Mecrats

by C J Klinger

  Outside the building a loud explosion punctured through the sounds of helicopters followed by the distinctive sound of rotors hitting hard objects.

  Randy held on to his prize captive and said, “Shit, that doesn’t sound good.”

  An instant later, he and 8Rat reacted as they received a mental message of distress. 5Rat and 6Rat, Sargent Boyer and Escobedo were down and in trouble. Randy and Mary grabbed the prisoners and handed them up through the hole in the roof to the waiting Special Forces soldiers who were guarding the copter and their roof landing spot. They quickly hoisted up their boss, Major Donavan.

  Randy yelled to Greg, “Go, we can take care of ourselves.”

  Greg gave him a thumbs-up and disappeared from sight. Within seconds the Black Hawk was up and away.

  Randy pointed toward the south side wall and Mary kicked out the short wall below the window. The window frame followed the wall into the courtyard three floors below. Without a second’s hesitation, she jumped through the opening and Randy followed as soon as she was clear of the building. The swirling downdraft from the copters involved in rescuing the hostages was clearing the smoke screen laid down by the Cobra gunships. They headed toward the west end of the arena where the sounds of distress were coming from.

  Through the smoke from the screen and the smoke from the crashed copter, Randy saw 6Rat trying to lift a Black Hawk off his team mate, Sargent Boyer, 5 Rat, who was pinned under the left side of the crashed ship. The crew had crawled out of the wreckage, but Randy could see that the pilot was bleeding severely from a head wound. As strong as the Mecrats were, they could not single handedly lift a Black Hawk helicopter off their trapped team member, but three of them could. Within seconds, Sargent Boyer scrambled from under the destroyed ship, dirty, but apparently functional. He reached inside the wrecked craft and retrieved his Thud Pucker. He gave the three other Mecrats a thumbs-up, signally he was fine and ready to fight.

  Randy called Major Donavan and requested a chopper to pick up the crew members who needed medical attention. A stream of heavy caliber rounds raked the down chopper, cutting his conversation short. Everyone, including the injured pilot scrabbled for cover. Two of the machine gun trucks had raced down the expressway to the site of the explosions. They were parked on the shoulder of the road shooting at anything that looked American. Andy aimed his Thud-Pucker at the highway and unloaded a full magazine of fragmentation grenades.

  The pickup trucks used by the Islamic State as machine gun platforms had great mobility, but provided no protection from the kind of grenades the Mecrats carried. The guns fell silent, but Randy knew more would soon follow. He called Donavan again and said they would rendezvous two hundred yards down the track. He picked up the wounded pilot and the other three Mecrats did the same with the remaining crew members. 5 and 6Rat led the way with 8Rat bringing up the rear. Within two minutes they met a descending Black Hawk that settled on the tracks. The downed Black hawk crew members quickly got into the open door way, but it was obvious there was not enough room or lifting capacity to carry the four Mecrats.

  Randy waved the copter away and as soon as it was clear the four Mecrats started to run down the track toward the airport three miles ahead. At the moment they were relative safe from being strafed by the machine gun trucks because they were in the middle of a residential area, but up ahead the highway from central Mosul merged with the railroad right-of-way and they would become vulnerable to attack by the mobile machine gun trucks. Greg had radioed them and said the decoy Black Hawks that had flown down the Tigris River were being diverted to the deserted airport to pick them up. It would be a race against time to get there and get aboard the Black Hawks before the pursuing machine gun trucks arrived from central Mosul.

  The Mecrats were partially protected by their new graphene armor suits, but it did slow them down. Sustained gunfire from a fifty caliber machine gun would quickly overcome the suit’s protection, so getting there first was their best option. The highway ran between the railroad and the airport perimeter fence. They would have to cross the highway and meet the Black Hawks in the middle of the open airfield. It was out of operation and no one should be there, but the open flat space was vulnerable to sweeping gun fire.

  The railroad merged alongside the highway and in the distance the Mecrats could see the decoy Black Hawks circling back from the Tigris River. Randy estimated they had five minutes to rendezvous and load up. It would be close. He pointed left and the group left the railroad and crossed the highway. As soon as they were on the road, tracers flashed by overhead. The machinegun trucks that had been stationed along the east west highway leading from the Abu Tamman Bridge were now racing down the highway leading to the airport. The lead truck had sighted them crossing the road and had let loose an excited burst of gunfire.

  “This is not going to work,” Randy said. A mental mummer of agreement from the other three Rats confirmed his opinion. In the open field, the descending Black hawks would be easy targets.

  8Rat, Mary Higgins said, “Let’s go back over the road and the railroad and head south into the scrublands. It’ll take them a moment to find a way to get across the tracks and follow us. They won’t be able to go as fast as they can on the highway.”

  Without a moment’s hesitation Randy turned abruptly and headed back toward the highway. He contacted Greg and told him their new plan.

  Greg didn’t question Randy’s decision. The Mecrat was on the ground and knew the situation better than Greg did. He radioed back, “South of you about five miles are the ruins of an old monastery. I’ll redirect the decoy Black Hawks to that location.”

  The Mecrats crossed the highway as a group, catching the approaching gun trucks by surprise. Before they could react the Mecrats were over the elevated railroad bed and running toward the gullied terrain south of the city. As a parting gesture, they emptied their Thud Puckers in the direction of the approaching trucks. It slowed them down, but more importantly, the explosions raised a cloud of dust that provided cover for the escaping Mecrats. Within a minute they were well out of range.

  The ruins of Der mar Elia monastery were perched on a low rise amid a series of gullies similar to those in the American Southwest. It would be difficult for the Islamic machine gun truck to navigate the area. They were safe for the moment. Two of the Black hawks settled in the adjacent field and the Mecrats got aboard quickly. Without delay the two choppers lifted off and joined the rest headed south into the desert scrublands. Operation Bluebell had been a success.

  Chapter 51

  The senate subcommittee room doors were closed and a security officer guarded the entrance to make sure no one interrupted the proceedings. Major Gregory Donavan and Doctor Cathy Williamson sat together among the limited number of spectators and witnesses. They had been subpoenaed to appear as possible witnesses. For the first time in his career, Greg was anxious. Sensing his unease, Cathy squeezed his hand in encouragement. Neither of them was certain of what the outcome of this meeting would be, but both knew their careers were going to be affected.

  There was no question that operation Bluebell had been a success; the hostages had been rescued, a hated terrorist commander had been captured and the military leader of the Islamic State had been killed. Pictures from Greg’s helmet cam had confirmed that Abdullah al Sadad was dead. The rescuers had suffered three wounded, one of them serious, but expected to make a full recovery. There was no reliable estimate of the number of terrorists killed, but most agreed it had not been many. The surgical nature of the raid had limited the amount of direct battle contact.

  The terrorists they had captured, Habet bin Al-Jabouri was a prize worth the effort. Known for his public beheadings of civilians and captured soldiers, he was wanted by every government who had lost a citizen or soldier to his bloody hand. The Americans had decided to turn him over the Iraqi government in Bagdad, but not before they had extracted a great deal of information from the terrified commander. The only persuasion they used to break the man
was to place him in a pitch black room with one of the Mecrats. Randy had never explained exactly what he said to the terrified warrior, but Al-Jabouri had answered every question they had asked in exchange for the promise of not being put back into the dark room with the ghoul.

  The raid had been described as an attack by American Special Forces. No mention of the Mecrats role was publicized, but word of their role in the operation leaked out through the foreign press who had access to members of the Islamic State. The American public’s reaction had been divided; half of them expressing pride in America’s role in rescuing the hostages and the other half concerned about the continued use of the combat machines that had rampaged through downtown Baltimore. Part of the public’s reaction was because they still had not been told the Mecrats were powered by human brains. The assumption was the Mecrats were high-powered, AI robots and many Americans felt that could lead to a frightenly familiar, Terminator type future.

  A subdued Senator Webber brought the meeting to order. He was the father of this hot potato and he knew he had to put it to rest to save his shaky political career. His first witness was General Emerson, whose career was not in jeopardy. In the eyes of the military, his program had been a roaring success. So much so that he had decided to delay his retirement. Rumor was he was being considered for the position of the Army’s Chief of Staff.

  “General Emerson, would you please give us your assessment of the Mecrats Project now that it had become operational.”

  The general looked over his half glasses at the seven senators staring back at him. He had given careful consideration to what he was going to say, especially in light of the latest upturn in his military career. His answer would be to enhance the prospect of further military advancement. His new golden ring was the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

  “Thank you, Senator Webber. The original objective of the Mecrats Project was to create a human powered, combat machine with the same capability as a company of soldiers. In that regard we have succeeded beyond our most ambitious expectations. The Mecrats have been deployed in three rescue operations with the net result of saving almost a thousand civilians, plus possibly the lives of countless American soldiers that would have been lost had they attempted the rescue of those same hostages. In the process of developing these fighting machines, the science team at Groom Lake has made a series of incredible discoveries that will forever change the way crippled and maimed soldiers and civilians are treated in the future. Because of the breakthroughs in controlling and powering artificial limbs with direct mind connections, these individuals can be restored to a full and productive life. On the military side, these Mecrats bring a shock and awe factor to the battle field that cannot be underestimated. Their effect on enemy moral is devastating and has significantly contributed to the decline in the Islamic States’ ability to wage war.”

  Senator Webber seemed pleased with the general’s remarks. He leaned forward, thrusting his face toward the witness as if emphasizing the importance of his next question, “General Emerson, in your opinion, should the Mecrats Project be continued?”

  General Emerson did not hesitate, “Most definitely, Senator, these mentally enhanced systems are a priceless asset in our fight against terrorism.”

  “Thank you, General,” Senator Webber said and turned to his colleagues. “Are there any questions?”

  Senator Martha Brillings, the Democratic senator from New Hampshire held up her hand. The chair recognized her with the courtesy required by the senate rules, but he felt none of the meanings behind his words. As far as the senator from Maryland was concerned, his colleague from New Hampshire was a pain in the ass. General Emerson shared his view, but he was surprised by the senator’s opening remarks.

  Senator Brillings smiled and said, “General Emerson, I must commend you for your achievements. You and your team did exactly what you originally proposed, and under budget, something that does not happen very often these days in Washington. The military and medical advances made during the Mecrat Project cannot be denied. Thousands of paraplegics around the world now have hope for the future.”

  In the pause that followed, the surprised general said, “Thank you, Senator. I’ll pass on your remarks to my team.

  This time she did not smile. “What do you see as a future for these ‘Systems’? I believe that was the term you used to describe them?”

  General Emerson reddened slightly. He knew where this was going. “I apologize for using the term, ‘Systems’, Senator. These are American soldiers and their future role will be to serve at the discretion of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and the President of the United States.” The general didn’t mention that his goal was to become the chairman of America’s highest military command.

  Senator Brillings nodded her head in understanding. She too had heard the rumors about General Emerson’s inclusion on the short list to be considered for membership in the Joint Chiefs. She asked, “Does the military grant these soldiers the benefits assigned to other enlisted personnel? Will they be able to retire when their enlistment is up, General?”

  General Emerson was confused by her question. “I don’t understand, Senator. What would they retire to?”

  Senator Brillings again nodded her head in understanding. “I have no further questions of this witness, Mr. Chairman,” she said and sat back in her chair.

  Greg leaned over and whispered into Cathy’s ear, “Well, we know what’s coming next.”

  She whispered back, “Are you sure you want to do this?”

  “Yes, if I want to be able to live with myself,” he said, and after a short pause, added, “And with you.”

  She smiled and said softly, “Thank you.”

  After the other five senators had gotten their public relations statements in for the record, General Emerson was excused. He was surprised when he heard the chairman call Major Gregory Donavan to the witness table. Instead of leaving the room as he had originally planned, the general took a chair in the spectator section to hear what Greg had to say.

  Greg was sworn in and Senator Webber turned the floor over to Senator Brillings who had submitted the major’s name as a witness.

  Senator Brillings smiled at the major. This time it was genuine. “Major Donavan, you are the officer in charge of the Mecrats team, is that correct?”

  “Yes Ma’am, that is correct.”

  “Did you lead the raid that saved these hostages?”

  “I was in command of the Mecrats unit, Senator. Colonel Hoffman was in overall command of the raid.” Greg wanted to be clear about his role in the last mission.

  Senator Brillings acknowledged the distinction and asked. “Were you the officer in charge of the raid that saved the refugees at Karemlesh?”

  “Yes Ma’am,” Greg answered without elaborating.

  Senator Brillings pushed her glasses back up on the bridge of her nose and looked at General Emerson before continuing. She turned her attention back to Greg and asked, “What is your opinion of the Mecrats as a military system?” She emphasized the word, “system.”

  Greg took a deep breath. He wanted to look back at Cathy, but knew he had to do this on his own. “They are the finest soldiers I have ever commanded and the most effective fighting unit I have ever witnessed.”

  Several of the senators nodded approvingly and General Emerson relaxed.

  Senator Brillings smiled slightly at his answer and asked, “What do you see in the future for the Mecrats, Major Donavan?”

  With just enough hesitation for people to notice, Greg said clearly, “Death, Senator, more specifically, death by combat.”

  The senator from New Hampshire sat back in her seat and asked, “Can you elaborate on your statement, Major Donavan?”

  Cathy had known what Greg was going to say, but hearing it spoken aloud in the committee meeting was still a shock. She looked over at General Emerson and saw nothing but cold fury on his face. Whatever future Greg may have had in the military was now gone. She was both sad
for him and relieved for herself at the same time.

  Greg stared at the table for a second then raised his head a little higher than normal. “When the public learns, and they surely will, that these Mecrats are powered by human brains from dying soldiers, the outcry from those who see it as immoral will be so loud it will effectively stop anymore Mecrats from being created. The nine remaining Mecrats have only one use in the military, combat. They are too effective at what they do to be retired and totally unsuited for any other military duty. They will fight until they are all killed, either in combat or to and from combat. General Emerson’s answer to your earlier question was correct. What would they retire to? From my point of view, it will be a sad day to see these amazing human beings die on some distant battlefield. ”

  There was a dead silence for several seconds while the Senators and the onlookers waited for Greg to add to his poignant epitaph, but the major was through. His military career was at an end, his association with the Mecrats was over, but his life with Cathy was just beginning. The peace of useful purpose settled over him and he turned to look at his future wife. She smiled back with tears in her eyes and mouthed the words, “I love you.”

  The end

  Epilog

  Doctor Williamson was nervous. In his opinion, the next ten minutes would be a more stressful than the surgeries he performed. At sixty-three years of age, he had thought this day would never come, but it had and now he was about to give his youngest daughter away in marriage. He and his wife had often discussed their daughter’s dedication to science at the expense of starting a family and had eventually resigned themselves to the possibility she might never find someone who met her expectations. Then she had met an Army officer, a man she had described as being smart, courageous and honorable. The elder Doctor Williamson had to agree; Gregory Donavan was all the things his daughter had said he was, a man of courage and honor. His testimony at the senate sub-committee hearing had effectively ended the Mecrats Project and his career as a military officer.