SWEET HOME ALLE BAMMA (SOLBIDYUM WARS SAGA)

by Musser, Dale

  As we started out, I asked Kerabac, “What did you tell our guide?”

  “I told him to wait there and that if we got killed to go home.”

  I chuckled, “Yeah, I’m sure he will have a great tale to tell either way. Hotyona, I suggest you turn back and stay with our guide. This shouldn’t take long.”

  It was about then that we heard a scream and saw flashes of shots fired. Kerabac and I took off running toward the scene and saw four of the troopers firing away at the creature on the ground, who had a firm hold on one of their brethren in its mouth. Another lay on the trail, motionless and bleeding. The drodoceal thrashed about and swung its large thick tail, catching a third trooper across the legs. Even from our distant location in the reeds we could hear the crack of his bones as both of his legs broke. Finally, one of the troopers got a good beam on the monster’s head and managed a kill shot that brought the battle to an end. By this time we had moved to a position nearly on top of them; and before they saw us coming, Kerabac took out one and I took out the second. The third started to bring his gun up to fire, but I kicked it from his hand and dispatched him with a few quick blows. The trooper with the broken legs tried to raise his weapon, but Kerabac had already armed himself with the weapon of the first opponent and fired, killing the trooper before he got the gun into position.

  While searching the bodies of the troopers, we discovered that each carried one of the restraint collars like they used on the natives. Kerabac quickly put a collar on each unconscious trooper. We then stripped them of their uniforms and weapons and donned their outfits. By now our guide had risen from the reeds and he and Hotyona stood by watching and grinning. It was only a short distance back to the tree where we had camped the night before; so we carried the prisoners there and deposited them inside. Kerabac made some adjustments on the collars and I saw the unconscious bodies of our prisoners stiffen.

  “What did you do to them?” I asked.

  “There’s a setting that paralyzes the wearer,” explained Kerabac. “They’ll stay like that until someone turns it off or until the power on the collar runs out, which is normally two full days, if the units are fully charged.”

  “Very handy,” I said. I noted the grin on the face of our guide, as he watched the troopers get a taste of their own brutality. “This should hold them long enough for us to wreak havoc on the camp.”

  Kerabac and I walked back to the carnage site and collected the last of the weapons that belonged to the troopers. We now had six rifles and six side arms, as well as a few grenades, three restraining collars, six knives and a few backup power packs for the guns – enough to arm Kerabac, Hotyona and me.

  It was starting to rain again. Kerabac was about to remove the bodies from the trail, when I said, “Leave the bodies. It won’t be long before someone misses these guys and comes looking for them. When they do they’ll find these three bodies. On one hand, it will be apparent that they encountered a drodoceal, but it will create a mystery as to what happened to the other three and where the weapons went. In fact, leave the communicators on these three, it will confuse things more. Leave the other communicators from the three back in the tree, as well. I suspect they have some sort of tracking system built in that allows them to locate lost or downed troopers, which means they could also track us if we keep them.”

  “You’re right, Tibby. I forgot about the possibility of trackers.”

  Just then a voice came over one of the communicators. “Noden, where the hell are you guys? You were supposed to relieve us 15 minutes ago!” There was a pause and then “Noden! I’m going to bust your ass if you don’t show up here in a few minutes! So help me, if you guys are using God’s Sweat, I will personally shoot you all!”

  About that time, the same voice barked over the wrist band communicator that belonged to one of the other troopers. “Locline, where are you? Is Noden with you?” There was a pause, then “Damn you guys! Locline, so help me, if you and Noden are together and the bunch of you are high, you’re done! You hear me? I will personally drag your bodies to the captain’s office and dump your sorry asses on the floor in front of him. That’s after I’ve beaten the shit out of you! You know he has no reservations about shooting anyone on the base that’s using God’s Sweat.”

  When there was still no answer, one last message came across both communicators at once. “All right you asses, we’re heading in. If we meet you on the trail, you better have one hell of an excuse as to why you haven’t responded to our calls.”

  “Should we wait for them and take them out?” Kerabac asked.

  “No,” I said, “I think now is a good opportunity for us to get into the camp. If we hurry, we will be there before these guys find the bodies on the trail and call in a report. In the meantime, the camp will be expecting troopers to come in from the field and we can probably get in with little notice in these uniforms. When these bodies are found, the first conclusion will be that this bunch encountered the drodoceal and that, in trying to free one of their group members, they accidently shot one of their own; and rather than try to explain what happened, they decided to run off. The responding party will find three dead troopers, two obviously killed by a drodoceal and a third injured by the drodoceal, but shot. Meanwhile, three other troopers will be unaccounted for, along with all the weapons, but their communicators will be left behind with the dead. I think it will create a mystery and a potential story that will divert attention from us. You heard them discussing that we are believed to be dead in the swamp someplace and they don’t believe our ship to be a Federation ship, so they’re clearly not expecting any Federation reinforcements.”

  “It’s too bad we can’t use their communicators to contact the NEW ORLEANS,” said Hotyona.

  “Unfortunately we can’t. These are short range field communicators used for combat situations and all of them are encrypted on select frequencies,” Kerabac said. “Our best bet is to use the equipment in the ALI or to find a transmitter in the Brotherhood compound.”

  “Of the two options I think our best bet is going to be the compound,” I said. “They’re expecting us to return to our ship. I seriously doubt they will be expecting us to return to the encampment under any circumstances. If we can set the native prisoners free, the confusion of them escaping will allow us to get to a transmitter.

  “I wonder… how many men do you think are on that strange-looking corvette they have parked in the clearing?”

  “I would think maybe a half dozen at best, if they’re stationed here full time and not preparing for a flight; but if they’re just here temporarily and their using the ship’s quarters as their accommodations, there could be a hundred or more onboard.”

  “Damn, I wish there was some way we could find out,” I said.

  “Maybe there is,” said Hotyona. “We have three prisoners. Maybe we can encourage them to talk.”

  “Encourage them how?” I asked.

  “Those slave collars have pain inducing elements included in the settings that deliver intense pain like the worst headache you can imagine. The pain is almost explosive; at least that’s what I’ve heard. Perhaps a little pain therapy will induce them to give us the information we seek.”

  “I don’t know,” I said, “even though they’re the enemy, I’m not in favor of torture.”

  “Tibby, it’s not like these guys don’t have it coming,” Kerabac said. “They’ve been enslaving and torturing the natives for who knows how long.”

  “I agree, but I still don’t like it!” I said. “Well let’s get this over with. Those other goons these guys were supposed to replace will arrive at the drodoceal site shortly; and when they do its going to get crazy out here.”

  Kerabac nodded and quickly went to the prisoners and selected the one who showed the most fear in his eyes. Using a small remote control like device he had taken from one of them earlier, he changed a setting on the collar that allowed the man to relax and speak.

  Kerabac pulled the man to a sitting positio
n and asked “How many men are on the large ship in your compound?”

  The Brotherhood trooper spat at Kerabac but missed. “I’ll never tell you, you scum.”

  Kerabac pressed a button on the control and the prisoner dropped to the ground howling. I was glad we were inside the I’aban tree and hoped the roots would muffle his cries.

  “You realize, of course, that was the lowest pain setting on the collar you’re wearing. There are four higher settings here…so, shall we try again? How many men are aboard the ship?”

  It was necessary for Kerabac to ask twice more before our prisoner broke down sobbing on the dirt and told us he wasn’t sure, but he believed it to be less than ten. The ship had been stationed there for months, waiting for a replacement for the food synthesizer, which was currently not functioning. The delivery was to come on the next Brotherhood transport, which was scheduled to arrive in three days. The ship was to drop off supplies and pick up the drug contraband for delivery to other worlds. In the meantime, all the crew, except for the captain, his first officer and a few other essential personal, had been placed in barracks and were serving as ground troops. He and the others we captured were part of that crew.

  Once we had gotten the information, Kerabac reactivated the collar so that it once again kept the prisoner in a ridged state and unable to call for help. Then the three of us hastily headed toward the compound. We were glad for the rain that was falling as we knew it would wash away the tracks at the drodoceal site, making it difficult and unlikely for the troopers to find clues that might lead them to their brethren hidden under the I’aban tree. I doubted that they would even try to look for their comrades; as self-interested as these low-life hoodlums were, I was sure they’d want to get back to the compound and out of the rain as quickly as they could.

  Fortunately, we didn’t meet any other troopers on the trail; and by the time we reached the compound it was pouring rain and no one was out and about. Even if there had been, it was unlikely that anyone would have looked up at our faces in the downpour to take notice that we didn’t belong there. I turned to tell our guide to stay back in the trees, but he had already vanished. I guess he felt that he had done what was asked of him and he had no desire to stick around.

  We made our way to the large ship in the compound and found the hatch open. Kerabac took the lead, moving us in a direction he hoped would be the way to the bridge. We moved quite far into the body of the ship without seeing anyone. Eventually we arrived at a lift that Kerabac thought would take us to the bridge.

  As we waited for the lift to arrive, a voice behind us said, “You three, what are you doing here?” We kept looking forward and made no movements. I could hear the man walking closer to us.

  “I said what are you three doing here? You have no business here.”

  By this point I knew he was directly behind me. I spun quickly; and before he knew what had happened, I had knocked him out. Just then the lift arrived and the door opened. A female officer stepped out before she realized what was going on. Her eyes first caught sight of the trooper on the floor and then the gun in her face, as she looked up in shock at Kerabac.

  “Don’t make any sudden moves or try to trigger any alarm,” he said. “I would hate to have to kill you.”

  Hotyona and I dragged the body of the unconscious officer into the lift, after which Kerabac motioned with his gun for the female officer to follow. While in the lift, Kerabac kept his gun firmly trained on her as he demanded information.

  “How many personnel are at the bridge?” Kerabac asked the woman. She was clearly shaken and had no intentions of becoming a hero.

  “Just two,” she said, “the captain and the communications officer.”

  Just as she finished her statement the lift door opened to the bridge. Both the captain and the communications officer were lounging in the observation chairs away from their stations.

  “Just stay where you are, gentlemen, and don’t try anything stupid,” I said.

  Kerabac moved across the bridge to a small access panel, which he opened to reveal an arms locker. He withdrew several pairs of restraints and placed them on the hands of the captain and the two officers, as well as those of the unconscious officer we carried in with us from the lift. He then patted them down, finding a weapon only on the unconscious officer.

  “How many people are aboard the ship?” I asked.

  The captain sat stoned-faced staring at the far wall.

  Kerabac lifted his gun and placed it at the female officer’s head and asked her, “How many people are on the ship?”

  The woman was shaking and sweating as she replied, “Please don’t kill me. Nine, maybe ten. I’m not sure if Necox is aboard or if he went to the barracks.”

  “A corvette this size should have nearly one hundred people on board. Where are the rest?”

  “The ship’s food synthesizer is down and they have all moved into the barracks temporarily.”

  “Kerabac, close and seal the hatch,” I said, as Hotyona and I kept our weapons trained on the four officers. The one I had knocked out earlier began to regain consciousness and was first confused, then angered to find himself a captive. Kerabac went to the console and activated some controls. Soon a change in a console light indicated that the hatch was closed and sealed. He touched a few more controls and another light came on which indicated that a coded lockout was in place and that only by entering the proper code could the hatch be opened.

  “Okay, we have four here, so there are five, maybe six more out there in the ship someplace. Our best bet is to get them to come to us instead of us hunting them down.”

  I turned to the woman and said, “What position do you have on this ship?”

  “I’m acting first officer; the first officer has gone to Flerarox on a temporary assignment while we wait for a new food synthesizer.”

  “Shut up, you stupid doesee,” the captain spat bitterly. “You’re giving them way too much information.”

  “I don’t care,” the woman sobbed. “I never wanted to be part of this drug business and only joined the Brotherhood because of Harral. Then he dumped me and I was stuck here. I’m not going to die for this stupid cause.”

  “Is there a conference room nearby?” I asked.

  “Yes,” she answered, “right next to the bridge. It’s used for staff meetings.”

  “Good. Now I want you to go to the communication console and open a link that will broadcast throughout the ship. You’re going to say exactly what I tell you. You will order everyone to report to that conference room immediately for an important situation update. You will then repeat the message and disconnect.” I then turned to Kerabac and Hotyona. Before transmitting we need to place restraint collars on all these officers. We can’t risk one of them trying to be a hero and shouting out while the microphone is open.”

  We still had three restraint collars with us. Once the collars were in place and activated, Kerabac set them to paralysis mode. He then led the female officer to the console at gunpoint so she could make the announcement.

  “What’s your name, if you don’t mind telling me?” I asked.

  “Felenna,” she said. “What’s your name?

  “Tibby.”

  “TIBBY! Oh my god, you’re the guy that brought the solbidyum and the TRITYTE back and recaptured the DUSTEN at Megelleon. Your ship blew up our base on Megelleon. This isn’t possible! You’re supposed to be dead – our agents on Plosaxen said they killed you!”

  “Yeah, yet here I am,” I said with a grin on my face.

  Felenna was visibly shaken and confused. Her hand was trembling as she reached to activate the controls required to make the broadcast.

  “Just take a deep breath and relax,” I said. “We have no desire to kill anyone, unless we have to. Now just make the announcement exactly as I told you.”

  Felenna toggled the controls to broadcast mode and said, “All personnel, the Captain orders all persons to report to the staff conference room immediate
ly for an important situation update. All personnel report to the staff conference room immediately for an important situation update.”

  She then closed the link and asked. “What are you going to do with them?”

  “That depends a lot on their reactions. If they surrender without a fight, we’ll simply lock you all in a hold until after the conflict is over; but if there’s opposition, it’s difficult to say what will happen. Is there a camera in the conference room?”

  “Yes,” she answered and indicated where to activate it on the control panel.

  “Can we turn it on without them seeing us in here?”

  “Yes.”

  “Good. Hotyona will you see if you can do that? Not that I don’t trust you, Felenna, but I’m not alive because I am overly trusting.”

  Felenna stepped aside and Hotyona activated the controls on the console. The view on the vid screen displayed an empty conference room.

  “I want to wait until everyone is in the room and seated before we enter,” I said. “Hopefully none of them are armed so we can make this relatively easy. I’d just as soon get it done without anyone getting injured.”

  As I spoke the first two people arrived, a young woman and a man. Both appeared to be officers and neither were armed, at least not obviously so. They each took a seat at the large conference table and began to talk just as a third person arrived. From his uniform it was obvious that he was an engineer stationed onboard to maintain the ship’s equipment. He was followed by a trooper and another officer.

  After waiting a few minutes Kerabac and I moved to the conference room door, while leaving Hotyona to guard the others on the bridge. When we opened the door to the conference room, everyone inside just stared silently at us for a moment, not immediately realizing that we weren’t Brotherhood members.

  “Who are you? Where’s the captain?” the trooper finally asked, reaching for his side arm.

  “I suggest you not go for your gun, trooper,” I said. “Remove it slowly with two fingers and slide it across the table to me.”