Jake X (1) Multiverse Fugitive
Page 12
Chapter 12
A cup of Elvish tea
Inside the railway shed the companions waited anxiously for events to unfold. The robot now made four cups of Elvish brew.
Soon, they were all sipping that marvelous drink.
Spirits rapidly lifted.
CLEO was scanning all frequencies and immediately played Colonel Viljoen’s phone calls over her loudspeaker. After listening to the Colonel instructing his NCO to lift the rail lines ahead of them and behind them, Dr Tung said: “So! The Colonel has discovered that we have borrowed his rail vehicle! He has lifted the rails behind us and ahead of us! What can be done?”
Jake: “We can fly! CLEO! Do you have any air transport?”
“Through your own negligent attitude you are not qualified to fly anything !” said the computer. “I refuse to release expensive hardware to an untrained pilot!”
“What about FIDO? He can be the pilot!” said Jake.
“I will not risk hardware because you did not study!” said CLEO.
The computer appeared to have no comprehension of their desperate situation! They were in extreme danger!
Pursued by an army with orders to kill!
“You are a stupid piece of junk!” shouted Jake.
“Loss of temper indicates loss of cool,” said Dr Tung. “We should not lose our cool by getting over heated!”
He indicated the railway map spread out on his knees.
“Colonel Viljoen is a skilled military commander. He has not left matters to chance. We must bluff our way out! FIDO! What armaments do you carry?”
FIDO: “I have been resupplied. I now have 10 Bren guns, five 10lb morters and five 20lb morters plus two ground to ground missiles and two ground to air missiles. I am fully prepared to liquidate a regiment or even a division!”
Jake listened with awe. His friendly fellow spotter was armed to the hilt and ready to kill!
Dr Tung: “Good! Take that device Alaric is carrying and put it outside this shed on the rail line. Switch it on. Then move about one kilometer up the line to the next shed. Set up the Brens facing the railway, aim at the far bank.Site the guns and the morters to fire over the railway and into a field behind. Aim the ground to ground missiles the same way.Wait for instructions before firing. Go!”
The robot hesitated. “Fire over?” he said. “But they have orders to kill us! Why not kill them and solve the problem?”
Dr Tung: “ Because future visitors to this planet would not like to be shot to bits! That would be the certain result if you shoot these soldiers! Carry out my orders!”
The robot streaked out of the shed. In a blur of motion the I/I device was placed outside the shed door and a section of line abruptly vanished.
The robot then disappeared in the direction of Mansfield,
After about 15 minutes they suddenly heard the chug of a motorized trolley. Colonel Viljoen and his troops had arrived. They were inspecting the railway line as they traveled. At the first junction, Sergeant Sarah was in the leading seat. He noticed that the both rails ahead and the rails leading into the junction showed the marks of passage.
The trolley screeched to a halt.
“Colonel, the track up this spur line has been used! The track going up the main line has also been used,” said Sergeant Sarah. “Which way should we search?”
“Search this spur first, Sergeant,” said the voice of Colonel Viljoen. “The aliens probably ran up the main track for a short way to distract us. They hoped we wouldn't notice they had turned off. They may be hiding in that shed over there! You, blackfeller! Get out and earn your pay! See if there is any movement. Keep black head down. They have bad gun!”
The Aboriginal tracker hesitated and then jumped out. He moved towards the shed, sliding forward on his sJakeach, crablike. He had gone a few yards when he suddenly grinned and then shouted:
“Line in front of shed lifted! There is no line. They musta came this way, discovered there was no track, and reversed back down the line.”
Colonel Viljoen. “Get back in and we’ll carry on! Sergeant, put that tracker on a charge. He is not wearing a name tab and he has no beret or regulation socks and boots!”
Sgt Sarah “Yes,Sir! But just in case the aliens are playing some kind of trick I’ll give the shed 50 rounds. With your permission, Sir?”
Col Viljoen: “Alright,Sergeant! We can all have go! Get the guns warmed up! Everybody out! Twenty rounds from each man, aiming at an invisible transporter inside that shed!” The troops debouched and lined up.
With exception of the unarmed tracker, the entire party opened up, aiming at various levels of the wooden shed. Bullets thudded into the rail vehicle after passing through the old wooden wall of the shed, However,several layers of bullet proof materials protected the fugitives crouching inside the Army vehicle.
The coach shuddered under the impact of a veritable rain of lead.
“Cease firing!”
The racket stopped.
Colonel Viljoen: “Well, if they were in there we have filled them full of holes! However, its much more likely that the aliens have gone on down the line. If we get moving we might even catch them! Safeties on! Return to the vehicle on the double!”
There was another series of clicks and the men ran back to the rail vehicle. It reversed over the points and proceeded down the line.
Dr Tung began counting out loud, on a measured beat.
He continued counting down slowly until he reached one hundred then. “CLEO! FIDO is to fire 50 rounds from the north window!”
They heard a gun open up.
It was followed by a series of alarmed shouts.
“CLEO! FIDO is to wait five seconds then fire 20 rounds from each gun in a random sequence! Then fire two ground to ground missiles!Wait 20 seconds! Then repeat!”
Gun fire now sounded. The brisk chatter of the guns controlled by FIDO was suddenly augmented as the troops opened fire.
Then successive massive rocket blasts rent the air.
The distant chatter of weapons continued.
Chapter 13
He must see us all