Kara Discovered: Episode 20, Chaos Across the Gate

The abrasions on his legs did nothing to distract Jeffries from the chaos he saw through the gate. Were these people insane, blocking the only exit like that? Slipping on the newest set of glasses, he stepped across; Wilson and his three officers, steps behind. Heat slapped him in the face.

“Where’s Artland?” he yelled, then turned his head and snapped at the officer on his left, “Townsend, are those your men?” pointing to one set of blurs at the edge of his vision. They’d improved the glasses again.

Townsend glance in that direction then said, “Yes, Sir!”

“How many men do you have assigned patrolling the camp perimeter?”

“None, Sir. We stationed the three platoons equal-distant from each other. It would become four as soon as the men from your own platoon recover enough to return to duty,” the lieutenant snapped out.

More insanity. He knew firsthand how dangerous not being aware of what is out there is. “Wilson, get that fix: squads circling the camp constantly at irregular spacing from all three platoons, under constant check-ins with those in the camp so they are not picked off.”

“Yes sir,” Wilson said in his own slow, even tone.

“You wanted me?” Artland said, stepping into his vision.

“What in the hell are you doing here?” Jeffries said, pointing to all the stuff coming across the gate and the men working all around it.

Surprise entered Artland’s voice, “Making recurved bows. You need weapons. I have come up with one at least. When you soak the sapphire cloth in water saturated with magnesium sulfite, then layer it, when it dries, it cures into a hard springing resin. Its range should be a couple hundred meters. But we have to work fast. You only have minutes after the solution crosses the gate to soak the cloth and lay it out, and that has to be done here and in the pattern I came up with. If you disturb the lattice after that, it won’t set and cure correctly. At least according to the simulations I did. We are confirming that now.”

Jeffries sighed, then kept his voice calm and measured. “I like bows. I need bows. But I need this area in front of my gate clear even more. And as much as I want ranged weapons, no one can see far enough to use them well. Staffs, spear, knives, anything better than these fragile lances that my men can use to defend themselves would be good. You can finish the ones you have started, off to the side there, but not right in front of the gate and don’t start any more. Get any people not needed to finish those back across the gate, and let me know when I can get some sort of staff, spear or even club.”

Artland let out a deep sigh, then spoke. “Lieutenant, you have a job and I have a job. Let’s stay out of each other’s way, shall we?”

“It’s captain now, not lieutenant,” said another of Major Wilson’s lieutenants.

Jeffries raised his hand, stopping any further input from that lieutenant. “Dr. Artland, you are brilliant. But from this point until we get Dr. Green, Titus and the others back, the legion controls who is here and what research they are going to do where. Until then, this is a military-style camp in the old Roman era tradition where everything will have its place to be done. You work for the legion here or not at all and you go home. If you can’t deal with that, I will find people to do the research for me that can. The fact that they haven’t hit our camp doesn’t mean that they won’t. This is their home ground. They have the advantage. I won’t find a replacement for you anywhere near as good as you, but someone not in my way of getting this place set up and defended is more important than brilliance.”

Artland’s voice was just as calm and measured, yet Jeffries sensed his anger. “You don’t need any of my people here, if you are terminating those,” he said, pointing to the ones blocking the way. “The ones in the areas you pointed out that can stay are finished and just need to be left for eleven more days to cure, according to the math I worked out. Don’t let anyone touch them.”

He sighed again, and Jeffries watched him release the tension in his shoulders.

“I can solve some of your weapons problems in time if all you want is staffs. There are a few more calculations I need to do for the best matrix, but if we soak sapphire whisker ropes in the magnesium sulfite solution and hang them on racks on the other side of the gate, the whole rack can be carried across the gate and taken far enough away that it can be set up to cure for eleven days without it being in the way. I can automate that entire process on the other side once I run the calculations for the correct weave for the rope to give you the right properties. You can activate that program the moment you have laid out where you want the drying racks and have people to move them as they come across.”

Artland took a deep breath, relaxing his shoulders more and looked out into the desert. “I want them back too,” he said softly. “You’re right, this area is a mess and has to get better organized,” turning back to Jeffries and waving his hand, he went on. “I am going to sleep after setting up your program that will make staff. Then when I wake, I will talk to the University and my staff here and see what they have to say about you taking over here and kicking me out. I may go home, I may stay on the station, or I might come back here on your terms. I don’t know.”

With those words, Artland turned and began ordering his people to clean up the mess. Jeffries like how the man decided, then acted, and hoped he came back. He could use all of those he could get.

Episode 1, 2, 3, …. 17, 18, 19——21

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