A Walk in the Garden
We're in northern Iraq and Charles N. Wilson of Special Forces reflects on the new type of bomb the army used to open up a cave at the base of a mountain. Nobody is clear about what happened. Was his buddy right about a paradigm shift and changes on the quantum level? There's a meadow of yellow flowers at the mouth of the cave extending deep into the interior. Chances are Wilson will do IQ (a futurist drug - more below) but will wait until he's ready to embark on the mission that will take him and his patrol miles inside this mysterious cave.
You'll have to read for yourself to find out what these Special Forces soldiers encounter. Hint: Lucius Shepard injects elements of the fantastic and horrific.
However, what I found especially eerie is all the futuristic technology and drugs that are an integral part of US Special Forces. Each one deserves a special callout, as per:
Super Seeing - Prior to the mission, Wilson zeros in on the cave, "his helmet, the optics of its faceplate magnified, so it seems he's looking at the flowers from a distance of fifty feet and not, as is truly the case, more than a mile." Shepard published his tale during the Iraq War when George W. Bush was president. He envisions the war continuing after Bush with these incredible optics and a host of other science fiction bits to create super soldiers.
Super Helmet - Wilson loves his helmet. "It has a TV mounted above the visor so he can watch his favorite shows. It feeds him, dopes him, keeps him cool, plays his tunes, tells him when to fire, where to hide." Such features could be seen as a soldier's dream come true, but I sense Shepard's skepticism: the author detects the many ways the military can utilize technology for manipulation, control, and (gulp) dehumanization.
Super Smart - On the cusp of entering the cave, Wilson takes a hit of IQ, a futuristic drug that drastically increases his ability to understand and analyze all types of information, from biology to game theory, from mathematics to theoretical physics. Sound appealing? Shepard hints there are long-term consequences of using this brain drug but, hey, when does a soldier have time to think of the long-term when he's in combat?
God 'n Country - Wilson also injects himself with this super patriot drug. "Within seconds he's gripped by a pathologically smooth feeling of competency and confidence, underscored by a stream of outrage and devotion to duty." Wow! Is this the ultimate advantage for Wilson or is this the ultimate in military manipulation? Or perhaps a bizarre combination of both?
The Commander Speaks - Wilson and all the others on the mission hear the voice of Colonel Reese on their intrasuit channel: "The idea for which you are fighting is too large to hold in the mind. If it was visible, it would be too large to see. Like the breadth of the sky or the shape of the universe. Here in this place of terror and iniquity, you are the sole expression of that idea. You represent its burning edges, you carry its flame, you are the bearers of its purifying light." Wilson has taken his God 'n Country drug, but he still can detect a strong dose of bullshit. "The colonel talks about home, God, the country in whose national interest this beautifully tailored, corporate-sponsored message of warrior religion has been created, invoked to inspire in them a zealousness comparable to that of the Enemy." Sounds like a part of Wilson shares the caustic mindset of Lucious Shepard.
Super Screen - "Wilson checks his helmet screen, which shows a digital animation of their progress, little brown figures knee-deep in yellow flowers. He can control the screen to give him whatever angle he wants, even close-ups of the helmets that reveal the expression any soldier is wearing at a particular moment, stamped on features that are individualized but rendered like cartoon superheroes." Seeing oneself and others as cartoon superheroes? Is all this healthy in any way? Sure, it might serve the immediate cause, but what does it say about the depth and breadth of our humanity?
Super Combat Suit - Deep into the cave, Wilson and a fellow warrior encounter a seemingly unending field of fire they must march through. "Then they walk forward into the flames. Wilson watches them on his helmet display, two silhouetted man-shaped robots slipping seamlessly inside the glaring reddish orange wall." No problem with the fire since there's a cooling unit as part of his specially equipped suit covering all parts of his body. And, after an hour or so hoofing it in the flames, a cooling fluid squirts out within the suit, covering his skin. Fantastic future technologies! It seems like being an organic being, being human, is something of a drawback. What's really needed for such a mission are robots. Well, perhaps in the future, the military will develop what's required to really and truly accomplish special missions with optimal efficiency.
I recognize the major themes of the novelette revolve around what discoveries unfold in this Iraqi cave of mystery. But that is for Lucius Shepard to tell. A Walk in the Garden is one unforgettable saga.
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