Scorched Earth: (The Human Chronicles Saga Book #16) (12 page)

“What is the design of this board?”

One of the computer screens nearby lit up, displaying the schematic.

“How did you do that?”

“I didn’t…Pogo did.”

“Pogo? So this is call a
Pogo
device?”

“No. Pogo is the name I gave him. You do know the artifact—as you call it—has a form of intelligence?”

Zoffis attempted a smile. It was hard to tell through all the wrinkles. “I always suspected. It displayed an intricate array of activities and vibrations when presented with stimuli. And then it would leave for days, and then return. I always sensed it was glad to be back. But then it did not return…. Can you communicate with this intelligence?”

“Yes I can, and you can, too, through the computer. Pogo can hear you.”

“Hello Dacus Zoffis,” came a voice through the computer’s audio function.

“It speaks!” said one of the other Incus.

“Why…why did you not reveal this to us before?” asked Zoffis.

“I was not aware of this capability at the time. My design was not intended for such use. Only after communicating with my new master did I learn of this ability.”

Zoffis looked at Adam. “Are you this new master it speaks of?”

Adam smiled and nodded.

“How…why?”

“That’s not important now. What’s important is whether you’ll help us or not?”

Zoffis looked to his colleagues and then back at the green-tinted ball. “You say you will be taking it—Pogo—away again?”

“That’s right. We have a lot more to do, and Pogo’s an integral part of the mission.”

Thank you, Adam
, said Pogo within Adam’s mind.

“Yet…he could allow the Incus—”

“To what? Create more advanced weapons that the Juireans will use not only against my people, but yours as well?” Adam was getting angry. “We don’t have much time, Zoffis. Either you’re going to help us…or we’ll do it on our own. If you’re familiar with the M-101, then you know we have the means to make that happen.”

“Yes, we will help, although I regret the loss of…of Pogo. I would like to spend time learning of his life and his times. You are aware it is over three billion years old?”

“That I do. Now where do we go around here to make some circuit boards? Honestly, I don’t have a clue how it’s done.”

Zoffis waved his short arms around, indicating the room they were in. “Here. We have what is required to operate the remote manufacturing equipment. The finished product will then be brought to us here. The fabrication process is mostly automated.”

“How long will it take?”

“That would depend on the nature of the board.”

A schematic appeared on the computer screen. Zoffis leaned in close. “This is actually a very simple design. It is only unique in its circuitry. A finished board should be ready in forty cy-cycles.”

“Cy-cycles?”

The native looked to the others. “Fifteen Earth minutes, is that right?”

The others nodded. Zoffis turned back to Adam. “Fifteen minutes.”

“How long for a hundred of them?”

“Once the design is programmed, the product can be mass produced. You could have that quantity within the same time.”

“Great; get started,” Adam commanded. “The Juireans won’t stay away forever.”

********

Adam’s prediction was prophetic. Soon after the specs for the circuit board were transferred to the manufacturing division, a native Incus came rushing in to warn Zoffis that a squad of Juireans were headed their way. Adam placed the white sheet back over his head and applied the cord. Both Humans held M-101’s under their robes.

“Stand by, Travis,” he commanded. “Visitors on the way.”

“Just arrived, entering the building now. Four Guards and an Overlord. Looks like you attracted the head-honcho himself.”

“What shall we do?” asked Zoffis. He was visibly nervous, a dead giveaway to the mane-heads.

“Relax. The boards are being made, but the Juireans won’t know about it. Call over to the manufacturing facility and have the boards left in a box near the exit door. We’ll pick them up on the way out.”

“What should I tell them about…Pogo?”

“Something obscure. Down play his significance, making it more of a curiosity  rather than some new super-device.”

“I don’t under—”

The door to the room swung open and the Juireans entered.

“Overlord Anan ra Corss,” said Zoffis emphatically. “I am pleased to see you once more at my facility.”

“Your appearance does not match your words, Dacus Zoffis.”

The seven-foot tall alien—with his billowing mane of blue hair adding another foot to his height—scanned the room, hesitating at the sight of Adam and Riyad dressed in their white sheets, before focusing on the tiny, green orb on the table. “Is this the object?”

“Yes,” said one of the Guards from the security shack. “They were all quite excited to have it returned. It is not dangerous. Zoffis held it without fear.”

“What does it do?” asked Anan. He lifted the tiny object in his huge hands and examined it.

“It is a form of battery,” answered Zoffis. “Very ancient. More of a curiosity because of its abilities and considering its great age. As scientists, we find such items of immense interest.”

“How old is it?”

When the native hesitated, the Overlord cast an intense glare at him. Zoffis crumbled.

“It is approximately three billion standard years in age.”

This evoked a reaction from the Overlord. He looked closer at the orb and the indecipherable writing on its surface. “Indeed. I see why it would be of interest. What are these markings?”

“Writing of some sort. We do not know the meaning.”

Anan looked suddenly at Riyad. “Do you know?”

Riyad shook his head slowly, while tightening the grip on the M-101. Five Juireans weren’t a problem. It was the other thousand that would come to the aid of an Overlord who were.

Adam spoke in his sing-song religious cadence again. “We worship the object for its profound age. The fact that beings from that time could construct such an orb is significant in its own right. Its creators are long gone, yet they were here long before any race currently in existence. We believe them to be The Creators. Is that not wondrous?”

“Juireans care not for such things, only the utility of objects. Does it serve a purpose?”

“Beyond giving hope for life beyond what we see now…none. As researcher Dacus Zoffis has said, it was a battery when it was functioning—”

“It is not functioning at this time?”

“My Lord, the object is three billion years old. How could it still be functioning?”

“That was not my question.”

“It no longer functions.”

The Guard from the gate stepped forward. “My Lord, that was not my impression. There were several Incus, all very excited to see the device again. It was excitement well beyond what would be expected for a broken device.”

The Overlord set Pogo back on the table and considered the Guard’s comments. “Seize and search them!” he called out unexpectedly.

Two Guards each lunged for Adam and Riyad. Already on high-alert, the mane-heads were too slow for the Humans. M-101’s appeared from under their robes, firing the quieter plasma flash component of the weapon set at level-one, rather than ear-spitting lead bullets from the main barrel. The room lit up with blinding light, sending the Guards to the floor with simmering holes burned in their chests.

The Overlord was unarmed, but swift. He bolted for the door, but was blocked by Riyad. The much taller and bulkier alien lashed out at the smaller creature with powerful arms. The eye slits in the sheet limited Riyad’s range of vision, so he didn’t see the huge fist coming. He took a hard blow to the temple, sending him tumbling to his right, stunned. Anan reached for the door handle.

Adam jumped on the Overlord’s back, wrapping a muscled arm around the neck of the giant. Although shorter, Humans carried an incredible amount of mass for their size, mass which weighed down the Juirean, causing him to drop to his knees. In desperation, the alien reached back with his long arms and grasped the white sheet. The fabric was pulled over Adam’s head, blinding him. The Overlord dropped a shoulder, sending the Adam falling forward, slamming against the door.

Riyad had recovered by this time, and casting off his own sheet, now took aim with a bunched fist at the side of the Overlord’s scaly face. With leverage behind the punch, Anan didn’t stand a chance. He fell forward, smashing his head against the metal exit door before collapsing to the floor.

The two Humans were up a moment later, panting while surveying the room. The Incus stood off toward the far side, shock on their dog faces.

“This is unacceptable,” Zoffis shouted. “What is to become of us after this debacle? We will surely be put to death, even as you leave with no consequence.”

Adam looked at Riyad. “Find some rope or tape and tie them up. Make it look convincing.” Then he pointed the barrel of his M-101 at the head of the unconscious Overlord and pulled the trigger on the flash function.

“There’s a little more payback for Andy,” he whispered. Then turning to the natives, their expressions aghast: “No witnesses. No one to contradict your stories. Now let my associate tie you up. You poor creatures were simply overwhelmed by the aliens in the white robes….”

A tap came on the door; everyone froze.

“It will be the circuit boards,” Zoffis said. “I did not have an opportunity to send amended instructions.”

Adam kicked the dead Overlord away from the door and opened it a crack. A young native worm stood outside with a green plastic case resting on a cart. “Leave it,” Adam commanded.

The worker hesitated, until Zoffis called out from the room, “Yes, leave the contents, Lonsi.”

The worm scurried off. Adam opened the door and pulled the cart inside.

He opened the lid and found four small packages inside, wrapped in plastic. “This is it, a hundred of them?”

They are small and lightweight, Adam
, Pogo said in his mind.

“They are small and lightweight,” Zoffis echoed aloud.

“Fine,” said Adam…to both of them. “Riyad, hurry. Travis…any activity outside?”

“Could be. I hear sirens in the distance. Probably backup coming. You know most Overlords are equipped with lifesign monitors?”

“I didn’t know that?”

“That’s what you get for being out of the loop for a while, Captain. Someone will know the Overlord bought it.”

“Is the cab still at the front gate?”

“Yessir, and two electric carts outside your location, courtesy of the Juireans.”

Adam watched Riyad cinch down the last tie on the four native worms and then slip his white KKK sheet back over his head. “Time to go,” he said with laughing eyes.

Pogo vanished from the table, just as Adam felt a slight weight increase on his utility belt. The orb purred.