Mjolnir
Multnomah Falls, August 29, 2156 -- 7:12 a.m.
"Good morning, Henry. Are you ready for the conclusion of my story?"
"I am," Henry responded as he settled back and closed his eyes. "You may begin."
Unity
"Robert, did you say that you killed your parents yesterday? It seems I went to sleep before I could consider your closing remarks."
"Yes Henry, I did and I apologize for ending our last session so abruptly. Yesterday, I momentarily relived the anguish I felt when I had to kill my parents after my impetuous behavior led to their capture by the Z-RETS."
"As you will soon discover, the Z-RETS ultimately deployed hundreds of impervious harvesters known as Slugs. After enduring years of the predatory raids that so decimated our population, the deaths of my parents marked the turning point of our battle. We will begin today with the introduction of the invaders' most fearsome vessel."
August 22, 2043 -- 5:02 p.m.
"This is an OP Net, Alpha One Advisory. The Tri-D feed from the Superdome has revealed that the Z-RETS are using an amalgam of our diverse technologies to assemble a hybrid, propeller-driven aircraft. The process begins with a complex cylindrical package of alien origin measuring approximately 1 meter in diameter and 3 meters in length. After they cautiously install a small spherical device into this package, they connect it to several cables running from a bank of what may be control panels. Upon completion of these connections, several aliens take positions at the control panels and moments later an object that resembles the old Goodyear blimps in size and shape suddenly snaps into view.
"Mounted on each end of this football-shaped object is a single, movable airfoil mounted in a rudder-like, vertical orientation while a wing-like pylon extends horizontally from each midpoint side of this aircraft. During the final assembly of this airship, they use material pilfered from our factories including two very large direct current electric motors bearing propellers. They mount the motors within streamlined nacelles and attach the nacelles to the pylons.
"Observation of their initial test flight revealed that the reversible motors and airfoils provide directional control and propulsion while the mechanism for altitude control remains a mystery. The characteristic shimmering effect of the alien's protective force-field abruptly ends at the propeller hubs revealing that only the propellers lack the protection afforded the rest of the aircraft. Their force field technology also created a previously unnoticed port in the dome that opened to permit this vessel to depart. Sentinel Command has assigned the designation of 'Slug' to this aircraft and they estimate that the Z-RETS can turn them out at a maximum rate of five per week."
Now, I must explain how my reckless behavior brought about the demise of my parents. Although their deaths led to the defeat of the Invaders, I still bear the burden of guilt for their loss.
Paul and Mary's Quarters, May 13, 2046 -- 7:47 a.m.
"Paul, are you sure these things really work? I am not sure I am ready to trust my life to a gadget that someone claims will make you invisible. Besides that, why would we want to have a picnic at the zoo. I fear that our visit to the zoo without its animals will turn out to be quite depressing when compared with our wonderful memories of previous visits."
"Mary, the personal shield will not make its wearer invisible. This device simply nullifies the signal transmitted by the equipment the Z-RETS use to find their victims. The Z-RETS took nearly fifty volunteers during testing of early prototypes of this device that now incorporates a threefold functional redundancy. As the logistics boss for field operations, it is my responsibility to counter the current skepticism regarding the effectiveness of the personal shields. I would not put my family at risk if I had any doubts regarding the efficacy of this device."
"Okay Paul, I will make up some Soytien sandwiches and we will have a picnic at the zoo."
"Soytien? Can't you do better than that?"
"Afraid not as our meat and fish rations for May are history. Don't you remember telling me how wonderful Soytien tasted with beef salt?"
"I lied. We have a few more tests to run at Thor Control this morning to ensure that we are ready for the dedication ceremony tomorrow. We can begin our outing from there around noontime."
Thor Control, May 13, 2046 -- 12:47 p.m.
"Okay Colonel, that completes the punch list. It seems we finished just in time."
Paul, who also noticed the arrival of Mary, Robby, and Cindy, responded with, "Un huh, we are going topside under shields for a picnic."
As they entered the control room, Mary said to Doctor Wright, "So this is the place where my husband spends so much of his time away from his family."
Doctor Wright responded with, "Mary, we will launch the first successful strike against the Z-RETS from this console. Would you like a guided tour of Thor Control?"
The enthusiastic response of Robby and Cindy to this offer left Mary with no option beyond an affirmative nod. She confirmed her acceptance of the offer by saying, "Paul seldom mentions his work at home. Perhaps your tour will help me to understand why he has become so caught up in this project."
"Well Mary, though Thor Control is fully operational now, the dedication ceremony tomorrow will formally mark the successful conclusion of a long-term effort involving thousands of people. Once we get a target aboard a Z-RET vessel, the person manning this console will select the appropriate Mjolnir using this panel. He then waits until a light within the launch button confirms target acquisition where upon he will press the button to launch an attack."
"This procedure seems simple enough, but what is a Mjolnir?"
"It is the name we chose for the transdimensional warheads we will employ against the enemy. Currently, switches one through four each select a Mjolnir designed to cripple a Slug while anesthetizing its crew. The other sixteen switches will soon offer the option of selecting Mjolnirs bearing small thermonuclear warheads. Robby, can you answer the rest of your mother's question?"
"Yes, I can. According to Norse mythology, the Mjolnir was the hammer of Thor, their principal war god. Doctor, can you explain how you intend to get a target aboard a vessel of the Z-RETS."
"Unfortunately, our targeting methodology is the major weakness of the Thor system. In the early days of the invasion, we discovered several interesting things as we conducted broad-spectrum monitoring of the Z-RETS at work. We found that although their shields remained up as they popped their victims, we occasionally recorded what we later came to believe were psychic emanations of distress from these victims. This conclusion inevitably led to the development of a method to ensure the sending of this cry of distress and the ability to pinpoint this signal as a target. Regrettably, the achievement of these goals has taken a ghastly turn."
He led them to a wall locker and removed one of many, heavy, vest-like garments from its hook. "These jackets turn the volunteers who wear them into detectable targets. After putting them on over a bare chest, the volunteer pulls each of these two cords. Each cord initiates a small explosive device that injects a violently active organic compound subcutaneously into a large area of the volunteer's chest. A mechanism built into the vest arrests the activity of these compounds and partially alleviates the pain associated with the trauma inflicted by this procedure.
"When the Z-RETS pop the volunteer, leaving the vest behind, the organic compounds begin a violent chemical reaction. The result is a trauma induced, psychic signal of distress detectable through the Z-RETS protective force field. We can confirm target acquisition and launch a Mjolnir within seconds after the Bugs pop a volunteer and reduce the time of his torment too less than a minute. These desperate measures may offer the only opportunity we have of capturing our first Z-RET."
"How on Earth do you expect to find a volunteer willing to commit suicide in such a bizarre fashion. I can assure you that I would never volunteer to serve as a target for your Mjolnir."
"Several people who are seeking vengeance for the loss of their loved ones have already volunteered for this dreadful task. Mary, hatred motivates our volunteers, pure unadulterated hatred."
"I suppose this act of revenge seems sensible to the bereaved, though I cannot condone suicide for the sake of vengeance. Would you care to join our adventurous outing Doctor? I can offer you a delicious Soytien sandwich."
"Regrettably, my wife has a wonderful lunch of Soytien ready for me to choke down at home. Of all the recent tribulations plaguing humankind, I would put the concoction of Soytien near the top of the list. Enjoy your outing and be careful out there."
"Goodbye Doctor. Please tell your lovely wife I offer my condolences for the complaints she must endure about the Soytien."
"I will, though the delivery of your message will force me to forgo the pleasure of running through my usual repertoire of complaints regarding this loathsome goo. Goodbye kids. Enjoy your picnic."
As Doctor Wright and his associates left, Paul approached bearing four, compact devices contained in small, olive drab, military-style knapsacks. Paul leaned close and asked, "Is Doctor Butler aware of our plans to go outside under shields?"
"He is, though he seemed uneasy when he agreed to let Cindy join us. Before I realized what he was up to, Robby invited her to accompany us and she apparently badgered her parents until she overcame their objections."
"Damn, perhaps we should cancel our plans. We could have our picnic in the Eastun Park instead of the zoo."
"We are not going to disappoint the kids now that they are looking forward to our visit to the zoo. Besides, Mandy contributed four roast beef sandwiches to our picnic hamper."
"Terrific. Hey kids, come over here and put on your shields. It is time to begin our excursion."
After they put on their shields and Paul turned them on, he ushered them out the door of Thor Control as he said goodbye to some technicians gathered around a programming console. They cleared the security checkpoint and boarded the elevator for the ride to the surface.
Their moods became somber as they walked through the zoo, now bereft of its inhabitants. Windrows of trash driven to the lee by the capricious winds of Portland mocked the audacity of those who began to proclaim the ideology of manifest destiny more than two hundred years earlier. Ghostly shadows in the empty cages tugged at their eyes as they contended with the mental images fixed in their minds from visits past.
In a futile attempt to leaven their melancholy visit with a pseudo gaiety, Robby suddenly climbed over the fence guarding the concrete moat in front of a stark playground for bears. As he raised his arms to augment his vocal imitation of an angry bear, he lost his balance and fell heavily into the dry moat below.
Reacting quickly, Paul sent Mary and Cindy to fetch several of the abandoned children's strollers that lay scattered about the area. After they tossed the badly weathered strollers into the moat, Robby managed to climb up the ensuing pile and reach the fence. Paul's relief as he helped his uninjured son climb back over the fence turned to horror as he noticed that Robby's fall had extinguished the hazy aura of his shield.
Paul quickly exchanged shields with Robby and cast the defective unit aside when he failed in his attempt to reactivate it. As they began their hasty retreat to the elevators, a Slug suddenly appeared over the trees to the west. Paul said, "Get the kids to safety and send the sentry out with a shield for me. I will take cover in the utility room for the Polar Bear display. Go, run, run!"
As Mary and the kids reached the elevator headhouse, Robby cried out, "Mother, they popped him. Dad is in the Slug now."
After boarding the elevator, Mary began to strip to the waist as they dropped into the depths below. Suddenly aware of her intentions, Robby began to sob hysterically until she suddenly slapped his face. "Robby, we are not going to let the Bugs eat your father. You know what we have to do and I am counting on you to do your part. Chrys, are you monitoring us?"
"I am. The Slug is still over the zoo. I have alerted the capture team and the Butlers. Mary?"
"Yes Chrys, I am here."
"I hope your God is with you and Paul today and I wish you both an easy death."
"Thank you, Chrys. Please watch over Robby for us."
When the elevator door opened, Mary picked up her shield by its straps and headed for the security post at a dead run. She dealt the astonished guard a solid blow to the head with the shield and quickly removed the well-worn Beretta from his holster.
Upon their return to Thor Control, Mary sent the remaining technicians scurrying away with a menacing wave of the pistol. With grim determination Robby helped his mother don a vest, returned her violent hug, and turned to the control panel while Cindy locked the door behind his mother as she left Thor Control.
Mary soon encountered General Ayers and the members of the capture team who intentionally blocked her path to the elevators despite the threat of her pistol. Rick stepped forward while saying, "We cannot let you do this Mary. Paul is beyond our help and Robby will need his mother now more than ever."
In response, Mary carefully placed the pistol on the floor and quickly pulled the cords that initiated the twin blasts that drove their poisons deep into her breasts. Staggering from the painful blows that nearly drove her to her knees Mary said, "I am dead already. Stand aside so I can stop the Bugs from eating my man."
With a grief-stricken expression the general said, "Stand aside men and let this soldier pass." As Mary walked by the soldiers, they began to follow the lead of the general who sadly rendered the most emotional salute of his long career as a warrior.
Mary leaned against the wall of the ascending elevator and after calming her troubled mind asked, "Robby, can you hear me? Is the Slug still overhead?"
"Yes Mother, it is. Dad knows you are coming. Mother. I am so sorry."
"Karma Robby, its just karma. I wanted to die when I lost David, my first husband. Yet I went on, found another love, and experienced the joy of motherhood. You and Newton helped Chrys deal with his karma. Please let them help you with the pain of this experience. Give my love to Cindy. Oh Robby, I am so afraid I will arrive too late. Is the Slug . . . The doors are opening . . . I can see the Slug . . . Robby?"
Through his father's eyes Robby saw his mother arrive aboard the Slug only to collapse to the deck while writhing in agony from the glowing chemicals that were eating away her breasts. The activation of the launch button light confirmed target acquisition moments after his father reached his mother's side.
With a scream of rage tinged with madness, Robby hit the launch button with a fierce blow that broke several bones in his hand. Unaware of his injury, he hit it again and again and again.