by Keith Martin
“It has to be some kind of Black Ops kind of thing Commander.” Samantha suggested.
* * *
It was the backside of the base, it was rumored that Vic had placed the radar station way out on the top of the mountain so that the man working there would be tortured while they were on duty. It was a twenty-minute ride out to the station and the Radar Com Room was bare bones clean. A coffee pot, creamer, sugar and cups was all there was in the place that didn’t have to do with detecting some inbound object or signal.
All he had done was drink a little too much, the bar tender had cut him off kindly and he didn’t mind a bit, he was walking to his quarters anyway. Then he walked right into someone as he rounded a corner. And POW... he was in a fight. But then they were brother diggers; they worked together and played together. So it was just fine with both of them to throw a little punch here and there, kind of like bulls squaring off. After all, what’s a little fight between friends? Under their shared drunken hazed brains they both had plans to laugh about this in the morning. But right now it was time to throw a little punch and do a bit of squaring off. After all they drank enough to act like fools so they did feel they had the right to do so.
Vic didn’t see it as such, fighting scared the women and children and it was simply not good behavior in the halls. He didn’t even say a word to either of them, he simply walked up to them quickly and the first of them to see Vic stopped fighting and warned the other.
“PATTY…. It be Vic here my friend.” He gave a warning and practically fell into his friends arms so spent from his night on the town.
Vic had to try to not just laugh at the two drunken fools. They now stood before him like the stumbling fools they were holding each other up and weaving on their feet. He knew these men were friends; but he had to do his duty.
“Yes Sir. We will be reporting as ordered Sir. God bless you Sir. We boy’s are just fools don’t ya know.” One said with a deep Irish accent. “Patty here is the salt of the Earth and a damn good man to have in a dig, work elbow to elbow with him day and night. Why he’s my best friend.” He was drunk as a lord.
“May the Virgin Mary bring her blessing upon you Sir?” Patty added trying to lighten their sentence while weaving in his drunkenness. “And bless you for being an understanding, kind man who understands we men just have to blow off a little steam now and again.”
He had not said a word to these men; they knew their sentence without his passing it on them. That was the kind of respect he had earned and commanded.
Standard duty for punishment was fifteen days, six hours on six hours off. “Ok… five days for fighting in the halls” He gave them a little break knowing this was just friends playing a bit rough, it was 235am and the halls were empty except for these two fools. So no one had been bothered by their antics.
It was a light fine; they had to give that to Vic. The man had been a saint as far as they were concerned. But out here on the forth day in a row it was getting down right maddening. Nothing ever happened and if they fell to sleep on duty Vic had vowed that they would be there until hot sections of the underworld froze over.
Coffee was their saving grace and they consumed gallons of it.
* * *
All hell broke loose at one time. A laser came blasting out of space and it downloaded terabytes in milliseconds. Then it set up a stream of information to feed non-stop. It was all out of his hands, the system was being run from somewhere, but he wasn’t touching a thing. He tried to read the flow of input and he decided to do the smart thing, after all they were just diggers.
“Vic Here” He answered his phone once he woke.
“Sir, ‘tis I, Robert. I’m up here with my friend Patty Boy at the radar.”
“Hi Robert, what can I do for you?”
“Sir, you best see this for yourself. It’s coming in from G-1, it’s riding on a stream of light and it’s more than our poor diggers minds can keep up with. It looks like the Commander has found a ship of some type, U.S. made but not on the books.”
* * *
He leapt into his pants and socks to the hall floor and dashed into Mission Control. The place had only one tech on duty and she was getting herself a coffee. Vic tapped in his code and he got online with the radar station.
* * *
“Samantha I would like it if you would put in some time with the Drop Simulator. You’re up for half the drops this crossing and no hitting the base.” He winked at her. “That’s a big no no.”
“Joshua… “ She whispered to him. “…. I’ve never done a drop even on a simulator.”
They were totally blowing it on camera for anyone to see that knew them. It would be obvious they had feelings for each other.
“Any girl of mine will be able to hit the mark just like her man can; do I make myself perfectly clear?”
“Yes Sir.” She sat tall with a smile across her face.
“One hundred drops on 3-M, if your hitting ninety-five percent within ten miles, your doing great.”
“What do you hit Jackal?”
“All of them. But let’s get you to ninety-five percent right now so you can get the feel for the live performance. It’s naptime for me now. Wake me if there are any changes.”
She couldn’t believe he was going to sleep while they were streaming the feed to the Moon. She almost wanted to kick him into action.
The computers were hard at work compiling all the information they could find. The wavelengths of the scanners had been narrowed to its strongest setting and it was studying the ship with all of its power. Coolers had to kick on to help take the load of power being put out by the ship. Joshua was missing nothing. The ships computers were doing all the work for now, all he could do was sit there and watch them compile input. That information would be studied, digested and sent back to him by those on the Moon, and that was good enough for him.
* * *
Terry Bluer had been one of Otto’s best friends as they went through school in the pack they called their gang. He had a sister that was only a little kid when Terry graduated from college, a gift from God their mother would say, being she came so late in her life. She was the angle of the Bluer family and she was in love with Otto from the moment she set eyes on him.
Otto was there when Linda was brought home from the hospital. He was introducing his wife to be to them all that day and Linda was kicking up a fuss to beat the band. Even her own mother couldn’t get her to calm down. Otto picked Linda up and simply whispered deeply from within rumbling in the baritone of his voice. “I have eaten bigger steaks then you, quiet down of I’ll break out the barbeque sauce and start the coals”
To everyone’s surprise Linda quieted right down and was out like a light in seconds as Otto carried her around the living room describing to her the manor of her demise and the feasting of her flesh until the dogs finished her tiny bones. “See, just have to show them who the boss is and let them know just what their value is at their age!” He laughed setting her down to nap in her crib.
He was 21 years of age that day and he became a part of her life for the first 10 years of it.
It was four years before Ashley was born and his family got started.
Otto could still remember carrying little Linda as a backpack as he walked through the halls of Sac. State on graduation day carrying her to see Terry graduate pushing a stroller with Ashley in it.
Now she was thirty-one and Otto’s best friend and had been for years.
She was also called Chair Linda from California.
She sent the email transcript of the heated World Chair meeting to him thirty-six hours ago. She still had no reply from him and was worried.
She walked into her apartment on the top floor of a hillside complex in Vallejo California located just north of San Francisco. She loved the weather in Vallejo and enjoyed how close it was to big city life.
She felt sorry for the Chairs who had to travel across seas for the monthly meetings. She was spent from it all and she only had to cross
a country.
Showered and in her own bed, sleep quickly took her. She woke after a dream of war between men and women had scared the sleep out of her. She was dripping in sweat and her heart was racing.
She didn’t check time or even think about it. She dialed Otto’s cell phone number from her laptop.
“Hello. Otto Here, How can I help you?”
“Otto, its Linda.”
He was wide-awake now in an instant.
“Did you read the email I sent you?” She noticed the Moon time clock on her Laptop. It read 345am. “I’m so sorry for calling so late Otto.”
“Linda there is no time of day or night you are not welcome to call me. I love to be called by a gorgeous woman; you know that.” He teased her. “Your calling is the best though. How’s my girl? Let me know what’s going on? I know you didn’t call just to visit.” His words reminded her of how much she felt for him. He had always been there when she needed him the most.
Her emotions overwhelmed her hearing his voice, and she knew she had to have his opinion on this right away. She just left it in Otto’s hands knowing he would do what was right for everyone. “Please just read the e-mail I sent you Otto and call me back right away.”
“Ok Linda.” He could tell there was something truly rotten going on.
“And Otto, I…. we … can only say that she has been retired and that we will never hear from her again. She was given a small farm and that is where she must stay. Very few supported her at all. Word is coming in on them also. It was all recorded of course. I’m sending you a code and site to go to so that you can view it yourself.” She hit send.
“I’ll call right back then.” He agreed.
“God bless you Otto.” She ended the call.
Switching on his laptop he went to IAMIRONDAD@ CHISHOLM.com. It all opened up with a fingers request and Otto called for a meeting right then. Within minutes Vic, Chris, Ton, and Fred were all on their way to Mission Control. Otto called it an “Emergency Meeting”. Otto hopped a ride on a transport heading the right way as he stepped out of his housing unit.
They were together within minutes; the General cleared Mission Control of all personnel for this meeting. Otto told him this was a need to know meeting, but that it would be brief.
First, he showed them all the information he had, and they spent half an hour viewing a copy of the Chair Meeting.
At first Vic and Fred were united in their front to lock the Moon down to all flights.
A knock at the Mission Control room door brought a response from Vic. He allowed Pete to enter. “Sir’s, you should know that; on the Order of Chair Linda, all shuttles have landed safely, and are on base. That is all G-Class and Columbia Class shuttles in operation at this time have been returned to S.M.B. Sir. Her orders were for all shuttles to be returned to S.M.B. and for me to tell you this only after Mr. Chisholm called a meeting of the department heads.” He turned to leave and Otto stopped him asking, “Her orders went directly to you Pete?”
“The e-mail stated this to be family business Sir, family supersedes all other obligations I have. You are my family Sir.” Pete stated it as fact. “The fact that the flight schedule allowed this to happen without having to break my word to Chair Linda is just a saving grace. G-3 was on Earth at the time and she ordered it to the Moon with my assistance.”
“Stay.” The General’s barked order stopped him from turning to go.
“So men…. Earth is asking if we can take more women here.” Otto started the real meeting at 430am. “I say we take all we can.”
The look on Ton’s face was priceless. “Even Fred will be able to get a wife.” He poked fun at the General.
After a good round of joking like schoolboys, Otto called for all Crew Heads to meet them at once. This was going to have to be thought out. Would they have enough food? Air? Water? Heat? It all had to be worked into this situation.
* * *
The meeting broke up when Chief said. “That’s like four girls each.” With a wry grin filling his face. “We are going to be the Moon based stud farm!”
* * *
There was a vote as things happened on the Moon. It took place at 6am at the chow hall doors. A call went out for all the base personnel to vote right away.
* * *
Knowing that Linda would be worrying about how they would take this event, Otto called her as soon as the vote was finished. It had been a landslide. “Hi Linda.”
She took her seat. “Hello Otto.” She knew he would have news, but her worrying had kept her up all night and she was starting to think that the others on the Moon would react negatively to this event.
“We were shocked at first, but we really like that one woman from California, she is a real firecracker, and a real looker too.”
“Otto!” She chastised him for teasing her. She felt her face grow warm from the flow of blood reddening her cheeks.
“We have had a meeting and we have taken a vote.”
“Yes Otto.” She had her fingers crossed.
“We will take a thousand more now, three thousand more after a year or so.”
“Otto that is great news, I will let everyone know.” She was overjoyed.
“We do have rules. We pick the women. That way no one could ever invade us here. We are trying to save us; not kill anyone off.”
“We agree completely Otto. We all must work together to survive this.” He could hear the relief in her voice.
This was where Otto took his own life in hand, making a change he should have made years ago. “Linda…. the women here will need women leaders, women to help them grow into good strong women who will not just mother children, women that will add to the effort of saving us all at the same time. Teachers, to help with the babies as they come and all that running of a fair size city full of women and children would entail.”
“Yes Otto and more.”
“Linda I think I’ve mourned enough. I want you to be on the first shuttle up from Vandenberg.” He made his proposal.
“The answer is yes Otto.” She couldn’t believe this was happening. “I have a life partner Otto; we have been together for about a year. Her name is Jill and she is an Oceanographer. Where I go she will follow. Are you ready for that?”
“The answer is yes.” It was a new life mankind was leading and he leapt in headfirst.
Linda loved him for the strong man he was, and knew she was making the right choice. “I’m sure you will soon love her as much as I do. And she is a looker Otto.” Linda added.
“Let’s make this happen then.”
“I will call her as soon as we hang up.” Linda started to make plans for this new life. “How long do I have?”
“A few days on the outside and you both have to go through Medical before they put you in a shuttle. Contact the Commander at Vandenberg and coordinate this effort from there.”
“Anything I can do to help will be done Otto, you have my cell number and I’ll be awaiting your call…. I love you!”
“I love you too Linda… I have for years…. It will be good to finally show you just how much I feel for you.” He now felt able to begin showing her his inner self; he no longer felt a need to keep his feelings locked away from the world, or this woman he loved so deeply.
* * *
Shianne asked her father if it would be possible to help out by piloting a shuttle for the mission. “Supplies and a load of women to get things rolling?”
Otto gave this request to the General. He could have approved her request himself. But the chain of command was established for a reason, and even he felt it best to follow it when there was no reason to circumnavigate it.
Shianne was told to wait half an hour and report to the General’s office.
“Hello Shianne. Please sit down.” The General scowled as she entered his office.
“Hello Fred.” She feared him not one bit. He could have eaten her whole, yet she knew he was a friend from the start and harmless to women.
�
��Shianne… Con Man is a perfectly good flier. He has commanded these crossing missions for a year now using the G-Class remote piloting system. You didn’t expect me to just let some girl take on the duties of a Commander, did you?”
“But…” She started to try to defend herself.
“There will be no ‘buts’ here in my office young lady. Only full Commanders will pilot G-Class shuttles. Do I make myself perfectly clear?”
She was pouting like a little girl but responded with her chin held high. “Yes Fred.”
Fred hit the intercom. “Please have that party step in here now.”
“Sir, it would be better if you two step out here.” His aide informed him.
“Shuttles are not toys.” He took her by the elbow and started to escort her as he gave her direction. “We cannot have a woman just come in here and start taking over. Even if she is Otto’s little girl.” He was hamming it up good now.
Shianne smelled rotten kimchee.
* * *
They were all there and more, the crowd had to number in the hundreds, most were miners. They had adopted her the day she arrived on the Moon and she showed them that she could drive loaders with the best of them. So she fit them all right down to the ground and earned their respect in just a few days on the Moon.
Otto’s voice bellowed from the crowd. “Shianne Chisholm you will face the General and do as he asks.” His order left no room for question and she turned to the General at once.
“Yes Daddy.” She responded quickly.
“YES DADDY.” Came a roar as a hundred miners started to tease her and Otto at the same time.
“I try to take you men into the public and look what it gets me?” He shot back and sent a roar of laughter through the gathering.
She stood before the man at attention. ‘Impressive’ he thought as he took her measure. “You will raise your right hand.” Then he looked to the men. “SHUT YOUR CAKE HOLES!”
