12.21.2008

Time......... (Part 16)

Note: I apologize to my readers for the slight delay in Time........, and hope to be more consistent in posting later sections throughout the Christmas break. :)

Frank paced the floor uneasily. It had been six days since Peter and Kevin left. Of course, one wouldn't expect them to build a couple time machines in anything less than a month. But the time was passing so slowly, and where had they landed on Earth? Supposing it was in a location where metal was unavailable, and the machine they were traveling couldn't be fixed? They couldn't get back, which meant that Frank would have no way of returning, and thus would be stuck in Andromeda for the rest of his life!
The thought alarmed him and he closed his eyes in prayer. The soft treading of a soldier disturbed his thoughts.
"Master Liftun," the soldier said, "I didn't want to disturb you, but I must inform you that your presence is required in the ITC."
"Thank you," Frank said with a sigh. He started walking down the tunnel now so familiar to him. He reached the gate and punched a password into the type pad. The gate did not move. "Oh, bother it all!" he cried, and gave the gate a determined kick. He heard someone in the ITC approach the door quickly and open it from the inside. It was Fromere.
"Liftun!" Fromere exclaimed. "What's up with you today?" His eyes traced the droopy figure of Frank, from the head that stared fixedly at the floor, to the feet that barely dragged along.
"Hullo, Fromere," Frank's voice droned. He lifted his head and saw everyone staring at him.
"Um, Liftun," the leader said. "I hope you aren't sick; we're going to need your help here. There's a bit of trouble coming."
"Sick? Never!" Frank said scornfully. He instantly perked up. "What sort of trouble, sir?"
"Sit down and I'll tell you," the leader motioned to a chair.
"Right. So what do you need me to do?"
"Well, the wall on the North side has been mysteriously weakened. Which points to one thing: a spy or traitor."
"Why is that?"
"The computers have been closely watched, and we have seen no signs of UMO's. And the walls of this fort were built so that the outside of them is like a hard shell -"
"Me and Peter didn't have that experience," Frank interrupted.
"You fell through a window that had been opened for fresh air," the leader said crisply. "It doesn't count."
"Oh. Sorry."
"As I was saying, the shell acts as a type of armor. The only way it can be weakened is on the inside. Thus someone or something belonging to the enemy has sneaked in and performed the task remarkably fast, over night in fact, presumably in preparation for an attack."
"And that attack may be launched at any time," Frank nodded. "I guess it will come sooner than later, though. Maybe even today."
"Why do you think they'll launch it today?" the leader smirked.
"For a number of reasons. For instance, they know that we'll find out about that wall in a relatively short period of time, and will try to attack before we can strengthen the wall again. It's that simple," Frank explained.
"Maybe too simple," the leader muttered. "The Nagars aren't idiots."
"What do you mean?"
"Do you think they'd be so stupid as to weaken a wall at their own risk, right beneath our eyes? And then to attack on that very wall when they know we'll be expecting them there?"
"I don't see what your getting at," Frank furrowed his eyebrows in thought.
"I think they're more likely to stab us in the back," the leader explained. "Look, they figure that as soon as we see the damage, we'll expect them on the north side. Naturally, we'll call our forces to the north side for defense, leaving all of the south side exposed. And they'll take advantage of that."
"But they can't!" Frank cried. "The south wall is impenetrable. You have a good theory there, but I really don't think -"
"How do you know it's impenetrable, though? And what if they have a newly-developed weapon that we don't know about? They have been leaving this fort alone for a good six months. What better time could they have for creating a new weapon?"
"But I don't see...." Frank hesitated. "Is six months enough time for building something like that?"
No one answered him. Fromere shifted uncomfortably and finally stood up.
"Sir, if your theory is correct, why are we sitting here?" he said.
"I'm sorry?"
"We have to evacuate!" Frank said hurriedly.
"No." the leader said calmly. "We will not leave. Limblon is the shield to the rest of the galaxy. We can't betray our people!"
"Then we're going to sit here and be blown up?" Frank asked pointedly.
"No. We are going to fight."
"So, the Nagars fly by and blow us up and we respond with- ? It's a faulty plan, sir," Frank said.
"A half-explained plan will always sound faulty, Liftun. Let me finish! We must organize a heavier lookout. Then we can destroy the enemy before they destroy us, do you see?"
"A heavier lookout? A couple of fat guys are going to fight a whole army!" Frank said.
"Fat guys?" the leader's eyes widened. A couple of the men at the table had a sudden fit of coughing.
"Um, sir? Your orders?" Fromere grinned.
"Send out the emergency signal. Get all of the men ready, so that when the enemy is spotted, our men are on the spot almost immediately."
"Yes, sir."
"Doremat, you appoint more men to the lookout posts, but order them to remain hidden as much as possible."
"Yes, sir."
The leader gave more orders concerning weapons and provisions. The men filed out to tackle the jobs before them.
Frank looked at the leader questioningly. "Sir, is there anything for me to do?" he asked.
Yes, I want you to monitor entering and leaving persons on the computer and report anything suspicious."
"Why do you want me to do that? I mean, I'm clueless when it comes to computers!"
"You can easily figure out passwords, and -"
"I couldn't even open the gate today!"
"I have a feeling that it was because you didn't set your mind on it. Look at the job this way, that anyone who leaves may be a traitor, and everyone who enters is a spy and if you fail to report their movements, it could result in the loss of the fort and everyone in it."
"That's encouraging," Frank said sarcastically.
"It wasn't exactly supposed to be; it was a motivation," the leader replied dryly. "I've got to go make sure everything is going smoothly in preparation now."
The leader left the room, and Frank sat down at the computer with nervous jitters.

Copyright - 12/21/2008 - Curious Cognitive Content (CCC)
Please do not reproduce without permission from the author(ess).

1 comment:

Kirk said...

Hum...well Frank is certainly moving up in respect and all that from the leaders. So why is the wall weakened and how? hmmmm, who is this insider? Will he have a change of heart?