Eden
Copyright© 2014 by Colin Barrett
Chapter 49
Igwanda was wrong in one respect; when the crippled weapons exploded twenty minutes later there were no fireworks, only three small puffs of smoke several hundred feet above Centerville. It was another hour before the communicator responded to Chavez' transmission.
"All right, Igwanda, you win," he said sourly.
"I believe we all win, and so believe all the rest here on board," the colonel replied. He had instructed that the communication be put on the overhead and could hear his voice echoing remotely from other parts of the ship.
"You would think that," came the response. "I still think you're a pussy, you're all pussies, but you beat us straight up. Even got the communicator."
"There will of course be conditions on your return," Igwanda said.
"Fuck that. Dolly and I talked it over, and a life of confinement doesn't appeal to us. We're going out in style."
"May I ask—"
"Oh, you don't need to worry about your precious lander. It looks like it's going to be your way with these bugs after all, we left enough tracks that you'll be able to nail the rest of the Movement back home."
"What 'Movement?'" Igwanda asked.
"The Humans-First Movement. It's what we called ourselves. You might want to think about that name and what it signifies. Anyhow, if it has to be your way then we'd better leave you the tools to do the best you can, because it's all we can do for humans now."
"What do you plan?"
"You'll have to work a little," came Chavez' disembodied voice. "I'm putting this thing in orbit and in a couple of minutes we're going to step out. We'll leave the door open for you," he added ironically.
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