New Pangaea Pg 189-194

Week 28

Day 1

‘Philip’s Platform’ is almost ready and they are laying the concentrate now. Its fast considering the working of nonstop since they started. So was the Monolith’s progress as the dugout was almost ready too. I have over a hundred and twenty cannons deployed everywhere with the loaded cannisters. Catapults are ready and the people are once again on alert.

We learned more on our new guest, Corin.

The city he mentioned is more like an army camp about two weeks by forced marching but three weeks by normal marching. We never been that far as yet but we should one day. There are about a thousand troops there under General Tano. The General is a tough man and a descendant of the better families. Their main city named Tamana is about six weeks march and it housed over ten of thousands chimpanzee or troops as he calls in his native sound στρατεύματα. Their great leader is named Hanim and carries a long staff of old fire. His castle is by the great water and there many creatures swim. He said one word which made us wary. Tano expect the column to come back in some days or he will marched himself with the army.

So I may have four or six weeks to prepare for battle.

How do you fight an enemy that is taller than you and stronger than you? Its like fight that David did with Goliath. You need to be cunning and more resourceful. I thought of Rexy and had a good laugh. Surely it will not help in such manner. We won’t know how to tell the dinosaur.

Its time for me to meet Corin.

He’s a chimp albeit a small but taller one if you compared him to the chimpanzee we seen on Earth. But here, he is about my size but he should be stronger as he uses his limbs a lot. I asked him about New Pangaea, about the creatures and how did they look different.

This is his story.

Statement from Corin, captured chimpanzee

Day 1 Week 28

1012hr

I do not know how to begin, but we been like this for many days, even to the days of many father’s father. We used to be like the bigger chimps but we grew faster in thoughts and became this. There was a myth that we taught by some others from another place, but no one can say it. Its taboo and punished by death with the spear. We learned to live in shelters and dressed in this red cloth. We learned all this from our many father’s father.We built big nests on the hills and trees. We fight off the creatures that kill us, and we won but the one we still fear is the slithering one who comes and kill many. The small ones kill when we sleep with the young ones. We do not like the slithering ones. You keep them in the holes. We do not like.

We learn to read and write from the many father’s father and we learned to rule like chief. There are some of us who do not like the chief so we hide and fight in the dark. We kill them so they can die, but they are many and we are few. I am one and I was caught to come here as punishment. I killed the young one of the Chief, but here Tano needs me. I am a healer, and he has sick on the head. I cured him with medicine from the trees and ground, but he needs me to make it.

We come here to hunt the food we can eat. Here is our fruits and leaves. We also eat the meat of the sharp and blunt tooth, but we do not eat the slithery ones and the flying ones. They are taboo to our people.

There are about five main cities and several cities; we lost many of our people some many days ago due to war with ourselves and then the sickness. That’ why we hunt our food far from our city. No bad food here.

There is one enemy we fight every time; slithery like us. They come on the creatures that travel on four legs, and they also carry long cut sticks. But they not seen since we chased them away many days last. But they will come again when they are strong.

We have not seen your kind before, maybe not me. But I heard of stories told when young of the stars and the skies. The ones came from there and taught us. They looked like hairless one, maybe they are you. But they are small not like you; half your size but they are smart. They taught us these things which we have now.

That was the end of the interviews excerpts.

We learned new things everyday and sometimes its too scary to face up to it. I had the scientist talked to me on anything we can or need to do. The answers are not favorable nor making me sleep better.

I called off the meeting at 2100hr and was about to close my bunk door when I saw her standing there.

‘You are not inviting me in?’ I am still confused on my thoughts and now she added in my emotions. I gave her way to come in and she sat down on the same chair I sit down daily to review reports. I cleared the table of the mess and reports, and brought out a bottle of juice with two glasses. I told her I threw the wines away.

‘I know which is why I brought mine. I also bought my toothbrush. I need to stake out my territory marker.’

Day 2

‘Commander, Monolith One is almost done. We got the wall up and now the units are being built. We shall be ready in one week. Do you think you can send some more supplies? We ladies need more than perfume.’

Did I opened up Pandora’s Box or what are the ladies coming on strong to me. I told Major Shaw I am flying in with Shuttle and be prepared to received more supplies.

The Monolith is large slab of property and we just occupied a part of it. The BASE foundation looks done, and we landed without any issues. I hand over the supplies and joined Major Shaw in the temporary Command Unit. I was surprised to find Ishito Matsu there.

‘Commander, Mr Ishito is the man which allowed us to alleviate our wind issue. He designed the wall so that the wind will fly up and way from us in the dugout here. Mr Ishito is also an architect by profession.’ The man bowed humbly and I returned that to him. Mr Ishito spoke to me of making a road down the steep slope. He suggested a road system that traverse the steep incline until we reach the bottom. I take it will a long drive down and he nodded. It will be considered when we need it but please do the needed survey.

I told Major Shaw on the threat of war and I am moving the children and aged here for safety with additional supplies. I am also moving Bubble One here for her. She is also to construct a second dugout nearby. I flew back with a heavy heart but this is a decision I had to make. The next shuttle flight carried fifty aged and kids. There was three such flights with supplies. 

‘Why didn’t you send the chimp back to explain our intentions?’ Admiral Stokes caught me when I landed. I told him, they would not negotiate. Even Corin cannot go back as he will be executed for treason and cowardice. The chimps are too proud a race to negotiate, and that was not recorded as I asked Corin later in private. The survivors who came back was killed by the leader, although they did it to tell him of the new threat. If Corin was to returned with the original column upon finding nothing, they could had lived, but not when most of them are dead killed by us. Its their custom. That’ why Corin is happy to stay here and tell us the horror stories. He is already a dead chimp in a manner of speech.

Vickie regretted her action but that was done. We cannot change the past but we can make amendments to the future.

But the worst was to come back to Village Two and see the group of people protesting Corin and the Fed’s. It was led by Polard Sicko. The placards says ‘no to Fed’s and Chimps’ or ‘Fed’s did it, so its their fragging responsibility’. There about a hundred over of them and they are armed this time. I singled out Polard and Vlad Milos for talks alone but they refused; ‘say it here and now.’

I looked at the group and made my speech; ‘‘You may all leave now with whatever on your back. Don’t turn back. We don’t want you anymore. We here will live and fight with the allies of ours. Go now.’ I motioned to the guards to open the gate. The gate was opened but only two men started to march for a few steps and then stopped. They looked back at the standing crowd who with them just now, but now undecided.

‘Polard! Vlad! Keep on walking. Don’t asked them if they are not keen. Walk or I will shoot you down myself now.’ I motioned to the guards to raise their weapons but these are Village Guards. They refused my order, so I pulled out my PH350 and shot one round at the duo’s feet. They looked at me and dropped their guns. I walked towards the two and said, ‘take it up and walk, you bastards.’

But they never did. Instead they walked back to their units. I picked up the rifles and took it with me to the Command Unit. I dropped it there  and I saw Peter Bone, who is the leader of the Village Guards. ‘You are not getting popular, Commander.’

‘If I want to be popular, I would had shot those two men and my name will be on the WANTED LISTING. I got a colony to take care and popular decisions don’t come with the job. You should had contained this yourself. Not let it rot till today.’ I walked away before he answers me.

‘Melody and me are having a boy. We are naming him Scott Bone Mannheim.’ He shouted after me. I stopped and looked back at the coming father. ‘Make sure he is not as nasty as I am.’

I was off to SWAMP for my next inspection. The ‘Philip Platform’ looks empty so I confront the Lieutenant. He told me Philip is designing the bridge now. Fragging crazy of a man who pulls the carts and now looked for horses to pull it. I thought he had the design and now this.

It was then I saw Pedro walked out of the jungle near Outpost Six. He is half dead but carries his PH900. He collapsed on seeing the others rushed forward to aid him. I was one of those who ran to his aid.

Day 3

Special Report from Corporal Pedro

Day 3 Week 28

1023hr

I left on Day 6 Week 27 in the morning to track down Alfonso Bertonel. I knocked out Micheal with my left hook on his nose. I felt humiliated being replaced by him as I am the scout here. I started by thinking like Al the sniper. I reckon the best vantage will the waterholes. So I followed the streams at the Village Two to check for footprints. If there was no foot print I will move onto the next water hole. It took days as Al was good in covering his tracks but no Carlos. I got Carlos’ print in the stream near the Cavern. So Maybe Carlos came back for assistance or supplies, so I went up Cavern and move to the end of the cave mouth. I camped there without fire or cover, but eating rations. I watched through the viewers for unusual signs. I am sure Al is out there too watching maybe me.

It was morning of Day 1  I caught him on the tree and he saw me too. He rushed to pack his things while I grabbed my gear and ran for the ramp. I reached his tree half an hour later but he was gone. I expected him to be missing but I can track his fresh trail now. He was heading towards North to the river. I followed suit and noticed there was another track’ its Carlos on the same trail but he is way ahead. By noon, I was at the river and I did not see any one at all. I looked up stream and down stream but still no trails. The trail seems to end here.

Did they sailed away? It can’t be as they are no signs of any boats or rafts there. Then I remembered my training; double back your tracks. I was conned by peers of my trade. I traced my steps and saw the new trail. And also Carlos was standing there with a PH762 in his hands.

‘I need to get you off my back. Then I will deal with Al.’ So I am his target now. ‘I heard you good with your  blade. Well, I am not. So we will square it off with me shooting and you dying.’ But he took too much and did not see me draw my blade. As he was raising his rifle, I threw my blade, and he was right about me good with it. It stuck it in his throat and cut his jugular veins. He went down holding his throat and choking on his blood. I took up my blade and the shot came just barely missed me. It did splice up my left shoulder and that hurts. I ran into cover and scanned the trees. He is on the run again, and I am chasing. I picked up his trail some distance away and he is running along the river.

I ran on and jumped on instinct; his shot came where I was just now. I jumped again and rolled this other time, as more shots came in. Darned it, he is good, and I was only safe at the tree trunk. I peeked by the side and I can’t make out his position. I took up a small twig and threw it to my left; nothing happened. I slowly got up and moved on like him; he has gone ahead.

I decided to get off his trail and made my own parallel to his. I jumped over the undergrowth and roots, hurting my just recovered leg and getting more cuts, until I came to where I wanted to be. The high tree facing a clearing that he may come out to. I did not climbed but threw my jacket up there. I laid down on the ground next to the tree trunk and took my firing position. I leveled the rifle and rested it against my shoulder.

‘Mummy in town, mummy in town, mummy in town’ and he did turned up. Then I changed my tune to to ‘Daddy’s here now’, and pulled the trigger. He went down on his knees holding his chest. His rifle dropped off his shoulder and his eyes showed disbelief. But he was dead by the time he fell on his face. I packed up and left the place.

I looked at the jungle and reckon it was nearer to Outpost Six or SWAMP.

Pedro once told me he used to sing that rhyme in his head to soothe down. His mum died when he was waiting for her with his dad when she was due to arrive by train. But she never did as the train crashed. His dad always said that line to him when he cries. Just like here, everyone dies here. Maybe this is not new paradise which we wanted to believe in.

But I got my new problems.

Corin told us as translated by Doctor Boris, that the chimps are coming. He can feel it in his bones as the saying goes. Looks like I am running short of time. It was then Corin went berserk when he saw a Najash on the tree. The snake is about a hundred feet away and yet the chimp can see it. We took him into the unit and he went to cower in the corner. So it looks like the story he said its true; they are afraid of snakes.

‘Doctor Leong, I need your help at SWAMP now.’ I got work for the zoologist.

I also called for an officers’ meeting including the Fed’s this time to planned for the attack. We need to know where would they go for first. And how do we repel them. I invited Micheal Bent to give us some assistance. We got two weeks to plan. The battle may last one day or more, depends on how we fight. These are what we agreed.

The unarmed colonists will be sent to Monolith or Plateau. All the camps are to have a boundary of a hundred feet from the jungle to the wall, and any tall trees on the jungle fringe are to be cut down. Outpost Hot Springs will be temporary closed and all research teams are recalled back. Village Two may be evacuated to Main Village. So is Eden and the Steel Mill. The penal inmates will fortified Holdings as there is a moat there. It was then decided that a moat be build at Main Village too. Outpost Five, Seven and Eight will be closed and all weapons send to BASE or Outpost Six.

Vic’s Castle will be provided with additional cannons and catapults. Micheal said he can handover fifty cannons to  them, with ten catapults. He has these oil bombs they can used; its highly flammable. Cheng offered to rig up some traps for the invaders at all the Outpost and Village which we are defending. 

It was then Admiral Stokes stood up and asked; ‘could we not negotiate again?’

It was Doctor Boris who spoke. ‘Corin said there are no discussions when we killed their people. Its the law they lived with.’ That adds gloom to our thoughts then. I know that fact but it was good the Doctor spoke up as its more creditable than me.

I am to most of them a loose cannon.

Day 5

Despite the preparation for battle, we still have issues with the colonists. Some did not want to fight and die; they want to run for safety at Monolith. I wanted to address them but the Admiral stepped in. He offered to talk to them as he is more experienced in handling such issues. More to it, the threat of ‘you go out’ does not work every time.

I went to check on my defense plans.

‘Scott, I set up thirty cannons for the Plateau facing the south entrance, thirty at Outpost Six and forty at Main Village Walls. We will fire in alternate turns so while one is firing the other one load. The inmates gave us thirty catapults which we split equal between Plateau and Outpost Six with six to Vickie’s. Yes, I know you called her that. She came to see me yesterday evening. Nice lady but tough. Okay, back to the defenses; ballista are installed at the Holdings as we have twenty of them. Nobody seems to want them. Cheng has setup Outpost Six and Castle, and now doing Main Village. That’s all for now. Catch your later when you do want to discuss.’ Micheal was off on his four wheeled wooden bicycle that he just constructed. Its hard on his butt but he has some spring on the frame and a rubber seat for it.

I saw Doctor Leong, and he is fuming with rage. ‘Its your flipping project. Three of us are in Infirmary now.’ He was running there limping with a bad swell on his left leg. ‘But we are making progress..’

‘Commander, Doctor Boris here. I think you might want to come over to the Castle. Corin is not feeling well.’ I sped over to Outpost Six to hear the thundering shots of the cannons. There I boarded the MSV and went over. By now, the reptiles has accepted the presence of the MSV as another inhabitant of the river and its unpalatable; so we are relatively safe.

‘Corin is suffering from what we know as acute viral rhinopharyngitis or the common cold as we know it. Normally in us we let it run its course and it will clear in a few days. But we not sure in the chimps here. Or any of the creatures. Despite wide efforts to develop a vaccine against the common cold we have failed to contain it successfully, as common colds are produced by a large variety of rapidly mutating viruses; successful creation of a broadly effective vaccine is highly improbable. But we have our antibodies to fight it. Corin is suffering the signs of breathing difficulties and we are putting her on the support machine just in case.’

‘Her?’ I thought Corin was a male primate and now the Doctor is addressing him as ‘her’.

‘Yes, Corin is a female primate. We knew that sometime back but you addressed her as a male. So we did not correct your perception. It not like you are going to share your shower with her.’ The doctor has the smug look that I dislike.

‘Yes, but you should had told me. I am the Commander.’

‘Sorry, doctor patient’s privilege and I am not military.’  That was it; I walked out of the unit fuming with rage. I can hear Vickie having a good laugh at my expense. She did not laugh when I shared my shower with her that night.