Man Of Earth
2
Redi of Sigma Dissonance was a friend of Kroney, and therefore friend to the resistance forces of White Haven, and he was crouched beside Dan Ward, Earth Man, and Ambassador Able as they observed the movements in the valley below as the Sigma Dissonance were moving about the massive shipment crates, filled with ammunition, food and who knew what else for distribution. One of them had been marked especially by Redi, and he was showing Dan and Able which one contained the mark.
## It had come about several days before, that the people of White Haven were running low on supplies, and getting such was becoming increasingly difficult the more ground Sigma Dissonance gained on the Cities such as Sunray, New Dawn and Verdant. The resistance was forced to rely on commandeering the supplies from their enemy, therefore. It seemed a logical exchange ##
Dan, Able, Low, the Professor, Susan and the Democratic Prime, Rex Canon, had sat about the Headquarters, devising a plan of how to restock. It had become fairly obvious early on in the discussions that they would have to take a crate from Sigma Dissonance. Upon contacting their liaison, Kroney, aboard the Sigma Dissonance Mother Ship, the plans were finalised and Kroney sent a person he believed he could trust, who was a long standing believer in the White Haven resistance, for nearly as long as Kroney had been himself. This man, Redi, had marked a container that would be appropriate for their needs and was now showing Dan and Able which one it was.
"That's the one, down there!" instructed Redi, pointing to a crate with a dark black mark on its side, "How exactly do you think you and a handful of people are going to do this?" asked Redi, pointedly of Dan.
Dan rose from his position and headed back to the others, who were waiting patiently next to their small crafts. A commotion began as Dan neared. Dan turned to Redi, beside him, "We will be employing an old tactic from my planet, my friend!" Redi looked confused, but said nothing further. Dan called the others to order and entered his Personal Transporter, big enough for one, as did the others. Redi, of course was already nowhere to be seen. He had vanished quickly, which would soon mark him for what he really was. However, the group of men and Guards from Sunray City were coming into formation with Dan, as he pumped his machine into full power and crested the hill, rolling down the other side in pursuit of the marked crate, moving at some speed from the others in the kind of depot area Sigma Dissonance were using to store these crates.
The Personal Transporters were kicking up much dust from the rocky and dry ground, partially obscuring them from the crate driver ahead, gaining with each few metres a little more on the huge vehicle. The other Personal Transporters skimmed off in different directions as had been already arranged, but the one driven by Dan Ward pulled ever closer to the rear of the crate, until Dan was within touching distance. He punched his vehicle forward, tantalisingly close, before he went for it and grabbed a rung on the ladder at the rear of the crate. Dan let go of his Personal Transporter, slamming hard into the crate, with one hand flailing about while the other held firmly to the rung. Cautiously, Dan pulled around his other arm, his other hand now secure on the same rung, while his feet found a rung a few below this one. Once on board, Dan began to climb the ladder.
While Dan Ward was busy gaining a hold on the crate, the others had not been lazy. They sped up to the sides of the huge vehicle, even in front of it, buzzing around, distracting the driver, who knew it was little more than a nuisance, assuming this vehicle could simply crush those single seater vehicles with little more than a bump. But the object was to do little else other than distract the driver as Dan Ward, the Man of Earth, climbed over the roof and slid inside the cab. Dan dropped the knock-out gas pellet the Professor had gifted him with, and as the driver fell unconscious, Dan removed his mask and slowed the huge vehicle to a stop, which allowed the others below to sing out a cheer to the plan’s success. Dan released the airlocks on the crate and climbed down the outside to return to the others. As he dropped, many slapped him on the shoulders and back, congratulating him. It was then that they were all taken by surprise, and Dan came to a realisation about their friend, Redi.
#
The shots rang out all around, as though they were surrounded by dangerous light bees, each searching out a victim to sting. Dan and the others ran for what little cover there was, but it wouldn't be enough. Dan climbed the crate once more, and found himself in the cab again. He looked about the complicated controls and pulled randomly at anything that looked enticing. Below, Able was leading the others into a pre-arranged plan for when it went wrong. The Troops who were still pouring out of the crate took positions where they could shoot pot shots at the moving targets of the White Haven people. One or two even began climbing up the side of the crate, to try and get to Dan, who was learning the hard way how to control this vehicle. Slowly, the vehicle began to move, and the Troops, along with Able and his men, were beginning to be left behind. One Soldier ventured himself into the cab, but Dan knocked him out, followed by two more. Those he tied up and put them in a room off the cab, then returned to the controls. Eventually he managed to steer the huge vehicle to the rendezvous point he had arranged with Able. Able's men were exhausted, but pleased to see the crate had arrived and was intact.
"Not too difficult. Could've been worse!" said Dan as he joined Able in the camp.
"Damn shame about that Redi guy, though." mused Able, handing Dan a drink, which he graciously received.
"It is, but then it just shows you who you can trust I suppose." agreed Dan Ward, surveying the area to make sure they weren't followed.
"I didn't mean Kroney -" began Able.
"No, I know you didn't. That man is beyond reproach, but it would seem some of those aboard the Mother Ship who swear allegiance to us are not all they're cracked up to be." said Dan Ward.
"What can we do about that, though?" asked Able, concerned.
"Eternal vigilance, my friend. Eternal vigilance." Dan patted Able trustingly on the shoulder.
Now that they were safe, or so it seemed, it was time to inspect the cargo, to see what exactly it was they had pilfered.
One of Able's men came up to Dan, as they were about to enter the crate, "Captain Ward! We just got word that Redi has contacted the Mother Ship and that they're sending a rescue team to either take back the shipment or destroy it!"
Dan looked to Able, "Right, then. We only have a short time. Get as much off as you can, while I -" Dan suddenly stopped as something inside the crate let out an alarm. Dan and Able went to investigate. In the middle of the floor was a bomb, and it was rigged to explode.
“It's coded, Dan! What're we going to do now?" asked Able, concerned and anxious.
"Calm down, man! Get the others a distance away from the crate! We're not letting this one get away from us! Go!" instructed Dan, walking around the bomb, deep in thought. He took out his Comms Device, "Headquarters?"
"Dan! It’s so good to hear your voice! We were worried -"
"Sorry, Susan, not now! Time is very much of the essence! Give me Professor Bronnstromer!"
"Yes, Dan? How may I help you?" came back the dulcet tones of the Professor.
"Too much to debrief on at the minute, if you don't mind? Simply that we have a coded bomb, set to explode any minute! I need your help in disarming it!" said Dan.
Susan's voice returned to the airwaves, "What of the other's Dan? Are they okay?"
"Yes, fine, Susan! It's only me left here right now!"
"Dan?" it was the Professor, "Tell me, how is it encased?"
"How do you mean, Professor?" asked Dan.
"Is it solid cased, with a set of dials, or an open case with a series of different coloured wires?" asked the Professor.
"It's enclosed, with the dials, but inside there are a number of differently coloured wires!" described Dan.
"Ah -" began the Professor.
"Professor? Is there something wrong?" asked Dan, still investigating the bomb casing closely.
"Dan, my friend, it is a Husemmer Funnel Device! Not to worry, I have a book with their codes in - just a minute -"
"I may not have a minute, Professor!" insisted Dan.
"He's just picked up the book, Dan," commentated Susan, "He's coming back with it now!"
"Dan, if I am correct," said the Professor, "The code should be one-eight-four-theta-theta-omega-"
"I can hear something winding up, Professor!" interrupted Dan.
"-four-seven-theta. Did you get that Dan?" asked the Professor.
The line was quiet, save for a static hiss. Time passed breathlessly and Susan couldn't help herself from letting out a short whimper. Professor Bronnstromer held a finger to his mouth expectantly. Suddenly the static was gone, replaced by a familiar voice.
"That's a Roger, Professor! See you soon, over!" said Dan at last. Susan turned her face as a tear rolled down her cheek.
#
Once back at Headquarters, the cost-counting could be done.
"Only half a dozen injuries. Could have been a lot worse, if not for this man's continual ingenuity!" smiled Ambassador Able, to the grateful Dan Ward, arms folded against the wicked stare of Susan.
"You had me worried there for a second, you know." she admonished him. Dan Ward pulled Susan Weathers closely into his chest for comfort.
"I could never do anything that reckless to you, Susan." soothed Dan at last. The two of them moved aside then, to allow the Guards to bring the objects from the cart into the basement space. Both Dan and Susan, along with Able, began to look through the boxes to see what they had found. It was more than they could have imagined - so much more.
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