Jurassic War

by Hinton, Charles

  last night. Would you say that the dinosaurs won the battle?

  A: They may have won the battle but not the war. These dinosaurs were huge. Some were over hundred feet tall. Some stepped on my troops and crushed them like roaches.

  Q: General, did your battle plans change?

  A: Yes. The operation is now DD DAY.

  Q: What’s that?

  A: Destroy Dinosaur Day. We’ll bring massive destruction on the dinosaurs like U.S. troops did to the Germans during War World II.

  Q: Mark, rumors are that you and the general are having some conflicts.

  Is it true?

  A: There’re conflicts on opinions. Remember, he’s a soldier and I’m

  a civilian, but we try to get along.

  Q: What happened to your jaw, Mark?

  A: No comment.

  Q: General, why are you wearing dark glasses and what happened to

  your lip?

  A: This conference isn’t about my appearance. Next question.

  Q: General, last night, there was an attack at an Air Force base by

  rexes. How did they know where this base was located?

  A: I can’t answer that question. Maybe Mark can.

  “These creatures have a form of intelligence, Mark said. “They know human beings are out to demolish them with machines that release massive destruction. Many animals saw how these machines operated. Maybe

  the birds informed them of the location. Some animals can communicate with others.”

  Q: General, do you think the Air Force base will be attacked again?

  A: Since the animals know where the base is located. We have moved

  the planes to a base that’s far from L. A., and we’re combining Navy’s planes with Air Force’s planes in the next bombing.

  Q: General, this is the second day of the war. How many troops and

  civilians do you estimate will be killed before it’s over?

  A: I can’t estimate that.

  Q: General, were baby dinosaurs killed?

  A: It’s a possibility that there were.

  Q: What about human babies?

  A: I don’t know.

  Q: General, this question is for Mark. The meat-eaters are enemies to the plant-eaters. Why have these two combined?

  A: Well, when enemies have a greater enemy, they’ll combine to fight

  the greater one. That’s what the dinosaurs are doing.

  Q: General, you said that DD DAY will be one of mass bombing. Are

  you going to bomb more civilians?

  A: There shouldn’t be any more civilians left in the city or suburbs.

  They were warned to leave, but if there are, there’s nothing I can

  do about it. Next question.

  Q: General, many civilians were bombed in the last bombing. How many

  were killed?

  A: Sorry, I don’t have the figure.

  Q: Can you give us a number of how many troops were killed in this

  war so far?

  A: I can’t give you an exact figure, but thousands were killed. Sorry this conference is over.

  As he and Mark exited the auditorium, the press hounded them down

  the corridor, yelling questions. They escaped the reporters by darting into the briefing room.

  Inside, Halfway said, “Gentlemen, let’s begin. The massive air attack will begin after this meeting. The attack will last all day and night. Planes will bomb the entire city and suburbs. We’ll bomb them like we did Iraq.”

  Clover stood and said, “General, you’re talking about a city that

  can hold millions of people, large suburban areas and there may be

  people still there.” He angrily struck his fist on the table. “It’s outrageous, General! I’ll not let my planes engulf this city with bombs just to kill seven hundred dinosaurs! I’m not going do to that! You’re mad! You’re a damn madman!”

  Everybody at the table was astonished by his outburst except for Halfway, who was irate. “Sit down! Yes you will, asshole, as you once called me, or I’ll relieve you from your command and court martial you! Do

  I make myself clear!”

  “Yes, sir.” Clover sat, frowning.

  Standwall smirked, the only one who enjoyed Halfway’s reaction and

  asked, “General, after this massive bombing, do I bring my troops

  in to terminate the remainders?”

  “Yes, you’ll bring them along with the Navy Seals to kill living or wounded dinosaurs that may have survived.”

  “General, if my Navy Seals are going with the colonel’s troops, who will be in command of them?” Chun asked.

  “You’ll appoint a captain to command your Seals. He’ll work alongside Standwall. I’ll come to all units to talk to our troops before and after the bombing.”

  “Please don’t come to mine because my troops hate your guts,”

  Johnson said.

  “Well, Johnson I’ll just have to change their minds about me.”

  “General,” Hutton said, “because of the large buildings that are going to be bombed, my troops will have a hell of a problem moving their vehicles through the rubble.”

  “Don’t worry, Hutton, army engineers will clear any blocking by rubble.”

  “The problem with the bombing, General,” Mark said, “is that it will cost trillions to rebuild L.A.”

  “You weren’t complaining when it cost billions to build your so called dinosaur zoo, hippy!” Standwall said bitterly.

  “Gentlemen,” Halfway said, “please, let’s not get into another argument.

  You’re right, Mark, it will cost, but war carries a tremendous cost.”

  “Right, I wonder who’s going profit from it?” Mark said.

  “General, I’d like to follow Standwall,” Larry said.

  “I see no problem with that if it okay with Mark.”

  “There’s no dinosaur zoo, therefore, I’m not his boss. He can do what he wants.”

  “All right, Commanders! You know your assignment! Let’s go fight a war! Mark, follow Ben to the mess hall, I’ll join you later. I have an important phone call to make.”

  Halfway entered his office and phoned Senator Stewart. “The plan went well; in twenty four hours the city of L.A. will be rubble.”

  Stewart grinned. “Good, General. My company will make billions in rebuilding L. A. I’ll support you for President of United States in the next election.”

  The senator hung up the phone, giggled and said to one of his business partners who sat in his office, “I wouldn’t support that nigger for dog catcher.”

  Both giggled loud.

  Chapter 10

  Hours after, from Navy air carriers and Air Force bases around the country, war planes took off and headed for L.A. On one of the Navy

  carriers, Clover said to Chun as they watched the planes take off,

  “I have informed my commanders to release their planes and immediately drop bombs on all sections of L.A.”

  “I ordered my commanders to do the same. It took guts to call Halfway an asshole and say you’ll not order your planes to bomb L.A.”

  “Thanks, but I wish I had stood my ground because I still don’t think it’s logical to bomb the entire city area to terminate seven hundred

  dinosaurs.”

  “I agree, but war isn’t logical. If you had disobeyed, he would have replaced you with someone else, and court-martial you, and

  ordered another commander to have L.A. bombed. You know, I wonder

  how he made general, with his bad attitude toward his commanders.”

  “By scheming, bullying and blackmailing. He’s a gangster in a military uniform, a ruthless son of a bitch and a tyrant.”

  Halfway was informed by Ben that warplanes were headed toward L.A., and would bomb it shortly.

  “Excellent! Tell Mark to get ready,” Halfway said to Ben. “We’re going into the field. I want to greet my fighting soldiers. Also bring a military cameraman. Thi
s is history. I want to be on film when I greet them.”

  Out in the field, Standwall was in a large tent with a few of his commanders and Larry. They were playing cards and drinking beer. He

  puffed a cigar and said, “Larry, it’s your bet.”

  A middle-aged woman wearing fatigues with the insignia of Navy

  captain came into the tent. All stood and looked at her with an expression of surprise. Standwall’s cigar dropped from his mouth. “What the

  hell!” he shouted.

  “I’m sorry to interrupt your card game, gentlemen,” she said. “I’m

  Captain Beverly Nails and the commander of the Navy Seals. My troops will arrive shortly.”

  Standwall stood. “I’m Colonel Standwall, the commander of Special Forces. These are my commanders and adviser.”

  “You and your men look surprised to see me. Is that because I’m a woman?”

  “Yes, but a beautiful woman. If you think I’m a male chauvinist your assumption is wrong. One of my best commanders is a woman.”

  “Where is she? I don’t see her playing cards.”

  “She doesn’t like card games. She’s inspecting her troops. I would like to show you my units, Captain.”

  They left the tent, and a commander at the card table joked, “Looks

  like old Standwall is in love.” Everybody laughed.

  Miles away, Hutton’s jeep pulled up beside Johnson’s. “Hello, General Johnson, “ Hutton said, “some of my Marines will be marching into your area soon.”

  “I’m glad your Marines will fight alongside us.”

  “I am too. When these two groups fight together they’re unbeatable.”

  “They may have nothing to fight after the bombing.”

  “You know, Halfway will be here soon to talk to our troops.”

  “My troops hate him for ordering an attack at night.”

  “I heard that you gave him a good sock in the eye.”

  “I wish I hadn’t because he gave me one back.”

  Halfway, Ben, Mark and the cameraman were in a jeep heading to Johnson’s command post. As Ben drove, Mark shouted, “Stop the jeep!”

  It skidded to a halt.

  “What the hell is wrong?” Halfway shouted.

  “I saw some dinosaur eggs on the side of the road,” answered Mark.

  “What the hell are they doing out here?” asked Halfway.

  “General, a dinosaur may have passed this way and laid them.”

  Mark ran to the three eggs. One of them had hatched. He smiled and lifted the baby dinosaur from the egg and petted it. “Don’t worry,

  your mother isn’t far. You’ll be all ri-” It was shot out of his hand, its flesh splattering on him, and then the other two eggs were shot. Shocked, Mark cried, “Oh, no!”

  Halfway grinned as he put his pistols in his holster, then his hands on his hips like he was Wyatt Earp. “We don’t have time to play mother!

  Get back in the jeep!”

  Mark stared angrily at Halfway. “You crazy bastard! You don’t give a damn about life?”

  “I’m a soldier, and this is war, asshole! You have a nerve to criticize me. Your zoo killed thousands of innocent dinosaurs. You hypocrite!”

  Mark cried, bowing his head in shame as he walked to the jeep.

  Halfway laughed evilly as he followed.

  War planes reached the city of Los Angeles and its surrounding suburbs and dropped bombs. The planes bombed office buildings, houses, shopping malls, schools, hospitals and streets.

  Buildings crumbled, and caught fire, and projects and neighborhoods

  went up in a ball of flame, and fire spread throughout the city.

  Clover phoned Halfway who was now at Johnson’s tent headquarters.

  “Halfway, our planes have bombed the majority of the city and suburbs, and killed many dinosaurs.”

  “Good! Tell your bombers I want the whole city and suburbs completely demolished. I don’t want a building or a dinosaur standing. Do I make myself clear?”

  “Yes, sir.”

  Halfway hung up the phone. “Johnson, I’m ready to inspect your troops.”

  They left the tent. Outside they saw Hutton talking to Mark. Halfway interrupted, “Hutton, I want to inspect your troops after I inspect

  Johnson’s.”

  As Halfway inspected Johnson’s troops, he said, “Johnson, why do your troops look like they have morale problems? I’ve never seen so many

  troops with frowns on their faces.”

  “They don’t have morale problems, they hate your guts, General.”

  “Well, I’ll give them a short speech, and it might change their minds about me. Have someone set up a stage with speakers, play my favorite song and have your troops gather around the stage. After I inspect Hutton’s Marines. I’ll speak to them.”

  As Halfway walked down a line of Marines with Hutton, he said, “Hutton, you and Standwall are positive commanders. I received no negativity from you or him. Your troops are enthusiastic. I wish Johnson’s troops were the same.”

  “Maybe your speech may change their attitude.”

  “I hope so”

  A short while later, the theme song from ‘Patton’ played loud as Halfway entered the stage. The music stopped, and he spoke, “Troops, right now, I have the Air Force and the Navy bombing to eliminate any remaining dinosaurs to end this war quickly. “I known some of you lost your friends in last night’s attack, but that’s the price of war. The reason I pushed you, was to end the war with minimal casualties. I would like to say that all of you have done an outstanding job, and will be rewarded for your bravery and fighting for this great country. I’m pound of you, and you’re brave soldiers.” He saluted them.

  They cheered and the song played again. Mark said to Johnson, “I’m afraid that the Patton wana-be might be the President someday.”

  “I hope not, but no telling what may happen,” Jonhson replied.

  Halfway said to Johnson, “Have your troops prepared to move out to the city and suburbs tomorrow at 1300 hours. I’ll be coming with you.”

  “When will the bombing stop? I don’t want my troops hit by friendly

  fire, General.”

  “Don’t worry, Johnson, they’ll not be hit. The bombing will be stopped before your troops move out. I’m going over to Standwall’s command.”

  The majority of the city of L.A. was destroyed. Massive groups of planes dropped more bombs. A Navy squadron commander phoned Chun’s

  headquarters. A radio operator called out, “Admiral, It’s Squadron

  Commander Sharp!”

  Chun grabbed the phone. “What is it, Commander?”

  “Admiral, most of the city has been totally demolished, and many dinosaurs have been destroyed. There’re heavy fires from the bombing. The entire city should be destroyed by midnight.”

  “Good job, Commander, and inform me periodically of your status.”

  “I will, Admiral.”

  Chun said to Clover, “General, I think this mission will be over by midnight.”

  “I’ll be glad when it is.”

  Halfway, Ben, Mark and the cameraman arrived at Standwall’s command. Standwall and his commanders stood quickly at attention as Halfway entered Standwall’s tent and Mark followed.”

  “Larry, why aren’t you standing?” Halfway asked.

  “I’m not a soldier.”

  “Good excuse. Standwall, why are you and your commanders playing cards while there’s a war going on? And who the hell is that female playing cards with you?”

  “Sir, my troops are ready and prepared to move out anytime. We’re just having recreation and I think every soldier is entitled to it. The female’s name is Captain Beverly Nails. She was appointed by Admiral Chun to

  command the Navy Seals.”

  “Can I join your card game?”

  Standwall grinned. “Certainly, General. Let me get you a chair.”

  “Chap,” Larry said, “he can have my seat
. I’m ready to quit. I need some fresh air.”

  Halfway sat and took a beer. He sipped it. “Aye, that’s nice and cold.

  What are you playing?”

  A commander grinned. “Poker, General.”

  Larry stepped outside with Mark.

  “Captain Nails, it’s your deal,” Standwall said. “General, what time do you want the troops to move out?”

  “Since yours and Nails’ troops are moving out by helicopter, they’ll leave tomorrow at 1400 hours. My crew and I will be camping here

  tonight, and in the morning we’ll join Johnson’s and Hutton’s troops.”

  “I’ll have a tent set up for you and your crew,” said Stanwall.

  “Thanks. Do you have any old Scotch whiskey hiding around here?”

  “Yes, General.” Standwall grinned. “I’ll have one of my commanders bring a bottle to your tent this evening. How are you and the hippy

  getting along? If I had hair clippers, I would tie him down and cut his hair, then shoot him.”

  “That’s mean, Standwall, but he is a hypocrite and we’ve had our share of problems, but we do get along sometimes. I wish he straighten up his uniform, he wears it like Hawkeye on ‘Mash’.”

  Curious, Nails asked, “Who’s this hippy and hypocrite you’re talking about?”

  “The one with the long hair who stepped outside with the King of England,” Standwall snickered. “He was a director of a dinosaur zoo.”

  “Why do you call him a hypocrite, General?” Nails asked.

  “A while back he was playing mother to a dinosaur I shot. He cried like a baby from the death of the thing. I’ll bet he probably never

  shaded a tear when he ordered many to be killed in slaughterhouses.”

  “General, you should’ve shot him too,” a commander joked.

  Everybody at the table laughed.

  “You should see him in civilian clothing,” Standwall said. “He wears ragged jeans and cheap sneakers.”

  Halfway was still laughing. “How much do you think he pays for his

  sneakers?”

  “About two dollars and the same for his jeans,” Standwall joked.

  Everybody laughed, now louder.