The Winter War Read Free Page A

this new form of relations than
our more recent inductees. You have elected yourself head of the
Subcommittee for Improved Surface Relations.’ Marsden blinked a
couple of times; she had not expected that. ‘We’ll handle things at
this end. Form a group and come to me with resource requirements by
Monday midday.’
    ‘Yes, Councillor.’ Aneka tried
hard not to laugh. It was Thursday; Harper was not giving her much
time to work with.
    Harper was almost beaming now.
‘Excellent. I believe that we have begun an entirely new phase in
the life of our city and our world. Working with our new friends I
can see a bright future ahead of us.’
    There was clapping. Aneka did
not join in because she was busy trying not to cringe at the little
speech. A bright future, huh? The man should have been a
politician.
    Matlock, 13 th August.
    Daniel Linden, Reeve of Matlock, looked
up from his papers as Joshua Daventry entered his study. Daventry
was the town’s one and only medical professional which, in truth,
was not saying a lot. He knew more about the ailments of sheep than
he did about Humans, but he was the best they had and he was
looking exceptionally grey at the moment.
    ‘Joshua, what…?’
    ‘Stella Cooper,’ Daventry said,
almost as though that should explain everything. ‘She died about
twenty minutes ago.’
    Linden swallowed. ‘And you’re
sure of your diagnosis?’
    ‘Even I can recognise plague
when I see it, Dan. Though I’ll admit this is nothing like what the
books say. It’s more serious. Got into her lungs and choked
her to death, and that’s not supposed to happen so quickly. I’ve
quarantined the house, and the other cases…’
    ‘How many now?’
    ‘Thirty. Most are still bubonic,
but the pneumonic cases are increasing. It’s spreading fast and the
usual controls aren’t working. Penicillin doesn’t work. Cooper was
old sure enough, but her son’s likely to be the next body and he’s
built like a brick shithouse! We’ve no choice. We’ve got to send
word to the Prime City for help.’
    Linden frowned. ‘Oh, and I’m
sure they’ll come running…’
    ‘They’ve no choice, Dan. If this
gets out of town… Damn it! Even if all they do is quarantine us all
and wait for us to die it’s better than the alternative.’
    The Reeve’s frown only deepened.
‘It’s still keeping to the west and north, isn’t it?’
    ‘We’ve had no cases in this part
of town. Yet. It’s just a matter of time.’
    Linden got to his feet, picked
up his cane, and limped out past the doctor. ‘Abby?’ he yelled, and
his daughter emerged from the lounge. ‘Pack some essentials, get
the shotgun, and go to the workshop. Drag Bridger away from
whatever he’s doing and tell him he’s to drive you down to the
Prime City. You’re not to stop for anything.’
    Abigail’s brow creased.
‘Dad?’
    ‘You tell them we’ve got plague.
A really bad one. Stella Cooper’s dead and there’ll be more to
follow soon enough. I don’t care if you have to kiss Manu Dei’s
boots, you get us help up here.’
    Prime City, 14 th August.
    There were two gyms in the entire,
ten-kilometre span of Prime City, which said a lot about the
general attitude of its Citizens about fitness. Yrimtan had
engineered them for improved stamina and health, and the majority
of them felt that it was almost a sin to suggest that they needed
to be fitter. It was Saturday morning and there were few people
lifting weights or using any of the machines. Those who were could
be identified as Enforcers, Yrimtan’s police force. Their role in
the new society was yet to be fully decided and they all looked a
little less sure of themselves than usual. The arrogant menace was
gone as the Council decided whether they really needed a bunch of
black-armoured, heavily armed thugs.
    Of course, Aneka
reflected as she spotted for Ella, they look less menacing in
exercise gear anyway. Actually, they looked little different
from Ella currently. Shorts and