Jesse's Starship 3: Joshua's Walls

by Saxon Andrew

  • • •

  Rumel saw the giant explosion of the bat at the entrance of the tunnel he was watching on his console and he moved the view out. He stood up as the ground rose up in a forty-mile circle and then collapsed. He stared at the giant crater and shook his head. He looked at his Scan Leader who said, “The Seismic Sensors say that an explosion just happened five miles underground equal to four million tons of high explosive.”

  Rumel looked at the crater still collapsing and knew that it had destroyed all the supply tunnels leading to the Starship Construction Chamber and the massive numbers of tunnels under it. He sat down on his Command Chair and shook his head. He looked at his Scanner, “How long did that operation take?”

  “Eight seconds from start to finish.”

  Rumel picked up his communicator, “Commander Longil, has the planet you’re above just…”

  Rumel was interrupted, “The two launch tunnels have been attacked and I now have two of the most gigantic craters I’ve ever seen at their location.”

  Rumel looked back at his console and saw magma starting to rise out of the planet’s surface at one of the craters. Now that should fill some of the Weg passages. He shook his head, “It was humans that carried out that attack?”

  His Scanner nodded, “It was, Commander.”

  Rumel leaned back in his chair and smiled, “Tell a third of my ships they have a week to go home and visit their families.” His officers stared at him and he said, “Do you think they’ll be launching anything soon?” The Communications Leader smiled and began sending the orders.

  • • •

  Marsha rushed into Josh’s office, “Sir, our Special Forces Warriors have attacked the infested planets.”

  “What?”

  “It looks like they destroyed more than four hundred Weg Construction Chambers.”

  “How many did we lose?”

  “I don’t have that information, Sir.”

  Josh pressed his console and Alex appeared. Alex smiled and said, “You just heard.”

  “What is this all about?”

  “The Gracken Elders tell me that the Weg were going to launch from more than a hundred planets simultaneously. We don’t have enough warships to stop that many Weg Starships, so I planned an intervention.”

  “Did it work?”

  “Every Chamber we targeted was destroyed.”

  “At what price?”

  “We lost twenty six warriors.”

  Josh tilted his head, “Are you serious?”

  “The Alliance has developed a new missile that I’d like you to take a look at. You might find it useful in the future.”

  “Send me the data. Good work, Commandant.” Alex nodded and the display went dark.

  • • •

  Colonel LaFyete looked up as Bart and Kimberly entered his office. They went to attention and saluted. LaFyete returned their salute, “At ease, take a chair.”

  Bart looked at Kim and wondered what was going on. She gave a slight shake of her head and sat down beside him. LaFyete said, “I’m impressed with your performance during the attack you just completed.” He looked at his computer screen and said, “I see in your initial training that the two of you had remarkable scores with the mobile blasters.” Bart and Kim didn’t know what to say so they remained silent. LaFyete looked up, “I’m told that the Third Division commanded by General Adams will be dropping on an infested planet shortly and he intends to stay on the surface and fight it out with the Weg.”

  Bart started shaking his head, “I’ve heard about his bravery but this borders on stupidity, Sir.”

  Kimberly quickly added, “He means no disrespect to General Adams, Sir.”

  Bart looked at her, “I don’t?”

  “No, you don’t!”

  Bart looked back at his commander and said, “No disrespect intended, Sir.”

  LaFyete leaned back in his chair, “Why do you say that Captain?”

  Bart looked at Kimberly and then back at the Colonel, “Because she said to say it, Sir.”

  LaFyete chuckled, “Do you always do what she says?”

  “I’ve learned that my career will go much smoother if I listen to her.”

  LaFyete shook his head, “I wasn’t talking about respect. Why do you say General Adams is being stupid?”

  “Actually, I think it’s more like insanity, Sir.” Kimberly punched him on the arm and he winced and grabbed his shoulder, “Well it is and you know it!”

  “Tell me why, Captain?”

  “If he stays on the surface, his forces are going to be surrounded by billions of Flying Weg. They’ll be coming at him from all directions and, according to the most recent reports on Weg activity, he won’t be able to use the landscape to his advantage. He’s going to have to land in the open and that, in and of itself, is tantamount to suicide.”

  LaFyete’s opinion of his outspoken officer went up. He was very knowledgeable about current intelligence on the Weg. “Where did you get that information?”

  “I have questions about General Adams’ making rash decisions but his wife is an absolutely brilliant tactician. I believe it was her idea to attack the tunnels and that she sent the needed data on arms that could make it happen.” LaFyete nodded. Bart tilted his head, “I have requested my processor to retrieve anything she sends out of her office, Sir. She is really incredible.”

  Kim stared at Bart and shook her head, “Why didn’t you tell me about this?”

  “You never listen. If you remember, I told you about the new Weg tunnels being dug into the mountains and you nodded and continued what you were doing.”

  “Remind me; what was I doing?”

  “Practicing with your new Chest Gun.”

  Kimberly rolled her eyes and looked at the floor shaking her head. LaFyete smiled, “You can talk about this later. However, I am asking the two of you to volunteer to possibly drop with the Third Division.”

  Bart stared at LaFyete and Kimberly said, “You’re what?”

  “You might not have to do it but I want you there in the event you’re needed.”

  Bart snickered and said, “Oh, we’ll be needed!”

  “Why do you say that?”

  “Colonel, if he drops on an infested planet and overstays his welcome, he’s going to need everything in Sparta’s weapon inventory. I don’t see how just the two of us are going to make any difference at all.”

  “You might be right, however, will you volunteer?”

  Bart shrugged and said, “Sure.”

  Kimberly’s head went back and she said, “But you just said it’s insane!”

  Bart raised his shoulders higher and smiled, “You have to be a little insane to drop on an infected planet with just one other warrior. I suspect General Adams is not a great deal different than us.”

  LaFyete shook his head and said, “You’ll start training tomorrow. You’re dismissed.” The two SF Warriors stood and saluted. LaFyete returned it and they did an about face and left the room. LaFyete smiled and then started laughing. He would have liked to hear their conversation.

  • • •

  “ARE YOU OUT OF YOUR MIND?!?”

  Bart stopped and held up his hands keeping Kim from getting to within an inch of his face, “Kim, what did you think about dropping on an infested planet with me and no other support?”

  “I thought that was crazy as well!”

  “And what happened?” Kim stared at Bart and, after a moment, sighed, and stood back. “I really do think the General is insane to do this but I thought our Commander was crazy to drop us as well. I know the General’s wife. If he’s dropping and slugging it out with everything the Weg can throw at him, I want to be there to see it. You can bet the farm she will provide the tools he needs to make it happen.”

  “Do you think he’ll win?”

  “I didn’t think we’d make it out alive.”

  “You didn’t answer my question.”

  “No. I think it’s a one way ticket.”
>
  “Then why are you going to do this.”

  “I..I mean we…are going to do this because of who we are. We’re the elite warriors on Sparta and think about the benefit of doing it.”

  “What possible benefit can be derived from this!?”

  Bart leaned in and said quietly where no one could hear, “We’ll be the only Special Forces Warriors to take part. I can’t wait to walk in the cafeteria after the mission. Can you imagine how envious the others will be!?”

  Kim rolled her eyes and shook her head, “You’re willing to risk your life for that?”

  Bart looked her in the eyes and smiled, “Kim, we’re Special Forces Warriors. Our life expectancy isn’t very good and the odds are high you and I are going to die on one of the hair brained missions we’re sent on. If I can do this and survive, why not? It’ll be worth it to see everyone’s envy.”

  Kim stared at him and was astounded at the brilliance he sometimes displayed. His argument actually made some sort of fatalistic sense. She started shaking her head and smiling, “Don’t tell anyone. Let it be a surprise.”

  “Oh you can count on that.”

  “Send me the link to Colonel Adams that you’re using.”

  “You’ll have it as soon as I get to my armor.”

  • • •

  Josh stood in the huge hangar and stared at the suit of armor hanging in front of him. He shook his head and turned to Mike Sanders, “What is this?”

  “The next generation of advanced armor, Josh.”

  Josh stared at the suit and shook his head, “Just how much does this thing weigh?”

  Mike looked at Uginoth and the old scientist shrugged, “Does weight really matter in today’s gravity compensated weapons?”

  Josh’s eyebrows came together, “I’ve been led to understand that our current armor is at the peak of compensator development.”

  “It was.”

  Josh tilted his head, “Was?”

  “The development of the magnetic fields has changed many of our ways of getting things done.”

  “I’m not sure what you mean?”

  Uginoth smiled, “You are aware that most every large body in space has its own magnetic field surrounding it?” Josh nodded. “Your wife asked us if it could be used with our new technology. I must say that I was shocked that none of us thought about that.”

  Josh smiled as he shook his head, “Prissy does come up with some radical, out of the box notions.”

  “Well, it got us thinking. We’ve been using the gravity compensators to reduce the weight of your warrior’s armor and weapons. The load being placed on the compensators was huge and they were at their limit of how much they could lift. Jek suggested using a planet’s magnetic field to reduce the weight of the armor and weapons which would reduce the load on the compensators.”

  Josh looked at Mike, “How much does that armor weigh when a warrior has it on?”

  Mike shrugged and said, “Less than ten pounds.”

  “WHAT!?!”

  Uginoth raised his hands and started shaking his head, “On I know that’s a lot but we think we can get it down to less than five!”

  Josh smiled, “Our current armor weighs twenty five pounds. Ten is a huge difference.”

  Mike smiled, “By reducing the load of the power packs being used by the compensators, we’ve been able to increase the strength of the armor’s force fields.”

  “Did you say fields?”

  Mike nodded and Uginoth said, “If a Weg manages to get it claws into a warrior’s force field, the armor’s processor will detect the puncture and push the field away from the armor as a new field is pushed out.”

  Josh stared at the Alliance Senior Scientist and said, “Does this make them impervious to the Weg?”

  Mike said, “No, it doesn’t. If enough of them attack the outer force field they could break through to the warrior inside the armor. However, it increases the time it will take to do that and the new force fields can stand up longer to the new Weg blasters. However, if enough of them are fired from close range…”

  Josh nodded, “It sounds like we better not let them get too close.”

  Uginoth nodded, “Something like that.”

  “What about the spinning force field?”

  “The armor is equipped with them as well.”

  Josh looked at Mike, “Why are you showing me this?”

  “We want you to delay your drop until we can get this armor to your division.”

  Josh’s eyes narrowed, “How long is that going to take?”

  “About six months.”

  Josh stared at Mike and began shaking his head, “I don’t think I can delay that long.” Mike’s face turned red and he stared at Josh with anger on his face. Josh said, “Sir, how many Weg did we kill in our last drop?”

  “What does that have to do with this!?!”

  “How many, Sir?”

  Uginoth said, “Between one and half to two billion.”

  Mike’s head jerked around to Uginoth as Josh said, “I know you’re thinking that I’m being reckless in this decision, Sir. But how many Weg can be produced by the Queen in six months?”

  Uginoth said, “Between six and seven billion.”

  Josh tilted his head, “We have cut into the Weg numbers on that planet by a huge percent. I really believe it will be safer to drop now than to wait. If you think I’m wrong about this, tell me. What makes me lean toward going now is that the huge majority of Weg killed were the flyers.”

  Mike stared at Josh and Tilly, who had stood outside the group, said, “Six rattlesnakes or a hundred.”

  Mike looked at her, “What?”

  “Wait for a better rifle to take on a hundred or shoot at six with what you have.”

  Mike shook his head, “You and that game of yours.”

  Tilly shrugged, “You know the Weg learned from that last attack and the Queen has to be starting high production of new warriors. I think Josh is probably right.”

  Mike looked at Josh and said, “What is the real benefit of doing this now?”

  Josh tilted his head to the right and then back up, “I’m hoping I’ll be able to kill the Queen on that planet.”

  Mike started nodding slowly and then smiled, “Alex told me the decision would be yours. I thought it was a no brainer but now I understand why. We’ll start production of the new Armor and have it ready for your division to start training when you return.”

  “Sir, if it’s all the same to you, I think another Division should be allowed the opportunity to join the fight and I’m sure my Warriors can use some extended rest.”

  Mike smiled and looked at Tilly. He saw how proud she was of Josh and he said, “I’ll contact Alex and have him decide which Division he wants to receive the armor.”

  Josh nodded and Tilly walked up and hugged him. Mike extended his hand and Josh shook it, “When are you dropping?”

  “In three days, Sir.”

  “Good luck, Josh.”

  • • •

  Josh exited the hangar and walked through the port on the waiting Q ship. He looked up and said, “Did you hear all of that, Tuffy?”

  “I did.”

  “Did you feed it to Prissy?”

  Josh suddenly heard, “You know he did, Josh. Why can’t you wait?”

  Josh saw her image appear on the wall monitor and he said, “Prissy, if you insist on it, I will put it off…as long as you can tell me truthfully that our attempt to kill the Queen won’t be jeopardized.”

  Prissy started crying and said, “The new armor will make a huge difference.”

  Josh softened his eyes and said, “But it’s not ready.”

  Prissy wiped her eyes and said, “No, it’s not.”

  “I’m coming home.”

  Prissy nodded, “Please hurry. I need to hold you.”

  • • •

  Captain Cantwell looked at his communicator and pressed his unit’s frequency. His four Lieutenants looked at him of its small disp
lay and Cantwell said, “We drop in three days. Step up the training.” His communicator went dark and he took a deep breath. Redemption was ninety-six hours away. His communicator beeped and he saw Marsha’s face, “Please don’t tell me you’re going to be busy tonight!”

  Cantwell smiled, “I was just about to contact you.” Marsha smiled and his display went dark. He shook his head at how incredibly lucky he was that she loved him. He smiled and took a gravity sled to the training grounds.

  Chapter Eleven

  Josh watched the two hundred carriers on the ground from his Command Carrier that was hanging a hundred yards above the busy training field. The Gracken Carriers were matched up with a Spartan Carrier. The two would make the drop together and the warriors would rush into ranks as quickly as possible. Josh pulled his armor’s faceplate down and saw the color codes assigned to the carriers. They were landing in a stretch of level land where the seismic recordings said there were no Weg tunnels close by. The twenty thousand warriors were going to form a square with five thousand warriors on each side. The Gracken would form up and the Spartans would step in between them and anchor their heavy sliver rifles on the telescoping stand.

  Josh switched to a view of the planet they were going to attack and was surprised that there were no Weg flying above the surface. He thought for a moment and decided that they were probably smart not to do it. The Gracken and Spartan Warships in orbit above the planet could hit any flying Weg from orbit. Josh looked at the new console in his carrier and noticed the new jump drive was active and the coordinates of his landing position were locked in the display.

  They would not be moving in on transports this jump. The Special Forces were successful making a sudden appearance with no warning and immediately jumping. The huge square formed by the carriers with fifty carriers on each side would jump directly above the landing zone and immediately deliver the warriors to the surface. He hoped he had time to get his lines formed up before the Weg Fliers arrived. He looked at the tactical feed from the Gracken Flagship and saw the seismic sensors around the landing zone showed no movement under it. “Let’s hope it stays that way,” he thought as he lifted his faceplate and looked back down on the warriors boarding their vessels. He pushed a button on his console and Jackie and Cliff appeared on his display, “Are all your warriors ready?”