The Centauri Conspiracy

by G Russell Peterman

Chapter Thirty-four

  Mechanicals reprogrammed

  Inside a large open third level warehouse Breen, Woodin, Algrin, Maag, Bakman, and the three mechanicals: Vee, Dee, and Zee are inspecting a warehouse piled high with cases. Maag is showing them a case full of a housing unit with a stack of forty-nine behind the open case. He points to a case and to a portable view-screen on a stand beside it. On the screen, a case opens. Someone, a worker’s hand touches a spot inside the case, hurries away, and the unit expands out of the case. Tubes fill with compressed air and a large gray tent like unit rises to stand beside the case. Someone returns with a tool and puts fasters down for the tent to be secured to a warehouse floor. “Inside,” a flat unemotional voice reports, “it has four rooms.”

  Maag reports, "This unit is designed for two people to a room, six people, and a common room. Tent material cannot be cut by a knife or penetrated with an ice pick or small caliber bullet. Each includes air mattress cots and bedding. Each unit’s fabric is expected to last out in the weather for almost a hundred years, but to be sure patching is included."

  Bakman offers, "I'm impressed. Now, after the army inspects each of these cases we will then remove all but twelve of these largest units, four to a planet group. These will be only emergency shelters or storage units. Where do we get rid of all that other stuff?"

  Maag replies, "My crew will take out the compressed air cylinders and blankets and disposes of them separately. The building developer Evan Kingman still has that large fill project below and around a new basement in the southern part of the city without a night shift. We'll arrange for a private dark night burial."

  "Good, the U.N. people have accepted the design, manufacturer, and material. We have shipped them two cases of each size unit which they will keep as a large open and closed demonstration model."

  "Next," Maag says as he moves down to a stack of boxes filled with food packages and hands each one a package of dried and vacuum-packed food. Each package holds one meal for six people he tells them. The portable screen runs through a program telling about ten different kinds of main meals sealed in packages inside of each box, tells how many total meals, details two sets of directions on a package telling of various ways to prepare it, and tells how many people each case will feed for a month.

  When the program ends, Maag informs them, "The U.N. gave us an approved list of foods, amounts, and contractors that would provide the filled and sealed containers. Harry paid the bill; they shipped the packages in various sized boxes to us. All we had to do was transfer them into our cases. Only a hundred cases are here. The rest are downstairs in two full warehouses, and our extra food is in a third and fourth. Each extra food case includes powdered drink mixes such as orange drink, hot chocolate, milk, and a lot of baby formula. Dee also requested several cases, at least two in each section, filled with children’s toys and two with older children games."

  As Bakman nods his agreement and hands back his package; the others do too. He asks, "Maag, do we have any word on when the Inspectors will be here?"

  "The U.N. asked if everything could be ready for inspection by the first week of next month with their people to start transporting on the 27th. We should have nearly three weeks to make our adjustments."

  "Next," Maag says walking down to three longer cases filled with warehouse units. The screen shows a larger warehouse tent rising and being fastened down. Inside are four large rooms for the storage of food and supplies. As the screen finishes the voice adds that one of the larger building will be the colony hospital, one for administrative offices, and others used for tool, clothing, medicine, and food storage. Maag adds after the screen goes dead, "We have weighed a case full of packages of food and building units so we can pack anything and equal the same weight. My people will remove all of these units for the land fill. Three of these longest cases will hold the mechanicals."

  All eyes turn as Dee enters quietly and hurries to Duffy’s side.

  A smiling Bakman looks at the group to see if there are any questions and no one has any. "Your people, Maag, Woodin, and Algrin, have done well." Turning to look at the three mechanicals, "We have only one thing left to do with the loading. Dee, Vee, and Zee each of you will ride in one of these long sealed cases and will be given new memories for tasks you need to do."

  As Bakman pauses and glances left as a white-headed technician in a long white coat approaches. Bakman turns to warmly hug and kiss each of his three companions, "Dee, Vee, and Zee we wish you could keep your memories of us, but they will need to give you new memories. All the complicated tasks you need to perform in space will not permit you to keep any old memories. Your memory banks are not large enough. You will not remember us, but we will remember you always. Every person on earth will remember your names for thousands of years for what you are doing. It is the most important of all the tasks on this project. We want to say to each of you goodbye, have a safe flight, and good luck. Then afterward,” pointing at the approaching man in white, “I want you to follow this technician and do what he tells you."

  Bakman’s wife Dee with tears streaming down her face walks forward to hug each of the three mechanicals and kiss them on the cheek. Warmly Bakman hugs and kisses each one on the lips. Behind Bakman and his wife, the others followed hugging and kissing each mechanical. Goodbyes finished the three mechanical women smile, nod goodbye to the group, and quietly follow the technician in the long white coat.

  As the door closes behind the mechanicals Maag hands Bakman a disk. “Did you know the day before he died that Harry gave a last eight billion dollar gift to the U.N. to cover new costs associated with his order and last overruns,” Maag tells the group and nods toward a computer operator and on the screen flashes a list. They all move that way and silently read the list.

  Bakman is the first to speak, “Three more animal cloning chambers. Three sets each of five-pair nitrogen containers necessary for cloning chamber births of sheep dogs, goats, sheep, cows, horses, chickens, song birds, bald eagles, and pigs. That makes one set and chamber for each planet along with dozens of extra seed containers. The order lists three seed containers each of assorted flowers, vegetables, hard and soft trees, dozens of fruit trees, flowering bushes. It also lists three cases of hard red wheat for bread, and two additional cases for each section of summer and winter wheat, oats, soy beans and wing bean, barley, flax, and an assortment of other beans. Our Harry was a thinking man. I bet he told the U.N. they needed extra to make sure the Mars Colony survives.”

  The meeting ends.

  It seemed strange to step out in the hall without Zee waiting, but Mary was. Dee brought her and left Mary on guard outside. On the way up with his wife Dee and Mary at his side he called Wray and ordered a seven billion dollar transfer to the Clone Colony, “Make it in Mary’s name . . . a small brief note simply saying: In remembrance of Harry and signed Mary.”

  Dee cried.

  Mary whispered, “Sonny,” in his ear as she hugged him almost too tightly.