[Future Chronology Anthology 01] • From the Earth

Excerpt From “War Through the Pines”

March 13, 2055

In March the US launched air strikes on the Turkish army advancing into Poland. Casualties were high. In April the Germans moved against the Poles with the encouragement of the Turks. The Russians, left weakened after years of a bad economy, refused to be drawn into the struggle. By May the British with an almost intact air force entered the war against the coalition, flying sorties against the advancing German armies in Poland.

* * *

Amir Atakan held the rank of Ustegaman in the Turkish military, equivalent to a First Lieutenant in the US Air Force. He had been in his battle suit now for two days without relief. The attacks from the air and the supply difficulties had finally caught up with the Turkish forces.

Amir had watched in disbelief as the Poles had deliberately destroyed their power system. He could understand such actions from a military strategy point of view. But such deliberate destruction not only affected military combatants but also the civilian population. The Poles were willing to endanger the lives of their families, their wives and children. Would he have the nerve to do such things if Turkey were threatened? He didn't know. One part of him admired the Poles dedication, the civilized part of him was repulsed.

But he had more immediate worries. His battery pack was getting dangerously low. Without that power he would be stuck in this field without defenses. He had called for a backup supply but they were certainly taking their time.

Then he saw movement at the edge of the field. He saw the Polish soldiers emerge from the woods. But he relaxed when he saw they weren't carrying anything other than their assault rifles. The battle suit could easily handle those weapons, thought Amir.

He went to work.

As usual the Poles were dropping with ease. The suit could take on more than two dozen targets at a time and coordinate the return fire. With Amir focusing on the battle he didn't notice the soft alarm as the battle suit begin to shut down. The bullets slamming the suit's bulletproof sheathing began to sound like a hard rain as the suit went silent.

Then the Poles stopped firing as they noticed the battle suit had stopped. Amir was feverishly working to extricate himself from the suit when he saw one of the Poles stand up and walk toward him. In the suit he stood nearly six feet above the head of the approaching Pole. Amir could see the young man's face. He saw him detach a grenade from the grenade belt which he wore across his shoulder like a sling. Amir was transfixed as the young man pulled the pin from the grenade and gently laid it at the suit's feet. He then slowly backpedaled, all the while staring fiercely into Amir's eyes. Then Amir saw another Polish soldier approaching reaching for a grenade, then Amir saw the first young man and the approaching soldier hit the ground, then Amir felt the concussive force of the explosion at his feet and saw the field disappear in smoke and flying debris, and that was the last he saw.

The five stories in Volume 1 of the Future Chronology Series of short stories “From the Earth” follows members of the extended family from Earth to the farthest reaches of the Asteroid Belt.

A future Volume 2, “To the Stars”, will continue the chronicles as the Jackson family leads the rest of mankind to the stars.

This is hard science fiction, old-school.

Volume 1:

Whatsoever You Do (Near Future)

War Through the Pines (Near Future)

Vigilance (22nd Century)

To Tend and Watch Over (22nd Century)

Union (23rd Century)

Volume 2:

Circle of Retributi