Lane said, “We have an opening. If we can get past the rest of their ships, we can outrun them back to Mars.”
The Star Brigade pilots moved toward the opening in the Allied ships’ ranks. The Space Force responded by trying to close ranks, but they were only able to trap one ship.
The trapped Star Brigade ship, number sixteen, fired her machine guns at the enemy ships. It was no good. She only had five bullets remaining. She had no missiles, either. The Allied Earth pilots shot at her engines and disabled her ship.
An Allied pilot said, “Cable up that ship. Let’s take it back with us.”
Another pilot asked, “What are we going to do with the pilot?”
The first pilot replied, “What we always do with prisoners.”
They chained her ship to one of theirs and took her prisoner. The Star Brigade pilots conceded that they lost her and returned to Mars.
Lane said, “We only lost one pilot today. She’s still alive, so hopefully we’ll be able to rescue her soon. If Rich kills prisoners, we’ll respond in kind.”
A female pilot said, “No, we won’t. We’re better than that. We’re peaceful people.”
Lane said, “War isn’t pretty. Sometimes you have to make uncomfortable compromises.”
The pilot replied, “It’s not a compromise if you sell your soul.”
Lane said, “I think you’re right.”
The Allied Earth Space Force ships returned to the Capitalist, with Star Brigade pilot number 16 in tow. General Rich was very disappointed with the result of the battle, but elated that he had a prisoner from which to extract information. His subordinates were elated that she was a beautiful young woman.
Chapter Thirty-Four
Interrogation
General Rich sat at a table in the Capitalist’s brig across from the most recently captured Martian pilot. She was handcuffed to the wall and shackled to the seat. She was very scared, and she didn’t want to be where she was.
Rich asked, “What are you going to tell me on your own and what am I going to have to extract from you by force?”
The pilot said, “I don’t have to tell you anything except my name and rank. I’m a prisoner of war.”
Rich said, “No, you’re a criminal. Wars are fought between recognized nations. This is an arrest of a criminal, so you only have the rights of a criminal.”
The pilot said, “I still have the right to remain silent and the right to an attorney. That hasn’t changed.”
Rich said, “You fled the United States, so you forfeited the rights of a U.S. citizen. You are now an international fugitive, and that gives me the right to interrogate you as such.”
The pilot said, “What are you planning to do to me if I don’t cooperate?”
Rich said, “I plan on doing to you the same thing your people are doing to my prisoners.”
The pilot replied, “We both know that’s not true. Your people are safe. I know our laws. We don’t hurt anyone in a prison, even prisoners of war.”
Rich wasn’t going to get to her with his fabricated stories. He decided to use another interrogation technique. He would scare her into telling him what he wanted to know.
Rich said, “You’re a very pretty little girl. There’s lots of guys on this ship who’d like to have the chance to violate a pretty flower for their own pleasure. They’d break every law there is to get what you have. The bonus is that I’d get the information I need, too. So you can either talk to me and be treated with kindness, or you can let me turn you over to men who won’t be so kind.”
She knew Rich planned on turning her over to his crew whether she told him what he wanted to know or not. She tried to delay her torture.
She said, “So you’d let your men rape and torture me to extract information. You’re an evil piece of garbage. Now I understand how Earth got so bad.”
Rich said, “Rape is such a strong word. I never said they’d rape you. I’m sure they’d like to see you naked and bleeding, though. Although, if they did decide to rape you, I wouldn’t do anything to stop them. “
The pilot said, “I’ll kill myself before I let your scum touch me. Your threats aren’t going to get you anywhere.”
Rich said, “Then I’ll have to put you under truth serum.”
The pilot asked, “Do you mean sodium pentothal?”
Rich said, “It’s still the most effective way to extract the truth. But if it doesn’t work, then fear’s also an effective way to get what I want.”
The pilot said, “You’re an asshole.”
Rich radioed, “Get me the vino.”
A voice on the other side of the radio said, “Wine? What for?”
Rich said, “Not actual wine. Con vino, veritas. I need the sodium pentothal.”
The pilot said, “You know you’re going to lose. This is a war you can’t win.”
Rich said, “I told you before this isn’t a war. You’re criminals. This is an arrest.”
The pilot said, “You’re an idiot.”
Rich said, “The lot of you are idiots. We have unlimited resources to bring you to justice, and we’ll use all of them.”
The pilot said, “We have our beliefs to fight for. You’ll never break our spirits.”
She was having trouble believing her own words. Her heart raced and she was finding it hard to control her breathing.
Rich said, “You’ll soon realize your cause is lost. You’ll abandon your principles when you see you can’t win.”
A nurse came into the room with a syringe full of sodium pentothal. She sat down next to General Rich and consulted her clipboard. The pilot’s eyes widened when she saw the needle on the clipboard. She started sweating profusely. She was terrified, but she didn’t dare let Rich know how scared she was.
The nurse asked, “Is this the prisoner?”
Rich said, “She is. Go ahead and give her the shot.”
The pilot’s eyes started watering. She tried to hold back her tears, but she was terrified. She didn’t want to give General Rich any satisfaction, but she wasn’t strong enough to hide her emotions.
The nurse said, “Yes, sir.”
The nurse put rubber gloves on her hands and took the cap off the syringe. The pilot tried to squirm out of her shackles. She was terrified by the drug in the needle. It could make her tell her captors things that she needed to keep secret. The secrets of Mars were too important to share with their archenemy.
The nurse said, “If you fight, it’ll hurt more. Then you’ll be in pain and you’ll still tell us what we want to know. There’s no way for you to win.”
The pilot said, “You’re a bitch. Don’t you understand that people like you are the problem? You’ve been brainwashed by the corporate culture of greed and power. There’s a better way. All you have to do is join us and you can see for yourself.”
The nurse said, “Just shut up and stop fighting. The more you fight me, the more this’ll hurt.”
General Rich forced his body onto the pilot’s body to hold her down. His hold allowed the nurse to administer the drug. She thrust the needle in the pilot’s arm and pushed the plunger until the syringe was empty. Then the nurse left the room. The drug took a few minutes to take effect, so Rich went over his notes as the prisoner fell under the influence of the drug.
Rich asked, “Where did your colony get the spaceships?”
The pilot wanted to withhold information, but she was almost powerless to tell the truth. Fortunately, there were things she didn’t know.
The pilot replied, “I don’t know. They were there when we arrived.”
Rich asked, “Where are the food supplies being held?”
The pilot answered, “In underground bunkers.”
Rich said, “Where are they?”
The pilot replied, “I don’t know.”
Rich asked, “How many of you are there in the colony?”
She had no idea how many people were in the colony. She only knew the rounded figures Scott told her.
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br /> The pilot said, “About four hundred.”
Rich asked, “And how many are in the military?”
The pilot replied, “Everyone over sixteen is required to join the military.”
Rich asked, “What is your source of food?”
The pilot said, “We grow our own food.”
Rich demanded, “I figured that much. Where?”
She really didn’t want to answer that, but the drug’s effect was too strong. She reluctantly answered.
The pilot said, “In the biodome.”
Rich asked, “Is that the big building in the center of the town?”
The pilot said, “Yes.”
Rich said, “Tell me everything else you know about your colony.”
The pilot replied, “I don’t want to.”
That was the truth, but it wasn’t the truth Rich wanted. Since the question was open-ended, she was free to give an answer that suited her needs. He got angry and stood to leave.
Rich said, “This didn’t help me that much. Nurse, get her the antidote.”
The nurse came back into the room and administered the antidote to the prisoner. The pilot started recovering and the nurse left the room with General Rich.
The nurse asked, “What do you want me to do with her when she comes to?”
Rich said, “Let the boys have some fun.
Chapter Thirty-Five
Don’t Go
Jack went to Jane’s house to tell her about his plan. He trusted her with all the plans he made because he wanted her to trust him with everything. Scout and Lane knew about his compulsion to share everything with his girlfriend, and they gave him the okay.
Jack knocked on the door with his typical knock so Jane would know he was at the door. Jane’s heart leapt as she heard the knocking. The rhythm of Queen’s “Another One Bites The Dust” resounded through her living room and her heart. She jumped off her couch and ran to the door. When she opened the door, Jack walked in and hugged her while lifting her into the air.
Jane asked, “So what brings you to my neck of the woods?”
Jack answered, “I have some bad news for you.”
Jane said, “What is it?”
Jack was crying as he told Jane, “I’m going on a long mission. I’m gonna be gone for a few weeks.”
Jane didn’t know why Jack was crying, but she knew it must be serious.
Jane started crying as she asked, “Where’s the mission?"
Jack replied, “Near Earth. We’re going to attack the supply line as it leaves. We’ll be just beyond the moon and attack them once they pass radio range.”
Jane asked, “How dangerous is this mission?”
Jack said, “We’re attacking a supply ship, so it shouldn’t be very dangerous.”
Jane shoved Jack. She felt relieved, but she was still nervous about Jack leaving for so long.
Jane said, “You had me thinking you were going on a suicide mission. I was scared.”
Jack said, “I told you before that I’ll always come back to you. You don’t need to worry.”
Jane said, “What if their supplies include more ships? You could be attacked.”
Jack said, “They have budgets to consider. They shouldn’t have too many more ships. Besides, this is going to be a surprise attack. They’ll never see us coming. I’ll be fine.”
Jane said, “Don’t you think they have tracking satellites trained on us by now?”
Jack said, “We can jam those. Jordan’s very good at disabling their spy technology.”
Jane walked to the couch and sat down. She was still crying, so she grabbed some tissues and wiped her eyes. Jack sat beside her and grabbed her free hand. She pushed his hand away and turned away from him.
Jack asked, “What’s wrong? Don’t shut me out just because I’m the one making you cry. We never solve anything that way.”
Jane said, “Don’t you understand I don’t want you to go on this mission? Isn’t there some way for you to get out of it?”
Jack said, “Not really. It was my idea, so I’m the lead on this mission.”
Jane began to cry even harder and her face turned red. She blew her nose and threw the tissue on the coffee table. Then she jumped off the couch and started yelling.
She yelled, “Do you care about me at all? How could you put yourself in danger without even considering me?”
Jack said, “Of course I care. The whole reason I’m doing this is so we can have a life together. If we don’t win the war, we have to go back to Earth. We’ll be criminals, so we’ll be poor forever. None of the corporations give good jobs to people labeled criminals.”
Jane said, “But why do you have to be the one to put your life on the line?”
Jack said, “Because I’m the one with the best chance to win the battle and come back alive. I don’t mean to sound conceited, but I’m the best pilot on Mars.”
Jane asked, “How many others are going?”
Jack answered, “Lane’ll be there. He and I will lead the mission. Then I hope to take the whole Star Brigade with us.”
She saw an opening. If the whole Star Brigade went to Earth, Mars would be unprotected. Someone would have to stay behind. That could be Jack.
Jane said, “Won’t that leave us unprotected here?”
Jack said, “We’ll still have the Army and the Air Force, so we should be fine without the Star Brigade.”
The opening abruptly closed. She needed to find another way to convince him to stay.
Jane said, “I really don’t want you to go. I have a bad feeling about this.”
Jack said, “It’s probably because you love me.”
Jane said, “Of course I love you. I don’t want to lose the only person who makes me feel the way you do.”
Jack said, “You won’t lose me. I’ll be back in a few weeks.”
Jane asked, “So how long before you leave?”
Jack replied, “I’m not sure. We have to wait for the go ahead from Lane.”
Jane asked, “Will you be able to tell me when you’re leaving?”
Jack answered, “No, I’ll have to leave in a hurry. We need the whole mission to be a surprise. We’ll have to sneak off the planet when Rich’s ship can’t track us.”
Jane was relieved that Jack wasn’t leaving immediately, though she still felt uneasy about him leaving. At least she could enjoy him right now.
Jane said, “I’ll just have to enjoy you while you’re still here with me.”
Jack said, “It’s not like I’m going to be executed.”
Jane grabbed him and said, “It feels the same way to me. You might not come back from this battle. I need you to hold me while you’re still here.”
Jack held Jane in his arms and Jane reciprocated. They wanted this moment to never end. Unfortunately, that was not possible.
Chapter Thirty-Six
Rescue Mission
Jordan met Jack and Lane on the tarmac when he returned from Deimos. He wanted a report of the battle.
Jordan asked, “How’d it go up there?”
Lane replied, “We won the battle, but one of our female pilots was captured.”
Jordan asked, “Who was she?”
Lane replied, “I don’t remember her name. We have a few female pilots, and I can’t keep their names straight.”
Jordan said, “You might want to start thinking with the right head.”
Lane said, “It’s not like that. They just run together after a while. I even have trouble remembering the male pilots’ names.”
Jordan said, “That needs to change, and fast. It’s very hard to build morale when you can’t even remember names. The pilots may think you don’t value their contributions.”
Lane said, “I’ll work on that, sir.”
Jordan said, “So what’s your plan for the captured pilot?”
Lane replied, “I was thinking we should put a rescue mission together.”
Jordan said, “You’re already planning a major mis
sion to Earth. Don’t you think you’re spreading your forces a little thin?”
Lane said, “We’re only taking six of our dozen ships to Earth, so we’ll still have six here. We could use two more for the rescue mission and still have four to defend against an attack.”
Jordan asked, “Didn’t you have Jack tell Jane you were taking the whole Star Brigade?”
Lane replied, “He has to go on the mission, so I had to come up with something. I know he hates lying to her, but I don’t see a better option.”
Jordan said, “And you have the pilots necessary to man these missions?”
Lane said, “I have not only the pilots, but the mechanics and dispatchers to coordinate both missions.”
Jordan said, “Then go ahead and launch both missions. However, I think you should begin the rescue mission first. That way you have backup available in case something goes wrong.”
Lane asked, “Does that mean you want me to finish the rescue mission before I begin the mission to Earth?”
Jordan replied, “I think that would be your most prudent move.”
Lane said, “Thank you, sir,” and saluted Jordan.
Jordan returned the salute and said, “Dismissed.”
Lane turned about and walked to the barracks. He stopped at the door and let his eyes adjust to the light of the barracks. Then he inspected the troops’ quarters to make sure they complied with regulations. He stood in the middle of the room and made some announcements.
Lane declared, “I need two pilots to volunteer for a rescue mission. I also need two mechanics and a dispatcher.”
Jack said, “I’d like to…”
Lane quickly said, “No, I need you for something else.”
MARS: Baroque Revolution Page 17