The Token, Kevin Bird [dark books to read TXT] 📗

harmless so long as she never used the radio again, and I knew the cells on the vid-screen would eventually dry up anyway,” he was nearly weeping with embarrassment.
Jacob put his hand on Dale’s shoulder in a gesture of solicitude, “Don’t worry about it now Dale. Any one of us might’ve done the same in your shoes. The thing is what do we do now we’re in such a precarious position and have something that might help us. It’s clearly against our principles to even consider using this radio, but in my opinion we’re out of options.” Jacob sat down waiting for a response from anyone. It was slow coming as he could see each of them fighting with their inner-self over this moral dilemma.
“I don’t think we have much of an option,” one man said. Several others nodded and grunted their assertions that they agreed with him.
“Under these circumstances do we all agree to use this technology to call for help?” Blake asked in his position as this cycles leader. His hand, plus eight others rose immediately skywards. Four others remained immobile, the men’s heads lowered toward the ground.
“We don’t have the right to take other lives,” said one without raising his chin.
“Allain, I know how you feel.” Jacob spoke gently to the man, “We all feel that way, but the reality of the situation is that if we don’t do something some of our children will die, maybe yours.”
Blake stepped to the side of Jacob. “Listen to him, my friends, he’s talking sense whether we like what he’s saying or not.” He rested his hand on his friend’s broad shoulders showing his support for the man who was saying aloud what every man there was truly thinking.
“This should never have been a problem for us.” Jacob continued with his attempt at winning the last few holdouts, “The Suppliers were supposed to have cleared this planet of all dangerous lifeforms. They clearly didn’t do a very good job of it.” He was pacing up and down and he realized he was lecturing, but his emotions were too strong to hold back.
“You’d think that they’d give us some dispensation regarding our upcoming Token, but you know as well as I do that we’re in a war and they don’t care for excuses. They need the food we’re supposed to provide for them and they need it in two cycles, not later. It’s unfair but I don’t see we’ve any choice.”
He looked around the group of his fellow farmers and clearly none of them were happy with the situation they found themselves in. “Who’s with me?”
Slowly, the last four hands were raised.

------------------------------------

“Carlee! Are you okay? Why haven’t you used the radio for so long? We’ve been worried sick.” the voice on the other end of the radio was a man’s, strong and assured. However, he was obviously a little concerned there might be a problem with his daughter.
“No daddy, I’m fine, but there’s some really bad stuff happening here, and Dale and his friends are asking for your help.” She handed the phone over to Dale before her father could respond with more questions.
“Hello father,” he said, clearly not comfortable using the title, but wanting to be polite. “We’ve a big problem that we’re hoping you might be able to help us with.” Carlee had reminded him to play to her father’s need to feel superior and in control.
“First of all, Dale, what happened to your high and mighty non-tech views? How can you be talking to me over a radio?” There was no attempt from him to hide the disdain and sarcasm in his words. “And second, what kind of trouble have you got my baby into?” He was obviously unhappy with the situation. “By the way don’t call me father, just stick with Marshall.”
Dale had warned Jacob and Blake that Marshall had never fully accepted Dale as his son-in-law since it was Dale who had taken Carlee so far away from him. They weren’t expecting much from the manufacturing magnate, but it was worth the try since they had no other options.
“OK, Marshall. We had no choice but to use the radio once we found out Carlee had it,” he said very softly. He was trying not to get drawn into a defensive posture, as Marshall was their best hope of help. “Carlee is perfectly safe, so you truly needn’t worry about that.”
“Sir, my name is Jacob,” he had taken the receiver from Dale’s hand a little impatiently; this was taking too long. “I’m one of the farmers in Dale’s collective. I know this is abrupt of me, but it’s very important we speak to you about our problem.” He thought for a second that he had pushed too hard too soon, but he had met men like this before and they seemed to respond well to those who were respectful, but did not back down. He took a breath and went on before Marshall had time to respond.
“I know you can help us, as we know you’ve many connections not available to any of us. After all, you got Carlee her radio and vid-screen without anyone here knowing about it.” He remembered that a little pat on the back recognizing Marshall's talents wouldn't hurt their cause. “Your daughter may be in perfect safety now, but if this situation gets any further out of hand, who knows?” Jacob continued with the whole story before Carlee’s father had much chance to argue against Jacob’s stern and forceful manner, polite though it had been.
Once Jacob had finally finished giving all the information he could, Marshall took over as he was so used to doing in his role of manufacturing baron. “What precautions have you taken thus far?”
Jacob hesitated before replying. “I’m not sure I know what you mean sir. We’ve really run out of ideas. However, I’m willing to try anything that you suggest though.”
“You people just floor me sometimes!”
Jacob could easily hear in Marshall’s tone that the man felt he was dealing with a group of people whose beliefs seemed to make them incapable of taking care of themselves.
“You already have a good idea of the likely farms these creatures are going to attack next so you need to set up a guard. Also, you need to take all your active breeders and keep them indoors away from harm while this threat is still out there. Speed up your breeding program to try catching up with your Token before the Collectors show up. I’ll see if there’s anything I can do to slow down their arrival to your system; I’ll contact some people I know and try to pull in some favors. In the meantime you need to get rid of the last of those creatures.” He ended still openly frustrated with his daughter’s new ‘family’, but there was also now the unmistakable sound of command in his voice.
Carlee had told them this was where his strength lay, ordering people around and taking charge in tough spots. Maybe that would somehow work in their favor.
“We’re not really in much of a position to be effective in that, sir,” Jacob responded. “We have no martial skills and no weapons. I was lucky enough to injure one of them, but my best throw with that pitchfork was clearly not enough to slow it down much.”
“Then the least you can do is to make sure you have a guard on the animals in the most likely farms to be attacked. Make sure you lose no more before I can do something to help you out.” He sounded resigned to the fact that these people, as non-techs, would clearly need to have help in overcoming their self-imposed limitations. “If I’m to help you I need to go now. I’ll have help for you in the next few days, all being well. Jacob, you sound like you’ve something inside you I’m going to count on. You need to make sure your people understand they may have to bend some of their beliefs in the next few weeks if they, and their families, are to come through this alive. Now, let me speak to my daughter again.”
“Yes sir, I’ll do my best with everyone. Thanks in advance for anything you can do for us. Here’s your daughter.” He passed the radio to Carlee and she talked reassuringly with her father while Jacob went to Blake and the others to discuss their situation.


Eight

“Blake, is everyone set?” Jacob had been voted in by the other farmers to lead the defense efforts; Marshall’s apparent approval of him had been obvious.
“Yes.” His friend responded. “Everyone’s a little nervous, but between the adults and older boys we’ve about six guards for each of the three farms you think most likely to be attacked.” Then in a more personal tone, “Glad you’re heading this. Don’t know if I, or any of others, would be up to the task.”
The men had herded the animals into the corners of their pens trying to deny the predatory creatures an easy and solitary target. Each of the farmers was dressed in skins to ward off the cold of the long night ahead of them, and was armed with the only tools that could be used as weapons, which were their pitchforks. They knew these weren’t the best things in deterring this threat to their livelihood, but they had nothing else at hand and had to do something. They felt that they’d have strength in numbers and might be able to scare off the creatures if they showed up.
“I certainly hope none of us has to try to use one of these.” Blake was hefting his pitchfork as if ready to throw it the way he’d seen Jacob do the night before. “Don’t think any of us want to be put to the test.”
“Don’t worry, Blake. I’m sure help’s on the way soon. We might not have to be brave after all.” They continued talking quietly as they walked around Allain’s stockades, vigilant for any movement in the shadows.
Earlier in the day all the breeding age blue and greens on each farm had been moved into the birthing and raising buildings. The birthing buildings were large, warm barns where gravid animals were moved in their last few weeks of pregnancy to ensure a stress free birth under controlled conditions. The raising barn was likewise warm and spacious and helped to ensure that all the young blues and greens would have a safe environment away from the elements in which to grow strong. Then, by their third cycle, they were moved outdoors with the others. These buildings were windowless except for some small vents up near the roof and only had one door at each end that was easily barred. The animals within would be safe. Now, as Marshall had said, it was time to take a more active hand in their breeding to try to offset the losses the farmers had experienced.
As they walked, they talked quietly to each other, trying to keep their minds off what might be just beyond their sight.
“How’s your Token coming along?” Blake’s voice was wary and gentle. It was no secret that Jacob had lost more stock than he had.
“Well, it’s never easy is it? We have a little time to speed the usual process up which might work so long as we can stop any more losses. You?”
“It’ll be tight, but we should be OK. I wish I had extra stock to offer you. What’re you going to do to speed things up?”
“I have some animals I was leaving fallow till next year, but I’ll have to move ahead