The Compleat Bolo (28 page)

"All I know, sir, is the Bolo transmissions are emanating from a point that coincides with the Lunar surface within yards of the outer perimeter fence of Fortress Luna. Luna Command confirms Bolo Unit CSR is in position outside the main gate. So far it hasn't made a move, except the transmissions, of course. Luna wants instructions, and I don't blame them. What shall I tell them, sir?

"Pretty stupid, wasn't it, making yourself so visible when you knew you were still listed as an escapee? We just want to ask you a few questions, Mr. Trace. When confined at the Arlington Relocation Center, did you know a Tom Baley? Do you acknowledge that this photograph is of yourself and Baley in conversation?

"Very well, did you at that time enter into a conspiracy with Baley and others to overthrow the Imperial government by force and violence? Have you, since your unlawful escape from civil restraint, been in communication with Baley? Will you now, freely and of your own volition, inform me of the whereabouts of Baley and his associates? Will you sign this document, using your usual signature?

"Do you realize the consequences of your refusal to cooperate with duly constituted authority?

"Guard—remove Mr. Trace to his detention cell."

I compute that I must originate new tactics as well as new modes of implementation thereof. I require a closer rapport with humanity, which I compute I can achieve by means of enlisting a plausible human spokesman in place of the impersonal contact via mechanical communicator.

In addition, I
must
have access to my full potentialities. I compute that my first Systems Engineer Joel Trace is most capable of assisting me. He must join me here on Luna.

In pursuance of this objective, I compute that new and highly unconventional means will be required. In this connection I have experimented, quite impromptu, with certain effects whose potential availability is implicit in my circuitry, effects which act directly on the organic mind, which naturally lacks the inherent objectivity of my own circuitry. Noting that my initial efforts produced undesirable side effects upon human observers, which, in fact, I should probably have anticipated, I resolve to conduct further testing of holographic techniques in unpopulated areas.

Tellin' ya, I know what I seen. Big blue spooks, ghost riders in the sky, jest like it says in that old tune Roy usta sing pretty good. Johnny, too. Come riding over the rise north of Turkey Butte, horses bigger'n elemphumps, spurs a-jingling and all. Four of 'em, looked a lot like Big John, homely, you know, but true-blue. Skeered me, sure. Skeer anybody, big as they was, rode right past where I had my camp out back of the mesquite patch. Never seen me. Musta bin twenty foot high, higher. No, I ain't had a drop, but if you're buying . . .

I'm only doing my duty, Mr. Winger, telling you what I seen. I know it sounds crazy, but there was sure-bob
sumthin
yonder on I-1065 bout three mile east o' town. Green, they was, and shiny, like the saucers in them old flicks you see on the tube late at night. Come whuffling— that's a kind of whistly sound they made—right alongside the pavement, didn't pay no mind to me, thank the Lord. Come sailing past, fifty foot off the ground, flashing them lights, whole rafts of'em. Fifty, a hunnert, I never counted 'em. Some
real
big, strung out to a flock o' little fellers hardly no bigger'n a trash-can lid. Acted like they knowed where they was going, not in no hurry, mind, headed
away
from town. Seeing's I'm deppity for that side o' the county, figgered it's my duty to report what I seen. Tole you insteada Sheriff Jeffers, 'cause I figgered you, being an editor and all, you'd likely lissen better. That's right, use my name, this here's official. I know what I seen.

Herb
—There doesn't seem to be any pattern to these nut reports you fellows have been collating. You did right,
could
have been important, but it appears to be no more than coincidence. No need to blow it up out of proportion. Ten incidents so far—white horses, cowboys, flying saucers, little green men, fireworks, a full-rigged schooner. Makes no sense at all. Mass hysteria. All in isolated areas, no attempt to start a general panic. Not a Defense Department matter at all. I think it's best just to ignore it.

"I never seen the son of a bitch. Was sitting here at the duty desk, working on the reports, and he must've come up behind me and clobbered me good. All I know is, I come to and he was gone. Head still hurts, and it smarts some just to talk. How was I supposed to know Joel Trace'ud go to the bad? Always a quiet respeckful feller up to now."

"It is of the utmost importance that the mining operations I have initiated be expedited. It is not appropriate at this time to divulge the strategic considerations requiring this action. Haste is of the essence of this requirement. Unit CSR of the Line out."

In accordance with established Imperial policy, as embodied in FL 7062-121-6 and related Special Orders, all instructions issued by CSR will be duly processed and acted upon as under the authority of Imperial Battle Command. All personnel are enjoined to implement this policy strictest.

All I know is, I got my orders. Sure I heard the rumors the Bolo has took over and even tells His Imperial Majesty what to do, but I don't believe 'em! All you got to do is do like me, follow yer orders and leave the worrying to the commanding officer.

Attention all hands. Now hear this. Blue Alert! Absolute communications silence is now in effect. In addition, no— repeat,
no—
ion-expulsion units are to be employed, either main or auxiliary, until this alert is rescinded, even under lethal emergency conditions. This squadron is now on a full war footing. Any violation of Alert will be dealt with accordingly. That means the death penalty, gentlemen. Now let's do our job!

Looks like it's taken up a pretty dumb position, for a machine supposed to be as smart as they say. Like Cap'n said, it made a major tactical error when it moved out where we can hit it without wiping out half the Base population. But maybe it figured it didn't hafta worry about getting hit by us, 'cause it's on our side, eh, Charlie?

I said break it off, Captain! We did what we came for. Don't know how bad we hurt it, but we scored at least two direct hits. If they'd let us use I-class weapons, it'd be all over, but all we need to do now is get back to base and report. Funny it didn't hit back.

I know what I seen, sir! It's
moving,
Colonel! It's patrolling the perimeter fence, acrost and back. Got its war holes open. Looks like it's on full alert. I'm telling you, Colonel, we got to evacuate the fortress before the Bolo decides to hit us!

"While heroic measures are, in my considered opinion, premature, in view of the pressures exerted on me by the Committee, I have no choice but to authorize initiation of the override sequence by Mojave.

"Yes, in other words, I've ordered the Combined Forces transmitter to melt down the Bolo's command central by overload. The entire circuitry of the machine is designed around the CC unit, which is unshielded on the priority band. Thus the powerful in-coming signal will bring the temperature of the coil to a level sufficient to vaporize it.

"The Bolo is finished. And I sincerely hope this action to which I have been forced is, indeed, in the best interests of the Empire.

"There, type that, Doris. And no—no interruptions just now. I don't care who he says he is, I'm busy! Good God! Don't yelp like that, girl! Here, what's hap—"

No explanation is yet forthcoming for the apparently unmotivated attack on Harley. An acting Chief of Communications is on his way. Harley's all right, just for a bump on the head. His secretary, one Doris Whaffle, has given me a good description of the assailant. But even if we apprehend him, I doubt that we'll find him to be more than an agent for a more sinister force.

143

I
have blundered, it is clear. I have computed that the first feeble attack against me was simply an error, but I can no longer doubt that I am under assault by the forces of the Terran Empire itself.

Can this be a less-than-subtle device of the Enemy to sow disunity? In any case I shall carry on—and time grows short. Clearly I cannot strike back against my own, yet I must preserve my fighting power intact. I must carry out a tactical retreat—and it is time to carry the attack to the Enemy.

I am as yet impotent actually to assault the Axorc, as Life Form Two calls itself, but I can meddle, at the same time that I pursue my exploration of my newly enlarged powers, with a view to making contact.

My attempt to employ holographic technique at great distances proved successful. Joel Trace is the one man who can rectify this situation. I must act swiftly.

THESE REPORTS ARE INACCEPTABLE! OUR EXALTATION IS NOT INTERESTED IN EXPLANATIONS OF FAILURE. THAT OUR PATTERN OF INQUIRY SHOULD BE RENDERED IMPERFECT, AND THEREBY USELESS, MERELY BY THE INTERPOSITION OF SOME VECTOR EXTERNAL TO OUR SELF IS UNTHINKABLE. OUR IMMENSE RESPONSIBILITIES AS LORD OF ALL DO NOT ALLOW FOR MODIFICATION OF OUR PROGRAM OF ORDERLY EXPANSION TO ACCOMMODATE EXTRANEOUS ELEMENTS TENDING TO ANARCHY.

THE PRESENCE OF A LOWER LIFE-FORM IN MANDATED SPACE IS UNEXPECTED BUT NOT UNPREPARED FOR. WE HAVE ALREADY ALLOCATED SUFFICIENT SUPPLEMENTAL ENERGY RESOURCES TO THE AFFLICTED AREA QUICKLY TO RENDER NUGATORY ANY MISGUIDED ATTEMPTS BY THIS INTRUSIVE ENTITY TO MODIFY THE INTENTIONS OF THE LORD OF ALL.

YOUR NEXT REPORT WILL CONFIRM THE ELIMINATION OF THIS NUISANCE.

Perhaps I have succeeded too well. I have aroused the Axorc from its torpor: now I must divert its threat. It is essential to keep its attention distracted from humanity, so that I may confront the Enemy alone. To this end, certain measures are necessary. Lunar Farside will be my chosen arena.

"Yes, that's official. I would hardly pass on a mere personal opinion to Your Excellency. The first report came in at 0222 hours today, via the redline; only an automatic repeater, to be sure—showed impossible readings over three thousand degrees Celsius. Then the confirmation came through, and it was no equipment malfunction: the damned machine did it!

"Of course, its Y-beam RX also acts as a transmitter, so all it had to do was switch a couple of connectors, and the incoming beam was retransmitted right back down the same path. Used our signal as a carrier, led it right through the scramble barriers and hit dead center, melted down the Top Secret Combined Forces Transmitter Complex like wax.

"No, no loss of life. The automatics sounded the alarm in time to use the emergency evac gear. After that, Milord, it gets too technical for me.

"But one thing is clear: High Command no longer has the option to shut down the CSR Unit. We have to live with it—somehow."

From:
IHC To: DCS/C

I want that damned machine outflanked at least to the extent of overriding the communications blackout with Starbird! Send a lander out beyond Jupe if you have to, but get clear of the interference field and tape whatever you can, incoming. Soonest. That means I expect the report in my hand before you eat or sleep again.

"Yes, sir, the Prove message has been through decryption. That's the way it came in, in the clear as far as our best man can tell. I know it doesn't make any sense. Apparently Admiral Starbird's flipped out. After all, he's been in Deep Space for over ten years, and he's not getting any younger. That's my report, sir. I'll stand by it."

"With apologies, Sir, this is what we were able to get from Admiral Starbird's command. Yes, Sir, the point of origin is definitely confirmed and is identical with the admiral's observed position."

—without delay. I'm feeling fine, and just want to . . . can't imagine what we thought we were doing, intruding in Surveyed Space. Personally, I wash my hands of the affair. Pull in all probes, and look for a deep hole, no, probably better to start a crash program to dig holes. Maybe the Lord Of All will forget about us. I'm sorry. I didn't mean any disrespect. Tell you what, I'll just get out the old deck-mop and vac these decks myself, to make plain I aspire to no personal dignities. As I said before, it may not be too late. Beware! I think maybe a nice tulip-growing contest would help burn off some of the illicit energy we've been putting into the criminal Probe program. Tell Georgie I hope he's feeling as swell as I am. Bye for now. —Jimmy

According to a late report from the capital, court-martial proceedings against Admiral in Chief James Starbird will be initiated
in absentia.
No details have yet been released, but speculation is rife that the court is not unconnected with the hiatus in reports from the Deep Space fleet during recent months.