PARADOX - Chapter 67

Chapter 67

May 19, 2012 – Frija Base – The Moon



“I did as you instructed,” Marta stated. The tone of her voice sounded as if she had committed a serious crime, which, under the laws of her people, she had. “The flash message was sent to Doctor MacKenzy by way of their Defense Department.”

Daria saw the doubt and indecision on the young girl’s face. She felt sympathy for her, but she also knew that her only chance to escape was by using both Marta and Mueller. If she did not do something, the Nazi plan could not be stopped. Even if she did do something, she was uncertain of success.

“Keep thinking of the millions of mothers and children, who will perish if this evil plan continues its course.” Daria patted Marta’s shoulder. “You’ve done nothing to be ashamed of and your people will not suffer if they are prevented from terraforming the world."

“What if your people and my people go to war?”

Daria thought about the possibility for a few moments. “That’s something we must work to prevent.”

A steady knock sounded at the door. Daria glanced at Marta then walked over and cracked the door open. “Herr Mueller. You’re early.”

“Got tired of sitting around.” Mueller walked to a table and threw a large bag on it. “I’m ready to go now.”

“Marta’s duty shift doesn’t start for another hour,” Daria replied. “We want to keep things as routine as possible until the last minute.”

“Now!” Mueller demanded.

Daria could see that his nerves were on edge. She figured hers would be too if she were in Mueller’s shoes. Although it was unlikely that anyone would fire at him while he held her hostage, there was always the possibility that someone else’s nerves would get the best of them.

She nodded her head at Marta. “Let’s do it.”

No one paid much attention to them as they walked through the hallways and courtyards. As they neared the hangar bay where the aircraft were kept, Mueller pulled a heavy jacket from the bag and put it on. He also removed a pistol and held it in his hand beneath the coat.

Daria nodded to Marta to open the last door to the hangar and they quietly slipped through. Marta continued on towards one of the small fliers called Fliegenkämpfer, docked about twenty yards away. The bay was unusually quiet. The closest workers were a good fifty yards further down the wide tarmac.

They made it to the ramp leading into the Fliegenkämpfer and Mueller took the lead. He grabbed Daria around the waist and headed straight for the cockpit. The two pilots were performing pre flight checks when they burst into the control room. They both froze, shocked by the presence of others in their domain and at the menacing look of Mueller.

“You will touch nothing!” Mueller opened his coat to display the phony bomb strapped around his waist. He signaled for Marta to take the sidearms that they wore. “You will give your weapons to Lieutenant Buchmacher and strap yourselves into your pilot seats. If you try to play hero, I will kill the Fuhrer’s granddaughter and blow up this airplane.”

Both men sat down in their seats and strapped themselves in.

“You will tell your control people that you are ready for launch and you will say nothing about us being on board,” Mueller continued. “Is there anyone else on board?” He pressed his pistol into Daria’s temple as a show of will.

“The rest of the crew has not yet boarded,” one of the pilots replied, casting a scathing glance at Mueller. “You cannot possibly pull this off. As soon as we launch ahead of schedule and without our crew, ground control will know something is wrong and alert New Berlin Base.”

“As soon as we launch you will have Lieutenant Buchmacher contact New Berlin Base and advise them to stay clear of the docking area,” Mueller ordered. “I know how fast these little babies can go so we will be at New Berlin Base long before they can prepare a reception. You will emphasize the fact that I have the Fuhrer’s granddaughter as my hostage and I am wearing an explosive vest with a dead man switch.”

Neither of the pilots was willing to take a risk on the life of the Fuhrer’s granddaughter, so they reluctantly obeyed Mueller. Mueller grinned at Daria as the Fliegenkämpfer quietly entered a decompression bay and the air was pumped out. As soon as a green light came on, the circular roof of the bay opened and the aircraft quickly launched.

“You ordered Marta to place the items I needed into one of the time ships, didn’t you?” Mueller whispered. He was referring to several laptop computers with state of the art technology, historical documents, and other items on it. He also demanded hard copies of some of the items in case the laptop computers gave him trouble. This was the material he would need when he went back in time.

“Just as you requested,” Daria replied.

“The pilots of the time ship will be available?”

“Marta can identify both the ship and the pilots.”

Mueller grinned. Everything was going according to plan. His decision to leave before the crew was aboard turned out to be a good one. He didn’t have to worry about anyone else aboard the plane.

It took less than an hour to fly from Frija Base on the Moon to New Berlin Base beneath Antarctica. As soon as they entered the docking bay, the video screen displayed a platoon of Nazi soldiers in full battle gear, ready to assault the Fliegenkämpfer.

“You will tell them to clear the docking bay,” Mueller ordered the pilot. “If they do not they will be responsible for her death.” He pointed at Daria with his Walther PPK/S. He watched as the commander of the assault platoon reluctantly ordered his men to withdraw.

“You will now contact the pilots of the time ship using ship to ship communications and tell them to manuever their ship to within twenty meters of this ship.”

Both pilots looked at him, aware now of his ultimate goal.

“Do it!” Mueller spat, opening his coat and pulling out a device with a button on it.

This was the part of the plan that Daria feared. She knew that she had to follow Mueller into the time ship in order to force the pilots to cooperate. Would Mueller betray her and prevent her from leaving the ship once he had control? The pilots would know the exact date in history that they took Mueller to, so an expedition could be launched to prevent his plans from working. Did Mueller have enough common sense to realize that? Her only hope was that he would live up to his part of the bargain and let her return to the Fliegenkämpfer.

They watched the screen monitor. A few minutes later another aircraft rolled towards them and parked a short distance away. A ramp to the aircraft slid down and two pilots emerged and stood at the bottom of the ramp.

“Let’s go!” Mueller pointed the pistol at Daria. “Open the door,” he ordered the pilots.

They walked down the ramp and across the short distance to the other aircraft. Mueller motioned for the pilots to preceed them into the plane. He showed them the bomb beneath his coat as an incentive.

Mueller went through the same routine he had gone through with the other pilots. Once they were strapped into their seats, he turned and grinned at Daria.

“It worked,” he blurted.

Daria could tell there was a battle going on in his head. He was trying to decide whether to kidnap her for real and take her with him.

Mueller finally nodded his head and handed his pistol to Daria. “Get lost woman before I change my mind.”

Daria felt a wave of relief wash over her. She smiled at the cold blooded killer and quickly left the cockpit. She ran the distance to the other aircraft and back up the ramp.

As soon as she entered the cockpit, both pilots started to stand. “Stay strapped in.” Daria pointed the gun at them. “As soon as the time ship has launched, you will fly me to McMurdo Base.”