by Ricky Sides
***
Ramon Marino stood beside the leader of his strike force team. He informed them that a large convoy was approaching the citadel, and that their orders had changed. Pete was certain that the base the renegades were operating from would desire a running account of the battle progress at the citadel. He had requested that they attempt to secure prisoners, if they could do so without taking undue risks, but their primary mission was to take out the observers. The Havana was going to drop the strike team off and then fly toward the convoy to assist the fighters, if they needed help. Their drones were already en route to the convoy where they would lend their support.
Because of the changing orders, the strike team would be deployed in two separate groups to deal with the two observation posts that had the citadel within line of sight. Then the Havana would proceed to intercept the convoy.
***
The column of tanks, armored personnel carriers, humvees, and trucks were racing toward the citadel as fast as the tanks could manage. The morale in the convoy was high. They’d encountered a peacekeeper squadron and decimated it in moments. They now had no fear of the fighters, and as a result, they didn’t bother to spread the convoy out to make it harder for the fighters to attack them.
The commander of the convoy saw the three fighters flying directly toward his procession, but those fighters veered away the moment a tank fired a missile. The fighters managed to evade the missile when a fourth fighter flew in from a right angle and shot the missile out of the air. The commander was observing the fighters that were turning about for another attempt to make an attack run when he heard an explosion behind him. Turning in the seat of his humvee, he saw black smoke to the rear of the convoy.
Before the commander could react to that threat, three more fighters came at the convoy broadside. Their miniguns were firing a deadly hail of bullets that shredded two humvees and a truck just ahead of him. One of the armored personnel carriers answered their fire with its machinegun, but the bullets seemed to have no affect as the fighters flew past the convoy.
The commander gave the order for the convoy to disburse across the desert as they made the run for the citadel. He knew that staying bunched up in their convoy would make easy targets of his vehicles.
Behind the commander, another massive explosion rocked the afternoon air. He received a radio report from one of his officers that several of the fighters were hanging back at the rear of the convoy and targeting their tanks from the rear. He responded by having some of the tanks turn their turrets to face the rear, but by the time they had accomplished that maneuver, the fighters had flown away.
The commander was a seasoned officer. Over the years, he had developed a sixth sense that sometimes warned him of impending danger. That sense was warning him when he spun to face the left side of the convoy. He saw at least a dozen fighters streaking in at an incredible rate of speed. They were spread out in a line. As he watched the approaching fighters, he saw a dozen lasers lance out and strike the tanks and armored personnel carriers. He never even saw the drone that targeted his humvee, which was flying the UN flag. The operator of the drone correctly assumed that the occupant of that vehicle would be an officer. The laser struck the engine compartment, disabling the motor. The drone sent three quick shots into the passenger compartment, and then spun on its axis to seek another target. The driver had been hit in the shoulder by one of the shots. He lost control of the commander’s vehicle, sending it into a skid. It slid to a stop, but the engine was dead. The commander jumped out of the vehicle, ignoring the driver’s plea for help.
A fighter swooped past the commander, opening fire on an armored personnel carrier that was attempting to go around the stalled humvee. The commander saw the blue laser lance into the side of the vehicle, and then he saw red pulses race down the blue beam. Explosions followed and the vehicle slewed first to the left, and then to the right. The commander turned to run, but the APC slammed into his body, pinioning him between his humvee and the APC. There was a secondary explosion inside the APC. Burning fuel showered down upon the commander and the humvee. The hapless man began to scream in agony as the flaming fuel washed over his trapped body. He didn’t see the fighter that dropped the bomb on the APC in an act of mercy, to prevent the trapped men inside from being burned alive.
Jeff surveyed the remnants of the column. So far, his battle strategy had worked well. He directed four fighters to attack a concentration of trucks armed with rear-mounted machineguns. Jeff then led a flight of sixteen fighters against the three remaining tanks. Multiple laser strikes took out those three tanks. Two of the tanks managed to launch missiles, but the seven reserve fighters flying top cover fired their laser miniguns at the missiles, destroying them before they’d traveled two hundred feet.
The fighting raged on for another ten minutes before the last of the renegade vehicles was destroyed. The drones of the Havana destroyed numerous trucks and humvees during the engagement. The Havana arrived as the last of the fighting was winding down. Captain Marino emerged from the ship with two of his flight control staff. They investigated the command humvee in the hopes of learning the location of the missiles, but if the vehicle had ever contained that information, it was now lost. What hadn’t been destroyed by the bomb had burned. There would be no useful intelligence discovered in that wreckage.
***
Captain Ramiro’s strike team units found it impossible to take the enemy scouts captive. In both positions, the men were strategically located on the high ground, and they had sniper teams with them. The enemy snipers wounded two strike team members at one of the locations as they attempted to get close enough to take some of the enemy captive.
Finally, they had to contact the Havana and request the support of the drones to deal with the snipers. Within moments of the arrival of the drones, the fighting ended. The clever snipers couldn’t hide from the infrared cameras of the drones.
***
Pete frowned, and then contacted the rest of the council in their radio channel. He gave them a full report of the events that had unfolded in the brief time that had passed since the council had departed for New Mexico.
Pete had just got off the radio when Jeff limped into the control room. “How’s the leg holding up, Jeff?” asked Pete.
“It only hurts when I walk. I never even noticed the wound while I was airborne,” Jeff explained. Then he said, “That was too easy, Pete. It would have been much more difficult if the column had had a couple of the helicopter gunships flying cover for them. We know they have three, so why weren’t any deployed with the column?”
“Maybe they are being held in reserve to defend the base. We know our reconnaissance flights were below radar level, but we have no way to know that none of the fighters were spotted as they performed their scouting missions,” Pete speculated.
“I hope you’re right, but I’m concerned that they may be up to something else. I’d like to suggest a recon of the base, just to see if the helicopters are still there,” said Jeff.
Pete nodded his head in agreement and said, “I’ll have two base drones dispatched. I don’t want fighters on that recon, because I want the pilots fresh in the morning for their missions.”
An hour later, the drones had completed their reconnaissance mission and they were being flown back to the base. They had been unable to locate the three attack helicopters. Pete sent a message to the council advising them that the attack helicopters were unaccounted for, and could be anywhere at the present. During their discussion of the matter, the council reviewed the most likely locations where the gunships could be positioned. They felt it likely that they had been sent to the missile sites to act as protection for that set of assets until they were launched. They dismissed the concept that the helicopters could have been dispatched to attack the main body of the fleet in New Mexico as extremely unlikely. Sending the gunships against the fleet would be a suicide mission that the enemy could not hope to win. Nor would they likely be able to inflict ser
ious damage to the fleet, which had fighters and drones flying patrols to secure the area. Tim informed Pete that their old friends, the UFO people, had already been spotted by the patrols. Pete smiled at the memory of the encounter with those people in the past.
“Well, just don’t underestimate the enemy,” Pete warned. “If the gunships slip through the defenses, they could launch salvos of missiles at the main ships. In theory, they could take the Constitution out of the remainder of the conflict. I doubt that they could destroy the ship, but they could seriously damage her; and they could also destroy some of the patrol ships. They have enough firepower to do that, so underestimating them would be a costly mistake,” he warned.
Jim promised to increase the drone and fighter patrols and then he asked about Evan. Pete promised to check on him, now that things had settled down at the base.
Chapter 16
Evan awoke as the ship went into acceleration through the tunnel, exiting the citadel. Beside him, Lisa stirred in her slumber. “Lisa,” Evan said quietly. “Lisa, wake up. We’re flying,” he explained.
“I’m awake,” she said.
“Good, because I think I need to go to the bathroom,” Evan said sheepishly.
“Do you think it’s safe to leave the berth this soon?” Lisa asked quietly. “If they discover us now, they could just set the ship down beside the base and make us go back inside.”
“Safe or not, I’ve got to go to the bathroom,” Evan said.
“Alright, give me a minute to get the curtain open,” said Lisa in resignation. She opened the curtain a crack and looked out into the hallway. When she was content that there was no one present, she opened the curtain and slid out of the berth.
Evan crawled out of the berth, joined her in the hallway, and closed the curtain. “Remember which berth we’re using. Our food’s in there,” he advised, speaking in hushed tones.
The two made their way through the ship and soon stood outside the door to the small bathroom. When Evan exited the toilet, Lisa said, “I guess I’d better go too, since we’re already here.”
Minutes later, they were on their way back to their berth when the intercom announced that the ship was leaving the base to begin their flight to New Mexico. Lina advised the few crewmembers aboard the Valiant to prepare for g-force acceleration as the admiral’s ship led the fleet north.
They had just gotten back inside their berth when the ship departed. Lisa was in the process of closing the privacy curtain when the ship accelerated. She was thrown back toward the padded headboard of the berth. Evan’s arm intercepted her, pulling her in toward him. Her body collided with his and they both laughed quietly. Five years aboard the Peacekeeper had taught them to respect the g-force acceleration warnings. Both of the young people had received numerous bruises as a result of those accelerations, so when Evan intercepted her flight toward the headboard, Lisa appreciated the assist. “Thanks, Evan,” she whispered as the force of the acceleration pressed her body against him. She kissed him in gratitude. Evan responded to her kiss. She felt that sensation of physical yearning return, and it was stronger than before. When she broke the embrace, she noted that Evan’s face was flushed.
Turning away from him, Lisa closed the curtain and lay down in the berth beside Evan. Her mother had warned her not to permit her physical yearnings to lead her into premature sexual experiences. She’d cautioned that the traumas Lisa had endured at Reggie’s hands could make any sexual experiences cause flashbacks to those events, and warned her that she should control those yearnings until she was mature enough to handle the ramifications.
Evan was similarly cautious. He’d had the talk about sex with both his mother and Jim upon separate occasions. Both had cautioned him about permitting his body to ruin his life, and that of a girl. When Jim had learned about Lisa’s affections for Evan, he’d sat him down and discussed the matter as delicately as possible. He’d explained that Evan was at the age of awakening of a whole new set of physical sensations that could easily land him into trouble. He’d specifically warned him about permitting his yearnings to injure Lisa, reminding him that the girl had been severely abused and traumatized by Reggie. He’d warned Evan that if a time came when he thought he would lose control and do something inappropriate, then he should stop and consider how that action would affect Lisa.
“Are you alright, Lisa?” Evan asked, feeling guilty. He wondered if he’d hurt Lisa, as Jim had warned he might.
“I’m fine,” she answered quietly. “I’m just thinking about something mom said about letting my body get me into trouble,” she answered candidly. That candor surprised her. She hadn’t planned to admit the sensation of physical need that her nearness to Evan was beginning to generate. It had just come out.
“Me too,” Evan responded, surprising Lisa.
“You feel it too?” Lisa asked in surprise.
“Sometimes I do, but Jim told me I should be careful with you because I could hurt you. I never want to hurt you the way that Reggie did, Lisa,” he explained.
“I don’t think you would ever do that. But we are too young. Mom says I need to be a few years older.”
“Jim said the same thing,” Evan admitted. Then smiling, he added, “Jim said that if I find myself attracted to you that I should ask you if you’ll be my girlfriend.”
“Are you asking?” Lisa asked.
“I like you a lot. We’ve been doing things together for almost six years now. I can’t imagine not being with you every day. Yes, Lisa. I’m asking if you will be my girlfriend.”
“I think I’d like that, Evan,” she responded. “But we need to take things slow.”
“I just like being with you. You make me happy,” Evan said, and then he asked, “Can I hold your hand?”
He felt Lisa’s hand take his and smiled in contentment. “You can hold my hand anytime you like, when we are alone,” she responded.
Evan smiled in contentment. From Evan’s perspective that promise gave him special rights with his girlfriend. It was a right that was exclusive to him.
“Thank you for putting up with me. I know I must drive you crazy at times,” Lisa said.
“I’m the one who should be thanking you for being my girlfriend. You never drive me crazy. I care about how you feel. Jim says a man should always consider his woman’s feelings. You’re my woman now,” Evan said, liking the way that sounded.
“Yes I am, and that makes you my man now,” Lisa said. Like Evan, she liked the way that sounded. Then, changing the subject, she said, “You said you’d tell me about your capture and escape someday when you had time. Would you like to talk about that now? You needn’t talk about the painful parts.”
Lisa listened attentively as Evan described his capture and the trek through the woods with the marauders. She grew angry when he described the brutal treatment he’d received at the hands of his captors. She praised his cleverness when he revealed how he’d sent his message to the Peacekeeper, and left little marks on the trail as he’d been taught to do. He told her that Jim had praised him for remembering to leave signs for pursuing peacekeepers to follow. She was surprised at how he’d managed to escape, and intrigued when he’d described how he’d managed to feed himself and make a temporary shelter. She asked for details as to what sleeping under the spruce tree had been like. She listed with rapt attention to his description of the encounter with the bear.
For Evan’s part, he drew strength from the contact of her hand in his. When he’d finished the story, he thanked her again for agreeing to be his girlfriend. Then he said, “Thank you for being there for me when mom died.” He reached over, placed his hand on her cheek gently, and caressed her face. “You were such a comfort to me.”
“I’ll always be there for you, Evan,” Lisa said contentedly. “I love you. I guess you know that, but I’ll say it anyway.”
“I’m beginning to understand that now. I love you too, Lisa. One of the worst things about being taken captive was the thought of never seeing you aga
in.”
“Nothing will ever keep us apart,” Lisa said with a quiet assurance. But Evan didn’t share that optimistic opinion. He’d seen with his own eyes just how quickly couples could be ripped apart by the gangs of marauders that plagued America.
In that moment of insight, Evan made a decision to shift his interests in survival from the more intellectual aspects, to the physical. If he were going to have a girlfriend, then he felt it his responsibility to be able to protect her, should the need arise. He knew that Jim would teach him, and so would many other peacekeepers. Evan vowed that he would learn well, and protect Lisa from all attackers.
Lisa sighed and laid her head on his shoulder. “We’re going to be in big trouble when they catch us you know,” she observed.
“You’ll be missed first,” Evan observed. “How long will it be before your folks miss you?” he asked.
“They’ll probably miss me when I don’t join them for dinner, so that gives us a few more hours,” Lisa speculated.
***
When Lina came aboard to fly the ship out of the base, she found Jim waiting in the control room. There had been an awkward moment, but that soon passed as Jim took his seat and asked her to proceed with the maneuver. He didn’t address the issues raised during their last encounter, so neither did she.
Inside the hangar bay, the remainder of the skeleton crew that would be serving on the ship came aboard. Jim nodded to the copilot as he took his seat.
The trip to the secluded desert region of New Mexico was uneventful for Jim, with the exception of the radio conversation with Pete and Tim, concerning the failed attempt to attack the citadel. When they landed, Jim told the crew that they had been invited to dine in the Constitution. He had Lina announce that they’d been invited, and for the crew to make all arrangements necessary for the ship to be left unattended for a few hours. This gave the communications officer time to set up her communications station to record incoming messages, and the engineer time to set the diagnostics system to scanning the power relays all over the ship.