Battlefield Earth

Terl was hugging his ribs to keep from laughing with delight. He didn't want the sentry to log something about his conduct. Maybe the sentry would think he had a stomachache.

Oh, it was too much!

His professors were absolutely right. He was easily the greatest officer they had ever trained!

The laughs finally erupted from him but the guard had changed by then and the new sentry thought he was just being more insane than usual. There was nothing in the log except that that cadet had been there for a routine visit to practice talking Psychlo. The new sentry walked about. He had an odd feeling of foreboding. Had the summer night turned cold? Or was it just that insane laughter from the cage?

Chapter 3

“We,” said Jo

Dr. MacKendrick looked up from his task of removing the cast from Thor's arm, a little startled.

All the wounded Scots but Thor had left the underground hospital; Thor's arm had had to be rebroken and set but now it was fine, and with Thor gone, the hospital would be empty save for Jo

As he finished cracking off the cast, Dr. MacKendrick said, "We"

“Yes,” said Jo

I think they call it.”

Dr. MacKendrick looked at the tall young man, standing there leaning on his cane. He liked this young man. He liked him very much. His practice was being run at home by a competent young doctor and he supposed that arrangement could continue. He had thought a little vacation might be appropriate before taking up his tools in the Aberdeen cave. But Africa?

Thor was flexing his arm, looking very pleased. MacKendrick told him all about what exercises he must now do to keep his muscles from collapsing. It looked like a pretty good job of bone-setting this time.

Jo

“I need some dead Psychlos and I need some live Pyschlos," said Jo

Thor, in the doorway, laughed. “I shouldn't think you'd have any trouble with the dead ones. There's nearly a thousand somewhere around the compound.”

“Sorry,” said Jo

“There is the Chamco pair,” said Dr. MacKendrick.

“Sorry again,” said Jo

“Just what is the problem here?” said Dr. MacKendrick.

“You ever stop to wonder why the Intergalactic Mining Company always shipped bodies home? They don't want dead Pyschlos lying about.”

“The parson,” said Thor, “cut up the pair we found in the plane.”

“He wasn't looking for what I’m looking for,” said Jo

Dr. MacKendrick smiled. “Autopsies on dead Psychlos. Jo

MacKendrick had felt a bit contrite about the arm and leg; he had feared that he might have injured something when he operated. But the sudden movement of the arm and hand had told him that it was a matter of getting back into communication rather than physical damage: Jo

“Well,” said MacKendrick, motivated more by the possibility of being able to help Jo

Jo

Thor gasped. “We missed?”

“It isn't a full-fledged minesite. It is a branch mine of the central minesite near what used to be called 'Lake

Victoria.' Here.” And he showed them on the map. “Over to the west of there, way deep in jungle, there was-and is– a tungsten mine. The Psychlos are mad for tungsten.” He circled an area. “All this is jungle. On the pictures it looks like tall, tall trees, making a total umbrella. Thousands of years of growth. A recon drone doesn't even penetrate into that vast area of swamp.

“We chose our targets from recon drone maps. And yes, we missed. It 's my bet they're still sitting there listening to the strange chatter on the pilot planetary, keeping their furry Psychlo heads down and waiting for a chance to break out.

Thor smiled. “That's sort of grim, Jo

“I don't want just dead bodies, I also want some live ones. There's a graduate engineer or six at every minesite."

“And what,” asked MacKendrick, “are these autopsies supposed to show?”

“I don't know,” said Jo

“You're not telling me everything,” said Dr. MacKendrick.

“Well, as a matter of fact,” said Jo

“This sounds very hush-hush,” said MacKendrick.

“It is,” said Jo

Jo

“And you're trying to solve-?” said MacKendrick.

“Why the Chamcos committed suicide,” said Jo

“So Africa?” said Jo

“Africa,” said Thor.

“Well, Africa,” said Dr. MacKendrick.

Chapter 4

The big battle plane lanced through the skies over the Atlantic. It was a type used for company marines and had seats for fifty Psychlos with space and lift capacity for tons of weaponry and gear. Jo

Big as the plane was, they had had trouble keeping it from getting overloaded. It was all secret and would remain so. There would be no leaks. But friends and a small amount of activity attracted attention to them.

Du

There had been a bit of a flap just before take-off. Pattie, it seemed, had found the true love of her life in Bittie MacLeod and they wouldn't have known Bittie was also aboard except that Pattie came rushing down the stairs to the heliport to kiss him a childishly tearful goodbye. Chrissie had said nothing, feeling bad. But suddenly an old woman had come up with Chrissie's possessions and taken her in tow, and it turned out Robert the Fox was putting them on a regular run to Scotland. His family wanted to meet Chrissie, he explained. And then Pattie had to be packed up and sent with them. Then they were just closing the door when they had to open it again to take in Robert the Fox, complete with cloak and claymore.