“I’ve met my fair share of scumbags Art but how can you sell out to aliens? I just don’t get that.”
“Rest assured Bane has and he’s corrupted a lot of people here in Niku and I suspect in Assam as well. We have to take him down when next we get the opportunity. He’s too dangerous.”
“No worries from this quarter. I’ll gladly oblige.”
“Good to hear Jim. So what are these new orders?”
“Right. Before I go into that I’d like for Tammy to be here. She won’t be long. She had to attend to the wounded. What I really need right now, I can do over there, if you don’t mind” and he pointed to the toilets.
Art laughed. “Be my guest.”
A few minutes later Tammy Jahir entered the office and asked where for Jim. “He’s still in there” said Art.
“That’d be right. Got the shits with me for taking so long hey?” she said with smile. She sat down on one of the swivel seats and raised up her legs, placing her boots, still covered in plaster dust, on the desk in front of her. She took off her helmet and ruffled her short blond hair. “Don’t mind if I make myself at home do you?”
“Not at all” said Sue and she pulled up another chair beside her and did the same with her boots.
Jim appeared. “How’s Ken?”
“Downstairs on the visitor’s couch for now” said Tammy. “Doc says he shouldn’t move any more for now and we need to operate on his arm sooner than later.”
“Right” said Jim with a little grimace. He knew there would be fat chance of that right now. “OK next item on the agenda is your new orders Art.” Jim opened his console and sent them to Art, who broadcast them to the whole team. They all started examining the orders.
“Oh Christ they’ve got Pious too” exclaimed Sue.
“Sir” asked Buster “what’s this about a diversionary attack timed to commence at 1100. We’ll barely have time to foot slog it up to the spaceport let alone do a recce before those droids let loose.”
“Is there any way we can slip that attack” asked Art.
“Yeah, there is, but you are not going to like it” said Jim. “Someone has to get to the Bn Command Mech, take control of it - that’s the problematic bit remember - and then change the timings.”
“Were you any good with that Jim?” asked Art. Jim shook his head.
“I can do it” said Sue. “It wasn’t that difficult.”
Everyone looked at her as if she was a freak. “Really Sue?” asked Art.
“Yeah why?” said Sue. “Compared to that robo walker I had to use after I got shot in my leg it was pretty easy.” She looked around and could see that they were still incredulous but weren’t prepared to challenge her any more over it.
“OK so let’s assume we can slip that attack and pull off this rescue” said Art. “So Jim, what are you going to be doing? Can you support us?”
“Not really. My mission is to put down the rebellion and restore Alliance rule here in Niku. If you are right then the rebels have only a company minus here plus half a dozen rogan AFVs, and we’ve already given then a bit of a rubbing. The first step is to find out where their remaining military forces are in the city, other than at the spaceport, deal with them and then go after the rebel leadership. Well that’s how I see it.”
“Those rogan AFVs are split” said Sue. “Some are down south engaged with the Alliance relief column and the others were last seen hightailing it back to the spaceport. There’s probably the best part of half that rebel company there too. Can’t be more than a platoon elsewhere I reckon.”
“I agree” chimed in Buster “and they’ll be guarding the leadership for sure. Find them and we can probably wrap things up.”
“Excuse me” said Tammy as she received a hail. “Alright Doc I’m coming.” She got up and said “Ken’s gone into shock again. Doc’s says we need to get him to a hospital now.”
“The hospital’s six K west of here” said Sue. “You could strap him to the back of one of those Trojans and be there in short order.”
“Provided you don’t run in into anyone” said Buster.
“Might work. What do you reckon boss?”
“OK do it” said Jim.
“Leave it to me” said Tammy and she left.
“Get the drone up Tammy” called out Jim loudly as she went through the door.
“Right” called out Tammy.
“Look I need to get patrols out pronto so we can find these bad guys. I’m going to base here, if you have no objections to me taking over your digs.”
“None at all Jim” said Art “The rent’s very reasonable.” Jim chuckled. “Anyway we have to get going. Good luck Jim.” Art extended his hand and Jim shook it firmly.
“You too Art. All of you, take care.”
“Akos” hailed Buster.
“Yo.”
“Time to hustle.”
“On my way.”
Art came out of the foyer to find Dai assisting in the strapping of Ken Shinto to the top of the Trojan. They had pulled off a door to protect him from the engine heat. He was fastened by two heavy duty straps someone had purloined from who knows where. Dai was injecting him with a narcotic. He was already out to it.
Sgt Phil ‘Doc’ Shepparton was handing a bag of stuff to the AFV commander, Sgt Meg Kenau, and giving her instructions. “Don’t worry Doc” said Meg. “We’ll look after him. We better go.”
Doc nodded in a resigned manner. He had a grave expression on his long face. There was some dried blood, not his, on his forehead. He gave Dai a pat on her shoulder in appreciation and then shuffled back into the office building.
Dai turned and saw the rest of her team. “We going?” she asked. Art nodded. “I’ll be right out.” She gave Meg the thumbs up and the Trojan rolled out slowly. True to her word Dai was back out in a minute adjusting her webbing as she dropped into line.
Chapter 4. Niku 0840, 22 May
Sgt Meg Kenau and her crew were relieved to arrive at the hospital without incident. They had got a fright when a man jumped out in front of them a kilometre earlier but he was just a civvy desperate to get help for a sick relative. She had felt like a heel when she told him to take them to the hospital and he had explained that he couldn’t move his mother. She had shrugged her shoulders and ordered the driver forward. The civvy’s eyes, desperate and despondent, would stay with her tonight.
But now they had pulled up outside the emergency department entrance. There were two ambulances parked outside and a small mob of people trying to get in. Meg ordered her gunner and driver to get Ken off the back as best they could and to bring him in. She dismounted and landed on the concrete lightly like she had done that a million times. She was a slender woman of average height with a teacher’s face that some may call plain. There was a softness in her blue eyes that many found appealing. Though right now there were few in this crowd that shared that view. She went ahead to clear a path.
“Excuse me” she said out loud and the people still waiting to get in turned and looked at her with some apprehension. “Make way please” she asked in a firm voice. Ken was still out to it and his head lolled from side to side as her driver and gunner managed to carry him on the door which was now serving as a stretcher.
But the people were reluctant to part. “Stand aside now” she ordered more forcefully. A couple of the people moved aside but an angry man with a boy beside him who looked in a bad way from a gash on his head, said “Why should we. Wait your turn.”
Someone else called out “Where were you when the aliens invaded?” “Useless” someone else called out.
Meg pulled out her pistol and raised it into the air “Stand aside now”.
The angry man directly in front spat on the ground and stepped aside. The rest of the group followed suit. Meg moved in where there were about another fifty people in the waiting area. They were all now looking at her. The area reeked of disinfectant but even it wasn’t capable of completely masking the smell of dried blood, sweat and bod
y odour. Despite these she took a deep breath, holstered her pistol, resolved to get treatment for Ken and said “Stand aside please.” The lines parted and one of the two nurses on the admissions desk waved her through the adjacent doors. A very tired looking female doctor took one look at Ken and said “This way.”
They followed her to the theatre. It was packed full. There were around 30 beds but about 100 patients, who if they didn’t have a bed were sitting in a chair or on the floor. Meg could see only six people in white coats.
“Where’s the rest of the staff?” asked Meg.
“Where do you think?” retorted the doctor. “Only us stupid saps still left I’m afraid.” She spoke with another doctor. He glanced at Ken, nodded and pointed to the corridor.
They arrived at the surgery ward. There were six others on gurneys waiting to be wheeled in and dealt with. A nurse assisted them to move Ken onto a vacant gurney. She was a biggish woman, overweight and tired. Her normally rosy cheeks looked sad with fatigue. Her brown eyes darted as best they could across the patient’s body. She performed a series of assessments. “What’s he been given?” she asked.
Meg handed her the bag that Doc had given her. She pulled out the note with Doc’s handwriting on it. “OK. I’m here on my own. Can one of you scrub up and assist?”
Meg turned to her crew but saw that it was clear none of them wanted to volunteer. “Alright I’ll do it.”
“Good. Over there. Get rid of your suit and put on one of those gowns. Wash your face, hand and arms up to here.” She pointed to a position above her elbows . “Use that disinfectant solution.”
“OK you two” said Meg “Back to the vehicle and wait.”
Meg complied with the instructions. As she washed the grime from her face and put the cap over her ginger hair she thought ‘I never signed up for this.’
“Are you ready” asked the nurse impatiently. She was halfway through administering anaesthesia to another patient.
“Yeah I’m ready.”
“Strip him. Everything goes. Be careful of his arm and leg. Use the cutters over there.”
“Right” said Meg and she proceeded to take off his boots. Ken moaned loudly when she manoeuvred the boot off his broken leg. She used the cutters to sever his suit above the break and gently placed her hand under his calf. But it wasn’t gentle enough for Ken and he moaned even louder.
“Don’t worry” said the nurse “you’re doing fine.”
Doc had already hacked off the sleeve on Ken’s damaged arm. So all she had to do was pull the rest off. But that proved easier said than done. The nurse came over and assisted her making it look like child’s play. She gave Meg a smile. It was the first time she had shown any form of civility to her. ‘She’s human after all’ thought Meg.
Ken was wearing a singlet, which the nurse simply cut at the top and down one side, pulling the garment off in one go. Meg was looking a little embarrassed at the next item on the agenda. “Oh come on love I bet you’ve seen it before” and she gave Meg a wry smile.
“Oh well” said Meg and she cut down the sides of Ken’s boxers and like the singlet before pulled it out in one motion.
“That wasn’t too bad was it?” said the nurse. “OK use that and wash him. I’ll do the arm.”
A few minutes later they had somehow managed to get Ken into the surgery gown and the nurse administered his anaesthetic. “How many surgeons?” asked Meg.
“Just two. He’ll be with Dr Lemu over there in number two theatre. He’s just finishing up. There’ll be no rest for the wicked here.” She extracted the needle from the socket at the end of the tube that now ran into Ken’s bloodstream. “He’s good to go. Thanks for your help. He will be a good hour or more in there and then we’ll find him a bed somewhere. He has to stay here. You understand?”
Meg nodded. “Will he be OK?”
“Yeah but he may lose that arm.”
Meg nodded with a bit of a grimace. “When will he be able to see a visitor?”
“Tomorrow morning.”
“Someone will be here then. Thank you so much. What’s your name?”
“Regina but most call me Reggie. Reggie MacDonald.”
“I’m Meg, Meg Kenau. Thank you.” Meg got dressed leaving Reggie to deal with the next patient. She made her way out past the crowd that seemed to be growing at admissions. She looked back up at the hospital once she was outside and thought of poor Ken without his arm and wondered what fate had in store for her.
Chapter 5. Niku 0930, 22 May
India One, minus Akos and Reg, was approaching the area designated as the 1st Droid Bn HQ. Buster was out front and he wasn’t all that pleased at being first in line if the droids should mistake him for a rogan or a rebel.
They all had deliberately turned on their blue force tracker which sent out a signal identifying them as friendly to anyone else with a tracker aware sensor. They had also transmitted their Move task to the 1st Bn HQ. Even so Buster wasn’t feeling easy. He was across the road from a commercial building but could see no droids or their support equipment. That was a worry.
“Come on Buster” said an impatient Art. “You’ll be right.”
“Yeah, Yeah. You don’t want to swap places do you?”
“Afraid not…the burdens of command.”
“I thought so. OK here goes” said Buster and he walked out slowly with his rifle pointing to the ground. He breathed easier at not coming under fire. He walked onto the road. It was a wide four lane dual carriageway. He got to the safety rail in the centre and stepped over it. He then headed for the gate in the hurricane wire fence.
As soon as he crossed the gate a droid appeared from the building 20m away. Even though he was expecting it, it still startled him, especially when it pointed its left arm towards him. The menacing move caused Buster to go to ground and roll behind a dumpster parked just inside the gate.
Buster was now crouching behind the dumpster. He poked his head out to see the droid beckoning him to come forward with its right arm. Buster sighed, stood up and proceeded towards the droid.
“This way” it said with no hint that the sound was machine generated.
“Right” said Buster and he hailed “It’s all good. Come on over.”
Sue followed Art through the loading dock of what was a large fabrication plant. There were three rows of industrial robots lying motionless now. The smell of plastic and lightly lubricated metal pervaded the place. There were packing cartons stacked to the mezzanine level along one wall.
The Droids had set up their HQ inside. Two droids were replenishing ammunition from one of the log vehicles parked on the left. One dozer lay idle against the far wall. Next to it was the generator vehicle and it looked like it had simply tapped into the power grid which was still working. Two tech droids were repairing another droid. Its mangled right arm lay on the ground as one droid was trying to affix a new one. There were another two damaged droids waiting for the same attention.
The big Bn HQ command mech turned to face them and asked “What is it that you want.”
“We wish to change the timing of your attack” said Sue.
“That will require full override. Please begin identity verification.” The mech turned around its 2.25m high frame, then lowered itself by folding its legs down and a compartment opened at its rear. Sue placed her hand in the imprint device and the light above it turned green. She bent forward for the retina scan and another light turned green. She spoke “Lieutenant Commander Sue Chalker requesting override.” There was a pause and then the third light turned green and the hatch on the back of the torso opened revealing two steps which Sue climbed up on and then she swivelled onto the seat that had rotated clockwise to facilitate access.
“Here goes” she said to Art and Buster who didn’t look all that sure. She hit the control on the arm rest and the seat rotated anticlockwise back in. She plugged her comms into the panel in front and activated the display. She was immediately confronted with a series of screens of da
ta, maps and feeds all interchanging in rapid succession. She remembered Julian’s advice and said “Override Interface.” The staccato effect stopped and the display was locked to a single view.
“Bloody marvellous” she said out loud. ‘Julian’s come through’ she thought.
“Not a valid command” replied the AI.
Sue laughed.
“Sue” hailed Art “are you all right?”
“Yeah I’m fine. Just give me a minute.” She used the on board console to bring up the op order for 1st Bn. She selected the attack. “So what time do you want this attack to start?” hailed Sue.
“Make it for 1400. That should be enough time.”
“1400 it is. Do you want me to subordinate B Coy to our control?”
“No just its 2nd Pl. That should be enough to support us and still leave them with one platoon to …” he was about to say ‘man’ but realised that would not be appropriate so he added “droid the cordon.”
“Oh very good darling” said Sue. “OK I’m done.”
“What, you’re not going to give us a demo - after all your boasting.”
“Alright then. Move out of the way before I crush your puny bones.” Sue strapped on the motion bracelets onto her arms. With the bracelets on and activated, the mech would respond to each movement in her arms and hands. She made an imaginary double tap with her right index finger to activate the bracelet. Its activation was confirmed with a small recessed tube of light that ran around each bracelet and also by the light on the control panel above the display. The legs extended and the machine rose back to its full height.
She opened the direct vision ports that allowed her to view directly in a frontal arc of 120 degrees. She looked around and saw the rest of the team lined up against the far wall. She was enjoying this and so she hailed “Moving now. Stand clear”.
Insurrection: Book 3 of Warner's World Page 20
