00084

Gov. Xavier Bright delivered his weekly report to Doris on Earth from inside his telecommunications room at the Governor's mansion. When he finished, the Aide of the Chairperson of the Policy Steering Committee asked, "What was the deal with your Security Leader? It is said he tried to harm you, so you took care of the matter, but we never got much details about it back on Earth."

Gov. Bright brushed aside the question. "Not much to detail. Just a thug trying to grab power and respect that he hadn't rightfully earned. The usual sort of story."

"I see," replied Aide Doris. "I am glad- ahem, Earth is glad to hear you have the situation under con... - -bzzzt bzzt" Her face dissolved from the screen into a patch of static.

"Um, okay, well, thank you. I hope you're getting me on your end better than I am receiving you," said the Governor. He paused, waiting to see if the screen cleared up at all. It didn’t. “I will sign off now, since it seems we lost our connection." He pressed the shutdown switch, but the static continued to hum onscreen.

Xavier Bright buzzed the Comm Tech Support Post. "I need somebody there to either restore my connection, or to shut it down. All I get is snow."

"Yes, Sir. The matter should be easily resolved in a few moments."

"I should expect so."

The Governor got up from his chair, but then the screen came back to life, and his jaw dropped when he viewed Clyden's face on the screen. "What is he doing on my screen?!" the Governor demanded from Comm Tech. "He is at the mines, isn't he? What's going on?"

"Don't know, Sir," the Comm Tech's voice answered. "It just came on by itself. We are trying to track this problem down-"

Tretl Clyden's voice, accompanying his grave-looking face, explained, "If you Leaders on Earth are seeing this, then I fear I have failed to stop that madman, Gov. Xavier! How unfortunate-"

Xavier Bright snarled, again buzzing Tech Support and asking, "Is this thing going to Earth also? Can they see this fool?"

"Er, yes, Sir, I believe so..." the technician timidly replied.

"Shut it down, then; shut it down- What are you waiting for?" Gov. Bright slapped his fist on the console. "Incompetents!"

"Y-yessir, we are doing our best to, um, to figure out how--!!"

As the unauthorized transmission continued, Clyden said onscreen, "As you can see behind me, this is only the latest of Gov. Xavier's many atrocities. I have tried so often to keep him in line, but..." He let out a deep sigh of pain. "I seem to be losing my ability to keep this dangerous man in check..."

Clyden moved his comm-unit camera from focusing on his own face, and waved it about the place where he stood. The scene showed clearly onscreen. Some giant laboratory. Greenish snow blew in a smashed view window. Scattered on the floor amongst bloody shattered equipment were sprawled bodies in white lab coats, torn and mutilated, some of them having limbs missing.

Watching the screen, Xavier Bright sputtered, "He's at the R and D Lab! But what did he do to the people?! Is this just some trick of his, or-"

Clyden's voice-over explained the scene, confirming Gov. Bright's deductions:

"I am now at the Research and Development Lab. This morning I received an urgent distress signal at the Security Agency Administration building, begging for help. I scrambled there as quickly as I could. Since my Agents were thinly spread, due to the rotation of the guards at the mines, and two groups thus being there at the same time, I decided it best if I go myself to check on the situation situation and not take more Security Agents from protecting Sparkle City, especially since this lab is a top secret affair. This is what I found." Again the video panned all the dead technicians lying around the floor.

Gov. Bright again ordered Tech Support to cut the transmission.

"Gov. Bright, somehow Mr. Clyden has sabotaged the whole system. His message was set up to go piggyback when you sent your weekly report to Earth, and to slip out of here before we caught it hiding with your own transmission. He has it rigged that it cannot be stopped!”

“Cut the power, you fool," the Governor bellowed.

Tretl Clyden's message continued on the screen. "Yes, it is a terrible mess. One of the scientist's last words were begging to know, Why did the Governor do this to us? Why?"

Clyden's face came back into view. "I can only guess. Perhaps the staff at the R and D Lab have developed some weapon that the Governor wants to use on whoever he regards as an enemy, and he doesn't want anybody here at the R and D Lab to be able to tell the story, so he got rid of all his witnesses. He is growing more paranoid and insane. I- I fear he will next regard me as an enemy. I may be next. He must be stopped! If I can't do it, then I want Earth to know what is happening, so that, perhaps they can stop him, before it is too late!"

Then, the ex-Security Leader shook his head in dismnay. "This isn't the only thing I have discovered. Before one of the scientists died here, he confessed also what he knew about a prisoner at the mines, No. 317, and also about a secret ore-"

Suddenly the screen went blank.

“We got it, Sir," the tech buzzed back, relieved to finally stop the accusatory video.

"It's about time!" fumed Xavier Bright. "That thug! I never expected him to be so clever as to do this to me. I’ll give him that.”

Gov. Bright thought of the surprise message, how Clyden had told about George McCleer and, even worse, was about to mention the ore processor! If the cretin's broadcast had been able to play only a few seconds more- "Anyway, he won't know. He won’t know anything about if his trick worked. He will never know how close he came. Not anymore. At least I still have the last laugh. I hear he is one of the of the loudest of the miners, now cheering me on at the mines, instead of trying to stab me in the back."

Gov. Bright sat back in his chair, working on what to say when Earth called back. And he also knew now, without a doubt, where Clyden had gotten the touchpad device he had tried to use on the Governor. But what about the R and D Lab? Were they actually somehow wiped out? Was it a real scene, or just a clever lie generated by a talented computer wizard? Were the people at the research lab actually killed?Either way, they must have been in cahoots with Clyden, since they made that touchpad for him. At least one of them was an ally of Clyden’s. What of the others? If they had been massacred, as the video showed, then who did it? Clyden? But why? And what of their secret projects and prototypes on the lab premises? Some would be very valuable for Xavier Bright- or for anyone else, for that matter- to get hold of. Too many questions that needed answers immediately.

But first, he had to deal with the fallout from Earth...

The Comm Tech buzzed back, "Gov. Bright, we have restored power and you can resume contact with Earth. I am sure, if you will excuse my saying so, Sir, that they will be wishing to speak with you."

"You can be certain of that," Xavier Bright agreed. "But you needn't have hurried so quickly to get the communicationszz back on line, once you had shut it down."

"Yes, Sir. Sorry, Sir."

The screen blazed to life. Earth Leader Arthur Bigges' face dominated the plate. "Gov. Bright, what was that all about? You have much explaining to do!”

00083

For several days, Albert Zoeniga and X-9 foraged for supplies for their planned big trip up north to the Research and Development Lab. The second night they came back to the cave at Abyss Gorge with a bunch of thick, heavy overcoats. X-9 assured Albert Zoeniga and Nina McCleer, "The weather in Sparkle City is moderate, but once we get up to the polar region- Well, I just hope that these coats prove adequate."

Nina tried on a jacket. "Oh, my size. Good guess, Bro. Al!"

The robot corrected. "I am a better judge of size than is Mr. Zoeniga, Ma'm.”

“Oh? So, you got this one for me?" Nina McCleer patted the robot's shoulder affectionately. "Too bad you robots don't marry. You'd make somebody a wonderful husband, X-9."

"Thank you for saying so, Mrs. McCleer."

Albert Zoeniga presented the food items. "We have freeze-dried and preserved. Not much in the way of fresh food, unfortunately. But we'll probably need anything and everything we can get our hands on. X-9 thinks we can hunt some wild animals, if we are lucky. He says the snow is greenish but we can still use it to make drinking water, and before we get there to the snow zone, we will get a nice supply of water with us. And, of course this..." Albert held up a large can of coffee for Nina's view. "Ta da!"

Nina brightened upon seeing that last item. She gave Albert Zoeniga a giant hug. "Oh, Al! Great! We can at least take a little piece of civilization with us."

"Yeah, my thoughts, too," smiled Albert. "We'll be facing hardship and freezing temperatures, but there's no reason to rough it without any coffee.”

Nina McCleer took off the coat and helped stack some of the items in a corner, to be packed for their travel. "You know, guys, I feel very strong already, ready to go on our trip. I could even go today, if we had all that we will need."

Albert Zoeniga smiled. "That is good. I was praying for your return to health."

"I know. Thanks. I've been praying a lot, too, when you two are gone. I pray we have success and can free George, if he is a miner. Now, I have a question., Tell me, where do you find all these things that you get for the trip? I pray for your supplies-hunting success, but I doubt they just drop out of the sky.”

Albert Zoeniga said, "I know where many of our brothers and sisters in the church had lived, so we visit their houses, and get their things. Of course, if any of them have survivors left behind and living there, we don't pilfer their goods then. Until the government learns all the names of those who had been lost in the disaster and confiscates all thier unclaimed property, we will continue to take what things we can get. Of course, also, some houses have already been looted, but many of them are left undisturbed. Perhaps the neighbors don't yet grasp that no one lives in those places anymore- Perhaps they think the lost families are on vacation somewhere, visiting relatives, or just not home. Sometimes, and in some neighborhoods here in Sparkle, it pays not to know too much about one's neighbors, so I figure many of their neighbors will just mind their own business...” Albert admitted, "I don't exactly like taking the stuff, it almost feels like stealing to me, but..."

Nina McCleer shook her head. "Oh, Bro. Al, don't feel so guilty. I bet if they can see us from up there, they would be happy for us to use their things for such a good purpose. Rather it is we who use the stuff they left behind, than Gov. Bright, who opposed our state-free worship so strongly, and imprisoned some of the church folks at the mines or the farms. If we succeed, we may be able to see some of their missing ones get freed, too, even if now they are turned into miners."

Albert Zoeniga said, “So many of the members had so little at their homes to forage. We are forced to hunt far and wide throughout the City, which increases our chances of being spotted. Bro. Smythe and family actually had a bit more money than most, and so sometimes they vacationed in the cold regions when they could, to ski, so at least we got some nice coats from their house. The coats are a God-send."

X-9 reminded, "However, the winter resort park where they vacationed is not nearly as cold as where we are going. I hope the jackets keep you from freezing. It may be that the both of you will have to wear more than one coat at a time."

In the days that followed, the authorities must have gotten more reports of homes with no one anymore living in them, for a definite state-run drive to locate and grab all the abandoned merchandise caused difficulties for Albert Zoeniga and X-9 in finding enough supplies. Entering one apartment late at night, they found it completely empty. Empty of everything.

Albert Zoeniga frowned. "Looks like we can't get much more from the church members. Too bad. We should have taken one of the vehicles when we had the chance  before Gov. Bright got their properties.”

"Perhaps you are right," X-9 conceded. "When you had suggested it several days ago, I worried that there would be no place to hide a vehicle for so long a time as we would require, as we were gathering our supplies during those days. We should have tried, though. We could have camouflaged it. As it is, now that Mr. Clyden is no longer there to supervise the Security Agents, the Agents are exerting more energies in their endeavors to catch criminals, perhaps bucking for his place as Security Leader, or from fear of angering the Governor because of their failings, and joining the ranks of the unemployable. It might be quite difficult for us to take a vehicle now."

When they shared their tale with Nina McCleer regarding the dwindling chances of finding more supplies, she thought for a few moments. "But to where do Xavier’s people take those things that they confiscate? Surely, there must be some way of finding out, no? Maybe if we know, we can get a vehicle from where they store everything. I'm feeling a lot better. I think it is time I do something for the team. In the morning, I shall go into town and make discrete inquiries."

Both Albert Zoeniga and the robot raised their protests. "No no no! You stay and continue to build up your strength. We'll take care of it. If it is possible to do, we'll get a car. It sure beats walking all the way to the Research and Development Lab."

And in the morning, Albert Zoeniga set out on his mission of finding the location or locations where the confiscated goods were stored. He kept a low profile. He dressed as poorly as many of the townsmen, and he kept a cap tugged down to his eyes. No one recognized him as the youth who had recently preached on the street corner, as the one who had missed being caught in the Incident.

He talked about the Incident off-handedly in a coffee shop. It was old news by now to most of the patrons and not as interesting as when it had first happened. Albert Zoeniga idly wondered what became of the property left behind. Soon he learned. Much of it was just pinched, by state workers who were supposed to turn it in, or even by some neighbors, like black marketeers, courageous enough to steal what the government wanted to confiscate, these members of gangs- But the majority of the big, useful items ended up in the usual place in such a situation- a certain fenced in lot with a cheap canvas roof, in which were impounded cars and necessary appliances of life which were repossessed when borrowers missed two successive payments on their government loans.

Returning to the cave after his morning of ferreting out the location, Albert Zoeniga slept the afternoon away, and then, in the dark of late night, he and X-9 once more departed from their hiding cave and visited the storage lot whose location Albert had learned that morning.

A thick concrete eight-foot wall surrounded the lot- not the chain link fence he had inferred from the stories he had heard earlier in the day. A swinging wire mesh gate guarded the entrance, locked and secured.

Albert Zoeniga crouched outside the gate, in the shadows of the night, peering at the heavy padlock. "Now what?"

X-9 took the lock in his robot hand and silently squashed the lock, tugging it gently off the hasp.

"Okay, that's one way to take care of it," said Albert. He put his hands on the gate, about to swing it open. X-9 put his hand on Al's forearm, not hurting him, but using his superior strength to prevent Albert Zoeniga from swinging the gate.

"What is it, X-9?" Then, Albert heard it, too- The steps of some people inside the lot, and their conversing voices, approaching them.

Albert Zoeniga and X-9 split, each one huddling along the wall just to the side of the gate, in the shadows and out of view- Albert having taken cover off the left side of the gate, and X-9 off the right.

The voices walked closer and stopped directly at the gate. It was a pair of Security Agents, their forms visible through the wire mesh gate in the dim light inside the storage lot. Albert stole a quick glance and then again concealed himself in the shadows.

He almost gasped out loud, shocked to recognize one of the Agents- His friend, Osmo Martin!

"I don't know how we got stuck, patrolling this big lot of junk tonight, Osmo," the other guard complained.

Agent Osmo Martin replied, "Somebody's gotta do it. Gov. Bright says there's too much looting going on, mostly in those empty homes. He says that the World of Hope can't afford to lose any of what resources we have."

"Yeah, he certainly is concerned about losing so much as a bottle of dirt. He's becoming very aggressive lately in collecting from tax delinquents, too. I don't know what's up with that..."

"Yup. And I guess the new tax hike is starting to hurt some folks, too, making it necessary to take their possessions for payment. Too bad. Anyway, Pete, I guess we owe our thanks to the Melville gang for our duty here tonight. Rumor is that that's who is grabbing and looting so much of the stuff lately.”

“Boy, Osmo, I'd like to see them try to swipe anything from here tonight, with us on duty. It'd sure be a feather in our caps, if we could catch them in the act."

"We won't catch anybody just standing here yakking. Let's keep patrolling."

"Hey, who made you Security Leader, since Clyden's demotion?"

"Ha ha, I wish, Pete."

Agent Pete asked, as they resumed walking, "So who do you think it will be? Maybe me, eh?”

Osmo Martin laughed. "I'm sure, Pete."

"Hey, that Mita chick who's always hanging out with the Governor and his niece- what's that all about? Is she, eh, seeing the Governor?"

"What, Mita Morgan? Ha, that's a good one. I don't really know her. I went to school with her back on Earth, as you know, but I never did understand her or know her. We moved in different circles. Why do you ask, are you interested in her..." Osmo Martin’s voice faded into the background, along with his and Pete's departing footsteps.

X-9 carefully, patiently, and quietly, but also swiftly, opened the gate when the Agents were gone. He moved into the lot, Albert Zoeniga behind him. They surveyed the place. This place had it all- refrigerators, screens, a stove, many cars. Albert pointed to a monster truck.

"Mr. Boothe's baby. I always wanted to drive that thing, although its ugly color scheme is almost so bad and embarrassing, I would be afraid of having an accident in that thing, and someone seeing me in a truck with such an ugly-looking paintjob. Think we can snatch that?”

“A good choice," said the robot. "A lot of room for many supplies to fit in it, even if we are a bit short for now on those needed supplies.. Yes, we can snatch it."

X-9 went over to the truck's door and soon had it open without setting off any alarms. Next, he popped the hood. He did not raise it very high, so as to risk attracting unwanted attention. Albert crouched down to the side of the truck and held the hood up a few inches for X-9 while the robot reached in, his robot hands searching and probing the engine by his robot sense of touch. It took X-9 over a minute until he found the tracking device and yanked it out.

The robot told Albert Zoeniga, “You board the vehicle and steer. I'll push the truck through the gate and down the street. When we are far enough from here, we'll start it up and be long gone before the guards even know what happened."

The plan worked flawlessly. As Albert Zoeniga drove away with X-9, the young man turned and peered out the back window, to see if any Security Agents ran after them and their new truck. None. The two guards didn't yet notice the theft. Albert shrugged. "Sorry, Osmo, ol' pal. I hope the Governor doesn't take this stolen vehicle out of your pay!"

X-9 suggested, "Mr. Zoeniga, please watch where you are driving. You almost hit that post.”

(c) drk 2012

00082

With his hands cuffed behind him, Tretl Clyden sat on a bench in the back of a Security land transport, bouncing each time the vehicle hit a pothole or a rock in the rough road leading from Sparkle City to the mining mountain. Seated upon another bench, Security Agent Osmo Martin kept him company. A blaster rested on Agent Martin’s lap.

Clyden broke the silence. "Okay, Punk, we're out here in the middle of nowhere. Now you can let me loose to escape, like you did your friend, that Albert Zoeniga fanatic."

Osmo Martin, from years of practice while attending school and being questioned by the authorities over certain matters of mischief, put on a convincing look of innocence. "You think I let him escape?"

Clyden laughed. "Yeah, Punk, you almost convince me otherwise. I guess it just happened, because Zoeniga was such a clever guy. Cut the bloop- and my cuffs, too."

"Why would I free you, Clyden? You tried to wipe out the Governor's mind, for crying out loud!”

The prisoner frowned. "Oh, c'mon, Osmo! You know why. You know he has to be stopped. You read the secret file, after all."

Osmo shook his head. "No file, Clyden. But then, you already know that."

"You lie!" Clyden shouted. "It's impossible!" In spite of his cuffs, he jumped to his feet, ready to fight.

Osmo Martin waved the blaster at him. "You better sit down, if you know what's good for you.”

It seemed the prisoner might not take the advice, until another rock in the road knocked him back down onto the bench. Clyden steamed in silence for a minute or so, sulking. Finally, he grumbled, "So you're gonna let them do this to me, eh? And knowing what you know, having read it all in the file. Humph, you're no better than your corrupt boss!"

"No file, Clyden," Osmo Martin repeated. "No proof."

Clyden tried to figure out if Osmo lied to him or not. "Ha! So you say. If you are on the level about no file, and if you really want to know the truth, then let me show you the secret ore processor, right at the mines, and you will see I am the honest one here, not the Governor."

"Sure, sure," said Osmo Martin. "You know there isn't any time for that. You are going to the transformation room immediately upon arrival. Anyway, you can't fool me. I admit, you almost had me going yesterday. I looked for the file. Now I know you are a liar."

Clyden grunted, quietly thinking over what the Punk had said. "I wonder if the Governor guessed about me having a secret file, and had somebody get to it before you did. Didn't you go to my office as soon as you locked me up?"

"No, I reported to Gov. Bright first, as I am sure you expected me to say. Stop trying to manipulate my mind. Like I believe you over Gov. Bright. Look, I don't really want to see you go to the mines. But you must admit, you brought it on yourself. I mean, what you tried to do- You think you should just get off scott-free? And maybe you're finally getting payback for all your dirty deeds. How many people did you send to the mines, who didn't belong there? Gov. Bright says the records show there aren't any there at the mines who don't belong there, but he also says it's not even possible to know for sure, since you have obfuscated the records so much! I know you. I expect you did kidnap people, like Mr. McCleer, if No. 317 is maybe he, and that your goal was to put Gov. Bright in a bad light. The truth is, if I am to keep my oath as a Security Agent, I must uphold the law and see that you get to the mines."

Clyden muttered, "Punk, you are undoubtedly the biggest jerk I ever met. No wonder I never liked you.”

The transport stopped in front of the bridge over the moat that surrounded the mountain. The narrow bridge led to the mine entrance. The driver remained in his place, while Osmo Martin and Clyden stepped outside. The loud digging music blasted, as usual, from the mine entranceway.

Agent Osmo Martin nudged Tretl Clyden along the bridge. Clyden had to walk carefully across, for Osmo Martin kept the prisoner's hands bound in back of him. If he lost his balance on the way, he had no ability to steady himself on the railing. The Eaters down below called to them.

“Don't worry, if you fall, I'll catch you," Osmo Martin promised. "On the second bounce."

"A jerk AND a jackass," Clyden muttered some more.

A few guards and some robots met the two at the opening to the mines. The human guards gaped unbelievingly, to see their former boss in this position! So the story was true, even though they found it hard to accept. The robots, however, showed no amazement. They simply did their duty and helped escort the prisoner down to the lower levels.

Several miners who passed by them in the tunnels gasped to see Clyden bound and taken by guards, no longer the one giving the guards orders, but instead being told which way to go. Most of the miners had known him and had seen him before on duty, and occasionally had even seen Clyden with the Governor himself at the mines! Unsure how to respond to Clyden's presence, they weakly cheered him, a bit confused about the sight.

One of the human guards shushed them. "Don't. He has betrayed the Governor. He even tried to harm him!”

Upon hearing this, the miners suddenly were no longer confused on how they should react to the new prisoner. As one, they let out a collective growl. "Miserable waste! Terrible man! Unproductive member of society!" They crowded toward him menacingly.

Agent Osmo Martin waved his blaster about. "No, miners, no. Leave him be!"

They growled some more but obeyed, backing off. They struggled to keep their rage under control. A few picked up some stones and tossed them at Clyden.

“Oof!"

"Stop that!" commanded Osmo Martin, this time waving his hands over his head, trying to get their attention and some order. "Don't do that because, um, we must give him a chance to, ah, join your ranks, so that you can teach him how to be a better citizen serving the peoples of Earth and the World of Hope. Stop, I say!"

They hissed but complied. One of them suggested, "Someone who would dare try to harm the Governor is not worthy of a second chance!”

Clyden watched the miners in silence, a cocky sneer on his face, obviously disgusted with the miners and their eager enthusiasm for the Governor.

Another guard told the Diggers, "Um, but the wonderful Governor himself has ordered he be given the opportunity to do the right thing from now on with his life. Gov. Bright wants to see that our prisoner gets the chance to do the right thing, in spite of the fact that he does not deserve the chance."

Upon hearing this, that it was Gov. Bright's own decision to give him a second chance, the miners beamed and nodded their heads approvingly, dropping the rocks from their hands and continuing on their ways to do their jobs. "That's our Gov. Bright! He's really quite a good guy!"

"Stupid miners!" Clyden grumbled the words with all the contempt he could muster. "They're even stupider than you, Punk."

"Yeah, yeah, yeah," Osmo said, "and soon you'll be just as stupid, sorry for you."

"Punk, ya can stop pushing. I'm going. I won't put up a fight. I refuse to give you the satisfaction of putting on a show, so that you can have a good laugh about it with Gov. Xavier."

The current Warden met the group outside the transformation chamber, as Agent Osmo Martin told Clyden, "Good for you. But I'm not staying for the show. I'm going back to the city on the transport."

Clyden called after him, "Okay, go, hurry back to the emperor. He might need you to shine his boots- with your lips! Run, so you can be with him, so he can decide if he likes you, or if he wants to send you down here next!”

Osmo Martin made no answer, he just continued on his way.

A robot opened the hatch to the transformation chamber. The Warden ordered the human guards, "Get this thug in there and up on a table!"

Tretl Clyden kept his word. He put up no fuss. Out of all the victims who had passed through here, he knew best what to expect. And yet, he did not fight back. No show from Clyden, if he could help it. He determined to conduct himself in a dignified way, despite what he knew lay ahead. He recalled seeing many people who were strapped to tables, IV's hanging from their arms to machinery under the tables, swelling rapidly from the dark fluid being pumped into their veins by white-coated technicians behind the plexi-glass. Not one of them took it in a dignified way.

As a victim's body quickly expanded into a huge miner body, the metabolic rate increased to dangerous levels, and the subject screamed and wailed in unbearable pain, until the ordeal made him pass out. Never had any been able to stay awake and sane through the entire transformation. At the point when the new miner-in-making passed out from the pain, a large hypodermic was forced into an arm and it injected the ID Wipe into the still growing body. And, after that, when the transformation was complete, robots took the new miner to the recovery room, and after he awoke, the newnbie went to be reeducated, to learn how to honor and love authority and the Governor, and to learn how to mine fuel ore.

Clyden fought with all his might not to scream once the process began. He groaned and moaned as the fluids and thick serums were forced into his body. His skin burned and his muscles ached, being stretched too far in such a short time frame. His bones even pained him inside. His joints swelled and throbbed. And what a terrible headache, like a continuous aneurism exploding-

Clyden screamed at the techs, "One day you bonkards will get yours!! You wait and see!"

And then, he, too, as everyone else did in the past, yelled and screamed and begged for mercy, until his mind finally broke into little tiny pieces, and after that, he felt nothing, no pain, he thought nothing, either; he drooled and gibbered and passed from consciousness. The pain drove him out of his mind.

Then the ID Wipe was administered, and the process continued until its predictable end.

Dazed and confused, Clyden awoke later in a room carved in the mountain rock. His full-fledged miner's body rested on a cot. He sat up, blinking.

From among several robots milling about, a green robot came over to him, carrying a new grey miner uniform with the number of 360 in place of a name tag. The robot expounded on how lucky the new miner was in this new life, to be given a second chance to be a useful citizen, to contribute to the good of the people of the World of Hope, to be given a chance to pay back Gov. Bright for his kindness in providing this opportunity to dig out fuel ore for those on Earth and Hope, etc., etc. "And," the robot announced, "you are now known as No. 360."

Clyden beamed. "That's a nice round number. But what can I do? How can I be useful? I don't know how to mine, do I?”

No. 360 expressed his grateful appreciation with many thanks as they took him to the training zone, where No. 25 and some other senior miners awaited him. These veteran miners demonstrated to No. 360 the proper way to use various mining tools.

"Ooh! Oh! Let me try!" 360 begged.

Nos. 25 and 32 watched him swinging a pickaxe with wild abandon, a joy to behold. Proud of his student, No. 25 wiped a tear from his eye.

32 caught that. He half laughed as he asked, "Are you crying?"

"No. Why should I be crying? I just got some dust in my eye, that's all. And, anyway, what if I am? Want to make something out of it?"

32 shook his head vigorously. "No, no, I didn't say there was anything wrong with it. Ah, I think it's good for a miner to cry with happiness, um, sometimes! No problem, brother." 32 had no desire to settle any differences with No. 25 in a gladiator match.

After the quick crash course in mining, No. 360 next attended a pep rally for Gov. Bright, where he joined in with the cheering, and then some miners took 360 on a tour before he started his very first shift.

Fourteen hours later, 360's team stopped for the day.

"What, already?" the new miner asked.

He followed them to an inspiration room, where they ate, cheered the Governor some more, and traded miner stories and technique tricks guaranteed to increase production.”

360 finished his meal and discretely slipped away. He traveled down several passageways and tunnels, seemingly knowing what path he wanted to take, and where he wanted to go. He soon found the seldom used tunnel which he wanted. He stood on a boulder under a low-hanging light and reached up into a small crevice in the ceiling above. "Good, it's still here!"

He yanked out a small bottle, the one he had put there only a few days before.

360/Clyden took out a pill and tossed aside the bottle. The pill resembled the one he had taken just after his failed coup in Gov. Xavier Bright's office. "It's good I had taken that pill which Dr. Kitchen made for me in case my plan failed, or for sure I would be a miner in heart and soul as well as in body. That transformation truly was the worst thing I have ever experienced. My mind did shatter from the awful time of it, but my pill worked. It nullified the ID Wipe, and it returned my mind back to me. How I hated, when I woke up, pretending to love that pig, Gov. Xavier! Well, like it or not, I am stuck with Plan B, since I messed up Plan A. But Gov. Xavier is mistaken if he thinks he has gotten rid of me. He has not heard the last of Tretl Clyden!"

Clyden put the pill in a pocket. "I only hope this pill works as well on George McCleer as my pill had worked on me. Now, the only problem is, how can I get it to him, since he is always being watched? But I will bide my time. I know sooner or later opportunity shall present itself. It is a problem to get him the pill, to be sure, but I am good at solving problems.”

 (c) drk 2012

00081

Osmo Martin stopped at the front office. After waking the Security Agent on duty, he explained the situation regarding the ex-Security Leader now in a cell. The Agent at the desk interrupted Osmo Martin frequently with "Wow!" and "Oh wow!" After taking care of that business at the Security Agency building, he returned to the Governor's House, and more specifically to the Governor's office, to report the safe jailing of Tretl Clyden. Sheila Bright and Mita Morgan were already gone from the office, but Agent Samm still stood where Osmo had left him, confused, spaced out, no longer Agent Samm.

A cleaning man worked on the vomit stains on the carpet.

Gov. Bright thanked Osmo Martin for all his help. "You were onto Clyden early in the game. And you and Agent Samm returned here secretly when I called you, to help me against any trouble Clyden might try. I appreciate your loyalty. Unfortunately, poor Mr. Samm has paid a high price for his part in protecting me. I won't forget what he's done.”

“What'll happen to Agent Samm?" Osmo Martin asked, concerned.

Gov. Xavier Bright shrugged, shaking his head. "His outlook is very uncertain. Of course, we will take him to the hospital, but honestly, I wonder if anything can be done for restoring his identity. I think, however, we can at least help him develop a new ID, and we can find a place for him with the Security Agency on a low-level job, until we know what he can do. We will find something for him so he can continue to serve the World of Hope, as he always did. We'll do what we can to keep his life useful and fulfilled..."

Osmo Martin said, "Maybe it won't be so bad for him, then. I mean, I wouldn't want to forget who I am, but at least he can be happy, doing something that he liked before he got this way. Even the miners are happy in their new identities, so why not Agent Samm, who already was a loyal and useful citizen?"

"I hope so," sighed the Governor. "Osmo, I must leave to take care of business, to keep the Security Agency from being harmed by the loss of Clyden. Can you please wait here with Agent Samm until the people from the hospital arrive? They have already been notified and are on their way."

"Of course, Sir."

"Also, Osmo- and this is not official business- can you make it here for dinner tonight?”

"I could use a good meal. It's been awhile, Gov. Bright."

It took several minutes until the emergency techs showed up. In the meantime, Osmo Martin talked pleasantly and reassuringly with Agent Samm.

Samm asked, "What is... do I know you? Who am I? I- I seem to not know anything at all about you- or me..."

"Your name is Samm."

"Samm? Okay. I'm Samm."

"Yes. Here, sit down for a few minutes, until the nice people come who will take you to the hospital to help you."

"Okay." Samm complied with no resistance.

After the ambulance left with Agent Samm, Osmo hurried back to the Security Administration building. He walked past the front office with the Agent on duty, taking care not to wake him this time as he slept, slipping by to do what he had wanted to do for the past hour, ever since Clyden had mentioned his secret file.

Clyden's personal office had a simple lock, and Clyden had shown Osmo Martin how to open many types of locks, including this kind. It took Osmo only a few seconds before he succeeded. Easy. Who would expect anyone to break into the office of the Security Leader anyway, and at the Security Agency building? Osmo quietly pushed in the door and stepped into the dark room.

When Osmo snapped on the light, he gasped. Either someone had already been here and rifled through the files and the computers, or Clyden really hated to be tidy and neat and orderly. Actually, Osmo Martin already knew that Clyden did, in fact, have slovenly habits, but not this bad. Clearly, someone got here ahead of Osmo Martin.

The young man hurried to look under the water cooler. He bent down and held the base of the cooler, then managed to tip it over slightly with one hand, and yet not spill the water bottle, while with his other hand he felt the floor under the cooler, where the water cooler base normally rested. He tried to find a file or a folder or something. Nothing!

Osmo Martin straightened back up. Hmm. Was there ever a file, or did Clyden simply try to manipulate his mind, to make him suspicious of Gov. Bright?

During the dinner that evening, Mita Morgan joined the Brights and Osmo at the table. The robot happily served them, happy to make them happy, and not a robot-care in the world.

Gov. Bright told Osmo, "Well, I checked into the matter with the miner, No. 317- or, I should say, Sheila and Mita have checked the records in Clyden's office, and, as far as they can determine, No. 317 is a hardcore criminal, and so are the rest of the miners. It appears that no one is there at the mining mountain who does not belong there."

The Governor’s niece nodded. "According to Mr. Clyden's database, there weren't any people kidnapped and stuck in the mines for no reason except that they were disagreeing with Uncle Xavier.”

Mita Morgan added, "According to Trel’s papers, no members of the illegal house church were sent to the mines, but for those taken in raids where they were caught with dangerous contraband drugs! At least, not so we could find in the records. We gave the office the once over to find any thing like that. We looked for maybe some kind of secret files that Clyden could use to fabricate lies against Gov. Bright, but we found nothing, not a thing about anybody being there at the mines who should not be there."

Gov. Bright appeared thoughtful. "I know that Clyden found drugs sometimes when he and a team of Agents conducted raids on the illegal church, but, to tell you the truth, now I begin to wonder. He is a thug, and... what if he planted evidence, to turn me against the house church people, and to make me look bad for trying to stop the house church because of their involvement with drugs? And, what if, behind my back, he actually did carry out kidnappings, and then he falsified the records to hide what he secretly did, in an effort to turn the citizens of Hope- and the Leaders of Earth- against me? And, this is the worst part- How could we ever find the truth?”

Sheila Bright made a face. "That would be terrible, Uncle! Do you think that is even possible?"

Mita Morgan snorted. "Who knows, with Clyden orchestrating things behind Gov. Bright’s back?"

The Governor let out another weary sigh, as if thinking too much about it and it tired him. "I suppose we may never know."

"One thing bothers me," Osmo Martin admitted. “He planned to take over as Governor, if I understand him. What made him think he could handle the job? To be honest, I don’t think he ran the Security Agency as well as he should have...”

Sheila Bright shrugged. Who knows, Osmo, and who cares? He's already shown himself to be a bad man, the way he tried to wipe Uncle Xavier's identity away with that touchpad thingie."

Osmo Martin nodded. “I suppose you have the right attitude, Sheila.”

Xavier Bright said, “Maybe because he fooled me so well, he thought I showed sheer incompetence to lead. I can see why he might think that, to be honest. All I can say in my defense- and this is a lame excuse- he had everybody fooled. He probably planned to blame me for all his dirty trickery- done under my very nose, which, unfortunately, I never discovered until recently. He expected to get me out of the picture, and he needed a cover story to justify his actions for removing me- He needed a story for the Leaders of Earth, as well as for the citizens of the World of Hope, and his own Security Agents, too.”

Osmo considered what the Governor said. "Oh. I'm not used to all this intrigue. Recently, my Father has asked me to return home, to learn the business, since I have now developed some self-discipline here in this job as a Security Agent. I'm stating to think more about my Father's suggestion..."

Sheila Bright shook her head in protest. "Oh, no, Osmo- You cannot be serious!”

Surprisingly, Gov. Xavier Bright laughed. Then, he said, "Osmo, if you don't like intrigue, joining your father in his big business isn't the solution on how to get away from it! I assure you, there is more intrigue in his corporation in one day, than you will find for a whole year on our little planet, even with people like Clyden around here. I don't want to say anything bad about Martinology, mind you, but that is just how things are done in corporations"

"Maybe, but I guess he also misses me.”

“So, invite him here. Osmo, you can't quit on us," Gov. Bright insisted. "We need you. After all, look how you helped to catch a big fish today. We need you to catch more big fish. You want to make a difference, don't you?"

Osmo Martin rubbed his chin. "Well, yes, I do... But you know my Father won't be able to come here for a visit. He first needs to find someone to replace him, before he can go on any vacation. He hasn't had a day off, except for Sundays, in a long, long time, probably a couple of years. But what you say sounds like good advice- I do think it is satisfying, to catch big fish, as you say. I can see myself staying on, doing just that, taking down corrupt law-breakers, big rotten fish..."

Sheila hopped up out her chair. "Enough of this depressing talk. You know you can't go back to Earth. You'll miss me too much. Now get up and take me out dancing tonight!"

Osmo Martin agreed. "It sounds like a sensible idea. I'm all for it, Sheila. Good day, Gov. Bright. Thanks for the meal. Later, Mita."

Mita Morgan gave a slight nod back. "Take care, you two. And don't worry about me, I won't be bored. I am still reviewing some of those things I learned back in school."

Mita resumed eating at the table. Xavier Bright also sat and continued eating at his side of the table. Neither spoke for a minute. Then, when Mita Morgan was sure Sheila and Osmo were gone, and that they would not be coming back to the dining hall unexpectedly for something like forgotten keys or anything like that, then, Mita picked up her purse and rummaged around in it, producing a fat yellow file folder. She handed it to Gov. Bright.

The Governor smiled. "Ah, good, Mita, you found it." Xavier Bright took the folder and opened it, scanning its contents. "I was right, then. I knew that rascal would be keeping a file with enough in it to make things bad for me. How did you find it?"

"It was easy to do, once I knew to look for something secret like that in the first place," she replied. "A tiny corner of the folder peeked out from under the water cooler. I made sure Sheila didn't see me taking it."

"Thank you, Mita. Did you find out where Clyden got that touchpad device?"

She shook her head. "No, sorry, Gov. Bright. He left no record of it that I was able to find.”

“Oh. Well, you have already been very helpful.”

She smiled at him. “I will always do what I can to serve you, Gov. Bright. You can be sure about that."

"I am. I appreciate the fact that I can count on you when I have a problem.”

(c) drk 2012