Jethro Goes to War (Wandering Engineer Jethro's tale)

by Hechtl, Chris

  “It might help if someone else had theirs hooked up,” he sighed noting the others were still suited up. “Leave that shit for later!” he bellowed, seeing several of the scientists trying to unpack gear or pick bits up off the ground. “Get the hell out of the way!” he yelled again waving.

  Max waved, adding his own full throated bellow to the mix. Scientists moved, none to their assigned tasks but at least they weren't making a mess of the LZ. Perry sighed as a second supply truck bounced through the portal. It's driver hit the brakes right away, slamming it to a halt. It's trailer bucked up by the sudden stop then flipped. Cursing Max and Perry ran for it.

  “Oh crap, this is going to suck,” Max hollered over the storm.

  “Yeah think?” Perry snarled back, trying to right the trailer. “We've got to drag the fucker if we can't move it!” Max said between crackles. He looked over his shoulder to the portal. “Damn, is it moving?”

  “Probably,” Perry said, looking himself. Indeed, the portal was creeping backwards closer to the cliff's edge.

  “If this keeps up we're going to have a serious problem. I make it three minutes between resets. That means we've got less than a minute to do something about this,” Max grunted, trying to pull at the trailer.

  “Leave it Max!” They both looked up to see Ryans leaning out of the cab. “I've got it running.” The truck stalled, then rumbled to life. Slowly it moved dragging it's trailer behind it. Bits of gear littered it's wake.

  “Go!” Perry said pounding on the side and then running to get clear as the portal pulsed. Suddenly a third truck was there, it slammed into the edge of the trailer then careened off to the left toward the other trucks. The trailer's tongue shrieked then snapped. The safety chains held it to the ma-deuce truck however. It rolled upside down, then slowly toppled back down onto one side. Equipment sprayed the area. Perry ducked as a three meter long wire holding rolls of riggers tape came loose and went end over end.

  “Ah why me,” Max half moaned half growled, getting up from the ground. He brushed himself off with his ball cap then waved to Ryans. “Gun it!” he hollered.

  “What the hell do you think I'm trying to do!” Ryans called back.

  Perry looked around. “What a cluster fuck,” he sighed. At least the LAV's were out on perimeter. They had one more supply truck to go before the civilian vehicles and the colonel came through. Hopefully they could get this shit under some sort of order before the brass showed up.

  “LAV's are out on perimeter,” master sergeant Waters reported over the net. “The engineering and hospital rigs are clear.”

  “Good. Glad something is going right. Get the civilians sorted out and get everyone on radio. Get Patterson to try to punch a single through that and warn the following wave that they are about to run out of plateau, Tell them to speed up or cut short,” Perry said, touching his mike. He looked up to the sky.

  “Everyone on radio, check the people next to you and make sure they have their radio's on. Get to your assigned tasks people. Let's move it!” Waters bellowed, pointing to a knot of scientists nearby. “You! Yeah you numb nuts get your radio on and secure your gear. Play with your toys later!” he snarled. “You...”

  Perry snorted as the Master Sergeant took the civilians in hand. “It's going to be close,” Ryans said coming up beside him and eying the vortex. He turned his eyes to the sky, frowning at the thunderheads approaching. He looked over the edge of the cliff, and then whistled. “Long freakin' way down.” The base of the cliffs was covered in jagged rocks. Storm surge was already affecting the waves, they were crashing into the rocks with ferocious intensity.

  “Not good.” He ducked instinctively as the next supply truck materialized, bounced and then rolled out. “Not good, not good, not good.” He huffed watching the vortex scoot back another five or six meters.

  “We're running out of time,” Perry said watching the vortex's creeping slow.

  “You mean we're running our of room. Yeah, We need electromagnets in front or behind to get this thing stable and draw it this way. That storm is drawing it out to sea away from these rocks.”

  Max waved then touched his radio. “Doc Roshenko thinks this plateau has an iron ferrite core. He's found quite a few rusty red rocks. It's screwing up our electrical systems and messing up the radio. Want me to set up the weather array?”

  Ryans shook his head. “No, get the vehicles clear of the path of the vortex and to high ground. Work with Waters. Police the ground for any debris,” he replied absently looking at the red rocks nearby. “Get Patterson to break out the long range transmitter and try to punch a signal through to base to warn them about the vortex.”

  “What about it?” Max asked then looked a the streak of burnt grass and then to the cliff edge beyond. “Ah. Okay, gotcha boss.” He turned to view Patterson but she waved him off. “Looks like she's already on it boss.” He winced as another supply truck came rumbling through.

  “Two more of those, the living quarters, science vehicle, the command hummer and the pusher vehicle to go. Think they will make it?” Waters asked coming up beside them. Perry was busy pulling off the bottom half of his lead suit.

  “Hell if I know. I hope so,” he grumbled. Ryans grimaced as he pulled his own suit off then folded it and set it aside.

  “Perimeter's set. I've got a couple of egg heads who are breathing down my neck to get started though,” Waters reported.

  “Tell them they can wait a damn minute,” Ryans said as another truck appeared and rumbled past. He pulled out his ball cap and put it on. “Shit,” he whispered as the vortex wiggled back and forth then seemed to jump back even further than before.

  “Son of a...” Waters said eying the vortex. “Well, you don't see that every day. And if they don't get the lead out we're in trouble. If that thing leaves are we going to lose our ticket home?” He asked suddenly flint eyed.

  “Ah, no idea master sergeant. I'll put the egg heads on it first chance we get,” Ryans answered.

  “Yeah, you do that little thing,” Waters answered, bobbing his head as the last ma-deuce truck rumbled past. “Least we've got our supplies.” He smiled waving. “And a bit more organized.” He waved to the team.

  The military people were out on perimeter. Max had Sergio Velenkov and Ben Jarkvic chaining the truck to the rear of a Stryker to tow it clear.

  “Not bad,” Perry nodded watching them.

  “We need mass, or a positive force behind the vortex, between the storm and it to be precise,” Sydney the video tech and physicist said over the vox.

  “Ah... Not going to happen. No time,” Ryans said shaking his head as the research vehicle rumbled through the vortex. “Three more to go. Come on...” He didn't like the look of this. Each time something came through it went back a dozen or so feet. By his math... He turned to see Patterson.

  The slender brunette corporal was bent over her equipment, intent on punching a signal through. He sighed as she slapped at the box, clearly frustrated. She was shaking her head and turning the air blue around her.

  “When all else fails hit it. That's not a good sign,” Perry muttered.

  “Yeah,” Ryans agreed with a nod. “I think we better get the rappelling gear out. And someone ready in case of emergency. Paramedic too,” he warned looking at Perry. Perry cocked his head looking away. He yelled something then rushed off to a knot of people arguing over getting into the research vehicle.

  “Great,” Ryans sighed. He touched his throat mike. “Patterson?” She looked up.

  “Sorry sir, no joy. I'm getting a signal out, but the interference is incredible. Batteries are weak too, the discharge must have...” She threw herself to the ground as a bolt of energy slammed out from the vortex and struck the antenna pointed at it. Her radio exploded in a shower of sparks and debris. “Damn!” she yelped slapping at the fire on her leg.

  “Medic!” Perry called turning to the explosion. The fight over the research vehicle paused, and then people seemed a bit sheepish as
they pitched in to help.

  “Better move Patterson. NOW!” Ryans called as the habitat RV emerged and bounced along. Patterson's eyes widened comically.

  “Oh shit!” she yelped, rolling to the side. The RV bounced a few more times, then pitched to one side and rolled off to the left.

  “Looks like the driver's out of it,” Max called sounding disgusted. “I've got a Stryker going after it,” he waved. A Stryker moved off in the wake of the RV.

  “Good,” Perry nodded just as static burst over his radio. He winced, then froze as he caught the distorted voice of the lieutenant colonel.

  “Sir come in. This is Perry ah, alpha five come in six. You're breaking up.” He looked around then to the vortex.

  His heart flew to his throat as he saw the vortex creep over the edge. “Come in, urgent six. Do NOT I repeat. DO NOT cross over. Danger! Urgent! Portal is in the air!” he called.

  “Shit he can't hear me,” He looked around suddenly frantic. “What the hell can we do?”

  “Stop dithering and start planning for one,” Ryans said standing next to him. “Gunnery sergeant, you've got rappelling duty. Assemble a team and get a hummer with a winch to the cliff edge next to the vortex asap! That means yesterday!” he yelled, touching his mike and forgetting it would carry his voice to the others.

  He turned on the knot of scientists. “You lot prep for wounded. Study later. Survive now!” he yelled waving. They exploded in different directions. “Doc... ah. um... Doc Carter, set up for...”

  “Possible wounded. I gathered that already the first two times you said it and I'm doing it now,” Carter's voice replied coming over the radio. “We're getting it done.”

  “No... Shit...” Perry muttered. Ryans turned. The vortex was about two meters away from the cliff, sinking slowly. “No freaking way,” Perry said running to the cliff edge. The hummer passed him.

  Perry felt a force slam him to the ground. He bit his tongue and scraped his chin. He opened his eyes to see the air above him purple and glowing. He rolled enough to look back to see Ryans holding his legs.

  “You can thank or yell at me later,” Ryans said getting up warily watching the vortex. Perry looked up as well.

  The command hummer took that moment to appear through the portal. He had one brief, agonizing look at the shrouded figures inside as they flew through the air... only to sink and slam into the edge of the cliff and then down... down... down...

  Someone was screaming, he wasn't sure who. Together they scrambled to the edge of the cliff. He looked down to see the hummer broken on the rocks below.

  “Don't think anyone survived that,” Max said looking.

  “We're going to try anyway, gunny you're up!” Ryans called looking over to the rappel team. The gunnery Sergeant had his gloves on, he hooked into the winch then tossed his line over the cliff behind him.

  “What the hell, let's go!” he said dropping backwards over the cliff. The winch began to play out. The line jerked as the gunny bounded off the cliff face, going down it as fast as he could.

  “What the hell are we going to do?” Perry said, stunned.

  “Everything we can,” Ryans answered. The vortex was now over ten meters from the cliff and had sunk by forty meters towards the crashing waves below. It's descent was speeding up.

  “That truck's going to get smashed to ribbons,” Max grunted.

  “No. I got through,” he turned to see Patterson near the edge holding the back up radio transmitter. “Just as they transited, there was a clear spell. They got the message but it was too late for the colonel. Damn,” she said, tears in her eyes. She wiped at them. She shook her head, looking drawn.

  “Not your fault Patterson. Sometimes shit happens,” Waters sighed waving to the others. “All right people, what is this a Sunday supper? Get your acts together. Crisis mode people!” he yelled. People shook out of their revery and slowly moved off.

  “I'm at the site, no survivors,” the gunny panted over the radio net a minute later. Ryans looked to Perry but the young man was wide eyed and frozen. “Roger that gunny,” Ryans said softly touching his throat mike as the second man rappelled down the cliff face. “Take five then try to find a path to get what you can out.” He looked over to Waters.

  “Waters, we're going to need a path down there to salvage what we can. I'm not even going to try hauling stuff up that cliff in this storm.” He shook his head. “Which reminds me, it may be closing the barn door after the horses are out, but get someone to set up a lightning rod or three to protect us before that storm hits. And I think we best set up base camp here,” he waved. “If that's okay with you LT?” he asked.

  Perry grunted and then blinked. “Huh? Oh, yeah,” he nodded. Ryans was right, no sense floundering around on an alien world in the dark with a storm raging around them. “Perimeter guard, high ground, salvage what we can, bury the dead,” he nodded. “Carry on.” He moved off.

  Ryans watched Waters studying the LT then turning an appraising look on him. Their eyes met and Ryans's brow raised in silent query. Whatever the Sergeant saw he seemed to approve. He nodded slowly. “Aye aye sir,” he nodded then moved off.

  ...*...*...*...*...

  You can read more when it's released in 2013-2014!

  Afraid Of the Dark

  Sneak Peek:

  Afraid of the Dark is not your ordinary Alien Invasion story. Here is a little bit about what I mean:

  Bobby pulled his ear pieces out of his ears and pocketed the IPod as they walked. "Now look Chuck, just follow my lead. Its not that hard once you get into it. Its not just the rhythm I'm saying, its what to look out for," Bobby said pointing to the house they were about to B&E. Breaking and Entering had become something of a really dangerous thing now. But vital for survival.

  There were eight harvesters for each shooter on the teams. Together the harvesters could clear a house in ten or fifteen minutes. They were getting really good but the job was both exhausting and dangerous. Very dangerous.

  "He means you get used to it? I never have," Jody said shaking her head as the crew hefted tools and walked up the path. She turned to survey the teams moving up other walks to neighboring houses. Occasionally she could hear the shattering of glass or an off pitch scream. Just another day in paradise, she thought as she grimaced.

  "Move people, we're burning daylight," Hadji said waving them onward and inward. "Kitchen, food, don't forget the cleaning supplies and check carefully!" Hadji said.

  "Shit man," Chuck muttered, looking around the dilapidated house. It was pretty wrecked, with holes in the walls and smears of things he didn't even want to know about. “The smell...” he coughed, hand going to his face.

  "Yeah, that part I forgot to mention," Bobby said pulling his bandana up to cover his face. He handed the rookie a face mask. "Scented with cologne. My last one so keep it good."

  "Yeah man," Chuck said, feeling his eyes water as he hastily slipped the mask on. The scent of Axe filled his nostrils. He didn't like that the others were laying odds he wouldn't last the day. Hell if he'd give in after his first house. This had to be easier than pushing a broom and cleaning toilets. The real action was right here he realized, not the docks as he'd originally assumed. They only got what the harvesters brought to them. He was going to make a killing here on the black market pretty quick. A week or two and he'd rest easy for a month and not have to lift a finger.

  He grimaced at the thought and then shook his head. With wise investment he might make his gains last longer. He made a mental note to find something or someone to invest in. There had to be something out there. A piece of the action was all he asked. All he deserved.

  That was all they had for him. Him, who had once been a broker, reduced to scrubbing toilets just to eat. Hell. Hell with that. They were just keeping him down. He'd show them, prove them all wrong. He knew there was a way to move up in their community, it had taken time but he'd finally identified it. The shoppers made a killing on the black market with what they brought i
n. If they could do it, hell, so could he.

  "Anything we should know about?" Bobby asked, turning to Hadji who was standing by the door. It was a typical single story ranch house, normal for this section of tract housing. It was an older house, near the center of town. Before the alien invasion probably worth $150k. Now it wasn't worth the matches it took to burn it down.

  Hell of a thing, the damn aliens arriving as they did. Now they were trying to etch out a living in this fallen world, trying to stay alive in all things a mall. The mall. A teenage girl's paradise.

  "What am I a psychic? Just mind the holes and watch for a jack as usual," Hadji said, hefting a fire ax.

  "Shit," Bobby muttered, turning new eyes on the holes. Hadji and was an ass, his crew barely any better. They tended to get sloppy if the boss wasn't around to watch over them. And of course he was busy. Great. "You heard the man, mind the holes, that means steer clear of them and keep one eye on them. Jody, hit the..."

  "Bathrooms, I know," she said moving off. Hadji followed. Chuck's brow knit. Now why were they checking the bathrooms? Wasn't like they could eat tooth paste or soap. Then again... he shook himself. He had to be on his A game. Kendra, his wife of ten years hadn't been happy when he'd told her of this fresh endeavor. She hadn't said so out loud. He knew it rankled her, a bank manager, climbing the corporate ladder now reduced to folding clothes in the improvised laundry. Hell if he'd let his wife do that the rest of his life if he could help it. They had just moved into a seven hundred and fifty thousand dollar house, one that had been valued during the bubble for $1.7 million... and now it was all gone. So much garbage. No. He'd find a way to make it right and get back on top. He just needed an angle and an opening.

  "Anything in here? Ollie Ollie in free..." a voice said. They turned to see the boss man and a pair of his crew coming down the hall. "Nothing big here, there could be something in the walls." He looked over to the pile of excrement under the skylight. A bit dripped down. He frowned. "Fresh. That’s not a good sign. Mind the holes."