Silence: Chapter 10
I.
The President frowned at the men gathered around the table in the situation room. "Gentlemen, as you know, this room is completely bug and recording free. So if any of this discussion leaks out, it won't take long to track down the informant." He stared hard at the head of the Atomic Energy Commission." Thomas, I know you're not comfortable with secrets, so take what I just said to heart."
The thin, ascetic man blinked owlishly behind his glasses. "Mr. President, I'm not even sure what I'm doing here, much less what the problem is."
"You are aware we were recently invaded by aliens, correct?"
"Of course, sir, I..."
"Do you believe those aliens came from this solar system?"
Cutting off a snort, the head of the AEC replied, "No, of course not. Despite the tall tales of green men.."
"Very well. Then they had to come from somewhere else, which means they had a working faster than light drive, correct?"
"I would say that is obvious, Mr. President."
"Do we have anything in development that is even close?" The President turned to include the head of NASA in the question. The aerospace engineer shook his head negatively. The commissioner, however pursed his lips in thought.
"I would say on the order of ten years, Mr. President."
The men around the table gaped in surprise. "You mean we have something that close to being ready?" The President managed.
The head of NASA shook his head in exasperation at his more scholarly friend. "Let me translate, Mr. President. You'll notice he did not say 'on the close order'." The President nodded. "Right. What that means is he expects us to develop an FTL drive anywhere from ten years to a hundred. In reality, an FTL drive will require a new kind of mathematics or a stroke of genius. Probably both."
"In other words, we don't have one and we probably won't get one in the next day or two." The head of the NSA commented sarcastically.
"No, actually, we may have one within the next six months." The NASA chief stated, obviously enjoying his bombshell.
"Would you mind explaining that?" The President asked.
"Not at all. While we probably won't understand the theory behind it for years, we are fairly certain we can back engineer a working replica from the wreckage. A surprisingly large amount of the alien ship is fairly intact, including the power room." He shook his head, "We don't know why it didn't explode, but it seems to have been inactive when the impact occurred."
"Well, that's certainly gratifying and encouraging." The President finally broke the startled silence, "But in the meantime, we have no defense against a renewal of hostilities, do we?"
The Chairman of the Joint Chiefs spoke up, after glancing at the others. "Only guts, Mr. President, just like before. The only difference will be in the casualty ratio. We won't be caught with our pants down again."
The President nodded, staring down at his clasped hands. Finally he raised his eyes. "Gentlemen, I hate to do it, and God knows how we'll win, but I am going to ask the Congress for a Declaration of War against the Lowardian nation. After that, I will speak to our allies and friends about a worldwide declaration."
"Uh, sir, what about the UN?" The Secretary of State stammered.
"No, I don't believe resolutions and speeches will be at all effective in this instance. Those who want to join us will be welcome, those who just want to blather can get out of the way."
"But, sir..."
"That's all, Mrs. Oaks, I believe you have other duties?" The President looked pointedly at the door.
Flushing, the Secretary stood, "As you wish Mr. President." She turned to the door as the Colonel guarding it swung it open. With a last glare, she marched out.
When the door sealed, the President turned to those remaining. "Admiral Naismith?"
The Chief of the JCS stood to attention.
"Admiral, in addition to your other duties, and this one will take priority, you are to form an investigating and research team. I don't care who's on it, I don't care how you do it or what it costs, but I want weapons produced that can defend the American people in case of another attack. Am I clear?"
"Yes, sir."
The President let his glance roam form face to face around the table. "Now, you gentlemen are here for primarily one reason. You just heard the order I gave the Admiral. I don't want to hear about any stone walling, security, or inter service fighting. If the Admiral requests something, tells you something, or orders anything, you are to take it as an order from me. Gentlemen, I assure you, you do not want me to become personally involved. Am I clear?"
"Yes, sir." "Clear, sir." "Yes, Mr. President."
"Very well, this meeting is over. Admiral, please stay behind for a moment, I have a general I would like you to meet."
II.
Kim looked up at her Uncle. He was presently kneeling between Ron and Joss, stroking his daughter's hair lightly. She continued to roll the bandage around Ron's lacerated right bicep, "Uncle Slim, you had the first aid pack, why didn't you help Ron?"
"Didn't know if I should Kim." Slim replied without looking at her. "One minute he's healthy, not a scratch on him, the next he's like you see. He didn't seem to be losing any blood, so I didn't know if he would heal as fast or not." Slim finally looked up, his hand still on Joss' hair. "Guess not. It's been about two hours since we found Joss, and he hasn't changed back."
"What exactly happened, Uncle Slim? Ron looks like he was in the stampede, and Joss, other than being unconscious, only looks like she has some bruises."
"We was cuttin' the area where Jake said Joss was ridin'. Don't know if you saw 'em on the way up here, but the hands Jake sent back are about four miles closer to the camp, checkin' along the route the herd took off down. We thought we'd work from this end down to 'em. Ah didn't see a thing but it was like Ron knew just where he was headed. Took us about an hour to get down here, circlin' brush an checkin' some of the steers. Then, we found a hoss with the saddle I gave Joss for the trip."
Kim looked at her uncle when his voice stopped. From the side, she could see his jaw working, as he swallowed repeatedly. One hand still lightly on Joss' hair, the other white knuckled. "Uncle Slim?" She finally asked softly.
"Kimmie, I knew, right then, that mah Joss was gone." Slim finally spoke in a broken, low tone. "Ah started dragging carcasses off the piles, ah knew mah baby was under those steers." Slim's jaw locked as he drew a deep shuddering breath. "But Ron just grabbed me an said, 'She's not here.' Ah knew...ah knew she was. When he took off without helpin'..." Slim looked away.
Kim started to speak, but Slim held up a silencing hand. "After ah don't know how long, ah started thinkin it was Ron's fault ah couldn't find her. Ah don't know what ah was thinkin, but I slung astride and took off after him." Slim looked into his niece's eyes. "Ah must have gone a little loco. All ah could think was that ah'd make him help. Make him help or make him pay." Slim looked away. "Ah don't know how far ah went, or how long it took. All I remember is seein' Ron kneeling on the ground. I swung off and went for him. When I was about six feet away ah heard it." Slim looked into the distance, at a vision Kim could see still shook him. "Kimmie, do you know what Cheyne-stokin' is?"
"Ah, yes, sir." Kim replied in confusion. "It's what they call the gasping a dying patient goes through right before the end."
Slim nodded, "Yep, an it was mah Joss doin' it." Slim breathed harshly, "Ah don't know, I think ah screamed somthin' like 'do somethin', or help her' an Ron turned and looked at me." Slim's voice trailed off, his gaze returning to the distance.
He finally resumed without turning. "Ya have ta understand, Kim. Mah baby, mah little girl was dying in front of me. About two breathes away from meetin' Old Saint Pete himself."
"Uncle Slim?" Kim whipered.
Silence answered her. After a moment Slim continued in a reverent whisper. "Kimmie, Ah've heard Joss talk about how Ron is always scared. Is that true?"
"Um-hmm." Kim breathed.
"Honey, he wasn't scared, he was terrified. Ah swear, like he'd seen his own death. But, ah don't know how to explain it, at the same time he looked...sorrowful and sad. He reached and touched Joss." Slim's voice died away.
Kim taped the end of the gauze roll down. "What happened, Uncle Slim?"
Slim shook his head slowly. "Ah'm not sure. There was this flash, like I told you. An Joss is breathin' steady an' she ain't bleedin' and broken any more. An' Ron..." He gestured helplessly at her wounded boyfriend.
It took a moment for Kim to speak. "All right, I'm not sure what happened, but let's get them both on the plane and too a hospital."
Slim nodded. "All right, have the pilot lower the platform so we can take the horses back." he picked Joss up in his arms, "But Kimmie, don't let these two get close on the trip."
"Why?"
"Watch." Slim sat his baby down within a foot of Ron. Ron's hand twitched, moving almost imperceptibly closer to Joss. Slim picked his daughter back up. "That's why. I don't know what happened here, but I'm afraid if Ron touches her again, he'll kill himself."