Leader of the Resistance (part 3)
a novella by Frank Pipp & Bruce H. Markuson
In part 1 of “Leader of the Resistance,” Hope locks herself into a bunker while a virus rages in the outer world. She watches as people drop like flies, first from the virus, then from the vaccine supposedly sent to counter the virus. She realizes, at the end, that a new alien species has taken over.
In part 2 of "Leader of the Resistance," beings inhabit our heroine’s home. She overhears them discussing the plague and vaccine. She discovers they engineered the vaccine to eliminate the rest of the humans, but they are also subservient to a greater species. Over intercom from her bunker, she contacts them, and sows the seeds for a resistance movement.
Read part 3 below!
Chapter Five
The Insecticide
Day 92 10:00 AM
Peter was sitting in front of the security camera. “Young One, now that we have made the initial attacks, they are on their guard. What else can we do to fight the Vespula? We will have to be more cautious. They are looking out.”
I didn’t have an answer at the moment, so I blurted out, “I don't know. Use bug spray on them.”
He answered with a bit of confusion. “Bug Spray?”
So I thought about that and answered. “It's not a bad idea. Not a bad idea at all.”
Peter asked me,
“Young One, what is bug spray.”
“An insecticide. It's a neurotoxin. A chemical substance which inhibits neuron control over the nerve cell membrane. It’s a very specific chemical. And it only requires the minutest amount of the chemical to be toxic. And certain Neurotoxins are specifically toxic only to insects, not mammals like you and me.”
Peter replied, “The Vespula are having the Ceboidians make their food at human corn syrup and sugar processing plants.”
“I see they are insects. It’s how they get their food. Bees gather pollen and nectar. It’s a mostly sugar diet.”
“You're saying we should kill all the Vespela by poisoning their food source?”
“No, once they see the first few dying, they’ll simply stop consuming Earth's processed sugars. Just slightly contaminate their food source. Not enough to detect, but just enough so that over time it will slowly incapacitate their species. By the time they realize what’s happening, all the Vespula should be contaminated. And then, maybe over time, it will kill them off.”
I thought about that. That would be a final blow to this invader of Earth.
Peter asked me, “Where would we get this chemical in such large amounts?”
I had an answer for him. “Al’s Pest Control and Agricultural Spraying. He’s got a large tank of concentrated insecticide. It fills up half his warehouse. It is used on crops. Bring in a hose and pump out the liquid from the tank. Then store it hidden in other containers not located at the site. Then leave. Do not disturb anything else; leave all other equipment sprayers delivery trucks and such where they sit. And, above all else cover up your tracks.”
“Why, Young One?”
“If they look for the source of the pesticide, they will simply see an abandoned insecticide company that was there ahead of time. They will assume that all insecticide was sprayed before the Vespula invasion.”
“Young One, you seem to have quite an extensive knowledge about all this. Did your father teach you these acts of war?”
“My father? No, I was talking to the lawn guy who was spraying for bugs.”
Day 93 10:00 AM
I asked Peter, “Can you obtain Vespula weaponry to fight against them or at least sabotage it?”
“Only the Vespula soldiers operate and maintain weaponry. However, they are desperately low on soldiers and, as you predicted, are now ordering us Ceboideans to work on other things.”
“Well this is something new. What are you in charge of?”
“We have been given additional responsibilities for communications, their fuel at the oil plant, and maintenance of their ships.”
“Wait a minute. You said oil plant, their fuel? It’s here at the oil plant that’s down the road from the airbase?”
“You have a view of the airbase?”
“I do.”
“They have assigned Ceboideans to work at the airbase to try to retrieve human technology. Their main fuel depot will be here on Earth ready for the invasion of the Varanus home world. The Varanus are the major threat to the Vespula.”
“The fuel, it’s all in one spot?”
“They are using the oil refinery to store it. After the first attack by the resistance, they wanted one spot which can be well guarded. It’s their one main stockpile. The fuel is a compound consisting of element 115 that is proton charged to element 116 which atomically breaks down to antimatter.”
He continued getting more technical with me. “Yeah, whatever,” I answered. “But it’s all at the oil plant. We have to sabotage it.”
“Why the fuel?” he asked.
“One blow could cripple their fleet if the fuel is destroyed. A prime target. If we make them feel vulnerable they will have to post more and more guards at all their facilities, thus requiring more and more soldiers. In turn, requiring more Ceboideans to take on more important duties.”
“But the oil plant is protected by a force field, and Vespula soldiers have plasma weapons. They can also turn on their personal force fields. Human weapons have little effect.”
He paused. “However, since oil production was shut down, there are large empty underground pipes leading to the plant.”
“You would need someone to invade it. But no Ceboideans can ever be suspected. There are some explosives, detonators, and timing devices at my father’s airbase.”
He answered me, “Yes, I know what you’re talking about. I have access to the airbase. I’ll see what I can do. I’ll see if I can recruit some humans.”
“Humans! Are there any other humans out there?”
“I have seen a few. They hide deep in the woods.”
“Let me know if you find anyone. Also, have all saboteurs carry some human explosive on their person.”
“Why is that, Young One?”
“If found dead the Vespula will simply assume all sabotage was planned by humans and not the Ceboidians.”
“Oh, I understand now. You are really quite devious, Young One.”
“Also one, just one of the explosive timing devices needs a dead battery.”
“A dead battery? For what purpose Young One?”
“They need to clearly see that it was humans who sabotaged it.”
Chapter Six
Actually Other Humans
Day 102 10:00 AM
Today a number of my Dad’s guns were spread out on the dining room table, along with some bricks of C4 plastic explosives with timing devices attached to them.
Peter laid out a map on the table. Next, an older man, a human, came into the house and started barking orders at Peter.
“So this pipe leads directly to the storage tanks?” He pointed to the map.
Humans, actually other humans, have survived! Two other men came into the house as well. They look like preppers, survivalists. I had heard that there were a number of men scattered throughout the countryside, but they retreated to the mountains during the pandemic. Strangely, their paranoia paid off. They never caught the plague and never received the poisonous vaccine. The three looked like scruffy guys who had been living outside for the past few months. Apparently, Peter found some slim-picking for recruits, but I did ask him for humans. Now there’s a ray of hope. I can get out of here.
Peter responded, “The pipe is three feet wide, never used. It’s empty and unguarded. You can crawl through the pipe under their force field to get into the oil plant. I severed the pipe myself.”
I spoke up over the security system, “Good morning, everyone. I’m glad you are here.”
“Young One, may I introduce Mr. Richard Moreland, retired Major USMC.”
“Mr. Moreland, it’s nice to meet you. You need to get in, set the charges, and get out before they know you’re there. Also, it is absolutely important that you leave one of the bombs with a dead battery so the Vespula will know it was humans.”
“Excuse me! Who am I talking to?” the Major demanded.
“I’m H…”
He interrupted me, “Have you tried to get some of your furry friends here to fight with us?”
“They’re called Ceboideans, and none of them can go.”
He snapped back at me, “Do you see these men here? It took me three months to gather this many men, and I do mean men for this militia group. In case you’re not aware humans are becoming an endangered species.”
“No! This has to be strictly a human operation,” I told him.
“I don’t take orders from little girls.”
“You’ll be out numbered and out-armed. Plus they can turn on personal force fields. Don’t take on the Vespula directly.”
One of the men spoke up, “Major, we have to go now if we want to get there by sundown.”
Wow, he’s a really cute guy and just a few years older than me. Maybe, when I get out of here, we can get together. I wouldn’t leave Kyle for him, however I don’t know how many eligible men may be left in this world. I don’t know if Kyle is still alive.
The Major looked directly at the security camera. “Young lady, I spent forty years in the Marine Corps. Don’t tell me how to do my job.”
“Mr. Moreland, please.”
Then he snapped at me. “Hey, Joan of Arc, we’re going to have a little talk when I get back.” They grabbed my dad’s guns and map, then slammed the door as they left the house.
Peter asked me, “Young One, who is Joan of Arc?”
“Five hundred years ago an eighteen-year-old girl led the French army to victory over the English.”
“Oh, that is you.”
Fine, fine, fine, I thought to myself. He knows what he’s doing. He can open this door. Let him take over the resistance. Then what? Try to find Dad and maybe Kyle, my friends, if they’re alive. Maybe get together with that cute guy. Who knows?
Day 103 10:00 AM
This morning, I cleaned up, put on some makeup, and braided my hair as best I could.
“Still thinking about that cute guy,” I said to myself.
Throwing the backpack over my shoulder, I waited at the bank vault door. Still stuck. It will be great to get out of here. How will they get in, use a welding torch? Or perhaps I could hide in the corner and they could use some of the explosive. Well, we’ll will figure it out.
I turned on the security monitor. “Good morning Peter.”
Peter told me, “Young One, only one tank was destroyed.”
“So the mission was a failure?”
“Well, not a complete failure. Their central fuel supply is now limited. They are scrounging up fuel from across the Vespula Empire. The invasion of the Varanus home world is still going forward.”
“We didn’t achieve our objective.”
“No, but at least the Vespula have found themselves vulnerable. They’re on the defense. They feel they need to make an attack before the Varanus can strike first.”
“It’s a whole new ball game. Has Mr. Moreland come back yet?”
Peter paused for a second. “Young One, I’m sorry I didn't tell you.”
“Tell me what?”
“He’s not coming back.”
The backpack slipped off my shoulder and hit the floor. “What do you mean not coming back?”
“The three of them got into a firefight with Vespula soldiers.”
“I sent the men to their death!”
“He should have listened to you. After sabotaging the fuel tanks he tried to take on the Vespula soldiers directly. You tried to warn him. He was outnumbered and out-armed. The Vespula have their bodies displayed in the town below us in the valley as a warning to anyone who would challenge the Vespula. I’m sorry, Young One.”
I ran to the tank scope. There in the town square were the three corpses impaled on steel poles in the ground. I couldn’t make out their faces but I recognized their clothes. An arm was missing on one. A leg was missing on another. The cute guy is dead.
“Not coming back,” I murmured.
Peter continued, “I want you to know your leadership inspires the Ceboideans. You’ve given them hope. And, Young One, there’s another thing. One of the men was captured alive. Under torture, he revealed the leader of the resistance is a young girl. That’s the only thing they know at the moment. Wherever you are, you’re safe for now. Stay there. The Vespula has sent out death squads to hunt you down.”
I shut off the security monitor. “Oh my God. Oh my God!” I screamed out. I stuck the crowbar in the floor as best I could, braced it against the vault door, then crouched down in the corner. “Why was I chosen to be the leader of the resistance?”
Day 104 10:00 AM
I wiped my eyes and composed myself. I guess the war moves on. If I am to ever get out of here, I must fight and finish this.
“Good morning, Young One. As you have suspected, they have found the empty pesticide tank along with the crop-spraying equipment at the facility. Presumably unused since the invasion. They have done a complete analysis and confirmed that humans sprayed these chemicals before the invasion. They assume it was already in the environment. Now they refuse to linger at the site. No further investigation will be done. However, the pesticide has had an effect on all of the Vespula.
“So, the thought of poisoning them is over. I guess this was a dismal failure.”
“Young One, like you said, it is still a demoralizing campaign. Many of the Vespula are constantly shaking due to the toxins in their system.”
I added, “And they do not suspect foul play with the insecticide. Well, that's something.”
“Something, Young One? You have wiped out thirty-eight percent of their forces on Earth. Yet they suspect no enemy activity. At least not in this case.”
“In other words, no retaliation, no hunt for insurgence. Plus, they will have second thoughts about staying here and possibly consider leaving Earth altogether.”
Peter continued, “Maybe the time has come. Why not show it as an attack of the resistance?”
“No, that would be their rally cry. It would give them a reason to stay on Earth. We don't want that. They will retaliate against humans and possibly the Ceboidians.”
Peter looked at me with a slight pause. After years of enslavement, there was still that glimmer of hope in his smile.
“Young One, does this mean we are winning the war?”
That was an interesting question that I didn't have an answer to at the moment.
However, I did say, “Perhaps, but…” I paused. “Things haven’t all gone as expected. But let's not get too complacent. Our job is not finished.”
Then I asked Peter, “How are the Vespula acting? What’s happening now?”
“Now they wish to congregate in protected areas. Now they are looking for a safe haven. An isolated place they know is free of insecticides.”
Chapter Seven
They, They, They,
Day 113 10:00 AM
“Young One, they have moved up the date for their invasion of the Varanus home world. They are hasty in their preparations. The Ceboideans are taking on more and more of the critical operations of the Second Fleet.”
“What operations?” I asked.
“Hyper drive engine maintenance and propulsion, coolant/lubrication systems, life support systems, fuel, communications, calibration/spare parts, force fields and even some of the weapon systems.”
I asked, “Can you sabotage all of these systems on all the ships?”
“No, Young One. The Ceboideans could probably achieve one sabotage at best on each of the ships. No more. All human explosives must be carefully smuggled aboard. As you have suggested, perhaps we could sabotage their weapon systems. If it doesn’t work during a firefight, they may lose the battle. Young One what shall we do?”
“Please, give me a minute,” I quickly responded and turned off the monitor.
One thing, just one thing. What one thing could we do? What shall we do? That is the question. If we sabotage their weapons or force fields systems, they could retreat. If we sabotage the propulsion, they would fight till the end and call for reinforcements. If we sabotage the communication system alone, they may still have the ability to battle the Varanus.
“They, they, they!” I screamed out. “They could do this and they could do that.” Then I thought, what if “THEY” weren’t part of the equation?
I turned on the security monitor, “Peter, you said the Ceboidians were in charge of maintaining the life support systems.”
“Yes, that’s true.”
“What if that failed?”
Peter thought about it a second. “If explosives were planted in the right spot on the ships, the life support systems would fail and all the backup safety systems with it. Everyone on the ships would instantly die from exposure. But time is short. They want to launch the assault on the anniversary of the Queen's coronation.”
“You know the exact time?”
“They will be in orbit of the Varanus home world in a few days.”
“What if all the explosives went off at the exact same time on all the ships while they were in formation around the Varanus home world at the last moment. They would only be concentrating on the battle ahead. And if all the explosions went off at the same time, then no ship could warn the others. ”
He paused. “Yes, that would work. Young One, you have that insight for war.”
Day 115 10:00 AM
Today the house was full of Ceboideans and a few other species that I didn’t recognize. The dining room table was stacked halfway to the ceiling with bricks of C4 plastic explosives and their timing devices attached to them.
“Who are all these people?” I ask Peter.
“Young One, these are your followers, your resistance. This will be the maintenance crew on all the ships during the assault on the Varanus home world. We are ready.”
Oh my God. They are all following what I say.
Peter continued, “It will be tomorrow at Earth time 12:45 am exactly when they have planned to begin the assault. The explosives are timed for 12:30 am. All thoughts will be on the battle ahead. Any act of sabotage may be overlooked.”
I tried to give some sort of pre-battle speech. Say something of encouragement. Isn’t that what a resistance leader does? “This will only buy us time. But if it works, you may be on the path to freedom. I wish everyone good luck. Onward to victory.”
Boy, that sounded a little stupid, but they all enthusiastically grabbed explosives and left the house.
Peter told me after they left, “I’m sorry, Young One. None of them can understand English. But you are an inspiration to us all.”
Great, I’m babbling on in some language they can’t understand but at least I’m an “inspiration.”
Will the sabotage work? Check in next week for part 3, and let us know in the comments what you think is to come!
Meet the authors:
Bruce Markuson lives with his wife and two children in Milwaukee WI. He has a published novel as well as over a hundred and fifty other publications. Bruce is also working on a number of series. He enjoys writing and often finds himself with writer’s obsession. He says the best way to write is to have an ending then write to that ending.
Frank Pipp is a retired early elementary school teacher living in Milwaukee, Wisconsin (Go Packers!). Prior to teaching, he was a vice president in cash management for a regional bank. He has two adult children and a rescue border collie. He is active in mitochondrial disease fundraising, enjoys long dog walks and writing. In 2019 he had a poem about a summer day as a ten-year-old, a science fantasy story, and a science fiction short story published. During these times of Covid-19 shelter in place, he is learning to knit and made a pair of Dr. Who mittens.
Good use of illustrations/photos to tell the story.