Gray Panthers: Dixie

by David Guenther

19 November 2128

  Captain Young and his detail moved away from the open door of the repair facility. They watched as the Beater went from being just a tiny dot in the sky till it almost filled the sky. The noise was thunderous, and they clasped their hands to their ears while turning away from the huge draft of air coming from the ship.

  “Good job driving there, Commander Poland. Let’s shut her down and check out this place,” Young said. “Beater, tell the local AI to remove the shuttles and unload their cargo, then to remove the stasis pods and move them to an area where they can be locked up and powered.” Good. Now, time for fresh air and to see what we got.

  With the facility door still open, the air inside was fresh and cold. Johnson was amazed at the complexity of the engineering that must have gone into building the repair facility. As two huge machines larger than shuttles rose from a far corner and began to fly toward Johnson, he realized he wasn’t armed. Backing up toward the Beater, he looked to see if the marines or anyone else was armed. The machines continued toward him but rose higher as they approached a shuttle on the Beater, effortlessly picking it up and moving it to an open area.

  Johnson walked over to the shuttle and looked at the hatch. There was no keypad or scanner of any type, nor did there appear to be any manual handles.

  “Beater, how do I access the shuttle?” Johnson commed as he continued to stare at the hatch.

  “The hatch can only be opened by remote control or by speaking to the door with the right message. The Major Rogers tried numerous combinations before opening it. Do you want me to open it for you?”

  “No, Beater. I thought I’d stand here in front of the shuttle with my thumb up my…. Yes, please open the shuttle.”

  The hatch opened instantaneously. Johnson jumped in through the hatchway and immediately turned around, scrambling out as quickly as possible. The overwhelming feeling of his lungs and eyes burning panicked him. Ten seconds of fresh air reversed the sensation. He glared at the shuttle.

  “Beater, is there anything I should know before I enter the shuttle?” Johnson was furious as he bent over, trying not to rub his eyes.

  “The shuttle may have a scent that includes a lachrymatory agent. The scent is not dangerous but may have the effect of tear gas on human physiology.”

  “Why the hell didn’t you warn me before I entered?” Johnson barked, not hiding his anger.

  “Sir, you jumped into the shuttle before I could say anything.”

  “Shsss, how long until the shuttle airs out enough for me to get in?” Johnson felt himself gaining control of his anger.

  “Current air circulating throughout the facility should make it possible to enter in five minutes, Captain Johnson.”

  Gray Panthers headquarters, Arizona

  19 November 2128

  Abby poked his head through the open doorway. “Dan, do you have a minute?”

  “Come in, Abby. You did a shit hot job while I was gone. What can I do for you?”

  “I’ve been going over everything we’ve done to build a fleet, and I see that we missed a very important item.”

  “Sit. Now tell me what you’ve got.”

  “We needed something that could be used to defend the planet. It needed to be powerful, yet maneuverable. I redesigned a shuttle, with Hercules’s help.

  “The new weapon consists of the three largest beamers that we use to defend cities, all mounted on a redesigned shuttle frame. There’s no place for a crew—just the three beamers and shield generators. It’s small, fast, and packs the punch of any ship we have now. We have all the components, so we just need to set up an assembly line and start knocking out dozens a day or more. They will have their own class-one AIs.

  “Initial testing of the beamers in the asteroid belts around Jupiter shows the modified design of the weapon makes it able to fire faster, since it stays cooler. A pair of droids are incorporated into the design so if there are any problems, the AI can repair itself.”

  “Brilliant, Abby. We have space around Earth saturated with space mines, so if someone jumps in too close they risk a bomb in their belly. They jump into our system outside our minefield, then we send our new weapon in and start blasting them. Cheaper and quicker to build than ships, too.” Dan’s smile was genuine as he shook Abby’s hand.

  “I just thought we had to have a better way.” Abby was suddenly self-conscious with Dan’s praise directed to him.

  “Well, you thought right. How soon can we start to get the Abby Artillery moving?” Dan almost laughed at Abby’s reaction.

  “Don’t get bashful now, Abby. You deserve recognition. It’s this, or I pin a medal on your chest in front of all the Gray Panthers, with full media attention.”

  Abby gave Dan the finger and left the office, trying to not let Dan see his smile. He heard Dan laughing as he walked down the hall.

  Flem home world, League of Planets space

  19 November 2128

  Johnson stuck his head in the shuttle and didn’t smell anything this time. The entire interior was a reddish color. Standing in front of the stasis pods, he thought the creatures inside looked like something out of a nightmare. He walked up to one of the pods for a closer look.

  The alien’s head was huge for its body, and round, with a pair of antennae. Enormous round black compound eyes filled the face beneath the antennae. There didn’t seem to be any skin, but instead, a yellow armor. A pair of long slits ran from under the eyes to what appeared to be a chin with a spike. A uniform covered the body. There were two arms with hands that consisted of three very long fingers and an opposing claw where a human’s thumb would be. The body was narrow, with a pair of thick, muscular legs ending in two large forward claws and a single rear-facing claw.

  The cabin darkened as a pair of droids entered. They proceeded to the back of the cabin, where they began to remove the cargo. Numerous white containers, each weighing about a hundred pounds, were child’s play for the droids.

  “Beater, any additional information on the cargo or the crew?” Johnson asked.

  “The cargo is transfer gel. It is used on all main ships for transferring information. The main source of transfer gel is from the Republic. They act as the sole distributor for all sales to non-Republic worlds. The amount in the three shuttles is enough for ten battleships or dozens of smaller ships. The current exchange rate with the Republic is one ounce of gold for every pint of the gel.

  “The occupants of the ship are insectoid species, Finey. They are part of the Libra Alliance. They require a nitrogen-based atmosphere to breathe. The species are primarily builders and craftsmen. I’m assuming they were delivering the gel for new ships.”

  “Can you access their records to see where they were delivering the gel? Perhaps we can destroy those ships before they can be used against us.”

  “Their destination was their home world, Finey. There are numerous ship repair facilities there. The planet has three neighboring planets that also are inhabited. The four planets were constantly at war with one another until the Libra managed to get them to join the Alliance. They now maintain an uneasy peace with each other.

  The planet Gipe, their closest neighbor, is the original creator of the Dart fighters we have on board our ship. It is still their primary fighter. The fighters they have can reach Finey and return back to their Gipe home world with no problem.”

  “Thanks for the additional information and the subtle suggestion, Beater. We’ll head for their solar system after we’ve rested here. Do the facilities here offer any improvements over the equipment we have now?” Johnson was beaming at the thought of creating havoc between the two planets.

  “Sensors and communications are no better than what we have already. They have a prototype FTL engine for small ships that has not been tested.”

  “Could the engine be fit to a Dart?” He remembered that Dan was once excited at the prospect of an FTL-capable fighter.

  “There should be no problem, but it would take a while to fit and ass
emble. Modification of existing engines, as well as power, would also be a consideration.”

  “Have Scholl’s Dart removed from the Beater and let them have a go at it. We aren’t out anything.”

  New Richmond, planet Dixie

  19 November 2128

  “Mr. President, I’m glad we were able to be of assistance to Dixie. I appreciate that you are allowing us to take custody of the Red Coats. I’m sure that wasn’t an easy decision, especially considering they’ll try to use it against you in the next election.” General Black looked across the hangar as the prisoners were forced towards the ship.

  “That’s not a problem, General. All I worry about now is getting my twenty thousand people who were abducted by the Libra back. I only have a hundred of theirs to trade with.” The Dixie president was noticeably fatigued.

  “We have over two thousand of the bastards. I’ll make sure when the ship returns they are on it. I’m sure they want their officers and crews back more than they need cannon fodder.”

  “I hope you’re right, General. I’m just glad the coward commanding them surrendered all of his forces when he was captured. The fighting could have gone on for months longer.”

  “Well, sir, at least you’re getting a good trade for the Red Coats. I’d just as soon line them up in front of a wall and gun them all down. Only saving grace is that they didn’t commit any atrocities—to our knowledge. I see I have to leave now. Goodbye, Mr. President.” Black shook hands and turned to enter the spaceship.

  “Goodbye, General Black. Safe trip.”

  The area around the ship was cleared and the engines were started. The ship slowly lifted off the ground and moved toward the entrance to the hangar. The sound of the engines turned into a throaty roar as the ship increased thrust and ascended into the sky.

 

  Master Sergeant McGuire sat with a couple of troops from her new squad. She quietly pulled out a flask of bourbon and poured some into her coffee and into the mugs of those around her.

  “Absent comrades,” she toasted and then took a long drink, enjoying the burn. As she reached again for the flask, her new troop pulled out her own flask and dumped her coffee on the deck. McGuire laughed as she followed suit.

  After pouring for the three of them, the trooper toasted, “Our last war.” They clinked mugs and drank in silence. The two looked expectantly at the third trooper, who smiled and pulled out his own flask of bourbon and began to pour.

  “The fat lady’s last song!” He raised his mug and then appeared to study it before slamming it back. He looked at the two NCOs next to him, silently rose, and walked off.

 

  Staff Sergeant Coyle was arguing with Sergeant King, as Tanaka and Winters helped gang up on Garcia. Coyle was laughing to the point of crying as his squad was arguing about the best way to keep Garcia’s head from falling off. Coyle heard the banter quiet down and looked up to see his men lying around his cabin in the same positions as they had died on Dixie. He started to scream again as he tried to escape the restraints holding him in his bunk.

 

  General Black sat in his cabin and began to go over the casualty reports he’d received on Dixie. The realization that it was still early in the war and that there were more planets ahead only depressed him more. A knock on the door startled him back to the present. He went to open it.

  “Hey, soldier, know anyone who wants a drink?” Standing in front of him was his long-time friend and confidante, Master Sergeant McGuire. Before he could say anything, she pushed the door closed and hugged him. He felt everything bad melting away as she continued hugging him. He returned her gaze the same as he had in two other wars, in a different life. They broke the embrace only long enough for him to turn off the cabin’s light.

  Dixie destroyer Georgia, en route for Libra space

  19 November 2128

  Captain John Taylor Woods was happy with his assignment. He was instructed to take the destroyer Georgia and the destroyer Virginia to Libra space and then launch a messenger drone to the Libra home world.

  His additional orders were to use five days to collect intelligence on Libra space while making hit-and-run attacks at random locations.

  “This is Captain Woods. We have been directed to get revenge for the cowardly attack on Dixie. We are going to deliver a message to Libra before giving them tenfold what they did to us for five days. We will then wait to see if there is a message for Dixie before we return home.

  “We are delivering a message to get back twenty thousand of our citizens in trade for Libra we captured on Dixie. Captain out.” Woods could hear cheering from other compartments of the ship as he finished his announcement.

  Fire Ship Spark, high Earth orbit

  19 November 2128

  Captain April Hayes looked at the forty Jacka before her. The smallest was over six feet tall. All were wearing their new tan flight suits for the first time. She had heard about the challenge of picking a color that wasn’t already a clan color.

  “Good afternoon. I am Captain Hayes. You will address me as either Captain Hayes or ma’am. Next to me is Captain Spear, who I respect because of his previous experience. When you are dismissed you will stow your gear in your cabins. Then you will find your human trainer on the ship. This will be a test of your abilities to find your way around. It will also give you a chance to explore the ship. The Libra needed over a hundred crewmen for this ship. We will have only forty, but we will do a better job because the ship is better now than when it was new. We will leave in six hours for your home world. We suspect the Libra may attack it because of the new direction your people are taking. Captain Spear, would you like to address your crew?”

  “I will ensure that you all are trained and ready for combat. If you fail, you will be allowed to go home and join the women of your village. Do not embarrass our people or hurt the humans. They are fragile, and we need them.” The crew laughed at the joke and then went to find their cabins and their human partners.

  Crewman Roar was surprised when he found that everyone would have a cabin. He was ready to unzip his suit and mark the door when he remembered that the humans disapproved of the practice. When they were off the ship he would do it then. He now had to find Chief Honda at weapons. That sounded good, to work weapons. As he explored the ship, it took him only an hour to find the weapons area.

  “Are you Chief Honda?” A little yellow human stood before him. Tiny even for human standards, he was gray-haired and had many stripes on his sleeve.

  “Got that right, big boy. About time you found your duty station. Did you get lost?”

  Roar looked at the insignificant creature before him and was both insulted and enraged. What was he going to learn from this stain on the floor? “I was told to look around in order to find you.”

  The human gave him a strange look. “If I ordered you to get ammunition right now, what would you do?”

  “I would go get the ammunition, as ordered.”

  “How would you do that? What ammunition would you get from which magazine? You do not walk around like a lost child. You ask questions and you learn. If there is not a human around, you can press the button on your neck and ask the AI, Spark. Do you understand?” Honda was obviously annoyed.

  “I understand.” Roar had a sullen look on his face.

  “Okay. As a test, I want you to ask Spark where the head is.”

  “Head of what, Chief Honda?”

  “Aww, for crissakes! The head is where you will urinate and defecate, being sure to clean yourself before returning to your duty station. Now, ask Spark how to get there.”

  “I do not have to ur-in-ate at the moment, Chief Honda.”

  “Why the hell do I get the pick of the litter? I gave you an order. There is no debate. Do you understand me, sunshine?” Honda was chest to groin with Roar and obviously pissed with the big guy.

  Roar looked down on the little stain and contemplated killing him there and then. �
��Spark,” he said, “where is the head?” He looked like he wanted to eat the little human.

  “From your current position, go out into the main passageway, turn right, go twenty feet, then turn left, and go twenty feet. It will be the second hatch on the left,” Spark replied.

  “Good boy, Roar,” Honda cajoled. “Now we can get around to training you, if that’s possible.”

  Roar took offense at being talked to like a child and leapt at the human. Honda saw it coming. He grabbed Roar’s huge paw and threw him over his shoulder into the far bulkhead. Roar felt himself flying before he crashed into the bulkhead. His snout hurt and blood flowed from his nostrils as he roared his fiercest roar and charged again.

  Again, Honda was ready for the attack and stepped aside just before Roar could barrel into him. He also managed to do a sweep kick into the warrior’s butt, adding insult to injury. Roar stopped before hitting the bulkhead and turned to see the little human laughing even harder at him.

  Roar slowly approached Honda and then swung with his right paw, using all of his strength. The human grabbed his paw and turned his body. Instantly, Roar found himself again on the deck.

  “I don’t have time for this, sunshine. Get off your ass and get over here so I can train you.” All malice seemed gone from the chief. Roar figured he must have scared the little human enough to make him more respectful. The alien cleaned his face and gave the chief his undivided attention.

  “This is the main fire control board. From here, all input is received and delivered to the weapons. Next to it is an auxiliary gunner’s station. If a weapons station is destroyed, we can continue the fight from here.” Honda looked at Roar to see if he was comprehending.

  “We are not the main gunners,” Roar said, sounding as much as if he were asking a question as making a statement. “We work on the guns and the systems. If a gunner falls in combat, we will take his place here in weapons control.”

  “Roar, I believe there is hope for you. Let me give you a tour of the ship.” Damn, first time I was ever ordered to beat up a trainee, he thought.