GEMP Chapter Six
GEMP
Author: J Carrell Jones
Table of Content
Chapter 6
Chapter 6
After the morning briefing Codper went to his room. “Heathens!” He spat. The bottle of whiskey sat next to his computer keyboard on his desk. He reached for the cup next to it and blew inside. He poured a healthy dose of booze and swallowed half of it in one gulp. Then filled the cup again and sipped this time. He sat back in his chair and stared at a blank monitor. His bible was within reach and when he touched it he immediately felt at ease in a way adult beverage would never make him feel. He turned to Deuteronomy.
“Neither shalt thou bring an abomination into thine house, lest thou be a cursed thing like it: but thou shalt utterly detest it, and thou shalt utterly abhor it; for it is a cursed thing.” – Deuteronomy 7:26
He finished the cup and poured another.
Oscar had a feeling that something changed. Everyone in the room avoided looking at him directly. It took him years to understand that when humans look you in the eye it is not a challenge. He sat in between Kelly and Steve. Kelly smiled down at him and gave him a hug. She almost never did that. Steve made idle talk. He asked about his evening and did he read anything special. He asked if he wanted to talk about something. Oscar caught a frown from Grenier. It disappeared when he saw Oscar staring and he smiled. The Colonel was in a foul mood. He was almost always in a foul mode. Recently, he started smelling like naughty-water. This morning was no exception. His face was scrunched up during the entire meeting, but that meant little to Oscar. He was thinking of Hela and Feme and this morning. He started to become excited again, but quickly thought of something else. Like TV and video games, but both the Gemps sure felt good. Everyone agreed he should visit the Village daily, which of course he didn’t mind. That was the best news. Ever.
“But when the righteous turneth away from his righteousness, and committeth iniquity, and doeth according to all the abominations that the wicked man doeth, shall he live? All his righteousness that he hath done shall not be mentioned: in his trespass that he hath trespassed, and in his sin that he hath sinned, in them shall he die.” – Ezekiel 18:24
He poured another.
Oscar hurried to his room. He found a small pouch he could use to carry some chocolate. He put in some chewy filling ones and a few with nut centers. He hoped the first box would last a couple of days.
“Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.” – Matthew 26:41
He poured another.
Oscar emerged from the passageway and casually walked to the village. He made his way to the river bank and entered from there. Most of the Gemps were sitting around grooming one another. Hela and Feme sat near Mos and Kiri, talking. Mos had picked figs earlier and now shared them. Kiri had several pomegranates between her legs. She handed one to Mos and another to Hela and Feme. They looked up and saw Oscar.
“There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.” – Corinthians 10:13
His hand slipped and some whiskey missed the cup.
Steve, Kelly, and Grenier sat in the observation room. Two of the large monitors were focused on Mos and those around him. Oscar came into view and sat in the center. Hela and Feme blushed and acted shy. Mos signed, “Elder, Mos has questions about God.”
Oscar replied, “My child, ask.”
Grenier leaned back in his chair, “If only I had popcorn.”
Steve shot Grenier a quick glance, “Ken, this is serious. What are we doing?”
Grenier leaned forward to get a better look at Steve, “We just doubled down. All that happens now is just profit. Nothing lost everything gained.” He leaned back again.
Kelly asked, “How so?”
Grenier answered, “Oscar. Ironically, he’s our human link.
“I will make mine arrows drunk with blood, and my sword shall devour flesh; and that with the blood of the slain and of the captives, from the beginning of revenges upon the enemy.” – Deuteronomy 32:42
He misjudged the distance and grabbed air. The second attempt he grabbed cup and drank.
Oscar signed, “God is like us, but taller. He is smart. Knows a lot about many things. He watches us. He takes care of us.” Then Oscar remembered the key item he had to slip in. He took his right index finger, lifted up his left elbow to his chest level and struck it lightly and quick with the index finger. He finger spelled “PUNISH”.
The three imitated Oscar.
Mos pronounced it, “Poo-nish.”
Oscar shook his head and signed “Sounds like RUN.” He hooked a right hand index finger “L” around his left hand index “L” thumb. Both hands had the index fingers parallel to the ground with the thumbs up. He quickly thrusted both hands away from him quickly.
Mos nodded, said,”Pun-ish.”
Oscar gave him a toothy smile.
The others pronounced the word.
Oscar clapped.
Feme asked, “What does this word mean?”
“And after all that is come upon us for our evil deeds, and for our great trespass, seeing that thou our God hast punished us less than our iniquities deserve, and hast given us such deliverance as this;
Should we again break thy commandments, and join in affinity with the people of these abominations? wouldest not thou be angry with us till thou hadst consumed us, so that there should be no remnant nor escaping?” – Ezra 9:13 - 14
He stopped drinking. He was satisfied with his heavy buzz.
Oscar signed, “God would take away all that is good. No food. No shelter. No clothing.” He looked at Hela and Feme. “No chocolate.”
Mos and Kiri gave Oscar a curious look.
Hela and Feme frowned and tears welled up in their eyes.
Oscar continued, “Listen to God. Follow his ways and his teachings through me and you shall be rewarded.”
Mos said, “I believe in God.” He pointed to himself, pointed to his forehead and clasped his hands together in front of him. He finger spelt “IN” and finished with a right hand index finger to the sky and bringing the hand down open palm fingers slightly spread palm facing left to chest level.
“For the stars of heaven and the constellations thereof shall not give their light: the sun shall be darkened in his going forth, and the moon shall not cause her light to shine.
And I will punish the world for their evil, and the wicked for their iniquity; and I will cause the arrogancy of the proud to cease, and will lay low the haughtiness of the terrible.
I will make a man more precious than fine gold; even a man than the golden wedge of Ophir.” – Isaiah 13:10-12
He turned on his computer and waited precious seconds for the welcome screen to appear. His email program started immediately. Within a minute he saw a message from the Chairman embedded in a stream of other messages. He clicked on the Chairman’s and read. It was a simple email. It read,
My good Colonel,
I agree, the situation is dire and deserves further congressional oversight. The President, the Joint Chief of Staff, DARPA and the NBAC are behind this project - fully. This is not a battle that can be fought by committee.
“Then I proclaimed a fast there, at the river of Ahava, that we might afflict ourselves before our God, to seek of him a right way for us, and for our little ones, and for all our substance.
For I was ashamed to require of the king a band of soldiers and horsemen to help us against the enemy in the way: because we had spoken unto the king, saying, The hand of our God is upon all them for good that seek him; but his power and his wrath is against all them that forsake him.
So we fasted and besought our God for this: and he was intreated of us.” – Ezra 8:21-23
May you find the strength, my friend, to do what is right in your heart.
With all sincerity,
B.
His heavy buzz faded quickly. He was on his own now. A pity.
Tutu walked over to Oscar. He said and signed, “Tutu, not believe. No proof.”
Oscar stood up. He was still a foot shorter than Tutu, “Do I look like Tutu?”
Tutu frowned, said, “No.”
“Do I talk like Tutu?”
“Elder has no voice. Talks with hands.”
“Proof God exists. I am different, yet we talk. We . . . “
“Do not see the same thing. I see small Gemp. Hairy. No voice. God is flawed to make Elder funny looking.”
Oscar’s anger flared up. He thought about hitting Tutu, but decided Steve would be mad and take away his chocolate and TV. He did once before. Oscar screamed and broke anything and everything that was throwable, but Steve stood there and waited. When Oscar finished Steve flew into a chimp-like crazed rage. He chased Oscar around the room screaming, yelling, and throwing things at Oscar. The chimp was terrified. That was the last time Steve had to react extreme. Oscar looked Tutu in the eyes. Steve told him to make sure he doesn’t blink first.
Tutu stared back. No one challenged him before like this. The Elder locked gaze and never let up. Tutu felt a growing coldness creep up his back. He was losing his nerve. The Elder won.
Oscar watched as Tutu looked down.
Tutu, feeling disgusted, said, “Tutu no like God or Elder.” He looked at Hela and Feme. “Follow me.”
Both said, “No.”
Tutu gave them a scowl.
Both females stood up and signed, “No.”
Tutu, forgetting his encounter with Oscar roared.
The other Gemps around the village scampered from the center. Tutu was mad and someone was going to get hurt.
An alarm went off in the Command center. Steve, Kelly, and Grenier were still in the observation room talking. Grenier clicked an intercom button near his seat. “This is Grenier, who triggered that alarm?”
A specialist stood up, ‘Sir! Gemps are about to fight.”
One of the large monitors showed Tutu puffing out his chest, roaring.
Grenier turned to Steve, said, “Might be a good time to show God? I’m worried that Tutu might hurt Oscar.”
“Oh, Steve, Oscar could get hurt.” Kelly said.
Steve shook his head, “It’s the other way ‘round. Oscar is strong enough to rip Tutu to pieces. The Gemps only have two-thirds our strength.”
Grenier pressed the Intercom button. “Prepare Mr. Launse for a Day launch. Start to que up clouds and place a rain storm on stand-by.” He turned to Steve and released the button. “Agreed?”
Steve nodded, “Agreed.”
Grenier pressed the button again, “Mr. Launse is going out in five minutes. Prepare a subterranean launch.”
Steve took a deep breath and exhaled. “Kelly, ready? This is it.”
She nodded and the two raced out.
Grenier sat back down and wished he had that bag of popcorn. He pulled out his cell phone and called the kitchen. Cookie was on duty. “Cookie, can you bring up a large bag of your home style popcorn to Observation Room one, please?”
A deep voice answered, “Of course, sir. Up in five minutes.”
“Perfect! Thanks, I owe you.”
Cookie answered, “Tens and twenties, sir.”
Both men laughed before Grenier clicked off.
The Colonel woke with a start. The alarm sounded. He had been hunched in his chair, in front of the computer. He reached for the phone and dialed the Command center. “What’s the alarm about?”
The voice replied, “Gemps, sir. Possible fight. Mr. Launse is about to go out.”
Codper grunted, “On the way.” He slammed the phone down, contemplated taking another drink but in mid pour changed his mind. He walked into the bathroom and rinsed his mouth in hot water and mouthwash. Damn apes he thought. Abominations, the whole lot.
Oscar stepped in front of Tutu. “Both said no,” he signed. He knew Steve well enough to know that fighting to protect the Gemps would be okay.
Tutu roared. He swung at Oscar.
Oscar ducked and was glad to have an excuse to hit Tutu. He gave him a two arm slam combo.
Tutu felt Oscar’s powerful hands connect. He would not have thought the small chimp could hit so hard. He swung at Oscar again.
Oscar ducked and hit him with another two arm combination. He yelled and hit a third time.
Tutu fell to the ground. He pushed himself away from Oscar and ran to his shelter. He emerged with a bow and arrow.
Oscar stood his ground and snarled.
Tutu took aim.
Hela stepped in front of Oscar and stare hard at Tutu.
Tutu looked up and said, “Hela move. I shoot Elder, not you.”
Hela slowly shook her head. “No.”
Tutu aimed again.
Feme stepped in front of Hela.
Tutu looked up, growled, “Move, Feme!”
“No.” Feme said.
“Then I shoot you first.”
Mos and Kiri stepped in front of Feme.
Tutu yelled, “Move! I shoot everyone!”
No one moved.
Tutu roared and ran at the group.
Oscar launched himself at Tutu, chimp screaming the short distance. He avoided Tutu’s grab and bit him on the arm. Oscar screamed and started beating Tutu with outstretched arms.
Tutu fell to the ground, curled up into a ball, taking the crazed chimp’s powerful arm blows.
Suddenly the ground shook. Fruit from nearby trees dropped to the ground.
Mos fell to the ground, “It is God! God must be angry.”
Oscar stopped hitting Tutu. He ran and hide behind Feme and Hela signing, “God mad God mad God mad.”
Tutu tried to stand up. He grabbed at the nearest shelter and pulled himself up. Oscar didn’t break anything, but he would be feeling the small creature’s attack for days. It would be a painful reminder to never piss off a chimp.
Steve heard Oscar’s shrill scream over the intercom. Kelly had just finished putting on the last touch of makeup. She rigged him a harness that had a capacitor at the small of his back. It stored enough electricity to drop a raging bull elephant at 20 yards away. With a flick of his wrist, stream of bolt, elephant down. He turned to Staff Sergeant Erwin, who operated the ground shaker and tunnel lift to the surface.
Erwin flipped the switch and massive metal pads underneath the village started vibrating. Randomly a pad would recoil away from the surface and strike hard. Erwin said, “Ready, sir?”
Steve nodded. He was standing in a bowl like platform.
Erwin flipped another switch and two halves of an acrylic cone sealed together to protect him from dirt. Erwin flipped a third switch and Steve started to rise. The surface above him opened up and dirt poured in around him. The platform caught most of it. Fog rolled in and covered the gaping hole Steve was emerging from. Once out in the open the two acrylic halves separated. Dirt spilled in and covered his feet.
The ground stopped shaking and smoke appeared out of nowhere. The bright sky started to turn dark and a hole appeared in the ground. Kiri grabbed Mos’ hand and squeezed tightly. All the Gemps watched as a hooded figure appeared from the ground. Mos recognized the figure. He said, “It is God.”
Steve stepped away from the platform and walked over to Mos.
Mos dropped to his knees and said, “God, I knew you would be here.”
Steve looked down, “Mos, my emissary, no need to kneel. Stand.”
Tutu walked over to Steve and stared intensely. The hood hid most of Steve’s face and Tutu squirted. He strained to see detail but only saw shadowed outlines. “Tutu not believe in God. Hate Elder and you.”
Steve grabbed Tutu, “Do not fight The Elder!” He gave Tutu a quick shock. “Ever!” He tossed him aside.
Tutu, terrified, shook. He blinked several times and remained on the ground.
Steve said, “I am here to guide you, but if you disobey and resist I can punish.” He made a gesture for Erwin to amp up his volume for a few seconds on the hidden embedded speakers around the village. “Follow me and I reward. Disobey me or the Elder I will punish!” The threat reverberated throughout the village. The shelters vibrated, as designed, to echo Steve’s words.
He walked over to Oscar. Lifted him up to his face and whispered, “Love Oscar. Follow. Treat later.” Then said loudly, “Do not fight my Gemps! They are to be loved and cared for.” He tossed Oscar aside. “Return home, Elder!”
Oscar, torn with feelings, ran off into the jungle. He made his way to his secret entry way. He heard Steve say ‘Love Oscar. Follow. Treat later.’ But was scared at what he saw. On some levels he comprehended what Steve was doing. On other levels he was still a chimp that feared the unknown. Technology was magic and powerful.
Grenier was half-way through his bowl of popcorn when the Colonel walked in. Grenier caught a whiff of whiskey seconds before the Colonel entered the observation room. It wasn’t strong, but it was noticeable enough to know the Colonel liked his breakfast grains liquid.
Codper looked at Grenier and the bowl of popcorn. He frowned at the man.
Grenier looked up and smiled. “Sorry, Colonel. You’ll have to get your own bowl.”
“No doubt,” Codper said. He hardly contained the look of disgust.
“You missed the beginning, but it looks like this might be a good movie.”
Codper stared at the screen. “I’m not liking this.”
Grenier took a deep breath. “Okay, what is it you’re not liking?”
“This whole farce.”
“Colonel. Why are you here then?”
Codper wanted to deck Grenier.
“You knew from the beginning what this program was about. You knew what Steve would be doing. You watched this operation from day one and . . .”
“Hadn’t thought it through. I didn’t think this project would have gone this far.”
“And now that you see it?” Grenier put the bowl of popcorn aside.
Codper didn’t say anything.
“Colonel, this is going to be a problem.” Grenier got up and walked out.