Again, Dangerous Visions Part 74

Fat florid-faced fella at the main place he standen up now & he leanin ford close to a amplifier microphone inconspicuous stuck in fronna his place & he sez firstoff-Ahem!- Or summin like that. Not really Ahem Ahem, no, but more of a throat-clear m call torder he'da done better rappen a gavel only n.o.body brought one (a head will roll for that as if an excuse were needed) so he says instead, approximately at least,-Ahem!- Everybody looken up, & he sayin-Arr, wecc.u.m to N'Alabama & wecc.u.m t'Leto, a ben Eugene Youngerman, Governor this planet, & am dlited twelcome you.- Polite hums and humphs.

-A hopen yall ben enjoin the hospitality, traditional surn hospitality, of N'Alabama m this lovely town of Letohatchie, hopen yall found our commodations satisfactory, little presents to your liking, bedmates cozy & friendly and alla that.- Polite humphs and hums.

-Now we got serious business to transact. You all know the glorious past history of our peoples, fine surn traditions & practices of the past. No need to remind you of fine glorious past of our ancestors on O'Earth before the furgem Jewrab takeover.- (No need but he reminded them for a longish while. Well.) -What we asked everybody here to talk about is this little problem we got with, uh, them black ba.s.surds, uh, N'Haiti. Now any fool knows a white man can lick a nigra in a fair fight, of course, it's natural. Innate superiority. We all learn that from first grade onward. Even O'Earth sociologists knew that. Pahneers like Audey Shooey, Henny Gart, Jawny Kimball, they knew that the human race was the highest creation of nature and that the purebred white man was the highest form of humanity.

-Now we got this little problem going with N'Haiti, & I can well imagine how some of you-Ole Guv Youngerman, he looken around to see who's pain attention & who's more intersted in studyin his fingernails-how some of you-Ole Guv resumes-matt wonder how come we can't smash them nigra brutes with proven superiority of our kind.- He stops for a smallish swig (depending on your measuring cup of course) of that nice fluid from the jug, looks around, amba.s.sador from N'Missa seems to be asleep, amba.s.sadors from N'Transvaal plane some kind of under-the-table hands-game with the amba.s.sador from N'Maddoxia, amba.s.sador from N'Eensmyth maybe pain attention or maybe just staring abstructionously ahead. Ole Guv, he shaken a mane of white hair (worth many a vote, that, long hair bein okay if it's white one might guess) an resumes (or might we say reresumes): -Way, lookit.i.t like so: now no one would argue that a man in't superior to a varmint, whetherts a snarlin mean cuayo-peen biggerna plow-horse or a teeny va.r.s.e. But a cuayo-peen, he gettin a man outen the open, he'll rip him up but good with his tushes & his spines. Or a va.r.s.e, you get some va.r.s.e inside you, you might be a goner too. That don't make no cuayo-peen nor no va.r.s.e the equal of a man, but an inferior order a creation can be given special parz to overcome a superior order a creation. you, you might be a goner too. That don't make no cuayo-peen nor no va.r.s.e the equal of a man, but an inferior order a creation can be given special parz to overcome a superior order a creation.

-Now these nigras, you know no nigra never made nothing worthwhile in all of history, not on O'Earth, no, old Jawny proved that sentries ago, nor noplace else neither. Just nature's mistake, tryin out ideas, how to make something superior to the beasts of the field, old nature messed up once with the black man then got it right on the second try.

-But nigras, they got a natural instinct to kill & destroy, and I'll be perfectly frank with yall,-Ole Guv, he looken almost fit to cry now-we taken a thorough whompin whompin in this war, and unless yall willing to see a sovereign planet of your own flesh and blood, a world of pureblooded surn white manhood, taken a whipping from a bunch of flat-nosed woolly-haired black nigra in this war, and unless yall willing to see a sovereign planet of your own flesh and blood, a world of pureblooded surn white manhood, taken a whipping from a bunch of flat-nosed woolly-haired black nigra savages...- savages...- Ole Guv, he flailin his hands now but he still in control & he pauses dramatically to let that last word sink in,-...yall have have to give us some help. Now that's all there is to it.- to give us some help. Now that's all there is to it.- That's no s.h.i.+t, that's his bit, he done spoke and a down he sit.

Well how long you wanter hang around some dumb-a.s.s diplomatic conference listening to speeches? You can guess what happenin after that. Alla them ole amba.s.sadors, they expressin sympathy for the sacred blood cause of the independent planet of N'Alabama, maken speeches all day long about solidarity and Them Nigras Cain't Be Permitted to Get Away with It.

But the amba.s.sador from N'Missa, he say (summat sheepishlike)-Yall know we with you one hunnerd per cent, Gene, but we get most of our heavy machine tools from N'Ghana. They They stain outen this war, stain outen this war, we we stain outen it & we get along fine, but if stain outen it & we get along fine, but if we we gettin inter it, then gettin inter it, then they they gettin inter it, gettin inter it, you you no better off as before and no better off as before and we we in bad trouble.-He go on like that for quite a while, but you gettin the message by now no doubt. in bad trouble.-He go on like that for quite a while, but you gettin the message by now no doubt.

Amba.s.sador from N'Transvaal, he rise in place, teetern a bit (that jug in front of his table been pretty down by now) and he say summin like this:-You cause is one of destiny, Governor Youngerman, and the white surn-blooded people of your planet have the unquestioning and unlimited support of the white bore-blooded people of N'Transvaal. As you know we haven a little problem of our own in gettin on with N'Kaffirstan. Now nothin we can't handle ourselves, understand. Ole Chaka CVII he a markable smart man for a nigra & we get along all right. And you know ole N'Kaffirstan, they happen to have the biggest & fastest s.p.a.ce fleet in the entire N'Afrikaans sector.

-But I'll tell you the honest truth, Governor Youngerman, wud really rather not tread on ole Chaka's sensitive toes. Besides, now, we haven full faith and confidence in the ability of N'Alabama, proud, free m white as she is, to hole her banner unstained & her purity unmixed.

-A thank you.-And he sitten down and everybody kind of looken at him and applaud a teeny bit, and then looken at Ole Gene Youngerman and blushen a teeny bit and then the room getten to be pretty quiet once again.

Ole Gene, he don't give up but all he gets from anybody is expressions of solidarity (how much JD sippin quality will that that buy you?) & maybe a half-headed pledge of some financial credits, which are nice but that's not what Gene was really tryen 4. buy you?) & maybe a half-headed pledge of some financial credits, which are nice but that's not what Gene was really tryen 4.

Well they marchen back out past the Confederated Worm-Morayeel (or garbage bin, whichever you prefer to believe...if you don't like either, how about a bicycle rack?) & gettin back into their jeescout gyrocars & Gord-3 & the rest of the gray-uniformed bra.s.s-b.u.t.toned spat & polished up honor guards, including their commander Captain Cal Koberly (soon to be lieutenant) and GLW's pal Adam Aiken, they marchen back to Fort Sealy Mae bus & out to the fort & take the night off boys.

Gordon Lester Wallace III m Adam A. Aiken stain grays, they two bentfin boomers burnished, Gord haven a new hotspot on his boomer courtesy James O. Eastland's James O. Eastland's recent (albeit unhappy) encounter with nigra s.p.a.cefleet; they climb into Gord's gyro & head down that beloved ole red rut road to Leto, past familiar places, seen familiar faces, parken in the street where the elite meet t'eat (or EAT, that's near the B A R the longer-recollected set will recall). Gord puts a chumly arm around A. A. Aiken's gray-covered shoulders m takes him up that certain staircase & they get t'the dirtyfrosted doorway Gord winks conspiratorily at Adam & goes: recent (albeit unhappy) encounter with nigra s.p.a.cefleet; they climb into Gord's gyro & head down that beloved ole red rut road to Leto, past familiar places, seen familiar faces, parken in the street where the elite meet t'eat (or EAT, that's near the B A R the longer-recollected set will recall). Gord puts a chumly arm around A. A. Aiken's gray-covered shoulders m takes him up that certain staircase & they get t'the dirtyfrosted doorway Gord winks conspiratorily at Adam & goes: :a-rap-a-tap-tap, a-rap-a-tap-tap, tap-tatty-rap-rap, rappy-tappy-tap: :or something like that. Anyway, it don't really matter none because nothing happens. He repeats the tarradiddle-de-de survural thymes, summat as he recalls his "erstwhile guru" (heh!) and friend, our ole sarge, having done, but is it a false recollection? Is it some smuggled half-bole dreadful Gord read behind the barn manly years ago rising t'cloud his mind with memories of unoccurred experiences? Leave us not spectorate on that subject too much.

Adam doubting, Gordon Lester he attempts to laugh it all off, maken a fist and on the wooden frame of the door pounden: :ker-whumph: (twicet) :m footsteps inside, door opening a crack (chained) m thoo the crack peeren out a face, not holy unfamiliar, fat, cornsilky colored hair pasted flat to forehead wid perspiration, huffin in his plainb.u.t.ton warsurp sweat-stained grays,-What can I do to be of service to you two obviously fine gentle, uh,-his eyes flicker down Gord, across at shuhite, up Adam A., lite on A's face, smiles, cuts horizontally to Gordon's mug, m he completes syncopated word-men?- Gord speaking:-Wanna show my buddy here your fine floor show, haven't seen Miss Merria.s.s Markham in a long while, off in s.p.a.ce fighten nigras, now I'm back...-Gord does rattle.

Blond feller:-I'm really sorry, sir, I don't know you and this is a private club.- Gord:-Whadaya, etc.- BF: (in essence)-Amscray before I call the uzzfay, oysbay!- Adam A. Aiken: (not in these words)-Let's blow, Gord.- Gord gives a.s.sent grumpily & down the creakies they creak.

Adam:-Howzabout a visita Piggy Peggy's p.u.s.s.y Parlor, GL?- So they do, picking respective ways through c.r.a.pped-up broken sidewalk & crossen rotten busted streets beneath busted streetlights (Letohatchie has not not been bombed). Outsiden the good ole 4P Gord sees that same ole Letohatchie town John Darn plain with his can of insect repellant (or whatever), leaning as usual against a (n even nonfunctional) lamppost. been bombed). Outsiden the good ole 4P Gord sees that same ole Letohatchie town John Darn plain with his can of insect repellant (or whatever), leaning as usual against a (n even nonfunctional) lamppost.

Inside, G&A are greeted by Piggy herself in finest old tradition of surn hospitality.

-Mighty busy night, boys, alla these visiting firemen in town for the big meet over ta Town Hall,-Peggy sayen, fixin her little-girl blonde curls (they been slippin all around her face as she talks, noddin her head continually)-but we aim to please. What's your pleasure, boys or girls, S or M, plain or fancy, twosomes or whosomes, now or later, lesser or greater, front or back, top or bottom, bed or board, a.n.a.l oral or genital, thin or fat, this or that, etc.- (Peggy, she always tries to provide her customers with what they want, that's her formula for a successful retail enterprise.) Gord, aside to Ad-Leave this to me, Ad.-To Piggy Peggy:-Just a dark room, PP, a soft floor, open the door & a pleasant surprise.- Gord & Adam shortly lyen side-by-side, stark naked & all up for excitement (a.s.sisting one another in the preparations). Lights low, door opens slow, in comes someone maken a show.

She's a biggish lady, you bet; Gordon Lester's eyes at the moment are somewhat shut but he hears appreciative noises from Adam; Adam he says-w.i.l.l.ya lookit that, Gordon.-But Gordon bein capable of delayen gratification he squeezesis eyes shut m says-I wanna feel it first.- Gordon waits in his homemade darkwomb & in a minute he feels something very surprising doing something very surprising someplace very surprising. He sayen something very original like (these are not his precise words)-What the f.u.c.ken s.h.i.+tmother's going on on here?- here?- From Adam Aiken an unexpected bit of inarticulation.

Gordon opens his eyes and speaks with shock:-Miss Markham!- All h.e.l.l breaks loose in which Gordon Lester Wallace III, Miss Merria.s.s Markham, Adam A. Aiken, and one or more surprising objects are variously tangled & tied, conjected complected & connected, interspersed interjected & interspected, banged balled blowed & throwed, socked c.o.c.ked & knocked, rolled cold & holed, dabbed grabbed & jabbed, permutated germutated & spermutated, dipped tipped cripped & whipped.

But no details. If you think this is a story off over which to get your rocks you're mistook.

Anyway, in the morning Gordon puts in for s.p.a.ce duty again.

7. To the Nation We Know Marius Goncourt personally verified the completeness of each conference kit shortly before the arrival of the first invited partic.i.p.ant. Each had the usual lined pad and short pencil, the conference folder, the report of the preliminary taskforce on the experimental manpower resuscitation project, the meeting agenda and the departmental chit good for one free meal at the ministry executive cafeteria. Seating was carefully arranged, nameplates present at each place, refreshments at hand.

After checking arrangements Marius waited in the hallway for the early partic.i.p.ants. The first to arrive was Mme. Laveau. Goncourt greeted her, then asked a question: "Your superiors at Propaganda are willing to see this through? No last-moment hesitation?"

Madame nodded.

Goncourt continued: "As long as it's just talk, they like to sound creative, aggressive, open to new ideas, radical thinking, but when it comes down to committing to action, you know how they are. Suddenly they go with the tried and true."

"Bureaucrats," Mme. Laveau said.

Goncourt nodded.

"Then what are we?" Madame asked.

Goncourt grinned ruefully, took her arm to guide her into the conference room. "Of course, of course," he said. "But N'Haiti is starting to fall apart. If some plan doesn't get us past this manpower crisis the blancs blancs will be in N'Porprince within 18 months!" will be in N'Porprince within 18 months!"

"What makes you think they are any better off than we?"

"Perhaps they aren't," he agreed. "But then, shall we fight the N'Alabamians until both planets collapse from sheer exhaustion? Be a.s.sured, Mme. Laveau, I lose no sleep worrying over the fate of the poor enemy, but I also take no comfort from envisioning N'Porprince and N'Montgomery equally in ruins, both planets decimated, both worlds in chaos, unable to raise and distribute food even, for inability to put workers where they are needed.

"A modern planetary society is a complex and delicate structure. You cannot just remove a few pieces and say, 'Well, most of it is still there, it should keep running nearly as well as it has.' That won't work. Take away too many of the skilled people who make the economy, the government, the law continue to function, and the whole thing won't just slow down a little or go a little out of kilter.

"We're pressing our luck now, both we and the blancs- blancs-they are are human beings, you know. We have to get this thing cleaned up and return our attention to developing our planet and its trade and cultural relations.h.i.+ps with others, or we're going to find ourselves back in some kind of hunting and gathering society. Well, maybe not quite that bad but..." he permitted his voice to trail off. human beings, you know. We have to get this thing cleaned up and return our attention to developing our planet and its trade and cultural relations.h.i.+ps with others, or we're going to find ourselves back in some kind of hunting and gathering society. Well, maybe not quite that bad but..." he permitted his voice to trail off.

"I know all that, Marius," Mme. Laveau said. "Whose side do you think I'm on? It's just that resuscitation is such a radical solution, it's hard for people to accept. And our plan for selling it is even more radical. But...as you say, we are approaching a state of affairs where only a radical solution can save us. I think it can work, I have the backing of my Ministry, and if we can get through this committee, we're in business."

"The man who invented committees," Goncourt said, "should have been contraceived."

As he spoke the remaining partic.i.p.ants in the meeting arrived: Goncourt's own deputy for Exoneurobiology, Trudeau; representing Grand Admiral Gouede Mazacca, Captain J.-P. Girard: from the office of Governor Faustin of La Gonave, Deputy Governor Laurence.

At last, Jean-Jacques Adolphe Antoine-Simone, Minister of Military Manpower Procurement. Short, balding, round-faced, huffing as he strode to the front of the room self-importantly.

All rose. M. the Minister gestured them to be seated once again. He spoke: "Madame, gentlemen-you are all aware of the problem. Captain Girard can tell us how badly the s.p.a.ce fleet of N'Haiti is in need of additional men. s.p.a.ce warfare produces casualities in alarming numbers. For obvious reasons we cannot rob the munitions industries of workers to meet the military needs, so farmers are drawn away. Now M. Laurence can tell us that La Gonave is stripped to the bone. Agriculture on N'Haiti itself is equally as bad off.

"M. Goncourt tells me that Doctor Trudeau and his people in exoneurobiology have devised a method of reviving s.p.a.ce casualties and returning them to duty. Now I am only a simple man, a simple servant of the government and the people of N'Haiti, but even I can see that such a program, if it is successful, will still have very serious overtones in the area of, ah, let us say public relations. So I have asked M. Goncourt to work with the Ministry of Propaganda to prepare a strategy for gaining public acceptance of this use of, ah, let us say reanimated corpses. Goncourt?" He waved a hand at his deputy and seated himself.

Marius said only, "Madame Laveau has represented Propaganda in this project. I will let her present our plan."

The five men followed with their eyes as Mme. Laveau walked to the front of the room. She looked about, smiled slightly as her eyes locked with those of Goncourt. Then she began to speak, at first hesitantly, then less so as she worked into her presentation.

"We have all seen the remarkable work of M. Trudeau and his staff. Although his first subjects were only crudely animated, later experimental resuscitees have proved capable of performing routine military and industrial duties under supervision of normal persons. A certain percentage of s.p.a.ce casualties, we have found, can be returned to useful a.s.signments by the application of M. Trudeau's implantation procedure. A far larger number can be reclaimed by the application of salvage techniques.

"Our surgeons have long held that there is no reason for an otherwise healthy person to expire when the implantation of an artificial organ or the transplantation of a natural one to replace a single nonfunctional organ could return him to health. We have now applied this principle more radically. Providing only that the size and general tissue structure matches, and with the application of anti-rejection techniques, we can take extremities, trunk, head, internal organs, from any number of casualties, recombine them, implant one of the NGC 7007 organisms-and have an effective soldier or worker. These resuscitated individuals-" she stopped as Laurence interrupted her sentence with a single word: "Zombies!"

"Yes," Madame Laveau resumed. "Zombies. Sooner or later everyone a.s.sociated with this project comes to that. Zombies. And that is our problem in public relations. Will N'Haitians accept this seeming return to O'Earthian primitivism? My Ministry has studied this question, and we have reached conclusions in three areas, leading to a proposed course of action.

"First, we must consider the reaction of our own general citizenry. The war is less than overwhelmingly popular as it is, and a major program which was rejected by the public would place the government in an untenable position.

"Second, the reaction of the workers and military personnel who will be in regular contact with the resuscitees. Because the subjects seem to manifest no will or personalities of their own, we have concluded that it would be best to isolate them into units of their own-field crews, industrial work gangs, even complete s.p.a.ce s.h.i.+p crews, with only normal humans as supervisors. The latter will of course have to be selected for special psychological makeups facilitating this type of a.s.signment.

"Third, the effect on the enemy. This is probably the most difficult aspect of the problem to consider, and yet potentially the most significant. If the enemy regards this program as evidence of desperation on our part, it will only encourage his war effort. But we believe that if we approach the rest suscitation program from the right direction we can actually convert it into an effective psychological warfare weapon."

Madame paused. From his chair Minister Antoine-Simone, squirming with eagerness, called out, "Zombies, yes! Tell them the plan!"

Mme. Laveau gestured placatingly. "Very well," she said. "Yes, after long consideration we believe that this aspect of the procedure should be neither denied outright nor downplayed, but should be the main focus of our entire publicity campaign regarding resuscitees. We propose the fullscale revival of the O'Earth traditions of vodu vodu, with public ceremonies emphasized, to gain support for the program as an authentic Haitian tactic. Further, we propose to broadcast information on the resuscitations-omitting, of course, clinical data of potential value to the enemy. We contend that this will make the s.p.a.ce s.h.i.+ps manned by resuscitee crews, which will carry special markings to make them visible to the enemy, objects of such terror that there will be a significant advantage to our forces."

M. Antoine-Simone said, "You think there will be full acceptance of this, Madame? Intellectuals, philosophers, the religious minority...they will all go along with this?"

"Perhaps not without difficulty, but all can be convinced. The intellectuals are aware that our war with N'Alabama is of the enemy's making, not of ours, that we are at war for our survival. They and the philosophers support the war, except for the total pacifists, who are opposed to it anyway, so their att.i.tude toward the resuscitation program does not matter. We plan to emphasize the cultural and nationalistic aspects of vodu vodu, the ties to O'Haiti. This should gain us their support as well.

"As for the religious, the problem may be more severe, but we must again emphasize the cultural ties to our O'Earth heritage. We may have to permit a few trappings of other mythologies to be grafted onto our vodu vodu rites, but my ministry's researchers a.s.sure me that in the historic practice of rites, but my ministry's researchers a.s.sure me that in the historic practice of vodu vodu there was a cross-mythologic flow anyway. The old there was a cross-mythologic flow anyway. The old vodu vodu cult was based on a pantheon of nature G.o.ds originally found in a country called Senegal on O'Earth. cult was based on a pantheon of nature G.o.ds originally found in a country called Senegal on O'Earth.

"Blanc slavers raided Senegal and its surrounding states to capture workers, and transported them to the nation we know as O'Haiti, our ancestral home. The slaves wished to retain their religion but to fool their masters they adopted some of the forms of the slavers' religion, and grafted them onto their own rites. So you see-" she paused and looked about the room like a lecturer making a point in an undergraduate cla.s.s " slavers raided Senegal and its surrounding states to capture workers, and transported them to the nation we know as O'Haiti, our ancestral home. The slaves wished to retain their religion but to fool their masters they adopted some of the forms of the slavers' religion, and grafted them onto their own rites. So you see-" she paused and looked about the room like a lecturer making a point in an undergraduate cla.s.s "-vodu was a mix from the start, and we can use the same tactic as the O'Haitians to make was a mix from the start, and we can use the same tactic as the O'Haitians to make vodu vodu live again, serve again as the tool and focus of our national struggle against the descendants of the Christian slavers." live again, serve again as the tool and focus of our national struggle against the descendants of the Christian slavers."

Circling the green luminary NGC 7007 deep in G.o.d's tri-di toy (called "The Universe" by the clerk down to Plenum's Fine Toy Emporium where G.o.d's fat old Uncle Dudley bought the thing for his sometimes bratty nephew), several pieces of junk. Dirt, slime, plasm and protoplasm, a.s.sorted fluids and gases and the rest of the c.r.a.p G.o.d built with his tri-di toy. (Boy, did mama and papa let fat old Uncle Dudley have it after he gave their kid that that little present...in the privacy of their connubial slime-vat, of course.) little present...in the privacy of their connubial slime-vat, of course.) One of those hunks of c.r.a.p, remember, the s.h.i.+ny one. Ahh, N'Yu-Atlanchi. Or so its first human inhabitants had called it when they found the place a while ago. Of course their descendants don't remember that. They don't even remember their names, either singly or as a race. G.o.d does, though. Hey, otherwise who could have told you that Ch'en-Tch'aa-Zch'uwn, that was her name?

Blessing be upon thee, Uncle Dudley.

Circling that that piece of c.r.a.p (the s.h.i.+ny one where the S'tschai live) two more. On the lesser one, something metallic stands, complex, involuted, circuitously formed within, lands and grooves of micromolecular thickness woven into patterns of incomprehensible function, power inputs ready to accept any available energy source, radiant, material, nucleic, chemic, kinetic, telepathic, monatomic relays awaiting their signal to perform tiny tricks, flip-flops ready to flip (or flop), storage arrays in order, functional capacitances at the ready, with only a crimp here, a gap there to show that something not intended had once happened to the metallic something. Daily the metallic something is bombarded by (on the average) maybe four or a thousand cosmic rays, no or some micro-meteoroids, some light, a spectrum of other radiation; it is pulled and pushed (simultaneously) by tidal gravitation; blown (when facing in the right direction) by solar wind; and maintained, as a figment of the imagination of old Uncle Dudley's pet nephew. piece of c.r.a.p (the s.h.i.+ny one where the S'tschai live) two more. On the lesser one, something metallic stands, complex, involuted, circuitously formed within, lands and grooves of micromolecular thickness woven into patterns of incomprehensible function, power inputs ready to accept any available energy source, radiant, material, nucleic, chemic, kinetic, telepathic, monatomic relays awaiting their signal to perform tiny tricks, flip-flops ready to flip (or flop), storage arrays in order, functional capacitances at the ready, with only a crimp here, a gap there to show that something not intended had once happened to the metallic something. Daily the metallic something is bombarded by (on the average) maybe four or a thousand cosmic rays, no or some micro-meteoroids, some light, a spectrum of other radiation; it is pulled and pushed (simultaneously) by tidal gravitation; blown (when facing in the right direction) by solar wind; and maintained, as a figment of the imagination of old Uncle Dudley's pet nephew.

Moving in a complex orbital dance with that piece of c.r.a.p is a similar but larger one. Large enough to retain an atmosphere of sorts. Once it too had a magical mystery machine on its surface but you know you pay a price. Take the air for a while (fifteen pico-seconds or some aeons, what's the difference?) and all that nice s.h.i.+ny metal turns to red dust. Ah me, and so it has.

But in that atmosphere walks our old friend from the N'Haitian Ministry of Military Manpower Procurement, Phillipe. Now chief clerk, reclamation section, S'tschai harvest project, planet of N'Yu-Atlanchi, NGC 7007. Office of the chief clerk is located on the greater moon of N'Yu-Atlanchi. The planet, fer Dudley's sake, would be too wet wet for a comfy working s.p.a.ce. for a comfy working s.p.a.ce.

Phillipe checks his weekly report to the Ministry back on N'Haiti, thinking, Oh, why did I ever leave beautiful downtown N'Porprince? Actually he left because his boss told him he was leaving. That's life in the ministry. But he got a better job code out of it, so it wasn't a total loss.

The weekly report indicates the continuing high yield of S'tschai is holding up. Apparently the All-Mother (although Phillipe has never met the, uh, "lady" himself) has some kind of built-in mechanism for increasing her own production rate to meet the ecological balance required by the planetary chemistry of N'Yu-Atlanchi. Somebody comes along and harvests a few thousand S'tschai a week, All-Mother just gears up a little more, produces a few thousand more S'tschai a week, balances her little family neatly.

Phillipe and his superiors know enough not to push the All-Mother too hard. That would be killing the goose that lays the golden egg, if you'll just take your superelectronic stylo and go back and change a few nouns and verbs around.

Phillipe is far from overjoyed with this a.s.signment, but it's all right. For the war effort, you know. Only temporary.

8. Aboard the Stars.h.i.+p Jimmie-O An NCO's bunk in a N'Ala stars.h.i.+p is bigger than a breadbox, smaller than a phone booth (laid on end), shaped a little bit like a condom for a giant about 70 feet tall with a teeny-weeny baby bonnet attached to the open (or "non-business") end. You slide into it (if you're an NCO aboard a N'Ala stars.h.i.+p) as if your feet were the head of said 70-feet-tall giant's dork and your head its base; then you put on your teeny-weeny baby bonnet.

This is all worked out because gravity is a variable rather than a constant in a stars.h.i.+p. No matter how you mounted that bunk, sometimes it would hang you like a hammock, sometimes like a salami in a kosher delicatessen back on O'Earth. (You'd be surprised how many of those there are in these days of the furgem Jewrab hegemony, Yitzak ben El-Makesh, prexy.) Sometimes "up" is relative to the head of the stars.h.i.+p, sometimes to its tail, sometimes to its longitudinal axis and sometimes to its skin.

Sometimes it's in free-fall. Those bunks work regardless.

Gordon Lester Wallace kept his three V's and top-rocker when he gave up sh.o.r.e duty and went back on board the James O. Eastland James O. Eastland with the s.p.a.cerine detachment, but he lost his position-no squad leaders were needed and he wound up a.s.sistant squad leader in Lt. Jimmie Rainie's platoon, working for Sarge Bo Fallon. It wasn't a bad squad or a bad platoon, and what the h.e.l.l, gyrene casualties do tend to get a bit heavy so there was a good chance that there'd be an opening for an experienced squad leader one of these days. with the s.p.a.cerine detachment, but he lost his position-no squad leaders were needed and he wound up a.s.sistant squad leader in Lt. Jimmie Rainie's platoon, working for Sarge Bo Fallon. It wasn't a bad squad or a bad platoon, and what the h.e.l.l, gyrene casualties do tend to get a bit heavy so there was a good chance that there'd be an opening for an experienced squad leader one of these days.

Mean, not that Gloowoo wanted wanted to see Bo dead. Hale, a leetle wound would do it, providing it wasn't to see Bo dead. Hale, a leetle wound would do it, providing it wasn't too too leetle. Bo out of action for a while, Gord would be squad leader again, then when Bo came back from sick bay leetle. Bo out of action for a while, Gord would be squad leader again, then when Bo came back from sick bay he'd he'd be out of work! That was the way to do it. be out of work! That was the way to do it.

There hung Gord sumpin up in the sack (bonnet tied neatly neathiz chin) merrily dreaming away of some nifty N'Alabama baby (Miss Merria.s.s Markham perhaps or then again perhaps not) not too many hours outen Fort Sealy Mae s.p.a.ceport, chowed down, settled round, gear stowed, weapons checked out, checked in with CO, leader Bo, s.h.i.+p's records, chaplain, quartermaster, company clerk & a necessary minimal few others, happily snoring up a storm much to annoyance of a few early risers (?) when an eyeball-smiting beam filled the gyrene embunkment where he was embunked and poor old Gord he flinched away, eyelids squeezing together trine to make that light stop only it wouldn't and then a let's call it sound started & worked its way up into his ears from a point so low he more felt it in his teeth (danged back molars needed some dental attention but the N'Ala s.p.a.cerines were a mought short of dental talent these days) vibrating his whole danged skull & working its way up into his crany danged um and shaken the whole thing until he felt almost as if the whole banging noise was pouring out out of his ears instead of in and he shook his head nearly like a dragonfly flicking sideways through some summery sunlit air and even in that tied-on teeny-weeny baby bonnet he somehow managed to whomp hisself upside the haid on some kinder stanchion or beam anna of his ears instead of in and he shook his head nearly like a dragonfly flicking sideways through some summery sunlit air and even in that tied-on teeny-weeny baby bonnet he somehow managed to whomp hisself upside the haid on some kinder stanchion or beam anna wham wham he donged hisself unpleasantly, clicked his teeth, flung defiantly wide those previously tight-clenched eyelids staring into the d.a.m.ned ultra-blue reveille light and mumbled unintelligibly something to the effect that tough is tough but you'd think they'd find some gentler way of waking the s.p.a.cerine detachment aboard the G.o.ddam he donged hisself unpleasantly, clicked his teeth, flung defiantly wide those previously tight-clenched eyelids staring into the d.a.m.ned ultra-blue reveille light and mumbled unintelligibly something to the effect that tough is tough but you'd think they'd find some gentler way of waking the s.p.a.cerine detachment aboard the G.o.ddam James O. Eastland James O. Eastland when it was time for chow in the G.o.ddam standard s.h.i.+p's time morning. when it was time for chow in the G.o.ddam standard s.h.i.+p's time morning.

After chow they had a shape-up in the troop-marshaling area and the detachment commander, Colonel-General "p.i.s.sfire" Pallbox, addressed the men.

-Umen-Colonel General "p.i.s.sfire" Pallbox (his real first name was not spoken allowed in the N'Alabama s.p.a.cerines, you can bet your *ss)-Umen-(being somewhat repet.i.tious)-are the finest fighting force in the N'Alabama s.p.a.cerines.- Up went bajeesus & saintgeorge a loud cheer.

-M the N'Alabama s.p.a.cerines bein the finest fightin force in the en dammit tire planetary military establish f.u.c.kin ment.-He spit on the deck. Some swabby wone like that!

(Prolonged & stormy applause.) -M the N'Alabama planetary military establish f.u.c.kin ment-his voice rising-being the finest fightin force among the pure surn white planets under G.o.d & His Son Jesus George Christ!- -Yay!-everybody said to that, loud & with enthusiasm.

-M the pure surn white planets-ole p.i.s.sfire hollern rantin now, snappin his official s.p.a.cerine issue galluses m turnin from side to side-bein the toughest, meanest, wild-spit-in-the-eye-&-kick-em-in-the-nuts bunch of ball-barren men men in the entire furgem galaxy!-He jumped up & down with a red face & shoutin. in the entire furgem galaxy!-He jumped up & down with a red face & shoutin.

All the s.p.a.cerines likewise.

Gord, he like to p.i.s.s his pants when he heard that speech. That old p.i.s.sfire, now there was a leader bajeez, none of this weakwater and julep-jippin wheezes like you got from Milburn Mitchum or Eugene Youngerman or them other pansy-a.s.sed parlor ticians. Gord, he just stood there hoping to hear more.

p.i.s.sfire, he said-Now these here swabbies-and he paused for reaction, being a man who knew how to play to an audience, even of enlisted men-now these here swabbies, they got a certain technical competence, we gotta hand them that much.-he said, then paused again while a t.i.tter (pardon) swept the ranks.

-An ole Admiral Yancy Moorman, he tellin me this morning that these swabbies spotted some blips on their lookin gla.s.ses. Now some of them blips, we know what they are. I can tell you men now-he leanin forrard comspiracarily & emphasizin that word now- now-that we haven a general fleet mobilization & rendezvous today, m we been plannin, right, we been plannin what we all been trainin for m hopin for for all these years, we going to land on G.o.ddam N'Haiti m teach the nigra papadocs oncet m frall they place!- place!- s.p.a.cerines cheerin an whoopin an huggin each the other (sometimes with a leetle more hug than you might think for s.p.a.cerines, but what the h.e.l.l, they wuz a long way from Leto) when they hear that that, you can bet your sweet a*s. But then Colonel General "p.i.s.sfire" Pallbox, he had summin else to add: -But those other other blips ole Yancy's boys seen-he let that blips ole Yancy's boys seen-he let that other other sink in a little bit-those sink in a little bit-those other other blips, they a bit farther off, m they straight on ahead, m unless ole Yance, he fooled mightily, he says he thinks they bein the N'Haitian d.a.m.ned s.p.a.ce fleet! Now you men, you know what that means.-He stoppen & looken around once more. blips, they a bit farther off, m they straight on ahead, m unless ole Yance, he fooled mightily, he says he thinks they bein the N'Haitian d.a.m.ned s.p.a.ce fleet! Now you men, you know what that means.-He stoppen & looken around once more.

-You know what that means! We can't go p.i.s.sin away our military cream on their bap-a-lousy two-bit crummy planet m let their cruvvelin d.a.m.ned forces have a free pa.s.s at our sacred homes! Nossir! No cruvvelin black animan nigra goin lay one filthy paw on some innocent defenseless little golden curly-headed surn baby while p.i.s.sfire Pallbox draws breath. Are you with me?- Oh, he played a audience well. They been howlin yet if he didn't raise his hand for quiet.

-Oak hay, men-p.i.s.sfire wrapped it up-we goin rendezvous as planned, but then we goin head straight at them cruvvelin black papadocs m smash the daylights out of that bunch of floating tin they call a s.p.a.ce fleet. Before another sun sets-(he was talken meta d.a.m.n phorically you realize of course, out there in the big glittery dark)-ole Goody Mazaccy'll wish he been a waiter or summon else a nigra's fit to be, an not play-act at bein a admiral.- He finished up his speech & walked off & the lesser bra.s.s took over & made speeches & then the d.a.m.ned company grade officers took over & they they made speeches & finally the NCO's took charge & got everybody to fixing up their packs & s.p.a.cesuits & practicing battle stations & calling out raider detachments & boarding parties & making sure they had their weapons at hand & ready to go & ammunition supplies okay & the chaplain went around & prayed over everybody & gave em all a tweak below the belt & finally everybody had chow again & grabbed a little sack time cause you never know when you'll get a chance once a battle starts. made speeches & finally the NCO's took charge & got everybody to fixing up their packs & s.p.a.cesuits & practicing battle stations & calling out raider detachments & boarding parties & making sure they had their weapons at hand & ready to go & ammunition supplies okay & the chaplain went around & prayed over everybody & gave em all a tweak below the belt & finally everybody had chow again & grabbed a little sack time cause you never know when you'll get a chance once a battle starts.

By late afternoon (according to standard s.h.i.+p time, you can never tell in s.p.a.ce of course except on a civil liner where they keep dark & light hours but on a military s.h.i.+p it's light all the time & ready to go) Gord was "up" again, everybody was giving his lase-axe a final cleaning, everybody was talking in a kind of nervous undertone & Gord kind of quietly drifted off (one of the advantages of being a 3V & rocker without the responsibility of command) & headed for a window hoping to see the fleet rendezvous (he was still that much of a boy at heart & loved to watch s.p.a.ce s.h.i.+ps land & take off & all that stuff) & kind of hoping that the swabbies would be trying out their holo projectors in preparation for fooling the poor stupid apes in the impending battle & at the same time wondering if he'd be fooled himself & not be able to tell the projos from the rest of the real fleet Well, one thing for sure, if he saw another G.o.ddam James O. Eastland James O. Eastland, agonized matter exhaust pouring out her a.s.shole & red lase streaming out her slit & gun ports zapping & bapping, at least he'd know that that that was a projo, that was for sure. was a projo, that was for sure.

Found himself a nice window, part of a big old gun blister right there in Jimmie O's Jimmie O's flank. Gun crew'd been there & everything was all clean m polished nice the emplacement was a big ole bapper, Gord figgered it for a 60 megapower go-go mounted right there to the deck & emplaced into the blister for better sighting & maneuverability, plugged in & charged up & ready to go when the whistle blow. Gun crew must all been in their bag-m-bonnets trynta grab a last nap m only one guard was left at the blister, nice chubby blond boy with a perspirey complexion & a tendency for his hair to get plastered onto his forehead name of Leander Laptip. flank. Gun crew'd been there & everything was all clean m polished nice the emplacement was a big ole bapper, Gord figgered it for a 60 megapower go-go mounted right there to the deck & emplaced into the blister for better sighting & maneuverability, plugged in & charged up & ready to go when the whistle blow. Gun crew must all been in their bag-m-bonnets trynta grab a last nap m only one guard was left at the blister, nice chubby blond boy with a perspirey complexion & a tendency for his hair to get plastered onto his forehead name of Leander Laptip.

Gord he walked up m Leander said-See them points Gord?-m Gord nodded m grunted m Leander said-Ain't stars.-m Gord made a kind of grumphy noise m Leander said-They ours ours Gord!- Gord!- Gord he crawled into the blister with s.p.a.cerine Corporal Leander Laptip brus.h.i.+ng maybe not nearer than necessary to get past and get a good look at those points and he said, full of patriotic fervor and enthusiasm-You right, Leander, they our fleet oak hay.- Arms around each other and holding mutually onto that 60 megapower all s.h.i.+ned up & ready for action go-go bapper for steadiness there in the stapagla.s.sene blister & their heads close together four wondering eyes perceived the a.s.sembly (weren't they lucky to be on the right side of the James O. Eastland! James O. Eastland!) of the en just about tire N'Alabama military s.p.a.ce defense force, swabbies & gyrenes alike.

How many s.h.i.+ps? Gord, Leander they tried pointing out & keeping count, calling out names when they knew em m types when they didn't know names: sleek m speedy hit-m-runners darting ahead, destroyers, bigger, heavier armed but still light m maneuverable, tenders, communication s.h.i.+ps, supply s.h.i.+ps built like giant plasmetal b.a.l.l.s: :m sister s.h.i.+ps of the James O. Eastland James O. Eastland, giant elongated shafts bearing instrument rings m command modules at their heads, giant fuel b.a.l.l.s at their bases: Orval Faubus, Theodore H. Bilbo, Lester Maddox Orval Faubus, Theodore H. Bilbo, Lester Maddox. Gord picked out Voerward Voerward. Leander picked out Goebbels Goebbels.

Forming up, forming up, commo beams crackling almost audibly, data sensors humming, circuits m generators throbbing, troops preparing for the battle to come: Long, Lee, Davis, Perez Long, Lee, Davis, Perez, on they came. The pod-bearing States Rights States Rights, her bulging belly packed with daughter s.h.i.+ps ready to spring into battle, gnats that would spread havoc among the enemy fleet. The s.p.a.ce ram Jackson Jackson, N'Alabama's weapon of last resort, a s.p.a.ce-flying shaft of almost solid plasmetal, crew quarters buried deep inside macrometers of padding m protection, if all else failed, lasing m zapping m bapping, Jackson Jackson could smash, headfirst, into any enemy s.h.i.+p, nothing in s.p.a.ce could survive that impact m the could smash, headfirst, into any enemy s.h.i.+p, nothing in s.p.a.ce could survive that impact m the Jackson's Jackson's crew padded m strapped inside there would just wait for a retrieval team if they could make it outside themselves, m the flags.h.i.+p of the N'Alabama fleet, pride of a planet, painted pure glistry white with a giant portrait six decks high m a hundred meters long: crew padded m strapped inside there would just wait for a retrieval team if they could make it outside themselves, m the flags.h.i.+p of the N'Alabama fleet, pride of a planet, painted pure glistry white with a giant portrait six decks high m a hundred meters long: :Lurleen McQueen, flying out of N'Montgomery s.p.a.ceport, proud m pure m altogether sure, bearing the finest of the finest, armed to the hilt, surrounded by a swarm of tenders almost audibly buzzing m bounding at her every move. Oh, that s.h.i.+p she was proud of her a.s.s!

-What you think that s.h.i.+p cost, Gord?-asked Leander.

Gord looked, shrugged (rubbing up a little bit on Leander as he done so, but unavoidably let's be quick to note) m didn't say nothing.

-What you think this fleet fleet cost?-asked Leander. cost?-asked Leander.

Gord took his free hand off the go-go bapper for a moment m rubbed his head, then he said-Dunno. Must be close on three thousand s.h.i.+ps here, big ole battlebottoms down to those little pizmaiers zoopin around out there. Them d.a.m.n parlor ticians planetside (he liked to pick up s.p.a.ce talk when he got off the ground, being a boy at heart) surely know how to squeeze the ole taxes out of us, but they hardly do nothing with all the money but build s.h.i.+ps, buy zappers m bappers, train soldiers m the like, for about as long as I can remember. Lemme see now...-he got deep in thought but didn't get through it cause the s.h.i.+p rocked: :kerwhup!: :alike to send him m Leander sprawling m struggling if they didn't have a good secure grip on the bapper m onto one the other. Then they heard a s.h.i.+p's siren sounding m in a minute ole Admiral Moorman's voice a-whipping through the s.h.i.+p's voice system: :-Moorman here tention crew stations medially furgem papadocs clearly got some kind of longer range weapons as we calculated still beyond pickup gear but they gotta be northeast quadrant between 30, 34 degrees, holos on on, gunners ready m I turn command over to section CO's.-: :m off he goes m there's b.u.mping m b.i.t.c.hing sounds m voices, noises, thumps m sommon sounding like a urrkh! urrkh! m a familiar voice coming on: m a familiar voice coming on: :-Pallbox here listen all s.p.a.cerines we gettin moren we an f.u.c.kin tic.i.p.ated soonern we ex hubbadubba pected everybody to a.s.semly areas G.o.ddam now now by ee-vee-ay detachments we gonna augment firepower ex s.h.i.+ttin ternally till the nigras get close m then we gonna go across m take the furgemothers a.s.sall!- by ee-vee-ay detachments we gonna augment firepower ex s.h.i.+ttin ternally till the nigras get close m then we gonna go across m take the furgemothers a.s.sall!- He shutten up, voice system crackled a couple-three times m shutten off, feet pounding, whistles sounding, people shouting, Leander he yell at Gordon-My crew coming now m you gotta go ole buddy.-he given G. Lester one sweet tonguing m away Gilwoo swooped coming round a corner pa.s.sed Leander Laptip's gun squad pounding down the plasmetal corridor m Gordon Lester he making his way at top speed past his condombunk picken his pack m on his way fastern you can say Jackie Robinson m he going so furgem fast m he so sucken scared he don't know whether he mess his pants or just let a little nervous gas but he knows it smells bad in that sealed-suit but he's in place for a quick tense countoff.

Lt. Jimmie Rainie he's zoopin around in front checking who's there (everybody is) m all the squad leaders are dancing up & down making sure everybody's got his equipment, no use being present if you don't have your gear right, weapons ready, sealed-suit proper; everybody's okay though s.p.a.cerine drill being what it is they've been through this beau coup times in barracks on drill field in the boondocks bivouacced away from camp and you can bet every time they ever hit black deep s.p.a.ce.

:kerwhup!: :that s.h.i.+p gives another shake, gyrenes jarred but everybody keeps his feet Lt. Rainie he hollers, his voice comes out crackly-plasmetally in everybody headphones-You all oak hay? Stand fast men!- They do.

s.h.i.+p starts to buckle across her beam, ole James O James O. being in bad trouble, in perilous shape and those poor white boys they haven't even seen seen no black-as* papadoc s.h.i.+ps yet but now everybody standing in unsteady slowly tilting ranks wobbling m wavering as gravity slips around up goes down m heavy-light swapping around m only grabboots holding those gyrenes steady to the deck but leaning m swaying m Gordon Lester Wallace the one two three he looks up m: no black-as* papadoc s.h.i.+ps yet but now everybody standing in unsteady slowly tilting ranks wobbling m wavering as gravity slips around up goes down m heavy-light swapping around m only grabboots holding those gyrenes steady to the deck but leaning m swaying m Gordon Lester Wallace the one two three he looks up m: :Great b.a.l.l.s of Fire!: :the core dinged ceiling/wall/hull utha s.h.i.+p's got a rent in her up there thirty feet above his wondering head half a football diamond long m nearly as wide m on the other side of it up/down/out there [Gord he feel like he falling/flying/swooping out/up/down into that hole/flat black pool/sky/plane m he swooping in circles his head wobbling on his suddenly rubbery neck m his stomach sending up sour warnings of the taste of things to come meanwhile churning/burning inside m a humring in his ear (phone)s as Lt. Rainie's voice hollering (to be continued)]: :gigant shapes huge glistry another Jimmie O Jimmie O. beside the James O James O. beside a ghosty wavery Eastland Eastland behind a bigabigabiga battlewagon oozy fat letters honor prow proclaiming behind a bigabigabiga battlewagon oozy fat letters honor prow proclaiming James O. Eastland James O. Eastland uptop a glowing gleaming phanty uptop a glowing gleaming phanty J. O. Eastland J. O. Eastland surrounded by a cl.u.s.tra surrounded by a cl.u.s.tra JamesJamesJames O.O.O. EastlandEastlandEastland JamesJamesJames O.O.O. EastlandEastlandEastland some solid some lucent m beyond Gord can see a some solid some lucent m beyond Gord can see a Bilbo Bilbo, another, another, waving, dancing, bapping m zapping away m Longs Longs m m Lees Lees m m Faubuses Faubuses m m Maddoxes Maddoxes m one m one Lurleen Lurleen, two, three, whee! m: :faway, faway, wayway past the holos visible at last the s.h.i.+teaten N'Haitian nigra fleet: s.h.i.+ps m s.h.i.+ps m s.h.i.+ps s.h.i.+ps m s.h.i.+ps m s.h.i.+ps s.h.i.+ps m s.h.i.+ps m s.h.i.+ps s.h.i.+ps m s.h.i.+ps m s.h.i.+ps firing, firing swooping m dodging rays, missiles, rams, coming from the nigras' s.h.i.+ps, coming from the N'Ala s.h.i.+ps, noises in the headphones, sum um words, sum um not, loud m Creesacappery Creesacappery screaming m now a break, now a second unscreaming m now coming across the headphones Lt. Jimmie Rainie's (continued now!) voice-You gyrenes, you surn men, nowsa time, on the hull, weapons up, now, now, up, lezgo!-in command still, Gord he's trained, he obeys, kicking his grabboots, shloop! off the deck, up, outen that hole, ee-vee-ay time, out/up/down onto/into black deep/flat swoop/tumble m a quick spin, most a mini-orbit m clank! splank! onto the hull, onya belly, look up, through holos ( screaming m now a break, now a second unscreaming m now coming across the headphones Lt. Jimmie Rainie's (continued now!) voice-You gyrenes, you surn men, nowsa time, on the hull, weapons up, now, now, up, lezgo!-in command still, Gord he's trained, he obeys, kicking his grabboots, shloop! off the deck, up, outen that hole, ee-vee-ay time, out/up/down onto/into black deep/flat swoop/tumble m a quick spin, most a mini-orbit m clank! splank! onto the hull, onya belly, look up, through holos (you men bin trained!) m a one-man lase-axe ready to augment s.h.i.+p's firepower, looking up at nigra s.h.i.+ps, Creeso! Creeso! how many they must have holos too but even so how many they must have us five-to-four, four-to-three, three-to-two m now the two fleets they intermingling m: how many they must have holos too but even so how many they must have us five-to-four, four-to-three, three-to-two m now the two fleets they intermingling m: :zapper m bapper fire crossing, singing m zinging, singeing m twingeing the ether itself, lighting streaks red, yellow, orange, glaring magenta, blood colors, flesh colors, missiles barreling by, striking uss uss.h.i.+ps, them thems.h.i.+ps, silent glarey detonations, impact demolishments m: :kerwhup!: :the Eastland Eastland took another shot someplace Gord didn't see where only felt the whole sucken hull buck m thud beneath him m just as she settled down a might Gordon he readying his lase-axe once more there's the most incredible: took another shot someplace Gord didn't see where only felt the whole sucken hull buck m thud beneath him m just as she settled down a might Gordon he readying his lase-axe once more there's the most incredible: :B-L-O-O-M-I-N-G:.

:as the Lurleen McQueen Lurleen McQueen she musta taken a direct full-force blow right to the vitals m she goes she musta taken a direct full-force blow right to the vitals m she goes splowen splowen in all directions, plumes of fumes m chunks of guts m hull m hardware, guns m control gear, power plants m fuel supplies (that lady she had the biggest d.a.m.n b.a.l.l.s in the whole furgem fleet packed in all directions, plumes of fumes m chunks of guts m hull m hardware, guns m control gear, power plants m fuel supplies (that lady she had the biggest d.a.m.n b.a.l.l.s in the whole furgem fleet packed full full of agonized matter!), sealed-suited s.p.a.cerines blown out, twirling m snapping through blacuum some clearly dead, some not so, some clearly holed, some still looking sealed m now: of agonized matter!), sealed-suited s.p.a.cerines blown out, twirling m snapping through blacuum some clearly dead, some not so, some clearly holed, some still looking sealed m now: :sliding silently upside the Eastland Eastland Gord sees a shape, a hardlooken plasmetally thing, huge, biggern the Gord sees a shape, a hardlooken plasmetally thing, huge, biggern the Eastland Eastland even, close even to the blowed even, close even to the blowed Lurleen Lurleen m she's a clearly she's he knows he can identify her from Fort Sealy Mae dayroom ID posters she's a she's no doubt about it a a gigantic d.a.m.n nigra s.h.i.+p she's in fact that superwagon m she's a clearly she's he knows he can identify her from Fort Sealy Mae dayroom ID posters she's a she's no doubt about it a a gigantic d.a.m.n nigra s.h.i.+p she's in fact that superwagon Oh! Oh! Oh! Oh! N'Ala s.p.a.cerines call her, the N'Ala s.p.a.cerines call her, the Annie Eyes Annie Eyes, the Oginga Odinga Oginga Odinga m on her hull Gord sees vast rectangular pullbacks inside battle-dressed armor-glinting star-s.h.i.+ne-lit black-suited black-skinned N'Haiti colleagues-in-arms Gord's copro's no mistakenem nigra s.p.a.cerines m with a helmet-shaking common m on her hull Gord sees vast rectangular pullbacks inside battle-dressed armor-glinting star-s.h.i.+ne-lit black-suited black-skinned N'Haiti colleagues-in-arms Gord's copro's no mistakenem nigra s.p.a.cerines m with a helmet-shaking common roar: roar: Lt. Jimmie Rainie's s.p.a.cerine platoon kick off from the hull of the Eastland Eastland, grabboots shloop up off the hull, that blattering bunch of old p.i.s.sfire's finest, lase-axes light-lining m illuminated only by multi-originned stars-light m the glints of their own lase-axes they see black-suited nigras leap fly/fall from that pullback opening in the Oh! Oh! Oh! Oh! sweeping up/down/out to meet them m with a crash the first two foes meet, lase-beams missed, chest-plates giving a radioed sweeping up/down/out to meet them m with a crash the first two foes meet, lase-beams missed, chest-plates giving a radioed clank clank, pants m gasps of Creeso Creeso can you tell the sounds of killing from those of coitus! can you tell the sounds of killing from those of coitus!