Invasion Earth Page 9

  Nothing he could do here. Slinging his rifle over his shoulder, he headed home, thinking about how best to break the news to the children. This was earth shaker news waiting to ruin everything. Their age of innocence had passed. They’d need a lot of luck to survive. He examined the problem from every angle and felt his hopes sinking inexorably into a black pit. He finally resolved that the best course taken now would be delay. Maybe the family could move north and further into the wild, avoiding both sides as long as possible. That’s just a dream, he thought, a world at war meant they would be found no matter where they tried to hide. He would have to be proactive.

  He stopped at the edge of their clearing to watch three of his kids playing a game they had developed throwing logs. A pair of their coyotes watched sleepily from the porch. The kids had found a den several years ago, and the notoriously skittish animals had taken to them as family pets. His children were fully grown now after only six years, but they had not grown as tall as full-blooded Tonkians. Probably due to his genes, he thought. Still, their strength far surpassed his as did their mental abilities.

  Looking at them with human eyes, he knew they would never be accepted by the humans. Their height, green-colored skin, and large triangular heads would cause fear and hatred.

  Rick came running up to him and mentioned the lack of game.

  “No luck today?” he said.

  “No sweat,” said Rick, “Izzie brought in a large buck earlier. We have it on the spit now.”

  “I want to talk to everyone. Would you call your brothers and sisters out for a short family conference?”

  Soon the remaining thirteen of his brood stood around him, puzzled by the darkness they could see in his face.

  “A bad thing has happened today. We need to make some hard decisions tonight. So please listen carefully.

  “I killed a Tonk, today. He was walking in the meadow, searching for something, probably us.I don’t believe he was a scout, although it could be he was an advance party. I fear Tonk has begun their invasion of earth.”

  The children began talking to each other. Fear was evident in their manner. Trist was unable to keep up with all the ideas they were discussing.

  Trist held up his hand. “One at a time, please. This will be a joint decision and we all have a say.”

  They milled about, looking furtively at each other. Finally George spoke. “How long do you think, I mean, are we safe here for a while or are you thinking we should leave now?”

  “There is no way to know,” said Trist, “but they’re pretty close. I’m guessing we’re pretty safe for the next week or two, but we have to make plans to move soon.”

  “Can we stay here and fight them off?” asked Rick.

  “I expect them to send fifty warriors or more against us. I doubt we could beat that many off. Six years ago, they did not have weapons. The one I killed today was carrying a bow and arrow. We have better weapons and we can fortify ourselves here but with their superior numbers we will eventually lose.”

  “Why do you think they’re after us, Dad?” asked Mary.

  “Your mother and I were the first to leave Tonk. Their King will probably have proclaimed us as traitors. That makes you the offspring of traitors. King Ceidas hates us and will try to kill us.”

  Ernie stepped forward. “Why does this decision, whatever it may be, have to apply to us all? As I’m sure you’re all aware, Mary and I are thinking of leaving the group and forming our own settlement further north. We have discussed Canada and Siberia. There are huge unsettled areas in both countries.”

  “Certainly an option,” said Trist, “and you would have my blessing. Still, I would caution you to wait. If we can establish some kind of truce with earthmen, we may negotiate a reservation, at least some kind of safe existence. So please hold up with those plans for two to three weeks.

  “Right now, I think we need more information. Let’s check the computer and see if there is any mention of Tonkians.”

  “The computer is not working,” said Tom. “We thought the battery was dead, but we can’t start the generator either.”

  “That’s worrisome. I hope the Tonkians have not caused this,” said Trist. We need more information. I want to send two of you to Seattle for the current newspapers. We need to know how far they’ve advanced. Sam, George, would you make the trip?”

  “Sure, Dad,” said Sam, “I’ll go, riding my bike for speed. You coming George?” He turned to look at George.

  “Of course,” George replied.

  “Before you go, let me tell you about Tonkians. They have a remarkable ability to attach any parts of their body that are severed. The only way I know of to kill them is to sever the nerve center-spinal cord in the middle of their chest. Also, they have an instinctive fear of water, and loud noise can discombobulate them. Their fear of water is probably because they don’t have lungs like ours. They have ten to fifteen air openings on their bodies. A heart shot is not possible because they have eight small hearts.

  “All right, I’m figuring on seeing you within six days. Take a couple of those danged coyotes with you. They’re excellent at detecting the presence of other beings anywhere near you.”

  Sam and George ran into the hut, re-emerged in minutes with their backpacks, and mounted their bikes. As they rode away, Sam whistled at the coyotes and two of them leaped to their feet and followed the boys. Trist had noticed that each of the coyotes had picked just one of the kids that it would hang with.

  “Okay, team,” said Trist, “let’s get some of those logs in here, and begin to get this place ready for some bad guys.”

  KING CEIDAS: SIX YEARS EARLIER

  King Ceidas began to motion the next Royal Guardsman into the teleporter when the leg of the prior Guardsman fell to the floor before him. He looked at it in wonder for a moment, then the reality gripped him. “The damned thing has been blocked. Cut the power, cut the power,” he ordered.

  “You two,” he said, pointing one hand at the two closest men to him, and laying his other hand on the exigator, “take this back to the research facility.”

  An uncontrollable rage burned within him and, turning, he attacked the Tonkian behind him, ripping the unfortunate creature into parts. He shredded him far past the point of death. He struggled to regain control of himself. He had been betrayed. His enemies would know the wrath of an angry King. Trist, that was the earthman’s name. He had to die. He’d made a fool of the King. Also Izixebi, and Slithest, and those technicians, he would kill them all. He would have his vengeance on them; they only thought they had escaped.

  “Begin to replicate that exigator,” he roared. “Now! Begin now.”

  The two men were struggling trying to lift the teleporter. The six remaining soldiers helped them pick it up. They hurried it out the door away from the enraged King and into the main room of the electronics research facility. The King’s orders were repeated and the technicians scrambled, trying to look as busy as possible.

  The King entered the room as Izixebi’s board was being studied.

  “I want this exigator ready for use tomorrow. We are beginning the evacuation on this planet tomorrow morning. Find the charts showing the location of Tonk 2. Izixebi had the charts in her desk.”

  The soldiers began searching through her desk to find the charts. Unable to locate the exact chart the King was referring to, they picked one from the list of ten possible planets she had studied. Better to pick the wrong chart than be torn apart. The vision of the shredded guard was still vivid in their minds.

  “Have you located Tonk 2?” asked the King.

  “Yes,” said the senior military man, as he handed the King the chart.

  “Have the exigator aimed at this planet by first light.” The King, seeing everyone busy following his orders, strode out of the building and returned to his palace to meet with his councilors.

  The laboratory men were able to construct six new exigators before they were evacuated to Tonk 2. 60,000 Tonkians were spared death
on Tonk, but they were now living on a hostile, unknown planet. The technicians had teleported enough material to build ten new machines. They had broken down the five already constructed machines and they were now all located on Tonk 2.

  King Ceidas had been wise in making sure two thirds of the new settlers were female. Not only were they hard workers, they were breeders. He was building his army. He would have revenge.

  THE TRIP

  Sam and George built their bikes out of trash found by the sides of roads, combined with the occasional rummaging through people’s garbage. And now, after a year of riding, the two had become off-road wizards. They frequently went out for long rough rides through the brush and trees; the more ramps and jumps they could find the better. A ride to Duval sounded like fun to them. Especially since they brought two of their coyotes with them. The animals could run all day without becoming exhausted. Sam and George quickly finished the first nine miles of their ride through the deep forest, jumping small creeks and weaving between the thick-trunked trees which kept much of the small brush from growing up to impede them.

  They turned west on the first rough road they encountered. Cut through by lumber men, it was deeply rutted by the equipment used to haul the lumber. Darkness was gathering fast and soon they would be forced to stop for the night. They feared hitting an unseen hazard on the road and breaking the bikes.

  Twenty miles into the trip, they made up a small camp and settled in for the night. The coyotes had brought in several rabbits and the body of a fawn they had spooked during the run. Given their Tonkian heritage diet, Sam and George ate the fawn raw and let the coyotes feast on the rabbits and bones of the fawn. The black night was alive with the sounds of nocturnal animals, but they slept soundly knowing nothing could come near with the coyotes standing watch.

  First light saw them again riding west on the packed-earth road. A light rain began to fall, making the ride sloppy as the earth softened. They were happy to find a paved road cutting through and they followed it north. By noon, they began to ride past people walking on the road. They were puzzled by the groups slowing walking and the absence of any motor vehicle.

  Ahead of them they saw a wagon pulled by a beautifully matched brace of Morgan horses. Slowing down, Sam struck up a conversation with the family.

  “Lights went out three days ago,” said the father. “Cars stopped running at the same time. We need to find out what’s going on in town. Figured we better load up on supplies now, because we have no idea how long the lights will be out. I didn’t want to leave the family alone. Heard tales of wild groups roaming the forest. We haven’t seen any yet, but it’s worrisome. Been raising these Morgans for shows. Time for them to earn their keep, and pulling us to town might cut a few pounds of corn-fat off their bellies.”

  Sam wished them well, and they moved ahead on their bikes. They rode slowly, not wanting to appear suspicious by riding faster than humans would. They pulled over to camp earlier that night and George went out hunting for game while Sam built a small fire and relaxed with the coyotes.

  Sam returned carrying a large buck, which they cleaned and began to eat the meat raw, true to their Tonkian heritage. They threw the innards and large chunks of meat to the coyotes.

  The animals began to whine in alarm, alerting the boys. Soon, several people from the road came into the camp and asked to stay the night with them. While the newcomers put on a pot of coffee, Sam began to cook some of the venison for everyone. No one talked much. Where you live and how long your lights been out seemed to be the gist of fellowship.

  Finally one of the men spoke up. “I’ve seen some strange-looking animals out there lately. Anyone else seen anything?”

  “I have,” a young man said. “Yesterday, I had two bigfeet standing in my yard looking around when I woke up. Never saw one before. Something bad is going down when Bigfoots are coming out of the woods. I shot a couple of times out my front door and they disappeared. A fellow stopped by the farm two days ago, told me we’ve been invaded. I didn’t believe him much, but then he asked why I thought the power was out. Why would invaders make the power go off, I asked him. He didn’t know. He said the army was fighting in California and there had been skirmishes in Texas too. Seems like we’d have been told if the country was at war.” He looked around at the faces by the fire, and quietly, almost to himself, “I just don’t know. Still, I would suggest we keep watch tonight and keep the fire high. A good fire and the dogs there should keep us safe, at least for tonight.”

  Later, in their tent, George said what they’d been thinking. “Tonkians are here already. We knew that, but all-out war in parts of the country is something else altogether. What the fuck, maybe we should head back and tell the family.”

  “We’ll hit Duval by noon,” said Sam. “Let’s grab a paper there and head back. Skip Seattle. Dad knows they’re around. He was turning our place into a fort when we left. Let’s just finish up this trip and head back tomorrow. We can’t be gone too long.”

  They stepped out at first light. The rain had lifted, but the camp looked sodden and depressed. The camp-joiners were sleeping. Sam and George hitched their gear, mounted up, and with their almost unlimited energy and Tonkian strength, they reached town by eleven the next morning.

  The morning sun was bright but cast little warmth on this brisk Washington morning. They had stopped their bikes on a hill overlooking Duval. They could see no vehicles moving. No lights were visible. Groups of townspeople were standing around burning-barrels, probably keeping warm in the morning chill. The brothers looked at each other questioningly. Whatever was happening elsewhere was disrupting life in Duval.

  They rode slowly into the small town. The coyotes stayed close, not liking to be this close to civilization. To a casual observer, the brothers appeared to be two young men. They parked next to the first convenience store they found.

  There were several groups of people standing about and talking. Laughter erupted as Sam and George walked by, probably a joke told at their expense. They felt a cloud of suspicion swirling around them thick enough to cut with a cleaver.

  At a corner lot down the street, they watched younger men playing a game with an oblong ball. The participants stood on two lines facing each other and when someone picked up the ball the two lines rushed at each other, with most of the players being knocked down. It must have been a great game as there was a lot of whooping and hollering and everybody looked to be having fun. It seemed a strange game to Sam and George.

  The group of people nearest the store watched as the brothers approached. Cigarette butts and lotto tickets were strewn near the entrance. The pumps were not in use, but several well-aged newspapers were blowing in the parking lot. Sam went in while George waited, watching the coyotes near the door. He moved into the store slowly. It had been littered by careless use and not cleaned for some time. It had an underlying acrid smell that assailed his senses.

  The older woman behind the counter had lustrous, thick auburn hair. Quite striking considering her age, Sam thought. He felt she paid little attention to the store where she earned a living.

  Sam asked if they had a current newspaper.

  “As if,” she said. “Where you been hiding, good-looking? Hasn’t been no power for the last three days. Can’t print papers without power.”

  “I was hoping to get a paper from Seattle.”

  “Last I heard, no power in Seattle either. And if they did have power to print, no vehicles are running, so we wouldn’t get them here.”

  “I was up on the mountain the last two weeks. Just made it back to town.”

  “Well, most of my food stocks are gone. I can still help you with cigarettes or beer, if that’s what you’re needing.”

  “No, no thanks, I just wanted to find out what’s happening. Seen all the people outside, surprised they weren’t at work and the kids not at school.”

  “Without power, most jobs stopped and school has been suspended. You’d think they could still go to school,
but everything’s on computers now. No power for the computers, so they can’t do anything. Everyone’s shook up and nobody seems to know what to do. Hear a lot of guess, but no real answers. I suspect you know better than most what the cause is. I’ve seen a few of the new ones in town, out of the corner of my eye, when they didn’t know I could see them. Then when you look straight at them, they look just like normal people.” She was watching him carefully.

  “Really?” Said Sam. “What do they look like?”

  “You should know already because you look very similar to them. You’re a little different than them, but you still got the same look. Suppose I should be worried, what with all the people that’s been disappearing. But like I said, you look a little different.” She was busy rearranging something under the counter and had spoken without looking at him.

  “Well, I best get moving. Sure hope your power comes back on soon.” No longer trusting her, he backed to the door and stepped out quickly. “Come on; George, we best be moving. I think there’s Tonkians around.”

  The group of humans nearest them were still watching as they walked to their bikes. A gray-haired homeless- appearing man broke from the group and walked toward them. His teeth were yellowed with several missing, and his beard seemed clumped together. He had deep-set, suspicious eyes and a beat-up, misshapen hat covering his mostly bald head. He wore a tee-shirt that read, BAD TIMES NOW WORSE TIMES SOON.

  Unsure of him, George and Sam dragged their bikes out of his path, while watching him carefully. He walked past them and turned off behind the corner of the store.

  ”Shit,” said George, “think they can see us?”

  “Don’t know about all of them, but I swear that woman in there saw right through me. Let’s ride.”