Outliers 1A Kenny

Posted by RA Legg Writes June 03, 2023

Outliers 1A Kenny

The Outliers

Written by Kenneth Jackson

Mike was making his way South with the patrol at his back. He had ten men and women with him today and he hated the idea of leading from the back. Oh, it made sense that the leader should survive initial contact so he could lead his squad, but the idea of leading your men into an ambush and surviving the experience because you were at the tail end of the patrol. Well that just didn't sit well with him.

Just two meters back was Kenneth Jackson. A good enough kid, but he just lacks any sense of urgency in his life. Once back at camp he would lounge around and wait for breakfast, lunch or dinner. He had a roof over his head. Two to three meals a day and some clothes on his back. That was good enough for him. The rest of the soldiers were out making more of what they had. They worked odd jobs or built on to what they had with their bare hands. Some even had a tiny home that they were making better. Everyone except Kenneth.

Mike himself had converted his metal fab shop into an iron works so that he could do furrier work and or other cast steel fabrications. We had to adjust. We just didn't have the power to run the welders.

Mike yelled over his shoulder, "Johnson."

Johnson came up beside Mike so that they could talk quietly.

Mike didn't look directly at him, "Fall back and act as if you are telling something to the patrol. Then keep back and find a place to hide. Wait there until we circle back." Mike instructed. He then looked again to his left and right. He knew someone was watching them. He just didn't know how many or their intentions. If Johnson did this right he would fall back and hide. Then whoever was following or hiding would come out to follow or go on their way. This was not an abnormal command and Johnson knew what Mike wanted, so he slowly allowed Mike to walk away and looked about as normal. He didn't quicken his pace and the next man, in the patrol, came up behind him. Johnson just winked and the man kept walking, then a woman came up, same thing. This happened to all nine members of the patrol. Eventually they passed a tree with some lower bushes at the base. Johnson ducted behind. He hid himself and waited. He checked his amo. Two thirties in and two thirties in his pocket. If he did this right he could keep whoever was following them busy until Mike could surround them. It was very dangerous, but their team was well trained and this tactic had never failed them before.

Johnson waited. Nothing. Could Mike be wrong?

Johnson looked West. then out from behind the tree to the East and South. North was already clear and the way Mike was heading. When Johnson turned back to the North a man in tan BDUs was just a meter away and pointing a big gun at him. "Bang, your dead." There was a click from the gun.

That's when Johnson heard Mike's voice and realized the gun did not have a magazine. This was a test and he had failed. "shit!" Johnson said. "Why did you have to do that?" he complained.

"You're getting lazy." Mike said.

"No. You're not playing fair." Johnson complained.

Mike was on him in an instant. Pulling Johnson up and putting this gun to the boy's head. "Fair! you son of a bitch, nothing's fair anymore!" Mike was furious, "You either do your damn job or you get us killed." Mike looked at him.

Johnson melted. He was wrong. This was wrong. But Mike was right. If he failed then the patrol would be caught and killed. There was no "fair" left in this world. His demeanor changed. He finally said, "I yield."

"You're damn right you yield." Mike said, then turned to the other members of the squad. "Out here." he swept his gun at the huge field they were in. "Out here you follow your training or die." He then looked at the rookies, "Today was just a test. Tomorrow you go out to the edge. You will see things you don't like and do things that seem wrong. But our survival depends on it." He looked at one of the female recruits, "You may have to pull that trigger on another human, but if the roles were reversed, they'd do it in a heartbeat." He turned to the outer wall. "Out there, you follow orders and your training. Don't question them out there. We can do that later." then he turned back to them, "And yes you will make mistakes. You may even kill someone, by mistake." Mike put his head down, "I know I have. And I know I could have done something, but I didn't and those people died." He looked up, "But WE didn't." He walked down the line of young people, "We stayed within our boundaries and protected those that came here. That is our mission. Keep those within the wall safe. Keep our crops and livestock safe. Keep our children safe." He stopped and looked skyward. "One day." He looked at the men and women in front of him, "One day we will be stronger and we will go out of these walls and build a better tomorrow." He looked down, "One day."

Mike looked at Johnson, "You stay, the rest of you are dismissed. Turn your weapons in and get some lunch. You will get your patrol assignments at thirteen hundred hours. Now get outa here."

They murmured to themselves, but started to file out of the training course. This was a large field that will be turned into a farm soon. All the indigenous vegetation and some scott bloom will be removed and vegetables will be grown here.

Once everyone was gone Mike looked at the young recruit, "What do you want from me Kenny?"

The boy grimaced, he hated the name Kenny. "Kenneth." he insisted.

"Oh, what's wrong with Kenny?" Mike asked.

"It's a kid’s name," he explained.

"But you are a kid." Mike was trying to get a rise out of this immature man.

"I'm an adult!" he insisted.

"That's funny. I don't see an adult." Mike shot back.

Kenneth wanted to punch Mike. He wanted to punch anyone that would call him a child. He was an adult and he was going to be treated like one or else.

"Look at you!" Mike said. "That was the simplest of insults and you're ready to fight. Go home. Grow up." Mike was going to turn and walk away but he heard a growl coming from the young man. Mike prepared for Kenny to attack him and he did. Mike easily threw him to the ground.

The boy scrambled back to his feet, "You..."

Mike did not wait, he stepped forward and punched the boy's face, then another to his stomach. The kid could not get his feet under him and fell backwards. Mike stood over him, "Stay down." He commanded.

Kenneth got back to his feet.

Mike let him square up. Then fake a left and punch with the right. Kenneth blocked both, but that wasn't the real attack. Mike brought his knee up into Kenneth's thy. The boy staggered and dropped his left hand. Mike struck home with his right. The boy's hands dropped and Mike hit him again with his left. The boy dropped to the ground, again.

Mike shook his hand. That hurt. Hitting a man in the face was always risky. If you hit him just right he would crumble, but if you hit the edge of the jawbone without gloves. then you run the risk of breaking your own hand. Alan had told him to start slapping the recruits and his hands would appreciate it. But it was bad enough to have to do this to some. Slapping them would be worse. To slap someone is to say that they were just children being punished.

Kenneth tried to get back up again. His head was spinning and he hadn't even laid a hand on Mike. The old gray haired man stood there. Ready to take him again. The only consolation was that no one was around to see it. Kenneth looked to make sure. He wiped the blood from his lip and tried to stand. He was dizzy. Damn that old man hits hard. But he had to stand. He needed a job and didn't want to be just a field hand.

Mike watched as Kenneth slowly stood. The boy was unsteady. He made a feeble attempt to put his fists back up to protect his head. Mike shook his head no.

Kenneth put all he had left into one punch. it never made it and then everything went black.

Mike was sitting beside the bed when Kenneth woke up. He had an icepack on his head and one on his face. They only gave those to people that really needed them. So he must be in bad shape. Kenneth finally said, "don't fire me. I have nowhere else to go."

"Kid, you have nothing to offer us." Mike was being honest. The boy was not a good fighter. had no attention to detail and was immature."

The boy turned away. He was fired, again. He had tried to become a fireman, but they were only part time. A peace officer, but he couldn't pass the written test and now he just failed as a soldier. He was too old to be a trade apprentice so that only left, field hand. And that too was just temporary. He turned back, "If I don't find something by the end of this year.. They're going to toss me."

Mike looked at the door. "Kid, go back to the trades. Something will come up."

Kid! Damn Mike! Why did he have to be such a hard ass? He's seen plenty of guys that work the armory or the guard posts. They don't have to be so tough. Why is he demanding so much from me? Kenneth just looked away and cursed his luck. He was a nobody and if his luck continued he would be put out of the settlement. Out there he wouldn't last too long. They were killing each other for scraps or worse, to eat one another. He needed to do something. He turned back to Mike, "When can I get out of here?"

Mike looked towards the door and said, "Doc says tomorrow."

"Why tomorrow?" Kenneth asked.

"Doc says you might have a concussion." Mike explained.

"From a punch?" Kenneth asked.

"No, from the tree you hit on the way down." Mike said.

Kenneth thought about that a second and it made him feel a little better. If he couldn't take a punch then he really was just a boy. But a tree. That was acceptable. That still did not change his predicaments. He needed something.

Mike then asked. "You fish?"

Kenneth thought that was a strange question. "Everyone fishes."

"Not like this." Mike showed him a picture. It was a big boat with booms off both sides. "They need hands and security. You have both."

"Why haven't I heard of this before?" Kenneth asked.

"Because we never had enough fuel to run one. Now we do." Mike said. "It's not easy work and you would be out on the sound where everyone can see you. You will put out from Fort Lance and you would need to qualify on a sixty."

"I could do that." Kenneth said.

"You will also need to get used to the sea. The swells can get up to six feet and the deck pitches and rolls with the waves." Mike was moving his hand like waves. "It can make you sick as a dog."

"I'll get used to it. I'm sure." Kenneth said. Hope rising in his mind.

"Okay." Mike said with some finality.

Kenneth responded with a hopeful "Okay."

The next day Mike showed up at the infirmary and escorted Ken back to the barracks. They went through the out processing and the returning of equipment. He was being discharged. At the end Mike stood their and introduced Ken to a short asian man with thick limbs. "This is Andraous, Andy."

The men shook hands. "They said you want to go to sea." the man said in a strange accent.

"I would like to give it a chance." Ken said.

"No." Andy shook his head. "No chances. We go out and stay out til hold is full."

"Hold?" Kenny asked.

"Seriously?" And said looking at Mike.

"What? He's 18. We haven't had ships like that for over a decade." Mike shot back.

"I have crew, of seasoned men. This is boy." Andy protested.

"Your SEASONED CREW is about to retire. You need young blood." Mike raised his voice. This obviously has been a point of contention between the two men.

"He can handle guns. No?" Andy asked.

"Yes, ARs, 60s and 50s. He has hand to hand training, but you will have to train him on ship prodigals. Don't have much use for that on land.

"Yes. Yes. Know that." Andy shot back. He looked Ken over and then shook his head yes. "We go."

Ken asked, "Now?"

"Yes. We leave first light." Andy said and started to walk away.

Ken just stood there until Mike hit him. "GO!"

Ken looked at Mike with a blank stair, 'Really, just leave."

"Really." Mike pointed in the direction of the captain.

That was the start of the weirdest two weeks ever. The boat looked big on the outside, but in reality it was very small for the crew. Most of the room was reserved for holding their catch. Ken had to study all of the areas of the boat. What was the stern, holds, starboard and keel. Everything was subject to questioning. He also had the night watch. as the ships crew would sleep and it was his job to keep them safe. It was boring but necessary. Their hold, that is where they kept the fish they had netted. was almost full and it would be a tempting target. So vigilance was key. Ken had night seeing goggles and his weapons. He scanned the waters around them and walked the deck to ensure that all was well. They practiced strict light control at night. Nothing was to give them away, because there was nowhere to hide, except in blackness.

Andy came up on deck. It was getting very stuffy below and this cove had some of the best smells. He found Ken at the stern looking at something through his night vision. "Something?"

"Whales. I think." Ken said.

"Really?" Andy seemed astounded.

"No, Just wanted to see how you reacted." Ken said with a chuckle.

"How you know whales?" Andy asked.

"The old timers talk about them. about how they would show you where the fish were. How smart they were." Ken said.

"Yes, smart." Andy responded. "But all gone."

"What happened to them?" Ken asked.

"Us." Andy said.

"You mean our parents." Ken corrected.

"No you fool. Humans killed them off. We take too much. Pollute too much. Kill off everything." Andy explained.

"Isn't that what we are doing now?" Ken asked.

"No. We only take a little here. And a little there." Andy was pointing in different directions. "We only nibble. No big bites." And we return parts that we don't need to sea. Let the bottom feeders eat. Then seals and otters get food. You know chain of Food."

Ken did not know, but it didn't matter. Andy knew, and was confident that what they were doing was helping the whole system.

Even in the darkness Andy felt Ken's apathy. "No. You need to know. You need to understand system.

"As long as you do. We're fine." Ken said.

"No! I die soon." Andy said.

"What do you mean?" He had Ken's full attention.

"I came here three decades ago. Beautiful place." Andy looked out again into the darkness. There was no moon. Just stars. "I came to take."

"I don't understand? Take what?" Ken was concerned.

"I came from place that was depleted. Dead." He looked up at Ken. "They told us that we deserved to have what this world gave us, but that we had to take it from those that tried to keep us small."

"Who was They?" Ken asked.

"Our government had to feed it's people. Too many people, but it was the people that kept them in power. Because as long as they were fed, they worked. And if they worked, our government got more power. Not just in our country, but all over world. It was the labor of the people that kept them in power and all the government had to do was feed them. So simple." Andy looked at the water shimmering in the star light. "So we took until the sea was dead, then we went to others seas. Philippines, Gilipollas, Arctic and even America. I came here to spy for my country and learn how to take from this place."

"So, you're Chinese?" Ken asked.

"Yes." Andy said.

"But your name?" Ken was confused.

"It made it easier to get permits to fish." Andy said.

"But you stayed?" Ken did not know why he was still here.

"I learned." Andy said. He turned back to his student, "I learned that nature was a balance and we could not tip that balance too far. But it was already too late."

"That is about all I remember from biology." Ken looked back over the water to scan it for threats. "Once the whales died and the fishing got so efficient, nature just died with it."

"It is the folly of all humans." Andy shook his head, "Nature would recover, no matter what we threw at it. We were wrong."

"The fools does not see the trap until it's sprung." Ken mused.

"Precisely." Andy said. "Buda."

"No. Proverbs." Ken said. "From the Bible and King Solomon."

"No, Buda." Andy said, "Buda collected truths, he must have heard this one and adopted it."

Ken stopped scanning and started to concentrate on a specific spot South of their boat.

Andy noticed. "What?"

"It could be just a seal." Ken said.

"At night. No." Andy wanted the goggles and tapped on Ken's shoulder.

Ken realized what he wanted and handed them over.

Andy put them on and scanned where Ken had been looking. Then, there it was. Something warmer than the water. something that blocked the reflections on the water, then was gone again. Andy gave the goggles back to Ken, "Scan waters closer to us, I move boat now. Keep them off boat."

Ken noticed that when Andy was stressed that his English got worse.

Andy quickly made his way to the wheel house, started the engine and slowly made his way out to deeper water. They had drifted way too close to the shore. They still had plenty of water beneath them, but it was a lot easier for someone to swim out to them. They needed distance and deep cold water that would keep others from doing what might be happening now. Once they had gone out the moon started to rise. Now it would be easier for them to see anyone approaching and it would be easier for others to see them. It was at this moment the captain decided it was time to return. They needed to empty their hold and get the fish to those that needed it. He looked at the map. It would be just a three hour sail.

Ken came in and said, "There's nothing within a kilometer of the boat."

"They won't try now. Moon very bright and we are too far from shore." Andy said.

"Andy why didn't you change your name back after...." Kena asked.

"I didn't want to be that captain any more." Andy said, shaking his head. "I took so much. wasted much. Didn't think twice. Because my government said it was okay." Andy looked at Ken. "That is why your apathy is foule to me." He looked out the window. "All of you need to understand what has been given. That you take care of it. No waste it. No take for granted." he slowed down to think, "You have this great place and it needs you to take care of it." The night was clear and Moon's light shined on Mt Rainier. It was white against the dark mountains. "If it's not too late."

"You think it's too late?" Ken asked.

"I have fished all my life. Know when fish come and go. Where they hide." Andy looked at Ken, "They are all but gone. The salmon. the whales and others that move with the seasons. All that remain are the sharks, flounders and trout. But they are not gaining because the seals and otters are eating them instead of the others. They are trying to survive by changing what they eat. But it's starting to fail. There are smaller fish that feed off of things the whales produced. They are dying too. Krill, Mackerel, Anchovy and Sardines fed off of them, so no bait balls." Andy looked at Ken, "The line is broken."

Ken wanted to argue, "But the ocean is so... Big."

"We killed all." Andy was angry, "We found them. Kill all." Andy looked North. "The ice melted and we killed them all up there too. Ocean after Ocean." Andy looked at Ken, "I came here to kill all this to feed my people." He looked out. "And would have..."

There was nothing to be said. It fell apart. The factory ships ran out of fuel and no one came to their rescue. Thousands die at sea. Ships sank, scuttled or ran aground. Some were ambushed by locals and sunk. The sudden collapse meant the billions were going to go hungry.

Ken realized that Andy had never mentioned a family. "Andy, where is your family?"

Andy did not say anything, then turned, "Sleeping." and walked out.

When the sun started to lighten the sky Ken saw a small boat about a kilometer out. It was drifting on the tide as they were. It had no sail and it did not appear to have a motor. It was not trying to hide and Ken had not sounded the alarm just yet. He did let the first watch know it was there. They took note and proceeded to head North. They would circle around and keep their distance. No sense in finding trouble if you could avoid it. By the middle of first watch Andy came on deck and made his way to the wheel house. He had left instructions to head back to Fort Lance and knew his first officer would handle things. He spoke in Chinese to his first officer. Then he spoke to Ken, "We will visit village on island, they need fish and we need fuel."

"What Island?" Ken asked

"They called it Prison." Andy said.

"How do they have fuel?" Ken asked.

"Prison had big boiler to heat. Big tanks of fuel that no one remembered."

"Wouldn't it be bad by now." Ken wanted to know. Andy had showed him why his apathy for all things was bad, now he wanted to know.

"This fuel in ground millions of years, a few decades above ground will only dull it. Good filter and some sun magic and it good as new." Andy said.

That was not much of an explanation, but it was better than nothing.

"So do we have the guns out?" Ken asked.

"Always. Never trust." Andy said.

"What about Fort Lance?" Ken asked.

"Fort Lance Home." Andy said and waved his hand at Ken's AR, "Besides they have bigger guns than us." He laughed.

With that they made their way to McNeil Island and their fuel stop. It went as planned and they swapped fish for fuel. Then headed back past the downed bridges to home. They had to pass through the narrows at high tide as it was going out. This way they didn't waste too much fuel fighting the extreme currents that ran through this narrow cut. Billions of gallons of sea water passed through this cut every day. Whether it was going in or out, the tide just kept moving. Pushing and shoving the remnants of two bridges that once spanned the 1.8 kilometer passage.

Andy and his crew were busy keeping watch for anything that could harm their boat. They also mapped any changes in the steel and concrete towers that once stood here. If they moved it would sink them. After thirty minutes of watching and changing course they were on the other side. In just a few minutes they would be able to see Fort Lance.

Ken asked Andy, "Wouldn't it be easier to pass when the tide was at a stand still."

Andy shook his head, "No, takes too long, then water very unpredictable when starting to change directions. It better when almost high tide and water running as straight as possible." he looked back, "Fish like it here because boats don't."

"We're not the only boat?" Ken asked.

"No." Andy said. "We are biggest boat. but not only boat." Andy looked North, "I take you to Bremerton some time. Really big boats there. Mostly sunk, but some not."

"Aren't you afraid of them." Ken asked.

"All scrap iron, no move. Not moved in many decades." Andy said reassuringly. "Up North people tried to live on Barges. Big flat things, but too easy to get to. Very hard to move. Most died."

The wheel house emptied out as the men prepared for landing at Fort Lance. Ken should have gone below to get some sleep, but the prospect of getting home and being on dry land got him too excited to sleep. And something that Andy had said bugged him. He had to ask., "Andy, what did you mean when you said you were dying."

Andy said nothing. He just looked out to the water. The boat was making gentle bouncing movements and both men were matching the movement without thinking. Andy said nothing. They were approaching a sunken ship that was next to large concrete cylinders. Most of them had collapts and two were cumbled across the rusted ship itself.

Andy pointed at them, "Grain. They used to ship grain out of here. Food."

"Why won't you answer me." Ken insisted.

"I have cancer." Andy said. And pointed to his head.

"How do you know?"

"Docs aren't stupid, they just don't have the toys they once had." Andy responded.

"How long?" Ken asked.

"Not long." Andy responded.

"You haven't had it long, or you don't have long to live." Ken asked.

"You worry about getting up to speed with boat, get more young people out here to learn and respect what we have. That your worry. Mine is to teach as long as I can." Andy said. He didn't owe this child an explanation. "Your job on land is to get more hands. Explain what we do, how we do it. Now get ready. Leave me be." Andy looked away to end the conversation.

Please enjoy stories for the Outliers

People who just don't fit the mold of our new society.

This blog contains two books of the Remnant Series If you want to start at the beginning of Book 6, click the link below.
1st Chapter of Obsidian Arrows

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