Chapter Two
A Gaggle of Geeks
Much of what I have to say on New Crater City is already well known to my colleagues and superiors. Yet I include mention of it in my travel journal for comparison purposes with regards to other communities in North America.
The cities founding was the result of an archaeological dig that occurred 99 years ago. What nation or city-state that may have originally sponsored this expedition for some reason was never recorded. What we do know is that it was headed by an accomplished engineer and scientist by the name of Robyn Synth. She was looking for technology and knowledge from the time before the great cataclysm. What led her to this site is as unknown as her benefactors; whatever it was paid off, and well.
Pictures, diagrams and descriptions from that time are available to anyone who wants to look them up in the city library. There were ruins of a pre-cataclysm city mostly overgrown with wilderness. A third of the old city was destroyed by whatever caused the crater. There are signs of post cataclysm construction in the crater by the survivors of the city. There are even signs identifying it as Crater City which is of course why we call now call it New Crater City—a city we have built from the ruins of the old.
The finds were mostly from old basements and other subterranean structures that have survived more or less intact. Vehicles and machinery were relatively common but among the biggest scores were the basements of a library, a hospital and a police station. By far the greatest find was an underground facility. Although 70 of the complex was destroyed, advanced cybernetic and bionic construction facilities remained salvageable. Records found in the facility showed that it was once a major center for research and development for a company called CyberTech Industries.
These finds brought engineers, scientists and doctors to study them. Along with these academics came mercenaries to protect them. A new fortified community sprang up within the walls of the crater while excavations continued. Families of those involved soon arrived followed closely by those wishing to offer goods and services to the fledgling community.
Our city was built on the principles of knowledge and defense. Education is provided to our citizens by the city and our citizens all do a stint in defence of the city. We are still a small city of sixty-thousand that barely fill a quarter the ten mile wide crater that surrounds us. Yet we are always expanding.
Our population is mostly human although humanoid D-Bee's who contribute to the common good are also welcome. Magic is regulated by law but is practiced by some of our citizens. The lack of local ley lines or nexus points means that this will never be a large percentage of our population. Psychics are embraced as important members of our community and its defense.
New Crater Cities level of technology is comparable to anything found in Upper Michigan, if a little less advanced. The exception is of course our cybernetic and bionic expertise which is at least as good as Northern Gun's if not superior. Electricity and indoor plumbing; luxuries in many places are common place for us as are paved roads.
Politically we have taken an isolationist stance. Although we've begun to open up more in recent years, we still prefer a policy of neutrality in our dealings with others.
Our cities founding mother, Robyn Synth was a young woman when this community started. Although rich and powerful after restarting CyberTech Industries, she does not involve herself with city politics or workings. She has in fact been in seclusion for decades and is only very rarely seen by a select few people. Her true age is unknown but it must be 130 or more. There is some concern that there does not seem to be an heir for the company she resurrected. Perhaps why many of our psychics predict that the next decade will be pivotal for our small city.
Will we continue to grow and prosper or shall we end up like so many others, dried up and busted before their time?
Only time will tell.
-Excerpt from the journal of Dr. Matthew James
Dale sat crossed legged in her room. She had been meditating all night. It was a very necessary part of the mental discipline that allowed her to practice magic. She had been born and raised in an exclusive, secretive order of magic. She was the heiress to arcane secrets dating back generations. It was little surprise that she had turned out to be a mystical prodigy.
It was because of her advanced understanding of incantation magic that she was chosen for this very important mission. Oracles had identified Dr. James as being critical to the future of North America. How exactly was unclear but it was evident that the decisions he made in the next decade would have repercussions for everyone on the continent. Anything from a second cataclysm to a renaissance in human culture and development seemed possible. Dale's order hoped to influence those decisions and their outcomes to suit their agenda.
As for Dale herself, she was loyal to her order and believed in their goals. She also felt that she had a destiny to fulfill and this mission, while an honor and great responsibility in its own right, was also the means to fulfilling that destiny. That she found the subject of her mission and destiny to be personally attractive only helped to unify her purpose. Sure he was older than her, but he wasn't that much older. But she had to remain focused. It would not do for her to give into attraction or to lose sight of her true reasons for being near him.
"You've made contact. This is good."
Without opening her eyes, Dale could see as well as sense the astral form that had arrived in her room. In addition to being a talented mage, she was gifted with psionic abilities. Some within her order believed that being psychic was actually part of her natural affinity for magic. They were most certainly part of her mother's legacy. Reaching out with her mind, she responded. "That was the easy part."
"It is also good that you recognize that part. We have been given a glimpse of the future but the future is all possibility with no real substance. Now that you've become involved with Dr. James, your decisions will have heavy impact on creating substance out of possibility."
Dale was not a fan of such cryptic talk. It promoted the idea that magic was more than it was. Many believed that magical powers were organic and in some ways alive. To these people, magic was a chaotic and unpredictable force. When they cast spells, they were imbued with a fraction of their own personality. Their magic was unpredictable because that is what the practitioner believed. To Dale, magic was a static energy force that always responded in the same way every time it was accessed. Like an equation, the result could always be predicted accurately if all the factors were known. Things only went wrong when unknown quantities were introduced.
Yet in this case, she had to concede that there were far too many variables when dealing with the future for even her to compute. The only variable she could control was her own decisions and actions. "I will do what I can to ensure a positive outcome for us."
"We have every confidence in you." The astral apparition was a woman. She was a colleague of Dale's mother when she was still alive.
"I appreciate that. Still, I sense there is more you have to say." Astral projection could be dangerous for even the most experienced traveler. It seemed unlikely that it would be used just to show a vote of confidence.
There was some hesitation from her astral visitor. "Yes… the subject… is a complete unknown to us. His motivations are a mystery. Even knowledge on his home city is sadly lacking. The man and his environment are gray areas for us. It is hard for many of us to believe either could truly be of any consequence in the grand scheme of things. You've already met him. It was hoped that you might give us some indication of what makes the man special? What are his motivations and will he be a boon or bane to us?"
"It is early to be certain." Dale considered. "I have yet to see or sense any reason that the oracles would single this man out. He does not appear extraordinary in any way. I can only assume that it will therefore be extraordinary circumstance and not the man that will create the potentials foreseen by the oracles. As for his personal beliefs and views… it will take some time to assess those. My initial impression is that even if he can't be turned, he can at least be useful."
Despite a complete lack or need of air, the astral woman sighed. "This is good. We will continue to place our trust in you, Dale."
Dale nodded her head in respect. "I am honored by the trust you have all placed in me."
The astral visitor smiled warmly. "Your mother would be very proud of you, dear. We all are." Then the woman faded away from Dale's perception.
The young mage opened her eyes, breaking her meditation. A glance at the clock told her that she still had time to shower, change and eat before the projected arrival of Dr. James. Heaving herself up off the floor, she went about her morning routines.
By the time she was done, the Doctor still hadn't arrived.
She began to pace. It really wasn't very gentlemanly to keep a lady waiting. While she might not qualify for such a title, there was no way for him to know that. Biting her lip, she began to wonder if she had given herself away somehow. Then it occurred to her that the world was a dangerous place and something had happened to him. From there it was a short jump to think that perhaps someone else had gotten to the doctor and her magic order had now lost their chance.
Deciding to go find him before it was too late, Dale gathered her things and opened the door.
"Good morning Dale." Dr. James was on the other side of the door, just raising his hand to knock. "Are you a precog or were you just watching for me thru the peep hole?"
Dale frowned up at him. "You're late. I was just about to leave without you."
Dr. James closed his eyes to better focus on the digital readout that was overlaid onto his vision. The small display showed him the time and date via a cybernetic implant on his visual nerve. His eyes snapped back open. "I'm only fifteen minutes late, Dale."
The young woman was not easily placated. "A lot can happen in fifteen minutes, doctor."
He couldn't help but smile at her. "It's sweet that you were worried. I assume you're ready to go?"
"Yeah, I just have to pay my tab." She groused as she pushed by the target of her frustration.
Dale paid for her lodgings and then followed Dr. James out to where his hover truck was parked. The truck was older than she was. It was probably old military surplus with a five person 'crew-cab' and a full sized cargo bed. The cargo bed was currently uncovered but had the superstructure for a tarpaulin cover stowed. What gave it away as military surplus was the olive drab color scheme and the roof hatch with weapon mounting rail towards the rear of the crew cab. There were currently no weapons mounted on the vehicle. She stopped short when she saw it, giving her companion a disbelieving stare.
Dr. James paused after unlocking the driver's door. "What? Why are you looking at me like that?"
"I'm looking for the implants." Dale started walking to the passenger side of the truck. "Because you're crazy."
"If you're referring to mind over matter implants, you needn't bother. I don't have them." He opened the door and flipped a switch, unlocking Dale's door as well. "And in any case, the so-called crazy implants aren't always visible."
"You're not helping your case, doc." Dale commented as she slid into her side of the trucks cab.
"That's what you get for accepting rides from strangers." Dr. James joked as he punched in the ignition sequence. The electric power supply provided juice to fans that in turn lifted the vehicle with a sudden lurch. He manipulated the 'steering wheel' that was more like an airplane control and established control over the hover jets.
"You really intend to go to New Crater City in this thing? You'll be lucky to make the Lazlo city limits." Dale tossed her duffel bag and backpack into the back bench seat and then made a point of buckling her safety harness.
Once they were on their way, even Dale had to admit to herself that the old hover truck performed decently.
By the time the dual were departing Lazlo, the morning sun had established its dominance in the sky. They had to pause outside the city limits so that Dr. James could retrieve his armor and weapons from the storage bunker run by the city militia. He immediately strapped his Bushman armor on—the helmet he left off. The armor was a commonly manufactured composite plate that was rugged and durable without compromising mobility unduly. His ion pistol went into a holster on his thigh while 9mm pistol loaded with silver ammunition was placed into a belt holster.
The roads in Lazlo and immediately outside were paved and well maintained. For about fifty miles outside the cities limits, small rural communities dependent on Lazlo used gravel roads that were still fairly well maintained.
Only two roads in this area were still paved; one leading to the Relic, a city built on the ruins of Hamilton city. The other was the road that led to New Crater city. The highway leading to Relic was paved the whole way and maintained by joint agreement of both cities.
The one leading to New Crater City was only paved out for about fifty miles from Lazlo. After that it was a wide stretch of dirt road that was only maintained by frequent traffic between the two cities. With increased trade between the two city states, negotiations had begun to pave the road the entire way.
Part of the negotiations would include the issue of road security. Supernatural menaces would occasionally wander into the area, causing problems for those on the road. Increasing traffic had attracted bandits to the road as well.
Traveling by daylight helped reduce the risk as many supernatural predators hunted only at night. The much increased volume of traffic during the day also meant a slightly higher chance of someone stopping to aid those in trouble.
Still, speed was the first line of defence when traveling in the wilderness. Dr. James knew his truck could make the trip in an hour and a half without overly taxing his engines or draining his batteries. The truck could go faster, but he didn't trust it for more than short bursts of speed. A newer vehicle of the same class could probably make the trip in half the time. Speed limits were not a concern in the spaces between civilization.
When the truck began to sputter and lose altitude suddenly, Dr. James was forced to stop the vehicle. Letting out a worried sigh, he put his helmet on before going outside to look under the hood.
Nervous now, Dale likewise exited the vehicle. She gathered eldritch energy about herself and prepared an incantation. With just one more word, she would be immediately sheathed in an invisible magical armor. She didn't want to waste her mystic reserves if she didn't have to, however.
"Dammit." Dr. James muttered thru his face mask as he examined the power plant. As something of a 'backyard mechanic', he could see the problem easily. A module had been added to the odometer sensor and routed thru the power distribution system. When the truck had traveled seventy-five miles, power cut off. He could remove the added components but knew he wouldn't have time to do so. "Ambush!" He shouted as he pulled his ion blaster.
Right on cue, three bandits burst from the wilderness on either side of the dirt road for a total of six highwaymen. Half of them had patchwork and salvaged armor on. All of them had a weapon of some sort, either a laser of Wilks manufacture or something produced by Northern Gun. Their gear was cheap and in bad repair which told Dr. James that these guys were small timers.
The group leader had the best armor and a pulse laser rifle. He stepped forward and addressed Dr. James. "Give us your stuff and we won't harm you or your friend. Fight, and I can't promise I can control what the boys do." He leered at Dale with menace.
"Just a second." Dr. James protested. "You've already gotten into my truck once. Why not just steal it then?"
"That's easy. We were all still in the city limits, weren't we? Couldn't get the real prizes until you stopped off at the bunker." The leader raised his pulse rifle. "Enough jawing. Drop your weapons!"
Dale had whispered the command word for her protection spell as soon as Dr. James had yelled out his warning. When his stalling seemed to be at an end, she cast her next incantation. Suddenly she seemed to split into two people. And then each of the two images also split into two people. "Come and get it, punks!"
"Shit! A magic user! Get her boys!" In the minds of the bandits, Dale had just gone from potential victim and diversion to dangerous opponent and unknown quantity. They rapidly opened fire on her and her illusionary images. Not being well trained, most of their shots missed altogether while the remainder only served to dispel a couple of the false Dales.
No longer the center of attention, Dr. James dropped to the prone position on the ground and then opened fire on the bandits, taking out two with no armor in quick order. Then he rolled over to the hover truck to grab some cover.
The bandits were right to focus on Dale as she waved her arms in arcane patterns and continued to chant. Flinging out her palm at a pair of her foes, they were caught up in an enchanted web. Unfortunately she ran out of doubles and a couple of energy blasts had to be absorbed by her magical protection. As it collapsed around her she began to recast the protective barrier.
Seeing that Dale might soon be in trouble, Dr. James charged the distracted bandit leader and tackled him. Surprise and inertia carried both to the ground with Dr. James landing on top. Holding his blaster to the bandits face, "Surrender!" he ordered.
Realizing he was alone and facing off against a magic user, the last bandit dropped his laser pistol.
At blaster point, the four remaining bandits were disarmed and stripped of any armor they were wearing. Then Dale searched them for valuables while Dr. James covered her. A short search of the nearby wilderness revealed half a dozen motorbikes that were soon crammed into the back of the hover truck. Just as they were finishing collecting the highway robbers goods, a new arrival could be seen approaching.
Astride a large and powerful robotic horse was a heavily armored warrior. The armor was styled to look like a modern version of a medieval knight's full plate armor from the past. This suggested that he was either one of the legendary cyber-knights wandering the land looking for wrongs to right or else a pretender. Either could be potentially dangerous.
He paused in his trek to regard the scene carefully. He nodded to Dr. James when approached. "Good morning. Having a spot of trouble are we?"
"Nothing we couldn't handle." Dr. James removed his helmet to smile at the knight. "And good morning to you, as well."
"Help us! We're being robbed!" The quick thinking bandit leader cried out.
Dale kicked him, knocking him over. "I knew we should have just shot you."
"They aren't worth the recharge cost." Dr. James shot over his shoulder. Then he turned his attention back to the warrior in front of him. "I suppose they expect you to believe that the two of us ambushed the six of them."
From behind his facemask, the knight's eyes drifted over to Dale. "Power isn't in numbers alone."
"And the two dead guys were with them!" The bandit leader shouted out, earning another kick from Dale.
"That's right." Dr. James said with no small amount of sarcasm. "We attacked a group the same size as us and pushed onto victory despite losing half our number and inflicting no casualties to the other side."
The cyber-knight laughed. "Anything is possible but I suspect the villains here have already been dealt with. I am Sir Orson, by the way." He leaned down in his saddle. "If you don't mind me asking, what were you planning to do with your prisoners?"
"That is a conundrum. We could take them to the authorities at New Crater City but then we'll get tied up in the trial and legal process there. Lazlo is even less appealing because it's back the way we came. Dale is all for killing them but that doesn't quite sit right with me. I was just about to release them with the clothes on their backs and nothing more." The young man offered his hand. "Dr. James, by the way."
Dismounting, the cyber-knight took his hand. "Well met." He strode over to the captives and looked them over. Dale booted the leader once more before getting out of the way. They all seemed to be in decent enough shape except for a few new bruises on the leader. "With no armor, weapons or transportation in the wilderness, it's as good as a death sentence."
Dr. James shrugged. "That was the best we could have hoped for." He glanced over at Dale. "But I'm sure worse was planned."
Sir Orson nodded knowingly. "I'm on my way to Lazlo. I could escort these gentlemen there where I'll ensure they turn themselves in."
"That would be great." Dr. James agreed. While it may have sounded like a suggestion or offer, he recognized that the cyber-knight was making a statement of forgone fact. It was remotely possible that Dale's magic might be enough to overpower the wandering champion; Dr. James wasn't willing to put it to the test over a trivial matter.
Dale and Sir Orson kept watch while Dr. James affected repairs on his hover truck. Once it was running as well as it ever did, Sir Orson gathered up his charges and started off towards Lazlo.
As soon as they were on their way again, Dale addressed her companion. "You think that was just some random attack or something more deliberate?"
Dr. James had been thinking along those same lines. "It was premeditated. They've been watching me at least since Lazlo. I don't think they were ready for you though. They weren't well trained at all, but they've probably been robbing people for a little while at least. But I don't think it was anymore sinister than a relatively well planned highway robbery."
Dale thought about it and decided he was right. That caused her to relax somewhat but she watched the terrain fly by with suspicion.
Soon enough the truck was approaching the limits of New Crater City. The first hint of impending civilization was paved road. After about ten miles, the city limits could be seen. The outskirts of town were surrounded by a ten foot wall. The road in was flanked by a pair of manned watch towers but the troops within didn't molest the pair despite the fact that Dr. James was in full battle armor.
The outskirts of the city was made up mostly of traveling merchants and transients. The area was patrolled by the city militia and law was enforced but people were allowed to carry protection. Only armored military vehicles had to be left outside the first wall. The entire area made up a relatively small 'bubble' around the main entrance to the city.
It was here that they stopped to sell the goods lifted off the bandits. Aside from a L-20 pulse rifle for Dr. James and a Wilks laser pistol for Dale, everything was sold. They only got a fraction of the goods value due to the poor maintenance and no questions asked, all sales final nature of the transactions. After recharging their own weapons e-clips and the hover trucks batteries along with repairs to the trucks armor from a couple of stray shots, the two of them had about twenty thousand local credits which they split between them.
The cities main gate was an armored bunker built into the hundred-foot high crater wall. Part of the bunker included an area to park military vehicles and to check weapons and armor. City militia and cyborgs ensured compliance with the cities regulations while psychics screened suspicious entrants.
As both a mage and psychic, Dale had to be assigned a scanable card that she had to carry with her at all times while inside the city proper. She also had to swear not to use her powers in the commission of any crimes while visiting the city and was presented with a vid briefly detailing New Crater Cities laws regarding the use of psionics and magic.
As a member of the city militia, Dr. James was permitted to carry his arms and armor inside the city limits. He was also able to expedite Dale's entrance.
Inside the craters wall, the city was as modern as any found in Upper Michigan. Streets were paved and buildings were of sturdy construction. Electricity and plumbing were all provided by the city. Other infrastructure included a modern hospital with cybernetic capability, a police station, militia base, a university, a radio and television station, Volunteer fire department as well as local internet and telephone service. CyberTech Industries led the cities industry, producing bionics and cybernetics but there was also a recently opened hovercraft manufacturer. The city was beginning to boom and new residential areas were constantly under construction.
The people inside the city were literate and educated—many in professional trades. They were also law abiding and enjoyed their orderly lives. Employment was high and crime was low. Mostly a human demographic, non-humans were welcomed with little suspicion so long as they contributed to the greater good of the city. Deadbeats of any race usually found themselves cast out into the wilderness.
To Dr. James, it was home.
As a member of the militia, Dr. James had the option of living on base in a dormitory style barracks. As an officer, he would be ensured his own private room. He opted instead to rent an apartment in the city at his own expense. It had a secure underground parking garage and controlled building access so he felt safe enough when home. His apartment was a small affair with a bedroom, bathroom, dining room/living room/study along with an attached kitchenette. The final addition was a tiny balcony just large enough for two people and a BBQ.
Dale glanced around as he led her inside his abode. "Cozy." She commented without sarcasm. "But I half expected it to be crowded with books."
Dr. James dropped off his duffel bag and back pack inside his bedroom before unlatching his helmet and taking it off. "I've got a couple bookshelves full but mostly I collect electronic copies. They take up less space that way." He gestured to the couch. "You're welcome to stay while we're here. Not much space but cheaper than a hotel."
She dropped her own luggage by the couch. "Thanks. I appreciate it. Not to sound pushy, but I don't suppose you have anything for lunch?"
Pulling open the mini-fridge, he examined the contents. "I've got some boilable meals or some nuke-able meals. There's some left-over take-out of dubious quality as well. Nothing that really qualifies as real food."
"I'm good for whatever. I'm not fussy." Dale sat down on the couch. "Just so long as I don't have to cook it."
"Okay." Dr. James agreed, "But you're doing the dishes."
"Suites." Agreed Dale.
Five minutes later they were both sitting on the couch with a pair of steaming plates. Dr. James flipped on the monitor and activated the television function. A movie produced in Perez was playing.
"I'll give my two buddies a call after lunch so you can meet them. Tomorrow I'll report to HQ and we'll arrange for you to join the mission." Dr. James blew on his boiled lasagna before gulping down a couple of bites.
Around a mouthful of food, Dale replied. "Looking forward to it, Doc." Her eyes followed the action on screen for a few moments. "So what is it we're watching, Doc?"
Dr. James observed the film for a few more moments. "This is a remake of a pre-cataclysm movie I believe. The caped individual with a mask is a member of society's elite during the day but becomes a vigilante to fight crime and corruption by night. He maintains a secret lair in a cave and is supported by his loyal sidekick. Despite the proliferation of firearms at the time, he disdained their use."
"I like him already." Dale said as she continued to watch. "A bit of an anarchist, working outside of the law for the good of all. Kind of romantic, don't you think?"
"Peace, law and good government sound better to me." Dr. James replied. Then he shrugged. "But I don't think you can find all three of those things in one place anymore."
"Then maybe it's time for more masked heroes." Dale said with some seriousness.
"I suppose that is what has given rise to cyber-knights like Sir Orson." Dr. James took another bite of his food and chewed thoughtfully. "I don't think relying on individual heroes is the way to go. If we hadn't managed to handle the situation ourselves this morning, Sir Orson would have been far too late to save us. Avenge us maybe, but not save us. Now a group of people working together could make far more difference. If Lazlo and New Crater City come to an agreement about patrolling that stretch of road, you'll find the bandits diminish and maybe even disappear. Same goes for monsters from the wilds. Far more can be accomplished by society working toward a common good than individuals working outside society."
His response roused nothing but silence from Dale so both continued to watch the movie quietly. Predictably, the villain captured the sidekick only to have the hero save him in the nick of time. The villain was defeated and the hero returned to his mansion while the locals praised the efforts of their unknown benefactor.
When his meal was done, Dr. James got up and grabbed the phone hanging on wall in the kitchenette. "Hello, Donald? It's Matthew. I'm back from Lazlo. Yes I did, as a matter of a fact. No, she's a lot older than we imagined, I guess Reese wins the bet. I suppose I could lie, but you'll have to cut me in for half. Forget it then. Anyway, I found someone to join the expedition. A magic user of course. I was in Lazlo after all. You'll like her."
Dr. James wandered back into the room as the movie credits began to roll and smirked. "Is she cute? Compared to your pet hound, I suppose so."
Dr. James dodged a kick originating from the couch. "Of course she'll be useful. Look, women really can be more than a pretty face, and it's a good thing too."
Demonstrating surprisingly good reflexes, Dr. James managed to dodge a second kick. "Look, if she hadn't been with me today, I'd still be walking from Lazlo."
Dale smiled at the praise and then took advantage of Dr. James' lowered defenses to finally land a kick. "Ow! No look, it wasn't more than we could handle. Actually we made off with some swag that we sold outside the crater. Yeah. I'll be bringing her by shortly. Is Reese there? No, you can tell him. Ciao."
Dr. James hit the end button and turned to face Dale. "Well, we should get going."
Standing up and hitting him with a pillow in one fluid motion, Dale answered. "Anytime you're ready, Doc. But aren't you a little over dressed for visiting friends?"
Realizing that he still had his armor on, Dr. James retreated to his bedroom to change. Coming out in fresh clothes, he found that Dale was in the bathroom. After only a couple of minutes she came out changed into a pair of black slacks and a white sleeveless button up blouse that left her mid-riff exposed. A matching black vest completed the ensemble. No one could now tell by looking at the girl that she was anything but an ordinary civilian. "You clean up nicely." Dr. James commented.
"One of us has to." She replied with a smirk. "I suppose we have to use that beast of a truck you own."
"Beggars can't be choosers." He opened the door for his guest and the two returned to the garage to pile into the beast in question. After the initial lurch, they were soon zooming along across town.
Donald and Reese were both in the city militia and unlike Dr. James had chosen to live in the barracks. They had their rooms in a four person dorm that wasn't unlike Dr. James' own apartment. The other two rooms were currently vacant and the two friends were contriving to keep it that way as long as possible so they could enjoy the extra space. One of the spare rooms was being used for storage while the other had been converted into a gaming room known around base for its poker nights.
The pair were both trying to save as much money as possible. Dr. Donald Corwin wanted to open his own cybernetic clinic when his term of service with the militia was up. Reese Hazard had dreams of opening his own robotics shop. Both figured they could work for CyberTech Industries if their ambitions didn't pan out immediately. If not, well there was always the militia.
All of this Dr. James explained to Dale as they drove thru the city. They were stopped at the gates of the base and he had to use his status as an officer to vouch for Dale as her card set off the gates scanners. Then he escorted her up into the barracks complex until he found his friends suite.
Not bothering to knock, he just walked in. "Hope you gentleman are dressed. There's a lady present."
"You may be girly, but you're no lady." Reese chided his friend before his eyes drifted over to Dale. "Wow. The way Donald was talking, I thought you'd be a real…"
Reese never got to finish his sentence as Donald walked up beside his colleague and smoothly jammed an elbow into his ribs. "My lady, welcome to our humble abode." He gracefully took her hand into his and kissed it.
Dale smiled at the small act of chivalry as she took in the visage of Dr. James' two friends. Donald, not surprisingly, had surgeons hands. He was a slim and tall man. His black hair was slicked back and he sported a thin mustache on his lip. His eyes appeared as honest brown orbs. His clothes were fashionable and his voice was cultured. He was probably the oldest of the bunch, but not by more than a couple of years. Dale didn't doubt that Donald got more than his fair share of attention from the ladies.
Reese in contrast, was much more rough around the edges. He was currently sporting cargo pants and a sleeveless white shirt. His hands were calloused from work and his sandy blonde hair was tussled and unkempt. There was a day's growth on his face and bags under his clear blue eyes. She judged that he had most likely spent the night previous drinking and had only woken up recently.
She decided that she rather liked both of them. And by the way they were looking her over and falling over themselves to make her feel comfortable it was obvious that they weren't exactly taken aback by her.
"I shall look forward to introducing you to my superiors tomorrow." Donald told Dale with a smile.
Dr. James cleared his throat. "If you'll recall, Dr. Corwin, this expedition is mandated by my department. I've been placed in command."
"Yes of course." Donald agreed readily enough. "But in this matter I think I should pull rank, Lieutenant."
"You can pull rank all you want in the privacy of your own room, captain." Dr. James replied with a friendly smile. "But I have command here and will be introducing all potential agents to HQ."
"As you wish, my power hungry commander." Donald replied, literally bowing out.
"If you're both done pissing against the wind. Perhaps we should see to this young woman's accommodation?" Reese shot Dale a winning smile.
"I'm ahead of you on that as well." Dr. James countered. "She'll be staying on my couch."
"You're not even offering up your bed to this lady?" Donald protested. "I object. She shall stay here in one of the spare rooms. I insist!" It was hard to tell if he was seriously incensed or else trying a ploy.
"As kind as that offer is," Dale interjected before the boys started posturing again, "all my stuff is at the Doc's place anyway."
"You know, he's not a real doctor, right dear?" Donald asked.
"Oh, I know." Dale smiled warmly up at Dr. James. "That's why I call him doc. To rub it in." She sighed and pouted. "But he's been too dense to get it."
Reese roared with laughter. "That's our Mattie alright! Or I guess I should say, Doc!"
'Mattie' blushed in embarrassment, both at Reese bringing up a childhood nickname and Dales explanation of her own nickname for him. "Well, in any case, if you guys want to get anything for the trip, you have this afternoon and this evening to do it. Tomorrow morning I'll be clearing Dale in with the Expeditionary command and then we'll all have a briefing in the afternoon. I expect we'll have to set out the morning after and I expect you all to be well rested for the journey."
"Where will we be going first?" Reese inquired.
"We're still a little short handed." Dr. James observed. "I was hoping to be granted enough budget to hire two or more mercenaries for our protection."
"Sounds good to me." Donald observed. "Going to hire someone from outside the crater?"
"Naw." Dr. James shook his head. "I think the best mercenaries can be found in Ishpeming. Either that, or the Manistique Imperium. They're both high tech enclaves made up of mostly humans. Plus they're only a couple days away assuming we don't run into trouble in the wilderness."
"I still think we should just get some grunts to join us. Maybe a couple of 'borgs as well." Reese went into the kitchenette and pulled a beer out of the fridge. "We're paying them anyway, might as well use them."
"The problem with soldiers is that they act like soldiers." Donald observed. "Mercenaries on the other hand are still professional and capable warriors without giving away a military agenda. Remember that we're a supposed to be surveying for pre-cataclysm ruins."
"When in fact we're scouting other communities in North America." Dr. James finished. "Besides, the city isn't that far from the Windsor and Detroit ruins. We need every defender we can lay our hands on. It was hard enough to convince HQ to release just us three for this mission."
Reese settled into the couch with a heavy thud. "Yeah, yeah. Anyway, I've already got everything I need and I'll have it loaded into my truck tomorrow."
Donald sat down at the table that was beside the kitchenette. "My gear and supplies are already stowed aboard my truck. I don't like spreading us over three vehicles but there simply isn't enough room for any of us to double up our gear."
"This is true. Dale will be riding with me since I have the most room in my truck between the three of us. But when we recruit more mercenaries, they'll likely be riding shotgun with the two of you."
Both men made faces at the idea but knew it was for the best.
"Well, I still have some stuff to get and I'm sure Dale does as well. So we'll be off. We'll pick you two up in the morning."
Shortly, Dr. James and Dale were again on the road, this time headed outside the city proper to the traveling merchants found in the perimeter area. The two of them were out until sundown haggling over supplies for an extended journey. They had to get back into the city then, before the main gates closed for the night.
Back at the apartment, Dr. James let Dale shower first before taking one himself. Coming out and going to his bedroom, he found Dale already snoring softly in his bed. Since she had taken time to place a pillow and blanket on the couch, he assumed he wasn't invited to join her. Sighing, he settled into the couch for the night.
The next morning was a blur as two people who weren't happy about being up and about at an early hour were forced to share a bathroom and have breakfast before getting into a hovercraft that could be described as temperamental. Then they were off to the base to pick up Donald and Reese before dropping them off. From there Dr. James took Dale to be processed. He stayed with her to make sure everything went smoothly.
The four met again for lunch at the cafeteria style officer's mess. Then they went to a Spartan conference room to meet the officer in charge of their mission. They were answering to the head of the expeditionary command, Colonel Anderson. A civilian representative from the government was also present. Colonel Anderson introduced him as Mr. Blackburn.
"As you all know, New Crater City has recently opened its gates to the outside world. We have some information about the rest of North America but much of it is dated and there are gaping holes in it. The ever changing and chaotic landscape doesn't help any either. That is why the expeditionary command was created in the first place. This mission will be something of a pilot, paving the way for many more like it."
He nodded to Donald. "Captain Corwin and Lieutenants James and Hazard are the core of this particular mission. Between the three of you, there is enough expertise to gather a great deal of information about the other communities of North America. As Lieutenant James is the cultural expert, he has been given command authority despite Captain Corwin's superior rank."
The colonel gestured to Dale. "You've come aboard as the first of hopefully several specialists to assist with this endeavor. We can't wait any longer to begin this mission so Lieutenant James has been authorized to recruit additional specialists while the mission is in progress. He has been provided with a limited budget for that as well as additional supplies while you're in the field."
"Your first destination will be upper Michigan and the technological enclaves found there. That's also where we expect you to do any additional recruiting before moving on." The colonel pulled down a wall map. "Your route will take you north into the Coalition territory of Iron Heart. That is because there is a ferry service available here that crosses Lake Huron and lands in Upper Michigan."
"When you're done in Upper Michigan, we want you to investigate a number of communities. They include New Lazlo and then the Kingdom of Montreal. From there we'd like you to look into the community known as 'Old Bones'. When you're done at Old Bones, you'll carry on to the eastern coast of North America. This will be your true objective as it is the least known to us at this time. We don't expect you to go any farther north than the St. Lawrence on this excursion, or any further south than the ruins of Washington D.C. Further limits may be imposed by the mission commander dependent on resources and time already spent in the field. It'll be his discretion when to bring the team back, but we don't expect you to be gone more than six months this time out."
The Colonel let the map roll back up. "We've installed a long range, laser boosted radio in Lieutenant James' truck so you'll be able to communicate with us for most of your voyage. We'd prefer that you practice restraint however; as it will give away your location to anyone who might be listening and any message must be assumed to be intercepted by interested parties. There are those who might misconstrue this scouting operation as spying. We'd just as soon prefer not to put you into that kind of danger or attract that kind of attention to ourselves. Unless you come across anything of immediate urgency, everything can wait until you make your report here in person."
At the end of his spiel, the colonel sighed. "Are there any questions?"
There were none. "Very well. You'll be departing at sunrise tomorrow. Get a good night sleep people. You have a long six months ahead of you."