Chapter 22

The following new characters appear in this chapter:

Wallace Humphreys

Senior Representative, 5’-7’’ tall, 240 pounds, 43 years old, mostly bald, weak blue eyes

Arlene Jorgenson

Representative, 5’-5’’ tall, 230 pounds, 40 years old, more fat than figure, ratty brown hair, brown eyes

Emit

Magic user, 5’-10’’ tall, 155 pounds, 27 years old, only partly enhanced, shaggy brown hair, hazel eyes, weak Talent

The local man who ran the forklift in the warehouse returned the next day. He was very apologetic about missing work but cited first the Army roadblocks and then the earthquakes as reasons that he hadn’t been able to get here. When notified of his return, the Colonel was anxious to speak to him, as he was the first civilian that we had seen since the earthquakes.

“What are conditions like now where you live?” the Colonel asked him.

“It was really strange. The earthquakes destroyed many of the big business buildings and their owners’ homes, but skipped the houses of the workers and us poor folks. The winds though caused a lot of damage everywhere. Things were pretty bad the first few days, but then a lot of those who had been in the Army returned and brought what they could with them. They also brought their guns with them and were able to chase away those who would have taken all that we still had.

“Soon after that, we started getting help from the government. They came around with water and some food. A lot of us were used to doing without electricity, so it being out wasn’t much of a hardship. There were some doctors and nurses who also came around to help folks who had been injured; them as was still alive,” he told us. We weren’t sure which government had sent the relief workers: the old one or the new one.

Our other workers soon learned that he had returned and wanted to know how their families were, but he couldn’t tell them much. This upset them, as they were worried about their families, especially the children. They were so worried that it affected their work. Trish decided that we needed to do something for them.

“How can we help them?” she asked at an impromptu staff meeting.

“Words won’t do them any good. They need to check on their families. Maybe take them some money or food,” Luther told her.

“Yes, but if they walk, they will be gone for two days or more. How do we get them back sooner?” Trish asked.

“There are all of those vehicles that we rounded up when we thought we would need to relocate,” Captain Roanoke suggested.

“Yes, that would be quicker, and they could take food or other things with them. Who should drive them, and should they have any security?” Trish asked.

“Let the forklift driver do the driving. He is more familiar with the area. I can see if anyone wants to volunteer to go with them, but only a couple of people, say two or three at most,” Roanoke suggested.

“All right, let’s do it. Captain Rodeo, what do we have that they can take with them to take care of their families?” Trish asked.

“We have some Emergency Aid packages. I was surprised to find them on the TO & E, and even more surprised to find that we actually had them in stock. They could take some of them with them. They include blankets, some food and medical supplies,” Rodeo told us.

“All right, issue each of the workers at least one of them, plus an extra one for the woman who is their leader, and one for the forklift driver,” the Colonel instructed him.

The Marines had located a couple of small buses while collecting vehicles, and one of them was brought to the compound for our workers to travel in. Two of the Marines had volunteered to go with the workers, and P.O. Aston also went along with her aid-bag. They departed at about 0930 and were gone all of that day. They returned the next morning in time to go to work.

The information that we got from their Marine escort and P.O. Aston, was that several of their husbands had been privates in the Army. They had returned with their weapons and other items they had taken before departing. Their houses weren’t in great shape, but they hadn’t been much better before the earthquakes and storms.

The Colonel agreed that they could continue to use the bus for transportation to and from work. Several Marines had filled in as kitchen help while they had been gone. Laundry work had been put off for that day. A different question had raised its ugly head while they were gone. The Colonel was the one who brought it up.

“What will happen to all of the people who worked for the various industries that have been put out of business? I’m sure that those doing the fishing will continue to be employed, but what about the miners and those who processed the mineral materials they produced and the petroleum workers? There are also those in the electric and electronic industries, and vehicle manufacturing and repair, plus all of the other businesses?” she asked.

“I’m not sure there will be jobs for all of them. However, they will still need vehicles and aircraft. The same goes for electricity and electronics plus a number of related jobs and industries. What they won’t need is a large Army, and that will put a lot of people out of work. Perhaps they can get the former government’s friends and allies to take some of them. Additionally, they are going to need more farmers to feed the remaining population. They will still need police also,” I reminded her.

“There are also the businessmen who they hold. They will surely exile them, less their fortunes and most of their possessions, I’m sure,” Joel told us.

“I believe that we will have little, if any, input to what they do and who they send off,” Lucy told us, and that was pretty much how things went. The Speaker did visit us for some advice on what industries to keep and at what level. We gave him the best advice we had, and what our experience told us they would need to keep things operating. How much of that they would implement was up to them.

As far as we were concerned, our job here was about ended. We had accomplished the mission that we had been sent here for. That it ended differently than we had expected it to wasn’t our fault. However, there were still a number of odds and ends that needed to be taken care of. The Marines were one and the representatives of the Unity Government were another. Lastly, there was transportation back to Ainalhai III for us.

The Marines were the first problem that we faced. Two days after our employees had returned, we received a message from Franklin commo.

“Franklin Commo to First Mobile Commo. Come in. Over.”

“Franklin Commo, First Mobile Commo. Send your message. Over.”

“First Mobile Commo, Franklin Commo. Admiral Stanfield sends: When will you be able to release the Marine contingent that you have currently? Over.”

“Franklin Commo, First Mobile Commo. Have good copy here. Will forward to our Commander. Out.” Specialist Franks brought the message to me in S-3 a few minutes after receiving it.

“Sir, this just came in from Franklin Commo,” he told me handing me the printed-out message. On reading it, I just knew that this would be a big problem.

“I’ll take this up to the Colonel, but I’m not sure when we will have an answer,” I told him.

“Yes sir, we all figured it would be a problem,” he told me with a smile before leaving, and I went up to see the Colonel.

“Good grief!” was her first reaction on reading the message. “We need to talk to Speaker O’Domhnaill and get him to ask the Entity how we get shuttles down here to pick up the Marines,” she said on further consideration.

“Do you think the Entity will allow them to send shuttles down here?” I asked.

“We’ll only know after we ask, but we’ll have the same problem going home. They will have the same problem shipping people or anything else out of here or importing anything. Get Lucy. I’ll let Kanisha know that we will be gone for a while,” she added.

We had just left the hotel with Lucy, when suddenly a small 6’-0’’ tall Pillar appeared in front of us, startling the three of us.

“There is no need to bother speaker O’Domhnaill. He is busy in any event. I heard the message when it was sent and have been considering how to answer it,” the voice from the Pillar told us.

“I will allow sufficient shuttles to pass through the shell from the area around the space station to retrieve the Marines and their vehicles. They may exit the Shell to the area around the space station before returning to their ship,” It told us before adding, “Arrange this over your radio, and I will listen in and have the shell open at the time you agree upon.” It disappeared then.

“Franklin Commo, First Mobile Commo. Come in. Over.”

“First Mobile Commo, Franklin Commo. Send your message. Over.”

“Franklin Commo, First Mobile Commo. Colonel Ferguson wishes to speak to your Operations Section. Over.”

“First Mobile Commo, Franklin Commo. We will need to get someone. Wait one.”

“First Mobile Commo, This is Lieutenant Commander Chilton. What do you need? Over.”

“Commander Chilton, this is Colonel Ferguson. In regards to the return of the Marines currently assigned to us, we have arranged to have the Shell opened to allow sufficient shuttles to pick up the Marines and their vehicles to enter Parthas air space from the vicinity of the space station, and to exit to that area when loaded. We need to arrange when this will be done. Over.”

“Colonel Ferguson, you have! We presumed it would require considerable time to arrange that. It would be best to arrange things directly with Captain Roanoke. We can pick them up whenever they are ready to be moved. Will you require any of the Marines to maintain the security around your facility? Over.”

“Commander Chilton, perhaps a squad or two would be good to maintain security here. We haven’t had many problems so far. I don’t believe they would require their vehicles, however. We have an adequate a number of extra vehicles if they or we should need to go anywhere. I will coordinate with Captain Roanoke and will advise you of what we determine. Out.”

Coordination with Captain Roanoke went very well, and he agreed to leave two squads here. We even got to select which squads remained behind. Of course, we selected Sergeant Hanson’s and Sergeant Gram’s squads, since we knew them. Roanoke told us that it would require two days to have everyone ready to depart, and we arranged to have the shuttles land at noon two days later. This was agreeable to Franklin Operations.

Late on the morning of the second day, we escorted the Marines to the airfield. The runway was empty and there was no one in what was left of the Control Tower. All of the remaining planes were parked, but no one was in evidence around or in them. Again, three shuttles landed while three more flew protection for them. All of the returning Marines and their vehicles were soon loaded and returned to the Franklin. We returned to our headquarters. The remaining Marines moved into the hotel with us, and building 3 was left empty but with a ward around it.

The following day, our workers arrived with a convoy of other somewhat decrepit vehicles. They had their families with them in the other vehicles.

“We would like to take over the third building since it is empty. It has gotten more dangerous where we have been living, since people know that we are working here and have money. If we live here, we won’t need to travel back and forth every day with its problems, and won’t have to worry about our families when we are gone,” their leader, who was an older woman, told us.

“Do you have beds or bedding? What will your families eat?” Trish asked.

“We have bedding and can get food. You pay in hard money, and that will buy food where local paper money won’t,” the woman told us.

“What about security? Do you want us to ward the building?” Trish asked.

“Some of our men was soldiers and can provide security. A ward at night might be good though,” the woman agreed.

“The children will need to remain in your area and out of ours. You can park your vehicles in the lot behind the building. There is also the building where you stayed previously, if some of you need some privacy,” the Colonel reminded her to a smile.

“Yes sir, we won’t be no trouble, and it’s safe here,” the woman told us, as their families unloaded and entered building 3. The vehicles entered the parking lot once empty.

“Cleve, see Captain Rodeo about supplying them with some bunks. See Sergeant Bell about getting them some electricity also,” Trish told me.

Three days later there was another message from the Franklin.

“Franklin Commo to First Mobile Commo. Come in. Over.”

“Franklin Commo, First Mobile Commo. Send your message. Over.”

“First Mobile Commo, Franklin Commo. Admiral Stanfield needs to speak to Colonel Ferguson. Over.”

“Franklin Commo, First Mobile Commo. We will need to alert her. Wait one.” Sargent Niles hurried into S-3 to alert me to the call.

“Sir, the Admiral wants to talk to the Colonel,” he informed me.

“I’ll alert her. Pipe the call up to her office in a couple of minutes,” I told him.

“Sir, there is a call from Admiral Stanfield coming through,” I told her after knocking and being told to enter.

“Let’s see what the Admiral has to say. Our final report isn’t finished yet, so it can’t be that,” she told me. Shortly the video screen lit up with a picture of Admiral Stanfield.

“Colonel Ferguson, the representatives of the Unity Government have arrived and wish to land on Parthas to speak to the leaders of the present government. Over.”

“Admiral Stanfield, that presents certain problems. The first of which is whether the present government has any desire to meet with the representatives of the Unity Government. I will contact the Speaker and determine what they want to do.

“The second problem is obtaining permission from the Entity for their shuttle to pass through the Shell, if the Speaker approves meeting with them. Over.”

“Yes, those could be problems,” the Admiral admitted. “Do you foresee any problems with the Speaker or Clan Leaders agreeing to meet with them? Over.”

“Can any of them do Magic? Are any of them Enhanced or have a Partner? Over.”

“They have one Magic user as part of their security detail. None of them are Enhanced or can do Magic,” the Admiral said, but he was interrupted by a heavy-set man in an expensive fashionable suit.

“Listen to me, Colonel. If you know what is good for you, you’ll arrange this meeting and fast. We don’t intend to sit up here and waste time. If these people don’t cooperate, we’ll blacklist them, and no one will trade with them. They had better shape up or else,” he finished and turned to walk away, as the Admiral returned to the screen.

“You see what we have to work with. Over.”

“Admiral Stanfield, we will do our best, but I will tell you now, the people here will not deal with someone with that kind of attitude. Out.”

“This is not going to go well,” the Colonel told me as soon as the screen went blank. “Get Miranda, and we’ll go to see Speaker O’Domhnaill and maybe speak to the Entity again,” she added.

Miranda transferred us to the field near the Assembly building. Arriving there, we found the Speaker and several of the Clan Chiefs already speaking with the presence of the Entity in the Pillar there. They all turned to look at us when we arrived.

“We know why you are here. We have already heard your discussion with Admiral Stanfield and the rude person who interrupted him. We will not treat with such a person. He and the others with him sound like they are not here to treat with us respectfully or as equals, but are here to dictate to us what they want and demand. We will not be dictated to on our own planet. The British did that to our ancestors many long years ago in Ireland.

“We would like you to meet with this Magic user with them and determine what they want. Also see if that person is worthy to be allowed on Parthas. I will send my granddaughter, Eachna, with you to help in the evaluation,” the Speaker told us.

“Where will we meet with them, if not on Parthas?” the Colonel asked.

“On the space station. The Entity has moved some of our police forces there, and they have assumed control of those running it. They have also taken control of the ships that were sent to the former government’s friends and allies.

“We are not worried about being blacklisted by the Unity Government. We can obtain most of the things that we require from those who came to the assistance of the former government. There are also still those whom we have traded with previously. They, obviously, have little respect for the wishes of the Unity Government, and they will have an easier time delivering things to us now,” the Speaker told us.

“What if the Unity decides to blockade the planet?” the Colonel asked, as it was an obvious move on their part.

“Remember how their firing circuits failed to function after they fired at the Shell. I can do the same thing again and to their entire power system if necessary,” the voice from the Pillar informed us.

“That would definitely put a crimp in their operational ability,” the Colonel agreed with a smile.

“Arrange to meet with these representatives and their Magic user. Eachna will join you when you are ready to depart,” the Speaker told us.

“How will we be going to the space station?” I asked.

“I have repaired the two shuttles that the previous government had. Their crews are ready to move you when you have made the arrangements. They would be needed in any event to bring the representatives down here,” the voice from the Pillar told us.

“Thank you,” the Colonel told them before Miranda cast the transfer spell to take us back to our headquarters. On reaching there, I alerted commo to contact the Franklin so we could speak to the Admiral. The call quickly went through and soon the Colonel was speaking to Admiral Stanfield from her office.

“Admiral Stanfield, we have spoken to Speaker O’Domhnaill and the Entity. They will arrange for part of Tiger Team to meet with the representatives of the Unity Government and their Magic user on the space station. It is imperative that the Magic user be there. When will we be able to meet with them? Over.”

“Colonel Ferguson, you have moved much quicker than I believed possible. Would tomorrow morning be convenient? Say at around 1000 hours local time? Over.”

“Yes, that would be fine, Admiral. We will be bringing one of the Speaker’s granddaughters with us. She will be evaluating the representatives and their Magic user. Anything else? Over.”

“We will have the Unity Government representatives on the space station prior to 1000 hours. Nothing follows. Out.”

“So, we are set for 1000 hours tomorrow. It will need to be Lucy, you, and me plus Eachna. I don’t believe that we need to have Luther up there, unless he really wants to go. We will need to leave here by about 0815 in the morning, as we have no idea how things will go at the airfield. The Eagles will need to fly a patrol this afternoon to check for problems and any obstructions on the way to the airfield, Cleve,” she told me. The new survey that afternoon didn’t show any new problems, and the airfield was clear. Joel had decided that he could skip meeting with the representatives.

The next morning, Eachna arrived just before we were ready to leave. The shuttle was ready to launch when we arrived at the airfield, and we were on our way before 0900. After passing easily through the Shell, we arrived at the space station in plenty of time for our 1000 hrs. meeting.

Unfortunately, the Unity Government representatives were not on time for the meeting. It wasn’t until 1030 hrs. that part of their security detail arrived to check out the conference room that we were meeting in. They were a couple of hard eyed men with an expected sense of respect that they had obviously gotten from those they guarded. They didn’t seem impressed with the Full-Dress First-Class Uniforms that we were wearing to meet with their bosses. They completely ignored Eachna, which was a major mistake.

It was closer to 1100 hrs. when the Unity representatives actually arrived in the conference room. There was the fat man who we had seen with Admiral Stanfield. He was followed by an equally fat woman. They were accompanied by four nondescript assistants, several more security personnel and the Magic user. We had all detected him when he arrived on the station some 45 minutes ago. To say the least, he did not have all that strong a Talent and wasn’t a strong Magic user. When he entered the room, Lucy seemed surprised.

“He was one of the worst students at the school. I was in favor of dropping him from the program, but the other instructors kept him on. I can see why now. They obviously knew where he was going,” Lucy sent to us over our mental net.

“He is not suitable to have his Talent expanded. He is barely able to do any real Magic,” Eachna sent to us.

“I think this whole meeting will be a disaster. We should have never agreed to it,” the Colonel sent to us in an unhappy voice.

“Well, where are the representatives of the Parthas Government? We don’t have time to waste on you Military people,” the fat man demanded on looking around the room.

“And just who are you?” the Colonel demanded back in her most condescending voice.

“How dare you address me in that manner! I am Wallace Humphreys, the Senior Representative of the Unity Government’s Department of Settlement and Expansion. With me is Representative Arlene Jorgenson. WHO are you?” he demanded in return.

“I am Lieutenant Colonel Patrisha Ferguson, Commander of Special Operations First Mobile Headquarters Team; with me are part of Tiger Team. The Leaders of the Parthas Government requested that I meet with you to determine your suitability to be allowed on the planet Parthas. So far, I am not impressed with either your tardiness or your attitude, sir,” the Colonel informed him.

“What do you mean by ‘suitability to be allowed on the planet’? WE are here to determine if Parthas will be allowed to join the Unity. They will need to meet our strict requirements for membership. We demand to be taken down to the planet and have its leaders come to meet with us once we are in suitable accommodations,” he told us with a sneer.

“IF you are allowed on Parthas, you will need to meet with the Clan Chiefs and Elders at their Assembly Hall. They will not be coming to you, and they will not be interested in your demands,” Eachna told him in very clear and loud Standard.

“You have no Talent. You can’t do Magic, and the Magic user that you have with you is at best a poor one. Even children on Parthas have stronger Talents than he does. Finally, you cannot speak with your mind, so will be unable to converse with the Clan Leaders and Elders. Because of all of that, you WILL NOT be allowed on Parthas,” she finished.

“Who is this impudent brat? What does she have to say about anything?” Humphreys demanded in an angry voice.