Conquest ~ Indian Hill 3 ~ A Michael Talbot Adventure (77 page)

Most of the Genogerians understood the importance of learning the technology of their ‘masters’ so they could better defend themselves against the inevitability
of a strike
back. They had now tasted freedom and had no desire to give it back.

***

“Welcome aboard!” I shouted to Paul as I came into the hangar.

His jaw was about scraping the floor as he took in the sights. “Nice ride
!” he yelled
, with a huge grin on his face. “Bet you wouldn’t have to worry about a telephone pole in this thing
,” he said
referring to his
accident a few years back.

A small (growing by the moment) pool of men and women poured out of the shuttle
.
T
hey looked like they had the pocke
t protector market cornered. “Did
you bring enough?”

“Scientists, theorists, engineers
—
everyone we could scrounge up. All of them said
t
wo
years wouldn’t
be enough time.”

“Not really a choice, this deadline is a true
dead
line.”

“Oh
,
buddy
,
horrible pun
.
I think you’ve been hanging with the enemy too long. Speaking of which
,
I brought a few more folks I’m sure you’d like to see.”

Dee
appeared in the hatch
way and began to descend the steps.
He did not look too entirely pl
eased to be back on the vessel and why would he
?
H
is entire time aboard had been one of death and survival. I moved quickly to meet him.

“Hello
,
friend.” I waved as I approached.

Dee snarled. “It is good to see you hale
of health
,
Michael Talbot
,” Dee said
,
coming quickly to close the distance between us.
He picked me up like I was a discarded rag doll. I was slightly embarrassed
,
but it felt good to be swept up in the moment, so to speak.

“Is there something you need to tell
me?” Tracy asked from the door
way to the shuttle.

“Tracy?” I asked as I went twirling by. My heart leapt even as my stomach lurched from Dee’s ministrations. “You should probably put me down
,
Dee
,” I told
him.

“I was very over
taken with emotions
,
having seen you again without injury
,” Dee said
gently placing me on solid ground.

“It is always good to see you
,
my friend
,
and we will talk
,
but…” I said pointing to Tracy.

He turned. “Oh
,
yes your mate is here
.
H
ave I
emasculated
you in front of her?”

“It’ll be alright
” I said
,
reaching up to smack his arm. I ran up the
stairs to twirl Tracy around much like Dee had to me.

“Don’t you dare!”
s
he smiled. “I’m not your plaything!!”

“It’s good to see you
,” I told
her
,
placing my forehead against hers.

***

Three billion people died as a direct result of the Progerian attack
.
M
ost were killed in the initial attacks
,
but a good number came from the riots, starvation and lack of an infrastructure afterward. There was nothing much left in terms of government or military
.
T
hat was also by design of the invasion. And from the ashes
,
we had a
t most a two year reprieve before the battle fleet arrived.
Earth
,
at present
,
resembled something more along the lines of the 1
850
s, with the help of the Genogerians and some Progerians, communications would be up and running to the
entire planet in a month or so.
A
nd then the real work of rebuilding and preparing for the worst would take place. A team of over a thousand of the finest minds the world still had left to offer worked around the clock to reverse engineer everything on the Progerian vessel. It was believed that factories could be
built and have the first human-
sized Progerian fighters roll off the assembly line in
eighteen
months. Paul demanded it happen in nine.

Paul talked to me regarding him and Beth starting up a relationship, I was happy for him on one hand and a little hurt. It felt a little like a betrayal, but with Tracy getting ready to have our child I had other concerns on my mind. And as long as she had him to keep her busy that meant she would be out of my hair, at least that was how I hoped it was going to happen.

Nobody know
s
what the fut
ure holds
.
T
he planet is both a safer and a more hostile place at the same time. Within the
new
cities that are being built there is a sense of hope, of
camaraderie,
of man striving to come out on top against all odds. Outside lawlessness is the dominant force, it is still very much every man or woman for themselves.
For s
ome
,
having tasted the freedom to do
whatever
they pleased was to
o
great a treat to give up
,
e
ven if it were to save themselves or their eternal soul.

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