We also spent the time the others used for sleeping to do a little recon of our own. I think Fast Eddie's estimate of the size of The Society forces going to Lansing are a bit on the light side. It seems The Society does not even trust itself in the daylight and has hidden some of the forces they are bring to bear in the shadows of the secret places that only ghosts can access with ease. My wife and I discovered that in addition to the forces Fast Eddie saw which include the military forces of The Society, The Michigan militia and a half dozen other local militias, there is a reserve force hidden in some deep barracks who intend to fight as a surprise force tomorrow.
We learned that a large contingent of Cherokee Indians are part of The Society. We revealed ourselves to a Chief Johnny Old Blanket. Old Blanket was not at all surprised to see us and seemed to be used to speaking to spirits. He told us a little about the history of the Cherokee. The Cherokee believed strongly in the words of The US Constitution and did their best to create a government for themselves that closely resembled what the Founding Fathers intended. The Cherokee hoped that one day they would officially join the United States as a State with equal representation in National politics to every other State. Sadly, "Old Hickory", President Andrew Jackson, and other land speculators did not see the Cherokee as equals, but as ignorant savages who needed to be removed before American settlers did horrible things to them (like steal their land). The US government built forts, martialed most of their troops outside Cherokee territory near North Carolina and forceably removed the Cherokee. I think the US was hoping for a fight, but most Cherokee took the moral high road, and surrendered without a struggle. The Supreme Court had already ruled in the favor of the Cherokee, so they must have assumed that in the end they would be returned to their rightful lands. Instead the Cherokee were marched on a 900 mile death march called The Trail of Tears all the way to Oklahoma. Some numbers of Cherokee, including many of their greatest thinkers, those who were too old to travel and the very young went into hiding. The Society hide them and protected them and as their numbers grew, the Cherokee became an essential component to the secret military power of The Society. Life and I were heartened to see that our rag-tag force had such a stalwart group ready to fight and die for them. We thought this group would be enough to help us win the day until we stumbled, completely by accident on another hidden unit.
Sometimes I forget I am dead. After we walked back through the secret passage that lead to the Cherokee barracks I leaned back against an elevator door. You may not know this, but ghosts have to concentrate so as not to just slide through doors, walls, seats, tables. In order to sit in a chair and talk to a living person I have to think about it. I was not thinking when I leaned against the elevator door and went through it as if it was not there falling about 2,000 feet down the elevator shaft before coming to my senses enough to land on my feet at the bottom floor. I look back and Life is standing next to me laughing and snickering. I make a face and slide through the next door intentionally. We both look surprised to see what appears to be a gigantic gymnasium. There is a huge banner that says SEMPER FI! US Marine Corp Unit 1 Michigan Devil Dogs. First to Fight! As a Devil Dog I ask no quarter, I give no quarter. We see military helicopters, armored troop transports, and enough stockpiled weapons to give Lansing hell on Earth. Something about the Marines still scares me. I wanted to be a marine when I was younger, but I figured I was too short. I have always admired their status as the elite fighting force in the world. We estimate they have ten or fifteen companies of men. Where did they get so many marines? We head back up to our rooms before investigating further. I want to find out who has been assigned to our special recon unit.
We discover that our special recon team is small indeed. The team consists of myself and my wife, Fast Eddie, Rodney, Franky, Joe, Connie, Tomas and a set of twins from The Society named Omar and Samir. Restless, my wife and I finish packing and head to the transport bay. Dozens of large, Square slabs are lined up in the bay. We follow designation instructions that came with our group assignment and settle down at our transport.
After a few minutes of silence my wife notices my pensive mood and asks, "What are you thinking about dear? I recognize that look at it usually signifies trouble."
I say, "Nothing or maybe everything. I am thinking about the contrasts between The Society who operates by reason, science and a desire for the good of all mankind and our own government who sacrificed those ideals for greed, power and..."
"And what?", Life asks.
"That is what I am trying to understand. Why start a war, destroy half the world and enslave your own citizens? Is greed and power enough reason to give up on freedom?" I ask.
"What then?", Life asks.
I say, "I do not have the answer to this question. I look at the contrasts between the groups and yet the conclusion seems to be to settle the thing by war. For all the reason The Society espouses, war is the final solution? If so, then the power of their ideals are meaningless unless enough people have the will to fight for them".
"But what of peace"? Life asks.
I say, "Indeed! What of peace? The world governments including our own lived by the principle that given limited resources, military power determines the distribution of those resources. How can governments be expected to do anything but evil if greed and power are the only motivators?"
Life says, "The founding fathers knew we had to fight and be vigilant or we would lose our way. I think it is time to fight back. "
I say, "You are usually, right, but I am remembering the words from Black Elk in my vision dream. He said, there can be no peace among nations until you find true peace in your own heart"
Life says, "You have told me of your vision. Black Elk was not telling you not to fight. Didn't he say children had special insights? Remember the little girl in your dream? She called you a hero! Peace can not be won without heroes."
I say, "I really do not feel like a hero. I guess we will find out soon enough."
Fast Eddie interrupts, "Dude, this transport is badass! They freakin hover! Hover dude!! I am soooo Luke Skywalkering this thing! Let's go kick some Tuskan raider, dusty, raggity, ass, man! I hear the women in Lansing look like Tuskan raiders."
We look over and notice that Fast Eddie has brought his brother Rodney, Franky, Connie and Tomas. I can see that the other transports are starting to fill with troops. I can see Joe and the twins--Omar and Samir fast approaching our transport.
Tomas interrupts our thoughts, "I'm just wondering. I mean...we are all cloaked right? Invisible?"
Fast Eddie says, "Yep, Lansing will have no idea what hit them!"
Tomas asks, "Then how can we see each other?"
Fast Eddie looks stumped.
Joe, who has arrived with the twins says, "The cloaking devices are calibrated so that all friendly personal who are invisible can see each other. You are not really invisible. The device just bends light around you to make you seem invisible. The calibration of the device allows you to see others who have the device activated. Therefore it eliminates friendly fire and..."
"ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ!!!" snorts Fast Eddie.
A few of us chuckle at Joe's expense when we notice a middle aged man in robes approaching as fast as he can move. Joe, Life and I recognize Pablo at once.
Joe says, "Pablo, this is not a safe place for you to be. You should go back to your order. The special research your team conducts is crucial to the advancement of The Society's goals."
Pablo says between ragged breaths, "Friend Joe, It is with the deepest regrets... that I have tendered... my resignation from my order... and have resolved myself... to join your merry band of stalwart allies."
Joe says, "You can't quit dude" When you joined the order of historians you swore a life oath of service!"
Pablo has now caught his breath and says, "Therein lies the quandary. Before I left with you to see Mr. and Mrs. Archer, you may remember that my tabby cat Mortimer Finx was trying very hard to drink the glass of milk I had poured for myself?"
Joe says, "How the hell does your cat have anything to do with you being AWOL!?"
Pablo says, "...Because Mortimer Finx is dead Joe! My milk was poisoned and I was the intended victim. I have learned too much in my studies. Someone wants me dead. I think Angelica wants me dead. Since I am marked for doom it is my sincere desire to die a hero for the greater good of mankind. Since I am in mortal danger, I could think of no safer place then to be next to the Archers."
I say, "Do not fight over this Joe. If Pablo wants to die a hero, I am sure he will not be the only one to do so this day. Let him stay."
Fast Eddie says, "Alrighty then! Let's fire this bird up, the others are leaving for Lansing without us!"
WHOOOOOOSSHHH!!!! The transporter whips down the corridor at speeds approaching three hundred miles per hour.
"YEEEEESSSSSSSSSSS!!" bellows Fast Eddie.
Only Society technology which apparently includes gravity dampeners and anti-barfing technology saved our recon crew from an early exit from all the excitement to come. We come to an abrupt halt after only ten minutes of travel. Heavy overgrowth prevents our transport from leaving the tunnel system and exiting into the daylight above. It is going to be a difficult march for our recon group just to reach the surface. Transports for the main forces went in several different directions as part of the overall combat strategy.
As my group nears one of the exits, I notice a series of government recruitment signs imploring citizens to join the decontamination squads. From what I read in The Society's library archives the decontamination squads were initially volunteer citizen units drawn by a sense of patriotic duty to aid the government in the removal of biological and nuclear contamination launched from Canada and Mexico in a feeble attempt to stop US military aggression. According to records 97% of volunteers did not survive a year of service. Now the government uses prisoners of war, rebels, and innocent citizens captured specifically to fill the decon squads for the short-life term task.
Clearing my head of these dark thoughts I emerge with my motley group of recon commandos into the seemingly bright light of a cloudy Michigan day in Lansing, ready to make history.