I was just about to turn the handle to try to open it when it swung outward, almost knocking me from the ship. Things happened quickly after that. I pulled my arm back and struck the silhouette in the chest. Hard. Weightless, it flew back into the airlock; someone didn’t turn their mags on. I stepped inside, drawing my pistol. Light from the inner corridor shown through the clear viewing window and I recognized the suit of armor. Holding my weapon on the figure struggling to stand, I shut the door behind me.
The outer door locked into place, the inner door opened to reveal happy smiling people. All of whom I knew. Snake was standing among them, yet someone else wore his armor. I’m not sure why that pissed me off, but it did. I pointed my pistol at the face plate and watched all the smiles fade away. I shut the door, trapping the wearer in the airlock with me.
****
“I need you both to sit and buckle up. There is a ship approaching,” Zora called out. The other two women were exercising in the back. The slow pace they traveled at made for a boring, almost painful trip. Constantly being on edge wore away at their nerves. The debris from the current and previous battles that had taken place in the space above Idaline affected them more than they would admit. Dela’maah sat down next to Zora while Tazleaha remained in the back.
“Have they discovered us?” Dela’maah asked.
“I don’t believe so. Their speed is appropriate this close to a planet and if they had detected us, they would have increased it to capture us sooner.”
“There is some debris ahead. We should use it for cover and wait till they pass.”
“I agree,” Taz said.
“This isn’t a democracy,” Zora said. Even so, she adjusted their flight path toward the debris. “Dela’maah, shut down everything but life support and the cloak. I’ll let our inertia put us in the debris. They are going to be very close.”
“Tell me when?” Dela’maah asked.
“This should do it. Now,” Zora ordered. “Our course will be close enough, but not too close, to the debris.”
“Zora, what’s a democracy?” Tazleaha asked, more than a little curious.
“My Queen, you really don’t want to know.”
“I have an idea where it originated. When our lives aren’t in such peril, you should explain it to me and anything else you know that I don’t.”
“How will I know what you don’t know?” Zora asked, confused.
“You will just tell me everything you know about my human friends. It is my wish and you will obey.”
“Of course. I am your Minister of Intelligence, after all. If I knew something of importance or something dangerous, I would have told you already.”
“Dangerous? Like what? I’ve spent much time with them.”
“This is no time for this conversation. Tell her, Dela’maah,” Zora asked looking for some aid.
“Sorry, cousin. You always took her side when we were children. You’re on your own.”
That garnered a little laughter from Zora. Tazleaha added, “Well said, Dela’maah, well said.”
The shuttle moved silently, momentum driven. The Khalnalax ship began firing on the large pieces of debris. The largest pieces were fired on multiple times. Indecision gripped Zora as she tried to deduce if they would be viewed as something large enough to fire on. Her brow furrowed with tension.
“They are clearing a path, Zora,” Dela’maah said, guessing at her expression. “I don’t think we are large enough to warrant wasting the energy.”
Zora felt a small, very small, feeling of relief at Dela’maah’s comment. She exhaled the breath she had been holding on to. “Tazleaha, the ship will be past us and then we will be clear to continue on our way.”
She never heard Tazleaha’s reply. The shuttle was struck, slamming them violently back then forward as they turned end over end on a direct course for Idaline. The ship had no inertia dampeners or drives due to the ruse they had been playing. A fragment of hull plating a quarter the size of the shuttle had struck and penetrated the cargo area, just missing Tazleaha.
Zora started the systems and alarms blared more warnings than she knew existed on a shuttle. Dela’maah unbuckled and wrapped her arm in the harness to anchor herself. “Tazleaha! When the shuttle rotates, unbuckle and slide this way. I’ll try to catch you.” It worked a little too well; they ended up wedged against the consoles. Dela’maah got the door closed with a kick of her foot against the switch and the vacuum issue was handled. Tazleaha had scissor-locked her legs around the pedestal that bolted Zora’s seat to the deck.
“I’m firing one drive opposite the damage. That added weight and force is going to plunge us into the atmosphere. We may burn up before I can get it under control, but I’m turning the shields on so we will at least have some protection.”
“Do what you can, Zora,” Tazleaha said from the deck on her back looking up.
“I’m sorry, My Queen,” Zora answered, sparing a glance down.
“Dela’maah, are the comms working?” Tazleaha asked.
“It looks like it.”
“Send a message to our incoming fleet and one to the Privateers.”
“What should I say?”
“Idaline, 15 enemy ships, battleship and transports. Fleet destroyed, crash, planet, rescue.” Send it now!
The shuttle began to vibrate hard as the drive pushed against the forward momentum of the shuttle. She uncoupled the drives and fired the second drive separately, running the power up, then down, depending on the rotation. The shuttle was slowing, but it was almost too late. The heat began to build, telling Zora they were entering atmo.
“Tazleaha, grab hold of my chair.” The shuttle had stabilized some, but it brought no help. The shields did their best, but they would soon succumb. Zora laid her body over Tazleaha’s head, which was resting on the chair arm. The heat radiating off the hull brought blisters to her back and arms. It felt as if her head was on fire. “I am so sorry, My Queen. I have failed you.”
“No, Zora, I have failed you, Benjamin and my people.” The shuttle slammed into the surface. Zora and Dela’maah were compressed into the back of their seats while Tazleaha bounced off the bulkhead door. The impact knocked them out cold and buckled the rear of the shuttle. The attached plating broke free, leaving a gaping hole. Water flooded the cargo area as the shuttle sank into the shallows of the sea just off the coast.
****
“Captain O’ Shaughnessy, we are approaching Engineering, and beyond that are the drives. This area is immense,” Jared reported.
“I imagine it would be. Until we have a larger force to assist, secure and move on.”
“Secure Engineering then move on, copy that. All the enemy crew have been compliant. The majority of these Khalnalax are not military trained. There are many Cjittan working the labor positions.”
“There has to be more security than you encountered earlier.”
“My thoughts exactly. They will surface eventually. I am hoping it’s sooner rather than later. I assume the privateer boarding parties are not very well equipped.”
“No, but after this, they may be better off than they were.”
“Lieutenant, we have two armed guards at the entrance,” one of the three scouts he’d sent ahead of him said. The report wasn’t surprising. There were still some that ignored their captain’s order to surrender.
“Back to work. I’ll keep you informed, Captain, if anything unusual happens. Jared out. Hold your positions, men,” Jared said.
“Drop your weapons and move away from the door,” Jared ordered. The two Khalnalax guarding the door didn’t comply. He noticed they didn’t hold the weapons like they intended to use them. They seemed jittery, scared. They should have dropped their weapons.
“Something seems off with those two, Lieutenant,” leader one commented. Squad one was on point.
“Just thinking the same thing, Leader one. Squad two, fall back to the last intersecting hallway and maintain position,” Jared said. “Leader one, ta
ke those two alive if possible and continue with objective.”
Jared watched his team approach the two lone Khalnalax guards. They still hadn’t said a word or pointed a weapon. They were within feet of them when the doors burst open and a group of Khalnalax security rushed forward, firing their laser weapons. Behind the guards were four of the GEMS. Part of the fault with their plan was the doorway. It was a bottleneck they all couldn’t come through at once. Jared turned the external speaker on and began yelling.
“This is your only warning. Put your weapons down on the floor and move against the wall. Team one, non-lethal protocol. Their lasers aren’t doing any damage.”
“What about the GEMS, Lieutenant?”
“If they obey, treat them as any other prisoner. Don’t have any experience with them, do we, do so don’t take anything for granted or let them get in tentacle range.”
“Captain!”
“Go ahead, Lieutenant.”
“I need some troops in armor with lasers and stunners. Our people, preferably. Every weapon we have is overkill. If you want us to annihilate them, then give the order, but so far they are out of their league.”
“I’ll send teams three and four in riot gear.”
“Copy, that will work. I’ll try to dissuade this group. Jared out. Watanabe, front and center. Leader one, fire your weapon over their heads. I just hope to God there isn’t anything crucial up there.” The chain gun rang out; a short burst of rounds was enough for the Khalnalax guards to hit the deck, but the GEMS kept moving forward.
“If you have control over them, you need to have them stand down,” Jared yelled at the guards.
“The captain and senior staff are the only ones who can control them and you have them locked up,” a guard replied.
“Leave your weapons on the deck and move against the wall out of the line of fire. My patience is running out, people. Move your asses.” The Khalnalax may not have understood every word, but, as Jared knew, it was the tone that counted.
“Watanabe, stow your weapon and use your battle knife. Let’s see what these things are made of. Heat it up, too. I’m going to record your encounter and if some overgrown calamari beat you, the whole ship is going to get to watch it.”
“You have a knack for motivating people, Lieutenant,” Watanabe said, moving forward toward the GEMS. He swung his chain gun onto his back and pulled out a very long bowie knife. The hilt locked into a cam and groove on his mechanical hand and began powering it. “Hot knife through butter, Lieutenant.”
“Lieutenant! We have hostiles approaching. More of those dumb fucking monsters,” leader two called out.
“We call them GEMS, leader two. I don’t think there was anything critical regarding systems in that direction. Warn them once, then take them out.”
“Copy that. Take them out then warn them,” leader two joked.
Li zigzagged his mech just to see how the GEMS would respond. The tentacles were more dexterous than he imagined. He turned sideways, keeping his weapon to the rear and offering up one arm and one leg for the beast to grab. It did exactly that and tried to pull his leg out from under him. He pulled back then pivoted forward, bringing the super-heated knife blade down, pulling it across the tentacle holding his calf. It severed, then made popping sounds as liquid from within the monster encountered the hot blade. He began to swing it in earnest, cutting deep wounds in the flesh when it didn’t totally remove them from the body in one pull.
The GEMS thrashed and jumped, colliding with the ceiling, its strange legs kicked out and flailing, connecting with some of its brothers and knocking them into each other in confusion. Tentacles continued to wrap around the arm and leg of his mech; he stepped backward, pulling it with him. Stretching its remaining limbs, they were locked in a rubbery tug of war. His knife arm struck, severing another tentacle, and he rushed forward, taking advantage of the freedom. A barrage of strikes moved him even closer to a killing blow.
Pieces of it lay on the deck, writhing nervously in death. Li stabbed the blade through a giant eye. It sizzled and popped as he worked it around inside the large, bulbous head. He felt the tentacles slack. The large, grasshopper-type legs made kicking motions on the deck. He heard three rounds fire from a pistol, followed by three more. The other GEMS lay in heaps, twitching. Their heads exploded like dropped melons. He assumed the experiment was over. The lieutenant held his pistol in his hand, smiling.
Watanabe walked over to the Khalnalax where they stood away from the confrontation. He pressed his knife against a bloody piece of GEMS lying near them. It smoked and sounded like frying meat, which had a great visual effect on the new prisoners. “The lieutenant is going to be asking you some questions as we move into the engineering section. Do you all understand when I say you had better answer and answer honestly?”
Heads bobbed in assent as well as many spoken words promising cooperation. “All yours, Boss,” Watanabe chuckled.
“Damn showoff. Get that suit cleaned up, Marine. You’re dripping shit everywhere.” Jared extended a mechanical hand and it was grabbed in turn by Watanabe’s. He shook it and moved off to his place amongst the team. A handshake for a job well done. No verbal accolades needed.
“Captain, we have control of Engineering,” Jared reported.
Chapter Four
Breathe. Cleansing breaths. Try not to ruin the armor that someone had worn, and was now being worn by someone who didn’t deserve it. I knew each suit on sight, and likewise who should be wearing it. There was a reason, in my mind at least, why no one should wear my team’s black armor but my teammates. I lowered my pistol then slammed the unknown’s head against the wall. If it was just armor to Snake, something to be loaned out, then he may not get it back.
A wild swing on the part of the wearer resulted in the same treatment, only this time I didn’t let go. I slammed it repeatedly as if to punch a hole in the steel. Feeling a change of scenery was in order, I pulled the disoriented wearer of undeserved armor to the door I just entered from space. Not wearing the belt with the small life-saving devices and aids was a poor decision. I might have hooked the lifeline to the ship.
“Lesson number one, never wear that armor again. Lesson two, if you do, you better be ready for anything and you’re not. Thus begins your training.”
Whoever it was had no belt or mag boots, probably no thermal suit or oxygen tabs. Gonna be a quick lesson, no passing grade. Manhandling was easy; the thrashing wasn’t going to slow down the inevitable. I pushed, aiming for the shuttle sitting a few feet away. It would slow its momentum and hurt like hell when it hit and bounced off. I pulled the door closed. A mental count began in my head. The inner door opened again. Some of the faces hung like the gravity had been cranked up. Others were surprised, but not upset. They were all quiet. The count continued.
“Well, I take it the wearer of that armor wasn’t ready for their first lesson,” I said. Adeen put on a glare and looked from me to Snake. “Snake, it was your armor. Did you show the person the proper way to wear it?” Silence was the answer I expected and received.
“You need to go get him, Benjamin,” Harry said. His voice a low rumble and a surprise that he would speak before the others.
“Shut your door, then, so I can go.” Harry never asked for anything. If it meant something to him, I would do it. But, there was an ass chewing in someone’s future. I cranked the handle again and pushed the door open. My boots were still turned on, so it didn’t suck me out. I attached my line and backed up, turned off the boots and ran the three steps it took to launch myself from the ship. I could see the body drifting. Turning. A slow end over end. I caught up with cable to spare and grabbed a leg. We came to a halt when I squeezed the cable grab; it slipped, then I squeezed harder. We came to a rest. I couldn’t believe how long I’d been here and not set foot in the damn ship.
The trip back took what seemed like a lot longer than the trip out. I missed the backpack thrusters we used back in the day. I needed to put that on a checkli
st of things needed. Had to be better than crashing a shuttle into everything. A little bit of getting used to, but very good when moving around outside a ship. The door left open, the limp body was easily pushed inside. Not the reunion they or I expected. Neither was the what I found inside the armor.
I knelt, unbuckled and removed the helmet. A pale white face, round mouth, with long pointed teeth that would never allow it to close properly lay staring at me. There were no eyelids or eyebrows. Stringy hair lay in disarray around its face. The smell would lead me to believe it was dead before it was put in the armor. The inner airlock door began to open slowly and I reached for the outer as if to open it. They shut it quickly. I was just screwing with them. They must have figured it out and pulled the door open again.
“So what is this overgrown tapeworm doing in this armor? If the answer isn’t really, really, good, someone else will be going out that door. Snake?”
“It’s a long story and can only be told far away from an airlock. For best effect,” Snake said.
“If any of you are tired of wearing the armor, let me know. I will find a suitable replacement for you. If not, then when you’re not wearing it no one else should be either. That is my rule. No exceptions. Get that, whatever it is, out of that armor now.” I pushed my way through them into the corridor. Harry and Snake picked it up and began carrying it out. I heard a sharp intake of breath and a moan.
“I take it he doesn’t like me or surprises,” a raspy voice said.
“I guess not,” Harry answered. “But he probably likes Snake even less right now.”
“You always know how to make an entrance, don’t you?” Adeen asked.
Break her neck soon, I thought. Adeen had a way of provoking unbidden thoughts with just the sound of her voice. I didn’t disagree with them, but I let her tag along. Maybe just so I could . . .
“What are you thinking?” she asked.
“Nothing. I need a room and Genius. These are the codes for the shuttle if you want to go see everyone. I would message them first and make sure they know you’re all well.”
The Chronicles of Benjamin Jaminson: Empires At War (Book 5 Part Two) Page 5
