Wanda

by carl smothers

  Ronnie smiled and nodded agreement.

  Major Tobey was in the cargo bay checking equipment with his troopers. His team included six of the toughest and best-trained special ops soldiers. They were experts in special weapons and tactics, jungle warfare, and experienced in planetary deployment operations. All of them were highly decorated, especially the Sergeant Major who had also won the Congressional Medal of Honor. Tobey was extremely proud of his team.

  Before leaving, the major made sure they were equipped with the latest combat assault weapons and support equipment. Their state-of-the-art helmets included built-in voice recognition, computing capabilities, navigation, data analysis, ranging and targeting, communications, infrared and optical night vision gear.

  “Sergeant Major, finish briefing the team then check our scientists out on the assault weapons.”

  “Yes, sir.”

  Sergeant Major Lee Roy Douglas was the senior non-com in charge. His six-foot four muscular physique competed with any young black athlete in top physical condition. He won the extremely competitive Top Ranger competition three years in a row. He always had a cigar in his mouth — unlit. He had his team was assembled by the shuttle.

  “Listen up, people. Donovan, wake up, damn it! Listen Donovan, if you screw up this time and don’t get your shit together, I’m going to plant my number twelve so far up your ass, you’ll have to have colon surgery to get it out. Understand?”

  “Yeah,” Donovan remarked groggily, barely opening her green eyes.

  The Sergeant Major got right in her face. “What did you say?” he yelled.

  “Yes, sir.”

  “That’s better. I want everyone to have a full load of ammo and at least five extra belts. Wear your vest armor and carry at least twenty impulse and ten fractional grenades. When we set down, unload the gear and then run a quick recon of the surrounding area. Stay in constant communication, and if you see anything unusual report it. Once we have the immediate area secure, then and only then will we move out.”

  “Sergeant Major,” Private T Bone Long asked. “Are we going on a pig hunt or what?”

  “We know there’s considerable biological activity on the planet. That means we have to stay alert and no screwing off. Rodriquez and Donavan will run point, T Bone and Gunn rear guard, and Lopez and Martin will stay with me to protect the scientific party. It’s our mission to escort Dr. Stevenson and Dr. Forrester while they check out a potential crystal find, which could be of immense value to our nation. Make sure you have rations for three days. I don’t think we’ll be down there that long, but no sense taking a chance. Check your weapons and get ready to load up. Okay team, lock and load. Rodriquez?”

  “Sir?”

  “Make sure Donovan doesn’t get lost this time.”

  “Yes, sir, Sergeant Major.” He hit Donovan on the arm.

  “Team, don’t you know every day in spec ops is like a desert to be savored. Damn I love this job. It’s time to earn your pay. Let’s saddle up. Make sure your comm gear is working. Secure your gear and get strapped in. Move it, people.”

  Douglas watched carefully as the men checked their equipment and crosschecked each other when they entered the shuttle. As Donovan shuffled between the men to her seat, she gave each man a high five. “All right guys, let’s party!” she yelled out.

  The guys responded with a loud “hoorah.”

  Long, who loved to give Donovan a rough time, grinned at her. “Hey Donovan, anyone ever mistake you for a woman?”

  Donovan gave him the finger. “No. How about you, asshole?”

  All of the men hooted and laughed at T Bone.

  Lopez, who sat beside her smiled. “You’re one bad ass, Donovan. T Bone always gets the short end of the stick when he fucks with you.”

  “You got that right, Lope. Let’s get this show on the road. I’m ready to kick some ass!” she hollered, throwing her fists in the air.

  Major Tobey spotted Harry and Ronnie as they were about to load their equipment.

  “Gentlemen, how are you?”

  “I’m a bit nervous, but other than that, no sweat,” Harry said.

  “Look, I know you’re only interest is the crystal deposit, but I want each of you to carry an assault rifle and three belts of ammo.”

  Ronnie and Harry looked at each other nervously. “Major, we have every confidence in your men to protect us. We feel pretty safe having you escort us.”

  “It’s a simple precaution, Dr. Stevenson. If you get separated from us, that assault weapon will be your only protection.”

  “Neither of us has had weapons training.”

  “I’ve asked the Sergeant Major to check you out before we leave. Okay?”

  “Well, I guess. Guns make me nervous.”

  “Me, too,” Ronnie said.

  The major nodded approval as Douglas approached to give the two a quick training session on their weapons. It was brief, efficient and thorough.

  Tobey examined everyone before he sat down and gave Knuckles a thumb up. “We’re set to go, Commander.”

  “Captain, this is the Oriskany. We’re ready for the drop. I’ve uploaded the flight plan in the ship’s computers so you can track our progress.”

  Harry heard the big pumps clear the oxygen from the hanger bay as the computer announced:

  “Oxygen has been evacuated from Hanger Bay 3. Do not enter without an environmental suit.”

  Chapter 42

  The Oriskany

  The hanger bay doors opened, and Knuckles flew the shuttle through the opening. Once clear, Oriskany’s fight control computer presented Knuckles with a series of circles and rectangles outlining the flight corridor to the designated landing site. He adjusted the flight control cross hairs in the rectangles and started his descent, following the planned glide path precisely. “Take over co-pilot. Everything’s in the computer.”

  “Aye, Captain,” the android, responded.

  As they descended through the atmosphere, Harry looked out a portal at the strange world they might have to call home. Its two moons and reddish-blue sky were eerie sights. Electrical storms occurred simultaneously all over the planet. Three great volcanoes poured smoke into the sky, and one had red-hot lava flow pouring down its slopes destroying everything in its path.

  This place looks like your worst nightmare. Dante’s inferno no less, Harry thought.

  The shuttle bounced around violently in the turbulent atmosphere creating havoc with Harry’s stomach. The spec ops soldiers chatted and fiddled with their gear. Donovan slept, snoring with her mouth open.

  These guys don’t get shook about anything — just another day at the office, Harry thought, as he fiddled with his weapon. It still intimidated him.

  Suddenly the turbulence ceased and the Oriskany’s descent smoothed out. Harry welcomed the lack of turbulence. His stomach wouldn’t have taken much more. He breathed deeply, and pulled out his motion sickness pills to take one. Ronnie saw the bottle and stuck his hand out. Harry laughed and shook one into this hand.

  “Okay, co-pilot, I’ll take it from here.” Knuckles found the landing coordinates and set the Oriskany down at the foot of a hill near the deposit site.

  “Orion, this is the Oriskany. I have them as close as I can get. This is the only clear spot I could find. All systems are on-line and the landing party’s preparing to depart the ship. Is the weather holding? Over.”

  “Good job, Knuckles. Yes, the weather’s stable — for now. Please stay with the ship and keep the communications channel open. Tell Tobey to make sure he keeps his comm open also. Over.”

  “Roger, Orion. By the way, Captain, the droid worked out pretty well. Didn’t trust him yet for the landing, but I think he’s going to be okay. Oriskany out. Major, you can disembark,” Knuckles announced.

  “Very well,” he replied. “Sergeant Major, move ‘em out.”

  “Yes, sir. Okay team, off your ass. Grab your gear and offload,” the Sergeant Major yelled. “Let’s go people! Keep sharp a
nd stay low.”

  The special ops team rapidly exited the shuttle and fanned out to conduct recon of the surrounding area. Ten minutes later, Sergeant Lopez checked in. “Sergeant Major, everything checks out.”

  “Roger that. Major, we have a secure perimeter.”

  “Very good, Sergeant Major. Dr. Stevenson, if you and Dr. Forrester are ready I think we can disembark. Please remember to keep close. I suspect all locals are hostile.”

  “We’re ready to go,” Harry replied. “The ore site’s one kilometer on a heading of twenty-two degrees relative to our current position. I’m amazed Knuckles got us this close. Thankfully, the compass works here. Hope the magnetics hold.”

  “Me too. I’d hate to get lost in this place,” Tobey replied.

  Harry and Ronnie picked up their instruments and shouldered their weapons. Harry had not realized how heavy assault weapons were.

  Imagine having to carry one of these, helmet, vest armor, the grenades and five belts of ammo. Oh, well, the special ops guys are in excellent physical shape. With this humidity and heat, I don’t think I could hike very far with such a load.

  He didn’t like carrying a gun, but the training the Sergeant Major had given them was clear and thorough. It comforted him to know he could protect himself if necessary.

  This strange world filled him with anxiety and the unknowns they might face were running through his mind. He heard deep growls, screams and other alien sounds in the surrounding jungle. It scared him.

  Guess the captain was right after all. I’m glad the soldiers came with us. Hate to be down here alone. Ronnie and I wouldn’t have lasted two hours before some monster got us. Talk about naïve. I think it is going to be hell getting to the ore site — if all of us get there, and back. Wonder what’s making those growls. Sounds mean. Hope it’s not hungry.

  Chapter 43

  MP-1

  The Jungle

  The jungle was thick and overgrown. The humidity oppressive. The ash from recent volcanic eruptions still lingered in the air. Harry coughed, his nose twitched from the odder, sweat poured off his forehead, and his eyes burned from the caustic pollution. They had only been on the ground for a short while and his shirt was already soaked with perspiration.

  The unsettling sounds of the shrill cries of winged animals flying overhead, and the ear splitting high frequency scream-like sound of some creature in the trees above them caused Harry to cringe every time he heard them.

  The weird screams of those animals is unsettling as hell. I sure hope there aren’t any snakes or poisonous spiders. I can’t wait to get the deposit site validated and get the hell off this place. Maybe Ronnie was right. I must be nuts for wanting to come down here.

  The trees were unlike any he had ever seen. Small, razor-sharp prickers covered the leaf-type structures, and three-inch thorns covered the trunks.

  “Harry, do you see those crazy looking trees?”

  “Yeah. If the Biologics use them for scratching posts, we’re in big trouble.”

  Major Tobey signaled his men to move out. Travel through the jungle was difficult, and progress slowed by having to use machetes to chop their way through the dense undergrowth. The thorns cut and tore everyone’s clothing as they moved through it.

  Some of the animal sounds emanating from the jungle were disconcerting. One sounded like a terrified woman screaming at a high pitch. Shivers ran up and down Harry’s spine every time he heard it. Others growled like hungry tigers prowling for a meal — any meal.

  Meat-eaters, Harry thought.

  “Hey, Harry, guess we should have brought some steak sauce with us. We’d taste better.”

  “They won’t need it. They’ll just tenderize us on those trees,” he replied. “I’d like to think we’re not invited for dinner.”

  Hacking their way through a hundred-yards of dense jungle, they broke into a small clearing. The roars and snarls of a large animal, as it moved around out of view, caused them to stop and listen intently. The special ops team took their weapons off safety. Everyone strained to get a glimpse of this “thing” that moved so easily through the dense undergrowth.

  Suddenly, it crashed through the brush and ran rapidly, on its hind legs, across the clearing. The creature looked like a ten-foot tall cross between a praying mantis, and an ancient Earth dinosaur called a velociraptor. Large carnivore type teeth filled its eighteen-inch long mouth. Eight-inch, razor sharp claws tipped its front feet. A scaly, dirty orange color with brown and greenish splotches covered its thick hide. It looked like a meat-eater. Everyone crouched down and kept quiet, hoping it wouldn’t see them, especially if it was hungry.

  “Harry, I sure hope those things don’t like fresh meat,” Ronnie whispered, giving Harry that ‘what-the-hell-are-we-doing-here’ look.

  “What’s wrong, Ronnie. Starting to feel like a filet?”

  “Yeah, medium rare. Stevenson, the next time you have a hare brained idea like this, keep it to yourself.”

  Man, I guess we were lucky — this time. That thing is hideous, Harry mused as the ferocious animal turned away from where they were. Glad it’s after something else.

  The team froze in place until the animal disappeared back through the brush. A few minutes later, they heard a loud, agonizing scream, followed by the roar of a predator announcing its kill. Several other animals returned its call.

  “They're pack hunters, Ronnie. That really makes ‘em dangerous.”

  Ronnie just gave him a crooked grin and shook his head. “It just keeps getting better, huh, Harry.”

  The major waited until the sounds of the creature’s movements faded away, then signaled the team to move on. Harry was more than glad to get some distance between them and that “thing” they luckily evaded.

  The flora was astonishing to Harry. One species was so amazing he had to point it out to Ronnie — a twelve-foot high plant that resembled a Venusians fly trap. Like almost all other plants they had encountered, it was covered with thorns, multiple, twenty-foot long tentacles grew out of the bottom circumference of the plant. Long, vicious looking, sharp spurs protruded all over the tops of each one. Several rows of sharp teeth filled its mouth/digestive chamber. The tentacles were fascinating and repulsive. They appeared to be heat sensitive devices that slithered around on the ground, searching for prey.

  The ‘flytrap’ had captured an animal and was slowly pulling its catch towards its digestive chamber. A drool squirted out each time it smacked its mouth— anticipating its meal. Its prey, which resembled a large hairy pig with big tusks, squealed loudly and fought to free itself. Struggle as it might, its fate was sealed.

  Harry looked away and continued. The pig squealed loudly as the plant pulled it into its digestive compartment and bit down. The pig let out a loud, painful squeal as he died.

  Rodriquez and Donovan, the point guards, moved as silently as possible, hoping to avoid contact with the biologics prowling in the jungle. They stopped to check their heading. As Donovan drank from her canteen, a mantis-type creature broke through the clearing ahead and spotted them. It roared and growled loudly as it ran towards them with its mouth open, showing its huge teeth. Anxious to bite. Donovan dropped her canteen, fired off a short burst, then spun around to run.

  “Haul ass, Rod,” she screamed. “That fucker’s after us! Run!”

  Tobey signaled the men to stop. “Sergeant Major, I think we’re going to have company. Get ‘em ready.”

  “Okay team, heads up and get ready to boogie,” Sergeant Major said, quietly.

  Harry took his weapon off safety and turned to face the direction of the gunshots. His body trembled as he awaited the start of the attack coming their way.

  Rodriquez fired several shots at the monster. The bullets had little effect. Its hide was extremely thick. The two raced back toward the group, yelling in their mikes. The creature closed the distance as the foot race continued. Rodriquez tripped and fell face first into the dirt.

  “Donovan!” he screamed. “I’
m down. Help me. It’s gonna get me!”

  She turned. Weapon on full auto, she shot the animal in the head. The bullets bounced off. The creature growled and snapped its teeth at her, but still moved towards Rodriquez. Donovan kept shooting at it and yelled profanities at the top of her lungs. Just before the mantis got to Rodriquez, she shot it in the nose. The bullets lodged in its flesh, and blood squirted out. Enraged, it shook his head, stomped its feet, then sprinted at her. She fired off two more rounds at the monster and took off as fast as she could towards the group’s position — the mantis right behind her.

  “Rod, get the hell up and run!” she yelled over her shoulder. “Guys get ready we’re coming your way,” she screamed into her mike. The mantis was getting closer. She knew she couldn’t out-run it, especially in the heavy foliage. She zigzagged and jumped over obstacles. It was just enough to keep the mantis off balance and it gave her a short lead. She could hear its jaws snapping; the sounds were very close; she felt the bursts of hot breath on her back and neck.

  “I’m coming!” Rodriquez screamed. He took off after Donovan who was heading directly for the group, the mantis right behind her growling, lunging at her.

  “Major, a mantis thing is on our ass and we’re coming your way,” Donovan yelled on her head mike. “Our bullets didn’t even bother it! Get ready. We’re only ten meters from you.”

  “Ronnie get ready. I think we’re about to have company,” Harry said as he raised his weapon. He really wasn’t sure what he was going to do.

  The team opened up on the creature as soon as Donovan ran into the clearing. The bullets had no effect — just irritated it.

  The mantis roared, snapped its teeth, then abruptly turned and left just as Rodriquez appeared.

  Everything happed so fast, Harry failed to get one shot off. He looked at Ronnie and shook his head. “We were lucky this time. The sounds of our guns and the bullets stinging its hide probably confused it.”