Week 27
Day 1
Its been four weeks now, and we are getting back to normal. Farms are being developed and the mine ores are blasted to gravel size. Even the drink bars are back in business, and its brisk as they developed their own wine. More like moonshine of the old days I was told.
But this New Pangaea, creatures still roamed the jungle and they bite hard. Complacency stepped in and we paid the price. Colonist Peter Nitto was clearing the jungle on his own, with an own made machete. He was pounced on by Raptors. They saw the attack from the wall and the farm but no one helped as they were no armed and there were six raptors. Probably the same ones kept in captivity before. We really don’t know.
We grief a loss of a good man but we are now awake again to the danger of this place. But we saw the birth of civilianization problem.
‘Admiral, can I be brief on the issue?’ I am standing with Admiral Stokes looking at a two group of people facing each other.
The group on the right consist of men of different nationalities while the other group consist of the oriental looks and they are mixed in genders. Each group are armed with own made blades and spears but the men group is more than the mixed group, There abut fifty of them standing there now. with two third for the non-oriental group but they are now surrounded by the Village Guards.
‘What you are seeing are a spillover of Earth; organized crime group. The one with the most men are the normal people but has discovered the existence of such group. In the process one of them on confronting the other group has got beaten up and is in the infirmary. The group then joined by others came over to demand justice from the oriental group. The oriental group is from a faction of a crime family in the oriental circle.’ Admiral Stokes is holding his PH762 for comfort in his arm. He is obviously worried on the second group.
I looked at the two groups and none of them are armed with the guns we provided, and that is a relief. I walked up to the groups.
‘Send me your spokesman.’ They all looked at me but I am holding no rifle in my hands but my rank on the shoulder pip. A lanky oriental man hands over his long blade to his compatriot and walked towards me. ‘Ishido Matsu.’
He bowed and I did the same.
Another man from the other side walked up; ‘Vlad Milos, ex-enforcement officer, Eastern Europe Division.’ But the man named Ishido spat at him and said, ‘Enforcer for the Organized Lords’. The two men almost came to blow if not for me.
‘We will speak in the Unit.’ I turned my back and walked into the nearest unit in front. They followed me suit into the vacated unit. I made them sit down on the three chairs I had placed in front of them. They sat down and I pulled the last on to me. I faced them and said, ‘speak’.
‘I am Ishido Matsu, protector of the young master Katsuda Matsu, the second son of my leader of the clan. We have traveled with him on the request of the leader; all eighteen of us with our families to here so we can protect him. We do not fight or intimidate anyone into our ways but lived with them as one. Yesterday, the boy was harassed by the man we know as Polard Sicko, who was a journalist of the media. He recognised the boy and we cannot allowed his position to be compromised so we told him to back off and keep silence. He did neither and we had to teach him how. In our days, we would had his head hanging on the trees but here we laid him on the bed with broken limbs. That is my story.’
‘Vlad Milos; yes, I was an ex-enforcer for the Lords and also an Police Officer of the Eastern Europe Force. I admit I act for both, but no more now. I act for the people now and we cannot have them in the camp. They are a leech in the society; I know as I was one before. Polard was my informant and he told me everything that was to be know. He just wanted to know the boy and his story but they stopped him and beat him up like a beast. I demand justice like before.’
That almost took the negotiation off the talk but my commanding voice was heard to the duo to sit down. They did and stared at each other like raptors do.
‘I could let you killed each other out there or send all of you out to the jungle to kill or be killed by whom I care not lest. We are in a new world and you learned to live with each other’s privacy and life's. You can protect who you want but you cannot beat up anyone you want. You also cannot demand justice for what you want and take it by force if you want. What I need is different from your wants. You all need to stay together as one village or get kicked out. Your choice. But before you decide with your hard muted head, let me remind you besides the chimps and T-Rex, there is a lot of others who we do not know as yet, So your call has to be considered carefully for you and your families. Tell me now.’
They walked out and dispersed to their units.
‘Admiral, if there is one, there are two or three out there. Find them and identify them. We need to know their identities.’
‘Yes, Commander.’ Admiral Stokes walked to his Command Post, leaving me with a bad taste in the mouth.
Did I do something wrong or is it my imagination?
But we have our concerns set aside soon when we discovered more on the Shuttle. It can fly but the fuel we have is limited so its not advised to take long flights over the land. So its back to the Bubbles for recon. But the monolith intrigues me as I see it everyday from BASE.
That evening, I decided to put BASE Two there on the monolith. We will fly Heavy Metal and the spare W-Bots there with some personnels, including scientists to set up a temporary base. The machines will dig up a base on the top measuring five thousand feet square and to a depth of ten feet. The excess soil and stones will be used to formed a fortified wall of twenty feet high around the base and also to construct living units. We are building a castle on the monolith. It may take a week or so with the machinery given good weather and then we will decide who goes there. The distance traveling by Bubble is two hours, but by land will be less than a day by direct route or about two weeks if we intersect around the obstacles.
Day 2
The Matsu Clan offered to go with the team of ten personnels and twelve scientists in the Shuttle with the W-Bots. The Heavy Metal has to be dis-assembled before we can fly it there. Three trips was required and the HELI-PODs assisted. I called it Team Monolith lead by Major Shaw. She stepped down as commander of the Air Wing to Lieutenant Ludwig.
The shuttle last trip was in the late evening but they had lit up the Monolith for it to land.
Meanwhile my geologists got their wishes to leave for the ‘fractured earth’ site and I be darned the place is getting quiet.
So are the bars as there is a new parish in the Village. Its congregation is drawing crowds as the man who acts as the priest speaks of mankind salvation. His daily speeches are not hate inciting but of love for the people and its creation. The later worries me but he did not dwell on the hugging or embracing the T-Rex as yet. But he has brought the people to believe in faith and fellowship. But if there is one, there are bound to be others, soon the different ethnic and faiths starts their own. Its good as long as they don’t conflict in among them.
Polard Sicko is now released from infirmary to his unit and he’s been asked to keep silent on the matter. But you can never silence the media; he requested for permission to do a bulletin on the mails for the people on the latest happenings subject to my censorship. I told him I will consider but no promises.
That also ends my day and nights with Vickie. She has not been with me for some evenings now, and neither have I gone over to her castle. I did not tell her about the Monolith and the plans, so she could be upset. But I owe no obligation to anyone but myself.
Day 3
Air Wing reported they sighted a small group of chimps numbering ten on the horizon, with about two days march to Castle. I ordered air recon on their progress and report hourly. I also alerted Vickie on the matter. She wants to dispensed a patrol to intercept and captured if possible a prisoner. I told her to hold on but I know she will do it regardless. The HELIPOD’s flew off with six personnels armed with the PH925 including herself at 1100hr.
They are going hunting chimps.
Special Report from Lieutenant Ludwig
Day 3 Week 27
1643hr
At 1244hr, I was flying recon when I saw the HELI arriving with her wings swooping down towards the group. It saw the group in the clearing and fired it missile. The impact hit the chimps and there was an explosion during in which the HELI lowered to dispensed off its load of personnels to hunt the remaining troops. It then took off again to the air to offered air cover. I also went in on the perimeter to joined in as air cover.
After the smoke has cleared, I saw six chimps laying on the ground of which two are still crawling to the trees. The jungle suddenly erupted into a fire fight and screams. And then silence.
The Fed’s personnels came out of the jungle into the clearing with one wounded assisted by his associate. I counted six of them, and the HELI began to land. They also have grabbed one injured chimp and board the HELI. It took off for the skies. Then it turned back and shot off two missiles to blow up the place.
Its senseless murder.
Statement from General Victoria Seeker, Federation Provisional Governor, Federation Colony on New Earth
Day 3 Week 27
1812hr
At 1243hr, our pilot told us he has sighted the chimpanzee column. His instruction was explicit; prisoner required. But he shot his missile at the column without my order. He then landed the craft which we dis-embarked. I told the men to get me a prisoner and we will leave immediately. They moved into the jungle and we sighted the surviving ones; there were three and one was wounded. We opened fire at them and killed them as they turned to hurl spears at us. One of the spears got Specialist Petrucci but it only cut his left thigh. We checked on the chimps and found them dead from the PH925 shots; deadly weapon and effective on the chimps.
We ran out to the clearing to check on the rest and found one prop against the tree trunk. We grabbed that one which we think it can be saved unlike the others. The chimp offered no resistance and we boarded the HELI. As we were flying up, I told the pilot to fire a missile there to blow the bodies and not leave any injured to the predators. I do not want it to suffer any more. I can already hear the predators coming when I was in the jungle.
The chimp is under going medical treatment and we will questioned it later.
I threw aside the official statement and glared at her. We were both in my unit and its only us.
‘You lied in your statement. You killed the chimps as you do that every time. You disobeyed my orders, and you acted on your selfish acts.’ I was enraged at this woman who calls herself now Provisional Governor.
‘No, I did not. I acted on my own accord as an officer of the Fed’s. I need to know my enemy to fight them. And you do not know the chimps. They killed my men, I saw how they killed the innocent. You would had done the same but I did it out of compassion. I did not want them to suffer like my people. I blew them up so they won’t suffer.’ She was looking at me with her teary eyes and looks to be pleading for me to understand her. But I don’t understand how I can be so stupid to know her.
‘Just like how you got to me, as I am still your enemy. You would shoot me if I am wounded in the field. Do you not believe in saving lives? Even of enemies. General, our war has ended but its an uneasy truce, General Seeker. From today,we lived as one, but we govern as two. Mine is mine and yours.... are yours. Good night, General Seeker.’ I saluted her and she replied before walking out.
I completed two bottle of wine that night
Day 4
I threw all of the crates of wine out that morning as it was stupid for me to drown my sorrows with these. I am a commander and I have to protect my people. Not linger with emotions and regret my past. The chimps will be back soon and stronger. And we have to be stronger than them to fight them.
I called for an officer meeting and the word is ‘reinforced and build defenses’. I completed my briefing in an hour and walked back to my unit. I saw Doctor Bashir men carrying my crates of wine thrown outside my unit on the yard.
‘They are good for antiseptic wipes. Alcohol you know....’ That was the medic interns comment.
But I was more keen on the report from Monolith
Special Report from Doctor Indira
Day 3 Week 27
2343hr
Initial findings on the soil at ‘Monolith’. Its very similar to the one we have on AYERS ROCK on Earth. There are on average composition is 50% feldspar, 25–35% quartz and up to 25% rock fragments.
The grains are small in the range of less than a tenth of an inches in diameter. The rock fragments include bauxite and granite. It may suggest that the later was deposited by another source but from where as we are the only mountain here.
There are places where the possible iron-bearing minerals by the process of oxidation produce the surface layer of rock a red-brown rusty colors. But over the years, as vegetation grew over the new top soil brought by the wind, we are not sure exactly what we are getting at.
Doctor Indira is being nice to me and yet drawing sarcasm into her brief report. But not so with Major Shaw’s report.
Special Report from Doctor Indira
Day 3 Week 27
2343hr
We are settling in among the high winds but once we dig in with Heavy Metal we should be okay. The Matsu clans are very helpful and they are working closely with us. We lost some food supplies due to carelessness, as we forgot that they can fly in these conditions, but overall we are okay.
We are putting up lightning arrestor as we do not want to be fried toaster. Doctor Indira did a nice pose for us when her flock flew up. She looked funny then. If only she was blonde.
Now I am wondering if it was a good idea to set up BASE Two there.
Philip asked me to see his latest accomplishment. I was there to see the crowning of his river bastion as he calls it. He has got long narrow plates of steel of over three twenty feet done by the steel mill. He has welded them in place to make the needed length,as the river bed was almost fifty feet in depth. He had embedded this into the river bed and by using the Heavy Metal on the floating platform with the assistance of the MSV. He has locked the steel plates in with his own designed on the end edges so that its lock the next piece on top. Once they had locked in three pieces of it, they used Heavy Metal as a pounder to pushed the metal pieces into the river bed up to ten feet depth with a series of it to make a circle in the river.
They just completed the circle now, and in the process of pumping out the access water inside by dropping rocks inside the steel circle with the help of Heavy Metal again. Its slow tedious work but the effort is will show. Once its clear of water, concrete will be poured in to joint the stones.
According to Philip, he will reinforced the bottom foundation with the MSV moving large boulders against it as support. They are also supporting the beams with a series layer of steels that world wraps around it like a rope. Its called Hyperbaric welding by using the modified prods on the MSV. Then the top will be covered in concrete,
He wants it to be named as ‘Philip Platforme’ for French. I agreed as he does not make a mock to name it his anatomy part.But I suggested he adds the height to twenty feet or so.
His reply was; ‘Son l'Bent aciérie familiale à contribuer ( Its the Bent's family steel mill to contribute. ). I told him I will speak to Dad whatever he needs. I did pretend not hear the ‘merci beaucomp’ he replied as I rode off on my bike.
General Seeker filed a protest note on the bridge but did not stopped it. So would the river reptiles if they could write but who cares about their request.
Lieutenant Carlos did advise on the fast currents as a result of the platform but we agreed its can be accommodated by the tripods.
But Micheal Bent went bazooka on the request for more steels, and he went on saying ‘so you can ride over for your rendezvous’. In the end, he agreed when I told him I had broken up with Vickie but the bridge is crucial for logistics.
Micheal Bent muttered something like; ‘ maybe it should be called reconciliation bridge’ but I was not listening then.
Day 5
The earth tremors came again and we saw the result of its impact. It was only for five minutes but it did damages to the platform and also at Monolith. More sinkholes and landscapes changed her and there. Thankfully the damages in the Outpost are able to repaired by the personnels.
But the creatures went on a rampage and the farms were partially destroyed. We had to chase the stubborn ones off their feeding on the farms or on the friendlier creatures..
Vicente from Eden came a calling saying they are okay but their comms unit is damaged. So I send over McKay to do some repairs. I asked on his small village and he said they are coping. He did not elaborate so I left it at that. Maybe I will visit it one day.
And I did that day.
Vicente did not tell me his settlement has increased with the inclusion of twenty inmates which chose to settle with them. They build their own housing at the edge of the village with their own wall but they do trade in products. There has been no harassment and the inmates has kept to their own boundaries. I checked with the inmates and their leader, PP10243 Rene’ Descard.
Rene’ assured me they are good and will not do anything stupid. They pledged to protect Eden in any attack. PP10243 Rene’ Descard was in for treason and murder, but he said those were politically motivated. But here there are no politics but survival. I made him leader and he is responsible for their well being. I will send some medic aids and supplies so they can live more comfortably. I spoke to Vicente in private; ‘you do not hide any information from me or you will staying with them for good.’
Vicente nodded his head. I also noticed the parish unit in the village. Its looked complete and unharmed in the tremor. I could be superstitious at times and this is one of them.
I got comms to see Warden Tomas in the Infirmary.
‘Commander, I am dying. My heart does not tells me but my mind does. I got a confession to make.’ The man is laying on the bed and has machines plugged to his body. He had a massive cardiac arrest and even today’s medical cannot saved him.
‘Do you remember the Tevos Carli’ case? Pak Song was implicated but committed suicide. Well, I knew who did it. It was me who instructed it. I told Pak Song and another guard to kill Tevos as he knew too much of the system.’
‘What system?’ I asked the old man.
‘The system of selection for the Colonies. We know how to rigged it like the others.’ The Warden gave out a low cough and had to draw a deep breath.
‘Others?’
‘Not all you see here are selected by random; they are also some who are planted here. For reasons known to them. Politics, wealth or social standing, or even protection......’ he coughed again, and this time the machines went beeping louder. ‘I told them to kill Tevos to silenced him. Carli knows that; he is back here in the Colony.’
‘Carli is dead; he died in the explosion at the Fed’s Camp. Who is the other guy? The one who was with Pak Song.’ But the machines are beeping very loud now and Doctor Bashir is next to the Warden now.
‘Al Bertonel.....’ Doctor Bashir pushed me away to take care of his patient. I walked out and comms Joseph Bat.
Special Report from Investigator Joseph Bat
Day 5 Week 27
2343hr
Alfonso Bertonel, aged forty, widowed, no children, penal guard for ten years now. Has no relations to anyone on New Pangaea but is related to Martine Silve Bertonel; crime lord of City 201. Alfonso or ‘Al’ as he fondly called, former Special Forces and a sniper. Implicated in two inmates murder case but unconvicted due to lack of evidence.
I looked at the image of the man on the screen; a killer look trained by the best. According Joseph, he is not in the camp since this afternoon. He is believed to be armed and carrying some medic aids. He could be running or hunting Carlos Carli, if the later is alive. According to General Seeker, she could not confirmed if Carlos died in the explosion but he was there in their camp.
This is a job for Pedro but he is limping now.
‘Micheal, I got a mission for you.’ Micheal Burns can do the assignment.
Day 6
‘Micheal, what happened?’ Micheal Burns was found laying on the floor of at the armory with a broken nose and a concussion.
‘It was Pedro; he’s taken the mission.’ If Pedro wants to do, no one can stop him nor find him in the jungle. I can only hope my old friend come back alive.
Warden Tomas died this early morning. He takes with him the secrets known only to him.
‘Scott, the chimp talked.’ That was General Victoria Seeker. The chimp would talked as it was probably hanging on for life in the stockade. It must had been medically treated but it also was tortured by its captors. She did not invite me to see the chimp but sent me the report instead..
Special Report from General Victoria Seeker, Federation Provisional Governor, Federation Colony on New Earth
Day 6 Week 27
1345hr
We treated our prisoner and had him taken care of in one of the unit. We tried to communicating but we failed until he showed he can write on the ground. We offered him a pen and paper which he drew on it. He wrote some characters on it and we had it duly send to your Doctor Boris for interpretation. He said it looked like ancient Greece writing with a mixture of egyptian hieroglyphic. Doctor Boris started communicating and soon they were talking. This is what we know to date.
Corin of the House of Isis is a officer of relations and a healer. He was in the camp when the first group appeared. They were cut up bad and has a servant in tow. An average man in size he said but bad man, hit the chief. They locked him on tree. The others tells of the hairless one who kills with fire. The chief, Tano asked to send men to check. I came along with the leader Sanar to see who the hairless man. We run many days and nights and stopped to eat. We saw big flying bird, but no sound was from it.
That day, it came and fire came. Sanar saved me when he jumped on me. He hurt his body while only my hands hurt. Then the bird come down and the hairless ones come out. You kill my friends but saved me. You care for me but you do not tell me why.
We are still learning from him. Will update.
She also left me a footnote; ‘can I see you, please?’ I did not reply.
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