Part 32, Chapter 1 - Roll Where?

So it begins, the last Part to Battlefield Earth: seven more chapters followed by a ten-page epilogue. The end is nigh, and I'm not complaining.

An attempt is made to build suspense and urgency as Jonnie worries that without figuring out Psychlo math and therefore the secrets of teleportation-based engines, the economic prosperity he promised would never arrive, leading to another round of wars. I'm not sure if the Psychlos' ridiculous method of transportation is cheaper or easier than all the alternative engine types, so I fail to see what the problem is. Maybe it was explained back in Luxembourg or something.

The day after her surgery Chirk is still weak from illness and bedridden, and in case you were wondering about Pierre the Fainting Frenchy, he was last sighted "sky-hiking" his way back to Europe, far away from the big scary Psychlo corpses. And then Pattie shows up again, asking Jonnie if Bittie lived very long.

After the requisite "wave of grief" over the loss of the dearly departed wannabe squire, Jonnie nods, and Pattie concludes that if a doctor had been around that day, Bittie could have been saved. Jonnie doesn't have the heart to explain that Bittie was in two distinct pieces during his final moments. So Pattie snaps out of her depression and decides to become a doctor, an aspiration Jonnie approves of, but immediately sabotages by sending her to study under "Doctor" MacKendrick, who thinks Psychos are viruses.

The next day Chirk is in the library organizing things, and talks a bit about mathematics without going into a coma. So Jonnie rushes off to tell MacKendrick "they could roll."

I'm still trying to figure out if "lapsin" is a cipher for something L. Ron hated. "Aspirin" is a bit obvious and nonsensical, but then again so was "Psychlo" and "catrists," so all bets are off.


Back to Part Thirty-One, Chapter Nine

Forward to Part Thirty-Two, Chapter Two