Chapter 5: This old Camp Ground

Silas liked the new cabins they all looked similar to Quonset huts. Just over thirty-two by eighty-two feet, they were designed for a southern summer, with nine-foot ceilings that carried the heat away. Twenty-four kids could sleep upstairs with a place for two to three cabin monitors downstairs. In the event of rain, the Great Room would be able to house everyone for the duration, providing there was a guiding presence and a fun activies. A plaque on the door on the first hut proclaimed they were gifts from Whitefeather Industries in Lone Butte, British Columbia.

Silas had become a de facto member of the unofficial Confederacy USO. Specifically the Confederacy personnel stationed on the various moon bases became the focus of his efforts. Cabin 19 expanded underground, the modifications allowed lunar visitors a more unobserved rest and relaxation. The productivity on the lunar bases increased once this escape became available.

Each time a different extraction model occurred, Silas slipped further and further away from the center of Earth First's attention. The focus of the anti-Confederacy groups now changed. Though he missed guiding a church, he had found a mission here. He never left Garland County.

Entire office buildings had recently been extracted across the globe. An unintended consequence sometimes was children left behind. Not every sponsor would take concubines' children. These unwanted children became wards of the state. Silas believed this increase in orphans was something the Confederacy should want to address.

The next four weeks would be hectic. To draw an analogy to a ballet would be an understatement. Silas preferred thinking of this in terms of a square dance. The dancers would be here, the musicians would be in Omaha, and the caller would be watching from the moon through a telescope.

At one point Silas almost ended the project before it began. What should they do with those orphans over fourteen who would not submit to the Confederacy? The answer came in the from a patriot group, modeled after the Einherjar in Europe and located in the Rockies. They would take and train any who said "no" to being extracted. The initial alternative suggestion had been to silence them by recycling.

Four buses would arrive in the morning, containing two hundred and thirty-four children between six and eighteen years of age, plus their guardians. The Quonset huts were replicas of high-capacity Confederacy transport pods. If everything went to plan by the next day these children would be safe.

The four charter buses arrived one hour before lunch. The reconfigured cafeteria was ready. Silas gave a short and quick blessing, as it was dangerous to have hungry kids in proximity to food. Directions given by the cafeteria staff resulted in everyone being fed in forty-five minutes. After the welcoming speech, the campers' tour of the facility ended at their bivouac huts. By three o'clock, they were ready to swim in the lake.

Watching the kids run around enjoying themselves tugged at Silas's emotions. These kids needed a break from the norm. Only the threat of cold spaghetti caused the stragglers to leave the water. There was a short devotional after supper Pete Hinkle led the group through safety protocols. From 7 PM to lights out each age group had free time in the game room or on the courts. By 10:15 PM, it was lights out.

"Up! Up! Everybody this is a drill!" It wasn't until nine-year-old Ellen's bed was shaking that she understood what was happening. "Proceed to the central stairs in an orderly fashion." A line was forming toward the center of the dorm room.

Joining the line, Ellen followed the person before her. Once outside the hut she stumbled and teetered to the basketball court. Roll was taken and five minutes later, the all clear was given. Even in the dead of summer, it was cold out here. The line snaked back toward the entrance.

At the door, a giant verified each campers' name again and then let them go back inside one at a time. Ellen had two things on her mind, make that three; she needed to pee, she needed to be warm, and she needed to gripe at someone. For her it would be a giant. After an eternity, she was ready to enter.

"We're supposed to know about fire drills." The yawn dampened Ellen's frustration.

"At this camp, all drills are unannounced." The giant was just too happy for Ellen's benefit. "And you are?"

"Ellen Sparks. Hurry I need to pee." His chuckle only infuriated her. Being nine, knocking him on his butt was beyond her ability.

His large hand pushed on her back softly. "Remember, the downstairs bathroom is on the left."

"If I wasn't such a sweet little girl, I'd do something, to bring ya' to my eye-level."

Ellen expected the chuckle. Being patted on the head however, signaled the giant's doom. She took a stutter step through the door; the jarring sensation heightened her need to pee. Abandoning the planned attack, she turned toward the bathroom door.

When she finished in the restroom, Ellen climbed the stairs to the sleeping level. Going to her bunk, she discovered Tiger was missing. Some cop had given that little stuffed toy to her that day that her parents were trampled at the mall during an aborted pickup. Ellen checked under the covers, then under the bunk. Tiger was nowhere to be found. A small wave of panic set in. Ellen didn't want to cry. The last time she cried was in the back of the police cruiser.

On the security monitor, Gigi noticed a young girl sitting on the edge of her bunk. She appeared to be rocking with her arms crossed and her lower lip quivering. Something deep in Gigi told her to get upstairs fast.

"Is everything okay?" Gigi brushed the girl's shoulder with her fingertips.

"No," came the barely audible the reply, bordering on a muted cry. Welling eyes turned up to look at Gigi.

Letting her fingers slide across the girls back reassuringly, Gigi sat down. Drawing the girl into a light hug Gigi asked a question. "What's wrong?"

Ellen's response wasn't verbal. The girl seemed to draw into Gigi. Instead of repeating the question, Gigi began to stroke Ellen's back. It was something her own mother would do to comfort her. After about four minutes, the girl looked up at Gigi.

"I can't find Tiger." The voice was still tiny and hurt.

There was a second of panic, and then Gigi recalled no one was named Tiger or had that nickname. "Who is Tiger?"

"A stuffed toy that I've had since I lost my parents."

"Did you take Tiger outside during the drill?" Gigi tried to remain calm.

The answer started with a head shake, "I left him on the pillow." She pointed to the head of the bunk.

"Why don't you lie down." Little fingers tightened on Gigi's forearm. "I'll backtrack out to the fire evacuation area on the basketball court and look." Gigi met the little girls gaze. "I'll tell Barbara, whose working downstairs with me tonight, but I'm good at looking. Is that okay?"

"I don't think I can go back to sleep without him." The little girl lifted her legs onto the bunk. "I am tired though, I'll rest here until you come back."

Once the little girl was tucked safely back under the covers, Gigi made her way to the stairs. Once at the bottom floor desk she picked up the camp phone. Looking down the speed directory, she found the number for nighttime security. Punching the six-digit code, she waited for the other party to answer.

"Camp security, how can we help you?"

Gigi took a deep breath. "This is Gigi in cabin six. I believe that one of our clients left a stuffed animal outside during the drill." This sounded stupid, but with the potential of revenge toward Preacher Silas outside nighttime movement was restricted.

"We can check that area of about two minutes." The voice was clear, chipper, and showed no sign of fatigue.

"Thank you so much," Gigi had to stifle a yawn. Her own ears heard it in her voice. "It is very important to her."

They exchanged goodbyes. Gigi scrolled through the bunk assignment list. The girl's name was Ellen Sparks. Checking the upstairs camera view Gigi could make out Ellen's eyes glued to the top of the stairs. "Please find her Tiger."

A soft metallic knocking came from the outside door. Checking the outside camera Gigi saw one of the really big security guys holding a stuffed toy. She pressed the nighttime door release to allow him to enter.

"One stuffed tiger for special delivery." He walked over and placed the stuffed toy on the counter.

"Where did you find it?"

"Exactly where she left it," he turned back toward the door, "on her pillow on her bunk."

Gigi let the man exit. Being part of a bonded pre-pack had changed Gigi's paradigm greatly. This week her sponsor/husband and her three sister wives/concubines were the cabin parents. Despite Martin's academic record and paramilitary training he had entered into over the last year, they missed out in the game of pickup roulette. Even though she had become more sexually active with Martin, he took precautions, preventing anyone getting pregnant.

Gigi climbed the stairs. She could see Ellen watching for her. Holding out the stuffed tiger, she crossed the Ellen's bunk. The little girl's eyes lit up. Gigi handed her the toy, and sat on the edge the bunk again. Ellen sat up and embraced Gigi. She then lay back down. By the time Gigi straightened the covers, Ellen was asleep.

How long was it going to take? Kristina waited impatiently. Baby David, one of her charges had been in that infernal machine for three hours. The workers here had assured her that she could be here when the medtube opened. She was through with shocks to her system. No longer in North St. Louis she found herself in orbit around the moon.

In reality, what she thought was a glittering emerald colored floor mat turned out to be a transporter pad. Every one of her babies was on the ship with her. Though no one would confirm or deny it. Kristina knew that Sister Mara was involved. Not to damn the nun, securing the little ones futures was worth the shock. Not being trusted - that grated on her. A hand touched her upper arm softly. Kristina turned to see who wanted her attention.

"David will be finished in three minutes." The woman who ran this ward assured her with a smile.

Without David to worry about, Kristina took the time to notice her surroundings. Sixteen of these tube things sat in two rows of eight. Illuminated by a soft yellow glow that reminded her of a sunset on the levee, she realized the room was more than a palette of white. Each tube bore a number in red. The ward matron's black micro dress was bordered in red and white. On the floor, the words "Med Bay Red' served as the terminus of several colored lines.

"Kristina Morris," a disembodied voice called, "behind you in the replicator, you will find a bottle of formula to feed to David."

She really had no idea what a replicator looked like. The ward matron motioned for her to walk over by what look like a big microwave door. "The captain had all the doors configured to look the same. Push this button," she pointed at a square, "and it opens." Inside was a four-ounce baby bottle.

"The temperature of the bottle has been optimized for consumption by David." Again, that disembodied voice.

"Connie takes a bit of getting used to." The matron pointed to the ceiling. "AIs on Auroras tend to be very formal."

Kristina had no clue what this woman was talking about, but a part of her knew this benefited David and that part chose to remain quiet. Picking up the bottle, she checked the temperature on her wrist like always. Satisfied that David would not be burnt or chilled she waited to feed him. As the tube opened, she could hear David being fussy. Picking him up, she offered him the bottle. To her surprise, David drank greedily.

"He's never eaten like this before." Kristina looked up the matron. "David's always been a fussy eater."

"The infant David," spoke the ship's AI again, "was suffering from a minor volulus, a twist in the small intestines. During his time in the medtube, the error was corrected and connective tissue attached to prevent a recurrence." David was halfway finished with a bottle. "His diet will need to be strictly monitored for the next three days, until the normal feeding routine can be established."