The number one man in charge of New Tower for Killer didn't know what to think about us. He didn't believe our story about the colony manager trying to do away with Killer. He didn't buy our story about Toni and me being the ones who had been operating the rain maker. He especially didn't know what to make of Jet.
Thankfully Killer came to long enough to become aware of the problem and kind of got things straightened out for us.
They still took our guns. I wasn't sure if I liked that or not. They also put a guard on our hover car. It was no longer ours.
The three of us (Toni, Jet, and myself) didn't know what to do with ourselves. We wanted to hang around to see how Killer was going to be yet we were tired and needed to go get some sleep. I don't suppose that mattered much though since we were still too wired. I was kind of dreading having a moment to myself--I knew I would start thinking about the two dead guards and I didn't want to do that.
We ended up hanging around the infirmary until we got a chance to see Killer. Without him the revolt could have just fallen to pieces. It had been touch and go for awhile.
They had someone to give medical aid to Killer and they had some whole blood to give to him. He was doing good, except for his leg. They had no facilities to repair the damage and it had gone too long without a good flow of fresh blood. They had had to amputate above the knee. When things got a little better and they could get access to regular medical facilities a clone leg could be grown and transplanted to Killer.
When he was brought out to where we could see him he was awake and alert. We found that he was taking it well--about the leg. As far as the dweebs went he was ready to kill everyone of them. We told him about the manager of Tower colony being dead--shot by his own man who had then ended up killing himself. Jet explained about the ship. She told Killer about the 'others' and the fact that they had promised to help the CBs win the war and how the 'others' had all these ships and stuff.
Time was short. Killer was worried about the surviving cops calling for help and the dweebs gaining control of the complex. Jet assured him that that would be impossible. The ship was keeping all the cops there on ice and was capable of fending off any attack on the complex or itself that the dweebs could muster. The complex itself was blocking all transmissions for ten kilometers around so that if there were some cops who were there and were trying to send a signal they wouldn't be able to get it out.
That's when Killer surprised me. He wanted us to go back as soon as we had had a chance to rest and turn on the rainmaker and bring as much of the hydrogen cloud down as the alien machine(s) could. He was asking us/telling us to flood the world. That's why New Tower had been built on top of a mesa. He would have us flood the dweebs out of Old Tower, but New Tower would be safe. Jet was immediately in favor of the idea. (That's why she had been created, to run the machines and flood the planet like it had originally been.)
I was appalled.
Nearly all the construction on Seco had been done at the same level as the desert floor. Flooding the planet would not only give us back the wind and the rain and all the weather problems that went with it it would also kill half the planet's population and destroy 90% of the world's structures. We would lose everything. It would be the end of the world. We would have to start again from scratch.
Hold that. The alien artifacts would survive, I guess. They had been built before the planet had been drained. Still, you don't just kill innocent people like that. Not all the dweebs needed to die. In fact, with the old colony manager dead, we could probably be able to start a new dialog with the dweebs. With the technology we suddenly had at our disposal we should have been talking about building--not destroying.
Killer wouldn't discuss it. He told us we could go back and start the machine or he would send someone else. He was being careful while he was talking in front of Jet to make it sound like his main concern was restoring the planet to it's original beauty. That was a lie. He just wanted to hurt the dweebs because of his leg.
Jet was thrilled to think that the rainmaker would finally fulfill it's purpose and she was blind to the fact that Killer just wanted revenge.
I argued against his plan and he got very upset. He asked Toni and Jet to leave while he talked to me alone.
It was a short argument. Killer explained that I would do as he told me to do and that he didn't want to hear any more about it. When I tried to make him understand that he would be killing innocent people not only at Old Tower but in all the other colonies as well he told me to shut up.
I shut up.
Killer told me that we were at war and he could not have his orders questioned. He was grateful for what Toni and I had done at the complex and now he needed us there to start up the rain machine.
He tried to make it sound like we owed it to the planet to restore it like it was before the great alien war.
I didn't buy it, but I kept my mouth shut.
Finally he told me that the rains would not be able to just suddenly flood the planet. People would have plenty of time to get to higher ground with all of ther belongings.
I decided to talk with Jet about that very point. Still I didn't think that Killer had the right to decide something that big--it affected too many people. I backed down and agreed with him. I did whatever was needed to get out of there and not be kicked off the rain maker crew. I had to talk to Toni and Jet. I was going to get them to go against Killer. It was wrong to destroy.
I found them outside the infirmary. Jet had started a conversation with some people that happened to be standing there. Everyone got a kick out of talking to her. It was the old 'let me tell you about my world' kind of thing. Everybody likes to talk about themselves but usually the only people we have to talk to want to tell us about themselves which is probably everybody's favorite thing not to listen to. With Jet it was different. She wanted to hear about every and any thing.
When they saw me come up Toni and Jet broke off ther chat and we went off to talk about what Killer had had to say to me. I told them about my conviction that Killer was wanting us to start the rain maker just to get revenge on the dweebs for what they had done to his leg.
There was a lot to talk about and we were kinda in a public place so we decided to put it off until we could talk freely and in depth. It would have to wait until we actually got back to the complex.
Toni said Killer's aid had told her where to find him so when we were ready so he could get us billeted for the night. We would get our weapons and the hover car back sometime the next day then we were to go back to the complex (where ever it was--he wasn't privy to that information) and do our duty (what ever Killer had told us to do).
We still had Killer's trust but I was going to do my best to convince Toni and Jet to not start the rain maker or they would convince me that I was wrong. I didn't care which. At that moment I felt we were being asked to do something that would not be beneficial to most people. I didn't like that. I wanted to either stop that or have some one convince me that I was wrong so I could help flood Seco with a clear conscience.
***
The three of us, Toni, Jet and myself, formed some kind of bond that night (like we already didn't have one). Once things calmed down and we were left in a room where we were told to get some sleep (with our very own guard outside). We tried to relax but couldn't. It had just been too much. We were too wired.
We talked about what we had seen.
Jet had never seen anyone killed before, had never left the complex under her own power, and had definitely never left all of her world behind with no guarantee of being able to return. I think she was homesick!
Toni was worried to death about Killer and what would happen to the revolution.
I was completely worn out but the old problem of being scared of dying in my sleep had reappeared and was fed by the fear that since I had killed that day that it should be my last. I tried my best not to sleep and not to think. In the end I finally lost to sleep but by then I no longer cared. At least I didn't have to think or remember...
We had talked late into the night or early into the morning before we had all collapsed into 'sleep cycle'. I remember how it felt--sleeping like that. I was awake yet not fully awake. I was weak, oh so weak. It almost felt almost delicious. My motor coordination was all screwed up. I felt like I had been in a fight--and lost.
***
It was past noon before anyone came to see about us. We had been prisoners, you might as well say, and didn't even know it. Killer's aid had made many inquiries around camp until he had found someone who knew us (I don't know if he ever slept that night or not). When he came to let us out of our 'room' he had Dick and Mike and Sid with him!
I rushed to Sid's arms and he held me warmly like I knew he would, like I knew he should! He was the reason I had gone through all the shit I had been through! Suddenly it all felt worthwhile. Sid and I were together at last! I held onto him feeling his comfort. I had known I would find him again but I had had no idea that he was at New Tower.
He told me how he had been released from prison ahead of schedule and how Killer had had him picked up so that he wouldn't accidently screw up my alibi for being gone. I was pissed at Killer when I found out! I had been all alone at the complex while Sid had been alone at New Tower. How ironic! Killer should have told me about Sid! How stupid!
Dick and Toni also had a joyous reunion. Imagine someone as boy-crazy as Toni stuck with Jet and me. That was kinda ironic too.
Jet, of course, didn't have any reunions. She was pretty happy though for Toni and me. She understood the fact that we had special friends and were happy to see them again.
I don't know what made Killer's aid so suspicious about Toni, Jet and me, but I was glad that he had brought Sid and me back together again. The aid acted disappointed that he had not caught someone in the act of...I don't know...what ever he had thought we were trying to do. I guess he just figured he was doing his job. I still think he was a big boob who couldn't see anything without some one there to lead the way for him.
It didn't matter. I was too glad to see Sid to be worried too much about anything. We went to lunch. The aid went to get everything ready for us to go back to the complex.
I wanted to either stay behind with Sid or have him go with us. I did not want to get separated from him again. I needed to have him with me in case we decided to not use the rainmaker to flood Seco. Killer would get red hot and send someone out to set us straight. He wouldn't be able to get to us because of the ship that had taken up a position above the complex. I would be safe and I wanted Sid to be safe with me.
I got Toni off to one side for a minute and we worked out a plan to have the guys go out onto the desert before we left. They would hide and we would pick them up. That way we didn't need to get Killer's approval.
***
It worked like a dream. We got out of there as quick as they let us go. Then we flew out to the next mesa. Hidden among the rocks I spotted what looked like Dick's old car. What'd he call it? A furg I think. The guys were waiving ther arms furiously until they were sure we had spotted them. Toni brought the hover car to a neat landing near them and Sid and Dick jumped in and we were off. I don't know if anyone at New Tower spotted what we did or not. It didn't matter. It was done and there was nothing anyone could do to stop us.
***
Jet called ahead and the ship was expecting us when we arrived at Jet's old complex. The cops were all still wondering around near the front entrance. On our way in we had flown over another group of cops or something. I didn't recognize the uniforms they were wearing but I saw where they all had guns. Seventeen acted glad to see us and had the huge doors above the rain machine open and ready for us.
Sid and Dick were highly impressed when they saw where Toni and I had spent the previous month. They were knocked out by seventeen. They couldn't believe they were talking to a computer. It was difficult to explain to them that Seventeen was just like Jet on the inside. Jet looked more human, acted more human, and sounded a lot more human than Seventeen. It was hard to make them show the same amount of respect for Seventeen as they had towards Jet.
I couldn't blame them. Jet was very much more likable than Seventeen. Still, it was important to show Seventeen all the respect that a sentient entity deserved. She was also the number one representative of the others. I know Jet should have been but there was a separation there. She was more human than the others and proud of it.
***
Finally I got the time and privacy to talk to Toni, Jet, Dick, and Sid about our supposed mission. I told them I thought Killer was having us flood the planet to get revenge on the dweebs. I told them to not use the machine unless there was no other way. I was surprised to find that I alone felt that way. Everybody wanted to do as Killer had told them to do (pretty much so). They acted afraid of him. They behaved like I had lost my mind. I had wanted to revolt against the dweebs and then I wanted to rebel against Killer.
I had to explain to them. For my own piece of mind as well as theirs...
"Look you guys, if we do what Killer wants us to do we will be changing the whole completion of the planet. Seco will never be the same again. You've seen pictures of how is was back on earth haven't you? They had wind and rain and great portions of ther planet covered with water that was sometimes over a thousand meters deep."
"You're wrong, Cookie." Toni told me. "You just hate following orders."
"I won't deny that, Toni. I don't want to become some unthinking machine that just does what it's told to do. People will die if we do this. Do you want to take that responsibility?"
"If you had been the one to come up with the idea of cars, Cookie, and you were the only person who ever made one then would you be responsible for all the people who have been killed in car accidents? I don't think so. Making it rain will not directly kill anyone. I happen to think that's an important point. There's a difference between pointing a gun at someone and pulling the trigger and giving that same person a car as a gift, even if they did get killed in it. How about you?"
"Toni, you know what I mean. Flooding Seco will cause lots of people to take all kinds of chances to save ther property. Somewhere along the line the risks those people accumulate and that's where you become responsible. You know in advance that they will put themselves at risk to save ther home or ther car or something and when that many people take risks then some of them will be killed. That's not the point. What I'm asking is do we have the right, or does Killer have the right to change our whole world forever? You know as well as I do that he's doing this because of what happened to his leg."
"You said that before." Jet commented. "Why don't you think it is important to return our planet to it's natural state?"
"What's the matter with the way it is, Jet? It's wonderful out there. With the return of surface water there will be a return of weather. Why would we want that?"
"Oh Cookie, you've never seen a storm being made. It is spectacular. The scale, the magnitude is immense! It is power beyond reckoning. It is grand."
"Yeh and people die and property is lost, ect."
"I see your problem." Dick told me. "You think that if we make it rain then we will be the ones responsible for all eternity for anyone who gets hurt or dies due to the rain."
"No! Don't be silly, Dick! I guess what I'm saying is we need to be sure of what we are doing before we ask Seventeen and the others to unleash something so world-changing. If this is not a good thing that we are about to do I don't want it to be remembered that we did it because some crotchety man who was upset about losing his leg. We must be sure of what we are doing and why before we rush to do as Killer has told us. Let's take at least a day to think this through."
"I vote no." Dick said.
"No, Cookie's right. we need to think on this." I was surprised to hear Jet say in my defense.
"Suppose Killer needs for us to have the rain maker running right now?" Toni put in. "We could be messing up big time by waiting. We have leaders so they can make these kind of decisions for us. If we don't do what Killer's asked us to do there's no telling what might happen. Suppose he has contacted Old Tower and...and..and he's playing hardball with them--y'know, he could have said something like;'Tonight it will begin raining. It will continue to rain until these conditions are met...bla bla bla.' Get it? If it doesn't start raining then the dweebs will laugh in his face. They might think we can't make it rain anymore. They might launch an attack against New Tower. We are the only thing keeping all those people alive. We gotta do like he wants. He's in charge, not us."
"Yeh but we have to live with the consequences of his actions. What I'm saying is we need to think this through some more." I told her.
"May I make a suggestion?" Seventeen wanted to know.
"Yes." Jet responded. "You have a perfect right to contribute--I hope!"
We humans all nodded our heads in agreement. It was necessary for us to remember that the ability to make rain was something given to us from the 'others'. Indeed the opportunity to have the option of deciding if we wanted or didn't want rain was a gift. We had no control over the 'others'. They were being generous just by listening to us.
"Good." Seventeen sang. "Why not start the rain now and decide later. It will take over one full orbit around the suns before the task is anywhere near complete. You will have plenty of time to decide as the process is happening. I think it is wonderful that you are having this discussion, but you may be putting your leader in jeopardy by delaying. Indeed you may be putting yourselves at risk from your very own leader."
Who could argue with logic like that? I had to think of Seventeen a little bit differently after that little speech. It had defused the whole situation. That was it's style--economy of movement, words, and thoughts. Not my way of doing things. I'm one of these people who starts running all around doing something but hardly ever doing the quint essentially correct thing. I just do something that will get me to where I'm going, eventually...I usually get to where I'm going by virtue of being the first to start as opposed to taking the shortest or best route.
The whole book in zipfile format.
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