Battlefield Earth

“This is Dr. MacKendrick," said Du

“Maybe I should have waited for you in the drone if you were so close,” whispered Jo

The older Scots let out an incredulous gasp. Chief of Clanfearghus stepped forward. "Naw, naw, MacTyler. The foul thing crashed just a mile north of Cape Wrath! 'Twas almost upon us!”

“How did you find me?” whispered Jo

“Laddie,” said Du

The Chief of the Argylls grumbled, “That wasn't what your companion told us, Du

Du

The other Chiefs nodded firmly. That was the way it should be.

“What day is this?” whispered Jo

“Day 95.”

Jo

The doctor saw the puzzlement. He had seen it before in head injuries. This young man had lost track of time. “They had to wait for me,” he said. “I was not in Aberdeen at the moment. And then we had to type your blood and find someone with the same type. I’m sorry it took long. But we also had to bring you out of shock, get you warm.” He shook his head sadly. “I should have gone with you all along. I’ll help the others when we get there.”

This upset Jo

“No, no,” said the Chief of the Camerons. “Dr. Allen, who's so expert with burns, was sent two days gone.

"Twenty-one hurt,” said Du

“Who are they?” whispered Jo

“Why, those,” said Du

“And why am I in a plane?” whispered Jo

That was the question they didn't want to answer. The doctor had told them not to worry this young man. They had him in a plane and were rushing him to the huge underground defense base in the mountains. There was some chance of a Psychlo counterattack. They had no idea at all whether the bombs sent to Psychlo had succeeded or failed. The Chamco brothers had told them about the force screen on Psychlo's transshipment area and that the early recoil had shown evidence of the screen's closing. The Chamcos had also told them that common salt neutralized the kill-gas completely. Angus had gotten mine ventilation fans into the old base and they'd found salt for filters of air. A group of excited, imported, awed Russians were at that very moment cleaning up the old base and the parson was burying the dead there. And they were not about to leave Jo

Du

A Scot helping Dwight up in the cockpit area came back and whispered in Du

Du

“Who?” said Jo

“The compound, the people. Just say something about how you are.”

Du

"I’m fine,” Jo

Du

“I hear other planes,” whispered Jo

With a glance at the doctor for permission, Du

There were five planes out there, stacked in a long echelon. He turned his eyes and looked out the other port. There were five planes out there in another echelon.

“It’s your escort,” said Du

“My escort?” whispered Jo

“Aye, laddie,” said the Chief of Clanfearghus. “But you were the one. You were the bo

The doctor disco

"If you'll just drink this,” said the doctor, “it will make things easier.”

They held the cup to Jo

It was whiskey and it had heavy herbs in it. He managed to drink it. Shortly the pain grew less and he seemed to be floating.

The doctor signaled them all to be quiet. He had a trephine in his hand. The brain was being pressed upon in three places, not two, and the pressure must be relieved.

Du

“You better tell them he's all right,” said Dwight. “They keep calling in every two or three minutes for news. And so does Robert the Fox. Takes one man just to handle the radio!”

“He's not all right,” said Du

Dwight glanced at Du