Battleship Destroyer 2 (Battleship Destoryer)

by Larry Roberts

  Jack grabbed the nearest couple of guys. “Go get those packs from under the pistol rack. One at a time, on your back without buckling the chest strap, use your hands to hide the fact. Place them inside next to the gate out of sight. Then when the guards above and at the gate are not looking, dump them down the shaft.”

  Then Jack continued on to inspect the carts and talk to the new reinforcements. Feeling like it was X-mas again (the only time his parents seemed to notice him by lavishing him with gifts). Though this time he wasn’t worried about how to keep the presents from getting abused and broken or stolen by his bigger brother who seemed to be even more enraged than normal at Jack the first few weeks after the holidays and his parents attention was again elsewhere.

  A few minutes later Cmd. Glenn came rushing back with a half dozen carts of weapons and more bodies. Including three of the big crew served weapons. Shaking his head in disbelief as he patted one checking the generator core to make sure it was real. “I thought I only saw one of those set up over there Commander

  Cmd. Glenn smiled. “Evidentially when the shooting started the surviving crews abandoned them along with their carts. Only the one was partially set up.” Looking at the other supply carts Shepperd had sent in. “Looks like Shepperd got back OK.” And then the new recruits with assault guns. “And the marines from the Kings crew still standing next to the carts they had come in on.” She looked at them suspiciously. Where is Shepperd? I need to talk to her about these guys.”

  “Making another weapons locker run after I asked her if she had grabbed any grenades for the Thumpers.”

  Cmd. Glenn covered her mouth with her hand and a couple seconds later half her crewmen started pointing their weapons in the direction of the new marine recruits.

  “Commander what is going on?” Jack asked baffled.

  Cmd. Glenn grabbed his arm and dragged him away toward the gate. “We have been lied to by the Commander and his men damn near every chance they have had. The first time he was able to penetrate all the way down to our emergency comm room and destroy the beacon while taking a good portion of my crew hostage to get away and then not releasing them once he got back up to his ship. Luckily most of my good fighters got away or were elsewhere. Damn near everyone here is from him lying and breaking truces and promises over the last 6 months destroying every beacon we were able to set up or construct until now.” Looking around at the new guys and gals from the Kings ship. “I don’t trust them as far as I can shit on them. It is just probably another trick. The Lieutenant may be working for the King.”

  Jack looked around at the new men and then movement above caught his eyes and he looked up. Half the men above them were staring down laughing at the prisoners pointing worthless pistols at the group in the center.

  Jack shook his head and walked up to the first of the new crewmen from Commodore Robinson’s (the King) crew. Looking them each in turn in the eyes Jack went around to each of them before turning back to Commander Glenn. “They are on our side. Stand down your men and relax.”

  “But you have got to be kidding Captain.”

  “They are marines and have not taken part in any of the Commodore King’s assaults on the other ship. Now follow your orders. Stand your men down now.”

  Reluctantly the Commander followed Jack orders though she still had them keep their eyes on the Kings Marines as they sat back down with their backs to the containers.

  Jack turned back to the Commander. “Get a squad of your best close combat crewmen and come with me. We are going to take care of the guards up above. Tell them to spread out around each taking a guard and only take out their weapon and shoot if I say X-muss or they start to bring up their weapons again. They best be fast if I do give the word or half of them could be dead before all the Guards are dead with the rest of the bay gunning for us.” Looking at Glenn. “But hopefully they will put down their weapons and climb down without a fuss. We will see how well my hypnotism shit works.”

  Jack walked out the gate with the squad. The 1st class had stopped paying attention to anything but his job of giving out packs long before. Jack climbed up the ladder on the outside of the containers stacked two high and stepped to the 1st class in charge of the detail guarding the prisoners. Reading his name on his suit without being obvious about it. “I am here to relieve you Insco. Have your men line up here and come to attention for inspection.”

  “It is about time sir.” Turning to his men he touched his comm. “Ok jerks, get over here and let’s get relieved and out of here.”

  Jack heard a whoop from one of the men as they started coming around the circle of containers.

  Then the first of Cmd. Glenn’s men climbed up to stand on the top of the container. Insco’s eyes narrowed. “What is this?” As another prisoner with a pistol stepped up onto the deck. “That, those are not our men.”

  Jack raised his hand. “Yes Insco, these men have pledged and joined the kings ship.” Jack leaned closer to the disbelieving 1st class and whispered as he placed his hand closer to his head. “They are your replacements unless you want to stay here and get blown up with the rest of the Prisoners.”

  “What?”

  “Those packs on the prisoners down there and the boxes on the carts are filled with explosives. The carts will be dropped down the shaft and detonated along with the packs if the prisoners refuse to attack down the shaft. If you don’t want to be relieved you can just stay here and blow up with the prisoners when their packs explode taking out half the deck.”

  “No the King wouldn’t do that. It would kill all women in the cages.”

  Jack smiled at him. “Look at the cages. You see any women in them?”

  The 1st class Insco looked and turned white swallowing as he looked at the empty cages that had held the women not long ago. “Shit. Sir.” Then turned around to look down at the carts packed with mag boxes with a couple of squads of the Kings marines around them. Turning to his men. “Get your balls in gear ass holes and line up. We are leaving.”

  Jack dropped his hand not relay knowing if his words persuaded Insco or his new ability to hypnotism someone helped. Not even sure anymore if he even had such an unbelievable power. Looking back at Insco. The 1st class started talking to himself in his head allowing Jack to hear in his mind. “It is going to be great watching these ass holes blow up. I can’t wait.”

  As they lined up, Jack started looking at them close and was surprised to start hearing some of them talking to themselves in their heads as well.

  ‘Damn I didn’t get to shoot even one of the bastard. Hell I could have killed half of them by now.’ A big guy with a scar across his cheek looked around over his shoulder down at the mass of prisoners inside the compound.

  The man next to him frowned. ‘I hope this means we get to attack with the main force. I still have to catch up on the body count with Pighead.’

  Jack stepped down the line in disgust when another voice popped into his head as he glanced at one of the men at the end of the line. ‘God why didn’t I think of faking getting wounded in the back and dropping over the back side during all the confusion too. I could have been down that damn shaft and hidden in the engine room wreckage where they never would find me. Maybe even finished cutting the hole and made it safe to the other ship to warn them.’

  That shocked Jack. Shaking his head he stopped at the end of the line and stared at the man for several seconds without saying a word. Finally smiling Jack pointed over to the side. “Go over there and sit down on the deck and do nothing.” Moving to the next man Jack looked into his eyes without saying anything for few seconds again and then moved to the next man and repeated the process. Only this time he pointed at the man sitting and said. “Join him.” Before moving to the next and doing it again and again. By the time Jack made it to the end of the line 4 men sat a ways down the container deck by themselves.

  Turning to Insco Jack smiled. “What do you think about those men?” Jack pointed at the sitting group.

 
Snarling. “They are worthless except for defending themselves if attacked at close range. None of them can hit the broadside of a ship. Lazy shirkers all. I have to keep an eye on them constantly.” A smile crossed his face as he leaned closer to talk just to Jack though his voice got louder instead of quieter. “You can keep them here to die with the prisoners as far as I am concerned. Save me from having to kill them myself when this is all over. But then I was looking forward to trying some new torchers I had heard about recently others have been using.” The 4 men heard that and most turned white while one turned red staring at Insco with hate.

  “Good to hear that.” Jack raised his hand and tried again to use his command voice. “Order your men to hand their weapons and power packs to their reliefs.” As the face before him turned baffled and resistance started to rise in the man’s mind. Jack continued. “You will be issued the Gronk Blasters for your next assignment.”

  ‘What the hell is a Gronk?’ Insco said to himself again baffled.

  Jack’s mind raced. It was not working as well as he thought it would. And then it dawned on Jack that these guy didn’t have a clue who a Gronk was. “Aaa. The Giant’s weapons.”

  Insco’s face lit up like fireworks. “The monster cannons you say. All right you pig droppings, hurry up and let’s go.” Insco practically yelled. Half of Insco’s men were not convinced but followed orders anyway.

  That is until one of them looked down into the compound with his weapon half off and stopped. “Why the hell is a half-naked woman climbing out of the chase’s shaft? And what is that hovering in the middle of the shaft by itself with nothing to stand on?”

  The rest of Insco’s men turned around to look still holding their weapons. Insco stepped forward to look over the edge. “What the hell. So that is where the women got off to but why? Something is wrong here. Fact this whole thing is wrong.”

  Jack was surprised about the women but he had other problems as he pulled out his Blast pistol and placed it against Insco’s head. ‘So much for hypnotizing someone to do my bidding.’ “Freeze where you are!” Jack shouted at everyone as he jerked Insco’s helmet off with his free hand and dropped it to the deck. Then to Insco. “Tell your men to hand over their weapons now or I will blow your head off.”

  “What. You fool.” Insco said. “The damn bay is full of the Kings’ men. You pull that trigger and they will be all over you and your stupid women. Besides I know you only have training mags in your guns.”

  “Don’t be stupid Insco. Would I be up here now if I only had training mags. What the hell do you think we have been doing for the last hour but collecting full power mags? Or do you really think we were just being nice picking up the bodies. Now order your men to turn over their weapons and you will live. Otherwise you will be too dead to see what happens next let alone care.”

  Insco swallowed. “Ok already. Hand over your weapons men.”

  Most of his men did just that but one was a little slower than the rest. In the confusion as the prisoners grabbed the assault lasers and proceeded to back up as they holstered the pistols to take up the guns. As the man in front of him holstered his pistol the slow man whipped his gun around grabbing the pistol grip and turned it toward the man that had dropped the barrel of his pistol to holster it as he reached for the assault gun that was no longer there.

  Pulling the trigger the prisoner was cut in half with the King’s man turning it toward the next prisoner in line.

  Jack’s mind seemed to race as he watched the man get cut in half by the laser only a few feet away. Horror raised up in him tapping something deep inside of him as he turned to the man swinging the gun toward his next victim. Jack concentrated what seemed to be his entire mind into a flash strait at the man’s head as Jack Yelled. “NO! Stop!” at the man.

  The man froze in mid swing as the prisoners finished turning their Laser Assault guns around grabbing the pistol grips on them and activating the charges.

  Jack was hit in his stomach by Insco’s elbow in the confusion as Insco turned ducking under Jacks gun then knocking it out of Jack’s hand to skid a few feet across the deck. Jack was knocked away falling to the deck on his back losing sight of the man that had just cut the prisoner in half allowing him to continue turning toward the next prisoner.

  Though now the prisoners were ready for him. The nearest two shooting the frozen man in the chest before he could fire again as the rest covered the others.

  Insco quickly turned grabbing his own laser pistol and pointed it at Jack. “Tell your men to drop their weapons or you die shit bag.”

  Jack’s mind raced not believing what had just happened. The prisoner getting cut in half was fresh in his mind as he tried to understand why his strange ability to hypnotize people only seemed to work part of the time. Why he had let one of his men get killed. Only a part of his mind was paying any attention to Insco and his demand. “Sorry I can’t do that.”

  “You aren’t that stupid boy. Order you men to drop their weapons now!” Placing the laser pistol onto Jack’s forehead.

  “Jack looked up at Insco ignoring the pistol. “Sorry. You really don’t want to shoot me.” Jack tried using his mind again but again it did not seem to work. No something was different. All the other times he was under stress and scarred and his mind thing was using or coming from something deep inside of him.

  “I said to tell your men to drop their weapons now or else.” As he shoved the barrel into Jack’s mouth.

  ‘You know old boy.’ Jack said to himself. ‘Now would be a good time to get scared and find that little place I found the other times, before I get my head blown off.’ But he just did not seem to be able to take the ass hole serious or get scared as he tried to dig into his mind to find the spot. That sweet spot deep in his mind. He knew it had to be there. Jack got so busy looking for it and trying to figure out how to use it when he did find it he missed what Insco said next.

  Then Insco slapped Jack. “I said to tell your men to put down their guns. This is the last time I will tell you pea brain.” Placing the muzzle of the pistol between Jack’s eyes.

  Jack took a deep breath and chuckled with a baffled expression on his face. “Sorry I don’t seem to be able to find the sweet spot Insco. So I guess you will just have to fire away so someone can blow your head off without having to worry about you killing me since I will already be dead.”

  “Why you little piss ant.” Insco’s face turned beet red. “I will kill you and then the rest of your little troop and then piss and shit on your body just for the fun…”

  Insco’s head suddenly found a hole from one temple to the other as a laser beam continued across the bay. His body collapsed down onto Jack with a thump. The laser pistol poking Jack in the eye before sliding down across his cheek as Insco’s dead hand shoved it into his face.

  Shaking his head Jack looked down between the two rows of men using one eye. Prisoners on one side pointing assault guns across a gap at a row of the King’s men with their faces turning from smart ass glee with their hands out waiting or the return of their weapons to surprised shock. At the far end of the lines four men stood in a line across the gap. The one that had fired and hit Insco in the head was now turning his assault gun onto the rest of the King’s men as the other 3 fired simultaneously shooting three of them though the heads.

  By the time Jack had pushed Insco’s body off of him a couple seconds later all but one had been shot through the head by the four with perfect shots without a miss.

  The one that had shot Insco stepped over and grabbed the one sole survivor and dragged him down to face Jack as Jack stood up rubbing his water filled eye.

  The man started talking before Jack had a chance to ask or say anything. “We have seen this man only kill when ordered too during an assault. He has not beaten or harmed anyone that we know of and even refused to beat us along with the rest. He has often gone out of his way to comfort dying prisoners in their last minutes staying behind until they have died then rejoining the squad
. Nor have we seen or heard of him raping any of the women. We believe him to deserve some mercy.”

  Jack looked at the man being held and sighed at what the man had been bragging about to himself before and what he wished he could do now as he looked at the bodies and the prisoners. Taking a deep breath Jack sighed. “He has not raped any women because he is about as gay as anyone can get. Even getting off sucking prisoners off while he kills them to get the biggest load possible from his victim. Two and three times as much than normal from what he has said. Then riding the dead bodied pole up his butt while it is still hard. He has shot or killed women every chance he has gotten if no one was watching. Strangled or knifed several while you guys were looking pretending to render aid to them while he killed them. He hates women with a passion.” Jack’s eyes grew big as he swallowed shaking his as he stared at the man. “Especially pregnant women. He hunted one down during the first battle that destroyed the Comm equipment, when one of you let her escape. Caught her just as she was going through the hatch back to safety as the king was pulling back up to this ship.”

  The man’s face turned shocked. “I have never told anyone about that. And you have no witnesses for the rest, I killed the other prisoner witnesses letting them all satisfy me. Such nice orgies’. How did you know?”

  “Someone must have escaped.” Jack said disgustedly.

  “No! Impossible but it does not matter. I am a sick man and Earth laws say you must send me to a psych hospital ward until I am cured no matter how many times I relapse to kill again. Your head Shrinker are by the book stupid and damn easy to fool.” Smiling from ear to ear.

  “Jesus Criste.” The face of the man holding him turned disgusted. “That fucking explains a lot about why so many of our prisoners never made it to holding even when they were not wounded. Why he always volunteered to take the prisoners. God I should have seen it. It was right there in front of me.” A deep growl rose up from the man’s gut and suddenly the pervert mass murderer was sailing out over the edge of the platform in free fall head first. As he tumbled toward the deck fare below the man raised his laser assault gun and fired once before the tumbling body hit the deck with a loud thud.