Strike Force Ground, Ridge overlooking the Saras’ farm

After R.Eddings had begun his retreat and the two new ships had passed overhead the four strike force members had moved to the ridgeline, and they now had a clear view of the Saras’ farm.

“Fuck,” Sin muttered as the bot crumpled to the ground, having taken multiple hits from some sort of energy weapon. Then the figures emerged from the woods around the Saras’ farmhouse into the open field.

“What the fuck are those things?” John asked over the visual spectrum com link. “Fox, you transmit?”

“That’s affirmative Sythe. They must not be scanning those frequencies. Damned if I know why. Hold one.” Sin paused as she zoomed in on the scene. Fifty or so of the alien figures were slithering (although that wasn’t quite the right word) across the farm field, towards Andy’s compound. As far as she could tell the last few had just entered the field. And…

“Fox, Peepers. They’ve got the Saras’ kids – two of the last five…snakes in line.”

“Peepers, Fox. Confirmed. And it looks like several of them are eating fresh human remains. This is not a hostage situation. Peepers, Sythe, if they so much as twitch like they’re going to hurt those kids take them out hard. Looks like they’re heading our way. Wraith and I will set up our side of their projected path. Once we’re in place and can watch the kids you do the same on yours. Once the line is mostly past us and the ones with the kids come even we take out the back ten and then you two go to work on the rest. We’ll get the kids.”

The Strike Force members slowly, silently got into position, hiding their bodies under the snow. That, combined with Sin and Chavez’s camo and John and Lisa’s chameleon suits was more than enough to hide them from the snakes, who were slowly picking their way up the hill, still headed in a beeline towards the Stuart Compound. Their walk was somewhat amusing. It seemed like they didn’t like snow all that much. And then something funny happened. Something you would expect to see in one of those old time Marx Brothers movies, but certainly not in the middle of an alien invasion. Just went to show that stereotyping never did anyone any good. Not even stereotyping alien invaders.

The fourteenth snake in line, while doing the little dance they were all doing (Sin guessed to let their “feet” warm up) overbalanced and slowly but surely toppled backwards into the snake behind it, and that one into the snake behind it, and so on. When the absurd domino effect was done (missing only four snakes behind the first one to fall) the aliens were scattered all over the hillside. Most were slowly getting up, although some seemed more than a little sluggish and a few incapable of moving at all. And the oddest thing was that very few of the fallen snakes were helped at all by the aliens that hadn’t lost their footing. They just kept on trudging up the hill as if nothing had happened.

One of the snakes that had managed to keep its footing was the one holding the Saras’ two children, a eight year old boy named Tony and a five year old girl, Faith. The one holding their dog (the very last one in line) had gone sprawling, flinging the shepherd into a snowdrift. It launched itself back out of the drift at its one-time captor, instinctively going right for the alien’s neck area. Dark green and purple fluid sprayed everywhere, soaking the snow below. And the snakes just kept on marching up the hill.

And then, just after the first dozen or so had passed over the top of the hill all hell broke loose.

The snake holding the two children started to pull Faith’s head towards its mouth. Before it could move an inch it had a bullet in its head and John had reloaded and fired again as the other three members of Strike Force Ground began to rapidly pick off the snakes, starting with those around the children. The snakes that had already crested the hill turned quickly, startled, causing two of them to topple over, down the hill. They began to open fire in the direction the bullets were coming from, their energy beams melting gaping holes in the snow. Lisa hurled a grenade at the cluster of ten just as a beam seared across John’s arm, causing the chameleon suit to flicker and short as he roared in pain. The explosion sent snakes and snow flying in every direction.

“Peepers, you take care of those. Sythe, Wraith, cover me. I’m getting the kids.” Sin shouted, charging down the hill amongst a flurry of energy beams.

John, Lisa and Chavez were making sure they had something to think about other than making toast out of the would be rescuer, pouring shot after shot into the snakes. As she ran Sin was kicking up massive amounts of the light, powdery snow that rested on the top as she sent bullets ripping through any snake that dared move towards the children, who were running into the woods. The shepherd (Paint, Sin thought his name was) had lunged at the next snake in line at the back and had wrestled it to the ground, where it quickly ceased moving among the flurry of snow the struggle kicked up. For some reason the aliens didn’t seem aware of the fight going on behind them, or perhaps they just didn’t care.

Sin got herself between the kids and the snakes and sent burst after burst from her battle rifle into the snakes until she took a glancing hit that burned clear through about an inch of her side, exposing and searing her ribs. She stumbled forward into the snow, sending a flurry of flakes into the air. And all of a sudden the incoming shots got a lot more erratic. Sin glanced in the direction of Paint, who was on his third snake and also engulfed in a little impromptu blizzard. And they still hadn’t noticed him. She smiled through her grimace of pain and primed a concussion grenade, tossing it into the snowbank fifteen feet in front of her.

Three, two one…

Snow flew thirty feet in the air, swirling all around the snakes to cries of “Cold is! Cold is!” And the blasts coming towards her trailed off, with the few snakes still firing sending their shots in every which direction.

Sin got up, charging into the woods after the kids. And, of all things, Paint followed her. She yelled into her com, “The snow confuses them! Drop flash-bangs and run like hell. I’ve got the kids, let the snakes go for now!”

As she reached the children she heard two more bangs from the ridge. Good. Without breaking stride she swept the kids up in her arms, grimacing at the searing pain in her left side. As she reached a small drop she hurled herself over it into the snow ten feet below, with Paint following right behind. The three humans and one very loyal canine landed with a thud and another plume of snow.

Sin put her finger over her lips, silently motioning the kids to stay quiet. Their eyes were pure horror and they were trembling uncontrollably, from fear or cold or both it was impossible to say. But they nodded and stayed quiet, as, shockingly, did Paint. Sin whispered into her com.

“Sythe, Fox. Report.”

“Fox, Sythe. We’re on the Sara side of the ridge, just downhill from our original position. We took out sixteen before falling back. I don’t think they’re following us. Sythe out.”

“Sythe, Fox. That makes twenty three, so they’re at about half strength, assuming the ones that tripped themselves up are ok. I’m fifty yards downhill of you. I got hit and need to pull out. I’m going to double back and head for the Saras’. The kids are with me and safe, but they’re not going to make it much longer outdoors. Wraith, you’re in charge. Drive them to the Fort. You know what to do. Fox out.”

“Fox, Wraith. We’ll be back for you. Out.”

Liberty City
Evening - Alchibah Day 981
Janie and I came up on the backside of windmill hill and saw the cargo bus parked just beyond the entrance to the medical center. Janie’s landing was a bit rough, but I could understand that, and while I was still locking down the controls she toggled open the hatch, and skipping her part of the shutdown, made a beeline for the door.

A minute later, with everything powered down and safe, I ran after her. When I got outside she was down on hands and knee, gagging and throwing-up into the snow. Stepping behind I cradled her head and tried to steady her. The Jeep was standing there at a loss for something to do.

“It’s Ok now Babe, hold on.”

Emily Parker came rushing from the dug in med facility with a towel and started helping Janie clean herself up. Laura Seaworth exited the bus and came over as well. Between the three of us, we got her inside and seated. I’d never seen her look so ghastly pale and shaken.

“I’m falling apart,” she managed to say as shudders wracked her body.

“I’ll get her a sedative,” Emily said and was back in a moment with a hypo.

“No!” Janie blurted out. “I’ll get over this.” And with some kind of effort of will that was hard to imagine she stopped shaking and her color began coming back. She looked at me and said, “Bart go and see what’s happening in town.”

It was only a couple of steps to the lab’s com screen and a new camera was broadcasting. I could see the com links were being relayed through optical repeaters with two of the labor pool bots standing in for a couple that showed blank on the board. We hadn’t seen what happened with the last missile but it must have been close. There was a small crater to the rear of the skull ship and a rent in its side had steam spewing upwards till it blended in with the lite snow and the clouds above. I didn’t think she would be going anywhere for a while.

No bodies by the blast and there were lights on inside the ship. The ramp was still down with suited and armored figures moving in and out. Some of what I would learn were Rogons but mostly human.

“Joe? Les? Anyone? This is Bart. Anybody there?”

A moment later I heard the voice of Karl Nash. “Thank God you made it. Where are you?”

“At the lab. Fill me in.”

“The first group out of the ship went straight into Liberty Hall. Lucky for us there was no one there. Then what must have been your missile exploded at the rear of the ship and we had a few moments when everyone ducked for cover. Everyone but Joe. Joe got a dozen or so colonists to move with him out into the woods west of town. Right now they are going building to building in town looking for us.”

“Where are you Karl?”

“In the basement of the Inn. I got R. Fletcher and Bligh with me. Pam’s trying to make her way with the rest of the noncombatants to your location.”

“Did Les get in touch with the Guardians?”

“Can’t say. I don’t think so but I haven’t heard anything since he left with Joe.”

“You got to get away from the Inn Karl. That’s where they must be heading next.”

“I’m staying for a while. I will post out the bots and see if we can buy the rest of you some time.”

There was nothing much I could say. He was making the best of a bad bargain. “Keep the faith Karl. We’ll try to find some way to help.”

I heard the lab door open and the first of the people from town entered then a new link channel lit up and I heard Fortson’s low grumble.

“Good to see you and Janie are still with us.”

“That goes double from my end. What’s the plan?”

“What ever you do Bart, keep the Dora and the bus on the ground. These things out here have offloaded some weapons of some type that look to be ground to air and they have a perimeter set up around the ship. They got the launches spaced out in four locations around their ship. Which, and good shooting there, looks to be grounded.

“We lost six or seven people when they landed but the rest should still be headed your way.”

“Felicia Ortega just walked in.”

“Good to hear. Gene Washburn is heading towards town from the boatyard with R.Krebbs and another couple of bots. When he gets into position we will be able to harass them whatever direction they choose next, but for my money it‘ll be the Inn. With the ship locked in place you should be able to get the rest up to the caves if you stay well south and east. We just got word from Connor that Kara and BJ are manning Fort Stuart and he’s headed back into town from the north to help. Sin’s crew went dark a while back but the bots have been picking up sustained small arms fire from that direction, so they’re still with us.”

“Gotta go Bart, we have warm bodies heading cross the field toward out position. Check back in a bit. Out.”

“Laura, Franklin, Felicia, start pulling everything from the lab and med center that isn’t bolted down and get it loaded into the bus. We are going to have more room than we planned on.”

While the three of them went into a flurry of action I went over and sat beside Janie. “How is it Babe? Pullin’ through?”

“I’m under control except for when I think about Tammy.”

Our three month old daughter went with the children on the first busload into the caves. We had both been trying not to think about that but it was just not possible. “She’s as safe as she can be with Linda and EmyCee watching over her and it’s our job to make sure she stays that way. It’s not going to get any easier soon I’m afraid.”

“Yeah Bart, I can handle it. What’s next?”

“Check the bunker behind the lab. There are at least two missiles out there, so get some help and get them loaded. I’m taking the Jeep with me and going up on top of the hill to see what we can see. When you’re done with the Dora try and get in contact with the Mayflower. We need information.”

While Janie went to load munitions I went back into the Dora and stripped of my gee suit and donned one of the two Combat suits Joe and I had taken of the Goonie cruiser almost six years ago. The Jeep helped me into my snow shoes and I helped him into his. We climbed to the top of the hill and going past the single tower still in use, and when near the northern edge, slid forwards until we could look into town and the fields surrounding it.

The hologram projected on my helmet visor showed even more detail than the Jeeps built in sensors revealed. I saw the hot spots of the perimeter guard and a group of four heading across the colony farm towards where I knew Joe was waiting. I made sure the view was on our net so those in the woods could tap into the view. The energy bloom at the shuttle and around the outlying weapons positions stood out like candles on a white iced birthday cake. Some how or other we were going to need to blow them out.

A squad of ten was heading towards Karl Nash and the First Inn. I could also see stragglers making there way toward the south side of the hill. No chase was evident and the last ought to make it to the bus and bio lab before the Inn came under fire.

I was turning from a scan towards the river trying to pick out Gene Washburn with no luck, when two plasma bolts darkened my visor and I saw the sparkle of small arms fire from out of the woods to the west. All four men?—Were down and two rockets from one of the skull ship’s weapons platforms homed in on the IR and crashed into the woods sending trees toppling and a billow of debris into the air.

No one was gonna survive that strike I thought… “Joe? You there?”

“Live and kicking,” came the response.

“Casualties?”

“Both bots and the plasma rifles. I’m sending Rocco and Kaiya north to meet up with Connor and the rest of us are fanning out here. Get everyone to the caves as soon as you can make it happen.”

“What about Karl?”

“Keep praying for him. It’s all we can do and it can‘t hurt.”

The Jeep and I went back to the lab and piled into the Dora. Shadowing the bus we circled south then east and made it to the caves without, so far as we could tell, being seen.

The alien band was making slow, but steady progress up the side of the ridge when disaster struck.
A Rogan’s personal shield on low power would create a bubble of warmth around his body, but it ended at any physical barrier

Shintok; elron-A had learned that every step he took his claw feet sank into strange ground and he felt cold. That was not too bad, but the ground was not consistent, sometimes it was hard and would just compact down a little, but then it would be soft and a leg would sink halfway into the strange muck not-muck.

After this happened a few times, he realized that he could walk on three legs holding the affected limb up until it warmed. Using hands, and sometimes feet to grasp trees as he passed, gave needed leverage, and aided the climb .

Elron failed to notice that the rest of the band had apparently made the same discovery, so the group was moving slow, but holding together. It was even possible, though difficult, for a Rogan to travel upright on two legs, but definitely not a good idea for walking uphill.

Near the head of the column upslope, one of the Sheen was attempting just that, when he lost his footing and tumbled over backwards. He hit a companion, who likewise lost his footing, and then landing on his back, began to slide downhill headfirst.

Thus began a chain reaction that affected 42 of the 60 Rogans. The lucky ones wold be knocked down and slide a few yard before smacking into a tree or rock, others were less fortunate.

elron both saw and keened another Shintok fall and slide fully ten yards, before hitting poor elron like a trick shot in billiards. elron landed in a snow drift, and sank in untill he was almost completely buried.

“Cold is!, Colds is!, Cold, is!” he wailed aloud. Instinctively he tried to swim but the forward movement simply compressed the snow, preventing any escape. Without the bubble of warmth his body temperature began to plummet, at the same time slowing his metabolic rate “cold cold… cold “ his voice growing weak.

Suddenly a pair of claws grasped him and then another soon he was being pulled out of the snow by his broodmates, argo and teth. The renewed warmth of the force shield was a pleasure he had never imagined.

“Warmth is” he declared “cold was, but cold is not, cold memory must go, cold must go”

huk, argo and teth were silently appreciative of this remarkable dissertation. Of course it never occurred to elron to thank his broodmates for saving his life, such is not the Rogan way.

Those Rogans not affected by the alien avalanche, were by now, far ahead of the others. elron and his broodmates soon began to follow the path to the crest, along with a dozen or so other stragglers. Those Rogans injured or stuck in the snow would soon succumb to the cold and die.

None of the Rogans yet realized, that for them, the conquest of Alchibah was not going too good.

Sarra farm
Alchibah day 981

Shintok; elron-A leaped through the hatch that dilated open in the base of skull ship 2, he landed in water that had been snow melted from the heat of the ship. Splashing through water his feet instinctively moved in a sweeping motion that was almost like paddling. The ground underneath was like nothing he had ever encountered, it felt like crunchy mud… only cold. As he reached ground that was not covered in water the crunchy sensation got even worse as did the cold

elron and his three broodmates were among the last to get off the ship, it was very dark but there was light coming from a strange geometry in the open field. Could this be some kind of hive for slaves?

There was a slave who was being torn apart by Rogans, just at that moment another slave emerged from an opening in the geometry and quickly met the same fate as the first. Although elron could understand and speak some human language the high pitch noises made by these slaves were not part of his vocabulary.

“ wrong is “ elron said to his broodmate huk “Sheen obey not, Sheen hunger is not, Shintok obey, hunger is“”

In fact elron’s complaint was justified , Shintok: cantor-S, the nominal commander of this band of Rogans had given orders not to kill any slaves unless they fought back. Unfortunately those Rogans who were Sheen had decided to ignore orders and grab a meal, elron being Shintok could not participate.

Several of the Sheen had gone into the strange geometry and returned with what could only be slave younglings, again these slaves must speak some human language other than what elron had learned. On second thought, as dark as it was elron decided that one of the creatures might be what is called a dog.

“elron” said huk ”keening is” huk pointed with one arm into the darkness, elron turned his head and bowed both keens, he could just keen something far out across the open field shaped like a slave but it was something else.
“Artifact is, slave is not, artifact moves, danger is’” with that elron reached under his torso and remove the long pipe like object which was attached to some clamps, with two arms holding and one to work the trigger, he let loose a blast of energy that came very close to hitting the distant robot. huk argo and teth, elron’s broodmates also commenced firing and soon they had scored several hits on the artifact, which separated into pieces and dropped to the ground.

The four Rogons were enjoying the heat radiating from their weapons when the voice of Shintok; cantor-S boomed out “Order is, movement must be, slave hive is not, obey “

The big Rogons began walking towards a tree covered hillside on the edge of the Sarra farm, and the Rogon band followed. Five broke off and headed through the forest towards the side of the hill. Even the Sheen obeyed, although many were carrying leftovers from the feast they had been forced to interrupt.

Evening - Alchibah Day 981
I said softly, and much more calmly than I felt, “The bus is lifting Janie.” She could see that as well as I could, but it gave me something to say and used up a fractional amount of my nervous energy.

The cargo bus continued rising slowly to a height of fifty feet directly in front of the First Inn and went –bus like–northeastward, keeping low, maintaining altitude, and then out over the open water of the river. Linda Parker made sure that all the children were onboard first and that their emergency supplies went with them. I think a dirigible filled with hydrogen gas would have made about the same pace and as good a target as the bus but that was probably just nerves again.

The corona surrounding the pointed blue flame coming from the small jets at the vehicle’s rear was readily visible even without using the light enhancing gear onboard the Dora, and would make a pretty picture seen from the ground. Chemically fuel only so no electromagnetic signature.

I keyed the mike and said, “Low and slow Laura, an extra minute saved in a five minute trip and they still won’t be ready for us with all of the gear packed when we return for the second load.”

Laura Seaworth sent back by light beam, “Low and slow it is.”

A mile and a half northeast of Liberty City, the cliffs overlooking the river were honeycombed with caves. Leached out when the water levels were much higher, most of the entrances were blocked with fallen stone but we discovered a few and had started to make them habitable. Not enough provisions inside to last all winter, but if we could get everyone inside without being seen it would be a hell of a lot safer inside them than in town. Or so we hoped.

This evacuation flight had been practiced time after time. Landing in darkness on the ledge halfway up the cliff face was close to second nature.

Three minutes from touchdown the bus was in the air again and heading back for a second and final load.

Over the com, from Sinopa out at Bob Sarra’s came a message, “Two ships heading south towards the City! And whatever they are, I don’t think they’re human. Watch yourself. We’ll be in touch.”

“You copy that Joe?”

“Got it,” Fortson said, “The bots up north just picked them up. Estimated two minutes till they arrive.”

“Damn! No time for the second load. Laura, take the bus down behind windmill hill and shut her down. It’ll take an overflight to see you there.” Then back to Fortson, “Joe, get everyone at the Inn dispersed then send all who are unarmed towards the bio-lab. We’ll see what we can do to distract them.”

“You want to switch seats Babe?”

“I got it Bart. Take care of the weapons and we might just live through this.”

The Dora was well east and south of the two approaching Shuttles. Who—or what—in the hell could they be, and what was going on?

“Back over the cliff and circle west Janie. If they don’t see us getting there they’ll be surprised to find someone on the flank.”

Before we lost the optical link with town I commed Les Reye. “Les, try and get in touch with the Guardians. Maybe they know what this is all about.”

We were getting visual updates from the Mayflower now. No time to talk to them but at least they were still up there. We were a mile north of the cliffs and about the same distance east of the skull ships when Janie made a course change pointing us west and in their general direction.

Either they chose to ignore us, or our stealth systems were working. With luck it was both. Some low hills were still keeping us from direct visual contact but that would change in a matter of seconds. I pickled off two of our ship-to-ship missiles and then sent a reload. Immediately after leaving the launcher all four of them broke sharply north and at mach 6 began a gradual curve so they would come in directly behind the skull ships. I wanted to make it look like they were being launched from the Stuart compound. We had four more of them left but I was going to save them for till I saw how the first four performed.

“Uh-oh.” …The weapons display that had been showing just a large blob for each of the attackers now showed a fuzzy globe of light surrounding them. “Some kind of force screen just went up, Janie; keep us out of visual till we see what happens.”

Janie cut our speed some more then curved south, paralleling the two ships but still out of their sight line. I watched as the points of light that were our missiles neared the enemy ships. The two shuttles were flying in formation but separated by about 200 yards. Their force screens seemed to almost touch one another. Two missiles closed on each ship. At almost the same instance the first two of our interceptors merged with the fuzzy light of the force shield and detonated. We could see a flash of light reflected off the low hanging clouds but the weapons display showed no change in the attacker’s course. They were still heading straight towards Liberty City and only a minute out.

I couldn’t redirect both of the remaining missiles in the couple of seconds left till they would collide with the force screen, but I did have time to get a signal relayed that nudged one of them into a path sending it into the force screen of the nearer ship at the same relative point where the first missile exploded.

That second shot didn’t make the hull but must have gotten close. The skull ship bobbled a moment, then recovered, but slowed down appreciably. The other ship continued on course and started pulling away from its companion.

“That’s our target Janie,” I said highlighting the ship falling behind. “Pop us up and get us a visual.” I said that while punching new course instructions into the weapons guidance computer.

The Dora went arcing up to 500 feet taking us above the intervening hills, and less than a mile away we were looking down at the rear most enemy. I now had my first good look at what we were fighting. Easily three times ours size. It would have had to be in order to bring fifty troops down to the surface and yes, it was shaped vaguely like a reptilian skull.

I fired both tubes and when then one of the reloads, saving the last for later, providing we had a later. The skull ship started to turn in our direction at the same time the first missile exploded against her screens 200 yards out. The second went through the fireball and detonated also. The ship lurched very noticeably. The third, following a similar direct path, made it to the hull and exploded on contact.

I just had time to say, “Watch it Babe,” when the flash automatically darkened our viewscreen and the blast sent us tumbling. It must have been the drive letting loose. If we hadn’t been moving upwards when it hit us Janie would never have had time to recover but as it was, she caught us before we hit the ground.

We switched channels to a feed from town and saw the first ship flaring out and landing right in front of Liberty hall. A close up gave us a good look at the armored figures pouring out of the shuttle. The alien figures were not as snake like as I’d imagined, and most of those exiting were humans in UNWG military gear. Things kept getting weirder and weirder.

I could see the ships force field was down. They probably couldn’t land or unload with it in operation and as Janie closed the distance I sent off the last one of our missiles. Steaks of light were rising from the landing area and heading in our direction. Janie pulled a high gee turn and kicked in all the acceleration we could stand, then a bit more. My field of vision was getting narrower and narrower and I was graying out by the time she eased off. The streaks were short range, shoulder fired, ground to air, and we had out run them but were now miles from town and headed in the wrong direction as Janie looped us back around.

She had almost finished the turn when the visual showed a launch and the weapons display showed two large points of light slicing through the clutter and heading at us.

“Those are no shoulder fired missiles! Get us on the deck and run like hell!” I fired a string of flares followed by chaff and then flares again. They provided enough distraction that we got away but were going in the wrong direction and away from town again.

“What next Bart?”

“I don’t know Babe… Take us south and come up behind windmill hill we’ll see when we get there.”

The camera showing the view from town was now down but we could hear garbled static and briefly Joe Fortson’s unmistakable voice, before everything got swallowed up in electronic interference. We even lost the feed from the Mayflower. What a furball, but the night was still young.

Strike Force Units at Best Pace to Mayflower

I looked at the plot and as I figured only Gabe was staying with me. Mariana had gulped her anti-nausea pills and was groaning in the right seat under 12 G’s Perceived. We were screaming back towards to Mayflower at 120 G’s Real.

Ash and Digger along with Natasi and Bugbee were cranking along at 10 Perceived and 100 Real.

“Ash whenever you get them figured, send me the turnover points for all ships. It’s important that we match velocities when we get to Mayflower and I need a status brief on some of your projects.”

“OK, ya Old Lady.” Ash drawled, “Bursts going to Natasi for a cross-check then to each vessel. What projects you talking about?”

“First, the rebuild of the Lancer II or whatever we are going to call her. Second, the 5 CM’s for the Fighters along with the sighting systems. Third, the double layering of the shields because I think we are going to need that. Forth and maybe most important, changeover time for Dancers new armament.”

“Hey,” came Al steel’s jovial voice. “I just dusted a Cruiser for you and you are gonna take away my weapons?”

Even Mariana managed a sick grin as I replied, “Al, when your crew gets to where they can be coherent again tell them I said nice shooting. No, I am not taking your weapons; I am gonna upgrade em. You want to trade your pair of 5 CM’s at .6 C for a pair of 10 CM’s at .75 C?”

The whoosh of air followed by a rapid intake could be heard over the Comm link; “Actually Andy, I think I could live with that. What are we going after next, a damn planet?”

“No Al, Aliens and I have no idea what they have.”

“Andy, does your paranoid planning have no end?”

“I’ll take that one Hoss,” came Ash’s best drawl. “Al, you have heard over and over Andy’s declaration the ‘He would Defend Alchibah’; when did you ever hear the qualifier ‘against Earth’?”

The pause was long and pregnant with meaning, “Can’t say as I ever did Ash. Can’t say as I ever did, which is a dumb ass on me Right?”

“Nah Buddy, it went right over most everybody. He has been planning Logistics development against everything me, Hibbs and Chandler could think of. Not to mention when him, Travis and Monroe would get lit up and spin horror stories.

“Al, we are where we are because Hibbs, Chandler and I really can get out in weird ass mathematics and Theoretical Physics that make most peoples heads hurt just to be downwind.

“Whoever loves us somewhere in Space and Time gave us Travis, Monroe and Andy. Three Engineers who can build any damn fool thing we come up with. OK, I know the common concept of Travis and Monroe are two Spacers who learned to run the Belt and evade taxes; while Andy is a knuckle-dragging Neanderthal Assassin, who cares.

“One taught the Military Art at the War College, the other two hold the Honor Sword from Seattle Space Academy. All three are classically trained Engineers who are not afraid to get their hands dirty.

“And Sir, the reason I sound pissed at you is that you also wear the Honor Sword from Phoenix Academy which ain’t no hunk of Cabbage. You also have a Masters in Information Sciences, I need that software patch you put in for the sighting system for the 5 CM’s so it can be used on the Fighters.

“Time to Fish or Cut Bait, Sir.”

There was a long open pause, “I guess you are right LTC Andrews. Software bursting to you as we speak. Where are we on those projects anyway?”

“Ah at last,” Ash drawled again; “an intelligent question!”

Corrine Williams rolled her head and grinned at Al Steel, “Make mine a double, very Dry.”

All Al could do was give her a long wistful smile as Andrews began to speak.

“On the Lancer refit, that is Larry Monroe’s project. All parts from the surface had been shipped up, so it depends on how much Robot labor he had to use.

“The parts for the Dancers New Weapons are up on the Mayflower. If we can use the Main Bay it will take two Hours per weapon. If we have to do it in Space, Six hours per weapon.

“The dual layer shields are dependent on Chandler running up the new exciter circuits in the Mayflower Spin Axis. That should have been done while we were in upload; one hour per Bird to upgrade, excluding dock and undock Time.

“The System Drive update Exciter circuits are ready, they were done just as we were leaving. Fifteen minute’s per Bird and we have 25 to 1 Reduction.

“That’s all we have. We need some development time for the next crap!”

Al chimed in, “What the Hell could be next?”

Ash lapsed back into the drawl, “Dammed if I know Hoss! The Math makes my head hurt and we got no idea where it goes.”

Andy broke in, “then we go with what we got. We have to win here or there is no later!”

Mariana turned in her seat, “There is something out there. Something that hates you and it ain’t Human.”

“Good,” Andy replied; “better it comes for me!”

Andrew William Walker Stuart closed his eyes and sent unto the Universe the first thought that came to his Mind, “SLAVE FEAR NOT!! COME AND GET ME ASSHOLE!!!!”

I. A rude awakening
UNHC Orion

The sound of blaring sirens woke Richard Redmond from a deep sleep. It seemed like he had only laid down a few minutes before and in fact it had been only 15 minutes. He half rose from the full size bed and swiped at the intercom switch.

“Captain, Will you please stop that infernal noise” he pleaded, the reply was rather abrupt

“That is Battle stations, we are under attack, Mr. Redmond, and you need to put on your pressure suit and assemble on the mess deck ASAP.” Came the voice of Orion’s Captain “Now if you don’t mind I have other concerns”

Redmond bolted from the bed, and ignoring the suit hanging by the cabin door, ran down the passageway still dressed in his silk pajamas. He had almost reached the wardroom door when the ship lurched violently beneath him and sent him tumbling 30 feet back the way he came. Before he crashed against the bulkhead the lights dimmed and then changed color from white to red, at the same moment the artificial gravity derived from acceleration suddenly ended.

His head was still spinning when the wardroom door opened and Shintok; maylock-A emerged carrying a cylindrical container “Human” he roared ” Come I have need of you” The big alien moved quite effectively in weightlessness, aided by the fact that he had eight limbs to pull himself along with.

Redmond clumsily hurried after, bouncing off bulkheads and stanchions “Master, Where are we going? What is happening?” but the Rogan must have decided he had spoke to his slave enough, and there was no answer.

II. A little too late.

Hunter St. James did a half somersault, perfectly timed, so that as he was able to kick off the bulkhead just as he reached the junction of two corridors and the result was a 90 degree change of direction.

“There’s only one handgun on this ship” he thought “secretly brought on board and hidden, and it’s about time to take some target practice” He was almost to his cabin when the ship lurched again, not as badly as before, but enough to cause his head to hit the hatch combing. “Damn! Damn it all!” he spoke aloud, a trickle of blood from his scalp, beads floating away like a string of black pearls in the red emergency illumination. “I’m too late”

The shock could have only been one thing…the explosive bolts blowing the hanger bay doors clear of the ship. That was in fact exactly what had happened and a strange angular craft emerged and immediately accelerated away from Orion at over 100 Earth gravities.

Hunter changed course and launched himself down the axial corridor, guns now forgotten he quickly reached the mess deck.

Most of the crew were here, the Surgeon had collected a number of injured men on one end, LT. Anselmo prominent among them, a big clamp-on splint over his pressure suited right leg. Hunter turned to Mr. Welsh the ships engineer, “Give it to me straight, how bad are we hit?”

Devon Welsh had seen a lot of battle damage in his 40 years in space, his voice was calm and crisp “She’s a freighter, Captain, whatever they blasted us with ripped holes halfway through the ship, the worst of it they tore up the starboard fuel trunk, that’s where Ivanoff and Griggs bought it, I don’t know if they took fragments, but the HE3 froze em solid”

St. James knew from that, the ship was lost “what about the reactor?”

Welsh went on “I tried to shut her down but we lost all control when the superconducting ring arced, it set Mobutu on fire!” The mans face began to contort
“Oh God! Captain I’m sorry… he was screaming, I hit him with a spanner… clubbed him! I had to, he begged me… begged me to kill him, I swear”

This was bad. “Welshie! Listen to me! You did the right thing, what a man has to do, now finish your report”

Welsh took a deep breath “The HE3 s mixed with the air everywhere south of bulkhead 30, most of the ship…temperature back there is about 90 below”

St. James thought about that “Ok but at least we have good air up here right”

Welsh replied “like I said, this is no warship, when we got hit the whole ship twisted, it’s the electrical ducts… every joint will leak, the HE3 will make it up here and in a day or two all the air will leak out to space, there’s nothing we can do”

“That’s bad, but we got some time” Hunter said, “Fraid not Captain” a new voice interjected.

The ships Doctor, Jim Marlow was from Texas and had a pronounce drawl, he was tall and lanky and had the hands of… well a surgeon.

“Explain yourself doc” Hunter said, and the Doctor obliged “A Fella in cold sleep takes a breath every 10 minutes or so, the respirators on them capsules back there will let that hot helium in, and it takes 10 minutes to exhale… two, three, four breaths at the most, and the lungs are gone”

“But don’t the capsules have oxygen backup?” Hunter asked “Sure do” replied Marlow “And it’ll work in a fire or vacuum… but it won’t switch over for that stuff, and we got 245 so called passengers in the hold”

“Ok, so we need to vent the back of the ship right now, how do we do that?” Welsh responded “We can’t, we don’t have damage control, there’s no way to do it”

Hunter tried to relax his mind “Yes there is, I can open the number 3 airlock from the outside, that’ll do it” Welsh was shocked “But Captain! That’ll” but Welsh didn’t get a chance to finish what he was saying as Guy Anselmo place a hand on his shoulder “Excuse me Capitan, but at the academy, when they told about the old blow the airlock maneuver, I did not miss that day” he paused “Please, Capitan, I know my duty” and slowly Anselmo’s eyes became windows into his soul “Capitan, one thing, Please, when you get back to Earth…tell my Carmencita…you know what to tell her”

The Captain wrapped his arms around Anselmo’s shoulders and spoke softly into his ear “I will tell her… I promise amigo… now go with God” and with that Anselmo left the compartment.

“OK people; let’s get the wounded into the lifeboat, that’s the only place that will hold air.

III. Alone with HIM
Rogon shuttlecraft

The inside of the Rogon shuttle was eerie, almost nightmarish. Controls made to be operated by flexible claws, Displays that could best viewed with faceted eyes and something else… a framework with hundreds of micro fine wires stretched across it and little moving beads on each wire.

Those humans who had the most experience with Rogons had come to realize that the Rogons had some kind of other sense, something like a bat’s echo location; sonar it you will, they could feel things at some distance. Most people believed that was the function of the small sausage like antenna behind the ears. Redmond had come to think that the Rogan “sonar” was even more acute than Rogon eyesight. One thing was for certain, you can’t sneak up behind a Rogon.

“Was that bead and wire thing something it could read? Oh who cares about any of that where is he taking me?”

“Master, May I ask? Where are we going?” It didn’t seem to bother a Rogon if you spoke to it; they just ignored you unless they wanted to speak to you. So Redmond was surprised when the Rogan answered his question “We go to place, Urruth sships come. Shintok follow, Shintok go to Urruth not, Urruth sship is not. Slave fear is not, Come back to Urruth sship is”

“Well that was just about the longest conversation I’ve ever had with a Rogon, especially this Rogon” Redmond thought “Now what did he actually say”

Shintok was part of a Rogon name and seems to be some sort of family or tribal name. A high percentage of the Rogons who had conquered Earth were Shintoks although there were several other names as well, the Sheen, the Horta, and the Missal. Rogons never seemed interested in explaining such things to humans and we still haven’t figured out how to tell what sex they are…or if they even have different sexes.

They occasionally mention something about coming from eggs, but no-one can quite figure out what they are talking about. It would make sense since they are obviously similar to reptiles in most respects. Of course no-one has been allowed to dissect a Rogon so how could we know.

Urruth is Earth, and we think Urruth not, is the Alchibah planet since Alchibah is not Earth
Strangely enough, Rogons are easiest to understand when they say the least.

Redmond could see out the big porthole like window in the front of the shuttle, and suddenly the starry background was whirling, “we must be turning” he thought, but now something out there was blocking the stars, something very big.

IV One question left
UNHC Orion

The group had almost reached the lifeboat when a clunk was heard and about a tenth of a gee acceleration pulled the group down to the deck.

“Hold up” said hunter “that’s the ships air shooting out airlock 3, pushing the ship like a jet, it’ll go away” and it did, dropping off in a couple of minutes. No-one spoke, everyone knew the tremendous force of the contained air would carry away everything moveable with it including whoever opened the airlock door.

“Mr. Welsh, you are in charge, get these people settled in the life boat. I have something to check on”

St. James moved off through the red glow, moving cautiously until he reached the wardroom door. The Wardroom had been occupied the entire trip by the Alien. Hunter had tried to avoid unnecessary visits there, but there was something he had to see.

Even with what had happened it seemed strange not to see the Rogon in his customary place He couldn’t help but shudder as he noticed several bones on the deck, human bones, all that remained of Trent Dickenson, but Hunter ignored them and went to the corner behind the bench thing that served the Rogon as furniture.

When the Orion and the other ships of the task force had been fitted with Alien Technology, as the Commander he had been given an overview of how the systems worked. The screen he was looking at might have provided incredible amounts of detail to someone with jewel like eyes but Hunter only needed to see one thing… The symbols for the weapons systems for all four ships, showed the weapons were locked out at this, the master control. Weapons a hundred times more powerful than any UN ship had had before. And the Rogon had disabled them “Why? Why?

“Ok, time to get the gun”

Day 980

My mind keeps going back to the other night…well, several nights ago now. BJ & I, some beers, and a game of backgammon. We have been hanging out a lot lately, and we finally took it upstairs. I finally like someone enough to touch me…but I had to leave it at that. I wasn’t ready…it has been so long, and it never came easily like it does with everyone else…and it had been so long. Plus, my mind kept wandering.

BJ wants a poodle???

You might as well not have a dog. I’m not crazy about dogs, but I figure around here one would come in handy, to watch your back and all. But the thought of hearing a poodle bark for warning, and the little thing running around…well, that just ain’t right.

[chuckles] Poodles.

Of all the things to be thinking about, on a day like today. The trip back to Liberty City is smooth, and I guess I’m not ready to face what awaits for us when we get back. I need something to keep my mind away from death and destruction.

But still, I should be thinking about something more important than that. But, really, a poodle? Good grief.

Deep Space, Inner Belt, Alchibah

“Ghost to Reaper, what do you think Cuz?”

“Reaper to Ghost, how can you tell if a Redmond is lying?”

“Ghost to Reaper, according to Dad and you…His Lips are moving!”

“Reaper to Ghost, just so. BREAK. Cold Steel, I assume you disobeyed the ACHE drive order; how close are you?”

“Steel to Reaper, we are there. I need one minute for some of my crew to clean the puke out of their helmets then we are ready.”

“No problem Al, give them five to clean up and let the other side think they have us cowed down. When you are ready give us a five second count down and then we go.

“Steel, Main Battery fire on the left hand warship. Pour it in till she blows, drain the cap banks if you have to. BREAK.

“Ghost, when the left hand ship blows I will go play target for the right hand ship. Get in their six while they are worried about me and put the boot to them.

“Everyone else, when we blow that right hand sucker go for the converted Transport.

“Do Not Kill IT, disable the drive and leave it on a ballistic trajectory. We can come back and deal with it later. The slaves who don’t want to be here are on that bad boy, we take that one!

“Capt Steel on your count Strike Force attacks. CLAN ALCHBAH SHALL NOT FALL!”

Bridge of the Dancer

Corrine Williams turned in her seat as she was wiping the front of her suit, “Is he for real Boss?”

Al Steel had to grin as he watched her mopping up. “That He is girl, that’s the guy that RJ Hamilton picked to defend Alchibah. Because of that in four minute’s we are going to take the most heavily Armed Warship ever built right into the Bad Guy’s face. You might want to keep a Diary, it could be a real history find one day.

“Me, I just want to end this and chase a Redhead over Martinis at Hanna’s Place.”

LT Williams continued mopping her front until a thought hit her, “The only Redhead he knows is me!”

Any thoughts were broken by the transmission, “Cold Steel to Reaper, we go in five, four, three, two, one, SHOOT!”

Strike Force

Everyone waited on the results of Dancer’s first strike and the results were both visible and informing.

They had put in some kind of particle shielding, a Goonie ASRS would never have stopped the first crowbar. This thing stopped the first two cold; the third caused the shield to glow in the visible spectrum. The fourth caused black spots in the outline of the shield, numbers five and six went home.

Number Five expended it’s entire load of kinetic energy against the heavily armored Anti-Meteorite Shield blowing it to molten metal.

Number Six drove straight through until it encountered the fuel tanks and engines. The resultant explosion was a short lived sun.

Seven and Eight were an afterthought into a cloud of gas.

“Ghost Now!” Andy Stuart threw his fighter into full ACHE drive and began a dance across the front of the right hand warship as Mariana fought to hold consciousness.

Strike Force 6

Marina fought the G forces, even with her brain slowed by two Jumps she knew she had to keep her left hand on that grab bar and her left thumb above the button. The ship was lurching in three dimensions as Andy used the acceleration rates of the ACHE drive to confuse the enemy gunners.

When he grunted “Shoot”, she slammed down her thumb. The problem was they were only getting two shot’s in per firing pass. If this thing could take four 5 CM’s, then two 2 CM’s were but a pinprick. We just kept ranging across their front stinging them. As we did so, I suddenly felt awareness coming back.

The longer we were in the heightened adrenaline state of Combat, the faster I recovered. Metabolism was the key to BOD drain. “Get Em Shooter!”

Strike Force 5

“Now Love,” came the voice of Ghost. Digger slammed down her thumb and the string of 2 CM crowbars went home on the stern of the last Warship. Without thinking she slammed down her left thumb and sent the stream of 100 MM’s in also.  As the two projectile streams poured in and impacted the engines and fuel tanks the ship blew into another small sun that Ash had to dodge to avoid joining it in destruction.

Strike Force 6

“Hot Damn Ghost, give Digger that Kill Pin. To All, disable that damn freighter.”

Strike Force 3

“Oh Natasi, put me on his tail. I have something for Him”

Natasi wrapped the Fighter in a 7 G perceived Immelman right on the tail of the freighter. She noticed that everything that She could pull did not even phase the veteran Spacer Glendai.

“That perfect Natasi, we screw him now!” Glenda was grinning as she sent a stream of 100 MM’s right up the open aft aspect of a Dee-Hee drive.  Glenda  shooting only HE rounds and at an angle, merely created a normal explosion as the engines departed the realm of the working.

“Natasi to Reaper, He be ballistic. He has no drive left. Tell Monroe I am a better shot than He is!”

Strike Force Six

“Glenda, if you have the guts, tell him yourself.   The growing tradition of the Female Half getting the bad guys continues. BREAK

“To All, ACHE for the Mayflower at best speed. Whatever you think your crews can handle, Firebird needs help! BREAK.

“Enemy Commander, this is Andrew Stuart. You just keep on coming on your ballistic trajectory. We will be back to deal with you later.

“Redmond, I hope you are alive. I so want to do you myself! BREAK”

“Strike Force, ACHE now!”

My transmission to Col Stuart was as masterwork of deception even for me; of course I’ve made a life of outwitting fools in uniform, now the trap is set again.

I glanced at what was left of Ambassador Trent Dickenson, the Rogon Master on this ship had not eaten for weeks that I knew of but…he was more than making up for it now, tearing the flesh off the pompous ass… ha ha, literally. I had hoped to put Dickenson in his place myself, but this was just as well. The fool had almost ruined our chance to lure the rebels to their deaths, but I’ve given Stuart a taste of what he must have been dreaming about all these years…a chance to get back at the man who had eliminated his beloved “commando corps” and driven him into retirement, proving again the immortal truth… the pen really is mightier than the sword.

The Rogon interrupted his feast just long enough to demand a report “ssspeak ssslave” the Rogons were not what you would describe as talkative. This one could remain motionless for days, faceted eyes, never blinking; you could almost imagine it was dead except for the tiny movement of the small antenna behind its ears. The Rogons must be an ancient race; they look like something from Earth’s pre-historic past. The skin was made up of tiny scales, mostly brown, but with just a hint of orange streaks ( in some members of the Rogon race the orange coloration was quite prominent) The body was smooth from the head to the tail bulging out to about a meter in diameter at it’s widest, The torso was protected by armor plates that did not seem to interlock and Redmond had come to realize that there were air pockets between the armor and the body itself that the Rogons could would carry objects in, weapons and tools. The four legs were more like tentacles, apparently made of many bones, strong but flexible. Claw/feet were useful for manipulation but you wouldn’t want to be kicked by one. The four arms were smaller but equally flexible, not needing to walk on the claw/hands; they were much softer and quite capable of using tools.

“Great Master, It is as I surmised, the enemy forces are led by Col. Andrew Stuart, a man I have know long and well. He relies on his muscles more than his mind and is certain to attack without thinking. He will leap right into our open jaws”

The Rogon made no reply but continued devouring what remained of the hapless Dickenson. I took that as approval of my report and walked across the cabin to the intercom “Captain St. James prepare for an attack” St. James reply was typical of the ego inflated pretentiousness so common among navel officers ” That’s Commodore St James Mr. Redmond , and I’ve monitored your transmission” a slight pause “yours and Dickenson’s. If the rebels fall into the trap, now I will be amazed”

That was just like St. James, always wanting to second guess his political masters, not that he’d be willing to back talk to one of the Rogon’s, no, they were all afraid of the Rogons. “Listen St. James, I know this man, he’s like a dog on a bone. You may not want a fight, but Stuart will attack, and you had better be ready” For all their posturing the military mind was always preoccupied with death and full of fear. Of all the humans in this fleet, only I the master diplomat could face the Rogons as a man.

Of course I’m right Stuart will think our shields are weak, but our Rogon shields will stop whatever puny weapons you have, and soon, very soon I will get to see my Master, Shintok; maylock-A sink his fangs into you.