Approximately Two hundred kilometers NE of Arum City
The two astronauts guided the parachutes attached to their ejection seats, as best as they could, towards land. It was obvious that they weren't going to make it. Better wet than dead, March thought to himself. Jonny's plan actually worked.
The plan had worked indeed. Hayes had programmed the navigation computers to lift the ship just high enough for it to clear the trees and buildings. Once elevated, the engines fired with enough force to jolt them forward like a child shooting a rubber band into the air. The maneuvering thrusters kept the ship relatively stable using a random firing sequence. The craft was in no shape for extended flight but was able to propel forward just enough for them to eject before it finally broke apart. Thank you Lord for American ingenuity; March prayed silently.
The apes, in Arum, never knew what hit them. The inferno at 'lift off' instantly incinerated everything within 250 meters. …Including Mark; March contemplated. Probably better for him. Hell, he was most likely dead long before lifted off. It won't be the same without ya, buddy. You bought us the time we needed to escape. Escape …to where exactly? The ship was destroyed. What was left of it was now, in pieces, at the bottom of this lake. Like it or not, they were stuck here. No way to get back home unless a ship conveniently fell in their laps; which didn't appear to be likely.
"This planet has an amazing resemblance to Earth; Pines, Birch trees. Even the birds are similar." Tom mumbled to himself as he adjusted his decent to match that of his colleague. He noticed Jon fidgeting with something but couldn't quite make it out. From up here he could see that the lake went on for hundreds of miles. There were several islands and things seemed oddly pristine; quite peaceful overall.
Hayes readied himself for impact. He released his equipment pack and let it fall from his side. The cord attached to his waste jerked as the fall finally ended. He stowed a small device in the pocket of his flight suit. Next, he unfastened the latches holding him in the ejection seat and dropped into the cold water. He landed almost a full minute before March did. By the time March was in the water, Hayes had the emergency lifeboat inflated. He paddled over, helped him in, and the two men headed for the shore.
"I'm hungry." March said, shivering a bit. He pulled a dark green wool blanket from the survival gear they'd grabbed and then opened a soggy candy bar he'd stowed away in his pocket. The survival packs were made of a special gortex, designed to keep everything dry in case of rain or in this event, impact with a lake. They were also designed to protect equipment against extreme heat and cold. Hayes gave a little chuckle and then replied with; "Eating that junk can kill you, you know? You ought to play it safer there, Major." His remark to the Major reminded him that one of them had already lost his life. "The Skipper gave his life saving us." He went on uneasily.
"They pulled him from that hatch like he was a paper doll. Mark had to weigh at least 230 lbs, Jonny. He was 6'1". … These apes are exceptionally strong. They were able to bend tempered steel. They don't look as docile or evolved as the ones that landed back home either. They're more…I don't know, savage looking…But we'd all be dead if Mark hadn't acted when he did." March answered.
"That's not all that that doesn't add up Tom. I can accept talking Apes, differences and all. That's not what confuses me. When I was calculating the details for our escape I was able to engage the GPS interface. It's an automated process built into the CIS software. It mapped our course, speed and position based on terrain, weather, and data directly fed from the CIS computers. The CIS supplied it with damage estimates, weight, and fuel volumes. Based on that, I was able to automate and adjust for our escape accordingly." Hayes stated.
"GPS? …but …You'd have to have access to a satellite network. OUR satellite network …Authentication software and all. There is no way these misfits from the NY Zoo could build a satellite. Let alone get one in orbit." March replied.
"And that's not the only mystery. We're on Earth, Tom. …North America. Or it would be, if we were home. This is the Province of Ontario to be even more precise. We're on the Southwestern tip of Lake Nipigon. It's, more or less, north of Lake Superior. I took cold weather training at Fort Garrison when I was a Lieutenant. …before I was deployed to Israel." Hayes added sarcastically. "Ft. Garrison is about 25 Kilometers from Lake Nipigon. And according to the Sat Chron Intel today is, June 16th, 2563." Hayes explained.
"You're telling me we're over 500 years in the future? And that what those three apes, back on Earth, were claiming may have been true?" March sputtered was he chewed the last bite of his Snickers bar.
"Closer to six actually, about 578, but I don't think we're home. Look at this." Hayes said reaching into a pocket inside his flight suit. He pulled out a small field-pad and handed it to the other Astronaut. "It's active, Tom, fully active. I had it request basic field navigation after we ejected. Zoom out and look at the overlay of North America."
March looked down and mumbled "I don't understand. How can this be Earth? …GSP?" He zoomed out as Hayes suggested and replied; "Looks ok to me, I guess." March wasn't the braniac geek that Jonny was. He was handy but more along the lines of working on an automobile or fixing things around the house. He was a jack of all trades and a master of none as his first wife used to say. He didn't have the slightest interest in geography and, at the moment, he was too tired for riddles.
"Look closer Tom. Why is Quebec shown as part of Canada? Shortly after the war with Russia ended, The League of Nations pressured Canada to grant independence. And where is the OAZ? (*Occupied Alaskan Zone). It's shown as part of the US and not the USSR. Yeah we stayed after the war per LN Resolution 301. But on a map, it's still part of the Soviet Union." Hayes explained.
He went on: "A lot can happen in six hundred years but this doesn't seem right. It's the same, but different. Kind of like the stories from those Apes back home were; similar in some ways, very different in others. The barrier we hit must somehow cross dimensions. Whatever the explanation, my guess is that this isn't our future. Just like our present probably wasn't the past of those three freaks that showed up in an American ship. A ship we never built but was quite American none the less" Hayes concluded.
March tapped the Synchronize button. The field-pad beeped and displayed their location; /49.833; -88.5Map Coordinates: 49°50'N 88°30'W? / 49.833333, -88.5. / /49.833; -88.5 A small green light blinked in the Southwestern part of a huge lake shown in what was Canada. At the top, the date and time displayed: Thursday, 16 Jun 2563: 1322 HRS, EST. How ironic, he thought, as he silently wished himself a happy birthday.
Something that sounded like firecrackers popping pulled both men back into the reality at hand. "Wherever here is, doesn't matter. It looks like more of these apes found us. I'll say this; we definitely have superior fire power. They'll never hit his us with those pea shooters. Not at this range, anyway. We're going north, away from shore. Let's head for that island. " March said.
...90 minutes later…
March felt like they'd been rowing for days even though it had only been about a couple of hours. His flight suit was dry but he was starting to sweat and itch as the afternoon sun beat down. Still beats winter, he thought. Especially for someone born and raised in Arizona. He hated the cold ever since he'd been a child and hated it even more because of the third world war. I don't know how those damn Ruskies can stand it.
Hayes hadn't seen signs of any apes for awhile. Being considerably younger than March his body was more adept to the weather, as well as, the rowing. Gazing through a pair of binoculars, he noticed several deer running along the tree line of the island. He felt a bit home sick for the woods in the upper peninsula of Michigan. He, his father, and brother had hunted there quite often when he was growing up. The only thing that seemed to be missing was snow …And Michelle, of course. They'd gone up there on what she thought was a quick weekend getaway. Jon had proposed marriage and that was when their life together as a family took root. Damn it, I miss you, he thought as a few small tears began to involuntarily form in his eyes. He embarrassingly wiped them away pretending to wipe sweat from his face. His unconscious senses made it seem like he'd just 'exposed' his inner-self to the entire world. In reality, he had nothing to be embarrassed about. Major March was too busy catching his breath and downing water to notice much else.
They inventoried their provisions as they headed north; Medical supplies, weapons, ammunition, radios, food & water; they had all of it but in limited quantity. Hayes swept the perimeter with his binoculars once again. Still no sign of the Apes anywhere. "Looks clear, Major." He said, still feeing a bit uneasy over his recent 'emotional outburst'. He made one last sweep of the area focusing specifically on the trees.
"Alright Jonny, let's do this by the book. When we hit the shore, I'll sweep left and you sweep right, circular motion. Once clear, you secure your equipment while I stay on security. Then we'll switch and I'll secure mine. We'll move into the forest with you on point. You cover 6:00 to 12, on our left flank and I'll cover 12 to 6 on the right. If we have to fire make it count. We obviously can't resupply what we use." March ordered.
"Roger, Sir!" Hayes replied as he rowed towards shore. March had his M-103 set on semi-auto; 3RB (Three Round Burst). The adrenalin running through his system was telling him to switch to FA, (Fully Automatic). Three rounds would only piss them off. He was looking through a scope and making mental notes on the terrain as they approached the shore. The beach, if you could call it that, was muddy with greenish-black look. They landed the craft, swept the area and moved forward.
Arum City – Eight days later
General Grazot and his unit entered the roped off area. It had been some time since he'd seen destruction on this level. When he first joined the military, a tornado had hit the capital. It arrived just after a massive rain fall. The wind leveled the existing structures with such force that in some cases you'd have never known that buildings once stood there. This was different though. These stone structures weren't so much demolished as …melted. Some were in rubble but most looked like they'd actually been set on fire. "How is it possible to burn stone", one soldier said as he touched the molten bricks. The ground looked strange as well. Mixed in with the dirt and debris were fragments of glass.
"Be careful General Grazot, its everywhere. I gave some samples to the chemist for study, but it looks like typical glass." Sergeant Volker stated. Until the general and his party had arrived, he'd been playing; ranking official. Every other soldier or bureaucrat was either dead or too critically injured to command. His Lieutenant had been eradicated suddenly when the humans whisked away in that thing they'd arrived in. No loss there. The Lieutenant was a bumbling buffoon. He'd only gotten the commission because his father and the Town's Governor, former Governor that is, were old friends. He liked being commander-in-chief. No red tape. No bumbling superiors barking their orders at him like he was the house monkey. It had been his will, his decisions, and his orders that were being followed without question. But alas, all good things do come to an end.
To his credit, the sergeant proved to be an excellent administrator. His years as a soldier had certainly paid off. In the short time he'd been in charge he'd coordinated food distribution, medical treatment, and some parts of the city were already under repair or reconstruction. He'd severely disciplined a couple of soldiers who had attempted to get rich off the misfortune by starting a black market operation. Volker had promised that any ape with the intention of making a quick score from the situation would hang from his thumbs…all four of them. They'd not only hang but would also be his personal target for some nice leisurely musket practice.
The general finished his tour of the area. He questioned several civilians for what seemed like hours. Their stories corroborated on two basic themes: Rumors of humans running about with some kind of fire weapon and others claiming it to be a sign of the great ape's wrath. It was unfortunately convenient that those who had actually witnessed the humans speak were mostly dead; all except for Kutos, an ape child, and random others. Kutos had been ordered to never speak of the incident again or he'd join his Lieutenant in the ape city above the clouds. He'd been promoted to Troop Sergeant. That was a three rank jump. And it more than doubled his pay. The promotion also came with private quarters and command over a detachment of forty soldiers. The excuse given was that too many soldiers had been lost in …the accident. Thus, the 'more experienced' soldiers were being promoted to fill open leadership positions within the ranks. In reality, he was being bribed for his silence.
Sergeant Volker was given a field commission to Lieutenant to lend the story more credibility; though in Volker's case he did posses the necessary talents to do the job. It also carried a significant increase in pay. The young ape girl's experience was played off as nothing more than an over active imagination. However, many had watched the object fall. And just as many had witnessed the human after he was pulled from the object. And most claimed they saw the object leap into the air in a blaze of blinding light. Then there was the obvious; one third of Arum was in ruin. No colorful saga could cover that up. This wasn't going to be easy to smooth over. But what did he care? This was the Magistrate's problem. He had finally accepted these sophisticated humans for what they were. The more he pondered it all, the more his curiosity and envy grew.
Looking around General Grazot wondered how such power was even possible. If an ape controlled that much strength he would be unstoppable. His mind began to fantasize on the possibilities: If I commanded that kind of power I could rule without fear of retaliation. There would be no need for Apes such as that fool Ndola. Grazot had always known Ndola thought Gorillas were somehow the 'inferior breed'. He'd never shown his disdain towards Ndola or spoke of it among his peers. In no way does one ever let his enemy see his weakness, he thought. Ndola wasn't really an enemy but the premise still fit. That bureaucrat quill pusher isn't even worth the trouble. I'll find those men and when I do, that power WILL be mine!
General Grazot brought himself back to the present as he walked into the make-shift command post. "Magistrate!" he said as he saluted bringing a closed paw to his chest. Ndola nodded and beckoned him to sit down. "Something to drink, General?" Ndola asked as he handed Grazot a goat skin canteen of water, without waiting for a reply. "Hmm" Grazot grunted as he nodded and drank it down in gratitude. He quickly gave Ndola a report of his day's activities.
"Don't worry about the masses, General. In time we'll be able to convince them of anything. Keep them fat and happy and soon they'll forget all about this, uh, incident" Ndola reassured him. "However, that all lies on the animals being caught and exterminated."
"Look here, General. I want you to see this." Grazot walked over to a table. Ndola was removing a blanket that had been placed over several odd looking items: Burned melted debris, tattered cloth, a charred human skull and several other things that looked as foreign to him as the book he'd observed back in the capital.
"What is all of this, Sir?" Grazot asked.
"These were recovered after the humans escaped. Their device was tracked to the Great Fish Pond north of here. Most of their contraption is at its bottom but these were recovered along the shoreline." Ndola replied. "Look at the symbol". Ndola handed him what was left of a cracked space helmet.
"The Fish Pond; that's a good two days ride from here." Grazot claimed as he took the helmet remains from Ndola. He stared at the strange object for a moment. It felt very light but looked like it should weigh much more. What is it? What wonders were you once capable of? He thought to himself. He noticed an inscription: "Nah Sah, Uh-Saf [*NASA USAF] …What's it mean?" he asked.
"I don't know. The name of their tribe I suppose. But I do recognize the colorful symbol below it. It matches a banner in one of the human books you saw. These humans could come from that same clan." Ndola answered in aggravation. "I don't understand how a human tribe could have survived? They are not a nomadic species. What's even more disturbing to me is this thing here." He said pointing to a long rectangular object on the table.
Ndola handed him the half-melted M-103. The rifle was beyond use or repair, but was still recognizable as a weapon. Even if it were repairable the primates who now possessed it wouldn't have had the slightest idea where to even start.
The general mulled over the object in bewilderment; "…Looks like a …weapon. This isn't wood though…something different…" General Grazot abruptly placed the rifle back down on the table as he noticed something that caught his eye. "What do you make of this, Magistrate?" he asked. Grazot picked up a ring. The craftsmanship was amazing. And the jewel on top looked like it would trade for fifty horses. There was an inscription on the side; George Washington Academy. Class of 1959. "Academy? …human soldiers, eh?" He mumbled
"The human was not entirely burned. His arm was ripped asunder when he was pulled from their …vessel. That was on a finger." Ndola answered.
"Magistrate." Grazot said as he rubbed the vibrant gem attached to the ring with his thumb. "Why would the humans flee towards the Fish Pond? Wouldn't they sink like a stone in its cold waters; trading one type of death for another? Even the apes that trawl the waters for fish and food are deathly afraid of it. No ape is foolish enough to venture out too far."
"I do not fully know General. The food dispensation facilities north of here reported spotting something bright in the midmorning sky. They also stated that two simians were seen falling 'like a feather' …as one report indicated. Those 'apes' got into a boat. The locals were so startled that some of them opened fire. …Babbling something about judgment coming." Ndola informed him.
"General! These animals are extremely ingenious" Ndola continued on firmly. "They seem to adapt to whatever situation arises! Look at this pistol. It was found in the rubble. …Probably attached to its paw as its arm was pulled off his frail carcass. It suffered minimal damage. If this tribe is equipped with type of armament…"
General Grazot took the pistol in his paw. "It's made of the same material as that thing is." Grazot said as he pointed to the melted M-103. "Look at the detail…The Smith who crafted it must have spent months perfecting it." To the amazement of Magistrate Ndola, Grazot had actually figured out how to dismantle and reassemble a couple of the working parts of the pistol. However, the gorilla's fingers were too big to fit between trigger and the guard.
"Captain Gondar!" Grazot yelled. "Cover those up please, Magistrate"
A few seconds later Gondar entered the room "Yes Sir?" he said looking at the general inquisitively.
"Find me your best sharpshooter, one of the younger soldiers…with small paws. And set up a target. Use a melon or large gourd as the objective. Put it out about 50 to 60 feet." Grazot Ordered.
"S-Small paws, …Sir…" Gondar asked?
"YES! Just do what I ask." Grazot said as he pushed him out the door.
"General, I don't think…" Ndola started to say but was promptly cut off.
"Trust me, Magistrate. I don't give a damn about politics or history but when it comes to matters of combat, you're in my backyard. We need to stop looking at these humans as "beasts or animals" and more as the threat they are. … Specifically, as a superior threat, Magistrate! They are what they are and they possess what they possess. They may have been created with some sort of mysterious intellectual incite but the ape is not without his own unique gifts. The great ape was with us in the past and he'll guide us this time, as well. Now, I aim to see just what this thing can do. And if we can duplicate it somehow or improve on our own weaponry, we may even the battlefield in our favor." Grazot said as he walked out the door. Ndola followed, as he heard the general screaming for his captain. He shook his head and though to himself: This is exactly what we didn't want to happen. I must inform the Lord Prefect.