriors here,” a dissatisfied original asked.
Because what I have to say is advantageous. The Warriors have a weakness in the neck, knees and ankles where the joints are. I would suggest that you aim to hit them there. The knees and ankles will incapacitate them long enough for your lasers to be trained on the neck to bring it down. The neck will deactivate it.
Caren translated to the others who couldn’t hear Monroe’s thoughts.
“Everyone got that. Aim for the neck, knee, or ankle.” Caren and Karen left with the first teams.
“See you back at home base in a few hours, Sis,” Caren said.
Just as Karen arrived at the entrance Tom-Tom and Caren had entered by, she felt the ground shake. She could hear the Warriors shouting but couldn’t make out what they were saying.
I hope the boys are alright.
“We’re here to relieve you,” she said to the two offspring who had been creating the diversion. Two of the volunteers took up their posts on both sides of the shaft.
Karen headed down to the main entrance to check the layout there. “Why don’t you position a couple of those old vehicles to give you some cover?”
Within minutes, the vehicles were positioned across the entrance forming a barricade.
On Caren’s side, the volunteers were stationed at the shafts. It was only a matter of time before the Warriors found the openings.
Karen and Caren met back at home base. Now the waiting began.
“Monroe. What other weapons do the Warriors have? We found explosives here. Do the Warriors have any?” Caren asked.
The only weapon we believed the Warriors would need is the laser gun and sword. Monroe sat at the table with them.
“And just why is it that there are Warriors in a supposedly peaceful society? I’ve always meant to ask.” Karen fixed her gaze on Monroe.
Monroe coughed uncomfortably. We foresaw that you originals, being impetuous, might create a disturbance. The Warriors were created to keep the peace if that happened.
“And what sort of disturbance are we talking about? Did you expect us to riot?” Karen’s voice had an edge to it that was reflected in her eyes.
You are emotional beings. You are angry now. We future generations do not have such emotions. The Warriors were created lest such emotions run rampant. Emotions cause irrational behavior. Irrational behavior leads to violence. Monroe lowered his eyes from Karen’s.
“You’re right. Right now I could bop you one.” Karen pushed herself up from the table and began pacing.
I do not comprehend that term, Monroe’s brow wrinkled.
“It means, I could punch you in the nose if you had one.” Karen stopped behind Monroe’s chair, rested her hands on the back and leant close to Monroe’s ear and said, “You’re about to see some irrational behavior.” She reached past Monroe, picked up a glass and threw it. It hit the cavern wall and broke into a thousand pieces.
“Unlike you emotionally sterile enhanced human species, we still have the ability to love and hate. Something which makes humanity exciting. Not only did you breed the ability to reproduce out of mankind, you took away his essence and uniqueness. While we’re talking home truths, you and your lot is as boring as watching paint dry.”
Your emotional outburst is a perfect example why we created the Warriors and why much of the Earth is now a barren wasteland.
“This discussion will get us nowhere. We need to concentrate on the task at hand,” Caren intervened.
A runner entered the room panting. “They’ve found one of the ventilation shafts on the west side. They shot Mike. He’s being brought in now. Looks like he’s going to lose his leg.”
“I’ll go see to him.” Karen turned and left the room.
“How are the defenses holding up?” Caren asked.
“We’re keeping them out for the moment. They can’t get down the ladder without being hit, so they are staying on the surface.”
“Monroe. How many Warriors are there?” Caren asked.
We created 25 in total.
“How many do you think they would have sent out here?”
I suspect they might send 15, leaving 10 in the Dome to keep control.
“So there aren’t that many. That works in our favor to keep them out. They won’t be in a hurry to lose too many.”
Karen came back grim faced. “He’ll survive, but he’s lost his leg below the knee. At least the laser cauterized the wound. The medics are keeping him comfortable.”
Another runner came in. “We got one. He tried to get down the shaft, but we hit him in the neck. He made a thunderous bang when he hit the ground.”
“Well, that’s two down. 13 to go,” Caren said. “Have they found the other entrances yet?”
“Not on the west side, no.”
“How long do you think it would take the boys to get to the Mothership?” Karen was looking at her watch. It had been four hours since they left.
“Are you thinking what I’m thinking?” Caren asked.
“That they didn’t make it. Yes, I am.” Karen stirred her cup of coffee.
“I’m going out with the next shift change.”
“I’ll come with you.”
The two shafts the Warriors had found reported sporadic fire. Fortunately, there was no concerted effort to storm the main entrance. The other two entrances were quiet. It would be a long night.
At about midnight a runner came in from the main entrance and reported that it sounded like the Warriors were trying to blast through the fallen rock.
“Do we know how thick it is? It only took a few minutes for a Warrior to blast through five feet.” Caren had an image from a few days ago of the rock being pulverized.
“We
estimate it to be about 50 feet thick,” Pete said. “They’re going to need a lot of fire power to blast a hole large enough for them to enter where they’re not crawling. I guess they want to get their transport vehicles in. You should get some sleep while you can,” he said to Karen and Caren.
I have some sleeping aids. Monroe proffered them to the girls.
CHAPTER NINETEEN
Rescue
“Caren can you hear me?”
Caren was fighting through the fog the sleeping aid caused.
“I’m alright. But we got caught.”
“Tom-Tom, is that you?”
“Yes. We’re in Monroe’s quarters. We need help. They’ll be guarding the Mothership heavily. Don’t use the transport booths.”
Caren sat bolt upright. I have to relay this to Karen and the others.
“Karen, wake up.” Caren called out. “I just sensed that the boys are alright, but they’re imprisoned in Monroe’s quarters. They want us to mount a rescue effort.” She shook Karen by the arm. “Tom-Tom said not to use the transport booths. Get the team leaders.”
Caren relayed Tom and Tom-Tom’s predicament.
“What’s our current status?” she asked.
“The Warriors seem to be concentrating their efforts on the main entrance. The other shafts are quiet. As far as we know, they are yet to find one of the entrances on the west side.”
“We need to rescue them. That’s where we’ll exit,’ Karen said. “We’re not as tech savvy as the boys. We’ll need a Geek with us. Who do you recommend?”
“Blair has been trained on most of the systems in the Dome. He’d be the one I’d recommend,” Pete said.
“Can you push one of those transports?” Caren asked.
“Why?”
“We’ll need to get it a distance away from the Warriors before we start it, or they’ll know we’re there.”
“No. That won’t work. They don’t have wheels. We’re going to have to make a diversion to give you a chance. If we move across the top of the hill, we’ll be firing down on them. They won’t expect us to come out, so we’ll have the element of surprise. That should give you a chance to get away,” Pete said.
“But someone could get killed. If it should be an original, think what that would do to the timelines.”
“We have no other choice. It’s our only shot. I’ll take Jason and three others.”
“Have you got any more explosives?” Caren asked.
“I can get you some. Why?” Pete asked.
“I expect Caren is thinking you can use them for the diversion,” Karen said.
“Not a bad idea.”
“Which is the closest port to your quarters, Monroe?” Caren asked.
Three North. It is 15.78 miles from my quarters.
“And how far is that from the Mothership?”
33.45 miles.
“We’re going to have to figure out a way of using those transport booths once inside the Dome. We don’t have time to walk that far. Blair, do you think you can override the system so they won’t know it’s us?” Karen asked.
“Never tried, but I’m always up for a challenge. I’ve got my trusty interface gadget with me. Never leave home without it.”
The party headed to the west entrance. Pete went up the ladder first and disengaged the hatch mine. “Here goes,” he said cracking the manhole open a fraction. When there was no incoming fire, he heaved it back. “Coast’s clear.”
Once out of the shaft, Karen donned her breathing apparatus.
The party split in two. Caren shouldered her backpack as she, Karen and Blair headed down and around the hill. Pete, Jason, and the others were going across the top. Pete was to give Caren’s crew half an hour and then begin a diversion.
Caren hid behind the same rock Tom and Tom-Tom had used. She could make out the shapes of the Warriors working at the main entrance.
“There’s a transport vehicle about 100 yards over behind where they’re working. It’s the furthest away. As soon as the firing starts, we make for it.”
She had just turned back to look at the entrance when an explosion ripped through the night. Bits of Warriors and chunks of rock flew through the air.
“Okay, let’s go.”
She could hear the laser fire and another explosion as she ran. She looked over her shoulder and saw a couple of Warriors scrambling up the hill towards Pete and Jason. Just don’t stay there and try to be heroes, she thought.
They jumped aboard the transport vehicle and dumped their backpacks on the floor.
“Can you operate one of these?” she asked Blair.
“Does a bear shit in the woods? Hold on to your hats, ladies.”
Clunk. Followed by another clunk. The transport lunged forward a couple of feet and stopped.
“Sounds like the bear might be constipated,” Karen remarked. “What’s the problem?”
No sooner had she spoken, the engine sprang to life and the sound of the battle faded in the distance. The only other sound was the sweet whirring of the transport engine.
“You did it,” Caren shouted with glee.
About a mile out from the Dome, they ditched the transport and proceeded on foot. Not far they came upon the remains of the two Warriors who had been chasing the boys.
“Looks like the boys took care of business up to this point,” Karen said.
“I hope we don’t meet one of those giant moles,” Caren said.
“What giant moles?” Karen asked.
Caren related the story of her toilet experience which had Karen laughing.
“I can just see myself sitting semi-naked on the can with my suit down around my ankles, covered in mole guts,” Karen laughed.
“Thanks very much. You should try it sometime.”
They made their way along Three North to the deporting platform. Caren peered around the corner. “There’s a Warrior on the platform. What should we do?”
“I’ve got an idea,” Blair said. “If you set our lasers to stun and hit him at the same time, you might be able to deactivate him. Then I can get into his circuitry and re-program him.”
The girls each switched their lasers to stun. “On the count of three. One, two, three, fire.”
The impact knocked the Warrior over. Blair raced up and began to strip him.
“What are you doing?” Caren asked.
“There has to be some access point to his circuitry. I just don’t know where it is.” He pitched the Warrior over onto his stomach and felt down his back. “Got it.” He got out a pocket knife and dug it into the artificial flesh at the base of the spine and popped open a panel. Blair took his interface gadget and connected it to the Warrior. Lines of code formed a hologram. Blair manipulated them for several minutes. “Got it, now he should do as we tell him when I reactivate him. Have your lasers ready just in case, though."
The Warrior sat up and grabbed at his laser.
But he didn’t point it at them. He just sat there as if he was waiting for an order.
“You’re going to take us to Monroe’s quarters. You’re going to pretend we’re your prisoners. You’re to tell the other Warriors you have orders to put us in with the prisoners. Do you understand?”
The Warrior gave a signal of affirmation.
They made their way to the transport booth, heeding the warning Tom-Tom had given them.
“Get the Warrior to contact the control room and tell them he’s transporting prisoners to Monroe’s quarters,” Caren said.
Blair punched his interface gadget, and the Warrior made the contact.
“Now get him to contact the guards at Monroe’s quarters and tell them he’s coming with more prisoners. Hopefully, they won’t suspect anything.”
“Lasers at the ready in case we end up in the control room. We’re not going down without a fight,” Karen said.
The transport booth door opened, and the girls sprang out outside Monroe’s quarters. They aimed for the necks of the two Warriors standing guard.
We’re in strife now, Caren thought.
But the Warrior fired on his compatriot bringing him down.
“What’s going on out there?” Someone banged on the door.
“Hold on boys. We’re here to rescue you. We’ll get you out as soon as Blair deactivates the lock on the door.”
Inside Tom looked at Tom-Tom, “We’ll never hear the end of this.”
Tom-Tom looked puzzled, “What do you mean?”
“The girls rescuing two ex-Navy guys. How’s that going to look on our resume?”
CHAPTER TWENTY
Aftermath
Pete lobbed the explosive device toward the Warriors. The blast lit up the night sky. “Take that.” He watched several Warriors fly thru the air. “Get ready boys. That surely pissed them off so they’ll be coming soon.”
Before the cloud of dust had settled the Warriors began firing towards where they thought the explosive device had come from.
“Here comes another one,” Pete said as he hurled another explosive that landed amid a group of Warriors. Cyborg parts flew everywhere. “That’s taken care of a few of them.”
Those left standing began to scramble up the hill towards Pete’s group.
“How many of them do you think we got?” Jason asked.
“At least five or six.” Pete fired rapidly. “You know where to aim, so let’s get these suckers.” The remaining Warriors were closing fast. “Let’s hope the girls got away. Time to fall back.”
The party of five broke cover and headed for the shaft, firing over their shoulders as they ran. The man beside Pete fell. Pete reached down to lift him up but the man’s arm came away in his hand. He lifted him from the other side and half carried him toward the shaft. He had no idea how he was going to get him down.
He could see the Warriors gaining on them.
“Over here,” Jason called. “The shaft’s over here.”
Pete changed directions, dodging lasers as he ran. The first man was climbing into the shaft. The other two were firing on the Warriors.
