Looking around at the rating staring at him. “Close your mouth stupid. It makes you look even more moronic than you are.” Turning back to Commander Glenn. “Speaking of women, I will talk to the Commodore later. After all you can’t get past your own stupid little traps can you?” Slapping at the normal comm switch as he started chuckling, the Professor Commander turned and walked out leaving the shocked rating behind. “It amazes me how stupid those un-educated Naval Officers are.”
Captain Glenn looked up at Jack. “He talked about being a pacifist, power to the people, using the Government to protect the environment, the masses against all harm and themselves, since I met him. And it was all a cover because he wanted to become a dictator murderer with absolutely no regard for intelligent life but his own. But then he made a few comments one time after a few drinks about forcing his students to get abortions after getting them pregnant and he was mad because they were too stupid to use proper birth control when they fucked him for good grades. But then if you can kill children in the womb so easily, you can kill adults just as easily. That should have told me what a lying hypocrite he truly was before this.”
Commander Glenn suddenly jumped up. “We have to stop them from attacking my ship.” And headed for the hatch.
Jack reached out and grabbed her arm jerking her to a stop. “We can’t go off halfcocked damn it. We are outnumbered and they have Mechs. Put someone here with the Comms screaming for help. Take the Chief down to break through to the lower decks and I will go up and see what I can do to delay the attack. Maybe even side track it.”
“Captain Glenn. This is the engine hatch into the upper ship. We have half naked women that can barely walk coming down now. I just got a message that says they are flooding into the Bay and the Blacksuits are starting to notice. What do I do with them?”
“Send them to the Sick Bay. It should be cleaned of bodies by now. I will find someone to get them organized.” Turning to Jack. “See what you can do to get as many down here as possible but make sure that hatch is closed when the fighting starts down the shaft. I can’t let these people go back even if you fail to stop the main attack. All I can hope for is with most of my crew unarmed the Fucking King won’t harm them. I just wish I could be there when the fucker blows Groom’s head off like he spent half of my time with him talking about. Especially since my understanding of why was so damn wrong.” Glenn Chuckled. “The Ass hole King can’t stand to be around anyone that thinks like him and holds the same beliefs. They are boring. Not to mention that they are to much a threat since he can’t trust them. Can you imagine that? The biggest lying dick around insisting on dealing with only people that he can trust not to lie.” She said as she walked out the hatch with the Chief following.
Jack headed for the Engine shaft hatch.
----------------------------------------
Jack had a hard time getting up the power Chase shaft with the catwalk packed with half naked and totally naked women making their way to hoped for safety. Jack finally had to pull himself up hand over hand along the side rail against the One Tenth Gee as women kept trying to glob onto him for protection. His arms were half dead as the stopped at a little platform holding a micronic welder a hull tech was using to weld the hatches to the decks closed as Jack had ordered.
Gathering his strength back as the women kept streaming past, Jack was surprised when he was tapped on the shoulder from behind. “If you will stop ogling the boobs I will give you a lift Captain. Besides none of them can compare to mine when I feel like it.”
Jack turned his head to find Pan hovering behind him. Taking a deep breath he smiled. “I have to agree with you Pan, after yours, theirs don’t hold much interest. I am all yours.”
Pan grabbed him by the rescue ring on his back and lifted him off the railing. Passing the last few decks she plopped him down on the deck next to the cut out deck plate.
“Thanks for the lift Pan. What is this about the women refugees? How did they find out?” His gaze drifted out to see the painters finishing up the last of the troops. Red suited troops already lined the top of the cargo containers around the compound. “Well it looks like they told a few of their friends and it spread from there by the looks of it.” Jack walked out through the gate as women continued to trickle in at 3 or 4 a minute with the scattered line stretched out across the Bay.
Walking out of the gate he watched as a thumper next to the gate shoot a Blacksuit that started to get too close to one of the refugee women with a rubber riot bullet. The big black bullet knocking the guy off his feet. “Good shooting.” Jack said as he turned to the guy and noticed one of the painters already spraying ceramic foam on the bottom containers making up the wall of the compound. Others were in the process of changing the big 5 gallon containers on one of the other paint carts as one of the girls worked on the nozzle gun. As Jack watched the cart shudder for a second and then the girl pointed the gun at the top of the closest container and started sending a stream from the gun up to the top then moving it up and down in perfectly spaced rows as she started working her way along the container leaving every inch covered in a thick mat that started expanding and growing a crystal sheen to its surface. The third cart started covering the middle of the 2 stacked containers to match the lower half of the wall as they worked their way around the compound container wall.
Turning back around Jack saw with relief that the stream of women had stopped coming as the last of the stragglers made it across the bay and through the gate. Walking to one side Jack tried to see what was happening around the core but could only see a couple of squads off to the sides and the still smoking Mech. Turning back around he could see black suits through the core hatch the women had been coming out of forming a line. ‘Ok, why are they doing that?’ Jack asked himself before dismissing them as he went back to trying to plan some kind of campaign to attack the troops on the other side of the core before they attacked and without getting slaughtered.
He wasn’t coming up with much of anything other than running around both sides and hoping they killed most of them before the Mechs killed most of his troops which was not even a good plan. Looking up to where the nests were along the corner catwalks. Sending men back up there would be a death trap long before they would be able to take out the Mechs. No, he needed to get the Mechs separated into confined spaces to get them from behind and take them out. Shaking his head wishing he was back on the Red Pepper which now had all kinds of weapons to take out Mechs.
Jack heard some muffled screams and then some laser shots from the direction of the hatch in the core and then a flood of women over whelmed the line of Blacksuits through the hatch and started running out across the bay again.
Jack started running for the hatch as he saw more laser flashes through the opening. The Heavy Assault Blaster in his hands without thinking about hit suddenly did not feel so heavy. Shoving his way through the hatch Jack found a half dozen Blacksuits being torn up with several others cornered with their weapons pointed at the deck in front of the women but only firing when they got too close without hurting anyone. The weapons from the dead Blacksuits on the deck being pointed at the group by half naked women hovering over the bodies of several women.
“Don’t fire!” Jack bellowed as he pointed his weapon at the Blacksuits. “No, one fire. Just calm down.” Several Red suits came in behind Jack. Their guns ready.
Jack walked over to the women as he covered the Blacksuits. “Drop your weapons. Everyone.” Jack reached down and took a weapon from one of the women and noticed that the body below her on the deck was still alive. “Damn it. Get a medic over here fast.” Shoving his Blaster back over his back again and the pistol in his belt, Jack bent down, pulled out his med kit and sprayed the trauma foam into the wound and then stabbed her arm with the trauma pen. The other Red suits took the weapons away from the Black suits, trussed them up and started dragging them out toward the compound. Medics pushing their way down the ramp from the deck above quickly took over. One medic
pushed Jack out of the way as another tossed him a new med kit. “We have them now Captain.”
Looking down at the new medical kit. “We could use a bunch of these. I haven’t seen any of my prisoner troops with any yet.”
“We weren’t allowed to give them any Captain. Though we don’t have that many left as it is, I will try to get you what I can.” The medic said as he worked.
Jack looked around as the flood down the ramp started to thin. “As far as these refugees go. Can’t you take them up to Sickbay? I am not sure I can protect them when the shooting starts.”
“We have been trying Captain. But we have never been able to keep them from being dragged back as soon as they are halfway healed so they don’t trust us. Most would rather take their chances with you.” Looking around at the ramp that was almost empty again. “Besides you have most of them now anyway.” They placed the women and another still alive blacksuit on the portable gurney’s and headed up the ramp. The Medic turned to Jack before following. “I will get these up to Sickbay and then grab what supplies and medics I can and come back down and join you if we can get across the Bay.” Then she was gone up the ramp.
Jack watched them leave and then heard screaming out the hatch accompanied with what he recognized as Mechs clomping across the deck. Sticking his head around the corner of the hatch, Jack watched the refugees now running across the deck away from the mechs instead of toward the Compound. Five of the Mechs were trying to catch the fleeing women while a sixth hung back giving orders. Jack recognized the 6th mech as the one with chevrons that had gunned down the operator that had refused to drive what he had called a piece of junk.
Several big rubber bullets from the thumpers hit the Mech with chevrons making it turn around toward what was slowly becoming an armored Redoubt. The back heat sink plate in full view. Without thinking the Assault blaster was suddenly in his hands and aimed at the plate on its back.
The Mech raised its cannon and its machinegun toward the Redoubt and the dozens of Red suits around it.
“Shit! No you don’t ass hole.” Jack pulled the trigger sending several blaster shells into the Mechs back plate.
Suddenly the Mech was a towering inferno as the top entry hatch blew off with flames streaking toward the overhead far above. A smaller torch was blowing out the hole in its back aimed directly at Jack.
Jack watched the other Mechs turn around to face the burning Mech as he ducked back behind the hatch out of sight. Hugging the bulkhead Jack waited to hear the clomping of Mechs headed his way but when they sat frozen and unmoving for a good minute Jack peeked around the corner. His curiosity getting the better of him.
He could not believe it as he watched the frozen mechs start turning away one by one from both the burning mech and the women and head back around the core toward the rest of the Blacksuited forces. The women already making beelines for the Redoubt.
Jack brought his Assault Blaster up and aimed it at the backs of the retreating mechs but could not make himself pull the trigger. It was one thing when the damn mech was an immediate threat but he could not make himself pull the trigger in cold blood when they were not technically a threat yet. Besides if he shot another one, they would know it was he and not the Mech self-destructing. With any luck the drivers would abandon them out of fear. But then again if he had fired and the Mechs attacked him, his forces could have gotten them in a cross fire and possibly have taken them all out before reinforcements arrived around the core. Though being alone on this side he stood a good chance of getting killed if it was not a quick fight. But then even if he wasn’t killed, he would be stranded in the core away from the rest when the rest of the Black suits came flooding around the core. No not a good idea at all. “So why do I feel like such a chicken shit for not firing?” He asked himself.
Several out of breath medics came running down the ramp pushing gurneys full of supplies. Jack recognized the one he had talked to. “Told you we would be back Captain. Thanks for waiting for us. I really did not want to run a gauntlet.”
Jack stepped out of the hatch with the medics without saying a word. Too embarrassed to tell them that he had still been there because he had been to chicken shit to move. As they leisurely walked across the Bay Jack went back to trying to figure out a way to attack them without getting his people slaughtered. A lot pissed at himself for not taking out the mechs when he had the chance.
The Medic finally broke the silence. “A Captain. You would not happen to know what happened to the ship’s marines would you? The Captain is calling all over the ship looking for them.”
“Yes. They are in the compound or Redoubt training the volunteers.”
“Good. That is a relief. With them on our side we stand a chance. The Sargent has had a lot of experience with pirate ships.”
Jack looked at the Medic. “Amazing what you can learn listening. Thanks.” Stopping at the gate. “Wait here and get a good coating of white armor with red crosses on your suits.” Then yelling at the nearest painter as she was finishing up the last of the bottom containers. “More customers ladies and while you are at it this time, don’t forget yourselves. Then start working on covering the containers bulkheads inside the Compound or I suppose we should start calling it a redoubt with all the armor you girls are putting on it.” He just hoped it was enough. Jack headed through the Gate to find the Sargent.
The Sargent was in the middle of trying to teach squad tactics in the limited space he had in the compound when Jack approached him. “Yes Captain, what can I do for you?”
“Take a walk with me Sargent.”
Not wanting to talk in front of the men and not having anyplace private, they wound up outside the Redoubt in the middle of the bay.
“Sargent. I have a problem. Some pacifist fool has taken over the lower ship and has disarmed most of his crew. Believing that with the warmongering Commander Glenn gone that the Commodore will be reasonable and leave them alone as long as they kiss his ass.” Taking a deep breath to let that soak in. “What do you think Sargent?”
The Sargent chuckled. “The only ass kissing they are going to do is saying good bye to their own Assess. The King will slaughter most of the men just to be doing it. The Rooster doesn’t like a lot of other cocks in the hen house. You can count the aliens dead as well and hanging on his bulkheads as trophies.” The Sargent pointed up over his shoulder at the two living Gronks up on the core hull.
“Well Sargent, we need to attack them before they launch their assault to prevent that if we can. I just can’t figure out a way to attack them without getting us killed by their fucking Mechs.” Jack hooked his thumb over his shoulder at the still blazing Mech behind him. Again regretting not taking out as many of them as he could when they had their backs to him.
The Sargent smiled. “Come Captain, they are just cargo hold mechs. They have all kinds of flaws besides being slow and awkward when carrying a load like armor. Get them out on the hull and they are easy pickings. Didn’t I hear someone say that if we attacked down the chase, they would blow the shaft out to vacuum? Sounds like the perfect battleground for us if you ask me. The suit techs have been working hard to make sure everyone’s suits are up to specks including Vacuum. We would still be out numbered but we would at least have a chance if we got out there first in time to set up some kill zones around what is left of the ships fins and knocked out turrets. We would just have to stay away from the live turrets is all. We could even work our way down the hull to the other ship.”
“Ok Sargent…” Jack started thinking and frowned. “I don’t really like leaving the refugees and prisoners behind unprotected even if they are in the other ship’s bow. They could figure out where the hatch is and break in. Besides when the shaft is blown it could dump half the ship into vacuum if all the hatches did not close.”
“Well Captain they don’t know about the bow still being intact. But we do have a micronic welder. We weld the deck back into place when we leave to seal the deck. That will also keep them from
even getting to the hatch to the bow section just in case they find out the good news.”
“Damn I don’t like it but it is the best I have heard so far. Only thing is Sargent I have not had that much experience with combat on hulls. You are going to have to take charge of that. Can you run a company in a battle?”
“I read the reports that came with the alien’s and their tech you sent the Commodore. You did a fine job stripping the enemy battleship and getting your troops off the ship. You know the basics of deploying the Company Captain, I will be your master Sargent keeping your head above the water with the finer details handling the troop’s sir. Together we will kick butt sir.”
“I hope so Sargent. I hope so.” Jack and the Sargent returned to the Redoubt and got to work.
Chapter 12; The Gundeck battle
“Captain! Commodore’s cart approaching with an escort.” Jack’s Comm said in his ears.
Turning around he walked out the Redoubt’s gate as the Commodore’s cart sporting a flag with the star of a Fleet Rear Admiral, pulled up with his escort stopping behind him. Jack frowned they still needed a half hour to get everything ready.
The Commodore glanced at Jack with a dirty look at his suit and then looked past him. “Get me Commander Zeek immediately Creeton.” Then turned to look straight ahead ignoring Jack. When Jack did not move after a few seconds he looked back at Jack. “I said get me Commander Zeek this instant! Are you too much of a moron to obey the orders of your superiors?” This time the Commodore king stared at Jack as Jack stared at him without saying anything.
Finally the Commodore started looking at Jacks suit and the weapon on his back before looking back at Jack’s face. “I don’t know you. Are you one of the prisoners from the other ship? I have only met the officers so I know you are not an officer.” Then the Commodore spotted Jacks Acting Captain’s Eagles on the collar of his suit. The black plates and then the additional red armor had covered his name. “Who the hell are you and why are you wearing what looks like alien armor?”
Battleship Destroyer 2 (Battleship Destoryer) Page 52
