VEHEMENT has already claimed responsibility. They’re getting trickier.”
A light blinked on my console. Not surprisingly, it was Premier Grady. I accepted the call.
“We seem to have lost our delivery,” he said without preamble. “I saw the announcement. I do not blame you for this—you could just as soon blame me. However, the problem remains of hungry mouths to feed. What can be done?”
“Short term, sir, I’m going to put together another delivery. Homer is in your area, so he’ll arrange a time and place over a short-range laser link. No chance of intercepting the communication that way.” I turned to look at Homer. He nodded and disappeared.
I thought for a second, then turned back to the video call. “Meanwhile, I think that VEHEMENT has graduated to major threat. They’re not going to go away, and they’re no longer just a nuisance.”
I talked to Grady for a few more moments, going over some backlogged items. Then he looked to his right and announced that he was receiving the connection from Homer. His eyes moved across the video screen for a few
moments, then he turned back to me and nodded.
After he disconnected, Charles said, “We also have the issue of the Florianópolis attacks.”
“I know, Charles. A lot of people still blame Brazil for the war. I guess they’re taking out their frustrations and getting some revenge. We have a task force going on that already. I just don’t know how hard they’re working on it.
There seems to be a lot of sympathy for those terrorist attacks.”
“Less so for the supply chain attacks, even though fewer lives are lost.”
Charles shrugged. “Hits closer to home, I guess.”
* * *
There had been sabotage on one of the donuts. Some chemicals had been introduced into the irrigation system and had killed three sections of kudzu before the automated systems caught on and shut everything down for inspection.
This VEHEMENT group was good. The only people that had legitimate access to the space farms were the Bobs. Since VEHEMENT demonstrably was able to gain access, we had to consider all other means. Ideas for how they might have done it included fake drones controlled by VEHEMENT, stealth devices piggy-backing up from Earth on returning delivery vehicles, or even hacking of our legitimate drones. None of those alternatives really seemed realistic, but then that was the thing about being a good hacker. If people saw it coming, you wouldn’t be able to get away with it.
I set my AMI monitors to reviewing all traffic for the last month. Even if they found nothing, I was at least eliminating possibilities. I was archiving everything, though, in case I got inspired at some later date. Somewhere in all the communications around Earth, there had to be exchanges between VEHEMENT members.
I went back to review, yet again, everything in the libraries about cryptography.
22. Fallout
Bob
December 2173
Delta Eridani
“Archimedes.”
Archimedes stopped in mid-step and looked wildly around. “Bawbe?”
I cancelled the camouflage on the drone for a moment so he could locate it. He grunted an acknowledgement and settled carefully to the ground to sit, leaning against a tree. I brought the drone down to eye level, then re-engaged the camouflage.
“I don’t think you’re going to be allowed back.” The statement was delivered in a low voice, without looking at the drone. “Since you were banished, there have been no attacks.”
“That’s because I’ve killed six hippogriffs so far that were heading your way,” I replied. I was irritated, and I let it show in my tone.
Archimedes looked at the drone, eyes wide. “You’re still protecting us?”
“You’re still important to me, Archimedes. Especially you and your family. Speaking of which, how is Buster doing?”
Archimedes smiled fondly. “He wants to help me make tools now. Of course, all he does is bash rocks together, but it’s a start.” He lost the smile and looked down for a moment before continuing, “I’m getting a lot of what you call cold shoulder, still. Some of the other cubs have started to tease Buster. I don’t want you to go away forever, but I can’t have my family affected.”
“I understand, Archimedes. I still need to get you up to speed with the bow and arrow eventually, but it can wait. The thing to remember is that I didn’t wipe out the hippogriffs, just the local nest. As a species, they’re still out there, and your area is effectively unclaimed territory for them now. You need to be ready to hold them off. At minimum, you need to have a supply of extra spears. And the bows and arrows will give you more range.”
“Okay. I’ve been playing around with the short spears, uh, arrows. I told
people they’re small spears for Buster. They laugh, but they believe me. The bow part, why does it have to be different materials?”
“Laminated material is stronger and has much better spring. Eventually you’ll glue it, but for now, tying is good enough.”
We talked for a while longer: plans for new weapons, suggestions for the medicine woman, basic math. I would bring these people out of the stone age one way or another.
Eventually, Archimedes got up, said goodbye, and headed back to Camelot. It was enough. It was a good day.
* * *
Marvin had something to say again. I could always tell. He would open his mouth, then close it, then try again. I wasn’t sure if I should be concerned or not. Last time, it had been hippogriffs. Not a good track record.
Finally, he managed to squeeze it out. “I think I’m going to be heading out, soon.”
I froze for almost half a second. “As in, leaving Delta Eridani?”
“Yeah. Bob, you’ve done a lot with the Deltans, but I think it’s past the point where it needs two of us. This is a caretaker situation, now.” He made a gesture at the video window I’d been watching. “Truthfully, the council kicking you out was probably a good thing for them. They go back to deciding their own destiny. You can still tweak things here and there, but the sky god business really wasn’t healthy. For you or for them.”
I thought about being offended, getting mad, but the truth was that I’d been having very similar thoughts. I dropped my eyes and nodded. “Still, it won’t be the same without you around to give Guppy bad greeting lines.”
“Hell, Bob, with SCUT we’re never really out of touch. If I keep my speed below .75 C, my tau won’t go high enough to preclude VR. I might just seem a little groggy to you.”
“Funny, it still doesn’t feel the same.” I shrugged and paced back and forth a few times in silence. “I guess I understand, though, Marv. It’s always been my project. Luke and Bender knew that.”
“Sure wish they’d intercept the SCUT plans transmission,” Marvin commented, changing the subject. “It would be nice to know if they’re okay.”
I nodded and sat down. What a crap year this was turning into.
On the other hand, SCUT did make things a little easier. There were things
to do, and Bobs to talk to.
I shook my head and sighed. The moping was pointless. I would always be able to find a laundry list of things to be depressed about, if I worked at it.
The Deltans were still there, even if they weren’t talking to me at the moment.
23. VEHEMENT
Riker
September 2175