The Temporal Knights by Richard D. Parker Read Free Book Online Page A

conquer Major; we’re here to convert the local population. We’re going to have to integrate with these people, and hopefully jumpstart their technological progress. It will require that we become very close to them, trust them. Intrigue and deception were not unknown in these times and if enough of my men fall to bad luck or evil deeds, then our hopes to succeed dim. We must not underestimate the challenges we are up against or the people who will ultimately oppose us, after all they will be human too.”
    Major Matt Thane smiled, snapped to attention and saluted, quite sure that the mission was in very good hands. Commander Wilder had chosen his second in command well...almost as if the fate of Mankind depended on it.
    General Peebles saluted back, immediately understanding the feelings behind the gesture. He also spared the tiniest smile.
    “I’ve put Sergeant Moore in charge of choosing ten men to scout the area,” Colonel Lemay said interrupting the moment. “I’ve limited the search to twenty klicks in any one direction, and the men are to be back long before night fall. At this point we have a half a dozen hummers repaired but we will only be sending out two...Dr. Rice feels that the best direction to look would be south, though any direction seems as good as any other to me.”
    “When do they leave?” Matt asked, wishing he was the one going up in the Bot , but he was also aware that while rank had its privileges, it also carried with it its share of detriments.
    “High noon,” Lemay answered with a sardonic grin. “That gives you three hours to look over and prepare the Bot. Have Captain Gardner report to Sergeant Moore no later than eleven. The Sergeant will be heading up the scouting mission.”
    “Yes Sir,” Matt said and headed off immediately. Captain John Gardner was delighted to be going up. He’d originally put in to join Matt aboard the Skawp ship but was passed over in favor of Murphy Giles, but he held no animosity. They all had a job to do and were very professional about it. They had to be, since none of them knew if they would live to see the next day, such realities tending to bring out camaraderie rather than competitiveness and petty jealousy.
    The Bots were both in great shape, and one was completely undamaged and ready for flight in just twenty minutes. The spark plugs had to be replaced in the other which Matt did on his own, freeing up John to report to Sergeant Moore and go over the mission plans. After checking both planes over again, Matt recruited almost thirty men to help him walk a nearby field to free it of any large rocks. It took two passes and almost an hour before the Major was satisfied it was suitably free of dangerous obstacles. At noon everything was ready and the entire camp stopped their work and wandered over to see them off. Many of the spectators were donning their battle gear so that they could monitor the GBF, or General Battle Frequency, and the group’s progress. General Peebles had a receiver set up underneath an awning in the center of camp so that he and the rest of the officers could follow the progress together. The entire day took on the feeling of a celebration or holiday.
    “Let me go John-John,” Eve said a she attempted to pull her hand from his. Her small legs were almost running as she moved alongside him toward the ultra-light. “I want to go in the airplane.”
    John stopped and knelt beside her. “No my sweet. You need to stay here and take care of grumpy old Stuart,” he said as Stuart Greybon walked up to them.
    “Stuart’s not grumpy,” Eve said simply, coming to her guardian’s defense and causing him to smile widely, “and anyway I want to go.”
    “Well, you can’t this time, but someday I’ll take you up okay?”
    “-kay,” she answered and rushed over into Stuart’s arms.
    Matt shook John’s hand before he climbed into the sparse cockpit. The plane itself was unarmed, the Captain’s Browning 9mm sidearm the only