The Commander (3 page)

Sadie
pulled inside and rotated slowly so her nose was facing out before settling to the floor. “
Arriving
at Moonbase One,” she said softly. The canopy disappeared and the fuselage doors opened.

Outside the spacecraft, Luke pointed at the hangar opening. The doors remained wide open and the view of the crater outside was breathtaking. “Air?” Luke asked.

“Force fields keep the air in,” Sam explained, pointing at green lights mounted around the opening. “They’re a variation on the gravity plates. The floor is just a big gravity plate. You may have noticed we’re still at one gee.”

The hangar contained other spacecraft: a one-man flitter, another shuttle the same size as
Sadie
, and one much larger.

“That small shuttle is mine,” Sam said. “And that big one is for moving cargo. He’s
Thomas
. Come on, follow me.”

A short hallway at the far side of the hangar opened into a large, curved foyer. It was like a food court in a shopping mall. Several small booths were built into the curved walls and the interior was filled with break-room-style tables and chairs.

Beyond the foyer were more hallways and rooms. Several rooms were filled with construction tools.

Sam explained. “So far, I’ve put enough of this base together to get you started. You’ve got living arrangements for about fifty people, a few offices, some work areas, and a training room. I’ll show you how it works.”

Within the hour Luke was cutting new corridors into solid rock. Sam explained the cutting tools were basic matter converters. Where the cutting blade touched the lunar rock, it collapsed to a substance harder than steel. The resulting material served to cover the floors, ceiling, and walls. Different settings gave it a smooth or rough finish. The implements built gravity controls right into the floors. The result was a one-gee environment throughout the base.

After Luke added a new corridor and two rooms to the base complex, Sam pronounced his instruction was complete. “Let’s head over to the training room,” he said.

The multi-level room had rows of chairs on stair-step floors. It looked like a college classroom. A podium rested on a small stage.

“There’s someone I want you to meet,” Sam said. “
George
?”

“Yes, Sam,” a pleasant baritone voice replied. “I take it this is Luke.”

“He’s the guy. Luke, say hello to George. Sort of a
Sadie
on steroids. George runs everything here at Moonbase One. Consider him a gift from the Nobility to your solar system.”

“The Nobility? What’s that?”

“
The
Nobility,” Sam emphasized. “The rulers, the royals, our divine leaders, whatever you want to call them. Once you get away from the galactic center, they’re just known as the Nobility. Essentially, it’s the ruling families. Kind of hard to explain, but I work for them.”

“Am I working for them?”

“Don’t make it more complicated than it is,” Sam cautioned. “To answer your question, no. I doubt you’ll ever see them or hear from them again. As I said, I’m here to do a bit of lawn maintenance. You’re the weed-killer, and George here is your instruction manual. He’s the guardian of all the knowledge I’m leaving with you. As you bring new people here, I’d recommend you let George give them an introductory course. You ought to take it yourself before you get into this much further.”

“I will,” Luke agreed.

“Say hello, George,” Sam instructed.”

“Good evening, Luke,” George said. His warm voice emanated from the ceiling and filled the room.

“Nice to meet you, George,” Luke offered weakly.

“I assure you it is my pleasure. I look forward to working with you, sir.”

“Come on,” Sam urged. “Let’s keep moving. One more thing you need to see.”

In the food court, Sam waved Luke over to the stalls against the curved wall. A microwave rested on the counter.

“Cheeseburger and fries,” Sam said aloud. Seconds later, a fully laden plate appeared behind the glassed door.

“
Preparation complete
,” a female voice said.

“It’s a replicator?” Luke asked.

“No, not really. That’s another reference to one of your fictional programs, right? I’d say it’s more of what you call a 3-D printer. It uses micro-gravity emitters to rearrange molecules in layers. But you can call it a ‘replicator’ if that’s what you like.” Sam grinned as he removed the hot burger. “Here you go.”

“I’m not really hungry,” Luke replied.

“Suit yourself. You might notice it looks like the burger we got in the diner. There’s a reason for that. Remember when I took a picture of it? That wasn’t a camera. Here.”

Sam handed Luke a flat, plastic rectangle about a quarter-inch thick. It looked like a cell phone without the glass.

“What’s this?” Luke asked.

“That’s a hand-scanner. It records the substance of whatever you scan. Once it’s scanned, George will incorporate it into the database, and after that it will be available to anyone here in Moonbase.”

“Seriously? Do you have any idea what this could do for our world?

Sam put a hand on Luke’s shoulder. “Yes I do,” Sam said grimly. “Word of warning: do
not
… repeat…
do not
under any circumstances let this technology loose on your planet. This one thing alone will destroy your civilization. As far as that goes, any of these toys I’ve shown you today could do it, but the replicator, as you call it, will do it faster than anything else.”

“Why is that? This could free mankind from hunger.”

Sam waved away the question. “I’m a PR guy, not an anthropologist. Just trust me on this. George can give you proof if you need it.” Sam headed back toward the hangar. Luke had to walk quickly to keep up.

Inside the hangar, Sam stopped next to one of the shuttles and pointed. “See that red line on the floor?”

“Yeah.”

“That’s an industrial size replicator. Keep people out of it. George?”

“Yes, Sam.”

“I’m taking my shuttle. Can you give Luke a replacement? I want him to have at least two shuttles after I take
Lucy
.”

“Certainly, Sam. Have a good trip.”

A warning horn sounded and red lights flashed along the walls next to the indicated area. The air shimmered and a shuttle began to appear. The shape solidified and after two minutes the flashing lights and warning horn stopped.

“Fabrication complete,” George announced quietly. “This is
Duffy
.”

The small shuttle looked exactly like
Sadie
.

“Okay,” Sam announced. He reached out and shook Luke’s hand. “I think I’ve covered everything. George, you take care of Luke and answer any other questions.”

“I will, Sam.”

“Wait a second,” Luke shouted. “What are you talking about? You’re leaving?”

“Gotta run, buddy. This ain’t the only star system that needs saving.”

“You said you’d be here for weeks! I just met you today.”

“Hey, who do you think built this Moonbase? These things don’t happen by themselves. A little gratitude would be nice.” Sam spoke to his shuttle, “
Lucy
, open up. We’re leaving.”

“Ready to go, Sam,”
Lucy
replied.

The door opened and Sam stepped into the cargo bay. He looked back at Luke. “Good luck, kid. Knock ’em dead. I’m counting on you.” Sam waved good-bye as the cargo door closed, hiding his smiling face within.

Luke’s protestations went unheard as the shuttle lifted up and zoomed out of the hangar and up into space. He watched the spacecraft disappear into the distance, a fading dot that vanished all too soon.

“Transfer of authority complete,” said George. “Welcome, Commander Blackburn. Bakkui invasion five years away and counting. What are your orders?”

“Five years? Sam said it was ten years at the earliest.”

“Please accept my apologies, Commander. Sam is a PR guy, not a military strategist. He is known to exaggerate quite frequently.”

Luke clinched his fists in frustration. “Of course. Why am I even surprised?” Luke walked slowly back toward the food court, lost in thought. The task set before him was unbelievably staggering. His mind whirled dizzily as he sorted through the permutations.
Maybe I’ve just gone insane. That would be nice.
It would be easier to accept, certainly, and probably a lot less stressful.

A quiet voice spoke in the back of his mind.
No, Commander. You are not insane
. Luke realized with a start that it was George.

“Do we have telepathy or something?” Luke asked aloud.

Not as such, Commander. But I wanted you to be aware that we can communicate directly. Simply speak to me as though we are in a room together. Even if you are on Earth, I will receive that communication.

“Sounds a lot like telepathy,” Luke observed.
Can you hear me now?

“Loud and clear, Commander,” George responded verbally.

Not sure I like this,
Luke thought. He threw the cheeseburger and fries, already cold, into an opening that looked like a trash receptacle built into the counter. A momentary
buzz
and flash of light from within seemed to confirm his theory.

“Give me a beer,” he said to the replicator.

“
That object is not programmed
,” the tinny voice replied.

“What
do
you have programmed?”

“
Cheeseburger and fries are the only items in inventory
.”

“Figures.”

“
That object is not programmed
.”

“Never mind.”

“
That object is not programmed
.”

There were obviously varying levels of AI. Luke returned to his shuttle.

“Hey,
Sadie
.”

“Yes, Commander?”

“Can you take me back to the hangar in Baggs?”

“Of course, Commander.”

“You know, I haven’t filed a flight plan or anything. Will they see us coming? Do I need to worry about getting shot down?”

“Not at all, Commander. I promise that detection by your planetary authorities will never be a problem while you’re with me.”

Luke sat down in the pilot’s seat. “Okay, then, I’m ready. Let’s go home.”

“Course set.”
Sadie
closed up the shuttle, lifted off, and flew into the moon’s night sky.

“You okay, Luke?” Rosanne asked. “Luke!”

Jolted out of his reverie, Luke nodded at the coffee pot she was offering. “Thanks, Rosanne.”

“Don’t worry about it so much. Nobody expects you to win a big grant every year. You look like you got the weight of the world on your shoulders.”

“Funny you should say that. This morning, that’s exactly how I feel.” The night before, Luke had arrived back at the airport after dark. He’d gone straight to his house and turned in.

“Well, ease up, hon. You moved here to get away from that kind of stress.” Rosanne glanced at the other end of the diner’s countertop. “I wish
that
one would just stay here and settle down.”

Luke followed her gaze toward the pony-tailed blonde. Annie something or other. She was wearing leggings, running shoes, and a colorful T-shirt under a fleece hoodie. The girl had moved back to town a few months ago to take care of her grandmother. Luke knew the older woman only as Mrs. Vasquez, and that she had passed away last week. Luke had gone to the funeral, but other than offering condolences, he hadn’t spoken to the grieving teenager.

“Not many jobs around here, Rosanne,” Luke offered.

“I know, but I doubt that Royal Deutsche outfit really appreciates her.”

Luke perked up. “You mean Royal Deutsche Banque? How old is she? She looks twelve.”

“Let me see,” Rosanne ruminated. “Her birthday is in March. She’s older than my grandson. Harry is twenty-eight or twenty-nine, I think. I just can’t remember.”

Luke marveled, not for the first time, how Rosanne knew so much about everyone in this town. He wondered how long before she knew about
Sadie
.

As if sensing his mood, Rosanne pried into his thoughts. “Where’s your funny-talking friend this morning, anyway? What was that language he was speaking? You two were getting on like a house afire.”

“I’m afraid he’s moved on, Roseanne. Believe me, I tried to get him to stay. You said Annie worked at Royal Deutsche? What’d she do there?”

“I dunno. She got registered as a CPA in Reno. I remember when she used to study all the time for that test. But back east she does something in precious metals? Broker?”

Luke’s interest in the young lady skyrocketed. He picked up his coffee and moved two stools down from Annie.

“Morning, Annie. Sorry about your grandma.”

She gave him a half smile. “Morning, Mr. Blackburn. Thanks. And thanks for coming to the funeral.”

“Of course. Say, Rosanne said you work for Royal Deutsche Banque.”

“Worked, past tense. I had to quit to take care of Grandma. I don’t know if they’ll hire me back.”

“So you’re looking for a job? Rosanne mentioned you’re a CPA in the precious metals division.”

Annie gave him a skeptical look. “Why, Mr. Blackburn? You have some precious metals you want moved?”

Luke held up his hands to show he meant no offense. “I’m actually looking for a CPA.”

“I can give you a couple of names. Mr. Ortiz down the road could probably use some extra work.”

“A background in precious metals would be a big plus.”

Annie squinted at him distrustfully. “Seriously? I know you’ve gotten some grants at the airport, but I understand that Mrs. Cummings is not making much money. As I hear it, she’s out there about forty hours a week and getting paid for a
lot
less. I’m looking for a
real
job.”

Luke’s cheeks grew hot, and he felt unaccountably embarrassed. The little female sitting at the counter was not much over five feet. In the past her comments would have bounced off his rough exterior, but after yesterday’s events, he felt more vulnerable than in his entire life.

He was desperate for help but unsure how to move forward. Anything he did might entail some unforgivable mistake that would doom humanity. The realization made him angry. Not at anyone in particular, but at the situation, and for sure, he was plenty mad at Sam.

“I would… Sorry, I don’t know your last name.”

“Daniels.”

“Miss Daniels. I would say Linda’s decision on how much time she spends at the airport is her business. She understands the circumstances of my limited ability to provide her with income and has always, at least to my knowledge, been quite satisfied.

“
Regarding
my current personnel requirements, it is possible that the right person would put me in a position to do a little more for the town in general and Linda in particular. If you’re not interested, not a problem.”

The silence between them lasted only seconds before it was broken by the irrepressible Rosanne. “Annabelle Theodora Daniels! Why are you giving Mr. Luke a hard time? He’s offering you a job, girl. Just yesterday you were in here whining about how you hate the thought of going back to that Deutsche Banque outfit. What’s the matter with you?”

The change in Annie’s demeanor was dramatic. She was no longer a strong woman but a reprimanded adolescent.

“Sorry, Mr. Blackburn,” she said meekly. “I guess I’m a bit touchy because of Grandma. I would be happy to know more about your position.” She looked over at Rosanne for approval.

The ice was broken and everyone stopped frowning. Luke paid for both of their breakfasts and asked Annie to accompany him to the airport with a quick stop at the local You-Lock-It storage place on Main Street.

“She would
love
to,” Rosanne answered forcefully.

# # #

Luke stood in front of unit 23 and checked both ways. With no one in sight he unlocked the clasp and lifted up the door.

Annie gasped when she saw the stacks of gold bars. She gave Luke a blank stare for several seconds and then turned back to the interior of the garage unit. Luke saw that she was counting the pallets.

“Jesus H. Christ,” she whispered. “You have this much gold and you’re keeping it in a storage unit? Are you insane?”

“I keep it locked,” Luke replied weakly.

“Well thank God for small favors.” She looked at the gleaming metal for a bit longer and then faced Luke. “Listen. Really. Thanks. I just… I’m only thirty-three years old and I don’t want to spend my life in prison. I’m not going to get involved in anything that’s illegal so why don’t you close the door and I’ll go back to Chicago? We’ll pretend this never happened.”

Luke could see the growing fear in her expression. She was creating all sorts of improbable scenarios about how he had acquired so much gold. And all of her suspicions were off the mark.

“Hang on,” he urged. “First, I promise you that there’s nothing illegal here that I know of. This came into my possession yesterday. If I prove to you that everything here is kosher, will you at least listen?”

“I can’t imagine how
anyone
can
legally
have two billion dollars of gold in a storage unit.”

“Five minutes,” Luke insisted. “Just give me five minutes, and if you’re not convinced, then fine; go back to Chicago or wherever you want. I’m as worried about this as you are, but I don’t know what to do.”

While Annie was thinking about his response, Luke locked up the gold and opened the pickup’s passenger door. “Five minutes,” he said again. “Just a trip out to the airport and I promise you will understand.”

She got into the pickup but never took her eyes off of him. He could almost see her mind spinning, trying to decide if she should scream or run, or both.

Luke drove straight to the hangar and escorted her inside. He pulled out the key fob for the little spacecraft and opened the side door. The flashing lights and sliding door gave her a bit of reassurance.
Everyone feels safe around a minivan
, he thought. “Go on in and take a seat. I’ll open the hangar.”

“Where are we going?” she asked, looking at the shuttle suspiciously. It was obvious she was not familiar with the aviation industry. Anyone with a pilot’s license could have told her the shuttle wasn’t from this planet.

“I want to show you where the gold came from.”

“Is it a hidden mine or something? Is that what you found?”

“Sort of.”

He coaxed her into the shuttle and got her situated in the co-pilot’s seat.

“You sure it’s okay if I sit here?” she wanted to know. “I’m not a pilot or anything.”

“It’s not a problem, I promise.
Sadie
, could you take us to Moonbase One, please?”

“Course set,”
Sadie
answered, sounding smug as Annie’s eyes grew wide.