Chapter 17

We went up and knocked on the door. As we walked through the front yard, I saw two burned spots that looked like alien kills. We knocked on the front door and it pushed open. It was not locked nor even truly closed. We went inside. The rest joined us looking for radios. It didn’t take long to find a room dedicated to them. He came out and said, “Mister Riley, we could talk snywhere. He had a great setup. I’ll have to check what I will need for power but then we’re ready to go.”

I was told by Margaret later that he checked the house and barn. In the barn, he found a generator that hooked into the house power. He made the hookup and powered up the generator. He immediately powered it back down to muffle the exhaust and make the heat signature less. He then powered up and started listening. Margaret came to me and explained what he had done and that he asked for me to come. I did.

I came into the room with the radios and said, “I’m here.” He smiled. “I need your name. ‘Hey you’ is so impersonal.”

“I’m Alex Cochran. Before all this started, I was an amateur radio operator and a heavy equipment operator. I’ve been listening on a number of different bands and out of band, also, since we powered up.”

“Okay, Alex. What can you tell me?”

“Yes, sir. There are two radios. One is for VHF/UHF and the other for HF. I’ll explain further but, first, I listened on the police band which most ham radios receive since their VHF is just above the Ham band area. There are people using unencrypted radios on the police band. They’re faint but I could pick them up. They are almost due south of here. I found that out using a directional antenna.”

“What did you learn?”

“They are looking for our group because they feel we are a challenge to them. They will fight the aliens when they must but are mostly trying to round up humans for work battalions and pleasure battalions. I, personally, don’t like the sound of either one. Their efforts have mostly been south but now they have two groups heading north. One group is called Company A and the other is Company D. Did you guys really wipe out an alien base?”

I smiled. “Yep. And suffered no casualties though a couple were wounded from shrapnel coming from the explosions.”

“Cool. Anyway, that leads me to the other issue. I have heard some very weird sounds coming from six point three megahertz. It’s wide and I’ve never heard anything like that before.” He turned some knobs and then said, “Here it is.” We could hear some chittering coming through the loudspeaker. The sound seemed to rise and recede just like a conversation. Alex said, “I used the directional antenna to get a rough bearing on it. One part of the conversation, if that’s what it is, comes from the west with the other part is north-northwesterly.” The signal from the northish one is stronger. That usually means closer.”

“Oh. What do you suggest, Alex?”

“First, I know ham radios, heavy equipment and little else. I’ve heard a few people talking in the ham areas but haven’t tried to talk back until I checked with you. We could use some ham radios but they aren’t encrypted. However, I don’t think anyone will listen for us. There weren’t many of us even before the aliens came.”

I said, “It’s worth a try. We’ll just have to use code words to be sure anyone listening can’t tell what we’re doing. However, we can’t carry car batteries and big units around.”

Alex said, “There are a whole group of radios that are small and use small batteries called ‘handi-talkies.’ They are good for a group our size.”

I said, “Go ahead and make any contacts you can except with the group to the south. However, we won’t stay here for long. We do want to target other alien bases. That’s our first priority, attacking aliens. They need to be gone.”

“Yes, sir. I’ll work on little radios, HT’s, and gather batteries for them. I will also set up a portable station for HF allowing us to talk to any other hams where they might be. Should I try for an antenna to give us directionality?”

“You have a blank check. Just be aware that someone has to carry everything for the foreseeable future. Stuff gets heavy.”

“I understand. I’ll do what I can.”

“Alex, that’s all any of us can do.”

Sheila and I left with Margaret following us. Margaret said, “I’ll help him with the squad to get as much as possible.” I nodded and she gathered her squad while Sheila and I continued on.

We met George and Martha walking toward their home. George asked, “Did that work out?”

“Quite well. We also have leads on two more alien bases. We’ll go after them soon. There is a renegade group that we met some of when they didn’t have backup. We got away. They’re now looking north for us. I know that we will have to deal with them sooner or later. I would prefer it be later. Wiping out the aliens is our first priority.”

He said, “I think Martha and I would like to go with you. We’re both walkers though know nothing about guns. I think learning to shoot is an idea whose time has come.”

We found no other people in the town but did find a store with clothing that would help some of us who didn’t have much in the way of clothing. I picked up a few things. We also found a cache of guns and ammo that we took and distributed to those who needed them.

We left Pittsview the next morning heading north. We walked all day. I watched the sky for alien air ships. I saw nothing until late in the afternoon when I saw an air ship moving from north to south a long distance to our west. I watched it as it moved well south of our position. As I watched, a missile went up and exploded the air ship. I thought that might be the other group. An hour later, two air ships came from the north dropping big bombs southwest of our position. We could feel the power of the explosions from our position. It demonstrated to me that the aliens were still a force on our planet. We remained spread out. When we stopped for the night, Margaret brought Alex to our position. He wanted to talk.

He said, “I’ve been thinking about tracking signals as well as working the handi-talkies. I listened all day with nothing heard. I have three of them now and will look for more. Who should get the three that I have?”

I thought for a moment. “One should go to the point person who can be further out front. Another goes to the lead squad leader. The third goes to Joe since I tend to keep his squad in the middle.”