Chapter 13 #3
Zach was flying overwatch, keeping an eye out for any further escapees from Quantike’s team as well as the slightest sign of new infected swarms approaching. So far, all was quiet except for isolated individuals which the roving Millersville patrols handled with ease.
“A good day’s work,” Jeff said as the men who’d joined him sipped their beverage.
“Wish we’d known you were coming,” Driscoll said. “I could have advanced my timetable for the uprising but we did the best we could once the attack began. And then the damn fence went down and all hell broke loose. Wish we could have saved more people.”
“So do I,” Jeff said. “Our highest priority after clearing out the infected swarm was trying to eradicate Quantike and his team without excessive loss of life.”
“Next steps?” the mayor asked.
“I’m going to address the camp residents in about fifteen minutes,” Jeff said. “Show them we’re united in trying to help them. Give them a brief summary of what we learned about the true purpose of this place and then present their options.”
“Which are?” Driscoll asked in a guarded tone.
“Millersville is ready to take a number of people, depending on what skills they may have,” the mayor said. “We can’t afford to have a big influx of people who can’t help us but there’s room for workers.”
“The town took on thirty-seven orphaned kids we rescued from the alien lab,” Jeff said, seeing Driscoll’s less than enthusiastic reaction to the mayor’s statement.
“Your people can go out on their own—no one is trying to keep them here any longer and we’re planning to do our best to keep this quadrant clear of infected swarms from now on,” Jeff outlined the next possibility.
“Plenty of deserted farms and small hamlets where people could settle and work to build a future.” Forestalling what he knew Driscoll was about to say, he added, “And the third alternative is to remain here at Glastine, under new management. Under you and your rebels.”
The other man relaxed. “Now you’re talking.
We were building a good thing here at Glastine despite Quantike and his lackeys but it always felt like we were in a prison or a cage, with the damned infected crowding the fenceline.
And no one ever truly being allowed to leave.
Not to mention the sudden disappearances. ”
“I’ll give you a full debrief later but that’s exactly what this was set up to be,” Jeff said.
“It was a cage to hold lab rats for the alien experiments. Now the aliens are gone and Quantike is gone and we’ve taken out the local infected population.
I assume you had a plan for running the camp once you got rid of the general? ”
Driscoll nodded. “We did. Set up a council, establish new rules, start doing scavenging sorties…oh yeah, some of us had a dream but Quantike was in our way.”
“It’s all possible now, brother,” Jeff said.
He was relieved to have the responsibility for the continuation of Glastine off his shoulders.
He was a soldier first and foremost, not a refugee camp administrator.
He’d have to keep an eye on the place from a distance to make sure no one had dreams of becoming another warlord but it was best for everyone if the camp’s inhabitants had self rule.
The camp residents are assembled in the amphitheater area, Cody said over the subaural com.
Jeff tapped his fingers on the table and rose. “Show time,” he said. “Time to adjourn to the amphitheater and talk to the people. Anyone here who needs to talk to me in more detail can catch me after we’re done.”
Driscoll caught his elbow. “I’d like to say a few words to my people after you’re finished.”
“Of course, I’d expected you would.”
The meeting went about as Jeff had expected.
There was a lot of cheering for him and his fellow commanders when they took the stage.
The audience became subdued, angry and grief stricken when he gave them the short version of why the camp had been established and what the alien scientists had been doing in the far north.
The mood altered in a positive direction when he outlined the three alternatives available to the crowd and became ecstatic when he introduced Driscoll.
The new commander of Glastine spoke eloquently about how hard they’d all worked to survive and make it to this point.
He thanked Jeff and the others for liberating them from both the infected swarm and Quantike.
He outlined his vision for the future, which featured a vibrant, healthy community, working to rebuild and become self sufficient.
“Randal Four is down right now but not out,” he said in summation.
“Working together with our new allies, we can have a future for ourselves and our children. It’ll take hard work.
There’s much to be done but we’ve proven we can do it.
Standing here right now this minute as survivors of everything the aliens and their collaborators threw at us proves our worth and determination.
Now if you want to strike out on your own, as Captain Pearson said, we’ll outfit you with what we can spare from the stores and wish you well.
If you want to go to Millersville be sure to stop by the recruiting tables out front and see what the Mayor is offering.
But if you want to stay here with us I’m offering nothing but hard work and a chance at a future right here where we’ve already fought so hard to establish a new foothold. ”
There were loud shouts of “Glastine” and “Hurray for Driscoll” and Jeff ended the meeting with a simple, “Good night.”
As he made his way to the medical building, having said goodbye to Norwood and his son, and leaving the mayor at his recruiting station, and Driscoll remaining in the amphitheater in the center of an enthusiastic mob, working with his lieutenants to make plans, Jeff was satisfied.
For now.
There were millions of infected in each of the major cities and swarms roaming the areas in between.
No doubt there were more petty tyrants set up as warlords who’d need to be taught a harsh lesson.
Enough challenges lay ahead for two lifetimes but he was encouraged by the enthusiasm of the people of Glastine and grateful for his allies (even the grudging ones like Norwood).
He’d continue his self-appointed mission of ending the long night which had fallen over Randal Four and doing his best to ensure the remaining humans had their shot at a real future.
He wanted one for himself, with Melly, but not in isolation at the distant ranch while the rest of the planet went to hell outside his fences.
He wasn’t built that way and neither was Melly he knew.
She was the best partner a man could have.
Hastening his steps as he reached the building, he made his way through the crowded corridors, greeting those he recognized, heading for Melly’s office.
She was examining a scan result when he knocked and entered but set it aside and rose from her chair with a smile to step into his embrace. “Everything all right?” she asked.
“Couldn’t be better,” he answered truthfully. “We’ll have to stay here a few days to make sure things go smoothly but then we can go home and take a well-earned break.”
Raising her face to his she said, “You’re my home. You have been since we first landed at the spaceport and found ourselves in this catastrophe. Since we made our run through the city and then the countryside and everywhere else we’ve been. That’ll never change.”
“I feel the same, lady. We’re in complete agreement. How bad are things here?”
“A few dead. Some serious injuries—I’ve been doing surgeries nonstop since we got here, while Tamsyn and Trent and the people helping us do triage. It’s good you want to stay for a while because I’ll need to be here to do proper followup on my patients.”
“How many got bitten?”
Her face fell. “One man from Millersville. Their truck wrecked in the attack. And probably 50 from the camp itself. Of course more were killed outright when the infected broke in but as far as what I’ve dealt with, I gave mercy too many times to count tonight.
It’s not what I trained to do, it’s anathema to the core principles I have as a doctor, but I can’t let anyone suffer that fate.
And we can’t risk more infected being created.
Ybidliuz told me the infected will deteriorate after ten years, if we can believe him, but that would be ten years from today if anyone who was bitten is allowed to turn. ”
“I’m not going to wait ten years,” Jeff vowed, determination welling in his heart. “We’re going to go out there and eliminate those predators proactively. I promised an amphitheater full of people we had a bright future on this planet and I always keep my promises.”
“Are we starting this new campaign tomorrow?” she asked with a smile. “Because as your doctor I recommend taking a break first. I need one and I know you do. It’s been nonstop for us since we landed.”
“We’ll be returning to the ranch and doing nothing shortly,” he promised. “What I want to tackle next is going to take a lot of careful planning. And work to get the key players on board with me.”
“Norwood?”
“Took his robos and went home.”
Melly laughed. “Of course he did. Well those are all problems for another day. Let me finish up with this final patient, do my rounds and then we can go to wherever we’re camped.”
“I’m sure Driscoll can give us a room here,” Jeff said. “Our old room is probably still empty.”
“Works for me,” she said, going on tiptoes to give him a kiss. “As long as we’re together.”
He let her precede him into the hall. “While you’re dealing with things here I’ll get lodging organized for us.”
“You do that,” she said, walking faster as she saw Tamsyn waiting in the hall ahead, clutching a patient chart. “See you later, husband.”
Full of pride in his wife, Jeff watched her walk away and then he headed out to arrange lodgings and check in with his team.
It was good to have the mission accomplished, even if new missions were stacking up in his mind, and he and Melly would be having a private celebration soon if he had anything to say about it.
Time enough to worry about the future of Randal Four later.
Some things took priority and Melly was on the top of his list. She was a woman in a million and the Lords of Space might have pitched him into this apocalypse with no warning and no preparation but they’d sure sweetened the deal with giving him such a partner.
With a grin he emerged into the cool night air and went about his self-appointed task of getting a suitable room for his wife to rest, with enough privacy for them to renew their connection yet again.
For one night he could be nothing more than a happy husband returning from a job well done.