Man Of Earth
11
## A buzz of activity imbued the Headquarters with a flurry of commotion ##
“What’s happening?!” asked Captain Dan Ward, juggling several consoles at once.
“Power’s down all over the City! That last shot must have taken out the power grid!” answered Rex Canon, the Democratic Prime of Sunray City, himself over-occupied by the attention to the consoles that showed a rendering of the City as a whole, suddenly dropping its lights, indicating a power breakdown in all Districts.
Dan called over his shoulder, “Professor! Get onto that! Sensors are down!”
Ambassador Low of Verdant City simply stood over a dark console, shaking his head vigorously as he unnecessarily reminded all, “We’re like sitting ducks!”
Dan then turned to a Guard, who was holding his weapon in his hands, wondering why it had powered down, “You! Go to my locker and bring my binoculars! We must have eyes on the sky!” Happy to have something to do, the Guard quickly left the Situation Room.
“They’re still firing, but mostly low impact on the outskirts!” added Ambassador Able of New Dawn City, squinting his eyes out of the large viewing window of the room.
“Right! Sitrep?” said Dan Ward.
“Power is down! Sensors are down! Weapons down!” spoke Susan Weathers from her position in front of a blank console, willing it to respond.
“Right!” Dan rushed over to a squadron of Guards, “You, you and you - in fact all of you - come with me! The lifts aren’t working so we’re going to have to scale the outside of the building! There! Through that window!” One of the Guards tried to fire his weapon on the window before realising it wasn’t working, so he simply turned the weapon round and smashed the window with the butt of the gun instead. The other Guards followed the first one through to the ledge beyond and began to climb down the side of the tower that contained Headquarters.
Susan grabbed Dan’s arm as he started for the open window himself, “Good luck, Dan.” she expressed, while Dan smiled and nodded in his own irreplaceable way.
The climb was certainly treacherous in places. At one time or another, each man required the assistance of one of the others to prevent the long drop, but with determination, they eventually reached the bottom. Almost immediately, a handful of citizens raced up to the group, pleading, in tears, obviously not used to this kind of situation. Dan pulled one of the Guards to him, “Go and calm those people, if you would? If needs be, you have my permission to break into the stores, for food and blankets.” he whispered carefully. The Guard nodded and double-timed it to the desperate and scared people who were beginning to fall into a mob.
Dan and the others moved off toward the Power Plant, usually a tumble of Van der Graff kind of electrical activity, and a beacon to the rest of the City. It was difficult now to make out the building, it being in shade like the rest of the City. Nevertheless, Dan and the Guards made for its general direction, through streets of worried citizens, crying babies and the wailing woeful.
The deeper in from the centre, the people were less agitated, seemingly used to a lack of amenities for one reason or another. They caused less problems for Dan and the Guards, in fact jeering here and there - more for something to rally against than any kind of disagreement or malice.
Eventually, the group reached the Power Plant, silent except for a low hum as the coils and generators decayed their power, dissipation into nothing. Inside, the workers were frantically doing everything they could, but it was of no use. A part of the Plant was completely destroyed, and with it the circuitry that controlled the flow of power about the City. It was, however, repairable.
Dan talked to a number of workers who described to him what it was that needed to be repaired. Dan then thanked them, telling the Guards to wait below, while he alone climbed the outside of the building, in order for a better vantage point from which to send a signal to Headquarters.
And at Headquarters, expecting this problem would arise, Professor Bronnstromer held his own binoculars to his eyes and focussed on the emerging figure of Dan Ward, out in the distance, on the roof of the Power Plant. He was waving his arms about stiffly.
“Ah, semaphore!” remarked the Professor, as he began scribbling the letters and words Dan was marking out, “He says it’s fine, just needs some Engineers with this equipment, down there as soon as!” explained the Professor still with the binoculars to his eyes, “He says - he says he can see a landing party - someone check the sensors?" It was obvious that the Professor hadn’t simply sat and waited. He had managed to construct a makeshift generator, enough to power the sensors, but no more.
Susan did as asked, “There’s at least two dozen!” she replied, shocked.
“Right, well, he’s off to stop them, he says. Oh, and he says he loves you, Susan.” said the Professor, smiling.
By the time Dan had reached the ground again, the Guards were already mobilised and pensive. Dan explained to the workers of the Power Plant that some people would be with them shortly. Dan then led the Guards, who had heard the whispers coming closer from the outlying citizens of Sunray City that a group of Sigma Dissonance Troops were on their way. He led them out of the Plant and into the City.
Along the way, Dan grabbed some sturdy sticks, handing one to each of the Guards, “I’m afraid it’s back to basics, lads! Hand to hand! I’m sure you’re all up for a little scrap, eh?” The Guards responded with a battle cry, as they pushed on to the far superior force that awaited them.
Upon approach to the position Dan had seen the invading army occupy from his high point observation, he held the Guards back, “It’s going to be stealth, chaps. There is a handful of us, and a collection of them, not to mention their weapons are functional. Slow and steady wins the race, eh?” By this time, most of the Guard Force of Sunray City had become accustomed to Dan’s and the other’s Earthisms, so this one washed over them as many of the others did, not catching on to the reference Dan referred to. It didn’t matter. It was a quirk - nothing more.
Dan instructed a couple of the Guards to take points around the open area the invaders occupied on their jaunt unmolested that far through the City. Citizens cowered, as perhaps they should, given the impossible situation they found themselves in. Those Guards in the guise of observers were to relay the positioning of where and when the invaders were to enter a particular area. With the rest of the Guards, Dan instructed them to build barriers made out of anything they could find to block the roads, or at least make it significantly more difficult for the invaders to move freely about the City. In this process, people aided the Guards, bringing out meagre furniture from their houses to help build a solid wall.
Within ten minutes or so, Dan had the situation exactly how he wanted it. Now it was time to take the City back, and how.
First, Dan instructed one Guard each to take a branching street, hold tight behind the barriers and wait. But that wouldn’t be all. Each Guard would round up as many citizens as were willing, to collect objects small enough to throw, and await the signal, which was to be given by each Guard. Dan himself took the remaining barrier, where the citizens were only too happy to help, especially seeing as it was the great Captain Dan Ward, protecting their humble part of the City. They collected together, with stones mainly. There was the occasional iron object, or something of glass. Patiently they waited, until Dan determined it was time.
“We’ll show them!” he rallied, “We’ll show the power of the people of Sunray City!” All cheered in unison. Then the wait began.
It wasn’t long before there could be heard a yell down a neighbouring street, followed by gunfire, the screams and calls of the people, and a thunderous clash of hundreds of objects landing on the invading force. Three more times this happened, before Dan could see the decimated, cut and bruised Sigma Dissonance force-walk cautiously down the street, weapons very much poised and loaded. Dan instructed the people to wait, hold fast until the right time. There was a murmur, certainly, of fear and apprehension, but that was only to be expected. The Commander of the Troops, when within a designated length, just out of range, signalled to fire, and the Troops did.
Dan was pinned down and he turned disappointed, “Damn! Sorry folks! Seems they’re onto our little scheme! Still, hold tight and everything will sort itself out!” There was a general murmur of concern, but the people remained behind the barrier.
Dan allowed himself a little look through a tiny crack, narrowly avoiding a shot to the eye. These guys were good! They held their positions well, and spread out as they should, to prevent bunching. But this was a tactic against weapon fire, not unarmed citizens. And again the Sigma Dissonance underestimated the resilience and ingenuity of the people of Sunray City, for within moments, around the corner of the street, came a shouting mob of Guards and citizens, from the other barriers, racing toward a suddenly fearful contingent of Troops.
Given no option, the invaders scattered, dropping their weapons and retreating back, further back, followed by the people and Guards of Sunray City, all the way back to their Troop Transporter, up and out of White Haven’s atmosphere, with their tail between their legs.
As victory was achieved, all gave a cheering cry of “Sunray City!” to the fleeting craft, wherever it ended up.
Just as the shouts died down, a distinctive hum began, spreading out into the City, as it’s blood again flowed through it’s vital veins, pumping the heart of the City once more. A Guard, not of his personal contingent, ran up to him. “Captain Ward! Power is restored!” he explained.
Dan smiled and looked about him, “So I see! So I see!” he laughed, patting the Guard on the arm. Dan then gathered the Guards who had aided him in the struggle, and led them back to Headquarters. As they walked, Dan couldn’t help but reflect.
“You know, this reminds me of my days back on Earth! How people managed perfectly well, long before technology came about to aid us, guide us, to run our lives - still, you have to look at those beautiful colours, how the neon lines run about the City, the bright colours, the simplicity of light, the way it seems to capture a - prettiness! Yes, that’s it! Don’t you too see it the same? Then I suppose you have seen nothing different? Never exposed to an opposing design. Trust me, my friends! It is a beauty to behold!” expressed Dan Ward with an enthusiasm particularly lacking in these darker times. But a little of the goodness rubbed off on one or two of the Guards, who began to see the world through new eyes, with the help of Captain Dan Ward, Man of Earth.
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