Redwood: Servant of the State (12 page)

That seemed like a good theory.

We talked and stargazed for some time. Finally she got up and said, “I better get back before anyone gets worried.”

I stood up too, dusted off my pants.

She gave me a hug.

“Thanks for listening.”

“Thanks for talking.”

She laughed, then kissed me. On the lips. I felt like electricity zapped through my whole body.

When we broke away, she smiled.

“Good night.”

She jogged off into the darkness toward home. I followed at a distance, walking slower. I watched her go into the Cruzes’ house, then made my way to the triplets’ place.

I stayed in bed for a couple hours listening to the triplets snore, thinking about her.

Finally, I decided this must be what love feels like.

With that happy thought, I fell asleep.

Chapter Twelve

Finally, dawn for the day of departure came. We were all to meet on the landing platform, and load up backpacks with food and weapons. The plan was to spend the day flying to a field near the desert, set up camp then attack the city the following morning.

The triplets flew down a zipline to the landing platform, but I decided to take the long way and walk. I slid down the pole, and went by the mess hall for a final look at the place I’d spent so many hours working. As I passed the small chapel near the mess, I noted people inside. Out of curiosity, I stuck my head in the door. The light filtered in red and yellow through the stained glass windows. The Professor and Mrs. Cruz were on their knees, holding hands, heads bowed. Several other couples were in there with them. I noted the Patels, the Ngs, the Jones. They looked up when I opened the door.

“Sorry.”

“No, that’s alright, Marcus. We were just praying for what’s ahead.”

Prayer sounded like an excellent idea to me. I continued toward the landing platform, saying a silent one myself.

Dear Lord, bless us today and tomorrow.

At the platform, everyone hurried about. A sense of urgency permeated the air. Anusha, Aneeta, and the Jones children were there: Estelle, Raymond, Azure, and Hunter. Little three year old Hunter cried while holding his sister Estelle’s hand. Raymond held Azure’s hand. The Patel girls hovered near them. As their parents streamed in from the chapel behind me, they hugged all the kids in turn.

I walked over to the QC and popped the canopy open. Dee Dee walked up with her backpack.

“Ready to go for a ride?” I said in a tone with more confidence than I felt.

“You bet. Our first date!”

I blushed.

The Cruzes walked up about that time. The Professor raised his hand. Everybody stopped what they were doing and focused on him.

“I want all weapons unloaded. No accidental discharges today, people. Take them out, point them downwards. Be careful and do not point your weapon at anybody. Slide the bolt back and make sure your gun is unloaded.”

Everybody dutifully retrieved their pistol or rifle, took the magazine out, slid the bolt back, visually checked to make sure it was empty.

When the Professor was satisfied, he raised his hand for their attention again.

“The events we are setting in motion today will become part of the brief history of this planet. In a major revolution against State rule of the systems on the outer edge of the Janus String, what we are about to embark upon here is crucial.

“It is quite possible that several of us won’t be coming back.”

At this, little Hunter began to wail. The Professor looked at him sympathetically while Mrs. Jones picked him up and hugged him.

“But, Lord willing, we will. We are not revolutionaries, but our University has chosen to start a revolution. We are not soldiers, but our University has asked us to fight. We are not violent in nature, but now we will pursue whatever means are necessary to attain the freedoms we seek.

“Some day all people along the Janus String will hear about what we are doing today, and they will know that we understood some things are worth fighting for. Things like freedom, liberty, and democracy.

“May God bless us all. Mount up.”

It was a good speech. We needed it, as nobody looked very happy about going off to war. Except for the triplets. They were positively giddy.

Everybody mounted up. One by one the synthetic birds flapped their wings and left the platform, loaded with people and equipment.

Dee Dee and I waited and took off last. I spun the quadcopter around as we hovered for a minute, and we waived goodbye to Aneeta, Anusha, and the children. They waved back.

I turned and followed the synthetic birds.

-+-

We flew about eight hours. It proved a little more difficult than my flight out with Agent Schmidt, now seemingly so long ago. Then I could set the autopilot and take a nap. With the navigation system disabled (my tinfoil still hung on, the sealant holding it tight all this time), I had to pay attention to what I was doing and where I was going.

That meant I had to keep one hand on the controls at all times. But, I had one hand free to hold Dee Dee’s.

We talked about plans for the assault, about people from the Ranger station, about the past and the future. Sometimes we sat in silence and admired the scenery below. Massive fields of grassland raced beneath us. Occasionally we’d pass over a herd of Redwood cattle. They’d look up from munching on the grass and watch as we sailed overhead.

Most of all, it was pure joy to just be with her. This was the longest extended time we’d had alone together.

We stopped for a break after two hours, landing in a clear open space on top of a slight rise. It offered a nice view for miles in all direction. Everybody dismounted and stretched their legs, sipped on water.

Twenty minutes later we were in the air again. We flew for another couple hours before stopping on a rocky patch of land. It had less visibility than the first, but was clear of grass. Here we set up lunch. Mostly beef jerky and other foodstuff that didn’t need heating.

Mrs. Ng brought along a couple bags of Williams’ apples. She recruited me to help pass them out to everybody.

After one more rest stop in the afternoon, we finally reached the campsite before sundown. The Jenkins set up a proper mess, assembling a portable stove and preparing a meal of steaks and mashed potatoes while the rest of us set up our tents.

I mentioned something about satellite surveillance. Surely somebody in Redwood City would notice a campground with 32 people this close to the desert? The Professor assured me that we’d compromised their satellites some time ago, and the Patel girls were monitoring the city’s communications.

After supper, Professor Kalinowski passed out the last of his cigars.

“Don’t smoke too many of these,” he murmured in my ear as he handed me one. “They’ll kill ya.”

“I remember Ulysess S. Grant.”

“That’s m’boy.”

Eventually conversation died down, and people began retiring to their tents. The triplets and I were up with both Professors long after everyone else left, listening to them talk and plan for the morning.

Finally, Professor Cruz looked over at us and said, “Go on to bed, boys. It’s going to be a long day tomorrow.”

Reluctantly, we slouched off toward our tent. But curiosity got the better of me. Once the triplets started snoring, I sneaked out and made my way back over to where the two men sat, still talking.

“What do you think our chances are tomorrow, Milt?”

“We might actually be able to take the city. The biggest chance for casualties is getting shot by the load bots. I’m afraid we’re going to lose some people in that firefight. Most of us aren’t too skilled with guns. Heck, I hadn’t shot a gun for years myself until just recently.”

“I know, and that bothers me. I’m not sure there’s any other practical way. If we can get a team through the Customs Entry, I think we can make it. But you’re right. We’ll probably lose some people while trying to do it.”

“Yup. I’m prepared, though. I updated my will and sent it home with the data dump through Lonestar One.”

“Really? That’s not very optimistic.”

“It’s realistic, Curt. Besides, it needed updating anyway. I hadn’t touched it in twenty years.”

They stopped talking for a while. I imagined they were lost in thought and mulling over the consequences their decisions might hold for all of us tomorrow.

Finally, Professor Kalinowski broke the silence.

“You’ve got two beautiful daughters, Curt. I’ve been meaning to tell ya. Melody made the right choice all those years ago, with you. I’ve been acting like a foolish child, staying away from y’all all this time. My feelings were hurt, and I was mad, and irresponsible. But I want you to know, I’m happy for you and Melody. You have a beautiful family.”

Professor Cruz didn’t respond, he just wrapped his arm around Professor Kalinowski’s shoulder. They sat there for several minutes, smoking the last of their cigars in peace.

-+-

The next morning we ate a quick breakfast before packing up to go. The Professor ordered us to leave all camping gear and remaining food supplies behind. We were to load up with weapons and com units only, and return for the rest of our stuff later. We all checked and double checked our guns and ammunition.

Finally the time came to leave. The Professor called us together.

“As soon as we cross into the desert, we’ll hit their scanners. Expect the rocks to come flying soon after. The birds should be okay. We’ll hope the best for Diana and Marcus.

“We’ll come in just outside the spaceport landing zone. Take cover immediately, there will be boulders and piles of rocks strewn about everywhere. If you see a load bot, shoot it. I’ll be leading a team up to the Customs Entry once we establish ourselves, and we’ll try to force our way in. Once inside, we hope to neutralize the remaining bots, and open the loading dock door for the rest of us.

“We’ll regroup once we’re inside, and go from there. Securing the Governor’s Quarters is our ultimate goal. The nerve center for the entire city is in there.

“Are we ready? Everybody mount up.”

Dee Dee and I waited until they were in the air, then followed along behind. The land below grew browner. Ahead to the horizon, brown dominated the view. In the distance, a line on the horizon grew closer that I used to call home: a giant blue cube.

Soon the last bits of green faded behind us, and we flew over the desert proper. The need for radio silence was over. They knew we were here. Jenkins’ voice crackled over the com link.

“Incoming! Pilots, order your birds to take evasive measures. Marcus and Dee Dee, Godspeed!”

I looked ahead and up through the canopy. Far off in the distant sky, specks grew larger by the second. Boulders.

The birds spread out before us, their electronic eyes identifying the threat. One to our right dipped suddenly, banked sharp. A boulder sailed through the air where the bird would have been. It hit the ground instead, sending up a plume of dust.

More boulders and smaller rocks came raining in on us. I scanned the sky ahead, above and twelve o’clock, making course adjustments as rocks came in. They were falling in an elliptical trajectory, and whatever program that controlled the catapults adjusted the trajectory as we flew closer so that rocks were always coming in on top of us.

The birds shifted effortlessly, dipping, turning. The boulders sailed past them harmlessly.

Dee Dee helped me scan the sky.

“Here comes two! One at twelve, one at two o’clock.”

I shifted course to the left. The boulders sailed down and past us.

“Here comes another! Twelve o’clock.”

I shifted course to the right.

Boulder after boulder dropped on us. The city grew bigger, dominating the horizon now.

“So far, so good,” I said. “Looks like we’re getting under their effective arc range.”

As we sped closer, it did look like they’d given up on the catapults. The big blue cube grew close enough to make out some details. I could see the glass wall on the roof, the landing bay and door, now sealed shut.

“Marc, look out!”

A last ditch surprise. Five catapults launched their loads at once, right toward us. The birds scattered in all directions before the load shot through their formation. I jerked the controls down and to the right just as a boulder the size of a kitchen table sailed past us.

A smaller rock about the size of a basketball hit the left front rotor. It exploded in shards of carbon fiber.

“I’m hit! I’m hit!”

The computer sounded a klaxon.

“Warning! Warning! Destabilization!”

Dee Dee screamed.

The QC spun rapidly downwards. I fought with the controls. I struggled to get it out of the spin and maintain some kind of forward momentum. The ground grew closer.

“Hang on Dee Dee we’re coming down hard!”

I threw the remaining rotors into full reverse right before impact. Then I blacked out.

-+-

I woke up to Dee Dee wiping blood off my brow from where my head had slammed into the canopy. She had bruises on her arms, chest and face.

“Are you alright?”

I groaned and shook the cobwebs from my head.

“I’ve had worse. How about you?”

“I’m fine. We need to go help the others.”

We carefully crawled out of the wreckage of the QC. I felt sad to see it destroyed. It’s funny how you can become attached to a machine, but this thing had carried me to freedom. The number “17” painted on its side was all crumpled up in the wreckage.

We retrieved our com sets, pulled our guns out, racked the bolts back, and set out on foot toward the landing bay. The blue cube of Redwood City towered above us. We heard gunfire ahead.

We worked our way through piles of rocks and rubble to the edge of the landing bay. The spaceships were gone. I figured they put them in orbit to keep them away from gunfire. Smart. The ships could stay parked in orbit indefinitely while we sorted things out down here.