by S. H. Jucha
“Sabrina is said to have theorized that not all the glyphs groups are to be used in the console,” Tacnock said. “This would align with Aurelia’s thought that the Messinants had a perverse sense of humor. They hid the working groups among a huge number of decorative images.”
The midday meal ended. Jess regarded Lucia, and said, “I understand you want to speak with me.”
“Yes,” Lucia replied. She saw Jess’s taut body language and was reminded of the conversation she had with Sam. She sought a neutral place for them to talk. It turned out to be the medical suite, when her implant told her that it was temporarily unoccupied.
“We need to resolve this conflict between us,” Lucia said, when the suite’s door slid closed. Her opening statement sounded harsher than she intended.
“I’m listening,” Jess replied.
That wasn’t what Lucia wanted to hear. Jess was forcing her to speak first. “Then explain to me your problem,” she demanded.
“Why is it my problem?” Jess retorted.
Lucia’s command style with subordinates had no value in this situation, and she abandoned that approach. Spreading her arms wide in resignation, she said, “Okay, maybe my request was a poor choice of words. There’s friction between us. In a fight with the insectoids, that will put us in danger, agreed?”
“True,” Jess replied.
“I need to know how to fix this, Captain,” Lucia implored. She was trying her best to reach him.
Jess took a deep breath and let it out. His shoulders relaxed. It surprised him that he was wound that tightly.
“Let me take a try at this,” Jess said. “The more we’ve interacted, the more I’ve felt like you were treating me like your direct report. That’s irritated me. On top of that, you don’t accept our word for things we explain to you. You want verification of everything, even those things we accept as commonplace. You’re treating us like some kind of second-class species. Let me ask you. What’s your problem with us?”
Lucia heard Sam’s words in her mind. They had replayed from her implant, but she wasn’t ready to capitulate. It wasn’t in her nature.
“The impression I get from you and other defenders is that you want us to act like sociable guests,” Lucia replied. “We’re an expedition in search of our colonists. Four of our five vessels are warships. We have our own agenda, and we’re not here to socialize.”
“But you are guests in this system, and we don’t report to you, regardless of your expectations and agenda,” Jess riposted.
Lucia let out a sigh in exasperation. The discussion wasn’t going in the direction she’d planned. She’d hoped to appeal to the captain’s reason, but either he wanted no part of it, or she had completely misstepped. She decided to opt for an entirely different approach, although it was an uncomfortable one for her.
“Why do you dislike me?” Lucia asked.
Jess blinked. He was stunned. It was the last question he expected the commodore to ask.
“I ... I don’t dislike you,” Jess stammered.
“But you’re always angry with me,” Lucia pointed out.
“It’s our professional interactions that make me mad, not you personally,” Jess explained. “You execute your duties, as you see fit, and sometimes, okay, many times, I’ve problems with the way you do your job.”
“So, you don’t dislike me?” Lucia asked. She felt like an idiot for asking the question.
“No, actually it’s the opposite,” Jess replied. He felt as uncomfortable as she appeared. “Look, Lucia, whatever our issues, you won’t have any problem from me once we drop down our shuttle tube. You can depend on that.”
“I’ll take you at your word, Jess,” Lucia replied.
Jess nodded and exited medical.
Lucia was left with two thoughts. First, she hoped she could believe what Jess had promised. Second, she rather enjoyed hearing her given name on Jess’s lips.
As Lucia left the medical suite, she signaled a host of individuals — Olawale, Sam, the Trident captains, the temporary captain of the Judgment, and the SADEs, who relayed her directive to Patrice. In turn, the defenders, Jess, Kasie, Tacnock, Bortoth, and Daktora, were notified. The attack on the dome was set for tomorrow morning.
* * * * *
Sam heeded a call from Juliette. It was late in the day, and she’d relayed a request from the defenders. He made his way to an unoccupied engineering lab on a lower deck. For many years, it had been the lair of Mickey Brandon, where the engineer had created many of his first efforts for Alex Racine.
“Thank you for coming, Lieutenant,” Jess said, as Sam entered the lab.
“If you’ll excuse me?” Juliette asked politely of Sam, and then she slipped out.
The first thing Sam noticed was that the defenders were minus Kasie. Only those who intended to fight were here. Importantly, the commodore wasn’t present. Immediately, Sam understood the nature of the conversation that was to take place, even if he couldn’t imagine the specifics.
“I’m listening,” Sam said, leaning casually against a lab table.
“You’ve heard from us that both species of the Colony are dangerous,” Tacnock said. “However, in all skirmishes with the Colony, only the reds have carried weapons. It’s imperative that your squads target them first.”
“Understand, Lieutenant, that my clutch mate and I will be both a help and a hindrance to your efforts,” Bortoth said. “For most initial contacts, we must stay to the sides of the tunnel. Reds will probably be in the forefront of the attacks. As Tacnock indicates, they must be removed quickly. However, when grays attack en masse, we can step into them and blunt their attack, preventing them from overrunning you.”
“These concepts depend on the reds having weapons,” Sam offered. “They’ve been in the dome for a while. They might be feeling secure.” He looked at the defenders’ despondent faces, and said, “Okay, educate me.”
“Presume the reds will be armed and act accordingly, Lieutenant,” Jess said sternly. “If their weapons had been stored, they took them out after your ships appeared and destroyed their shuttles.”
“Think about the nature of the gates,” Daktora implored. “Colony members, who are trained in weaponry, could be many stars away. Your ships might sail for a long time to cover that distance. The Colony can move the same number of individuals the same distance in the space of an hour.”
“And they can keep group after group pouring into a dome in the time it takes to clear a platform,” Tacnock added. “Don’t think that you face some fixed number of adversaries. Think of the Colony as a liquid pouring out of the dome and into the tunnels. We’re the specks swimming upstream to reach the console and shut off the torrent.”
“Scary image,” Sam commented. The more that was said, the more he considered revising the team’s tactics.
“The original explorers encountered reds with cumbersome, single-shot tube weapons,” Jess said. “Afterwards, the Colony developed more sophisticated armament. When they appeared on the platform, as we evacuated the non-alliance dome, I saw what looked like a harness on a red. Some kind of device was strapped to it. That’s all I saw before our gate fired. I had the impression the weapon was meant to deliver rapid fire. Of what, I don’t know.”
“If and when we reach the dome, we’ll arrive on its second level,” Bortoth said. “We must cross the entire length of the corridor to reach a ramp that leads to the upper platform deck. The top of the ramp might offer partial concealment while you fire at the individuals on the deck.”
“However, another word of caution, Lieutenant,” Daktora interjected. “There is anothe
r level below our entry point. Reserves could arrive behind us from there, if we’re not careful. The access door is close to the dome’s airlock. You must station two of your team to guard the doorway. In addition, dorm rooms line the corridors. The doors have invisible seams. Only glyphs mark their locations. We must open each door and clear the room’s occupants.”
Sam shook his head in consternation. “Are you sure we have enough drums for our launchers?” he asked.
“With the Colony, you can never have enough darts,” Tacnock said regretfully.
“Warn everyone, Lieutenant, that there will be calls to drop down,” Jess said. “It was a tactic used successfully by the explorers. The insectoids are quick to fire and aim chest high.” Jess regarded Tacnock, and added, “For most of us.”
Tacnock flashed his teeth and issued a soft growl.
“Despite calls to drop down, we can’t accommodate that directive with any speed,” Bortoth said, spreading his powerful arms toward his bulk and short legs.
“If we were to try, we might fall on Tacnock,” Daktora rumbled.
“And I might dart you as you crushed me,” Tacnock hissed.
Sam smiled at the group’s camaraderie and banter. He admired their courage. Better than anyone, they knew the dangers, and yet, they were willing to brave them.
“An ugly fact, Lieutenant,” Daktora said, “is that both species are fast when they’re flat on the deck. That’s when they’ll be difficult to target. It gets more hectic when the reds fire at you and the grays slither toward your legs. Their pincers can shatter your leg bones.”
“It’s another reason to prevent new Colony arrivals from leaving their platform when they appear,” Tacnock added. “When we reach the dome level, divide your forces. One group defends your position, and another targets the platform.”
“It doesn’t sound like we have enough forces,” Sam said, with worry in his voice.
“The sad truth is that you don’t, Lieutenant,” Jess replied. “But the tunnels are only so wide, allowing only so many defenders across. This operation is about speed and ingenuity.”
“There must be other forces on the planet,” Sam offered.
“There are,” Tacnock said, “but they’ve never faced the insectoids. The only Sylians who were veterans of encounters with the Colony died in the dome on the day the insectoids invaded.”
Sam realized that rearranging Lucia’s roster had been fortuitous. He had ensured that each team’s lead squad was composed of experienced Omnians, who had dealt with various aliens. In most cases, the aliens were allies of humans. However, meeting a giant Swei Swee, such as Wave Skimmer, the First of the hives, taught you much about yourself.
“We’ve received the final version of your team rosters,” Jess said. His eyes were hard, as he stared at Sam. “Juliette provided it and asked us for our recommendations. Pity you didn’t, Lieutenant. As they stand, we approve of the arrangements. Stress to your forward squads what we’ve told you here.”
“A final word, Lieutenant,” Tacnock added. “Be on the alert for anything unusual. The Colony lives for conquest of resources. They care nothing for their individuals, as you’ve witnessed. They’re as likely to pierce a tunnel to vacuum or destroy the dome rather than let us have it.”
Sam regarded the faces of the defenders. Their eyes were unforgiving. He’d made the same mistake he’d warned Lucia she was making. If it weren’t for the efforts of the SADEs, the encounter with the Colony might have swiftly ended with the deaths of them all — it still might.
“I’m sorry for my poor behavior,” Sam said, standing. “I’ve no excuse, and I hope you’ll forgive me.” He waited. When no one replied, he nodded and left the lab.
-10-
Launch the Assault
Servers stood ready to deliver far earlier than usual morning meals. When Lucia entered the room, only the SADEs and defenders were present.
“Where are the squads?” Lucia asked.
“They’ve eaten,” Esteban replied. “Now, they’re in a bay with Lieutenant Fleetfoot making final preparations.”
Lucia sent her food order, and a server accessed the dispenser’s menu to place the request. Meanwhile, she requested Esteban show her what the squads were doing.
When Esteban’s holo-vid lit, he stitched together multiple sources to give Lucia a complete overview.
Sam’s implant registered Esteban’s link, and he acknowledged the SADE’s request to share.
The assault teams faced each other across the bay. The SE squads were in the front of each team, and Omnian squads occupied the rear positions.
“Red team, close your eyes,” Sam ordered. He signaled blue team’s SE squad to stay put. Then he sent the Omnian blue squad creeping forward to lie at the feet of the red team.
“Open,” Sam yelled.
Simultaneously, the SEs of the standing blue team screamed loudly and defiantly, “Die, die, die.”
The SE red squad maneuvered poorly. Four members leapt to the side, and most of the red team’s rear squad fired at the blue team lying on the deck.
However, two SE red squad members had targeted the opposing blue team. The red team had pulled triggers on empty launchers and called out just as loudly as the other team, “Dart, dart, dart.” Belatedly, the two red team members who didn’t jump aside noticed the blue squad at their feet.
“Stop,” Sam yelled. His deep New Terran voice carried over the racket.
Lucia watched the defenders’ attention focus on the holo-vid’s display. Their expressions appeared to show they approved of the lieutenant’s actions.
“Two of you have crushed legs and are dying from venomous injections,” Sam said, critiquing the red team. “Use your peripheral vision. I repeat, we’ve been warned, that while the reds target you with their tube weapons, the grays will slither on the deck to get at you. I know this seems strange ... leaping out of the way. Either accept that you’ll die from your failure to act, or get it into your head to move and live to kill a few more insectoids. It’s your choice, but I’d rather you didn’t take me with you.”
Sam’s last comment generated a few half-hearted chuckles.
Next, Sam addressed the entire red team. “How many of you remembered to use your lower launchers?” he asked. He knew the answer because of the telltale actions it demanded.
The Loopah launchers the teams held weren’t the same weapons Harbour and Jessie had procured. These were more sophisticated, although they operated on the same principle. Darts of compressed gas were still the projectiles, which were deadly against the Colony and yet safe to use within a dome.
The new launchers had sights and safeties. After a tube was initially loaded, the drum automatically supplied the breech with darts. A sharp beep warned the shooter when only five darts remained in the drum.
The greatest innovation was the addition of a second wide-bore launch barrel underneath the original tube. It was manually loaded with rounds carried on a bandolier across the chest. The rounds carried seventeen smaller darts. The shorter barrel of the lower tube ensured a wide spread of the little darts.
The mass of darts wasn’t capable of killing, but they could incapacitate a group of insectoids. That would buy defenders time to dispatch their adversaries with the more powerful, single-shot darts.
In answer to Sam’s question, three of the twelve squad members raised their hands. The rest had used single-shot darts against an array of twelve of the enemy.
“What if blue team’s Omnian squad had two reds with weapons?” Sam asked rhetorically. “Worse, what if you failed to target the reds or your single shots missed? You might have endangered the entire team.”
Sam let them think about what he’d said. Then he ordered, “Reset positions.” When they were ready, he called out, “Blue team, close your eyes.” He signaled to the red team Omnians to split to the sides of the SE squad. They held up sheets of red material. Then he waved to the red SE squad to lie down.
“Open,” Sam yelled
.
Yelling and screaming ensued from both sides until Sam halted the action. He addressed blue team, asking who in the SE squad had targeted the faux reds of the other team. Then he queried the blue SE squad about whether they fired at the red SE squad that lay on the deck.
While Lucia and the defenders ate, they watched Sam rehearse attack-and-defense scenarios with the squads.
“Lieutenant Fleetfoot seems to have acquired some intriguing concepts about our adversaries,” Lucia commented offhand. “I wonder who taught him.”
The defenders continued to eat. Their attention was split between their plates and the holo-vid, and no one spoke.
Lucia wondered how to interpret the silence. As Sam’s training progressed, she wondered if he was overworking the teams. About the time she had the thought, Sam called a halt to the action.
The teams laid their weapons aside, formed a circle on the deck, and sat down. Then servers entered with food and water.
Lucia could hear Sam discussing tactics they would use traversing the tunnels, entering the corridor’s dorms, taking the deck, and preventing new arrivals. She eyed the defenders. Much more had transpired without her knowledge than she had previously suspected. She didn’t know whether to be annoyed or grateful. However, she recalled Sam’s words that she could fight a warship but couldn’t lead a ground skirmish.
When Lucia and the defenders finished their meals, they rose and returned to their cabins. Environment or vac suits were donned. Weapons were collected and checked. Then individuals made their way to the bay to join the squads, who had completed their preparations.
The two teams formed up, and they faced Olawale and Patrice.
“We came to this system to seek Earth’s colonists,” Olawale said to the assembled individuals. “It wasn’t our intention to become involved in a conflict. We have the option to abandon this portion of the galaxy and return to Sol, but Patrice and I have chosen not to do that. I’ve asked myself many times what Alex would do in this situation, and the answer is always the same. He’d help this system’s defenders by taking back the dome. I’m not requesting Omnians to participate purely because I think Alex would wish it. I believe in this action too.”