Man Of Earth
10
## Captain Dan Ward sat aboard the modified Fighter Ship, which had been taken from a sortie mission not two weeks previously, when it was forced to land and the pilot taken into custody. The Professor desired a test of the new protocols inserted into the Fighter’s circuitry, and Dan had insisted he take it for its maiden flight, pointing out that it was just such a thing as this he had spent a long career doing back on Earth. There was limited communications on board, due to some kind of dampening field the Professor had not worked out yet, and Susan, amongst others, had insisted he keep within that range, but Dan’s adventurous spirit couldn’t be contained in so short a flight plan ##
Within seconds, Dan had escaped the communications range and was creating waves flying low over Lake Derive, the deepest and longest lake of White Haven. The colourful birds scattered as he neared and the loud thrusters roared like a hundred mile an hour lion. He scraped the tops of the tree canopy of the vast forest, parting the clouds as he cut through them on a dangerously stalling ascent straight up, only to cut thrusters and whoop as the Fighter tilted downward and thundered toward the ground at terminal velocity, only to be pulled out of the whining dive, enough to force a wedge of downthrust air into a field of corn as he pulled out and back over the land. He almost laughed at the thought of the readouts the Professor was going to receive, after Dan had taken the Fighter back to Headquarters. He was reluctant to go back, but he knew they would be concerned, so turned the Fighter round and was about to start back, when he noticed a woman, distressed, beneath him. Dan looked for an appropriate landing area and brought the Fighter gently in and on to its landing gear feet, which compacted the grass in oblong patches. Dan opened the rear ramp and walked over to the woman.
“You look distressed! Are you alright?” asked Dan.
She looked thin, perhaps too thin, and she had no muscle mass to speak of. Her voice was meek and mild as she spoke, “Oh, that you should see me! I’m afraid my transport has come to ground, and I know not why.”
“Where were you headed?” asked Dan.
“I and my family are a nomadic people. We travel about this fine planet, causing no harm, tending to nature, but it seems I have become separated from my family.” she spoke.
“Because of your breaking down?” continued Dan.
“That’s right. I know to where we are heading, it’s simply that I have no longer the means to get there.” she explained, “Come! I will show you!” Dan followed the woman over to the next field, where a simple Hover Vehicle lay listing slightly to one side. Dan immediately looked about the vehicle, opening panels and looking inside, eventually returning to the woman who was patiently waiting outside. Dan rubbed his hands on a cloth.
“Yes, it seems your fledge has twisted loose your rotary gear. It’s simple to repair. I noticed a Town back a-ways. Perhaps they have the parts?”
The woman smiled her appreciation and the two began to walk toward the Town.
“It is so good of you to do this for me,” expressed the woman, “It’s so rare to find perfect strangers willing to help the needy these days.”
“It’s not as rare as you would think, at least not from where I originate.” explained Dan calmly and conversationally.
“Really? So where are you from?” she asked.
Dan laughed, “You don’t know me? Sorry, that sounded ridiculously arrogant! I meant to say that it’s even rarer to find someone who hasn’t heard of me! Captain Dan D Ward at your service! You know? The Man of Earth?”
“Sorry,” smiled the woman, “I’ve been fairly isolated for most of my life.”
“You don’t know of the battles with the Sigma Dissonance?” Dan asked astonished.
“No. I know nothing of this Sigma Dissonance or Baron Frost. As I said, we are a nomadic people. We pay more attention to the coming of the seasons than the coming of an invading force.” she said.
“You sound fascinating, you know. Tell me more about your people, if you don’t mind?” asked Dan Ward as they neared the Town.
She smiled coyly, “There’s not much to tell, to be honest. I was born in the Great Forest, on the third waning of the Dust Star. I was thus given the name Starla, where my nature name would be Rexacosinaliciadoa,” she giggled at this, “I know, but the nature name is made up of a number of other names to indicate ones birth rite. I spent much of my youth climbing the highest trees, and learning from nature, the animals and the wind. We call the wind Uncle, as he is our Father’s Brother in this life. Part of our existence is to pay pilgrimage to the four corners of the world, which for some takes their entire lives. I am on my sixth year of this journey. I expect not to be done until I am at least forty.” Starla smiled warmly at the sky, “But I love it! I will be always a part of this path, on my way to -” Starla was suddenly interrupted when a group of men appeared, blocking their entrance to the Town.
“Who are you, thinking you can come into our Town?” asked the larger of the three. He was talking to Starla.
“We wish to do commerce in your Town.” explained Dan calmly.
The large man then turned to Dan, “You, you can come in. Her? We don’t want her kind in here!”
“How so?” asked Dan.
“You are Captain Dan Ward. She is nomad scum. We don’t let drifters into our Town. They steal, they disrupt. We don’t need none of that here!”
“Oh? And you represent the Town Council, do you?” asked Dan.
“Well, no, but -” tried the man.
“Then on what authority do you refuse entry?” continued Dan.
“She’s nomad scum!” said the man.
“Yes. You’ve disgustingly pointed that out already.” said Dan.
“Well -” jerked the man.
“Exactly. Step aside for an Earthman.” said Dan, walking through the three men, pulling Starla with him.
After they had gained some distance from the men, Starla spoke to Dan, “That will make some trouble for us later, I have no doubt.”
Dan smiled, “Leave that to me.” he said.
As they walked through Town, most of the people they came into contact with merely eyed the two of them suspiciously, first at Dan’s City uniform and then at Starla’s rags. This was as far as it went, what with the dissenting stares and the looking down of the long protruding noses, but for one boy who seemed to recognise Dan and ran up to him, “I know you! From my Hologram Card Collection of the Heroes of Battle! Captain Dan D Ward! The Man of Earth! Wow!” enthused the boy.
Dan stopped and crouched in front of the boy, “What’s your name?” he asked with a smile.
“Hark Demmel, Sir!” said the boy, saluting but with the incorrect arm.
“Well, Hark, yes I am he. Have you been keeping abreast of the actions of us up there in Sunray City, then?”
The boy nodded vigorously, “Yes, Captain Ward! Mom doesn’t see, but I always check out the latest news on my vid screen!”
Dan patted the boy on the shoulder, “You can just call me Dan, Hark. We are friends now, are we not?”
“Wow! Friends with Cap - sorry! Dan!” continued the boy.
A woman then came up behind Hark, grabbing him by the shoulder, “That’s enough now, Harken! Come away from that man! Stop bothering him - oh! It’s you!”
Dan rose to his feet again, smiling disarmingly at the woman who was beginning to swoon, “It's fine, Mrs Demmel.” explained Dan, patting the boy on the head affectionately, “He is no trouble at all. Hark? Do as you Mom says, okay?” The boy nodded as he was gently led away by his Mother.
Starla chuckled, “You really are a well-known person. And a hero, it would seem?”
Dan shook his head, “It’s not like that. I’m just one man, and it takes a number of people to do what we do. And every one of them is a hero - dozens and dozens of them. I’m happy to be the figurehead, however, if it maintains the morale of the people. That is fine with me.”
“And humble too, it seems.” remarked Starla, as the two of them entered the shop for supplies.
They had not stepped a metre outside the door to the shop, complete with their wares, when they were confronted by the same men who tried to stop Starla coming into Town earlier, except this time they were joined by another half dozen men.
“You think you’re so tough, just because you come from Sunray City! Let’s see how tough you are, when I pulverise you!” called the man, backed by the cat calls of his followers.
“Look, just go back to the tavern, sit for a while and calm down. We none of us want the trouble, do we?” said Dan.
“Go on and hit him Wellen!” called a man from the baiting group.
“Don’t Wellen. There’s no need for -” The swing came out from nowhere. Dan jerked his head back instinctually and all the fist contacted with was the air in front of Dan’s face. Without thinking, Dan struck out, grabbing the extended wrist in one hand and thrusting his other under the man’s shoulder, coming into contact with a sensitive pressure point. Wellen’s knees instinctually buckled and he lost the power of speech. Dan continued calmly, “Now, Wellen, I can see we got off on the wrong foot, but how about you and I, and your friends here, go over to the tavern and have a drink, on me, eh?” Wellen nodded and Dan released him. Wellen was too shocked to do anything other than do as instructed, and they all walked over to the tavern. Dan looked to Starla, “You don’t mind, do you?”
She smiled, “No, of course not. I have one or two things I need to take care of myself anyhow.”
“Good,” responded Dan, “Meet back here in an hour?” She nodded and they parted.
Once inside the Tavern, Dan Ward found himself holding court. Many of the assembled were asking him endless questions, and he happily answered them all, to the best of his ability.
“So, what’s it really like, I mean right there, on the front line?” asked one.
“It’s exhilarating, surely, but it is also an anxious time. It’s dangerous, certainly, but ultimately rewarding, I can tell you! First, of course, you do it for yourself, so that you can survive to fight again, but that is quickly followed by the knowledge of the hundreds, the thousands - the millions perhaps that you are doing it for. Trust me, up there we understand that there are those who can fight, but there are also those who can make, can teach, can feed - you name it, everyone is an important cog in this vast machine! Everyone is as important as the next! I’m sure you here do what you can? In fact I’m sure of it!”
Some of them, however, looked sheepishly into their drinks, as though trying to forget how little they put in, compared with what was given in their name. One of the sharper ones spoke up, “Were we, you know - if we wanted to, say - look, if we wanted to join up -”
Dan smiled warmly, putting the poor boy out of his discomfort, “If you ever wanted to see how we live up there, it’s simple - just report to someone at Headquarters, and say I sent you! They’ll get you straight to work, if that's your calling?” Some of the younger ones nodded vigorously, a sense that a trip was soon in their futures.
And there was, it seemed, time for one last question. This came from one of Wellen’s pals, “So, are you really from another planet?” he asked suspiciously.
Dan smiled a reply, “Earth is - Earth is beautiful! It’s full of the most intriguing people, the most scintillating vistas - Earth is full of wonder! Full of excitement! It’s - home.” said Dan, a little reflective at the end. Just then, Starla entered. Dan rose and addressed the assembled, “Well, looks like it’s my time! The conflict halts for no one!” he said, with a wave. Dan was patted on the back so much, they might have left bruises, but he took it all in his stride, with handshakes, smiles and farewells, as he left with Starla, through the doors of the Tavern, out into the Town and on their way back to her vehicle, so that Dan could repair it, make sure Starla was safely on her way, before he too returned to Headquarters to an almost certain tongue-lashing from the beautiful Susan Weathers.
“They really seemed to like you, in the end.” remarked Starla, as they walked the path back to the field.
Dan shrugged, “They liked the ideal they all placed upon me, even before they met me. See, it hurts nothing and no one if I pander to the concept every now and then. It’s good for morale.”
“Those Sigma Dissonance people must really hate you. You are such a danger to them.” Starla spoke.
“Perhaps.” agreed Dan.
“They must want you dead, I would suspect.”
“Maybe. It’s something I have to live with, I suppose. The price we pay for freedom, I guess?” he said, smiling at Starla. Eventually they reached the field and the transport, which Dan began repairing. It took no more than fifteen minutes or so, but finally he was finished.
Then he felt a disturbance in the status quo. Something was wrong. He could sense it. He stood suddenly and turned.
Starla stood facing Dan, holding a modified Raygun. Not a usual modification, but a precise and deadly one. Not only was she smiling, but Starla no longer looked the weak and feeble woman she had first appeared to be. She stood at her full height, the muscle definition showing through quite firmly under her rags. This was not the nomad Dan had at first encountered. This woman, if Starla was her real name, was some kind of deadly woman, “Ah, Dan!” even her voice was strong and determined, with a slight taste of venom behind her inflections, “Dan D Ward, the intolerable Man of Earth! Captain Dan, my man! Oh how satisfying this kill will be! I may not even claim the bounty, it will be that sweet!”
“Ah I see you’ve changed somewhat?” said Dan, unnecessarily.
“You see, you have to die, because your are simply too dangerous!” she spoke.
“Hmm, I wouldn’t say I’m dangerous. Conscientious, perhaps, but you must do what you must do, I suppose. Go ahead.”
Something about his words, his diction caused Starla to pause, just long enough for consequences to arise. She raised the barrel once more, but as she was about to shoot, she was hit on the back of the head by a rock.
It was the boy, Hark Demmel.
While Starla was distracted, Dan burst into action. He knocked the vehicle’s console into an emergency take-off procedure, having spotted under its hood that it was in fact also a disguised Ship. With this set into motion, he only had seconds to dive past Starla, hit the ramp door switch and slide out onto the ground before the Ship jerked into the sky and toward its preprogrammed destination. Dan rolled to his feet, standing next to the boy.
“Thanks, Hark! Just in the nick!” he patted the boy on the head.
Hark smiled, “I had to save you, Dan D Ward, Man Of Earth, because White Haven depends on you! You are the Hero of Sunray City!”
Dan dropped to a crouch, grabbing the boy gently by the elbows and speaking directly to the man inside, “No, you’re the hero, Hark! You saved my life! I am forever in your debt. You know what, Harken Demmel? I'm going to watch out for you, for when you’re old enough to join up, then we will have the true hero we need!”
Hark smiled proudly at that moment, and for many moments after.
#
It was some time later, and the squad stood upon the ruins of a once great City. A man, with a scar down his left cheek, to identify him and the emblem his squad carried, indicated these rag-tag desperadoes meant business - that man stood, looking out over a decimated land and could see nothing but how it once was, and would soon be. Then the call crackled over the Comms, that battle was to be raged, and the man stood to his full height. Lieutenant Hark Demmel of the Sons of Freedom, cocked his gun in preparation for the action to come. He had only one battle cry, “This one’s for Dan! Move out!”
“Who’s Dan?” asked one of his squad, also locked and loaded.
Hark smiled to himself, “Oh, just a friend. On to Freedom!”
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