A short SF book "The Lunatics"

               The Lunatics

By

Ezequiel  S Martinez

These equations are the basis for the concept of teleportation.

 It states that if un-observed, and no other energy acts upon an atom or molecule, then no matter how large the atom or molecule its nature is to be a wave as in an electromagnetic wave.

These are the estimated percentage of various elements on the Moon, based on samples brought back by the Apollo astronauts. Of particular interest is the percentage of Silicon (Glass) and the Iron (Steel)

Novenber 20 1969

Low Lunar orbit.

“Houston, Yankee Clipper is ready to jettison the Intrepid”

---Beep---

“Rogger that Clipper, confirm impact area and speed.”

---Beep---

“Impact target and speed confirmed.”

---Beep---

“Yankee Clipper, you may proceed with jettison.”

---Beep---

 “Houston… the snowflakes have returned just in time to witness impact of Intrepid.

---Beep---

“Yankee clipper, confirm intrepid is not bouncing on surface…We are getting echo telemetry.”

---Beep---

“Houston, Visual and radar reports no bounce….We also show multiple echoes of impact.”

---Beep---

“Bean... What do you make of those readings? Look at this, the impact echo is still going

strong.”  Asked Rick  as he turned off the transmitting microphone. Knowing that the flight

microphones that recorded every sound in the capsule can never be turned off.

“You mean the fact that it’s still ringing like a bell? Yeah I got an Idea.”

Replied Pete looking sideways at Rick  He then fell silent as they made their way to the

dark side and the radio silence that came with it.

Well..? you wanna share that idea or you going to eat it.” Bean asked as he sucked on a tube of apricot paste.

You see…Nah, forget it it’s too wild of an idea? Again Pete paused for a moment

“Aww,.. Come on now you big tease spill what you got. We promise not to laugh.”

“ Alright let me ask you. How many different ‘snow flakes’ have shadowed us on this trip? He paused for dramatic effect…. "I counted five.”

 And look at those readings twelve minutes later it’s still sending echoes. Doesn’t it strikes

you as odd that a celestial body of this size rings hollow for so long from such a small

impact?”

“Yeah it does seem odd” Nodded Bean

Here comes the crazy part…If we were to watch a planet like ours and we wanted to do it

as discreetly as we could,  how’d we do it. We’d set up a monitoring self powered satellite.

It can’t have any rotating parts because of the time span involved. So the antenna would always have to face the planet.

Hence we have the moon always facing the same side of the earth. So my idea is that the

moon is an artificial monitoring station setup by the snowflakes eons ago and that they

probably have done this before. Makes sense if…Holy crap Is that thing going to hit us?.

“Quick Bean, the camera.”

          Former General and current American President Guerrero ruled with a heavy hand.

He was doing his best to keep his promise to deal in a new and harsh way, not only with

anyone ‘labeled’ a terrorist, but also those annoying eco-saboteurs who these days

seemed to be everywhere. Under the slim ploy of space Exploration, he coerced congress

to authorize the construction of a lunar ‘Bastille’. He argued rather successfully that its

construction was to be done by those sentenced to death. That those sentenced to death

should redeem themselves through hard and life taking labor. And since most of the raw

material will come from the moon itself the costs would be most reasonable, considering

what they were building.

 As he so eloquently put it in one of his most fervent speech, “Let us not execute these

malcontent, miscreants, let’s give them a chance to use their guts and wits in a new way,

let them learn to live on the new moon base, let them build and grow things from scratch,

we’ll see how they like it then, malditos malcriados.”

     The magnetic rail gun built for the purpose of transporting the convicts and materiel to

the Moon, was simple, a Five-mile long electromagnetic rail built on a mountainside.

Its main component was a chain of truck size capacitors, that were designed to take

advantage of thunder storms whenever those went near the rail gun. Lightning rods were

used to attract the power of lightning into the capacitors and recharge the capacitors as

the thunder storms went by.

   The convicts were dressed in an all-purpose re-breather space suits, placed and

strapped inside an egg shape transport along with a few personal objects and provisions

to be quite literally, shot to the moon.

  Of course there were convenient accidents. Some of the really despicable criminals

never made it to the moons surface, they were instead shot to wherever in Hell the

manager/operator felt like it at the time, and whether or not they wanted this particular

convict deserved to live.

 

    A particularly cruel pedophile got his ass shot to the Sun, a few others were shot into

deep space, to die a slow and cruel death, unable to move inside the pod because of the

restraints in the transport, yet kept alive by the renewals within the spacesuit. Telemetry

on one of the “missed” shots, showed that one guy who struggled, screamed, and cursed

for twenty straight days before falling silent. 

   So it was this way that some of the needed material goods and fresh bodies for labor

arrived at the lunar penal colony called New Sydney.

“Let them hate, as long as they fear”

Seneca

      Zeeker was guided along by the elbows to wherever they wanted him to go to next.

The two burly guards made sure he didn’t just fell over and hurt someone in the process

of moving about.

The leg shackles made him take very short steps and at the same time cut into his heels.

    

Either way Zeeker didn’t cared, because he was filled with enough happy pills to

make him a very talkative and cooperative fellow.

       Tom was assigned to the rail gun program almost since the beginning due to his

multiple abilities, with these last five years serving as administrator of the rail gun. It

became some what a routine for him to wear many hats. Thus the reason today he played

the part of a warden to a dead man walking.

           As the room started to fill with people he never saw before, Zeeker shook his head

in an attempt to focus on the matter at hand. The fact that he didn’t see a single family

member made him feel sad, then angry and finally nonchalant because of the drugs.

His head was clear enough to know something serious was happening, and that it

involved him because his lawyer walked in all somber looking. 

When Zeeker’s lawyer walked in, Tom made a face of revulsion as if he’d just stepped on

a fresh pile dog poop, he even made the motion to check his shoe to see if it was so.

 Throughout all the years he’s done the poop check insult, not a single lawyer has

caught on.

     

       As was the norm the lawyers for the government and those to be ‘executed’ stood as

witness to these events, In this case, the punishment to which Zeeker had been sentenced.

  Tom passed his hand over his thinning reddish hair, reached into his vest pocket, pulled

a folded paper, adjusted his glasses to read out loud in his best booming voice.

 “You prisoner #4802-125613, for having committed crimes against the people, state and

federal government. We the duly authorized agents to the federal government, hereby

execute upon you, the punishment of Exile, as so ordered by the Supreme Court. You are

to be transported to the penal base being build… you are never to return.”

Zeeker was all smiles, rolling his eyes and making blah, blah gestures with his own

mouth.

Tom ignored him knowing that it was mostly the happy drugs in the prisoner that was

making him act silly. Tom looked impatiently at Zeeker’s lawyer, who was now busy

scratching frantically into his wrist phone.

“You are sentenced to permanent exile. All public and private records regarding you

persona shall be erased…Take him away”

They led him down a long hallway and into a room where three men inspected

space suit segments, laid out on a wheeled stainless steel table. Beneath the suit were

some cylinders, one of those cylinders looked like didn’t belong there at all.

      The two guards that escorted Zeeker now bend down to removed the leg

shackles and handcuffs, then smartly stepped to the side but remained at arms length.

Three men surrounded him, he was helped to removed the bright Orange overall and told

Zeeker to remove his underpants as another handed him an adult size diaper. “You’re

going to need this.”

     Zeeker frowned at the thought of having to wear a diaper. As he stood naked, a cold

sensation went up his spine, he shook involuntarily not only from the cold room, but from

the fear at not being in control. He’d heard horror stories about what they were going to

do him next. Another man placed sensors on his chest and temple, then helped him put on

a unitard, basically a metallic thermal underwear suit with a removable flap in the crotch

and butt area. These flaps made it easy to remove the diaper and clean yourself up.

They then clamped on him a collar the thickness of a man’s thumb.

Zeeker reached up, felt for a release button. “What’s it for, how’s it comes off?” He

asked the guy who clamped it on. The man just ignored the question and proceeded to

dress him up.

     The trouser piece was held up so that he could step into them, but he was still

shivering involuntarily as he cooperated with the suit up, Zeeker felt the urge to

pee, and badly wanted to run away, his eyes darted wildly about as if looking for a way to

make a run for it.

One of the attendants noticed Zeeker’s wild eye look and without hesitation slapped

him so hard across the face that one of the guards had to stop Zeeker from falling

sideways.

    Now that he really had Zeeker’s attention, he scolded him. “Pay attention to what were

doing, you dumb jerk, your life depends on it. So let’s get this shit over with, put this on.”

Zeeker meekly stepped into the pants while rubbing the side of his face that now showed

the clear hand imprints across the cheek.

The two other men now held up the suit’s torso over his head while they waited for him

to stop rubbing his face. As he slid into the torso the men reached in to connect the suit’s

internal wires, hoisted and connected the re-breather onto Zeeker’s back, zipped up the

re-breather in its insulated sheath. Pulled out the connectors for the gloves and sleeves.

Now fully suited up Zeeker was once again led by the elbows

       A big door slid open opened to reveal a stark platform in what appeared to be small

Hangar. Zeeker was led to the edge of the platform, where he saw a metallic 2.5 meter

half shell in the shape of an egg, filled with Styrofoam. The missing top half was held

over head by an electric winch. The middle on the bottom shell was an empty space

shaped like an over sized seat, it reminded Zeeker of a packing crate. Suddenly he

realized that, it was exactly that… a packing crate, and that he was the package!!!

He took a step back, but was grabbed by the elbows and shoved unceremoniously into the

Styrofoam seat.

As he was strapped down he looked over to the far end of the room, there he saw his so

called lawyer leave the room without as so much as a single word to him.

     The stainless steel table was wheeled to the platforms edge, the bottom shell half rose

with Zeeker in it. Zeeker was strapped to the seat even his arms were strapped.

One of the men held a helmet over Zeeker while one of the other men shook a small glass

bottle, where several house flies stirred within it. He gave the guy holding the helmet a

mischievous smirk. Then just before the helmet was lowered over Zeeker’s head, the flies

were let loose inside it, sealing the flies and Zeeker inside the suit.

 The guys gave themselves a good round of high five’s. They giggled as they inserted the

glass and metallic cylinders in the holes carved out for them in the Styrofoam shell. As he

saw that they loaded stuff into the pod, Zeeker relaxed a bit because even thru his drug

hazed reasoning he knew that they weren’t going to waste all this extra material, he

reasoned that they  weren’t going to shoot him into deep space or something worse.

    They connected something from the pod to the suit, he heard the hiss of air being

pumped into the suit, he felt the suit expand around him as the pressure within it

increased high enough to keep him alive, but didn’t make the suit too rigid to move

around. One of the men tapped on the helmet to get his attention and tell him what to

expect next, when one fly started to walk across the front visor. Zeeker crossed his eyes

in an effort see if the fly was inside or out side of the helmet, realizing that it indeed it

was inside, he started to express his concern when the helmet visor went black “Hey

come on now!!!” he yelled to no one in particular. The men round him didn’t hear a

thing; they just went about their business of lowering the top half of the shell to attach

and seal it, and add on the friction shield and perhaps finish their job early.  Zeeker

continued screaming as loud as he could, outside the men heard barely a squeak. After a

moment of total darkness, a disembodied face displayed itself as if on 3-D video, it began

to speak but was suddenly  replaced by the face of one of the men who were outside.

 “Hey, you… O.K. in there?” He asked with concerned, dripping with sarcasm.

“No. I’m not, there’s a fly in here…no two or three .” Zeeker answered getting angrier by

the second.

“That’s too bad for you…nothing we can do about it now. Hey…here’s an idea, give

them a nick name, they’ll keep you company for a few days until you get to Sydney.”

“I want to pee…”

“That’s fine you can do that, The M.A.G, the diaper will absorb it, but try to hold off on

doing the other one, on account of the rash you’ll get. Memorize the tutorial video, it’ll

come in handy.”

“Listen…when you get there…get your ass out off the way, because right after you, were

sending some shipments of Coke for the foundry, and you don’t want to be near it when it

gets there.” At that instant the fly landed itself on Zeeker’s ear.

“God dammed fly…get off me...how I’m going to kill this stupid fly?”

At that the worker took of his head set, smiling at the thought of the fly bugging the hell

out the poor guy.

Distracted by the video Zeeker didn’t notice the top half of the ensemble cocoon lowered

on him. He tried to take a last look around, but the darkness was all around. He could feel

vibrations, and small jolts. The visor video was displaying the operational capabilities of

the Outside Activity Suit. Suddenly an automated voice within the helmet interrupted

“Abnormal heart rate, now applying meds.”

 Zeeker found he could barely focus on what the video was saying. The last thing he felt on Earth was a sudden short drop.

“The character of who you was, is the only thing that remains after your death.”

Scull and bones credo.

 The Army corps were indeed insuperable; When it came time to deal with the Moon base

they never said, “It can’t be done.” So it was left to them, when, where and how to built the base.

    They chose the extreme north region, because of the rumored water on the north far

side. They first domed a crater named, Architas, chosen because its high wall and size.

 In the beginning they practically had card Blanche with the lifers, it didn’t matter to

them the number of hurt or killed at any phase of the project. But they quickly found out

that ‘accidents’ can happen both ways and started to take a hands off approach, because

the lifers were indeed proving themselves to be quite a resource in spite of having

nothing but whatever skill they had some how learned on Earth.

     The construction of New Sidney penal base was a slow dusty affair that depending on

the Moon phase the cloud of dust sometimes could be seen from Earth. The Machinery

that dug and shoved soil in the effort to dig a man made canyon also used solar powered

electro-magnets to collect every bit of iron they could.

      Solar powered furnaces were slow but highly efficient in making pig iron that was

extruded into I-beams and angle iron. Every convict learned a few new skills, it was learn

or die under the watchful eye of the corps.

The corps planned to build a clear domed tunnel, two hundred meters wide between

the craters, Sheepshank and Architas with another crater Protagoras being

prepped, to triangulate the three craters. The plan is to make the domed tunnels as deep

as they are wide, with fruit trees planted in the deep center to provide fruits, help scrub

the air and protect the trees from radiation.

      As with all harsh surviving conditions nothing is wasted, especially not excrement,

as it is used as fertilizer for the Crops, The collection of which was done with a crew of men that were rotated to that detail.

 The deep domed crater, Sheepshank is not yet a very successful green house farm. Some

would say an it’s an interesting failure.

The other is used as foundry factory with the raw material coming from under the dome

and between the craters. Not only was the foundry extracting oxygen from the sand and

rocks, but calcium along with Aluminum and Magnesium. The abundant silica being used

to make thick clear dome panels.

   Seven years into the project and already little clubs of trade and clandestine

manufacture cropped up here and there. One guy keeps making short wave radios, only to

have them confiscated, so he making them, after all in the vacuum of space it’s easy to

make vacuum tubes. Hence the smuggling began from the Earth to Moon, at first it was

just seeds and drugs. Now it is just about anything that could be swallowed or shoved

into the body or under the skin.

    “Welcome to New Sydney.” a voice, screeched in his helmet, it was the first sound

Zeeker heard in days. He was unsure how long he’d been unconscious. The last thing he

remembered was the liquid Styrofoam filling the inside of the shell, and now he was

being dragged by two men peppering him with questions that he couldn’t at the moment

answer even if he wanted, not only was he dizzy, nauseous and his tongue felt glued to

the roof of his mouth from thirst. He had trouble focusing his eyes onto his visor display,

it showed 96 hours and counting. 

 

    He was strapped along with three others, on to what looked like a, wide wheeled all-

purpose golf cart, now towing a platform to retrieve with what he presumed was the egg

shell used to get him here. On impact it broke into several pieces with the center metal

piece used to propel him here sticking out, surrounded by the shell fragments as if giving

the finger to someone. 

  

      Feeling somewhat better, but still fighting the urge vomit, he looked far into the

horizon, just in time to see his first Crescent Earth rise between his two

rescuers. He saw a tall radio mast with dishes and blinking red lights on its side.

Looking down to his feet he saw that the ground was well compacted from frequent trips,

he wondered how many trips this cart has made to pick up new exiles.

 As they rounded a huge boulder, a long glass covered structure came into view, the

cart stopped, the driver reached over, smacked seeker’s helmet, and pointed to the bright

greenish blue dome bulging out of a crater. Farther out he could see the other dome being

built, “That new  one is Architas, foundry center, that’s where we extract all the raw

metals, glass and even fuel to work with. Just so you know this cart is powered by 

oxygen extracted from Moon sand ”

       Up to this point it, permanent exile didn’t sound so bad, until he saw again the

crescent earth rise. The severity of the punishment didn’t really sink in ‘till now. No one

saw him bow his head in regret, that same feeling soon gave way to resignation, that

same resignation soon gave way to a feeling of calm.

Something his mother told him when he first got in trouble with the law came to him as if

he heard her long departed voice just yesterday, “You made your bed, now lay on it.”

     Looking hard at the structures, Zeeker felt his spirit deflate, his heart became heavy

with sorrow with the realization that this desolation was now his new home, he was to

never again going to walk bare foot on the south California beaches. This, being his one

regret. Now a cold shiver went up and down his spine As the cart lurched forward.

dragging him back from the introspection he found himself in.

     Ten minutes later he was beginning to realize how big and how much was done in

just seven years. They were now traveling on well-compacted trail and still a good ten

minutes away. The Earth was now well above the horizon, the stars didn’t twinkle at all,

He tried looking for some of the planets he was familiar with, he saw Orion’s belt, but

other wise he was lost. Now he realized that he couldn’t tell the planets from the stars,

nothing twinkled, nothing.

    They cleared the first two airlocks, before he saw the first driver remove his helmet.

He saw two other men without space suits get on the cart and drive away down a ramp

with the shell remnants, boxes and cylinders that came with him.

    He now found himself within a bay, in enormous glass domed tunnel. On the left

another air lock leading to smaller, but still impressive size tunnel within this dome, to

his right the same set up, a tunnel within this huge dome.

    Following the others, he removed his own helmet. The range of new smells baffled

Him, and so did the amount of dust in the air. Curious about his new surroundings, he

walked over to the edge of the platform,

grabbed the railing to look down. Looking down he saw the same thing as on this level, a

ledge with a quarter dome being build onto the carved ledge, the same thing to his left,

only less space between the inner domes. Lower down the same scene yet another ledge

with a quarter dome.  A flash of light over took his sight with a brief pain that let to loss

of  muscle control. He fell on his knees from the electric shock that came over him.

 Immediately an oversize, angry man was towering over him, with a huge face just a few

inches from his own, yelling angrily. “You don’t move till I tell you to. In my area,

you make no moves, take no steps, without asking me first… ‘Cause here, you’re ass is

mine, got it.” All Zeeker could do was nod yes and wipe the spittle from his face.

The big man straightened up while at the same time used one arm to throw Zeeker like a

rag into the other newcomers. Some were paying attention and stepped aside fast enough

and allowed Zeeker to be slammed onto the wall.

     The huge man walked over to the air lock, turned to face his charges, used his big

meaty, to hand beckon the prisoners closer to him. A genuine smile came over

his face, the effect this bit of theatrics always had on his charges. He always used the fact

that there’s always a curious one who would want to look over the rail.

   “My name is Keith…This is the penal colony ‘New Sydney’ your new and permanent

home… for as long as we consider you to be useful.” The new group bobbed and hopped

towards Keith not knowing what to expect. “Follow me to the mess hall, the first one of

you that wanders off will be made an example”…pointing towards Zeeker, but looking at

 the group, he growled again, “You’ll Got that?” Again he flashed that toothy yellow smile of his.

    They followed him past the double air lock into the tube within a dome, down four

flights of stairs into another corridor, again enclosed in glass. The big guy didn’t appear

as awkward as the others walking in this light gravity, he appeared to float rather than

walk ahead of them. They went past a sign telling them that they were on, Level 1,

Corridor A, however someone riveted a homemade sign beneath it calling this corridor

‘Market St.’ they kept passing rooms or what appears to be cells dug into this manmade

canyon. None of the rooms had doors on this corridor.

 Zeeker wondered how is it possible, a jail with no cell bars, being that everyone here is

Supposedly to be a hardened criminal.

   

     Finally they turned into what looked like a modern cafeteria, with stark walls that

appeared to be made out of melted multi colored glass, it gave the impression of being

on the inside a glass marble, the two side walls held a flat video screen. About twenty

others already seated, some still wearing their spacesuit.

 “On the wall to your left are some boxes, get one and join the others on the benches, they wait on us.”

 Keith hollered, as he proceeded to stand by a taller, stick of a man, wearing a dark blue

uni-tart beneath a workman overall. He was in front of the group apparently sharing a

joke while waiting for the rest.

    Without waiting for the rest to find a place to sit, Keith began, “This here is

Larry…Larry is not as easy going as I am. You’ll find out why… Larry?”

Keith gestured and stepped back and a little to the side.

   “Most of you are replacing those who are not with us anymore.” he lowered his head

and clasped his hands in mock respect to the dead, Keith grinned some more. He

continued, “Because the earth government says you no longer exist, all your records are

transferred here, our governor here answers to no one regarding your demise… should it

be accidental or otherwise? You’ll notice that there are not bars for the cells, only the few

female prisoners have bars, for the self protection against a few perverted bastards  who

might do them harm while they sleep”

He continued in his matter of fact tone, “For those of you who think otherwise, we have

the collar that was clamped to your necks,” every hand went up to feel and prove the

object on the neck.

 “Allow us to demonstrate…Keith?” Keith pointed at Zeeker who was

taking his time getting to his seat. They turned and saw Zeeker drop to the floor, box and

all, wriggle in pain, trying in vain to remove source of pain from his neck. They all

gasped and began talking at once.

    “That device has many useful settings to suit many a situation…Keith?” Larry

shouted over the now noisy room.

      Keith made an adjustment on what looked like an over-size bracelet, looked at them

with delight in his eye, clearly enjoying the power over them. In an instant none remained

seated, but instead fell to the floor in reaction to the electric jolts emanating from the

collar.

Some cursed, others just moaned in pain.

   

 The pain finally stopped, a few shock themselves, others wiped dust off their face,

one, remained lifeless on the floor. Larry went over to check over the body, felt the neck

looked at Keith, “Just unconscious, a little less next time, O.K.?” Keith just nodded still

grinning in delight.

   Giving them a moment to recover, Larry continued, “That explains why there are no

bars on the cells, and no riots of any kind, You’ll notice… in the box you have, there are

a few items along with a cell number, that is your cell number, till we say so. That sack is

also your hammock. You get two meals per day; there is no running water, therefore no

baths or showers, you’ll be shown, where three times a week you can wipe yourself with

wet warm towels.”

 Zeeker looked into the box it had four small towels, a toothbrush, but no soap.

Zeeker looked sadly at the items, while the speaker droned on and on about the do’s and

Don’ts.

   “They tell us some of you have particular skills…regardless of skills, twelve of you will

 be taking on the duties of human waste recycling. Follow the rules, your life, and those

of others depends on them…our mission is to become as self-sufficient as we can…while

at the same time provide the Man-Mars venture, with whatever materiel we give them.”

  Larry looked around the room, scanned the faces…“Any questions?” 

    Zeeker, had been only a few hours on the base, but sent to the floor, two times, and

Already seemed to be looking for ways to cause trouble for himself.

Timidly he raised his hand, lest they shock him again for making to fast a move. Larry

looked in his direction, and without waiting his turn he asked, “Do we have access to a

library or books?”

 Keith looked at Larry, who frowned but answered, with a straight face, “You’re standing

in it.”

Then let out a raucous laugh, at the thought of such a luxury. Wiping tears of his eyes, he

pressed on      

“Yeah…right, you’re here to work sixteen hour days, you a-hole.”

     Someone else asked, “What do we do with these?” lifting the suit’s glove’s and

helmet above his head. “That suit you came with, is yours and yours only, you need to

take care of it, because you’ll needed for the O.B.A, Outside Base Activity.”

 He looked at the watch and over the now sealed doorway, swung his arms as if ready to

leave.                                                                                                                                      

“Replacements parts, if needed will come from those of you that die off. As for rips and

Cuts on the suits, we keep an ample supply of J-B weld epoxy especially formulated for

us.”

    Ignoring the raised hands, he walked right into their mist, pointing at them while

making a slow turn, said, “This will be your last and only warning, for all intended

purposes, Earth considers you, executed…you belong to the governor…any form of

willful insubordination will be dealt with…severely.”

“Uuuuuhh,…I’m so scared.” Someone in the crowd murmured, Larry focused on his

sarcastic prisoner, pointed at him,

“Keith, that man is assigned to the excrement detail…‘till he dies.”

   

 Keith gave him a small electric jolt to get his attention; without words he motioned for

him to separate from the group.

    “As I said, on your box is your cell number with a Do and don’t list, Keith will

walk you to your cell area. There you’ll find, an uni-tard, a one piece metalized thermal

under wear, underwear, and overalls, like the one you’re already wearing, change your

M.A.G., be back next door for grub in one hour, here in forty we will give you

a chance to write your last letter home should you have anyone to write to.”

      As was always the case a few of the convicts cried, others just accepted their fate in

Stride. Larry made a note to review the video of today’s crop, as always he’d mark the

ones that didn’t cry, the ones that made an angry face were the future trouble makers.

   Keith, started pushing and shoving them out the airlock, out of the crowd someone

yelled, “Keith, Keith, so when do we get to meet this… all powerful governor,”

Without turning, he said, “you just did.” There was no more talking the rest of the way,

because even the dumbest among them realized that just the mere fact that the governor

wore the same prison clothes, and he always spoke of himself as third person, that he’s

going to be a formidable force to deal with.

   Keith led them down another few flight of stairs, past a few more air locks to the

bottom most enclosed tunnel. Zeeker touched the sign reading level 3 Corridor D,

 the home made sign below it said ‘Botany Rd’

 “Here you go, four of you per cell.”

     Zeeker, was shoved into a room that for all intended purposes was a cave dug into the

wall, three by four meters long and just as high. Imbedded in the walls were eight angle

irons with hook eyes in them. Zeeker guessed that was where he was to hang his

hammock to sleep on. Two plastic five gallon buckets in a corner, the ceiling was arched,

adding to that, in a cave feeling. It was probably arched to prevent cave-ins he guessed.

There are no electric lights within any of the cells.

A temporary string of lights hung in the corridor. Zeeker wasted no time,

he placed his box of things on the shelf. Hung up the suit, then the hammock, flung

himself into it  with the full intent to steal a five minute knap, only to swung of the

hammock a mere moment later, as the urge to vomit was made worse as he tried to close

his eyes. 

New Jerry Chapter.

Jerry’s life had taken an incredible turn around. In a few in less than a decade he went

from being the best electronic systems repair in the Air force’s own Cyber/war Dept. To

being hunted by all manner of enforcement agencies. Extreme times demanded extreme

measures. That’s why he always used a disguised when meeting the drones who would

carry out the assignments, Skin toner, colored contacts, Facial hair the usual actors make

up case was his standard luggage everywhere he went the only thing that went more

places than he make up case was his dog ‘jack’ who seemed to have found something

hiding under the motel’s radiator and was now waiting patiently for whatever it was to

come out, it lay still, front paws crossed under its chin, waiting.

  

 To Jerry it was a foregone conclusion, that should he be captured it would mean the

death of S.E.F. and some of his contacts. Maybe some of them would be lucky enough to

be exiled. He on the other hand would be drained of all information thru that same mind

reading chair he saw used a couple of times. Capture was not an option at least not for him.

The more time past the less time jerry spend sleeping. Plus this prepaid motel didn’t

exactly induced sleep. Free porn channels free web and constant traffic wasn’t exactly his

mother’s homestead farm.

    It was simply amazing the events that will evolve from a chance meeting of like

minded people. A broken GPS, a traffic detour on account of a flash mob protest.

Here he was almost a decade later an officer for the underground saboteur group S.E.F.

As he tried to dose off while channel surfing a history special came on the T.V. “The

secret life of Tesla , His inventions.” The announcer said “Now we continue. In 1907?

Mr. Tesla tested  an Earthquake generating device that nearly destroyed his warehouse.

This device was thought to be  mere heresy until a receipt from scientific American

Magazine was uncovered recently among some antique personal journals that were

auctioned.”

At hearing this Jerry’s ears perked up and moved almost rabbit like, at the mention of the earthquake box

Jerry knew that the box was said to have almost destroyed a neighbor’s warehouse                                     

Along with his lab. Jerry raised the volume on the TV, sat even closer. he knew that it

existed because he saw an article in the back pages of scientific American

commemorating an article featured 100 yrs ago. A cigar size box vibrating an Iron beam

Until it split in two.

Jerry rubbed his bearded chin, No wonder they hid his life’s work and took away his

citizenship. The world is still not ready that man’s genius. He thought, and thought.

“Schematics I’m going to need the schematics.”

     That was all he needed now he really could not go to sleep.

Three knock and a kick to the motel’s door, followed by a green slid under the door

meant meetings with some activists and the assignment of some targets that the council

felt worthwhile to neutralize or at least slow down. He opened the envelope saw the

targets as one old library four tech schools and one professor, as always the was to

slowdown the pace of technological leaps and bounds, maybe even bring about a mini

dark age. Later on as he meets those available he’d decide who gets what target.

We have built so much with so little,

That now we can build anything from nothing.

Sign over corps rec-room doorway

   

     It took Zeeker along moment to realize that the dream he was having, was because he

was in a dark cave on the Moon prison. Aloud banging racket was heard outside in the

hallway, some lights came on,. Keith’s massive voice could be heard above the noise,

hurling insults to the inmates. Zeeker slid off the hammock, forgetting where he was, he

had to adjust the strength of his steps. With considerable difficulty took off the hammock

and placed it in his box. He noticed that even the tooth brush has a serial number as the

plastic box.

    Keith was in the walkway banging on a metal pipe that made a broken bell-like sound.

Yelling at full lung “You bunch of dog farts have thirty minutes to get your grub before

you get assigned to a work crew. Go, go...go.” he continued to yell insults and bang on

the pipe making sure even the dead heard the noise.

    Those who knew the drill were already making their way to the mess hall. Zeeker

decided to follow the crowd as this would be his first full day here.

     He wondered why everyone else gulped down the food, since it tasted like wet ash and

looked like dog vomit. He barely got in a few mouthfuls of the ‘garbage’ they fed him,

when he saw Keith’s large mass in the hallway. Keith moving his massive body easily

and effortlessly in this low gravity. He strode into the mess hall as if he owned everything in sight.

He walked arrogantly to the far wall, took out a PDA that was way too little

for his huge fingers. Yelling out prisoner numbers and forming out work crews, Zeeker’s

number was called out ‘O.S.B.A.C’ Zeeker stood up ignorant as to what to do next. Until

he saw other O.S.B.A.C. group members gather and waited in the hall way.

   They walked three levels up then rode in a train of carts to the far end, where high

above him some men made their way down the scaffolds. Zeeker saw that the other’s had

left him and were taking seat in what looked like a classroom.

    A skeletally skinny black man, bald head and sunken eye sockets, waited ‘till all

twenty of them were seated. “Welcome to …orientation. You’ll be helping to expand this

complex into a self sustaining base.”

He said as he walked between them. “You’re going to  replace the crew that will train

you, they’re being transferred to crater Protagoras. Here you’ll get all the hands on

training, you’ll need to carry on the work…should you refuse to comply you’ll get

executed on the third incident, let me show you.” Having said that, all twenty jerked up

and reached for the neck collars.

One guy yelled angrily, “God dam it, stop, we get it already.” 

Seeing that they apparently had been shocked enough times already,  only made a fake

motion to press a button and proceeded to smile and chuckle lightly clearly enjoying their

misery.

     “You maggots need to pay attention; because your life and those around you will

depend on paying attention to your surroundings.”

 After receiving a small lecture on what the corps has build, and getting a thorough over

view of their work assignments, came a Q&A session, that lasted about an hour.

The lecturer then led them to the suit up area;

that was basically an oven that kept the suits dry and free of fungus. Sixty to eighty space

suits hung on racks, each waiting for an occupant.

   The Skinny lecturer grabbed a fully dressed guy who was about to exit thru an air-lock,

tapped on the helmet, held up the index finger for the guy to see and guided him to the

middle of the dressing room floor. “Listen up, you ‘open scabs’ the person next to you

will help you to suit-up, and you help them.” These are modified suits, it’ll keep you

 almost comfy from 180 below to the 300 above degree heat we face every day.”

He pushed in a panel in front of the man’s suit, they in turn formed a semi circle around

the suited man, some in front sat cross legged. “You’ll also spend twelve or fourteen

hours in your suit. This hidden panel has your temperature control, and of course your

emergency call button in case we need rescue you …” One guy raised his hand

interrupting the lecture.

Without waiting he asked, “If we’re out there for twelve plus hours, how do we...you

know, go? What if we get a real bad case of the… we gotta go like now?”

“Glad you asked, That’s where your, M.A.G, comes in. Maximum Absorbency Garment.

The diaper you wore on your way here. You use a new one every time you suit up except

that these new one are made of cloth and elastic, makes it easy on the recycling part.”

    He paused while some one handed him an adult diaper. He held it up for all to see.

“You wear this first.” Then threw it to them, that in turn prompted all manner of horse

play and off color jokes. Realizing that he was about to lose subject, he snatched it from

them and used it to smacked one of them across the face, just to assert himself. The one

that was smacked was twice the size of the lecturer. He stood up towering over the little

man in a menacing manner. The lecturer stood his ground and took to poking him hard on

the chest, pushing the big guy back with each jab of the finger, he warned him between jabs.

“If you as much touch me” Jab. “I’ll have you killed” Jab. “Before the hour is out”

Jabbed yet again…”Got it”?

Now sit your ass down. Or I’ll send you to M.A.G recycling detail.”

He continued the lecture ignoring the towering black man. Embarrassed and stared down

the huge man sat down ever so slowly. The lecturer continued without missing a beat,

much less batting an eye.

   “Finger tips can be heated, and with a little effort, you can pull one arm into your suit,

scratch that little itch that always shows up to drive you crazy if don’t scratch it…out

there your suit is your life, in case the battery fails as it sometimes will, under the ops

panel is a fist size oxygen powered generator, make sure that the oxygen cartridge is

sealed. There’s always two per suit, each one will give you about two hours of power

which is enough get you back here. It’s up to you to check everything before you go out

there. Tomorrow you will get classes on how the CO2 scrubber works.  So put on your

M.A.G, your metallic thermal unitard, suit up and follow me outside…let’s go.” He

clapped twice to signal the end of the lecture.

“Necessity is the mother of invention, and so is vengeance.”

Arab folk saying.

  As they reached the top of the dome, the lecturer opened a flap on his shoulder bag,

took out three stick-on speaker patches and stuck them on non working helmets so that

they could all listen to what he had say. “Because of the inherent danger, you’ll work

only five twelve hour days, the other two days you’ll be assigned to other work areas and

you’ll learn other skills. But you must see the big picture of what you’ll do.”

At that moment, Earth began to rise over the horizon.

“Look at that isn’t she a pretty sight.”

 “Now hook up your lanyards five to a group.”

As they grouped and followed the irritated lecturer, Zeeker stumbled, nearly taking his

group down the side.

When they recovered their balance, lecturer walked up to Zeeker and shone a laser

scanner on the bar code beneath the suit number, then smacked him on the side of the

helmet, hard enough to hit him on the head. “Do it again asshole.” He transmitted to him

and the whole group as he bounced lightly toward the top of the outer tunnel sleeve.

“This is the outer caterpillar sleeve, This rear part gets detached and walked forward 100

meters at a time”

He said as he motioned them to jump up to the huge curtain. “Below us they’re

building the permanent part of the dome, where you’ll be tomorrow. When it’s finished,

this sleeve will move forward to start the next dome segment. You’ll do this ‘till we

finish or you die.” He said with a chuckle.

 As they bounced forward, a suited man on a jet pack flew towards them,

the red color helmet set him apart from the rest. They all stopped as the guy approached

the lecturer. They could not hear anything, but the hand shake and back slapping, they

knew there was some heavy talking going on.

    The guy with the jet-pack jumped slightly and took off horizontally leaving them with

their jaws opened and full of envy. The lecturer’s voice came back in with a bit of static.

“See that red helmet,” He pointed to the vanishing figure. “No matter what you’re doing

or where you are, if the inspector or anyone with a red helmet, tells you to stop, you stop

and sit down ‘till told otherwise.

Right now he says we’re all needed at the forward footer detail…follow me.”

 The lecturer took off running with an ease that could only be done while wearing leaded

shoulder weights. Reaching the end on top of the curtain he leaped into the void with the

utter abandonment that came with the experience of having done it before.  Landing with

solid footing he turned to see all the convicts hesitating on top of the dome, he motioned

and transmitted for them to jump down. He wanted to see if they would jump as a group

or acted alone.

    Zeeker unhooked his lanyard from the rest and flung himself halfheartedly into space.  

Of course he didn’t have enough momentum to clear the slanted glass end of the

dome. He then bounced three times off its face, and hit the ground like a

broken marionette. Zeeker dusted his off visor his visor, blushing from his clumsy

‘descent’. All he could hear was the laughter from the other prisoners coming in thru the

helmet speaker.

 The lecturer came face to face to see if he was alright, uncoupled a pressured oxygen

hosed and used it to helped him dust off, the helmet, “I’ll be dammed if that wasn’t the

funniest thing I’ve seen all year…you’re not very bright are you?” he turned walked

away still laughing and slapping his hands in glee. A few steps further on he saw the

lecturer lean forward put his hands on  his knees, everyone could see that he was having a

knee slapper of a laugh.

       Walking the thirty or so yards to where they were digging the footers, he was

disappointed that not one of them had noticed the ladder rungs on the side of the dome

 frame for them to scale down, no leader from this group was evident to him. He waited

for the group to assemble once more before he continued, “Today you are to replace the

broken track crane. I don’t know what’s broken on it, but the work mustn’t stop, were to

unload that those footers over there and place them inside the footer ditch while they fix

the crane.” 

      They stared at the flatbed trailer with the four long footer sections waiting for them to

 be manhandle into position. “Well go on…they got twenty anchor bolts; grab one bar for

every other bolt, two men to a bar. God…you guys are useless, think of them as huge

Leggo pieces made of molten glass and steel, let’s go, go, god dam it, let’s shake a leg.

Move it.” His yelling was transmitted into their helmets as he handed them a long tool bar.  

     Zeeker was not very muscular, never the less the next day he found himself on a crew

of twenty or so workers assigned to the dome expansion detail. He had to admit it was

sheer gall on the part of the corps, to build a moveable dome sleeve. Not only did it

retained the atmosphere pressure, within the already built dome, but also allowed it to be

moved forward with the working scaffolding to build the next dome segment.

A hundred meters with each move. This time Zeeker was on top of the permanent

dome removing the bolting bars from the inner sealing curtain, it was one huge sheet of

plastic, one inch thick with a heating element incorporated into it to make it pliable

during each move.       

       Never in his life had he worked so hard, now he really knew the meaning of

wearing a hard hat. Because he kept forgetting where he was, he lost track of the number

of times that he banged his head on the low overhead beams of the moveable dome. It

took a little over two weeks, just to pry the inner seal loose, you could not help be

impressed with how big this thing was.

It was another three weeks before it was moved it to its new forward position.

      Even as he never worked this hard, or worked like this, he knew instinctively that in

order for him to have any chance at all for revenge, depended on him being a complete

and enthusiastic prison worker, he didn’t know how or when, but an idea or something

would occur,… but it had to be big. So for now he worked hard, did as he was told,

besides, all this strange work, was sort of fun. The first thing he noticed was that the

majority of the men were blacks and Latinos a good ninety five percent of them. Zeeker,

was a white Latino with hazel/green eyes, who didn’t quite fit the stereo type, a Latino

with a wealthy background who didn’t speak Spanish.

    It was clear to him, that if he was going get even for his expulsion to the Moon, he was

going to need patience and lots of it. But for now he needed to make friends, friends who

knew the ins and outs, the short cuts and the perils, surely there are a few like-minded

souls here.

      Tomorrow he was sure a new danger awaited, he’s to work with this same crew, but

on the outside seal, meaning he was going to wear the re-breather space suit twelve hours

a day.

‘Dam this is fun’ he thought smiling upon receiving the news

 “All populations; be them lead by Monarchs or Republics, they all need some form of

release and hope, which is why states permit lotteries, and sports, otherwise they

won’t last.” 

                                               The Nephew dialog.

  

    Larry was scratching his, two-day stubble of a beard, asking himself if there was

something more to this song and dance, being performed by some of those Lunatics. He

looked at the same loop of video again and again. They seem to be having fun at the

expense of the ‘shit-man’, the wise ass that he ordered to a lifetime of handling human

waste.

  Keith, knocked once and let himself in without waiting for a, ‘coming in’.

Larry motioned Keith over to his side of the desk, 

“Look at this”…as he pressed the play button. They saw a man perform a clumsy song

and dance while pointing a finger at Randall the shit-man. While singing a gibberish song

“Chiyo chine chise chisi chito chiu china chiba chite chiri chisa”

   Keith asked the obvious. “You think there’s more here than just making fun of him?”

At the same time making a printout of the dancer’s face.

 Larry leaned back in his recliner chair, folded his arms across his skinny chest, spoke

almost to himself, “Escape? Impossible…riot? Not likely, if not these, what then?”

A long moment of silence followed where both men said nothing, but stared at the video

replaying over and over.

    The blare of decompression alarms and the blinking orange color lights signaled a life

and death emergency to be taken care of, made Keith bolted towards his post, while

Larry pushed his chair away from the desk, walked over to the office entrance, calmly

lifted the plastic cover protecting the “In case of emergency” box pushed the button that

made his office self contained.

The automated recording ordering everyone into his or her space suits had to be obeyed,

because cause this was definitely not a drill.

    Hours later Keith still in his custom made O.B.A. suit was tapping the metal frame of

Larry’s office, with a large potato sized rock to get his attention.

The door hissed open. Larry spoke first. “Were in the middle of a meteor shower and no

One on Earth side warned us, someone is going to pay”.

“Our dancer didn’t make it,” Larry stood up, opened his mouth, but Keith finished his

sentence … “to his suit in time. Three dead, Two, who didn’t make it to their suit, the

other appears to be a heart attack. This rock missed the glass, but hit the frame, it’s pretty

bad.  It’ll take at least a month to do the repairs. In the mean time we sealed it with quick seal foam”

“Is the green house O.K.” Larry asked while preparing himself a cup of moon grown

 coffee.

“Yeah the automatics did their thing all vital sections were sealed as designed”

“It better be, I’d hate to be without my herbs.” Larry smiled, gestured for Larry to serve

himself.

They both started to giggle and went on to a real nervous belly laugh.

A politico’s best weapon is, shame,

Use it correctly and you never have to resort to violence.

The Nephew dialog

 

  “What else do you need Larry?” Larry’s voice was distant, almost unintelligible from

the static.

 

  Tom heard “...Two rail gun capacitors… progress report…” and more static.

    Tom was not entirely sure what Larry was up to. But after the ass chewing he got from

all sides for not warning Larry about the meteor shower, he wasn’t about to make any

waves. It was just that his equation didn’t make sense, neither of them is a bono fide

scientist. However he was told to cooperate and do what the great Larry wants.

“Fine, fine I’ll send you a progress report of what we’ve build so far, including a video

for you to check out the work, O.K.”

  “Hello…Hello…dag nabbit!!!” nothing but static came thru the ear piece.

   Tom hung up the phone, yelled at it, “I’m not talking to you any more, Larry, from now

on, we are doing this thru a fax.” His two assistants were looking at him sideways and

clearly were, enjoying his grief.

  The phone rang again, Tom looked at it in disbelieve and with deliberate slowness put

the receiver to his ear, rolled his eyes, looked at his still smiling assistant, grabbed the

hand piece with both hands as if to choke the life out of it. “Yes, Larry…yes, Larry…”

He said making a childish face, sticking his tongue out to the receiver, grateful that it

wasn’t a regular videophone.

“Yes, Larry …with the next shootings, we got five more A-holes to send you. Yes

Larry…”

   Finally free of Larry’s nagging, hands on his hips he stood again in front of the

chalkboard, but the only thing that kept going thru his mind was… 

“I hate Larry…I Hate Larry...” Tom knew a little math. Still he wasn’t very impressed

with the symbols that Larry transmitted down, something to do with Plank’s fine

structure constant, the fabric of space divided into half or a quarter?

    “Oh…come on Larry. Who do you think you are, another Tesla?”

     But if the lunatic governor wanted something, he was told to get for him. Tom hated

to be treated as an errant boy by the governor. ‘Well two, fully charged, refrigerator size

capacitors, going up.’ He thought it best to do as he was told, still not taking his eyes off

the equation. To be honest Tom was pissed, but he was curious as to why and who gave

Larry, the power to go and build this wild goose chase.

Now he really did have to go out and personally check, that every cable is laid out the

way Larry wants it. He took this job

 because of it was supposed to be only part time, now its full time at half the pay and

double the aggravation.

   Tom’s reminiscence was interrupted by a commotion in the hallway, the door to his

office held open by what appeared to be an oversize rent-a- cop, in walked a young

stocky teen about fifteen yrs old who seems to have lost his way to school, and wasn’t

really paying any attention to where he’s was at, focused instead on the Holographic

Basketball game that featured two mini life-like players that seemed to dribble a small

basketball over an invisible floor as they floated, weaved and dodged each other above

the Nintendo handheld device. “Time’s up!!… I win.” chimed, a voice from inside the

game console, followed by a sarcastic laughter. “Dam It.” The boy just scowled as he

angrily turned off the device.

     Four important and menacing looking companions flanked the teen, who now seemed

to require a moment to judge what was it he was supposed to doing at the moment.

    Tom looked closer at the teen causing the commotion, about five feet tall, Black hair,

Hazel eyes, unbuttoned long sleeve flannel shirt over a black t-shirt, faded jeans and worn out

converse sneakers, the youngster appeared not to have fully entered puberty.

    Folding the projection mirrors of the game console, he focused on Tom’s face as he

walked towards him. Then stood next to him arms akimbo, looked intently at the

equation, took out a camera pen pointed to the board and clicked, Tom grabbed the teen’s

hand to wrestle away the camera, only to have one the boy’s guardians pry his hand away

 from the boy’s arm. Tom’s assistants who were no longer smiling and knew trouble

when they saw it, made a dash for the door, only to be stopped by two more men

blocking the doorway.

  “What in Hell is going on?” looking to his assistants for answers, who only shrugged

their shoulder’s and submissively went back to their desk.

  “Well?” He asked the boy who appeared to have the upper hand at the moment.

  “You know what this means?” The teenager asked Tom tapping the equation, board

with the pen camera.

Tom said nothing, realizing that a teenager with six bodyguards meant serious trouble.

   “No? ... Since you obviously don’t understand it, there is no need for it to be on the

board. Is, it?” He took to erasing the symbols. Tom’s face went pale. He wanted to choke

the little brat, he wanted to run away, but the emotions conflicted within him.

“Look… they didn’t want me to leave the compound,” The youngster said pointing to the

guards “but I didn’t trust what they wrote. I had to see for myself, if what they wrote was

right. And of course they didn’t.”

   Tom looked incredulously at this un-named child who seemed to have made himself at

home, and taking over his office like this. “Get out!!!…” Tom pointed to the door.

 “I don’t think so…Not yet anyway.” Retorted the teen, looking intently at Tom, pretty

much like cat about to ambush him.

    Finding his way to Tom’s desk proceeded to sit down on the chair as if he owned the place.

Looking ever so smug he connected the pen camera to his game device, deftly he deleted

the board from the hologram so that

only the equation symbols floated above the console, he made the math symbols bigger,

 changed the font and color, then he made the equation spin slowly.

     “Tom? Is it? ...” Tom just nodded in agreement. Standing arms akimbo. Doing his best

to intimidate the youth.

 “I definitely don’t want to be here, but let me assure you…Tom… I’m here on behalf of

the Defense Department, they contacted the Yale mathematics Dept, who in turn asked,

no, cajoled me to look into this.” He said pointing to the floating hologram equation.

“Interesting… what does the Riemann prime number wave function have to do with  

the Schrödinger molecular wave theory?” The boy looked at Tom as if trying to ascertain

whether or not tom was gifted enough to have come up with the equation himself.

    “I think it is quite interesting. Did you write it?  How much work have you done?

And where is it being done?”

   Tom Just glared at this uncouth, manner-less half-breed. Tom’s face redden with

anger, fist clenched at his sides. Barely controlling himself,

“I don’t care what cave you crawled out off, you teen age Neanderthal…” He said loud

enough for others to hear.

The teen slowly got up, walked over and, motioned for Tom to lower his head to his.

“Just because I’m young, doesn’t really mean…I’m stupid. Does it Tom? Surely you

don’t think I came here without the authority to have you arrested; they’ll just make up

the charges later…Get my drift? ” Flashing a small but all business smile while pointing

to his now impatient companions …“Now be a good man and take us to where the work

for this equation has started.”  

“Computers  pronounce words, people voice emotions.”

    

          Rumors were rampant, and panic an understatement. So far the only thing that was

certain is that Tom was no longer in charge of selecting who got exiled. Everyone

went into hiding out of fear that their little smuggling scheme had become unraveled.

It was also clear that Tom’s removal would mean delays, at least until they could find his

replacements weakness and then perhaps frame him properly.

     After any long drive Sophia always talked to herself. But today she complained long

and out loud to no one, about how far and out of the way this place was. After what

seemed to her like an eternity, she was now at the transmitting site. She ruffled her short

hair as if that gesture would make the nervous tension go away. She sat in the jeep a little

while to see if there was any movement, she then used the infrared scope to make doubly

sure the site was deserted, the small clearing on the hill top enchanted her. She some what

lost herself on the blinking city lights below. As the town folks bedded down for the night the

small town gradually became darker. Even the side streetlights were darkening as their

motion sensors showed no activity below them. From her perch Sophia followed a lone

car, weave and turn on the darkened streets below, yet ahead of the driver the streetlights

turned on. The clear night with the cool air helped calm her nerves but not totally.

    While she was busily looking thru the scope a large owl quietly landed on the hood of the jeep

. It was looking straight at her when she lowered the scope. A scream escaped out of

her, her arms flailed throwing the scope high in the air, the owl flew away at such a

commotion, she stood on the driver seat screaming, flaying her arms. After a few seconds

of that hysteria, she settled down, checked her herself, found wetness between her legs..

“Great, just freaking great…I peed myself…stupid owl.”

   She waited a while longer before setting up the transmitter.  Sophia’s hand trembled as

she activated the short wave transmitter, set to go off at the Pre-set time, she had to grab

her own hand in order to stop the trembling so that she could shove the memory stick into the small slot.

The machine would transmit the warning one hour after she was gone.

She knew full well that to be caught near the transmitter would mean life in prison.

For a homemade machine it wasn’t bad, in fact it was one of Jerry’s best efforts,

she was pleased with the auto On/Off feature that allowed her to be well on her

way before it started to transmit.

 Sophia didn’t know to whom she was sending the warning to, but she did her part,

someone else would be back tomorrow to retrieve the transmitter if it wasn’t detected.

Just as if had been forgotten by someone, right next to the machine, she left the new book

she would be using as the basis for her codes.

     Sophia was beginning to regret not having planned her alternate escape routes as she

was told, over all she was just a lazy activist and only a lukewarm activist at that, who

now was the movements only contact with Tom. She had to make contact with him  and

find out what in blue blazes is going.

    She knew that the best way for her to approach Tom’s office without raising suspicion

 was to go there with a present or a gift of some kind..   

It’s unknown if secrets breeds conspiracies or conspiracies breed secrets.

The nephew Dialog

      The message was simple ‘meeting needed’ the elder trustee were running, like

cockroaches in a hen house. They needed information before they reacted, cooler heads

needed to prevail before the smuggling network they had so patiently build was scrapped.

    Kenny was one of the first exiles; he was here when they literally had nothing, so were

 the other six, these seven trustees had access to the entire complex. They were risking

 their trustee status if caught conspiring, so they talked out-loud about the daily schedule

 conflicts of manpower and maintenance in case the walls or collars had ears at least until

 the collars schematics were obtained. So they wrote and erased on the sand trying to find

 out if they’ve been compromised. In the end they agreed that Tom’s reassignment meant

something was going on, but until more was known there would be a freeze on all

activity, including going fox on the radio messages .

    Before they could disband the impromptu meeting, Kenny spotted Keith Looking in

their direction from about thirty feet away, quickly stepping over the sand scribbles he

 whistled and motioned for Keith to come to them, that way it would appear that they

were talking about matters that concerned the base and avoided having to scramble away

nervously, after all they were trustees and were allowed to gather like this every now and

then.

The massive man made them all uncomfortable with the ease he moved about. He

needed none of the leaded shoulder weight pads the rest were using.

     Kenny rubbed his bald scalp with his middle finger over the ring finger, giving his

fellow trustees the signal to be cool and follow his lead. After a few jokes and a little

gossip, Kenny came up with the outrageous idea of building a separate room for a

Japanese style bathroom. Keith, whose main purpose is only to intimidate, not his brain

power, had a hard time visualizing a Japanese style bath.

Not only did they had to explain to him, what a Japanese bath was, but cajoled him into

 how it could be used as a reward for good behavior by the other trustees. It was a

complete surprise to Kenny when Keith asked him to draw up the paper work and he’d

 take it to the Gov as everyone called Larry.

     Keith left them as they were gathered, they all then agreed, that the best action would

is to be vigilant, remain silent, but redouble the efforts to obtain the collars specs and

 find a way to caucus again.

  

  Left alone Kenny pondered his next move, they had chosen to meet at the newest area

because there were few if any cameras installed. Looking up thru the dust he saw workers

high above him adding big, clear and smoked glass panels under the stretched plastic

seal. The Oxygen powered trucks moving the soil to the foundry stirred even more dust.

A spud wrench fell with a soft thud a few feet in front of him, reminding him to put on

his hard hat.

 A worker way above him spread his arms in the helpless gesture. Kenny

shook a fist a him, smiling knowing there was no malice intended, but decided to shuffle

to a safer place, just in case. Thru the dome glass he saw the suited workers bolting and

sealing the wrinkled plastic seal getting it ready for the next stretching, suddenly he knew

his next step.

      On his way to the governor’s office Kenny picked the last of the top trustee’s. They

cleaned themselves as best they could, since this was the second time in this

year that they been summoned as a group, they also used the cleanest overall with

triangle emblem over the left breast, within the triangle was a white eye denoting the

level of trust placed on them. The emblem was Larry’s way to promote trust and hope

amongst them.

      Kenny didn’t know why they were to report as a group. He didn’t think Larry knew

about the little network that they had set up, but if found he would face the music as a

 man and would protect the others as best as he could. He looked closely at the last one to

join them, as a proud father with a son,  he tugged and dusted the trustee’s overall, to four

of the seven it would be the first time as a group meeting,  Kenny was nervous and as

the self appointed leader, he put on an air of bravado, if only to fool himself, he was

nervous and it showed. Perhaps it was Tom’s removal or they been found out, he just

didn’t know.

    “All right, let’s go in, and face the wounded lion.” He said taking a deep breath.

  

     On their way to the meeting room they passed many groups of workers and a few

classrooms, everyone who saw the group knew something new was up.

 Kenny was walking, fast, hard and as is he owned the place. Some came out to the

hallway, others saluted silently from afar. Kenny and this group had done a lot of favors,

Turning around and walking a few steps backwards, he gave the men a wry smile.

“Word gets out fast or they know something we don’t.”

messages and news from the loved ones on Earth were delivered to and from for, just

about everyone thru the network the trustees had set up..

    As they worked pass the air locks, up to the upper levels towards Larry’s Office,

Kenny took the time to brief his fellow trustees. They stopped just before crossing the last

air lock before entering the corridor to the Governor’s office. Kenny hesitated before

opening the air lock, looking at them they say his face reveal something of the worry that  

was in his mind.

 

  “I didn’t expect to meet again so soon. Kim here tells me that Tom is not in real

trouble, but word is he’s no longer able to help us as he used to. We also know that our

Lion is in trouble with the authorities, seems he’s been requesting and receiving

unauthorized items, what items? We don’t know, but his trouble means we press our

advantage, Kim any news? ...” The short and muscular Korean shook his head, “No hint

yet, Earth side is working on the list.”

     As they crossed into the main corridor, Kim strayed behind, stood facing the smooth

reinforced glass panel that made the wall of the corridor. Took out a rolled Silvery

metallic sheet of metal with the bold words on it, ‘Elizabeth St.’ peeled the backing of it

and promptly glued it to the wall. He rushed to catch up to group. Kenny found it

necessary to question Kim about why he kept doing that.

     “Look...” Kim said taking offence at having to explain his actions, this is forever our

home, home needs names, not hallways with numbers, besides I’ve been waiting a long

time to place that name tag here, Elizabeth is Larry’s daughter’s name and also a named

street in old Sydney Australia. So there.” Kenny just smiled and shook his head as they

walked the last few hundred feet to Larry’s main office, overhead thru the ceiling dome,

they could see a half Earth, with its bright colors of blue, green, brown forever exposed

and covered by the clouds, an ever changing jewel way up high, forever… out of reach.

They took a long nostalgic look. Some bowed their heads in shame, another shook a fist

at it, “Come on now, we made our own bed, we have to lay on it.” Kenny said pushing

some of them forward.

     Larry was still upset that those dingbats on Earth had seen it necessary to meddle on

his affairs, but glad that they opted not to remove him via the marines or told him to cut it

out. Besides he had no intention to go away quietly, for about a year ago now he found

himself never wanting to return to Earth, he had no need or desire, he learned to love the

chaos here.

     Larry’s office was big by some standards, the lack of clutter made it look bigger, he

kept most of the clutter in his ‘file it away room.’ For the moment Larry was distracted

by the activity shown on the four big, flat panel TV’s embedded in the walls. One showed

CNN reporting on the latest food riots. It seemed to Larry that the whole planet was one

huge riot for just about everything anyone could complain about. One panel showed the

work crew on top of the dome reinstalling the accordion seal.

 Another displayed an arriving shuttle with some scientist with their aides and lots of

sensitive equipment that could not be shipped via the rail gun. They were here to work on

the radio telescope being assembled on the dark side, it was already on its third year of

construction. Larry thought it a complete waste of time. Another screen showed an

eggshell transport braking open on impact, before it switched to another camera view.

One wall of his office was taken over by the glass and metal objects d'art made by the

inmates.

 

  The group announced itself by blocking out the corridor view of Larry’s office window.

They hesitantly waited until Larry motioned them to enter the office. 

 The trustees nervously made themselves as comfortable as they could, some stood

looking around at the curious knick knacks that remained on Larry’s desk.

      Larry sat in silence along moment making sure to make them all nervous and thru

silence get their undivided attention because he knew full well a lot of things and

unforeseen events would unfold with what he was about to do with his trustees.

     Kenny decided to press his advantage he took a seat as close to Larry as he could,

Kenny cleared his throat for the third time, but Larry remained focused on the Lunar

Holograph that spun slowly by the corner of his desk.

     He stood up, placed his long skinny arms on the desk. “You know...one of you gave

 me this.” He said pointing to the holograph “Was it you Kim?” Kim nodded happy to be

 noticed. “I like the fact that it shows the Moon base, but what I really love is that I can

 squeeze the holograph and it stays squeezed. Push a button it reforms,

I placed a patent on its read/write algorithm. However because you’re ‘dead’ you will get

nothing from it. Your aunt and that little girl you left disfigured after you murdered her

family, they will get 40/50 with 10% for your upkeep. Anyway…as your reward you’re

going to help me on a personal project…Stay out of trouble for a few more years and that

collar comes off.”

The other trustees gave low hoots and shouts; and some even slapped Kim on the back.

Kim bowed his head in embarrassment.

     “As for you Kenny, You’ve been here since the beginning. You’re one of the very

 first. You’ve shown the courage, honor, and the discipline of a great man…too

bad…things just worked against you on Earth, but here you are… almost seventy years

old, a true survivor.  You’ve been instrumental in keeping order, you also been sort of a

mentor to those that came after you…” Larry slid open a drawer looked at a sheet with

numbers on it, entered some numbers on a small remote control, and pointed it towards to

Kenny. Whose collar made a small click sound and popped open. Kenny hesitated unsure

Of what was going on or even sure if the Governor was allowed to do this. He looked at

his fellow trustees with watery eyes, knowing full well that not having the collar was

almost the same as being paroled.

      Larry knew he was gaining some loyalty with this small gesture, and he also knew it

was now or never for his own project. Especially now that Earth side knew that he was

using and procuring unofficially materials for a project of personal use.

He made a shoo away motion with his hand and without looking up said

“Kim, Kenny you stay here. The rest of you can go back to your duties.”

Kim and Kenny remained seated unsure of what had just happened or what was the next

step.

       Again he reached into his desk took out worn out ledger, opened it.

“Now here’s what were building.”  He said looking at them eye to eye.

“Kenny…you and Kim will work together on my side project, Kenny you handle the

Man-power aspects, Kim you handle the technical mechanics. Get together with Keith,

he’ll help you to select your crew for this ”

                 “Without us dear nephew, what you call America, would not exist…

                             much less, this so called freedom, you so cherish.” 

                                               The nephew dialog

      Jerry had camped out the night at the meeting spot on the mountain as a customary

precaution.

As he waited for the couriers to bring the giant capacitor they stole from the rail-gun, his

gut feeling was that something wasn’t quite right, even the mountain air didn’t smell right

today.

     He could see the pick-up truck with the covered trailer still a good thirty minutes

away wounding its way up the path, avoiding the big rocks and ice crusted pot holes

and the driver doing his best not to lose the trailer . Jerry check again thru the scope, but

the driver slowed but didn’t stop to bring in the flag inside the trash can.

 Jerry hand signaled to his men to pull back and hide from view. The driver missed the

two chances to signal that everything was ok. Two snipers took positions within a perfect

view of where the truck would park.

   

They knew for sure something was wrong, because the only reason to breach signal

protocol is to warn others that there’s an unwanted guest. Strict adherence to protocol

was demanded from all, even from him. It was the only way to last against the tyrant Guerrero.

If not, they’d get caught, jailed or send into lunar exile as they called it now a-days.

      Jerry squatted under the huge pine tree, he patted and caressed the Jack Russell who

for some reason wasn’t meandering about today.

  

   

    As he stroked his dog he thought about the turn of events that came about for

just doing a simple favor, ‘find and copy the prints for Tom’s new work.’ The agents

send to copy the prints did a good job disguising the forced entry as a burglary.

Ken wanted to know if Larry was building a duplicate machine on Earth side, he

had to admit that curiosity got the best of him. He too wanted to see what were Tom and

Larry up to?

Agents told him that, hours after the break in, guards were posted at Larry’s home and

work place. Heck even, what’s her name?... Sophia wasn’t allowed to be alone with Tom.

Now why would the work of a demoted government worker be so important? His hunch

told him to build the same thing Tom is building, just to see.

  The truck was about a hundred feet away, his dog ‘Jack’ didn’t wag his tail at the

familiar truck, instead growled softly at it.

   It was Sophia who drove the truck, yet Jack was now barking up a storm and was

refusing to be quiet. She sat in the truck a little longer than necessary, talking to her

passenger, who smiled and waved to Jerry.

   Jerry lifted and nuzzled Jack, in order to quiet the racket, but the dog just kept at it to

the point of shaking its head free.

The short, stocky, balding man got out of the truck, at the same time Sophia did. The

multi pocketed vest the passenger wore could have concealed any number of things, so he

took it off, spun once to show that he had nothing to hide. He walked towards Jerry

wearing a wide smile and extended his hand as is to offer a hand shake.

He didn’t get too close as a silent bullet struck the very front of his left boot forcing him

to stop and look around before he thought of moving again.

   

  The men came out of their hiding place pointing the mini-Uzi at the intruder who was

fingering the mark left by the bullet onto his boot. Jerry smiled at little Moshe’s superb

marksmanship. They proceeded to surround him, two of them held out the modified radio

scanner. They kept their distance remembering that last time in the same circumstances

two close friends got killed by an undercover agent, this time they weren’t taking any

chances.

Jerry looked a Sophia, shaking his head because he was sure that Sophia’s cover was

blown, Sophia stared back, bit her lower lip, she knew to walk away without words, so

she stomped the ground with each step she walked towards the cabin. The bald man was

no longer smiling. He became red faced as they told him to strip of the clothes.

   Jerry took out his own scanner to verify, nothing was coming from the clothes on the

ground. This mountain side was chosen because of its remoteness to radio sources. All

the computers and machinery had been disconnected to avoid discovery, even cell phones

had the battery taken out because of this very reason. The bald man’s breathing became

heavy, his gaze shifted from face to face. Jerry’s scanner beeped louder as the antenna tip

pointed to the man’s crotch, this meant that this camp was compromised, they’d have to

move.

“Moshe… give this man the lead blanket.”

The man shook his head in denial, “I never knew that was in there.” He said pointing to

whatever was imbedded in his skin. “I never knew, I never knew.”

Moshe threw the lead poncho at the intruder’s feet, motioning for him to wear it.

As the man put the poncho over his head, the last thing he saw was a flash of bright light

in his head.

“Remember, My dear nephew you are not who you think, you are.”

The Nephew dialog

    The bald man woke to the sound of birds, the sound of soft waves lapping a lake

shore. He sat up fast, only to moan in pain, he probed his crotch area and winced in pain.

He lowered his pants, saw the bandaged area, anger swelled in his belly he wanted to kill

or break something. He spun around to get his bearing; he was in an islet in some

mountain lake.

The sound of a gas powered motor demanded his attention. Painfully he walked towards

the sound. The gas engine sound gave way to the sound of wood being chipped to pieces.

    Jerry knew his quarry would soon be drawn to the racket made by the wood chipper.

The wood chipper’s wheels were half way in the water, yet the fishes were jumping at the

chips as they hit the water. Only jerry knew why so many fishes were gathered here, he

looked over his shoulder in time to see the balding man limping along the shore towards

him. He shut off the motor.

   It was a clear quiet middle of the week morning, the camp site smelled of coffee, a big

fish fried over the sterno stove. He knew the guy must be starving. He grabbed his cup of

coffee, sat down on one of the opened lawn chairs. The man slowly recognized that the

man on this same shore was the wanted terrorist Jerry Doughway, He didn’t felt hungry

anymore, only resignation with fear because all agents who crossed Doughway’s path

were never heard from again.  

 Jerry pointed to the empty chair for the guest to sit down. The man just stared at jerry

ignoring the silent offer of food.

     Jerry let his silence work its magic, he just kept on sipping coffee.

On the other side of the mountain Jerry could see the small specks of helicopters hold

formation over just where the camp would be, a column of smoke soon arose; Jerry

sucked air between his teeth. That camp had lasted over five years, Jerry broke silence

first, “If you’re hoping for help from them,” said Jerry pointing to the plume of smoke,

“Don’t hold your breath. ‘Cause your trans-tract is worn by a very skittish wild dog, it

should keep your people busy for a while, trying to see if it’s you, who’s doing all that

running.”

The guest just shook his head in denial. “I didn’t know that, that was in there.” He

repeated himself, “I didn’t, I just wanted to join your fight.”

Jerry held out his hand for him to shut up, “See that plume of smoke. That was my camp

site, thanks to you, it’s no more”

“I didn’t know.” He said starting to show watery eyes.

Jerry wasn’t buying any of it, “You’re an agent for the pig, Guerrero…I want the name of

your handler…That’s all I want from you.”

    He threw out the remaining coffee, walked over to the chipper. “This is my favorite

fishing spot, you’ll soon see why.”

    He re-started the wood chipper, then out of a beer cooler he took out and tossed a pigs

head at his guest feet.

The fish were gathering near the chipper, his dog Jack ran to the water and jumped into

the fish frenzy. While the man just held the pigs head unsure what to do with it. The dog

came out of the water with a fish in its mouth, dropped the fish by the stove, barked

at it once, ran and dove into the water again.

Jerry and guest smiled at the dog’s antics, yet Jerry’s face turned to stone just as quick.

“Go ahead toss it in the machine.” The guy understood the not so subtle message, he

wanted to flee, But Jerry’s silencer equipped Lugger, held him in his tracks.

“Are you going to give me the name I need?” He asked as he took the pigs head from him

and tossed into the chipper. Jack again barked at yet another fish that it dropped flopping

near the stove.

                   

‘It’s far better to bend than to break.’

Aesop

    It had been six long months since the messenger whispered his war name in the middle

of his weekly game of dominoes.

From the looks of things D.O.D. didn’t think it was a waste of money to bring him out of

retirement and baby sit a math whiz, something about that math equation and

accompanying blue prints had send D.O.D. into a wedgies of a fit. So now he also had to

guard the facilities that Tom and that geek were working in. For some reason they

weren’t using regular agents, only the people he wanted or approved. Now things were

starting to get interesting, as one of his men was missing.

    Mateo stood in the hallway for more time than he need to. For the third time he wiped his

shoulder, a lot of things were going thru his mind, he just wanted to go back home and

play dominoes in Miami. He knew that with this report things were not going to go well

for him. In fact he even bent down to leave the report under the door and just leave, but

they wanted a face to face report, and all he wanted was out.

       It had been more than fifteen years since he last saw his commander, Mr. Pau, who

got up to embrace his brother in arms. They had save each other’s skin more than once.

Pau stayed in the service, while Mateo went back to his beloved, Little Havana politics in

Miami and the security these lively politics offered.

     Pau’s office was large, well furnished, with a kitchenette that took one half of a wall.

An Espresso machine was brewing a cortadito for the afternoon. Pau didn’t bother to sit,

instead he walked over to the kitchenette and made some mid-afternoon sandwiches to go

with the  coffee.

“I got you some of those vanilla wafers that you like so much.” He put all the snacks

together on a wooden tray that clearly had seen better days.

 He took it with him over to the sofa, placed the tray on the small table. Pau and Mateo

quickly fell into speaking Spanish while they caught up with the family’s goings on and

who got caught doing what with whom.

In between one of the long pauses Pau felt the need to turn on the T.V, as a way to show

that there was no hurry and that he was in control. WFCK News was showing a snowy

scene with some kids in the background throwing snowballs everywhere, the reporter was

wearing earmuffs and in mid report.

“That’s correct, even though yesterday it was Seventy degrees here in Miami, It’s

snowing today, oceanographers are saying that yes, indeed the ocean currents may have

shifted and that they don’t know if it’s a temporary shift. In the meant time the authorities

are telling the poor and homeless to seek shelter or face below freezing

temperatures tonight. What’s that? Oh yes I’ll watch out for the snowballs”

     Pau put the TV on mute. Mateo said in a low voice, “I pray that’s not permanent.” He

said pointing to the TV set “Cause if it is…there goes paradise.”

“Yeah…that was unexpected…snow in south Florida. Pau said between coffee sips.

“Pau, I have a report.” He said as he placed a S.D. card near Pau’s hand…S.E.F. is

meddling with the rail-gun transport and Tom’s new work place. Why are they interested

in Tom’s work? I don’t know, However this woman,” He paused as he handed Pau a

picture of Sophia. “She may lead us to their camp. I’m waiting for an overdue field

report.  We also found some dog hair on her clothing, yet she owns no dog. So were

checking into it.”

   Pau bit his lip, stared blankly at the television. “You know the S.E.F. fanatics are going

to have a field day with this snow crap in Miami.” Even as he spoke there on the screen

appeared a masked S.E.F. member vowing to escalate the war against technology in order

to save civilized society. “See, Que te dije…What I told you, they didn’t waste a god-

dam minute, now they’ll recruit even more members.”

    Mateo wasn’t listening; his mind was preoccupied with the fact that his tropical birds

are going to freeze if he didn’t call somebody to move them inside. “Mateo from what

I know, I know that something is going on between SEF and Tom’s work, DOD

considers Tom’s work extremely important, but we can’t put regular people on it just yet

for security and political reasons. We suspect that SEF and Moon Base Governor Larry

may be connected somehow, I need two things from you,…”

“Oh…no…no,” Mateo stood up shaking his left index finger in the no fashion, fearful

that he was being told to go up there,                                                            

“No, yo no voy, to no freaking Moon, man. I already want out. You go yourself.” He said

already heading for the door.

 “Mateo… hear me out. Two things,” He said holding up three fingers, then correct the gesture.

“This work maybe our most important yet, send people up there, find out what is Gov

Larry is up to, See if he’s connected to SEF, ‘Cause some

how, SEF found out about the work Tom’s is doing, If we put regular people on this, the

wrong people are going to ask questions, and we don’t need that. Get two more people

one goes as a convict as the other will replace his enforcer who’s come down for some

 Scheduled R&R.

   Mateo just shook his head, unable to see what in hell did Tom and that obnoxious

geek’s work had to do with the Moon base.

 “O.K…I’ll listen, but I want to know, what you know…Today, and don’t hold back like

you did last time. Remember what happened because you kept me in the dark. 3 good

agents dead and a major cover blown. Now I got’ a find a way to keep my birds from

freezing to death. Let me make a phone call.”

Mateo said as he grabbed the ‘nilla wafer, took out his cell placed a call to Miami.

                             

                                                   “History is more or less bunk”

                                                              Henry Ford

 

     Everyone crowed to read the recent announcement posted on the cafeteria bill board.

The mere fact that it was posted when the Gov was doing one of his inspection rounds

made it all the more special, it was a big notice written in old fancy English font.

Notice: All lunatics, you’re invited to a free play and concert,

“The Merchant of Venice.”

Where: The Hydro-Garden Dome, A.K.A. Jardin Victoria.

When?   4rth full Earth Rise.

Eight shows only, see your task master for your time allotment.

      It took about more than a year to put it all together, and all because he told Larry that

it was time for a little culture, “I’m too busy you do it.” And so he did.

Kenny had delegated most of his chores, just came up with a few suggestions and

Ideas, he even took part in a judging panel in order to select the new, would be actors.

 Even as he thought about it, it was quite amusing to have a Shakespeare play on the

Moon, in Spanglish no less.

    And so it was, the theater stage was build on the far end of the biosphere, it

accommodated a little less than 250 of the populace but it was a big deal to all

who took part.

     The big night came and everyone was in a festive mood as it was the premier, most of

those who were able to attend the show, showed up early.

     Governor Larry showed up wearing the same unitard like everyone else except it

was clean. Kenny noticed that Keith was nowhere in sight and Larry was mingling with

the prisoners, indifferent, even carefree about his personal safety.

      Kenny looked up thru the dome; saw the full Earth rise, his own clock said it was

twenty minutes till show time, but the natives were getting restless. His own show started

as soon as he gets near Larry’s ear. It took Ken a good five minutes to traverse a few row

of seats, everyone reached up to shake or grab his hand. Others patted him on the

shoulder as if he was someone of importance. Some even stood up to whisper in his ear.

In the mean time Larry took position near the edge of the stage, Ken carefully appraised

Larry’s posture, arms folded across the chest with the occasional tip-toe stand and a

broad smile, it was obvious to all that he too enjoyed this diversion.

    “Governor?” Ken asked grabbing the governor’s arm in a firm greeting.

“I hope you like this, Governor.” Kenny spread his long skinny arms and made a small

gesture for all to settle down. The lights dimmed. The dome slowly fell silent; the over

head shadows gave way to a projected sky of blue color. The sound of frogs and crickets

could be heard piped in surround sound thru unseen speakers.

Over head projections showed huge white clouds turning darker and darker morphing the

projected clear blue sky onto a stormy one. The deep rumble sound of “Thus sprach

saratrustra” started to mingle in with the sounds of frogs and crickets.

    Kenny glanced sideways to Larry who’s jaw was now wide open, a bigger smile could

not be found in heaven.  He tapped the governor three or four times to get his attention.

Larry looked down at Ken’s hand offering a control box with a flashing green button.

“The honor is yours governor.*cough*..push the green button!!!” Kenny tried to keep a level

voice as the applause was getting louder with each passing second.

Larry didn’t hesitate. Upon pushing the button, overhead pipes led out a slight mist that

fell for a few seconds, as the mist fell upon the sea of shaved heads to the delight of

everyone. They all rubbed the water into their skin, completing the illusion of being

caught in a rain storm back home.        

   The projected storm showed flashes of lightning between the dark clouds, the water

mist added to the realism of the storm. Seconds later a Tesla coil released bolt of

lightning that crisscrossed the entire dome, a sonic boom from the sound system finished

the illusion. Again the giant capacitors released the last of its charge as another Tesla bolt

crossed the dome. Larry dropped the control box, slapped Kenny on the back almost

knocking him over.

Kenny looked into the crowd, not one was sitting, some crying and smiling at the same

time. Larry was also applauding quite enthusiastically. Kenny gently took Larry by the

elbow and guided him to center stage, with a striking flair of his arm… bowed and

presented Larry to the audience, a bright stage light shone on him, the resulting applause

was the loudest yet, and surely it was heard on the dark side station.  

 After the second ovation the curtains parted and the spotlight shifted to a man dressed in

a musketeer type costume, with the wide brim hat and the obligatory feather.

He walked over to the edge of the stage, took of the hat….with a booming voice she

bellowed, “Invited guests…and fellow lunatics…welcome to the first annual….

“When are you going to get it, Governments are created not to protect the people but to protect the lifestyle and benefits of the bureaucrats.”

The nephew dialogue

       Jerry could see the waning moon, thru his dusty wind shield. It was past 4 am

and he wanted nothing more than to shut his eyes for a while. His leg was tired from

holding on to the right speed limit. The cruise control was one of the many things

‘wrong’with the 2027 Lexus rattletrap, having disabled the GPS, ON-STAR, and the

other on board Tracking devices on the car, jerry felt comfortable in his anonymous way

of traveling, his dog Jack had long settled into a deep nap. He felt good about the way the

council received his update.

     This Tom and Larry business was taking too much of his time, he was glad

the council took the project from him and felt that it was important enough to bring in

someone else to take over for him while he just supervised. Now he decided that it was

time pull over and piss, as he had another sixty miles to go. As he walked to the side of

the road he opened the side door for his dog, it promptly squatted to do his business, and

was off sniffing and pissing on the road side bushes, while he on the other hand struggled

to empty his own bladder .

   Off in the distant night he saw the tell tale, Blue, Red, White, blinking lights of the

unmanned police drone float up into the night air. No matter where or when he stopped or

by what road, there was always one that would show up.

    The old timer as he was called, was having a slow night, it was towards the end of his

shift with only two traffic stops in the entire shift, so for now he busied himself by doing

telemetry checks on the twelve remote unmanned tele-presence vehicles at his command.

      On a whim he ordered one of them to fire up its twin, fist size Wankel engines and

hover for a bit, about 30 meters above the road, the drone transmitted what it saw and

heard directly into the hologram projection deck in the center of the room.

    Off in the distance was an old Lexus, parked by the side of the road with the hazard

lights flashing. The officer focused and zoomed in on the car, in the center hologram

display he saw a fifty something old man relieving himself by the side of the road.

He tried to receive the vehicles telemetries and down load the last few days of data, it got

no response,  the old timer decided to read the cars plates optically. The cars registration

name and profile was displayed in his personal visor. He compared the visor picture with

the person displayed on the deck relieving himself.

     The control room door opened, he spun his chair, to see his replacement, Lilly ready

to take his seat, ready for her shift, without asking, she focused one of the drone four

cameras on the dog, also relieving itself.

    “Oh look...a family moment.” She cooed sarcastically. There were plenty of red flags

to question this driver further, the car did not upload, its info to the drone, and it had no

automatic GPS ping, all of those were homeland security violations.

    Jerry knew from experience that he would be questioned further. He also knew that he

was a wanted man, but was also confident in his disguise, elongated forehead, ears

pushed way out, and bushy eyebrows were enough to fool the automatic face recognition

programs.

This disguise was tied to his international driver’s license, it was the one of

many affiliated to his small used car sales lot.

 The first drone hovered within ten feet from him, an authoritative voice demanded that

he flash his license and registration to be scanned.

“Your vehicle did not respond to the drones requests to Id itself. That places you in

violation of the homeland act.’

    “Before you arrest me, Please check the rules…you’ll find that cars twenty years or

older are exempt, besides I just bought this car for resale, it has a short somewhere, I’m

going to have it fix before I resell it.”

 Jerry was using his standard ruse that allowed him to cover his travels.

     Inside the command post the two officers made questioning faces but commanded the

drone to withdraw leaving Jerry to go about his business.

     Jerry wry smile came on his face as he saw the drone lift higher and fly into the

distance. He knew that even as it flew away it would still have the cameras trained upon him.

Jerry looked about saw that his dog was nowhere to be seen. He let out a loud whistle and

shouted, “Come on Jack, lets go. Don’t make me get you….Russell.”

Jerry walked to the car, opened the passenger door, left it open for the dog to jump in.

Just as he was putting on the seat belt, a flash of white fur was in the passenger seat

locking eyes with him. “Stupid dog.”

 “A photographic memory is nothing but a curse.”

    Still upset that he was not allowed to see the play, Seeker played with the sack of

washers that hung from a clip belt. It’s been almost a year into exile already he was

allowed to work  alone as he showed he needed little or no supervision as he worked on

the seal curtain. He was standing on the top part of the dome, one foot on the next bolt

while he waited for the guy beneath him to push it out. His job was to take out the long

bolt, break the seal, lift the curtain and put in a permanent bolt in its place. This was not

as easy as it sounded, with the suit pressurized as it was, it didn’t exactly allowed him

squat freely.

   The full Earth was in view, a massive storm over Europe was in full swing, huge

amount of lightning flashed under and above the clouds, while the Brown and green of

Africa was naked of cloud cover. His thought lingered for a moment on the storm and

wondered how many would die because of that one storm.

 

 To see the Earth like that always gave him a moment of melancholic pain, so many

regrets, and so many things he’d wish he’d done differently. People had often told him

how they wished to have his photographic memory. They didn’t know what they were

talking about. A photographic memory is nothing but a curse. Not to forget your

mistakes, or all the ‘wrongs’ people do to you. Because even if you didn’t dwell on them,

you never forgot as  those events were replayed, over and over in the theater of your

mind, aggravating your life like a pebble in your shoe.

“Ah… to forgive and forget what a blessing that would be for me.” He said talking to himself.

    He was deep into his retrospection when one of the more care free black guys in the

crew came bouncing towards him, he was one of the few who refused to wear the leaded

shoulder weights, saying it took away part of the fun being here. He was taking

advantage of the fact that today; they didn’t have an overseer riding them all day.

He stopped next to Zeeker. He extended the USB cable so that they could

talk privately. Zeeker knew he came only to talk bullshit and pass the time.

“Hey wanna see something?...Take a look.” He handed Zeeker a 4 inch diameter metal

pipe. One end open, the other capped with a spark plug. Zeeker looked it over not

knowing what’s expected from him., “What is it?”

He asked playing dumb. He knew a Spud gun when he saw one

“Just you watch.” He opened his chest OPPS panel, uncoiled two wires and connected

one alligator clip to the spark plug. Reached into his bolt bag, he took out a needle-less

syringe, and what looked like a bean bag.

“You hold on to that” He said as he squirted some liquid from the syringe into the open

end of the pipe. Quickly he shoved a bean bag into the pipe.

“You ready? hold it tight, here it goes..”

He touched the pipe with the second wire, while they heard no sound; Zeeker felt the

strong kick back from the spud gun it was enough almost move him of balance.

“Man…They’re going to kill you for having this.”

“I know they will, but only if they find me. Besides it’s also part of the fun isn’t it?”

Zeeker looked to where he had aimed but only saw a cloud of dust that grew and

sparkled as it speed away and spread some more .

“Aww, man…the bag broke…looks like I gotta get a stronger bag.” He said shaking his head.

“What’s in the bag anyway?” handing him back the spud gun, before he got caught with it.

“Sand…well I got to go, here comes the inspector.”

For it being only two feet long, Zeeker was impressed with the kick of the thing. Then

his stomach muscles started to spasms making his stomach hurt from its punch. A slight

moan escaped his lips, he started to bend over in pain when he felt

the bolt he was standing upon pushed his foot up signaling back to work.

“The great dreamer thinks he can leave his fingerprint into the flow of time.”

     Things were going well at the new base. While not as well equipped and a whole

lot smaller it was easier to resupply for the required extended stays. The committee

reached a consensus to regroup and do a security purge. With the sudden turn of events

they ordered a stop of all sabotage and ‘erasing’ of  tech schools at least for the time

being. Recruitment was now a priority. Jerry had for some time now surrendered to the

day to day ops…thou he preferred to catch up to whatever Tom was building. Lately his

mind kept returning to the Tesla Philadelphia Experiment. He’d done a biography check

on the Lunar Governor Larry, no genius there. So where did he come up with this

equation and prints?

     Last week Jerry took a small contingent of infiltrator to Tom’s Warehouse did some

discrete delay sabotage and got himself an updated copy of the working prints, with the

hopes of catching up perhaps even surpass Tom’s work.

 Today he directed some helpers with the installation of another  Tesla’s RECTENA

which he modified to convert regular radio waves to D.C. power. He was hoping to

reduce the grid need by another 15%. Power usage attracts unneeded attention.

   

Jerry’s antique cell phone beeped a reminder (‘Do you remember’ song) The sharpie size

(*Is the song by the O’ Jays?)

phone took to vibrate and beep indicating an urgent reminder. He took it out of his sleeve

pocket pushed its top button to quiet the racket, unlocked a lever on the side and pulled

out the rolled up plastic screen.

 There he saw the reminder “April Fool Stoppage”

Somehow he’d forgotten about this little practical joke he’d set off 3 years ago. Jerry

rubbed his hands in glee he called out to his crew via text message. “Turn on T.V. news.

He turned on his own set with the hopes the this little antic was bigger than all the rest

put together. He looked at the wall clock,1 minute past 1 P.M. in ten minutes the virus he

set in motion 3 yrs ago should activate for 1hour, then go dormant for two years then it

would repeat the cycle..

He let his mind wonder at how little effort it took to bypass the security

network, he used the mandatory antitheft arrest system. He used the car’s own computers

to spread the C+ code virus one car at a time. As far as he knew it had spread undetected

ready to paralyze traffic today on April 1^st. He expected the talking heads to break the

news about the massive traffic jams in major cities any minute now.

    The blond talking head did not flinch nor appeared surprised as she read the tele-

prompter.  “Reports are just coming in that hundreds of cars are suddenly stalling in

mayor cities across the US for no apparent reason. Cars are stalled in some of the mayor

highways of the cities preventing business as usual.” She turned to her co-anchor. Smiled,

with a quizzical look, opened her mouth, paused…Then asked. “This is our April fools

joke of the day right? On me Right?” She kept reading, “All mayor news services are

now reporting thousands of vehicles have suddenly turned off in the entire East coast.

Witnesses are reporting no obvious reasons as to why the cars have turned off and are

refusing to start again.” Her co-anchor asked “Did all those people forget to put gas in

their cars?” Smiling, waiting for the punch line that never came.

  Jerry did a little dance of jubilation. His cell phone beeped with messages. Some asking

if it was him? Members from the council send in their approval “Good one, Jerry” out of

caution he refrained from answering any one the messages.

He knew there will be a small investigation, but  knew nothing would be done in time to

prevent next attack.

(New Quote)

      On his way to his cell Zeeker walked along the dusty lower corridor, he could see

the myriad of dust particles float in the air moving ever so slowly from the lack of air

currents. He stretched out his hand touching the wall spaces between cells. Dust was

every where. With dust he knew came the danger of silicosis. The only time they weren’t

breathing the dust was inside the O.S.A suit or in the mess hall, the only places where air

filters were not taxed to the max and changed regularly. The man ahead of him stopped,

grabbed the chain fence that served as hand rail. He put his free hand to his chest and

coughed horribly and then spat a huge ball of phlegm. No one noticed the fly that landed

on the man’s shaved head.

    The temporary string of lights flickered on and off. A loud speaker announced, “shut

down in ten minutes, shut down in ten minutes.” That meant that he’d had to be in his

sleeping hole in less then ten lest the collar monitor find him outside his area and shock

him into unconsciousness. He ignored the coughing man. He knew he had to hustle,

dusted his hands. Adjusted the leaded shoulder pads, and ran a bit. He looked across to

the other corridors saw the others scurrying about, rushing to their own cells. 

Tomorrow was his day off, he didn’t want to spend it giving explanations to anyone as to

why he was out of area. He was in fact looking forward to doing something different. He

didn’t run very far as he was exhausted from the 15hrs in the suit, that alone was enough

to drive most people into retardation. Lucky for him he’d lose himself into the many

daydreams of the books he read long ago.  Zeeker’s desire for vengeance has never

waned.

 He was always on the look out for that something that would spark an idea. He  

knew that somehow, something would occur to him. It was only a matter of time.

He knew it would.

        Reaching his sleeping quarters with some time to spare, the sleeping quarters if you

wanted to call it that was nothing more than a pigeon hole, he stood at the threshold

waiting for his eyes to adjust at the dim light that was available.

It took him a while to realize that one of the cellmates had provided a candle, from the

looks of it, that wax had felt many a wicker burn thru it.

At the far end of the space he could see his box of stuff, his hammock hung upon the

wall, he noticed only boxes on the wall shelf  that meant that some one got transferred.

He unzipped a pocked of the unitard took out the small water bottle he’s taken to keep

with him, from his breast pocked he fished for his now well worn tooth brush, he

scrubbed his teeth very poorly and rinsed them using as little water as possible, he spat

the waste into the recycling spittoon.

Thru the dim light of the candle he saw lazy Anthony rouse in his hammock, the flame

Flickered, he glimpsed an old tattered paperback on Anthony’s chest. Zeeker took his

heavy blanket walked to the entrance and shook out the dust of it.

Anthony sat up looking at Zeeker, offered his fist for a fist pound and a hand shake. In a

low raspy sleepy voice he commented, “long time no see, dude.”

“Yeah they do keep us busy. What you reading?” Zeeker asked still shaking the blanket.

Tony took his time answering, as he was still stretching and yawning. “Just an old sci-fi

novel, ‘Dune’ its called” Tony said, flipping the well worn dog eared pages.

“Can I read it after you’re done? I read it before I’d like to read it again.”  Zeeker asked

as he jumped into the hammock, stared past the threshold in the dim light of the

earthshine he could make out the dimmed walkway and the darkened pigeon holes.

He was unfocused as he drifted of to sleep, he saw in some of the dark cells, the flickers

of lights blink on and off, thought nothing of it. Zeeker’s last thought was the message on

the novel ‘Dunes’, dealing with the law of the minimum.

Doing the most with almost nothing.

     Zeeker found himself again on top of the outer curtain, waiting to remove yet another

bolt. For greater mobility, he’d reduced the pressure inside the suit, just enough not to

trigger the central alarm. He took the spud-gun he’d left hidden, opened his OPS panel,

took one of the reserve Oxygen cylinder and screwed it to the spud-gun. Shoved a small

cloth bag into the pipe, pressed the trigger, letting the oxygen into the pipe, he held it one

handed while connecting the wire to fire it up, thinking there could be a better way, when

the recoil lifted him up a few meters above the curtain. As he floated he kept his gaze

where he shot the bag full of glass shards, smiling as he saw the bag break open, the

shards spread out, twinkling in the sunlight. He saw the glass cloud focus its light, then

shine onto the lunar ground. The focused beam now moved slowly along the surface

toward the dome.

Zeeker’s smile now turned to a mask of horror as he saw the light beam melt away the

curtain and the metal joints and he was in the beams path. Zeeker flailed his arms moved

his legs in a futile attempt to escape his creation.

      In the dark of the cell he fell flat faced to the ground receiving a mouthful of dirt. He

spat out the dirt, smiling again, relieved that it was only a dream.

 A word came, uninvited unrelated to anything going in his so called life,

 Albedo, it latched onto his mind. Albedo he thought, now what the hell does Albedo

have to do with the dream?

   In the darkened cell Tony looked up, unprompted said, “You just like to fall from

places, right?” Tony said making a reference to the first time they met.

“Shut the hell up.” He answered with tired indifference still spitting some sand.

    

***********************************

 

Even the very rich lament, life never gave me what I really wanted

   Larry was off his game. Distracted if somewhat happy, still in his hurry to get to his

lab he forgot about the hidden latch that held the display case locked in place. Walking

into it at full pace he nearly busted his nose when the case didn’t budge. Rubbing his nose

he fished out the key remote pressed it. He heard the latch give way, pushed the

display case walked into the darkened hallway. He allowed his eyes to adjust to some.

About some 12 meters, down to his left he saw the dim filtered light that came thru the

heavy glass door.

He paused on the landing, made a mental note to do something about the lack of hand

rails one of these days he just might be the one to fall of this narrow platform. Looking

down into the cavernous space he ordered carved out a few years back.

He noticed how empty it was, its polished glass floor of multiple shades of browns,

greens and grays gave him the feeling of being inside a glass marble. Spools of wires,

assorted materials were set to the side on wheeled pallets. From above he saw Kim

making dance moves with an imaginary partner. Only now he heard the music waft its

way up to him. He recognized the tune as an old instrumental, T.S.O.P.

He smiled as long set aside memories came up the with the tune.

The memory of kissing his first wife, on the very first date. That very melody played

within the restaurant.

Funny how that melody made him recall how it was raining that day and the smells of

that particular place and time. Now he knew what they meant by ‘the song remembers

when’.

    The three workers Kim had chosen to work with him on this job were busy as well.

Pretending they didn’t see jerry slide down the long ladder submariner style. They were

busy assembling one of the many attenuating control panels.

  

       The four meter Toroid, hung center stage suspended with elastic bands. Looking at it from

far away, again he felt doubts as to where the prints for all this came about.

Copies of real blueprints found in on old steamer, Nicolai’s Tesla original

blueprints of his radar invisibility project done on behest of the us navy, the Philadelphia

experiment as everyone refers to it.

 The original hand written notes were found to be authentic. But still, doubts crept in now

and again.

Larry walked over to where Kim was dancing to his own cadence, Larry’s mood shifted

some, looking at Kim’s self abandonment to the melody. He too let himself go into the

tempo, Larry moved with arms opened he twirled, took back steps and even paused in

time to the tune. Kim saw Larry approach and stopped. Larry just looked at Kim and

nodded him to continue with a simple gesture of the hand. the six foot five tall Korean

continued to dance the imaginary waltz. To his surprise Larry come within reach of him

only to continue dancing, his waltz arms open within a foot apart the perplexed Kim  

and joined in the make believe waltz. Neither one noticed the fly land on Kim’s out held

Ohm meter. Growing uncomfortable Kim stopped. Larry continued his dancing, and

asked “Ok… What’s eating you?”  Then danced around a bit once more by himself.

“I’ve been working on this thing a few months now. I got to wondering just what is it I’m

building?” He asked shoulders slumped a little.

“Ok Fair enough… Let me show you the prints that you are working from what you have

there on the table are copies I made.”

Larry motioned him to walk with towards the small enclosed space within the cavern.

Larry wet his pinky with saliva and touched a small screen by the door jam. The screen

turned green. They heard a soft click on the door.

The room was Spartan, devoid of artifacts, one chair, a table. Larry took the rolled up

plastic poster, unfolded it. Powered it up.  Kim had never seen an old fashioned blue

print,  the white lines on Blue background really stood out.

Larry made the flattened screen shift to the first page.

He pointed to the signature on the bottom right hand corner. “Do you know

whose signature that is?” The screen Displayed ‘N Tesla” amidst some fancy scribbled lines.

Kim looked incredulous. After a long pause he asked, “You have first Generation copies

of  Nicolai prints? What are they for? Where did you get them?”

Larry puffed his chest at having someone appreciated what he had.

“Yes, these PDF’s were taken from originals. As to what they are for? I’m sure you

didn’t become an electronic wizard without hearing legends about Tesla and his Failed

Philadelphia Experiment.” 

Kim Walked around the table, first arms akimbo, then he rubbed his chin. Larry watched

him think. Bend over the table, made the screen go from page to page, stop highlight

some part on the screen.

Without looking up he asked, “you aim to duplicate this experiment.” He tapped his

fingers still not taking his eyes of the prints continuing to shift the pages in a rapid pace .

“No…I intend to do him better and then some, If these prints are right….”

“You’ve got any suggestions?” He asked as he moved to opposite side of the makes shift

table. As he leaned over the table the fly went past them this time they both noticed it.

As matter of reflex they both tried to swat it unsuccessfully.

“You know …I do…I think that the Toroid should move over the object.  Not the object

into the Toroid hole. At least till we get a better understanding.”

Larry looked off into space. Nodded his head in agreement “Do it then, it makes sense.

But instead of making it do one function make two different platforms the other one like

you think it ought to be.”

      

      Kenny needed to get his ass down to the infirmary, being an old timer had its

privileges but also consequences. Even as he followed the rules to protect his lungs, he

was coughing almost constantly, even the phlegm was now showing clots of blood.

      The new found freedom also came with a cost. Working so close to Larry made it

really difficult to collect and pay favors. Kim had asked to see him about a month ago

and the only chance to speak came only at the final show of,  ‘The Merchant of Venice’

    Today there were even some dignitaries and VIP’s some the far side. No doubt Larry

would see them at his office for coffee or sorts.

Kenny didn’t understand why earth side had told him to delay the Gov’s secret project.

Or why this sudden urgency, all he knew was that once again he found himself in the middle.

  

    He waited for Kim to pass him by in order to appear as nonchalant as possible.

Kim fell into the slow walk Kenny always had these days.

Kenny paused looked up to Kim as they pulled to the side of the walkway.

“Do you, *cough*, *cough*, finally know what the*cough* Gov is up to in his private lab?”

“Yeah I do have a better understanding of what he’s going to do. Straight from his mouth.

He wants to duplicate Tesla’s Philadelphia Experiment, but instead of wrapping a ship,

he’s wrapping a huge Toroid, do you know why?”

Kenny coughed heavily, held up his index finger while he coughed out some more

phlegm. They then made their way back to the now empty Victoria Garden.

Kenny sat down unzipped his overall, pulled out thin plastic tubing with nose plugs took

in several deep breaths.

“I’ve word from earth* cough * side that Larry has some people * cough * building the

same machine he’s putting together *cough* here.”

“See he didn’t tell me that, now it makes sense that he would build another matching set.”

“Earth side Government* cough * thinks it’s sensible to let the* cough * Gov work

unimpeded, What do you * cough *think?” After a long silence Kenny couldn’t contain

his curiosity. “Earth side tells me*cough*  to watch and keep and*cough*  study Larry’s

work. You*cough* are my eyes Kim. What’s he really building?” *cough, cough,

cough*

Kim patted Ken’s back in a futile effort to relieve the illness.

“I’m no mathematician, But I did asked him about some equation he has up on the wall.

He told me it’s Max Planck Fine Structure constant and Schrödinger’s wave=matter

equation. Kenny I don’t know much about mathematics. But I do know that

Schrödinger’s equation is the basis for all manner of sci-fi teleportation plots and ideas.

So now it really makes sense that he would be building two.”

“You think it * cough * could work? Is he really building a teleport device?”

“Well… he wants to start testing in two months. We’ll find out then, won’t we?.”

“We think it’s imperative*cough* that we synchronize the testing*cough* with earth side.

 When you are ready for testing,*cough* write the info on a piece of paper someone in

the mess hall will*cough* always ask you, ‘testing, testing 1,1. you will then give him the paper’”

Ken found it necessary to repeat himself in view of Kim’s silence.

Maybe it was Ken’s prodding questions, but until now Kim’s mind didn’t wrap his mind

around gargantuan consequences to an outright successful test. To actually build a

doorway thru space. Truly a discovery too big for any single nation.

“Ken…Larry wants to build a fucking doorway from here to Earth. You realize the

potential, a freaking doorway.” Kim stood up unable to contain his enthusiasm.

“!!!Imagine a door way from Earth to Mars, Ken Imagine it!!!

“I’m afraid*cough* I do Kim, *cough* I do” He paused to expel some phlegm onto the floor.

“Now I’m going*cough* to ask you Kim…Do you think *cough* that our dictator should

get his hand on *cough*

what you are helping*cough*  to build? Ask yourself this…*cough* Do you think he

should own such*cough*  a machine?”

“I think It’s way too big for any nation to have a monopoly over. Think about transport

the doorway to any a place and 10k troops appear as if by magic. You can even drop

them of a single plane if you put the doorway on an air borne transport. It’s a great tool

with humongous potential. If this doorway works the cost to send anything over to Mars

just got really cheap.” Kim leaned forward elbows on the knees his hands in front of the

lips as if in prayer. A far away look in his eyes..

“ I’ll send*cough* earth side your thoughts.”

“We may sometimes ask of you to perform an unpleasant task. Like start a war

Or leave the mechanic group alone. The roving dictatorship of the oval office must remain intact” The nephew Dialogue.

    Jerry’s transformation from a mere observer to an active member in SEF came to be as

an adult while serving his country in a foreign land.

 He never forgave the local government for taking away the only place his mother

had ever known. The small family homestead farm. He was not even there when the

sheriff threw out his mother on the street, an 83 year, old feeble woman. The county sold

the family farm for pennies on the Dollar to satisfy a tax lien.

     On her way somewhere, his mother died destitute, frozen to death in ditch, having got

caught in an early October snowstorm. Only because a neighbor of his mother cared

enough to track him down did he find out some months after the fact. His first act of

sabotage was the counties registrar’s tax office. His target wasn’t the people within the

office, only the tax records. But upon reading how all county land records were lost and

would have to be copied from state records, he realized that the machine was much

bigger and insidious than he imagined.  And so began his journey as an wanted man

He wasn’t sure why he was taking this detour so far down memory lane. Perhaps it was

all the small farms he was passing as he wound his way to the synod with the ruling

council of 7.  Lots of loose ends had to be resolved. And some new ideas had to be

explored.

   As if reflecting his mood, his dog Russell let out a deep sigh and rolled on his back

totally relaxed in the passenger seat, legs up in the air, sneezed twice and kept on in his

slumber.

“Just an hour or so, Russell, just an hour more.” At the mention of its name, the dog

wiggled its tail but stayed on its back legs up in the air.

      He took out his cell phone, after following the voice prompts in an attempt to text the

cohorts, he lost his patience at the AI. After a long stream of foul language. “What do you

mean contact subfolder B is not there? You moronic dog dildo.” Taking the Sharpie

shape phone  and resetting the phone to manual mode he sent the text to all. ‘Here is a

joke for you, The headless horseman has no head.’ Text back if you heard it.’ Those at

the receiving end

knew that it was time to remove the batteries from the cell phones and remove the fuses

from all GPS and Tele-aid devices on the cars.

     It was a cold day in mid winter the ground was still somewhat muddy in the little

town just of the interstate. Jerry was the first one to arrive at the old farm house. It was

chosen as a meeting place because of its central position to all plus the fact that it is

vacant and for sale. The nearest neighbors are far and few in between. He drove up to the

barn.  As soon as he set one foot on the ground, the dog was out a few feet in front, total

attention to Jerry, its stub of a tail wagging furiously, eyes locked into his.

Jerry knew what it wanted. It was asking for permission to scamper about.

 “Ok...You can go.” It disappeared behind the barn before the word go came out.

 

   As small farms went, this one had a nice size barn. The selling realtor was kind

enough to give him the code to the lock box, so he made himself at home. He opened the

barn doors to let in the first few to arrive. He then drove his own car deep into the barn.

He walked around, found the detached garage big enough to store the rest of the cars out

of sight. His dog could be heard barking at something in the distance.

     He lid a barrel fire and was roasting a few sausages over it.  He set up

the equipment he gathered to demonstrate a proof of concept to the council. Some time

this morning he made up his mind to retire from all this mayhem. Looking around, he

thought, maybe he’d buy this same barn or another like it. Today he’d tell the council

of his plans to retire after this last project.

      It took a while for the formalities and greetings to be done with. They all gathered

around the barrel with its inviting sausages.

‘There’s soda and beer in the cooler, and those sausages are from a kosher place on

Collins Av.”  The fire flared as some the grease fell into it. Jerry knew that it was up to

him how well this gathering went.

    “As we all know this cat and mouse game has gone on long enough. The time has

come for us to make give this pigsty they call government a really good blow to its base

of power. If I’m moderately successful it’ll clean out a good chunk of the entrenched

powers. The main reason you’re here is to provide funding for this one last push if you

will. Allow me.”

He walked over to the running generator, plugged an extension cord that ran to a small

machine sitting on top of a plastic matt. With the showmanship of a magician jerry

                   

appeared to produce his cell phone out of thin air. Made big gestures out of pressing the

call button. A green light came on top of the machine yet nothing happened except a loud

thud to the ground followed by silence. All six of them stood in silence looking around

not knowing what to expect, again the loud thud came. The machine started to produce a slight hum.  

 

  Jerry could see the confused look on their faces, He guessed that the time was right if

he was to get funding.  He started to explain what it was they were looking at.

“Sometimes one comes across things and events that make you go, ‘Hmnn’ some of

those thing are just downright hard to believe. I’ve come across such a thing.”

He took a small sip of the now almost cold tea, waited for them to get a little impatient.

“This little machine will soon show you what I mean”.

   

The machine was now making the ground around it vibrate, then it stopped

This machine was first built by Tesla. I made some modifications.” The loud thud came

again this time louder and the machine answered at the same time. This gentlemen is

Tesla’s fabled earthquake machine. As far as I understand it. It works using the bouncing

ball principle. It sends out a vibration and when it comes back it reinforces it again and

again. Very much like a child in on a swing. Every push builds on the last one.”

The ground vibrated again this time the even the fire barrel shock some.

Simon, the most flamboyant of the group, took his hat off as he started to sweat,

revealing the bald dome and his ridiculous long braided pony tail. Simon smile at the

thought of another surprise from Jerry.

 Held up his hand, swallowed a bit of food.

“Jerry, I heard about your April fools prank...”

Jerry shook his head in denial while at the same time smiling broadly raised his thin eye

brows, put his right hand over his chest. Almost laughing said. “Who, Me? Wasn’t me.”

 “Jerry, will this idea you have. Is it benign or destructive?” Simon removed his

outlandish hot pink silk scarf  making girlish gestures at how hot the food was.

It’ll be very destructive…I plan to set a few of these machine around DC to cause a

massive earthquake.” A collective ‘What’ came out in unison as they all looked at him in

disbelieve.

“Just kidding… I’m kidding. I want funding and card Blanche from this council. I’m not

going to tell you exactly what I’m going to do or where. But it involves two of these

machines. Plus about 1million in expenses.” Jerry paused took a big bite of a sausage.

He too made the too hot for the mouth gesture. In the silence his dog Russell could

be heard faintly in the distance barking feverishly at something.

“My target is the east coast. When the time comes I’ll send you a message that I’m going

on vacation. You’ll go on vacation to the mountains somewhere? Now, do I have my

funding?” As if on cue the rumble from the ground was the strongest yet. This time the

whole barn shook for a few seconds. A long silence. Simon was the first to nod his head

in approval. A few others grabbed, and rubbed their chin in thought. One by one they

agreed. In the silence Jerry moved his ears in unison then one at a time, wondering why

even his dog went quiet. A sudden gust of cold wind forced itself into the open barn.

They all shivered, some from the sudden cold wind.

Simon let out a gasp as he moved to close the door. The dog Russell was limping, and

covered in blood. The skin on its hind leg showed a gash. In a pure girlish way Simon

stomped his feet in panic. Then collected himself said in a voice that was way, too loud.

“What are we going to do for him?

Jerry kneeled next to his dog, took off his coat and laid him on it. The dog shivered but

allowed Jerry to examine the wound.  Simon held his face in full worry.

Jerry tugged at Simon’s leg trouser and without looking up ordered Simon to go into the

open house and ‘bring some Talcum powder or baking powder, which ever you find’.

He lifted the dog’s leg, the dog snarled some. Jerry asked to no one in particular “Get me

some tape, any kind, Masking tape, Duct tape, it won’t matter.”

He addressed the dog. It’s Ok, Jack, its ok.” He washed some blood off using the water

bottles. He saw that the front leg was also gashed. “Stupid dog… A fine way to end a

meeting eh?”

Simon came back holding a small bottle of talcum powder, Asked with a face full of

worry “Will this do?”

Jerry set the skin folds back into place, poured the talcum over the wound, wrapped the

wounds in paper napkins. He then held the napkins in place with the masking tape

some body found. Jerry kept repeating “It’s ok Russell, its ok.”

Jerry stood up, patted Simon on the back. “There that’ll stop the bleeding ‘till I get him to

a vet.” The dog laid there shivering. Simon kneeled caressed the dog and wrapped the

coat over it. Said, “I saw a Vet place a few miles back”

“Nah, he’ll be fine ‘till we get home…Stupid dog.” Jerry repeated wagging a finger at it.

The ground again shook. This time things fell off the barn wall hooks.

Jerry asked, “Do I have funding?”

 They all nodded in agreement. Jerry lovingly lifted his dog and gently took it to his car.

Set it on the front seat as he drove away he turned on the seat warmers for him and the

dog. The poor thing was just shivering uncontrollably.

“Sometimes we permit events or create events to shake the collective consciousness from complacency with silent bullets. JFK assassination and 911 attacks and the virus of 2105 are such bullets.”

The Nephew Dialogue.

     The crescent Earth was just peeking over the Moon’s horizon when the protruding bolt

pushed Zeeker’s boot.  He reached down pulled it out, shoved the pry bar between the

moveable curtain and the dome. Put the old bolt in the collecting box. Took out a sealer

bolt from the new box shoved the bolt down to the guy waiting below him. He smacked

the side of the bolt head so the below could go ahead and used the impact wrench on it.

The spud wrench transmitted the vibrations thru the glove.  These gloves were sensitive

enough to feel the three spaced thuds the man below gave the bolt, meaning move on to

the next bolt.  Zeeker had noticed the inspector was not as lively as in his previous

inspections. He lingered more than usual. These inspectors were not to be trifled with.

However he just hung around as if lost in his own world. Before moving on to the next

task Zeeker took a heavy washer from the used bolt box, He looked left and right saw no

one near, flung the washer at the inspector. The washer bounced off the inspector’s

helmet and kept going a good distance away. Still the man didn’t seem to be quite there

on the job. In fact he just stood there, slowly he turned towards Zeeker. On a hunch

Zeeker bounced twice to where the inspector stood, opened the OPPS panel on the chest.

he then checked the man’s stats.

Sure enough the man didn’t even know he was in trouble. Zeeker pushed the button with

the red cross on it three times as he’d been told to do so many times before.

 The panel’s lights blinked red on and off and so did the helmet’s interior lights.

A case of hypercapnia is that what happens to you when the re-breather malfunctions.

You get a severe case of the stupids. Now he knew what to look for. From now on he’d

make sure to check his re-breather tests himself.

     Zeeker made his way to the mess hall. Every now and then some of the men would

tap him once or twice on the shoulder as if he’d done some great deed. Right now he was

looking forward to the ash tasting gruel they called food.  He took his portion looked

around the new mess hall for a place to sit down lots of room, a few eating tables with a

few men going about the hurried business of eating and getting to their post lest the

verdugo walked in and started electrocuting everyone.

Zeeker looks around a bit longer sees the new clock on the wall reading 20 minutes to

0400.

 A man caught his eye.  He made a hand motion asking him over to the table.

In over two years since exile this was the 1^st time he was asked to join a table.

Kenny made the hand motion again. One of the men sitting across the table from Kenny

made a space for Zeeker to sit. 

      Zeeker noticed the triangle patch with the opened eye within it, meaning that the man

in front of him is an old trustee. He saw too that the shock collar shackle had been

removed.

He’d heard rumors of someone getting released. But he never dreamed he’d meet the

recipient of the grand gesture.

     Kenny noticed that Zeeker was eyeing the wall clock, so Kenny opted to break the

silence and get rid of the worried frown on the invitee face.

Without preamble he spoke first, “That was nice of you…you saved a trustee’s life. In

return he sent you a gift.” He slid a memory stamp across the table.

Zeeker picked it up, spun the thing on the fingers of one hand as a magician would a coin.

Kenny pressed on, “Your OPPS panel has a slot for it. Seven K hours of music.”

“Nice but he didn’t haf’ta.”  Zeeker thought about it, a little music would make the hours

go by faster. In this case almost ten months worth.

“You didn’t have to save his life, but you did, so take the gesture for what its

worth… Besides we all got our own agenda.”

Zeeker eyes widened with disbelief at how fast the time flew. He was going to be

shocked again for sure. He stood up abruptly to leave. Kenny amidst a heavy coughing fit

made a motion for him to sit back down while he hooked the oxygen mask to catch his

breath.

“Lagarto…Tell the new stupervisor that #561312 is in conference…he’ll be up shortly.”

He winked at Zeeker. “That way you won’t be found some place unconscious.” He took

several deep breaths. He again made the motion for him to sit down. Zeeker looked at the

man who left ‘Lagarto,’ lizard a fitting nick name, tall, lanky big nosed and fast.

Kenny spoke slowly to avoid coughing. 

“Sit down.” 

Zeeker made a half gesture to get up and leave only to change his mind and remain where

he was..  Just offered a half bake excuse, “Look I really

appreciate the invite. But I really got to get going.” He looked around nervously.

“Let’s enjoy this small chat. Find out what we can do for each other, after all the

only thing we have of value is information and the few things we can barter.”

“I’m Kenny…I was, I’m one of the few surviving original Exiles. I go back to when all

this was just a few modified shipping containers.

“Zeeker is it?”  Tell us your story… How is it that you came to be our guest. I know

almost everyone’s stories. Today it’s your turn… you may prove to be valuable and don’t

know it.”

 A fly buzzed around Zeeker and Kenny they both followed its movement

watched land on Zeeker’s tray.

“My dear nephew, never ever give your enemy a tool for your own destruction.”

The nephew dialog

     Mateo’s nephew couldn’t believe himself. The reality of what he volunteered for was

now crystallizing before him. He was now being suited as an exile. Being part of a team

that is to survey and report back to Mateo on the activities of the lunar governor and

conditions within the penal colony.

 He hoped that the collar they just clamped on his neck was the one made especially for him.

 A simple variable frequency transmitter. His job was to provide regular reports not

receive any. Otherwise he’d have to either abort or improvise.

    He was unceremoniously shoved, pushed and yanked as the components of the suit

were attached and sealed.  

     The eggshell transport’s half shell was lifted revealing the carved out seating form

he’s to be strapped to on his way to the Moon base.

     Yosvani played the convict part well. He sat there waiting patiently as the attendants

strapped him in.

Being an expert lip reader he saw what the delay was.

“What you got this time?” Asked one of the attendants gleefully enjoying the conversation.

“Well, so far we done roaches, flies and spiders. Yesterday I went to my mother in law’s

House. she has a few stray cats that she feeds.”

‘They would not dare’ thought Yosvani. They better not’.

Yosvani never saw when the fleas were sent with him nor did he felt them on his way.

 Only later he noticed some red welts on his arms and legs.

“Let’s begin with you…You don’t strike me as a murderer or a terrorist, maybe  a

child molester? Kenny asked baiting Zeeker to talk…

“My crime was one of circumstances. I stand accused of aiding and abetting the enemy

insurgents. A known felon came to my Army & Navy shop. He bought a very old T.M.

from me. Next thing I know I’m in front of a judge, and now here. I mean just how, was I

to know that someone is from SEF. I guess they didn’t like my collection of military

technical manuals.”

“Out of curiosity, ‘cough’ which manual you… sold?”

“Some out dated book on improvised munitions”

So you …sell a booklet… published by…the army…and then get…exiled…”

Kenny put the oxygen mask on his face. Laughing between coughs the two others on his

side joined in. Kenny slapped the table a few times in enjoyment.

    

    Kenny saw value in the information that lay locked within the man across the table.

Using the hypnotist skill from his days as a hypnotherapist Kenny spoke with the intent 

to put Zeeker under. 

  “Seriously now they say about that you got a prodigious memory….. That you’re

always quoting from the Quran….. and the bible. I even heard you talking about articles

that you read long ago.” And just like that Zeeker was under…

This was the same skill that got Kenny in trouble with the female patients

“Zeeker”…He asked in the required monotone. “You’re alone in the book store…”

Kenny was having a difficult time controlling his urge to cough.

You’ve got the military manual in your hands.” Zeeker held his hands as if he was indeed

holding a book, his hands made the motions of opening a book and flipping through some

pages.  ”Good…What color is the …front cover?”

Kenny elbowed cohorts who both promptly took out a voice recorder smaller

than a matchbook case and a small worn notepad 

“Beige”

“Good, now read the front cover.”

“TM 31-210 Improvised munitions handbook Department of the Army 1969.”

Good…Good. Now open book and read us the index.”

“Explosives and propellants. Mines and grenades. Small weapons and munitions….”

“Good now open the book…Go to…”

     Being out the trance Zeeker did a double take onto the clock on the wall. He’d been

sitting talking for over three hours but he could not recall what they’d talked about.

Kenny took several deep breaths before going on with the questioning

“Now you want to tell us why you keep using the spud gun every time you’re top side?”

“Sure, you ever heard the word Albedo used?”

Kenny and his companions shock their heads in unison.

Zeeker went on to explain the difference between the reflective surface on mirror and

asphalt while they just listened and nodded.

“So you see, little by little I’m going to try and make the Albedo here from a mere .12 to

maybe a .14 or 18 if I can. I going to blast broken pieces of glass in every direction for as

long as I can. It’ll go faster if I had help… But so far the only action I got going, is the

one I give myself. Wait that sounded wrong.”

Kenny just smiled in contemplation. “So not only are you crazy. You’re a lunatic.”

Zeeker looked hurt at Kenny’s comment. “Just kidding. How long do you think it’ll take

to change this...This Albedo thing?” Asked Kenny looking intently at his comrades.

“I never really thought about it…A guesstimate would be 100 men 20 or 30 years.”

Tell you what, Zeeker… You go about your operation, what you called it? Oh Yeah Moonlight Madness. Just don’t

Be causing any trouble for us…OK?”

Kenny made a hand gesture telling Zeeker to go away. Zeeker just stared blankly at

Kenny, unsure of just what had transpired to make three hours go by so swiftly.

Ever so slowly he got up extended his hand to Kenny still unsure if he should.

“Give your friend my thanks for the gift.” With that he turned and left.

Kenny remained pensive…sucking on the oxygen. After a short while he that even a half

baked vengeance plan was better than none.

As they walked he said…”You know I think *Cough* we should join that little Moon

light Madness *Cough* of his…spread the word. Let me see what he drew.”

“Who would’ve thought that, a klutz like him would have such valuable information?” 

Said Largarto happy with the information and drawings Zeeker provided them. Looking

again at the small sketch book. Nodding and smiling at he contents.

“For all intents and purposes we are all now armed and dangerous…yes indeed.”

Largarto jumped with a fist raised and spun several times in mid air helped by the low

gravity he landed on three points football stance, a very wide smile on his face.

“Evil men in power make laws to make legal their evil deeds.”

Anonymous.

   Little Moshe being just about a meter and a half had donned the clothing of a 15yr old,

skate board, fanny pack head phones and the obligatory baseball cap on backwards.

      Little Moshe as he was known was a former master locksmith for the I.D.F  He left

The IDF and Israel for good right after a small time jihadist named Ibrahim Muhadma

Judea  succeded in detonating a small nuke that took out not only, the church of the holy

Sepulcre, the remnants of the wailing wall and the Dome of the rock where both the

muslins and the Christians claimed that Jesus and or Muhammad ascended to the heavens all in one blow.   

Shortly after that Israel was left a husk of its former self. A huge amount of Jews left

Israel taking with them not only the money for reconstruction but the brain power as well.

   With his entire family vaporized in the blast he left the middle east for good.

He wandered about without any aim or desire of an aim for a few years until a chance

Encounter if you can call it that, being caught amidst a running mob, a few docen

agitators were having a running mêlée with the French police. They were trying to disrupt

the world bank conference. Reporters across the plaza were busy reporting on the chaos.

A few youngsters ran past him waving banners. The mot prominent banner was SEF

written in several languages. He was smiling at the chaos when he was surprised at the

flash of a baton bear down on his head. Arrested and tried with the whole group. He got

to know what the group was about. He also met ________. Who would later become lead

councel for SEF. Not having a family or anything to tie him down He began to seek them

out at the frequent demonstrations. After the third arrest he was surprised to find out the

SEF had a cadre of lawyers ready to spring them from local jails. Well-heeled lawyers

who sympathized with SEF goals. It took a while to noticed and longer to be asked to

officially participate.  

   

         Today his mission was to find out, how much did they know about S.E.F and what

are they doing about it. Two different infiltrators pointed to the man who next week was

going to stay at this hotel. This time he was being helped by Sophia. This job was

simple, they were to scan the maid’s key card to give them complete access to all the guests rooms.

      Ricardo Pau, Homelands Security Domestic Terrorism’s undersecretary. Gossip said

he liked young black ladies and the younger the better. Eighteen months of slow investigation

told them he’d remain in the hotel one day after the conference was over.

     After the third conference under the SEF eyeball. It was Sophia who first noticed the

pattern. Once the escort service was Identified, Pau became an easy target. A fake

National Security letter insured they got notified when and where Mr. Pau would be. It

seemed he always made his arrangements at least a week ahead.

      From his vantage point on the top floor balcony little Moshe made believe he was

repairing the skate board while keeping an eye out for the maid who was going to do the

house keeping on the building wing across his suite. He’d watch the maids come to work

as he skate boarded on the employees parking lot. The two maids assigned to the building

wing of his interest were already today. Doing work for SEF meant most of the time to do

you had to your work the low tech way.

 One of the maids was careless she always seemed to leave her car open. Human nature to

be lazy never disappointed him. Documents with the driver’s home address made it easy

to find the owners home and thus easy access to the bundle of keys they carried.

New Chapter

Synopsis of sorts

Where: lunar penal base Under construction.

When: About the year 2085 from now

Story: (A) Lunar governor is secretly building upon [mark planks]/ tesla work,

Is building apparatus to test, equation. Is distracted by project

(B) One of the new prisoners, Wants revenge even from the moon.

(C) [Kenny and jerry] smuggled Messages and small items – they black- mail rail transport chief. Who works in tandem with lunar Governor.

Characters

Larry. lunar governor

Kenny. trustee- former Save the Earth Forces, eco-terrorist

Jerry. Eco-terrorist, joined S.E.F after Kenny got sentenced to Lunar Base,

Kenny and Jerry want to Know, what are Larry and Tom up to.

Tom, Rail Gun administrator, helps Larry with apparatus.

Zeeker, wants revenge against Earth, even from the moon. Hatches a wild Idea Using the moon’s Albedo.

The Lunatics

By

Ezequiel S Martinez

       

 True to his habit of remaining behind another day after the security seminar

Pau stayed holed up in a different suite two floors below.

Again Little Moshe was glad to have made the extra effort to scan the other maid’s key card. He and Sophia ‘occupied’ a room two suites away from the one Pau moved to last night.

    IDF had taught him patience that on the day of action the target must never be lost out sight. In the hallway they installed a motion detector/camera disguised as a smoke detector. The only motion/video came from the room service late in the morning.

They were told by the Escort service that Pau’s massage therapist was due in about two hours. He didn’t dare move from his vantage spot in the parking lot. Things always had a way of not going as planned. The urge to empty his bladder was again becoming too much. He spilled the remains of a soda, jumped to the back seat, knelled and relieved himself into the soda cup.

Mid stream into relief, a taxi pulled up a very young ebony colored girl, got out and walked towards the lobby doors. According to the information they had, this was today’s entertainment. Now he could take a nap. Sophie would let him know when the young girl was finished.

     Fresh from the nap waited for the right amount of time, took his skate board sat in front of the guest’s door and hall way making believe he worked on the skate board. The wireless mike transmitted clearly all the noise within the room while the mini camera worm transmitted video to his compact video glasses. He used the cursor pad embedded into his right thigh leg to keep the worm focused on his quarry.

Pau remained upright on the bed talking on the phone and channel surfing. Moshe just waited while Pau either fell asleep or went to take a shower. So far he’s done neither.

Moshe knew to be patient with this mission. This target was Identified as head of the main agency that’s been a torn on the side of SEF. Now it was time to get a little intel and perhaps get even for the set back on the mountain camp.

Moshe eyed his quarry head to the bathroom. He had to act soon as there’s only so much tinkering he could do before the hotel manager comes around asking questions. Taking advantage of the television noise and the short movement into the bathroom he sliced the master key card. Having committed himself as the click on the door unlocking would  make a silent entry impossible. Moshe did two monkey rolls that took him past the bed and almost into the small hall way that led to the bathroom.

Wearing nothing but a jockey brief, Pau peeked out of the bathroom door way only to get the barrel of a pistol shoved into his mouth.

  

‘We make no apologies for the acts that we allow. Mankind is not to be allowed free will. It’s either us or the never ending chaos .”

Uncle Chenney

     

       Being that the only form of currency within the prison complex are ‘personal favors’ or hand crafted items that could be traded. Zeeker had taken to making small hand cranked generators to charge or power whatever contraband electronics was there to be had or made. The workmanship of the generators was crude, the demand was there as long they provided some power. The hard part was getting the material for the parts. Lots of things were taken away during the latest shake down.

      Today Zeeker waited for Randal to work his way into his area. To him and others Randall had become a de-facto currier. An unintended favor the governor had done for them. Zeeker was waiting to get his hands on some old transformers to cannibalize for the wiring.

“Hey ‘shitman’ was you able to get…” Randall gave Zeeker a look that said much more than mere foul language would ever express.

“Just how many times I’ve told you, My name Is Randall, I was a doctor in Veterinary care. I’m sick to death of you mother fuckers calling me that. And no there are no parts that you’d want. You got my ‘juice’ bottle?” He asked as he emptied the contents of the waste  pail into the large collection barrels of the waste collection cart.

Zeeker reached into a leg pocket took out a small flask of cell made rum, and handed it to Randall. Who quickly stepped into the cell to take a quick sip.

  As Randall pushed the cart on to the next cells Zeeker could not resist a small jab. He cupped his hand so that Randall could hear him above the din.

 “If you’re so smart, how come you haven’t made a bomb out of all that piss you collect?”

“Who says I’m not.” He answered without looking back.

   Zeeker walked back to his cell, and jumped into the hammock. A rare time, a few hours to do nothing. Maybe he could just try and masturbate, try as he could nothing came of the effort as the chemical castration made it impossible to achieve an erection.

    Randall push the excrement cart slowly and heavily. He mumbled to no one as he struggled to reach the next corridor. “I swear one of these days my name will be on everybody’s lips. Everybody is going to remember.”

“How often we give our enemies the tools to our demise.”

Aesop.

La Isla de la Palma was just starting to be resettled after the huge re shaping and upwardly expansion the island took in 2031. The talking heads had field day about the possible Tsunami and the devastation it could have caused on the eastern coast of America. However the much feared and talked about mega Tsunami never materialized. The island did some shaking and spewed some ash and rocks so it grew in height and width and displaced some 30 thousand families some of which were beginning to return.     

    Jerry was confident that his documentation would provide him the cover for him to do his work undisturbed. He’d provided the local park administration paper work showing him to be a Geology professor and student working post graduate student working on her geology doctorate.

    This on their second day of scouting the new terrain on the island marking what he thought would be good spots to place the synchronized wave emitters. Sophia moaned and complained the whole time, night had caught them between the ravines. For a long moment Jerry considered leaving her, but she never really left his side so he was never able to play out the prank.

 

The automated jeep knew its own way back and it was making good time up the winding ravine. The sudden shower did nothing to make things any better. So now they were tired, hungry, dirty and cold.

Sophia hugged herself, shivered a bit. Then it occurred to her to turn on the car heater.

Jerry just sulked at her general uselessness. If it weren’t for the fact that sometimes a woman’s touch is needed for certain duties and missions and covers she would not be here. This was one of those times. He needed a female because that helped sway any suspicions that may arise

She is slow upstairs but willing to learn. For now he accepted her and sat in silence.

Las Palmas weather was perfect for Jerry, not at all boring, chilly at night, But very pleasant during the day.

He looked over at Sophia who had reclined the seat and was still hugging herself but appeared to be sound asleep. He wasn’t sure whether to punch her or just push her out of the Jeep. He clenched his teeth and shook closed fist at her. As if feeling something she stirred in the seat.

  He was counting on the ‘take me home’ feature of the all terrain Jeep to take him back to the rented ranch on Nuevo Pueblo Pedregales. He used the extra time and his old web phone to check where the machines where. He saw that tomorrow they would need to go to Nuevo Puerto D’ Santa Cruz. Little Moshe would be there with the machines. The jeep made good time despite the earlier down pour. The rain made these so called roads  nothing but mud trails. The new town appeared below as they came out of the new ravine.

A car or two moved about the town.

Finally the autonomous jeep turned into the long driveway and stopped in front of the dark house.

    Sophia being the first through the door reached for the light switch, She clicked once, twice. Nothing happened.

“Uh...Jerry…We got no lights.” Not being familiar with the house she froze in the doorway waiting for Jerry to act. He moved inward past her, felt for the switch, tried it.

Jerry reached beneath his work vest drew out a small pistol, pushed his way past Sophia. He waited for any sound that would be coming from inside the house or anything that would tell him something was amiss, nothing. The house was absolutely quiet. He used the light from his cell phone to find his way into the next room. Again the lights failed to come on.

“Sophie, for god’s sake don’t just stand there like a frozen chicken. Use your lighter to find a candle or something.”

After a bit of exploring he found the circuit box and saw everything was OK there just no power in the house.

“I found some candles and a flash light but no batteries.” She yelled from elsewhere in the house.

Jerry stood on the doorway of the porch. He saw that only this house had no power.

Sophia walked towards him with a small red candle. The light from it made her chest seem bigger that it was, her pale face ever whiter.

They stood abreast pondering their situation and next move. The flickering light shinned upon a bright red warning label on the floor. He picked up. Read it, there in three languages Spanish, German and English, said “your power was disconnected for lack of payment. To restore power call…”

“The God damn, bitches. We paid six months in advance for this… Shit.

OK, Where’s the damn meter…Come Sophie, I’ll show you something useful. Let’s find this meter.”

They stood on the side of the road near the front entrance examining the electric meter’s box when the candle flickered out.

“Damn it, Sophie, can’t you even keep a candle lit. Sheesh. Now where are you going?”

“I left my lighter on the counter.” She turned to face him as she walked backwards only to fall on her ass and lose the candle also.

“Shit, now I’ve lost the candle too.”

Jerry hunched his shoulders and walked passed her…

   With the light of the phone and candle he fished for the things he needed from the tool box. A Fine cable saw, an old hacksaw blade, pliers an old dry kitchen rag.

“Pay attention Sophie…”

He used the cable saw to bypass the security tag and only cut one side of the small handle it was attached to. He removed the meter, threw away the plastic insulators they put on the meter. Broke the old hacksaw blade, wrapped the pliers with the rag and shoved the broken hacksaw blade where the meter connected.

Immediately the lights came on inside the house. He put the meter back into place and

re-attached the intact security tag. That way no one would know what he did for a long time. Tomorrow he’d call and make the payment.

Sophia did a little dance of joy, gave Jerry a hug and a kiss on the check.

“Damn, Jerry that was easy.”

“Yeah it is, But don't you go around getting yourself killed doing it.”

       

   President Guerrero’s speech was long awaited.  His failure to confront the Chinese in their sudden expansion and having all but handed Australia and Hawaii on a Silver platter to them made quite a few heads of state wonder just what this long anticipated speech would be about. Rumors were many but nothing was concrete. Many wondered out loud if indeed there was something more to Guerrero’s so called his miraculous escape from seven years of Chinese captivity. The fact that he now spoke fluent Cantonese. Didn’t dissuade the rumors that he was a Chinese puppet. Fifteen years had gone since he dissolved the Senate and just kept the house of representatives. Lined up all the members of the supreme court and paraded them under chains in front of the TV cameras, dressed in their judicial robes but corporation logos and emblems hurriedly attached to their robes never to be seen again. He left the House and the states to quickly agree upon nine new justices.

  It was not often he spoke to the nation, so naturally curiosity was rampant as to what in hell he was up to now. It was rumored that even the Chinese had agreed to preempt their broadcasts to carry the speech. Did he as was rumored by the British surrendered America to Chinese rule? Was he to announce that in deed he’d undergone the genetic enhancement of the Methuselah gene as some feared?

    The world’s attention was upon him and he knew it. The two Mars colonies not to mention the Moon base.

     “Citizens of the world, our world has been ravaged by man. Even now as we stand upon the colonization of our Moon and even the planet Mars. More must be done to further mankind’s reach and colonization of other planets. With that in mind the Russians, British and Chinese scientists have agreed that we should do more to further the long term healthy habitation of the red planet…” He paused, the entire assembly neither applauded or showed reaction. He continued reading.

“With that long term goal in mind the scientist of Russia, Britain, china and here agreed to a an experimental procedure that would if allowed to work will restore the dead planet’s protective electromagnetic radiation belt, and thus in the long run make it safe for human habitation.”

    On the Moon Base Governor Larry stood among the exiles watching the speech. He could not help himself and said out loud not caring that two members of the press were next to him.

“Here it comes another harebrained idea hatched who knows where.” He chortled elbowing the guy to his left.

“They’ve agreed that the best way to achieve this goal is to Re-melt the planet’s now solid core.” He said pointing to a small group of distinguished looking people. As the camera panned to them a teen who sat among them paid no attention at all where he was at. Instead he flicked his middle finger of his left hand at some mathematical equation symbols that floated in the air above his lap. As he flicked each symbol with the finger ‘it’ appeared to vibrate. An older woman sitting next to him elbowed him to pay attention. Instead she received a short jab upper arm, and an angry look telling her to leave him be.

Guerrero saw the exchange, shook his head smiled, and pressed on.

In mid thought he decided to wing the rest of the speech, he stepped away from the lectern. Even as the bright lights obscured his audience he made an effort to visualize them through the glare.

   “I presume you all know this quote, ‘The good men do is buried with him. But the misdeeds he does lives on forever.’ Before I leave office it’s the intention of this administration to set in motion an event whose benefits might not be seen for a thousand years.”

Again there was silence. The teen keep flicking at the hologram equations.

      On the Moon those whose turn was to be in the mess hall got to see the so called speech. Zeeker’s attention was on the screen. Everyone else could care less.

Guerrero took a deep breath and pressed on with the task at hand.

“To make a long story short, It seems so they tell me, a large meteor cracked open the planet mars.”

He paused looked at the group sitting on the stage, asked. “Did I get that that right?” They nodded their approval. Again he pressed on.

  “That led to the solidification of its once spinning core and the loss of its Van Allen Belt. As recent fossils evidence show large animals lived on that now dead planet.” Again he paused as is to let the preamble of the speech do its work.

“It’s our collective aim at least in theory, to once again restore the planets protective radiation belt. As we speak the first of many deep ground penetrating rockets will penetrate deep into the planets crust to re-melt its core.”

The murmurs were now very loud.

“That said I leave you with this panel of scientists to explain the nuts and bolts of this thousand year goal.” He walked a few steps to the dais placed the microphone on it and left the stage.

     On his way back from a rare day of doing nothing but exploring the deepest and newest areas of the prison base. A loud conversation was gathering eavesdroppers. Who all made it a point not to be seen by those doing the loud talking within the cell. Twelve or so eaves droppers were all bunched on both sides of the cell door. Their hands cupped behind ears listening intently.

Zeeker tapped the shoulder of the one farther from the doorway. Who made the universal  I don’t know gesture in order to be part of the gossip that will surely follow. The fellow just put his index finger to his lips for Zeeker to wait and keep quiet.

 The conversation was coming from the female section the bars on the entrance of the cell was a dead give away. Zeeker too leaned forward in an effort to learn more of the goings on.

     “listen to me Ayoyemi, I really don’t care how this happened. Fact is you can no longer go to the mess hall without getting curious stares. Your belly is already showing. How much longer do you think it can be kept a secret? You honestly think the governor is going to let it grow?”

Ayoyemi set her back framed glasses aside, her small hands covered her face. Her small framed body trembled, she cried amidst the feelings of anger mixed with the despair of an expectant mother. The small fists repeatedly pounded her thighs.

“How could this happen to me? Why me?”

Again she sobbed quietly.

“It makes no sense. The last man who touched me was my father”

With the memory of those events that placed her here came anger. Anger that

 didn’t allow her to unclench her teeth. Ayoyemi the eldest of two girls, killed her father and her mother for turning a blind eye to the obvious  sexual abuse befalling her and  starting on her two year old sister.

“I swear Mujicwa I haven’t touched a man since. I just want to vomit at the thought,” without looking up she pleaded. “You believe me? 

    Ayoyemi without warning vomited her breakfast on her cellmate’s feet.

Unfazed, Mujicwa stood arms akimbo.

 “Whether I believe you is not the point, Iome all the men here were made chemically sterile..” she said reaching for some rags to wipe her leg trousers.

“You don’t believe?”

Again she sobbed quietly still beating her legs harder each time.

“Two things are important here.” Mujicwa softly cuddled Ayoyemi’s bald head.

“Iome, dear, my love for you is unchained, I felt your belly, it moves. If the Gov or his whip master find out you’ll both be in grave danger…The Gov must not find out until the very end.” She paused I got an….”

The first three men listening were pushed into the doorway floor. Before they could even react The ebony Amazonian was upon them. Some started to waltz away nonchalantly.

“STOP” she bellowed so loudly that they all froze in mid step.

“TURN AROUND” her tone was such that they all obeyed unthinkingly.

She leaned against the rail. Used both hand to beckon them to closer to her. Quickly she realized that there was no way this many tongues were going to keep anything secret. 

She decided instead to enlist their help that way they would also be punished should word of this thing get out, which she knew it was only a matter of time. Nothing this big can remain secret for too long…

   Still the mystery remains, how and when did Ayoyeme get to be carrying a child?

Mujicwa paused as all eyes were on her. She took her time now that she had their attention.

Mujicwa was not a woman to be trifled with, it was rumored was that during a routine traffic stop she broke a policeman’s neck with a slap across the face. And put his companion in a comma from a head butt she gave him.

   She remained leaned against the temporary railing making them face her…”Ok, now you know…We need to keep this secret for as long as possible, Any Ideas how we can pull it off?”

The all raised their hands. Mujicwa smiled showing all her white teeth. She spread her arms as if to hug the whole group of eavesdroppers.

Who is this guy? His name is the guy who voluntered…Pao’s cousing?

     So far nobody gave him a second look, his main trouble was keeping out of the “ Verdugo’s way; the enforcer. His job was to find out everything he could about the conditions here. To do that, he needed to remain as anonymous as possible.

Even a month’s time of snooping, intelligence was lacking, Larry was often heard but not seen.

The green house area was his favorite place to be. There the air was almost clean If he remained here too long no doubt he would get a serious case of silicosis…So far he’d befriended only a few prisoners but because of their restricted routine. Their supervisors kept them very confined and busy with very little time to do nothing else but eat work, work and sleep, a supervisor and a trustee kept thing running. This foundry place was not a good place for him to be, everybody was busy and knew what they were doing he was   going to get killed if he didn’t get out of the way and fast… quickly he made his way to the wall and walked along the whole length of the foundry. The very idea of a foundry on the Moon made his jaw drop…It was only made possible through the Corps of engineers and slave labor, or in this case throw away lives.

 He was familiar with the layout having seen the blue prints and rough layout, outside laid the main structures laid the Solar Smelters where the lunar dust was filtered to make the molten glass. Because of necessity the melted mixture was then piped inside, that way the men could then refine and mold the panels used on the main domes.

   So far everything is just as he feared a complete waste of time. There are no underlying currents of discontents, no rumors. Seems that every one is resigned to their fate, and adopted the corps unofficial motto, ‘doing so much with so little, for so long, that they now qualify to build anything with nothing.’

The prints they showed him failed to convey the magnitude of the place. It’s taken him months talking and exploring so far he’s only been able to get close to the governor only once. From what he saw the governor held no fear that they would hurt him. The day he saw him he moved among then in a very carefree fashion. And he’s certainly makes himself as invisible as possible.

The Verdugo also protects him almost in a jealous way any questions regarding the Gov gets him pushed, shoved or knock down.

The prisoners are all the same, they all answered the same way, ‘not much to tell’ and then they clammed up.

Synopsis of sorts

Where: lunar penal base Under construction.

When: About the year 2085 from now

Story: (A) Lunar governor is secretly building upon [mark planks]/ tesla work,

Is building apparatus to test, equation. Is distracted by project

(B) One of the new prisoners, Wants revenge even from the moon.

(C) [Kenny and jerry] smuggled Messages and small items – they black- mail rail transport chief. Who works in tandem with lunar Governor.

Characters

Larry. lunar governor

Kenny. trustee- former Save the Earth Forces, eco-terrorist

Jerry. Eco-terrorist, joined S.E.F after Kenny got sentenced to Lunar Base,

Kenny and Jerry want to Know, what are Larry and Tom up to.

Tom, Rail Gun administrator, helps Larry with apparatus.

Zeeker, wants revenge against Earth, even from the moon. Hatches a wild Idea Using the moon’s Albedo.