Week 21
Day 1
I asked for status reports and all are fine except for minor damages to structure. Then the bad news came in. New sinkholes in the locality and some gas vents opened up near the Holdings. The Diprotodon or giant Wombat broke free of its harness and now trampling the farm. However, the Parasaurolophus are still in their corral. The mine tunnels has caved in some places but still accessible. Except for the scientists, the rest of us was depressed at the repair works.
The worse news was that Doctor Rashis Alim is missing from his unit. They think he wandered off into the jungle as he was getting senile. I got the riders to search for him. Major Shaw offered to fly her Bubble to look for him.
But the worst to come at noon when the insects named Meganeura; an ancestor of dragonflies with a wingspans of more than two feet over invaded in as as swarm of insects. Meganeura were predatory, and fed on other insects, and even small amphibians.They came over like swarms of insects do and land themselves everywhere. I initiated lockdown on the outpost and village but the pest are invading the farms and the creatures.
We had to used the portable flame throwers to chased them off the creatures in the corral. As a result some of us got bitten and their bites are nasty. The wounds swells up and infections stepped in. We saw a T-Rex getting agitated by these creatures on the plains. It started first by grabbing them with its jaw but they are many of them and they keep on swarming over his head. In the end it had to run for cover to avoid the stings and harassment from these insects.
There was one particular long stick insect of over a five foot long was seen fighting a futile battle with these insects. Eventually it also succumbed to the attack of the superior insects. Its carcass was picked into pieces by the Meganeura.
It looks like fire was the best deterrent in this case. So we lit up torches and had them setup in the corral to deter the menace. It worked but we had to monitored the torches not to burn out or dropped onto the creatures in the corral. In the end we had fifty three people in the infirmary for bites wounds. But the insects left after two hours of harassment.
We also found Doctor Alim; he was at his son’s grave and he is dead too. Doctor Bormann said he died of cardiac arrest, and not insect bites as speculated by many. We buried him that day with his son.
‘Commander, we got an all band transmission from the Federation Colony. They are asking for aid.’
I told Comms to ignore it.
Day 2
They told me in the morning they could not contact Doctor Leong or Specialist Nixon. The last transmission received was at 2304hr, and all was normal. They survived the insect invasion by huddling in the tent with Junior. I took off with Pedro on the bike to check on them. We reached there in an hour and the platform was damaged with parts of it hanging down. There are traces of blood but no sights of the two men. Or the chimp. The supplies bags were ripped open and strewn around, and we found the PH900 and PH762. Both are broken into half pieces. I found Doctor Leong’s bag and next to it was the
view-coder. It was damaged but I believed the Techs can fixed it or tell me what happened here.
Recorded Brief from Doctor Leong
Day 1 Week 21
They got the sound but not the visuals. This was the last recorded notes of Doctor Leong.
‘2234hr ...Its them.... the troops..... they are back.....hold, Junior. There is nothing to be afraid.... we are here..... no, don’t screech.... move it Nixon..they are coming... aargh..... no...no.......’
That was the end of the recorded sound.
Now we have to find the troops and hopefully discover the missing duo of my personnel. And one junior ape named Junior. The bikers went this time without Pedro as he is still undergoing physical therapy. We found the troop’s sanctuary by the pool but they did not come back today. We scout the surrounding and find nothing.
Nothing that can lead us to the troops.
I called off the search in the evening and all of them went back to BASE except me. I was on the platform and listening for the jungle to talk to me. Its something I learned from Pedro. Be like them and you can be like them.
Day 3
It did not come until early morning when I saw the first creatures that come to drink at the pond. There is the Oligokyphus or "small curved animal" less then two feet in length, belonging to the herbivorous family. Its closest relative will be the weasel in appearance, with a long and slim body. The limbs sat directly under the body, like mammals. Then the spider came; its actually a large one. The Nephila, or golden orb-weavers the largest web-weaving spiders known of a body length of up to six inches with longer leg span. They are rarely seen in the day as they leave their web traps behind spanning up to five feet across with distinctive gold-colored silk to catch a wide variety of medium-sized to large insects, but occasionally bats and birds as by-catch. But today its repairing it web. Below it the Sanajeh snake like body slitter on the wet bushes looking for the eggs in some nesting.
Then I saw Junior or whoever that looks like him; it stooped to drink and then looked around. Its sniffing the air and identifying the scents. It stopped for a while and then gave out a screeching sound. From out of the jungle, the troops appeared; the silverback, the blacks and then the rest.
Then came Doctor Leong and Nixon all bruised up and limping to the clearing. They are made to sit down on the clearing. I moved to my PH900 and took it up to my shoulder. I armed the rifle and aimed the barrel on the black back near my men. It will be a clean shot and he will drop dead. Then I will do the leader and maybe the next back black.
I pulled the trigger but I missed the black as I have moved the barrel off. The two successive followed shots got them running for cover, but leaving my two personnels behind. It was all over soon as the troops ran for safety. Nixon pulled the doctor and jumped into the pond. They waded to my direction and climbed out on the nearby banks. I pulled my trigger one more time to scared off the lion who came to check the pond.
Doctor Leong and Nixon was admitted in for bruises and minor wounds.
Special Report from Specialist Nixon
Day 3 Week 21
2135hr
The apes came from above and behind us; they were already there before I knew it. They grabbed our guns and broke it, and pushed the doctor off the platform. I was pushed off next while Junior was grabbed by a big black ape. He swung junior onto the tree branches and let him crash into it. Then the big black jumped into the branches and picked up Junior who was injured, and threw him agin to the ground. It was senseless brutality as the black jumped on the young ape. That jump on Junior might had broken his back as he cried out in pain. He actually called out for the Doctor Leong for help.
I tried to get up but another ape must had hit me. I fell down and saw the black stepped on Junior’s head and stomped on it. The stomping killed Junior, and they dragged his body off to the jungle. Doctor Leong was crying out in pain on seeing his Junior killed. The apes dragged us up and pushed us to follow them.
We must had walked for some miles and they keep on pushing us. We rested at some clearing and all this time the prime ape keep on looking at us as if studying us. I saw the other black who killed Junior. We rest and then move, rest again. Finally we reached the pond again; its seems we were traveling in a circle.
Then the commander showed up.
Doctor Leong asked for a week of absence to clear his head. He did not speak about Junior after that day. But he left me his report on his work with Junior. One para caught my attention.
‘I think the apes are smarter than we thought. They could be more to it than what we just seen. Junior tells me of his kind carrying shooting weapons unlike ours and sharp branches. Are they ancient weapons like arrows and spears. He also said the word; ‘army soldiers’ when I explained to him about our soldiers. I need to find out more from Junior.’
Day 4
Statement of Witness Specialist Ali Hamid
Day 4 Week 21
0755hr
At 0701hr I was on the river banks looking across the river for any Federation activities, when I saw Specialist Elvis coming up from the platform walking towards me. He was waving at me and greeting me good morning. I wanted to reprimand him on his salute but I held back. I called him to come forth to look at the river scene of some reptile having their breakfast when the shot came. It was a silenced shot and I saw the bullet hit his left ear and exploded out his right side of the head. He fell on his right side partially in the river. I rushed over and pulled him up before the reptiles can get him. He was dead when I pulled him out. I pressed the distress button on the comms to warn the others.
Statement of Witness Maggie Ching
Day 4 Week 21
1108hr
At 0907hr Both Thomas and myself was walking out to our section of the farm to see our latest crops of cabbage which was due to be plucked. He was commenting on the new seeds which allowed them to grow within a week was truly amazing. He was wondering whether they could do that for the human child but we laughed as cloning is banned in Earth. We were supposed to get married next year when we settled down here, but its not going to happened now. It was when we were crossing the Van Allen’s plot that I saw Thomas tripped and fell. I reached down to pull him up and I saw the head wound. I let go of his arm and screamed.
It was all over; my life soul, my partner on the farm and my child’s father.
Statement of Witness Michele Bento
Day 4 Week 21
1113hr
At 09557hr Louis and myself rushed to the farm to see Thomas’ body as we knew him from the Village events. We used to drink and laugh at the BBQ pit and we also know Maggie. They were a loving couple like ourselves. We were just watching when I felt Louis hand jerked and then he fell on the ground. I looked down and saw the blood seeping from his face. He was shot too.
I called for assistance but the people were running for cover. In the end, it was only me who was holding Louis in my arms in the field. Why didn’ the the bastard shoot me instead?
Statement of Witness Recruit Alan Main
Day 4 Week 21
1119hr
At 1012hr, I heard the screaming of the colonist holding the man in her hands, but the crowd was running for cover and back to the village. I shouted at Molly to cover the couple while I cover the running crowd. It was a suggestion or mine, and not an order then. But it was a bad suggestion, as Molly stayed put. I saw her crouched down and took her rifle up to scan the edge of the farm. I turned my attention to the running crowd to make sure they are doing okay. I turned back and saw Molly lying sprawled down on the ground and her rifle was at her side.
I knew then she was shot by the sniper. I rushed to her body and checked her vitals. She was dead by then; a shot at the forehead just below her helmet. I got panicky and I ran back to the village. Its not what I was trained for but I ran for my life.
We got a killer sniper out there using a PH900 like mine. But unlike my snipers, he killed civilians. I called for the colonists to stay indoor and the military personnels to do the same. Specialist Micheal Burns and myself will hunt him alone.
We will ride on the bike slowly attracting him. We will present ourselves as target and hopefully he will make a mistake
But he is not shooting. Not yet anyway. We moved from the village to Outpost Seven and back, still nothing.
Then I know where the action is headed. If I was him anyway, I would plan it that way.
Its called a diversion.
They hit us where we least expected; Outpost Eight. Both Lance and me stopped at the clearing a distance away from the Tree Top. We can hear the shooting, and I told Lance to look for the LSC while I go in to assist. I rode in with full speed and jumped over the low wall onto the yard. The yard is still secured with the ATV in place. Its untouched but so unmanned for now. The M-Bot on duty at the yard was still firing. It turned to see me as I run towards it. It recognised my transceiver code and it did not fire, instead it turned to look at the trees. The other M-Bot unit is smoldering in smoke; probably by a grenade launched at it. I jumped off my bike and ran to the rope ladder to climb up. It a fast climb when there are others shooting at you.
I met Corporal Simone at the top platform. She is scanning the trees with her PH762 for hostile and firing short burst at it. There is two other recruits on either side of the platform also aiming at the trees. I saw one recruit lying down on the platform with a chest wound. He is not breathing at all, so I assumed he is dead. Another one is prop up against the side of the platform wall with a shoulder and chest wounds. I doubt he will live the night. The M-Bot on the platform is still firing despite one arm dangling by the side.
‘They came in firing and caught those two in the open yard. They were firing from the trees; I think three maybe five of them initially and now add in another one more. I think the last one is a sniper; nearly blew my head off.’
I told her to calm down while I assessed the situation. Both sides has stopped firing and I got the wounded attended to. I found the comms is out as they block the signals here with a short range jammer; something which we did not plan for. So Tree Top did not know about the shooting at SWAMP. The only way to win this battle is to take out the sniper as he is deadly with the rifle. To do that I need a bait he will catch.
I told the Corporal to raised her helmet above the wall on the treetop while I watch for muzzle fire on my signal. She nodded back in approval. I crept up slowly on the wall and looked over it. I can see the trees but no sniper as yet. I raised the PH900 and readied myself for a quick shot. On my signal she half crouched and ran with the helmet along the wall to the other direction. The sniper shot came and blew the helmet off the branch and I saw the muzzle fire, while I fired my shot off. It must had hit the sniper as he fell off the tree screaming. But he survived both the shot and the fall; he got up and ran for cover. His friends gave him fire cover but I could not pin point his new location. I saw the PH900 equivalent on the ground and I aimed at it. If you can’t get the expert, then disable the tools then. I did that with two successive shots and broke the rifle. He won’t be firing it anymore.
‘I think they are retreating.’ The other recruit shouted out. I looked over again on the wall and I can see the shadows of movements. They are leaving and I intend to chase them out. I grabbed the PH762 lying on the platform and and slide down the ladder to chase the retreating raiders. I ran across the yard and out the gate to the jungle. Corporal Simone followed suit and we both ran into the jungle. We pushed and pull any obstacles in our way and kept on running for the river up head.
We are about a short distance to the river when I heard the shots coming form the river. Then more shooting was being exchanged and then silence again. Lance has uncovered their LSC and he is giving them some good time with his rifle skills. We reached there in time see the raiders boarding it under fire from Lance. One raider was lying down on the river bank and other two was in the LSC firing. Two more including our wounded was still in the jungle fronting the river bank. I crept up from behind to capture them but they started running towards the LSC. I took up the PH762 and and started firing but I only got the one of the raiders, while the wounded was running to the LSC holding his wounded right shoulder.
I recognised that face; its Mongol and he has jumped on board the LSC which is reversing out to the river now. The LSC turned and fled the scene leaving both Simone and myself looking at the dead raider on the riverbank. Lance later joined us and explained his bad shooting. There was a raptor near him; eyeing him when he was shooting at the LSC. He was not sure the raptor was there before or just arrived but its eyeing him now. He was not sure whether to continue shooting or shoot the creature. It w as on his third burst he decided the next target. He turned to shoot at the raptor but it was gone from where it was standing. He looked around just in case the creature double back, but no raptor. But its an eerie feeling down his spine but the LSC had by then left the riverbank.
We got two raiders in the uniform of the Federation, but they took five of mine.
For some reason, I arranged the MSV to send the dead bodies over the river. When the MSV left, they saw people coming out to collect the bodies.
Day 5
We buried the dead and repaired the Tree House. It was a sober mood that day in the people and personnels. We been on the receiving end for too many times. I can feel the hatred and anger.
But its time to plan for our future. And that does involve war.
While we been busy fighting a war, the penal inmates has been busy building war machines; not against us but the larger creatures. They have their own ‘horsemen’ to design and build with basic items like wood and vines. They have two ‘ballista’; an ancient old warfare machine that can throw large arrows or spears at great distance. Its constructed of wood and the power is provided by the rope torsion they had engineered with a new gear design. They showed me its power; the five foot long wooden spear with a sharpened stone head could penetrate a an inches thick wood. The rope is constructed from strings of jungle vines and animal guts which gives it more strength and tensile.
Their ballista runs on wooden wheels and is hauled by them. They also constructed two catapults using the same knowledge and its able to propel a large stone over a hundred feet. Their most ingenious designs were the long torch which is actually flammable materials on a twenty foot long wooden pole. But the difference is that at the end of the pole, they had added in branches that spread out in an arc with the flame materials on it.
The other one is called the raptor trap like a mouse trap of the old years. Its a wooden wagon with a small catapult on it; and instead of flinging stones, these one had sharpened spears on the beam spread out like a rake. Once released it will slammed down on the raptors and the demonstration they showed me on the tree trunk was impressive. It like slamming a mallet on one’s thick skull. The best part was they build shields around the rear to protect them from other raptors.
I felt guilty and offered them some PH762 but they declined saying they have what they needed. I offered them more leeways if they were designed more of these for the villages. They agreed if they can interact with the villagers. I can understand their frustrations and they are reformed now so I told I will consider it soon. Their reply was the same; consideration for my request.
It was a fragging stalemate,.
In the village, the wind powers the place now. Its given them electricity to power up their units and some lamps on the yards. But we still rely on the fire places for more secured reasons.
They also got these little wooden wagons being pulled around by themselves; they measured three feet across and length of six feet with a depth of two feet balanced on four wheels. But they could’t get the correct creature to haul it yet, claimed by Doctor Leong but he is trying. There are no horses in New Pangaea, or maybe they will come soon enough; say a million years given Earth’s measurement.
But the wood mill is working with modified sawing and trimmer machines. So is the steel mill now.
So everything is slowly shaping up and even the T-Rex is avoiding the wall due to the flame throwers. All done in twenty weeks.
‘Commander, I need to talk to you.’ It was Doctor Leong and this is the first time he decided to talk since Junior died. He told me his theory on the apes but its a bit far fetched to me. I know about the evolution stuff and how we evolved from the apes, but this is too far for my mind to understand. He is saying that the apes here could be our equivalent in intelligence and they may be more of them more refined in knowledge. They could be prime apes or the upper class of apes. The ones we met are still the original species but these new category could be a new species.He explained all these was shown to him by Junior on drawings and sketches. The doctor even showed it o me; an ape mounting a lizard and carrying a long lone in his hand.
If its, we are not on primitive earth but planet of the apes. I laughed at his theory and told him to rest. He sulked and walked away. So much for my decent conversation with the doctor the second time around. Guess they won’t be a third time.
‘Commander, we have picked up a man from the river. He claims to be Colonel Ras.’ That was SWAMP again and they never listened to orders. ‘He wants to see you, Sir’.
The man I know as Colonel Ras now sits in front of me, minus his right arm and right foot. They are both bandaged for now. He was also tortured and is very weak.
Statement of Colonel Ras Miklov
Day 5 Week 21
2318hr
I am Colonel Ras Miklov, formerly of the Federation Forces, and now a political asylum seeker. I was also the former commander of Earth 2 Expedition, before I was replaced by General Victoria Seeker recently. The General took my command and place me under arrest for espionage and betrayal of the country. She kept me in custody and tortured me for one week.
I managed to escape with the help of a former colleague, Corporal Mica Tovarich who died during the escape. He took the bullet aimed at me so I can escape. I ran and hid in the forest until I could find the river. There I waited for the Empire’s river patrol to come by before I jumped into the river. I know its risky and dangerous but these are desperate times.
When I saw the patrol, I jumped into the river and swam with my good arm. I was rescued but I lost my right foot to something which bit me.
I am here on my freewill to seek political asylum.
But I am not really convinced as there has been past events which cloud my judgment. I heard of General Victoria Seeker or better known as General Vampire. She is a vicious military leader and sadistic one too. Her torture methods include hanging the detainee upside down and cutting the wrist for the blood to flow out. That was how she got the nickname Vampire. She is accompany by her henchman, Colonel Doctor Steven Meering, a man of science who kills for science. Now I remember the photo Pedro put in his report.
According to the Colonel; the Federation Force is now about fifty strong and they have only the LSC for vehicle. However she has armed another fifty colonist with guns and expect them to fight for her. I asked about Mongol, and he said according to his sources, Mongol is their agent sent to instigate trouble. He did not see the other penal inmates besides Mongol. The men are still terrified of the jungle and they like him; regretted coming here.
I becoming to feel paranoia that more trouble could come.
Day 6
We do not like to wake up to bad news but this is one bad news. I had the Doctor telling me that apes could be the lord of the jungle, the colonel showed up for asylum with one missing foot, and now a family murdered in cold blood in Village.
Report from Doctor Bormann
Day 6 Week 21
1123hr
Four victim as per below:
1. Doctor Alaba Maba; African descent, aged fifty four, height six feet two inches, healthy with minor ailments of a man his age. Former doctor in psychology and now retired.
a. Death by Ligature marks
i. bruise marks found on the neck just below the jaw.
ii. Traces of chloroform found in the nasal passages
2. Doctor Aileen Chang; Chinese descent, aged fifty five, height five feet six inches, healthy. Former nurse and now retired.
a. Death by Ligature marks
i. bruise marks found on the neck just below the jaw.
ii. Traces of chloroform found in the nasal passages
3. Doctor Nisa Lina Maba; African/Chinese descent, aged twenty five, height five feet eight inches, healthy. Chicropater and now about to start her own clinic here.
a. Death by Ligature marks
i. bruise marks found on the neck just below the jaw.
ii. Traces of chloroform found in the nasal passages
All the above victims are killed between five and seven this morning. They did not wake up to the act; they were already under sedation.There are no traces of any fingerprints or DNA on the victims. The last victim was not sexually assaulted.
We checked the stomach contents and found nothing unusual. They all had the same content, but the man had trace of chemicals which is linked to his medicine found on his desk.
The murder weapon could be a hewn rope or a jungle vine, which can be found everywhere in this place.
Report from Investigator Joseph Bat
Day 6 Week 21
1133hr
I checked the unit which was occupied by the Maba’s. The locks on the door was operational and there was no force entry. There was no signs of any struggle in the unit and all the personal effects in the unit was untouched. The place is ideal for a silent murder or in this case, murders.
In the yard, I checked for any thing that could be used as a weapon and found none.
No witnesses could be found.
I will check more and update.
Three murders in one place and no suspect. Now I am really pissed as my coffee this morning was cold. We got a hangman in the village and everyone does need this now. I asked Warden for the files on the penal inmates and also to have them cordoned off as some colonists are already riled to lynch them. It does not matter if they did it; its just an excuse to find a person to blame.
‘Joe, I want this done hush hush and fast. The mood of the people are looking for blood. Its not the same as before; they are upset and this is too close to their home.’ Joseph nodded and walked away to do his job.
‘Commander, we got a situation in Outpost Six.’
I stood on the stone rampart and saw the same scene as Lieutenant Carlos. I am looking at the group of Stomatosuchus; about 36 feet long and 10 tons and they are basking there. If you are looking at one its not that scary, but this number about fifteen and they are like a platoon of MSV on the river banks.
According to the zoologist, the creatures eat planktons and fish but this is scary. What if these creatures are evolving and develop the craving for a different type of meat.
‘Why can’t the T-Rex lined up and sit on their haunches to beg for leftovers?’ I mumbled to myself but Doctor Leong heard me and replied; ‘They are scavengers, but I doubt they will beg from you. You shot too many of them in human history.’
I loved his snide remarks to get back at me. I bade goodbye to the crocs and rode back to BASE.
Joseph has an update for me.
Report from Investigator Joseph Bat ( Update )
Day 6 Week 21
2133hr
I re-checked the unit which was occupied by the Maba’s. The locks on the door was operational is correct in my report, but I found out from the neighbors’ kids the doors are never locked. As most of the units in the village lived with their doors unlocked as there was no need to lock it in such a small community. Now they are locking it nightly.
So forced entry is not an issue here.
I combed the unit and found a item of interest. There was cholorofom in the unit. It was in the doctor’s bag inside his room. It looked used recently as the cap was not closed properly. I send it for fingerprints. I checked with neighbors as to whether the doctor or nurse was practicing and none confirmed it. I checked with infirmary and Doctor Bashir said he gave a small bottle to Doctor Alaba sometime back when he asked for it. He did not ask why.
Why would a psychiatrist need cholorofom? More when he is already retired.
Then I found the notes on Choloropictin. Its a chemical used for tear gas and one of the properties was similar to Choloroform. So I checked more on the notes and he was involved with his neighbour, Charles Irwin; Chemist to produce tear gas. So I am checking on Charles Irwin and his background.
A long narrow tunnel of facts but not concluding notes on the cause of triple murder.
Day 7
There is never a day of rest in New Pangaea, and I am the devil at works harassing everyone. I worked on the chemist experts to tell me more on the tear gas theory.
‘The hydrogen of the chloroform is replaced by nitro group when it is treated with concentrated nitric acid. The product formed is chloropicrin or trichloronitro methane or nitro chloroform. It is a liquid, poisonous and used as an insecticide and a war gas. While not as lethal as other chemical weapons, it caused vomiting. Its also used as a fumigant to control pests found in the soil. The use of the substance has been restricted by the world’s government for centuries although that restriction is outdated now. Doctor Alaba could be producing the later as its needed for the farm. But we are not sure.’
Another deadend on the inquiries.
Report from Investigator Joseph Bat ( Update 2 )
Day 7 Week 21
0902hr
I checked on the background of both Doctor Alaba and Charles Irwin.
Charles Irwin, aged sixty years, Chemist, retired, widow with a son who is a automobile mechanic ( redundant here ) Brian Irwin, aged twenty five. Used to own a pharmaceutical company now sold off. No criminal conviction except for once unconvicted tax evasion. Since his wife’s death he has been seen in the faith healing groups therapy and is a devout of the faith.
Brian Irwin, has three records of violent behaviour and was in detention before for one year, released on parole. According to neighbour, close to Nisa Lina Maba but not supported by others; some claimed they were just neighbors. Typical neighborhood gossip. Checked Brian’s whereabouts; at home sleeping at that time. Was seen at the yard at eight in the morning when the murders’ were discovered.
Penal Inmates records showed two inmates with cases related to lynching and strangulation.
1. Inmate PP10231 Karim Melia; murdered his family member by strangulation
2. Inmate PP10219 Tom ‘Peaches’ Jamie; enforcer for the organization, specialized in garrote.
Both claimed to be sleeping in their bunks, but no witnesses to contradict the statement either. All are sleeping as claimed. I found ropes made from vines and other materials and am checking for any similar types used in the murders. Inmates claimed they used that to move trees and boulders.
Another deadend report. But I admired my investigator; he does not sleep on his job.
But the good news was the riverbanks ‘bum’ or crocs has left the scene. That is a relief to all. We hope they don’t gate crash again.
The casualties mount up when you are not looking.
Colonist Tim Wally was attacked by a pair of Marsupial Lion which came out of the jungle and grabbed him as he was working outside the wall to clear some undergrowths. It happened so fast, the lions came and attacked him from behind, and then dragged him off before the rest can react. I send the riders to check the area and they came back with his ragged uniform. Some of the colonist wanted to conduct a lion hunt and I stopped them. Its too dangerous and there are more than lions out there.
Its time for me to visit the other Outpost like Southern Belles or Outpost Five. There was not activities there; its too quiet for New Pangaea. I relooked at my roster.
Outpost One / Tip’s Nest; Corporal Micheal and three specialist including recruits. Travel time half an hour.
Outpost Two / East Ends; Corporal Saidin and three specialists including recruits. Travel time ten minutes
Outpost Three / Wide Plains; Corporal Duffy and five specialist including recruits. Travel time thirty minutes.
Outpost Four / Cavern; Sargeant Keefe and nine specialist including recruits, with four at the ramp. Travel time ten minutes to the vertical cave.
Outpost Five / Southern Belles; Sargeant Kabe and six specialist including recruits. Travel time is forty five minutes.
Outpost Six; Sargeant Sharon,with five specialists.
Outpost Seven; Sargeant Mick with five specialist there.
Outpost Eight; Corporal Simone and two recruits. Added in Corporal TY Yen and three Specialists from previously the village. Travel time is one hour.
Village: Fifteen Village Guard
Village Two; Seventeen guards.
Patrol; Corporal Pedro and three specialists; New Furies.
BASE; Major Feeley and seven specialist and recruits.
SWAMP; Lieutenant Carlos Manuela and Sargeant Ali Hamid plus four others.
Wing Arms; Major Shaw
New Batch: Fifteen Specialists under Major Chavdar.
Thirty Village Guards in training.
And two hundred armed colonist.
It sure looks like a small army; or more like a home army as two third are not trained to use weapons.
I met the ‘Four horsemen’ and asked them about the gas vents in the ground; could we channel them to run turbine. They said its possible but where is the darned place. I offered to show them but they must be careful. They hauled in two of the geologist on the trip in the ATV. Doctor Indira was kind to explain the novelty of air vents and geysers during our ride more to the enthusiastic ‘Four Horsemen’. I have to admit I was half asleep during the review. She does have a monotonous voice; its makes me sleepy.
‘Volcano and geyser share more than the fact they derive from the same source. Both arise as the result of volcanic activity. Whereas volcanoes spew lava (called magma when it is beneath Earth's surface), geysers emit hot water and steam. The activity of geysers also resulted in hot springs, fumaroles, and mud pots.
A geyser is considered a type of hot spring, which hot water seeped through a vent or opening in surface at a temperature of 15°F to 200°F; its much warmer than the average temperature outside. The do not normally erupt, but seen to burp or "boil" as the gases emits through the vents. In the process, it may dissolve minerals from the rocks and bring them to the surface like silica in volcanic areas which will form around the vent.
If there are is limestone, then it will carries calcium carbonate to the surface. For a geyser to exist, there must be an abundant water supply beneath with an intense heat source, and the intricate tubes or tunnels for it to expel the water. A gas vent or we called it a fumarole is a small hole or vent in the surface through which volcanic gases escape or steam escaped but with little water as its boiled away as the temperature is around 750°F before it reaches the surface. You may get foul smelling gas like hydrogen sulfide or sulfur dioxide. We can extract sulfur if its the later. There might be mud pots or tar pits as seen by the Commander.’
‘So we sitting on a fragging volcano?’ That woke me up as Liam does have a squeaky like voice. Blinking rodent looks came with the voice.
She continued like a academic teacher ignoring the lone student; ‘Hydrothermal landforms like these are primarily found above areas in the crust where magma or molten rock has risen to a shallow depth beneath the surface at 3 to 6 miles beneath surface. It may be part of a convection current or part of the edge of a plate that has moved under another plate. We called it plate movement subduction. It occurs when one plate moves into another plate.
As the lower plate moved downward into the mantle, high temperature and pressure melt the rock at the leading edge of the plate, forming thick, flowing magma. Since it is less dense than the rock that typically surrounds it deep underground, magma tends to rise toward Earth's surface. Driven by pressure created by gas bubbles within it, the magma forces its way through weakened layers of rock to collect in magma chambers.
Sometimes pressure builds up within the chamber, forcing the magma through cracks or vents onto the surface of the planet. The vents through which the magma passes are known to us as volcanoes. In fact, most hot springs, geysers, fumaroles, and mud pots are found in regions where volcanic activity is very young or has become inactive. In both cases, hot magma does not erupt onto the surface of the planet but exists to heat groundwater that enters the region above it.’
I had to shut those four gaping mouths as they looked silly with it, salivating at the looks of Doctor Indira. I told them we reached the spot. Well, Nixon did slammed through some thick undergrowths to cut short the trip travel time with Pedro guiding him. I had to admit we had some bumps on the body as a result but it kept us awake. Or was it Nixon retribution for the sleepy talk.
‘Oh my God!’ That was Doctor Silvie when she saw the place. She immediately ran back to the ATV and came out with her cases of equipment and readers. While we were looking for predators, the two doctors were setting store here.
‘Nixon, radio back to BASE and send over another ATV with six men to here. They may be camping for a while.’ Pedro and myself took a walk around at the hot spring area. Its disturbing as as you see reptiles scuffling away on seeing us or the gas vents in random released their breath on us. I felt like I was in the sauna for too long. Then we found something which is not common. A long bone fashioned into a long spear on a wooden pole. The bone is cut with jagged edge at the end. Its unlike the ones which the inmates fashioned. It was on a dead carcass of a lion that came her to die. I picked it up and looked at Pedro. He shook his head and looked at the nearby treeline.
My first thought was Doctor Leong’s theory on the apes. We kept the spear and walked back to the ATV.
The second ATV that evening and we camped there that night while the scientists and inventors went to work.
