Read Online A Long Time Until Now by Michael Z. Williamson - Free Book Online

and bad, but it is a complication.”
    Martin breathed relief, hurried forward, and said, “Sir, as a SERE graduate, may I offer input?”
    “Please.”
    “There are two ways to approach this. We can go on foot, quietly, acting nonthreatening. I doubt they’ll recognize any of our gear for anything other than odd pouches and sticks. They have nothing to compare to. We can negotiate, find out a good spot, likely get some food and water in the meantime. The other option is to roll in like gods. We don’t need to negotiate, we just benevolently agree that we’ll take whatever empty spots they can direct us to.
    “I recommend the former. I’m not comfortable playing God, and in the stories where people have, eventually the primitives figured it out and there was trouble. I’d rather say we’re explorers from far away and want to be good neighbors.”
    “I agree,” Elliott said. “We’ll mark here, walk in, be sociable. What else?”
    “Here’s where it gets tricky,” he said. “If they’re hospitable, they’ll likely offer food and drink. We have to drink the local water, we don’t have a choice, and we can expect those screaming shits to follow. The food may be bugs, fermented meat, whatever. We can refuse citing vows to our gods or such. But it has to be polite. If that doesn’t work, try, ‘I’ll save this for later.’ And you may just have to suck up and swallow something disgusting.”
    Oglesby said, “So, if someone asks if we’re gods, we don’t say ‘yes’?”
    “Correct. Amusing as the line is, this is deadly serious. We’re asking our new neighbors, who may number in the tens of thousands, if we can have a chunk of land.”
    “We covered some of that cultural stuff at DLI,” Oglesby said. “I never thought I’d need it.”
    “Same with SERE,” he said.
    Elliott said, “Okay, magazines in, chambers empty. We need to stick in close proximity, but spread enough to form two fire teams.”
    Martin said, “One more thing yet: Alexander, can you pretend to be my mate? And Caswell should pair up with one of the younger males.”
    Caswell said, “What the hell for? You want to start out by placing our position subordinate, based on gender?”
    Oh, Christ, not that feminist crap.
    “No, that is not what I want to do. It’s fine if you’re equals. We’ll adapt presentation once we see how they handle it. But I’m guessing they’ll have some sort of gender division.”
    She said, “Band societies are usually very egalitarian. There’s a division based on personal interest, not on artificial constructs, and . . .”
    “And that matters in fifteen thousand years,” he said. “We don’t know; we have to be prepared for anything.”
    Elliott saved him.
    “Sergeant Caswell, please go along with the presentation for now. Couples can be equals. We’re just buddying you up. Rest of the males, buddy up as well. We’ll have five pairs, and I’ll take pairs Caswell and Dalton, Barker and Devereaux, and Oglesby can be my buddy. That leaves Spencer and Alexander, if you’re okay with that, Sergeant Alexander?”
    “I’m fine with that,” she agreed. Good.
    “And Ortiz and Trinidad.” They nodded.
    “Okay, then we head west, since that seems to be where they are. We need to get close while it’s still well-lit, so we have time to back off and bivouac if need be.” It was well past noon already.
    Barker said, “It looks like it’s about three miles, rough terrain. We should assess each mile.”
    “Okay, then you lead off.”
    “Yes, sir. Also, I have some training in primitive skills. I know a bit about my Native culture.”
    “Good. And Caswell, I am interested in your training, too. There’s every chance they will act like you say. I just don’t want to assume so.”
    That seemed to mollify her.
    “Yes, sir. I’ll let you know.”
    He pulled at his ruck straps, let things adjust, and slid them back into place.

CHAPTER 5
    Elliott was nervous. This was a contact mission,