“This way,” Marie said as she climbed a ladder leading up a vertical shaft.
“The female is still sitting in the control room with her back to the hatch,” Margaret announced.
Jim cautiously approached an open door. “Tell me if she moves.”
“She heard you,” Margaret said. “There is no fear reaction. She probably thinks you are one of the guards. She is turning her chair to face the door.”
Jim took a deep breath, straightened and walked directly through the door. Bravado had worked the first time so Jim decided on a similar approach. A young woman in her early twenties looked up in surprise.
“I’ll bet you’re glad to see me,” Jim said while smiling through his faceplate. “I’m your relief.”
“Ah... I don’t know you,” the woman said while studying Jim’s face.
“I was only woken up yesterday. By the way, my name’s Jim.” Jim continued to smile and extended a friendly hand.
“Total confusion,” Margaret announced.
“Ah... I’m Anne,” the woman said as she hesitantly extended her own hand to shake Jim’s.
Another bright blue flash. Her eyes rolled back as she convulsed then slowly slid from the chair and onto the deck.
“Damn, it won’t fit,” Carol said in frustration.
Jim looked up trying to figure out the meaning of the brief message from the spaceport tent complex. “What won’t fit,” he said.
Marie jumped into the pilot’s seat and commenced to check the instruments.
“The connection to the old wire type telephone. I don’t have the time to pull this thing apart and make direct connections so we’ll have to figure out something else.”
“Oh shit,” Jim said.
“Why won’t it fit?” Chris asked over the communication system. “Isn’t it a standard connection?”
“No,” Levin said from his position at the observation post. “Old Earth manufacturers each had their own non-uniform systems.”
“Can’t you just hold a receiver up to the mouth piece?” Jim said.
“Negative,” Margaret said. “It would not sound the same. They may get suspicious. You’re going to have to have one of your prisoners make the call for help instead of our computer.”
“All right,” Dan said slowly. “Which one of you galahs is going to cooperate? The one that does is the one that doesn’t get their arms burned off.”
“Fifteen,” another controller said, “you got the best reaction from the one on the left.”
“Ok mate, this way... Yes, I am talking to you, you dopey hunk of pelican shit.”
“Parallel space transceiver destroyed,” Peter said.
Marie looked up from the control panel. “All systems operative. It’s ready to go.”
Jim climbed down the ladder and out through the airlock. Once outside, he made his way in the direction of the spaceport tents while listening to a guard make a panicking plea for help after a few minutes of intensive coaching.
“They believe him,” Margaret said.
“We’re in position,” Sam said from his location five hundred meters away. “Jest tell us when them there guards leave the camp.”
The communications system went silent as Jim neared the tents of the spaceport. He anxiously held his breath while waiting for word of success or failure. He changed course when Dan appeared at the door to another tent. He raised a thumb to indicate victory.
“They’re arguing,” Margaret said.
“About what?” Jim said as he entered the tent.
“A leader is ordering them to attack the port and a number are refusing to go.”
Jim looked down at four still bodies laying on the floor of the tent then up at Dan’s smiling face.
“We can’t spare anyone to guard ‘em so I had to put ‘em night night.”
Carol ran to Jim and hugged him. “Good, you’re safe.”
“More arguing and threats,” Margaret said.
“Shit,” Jim said. “What else is going to go wrong?”
“Three guards neutralized,” Peter said. “No, make that four. Harry you’re going to have to teach me that.”
“They are not going to move,” Margaret said. “Sam, your group is going to have to go in and get them.”
“Raise the flaig, skirmish line forward,” Sam ordered. “Jest be extra careful not ta hit no one else but them guards.”
“Three, you have been detected,” Margaret said. “The guard inside tent to eighteen’s immediate front. Hold fire, colonists in the vicinity.”
Jim strained his eyes through a window attempting the impossible task of seeing what was going on.
“You men, around that side,” Sam ordered.
Jim paced back and forth and kicked the leg of a chair. He had assigned himself to the spaceport as he had anticipated that most of the action would be in that area. Having to stand helpless just listening to the fight in progress was frustrating.
“It’ll be fine, I know it,” Carol said.
“Threat neutralized by friendlies inside tent,” Margaret announced.
“Twenty two, one at ten o’clock, five meters,” the voice of another controller said.
“Nineteen, one through the entrance to your left. She has her back to the door.”
“They now know we’re here,” Sam said
Jim heard the distant crack of a pistol from the direction of the camp.
“Twenty one, target next tent over, in the clear, raise your weapon to two o’clock... left... left... left... up... hold and fire... target neutralized.”
“Camp is in general revolt,” Margaret announced. “Two more guards neutralized by friendlies.”
“One more here,” Peter said.
“Twenty is down.”
“I’ll go get her, where is she?” Earl said.
“Negative two, she is dead.”
Jim slapped his side and continued to pace. He felt like throwing something but decided to retain his composure in front of the others.
Dan reached up and switched off the transmitter on his protective suit radio, “It’s good we’re only connected to the leadership channels. If we were listening to all of them it’d sound like a tree full of chattering cockatoos.”
“Three is down.”
“Oh no!” Carol said.
“Sam?” Jim called.
“Jest got me in the arm. Keep a goin’. I’ll be jest fine.”
“Medical support moving up,” Captain Mull said.
Jim looked out a window and watched the shuttle as it skimmed the ground kicking up a fine spray. It turned and disappeared around the side of the camp.
“Five targets leaving the north end of the camp. They are running for it.”
“I have them in the scope of the pulse cannon,” Levin said from his position at the observation post.
“How scared are they?” Jim asked.
“Confident,” Margaret said. “They are moving too fast to catch them on voice, but general consensus is they are repositioning for a counter.”
“Get ‘em Levin,” Jim ordered.
“Twenty eight down.”
“I’ve got him,” Earl said. “It’s not serious.”
“Oh my,” Levin said. “That’s the first time I’ve ever hit anything with a weapon.”
Jim heard a rumbling sound from just north of the camp. He had broken into a sweat as he flopped heavily into a chair and rested his head on his arm. Carol sat next to him and put her arm around his waste.
Matt smiled and grabbed him by the shoulder. “Remember, casualties were expected. They appear to be light from what I’m hearing.”
Jim gave them a half smile. “People who have gone through hell and traveled two hundred light years are being killed over this stupidity. I just want to get my hands around a Stutchmans throat.”
“Twenty six, hold, two targets waiting for you around the corner of the tent.”
They listened as the fight continued. Some guards fought back while the ma
jority threw down their weapons as the attackers approached.
“All targets neutralized,” Margaret announced with obvious relief. “Casualties, one dead four wounded. Two friendlies killed, eight wounded. Fifty two enemy killed or wounded eighty three captured.”
“We’re a puttin’ up the flaig now Jim,” Sam said.
Jim looked out the window and saw a long pole raised above the settlement. On it a Confederate battle flag fluttered in the light breeze. He then heard the echoing sound of a thousand cheering voices.
Jim sank back into his chair. “Phase one complete.”
* * *
Sam glared at Jim. “You’re a tellin’ me ah cain’t go, ag’in?”
“Sam you’re wounded.”
“It’s jest a scratch. Ah got hit worse by them injuns.”
“Bull, your medical report says that you have never had more than a broken arm.”
“Ah am the President, and if’n ah says ah goes then ah goes.”
“You were a corporal and I was a Sergeant. So I’m ordering you to stay.”
“Well I was a private first class,” Earl said. “But I don’t see what that’s got to do with the here and now.”
“Damn it Earl, I was just trying to find something to convince this lame brain Johnny Reb to stay here. Keep out of it.”
Sam turned and walked toward the cargo shuttle while calling over his shoulder. “Ah’m a goin’ Billy Yank.”
“Oh shit,” Jim said as he turned to walk toward his own shuttle.
* * *
“Jamming all transmissions from the colony ship.” Carol said as she adjusted controls on the newly installed panel in the shuttle. “Relaying transmissions from the Lydia,”
“Guards at the airlock neutralized,” Peter said over the system from the colony ship, “we found the first charge just inside the door.”
“V phone connection with Ben Stutchman,” Herb said.
“Put him on.”
“What are you doing Mr. Young?” Ben said sounding impatient.
“Coming up there to surrender, what else?”
“I wanted you to surrender yourself down there, not up here.”
Jim lightly thumped the arm of his seat with a closed fist. He hesitated for a moment to control the tone of his voice so not to sound antagonistic.
“Well, you didn’t specify, so I’m on my way. I’ll be there in about five minutes.”
“Turn around and go back,” Ben snapped. “My guards will meet you at the shuttle port.”
“Oh shit,” Jim whispered. “I didn’t figure on this.”
“Flatter him,” Herb said.
“Ah... well... ah... you do know how wealthy I am? You do know the position I hold in the galaxy?”
“I said flatter him, not yourself,” Herb said.
“I am familiar with that,” Ben snapped. “What does it have to do with where you surrender?”
“Well, I only thought that someone in you position would realize that I can’t just surrender to a common guard. It has to be to someone of equal or better social rank. I believe that has been the custom in most of the civilized societies in history. I thought you would prefer the same etiquette.”
“I don’t know what you’re up to, but remember, I have my finger on the button.”
“Second and third charge disarmed,” Chris said.
“They’re simple crystal receivers,” Levin said. “I am trying to determine the frequency and see if we can shield any we don’t find.”
“I know you have the power to destroy thousands of lives with one push of a button. I am powerless,” Jim said.
“Charge four disarmed,” Earl said. “The guards are being taken totally by surprise.”
“It’s you that will destroy thousands of lives, not me. For that you will rot in hell. If you have any morals at all you will cooperate fully.”
“Charge five disarmed,” Matt said.
“That’s why I’ll cooperate. I don’t want that on my conscience.”
“Deck twenty two, corridor G.,” Dan called with a note of panic in his voice. “Am in a fire fight with two guards down a hall. I have one man down.”
“Then cooperate and return to the spaceport!” Ben yelled.
“Medical on the way,” Dr. Chin said.
“Ah... I’m only two minutes away,” Jim said in desperation. He knew that the conversation he could hear were on separate channels but still had a nagging thought that Ben could hear everything. He forced his mind to conceptually separate the two.
“Can you bypass them?” Chris asked.
“Negative, the corridor is a dead end and we have detected a charge somewhere in that direction.”
“Two minutes, or two hours, you will do what I say!” Ben yelled, becoming increasingly incensed.
“We’re two decks below,” Peter said. “Harry’s trying to get behind them through an air vent.”
“Ok,” Jim sighed. “I’ll go back. I just thought you might have wanted to do it personally, face to face, so we could look each other in the eyes.”
“Ma team jest got charge six and seven. We found Halbert. He says there weren’t no more charges planted. Jest the twelve.”
“Hmm... Face to face? That sounds more like my style. I would like to see your expression when you admit who is the better man.”
“Charge eight disarmed,” Chris said.
“So, what do you want me to do?”
“Can we clear the decks near that charge and let it go off?” Chris said.
“I want to see your face.”
“Negative,” Levin replied. “It’s near the outer hull and could depressurize the ship.”
“Ok, meet me at deck two airlock. I’ll be right over,” Jim said, standing and locking his helmet into place before entering the shuttle’s airlock.
“I have charge nine,” Matt said. “The guards in this section are giving up. We have them cornered in a lounge.”
“No, I want to see your face! Come over to the observation dome. Remember I can tell just by your expression if you are trying to pull a fast one. I’m good at that you know.”
To speed his exit, Jim opened the outer door before the airlock was fully depressurized. The remaining air propelled him out in the direction of the Lydia as he reached for his jet bar.
“Harry got ‘em,” Dan announced.
“I’m on my way over to the Lydia,” Peter said.
To Jim, the luxury yacht was just as beautiful as when he first saw it in a 3V catalogue. He shuddered when he thought of the low life now enjoying its facilities. Pressing lightly on the jet bar’s control, he drifted in the direction of the observation deck.
“Come closer,” Ben said with a slow laugh. “I am entertaining right now and I thought that it would amuse my guests.”
“Jim,” Carol said from the shuttle, “two figures exiting the Lydia’s cargo bay airlock.”
“I’ll get them,” Peter said.
Jim looked up and saw Ben casually walk to the observation deck wall. He was dressed in an Old Earth smoking jacket and held a drink in one hand. The smug grin on his face made Jim feel like punching through the thick transparent dome. Instead, he nervously smiled as he came to within two meters of the surface.
“Now see this ladies,” Ben said as he turned to the three young females seated behind him. “What we have here is a failure. He dared to match wits with me. He should have known better than to do a thing like that. Now he will pay for his mistake.”
“I believe I have it,” Levin said. “The receivers are not at all sensitive and I think the remaining ones can be shielded by a low level continuous switching scan. Carol I’m sending you the sequence now.”
“Will it shield them completely?” Carol asked.
“So I lost,” Jim said. “It’s no shame being defeated by a superior intellect such as yourself.”
“I do not know,” Levin said. “So do not count on it at all. We should consider testing the hypothesis as a last resort.”<
br />
“Just got the two men,” Peter said.
Jim glanced down and saw a suited figure drifting away from the ship with arms and legs flailing wildly. A severed safety cord followed. Its struggling slowed as Jim saw it grab desperately for what he knew to be the air intake valve of the suit.
“Shield functioning,” Carol said.
“Now you’re getting sarcastic and I don’t like that. You’re going to have to apologize,” Ben said.
“It works,” Levin announced. “I just subjected this disconnected one to a local transmission and it did nothing. I still would not count on it completely. The others may be different.”
“We’re on our way across Jim,” Chris said. “We’ll enter through the emergency airlock on the bridge.”
“Just got eleven,” Matt said.
“Apologize? Do you really think so?”
Ben gripped the glass in his hand tighter. “Yes, and do it now!” he yelled.
“Keep him talking for a few more minutes,” Chris said.
“Ok, I humbly apologize for anything I have done or said to cause you any displeasure what so ever.”
“I want a sincere apology!” Ben yelled. “That was not sincere!”
“What else do you want me to do, stand on my head?” Jim touched the controls on his jet bar and held on as he rotated himself upside down with relation to Stutchman. “I apologize, how’s that?”
Ben turned to face the girls again. “See how the inferior mind tries to clown its way out of an inevitable situation.”
Jim looked past Ben at the three women whose facial expressions were an obvious attempt at looking amused. It was quite apparent that they were not at all comfortable with the situation. A guard stood expressionless behind them.
“Will they serve beer in that mental home you’re putting us in?” Jim said.
Ben turned back to Jim and smiled broadly. “Of course. I want to treat my mentally disturbed with kindness and all the modern methods of rehabilitation that are available. I’ll even hire modern doctors from whatever planet specializes in such things.”
“Pressurizing the airlock,” Earl said. “Opening the inner door now... Oh shit...”
“That place sounds nice. I think I should enjoy myself there.” Jim was breathing heavily and trying to ignore the action in progress. He had to give his full attention to the conversation at hand.
To Wake the Living (The Time Stone Trilogy Book 2) Page 30
